bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of Direct Horizontal Irradiance in China Using a Physically-Based Model and Machine Learning Methods
Authors: Chen Feiyan , Zhou Zhigao , Lin Aiwen , Niu Jiqiang , Qin Wenmin , Yang Zhong
Published: January 2019

Accurate estimation of direct horizontal irradiance (DHI) is a prerequisite for the design and location of concentrated solar power thermal systems. Previous studies have shown that DHI observation stations are too sparsely distributed to meet requirements, as a result of the high construction and maintenance costs of observation platforms. Satellite retrieval and reanalysis have been widely used for estimating DHI, but their accuracy needs to be further improved. In addition, numerous modelling techniques have been used for this purpose worldwide. In this study, we apply five machine learning methods: back propagation neural networks (BP), general regression neural networks (GRNN), genetic algorithm (Genetic), M5 model tree (M5Tree), multivariate adaptive regression splines (MARS); and a physically based model, Yang’s hybrid model (YHM). Daily meteorological variables, including air temperature (T), relative humidity (RH), surface pressure (SP), and sunshine duration (SD) were obtained from 839 China Meteorological Administration (CMA) stations in different climatic zones across China and were used as data inputs for the six models. DHI observations at 16 CMA radiation stations were used to validate their accuracy. The results indicate that the capability of M5Tree was superior to BP, GRNN, Genetic, MARS and YHM, with the lowest values of daily root mean square (RMSE) of 1.989 MJ m−2day−1, and the highest correlation coefficient (R = 0.956), respectively. Then, monthly and annual mean DHI during 1960–2016 were calculated to reveal the spatiotemporal variation of DHI across China, using daily meteorological data based on the M5tree model. The results indicated a significantly decreasing trend with a rate of −0.019 MJ m−2during 1960–2016, and the monthly and annual DHI values of the Tibetan Plateau are the highest, while whereas the lowest values occur in the southeastern part of the Yunnan−Guizhou Plateau, the Sichuan Basin and most of the southern Yangtze River Basin. The possible causes for spatiotemporal variation of DHI across China were investigated by discussing cloud and aerosol loading.
Fault Characterization of a Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell Stack
Authors: Simon Araya Samuel , Zhou Fan , Lennart Sahlin Simon , Thomas Sobi , Jeppesen Christian , Knudsen Kær Søren
Published: January 2019

In this paper, the main faults in a commercial proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) stack for micro-combined heat and power ( μ -CHP) application are investigated, with the scope of experimentally identifying fault indicators for diagnosis purposes. The tested faults were reactant starvation (both fuel and oxidant), flooding, drying, CO poisoning, and H2S poisoning. Galvanostatic electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) measurements were recorded between 2 kHz and 0.1 Hz on a commercial stack of 46 cells of a 100- cm 2 active area each. The results, obtained through distribution of relaxation time (DRT) analysis of the EIS data, show that characteristic peaks of the DRT and their changes with the different fault intensity levels can be used to extract the features of the tested faults. It was shown that flooding and drying present features on the opposite ends of the frequency spectrum due the effect of drying on the membrane conductivity and the blocking effect of flooding that constricts the reactants’ flow. Moreover, it was seen that while the effect of CO poisoning is limited to high frequency processes, above 100 Hz, the effects of H2S extend to below 10 Hz. Finally, the performance degradation due to all the tested faults, including H2S poisoning, is recoverable to a great extent, implying that condition correction after fault detection can contribute to prolonged lifetime of the fuel cell.
A Bio-Refinery Concept for N and P Recovery—A Chance for Biogas Plant Development
Authors: Szymańska Magdalena , Szara Ewa , Sosulski Tomasz , Wąs Adam , Van Pruissen Gijs W. P. , Cornelissen René L. , Borowik Mieczysław , Konkol Marcin
Published: January 2019

Biogas is an alternative source of energy for fossil fuels. In the process of transforming organic materials into biogas significant amounts of valuable digestate are produced. In order to make the whole process sustainable digestate should be utilized this is a constraining factor in the development of the biogas industry. Consequently, there is an on-going search for new technologies to process digestate, allowing to broaden the range of possible ways of digestate utilization. One of such possibilities is technology of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) recovery from the anaerobic digestate. In this study results of physicochemical analysis of materials flowing through the farm-scale bio-refinery producing struvite (STR) and ammonium sulphate (AS) are presented. Struvite was precipitated from the liquid fraction of digestate (LFDS). Ammonia was bound by sulphuric acid resulting in obtaining ammonium sulphate. The STR obtained was of medium purity and contained other macronutrients and micronutrients that further enhanced its agronomic value. The P recovery effectiveness, counted as the difference between the Ptot content in the material before and after STR precipitation was 43.8%. The AS was characterized by relatively low Ntot and Stot content. The Ntot recovery efficiency reached 43.2%. The study showed that struvite precipitation and ammonia stripping technologies can be used for processing digestate however, the processes efficiency should be improved.
Seasonal Dynamics of Floodplain Forest Understory–Impacts of Degradation, Light Availability and Temperature on Biomass and Species Composition
Authors: Czapiewska Natalia , Dyderski Marcin K. , Jagodziński Andrzej M.
Published: January 2019

