bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
OPTIMASI EFEK ANALGESIK DAUN BINAHONG DENGAN PENAMBAHAN JAHE DAN KUNYIT SECARA IN VIVO
Authors: Indriani Lusi , Zunnita Oktaviana , Khairi Muhammad Raifal
Published: December 2019

Penelitian menunjukkan daun binahong (Anredera cordifolia (Ten.) Steenis) dapat dimanfaatkan sebagai analgesik. Ekstrak etanol 70% daun binahong mempunyai daya analgesik sebesar 48,06% pada dosis 1g/kgBB dan 69,33% pada dosis 4g/kgBB pada mencit putih jantan. Jahe dan kunyit sudah terbukti berkhasiat sebagai analgesik. Penelitian ini bertujuan mengoptimasi efek analgesik ekstrak daun binahong dengan penambahan ekstrak jahe dan kunyit pada mencit putih jantan. Mencit putih dibagi menjadi 6 kelompok perlakuan yaitu kelompok dosis 1 (binahong dosis tunggal 20mg/20gBB), dosis 2 binahong:jahe:kunyit (20:1:3,5mg/20gBB), dosis 3 (10:2:3,5mg/20gBB), dosis 4 (10:1:7mg/20gBB), kontrol positif (Natrium diklofenak 0,182mg/20gBB) dan kontrol negatif (CMC Na 0,5%). Efek analgesik diuji menggunakan metode induksi nyeri dengan rangsangan panas. Semua mencit diuji pendahuluan dengan menempatkan mencit di atas hot plate bersuhu 55°C. Parameter yang diamati adalah respon mencit mengangkat kaki belakang atau melompat. Selanjutnya diberikan larutan uji secara oral sesuai dengan dosis yang telah ditentukan. Pengamatan dilakukan pada menit ke- 0, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 dan 60 setelah pemberian dosis perlakuan. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa kelompok dosis kombinasi binahong-jahe-kunyit menunjukkan efek analgesik lebih baik dibanding binahong dosis tunggal, dengan daya analgesik lebih dari 50%. Daya analgesik paling tinggi ditunjukkan oleh dosis 4 yaitu kombinasi ekstrak binahong-jahe-kunyit (10 mg/20gBB: 1mg/20gBB:7mg/20gBB) yaitu sebesar 130,87% yang setara dengan Na diklofenak (137,50%).
Evaluation by Flow Cytometry of Escherichia coli Viability in Lettuce after Disinfection
Authors: Teixeira Pilar , Fernandes Bruna , Silva Ana Margarida , Dias Nicolina , Azeredo Joana
Published: December 2019

Foodborne outbreaks due to the consumption of ready-to-eat vegetables have increased worldwide, with Escherichia coli (E. coli) being one of the main sources responsible. Viable but nonculturable bacteria (VBNC) retain virulence even after some disinfection procedures and constitute a huge problem to public health due to their non-detectability through conventional microbiological techniques. Flow cytometry (FCM) is a promising tool in food microbiology as it enables the distinction of the different physiological states of bacteria after disinfection procedures within a short time. In this study, samples of lettuce inoculated with E. coli were subject to disinfection with sodium hypochlorite at free chlorine concentrations of 5, 10, 25, 50, and 100 mg·L−1 or with 35% peracetic acid at concentrations of 5, 10, 25, and 50 mg·L−1. The efficiency of these disinfectants on the viability of E. coli in lettuce was evaluated by flow cytometry with LIVE/DEAD stains. Results from this study suggest that FCM can effectively monitor cell viability. However, peracetic acid is more effective than sodium hypochlorite as, at half the concentration, it is enough to kill 100% of bacteria and always induces a lower percentage of VBNC. Finally, we can conclude that the recommended levels of chemical disinfectants for fresh fruit and vegetables are adequate when applied in lettuce. More importantly, it is possible to ensure that all cells of E. coli are dead and that there are no VBNC cells even with lower concentrations of those chemicals. These results can serve as guidance for lettuce disinfection, improving quality and the safety of consumption.
Hydroxytyrosol Decreases LPS- and α-Synuclein-Induced Microglial Activation In Vitro
Authors: Gallardo-Fernández Marta , Hornedo-Ortega Ruth , Alonso-Bellido Isabel M. , Rodríguez-Gómez José A. , Troncoso Ana M. , García-Parrilla M. Carmen , Venero José L. , Espinosa-Oliva Ana M. , de Pablos Rocío M.
Published: December 2019

Neuroinflammation is a common feature shared by neurodegenerative disorders, such as Parkinson’s disease (PD), and seems to play a key role in their development and progression. Microglia cells, the principal orchestrators of neuroinflammation, can be polarized in different phenotypes, which means they are able to have anti-inflammatory, pro-inflammatory, or neurodegenerative effects. Increasing evidence supports that the traditional Mediterranean dietary pattern is related to the reduction of cognitive decline in neurodegenerative diseases. A considerable intake of plant foods, fish, and extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), as well as a moderate consumption of red wine, all characteristic of the Mediterranean diet (MD), are behind these effects. These foods are especially rich in polyphenols, being the most relevant in the MD hydroxytyrosol (HT) and their derivatives present in EVOO, which have demonstrated a wide array of biological activities. Here, we demonstrate that HT is able to reduce the inflammation induced by two different stimuli: lipopolysaccharide and α-synuclein. We also study the possible molecular mechanisms involved in the anti-inflammatory effect of HT, including the study of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB), mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs), nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidase, and inflammasome. Our data support the use of HT to prevent the inflammation associated with PD and shed light into the relationship between MD and this neurological disorder.
Low-Noise Chopper-Stabilized Multi-Path Operational Amplifier with Nested Miller Compensation for High-Precision Sensors
Authors: Kim Jaesung , Kim Hyungseup , Han Kwonsang , You Donggeun , Heo Hyunwoo , Kwon Yongsu , Cho Dong-il “Dan” , Ko Hyoungho
Published: December 2019

