bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Even a very intense exposure to TV advertising promoting fruit consumption is not enough to make children eat more fruit: results from an experimental study in Italy
Authors: Vecchio Maria Gabriella , Nikolakis Apostolia , Galasso Francesca , Baldas Solidea , Gregori Dario
Published: November 2018

OBJECTIVE:

The consumption of fruits and vegetables is important for a healthy lifestyle. The intake of fruits and vegetables is recommended to be at least 5 portions/per day, but currently, less than 15% of children between the ages of 4–8 years reach that consumption level. How to promote and increase fruit consumption in children is still an open issue. This study aimed to experimentally assess the efficacy of intense pro-fruit advertising on actual consumption in children during snacking.

STUDY DESIGN:

The study was conducted on 12 children (ages 6–10 years) exposed to a 9-minute movie containing a total of 3.30 minutes of advertising (25% of the total time). Advertising was classified as healthy if the message focused on fruit and vegetable consumption and as unhealthy if it focused on hypercaloric foods. Children were randomized to have equicaloric snacks of apples in slices (packaging of 80 grams) or chips (25 grams) in four groups of three children each: fruit-healthy ads, fruit-unhealthy ads, chips-healthy ads, and chips-unhealthy ads.

RESULTS:

No significant differences ( p = 0.762) were found regarding kcal intake deriving from fruit consumption among the group exposed to chip advertising (20.20 kcal mean difference, 95% C.I. 1.01–32.93). Overall, children had a higher consumption of chips (11.35 grams, 0–22.86) than fruit (0 grams, 0.00–44.91).

CONCLUSIONS:

Even an intense exposure to TV advertising for fruits and vegetables did not increase the consumption of fruit during snack time. More innovative approaches may be necessary to stimulate the intake of fruits and vegetables in children.
THE STUDY OF THE PROPERTIES OF VULCANIZATES BASED ON ETHYLENE VINYL ACETATE RUBBERS WITH DIFFERENT CONTENT OF VINYL ACETATE UNITS
Authors: Syayleva M. V. , Bukanov A. M. , Zvezdenkov K. A. , Voloshin V. N.
Published: October 2018

The article studies the structure and properties of ethylene vinyl acetate rubbers and the influence of the vinyl acetate (VA) units content in the rubber on the technological, physical-mechanical, operating and electrical properties of vulcanizates. The results of the study prove that the distinctive feature of ethylene vinyl acetate rubbers compared to other rubbers is their thermoplastic properties and low viscosity. Besides, the high resistance to ozone, heat and oil resistance and good mechanical properties of vulcanizates based on them make this type of polymer materials very promising for the creation of modern products. It is shown that the values of elasticity modulus, strength, elongation and tear resistance are increased with increasing VA units content in the rubber. Besides, swelling in hydrocarbon media decreases. Vulcanizates containing 40-45% of VA have satisfactory electrical characteristics and good moisture resistance and can be used as the base insulating rubber. Vulcanizates with a high content of vinyl acetate units (60-70%) have high oil and heat resistance. Therefore, their use in rubber compounds for cable jackets is most effective. The study of the properties of ethylene vinyl acetate rubbers and their vulcanizates allowed to develop formulations of insulating and jacket rubbers and to determine the most promising areas of their application for modern cable products of special purpose in the petrochemical, aerospace, transport and shipbuilding industries.
Finite control set model predictive control to balance DC-link capacitor voltage for TType NPC inverter of grid-connected photovoltaic systems
Authors: Phan Dzung Quoc , Nguyen Tuyen Dinh , Nguyen Nhat Minh
Published: October 2018

This paper proposes the Finite control set Model Predictive Control (FCS-MPC) with delay compensation for three-phase threelevel T-Type NPC inverter (T-Type NPC) of grid-connected photovoltaic systems (PV). The proposed FCS-MPC controls the objectives: current tracking control, DC-link capacitor voltage balance, the reduction of switching frequency to ensure issues of the power quality and improve the efficiency of grid-connected of PV system. The cost function of the proposed FCS-MPC uses the 27 possible switching states generated by TType NPC, the optimal switching state is selected in each sampling time that minimizes the cost function. The proposed FCS-MPC has also proposed the delay compensation with two-step prediction horizon at time k+2 to reduce the total harmonic distortion (THD) of the grid current. The proposed FCS-MPC is verified by using Matlab/Simulink.
Generalized Vectorial Formalism – based multiphase series-connected motors control
Authors: Semail Eric , Nguyen Ngac Ky , Kestelyn Xavier , Moraes Tiago Dos Santos
Published: October 2018

Multiphase drives are more and more used in specific applications leading to a necessity of control strategy development. This paper presents the Generalized Vectorial Formalism (GVF) theory to control multiphase series-connected permanent magnet synchronous motors (PMSM) fed by one voltage source inverter (VSI). Based on a decomposition of multiphase machine, a proposed control strategy has been achieved. Some experimental results are given to illustrate this control method.
Analyzing the impact of wind generation on the transient stability
Authors: Phan Binh Thi Thanh , Ho Thien Ngoc
Published: October 2018

The wind generation causes some troubles on the stability of power network. Observing the critical clearing time of circuit breaker with existence of wind generation, one conclusion about the degrading of stability will be drawn. The location and the penetration level of this generation are also considered in this paper. The 14 buses IEEE network is examined with the soft ware PSAT.
Low-head hydropower energy resource harvesting: analysis and design of a Venturi turbine
Authors: Prasad Nadipuram R. , Ranade Satish J. , Nguyen Phuc Huu
Published: October 2018