Forest understory significantly contributes to matter cycling in ecosystems, but little is known about its carbon pool. This is especially poorly understood in floodplain forests, one of the most threatened ecosystems worldwide. We studied seasonal dynamics of biomass and species composition of understory vegetation in degraded and non-degraded floodplain forests, to improve our understanding of carbon pools in forest ecosystems. We hypothesized that degraded and non-degraded floodplain forests will differ in patterns of seasonal variability of biomass and species composition. The study was conducted in Poznań (W Poland) in two study plots (each with 10 samples) across 22 dates (March–November 2016). In each date, we collected understory aboveground biomass. We evaluated impact of light availability and soil temperature on biomass and species composition. Our study revealed high dynamics of biomass production. We found maximum biomass crop of understory in degraded floodplain forest on 24 April (930.12 ± 48.70 kg ha−1), whereas in non-degraded floodplain forest the maximum occurred on 30 May (768.99 ± 40.65 kg ha−1). At the beginning of the growing season, understory biomass was dominated by spring ephemerals and later these species were replaced by others present for the whole season. Additionally, we confirmed the positive impacts of light availability and temperature on understory primary production. The pattern revealed drove species composition shifts and low differences in biomass crop between consecutive dates. Patterns of understory biomass dynamics differed between degraded and non-degraded plots. Despite study limitations, we provided rare data about understory biomass dynamics of floodplain forests, increasing knowledge about carbon accumulation and cycling in floodplain forests, and contributing to global carbon assessments.
Comparative Analysis of the Complete Chloroplast Genome Sequences of Three Closely Related East-Asian Wild Roses (Rosa sect. Synstylae; Rosaceae)
Authors: Jeon Ji-Hyeon , Kim Seung-Chul
Published: January 2019

Species belonging to Rosa section Synstylae (Rosaceae) are mainly distributed in East Asia, and represent recently diverged lineages within the genus. Over decades, inferring phylogenetic relationships within section Synstylae have been exceptional challenges, due to short branch lengths and low support values. Of approximately 36 species in the section Synstylae, Rosa multiflora, Rosa luciae and Rosa maximowicziana are widely distributed in the Sino-Japanese floristic region. In this study, we assembled chloroplast genomes of these three species to compare the genomic features within section Synstylae, and to compare with other infrageneric groups. We found that three Rosa sect. Synstylae species had lost infA genes with pseudogenization, and they were almost identical to each other. Two protein-coding gene regions (ndhF and ycf1) and five non-coding regions (5’matK-trnK, psbI-trnS-trnG, rps16-trnG, rpoB-trnC, and rps4-trnT) were identified as being highly informative markers. Within three section Synstylae chloroplast genomes, 85 simple sequence repeat (SSR) motifs were detected, of which at least 13 motifs were identified to be effective markers. The phylogenetic relationships of R. multiflora, R. luciae and R. maximowicziana could not be resolved, even with chloroplast genome-wide data. This study reveals the chloroplast genomic data of Rosa sect. Synstylae, and it provides valuable markers for DNA barcoding and phylogenetic analyses for further studies.
Quantitative Proteomics of Potato Leaves Infected with Phytophthora infestans Provides Insights into Coordinated and Altered Protein Expression during Early and Late Disease Stages
Authors: Xiao Chunfang , Gao Jianhua , Zhang Yuanxue , Wang Zhen , Zhang Denghong , Chen Qiaoling , Ye Xingzhi , Xu Yi , Yang Guocai , Yan Lei , Cheng Qun , Chen Jiaji , Shen Yanfen
Published: January 2019

In order to get a better understanding of protein association during Solanum tuberosum (cv. Sarpo Mira)–Phytophthora infestans incompatible interaction, we investigated the proteome dynamics of cv. Sarpo Mira, after foliar application of zoospore suspension from P. infestans isolate, at three key time-points: zero hours post inoculation (hpi) (Control), 48 hpi (EI), and 120 hpi (LI); divided into early and late disease stages by the tandem mass tagging (TMT) method. A total of 1229 differentially-expressed proteins (DEPs) were identified in cv. Sarpo Mira in a pairwise comparison of the two disease stages, including commonly shared DEPs, specific DEPs in early and late disease stages, respectively. Over 80% of the changes in protein abundance were up-regulated in the early stages of infection, whereas more DEPs (61%) were down-regulated in the later disease stage. Expression patterns, functional category, and enrichment tests highlighted significant coordination and enrichment of cell wall-associated defense response proteins during the early stage of infection. The late stage was characterized by a cellular protein modification process, membrane protein complex formation, and cell death induction. These results, together with phenotypic observations, provide further insight into the molecular mechanism of P. infestans resistance in potatos.
The Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition Initiated by Malignant Ascites Underlies the Transmesothelial Invasion of Ovarian Cancer Cells
Authors: Pakuła Martyna , Mikuła-Pietrasik Justyna , Witucka Anna , Kostka-Jeziorny Katarzyna , Uruski Paweł , Moszyński Rafał , Naumowicz Eryk , Sajdak Stefan , Tykarski Andrzej , Książek Krzysztof
Published: January 2019

The role of the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in ovarian cancer cell progression is unquestioned. In this report, we describe that malignant ascites, fluid that accumulates in the peritoneal cavity in a large group of patients with ovarian cancer, stimulate EMT in two representative ovarian cancer cell lines (A2780, SKOV-3). In addition, we identify the ascites-derived mediators of EMT and signaling pathways initiated in the cancer cells that underlie this phenomenon. Finally, we demonstrate that EMT induced in the cancer cells in response to the malignant ascites contributes to their increased transmesothelial invasion. Altogether, our study provides new insight into the mechanistic aspects of the malignant ascites-dependent exacerbation of the intraperitoneal progression of ovarian cancer.
The Ribosome as a Missing Link in Prebiotic Evolution III: Over-Representation of tRNA- and rRNA-Like Sequences and Plieofunctionality of Ribosome-Related Molecules Argues for the Evolution of Primitive Genomes from Ribosomal RNA Modules
Authors: Root-Bernstein Robert , Root-Bernstein Meredith
Published: January 2019

