bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Explicit Lump Solitary Wave of Certain Interesting (3+1)-Dimensional Waves in Physics via Some Recent Traveling Wave Methods
Authors: Khater Mostafa M. A. , Attia Raghda A. M. , Lu Dianchen
Published: April 2019

This study investigates the solitary wave solutions of the nonlinear fractional Jimbo–Miwa (JM) equation by using the conformable fractional derivative and some other distinct analytical techniques. The JM equation describes the certain interesting (3+1)-dimensional waves in physics. Moreover, it is considered as a second equation of the famous Painlev’e hierarchy of integrable systems. The fractional conformable derivatives properties were employed to convert it into an ordinary differential equation with an integer order to obtain many novel exact solutions of this model. The conformable fractional derivative is equivalent to the ordinary derivative for the functions that has continuous derivatives up to some desired order over some domain (smooth functions). The obtained solutions for each technique were characterized and compared to illustrate the similarities and differences between them. Profound solutions were concluded to be powerful, easy and effective on the nonlinear partial differential equation.
Model Development and Exergy Analysis of a Microreactor for the Steam Methane Reforming Process in a CFD Environment
Authors: Rahman Zia ur , Ahmad Iftikhar , Kano Manabu , Mustafa Jawad
Published: April 2019

Steam methane reforming (SMR) is a dominant technology for hydrogen production. For the highly energy-efficient operation, robust energy analysis is crucial. In particular, exergy analysis has received the attention of researchers due to its advantage over the conventional energy analysis. In this work, an exergy analysis based on the computational fluid dynamics (CFD)-based method was applied to a monolith microreactor of SMR. Initially, a CFD model of SMR was developed using literature data. Then, the design and operating conditions of the microreactor were optimized based on the developed CFD model to achieve higher conversion efficiency and shorter length. Exergy analysis of the optimized microreactor was performed using the custom field function (CFF) integrated with the CFD environment. The optimized catalytic monolith microreactor of SMR achieved higher conversion efficiency at a smaller consumption of energy, catalyst, and material of construction than the reactor reported in the literature. The exergy analysis algorithm helped in evaluating length-wise profiles of all three types of exergy, namely, physical exergy, chemical exergy, and mixing exergy, in the microreactor.
Study on Powder Coke Combustion and Pollution Emission Characteristics of Fluidized Bed Boilers
Authors: Yang Chen , Wu Haochuang , Deng Kangjie , He Hangxing , Sun Li
Published: April 2019

The fluidized reactor is widely used in a number of chemical processes due to its high gas-particle contacting efficiency and excellent performance on solid mixing. An improved numerical framework based on the multiphase particle-in-cell (MP-PIC) method has been developed to simulate the processes of gas–solid flow and chemical reactions in a fluidized bed. Experiments have been carried out with a 3-MW circulating fluidized bed with a height of 24.5 m and a cross section of 1 m2. In order to obtain the relationship between pollutant discharge and operating conditions and to better guide the operation of the power plant, a series of tests and simulations were carried out. The distributions of temperature and gas concentration along the furnace from simulations achieved good accuracy compared with experimental data, indicating that this numerical framework is suitable for solving complex gas–solid flow and reactions in fluidized bed reactors. Through a series of experiments, the factors affecting the concentration of NOx and SOx emissions during the steady-state combustion of the normal temperature of powder coke were obtained, which provided some future guidance for the operation of a power plant burning the same kind of fuel.
Estimating Solar Irradiance on Tilted Surface with Arbitrary Orientations and Tilt Angles
Authors: Cheng Hsu-Yung , Yu Chih-Chang , Hsu Kuo-Chang , Chan Chi-Chang , Tseng Mei-Hui , Lin Chih-Lung
Published: April 2019

Photovoltaics modules are usually installed with a tilt angle to improve performance and to avoid water or dust accumulation. However, measured irradiance data on inclined surfaces are rarely available, since installing pyranometers with various tilt angles induces high costs. Estimating inclined irradiance of arbitrary orientations and tilt angles is important because the installation orientations and tilt angles might be different at different sites. The goal of this work is to propose a unified transfer model to obtain inclined solar irradiance of arbitrary tilt angles and orientations. Artificial neural networks (ANN) were utilized to construct the transfer model to estimate the differences between the horizontal irradiance and the inclined irradiance. Compared to ANNs that estimate the inclined irradiance directly, the experimental results have shown that the proposed ANNs with differential outputs can substantially improve the estimation accuracy. Moreover, the trained model can successfully estimate inclined irradiance with tilt angles and orientations not included in the training data.
Promoting Energy Performance Contracting for Achieving Urban Sustainability: What is the Research Trend?
Authors: Zhang Wenjie , Yuan Hongping
Published: April 2019

