bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Deep learning to predict elevated pulmonary artery pressure in patients with suspected pulmonary hypertension using standard chest X ray
Authors: Kusunose Kenya , Hirata Yukina , Tsuji Takumasa , Kotoku Jun’ichi , Sata Masataka
Published: November 2020

Accurate diagnosis of pulmonary hypertension (PH) is crucial to ensure that patients receive timely treatment. We hypothesized that application of artificial intelligence (AI) to the chest X-ray (CXR) could identify elevated pulmonary artery pressure (PAP) and stratify the risk of heart failure hospitalization with PH. We retrospectively enrolled a total of 900 consecutive patients with suspected PH. We trained a convolutional neural network to identify patients with elevated PAP (> 20 mmHg) as the actual value of PAP. The endpoints in this study were admission or occurrence of heart failure with elevated PAP. In an independent evaluation set for detection of elevated PAP, the area under curve (AUC) by the AI algorithm was significantly higher than the AUC by measurements of CXR images and human observers (0.71 vs. 0.60 and vs. 0.63, all p < 0.05). In patients with AI predicted PH had 2-times the risk of heart failure with PH compared with those without AI predicted PH. This preliminary work suggests that applying AI to the CXR in high risk groups has limited performance when used alone in identifying elevated PAP. We believe that this report can serve as an impetus for a future large study.
The N-terminus of GPR37L1 is proteolytically processed by matrix metalloproteases
Authors: Coleman James L. J. , Ngo Tony , Smythe Rhyll E. , Cleave Andrew J. , Jones Nicole M. , Graham Robert M. , Smith Nicola J.
Published: November 2020

GPR37L1 is an orphan G protein-coupled receptor expressed exclusively in the brain and linked to seizures, neuroprotection and cardiovascular disease. Based upon the observation that fragments of the GPR37L1 N-terminus are found in human cerebrospinal fluid, we hypothesized that GPR37L1 was subject to post-translational modification. Heterologous expression of GPR37L1-eYFP in either HEK293 or U87 glioblastoma cells yielded two cell surface species of approximately equivalent abundance, the larger of which is N-glycosylated at Asn105. The smaller species is produced by matrix metalloprotease/ADAM-mediated proteolysis (shown by the use of pharmacological inhibitors) and has a molecular weight identical to that of a mutant lacking the entire N-terminus, Δ122 GPR37L1. Serial truncation of the N-terminus prevented GPR37L1 expression except when the entire N-terminus was removed, narrowing the predicted site of N-terminal proteolysis to residues 105–122. Using yeast expressing different G protein chimeras, we found that wild type GPR37L1, but not Δ122 GPR37L1, coupled constitutively to Gpa1/Gαs and Gpa1/Gα16 chimeras, in contrast to previous studies. We tested the peptides identified in cerebrospinal fluid as well as their putative newly-generated N-terminal ‘tethered’ counterparts in both wild type and Δ122 GPR37L1 Gpa1/Gαs strains but saw no effect, suggesting that GPR37L1 does not signal in a manner akin to the protease-activated receptor family. We also saw no evidence of receptor activation or regulation by the reported GPR37L1 ligand, prosaptide/TX14A. Finally, the proteolytically processed species predominated both in vivo and ex vivo in organotypic cerebellar slice preparations, suggesting that GPR37L1 is rapidly processed to a signaling-inactive form. Our data indicate that the function of GPR37L1 in vivo is tightly regulated by metalloprotease-dependent N-terminal cleavage.
Cerebellar molecular layer interneurons are dispensable for cued and contextual fear conditioning
Authors: Marshall-Phelps Katy L. H. , Riedel Gernot , Wulff Peer , Woloszynowska-Fraser Marta
Published: November 2020

Purkinje cells are the only output cell of the cerebellar cortex. Their spatiotemporal activity is controlled by molecular layer interneurons (MLIs) through GABAA receptor-mediated inhibition. Recently, it has been reported that the cerebellar cortex is required for consolidation of conditioned fear responses during fear memory formation. Although the relevance of MLIs during fear memory formation is currently not known, it has been shown that synapses made between MLIs and Purkinje cells exhibit long term plasticity following fear conditioning. The present study examined the role of cerebellar MLIs in the formation of fear memory using a genetically-altered mouse line (PC-∆γ2) in which GABAA receptor-mediated signaling at MLI to Purkinje cell synapses was functionally removed. We found that neither acquisition nor recall of fear memories to tone and context were altered after removal of MLI-mediated inhibition.
Low-intensity ultrasound combined with allogenic adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (AdMSCs) in radiation-induced skin injury treatment
Authors: Hormozi Moghaddam Zeinab , Mokhtari-Dizaji Manijhe , Nilforoshzadeh Mohammad Ali , Bakhshandeh Mohsen , Ghaffari Khaligh Sahar
Published: November 2020

