bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Application of Data-Independent Acquisition Approach to Study the Proteome Change from Early to Later Phases of Tomato Pathogenesis Responses
Authors: Fan Kai-Ting , Wang Kuo-Hsin , Chang Wei-Hung , Yang Jhih-Ci , Yeh Ching-Fang , Cheng Kai-Tan , Hung Sheng-Chi , Chen Yet-Ran
Published: February 2019

Plants and pathogens are entangled in a continual arms race. Plants have evolved dynamic defence and immune mechanisms to resist infection and enhance immunity for second wave attacks from the same or different types of pathogenic species. In addition to evolutionarily and physiological changes, plant-pathogen interaction is also highly dynamic at the molecular level. Recently, an emerging quantitative mass spectrometry-based proteomics approach named data-independent acquisition (DIA), has been developed for the analysis of the proteome in a high-throughput fashion. In this study, the DIA approach was applied to quantitatively trace the change in the plant proteome from the early to the later stage of pathogenesis progression. This study revealed that at the early stage of the pathogenesis response, proteins directly related to the chaperon were regulated for the defence proteins. At the later stage, not only the defence proteins but also a set of the pathogen-associated molecular pattern-triggered immunity (PTI) and effector triggered immunity (ETI)-related proteins were highly induced. Our findings show the dynamics of the plant regulation of pathogenesis at the protein level and demonstrate the potential of using the DIA approach for tracing the dynamics of the plant proteome during pathogenesis responses.
Fast Microwave-Assisted Synthesis of Wells-Dawson-Type 18-Tungsto-2-Phosphate [P2W18O62]6−
Authors: Pandya Vamangi M. , Haider Ali , Qasim Hafiz M. , Mougharbel Ali S. , Kortz Ulrich , Joshi Sachin A.
Published: February 2019

We report on a fast microwave-assisted synthetic procedure of the Wells-Dawson-type 18-tungsto-2-phosphate [P2W18O62]6− with a 35% yield in 24 h, rather than a week using conventional heating.
A Peri-Implant Disease Risk Score for Patients with Dental Implants: Validation and the Influence of the Interval between Maintenance Appointments
Authors: de Araújo Nobre Miguel , Salvado Francisco , Nogueira Paulo , Rocha Evangelista , Ilg Peter , Maló Paulo
Published: February 2019

Background: There is a need for tools that provide prediction of peri-implant disease. The purpose of this study was to validate a risk score for peri-implant disease and to assess the influence of the recall regimen in disease incidence based on a five-year retrospective cohort. Methods: Three hundred and fifty-three patients with 1238 implants were observed. A risk score was calculated from eight predictors and risk groups were established. Relative risk (RR) was estimated using logistic regression, and the c-statistic was calculated. The effect/impact of the recall regimen (≤ six months; > six months) on the incidence of peri-implant disease was evaluated for a subset of cases and matched controls. The RR and the proportional attributable risk (PAR) were estimated. Results: At baseline, patients fell into the following risk profiles: low-risk (n = 102, 28.9%), moderate-risk (n = 68, 19.3%), high-risk (n = 77, 21.8%), and very high-risk (n = 106, 30%). The incidence of peri-implant disease over five years was 24.1% (n = 85 patients). The RR for the risk groups was 5.52 (c-statistic = 0.858). The RR for a longer recall regimen was 1.06, corresponding to a PAR of 5.87%. Conclusions: The risk score for estimating peri-implant disease was validated and showed very good performance. Maintenance appointments of < six months or > six months did not influence the incidence of peri-implant disease when considering the matching of cases and controls by risk profile.
The Association between Plasma Omega-6/Omega-3 Ratio and Anthropometric Traits Differs by Racial/Ethnic Groups and NFKB1 Genotypes in Healthy Young Adults
Authors: Bauman-Fortin Jeremy , Ma David W.L. , Mutch David M. , Abdelmagid Salma A. , Badawi Alaa , El-Sohemy Ahmed , Fontaine-Bisson Bénédicte
Published: February 2019

Evidence for a relationship between omega-6/omega-3 (n-6/n-3) polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) ratio and obesity in humans is inconsistent, perhaps due to differences in dietary intake or metabolism of PUFAs between different subsets of the population. Since chronic inflammation is central to obesity and inflammatory pathways are regulated by PUFAs, the objective of this study was to examine whether variants in the NFKB1 gene, an upstream regulator of the inflammatory response, modify the association between the n-6/n-3 ratio (from diet and plasma) and anthropometric traits in a multiethnic/multiracial population of young adults. Participants’ (n = 898) dietary PUFA intake was assessed using a food frequency questionnaire and plasma PUFA concentrations by gas chromatography. Nine tag single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) in NFKB1 were genotyped. Significant interactions were found between racial/ethnic groups and plasma n-6/n-3 ratio for body mass index (BMI) (p = 0.02) and waist circumference (WC) (p = 0.007). Significant interactions were also observed between racial/ethnic groups and three NFKB1 genotypes (rs11722146, rs1609798, and rs230511) for BMI and WC (all p ≤ 0.04). Significant interactions were found between two NFKB1 genotypes and plasma n-6/n-3 ratio for BMI and WC (rs4648090 p = 0.02 and 0.03; rs4648022 p = 0.06 and 0.04, respectively). Our findings suggest that anthropometric traits may be influenced by a unique combination of n-6/n-3 ratio, racial/ethnic background, and NFKB1 genotypes.
Grammatical Words and Spreading of Contexts: Evidence from the Spanish Preposition a
Authors:   Company Company
Published: February 2019

