bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Nulidad de la Resolución del Parlamento de Cataluña que desconoce la configuración constitucional de la Corona
Authors: Castillo López Fernando
Published: January 2020

El Pleno del Tribunal Constitucional acuerda por unanimidad declarar nulos y contrarios a la Constitución dos apartados de la Resolución 92/XII del Parlamento de Cataluña, de 11 de octubre de 2018, que reprobaban el posicionamiento de S. M. el rey Felipe VI y apostaban por el compromiso con los valores republicanos y por la abolición de la monarquía. El Tribunal Cons­titucional declara, por un lado, que son contrarios al sistema de monarquía parlamentaria al ser la censura del rey una declaración que, al poseer efectos jurídicos, vulnera la inviolabilidad e irresponsabilidad regias, y, por otro lado, que el Parlamento catalán se excede en las competencias que le son propias.
PENINGKATAN KEMAMPUAN MAHASISWA PBSI SEMESTER VI DALAM MENULIS ARTIKEL ILMIAH MELALUI PENDEKATAN PROSES PADA MATAKULIAH KETERAMPILAN MENULIS
Authors: Prihatin Yulianah
Published: January 2020

This research departs from the notion that writing is difficult . There are still many people who think that writing is a skill that can only be mastered by certain people , such as students . Skills writing needs to be honed and developed as skills of the language more . In addition , research This is also a form of follow -up of mail circulars were issued by the Directorate General of Higher Education, the number 152 / E / T2012 on Publication Work Write Scientific that that student S1 shall make articles in journals of scientific , student S2 in journals of national ( preferably the accredited Higher Education ) , and PhD students in international journals . University Hasyim Ashari began in 2019 have been doing the rules are , which requires students S1 to make articles of scientific and uploaded on journals nationwide , while students S2 in journals accredited . Meanwhile , there are still many students who do not understand how to arrange articles and publish . Under the terms of these , the research is focused on the approach of the process to raise the skills of writing articles science by students PBSI VI semester University Hasyim Ashari . This study uses a Class Action Research (CAR) design with 2 cycles . The learning process in each cycle is the same, namely planning ( RPS preparation , learning scenario design , questionnaire making ) and implementation ( introduction , core, and closing ). Only just that differentiates is in cycle II, the stage of planning there is an additional revision of the RPS. Barriers were experienced among which there are several references that have not been prepared by lecturers , students who arrive late , students who are not active in diskuisi group , indoor heat , sound noisy at the outside of class . These obstacles are not the same every cycle . The process approach is proven to be able to improve students' abilities in making scientific articles . That is because , with the process approach , the way to write students is more directed and gradual . This increase can be proven from the average value of the class which was originally 55 in the initial condition to 75 in the first cycle and 80 in the second cycle.
Assessment of the influence of material glaciation in the Northern Hemisphere on the processes of water desalination in the Mediterranean Sea in the Pliocene-Pleistocene
Authors: Esin Nikolay V. , Esin Nikolay I. , Podymov Igor S. , Lifanchuk Anna V. , Melnikova Irina V.
Published: January 2020

The article calculates the freshwater balance of the ancient Black and Caspian seas and estimates the volume of water flowing from the Black Sea to the Mediterranean during the melting of glaciers. It is shown that during this period up to 855 km3/year of freshwater is discharged into the Mediterranean Sea, which is involved in the formation of sea level. A comparison of calculations and geological data showed that there are no signs of the influx of salty ocean water into the Akchagyl Sea. It was also shown that water from the ocean cannot flow up since the sea level was below sea level.
Modeling of photosynthesis light curves by linear splines
Authors: Lelekov Alexander S. , Trenkenshu Rudolf P.
Published: January 2020

The paper presents an example of the linear splines use to describe the photosynthesis light curves for microalgae culture. The main mathematical models of the relationship between photosynthesis rate and light are listed. Based on the previously formulated basic principles of modeling microalgae photobiosynthesis, a mathematical model is proposed that describes the dependence of the assimilation number of chlorophyll a on the value of the light flux by linear splines. The advantage of the proposed approach is a clear definition of the point of change of the limiting factor. It is shown that light-limited photosynthesis rate is determined not only by external irradiation, but also by the concentration of chlorophyll a. The light-saturated rate depends on the amount of a key enzyme complex, which limits the rate of energy exchange reactions in the cell. Verification of the proposed model on the example of the diatom microalgae Skeletonema costatum was carried out. It is shown that the higher the degree of cell adaptation to high irradiation, the better the photosynthesis curve is described by linear splines. If S. costatum cells are adapted to low irradiation, deviations of experimental data from the idealized broken line are observed, which are caused by changes in the pigment composition. When the experimental data are normalized, the cell adaptation factor is reduced, all points are described by a single broken line, which indicates the universality of the proposed approach.
Method application of optimal multi-parameter analysis to assess the distribution of water masses as an example of CTD data of the Barents Sea in summer 2017
Authors: Yakubenko Valeriy G. , Chultsova Anna L.
Published: January 2020

