bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Physiological Basis of Drought Tolerance in Crop Plants: A Scenario-Dependent Probabilistic Approach
Authors: Tardieu François , Simonneau Thierry , Muller Bertrand
Published: March 2018

Drought tolerance involves mechanisms operating at different spatial and temporal scales, from rapid stomatal closure to maintenance of crop yield. We review how short-term mechanisms are controlled for stabilizing shoot water potential and how long-term processes have been constrained by evolution or breeding to fit into acclimation strategies for specific drought scenarios. These short- or long-term feedback processes participate in trade-offs between carbon accumulation and the risk of deleterious soil water depletion. Corresponding traits and alleles may therefore have positive or negative effects on crop yield depending on drought scenarios. We propose an approach that analyzes the genetic architecture of traits in phenotyping platforms and of yield in tens of field experiments. A combination of modeling and genomic prediction is then used to estimate the comparative interests of combinations of alleles depending on drought scenarios. Hence, drought tolerance is understood probabilistically by estimating the benefit and risk of each combination of alleles.
Genetic Regulation of Shoot Architecture
Authors: Wang Bing , Smith Steven M. , Li Jiayang
Published: March 2018

Shoot architecture is determined by the organization and activities of apical, axillary, intercalary, secondary, and inflorescence meristems and by the subsequent development of stems, leaves, shoot branches, and inflorescences. In this review, we discuss the unifying principles of hormonal and genetic control of shoot architecture including advances in our understanding of lateral branch outgrowth; control of stem elongation, thickness, and angle; and regulation of inflorescence development. We focus on recent progress made mainly in Arabidopsis thaliana, rice, pea, maize, and tomato, including the identification of new genes and mechanisms controlling shoot architecture. Key advances include elucidation of mechanisms by which strigolactones, auxins, and genes such as IDEAL PLANT ARCHITECTURE1 and TEOSINTE BRANCHED1 control shoot architecture. Knowledge now available provides a foundation for rational approaches to crop breeding and the generation of ideotypes with defined architectural features to improve performance and productivity.
Toward Constitutive Models for Momentum, Species, and Energy Transport in Gas–Particle Flows
Authors: Sundaresan Sankaran , Ozel Ali , Kolehmainen Jari
Published: March 2018

As multiscale structures are inherent in multiphase flows, constitutive models employed in conjunction with transport equations for momentum, species, and energy are scale dependent. We suggest that this scale dependency can be better quantified through deep learning techniques and formulation of transport equations for additional quantities such as drift velocity and analogies for species, energy, and momentum transfer. How one should incorporate interparticle forces, which arise through van der Waals interaction, dynamic liquid bridges between wet particles, and tribocharging, in multiscale models warrants further study. Development of multiscale models that account for all the known interactions would improve confidence in the use of simulations to explore design options, decrease the number of pilot-scale experiments, and accelerate commercialization of new technologies.
Analysis of the Generating and Influencing Factors of Vertical Cracking in Abutments during Construction
Authors: Xue Xingwei , Zhou Junlong , Hua Xudong , Li Hongnan
Published: March 2018

In order to analyze the causes of cracking in abutments subject to concrete shrinkage and temperature variation during the construction process and to determine factors affecting the mechanical properties of the abutment, nonlinear calculations capturing abutment behavior are conducted with Midas/FEA software. Using these calculations, the cracking mechanism is identified, and the influence of the evaluated factors is analyzed. It is concluded that the deformation between the pile cap and abutment backwall as constrained by a pile foundation when subjected to concrete shrinkage and temperature changes is the basic cause of abutment cracks during construction; these cracks form over the piles and develop upward. For a given reinforcement ratio, the distribution of horizontal crack‐control steel using small, closely spaced bars is more beneficial. When pile‐bearing capacity meets the standard, the width of the generated cracks tends to decrease with the decrease in the diameter of the piles. The existence of a postcast strip in the abutment backwall also contributes to the decrease in the depth of the crack. Finally, the impact of age difference between the pile cap concrete and abutment backwall concrete on cracking is inconsequential.
Novel Imidazole Substituted Bodipy-Based Organic Sensitizers in Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells
Authors: Mao Mao , Zhang Xiao-Lin , Wu Guo-Hua
Published: March 2018

A comparative study on the photophysical, electrochemical properties and photovoltaic performances of pure imidazole dyes containing varying linker groups is done. Two new organic dyes containing 4,5-bis(4-methoxyphenyl)-1H-imidazole (BPI) unit as an electron donor, boron dipyrromethene (Bodipy) chromophore as a conjugate bridge, cyanoacetic acid as an electron acceptor, and phenylene (BPI-P) or thienyl (BPI-T) as a additional linker have been synthesized for fabricating dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). A reference dye (DPI-T) with 6,9-dimethoxy-1H-phenanthro[9,10-d]imidazole as the donor has also been synthesized for comparison. The overall conversion efficiencies of 0.18%, 0.32%, and 1.28% were obtained for DSSCs based on BPI-P, BPI-T, and DPI-T, respectively. DPI-T was found to be more efficient than BPI-P and BPI-T because of its enhanced light harvesting efficiency and better coplanar geometry of the electronic structure.
Local Treatment of Metastatic Prostate Cancer: What is the Evidence So Far?
Authors: Leonel Almeida Pedro , Jorge Pereira Bruno
Published: March 2018

