bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Optimising the chemical demulsification of water-in-crude oil emulsion using the Taguchi method
Authors: Hussein Mohammed , Kareem Ibtehal
Published: November 2020

This study examines the effect of important factors such as the temperature, pH, freshwater, concentration, and type of demulsifier on chemical demulsification (CD) using the bottle test method. Three Iraqi heavy crude oils, each with different properties, were tested. Each of these samples contained different concentrations of salt solution, which need to be removed to improve the properties of the crude oil. Five different types of commercial chemical demulsifiers, namely oxyalkylated copolyether (D1), Polyethylene glycol octaadacyl ether (D2), polyether butoxy ethanol (D3), Ethylene-propylene copolymer (D4), and Cumene 1,2,4-trimethylbenzen (D5), were tested. The Taguchi method was used to design the experiments to obtain optimum separation. The data analysis was carried out using signal-to-noise (S/N) ratio and analysis of variance (ANOVA). The results of the best combination test show that the maximum removal efficiency of CD for the three samples are 94.2%, 95%, and 92%, respectively. In addition, there was a noticeable improvement in the original values of the API from 23.2 to 28.4, 14 to 20.9, and 4.6 to 24.1, respectively. The work plan and the results of this work could be used to improve crude oil processing in the Iraqi oil industry.
Theoretical Model to Investigate the Heat Transfer Mechanism through a Heat Pipe with Graphene Oxide/Distilled Water as Working Fluid
Authors: AbdAli Jihad Kadhim , Alwan Adil Abbas
Published: November 2020

This study investigates heat transfer through a heat pipe by analysing the evaporation and condensation of working fluid (distilled water) in two parts of the heat pipe to find the phase change phenomenon. A computational methodology was developed to simulate the phase change processes and a thermal model was simulated to determine the spatial and temporal temperature profile of the heat pipe and phase change location. The velocity and location of the phase change in the evaporator and condenser sections of the pipe were calculated at each stage, as was the temperature across the domain. The thermal efficiency of the heat pipe was improved by adding graphene oxide nanoparticles at an increase of 15%. When nanoparticles were added to the distilled water, the time of the phase change phenomenon was reduced in the evaporator and condenser sections. The capillary property was enhanced when nanoparticles were deposited in the wall of the evaporator’s wick structure. The temperature distribution of the phase change phenomenon was evaluated via the evaporation and condensation processes and the location of the interface line in the two main parts of the heat pipe.
Pomegranate Peel Plant Extract as Potential Corrosion Inhibitor for Mild Carbon Steel in a 1 M HCl Solution
Authors: Salim Asia Mishaal , Dawood Nawal Mohammed , Ghazi Rasha
Published: November 2020

Herein,Pomegranate Peelplant extract was assessed as a low-cost, green and efficient corrosion inhibitor for mild carbon steel in 1 M hydrochloric acid solution using weight loss, potentiodynamic polarisation, an atomic absorption Spectroscopy test, surface roughness test and surface studies by optical microscopy (LOM). IncreasingPomegranate Peelextract concentration increases the charge transfer resistance as a result of the adsorption ofPomegranate Peelextract on the mild carbon steel surface. The polarisation results showed the mixed-type inhibition behaviour of the studied extract with an inhibition efficiency (%IE) of 90.193% achieved with the addition of 4% vol. ofPomegranate Peelplant extract. The adsorption isotherm model ofPomegranate Peelplant extract on a mild carbon steel surface followed the Langmuir adsorption isotherm in a HCl solution. The inhibition mechanism ofPomegranate Peelplant extract was explained according to the increase in the IE% with concentration and the activation parameters which suggested significant chemisorption of thePomegranate Peelplant extract on the mild carbon steel surface. LOM studies confirmed the formation of a protective layer ofPomegranate Peelplant extract on a mild carbon steel surface. Results obtained by different techniques showed good agreement that confirm the potential use of Pomegranate Peel plant extract as a corrosion inhibitor for mild carbon steel in an acidic media.
Influence of Gas Flow Rate on Plasma Parameters Produced by a Plasma Jet and its Spectroscopic Diagnosis Using the OES Technique
Authors: Aadim Kadhim A , Mazhir Sabah N. , Abdalameer Nisreen Kh. , Ali Alyaa H.
Published: November 2020

In this study, the emission spectra of plasma generated from the argon gas in a plasma jet system were measured under normal atmospheric pressure, at constant voltage and for different flow rates from 1–5L/min. The plasma parameters were calculated based on electron density, frequency of plasma, the temperature of an electron, Debye length and the number of particles in the Debye sphere. We employed optical emission spectrometer (OES) technology, which captured the spectrum resulting from the plasma at various flow rates of argon gas. While the flow rate of argon gas to the plasma generated from the discharge current (D.C.) increased, the ranges of the temperature and density of the electron (Te) were 0.075– 0.1eV and 6.15–9.75x1017cm−3, respectively. In contrast, a rise in the intensity of spectral lines was observed.
Synthesis and Hemozoin Inhibitor of Side-Chain Modified Copper-Chloroquine Derivatives
Authors: Al-Refaia R A K , Alkarimi A A
Published: November 2020

