bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Solving the Energy Efficient Coverage Problem in Wireless Sensor Networks: A Distributed Genetic Algorithm Approach with Hierarchical Fitness Evaluation
Authors: Wang Zi-Jia , Zhan Zhi-Hui , Zhang Jun
Published: December 2018

This paper proposed a distributed genetic algorithm (DGA) to solve the energy efficient coverage (EEC) problem in the wireless sensor networks (WSN). Due to the fact that the EEC problem is Non-deterministic Polynomial-Complete (NPC) and time-consuming, it is wise to use a nature-inspired meta-heuristic DGA approach to tackle this problem. The novelties and advantages in designing our approach and in modeling the EEC problems are as the following two aspects. Firstly, in the algorithm design, we realized DGA in the multi-processor distributed environment, where a set of processors run distributed to evaluate the fitness values in parallel to reduce the computational cost. Secondly, when we evaluate a chromosome, different from the traditional model of EEC problem in WSN that only calculates the number of disjoint sets, we proposed a hierarchical fitness evaluation and constructed a two-level fitness function to count the number of disjoint sets and the coverage performance of all the disjoint sets. Therefore, not only do we have the innovations in algorithm, but also have the contributions on the model of EEC problem in WSN. The experimental results show that our proposed DGA performs better than other state-of-the-art approaches in maximizing the number of disjoin sets.
New DC Grid Power Line Communication Technology Used in Networked LED Driver
Authors: Lin Huipin , Hu Jin , Zhou Xiao , Lu Zhengyu , Wang Lujun
Published: December 2018

In order to reduce the cost and improve the reliability, real-time performance, and installation convenience of remote-controlled light-emitting diode (LED) lighting systems, a networked LED driving technology based on the direct current (DC) grid power line carrier is proposed. In this system, an alternating current (AC)/DC bus converter converts the mains into a DC bus with multiple distributed LED drive powers on the DC bus. The AC/DC bus converter receives the user’s control command and modulates it into the DC bus voltage. The DC bus waveform changes to a square wave containing the high and low changes of the address information and command information. The LED drive power of the corresponding address receives energy from the DC bus and demodulates the commands, such as turning the lights on and off, dimming, etc., and performs the action. In order to make the waveform of the AC/DC bus converter have better rising and falling edge, this paper adopts the half-bridge topology with variable modal control. In the modulation process, the circuit works in buck mode and boost mode. Distributed LED drivers have DC/DC circuits and very simple demodulation circuits that dissipate energy and information from the DC bus. Through experiments, the technology not only simplifies the use of communication technology in application, but also reduces the application difficulty.
Vitória Bay Pollution Study in the Frame of the TAGUBAR Research Project: Geochemistry of the Sediments of Espírito Santo Bay
Authors: Giacometti Andrea , Perin Guido , Bonardi Maurizio
Published: December 2018

The Espírito SantoBay is located in Espírito Santo state in the eastern part of Brazil. It is surrounded by the city of Vitória on one side and by the Atlantic Ocean on the other. Superficial sediments of Espírito Santo Bay were analyzed at 12 (western shallow silt sediments) + 8 (eastern sandy sediments and relatively deep sampling stations) = 20 uniformly distributed sampling points, where geochemical analysis was performed. Nineteen elements were analyzed: Mo, Cu, Pb, Zn, Ag, Ni, Mn, Fe, As, U, Th, Sr, Cd, Sb, Bi, V, Cr, Ba, and Al. This selection was made based on the most representative heavy metals present in this area and according to the results obtained from the geochemical analysis. Their concentrations were compared with metal contamination benchmarks such asscreening quick reference tables (SQuiRTs), effects rangelow (ERL), effects range median (ERM), threshold effects levels (TELs), probable effects levels (PELs), and apparent effects thresholds (AETs). The results indicated that there was no particular pollution condition able to alter the condition of any part of this water body. The authors conclude that the Espírito Santo Bay is only moderately polluted, and some elements are virtually absent.
Environmental Conditions and Species Identity Drive Metabolite Levels in Green Leaves and Leaf Litter of 14 Temperate Woody Species
Authors: Simon Judy , Dörken Veit M. , L.-M.-Arnold Anne , Adamczyk Bartosz
Published: December 2018

Research Highlights: Leaf chemistry is a key driver of litter decomposition; however, studies directly comparing metabolites that are important for tree growth and defence across different woody species are scarce. Background and Objectives: Choosing 14 temperate woody species differing in their growth rates, nutrient demand, shade tolerance, and drought sensitivity, we hypothesized that the species would group according to their metabolite profiles based on their ecological background. Materials and Methods: We analysed total N and C, soluble amino acid, protein, and phenolic levels in green leaves and leaf litter of these species, each in two consecutive years. Results: Metabolite levels varied significantly across species and between the sampling years which differed in temperature and precipitation (i.e., colder/drier vs warmer/ wetter). Conclusions: The 14 woody species could not be grouped according to their green leaf or leaf litter metabolite profiles. In litter leaves, most of the variation was explained by total phenolics and total nitrogen levels, and in green leaves by total phenolics and total soluble amino acid levels. Local climate variation between the two consecutive years for green leaves or leaf litter led to significant differences in metabolite levels, although some of them were species-specific.
Nondestructive Characterization of Dry Heat-Treated Fir (Abies Alba Mill.) Timber in View of Possible Structural Use
Authors: Straže Aleš , Fajdiga Gorazd , Gospodarič Bojan
Published: December 2018

