bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Comparison of Water Sampling between Environmental DNA Metabarcoding and Conventional Microscopic Identification: A Case Study in Gwangyang Bay, South Korea
Authors: Kim Dong-Kyun , Park Kiyun , Jo Hyunbin , Kwak Ihn-Sil
Published: August 2019

Our study focuses on methodological comparison of plankton community composition in relation to ecological monitoring and assessment with data sampling. Recently, along with the advancement of monitoring techniques, metabarcoding has been widely used in the context of environmental DNA (eDNA). We examine the applicability of eDNA metabarcoding for effective monitoring and assessment of community composition, compared with conventional observation using microscopic identification in a coastal ecosystem, Gwangynag Bay in South Korea. Our analysis is based primarily on two surveys at a total of 15 study sites in early and late summer (June and September) of the year 2018. The results of our study demonstrate the similarity and dissimilarity of biological communities in composition, richness and diversity between eDNA metabarcoding and conventional microscopic identification. It is found that, overall, eDNA metabarcoding appears to provide a wider variety of species composition, while conventional microscopic identification depicts more distinct plankton communities in sites. Finally, we suggest that eDNA metabarcoding is a practically useful method and can be potentially considered as a valuable alternative for biological monitoring and diversity assessments.
Flame Retardancy of Carbon Nanotubes Reinforced Carbon Fiber/Epoxy Resin Composites
Authors: Chai Guo-qiang , Zhu Guo-qing , Gao Yunji , Zhou Jinju , Gao Shuai
Published: August 2019

In order to study the effect of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) on the flame retardancy of carbon fiber (CF)/epoxy resin (EP) composites, CF/EP and CNTs/CF/EP composites were prepared by solution blending. The flame retardancy and thermal stability were studied by cone calorimetry and thermogravimetric analysis. It was found that CNTs and CF had a certain synergistic effect on improving flame retardancy and thermal stability of EP. The peak heat release rate of F7N7, which represents the EP composites with 0.7 wt % CF and 0.7 wt % CNTs, was minimal. The total smoke production of F5N5 which represents the EP composites with 0.5 wt % CF and 0.5 wt % CNTs was the smallest, which was decreased by 43.04% more than the EP. The initial decomposition temperature of F7N7 was about 14 °C higher than that of F7, and the mass loss at Tmax was greatly reduced. The apparent activation energy of F7N7 is 2.7 kJ·mol−1 more than EP. Finally, the tensile and flexural strength of the composites were also improved, so it could be applied to a high-performance matrix of CF/EP composites, which are usually used as the advanced composites in the aerospace field.
Sampling Based on Kalman Filter for Shape from Focus in the Presence of Noise
Authors: Jang Hoon-Seok , Muhammad Mannan Saeed , Yun Guhnoo , Kim Dong Hwan
Published: August 2019

Recovering three-dimensional (3D) shape of an object from two-dimensional (2D) information is one of the major domains of computer vision applications. Shape from Focus (SFF) is a passive optical technique that reconstructs 3D shape of an object using 2D images with different focus settings. When a 2D image sequence is obtained with constant step size in SFF, mechanical vibrations, referred as jitter noise, occur in each step. Since the jitter noise changes the focus values of 2D images, it causes erroneous recovery of 3D shape. In this paper, a new filtering method for estimating optimal image positions is proposed. First, jitter noise is modeled as Gaussian or speckle function, secondly, the focus curves acquired by one of the focus measure operators are modeled as a quadratic function for application of the filter. Finally, Kalman filter as the proposed method is designed and applied for removing jitter noise. The proposed method is experimented by using image sequences of synthetic and real objects. The performance is evaluated through various metrics to show the effectiveness of the proposed method in terms of reconstruction accuracy and computational complexity. Root Mean Square Error (RMSE), correlation, Peak Signal-to-Noise Ratio (PSNR), and computational time of the proposed method are improved on average by about 48%, 11%, 15%, and 5691%, respectively, compared with conventional filtering methods.
Intelligent Human–UAV Interaction System with Joint Cross-Validation over Action–Gesture Recognition and Scene Understanding
Authors: Chen Bo , Hua Chunsheng , Li Decai , He Yuqing , Han Jianda
Published: August 2019

We propose an intelligent human–unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) interaction system, in which, instead of using the conventional remote controller, the UAV flight actions are controlled by a deep learning-based action–gesture joint detection system. The Resnet-based scene-understanding algorithm is introduced into the proposed system to enable the UAV to adjust its flight strategy automatically, according to the flying conditions. Meanwhile, both the deep learning-based action detection and multi-feature cascade gesture recognition methods are employed by a cross-validation process to create the corresponding flight action. The effectiveness and efficiency of the proposed system are confirmed by its application to controlling the flight action of a real flying UAV for more than 3 h.
A Feasibility Study on the Use of an Atmospheric Water Generator (AWG) for the Harvesting of Fresh Water in a Semi-Arid Region Affected by Mining Pollution
Authors: Mendoza-Escamilla Julio , Hernandez-Rangel Francisco , Cruz-Alcántar Pedro , Saavedra-Leos María , Morales-Morales Josefa , Figueroa-Diaz Rafael , Valencia-Castillo César , Martinez-Lopez Francisco
Published: August 2019

