bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Study on Seismic Performance and Damage Analysis of Steel Plate Shear Wall with Partially Encased Composite (PEC) Columns
Authors: Yin Zhanzhong , Zhang Hui , Yang Wenwei
Published: March 2019

A steel plate shear wall often uses partially encased composite (PEC) columns instead of edge frame columns. Such a steel plate shear wall not only bears the gravity load of the structure and resists the bending moment caused by lateral force by taking advantage of the high bearing capacity and bending stiffness of PEC columns, but also effectively anchors with the frame column to counteract the tension field generated by the steel plate. Therefore, the performance of the steel plate shear wall after buckling can be fully exerted and the seismic performance of the structure can be improved. In order to investigate the seismic performance of the structure, a 1/3-scale specimen test of steel plate shear wall with PEC columns is designed and fabricated, and a finite element model is established with the same size of test. It is found that the test and simulation results are in good agreement, which confirms the reliability of the simulation. Subsequently, 20 models with different parameters of steel plate shear wall with PEC columns are analyzed using ABAQUS. Finally, the failure mode, hysteretic behavior, skeleton curve, and bearing capacity of steel plate shear wall with PEC columns are obtained. The results show that PEC columns have a good anchoring effect on the diagonal tension field and can fully exert the plasticity of the infill steel plate, so that steel plate shear wall with PEC columns has superior seismic performance. Experiments also reveal that the crack type of damages appear in a steel plate shear wall with PEC columns, and, as a future work, the authors will explore the use of structural health monitoring methods, such as piezoceramic transducer-based method, to monitor such cracks.
“Like Death is Near”: Expressions of Suicidal and Homicidal Ideation in the Blog Posts of Family Caregivers of People with Dementia
Authors: Anderson Joel , Eppes Alexis , O’Dwyer Siobhan
Published: March 2019

Background: The challenges of providing care for someone with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD) have been associated with increased stress, poor mental and physical health, social isolation, and financial distress. More recently, caregiving has been associated with high rates of suicidal and homicidal ideation, but the research on these phenomena is limited. The present study analyzed a sample of blogs written by family caregivers of people with ADRD to explore thoughts of suicide and homicide expressed by these caregivers. Methods: Blogs written by self-identified informal caregivers of people with ADRD were identified using a systematic search method and data were analyzed using a qualitative thematic analysis. Results: Five themes related to thoughts of suicide and homicide by caregivers and people with ADRD were derived from the analysis: (1) end-of-life care; (2) thoughts of death and euthanasia by the person with ADRD; (3) surrogate decision making; (4) thoughts of suicide by the caregiver; and (5) thoughts of homicide and euthanasia by the caregiver. Conclusions: The results capture the reality of suicidal and homicidal thoughts among family caregivers of people with ADRD, supporting calls for more research on these complex topics and highlighting the need for changes to clinical practice to prevent thoughts from becoming behaviors or actions.
Disseminated Bartonella henselae Infection Visualized by [18F]FDG-PET/CT and MRI
Authors: Norredam Marie , Knudsen Andreas , Thomsen Carsten , Wiese Lothar
Published: March 2019

We describe the clinical course of a 24-year old male with Crohn’s disease in immunosuppressive therapy admitted with a 6-week history of fever, weight loss, night sweat, and general malaise. The patient received extensive workup for a fever of unknown origin and received empiric antibiotics. Workup with Fluorine-18 fluoro-2-deoxy-d-glucose ([18F]FDG) positron-emission tomography (PET/CT), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with intravenous contrast showed multifocal ostitis of the columna and os sacrum, as well as abscesses in m. iliopsoas and m. iliacus and affection of the retroperitoneum, liver, and spleen. Initially, malignancy was suspected, but a subsequent liver biopsy showed necrotizing granulomatous inflammation and a later polymerase chain reaction (PCR) showed Bartonella henselae. The patient had relevant exposure from housecats. He was treated with Doxycycline and Rifampicin for 12 weeks resulting in complete recovery. This case is, to our knowledge, a rare example of disseminated infection with Bartonella henselae visualized on both [18F]FDG-PET/CT and MRI.
Cranberry Polyphenols: Natural Weapons against Dental Caries
Authors: Philip Nebu , Walsh Laurence J.
Published: March 2019

Bioactive polyphenol components of cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon) are known to have virulence attenuating effects against several cariogenic virulence properties responsible for dental caries pathogenesis. In particular, cranberry A-type proanthocyanidins and flavonols have demonstrated potent inhibitory effects against cariogenic virulence targets such as bacterial acidogenicity, aciduricity, glucan synthesis, and hydrophobicity. Cranberry phenols have the ability to disrupt these cariogenic virulence properties without being bactericidal, a key quality essential for retaining the benefits of the symbiotic resident oral microbiome and preventing the emergence of resistant microbes. This review discusses the cariostatic mechanisms of specific cranberry phytochemicals and their potential use as therapeutic agents against cariogenic bacteria in the prevention and control of dental caries.
High-Pressure Induced Phase Transitions in High-Entropy Alloys: A Review
Authors: Zhang Fei , Lou Hongbo , Cheng Benyuan , Zeng Zhidan , Zeng Qiaoshi
Published: March 2019