This study uses copper (I) as a transition metal to improve the activity of 4-aminoquinoline as an antimalarial agent. This chloroquine derivative was synthesised and tested for in vitro antimalarial activity using a simple colourimetric method compared to the conventional purification method to measure hemozoin formation. This compound has been characterised by the combination of NMR and IR spectroscopic methods. Copper-chloroquine (Cu-CQp) might strongly exhibit antimalarial activity after showing significant inhibition of hemozoin formation compared to commercial chloroquine (CQ). This is possibly due to its lipophilicity, which enhances cell permeation. The highest activity was shown by the Cu-CQp complex in comparison to that of commercial CQ. Cu-CQp complex and CQ were used in a range of concentrations from 10–50 µM.
The synthesis and study of the electrical properties of composites (FeAl2O3) with paraffin wax and the determination of the mechanism of electrical conductivity
Authors: Almaliky Ahmed J H , Hussein Hussein F , Ajeel Khalid I
Published: November 2020

Thick films of composites of iron–aluminium oxide (FeAl2O3) were prepared by mixing paraffin wax with a powder of aluminium oxide (Al2O3) and iron granular (Fe) (600 μm in size). The current–voltage (I-V) characteristic was measured at different temperatures (293– 328 K). The electrical conductivity was also measured at those temperature levels. It was noted that an increase in temperature leads to an increase in electrical conductivity. The activation energies (Ea) were determined to be 0.357–0.125 ev; the electrical conductivity mechanism was identified as the Schottky and Poole–Frenkel effects.
Deep Learning-based Phase Prediction of High-Entropy Alloys
Authors: Abdoon Al-Shibaany Zeyad Yousif , Alkhafaji Nadia , Al-Obaidi Yaser , Atiyah Alaa Abdulhasan
Published: November 2020

High-entropy alloys (HEAs) offer a new approach to the design of superior metallic materials, wherein alloys are based on multiple principal elements rather than just one. Deep Neural Networks (DNNs), machine learning tools that are efficiently used for prediction purposes, are transforming fields, from speech recognition to computational medicine. In this study, we extend DNN applications to the field phase prediction of high-entropy alloys. Using the built-in capabilities in TensorFlow and Keras, we train DNNs with different layers and numbers of neurons, achieving a 90% prediction accuracy. The DDN prediction model is examined in detail with different datasets to verify model robustness. Due to the high cost of HEAs and in order to save time, it is important to predict phases in order to design alloy composition. Through this study, we show trained DNNs to be a viable tool for predicting the phases of high-entropy alloys, where 90% phase prediction accuracy was achieved in this work.
Preparation and Evaluation of CuO Nanoparticles Using the Sol-Gel Method
Authors: Jabur Adnan S , Ahmed Ali D
Published: November 2020

Nanomaterials have attractive properties. They are employed in different fields of science, such as materials engineering, medicine, the environment and many technological applications. Transition metal oxides, such as CuO, are strong candidates for many scientific applications due to their unique physical and chemical properties. In this research, CuO nanoparticles were prepared using the nonorganic sol-gel technique under controlled conditions. The precursor of the sol-gel process was cupric chloride with NaOH as the stabilising agent. The aqueous solution was altered with two pH values to study their effect on the final precipitate. The prepared CuO nanoparticles were evaluated by XRD, particle size analyser, SEM and visually.
Structural and Magnetic Characterisations of Pb-Doped MgO Nanoparticles by a Modified Pechini Method
Authors: Najem Israa A. , Edrees Shaker J. , Rasin Fadhil Abd
Published: November 2020

Doping magnesium oxide nanoparticles (MgO-NPs) forms a good material for magnetisation applications. The Room Temperature Ferromagnetic (RTFM) of Pb2+-doped ions MgO-NPs synthesised by a modified Pechini method are discussed in the present paper. The structural, morphological and magnetic properties of the samples were characterised by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Field Emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS) and vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM).

The XRD results showed that the synthesised materials have a single set of peaks in the XRD patterns, corresponding to the cubic phase of MgO-NPs. As the Pb content increased in the host MgO-NPs leading to an increase in the lattice parameter, the interplanar spacing and the crystallite size; however, the intensity decreased.

Small spherical nanoparticles (22.87–29.05nm) were observed in the Pb2+-doped ions MgO samples by (FE-SEM). The purity of the samples was confirmed using EDS spectroscopy.

The pure MgO and doped samples exhibiting RTFM may be attributed to vacancy defects, which caused local magnetisation. The saturation magnetism (Ms) was found to be varied as a function of doping concentration. The maximum (Ms) was found at x=0.015 of Mg0.985Pb0.015O sample. The obtained results suggest that both Pb doping and oxygen vacancies play an important role in the development of room-temperature ferromagnetism.
The Effect of Boron Addition on The Microstructure and Corrosion Resistance of Cu-Al-Ni Shape-Memory Alloys Prepared by Powder Technology
Authors: Abid Ali Abdulraheem Kadhim , Dawood Nawal Mohammed
Published: November 2020