Identification of water masses in areas with complex water dynamics is a complex task, which is usually solved by the method of expert assessments. In this paper, it is proposed to use a formal procedure based on the application of the method of optimal multiparametric analysis (OMP analysis). The data of field measurements obtained in the 68th cruise of the R/V “Academician Mstislav Keldysh” in the summer of 2017 in the Barents Sea on the distribution of temperature, salinity, oxygen, silicates, nitrogen, and phosphorus concentration are used as a data for research. A comparison of the results with data on the distribution of water masses in literature based on expert assessments (Oziel et al., 2017), allows us to conclude about their close structural similarity. Some differences are related to spatial and temporal shifts of measurements. This indicates the feasibility of using the OMP analysis technique in oceanological studies to obtain quantitative data on the spatial distribution of different water masses.
Farklı Yaklaşımlar Açısından İKY Bildirileri:1994-2017 Yılları Arasında Alandaki Değişim ve Gelişme Yönelik Bir İnceleme
Authors: UYARGİL Cavide , TÜZÜNER V. Lale , AYDINLI KULAK Fulya , ELMAS ATAY Sevgi
Published: January 2020

Bu çalışmada, Ulusal Yönetim ve Organizasyon Kongresi’nde 25 yıldan günümüze kadar sunulan İKY alanındaki bildiriler çeşitli İKY yaklaşımları açısından içerik analizi yöntemi kullanılarak incelenmiştir. Bu doğrultuda bildiriler, İKY literatüründe yer alan “Katı İKY”, “Yumuşak İKY”, “Stratejik İKY”, “Kurumsal Teori Açısından İKY”, “Uluslararası İKY” ve “Eleştirel İKY” yaklaşımları açısından sınıflandırılarak, ele alınmıştır. Araştırmamızda öncelikle, Ulusal Yönetim ve Organizasyon Kongrelerinde sunulan 2132 bildiriden 408’inin İKY alanına girdiği tespit edilmiş ve bu 408 bildiri tek tek okunarak, çeşitli kriterler açısından değerlendirilmiştir. Bu kriterler; ifade edilen İKY yaklaşımları, araştırmanın konusunu oluşturan değişkenler, çalışma türü (ampirik veyakuramsal), araştırmanın analiz düzeyi (örgüt veya birey) şeklinde ele alınmıştır. Elde edilen sonuçlar, araştırmacıların en sık ele aldıkları yaklaşımın “yumuşak İKY” olduğunu ve özellikle son beş yılda bu konudaki bildirilerin sayısında önemli derecede artış olduğunu göstermektedir. Bir diğer bulgu ise, 2000’li yıllardan itibaren İKY’nin stratejik açıdan incelenmeye başlandığıdır. Diğer yandan İKY’yi; uluslararası, eleştirel ve kurumsal açılardan ele alan çalışmaların sayısının azlığı dikkati çekmektedir.Son olarak çalışmaların ağırlıkla birey düzeyinde nicel ampirik araştırma içerdiği ortaya konmuştur.
Dual NDP52 Function in Persistent CSFV Infection
Authors: Fan Shuangqi , Wu Keke , Luo Chaowei , Li Xin , Zhao Mengpo , Song Dan , Ma Shengming , Zhu Erpeng , Chen Yuming , Ding Hongxing , Yi Lin , Li Jun , Zhao Mingqiu , Chen Jinding
Published: January 2020

Viruses have evolved many mechanisms to escape host antiviral responses. Previously, we found that classical swine fever virus (CSFV) infection induces autophagy using the autophagosome as a self-replication site, thereby evading the host immune response and promoting long-term infection. However, the underlying mechanisms used by CSFV to enter autophagosomes and the mechanism by which autophagy promotes viral replication remain unclear. We found that CSFV infection inhibited autophagy receptor nuclear dot protein 52 kDa (NDP52) expression, ubiquitination, and SUMO2-4 modification. Further analyses revealed that CSFV mediated ubiquitination and SUMOylation of NDP52 via Pten-induced kinase 1 (PINK1)-Parkin. Moreover, NDP52 inhibition also inhibited CSFV replication and the induction of mitophagy marker proteins expression. Inhibition of NDP52 reduced CD63 expression and binding to CSFV E2 protein, which has an essential role in persistent CSFV infection. As NDP52 has a close relationship with the NF-κB innate immunity pathway and plays an important role in the antiviral response, we investigated whether NDP52 inhibited CSFV replication through the release of immune factors and antivirus signals. Our results showed that inhibiting NDP52 boosted interferon and TNF release and promoted NF-κB pathway activation. In summary, we found that NDP52 inhibition not only reduces CSFV binding and entry into autophagic vesicles, but also inhibits CSFV replication by active NF-κB antiviral immune pathways. Our data reveal a novel mechanism by which NDP52, an autophagy receptor, mediates CSFV infection, and provide new avenues for the development of antiviral strategies.
Silica Production across Candidate Lignocellulosic Biorefinery Feedstocks
Authors: Xu Yifeng , Porter Nick , Foster Jamie L. , Muir James P. , Schwab Paul , Burson Byron L. , Jessup Russell W.
Published: January 2020