Worldwide, the shortage of fresh water has increased exponentially due to population growth and contamination of available water, especially in water tables that provide water for general consumption. One of the main pollutants of water is arsenic (As), present in the environment and in most mining/metallurgical processes, which is a major health risk, especially as a carcinogen. In the region of Matehuala, San Luis Potosi (SLP), Mexico, a highly productive mining area, arsenic concentrations of 138.1 mg/kg have been found in soils—6.2 times higher than what is allowed in domestic soils, while in water it is reported up to 158 mg/L, exceeding permissible limits for human consumption. In addition to As pollution, the region suffers from water shortage both in the city and in rural communities. Therefore, it is necessary to explore new technologies to provide the population with fresh water. This paper presents a feasibility study on the use of an atmospheric water generator (AWG) to capture fresh water in the region of Matehuala, SLP. The region was found to have the necessary environmental conditions to use AWGs, with an annual average relative humidity (RH) of approximately 60%. Using a mathematical model of a dehumidifier, water harvesting can be evaluated under the region’s prevailing climatic conditions. The month with lowest harvest was found to be January, with 0.89 to 3.6 L/day, while the month with largest harvest was August at 3.9 to 18 L/day and water production costs of 0.0093 and $ 0.038 USD/L, respectively. The study concludes that the use of AWGs would help alleviate water shortages, thus benefiting marginalized people or communities, preserving ecosystems and the environment.
Riding the Plumes: Characterizing Bubble Scavenging Conditions for the Enrichment of the Sea-Surface Microlayer by Transparent Exopolymer Particles
Authors: Robinson Tiera-Brandy , Giebel Helge-Ansgar , Wurl Oliver
Published: August 2019

Transparent exopolymer particles (TEP) act as a major transport mechanism for organic matter (OM) to the sea surface microlayer (SML) via bubble scavenging, and into the atmosphere via bubble bursting. However; little is known about the effects of bubble scavenging on TEP enrichment in the SML. This study examined the effects of several bubbling conditions and algae species on the enrichment of TEP in the SML. TEP enrichment in the SML was enhanced by bubbling, with a larger impact from bubbling rate than bubble size and increasing enrichment over time. Depth profiles showed that any TEP aggregates formed in the underlying water (ULW) were rapidly (<2 min) transported to the SML, and that TEP was entrained in the SML by bubbling. Species experiments determined that the presence of different phytoplankton species and their subsequent release of precursor material further enhance the effectiveness of TEP enrichment via bubble scavenging.
In Silico Acetylene [2+2+2] Cycloadditions Catalyzed by Rh/Cr Indenyl Fragments
Authors: Masood Ahmad Shah , Dalla Tiezza Marco , Orian Laura
Published: August 2019

Metal-catalyzed alkyne [2+2+2] cycloadditions provide a variety of substantial aromatic compounds of interest in the chemical and pharmaceutical industries. Herein, the mechanistic aspects of the acetylene [2+2+2] cycloaddition mediated by bimetallic half-sandwich catalysts [Cr(CO)3IndRh] (Ind = (C9H7)−, indenyl anion) are investigated. A detailed exploration of the potential energy surfaces (PESs) was carried out to identify the intermediates and transition states, using a relativistic density functional theory (DFT) approach. For comparison, monometallic parent systems, i.e., CpRh (Cp = (C5H5)−, cyclopentadienyl anion) and IndRh, were included in the analysis. The active center is the rhodium nucleus, where the [2+2+2] cycloaddition occurs. The coordination of the Cr(CO)3 group, which may be in syn or anti conformation, affects the energetics of the catalytic cycle as well as the mechanism. The reaction and activation energies and the turnover frequency (TOF) of the catalytic cycles are rationalized, and, in agreement with the experimental findings, our computational analysis reveals that the presence of the second metal favors the catalysis.
Napping Behaviors and Extracurricular Club Activities in Japanese High School Students: Associations with Daytime Sleep Problems
Authors: Mizuno Koh , Okamoto-Mizuno Kazue , Iwata Kazuki
Published: August 2019

Although engaging in evening naps and extracurricular activities are popular among Japanese high school students, the associations between these behaviors and daytime sleep problems were unclear. A questionnaire on daily life and sleeping habits was administered to 1314 high school students, aged between 15–17 years. The respondents were categorized by their after-school napping habits (did not nap, napped 1–2 days/week, napped ≥3 days/week), and their extracurricular activities (no activity, cultural club, athletic club). The mean nocturnal sleep duration on weekdays (± standard deviation (SD)) was 390 ± 56 min. This was significantly shorter in those students with a higher number of days/week spent napping (p < 0.001), and slightly longer for those in the athletic club (p < 0.001). Sleep problems—including subjective insufficient sleep, excessive sleepiness during class ≥3 days/week, and falling asleep during class ≥3 days/week—were reported by 64%, 55%, and 33% of respondents, respectively. A multiple logistic regression analysis showed significantly higher risks for excessive sleepiness among students taking naps ≥3 days/week, and who belonged to athletic clubs. In addition to those factors, students in cultural clubs revealed significantly higher risks for falling asleep during classes. Future studies are required to decrease daytime sleep problems associated with evening naps and extracurricular activities among high school students.
Spreading of Micrometer-Sized Droplets under the Influence of Insoluble and Soluble Surfactants: A Numerical Study
Authors: Antritter Thomas , Hachmann Peter , Gambaryan-Roisman Tatiana , Buck Bernhard , Stephan Peter
Published: August 2019

