bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Combined Use of Indirect ELISA and Western Blotting with Recombinant Hepatocellular Carcinoma-Associated Antigen 59 Is a Potential Immunodiagnostic Tool for the Detection of Prepatent Haemonchus contortus Infection in Goat
Authors: Naqvi Muhammad Ali-ul-Husnain , Naqvi Sana Zahra , Memon Muhammad Ali , Aimulajiang Kalibixiati , Haseeb Muhammad , Xu Lixin , Song Xiaokai , Li Xiangrui , Yan Ruofeng
Published: August 2019

Haemonchus contortus is recognized as one of the important health problems in small ruminants, leading to reduced production and economic loss for farmers worldwide. Prepatent diagnosis of H. contortus infection is crucial to improve control strategies as this helminth may remove up to one-fifth of total erythrocytes and may cause anemia, edema, diarrhea, and ultimately death in young animals. In this study, one of the excretory and secretory products, rHc-HCA59, was purified and used as antigen to detect specific antibodies in H. contortus infected goats during prepatent stage of infection using indirect enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) as screening test. All goats (n = 38) were housed indoor, experimentally infected with 8000 infective larvae (L3) of H. contortus, and serum samples were collected prior to infection and at 14th day of infection. Immunoblotting was performed to confirm the results of indirect ELISA, evaluate the cross reactivity against rHc-HCA59 in sera of most common co-infecting parasites and rectify the false negative samples. Furthermore, three different batches of rHc-HCA59 were produced to evaluate the repeatability of ELISA. No eggs were detected in feces of all goats collected at 7th and 14th day of infection but, H. contortus eggs were detected at 21 days post infection in the feces. Indirect ELISA performed in this study showed 87% sensitivity and 100% specificity. The western blot analysis confirmed immunoreactivity in serum samples which scored positive in indirect ELISA and recognized the samples as negative which had OD450 lower than negative cut-off value in indirect ELISA. Furthermore, all false negative sera (n = 5) that had OD450 value between positive and negative cut-off value in rHc-HCA59 based ELISA were clearly positive in western blot. Moreover, no cross-reactivity was detected in ELISA and western blotting against rHc-HCA59 in positive sera of Toxoplasma gondii, Fasciola hepatica, and Trichinella spiralis. The results of this study concluded that combined use of indirect ELISA and western blotting with rHc-HCA59 is a potential immunodiagnostic tool for the detection of H. contortus infection during prepatent period in goats.
Molecular Characterization and Moxifloxacin Susceptibility of Clostridium difficile
Authors: Mizrahi Sarah , Hamo Zohar , Azrad Maya , Peretz Avi
Published: August 2019

In recent years, the incidence and severity of Clostridium difficile infections has increased. Additionally, resistance of C. difficile to frequently used antibiotics is rising. To improve our understanding of C. difficile, there is a need for molecular characterization of different strains and antibiotic resistance testing. We investigated the efficacy of GenoType CDiff kit (Hain Lifesciences) in identification of C. difficile and its various strains in northern Israel. The kit involves a molecular assay that detects C. difficile from stool samples or colonies and identifies the different strains and mutations in the gyrA gene that cause moxifloxacin resistance. Forty-nine C. difficile positive samples were examined by the kit following DNA extraction from both colonies and stool. The identification rate (95.9%) of C. difficile was much higher when DNA was extracted from colonies, compared to extraction from stool (46.9%). Low frequencies of ribotype027 strain (2%) and of ribotype078 strain (4%) were found. There was a high concordance between genotype (mutation in gyrA) and phenotype (Etest) for moxifloxacin resistance (Kappa = 0.72). A high percentage of moxifloxacin-resistant strains was found. Our findings indicate that the GenoType CDiff kit is very effective in characterization of C. difficile strains and less effective for identification of C. difficile directly from stool samples.
Application of Natural Flavonoids to Impart Antioxidant and Antibacterial Activities to Polyamide Fiber for Health Care Applications
Authors: Li Ya-Dong , Guan Jin-Ping , Tang Ren-Cheng , Qiao Yi-Fan
Published: August 2019

Polyamide fiber has the requirements for antioxidant and antibacterial properties when applied to produce functional textiles for heath care purposes. In this work, three natural flavonoids (baicalin, quercetin, and rutin) were used to simultaneously impart antioxidant and antibacterial functions to polyamide fiber using an adsorption technology. The relations of the chemical structures of flavonoids with their adsorption capability, adsorption mechanisms, and antioxidant and antibacterial activities were discussed. The Langmuir–Nernst adsorption model fitted the adsorption isotherms of the three flavonoids well. The adsorption kinetics of the three flavonoids conformed to the pseudo second-order kinetic model. Quercetin exhibited the highest affinity and adsorption capability, and imparted the highest antioxidant and antibacterial activities to polyamide fiber; and moreover, its antioxidant and antibacterial functions had good washing durability. This study demonstrates that the treatment using natural flavonoids is an effective way to exhance the health care functions of polyamide fiber.
Gait Classification Using Mahalanobis–Taguchi System for Health Monitoring Systems Following Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction
Authors: Sakeran Hamzah , Abu Osman Noor Azuan , Abdul Majid Mohd Shukry
Published: August 2019