Background. Advances in technological, laboratorial, and imaging studies and new treatments available in the last decades significantly improved prostate cancer survival rates. However, this did not occur in metastatic prostate cancer (mPCa) at diagnosis which, in young and fit patients, will become invariably resistant to the established treatments. Progression will lead to an impairment in patients’ quality of life and disease-related death. Methods. The authors intend to perform a literature review of the advantages of primary treatment of mPCa. Articles were retrieved and filtered for relevance from PubMed, SciELO, and ScienceDirect until March 2017. Results. Primary treatment is currently indicated only in cases of nonmetastatic PCa. Nonetheless, there might be some benefits in doing local treatment in mPCa in order to control local disease, prevent new metastasis, and improve the efficacy of chemotherapy and hormonotherapy with similar complications rate when compared to locally confined cancer. Independent factors that have a negative influence are age above 70 years, cT4 stage or high-grade disease, PSA≥20 ng/ml, and pelvic lymphadenopathies. The presence of 3 or more of these factors conditions CSS and OS is the same between patients who performed local treatment and those who did not. Metastasis degree and location number can also influence outcome. Meanwhile, patients with visceral metastases have worse results. Conclusions. There is growing evidence supporting local treatment in cases of metastatic prostate cancer at diagnosis in the context of a multimodal approach. However, it should be kept in mind that most of the existing studies are retrospective and it would be important to make consistent prospective studies with well-defined patient selection criteria in order to sustain the existing data and understand the main indications to select patients and perform primary treatment in mPCa.
Chemical Characteristics of Precipitation in a Typical Urban Site of the Hinterland in Three Gorges Reservoir, China
Authors: Zhang Liuyi , Qiao Baoqing , Wang Huanbo , Tian Mi , Cui Jian , Fu Chuan , Huang Yimin , Yang Fumo
Published: March 2018

Major water-soluble ions were analyzed for two-year precipitation samples in Wanzhou, a typical urban site of the hinterland of Chinese Three Gorges Reservoir. The pH values of the precipitation were in the range of 4.0 to 8.3, and the volume-weighted mean (VWM) value was 5.0. The concentration order of anions and cations was as follows: SO42->NO3->Cl->F- and NH4+>Ca2+>Na+>K+>Mg2+, respectively. Good correlations were found between SO42- and NH4+, SO42- and Ca2+, NO3- and NH4+, and NO3- and Ca2+, implying their co-occurrence in the precipitation, most likely as (NH4)2SO4, (NH4)HSO4, NH4NO3, CaSO4, and Ca(NO3)2. The sum of all measured ions was 416.4 μeq L−1, indicating serious air pollution in Wanzhou. NH4+ and Ca2+ were the most important ions neutralizing the acidic compounds in the precipitation; their major sources included agricultural activity and crustal dust. Local anthropogenic activities, for example, coal burning and traffic related sources, contributed most of SO42- and NO3-. The equivalent concentration ratio of SO42-/NO3- was 4.5, indicating that excessive emission of sulfur was the main reason leading to the precipitation acidity in Wanzhou. However, this ratio was lower than the ratio (5.9) in 2000s in Wanzhou, indicating that the contribution of nitric acid to the acidity of precipitation was strengthening.
Enhanced Solubility of the Support in an FDM‐Based 3D Printed Structure Using Hydrogen Peroxide under Ultrasonication
Authors: Park Seong Je , Lee Ji Eun , Park Jean Ho , Lee Nak Kyu , Lyu Min-Young , Park Keun , Koo Myung Sool , Cho Sung Hwan , Son Yong , Park Suk-Hee
Published: March 2018

Fused deposition modeling (FDM), one of the archetypal 3D printing processes, typically requires support structures matched to printed model parts that principally have undercut or overhung features. Thus, the support removal is an essential postprocessing step after the FDM process. Here, we present an efficient and rapid method to remove the support part of an FDM‐manufactured product using the phenomenon of oxidative degradation of hydrogen peroxide. This mechanism was significantly effective on polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), which has been widely used as a support material in the FDM process. Compared to water, hydrogen peroxide provided a two times faster dissolution rate of the PVA material. This could be increased another two times by applying ultrasonication to the solvent. In addition to the rapidness, we confirmed that amount of the support residues removed was enhanced, which was essentially caused by the surface roughness of the FDM‐fabricated part. Furthermore, we demonstrated that there was no deterioration with respect to the mechanical properties or shape geometries of the obtained 3D printed parts. Taken together, these results are expected to help enhance the productivity of FDM by reducing the postprocessing time and to allow the removal of complicated and fine support structures, thereby improving the design capability of the FDM technique.
Dynamic Impacts of Climate and Land-Use Changes on Surface Runoff in the Mountainous Region of the Haihe River Basin, China
Authors: Li Ruonan , Zheng Hua , Huang Binbin , Xu Huashan , Li Yunkai
Published: March 2018

