bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Agronomic Responses of Soybean Genotypes to Starter Nitrogen Fertilizer Rate
Authors: Mandić Violeta , Đorđević Snežana , Bijelić Zorica , Krnjaja Vesna , Pantelić Vlada , Simić Aleksandar , Dragičević Vesna
Published: April 2020

The main nitrogen (N) sources in soybean production originate from soil fixing bacteria Bradyrhizobium spp. and from mineralization of soil organic N. These sources of N are often not sufficient to cover the N needs of the soybean. The present two-year field study aimed to evaluate the effects of soybean genotypes (Valjevka and Galina) and rates of starter fertilizer N (0, 30, 60, and 90 kg ha−1) on quantitative and qualitative parameters and on rain use efficiency (RUE) under contrasting weather conditions in the Pannonian region of Serbia. A field study conducted during two different growing seasons: first year with unfavorable weather conditions and second year with favorable weather conditions. As expected, the quantitative parameters, oil content, and RUE were higher in the year with favorable growing season, the second one. According to measured parameters, the genotype Valjevka performed higher yield potential as compared to the genotype Galina. The highest values of quantitative parameters and RUE were recorded at 60 kg N ha−1, protein content at 90 kg N ha−1 and oil content 0 kg N ha−1 (control). This study suggests that proper genotype selection and application of 60 kg N ha−1 as a starter dose with rhizobial inoculation could contribute to the high yield, while protein could be altered by N amount, independently on genotype.
Forage Performance and Detection of Marker Trait Associations with Potential for Napier Grass (Cenchrus purpureus) Improvement
Authors: Habte Ermias , Muktar Meki S. , Abdena Asebe , Hanson Jean , Sartie Alieu M. , Negawo Alemayehu T. , Machado Juarez Campolina , Ledo Francisco José da Silva , Jones Chris S.
Published: April 2020

The evaluation of forage crops for adaptability and performance across production systems and environments is one of the main strategies used to improve forage production. To enhance the genetic resource base and identify traits responsible for increased feed potential of Napier grass, forty-five genotypes from Empresa Brasileira de Pesquisa Agropecuária (EMBRAPA), Brazil, were evaluated for forage biomass yield and feed nutritional quality in a replicated trial under wet and dry season conditions in Ethiopia. The results revealed significant variation in forage yield and feed nutritional qualities among the genotypes and between the wet and dry seasons. Feed fiber components were lower in the dry season, while crude protein, in vitro organic matter digestibility, and metabolizable energy were higher. Based on the cumulative biomass and metabolizable energy yield, top performing genotypes were identified that are candidates for future forage improvement studies. Furthermore, the marker-trait association study identified diagnostic single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) and SilicoDArT markers and potential candidate genes that could differentiate high biomass yielding and high metabolizable energy genotypes in the collection.
Impact of Prebiotics and Synbiotics Administered in ovo on the Immune Response against Experimental Antigens in Chicken Broilers
Authors: Stefaniak Tadeusz , Madej Jan P. , Graczyk Stanisław , Siwek Maria , Łukaszewicz Ewa , Kowalczyk Artur , Sieńczyk Marcin , Maiorano Giuseppe , Bednarczyk Marek
Published: April 2020

The effect of the in ovo application of selected prebiotics and synbiotics on the humoral immune response against T-dependent (SRBC) and T-independent (dextran) antigens and delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) to phytohemagglutinin was studied. On the 12th day of incubation, 800 eggs (Ross 308) were divided into five groups and injected into the egg air chamber with prebiotic inulin (Pre1), Bi2tos (Pre2), a synbiotic composed of inulin and Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis IBB SL1 (Syn1), a synbiotic composed of Bi2tos and L. lactis subsp. cremoris IBB SC1 (Syn2), and physiological saline (control group; C). The chickens were immunized twice at the 7th and 21st day of life with SRBC and dextran. A DTH test was performed on the 7th, 21st, and 35th day. The application of prebiotics and synbiotics had no significant effect on the humoral immune response. SRBC-immunized in ovo Pre1- and Pre2-treated chickens showed significantly higher serum IgG levels than the control. A significant effect on the DTH reaction was detected on the 7th (Pre1 < C) and 21st (Pre2 > Syn2) day. However; Bi2tos may transiently stimulate the cellular immune response on the 21st day. It may be concluded that the application of inulin in an egg air chamber on the 12th day of incubation may stimulate the secondary immune response. The inulin-treated group exhibited a lower mortality rate than the control group.
Adaptive Human–Machine Evaluation Framework Using Stochastic Gradient Descent-Based Reinforcement Learning for Dynamic Competing Network
Authors: Kim Jinbae , Lee Hyunsoo
Published: April 2020

Complex problems require considerable work, extensive computation, and the development of effective solution methods. Recently, physical hardware- and software-based technologies have been utilized to support problem solving with computers. However, problem solving often involves human expertise and guidance. In these cases, accurate human evaluations and diagnoses must be communicated to the system, which should be done using a series of real numbers. In previous studies, only binary numbers have been used for this purpose. Hence, to achieve this objective, this paper proposes a new method of learning complex network topologies that coexist and compete in the same environment and interfere with the learning objectives of the others. Considering the special problem of reinforcement learning in an environment in which multiple network topologies coexist, we propose a policy that properly computes and updates the rewards derived from quantitative human evaluation and computes together with the rewards of the system. The rewards derived from the quantitative human evaluation are designed to be updated quickly and easily in an adaptive manner. Our new framework was applied to a basketball game for validation and demonstrated greater effectiveness than the existing methods.
Kinematic and Dynamic Modelling for a Class of Hybrid Robots Composed of m Local Closed-Loop Linkages Appended to an n-Link Serial Manipulator
Authors: Chu Anh My , Nguyen Cong Dinh , Vu Minh Hoan , Duong Xuan Bien , Nguyen Tien Anh , Le Chi Hieu
Published: April 2020

