bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
An Overview of Guillain-Barré Syndrome
Authors: Esmail Sanad
Published: April 2019

Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) is an acute, autoimmune polyradiculoneuropathy that carries great patient morbidity, and significant mortality, worldwide. The manifestations are highly heterogeneous at the clinical, electrophysiological and biochemical levels, which means that it is better to conceptualise GBS as a spectrum of disorders rather than a singular one. Despite the diverse range of presentations, the management of GBS is relatively stereotyped, albeit guided by the level of clinical severity. Treatment is largely restricted to general supportive measures, Intravenous Immunoglobulin (IVIG) and Plasma Exchange (PLEX), with no current role for oral or intravenous corticosteroids in clinical practice. Several validated prognostic-scoring systems, which can predict the probability of long-term residual disability, may assist in targeting intensive therapies to high-risk patient groups. The aim of this article is to provide a practical overview of GBS, with particular emphasis on the clinical presentation, investigation and management of this important spectrum of neurological conditions.
Specialized Rural Pain Clinics: Lessons for a Small Country like Lebanon
Authors: Saleh Fred , Mouhanna Ghassan
Published: April 2019

Background: People with chronic pain and who live in rural communities often lack access to pain specialists. They end up relying on primary care providers who may be less prepared to deal with their conditions. Purpose: The purpose of this study is to survey the existence of specialized pain clinics/services in rural Lebanon. It also aims at highlighting the importance of the existence of such clinics/services rurally. Method: A review of the literature about pain in Lebanon was conducted using PubMed, Medline, Google Scholars, and Research Gate. Another search was conducted using Google Maps to locate any specialized pain clinics in the rural areas. The Lebanese Society for Pain Medicine was also contacted for information about the distribution of specialized pain clinics/services in Lebanon. Results: Our results showed that the total number of pain clinics/services in Lebanon is ten. They are distributed as follows: Five in Greater Beirut including Metn (50%), one in North Lebanon (10%), two in South Lebanon (20%), one in Beqaa (10%), and one in Mount Lebanon (Chouf, Aley, Kesrouan/Jbeil) (10%). The majority (90%) of these services are hospital-based and are governed by the Anesthesia Departments. Moreover, a comprehensive palliative care approach towards pain management in terminally-ill cancer and non-cancer patients is still lacking nationwide. Conclusion and implications: Rural Lebanon is still significantly underserved as far as the existence of specialized pain clinics is concerned. This calls for a quick interference by the health officials considering the fact that a significant proportion of Lebanese people live in the rural areas. In parallel, the international approaches to palliative care for chronic pain should be adopted. Lastly, an alternative to out-of-pocket payment for the consultation fees and treatments should be taken into consideration
Investigation of the Preferred Learning Styles of Persons Living with Dementia
Authors: Stewart Debra , Swanson Andree
Published: April 2019

The purpose of this investigation was to determine the preferred learning styles of persons living with dementia using the learning styles inventory for persons with dementia. Furthermore, this investigation evaluated unit productivity and job satisfaction of nursing assistants when activities of daily living were designed using the residents’ preferred learning styles. Revealed through literature review was the concern that nursing assistants in long-term care experience resident resistance to care and resident agitation which is often related to the resident’s cognitive decline and confusion which reduces unit productivity and makes task completion difficult. Also, through a literature review, the most significant job satisfaction for the nursing assistant was about the relationship that was experienced and shared with the residents in their care. Although a great deal of research exists on preferred learning styles of children and adults, there appear to be limited studies conducted on persons living with dementia. Also, there is limited information surrounding the subject of whether if knowing the preferred learning styles of patients living with dementia helps foster cooperation during activities of daily living and increases unit productivity while maintaining or improving nursing assistant relationships with their residents.
Aportes de la fenomenología al ejercicio psicoterapéutico. Una revisión histórica
Authors: Pacheco Pacheco Cristóbal Andres
Published: April 2019

El desarrollo de una construcción histórica, basada en el rescate de los aportes que surgen desde la tradición de la fenomenología, resulta un ejercicio necesario para la comprensión de una posibilidad de abordaje enfocada en el rescate de la vivencia subjetiva y particular. Desde las bases epistemológicas de la fenomenología, es posible obtener una definición ontológica que incorpora elementos de carácter ideográfico a la comprensión del individuo, comprometiendo una inmersión en un ejercicio centrado en las posibilidades comprensivas que brinda un encuentro con lo fáctico de la experiencia personal. El presente trabajo compone un registro histórico de los alcances psicoterapéuticos de exponentes tales como Karl Jaspers, Viktor Frankl, Alfried Längle y Giampiero Arciero, constituyendo una revisión que plasma en detalle sus aportes particulares a la intervención psicológica, mediante la inmersión en la vivencia particular.
Yo Dividido en la Lengua y en los Sueños
Authors: Arias Oliveira Roberto Carlos
Published: April 2019

Son muchos los autores que han observado que, en los sueños, es frecuente que el yo aparezca representado en más de un participante. La lingüística, por su parte, también ha llamado la atención sobre distintos patrones de la lengua en los que el yo aparece dividido en más de una instancia. Ante el paralelismo de ambos fenómenos, cabe preguntarse si existe un vínculo entre ellos. En este artículo, como lingüista, partiré de lo que puede observarse a través de la lengua para intentar elucidar un modelo de representación del yo en los sueños. A través de una serie de ejemplos se verá que, en efecto, en los sueños se observan patrones que reflejan las mismas tendencias que revela la lengua. El trabajo pretende así perfilar una herramienta que pueda servir de complemento a los diferentes enfoques y métodos existentes para abordar los sueños.
Psicoterapia Infantil Sistémica. La integración de diferentes enfoques psicoterapéuticos
Authors: De Pablo Urban Juan Miguel
Published: April 2019