Wetting and spreading of surfactant solutions play an important role in many technical applications. In printing processes, the size of individual droplets is typically on the order of a few tens of microns. The purpose of this study is to develop a better understanding of the interaction between spreading and surfactant transport on these small length and related time scales. Therefore, numerical simulations based on the volume-of-fluid method including Marangoni stresses and transport of an insoluble or soluble surfactant are performed. The results for an insoluble surfactant show competing effects of Marangoni flow on the one hand, and a decreasing surfactant concentration as the droplet spreads on the other hand. Even in the case of a soluble surfactant, adsorption and desorption could only partly mitigate these effects, demonstrating the importance of the sorption kinetics for fast, small scale wetting processes.
Endemic Infection of Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis in Costa Rica: Implications for Amphibian Conservation at Regional and Species Level
Authors: Zumbado-Ulate Héctor , Nelson Kiersten N. , García-Rodríguez Adrián , Chaves Gerardo , Arias Erick , Bolaños Federico , Whitfield Steven M. , Searle Catherine L.
Published: August 2019

Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) has been associated with the severe declines and extinctions of amphibians in Costa Rica that primarily occurred during the 1980s and 1990s. However, the current impact of Bd infection on amphibian species in Costa Rica is unknown. We aimed to update the list of amphibian species in Costa Rica and evaluate the prevalence and infection intensity of Bd infection across the country to aid in the development of effective conservation strategies for amphibians. We reviewed taxonomic lists and included new species descriptions and records for a total of 215 amphibian species in Costa Rica. We also sampled for Bd at nine localities from 2015–2018 and combined these data with additional Bd occurrence data from multiple studies conducted in amphibian communities across Costa Rica from 2005–2018. With this combined dataset, we found that Bd was common (overall infection rate of 23%) across regions and elevations, but infection intensity was below theoretical thresholds associated with mortality. Bd was also more prevalent in Caribbean lowlands and in terrestrial amphibians with an aquatic larval stage; meanwhile, infection load was the highest in direct-developing species (forest and stream-dwellers). Our findings can be used to prioritize regions and taxonomic groups for conservation strategies.
Information Theoretic Security for Broadcasting of Two Encrypted Sources under Side-Channel Attacks †
Authors: Santoso Bagus , Oohama Yasutada
Published: August 2019

In this paper, we propose a theoretical framework to analyze the secure communication problem for broadcasting two encrypted sources in the presence of an adversary which launches side-channel attacks. The adversary is not only allowed to eavesdrop the ciphertexts in the public communication channel, but is also allowed to gather additional information on the secret keys via the side-channels, physical phenomenon leaked by the encryption devices during the encryption process, such as the fluctuations of power consumption, heat, or electromagnetic radiation generated by the encryption devices. Based on our framework, we propose a countermeasure against such adversary by using the post-encryption-compression (PEC) paradigm, in the case of one-time-pad encryption. We implement the PEC paradigm using affine encoders constructed from linear encoders and derive the explicit the sufficient conditions to attain the exponential decay of the information leakage as the block lengths of encrypted sources become large. One interesting feature of the proposed countermeasure is that its performance is independent from the type of side information leaked by the encryption devices.
A Compact, Reliable and Efficient 16 Channel Power Supply for the Automated Screening of Semiconducting Metal Oxide Gas Sensors
Authors: Hammer Christof , Warmer Johannes , Sporrer Sebastian , Kaul Peter , Thoelen Ronald , Jung Norbert
Published: August 2019

The choice of suitable semiconducting metal oxide (MOX) gas sensors for the detection of a specific gas or gas mixture is time-consuming since the sensor’s sensitivity needs to be characterized at multiple temperatures to find its optimal operating conditions. To obtain reliable measurement results, it is very important that the power for the sensor’s integrated heater is stable, regulated and error-free (or error-tolerant). Especially the error-free requirement can be only be achieved if the power supply implements failure-avoiding and failure-detection methods. The biggest challenge is deriving multiple different voltages from a common supply in an efficient way while keeping the system as small and lightweight as possible. This work presents a reliable, compact, embedded system that addresses the power supply requirements for fully automated simultaneous sensor characterization for up to 16 sensors at multiple temperatures. The system implements efficient (avg. 83.3% efficiency) voltage conversion with low ripple output (<32 mV) and supports static or temperature-cycled heating modes. Voltage and current of each channel are constantly monitored and regulated to guarantee reliable operation. To evaluate the proposed design, 16 sensors were screened. The results are shown in the experimental part of this work.
Efficiency Improvement of a Photovoltaic Thermal (PVT) System Using Nanofluids
Authors: Lee Joo Hee , Hwang Seong Geon , Lee Gwi Hyun
Published: August 2019