In this paper, a gait patterns classification system is proposed, which is based on Mahalanobis–Taguchi System (MTS). The classification of gait patterns is necessary in order to ascertain the rehab outcome among anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) patients. (1) Background: One of the most critical discussion about when ACLR patients should return to work (RTW). The objective was to use Mahalanobis distance (MD) to classify between the gait patterns of the control and ACLR groups, while the Taguchi Method (TM) was employed to choose the useful features. Moreover, MD was also utilised to ascertain whether the ACLR group approaching RTW. The combination of these two methods is called as Mahalanobis-Taguchi System (MTS). (2) Methods: This study compared the gait of 15 control subjects to a group of 10 subjects with laboratory. Later, the data were analysed using MTS. The analysis was based on 11 spatiotemporal parameters. (3) Results: The results showed that gait deviations can be identified successfully, while the ACLR can be classified with higher precision by MTS. The MDs of the healthy group ranged from 0.560 to 1.180, while the MDs of the ACLR group ranged from 2.308 to 1509.811. Out of the 11 spatiotemporal parameters analysed, only eight parameters were considered as useful features. (4) Conclusions: These results indicate that MTS can effectively detect the ACLR recovery progress with reduced number of useful features. MTS enabled doctors or physiotherapists to provide a clinical assessment of their patients with more objective way.
On the Micromixing Behavior of a Spinning Disk Reactor for Metallic Cu Nanoparticles Production
Authors: Marchetti Angela , Stoller Marco
Published: August 2019

The interest in producing copper nanoparticles is high, mainly due to their enhanced properties, a wide range of possible and different applications, and the possibility for their use in the framework of catalysis. The purpose of this study is to synthesize copper nanoparticles by chemical reduction of copper sulfate with L-ascorbic acid and sodium borohydride capable to eliminate free radicals providing an antioxidant environment promoting pure copper nuclei formation. The micromixing conditions necessary for the nanoparticles production are provided by a spinning disk reactor (SDR). Relevant operational parameters, such as the disk speed velocity and the position of the reactant injectors, will lead to different product outcomes. The latter was checked by means of a dynamic light scattering instrument (DLS). At the end, depending on the adopted operating conditions, the SDR was able to produce particles between 16 nm and 39 nm, with a particle size distribution (PSD) characterized by a narrow, monomodal plot. In comparison to the smallest particles obtained in a stirred reactor tank, that is, 132 nm, the obtained results appear to be very promising.
Deep Learning-Based Classification of Weld Surface Defects
Authors: Zhu Haixing , Ge Weimin , Liu Zhenzhong
Published: August 2019

In order to realize the non-destructive intelligent identification of weld surface defects, an intelligent recognition method based on deep learning is proposed, which is mainly formed by convolutional neural network (CNN) and forest random. First, the high-level features are automatically learned through the CNN. Random forest is trained with extracted high-level features to predict the classification results. Secondly, the weld surface defects images are collected and preprocessed by image enhancement and threshold segmentation. A database of weld surface defects is established using pre-processed images. Finally, comparative experiments are performed on the weld surface defects database. The results show that the accuracy of the method combined with CNN and random forest can reach 0.9875, and it also demonstrates the method is effective and practical.
Application of Directed Energy Deposition-Based Additive Manufacturing in Repair
Authors: Saboori Abdollah , Aversa Alberta , Marchese Giulio , Biamino Sara , Lombardi Mariangela , Fino Paolo
Published: August 2019

In the circular economy, products, components, and materials are aimed to be kept at the utility and value all the lifetime. For this purpose, repair and remanufacturing are highly considered as proper techniques to return the value of the product during its life. Directed Energy Deposition (DED) is a very flexible type of additive manufacturing (AM), and among the AM techniques, it is most suitable for repairing and remanufacturing automotive and aerospace components. Its application allows damaged component to be repaired, and material lost in service to be replaced to restore the part to its original shape. In the past, tungsten inert gas welding was used as the main repair method. However, its heat affected zone is larger, and the quality is inferior. In comparison with the conventional welding processes, repair via DED has more advantages, including lower heat input, warpage and distortion, higher cooling rate, lower dilution rate, excellent metallurgical bonding between the deposited layers, high precision, and suitability for full automation. Hence, the proposed repairing method based on DED appears to be a capable method of repairing. Therefore, the focus of this study was to present an overview of the DED process and its role in the repairing of metallic components. The outcomes of this study confirm the significant capability of DED process as a repair and remanufacturing technology.
Large-Eddy Simulations of Oil Droplet Aerosol Transport in the Marine Atmospheric Boundary Layer
Authors: Li Meng , Zhao Ze , Pandya Yajat , Iungo Giacomo , Yang Di
Published: August 2019

