bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Behaviour and Skin Injuries of Piglets Originating from a Novel Group Farrowing System Before and After Weaning
Authors: Schrey Lilith , Kemper Nicole , Fels Michaela
Published: May 2019

The aim of this study was to analyse a novel group farrowing system (GH) concerning piglets’ behaviour, skin injuries and body weight gain, to test its animal friendliness. Skin injuries and weight gain were compared to piglets originating from conventional individual housing (IH) before and after weaning. The GH system had five farrowing pens without crates, a common area and an area only available for piglets. In total, 34 litters were studied. Four days after the GH-piglets had left the pens during lactation, the lesion score of piglets in GH was higher than in IH. However, piglets from the GH sustained fewer injuries after mixing at weaning, compared to the piglets from IH and had higher daily weight gains, during the early nursery phase. The common area in GH was intensively used for active behaviour, since standing/walking and playing were observed there, most frequently, whereas lying occurred most frequently inside the pens. Immediately after the piglets had left the pens in the GH, the piglets preferred proximity to the sow, compared to the pens where they were born. The GH system enabled social enrichment, offered increased space for activity and led to fewer skin lesions, after weaning; thus, potentially increasing animal welfare.
Ascorbic Acid, Sugars, Phenols, and Nitrates Concentrations in Tomato Grown in Animal Manure Amended Soil
Authors: Antonious George , Turley Eric , Dawood Mohammad
Published: May 2019

We studied the impact of animal manure that was mixed with biochar (a product of wood pyrolysis) on the nitrates (NO−3), vitamin C, total phenols, and soluble sugars concentrations in tomato fruits (Solanum lycopersicum var. Marglobe) of plants that were grown in raised plastic-mulch of freshly tilled soils. Sewage sludge (SS), horse manure (HM), chicken manure (CM), vermicompost (worm castings), commercial inorganic fertilizer, commercial organic fertilizer, and bare soil used for comparison purposes were the soil amendments. Each of the seven treatments was mixed with 10% (w/w) biochar to make a total of 42 treatments. Chemical analysis of mature tomato fruits revealed that the fruits of plants grown in SS amended soil contained the greatest concentration of NO−3 (17.2 µg g−1 fresh fruits), whereas those that were grown in SS biochar amended soils contained the lowest concentrations of nitrate (5.6 µg g−1 fresh fruits) compared to other soil treatments. SS that was amended with biochar increased vitamin C and total phenols in tomato (22 and 27 µg g−1 fresh fruits, respectively) when compared to SS alone (11µg g−1 fresh fruits). Growers and scientists are seeking strategies to increase antioxidants and reduce anti-nutritional compounds, like nitrates in food, while recycling animal waste. The results of this investigation revealed the role of biochar in reducing nitrates and optimizing the nutritional composition of tomato.
An Algorithm for Severity Estimation of Plant Leaf Diseases by the Use of Colour Threshold Image Segmentation and Fuzzy Logic Inference: A Proposed Algorithm to Update a “Leaf Doctor” Application
Authors: Sibiya Malusi , Sumbwanyambe Mbuyu
Published: May 2019

This paper explains a proposed algorithm for severity estimation of plant leaf diseases by using maize leaf diseased samples. In the literature, a number of researchers have addressed the problem of plant leaf disease severity estimation, but a few, such as Sannakki et al., have used fuzzy logic to determine the severity estimations of the plant leaf diseases. The present paper aims to update the current algorithm used in the “Leaf Doctor” application that is used to estimate the severities of the plant leaf diseases by introducing the benefits of fuzzy logic decision making rules. This method will contribute to precision agriculture technology as it introduces an algorithm that may be embedded in smartphone devices and used in applications, such as a “Leaf Doctor” application. The applications designed based on the algorithm proposed in this study will help users who are inexperienced and not plant pathologists understand the level of the estimated disease severity. The use of fuzzy logic inference rules along with image segmentation determines the novelty of this approach in comparison with the available methods in the literature.
Drought-Tolerant Barley: I. Field Observations of Growth and Development
Authors: Carter Andrea Y. , Hawes Martha C. , Ottman Michael J.
Published: May 2019

An ever-growing challenge to agricultural production worldwide is the reduced availability of water and increased incidence of drought. The development of low-irrigation barley cultivars marks a significant achievement in breeding efforts for drought tolerance, but specific traits conferring adaptation to water stress remain unclear. Here, we report results from two years of replicated field trials comparing yield, phenology, water usage, and rooting characteristics of low-irrigation varieties “Solar” and “Solum” to high-input, semi-dwarf varieties “Kopious” and “Cochise”. The objective was to identify differential performance of varieties under high- and low-water conditions through comparison of growth and developmental traits. Rooting characteristics were analyzed by digging in-field root profile walls to a depth of 1.8 m. Varieties were compared under high (877 mm) and low (223 mm) water regimes including irrigation and precipitation. Observed traits associated with improved performance of the low-irrigation varieties under drought conditions included early vigor, early flowering, greater root growth at 40–80 cm depth, and more effective water use exhibited by greater water extraction post-anthesis. The deeper rooting pattern of the low-irrigation varieties may be related to their ability to use more water post-anthesis under water stress, and thus, to fill grain, compared to high input varieties.
Solanum aethiopicum gr. gilo and Its Interspecific Hybrid with S. melongena as Alternative Rootstocks for Eggplant: Effects on Vigor, Yield, and Fruit Physicochemical Properties of Cultivar ′Scarlatti′
Authors: Sabatino Leo , Iapichino Giovanni , Rotino Giuseppe Leonardo , Palazzolo Eristanna , Mennella Giuseppe , D’Anna Fabio
Published: May 2019

