bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
GhVTC1, the Key Gene for Ascorbate Biosynthesis in Gossypium hirsutum, Involves in Cell Elongation under Control of Ethylene
Authors: Song Wangyang , Wang Fei , Chen Lihua , Ma Rendi , Zuo Xiaoyu , Cao Aiping , Xie Shuangquan , Chen Xifeng , Jin Xiang , Li Hongbin
Published: September 2019

L-Ascorbate (Asc) plays important roles in cell growth and plant development, and its de novo biosynthesis was catalyzed by the first rate-limiting enzyme VTC1. However, the function and regulatory mechanism of VTC1 involved in cell development is obscure in Gossypium hirsutum. Herein, the Asc content and AsA/DHA ratio were accumulated and closely linked with fiber development. The GhVTC1 encoded a typical VTC1 protein with functional conserved domains and expressed preferentially during fiber fast elongation stages. Functional complementary analysis of GhVTC1 in the loss-of-function Arabidopsis vtc1-1 mutants indicated that GhVTC1 is genetically functional to rescue the defects of mutants to normal or wild type (WT). The significant shortened primary root in vtc1-1 mutants was promoted to the regular length of WT by the ectopic expression of GhVTC1 in the mutants. Additionally, GhVTC1 expression was induced by ethylene precursor 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC), and the GhVTC1 promoter showed high activity and included two ethylene-responsive elements (ERE). Moreover, the 5′-truncted promoters containing the ERE exhibited increased activity by ACC treatment. Our results firstly report the cotton GhVTC1 function in promoting cell elongation at the cellular level, and serve as a foundation for further understanding the regulatory mechanism of Asc-mediated cell growth via the ethylene signaling pathway.
Design and Preparation of a 6-Channel Fan-Shaped Integrated Narrow-Band Filter in the Mid-Infrared Band
Authors: Duan Yingbu , Cai Changlong , Liang Haifeng , Jia Tiantian , Yin Shujing
Published: September 2019

A six-channel fan-shaped integrated narrow-band filter on a silicon substrate was designed on the basis of the Fabray–Perot (FP) theory and was fabricated using e-beam thermal evaporation. The central wavelength was modulated by modifying the FP cavity thickness using the combination mask method. Germanium and zinc sulfide were selected as the high and low refractive index film materials, respectively. Its average peak transmission reached 83.3%, the cut-off transmittance was less than 1%, and the full width at half maximum (FWHM) changed from 55 and 94 nm, and the central wavelength positioning accuracy error was less than 0.35%. Furthermore, transmittance was also calculated inversely, using the thickness of each layer of films, in order to deduce the reason of the decrease in peak transmittance. Thickness deviation of each layer and interface scattering contributed to the decrease of peak transmittance. Compared with the same type of products in the market, our filter showed better properties than that of some published and commercial filter.
Security Analysis for CBTC Systems under Attack–Defense Confrontation
Authors: Wu Wenhao , Bu Bing
Published: September 2019

Communication-based train controls (CBTC) systems play a major role in urban rail transportation. As CBTC systems are no longer isolated from the outside world but use other networks to increase efficiency and improve productivity, they are exposed to huge cyber threats. This paper proposes a generalized stochastic Petri net (GSPN) model to capture dynamic interaction between the attacker and the defender to evaluate the security of CBTC systems. Depending on the characteristics of the system and attack–defense methods, we divided our model into two phases: penetration and disruption. In each phase, we provided effective means of attack and corresponding defensive measures, and the system state was determined correspondingly. Additionally, a semiphysical simulation platform and game model were proposed to assist the GSPN model parameterization. With the steady-state probability of the system output from the model, we propose several indicators for assessing system security. Finally, we compared the security of the system with single defensive measures and multiple defensive measures. Our evaluations indicated the significance of the defensive measures and the seriousness of the system security situation.
Cable Incipient Fault Identification with a Sparse Autoencoder and a Deep Belief Network
Authors: Liu Ning , Fan Bo , Xiao Xianyong , Yang Xiaomei
Published: September 2019

Incipient faults in power cables are a serious threat to power safety and are difficult to accurately identify. The traditional pattern recognition method based on feature extraction and feature selection has strong subjectivity. If the key feature information cannot be extracted accurately, the recognition accuracy will directly decrease. To accurately identify incipient faults in power cables, this paper combines a sparse autoencoder and a deep belief network to form a deep neural network, which relies on the powerful learning ability of the neural network to classify and identify various cable fault signals, without requiring preprocessing operations for the fault signals. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed approach can effectively identify cable incipient faults from other disturbances with a similar overcurrent phenomenon and has a higher recognition accuracy and reliability than the traditional pattern recognition method.
The High Energy View of FR0 Radio Galaxies
Authors: Baldi Ranieri Diego , Torresi Eleonora , Migliori Giulia , Balmaverde Barbara
Published: September 2019