The increasing demand for applying energy performance contracting (EPC) for urban energy conservation has resulted in a significant amount of publications over the past decade. This study tries to identify future research trends in the subject of EPC through analyzing 127 journal papers published from 2008 to 2018. Based on the analysis and discussion of the EPC research, several main research trends were identified. The research results reveal an increasing research interest in EPC over the period. The findings imply that case study is the major research method and descriptive analysis and statistical analysis are primarily used for data analysis. In addition, EPC research in the past decade focused on five major research topics, which are ‘implementation of EPC projects’, ‘EPC mechanism and business models’, ‘decision-making in EPC projects’, ‘Energy Service Companies (ESCOs) in EPC projects’, and ‘risk management in EPC projects’. Based on the five research topics, future research trends and directions in EPC were identified as well. The findings of this study can be informative and valuable for guiding future research in EPC, and are particularly helpful for researchers who are keen to open a new window of investigating EPC issues worldwide.
An Injectivity Evaluation Model of Polymer Flooding in Offshore Multilayer Reservoir
Authors: Sun Liang , Li Baozhu , Jiang Hanqiao , Li Yong , Jiao Yuwei
Published: April 2019

Good polymer flood performance evaluation requires an understanding of polymer injectivity. Offshore reservoirs are characterized by unfavorable water–oil mobility ratios, strong heterogeneity, and multilayer production, which collectively contribute to unique challenges. Accordingly, this article presents a semi-analytical model for the evaluation of commingled and zonal injectivity in the entire development phase, which consists of primary water flooding, secondary polymer flooding, and subsequent water flooding. First, we define four flow regions with unique saturation profiles in order to accurately describe the fluid dynamic characteristics between the injector and the producer. Second, the frontal advance equation of polymer flooding is built up based on the theory of polymer–oil fractional flow. The fluid saturation distribution and the injection–production pressure difference are determined with the method of equivalent seepage resistance. Then, the zonal flow rate is obtained by considering the interlayer heterogeneity, and the semi-analytical model for calculating polymer injectivity in a multilayer reservoir is established. The laboratory experiment data verify the reliability of the proposed model. The results indicate the following. (1) The commingled injectivity decreases significantly before polymer breakthrough and increases steadily after polymer breakthrough. The change law of zonal injectivity is consistent with that of commingled injectivity. Due to the influence of interlayer heterogeneity, the quantitative indexes of the zonal flow rate and injection performance are different. The injectivity of the high-permeability layer is better than that of the low-permeability layer. (2) The higher the injection rate and the lower the polymer concentration, the better the injectivity is before polymer breakthrough. An earlier injection time, lower injection rate, larger polymer injection volume, and lower polymer concentration will improve the injectivity after polymer breakthrough. The polymer breakthrough time is a significant indicator in polymer flooding optimization. This study has provided a quick and reasonable model of injectivity evaluation for offshore multilayer reservoirs.
Urban Green Space Fragmentation and Urbanization: A Spatiotemporal Perspective
Authors: Li Fangzheng , Zheng Wei , Wang Yu , Liang Junhui , Xie Shuang , Guo Shiyi , Li Xiong , Yu Changming
Published: April 2019

Urbanization leads to the occupation of green areas, directly contributing to a high level of fragmentation of urban green spaces, which, in turn, results in numerous socioeconomic and environmental problems. Consequently, an understanding of the relationships between patterns of urban green spaces and urbanization processes is essential. Although previous quantitative studies have examined this relationship, they have not included an exploration of spatial heterogeneities in the effects of urbanization on the spatial patterns of urban green areas. We therefore applied a spatiotemporal perspective to examine the above relationship, while considering the wider planning context. First, we quantified the extent of fragmentation of urban green spaces using landscape metrics comprising the largest patch index (LPI) and landscape shape index (LSI). Next, using the calculated spatial metrics and nighttime light data (NTL) for central Beijing for the period 1992–2016, we applied a geographically weighted regression model to assess variations in the spatiotemporal effects of urbanization on the fragmentation of urban green spaces. The results showed that urbanization initially occurred mainly in the northern parts of Beijing, whereas urbanization of southern urban fringe areas occurred after 2008. The reduction in green spaces along with increasing fragmentation and complex spatial patterns are indicative of issues relating to Beijing’s rapid urbanization and planning policies. This study contributes to an understanding of how urbanization influences fragmentation of urban green spaces and offers insights for the planning of urban green spaces from the perspective of promoting sustainability.
A Method of Bus Network Optimization Based on Complex Network and Beidou Vehicle Location
Authors: Dong Peixin , Li Dongyuan , Xing Jianping , Duan Haohui , Wu Yong
Published: April 2019

Aiming at the problems of poor time performance and accuracy in bus stops network optimization, this paper proposes an algorithm based on complex network and graph theory and Beidou Vehicle Location to measure the importance of bus stops. This method narrows the scope of points and edges to be optimized and is applied to the Jinan bus stop network. In this method, the bus driving efficiency, which can objectively reflect actual road conditions, is taken as the weight of the connecting edges in the network, and the network is optimized through the network efficiency. The experimental results show that, compared with the original network, the optimized network time performance is good and the optimized network bus driving efficiency is improved.
Acceptability of Dry-Cured Belly (Pancetta) from Entire Males, Immunocastrates or Surgical Castrates: Study with Slovenian Consumers
Authors: Čandek-Potokar Marjeta , Prevolnik-Povše Maja , Škrlep Martin , Font-i-Furnols Maria , Batorek-Lukač Nina , Kress Kevin , Stefanski Volker
Published: April 2019

