bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Bodies,Gestus, Becoming: Cinema as a Technology of Gender and (Post)memory
Authors: Ciancio Belén
Published: October 2018

The first issue this essay examines is the articulation of the cinema of the body, the feminine gestus, and the ‘political cinema’, which begins with the philosophical shout, ‘Give me a body, then!’ and ends with the ‘Third World Cinema’ as a cinema of memory. How is this Deleuzian concept in tension with the one proposed here of ‘missing body’? The second issue concerns the importance of the body for theory and practice within feminist film theory and queer theory. The question of the body is introduced in-between these two lines in the context of a series of Latin American documentaries. The final problem is then how to see and show a body that is missing, like an outside of the body image, and of a certain regime of the visible and the audible that tends to be fixed in topics by the production of technologies of (post)memory.
On Arbormosis: Becoming-Cyborg, Machinic Subjection, and the Ethico-Aesthetic of User-Friendly Design
Authors: Revoy S. L.
Published: October 2018

This paper suggests that the imbrication of user-friendly software and the posthuman has increasingly been revealed as an intrinsically arborescent relationship, one premised upon the striation of personal information through different forms of software media and allowing for unprecedented avenues of control and subjective manipulation. My analysis begins with a conceptualisation of user-friendliness, tracing its development as the majoritarian style of software design. In assessing the effects of this process of subjective imbrication with arborescent software technology, it is suggested that one effect of the pathological asignification of instrumentality in the representation of software is the genesis of a topological space which allows for a capacity for control over the subjective becoming of others through control over digitally mediated perception. To illustrate this point, the revelations concerning Cambridge Analytica's use of targeted advertisements on Facebook to affect voting preferences during the 2016 American presidential election are examined as an example of the quotidian domination which is characteristic of the subjective condition of arbormosis. This analysis can be applied to issues of gender, technology, and modes of subjective control.
Optimization Scheme for Construction Ventilation in Large-Scale Underground Oil Storage Caverns
Authors: Zhang Heng , Sun Jianchun , Lin Fang , Chen Shougen , Yang Jiasong
Published: October 2018

The ventilation effect has a direct influence on the efficiency and security of the construction of an underground cavern group. Traditional forced ventilation schemes may be ineffective and result in resource wastage. Based on the construction ventilation of the Jinzhou underground oil storage project, an axial flow gallery ventilation mode using shafts as the fresh air inlet was proposed. A 3D steady RANS (Reynolds Averaged Navier-Stokes) approach with the RNG (Renormalization-group) k-ε turbulence model was used to study airflow behavior and hazardous gas dispersion when different ventilation schemes were employed. Field test values of the air velocity and CO concentration in the main cavern and construction roadway were also adopted to validate the RNG k-ε turbulence model. The results showed that the axial flow gallery ventilation mode can ensure that the direction of air flow is the same as that of heavy trucks, fresh air is always near the excavation face, and the disturbance of the construction process is greatly reduced. The scheme is suitable for large-scale caverns with a ventilation distance less than 2 km, and an intermediate construction shaft is not needed. When the ventilation distance exceeds 2 km, it is possible to use jet fans to assist the axial flow gallery ventilation mode or to completely adopt jet-flow gallery ventilation.
Reduction in Trace Element Mediated Oxidative Stress towards Cropped Plants via Beneficial Microbes in Irrigated Cropping Systems: A Review
Authors: Enez Aydin , Hudek Lee , Bräu Lambert
Published: October 2018

Summer crops grown in Australia, including rice, cotton, and sugar cane, require high volumes of water, which is applied using irrigation systems. Yields from these crops are influenced by abiotic stressors. Fluctuations in the abiotic stressors, including soil pH and trace element availability, can increase levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in plants leading to increased oxidative stress and subsequent reduced crop growth and yield. One potential way of reducing plant ROS production and levels in these systems is through inoculation of these crops with beneficial microbes. The ability of beneficial microbes to enhance plant growth is well characterized, and it is also clear that many of them produce antioxidant enzymes. Presented in this review are the potential modes of action for microbes to reduce abiotic stress in cropped systems.
Diffuse-Field Equalisation of Binaural Ambisonic Rendering
Authors: McKenzie Thomas , Murphy Damian T. , Kearney Gavin
Published: October 2018

Ambisonics has enjoyed a recent resurgence in popularity due to virtual reality applications. Low order Ambisonic reproduction is inherently inaccurate at high frequencies, which causes poor timbre and height localisation. Diffuse-Field Equalisation (DFE), the theory of removing direction-independent frequency response, is applied to binaural (over headphones) Ambisonic rendering to address high-frequency reproduction. DFE of Ambisonics is evaluated by comparing binaural Ambisonic rendering to direct convolution via head-related impulse responses (HRIRs) in three ways: spectral difference, predicted sagittal plane localisation and perceptual listening tests on timbre. Results show DFE successfully improves frequency reproduction of binaural Ambisonic rendering for the majority of sound source locations, as well as the limitations of the technique, and set the basis for further research in the field.
Correlation Plenoptic Imaging: An Overview
Authors: Di Lena Francesco , Pepe Francesco , Garuccio Augusto , D’Angelo Milena
Published: October 2018