Grafting is generally considered effective in ameliorating vegetable crop tolerance to biotic and abiotic stresses. The use of interspecific hybrid as rootstock for eggplant may represent a valid alternative approach to enhance eggplant performance. However, studies on the effects of different rootstocks on eggplant plant vigor, yield, and fruit quality traits often show conflicting results. Thus, an experiment was performed in two spring–summer growing seasons (2014 and 2015) by grafting eggplant ′Scarlatti′ F1 hybrid on two accessions of S. aethiopicum gr. gilo and on the interspecific hybrid S. melongena × S. aehtiopicum gr. gilo in comparison to the most common eggplant rootstock S. torvum. Results indicate that S. melongena × S. aethiopicum gr. gilo interspecific hybrid and S. torvum improved grafting success, plant vigor, early flowering and yield in ′Scarlatti′ F1 scion. All rootstocks tested did not negatively influence fruit apparent quality traits and fruit quality composition. Moreover, fruit glycoalkaloids content remained below the recommended threshold value. These findings suggest that the use of S. melongena × S. aethiopicum gr. gilo interspecific hybrid as rootstock may be a good alternative to the most commonly used S. torvum.
Supplementing Tropical Cattle for Improved Nutrient Utilization and Reduced Enteric Methane Emissions
Authors: Ali Asep I. M. , Wassie Shimels E. , Korir Daniel , Merbold Lutz , Goopy John P. , Butterbach-Bahl Klaus , Dickhoefer Uta , Schlecht Eva
Published: May 2019

Given their high nitrogen (N) concentration and low costs, sweet potato vine silage (SPVS) and urea-molasses blocks (UMB) are recommended supplements for tropical regions; therefore, they were investigated in this study. Six heifers were allocated to three diets: the roughage diet (R) consisted of wheat straw (0.61) and Rhodes grass hay (0.39; on dry matter (DM) basis); R + SPVS combined R (0.81) and SPVS (0.19); and with R + UMB animals had access to UMB. During two experimental periods, feed intake, feces and urine excretion, digesta passage, and rumen microbial protein synthesis were determined during seven days and methane emissions during three days. There was no treatment effect (p > 0.05) on DM and N intake. Apparent DM digestibility of R + SPVS (510 g/kg) was higher (p < 0.05) than of R (474 g/kg). Digesta passage and duodenal microbial N flow were similar for all diets (p > 0.05), while N retention was highest with R + SPVS (p > 0.05). Methane emissions per unit of digested feed (g CH4/kg dDM) were lower (p < 0.05) for R + SPVS (55.2) than for R (64.7). Hence, SPVS supplementation to poor–quality roughage has the potential to increase diet digestibility and N retention while reducing CH4 emissions.
The Human-Animal Relationship in Australian Caged Laying Hens
Authors: Edwards Lauren E. , Coleman Grahame J. , Butler Kym L. , Hemsworth Paul H.
Published: May 2019

Studies on farm animals have shown relationships between stockperson attitudes and behaviour and farm animal fear, stress and productivity. This study investigated how the avoidance behaviour of Australian commercial caged laying hens may be related to stockperson behaviour, albumen corticosterone, and the number of weeks producing within 5% of peak egg production. Nineteen laying houses were assessed over 3 days. Fear of humans in hens, based on their avoidance response to an unfamiliar human, was assessed using two behavioural tests. Albumen corticosterone concentrations were measured from egg samples collected immediately prior to behavioural testing. Stockperson attitudes were assessed using a questionnaire and stockperson behaviour was observed over 2 days. Productivity records for each laying house were also obtained. The duration of peak production was negatively related to both noise made by the stockperson and hen avoidance. No relationship between stockperson behaviour or attitudes and hen avoidance was found, but stockpeople with negative attitudes made more noise. In conclusion, this study could not confirm a relationship between stockperson behaviour and hen avoidance behaviour for Australian caged laying hens. However, this study did confirm a relationship between hen avoidance behaviour, albumen corticosterone concentration, and the duration of peak egg production.
Limestone and Calcined Clay-Based Sustainable Cementitious Materials for 3D Concrete Printing: A Fundamental Study of Extrudability and Early-Age Strength Development
Authors: Chen Yu , Li Zhenming , Chaves Figueiredo Stefan , Çopuroğlu Oğuzhan , Veer Fred , Schlangen Erik
Published: May 2019