We propose that ribosomal RNA (rRNA) formed the basis of the first cellular genomes, and provide evidence from a review of relevant literature and proteonomic tests. We have proposed previously that the ribosome may represent the vestige of the first self-replicating entity in which rRNAs also functioned as genes that were transcribed into functional messenger RNAs (mRNAs) encoding ribosomal proteins. rRNAs also encoded polymerases to replicate itself and a full complement of the transfer RNAs (tRNAs) required to translate its genes. We explore here a further prediction of our “ribosome-first” theory: the ribosomal genome provided the basis for the first cellular genomes. Modern genomes should therefore contain an unexpectedly large percentage of tRNA- and rRNA-like modules derived from both sense and antisense reading frames, and these should encode non-ribosomal proteins, as well as ribosomal ones with key cell functions. Ribosomal proteins should also have been co-opted by cellular evolution to play extra-ribosomal functions. We review existing literature supporting these predictions. We provide additional, new data demonstrating that rRNA-like sequences occur at significantly higher frequencies than predicted on the basis of mRNA duplications or randomized RNA sequences. These data support our “ribosome-first” theory of cellular evolution.
Hydrogen Peroxide and Nitric Oxide Crosstalk Mediates Brassinosteroids Induced Cold Stress Tolerance in Medicago truncatula
Authors: Arfan Muhammad , Zhang Da-Wei , Zou Li-Juan , Luo Shi-Shuai , Tan Wen-Rong , Zhu Tong , Lin Hong-Hui
Published: January 2019

Brassinosteroids (BRs) play pivotal roles in modulating plant growth, development, and stress responses. In this study, a Medicago truncatula plant pretreated with brassinolide (BL, the most active BR), enhanced cold stress tolerance by regulating the expression of several cold-related genes and antioxidant enzymes activities. Previous studies reported that hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and nitric oxide (NO) are involved during environmental stress conditions. However, how these two signaling molecules interact with each other in BRs-induced abiotic stress tolerance remain largely unclear. BL-pretreatment induced, while brassinazole (BRZ, a specific inhibitor of BRs biosynthesis) reduced H2O2 and NO production. Further, application of dimethylthiourea (DMTU, a H2O2 and OH− scavenger) blocked BRs-induced NO production, but BRs-induced H2O2 generation was not sensitive to 2-phenyl-4,4,5,5-tetramethylimidazoline-1-oxyl-3-oxide (PTIO, a scavenger of NO). Moreover, pretreatment with DMTU and PTIO decreased BL-induced mitochondrial alternative oxidase (AOX) and the photosystem capacity. However, pretreatment with PTIO was found to be more effective than DMTU in reducing BRs-induced increases in Valt, Vt, and MtAOX1 gene expression. Similarly, BRs-induced photosystem II efficiency was found in NO dependent manner than H2O2. Finally, we conclude that H2O2 was involved in NO generation, whereas NO was found to be crucial in BRs-induced AOX capacity, which further contributed to the protection of the photosystem under cold stress conditions in Medicago truncatula.
Roco Proteins: GTPases with a Baroque Structure and Mechanism
Authors: Wauters Lina , Versées Wim , Kortholt Arjan
Published: January 2019

Mutations in leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 (LRRK2) are a common cause of genetically inherited Parkinson’s Disease (PD). LRRK2 is a large, multi-domain protein belonging to the Roco protein family, a family of GTPases characterized by a central RocCOR (Ras of complex proteins/C-terminal of Roc) domain tandem. Despite the progress in characterizing the GTPase function of Roco proteins, there is still an ongoing debate concerning the working mechanism of Roco proteins in general, and LRRK2 in particular. This review consists of two parts. First, an overview is given of the wide evolutionary range of Roco proteins, leading to a variety of physiological functions. The second part focusses on the GTPase function of the RocCOR domain tandem central to the action of all Roco proteins, and progress in the understanding of its structure and biochemistry is discussed and reviewed. Finally, based on the recent work of our and other labs, a new working hypothesis for the mechanism of Roco proteins is proposed.
MiR-125b-2 Knockout in Testis Is Associated with Targeting to the PAP Gene, Mitochondrial Copy Number, and Impaired Sperm Quality
Authors: Li Longlong , Zhu Yanling , Chen Ting , Sun Jiajie , Luo Junyi , Shu Gang , Wang Songbo , Zhu Xiaotong , Jiang Qingyan , Zhang Yongliang , Xi Qianyun
Published: January 2019