Abandoning of male piglets castration in the European Union is a challenge for the pork production sector in particular for high-quality dry-cured traditional products. The information on consumer acceptability of dry-cured products from alternatives is limited, so the objective was to test the consumer acceptability of unsmoked traditional dry-cured belly (Kraška panceta) processed from three sex categories, i.e., surgical castrates (SC), entire males (EM) and immunocastrates (IC). Consumers (n = 331) were asked to taste dry-cured bellies from EM, IC and SC and to score the taste appreciation on a 9 cm unstructured scale. After tasting the pancetta of three sex categories, the consumers attributed the lowest acceptability scores to SC, whereas IC and EM received similar scores. Only about a quarter of consumers attributed the lowest score to EM, mainly when boar taint compounds were present. The results of this study indicate that a certain share of consumers was sensitive to taste deficiencies and that the leanness of this product is very important for consumers.
Valorization of Prickly Pear Juice Geographical Origin Based on Mineral and Volatile Compound Contents Using LDA
Authors: Karabagias Vassilios K. , Karabagias Ioannis K. , Louppis Artemis , Badeka Anastasia , Kontominas Michael G. , Papastephanou Chara
Published: April 2019

In the present work the mineral content and volatile profile of prickly pear juice prepared from wild cultivars was investigated. Fruits used in the study originated from three areas of the Peloponnese Peninsula. Twenty-five macro- and micro-minerals (K, Na, P, Ca, Mg, Al, B, Ba, Be, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Li, Mn, Mo, Ni, Sb, Se, Si, Sn, Ti, Tl, V, Zn) were determined using inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES). Furthermore, analysis of the mineral content of soil samples with ICP-OES showed a perfect correlation with those of fruit juices. Volatile compounds (alcohols, aldehydes, hydrocarbons, terpenoids, and others) were identified using an optimized headspace solid phase microextraction coupled to gas chromatography mass spectrometry (HS-SPME/GC-MS) method. Multivariate analysis showed significant differences (p < 0.05) among the investigated parameters with respect to juice geographical origin. Prickly pear juice samples were classified according to geographical origin by 85.7% and 88.9% using 7 minerals and 21 volatile compounds, respectively.
Insights into Heavy Metals Leakage in Chelator-Induced Phytoextraction of Pb- and Tl-Contaminated Soil
Authors: Huang Xuexia , Luo Dinggui , Chen Xiangxin , Wei Lezhang , Liu Yu , Wu Qihang , Xiao Tangfu , Mai Xiaotao , Liu Guowei , Liu Lirong
Published: April 2019

Chelators including DTPA (diethylene triamine pentaacetic acid) and oxalic acid were selected for inducing phytoextraction of heavy metals (HMs) from Pb-, Tl-, and Pb-Tl- contaminated soil, in which heavy metals leakage was highly remarkable. Results showed that compared with the control group without chelating agent under planting conditions, the extraction efficiency (i.e., uptake coefficient) of Pb, Tl increased by 86%, 43% from Pb-Tl- contaminated soil in the presence of oxalic acid, and there was no significant change in heavy metal leakage under rainfall conditions. It was the best phytoremediation scheme in this work. Under rainfall conditions, the HMs concentration in the leachate showed a linear decreasing trend. Acid rain promoted the leakage of heavy metals, and the average leached amount of Tl increased by 1.47 times under acid rain conditions. However, for Pb, DTPA was the main influencing factor, followed by acid rain.
Ageism in an Aging Society: The Role of Knowledge, Anxiety about Aging, and Stereotypes in Young People and Adults
Authors: Donizzetti Anna Rosa
Published: April 2019

The progressive aging of society, caused by profound demographic changes, brings with it the necessity of confronting the subject of biases against the elderly. Ageism, in fact, can influence society’s attitudes regarding this population, in addition to impacting the self-perception of elderly people. This, in turn, has consequences for positive outcomes during the aging process. The current research aims to investigate the simultaneous relationships between knowledge, age, anxiety about aging, and stereotypes toward the elderly, as well as their predictive roles with respect to ageism. A self-report questionnaire was administered to 886 participants, with an average age of 35.8 years (Standard Deviation—SD = 14.2), predominantly female (64.8%). Descriptive and correlational analyses were performed, along with structural equation modeling. Based on the analyses conducted, anxiety about aging and knowledge are antecedents for stereotypes, which in turn, together with the other variables, influence ageism. Increased education about the aging process could help reduce anxiety and stereotypes against the aging among those who are most responsible for prejudice against the elderly. Knowledge of the antecedents of prejudice toward the elderly is fundamental to promoting positive attitudes toward them.
Real-Time Continuous Surveillance of Temperature and Flow Events Presents a Novel Monitoring Approach for Hospital and Healthcare Water Distribution Systems
Authors: Whiley Harriet , Hinds Jason , Xi James , Bentham Richard
Published: April 2019

