bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Investigation on the Potential to Integrate Different Artificial Intelligence Models with Metaheuristic Algorithms for Improving River Suspended Sediment Predictions
Authors: Ehteram Mohammad , Ghotbi Samira , Kisi Ozgur , Najah Ahmed Ali , Hayder Gasim , Ming Fai Chow , Krishnan Mathivanan , Abdulmohsin Afan Haitham , EL-Shafie Ahmed
Published: October 2019

Suspended sediment load (SLL) prediction is a significant field in hydrology and hydraulic sciences, as sedimentation processes change the soil quality. Although the adaptive neuro fuzzy system (ANFIS) and multilayer feed-forward neural network (MFNN) have been widely used to simulate hydrological variables, improving the accuracy of the above models is an important issue for hydrologists. In this article, the ANFIS and MFNN models were improved by the bat algorithm (BA) and weed algorithm (WA). Thus, the current paper introduces improved ANFIS and MFNN models: ANFIS–BA, ANFIS–WA, MFNN–BA, and MFNN–WA. The models were validated by applying river discharge, rainfall, and monthly suspended sediment load (SSL) for the Atrek basin in Iran. In addition, seven input groups were used to predict monthly SSL. The best models were identified through root-mean-square error (RMSE), Nash–Sutcliff efficiency (NSE), standard deviation ratio (RSR), percent bias (PBIAS) indices, and uncertainty analysis. For the ANFIS–BA model, RMSE and RSR varied from 1.5 to 2.5 ton/d and from 5% to 25%, respectively. In addition, a variation range of NSE was between very good and good performance (0. 75 to 0.85 and 0.85 to 1). The uncertainty analysis showed that the ANFIS–BA had more reliable performance compared to other models. Thus, the ANFIS–BA model has high potential for predicting SSL.
Large-Scale Pumped Thermal Electricity Storages—Converting Energy Using Shallow Lined Rock Caverns, Carbon Dioxide and Underground Pumped-Hydro
Authors: Lalanne Pascal , Byrne Paul
Published: October 2019

A fast-paced energy transition needs a higher penetration of renewables, of heating and cooling in the worldwide energy mix. With three novelties 1-of using shallow high-pressure LRC (Lined Rock Cavern) excavated close to storage needs, 2-of using a slow-moving CO2 piston applying steady pressure on the hydro part of UPHES (Underground Pumped Hydro Energy Storage) and 3-of relying on inexpensive thermal stores for long-duration storage, CO2 UPHES coupled with PTES (Pumped Thermal Electricity Storage) could become, at expected Capex cost of only 20 USD/kWh electrical, a game-changer by allowing the complete integration of intermittent renewable sources. Moreover, even though this early conceptual work requires validation by simulation and experimentation, CO2 UPHES as well as UPHES-PTES hybrid storage could also allow a low-cost and low-emission integration of intermittent renewables with future district heating and cooling networks.
Dynamic Mechanical Behaviors of Desert Sand Concrete (DSC) after Different Temperatures
Authors: Zhang Minghu , Liu Haifeng , Sun Shuai , Chen Xiaolong , Doh Shu Ing
Published: October 2019

In the building domain, the non-renewable resource of sand is widely used to produce concrete and mortar. The sand production has been estimated to be more than 10 billion tons with a total of 1.2 billion tons used in concrete in the last decade, which causes the gradual reduction of available building materials and impacts the environment. Since there are abundant desert sand resources in northwestern China, it would be viable to utilize desert sand as an alternative material for concrete production. In this study, an investigation of dynamic mechanical behaviors of desert sand concrete (DSC) was conducted. Various desert sand replacement ratios (0–100%) were used to replace the equivalent hill sand as fine aggregate. Experimental results showed that strain rate had a strong effect on the dynamic mechanical behaviors of DSC. The compressive strength (at room temperature) and flexural strength (after elevated temperature) increased with desert sand replacement ratio (DSRR) with the optimum replacement ratio of 40%, which was because the increase of DSRR improved the compaction of DSC. However, the effect of the low strength of desert sand was higher than that of the compaction when the DSSR exceeded 40%, so both strength values generally decreased with the increase of DSRR. Moreover, the dynamic constitutive model of DSC at room temperature was established on the basis of a nonlinear visco–elastic constitutive model (ZWT model), which can predict the stress–strain curves of DSC.
Table Recognition for Sensitive Data Perception in an IoT Vision Environment
Authors: Zhang Jin , Xie Yanmiao , Liu Weilai , Gong Xiaoli
Published: October 2019

Internet of Things (IoT) technology allows us to measure, compute, and decide about the physical world around us in a quantitative and intelligent way. It makes all kinds of intelligent IoT devices popular. We are continually perceived and recorded by intelligent IoT devices, especially vision devices such as cameras and mobile phones. However, a series of security issues have arisen in recent years. Sensitive data leakage is the most typical and harmful one. Whether we are just browsing files unintentionally in sight of high-definition (HD) security cameras, or internal ghosts are using mobile phones to photograph secret files, it causes sensitive data to be captured by intelligent IoT vision devices, resulting in irreparable damage. Although the risk of sensitive data diffusion can be reduced by optical character recognition (OCR)-based packet filtering, it is difficult to use it with sensitive data presented in table form. This is because table images captured by the intelligent IoT vision device face issues of perspective transformation, and interferences of circular stamps and irregular handwritten signatures. Therefore, a table-recognition algorithm based on a directional connected chain is proposed in this paper to solve the problem of identifying sensitive table data captured by intelligent IoT vision devices. First, a Directional Connected Chain (DCC) search algorithm is proposed for line detection. Then, valid line mergence and invalid line removal is performed for the searched DCCs to detect the table frame, to filter the irregular interferences. Finally, an inverse perspective transformation algorithm is used to restore the table after perspective transformation. Experiments show that our proposed algorithm can achieve accuracy of at least 92%, and filter stamp interference completely.
Deep Eutectic Solvents as Extraction Media for Valuable Flavonoids from Natural Sources
Authors: Skarpalezos Dimitris , Detsi Anastasia
Published: October 2019