El artículo realiza en primer lugar un recorrido histórico sobre las diferentes aportaciones que se han realizado para la intervención psicoterapéutica en los trastornos infantiles. Comienza con las propuestas presentadas desde el psicoanálisis y las terapias psicoanalíticas, las posteriores perspectivas que provienen de los estudios sobre el apego y las indicaciones nacidas en la terapia de juego. Se analizan, igualmente, las aportaciones que la terapia familiar y los abordajes sistémicos han realizado al respecto, tanto desde los modelos clásicos como de los enfoques narrativos. Por otra parte se explicitan los principales fundamentos, derivados de todo este recorrido, formulados para conceptualizar la intervención en psicoterapia infantil.
Organización Temprana del Sí-mismo desde una mirada de Complejidad Neuroafectiva
Authors: Lecannelier Felipe , Guajardo Humberto , Kushner Diana
Published: April 2019

El modelo cognitivo postracionalista se adelantó a sus tiempos en toda una serie de planteamientos epistemológicos y psicológicos. Su noción constructivista evolutiva tiene, hasta el día de hoy, implicaciones paradigmáticas para el quehacer de las ciencias de la vida mental, que ni el propio enfoque pudo asumir completa y revolucionariamente.  La dinámica circular corporalizada entre observador-observado obliga a cambios (y anulaciones) en la manera de explicar, clasificar e intervenir en lo que se suele llamar “psicopatología”. Bajo una fuerte influencia postracionalista, pero integrando concepciones actuales en la noción de sistemas complejos, la teoría del apego, la neuroafectividad, y los enfoques actuales sobre el desarrollo, el presente artículo articula los principios de una aproximación que busca completar y asumir enteramente la postura evolucionista de la complejidad planteada por Vittorio Guidano.  Esta aproximación busca reformular tanto las nociones sobre el legado del apego temprano en el funcionamiento del sí-mimo, así como sus repercusiones para la psicopatología y la intervención psicoterapeutica.
Psicoterapia Post-Racionalista: Revisión de Publicaciones Indexadas
Authors: Moltedo Andrés
Published: April 2019

Este artículo revisa las distintas publicaciones y líneas investigativas basadas en el modelo post-racionalista en revistas indexadas WoS, Scopus y SciELO por parte de autores del espectro post-racionalista a partir del año 2000. Se evidencia un importante número de publicaciones pero con gran dispersión temática.
Obesidad y trastornos de la conducta alimentaria: un análisis desde las funciones ejecutivas
Authors: Ugarte Pérez Carla
Published: April 2019

La obesidad es una enfermedad crónica altamente prevalente. Algunos autores han planteado que la obesidad comparte ciertas características con los trastornos de la conducta alimentaria, e incluso han propuesto que debiese ser considerado como un trastorno de la conducta alimentaria y la ingesta de alimentos. Este planteamiento no es nuevo, por ejemplo, Guidano y Liotti influidos por la visión de Bruch, plantearon que la obesidad era parte de los desórdenes alimentarios propuestos en su modelo cognitivo estructural.  Visión que Vittorio Guidano mantuvo posteriormente en la Organización de Significado Personal de Trastornos Alimentarios. Desde el área de las funciones ejecutivas algunas investigaciones han apoyado esta hipótesis de continuo entre trastornos de la conducta alimentaria y obesidad. Ello debido a que las personas con obesidad y las personas con trastornos alimentarios presentarían déficit similares en algunas funciones ejecutivas como en la capacidad para tomar decisiones y la flexibilidad cognitiva. Se ha planteado que estas funciones ejecutivas están relacionadas con las conductas alimentarias desadaptativas. Esta revisión analiza los resultados de las investigaciones de la última década en el área de las funciones ejecutivas en personas con obesidad y trastornos de la conducta alimentaria para entregar un panorama actualizado del estado del arte en la materia y contribuir a dilucidar la hipótesis de continuidad entre trastornos de la conducta alimentaria y obesidad.
An Active Vehicle Suspension Control Approach with Electromagnetic and Hydraulic Actuators
Authors: Beltran-Carbajal Francisco , Valderrabano-Gonzalez Antonio , Favela-Contreras Antonio , Hernandez-Avila Jose Luis , Lopez-Garcia Irvin , Tapia-Olvera Ruben
Published: April 2019

An active vibration control approach from an online estimation perspective of unavailable feedback signals for a quarter-vehicle suspension system is introduced. The application of a new signal differentiation technique for the online estimation of disturbance trajectories due to irregular road surfaces and velocity state variables is described. It is assumed that position measurements are only available for active disturbance suppression control implementation. Real-time signal differentiation is independent of detailed mathematical models of specific dynamic systems and control force generation mechanisms. Active control forces can be supplied by electromagnetic or hydraulic actuators. Analytical and simulation results prove the effective and fast dynamic performance of the online signal estimation as well as a satisfactory active disturbance attenuation on a quarter-vehicle active suspension system.
Effect of Selenium Enrichment and Type of Application on Yield, Functional Quality and Mineral Composition of Curly Endive Grown in a Hydroponic System
Authors: Sabatino Leo , Ntatsi Georgia , Iapichino Giovanni , D’Anna Fabio , De Pasquale Claudio
Published: April 2019

