bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Fear effects on bank voles (Rodentia: Arvicolinae): testing for repellent candidates from predator volatiles
Authors: Villalobos Adrian , Schlyter Fredrik , Birgersson Göran , Koteja Paweł , Löf Magnus 
Published: January 2022

AbstractBACKGROUNDArvicolinae rodents are known pests causing damage to both agricultural and forest crops. Today, rodenticides for rodent control are widely discouraged owing to their negative effects on the environment. Rodents are the main prey for several predators, and their complex olfactory system allows them to identify risks of predation. Therefore, the potential use of predators' scents as repellents has gained interest as an ecologically based rodent control method. In a two‐choice experiment, we investigated the potential repellent effects of five synthetic predator compounds: 2‐phenylethylamine (2‐PEA), 2‐propylthietane (2‐PT), indole, heptanal and 2,5‐dihydro‐2,4,5‐trimethylthiazoline (TMT), at 1% and 5% doses, using the bank vole (Myodes glareolus) as a rodent model.RESULTSThe compound 2‐PEA reduced both the food contacts and the time spent by voles in the treatment arm compared to the control arm. Likewise, 2‐PT‐treated arms reduced the food contacts, and the voles spent less time there, although this latter difference was not significant. Indole also showed a tendency to reduce the time spent at the treatment arm; however, this result was not significant. Unexpectedly, TMT had the reverse effect in showing attractive properties, possibly due to odor cues from differently sized predators and intraguild predation in nature. We found no dose‐related effects for any compounds tested.CONCLUSIONOur results suggest that the 2‐PEA and 2‐PT are both effective odor stimuli for triggering reduced food contacts and area avoidance, and they may be good repellent candidates. We suggest further testing of 2‐PEA and 2‐PT in field experiments to further determine their dose‐efficiency as repellents against rodents in more natural environments. © 2022 The Authors. Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.
Boom sprayer optimizations for bed‐grown carrots at different growth stages based on spray distribution and droplet characteristics
Authors: Zwertvaegher Ingrid , Lamare Aude , Douzals Jean‐Paul , Balsari Paolo , Marucco Paolo , Grella Marco , Caffini Amedeo , Mylonas Nikos , Dekeyser Donald , Foqué Dieter , Nuyttens David 
Published: January 2022

AbstractBACKGROUNDPesticide losses and uneven spray distribution should be avoided as much as possible as they reduce the effectiveness of spraying and increase environmental contamination as well as costs. Within the H2020‐project OPTIMA the goal is to develop a smart sprayer for bed‐grown carrots, including optimizations such as air support and variable nozzle spacing. This paper focuses on selecting the most optimal nozzle types, spacing and height for spraying bed‐grown crops, while taking into account different target zone widths depending on the growth stage, based on spray distribution and droplet characterization measurements.RESULTSThe results indicate that four bed spray configurations consisting of four nozzles per bed, i.e. XR8004/XR8004/XR8004/XR8004, AIUB8504/AI11004/AI11004/AIUB8504, AI8004/AI8004/AI8004/AI8004 and XR8002/XR8002/XR8002/XR8002, spraying at 300 kPa and recalculated to 12.0 km h−1 forward speed, are appropriate for spraying different target zone widths (ranging from 1.2 to 2.2 m) with high uniformity (CV < 12%) and minimal losses out of the target zone (<17%) when applied at the most appropriate nozzle spacing and height (varying from 0.35 to 0.65 m). Droplet characterization measurements showed that for the same nozzle size and spray pressure, air inclusion nozzles produced larger but slower droplets than standard flat‐fan nozzles. Air support increased the droplet velocities but had only a very limited effect on droplet size.CONCLUSIONLaboratory spray distribution and droplet characterization measurements allowed selection of the most optimal nozzle type, spacing and height for bed spray applications in terms of reduced pesticide losses compared to conventional broadcast applications. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.
Regulatory issues and the potential use of Bayesian approaches for early drug approval systems in Japan
Authors: Hirakawa Akihiro , Sato Hiroyuki , Igeta Masataka , Fujikawa Kei , Daimon Takashi , Teramukai Satoshi 
Published: January 2022