High-entropy alloys (HEAs) as a new class of alloy have been at the cutting edge of advanced metallic materials research in the last decade. With unique chemical and topological structures at the atomic level, HEAs own a combination of extraordinary properties and show potential in widespread applications. However, their phase stability/transition, which is of great scientific and technical importance for materials, has been mainly explored by varying temperature. Recently, pressure as another fundamental and powerful parameter has been introduced to the experimental study of HEAs. Many interesting reversible/irreversible phase transitions that were not expected or otherwise invisible before have been observed by applying high pressure. These recent findings bring new insight into the stability of HEAs, deepens our understanding of HEAs, and open up new avenues towards developing new HEAs. In this paper, we review recent results in various HEAs obtained using in situ static high-pressure synchrotron radiation x-ray techniques and provide some perspectives for future research.
TARCS: A Topology Change Aware-Based Routing Protocol Choosing Scheme of FANETs
Authors: Hong Jie , Zhang Dehai
Published: March 2019

The rapid change of topology is one of the most important factors affecting the performance of the routing protocols of flying ad hoc networks (FANETs). A routing scheme suitable for highly dynamic mobile ad hoc networks is proposed for the rapid change of topology in complex scenarios. In the scheme moving nodes sense changes of the surrounding network topology periodically, and the current mobile scenario is confirmed according to the perceived result. Furthermore, a suitable routing protocol is selected for maintaining network performances at a high level. The concerned performance metrics are packet delivery ratio, network throughput, average end-to-end delay and average jitter. The experiments combine the random waypoint model, the reference point group mobility model and the pursue model to a chain scenario, and simulate the large changes of the network topology. Results show that an appropriate routing scheme can adapt to rapid changes in network topology and effectively improve network performance.
Novel Calibration of MIESM and Reduction of CQI Feedback for Improved Fast Link Adaptation
Authors: Lee Hyunjee , Kim Haseong , Park Hosung
Published: March 2019

In mobile communications systems, fast link adaptation (FLA) aims to achieve high system throughput of each user by accurately determining a channel quality indicator (CQI) for feedback, which predicts the next channel based on the current channel state information. In this paper, we propose an improved calibration method of mutual information effective signal-to noise-ratio mapping (MIESM) to determine an accurate CQI feedback value in FLA. Our proposed calibration method derives the optimal calibration factors by considering various channel environments and setting the effective interval of effective signal-to-noise ratio, which is a single value compressing the information of channel characteristics at a time. The simulation is performed in various signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) ranges to account for the actual environments, and the calibration factors are derived from the proposed calibration method. The results show that the CQI feedback value from the derived calibration factors are more accurate than the existing calibration factors. In addition, we discuss a study regarding the time-coherence-based CQI feedback bit reduction scheme. Assuming that each channel is correlated to the previous and subsequent channels, we propose a method to reduce the number of CQI feedback bits adapted to the corresponding SNR regime. Through the simulation, we compare the system throughputs of the proposed adaptive CQI feedback and the conventional CQI feedback scheme. As a result, the proposed CQI feedback has almost the same system throughput as the conventional CQI feedback scheme, but the average number of feedback bits is reduced, thereby improving the efficiency of the communication.
Random Dopant Fluctuation-Induced Variability in n-Type Junctionless Dual-Metal Gate FinFETs
Authors: Dai Liang , Lü Weifeng , Lin Mi
Published: March 2019

We investigate the effect of random dopant fluctuation (RDF)-induced variability in n-type junctionless (JL) dual-metal gate (DMG) fin field-effect transistors (FinFETs) using a 3D computer-aided design simulation. We show that the drain voltage (VDS) has a significant impact on the electrostatic integrity variability caused by RDF and is dependent on the ratio of gate lengths. The RDF-induced variability also increases as the length of control gate near the source decreases. Our simulations suggest that the proportion of the gate metal near the source to the entire gate should be greater than 0.5.
Embedded Discrete Fracture Modeling as a Method to Upscale Permeability for Fractured Reservoirs
Authors: Dong Zhenzhen , Li Weirong , Lei Gang , Wang Huijie , Wang Cai
Published: March 2019

Fractured reservoirs are distributed widely over the world, and describing fluid flow in fractures is an important and challenging topic in research. Discrete fracture modeling (DFM) and equivalent continuum modeling are two principal methods used to model fluid flow through fractured rocks. In this paper, a novel method, embedded discrete fracture modeling (EDFM), is developed to compute equivalent permeability in fractured reservoirs. This paper begins with an introduction on EDFM. Then, the paper describes an upscaling procedure to calculate equivalent permeability. Following this, the paper carries out a series of simulations to compare the computation cost between DFM and EDFM. In addition, the method is verified by embedded discrete fracture modeling and fine grid methods, and grid-block and multiphase flow are studied to prove the feasibility of the method. Finally, the upscaling procedure is applied to a three-dimensional case in order to study performance for a gas injection problem. This study is the first to use embedded discrete fracture modeling to compute equivalent permeability for fractured reservoirs. This paper also provides a detailed comparison and discussion on embedded discrete fracture modeling and discrete fracture modeling in the context of equivalent permeability computation with a single-phase model. Most importantly, this study addresses whether this novel method can be used in multiphase flow in a reservoir with fractures.
Optimal Dispatch Model Considering Environmental Cost Based on Combined Heat and Power with Thermal Energy Storage and Demand Response
Authors: Li Weidong , Li Tie , Wang Haixin , Dong Jian , Li Yunlu , Cui Dai , Ge Weichun , Yang Junyou , Onyeka Okoye Martin
Published: March 2019