In this study, a hybrid large-eddy simulation (LES) model is developed and applied to simulate the transport of oil droplet aerosols in wind over progressive water waves. The LES model employs a hybrid spectral and finite difference method for simulating the wind turbulence and a bounded finite-volume method for modeling the oil aerosol transport. Using a wave-following coordinate system and computational grid, the LES model captures the turbulent flow and oil aerosol fields in the region adjacent to the unsteady wave surface. A flat-surface case with prescribed roughness (representing a pure wind-sea) and a wavy-surface case with regular plane progressive 100 m long waves (representing long-crest long-wavelength ocean swells) are considered to illustrate the capability of the LES model and study the effects of long progressive waves on the transport of oil droplet aerosols with four different droplet diameters. The simulation results and statistical analysis reveal enhanced suspension of oil droplets in wind turbulence due to strong disturbance from the long progressive waves. The spatial distribution of the aerosol concentration also exhibits considerable streamwise variations that correlate with the phase of the long progressive waves.
The Developmental Pathways of Preschool Children with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia: Communicative and Social Sequelae One Year after Treatment
Authors: Tremolada Marta , Taverna Livia , Bonichini Sabrina , Pillon Marta , Biffi Alessandra
Published: August 2019

Early childhood is considered to be a period of rapid development, with the acquisition of abilities predicting future positive school competences. Motor, cognitive, and social difficulties related to cancer therapies heavily impact the development of children with cancer. This study focused on two main aims: To assess the developmental pathways of preschool children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia one year post-treatment and to compare these abilities both with those of a control group of healthy peers and with Italian norms. Forty-four children and their families, recruited through the Hematology-Oncologic Clinic of the Department of Child and Woman Health (University of Padua), agreed to participate in this study. The children’s mean age was 4.52 years (SD = 0.94, range = 2.5–6 years), equally distributed by gender, all diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Matched healthy peers were recruited through pediatricians’ ambulatories. Each family was interviewed adopting the Vineland adaptive behavior scales. Paired sample Wilcoxon tests revealed that children were reported to have significantly more developmental difficulties than their healthy peers. When compared with Italian norms, they scored particularly low in verbal competence, social, and coping skills. No significant association was found between treatment variables and developmental abilities. These findings suggest that the creation of specialized interventions, both for parents and children, may fill the possible delays in children’s development probably due to stress, lack of adequate stimulation, or difficult adaptation.
A Grain Boundary Regulates the Friction Behaviors between Graphene and a Gold Substrate
Authors: He Pinxuan , Cao Qiang , Wang Pengjie , Wang Huaipeng , Zheng Shaolong , Lei Shuting , Liu Sheng , Peng Qing
Published: August 2019

The nanofriction of graphene is critical for its broad applications as a lubricant and in flexible electronics. Herein, using a Au substrate as an example, we have investigated the effect of the grain boundary on the nanofriction of graphene by means of molecular dynamics simulations. We have systematically examined the coupling effects of the grain boundary with different mechanical pressures, velocities, temperatures, contact areas, and relative rotation angles on nanofriction. It is revealed that grain boundaries could reduce the friction between graphene and the gold substrate with a small deformation of the latter. Large lateral forces were observed under severe deformation around the grain boundary. The fluctuation of lateral forces was bigger on surfaces with grain boundaries than that on single-crystal surfaces. Friction forces induced by the armchair grain boundaries was smaller than those by the zigzag grain boundaries.
Sea Ice Climate Normals for Seasonal Ice Monitoring of Arctic and Sub-Regions
Authors: Peng Ge , Arguez Anthony , Meier Walter N. , Vamborg Freja , Crouch Jake , Jones Philip
Published: August 2019

The climate normal, that is, the latest three full-decade average, of Arctic sea ice parameters is useful for baselining the sea ice state. A baseline ice state on both regional and local scales is important for monitoring how the current regional and local states depart from their normal to understand the vulnerability of marine and sea ice-based ecosystems to the changing climate conditions. Combined with up-to-date observations and reliable projections, normals are essential to business strategic planning, climate adaptation and risk mitigation. In this paper, monthly and annual climate normals of sea ice parameters (concentration, area, and extent) of the whole Arctic Ocean and 15 regional divisions are derived for the period of 1981–2010 using monthly satellite sea ice concentration estimates from a climate data record (CDR) produced by NOAA and the National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC). Basic descriptions and characteristics of the normals are provided. Empirical Orthogonal Function (EOF) analysis has been utilized to describe spatial modes of sea ice concentration variability and how the corresponding principal components change over time. To provide users with basic information on data product accuracy and uncertainty, the climate normal values of Arctic sea ice extents (SIE) are compared with that of other products, including a product from NSIDC and two products from the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S). The SIE differences between different products are in the range of 2.3–4.5% of the CDR SIE mean. Additionally, data uncertainty estimates are represented by using the range (the difference between the maximum and minimum), standard deviation, 10th and 90th percentiles, and the first, second, and third quartile distribution of all monthly values, a distinct feature of these sea ice normal products.
Entropy-Based Clustering Algorithm for Fingerprint Singular Point Detection
Authors: Le Ngoc Tuyen , Le Duc Huy , Wang Jing-Wein , Wang Chih-Chiang
Published: August 2019