The use of heat-treated timber for building with wood is of increasing interest. Heat treatment improves the durability and dimensional stability of wood; however, it needs to be optimized to keep wood’s mechanical properties in view of the possible structural use of timber. Therefore, dry vacuum heat treatment varying the maximum temperature between 170 °C and 230 °C was used on fir (Abies alba Mill.) structural timber, visually top graded according to EN 338, to analyze its final weight loss, hygroscopicity, CIELAB color, and dynamic elastomechanical properties. It turned out that weight loss and total color difference of wood positively correlates with the increasing intensity of the heat treatment. The maximum 40% reduction of the hygroscopicity of wood was already reached at 210 °C treatment temperature. The moduli of elasticity in longitudinal and radial direction of wood, determined by ultrasound velocity, increased initially up to the treatment temperature of 210 °C, and decreased at higher treatment temperature. Equally, the Euler-Bernoulli modulus of elasticity from free-free flexural vibration of boards in all five vibration modes increased with the rising treatment temperature up to 190 °C, and decreased under more intensive treatment conditions. The Euler-Bernoulli model was found to be valid only in the 1st vibration mode of heat-treated structural timber due to the unsteady decrease in the evaluated moduli of elasticity related to the increasing mode number.
Genomic Prediction of Growth and Stem Quality Traits in Eucalyptus globulus Labill. at Its Southernmost Distribution Limit in Chile
Authors: Ballesta Paulina , Serra Nicolle , Guerra Fernando P. , Hasbún Rodrigo , Mora Freddy
Published: December 2018

The present study was undertaken to examine the ability of different genomic selection (GS) models to predict growth traits (diameter at breast height, tree height and wood volume), stem straightness and branching quality of Eucalyptus globulus Labill. trees using a genome-wide Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP) chip (60 K), in one of the southernmost progeny trials of the species, close to its southern distribution limit in Chile. The GS methods examined were Ridge Regression-BLUP (RRBLUP), Bayes-A, Bayes-B, Bayesian least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (BLASSO), principal component regression (PCR), supervised PCR and a variant of the RRBLUP method that involves the previous selection of predictor variables (RRBLUP-B). RRBLUP-B and supervised PCR models presented the greatest predictive ability (PA), followed by the PCR method, for most of the traits studied. The highest PA was obtained for the branching quality (~0.7). For the growth traits, the maximum values of PA varied from 0.43 to 0.54, while for stem straightness, the maximum value of PA reached 0.62 (supervised PCR). The study population presented a more extended linkage disequilibrium (LD) than other populations of E. globulus previously studied. The genome-wide LD decayed rapidly within 0.76 Mbp (threshold value of r2 = 0.1). The average LD on all chromosomes was r2 = 0.09. In addition, the 0.15% of total pairs of linked SNPs were in a complete LD (r2 = 1), and the 3% had an r2 value >0.5. Genomic prediction, which is based on the reduction in dimensionality and variable selection may be a promising method, considering the early growth of the trees and the low-to-moderate values of heritability found in the traits evaluated. These findings provide new understanding of how develop novel breeding strategies for tree improvement of E. globulus at its southernmost range limit in Chile, which could represent new opportunities for forest planting that can benefit the local economy.
Assessing the Trade-Offs of SPOT7 Imagery for Monitoring Natural Forest Canopy Intactness
Authors: Bhugeloo Astika , Peerbhay Kabir , Ramdhani Syd , Sershen
Published: December 2018

Natural and human-induced disturbances influence the biodiversity and functionality of forest ecosystems. Regular, repeated assessments of canopy intactness are essential to map site-specific forest disturbance and recovery patterns, an essential requirement for forest monitoring and management. However, accessibility to images required for this practice, uncertainty around the levels of accuracy achieved with images of different resolution, and the affordability of the practice challenges its application in many developing regions. This study aimed to compare the accuracy of forest gap detection (in subtropical forests) achieved with lower-resolution (SPOT7 5 m) and higher-resolution (SPOT7 1.5 m) pan-sharpened imagery. Additionally, the Normalised Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) were compared in terms of their ability to increase the accuracy of this detection when used in conjunction with both high and low resolution imagery. Results indicate that the SPOT7 1.5 m imagery produced an overall accuracy of 77.78% and a ϰ coefficient of 0.66 compared with the 69.44% accuracy and the 0.59 ϰ coefficient achieved with the SPOT7 5 m imagery. Computing image texture analysis within the Random Forest classifier (RF) framework increased classification accuracies to 75.00% for the SPOT 5 m and 86.11% for the SPOT7 1.5 m imagery, validating the usefulness of texture analysis. Variable importance was used to identify wavebands and texture-derived variables that were the most effective in discriminating canopy gaps from intact canopy. In this regard, near infrared, NDVI, SAR, contrast, mean, entropy and second moment were the most important. Collectively the results indicate that the approach adopted in this study, i.e., the use of SPOT7 1.5 m imagery in conjunction with image texture analysis and variable importance, can be used to accurately discriminate between canopy gaps and intact canopy, making it a cost-effective spatial approach for monitoring and managing natural forests.
Effects of Water Quality and Post-Harvest Handling on Microbiological Contamination of Lettuce at Urban and Peri-Urban Locations of Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
Authors: Dao Juliane , Stenchly Kathrin , Traoré Oumar , Amoah Philip , Buerkert Andreas
Published: December 2018