In order to reduce the pollution caused by coal-fired generating units during the heating season, and promote the wind power accommodation, an electrical and thermal system dispatch model based on combined heat and power (CHP) with thermal energy storage (TES) and demand response (DR) is proposed. In this model, the emission cost of CO2, SO2, NOx, and the operation cost of desulfurization and denitrification units is considered as environmental cost, which will increase the proportion of the fuel cost in an economic dispatch model. Meanwhile, the fuel cost of generating units, the operation cost and investment cost of thermal energy storage and electrical energy storage, the incentive cost of DR, and the cost of wind curtailment are comprehensively considered in this dispatch model. Then, on the promise of satisfying the load demand, taking the minimum total cost as an objective function, the power of each unit is optimized by a genetic algorithm. Compared with the traditional dispatch model, in which the environmental cost is not considered, the numerical results show that the daily average emissions CO2, SO2, NOx, are decreased by 14,354.35 kg, 55.5 kg, and 47.15 kg, respectively, and the wind power accommodation is increased by an average of 6.56% in a week.
Including Wind Power Generation in Brazil’s Long-Term Optimization Model for Energy Planning
Authors: Medina Maçaira Paula , Monteiro Cyrillo Yasmin , Cyrino Oliveira Fernando Luiz , Castro Souza Reinaldo
Published: March 2019

In the past two decades, wind power’s share of the energy mix has grown significantly in Brazil. However, nowadays planning electricity operation in Brazil basically involves evaluating the future conditions of energy supply from hydro and thermal sources over the planning horizon. In this context, wind power sources are not stochastically treated. This work applies an innovative approach that incorporates wind power generation in the Brazilian hydro-thermal dispatch using the analytical method of Frequency & Duration. The proposed approach is applied to Brazil’s Northeast region, covering the planning period from July 2017 to December 2021, using the Markov chain Monte Carlo method to simulate wind power scenarios. The obtained results are more conservative than the one currently used by the National Electric System Operator, since the proposed approach forecasts 1.8% less wind generation, especially during peak periods, and 0.67% more thermal generation. This conservatism can reduce the chance of water reservoir depletion and, also an ineffective dispatch.
Report on the Short-Term Scavenging of Decomposing Native and Non-Native Trout in Appalachian Streams
Authors: Unger Shem , Hickman Caleb
Published: March 2019

Trout fishing is one of the primary recreational activities in the southern Appalachians, with large amounts of fish stocked on a regular basis. However, very little is known regarding the fate of hatchery reared carcasses not captured by anglers, representing a likely important ecological resource to local communities. We tested the efficacy of underwater video to characterize short term decomposition and consumption by aquatic scavengers of native brook and non-native rainbow trout, Salvelinus fontinalis and Oncorhychus mykiss. This study took place on the Cherokee Qualla Boundary in North Carolina, a location with one of the highest riverine stocked trout densities in the eastern United States. During May 2017, 10 waterproof cameras were deployed for 1-hour intervals on each carcass twice daily for a period of 5 days. We observed that 75.3% of recorded video contained river chub, Nocomis micropogon, with only 24.7% visited by crayfish, with a maximum of 9 and a mean of 1.93 for N. micropogon. Half of the carcasses were removed within 2 days. Based on natural history evidence and some trail cameras, we believe that otters were removing carcasses. Otters showed no preference for either trout species. Underwater video allowed us to characterize initial decomposition within stream diurnal scavengers in a short period using a visual, non-destructive low-cost method. Future studies should monitor large mammalian scavengers to further elucidate the role of fish stocking on aquatic communities.
The Use of the Value of Heat Cycle to Assess the Energy Stability of Permafrost Soils at the Change of Conditions on the Surface
Authors: Kulikov Anatoly , Badmaev Nimazhap , Sympilova Darima , Gyninova Ayur
Published: March 2019

The basis for assessing the stability of geosystems to changes in external heat cycle conditions is the calculation method. It is shown that permafrost soils are characterized by increased values of annual heat cycle QY ≥ 300 MJ/m2, i.e., half-sum of heat arrival and flow rate per year. This is due to the high heat consumption for melting soils (QPh = 0.7–0.8 QY) and warming them in the negative temperature range (QF). The heat cycle in frozen soil (QF) always has more heat cycle than in the thawed soil (QH). The condition QF > QH means the dominance of processes occurring at negative temperature, and the difference QF − QH is a quantitative assessment of the energy stability of soils to changes in heat exchange conditions on the surface.
Changes in Tsunami Risk to Residential Buildings at Omaha Beach, New Zealand
Authors: Paulik Ryan , Lane Emily , Williams Shaun , Power William
Published: March 2019