Many studies and considerable international efforts have gone into reducing greenhouse gas emissions. This study was carried out to improve the efficiency of flat-plate photovoltaic thermal (PVT) systems, which use solar energy to produce heat and electricity simultaneously. An efficiency analysis was performed with various flow rates of water as the working fluid. The flow rate, which affects the performance of the PVT system, showed the highest efficiency at 3 L/min compared with 1, 2, and 4 L/min. Additionally, the effects of nanofluids (CuO/water, Al2O3/water) and water as working fluids on the efficiency of the PVT system were investigated. The results showed that the thermal and electrical efficiencies of the PVT system using CuO/water as a nanofluid were increased by 21.30% and 0.07% compared to the water-based system, respectively. However, the increase in electrical efficiency was not significant because this increase may be due to measurement errors. The PVT system using Al2O3/water as a nanofluid improved the thermal efficiency by 15.14%, but there was no difference in the electrical efficiency between water and Al2O3/water-based systems.
The Energy Mosaic Austria—A Nationwide Energy and Greenhouse Gas Inventory on Municipal Level as Action Field of Integrated Spatial and Energy Planning
Authors: Abart-Heriszt Lore , Erker Susanna , Stoeglehner Gernot
Published: August 2019

While climate agreements are made on an international level, the measures for mitigating climate change must be executed on a local scale. Designing energy and climate related strategies on the level of municipalities has been hampered by the lack of comprehensive data on the current status of energy consumption and associated greenhouse gas emissions on the local level. A novel approach based on the so-called spatial turn in energy and climate policies has now been established in the form of the Energy Mosaic Austria, which represents a comprehensive energy and greenhouse gas inventory for all Austrian municipalities considering different purposes of energy consumption and different energy sources. The inventory is based on the linkage of bottom-up and top-down operations, utilizing data on land use and mobility structures on the municipal level. The outcomes provide a detailed insight into the pattern of energy consumption and associated greenhouse gas emissions that are resolved on the municipal level. A spatially differentiated analysis of the inventory yields dependencies of the energy consumption and the greenhouse gas emissions on spatial structures particularly due to the fractions of different types of land use including mobility. With the energy mosaic Austria, local policy makers are given an inventory with unprecedented spatial and contentual resolution, which is fully coherent with more coarse-grained provincial and nationwide compilations of energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions and elucidates the scope of action in energy and climate policy from the municipal to the nationwide level.
Apparent Viscosity Prediction of Water-Based Muds Using Empirical Correlation and an Artificial Neural Network
Authors: Al-Khdheeawi Emad A. , Mahdi Doaa Saleh
Published: August 2019

Apparent viscosity is of one of the main rheological properties of drilling fluid. Monitoring apparent viscosity during drilling operations is very important to prevent various drilling problems and improve well cleaning efficiency. Apparent viscosity can be measured in the laboratory using rheometer or viscometer devices. However, this laboratory measurement is a time-consuming operation. Thus, in this paper, we have developed a new empirical correlation and a new artificial neural network model to predict the apparent viscosity of drilling fluid as a function of two simple and fast measurements of drilling mud (i.e., March funnel viscosity and mud density). 142 experimental measurements for different drilling mud samples have been used to develop the new correlation. The calculated apparent viscosity from the developed correlation and neural network model has been compared with the measured apparent viscosity from the laboratory. The results show that the developed correlation and neural network model predict the apparent viscosity with very good accuracy. The new correlation and neural network models predict the apparent viscosity with a correlation coefficient (R) of 98.8% and 98.1% and an average absolute error (AAE) of 8.6% and 10.9%, respectively, compared to the R of 89.2% and AAE of 20.3% if the literature correlations are used. Thus, we conclude that the newly developed correlation and artificial neural network (ANN) models are preferable to predict the apparent viscosity of drilling fluid.
A Si-FET-Based High Switching Frequency Three-Level LLC Resonant Converter
Authors: Yang Jung-Woo , Han Sang-Kyoo
Published: August 2019

This paper highlights the proposed silicon field-effect transistor (Si-FET)-based high switching frequency three-level (TL) LLC resonant converter. It provides a detailed operational analysis of the converter; the multilevel (ML) organization of cells; voltage-balancing principles; current-balancing principles; loss comparison between Si-FETs and gallium-nitride (GaN)-FETs; and an optimal design consideration based on loss analysis. This analysis reveals that the switching losses of all power switches can be considerably reduced as the voltage across each switch can be set to half of the input voltage without an additional circuit or control strategy. Moreover, the current of each resonant inductor is automatically balanced by a proposed integrated magnetic (IM)-coupled inductor. Therefore, the operating frequency can be easily increased to near 1 MHz without applying high-performance switches. In addition, the resonant tanks of the converter can be a group of cells for multilevel operation, which indicates that the voltage across each switch is further reduced as more cells are added. Based on the results of the analysis, an optimal design consideration according to the resonant tank and switching frequency is discussed. The proposed converter was validated via a prototype converter with an input of 390 V, an output of 19.5 V/18 A, and a frequency of 1 MHz.
Semi-Supervised Classification and Landscape Metrics for Mapping and Spatial Pattern Change Analysis of Tropical Forest Types in Thua Thien Hue Province, Vietnam
Authors: Cat Tuong Truong Thi , Tani Hiroshi , Wang Xiufeng , Quang Thang Nguyen
Published: August 2019

