bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Lymphovascular invasion have a similar prognostic value as lymph node involvement in patients undergoing radical cystectomy with urothelial carcinoma
Authors: Yuk Hyeong Dong , Jeong Chang Wook , Kwak Cheol , Kim Hyeon Hoe , Ku Ja Hyeon
Published: October 2018

To determine the prognostic value of lymphovascular invasion (LVI) in patients with bladder cancer who underwent radical cystectomy. Total of 747 patients underwent radical cystectomy; of these, only 164 did not undergo lymph node dissection (LND). The patients were divided into 4 groups: N0, N1, LVI without LND, and non-LVI without LND. Patients in the N1 and LVI groups had significantly higher T stages and grades, as well 1.5- to 2-fold higher recurrence and mortality rates. Overall survival (OS) was significantly poorer in the N1 group, compared with the N0 and non-LVI groups (p = 0.001 and 0.012), and in the LVI group relative to the N0 and non-LVI groups (p = < 0.001 and <0.001). Recurrence-free survival (RFS) was also significantly poorer in the N1 group relative to the N0 and non-LVI groups (p = < 0.001 and <0.001), and in the LVI group relative to the N0 and non-LVI groups (p = < 0.001 and <0.001). Among patients undergoing radical cystectomy, the clinical results predicted by LVI were similar to those predicted by lymph node involvement. Therefore, the role of adjuvant chemotherapy or immunotherapy may need to be prospectively evaluated in LVI-positive patients regardless of T stage after radical cystectomy.
OPTICS-based Unsupervised Method for Flaking Degree Evaluation on the Murals in Mogao Grottoes
Authors: Li Pan , Sun Meijun , Wang Zheng , Chai Bolong
Published: October 2018

In recent years, the preventive protection and restoration work of the murals in Mogao Grottoes has received extensive attention. Due to the fragility and detachment of the murals, it is necessary to study non-contact disease detection and prevention methods. In this paper, we propose an unsupervised method to accurately predict the degree of mural flaking diseases in Mogao Grottoes. The hyperspectral image (HSI) is captured by V10-PS hyperspectral camera. The proposed method includes three main steps: (1) extract the spectral features of the HSI by Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Sparse Auto-Encoder (SAE) respectively; (2) cluster the extracted features by the Ordering Points to Identify the Clustering Structure (OPTICS) algorithm based on the density; (3) calculate the distance between the cluster core point and the other points in the feature space and visualize the final classification result. Different from other existing hyperspectral classification works, the research proposed in this paper is the degree detection of flaking of murals. Since the degree of flaking is continuous and the work is conducted without any supervision information, the entire workflow is complex and challenging. The experimental results show the effectiveness of our method.
Fearful dogs have increased plasma glutamine and γ-glutamyl glutamine
Authors: Puurunen Jenni , Tiira Katriina , Vapalahti Katariina , Lehtonen Marko , Hanhineva Kati , Lohi Hannes
Published: October 2018

Anxiety-related disorders, including fearfulness are common and leading welfare problems among the worldwide dog population. The etiology of anxieties is complex and affected by genetic and environmental factors. Thus, there is a need for more comprehensive approaches, such as metabolomics, to understand the causes of anxiety and to identify anxiety-related biomarkers for more efficient diagnostic and treatment options. To study metabolic alterations related to canine fearfulness, a non-targeted plasma metabolite profiling was performed in a cohort of 20 fearful and 21 non-fearful dogs. The results showed that nine metabolic features were significantly associated with fearfulness. The most prominent change included increased plasma glutamine and γ-glutamyl glutamine (γ-Glu Gln) in fearful dogs across breeds. Alterations in glutamine metabolism have previously been associated with several psychiatric disorders, indicating the relevance of this finding also in dogs. In addition, we describe a novel breed-specific association between renal biomarker symmetric dimethylarginine (SDMA) and canine fearfulness. These observed metabolic alterations may result from high levels of prolonged psychological stress in fearful dogs.
Mediterranean forested wetlands are yeast hotspots for bioremediation: a case study using azo dyes
Authors: Sampaio Ana C. , Bezerra Rui M. F. , Dias Albino A.
Published: October 2018

Forested wetlands are interfaces between terrestrial and aquatic environments. These ecosystems play an important role in the hydrology, chemistry and biodiversity maintenance. Despite their high microbial diversity, there has been a lack of attention to the potential of their yeast communities. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the potential of yeasts isolated from a Mediterranean forested wetlands in decolorizing azo dyes. Azo dyes are synthetic, and highly recalcitrant to degradation. Ninety-two out of 560 isolates were randomly chosen to assess their ability to decolorize five azo dyes. Hierarchical clustering based on medium color changes during incubations was used to evaluate the isolates’ decolorization performance. All of the isolates that best degraded the 5 dyes tested were identified as Basidiomycota (Filobasidiales, Tremellales and Sporidiobolales). This work identifies new azo dye-degrading yeast species, and supports the hypothesis that forested wetlands are a niche for yeasts with bioremediation potential - namely azo dyes removal.
A conceptual view on inertial internal waves in relation to the subinertial flow on the central west Florida shelf
Authors: Maksimova Ekaterina V.
Published: October 2018