The relative contributions of different factors to the variation in surface runoff have been broadly quantified. However, little attention has been paid to how these relative contributions have changed over time. We analyzed the changes in surface runoff during 1980–2010 in six subbasins in the mountainous region of the Haihe River Basin, one of the most serious water shortage regions in China, and identified the changes in the relative contributions of climate (precipitation and temperature) and land-use to surface runoff decrease. There was a decreasing tendency in surface runoff in all subbasins, four of which had an abrupt change point around 1998. Comparing the relative contributions before and after 1998 in the four subbasins, the average influence of climate was found to decline dramatically from 67.1% to 30.5%, while that of land-use increased from 23.9% to 69.5% mainly due to the increase of forest area. Our results revealed that the primary environmental factor responsible for runoff variations was not constant, and an alternation may accentuate the impact and stimulate an abrupt change of runoff in semiarid and semihumid mountainous regions. This will help in taking tracking measures to deal with the complex water resource challenges according to different driving factors.
Automatic Myotendinous Junction Tracking in Ultrasound Images with Phase-Based Segmentation
Authors: Zhou Guang-Quan , Zhang Yi , Wang Ruo-Li , Zhou Ping , Zheng Yong-Ping , Tarassova Olga , Arndt Anton , Chen Qiang
Published: March 2018

Displacement of the myotendinous junction (MTJ) obtained by ultrasound imaging is crucial to quantify the interactive length changes of muscles and tendons for understanding the mechanics and pathological conditions of the muscle-tendon unit during motion. However, the lack of a reliable automatic measurement method restricts its application in human motion analysis. This paper presents an automated measurement of MTJ displacement using prior knowledge on tendinous tissues and MTJ, precluding the influence of nontendinous components on the estimation of MTJ displacement. It is based on the perception of tendinous features from musculoskeletal ultrasound images using Radon transform and thresholding methods, with information about the symmetric measures obtained from phase congruency. The displacement of MTJ is achieved by tracking manually marked points on tendinous tissues with the Lucas-Kanade optical flow algorithm applied over the segmented MTJ region. The performance of this method was evaluated on ultrasound images of the gastrocnemius obtained from 10 healthy subjects (26.0±2.9 years of age). Waveform similarity between the manual and automatic measurements was assessed by calculating the overall similarity with the coefficient of multiple correlation (CMC). In vivo experiments demonstrated that MTJ tracking with the proposed method (CMC = 0.97±0.02) was more consistent with the manual measurements than existing optical flow tracking methods (CMC = 0.79±0.11). This study demonstrated that the proposed method was robust to the interference of nontendinous components, resulting in a more reliable measurement of MTJ displacement, which may facilitate further research and applications related to the architectural change of muscles and tendons.
Change of Parameters of the Koiwa–Hasiguti Dynamic Dislocation Relaxation in Nanostructured and Polycrystalline Zirconium after Severe Plastic Deformation and Annealing
Authors: Pal-Val P. P. , Pal-Val L. N. , Rybalko A. P. , Vatazhuk E. N.
Published: March 2018

The temperature dependences of acoustic properties of nanostructured and polycrystalline zirconium are investigated in the temperature range of 100–340 K. The effect of severe plastic deformation and subsequent annealing on key parameters of the Koiwa–Hasiguti acoustic relaxation in zirconium is studied in detail. It is established that, due to intensive plastic deformation, the relaxation strength considerably increases, and the temperature and the width of the corresponding relaxation peak systematically decrease with reduction of the mean grain size in the samples. Annealing leads to a partial recovery of the relaxation strength and the peak temperature back to the initial values in undeformed samples, but the width of the relaxation peak shows an additional decrease. The majority of the effects observed can be explained by changes in dislocation subsystems of the samples during intensive plastic deformation and annealing. An influence of a random scatter of the relaxation time on the main parameters of the Koiwa–Hasiguti peak is established using the statistical analysis based on the lognormal distribution. It is shown that the parameter β of the lognormal distribution determines the width, height, and asymmetry of the peak and also allows estimating the relaxation strength from the peak height. An algorithm for retrieving the parameter β from experimental data is presented.
Analysis of Vibration of Roadheader Rotary Table Based on Finite Element Method and Data from Underground Coalmine
Authors: Zhang Minjun , Lyu Fuyan , Tang Xiushan , Yang Yang , Ji Xiaodong , Wu Miao
Published: March 2018

The intense vibration of a roadheader rotary table damages the cutting system of the roadheader and reduces the efficiency. This paper analyzes the vibration of a rotary table by combining the finite element model with tested data from an underground coalmine. First, the force of the rotary table during the cutting procedure was analyzed, and the finite element model was built using Pro/E and ADAMS. The tested data were then imported into the model after selection, procession, and combination were conducted. Next, the six lowest‐order parameters of the rotary table were calculated. A vibration analysis of the rotary table under certain working conditions was conducted, and the results were compared with those from a modal experiment using a single‐point excitation method. According to the comparison between the simulation result and experiments, it is clear that this method is both reasonable and feasible. And it could supplement the theoretical foundation of the analysis of other roadheader components, providing reference for the improvement of the structure and dynamic properties of a roadheader. In addition, other vibration components of a roadheader such as the cutting head and the cutting arm could also be analyzed through the proposed method, with very reliable precision.
Evaluation of Residual Stress on Steel Parts Welded and Milled
Authors: Neves Frederico Ozanan , Moreira Junior Antônio Célio , Silva Alex Sander Chaves da
Published: March 2018