Research Highlights: In this study, we classified natural forest into four forest types using time-series multi-source remotely sensed data through a proposed semi-supervised model developed and validated for mapping forest types and assessing forest transition in Vietnam. Background and Objectives: Data on current forest state and changes detection are always essential for forest management and planning. There is, therefore, a need for improved tools to classify and evaluate forest dynamics more accurately and effectively. Our objective is to develop such tools using a semi-supervised model and landscape metrics to classify and map changes in natural forest types by using multi-source remotely sensed data. Materials and Methods: A combination of Landsat data with PALSAR and PALSAR-2 was used for forest classification through the proposed semi-supervised model. This model turned a kernel least square into a self-learning algorithm, trained by a small number of samples with given labels, and then used this classifier to assign labels to the unlabeled data. The overall accuracy, kappa, user’s accuracy, and producer’s accuracy were used to evaluate the classification accuracy by comparing the classified image with the results of ground truth interpretation. Based on the classified images, forest transition was evaluated using certain landscape metrics at the class and landscape levels. Results: The multi-source data approach achieved improved discrimination of forest types compared to only using single data (optical or radar data). Good classification accuracies were obtained, with kappas of 0.81, 0.76, and 0.74 for the years 2007, 2010, and 2016, respectively. The analysis of landscape metrics indicated that there were different behaviors in the four forest types, as well as provided much information about the trends in spatial pattern changes. Conclusions: This study highlights the utilization of a semi-supervised model in forest classification, and the analysis of forest transition using landscape metrics. However, future research should include a comparison of different models to estimate the improvement of the proposed model. Another important study that should be conducted is to test the proposed method on larger areas.
Measuring the Heat of Interaction between Lignocellulosic Materials and Water
Authors: Nopens Martin , Wadsö Lars , Ortmann Christian , Fröba Michael , Krause Andreas
Published: August 2019

Research Highlights: When investigating the sorption of water on lignocellulosic materials, the sorption or mixing enthalpy is an interesting parameter that, together with the sorption isotherms commonly measured, can be used to characterize and understand the sorption process. We have compared different methods to assess these enthalpies. Additionally, we propose a sorption nomenclature. Background and Objectives: Sorption enthalpies are non-trivial to measure. We have, for the first time, measured sorption enthalpies on the same materials with four different methods, to be able to compare the method’s strengths and weaknesses. Materials and Methods: The following four methods were used on beech and Scots pine wood: isosteric heat, solution calorimetry, sorption calorimetry, and RH perfusion calorimetry. Results: The results for beech and pine were similar, and were in general agreement with the literature. We do not recommend one of the methods over the others, as they are quite different, and they can therefore be used to elucidate different aspects of the interactions between water and, for example, novel biobased materials (modified woods, cellulose derivatives, and regenerated cellulose).
Priorities for Conservation and Sustainable Use of Forest Genetic Resources in Four Mexican Pines
Authors: Flores Andrés , López-Upton Javier , Rullán-Silva Cristobal D. , Olthoff Adriana E. , Alía Ricardo , Sáenz-Romero Cuauhtémoc , Garcia del Barrio José M.
Published: August 2019

The strategies for the conservation and sustainable use of forest genetic resources, which are essential for the future adaptation of forest species to changing environments, are also a source of valuable genetic resources for breeding and restoration activities. The first step to define and implement cost-effective strategies is to identify specific priority populations. Mexico, in spite of being characterized by high levels of tree species diversity, mostly lacks a combined strategy for the genetic conservation and use of forest genetic resources. The aims of this work are: (i) to identify areas for gene conservation, and (ii) to propose measures for the conservation and sustainable use of forest genetic resources of four pine species: Pinus greggii Engelm. ex Parl., Pinus oocarpa Schiede ex Schltdl., Pinus patula Schiede ex Schltdl. & Cham. and Pinus pseudostrobus Lindl. To do that, we use the existing information on the distribution, genetic variation and conservation and breeding efforts in Mexico. Overall, 51 areas for establishing genetic conservation units were prioritized and 6 genetic zones for the use of forest genetic resources in breeding and selection of forest reproductive material were identified. The current conservation efforts for the four priority Mexican pines should be improved to satisfy the needs of a national breeding and conservation network.
Phytosterol Contents of Edible Oils and Their Contributions to Estimated Phytosterol Intake in the Chinese Diet
Authors: Yang Ruinan , Xue Li , Zhang Liangxiao , Wang Xuefang , Qi Xin , Jiang Jun , Yu Li , Wang Xiupin , Zhang Wen , Zhang Qi , Li Peiwu
Published: August 2019

Phytosterols are important micronutrients in human diets. Evidence has shown that phytosterols play an essential role in the reduction of cholesterol in blood and therefore decrease cardiovascular morbidity. In this study, the content and composition of phytosterols in different kinds of vegetable oils were analyzed, and the total phytosterol intake and contribution of foods to intake were estimated based on consumption data. The results showed that the phytosterol contents of rice bran oil, corn oil, and rapeseed oil were higher than those of other vegetable oils and the intake of phytosterol in the Chinese diet was about 392.3 mg/day. The main sources of phytosterols were edible vegetable oils (46.3%), followed by cereals (38.9%), vegetables (9.2%), nuts (2.0%), fruits (1.5%), beans and bean products (1.4%), and tubers (0.8%). Among all vegetable oils, rapeseed oil was the main individual contributor to phytosterol intake (22.9%), especially for the southern residents of China.
The Postharvest Quality of Fresh Sweet Cherries and Strawberries with an Active Packaging System
Authors: Chiabrando Valentina , Garavaglia Luigi , Giacalone Giovanna
Published: August 2019