Mesenchymal stem cells are mechano-sensitive cells with the potential to restore the function of damaged tissues. Low-intensity ultrasound has been increasingly considered as a bioactive therapeutic apparatus. Optimizing transplantation conditions is a critical aim for radiation-induced skin tissue injury. Therefore, the therapeutic function of adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells to ultrasound stimulus was examined based on the mechanical index (MI). Mesenchymal stem cells were isolated from the adipose tissues of mature guinea pigs. An ultrasound system (US) was constructed with a 40 kHz frequency. The radiation-induced skin injury model was produced on the abdominal skin of guinea pigs by 60 Gy of radiation. Then, they were divided to 7 groups (n = 42): control, sham, US (MI = 0.7), AdMSCs injection, US AdMSCs (AdMSCs, under US with MI = 0.2), AdMSCs + US (AdMSCs transplantation and US with MI = 0.7) and US AdMSCs + US (combining the last two groups). The homing of stem cells was verified with fluorescence imaging. The groups were followed with serial photography, ultrasound imaging, tensiometry, and histology. The thickness of the skin was analyzed. Functional changes in skin tissue were evaluated with Young’s modulus (kPa). One-way ANOVA tests were performed to analyze differences between treatment protocols (p < 0.05). The results of Kumar’s score showed that radiation injury was significantly lower in the treatment groups of US AdMSCs and US AdMSCs + US than other groups after 14 days (p < 0.05). There was a significant difference in skin thickness between treatment groups with control, sham, and US groups after 60 Gy radiation and were closer to the thickness of healthy skin. Young’s modulus in US AdMSCs + US, US AdMSCs, and AdMSCs + US groups demonstrated a significant difference with the other groups (p < 0.05). Young’s modulus in US AdMSCs + US and US AdMSCs treatment groups were closer to Young’s modulus of the healthy skin. The histological results confirmed the improvement of acute radiation damage in the combined treatment method, especially in US AdMSCs + US and US AdMSCs groups with increasing the epithelialization and formation of collagen. An ultrasonic treatment plan based on a mechanical index of the target medium could be used to enhance stem cell therapy.
Comparison between blue-on-yellow and white-on-white perimetry in patients with branch retinal vein occlusion
Authors: Azuma Kunihiro , Inoue Tatsuya , Fujino Ryosuke , Igarashi Nozomi , Asano Shotaro , Nomura Yoko , Hashimoto Yohei , Azuma Keiko , Asaoka Ryo , Kadonosono Kazuaki , Obata Ryo
Published: November 2020

This study aimed to compare blue-on-yellow (B/Y) perimetry with white-on-white (W/W) perimetry in eyes with branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO). The following measurements were performed in 29 eyes of 29 patients with resolved BRVO: W/W and B/Y perimetries using 10-2 test grid, retinal volume (RV) using optical coherence tomography (OCT), and vessel densities (VD) of the superficial capillary layer (VDs) and deep capillary layer (VDd) using OCT angiography (OCTA). First, the difference in the retinal sensitivity (RS) between BRVO-affected and unaffected areas was compared between RS_B/Y and RS_W/W in the parafoveal and extrafoveal areas. Moreover, the structure–function relationship between vessel density and RS was compared between B/Y and W/W perimetries (RS_B/Y and RS_W/W, respectively). The difference in RS between BRVO-affected and unaffected areas was significantly larger with RS_B/Y than with RS_W/W in both the parafoveal and extrafoveal areas. In the parafoveal area, VDs, VDd, and RV were significantly correlated with both RS_W/W and RS_B/Y. In contrast, in the extrafoveal area, only VDd was included in the optimal models. Our findings suggest that RS_B/Y more strongly reflects the anatomical structure and BRVO-affected area.
Genomic selection for heterobothriosis resistance concurrent with body size in the tiger pufferfish, Takifugu rubripes
Authors: Lin Zijie , Hosoya Sho , Sato Mana , Mizuno Naoki , Kobayashi Yuki , Itou Takuya , Kikuchi Kiyoshi
Published: November 2020

Parasite resistance traits in aquaculture species often have moderate heritability, indicating the potential for genetic improvements by selective breeding. However, parasite resistance is often synonymous with an undesirable negative correlation with body size. In this study, we first tested the feasibility of genomic selection (GS) on resistance to heterobothriosis, caused by the monogenean parasiteHeterobothrium okamotoi, which leads to huge economic losses in aquaculture of the tiger pufferfishTakifugu rubripes.Then, using a simulation study, we tested the possibility of simultaneous improvement of parasite resistance, assessed by parasite counts on host fish (HC), and standard length (SL). Each trait showed moderate heritability (square-root transformed HC:h2 = 0.308 ± 0.123, S.E.; SL:h2 = 0.405 ± 0.131). The predictive abilities of genomic prediction among 12 models, including genomic Best Linear Unbiased Predictor (GBLUP), Bayesian regressions, and machine learning procedures, were also moderate for both transformed HC (0.248‒0.344) and SL (0.340‒0.481). These results confirmed the feasibility of GS for this trait. Although an undesirable genetic correlation was suggested between transformed HC and SL (rg = 0.228), the simulation study suggested the desired gains index can help achieve simultaneous genetic improvements in both traits.
The influence of networks of general trust on willingness to communicate in English for Japanese people
Authors: Ito Takehiko
Published: November 2020