Within hospitals and healthcare facilities opportunistic premise plumbing pathogens (OPPPs) are a major and preventable cause of healthcare-acquired infections. This study presents a novel approach for monitoring building water quality using real-time surveillance of parameters measured at thermostatic mixing valves (TMVs) across a hospital water distribution system. Temperature was measured continuously in real-time at the outlet of 220 TMVs located across a hospital over a three-year period and analysis of this temperature data was used to identify flow events. This real-time temperature and flow information was then compared with microbial water quality. Water samples were collected randomly from faucets over the three-year period. These were tested for total heterotrophic bacteria, Legionella spp. and L. pneumophila. A statistically significant association with total heterotrophic bacteria concentrations and the number of flow events seven days prior (rs[865] = −0.188, p < 0.01) and three days prior to sampling (rs[865] = −0.151, p < 0.01) was observed, with decreased heterotrophic bacteria linked to increased flushing events. Only four samples were positive for Legionella and statistical associations could not be determined; however, the environmental conditions for these four samples were associated with higher heterotrophic counts. This study validated a simple and effective remote monitoring approach to identifying changes in water quality and flagging high risk situations in real-time. This provides a complementary surveillance strategy that overcomes the time delay associated with microbial culture results. Future research is needed to explore the use of this monitoring approach as an indicator for different opportunistic pathogens.
Are Bus Company Regulations Associated with Crash Risk? Findings from a Retrospective Survey in Four Chinese Cities
Authors: Wu Xiaolin , Zhang Huimin , Xiao Wangxin , Ning Peishan , Schwebel David C. , Hu Guoqing
Published: April 2019

Bus crashes are common in urban China, and bus company regulations are hypothesized to be related to bus crash risk. We conducted a retrospective survey to examine the association in four large Chinese cities (Changsha, Shenzhen, Fuzhou, and Wuhan). Four types of bus crashes were considered: (a) passengers injured while riding the bus; (b) bus colliding with or scraping other motor vehicles; (c) bus colliding with non-motorized vehicles or pedestrians; and (d) bus damaging public facilities. Based on regulations governing the drivers’ work, complete round trips per day, and their paid salary, three categories of companies were studied: type A: ≥14 h worked/day, ≥6 round trips/day, and >70% of salary based on performance; type B: 8–13 h/day, 4 or 5 round trips/day, and 36–70% of salary; and type C: <36% of salary and no other specified requirements. Of the 926 respondents, 20.7% reported one or more crashes or related risk events in the past month. Drivers from the three types of companies reported crash incidence rates of 31.9%, 8.8%, and 6.0%, respectively, in the past month. Type A crash rates were significantly higher than type C after controlling for relevant covariates (adjusted odds ratio (OR) = 7.1, 95% confidence interval (CI): 3.74–13.47). We conclude that more stringent bus company regulations, which mandate drivers to work long hours and obtain salary based on job performance in meeting demanding metrics, are associated with elevated bus-related crash risks. Local governments in China should regulate bus companies to ensure drivers work reasonable hours and are paid based on the quality of their work (e.g., safety).
Using Rural–Urban Continuum Codes (RUCCS) to Examine Alcohol-Related Motor Vehicle Crash Injury and Enforcement in New York State
Authors: Pressley Joyce C. , Hines Leah M. , Bauer Michael J. , Oh Shin Ah , Kuhl Joshua R. , Liu Chang , Cheng Bin , Garnett Matthew F.
Published: April 2019

Rural areas of New York State (NYS) have higher rates of alcohol-related motor vehicle (MV) crash injury than metropolitan areas. While alcohol-related injury has declined across the three geographic regions of NYS, disparities persist with rural areas having smaller declines. Our study aim was to examine factors associated with alcohol-related MV crashes in Upstate and Long Island using multi-sourced county-level data that included the Crash Outcome Data Evaluation System (CODES) with emergency department visits and hospitalizations, traffic citations, demographic, economic, transportation, alcohol outlets, and Rural–Urban Continuum Codes (RUCCS). A cross-sectional study design employed zero-truncated negative binominal regression models to assess relative risks (RR) with 95% confidence interval (CI). Counties (n = 57, 56,000 alcohol-related crashes over the 3 year study timeframe) were categorized by mean annual alcohol-related MV injuries per 100,000 population: low (24.7 ± 3.9), medium (33.9 ± 1.7) and high (46.1 ± 8.0) (p < 0.0001). In multivariable analyses, alcohol-related MV injury was elevated for non-adjacent, non-metropolitan counties (RR 2.5, 95% CI: 1.6–3.9) with higher citations for impaired driving showing a small, but significant protective effect. Less metropolitan areas had higher alcohol-related MV injury with inconsistent alcohol-related enforcement measures. In summary, higher alcohol-related MV injury rates in non-metropolitan counties demonstrated a dose–response relationship with proximity to a metropolitan area. These findings suggest areas where intervention efforts might be targeted to lower alcohol-related MV injury.
The Effects of Green Exercise on Physical and Mental Wellbeing: A Systematic Review
Authors: Lahart Ian , Darcy Patricia , Gidlow Christopher , Calogiuri Giovanna
Published: April 2019