Biofuels produced from non-food lignocellulosic feedstocks have the potential to replace a significant percentage of fossil fuels via high yield potential and suitability for cultivation on marginal lands. Commercialization of dedicated lignocellulosic crops into single biofuels, however, is hampered by conversion technology costs and decreasing oil prices. Integrated biorefinery approaches, where value-added chemicals are produced in conjunction with biofuels, offer significant potential towards overcoming this economic disadvantage. In this study, candidate lignocellulosic feedstocks were evaluated for their potential biomass and silica yields. Feedstock entries included pearl millet-napiergrass (“PMN”; Pennisetum glaucum [L.] R. Br. × P. purpureum Schumach.), napiergrass (P. purpureum Schumach.), annual sorghum (Sorghum bicolor [L.] Moench), pearl millet (P. glaucum [L.] R. Br.), perennial sorghum (Sorghum spp.), switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.), sunn hemp (Crotalaria juncea L.), giant miscanthus (Miscanthus × giganteus J.M. Greef and Deuter), and energy cane (Saccharum spp.). Replicated plots were planted at three locations and characterized for biomass yield, chemical composition including hemicellulose, cellulose, acid detergent lignin (ADL), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), crude protein (CP), and silica concentration. The PMN, napiergrass, energy cane, and sunn hemp had the highest biomass yields. They were superior candidates for ethanol production due to high cellulose and hemicellulose content. They also had high silica yield except for sunn hemp. Silica yield among feedstock entries ranged from 41 to 3249 kg ha−1. Based on high bioethanol and biosilica yield potential, PMN, napiergrass, and energy cane are the most promising biorefinery feedstock candidates for improving biofuel profitability.
Seed Pre-Soaking with Melatonin Improves Wheat Yield by Delaying Leaf Senescence and Promoting Root Development
Authors: Ye Jun , Yang Wenjia , Li Yulin , Wang Shiwen , Yin Lina , Deng Xiping
Published: January 2020

The effects of exogenous application of melatonin (MEL) on promoting plant growth and alleviating environmental stresses are already known, but the potential value in crop production is still poorly understood. In this study, the effects of seed pre-soaking with MEL on winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) growth and yield were investigated in a continuous two-year pot experiment and another year of field experimentation. Results showed that seed pre-soaking with different concentrations of MEL (10, 100 and 500 μM) for 24 h increased grain yields per plant from 29% to 80% in pot experiment and increased grain yield per area from 4–19% in field experiment, compared with the controls. Further analysis showed that the beneficial effects of MEL on improving wheat grain yield can be ascribed to: (1) increased spike number by enhancing tiller number; (2) enhanced carbon assimilation capacity by maintaining large leaf area, high photosynthetic rate and delaying leaf senescence; (3) promoted growth in root system. The result of this study suggests that MEL could be considered as an effective plant growth regulator for improving grain production in winter wheat.
Host-Directed Therapy as a Novel Treatment Strategy to Overcome Tuberculosis: Targeting Immune Modulation
Authors: Ahmed Sultan , Raqib Rubhana , Guðmundsson Guðmundur Hrafn , Bergman Peter , Agerberth Birgitta , Rekha Rokeya Sultana
Published: January 2020

Tuberculosis (TB) is one of the leading causes of mortality and morbidity, particularly in developing countries, presenting a major threat to the public health. The currently recommended long term treatment regimen with multiple antibiotics is associated with poor patient compliance, which in turn, may contribute to the emergence of multi-drug resistant TB (MDR-TB). The low global treatment efficacy of MDR-TB has highlighted the necessity to develop novel treatment options. Host-directed therapy (HDT) together with current standard anti-TB treatments, has gained considerable interest, as HDT targets novel host immune mechanisms. These immune mechanisms would otherwise bypass the antibiotic bactericidal targets to kill Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb), which may be mutated to cause antibiotic resistance. Additionally, host-directed therapies against TB have been shown to be associated with reduced lung pathology and improved disease outcome, most likely via the modulation of host immune responses. This review will provide an update of host-directed therapies and their mechanism(s) of action against Mycobacterium tuberculosis.
The Effect of Different Antibiotic Regimens on Bacterial Resistance: A Systematic Review
Authors: Patini Romeo , Mangino Gilda , Martellacci Leonardo , Quaranta Gianluca , Masucci Luca , Gallenzi Patrizia
Published: January 2020

Background and objectives: Infections caused by resistant bacteria are a growing public health problem that is linked to many different causes, among them the antibiotics’ incorrect use plays an important role. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) the most dangerous behaviors are the early interruption of antibiotic therapy and the use of molecules without appropriate prescription. The authors conducted a systematic review to assess if antibiotic prescription with different regimens is connected to the onset of bacterial resistance. Methods: The authors performed an electronic and manual literature search on four databases (Web of Science, Scopus, PubMed, and Cochrane Register of Controlled Trials) from their inception to 15 June 2019. The date of the last search was 27 November 2019. Any article comparing cultural or genic analysis of resistance in patients that took antibiotics with at least two different regimens was included. No language restrictions were applied. Risk of bias for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) was assessed using the Cochrane collaboration’s tool whereas case-control and cohort studies were evaluated through the Newcastle–Ottawa scale. Results: The initial search resulted in a total of 1744 titles. After careful evaluation of all results, only three studies satisfied the outcome of the present review. From the qualitative analysis of data, it emerges that even if antibiotics are administered for a shorter period than the conventional one the species that inhabit the oral cavity can adapt quickly and express genes of antibiotic resistance. Additional evidence from this analysis is that not only does the proportion of resistant bacteria increase in the oral cavity, but also in more distant districts such as the intestine. Conclusions: Despite the great number of studies retrieved by electronic databases only few studies investigated the target of this review. The reason for this evidence is that it is not ethical to investigate and compare different antibiotic regimens, shorter or longer than the appropriate one. This evidence is applicable both to prophylactic administrations and to those aimed at treating infections. Besides this, the WHO affirms that, in the absence of infective complications, the prescription of antibiotic after every type of surgical intervention cannot be admitted and that studies dealing with antibiotic regimens that do not comply with drug’s pharmacodynamics characteristics cannot be ethically admitted. PROSPERO acknowledgement of receipt [149149].
Perinatal Exposure to Tartrazine Triggers Oxidative Stress and Neurobehavioral Alterations in Mice Offspring
Authors: Albasher Gadah , Maashi Najla , Alfarraj Saleh , Almeer Rafa , Albrahim Tarfa , Alotibi Fatimah , Bin-Jumah May , Mahmoud Ayman M.
Published: January 2020