It has been reported that the miR-125 family plays an important role in regulating embryo development. However, the function of miR-125b-2 in spermatogenesis remains unknown. In this study, we used a model of miR-125b knockout (KO) mice to study the relationship between miR-125b-2 and spermatogenesis. Among the KO mice, the progeny test showed that the litter size decreased significantly (p = 0.0002) and the rate of non-parous females increased significantly from 10% to 38%. At the same time, the testosterone concentration increased significantly (p = 0.007), with a remarkable decrease for estradiol (p = 0.02). Moreover, the sperm count decreased obviously (p = 0.011) and the percentage of abnormal sperm increased significantly (p = 0.0002). The testicular transcriptome sequencing revealed that there were 173 up-regulated genes, including Papolb (PAP), and 151 down-regulated genes in KO mice compared with wild type (WT). The Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) and gene ontology (GO) analysis showed that many of these genes were involved in sperm mitochondrial metabolism and other cellular biological processes. Meanwhile, the sperm mitochondria DNA (mtDNA) copy number increased significantly in the KO mice, but there were no changes observed in the mtDNA integrity and mutations of mt-Cytb, as well as the mt-ATP6 between the WT mice and KO mice. In the top 10 up-regulated genes, PAP, as a testis specific expressing gene, affect the process of spermatogenesis. Western blotting and the Luciferase assay validated that PAP was the target of miR-125b-5p. Intriguingly, we also found that both miR-125b and PAP were only highly expressed in the germ cells (GC) instead of in the Leydig cells (LC) and Sertoli cells (SC). Additionally, miR-125b-5p down regulated the secretion of testosterone in the TM3 cell by targeting PAP (p = 0.021). Our study firstly demonstrated that miR-125b-2 regulated testosterone secretion by directly targeting PAP, and increased the sperm mtDNA copy number to affect semen quality. The study indicated that miR-125b-2 had a positive influence on the reproductive performance of animals by regulating the expression of the PAP gene, and could be a potential drugs and diagnostic target for male infertility.
In Vitro Induction of Tendon-Specific Markers in Tendon Cells, Adipose- and Bone Marrow-Derived Stem Cells is Dependent on TGFβ3, BMP-12 and Ascorbic Acid Stimulation
Authors: Perucca Orfei Carlotta , Viganò Marco , Pearson John R. , Colombini Alessandra , De Luca Paola , Ragni Enrico , Santos-Ruiz Leonor , De Girolamo Laura
Published: January 2019

Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSCs) and tissue-specific progenitors have been proposed as useful tools for regenerative medicine approaches in bone, cartilage and tendon-related pathologies. The differentiation of cells towards the desired, target tissue-specific lineage has demonstrated advantages in the application of cell therapies and tissue engineering. Unlike osteogenic and chondrogenic differentiation, there is no consensus on the best tenogenic induction protocol. Many growth factors have been proposed for this purpose, including BMP-12, b-FGF, TGF-β3, CTGF, IGF-1 and ascorbic acid (AA). In this study, different combinations of these growth factors have been tested in the context of a two-step differentiation protocol, in order to define their contribution to the induction and maintenance of tendon marker expression in adipose tissue and bone marrow derived MSCs and tendon cells (TCs), respectively. Our results demonstrate that TGF-β3 is the main inducer of scleraxis, an early expressed tendon marker, while at the same time inhibiting tendon markers normally expressed later, such as decorin. In contrast, we find that decorin is induced by BMP-12, b-FGF and AA. Our results provide new insights into the effect of different factors on the tenogenic induction of MSCs and TCs, highlighting the importance of differential timing in TGF-β3 stimulation.
Myelination in Multiple Sclerosis Lesions Is Associated with Regulation of Bone Morphogenetic Protein 4 and Its Antagonist Noggin
Authors: Harnisch Kim , Teuber-Hanselmann Sarah , Macha Nicole , Mairinger Fabian , Fritsche Lena , Soub Daniel , Meinl Edgar , Junker Andreas
Published: January 2019

Remyelination is a central aspect of new multiple sclerosis (MS) therapies, in which one aims to alleviate disease symptoms by improving axonal protection. However, a central problem is mediators expressed in MS lesions that prevent effective remyelination. Bone morphogenetic protein4 (BMP4) inhibits the development of mature oligodendrocytes in cell culture and also blocks the expression of myelin proteins. Additionally, numerous studies have shown that Noggin (SYM1)—among other physiological antagonists of BMP4—plays a prominent role in myelin formation in the developing but also the adult central nervous system. Nonetheless, neither BMP4 nor Noggin have been systematically studied in human MS lesions. In this study, we demonstrated by transcript analysis and immunohistochemistry that BMP4 is expressed by astrocytes and microglia/macrophages in association with inflammatory infiltrates in MS lesions, and that astrocytes also express BMP4 in chronic inactive lesions that failed to remyelinate. Furthermore, the demonstration of an increased expression of Noggin in so-called shadow plaques (i.e., remyelinated lesions with thinner myelin sheaths) in comparison to chronically inactive demyelinated lesions implies that antagonizing BMP4 is associated with successful remyelination in MS plaques in humans. However, although BMP4 is strongly overexpressed in inflammatory lesion areas, its levels are also elevated in remyelinated lesion areas, which raises the possibility that BMP4 signaling itself may be required for remyelination. Therefore, remyelination might be influenced by a small number of key factors. Manipulating these molecules, i.e., BMP4 and Noggin, could be a promising therapeutic approach for effective remyelination.
Alterations of the Immunologic Co-Stimulator B7 and TNFR Families Correlate with Hepatocellular Carcinoma Prognosis and Metastasis by Inactivating STAT3
Authors: Li Yi-Ming , Liu Zhen-Yu , Li Zhu-Chun , Wang Jian-Chao , Yu Jing-Min , Yang Hai-Jiao , Chen Zhi-Nan , Tang Juan
Published: January 2019