Recently, more and more hybrid robots have been designed to meet the increasing demand for a wide spectrum of applications. However, development of a general and systematic method for kinematic design and dynamic analysis for hybrid robots is rare. Most publications deal with the kinematic and dynamic issues for individual hybrid robots rather than any generalization. Hence, in this paper, we present a novel method for kinematic and dynamic modelling for a class of hybrid robots. First, a generic scheme for the kinematic design of a general hybrid robot mechanism is proposed. In this manner, the kinematic equation and the constraint equations for the robot class are derived in a generalized case. Second, in order to simplify the dynamic modelling and analysis of the complex hybrid robots, a Lemma about the analytical relationship among the generalized velocities of a hybrid robot system is proven in a generalized case as well. Last, examples of the kinematic and dynamic modelling of a newly designed hybrid robot are presented to demonstrate and validate the proposed method.
NURBS-Enhanced Meshfree Method with an Integration Subtraction Technique for Complex Topology
Authors: Liu Yunzhen , Wan Zhiqiang , Yang Chao , Wang Xiaozhe
Published: April 2020

In this paper, we present an integration subtraction technique to model holes interactively in a predesigned domain for adaptive problems. This technique involves two approaches, the normal subtraction technique and the moving subtraction technique. In the basic normal subtraction technique, the predesigned domain can be meshed using any methods as an initial integration background cell for meshfree analysis. Holes are described using closed non-uniform rational B-spline (NURBS) curves to preserve the exact computer-aided design (CAD) geometry and are meshed alone using the homotopic method, so they can easily be subtracted from the predesigned domain with no refinement. On the other hand, when the hole size is varying, the moving subtraction technique, in which only the changing part between the new and old boundaries needs to be integrated and subtracted, is more efficient. Compared with the standard radial point interpolation method (RPIM) and finite element method (FEM) in three linear elastic examples with different holes, the excellent accuracy and good efficiency of the proposed method are demonstrated, and its feasibility in complex topology problems is verified.
Biomethane Potential Test: Influence of Inoculum and the Digestion System
Authors: Hülsemann Benedikt , Zhou Lijun , Merkle Wolfgang , Hassa Juli , Müller Joachim , Oechsner Hans
Published: April 2020

High precision of measurement of methane potential is important for the economic operation of biogas plants in the future. The biochemical methane potential (BMP) test based on the VDI 4630 protocol is the state-of-the-art method to determine the methane potential in Germany. The coefficient of variation (CV) of methane yield was >10% in several previous inter-laboratory tests. The aim of this work was to investigate the effects of inoculum and the digestion system on the measurement variability. Methane yield and methane percentage of five substrates were investigated in a Hohenheim biogas yield test (D-HBT) by using five inocula, which were used several times in inter- laboratory tests. The same substrates and inocula were also tested in other digestion systems. To control the quality of the inocula, the effect of adding trace elements (TE) and the microbial community was investigated. Adding TE had no influence for the selected, well- supplied inocula and the community composition depended on the source of the inocula. The CV of the specific methane yield was <4.8% by using different inocula in one D-HBT (D-HBT1) and <12.8% by using different digestion systems compared to D-HBT1. Incubation time between 7 and 14 days resulted in a deviation in CV of <4.8%.
Using 2D CNN with Taguchi Parametric Optimization for Lung Cancer Recognition from CT Images
Authors: Lin Cheng-Jian , Jeng Shiou-Yun , Chen Mei-Kuei
Published: April 2020

Lung cancer is one of the common causes of cancer deaths. Early detection and treatment of lung cancer is essential. However, the detection of lung cancer in patients produces many false positives. Therefore, increasing the accuracy of the classification of diagnosis or true detection by computed tomography (CT) is a difficult task. Solving this problem using intelligent and automated methods has become a hot research topic in recent years. Hence, we propose a 2D convolutional neural network (2D CNN) with Taguchi parametric optimization for automatically recognizing lung cancer from CT images. In the Taguchi method, 36 experiments and 8 control factors of mixed levels were selected to determine the optimum parameters of the 2D CNN architecture and improve the classification accuracy of lung cancer. The experimental results show that the average classification accuracy of the 2D CNN with Taguchi parameter optimization and the original 2D CNN in lung cancer recognition are 91.97% and 98.83% on the Lung Image Database Consortium and Image Database Resource Initiative (LIDC-IDRI) dataset, and 94.68% and 99.97% on the International Society for Optics and Photonics with the support of the American Association of Physicists in Medicine (SPIE-AAPM) dataset, respectively. The proposed method is 6.86% and 5.29% more accurate than the original 2D CNN on the two datasets, respectively, proving the superiority of proposed model.
Adaptive Speech Separation Based on Beamforming and Frequency Domain-Independent Component Analysis
Authors: Zhang Ke , Wei Yangjie , Wu Dan , Wang Yi
Published: April 2020