This study investigates the effect of a network of general trust on the willingness to communicate in English among Japanese people. Previous studies have shown that general trust positively affects the willingness to communicate in English for Japanese people. However, the network structure of general trust and its effects have not yet been revealed. The present study conducted a network analysis with 761 Japanese university students and 601 Japanese social survey participants, for 1362 participants total. Four variables regarding general trust positively affected the willingness to communicate in English for all participants, whereas one variable had a negative effect if each network was estimated for only university students or social survey participants. Centrality indices, such as node strength, closeness, and expected influence, revealed the centrality of several variables in the network of all participants. Bootstrapping methods showed the trustworthiness of the estimated edges and centrality indices. Contrary to the regression analysis, the network analysis can help us understand the profound effect of general trust on the willingness to communicate in a second language, which will prove useful for intervention studies.
Methamphetamine induces cardiomyopathy by Sigmar1 inhibition-dependent impairment of mitochondrial dynamics and function
Authors: Abdullah Chowdhury S. , Aishwarya Richa , Alam Shafiul , Morshed Mahboob , Remex Naznin Sultana , Nitu Sadia , Kolluru Gopi K. , Traylor James , Miriyala Sumitra , Panchatcharam Manikandan , Hartman Brandon , King Judy , Bhuiyan Mohammad Alfrad Nobel , Chandran Sunitha , Woolard Matthew D. , Yu Xiuping , Goeders Nicholas E. , Dominic Paari , Arnold Connie L. , Stokes Karen , Kevil Christopher G. , Orr A. Wayne , Bhuiyan Md. Shenuarin
Published: November 2020

Methamphetamine-associated cardiomyopathy is the leading cause of death linked with illicit drug use. Here we show that Sigmar1 is a therapeutic target for methamphetamine-associated cardiomyopathy and defined the molecular mechanisms using autopsy samples of human hearts, and a mouse model of “binge and crash” methamphetamine administration. Sigmar1 expression is significantly decreased in the hearts of human methamphetamine users and those of “binge and crash” methamphetamine-treated mice. The hearts of methamphetamine users also show signs of cardiomyopathy, including cellular injury, fibrosis, and enlargement of the heart. In addition, mice expose to “binge and crash” methamphetamine develop cardiac hypertrophy, fibrotic remodeling, and mitochondrial dysfunction leading to contractile dysfunction. Methamphetamine treatment inhibits Sigmar1, resulting in inactivation of the cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB), decreased expression of mitochondrial fission 1 protein (FIS1), and ultimately alteration of mitochondrial dynamics and function. Therefore, Sigmar1 is a viable therapeutic agent for protection against methamphetamine-associated cardiomyopathy.
Nanoplasmonic sensor array for the detection and discrimination of pesticide residues in citrus fruits
Authors: Mirghafouri M. Reza , Abbasi-Moayed Samira , Ghasemi Forough , Hormozi-Nezhad M. Reza
Published: November 2020

The aggregation-induced alterations in gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) with only two different capping agents can detect and identify pesticide residues in lime.
Phase transformations among TiO2 polymorphs
Authors: Song Miao , Lu Zexi , Li Dongsheng
Published: November 2020

Polymorphs widely exist in nature and synthetic systems and are critical in determining material properties.
Designed DNA nanostructure grafted with erlotinib for non-small-cell lung cancer therapy
Authors: Wang Yuqi , Cheng Jin , Zhao Di , Liu Yan , Luo Tao , Zhong Yi-Fang , Mo Fangli , Kong Xiang-Yang , Song Jie
Published: November 2020

Schematic representation of designed DNA nanostructure grafted with erlotinib and enhanced inhibition of tumor growth for non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC).
Bioinspired artificial nanochannels: construction and application
Authors: Jiang Xiaojia , Wang Liang , Liu Shengda , Li Fei , Liu Junqiu
Published: November 2020

Inspired by nature, this review focuses on the construction and applications of biomimetic artificial nanochannels from the perspective of the relationship between biological channels and artificial nanochannels.
Total synthesis of kopsine, fruticosine, and structurally related polycyclic caged Kopsia indole alkaloids
Authors: Qin Bo , Wang Yuan , Wang Xin , Jia Yanxing
Published: November 2020

Kopsine, fruticosine and related caged and polycyclic Kopsia indole alkaloids have been attractive synthetic targets since 1983.
Effect of Ti3C2Tx MXenes etched at elevated temperatures using concentrated acid on binder-free supercapacitors
Authors: Kumar Sunil , Kang Dongwoon , Hong Hyeryeon , Rehman Malik Abdul , Lee Yeon-jae , Lee Naesung , Seo Yongho
Published: November 2020

The effect of Ti3C2Tx MXene etched at different temperatures (25 °C, 50 °C, and 80 °C) on the capacitance of supercapacitors without the use of conducting carbon-black or a binder was studied.
Preparation and application of sunlight absorbing ultra-black carbon aerogel/graphene oxide membrane for solar steam generation systems
Authors: Mohsenpour Mahsa , Motahari Siamak , Tajabadi Fariba , Najafi Mohammad
Published: November 2020

The sunlight absorbing membrane consisting of ultra-black resorcinol-formaldehyde (RF)-based carbon aerogel (CA) and graphene oxide (GO) suspension was fabricated. The hydrophilic modified copper foam (MCF) was prepared and used as the substrate.
Synthesis and evaluation of (S)-5′-C-aminopropyl and (S)-5′-C-aminopropyl-2′-arabinofluoro modified DNA oligomers for novel RNase H-dependent antisense oligonucleotides
Authors: Zhou Yujun , Kajino Ryohei , Ishii Seiichiro , Yamagishi Kenji , Ueno Yoshihito
Published: November 2020

We designed and synthesized two novel thymidine analogs: (S)-5′-C-aminopropyl-thymidine and (S)-5′-C-aminopropyl-2′-β-fluoro-thymidine.
Stereocontrolled addition of Grignard reagents to oxa-bridged benzazepines: highly efficient synthesis of functionalized benzazepine scaffolds
Authors: Zhang Yuewei , Bao Qingqing , Zhang Ning , Wang Shuohang , Yu Xue
Published: November 2020