Selenium (Se) is an essential element for humans’ health and the recommended amount (RDA) of Se intake per adult is 55–70 µg day−1. The main source for Se intake is represented by diet, but its concentration in vegetables is generally limited with respect to human needs. The aim of this research was to assess the effect of Se application rate and type (fertigation or foliar spray) on yield, functional properties and mineral composition of curly endive grown in a hydroponic system. Five levels of Se (0.0, 1.0, 2.0, 4.0 and 8.0 µmol L−1) were supplied via fertigation or by foliar spray in the form of selenate (Na2SeO4). The results show that a Se implementation of 4 μmol Se L−1 for plants enriched via fertigation and 8 μmol Se L−1 for plants biofortified via foliar spray successfully enhanced production performance parameters such as head weight (42.6% and 27.8%, respectively), SSC (16.7% and 14.3%, respectively), ascorbic acid (33.2% and 33.7%, respectively), total phenolic (58.9% and 54.5%, respectively) and Se concentration (22.2% and 20.3%, respectively). Furthermore, leaf Se concentration in plants enriched via fertigation ranged 0.71–17.61 mg kg−1 of dry weight (DW), whereas, in plant biofortified via foliar spray leaf Se concentration ranged 0.72–12.67 mg kg−1 DW. Plants grown with the highest dosage of Se distributed via fertigation or foliar spray showed a reduction in total-N leaf concentration by 39.4% and 28.6%, respectively, compared with the non-enriched plants. Our results indicate a consumption of 47.4 g day−1 of Se-enriched curly endive grown in soilless culture and treated with 8 μmol L−1 of selenate applied via foliar spray could be sufficient to cover the human physiological needs of this element.
Detecting Salt Tolerance in Doubled Haploid Wheat Lines
Authors: Al-Ashkar Ibrahim , Alderfasi Ali , El-Hendawy Salah , Al-Suhaibani Nasser , El-Kafafi Sayed , Seleiman Mahmoud F.
Published: April 2019

Improving salt tolerance of genotypes requires a source of genetic variation and multiple accurate selection criteria for discriminating their salt tolerance. A combination of morpho-physiological and biochemical parameters and multivariate analysis was used to detect salt tolerance variation in 15 wheat lines developed by doubled haploid (DHL) technique. They were then compared with the salt-tolerant check cultivar Sakha 93. Salinity stress was investigated at three salinity levels (0, 100, and 200 mM NaCl) for 25 days. Considerable genetic variation was observed for all traits, as was high heritability (>60%) and genetic gain (>20%). Principal component analysis indicated the ability of nine traits (root number, root length, root dry weight, shoot length, shoot dry weight, specific root length, relative water content, membrane stability index, and catalase) to identify differences in salinity tolerance among lines. Three traits (shoot length, shoot dry weight, and catalase) were indicative of salt-tolerance, indicating their importance in improving and evaluating salt tolerant genotypes for breeding programs. The salinity tolerance membership index based on these three traits classified one new line (DHL21) and the check cultivar (Sakha 93) as highly salt-tolerant, DHL25, DHL26, DHL2, DHL11, and DHL5 as tolerant, and DHL23 and DHL12 as intermediate. Discriminant function analysis and MANOVA suggested differences among the five groups of tolerance. Among the donor genotypes, Sakha 93 remained the donor of choice for improving salinity tolerance during the seedling stage. The tolerated lines (DHL21, DHL25, DHL26, DHL2, DHL11, and DHL5) could be also recommended as useful and novel genetic resources for improving salinity tolerance of wheat in breeding programs.
Effect of Dietary Hemp Seed on Oxidative Status in Sows during Late Gestation and Lactation and Their Offspring
Authors: Palade Laurentiu Mihai , Habeanu Mihaela , Marin Daniela Eliza , Chedea Veronica Sanda , Pistol Gina Cecilia , Grosu Iulian Alexandru , Gheorghe Anca , Ropota Mariana , Taranu Ionelia
Published: April 2019

This study shows the antioxidant effect of a dietary hemp seed diet rich in ω-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) on oxidative status in sows during late gestation and lactation and their offspring. Ten pregnant sows were divided into two groups and fed either a control diet (CD) or a hemp diet (HD) containing 2% hemp seed meal for a period of 10 days before farrowing and 5% throughout the lactation period (21 d). After farrowing, 16 of their resulting piglets were divided into two groups: control group CD (eight piglets derived from control sows) and HD group (eight piglets derived from HD sows), respectively. Blood collected from sows and piglets at day 1, 7 and 21 was used for the measurement of antioxidant enzymes (catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione (GPx)), nitric oxide production (NO), lipid peroxidation (thiobarbituric acid reactive substances—TBARS), reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) in plasma. The results showed a significant improvement in the oxidative status of sows fed HD throughout lactation compared with CD. Similarly, in piglets, HD positively influenced the activities of antioxidant enzymes, TAC and NO levels and significantly decreased lipid peroxidation in plasma until weaning, in comparison with the CD group. This study suggests the potential of hemp seed diet to improve the overall antioxidant status of the lactating sows and their progeny.
The Ligands for Human IgG and Their Effector Functions
Authors: de Taeye Steven W. , Rispens Theo , Vidarsson Gestur
Published: April 2019