Blockade of the immunosuppressive checkpoint receptors cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein 4 (CTLA4) or programmed death 1 (PD-1) and its cognate ligand, programmed death 1 ligand (PD-L1), has altered the landscape of anti-tumor immunotherapy. B7 family and tumor necrosis factor receptor (TNFR) superfamily play a crucial role in T cell activation, tolerance, and anergy through co-stimulatory and inhibitory signal transduction. Investigating the immune molecular landscapes of the B7 and TNFR families is critical in defining the promising responsive candidates. Herein, we performed comprehensive alteration analysis of the B7 and TNFR family genes across six hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) datasets with over 1000 patients using cBioPortal TCGA data. About 16% of patients had both B7 and TNFR gene alterations. TNFR gene amplifications were relatively more common (1.73–8.82%) than B7 gene amplifications (1.61–2.94%). Analysis of 371 sequenced samples revealed that all genes were upregulated: B7 and TNFR mRNA were upregulated in 23% of cases (86/371) and 28% of cases (105/371), respectively. Promoter methylation analysis indicated an epigenetic basis for B7 and TNFR gene regulation. The mRNA levels of B7 and TNFR genes were inversely correlated with promoter methylation status. B7-H6 expression was significantly associated with worse overall survival, and B7-H6 mRNA was increased gradually in cases with gene copy number alterations. B7-H6 overexpression was associated with aggressive clinicopathologic features and poor prognosis in HCC. Downregulation of B7-H6 in HCC cells significantly inhibited cell adhesion, proliferation, migration, and invasion. Knockdown of B7-H6 in HCC cells inhibited tumor growth and metastasis in vivo. B7-H6 promoted HCC metastasis via induction of MMP-9 expression and STAT3 activation. B7-H6 and STAT3 performed functional overlapping roles on enhancing the MMP-9 promoter activity in HCC cells. These results suggest that alterations of the immunologic co-stimulator B7 and TNFR families correlate with HCC metastasis and prognosis, and especially B7-H6 plays a critical role in promoting metastasis of HCC.
Chloramphenicol Induces Autophagy and Inhibits the Hypoxia Inducible Factor-1 Alpha Pathway in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Cells
Authors: Hsu Han-Lin , Liao Po-Lin , Cheng Yu-Wen , Huang Shih-Hsuan , Wu Chien-Hua , Li Ching-Hao , Kang Jaw-Jou
Published: January 2019

Chloramphenicol is an inexpensive and excellent bactericidal antibiotic. It is used to combat anaerobic infections in the Third World countries, whereas its systemic application has been abandoned in developed countries. However, in recent years, clinicians have reintroduced chloramphenicol in clinical practice. In this study, chloramphenicol was found to repress the oxygen-labile transcription factor, hypoxia inducible factor-1 alpha (HIF-1α), in hypoxic A549 and H1299 cells. Furthermore, it suppressed the mRNA levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and glucose transporter 1, eventually decreasing VEGF release. Chloramphenicol initiated the autophagy pathway in treated cells, as observed by the increase in formation of Atg12-Atg5 conjugates, and in beclin-1 and LC3-II levels. The chloramphenicol-mediated HIF-1α degradation was completely reverted by autophagic flux blockage. In HIF-1α-overexpressing cells, the formation of HIF-1α/SENP-1 (Sentrin/SUMO-specific protease 1) protein complex seemed to facilitate the escape of HIF-1α from degradation. Chloramphenicol inhibited HIF-1α/SENP-1 protein interaction, thereby destabilizing HIF-1α protein. The enhancement in HIF-1α degradation due to chloramphenicol was evident during the incubation of the antibiotic before hypoxia and after HIF-1α accumulation. Since HIF-1α plays multiple roles in infections, inflammation, and cancer cell stemness, our findings suggest a potential clinical value of chloramphenicol in the treatment of these conditions.
Airfield Infrastructure Management Using Network-Level Optimization and Stochastic Duration Modeling
Authors: Noruzoliaee Mohamadhossein , Zou Bo
Published: January 2019

This paper proposes a facility-specific modeling approach to plan maintenance and rehabilitation (M&R) activities on a network of airport runway pavement facilities. The objective of the modeling approach is to minimize system M&R cost while recommending M&R activities for each runway pavement facility over a planning horizon. To do so, pavement condition forecast is derived from estimating stochastic duration models which capture the inherent uncertainty and dynamics in pavement deterioration and impacts of exogenous factors. Building on the pavement condition forecast, a network optimization-based M&R planning framework is developed which accounts for the interdependence of M&R activities among facilities as reflected in (1) the requirement for aggregate pavement performance and (2) simultaneous implementation of a major M&R action on connected facilities. The budget constraint is also respected. The M&R planning framework with the stochastic duration model-based pavement condition forecast is applied to Chicago O’Hare International Airport. It is found that the proposed approach leads to much reduced M&R cost compared to the state-of-the-practice which does not consider the interdependence of M&R activities among different pavement facilities. On the other hand, accounting for the simultaneous implementation of a major M&R action on connected facilities would substantially increase M&R cost.
Sublethal Effects of Imidacloprid on the Population Development of Western Flower Thrips Frankliniella occidentalis (Thysanoptera: Thripidae)
Authors: Cao Yu , Yang Hong , Li Jun , Wang Chun , Li Can , Gao Yulin
Published: January 2019