The paper shows that when grammatical words are involved, context is then the unit of language change. Certain changes consist in an active spreading of a form to new contexts, without changing the category or grammatical status of the form; in these cases, context must be considered the unit of language change. The empirical evidence is the diachrony of the Spanish preposition a ‘to’. Throughout history, this preposition pervasively extended to new and different contexts, but the form a never changed, remaining a grammatical preposition with a basic meaning of ‘directive telicity towards a goal’ (goal maybe locative, temporal, transitivity, finality, discursive, etc.). The paper labels this kind of change as ‘context construction’, and considers it an analogical extension induced by context. Finally, to test whether the diachrony of a is grammaticalization or not, the paper reviews fourteen related theoretical concepts, checking them against the diachronic evidence of the preposition a.
Law’s Autonomy and Moral Reason
Authors: Clayton Thompson Jack
Published: February 2019

This paper intends to set out an argument to Legal Idealism and a thesis that holds law and morality as necessarily connected. My focus is on deconstructing the Positivist argument to the Autonomy Thesis and beginning to reconstruct it through the application of morality to law’s autonomous authority. My aim, ultimately, is to demonstrate how, through the concept of law, practical reason might explain the related (and overlapping) notions of legitimacy, authority, and the obligation to obey through the necessary connection of law and morality. That is, I intend to demonstrate that morality both survives and remains identifiable (transparently) following the process of metamorphosis into institutionalised practical reasoning. If this is so, the authority of and obligation to law is simultaneously a form of morally rational obligation. In the response to the Positivist argument that moral values are incommensurate, I will show that this commensurability can be determined ‘artificially’ by a system of institutionalised reasoning (i.e., the law); this is to say, if I can show that the Legal Positivist argument is left incomplete without some explanation of moral values underpinning it, I need not to show that a specific, defensible moral truth or principle is required, but that an artificial weighting of abstract moral principles is sufficient
Static and Dynamic Friction of Pure and Friction-Modified PA6 Polymers in Contact with Steel Surfaces: Influence of Surface Roughness and Environmental Conditions
Authors: Voyer Joel , Klien Stefan , Velkavrh Igor , Ausserer Florian , Diem Alexander
Published: February 2019

In the present study, PA6 polymers with and without solid lubricant inclusions were investigated against S1100QL steel surfaces that had different surface roughness values—a very high surface roughness (Rz ≈ 40 µm) and a low surface roughness (Rz ≈ 5 µm). Static and dynamic friction coefficients were analysed under a series of nominal contact pressures (2.5 to 40 N/mm2) considering the influences of polymer water saturation, temperature, counter-body surface roughness and lubrication. Mechanisms for the observed influences of the respective parameters are provided and are interpreted from the view of the adhesive and deformative contributions to the friction force.
Composite Materials Design: Biomineralization Proteins and the Guided Assembly and Organization of Biomineral Nanoparticles
Authors: Evans John Spencer
Published: February 2019

There has been much discussion of the role of proteins in the calcium carbonate biomineralization process, particularly with regard to nucleation, amorphous stabilization/transformation, and polymorph selection. However, there has been little if any discussion of the potential role that proteins might play in another important process: the guided assembly and organization of mineral nanoparticles into higher-ordered structures such as mesocrystals. This review discusses particle attachment theory and recent evidence of mineral-associated proteins forming hydrogels that assemble and organize mineral clusters into crystalline phase. From this discussion we postulate a mechanism by which biomineralization protein hydrogel aggregation assists in mineral nanoparticle assembly and organization within calcium carbonate skeletal elements and discuss potentials ways for harnessing this process in materials design.
Glass-Ceramic Foams from ‘Weak Alkali Activation’ and Gel-Casting of Waste Glass/Fly Ash Mixtures
Authors: Rincón Romero Acacio , Toniolo Nicoletta , Boccaccini Aldo R. , Bernardo Enrico
Published: February 2019

A ‘weak alkali activation’ was applied to aqueous suspensions based on soda lime glass and coal fly ash. Unlike in actual geopolymers, an extensive formation of zeolite-like gels was not expected, due to the low molarity of the alkali activator (NaOH) used. In any case, the suspension underwent gelation and presented a marked pseudoplastic behavior. A significant foaming could be achieved by air incorporation, in turn resulting from intensive mechanical stirring (with the help of a surfactant), before complete hardening. Dried foams were later subjected to heat treatment at 700–900 °C. The interactions between glass and fly ash, upon firing, determined the formation of new crystal phases, particularly nepheline (sodium alumino–silicate), with remarkable crushing strength (~6 MPa, with a porosity of about 70%). The fired materials, finally, demonstrated a successful stabilization of pollutants from fly ash and a low thermal conductivity that could be exploited for building applications.
Effect of Vietnamese Fly Ash on Selected Physical Properties, Durability and Probability of Corrosion of Steel in Concrete
Authors: Van Nguyen Chinh , Lambert Paul , Hung Tran Quang
Published: February 2019