Coastal settlements worldwide have suffered significant damage and loss to tsunami hazards in the last few decades. This period coincides with socio-economic changes that have heightened spatio-temporal risk through increased coastal development and infrastructure. In this study, we apply a spatio-temporal loss model to quantify the changes in direct economic losses to residential buildings from tsunami hazards over a 20-year period in Omaha Beach, New Zealand. The approach reconstructed temporal urban settlement patterns (1992, 1996, 2006 and 2012) for an area potentially exposed to regional source tsunami inundation hazard. Synthetic depth–damage functions for specific building classes were applied to estimate temporal damage and loss from tsunami inundation exposure at each building location. Temporal loss estimates were reported for a range of risk metrics, including probable maximum loss, loss exceedance and average annual loss. The results showed that an increase in the number of buildings and changes to building design (i.e., storeys, floor area, foundations) influenced the increasing risk to direct economic loss over the study period. These increases were driven by conversion from rural to urban land use since 1996. The spatio-temporal method presented in this study can be adapted to analyse changing risk patterns and trends for coastal settlements to inform future tsunami mitigation measures and manage direct economic losses.
Allergen Sensitization and Asthma Outcomes among World Trade Center Rescue and Recovery Workers
Authors: Rojano Belen , West Erin , Ferdermann Emily , Markowitz Steven , Harrison Denise , Crowley Laura , Busse Paula , Federman Alex D. , Wisnivesky Juan P.
Published: March 2019

A large number of World Trade Center (WTC) rescue and recovery workers are affected by asthma. While physical and mental health comorbidities have been associated with poor asthma control in this population, the potential role of allergen sensitization is unknown. This study examined the association of indoor sensitization and exposure as a risk factor for increased asthma morbidity in WTC workers. We used data from a prospective cohort of 331 WTC workers with asthma. Sensitization to indoor allergens was assessed by measurement of antigen-specific serum immunoglobulin E (IgE) levels. We used validated tools to evaluate the exposure to indoor allergens. Asthma morbidity outcomes included level of control (Asthma Control Questionnaire, ACQ), quality of life (Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire, AQLQ) and acute resource utilization. The prevalence of sensitization to cat, dog, mouse, dust mite, cockroach, and mold allergens were 33%, 21%, 17%, 40%, 17%, and 17%, respectively. Unadjusted and regression analyses showed no significant relationship between sensitization and increased asthma morbidity (p > 0.05 for all comparisons), except for sensitization to Aspergillus Fumigatus, cat and mouse epithelium, which were associated with decreased morbidity.
Empirical Analysis of the Status and Influencing Factors of Catastrophic Health Expenditure of Migrant Workers in Western China
Authors: Liu Li , Zhang Xuewen , Zhao Longchao , Li Ningxiu
Published: March 2019

Objective: To understand the current situation and influencing factors of catastrophic health expenditure (CHE) of migrant workers in Western China. Method: Sample data were obtained by cluster random sampling. Data were entered and sorted using Epidata 3.1 and SPSS 21.0. The statistical analysis involved a descriptive analysis, chi-square tests, multivariate unconditional logistic regression, and multiple correspondence analysis (MCA). Results: A total of 1271 households were surveyed, and the incidence of CHE was 12.5% (159/1271). The multivariate logistic regression showed that households with elderly people over 65 years old (0R = 2.05, 95% CI = 1.42–2.97), children under five years old (0R = 2.61, 95% CI = 1.53–4.48), at least one person with no basic medical insurance (0R = 2.96, 95% CI = 2.08–4.23), chronically ill patients (0R = 1.85, 95% CI = 1.23–2.77), and hospitalized patients (0R = 3.61, 95% CI = 2.31–5.62) contributed to the risk of CHE. Compared to migrant workers in the >30,000 Yuan household per capita annual income group, the 10,001–20,000 Yuan income group (0R = 2.35, 95% CI = 1.44–3.82) and ≤10,000 Yuan income group (0R = 3.72, 95% CI = 2.09–6.62) had a higher risk of CHE occurrence. Compared to migrant workers in the university and above head-of-household education group, those in the primary level or below education group (0R = 5.90, 95% CI = 3.02–11.5) had a higher risk of CHE occurrence. MCA revealed a strong interrelationship between the following risk factors and CHE: household per capita annual income ≤10,000 Yuan, primary school education level or below for the head of the household, and having at least one person in the household with no basic medical insurance. Conclusions: CHE incidence amongst migrant workers in Western China is a serious issue, and policymakers should pay more attention to these migrant workers’ households that are more prone to CHE than others, so as to decrease the incidence of CHE in this group.
Trends and Determinants of Antenatal Care Service Use in Ethiopia between 2000 and 2016
Authors: Mekonnen Tensae , Dune Tinashe , Perz Janette , Ogbo Felix Akpojene
Published: March 2019

