bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
In vitro and in vivo evaluation of a moisture treatment cream containing three critical elements of natural skin moisturization
Authors: McDaniel David H. , Dover Jeffrey S. , Wortzman Mitchell , Nelson Diane B. 
Published: March 2020

AbstractObjectivesTo evaluate skin barrier and hydration effects of a new rebalancing moisture treatment (TRMT) and to assess efficacy and tolerability in subjects with photodamaged skin.MethodsIn an epidermal skin model, tissues (n = 5/group) were topically treated with 25 µL of TRMT, 25 µL of a market‐leading moisturizer (MLM), or untreated for 60 minutes. Hydration was measured at 0, 15, and 30 minutes. Tissues were harvested for gene expression analysis of markers associated with skin barrier and hydration: Claudin (CLD), Aquaporin (AQP), Hyaluronic Acid Syntheses (HAS), and Hyaluronidase (HYAL). A clinical study evaluated twice‐daily application of TRMT, assessing changes in fine lines/wrinkles, brightness, texture, erythema, and tolerability from baseline through week 8. Hydration was measured using electrical impedance.ResultsTRMT and MLM demonstrated significant increases in hydration vs untreated tissue at each timepoint (P < .005), with greater hydration effects observed for TRMT vs MLM. TRMT‐treated tissues demonstrated greater expression of CLD, AQP, and HA, and reduced expression of HYAL vs untreated and MLM‐treated tissues. Twice‐daily application of TRMT demonstrated significant improvements at 2 weeks in fine lines/wrinkles (P < .001), brightness (P < .0001), texture (P < .0004), and hydration (P < .004). At 8 weeks, statistically significant improvements were achieved in all categories.ConclusionIn an epidermal skin model, TRMT demonstrated significant increases in hydration, greater hydration effects, and expression of key markers associated with skin barrier and hydration vs a MLM. Twice‐daily application of TRMT was well tolerated and resulted in early, significant improvements in hydration and visible improvements in skin brightness, texture, fine lines/wrinkles, and erythema at 8 weeks.
Comparison of term and preterm labor procalcitonin and leukocyte cell volume, conductivity and light scatter (VCS) parameters in order to demonstrate the impact of inflammation on the triggering mechanisms of preterm uterin contractions
Authors: Unal Canan , Karatas Esra , Fadıloglu Erdem , Portakal Oytun , Beksac Mehmet Sinan 
Published: March 2020

AbstractAimComparison of mean channels of cell volume, conductivity and light scatter (VCS) parameters of neutrophil, monocyte and lymphocyte, procalcitonin (PCT) and white blood cell count (WBC) during term and preterm labor to evaluate the impact of inflammation on the triggering mechanisms of uterine contractions.MethodsThis study is consisted of 16 preterm and 60 term pregnancies at the beginning of the first stages of the labor. Leukocyte VCS parameters, PCT plasma levels and WBC count were evaluated.ResultsWe could not demonstrate statistically significant difference in between leukocyte VCS parameters in preterm and term deliveries (P ˃ 0.050 for all). WBC counts were 10.6 and 11.8 × 103/μL in the preterm and term groups respectively (P = 0.270). PCT levels were 0.04 and 0.03 ng/mL for preterm and term pregnancies (P = 0.062).ConclusionInflammation related markers such as leukocyte VCS parameters, PCT values and WBC count does not differentiate at the first stage of labor in preterm and term deliveries. These variables do not seem to have a prominent role at the biological events behind preterm contractions.
Reducing Discrimination and Fostering Prosociality Towards Ex‐Prisoners in Nigeria and the United States
Authors: Schneider Claudia R. , Weber Elke U. 
Published: March 2020