The present review article attempts to summarize the use of deep eutectic solvents in the extraction of flavonoids, one of the most important classes of plant secondary metabolites. All of the applications reviewed have reported success in isolation and extraction of the target compounds; competitive, if not superior, extraction rates compared with conventional solvents; and satisfactory behavior of the extract in the latter applications (such as direct analysis, synthesis, or catalysis), wherever attempted.
Vertical Profiles of Ozone Concentration Collected by an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle and the Mixing of the Nighttime Boundary Layer over an Amazonian Urban Area
Authors: Guimarães Patrícia , Ye Jianhuai , Batista Carla , Barbosa Rafael , Ribeiro Igor , Medeiros Adan , Souza Rodrigo , Martin Scot T.
Published: October 2019

The nighttime boundary layer was studied in an urban area surrounded by tropical forest by use of a copter-type unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) in central Amazonia during the wet season. Fifty-seven vertical profiles of ozone concentration, potential temperature, and specific humidity were collected from surface to 500 m above ground level (a.g.l.) at high vertical and temporal resolutions by use of embedded sensors on the UAV. Abrupt changes in ozone concentration with altitude served as a proxy of nighttime boundary layer (NBL) height for the case of a normal, undisturbed, stratified nighttime atmosphere, corresponding to 40% of the cases. The median height of the boundary layer was 300 m. A turbulent mixing NBL constituted 28% of the profiles, while the median height of the boundary layer was 290 m. The remaining 32% of profiles corresponded to complex atmospheres without clear boundary layer heights. The occurrence of the three different cases correlated well with relative cloud cover. The results show that the standard nighttime model widely implemented in chemical transport models holds just 40% of the time, suggesting new challenges in modeling of regional nighttime chemistry. The boundary layer heights were also somewhat higher than observed previously over forested and pasture areas in Amazonia, indicating the important effect of the urban heat island.
Near-Ground Profile of Bora Wind Speed at Razdrto, Slovenia
Authors: Bervida Marija , Stanič Samo , Bergant Klemen , Strajnar Benedikt
Published: October 2019

Southwest Slovenia is a region well-known for frequent episodes of strong and gusty Bora wind, which may damage structures, affect traffic, and poses threats to human safety in general. With the increased availability of computational power, the interest in high resolution modeling of Bora on local scales is growing. To model it adequately, the flow characteristics of Bora should be experimentally investigated and parameterized. This study presents the analysis of wind speed vertical profiles at Razdrto, Slovenia, a location strongly exposed to Bora during six Bora episodes of different duration, appearing between April 2010 and May 2011. The empirical power law and the logarithmic law for Bora wind, commonly used for the description of neutrally stratified atmosphere, were evaluated for 10-min averaged wind speed data measured at four different heights. Power law and logarithmic law wind speed profiles, which are commonly used in high resolution computational models, were found to approximate well the measured data. The obtained power law coefficient and logarithmic law parameters, which are for modeling purposes commonly taken to be constant for a specific site, were found to vary significantly between different Bora episodes, most notably due to different wind direction over complex terrain. To increase modeling precision, the effects of local topography on wind profile parameters needs to be experimentally assessed and implemented.
Intercomparison of the Surface Energy Partitioning in CMIP5 Simulations
Authors: Yang Jiachuan , Wang Zhi-Hua , Huang Huei-Ping
Published: October 2019

The warming climate significantly modifies the global water cycle. Global evapotranspiration has increased over the past decades, yet climate models agree on the drying trend of land surface. In this study, we conducted an intercomparison analysis of the surface energy partitioning across Coupled Model Intercomparison Phase 5 (CMIP5) simulations and evaluated its behaviour with surface temperature and soil moisture anomalies, against the theoretically derived thermodynamic formula. Different responses over land and sea surfaces to elevated greenhouse gas emissions were found. Under the Representative Concentration Pathway of +8.5 W m−2 (RCP8.5) warming scenario, the multi-model mean relative efficiency anomaly from CMIP5 simulations is 3.83 and −0.12 over global sea and land, respectively. The significant anomaly over sea was captured by the thermodynamic solution based on the principle of maximum entropy production, with a mean relative error of 14.6%. The declining trend over land was also reproduced, but an accurate prediction of its small anomaly will require the inclusions of complex physical processes in future work. Despite increased potential evapotranspiration under rising temperatures, both CMIP5 simulations and thermodynamic principles suggest that the soil moisture-temperature feedback cannot support long-term enhanced evapotranspiration at the global scale. The dissipation of radiative forcing eventually shifts towards sensible heat flux and accelerates the warming over land, especially over South America and Europe.
Aerosol Particle and Black Carbon Emission Factors of Vehicular Fleet in Manila, Philippines
Authors: Madueño Leizel , Kecorius Simonas , Birmili Wolfram , Müller Thomas , Simpas James , Vallar Edgar , Galvez Maria Cecilia , Cayetano Mylene , Wiedensohler Alfred
Published: October 2019