Due to their promising mechanical characteristics, copper-based shape-memory alloys (SMAs) are crucial for numerous applications. This research inspects the outcomes of various quantities (0.4%, 0.8% and 1.2% wt) of boron (B) additions on the resistance against corrosion and the microstructure of Cu-Al-Ni SMAs using SEM, EDS, XRD and electrochemical tests in a solution of 3.5% NaCl. Numerous measurement baths were used for aged / unaged Cu-Al-Ni-xB SMAs. The electrochemical tests were performed over several periods to confirm the reliability of the corrosion-resistance property, after which the samples were verified using solutions of 3.5% NaCl. The experimental results demonstrated that adding 1.2% wt B followed by an ageing process resulted in an improvement in the corrosion resistance in Cu-Al-Ni SMAs and a decrease in the corrosion rate by 58%.
Characterisation of Copper-Chrome-Reduced Graphene Oxide Electrical Contact Materials Using Powder Metallurgy Technique
Authors: Hamza Aseel S. , Abid Ali Abdul Raheem K. , Al Shafaie Saad Hameed
Published: November 2020

Copper-chrome alloys are known as contact material alloys with a premium capability for circuit interruption, endurance and erosion resistance and high voltage in a vacuum interrupter. In this research, the alloy fabricated by powder metallurgy mixed Cu, Cr and reduced graphene oxide (rGO). rGO was prepared by electrochemical exfoliation in H2SO4 at 11.5v, 0.5pH and dried by exposure to sunlight. rGO was incorporated to characterise the properties. Optical microscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM), energy dispersive analysis (EDS) and Raman spectroscopy were used to determine the identification of phases, morphology, chemical composition and crystal structure orientation of the alloy. Optical microscopy images showed the formation of two distinct areas: a bright area containing Cr-particles and a dark area containing Cu-grains. The XRD patterns exhibited peaks of FCC-Cu, BCC-Cr, Cr2O3 and Cr2C. FESEM revealed the presence of the Cr phase and Cu matrix as well as rGO sheets, while EDS indicated the presence of Cu, Cr, C and O. The Raman peak assessed the degree of rGO disorder in the alloy. The hardest specimen (92 Kg/mm3) was sintered Cu-20%Cr-1%rGO. Electrical resistance exhibited a minimum value of 12.21 µΩ for the sintered Cu-20%Cr-2%rGO alloy and 6.23 µΩ for aged specimens; compressive strength had the highest value (425.235 MPa) for the sintered Cu-20Cr-1.5%rGO alloy.
The Effect of the addition of Ta, Zr and in on the corrosion behaviour of CuAlMn alloys prepared via powder metallurgy
Authors: Ali Duaa Amer , Haleem Ali Hubi , Jamal Al-Deen Haydar H.J.
Published: November 2020

CuAlMn-X (X= Ta, Zr and In) shape memory alloy was fabricated using the powder metallurgy (PM) technique. After sintering at 950 °C, the products were processed using two heat treatments (solution heat treatment at 900 °C and aging at 500 °C). The influence of Tantalum (Ta), Zirconium (Zr) and Indium (In) with three wt.% on the mechanicals properties (hardness), corrosion behaviour and microstructure of CuAlMn shape memory alloys was investigated in this paper. The effect of the addition of Ta, Zr and In alloys was investigated using X-rays diffraction (XRD), open circuit potential, electrochemical tests (Tafel extrapolation method) and Vickers micro-hardness. For the corrosion tests, a 3.5 % NaCl (chloride solution) was used as corrosion solution. The results showed that there is an increase in hardness with addition of the alloy element (Ta, Zr and In) and decrease in the size of martensite plate form, as shown in the microstructures. Furthermore, it was found that the corrosion resistance of Cu-Al-Mn after the addition improved, as shown by the increase in the corrosion potential and decrease in the corrosion current densities. The improvement percentage for CuAlMnTa, CuAlMnIn and CuAlMnZr in the corrosion rate was 97 %, 91 % and 77 %, respectively.
Oxidation of Biocompatible Graphite–Ti Composite after Laser Ablation in Different Atmospheres
Authors: Ludrovcová B , Šugár P , Sahul M , Kováčik J , Czibor Z
Published: November 2020

The field of biocompatible material surfaces is a widely researched topic. Surface energy, surface topography and surface chemistry are important properties of biocompatible surfaces. These properties contribute to better osseointegration and adhesion of cells to implant surfaces. This article investigates the chemical and phase composition of the surface of a new titanium composite produced by powder metallurgy. Surface oxidation of the graphite– titanium metal matrix composite (TiMMC) after laser beam micromachining (LBMM) is discussed in this paper. Laser micromachining was performed in an argon shielding atmosphere and air. The aim was to determine the influence of the shielding atmosphere and the input parameters of LBMM on the presence of oxygen on the surface. Laser-treated surfaces were examined with scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). The phase composition was analysed with X-ray diffraction (XRD). Experiments confirmed that an argon shielding atmosphere reduces surface oxidation. The oxidation was also affected by the energy of the laser beam acting on the material. The maximum amount of oxygen detected on the surface after LBMM in air and argon was 38.6 wt. % and 24.2 wt. %, respectively. The presence of TiO, TiO2 and Ti2O3 oxides were detected on the surface after laser ablation in air. In contrast, Ti2O3 and TiO oxides were detected after laser ablation in the argon shielding atmosphere.
CyanoPATH: a knowledgebase of genome-scale functional repertoire for toxic cyanobacterial blooms
Authors: Du Wei , Li Gaoyang , Ho Nicholas , Jenkins Landon , Hockaday Drew , Tan Jiankang , Cao Huansheng
Published: November 2020