Activation of the humoral immune system is initiated when antibodies recognize an antigen and trigger effector functions through the interaction with Fc engaging molecules. The most abundant immunoglobulin isotype in serum is Immunoglobulin G (IgG), which is involved in many humoral immune responses, strongly interacting with effector molecules. The IgG subclass, allotype, and glycosylation pattern, among other factors, determine the interaction strength of the IgG-Fc domain with these Fc engaging molecules, and thereby the potential strength of their effector potential. The molecules responsible for the effector phase include the classical IgG-Fc receptors (FcγR), the neonatal Fc-receptor (FcRn), the Tripartite motif-containing protein 21 (TRIM21), the first component of the classical complement cascade (C1), and possibly, the Fc-receptor-like receptors (FcRL4/5). Here we provide an overview of the interactions of IgG with effector molecules and discuss how natural variation on the antibody and effector molecule side shapes the biological activities of antibodies. The increasing knowledge on the Fc-mediated effector functions of antibodies drives the development of better therapeutic antibodies for cancer immunotherapy or treatment of autoimmune diseases.
Synthesis, Tyrosinase Inhibiting Activity and Molecular Docking of Fluorinated Pyrazole Aldehydes as Phosphodiesterase Inhibitors
Authors: Rastija Vesna , Brahmbhatt Harshad , Molnar Maja , Lončarić Melita , Strelec Ivica , Komar Mario , Pavić Valentina
Published: April 2019

A series of fluorinated 4,5-dihydro-1H-pyrazole derivatives were synthesized in the reaction of corresponding acetophenone and different aldehydes followed by the second step synthesis of desired compounds from synthesized chalcone, hydrazine hydrate, and formic acid. Structures of all compounds were confirmed by both 1H and 13C NMR and mass spectrometry. Antibacterial properties of compounds were tested on four bacterial strains, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Bacillus subtilis, and Staphylococcus aureus. Among synthesized compounds, the strongest inhibitor of monophenolase activity of mushroom tyrosinase (32.07 ± 3.39%) was found to be 5-(2-chlorophenyl)-3-(4-fluorophenyl)-4,5-dihydro-1H-pyrazole-1-carbaldehyde. The PASS program has predicted the highest probable activity for the phosphodiesterase inhibition. To shed light on molecular interactions between the synthesized compounds and phosphodiesterase, all compounds were docked into the active binding site. The obtained results showed that the compound with the dimethoxyphenyl ring could be potent as an inhibitor of phosphodiesterase, which interacts in PDE5 catalytic domain of the enzyme. Key interactions are bidentate hydrogen bond (H-bond) with the side-chain of Gln817 and van der Waals interactions of the dimethoxyphenyl ring and pyrazole ring with hydrophobic clamp, which contains residuals, Val782, Phe820, and Tyr612. Interactions are similar to the binding mode of the inhibitor sildenafil, the first oral medicine for the treatment of male erectile dysfunction.
Performance of Retro-Reflective Building Envelope Materials with Fixed Glass Beads
Authors: Yuan Jihui , Farnham Craig , Emura Kazuo
Published: April 2019

Urban heat islands (UHI) are growing in size and intensity, which is partly attributable to the large amount of anthropogenic waste heat. Moreover, heat emitted from building exterior walls accounts for a large portion of the total anthropogenic waste heat. Thus, strategies and technologies for preventing the emission of heat from building exterior walls are being pursued by researchers worldwide. Amongst these technologies, the potential of use of retro-reflective (RR) materials instead of diffuse highly reflective (HR) materials applied to building envelopes for UHI mitigation is being studied widely. However, RR materials haven’t been applied to building envelopes in practice due to their unproven weather resistance. In order to develop RR materials with high weather resistance for application to building envelopes, two types of micro glass beads with different refractive indices (1.5, 1.9) and five different colors of base layers were evaluated in this study. Their RR performance was measured by optical experiment and compared to two types of RR sheets commercially available in Japan. The results showed that the glass bead RR samples with a refractive index of 1.9 had much higher retro-reflectivity (better RR capacity) compared to those with a refractive index of 1.5.
Fundamentals of Ornamental Plants in Removing Benzene in Indoor Air
Authors: Gong Yu , Zhou Tao , Wang Peiran , Lin Yinuo , Zheng Ruomeng , Zhao Youcai , Xu Bin
Published: April 2019

The concentration of benzene in indoor air has received appreciable attention due to its adverse health effects. Although phytoremediation has been considered as an eco-friendly method to remove benzene, it is unclear how to select plants with a high removal rate. In this study, we evaluated the benzene removal efficiency of four common ornamental plants, Epipremnum aureum, Chlorophytum comosum, Hedera helix and Echinopsis tubiflora, and we also explored the factors impacting benzene removal efficiency. The removal efficiency of all plants in this study averaged at 72 percent. The benzene absorption rates of Epipremnum aureum, Hedera helix and Chlorophytum comosum were 1.10, 0.85 and 0.27 µg·m−3·cm−2, respectively. This is due to the different transpiration rates and chlorophyll concentrations in the plants. The benzene removal efficiency of crassulacean acid metabolism plant (Echinopsis tubiflora) was 23% higher than C3 plant (Epipremnum aureum) under dark conditions. This can be attributed to the fact that the characteristic of Echinopsis tubiflora stomata is different from Epipremnum aureum stomata, which is still open under dark conditions. Therefore, Echinopsis tubiflora can take up more benzene than Epipremnum aureum. For different initial benzene concentrations, the benzene removal efficiency of Echinopsis tubiflora was always great (50–80%), owing to its high rate of transpiration and concentration of chlorophyll. Our findings indicate that transpiration rate and chlorophyll concentration can be used as reference parameters to facilitate ornamental plant screening for indoor air quality improvement.
A New gH-Difference for Multi-Dimensional Convex Sets and Convex Fuzzy Sets
Authors: Stefanini Luciano , Bede Barnabas
Published: April 2019