Poor air quality has been identified as one of the main risks to human health, especially in developing regions, where the information on physical chemical properties of air pollutants is lacking. To bridge this gap, we conducted an intensive measurement campaign in Manila, Philippines to determine the emission factors (EFs) of particle number (PN) and equivalent black carbon (BC). The focus was on public utility jeepneys (PUJ), equipped with old technology diesel engines, widely used for public transportation. The EFs were determined by aerosol physical measurements, fleet information, and modeled dilution using the Operational Street Pollution Model (OSPM). The results show that average vehicle EFs of PN and BC in Manila is up to two orders of magnitude higher than European emission standards. Furthermore, a PUJ emits up to seven times more than a light-duty vehicles (LDVs) and contribute to more than 60% of BC emission in Manila. Unfortunately, traffic restrictions for heavy-duty vehicles do not apply to PUJs. The results presented in this work provide a framework to help support targeted traffic interventions to improve urban air quality not only in Manila, but also in other countries with a similar fleet composed of old-technology vehicles.
Fumigant Antifungal Activity via Reactive Oxygen Species of Thymus vulgaris and Satureja hortensis Essential Oils and Constituents against Raffaelea quercus-mongolicae and Rhizoctonia solani
Authors: Kim Jeong-Eun , Lee Ji-Eun , Huh Min-Jung , Lee Sung-Chan , Seo Seon-Mi , Kwon Jun Hyeong , Park Il-Kwon
Published: October 2019

In this study, the fumigant antifungal activity of 10 Lamiaceae plant essential oils was evaluated against two phytopathogenic fungi, Raffaelea quercus-mongolicae, and Rhizoctonia solani. Among the tested essential oils, thyme white (Thymus vulgaris) and summer savory (Satureja hortensis) essential oils exhibited the strongest fumigant antifungal activity against the phytopathogenic fungi. We analyzed the chemical composition of two active essential oils and tested the fumigant antifungal activities of the identified compounds. Among the tested compounds, thymol and carvacrol had potent fumigant antifungal activity. We observed reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation in two fungi treated with thymol and carvacrol. Confocal laser scanning microscopy images of fungi stained with propidium iodide showed that thymol and carvacrol disrupted fungal cell membranes. Our results indicated that ROS generated by thymol and carvacrol damaged the cell membrane of R. querqus-mongolicae and R. solani, causing cell death.
Antioxidant Enzyme-Mimetic Activity and Neuroprotective Effects of Cerium Oxide Nanoparticles Stabilized with Various Ratios of Citric Acid and EDTA
Authors: Estevez Ana , Ganesana Mallikarjunarao , Trentini John , Olson James , Li Guangze , Boateng Yvonne , Lipps Jennifer , Yablonski Sarah , Donnelly William , Leiter James , Erlichman Joseph
Published: October 2019

Cerium oxide (CeO2) nanoparticles (CeNPs) are potent antioxidants that are being explored as potential therapies for diseases in which oxidative stress plays an important pathological role. However, both beneficial and toxic effects of CeNPs have been reported, and the method of synthesis as well as physico-chemical, biological, and environmental factors can impact the ultimate biological effects of CeNPs. In the present study, we explored the effect of different ratios of citric acid (CA) and EDTA (CA/EDTA), which are used as stabilizers during synthesis of CeNPs, on the antioxidant enzyme-mimetic and biological activity of the CeNPs. We separated the CeNPs into supernatant and pellet fractions and used commercially available enzymatic assays to measure the catalase-, superoxide dismutase (SOD)-, and oxidase-mimetic activity of each fraction. We tested the effects of these CeNPs in a mouse hippocampal brain slice model of ischemia to induce oxidative stress where the fluorescence indicator SYTOX green was used to assess cell death. Our results demonstrate that CeNPs stabilized with various ratios of CA/EDTA display different enzyme-mimetic activities. CeNPs with intermediate CA/EDTA stabilization ratios demonstrated greater neuroprotection in ischemic mouse brain slices, and the neuroprotective activity resides in the pellet fraction of the CeNPs. The neuroprotective effects of CeNPs stabilized with equal proportions of CA/EDTA (50/50) were also demonstrated in two other models of ischemia/reperfusion in mice and rats. Thus, CeNPs merit further development as a neuroprotective therapy for use in diseases associated with oxidative stress in the nervous system.
Photobiomodulation Mitigates Cerebrovascular Leakage Induced by the Parkinsonian Neurotoxin MPTP
Authors: San Miguel Mia , Martin Kristy L. , Stone Jonathan , Johnstone Daniel M.
Published: October 2019