CyanoPATH is a database that curates and analyzes the common genomic functional repertoire for cyanobacteria harmful algal blooms (CyanoHABs) in eutrophic waters. Based on the literature of empirical studies and genome/protein databases, it summarizes four types of information: common biological functions (pathways) driving CyanoHABs, customized pathway maps, classification of blooming type based on databases and the genomes of cyanobacteria. A total of 19 pathways are reconstructed, which are involved in the utilization of macronutrients (e.g. carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus and sulfur), micronutrients (e.g. zinc, magnesium, iron, etc.) and other resources (e.g. light and vitamins) and in stress resistance (e.g. lead and copper). These pathways, comprised of both transport and biochemical reactions, are reconstructed with proteins from NCBI and reactions from KEGG and visualized with self-created transport/reaction maps. The pathways are hierarchical and consist of subpathways, protein/enzyme complexes and constituent proteins. New cyanobacterial genomes can be annotated and visualized for these pathways and compared with existing species. This set of genomic functional repertoire is useful in analyzing aquatic metagenomes and metatranscriptomes in CyanoHAB research. Most importantly, it establishes a link between genome and ecology. All these reference proteins, pathways and maps and genomes are free to download at http://www.csbg-jlu.info/CyanoPATH.
ZC3H4—a novel Cys-Cys-Cys-His-type zinc finger protein—is essential for early embryogenesis in mice†
Authors: Su Jianmin , Miao Xiaosu , Archambault Danielle , Mager Jesse , Cui Wei
Published: November 2020

Zinc finger domains of the Cys-Cys-Cys-His (CCCH) class are evolutionarily conserved proteins that bind nucleic acids and are involved in various biological processes. Nearly 60 CCCH-type zinc finger proteins have been identified in humans and mice, most have not been functionally characterized. Here, we provide the first in vivo functional characterization of ZC3H4—a novel CCCH-type zinc finger protein. Our results show that although Zc3h4 mutant embryos exhibit normal morphology at E3.5 blastocyst stage, they cannot be recovered at E7.5 early post-gastrulation stage, suggesting implantation failure. Outgrowth assays reveal that mutant blastocysts either fail to hatch from the zona pellucida, or can hatch but do not form a typical inner cell mass colony, the source of embryonic stem cells (ESCs). Although there is no change in levels of reactive oxygen species, Zc3h4 mutants display severe DNA breaks and reduced cell proliferation. Analysis of lineage specification reveals that both epiblast and primitive endoderm lineages are compromised with severe reductions in cell number and/or specification in the mutant blastocysts. In summary, these findings demonstrate the essential role of ZC3H4 during early mammalian embryogenesis.
Managing Risk in the Pro-Empowerment Era of Mental Health Care: A Cross-Cultural Study of Social Work Perspectives in Hong Kong and Sydney
Authors: Cui Jialiang , Mao Limin , Newman Christy E , Kwan Chi Kin , Lancaster Kari
Published: November 2020

Risk management and empowerment have become key features of social work practice. Despite their increasing salience, relatively little is known about the perspectives of mental health social workers regarding how they navigate competing risk management approaches in modern practice that supports empowerment. The socio-cultural influences on risk management have also received insufficient attention in social work research. Focusing on these issues, this paper explored the perspectives of social workers in two geographically and culturally distinctive settings (i.e., Hong Kong and Sydney). Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with frontline social workers and were analysed using thematic analysis. Similar views were expressed by participants in both settings regarding assessment of clients’ readiness for risk-taking. Differences were identified in their practices of negotiating the perspectives of other key stakeholders and can be attributed to the influences of distinctive cultural and socio-political contexts. These insights may contribute to the development of more systematic, localised and practice-based risk assessment guidelines for mental health practitioners working towards the empowerment of clients.
The pathogenesis and diagnosis of sepsis post burn injury
Authors: Zhang Pengju , Zou Bingwen , Liou Yih-Cherng , Huang Canhua
Published: November 2020

Burn is an under-appreciated trauma that is associated with unacceptably high morbidity and mortality. Although the survival rate after devastating burn injuries has continued to increase in previous decades due to medical advances in burn wound care, nutritional and fluid resuscitation and improved infection control practices, there are still large numbers of patients at a high risk of death. One of the most common complications of burn is sepsis, which is defined as “severe organ dysfunction attributed to host's disordered response to infection” and is the primary cause of death in burn patients. Indeed, burn injuries are accompanied by a series of events that lead to sepsis and multiple organ dysfunction syndrome, such as a hypovolaemic state, immune and inflammatory responses and metabolic changes. Therefore, clear diagnostic criteria and predictive biomarkers are especially important in the prevention and treatment of sepsis and septic shock. In this review, we focus on the pathogenesis of burn wound infection and the post-burn events leading to sepsis. Moreover, the clinical and promising biomarkers of burn sepsis will also be summarized.
Research on Reversible Visible Watermarking Algorithms Based on Vectorization Compression Method
Authors: Qi Wenfa , Guo Sirui , Liu Yuxin , Wang Xiang , Guo Zongming
Published: November 2020