AbstractBayesian methods quantify and interpret the therapeutic effects of investigational drugs based on probability statements of the posterior distribution. However, the basic principle underlying the use of Bayesian methods in registration trials for new drug applications in Japan has not been adequately discussed. Motivated by the two drug approval systems for early approval recently enacted in Japan, we present our perspectives on the application of the Bayesian approach in registration trials in Japan. These are based on discussions among academic, industry, and regulatory experts at invited workshops. Based on the aforementioned early approval systems, we discuss putative common regulatory issues related to the use of the Bayesian approach and introduce instances of clinical trials in which the Bayesian approach is expected to be used. This article provides a well‐defined premise for the discussion between industry and regulatory agencies on the use of Bayesian approaches for early drug approval in Japan.
Reliability analysis of fatigue data using non‐probabilistic convex modelling approach
Authors: Du Weiqi , Luo Yuanxin 
Published: January 2022

AbstractLife scatter should be estimated when performing fatigue reliability analysis for a structure. Probabilistic approaches require a large amount of statistical information, which is usually unrealistic because of the test condition constraints. In this study, a non‐probabilistic convex modelling approach was proposed for estimating E‐N scatter. A random grouping method is employed to enlarge the sample size for uncertainty quantification. The limited experimental data of AISI H11 was used for E‐N scatter estimation. The results show that non‐probabilistic convex modelling approach is more competitive in practical engineering application, especially for high‐reliability based optimization design.
Robotic system for top to bottom MRgFUS therapy of multiple cancer types
Authors: Antoniou Anastasia , Giannakou Marinos , Evripidou Nikolas , Stratis Stylianos , Pichardo Samuel , Damianou Christakis 
Published: January 2022

AbstractBackgroundA robotic system for Magnetic Resonance guided Focussed Ultrasound (MRgFUS) therapy of tumours in the breast, bone, thyroid, and abdomen was developed.MethodsA special C‐shaped structure was designed to be attached to the table of conventional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) systems carrying 4 computer‐controlled motion stages dedicated to positioning a 2.75 MHz spherically focussed transducer relative to a patient placed in the supine position. The developed system was evaluated for its MRI compatibility and heating abilities in agar‐based phantoms and freshly excised tissue.ResultsCompatibility of the system with a clinical high‐field MRI scanner was demonstrated. FUS heating in the phantom was successfully monitored by magnetic resonance thermometry without any evidence of magnetically induced phenomena. Cigar‐shaped discrete lesions and well‐defined areas of overlapping lesions were inflicted in excised tissue by robotic movement along grid patterns.ConclusionsThe developed MRgFUS robotic system was proven safe and efficient by ex‐vivo feasibility studies.
Event‐triggered finite‐time control for a class of switched nonlinear systems
Authors: Yang Tingting , Kang Haobo , Ma Hongjun 
Published: January 2022

AbstractThis work addresses the event‐triggered finite‐time control problem for a class of uncertain switched nonlinear systems with arbitrary switchings, whose powers are positive odd rational numbers. The key difference from the results of similar problems is that the systems considered in this article are more general, which contains a special case when the powers are equal to 1, and the powers have switching signals. It is well known that such nonlinear systems have challenges because of the uncontrollability in the linearization process and the backstepping technique that successfully developed for low‐order systems fail to work. To tackle this issue, combining the backstepping method, event‐triggered strategy with adding one power integrator technique, an event‐triggered control scheme is developed to make the controlled systems be globally finite‐time stable. Besides, the Zeno‐free behavior is proved to verify the feasibility of the proposed event‐triggered mechanism. Finally, simulation results are given to validate the effectiveness of the developed control strategy.
Dwell‐time‐based control synthesis of switched positive systems with all unstabilizable subsystems
Authors: An Shuang , Ma Ruicheng , Fu Jun 
Published: January 2022