The neurotoxin 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) is commonly used to model Parkinson’s disease (PD) as it specifically damages the nigrostriatal dopaminergic pathway. Recent studies in mice have, however, provided evidence that MPTP also compromises the integrity of the brain’s vasculature. Photobiomodulation (PBM), the irradiation of tissue with low-intensity red light, mitigates MPTP-induced loss of dopaminergic neurons in the midbrain, but whether PBM also mitigates MPTP-induced damage to the cerebrovasculature has not been investigated. This study aimed to characterize the time course of cerebrovascular disruption following MPTP exposure and to determine whether PBM can mitigate this disruption. Young adult male C57BL/6 mice were injected with 80 mg/kg MPTP or isotonic saline and perfused with fluorescein isothiocyanate FITC-labelled albumin at various time points post-injection. By 7 days post-injection, there was substantial and significant leakage of FITC-labelled albumin into both the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNc; p < 0.0001) and the caudate-putamen complex (CPu; p ≤ 0.0003); this leakage partly subsided by 14 days post-injection. Mice that were injected with MPTP and treated with daily transcranial PBM (670 nm, 50 mW/cm2, 3 min/day), commencing 24 h after MPTP injection, showed significantly less leakage of FITC-labelled albumin in both the SNc (p < 0.0001) and CPu (p = 0.0003) than sham-treated MPTP mice, with levels of leakage that were not significantly different from saline-injected controls. In summary, this study confirms that MPTP damages the brain’s vasculature, delineates the time course of leakage induced by MPTP out to 14 days post-injection, and provides the first direct evidence that PBM can mitigate this leakage. These findings provide new understanding of the use of the MPTP mouse model as an experimental tool and highlight the potential of PBM as a therapeutic tool for reducing vascular dysfunction in neurological conditions.
RhoA-Dependent HGF and c-Met Mediate Gas6-Induced Inhibition of Epithelial–Mesenchymal Transition, Migration, and Invasion of Lung Alveolar Epithelial Cells
Authors: Jung Jihye , Yang Kyungwon , Kim Hee-Ja , Lee Ye-Ji , Kim Minsuk , Choi Youn-Hee , Kang Jihee Lee
Published: October 2019

Previously, we demonstrated that growth arrest-specific protein 6 (Gas6)/Axl or Mer signaling inhibited the transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1-induced epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) in lung epithelial cells. Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) has also been shown to inhibit TGF-β1-induced changes in EMT markers. Here, we examined whether Gas6 signaling can induce the production of HGF and c-Met in lung alveolar epithelial cells to mediate the inhibition of EMT and to inhibit the migration and invasion of epithelial cells. The inhibition of the RhoA/Rho kinase pathway, using either a RhoA-targeted small interfering RNA (siRNA) or the Rho kinase pharmacologic inhibitor Y27362, prevented the inhibition of TGF-β1-induced EMT in LA-4 cells and primary alveolar type II (AT II) epithelial cells. The c-Met antagonist PHA-665752 also blocked the anti-EMT effects associated with Gas6. Moreover, treatment with Y27362 or PHA-665752 prevented the Gas6-mediated inhibition of TGF-β1-induced migration and invasion. Our data provided evidence that the RhoA-dependent production of HGF and c-Met mediated the Gas6-induced inhibition of EMT, migration and invasion in lung alveolar epithelial cells. Thus, Gas6/Axl and Mer/RhoA signaling may be necessary for the maintenance of homeostasis in the alveolar epithelium, via HGF and c-Met.
Angiotensin Converting Enzyme (ACE)-Peptide Interactions: Inhibition Kinetics, In Silico Molecular Docking and Stability Study of Three Novel Peptides Generated from Palm Kernel Cake Proteins
Authors: Zarei Mohammad , Abidin Najib , Auwal Shehu , Chay Shyan , Abdul Haiyee Zaibunnisa , Md Sikin Adi , Saari Nazamid
Published: October 2019

Three novel peptide sequences identified from palm kernel cake (PKC) generated protein hydrolysate including YLLLK, WAFS and GVQEGAGHYALL were used for stability study against angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE), ACE-inhibition kinetics and molecular docking studies. Results showed that the peptides were degraded at different cleavage degrees of 94%, 67% and 97% for YLLLK, WAFS and GVQEGAGHYALL, respectively, after 3 h of incubation with ACE. YLLLK was found to be the least stable (decreased ACE-inhibitory activity) compared to WAFS and GVQEGAGHYALL (increased ACE-inhibitory activity). YLLLK showed the lowest Ki (1.51 mM) in inhibition kinetics study when compared to WAFS and GVQEGAGHYALL with Ki of 2 mM and 3.18 mM, respectively. In addition, ACE revealed the lowest K m app and V max app and higher catalytic efficiency (CE) in the presence of YLLLK at different concentrations, implying that the enzyme catalysis decreased and hence the inhibition mode increased. Furthermore, YLLLK showed the lowest docking score of −8.224 and seven interactions with tACE, while peptide GVQEGAGHYALL showed the higher docking score of −7.006 and five interactions with tACE.
Weight Change after Striatal/Capsule Deep Brain Stimulation Relates to Connectivity to the Bed Nucleus of the Stria Terminalis and Hypothalamus
Authors: Baldermann Juan , Hahn Lisa , Dembek Till , Kohl Sina , Kuhn Jens , Visser-Vandewalle Veerle , Horn Andreas , Huys Daniel
Published: October 2019

Weight changes are insufficiently understood adverse events of deep brain stimulation. In this context, exploring neural networks of weight control may inform novel treatment strategies for weight-related disorders. In this study, we investigated weight changes after deep brain stimulation of the ventral striatum/ventral capsule and to what extent changes are associated with connectivity to feeding-related networks. We retrospectively analyzed 25 patients undergoing deep brain stimulation for obsessive-compulsive disorder or substance dependency. Weight changes were assessed preoperatively and six to twelve months after surgery and then matched with individual stimulation sites and stimulation-dependent functional connectivity to a priori defined regions of interest that are involved in food intake. We observed a significant weight gain after six to twelve months of continuous stimulation. Weight increases were associated with medial/apical localization of stimulation sites and with connectivity to hypothalamic areas and the bed nucleus. Thus, deep brain stimulation of the ventral striatum/ventral capsule influences weight depending on localization and connectivity of stimulation sites. Bearing in mind the significance of weight-related disorders, we advocate further prospective studies investigating the neuroanatomical and neuropsychological underpinnings of food intake and their neuromodulatory therapeutic potential.
Effects of Climate Change for Thermal Comfort and Energy Performance of Residential Buildings in a Sub-Saharan African Climate
Authors: Dodoo Ambrose , Ayarkwa Joshua
Published: October 2019