Plenoptic imaging (PI) enables refocusing, depth-of-field (DOF) extension and 3D visualization, thanks to its ability to reconstruct the path of light rays from the lens to the image. However, in state-of-the-art plenoptic devices, these advantages come at the expenses of the image resolution, which is always well above the diffraction limit defined by the lens numerical aperture (NA). To overcome this limitation, we have proposed exploiting the spatio-temporal correlations of light, and to modify the ghost imaging scheme by endowing it with plenoptic properties. This approach, named Correlation Plenoptic Imaging (CPI), enables pushing both resolution and DOF to the fundamental limit imposed by wave-optics. In this paper, we review the methods to perform CPI both with chaotic light and with entangled photon pairs. Both simulations and a proof-of-principle experimental demonstration of CPI will be presented.
Differences Between Flash Glucose Monitor and Fingerprick Measurements
Authors: Staal Odd , Hansen Heidi , Christiansen Sverre , Fougner Anders , Carlsen Sven , Stavdahl Øyvind
Published: October 2018

Freestyle Libre (FL) is a factory calibrated Flash Glucose Monitor (FGM). We investigated Mean Absolute Relative Difference (MARD) between Self Monitoring of Blood Glucose (SMBG) and FL measurements in the first day of sensor wear in 39 subjects with Type 1 diabetes. The overall MARD was 12.3%, while the individual MARDs ranged from 4% to 25%. Five participants had a MARD ≥ 20%. We estimated bias and lag between the FL and SMBG measurements. The estimated biases range from −1.8 mmol / L to 1.4 mmol / L , and lags range from 2 min to 24 min . Bias is identified as a main cause of poor individual MARDs. The biases seem to persist in days 2–7 of sensor usage. All cases of MARD ≥ 20% in the first day are eliminated by bias correction, and overall MARD is reduced from 12.3% to 9.2%, indicating that adding support for voluntary user-supplied bias correction in the FL could improve its performance.
Oxygen Reduction Reaction Electrocatalysis in Alkaline Electrolyte on Glassy-Carbon-Supported Nanostructured Pr6O11 Thin-Films
Authors: Sharma Rakesh K. , Müller Verónica , Chatenet Marian , Djurado Elisabeth
Published: October 2018

In this work, hierarchical nanostructured Pr6O11 thin-films of brain-like morphology were successfully prepared by electrostatic spray deposition (ESD) on glassy-carbon substrates. These surfaces were used as working electrodes in the rotating disk electrode (RDE) setup and characterized in alkaline electrolyte (0.1 M NaOH at 25 ± 2 °C) for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), the oxygen evolution reaction (OER), and the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) for their potential application in alkaline electrolyzers or in alkaline fuel cells. The electrochemical performances of these electrodes were investigated as a function of their crystallized state (amorphous versus crystalline). Although none of the materials display spectacular HER and OER activity, the results show interesting performances of the crystallized sample towards the ORR with regards to this class of non-Pt group metal (non-PGM) electrocatalysts, the activity being, however, still far from a benchmark Pt/C electrocatalyst.
Atmospheric Air Plasma Treated SnS Films: An Efficient Electrocatalyst for HER
Authors: Huang Po-Chia , Brahma Sanjaya , Liu Po-Yen , Huang Jow-Lay , Wang Sheng-Chang , Weng Shao-Chieh , Shaikh Muhammad Omar
Published: October 2018

Here, we demonstrate the enhanced water-splitting performance (I = 10 mA/cm2, Tafel slope = 60 mV/dec, onset potential = −80 mV) of atmospheric air plasma treated (AAPT) SnS thin films by the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). The as prepared SnS films were subjected to Atmospheric Air Plasma Treatment (AAPT) which leads to formation of additional phases of Sn and SnO2 at plasma powers of 150 W and 250 W, respectively. The AAPT treatment at 150 W leads to the evaporation of the S atoms as SO2 generates a number of S-vacancies and Sn active edge sites over the surface of the SnS thin film. S-vacancies also create Sn active edge sites, surface p-type pinning that tunes the suitable band positions, and a hydrophilic surface which is beneficial for hydrogen adsorption/desorption. At high plasma power (250 W), the surface of the SnS films becomes oxidized and degrades the HER performance. These results demonstrate that AAPT (150 W) is capable of improving the HER performance of SnS thin films and our results indicate that SnS thin films can work as efficient electrocatalysts for HER.
Interface-Controlled Pd Nanodot-Au Nanoparticle Colloids for Efficient Visible-Light-Induced Photocatalytic Suzuki-Miyaura Coupling Reaction
Authors: Kang Eunmi , Shin Hyeon Ho , Lim Dong-Kwon
Published: October 2018

Plasmonic nanostructures can be employed for performing photocatalytic reactions with visible-light illumination involving two different possible mechanisms, namely, the near-field enhancement and/or direct hot-electron transfer to the conduction band of an active catalyst. In this study, we demonstrate the significant contribution of a graphene interface layer present between plasmonic nanoparticles and active catalysts (Pd nanodots) in enhancing the photocatalytic efficiency of Pd nanodots through an accelerated electron transfer process. The well-defined Pd-nanodot-modified gold nanoparticles with or without a graphene interface layer were prepared using a wet-chemical synthetic method. The role of the graphene interface was investigated by performing wavelength-dependent reduction studies using potassium hexacyanoferrate (III) in the presence of Pd-nanodot-modified cysteamine-modified AuNPs (Pd-cys-AuNPs), Pd-nanodot-modified graphene oxide (GO)-coated AuNPs (Pd-GO-AuNPs), and Pd-nanodot-modified reduced GO (rGO)-coated AuNPs (Pd-rGO-AuNPs). The fastest rate for the reduction of Fe3+ to Fe2+ was obtained with Pd-rGO-AuNPs because of the fast electron transfer achieved in the presence of the reduced graphene oxide layer. The highest catalytic activity for the visible-light induced C-C coupling reaction was obtained with Pd-rGO-AuNPs, indicating the role of the graphene interface layer. These results indicate that the design and use of engineered interfaces are of importance to achieve enhanced catalytic activity with plasmonic hybrid nanomaterials.
The Modification of Pt/Graphene Composites with Oxophilic Metal Bi (Bi2O3) and Its Dual-Functional Electro-Photo Catalytic Performance
Authors: Wu Yingli , Duan Xiuyun , Li Zhongshui , Xu Shuhong , Xie Yixin , Lai Yufei , Lin Shen
Published: October 2018