Vegetable production in urban gardens of Ouagadougou contributes to food security, but water for irrigation is often of low quality. This is particularly acute if irrigation water is taken from wastewater polluted channels. This study aimed at (i) verifying to what degree irrigation water quality is correlated with contamination of lettuce with Escherichia coli, total coliforms, and Salmonella spp., and (ii) assessing effects of post-harvest handling on pathogen development during the trade chain. We tested pathogen removal efficiency on lettuce by applying post-harvest washing. Irrigation water of production areas in Ouagadougou (n = 10) showed a mean E. coli load of 2.1 × 105 CFU 100 mL−1. In 60% of the cases, irrigation water did not meet the standards of the World Health Organization (WHO) for safe irrigation water, and in 30% of the cases, irrigation water was contaminated with Salmonella spp. Loads of total coliforms on lettuce leaves ranged from 2.9 × 103 CFU g−1 to 1.3 × 106 CFU g−1, while E. coli averaged 1.1 × 102 CFU g−1. Results on post-harvest handling revealed that microbial loads increased along the trade chain. Overall, half of all lettuce samples (n = 60) were tested positively for Salmonella spp. The experiment showed that appropriate post-harvest handling could prevent the increase of total coliforms.
A Systematic Study on DNA Barcoding of Medicinally Important Genus Epimedium L. (Berberidaceae)
Authors: Guo Mengyue , Xu Yanqin , Ren Li , He Shunzhi , Pang Xiaohui
Published: December 2018

Genus Epimedium consists of approximately 50 species in China, and more than half of them possess medicinal properties. The high similarity of species’ morphological characteristics complicates the identification accuracy, leading to potential risks in herbal efficacy and medical safety. In this study, we tested the applicability of four single loci, namely, rbcL, psbA-trnH, internal transcribed spacer (ITS), and ITS2, and their combinations as DNA barcodes to identify 37 Epimedium species on the basis of the analyses, including the success rates of PCR amplifications and sequencing, specific genetic divergence, distance-based method, and character-based method. Among them, character-based method showed the best applicability for identifying Epimedium species. As for the DNA barcodes, psbA-trnH showed the best performance among the four single loci with nine species being correctly differentiated. Moreover, psbA-trnH + ITS and psbA-trnH + ITS + rbcL exhibited the highest identification ability among all the multilocus combinations, and 17 species, of which 12 are medicinally used, could be efficiently discriminated. The DNA barcode data set developed in our study contributes valuable information to Chinese resources of Epimedium. It provides a new means for discrimination of the species within this medicinally important genus, thus guaranteeing correct and safe usage of Herba Epimedii.
De Novo Analysis Reveals Transcriptomic Responses in Eriobotrya japonica Fruits during Postharvest Cold Storage
Authors: Lin Shoukai , Wu Ti , Lin Hailan , Zhang Yanqing , Xu Shichang , Wang Jinge , Wu Bisha , Chen Yu , Lin Suying , Lin Dahe , Wang Xiumei , Zhao Xiaoxu , Wu Jincheng
Published: December 2018

Cold storage is the primary preservation method of postharvest loquat fruits. However, cold storage also results in many chilling injury physiological disorders called lignification, which decreases the quality and economic value of the fruits. Few studies to date have focused on the transcriptomic responses associated with lignification except lignin synthesis pathways. This study aimed to explore the changes of loquat transcriptome during long-term cold storage. Our results showed that the gene expression patterns were differed among the five stages. The differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in response to cold storage were more intense and complex in earlier stage. The membrane-related genes preferentially responded to low temperature and were followed by intracellular-located genes. The cold-induced pathways were mainly concerned with signal transduction and secondary metabolism (i.e., lignin, pectin, cellulose, terpenoid, carotenoid, steroid) in the first three stages and were chiefly related to primary metabolism in the later two stages, especially energy metabolism. Further investigation suggested that 503 protein kinases, 106 protein phosphatases, and 40 Ca2+ signal components were involved in the cold signal transduction of postharvest loquat fruits. We predicted a pathway including 649 encoding genes of 49 enzymes, which displayed the metabolisms of major sugars and polysaccharides in cold-stored loquat fruits. The coordinated expression patterns of these genes might contribute to the changes of saccharides in the pathway. These results provide new insight into the transcriptomic changes of postharvest loquat fruits in response to cold storage environment, which may be helpful for improving the postharvest life of loquat in the future.
Fragmented Nuclear DNA Is the Predominant Genetic Material in Human Hair Shafts
Authors: Brandhagen Michael D. , Loreille Odile , Irwin Jodi A.
Published: December 2018