This paper presents a low-noise multi-path operational amplifier for high-precision sensors. A chopper stabilization technique is applied to the amplifier to remove offset and flicker noise. A ripple reduction loop (RRL) is designed to remove the ripple generated in the process of up-modulating the flicker noise and offset. To cancel the notch in the overall transfer function due to the RRL operation, a multi-path architecture using both a low-frequency path (LFP) and high-frequency path (HFP) is implemented. The low frequency path amplifier is implemented using the chopper technique and the RRL. In the high-frequency path amplifier, a class-AB output stage is implemented to improve the power efficiency. The transfer functions of the LFP and HFP induce a first-order frequency response in the system through nested Miller compensation. The low-noise multi-path amplifier was fabricated using a 0.18 µm 1P6M complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) process. The power consumption of the proposed low-noise operational amplifier is 0.174 mW with a 1.8 V supply and an active area of 1.18 mm2. The proposed low-noise amplifier has a unit gain bandwidth (UGBW) of 3.16 MHz, an input referred noise of 11.8 nV/√Hz, and a noise efficiency factor (NEF) of 4.46.
Rigorous Connectionist Models to Predict Carbon Dioxide Solubility in Various Ionic Liquids
Authors: Ouaer Hocine , Hosseini Amir Hossein , Nait Amar Menad , El Amine Ben Seghier Mohamed , Ghriga Mohammed Abdelfetah , Nabipour Narjes , Andersen Pål Østebø , Mosavi Amir , Shamshirband Shahaboddin
Published: December 2019

Estimating the solubility of carbon dioxide in ionic liquids, using reliable models, is of paramount importance from both environmental and economic points of view. In this regard, the current research aims at evaluating the performance of two data-driven techniques, namely multilayer perceptron (MLP) and gene expression programming (GEP), for predicting the solubility of carbon dioxide (CO2) in ionic liquids (ILs) as the function of pressure, temperature, and four thermodynamical parameters of the ionic liquid. To develop the above techniques, 744 experimental data points derived from the literature including 13 ILs were used (80% of the points for training and 20% for validation). Two backpropagation-based methods, namely Levenberg–Marquardt (LM) and Bayesian Regularization (BR), were applied to optimize the MLP algorithm. Various statistical and graphical assessments were applied to check the credibility of the developed techniques. The results were then compared with those calculated using Peng–Robinson (PR) or Soave–Redlich–Kwong (SRK) equations of state (EoS). The highest coefficient of determination (R2 = 0.9965) and the lowest root mean square error (RMSE = 0.0116) were recorded for the MLP-LMA model on the full dataset (with a negligible difference to the MLP-BR model). The comparison of results from this model with the vastly applied thermodynamic equation of state models revealed slightly better performance, but the EoS approaches also performed well with R2 from 0.984 up to 0.996. Lastly, the newly established correlation based on the GEP model exhibited very satisfactory results with overall values of R2 = 0.9896 and RMSE = 0.0201.
Biomechanical Characteristics of Single Leg Jump in Collegiate Basketball Players Based on Approach Technique
Authors: Tai Weihsun , Peng Hsiente , Lin Jianzhi , Lo Shinliang , Yu Haibin , Huang Jianlong
Published: December 2019

Our study investigated the characteristics of the biomechanics of lower extremities during running single leg jump (RSJ) in collegiate basketball players. Twelve division III male basketball players voluntarily participated in this study. They performed three trials of the running single leg jump with two approach speeds (fast and preferred) randomly. The kinematic data were collected by motion analysis system (200 Hz), and kinetic data were collected using the AMTI force platform (1000 Hz), and electromyography (EMG) data were recorded by the Delsys surface Electromyography (EMG) system (2000 Hz). Kinematic, kinetic and EMG signal were synchronized using EvaRT 4.6. Peak Ground reaction force, eccentric loading rate (ELR), gastrocnemius (GA) of pre-activation phase, and tibialis anterior (TA) of push-off phase were found significantly larger in the fast approach speed (p < 0.05). RSJ improves muscle activation level and stretch reflex. Higher activation of TA and GA during RSJ may have the benefit of decreasing risk of injury and jump training. Thus, it is helpful in muscle stretch adaptation.
Distributed Triggered Access for BSM Dissemination in 802.11bd V2V Networks
Authors: Ahn Woojin , Kim Ronny Yongho
Published: December 2019