The paper provides a low-head hydropower energy resource harvester (HyPER) design of 4-blade impeller with a fixed pitch blade angle. Based on a previous site evaluation and maximum power potential estimated without any modifications to the irrigation structure, the proposed objective of exploiting the estimated power will be met from harvester prototypes with portable, compact modular design. This makes assembly easy, uses off-the-shelf components to produce power. Calculations were carried out for designing guidevanes, Venturi tube, impeller blades and Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) software then is used in verifying the design. Designed as a self-supporting structure, the configuration offers a scalable hydropower generating system suitable for low-head drops along irrigation canals.
Low-head hydropower energy resource harvesting: design and manufacturing of the (HyPER) harvester
Authors: Prasad Nadipuram R. , Ranade Satish J. , Nguyen Phuc Huu
Published: October 2018

The design and manufacturing of a revolutionary hydropower harvester with characteristics that embrace the ecology and the environment is described. Guided by NEPA standards for environmental protection, the design concept incorporates a modular and self-supporting structure with a vertical-axis turbine-generator system that is: a) fabricated using Fiberglass and Carboncomposites and is light weight, and b) is easy to manufacture and assemble utilizing offthe- shelf electromechanical components and deploy to produce the desired power. A computational fluid dynamics (CFD) software, ANSYS®, is used to optimize the flow characteristics of the harvester. A fullyscalable, modular and easily deployable hydropower generating system prototype of a 10kW low-head hydropower harvester with 4- blade fixed-pitch impeller is presented. The technology is adaptable for low-head drops along irrigation canals with existing structures and as modular weirs across small rivers and streams worldwide.
Study of adaptive Fuzzy Smith control for time-delay systems
Authors: Nguyen Tai Trong , Dao Thanh Van
Published: October 2018

In this paper, an adaptive Fuzzy Smith control method is presented to control the varying time delay systems. Based on the online parameter estimation, Smith predictor can be updated online which can eliminate the time delay element. This method overcame the shortcomings that control effect of conventional Smith predictor will be worse when the parameters of time delay systems change. Furthermore, an adaptive fuzzy controller adjusts online the PID control parameters to improve the control performance. Simulation results show the effectiveness of the proposed method.
A method of sliding mode control of cart and pole system
Authors: Nguyen Hai Van Dong , Nguyen Tam Minh , Ivanescu Mircea
Published: October 2018

This paper presents a method of using Sliding Mode Control (SMC) for Cart and Pole system. The stability of controller is proved through using Lyapunov function and simulations. A genetic algorithm (GA) program is used to optimize controlling parameters. The GA-based parameters prove good-quality of control through Matlab/Simulink Simulation.
IMPLEMENTASI STRATEGI SOCIAL MARKETING DINAS KOPERASI DAN UMKM UNTUK MENINGKATKAN PENDAPATAN MASYARAKAT SENTRA INDUSTRI MANIK-MANIK DI KABUPATEN JOMBANG
Authors: Raikhani Agus , Sari Linda Ratna , Hamidia Nida
Published: October 2018

Social Marketing merupakan slogan pemberdayaan masyarakat yang implementasinya memberikaan keberdayaan masyarakat mengaktualisasikan ide, gagasan, berkarya dan berkembang dalam meningkatkan pendapatan masyarakat. Kebijakan pemerintah berperan sebagai pendampingan melalui kebijakan yang diteruskan melalui kemitraan. Metode pengolahan dan penyajian data hasil penelitian melalui analisis SWOT digambaran dalam bentuk uraian kalimat yang logis dengan keadaan yang sebenarnya. Dari menganalisis kekuatan kelemahan internal dan peluang ancaman eksternal, bertujuan meningkatkan pendapatan masyarakat sentra industri manik-manik di desa Gambang Kecamaan Gudo kabupaten Jombang. Berdasarkan hasil analisis matrik SWOT menunjukkan bahwa sentra industri manik-manik memiliki peluang sebesar-besarnya. Pada strategi kombinasi SWOT diketahui nilai SO sebagai nilai tertinggi, artinya strategi tersebut memiliki ketepatan strategi yang tinggi pula. Pada diagram kartesius terletak di kuadran I pada titik (0,15;1,37) artinya industri manik-manik pada kondisi pertumbuhan. Hal ini terbukti bahwa efektifitas strategi Social Marketing Dinas Koperasi dan UMKM yang dilakukan terhadap masyarakat sentra industri manik-manik dalam kurun waktu dua tahun terakhir mampu membantu untuk meningkatkan pendapatan masyarakat sebesar 20%. Untuk itu, pemerintah bersama masyarakat sentra industri manik-manik terus berupaya untuk menerapkan strategi yang sesuai dengan kondisi ini dan mendukung kebijakan pertumbuhan yang agresif.
PENGARUH KEBERLANJUTAN USAHA DAN FORCE MAJEUR TERHADAP KREDIT BERMASALAH PNPM MANDIRI PEDESAAN DI KECAMATAN TROWULAN KABUPATEN MOJOKERTO
Authors: Dinaloni Diah , Putri Intan Cahyaning
Published: October 2018