Vietnamese fly ash was used as a partial replacement for ordinary Portland cement in the proportions of 10%, 20% and 40%, while the water to cementitious ratios were kept constant at 0.42, 0.5 and 0.55, respectively, for three groups. The compressive strengths of all mixes were determined up to 90 days. The acid resistance of fly ash concrete was examined by the mass loss and compressive strength loss of 100 × 100 × 100 mm3 cubes immersed in a 10% H2SO4 solution. The probability of steel corrosion in the fly ash concrete was assessed by measuring the half-cell potentials of steel bars within beams dimensions of 100 × 100 × 500 mm3, and the flexural strengths of these beams after 300 days of immersion in a 5% NaCl solution were determined. The results demonstrate that the compressive strength of fly ash concrete is reduced at an early age but increases as the concrete continues to hydrate. The fly ash increases the sulfuric acid resistance of concrete. Fly ash additions have only a limited effect on reducing the risk of probability of corrosion of steel in the concrete. The load capacities of 10% and 20% fly ash reinforced concrete beams are higher than that of the control beams after 300 days immersed in a 5% NaCl solution.
Nanocomposite Film Based on Cellulose Acetate and Lignin-Rich Rice Straw Nanofibers
Authors: Hassan Mohammad , Berglund Linn , Abou-Zeid Ragab , Hassan Enas , Abou-Elseoud Wafaa , Oksman Kristiina
Published: February 2019

Nanofibers isolated from unbleached neutral sulfite rice straw pulp were used to prepare transparent films without the need to modify the isolated rice straw nanofibers (RSNF). RSNF with loading from 1.25 to 10 wt.% were mixed with cellulose acetate (CA) solution in acetone and films were formed by casting. The films were characterized regarding their transparency and light transmittance, microstructure, mechanical properties, crystallinity, water contact angle, porosity, water vapor permeability, and thermal properties. The results showed good dispersion of RSNF in CA matrix and films with good transparency and homogeneity could be prepared at RSNF loadings of less than 5%. As shown from contact angle and atomic force microscopy (AFM) measurements, the RSNF resulted in increased hydrophilic nature and roughness of the films. No significant improvement in tensile strength and Young’s modulus was recorded as a result of adding RSNF to CA. Addition of the RSNF did not significantly affect the porosity, crystallinity and melting temperature of CA, but slightly increased its glass transition temperature.
PLA-Based Mineral-Doped Scaffolds Seeded with Human Periapical Cyst-Derived MSCs: A Promising Tool for Regenerative Healing in Dentistry
Authors: Tatullo Marco , Spagnuolo Gianrico , Codispoti Bruna , Zamparini Fausto , Zhang Anqi , Esposti Micaela Degli , Aparicio Conrado , Rengo Carlo , Nuzzolese Manuel , Manzoli Lucia , Fava Fabio , Prati Carlo , Fabbri Paola , Gandolfi Maria Giovanna
Published: February 2019

Human periapical cyst mesenchymal stem cells (hPCy-MSCs) are a newly discovered cell population innovatively collected from inflammatory periapical cysts. The use of this biological waste guarantees a source of stem cells without any impact on the surrounding healthy tissues, presenting a valuable potential in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine applications. In the present study, hPCy-MSCs were collected, isolated, and seeded on three experimental mineral-doped porous scaffolds produced by the thermally-induced phase-separation (TIPS) technique. Mineral-doped scaffolds, composed of polylactic acid (PLA), dicalcium phosphate dihydrate (DCPD), and/or hydraulic calcium silicate (CaSi), were produced by TIPS (PLA-10CaSi, PLA-5CaSi-5DCPD, PLA-10CaSi-10DCPD). Micro-CT analysis evaluated scaffolds micromorphology. Collected hPCy-MSCs, characterized by cytofluorimetry, were seeded on the scaffolds and tested for cell proliferation, cells viability, and gene expression for osteogenic and odontogenic differentiation (DMP-1, OSC, RUNX-2, HPRT). Micro-CT revealed an interconnected highly porous structure for all the scaffolds, similar total porosity with 99% open pores. Pore wall thickness increased with the percentage of CaSi and DCPD. Cells seeded on mineral-doped scaffolds showed a superior proliferation compared to pure PLA scaffolds (control), particularly on PLA-10CaSi-10DCPD at day 12. A higher number of non-viable (red stained) cells was observable on PLA scaffolds at days 14 and 21. DMP-1 expression increased in hPCy-MSCs cultured on all mineral-doped scaffolds, in particular on PLA-5CaSi-5DCPD and PLA-10CaSi-10DCPD. In conclusion, the innovative combination of experimental scaffolds colonized with autologous stem cells from periapical cyst represent a promising strategy for regenerative healing of periapical and alveolar bone.
A Finite Element Model for Dynamic Analysis of Triple-Layer Composite Plates with Layers Connected by Shear Connectors Subjected to Moving Load
Authors: Nguyen Hoang-Nam , Nguyen Tan-Y. , Tran Ke Van , Tran Thanh Trung , Nguyen Truong-Thinh , Phan Van-Duc , Do Thom Van
Published: February 2019

Triple-layered composite plates are created by joining three composite layers using shear connectors. These layers, which are assumed to be always in contact and able to move relatively to each other during deformation, could be the same or different in geometric dimensions and material. They are applied in various engineering fields such as ship-building, aircraft wing manufacturing, etc. However, there are only a few publications regarding the calculation of this kind of plate. This paper proposes novel equations, which utilize Mindlin’s theory and finite element modelling to simulate the forced vibration of triple-layered composite plates with layers connected by shear connectors subjected to a moving load. Moreover, a Matlab computation program is introduced to verify the reliability of the proposed equations, as well as the influence of some parameters, such as boundary conditions, the rigidity of the shear connector, thickness-to-length ratio, and the moving load velocity on the dynamic response of the composite plate.
Research on the Physico-Mechanical Properties of Moso Bamboo with Thermal Treatment in Tung Oil and Its Influencing Factors
Authors: Tang Tong , Chen Xiufang , Zhang Bo , Liu Xianmiao , Fei Benhua
Published: February 2019