A new class of low-power compact radio sources with limited jet structures, named FR 0, is emerging from recent radio-optical surveys. This abundant population of radio galaxies, five times more numerous than FR Is in the local Universe (z < 0.05), represent a potentially interesting target at high and very-high energies (greater than 100 GeV), as demonstrated by a single case of Fermi detection. Furthermore, these radio galaxies have been recently claimed to contribute non-negligibly to the extra-galactic γ-ray background and to be possible cosmic neutrino emitters. Here, we review the radio through X-ray properties of FR 0s to predict their high-energy emission (from MeV to TeV), in light of the near-future facilities operating in this band.
The Duplicated Y-specific amhy Gene Is Conserved and Linked to Maleness in Silversides of the Genus Odontesthes
Authors: Hattori Ricardo S. , Somoza Gustavo M. , Fernandino Juan I. , Colautti Dario C. , Miyoshi Kaho , Gong Zhuang , Yamamoto Yoji , Strüssmann Carlos A.
Published: September 2019

Sex-determining genes have been successively isolated in several teleosts. In Odontesthes hatcheri and O. bonariensis, the amhy gene has been identified as a master sex-determining gene. However, whether this gene is conserved along related species is still unknown. In this study, the presence of amhy and its association with phenotypic sex was analyzed in 10 species of Odontesthes genus. The primer sets from O. hatcheri that amplify both amhs successfully generated fragments that correspond to amha and amhy in all species. The full sequences of amhy and amha isolated for four key species revealed higher identity values among presumptive amhy, including the 0.5 Kbp insertion in the third intron and amhy-specific insertions/deletions. Amha was present in all specimens, regardless of species and sex, whereas amhy was amplified in most but not all phenotypic males. Complete association between amhy-homologue with maleness was found in O. argentinensis, O. incisa, O. mauleanum, O. perugiae, O. piquava, O. regia, and O. smitti, whereas O. humensis, O. mirinensis, and O. nigricans showed varied degrees of phenotypic/genotypic sex mismatch. The conservation of amhy gene in Odontesthes provide an interesting framework to study the evolution and the ecological interactions of genotypic and environmental sex determination in this group.
Strong Labour Market Inequality of Opportunities at the Workplace for Supporting a Long and Healthy Work-Life: The SeniorWorkingLife Study
Authors: Andersen Lars L. , Jensen Per H. , Meng Annette , Sundstrup Emil
Published: September 2019

Most European countries are gradually increasing the state pension age, but this may run counter to the capabilities and wishes of older workers. The objective of this study is to identify opportunities in the workplace for supporting a prolonged working life in different groups in the labour market. A representative sample of 11,200 employed workers ≥ 50 years responded to 15 questions in random order about opportunities at their workplace for supporting a prolonged working life. Respondents were stratified based on the Danish version of the International Standard Classification of Occupations (ISCO). Using frequency and logistic regression procedures combined with model-assisted weights based on national registers, results showed that the most common opportunities at the workplace were possibilities for more vacation, reduction of working hours, flexible working hours, access to treatment, further education and physical exercise. However, ISCO groups 5–9 (mainly physical work and shorter education) had in general poorer access to these opportunities than ISCO groups 1–4 (mainly seated work and longer education). Women had poorer access than men, and workers with reduced work ability had poorer access than those with full work ability. Thus, in contrast with actual needs, opportunities at the workplace were lower in occupations characterized by physical work and shorter education, among women and among workers with reduced work ability. This inequality poses a threat to prolonging working life in vulnerable groups in the labour market.
Comparative Analysis of Long-Term Variation Characteristics of SO2, NO2, and O3 in the Ecological and Economic Zones of the Western Sichuan Plateau, Southwest China
Authors: Zhao Pengguo , Liu Jia , Luo Yu , Wang Xiuting , Li Bolan , Xiao Hui , Zhou Yunjun
Published: September 2019

Sulfur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and ozone (O3) are important atmospheric pollutants that affect air quality. The long-term variations of SO2 and NO2 in 2008–2018 and O3 in 2015–2018 in the relatively less populated ecological and economic zones of Western Sichuan Plateau, Southwest China were analyzed. In 2008–2018, the variations in SO2 and NO2 in the ecological zone were not significant, but Ganzi showed a slight upward trend. SO2 decreased significantly in the economic zone, especially in Panzhihua, where NO2 changes were not obvious. From 2015 to 2018, the concentration of O3 in the ecological zone increased significantly, while the economic zone showed a downward trend. The rising trend of the concentration ratio of SO2 to NO2 in the ecological zone and the declining trend in the economic zone indicate that the energy consumption structure of these two zones is quite different. The lower correlation coefficients between NO2 and O3 in the Western Sichuan Plateau imply that the variations of O3 are mainly affected by the regional background. The effects of meteorological factors on SO2, NO2, and O3 were more obvious in the economic zone where there are high anthropometric emissions.
Exploring Influence of Sampling Strategies on Event-Based Landslide Susceptibility Modeling
Authors: Lai Jhe-Syuan , Chiang Shou-Hao , Tsai Fuan
Published: September 2019