The Pt-Bi (Bi2O3)/GNs (PVP) composite was synthesized using aqueous solution synthesis and characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES) and Raman spectroscopy. It was found that the water-soluble polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP) helped to tune the particles’ morphology, resulting in a uniform distribution of Pt-Bi nanoclusters on the surface of graphene. Cyclic voltammetry, chronoamperometry and linear scanning voltammetry (LSV) were used to study the electrocatalytic properties towards a methanol oxidation reaction (MOR) and an oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). The results show that Pt-Bi (Bi2O3)/GNs (PVP) exhibits superior bifunctional electrocatalytic properties for both MOR and ORR, mainly due to the introduction of oxophilic Bi species and the better dispersion of the Pt-Bi nanoclusters. In particular, the electro-photo catalysis for both MOR and ORR occurred under simulated sunlight irradiation due to the existence of photo-responsive Bi species, which is helpful for converting solar energy into electric energy during a traditional electrocatalytic process.
Insertion Defects of Mitochondrially Encoded Proteins Burden the Mitochondrial Quality Control System
Authors: Vargas Möller-Hergt Braulio , Carlström Andreas , Suhm Tamara , Ott Martin
Published: October 2018

The mitochondrial proteome contains proteins from two different genetic systems. Proteins are either synthesized in the cytosol and imported into the different compartments of the organelle or directly produced in the mitochondrial matrix. To ensure proteostasis, proteins are monitored by the mitochondrial quality control system, which will degrade non-native polypeptides. Defective mitochondrial membrane proteins are degraded by membrane-bound AAA-proteases. These proteases are regulated by factors promoting protein turnover or preventing their degradation. Here we determined genetic interactions between the mitoribosome receptors Mrx15 and Mba1 with the quality control system. We show that simultaneous absence of Mrx15 and the regulators of the i-AAA protease Mgr1 and Mgr3 provokes respiratory deficiency. Surprisingly, mutants lacking Mrx15 were more tolerant against proteotoxic stress. Furthermore, yeast cells became hypersensitive against proteotoxic stress upon deletion of MBA1. Contrary to Mrx15, Mba1 cooperates with the regulators of the m-AAA and i-AAA proteases. Taken together, these results suggest that membrane protein insertion and mitochondrial AAA-proteases are functionally coupled, possibly reflecting an early quality control step during mitochondrial protein synthesis.
Subcutaneous Maturation of Neural Stem Cell-Loaded Hydrogels Forms Region-Specific Neuroepithelium
Authors: Farrag Mahmoud , Leipzig Nic D.
Published: October 2018

A combinatorial approach integrating stem cells and capable of exploiting available cues is likely needed to regenerate lost neural tissues and ultimately restore neurologic functions. This study investigates the effects of the subcutaneous maturation of adult-derived neural stem cell (aNSCs) seeded into biomaterial constructs on aNSC differentiation and ultimate regional neuronal identity as a first step toward a future spinal cord injury treatment. To achieve this, we encapsulated rat aNSCs in chitosan-based hydrogels functionalized with immobilized azide-tagged interferon-γ inside a chitosan conduit. Then, we implanted these constructs in the subcutaneous tissues in the backs of rats in the cervical, thoracic, and lumbar regions for 4, 6, and 8 weeks. After harvesting the scaffolds, we analyzed cell differentiation qualitatively using immunohistochemical analysis and quantitatively using RT-qPCR. Results revealed that the hydrogels supported aNSC survival and differentiation up to 4 weeks in the subcutaneous environment as marked by the expression of several neurogenesis markers. Most interesting, the aNSCs expressed region-specific Hox genes corresponding to their region of implantation. This study lays the groundwork for further translational work to recapitulate the potentially undiscovered patterning cues in the subcutaneous tissue and provide support for the conceptual premise that our bioengineering approach can form caudalized region-specific neuroepithelium.
Long-Term Independence of Solar Wind Polytropic Index on Plasma Flow Speed
Authors: Livadiotis George
Published: October 2018