The Western flower thrips (WFT, Frankliniella occidentalis) is a global polyphagous pest that is often dependent on chemical control. Imidacloprid has been a commonly used chemical insecticide for effective control of WFT. Low concentrations of insecticides can have sublethal effects on individual insects. However, no more information is known about the effects of exposure at low concentrations of imidacloprid on WFT. Here, we evaluated the effects of imidacloprid at sublethal concentrations on WFT population growth parameters. We first exposed the parental generation to LC10 (56.8 mg/L) and LC25 (79.2 mg/L) concentrations of imidacloprid. We then quantified various parameters related to the development, survival, and fecundity of the F1 generation also exposed to these same concentrations. The development time of the treatment groups exposed to imidacloprid was significantly shorter than the control group, and the net reproductive rate (R0) was significantly higher for treatment groups than for the control group. For both variables, there was no significant difference between LC10 and LC25 exposure. The generational survival rate was significantly higher for the control group, followed by the LC10 treatment group and then the LC25 treatment group. However, the opposite was true for fecundity and intrinsic rate of increase (rm) of WFT. In summary, exposure to low concentrations of imidacloprid was positive for the population development of WFT, which may contribute to the development of insecticide resistance and cause resurgence in WFT populations.
Application of IoT-Aided Simulation to Manufacturing Systems in Cyber-Physical System
Authors: Tan Yifei , Yang Wenhe , Yoshida Kohtaroh , Takakuwa Soemon
Published: January 2019

With the rapid development of mobile and wireless networking technologies, data has become more ubiquitous and the IoT (Internet of Things) is attracting much attention due to high expectations for enabling innovative service, efficiency, and productivity improvement. In next-generation manufacturing, the digital twin (DT) has been proposed as a new concept and simulation tool for collecting and synchronizing real-world information in real time in cyber space to cope with the challenges of smart factories. Although the DT is considered a challenging technology, it is still at the conceptual stage and only a few studies have specifically discussed methods for its construction and implementation. In this study, we first explain the concept of DT and important issues involved in developing it within an IoT-aided manufacturing environment. Then, we propose a DT construction framework and scheme for inputting data derived from the IoT into a simulation model. Finally, we describe how we verify the effectiveness of the proposed framework and scheme, by constructing a DT-oriented simulation model for an IoT-aided manufacturing system.
An Extended Single-Valued Neutrosophic Projection-Based Qualitative Flexible Multi-Criteria Decision-Making Method
Authors: Tian Chao , Zhang Wen Yu , Zhang Shuai , Peng Juan Juan
Published: January 2019

With respect to multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) problems in which the criteria denote the form of single-valued neutrosophic sets (SVNSs), and the weight information is also fully unknown, a novel MCDM method based on qualitative flexible multiple criteria (QUALIFLEX) is developed. Firstly, the improved cosine measure of the included angle between two SVNSs is defined. Then, the improved single-valued neutrosophic projection is developed, and the corresponding improved single-valued neutrosophic bidirectional projection and single-valued neutrosophic bidirectional projection difference are investigated. Moreover, the partial ordering relation of SVNSs is developed. Secondly, an extended QUALIFLEX method based on an improved single-valued neutrosophic projection measure is proposed to handle MCDM problems in which the weights of criteria are completely unknown. Finally, an example for selection of a green supplier, as well as a performance comparison analysis, are provided to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.
Analysis of Homotopy Perturbation Method for Solving Fractional Order Differential Equations
Authors: Javeed Shumaila , Baleanu Dumitru , Waheed Asif , Shaukat Khan Mansoor , Affan Hira
Published: January 2019

The analysis of Homotopy Perturbation Method (HPM) for the solution of fractional partial differential equations (FPDEs) is presented. A unified convergence theorem is given. In order to validate the theory, the solution of fractional-order Burger-Poisson (FBP) equation is obtained. Furthermore, this work presents the method to find the solution of FPDEs, while the same partial differential equation (PDE) with ordinary derivative i.e., for α = 1 , is not defined in the given domain. Moreover, HPM is applied to a complicated obstacle boundary value problem (BVP) of fractional order.
Time-Space Fractional Coupled Generalized Zakharov-Kuznetsov Equations Set for Rossby Solitary Waves in Two-Layer Fluids
Authors: Fu Lei , Chen Yaodeng , Yang Hongwei
Published: January 2019

In this paper, the theoretical model of Rossby waves in two-layer fluids is studied. A single quasi-geostrophic vortex equation is used to derive various models of Rossby waves in a one-layer fluid in previous research. In order to explore the propagation and interaction of Rossby waves in two-layer fluids, from the classical quasi-geodesic vortex equations, by employing the multi-scale analysis and turbulence method, we derived a new (2+1)-dimensional coupled equations set, namely the generalized Zakharov-Kuznetsov(gZK) equations set. The gZK equations set is an extension of a single ZK equation; they can describe two kinds of weakly nonlinear waves interaction by multiple coupling terms. Then, for the first time, based on the semi-inverse method and the variational method, a new fractional-order model which is the time-space fractional coupled gZK equations set is derived successfully, which is greatly different from the single fractional equation. Finally, group solutions of the time-space fractional coupled gZK equations set are obtained with the help of the improved ( G ′ / G ) -expansion method.
Effect of Pentacyclic Guanidine Alkaloids from the Sponge Monanchora pulchra on Activity of α-Glycosidases from Marine Bacteria
Authors: Bakunina Irina , Likhatskaya Galina , Slepchenko Lubov , Balabanova Larissa , Tekutyeva Liudmila , Son Oksana , Shubina Larisa , Makarieva Tatyana
Published: January 2019