This study explores two modeling issues that may cause uncertainty in landslide susceptibility assessments when different sampling strategies are employed. The first issue is that extracted attributes within a landslide inventory polygon can vary if the sample is obtained from different locations with diverse topographic conditions. The second issue is the mixing problem of landslide inventory that the detection of landslide areas from remotely-sensed data generally includes source and run-out features unless the run-out portion can be removed manually with auxiliary data. To this end, different statistical sampling strategies and the run-out influence on random forests (RF)-based landslide susceptibility modeling are explored for Typhoon Morakot in 2009 in southern Taiwan. To address the construction of models with an extremely high false alarm error or missing error, this study integrated cost-sensitive analysis with RF to adjust the decision boundary to achieve improvements. Experimental results indicate that, compared with a logistic regression model, RF with the hybrid sample strategy generally performs better, achieving over 80% and 0.7 for the overall accuracy and kappa coefficient, respectively, and higher accuracies can be obtained when the run-out is treated as an independent class or combined with a non-landslide class. Cost-sensitive analysis significantly improved the prediction accuracy from 5% to 10%. Therefore, run-out should be separated from the landslide source and labeled as an individual class when preparing a landslide inventory.
Development of an Object-Based Interpretive System Based on Weighted Scoring Method in a Multi-Scale Manner
Authors: Kiani Abbas , Ebadi Hamid , Farnood Ahmadi Farshid
Published: September 2019

For an accurate interpretation of high-resolution images, correct training samples are required, whose automatic production is an important step. However, the proper way to use them and the reduction of their defects should also be taken into consideration. To this end, in this study, the application of different combinations of training data in a layered structure provided different scores for each observation. For each observation (segment) in a layer, the scores corresponded to the obtained misclassification cost for all classes. Next, these scores were properly weighted by considering the stability of different layers, the adjacency analysis of each segment in a multi-scale manner and the main properties of the basic classes. Afterwards, by integrating the scores of all classes weighted in all layers, the final scores were produced. Finally, the labels were achieved in the form of collective wisdom, obtained from the weighted scores of all segments. In the present study, the aim was to develop a hybrid intelligent system that can exploit both expert knowledge and machine learning algorithms to improve the accuracy and efficiency of the object-based classification. To evaluate the efficiency of the proposed method, the results of this research were assessed and compared with those of other methods in the semi-urban domain. The experimental results indicated the reliability and efficiency of the proposed method.
AFM-based Analysis of Wharton’s Jelly Mesenchymal Stem Cells
Authors: Szydlak Renata , Majka Marcin , Lekka Małgorzata , Kot Marta , Laidler Piotr
Published: September 2019

Wharton’s jelly mesenchymal stem cells (WJ-MSCs) are multipotent stem cells that can be used in regenerative medicine. However, to reach the high therapeutic efficacy of WJ-MSCs, it is necessary to obtain a large amount of MSCs, which requires their extensive in vitro culturing. Numerous studies have shown that in vitro expansion of MSCs can lead to changes in cell behavior; cells lose their ability to proliferate, differentiate and migrate. One of the important measures of cells’ migration potential is their elasticity, determined by atomic force microscopy (AFM) and quantified by Young’s modulus. This work describes the elasticity of WJ-MSCs during in vitro cultivation. To identify the properties that enable transmigration, the deformability of WJ-MSCs that were able to migrate across the endothelial monolayer or Matrigel was analyzed by AFM. We showed that WJ-MSCs displayed differences in deformability during in vitro cultivation. This phenomenon seems to be strongly correlated with the organization of F-actin and reflects the changes characteristic for stem cell maturation. Furthermore, the results confirm the relationship between the deformability of WJ-MSCs and their migration potential and suggest the use of Young’s modulus as one of the measures of competency of MSCs with respect to their possible use in therapy.
Decreased Level of Neurotrophic Factor Neuritin 1 in Women with Ovarian Endometriosis after Receiving Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone Agonist Treatment
Authors: Rahmawati Endah , Yang Wei-Chung Vivian , Lei Yen-Ping , Maurya Pawan Kumar , Chen Huei-Wen , Tzeng Chii-Ruey
Published: September 2019

This study aimed to investigate the effect of gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist (GnRHa) treatment on the expression of neuritin 1 (NRN1) in women with ovarian endometriosis. We collected tissues and serum from women with endometriosis treated with (n = 45) or without (n = 37) GnRHa. NRN1 mRNA and protein levels were measured using qPCR and Western blot. Immunolocalization of NRN1 in endometriotic tissues was examined using immunohistochemistry. In addition, a follow-up study was carried out to monitor the serum level of NRN1 in patients before and after GnRHa treatment. Both mRNA (p = 0.046) and protein (p = 0.0155) levels of NRN1 were significantly lower in endometriotic tissues from patients receiving GnRHa treatment compared to the untreated group. Both epithelial and stromal cells of endometriotic tissues from untreated women with endometriosis exhibited stronger staining of NRN1 but not in those who were treated with GnRHa. The follow-up study showed that the serum level of the NRN1 concentration decreased significantly from 1149 ± 192.3 to 379.2 ± 80.16 pg/mL after GnRHa treatment (p = 0.0098). The expression of NRN1 was significantly lower in women with ovarian endometriosis treated with GnRHa. These results suggest that NRN1 may be a biomarker response to the effect of GnRHa treatment for patients with ovarian endometriosis.
Dual role of Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress-Mediated Unfolded Protein Response Signaling Pathway in Carcinogenesis
Authors: Siwecka Natalia , Rozpędek Wioletta , Pytel Dariusz , Wawrzynkiewicz Adam , Dziki Adam , Dziki Łukasz , Diehl J. Alan , Majsterek Ireneusz
Published: September 2019