Tujuan penelitian adalah untuk mengetahui pengaruh keberlanjutan usaha dan force majeur terhadap kredit bermasalah PNPM Mandiri Pedesaan di Kecamatan Trowulan Kabupaten Mojokerto secara parsial maupun simultan. Metode pengumpulan data menggunakan metode wawancara, dan dokumentasi. Instrumen penelitian menggunakan angket. Teknik pengambilan sampel menggunakan teknik purposive sampling. Teknik analisis data menggunakan analisis regresi linier berganda.Hasil penelitian menunjukkan ada pengaruh keberlanjutan usaha dan force majeur terhadap kredit bermasalah PNPM Mandiri Pedesaan di kecamatan Trowulan Kabupaten Jombang secara parsial maupun simultan. Hal ini bisa dilihat dari hasil uji t dimana nilai t hitung pada variabel keberlanjutan usaha adalah 4,416 dan nilai t hitung pada variabel force majeure adalah 5,027. Kedua hasil t hitung pada masing-masing variabel tersebut lebih besar dari t tabel (1,681), maka dapat disimpulkan bahwa ada  pengaruh variabel keberlanjutan usaha dan force majeure terhadap kredit bermasalah secara parsial . Dari uji F diperoleh nilai F hitung sebesar 45,775 lebih besar dari F tabel (3,21), maka disimpulkan bahwa ada pengaruh variabel keberlanjutan usaha dan force majeure terhadap kredit bermasalah secara simultan. Dari tabel model Summary dapat diketahui bahwa pengaruh variabel keberlanjutan usaha dan force majeure terhadap kredit bermasalah adalah sebesar 68,6%. Dan sisanya sebesar 31,4% dipengaruhi oleh variabel lain diluar model regresi.
Analisis Pengaruh Penambahan Berat Badan, Kadar Hemoglobin, Dan Riwayat Penyakit Ibu Selama Hamil Dengan Berat Bayi Lahir Pada Kondisi Berat Bayi Lahir Rendah (BBLR) (Study Observasi di RSIA Fauziyah Tulungagung)
Authors: Kholidati Ratna
Published: October 2018

Berat Bayi Lahir Rendah (BBLR) merupakan masalah kesehatan yang sering dialami pada sebagian besar masyarakat yang ditandai dengan berat lahir yang kurang dari 2500 gram. Kejadian BBLR pada dasarnya berhubungan dengan kurangnya pemenuhan nutrisi pada masa kehamilan ibu dan hal ini berhubungan dengan banyak faktor dan lebih utama pada masalah perekonomian keluarga sehingga pemenuhan kebutuhan konsumsi makanan pun kurang. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menganalisis pengaruh penambahan berat badan, kadar hemoglobin, dan riwayat penyakit ibu selama hamil dengan berat bayi lahir pada kondisi berat bayi lahir rendah (BBLR). Jenis penelitian ini adalah analitik melalui survei dengan menggunakan observasi. Observasi dilakukan dengan menggunakan kartu status ibu atau berkas rekam medis. Sampel pada penelitiaan ini adalah seluruh bayi yang lahir di Rumah Sakit Ibu dan Anak Fauziyah Tulungagung  pada bulan Maret 2016 sebanyak 30 bayi. Pengukuran variabel dalam penelitian ini menggunakan skala likert.  Tehnik sampling menggunakan sampling jenuh. Data dianalisis dengan menggunakan analisis regresi linier sederhana. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan untuk hipotesa pengaruh secara sendiri-sendiri dilihat dari thitung antara penambahan berat badan ibu selama hamil (X1), kadar hemoglobin (X2), riwayat penyakit (X3)dengan t tabel  , ada variabel yang tidak berhubungan secara signiftikan dengan BBLR (Y) yaitu penambahan berat badan ibu selama hamil (X1), kadar hemoglobin (X2). Sedangkan untuk faktor dominan yang mempengaruhi BBLR (Y) adalah riwayat penyakit (X3). Maka dapat disimpulkan bahwa Riwayat penyakit yang diderita oleh ibu  pada kehamilan akan mempengaruhi  pada plasenta, dimana menyebabkan penurunan aliran darah ke plasenta sehingga akan terjadi kekurangan suplai oksigen dan bahan makanan yang dibutuhkan oleh janin, dan  ini menyebabkan gangguan pertumbuhan janin. Oleh sebab itu perlu Meningkatkan pelayanan kesehatan dan lebih memfungsikan sarana prasarana yang tersedia di tempat kesehatan.
DIFICULTADES PROBATORIAS DE LOS ADELANTOS TECNOLÓGICOS
Authors: Leguisamón Héctor Eduardo
Published: October 2018

DIFICULTADES PROBATORIAS DE LOS ADELANTOS TECNOLÓGICOS
O PROCESSO DE EXECUÇÃO DAS EMPRESAS ESTATAIS NO BRASIL
Authors: Pethechust Eloi , Blanchet Luiz Alberto
Published: October 2018

O PROCESSO DE EXECUÇÃO DAS EMPRESAS ESTATAIS NO BRASIL
Root Phenotyping for Drought Tolerance: A Review
Authors: Wasaya Allah , Zhang Xiying , Fang Qin , Yan Zongzheng
Published: October 2018

Plant roots play a significant role in plant growth by exploiting soil resources via the uptake of water and nutrients. Root traits such as fine root diameter, specific root length, specific root area, root angle, and root length density are considered useful traits for improving plant productivity under drought conditions. Therefore, understanding interactions between roots and their surrounding soil environment is important, which can be improved through root phenotyping. With the advancement in technologies, many tools have been developed for root phenotyping. Canopy temperature depression (CTD) has been considered a good technique for field phenotyping of crops under drought and is used to estimate crop yield as well as root traits in relation to drought tolerance. Both laboratory and field-based methods for phenotyping root traits have been developed including soil sampling, mini-rhizotron, rhizotrons, thermography and non-soil techniques. Recently, a non-invasive approach of X-ray computed tomography (CT) has provided a break-through to study the root architecture in three dimensions (3-D). This review summarizes methods for root phenotyping. On the basis of this review, it can be concluded that root traits are useful characters to be included in future breeding programs and for selecting better cultivars to increase crop yield under water-limited environments.
Impact of Observed and Controlled Water Intake on Reticulorumen Temperature in Lactating Dairy Cattle
Authors: Cantor Melissa , Costa Joao , Bewley Jeffrey
Published: October 2018