The goal of this study is to investigate the effects of different grades of calcined clay on the extrudability and early-age strength development under ambient conditions. Four mix designs were proposed. Three of them contained high, medium, and low grades of calcined clay, respectively, and one was the reference without calcined clay. In terms of extrudability, an extrusion test method based on the ram extruder was introduced to observe the quality of extruded material filaments, and to determine the extrusion pressure of tested materials at different ages. For evaluating the very early-age strength development, the penetration resistance test, the green strength test, and the ultrasonic pulse velocity test were applied. Furthermore, the mechanical properties of the developed mix designs were determined by the compressive strength test at 1, 7 and 28 days. Finally, the main finding of this study was that increasing the metakaolin content in calcined clay could significantly increase the extrusion pressures and green strength, shorten the initial setting time and enhance the compressive strength at 1, 7, and 28 days.
Prediction of Air Pollution Concentration Based on mRMR and Echo State Network
Authors: Xu Xinghan , Ren Weijie
Published: May 2019

Air pollution has become a global environmental problem, because it has a great adverse impact on human health and the climate. One way to explore this problem is to monitor and predict air quality index in an economical way. Accurate monitoring and prediction of air quality index (AQI), e.g., PM2.5 concentration, is a challenging task. In order to accurately predict the PM2.5 time series, we propose a supplementary leaky integrator echo state network (SLI-ESN) in this paper. It adds the historical state term of the historical moment to the calculation of leaky integrator reservoir, which improves the influence of historical evolution state on the current state. Considering the redundancy and correlation between multivariable time series, minimum redundancy maximum relevance (mRMR) feature selection method is introduced to reduce redundant and irrelevant information, and increase computation speed. A variety of evaluation indicators are used to assess the overall performance of the proposed method. The effectiveness of the proposed model is verified by the experiment of Beijing PM2.5 time series prediction. The comparison of learning time also shows the efficiency of the algorithm.
Influence of Shield Attitude Change on Shield–Soil Interaction
Authors: Shen Xiang , Yuan Da-Jun , Jin Da-Long
Published: May 2019

The mechanism of shield–soil interaction and multi-phase equilibrium control theory in shield tunneling process still lack sufficient understanding. Aiming at this problem, with the improved calculation method of loose earth pressure, the initial boundary problem of shield attitude calculation was solved. Based on the ground reaction curve, the shield–soil interaction was simulated by the equivalent springs, and the displacement of surrounding soil was calculated during the change of the shield attitude. Then, the theoretical method of surrounding soil load acting on the shield were obtained. In summary, the calculation method of shield attitude was obtained. This method has three main applications in engineering, namely the inversion of shield–soil interaction force, the prediction of pitch angle and the prediction of yawing angle. Finally, combined with Jinan Metro Line R2 shield tunnel project, the shield attitude was monitored in real time and compared with the theoretical value. The results show that the trend of the theoretical values of pitch angle and yawing angle were basically the same as the measured value, but the theoretical value was generally larger than the measured value. The research results can provide a useful reference for the shield attitude adjustment.
Biochar from Microwave Pyrolysis of Artemisia Slengensis: Characterization and Methylene Blue Adsorption Capacity
Authors: Li Xuhui , Li Kunquan , Geng Chunlei , Mashad Hamed El , Li Hua , Yin Wenqing
Published: May 2019

In this research, artemisia selengensis was used to produce biochar via microwave pyrolysis. The influence of pyrolysis temperature, heating rates, temperature holding time and additive on the biochar yield and adsorbability were all investigated. The results suggest that the biochar yield decreased with the increase of pyrolysis temperature while the adsorbability of the biochar increased with an increase of the pyrolysis temperature; the biochar yield and its adsorbability could achieve the desired value when the heating rate and temperature holding time were in a specific scope; the biochar yield decreased when an additive was added; the adsorbability of the biochar could be increased by adding ZnCl2 (metal chloride) and Na2CO3 (metal carbonate). According to the orthogonal experiments, the optimal conditions for biochar production were: pyrolysis temperature 550 °C, heating rate 2 °C/s, temperature holding time 15 min, without additive.
Robust Adaptive Path Following Control of an Unmanned Surface Vessel Subject to Input Saturation and Uncertainties
Authors: Fan Yunsheng , Huang Hongyun , Tan Yuanyuan
Published: May 2019

This paper investigates the path following control problem of an unmanned surface vessel (USV) subject to input saturation and uncertainties including model parameters uncertainties and unknown time-varying external disturbances. A nonlinear robust adaptive control scheme is proposed to address the issue, more specifically, steering a USV to follow the desired path at a certain velocity assignment despite the involved disturbances, by utilizing the finite-time currents observer based line-of-sight (LOS) guidance and radial basis function neural networks (RBFNN). Backstepping and Lyapunov’s direct method are the main design frameworks. Based on the finite-time currents observer and adaptive control technique, an improved LOS guidance law is proposed to obtain the desired approaching angle to the desired path, making compensations for the effects of unknown time-varying ocean currents. Then, a kinetic controller with the capability of uncertainties estimation and disturbances rejection is proposed based on the RBFNNs, where the adaptive laws including leakage terms estimate the approximation error and the unknown time-varying disturbances. Subsequently, sophisticated auxiliary control systems are employed to handle input saturation constraints of actuators. All error signals of the closed-loop system are proved to be locally uniformly ultimately bounded (UUB). Numerical simulations demonstrated the effectiveness and robustness of the proposed path following control method.
Identification and Application of the Aerodynamic Admittance Functions of a Double-Deck Truss Girder
Authors: Liu Haosu , Lei Junqing , Zhu Li
Published: May 2019