Antenatal care (ANC) services are an essential intervention for improving maternal and child health worldwide. In Ethiopia, however, ANC service use has been suboptimal, and examining the trends and factors associated with ANC service use is needed to inform targeted maternal health care interventions. This study aimed to investigate the trends and determinants of ANC service utilisation in Ethiopia for the period ranging from 2000 to 2016. This study draws on the Ethiopia Demographic and Health Survey data for the years 2000 (n = 7928), 2005 (n = 7276), 2011 (n = 7881) and 2016 (n = 7558) to estimate the trends in ANC service utilisation. Multivariate logistic regression models with adjustment for clustering and sampling weights were used to investigate the association between the study factors and ANC service utilisation. Over the sixteen-year period, the proportion of Ethiopian women who received the recommended four or more ANC visits increased from 10.0% (95% confidence interval (95% CI: 8.7–12.5%) in 2000 to 32.0% (95% CI: 29.4–34.3%) in 2016. Similarly, the proportion of women who received one to three ANC visits increased from 27.0% (95% CI: 23.6–30.7%) in 2000 to 62.0% in 2016 (95% CI: 60.4–67.3%). Multivariate analyses showed that higher maternal and paternal education, higher household wealth status, urban residency and previous use of a contraceptive were associated with ANC service use (1–3 and 4+ ANC visits). The study suggests that while Ethiopian pregnant women’s engagement with ANC services improved during the millennium development goal era (2000–2015), recommended ANC use remains suboptimal. Improving the utilisation of ANC services among pregnant women is essential in Ethiopia, and efforts should focus on vulnerable women.
Association between Periodontal Disease and Subsequent Sjögren’s Syndrome: A Nationwide Population-Based Cohort Study
Authors: Lin Chien-Yu , Tseng Chien-Fu , Liu Jui-Ming , Chuang Heng-Chang , Lei Wei-Te , Liu Lawrence Yu-Min , Yu Yu-Chin , Hsu Ren-Jun
Published: March 2019

Xerostomia (dry mouth) is the cardinal symptom of Sjögren’s syndrome (SS), which is an autoimmune disease involving the exocrine glands and other organs. Xerostomia may predispose patients to periodontal disease (PD) and an association between SS and PD has been reported. This association may be bidirectional; therefore, we conducted this study to investigate the risk of SS in patients with PD using data from the National Health Insurance Research Database of Taiwan. A total of 135,190 patients were enrolled in our analysis. In all, 27,041 patients with PD were matched by gender, age, insured region, urbanization and income, with cases and controls in a 1:4 ratio. Both groups were followed and the risks of SS were calculated by Cox proportional hazards regression. Finally, 3292 (2.4%) patients had newly diagnosed SS. Patients with PD had a significantly higher risk of subsequent SS (903 (3.3%) vs. 2389 (2.2%), adjusted hazard 1.47, 95% confidence interval: 1.36–1.59). In conclusion, patients with PD had an approximately 50% increased risk of subsequent SS. Physicians should be aware of the symptoms and signs of SS in patients with PD.
Emergency Logistics in a Large-Scale Disaster Context: Achievements and Challenges
Authors: Jiang Yiping , Yuan Yufei
Published: March 2019

There is growing research interest in emergency logistics within the operations research (OR) community. Different from normal business operations, emergency response for large scale disasters is very complex and there are many challenges to deal with. Research on emergency logistics is still in its infancy stage. Understanding the challenges and new research directions is very important. In this paper, we present a literature review of emergency logistics in the context of large-scale disasters. The main contributions of our study include three aspects: First, we identify key characteristics of large-scale disasters and assess their challenges to emergency logistics. Second, we analyze and summarize the current literature on how to deal with these challenges. Finally, we discuss existing gaps in the relevant research and suggest future research directions.
Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) of Cysticercosis in School-Aged Children in Tibetan Rural Farming Areas of Western China: Implications for Intervention Planning
Authors: Zhou Huan , Wang Qingzhi , Zhou Junmin , Li Tiaoying , Medina Alexis , Felt Stephen A. , Rozelle Scott , Openshaw John J.
Published: March 2019

Neurocysticercosis (NCC) significantly contributes to morbidity in developing countries. We recently published a study of prevalence and risk factors in school-aged children in three mountainous areas in Sichuan province of western China. Using structural equation modeling (SEM) on data from that study to guide intervention planning, here we examine risk factors grouped into three broad interventional categories: sociodemographics, human behavior, and sources of pork and pig husbandry. Because neuroimaging is not easily available, using SEM allows for the use of multiple observed variables (serological tests and symptoms) to represent probable NCC cases. Data collected from 2608 students was included in this analysis. Within this group, seroprevalence of cysticercosis IgG antibodies was 5.4%. SEM results showed that sociodemographic factors (β = 0.33, p < 0.05), sources of pork and pig husbandry (β = 0.26, p < 0.001), and behavioral factors (β = 0.33, p < 0.05) were all directly related to probable NCC in school-aged children. Sociodemographic factors affected probable NCC indirectly via sources of pork and pig husbandry factors (β = 0.07, p < 0.001) and behavioral variables (β = 0.07, p < 0.001). Both sociodemographic factors (β = 0.07, p < 0.05) and sources of pork and pig husbandry factors (β = 0.10, p < 0.01) affected probable NCC indirectly via behavioral variables. Because behavioral variables not only had a large direct effect but also served as a critical bridge to strengthen the effect of sociodemographics and sources of pork and pig husbandry on probable NCC, our findings suggest that interventions targeting behavioral factors may be the most effective in reducing disease.
QRA-Grid: Quantitative Risk Analysis and Grid-based Pre-warning Model for Urban Natural Gas Pipeline
Authors: Li Shuang , Cheng Chengqi , Pu Guoliang , Chen Bo
Published: March 2019