In this paper, a novel channel access scheme, Distributed Triggered Access (DTA), is proposed for distributed V2V Basic Safety Message (BSM) dissemination in future platooning environment. To meet the stringent delay requirements of platooning communications, the proposed scheme is designed to use Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) multi-user channel access in a distributed manner. The proposed scheme leverages advanced Medium Access Control (MAC) layer features, such as Triggered Uplink Access and Multi-user Request-To-Send (RTS), introduced in the 6th generation mainstream WLAN standard, IEEE 802.11ax, based upon a conceptual Physical (PHY) layer frame structure for IEEE 802.11bd, the successor of IEEE 802.11p. The proposed scheme is analyzed by mathematical model and simulations from transmission delay and successful transmission rate perspective. The mathematical model includes a Markov chain analysis that models the Enhanced Distributed Channel Access (EDCA) backoff procedure of DTA considering the effect of resumed backoff procedure with empty buffer caused by triggered access. Also, a Markov arrival/General service distribution/1 service channel (M/G/1) queuing model is provided to analyze the transmission delay of a BSM under unsaturated traffic condition. The extensive simulation results corroborate that DTA effectively improves the transmission success rate and reduces the average BSM collecting delay in a highly congested environment.
Engagement Evaluation in a Virtual Learning Environment via Facial Expression Recognition and Self-Reports: A Preliminary Approach
Authors: Carlotta Olivetti Elena , Violante Maria Grazia , Vezzetti Enrico , Marcolin Federica , Eynard Benoit
Published: December 2019

Due to its versatility, virtual technology is being widely employed in different domains, from industry to amusement. The possibility to adopt this technology in early product/service design is going to bring positive effects such as the reduction of costs associated with the production of physical prototypes and the generation of a more effective knowledge of users’ feedback. This study proposes a preliminary methodology to evaluate users’ engagement in interacting with a virtual environment that consists of the integration between a self-report method (the user engagement scale questionnaire) and a method based on facial expression recognition. Results reported in this paper show that the two methodologies generate different types of knowledge which can be used to fit users’ needs and expectations. Even if focused on a specific case study, i.e., the evaluation of the engagement in a virtual learning environment, this paper aims to propose a methodology that can be applied to all kinds of virtual products.
Concentration Quantification of Oil Samples by Three-Dimensional Concentration-Emission Matrix (CEM) Spectroscopy
Authors: Chen Yunan , Yang Ruifang , Zhao Nanjing , Zhu Wei , Huang Yao , Zhang Ruiqi , Chen Xiaowei , Liu Jianguo , Liu Wenqing , Zuo Zhaolu
Published: December 2019

Developing fast and accurate fluorescence detection technology of oil spill is significant for quantitative analysis in unexpected oil spill events. As the oil sample concentration increases, the fluorescence spectrum produces red-shift behavior, which seriously affects the quantitative detection of concentration. In this work, a three-dimensional concentration-emission matrix (CEM) was constructed by using a series of emission spectra with different levels of concentration at the excitation wavelength of 266 nm. The database is the interpolated CEM of six samples using bicubic interpolation in the concentration dimension. With matrix similarity matching, the database was used to achieve quantification of the concentration of oil samples. The recovery rates of prediction for test samples and weathering samples of six oil samples were between 86.8% and 116.11%, with relative errors of predictions ranging from 2.09% to 15.2%. The results show that this method can provide accurate quantitative determination of the concentration of different oil samples.
Efficient Management of Road Intersections for Automated Vehicles—The FRFP System Applied to the Various Types of Intersections and Roundabouts
Authors: Filocamo Basilio , Ruiz Javier Alonso , Sotelo Miguel Angel
Published: December 2019

In the last decade, automatic driving systems for vehicles circulating on public roads have become increasingly closer to reality. There is always a strong interest in this topic among research centers and car manufacturers. One of the most critical aspects is the management of intersections, i.e., who will have to go first and in what ways? This is the question we want to answer through this research. Clearly, the goal is to manage the intersection safely, making it possible to reduce road congestion, travel time, emissions, and fuel consumption as much as possible. The research is conducted by comparing a new management system with the systems already known in the state of the art for different types of intersections. The new system proposed by us is called FRFP (first to reach the end of the intersection first to pass). In particular, vehicles will increase or decrease their speed in collaboration with each other by making the right decision. The vehicle that can potentially reach the intersection exit first.
Russian Citizens’ Attitude toward Insurance Policies as a Factor of Individual Economic Security
Authors: Medyanik Olga , Deyneka Olga
Published: December 2019

Today, insurance enables the functioning of the market system. In modern Russia, such a mechanism of protection against internal and external threats exists to ensure the economic security of each citizen. Indeed, individual insurance policies continue to gain importance as the most effective risk management tool to guarantee the safety of the health and property of private citizens. The goal of this study was to investigate Russian citizens’ attitudes towards insurance policies and investment bearing in mind the concept of personal economic security. Preparations for this study were focused on theoretical understandings of economic security problems, taking the field of insurance as an example. Our research consisted of four stages, with a total of 1794 participants. The results of this study can offer insight to improve the functioning of the insurance market in accordance with the framework of the Insurance Industry Development Strategy for the Russian Federation—2020. The obtained results can be used from both a political and economic standpoint in the development of a set of measures dealing with the control of financial institutions, promotion of financial literacy, preparation of courses for universities, and trainings for participants in the insurance market. Policyholders can also use this information to advocate for improved insurance programs for citizens.
Repurposing Antibacterial AM404 As a Potential Anticancer Drug for Targeting Colorectal Cancer Stem-Like Cells
Authors: Ahmed Mehreen , Jinks Nicholas , Babaei-Jadidi Roya , Kashfi Hossein , Castellanos-Uribe Marcos , T. May Sean , Mukherjee Abhik , Nateri Abdolrahman S.
Published: December 2019