The paper derives the polytropic indices over the last two solar cycles (years 1995–2017) for the solar wind proton plasma near Earth (~1 AU). We use ~92-s datasets of proton plasma moments (speed, density, and temperature), measured from the Solar Wind Experiment instrument onboard Wind spacecraft, to estimate the moving averages of the polytropic index, as well as their weighted means and standard errors as a function of the solar wind speed and the year of measurements. The derived long-term behavior of the polytropic index agrees with the results of other previous methods. In particular, we find that the polytropic index remains quasi-constant with respect to the plasma flow speed, in agreement with earlier analyses of solar wind plasma. It is shown that most of the fluctuations of the polytropic index appear in the fast solar wind. The polytropic index remains quasi-constant, despite the frequent entropic variations. Therefore, on an annual basis, the polytropic index of the solar wind proton plasma near ~1 AU can be considered independent of the plasma flow speed. The estimated all-year weighted mean and its standard error is γ = 1.86 ± 0.09.
Heat Removal Factor in Flat Plate Solar Collectors: Indoor Test Method
Authors: Montoya-Márquez Orlando , Flores-Prieto José Jassón
Published: October 2018

This paper presents a couple of methods to evaluate the heat removal factor FR of flat plate solar collectors, as well as a parametric study of the FR against the tilt angle β, and (Ti − Ta)/G, and its effects on the a0-factor (FRτα) and the a1-factor (FRULmin). The proposed methods were based on indoor flow calorimetry. The first method considers the ratio of the actual useful heat to the maximum useful heat. The second takes into account the slopes of the family of efficiency curves (FRULmin) according to ANSI/ASHRAE 93-2010, and the minimum overall heat loss coefficient, ULmin. In both methods, a feedback temperature control at collector inclinations from horizontal to vertical allows the inlet temperature and the emulating of the solar radiation to be established by electrical heating. The performance of the methods was determined in terms of the uncertainty of the FR. Method 1 allowed a three-fold improved precision compared to Method 2; however, this implied a more detailed experimental setup. According to the first method, the effects of the tilt angle β, and the (Ti − Ta)/G, on the a0-factor were considerable, since FR is directly proportional to the a0-factor. The changes in (Ti − Ta)/G caused an average change in FR of 32% The FR shows almost linear behavior for inclinations from horizontal to vertical with a 14.5% change. The effects of β on the a1-factor were not considerable, due to the compensation between the increase in FR and the decrease in ULmin as β increased.
Stabilization and Speed Control of a Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motor with Dual-Rotating Rotors
Authors: Zhong Yichang , Huang Shoudao , Luo Derong
Published: October 2018

The permanent magnet synchronous motor (PMSM) with dual-rotating rotors is a typical nonlinear multi-variable coupled system. It is sensitive to load disturbances and the change of interior parameters. The traditional proportional-integral (PI) controller is widely used in the speed control of a motor because of its simplicity; however, it cannot meet the requirements needed for high performance. In addition, when the loads of both of the rotors change, it is difficult to ensure that the system runs stably. With an aim to mitigate these problems, a method called master-slave motor control is proposed to guarantee the stability of the motor system in all cases. And then, a speed controller is designed to eliminate the influence of uncertain terms. The proposed control strategy is implemented both in simulations and in experiments. Through the analysis and comparison of the proportional-integral (PI) controller and the sliding-mode controller, the effectiveness of the proposed control strategy is validated.
Development of a New Bi-Arc Dynamic Numerical Model for Modeling AC Flashover Processes of EHV Ice-Covered Insulators
Authors: Jabbari Marouane , Volat Christophe , Fofana Issouf
Published: October 2018

This paper presents the development of a new bi-arc dynamic numerical model for predicting AC critical flashover voltage (FOV) of ice-covered extra-high voltage (EHV) insulators. The proposed model is based on a generic calculation algorithm coupled with commercial finite element method software designed to solve the Obenaus/Rizk model. The proposed model allows one to implement the Nottingham and Mayr approaches and compare the results obtained as a function of the arcing distance, the freezing water conductivity, and the initial arc length. The validation of the model demonstrated high accuracy in predicting the FOV of ice-covered post-type insulators and its capability to simulate the interaction of the two partial arcs during the flashover process. In particular, the results showed that the Nottingham approach is sensibly more accurate than the Mayr one, especially in simulating the dynamic behavior of the partial arcs during the flashover process. Based on the encouraging results obtained, a multi-arc calculation algorithm was proposed using the bi-arc dynamic numerical model as a basis. The basic idea, which consists in dividing the multi-arc model in several bi-arc modules, was not implemented and validated but will serve as a promising concept for future work.
Hydrothermal Carbonization of Peat Moss and Herbaceous Biomass (Miscanthus): A Potential Route for Bioenergy
Authors: Roy Poritosh , Dutta Animesh , Gallant Jim
Published: October 2018

Peat moss and miscanthus were hydrothermally carbonized (HTC) either individually or co-processed in a different ratio to produce hydrochar. The hydrochar and pelletized hydrochar were then characterized to determine if hydrochar can be used as an alternative to coal to produce bioenergy from existing coal-fired power plants in Ontario that have already been shut down. The properties of carbonized biomass (either hydrochar or pellets) reveal that fuel grade hydrochar can be produced from peat moss or from the blend of peat moss and miscanthus (agricultural biomass/energy crops). Hydrochar either produced from peat moss or from the blend of peat moss and miscanthus was observed to be hydrophobic and porous compared to raw peat moss or raw miscanthus. The combustion indices of carbonized biomass confirmed that it can be combusted or co-combusted to produce bioenergy and can avoid slagging, fouling, and agglomeration problems of the bioenergy industry. The results of this study revealed that HTC is a promising option for producing solid biofuel from undervalued biomass, especially from high moisture biomass. Co-processing of peat moss with rural biomass, a relatively novel idea which can be a potential solution to heat and power for the rural communities/agri-industry that are not connected with national grids and alleviate their waste management problems. In addition, the hydrochar can also be used to run some of the existing coal-fired power plants that have already been shut down in Ontario without interrupting investment and employment.
Effects of Pore Fluid Chemistry and Saturation Degree on the Fracability of Australian Warwick Siltstone
Authors: Perera Mandadige Samintha Anne , Sampath Kadinappuli Hewage Suresh Madushan , Ranjith Pathegama Gamage , Rathnaweera Tharaka Dilanka
Published: October 2018