While shed hairs are one of the most commonly encountered evidence types, they are among the most limited in terms of DNA quantity and quality. As a result, nuclear DNA short tandem repeat (STR) profiling is generally unsuccessful and DNA testing of shed hair is instead performed by targeting the mitochondrial DNA control region. Although the high copy number of mitochondrial DNA relative to nuclear DNA routinely permits the recovery of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) data in these cases, mtDNA profiles do not offer the discriminatory power of nuclear DNA profiles. In order to better understand the total content and degradation state of DNA in single shed hairs and assess the feasibility of recovering highly discriminatory nuclear DNA data from this common evidence type, high throughput shotgun sequencing was performed on both recently collected and aged (approximately 50-year-old) hair samples. The data reflect trends that have been demonstrated previously with other technologies, namely that mtDNA quantity and quality decrease along the length of the hair shaft. In addition, the shotgun data reveal that nuclear DNA is present in shed hair and surprisingly abundant relative to mitochondrial DNA, even in the most distal fragments. Nuclear DNA comprised, at minimum, 88% of the total human reads in any given sample, and generally more than 95%. Here, we characterize both the nuclear and mitochondrial DNA content of shed hairs and discuss the implications of these data for forensic investigations.
Blood-Based Biomarkers for Predicting the Risk for Five-Year Incident Coronary Heart Disease in the Framingham Heart Study via Machine Learning
Authors: Dogan Meeshanthini V. , Beach Steven R. H. , Simons Ronald L. , Lendasse Amaury , Penaluna Brandan , Philibert Robert A.
Published: December 2018

An improved approach for predicting the risk for incident coronary heart disease (CHD) could lead to substantial improvements in cardiovascular health. Previously, we have shown that genetic and epigenetic loci could predict CHD status more sensitively than conventional risk factors. Herein, we examine whether similar machine learning approaches could be used to develop a similar panel for predicting incident CHD. Training and test sets consisted of 1180 and 524 individuals, respectively. Data mining techniques were employed to mine for predictive biosignatures in the training set. An ensemble of Random Forest models consisting of four genetic and four epigenetic loci was trained on the training set and subsequently evaluated on the test set. The test sensitivity and specificity were 0.70 and 0.74, respectively. In contrast, the Framingham risk score and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) risk estimator performed with test sensitivities of 0.20 and 0.38, respectively. Notably, the integrated genetic-epigenetic model predicted risk better for both genders and very well in the three-year risk prediction window. We describe a novel DNA-based precision medicine tool capable of capturing the complex genetic and environmental relationships that contribute to the risk of CHD, and being mapped to actionable risk factors that may be leveraged to guide risk modification efforts.
Detection and Analysis of RNA Ribose 2′-O-Methylations: Challenges and Solutions
Authors: Motorin Yuri , Marchand Virginie
Published: December 2018

Ribose 2′-O-methylation is certainly one of the most common RNA modifications found in almost any type of cellular RNA. It decorates transfer RNAs (tRNAs), ribosomal RNAs (rRNAs), small nuclear RNAs (snRNAs) (and most probably small nucleolar RNAs, snoRNAs), as well as regulatory RNAs like microRNAs (miRNAs) and Piwi-interacting RNAs (piRNAs), and finally, eukaryotic messenger RNAs (mRNAs). Due to this exceptional widespread of RNA 2′-O-methylation, considerable efforts were made in order to precisely map these numerous modifications. Extensive studies of RNA 2′-O-methylation were also stimulated by the discovery of C/D-box snoRNA-guided machinery, which insures site-specific modification of hundreds 2′-O-methylated residues in archaeal and eukaryotic rRNAs and some other RNAs. In this brief review we discussed both traditional approaches of RNA biochemistry and also modern deep sequencing-based methods, used for detection/mapping and quantification of RNA 2′-O-methylations.
A Comparative Study of the AHP and TOPSIS Techniques for Dam Site Selection Using GIS: A Case Study of Sistan and Baluchestan Province, Iran
Authors: Jozaghi Ali , Alizadeh Babak , Hatami Mohsen , Flood Ian , Khorrami Mohammad , Khodaei Nastaran , Ghasemi Tousi Erfan
Published: December 2018

The application of multiple criteria decision-making (MCDM) techniques in real-life problems has increased in recent years. The need to build advanced decision models with higher capabilities that can support decision-making in a broad spectrum of applications, promotes the integration of MCDM techniques with applicable systems, including artificial intelligence, and Geographic Information Systems (GIS). The Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) and Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) are among the most widely adopted MCDM techniques capable of resolving water resources challenges. A critical problem associated with water resource management is dam site selection. This paper presents a comparative analysis of TOPSIS and AHP in the context of decision-making using GIS for dam site selection. The comparison was made based on geographic and water quality criteria. The geographical criteria are geology, land use, sediment, erosion, slope, groundwater, and discharge. The water quality criteria include Soluble Sodium Percentage, Total Dissolved Solid, Potential of Hydrogen, and Electrical Conductivity of water. A ratio estimation procedure was used to determine the weights of these criteria. Both methods were applied for selection of optimal sites for dams in the Sistan and Baluchestan province, Iran. The results show that the TOPSIS method is better suited to the problem of dam site selection for this study area. Actual locations of dams constructed in the area were used to verify the results of both methods.
Stratigraphy, Tectonics and Hydrocarbon Habitat of the Abadan Plain Basin: A Geological Review of a Prolific Middle Eastern Hydrocarbon Province
Authors: Atashbari Vahid , Tingay Mark , Amrouch Khalid
Published: December 2018