Tumour-promoting inflammation is involved in colorectal cancer (CRC) development and therapeutic resistance. However, the antibiotics and antibacterial drugs and signalling that regulate the potency of anticancer treatment upon forced differentiation of cancer stem-like cell (CSC) are not fully defined yet. We screened an NIH-clinical collection of the small-molecule compound library of antibacterial/anti-inflammatory agents that identified potential candidate drugs targeting CRC-SC for differentiation. Selected compounds were validated in both in vitro organoids and ex vivo colon explant models for their differentiation induction, impediment on neoplastic cell growth, and to elucidate the mechanism of their anticancer activity. We initially focused on AM404, an anandamide uptake inhibitor. AM404 is a metabolite of acetaminophen with antibacterial activity, which showed high potential in preventing CRC-SC features, such as stemness/de-differentiation, migration and drug-resistance. Furthermore, AM404 suppressed the expression of FBXL5 E3-ligase, where AM404 sensitivity was mimicked by FBXL5-knockout. This study uncovers a new molecular mechanism for AM404-altering FBXL5 oncogene which mediates chemo-resistance and CRC invasion, thereby proposes to repurpose antibacterial AM404 as an anticancer agent.
Review of Experimental Setups for Plasmonic Photocatalytic Reactions
Authors: Huang Hung Ji , Wu Jeffrey Chi-Sheng , Chiang Hai-Pang , Chou Chau Yuan-Fong , Lin Yung-Sheng , Wang Yen Han , Chen Po-Jui
Published: December 2019

Plasmonic photocatalytic reactions have been substantially developed. However, the mechanism underlying the enhancement of such reactions is confusing in relevant studies. The plasmonic enhancements of photocatalytic reactions are hard to identify by processing chemically or physically. This review discusses the noteworthy experimental setups or designs for reactors that process various energy transformation paths for enhancing plasmonic photocatalytic reactions. Specially designed experimental setups can help characterize near-field optical responses in inducing plasmons and transformation of light energy. Electrochemical measurements, dark-field imaging, spectral measurements, and matched coupling of wavevectors lead to further understanding of the mechanism underlying plasmonic enhancement. The discussions herein can provide valuable ideas for advanced future studies.
Entropy Based Data Expansion Method for Blind Image Quality Assessment
Authors: Guan Xiaodi , He Lijun , Li Mengyue , Li Fan
Published: December 2019

Image quality assessment (IQA) is a fundamental technology for image applications that can help correct low-quality images during the capture process. The ability to expand distorted images and create human visual system (HVS)-aware labels for training is the key to performing IQA tasks using deep neural networks (DNNs), and image quality is highly sensitive to changes in entropy. Therefore, a new data expansion method based on entropy and guided by saliency and distortion is proposed in this paper. We introduce saliency into a large-scale expansion strategy for the first time. We regionally add distortion to a set of original images to obtain a distorted image database and label the distorted images using entropy. The careful design of the distorted images and the entropy-based labels fully reflects the influences of both saliency and distortion on quality. The expanded database plays an important role in the application of a DNN for IQA. Experimental results on IQA databases demonstrate the effectiveness of the expansion method, and the network’s prediction effect on the IQA databases is found to be improved compared with its predecessor algorithm. Therefore, we conclude that a data expansion approach that fully reflects HVS-aware quality factors is beneficial for IQA. This study presents a novel method for incorporating saliency into IQA, namely, representing it as regional distortion.
DrawerPipe: A Reconfigurable Pipeline for Network Processing on FPGA-Based SmartNIC
Authors: Li Junnan , Sun Zhigang , Yan Jinli , Yang Xiangrui , Jiang Yue , Quan Wei
Published: December 2019

In the public cloud, FPGA-based SmartNICs are widely deployed to accelerate network functions (NFs) for datacenter operators. We argue that with the trend of network as a service (NaaS) in the cloud is also meaningful to accelerate tenant NFs to meet performance requirements. However, in pursuit of high performance, existing work such as AccelNet is carefully designed to accelerate specific NFs for datacenter providers, which sacrifices the flexibility of rapidly deploying new NFs. For most tenants with limited hardware design ability, it is time-consuming to develop NFs from scratch due to the lack of a rapidly reconfigurable framework. In this paper, we present a reconfigurable network processing pipeline, i.e., DrawerPipe, which abstracts packet processing into multiple “drawers” connected by the same interface. NF developers can easily share existing modules with other NFs and simply load core application logic in the appropriate “drawer” to implement new NFs. Furthermore, we propose a programmable module indexing mechanism, namely PMI, which can connect “drawers” in any logical order, to perform distinct NFs for different tenants or flows. Finally, we implemented several highly reusable modules for low-level packet processing, and extended four example NFs (firewall, stateful firewall, load balancer, IDS) based on DrawerPipe. Our evaluation shows that DrawerPipe can easily offload customized packet processing to FPGA with high performance up to 100 Mpps and ultra-low latency (<10 µs). Moreover, DrawerPipe enables modular development of NFs, which is suitable for rapid deployment of NFs. Compared with individual NF development, DrawerPipe reduces the line of code (LoC) of the four NFs above by 68%.
The ElectricalVehicle Simulator for Charging Station in Mode 3 of IEC 61851-1 Standard
Authors: Rata Mihai , Rata Gabriela , Filote Constantin , Raboaca Maria Simona , Graur Adrian , Afanasov Ciprian , Felseghi Andreea-Raluca
Published: December 2019