In this study, the effects of tung oil heat treatment on the physico-mechanical properties of moso bamboo were investigated. Here, heat treatment in tung oil at 100–200 °C was used to modify natural bamboo materials. The changes in the nanostructures of cell walls in bamboo caused by oil heat treatment, like density, chemical compositions, and cellulose crystalline, were evaluated to study their correlation with mechanical properties. Results showed that the mechanical performance of bamboo, such as ultimate stress, modulus of elasticity (MOE), and modulus of rupture (MOR), didn’t reduce after heat treatment below 200 °C, compared with the untreated bamboo, which was mainly due to the tung oil uptake, stable cellulose content, and the increment of cellulose crystalline. No remarkable change in the ultimate strain occurred for bamboo materials thermally treated below 140 °C, but it decreased obviously at the heating temperature over 180 °C, mainly due to the degradation of hemicellulose resulting in a decrease in the viscoelasticity of cell wall.
An Integrated Best-Worst and Interval Type-2 Fuzzy TOPSIS Methodology for Green Supplier Selection
Authors: Yucesan Melih , Mete Suleyman , Serin Faruk , Celik Erkan , Gul Muhammet
Published: February 2019

Supplier selection is one of the most important multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) problems for decision-makers in the competitive market. Today’s organizations are seeking new ways to reduce the negative effects they have on the environment and to achieve a greener system. Currently, the concept of green supplier selection has gained great importance for its ability to incorporate environmental or green criteria into classical supplier selection practices. Therefore, in this study, a multi-phase MCDM model based on the best-worst method (BWM) and the interval type-2 fuzzy technique for order preference by similarity to ideal solution (IT2F TOPSIS) is proposed. A case study in a plastic injection molding facility in Turkey was carried out to show the applicability of the proposed integrated methodology. The paper offers insights into decision-making, methodology, and managerial implications. Results of the case study are examined and suggestions for future research are provided.
Triple Hierarchical Variational Inequalities, Systems of Variational Inequalities, and Fixed Point Problems
Authors: Ceng Lu-Chuan , Yuan Qing
Published: February 2019

In this paper, we introduce a multiple hybrid implicit iteration method for finding a solution for a monotone variational inequality with a variational inequality constraint over the common solution set of a general system of variational inequalities, and a common fixed point problem of a countable family of uniformly Lipschitzian pseudocontractive mappings and an asymptotically nonexpansive mapping in Hilbert spaces. Strong convergence of the proposed method to the unique solution of the problem is established under some suitable assumptions.
Exact Two-Dimensional Analytical Calculations for Magnetic Field, Electromagnetic Torque, UMF, Back-EMF, and Inductance of Outer Rotor Surface Inset Permanent Magnet Machines
Authors: Vahaj AmirAbbas , Rahideh Akbar , Moayed-Jahromi Hossein , Ghaffari AliReza
Published: February 2019

This paper presents a two-dimensional analytical model of outer rotor permanent magnet machines equipped with surface inset permanent magnets. To obtain the analytical model, the whole model is divided into the sub-domains, according to the magnetic properties and geometries. Maxwell equations in each sub-domain are expressed and analytically solved. By using the boundary/interface conditions between adjacent sub-regions, integral coefficients in the general solutions are obtained. At the end, the analytically calculated results of the air-gap magnetic flux density, electromagnetic torque, unbalanced magnetic force (UMF), back-electromotive force (EMF) and inductances are verified by comparing them with those obtained from finite element method (FEM). One of the merits of this method in comparison with the numerical model is the capability of rapid calculation with the highest precision, which made it suitable for optimization problems.
Relationships between Quadriceps Tendon Elasticity and Knee Flexion Angle in Young Healthy Adults
Authors: Ebihara Bungo , Mutsuzaki Hirotaka , Fukaya Takashi
Published: February 2019

Background and objectives: Although tendon elasticity by elastography is useful for diagnosing tendon disorders and planning rehabilitation regimens of the tendon, there are few reports on the quadriceps tendon. Moreover, relationships between the quadriceps tendon elasticity and knee angle have not been investigated. The purpose of this study was to clarify the relationship between quadriceps tendon elasticity and knee flexion angle in young healthy adults using elastography, and to investigate the difference in elasticity by sex and leg dominance. Materials and Methods: A total of 40 knees in 20 young healthy adults were included in this study (age: 25.5 (23.3–27.5) years). At knee flexion of 30°, 60°, and 90°, quadriceps tendon elasticity was measured using ShearWave™ Elastography during the ultrasound examination. Results: There were significant differences in the elasticity between all angles (p < 0.001). Elasticity was increased more at 60° than at 30° and at 90° than at 60°. Elasticity in men was higher than that in women at 60° (p = 0.029). There were no differences (p = 0.798) in elasticity at each angle between the dominant and non-dominant legs. Conclusions: The quadriceps tendon elasticity increased according to the knee flexion angle in young healthy adults. Moreover, elasticity was affected by sex, but not by leg dominance. Clinically, in a rehabilitation regimen, attention should be paid to exercises that could increase stiffness accompanying flexion of the knee to avoid further tendon damage as risk management in the acute phase.
Activation of TF-Dependent Blood Coagulation Pathway and VEGF-A in Patients with Essential Thrombocythemia
Authors: Gadomska Grażyna , Ziołkowska Katarzyna , Boinska Joanna , Filipiak Jan , Rość Danuta
Published: February 2019