An efficient and highly diastereoselective synthesis of 2-substituted benzo[b]azepin-5-olviastereocontrolled addition of Grignard reagents to oxa-bridged benzazepines has been developed.
Fast and facile synthesis of two-dimensional FeIIInanosheets based on fluid-shear exfoliation for highly catalytic glycolysis of poly(ethylene terephthalate)
Authors: Jeong Jae-Min , Jin Se Bin , Son Seon Gyu , Suh Hoyoung , Moon Jong-Min , Choi Bong Gill
Published: November 2020

2D FeIIInanosheets are synthesized by a fluid dynamics–assisted exfoliation and oxidation method for highly-catalyzed glycolysis reaction of PET.
Catalysis and degradation of phenol in coking wastewater during low-rank coal coke gasification
Authors: Geng Yang , Bai Jinfeng , Liu Yang , Zhong Xiangyun , Li Chao , Liu Yang , Zhang Zhihua , Zhang Yaru
Published: November 2020

The thermochemical-reaction characteristics of different concentrations of phenol water and gasification-coke at 1000 °C in a thermochemical reactor were experimentally studied.
In silico prediction of annihilators for triplet–triplet annihilation upconversion via auxiliary-field quantum Monte Carlo
Authors: Weber John L. , Churchill Emily M. , Jockusch Steffen , Arthur Evan J. , Pun Andrew B. , Zhang Shiwei , Friesner Richard A. , Campos Luis M. , Reichman David R. , Shee James
Published: November 2020

Electronic structure theories such as AFQMC can accurately predict the low-lying excited state energetics of organic chromophores involved in triplet–triplet annihilation upconversion. A novel class of benzothiadiazole annihilators is discovered.
Redox responsive activity regulation in exceptionally stable supramolecular assembly and co-assembly of a protein
Authors: Chakraborty Saptarshi , Khamrui Rajesh , Ghosh Suhrit
Published: November 2020

Supramolecular structure directing unit regulated co-assembly of a protein produces a highly stable fibrillar nanostructure and glutathione responsive release of the protein in its active state.
Development of proficient photocatalytic systems for enhanced photocatalytic reduction of carbon dioxide
Authors: Muringa Kandy Mufeedah , Rajeev K Anjana , Sankaralingam Muniyandi
Published: November 2020

Global warming due to the unrestricted release of CO2 into the atmosphere is a prevalent challenge faced by the 21st century.
Scalable microgel spinning of a three-dimensional porous graphene fiber for high-performance flexible supercapacitors
Authors: Ma Wujun , Li Wanfei , Li Min , Mao Qinghui , Pan Zhenghui , Zhu Meifang , Zhang Yuegang
Published: November 2020

A three-dimensional porous graphene fiber with a unique cross section and side hierarchical pores is fabricated using a scalable microgel spinning method.
Cogeneration of ethylene and electricity in symmetrical protonic solid oxide fuel cells based on a La0.6Sr0.4Fe0.8Nb0.1Cu0.1O3−δ electrode
Authors: Li Jun , Hou Jie , Xi Xiuan , Lu Ying , Li Mingming , Fan Yun , Wang Lijuan , Wang Lei , Fu Xian-Zhu , Luo Jing-Li
Published: November 2020

Symmetrical solid oxide fuel cell reactor with BaZr0.1Ce0.7Y0.1Yb0.1O3−δ as electrolyte and La0.6Sr0.4Fe0.8Nb0.1Cu0.1O3−δ as electrodes is applied to cogenerate ethylene and electricity.
Cell-penetrating peptide-conjugated lipid/polymer hybrid nanovesicles for endoplasmic reticulum-targeting intracellular delivery
Authors: Kang Jeong Yi , Kim Seulgi , Kim Juhyeon , Kang Nae-Gyu , Yang Chul-Su , Min Sun-Joon , Kim Jin Woong
Published: November 2020

An ER-targeting, intracellular delivery approach that utilizes cell-penetrating peptide-conjugated lipid/polymer hybrid nanovehicles is proposed.
Growth factors regional patterned and photoimmobilized scaffold applied to bone tissue regeneration
Authors: Zhang Ling-Kun , Chen Wu-Ya , Wang Hui-Min , Liu Chao , He Jiecheng , Tang Yunzhi , Jiao Yuxuan , Guan Yan-Qing
Published: November 2020

Growth factors immobilized on poly-hybrid scaffolds induced orderly BMSC differentiation for bone tissue regeneration.
Emerging nanomaterials for dental treatments
Authors: Mok Zi Hong , Proctor Gordon , Thanou Maya
Published: November 2020

The emergence of nanomaterials for dental treatments is encouraged by the nanotopography of the tooth structure, together with the promising benefits of nanomedicine. The use of nanoparticles in dentistry, also termed as ‘nanodentistry', has manifested in applications for remineralisation, antimicrobial activity, local anaesthesia, anti-inflammation, osteoconductivity and stem cell differentiation. Besides the applications on dental tissues, nanoparticles have been used to enhance the mechanical properties of dental composites, improving their bonding and anchorage and reducing friction. The small particle size allows for enhanced permeation into deeper lesions, and reduction in porosities of dental composites for higher mechanical strength. The large surface area to volume ratio allows for enhanced bioactivity such as bonding and integration, and more intense action towards microorganisms. Controlled release of encapsulated bioactive molecules such as drugs and growth factors enables them to be delivered more precisely, with site-targeted delivery for localised treatments. These properties have benefitted across multiple fields within dentistry, including periodontology and endodontics and reengineering of dental prosthetics and braces. This review summarises the current literature on the emerging field of nanomaterials for dental treatments.
Remote Microphone System Use in Preschool Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder and Language Disorder in the Classroom: A Pilot Efficacy Study
Authors: Keller Mary Alice , Tharpe Anne Marie , Bodfish James
Published: November 2020

Purpose

The present pilot study aimed to provide estimates of the feasibility and efficacy of a remote microphone (RM) system as an augmentative intervention to improve the functional listening performance of preschool children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and language disorder.