Cancer constitutes a grave problem nowadays in view of the fact that it has become one of the main causes of death worldwide. Poor clinical prognosis is presumably due to cancer cells metabolism as tumor microenvironment is affected by oxidative stress. This event triggers adequate cellular response and thereby creates appropriate conditions for further cancer progression. Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress occurs when the balance between an ability of the ER to fold and transfer proteins and the degradation of the misfolded ones become distorted. Since ER is an organelle relatively sensitive to oxidative damage, aforementioned conditions swiftly cause the activation of the unfolded protein response (UPR) signaling pathway. The output of the UPR, depending on numerous factors, may vary and switch between the pro-survival and the pro-apoptotic branch, and hence it displays opposing effects in deciding the fate of the cancer cell. The role of UPR-related proteins in tumorigenesis, such as binding the immunoglobulin protein (BiP) and inositol-requiring enzyme-1α (IRE1α), activating transcription factor 6 (ATF6) or the protein kinase R (PKR)-like endoplasmic reticulum kinase (PERK), has already been specifically described so far. Nevertheless, due to the paradoxical outcomes of the UPR activation as well as gaps in current knowledge, it still needs to be further investigated. Herein we would like to elicit the actual link between neoplastic diseases and the UPR signaling pathway, considering its major branches and discussing its potential use in the development of a novel, anti-cancer, targeted therapy.
Global Transcriptome and Co-Expression Network Analysis Reveal Contrasting Response of Japonica and Indica Rice Cultivar to γ Radiation
Authors: Zhang Xiaoxiang , Huang Niansheng , Mo Lanjing , Lv Minjia , Gao Yingbo , Wang Junpeng , Liu Chang , Yin Shuangyi , Zhou Juan , Xiao Ning , Pan Cunhong , Xu Yabin , Dong Guichun , Yang Zefeng , Li Aihong , Huang Jianye , Wang Yulong , Yao Youli
Published: September 2019

Japonica and indica are two important subspecies in cultivated Asian rice. Irradiation is a classical approach to induce mutations and create novel germplasm. However, little is known about the differential response between japonica and indica rice after γ radiation. Here, we utilized the RNA sequencing and Weighted Gene Co-expression Network Analysis (WGCNA) to compare the transcriptome differences between japonica Nipponbare (NPB) and indica Yangdao6 (YD6) in response to irradiation. Japonica subspecies are more sensitive to irradiation than the indica subspecies. Indica showed a higher seedling survival rate than japonica. Irradiation caused more extensive DNA damage in shoots than in roots, and the severity was higher in NPB than in YD6. GO and KEGG pathway analyses indicate that the core genes related to DNA repair and replication and cell proliferation are similarly regulated between the varieties, however the universal stress responsive genes show contrasting differential response patterns in japonica and indica. WGCNA identifies 37 co-expressing gene modules and ten candidate hub genes for each module. This provides novel evidence indicating that certain peripheral pathways may dominate the molecular networks in irradiation survival and suggests more potential target genes in breeding for universal stress tolerance in rice.
Effects of a Sudden Drop in Salinity on Immune Response Mechanisms of Anadara kagoshimensis
Authors: Zhang Mo , Li Li , Liu Ying , Gao Xiaolong
Published: September 2019

In this experiment, the effects of a sudden drop of salinity on the immune response mechanisms of the ark shell Anadara kagoshimensis were examined by simulating the sudden drop of salinity that occurs in seawater after a rainstorm. Additionally, the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified using transcriptome sequencing. When the salinity dropped from 30‰ (S30) to 14‰ (S14), the phagocytic activity of blood lymphocytes, the O2− levels produced from respiratory burst, the content of reactive oxygen species, and the activities of lysozymes and acid phosphatases increased significantly, whereas the total count of blood lymphocytes did not increase. Total count of blood lymphocytes in 22‰ salinity (S22) was significantly higher than that in any other group. The raw data obtained from sequencing were processed with Trimmomatic (Version 0.36). The expression levels of unigenes were calculated using transcripts per million (TPM) based on the effects of sequencing depth, gene length, and sample on reads. Differential expression analysis was performed using DESeq (Version 1.12.4). Transcriptome sequencing revealed 269 (101 up-regulated, 168 down-regulated), 326 (246 up-regulated, 80 down-regulated), and 185 (132 up-regulated, 53 down-regulated) significant DEGs from comparison of the S14 vs. S22, S22 vs. S30, and S14 vs. S30 groups, respectively. Gene Ontology enrichment analysis of the DEGs in these salinity comparison groups revealed that the cellular amino acid metabolic process, the regulation of protein processing, the regulation of response to stress, and other terms were significantly enriched. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes enrichment analysis showed that nucleotide-binding, oligomerization domain (NOD)-like receptor signaling pathway (ko04621), apoptosis-multiple species (ko04215), Toll and Imd signaling pathway (ko04624), NF-κB signaling pathway (ko04064), apoptosis (ko04210), and focal adhesion (ko04510) were significantly enriched in all salinity comparison groups. qRT-PCR verification of 12 DEGs in the above six pathways was conducted, and the results were consistent with the transcriptome sequencing results in terms of up-regulation and down-regulation, which illustrates that the transcriptome sequencing data are credible. These results were used to preliminarily explore the effects of a sudden drop of salinity on blood physiological and biochemical indexes and immunoregulatory mechanisms of A. kagoshimensis. They also provide a theoretical basis for the selection of bottom areas optimal for release and proliferation of A. kagoshimensis required to restore the declining populations of this species.
Molecular Targets of Aspirin and Prevention of Preeclampsia and Their Potential Association with Circulating Extracellular Vesicles during Pregnancy
Authors: Dutta Suchismita , Kumar Sathish , Hyett Jon , Salomon Carlos
Published: September 2019