Background and objectives: Recent studies suggest that a vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF-A) may be involved in the thrombotic process by stimulating the expression of tissue factor in vascular endothelial cells. Tissue factor (TF) can also stimulate the transcription of the gene encoding VEGF-A. The relationship between coagulation and angiogenesis in myeloproliferative neoplasms is not fully understood. The aim of this study was to evaluate the concentration of TF in relation to VEGF-A in the blood of patients with essential thrombocythemia (ET). Patients and methods: The study group consisted of 130, newly diagnosed patients with ET (mean age 61 years). The control group consisted of 35 healthy volunteers (mean age 51 years). Concentrations of VEGF-A, TF, and tissue factor pathway inhibitor (TFPI) were analysed using immunoenzymatic methods. TF and TFPI activities were performed using chromogenic assays. Results: The median concentration of TF Ag was 3-fold higher and the TF activity was more than 15-fold higher in ET patients than in normal individuals. There were no statistically significant differences in the TFPI concentration and activity between groups. VEGF-A was significantly increased in patients with ET (p < 0.000001). Analysis of correlations revealed a positive correlation between VEGF-A and TF Ag as well as a positive correlation between VEGF-A and TFPI activity. Conclusions: The simultaneous increase of TF concentration and activity, VEGF-A in the blood of patients with ET, as well as a positive correlation between the concentration of TF and VEGF-A demonstrates the coexistence of TF-dependent coagulation and activation of angiogenesis.
Performance of Acacia Gum as a Novel Additive in Thin Film Composite Polyamide RO Membranes
Authors: Manawi Yehia , Kochkodan Viktor , Ismail Ahmad , Mohammad Abdul , Ali Atieh Muataz
Published: February 2019

Novel thin film composite (TFC) polyamide (PA) membranes blended with 0.01–0.2 wt.% of Acacia gum (AG) have been prepared using the interfacial polymerization technique. The properties of the prepared membranes were evaluated using contact angle, zeta potential measurements, Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and surface profilometer. It was found that the use of AG as an additive to TFC PA membranes increased the membrane’s hydrophilicity (by 45%), surface charge (by 16%) as well as water flux (by 1.2-fold) compared with plain PA membrane. In addition, the prepared PA/AG membranes possessed reduced surface roughness (by 63%) and improved antifouling behavior while maintaining NaCl rejection above 96%. The TFC PA/AG membranes were tested with seawater collected from the Arabian Gulf and showed higher salt rejection and lower flux decline during filtration when compared to commercial membranes (GE Osmonics and Dow SW30HR). These findings indicate that AG can be used as an efficient additive to enhance the properties of TFC PA membranes.
A Hierarchical Multiscale Modeling Investigation on the Behavior of Microtextured Regions in Ti-6242 α/β Processing
Authors: Ma Ran , Truster Timothy J.
Published: February 2019

Ti-6242 is a near alpha titanium alloy, which has excellent high-temperature creep resistance and is widely used in jet engine compressors. This alloy is susceptible to creep fatigue failure under dwell loading below 473 K. The existence of microtextured regions (MTRs) contributes significantly to this fast crack propagation. Mechanical processing in the alpha + beta region has been employed to eliminate MTRs, but the efficiency depends significantly on the applied strain path. Previous investigations based on crystal plasticity finite element (CPFE) simulations have demonstrated the relationship between breakdown efficiency and loading direction. Therein, MTRs with regular geometry and pure initial orientation were used to isolate the effect of loading direction from initial microstructure. In this paper, the behavior of MTRs with realistic initial microstructure was investigated using a hierarchical multiscale modeling framework, and the microscale results were analyzed in detail to understand the behavior of MTRs under different loading conditions. It was shown that a hierarchical multiscale model with realistic initial microstructure at the microscale can reflect the influences from different strain paths, initial orientation distributions, and positions of the region simultaneously. The combined effect of initial orientation distribution and loading direction on the MTR breakdown efficiency is discussed in detail.
The Influence of Laser Nitriding on Creep Behavior of Ti-4Al-4V Alloy with Widmanstätten Microstructure
Authors: Narciso da Silva Briguente Luciana Aparecida , Oñoro Javier , Perpétuo Briguente Flávio , Assis Resende Fabrícia , Lidovino dos Reis Joares , Pereira Reis Danieli Aparecida , de Oliveira Aline Capella
Published: February 2019

Ti-6Al-4V alloy has been considered in applications of aeronautical and aerospace industries, due to its properties such as high specific resistance, good creep resistance and metallurgical stability. However, its use in applications for high temperatures is restricted due to its great affinity with the oxygen, which results in the formation of oxide layers and limits its mechanical resistance at these conditions. Thus, specific treatments have been employed in the material to work as surface barriers to avoid the oxygen diffusion in the alloy under high temperature conditions. One surface treatment that can be used is laser nitriding. In the present work, the surface of Ti-6Al-4V alloy with Widmanstätten microstructure was nitrided by applying Nd:YAG laser focal with 0.6 mm diameter, at laser power of 700, 750 and 800 W, process speed of 100 mm/s and 20 L/min of N2 flow. Creep tests were performed at constant load at 600 °C and 125 MPa, to verify the influence of treatment on the Ti-6Al-4V alloy. Results have indicated a lower stationary creep rate for the titanium alloy with Widmanstätten laser-nitrided structure when compared to the non-nitriding material. Besides that, the surface hardness increased from 368 HV of base material to 1000 HV after laser nitriding.
The Interfacial Characterization and Performance of Cu/Al-Conductive Heads Processed by Explosion Welding, Cold Pressure Welding, and Solid-Liquid Casting
Authors: Wei Yanni , Li Hui , Sun Fu , Zou Juntao
Published: February 2019