As fuel consumption in the transport sector has increased at a faster pace than in other sectors, the use of electromobility represents the main strategy adopted by the automotive industry. In this context, as the number of electrical vehicles (EVs) will increase, it will also be necessary to increase the number of charging stations. The present paper presents a complete solution for charging stations that can be located in the office or mall parking area. This solution includes a mode 3 AC charging stations of International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) 61851-1 Standard, an EV simulator for testing the good functionality of the charging stations (i.e., communications, residual-current device (RCD) protection) and a software application used for controlling the charging process by the programmable logic controller (PLC).
Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) in Fish Consumed by the Indigenous Peoples from Nenets Autonomous Okrug
Authors: Lakhmanov Dmitry , Varakina Yulia , Aksenov Andrey , Sorokina Tatiana , Sobolev Nikita , Kotsur Dmitry , Plakhina Elena , Chashchin Valery , Thomassen Yngvar
Published: December 2019

Currently, monitoring of persistent organic pollutant (POP) content in various biological and environmental matrixes in the Arctic is an urgent task. The present study focused on the determination of POPs such as: PCB#28, PCB#52, PCB#101, PCB#105, PCB#118, PCB#123, PCB#153, PCB#128, p,p’-DDE, o,p’-DDE, p,p’-DDD, o,p’-DDD, hexachlorobenzene (HCB), cis-nonachlor, trans-nonachlor, cis-chlordane, trans-chlordane, mirex, 1,2,3,5-tetrachlorobenzene and 1,2,4,5-tetrachlorobenzene in fish consumed by the indigenous people of the Nenets Autonomous Okrug (NAO) of the Russian Arctic. Fish samples were analyzed by gas chromatography triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (GC-MS/MS) using the multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) technique. The obtained results show that the major POPs in fish were dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) breakdown products and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) congeners. The ∑PCB8 in pink salmon, Arctic char, navaga, humpback whitefish and northern pike were 1.54, 1.58, 1.24, 0.72 and 0.32 ng/g (ww), respectively. The main PCB congeners maximum average medium concentrations were 0.68 ng/g (ww) and 0.51 ng/g (ww) of PCB#153 in navaga and PCB#128 in pink salmon, respectively. The main DDT breakdown product was p,p’-DDE. In Arctic char, pink salmon, navaga, humpback whitefish and northern pike, the concentration of p,p’-DDE was 0.58, 1.61, 0.49, 0.63 and 0.08 ng/g (ww), respectively. A moderate positive relationship between ∑PCB8 and lipid content and a high positive relationship between ∑DDT and lipid content were observed. In fish samples with fat content <0.5% (northern pike, humpback whitefish), the amount of analyzed POPs was 2 or more times lower than that in fish species with fat content >1% (pink salmon, Arctic char). Despite the large number of fish in the diet of indigenous peoples from NAO, no significant risks were identified. Most legacy POP and organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) tend to decrease, which can be explained by past national and regional bans and restriction on their use and emission.
Corrosiveness of Thermally Modified Wood
Authors: Zelinka Samuel , Passarini Leandro , Matt Frederick , Kirker Grant
Published: December 2019

Thermally modified wood is becoming commercially available in North America for use in outdoor applications. While there have been many studies on how thermal modification affects the dimensional stability, water vapor sorption, and biodeterioration of wood, little is known about whether thermally modified wood is corrosive to metal fasteners and hangers used to hold these members in place. As thermally modified wood is used in outdoor applications, it has the potential to become wet which may lead to corrosion of embedded fasteners. Here, we examine the corrosiveness of thermally modified ash and oak in an exposure test where stainless steel, hot-dip galvanized steel, and carbon steel nails are driven into wood and exposed to a nearly 100% relative humidity environment at 27 °C for one year. The corrosion rates were compared against control specimens of untreated and preservative-treated southern pine. Stainless steel fasteners did not corrode in any specimens regardless of the treatment. The thermal modification increased the corrosiveness of the ash and oak, however, an oil treatment that is commonly applied by the manufacturer to the wood after the heat treatment reduced the corrosiveness. The carbon steel fasteners exhibited higher corrosion rates in the thermally modified hardwoods than in the preservative-treated pine control. Corrosion rates of galvanized fasteners in the hardwoods were much lower than carbon steel fasteners. These data can be used to design for corrosion when building with thermally modified wood, and highlight differences between corrosion of metals embedded in wood products.
Competition, Climate, and Size Effects on Radial Growth in an Old-Growth Hemlock Forest
Authors: Bigelow Seth W. , Runkle James R. , Oswald Evan M.
Published: December 2019