Welded parts are common in mechanical engineering. As all manufactured parts, they also present residual stresses introduced by the corresponding manufacturing process. Residual stresses can be beneficial or not because they can increase or reduce the useful life of the mechanical components, particularly when they are subjected to a cyclic stress in which they can fail by fatigue. In this study, SAE 1045 steel samples were welded by metal inert gas process, varying the speed and welding current. The welded samples were thereafter milled, including the welded region. Residual stresses on material as received, welded, and welded and subsequently milled were evaluated through the microhardness method. A factorial statistical design was used, and the results were studied by analysis of variance. It can be concluded that, in general, welding introduces compressive residual stresses which are improved by posterior milling operation, and there is an optimal set of operating parameters for this condition.
Relationship between Asymmetry of Gait and Muscle Torque in Patients after Unilateral Transfemoral Amputation
Authors: Rutkowska-Kucharska Alicja , Kowal Mateusz , Winiarski Sławomir
Published: March 2018

Many studies have shown that unilateral transfemoral amputation involves asymmetric gait. Transfemoral amputation leads to muscle atrophy in a tight stump resulting in asymmetry in muscle torque between the amputated and intact limb. This research is aimed at verifying if a relationship between torque values of hip joint flexors and extensors and gait asymmetry in patients with TFA exists. Fourteen adult subjects with unilateral TFA took part in the experiment. Gait symmetry was evaluated based on the ground reaction force (GRF). Measurements of muscle torque of hip flexors and extensors were taken with a Biodex System. All measurements were taken under isokinetic (60°/s and 120°/s) and isometric conditions. The symmetry index of vertical GRF components was from 7.5 to 11.5%, and anterio-posterior GRF from 6.2 to 9.3%. The symmetry index for muscle torque was from 24.3 to 44% for flexors, from 39 to 50.5% for extensors, and from 28.6 to 50% in the flexor/extensor ratio. Gait asymmetry correlated with muscle torque in hip joint extensors. Therapy which enhances muscle torque may be an effective form of patient therapy. The patient needs to undergo evaluation of their muscle strength and have the therapy programme adjusted to their level of muscle torque deficit.
The Effect of Age on the Regenerative Potential of Human Eyelid Adipose-Derived Stem Cells
Authors: Zhang Mingqi , Wang Zhuoshi , Zhao Yan , Zhang Lirong , Xu Ling , Cao Liu , He Wei
Published: March 2018

Human eyelid adipose-derived stem cells (HEASCs) are a new source of autologous mesenchymal stem cells, which are derived from neuroectoderm and potentially applied in the tissue regeneration and cell therapies. Based on the prevalence of blepharoplasty in Asia and the availability of HEASCs, we investigated the effect of donor age on their characteristics and regenerative potential of HEASCs in vitro. The HEASCs were isolated from patients of three groups: (1) <20 years (n=4), (2) >20 years, <45 years (n=5), and (3) >55 years (n=4). For each group, the proliferative capacity, colony-forming ability, surface markers, differentiation ability, wound healing function, and secreted protein were contrastively evaluated and quantified for statistical analysis. It was found that HEASCs were successfully isolated and cultured by an explant culture method. The proliferative rates, osteogenic and chondrogenic differentiation potentials, wound healing ability, and the expression of TGF-β1 and fibronectin protein of HEASCs significantly decreased as age increased. However, the expression of CD90 antigen and the adipogenic differentiation showed an age-related increase in HEASCs. As many degenerative diseases increase in prevalence with age, the age-related changes of the HEASCs proliferation potential, differentiation capacity, and wound healing ability should be taken into account whenever they are intended for use in research or cytotherapy.
Development of a Flow Injection System for Differential Pulse Amperometry and Its Application for Diazepam Determination
Authors: Antunović Vesna , Tešanović Slavna , Perušković Danica , Stevanović Nikola , Baošić Rada , Mandić Snežana , Lolić Aleksandar
Published: March 2018

This work presents the development of a flow injection system for differential pulse amperometry (DPA) for diazepam determination in the presence of oxygen. The thin flow cell consisted of the bare glassy carbon electrode, reference silver/silver chloride, and stainless steel as the auxiliary electrode. Electrochemical reduction of diazepam (DZP) was characterised by cyclic voltammetry. Azomethine reduction peak was used for DZP quantification. The detector response was linear in the range 20–250 µmol/dm3of diazepam, with a calculated detection limit of 3.83 µg/cm3. Intraday and interday precision were 1.53 and 10.8%, respectively. The method was applied on three beverage samples, energetic drink, and two different beer samples, and obtained recoveries were from 93.65 up to 104.96%. The throughoutput of the method was up to 90 analyses per hour.
Compound Fault Diagnosis of Bearings Using an Improved Spectral Kurtosis by MCDK
Authors: Wan Shuting , Zhang Xiong , Dou Longjiang
Published: March 2018