Uncomplicated healthy pregnancy is the outcome of successful fertilization, implantation of embryos, trophoblast development and adequate placentation. Any deviation in these cascades of events may lead to complicated pregnancies such as preeclampsia (PE). The current incidence of PE is 2–8% in all pregnancies worldwide, leading to high maternal as well as perinatal mortality and morbidity rates. A number of randomized controlled clinical trials observed the association between low dose aspirin (LDA) treatment in early gestational age and significant reduction of early onset of PE in high-risk pregnant women. However, a substantial knowledge gap exists in identifying the particular mechanism of action of aspirin on placental function. It is already established that the placental-derived exosomes (PdE) are present in the maternal circulation from 6 weeks of gestation, and exosomes contain bioactive molecules such as proteins, lipids and RNA that are a “fingerprint” of their originating cells. Interestingly, levels of exosomes are higher in PE compared to normal pregnancies, and changes in the level of PdE during the first trimester may be used to classify women at risk for developing PE. The aim of this review is to discuss the mechanisms of action of LDA on placental and maternal physiological systems including the role of PdE in these phenomena. This review article will contribute to the in-depth understanding of LDA-induced PE prevention.
CaMKII Activity in the Inflammatory Response of Cardiac Diseases
Authors: Rusciano Maria Rosaria , Sommariva Elena , Douin-Echinard Victorine , Ciccarelli Michele , Poggio Paolo , Maione Angela Serena
Published: September 2019

Inflammation is a physiological process by which the body responds to external insults and stress conditions, and it is characterized by the production of pro-inflammatory mediators such as cytokines. The acute inflammatory response is solved by removing the threat. Conversely, a chronic inflammatory state is established due to a prolonged inflammatory response and may lead to tissue damage. Based on the evidence of a reciprocal regulation between inflammation process and calcium unbalance, here we described the involvement of a calcium sensor in cardiac diseases with inflammatory drift. Indeed, the Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII) is activated in several diseases with an inflammatory component, such as myocardial infarction, ischemia/reperfusion injury, pressure overload/hypertrophy, and arrhythmic syndromes, in which it actively regulates pro-inflammatory signaling, among which includes nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB), thus contributing to pathological cardiac remodeling. Thus, CaMKII may represent a key target to modulate the severity of the inflammatory-driven degeneration.
Network Model for Online News Media Landscape in Twitter
Authors: Lumban Gaol Ford , Matsuo Tokuro , Maulana Ardian
Published: September 2019

Today, most studies of audience networks analyze the landscape of the news media on the web. However, media ecology has been drastically reconfigured by the emergence of social media. In this study, we use Twitter follower data to build an online news media network that represents the pattern of news consumption in Twitter. This study adopted a weighted network model proposed by Mukerjee et al. and implemented the Filter Disparity Method suggested by Majó-Vázquez et al. to identify the most significant overlaps in the network. The implementation result on news media outlets data in three countries, namely Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore, shows that network analysis of follower overlap data can offer relevant insights about media diet and the way readers navigate various news sources available on social media.
Living on the Edge: Using and Improving Trap Crops for Flea Beetle Management in Small-Scale Cropping Systems
Authors: George David , Port Gordon , Collier Rosemary
Published: September 2019

The use of trap crops to manage pest insects offers an attractive alternative to synthetic pesticides. Trap crops may work particularly well at smaller production scales, being highly amenable where crop diversification and reduction of synthetic inputs are prioritised over yield alone. This paper describes a series of experiments. The first was to demonstrate the potential of turnip rape (Brassica rapa L., var. Pasja) as a trap crop to arrest flea beetles (Phyllotreta spp.) to protect a main crop of cauliflower (Brassica oleracea L., var. Lateman). The subsequent experiments explored two possible approaches to improve the function of the trap crop—either by separating trap and main crop plants spatially, or by introducing companion plants of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill., cv Amateur) into the main crop. In caged field experiments, feeding damage by flea beetles to crop border plantings of turnip rape far exceeded damage to cauliflower plants placed in the same position, indicating a “trap crop effect”. Neither turnip rape plants nor cauliflower as a border significantly reduced flea beetle damage to main crop cauliflower plants, although the numbers of feeding holes in these plants were lowest where a turnip rape border was used. In similar cages, leaving gaps of 3–6 m of bare soil between turnip rape and cauliflower plants significantly reduced feeding damage to the latter, as compared to when plants were adjacent. The results of a small-scale open field trial showed that a turnip rape trap crop alone reduced flea beetle damage to cauliflower, significantly so later in the season at higher pest pressures, but that addition of tomato companion plants did not improve pest control potential.
Indirect Calorimetry in Clinical Practice
Authors: Delsoglio Marta , Achamrah Najate , Berger Mette M. , Pichard Claude
Published: September 2019