Voice signals acquired by a microphone array often include considerable noise and mutual interference, seriously degrading the accuracy and speed of speech separation. Traditional beamforming is simple to implement, but its source interference suppression is not adequate. In contrast, independent component analysis (ICA) can improve separation, but imposes an iterative and time-consuming process to calculate the separation matrix. As a supporting method, principle component analysis (PCA) contributes to reduce the dimension, retrieve fast results, and disregard false sound sources. Considering the sparsity of frequency components in a mixed signal, we propose an adaptive fast speech separation algorithm based on multiple sound source localization as preprocessing to select between beamforming and frequency domain ICA according to different mixing conditions per frequency bin. First, a fast positioning algorithm allows calculating the maximum number of components per frequency bin of a mixed speech signal to prevent the occurrence of false sound sources. Then, PCA reduces the dimension to adaptively adjust the weight of beamforming and ICA for speech separation. Subsequently, the ICA separation matrix is initialized based on the sound source localization to notably reduce the iteration time and mitigate permutation ambiguity. Simulation and experimental results verify the effectiveness and speedup of the proposed algorithm.
Bioactive Glass as a Nanoporous Drug Delivery System for Teicoplanin
Authors: Huang Chih-Ling , Fang Wei , Huang Bo-Rui , Wang Yan-Hsiung , Dong Guo-Chung , Lee Tzer-Min
Published: April 2020

Bioactive glass (BG) was made by the sol–gel method and doped with boron (B) to increase its bioactivity. Microstructures of BG and B-doped BG were observed by scanning electron microscopy, and phase identification was performed using an X-ray diffraction diffractometer. The ion concentrations released after soaking in simulated body fluid (SBF) for 1, 4, and 7 days were measured by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, and the pH value of the SBF was measured after soaking samples to determine the variation in the environment. Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) analysis was performed to further verify the characteristics of mesoporous structures. High performance liquid chromatography was used to evaluate the drug delivery ability of teicoplanin. Results demonstrated that B-doped BG performed significantly better than BG in parameters assessed by the BET analysis. B-doped BG has nanopores and more rough structures, which is advantageous for drug delivery as there are more porous structures available for drug adsorption. Moreover, B-doped BG was shown to be effective for keeping pH values stable and releasing B ions during soaking in SBF. The cumulative release of teicoplanin from BG and B-doped BG reached 20.09% and 3.17% on the first day, respectively. The drug release gradually slowed, reaching 29.43% and 4.83% after 7 days, respectively. The results demonstrate that the proposed bioactive glass has potential as a drug delivery system.
Comparative Study of Time-Resolved Fluorescent Nanobeads, Quantum Dot Nanobeads and Quantum Dots as Labels in Fluorescence Immunochromatography for Detection of Aflatoxin B1 in Grains
Authors: Wang Xin , Wu Xuan , Lu Zhisong , Tao Xiaoqi
Published: April 2020

Label selection is an essential procedure for improving the sensitivity of fluorescence immunochromatography assays (FICAs). Under optimum conditions, time-resolved fluorescent nanobeads (TRFN), quantum dots nanobeads (QB) and quantum dots (QD)-based immunochromatography assays (TRFN-FICA, QB-FICA and QD-FICA) were systematically and comprehensively compared for the quantitative detection of aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) in six grains (corn, soybeans, sorghum, wheat, rice and oat). All three FICAs can be applied as rapid, cost-effective and convenient qualitative tools for onsite screening of AFB1; TRFN-FICA exhibits the best performance with the least immune reagent consumption, shortest immunoassay duration and lowest limit of detection (LOD). The LODs for TRFN-FICA, QB-FICA and QD-FICA are 0.04, 0.30 and 0.80 μg kg−1 in six grains, respectively. Recoveries range from 83.64% to 125.61% at fortified concentrations of LOD, 2LOD and 4LOD, with the coefficient of variation less than 10.0%. Analysis of 60 field grain samples by three FICAs is in accordance with that of LC-MS/MS, and TRFN-FICA obtained the best fit. In conclusion, TRFN-FICA is more suitable for quantitative detection of AFB1 in grains when the above factors are taken into consideration.
Uric Acid Has Direct Proinflammatory Effects on Human Macrophages by Increasing Proinflammatory Mediators and Bacterial Phagocytosis Probably via URAT1
Authors: Martínez-Reyes Camilo P. , Manjarrez-Reyna Aarón N. , Méndez-García Lucia A. , Aguayo-Guerrero José A. , Aguirre-Sierra Beatriz , Villalobos-Molina Rafael , López-Vidal Yolanda , Bobadilla Karen , Escobedo Galileo
Published: April 2020

The relationship of uric acid with macrophages has not been fully elucidated. We investigated the effect of uric acid on the proinflammatory ability of human macrophages and then examined the possible molecular mechanism involved. Primary human monocytes were differentiated into macrophages for subsequent exposure to 0, 0.23, 0.45, or 0.9 mmol/L uric acid for 12 h, in the presence or absence of 1 mmol/L probenecid. Flow cytometry was used to measure proinflammatory marker production and phagocytic activity that was quantified as a percentage of GFP-labeled Escherichia coli positive macrophages. qPCR was used to measure the macrophage expression of the urate anion transporter 1 (URAT1). As compared to control cells, the production of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), and cluster of differentiation (CD) 11c was significantly increased by uric acid. In contrast, macrophages expressing CD206, CX3C-motif chemokine receptor 1 (CX3CR1), and C-C chemokine receptor type 2 (CCR2) were significantly reduced. Uric acid progressively increased macrophage phagocytic activity and downregulated URAT1 expression. Probenecid—a non-specific blocker of URAT1-dependent uric acid transport—inhibited both proinflammatory cytokine production and phagocytic activity in macrophages that were exposed to uric acid. These results suggest that uric acid has direct proinflammatory effects on macrophages possibly via URAT1.
Fully Human Antibodies for Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma Targeting
Authors: Nicolini Fabio , Bocchini Martine , Angeli Davide , Bronte Giuseppe , Delmonte Angelo , Crinò Lucio , Mazza Massimiliano
Published: April 2020