The use of synthetic azo dyes as coloring agents in food products has dramatically increased. This study evaluated the effect of perinatal exposure to tartrazine (TZ) on mice offspring, focusing on neurobehavioral alterations and oxidative stress. The female mice received TZ (2.5 and 5 mg/kg) via oral gavage during pregnancy and the first 15 days after birth. At days 21 and 35 after birth, male mice were sacrificed, and samples were collected for analyses. Perinatal exposure to TZ triggered tissue injury evidenced by the histological alterations and neuronal damage in the cerebrum, medulla oblongata, and cerebellum. TZ provoked lipid peroxidation and diminished cellular antioxidants in different brain regions of the newborns. In addition, TZ increased hemoglobin content, as well as erythrocytes, leukocytes, and platelets count at days 21 and 35 after birth. Both the locomotor behavior and anxiety reflex were significantly altered in mice exposed to TZ. In conclusion, perinatal exposure to TZ within an adequate daily intake range induced oxidative stress and neurobehavioral and hematological alterations in mice offspring. Therefore, consuming foods containing TZ during pregnancy and lactation warrants public awareness.
Sangiovese cv Pomace Seeds Extract-Fortified Kefir Exerts Anti-Inflammatory Activity in an In Vitro Model of Intestinal Epithelium Using Caco-2 Cells
Authors: Carullo Gabriele , Governa Paolo , Spizzirri Umile Gianfranco , Biagi Marco , Sciubba Fabio , Giorgi Gianluca , Loizzo Monica Rosa , Di Cocco Maria Enrica , Aiello Francesca , Restuccia Donatella
Published: January 2020

Inflammatory bowel disease and food allergies are a growing topic in the field of nutrition science. Polyphenols, which are the most important secondary metabolites of plants, demonstrated to modulate the expression and/or production of numerous proteins, but also to regulate the intestinal ecosystem. In this context, our aim was the investigation of protective effects against the gastrointestinal mucosa of fortified milk kefir obtained by adding seeds extract from Sangiovese cv. Pomace. Methods: An ultrasound-assisted method was used to obtain the extracts. All the extracts were assayed for the antioxidant activity. The best extract was used as an additive of fermented milk kefir to obtain a fortified final product. Kefir samples were analyzed by NMR spectroscopy. The efficiency of the barrier functions was evaluated by measuring trans-epithelial electric resistance (TEER) using a voltmeter. Results: the enriched kefir (Ksgn) possesses higher antioxidant performances compared to the unfortified sample (Kwht). Kwht and Ksgn did not alter Caco-2 TEER in basal condition.
Novel N,N′-Disubstituted Acylselenoureas as Potential Antioxidant and Cytotoxic Agents
Authors: Ruberte Ana Carolina , Ramos-Inza Sandra , Aydillo Carlos , Talavera Irene , Encío Ignacio , Plano Daniel , Sanmartín Carmen
Published: January 2020

Selenium compounds are pivotal in medicinal chemistry for their antitumoral and antioxidant properties. Forty seven acylselenoureas have been designed and synthesized following a fragment-based approach. Different scaffolds, including carbo- and hetero-cycles, along with mono- and bi-cyclic moieties, have been linked to the selenium containing skeleton. The dose- and time-dependent radical scavenging activity for all of the compounds were assessed using the in vitro 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) assays. Some of them showed a greater radical scavenging capacity at low doses and shorter times than ascorbic acid. Therefore, four compounds were evaluated to test their protective effects against H2O2-induced oxidative stress. One derivative protected cells against H2O2-induced damage, increasing cell survival by up to 3.6-fold. Additionally, in vitro cytotoxic activity of all compounds was screened against several cancer cells. Eight compounds were selected to determine their half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) values towards breast and lung cancer cells, along with their selectivity indexes. The breast cancer cells turned out to be much more sensitive than the lung. Two compounds (5d and 10a) stood out with IC50 values between 4.2 μM and 8.0 μM towards MCF-7 and T47D cells, with selectivity indexes greater than 22.9. In addition, compound 10b exhibited dual antioxidant and cytotoxic activities. Although further evidence is needed, the acylselenourea scaffold could be a feasible frame to develop new dual agents.
A Deep Learning Model for Estimation of Patients with Undiagnosed Diabetes
Authors: Ryu Kwang Sun , Lee Sang Won , Batbaatar Erdenebileg , Lee Jae Wook , Choi Kui Son , Cha Hyo Soung
Published: January 2020