Method

Eight children with ASD and language disorder participated. Efficacy of the RM system was determined by evaluating participants' functional listening performance, as measured by an observational measure in RM-off and RM-on conditions. Responses were evaluated at the individual level using an alternating conditions design.

Results

Adequate feasibility was demonstrated as all participants were able to complete tasks in the RM-on condition. A subset of participants showed significant improvements in their functional listening performance in the RM-on condition, as demonstrated by visual inspection and effect sizes (nonoverlapping data points and percentage of data points exceeding the mean), indicating that there may be important sources of individual differences in responses to RM use in children with ASD.

Conclusion

The results of this pilot study provide support for future research on RM systems to target functional listening performance in children with ASD and language disorder.
Retrieval and management system for layer sound effect library
Authors: Yang Jiale , Zhang Ying , Hai Yang
Published: November 2020

Here, the authors present a novel interactive prototype system that enhances the effectiveness and ingenuity for sound designers to explore the sound effect library created by layering in multi‐methods. They combine the explored methods of semantic keyword, acoustic feature, and layer relationship. In particular, the system visualises the layer relationship via circle pack, which facilitates the sound designers’ understanding on the components of the mixed sound effect by the designed layer and sourced layer. In order to evaluate the proposed method, they conduct a timing experiment along with a five‐point Likert scale survey to analyse the searching efficiency, the user experience, and the interactive user behaviours. The studies performed by the authors show that the proposed system is capable of enhancing the sound designers’ ability for sound effects searching, thus creating new possible combination and design.
Electrofishing eel, salmon and trout: impact of waveform and frequency on capture-per-unit-effort and spinal damage
Authors: Pottier Gaétan , Nevoux Marie , Marchand Frédéric
Published: November 2020

Performing fish survey protocols with different electrofishing equipment and settings can lead to difficulties in comparing the data obtained. In this study, we captured two fish taxa (i.e. the European eel and salmonids: Atlantic salmon and brown trout) in the field using four models of electrofishers that provided different waveforms: direct current (DC), pulsed direct current (PDC) and pulsed exponential current (PEC). This study aimed to assess effects of using different waveforms and frequencies, while considering environmental variables, on i) attraction, represented by occurrence and catch-per-unit-effort (CPUE) of fishes, and ii) spinal damage, based on ultrasound of the spinal column. For all species, DC and PDC yielded equivalent occurrences and CPUEs, regardless of the frequency. In contrast, PEC induced a significant decrease in occurrences and CPUEs of both eels and salmonids. The percentage of injured fishes increased as the frequency or length of the salmonids increased while waveform had no effect. Ultrasound was determined to be a good non-invasive method to detect injuries in fishes.
Overview of the soybean process in the crushing industry
Authors: Demarco Anibal , Gibon Véronique
Published: November 2020

A minimal residual oil content in the meal coming out of the hexane extractor is a clear benefit for a crushing plant; the more oil yield the better revenue for the crusher. In a modern and efficient extraction plant, a residual oil content ≤ 0.5% for soybean meal is expected. The first step for an efficient solvent extraction is a good preparation process; its optimization makes it possible to shape the seeds for effective leaching and washing of the oil. Preparation also goes through an optimized dehulling (warm or hot dehulling) allowing, in an economical way, to maximize the protein content. The seed flaking can optionally be complemented by expanding which permits rupture of a more efficient portion of the cell walls. Solvent extraction consists in washing the prepared material in a countercurrent multistage process to enable a reasonable quantity of solvent to extract a maximal amount of oil. Major progresses in solvent extraction relate to plant production capacity increases which propelled technological improvements. Following extraction, the solvent is distilled from the miscella and recovered. A mineral oil system absorbs the residual solvent out of the effluent air stream. A single integrated unit also called desolventizer/toaster/dryer/cooler removes the solvent, toasts the meal in order to control the anti-nutritional factors and reduces moisture and temperature to levels appropriate for storage and transport. Although today the industry is mostly based on the solvent extraction process, certain strict constraints in the environmental aspects suggest alternative processes to minimize hexane emissions and even the return to mechanical operations (for example full press) allowing to completely eliminate the use of solvent at the expense of lower efficiency.
The PHENOLEO project or how to separate and add-value to phenolic compounds present in rapeseed and sunflower meals
Authors: Laguna Oscar , Guyot Sylvain , Yu Xiaoxi , Broudiscou Laurent-Philippe , Chapoutot Patrick , Solé-Jamault Véronique , Anton Marc , Quinsac Alain , Sicaire Anne-Gaëlle , Fine Frédéric , Citeau Morgane , Durand Erwann , Barakat Abdellatif , Villeneuve Pierre , Lecomte Jérôme , Dauguet Sylvie
Published: November 2020