This study assessed the effect of the recently-introduced Life+ (ILIP, Valsamoggia, Italy) active packaging system on the postharvest quality of sweet cherries and strawberries. This system uses Equilibrium Modified Atmosphere Packaging (EMAP) to achieve specific intra-package conditions with three synergistic elements: an unvented and anti-mist heat sealable container, an active (naturally-antimicrobial) pad, and a heat-sealed, laser micro-perforated film of a specified gas permeability. Post-packaging quality parameters were monitored for 10 (strawberries) and 15 days (cherries): headspace gas concentration, weight loss, titratable acidity, total soluble solids, pH, disease incidence, and sensory quality. Results showed that use of the Life+ system delayed postharvest senescence by maintaining fruit color, acidity, and vitamin C content, and decreasing fruit weight loss and decay. The use of EMAP in sweet cherry resulted in enhanced sensory qualities compared to traditional perforated containers. The results suggest that the Life+ system leads to better sensory properties and improved shelf-life for strawberries and sweet cherries.
Potassium Transporter LrKUP8 Is Essential for K+ Preservation in Lycium ruthenicum, A Salt-Resistant Desert Shrub
Authors: Dai Fengbin , Li Aijia , Rao Shupei , Chen Jinhuan
Published: August 2019

Salt stress is a major constraint for many crops and trees. A wild species of Goji named Lycium ruthenicum is an important economic halophyte in China and has an extremely high tolerance to salinity. L. ruthenicum grows in saline soil and is known as a potash-rich species. However, its salt adaptation strategies and ion balance mechanism remains poorly understood. Potassium (K+) is one of the essential macronutrients for plant growth and development. In this study, a putative salt stress-responsive gene encoding a HAK (high-affinity K+)/KUP (K+ uptake)/KT (K+ transporter) transporter was cloned and designated as LrKUP8. This gene belongs to the cluster II group of the KT/HAK/KUP family. The expression of LrKUP8 was strongly induced under high NaCl concentrations. The OE-LrKUP8 calli grew significantly better than the vector control calli under salt stress conditions. Further estimation by ion content and micro-electrode ion flux indicated a relative weaker K+ efflux in the OE-LrKUP8 calli than in the control. Thus, a key gene involved in K+ uptake under salt condition was functionally characterized using a newly established L. ruthenicum callus transformation system. The importance of K+ regulation in L. ruthenicum under salt tolerance was highlighted.
Network as a Biomarker: A Novel Network-Based Sparse Bayesian Machine for Pathway-Driven Drug Response Prediction
Authors: Liu Qi , Muglia Louis J. , Huang Lei Frank
Published: August 2019

With the advances in different biological networks including gene regulation, gene co-expression, protein–protein interaction networks, and advanced approaches for network reconstruction, analysis, and interpretation, it is possible to discover reliable and accurate molecular network-based biomarkers for monitoring cancer treatment. Such efforts will also pave the way toward the realization of biomarker-driven personalized medicine against cancer. Previously, we have reconstructed disease-specific driver signaling networks using multi-omics profiles and cancer signaling pathway data. In this study, we developed a network-based sparse Bayesian machine (NBSBM) approach, using previously derived disease-specific driver signaling networks to predict cancer cell responses to drugs. NBSBM made use of the information encoded in a disease-specific (differentially expressed) network to improve its prediction performance in problems with a reduced amount of training data and a very high-dimensional feature space. Sparsity in NBSBM is favored by a spike and slab prior distribution, which is combined with a Markov random field prior that encodes the network of feature dependencies. Gene features that are connected in the network are assumed to be both relevant and irrelevant to drug responses. We compared the proposed method with network-based support vector machine (NBSVM) approaches and found that the NBSBM approach could achieve much better accuracy than the other two NBSVM methods. The gene modules selected from the disease-specific driver networks for predicting drug sensitivity might be directly involved in drug sensitivity or resistance. This work provides a disease-specific network-based drug sensitivity prediction approach and can uncover the potential mechanisms of the action of drugs by selecting the most predictive sub-networks from the disease-specific network.
Integrative Analysis of Cancer Omics Data for Prognosis Modeling
Authors: Wang Shuaichao , Wu Mengyun , Ma Shuangge
Published: August 2019

Prognosis modeling plays an important role in cancer studies. With the development of omics profiling, extensive research has been conducted to search for prognostic markers for various cancer types. However, many of the existing studies share a common limitation by only focusing on a single cancer type and suffering from a lack of sufficient information. With potential molecular similarity across cancer types, one cancer type may contain information useful for the analysis of other types. The integration of multiple cancer types may facilitate information borrowing so as to more comprehensively and more accurately describe prognosis. In this study, we conduct marginal and joint integrative analysis of multiple cancer types, effectively introducing integration in the discovery process. For accommodating high dimensionality and identifying relevant markers, we adopt the advanced penalization technique which has a solid statistical ground. Gene expression data on nine cancer types from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) are analyzed, leading to biologically sensible findings that are different from the alternatives. Overall, this study provides a novel venue for cancer prognosis modeling by integrating multiple cancer types.
New Estimation of the Post Little Ice Age Relative Sea Level Rise
Authors: Pascucci Vincenzo , Frulio Gabriela , Andreucci Stefano
Published: August 2019