In the setting of Minkowski set-valued operations, we study generalizations of the difference for (multidimensional) compact convex sets and for fuzzy sets on metric vector spaces, extending the Hukuhara difference. The proposed difference always exists and allows defining Pompeiu-Hausdorff distance for the space of compact convex sets in terms of a pseudo-norm, i.e., the magnitude of the difference set. A computational procedure for two dimensional sets is outlined and some examples of the new difference are given.
Descriptive Psychopathology of the Acute Effects of Intravenous Delta-9-Tetrahydrocannabinol Administration in Humans
Authors: Colizzi Marco , Weltens Nathalie , McGuire Philip , Van Oudenhove Lukas , Bhattacharyya Sagnik
Published: April 2019

Background: Cannabis use can increase the risk of psychosis, and the acute administration of its key psychoactive ingredient, delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (∆9-THC), can induce transient psychotomimetic symptoms. Methods: A double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled crossover design was used to investigate the symptomatic effects of acute intravenous administration of ∆9-THC (1.19 mg/2 mL) in 16 healthy participants (seven males) with modest previous cannabis exposure. Results: In the 20 min following acute ∆9-THC administration, symptomatic effects of at least mild severity were present in 94% of the cohort, with moderate to severe symptoms having a much lower prevalence (19%). Nearly one-third (31%) of the volunteers were still experiencing protracted mild symptomatic effects 2.5 h after exposure to ∆9-THC. Compared to the Δ9-THC challenge, most of the study participants did not experience any symptomatic effects following placebo administration (62%). Acute physical reactions were 2.5 times more frequent after Δ9-THC (31%) than placebo (12%). Male and female participants differed in terms of acute Δ9-THC effects, with some negative symptoms occurring more frequently in female (56% to 89%) than male participants (0% to 29%), and acute physical reactions occurring exclusively in the female gender (56%). Conclusions: These results have implications for future research, also in light of cannabis being the most widely used illicit drug.
Machine Learning models for the Identification of Cognitive Tasks using Autonomic Reactions from Heart Rate Variability and Electrodermal Activity
Authors: Posada-Quintero Hugo F. , Bolkhovsky Jeffrey B.
Published: April 2019

Indices of heart rate variability (HRV) and electrodermal activity (EDA), in conjunction with machine learning models, were used to identify one of three tasks a subject is performing based on autonomic response elicited by the specific task. Using non-invasive measures to identify the task performed by a subject can help to provide individual monitoring and guidance to avoid the consequences of reduced performance due to fatigue or other stressors. In the present study, sixteen subjects were enrolled to undergo three tasks: The psychomotor vigilance task (PVT), an auditory working memory task (the n-back paradigm), and a visual search (ship search, SS). Electrocardiogram (ECG) (for HRV analysis) and EDA data were collected during the tests. For task-classification, we tested four machine learning classification tools: k-nearest neighbor classifier (KNN), support vector machines (SVM), decision trees, and discriminant analysis (DA). Leave-one-subject-out cross-validation was used to evaluate the performance of the constructed models to prevent overfitting. The most accurate models were the KNN (66%), linear SVM (62%), and linear DA (62%). The results of this study showed that it is possible to identify the task a subject is performing based on the subject’s autonomic reactions (from HRV and EDA). This information can be used to monitor individuals within a larger group to assist in reducing errors caused by uncoordinated or poor performance by allowing for automated tracking of and communication between individuals.
Mechanically-Induced Catalyzation of MgH2 Powders with Zr2Ni-Ball Milling Media
Authors: El-Eskandarany M. Sherif , Al-Ajmi Fahad , Banyan Mohammad
Published: April 2019

Magnesium hydride (MgH2) holds immense promises as a cost-effective hydrogen storage material that shows excellent storage capacity suitable for fuel cell applications. Due to its slow hydrogen charging/discharging kinetics and high apparent activation energy of decomposition, MgH2 is usually doped with one or more catalytic agents to improve its storage capacity. So often, milling the metal hydride with proper amounts of catalyst leads to heterogeneous distribution of the catalytic agent(s) in MgH2 matrix. The present work proposes a cost-effective process for doping Mg powders with Zr2Ni particles upon ball milling the powders with Zr2Ni-balls milling media under pressurized hydrogen. Fine Zr2Ni particles were gradually eroded from the balls and homogeneously embedded into the milled powders upon increasing the ball milling time. As a result, these fine hard intermetallic particles acted as micro-milling media and leading to the reduction the Mg/MgH2 powders. Meanwhile, Zr2Ni eroded particles possessed excellent heterogeneous catalytic effect for improving the hydrogenation/dehydrogenation kinetics of MgH2. This is implied by the short time required to absorb (425 s)/desorb (700 s) 6.2 wt% H2 at 200 °C and 225 °C, respectively. The as-milled MgH2 with Zr2Ni balls possessed excellent cyclability, indexed by achieving continuous 646 cycles in 985.5 h (~1.5 cycle per hour) without serious degradation.
Hydroconversion of Aromatic Hydrocarbons over Bimetallic Catalysts
Authors: Glotov Aleksandr , Stytsenko Valentine , Artemova Maria , Kotelev Michail , Ivanov Evgenii , Gushchin Pavel , Vinokurov Vladimir
Published: April 2019