Dairy precision technologies helps producers monitor individual animals. Reticulorumen temperature boluses are a way to monitor core body temperature; however, factors such as water intake affects reticulorumen temperature. This research determined the effect of natural water intake and a controlled water drench on reticulorumen temperature (RT) in dairy cattle. In observational study part 1, tie- stall cows (n = 4) with RT transponders were observed for natural water intake (recorded by in line water meters) for 48 h. In experiment part 2, a randomized Latin square design with cows (n = 12) restricted on feed for 4 h, were drenched daily with a water quantity of 6.7 L, 11.4 L or 22.7 L, and at controlled water temperature of 1.7 °C, 7.2 °C, 15.5 °C, or 29.4 °C. Descriptively, observational study 1 had (Mean ± SD 0.27 ± 0.31 L ingested per drinking event (n = 84) and RT decline from baseline was 2.29 ± 1.82 °C. For the experiment, a 48-h specific rolling baseline temperature range (BTR) was calculated for each cow prior to the experiment to determine time required for RT to reach BTR, and time to return to BTR. In part 2 of the experiment, as water quantity increased, RT had a greater maximum degree drop from baseline. Water temperature and water quantity interaction influenced time required for BTR to reestablish. The coldest water temperature at the highest drench quantity affected time for BTR to reestablish the longest (103 min). Results from this study suggest that an algorithm could be designed to predict water intake events for producers using reticulorumen temperature.
Towards Initial Indications for a Thiol-Based Redox Control of Arabidopsis 5-Aminolevulinic Acid Dehydratase
Authors: Wittmann Daniel , Kløve Sigri , Wang Peng , Grimm Bernhard
Published: October 2018

Thiol-based redox control is one of the important posttranslational mechanisms of the tetrapyrrole biosynthesis pathway. Many enzymes of the pathway have been shown to interact with thioredoxin (TRX) and Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH)-dependent thioredoxin reductase C (NTRC). We examined the redox-dependency of 5-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase (ALAD), which catalyzed the conjugation of two 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) molecules to porphobilinogen. ALAD interacted with TRX f, TRX m and NTRC in chloroplasts. Consequently, less ALAD protein accumulated in the trx f1, ntrc and trx f1/ntrc mutants compared to wild-type control resulting in decreased ALAD activity. In a polyacrylamide gel under non-reducing conditions, ALAD monomers turned out to be present in reduced and two oxidized forms. The reduced and oxidized forms of ALAD differed in their catalytic activity. The addition of TRX stimulated ALAD activity. From our results it was concluded that (i) deficiency of the reducing power mainly affected the in planta stability of ALAD; and (ii) the reduced form of ALAD displayed increased enzymatic activity.
Analysis of the Fatigue Crack Propagation Process of the Stress-Absorption Layer of Composite Pavement Based on Reliability
Authors: Sun Yazhen , Yan Ting , Wu Changyu , Sun Xiaofang , Wang Jinchang , Yuan Xuezhong
Published: October 2018

The stress-absorption layer in cement concrete pavement delays the development of reflection cracks and is good at fatigue resistance. Laboratory investigations of the anti-crack performance of the high viscous asphalt sand stress-absorption layer (HVASAL) and rubber asphalt stress-absorption layer (RASAL) were carried out by force-controlled fatigue crack propagation tests, for which three types of overlay structures with three types of pre-crack (i.e., the middle crack, the side crack, and the 45° inclined crack) were designed. A probability model was established to describe the propagation of the fatigue cracks. The fatigue crack propagation, the fatigue life, the crack propagation rate, and the crack propagation mechanism of the three types of overlay structure were compared and analyzed. The results show that the stress-absorption layers have good anti-crack fatigue performance, and that the RASAL is better than the HVASAL. The crack propagation patterns of the three types of overlay structure were found. In the double logarithmic coordinate, the curves of the three types of cracks are straight lines with different intercepts and slopes. The probability model quantifies the relationship between the crack propagation rate and ∆K. The influences of the three types of crack on the fatigue properties of the asphalt overlays are different.
Ambient PM2.5 Human Health Effects—Findings in China and Research Directions
Authors: Miller Lindsay , Xu Xiaohong
Published: October 2018

Exposure to fine particulate matter (PM) results in adverse health outcomes. Although this is a global concern, residents of China may be particularly vulnerable due to frequent severe air pollution episodes associated with economic growth, industrialization, and urbanization. Until 2012, PM2.5 was not regulated and monitored in China and annual average concentrations far exceeded the World Health Organizations guidelines of 10 μg/m3. Since the establishment of PM2.5 Ambient Air Quality Criteria in 2012, concentrations have decreased, but still pose significant health risks. A review of ambient PM2.5 health effect studies is warranted to evaluate the current state of knowledge and to prioritize future research efforts. Our review found that recent literature has confirmed associations between PM2.5 exposure and total mortality, cardiovascular mortality, respiratory mortality, hypertension, lung cancer, influenza and other adverse health outcomes. Future studies should take a long-term approach to verify associations between exposure to PM2.5 and health effects. In order to obtain adequate exposure assessment at finer spatial resolutions, high density sampling, satellite remote sensing, or models should be employed. Personal monitoring should also be conducted to validate the use of outdoor concentrations as proxies for exposure. More research efforts should be devoted to seasonal patterns, sub-population susceptibility, and the mechanism by which exposure causes health effects. Submicron and ultrafine PM should also be monitored and regulated.
Typhoon Rainfall Forecasting by Means of Ensemble Numerical Weather Predictions with a GA-Based Integration Strategy
Authors: Wu Ming-Chang , Yang Sheng-Chi , Yang Tsun-Hua , Kao Hong-Ming
Published: October 2018