Rapeseed and sunflower meal are mainly used as animal feed but they can also be considered as a potential source of bioactive phenolic compounds. However, the desolventization/toasting processes that are needed to produce these meals might influence concentration and chemical structure of phenolic compounds, and change their bioactive properties. Moreover, the recovery processes of these molecules from meals are based on the use of solvent that generates effluents and might affect the integrity of the other constituents of the meals. Knowing this, the PHENOLEO project, funded by the SAS PIVERT, was a research program based on the biorefinery of rapeseed and sunflower meals that aimed to develop new routes of valorization of these materials mostly by the separation and valorization of their simple phenolic compounds. Thus, we decided to focus this study on the impact of the desolventization process on the biochemical composition of meals, the separation process of their simple phenolic compounds, the production of phenolic acids from meals and the potential valorization routes of the phenolic fraction.
Outdoor performance of organic photovoltaics at two different locations: A comparison of degradation and the effect of condensation
Authors: Soares G. A. , David T. W. , Anizelli H. , Miranda B. , Rodrigues J. , Lopes P. , Martins J. , Cunha T. , Vilaça R. , Kettle J. , Bagnis D.
Published: November 2020

Tests on organic photovoltaics (OPV) mini modules, fabricated through a R2R process, in air and without hazardous solvents have been conducted in order to compare their outdoor performance, in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, and Bangor, North Wales, and assess the impact of the latitude and climate of the installation on the power generation and modules' lifetime. The test showed different profiles of degradation for each region and formulation, with a surprisingly faster degradation in Bangor. One of the possible sources of the increased degradation is the greater levels of condensation observed in Bangor. To verify the impact of condensation on the module stability, indoor tests have been conducted to relate the dew point depression to module degradation times. The results show that condensation is a significant stress factor in OPV and should be considered more prominently in reliability studies.
Dirichlet downscaling model for synthetic solar irradiance time series
Authors: Frimane Âzeddine , Bright Jamie M. , Yang Dazhi , Ouhammou Badr , Aggour Mohammed
Published: November 2020

High-resolution ground-based radiometry measurements are scarce, yet their importance in many solar engineering applications cannot be overstated. In this regard, a new model called the Dirichlet downscaling model (DDM), for synthetic downscaling of the global horizontal irradiance time series, is introduced in this paper. In its current version, the DDM is able to downscale any coarse input time series, with a resolution of 1-h or higher, to 1-min resolution. The DDM revolves around the adequate modeling for the concentration parameter of the Dirichlet distribution—a unique parameter that characterizes the Dirichlet distribution and allows generating downscaling probabilities. The concentration parameter captures all information relevant to downscaling from the input data. It is of particular interest that the DDM does not depend on local climate and weather regimes, facilitating worldwide applications. In the empirical part of the paper, the DDM is validated at 25 geographically dispersed locations. Excellent correspondence is obtained between the generated and measured time series in terms of the Kullback–Leibler divergence and the overlap coefficient. The Kolmogorov–Smirnov integral test is also used to quantify the effectiveness of the method at different timescales. Time order is evaluated by calculating the distribution of the autocorrelation function performed daily for each timescale per lag. To ensure full reproducibility and to facilitate the future uptake of the DDM, the R code is provided as the supplementary material.
Wheat yield convergence and its driving factors in countries along the Belt and Road
Authors: Zhang Xiaoheng , Wang Zhina , Qing Ping , Koemle Dieter , Yu Xiaohua
Published: November 2020

Improving the wheat yield of countries along the Belt and Road (BR) plays a core role in ensuring global food security. However, little attention has been paid to the wheat yield variation and the determinants across these countries. This paper analyzes wheat yield convergence in countries along the BR using the club-convergence test. The empirical results show that instead of one convergence for all countries along the BR, the wheat yields are converging into three clubs. Furthermore, we investigate the impact of climate change and agricultural production technology on wheat yield convergence, and find that countries along the BR with a one degree Celsius increase in temperature are 36.5% (32.7%) more likely to converge to the high-level yield club. This may be related to the lower frequency of frost and higher photosynthetic capacity of wheat. We also find that a one kilogram increase in fertilizer application per hectare will result in a 0.4% (0.5%) higher probability of countries along the BR converging to the high-level yield club. Countries along the BR should pay more attention to coordinating production technologies and climate change to ensure food security.
Recent Developments and Future Prospects of Manufacturing of Broad Gauge Railway Sleepers Using Waste Materials in India
Authors: Kumar Bagal Dilip , Kumar Singh Sangam , Naik Bibekananda , Barua Abhishek , Jeet Siddharth , Parida Biswajit , Kumar Pattanaik Ajit
Published: November 2020