In current research on reversible visible watermarking algorithm, the original visible watermark image plays an important auxiliary role, and some algorithms also entirely depend on it to restore host image without any distortion. Therefore, in order to realize semi-blind reversible visible watermarking algorithm, the conventional reversible watermarking algorithm is used to embed compressed visible watermark image data into non-visible-watermarked region of host image. However, the amount of compressed image data obtained by conventional image compression algorithm is relatively large. Therefore, a method based on vectorization compression for the visible watermark image is proposed in this paper. Firstly, it performs edge detection on visible watermark image to obtain a discrete points set $\Gamma $ of vector contour curve. Then, the discrete points in $\Gamma $ are simplified by improved Douglas–Peucker algorithm, after that it obtains compressed vector contour data of visible watermark image. In addition, a reversible visible watermarking algorithm based on convolutional relief and image alpha fusion is proposed, which realizes reversible embedding of visible watermark image and lossless restoration of host image. The experimental results show that the proposed vectorization compression method has more advantages than traditional image compression algorithms, which greatly reduces the storage space of visible watermark image with high fidelity. Additionally, the embedded watermarking image has translucent 3D relief effect, and the fusion of host image and visible watermark image becomes more natural and harmonious.
Social Support Buffers Against Cognitive Decline in Single Mild Traumatic Brain Injury With Loss of Consciousness: Results From the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging
Authors: Bedard Marc , Taler Vanessa
Published: November 2020

Objectives

We investigated rates of cognitive decline at 3-year follow-up from initial examination in people reporting mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) with loss of consciousness (LOC) more than a year prior to initial examination. We examined the role of social support as predictor of preserved cognitive function in this sample.

Method

Analyses were conducted on 440 participants who had self-reported LOC of <1 min, 350 with LOC of 1–20 min, and 10,712 healthy controls, taken from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA), a nationwide study on health and aging.

Results

People who reported at baseline that they had experienced mTBI with LOC of 1–20 min more than a year prior were 60% more likely to have experienced global cognitive decline than controls at three-year follow-up. Cognitive decline was most apparent on measures of executive functioning. Logistic regression identified increased social support as predictors of relatively preserved cognitive function.

Discussion

mTBI with longer time spent unconscious (i.e., LOC 1–20 min) is associated with greater cognitive decline years after the head injury. Perceived social support, particularly emotional support, may help buffer against this cognitive decline.
Testing Age Differences in the Links Between Recent Financial Difficulties and Cognitive Deficits: Longitudinal Evidence From the PATH Through Life Study
Authors: Kiely Kim M , Anstey Kaarin J , Butterworth Peter
Published: November 2020

Objectives

This study investigates whether the within-person associations between a recent major financial crisis and deficits in cognitive performance vary across the life course.

Methods

Four waves of data from 7,442 participants (49% men) spanning 12 years and comprising 3 narrow age birth cohorts (baseline age: 20–25, 40–45, and 60–65) were drawn from a representative prospective survey from Canberra, Australia (1999–2014). Cognitive performance was assessed by the California Verbal Learning Test (CVLT) immediate recall trails, Symbol Digit Modalities Test (SDMT), Digit Span Backward (DSB), and Trail Making Test B (TMT-B). A single item from the Threatening Life Experiences Questionnaire assessed self-reported major financial crisis in the past 6 months. Multivariable-adjusted fixed-effect regression models tested the time-dependent association between financial crisis and cognition.

Results

A recent financial crisis coincided with contemporaneous declines in CVLT (mean change = −0.14, 95% confidence interval [CI] = −0.262 to −0.025), SDMT (mean change = −0.08, 95% CI = −0.147 to −0.004), and TMT-B (mean change = −0.17, 95% CI = −0.293 to −0.039) for adults in the oldest age group, and these associations were larger than in the younger age groups. In contrast, there was an overall association between financial crisis and deficits in DSB (mean change = −0.06, 95% CI = −0.105 to −0.007), with weak evidence of stronger associations in midlife relative to other age groups. These associations were independent of changes in health and socioeconomic circumstances.

Discussion

This study provides important new evidence that financial difficulties in later life are potent stressors associated with occasion-specific deficits in cognitive performance.
Multigeophysical data integration using cluster analysis: assisting geological mapping in Trøndelag, Mid-Norway
Authors: Wang Ying , Ksienzyk Anna K , Liu Ming , Brönner Marco
Published: November 2020

Modern geophysical data acquisition technology makes it possible to measure multiple geophysical properties with high spatial density over large areas with great efficiency. Instead of presenting these co-located multigeophysical data sets in separate maps, we take advantage of cluster analysis and its pattern exploration power to generate a cluster map with objectively integrated information. Each cluster in the resulting cluster map is characterized by multigeophysical properties and can be associated with certain geological attributes or rock types based on existing geological maps, field data and rock sample analysis. Such a cluster map is usually high in resolution and proven to be more helpful than single-attribute maps in terms of assisting geological mapping and interpretation. In this paper, we present the workflow and technical details of applying cluster analysis to multigeophysical data of a study area in the Trøndelag region in Mid-Norway. We address the importance of carefully designed pre-processing procedures regarding the input data sets to ensure an unbiased data integration using cluster analysis. Random forest as a supervised machine learning method for classification/regression is strategically employed post-clustering for quality evaluation of the results. The multigeophysical data used for this study include airborne magnetic, frequency electromagnetic and radiometric measurements, together with ground gravity measurements. Due to the nature of these input data, the resulting cluster map carries multidepth information. When associated with available geological information, the cluster map can help interpret not only bedrock outcrops but also rocks underneath the sediment cover.
miR-142-3p regulates cortical oligodendrocyte gene co-expression networks associated with tauopathy
Authors: Hinman Jason D , Ngo Kathie J , Kim Deborah , Chen Cidi , Abraham Carmela R , Ghanbari Mohsen , Ikram M Arfan , Kushner Steven A , Kawaguchi Riki , Coppola Giovanni , Goth Kerstin , Bellusci Saverio , Hernandez Israel , Kosik Kenneth S , Fogel Brent L
Published: November 2020