The Abadan Plain Basin is located in the Middle East region which is host to some of the world’s largest oil and gas fields around the Persian Gulf. This basin is a foredeep basin to the southwest of the Zagros Fold-Thrust-Belt, bounded along its northern and eastern margins by the Dezful Embayment. Most of the rocks in this basin have been deposited in a carbonate environment, and existing fractures have made the formations a favourable place for hydrocarbon accumulations. The basin is enriched by oil and, therefore, gas reservoirs are few, and some of the explored reservoirs exhibit significant degrees of overpressure. This paper has compiled several aspects of the Abadan Plain Basin tectonics, structural geology and petroleum systems to provide a better understanding of the opportunities and risks of development activities in this region. In addition to the existing knowledge, this paper provides a basin-wide examination of pore pressure, vertical stress, temperature gradient, and wellbore stability issues.
High-Resolution Seismic Data Deconvolution by A0 Algorithm
Authors: Krasnov Fedor , Butorin Alexander
Published: December 2018

Sparse spikes deconvolution is one of the oldest inverse problems, which is a stylized version of recovery in seismic imaging. The goal of sparse spike deconvolution is to recover an approximation of a given noisy measurement T = W ∗ r + W 0 . Since the convolution destroys many low and high frequencies, this requires some prior information to regularize the inverse problem. In this paper, the authors continue to study the problem of searching for positions and amplitudes of the reflection coefficients of the medium (SP&ARCM). In previous research, the authors proposed a practical algorithm for solving the inverse problem of obtaining geological information from the seismic trace, which was named A 0 . In the current paper, the authors improved the method of the A 0 algorithm and applied it to the real (non-synthetic) data. Firstly, the authors considered the matrix approach and Differential Evolution approach to the SP&ARCM problem and showed that their efficiency is limited in the case. Secondly, the authors showed that the course to improve the A 0 lays in the direction of optimization with sequential regularization. The authors presented calculations for the accuracy of the A 0 for that case and experimental results of the convergence. The authors also considered different initialization parameters of the optimization process from the point of the acceleration of the convergence. Finally, the authors carried out successful approbation of the algorithm A 0 on synthetic and real data. Further practical development of the algorithm A 0 will be aimed at increasing the robustness of its operation, as well as in application in more complex models of real seismic data. The practical value of the research is to increase the resolving power of the wave field by reducing the contribution of interference, which gives new information for seismic-geological modeling.
The Development Path of the Lighting Industry in Mainland China: Execution of Energy Conservation and Management on Mercury Emission
Authors: Li Zhongguo , Jia Puqi , Zhao Fu , Kang Yikun
Published: December 2018

The development path of the lighting industry in mainland China was studied in this work. Lighting electricity accounts for about 12% of social electricity consumption in mainland China, while only approximately 15% of electricity is conversed into light when incandescent light bulbs are used. To reduce electrical energy consumption and mercury emission from coal burning in the lighting industry, China worked out a roadmap to replace incandescent light bulbs with energy-saving fluorescent lamps (FLs). However, FL products utilize mercury to give out light and release mercury in their production, consumption and disposal processes. Therefore, the challenges of the lighting industry that mainland China are facing are controlling mercury pollution through the environmentally-friendly producing of fluorescent lamps, effective collecting and treating of spent fluorescent lamps. It was proposed that to effectively reduce energy consumption and mercury pollution, a good way to do this is developing energy-saving and mercury-free light emitting diode lighting industry. The mainland China Government’s strategies to develop lighting industry are worthy of consideration and emulation by other countries.
Study on Flow Field Characteristics of the 90° Rectangular Elbow in the Exhaust Hood of a Uniform Push–Pull Ventilation Device
Authors: Wu Xiang , Liu Lindong , Luo Xiaowei , Chen Jianwu , Dai Jingwen
Published: December 2018