Railways form the backbone of all economies, transporting goods, and passengers alike. Sleepers play a pivotal role in track performance and safety in rail transport. Composite sleeper is becoming a suitable alternative for replacing the existing concrete, steel and particularly timber sleeper in both mainline and heavy haul rail network. Composite sleeper technologies are already available but they have gained limited acceptance by the railway industry. A number of composite railway sleeper technologies have been developed but their applications in rail tracks are still limited. This paper discusses in brief about the materials that have been used in making sleepers in the early stages of railways and rigorously reviews the recent developments on composite sleepers and identifies the critical barriers to their widespread acceptance and applications. It has been shown that majority of the sleepers do not last till their expected design life resulting in massive replacement and repair cost. Currently the composite sleeper technologies that are available ranges from sleepers made with recycle materials starting from plastic, rubber, construction waste etc. While these recycled material based sleepers are low cost, the major challenges of using this type of sleepers are their limited strength, stiffness and dynamic properties which in most cases, are incompatible with those of traditional concrete, steel or timber sleeper. This paper rigorously reviews the recent developments on composite sleepers and identifies the critical barriers to their widespread acceptance and applications.
Compressive Strength of Mortar with Alkali Activated Fly ash and Ground Granulated Blast Furnace Slag
Authors: Panda Sagarika , Panigrahi Ramakanta , Narasimham M.L.
Published: November 2020

The geopolymer concrete is a new technology that replace ordinary cement concrete with cement less concrete using the different industrial by-products considered as waste to the society. These materials create a hazardous environmental condition. To overcome the same, many researchers have reported replacement of these materials with cement in concrete work. These materials do not possess much binding properties. Hence, an alkaline solution is utilized to activate the same. In the present study, the compressive strength of the geopolymer mortar prepared with Class F fly ash and ground granulated blast furnace slag in different ratios are examined. It is observed that the compressive strength achieved from elevated temperature cured samples is higher than the ambient temperature cured sample. Increase in ground granulated blast furnace slag content also increases the compressive strength parameters of the geopolymer mortar sample.
Influence of Natural Fibers as Additive on Characteristics of Stone Mastic Asphalt
Authors: Parimita Pragnya
Published: November 2020

The purpose of this article is to emphasize on the development of stabilized Stone Mastic Asphalt Mix for laudable and tangible pavement performance. Attempts have been made to stabilize SMA Mix using synthetic fibers which is too costly and not readily available. The concept of using natural fibers and waste materials to replace these energy intensive synthetic fibers or polymer additives is a recent development in this field. India, being an agricultural economy, produces fairly huge quantity of natural fibers such as coconut, sisal, banana, sugar cane, jute etc. The addition of these natural fibers as additives to SMA has really thrust a revolutionary change to the transport system. This research is an attempt to propose an ideal surface course for the pavement of India using natural fibers stabilized SMA that can face rough weather conditions and more loads. Analyzing the illustrated results of the comparative study on the performance of the stabilized mixtures it is inferred that additive plays a prominent role in the volumetric, mechanical and drain down characteristics of SMA. Improved Marshall Quotient and Marshall Stability value show higher rutting resistance and improved tensile strength shows better Cracking Resistance. This study brings out the importance of additives in SMA and proposes an eco-friendly alternative to Synthetic fibers.
Provision of Percolation Pits for Embankment Safety: A-State-of-Art-and-Review
Authors: Subhadarsini Swarnima , Giri Debabrata , Sekhar Das Sudhanshu
Published: November 2020

An embankment is a vacillating wall of earth or concrete, which directs the river or flood water to its actual target and prevents farmlands. During heavy flood, water overtops the crest and silts clog sluice gate. This creates wave and extensive silt pressure on the wall. In order to avoid such situation, it needs to diverted floodwater through a water channel to a silt trap. Silts will settle in the silt trap and clean water will lend into the injection well passing through the multilayer of injection media. The floodwater is accommodated in a specially designed storage well accompanied with percolating cloak. The cleared water columns injected into the deeper layers of semi-impervious soil strata through the non-clogging percolating screens attached to the well. This diverts the water to percolates to deeper earth strata by capillary action and helps to recharge ground water. The paper aims on deliberating different eco-friendly design and construction technique of high raise embankment. Apart from this, an attempt has been made to showcase the increasing trends in research publication and activity in the area of eco-friendly construction practices to direct and absorb water without affecting the artesian spring.
Statistical and Time series Analysis of Ground Water Parameters of Kalahandi District, Odisha, India
Authors: Patnaik M. , Priyadarshini M.
Published: November 2020

The present research is based on both qualitative and quantitative analysis of ground water of a western state Kalahandi of Odisha, India. 15 physio chemical parameters in addition to ground water depth data has been collected from CGWB, Bhubaneswar, Odisha for all 13 blocks of the district. The main objective of this study is to derive significant relationships between the groundwater parameters and to understand the factors controlling these parameters. Plots of linear regression reveals strong co relationship between magnesium, bicarbonate ions with total alkalinity. Magnesium, chloride and bicarbonate ions are significantly controlling the electrical conductivity of the groundwater. An important implication derived from the time series plot that the pattern of most of the physiochemical and quantitative parameters cannot be assumed linear. Therefore, reliance on formal regression cannot be undertaken for trend analysis. Mann-Kendall test as a non-parametric method of trend testing is taken. Based on S statistics, parameters such as hardness and magnesium show increasing trend whereas pH, sodium and potassium show a significant decreasing trend. Groundwater depth shows surprising results of significantly increasing trend being the S value as high as 103, which leads to ample scope of utilization and reliance on groundwater of the district.
Tungsten carbide and LMPA electron cutouts: comparison and validation using Monte Carlo modelling and measurement of dose
Authors: Leat Christopher J , Ramachandran Prabhakar , Langton Christian M
Published: November 2020