The fast spectrum kurtosis (FSK) algorithm can adaptively identify and select the resonant frequency band and extract the fault feature by the envelope demodulation method. However, in practical applications, the fault source may be located in different resonant frequency bands; plus in noise interference, the weak side of the compound fault is not easy to be identified by the FSK. In order to improve the accuracy of fast spectral kurtosis analysis method, a modified method based on maximum correlation kurtosis deconvolution (MCKD) is proposed. According to the possible fault characteristic frequencies, the period of MCKD is calculated, and the appropriate filter length is selected to filter the original compound fault signal. In this way, the compound fault located in different resonance bands is separated. Then, the signal after MCKD filtering is analyzed by FSK. Through the simulation and experimental analysis, the MCKD can separate the compound fault information in different frequency band and eliminate the noise interference; the FSK can accurately identify the resonance frequency and identify the weak fault characteristics of compound fault.
The Immunoregulation of Th17 in Host against Intracellular Bacterial Infection
Authors: Li Yonghong , Wei Chaojun , Xu Hui , Jia Jing , Wei Zhenhong , Guo Rui , Jia Yanjuan , Wu Yu , Li Yuanting , Qi Xiaoming , Li Zhenhao , Gao Xiaoling
Published: March 2018

T helper 17 cells (Th17) constitute a distinct subset of helper T cells with a unique transcriptional profile (STAT3, RORγ, and RORα), cytokine production pattern (IL17 family), and requirement of specific cytokines for their differentiation (TGF-β, IL6, IL21, and IL23). Recent studies involving experimental animals and humans have shown that Th17/IL17 plays a crucial role in host defense against a variety of pathogens, including bacteria and viruses. The underlying mechanisms by which Th17 performs include dendritic cell (DC) regulation, neutrophil recruitment, Th1 modulation, and T regulatory cell (Treg) balance. In recent years, researchers have generated an accumulating wealth of evidence on the role of Th17/IL17 in protective immunity to intracellular bacterial pathogens, such asMycobacterium tuberculosisandChlamydia trachomatis, which are one of the most important pathogens that inflict significant socioeconomic burden across the globe. In this article, we reviewed the current literature on the functions and mechanisms by which Th17/IL17 responds to intracellular bacterial infections. A better understanding of Th17/IL17 immunity to pathogens would be crucial for developing effective prophylactics and therapeutics.
Anticorrelations between Active Brain Regions: An Agent-Based Model Simulation Study
Authors: Parente Fabrizio , Colosimo Alfredo
Published: March 2018

Anticorrelations among brain areas observed in fMRI acquisitions under resting state are not endowed with a well-defined set of characters. Some evidence points to a possible physiological role for them, and simulation models showed that it is appropriate to explore such an issue. A large-scale brain representation was considered, implementing an agent-based brain-inspired model (ABBM) incorporating the SER (susceptible-excited-refractory) cyclic mechanism of state change. The experimental data used for validation included 30 selected functional images of healthy controls from the 1000 Functional Connectomes Classic collection. To study how different fractions of positive and negative connectivities could modulate the model efficiency, the correlation coefficient was systematically used to check the goodness-of-fit of empirical data by simulations under different combinations of parameters. The results show that a small fraction of positive connectivity is necessary to match at best the empirical data. Similarly, a goodness-of-fit improvement was observed upon addition of negative links to an initial pattern of only-positive connections, indicating a significant information intrinsic to negative links. As a general conclusion, anticorrelations showed that it is crucial to improve the performance of our simulation and, since these cannot be assimilated to noise, should be always considered in order to refine any brain functional model.
A Comparative Study on Acoustic Optimization and Analysis of CLD/Plate in a Cavity Using ESO and GA
Authors: Zhang Dongdong , Wang Shuwen , Zheng Ling
Published: March 2018

An acoustic radiation model of a cavity with a flexible plate treated with constrained layer damping (CLD) is developed by a combination of finite element method (FEM) and boundary element method (BEM). An acoustic topology optimization model is established with the objective of minimizing sound radiation power at specific modal frequency and design variables defined as locations of CLD treatments. The evolutionary structural optimization (ESO) method and genetic algorithm (GA) are employed to search optimal CLD configurations. Sound power sensitivity for CLD/plate is derived to determine search direction in ESO optimization procedure. The optimal CLD layouts for the flexible plate with two different boundary conditions are obtained and analyzed. Computational time, optimal layouts, and minimum sound power obtained using ESO and GA are compared. The results demonstrate effectiveness of the two methods, and ESO is more efficient to obtain deterministic and more practical optimal CLD material layouts for minimizing sound radiation power. The influences of CLD materials thickness and exciting force locations on optimal results obtained using ESO are discussed in detail. It is shown that the optimal rejection ratio varies with thicknesses of CLD materials and distribution of normal velocity of the flexible plate. Variation trend of the optimal rejection ratio is opposite for the two boundary conditions.
Generalizedα-Attractor Models from Elementary Hyperbolic Surfaces
Authors: Babalic Elena Mirela , Lazaroiu Calin Iuliu
Published: March 2018