The Cu/Al composites conductive head is widely used in hydrometallurgy as the core component of cathode plate. Its conductive properties directly affect the power consumption, and the bonding strength and corrosion resistance determine the conductive head service life. The Cu/Al conductive head prepared by explosion welding, cold pressure welding, and solid-liquid casting methods were investigated in this paper. The interface microstructure and compositions were examined by scanning electron microscope and X-ray energy dispersive spectrometry. The bonding strength, interface conductivity, and the corrosion resistance of three types of joints were characterized. The Cu/Al bonding interface produced by explosive welding presented a wavy-like morphology with typical defects and many of brittle compounds. A micro-interlocking effect was caused by the sawtooth structures on the cold pressure welding interface, and there was no typical metallurgical reaction on the interface. The Cu/Al bonding interface prepared by solid-liquid casting consisted mainly of an Al-Cu eutectic microstructure (Al2Cu+Al) and partial white slag inclusion. The thickness of the interface transition layer was about 200–250 µm, with defects such as holes, cracks, and unwelded areas. The conductivity, interfacial bonding strength, and corrosion resistance of the conductive head prepared by explosive welding were superior to the other two.
Dynamic Bath Mixing during an Ingot Casting Process
Authors: Zhou Xiaobin , Zhong Liangcai , Ni Peiyuan , Deng Nanyang
Published: February 2019

This paper presents the results of a bath stirring investigation using a physical model for an uphill ingot casting process. A new method of mixing time measurement that overcomes the drawback of the conventional measurement method was developed. The method was used to investigate bath stirring for a dynamic-volume bulk bath in which the liquid volume increases over time during the teeming process. The results show that the new method can be successfully applied to reveal the relationship between gas blowing schemes, gas blowing flowrates, and bath depths. It is demonstrated that blowing bubbles causes the flow of the bath to increase when the bath depth is increased. By applying the new data analysis method, three different bottom blowing schemes were explored to study the mixing behaviors under different operating conditions. The results suggest that the concentric circular annulus is more favorable than both the eccentric blowing scheme and symmetrical scheme to achieve efficient mixing.
Higher-Order Mode Suppression in Antiresonant Nodeless Hollow-Core Fibers
Authors: Ge Aichen , Meng Fanchao , Li Yanfeng , Liu Bowen , Hu Minglie
Published: February 2019

Negative curvature hollow-core fibers (NC-HCFs) are useful as gas sensors. We numerically analyze the single-mode performance of NC-HCFs. Both single-ring NC-HCFs and nested antiresonant fibers (NANFs) are investigated. When the size of the cladding tubes is properly designed, higher-order modes (HOMs) in the fiber core can be coupled with the cladding modes effectively and form high-loss supermodes. For the single-ring structure, we propose a novel NC-HCF with hybrid cladding tubes to enable suppression of the first two HOMs in the core simultaneously. For the nested structure, we find that cascaded coupling is necessary to maximize the loss of the HOMs in NANFs, and, as a result, NANFs with five nested tubes have an advantage in single-mode guidance performance. Moreover, a novel NANF with hybrid extended cladding tubes is proposed. In this kind of NANF, higher-order mode extinction ratios (HOMERs) of 105 and even 106 are obtained for the LP11 and LP21 modes, respectively, and a similar level of 105 for the LP02 modes. Good single-mode performance is maintained within a broad wavelength range. In addition, the loss of the LP01 modes in this kind of NANF is as low as 3.90 × 10−4 dB/m.
Detection of Hepatitis C Virus Core Protein in Serum Using Aptamer-Functionalized AFM Chips
Authors: Pleshakova Tatyana O. , Kaysheva Anna L. , Shumov Ivan D. , Ziborov Vadim S. , Bayzyanova Jana M. , Konev Vladimir A. , Uchaikin Vasiliy F. , Archakov Alexander I. , Ivanov Yuri D.
Published: February 2019

In the present study, we demonstrate atomic force microscopy (AFM)-based detection of hepatitis C virus (HCV) particles in serum samples using a chip with aptamer-functionalized surface (apta-based AFM chip). The target particles, containing core antigen of HCV (HCVcoreAg protein), were biospecifically captured onto the chip surface from 1 mL of test solution containing 10 µL of serum collected from a hepatitis C patient. The registration of aptamer/antigen complexes on the chip surface was performed by AFM. The aptamers used in the present study were initially developed for therapeutic purposes; herein, these aptamers have been successfully utilized as probe molecules for HCVcoreAg detection in the presence of a complex protein matrix (human serum). The results obtained herein can be used for the development of detection systems that employ affine enrichment for protein detection.
Phototactic Algae-Driven Unidirectional Transport of Submillimeter-Sized Cargo in a Microchannel
Authors: Nagai Moeto , Hirano Takahiro , Shibata Takayuki
Published: February 2019

