bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Swellable Copolymers of N-isopropylacrylamide and Alkyl Acrylic Acids for Optical pH Sensing
Authors: Lavine Barry K. , Pampati Sandhya R. , Dahal Kaushalya S. , Kim Mariya , Perera U. D. Nuwan T. , Benjamin Marcus , Bunce Richard A.
Published: March 2020

Swellable polymers that respond to pH (including a portion of the physiological pH range) have been prepared from N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPA) copolymerized with acrylic acid, methacrylic acid, ethacrylic acid or propacrylic acid by dispersion polymerization. When the swellable polymer particles are dispersed in a polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) hydrogel membrane, large changes occur in the turbidity of the membrane (which is measured using an absorbance spectrometer) as the pH of the buffer solution in contact with the hydrogel membrane is varied. The swelling of the NIPA copolymer is nonionic, as the ionic strength of the buffer solution in contact with the PVA membrane was increased from 0.1 to 1.0 M without a decrease in the swelling. For many of these NIPA copolymers, swelling was also reversible in both low- and high ionic strength pH-buffered media and at ambient and physiological temperatures. The composition of the formulation used to prepare these copolymers of NIPA can be correlated to the enthalpy and entropy of the pH-induced swelling.
A2E Distribution in RPE Granules in Human Eyes
Authors: Guan Ziqiang , Li Yiwen , Jiao Shuliang , Yeasmin Nusrat , Rosenfeld Philip J. , Dubovy Sander R. , Lam Byron L. , Wen Rong
Published: March 2020

A2E (N-retinylidene-N-retinylethanolamine) is a major fluorophore in the RPE (retinal pigment epithelium). To identify and characterize A2E-rich RPE lipofuscin, we fractionated RPE granules from human donor eyes into five fractions (F1–F5 in ascending order of density) by discontinuous sucrose density gradient centrifugation. The dry weight of each fraction was measured and A2E was quantified by liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (LC/MS) using a synthetic A2E homolog as a standard. Autofluorescence emission was characterized by a customer-built spectro-fluorometer system. A significant A2E level was detected in every fraction, and the highest level was found in F1, a low-density fraction that makes up half of the total weight of all RPE granules, contains 67% of all A2E, and emits 75% of projected autofluorescence by all RPE granules. This group of RPE granules, not described previously, is therefore the most abundant RPE lipofuscin granule population. A progressive decrease in autofluorescence was observed from F2 to F4, whereas no autofluorescence emission was detected from the heavily pigmented F5. The identification of a novel and major RPE lipofuscin population could have significant implications in our understanding of A2E and lipofuscin in human RPE.
Unknown Areas of Activity of Human Ribonuclease Dicer: A Putative Deoxyribonuclease Activity
Authors: Wojnicka Marta , Szczepanska Agnieszka , Kurzynska-Kokorniak Anna
Published: March 2020

The Dicer ribonuclease plays a crucial role in the biogenesis of small regulatory RNAs (srRNAs) by processing long double-stranded RNAs and single-stranded hairpin RNA precursors into small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) and microRNAs (miRNAs), respectively. Dicer-generated srRNAs can control gene expression by targeting complementary transcripts and repressing their translation or inducing their cleavage. Human Dicer (hDicer) is a multidomain enzyme comprising a putative helicase domain, a DUF283 domain, platform, a PAZ domain, a connector helix, two RNase III domains (RNase IIIa and RNase IIIb) and a dsRNA-binding domain. Specific, ~20-base pair siRNA or miRNA duplexes with 2 nucleotide (nt) 3’-overhangs are generated by Dicer when an RNA substrate is anchored within the platform-PAZ-connector helix (PPC) region. However, increasing number of reports indicate that in the absence of the PAZ domain, binding of RNA substrates can occur by other Dicer domains. Interestingly, truncated variants of Dicer, lacking the PPC region, have been found to display a DNase activity. Inspired by these findings, we investigated how the lack of the PAZ domain, or the entire PPC region, would influence the cleavage activity of hDicer. Using immunopurified 3xFlag-hDicer produced in human cells and its two variants: one lacking the PAZ domain, and the other lacking the entire PPC region, we show that the PAZ domain deletion variants of hDicer are not able to process a pre-miRNA substrate, a dsRNA with 2-nt 3ʹ-overhangs, and a blunt-ended dsRNA. However, the PAZ deletion variants exhibit both RNase and DNase activity on short single-stranded RNA and DNAs, respectively. Collectively, our results indicate that when the PAZ domain is absent, other hDicer domains may contribute to substrate binding and in this case, non-canonical products can be generated.
Response Surface Optimization of an Extraction Method for the Simultaneous Detection of Sulfamethoxazole and 17β-Estradiol in Soil
Authors: Song Rui , Chen Qincheng , Yan Lili , Rao Pinhua , Sun Peng , Wang Lumei , Shen Guoqing
Published: March 2020