A screening model for undiagnosed diabetes mellitus (DM) is important for early medical care. Insufficient research has been carried out developing a screening model for undiagnosed DM using machine learning techniques. Thus, the primary objective of this study was to develop a screening model for patients with undiagnosed DM using a deep neural network. We conducted a cross-sectional study using data from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) 2013–2016. A total of 11,456 participants were selected, excluding those with diagnosed DM, an age < 20 years, or missing data. KNHANES 2013–2015 was used as a training dataset and analyzed to develop a deep learning model (DLM) for undiagnosed DM. The DLM was evaluated with 4444 participants who were surveyed in the 2016 KNHANES. The DLM was constructed using seven non-invasive variables (NIV): age, waist circumference, body mass index, gender, smoking status, hypertension, and family history of diabetes. The model showed an appropriate performance (area under curve (AUC): 80.11) compared with existing previous screening models. The DLM developed in this study for patients with undiagnosed diabetes could contribute to early medical care.
Mechanism of Corrosion in Porcelain Insulators and Its Effect on the Lifetime
Authors: Kim Taeyong , Lee Youn-Jung , Sanyal Simpy , Woo Jung-Wook , Choi In-Hyuk , Yi Junsin
Published: January 2020

Porcelain insulators should be exchanged periodically, but their lifetime is not clearly defined. One factor that affects service life is corrosion occurring at the pin and cap—each of which is made of iron with a zinc coating. A number of porcelain insulators used for different lengths of time in different locations are gathered, and the corrosion mechanisms of the cap and pin are investigated. The corrosion mechanism of the cap is mainly galvanic corrosion while that of the pin is primarily electrolytic and crevice corrosion as well as galvanic corrosion. Although time is an important factor in corrosion, it is found that corrosion is more influenced by geographical factors. Since the amount of acid rain and sea salt—each of which causes rapid rusting—is dependent on geographical factors, the location of where porcelain insulators are installed should be considered when predicting their lifetime. Theoretically, if there is only galvanic corrosion occurring, the expected lifetime is 56 years in an industrial area when the zinc coating has a thickness of 75 µm. Previous articles dealing with aging have predicted the maximum lifetime of porcelain insulators used in Korea to be approximately 30 years. To prolong the lifetime of porcelain insulators, further study is required in which the use of zinc alternatives, or waterproof coatings (in addition to the zinc coating), could be examined.
A Novel Approach to Fixed-Time Stabilization for a Class of Uncertain Second-Order Nonlinear Systems
Authors: Chen Chih-Chiang , Chen Guan-Shiun
Published: January 2020

This paper is concerned with the problem of fixed-time stabilization for a class of uncertain second-order nonlinear systems. By delicately introducing extra manipulations in the feedback domination and revamping the technique of adding a power integrator, a new approach is developed, by which a state feedback controller, together with a suitable Lyapunov function, which is critical for verifying fixed-time convergence, can be explicitly organized to render the closed-loop system fixed-time stable. The major novelty of this paper is attributed to a subtle strategy that offers a distinct perspective in controller design as well as stability analysis in the problem of fixed-time stabilization for nonlinear systems. Finally, the proposed approach is applied to the attitude stabilization of a spacecraft to demonstrate its merits and effectiveness.
Innovative Approaches in Sports Science—Lexicon-Based Sentiment Analysis as a Tool to Analyze Sports-Related Twitter Communication
Authors: Wunderlich Fabian , Memmert Daniel
Published: January 2020

Sentiment analysis refers to the algorithmic extraction of subjective information from textual data and—driven by the increasing amount of online communication—has become one of the fastest growing research areas in computer science with applications in several domains. Although sports events such as football matches are accompanied by a huge public interest and large amount of related online communication, social media analysis in general and sentiment analysis in particular are almost unused tools in sports science so far. The present study tests the feasibility of lexicon-based tools of sentiment analysis with regard to football-related textual data on the microblogging platform Twitter. The sentiment of a total of 10,000 tweets with reference to ten top-level football matches was analyzed both manually by human annotators and algorithmically by means of publicly available sentiment analysis tools. Results show that the general sentiment of realistic sets (1000 tweets with a proportion of 60% having the same polarity) can be classified correctly with more than 95% accuracy. The present paper demonstrates that sentiment analysis can be an effective and useful tool for sports-related content and is intended to stimulate the increased use of and discussion on sentiment analysis in sports science.
State-of-the-Art Laser Gas Sensing Technologies
Authors: Ma Yufei , Vicet Aurore , Krzempek Karol
Published: January 2020

The increasing desire to detect and monitor in different fields [...]
Portfolio Optimization-Based Stock Prediction Using Long-Short Term Memory Network in Quantitative Trading
Authors: Ta Van-Dai , Liu CHUAN-MING , Tadesse Direselign Addis
Published: January 2020

In quantitative trading, stock prediction plays an important role in developing an effective trading strategy to achieve a substantial return. Prediction outcomes also are the prerequisites for active portfolio construction and optimization. However, the stock prediction is a challenging task because of the diversified factors involved such as uncertainty and instability. Most of the previous research focuses on analyzing financial historical data based on statistical techniques, which is known as a type of time series analysis with limited achievements. Recently, deep learning techniques, specifically recurrent neural network (RNN), has been designed to work with sequence prediction. In this paper, a long short-term memory (LSTM) network, which is a special kind of RNN, is proposed to predict stock movement based on historical data. In order to construct an efficient portfolio, multiple portfolio optimization techniques, including equal-weighted modeling (EQ), simulation modeling Monte Carlo simulation (MCS), and optimization modeling mean variant optimization (MVO), are used to improve the portfolio performance. The results showed that our proposed LSTM prediction model works efficiently by obtaining high accuracy from stock prediction. The constructed portfolios based on the LSTM prediction model outperformed other constructed portfolios-based prediction models such as linear regression and support vector machine. In addition, optimization techniques showed a significant improvement in the return and Sharpe ratio of the constructed portfolios. Furthermore, our constructed portfolios beat the benchmark Standard and Poor 500 (S&P 500) index in both active returns and Sharpe ratios.
Modeling Tide–Induced Groundwater Response in a Coastal Confined Aquifer Using the Spacetime Collocation Approach
Authors: Ku Cheng-Yu , Liu Chih-Yu , Su Yan , Yang Luxi , Huang Wei-Po
Published: January 2020