Bimetallic catalysts (BMC) for hydroconversion of aromatic hydrocarbons (ArH) have been designed by modification of Ni/Al2O3 with chromium(0) compounds and phosphoromolybdic heteropolyacid (HPA). Catalysts were tested in hydrogenation of benzene and toluene, in hydrodemethylation of pure toluene and they were shown to possess a high activity, selectivity and sulfur tolerance under conditions of the processes above. The activity of BMC in these processes was much higher as compared with that of two-component (Ni-Cr, Ni-HPA) or conventional Ni/Al2O3 catalysts. Using BMC, hydrogenation of benzene and toluene proceeds with activity increased (up to 34–38 mol/kg·h) and toluene hydrodemethylation may be performed with improved selectivity (90.3%) and benzene yield (81%). The high sulfur tolerance of BMC was demonstrated by performing hydrodemethylation of toluene containing up to 500 ppm S.
Ultra-Small Pd Nanoparticles on Ceria as an Advanced Catalyst for CO Oxidation
Authors: Tereshchenko Andrei , Polyakov Vladimir , Guda Alexander , Lastovina Tatiana , Pimonova Yulia , Bulgakov Alexey , Tarasov Andrey , Kustov Leonid , Butova Vera , Trigub Alexander , Soldatov Alexander
Published: April 2019

In this study, we demonstrate the preparation and characterization of small palladium nanoparticles (Pd NPs) on modified ceria support (Pd/CeO2) using wet impregnation and further reduction in an H2/Ar flow. The obtained particles had a good dispersion, but their small size made it difficult to analyze them by conventional techniques such as transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD). The material demonstrated a high catalytic activity in the CO oxidation reaction: the 100% of CO conversion was achieved at ~50 °C, whereas for most of the cited literature, such a high conversion usually was observed near 100 °C or higher for Pd NPs. Diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier-transform (DRIFT) spectroscopy in combination with CO probe molecules was used to investigate the size and morphology of NPs and the ceria support. On the basis of the area ratio under the peaks attributed to bridged (B) and linear (L) carbonyls, high-dispersion Pd NPs was corroborated. Obtained results were in good agreement with data of X-ray absorption near edge structure analysis (XANES) and CO chemisorption measurements.
Leptin Promotes White Adipocyte Browning by Inhibiting the Hh Signaling Pathway
Authors: Wang Jie , Ge Jing , Cao Haigang , Zhang Xiaoyu , Guo Yuan , Li Xiao , Xia Bo , Yang Gongshe , Shi Xin’e
Published: April 2019

Leptin is an important secretory protein that regulates the body’s intake and energy consumption, and the functions of the Hh signaling pathway related to white adipocyte browning are controversial. It has been reported that leptin plays a critical role in adipogenesis by regulating the Hh signaling pathway, but whether there is a functional relationship between leptin, the Hh signaling pathway, and adipocyte browning is not clear. In this research, mouse white pre-adipocytes were isolated to explore the influence of the Hh signal pathway and leptin during the process described above. This showed that leptin decreased high fat diet-induced obese mice body weight and inhibited the Hh signaling pathway, which suggested that leptin and the Hh signaling pathway have an important role in obesity. After activation of the Hh signaling pathway, significantly decreased browning fat-relative gene expression levels were recorded, whereas inhibition of the Hh signaling pathway significantly up-regulated the expression of these genes. Similarly, leptin also up-regulated the expression of these genes, and increased mitochondrial DNA content, but decreased the expression of Gli, the key transcription factors of the Hh signaling pathway. In short, the results show that leptin promotes white adipocyte browning through inhibiting the Hh signaling pathway. Overall, these results demonstrate that leptin serves as a potential intervention to decrease obesity by inhibiting the Hh signaling pathway.
Chronic Hepatitis C Virus Infection Impairs M1 Macrophage Differentiation and Contributes to CD8+ T-Cell Dysfunction
Authors: Ahmed Faria , Ibrahim Andrea , Cooper Curtis L. , Kumar Ashok , Crawley Angela M.
Published: April 2019

Chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection causes generalized CD8+ T cell impairment, not limited to HCV-specific CD8+ T-cells. Liver-infiltrating monocyte-derived macrophages (MDMs) contribute to the local micro-environment and can interact with and influence cells routinely trafficking through the liver, including CD8+ T-cells. MDMs can be polarized into M1 (classically activated) and M2a, M2b, and M2c (alternatively activated) phenotypes that perform pro- and anti-inflammatory functions, respectively. The impact of chronic HCV infection on MDM subset functions is not known. Our results show that M1 cells generated from chronic HCV patients acquire M2 characteristics, such as increased CD86 expression and IL-10 secretion, compared to uninfected controls. In contrast, M2 subsets from HCV-infected individuals acquired M1-like features by secreting more IL-12 and IFN-γ. The severity of liver disease was also associated with altered macrophage subset differentiation. In co-cultures with autologous CD8+ T-cells from controls, M1 macrophages alone significantly increased CD8+ T cell IFN-γ expression in a cytokine-independent and cell-contact-dependent manner. However, M1 macrophages from HCV-infected individuals significantly decreased IFN-γ expression in CD8+ T-cells. Therefore, altered M1 macrophage differentiation in chronic HCV infection may contribute to observed CD8+ T-cell dysfunction. Understanding the immunological perturbations in chronic HCV infection will lead to the identification of therapeutic targets to restore immune function in HCV+ individuals, and aid in the mitigation of associated negative clinical outcomes.
A Zinc-Rich Coating Fabricated on a Magnesium Alloy by Oxide Reduction
Authors: Lu Dongzhu , Huang Yanliang , Duan Jizhou , Hou Baorong
Published: April 2019