We consider generalizedα-attractor models whose scalar potentials are globally well-behaved and whose scalar manifolds are elementary hyperbolic surfaces. Beyond the Poincaré diskD, such surfaces include the hyperbolic punctured diskD⁎and the hyperbolic annuliA(R)of modulusμ=2log⁡R>0. For each elementary surface, we discuss its decomposition into canonical end regions and give an explicit construction of the embedding into the Kerekjarto-Stoilow compactification (which in all three cases is the unit sphere), showing how this embedding allows for a universal treatment of globally well-behaved scalar potentials upon expanding their extension in real spherical harmonics. For certain simple but natural choices of extended potentials, we compute scalar field trajectories by projecting numerical solutions of the lifted equations of motion from the Poincaré half plane through the uniformization map, thus illustrating the rich cosmological dynamics of such models.
Strategic Combination of Isocratic and Gradient Elution for Simultaneous Separation of Polar Compounds in Traditional Chinese Medicines by HPLC
Authors: Zhang Mei-Tuo , Ye Xiao-Xue , Lan Wei , Yang Yan-Ling , Wu Tsunghsueh , Li Yu-Sang , Tang He-Bin
Published: March 2018

A simple high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method for the simultaneous separation of the highly polar and weakly polar components of traditional Chinese medicines was developed via a strategic combination of isocratic and gradient elution methods. Liu-Shen-Wan and Liu-Wei-Di-Huang-Wan were used as representative examples of traditional Chinese medicines. This is the first time that 6 components of varying degrees of polarity in Liu-Shen-Wan had been successfully resolved in a single chromatographic run using an ultraviolet-visible detector with a fixed wavelength of 296 nm. In contrast to conventional gradient separation methods, this novel method offered a viable route for separation of the highly and weakly polar fractions simultaneously, thus greatly reducing the time and cost of analysis. This method therefore provides a more efficient way to determine the polar components present in traditional Chinese medicines. It would find potential application in drug screening, drug authentication, and product quality control.
Phylogeny of Maleae (Rosaceae) Based on Multiple Chloroplast Regions: Implications to Genera Circumscription
Authors: Sun Jiahui , Shi Shuo , Li Jinlu , Yu Jing , Wang Ling , Yang Xueying , Guo Ling , Zhou Shiliang
Published: March 2018

Maleae consists of economically and ecologically important plants. However, there are considerable disputes on generic circumscription due to the lack of a reliable phylogeny at generic level. In this study, molecular phylogeny of 35 generally accepted genera in Maleae is established using 15 chloroplast regions.Gilleniais the most basal clade of Maleae, followed byKageneckia+Lindleya,Vauquelinia, and a typical radiation clade, the core Maleae, suggesting that the proposal of four subtribes is reasonable. In the core Maleae including 31 genera, chloroplast gene data support that the fourMalus-related genera should better be merged into one genus and the sixSorbus-related genera would be classified into two genera, whereas allPhotinia-related genera should be accepted as distinct genera. Although the phylogenetic relationships among the genera in Maleae are much clearer than before, it is still premature to make a formal taxonomic treatment for these genera.
Mapping Pyroclastic Flow Inundation Using Radar and Optical Satellite Images and Lahar Modeling
Authors: Lee Chang-Wook , Lu Zhong , Kim Jin-Woo , Park Sung-Jae
Published: March 2018

Sinabung volcano, located above the Sumatra subduction of the Indo-Australian plate under the Eurasian plate, became active in 2010 after about 400 years of quiescence. We use ALOS/PALSAR interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) images to measure surface deformation from February 2007 to January 2011. We model the observed preeruption inflation and coeruption deflation using Mogi and prolate spheroid sources to infer volume changes of the magma chamber. We interpret that the inflation was due to magma accumulation in a shallow reservoir beneath Mount Sinabung and attribute the deflation due to magma withdrawal from the shallow reservoir during the eruption as well as thermoelastic compaction of erupted material. The pyroclastic flow extent during the eruption is then derived from the LAHARZ model based on the coeruption volume from InSAR modeling and compared to that derived from the Landsat 7 Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus (ETM+) image. The pyroclastic flow inundation extents between the two different methods agree at about 86%, suggesting the capability of mapping pyroclastic flow inundation by combing radar and optical imagery as well as flow modeling.
Vitamin D Intake among Premenopausal Women Living in Jeddah: Food Sources and Relationship to Demographic Factors and Bone Health
Authors: Zareef Tahani A. , Jackson Robert T. , Alkahtani Abdulkareem A.
Published: March 2018