With the increasing use and complexity of urban natural gas pipelines, the occurrence of accidents owing to leakage, fire, explosion, etc., has increased. Based on Quantitative Risk Analysis (QRA) models and Geographic Information System (GIS) technology, we put forward a quantitative risk simulation model for urban natural gas pipeline, combining with a multi-level grid-based pre-warning model. We develop a simulation and pre-warning model named QRA-Grid, conducting fire and explosion risk assessment, presenting the risk by using a grid map. Experiments show that by using the proposed method, we can develop a fire and explosion accident pre-warning model for gas pipelines, and effectively predict areas in which accidents will happen. As a result, we can make a focused and forceful policy in areas which have some potential defects in advance, and even carry out urban planning once more, rebuilding it to prevent the risk.
Indoor Routing on Logical Network Using Space Semantics
Authors: Liu Liu , Zlatanova Sisi , Li Bofeng , van Oosterom Peter , Liu Hua , Barton Jack
Published: March 2019

An indoor logical network qualitatively represents abstract relationships between indoor spaces, and it can be used for path computation. In this paper, we concentrate on the logical network that does not have notions for metrics. Instead, it relies on the semantics and properties of indoor spaces. A navigation path can be computed by deriving parameters from these semantics and minimizing them in routing algorithms. Although previous studies have adopted semantic approaches to build logical networks, routing methods are seldom elaborated. The main issue with such networks is to derive criteria for path computation using the semantics of spaces. Here, we present a routing mechanism that is based on a dedicated space classification and a set of routing criteria. The space classification reflects characteristics of spaces that are important for navigation, such as horizontal and vertical directions, doors and windows, etc. Six routing criteria are introduced, and they involve: (1) the spaces with the preferred semantics; and/or (2) their centrality in the logical network. Each criterion is encoded as the weights to the nodes or edges of the logical network by considering the semantics of spaces. Logical paths are derived by a traditional shortest-path algorithm that minimizes these weights. Depending on the building’s interior configuration, one criterion may result in several logical paths. Therefore, we introduce a priority ordering of criteria to support path selection and decrease the possible number of logical paths. We provide a proof-of-concept implementation for several buildings to demonstrate the usability of such a routing. The main benefit of this routing method is that it does not need geometric information to compute a path. The logical network can be created using verbal descriptions only, and this routing method can be applied to indoor spaces derived from any building subdivision.
Dynamic Recommendation of Substitute Locations for Inaccessible Soil Samples during Field Sampling Campaign
Authors: Zhao Fang-He , Qin Cheng-Zhi , Wei Teng-Fei , Ma Tian-Wu , Qi Feng , Liu Jun-Zhi , Zhu A-Xing
Published: March 2019

Field sampling is an important way of collecting soil information for the modeling and evaluation steps during digital soil mapping (DSM). However, some predesigned samples may not be accessible in the field due to natural or anthropogenic reasons. Simply abandoning the inaccessible samples or casually selecting substitutes from other locations may affect the quality of the corresponding DSM. To address this issue, we propose a new method of dynamically recommending substitute locations for inaccessible samples, which was implemented in a prototype system on a smart phone platform. The proposed method takes into concern the original sampling strategy and recommends substitute sample locations based on a measure of suitability index. The suitability index is calculated to incorporate a substitutive degree as well as the sampling cost involved. The substitutive degree depicts to what extent a substitute location may replace the original sample in the context of soil mapping, while the sampling cost characterizes the travel expense to the substitute location following the overall fieldwork route arrangements. The proposed method currently supports four commonly used sampling strategies, i.e., simple random sampling, stratified random sampling, grid sampling, and purposive sampling based on environmental similarity. Two substitute sampling scenarios, instant sampling and subsequent sampling, are considered by the proposed method, to adapt to surveyors’ actual field sampling route arrangements when estimating the accessibility and sampling cost of potential substitute locations. Monte Carlo simulation experiments in a study area (about 5800 km2) located in Anhui province of China were conducted to use the proposed method to recommend substitute locations for two modeling sample sets designed based on purposive sampling strategy and stratified random sampling strategy respectively (59 points for each set) from other 224 previously obtained samples. Experimental results evaluated based on 57 independent evaluation samples showed that the proposed method was able to recommend substitute locations without affecting the performance of DSM, when less than 10% samples were replaced by substitute samples. A subsequent sampling scenario was revealed to incur lower sampling cost than an instant sampling scenario.
Role and Functional Differences of HKT1-Type Transporters in Plants under Salt Stress
Authors: Ali Akhtar , Maggio Albino , Bressan Ray A. , Yun Dae-Jin
Published: March 2019

Abiotic stresses generally cause a series of morphological, biochemical and molecular changes that unfavorably affect plant growth and productivity. Among these stresses, soil salinity is a major threat that can seriously impair crop yield. To cope with the effects of high salinity on plants, it is important to understand the mechanisms that plants use to deal with it, including those activated in response to disturbed Na+ and K+ homeostasis at cellular and molecular levels. HKT1-type transporters are key determinants of Na+ and K+ homeostasis under salt stress and they contribute to reduce Na+-specific toxicity in plants. In this review, we provide a brief overview of the function of HKT1-type transporters and their importance in different plant species under salt stress. Comparison between HKT1 homologs in different plant species will shed light on different approaches plants may use to cope with salinity.
Histone Acetylation of Immune Regulatory Genes in Human Placenta in Association with Maternal Intake of Olive Oil and Fish Consumption
Authors: Acevedo Nathalie , Frumento Paolo , Harb Hani , Alashkar Alhamwe Bilal , Johansson Catharina , Eick Lisa , Alm Johan , Renz Harald , Scheynius Annika , Potaczek Daniel
Published: March 2019