AbstractFair treatment and social acceptance are paramount to human well‐being, yet, society often withholds these crucial needs and discriminates against certain groups, including ex‐prisoners. Discrimination and lack of social support by the public reduces ex‐prisoners’ well‐being and threatens successful reintegration into society after release from prison, perpetuating conflict and impeding social justice. Identifying strategies to reduce discrimination against ex‐prisoners and to foster prosocial behaviors towards them is therefore of high relevance. Building on past evidence, we assess the viability of a values affirmation intervention given to members of the general public to reduce their discrimination against ex‐prisoners and to foster prosocial motivation towards them. Across two studies in two cultural contexts, Nigeria and the United States, we provide evidence that engaging in values affirmation can significantly reduce discriminatory behavioral tendencies, for instance in the employment sector, and motivate prosociality towards ex‐prisoners, such as supporting educational rehabilitation programs. These results point towards a potential avenue for shifting the public's discriminatory views and behavioral tendencies towards ex‐prisoners, in an effort to support reintegration and to further social justice.
Neogene and Quaternary climate changes shaped the lineage differentiation and demographic history of Fokienia hodginsii (Cupressaceae s.l.), a Tertiary relict in East Asia
Authors: Yin Qian‐Yi , Fan Qiang , Li Pan , Truong DoVan , Zhao Wan‐Yi , Zhou Ren‐Chao , Chen Su‐Fang , Liao Wen‐Bo 
Published: March 2020

AbstractHistorical climate oscillations and tectonic events have influenced the speciation and evolutionary history of many organisms. In this study, we chose Fokienia hodginsii (Dunn) A. Henry & H. H. Thomas (Cupressaceae s.l.), a Tertiary relict conifer, for the inference of the demographic history since the Neogene. Five chloroplast regions and two single‐copy nuclear genes were amplified and sequenced in 497 individuals from 28 populations. The chloroplast data showed that F. hodginsii presented a high level of genetic diversity (H

T
= 0.860 ± 0.0279) and significant phylogeographic structure (N

ST
> G

ST
, P < 0.05). According tobeast analysis, the divergence time of the two major lineages indicated by the phylogenetic construction produced from chloroplast and nuclear data could be dated to the early Miocene (ca. 19.34–19.95 Ma), which coincided with the onset and intensification of the Asian monsoon. During this time, environmental adaption under the different climatic conditions on either side of the Tanaka Line could have played important roles in maintaining and/or reinforcing the divergence of the two major lineages. The ecological niche modeling results showed that F. hodginsii experienced habitat fragmentation and strengthening of genetic barriers during the Last Glacial Maximum, followed by local expansion during postglacial periods. Our findings show that paleoclimate changes since the Neogene might have triggered the extinction of all but one Fokienia species and its intraspecific lineage differentiation. This study also suggests that Tertiary relicts in subtropical and tropical areas might have had a complex evolutionary history and their intraspecific differentiation time might have been earlier than expected.
Cash and voucher assistance and children's nutrition status in Somalia
Authors: Doocy Shannon , Busingye Martin , Lyles Emily , Colantouni Elizabeth , Aidam Bridget , Ebulu George , Savage Kevin 
Published: March 2020

AbstractTo address ongoing food insecurity and acute malnutrition in Somalia, a broad range of assistance modalities are used, including in‐kind food, food vouchers, and cash transfers. Evidence of the impact of cash and voucher assistance (CVA) on prevention of acute malnutrition is limited in humanitarian and development settings. This study examined the impact of CVA on prevention of child acute malnutrition in 2017/2018 in the context of the Somalia food crisis. Changes in diet and acute malnutrition were measured over a 4‐month period among children age 6–59 months from households receiving household transfers of approximately US$450 delivered either as food vouchers or a mix of in‐kind food, vouchers, and cash. Baseline to endline change in children's dietary diversity, meal frequency, minimum acceptable diet (MAD), mid‐upper arm circumference (MUAC), and acute malnutrition (MUAC < 12.5 cm) were compared using difference‐in‐difference analysis with inverse probability weighting. There were no statistically significant changes in dietary diversity, meal frequency, or the proportion of children with MAD for either intervention group. Adjusted change in mean MUAC showed increases of 0.5 cm (confidence interval [CI; 0.0, 0.7 cm]) in the food voucher group and 0.1 cm (CI [−0.1, 0.4]) in the mixed transfer group. In adjusted analysis, prevalence of acute malnutrition among children under 5 years increased by 0.7% (CI [−13.4, 14.4%]) among food voucher recipients and decreased by 4.8% (CI [−9.9, 8.1%]) in mixed transfer recipients. The change over time in both mean MUAC and acute malnutrition prevalence was similar for both interventions, suggesting that cash and vouchers had similar effects on child nutrition status.
Calibration of the descent local search algorithm parameters using orthogonal arrays
Authors: Gisbert Carlos M. , Lozano‐Galant Jose A. , Paya‐Zaforteza Ignacio , Turmo Jose 
Published: March 2020