Indirect calorimetry (IC) is considered as the gold standard to determine energy expenditure, by measuring pulmonary gas exchanges. It is a non-invasive technique that allows clinicians to personalize the prescription of nutrition support to the metabolic needs and promote a better clinical outcome. Recent technical developments allow accurate and easy IC measurements in spontaneously breathing patients as well as in those on mechanical ventilation. The implementation of IC in clinical routine should be promoted in order to optimize the cost–benefit balance of nutrition therapy. This review aims at summarizing the latest innovations of IC as well as the clinical indications, benefits, and limitations.
Synchronous Counter Design Using Novel Level Sensitive T-FF in QCA Technology
Authors: Majeed Ali H. , Alkaldy Esam , bin Zainal Mohd Shamian , Bin MD Nor Danial
Published: September 2019

The quantum-dot cellular automata (QCA) nano-technique has attracted computer scientists due to its noticeable features such as low power consumption and small size. Many papers have been published in the literature about the utilization of this technology for de-signing many QCA circuits and for presenting logic gates in an optimal structure. The T flip-flop, which is an essential part of digital designs, can be used to design synchronous and asynchronous counters. This paper presents a novel T flip-flop structure in an optimal form. The presented novel gate was used to design an N-bit binary synchronous counter. The QCADesigner software was used to verify the designed circuits and to present the simulation results, while the QCAPro tool was used for the power analysis. The proposed design required minimal power and showed good improvements over previous designs.
Accumulation of Pore Pressure in a Soft Clay Seabed around a Suction Anchor Subjected to Cyclic Loads
Authors: Li Hui , Chen Xuguang , Hu Cun , Wang Shuqing , Liu Jinzhong
Published: September 2019

A suction anchor is an appealing anchoring solution for floating production. However, the possible effects of residual pore pressure can be rarely found any report so far in term of the research and design. In this study, the residual pore pressure distribution characteristics around the suction anchor subjected to vertical cyclic loads are investigated in a soft clay seabed, and a three-dimensional damage-dependent bounding surface model is also proposed. This model adopts the combined isotropic-kinematic hardening rule to achieve isotropic hardening and kinematic hardening of the boundary surface. The proposed model is validated against triaxial tests on anisotropically consolidated saturated clays and normally consolidated saturated clays. The analytical results show that the excess pore water pressure accumulates primarily on the outside of the suction anchor, whereas negative pore water pressure mainly on the inside. The maximum values of both sides appear in the lower part of the seabed. According to the distribution characteristics of the residual pore pressure, a perforated anchor is proposed to reduce the accumulation of excess pore water pressure. A comparative study generally shows that the perforated anchor can effectively reduce the accumulation of excess pore water pressure.
Numerical Modelling of a Mussel Line System by Means of Lumped-Mass Approach
Authors: Pribadi Ajie Brama Krishna , Donatini Luca , Lataire Evert
Published: September 2019

This paper describes a numerical model to simulate the behavior of a mussel longline system, subjected to environmental loads such as waves and current. The mussel line system consists of an anchor, a mooring chain, a long backbone line, mussel collector lines and buoys. The lumped-mass open-source code MoorDyn is modified for the current application. Waves are modelled as a directional spectrum, and the current as a homogeneous velocity field with an exponential vertical distribution. A Coulomb model is implemented to model the horizontal friction between nodes and the seabed. Cylindrical buoys with three translational degrees-of-freedom are modelled by extending the simplified hydrodynamic model in use for line’s internal nodes with additional properties like cylinder height, diameter and mass. Clump weights are modelled in a similar way. For validation purposes, the results of the present software are compared with the commercially available lumped-mass based mooring dynamic software, OrcaFlex.
Hospital Laboratory Survey for Identification of Candida auris in Belgium
Authors: Dewaele Klaas , Lagrou Katrien , Frans Johan , Hayette Marie-Pierre , Vernelen Kris
Published: September 2019

Candida auris is a difficult-to-identify, emerging yeast and a cause of sustained nosocomial outbreaks. Presently, not much data exist on laboratory preparedness in Europe. To assess the ability of laboratories in Belgium and Luxembourg to detect this species, a blinded C. auris strain was included in the regular proficiency testing rounds organized by the Belgian public health institute, Sciensano. Laboratories were asked to identify and report the isolate as they would in routine clinical practice, as if grown from a blood culture. Of 142 respondents, 82 (57.7%) obtained a correct identification of C. auris. Of 142 respondents, 27 (19.0%) identified the strain as Candida haemulonii. The remaining labs that did not obtain a correct identification (33/142, 23.2%), reported other yeast species (4/33) or failed to obtain a species identification (29/33). To assess awareness about the infection-control implications of the identification, participants were requested to indicate whether referral of this isolate to a reference laboratory was desirable in a clinical context. Over one-third of all respondents (54/142, 38.0%) stated that they would not send the isolate to a reference laboratory, neither for epidemiological reasons nor for identification confirmation or antifungal susceptibility testing. This comprised 41.5% of the laboratories that submitted an identification of C. auris (34/82). Awareness among Belgian microbiologists, therefore, remains inadequate more than two years after C. auris’ emergence in European clinics. Our data confirm high rates of misidentifications with commonly used identification methods. Programs for raising awareness in European hospitals may be warranted.
Precision Oncology—The Quest for Evidence
Authors: Soldatos Theodoros , Kaduthanam Sajo , Jackson David
Published: September 2019