AbstractThis article investigates the robust exponential stabilization of a class of switched positive systems with uncertainties by co‐designing controllers for subsystems and dwell time switching strategy. The uncertainties refer to interval uncertainties. One of the distinguishing features is that none of the forced individual subsystems is assumed to be stabilized. The other feature is that the stabilization for the unforced switched system can not be solvable by designing dwell time switching signal. First, for switched positive systems without uncertainties, a type of multiple time‐varying co‐positive Lyapunov functions is used, and the computable sufficient conditions on the state feedback controller for each subsystem are derived in the framework of dwell time strategy. Moreover, the exponential stabilization problem is solved by confining the lower and upper bounds of the dwell time, restricting the upper bound of derivative of considered Lyapunov function of the active subsystem, and decreasing the Lyapunov function values at successive switching instants of the overall switched system. Then, the results are extended to the robust exponential stabilization case for switched positive systems with uncertainties, and sufficient conditions are given in the same framework of the dwell time for that of the forced switched systems by further designing state feedback controllers. Finally, illustration examples are given to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed methods.
Root estimation in Galton–Watson trees
Authors: Brandenberger Anna M. , Devroye Luc , Goh Marcel K. 
Published: January 2022

AbstractGiven only the free‐tree structure of a tree, the root estimation problem asks if one can guess which of the free tree's nodes is the root of the original tree. We determine the maximum‐likelihood estimator for the root of a free tree when the underlying tree is a size‐conditioned Galton–Watson tree and calculate its probability of being correct.
Weighted AutoEncoding recommender system
Authors: Zhu Shuying , Shen Weining , Qu Annie 
Published: January 2022

AbstractRecommender systems are information filtering tools that seek to match customers with products or services of interest. Most of the prevalent collaborative filtering recommender systems, such as matrix factorization and AutoRec, suffer from the “cold‐start” problem, where they fail to provide meaningful recommendations for new users or new items due to informative‐missing from the training data. To address this problem, we propose a weighted AutoEncoding model to leverage information from other users or items that share similar characteristics. The proposed method provides an effective strategy for borrowing strength from user or item‐specific clustering structure as well as pairwise similarity in the training data, while achieving high computational efficiency and dimension reduction, and preserving nonlinear relationships between user preferences and item features. Simulation studies and applications to three real datasets show advantages in prediction accuracy of the proposed model compared to current state‐of‐the‐art approaches.
Quantification of the resistance modeling uncertainty of 19 alternative 2D nonlinear finite element approaches benchmarked against 101 experiments on reinforced concrete beams
Authors: de Putter Arjen , Hendriks Max A. N. , Rots Jan G. , Yang Yuguang , Engen Morten , van den Bos Ab A. 
Published: January 2022

AbstractNineteen 2D nonlinear finite element analysis (NLFEA) solution strategies were benchmarked against a wide variety of 101 experiments on reinforced concrete beams failing in bending, flexural shear, or shear compression. The relatively high number of solution strategies was motivated by the conviction that choices for the constitutive models, the finite element kinematics and equilibrium settings will interact, and must therefore be tested in conjunction. Modeling uncertainty distribution parameters are presented for the 19 solution strategies, using all beams, and using beams with and without stirrups separately. The resulting statistics are discussed against the correctness of the simulated failure modes and failure loads, revealing that rotating crack models perform well for the relatively ductile failures in beams with stirrups, while fixed crack models perform better for the more brittle failures in beams without stirrups. The tailored solution strategies that predict failure modes correctly, imply a log‐normal distribution of the modeling uncertainty with relatively low coefficients of variation. The outlook is that these estimates of the statistical properties of the modeling uncertainties could serve as a basis within safety formats.
Curcumin suppresses cell proliferation and triggers apoptosis in vemurafenib‐resistant melanoma cells by downregulating the EGFR signaling pathway
Authors: Chiu Yu‐Jen , Yang Jai‐Sing , Tsai Fuu‐Jen , Chiu Hong‐Yi , Juan Yu‐Ning , Lo Yu‐Hsiang , Chiang Jo‐Hua 
Published: January 2022