Oligodendrocytes exist in a heterogenous state and are implicated in multiple neuropsychiatric diseases including dementia. Cortical oligodendrocytes are a glial population uniquely positioned to play a key role in neurodegeneration by synchronizing circuit connectivity but molecular pathways specific to this role are lacking. We utilized oligodendrocyte-specific translating ribosome affinity purification and RNA-seq (TRAP-seq) to transcriptionally profile adult mature oligodendrocytes from different regions of the central nervous system. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis reveals distinct region-specific gene networks. Two of these mature myelinating oligodendrocyte gene networks uniquely define cortical oligodendrocytes and differentially regulate cortical myelination (M8) and synaptic signaling (M4). These two cortical oligodendrocyte gene networks are enriched for genes associated with dementia including MAPT and include multiple gene targets of the regulatory microRNA, miR-142-3p. Using a combination of TRAP-qPCR, miR-142-3p overexpression in vitro, and miR-142-null mice, we show that miR-142-3p negatively regulates cortical myelination. In rTg4510 tau-overexpressing mice, cortical myelination is compromised, and tau-mediated neurodegeneration is associated with gene co-expression networks that recapitulate both the M8 and M4 cortical oligodendrocyte gene networks identified from normal cortex. We further demonstrate overlapping gene networks in mature oligodendrocytes present in normal cortex, rTg4510 and miR-142-null mice, and existing datasets from human tauopathies to provide evidence for a critical role of miR-142-3p-regulated cortical myelination and oligodendrocyte-mediated synaptic signaling in neurodegeneration.
Outcomes of Liu’s aortic root repair and valve preservation in patients with type A dissection and aortic regurgitation
Authors: Piao Hulin , Wang Yong , Huang Maoxun , Zhu Zhicheng , Xu Rihao , Wang Tiance , Li Dan , Liu Kexiang
Published: November 2020

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate short- and medium-term outcomes following Liu’s aortic root repair and valve preservation in patients with acute type A aortic dissection complicated by moderate-to-severe aortic regurgitation (AR).

METHODS

From October 2011 to July 2018, a total of 324 consecutive patients underwent emergency surgery for acute type A aortic dissection. There were 122 patients (38%) with moderate-to-severe AR, of whom 82 (67%) underwent Liu’s aortic root repair and valve preservation. Aortic computed tomography angiography and echocardiography were performed at discharge, 6 and 12 months postoperatively, and annually thereafter. We focused on assessing the survival and aortic root and valve durability in the 82 patients.

RESULTS

The 30-day, 1-year, 3-year and 6-year survival estimates were 94%, 90%, 85% and 81%, respectively. At a median follow-up of 36.5 (interquartile range 24.9–50.9) months, all patients were free from reoperation. No residual false lumens in the aortic root, recurrent aortic root dissections or aortic root pseudoaneurysms were observed during the follow-up period. Only 1 patient (1%) presented with moderate AR at 6 months, which remained asymptomatic with no significant changes over a 3-year period. The remaining patients showed satisfactory valve function with an AR grade of mild (27%) or trace or none (72%). In the competing risk analysis, the incidence of recurrence of AR was 2% at 8 years.

CONCLUSIONS

Liu’s aortic root repair and valve preservation is a safe and effective operative strategy that achieves favourable short- and medium-term outcomes for acute type A aortic dissection with moderate-to-severe AR.
Leveraging conversational technology to answer common COVID-19 questions
Authors: McKillop Mollie , South Brett R , Preininger Anita , Mason Mitch , Jackson Gretchen Purcell
Published: November 2020

The rapidly evolving science about the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic created unprecedented health information needs and dramatic changes in policies globally. We describe a platform, Watson Assistant (WA), which has been used to develop conversational agents to deliver COVID-19 related information. We characterized the diverse use cases and implementations during the early pandemic and measured adoption through a number of users, messages sent, and conversational turns (ie, pairs of interactions between users and agents). Thirty-seven institutions in 9 countries deployed COVID-19 conversational agents with WA between March 30 and August 10, 2020, including 24 governmental agencies, 7 employers, 5 provider organizations, and 1 health plan. Over 6.8 million messages were delivered through the platform. The mean number of conversational turns per session ranged between 1.9 and 3.5. Our experience demonstrates that conversational technologies can be rapidly deployed for pandemic response and are adopted globally by a wide range of users.
Predicting bovine respiratory disease outcome in feedlot cattle using latent class analysis
Authors: Blakebrough-Hall Claudia , Hick Paul , González Luciano A
Published: November 2020