The study reported here focuses on inertial internal wave currents on the west Florida midshelf in 50 m depth. In situ observations showed that the seasonal shifts in stratification change both the frequency range of inertial internal waves and their modulation time scales. According to the analysis, the subinertial flow evolution time scales also undergo compatible seasonal variations, and the inertial internal wave currents appear to be temporally and spatially related to the subinertial flow. Specifically, the subinertial flow evolving on frontal-/quasi-geostrophic time scales appears to be accompanied by the near-inertial oscillations/inertia-gravity waves in corresponding small/finite Burger number regimes, respectively. The quasi-geostrophic subinertial currents on the west Florida shelf are probably associated with the synoptic wind-forced flow, whereas the frontal-geostrophic currents are related to the evolution of density fronts. Further details of this conceptual view should, however, be elucidated in the future.
Correction-free force calibration for magnetic tweezers experiments
Authors: Ostrofet Eugen , Papini Flávia Stal , Dulin David
Published: October 2018

Magnetic tweezers are a powerful technique to perform high-throughput and high-resolution force spectroscopy experiments at the single-molecule level. The camera-based detection of magnetic tweezers enables the observation of hundreds of magnetic beads in parallel, and therefore the characterization of the mechanochemical behavior of hundreds of nucleic acids and enzymes. However, magnetic tweezers experiments require an accurate force calibration to extract quantitative data, which is limited to low forces if the deleterious effect of the finite camera open shutter time (τsh) is not corrected. Here, we provide a simple method to perform correction-free force calibration for high-throughput magnetic tweezers at low image acquisition frequency (fac). By significantly reducing τsh to at most 1/4 the characteristic time of the tethered magnetic bead, we accurately evaluated the variance of the magnetic bead position along the axis parallel to the magnetic field, estimating the force with a relative error of ~10% (standard deviation), being only limited by the bead-to-bead difference. We calibrated several magnets - magnetic beads configurations, covering a force range from ~50 fN to ~60 pN. In addition, for the presented configurations, we provide a table with the mathematical expressions that describe the force as a function of the magnets position.
Disease networks identify specific conditions and pleiotropy influencing multimorbidity in the general population
Authors: Amell A. , Roso-Llorach A. , Palomero L. , Cuadras D. , Galván-Femenía I. , Serra-Musach J. , Comellas F. , de Cid R. , Pujana M. A. , Violán C.
Published: October 2018

Multimorbidity is an emerging topic in public health policy because of its increasing prevalence and socio-economic impact. However, the age- and gender-dependent trends of disease associations at fine resolution, and the underlying genetic factors, remain incompletely understood. Here, by analyzing disease networks from electronic medical records of primary health care, we identify key conditions and shared genetic factors influencing multimorbidity. Three types of diseases are outlined: “central”, which include chronic and non-chronic conditions, have higher cumulative risks of disease associations; “community roots” have lower cumulative risks, but inform on continuing clustered disease associations with age; and “seeds of bursts”, which most are chronic, reveal outbreaks of disease associations leading to multimorbidity. The diseases with a major impact on multimorbidity are caused by genes that occupy central positions in the network of human disease genes. Alteration of lipid metabolism connects breast cancer, diabetic neuropathy and nutritional anemia. Evaluation of key disease associations by a genome-wide association study identifies shared genetic factors and further supports causal commonalities between nervous system diseases and nutritional anemias. This study also reveals many shared genetic signals with other diseases. Collectively, our results depict novel population-based multimorbidity patterns, identify key diseases within them, and highlight pleiotropy influencing multimorbidity.
Quantitative pupillometry and neuron-specific enolase independently predict return of spontaneous circulation following cardiogenic out-of-hospital cardiac arrest: a prospective pilot study
Authors: Yokobori Shoji , Wang Kevin K. K. , Yang Zhihui , Zhu Tian , Tyndall Joseph A. , Mondello Stefania , Shibata Yasushi , Tominaga Naoki , Kanaya Takahiro , Takiguchi Toru , Igarashi Yutaka , Hagiwara Jun , Nakae Ryuta , Onda Hidetaka , Masuno Tomohiko , Fuse Akira , Yokota Hiroyuki
Published: October 2018

This study aimed to identify neurological and pathophysiological factors that predicted return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) among patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA). This prospective 1-year observational study evaluated patients with cardiogenic OHCA who were admitted to a tertiary medical center, Nippon Medical School Hospital. Physiological and neurological examinations were performed at admission for quantitative infrared pupillometry (measured with NPi-200, NeurOptics, CA, USA), arterial blood gas, and blood chemistry. Simultaneous blood samples were also collected to determine levels of neuron-specific enolase (NSE), S-100b, phosphorylated neurofilament heavy subunit, and interleukin-6. In-hospital standard advanced cardiac life support was performed for 30 minutes.The ROSC (n = 26) and non-ROSC (n = 26) groups were compared, which a revealed significantly higher pupillary light reflex ratio, which was defined as the percent change between maximum pupil diameter before light stimuli and minimum pupil diameter after light stimuli, in the ROSC group (median: 1.3% [interquartile range (IQR): 0.0–2.0%] vs. non-ROSC: (median: 0%), (Cut-off: 0.63%). Furthermore, NSE provided the great sensitivity and specificity for predicting ROSC, with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.86, which was created by plotting sensitivity and 1-specificity. Multivariable logistic regression analyses revealed that the independent predictors of ROSC were maximum pupillary diameter (odds ratio: 0.25, 95% confidence interval: 0.07–0.94, P = 0.04) and NSE at admission (odds ratio: 0.96, 95% confidence interval: 0.93–0.99, P = 0.04). Pupillary diameter was also significantly correlated with NSE concentrations (r = 0.31, P = 0.027). Conclusively, the strongest predictors of ROSC among patients with OHCA were accurate pupillary diameter and a neuronal biomarker, NSE. Quantitative pupillometry may help guide the decision to terminate resuscitation in emergency departments using a neuropathological rationale. Further large-scale studies are needed.
Distinct phenotypic traits of Staphylococcus aureus are associated with persistent, contagious bovine intramammary infections
Authors: Grunert Tom , Stessl Beatrix , Wolf Franz , Sordelli Daniel O. , Buzzola Fernanda R. , Ehling-Schulz Monika
Published: October 2018