This paper presents the aerodynamic admittance functions (AAFs) of a double-deck truss girder (DDTG) under turbulent flows. The objective of the investigation is to identify AAFs using a segment model wind tunnel test. All of the wind tunnel tests were based on the force measurement method and conducted in a passive spire-generated turbulent flow. The segment model adopts a typical DDTG section and is tested in the service and construction stages under 0°, 3°, and 5° wind attack angles. Furthermore, a nonlinear expression is put forward to fit the identified AAFs. The buffeting responses of a long-span road-rail cable-stayed bridge are then calculated for both the service and construction stages using an equivalent ‘fish-bone’ finite element model of the DDTG. The unsteady effect of the buffeting force is considered based on quasi-steady buffeting theory using the identified AAFs. The calculated buffeting responses are finally compared with those for two other AAFs (AAF = 1.0 and the Sears function). The results indicate that the traditional AAFs overestimate vibrations in the vertical and torsional directions but underestimate vibrations in the lateral direction. The identified AAFs of the DDTG can be regarded as a reference for wind-resistant designs with similar girder sections.
A Deep Learning Method for Bearing Fault Diagnosis through Stacked Residual Dilated Convolutions
Authors: Zhuang Zilong , Lv Huichun , Xu Jie , Huang Zizhao , Qin Wei
Published: May 2019

Real-time monitoring and fault diagnosis of bearings are of great significance to improve production safety, prevent major accidents, and reduce production costs. However, there are three primary concerns in the current research, namely real-time performance, effectiveness, and generalization performance. In this paper, a deep learning method based on stacked residual dilated convolutional neural network (SRDCNN) is proposed for real-time bearing fault diagnosis, which is subtly combined by the dilated convolution, the input gate structure of long short-term memory network (LSTM) and the residual network. In the SRDCNN model, the dilated convolution is used to exponentially increase the receptive field of convolution kernel and extract features from the sample with more points, alleviating the influence of randomness. The input gate structure of LSTM could effectively remove noise and control the entry of information contained in the input sample. Meanwhile, the residual network is introduced to overcome the problem of vanishing gradients caused by the deeper structure of the neural network, hence improving the overall classification accuracy. The experimental results indicate that compared with three excellent models, the proposed SRDCNN model has higher denoising ability and better workload adaptability.
Numerical Analysis of the Mechanical Behaviors of Various Jointed Rocks under Uniaxial Tension Loading
Authors: Shu Jiaming , Jiang Lishuai , Kong Peng , Wang Qingbiao
Published: May 2019

In a complex stress field of underground mining or geotechnical practice, tension damage/failure in rock masses is easily triggered and dominant. Unlike metals, rocks are generally bi-modularity materials with different mechanical properties (Young’s modulus, etc.) in compression and tension. It is well established that the Young’s modulus of a rock mass is directly related to the presence of the fracture or joint, and the Young’s modulus estimation for jointed rocks and rock masses is essential for stability analysis. In this paper, the tensile properties in joint rocks were investigated by using numerical simulations based on the discrete element method. Four influencing parameters relating to the tensile properties (joint dip angle, joint spacing, joint intersection angle, and joint density) were studied. The numerical results show that there is an approximately linear relationship between the joint dip angle (α) and the joint intersection angle (β) with the tensile strength (σt), however, the changes in α and β have less influence on the Young’s modulus in tension (Et). With respect to joint spacing, the simulations show that the effects of joint spacing on σt and Et are negligible. In relation to the joint density, the numerical results reveal that the joint intensity of rock mass has great effect on Et but insignificant effect on σt.
Classification of Cyber-Aggression Cases Applying Machine Learning
Authors: Gutiérrez-Esparza Guadalupe Obdulia , Vallejo-Allende Maite , Hernández-Torruco José
Published: May 2019

The adoption of electronic social networks as an essential way of communication has become one of the most dangerous methods to hurt people’s feelings. The Internet and the proliferation of this kind of virtual community have caused severe negative consequences to the welfare of society, creating a social problem identified as cyber-aggression, or in some cases called cyber-bullying. This paper presents research to classify situations of cyber-aggression on social networks, specifically for Spanish-language users of Mexico. We applied Random Forest, Variable Importance Measures (VIMs), and OneR to support the classification of offensive comments in three particular cases of cyber-aggression: racism, violence based on sexual orientation, and violence against women. Experimental results with OneR improve the comment classification process of the three cyber-aggression cases, with more than 90% accuracy. The accurate classification of cyber-aggression comments can help to take measures to diminish this phenomenon.
The Effects of the Trans-Regional Transport of PM2.5 on a Heavy Haze Event in the Pearl River Delta in January 2015
Authors: Chen Qing , Sheng Lifang , Gao Yi , Miao Yucong , Hai Shangfei , Gao Shanhong , Gao Yang
Published: May 2019