AbstractSolving optimization problems using heuristic algorithms requires the selection of its parameters. Traditionally, these parameters are selected by a trial and error process that cannot guarantee the quality of the results obtained because not all the potential combinations of parameters are checked. To fill this gap, this paper proposes the application of Taguchi's orthogonal arrays to calibrate the parameters of a heuristic optimization algorithm (the descent local search algorithm). This process is based on the study of the combinations of discrete values of the heuristic tool parameters and it enables optimization of the heuristic tool performance with a reduced computational effort. To check its efficiency, this methodology is applied to a technical challenge never studied before: the optimization of the tensioning process of cable‐stayed bridges. The statistical improvement of the heuristic tool performance is studied by the optimization of the tensioning process of a real cable‐stayed bridge. Results show that the proposed calibration technique provided robust values of the objective function (with lower minimum and mean values, and lower standard deviation) with reduced computational cost.
Effects of simulated anisometropia and aniseikonia on stereopsis
Authors: Atchison David A , Lee Jeongmin , Lu Jianing , Webber Ann L , Hess Robert F , Baldwin Alex S , Schmid Katrina L 
Published: March 2020

AbstractPurposeStereopsis depends on horizontally disparate retinal images but otherwise concordance between eyes. Here we investigate the effect of spherical and meridional simulated anisometropia and aniseikonia on stereopsis thresholds. The aims were to determine effects of meridian, magnitude and the relative effects of the two conditions.MethodsTen participants with normal binocular vision viewed McGill modified random dot stereograms through synchronised shutter glasses. Stereoacuities were determined using a four‐alternative forced‐choice procedure. To induce anisometropia, trial lenses of varying power and axes were placed in front of right eyes. Seventeen combinations were used: zero (no lens) and both positive and negative, 1 and 2 D powers, at 45, 90 and 180 axes; spherical lenses were also tested. To induce aniseikonia 17 magnification power and axis combinations were used. This included zero (no lens), and 3%, 6%, 9% and 12% at axes 45, 90 and 180; overall magnifications were also tested.ResultsFor induced anisometropia, stereopsis loss increased as cylindrical axis rotated from 180° to 90°, at which the loss was similar to that for spherical blur. For example, for 2 D meridional anisometropia threshold increased from 1.53 log sec arc (i.e. 34 sec arc) for x 180 to 1.89 log sec arc (78 sec arc) for x 90. Anisometropia induced with either positive or negative lenses had similar detrimental effects on stereopsis. Unlike anisometropia, the stereopsis loss with induced meridional aniseikonia was not affected by axis and was about 64% of that for overall aniseikonia of the same amount. Approximately, each 1 D of induced anisometropia had the same effect on threshold as did each 6% of induced aniseikonia.ConclusionThe axes of meridional anisometropia but not aniseikonia affected stereopsis. This suggests differences in the way that monocular blur (anisometropia) and interocular shape differences (aniseikonia) are processed during the production of stereopsis.
Photodynamic Therapy and Immunity: An Update
Authors: Falk‐Mahapatra Riddhi , Gollnick Sandra O. 
Published: March 2020

AbstractDr. Thomas Dougherty and his Oncology Foundation of Buffalo were the first to support my (S.O.G.) research into the effects of photodynamic therapy (PDT) on the host immune system. The small grant I was awarded in 2002 launched my career as an independent researcher; at the time, there were few studies on the importance of the immune response on the efficacy of PDT and no studies demonstrating the ability of PDT to enhance antitumor immunity. Over the last decades, the interest in PDT as an enhancer of antitumor immunity and our understanding of the mechanisms by which PDT enhances antitumor immunity have dramatically increased. In this review article, we look back on the studies that laid the foundation for our understanding and provide an update on current advances and therapies that take advantage of PDT enhancement of immunity.
What do we mean by broadening participation? Race, inequality, and diversity in tech work
Authors: Alegria Sharla N. 
Published: March 2020