Staphylococcus aureus causing persistent, recurrent bovine intramammary infections are still a major challenge to dairy farming. Generally, one or a few clonal lineages are predominant in dairy herds, indicating animal-to-animal transfers and the existence of distinct pathotypic traits. The aim of this study was to determine if long term persistence and spreading of S. aureus are associated with specific phenotypic traits, including cellular invasion, cytotoxicity and biofilm formation. Mastitis isolates were collected over a 3-years period from a single dairy herd, resulting in two persistent subtypes, the high within-herd prevalent subtype ST9 (CC9)-methicillin-susceptible S. aureus (MSSA), designated HP/ST9, and the low within-herd prevalent subtype ST504 (CC705)-MSSA, designated LP/ST504. Characterization of the two different coexisting persistent subtypes showed that the following phenotypic traits are particularly associated with high within-herd prevalence: lack of capsular polysaccharide expression, high cellular invasiveness, low cytotoxicity and high biofilm/ poly-N-acetylglucosamine (PNAG) production, which may concomitantly contribute to the spreading of HP/ST9 within the herd. By contrast to HP/ST9, LP/ST504 is characterized by the formation of colony dendrites, which may help the bacteria to access deeper tissues as niches for persistence in single animals. Thus, within a single herd, two different types of persistence can be found in parallel, allowing longtime persistence of S. aureus in dairy cattle. Furthermore, this study indicates that ST9 (CC9)-MSSA strains, which are currently thought to have their primary reservoir in swine and humans, can also successfully spread to new hosts and persist in dairy herds for years.
Measurement of wavelength-dependent radiation pressure from photon reflection and absorption due to thin film interference
Authors: Ma Dakang , Munday Jeremy N.
Published: October 2018

Opto-mechanical forces result from the momentum transfer that occurs during light-matter interactions. One of the most common examples of this phenomenon is the radiation pressure that is exerted on a reflective surface upon photon reflection. For an ideal mirror, the radiation pressure is independent of the wavelength of light and depends only on the incident power. Here we consider a different regime where, for a constant input optical power, wavelength-dependent radiation pressure is observed due to coherent thin film Fabry-Perot interference effects. We perform measurements using a Si microcantilever and utilize an in-situ optical transmission technique to determine the local thickness of the cantilever and the light beam’s angle of incidence. Although Si is absorptive in the visible part of the spectrum, by exploiting the Fabry-Perot modes of the cantilever, we can determine whether momentum is transferred via reflection or absorption by tuning the incident wavelength by only ~20 nm. Finally, we demonstrate that the tunable wavelength excitation measurement can be used to separate photothermal effects and radiation pressure.
3D printed dielectric ceramic without a sintering stage
Authors: Väätäjä Maria , Kähäri Hanna , Ohenoja Katja , Sobocinski Maciej , Juuti Jari , Jantunen Heli
Published: October 2018

This paper presents for the first time the fabrication of dielectric ceramic parts by 3D printing without sintering. The printable paste was prepared by mixing a carefully selected amount of water-soluble Li2MoO4powder with water. A viscous mixture of solid ceramic particles and saturated aqueous phase was formed with a solid content of 60.0 vol.%. Printing of the sample discs was conducted with material extrusion using a low-cost syringe-style 3D printer. The consolidation and densification of the printed parts occurred during both printing and drying of the paste due to extrusion pressure, capillary forces, and recrystallization of the dissolved Li2MoO4. Complete drying of the paste was ensured by heating at 120 °C. The microstructure showed no delamination of the printed layers. Relatively high densities and good dielectric properties were obtained, especially when considering that no sintering and only pressure from the extrusion was employed. This approach is expected to be feasible for similar ceramics and ceramic composites.
Dog bite and injury awareness and prevention in migrant and left-behind children in China
Authors: Chen Ying , Tan Yafei , Yan Shuzhen , Li Liping
Published: October 2018

Dog-incurred injury is a serious public health concern worldwide, especially for children, responsible for numerous infectious diseases, such as rabies. Our study aims to investigate the current status of dog-incurred injury and its prevention among special groups of children. A cross-sectional study was conducted among migrant children (MC) and non-MC, “left-behind” children (LBC) and non-LBC in two cities in southern China. A questionnaire was used to collect socio-demographic data and experience with dog-incurred injury, to assess knowledge of dog behaviour and rabies prevention and attitudes in risk identification and practice in risk behaviour. A total of 9,380 children aged 6–19 years old participated in this study. The self-reported prevalence of overall lifetime dog-incurred injuries in MC was 19.4% (vs. 11.2% in non-MC, χ2 = 175.8) and LBC was 20.6% (vs. 13.5% in non-LBC, χ2 = 114.1). MC were more likely to provoke a dog before the injury happened (12.7% vs 11.0%), while LBC (13.3% vs. 10.7%) and non-MC (13.1% vs. 12.2%) did not manage their wounds (all P < 0.001). 45.6% of victims were alone when the attack happened. MC from other provinces who live in rural areas and LBC with their mother absent had the lowest levels of knowledge among the groups. Taken together, MC and LBC are at greater risk for dog-incurred injury. They had lower knowledge of and attitudes towards prevention and more high-risk behaviour. Therefore, an appropriate public health education intervention is needed for schoolchildren regarding the prevention and management of dog-incurred injury and disease.
Exploring the potential of PROCOSINE and close-range hyperspectral imaging to study the effects of fungal diseases on leaf physiology
Authors: Morel Julien , Jay Sylvain , Féret Jean-Baptiste , Bakache Adel , Bendoula Ryad , Carreel Francoise , Gorretta Nathalie
Published: October 2018