Immunotherapy is the most promising therapeutic approach against malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM). Despite technological progress, the number of targetable antigens or specific antibodies is limited, thus hindering the full potential of recent therapeutic interventions. All possibilities of finding new targeting molecules must be exploited. The specificity of targeting is guaranteed by the use of monoclonal antibodies, while fully human antibodies are preferred, as they are functional and generate no neutralizing antibodies. The aim of this review is to appraise the latest advances in screening methods dedicated to the identification and harnessing of fully human antibodies. The scope of identifying useful molecules proceeds along two avenues, i.e., through the antigen-first or binding-first approaches. The first relies on screening human antibody libraries or plasma from immunized transgenic mice or humans to isolate binders to specific antigens. The latter takes advantage of specific binding to tumor cells of antibodies present in phage display libraries or in responders’ plasma samples without prior knowledge of the antigens. Additionally, next-generation sequencing analysis of B-cell receptor repertoire pre- and post-therapy in memory B-cells from responders allows for the identification of clones expanded and matured upon treatment. Human antibodies identified can be subsequently reformatted to generate a plethora of therapeutics like antibody-drug conjugates, immunotoxins, and advanced cell-therapeutics such as chimeric antigen receptor-transduced T-cells.
Time- and Dose-Dependent Effects of Ionizing Irradiation on the Membrane Expression of Hsp70 on Glioma Cells
Authors: Fellinger Helena , Stangl Stefan , Hernandez Schnelzer Alicia , Schwab Melissa , Di Genio Tommaso , Pieper Marija , Werner Caroline , Shevtsov Maxim , Haller Bernhard , Multhoff Gabriele
Published: April 2020

The major stress-inducible protein Hsp70 (HSPA1A) is overexpressed in the cytosol of many highly aggressive tumor cells including glioblastoma multiforme and presented on their plasma membrane. Depending on its intracellular or membrane localization, Hsp70 either promotes tumor growth or serves as a target for natural killer (NK) cells. The kinetics of the membrane Hsp70 (mHsp70) density on human glioma cells (U87) was studied after different irradiation doses to define the optimal therapeutic window for Hsp70-targeting NK cells. To maintain the cells in the exponential growth phase during a cultivation period of 7 days, different initial cell counts were seeded. Although cytosolic Hsp70 levels remained unchanged on days 4 and 7 after a sublethal irradiation with 2, 4 and 6 Gy, a dose of 2 Gy resulted in an upregulated mHsp70 density in U87 cells which peaked on day 4 and started to decline on day 7. Higher radiation doses (4 Gy, 6 Gy) resulted in an earlier and more rapid onset of the mHsp70 expression on days 2 and 1, respectively, followed by a decline on day 5. Membrane Hsp70 levels were higher on cells in G2/M than in G1; however, an irradiation-induced cell cycle arrest on days 4 and 7 was not associated with an increase in the mHsp70 density. Extracellular Hsp70 concentrations in the supernatant of irradiated cells were significantly higher than sham (0 Gy) irradiated cells on days 4 and 7, but not on day 1. Functionally, elevated mHsp70 densities were associated with a significantly better lysis by Hsp70-targeting NK cells. In summary, the kinetics of changes in the mHsp70 density upon irradiation on tumor cells is time- and dose-dependent.
Inflammation Alters the Secretome and Immunomodulatory Properties of Human Skin-Derived Precursor Cells
Authors: De Kock Joery , Rodrigues Robim Marcelino , Branson Steven , Verhoye Lieven , Colemonts-Vroninks Haaike , Rombaut Matthias , Boeckmans Joost , Neuckermans Jessie , Lequeue Sien , Buyl Karolien , Merimi Makram , Agha Douaa Moussa , De Boe Veerle , Lagneaux Laurence , Meuleman Philip , Vanhaecke Tamara , Najar Mehdi
Published: April 2020

Human skin-derived precursors (SKP) represent a group of somatic stem/precursor cells that reside in dermal skin throughout life that harbor clinical potential. SKP have a high self-renewal capacity, the ability to differentiate into multiple cell types and low immunogenicity, rendering them key candidates for allogeneic cell-based, off-the-shelf therapy. However, potential clinical application of allogeneic SKP requires that these cells retain their therapeutic properties under all circumstances and, in particular, in the presence of an inflammation state. Therefore, in this study, we investigated the impact of pro-inflammatory stimulation on the secretome and immunosuppressive properties of SKP. We demonstrated that pro-inflammatory stimulation of SKP significantly changes their expression and the secretion profile of chemo/cytokines and growth factors. Most importantly, we observed that pro-inflammatory stimulated SKP were still able to suppress the graft-versus-host response when cotransplanted with human PBMC in severe-combined immune deficient (SCID) mice, albeit to a much lesser extent than unstimulated SKP. Altogether, this study demonstrates that an inflammatory microenvironment has a significant impact on the immunological properties of SKP. These alterations need to be taken into account when developing allogeneic SKP-based therapies.
Serum Level of miR-1 and miR-155 as Potential Biomarkers of Stress-Resilience of NET-KO and SWR/J Mice
Authors: Solich Joanna , Kuśmider Maciej , Faron-Górecka Agata , Pabian Paulina , Kolasa Magdalena , Zemła Beata , Dziedzicka-Wasylewska Marta
Published: April 2020