The study area is located in NW Sardinia Island (Italy), Mediterranean Sea. Sardinia is considered stable since the late Pliocene with a negligible subsidence of about 0.01 mm/y. It is therefore normally used to reconstruct the Pleistocene and Holocene sea level curves. Our research focusses on the sea-facing city of Alghero that from 1353 to 1720 was under the Spanish government. During this time, the city was renovated and new buildings edified. Dimension stones were quarried all around Alghero both in the nearby inland and along the coast. Coastal quarries were considered the most suitable for both rock quality and the easiest way to transport the quarried material by boat. The quarried rocks are late Pleistocene dune and beach sandstones deposited from the 132 ka (Marine Isotopic Stage—MIS5) to about 65 ka (MIS4). Sandstones crop out from few cm to 3 m above the present sea level and underwent several consolidation processes related to loading and marine weathering. This latter favoured dissolution and circulation of calcium carbonate which cemented the rocks. It is reported that the Spanish were looking for these “marine” sandstones for their high geotechnical characteristics. Different rules were adopted through time for the size of the dimension stones and this has allowed us to establish a quarry exploitation chronology. For example, “40 × 60 × 20” cm was the size of the dimension stones used for the Alghero Cathedral dated at 1505–1593. Nowadays most of the coastal Spanish quarry floors are 30 centimetres below mean sea level (tidal range is 30 cm). Accordingly, we infer that relative sea level from 1830 AD (and of the Little Ice Age) rose in about 200 years to the present level at the rate of about 1.4 mm/y. Considering that relative sea level rise during the Medieval warm period was of 0.6 mm/y over a period of about 400 years, we may deduce that human influence was strong enough to lead to a relative sea-level rise faster and in shorter time.
Estimating Tsunami Economic Losses of Okinawa Island with Multi-Regional-Input-Output Modeling
Authors: Pakoksung Kwanchai , Suppasri Anawat , Matsubae Kazuyo , Imamura Fumihiko
Published: August 2019

Understanding the impacts of tsunamis, especially in terms of damage and losses, is important for disaster mitigation and management. The aim of this study is to present our estimations of the potential losses from tsunami damage on Okinawa Island. We combine the use of a tsunami hazard map and our proposed economic loss model to estimate the potential losses that would be sustained by Okinawa Island in the event of a tsunami. First, to produce the tsunami hazard map, we calculated tsunami flow characteristics using the mathematical model TUNAMI-N2 and incorporating 6 earthquake fault scenarios around the study area. The earthquake scenarios are based on historical records along the Ryukyu Trench and the Okinawa. The resulting inundation map is overlaid with economic land use type and topography maps to identify vulnerable regions, which are then employed to compute potential economic losses. Second, we used our proposed economic model for this study area to calculate the potential losses that would be sustained in these vulnerable regions. Our economic model extends the multi-regional-input-output (MRIO) model, where the economic values of industrial sectors are scaled to correlate with land use and topography types (coastal and inland areas) to calculate losses through the Chenery–Moses estimation method. Direct losses can be estimated from the total input of the MRIO table, while indirect losses are computed from the direct losses and interaction parameter of the MRIO table. The interaction parameter is formed by linear programming and calculated using the Leontief methodology. Our results show that the maximum total damaged area under the 6 earthquake scenarios is approximately 30 km2. Inundation ranging from 2.0 to 5.0 m in depth covers the largest area of approximately 10 km2 and is followed by areas with inundation depths of 1.0–2.0 m and >5.0 m. Our findings show that direct losses will occur, while indirect losses are only approximately 56% that of direct losses. This approach could be applied to other areas and tsunami scenarios, which will aid disaster management and adaptation policies.
Upper Limb Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders in Operating Room Nurses: A Multicenter Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Clari Marco , Garzaro Giacomo , Di Maso Matteo , Donato Francesca , Godono Alessandro , Paleologo Mario , Dimonte Valerio , Pira Enrico
Published: August 2019

This study aimed to evaluate the association between personal and job characteristics and the risk of upper limb work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) among operating room nurses (ORNs). To this end, we collected data from 148 ORNs working at 8 Italian hospitals and measured any upper limb disabilities experienced in the previous year using the Italian version of the disabilities of the arm, shoulder and hand (DASH) questionnaire. The associations between personal and job characteristics and risk of upper limb WMSDs were estimated by unconditional logistic regression models. The prevalence of upper limb WMSDs was 45.9%. Multivariate analysis showed the “female gender” and “monthly hours spent working as a scrub nurse” to be directly associated with a higher DASH score (adjusted OR for gender = 5.37, 95% CI: 1.65–17.51, p < 0.01; adjusted OR for monthly hours as scrub nurse = 3.09, 95% CI: 1.33–7.19, p < 0.01). Overall, our findings indicate that a full-time job (>120 h/month) as a scrub nurse significantly increases the risk of developing upper limb WMSDs among female ORNs. Thus, to reduce such risk in this particularly sensitive population, we recommend urgent implementation of ergonomic interventions on surgical equipment alongside job rotation and medical surveillance programs.
Molecular and Cellular Bases of Immunosenescence, Inflammation, and Cardiovascular Complications Mimicking “Inflammaging” in Patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus
Authors: Tsai Chang-Youh , Shen Chieh-Yu , Liao Hsien-Tzung , Li Ko-Jen , Lee Hui-Ting , Lu Cheng-Shiun , Wu Cheng-Han , Kuo Yu-Min , Hsieh Song-Chou , Yu Chia-Li
Published: August 2019