Research Highlights: We applied neighborhood and dendro-ecological methods in a stand with a 33-year record of forest dynamics, finding that growth will decrease for several species under predicted climate trends. Background and Objectives: Conventional tree-ring analysis removes the influence of competition and size on growth, precluding assessment of the relative influence of these factors. An old-growth eastern hemlock forest in east–central New York was mapped in 1978 and was measured at eight-year intervals since then. Our objective was to use these data to examine the influence of climate, neighborhood, and tree size on radial growth. Materials and Methods: We evaluated an array of climatic indices to find which ones had the strongest influence on radial growth from increment cores of eastern hemlock (Tsuga canadensis L.), yellow birch (Betula alleghaniensis Britton), and sugar maple (Acer saccharum Marsh.). We used the strongest climatic indices in combination with neighborhood and target-tree size information to create growth models for the three tree species. Results: Size accounted for 2% to 21% of observed growth; the shade-tolerant sugar maple and eastern hemlock grew fastest when large, but the mid-tolerant yellow birch grew fastest when small. Competition accounted for 9% to 21% of growth; conifers had a weaker competitive effect than deciduous trees, and eastern hemlock was less sensitive to competition than sugar maple and yellow birch. Climate accounted for only 2% of growth variation; eastern hemlock showed a positive response to warming climate trends, but yellow birch and sugar maple showed negative responses. Conclusions: Predicted climate trends are likely to result in decreased growth of sugar maple and yellow birch, and the sensitivity of these species to competition suggests the effect will be exacerbated when they grow in crowded conditions.
Search Engine Optimization
Authors: Veglis Andreas , Giomelakis Dimitrios
Published: December 2019

The introduction of the World Wide Web (WWW), 25 years ago, has considerably altered the manner in which people obtain information [...]
Genome-Wide Association Study (GWAS) for Mesocotyl Elongation in Rice (Oryza sativa L.) under Multiple Culture Conditions
Authors: Liu Hongyan , Zhan Junhui , Li Jiaolong , Lu Xiang , Liu Jindong , Wang Yamei , Zhao Quanzhi , Ye Guoyou
Published: December 2019

Mesocotyl is a crucial organ for pushing buds out of soil, which plays a vital role in seedling emergence and establishment in dry direct-seeded rice. However, the genetic mechanisms of mesocotyl elongation remains unclear. In our study, 208 rice accessions were used to identify the SNPs significantly associated with mesocotyl length under various culture conditions, including sand, water and soil. The mesocotyl length ranges from 0 to 4.88 cm, 0 to 3.99 cm and 0 to 4.51 cm in sand, water and soil covering, respectively. A total of 2,338,336 SNPs were discovered by re-sequencing of 208 rice accessions. Genome-wide association study (GWAS) based on mixed linear model (MLM) was conducted and 16 unique loci were identified on chromosomes 1, 2 (2), 3, 4, 5 (2), 6 (2), 7, 8, 9 (2) and 12 (3), respectively, explaining phenotypic variations ranging from 6.3 to 15.9%. Among these loci, 12 were stable across two or more environments. Ten out of the sixteen loci coincided with known genes or quantitative trait locus (QTL), whereas the other six were potentially novel loci. Furthermore, five high-confidence candidate genes related to mesocotyl elongation were identified on chromosomes 1, 3, 5, 9 and 12. Moreover, qRT-PCR analysis showed that all the five genes showed significant expression difference between short-mesocotyl accessions and long-mesocotyl accessions. This study provides new insights into the genetic architecture of rice mesocotyl, the associated SNPs and germplasms with long mesocotyl could be useful in the breeding of mechanized dry direct-seeded rice.
A Comparative Study of Biogas Production from Cattle Slaughterhouse Wastewater Using Conventional and Modified Upflow Anaerobic Sludge Blanket (UASB) Reactors
Authors: Musa Mohammed Ali , Idrus Syazwani , Harun Mohd Razif , Tuan Mohd Marzuki Tuan Farhana , Abdul Wahab Abdul Malek
Published: December 2019

Cattle slaughterhouses generate wastewater that is rich in organic contaminant and nutrients, which is considered as high strength wastewater with a high potential for energy recovery. Work was undertaken to evaluate the efficiency of the 12 L laboratory scale conventional and a modified upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactors (conventional, R1 and modified, R2), for treatment of cattle slaughterhouse wastewater (CSWW) under mesophilic condition (35 ± 1 °C). Both reactors were acclimated with synthetic wastewater for 30 days, then continuous study with real CSWW proceeds. The reactors were subjected to the same loading condition of OLR, starting from 1.75, 3, 5 10, 14, and 16 g L−1d−1, corresponding to 3.5, 6, 10, 20, 28, and 32 g COD/L at constant hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 24 h. The performance of the R1 reactor drastically dropped at OLR 10 g L−1d−1, and this significantly affected the subsequent stages. The steady-state performance of the R2 reactor under the same loading condition as the R1 reactor revealed a high COD removal efficiency of 94% and biogas and methane productions were 27 L/d and 89%. The SMP was 0.21 LCH4/gCOD added, whereas the NH3-N alkalinity ratio stood at 651 mg/L and 0.2. SEM showed that the R2 reactor was dominated by Methanosarcina bacterial species, while the R1 reactor revealed a disturb sludge with insufficient microbial biomass.
Validation of the Chinese Version of the Revised Internet Gaming Cognition Scale among Adolescents in China: Maladaptive Cognitions as Potential Determinants of Internet Gaming Disorder
Authors: Yu Yanqiu , Mo Phoenix Kit-han , Zhang Jianxin , Li Jibin , Lau Joseph Tak-fai
Published: December 2019