In the present study, we used three strains of mice with various susceptibility to stress: mice with knock-out of the gene encoding norepinephrine transporter (NET-KO), which are well characterized as displaying a stress-resistant phenotype, as well as two strains of mice displaying two different stress-coping strategies, i.e., C57BL/6J (WT in the present study) and SWR/J. The procedure of restraint stress (RS, 4 h) was applied, and the following behavioral experiments (the forced swim test and sucrose preference test) indicated that NET-KO and SWR/J mice were less sensitive to RS than WT mice. Then, we aimed to find the miRNAs which changed in similar ways in the serum of NET-KO and SWR/J mice subjected to RS, being at the same time different from the miRNAs found in the serum of WT mice. Using Custom TaqMan Array MicroRNA Cards, with primers for majority of miRNAs expressed in the serum (based on a preliminary experiment using the TaqMan Array Rodent MicroRNA A + B Cards Set v3.0, Thermo Fisher Scientific, Waltham, MA, USA) allowed the identification of 21 such miRNAs. Our further analysis focused on miR-1 and miR-155 and their targets—these two miRNAs are involved in the regulation of BDNF expression and can be regarded as biomarkers of stress-resilience.
How Digital Strategy and Management Games Can Facilitate the Practice of Dynamic Decision-Making
Authors: Czauderna André , Budke Alexandra
Published: April 2020

This paper examines how digital strategy and management games that have been initially designed for entertainment can facilitate the practice of dynamic decision-making. Based on a comparative qualitative analysis of 17 games—organized into categories derived from a conceptual model of decision-making design—this article illustrates two ways in which these games may be useful in supporting the learning of dynamic decision-making in educational practice: (1) Players must take over the role of a decider and solve situations in which players must pursue different conflicting goals by making a continuous series of decisions on a variety of actions and measures; (2) three of the features of the games are considered to structure players’ practice of decision-making and foster processes of learning through the curation of possible decisions, the offering of lucid feedback and the modification of time. This article also highlights the games’ shortcomings, from an educational perspective, as players’ decisions are restricted by the numbers of choices they can make within the game, and certain choices are rewarded more than others. An educational application of the games must, therefore, entail a critical reflection of players’ limited choices inside a necessarily biased system.
Research on Novel Control Strategy for Grid-Connected Inverter Suitable for Wide-Range Grid Impedance Variation
Authors: Wang Xiaohuan , Liu Yang , Zhang Xudong , Yang Qingshou , Zhang Chunjiang
Published: April 2020

With the higher penetration of renewable energy, the influence of grid equivalent distribution cable impedance on grid-connected inverter stability is attracting increasing attention. In order to suppress the interaction between grid distribution cable impedance and output impedance of the grid-connected system, the active damping strategy is often used. When a capacitive current loop is used, the damping coefficient increases with the grid impedance increasing. However, the excessive damping coefficient will cause the unstable operation of the system. In order to enhance the robustness of the system, a novel control strategy which is suitable for wide-range grid impedance variation is proposed. In this strategy, the capacitor current inner loop is combined with the grid current inner loop, and grid voltage feedforward is included. Since the virtual impedance, active damping and voltage feed-forward are normalized, the changing tendency of the damping coefficient of the grid-current inner loop is opposite to that of capacitor current inner-loop. The overall damping coefficient of the system remains relatively constant when the grid impedance changes, and this effectively suppresses the resonance of the system. In this paper, the method is analyzed and the parameters are designed and optimized. Finally, the simulation and experiment are presented to verify the analysis.
Error-Vulnerable Pattern-Aware Binary-to-Ternary Data Mapping for Improving Storage Density of 3LC Phase Change Memory
Authors: Hong Jeong Beom , Lee Young Sik , Kim Yong Wook , Han Tae Hee
Published: April 2020

Multi-level cell (MLC) phase-change memory (PCM) is an attractive solution for next-generation memory that is composed of resistance-based nonvolatile devices. MLC PCM is superior to dynamic random-access memory (DRAM) with regard to scalability and leakage power. Therefore, various studies have focused on the feasibility of MLC PCM-based main memory. The key challenges in replacing DRAM with MLC PCM are low reliability, limited lifetime, and long write latency, which are predominantly affected by the most error-vulnerable data pattern. Based on the physical characteristics of the PCM, where the reliability depends on the data pattern, a tri-level-cell (3LC) PCM has significantly higher performance and lifetime than a four-level-cell (4LC) PCM. However, a storage density is limited by binary-to-ternary data mapping. This paper introduces error-vulnerable pattern-aware binary-to-ternary data mapping utilizing 3LC PCM without an error-correction code (ECC) to enhance the storage density. To mitigate the storage density loss caused by the 3LC PCM, a two-way encoding is applied. The performance degradation is minimized through parallel encoding. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method improves the storage density by 17.9%. Additionally, the lifetime and performance are enhanced by 36.1% and 38.8%, respectively, compared with those of a 4LC PCM with an ECC.
Replication Stress, DNA Damage, Inflammatory Cytokines and Innate Immune Response
Authors: Ragu Sandrine , Matos-Rodrigues Gabriel , Lopez Bernard S.
Published: April 2020