This study presents an analysis of the impacts of climate change on thermal comfort and energy performance of residential buildings in Ghana, in sub-Saharan Africa, and explores mitigation as well as adaptation strategies to improve buildings’ performance under climate change conditions. The performances of the buildings are analyzed for both recent and projected future climates for the Greater Accra and Ashanti regions of Ghana, using the IDA-ICE dynamic simulation software, with climate data from the Meteonorm global climate database. The results suggest that climate change will significantly influence energy performance and indoor comfort conditions of buildings in Ghana. However, effective building design strategies could significantly improve buildings’ energy and indoor climate performances under both current and future climate conditions. The simulations show that the cooling energy demand of the analyzed building in the Greater Accra region is 113.9 kWh/m2 for the recent climate, and this increases by 31% and 50% for the projected climates for 2030 and 2050, respectively. For the analyzed building in the Ashanti region, the cooling energy demand is 104.4 kWh/m2 for the recent climate, and this increases by 6% and 15% for the 2030 and 2050 climates, respectively. Furthermore, indoor climate and comfort deteriorate under the climate change conditions, in contrast to the recent conditions.
CRISPR-Cas9 Knockdown and Induced Expression of CD133 Reveal Essential Roles in Melanoma Invasion and Metastasis
Authors: Simbulan-Rosenthal Cynthia M. , Dougherty Ryan , Vakili Sahar , Ferraro Alexandra M. , Kuo Li-Wei , Alobaidi Ryyan , Aljehane Leala , Gaur Anirudh , Sykora Peter , Glasgow Eric , Agarwal Seema , Rosenthal Dean S.
Published: October 2019

CD133, known as prominin1, is a penta-span transmembrane glycoprotein presumably a cancer stem cell marker for carcinomas, glioblastomas, and melanomas. We showed that CD133(+) ‘melanoma-initiating cells’ are associated with chemoresistance, contributing to poor patient outcome. The current study investigates the role(s) of CD133 in invasion and metastasis. Magnetic-activated cell sorting of a melanoma cell line (BAKP) followed by transwell invasion assays revealed that CD133(+) cells are significantly more invasive than CD133(−) cells. Conditional reprogramming of BAKP CD133(+) cells maintained stable CD133 overexpression (BAK-R), and induced cancer stem cell markers, melanosphere formation, and chemoresistance to kinase inhibitors. BAK-R cells showed upregulated CD133 expression, and consequently were more invasive and metastatic than BAK-P cells in transwell and zebrafish assays. CD133 knockdown by siRNA or CRISPR-Cas9 (BAK-R-T3) in BAK-R cells reduced invasion and levels of matrix metalloproteinases MMP2/MMP9. BAK-R-SC cells, but not BAK-R-T3, were metastatic in zebrafish. While CD133 knockdown by siRNA or CRISPR-Cas9 in BAK-P cells attenuated invasion and diminished MMP2/MMP9 levels, doxycycline-induced CD133 expression in BAK-P cells enhanced invasion and MMP2/MMP9 concentrations. CD133 may therefore play an essential role in invasion and metastasis via upregulation of MMP2/MMP9, leading to tumor progression, and represents an attractive target for intervention in melanoma.
Classic Chromophobe Renal Cell Carcinoma Incur a Larger Number of Chromosomal Losses Than Seen in the Eosinophilic Subtype
Authors: Ohashi Riuko , Schraml Peter , Angori Silvia , Batavia Aashil A. , Rupp Niels J. , Ohe Chisato , Otsuki Yoshiro , Kawasaki Takashi , Kobayashi Hiroshi , Kobayashi Kazuhiro , Miyazaki Tatsuhiko , Shibuya Hiroyuki , Usuda Hiroyuki , Umezu Hajime , Fujishima Fumiyoshi , Furusato Bungo , Osakabe Mitsumasa , Sugai Tamotsu , Kuroda Naoto , Tsuzuki Toyonori , Nagashima Yoji , Ajioka Yoichi , Moch Holger
Published: October 2019