The molecular characterization of patient tumors provides a rational and highly promising approach for guiding oncologists in treatment decision-making. Notwithstanding, genomic medicine still remains in its infancy, with innovators and early adopters continuing to carry a significant portion of the clinical and financial risk. Numerous innovative precision oncology trials have emerged globally to address the associated need for evidence of clinical utility. These studies seek to capitalize on the power of predictive biomarkers and/or treatment decision support analytics, to expeditiously and cost-effectively demonstrate the positive impact of these technologies on drug resistance/response, patient survival, and/or quality of life. Here, we discuss the molecular foundations of these approaches and highlight the diversity of innovative trial strategies that are capitalizing on this emergent knowledge. We conclude that, as increasing volumes of clinico-molecular outcomes data become available, in future, we will begin to transition away from expert systems for treatment decision support (TDS), towards the power of AI-assisted TDS—an evolution that may truly revolutionize the nature and success of cancer patient care.
Controversial Connections: The Water-Energy-Food Nexus in the Blue Nile Basin of Ethiopia
Authors: Müller-Mahn Detlef , Gebreyes Million
Published: September 2019

The article takes hydro-development schemes in the Upper Blue Nile Basin of Ethiopia as an example to discuss the suitability and shortcomings of nexus approaches for the analysis of complex socio-ecological transformations. Based on critical theoretical debates and extensive field research in Ethiopia, the paper broadens the nexus perspective by integrating the three analytical dimensions of time, space, and power. The empirical material comes from a case study of the Fincha-Amerti-Neshe scheme that was implemented in three consecutive stages over almost half a century, combining dams, hydro-power plants, large-scale sugar cane plantations, and a factory for sugar production. The empirical findings follow the historical stages of the scheme and their physical outcomes, which affected much more than just water, energy, and food. The paper explores socio-ecological transformations along the analytical dimensions of time, scale, and power. First, it views time and temporality as essential aspects of change and calls for a more systematic recognition of the historical context out of which development trajectories and current nexus situations have emerged. Second, it takes a cross-scalar perspective to explain how local land use is influenced by regional and global drivers. And third, it emphasizes the importance of asymmetric power structures to explain the dynamics of hydro-developments and their social consequences. In conclusion, the paper calls for a “nexus-plus” perspective that is more sensitive to the historical and cross-scalar embeddedness of hydro-development, and which enables more inclusive and fair governance of scarce resources.
Thermoluminescence Enhancement of LiMgPO4 Crystal Host by Tb3+ and Tm3+ Trivalent Rare-Earth Ions Co-doping
Authors: Gieszczyk Wojciech , Marczewska Barbara , Kłosowski Mariusz , Mrozik Anna , Bilski Paweł , Sas-Bieniarz Anna , Goj Paweł , Stoch Paweł
Published: September 2019

We investigated the influence of terbium and thulium trivalent rare-earth (RE) ions co-doping on the luminescent properties enhancement of LiMgPO4 (LMP) crystal host. The studied crystals were grown from the melt by micro-pulling-down (MPD) technique. Luminescent properties of the obtained crystals were investigated by thermoluminescence (TL) method. The most favorable properties and the highest luminescence enhancement were measured for Tb and Tm double doped crystals. A similar luminescence level can be also obtained for Tm, B co-doped samples. In this case, however, the low-temperature TL components have a significant contribution. The measured luminescent spectra showed a typical emission of Tb3+ and Tm3+ ions of an opposite trapping nature, namely the holes and electron-trapping sites, respectively. The most prominent transitions of 5D4 → 7F3 (550 nm for Tb3+) and 1D2 → 3F4 (450 nm for Tm3+) were observed. It was also found that Tb3+ and Tm3+ emissions show temperature dependence in the case of double doped LMP crystal sample, which was not visible in the case of the samples doped with a single RE dopant. At a low temperature range (up to around 290 °C) Tm3+ emission was dominant. At higher temperatures, the electrons occupying Tm3+ sites started to be released giving rise to emissions from Tb-related recombination centers, and emissions from Tm3+ centers simultaneously decreased. At the highest temperatures, emission took place from Tb3+ recombination centers, but only from deeper 5D4 level-related traps which had not been emptied at a lower temperature range.
Experimental Study on Bond-Slip Behavior between Corroded I-Shaped Steel and Concrete in Subsea Tunnel
Authors: Wang Mingnian , Zhang Yiteng , Yu Li , Dong Yucang , Tian Yuan , Zhou Guojun
Published: September 2019