Maternal diet modifies epigenetic programming in offspring, a potentially critical factor in the immune dysregulation of modern societies. We previously found that prenatal fish oil supplementation affects neonatal T-cell histone acetylation of genes implicated in adaptive immunity including PRKCZ, IL13, and TBX21. In this study, we measured H3 and H4 histone acetylation levels by chromatin immunoprecipitation in 173 term placentas collected in the prospective birth cohort, ALADDIN, in which information on lifestyle and diet is thoroughly recorded. In anthroposophic families, regular olive oil usage during pregnancy was associated with increased H3 acetylation at FOXP3 (p = 0.004), IL10RA (p = 0.008), and IL7R (p = 0.007) promoters, which remained significant after adjustment by offspring gender. Furthermore, maternal fish consumption was associated with increased H4 acetylation at the CD14 gene in placentas of female offspring (p = 0.009). In conclusion, prenatal olive oil intake can affect placental histone acetylation in immune regulatory genes, confirming previously observed pro-acetylation effects of olive oil polyphenols. The association with fish consumption may implicate ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids present in fish oil. Altered histone acetylation in placentas from mothers who regularly include fish or olive oil in their diets could influence immune priming in the newborn.
HBD Inhibits the Development of Colitis-Associated Cancer in Mice via the IL-6R/STAT3 Signaling Pathway
Authors: Deng Song , Wang Aiping , Chen Xi , Du Qun , Wu Yanli , Chen Gang , Guo Wenfeng , Li Yanwu
Published: March 2019

Colitis-associated cancer (CAC) is a malignant disease of the colon that is caused by recurrent episodes of chronic intestinal inflammation. Huangqi Baizhu decoction (HBD) is a classic prescription comprised of Radix Astragali and Rhizoma Atractylodis, which are usually used to treat digestive conditions, such as peptic ulcers, colitis, or colorectal carcinoma in clinics. HBD is well known for “tonifying qi and spleen” based on the theories of traditional Chinese medicine, and has the preponderant effect of alleviating chronic intestinal mucosa damage associated with disease. However, the underlying mechanism behind this is still unknown. In the current study, we employed the AOM/DSS mouse model to analyze the effects of HBD on the development of inflammation in colonic carcinoma. The in vivo study showed that HBD could significantly reduce the mortality of mice and control the incidence and size of colonic tumors by inhibiting the IL-6/STAT3 signaling pathway. In vitro, Astragaloside and Atractylenolide (CAA), the main components of HBD, inhibited the proliferation of HCT-116 cells as determined by an MTT assay. Furthermore, CAA notably suppressed the protein expression of IL-6R, STAT3, Survivin, and Cyclin D1 induced by IL-6 in HCT-116 and RAW264.7 cells. These results suggested that HBD exhibits anti-inflammatory and anti-proliferative effects, inhibiting the development of CAC in mice.
DNA Damage Stress: Cui Prodest?
Authors: Verma Nagendra , Franchitto Matteo , Zonfrilli Azzurra , Cialfi Samantha , Palermo Rocco , Talora Claudio
Published: March 2019

DNA is an entity shielded by mechanisms that maintain genomic stability and are essential for living cells; however, DNA is constantly subject to assaults from the environment throughout the cellular life span, making the genome susceptible to mutation and irreparable damage. Cells are prepared to mend such events through cell death as an extrema ratio to solve those threats from a multicellular perspective. However, in cells under various stress conditions, checkpoint mechanisms are activated to allow cells to have enough time to repair the damaged DNA. In yeast, entry into the cell cycle when damage is not completely repaired represents an adaptive mechanism to cope with stressful conditions. In multicellular organisms, entry into cell cycle with damaged DNA is strictly forbidden. However, in cancer development, individual cells undergo checkpoint adaptation, in which most cells die, but some survive acquiring advantageous mutations and selfishly evolve a conflictual behavior. In this review, we focus on how, in cancer development, cells rely on checkpoint adaptation to escape DNA stress and ultimately to cell death.
Prevention or Amelioration of Autism-Like Symptoms in Animal Models: Will it Bring Us Closer to Treating Human ASD?
Authors: Ornoy Asher , Weinstein-Fudim Liza , Ergaz Zivanit
Published: March 2019

Since the first animal model of valproic acid (VPA) induced autistic-like behavior, many genetic and non-genetic experimental animal models for Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) have been described. The more common non-genetic animal models induce ASD in rats and mice by infection/inflammation or the prenatal or early postnatal administration of VPA. Through the establishment of these models, attempts have been made to ameliorate or even prevent ASD-like symptoms. Some of the genetic models have been successfully treated by genetic manipulations or the manipulation of neurotransmission. Different antioxidants have been used (i.e., astaxanthin, green tea, piperine) to reduce brain oxidative stress in VPA-induced ASD models. Agents affecting brain neurotransmitters (donepezil, agmatine, agomelatine, memantine, oxytocin) also successfully reduced ASD-like symptoms. However, complete prevention of the development of symptoms was achieved only rarely. In our recent study, we treated mouse offspring exposed on postnatal day four to VPA with S-adenosine methionine (SAM) for three days, and prevented ASD-like behavior, brain oxidative stress, and the changes in gene expression induced by VPA. In this review, we describe, in addition to our data, the existing literature on the prevention/amelioration of ASD-like symptoms. We also discuss the possible mechanisms underlying some of these phenomena. Finally, we describe some of the clinical trials in children with ASD that were carried out as a result of data from animal studies, especially those with polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs).
Defenses Against ROS in Crops and Weeds: The Effects of Interference and Herbicides
Authors: Caverzan Andréia , Piasecki Cristiano , Chavarria Geraldo , Stewart C. Neal , Vargas Leandro
Published: March 2019