Chromophobe renal cell carcinoma (chRCC) is a renal tumor subtype with a good prognosis, characterized by multiple chromosomal copy number variations (CNV). The World Health Organization (WHO) chRCC classification guidelines define a classic and an eosinophilic variant. Large cells with reticular cytoplasm and prominent cell membranes (pale cells) are characteristic for classic chRCC. Classic and eosinophilic variants were defined in 42 Swiss chRCCs, 119 Japanese chRCCs and in whole-slide digital images of 66 chRCCs from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) kidney chromophobe (KICH) dataset. 32 of 42 (76.2%) Swiss chRCCs, 90 of 119 (75.6%) Japanese chRCCs and 53 of 66 (80.3%) TCGA-KICH were classic chRCCs. There was no survival difference between eosinophilic and classic chRCC in all three cohorts. To identify a genotype/phenotype correlation, we performed a genome-wide CNV analysis using Affymetrix OncoScan® CNV Assay (Affymetrix/Thermo Fisher Scientific, Waltham, MA, USA) in 33 Swiss chRCCs. TCGA-KICH subtypes were compared with TCGA CNV data. In the combined Swiss and TCGA-KICH cohorts, losses of chromosome 1, 2, 6, 10, 13, and 17 were significantly more frequent in classic chRCC (p < 0.05, each), suggesting that classic chRCC are characterized by higher chromosomal instability. This molecular difference justifies the definition of two chRCC variants. Absence of pale cells could be used as main histological criterion to define the eosinophilic variant of chRCC.
Antileukemic Efficacy in Vitro of Talazoparib and APE1 Inhibitor III Combined with Decitabine in Myeloid Malignancies
Authors: Kohl Vanessa , Flach Johanna , Naumann Nicole , Brendel Susanne , Kleiner Helga , Weiss Christel , Seifarth Wolfgang , Nowak Daniel , Hofmann Wolf-Karsten , Fabarius Alice , Popp Henning D.
Published: October 2019

Malignant hematopoietic cells of myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS)/chronic myelomonocytic leukemias (CMML) and acute myeloid leukemias (AML) may be vulnerable to inhibition of poly(ADP ribose) polymerase 1/2 (PARP1/2) and apurinic/apyrimidinic endonuclease 1 (APE1). PARP1/2 and APE1 are critical enzymes involved in single-strand break repair and base excision repair, respectively. Here, we investigated the cytotoxic efficacy of talazoparib and APE1 inhibitor III, inhibitors of PARP1/2 and APE1, in primary CD34+ MDS/CMML cell samples (n = 8; 4 MDS and 4 CMML) and in primary CD34+ or CD34− AML cell samples (n = 18) in comparison to healthy CD34+ donor cell samples (n = 8). Strikingly, talazoparib and APE1 inhibitor III demonstrated critical antileukemic efficacy in selected MDS/CMML and AML cell samples. Low doses of talazoparib and APE1 inhibitor III further increased the cytotoxic efficacy of decitabine in MDS/CMML and AML cells. Moreover, low doses of APE1 inhibitor III increased the cytotoxic efficacy of talazoparib in MDS/CMML and AML cells. In summary, talazoparib and APE1 inhibitor III demonstrated substantial antileukemic efficacy as single agents, in combination with decitabine, and combined with each other. Hence, our findings support further investigation of these agents in sophisticated clinical trials.
Mechanism of Dyslipidemia in Obesity—Unique Regulation of Ileal Villus Cell Brush Border Membrane Sodium–Bile Acid Cotransport
Authors: Sundaram Shanmuga , Palaniappan Balasubramanian , Nepal Niraj , Chaffins Shaun , Sundaram Uma , Arthur Subha
Published: October 2019

In obesity, increased absorption of dietary fat contributes to altered lipid homeostasis. In turn, dyslipidemia of obesity leads to many of the complications of obesity. Bile acids are necessary for the absorption of dietary fat. In the mammalian intestine, apical sodium-dependent bile acid cotransporter (ASBT; SLC10A2) is exclusively responsible for the reabsorption of bile acids in the terminal ileum. In rat and mice models of obesity and importantly in obese humans, ASBT was increased in ileal villus cells. The mechanism of stimulation of ASBT was secondary to an increase in ASBT expression in villus cell brush border membrane. The stimulation of ASBT was not secondary to the altered Na-extruding capacity of villus cells during obesity. Further, increased Farnesoid X receptor (FXR) expression in villus cells during obesity likely mediated the increase in ASBT. Moreover, enhanced FXR expression increased the expression of bile-acid-associated proteins (IBABP and OSTα) that are responsible for handling bile acids absorbed via ASBT in villus cells during obesity. Thus, this study demonstrated that in an epidemic condition, obesity, the dyslipidemia that leads to many of the complications of the condition, may, at least in part, be due to deregulation of intestinal bile acid absorption.
A Micropitting Study Considering Rough Sliding and Mild Wear
Authors: Zhou Ye , Zhu Caichao , Liu Huaiju
Published: October 2019

Micropitting is a typical surface contact fatigue in rolling–sliding contact. The kinematic sliding is of great significance in the initiation and progression of micropitting. A numerical surface fatigue model considering rolling–sliding contact and surface evolution is developed based on mixed-EHL (elastohydrodynamic lubrication) theory, rainflow cycle counting method and Archard’s law. Surface evolution is evaluated using Archard’s wear law based on measured teeth surface topography. Surface damage is determined via the Palmgren–Miner line rule and Goodman diagrams. The effect of rolling speed and surface roughness are discussed in detail. Results show that stress micro-cycles are introduced by rough sliding in the rolling–sliding contact. The mild wear reduces the height of asperities, the maximum pressure and alleviates subsurface stress concentration. For rolling–sliding contact, the faster moving surface dominates the composite height of asperities, then decides the fluctuations of pressure, as well as stress ranges. The combination of surface topography should be considered in the surface design.
Plasma Nano-Texturing of Polymers for Wettability Control: Why, What and How
Authors: Palumbo Fabio , Lo Porto Chiara , Favia Pietro
Published: October 2019