Fingerprints have long been used in automated fingerprint identification or verification systems. Singular points (SPs), namely the core and delta point, are the basic features widely used for fingerprint registration, orientation field estimation, and fingerprint classification. In this study, we propose an adaptive method to detect SPs in a fingerprint image. The algorithm consists of three stages. First, an innovative enhancement method based on singular value decomposition is applied to remove the background of the fingerprint image. Second, a blurring detection and boundary segmentation algorithm based on the innovative image enhancement is proposed to detect the region of impression. Finally, an adaptive method based on wavelet extrema and the Henry system for core point detection is proposed. Experiments conducted using the FVC2002 DB1 and DB2 databases prove that our method can detect SPs reliably.
Financial Stability Index for the Financial Sector of Pakistan
Authors: Babar Sadia , Latief Rashid , Ashraf Sumaira , Nawaz Sania
Published: August 2019

This study aims to develop a financial stability index for the Pakistani financial sector by using the financial reports for the period of 2001–2011. Specifically, we constructed three different classes of indices in this study based on a variance-equal weighted approach, a linear probability approach, and a logistic approach. We also assessed the prediction accuracy of the financial stability index. All indices indicated that profitability, liquid liability to the liquid asset, non-performing loan, uncovered liabilities, interest spread and inter-fund to liquid liabilities variables contribute significantly to the determination of financial stress of commercial banks. We also compared the results of indices computed with different methodologies—among them was the index constructed by employing coefficients of the logistic model and which performed outstandingly in predicting distressed and non-distressed banks. Moreover, the findings of this study suggest that in regard to return on assets and return on equity, when employed in a stepwise manner for developing the financial stability index, the results are similar in the sense that both profitability indicators have the same behavior. Finally, we conclude that the financial stability indices developed in this study could help decision makers to detect and avoid instability in the future.
Industry-Practice-Based Engineering Hydrology Education at USQ, Australia
Authors: Chowdhury Rezaul
Published: August 2019

Engineering education must embrace several challenges, such as increased numbers of work-based students, increased demand for online education, mismatches in employability skills and industry requirements, and lack of student engagement. The hydrology course at the University of Southern Queensland attracts more than 100 students every year, where more than 70% of students are off-campus and most of them are work-based. This study explored how an online hydrology course can embrace industry practice and engage students in order to achieve learning outcomes. Industrial careers in hydrology involve extensive use of hydroclimatological data and modeling applications. The course modules, learning objectives and outcomes, and assessment tools have been designed to align with industry practices. Active participation of students was observed in self-assessment quizzes and discussion forums. The course was rated very well in achieving learning outcomes and in overall student satisfaction. Students appreciated the well-structured real-world and professional practice in the course.
Implementation of Fuzzy Functions Aimed at Fairer Grading of Students’ Tests
Authors: Ivanova Vanya , Zlatanov Boyan
Published: August 2019

The main goal of this research is to achieve fairer assessment of students’ knowledge and skills in tests in view of the fact that learners with similar abilities are often assigned different test grades if their achievements are borderline cases between two grades. As an example, a student who has scored 29 points out of 60 in a test will fail, while another one with 30 or 31 points will pass, which can be viewed as unjust. This problem is addressed by using fuzzy logic and different fuzzy functions to determine whether students with borderline test scores are assigned the higher or the lower grade of the two. Furthermore, although changing the grades of individual students, the authors endeavor to preserve the overall score of all test takers statistically unchanged.
Theoretical Study of InAlN/GaN High Electron Mobility Transistor (HEMT) with a Polarization-Graded AlGaN Back-Barrier Layer
Authors: Gu Yan , Chang Dongmei , Sun Haiyan , Zhao Jicong , Yang Guofeng , Dai Zhicheng , Ding Yu
Published: August 2019

An inserted novel polarization-graded AlGaN back barrier structure is designed to enhance performances of In0.17Al0.83N/GaN high electron mobility transistor (HEMT), which is investigated by the two-dimensional drift-diffusion simulations. The results indicate that carrier confinement of the graded AlGaN back-barrier HEMT is significantly improved due to the conduction band discontinuity of about 0.46 eV at interface of GaN/AlGaN heterojunction. Meanwhile, the two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) concentration of parasitic electron channel can be reduced by a gradient Al composition that leads to the complete lattice relaxation without piezoelectric polarization, which is compared with the conventional Al0.1Ga0.9N back-barrier HEMT. Furthermore, compared to the conventional back-barrier HEMT with a fixed Al-content, a higher transconductance, a higher current and a better radio-frequency performance can be created by a graded AlGaN back barrier.
Permittivity of Undoped Silicon in the Millimeter Wave Range
Authors: Yang Xiaofan , Liu Xiaoming , Yu Shuo , Gan Lu , Zhou Jun , Zeng Yonghu
Published: August 2019