AbstractMelanoma is a malignant tumor with aggressive behavior. Vemurafenib, a BRAF inhibitor, is clinically used in melanoma, but resistance to melanoma cytotoxic therapies is associated with BRAF mutations. Curcumin can effectively inhibit numerous types of cancers. However, there are no reports regarding the correlation between curcumin and vemurafenib‐resistant melanoma cells. In this study, vemurafenib‐resistant A375.S2 (A375.S2/VR) cells were established, and the functional mechanism of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), serine–threonine kinase (AKT), and the extracellular signal‐regulated kinase (ERK) signaling induced by curcumin was investigated in A375.S2/VR cells in vitro. Our results indicated that A375.S2/VR cells had a higher IC50 concentration of vemurafenib than the parental A375.S2 cells. Moreover, curcumin reduced the viability and confluence of A375.S2/VR cells. Curcumin triggered apoptosis via reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, disruption of mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm), and intrinsic signaling (caspase‐9/‐3‐dependent) pathways in A375.S2/VR cells. Curcumin‐induced apoptosis was also mediated by the EGFR signaling pathway. Combination treatment with curcumin and gefitinib (an EGFR inhibitor) synergistically potentiated the inhibitory effect of cell viability in A375.S2/VR cells. The present study provides new insights into the therapy of vemurafenib‐resistant melanoma and suggests that curcumin might be an encouraging therapeutic candidate for its drug‐resistant treatment.
Description of neurological mimics presented to the neurology service of a small animal referral hospital
Authors: Walker Paige E. , Freeman Paul , Monforte Monteiro Susana R. , Bexfield Nicholas , Harris Georgina , Radke Heidi , Alves Lisa , Vanhaesebrouck An E. 
Published: January 2022

AbstractBackgroundClinicians observe that cats and dogs referred to neurology services often do not have an underlying neurological disorder. There has been no analysis of the frequency or categorisation of these neurological mimics.MethodsRetrospective study of 520 cases was carried out. Data on signalment, presenting clinical signs, neurological examination findings and final diagnosis were collected. Final diagnoses were classified as primary neurological, non‐neurological in origin but with neurological clinical manifestation, completely non‐neurological (neurological mimics) or undiagnosed. Presenting clinical signs and neurological examination results were compared between neurological mimics and primary neurological cases using Chi‐square or Fischer exact test. Relative risk (RR) was calculated for significant associations.ResultsA total of 74% were primary neurological conditions, 8% neurological mimics, 3% non‐neurological with neurological manifestation and 15% undiagnosed. An animal referred for lameness was approximately five times more likely to be diagnosed as a neurological mimic than as a primary neurological disorder (RR = 5.42, p < 0.001). Cases with a normal neurological examination were approximately 15 times more likely to be a neurological mimic (RR = 14.97, p < 0.001).ConclusionThorough examination with consideration of alternative diagnoses is important when a neurological condition is suspected in an animal that presents with lameness or normal neurological examination.
Bacterial infections in cancer: A bilateral relationship
Authors: Basu Abhirup , Singh Rohini , Gupta Shalini 
Published: January 2022

AbstractBacteria share a long commensal relationship with the human body. New findings, however, continue to unravel many complexities associated with this old alliance. In the past decades, the dysbiosis of human microbiome has been linked to tumorigenesis, and more recently to spontaneous colonization of existing tumors. The topic, however, remains open for debate as the claims for causative‐prevailing dual characteristics of bacteria are mostly based on epidemiological evidence rather than robust mechanistic models. There are also no reviews linking the collective impact of bacteria in tumor microenvironments to the efficacy of cancer drugs, mechanisms of pathogen‐initiated cancer and bacterial colonization, personalized nanomedicine, nanotechnology, and antimicrobial resistance. In this review, we provide a holistic overview of the bilateral relationship between cancer and bacteria covering all these aspects. Our collated evidence from the literature does not merely categorize bacteria as cancer causative or prevailing agents, but also critically highlights the gaps in the literature where more detailed studies may be required to reach such a conclusion. Arguments are made in favor of dual drug therapies that can simultaneously co‐target bacteria and cancer cells to overcome drug resistance. Also discussed are the opportunities for leveraging the natural colonization and remission power of bacteria for cancer treatment.This article is categorized under:
Therapeutic Approaches and Drug Discovery > Nanomedicine for Infectious Disease
Nanotechnology Approaches to Biology > Nanoscale Systems in Biology
Therapeutic Approaches and Drug Discovery > Emerging Technologies
Intended Ignorance: The Collapse of the I-35 W Mississippi River Bridge on 1 August 2007
Authors: Seibel Wolfgang 
Published: January 2022