This paper presents the modeling of tide–induced groundwater response using the spacetime collocation approach (SCA). The newly developed SCA begins with the consideration of Trefftz basis functions which are general solutions of the governing equation deriving from the separation of variables. The solution of the groundwater response in a coastal confined aquifer with an estuary boundary where the phase and amplitude of tide can vary with time and position is then approximated by the linear combination of Trefftz basis functions using the superposition theorem. The SCA is validated for several numerical examples with analytical solutions. The comparison of the results and accuracy for the SCA with the time–marching finite difference method is carried out. In addition, the SCA is adopted to examine the tidal and groundwater piezometer data at the Xing–Da port, Kaohsiung, Taiwan. The results demonstrate the SCA may obtain highly accurate results. Moreover, it shows the advantages of the SCA such that we only discretize by a set of points on the spacetime boundary without tedious mesh generation and thus significantly enhance the applicability.
SVND Enhanced Metaheuristic for Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicle Routing Problem
Authors: Li Xiaohui , Shi Xuemin , Zhao Yi , Liang Huagang , Dong Yuan
Published: January 2020

Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEVs), as a new type of environmental-friendly low cost transportation, have attracted growing interests for logistics. The path-planning optimization for PHEV has become a major challenge. In fact, PHEV-based routing optimization is a type of hybrid vehicle routing problem (HVRP). Compared with the traditional Traveling Salesman Problem (TSP) and Vehicle Routing Problem (VRP), the PHEV routing problem should consider more constraints, such as time limits, capacity constraints (including fuel tank capacity and battery capacity), electric stations, fuel stations and so forth. In this paper, a Mixed Integer Linear Programming formulation is presented and a novel hybrid metaheuristic approach (HMA_SVND) is proposed. Our method is a combination of memetic algorithm (MA), sequential variable neighborhood descent (SVND) and a revised 2_opt method. Comparative studies show that our proposed method outperformed previous works.
Investigation of the Electroluminescence Mechanism of GaN-Based Blue and Green Light-Emitting Diodes with Junction Temperature Range of 120–373 K
Authors: Pan Sai , Sun Chenhong , Zhou Yugang , Chen Wei , Zhang Rong , Zheng Youdou
Published: January 2020

Junction temperature (Tj) and current have important effects on light-emitting diode (LED) properties. Therefore, the electroluminescence (EL) spectra of blue and green LEDs were investigated in a Tj range of 120–373 K and in a current range of 80–240 mA based on accurate real-time measurements of Tj using an LED with a built-in sensor unit. Two maxima of the emission peak energy with changing Tj were observed for the green LED, while the blue LED showed one maximum. This was explained by the transition between the donor-bound excitons (DX) and free excitons A (FXA) in the green LED. At low temperatures, the emission peak energy, full width at half maximum (FWHM), and radiation power of the green LED increase rapidly with increasing current, while those of the blue LED increase slightly. This is because when the strong spatial potential fluctuation and low exciton mobility in the green LED is exhibited, with the current increasing, more bonded excitons are found in different potential valleys. With a shallower potential valley and higher exciton mobility, excitons are mostly bound around the potential minima. The higher threshold voltage of the LEDs at low temperatures may be due to the combined effects of the band gap, dynamic resistance, piezoelectric polarization, and electron-blocking layer (EBL).
Regional Climate Impacts of Irrigation in Northern Italy Using a High Resolution Model
Authors: Valmassoi Arianna , Dudhia Jimy , Di Sabatino Silvana , Pilla Francesco
Published: January 2020

Irrigation is crucial for sustaining agriculture in certain regions; however, there are effects on the local climate. Previous studies discussed that the irrigation signal might depend on the geographical region as well as the synoptic and climatic conditions. The work presented here aims to investigate the mechanisms behind changes in the irrigation impact on the local conditions depending on synoptic changes. Different to previous works, this employs convection-permitting simulations. Irrigation processes are parameterized in three different ways depending on the evaporative loss. The region of focus is in northern Italy (Po Valley), which is of interest for both the soil-atmosphere coupling strength and widely used irrigation. The simulation period is Summer 2015 (May–July), which includes a heatwave month (July) and an average month (June). The results show how irrigation prevented the drying out of the soil layers during the heatwave. This influences the surface flux partition differently, by increasing moisture flux and decreasing the sensible heat flux. In general, the irrigation impact magnitude, with respect to the control simulation, is more than double in July compared to June. This study discusses climate implications for the region, such as the impact of widespread irrigation on the vegetation health, the heatwave feedback mechanism, atmospheric pollution, and human heat discomfort.
The Role of Urocortins in Intracerebral Hemorrhage
Authors: Choy Ker Woon , Tsai Andy Po-Yi , Lin Peter Bor-Chian , Wu Meng-Yu , Lee Chihyi , Alias Aspalilah , Pang Cheng-Yoong , Liew Hock-Kean
Published: January 2020

Intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) causes an accumulation of blood in the brain parenchyma that disrupts the normal neurological function of the brain. Despite extensive clinical trials, no medical or surgical therapy has shown to be effective in managing ICH, resulting in a poor prognosis for the patients. Urocortin (UCN) is a 40-amino-acid endogenous neuropeptide that belongs to the corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) family. The effect of UCN is activated by binding to two G-protein coupled receptors, CRH-R1 and CRH-R2, which are expressed in brain neurons and glial cells in various brain regions. Current research has shown that UCN exerts neuroprotective effects in ICH models via anti-inflammatory effects, which generally reduced brain edema and reduced blood-brain barrier disruption. These effects gradually help in the improvement of the neurological outcome, and thus, UCN may be a potential therapeutic target in the treatment of ICH. This review summarizes the data published to date on the role of UCN in ICH and the possible protective mechanisms underlined.
Seed Priming with Jasmonic Acid Counteracts Root Knot Nematode Infection in Tomato by Modulating the Activity and Expression of Antioxidative Enzymes
Authors: Bali Shagun , Kaur Parminder , Jamwal Vijay Lakshmi , Gandhi Sumit G. , Sharma Anket , Ohri Puja , Bhardwaj Renu , Ali Mohammad Ajmal , Ahmad Parvaiz
Published: January 2020

The environmental stress, biotic as well as abiotic, is the main cause of decreased growth and crop production. One of the stress-causing agents in plants are parasitic nematodes responsible for crop loss. Jasmonic acid (JA) is recognized as one of signaling molecules in defense-related responses in plants, however, its role under nematode infestation is unclear. Therefore, the present study was planned to traverse the role of JA in boosting the activities of antioxidative enzymes in tomato seedlings during nematode inoculation. Application of JA declined oxidative damage by decreasing O2•− content, nuclear and membrane damage under nematode stress. JA treatment elevated the activities of SOD, POD, CAT, APOX, DHAR, GPOX, GR, and PPO in nematode-infested seedlings. Seed soaking treatment of JA upregulated the expression of SOD, POD, CAT, and GPOX under nematode stress. Various amino acids were found in tomato seedlings and higher content of aspartic acid, histidine, asparagine, glutamine, glutamic acid, glycine, threonine, lysine, arginine, B-alanine, GABA, phenylalanine, proline, and ornithine was observed in seeds soaked with JA (100 nM) treatment during nematode inoculation. The results suggest an indispensable role of JA in basal defense response in plants during nematode stress.
Combining Physiological and Metabolomic Analysis to Unravel the Regulations of Coronatine Alleviating Water Stress in Tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.)
Authors: Xu Jiayang , Zhou Yuyi , Xu Zicheng , Chen Zheng , Duan Liusheng
Published: January 2020

Drought is a major abiotic stress that restricts plants growth, development, and yield. Coronatine (COR), a mimic of JA-Ile, functions in plant tolerance to multiple stresses. In our study, we examined the effects of COR in tobacco under polyethylene glycol (PEG) stress. COR treatment improved plant growth under stress as measured by fresh weight (FW) and dry weight (DW). The enzyme activity assay indicated that, under osmotic stress conditions, the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), and glutathione reductase (GR) were enhanced by COR treatment. Histochemical analyses via nitrotetrazolium blue chloride (NBT) and 3,3′-diaminobenzidine (DAB) staining showed that COR reduced reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation during osmotic stress. Metabolite profiles revealed that COR triggered significant metabolic changes in tobacco leaves under osmotic stress, and many essential metabolites, such as sugar and sugar derivatives, organic acids, and nitrogen-containing compounds, which might play active roles in osmotic-stressed tobacco plants, were markedly accumulated in the COR-treated tobacco. The work presented here provides a comprehensive understanding of the COR-mediated physiological, biochemical, and metabolic adjustments that minimize the adverse impact of osmotic stress on tobacco.
Cell Penetrating Peptide as a High Safety Anti-Inflammation Ingredient for Cosmetic Applications
Authors: Fu Tse-Kai , Kuo Ping-Hsueh , Lu Yen-Chang , Lin Hsing-Ni , Wang Lily Hui-Ching , Lin Yu-Chun , Kao Yu-Chen , Lai Huey-Min , Chang Margaret Dah-Tsyr
Published: January 2020

Cosmeceutical peptides have become an important topic in recent decades in both academic and industrial fields. Many natural or synthetic peptides with different biological functions including anti-ageing, anti-oxidation, anti-infection and anti-pigmentation have been developed and commercialized. Current cosmeceutical peptides have already satisfied most market demand, remaining: “cargos carrying skin penetrating peptide with high safety” still an un-met need. To this aim, a cell-penetrating peptide, CPPAIF, which efficiently transported cargos into epithelial cells was exanimated. CPPAIF was evaluated with cell model and 3D skin model following OECD guidelines without using animal models. As a highly stable peptide, CPPAIF neither irritated nor sensitized skin, also did not disrupt skin barrier. In addition, such high safety peptide had anti-inflammation activity without allergic effect. Moreover, cargo carrying activity of CPPAIF was assayed using HaCaT cell model and rapid CPPAIF penetration was observed within 30 min. Finally, CPPAIF possessed transepidermal activity in water in oil formulation without disruption of skin barrier. All evidences indicated that CPPAIF was an ideal choice for skin penetrating and its anti-inflammatory activity could improve skin condition, which made CPPAIF suitable and attractive for novel cosmeceutical product development.
Experimental Study of Thermal Buoyancy in the Cavity of Ventilated Roofs
Authors: Bunkholt Nora , Säwén Toivo , Stockhaus Martina , Kvande Tore , Gullbrekken Lars , Wahlgren Paula , Lohne Jardar
Published: January 2020