The sensing and actuation capabilities of biological cells integrated with artificial components have been used to create autonomous microsystems. For creating autonomous microsystems, the unidirectional transport of a submillimeter-sized cargo with stimuli responsive bio-motors should be developed as a fundamental motion. This study aims to use Volvox as a light-controlled microrobot to achieve the unidirectional transport of a submillimeter-sized cargo. We show the fabrication of a guide structure, cargo, and light irradiation platform for a unidirectional actuation. The fundamental performances of each component were investigated, and the motions of Volvox were controlled in a microchamber with the developed light irradiation platform. All components were integrated to demonstrate the unidirectional actuation of a block by Volvox. We discuss the dynamics of the mechanical motions.
A Silicon-based Coral-like Nanostructured Microfluidics to Isolate Rare Cells in Human Circulation: Validation by SK-BR-3 Cancer Cell Line and Its Utility in Circulating Fetal Nucleated Red Blood Cells
Authors: Ma Gwo-Chin , Lin Wen-Hsiang , Huang Chung-Er , Chang Ting-Yu , Liu Jia-Yun , Yang Ya-Jun , Lee Mei-Hui , Wu Wan-Ju , Chang Yun-Shiang , Chen Ming
Published: February 2019

Circulating fetal cells (CFCs) in maternal blood are rare but have a strong potential to be the target for noninvasive prenatal diagnosis (NIPD). “Cell RevealTM system” is a silicon-based microfluidic platform capable to capture rare cell populations in human circulation. The platform is recently optimized to enhance the capture efficiency and system automation. In this study, spiking tests of SK-BR-3 breast cancer cells were used for the evaluation of capture efficiency. Then, peripheral bloods from 14 pregnant women whose fetuses have evidenced non-maternal genomic markers (e.g., de novo pathogenic copy number changes) were tested for the capture of circulating fetal nucleated red blood cells (fnRBCs). Captured cells were subjected to fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) on chip or recovered by an automated cell picker for molecular genetic analyses. The capture rate for the spiking tests is estimated as 88.1%. For the prenatal study, 2–71 fnRBCs were successfully captured from 2 mL of maternal blood in all pregnant women. The captured fnRBCs were verified to be from fetal origin. Our results demonstrated that the Cell RevealTM system has a high capture efficiency and can be used for fnRBC capture that is feasible for the genetic diagnosis of fetuses without invasive procedures.
Breaking Preconceptions: Thin Section Petrography For Ceramic Glaze Microstructures
Authors: Di Febo Roberta , Casas Lluís , Rius Jordi , Tagliapietra Riccardo , Melgarejo Joan Carles
Published: February 2019

During the last thirty years, microstructural and technological studies on ceramic glazes have been essentially carried out through the use of Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) combined with energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX). On the contrary, optical microscopy (OM) has been considered of limited use in solving the very complex and fine-scale microstructures associated with ceramic glazes. As the crystallites formed inside glazes are sub- and micrometric, a common misconception is that it is not possible to study them by OM. This is probably one of the reasons why there are no available articles and textbooks and even no visual resources for describing and characterizing the micro-crystallites formed in glaze matrices. A thin section petrography (TSP) for ceramic glaze microstructures does not exist yet, neither as a field of study nor conceptually. In the present contribution, we intend to show new developments in the field of ceramic glaze petrography, highlighting the potential of OM in the microstructural studies of ceramic glazes using petrographic thin sections. The outcomes not only stress the pivotal role of thin section petrography for the study of glaze microstructures but also show that this step should not be bypassed to achieve reliable readings of the glaze microstructures and sound interpretations of the technological procedures. We suggest the adoption by the scientific community of an alternative vision on glaze microstructures to turn thin section petrography for glaze microstructures into a new specialized petrographic discipline. Such an approach, if intensively developed, has the potential to reduce the time and costs of scientific investigations in this specific domain. In fact, it can provide key reference data for the identification of the crystallites in ceramic glazes, avoiding the repetition of exhaustive protocols of expensive integrated analyses.
Influential Factors in Transportation and Mechanical Properties of Aeolian Sand-Based Cemented Filling Material
Authors: Zhou Nan , Ma Haobin , Ouyang Shenyang , Germain Deon , Hou Tao
Published: February 2019

Given that normal filling technology generally cannot be used for mining in the western part of China, as it has only a few sources for filling gangue, the feasibility of instead using cemented filling materials with aeolian sand as the aggregate is discussed in this study. We used laboratory tests to study how the fly ash (FA) content, cement content, lime–slag (LS) content, and concentration influence the transportation and mechanical properties of aeolian-sand-based cemented filling material. The internal microstructures and distributions of the elements in filled objects for curing times of 3 and 7 days are analyzed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS). The experimental results show that: (i) the bleeding rate and slump of the filling-material slurry decrease gradually as the fly ash content, cement content, lime–slag content, and concentration increase, (ii) while the mechanical properties of the filled object increase. The optimal proportions for the aeolian sand-based cemented filling material include a concentration of 76%, a fly ash content of 47.5%, a cement content of 12.5%, a lime–slag content of 5%, and an aeolian sand content of 35%. The SEM observations show that the needle/rod-like ettringite (AFt) and amorphous and flocculent tobermorite (C-S-H) gel are the main early hydration products of a filled object with the above specific proportions. After increasing the curing time from 3 to 7 days, the AFt content decreases gradually, while the C-S-H content and the compactness increase.
Antihyperlipidemic Effect, Identification and Isolation of the Lipophilic Components from Artemisia integrifolia
Authors: Xu Yanhua , Wang Qinghu , Bao Wenqiang , Pa Biligetu
Published: February 2019