A uniform push–pull ventilation device can effectively improve indoor air quality (IAQ). The 90° rectangular elbow is an important part of the push–pull ventilation device. This paper analyzes the flow field characteristics of the 90° rectangular elbows under different working conditions. This was done by using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation (Fluent). The flow lines, velocity and pressure distribution patterns of the elbow flow field are revealed in detail. The wind velocity non-uniformity and wind pressure non-uniformity of the 90° rectangular elbows with different coefficients of radius curvature R and rectangular section height h are also compared. The results show that when R ≥ 2.5 h, the wind flow traces inside the elbow are basically parallel lines. At the same time, the average wind velocity and the average wind pressure are stable. Also, the wind velocity non-uniformity and wind pressure non-uniformity decrease with the increase of R. Therefore, considering the space and material loss caused by an increase in radius of curvature, the elbow with R = 2.5 h can be used as the best design structure for the 90° rectangular elbow, which is of great significance for improving the control effect of dust and toxic pollutants in a uniform push–pull ventilation device.
Estimated Residential Exposure to Agricultural Chemicals and Premature Mortality by Parkinson’s Disease in Washington State
Authors: Caballero Mariah , Amiri Solmaz , Denney Justin T. , Monsivais Pablo , Hystad Perry , Amram Ofer
Published: December 2018

The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between estimated residential exposure to agricultural chemical application and premature mortality from Parkinson’s disease (PD) in Washington State. Washington State mortality records for 2011–2015 were geocoded using residential addresses, and classified as having exposure to agricultural land-use within 1000 meters. Generalized linear models were used to explore the association between land-use associated with agricultural chemical application and premature mortality from PD. Individuals exposed to land-use associated with glyphosate had 33% higher odds of premature mortality than those that were not exposed (Odds Ratio (OR) = 1.33, 95% Confidence Intervals (CI) = 1.06–1.67). Exposure to cropland associated with all pesticide application (OR = 1.19, 95% CI = 0.98–1.44) or Paraquat application (OR = 1.22, 95% CI = 0.99–1.51) was not significantly associated with premature mortality from PD, but the effect size was in the hypothesized direction. No significant associations were observed between exposure to Atrazine (OR = 1.21, 95% CI = 0.84–1.74) or Diazinon (OR = 1.07, 95% CI = 0.85–1.34), and premature mortality from PD. The relationship between pesticide exposure and premature mortality aligns with previous biological, toxicological, and epidemiological findings. Glyphosate, the world’s most heavily applied herbicide, and an active ingredient in Roundup® and Paraquat, a toxic herbicide, has shown to be associated with the odds of premature mortality from PD.
Aging in Flood-Prone Coastal Areas: Discerning the Health and Well-Being Risk for Older Residents
Authors: Bukvic Anamaria , Gohlke Julia , Borate Aishwarya , Suggs Jessica
Published: December 2018

Coastal communities are increasingly exposed to more intense and frequent hurricanes, accelerated sea-level rise, and prolonged tidal inundation, yet they are often a preferred retirement destination for older adults vulnerable to flooding and extreme weather events. The unique physical and psychosocial challenges of older population age 65 and over may affect their level of preparedness, capacity to cope with, and ability to respond and recover from a hazard event. Despite the clear vulnerabilities of older residents living in high-risk areas when compared to younger coastal populations, there is a lack of empirical research on the integrated flood risks to this population group in the coastal context. This paper provides a holistic assessment of this emerging problem along the U.S. East Coast by measuring the exposure of older population to sea level rise and storm surge in coastal counties. It further evaluates how age-related vulnerabilities differ between rural and urban settings using the case study approach and geospatial and statistical analysis the paper also conducts a review of scientific literature to identify gaps in the current understanding of health and well-being risks to aging populations in coastal communities. The results show that older populations are unevenly distributed along the U.S. East Coast with some states and counties having significantly higher percent of residents age 65 and older living along the shoreline. Many places with larger older populations have other attributes that further shape the vulnerability of this age group such as older housing stock, disabilities, and lower income and that often differ between rural and urban settings. Lastly, our study found that vast majority of research on aging in high-risk coastal locations has been conducted in relation to major disasters and almost none on the recurrent nuisance flooding that is already affecting many coastal communities.
Hepatocellular Carcinoma in β-Thalassemia Patients: Review of the Literature with Molecular Insight into Liver Carcinogenesis
Authors: Finianos Antoine , Matar Charbel F. , Taher Ali
Published: December 2018

With the continuing progress in managing patients with thalassemia, especially in the setting of iron overload and iron chelation, the life span of these patients is increasing, while concomitantly increasing incidences of many diseases that were less likely to show when survival was rather limited. Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a major life-threatening cancer that is becoming more frequently identified in this population of patients. The two established risk factors for the development of HCC in thalassemia include iron overload and viral hepatitis with or without cirrhosis. Increased iron burden is becoming a major HCC risk factor in this patient population, especially in those in the older age group. As such, screening thalassemia patients using liver iron concentration (LIC) measurement by means of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and liver ultrasound is strongly recommended for the early detection of iron overload and for implementation of early iron chelation in an attempt to prevent organ-damaging iron overload and possibly HCC. There remain lacking data on HCC treatment outcomes in patients who have thalassemia. However, a personalized approach tailored to each patient’s comorbidities is essential to treatment success. Multicenter studies investigating the long-term outcomes of currently available therapeutic options in the thalassemia realm, in addition to novel HCC therapeutic targets, are needed to further improve the prognosis of these patients.
iTRAQ-Based Comparative Proteomic Analysis of the Roots of TWO Winter Turnip Rapes (Brassica rapa L.) with Different Freezing-Tolerance
Authors: Zeng Xiucun , Xu Yaozhao , Jiang Jinjin , Zhang Fenqin , Ma Li , Wu Dewei , Wang Youping , Sun Wancang
Published: December 2018