Rainfall during typhoons is one of the most important water resources in Taiwan, but heavy typhoon rainfall often leads to serious disasters and consequently results in loss of lives and property. Hence, accurate forecasts of typhoon rainfall are always required as important information for water resources management and rainfall-induced disaster warning system. In this study, a methodology is proposed for providing quantitative forecasts of 24 h cumulative rainfall during typhoons. Firstly, ensemble forecasts of typhoon rainfall are obtained from an ensemble numerical weather prediction (NWP) system. Then, an evolutionary algorithm, i.e., genetic algorithm (GA), is adopted to real-time decide the weights for optimally combining these ensemble forecasts. That is, the novelty of this proposed methodology is the effective integration of the NWP-based ensemble forecasts through an evolutionary algorithm-based strategy. An actual application is conducted to verify the forecasts resulting from the proposed methodology, namely NWP-based ensemble forecasts with a GA-based integration strategy. The results confirm that the forecasts from the proposed methodology are in good agreement with observations. Besides, the results from the GA-based strategy are more accurate as compared to those by simply averaging all ensemble forecasts. On average, the root mean square error decreases about 7%. In conclusion, more accurate typhoon rainfall forecasts are obtained by the proposed methodology, and they are expected to be useful for disaster warning system and water resources management during typhoons.
Cytochalasans Act as Inhibitors of Biofilm Formation of Staphylococcus aureus
Authors: Yuyama Kamila Tomoko , Wendt Lucile , Surup Frank , Kretz Robin , Chepkirui Clara , Wittstein Kathrin , Boonlarppradab Chollaratt , Wongkanoun Sarunyou , Luangsa-ard Jennifer , Stadler Marc , Abraham Wolf-Rainer
Published: October 2018

During the course of our ongoing work to discover new inhibitors of biofilm formation of Staphylococcus aureus from fungal sources, we observed biofilm inhibition by cytochalasans isolated from cultures of the ascomycete Hypoxylon fragiforme for the first time. Two new compounds were purified by a bioassay-guided fractionation procedure; their structures were elucidated subsequently by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and high-resolution mass spectrometry (HR-MS). This unexpected finding prompted us to test further cytochalasans from other fungi and from commercial sources for comparison. Out of 21 cytochalasans, 13 showed significant inhibition of Staphylococcus aureus biofilm formation at subtoxic levels. These findings indicate the potential of cytochalasans as biofilm inhibitors for the first time, also because the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) are independent of the anti-biofilm activities. However, cytochalasans are known to be inhibitors of actin, making some of them very toxic for eukaryotic cells. Since the chemical structures of the tested compounds were rather diverse, the inclusion of additional derivatives, as well as the evaluation of their selectivity against mammalian cells vs. the bacterium, will be necessary as next step in order to develop structure-activity relationships and identify the optimal candidates for development of an anti-biofilm agent.
Improving Chemical Autoencoder Latent Space and Molecular De Novo Generation Diversity with Heteroencoders
Authors: Bjerrum Esben Jannik , Sattarov Boris
Published: October 2018

Chemical autoencoders are attractive models as they combine chemical space navigation with possibilities for de novo molecule generation in areas of interest. This enables them to produce focused chemical libraries around a single lead compound for employment early in a drug discovery project. Here, it is shown that the choice of chemical representation, such as strings from the simplified molecular-input line-entry system (SMILES), has a large influence on the properties of the latent space. It is further explored to what extent translating between different chemical representations influences the latent space similarity to the SMILES strings or circular fingerprints. By employing SMILES enumeration for either the encoder or decoder, it is found that the decoder has the largest influence on the properties of the latent space. Training a sequence to sequence heteroencoder based on recurrent neural networks (RNNs) with long short-term memory cells (LSTM) to predict different enumerated SMILES strings from the same canonical SMILES string gives the largest similarity between latent space distance and molecular similarity measured as circular fingerprints similarity. Using the output from the code layer in quantitative structure activity relationship (QSAR) of five molecular datasets shows that heteroencoder derived vectors markedly outperforms autoencoder derived vectors as well as models built using ECFP4 fingerprints, underlining the increased chemical relevance of the latent space. However, the use of enumeration during training of the decoder leads to a marked increase in the rate of decoding to different molecules than encoded, a tendency that can be counteracted with more complex network architectures.
The Emerging Role of the Microenvironment in Endometrial Cancer
Authors: Sahoo Subhransu S. , Zhang Xu Dong , Hondermarck Hubert , Tanwar Pradeep S.
Published: October 2018