The Pearl River Delta (PRD), a region with the fastest economic development and urbanization in China, sometimes has severe haze pollution caused by fine particulate matter (PM2.5). From October to April of the following year, the PRD is influenced by northerly winds, which can bring pollutants from upwind polluted regions. However, the ways that pollutants are transmitted and the contributions of trans-regional inputs are not yet clear. Observational analysis and numerical simulations are applied to explore the effect of PM2.5 trans-regional transport during a heavy haze event occurring from 14 to 25 January 2015. The results show that northerly winds resulted in an increase in the PM2.5 concentration in the northern PRD one day earlier than in the southern PRD. The main transport path of PM2.5 was located at an altitude of 0.1 to 0.7 km; the maximum total transport intensity below 3 km was 9.7 × 103 μg·m−2·s−1; and the near-surface concentration increased by 13.7 to 34.4 μg/m3 by trans-regional transport, which accounted for 56.5% of the contribution rate on average. Southerly winds could also bring a polluted air mass from the sea to the coast, causing more severe haze in coastal regions blocked by mountains, although the overall effect is reduced pollution.
Trend Analysis of Temperature and Precipitation Extremes during Winter Wheat Growth Period in the Major Winter Wheat Planting Area of China
Authors: Nie Hanjiang , Qin Tianling , Yang Hanbo , Chen Juan , He Shan , Lv Zhenyu , Shen Zhenqian
Published: May 2019

In this study, the major winter wheat planting area of China is selected as the study area, with the time scale of the growth period of winter wheat (a total of 56 growth periods during October 1961 to May 2016). The significance, stability, magnitude of the trend and the average trend of the study area with eight temperature indices and seven precipitation indices of 453 meteorological stations are tested by Mann–Kendall method and Sen’s nonparametric method. The following observation can be made: (1) the cold extreme indices show strong and stable downward trend in most of the stations in the study area, while the hot extreme indices show a strong and stable upward trend, especially in the northern winter wheat planting area and the north of the southern winter wheat planting area. (2) The trends of extreme precipitation indices in most of the sites in the study area are insignificant and unstable. Only in R20mm, a significant and stable decreasing trend is shown in some stations, which is mainly located in the northern winter wheat planting area and part of the central and western regions in the study area. The results in some ways could enrich the references for understanding the climate change in the growth period of winter wheat in the region and help to formulate a better agronomic management practice of winter wheat.
Sprinkler Irrigation Is Effective in Reducing Nitrous Oxide Emissions from a Potato Field in an Arid Region: A Two-Year Field Experiment
Authors: Yang Wenzhu , Kang Yuehu , Feng Zhiwen , Gu Peng , Wen Huiyang , Liu Lijia , Jia Yongqin
Published: May 2019

In arid and semi-arid regions, water-saving irrigation is the primary mode of local agricultural production. Since the chemical fertilizer is the principal source of nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions, we present results from a two-year (2016–2017) field experiment on a potato field to verify the general influence of water-saving irrigation on N2O emissions. A split-plot experiment was established with two irrigation systems and two fertilizer treatments, which give a total of four treatments. Two different irrigation systems were investigated: (i) flood irrigation with nitrogen fertilizer (NF-FI) combined with a control without any fertilizer (C-FI) and (ii) overhead sprinkler irrigation with a nitrogen fertilizer (NF-SI) accompanied with a control without any fertilizer (C-SI). The N2O emissions of the fertilizer treatment were greater than those of the control under each irrigation system. In plots where the fertilizers were applied, using overhead sprinkler irrigation reduced the average cumulative N2O emissions between 40.72% and 59.65% compared with flood irrigation. This was mainly due to the lower amount of water applied and the lower availability of NO3−-N and NH4+-N of soil associated with an overhead sprinkler irrigation. This work shows that the overhead sprinkler irrigation is an effective strategy to use to save water and mitigate emissions of the atmospheric pollutants N2O in comparison to flood irrigation.
Dynamical Oligomerisation of Histidine Rich Intrinsically Disordered Proteins Is Regulated through Zinc-Histidine Interactions
Authors: Cragnell Carolina , Staby Lasse , Lenton Samuel , Kragelund Birthe , Skepö Marie
Published: May 2019

Intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) can form functional oligomers and in some cases, insoluble disease related aggregates. It is therefore vital to understand processes and mechanisms that control pathway distribution. Divalent cations including Zn2+ can initiate IDP oligomerisation through the interaction with histidine residues but the mechanisms of doing so are far from understood. Here we apply a multi-disciplinary approach using small angle X-ray scattering, nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, calorimetry and computations to show that that saliva protein Histatin 5 forms highly dynamic oligomers in the presence of Zn2+. The process is critically dependent upon interaction between Zn2+ ions and distinct histidine rich binding motifs which allows for thermodynamic switching between states. We propose a molecular mechanism of oligomerisation, which may be generally applicable to other histidine rich IDPs. Finally, as Histatin 5 is an important saliva component, we suggest that Zn2+ induced oligomerisation may be crucial for maintaining saliva homeostasis.
A Study of Regional Assertions in the Architecture of Delhi from the 1970s to the present
Authors: Bahga Sanyam , Raheja Gaurav
Published: May 2019

Critical regionalism is an architectural approach that seeks to correct sterile and abstract modernism by using contextual forces that focus on local needs and potential. As globalisation disrupts and displaces local building traditions in India’s metropolitan cities, critical regionalism offers resistance to the homogenising forces of global modernism. This paper analyses five key architectural works realised in Delhi in the past four decades that incorporate the ideas of critical regionalism in their designs. The different approaches adopted by regionalist architects in dealing with local climate, topography, materials and sociological complexes have been presented. By limiting itself to regionalist works in Delhi, the paper attempts to highlight that critical regionalism is not a set of aesthetic preferences but a philosophical framework capable of producing diverse forms of architecture despite analogous external influences arising from similar site conditions.
Smad7 and Colorectal Carcinogenesis: A Double-Edged Sword
Authors: Troncone Edoardo , Monteleone Giovanni
Published: May 2019