The freezing tolerance of roots is crucial for winter turnip rape (Brassica rapa L.) survival in the winter in Northwest China. Cold acclimation (CA) can alleviate the root damage caused by freezing stress. To acknowledge the molecular mechanisms of freezing tolerance in winter turnip rape, two Brassica rapa genotypes, freezing stressed after the induction of cold acclimation, were used to compare the proteomic profiles of roots by isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantification (iTRAQ). Under freezing stress (−4 °C) for 8 h, 139 and 96 differentially abundant proteins (DAPs) were identified in the roots of “Longyou7” (freezing-tolerant) and “Tianyou4” (freezing-sensitive), respectively. Among these DAPs, 91 and 48 proteins were up- and down-accumulated in “Longyou7”, respectively, and 46 and 50 proteins were up- and down-accumulated in “Tianyou4”, respectively. Under freezing stress, 174 DAPs of two varieties were identified, including 9 proteins related to ribosome, 19 DAPs related to the biosynthesis of secondary metabolites (e.g., phenylpropanoid and the lignin pathway), and 22 down-accumulated DAPs enriched in oxidative phosphorylation, the pentose phosphate pathway, fructose and mannose metabolism, alpha-linolenic acid metabolism, carbon fixation in photosynthetic organisms, ascorbate and aldarate metabolism. The expressional pattern of the genes encoding the 15 significant DAPs were consistent with the iTRAQ data. This work indicates that protein biosynthesis, lignin synthesis, the reduction of energy consumption and a higher linolenic acid content contribute to the freezing tolerance of winter turnip rape. Functional analyses of these DAPs would be helpful in dissecting the molecular mechanisms of the stress responses in B. rapa.
7-Methylguanosine Modifications in Transfer RNA (tRNA)
Authors: Tomikawa Chie
Published: December 2018

More than 90 different modified nucleosides have been identified in tRNA. Among the tRNA modifications, the 7-methylguanosine (m7G) modification is found widely in eubacteria, eukaryotes, and a few archaea. In most cases, the m7G modification occurs at position 46 in the variable region and is a product of tRNA (m7G46) methyltransferase. The m7G46 modification forms a tertiary base pair with C13-G22, and stabilizes the tRNA structure. A reaction mechanism for eubacterial tRNA m7G methyltransferase has been proposed based on the results of biochemical, bioinformatic, and structural studies. However, an experimentally determined mechanism of methyl-transfer remains to be ascertained. The physiological functions of m7G46 in tRNA have started to be determined over the past decade. For example, tRNA m7G46 or tRNA (m7G46) methyltransferase controls the amount of other tRNA modifications in thermophilic bacteria, contributes to the pathogenic infectivity, and is also associated with several diseases. In this review, information of tRNA m7G modifications and tRNA m7G methyltransferases is summarized and the differences in reaction mechanism between tRNA m7G methyltransferase and rRNA or mRNA m7G methylation enzyme are discussed.
Pathological Process of Prompt Connection between Host and Donor Tissue Vasculature Causing Rapid Perfusion of the Engineered Donor Tissue after Transplantation
Authors: Sekiya Sachiko , Morikawa Shunichi , Ezaki Taichi , Shimizu Tatsuya
Published: December 2018

The shortage of donors for transplantation therapy is a serious issue worldwide. Tissue engineering is considered a potential solution to this problem. Connection and perfusion in engineered tissues after transplantation is vital for the survival of the transplanted tissue, especially for tissues requiring blood perfusion to receive nutrients, such as the heart. A myocardial cell sheet containing an endothelial cell network structure was fabricated in vitro using cell sheet technology. Transplantation of the three-dimensional (3D) tissue by layering myocardial sheets could ameliorate ischemic heart disease in a rat model. The endothelial cell network in the 3D tissue was able to rapidly connect to host vasculature and begin perfusion within 24 h after transplantation. In this review, we compare and discuss the engineered tissue–host vasculature connection process between tissue engineered constructs with hydrogels and cell sheets by histological analysis. This review provides information that may be useful for further improvements of in vivo engineered tissue vascularization techniques.
Molecular Pharmacology and Pathology of Strokes
Authors: Sheu Joen-Rong
Published: December 2018

Stroke, an important neurological disease, is becoming an increasingly non-communicable ailment and is the second leading cause of death after coronary heart disease in developed countries [...]
Effective Food Ingredients for Fatty Liver: Soy Protein β-Conglycinin and Fish Oil
Authors: Yamazaki Tomomi , Li Dongyang , Ikaga Reina
Published: December 2018