The antioxidant defense system acts to maintain the equilibrium between the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and the elimination of toxic levels of ROS in plants. Overproduction and accumulation of ROS results in metabolic disorders and can lead to the oxidative destruction of the cell. Several stress factors cause ROS overproduction and trigger oxidative stress in crops and weeds. Recently, the involvement of the antioxidant system in weed interference and herbicide treatment in crops and weeds has been the subject of investigation. In this review, we address ROS production and plant mechanisms of defense, alterations in the antioxidant system at transcriptional and enzymatic levels in crops induced by weed interference, and herbicide exposure in crops and weeds. We also describe the mechanisms of action in herbicides that lead to ROS generation in target plants. Lastly, we discuss the relations between antioxidant systems and weed biology and evolution, as well as the interactive effects of herbicide treatment on these factors.
Classical Soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr) Symbionts, Sinorhizobium fredii USDA191 and Bradyrhizobium diazoefficiens USDA110, Reveal Contrasting Symbiotic Phenotype on Pigeon Pea (Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp)
Authors: Alaswad Alaa A. , Oehrle Nathan W. , Krishnan Hari B.
Published: March 2019

Pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan (L.) Millspaugh) is cultivated widely in semiarid agricultural regions in over 90 countries around the world. This important legume can enter into symbiotic associations with a wide range of rhizobia including Bradyrhizobium and fast-growing rhizobia. In comparison with other major legumes such as soybean and common bean, only limited information is available on the symbiotic interaction of pigeon pea with rhizobia. In this study, we investigated the ability of two classical soybean symbionts—S. fredii USDA191 and B. diazoefficiens USDA110—and their type 3 secretion system (T3SS) mutants, to nodulate pigeon pea. Both S. fredii USDA191 and a T3SS mutant S. fredii RCB26 formed nitrogen-fixing nodules on pigeon pea. Inoculation of pigeon pea roots with B. diazoefficiens USDA110 and B. diazoefficiens Δ136 (a T3SS mutant) resulted in the formation of Fix− and Fix+ nodules, respectively. Light and transmission electron microscopy of Fix- nodules initiated by B. diazoefficiens USDA110 revealed the complete absence of rhizobia within these nodules. In contrast, Fix+ nodules formed by B. diazoefficiens Δ136 revealed a central region that was completely filled with rhizobia. Ultrastructural investigation revealed the presence of numerous bacteroids surrounded by peribacteroid membranes in the infected cells. Analysis of nodule proteins by one- and two-dimensional gel electrophoresis revealed that leghemoglobin was absent in B. diazoefficiens USDA110 nodules, while it was abundantly present in B. diazoefficiens Δ136 nodules. Results of competitive nodulation assays indicated that B. diazoefficiens Δ136 had greater competitiveness for nodulation on pigeon pea than did the wild type strain. Our results suggest that this T3SS mutant of B. diazoefficiens, due to its greater competitiveness and ability to form Fix+ nodules, could be exploited as a potential inoculant to boost pigeon pea productivity.
Vascularized Bone-Mimetic Hydrogel Constructs by 3D Bioprinting to Promote Osteogenesis and Angiogenesis
Authors: Anada Takahisa , Pan Chi-Chun , Stahl Alexander M. , Mori Satomi , Fukuda Junji , Suzuki Osamu , Yang Yunzhi
Published: March 2019

Bone is a highly vascularized tissue with a unique and complex structure. Long bone consists of a peripheral cortical shell containing a network of channels for vascular penetration and an inner highly vascularized bone marrow space. Bioprinting is a powerful tool to enable rapid and precise spatial patterning of cells and biomaterials. Here we developed a two-step digital light processing technique to fabricate a bone-mimetic 3D hydrogel construct based on octacalcium phosphate (OCP), spheroids of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC), and gelatin methacrylate (GelMA) hydrogels. The bone-mimetic 3D hydrogel construct was designed to consist of a peripheral OCP-containing GelMA ring to mimic the cortical shell, and a central GelMA ring containing HUVEC spheroids to mimic the bone marrow space. We further demonstrate that OCP, which is evenly embedded in the GelMA, stimulates the osteoblastic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells. We refined the design of a spheroid culture device to facilitate the rapid formation of a large number of HUVEC spheroids, which were embedded into different concentrations of GelMA hydrogels. It is shown that the concentration of GelMA modulates the extent of formation of the capillary-like structures originating from the HUVEC spheroids. This cell-loaded hydrogel-based bone construct with a biomimetic dual ring structure can be potentially used for bone tissue engineering.