Colorectal carcinogenesis is a complex process in which many immune and non-immune cells and a huge number of mediators are involved. Among these latter factors, Smad7, an inhibitor of the transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1 signaling that has been involved in the amplification of the inflammatory process sustaining chronic intestinal inflammation, is supposed to make a valid contribution to the growth and survival of colorectal cancer (CRC) cells. Smad7 is over-expressed by tumoral cells in both sporadic CRC and colitis-associated CRC, where it sustains neoplastic processes through activation of either TGFβ-dependent or non-dependent pathways. Consistently, genome-wide association studies have identified single nucleotide polymorphisms of the Smad7 gene associated with CRC and shown that either amplification or deletion of the Smad7 gene associates with a poor prognosis or better outcome, respectively. On the other hand, there is evidence that over-expression of Smad7 in immune cells infiltrating the inflamed gut of patients with inflammatory bowel disease can elicit anti-tumor responses, with the down-stream effect of attenuating CRC cell growth. Taken together, these observations suggest a double role of Smad7 in colorectal carcinogenesis, which probably depends on the cell subset and the biological context analyzed. In this review, we summarize the available evidences about the role of Smad7 in both sporadic and colitis-associated CRC.
Nickel Supported on AlCeO3 as a Highly Selective and Stable Catalyst for Hydrogen Production via the Glycerol Steam Reforming Reaction
Authors: Charisiou Nikolaos D. , Siakavelas Georgios I. , Dou Binlin , Sebastian Victor , Hinder Steven J. , Baker Mark A. , Polychronopoulou Kyriaki , Goula Maria A.
Published: May 2019

In this study, a critical comparison between two low metal (Ni) loading catalysts is presented, namely Ni/Al2O3 and Ni/AlCeO3 for the glycerol steam reforming (GSR) reaction. The surface and bulk properties of the catalysts were evaluated using a plethora of techniques, such as N2 adsorption/desorption, Inductively Coupled Plasma Atomic Emission Spectroscopy (ICP–AES), X-ray Diffraction (XRD), X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS), Scanning Electron Microscopy / Energy Dispersive X-Ray Spectroscopy (SEM/EDX, Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), CO2 and NH3– Temperature Programmed Desorption (TPD), and Temperature Programmed Reduction (H2–TPR). Carbon deposited on the catalyst’s surfaces was probed using Temperature Programmed Oxidation (TPO), SEM, and TEM. It is demonstrated that Ce-modification of Al2O3 induces an increase of the surface basicity and Ni dispersion. These features lead to a higher conversion of glycerol to gaseous products (60% to 80%), particularly H2 and CO2, enhancement of WGS reaction, and a higher resistance to coke deposition. Allyl alcohol was found to be the main liquid product for the Ni/AlCeO3 catalyst, the production of which ceases over 700 °C. It is also highly significant that the Ni/AlCeO3 catalyst demonstrated stable values for H2 yield (2.9–2.3) and selectivity (89–81%), in addition to CO2 (75–67%) and CO (23–29%) selectivity during a (20 h) long time-on-stream study. Following the reaction, SEM/EDX and TEM analysis showed heavy coke deposition over the Ni/Al2O3 catalyst, whereas for the Ni/AlCeO3 catalyst TPO studies showed the formation of more defective coke, the latter being more easily oxidized.
The Promoting Effect of Ni on Glycerol Hydrogenolysis to 1,2-Propanediol with In Situ Hydrogen from Methanol Steam Reforming Using a Cu/ZnO/Al2O3 Catalyst
Authors: Liu Yuanqing , Guo Xiaoming , Rempel Garry , Ng Flora
Published: May 2019

Production of green chemicals using a biomass derived feedstock is of current interest. Among the processes, the hydrogenolysis of glycerol to 1,2-propanediol (1,2-PD) using externally supplied molecular hydrogen has been studied quite extensively. The utilization of methanol present in crude glycerol from biodiesel production can avoid the additional cost for molecular hydrogen storage and transportation, as well as reduce the safety risks due to the high hydrogen pressure operation. Recently the hydrogenolysis of glycerol with a Cu/ZnO/Al2O3 catalyst using in situ hydrogen generated from methanol steam reforming in a liquid phase reaction has been reported. This paper focusses on the effect of added Ni on the activity of a Cu/ZnO/Al2O3 catalyst prepared by an oxalate gel-co-precipitation method for the hydrogenolysis of glycerol using methanol as a hydrogen source. It is found that Ni reduces the conversion of glycerol but improves the selectivity to 1,2-PD, while a higher conversion of methanol is observed. The promoting effect of Ni on the selectivity to 1,2-PD is attributed to the slower dehydration of glycerol to acetol coupled with a higher availability of in situ hydrogen produced from methanol steam reforming and the higher hydrogenation activity of Ni towards the intermediate acetol to produce 1,2-PD.
Catalyst Performance in the HDPE Pyrolysis-Reforming under Reaction-Regeneration Cycles
Authors: Barbarias Itsaso , Artetxe Maite , Lopez Gartzen , Arregi Aitor , Santamaria Laura , Bilbao Javier , Olazar Martin
Published: May 2019