Pitched wooden roofs are ventilated through an air cavity beneath the roofing in order to remove heat and moisture from the roof construction. The ventilation is driven by wind pressure and thermal buoyancy. This paper studies ventilation driven by thermal buoyancy in the air cavity of inclined roofs. The influence of air cavity design and roof inclination on the airflow is investigated. Laboratory measurements were carried out on an inclined full-scale roof model with an air cavity heated on one side in order to simulate solar radiation on a roof surface. Equipment to measure temperature was installed in the roof model, while air velocity in the cavity was determined by smoke tests. Combinations of different roof inclinations, air cavity heights and applied heating power on the air cavity top surface were examined. The study showed that increased air cavity height led to increased airflow and decreased surface temperatures in the air cavity. Increased roof inclination and heating power applied to the roofing also increased the airflow. The investigations imply that thermal buoyancy in the air cavity of pitched roofs could be a relevant driving force for cavity ventilation and important to consider when evaluating the heat and moisture performance of such a construction.
The Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor Is Expressed in Thyroid Carcinoma and Appears to Mediate Epithelial-Mesenchymal-Transition
Authors: Moretti Sonia , Nucci Nicole , Menicali Elisa , Morelli Silvia , Bini Vittorio , Colella Renato , Mandarano Martina , Sidoni Angelo , Puxeddu Efisio
Published: January 2020

Aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) is expected to promote initiation, progression and invasion of cancer cells regulating proliferation, differentiation, gene expression, inflammation, cell motility and migration. Furthermore, an immunosuppressant function of AhR has been recognized. This study evaluated AhR expression and its role in thyroid cancer progression. AhR expression was assessed by qPCR in 107 thyroid cancer samples (90 PTCs, 11 MTCs, 6 ATCs), and by immunohistochemistry in 41 PTCs. To estimate receptor activation, the expression of target genes CYP1A1 and CYP1B1 was measured. AhR functional effects were evaluated in kynurenine-stimulated FTC-133 and BcPap cell lines by analyzing the expression of genes involved in EMT and cell motility. AhR mRNA expression resulted significantly higher in all the analyzed thyroid cancer samples compared to normal thyroid and a statistically significant correlation with CYP1B1 was detected. Kynurenine-stimulated FTC-133 and BcPap showed the activation of a specific AhR-driven EMT program characterized by E-cadherin decrease and SLUG, N-cadherin and fibronectin increase, resulting in boost of cell motility and invasion. This study confirmed the importance of the IDO1-Kyn-AhR pathway in thyroid cancer tumorigenesis, suggesting an AhR pivotal role in mediating an immunosuppressive microenvironment and favoring the acquisition of a mesenchymal phenotype that could promote invasiveness and metastasis.
Neurocognitive Decline Following Radiotherapy: Mechanisms and Therapeutic Implications
Authors: Pazzaglia Simonetta , Briganti Giovanni , Mancuso Mariateresa , Saran Anna
Published: January 2020

The brain undergoes ionizing radiation (IR) exposure in many clinical situations, particularly during radiotherapy for malignant brain tumors. Cranial radiation therapy is related with the hazard of long-term neurocognitive decline. The detrimental ionizing radiation effects on the brain closely correlate with age at treatment, and younger age associates with harsher deficiencies. Radiation has been shown to induce damage in several cell populations of the mouse brain. Indeed, brain exposure causes a dysfunction of the neurogenic niche due to alterations in the neuronal and supporting cell progenitor signaling environment, particularly in the hippocampus—a region of the brain critical to memory and cognition. Consequent deficiencies in rates of generation of new neurons, neural differentiation and apoptotic cell death, lead to neuronal deterioration and lasting repercussions on neurocognitive functions. Besides neural stem cells, mature neural cells and glial cells are recognized IR targets. We will review the current knowledge about radiation-induced damage in stem cells of the brain and discuss potential treatment interventions and therapy methods to prevent and mitigate radiation related cognitive decline.
Development of an Innovative Urease-Aided Self-Healing Dental Composite
Authors: Seifan Mostafa , Sarabadani Zahra , Berenjian Aydin
Published: January 2020

Dental restorative materials suffer from major drawbacks, namely fracture and shrinkage, which result in failure and require restoration and replacement. There are different methods to address these issues, such as increasing the filler load or changing the resin matrix of the composite. In the present work, we introduce a new viable process to heal the generated cracks with the aid of urease enzyme. In this system, urease breaks down the salivary urea which later binds with calcium to form calcium carbonate (CaCO3). The formation of insoluble CaCO3 fills any resultant fracture or shrinkage from the dental composure hardening step. The healing process and the formation of CaCO3 within dental composites were successfully confirmed by optical microscope, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and energy-dispersive X-ray (EDS) methods. This research demonstrates a new protocol to increase the service life of dental restoration composites in the near future.