Complete and accurate DNA replication is essential to genome stability maintenance during cellular division. However, cells are routinely challenged by endogenous as well as exogenous agents that threaten DNA stability. DNA breaks and the activation of the DNA damage response (DDR) arising from endogenous replication stress have been observed at pre- or early stages of oncogenesis and senescence. Proper detection and signalling of DNA damage are essential for the autonomous cellular response in which the DDR regulates cell cycle progression and controls the repair machinery. In addition to this autonomous cellular response, replicative stress changes the cellular microenvironment, activating the innate immune response that enables the organism to protect itself against the proliferation of damaged cells. Thereby, the recent descriptions of the mechanisms of the pro-inflammatory response activation after replication stress, DNA damage and DDR defects constitute important conceptual novelties. Here, we review the links of replication, DNA damage and DDR defects to innate immunity activation by pro-inflammatory paracrine effects, highlighting the implications for human syndromes and immunotherapies.
Public Spheres, Counterpublics’ Fears and Syncopolitics
Authors: Dalmasso Fred
Published: April 2020

This article explores the often normative and idealist notion of the public sphere at its possible breaking point by analysing the online reactions to two tabloid articles about a 2016 performance of Dancing with Strangers: From Calais to England by Instant Dissidence. It first looks at how a comment platform could be perceived as a subaltern public sphere and as a substitute for a live audience in order to reconsider the notion of the counterpublic. For this, it examines the dialectical tension between politics and aesthetics within a subaltern online public sphere not immune to all kinds of extremism. This leads to an attempt to consider online hostile lay critics as a potentially legitimate public to address the dilemma faced by contemporary artists when engaging with society in an all-inclusive manner. Finally, this article offers a different reading of Instant Dissidence’s performance and of the possible reasons for the commentators’ rage and alienation and proposes syncopolitics as a way out of both online polarisation echo chambers and the public engagement conundrum.
When Traditional Selection Fails: How to Improve Settlement Selection for Small-Scale Maps Using Machine Learning
Authors: Karsznia Izabela , Sielicka Karolina
Published: April 2020

Effective settlements generalization for small-scale maps is a complex and challenging task. Developing a consistent methodology for generalizing small-scale maps has not gained enough attention, as most of the research conducted so far has concerned large scales. In the study reported here, we want to fill this gap and explore settlement characteristics, named variables that can be decisive in settlement selection for small-scale maps. We propose 33 variables, both thematic and topological, which may be of importance in the selection process. To find essential variables and assess their weights and correlations, we use machine learning (ML) models, especially decision trees (DT) and decision trees supported by genetic algorithms (DT-GA). With the use of ML models, we automatically classify settlements as selected and omitted. As a result, in each tested case, we achieve automatic settlement selection, an improvement in comparison with the selection based on official national mapping agency (NMA) guidelines and closer to the results obtained in manual map generalization conducted by experienced cartographers.
Whole-Genome DNA Methylation Profiling of CD14+ Monocytes Reveals Disease Status and Activity Differences in Crohn’s Disease Patients
Authors: Li Yim Andrew Y.F. , Duijvis Nicolette W. , Ghiboub Mohammed , Sharp Catriona , Ferrero Enrico , Mannens Marcel M.A.M. , D’Haens Geert R. , de Jonge Wouter J. , te Velde Anje A. , Henneman Peter
Published: April 2020

Crohn’s disease (CD) is a multifactorial incurable chronic disorder. Current medical treatment seeks to induce and maintain a state of remission. During episodes of inflammation, monocytes infiltrate the inflamed mucosa whereupon they differentiate into macrophages with a pro-inflammatory phenotype. Here, we sought to characterize the circulating monocytes by profiling their DNA methylome and relate it to the level of CD activity. We gathered an all-female age-matched cohort of 16 CD patients and 7 non-CD volunteers. CD patients were further subdivided into 8 CD patients with active disease (CD-active) and 8 CD patients in remission (CD-remissive) as determined by the physician global assessment. We identified 15 and 12 differentially methylated genes (DMGs) when comparing CD with non-CD and CD-active with CD-remissive, respectively. Differential methylation was predominantly found in the promoter regions of inflammatory genes. Comparing our observations with gene expression data on classical (CD14++CD16-), non-classical (CD14+CD16++) and intermediate (CD14++CD16+) monocytes indicated that while 7 DMGs were differentially expressed across the 3 subsets, the remaining DMGs could not immediately be associated with differences in known populations. We conclude that CD activity is associated with differences in DNA methylation at the promoter region of inflammation-associated genes.
The Long-Term Effect of Smoking on 10 Years’ Survival and Success of Dental Implants: A Prospective Analysis of 453 Implants in a Non-University Setting
Authors: Windael Simon , Vervaeke Stijn , De Buyser Stefanie , De Bruyn Hugo , Collaert Bruno
Published: April 2020