The performance of a Ni commercial catalyst has been studied under reaction-regeneration cycles in a continuous process consisting of the flash pyrolysis (500 °C) of high-density polyethylene (HDPE) in a conical spouted bed reactor (CSBR), followed by catalytic steam reforming in-line (700 ºC) of the volatiles formed in a fluidized bed reactor. The catalyst is regenerated between reactions by coke combustion in situ in the reforming reactor, using a sequence of air concentrations and following a temperature ramp between 600 and 700 °C. Several analytical techniques (TPO, TEM, XRD, and TPR) have proven that the catalyst does not fully recover its initial activity by coke combustion due to the sintering of Ni0 active sites. This sintering process is steadily attenuated in the successive reaction-regeneration cycles and the catalyst approaches a steady state.
Sh3bp2 Gain-Of-Function Mutation Ameliorates Lupus Phenotypes in B6.MRL-Faslpr Mice
Authors: Nagasu Akiko , Mukai Tomoyuki , Iseki Masanori , Kawahara Kyoko , Tsuji Shoko , Nagasu Hajime , Ueki Yasuyoshi , Ishihara Katsuhiko , Kashihara Naoki , Morita Yoshitaka
Published: May 2019

SH3 domain-binding protein 2 (SH3BP2) is an adaptor protein that is predominantly expressed in immune cells, and it regulates intracellular signaling. We had previously reported that a gain-of-function mutation in SH3BP2 exacerbates inflammation and bone loss in murine arthritis models. Here, we explored the involvement of SH3BP2 in a lupus model. Sh3bp2 gain-of-function (P416R knock-in; Sh3bp2KI/+) mice and lupus-prone B6.MRL-Faslpr mice were crossed to yield double-mutant (Sh3bp2KI/+Faslpr/lpr) mice. We monitored survival rates and proteinuria up to 48 weeks of age and assessed renal damage and serum anti-double-stranded DNA antibody levels. Additionally, we analyzed B and T cell subsets in lymphoid tissues by flow cytometry and determined the expression of apoptosis-related molecules in lymph nodes. Sh3bp2 gain-of-function mutation alleviated the poor survival rate, proteinuria, and glomerulosclerosis and significantly reduced serum anti-dsDNA antibody levels in Sh3bp2KI/+Faslpr/lpr mice. Additionally, B220+CD4−CD8− T cell population in lymph nodes was decreased in Sh3bp2KI/+Faslpr/lpr mice, which is possibly associated with the observed increase in cleaved caspase-3 and tumor necrosis factor levels. Sh3bp2 gain-of-function mutation ameliorated clinical and immunological phenotypes in lupus-prone mice. Our findings offer better insight into the unique immunopathological roles of SH3BP2 in autoimmune diseases.
Current Challenges of iPSC-Based Disease Modeling and Therapeutic Implications
Authors: Doss Michael Xavier , Sachinidis Agapios
Published: May 2019

Induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-based disease modelling and the cell replacement therapy approach have proven to be very powerful and instrumental in biomedical research and personalized regenerative medicine as evidenced in the past decade by unraveling novel pathological mechanisms of a multitude of monogenic diseases at the cellular level and the ongoing and emerging clinical trials with iPSC-derived cell products. iPSC-based disease modelling has sparked widespread enthusiasm and has presented an unprecedented opportunity in high throughput drug discovery platforms and safety pharmacology in association with three-dimensional multicellular organoids such as personalized organs-on-chips, gene/base editing, artificial intelligence and high throughput “omics” methodologies. This critical review summarizes the progress made in the past decade with the advent of iPSC discovery in biomedical applications and regenerative medicine with case examples and the current major challenges that need to be addressed to unleash the full potential of iPSCs in clinical settings and pharmacology for more effective and safer regenerative therapy.
Genetic Studies of Inflammatory Bowel Disease-Focusing on Asian Patients
Authors: Park Sung Chul , Jeen Yoon Tae
Published: May 2019

The pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is not well-understood; however, increased and persistent intestinal inflammation, due to inappropriate immune responses that are caused by interactions between genetic factors, gut microbiota, and environmental factors, are thought to lead to IBD. Various studies have identified more than 240 genetic variants related to IBD. These genetic variants are involved in innate and adaptive immunity, autophagy, defective bacterial handing, interleukin-23 and 10 signaling, and so on. According to several epidemiological and clinical studies, the phenotypes and clinical course of IBD differ between Asians and Europeans. Although the risk loci for IBD typically overlap between Asians and Westerners, genetic heterogeneity has been detected in many loci/genes, such as NOD2/CARD15, TNFSF15 and human leukocyte antigen, contributing to the risk of IBD. Thus, although common pathways exist between Westerners and Asians in the development of IBD, their significance may differ for individual pathways. Although genetic studies are not universally applicable in the clinical field, they may be useful for diagnosing and categorizing IBD, predicting therapeutic responses and toxicity to drugs, and assessing prognosis by risk modeling, thereby enabling precision medicine for individual patients.
Electro-Optical Gas Sensor Consisting of Nanostructured Paper Coating and an Ultrathin Sensing Element
Authors: Sarfraz Jawad , Rosqvist Emil , Ihalainen Petri , Peltonen Jouko
Published: May 2019