AbstractIn this article, I review the literature on race and racism in tech work and show that challenges related to increasing diversity and inclusion for racial and ethnic minorities are complicated and shaped by both immigration regimes and gender inequalities that do not impact all minority workers the same. I show that people of color are especially likely to be excluded from decision‐making leadership positions, limiting contributions that would shape the form and function of new technologies. Despite the complexity of these obstacles, I argue that addressing them is critical since the technology on which we increasingly rely may embed old racial inequity in an emerging technological landscape. Building from the existing literature, I show that (a) Black and Latinx workers are under‐represented numerically in tech work and those who do enter the field confront racial bias and (b) even though Asians are not numerically underrepresented, workplace practices, often supported by immigration policy and stereotype driven biases, interrupt full participation in decision making. I conclude by arguing that technological products reflect this lack of diversity in ways that further disadvantage communities of color.
WOOLLY, interacting with MYB transcription factor MYB31, regulates cuticular wax biosynthesis by modulating CER6 expression in tomato
Authors: Xiong Cheng , Xie Qingmin , Yang Qihong , Sun Pengya , Gao Shenghua , Li Hanxia , Zhang Junhong , Wang Taotao , Ye Zhibiao , Yang Changxian 
Published: March 2020

SUMMARYCuticular waxes play a crucial role not only in plant defense against biotic and abiotic stresses, but also in the quality and storability of fruits, such as the tomato (Solanum lycopersicum). Although the biosynthetic pathways of waxes have been extensively characterized, the regulatory mechanisms underlying wax biosynthesis in tomato remain largely unclear. Here, we show that Woolly (Wo), a multicellular trichome regulator, is involved in modulating wax biosynthesis in tomato. Wo enhances the expression of the wax biosynthetic genes SlCER6, SlKCR1, and SlPAS2, and the wax transporter gene SlLTP, and thereby promotes wax accumulation. Furthermore, Wo directly binds to the L1‐box in the promoter of SlCER6, an essential element of the very‐long‐chain fatty acid elongase complex. Intriguingly, overexpression (OE) or knock‐down of SlMYB31, an MYB transcription factor that physically interacts with Wo in vivo and in vitro, produces marked changes in wax composition, and whereas Wo knock‐down inhibits wax accumulation in SlMYB31‐OE lines, SlMYB31 knock‐down inhibits wax accumulation in Wo‐OE lines, implying that these two genes function in the same pathway. Lastly, SlCER6 expression is induced by abscisic acid in a manner that is partially dependent on Wo. These results demonstrate that Wo and SlMYB31 cooperatively control tomato cuticular wax biosynthesis by regulating the expression of SlCER6.
Fending off waste from the west: The impact of China's Operation Green Fence on the international waste trade
Authors: Balkevicius Adomas , Sanctuary Mark , Zvirblyte Sigita 
Published: March 2020

AbstractChina launched the first Operation Green Fence (OGF) on 1 February 2013 to fend off inflows of illegal waste. The main objective of OGF was to enforce waste trade policies already adopted by China and thereby restrict illegal waste imports. We use a gravity model of international trade with annual bilateral waste trade data at the 6‐digit HS code level to assess the impact of OGF on the international waste trade. First, we study the direct impact of OGF and find that the intervention resulted in a 26% drop in low‐quality waste exports to China from developed countries. Second, we assess the impact of OGF on exports from developed countries to developing countries, excluding China. We do not find a statistically significant effect of OGF on low‐quality waste exports from developed countries to developing countries (excluding China). We also test the waste haven hypothesis and do not find evidence that waste exports were disproportionately diverted to countries with lax environmental regulation.
Dimensionless Groups of Parameters Governing the Ice-Seabed Interaction Process
Authors: Azimi Hamed , Shiri Hodjat 
Published: March 2020