Background: The purpose of this study was to compare the survival and peri-implant bone loss of implants with a fluoride-modified surface in smokers and non-smokers. Material and Methods: All patients referred for implant treatment between November 2004 and 2007 were scrutinized. All implants were placed by the same surgeon (B.C.). The single inclusion criterion was a follow-up time of at least 10 years. Implant survival, health, and bone loss were evaluated by an external calibrated examiner (S.W.) during recall visits. Radiographs taken at recall visits were compared with the post-surgical ones. Implant success was based on two arbitrarily chosen success criteria for bone loss (≤1 mm and ≤2 mm bone loss after 10 years). Implant survival in smokers and non-smokers was compared using the log-rank test. Both non-parametric tests and fixed model analysis were used to assess bone loss in both groups. Results: A total of 453 implants in 121 patients were included for survival analysis, and 397 implants in 121 patients were included for peri-implant bone-loss analysis. After a mean follow-up time of 11.38 years (SD 0.78; range 10.00–13.65), 33 implants out of 453 initially placed had failed in 21 patients, giving an overall survival rate of 92.7% and 82.6% on the implant and patient level, respectively. Cumulative 10 years’ survival rate was 81% on the patient level and 91% on the implant level. The hazard of implant loss in the maxilla was 5.64 times higher in smokers compared to non-smokers (p = 0.003). The hazard of implant loss for implants of non-smokers was 2.92 times higher in the mandible compared to the maxilla (p = 0.01). The overall mean bone loss was 0.97 mm (SD 1.79, range 0–17) at the implant level and 0.90 mm (SD 1.39, range 0–7.85) at the patient level. Smokers lost significantly more bone compared to non-smokers in the maxilla (p = 0.024) but not in the mandible. Only the maxilla showed a significant difference in the probability of implant success between smokers and non-smokers (≤1 mm criterion p = 0.003, ≤2 mm criterion p = 0.007). Taking jaw into account, implants in smokers experienced a 2.6 higher risk of developing peri-implantitis compared to non-smokers (p = 0.053). Conclusion: Dental implants with a fluoride-modified surface provided a high 10 years’ survival with limited bone loss. Smokers were, however, more prone to peri-implant bone loss and experienced a higher rate of implant failure, especially in the upper jaw. The overall bone loss over time was significantly higher in smoking patients, which might be suggestive for a higher peri-implantitis risk. Hence, smoking cessation should be advised and maintained after implant placement from the perspective of peri-implant disease prevention.
Emotion Recognition Abilities in Adults with Anorexia Nervosa are Associated with Autistic Traits
Authors: Kerr-Gaffney Jess , Mason Luke , Jones Emily , Hayward Hannah , Ahmad Jumana , Harrison Amy , Loth Eva , Murphy Declan , Tchanturia Kate
Published: April 2020

Difficulties in socio-emotional functioning are proposed to contribute to the development and maintenance of anorexia nervosa (AN). This study aimed to examine emotion recognition abilities in individuals in the acute and recovered stages of AN compared to healthy controls (HCs). A second aim was to examine whether attention to faces and comorbid psychopathology predicted emotion recognition abilities. The films expressions task was administered to 148 participants (46 AN, 51 recovered AN, 51 HC) to assess emotion recognition, during which attention to faces was recorded using eye-tracking. Comorbid psychopathology was assessed using self-report questionnaires and the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule–2nd edition (ADOS-2). No significant differences in emotion recognition abilities or attention to faces were found between groups. However, individuals with a lifetime history of AN who scored above the clinical cut-off on the ADOS-2 displayed poorer emotion recognition performance than those scoring below cut-off and HCs. ADOS-2 scores significantly predicted emotion recognition abilities while controlling for group membership and intelligence. Difficulties in emotion recognition appear to be associated with high autism spectrum disorder (ASD) traits, rather than a feature of AN. Whether individuals with AN and high ASD traits may require different treatment strategies or adaptations is a question for future research.
Diagnosis of Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) Is Independently Associated with Cardiovascular Risk in a Large Austrian Screening Cohort
Authors: Niederseer David , Wernly Sarah , Bachmayer Sebastian , Wernly Bernhard , Bakula Adam , Huber-Schönauer Ursula , Semmler Georg , Schmied Christian , Aigner Elmar , Datz Christian
Published: April 2020