The effect of monanchomycalin B, monanhocicidin A, and normonanhocidin A isolated from the Northwest Pacific sample of the sponge Monanchora pulchra was investigated on the activity of α-galactosidase from the marine γ-proteobacterium Pseudoalteromonas sp. KMM 701 (α-PsGal), and α-N-acetylgalactosaminidase from the marine bacterium Arenibacter latericius KMM 426T (α-NaGa). All compounds are slow-binding irreversible inhibitors of α-PsGal, but have no effect on α-NaGa. A competitive inhibitor d-galactose protects α-PsGal against the inactivation. The inactivation rate (kinact) and equilibrium inhibition (Ki) constants of monanchomycalin B, monanchocidin A, and normonanchocidin A were 0.166 ± 0.029 min−1 and 7.70 ± 0.62 μM, 0.08 ± 0.003 min−1 and 15.08 ± 1.60 μM, 0.026 ± 0.000 min−1, and 4.15 ± 0.01 μM, respectively. The 2D-diagrams of α-PsGal complexes with the guanidine alkaloids were constructed with “vessel” and “anchor” parts of the compounds. Two alkaloid binding sites on the molecule of α-PsGal are shown. Carboxyl groups of the catalytic residues Asp451 and Asp516 of the α-PsGal active site interact with amino groups of “anchor” parts of the guanidine alkaloid molecules.
Astaxanthin Attenuates Environmental Tobacco Smoke-Induced Cognitive Deficits: A Critical Role of p38 MAPK
Authors: Yang Xia , Guo An-Lei , Pang Yi-Peng , Cheng Xiao-Jing , Xu Ting , Li Xin-Rui , Liu Jiao , Zhang Yu-Yun , Liu Yi
Published: January 2019

Increasing evidence indicates that environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) impairs cognitive function and induces oxidative stress in the brain. Recently, astaxanthin (ATX), a marine bioactive compound, has been reported to ameliorate cognitive deficits. However, the underlying pathogenesis remains unclear. In this study, ATX administration (40 mg/kg and 80 mg/kg, oral gavage) and cigarette smoking were carried out once a day for 10 weeks to investigate whether the p38 MAPK is involved in cognitive function in response to ATX treatment in the cortex and hippocampus of ETS mice. Results indicated that ATX administration improved spatial learning and memory of ETS mice (p < 0.05 or p < 0.01). Furthermore, exposure to ATX prevented the increases in the protein levels of the p38mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38 MAPK; p < 0.05 or p < 0.01) and nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB p65; p < 0.05 or p < 0.01), reversed the decreases in the mRNA and protein levels of synapsin I (SYN) and postsynaptic density protein 95 (PSD-95) (all p < 0.05 or p < 0.01). Moreover, ATX significantly down-regulated the increased levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines including interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α) (all p < 0.05 or p < 0.01). Meanwhile, the increased level of malondialdehyde (MDA) and the decreased activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione (GSH), and catalase (CAT) were suppressed after exposure to ATX (all p < 0.05 or p < 0.01). Also, the results of the molecular docking study of ATX into the p38 MAPK binding site revealed that its mechanism was possibly similar to that of PH797804, a p38 MAPK inhibitor. Therefore, our results indicated that the ATX might be a critical agent in protecting the brain against neuroinflammation, synaptic plasticity impairment, and oxidative stress in the cortex and hippocampus of ETS mice.
Effect of Eutectic Mg2Si Phase Modification on the Mechanical Properties of Al-8Zn-6Si-4Mg-2Cu Cast Alloy
Authors: Kim Byung Joo , Jung Sung Su , Hwang Ji Hoon , Park Yong Ho , Lee Young Cheol
Published: January 2019

The modification effect of Al-5Ti-1B master alloy on eutectic Mg2Si in Al-Zn-Si-Mg system alloy was investigated in this study. The microstructure shows that an extreme effect can be achieved after the addition of Al-5Ti-1B master alloy into the base alloy. The morphology of eutectic Mg2Si changed from Chinese script to fine polygonal shape, and the size was refined from over 50 μm to under 10 μm. This morphology change is believed to be due to TiB2 particles existing in Al-5Ti-1B master alloy, and the presence of TiB2 particles inside the modified Mg2Si was confirmed by scanning electron microscope/energy dispersive spectrometer (SEM/EDS) observation. The mechanical properties were also improved by the addition of Al-5Ti-1B master alloys. This study investigated the reason for the improvement in mechanical properties with the modification of the microstructure.
Length-Dependent Electronic Transport Properties of the ZnO Nanorod
Authors: Huang Baorui , Zhang Fuchun , Yang Yanning , Zhang Zhiyong
Published: January 2019

The two-probe device of nanorod-coupled gold electrodes is constructed based on the triangular zinc oxide (ZnO) nanorod. The length-dependent electronic transport properties of the ZnO nanorod was studied by density functional theory (DFT) with the non-equilibrium Green’s function (NEGF). Our results show that the current of devices decreases with increasing length of the ZnO nanorod at the same bias voltage. Metal-like behavior for the short nanorod was observed under small bias voltage due to the interface state between gold and the ZnO nanorod. However, the influence of the interface on the device was negligible under the condition that the length of the ZnO nanorod increases. Moreover, the rectification behavior was observed for the longer ZnO nanorod, which was analyzed from the transmission spectra and molecular-projected self-consistent Hamiltonian (MPSH) states. Our results indicate that the ZnO nanorod would have potential applications in electronic-integrated devices.
Handheld Inkjet Printing Paper Chip Based Smart Tetracycline Detector
Authors: Li Jiahao , Wang Xin , Shan Yanke , Huang Huachuan , Jian Dan , Xue Liang , Wang Shouyu , Liu Fei
Published: January 2019