Endometrial cancer (EC) is one of the most frequently diagnosed cancers in women, and despite recent therapeutic advances, in many cases, treatment failure results in cancer recurrence, metastasis, and death. Current research demonstrates that the interactive crosstalk between two discrete cell types (tumor and stroma) promotes tumor growth and investigations have uncovered the dual role of the stromal cells in the normal and cancerous state. In contrast to tumor cells, stromal cells within the tumor microenvironment (TME) are genetically stable. However, tumor cells modify adjacent stromal cells in the TME. The alteration in signaling cascades of TME from anti-tumorigenic to pro-tumorigenic enhances metastatic potential and/or confers therapeutic resistance. Therefore, the TME is a fertile ground for the development of novel therapies. Furthermore, disrupting cancer-promoting signals from the TME or re-educating stromal cells may be an effective strategy to impair metastatic progression. Here, we review the paradoxical role of different non-neoplastic stromal cells during specific stages of EC progression. We also suggest that the inhibition of microenvironment-derived signals may suppress metastatic EC progression and offer novel potential therapeutic interventions.
In Silico Screening and Design of Coating Materials for PEMFC Bipolar Plates
Authors: Liu Longjie , Yao Li , Feng Kai , Luo Zhe , Liu Ke , Zhu Hong , Chu Paul. K.
Published: October 2018

Methods used to design coating materials for polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) are unsystematic and time-consuming because current materials research relies on scientific intuition and trial and error experimentation. In this study, a feasible and more efficient scheme of screening and designing coating materials is established based on density function theory (DFT) utilizing the fast-growing computing capacity. The scheme consists of four steps: Elements selection by calculation of Pilling–Bedworth ratio and electrical resistivity, corrosion resistance assessment leveraging the Pourbaix diagram approach, running BoltzTrap code to calculate electrical conductivity ( σ / τ ), and interface binding strength evaluation by calculation of separation work. According to the calculation results, TiCo and TiCo3 are proposed to be the two most promising candidates because of relatively better properties required by harsh working environment of PEMFC. The high-throughput screening strategy established in this study makes the ideal of rapidly evaluating hundreds of thousands of possible coating materials candidates into reality and helps to indicate the direction of further synthesis efforts.
A Novel Way of Adhering PET onto Protein (Wheat Gluten) Plastics to Impart Water Resistance
Authors: Das Oisik , Loho Thomas Aditya , Capezza Antonio José , Lemrhari Ibrahim , Hedenqvist Mikael S.
Published: October 2018

This study presents an approach to protect wheat gluten (WG) plastic materials against water/moisture by adhering it with a polyethylene terephthalate (PET) film using a diamine (Jeffamine®) as a coupling agent and a compression molding operation. The laminations were applied using two different methods, one where the diamine was mixed with the WG powder and ground together before compression molding the mixture into plates with PET films on both sides. In the other method, the PET was pressed to an already compression molded WG, which had the diamine brushed on the surface of the material. Infrared spectroscopy and nanoindentation data indicated that the diamine did act as a coupling agent to create strong adhesion between the WG and the PET film. Both methods, as expected, yielded highly improved water vapor barrier properties compared to the neat WG. Additionally, these samples remained dimensionally intact. Some unintended side effects associated with the diamine can be alleviated through future optimization studies.
Impurity-Induced Spin-State Crossover in La0.8Sr0.2Co1−xAlxO3
Authors: Terasaki Ichiro , Ikuta Masamichi , Yamamoto Takafumi D. , Taniguchi Hiroki
Published: October 2018

We have prepared a set of polycrystalline samples of La 0.8 Sr 0.2 Co 1 − x Al x O 3 ( 0 ≤ x ≤ 0.2 ), and have measured the magnetization as functions of temperature and magnetic field. We find that the average spin number per Co ion ( S Co ) evaluated from the room-temperature susceptibility is around 1.2–1.3 and independent of x. However, we further find that S Co evaluated from the saturation magnetization at 2 K is around 0.3–0.7, and decreases dramatically with x. This naturally indicates that a significant fraction of the Co 3 + ions experience a spin-state crossover from the intermediate- to low-spin state with decreasing temperature in the Al-substituted samples. This spin-state crossover also explains the resistivity and the thermopower consistently. In particular, we find that the thermopower is anomalously enhanced by the Al substitution, which can be consistently explained in terms of an extended Heikes formula.
Emergence of Non-Fourier Hierarchies
Authors: Fülöp Tamás , Kovács Róbert , Lovas Ádám , Rieth Ágnes , Fodor Tamás , Szücs Mátyás , Ván Péter , Gróf Gyula
Published: October 2018

The non-Fourier heat conduction phenomenon on room temperature is analyzed from various aspects. The first one shows its experimental side, in what form it occurs, and how we treated it. It is demonstrated that the Guyer-Krumhansl equation can be the next appropriate extension of Fourier’s law for room-temperature phenomena in modeling of heterogeneous materials. The second approach provides an interpretation of generalized heat conduction equations using a simple thermo-mechanical background. Here, Fourier heat conduction is coupled to elasticity via thermal expansion, resulting in a particular generalized heat equation for the temperature field. Both aforementioned approaches show the size dependency of non-Fourier heat conduction. Finally, a third approach is presented, called pseudo-temperature modeling. It is shown that non-Fourier temperature history can be produced by mixing different solutions of Fourier’s law. That kind of explanation indicates the interpretation of underlying heat conduction mechanics behind non-Fourier phenomena.
Testing Models and Measurement Invariance of the Learning Gains Scale
Authors: Tadesse Tefera , Gillies Robyn M. , Campbell Chris
Published: October 2018