Nano-texturing of polymers offers the possibility to drive important surface properties such as wettability and anti-reflectivity. Interestingly, plasma can lead to the desired characteristic of nanofeatures through a one step process based onto dry plasma etching. In this work, the literature concerning such plasma nano-texturing will be reviewed for different polymers, and in particular, for applications based upon wettability control. Then the mechanism of such processes will be commented upon, with a glance to the different characteristics of the polymers. Finally, some hints onto a feasible approach to plasma nano-texturing of the different polymers will be given.
Analysis of the Surface/Interface Damage Evolution Behavior of a Coating–Substrate System under Heavy-Load Elastohydrodynamic Lubrication
Authors: Xiao Yangyi , Zou Mengjie , Shi Wankai , Kang Minglin
Published: October 2019

Keeping a coating–substrate system undamaged during heavy-load elastohydrodynamic lubrication (EHL) conditions is challenging. To overcome this problem, an EHL model with a coated gear pair was built. Firstly, based on the full-system finite element method, the effect of the coating elastic modulus on the oil film pressure was obtained. Secondly, the failure mode was predicted after the stress analysis. Finally, the surface/interface damage evolution behavior of the coating–substrate system was analyzed visually by embedding cohesive zone elements. In the numerical calculation, stiffer coatings tended to increase the film pressure and secondary pressure spike, compared with more compliant coatings. As the coating stiffness decreased, the maximum equivalent stress in the system reduced, and its location tended to develop close to or at the substrate. The coating cracking and interfacial delamination were individually caused by the shear stress in the coating and shear stress on the interface, and both of them initiated in the region of the secondary pressure peak. The interfacial delamination increased the crack failure probability of coating and vice versa. Therefore, through analyzing the EHL model, the exact damage growth location and its evolution in the coated solids can be determined, and the failure mechanism can be comprehensively revealed.
An Efficient Group-Based Control Signalling within Proxy Mobile IPv6 Protocol
Authors: Ghaleb Safwan M. , Subramaniam Shamala , Ghaleb Mukhtar , Mohamed E. Ejmaa Ali
Published: October 2019

Providing a seamless handover in the Internet of Thing (IoT) applications with minimal efforts is a big challenge in mobility management protocols. Several research efforts have been attempted to maintain the connectivity of nodes while performing mobility-related signalling, in order to enhance the system performance. However, these studies still fall short at the presence of short-term continuous movements of mobile nodes within the same network, which is a requirement in several applications. In this paper, we propose an efficient group-based handoff scheme for the Mobile Nodes (MNs) in order to reduce the nodes handover during their roaming. This scheme is named Enhanced Cluster Sensor Proxy Mobile IPv6 (E-CSPMIPv6). E-CSPMIPv6 introduces a fast handover scheme by implementing two mechanisms. In the first mechanism, we cluster mobile nodes that are moving as a group in order to register them at a prior time of their actual handoff. In the second mechanism, we manipulate the mobility-related signalling of the MNs triggering their handover signalling simultaneously. The efficiency of the proposed scheme is validated through extensive simulation experiments and numerical analyses in comparison to the state-of-the-art mobility management protocols under different scenarios and operation conditions. The results demonstrate that the E-CSPMIPv6 scheme significantly improves the overall system performance, by reducing handover delay, signalling cost and end-to-end delay.
Maximum Entropy Models for Fatigue Damage in Metals with Application to Low-Cycle Fatigue of Aluminum 2024-T351
Authors: Young Colin , Subbarayan Ganesh
Published: October 2019

In the present work, we propose using the cumulative distribution functions derived from maximum entropy formalisms, utilizing thermodynamic entropy as a measure of damage to fit the low-cycle fatigue data of metals. The thermodynamic entropy is measured from hysteresis loops of cyclic tension–compression fatigue tests on aluminum 2024-T351. The plastic dissipation per cyclic reversal is estimated from Ramberg–Osgood constitutive model fits to the hysteresis loops and correlated to experimentally measured average damage per reversal. The developed damage models are shown to more accurately and consistently describe fatigue life than several alternative damage models, including the Weibull distribution function and the Coffin–Manson relation. The formalism is founded on treating the failure process as a consequence of the increase in the entropy of the material due to plastic deformation. This argument leads to using inelastic dissipation as the independent variable for predicting low-cycle fatigue damage, rather than the more commonly used plastic strain. The entropy of the microstructural state of the material is modeled by statistical cumulative distribution functions, following examples in recent literature. We demonstrate the utility of a broader class of maximum entropy statistical distributions, including the truncated exponential and the truncated normal distribution. Not only are these functions demonstrated to have the necessary qualitative features to model damage, but they are also shown to capture the random nature of damage processes with greater fidelity.
Ordered Avalanches on the Bethe Lattice
Authors: Krawczyk Malgorzata J. , Oświęcimka Paweł , Kułakowski Krzysztof , Drożdż Stanisław
Published: October 2019

We discuss deterministic sequences of avalanches on a directed Bethe lattice. The approach is motivated by the phenomenon of self-organized criticality. Grains are added only at one node of the network. When the number of grains at any node exceeds a threshold b, each of k out-neighbors gets one grain. The probability of an avalanche of size s is proportional to s − τ . When the avalanche mass is conserved ( k = b ), we get τ = 1 . For an application of the model to social phenomena, the conservation condition can be released. Then, the exponent τ is found to depend on the model parameters; τ   ≈   l o g ( b ) / l o g ( k ) . The distribution of the time duration of avalanches is exponential. Multifractal analysis of the avalanche sequences reveals their strongly non-uniform fractal organization. Maximal value of the singularity strength α m a x in the bifractal spectrum is found to be 1 / τ .
Conditional Rényi Divergence Saddlepoint and the Maximization of α-Mutual Information
Authors: Cai Changxiao , Verdú Sergio
Published: October 2019