The detection of plant diseases, including fungi, is a major challenge for reducing yield gaps of crops across the world. We explored the potential of the PROCOSINE radiative transfer model to assess the effect of the fungus Pseudocercospora fijiensis on leaf tissues using laboratory-acquired submillimetre-scale hyperspectral images in the visible and near-infrared spectral range. The objectives were (i) to assess the dynamics of leaf biochemical and biophysical parameters estimated using PROCOSINE inversion as a function of the disease stages, and (ii) to discriminate the disease stages by using a Linear Discriminant Analysis model built from the inversion results. The inversion results show that most of the parameter dynamics are consistent with expectations: for example, the chlorophyll content progressively decreased as the disease spreads, and the brown pigments content increased. An overall accuracy of 78.7% was obtained for the discrimination of the six disease stages, with errors mainly occurring between asymptomatic samples and first visible disease stages. PROCOSINE inversion provides relevant ecophysiological information to better understand how P. fijiensis affects the leaf at each disease stage. More particularly, the results suggest that monitoring anthocyanins may be critical for the early detection of this disease.
Electron Scattering via Interface Optical Phonons with High Group Velocity in Wurtzite GaN-based Quantum Well Heterostructure
Authors: Park Kihoon , Mohamed Ahmed , Dutta Mitra , Stroscio Michael A. , Bayram Can
Published: October 2018

Here we present a detailed theoretical analysis of the interaction between electrons and optical phonons of interface and confined modes in a wurtzite AlN/GaN/AlN quantum well heterostructure based on the uniaxial dielectric continuum model. The formalism describing the interface and confined mode optical phonon dispersion relation, electron–phonon scattering rates, and average group velocity of emitted optical phonons are developed and numerically calculated. The dispersion relation of the interface phonons shows a convergence to the resonant phonon frequencies 577.8 and 832.3 cm−1 with a steep slope around the zone center indicating a large group velocity. At the onset of interface phonon emission, the average group velocity is small due to the large contribution of interface and confined mode phonons with close-to-zero group velocity, but eventually increases up to larger values than the bulk GaN acoustic phonon velocity along the wurtzite crystal c-axis (8 nm/ps). By adjusting the GaN thickness in the double heterostructure, the average group velocity can be engineered to become larger than the velocity of acoustic phonons at a specific electron energy. This suggests that the high group velocity interface mode optical phonons can be exploited to remove heat more effectively and reduce junction temperatures in GaN-based heterostructures.
A record of changes in the Gran Sasso groundwater before, during and after the 2016 Amatrice earthquake, central Italy
Authors: De Luca Gaetano , Di Carlo Giuseppe , Tallini Marco
Published: October 2018

We performed continuous recordings (May 2015 – January 2017) of hydraulic pressure and electrical conductivity of groundwater in the 190 m-long horizontal S13 borehole drilled next to the deep underground laboratories of Gran Sasso (LNGS-INFN), located in the core of the Gran Sasso carbonate aquifer (central Italy) at a distance of about 39 km south-eastward from the 24 August 2016 Amatrice earthquake (6.0 Mw) epicenter. Using a 3-channel, 24-bit ADC we achieved a sampling rate of groundwater physical properties up to 50 Hz for each channel. We focused on the analysis of data recorded before, during and after the Amatrice earthquake, describing and discussing in detail the evidence for significant hydraulic pressure and electrical conductivity anomalies recorded before the main shock. We identified unambiguous signals in the hydraulic pressure data starting on 19 August, i.e. five days before the 24 August mainshock. A more careful analysis allowed us to detect the inception of a weak change up to 40 days before the Amatrice earthquake and a significant variation in the electrical conductivity data about 60 days before. The data revealed highly dynamic aquifer behaviour associated with the uprising of geogas probably related to the preparation stage of the Amatrice earthquake.
In-depth data on the network structure and hourly activity of the Central Chilean power grid
Authors: Kim Heetae , Olave-Rojas David , Álvarez-Miranda Eduardo , Son Seung-Woo
Published: October 2018

Network science enables us to improve the performance of complex systems such as traffic, communication, and power grids. To do so, it is necessary to use a well-constructed flawless network dataset associated with the system of interest. In this study, we present the dataset of the Chilean power grid. We harmonized data from three diverse sources to generate a unified dataset. Through an intensive review on the raw data, we filter out inconsistent errors and unrealistic faults, making the data more trustworthy. In contrast to other network dataset for power grids, we especially focus on preserving the physical structure of nodes’ connection incorporating the ‘tap’ structure. As a result, we provide three different versions of the dataset: ‘with-tap’, ‘without-tap’, and ‘reduced versions’. Along with structure, we incorporate various attributes of the nodes and edges such as the geo-coordinates, voltage of transmission lines, and the time series data of generation or consumption. These data are useful for network scientists to analyze the performance and dynamic stability of power grids.
Exploiting deep learning and volunteered geographic information for mapping buildings in Kano, Nigeria
Authors: Yuan Jiangye , Roy Chowdhury Pranab K. , McKee Jacob , Yang Hsiuhan Lexie , Weaver Jeanette , Bhaduri Budhendra
Published: October 2018