Background. Saudi women depend on food sources to maintain their serum 25(OH) D concentrations because covering by traditional clothing and time spent indoors limit their sun exposure. Little is known about vitamin D intake and its main food sources in Saudi Arabia. In addition, the association between vitamin D and calcium intake and bone mineral density (BMD) in young women is not well researched.Objectives. To assess the adequacy of vitamin D intake among Saudi women as compared to the estimated average requirements (EARs), to identify dietary vitamin D sources, to examine potential determinants of vitamin D intake, and to assess bone health and the association of calcium and vitamin D intake with BMD.Methods. This cross-sectional study was conducted in 257 premenopausal women aged 20–50 years in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Dietary vitamin D and calcium were assessed by the Semiquantitative Food Frequency Questionnaire. BMD was measured using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) in a subset of womenn=102at the lumbar spine and femur neck.Results. Sixty-five percent of women were below the EAR for vitamin D, and 61% fell below the EAR for calcium. Dairy products, supplements, and fish contributed most to vitamin D intake. Increased age was an independent determinant of sufficient vitamin D intakep<0.001. The prevalence of osteopenia was 33% in the lumbar spine and 30% in the femur neck. There was a significant positive association between calcium intake and BMD at the lumbar spinep=0.043after controlling for body mass index and energy intake. Vitamin D intake was not significantly different between women with low and normal bone mass.Conclusion. Premenopausal women in Jeddah have insufficient vitamin D and calcium intakes. Public health strategies to improve nutrition in young women are needed, and expanding fortification programs to include all dairy products would be useful.
Mechanical Behavior of Shale Rock under Uniaxial Cyclic Loading and Unloading Condition
Authors: Zhao Baoyun , Liu Dongyan , Li Ziyun , Huang Wei , Dong Qian
Published: March 2018

In order to investigate the mechanical behavior of shale rock under cyclic loading and unloading condition, two kinds of incremental cyclic loading tests were conducted. Based on the result of the short‐term uniaxial incremental cyclic loading test, the permanent residual strain, modulus, and damage evolution were analyzed firstly. Results showed that the relationship between the residual strains and the cycle number can be expressed by an exponential function. The deformation modulus E50 and elastic modulus ES first increased and then decreased with the peak stress under the loading condition, and both of them increased approximately linearly with the peak stress under the unloading condition. On the basis of the energy dissipation, the damage variables showed an exponential increasing with the strain at peak stress. The creep behavior of the shale rock was also analyzed. Results showed that there are obvious instantaneous strain, decay creep, and steady creep under each stress level and the specimen appears the accelerated creep stage under the 4th stress of 51.16 MPa. Based on the characteristics of the Burgers creep model, a viscoelastic‐plastic creep model was proposed through viscoplastic mechanics, which agrees very well with the experimental results and can better describe the creep behavior of shale rock better than the Burgers creep model. Results can provide some mechanics reference evidence for shale gas development.
Evaluating Multiobjective Evolutionary Algorithms Using MCDM Methods
Authors: Yu Xiaobing , Lu YiQun , Yu Xianrui
Published: March 2018

The evaluation of multiobjective evolutionary algorithms (MOEAs) involves many metrics, it can be considered as a multiple-criteria decision making (MCDM) problem. A framework is proposed to estimate MOEAs, in which six MOEAs, five performance metrics, and two MCDM methods are used. An experimental study is designed and thirteen benchmark functions are selected to validate the proposed framework. The experimental results have indicated that the framework is effective in evaluating MOEAs.
Targeting Bromodomain and Extra-Terminal (BET) Family Proteins in Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer (CRPC)
Authors: Welti Jonathan , Sharp Adam , Yuan Wei , Dolling David , Nava Rodrigues Daniel , Figueiredo Ines , Gil Veronica , Neeb Antje , Clarke Matthew , Seed George , Crespo Mateus , Sumanasuriya Semini , Ning Jian , Knight Eleanor , Francis Jeffrey C. , Hughes Ashley , Halsey Wendy S. , Paschalis Alec , Mani Ram S. , Raj Ganesh V. , Plymate Stephen R. , Carreira Suzanne , Boysen Gunther , Chinnaiyan Arul M. , Swain Amanda , de Bono Johann S.
Published: March 2018

Purpose: Persistent androgen receptor (AR) signaling drives castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) and confers resistance to AR-targeting therapies. Novel therapeutic strategies to overcome this are urgently required. We evaluated how bromodomain and extra-terminal (BET) protein inhibitors (BETi) abrogate aberrant AR signaling in CRPC.

Experimental Design: We determined associations between BET expression, AR-driven transcription, and patient outcome; and the effect and mechanism by which chemical BETi (JQ1 and GSK1210151A; I-BET151) and BET family protein knockdown regulates AR-V7 expression and AR signaling in prostate cancer models.

Results: Nuclear BRD4 protein expression increases significantly (P ≤ 0.01) with castration resistance in same patient treatment-naïve (median H-score; interquartile range: 100; 100–170) and CRPC (150; 110–200) biopsies, with higher expression at diagnosis associating with worse outcome (HR, 3.25; 95% CI, 1.50–7.01; P ≤ 0.001). BRD2, BRD3, and BRD4 RNA expression in CRPC biopsies correlates with AR-driven transcription (all P ≤ 0.001). Chemical BETi, and combined BET family protein knockdown, reduce AR-V7 expression and AR signaling. This was not recapitulated by C-MYC knockdown. In addition, we show that BETi regulates RNA processing thereby reducing alternative splicing and AR-V7 expression. Furthermore, BETi reduce growth of prostate cancer cells and patient-derived organoids with known AR mutations, AR amplification and AR-V7 expression. Finally, BETi, unlike enzalutamide, decreases persistent AR signaling and growth (P ≤ 0.001) of a patient-derived xenograft model of CRPC with AR amplification and AR-V7 expression.