Rényi-type generalizations of entropy, relative entropy and mutual information have found numerous applications throughout information theory and beyond. While there is consensus that the ways A. Rényi generalized entropy and relative entropy in 1961 are the “right” ones, several candidates have been put forth as possible mutual informations of order α . In this paper we lend further evidence to the notion that a Bayesian measure of statistical distinctness introduced by R. Sibson in 1969 (closely related to Gallager’s E 0 function) is the most natural generalization, lending itself to explicit computation and maximization, as well as closed-form formulas. This paper considers general (not necessarily discrete) alphabets and extends the major analytical results on the saddle-point and saddle-level of the conditional relative entropy to the conditional Rényi divergence. Several examples illustrate the main application of these results, namely, the maximization of α -mutual information with and without constraints.
Dental Trauma First-Aid Knowledge and Attitudes of Physical Education Teachers: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of the Literature with Meta-Regressions
Authors: Trabelsi Khaled , Shephard Roy Jesse , Zlitni Sahar , Boukhris Omar , Ammar Achraf , Khacharem Aimen , Khanfir Saber , Bragazzi Nicola Luigi , Chtourou Hamdi
Published: October 2019

The main objective of the present review is to evaluate the knowledge and attitudes of physical education (PE) teachers concerning dental trauma first-aid through a systematic appraisal of the literature, meta-analysis and meta-regressions. The entire content of PubMed and ISI/Web of Science was mined. Eligibility criteria for selecting studies were studies evaluating dental trauma first-aid knowledge and/or attitudes and/or the effectiveness of mouthguards use by PE teachers. Articles written in any language and published or accepted by peer-reviewed journals were considered. Methodological quality was assessed using an adapted version of the Downs and Black instrument. Of 15 selected articles, three were of strong quality, three were moderate, and the remaining nine were rated as weak. The majority of studies showed that PE teachers had an inadequate knowledge of the initial management of dental trauma. Specifically, there was a lack of knowledge concerning an appropriate washing and transporting medium and the extra-alveolar period of an avulsed tooth. Due to the inadequate knowledge of PE teachers regarding dental trauma management, specific education should be added to PE classes to improve the emergency treatment of dental injuries.
Shaping the Identity of the New Maltese through Ethics Education in Maltese Schools
Authors: Giordmaina Joseph , Zammit Lucianne
Published: October 2019

The aim of this paper is to show how changes in the social fabric of Malta have resulted in amendments to the school curriculum in respect to the teaching of moral values. The curriculum now caters for a new subject in schools called Ethics, which is aimed at students who opt out of the mainstream Catholic Religious Education classes. As educators directly involved in its introduction in Maltese schools, as well as in the training of the subject teachers, we reflect on how this new subject relates to the development of both Maltese and migrant students’ identities. We highlight some of the challenges the subject of Ethics presents to parents, teachers and students, and the tensions some students encounter between the religious values taught at home and secular values taught at school.
Two-Code Keying and Code Conversion for Optical Buffer Design in Optical Packet Switching Networks
Authors: Chen Kai-Sheng , Chen Chien-Sheng , Wu Xiao-Lu
Published: October 2019

Buffering management is a crucial function in current optical packet switching (OPS) networks. To avoid packet blocking due to competition for the same switched path, optical buffering is required to queue packets after a router makes the forwarding decision. In this paper, the author proposed a buffering scheme based on optical code-division multiple access (OCDMA), where each packet is encoded with an optical signature code. An optical coding technique combining spectral-amplitude coding (SAC) and two-code keying (TCK) is introduced to advance the buffering performance regarding packet loss probability. In TCK, the payload bits “1” and “0” of a stored packet are respectively converted to a SAC signal and its complementarity. As the Hamming distance between the coding signals of bits “1” and “0” is extended, the existing drawback that the OCDMA-based buffer capacity is limited by the decoder noise increased with the number of queued SAC packets is resolved. Moreover, an encoder consisting of a fiber Bragg grating (FBG) array is applied for simplifying the system design. A SAC signal and its complementary counterpart can be generated simultaneously without the need of an extra encoder.
A PVT-Robust Super-Regenerative Receiver with Background Frequency Calibration and Concurrent Quenching Waveform
Authors: Yin Yadong , Fu Ximing , El-Sankary Kamal
Published: October 2019

A process-voltage-temperature (PVT)-robust, low power, low noise, and high sensitivity, super-regenerative (SR) receiver is proposed in this paper. To enable high sensitivity and robust-PVT operation, a fast locking phase-locked-loop (PLL) with initial random phase error reduction is proposed to continuously adjust the center frequency deviations of the SR oscillator (SRO) without interrupting the input data stream. Additionally, a concurrent quenching waveform (CQW) technique is devised to improve the SRO sensitivity and its noise performance. The proposed SRO architecture is controlled by two separate biasing branches to extend the sensitivity accumulation (SA) phase and reduce its noise during the SR phase, compared to the conventional optimal quenching waveform (OQW). The proposed SR receiver is implemented at 2.46 GHz center frequency in 180 nm SMIC CMOS technology and achieves better sensitivity, power consumption, noise performance, and PVT immunity compared with existent SR receiver architectures.