With the rapid development of millimeter wave technology, it is a fundamental requirement to understand the permittivity of materials in this frequency range. This paper describes the dielectric measurement of undoped silicon in the E-band (60–90 GHz) using a free-space quasi-optical system. This system is capable of creating local plane wave, which is desirable for dielectric measurement in the millimeter wave range. Details of the design and performance of the quasi-optical system are presented. The principle of dielectric measurement and retrieval process are described incorporating the theories of wave propagation and scattering parameters. Measured results of a sheet of undoped silicon are in agreement with the published results in the literature, within a discrepancy of 1%. It is also observed that silicon has a small temperature coefficient for permittivity. This work is helpful for understanding the dielectric property of silicon in the millimeter wave range. The method is applicable to other electronic materials as well as liquid samples.
Condition Monitoring for the Roller Bearings of Wind Turbines under Variable Working Conditions Based on the Fisher Score and Permutation Entropy
Authors: Fu Lei , Zhu Tiantian , Zhu Kai , Yang Yiling
Published: August 2019

Condition monitoring is used to assess the reliability and equipment efficiency of wind turbines. Feature extraction is an essential preprocessing step to achieve a high level of performance in condition monitoring. However, the fluctuating conditions of wind turbines usually cause sudden variations in the monitored features, which may lead to an inaccurate prediction and maintenance schedule. In this scenario, this article proposed a novel methodology to detect the multiple levels of faults of rolling bearings in variable operating conditions. First, signal decomposition was carried out by variational mode decomposition (VMD). Second, the statistical features were calculated and extracted in the time domain. Meanwhile, a permutation entropy analysis was conducted to estimate the complexity of the vibrational signal in the time series. Next, feature selection techniques were applied to achieve improved identification accuracy and reduce the computational burden. Finally, the ranked feature vectors were fed into machine learning algorithms for the classification of the bearing defect status. In particular, the proposed method was performed over a wide range of working regions to simulate the operational conditions of wind turbines. Comprehensive experimental investigations were employed to evaluate the performance and effectiveness of the proposed method.
Economic Distance to Gather Agricultural Residues from the Field to the Integrated Biomass Logistic Centre: A Spanish Case-Study
Authors: Suardi Alessandro , Bergonzoli Simone , Alfano Vincenzo , Scarfone Antonio , Pari Luigi
Published: August 2019

A big amount of agricultural residues are generated from crop production and partially remain in the field after harvest. Removing the excess of residues after crop harvesting can increase farmer income, providing feedstock that could be used for industrial and energy purposes. The costs for collection and transport of straw and stalks are site- and region-specific and depend on the availability of agricultural residue and on how much of the residue is removed from any specific field or location. If the biomass is baled then it is required to upload the bales on a trailer, transport and unload all the baled biomass to the storage center. On the other hand, if a self-loading wagon is used the loose biomass collected, it must be unloaded every time the wagon is completely full. The distance and the harvesting system used influence the costs and should be analytically studied to avoid turning a possible profit into a disadvantageous business. The research represents a real case study to evaluate, which is the maximum distance to the biomass logistic center from which it is more economically convenient to gather the wheat and corn residues in bales instead of using a self-loading wagon. The results show a lower harvesting unitary cost for the self-loading forage wagon respect to the baling system. Although the study showed delivery distances over 11.4 km for wheat straw and 16.0 km for maize stalks, the use of the self-loading forage wagon is no longer convenient, and baling is the preferred harvesting system.
Volume-Based Assessment of Erosion Patterns around a Hydrodynamic Transparent Offshore Structure
Authors: Welzel Mario , Schendel Alexander , Schlurmann Torsten , Hildebrandt Arndt
Published: August 2019

The present article presents results of a laboratory study on the assessment of erosion patterns around a hydrodynamic transparent offshore foundation exposed to combined waves and currents. The model tests were conducted under irregular, long-crested waves in a scale of 1:30 in a wave-current basin. A terrestrial 3D laser scanner was used to acquire data of the sediment surface around the foundation structure. Tests have been conducted systematically varying from wave- to current-dominated conditions. Different volume analyzing methods are introduced, which can be related for any offshore or coastal structure to disclose physical processes in complex erosion patterns. Empirical formulations are proposed for the quantification of spatially eroded sediment volumes and scour depths in the near-field and vicinity of the structure. Findings from the present study agree well with in-situ data stemming from the field. Contrasting spatial erosion development between experimental and in-situ data determines a stable maximum of erosion intensity at a distance of 1.25 A, 1.25 times the structure’s footprint A, as well as a global scour extent of 2.1–2.7 A within the present study and about 2.7–2.8 A from the field. By this means, a structure-induced environmental footprint as a measure for erosion of sediment affecting marine habitat is quantified.
Hierarchical Fault-Tolerant Control using Model Predictive Control for Wind Turbine Pitch Actuator Faults
Authors: Kim Donggil , Lee Dongik
Published: August 2019

Wind energy is one of the fastest growing energy sources in the world. It is expected that by the end of 2022 the installed capacity will exceed 250 GW thanks to the supply of large scale wind turbines in Europe. However, there are still challenging problems with wind turbines. In particular, off-shore and large-scale wind turbines are required to tackle the issue of maintainability and availability because they are installed in harsh off-shore environments, which may also prevent engineers from accessing the site for immediate repair works. Fault-tolerant control techniques have been widely exploited to overcome this issue. This paper proposes a novel fault-tolerant control strategy for wind turbines. The proposed strategy has a hierarchical structure, consisting of a pitch controller and a wind turbine controller, with parameter estimations using the adaptive fading Kalman filter technique. The pitch controller compensates any fault with a pitching actuator, while the wind turbine controller computes the optimal reference command for pitching behavior so that the effect of the fault with a pitch actuator can be minimized. The performance of the proposed approach is demonstrated through a set of simulations with a wind turbine benchmark model.
Control Strategy for MGT Generation System Optimized by Improved WOA to Enhance Demand Response Capability
Authors: Zhu Jiecheng , Wang Xitian , Xie Da , Gu Chenghong
Published: August 2019