Maladaptive gaming cognitions are important determinants of Internet gaming disorder (IGD). Based on a systematic review, a 4-factor Internet gaming cognition scale (IGCS) was previously developed and cross-cultural validation of IGCS is warranted. The present study assesses the validation of the IGCS and its revised version, the Chinese version of Revised IGCS (C-RIGCS), among adolescents in China. Altogether, 755 students were recruited from junior middle schools in Guangzhou and Chengdu, China. The psychometric properties of the C-RIGCS were assessed by using appropriate statistical methods. The 4-factor model of the original IGCS was not supported by confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). In the split-half sub-samples, exploratory factor analysis suggested a 3-factor model for C-RIGCS, which was confirmed by CFA. The C-RIGCS and its three subscales showed satisfactory internal reliability, test-retest reliability, content validity, and absence of ceiling and floor effects (except on one case). Besides, the C-RIGCS and its three subscales were significantly correlated with external variables including IGD, gaming time, impulsivity, and self-control, and perceptions that Internet gaming is the primary source of self-esteem and social acceptance. The C-RIGCS proposed a new 3-factor model that showed satisfactory psychometric properties. It can be applied to understand maladaptive gaming cognitions of adolescent IGD.
A New Relatively Simple Approach to Multipole Interactions in Either Spherical Harmonics or Cartesians, Suitable for Implementation into Ewald Sums
Authors: Burnham Christian J. , English Niall J.
Published: December 2019

We present a novel derivation of the multipole interaction (energies, forces and fields) in spherical harmonics, which results in an expression that is able to exactly reproduce the results of earlier Cartesian formulations. Our method follows the derivations of Smith (W. Smith, CCP5 Newsletter 1998, 46, 18.) and Lin (D. Lin, J. Chem. Phys. 2015, 143, 114115), who evaluate the Ewald sum for multipoles in Cartesian form, and then shows how the resulting expressions can be converted into spherical harmonics, where the conversion is performed by establishing a relation between an inner product on the space of symmetric traceless Cartesian tensors, and an inner product on the space of harmonic polynomials on the unit sphere. We also introduce a diagrammatic method for keeping track of the terms in the multipole interaction expression, such that the total electrostatic energy can be viewed as a ‘sum over diagrams’, and where the conversion to spherical harmonics is represented by ‘braiding’ subsets of Cartesian components together. For multipoles of maximum rank n, our algorithm is found to have scaling of n 3.7 vs. n 4.5 for our most optimised Cartesian implementation.
Competitive Displacement between Bemisia tabaci MEAM1 and MED and Evidence for Multiple Invasions of MED
Authors: Tang Xiao-Tian , Cai Li , Shen Yuan , Xu Li-Li , Du Yu-Zhou
Published: December 2019

Despite the severe ecological damage and economic loss caused by invasive species, the factors contributing to successful invasion or displacement remain elusive. The whitefly, Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius), is an important invasive agricultural pest worldwide, causing severe damage to numerous crops by feeding or transmitting plant viruses. In this study, we monitored the dynamics of two invasive whitefly cryptic species, Middle East-Asia Minor 1 (MEAM1) and Mediterranean (MED), in Jiangsu, China, from 2005–2016. We found that B. tabaci MED quickly established and asserted dominance over MEAM1, resulting in their population displacement in Jiangsu in only three years (from 2005 to 2008). We further investigated the possible mechanisms underlying the successful invasion and competitive displacement from a genetic perspective. Based on sequencing of mitochondrial gene sequences from large numbers of whitefly samples, multiple invasion events of MED were validated by our genetic analyses. MED invaded Jiangsu starting from multiple introduction sites with secondary and/or subsequent invasive events. This may favor their invasion and displacement of MEAM1. This study advances our understanding of the mechanisms that enabled the successful invasion of MED.
Laves Phase Evolution in China Low-Activation Martensitic (CLAM) Steel during Long-Term Aging at 550 °C
Authors: Yang Lie , Zhao Fei , Ding Wenyuan
Published: December 2019

To clarify the precipitation and evolution law of the Laves phase in China low-activation martensitic (CLAM) steel during long-term aging at high temperature, this paper carried out an aging treatment of CLAM steel at 550 °C for up to 30,000 h. The segregation behavior of alloy elements and the precipitation amount and average size of the Laves phase were quantitatively characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and the precipitation and coarsening behavior of the Laves phase were obtained. The results show that the Laves phase begins to precipitate within 5000 h after aging and mainly depends on M23C6 carbides to nucleate and grow at the grain boundary and subgrain boundary. During the aging process, the average size of the Laves phase grows continuously. After more than 25,000 h, the growth rate of the Laves phase decreases. After 30,000 h of aging, the average size reaches 439.9 nm, and the maximum size exceeds 800 nm. The area fraction of the Laves phase increases continuously during the 20,000 h aging process and tends to be stable after aging for 20,000 h. The area fraction is approximately 1.85%.
Friction Stir Spot Welding of Aluminum and Copper: A Review
Authors: Li Mingshen , Zhang Chaoqun , Wang Dayong , Zhou Li , Wellmann Daniel , Tian Yingtao
Published: December 2019

Aluminum (Al) and copper (Cu) have been widely used in many industrial fields thanks to their good plasticity, high thermal conductivity and excellent electrical conductivity. An effective joining of dissimilar Al and Cu materials can make full use of the special characteristics of these two metals. Friction stir spot welding (FSSW), as an efficient solid-state welding method suitable for joining of dissimilar metal materials, has great prospects in future industrial applications. In this paper, the FSSW studies on Al-Cu dissimilar materials are reviewed. The research progress and current status of Al-Cu FSSW are reviewed with respect to tool features, macroscopic characteristics of welded joints, microstructures, defects in welds and mechanical properties of joints. In addition, some suggestions on further study are put forward in order to promote the development and progress of Al-Cu FSSW studies in several respects: material flow, thermal history, addition of intermediate layer, auxiliary methods and functionalization of Al-Cu FSSW joint.
Extending the Applicability of Stirling’s Method
Authors: Amorós Cristina , Argyros Ioannis K. , Magreñán Á. Alberto , Regmi Samundra , González Rubén , Sicilia Juan Antonio
Published: December 2019