Tetracycline is widely used as medicine for disease treatments and additives in animal feeding. Unfortunately, the abuse of tetracycline inevitably causes tetracycline residue in animal-origin foods. Though classical methods can detect tetracycline in high sensitivity and precision, they often rely on huge and expensive setups as well as complicated and time-consuming operations, limiting their applications in rapid and on-site detection. Here, we propose a handheld inkjet printing paper chip based smart tetracycline detector: tetracycline can be determined by inkjet printing prepared paper chip based enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) with the advantages of high sensitivity, excellent specificity and low cost; moreover, a smartphone based paper chip reader and application is designed for automatically determining tetracycline with simple operations, high precision and fast speed. The smart tetracycline detector with a compact size of 154 mm × 80 mm × 50 mm and self-supplied internal power can reach a rather low detection limit of ~0.05 ng/mL, as proved by practical measurements. It is believed the proposed handheld inkjet printing paper chip based smart tetracycline detector is a potential tool in antibiotic sensing for routine uses at home and on-site detection in the field.
Fabrication of Taper Free Micro-Holes Utilizing a Combined Rotating Helical Electrode and Short Voltage Pulse by ECM
Authors: Liu Yong , Li Minghong , Niu Jingran , Lu Shizhou , Jiang Yong
Published: January 2019

Fabrication of the injection nozzle micro-hole on the aero engine is a difficult problem in today’s manufacturing industry. In addition to the size requirements, the nozzle micro-hole also requires no burr, no taper and no heat-affected zone. To solve the above problem, an ultra-short voltage pulse and a high-speed rotating helical electrode were used in electrochemical drilling (ECD) process. Firstly, a theoretical model of ECD with ultra-short voltage pulse was established to investigate the effects of many predominant parameters on machining accuracy, and the effect of rotating helical electrode on the gap flow field was analyzed. Secondly, sets of experiments were carried out to investigate the effects of many key parameters on machining accuracy and efficiency. Finally, the optimized parameters were applied to machine micro holes on 500 μm thickness of GH4169 plate, and micro-holes with the diameter of 186 μm with no taper were machined at the feed rate of 1.2 μm/s. It is proved that the proposed ECD process for fabricating micro-holes with no taper has a huge potential and broad application prospects.
Anti-Inflammatory and Anti-Oxidant Activity of Portulaca oleracea Extract on LPS-Induced Rat Lung Injury
Authors: Baradaran Rahimi Vafa , Rakhshandeh Hassan , Raucci Federica , Buono Benedetta , Shirazinia Reza , Samzadeh Kermani Alireza , Maione Francesco , Mascolo Nicola , Askari Vahid
Published: January 2019

Acute lung injury (ALI) and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) are classified as two lung complications arising from various conditions such as sepsis, trauma, and lung inflammation. Previous studies have shown that the extract of the leaves of Portulaca oleracea (PO) possesses anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant activities. In the present study, the effects of PO (50–200 mg/kg) and dexamethasone (Dexa; 1.5 mg/kg) on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced ALI were investigated. Subsequentially, the lung wet/dry ratio; white blood cells (WBC); levels of nitric oxide (NO); myeloperoxidase (MPO); malondialdehyde (MDA); thiol groups formation; super oxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activities; and levels of interleukin (IL)-1β, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, IL-6, IL-10, prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), and transforming growth factor (TGF)-β in the broncho alveolar lavage fluid (BALF) were evaluated in order to demonstrate the anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory activity of PO. Our results show that PO suppresses lung inflammation by the reduction of IL-β, IL-6, TNF-α, PGE2, and TGF-β, as well as by the increase of IL-10 levels. We also found that PO improves the level of WBC, MPO, and MDA, as well as thiol group formation and SOD and CAT activities, compared with the LPS group. The results of our investigation also show that PO significantly decreased the lung wet/dry ratio as an index of interstitial edema. Taken together, our findings reveal that PO extract dose-dependently displays anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory activity against LPS-induced rat ALI, paving the way for rational use of PO as a protective agent against lung-related inflammatory disease.
Identification of Novel Potential Inhibitors of Pteridine Reductase 1 in Trypanosoma brucei via Computational Structure-Based Approaches and in Vitro Inhibition Assays
Authors: Kimuda Magambo Phillip , Laming Dustin , Hoppe Heinrich C. , Tastan Bishop Özlem
Published: January 2019

Pteridine reductase 1 (PTR1) is a trypanosomatid multifunctional enzyme that provides a mechanism for escape of dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) inhibition. This is because PTR1 can reduce pterins and folates. Trypanosomes require folates and pterins for survival and are unable to synthesize them de novo. Currently there are no anti-folate based Human African Trypanosomiasis (HAT) chemotherapeutics in use. Thus, successful dual inhibition of Trypanosoma brucei dihydrofolate reductase (TbDHFR) and Trypanosoma brucei pteridine reductase 1 (TbPTR1) has implications in the exploitation of anti-folates. We carried out molecular docking of a ligand library of 5742 compounds against TbPTR1 and identified 18 compounds showing promising binding modes. The protein-ligand complexes were subjected to molecular dynamics to characterize their molecular interactions and energetics, followed by in vitro testing. In this study, we identified five compounds which showed low micromolar Trypanosome growth inhibition in in vitro experiments that might be acting by inhibition of TbPTR1. Compounds RUBi004, RUBi007, RUBi014, and RUBi018 displayed moderate to strong antagonism (mutual reduction in potency) when used in combination with the known TbDHFR inhibitor, WR99210. This gave an indication that the compounds might inhibit both TbPTR1 and TbDHFR. RUBi016 showed an additive effect in the isobologram assay. Overall, our results provide a basis for scaffold optimization for further studies in the development of HAT anti-folates.