The grid-connected micro gas turbine (MGT) generation system is playing an important role in power systems because of its demand response capability and application in combined heat and power (CHP) systems. When applied to promote demand response, the generation system is expected to respond to follow instructions quickly, but a rapid response harms the safety and is not conducive to the benefits of customers, which leads to a contradiction. In this paper, a closed-loop power control is introduced for the MGT to improve demand response capability. The rate of fuel valve opening is limited so as to protect the equipment from thermal fatigue threats. An optimization method is developed for identifying the control parameters, balancing the response time and unrealized energy in the regulation process. An improved whale optimization algorithm (IWOA) is proposed to implement the optimization. Results of the algorithm performance verify that WOA is competitive with other heuristic algorithms, and IWOA is more suitable for parameter optimization problems than WOA because of better efficiency and exploitation capability. Results of power response further indicate that the proposed control strategy can achieve expected aims and is suitable for the MGT generation system.
Application of the High-Throughput TAB-Array for the Discovery of Novel 5-Hydroxymethylcytosine Biomarkers in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma
Authors: Zeng Chang , Zhang Zhou , Wang Jun , Chiu Brian C-H , Hou Lifang , Zhang Wei
Published: August 2019

The clinical outcomes of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) remain dismal, with an estimated five-year survival rate of less than 5%. Early detection and prognostic approaches, including robust biomarkers for PDAC, are critical for improving patient survival. Our goal was to explore the biomarker potential of 5-hydroxymethylcytosines (5hmC), an emerging epigenetic marker with a distinct role in cancer pathobiology, yet under-investigated, due largely to technical constraints relating to PDAC. The TET-assisted bisulfite (TAB)-Array assay represents state-of-the-art technology and was used to directly profile 5hmC at single-base resolution with the Illumina EPIC array (~850,000 cytosine modification sites) in 17 pairs of tumor/adjacent tissue samples from US patients collected at the University of Chicago Medical Center. The TAB-Array data were analyzed to explore the genomic distribution of 5hmC and evaluate whether 5hmC markers were differentially modified between tumors and adjacent tissues. We demonstrated distinctive distribution patterns of 5hmC in tissue samples from PDAC patients relative to cis-regulatory elements (e.g., histone modification marks for enhancers), indicating their potential gene regulatory relevance. Substantial differences in 5hmC-modified CpG sites were detected between tumors and adjacent tissues in genes related to cancer pathobiology. The detected 5hmC-contaning marker genes also showed prognostic value for overall survival in the US patients with PDAC from the Cancer Genome Atlas Project. This study demonstrated the technical feasibility of the TAB-Array approach in cancer biomarker discovery and the biomarker potential of 5hmC for PDAC. Future studies using tissues and/or liquid biopsies may include 5hmC as a potential epigenetic biomarker target for PDAC.
Bird Communities in Urban Riparian Areas: Response to the Local- and Landscape-Scale Environmental Variables
Authors: Guo Shiyi , Su Chang , Saito Kaoru , Cheng Jiexin , Terada Toru
Published: August 2019

Understanding how environmental changes driven by urbanization impact the biodiversity in urban riparian areas has great importance for landscape planning and river ecosystem conservation. There have been many studies on the response of bird communities to different environmental variables in urban parks; however, although supporting some of the highest bird diversities, case studies in urban riparian areas remain limited. In existing research, few studies have considered the impact of both local waterfront characteristics and surrounding environmental variables at a larger scale. In this study, we selected birds as the indicator to clarify their response to both local- and landscape-scale environmental variables in riparian areas of Tsing river, Beijing, in terms of (a) vegetation composition, (b) human disturbance, (c) land cover, and (d) landscape connectivity. We hypothesized that birds with different biological characteristics may respond differently to environmental variables. Birds were then further grouped according to the habitat type, residential type, and feeding type. It turned out that the coverage of grass and the disturbance of pedestrians are the most influential variables. Besides, compared with the land cover and landscape connectivity, the total contribution of vegetation characteristics and human disturbance accounts for the main proportion of explained variance. Information pertaining to these environmental variables can provide evidence to support bird conservation efforts in urban areas, and the identified distance threshold provides a basis for future landscape connectivity assessments.
Interactions between Resident Risk Perceptions and Wildfire Risk Mitigation: Evidence from Simultaneous Equations Modeling
Authors: Meldrum James R. , Brenkert-Smith Hannah , Champ Patricia , Gomez Jamie , Falk Lilia , Barth Christopher
Published: August 2019