Fracability of unconventional gas reservoirs is an important parameter that governs the effectiveness of subsequent gas extraction. Since reservoirs are saturated with various pore fluids, it is essential to evaluate the alteration of fracability of varyingly saturated rocks. In this study, varyingly saturated (dry, water, and brine with 10%, 20% and 30% NaCl by weight) siltstone samples were subjected to uniaxial compressive loading to evaluate their fracability variation. Acoustic emission (AE) and ARAMIS photogrammetry analyses were incorporated to interpret the crack propagation. SEM analysis was carried out to visualize the micro-structural alterations. Results show that siltstone strength and brittleness index (BI) are reduced by 31.7% and 46.7% after water saturation, due to water-induced softening effect. High NaCl concentrations do not reduce the siltstone strength or brittleness significantly but may contribute to a slight re-gain of both values (about 3–4%). This may be due to NaCl crystallization in rock pore spaces, as confirmed by SEM analysis. AE analysis infers that dry siltstone exhibits a gradual fracture propagation, whereas water and brine saturated specimens exhibit a hindered fracturing ability. ARAMIS analysis illustrates that high NaCl concentrations causes rock mass failure to be converted to shear failure from splitting failure, which is in favour of fracability.
Nuclear Integrity but Not Topology of Mouse Sperm Chromosome is Affected by Oxidative DNA Damage
Authors: Champroux Alexandre , Damon-Soubeyrand Christelle , Goubely Chantal , Bravard Stephanie , Henry-Berger Joelle , Guiton Rachel , Saez Fabrice , Drevet Joel , Kocer Ayhan
Published: October 2018

Recent studies have revealed a well-defined higher order of chromosome architecture, named chromosome territories, in the human sperm nuclei. The purpose of this work was, first, to investigate the topology of a selected number of chromosomes in murine sperm; second, to evaluate whether sperm DNA damage has any consequence on chromosome architecture. Using fluorescence in situ hybridization, confocal microscopy, and 3D-reconstruction approaches we demonstrate that chromosome positioning in the mouse sperm nucleus is not random. Some chromosomes tend to occupy preferentially discrete positions, while others, such as chromosome 2 in the mouse sperm nucleus are less defined. Using a mouse transgenic model (Gpx5−/−) of sperm nuclear oxidation, we show that oxidative DNA damage does not disrupt chromosome organization. However, when looking at specific nuclear 3D-parameters, we observed that they were significantly affected in the transgenic sperm, compared to the wild-type. Mild reductive DNA challenge confirmed the fragility of the organization of the oxidized sperm nucleus, which may have unforeseen consequences during post-fertilization events. These data suggest that in addition to the sperm DNA fragmentation, which is already known to modify sperm nucleus organization, the more frequent and, to date, the less highly-regarded phenomenon of sperm DNA oxidation also affects sperm chromatin packaging.
Correlates of Sedentary Behaviour in Adults with Intellectual Disabilities—A Systematic Review
Authors: Oppewal Alyt , Hilgenkamp Thessa I. M. , Schäfer Elinder Liselotte , Freiberger Ellen , Rintala Pauli , Guerra-Balic Myriam , Giné-Garriga Maria , Cuesta-Vargas Antonio , Oviedo Guillermo R. , Sansano-Nadal Oriol , Izquierdo-Gómez Rocio , Einarsson Ingi , Teittinen Antti , Melville Craig A.
Published: October 2018

Individuals with intellectual disabilities (ID) are at high risk for high levels of sedentary behaviour. To inform the development of programmes to reduce sedentary behaviour, insight into the correlates is needed. Therefore, the aim of this study is to review the evidence on correlates of sedentary behaviour in adults with ID. We performed a systematic literature search in Ovid Medline, Ovid Embase, Web of Science and Google Scholar up to 19 January 2018, resulting in nine included studies that were published from 2011 to 2018. Correlates were categorized according to the ecological model. Studies predominantly focused on individual level correlates. Of those correlates studied in more than one study, having epilepsy was associated with less sedentary behaviour and inconsistent results were found for sex, genetic syndromes, weight status, physical health, mobility, level of ID, and mental health. Of the few interpersonal and environmental factors studied, only living arrangements were studied in more than one study, with inconsistent results. To date, we have limited and inconclusive evidence about correlates of sedentary behaviour in adults with ID. Only when future studies unravel correlates and determinants, across all domains of the ecological model, will the potential opportunities to improve health by reducing sedentary behaviour come within reach.
Comparisons in Screen-Time Behaviours among Adolescents with and without Long-Term Illnesses or Disabilities: Results from 2013/14 HBSC Study
Authors: Ng Kwok W. , Augustine Lilly , Inchley Jo
Published: October 2018