Obesity is prevalent in modern society because of a lifestyle consisting of high dietary fat and sucrose consumption combined with little exercise. Among the consequences of obesity are the emerging epidemics of hepatic steatosis and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Sterol regulatory element-binding protein-1c (SREBP-1c) is a transcription factor that stimulates gene expression related to de novo lipogenesis in the liver. In response to a high-fat diet, the expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) γ2, another nuclear receptor, is increased, which leads to the development of NAFLD. β-Conglycinin, a soy protein, prevents NAFLD induced by diets high in sucrose/fructose or fat by decreasing the expression and function of these nuclear receptors. β-Conglycinin also improves NAFLD via the same mechanism as for prevention. Fish oil contains n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids such as eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid. Fish oil is more effective at preventing NAFLD induced by sucrose/fructose because SREBP-1c activity is inhibited. However, the effect of fish oil on NAFLD induced by fat is controversial because fish oil further increases PPARγ2 expression, depending upon the experimental conditions. Alcohol intake also causes an alcoholic fatty liver, which is induced by increased SREBP-1c and PPARγ2 expression and decreased PPARα expression. β-Conglycinin and fish oil are effective at preventing alcoholic fatty liver because β-conglycinin decreases the function of SREBP-1c and PPARγ2, and fish oil decreases the function of SREBP-1c and increases that of PPARα.
Multi-Valued Neutrosophic Distance-Based QUALIFLEX Method for Treatment Selection
Authors: Peng Juan-Juan , Tian Chao
Published: December 2018

Multi-valued neutrosophic sets (MVNSs) consider the truth-membership, indeterminacy-membership, and falsity-membership simultaneously, which can more accurately express the preference information of decision-makers. In this paper, the normalized multi-valued neutrosophic distance measure is developed firstly and the corresponding properties are investigated as well. Secondly, the normalized multi-valued neutrosophic distance difference is defined and the corresponding partial ordering relation is discussed. Thirdly, based on the developed distances and comparison method, an extended multi-valued neutrosophic QUALItative FLEXible multiple criteria (QUALIFLEX) method is proposed to handle MCDM problems where the weights of criteria are completely unknown. Finally, an example for selection of medical diagnostic plan is provided to demonstrate the proposed method, together with sensitivity analysis and comparison analysis.
A Fuzzy Evaluation Model for Sustainable Modular Supplier
Authors: He Wei
Published: December 2018

The evaluation and selection of a sustainable modular supplier is a strategic decision towards sustainability of manufacturing. However, few related studies have been conducted, particularly in the modular production field. In this paper, a fuzzy evaluation method is used to evaluate sustainable modular suppliers. Different from previous studies, in designing the index system of the fuzzy evaluation method, this study introduces an organizational identity perspective. What is more, an empirical study based on a formative model is conducted to design the index system. Both measures ensure the appropriateness of the index system. The stability of the fuzzy evaluation method is also discussed. By introducing a dispersion degree and discussing the different circumstances of subjective judgment errors, the stability analysis helps us to better understand the reliability of the results. Lastly, this study applies this method and the index system to a practical case. The results show that the fuzzy evaluation method is effective and can be used to evaluate sustainable modular suppliers.
Natural Compound Modulates the Cervical Cancer Microenvironment—A Pharmacophore Guided Molecular Modelling Approaches
Authors: Rampogu Shailima , Ravinder Doneti , Pawar Smita , Lee Keun
Published: December 2018

Cervical cancer is regarded as one of the major burdens noticed in women next to breast cancer. Although, human papilloma viruses (HPVs) are regarded as the principal causative agents, they require certain other factors such as oestrogen hormone to induce cervical cancer. Aromatase is an enzyme that converts androgens into oestrogens and hindering this enzyme could subsequently hamper the formation of oestrogen thereby alleviating the disease. Accordingly, in the current investigation, a structure based pharmacophore was generated considering two proteins bearing the Protein Data Bank (PDB) codes 3EQM (pharm 1) and 3S7S (pharm 2), respectively. The two models were employed as the 3D query to screen the in-house built natural compounds database. The obtained 51 compounds were escalated to molecular docking studies to decipher on the binding affinities and to predict the quintessential binding modes which were affirmed by molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. The compound has induced dose-dependent down regulation of PP2B, Nitric oxide synthase-2 (NOS2), and Interleukin 6 (IL-6) genes in the HeLa cells and has modulated the expression of apoptotic genes such as Bax, Bcl2, and caspases-3 at different concentrations. These results guide us to comprehend that the identified aromatase inhibitor was effective against the cervical cancer cells and additionally could server as scaffolds in designing new drugs.
Fetal Toxicity of Immunosuppressive Drugs in Pregnancy
Authors: Ponticelli Claudio , Moroni Gabriella
Published: December 2018

Women affected by autoimmune diseases, organ transplantation, or neoplasia need to continue immunosuppressive treatment during pregnancy. In this setting, not only a careful planning of pregnancy, but also the choice of drugs is critical to preventing maternal complications and minimizing the fetal risks. Some immunosuppressive drugs are teratogenic and should be replaced even before the pregnancy, while other drugs need to be managed with caution to prevent fetal risks, including miscarriage, intrauterine growth restriction, prematurity, and low birth weight. In particular, the increasing use of biologic agents raises the question of their compatibility with reproduction. In this review we present data on the indication and safety in pregnancy of the most frequently used immunosuppressive drugs.