Buildings in the developing world are inadequately mapped. Lack of such critical geospatial data adds unnecessary challenges to locating and reaching a large segment of the world’s most vulnerable population, impeding sustainability goals ranging from disaster relief to poverty reduction. Use of volunteered geographic information (VGI) has emerged as a widely accepted source to fill such voids. Despite its promise, availability of building maps for developing countries significantly lags behind demand. We present a new approach, coupling deep convolutional neural networks (CNNs) with VGI for automating building map generation from high-resolution satellite images for Kano state, Nigeria. Specifically, we trained a CNN with VGI building outlines of limited quality and quantity and generated building maps for a 50,000 km2 area. Resulting maps are in strong agreement with existing settlement maps and require a fraction of the manual input needed for the latter. The VGI-based maps will provide support across multiple facets of socioeconomic development in Kano state, and demonstrates potential advancements in current mapping capabilities in resource constrained countries.
Household economy, forest dependency & opportunity costs of conservation in eastern rainforests of Madagascar
Authors: Poudyal Mahesh , Rakotonarivo O. Sarobidy , Razafimanahaka Julie H. , Hockley Neal , Jones Julia P. G.
Published: October 2018

The Government of Madagascar is trying to reduce deforestation and conserve biodiversity through creating new protected areas in the eastern rainforests. While this has many benefits, forest use restriction may bring costs to farmers at the forest frontier. We explored this through a series of surveys in five sites around the Corridor Ankeniheny Zahamena new protected area and adjacent national parks. In phase one a stratified random sample of 603 households completed a household survey covering demographic and socio-economic characteristics, and a choice experiment to estimate the opportunity costs of conservation. A stratified sub-sample (n = 171) then completed a detailed agricultural survey (including recording inputs and outputs from 721 plots) and wild-harvested product survey. The data have been archived with ReShare (UK Data Service). Together these allow a deeper understanding of the household economy on the forest frontier in eastern Madagascar and their swidden agricultural system, the benefits households derive from the forests through wild-harvested products, and the costs of conservation restrictions to forest edge communities.
Spread of a model invasive alien species, the harlequin ladybird Harmonia axyridis in Britain and Ireland
Authors: Brown P. M. J. , Roy D. B. , Harrower C. , Dean H. J. , Rorke S. L. , Roy H. E.
Published: October 2018

Invasive alien species are widely recognized as one of the main threats to global biodiversity. Rapid flow of information on the occurrence of invasive alien species is critical to underpin effective action. Citizen science, i.e. the involvement of volunteers in science, provides an opportunity to improve the information available on invasive alien species. Here we describe the dataset created via a citizen science approach to track the spread of a well-studied invasive alien species, the harlequin ladybird Harmonia axyridis (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) in Britain and Ireland. This dataset comprises 48 510 verified and validated spatio-temporal records of the occurrence of H. axyridis in Britain and Ireland, from first arrival in 2003, to the end of 2016. A clear and rapid spread of the species within Britain and Ireland is evident. A major reuse value of the dataset is in modelling the spread of an invasive species and applying this to other potential invasive alien species in order to predict and prevent their further spread.
A study into the ageing and dating of blue ball tip inks on paper usingin situvisible spectroscopy with chemometrics
Authors: Sauzier Georgina , McGann Jasmine , Lewis Simon W. , van Bronswijk Wilhelm
Published: October 2018

This study used reflectance visible spectroscopy with chemometrics as anin situink dating approach for forensic document examination.
Lysine detection and quantification by laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry on gold nanoparticle-enhanced target
Authors: Arendowski Adrian , Ruman Tomasz
Published: October 2018

Laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry method on gold nanoparticle enhanced target (AuNPET) was used for rapid detection and quantification of lysine.
Light-sheet microscopy as a tool to understanding the behaviour of Polyion complex micelles for drug delivery
Authors: Chen Fan , Li Kecheng , Hart-Smith Gene , Xu You Dan , Jiang Yanyan , Lu Hongxu , Fok Sandra , Macmillian Alexander , Pandzic Elvis , Stenzel Martina
Published: October 2018

Light sheet microscopy reveals the low stability of polyelectrolyte–protein complexes in spheroids.
Unusual types of extended defects in synthetic high pressure–high temperature diamonds
Authors: Shiryaev Andrey A. , Zolotov Denis A. , Suprun Olena M. , Ivakhnenko Sergei A. , Averin Alexey A. , Buzmakov Alexey V. , Lysakovskyi Valentin V. , Dyachkova Irina G. , Asadchikov Victor E.
Published: October 2018

Side view of a HPHT diamond with unusual cone-like defects and the high magnification image of the defect.
Self-inhibition of insulin amyloid-like aggregation
Authors: Ziaunys Mantas , Sneideris Tomas , Smirnovas Vytautas
Published: October 2018

NaCl induces formation of insulin tetramers leading to inhibition of amyloid formation.
Infrared photodissociation spectroscopy of ion-radical networks in cationic dimethylamine complexes
Authors: Lei Xin , Kong Xiangtao , Zhao Zhi , Zhang Bingbing , Dai Dongxu , Yang Xueming , Jiang Ling
Published: October 2018