Bovine respiratory disease (BRD) is the most significant disease affecting feedlot cattle. Indicators of BRD often used in feedlots such as visual signs, rectal temperature, computer-assisted lung auscultation (CALA) score, the number of BRD treatments, presence of viral pathogens, viral seroconversion, and lung damage at slaughter vary in their ability to predict an animal’s BRD outcome, and no studies have been published determining how a combination of these BRD indicators may define the number of BRD disease outcome groups. The objectives of the current study were (1) to identify BRD outcome groups using BRD indicators collected during the feeding phase and at slaughter through latent class analysis (LCA) and (2) to determine the importance of these BRD indicators to predict disease outcome. Animals with BRD (n = 127) were identified by visual signs and removed from production pens for further examination. Control animals displaying no visual signs of BRD (n = 143) were also removed and examined. Blood, nasal swab samples, and clinical measurements were collected. Lung and pleural lesions indicative of BRD were scored at slaughter. LCA was applied to identify possible outcome groups. Three latent classes were identified in the best model fit, categorized as non-BRD, mild BRD, and severe BRD. Animals in the mild BRD group had a higher probability of having visual signs of BRD compared with non-BRD and severe BRD animals. Animals in the severe BRD group were more likely to require more than 1 treatment for BRD and have ≥40 °C rectal temperature, ≥10% total lung consolidation, and severe pleural lesions at slaughter. Animals in the severe BRD group were also more likely to be naïve at feedlot entry and the first BRD pull for Bovine Viral Diarrhoea Virus, Bovine Parainfluenza 3 Virus, and Bovine Adenovirus and have a positive nasal swab result for Bovine Herpesvirus Type 1 and Bovine Coronavirus. Animals with severe BRD had 0.9 and 0.6 kg/d lower overall ADG (average daily gain) compared with non-BRD animals and mild BRD animals (P < 0.001). These results demonstrate that there are important indicators of BRD severity. Using this information to predict an animal’s BRD outcome would greatly enhance treatment efficacy and aid in better management of animals at risk of suffering from severe BRD.
Digestible and metabolizable energy concentrations and amino acid digestibility of dried yeast and soybean meal for growing pigs
Authors: Park Chan Sol , Aderibigbe Ayodeji Simeon , Ragland Darryl , Adeola Olayiwola
Published: November 2020

Energy values and amino acid (AA) digestibility of dried yeast (DY) and soybean meal (SBM) were determined in 2 experiments with growing pigs. Experiment 1 was conducted to determine the digestible energy (DE) and metabolizable energy (ME) in DY and SBM. Thirty barrows with a mean initial body weight (BW) of 20.6 kg (SD = 1.04) were assigned to 5 dietary treatments in a randomized complete block design with period and BW as blocking factors. A reference diet was prepared with corn, canola meal, and soybean oil as energy-contributing ingredients. Four additional diets were prepared by adding 5% and 10% DY or SBM at the expense of energy-contributing ingredients in the reference diet. The ratio of corn, canola meal, and soybean oil was kept consistent across the experimental diets. Each experimental period consisted of 5-d adaptation and 5-d quantitative collection of feces and urine. Test ingredient-associated DE or ME intake (kcal/d) was regressed against test ingredient intake [kg dry matter (DM)/d] to estimate the DE or ME in test ingredients as the slope of linear regression model. The DE in DY was estimated at 3,933 kcal/kg DM, which was not different from the estimated DE in SBM at 4,020 kcal/kg DM. Similarly, there was no difference between DY and SBM in the estimated ME (3,431 and 3,756 kcal/kg DM, respectively). Experiment 2 was conducted to determine the standardized ileal digestibility (SID) of AA in DY and SBM. Twenty-one barrows with a mean initial BW of 20.0 kg (SD = 1.31) were surgically fitted with T-cannulas at the distal ileum and assigned to 3 dietary treatments in a randomized complete block design with BW as a blocking factor. Two semi-purified diets containing DY or SBM as the sole nitrogen source and one nitrogen-free diet (NFD) were prepared. The NFD was used to estimate the basal ileal endogenous losses of CP and AA. Pigs were fed the 3 diets for 5 d as adaptation, followed by 2 d of feeding with ileal digesta collection. The SID of AA, except Gly and Pro, in DY was less (P < 0.05) than in SBM. The SID of indispensable AA in DY ranged from 64.1% for Thr to 85.2% for Arg, and those in SBM ranged from 83.9% for Thr to 91.8% for Arg. In conclusion, energy values of DY are not different from those of SBM, whereas AA in DY is less digestible than in SBM. The estimated DE and ME as well as the SID of AA in DY and SBM can be used in diet formulation for growing pigs using these ingredients.
The effects of maternal nutrition during the first 50 d of gestation on the location and abundance of hexose and cationic amino acid transporters in beef heifer uteroplacental tissues
Authors: Crouse Matthew S , McLean Kyle J , Dwamena Josephine , Neville Tammi L , Menezes Ana Clara B , Ward Alison K , Reynolds Lawrence P , Dahlen Carl R , Neville Bryan W , Borowicz Pawel P , Caton Joel S
Published: November 2020