We aimed to examine the evidence for the proposed additive effect of exercise in the presence of nature (green exercise) by systematically reviewing studies that investigated the effects of outdoor or virtual green exercise compared with indoor exercise. Our review updates an earlier review, whose searches were conducted in April 2010. Trials were eligible if: (a) participants in an outdoor or virtual exercise condition were exposed to views of nature (green exercise); (b) green exercise was compared with indoor exercise with no exposure to nature; (c) included an outcome related to physical or mental health; (d) used comparative or crossover trial design. We searched the following databases from 1st January 2010 to 28th June 2018: PubMed, CENTRAL, EMBASE, PsycINFO, GreenFile, and Sports DISCUS. We assessed risk of bias using the Cochrane “risk of bias” tool. Where possible we conducted a meta-analysis using the inverse variance random-effects method, and where this approach was not possible we presented the results qualitatively and in harvest plots. We identified 28 eligible trials. In a meta-analysis of just three longitudinal trials, the only statistical finding was slightly lower post-intervention perceived exertion with green versus indoor exercise (mean difference: −1.02; 95% confidence intervals: −1.88, −0.16). Compared with indoor exercise, acute bouts of outdoor green exercise may favorably influence affective valence and enjoyment, but not emotion, perceived exertion, exercise intensity, and biological markers. No other consistent statistical differences were observed, apart from a higher enjoyment of outdoor green versus virtual green exercise. We found a high risk of bias across trials and an overall low quality of evidence. In conclusion, there was limited evidence to support the view that green exercise offers superior benefits to exercise without exposure to nature. The low quality of evidence prohibits clear interpretation of trial findings. Future robust and rigorously designed trials are needed to evaluate the effects of long-term and multiple-bout exposure to nature during exercise compared with exercise indoors.
Why Tenure Responsive Land-Use Planning Matters: Insights for Land Use Consolidation for Food Security in Rwanda
Authors: Chigbu Uchendu Eugene , Ntihinyurwa Pierre Damien , de Vries Walter Timo , Ngenzi Edith Ishimwe
Published: April 2019

Land use consolidation aims to address food insecurity challenges in Rwanda. However, there is contradictory evidence on whether this tool has met food security objectives or not. This study addresses two questions: How has the land use consolidation improved (or not improved) food security at the local level? How can food security challenges be addressed using a renewed approach to land use consolidation that adopts a tenure responsive land use planning procedure? We investigate these questions in Nyange Sector (in the Musanze District) of Rwanda using mixed research methods. The study generates theoretical and policy relevant outcomes. Theoretically, it links the concept of tenure responsive land-use planning to food security improvements. Policy wise, it provides an operational framework for implementing land use consolidation to make it more responsive to food security (based on tenure responsive land-use planning measures) in Rwanda.
B Cells and Antibodies in Kawasaki Disease
Authors: Lindquist Michael E. , Hicar Mark D.
Published: April 2019

The etiology of Kawasaki disease (KD), the leading cause of acquired heart disease in children, is currently unknown. Epidemiology supports a relationship of KD to an infectious disease. Several pathological mechanisms are being considered, including a superantigen response, direct invasion by an infectious etiology or an autoimmune phenomenon. Treating affected patients with intravenous immunoglobulin is effective at reducing the rates of coronary aneurysms. However, the role of B cells and antibodies in KD pathogenesis remains unclear. Murine models are not clear on the role for B cells and antibodies in pathogenesis. Studies on rare aneurysm specimens reveal plasma cell infiltrates. Antibodies generated from these aneurysmal plasma cell infiltrates showed cross-reaction to intracellular inclusions in the bronchial epithelium of a number of pathologic specimens from children with KD. These antibodies have not defined an etiology. Notably, a number of autoantibody responses have been reported in children with KD. Recent studies show acute B cell responses are similar in children with KD compared to children with infections, lending further support of an infectious disease cause of KD. Here, we will review and discuss the inconsistencies in the literature in relation to B cell responses, specific antibodies, and a potential role for humoral immunity in KD pathogenesis or diagnosis.
Strigolactones Promote Leaf Elongation in Tall Fescue through Upregulation of Cell Cycle Genes and Downregulation of Auxin Transport Genes in Tall Fescue under Different Temperature Regimes
Authors: Hu Qiannan , Zhang Shuoxin , Huang Bingru
Published: April 2019

Strigolactones (SLs) have recently been shown to play roles in modulating plant architecture and improving plant tolerance to multiple stresses, but the underlying mechanisms for SLs regulating leaf elongation and the influence by air temperature are still unknown. This study aimed to investigate the effects of SLs on leaf elongation in tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea, cv. ‘Kentucky-31’) under different temperature regimes, and to determine the interactions of SLs and auxin in the regulation of leaf growth. Tall fescue plants were treated with GR24 (synthetic analog of SLs), naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA, synthetic analog), or N-1-naphthylphthalamic acid (NPA, auxin transport inhibitor) (individually and combined) under normal temperature (22/18 °C) and high-temperature conditions (35/30 °C) in controlled-environment growth chambers. Exogenous application of GR24 stimulated leaf elongation and mitigated the heat inhibition of leaf growth in tall fescue. GR24-induced leaf elongation was associated with an increase in cell numbers, upregulated expression of cell-cycle-related genes, and downregulated expression of auxin transport-related genes in elongating leaves. The results suggest that SLs enhance leaf elongation by stimulating cell division and interference with auxin transport in tall fescue.
The Polyphenol-Rich Extract from Psiloxylon mauritianum, an Endemic Medicinal Plant from Reunion Island, Inhibits the Early Stages of Dengue and Zika Virus Infection
Authors: Clain Elodie , Haddad Juliano G. , Koishi Andrea C. , Sinigaglia Laura , Rachidi Walid , Desprès Philippe , N. Duarte dos Santos Claudia , Guiraud Pascale , Jouvenet Nolwenn , El Kalamouni Chaker
Published: April 2019