Reducing sedentary behaviours can help prevent non-communicable diseases, particularly among young adolescents with long term illnesses or disabilities (LTID). Much of young people’s voluntary sedentary time is related to screen-time behaviours (STBs) such as TV viewing, playing computer games, and using the computer for other activities. Although public health data on adolescents’ STB is growing, information about adolescents with LTID is currently lacking in a European context. The purpose of this study is to compare time on STBs between adolescents with and without LTID in European Countries through the HBSC 2013/14 study. Young adolescents (n = 61,329; boys 47.8%) from 15 European countries reported the time spent on TV viewing, playing computer games, and using the computer for other purposes on weekdays and the weekend. STBs were dichotomised based on international recommendations of less than 2 h per day, and Chi-square tests of independence were performed to investigate differences. STB time was combined to produce a sum score as dependent variable in multiple analysis of covariance with age and family affluence as covariates. There were statistically significant differences in computer gaming among boys and other computer use among girls for both weekdays and weekends, whereby adolescents with LTID reported higher use. In addition, both boys and girls with LTID spent more time on STBs than their same sex peers without LTID (Boys, F = 28.17, p < 0.001; Girls, F = 9.60, p = 0.002). The results of this study indicate a need for preventive strategies to address high levels of STB among young adolescents with LTID and reduce the risk of poor health outcomes associated with higher levels of sedentary behaviour.
Prediction of Novel Anoctamin1 (ANO1) Inhibitors Using 3D-QSAR Pharmacophore Modeling and Molecular Docking
Authors: Lee Yoon Hyeok , Yi Gwan-Su
Published: October 2018

Recently, anoctamin1 (ANO1), a calcium-activated chloride channel, has been considered an important drug target, due to its involvement in various physiological functions, as well as its possibility for treatment of cancer, pain, diarrhea, hypertension, and asthma. Although several ANO1 inhibitors have been discovered by high-throughput screening, a discovery of new ANO1 inhibitors is still in the early phase, in terms of their potency and specificity. Moreover, there is no computational model to be able to identify a novel lead candidate of ANO1 inhibitor. Therefore, three-dimensional quantitative structure-activity relationship (3D-QSAR) pharmacophore modeling approach was employed for identifying the essential chemical features to be required in the inhibition of ANO1. The pharmacophore hypothesis 2 (Hypo2) was selected as the best model based on the highest correlation coefficient of prediction on the test set (0.909). Hypo2 comprised a hydrogen bond acceptor, a hydrogen bond donor, a hydrophobic, and a ring aromatic feature with good statistics of the total cost (73.604), the correlation coefficient of the training set (0.969), and the root-mean-square deviation (RMSD) value (0.946). Hypo2 was well assessed by the test set, Fischer randomization, and leave-one-out methods. Virtual screening of the ZINC database with Hypo2 retrieved the 580 drug-like candidates with good potency and ADMET properties. Finally, two compounds were selected as novel lead candidates of ANO1 inhibitor, based on the molecular docking score and the interaction analysis. In this study, the best pharmacophore model, Hypo2, with notable predictive ability was successfully generated, and two potential leads of ANO1 inhibitors were identified. We believe that these compounds and the 3D-QSAR pharmacophore model could contribute to discovering novel and potent ANO1 inhibitors in the future.
The Functional Role of Zinc Finger E Box-Binding Homeobox 2 (Zeb2) in Promoting Cardiac Fibroblast Activation
Authors: Jahan Fahmida , Landry Natalie M. , Rattan Sunil G. , Dixon Ian M. C. , Wigle Jeffrey T.
Published: October 2018

Following cardiac injury, fibroblasts are activated and are termed as myofibroblasts, and these cells are key players in extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling and fibrosis, itself a primary contributor to heart failure. Nutraceuticals have been shown to blunt cardiac fibrosis in both in-vitro and in-vivo studies. However, nutraceuticals have had conflicting results in clinical trials, and there are no effective therapies currently available to specifically target cardiac fibrosis. We have previously shown that expression of the zinc finger E box-binding homeobox 2 (Zeb2) transcription factor increases as fibroblasts are activated. We now show that Zeb2 plays a critical role in fibroblast activation. Zeb2 overexpression in primary rat cardiac fibroblasts is associated with significantly increased expression of embryonic smooth muscle myosin heavy chain (SMemb), ED-A fibronectin and α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA). We found that Zeb2 was highly expressed in activated myofibroblast nuclei but not in the nuclei of inactive fibroblasts. Moreover, ectopic Zeb2 expression in myofibroblasts resulted in a significantly less migratory phenotype with elevated contractility, which are characteristics of mature myofibroblasts. Knockdown of Zeb2 with siRNA in primary myofibroblasts did not alter the expression of myofibroblast markers, which may indicate that Zeb2 is functionally redundant with other profibrotic transcription factors. These findings add to our understanding of the contribution of Zeb2 to the mechanisms controlling cardiac fibroblast activation.
Sequencing of Euscaphis konishii Endocarp Transcriptome Points to Molecular Mechanisms of Endocarp Coloration
Authors: Yuan Xueyan , Sun Weihong , Zou Xiaoxing , Liu Bobin , Huang Wei , Chen Zeming , Li Yanlei , Qiu Meng-Yuan , Liu Zhong-Jian , Mao Yanling , Zou Shuang-Quan
Published: October 2018