Stirling’s method is considered as an alternative to Newton’s method when the latter fails to converge to a solution of a nonlinear equation. Both methods converge quadratically under similar convergence criteria and require the same computational effort. However, Stirling’s method has shortcomings too. In particular, contractive conditions are assumed to show convergence. However, these conditions limit its applicability. The novelty of our paper lies in the fact that our convergence criteria do not require contractive conditions. Hence, we extend its applicability of Stirling’s method. Numerical examples illustrate our new findings.
First Comprehensive Report of Clinical Fusarium Strains Isolated in the State of Sao Paulo (Brazil) and Identified by MALDI-TOF MS and Molecular Biology
Authors: Paziani Mario Henrique , Tonani Carvalho Ludmilla , Melhem Marcia de Souza Carvalho , Almeida Margarete Teresa Gottardo de , Nadaletto Bonifácio da Silva Maria Emilia , Martinez Roberto , Santos Cledir , von Zeska Kress Marcia Regina
Published: December 2019

The aim of this study was to compare the performance of matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS), phenotypic and molecular methods for the identification of Fusarium species complexes isolated from clinical cases in the State of Sao Paulo (Brazil) between the years 2001 and 2017. Sequencing of ITS region of ribosomal DNA and elongation factor 1 alpha gene (ET1α) were used as reference method in the analysis of a total of 108 Fusarium spp. clinical strains isolated from human hosts with superficial and systemic infections. Agreement between MALDI-TOF-MS and molecular data was observed for 97 out of 108 clinical isolates (89.8%), whereas five (4.6%) and six (5.5%) clinical isolates were misidentified and were not identified by MALDI-TOF MS, respectively. ITS region sequences and MALDI-TOF MS mass spectra identified and grouped correctly most of Fusarium clinical isolates at species complex level. This investigation highlights the potential of MALDI-TOF MS technique as a fast and cost-efficient alternative for clinical Fusarium identification. However, MALDI-TOF MS requires a more accurate and larger database. This work is the first comprehensive report for Fusarium population, based on phenotypic analyses, proteomic profile by MALDI-TOF and phylogenetic analyses of Fusarium species complexes isolated from clinical cases in the State of Sao Paulo, Brazil.
We’ve Come a Long Way, Baby: Announcing a Special Issue to Commemorate the Publication of Molecule’s 20,000th Paper
Authors: Chemat Farid , Dembinski Roman , Gautier Arnaud , Gauld James , McPhee Derek , Muñoz-Torrero Diego , Quirino Joselito , Schmidt Thomas , Soloshonok Vadim , von Itzstein Mark
Published: December 2019

On behalf of my Section Editor-in-Chief co-author colleagues I am pleased to announce a Special Issue to commemorate the recent publication of Molecules’ 20,000th paper [...]
Role of Overweight and Obesity in Gastrointestinal Disease
Authors: Emerenziani Sara , Pier Luca Guarino Michele , Trillo Asensio Laura , Altomare Annamaria , Ribolsi Mentore , Balestrieri Paola , Cicala Michele
Published: December 2019

The prevalence of obesity is increasing worldwide, leading to a severe impairment of overall health. Actually, obesity has been associated with several pathological conditions, causing an excess overall mortality. In particular, overweight and obesity are well known risk factors for a variety of gastrointestinal (GI) disorders i.e., functional GI disorders as well as, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), pancreatitis, and GI cancer. The aim of the present review is to summarize the potential role of overweight and obesity in GI disease with particular focus on plausible biological mechanisms that could explain the association between obesity and GI disease based on the most recent evidence in the literature.
All-Waste Hybrid Composites with Waste Silicon Photovoltaic Module
Authors: Cosnita Mihaela , Manciulea Ileana , Cazan Cristina
Published: December 2019

Nowadays, global warming, energy issues and environmental concern have forced energy production stakeholders to find new low carbon solutions. Photovoltaic technologies as renewable energy resources represent a competitive way for the transition from conventional fossil fuels towards a renewable energy economy. The highest renewable energy systems (RES) market share is based on silicon photovoltaic (Si-PV). The installed RES have rapidly increased over the last two decades, but, after the end of their service life, they will be disposed of. Therefore, the constant increase of the installed RES has attracted the global concern due to their impact on the environment and, most of all, due to the content of their valuable resources. However, the rational management of RES waste has not been addressed so far. The paper represents an extension of a previous work focused on Si-PV recycling by developing all waste hybrid composites. The extension research conducted in this paper is related to the influence of Si-PV characteristics on the mechanical performances and water stability of the hybrid composites. All waste hybrid composites developed by embedding different Si-PV grain sizes were tested before and after water immersion in terms of mechanical strength, interfacial adhesion, crystallinity and morphology by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analyses. The results revealed the better performance of such Si-PV composites compared to that of sieved composites even after long term water immersion. Therefore, high-content Si-PV hybrid composites could be developed without Si-PV powder sieving. Further on, all waste hybrid composites could be used as paving slabs, protective barriers for outdoor applications.