Infrared spectroscopic studies reveal the general trends in ion-radical networks of dimethylamine (DMA)n+ complexes.
Reversible pH switchable oxidase-like activities of MnO2 nanosheets for a visual molecular majority logic gate
Authors: Zhao Mengxin , Tao Yang , Huang Wei , He Yi
Published: October 2018

The oxidase-like activities of MnO2 nanosheets are pH switchable and reversible, which are applied for the fabrication of a visual molecular majority logic gate.
Simultaneous activity and stability increase of co-precipitated Ni–Al CO2 methanation catalysts by synergistic effects of Fe and Mn promoters
Authors: Burger Thomas , Koschany Franz , Wenng Andreas , Thomys Oliver , Köhler Klaus , Hinrichsen Olaf
Published: October 2018

The activity and stability of co-precipitated NiAlOx catalysts in the CO2 methanation reaction is targetedly enhanced by co-doping Fe and Mn.
Hantzsch ester as hole relay significantly enhanced photocatalytic hydrogen production
Authors: Ma Liu-Bo , Liu Ya-Nan , Liang Kuang , Fang Xiao-Xiang , Sahar Shafaq , Kombo Miza , Xu An-Wu
Published: October 2018

Hantzsch ester (DHPE) retards the recombination of electron–hole pairs through extracting holes from g-C3N4, thus dramatically improving visible photocatalytic hydrogen production.
A linear trinuclear ferrous single molecule magnet
Authors: Liu Shihao , Deng Yi-Fei , Li Chang'An , Chang Xiaoyong , Zhang Yuan-Zhu
Published: October 2018

A linear trinuclear ferrous [FeII3] SMM exhibited clear magnetic hysteresis loops and a significant higher effective energy barrier in comparison with its cobalt(ii) analogue.
Highly active atomically dispersed CoN4 fuel cell cathode catalysts derived from surfactant-assisted MOFs: carbon-shell confinement strategy
Authors: He Yanghua , Hwang Sooyeon , Cullen David A. , Uddin M. Aman , Langhorst Lisa , Li Boyang , Karakalos Stavros , Kropf A. Jeremy , Wegener Evan C. , Sokolowski Joshua , Chen Mengjie , Myers Debbie , Su Dong , More Karren L. , Wang Guofeng , Litster Shawn , Wu Gang
Published: October 2018

Platinum group metal (PGM)-free catalysts for oxygen reduction reaction are essential for affordable fuel cells.
Ionic liquid/ether-plasticized quasi-solid-state electrolytes for long-life lithium–oxygen cells
Authors: Zhu Chongjia , Sun Qiushi , Xie Jian , Jin Yuan , Wang Kangyan , Chen Zhen , Tu Jian , Cao Gaoshao , Zhao Xinbing
Published: October 2018

Li–O2 cells with quasi-solid state electrolytes plasticized by an ionic liquid/ether exhibit a long cycle life.
Base-free glucose dehydration catalysed by NHC-stabilised heterohalo cyclopentadienyl Cr(iii) complexes
Authors: Malan Frederick P. , Singleton Eric , van Rooyen Petrus H. , Conradie Jeanet , Landman Marilé
Published: October 2018

Synthesis of Cr(iii) NHC complexes for application as catalysts in the dehydration of glucose to form 5-hydroxymethylfurfural.
Hybrid AgNPs/MEH-PPV nanocomplexes with enhanced optical absorption and photoluminescence properties
Authors: Ali Nasir , Bi Gang , Khesro Amir , Khan Majid , Lang Jiawei , Samreen Ayesha , Wu Huizhen
Published: October 2018

Fluorescent semiconducting conjugated polymer nanoparticles (CPNs) are promising candidates for enhanced luminescent devices and bioimaging.
A general approach for encapsulating organic crystals in a polyaniline shell
Authors: Yan Miao , Wang Neng , Zhong Bingju , Cheng Xuejun , Wang Hong , Chen Hongyu
Published: October 2018

We designed a facile and general method to encapsulate different organic crystals with polyaniline shells.
A dual-signal amplification platform for sensitive fluorescence biosensing of leukemia-derived exosomes
Authors: Huang Lin , Wang Dian-Bing , Singh Netrapal , Yang Fang , Gu Ning , Zhang Xian-En
Published: October 2018

We report a rolling circle amplification and nicking endonuclease-assisted dual signal amplification fluorescent biosensor for exosome detection.
Formation and investigation of dual cross-linked high temperature proton exchange membranes based on vinylimidazolium-functionalized poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene oxide) and polystyrene
Authors: Yang Jingshuai , Jiang Haoxing , Gao Liping , Wang Jin , Ye Niya , Xu Yixin , He Ronghuan
Published: October 2018

Dual-crosslinking provides a new strategy to enhance the dimensional and mechanical stabilities of membranes with high acid doping content and conductivity.
An A–D–A′–D–A type small molecule acceptor with wide absorption spectrum and near-infrared absorption
Authors: Miao Junhui , Wang Junxia , Meng Bin , Liu Jun , Wang Lixiang
Published: October 2018

We report a new A–D–A′–D–A type small molecule acceptor with a wide absorption spectrum spanning from 300 nm to 900 nm and a bandgap of only 1.39 eV.
Organocatalytic asymmetric synthesis of tetrahydrocarbazoles via an inverse-electron-demand Diels–Alder reaction of 2,3-indole-dienes with enals
Authors: Gu Bo-Qi , Yang Wu-Lin , Wu Shu-Xiao , Wang Yan-Bing , Deng Wei-Ping
Published: October 2018