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an archetype of systemic autoimmune disease, characterized by the presence of diverse autoantibodies and chronic inflammation. There are multiple factors involved in lupus pathogenesis, including genetic/epigenetic predisposition, sexual hormone imbalance, environmental stimulants, mental/psychological stresses, and undefined events. Recently, many authors noted that “inflammaging”, consisting of immunosenescence and inflammation, is a common feature in aging people and patients with SLE. It is conceivable that chronic oxidative stresses originating from mitochondrial dysfunction, defective bioenergetics, abnormal immunometabolism, and premature telomere erosion may accelerate immune cell senescence in patients with SLE. The mitochondrial dysfunctions in SLE have been extensively investigated in recent years. The molecular basis of normoglycemic metabolic syndrome has been found to be relevant to the production of advanced glycosylated and nitrosative end products. Besides, immunosenescence, autoimmunity, endothelial cell damage, and decreased tissue regeneration could be the results of premature telomere erosion in patients with SLE. Herein, the molecular and cellular bases of inflammaging and cardiovascular complications in SLE patients will be extensively reviewed from the aspects of mitochondrial dysfunctions, abnormal bioenergetics/immunometabolism, and telomere/telomerase disequilibrium.
CD34 Identifies a Subset of Proliferating Microglial Cells Associated with Degenerating Motor Neurons in ALS
Authors: Kovacs Mariángeles , Trias Emiliano , Varela Valentina , Ibarburu Sofia , Beckman Joseph S. , Moura Ivan C. , Hermine Olivier , King Peter H. , Si Ying , Kwon Yuri , Barbeito Luis
Published: August 2019

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is characterized by degeneration of upper and lower motor neurons accompanied by proliferation of reactive microglia in affected regions. However, it is unknown whether the hematopoietic marker CD34 can identify a subpopulation of proliferating microglial cells in the ALS degenerating spinal cord. Immunohistochemistry for CD34 and microglia markers was performed in lumbar spinal cords of ALS rats bearing the SOD1G93A mutation and autopsied ALS and control human subjects. Characterization of CD34-positive cells was also performed in primary cell cultures of the rat spinal cords. CD34 was expressed in a large number of cells that closely interacted with degenerating lumbar spinal cord motor neurons in symptomatic SOD1G93A rats, but not in controls. Most CD34+ cells co-expressed the myeloid marker CD11b, while only a subpopulation was stained for Iba1 or CD68. Notably, CD34+ cells actively proliferated and formed clusters adjacent to damaged motor neurons bearing misfolded SOD1. CD34+ cells were identified in the proximity of motor neurons in autopsied spinal cord from sporadic ALS subjects but not in controls. Cell culture of symptomatic SOD1G93A rat spinal cords yielded a large number of CD34+ cells exclusively in the non-adherent phase, which generated microglia after successive passaging. A yet unrecognized CD34+ cells, expressing or not the microglial marker Iba1, proliferate and accumulate adjacent to degenerating spinal motor neurons, representing an intriguing cell target for approaching ALS pathogenesis and therapeutics.
Future Aspects of CDK5 in Prostate Cancer: From Pathogenesis to Therapeutic Implications
Authors: Oner Muhammet , Lin Eugene , Chen Mei-Chih , Hsu Fu-Ning , Shazzad Hossain Prince G M , Chiu Kun-Yuan , Teng Chieh-Lin Jerry , Yang Tsung-Ying , Wang Hsin-Yi , Yue Chia-Herng , Yu Ching-Han , Lai Chih-Ho , Hsieh Jer-Tsong , Lin Ho
Published: August 2019

Cyclin-dependent kinase 5 (CDK5) is a unique member of the cyclin-dependent kinase family. CDK5 is activated by binding with its regulatory proteins, mainly p35, and its activation is essential in the development of the central nervous system (CNS) and neurodegeneration. Recently, it has been reported that CDK5 plays important roles in regulating various biological and pathological processes, including cancer progression. Concerning prostate cancer, the androgen receptor (AR) is majorly involved in tumorigenesis, while CDK5 can phosphorylate AR and promotes the proliferation of prostate cancer cells. Clinical evidence has also shown that the level of CDK5 is associated with the progression of prostate cancer. Interestingly, inhibition of CDK5 prevents prostate cancer cell growth, while drug-triggered CDK5 hyperactivation leads to apoptosis. The blocking of CDK5 activity by its small interfering RNAs (siRNA) or Roscovitine, a pan-CDK inhibitor, reduces the cellular AR protein level and triggers the death of prostate cancer cells. Thus, CDK5 plays a crucial role in the growth of prostate cancer cells, and AR regulation is one of the important pathways. In this review paper, we summarize the significant studies on CDK5-mediated regulation of prostate cancer cells. We propose that the CDK5–p35 complex might be an outstanding candidate as a diagnostic marker and potential target for prostate cancer treatment in the near future.