Conclusions: BETi merit clinical evaluation as inhibitors of AR splicing and function, with trials demonstrating their blockade in proof-of-mechanism pharmacodynamic studies. Clin Cancer Res; 24(13); 3149–62. ©2018 AACR.
Efficacy of a Propolis-Based Syrup (FARINGEL) in Preventing Radiation-Induced Esophagitis in Locally Advanced Lung Cancer
Authors: Ippolito Edy , Floreno Barnaba , Rinaldi Carla Germana , Trodella Lucio , Meroni Federica Loretta , Iurato Aurelia , D’Angelillo Rolando Maria , Ramella Sara , Fiore Michele
Published: March 2018

Aim: To evaluate the efficacy of a propolis-based syrup, FARINGEL®, in preventing radiation-induced esophagitis in locally advanced lung cancer patients. Methods. Patients were treated with concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CRT) using involved-field radiotherapy (RT). Every patient received FARINGEL at the beginning of CRT until the first follow-up. The data of the study group were compared with the data of a control group treated without the administration of the syrup. Results: Forty-five patients were enrolled. Forty-one (91.1%) completed the protocol and were evaluable for esophagitis. Grade ≥2 toxicity occurred in 9/41 patients (22%). No differences in overall toxicity were detected between the study group and the control group (n = 55, 60.9 vs. 54.5%; p = ns). Grade 2–3 esophagitis was lower in the study group in comparison with the control group (22 and 38%, respectively), but statistical significance was not reached (p = 0.09). However, the onset of grade ≥2 esophagitis was delayed in the study group compared to the control group, occurring at higher doses of RT (41.8 vs. 25.4 Gy; p < 0.001). Furthermore, the mean number of interruption days for esophagitis was lower in the study group than in the control group (0.6 ± 2.0 vs. 2.1 ± 3.6; p = 0.025). Conclusion: FARINGEL was well-tolerated and delayed esophagitis that was induced by CRT for locally advanced lung cancer.
Deubiquitinase Inhibitor Auranofin Attenuated Cardiac Hypertrophy by Blocking NF-κB Activation
Authors: Hu Ming , Zhang Zhenhui , Liu Bin , Zhang Shuangwei , Chai Renjie , Chen Xiaohua , Kong Tianyu , Zhang Fangcheng , Zhang Jingzhi , Liu Shiming , Liu Ningning
Published: March 2018

Background/Aims: Cardiac hypertrophy is a major outcome and compensatory response of the cardiovascular system to hemodynamic and additional stress responses that ultimately lead to heart failure. Auranofin (Aur) has been used for treating rheumatic arthritis for several decades. Aur is a 19S proteasome-associated deubiquitinase inhibitor, and inhibition of the proteasome is speculated to reverse cardiac hypertrophy. However, the role of the deubiquitinases, especially 19S proteasome-associated deubiquitinases, in the regulation of cardiac remodeling remains poorly understood. The present study investigated the role of Aur in cardiac hypertrophy both in vitro and in vivo. Methods: Male Sprague–Dawley rats underwent abdominal aortic constriction to induce left ventricular hypertrophy. The neonatal rat primary myocardial cell hypertrophy model was induced by Ang II. Echocardiography, hematoxylin-eosin staining, Masson’s trichrome staining, immunochemistry, western blot analysis, a cell viability assay, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay were performed. Results: Aur significantly reduced the abdominal aortic constriction that led to left ventricular hypertrophy, reduced heart cavity expansion, and functional disorder, and thereby reduced fetal gene expression and attenuated cardiac fibrosis. Furthermore, Aur caused marked accumulation of ubiquitinated proteins and IκBα, as well as inactivation of NF-κB. This phenomenon was confirmed in the neonatal rat primary myocardial cell hypertrophy model. Conclusions: The present study indicated that Aur blocks the development of left ventricular hypertrophy induced by abdominal aortic constriction. This phenomenon might be attributed to inhibition of the 19S proteasome-associated deubiquitinase that can lead to aggregation of IκBα and inactivation of the NF-κB pathway. Thus, Aur could be a potential anti-cardiac hypertrophy agent.
Radiotherapy and Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors in Renal Cancer
Authors: Fiore Michele , D'Angelillo Rolando Maria , Greco Carlo , Fioroni Iacopo , Ippolito Edy , Santini Daniele , Ramella Sara
Published: March 2018

Treatment of metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) has seen substantial progress over the last decade. A number of targeted therapies have been shown to improve clinical outcome. Vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGFR)-tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) are an effective option in treating mRCC. RCC is traditionally perceived to be a radioresistant malignancy with a limited role of radiotherapy (RT) in the management of localized disease. While RCC appears to be radioresistant using conventionally fractionated RT, preclinical data suggest increased radiosensitivity when an ablative, hypofractionated schedule is used. RT is a common treatment for metastases; therefore, it is important to understand how best to use the combination of RT with targeted therapies. Preclinical studies have suggested that the combination of anti-angiogenic drugs with RT enhances the therapeutic effect compared with ionizing radiation alone. However, clinical data gave rise to warnings due to an increased incidence of severe gastrointestinal side effects. This article reviews the literature behind the preclinical and clinical data of the combination of RT with VEGFR-TKIs currently approved for RCC (sunitinib, sorafenib, pazopanib, and axitinib), with a focus on dose schedules as well as efficacy and toxicity.