The recent emergence and re-emergence of viral infections transmitted by vectors, such as the Zika virus (ZIKV) and Dengue virus (DENV), is a cause for international concern. These highly pathogenic arboviruses represent a serious health burden in tropical and subtropical areas of the world. Despite the high morbidity and mortality associated with these viral infections, antiviral therapies are missing. Medicinal plants have been widely used to treat various infectious diseases since millenaries. Several compounds extracted from plants exhibit potent effects against viruses in vitro, calling for further investigations regarding their efficacy as antiviral drugs. Here, we demonstrate that an extract from Psiloxylon mauritianum, an endemic medicinal plant from Reunion Island, inhibits the infection of ZIKV in vitro without exhibiting cytotoxic effects. The extract was active against different ZIKV African and Asian strains, including an epidemic one. Time-of-drug-addition assays revealed that the P. mauritianum extract interfered with the attachment of the viral particles to the host cells. Importantly, the P. mauritianum extract was also able to prevent the infection of human cells by four dengue virus serotypes. Due to its potency and ability to target ZIKV and DENV particles, P. mauritianum may be of value for identifying and characterizing antiviral compounds to fight medically-important flaviviruses.
A Fast Sparse Recovery Algorithm for Compressed Sensing Using Approximate l0 Norm and Modified Newton Method
Authors: Jin Dingfei , Yang Yue , Ge Tao , Wu Daole
Published: April 2019

In this paper, we propose a fast sparse recovery algorithm based on the approximate l0 norm (FAL0), which is helpful in improving the practicability of the compressed sensing theory. We adopt a simple function that is continuous and differentiable to approximate the l0 norm. With the aim of minimizing the l0 norm, we derive a sparse recovery algorithm using the modified Newton method. In addition, we neglect the zero elements in the process of computing, which greatly reduces the amount of computation. In a computer simulation experiment, we test the image denoising and signal recovery performance of the different sparse recovery algorithms. The results show that the convergence rate of this method is faster, and it achieves nearly the same accuracy as other algorithms, improving the signal recovery efficiency under the same conditions.
Dynamic Modulus of Porous Asphalt and the Effect of Moisture Conditioning
Authors: Nguyen Tan Hung , Ahn Jaehun , Lee Jaejun , Kim Jin-Hwan
Published: April 2019

Porous asphalt has been used for permeable pavement to improve safety of roadways and the effectiveness of storm water management. As a surface drainage layer with frequent exposure to water, this material is affected by moisture. In this study, dynamic modulus tests were performed on both moisture unconditioned and conditioned specimens to characterize viscoelastic properties of porous asphalt mixture. The dynamic modulus values of porous asphalt materials with air void content of 9.0% and 20.5% were investigated at dry condition and after specified moisture conditioning cycles. One cycle of moisture conditioning procedure included placing specimens in water tank at 60 °C for 24 h, and then in another water tank at 25 °C for additional 2 h. The results showed that porous asphalt mixture with lower air void content resulted in higher values of dynamic modulus, and these values of porous asphalt with air void content of 9.0% was about 1.5 to 3.0 times that of porous asphalt with air void content of 20.5%. Higher value of the first number of performance graded binder (average 7-day maximum pavement design temperature) seems to make the dynamic modulus values at high temperatures larger. After moisture conditioning, the dynamic modulus of porous asphalt mixture increased, overall, especially at low temperatures. The appropriated selection of asphalt binder, a weakening of asphalt due to moisture damage can be reduced.
Protective Effect of Phloroglucinol on Oxidative Stress-Induced DNA Damage and Apoptosis through Activation of the Nrf2/HO-1 Signaling Pathway in HaCaT Human Keratinocytes
Authors: Park Cheol , Cha Hee-Jae , Hong Su Hyun , Kim Gi-Young , Kim Suhkmann , Kim Heui-Soo , Kim Byung Woo , Jeon You-Jin , Choi Yung Hyun
Published: April 2019

Phloroglucinol (PG) is a component of phlorotannins, which are abundant in marine brown alga species. Recent studies have shown that PG is beneficial in protecting cells from oxidative stress. In this study, we evaluated the protective efficacy of PG in HaCaT human skin keratinocytes stimulated with oxidative stress (hydrogen peroxide, H2O2). The results showed that PG significantly inhibited the H2O2-induced growth inhibition in HaCaT cells, which was associated with increased expression of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) by the activation of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor-2 (Nrf2). PG remarkably reversed H2O2-induced excessive ROS production, DNA damage, and apoptosis. Additionally, H2O2-induced mitochondrial dysfunction was related to a decrease in ATP levels, and in the presence of PG, these changes were significantly impaired. Furthermore, the increases of cytosolic release of cytochrome c and ratio of Bax to Bcl-2, and the activation of caspase-9 and caspase-3 by the H2O2 were markedly abolished under the condition of PG pretreatment. However, the inhibition of HO-1 function using zinc protoporphyrin, a HO-1 inhibitor, markedly attenuated these protective effects of PG against H2O2. Overall, our results suggest that PG is able to protect HaCaT keratinocytes against oxidative stress-induced DNA damage and apoptosis through activating the Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway.
Tying Processing Parameters to the Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Nanostructured FeNiZr Consolidated via the Field Assisted Sintering Technique
Authors: Fudger Sean J. , Luckenbaugh Thomas L. , Roberts Anthony J. , Haines Chris D. , Darling Kris A.
Published: April 2019