A novel 2,3-indole-diene synthon was designed and first applied to an inverse-electron-demand Diels–Alder reaction to construct tetrahydrocarbazoles with excellent stereoselectivities.
One-step preparation of novel 1-(N-indolyl)-1,3-butadienes by base-catalysed isomerization of alkynes as an access to 5-(N-indolyl)-naphthoquinones
Authors: Pis Diez C. M. , Fernandez J. F. , Di Venosa G. , Casas A. , Pis Diez R. , Palermo J. A.
Published: October 2018

A series of novel 1-(N-indolyl)-1,3-butadienes, was easily prepared in one step and used for the synthesis of 5-(N-indolyl) naphthoquinones.
Synthesis and photocatalytic CO2 reduction performance of aminated coal-based carbon nanoparticles
Authors: Maimaiti Halidan , Awati Abuduheiremu , Zhang Dedong , Yisilamu Gunisakezi , Xu Bo
Published: October 2018

Aminated coal-based carbon nanoparticles (NH2-CNPs) was fabricated. The physical properties and chemical structure of the NH2-CNPs was studied. Photocatalytic CO2 reduction activity of NH2-CNPs were measured and the reaction mechanism was discussed.
Magnetic-propelled Fe3O4–chitosan carriers enhancel-asparaginase catalytic activity: a promising strategy for enzyme immobilization
Authors: Ates Burhan , Ulu Ahmet , Köytepe Suleyman , Ali Noma Samir Abbas , Kolat Veli Serkan , Izgi Tekin
Published: October 2018

A magnetic-propelled carrier comprising chitosan-coated Fe3O4nanoparticles was prepared to enhance the catalytic activity of immobilizedl-asparaginase in a weak magnetic field.
Glycol-functionalized ionic liquids for high-temperature enzymatic ring-opening polymerization
Authors: Zhao Hua , Afriyie Lennox O. , Larm Nathaniel E. , Baker Gary A.
Published: October 2018

New glycol-functionalized ionic liquids exhibit high thermal stability and are lipase-compatible, leading to a high molecular weight of polyester in the enzymatic ring-opening polymerization reaction.
Structural control of polyelectrolyte/microemulsion droplet complexes (PEMECs) with different polyacrylates
Authors: Simon Miriam , Krause Patrick , Chiappisi Leonardo , Noirez Laurence , Gradzielski Michael
Published: October 2018

Polyelectrolyte/microemulsion complexes (PEMECs) are very versatile hybrid systems, combining high loading capacities of microemulsions with larger-scale structuring induced by polyelectrolytes.
Extensional flow behaviour and spinnability of native silk
Authors: Koeppel Andreas , Laity Peter R. , Holland Chris
Published: October 2018

The extensional flow behaviour and spinnability of native silk proteins at rates comparable to natural spinning are investigated.
A lightweight and binder-free electrode enabled by lignin fibers@carbon-nanotubes and graphene for ultrastable lithium–sulfur batteries
Authors: Liu Tao , Sun Shimei , Song Wei , Sun Xiaolin , Niu Quanhai , Liu Hui , Ohsaka Takeo , Wu Jianfei
Published: October 2018

A lightweight and binder-free electrode, composed of lignin fibers@carbon nanotubes as sulfur host and graphene as current collector, is applied for ultrastable Li–S batteries.
Bright and two-photon active red fluorescent dyes that selectively move back and forth between the mitochondria and nucleus upon changing the mitochondrial membrane potential
Authors: Seki Hitomi , Onishi Shozo , Asamura Naoya , Suzuki Yasutaka , Kawamata Jun , Kaneno Daisuke , Hadano Shingo , Watanabe Shigeru , Niko Yosuke
Published: October 2018

Pyrene-based two-photon active and bright red emitters that localize between the mitochondria and nucleus in response to changes in the mitochondrial membrane potential.
UHRF1 mediates cell migration and invasion of gastric cancer
Authors: Zhang Haixia , Song Yanli , Yang Changqing , Wu Xianzheng
Published: October 2018

Gastric cancer (GC) is a common highly aggressive malignant tumor in worldwide. Ubiquitin-like with PHD and ring-finger protein 1 (UHRF1) has a key role in several kinds of cancers development. However, the biology effect of UHRF1 on the tumorigenesis of GC remains unclear. In this research, the role of UHRF1 in the growth, migration, invasion and apoptosis and the underlying mechanisms were investigated in MGC803 and SGC7901 cells. The UHRF1 knockdown MGC803 and SGC7901 cell lines were used to investigate the roles of UHRF1 on GC cell growth, migration, invasion and apoptosis. The growth, migration and invasion rate of UHRF1 knockdown cells was lower than that of the control. Moreover, ROS generation and caspase-3/caspase-9 activities increased in UHRF1 knockdown cells. And mitochondrial membrane potential decreased in UHRF1 knockdown cells. These findings indicated that UHRF1 promoted the growth, migration and invasion of MGC803 and SGC7901 cells and inhibited apoptosis via a ROS-associated pathway.
Alterations in vascular function by syncytiotrophoblast extracellular vesicles via lectin-like oxidized low-density lipoprotein receptor-1 in mouse uterine arteries
Authors: Spaans Floor , Quon Anita , Rowe Stewart R. , Morton Jude S. , Kirschenman Raven , Sawamura Tatsuya , Tannetta Dionne S. , Sargent Ian L. , Davidge Sandra T.
Published: October 2018