Artemisia integrifolia L. (Compositae) is a medicinal and edible plant. To investigate its antihyperlipidemic effect, a crude lipophilic extract and the composing compounds were isolated and fractioned from the petroleum ether extract of aerial parts of A. integrifolia using column chromatography on silica gel. The anti-hyperlipidemia effect was studied in a rat model of acute hyperlipidemia, which was induced by triton WR-1339. A new compound, integrinol (4), together with nine known compounds, namely chamazulene (1), acetylenes (E)-2 (2), acetylenes (E)-3 (3), eugenol (5), palmitic acid (6), oleic acid (7), linoleic acid (8), linolenic acid (9) and 12,13-epoxylinolenic acid were isolated from the crude lipophilic extract of A. integrifolia. The LD50 value of the crude extract was more than 4 g/kg. In Triton WR-1339-induced acute hyperlipidemia model, the crude lipophilic extract (200 mg/kg) significantly reduced total cholesterol (TC) by 70% (p ≤ 0.01) and triglycerides (TGs) by 94% (p ≤ 0.001). The fractioned compounds, such as chamazulene (1), acetylene-2 (2), and linolenic acid (9), used at 4 mg/kg dose, also significantly decreased the concentrations of TC (32%, 33% and 64%, respectively) and TGs (48%, 33% and 93%, respectively). These compounds (i.e., chamazulene, acetylenes (E)-2, and linolenic acid) were considered to be responsible for the bioactive antihyperlipidemic effect. In conclusion, the crude lipid extract of Artemisia integrifolia L. could be used as a potential treatment to avert hyperlipidemia. Further studies to confirm these results in other models of hyperlipidemia (e.g., diet-induced obesity) are warranted.
Experimental Convection Heat Transfer Analysis of a Nano-Enhanced Industrial Coolant
Authors: Álvarez-Regueiro Eva , Vallejo Javier P. , Fernández-Seara José , Fernández Josefa , Lugo Luis
Published: February 2019

Convection heat transfer coefficients and pressure drops of four functionalized graphene nanoplatelet nanofluids based on the commercial coolant Havoline® XLC Pre-mixed 50/50 were experimentally determined to assess its thermal performance. The potential heat transfer enhancement produced by nanofluids could play an important role in increasing the efficiency of cooling systems. Particularly in wind power, the increasing size of the wind turbines, up to 10 MW nowadays, requires sophisticated liquid cooling systems to keep the nominal temperature conditions and protect the components from temperature degradation and hazardous environment in off-shore wind parks. The effect of nanoadditive loading, temperature and Reynolds number in convection heat transfer coefficients and pressure drops is discussed. A dimensionless analysis of the results is carried out and empirical correlations for the Nusselt number and Darcy friction factor are proposed. A maximum enhancement in the convection heat transfer coefficient of 7% was found for the nanofluid with nanoadditive loading of 0.25 wt %. Contrarily, no enhancement was found for the nanofluids of higher functionalized graphene nanoplatelet mass fraction.
A First-Principles Study on the Multiferroic Property of Two-Dimensional BaTiO3 (001) Ultrathin Film with Surface Ba Vacancy
Authors: Gao Haigen , Yue Zhenxing , Liu Yande , Hu Jun , Li Xiong
Published: February 2019

In this work, the multiferroic property of Ba-deficient BaTiO3 (001) ultrathin film is studied employing the first-principles approach. The BaTiO3 (001) ultrathin film is more energetically stable and behaves as a semiconductor relative to the (111) and (101) configurations, confirmed from the surface grand potential and electronic density of states. The electronic structures show that the O vacancy can switch the (001) film from a semi-conductor into a metal, while the Ba defect has a slight influence on the band gap, at a concentration of ~2.13%. In Ba-deficient (001) film, the spontaneous polarization pattern is changed and a spontaneous polarization parallel to the surface is observed. Furthermore, a magnetic moment is induced, and it is found to be originated from the O atoms in the supercell. Our results suggest that a strong magnetoelectric coupling occurs because the magnetic moment exhibits a 43.66% drop when the spontaneous polarization increases from 12.84 µC/cm2 to 23.99 µC/cm2 in the deficient BaTiO3 with m = 2 under the bi-axial compress stress field.
Vibration and Buckling of Shear Deformable Functionally Graded Nanoporous Metal Foam Nanoshells
Authors: Zhang Yufei , Zhang Fei
Published: February 2019

This article aims to investigate free vibration and buckling of functionally graded (FG) nanoporous metal foam (NPMF) nanoshells. The first-order shear deformation (FSD) shell theory is adopted and the theoretical model is formulated by using Mindlin’s most general strain gradient theory, which can derive several well-known simplified models. The symmetric and unsymmetric nanoporosity distributions are considered for the structural composition. Hamilton’s principle is employed to deduce the governing equations as well as the boundary conditions. Then, via the Navier solution technique, an analytical solution for the free vibration and buckling of FG NPMF nanoshells is presented. Afterwards, a detailed parametric analysis is conducted to highlight the effects of the nanoporosity coefficient, nanoporosity distribution, length scale parameter, and geometrical parameters on the mechanical behaviors of FG NPMF nanoshells.