AbstractPrediction of subgouge soil deformation during an ice gouging event is a challenging design factor in Arctic subsea pipelines. An accurate assessment of ice keel–seabed interaction requires expensive model testing and large deformation finite element analysis. Proposing reliable analytical/empirical solutions needs a deep understanding of the key parameters governing the problem. In this study, dimensional analysis of subgouge soil deformations was conducted and eight dimensionless groups of parameters were identified to facilitate proposing potential new solutions. A comprehensive dataset was established for horizontal and vertical subgouge deformations in both sand and clay seabed. Using the identified dimensionless groups, linear regression (LR) models were developed to estimate the horizontal and vertical deformation. Moreover, a sensitivity analysis (SA), as well as an uncertainty analysis (UA), was carried out to identify the superior LR models and the most influential parameter group. A high range of correlation coefficient (R), Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency coefficient (NSC), and variance accounted for (VAF) along with a low range of errors was achieved for the best LR model. The results of the superior LR models were also compared with the existing empirical equations. The study showed that the shear strength parameters of the seabed soil and the ratio of gouge depth to gouge width are the governing dimensionless parameters to model the horizontal and vertical subgouge soil deformations.
Analysis of the Effect of a Series of Back Twist Blade Configurations for an Active Pitch-To-Stall Floating Offshore Wind Turbine
Authors: Ward Dawn , Collu Maurizio , Sumner Joy 
Published: March 2020

Abstract
For a turbine mounted on a floating platform, extreme induced loads can be increased by up to 1.6 times those experienced by a turbine situated on a fixed base. If these loads cannot be reduced, towers must be strengthened which will result in increased costs and weight. These tower loads would be additionally exasperated for a pitch-to-feather controlled turbine by a phenomenon generally referred to as “negative damping,” if it were not avoided. Preventing negative damping from occurring on a pitch-to-feather controlled floating platform negatively affects rotor speed control and regulated power performance. However, minimizing the blade bending moment response can result in a reduction in the tower fore-aft moment response, which can increase the tower life. A variable-speed, variable pitch-to-stall (VSVP-S) floating semi-submersible wind turbine, which does not suffer from the negative damping and hence provides a more regulated power output, is presented. This incorporates a back twist blade profile such that the blade twist, starting at the root, initially twists toward stall and, at some pre-determined “initiation” point, changes direction to twist back toward feather until the tip. Wind frequency weighting was applied to the tower axial fatigue life trends of different blade profiles and a preferred blade back twist profile was identified. This had a back twist angle of −3 deg and started at 87.5% along the blade length and achieved a 5.1% increase in the tower fatigue life.
Mechanical Energy and Equivalent Viscous Damping for Fractional Zener Oscillator
Authors: Yuan Jian , Gao Song , Xiu Guozhong , Wang Liying 
Published: March 2020

Abstract
This paper presents mechanical energy and equivalent viscous damping for a single-degree-of-freedom fractional Zener oscillator. Differential equation of motion is derived in terms of fractional Zener constitutive equation of viscoelastic materials. A virtual fractional oscillator is generated via a state transformation. Then, based on the diffusive model for fractional integrators, the stored energy in fractional derivatives with orders lying in (0, 1) and (2, 3) is determined. Thus, the total mechanical energy in the virtual oscillator is determined. Finally, fractional derivatives are split into three parts: the equivalent viscous damping, equivalent stiffness, and equivalent mass. In this way, the fractional differential equation is simplified into an integer-order differential equation, which is much more convenient to handle in engineering.
An Extended Bayesian Optimization Approach to Decentralized Swarm Robotic Search
Authors: Ghassemi Payam , Chowdhury Souma 
Published: March 2020

Abstract
Swarm robotic search aims at searching targets using a large number of collaborating simple mobile robots, with applications to search and rescue and hazard localization. In this regard, decentralized swarm systems are touted for their coverage scalability, time efficiency, and fault tolerance. To guide the behavior of such swarm systems, two broad classes of approaches are available, namely, nature-inspired swarm heuristics and multi-robotic search methods. However, the ability to simultaneously achieve efficient scalability and provide fundamental insights into the exhibited behavior (as opposed to exhibiting a black-box behavior) remains an open problem. To address this problem, this paper extends the underlying search approach in batch-Bayesian optimization to perform search with embodied swarm agents operating in a (simulated) physical 2D arena. Key contributions lie in (1) designing an acquisition function that not only balances exploration and exploitation across the swarm but also allows modeling knowledge extraction over trajectories and (2) developing its distributed implementation to allow asynchronous task inference and path planning by the swarm robots. The resulting collective informative path planning approach is tested on target-search case studies of varying complexity, where the target produces a spatially varying (measurable) signal. Notably, superior performance, in terms of mission completion efficiency, is observed compared to exhaustive search and random walk baselines as well as a swarm optimization-based state-of-the-art method. Favorable scalability characteristics are also demonstrated.