We hypothesized that maternal nutrition during the first 50 d of gestation would influence the abundance of hexose transporters, SLC2A1, SLC2A3, and SLC2A5, and cationic amino acid transporters, SLC7A1 and SLC7A2, in heifer uteroplacental tissues. Angus-cross heifers (n = 43) were estrus synchronized, bred via artificial insemination, and assigned at breeding to 1 of 2 dietary intake groups (CON = 100% of requirements to achieve 0.45 kg/d of BW gain or RES = 60% of CON intake) and ovariohysterectomized on day 16, 34, or 50 of gestation (n = 6 to 9/d) in a completely randomized design with a 2 × 3 factorial arrangement of treatments. Uterine cross-sections were collected from the horn ipsilateral to the corpus luteum, fixed in 10% neutral buffered formalin, sectioned at 5 µm, and stained via immunofluorescence for transporters. For each image, areas of fetal membrane (FM; chorioallantois), luminal epithelium (ENDO), superficial glands (SG), deep glands (DG), and myometrium (MYO) were analyzed separately for relative intensity of fluorescence as an indicator of transporter abundance. Analysis of FM was only conducted for days 34 and 50. No transporters in target areas were influenced by a day × treatment interaction (P ≥ 0.06). In ENDO, all transporters were differentially abundant from days 16 to 50 of gestation (P ≤ 0.04), and SLC7A2 was greater (P = 0.05) for RES vs. CON. In SG, SLC7A1 and SLC7A2 were greater (P ≤ 0.04) at day 34 vs. day 16. In DG, SLC2A3 and SLC7A1 were greater (P ≤ 0.05) for CON vs. RES heifers; furthermore, SLC7A1 was greater (P < 0.01) at day 50 vs. days 16 and 34 of gestation. In MYO, SLC7A1 was greater (P < 0.01) for CON vs. RES and was greater (P = 0.02) at days 34 and 50 vs. day 16. There were no differences in FM (P ≥ 0.06). Analysis of all uterine tissues at day 16 determined that SLC2A1, SLC2A3, and SLC7A2 were all differentially abundant across uterine tissue type (P < 0.01), and SLC7A1 was greater (P = 0.02) for CON vs. RES. Analysis of all uteroplacental tissues at days 34 and 50 demonstrated that all transporters differed (P < 0.01) across uteroplacental tissues, and SLC7A1 was greater (P < 0.01) for CON vs. RES. These data are interpreted to imply that transporters are differentially affected by day of gestation, and that hexose and cationic amino acid transporters are differentially abundant across utero-placental tissue types, and that SLC7A1 is responsive to maternal nutritional treatment.
139 Relationship of winter hair growth and performance in Angus dams
Authors: Duvic Morgan A , Burnett Randy H , Glenn Cody , Smith Trent
Published: November 2020

The objectives of this study were to (1) evaluate the effect of rate of winter hair growth on Angus cow performance and (2) estimate the correlation between rate of winter growth and other physiological parameters. Data were collected on fall-calving Angus females (n = 127) approximately every 60 d from August to February from 2011 to 2019. Animals were observed by trained technicians for winter growth (WG) and length (WL) scores from 1 to 5. A 1 for winter growth indicated no winter growth and a 5 indicated a full winter coat. For winter length, a 1 indicated short hair and a 5 indicated long. At scoring, a 5.08 cm by 10.16 cm hair sample was clipped directly behind the left shoulder below the top line and weighed. A thermal image was taken to determine average surface temperature of both the shaved (SHAVE) and unshaved (UNSHAVED) areas. Month of first winter growth (MFWG) was determined when the female reached an average winter growth score of 2.5 or higher. Calf performance was considered a trait of the dam and included AdjBW and d205wt. Phenotypic correlations were estimated on SHAVE, UNSHAVED, WG, WL, MFWG, hair weight, and month of first shedding (MFS), which was assessed during the spring of each year. Data were analyzed using the MIXED procedure of SAS with AdjBW and d205wt as response variables. The model included fixed effects of calf sex and MFWG with sire as a random effect. SHAVE was weakly positively associated with WG, WL (P < 0.05). There was no association between MFWG and MFS. MFWG was significant for AdjBW and d205wt with females starting winter growth in October having lighter calves at birth and weaning compared to those in December. Results suggest an association between MFWG and performance traits in Angus dams.
128 Pregnancy and calving rates of beef cows comparing the sex-selected semen to conventional semen using timed artificial insemination
Authors: McMurray Jennifer , DeCarlo Andrea N , Long Nathan , Pratt Scott
Published: November 2020

A study was conducted over three years to determine if differences in pregnancy rates existed between the use of commercially available sex-selected (SEXED) or conventional semen (STD) coupled to fixed-time artificial insemination (TAI). A total of 240 (2016: n = 80; 2017: n = 95; 2018: n = 65) primi- or multiparous Angus or Angus-cross cows being at 45 days post-partum or greater were blocked by weight and BCS and assigned to be inseminated using SEXED semen or STD semen. Artificial insemination was performed by the same AI technicians (n = 3) across all years. All cows were subjected to estrous synchronization and insemination using the SEXED semen or STD semen with TAI between 63 and 66 h post-CIDR removal. Fourteen days post-TAI all cows were exposed to bulls for natural service. Cows were subjected to transrectal ultrasonography at day 30 and day 45 post-TAI to determine pregnancy rates and calving dates in the subsequent calving seasons were recorded to determine calving rates to TAI. Pregnancy rates were compared using a Chi-square test of two proportions. All statistical calculations were performed using JMP software and statistical significance was based on p-values less than 0.05. Pregnancy rates at day 30 and day 45 were 39.67% and 48.76% for SEXED and 47.90% and 54.62% for STD, respectively (P > 0.05). The percentage of calves born to TAI pregnancies for sex-selected semen and conventional semen were 22.31% and 40.34%, respectively (P < 0.05). These data indicate that the use of sex-selected semen can give similar pregnancy results to conventional semen in beef cow operations using TAI at day 30 of gestation; however, there was a reduction in the number of offspring to TAI comparing calving dates to animals pregnant at day 30.