Flower and fruit colors are of vital importance to the ecology and economic market value of plants. The mechanisms of flower and fruit coloration have been well studied, especially among ornamental flower plants and cultivated fruits. As people pay more attention to exocarp coloration, the endocarp coloration in some species has often been ignored. Here, we report on the molecular mechanism of endocarp coloration in three development stages of Euscaphis konishii. The results show that endocarp reddening is closely related to anthocyanin accumulation, and a total of 86,120 unigenes were assembled, with a mean length of 893 bp (N50 length of 1642 bp). We identified a large number of differentially expressed genes associated with endocarp coloration, including anthocyanin biosynthesis, carotenoid biosynthesis, and chlorophyll breakdown. The genes participating in each step of the anthocyanin biosynthesis were found in the transcriptome dataset, but a few genes were found in the carotenoid biosynthesis and chlorophyll breakdown. In addition, the candidate R2R3-MYB transcription factors and candidate glutathione S-transferase transport genes, which likely regulate the anthocyanin biosynthesis, were identified. This study offers a platform for E. konishii functional genomic research and provides a reference for revealing the regulatory mechanisms of endocarp reddening.
Emotional Prosody Processing in Schizophrenic Patients: A Selective Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Lin Yi , Ding Hongwei , Zhang Yang
Published: October 2018

Emotional prosody (EP) has been increasingly recognized as an important area of schizophrenic patients’ dysfunctions in their language use and social communication. The present review aims to provide an updated synopsis on emotional prosody processing (EPP) in schizophrenic disorders, with a specific focus on performance characteristics, the influential factors and underlying neural mechanisms. A literature search up to 2018 was conducted with online databases, and final selections were limited to empirical studies which investigated the prosodic processing of at least one of the six basic emotions in patients with a clear diagnosis of schizophrenia without co-morbid diseases. A narrative synthesis was performed, covering the range of research topics, task paradigms, stimulus presentation, study populations and statistical power with a quantitative meta-analytic approach in Comprehensive Meta-Analysis Version 2.0. Study outcomes indicated that schizophrenic patients’ EPP deficits were consistently observed across studies (d = −0.92, 95% CI = −1.06 < δ < −0.78), with identification tasks (d = −0.95, 95% CI = −1.11 < δ < −0.80) being more difficult to process than discrimination tasks (d = −0.74, 95% CI = −1.03 < δ < −0.44) and emotional stimuli being more difficult than neutral stimuli. Patients’ performance was influenced by both participant- and experiment-related factors. Their social cognitive deficits in EP could be further explained by right-lateralized impairments and abnormalities in primary auditory cortex, medial prefrontal cortex and auditory-insula connectivity. The data pointed to impaired pre-attentive and attentive processes, both of which played important roles in the abnormal EPP in the schizophrenic population. The current selective review and meta-analysis support the clinical advocacy of including EP in early diagnosis and rehabilitation in the general framework of social cognition and neurocognition deficits in schizophrenic disorders. Future cross-sectional and longitudinal studies are further suggested to investigate schizophrenic patients’ perception and production of EP in different languages and cultures, modality forms and neuro-cognitive domains.
Ray Tracing Modeling of Electromagnetic Propagation for On-Chip Wireless Optical Communications
Authors: Fuschini Franco , Barbiroli Marina , Zoli Marco , Bellanca Gaetano , Calò Giovanna , Bassi Paolo , Petruzzelli Vincenzo
Published: October 2018

Multi-core processors are likely to be a point of no return to meet the unending demand for increasing computational power. Nevertheless, the physical interconnection of many cores might currently represent the bottleneck toward kilo-core architectures. Optical wireless networks on-chip are therefore being considered as promising solutions to overcome the technological limits of wired interconnects. In this work, the spatial properties of the on-chip wireless channel are investigated through a ray tracing approach applied to a layered representation of the chip structure, highlighting the relationship between path loss, antenna positions and radiation properties.
Fabrication and Characterization of Short Silicon Nitride Fibers from Direct Nitridation of Ferrosilicon in N2 Atmosphere
Authors: Guan Jiasuo , Wang Yaohui , Cheng Laifei , Xie Yupeng , Zhang Litong
Published: October 2018

Short silicon nitride fibers were fabricated by direct nitridation of ferrosilicon in N2 atmosphere, and their structure and possible growth mechanism were characterized and investigated. The rod-like fibers which were α-Si3N4 with a low degree of crystallization and a high aspect ratio had a diameter of about 4 μm and a length close to a few millimeters. Belt-like fibers with a width about 5 μm and a thickness about 1 μm were also found in the nitrides. Scanning electron microscope (SEM), transmission electron microscope (TEM), high resolution transmission electron microscope (HRTEM), and selected area electron diffraction (SAED) investigations indicated that the fibers were single-crystalline α-Si3N4 with few amorphous distributed in the edge region, and the fibers grew by vapor–liquid–solid (VLS) mechanism.
Bone Healing in Rabbit Calvaria Defects Using a Synthetic Bone Substitute: A Histological and Micro-CT Comparative Study
Authors: Leventis Minas , Fairbairn Peter , Mangham Chas , Galanos Antonios , Vasiliadis Orestis , Papavasileiou Danai , Horowitz Robert
Published: October 2018