Fire science emphasizes that mitigation actions on residential property, including structural hardening and maintaining defensible space, can reduce the risk of wildfire at a home. Accordingly, a rich body of social science literature investigates the determinants of wildfire risk mitigation behaviors of residents living in fire-prone areas. Here, we investigate relationships among wildfire hazards, residents’ risk perceptions, and conditions associated with mitigation actions using a combination of simulated wildfire conditions, household survey responses, and professionally assessed parcel characteristic data. We estimate a simultaneous model of these data that accounts for potential direct feedbacks between risk perceptions and parcel-level conditions. We also compare the use of self-reported versus assessed parcel-level data for estimating these relationships. Our analysis relies on paired survey and assessment data for approximately 2000 homes in western Colorado. Our simultaneous model demonstrates dual-directional interactions between risk perceptions and conditions associated with mitigation actions, with important implications for inference from simpler approaches. In addition to improving general understanding of decision-making about risk and natural hazards, our findings can support the effectiveness of publicly supported programs intended to encourage mitigation to reduce society’s overall wildfire risk.
The Combination of Hot Air and Chitosan Treatments on Phytochemical Changes during Postharvest Storage of ‘Sanhua’ Plum Fruits
Authors: Chang Xiaoxiao , Lu Yusheng , Li Quan , Lin Zhixiong , Qiu Jishui , Peng Cheng , Brennan Charles Stephen , Guo Xinbo
Published: August 2019

Plum fruits would become putrid quickly after harvest. In order to prolong postharvest life, ‘Sanhua’ plum fruits were treated by hot air combined with a chitosan coating, and stored at low temperature. Fruit firmness, total soluble solids, total phytochemical contents were evaluated along with total antioxidant activities and phytochemical components. Results showed that hot air treatment delayed softening process of plum fruit. The total phenolics and flavonoids accumulated and antioxidant activities increased in both control and treatment samples during storage. These values in the samples treated with hot air and chitosan were all higher than control and hot air treatments. Phytochemicals of epicatechin, cyanidin, pelargonidin, and hesperetin were all upregulated by hot air and chitosan treatment, especially epicatechin. This suggested that chitosan might play an important role in regulating phytochemical profiles of ‘Sanhua’ plum fruits during storage.
Characterization and Differentiation of Spanish Vinegars from Jerez and Condado de Huelva Protected Designations of Origin
Authors: Durán-Guerrero Enrique , Schwarz Mónica , Fernández-Recamales M. Ángeles , Barroso Carmelo G. , Castro Remedios
Published: August 2019

Thirty one Jerez vinegar samples and 33 Huelva vinegar samples were analyzed for polyphenolic and volatile compound content in order to characterize them and attempt to differentiate them. Sixteen polyphenolic compounds were quantified by means of ultraperformance liquid chromatography method with diode array detection (UPLC–DAD), and 37 volatile compounds were studied by means of stir bar sorptive extraction–gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (SBSE–GC–MS). Spectrophotometric CIELab parameters were also measured for all the samples. The results obtained from the statistical multivariate treatment of the data evidenced a clear difference between vinegars from the two geographical indications with regard to their polyphenolic content, with Jerez vinegars exhibiting a greater phenolic content. Differentiation by the volatile compound content was, however, not so evident. Nevertheless, a considerable differentiation between the two groups of vinegars based on their volatile fraction was achieved. This may bring to light the grape varieties and geographical factors that have a clear influence on such differences.
Transcriptomic Analysis of the Influence of Methanol Assimilation on the Gene Expression in the Recombinant Pichia pastoris Producing Hirudin Variant 3
Authors: Li Tao , Ma Jieying , Xu Zehua , Wang Shuang , Wang Nan , Shao Shulin , Yang Wei , Huang Lin , Liu Yihan
Published: August 2019

Hirudin and its variants, as strong inhibitors against thrombin, are present in the saliva of leeches and are recognized as potent anticoagulants. However, their yield is far from the clinical requirement up to now. In this study, the production of hirudin variant 3 (HV3) was successfully realized by cultivating the recombinant Pichia pastoris GS115/pPIC9K-hv3 under the regulation of the promoter of AOX1 encoding alcohol oxidase (AOX). The antithrombin activity in the fermentation broth reached the maximum value of 5000 ATU/mL. To explore an effective strategy for improving HV3 production in the future, we investigated the influence of methanol assimilation on the general gene expression in this recombinant by transcriptomic study. The results showed that methanol was partially oxidized into CO2, and the rest was converted into glycerone-P which subsequently entered into central carbon metabolism, energy metabolism, and amino acid biosynthesis. However, the later metabolic processes were almost all down-regulated. Therefore, we propose that the up-regulated central carbon metabolism, energy, and amino acid metabolism should be beneficial for methanol assimilation, which would accordingly improve the production of HV3.
Cellular and Molecular Mechanisms in the Pathogenesis of Classical, Vascular, and Hypermobile Ehlers‒Danlos Syndromes
Authors: Chiarelli Nicola , Ritelli Marco , Zoppi Nicoletta , Colombi Marina
Published: August 2019