This study tested the construct validity, factorial validity, and measurement invariance of the learning gains scale based on survey responses of a large sample (n = 536) of undergraduate students in two colleges at a university in Ethiopia. The analyses were performed through structural equation modeling technique using the stata 13 data analysis and statistical software package. The results demonstrate a 3-factor model representing the underlying construct satisfying the different model goodness-of-fit statistics and practical indexes. The observed factor loadings of variables within each factor and the correlations between the factors provide supporting evidence of construct validity. Measurement invariance tests were also confirmed acceptable levels of measurement equivalence between groups. Implications of the 3-factor model in higher education research are discussed.
Power-Efficient Random Access Design for Machine Type Communication
Authors: Yu Hai , Zou Jun , Xu Chen
Published: October 2018

Machine type communication (MTC) is the key solution to the information exchange between devices. It is the fundamental part of the Internet of Things (IoT). MTC is quite different from the human type communication (HTC), as most of the MTC applications have low requirements on data rate and latency. However, the battery life or the power consumption are very critical to MTC. Therefore, one of the most important issues involving MTC is to provide an efficient method for an MTC device to access the cellular network due to the fact that the data transmission is triggered by the device in some MTC scenarios. We address the issues in the traditional random access procedure in the LTE system and propose a power-efficient random access signal design for MTC. We analyze the bandwidth selection under different coverage requirements and propose an effective bandwidth concept to enable a power optimized random access signal design for MTC.
Instability of a Diffusive Boundary Layer beneath a Capillary Transition Zone
Authors: Zhang Fengyuan , Emami-Meybodi Hamid
Published: October 2018

Natural convection induced by carbon dioxide (CO2) dissolution from a gas cap into the resident formation brine of a deep saline aquifer in the presence of a capillary transition zone is an important phenomenon that can accelerate the dissolution process, reducing the risk of CO2 leakage to the shallower formations. Majority of past investigations on the instability of the diffusive boundary layer assumed a sharp CO2–brine interface with constant CO2 concentration at the top of the aquifer, i.e., single-phase system. However, this assumption may lead to erroneous estimates of the onset of natural convection. The present study demonstrates the significant effect of the capillary transition zone on the onset of natural convection in a two-phase system in which a buoyant CO2 plume overlaid a water-saturated porous layer. Using the quasi-steady-state approximation (QSSA), we performed a linear stability analysis to assess critical times, critical wavenumbers, and neutral stability curves as a function of Bond number. We show that the capillary transition zone could potentially accelerate the evolution of the natural convection by sixfold. Furthermore, we characterized the instability problem for capillary-dominant, in-transition, and buoyancy-dominant systems. In the capillary-dominant systems, capillary transition zone has a strong role in destabilizing the diffusive boundary layer. In contrast, in the buoyancy-dominant systems, the buoyancy force is the sole cause of the instability, and the effect of the capillary transition zone can be ignored. Our findings provide further insight into the understanding of the natural convection in the two-phase CO2–brine system and the long-term fate of the injected CO2 in deep saline aquifers.
Sunflower Genetics from Ancestors to Modern Hybrids—A Review
Authors: Radanović Aleksandra , Miladinović Dragana , Cvejić Sandra , Jocković Milan , Jocić Siniša
Published: October 2018

Domestication and the first steps of sunflower breeding date back more than 4000 years. As an interesting crop to humans, sunflower underwent significant changes in the past to finally find its place as one of the most significant oil crops today. Substantial progress has already been made in understanding how sunflower was domesticated. Recent advances in molecular techniques with improved experimental designs contributed to further understanding of the genetic and molecular basis underlying the architectural and phenotypic changes that occurred during domestication and improvements in sunflower breeding. Understanding the domestication process and assessing the current situation concerning available genotypic variations are essential in order for breeders to face future challenges. A review of the tools that are used for exploring the genetic and genome changes associated with sunflower domestication is given in the paper, along with a discussion of their possible implications on classical sunflower breeding techniques and goals.
Parameterization for EROSION-3D Model under Simulated Rainfall Conditions in Lower Shivaliks of India
Authors: Lenz Jonas , Yousuf Abrar , Schindewolf Marcus , Von Werner Michael , Hartsch Kerstin , Singh Manmohan J. , Schmidt Jürgen
Published: October 2018

The Shivalik foothills of northwestern India are very prone to soil erosion by water due to undulating slopes, highly erodible soils and high intensity rainstorm events during monsoon season. Physically based soil erosion modeling is seen as viable method for planning of measurements to reduce damages done by soil erosion. Nevertheless, parametrization of such models is a major challenge for large inaccessible areas. Several methods do exist for the estimation of the input parameters skin factor, surface roughness and resistance to erosion for the physically based soil erosion model EROSION-3D. Four rainfall experiments, each including dry and wet run, were conducted on different land use conditions on a research farm of the Regional Research Station Ballowal Saunkhri to test estimation methods. Modeling parameters were determined from these experiments. Parameter estimation by two methods for experimental conditions produced values in close range to experimentally determined values for resistance to erosion and surface roughness. Therefore, existing estimation methods are considered to be applicable for the conditions of the Shivalik mountains, except for skin factor. A first modeling with EROSION-3D using preliminary data of a small example catchment shows uncertainties resulting from range of determined and estimated soil parameters.
CCS Risk Assessment: Groundwater Contamination Caused by CO2
Authors: Li Zhenze , Fall Mamadou , Ghirian Alireza
Published: October 2018