Bioactive alloplastic materials, like beta-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP) and calcium sulfate (CS), have been extensively researched and are currently used in orthopedic and dental bone regenerative procedures. The purpose of this study was to compare the performance of EthOss versus a bovine xenograft and spontaneous healing. The grafting materials were implanted in standardized 8 mm circular bicortical bone defects in rabbit calvariae. A third similar defect in each animal was left empty for natural healing. Six male rabbits were used. After eight weeks of healing, the animals were euthanized and the bone tissue was analyzed using histology and micro-computed tomography (micro-CT). Defects treated with β-TCP/CS showed the greatest bone regeneration and graft resorption, although differences between groups were not statistically significant. At sites that healed spontaneously, the trabecular number was lower (p < 0.05) and trabecular separation was higher (p < 0.05), compared to sites treated with β-TCP/CS or xenograft. Trabecular thickness was higher at sites treated with the bovine xenograft (p < 0.05) compared to sites filled with β-TCP/CS or sites that healed spontaneously. In conclusion, the novel β-TCP/CS grafting material performed well as a bioactive and biomimetic alloplastic bone substitute when used in cranial defects in this animal model.
The Potential of Using Immobilized Xylanases to Enhance the Hydrolysis of Soluble, Biomass Derived Xylooligomers
Authors: Hu Jinguang , Davies Joshua , Mok Yiu Ki , Arato Claudio , Saddler John N.
Published: October 2018

Earlier work had indicated that enzyme-mediated hydrolysis of xylooligomer-rich water-soluble streams (derived from steam pre-treated wheat straw) resulted in the effective production of xylose which was subsequently used to produce bio-glycol. In the work reported here, both the thermostability and recyclability of xylanases were significantly improved by covalent immobilizing the enzymes onto alginate beads. The immobilized xylanases showed a lower hydrolytic potential (~55% xylooligomer conversion) compared to the commercial xylanase cocktail HTec3 (~90% xylooligomer conversion) when used at the same protein loading concentration. This was likely due to the less efficient immobilization of key higher molecular weight enzymes (>75 kDa), such as β-xylosidases. However, enzyme immobilization could be improved by lowering the glutaraldehyde loading used to activate the alginate beads, resulting in improved hydrolysis efficacy (~65% xylooligomer conversion). Enzyme immobilization improved enzyme thermostability (endoxylanase and β-xylosidase activities were improved by 80% and 40%, respectively, after 24 h hydrolysis) and this allowed the immobilized enzymes to be reused/recycled for multiple rounds of hydrolysis (up to five times) without any significant reduction in their hydrolytic potential.
Investigation on the Reaction Energy, Dynamic Mechanical Behaviors, and Impact-Induced Reaction Characteristics of PTFE/Al with Different TiH2 Percentages
Authors: Yu Zhongshen , Fang Xiang , Li Yuchun , Wu Jiaxiang , Wu Shuangzhang , Zhang Jun , Ren Junkai , Zhong Mingshou , Chen Liping , Yao Miao
Published: October 2018

As a novel energetic material with quite a high energy density, titanium hydride (TiH2) was introduced into a polytetrafluoroethylene/aluminum (PTFE/Al) reactive material system for the first time. The effects of TiH2 on the reaction energy, dynamic mechanical responses, and reaction properties of the composites were investigated through adiabatic bomb calorimeter, split-Hopkinson pressure bar, and drop-weight experiments. The results show that the reaction heat of the composites improved significantly as the content of TiH2 increased. Under dynamic compression, these composites show obvious strain hardening and strain rate hardening effects. Besides, a certain amount of TiH2 granules helps to improve the material’s compressive strength, and the maximum would even reach 173.2 MPa with 5% TiH2 percentage, 10.1% higher than that of PTFE/Al. Mesoscale images of the samples after dynamic compression indicate that interface debonding between the particles and PTFE matrix and the fracture of the PTFE matrix are the two major mechanisms resulting in the material’s failure. In addition, the drop-weight experiments indicate that the material’s impact sensitivities are sensitive to the content of TiH2, which would be increased to within 20% of the content of TiH2 compared with PTFE/Al, and the reaction degree is also improved to within 10% of the content of TiH2. The retrieved reaction residues after drop-weight experiments imply that the reaction is initiated at the edges of the samples, indicating a shear-induced initiation mechanism of this kind of reactive material.
Mechanical and Thermal Conductivity Properties of Enhanced Phases in Mg-Zn-Zr System from First Principles
Authors: Wang Shuo , Zhao Yuhong , Guo Huijun , Lan Feifei , Hou Hua
Published: October 2018

In this paper, the mechanical properties and minimum thermal conductivity of ZnZr, Zn2Zr, Zn2Zr3, and MgZn2 are calculated from first principles. The results show that the considered Zn-Zr intermetallic compounds are effective strengthening phases compared to MgZn2 based on the calculated elastic constants and polycrystalline bulk modulus B, shear modulus G, and Young’s modulus E. Meanwhile, the strong Zn-Zr ionic bondings in ZnZr, Zn2Zr, and Zn2Zr3 alloys lead to the characteristics of a higher modulus but lower ductility than the MgZn2 alloy. The minimum thermal conductivity of ZnZr, Zn2Zr, Zn2Zr3, and MgZn2 is 0.48, 0.67, 0.68, and 0.49 W m−1 K−1, respectively, indicating that the thermal conductivity of the Mg-Zn-Zr alloy could be improved as the precipitation of Zn atoms from the α-Mg matrix to form the considered Zn-Zr binary alloys. Based on the analysis of the directional dependence of the minimum thermal conductivity, the minimum thermal conductivity in the direction of [110] can be identified as a crucial short limit for the considered Zn-Zr intermetallic compounds in Mg-Zn-Zr alloys.