Syncytiotrophoblast extracellular vesicles (STBEVs), released into the maternal circulation during pregnancy, have been shown to affect vascular function; however, the mechanism remains unknown. In rats, STBEVs were shown to reduce endothelium-mediated vasodilation via lectin-like oxidized low-density lipoprotein receptor-1 (LOX-1), a multi-ligand scavenger receptor that has been associated with vascular dysfunction. Recently, LOX-1 was shown to interact with the angiotensin II type 1 receptor (AT-1). We hypothesized that, in pregnant mice, STBEVs would impair vascular function via LOX-1 and would specifically affect angiotensin II responses. Uterine arteries from pregnant control (C57BL/6) and LOX-1 knockout (LOX-1KO) mice were isolated on gestational day (GD) 18.5. Endothelium-dependent (methylcholine (MCh); ± N(G)-Nitro-L-arginine methyl ester to assess nitric oxide (NO) contribution), and -independent (sodium nitroprusside) vasodilation, and vasoconstriction (angiotensin II; ± AT-1 [candesartan] or angiotensin II type 2 receptor (AT-2) [PD123.319] receptor antagonists; high potassium salt solution) responses were assessed using wire myography. AT-1 and AT-2 expression was analyzed using fluorescence microscopy. Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were stimulated with STBEVs ± LOX-1 blocking antibody, and superoxide and peroxynitrite production were analyzed. Although MCh-induced vasodilation was decreased (P=0.0012), NO contribution to vasodilation was greater in LOX-1KO mice (P=0.0055). STBEVs delayed angiotensin II tachyphylaxis in arteries from control but not LOX-1KO mice (P<0.0001), while AT-1 and AT-2 expression was unchanged. STBEVs increased peroxynitrite production in HUVECs via LOX-1 (P=0.0091). In summary, LOX-1 deletion altered endothelium-mediated vasodilation, suggesting that LOX-1 contributes to vascular adaptations in pregnancy. STBEVs increased angiotensin II responsiveness and oxidative stress levels via LOX-1, suggesting that increased LOX-1 expression/activation or STBEVs could adversely affect vascular function and contribute to vascular complications of pregnancy.
Multi‐objective and multi‐period distribution expansion planning considering reliability, distributed generation and self‐healing
Authors: Pinto Rafael S. , Unsihuay‐Vila Clodomiro , Fernandes Thelma S.P.
Published: October 2018

This study describes a methodology to solve the multi‐period distribution expansion planning problem considering reliability, distributed generation (DG), capacitor and switch placement in the context of smart grids. The developed computational model is formulated as a mixed integer nonlinear optimisation problem and solved through the combination of meta‐heuristics, stochastic simulation methods (Monte‐Carlo simulation), and application of optimal power flow. The main objectives of this optimisation problem are defining the best choice to install power system components and determining the installation period and size of components to minimise investment cost while maximising system reliability. The proposed method was implemented in a modified version of the IEEE‐RBTS bus 2 and in a 90‐bus test system. The obtained results show a reduction of >20% of the operating cost and >70% of the average interruption time. In addition, it was performed scenarios not including DG, self‐healing, and reliability analysis, individually. The analyses show the impact in the results by including a new variable in the expansion planning, increasing up to 40% in the fitness function value. Furthermore, it is presented with a discussion of the impact of the method to estimate the reliability indexes on the optimisation process.
Integrated trajectory planning and control for obstacle avoidance manoeuvre using non‐linear vehicle MP algorithm
Authors: Li Boyuan , Du Haiping , Li Weihua , Zhang Bangji
Published: October 2018

In the current literature, model‐predictive (MP) algorithm is widely applied in autonomous vehicle trajectory planning and control but most of the current studies only apply the linear tyre model, which cannot accurately present the tyre non‐linear characteristic. Furthermore, most of these studies separately consider the trajectory planning and trajectory control of the autonomous vehicle and few of them have integrated the trajectory planning and trajectory control together. To fill in above research gaps, this study proposes the integrated trajectory planning and trajectory control method using a non‐linear vehicle MP algorithm. To fully utilise the advantages of four‐wheel‐independent‐steering and four‐wheel‐independent‐driving vehicle, the MP algorithm is proposed based on four‐wheel dynamics model and non‐linear Dugoff tyre model. This study also proposes the mathematical modelling of the static obstacle and dynamic obstacle for the obstacle avoidance manoeuvre of the autonomous vehicle. Finally, simulation results have been presented to show the effectiveness of the proposed control method.
Anticipation model based on a modified fuzzy logic approach
Authors: Bennajeh Anouer , Bechikh Slim , Ben Said Lamjed , Aknine Samir
Published: October 2018

Car‐following behaviour is an important problem in terms of road safety, since it represents, alone, almost 70% of road accidents caused by not maintaining a safe braking distance between the moving cars. The inappropriate anticipation of drivers to keep safety distance is the main reason for accidents. In this study, the authors present an artificial intelligence anticipation model for car‐following problem based on a fuzzy logic approach. This system will estimate the velocity of the leading vehicle in the near future. Moreover, they have replaced the old methods used in the third step of fuzzy logical approach, the defuzzification, by a novel method based on a metaheuristic algorithm, i.e. Tabu search, in order to adapt effectively to the environment's instability. The results of experiments, conducted using the next generation simulation dataset to validate the proposed model, indicate that the vehicle trajectories simulated based on the new model are in compliance with the actual vehicle trajectories in terms of deviation and estimated velocities. Moreover, they show that the proposed model guarantees road safety in terms of harmonisation between the gap distance and the calculated safety distance.