The potential contamination of underground drinking water (UDW) caused by CO2 leakage is a critical decision input for risk assessment and management decision making. This paper presents an overview of the potential alterations to UDW quality caused by CO2 and the relevant quality guidelines on drinking water. Furthermore, a framework and numerical simulator have been developed to (i) predict and assess the potential consequences of CO2 leakage on the quality of UDW; and (ii) assess the efficiency of groundwater remediation methods and scenarios for various UDW leakage conditions and alterations. The simulator was applied to a Canadian CO2 disposal site to assess the potential consequences of CO2 leakage on groundwater quality. The information, framework, and numerical tool presented here are useful for successful risk assessments and the management of CO2 capture and sequestration in Canadian geological formations.
Odysseus and the Cyclops: Constructing Fear in Renaissance Marriage Chest Paintings
Authors: Franklin Margaret
Published: October 2018

Recent scholarship addressing access to Homer’s epics during the Italian Renaissance has illuminated the unique importance of visual narratives for the dissemination and interpretation of material associated with the Trojan War and its heroes. This article looks at early fifteenth-century images deriving from the Odyssey that were painted for marriage chests (cassoni) in the popular Florentine workshop of Apollonio di Giovanni. Focusing on Apollonio’s subnarrative of Odysseus’ clash with the Cyclops Polyphemus (the Cyclopeia), I argue that Apollonio showcased this archetypal tale of a failed guest–host relationship to explore contemporary anxieties associated with marriage, an institution that figured prominently in the political and economic ambitions of fifteenth-century patriarchal families.
HIV Infection-Related Care Outcomes among U.S.-Born and Non-U.S.-Born Blacks with Diagnosed HIV in 40 U.S. Areas: The National HIV Surveillance System, 2016
Authors: Demeke Hanna B. , Johnson Anna S. , Zhu Hong , Gant Zanetta , Duffus Wayne A. , Dean Hazel D.
Published: October 2018

HIV care outcomes must be improved to reduce new human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infections and health disparities. HIV infection-related care outcome measures were examined for U.S.-born and non-U.S.-born black persons aged ≥13 years by using National HIV Surveillance System data from 40 U.S. areas. These measures include late-stage HIV diagnosis, timing of linkage to medical care after HIV diagnosis, retention in care, and viral suppression. Ninety-five percent of non-U.S.-born blacks had been born in Africa or the Caribbean. Compared with U.S.-born blacks, higher percentages of non-U.S.-born blacks with HIV infection diagnosed during 2016 received a late-stage diagnoses (28.3% versus 19.1%) and were linked to care in ≤1 month after HIV infection diagnosis (76.8% versus 71.3%). Among persons with HIV diagnosed in 2014 and who were alive at year-end 2015, a higher percentage of non-U.S.-born blacks were retained in care (67.8% versus 61.1%) and achieved viral suppression (68.7% versus 57.8%). Care outcomes varied between African- and Caribbean-born blacks. Non-U.S.-born blacks achieved higher care outcomes than U.S.-born blacks, despite delayed entry to care. Possible explanations include a late-stage presentation that requires immediate linkage and optimal treatment and care provided through government-funded programs.
Air Pollution, Noise, Blue Space, and Green Space and Premature Mortality in Barcelona: A Mega Cohort
Authors: Nieuwenhuijsen Mark J. , Gascon Mireia , Martinez David , Ponjoan Anna , Blanch Jordi , Garcia-Gil Maria del Mar , Ramos Rafel , Foraster Maria , Mueller Natalie , Espinosa Ana , Cirach Marta , Khreis Haneen , Dadvand Payam , Basagaña Xavier
Published: October 2018

Introduction: Cities often experience high air pollution and noise levels and lack of natural outdoor environments, which may be detrimental to health. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of air pollution, noise, and blue and green space on premature all-cause mortality in Barcelona using a mega cohort approach. Methods: Both men and women of 18 years and above registered on 1 January 2010 by the Sistema d’Informació pel Desenvolupament de la Investigació en Atenció Primària (SIDIAP) and living in the city of Barcelona were included in the cohort and followed up until 31 December 2014 or until death (n = 2,939,067 person years). The exposure assessment was conducted at the census tract level (n = 1061). We assigned exposure to long term ambient levels of nitrogen dioxides (NO2), nitrogen oxides (NOx), particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter less than 2.5 µm (PM2.5), between 2.5 µm and 10 µm (PM2.5–10, i.e., coarse particulate matter), less than 10 µm (PM10) and PM2.5 light absorption (hereafter referred to as PM2.5 absorbance) based on land use regressions models. Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) was assigned based on remote sensing data, percentage green space and blue space were calculated based on land use maps and modelled road traffic noise was available through the strategic noise map for Barcelona. Results: In this large prospective study (n = 792,649) in an urban area, we found a decreased risk of all-cause mortality with an increase in green space measured as NDVI (hazard ratio (HR) = 0.92, 95% CI 0.89–0.97 per 0.1) and increased risks of mortality with an increase in exposure to blue space (HR = 1.04, 95% CI 1.01–1.06 per 1%), NO2 (HR = 1.01, 95% CI 1.00–1.02 per 5 ug/m3) but no risk with noise (HR = 1.00, 95% CI 0.98–1.02 per 5 dB(A)). The increased risks appeared to be more pronounced in the more deprived areas. Results for NDVI, and to a lesser extent NO2, remained most consistent after mutual adjustment for other exposures. The NDVI estimate was a little attenuated when NO2 was included in the model. The study had some limitations including e.g., the assessment of air pollution, noise, green space and socioeconomic status (SES) on census tract level rather than individual level and residual confounding. Conclusion: This large study provides new insights on the relationship between green and blue space, noise and air pollution and premature all-cause mortality.