This work describes the use of a paper substrate for electro-optical detection of toxic hydrogen sulfide (H2S) gas. For electrical detection, a chemiresistive type of gas sensor was developed. Ultrathin gold film electrodes (UTGFE) were produced by physical vapor deposition of gold on nanostructured latex-coated paper substrate. The gas-sensing film was deposited on the electrodes by inkjet printing. The sensing films were characterized by atomic force microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and conductometry. The sensing films showed more than seven orders of magnitude change in resistance when exposed to as low as 1 part per million (ppm) H2S gas at room temperature. Besides resistive response, the change in color of the sensing films was studied on a paper substrate, both as a function of print density of the sensing material and H2S concentration. For quantification of the analyte the red, green and blue color deconvolution was performed on the pictures of the paper strip indicator using an open source software. A clear response was obtained from the blue channel. The inexpensive disposable color strips produced on the paper substrate can be used for qualitative and quantitative detection (as low as 1.5 ppm) of H2S gas.
The Seebeck Coefficient of Sputter Deposited Metallic Thin Films: The Role of Process Conditions
Authors: Cougnon Florian , Depla Diederik
Published: May 2019

Because of their reduced dimensions and mass, thin film thermocouples are a promising candidate for embedded sensors in composite materials, especially for application in lightweight and smart structures. The sensitivity of the thin film thermocouple depends however on the process conditions during deposition. In this work, the influence of the discharge current and residual gas impurities on the Seebeck coefficient is experimentally investigated for sputter deposited copper and constantan thin films. The influence of the layer thickness on the film Seebeck coefficient is also discussed. Our observations indicate that both a decreasing discharge current or an increasing background pressure results in a growing deviation of the film Seebeck coefficient compared to its bulk value. Variations in discharge current or background pressure are linked as they both induce a variation in the ratio between the impurity flux to metal flux towards the growing film. This latter parameter is considered a quantitative measure for the background residual gas incorporation in the film and is known to act as a grain refiner. The observed results emphasize the importance of the domain size on the Seebeck coefficient of metallic thin films.
Improving Efficiency in Dental School Clinics by Computerizing a Manual Task
Authors: Virun Vladyslav , Singhe Dhaliwal Gurmukh , Liu Chieh-Han (Jeffrey) , Sharma Pranshu , Kaur Harleen , Nalliah Romesh P.
Published: May 2019

Background: We computerized a formerly manual task of requesting dental faculty to conduct quality checks on student providers during patient encounters. We surveyed student providers who experienced the manual and computerized versions of the faculty request process for one year each. Methods: All surveys were emailed to student providers and there were no reminders or incentives to complete the survey. Simple descriptive data were used to present the results of the study and Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval was provided by the University of Michigan Medical School Committee on Human Research (HUM00131029) on 1 June 2018 Results: The response rate for the survey was 47.1%. A total of 16.1% of student providers reported that the Faculty Request System (FRS) helped them save 1–10 min per clinic session, 22.3% said it saved them 11–20 min, 29.5% said it saved them 21–30 min, 21.4% said it saved 31–40 min, 2.67% said it saved 41–50 min, and 7.14% said it saved more than 50 min per clinic session. Regarding how student providers used the additional time they gained from the FRS, 96.4% said they used some of the time to write up their notes, 88.4% said they used some of the time to discuss treatments with their patients, 83.9% said they engaged in general conversation with their patients, 81.3% said they took care of other patient-related duties, while 1.8% said they had less time available after the implementation of the FRS. Conclusions: The FRS enabled student providers to remain with their patients for almost a full 30 min more (during a 3 h session). This paper describes several benefits experienced by student providers, and the resulting impacts on patient experiences.
Effect of Collagen Cross-Link Deficiency on Incorporation of Grafted Bone
Authors: Mubarak Suliman , Masako Nagasawa , Al-Omari Farah A. , Keisuke Hamaya , Katsumi Uoshima
Published: May 2019

Bone matrix collagen, is one of the major contributors to bone quality. No studies have examined how bone quality affects the results of bone transplantation. Collagen cross-links (CCL) are the key factor in collagen properties. The purpose was to investigate the influences of CCL for both grafted bone and recipient site bone on the success of bone augmentation. Four-week-old male Wister rats (n = 54) were divided into control and test groups. Control and test groups equally sub-divided into donors and recipients. An additional six rats were used to characterize bone at day zero. Test groups received 0.2% beta-aminoproperionitrile (BAPN) for 4 weeks as CCL inhibitor. Animals were further divided into donor and recipient groups. The transplanted bone chips integrated with host bone by 25% more in CCL-deficient animals compared to control. However, no difference in cortical thickness among all conditions. CCL-deficient transplanted bone did not show any extra signs of osteocyte apoptosis, while sclerostin expression was comparable to that in control. The host periosteum of CCL-deficient animals showed higher cellular activity, as well as higher bone quantity and osteoclast activity. Collagen cross-links deficiency in host bone might accelerate the incorporation of grafted bone. effect. Incorporation of the bone grafts appears to depend mainly on host condition rather than graft condition.