The Ehlers‒Danlos syndromes (EDS) constitute a heterogenous group of connective tissue disorders characterized by joint hypermobility, skin abnormalities, and vascular fragility. The latest nosology recognizes 13 types caused by pathogenic variants in genes encoding collagens and other molecules involved in collagen processing and extracellular matrix (ECM) biology. Classical (cEDS), vascular (vEDS), and hypermobile (hEDS) EDS are the most frequent types. cEDS and vEDS are caused respectively by defects in collagen V and collagen III, whereas the molecular basis of hEDS is unknown. For these disorders, the molecular pathology remains poorly studied. Herein, we review, expand, and compare our previous transcriptome and protein studies on dermal fibroblasts from cEDS, vEDS, and hEDS patients, offering insights and perspectives in their molecular mechanisms. These cells, though sharing a pathological ECM remodeling, show differences in the underlying pathomechanisms. In cEDS and vEDS fibroblasts, key processes such as collagen biosynthesis/processing, protein folding quality control, endoplasmic reticulum homeostasis, autophagy, and wound healing are perturbed. In hEDS cells, gene expression changes related to cell-matrix interactions, inflammatory/pain responses, and acquisition of an in vitro pro-inflammatory myofibroblast-like phenotype may contribute to the complex pathogenesis of the disorder. Finally, emerging findings from miRNA profiling of hEDS fibroblasts are discussed to add some novel biological aspects about hEDS etiopathogenesis.
Museum Practices as Tools to (Re)Define Memory and Identity Issues Through Direct Experience of Tangible and Intangible Heritage
Authors: Wróblewska Marta
Published: August 2019

In the liquid-like times of post-modernity, where the notions of memory, identity, and culture are undergoing a process of redefinition, transition, and interpenetration, the role of museums as institutions responsible for heritage preservation and distribution needs to be revised in terms of their engagement with exhibitions, audiences, and strategies. The following text will analyze some examples of those tendencies implemented in contemporary museums practices observed in two cities: Gdańsk, Poland and Berlin, Germany.
Association between Resting Heart Rate and Colorectal Cancer: Results from a Case-Controlled Study
Authors: Kwon Yu-Jin , Lee Hye Sun , Cho Mi Ra , Kim Si Nae , Jeon Justin Y. , Kim Nam Kyu , Lee Ji-Won
Published: August 2019

Previous studies evaluating associations between resting heart rate (RHR) and cancer-related mortality/prognosis have yielded conflicting results. We investigated whether elevations in RHR are associated with colorectal cancer (CRC). We conducted a case-controlled study involving 1241 CRC patients and 5909 cancer-free controls from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. After propensity score (PS) matching, 1207 CRC patients and 1207 matched controls were analyzed. Associations between RHR and CRC, colon, and rectal cancer were analyzed in appropriate patient subgroups using multiple and conditional logistic regression. Receiver operating characteristics analysis yielded the optimal RHR cut-point to predict CRC. RHR was significantly higher in CRC, colon, and rectal cancer patients than in controls (72.7 bpm in CRC, 72.8 bpm in colon cancer, 72.3 bpm in rectal cancer, and 68.7 bpm in controls; all p < 0.001). Analysis of data prior to PS matching yielded the following odds ratios (ORs) per RHR increment for CRC, colon, and rectal cancer: 1.043 (95% confidence intervals (CIs): 1.036–1.049), 1.045 (95% CI: 1.037–1.053), and 1.040 (95% CI: 1.030–1.051), respectively, in unadjusted models, and 1.043 (95% CI: 1.034–1.051), 1.046 (95% CI: 1.037–1.055), and 1.040 (95% CI: 1.027–1.052), respectively, in multivariable adjusted models. Patients with CRC, colon, and rectal cancer have a significantly higher RHR compared to cancer-free controls.
Epigenetic Regulation of Adipogenic Differentiation by Histone Lysine Demethylation
Authors: Nic-Can Geovanny I. , Rodas-Junco Beatriz A. , Carrillo-Cocom Leydi M. , Zepeda-Pedreguera Alejandro , Peñaloza-Cuevas Ricardo , Aguilar-Ayala Fernando J. , Rojas-Herrera Rafael A.
Published: August 2019

Obesity is a rising public health problem that contributes to the development of several metabolic diseases and cancer. Adipocyte precursors outside of adipose depots that expand due to overweight and obesity may have a negative impact on human health. Determining how progenitor cells acquire a preadipocyte commitment and become mature adipocytes remains a significant challenge. Over the past several years, we have learned that the establishment of cellular identity is widely influenced by changes in histone marks, which in turn modulate chromatin structure. In this regard, histone lysine demethylases (KDMs) are now emerging as key players that shape chromatin through their ability to demethylate almost all major histone methylation sites. Recent research has shown that KDMs orchestrate the chromatin landscape, which mediates the activation of adipocyte-specific genes. In addition, KDMs have functions in addition to their enzymatic activity, which are beginning to be revealed, and their dysregulation seems to be related to the development of metabolic disorders. In this review, we highlight the biological functions of KDMs that contribute to the establishment of a permissive or repressive chromatin environment during the mesenchymal stem cell transition into adipocytes. Understanding how KDMs regulate adipogenesis might prompt the development of new strategies for fighting obesity-related diseases.