Electron applicator cutouts for radiation therapy electron beam shaping are typically cast from Low Melting Point Alloys (LMPA), such as cerrobend. In this work, we describe the Monte Carlo modelling of novel 3D printed cutouts based on tungsten carbide powder and the resulting dose profiles subject to Elekta Agility electron beams. Cerrobend cutouts were also modelled using the Monte Carlo code EGSnrc. Cerrobend and tungsten carbide cutouts were found to have the same dose profiles within model variance. Computed profiles and percentage depth dose (PDDs) curves of the Elekta Agility accelerator model using standard cutouts in water were found to agree with water tank measurements using gamma criteria of 2%/2mm. The Monte Carlo computed dose profiles of the tungsten carbide cutouts in a polystyrene phantom were also found to agree with liquid-filled ionization chamber array measurements using gamma criteria of 2%/2mm. We conclude that the tungsten carbide cutouts are clinically equivalent to LMPA cutouts.
Do Hind Wing Eyespots of Caligo Butterflies Function in Both Mating Behavior and Antipredator Defense? (Lepidoptera, Nymphalidae)
Authors: Crees Logan D , DeVries Phil , Penz Carla M
Published: November 2020

In general, butterfly ventral hind wing eyespots are considered to play a role in predator–prey interactions. These eyespots are prominent wing pattern elements in Brassolini butterflies, and they vary in size, position, and number across taxa. Female Caligo Hübner, 1819 (Lepidoptera, Nymphalidae) appear to use the large eyespots of lekking males as a mate-locating cue, but female Opsiphanes Doubleday, 1849 (Lepidoptera, Nymphalidae) do not because males patrol to find mates. These behaviors led us to predict that male Caligo should have larger eyespots than females, but eyespot size would not differ between sexes in Opsiphanes. Our analyses supported these predictions. As displacement of the eyespots to the center of the wing might make them more conspicuous, we asked if eyespot position and size covaried across the Brassolini phylogeny. While we found a positive association between position and size, the relationship of these two variables contained significant phylogenetic signal. Two Brassolini species show strong sexual dimorphism where females converge on the color pattern of sympatric species of Caligo. Their ventral hind wing eyespots are much larger than those of close relatives, approximating those of Caligo, and further reinforcing the importance of ventral hind wing eyespots as a visual signal in this group of butterflies. Importantly, our results suggest that, in addition to antipredation defense, ventral hind wing eyespots can function in mating activities, and consequently they might be evolving under both natural and sexual selection in Caligo butterflies.
Carabid beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae) and biological control of agricultural pests in Latin America
Authors: Cividanes Francisco J
Published: November 2020

The well-diversified Latin American agriculture plays an essential role in the economy of that region, through the export of food and agricultural commodities. The region is expected to continue playing a significant role in world agricultural production and trade. Carabid beetles are efficient consumers of arthropod pests and weed seeds on agricultural land, which makes them a target for studies by entomologists aiming to determine whether predatory carabids are capable of suppressing pest populations. However, carabids have been mostly studied in temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere. Here, evidence for carabids as biocontrol agents of agricultural pests in Latin America is examined, aiming to improve understanding of this predator group in Latin American agroecosystems. The records found were organized into the following subject areas: conservation tactics, biocontrol agents, agricultural practices, and population survey. The literature review identified several gaps in knowledge of these topics, which made it possible to indicate potential research projects related to noncrop habitats, population studies, and consumption of weed seeds. Laboratory investigations of carabids’ predatory capacity indicated that they have the potential to control pests. However, field studies have failed to demonstrate that carabids significantly decreased pest densities. Although polyculture is a traditional practice of smallholder farmers in Latin America, the literature involving carabids and this sustainable agriculture practice is sparse. Looking forward, the utilization of polyculture and the existing no-till system in large fields provide opportunities for future research on ground beetles in Latin America.
LexExp: a system for automatically expanding concept lexicons for noisy biomedical texts
Authors: Sarker Abeed
Published: November 2020

LexExp is an open-source, data-centric lexicon expansion system that generates spelling variants of lexical expressions in a lexicon using a phrase embedding model, lexical similarity-based natural language processing methods and a set of tunable threshold decay functions. The system is customizable, can be optimized for recall or precision and can generate variants for multi-word expressions.

Availability and implementation

Code available at: https://bitbucket.org/asarker/lexexp; data and resources available at: https://sarkerlab.org/lexexp.

Supplementary information

Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Probabilistic framework for integration of mass spectrum and retention time information in small molecule identification
Authors: Bach Eric , Rogers Simon , Williamson John , Rousu Juho
Published: November 2020

Motivation

Identification of small molecules in a biological sample remains a major bottleneck in molecular biology, despite a decade of rapid development of computational approaches for predicting molecular structures using mass spectrometry (MS) data. Recently, there has been increasing interest in utilizing other information sources, such as liquid chromatography (LC) retention time (RT), to improve identifications solely based on MS information, such as precursor mass-per-charge and tandem mass spectrometry (MS2).

Results

We put forward a probabilistic modelling framework to integrate MS and RT data of multiple features in an LC-MS experiment. We model the MS measurements and all pairwise retention order information as a Markov random field and use efficient approximate inference for scoring and ranking potential molecular structures. Our experiments show improved identification accuracy by combining MS2 data and retention orders using our approach, thereby outperforming state-of-the-art methods. Furthermore, we demonstrate the benefit of our model when only a subset of LC-MS features has MS2 measurements available besides MS1.

Availability and implementation

Software and data are freely available at https://github.com/aalto-ics-kepaco/msms_rt_score_integration.

Supplementary information

Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.