The corrosion resistance of magnesium alloys could be enhanced by covering metallic coatings on the surface. The zinc-rich coating is one of these metallic coatings. To fabricate a zinc-rich coating on magnesium alloys, the substrate should be pretreated carefully, and a protective atmosphere is usually required. In this research, a zinc-rich coating was successfully fabricated on the AZ91D magnesium alloy in air by a diffusion alloying method, with zinc oxide as the zinc source. At the same time, the pretreatment of the magnesium alloy matrix was greatly simplified. The as-diffusion-alloyed zinc-rich intermetallic layer was investigated, utilizing SEM, EDS, and XRD, respectively. It is inferred that zinc oxide was reduced into Zn atoms by the active Mg atoms, and the Mg atoms were coming from the magnesium alloy matrix. Then the Zn atoms passed through the oxide film and formed an intermetallic layer on the magnesium alloy surface. Thus, taking advantage of the activity of Mg atoms, magnesium alloys could be surface alloyed with oxides.
Electrodeposition of Co-B/SiC Composite Coatings: Characterization and Evaluation of Wear Volume and Hardness
Authors: Villa-Mondragón A. , Martínez-Hernández A. , Manríquez F. , Meas Y. , Pérez-Bueno J. J. , Rodríguez-Valadez Francisco J. , Ballesteros J.C. , Morales-Hernández J. , Méndez-Albores Alia , Trejo G.
Published: April 2019

In this research work, Co-B/SiC composite coatings were synthesized by electrochemical deposition from colloidal suspensions with different content of SiC. The Co-B/SiC films obtained were heat treatment at 350 °C. The composition, morphology, and structure of the Co-B/SiC composite coatings were analyzed using glow discharge spectrometry (GDS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) coupled with energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Hardness and tribological properties were also studied. The results showed that an increase in the SiC concentration in the colloidal suspensions resulted in both an increase in the SiC content and a decrease in the B content in the obtained Co-B/SiC coatings. The Co-B/SiC coatings were adherent, glossy, and soft, and exhibited a homogeneous composition in all thicknesses. Besides, an increase in the SiC particle content of the Co-B/SiC composite coating from 0 to 2.56 at.% SiC reduced the hardness of the film from 680 to 360 HV and decreased the wear volume values from 1180 to 23 μm3 N−1 m−1, respectively (that is, the wear resistance increased). Moreover, when the Co-B/SiC coatings with SiC content ranging from 0 to 2.56 at.% SiC were subjected to a heat treatment process, the obtained coating hardness values were in the range of 1200 to 1500 HV, and the wear volume values were in the range of 382 to 19 μm3 N−1 m−1.
Enhancement of Chest Radiograph in Emergency Intensive Care Unit by Means of Reverse Anisotropic Diffusion-Based Unsharp Masking Model
Authors: Chen Sheng , Cai Yuantao
Published: April 2019

In intensive care units (ICUs), supporting devices play an important role, and the placement of these devices must be accurate, such as catheters and tubes. Taking portable chest radiograph (CXRs) for patients in ICU is a standard procedure. However, non-optimized exposure settings and misaligned body positions usually mean that portable CXRs are not in acceptable working condition. The purpose of this study was to enhance ICU CXRs to assist radiologists in the positioning of endotracheal, feeding, and nasogastric tubes in ICU patients. The unsharp masking model (USM) was a classical image enhancement technique. Because of the isotropic diffusion filter applied in this model, USM enhanced the edge information and noise simultaneously. In this paper, we proposed a reverse anisotropic diffusion (RAD)-based USM technique for enhancement of line structures in ICU CXRs. First, a RAD algorithm was applied to replace the Gaussian filter in the classical USM. The RAD algorithm only produced a smoothed image, in which edge information was smoothed while the noise was preserved. Then, the smoothed image was subtracted from the original image to produce the unsharp mask whereby only the edges were retained. Consequently, only edge information was enhanced in the final enhanced image by using the RAD-based USM model. The proposed method was tested for 87 ICU CXRs and the findings indicate that this approach can enhance image edges efficiently while suppressing noise.
Secure Intelligent Vehicular Network Using Fog Computing
Authors: Erskine Samuel Kofi , Elleithy Khaled M.
Published: April 2019