An oxide-dispersion-strengthened (ODS) nanostructured FeNiZr alloy was fabricated via high energy mechanical alloying, and subsequently consolidated by the field assisted sintering technique (FAST). A range of input parameters: Temperature, hold time and pressure were evaluated in an effort to optimize the mechanical response of the material. Improvements in density, up to 98.6% of theoretical, were observed with increasing consolidation temperature and hold time at the cost of decreasing hardness values resulting from microstructural coarsening. Hardness values decreased from 650 to 275 HV by increasing processing temperatures from 750 to 1100 °C. The relationships between the varied processing parameters, microstructure and the experimentally measured yield and ultimate tensile strengths are discussed. Specifically, the effect of varying the temperature and hold time on the resulting porosity, as observed via scanning electron microscopy (SEM) in tensile and compression samples, is emphasized.
Partial-Gated Memristor Crossbar for Fast and Power-Efficient Defect-Tolerant Training
Authors: Pham Khoa Van , Nguyen Tien Van , Min Kyeong-Sik
Published: April 2019

A real memristor crossbar has defects, which should be considered during the retraining time after the pre-training of the crossbar. For retraining the crossbar with defects, memristors should be updated with the weights that are calculated by the back-propagation algorithm. Unfortunately, programming the memristors takes a very long time and consumes a large amount of power, because of the incremental behavior of memristor’s program-verify scheme for the fine-tuning of memristor’s conductance. To reduce the programming time and power, the partial gating scheme is proposed here to realize the partial training, where only some part of neurons are trained, which are more responsible in the recognition error. By retraining the part, rather than the entire crossbar, the programming time and power of memristor crossbar can be significantly reduced. The proposed scheme has been verified by CADENCE circuit simulation with the real memristor’s Verilog-A model. When compared to retraining the entire crossbar, the loss of recognition rate of the partial gating scheme has been estimated only as small as 2.5% and 2.9%, for the MNIST and CIFAR-10 datasets, respectively. However, the programming time and power can be saved by 86% and 89.5% than the 100% retraining, respectively.
Design Guidelines for Thermally Driven Micropumps of Different Architectures Based on Target Applications via Kinetic Modeling and Simulations
Authors: López Quesada Guillermo , Tatsios Giorgos , Valougeorgis Dimitris , Rojas-Cárdenas Marcos , Baldas Lucien , Barrot Christine , Colin Stéphane
Published: April 2019

The manufacturing process and architecture of three Knudsen type micropumps are discussed and the associated flow performance characteristics are investigated. The proposed fabrication process, based on the deposition of successive dry film photoresist layers with low thermal conductivity, is easy to implement, adaptive to specific applications, cost-effective, and significantly improves thermal management. Three target application designs, requiring high mass flow rates (pump A), high pressure differences (pump B), and relatively high mass flow rates and pressure differences (pump C), are proposed. Computations are performed based on kinetic modeling via the infinite capillary theory, taking into account all foreseen manufacturing and operation constraints. The performance characteristics of the three pump designs in terms of geometry (number of parallel microchannels per stage and number of stages) and inlet pressure are obtained. It is found that pumps A and B operate more efficiently at pressures higher than 5 kPa and lower than 20 kPa, respectively, while the optimum operation range of pump C is at inlet pressures between 1 kPa and 20 kPa. In all cases, it is advisable to have the maximum number of stages as well as of parallel microchannels per stage that can be technologically realized.
Recovering Iron from Iron Ore Tailings and Preparing Concrete Composite Admixtures
Authors: Tang Chang , Li Keqing , Ni Wen , Fan Duncheng
Published: April 2019

Iron ore tailings (IOTs) are a form of solid waste produced during the beneficiation process of iron ore concentrate. In this paper, iron recovery from IOTs was studied at different points during a process involving pre-concentration followed by direct reduction and magnetic separation. Then, slag-tailing concrete composite admixtures were prepared from high-silica residues. Based on the analyses of the chemical composition and crystalline phases, a pre-concentration test was developed, and a pre-concentrated concentrate (PC) with an iron grade of 36.58 wt % and a total iron recovery of 83.86 wt % was obtained from a feed iron grade of 12.61 wt %. Furthermore, the influences of various parameters on iron recovery from PC through direct reduction and magnetic separation were investigated. The optimal parameters were found to be as follows: A roasting temperature of 1250 °C, a roasting time of 50 min, and a 17.5:7.5:12.5:100 ratio of bitumite/sodium carbonate/lime/PC. Under these conditions, the iron grade of the reduced iron powder was 92.30 wt %, and the iron recovery rate was 93.96 wt %. With respect to the original IOTs, the iron recovery was 78.79 wt %. Then, highly active slag-tailing concrete composite admixtures were prepared using the high-silica residues and S75 blast furnace slag powder. When the amount of high-silica residues replacing slag was 20%, the strength of cement mortar blocks at 7 days and 28 days was 33.11 MPa and 50 MPa, respectively, whereas the activity indices were 89 and 108, respectively. Meanwhile, the fluidity rate was appropriately 109. When the content of high-silica residues replacing slag was not more than 30%, the quality of mineral admixtures was not reduced. Last but not least, reusing the high-silica residues during iron recovery enabled the complete utilization of the IOTs.
First Step Towards Larger DNA-Based Assemblies of Fluorescent Silver Nanoclusters: Template Design and Detailed Characterization of Optical Properties
Authors: Yourston Liam E. , Lushnikov Alexander Y. , Shevchenko Oleg A. , Afonin Kirill A. , Krasnoslobodtsev Alexey V.
Published: April 2019