AbstractAt 6:05 PM on 1 August 2007, the I-35 W Highway Bridge crossing the Mississippi River in Minneapolis, Minnesota, collapsed due to the failure of crucial parts of the bridge’s steel truss structure. Thirteen people died in the disaster, 145 were injured. A report of United States National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) revealed that the Minnesota Department of Transport, over a long period of time, had ignored available information about the structurally deficient status of the bridge in anticipation of ‘budget busting’ repair costs. Which resulted in a preference for less expensive patch-up measures to improve the drivability of the bridge rather than a retrofit of the fracture-critical components of the steel truss whose failure triggered the disaster of 1 August 2007.
Apostasy and Debauchery (1601–1660): Behaviour, Passive Evangelism and the East India and Levant Company Chaplains
Authors: Smith Haig Z. 
Published: January 2022

AbstractThis Chapter investigates an extraordinary group of company agents who have often been overlooked, but were ubiquitous in overseas corporate life; the chaplain. It provides a detailed assessment of the daily lives and responsibilities of chaplains. Moreover, it traces how they became important figures of control who policed over the spiritual and earthly lives of personnel in religiously and governmentally diverse environments of India, the Levant and Japan. This chapter examines how corporate chaplains, such as Edward Terry, Edward Pococke and Patrick Copeland, became instrumental figures in establishing corporate authority, and thereby commercial success, in this period. Furthermore, it reveals, through their published works, such as Terry’s, A Voyage to East-India, Lord’s, A display of two forraigne sects and the letters and works of Pococke, the essential role chaplains played in the corporate exchange of ideas and religious knowledge overseas. Finally, this chapter highlights how, throughout much of its existence, the LC and, for a small period, the EIC’s government, helped to inform the flexible process of how companies established corporate governance abroad and how they interacted with peoples, faiths and cultures.
The East India Company (1661–1698): Territorial Acquisition and the ‘Amsterdam of Liberty’
Authors: Smith Haig Z. 
Published: January 2022

AbstractThe final chapter highlights the differences in global corporate governance, providing a case study of how differing governing models could ensure corporate success rather than failure. It continues the story of the EIC’s evolving religious governance in the second half of the century. It investigates how, following the acquisition of Bombay in the 1660s, company leaders such as Strenysham Master, Gerald Aungier and Josiah Child, developed the company’s religious governance to deal with administrating over a variety of peoples and faiths. Following 1662, in the post-Braganza era of the EIC, the flexibility of the corporate form was accentuated because of its adoption of an ecumenically broad form of governance, which allowed it to establish government over not only English Protestants but also Catholics, Armenians, Hindus, Muslims and Jews. The chapter also investigates the role of passive evangelism in the EIC’s religious governance as a way to encourage conversion. In doing so, the company hoped to bring local Indians not only into the Protestant faith, but under the English government.
Beyond Influencer Credibility: The Power of Content and Parasocial Relationship on Processing Social Media Influencer Destination Marketing Campaigns
Authors: Ong Yi Xuan , Sun Tao , Ito Naoya 
Published: January 2022

AbstractThe power of social media influencers (SMIs) as effective endorsers for destinations and tourism products have been widely acknowledged. Despite being characterised as content generators by prior research, little has been done to examine how consumers perceive content produced by SMI, a key component of destination marketing campaigns. Moreover, parasocial relationship between SMI and the follower has been proven to enhance the persuasive impact of SMIs. Hence, this study aims to shed light on how consumers would assess the SMI and the content the SMI produced, as well as the effect of parasocial relationship on processing SMI destination marketing campaigns. Findings (N = 501) have highlighted that argument quality of SMI content has a stronger direct impact on campaign attitude, destination image and travel intention, as compared to source credibility. With the application of the Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM) as a framework, this study illuminates consumers’ interaction with the SMI destination marketing campaign and extends prior studies in understanding the importance of SMI content and parasocial relationship as a significant tool for future destination marketing.