VANET (vehicular ad hoc network) has a main objective to improve driver safety and traffic efficiency. The intermittent exchange of real-time safety message delivery in VANET has become an urgent concern due to DoS (denial of service) and smart and normal intrusions (SNI) attacks. The intermittent communication of VANET generates huge amount of data which requires typical storage and intelligence infrastructure. Fog computing (FC) plays an important role in storage, computation, and communication needs. In this research, fog computing (FC) integrates with hybrid optimization algorithms (OAs) including the Cuckoo search algorithm (CSA), firefly algorithm (FA), firefly neural network, and the key distribution establishment (KDE) for authenticating both the network level and the node level against all attacks for trustworthiness in VANET. The proposed scheme is termed “Secure Intelligent Vehicular Network using fog computing” (SIVNFC). A feedforward back propagation neural network (FFBP-NN), also termed the firefly neural, is used as a classifier to distinguish between the attacking vehicles and genuine vehicles. The SIVNFC scheme is compared with the Cuckoo, the FA, and the firefly neural network to evaluate the quality of services (QoS) parameters such as jitter and throughput.
A New Control Method for Vibration and Noise Suppression in Switched Reluctance Machines
Authors: Zhang Man , Bahri Imen , Mininger Xavier , Vlad Cristina , Xie Hongqin , Berthelot Eric
Published: April 2019

Due to their inherent advantages such as low cost, robustness and wide speed range, switched reluctance machines (SRMs) have attracted great attention in electrical vehicles. However, the vibration and noise problems of SRMs limit their application in the automotive industry because of the negative impact on driver and passengers’ comfort. In this paper, a new control method is proposed to improve the vibratory and acoustic behavior of SRMs. Two additional control blocks —direct force control (DFC) and reference current adapter (RCA)—are introduced to the conventional control method (average torque control (ATC)) of SRM. DFC is adopted to control the radial force in the teeth of the stator, since the dynamic of the radial force has a large impact on the vibratory performance. RCA is proposed to handle the trade-off between the DFC and ATC. It produces an auto-tuning current reference to update the reference current automatically depending on the control requirement. The effectiveness of the proposed control strategy is verified by experimental results under both steady and transient condition. The results show that the proposed method improves the acoustic performance of the SRM and maintains the dynamic response of it, which proves the potential of the proposed control strategy.
Transient Analysis and Execution-Level Power Tracking Control of the Concentrating Solar Thermal Power Plant
Authors: Liang Xiufan , Li Yiguo
Published: April 2019

Concentrating solar power (CSP) is a promising technology for exploiting solar energy. A major advantage of CSP plants lies in their capability of integrating with thermal energy storage; hence, they can have a similar operability to that of fossil-fired power plants, i.e., their power output can be adjusted as required. For this reason, the power output of such CSP plants is generally scheduled to maximize the operating revenue by participating in electric markets, which can result in frequent changes in the power reference signal and introduces challenges to real-time power tracking. To address this issue, this paper systematically studies the execution-level power tracking control strategy of an CSP plant, primarily aiming at coordinating the control of the sluggish steam generator (including the economizer, the boiler, and the superheater) and the fast steam turbine. The governing equations of the key energy conversion processes in the CSP plant are first presented and used as the simulation platform. Then, the transient behavior of the CSP plant is analyzed to gain an insight into the system dynamic characteristics and control difficulties. Then, based on the step-response data, the transfer functions of the CSP plant are identified, which form the prediction model of the model predictive controller. Finally, two control strategies are studied through simulation experiments: (1) the heuristic PI control with two operation modes, which can be conveniently implemented but cannot coordinate the control of the power tracking speed and the main steam parameters, and (2) advanced model predictive control (MPC), which overcomes the shortcoming of PI (Proportional-Integral) control and can significantly improve the control performance.
Natural Gas Intermittent Kiln for the Ceramic Industry: A Transient Thermal Analysis
Authors: Gomez Ricardo S. , Porto Túlio R. N. , Magalhães Hortência L. F. , Moreira Gicelia , André Anastácia M. M. C. N. , Melo Ruth B. F. , Lima Antonio G. B.
Published: April 2019

Drying and firing of ceramic products are processes that require high energy consumption. Making these processes more efficient can improve product quality, reduce processing time and energy consumption, and promote economic and environmental gains. In this sense, this work aims to quantify heat transfer in an intermittent ceramic kiln during the heating and cooling stages, with and without thermal insulation. All mathematical formulation is based on the first law of thermodynamics. From the results, we conclude that the greatest heat loss occurs by radiation in the sidewalls of the equipment, and that a considerable amount of energy is required to heat the sidewalls, base, and ceiling of the kiln. Further, with the use of thermal insulation, it was concluded that a high reduction in the heat lost through the sidewalls was achieved, thus providing a global energy gain of approximately 35% and a reduction in the maximum external surface temperature from 249.34 to 79.47 °C when compared to the kiln without thermal insulation, reducing the risks of work accidents and thermal discomfort when in operation.
Concatenate Convolutional Neural Networks for Non-Intrusive Load Monitoring across Complex Background
Authors: Wu Qian , Wang Fei
Published: April 2019

Non-Intrusive Load Monitoring (NILM) provides a way to acquire detailed energy consumption and appliance operation status through a single sensor, which has been proven to save energy. Further, besides load disaggregation, advanced applications (e.g., demand response) need to recognize on/off events of appliances instantly. In order to shorten the time delay for users to acquire the event information, it is necessary to analyze extremely short period electrical signals. However, the features of those signals are easily submerged in complex background loads, especially in cross-user scenarios. Through experiments and observations, it can be found that the feature of background loads is almost stationary in a short time. On the basis of this result, this paper provides a novel model called the concatenate convolutional neural network to separate the feature of the target load from the load mixed with the background. For the cross-user test on the UK Domestic Appliance-Level Electricity dataset (UK-DALE), it turns out that the proposed model remarkably improves accuracy, robustness, and generalization of load recognition. In addition, it also provides significant improvements in energy disaggregation compared with the state-of-the-art.