Besides being a passive carrier of genetic information, DNA can also serve as an architecture template for the synthesis of novel fluorescent nanomaterials that are arranged in a highly organized network of functional entities such as fluorescent silver nanoclusters (AgNCs). Only a few atoms in size, the properties of AgNCs can be tuned using a variety of templating DNA sequences, overhangs, and neighboring duplex regions. In this study, we explore the properties of AgNCs manufactured on a short DNA sequence—an individual element designed for a construction of a larger DNA-based functional assembly. The effects of close proximity of the double-stranded DNA, the directionality of templating single-stranded sequence, and conformational heterogeneity of the template are presented. We observe differences between designs containing the same AgNC templating sequence—twelve consecutive cytosines, (dC)12. AgNCs synthesized on a single “basic” templating element, (dC)12, emit in “red”. The addition of double-stranded DNA core, required for the larger assemblies, changes optical properties of the silver nanoclusters by adding a new population of clusters emitting in “green”. A new population of “blue” emitting clusters forms only when ssDNA templating sequence is placed on the 5′ end of the double-stranded core. We also compare properties of silver nanoclusters, which were incorporated into a dimeric structure—a first step towards a larger assembly.
Cynanchum wilfordii Etanolic Extract Controls Blood Cholesterol: A Double-blind, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled, Parallel Trial
Authors: Youn Ji Sun , Ham Young Min , Yoon Weon-Jong , Choi Ho-Chun , Lee Ji Eun , Cho Belong , Kim Ji Yeon
Published: April 2019

We evaluated the effects of Cynanchum wilfordii (CW) ethanolic extract on blood cholesterol levels in adults with high low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels. In a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, parallel trial, 84 subjects were recruited. Participants were randomly divided into two groups with a low-dose (300 mg/d) or high-dose (600 mg/d) of CW. Levels of very low-density lipoprotein (p = 0.022) and triglycerides (p = 0.022) were significantly lower in the low-dose CW group than in the placebo group after 8 weeks. In a subgroup of participants with LDL-C≥ 150 mg/dL (n = 33), there was a significant decrease in total cholesterol (low-dose, p = 0.012; high-dose, p = 0.021), apolipoprotein B (low-dose, p = 0.022; high-dose, p = 0.016), and cholesteryl ester transfer protein (low-dose, p = 0.037; high-dose, p = 0.016) after 8 weeks of CW. The correlation between changes in total cholesterol and baseline LDL-C levels was significant in the groups that received both doses of CW (low-dose, p = 0.010; high-dose, p = 0.015). These results show that the CW ethanolic extract can regulate blood cholesterol in subjects with LDL-C≥ 150 mg/dL.
The Food Literacy Action Logic Model: A Tertiary Education Sector Innovative Strategy to Support the Charitable Food Sectors Need for Food Literacy Training
Authors: Lawlis Tanya , Sambell Ros , Douglas-Watson Amanda , Belton Sarah , Devine Amanda
Published: April 2019

Food literacy is seen as a key component in improving the increasing levels of food insecurity. While responsibility for providing training falls on the charitable service organizations, they may not have the capacity to adequately reach those in need. This paper proposes a tertiary education - (university or higher education) led model to support the food literacy training needs of the food charity sector. A cross-sectional study comprised of online surveys and discussions investigated food services offered by Western Australia (WA) and Australian Capital Territory (ACT) agencies, food literacy training needs for staff, volunteers and clients, and challenges to delivering food literacy training programs. Purposive sampling was used, and ACT and WA charitable service originations (survey: ACT n = 23, WA n = 32; interviews: ACT n = 3, WA n = 2) were invited to participate. Findings suggest organizations had limited financial and human resources to address the gap in food literacy training. Nutrition, food budgeting, and food safety education was delivered to paid staff only with limited capacity for knowledge transfer to clients. The Food Literacy Action Logic Model, underpinned by a tertiary education engagement strategy, is proposed to support and build capacity for organizations to address training gaps and extend the reach of food literacy to this under-resourced sector.
Mechanisms of Carotenoid Intestinal Absorption: Where Do We Stand?
Authors: Reboul Emmanuelle
Published: April 2019

A growing literature is dedicated to the understanding of carotenoid beneficial health effects. However, the absorption process of this broad family of molecules is still poorly understood. These highly lipophilic plant metabolites are usually weakly absorbed. It was long believed that β-carotene absorption (the principal provitamin A carotenoid in the human diet), and thus all other carotenoid absorption, was driven by passive diffusion through the brush border of the enterocytes. The identification of transporters able to facilitate carotenoid uptake by the enterocytes has challenged established statements. After a brief overview of carotenoid metabolism in the human upper gastrointestinal tract, a focus will be put on the identified proteins participating in the transport and the metabolism of carotenoids in intestinal cells and the regulation of these processes. Further progress in the understanding of the molecular mechanisms regulating carotenoid intestinal absorption is still required to optimize their bioavailability and, thus, their health effects.