Degradation of the bond between I-shaped steel and concrete due to the corrosion of I-shaped steel significantly affects the durability of steel reinforced concrete (SRC) structures. This study carried out the accelerated corrosion test and push-out test to study the bond-slip behavior and characteristics considering the corrosion of I-shaped steel, and test results indicated that: (1) The performance degradation of the bond-slip accelerated when the corrosion ratio reached 12%. (2) The corrosion failure pattern of SRC experienced slip phase and destruction phase in the rising stage. (3) Based on the principle of minimum potential energy, the bond stress was obtained only with the load and the displacement in the free end and the loading end. (4) Meanwhile, a new bond-slip degradation model was developed using the interface damage theory. Finally, the proposed model agreed with the experimental results.
Nonlinear Magnetoelectric Response of Fe73.5Cu1Nb3Si13.5B9/Piezofiber Composite for a Pulsed Magnetic Field Sensor
Authors: Lu Caijiang , Zhou Hai , Yang Aichao , Ou Zhengyu , Yu Feihu , Gao Hongli
Published: September 2019

In this paper, we report the nonlinear magnetoelectric response in a homogenous magnetostrictive/piezoelectric laminate material. The proposed magnetoelectric stack Fe73.5Cu1Nb3Si13.5B9/piezofiber is made up of high-permeability magnetostrictive Fe73.5Cu1Nb3Si13.5B9 foils and a piezoelectric Pb(Zr, Ti)O3 fiber composite. The time dependence of magnetoelectric interactions in the Fe73.5Cu1Nb3Si13.5B9/piezofiber structure driven by pulsed magnetic field was investigated in detail. The experimental results show that the magnetoelectric effect is strongly dependent on the external bias magnetic and pulsed magnetic field parameters. To detect the amplitude of a pulsed magnetic field, the output sensitivity reaches 17 mV/Oe, which is excited by a 100 μs width field. In addition, to measure the pulsed width, the output sensitivity reaches 5.4 mV/μs in the range of 0–300 μs. The results show that the proposed Fe73.5Cu1Nb3Si13.5B9/piezofiber sensor is ideally suited for pulsed magnetic field measurement.
Direct Nitridation Synthesis of Quasi-Spherical β-Si3N4 Powders with CaF2 Additive
Authors: Lan Yu , Li Xiaomin , Luo Jinpeng , Zhou Lang , Wei Xiuqin , Yin Chuanqiang
Published: September 2019

In this work, the quasi-spherical β-Si3N4 powders were synthesized via an efficient direct nitridation strategy with CaF2 as the catalytic material under NH3 atmosphere. The effect of CaF2 on phase composition and crystalline morphology was studied. CaF2 additive can accelerate the nitridation of silicon powders, and the particles of nitridation products tend to have an equiaxed structure with the CaF2 additive increasing. When 4 wt% CaF2 additive or more was added, submicron β-Si3N4 particles with quasi-spherical morphology and eminent crystal integrity were obtained. In contrast, irregular α-Si3N4 particles appear as the main phase with less than 4 wt% CaF2 additive. The growth mechanism of Si3N4 particles was also discussed. CaxSiyOz liquid phase is crucial in the nitridation of silicon powders with CaF2 additive.
Solid-State Phase Transformations in Thermally Treated Ti–6Al–4V Alloy Fabricated via Laser Powder Bed Fusion
Authors: Mengucci Paolo , Santecchia Eleonora , Gatto Andrea , Bassoli Elena , Sola Antonella , Sciancalepore Corrado , Rutkowski Bogdan , Barucca Gianni
Published: September 2019

Laser Powder Bed Fusion (LPBF) technology was used to produce samples based on the Ti–6Al–4V alloy for biomedical applications. Solid-state phase transformations induced by thermal treatments were studied by neutron diffraction (ND), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) and energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS). Although, ND analysis is rather uncommon in such studies, this technique allowed evidencing the presence of retained β in α’ martensite of the as-produced (#AP) sample. The retained β was not detectable by XRD analysis, nor by STEM observations. Martensite contains a high number of defects, mainly dislocations, that anneal during the thermal treatment. Element diffusion and partitioning are the main mechanisms in the α ↔ β transformation that causes lattice expansion during heating and determines the final shape and size of phases. The retained β phase plays a key role in the α’ → β transformation kinetics.
On the Importance of Sleeve Flexibility in Passive Control of Critical Speeds of a Rotating Shaft Using Eccentric Sleeves
Authors: Kirk Antony , Griffiths Jonathan
Published: September 2019

In this paper, the critical speeds of a rotating shaft fitted with eccentric balance sleeves are identified from a scaled, high speed experimental test facility. The results are compared with the results of dynamic finite element simulations. It is shown that the stiffness of the sleeves must be accommodated when considering passive control characteristics critical speeds of a rotating shaft using eccentric sleeves.
Computing μ-Values for Real and Mixed μ Problems
Authors: Rehman Mutti-Ur , Tayyab Muhammad , Anwar Muhammad Fazeel
Published: September 2019

In various modern linear control systems, a common practice is to make use of control in the feedback loops which act as an important tool for linear feedback systems. Stability and instability analysis of a linear feedback system give the measure of perturbed system to be singular and non-singular. The main objective of this article is to discuss numerical computation of the μ -values bounds by using low ranked ordinary differential equations based technique. Numerical computations illustrate the behavior of the method and the spectrum of operators are then numerically analyzed.