Background: Many patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) simultaneously suffer from cardiovascular (CV) disease and often carry multiple CV risk factors. Several CV risk factors are known to drive the progression of fibrosis in patients with NAFLD. Objectives: To investigate whether an established CV risk score, the Framingham risk score (FRS), is associated with the diagnosis of NAFLD and the degree of fibrosis in an Austrian screening cohort for colorectal cancer. Material and Methods: In total, 1965 asymptomatic subjects (59 ± 10 years, 52% females, BMI 27.2 ± 4.9 kg/m2) were included in this study. The diagnosis of NAFLD was present if (1) significantly increased echogenicity in relation to the renal parenchyma was present in ultrasound and (2) viral, autoimmune or hereditary liver disease and excess alcohol consumption were excluded. The FRS (ten-year risk of coronary heart disease) and NAFLD Fibrosis Score (NFS) were calculated for all patients. High CV risk was defined as the highest FRS quartile (>10%). Both univariable and multivariable logistic regression models were used to calculate associations of FRS with NAFLD and NFS. Results: Compared to patients without NAFLD (n = 990), patients with NAFLD (n = 975) were older (60 ± 9 vs. 58 ± 10 years; p < 0.001), had higher BMI (29.6 ± 4.9 vs. 24.9 ± 3.6 kg/m2; p < 0.001) and suffered from metabolic syndrome more frequently (33% vs. 7%; p < 0.001). Cardiovascular risk as assessed by FRS was higher in the NAFLD-group (8.7 ± 6.4 vs. 5.4 ± 5.2%; p < 0.001). A one-percentage-point increase of FRS was independently associated with NAFLD (OR 1.04, 95%CI 1.02–1.07; p < 0.001) after correction for relevant confounders in multivariable logistic regression. In patients with NAFLD, NFS correlated with FRS (r = 0.29; p < 0.001), and FRS was highest in patients with significant fibrosis (F3-4; 11.7 ± 5.4) compared to patients with intermediate results (10.9 ± 6.3) and those in which advanced fibrosis could be ruled-out (F0-2, 7.8 ± 5.9, p < 0.001). A one-point-increase of NFS was an independent predictor of high-risk FRS after correction for sex, age, and concomitant diagnosis of metabolic syndrome (OR 1.30, 95%CI 1.09–1.54; p = 0.003). Conclusion: The presence of NAFLD might independently improve prediction of long-term risk for CV disease and the diagnosis of NAFLD might be a clinically relevant piece in the puzzle of predicting long-term CV outcomes. Due to the significant overlap of advanced NAFLD and high CV risk, aggressive treatment of established CV risk factors could improve prognosis in these patients.
A 2D Multiphase Model of Drop Behavior during Electroslag Remelting
Authors: Chaulet Jérémy , Kharicha Abdellah , Charmond Sylvain , Dussoubs Bernard , Hans Stéphane , Wu Menghuai , Ludwig Andreas , Jardy Alain
Published: April 2020

Electroslag remelting is a process extensively used to produce metallic ingots with high quality standards. During the remelting operation, liquid metal droplets fall from the electrode through the liquid slag before entering the liquid pool of the secondary ingot. To better understand the process and help to optimize the operating condition choice, a 2D axisymmetric multiphase model of the slag domain has been developed using a two fluid Eulerian approach. During their fall, droplets hydrodynamic interactions are calculated thanks to an appropriate drag law. Influence of droplets on the electromagnetic field and on the slag hydrodynamics is discussed, as well as their heat exchange with the slag. Even with a small volume fraction, the droplets influence is noticeable. The present investigation shows that small droplets have a large influence on the slag hydrodynamics, due to a great momentum exchange. However heat transfer is more influenced by large drops, which are found to be relatively far from the thermal equilibrium with the slag phase.
A Comparison of Strengthening Mechanisms of Austenitic Fe-13Mn-1.3C Steel in Warm and Cold High-Pressure Torsion
Authors: Maier Galina G. , Astafurova Elena G.
Published: April 2020

A study on the role of deformation temperature on a twin-assisted refinement of austenitic structure and phase transformations in high-pressure torsion of high-Mn Hadfield steel single crystals (Fe-13Mn-1.3C, in mass. %) has been carried out. In high pressure-torsion, twinning has been experimentally confirmed as a high-temperature deformation mechanism and has been observed at the temperature 400 °C. An increase in deformation temperature of up to 400 °C decreases the activity of mechanical twinning but does not fully suppress it. A dense net of twin boundaries, which has been produced in cold deformation by high-pressure torsion at room temperature, possesses high thermal stability and stays untransformed after post-deformation annealing at a temperature of 400 °C. In high-pressure torsion at a temperature of 400 °C, the complex effect of high temperature and severe plastic deformation on the strengthening of high-carbon Fe-13Mn-1.3C steel has been observed. A synergetic effect of severe plastic deformation and elevated temperature stimulates a nucleation of nanoscale precipitates (carbides and ferrite) along with deformation-induced defects in austenitic structure. These fine precipitates are homogeneously distributed in the bulk of the material and assist high values of microhardness in high-pressure torsion-processed specimens, which is similar to twin-assisted microstructure.
Metabolic Fingerprinting with Fourier-Transform Infrared (FTIR) Spectroscopy: Towards a High-Throughput Screening Assay for Antibiotic Discovery and Mechanism-of-Action Elucidation
Authors: Ribeiro da Cunha Bernardo , Fonseca Luís P. , Calado Cecília R.C.
Published: April 2020

The discovery of antibiotics has been slowing to a halt. Phenotypic screening is once again at the forefront of antibiotic discovery, yet Mechanism-Of-Action (MOA) identification is still a major bottleneck. As such, methods capable of MOA elucidation coupled with the high-throughput screening of whole cells are required now more than ever, for which Fourier-Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy is a promising metabolic fingerprinting technique. A high-throughput whole-cell FTIR spectroscopy-based bioassay was developed to reveal the metabolic fingerprint induced by 15 antibiotics on the Escherichia coli metabolism. Cells were briefly exposed to four times the minimum inhibitory concentration and spectra were quickly acquired in the high-throughput mode. After preprocessing optimization, a partial least squares discriminant analysis and principal component analysis were conducted. The metabolic fingerprints obtained with FTIR spectroscopy were sufficiently specific to allow a clear distinction between different antibiotics, across three independent cultures, with either analysis algorithm. These fingerprints were coherent with the known MOA of all the antibiotics tested, which include examples that target the protein, DNA, RNA, and cell wall biosynthesis. Because FTIR spectroscopy acquires a holistic fingerprint of the effect of antibiotics on the cellular metabolism, it holds great potential to be used for high-throughput screening in antibiotic discovery and possibly towards a better understanding of the MOA of current antibiotics.