Antibiotics and hormones widely exist in fertilizers and manures, which are excessively used in agriculture and animal husbandry. Considering their potential harm to the environment and human health, the detection of antibiotics and hormones has become a necessity. However, current methods find it difficult to simultaneously extract and detect antibiotics and hormones in soil and to maintain a high level of accuracy and a low cost. In this study, a straightforward, convenient, and simultaneous extraction and detection method of a representative antibiotic (sulfamethoxazole, SMZ) and hormone (17β-Estradiol, E2) in soil has been established. Ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) was used in the pretreatment process and high-performance liquid chromatography with the ultraviolet detector (HPLC-UV) method was then chosen in the detection process. By means of single factors and response surface experiments, optimal extraction conditions were a 41-mL buffer solution (pH 4.27) mixed with 1 g of soil sample, an ultrasonication time of 36 min, an ultrasonication temperature of 25 °C, and two extraction cycles. The detection limits of 0.3–10 μg/kg and quantification limits of 1–30 μg/kg have been obtained. Finally, the optimized simultaneous extraction and detection method was validated by three different real soil samples with recoveries ranging from 79.49% to 86.47%.
New Symmetrical U- and Wavy-Shaped Supramolecular H-Bonded Systems; Geometrical and Mesomorphic Approaches
Authors: Al-Mutabagani Laila A. , Alshabanah Latifah Abdullah , Ahmed Hoda A. , Hagar Mohamed , Al-Ola Khulood A. Abu
Published: March 2020

New mesomorphic symmetrical 2:1 supramolecular H-bonded complexes of seven phenyl rings were prepared between 4-n-alkoxyphenylazobenzoic acids and 4-(2-(pyridin-3-yl)diazenyl)phenyl nicotinate. Mesomorphic studies of the prepared complexes were investigated using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and polarizing optical microscopy (POM). Fermi bands of the formed H-bonded interactions were confirmed by FT-IR spectroscopy. Geometrical parameters for all complexes were performed using the density functional theory (DFT) calculations method. Theoretical results revealed that the prepared H-bonded complexes are in non-linear geometry with U-shaped and wavy-shaped geometrical structures; however, the greater linearity of the wavy-shaped compounds could be the reason for their stability with respect to the U-shaped conformer. Moreover, the stable, wavy shape of supramolecular H-bonded complexes (SMHBCs) has been used to illustrate mesomeric behavior in terms of the molecular interaction. The experimental mesomorphic investigations revealed that all complexes possess enantiotropic smectic C phase. Phases were confirmed by miscibility with a standard smectic C (SmC) compound. A comparison was constructed to investigate the effect of incorporating azophenyl moiety into the mesomeric behavior of the corresponding five-membered complexes. It was found that the addition of the extra phenylazo group to the acid moiety has a great increment of the mesophase stability (TC) values with respect to the monotropic SmC phase of the five aromatic systems to the high stable enantiotropic SmC mesophase.
Three-Component Reaction of Diamines with Triethyl Orthoformate and Diethyl Phosphite and Anti-Proliferative and Antiosteoporotic Activities of the Products
Authors: Petruczynik Patrycja , Kafarski Paweł , Psurski Mateusz , Wietrzyk Joanna , Kiełbowicz Zdzisław , Kuryszko Jan , Chmielewska Ewa
Published: March 2020

A three-component reaction between diamines (diaminobenzenes, diaminocyclohexanes, and piperazines), triethyl orthoformate, and diethyl phosphite was studied in some detail. In the case of 1,3- and 1,4-diamines and piperazines, products of the substitution of two amino moieties—the corresponding tetraphosphonic acids—were obtained. In the cases of 1,2-diaminobenzene, 1,2-diaminocyclohexanes and 1,2-diaminocyclohexenes, only one amino group reacted. This is most likely the result of the formation of hydrogen bonding between the phosphonate oxygen and a hydrogen of the adjacent amino group, which caused a decrease in the reactivity of the amino group. Most of the obtained compounds inhibited the proliferation of RAW 264.7 macrophages, PC-3 human prostate cancer cells, and MCF-7 human breast cancer cells, with 1, trans-7, and 16 showing broad nonspecific activity, which makes these compounds especially interesting in the context of anti-osteolytic treatment and the blocking of interactions and mutual activation of osteoclasts and tumor metastatic cells. These compounds exhibit similar activity to zoledronic acid and higher activity than incadronic acid, which were used as controls. However, studies of sheep with induced osteoporosis carried out with compound trans-7 did not support this assumption.
Recent Advances in Berberine Inspired Anticancer Approaches: From Drug Combination to Novel Formulation Technology and Derivatization
Authors: Habtemariam Solomon
Published: March 2020

Berberine is multifunctional natural product with potential to treat diverse pathological conditions. Its broad-spectrum anticancer effect through direct effect on cancer cell growth and metastasis have been established both in vitro and in vivo. The cellular targets that account to the anticancer effect of berberine are incredibly large and range from kinases (protein kinase B (Akt), mitogen activated protein kinases (MAPKs), cell cycle checkpoint kinases, etc.) and transcription factors to genes and protein regulators of cell survival, motility and death. The direct effect of berberine in cancer cells is however relatively weak and occur at moderate concentration range (10–100 µM) in most cancer cells. The poor pharmacokinetics profile resulting from poor absorption, efflux by permeability-glycoprotein (P-gc) and extensive metabolism in intestinal and hepatic cells are other dimensions of berberine’s limitation as anticancer agent. This communication addresses the research efforts during the last two decades that were devoted to enhancing the anticancer potential of berberine. Strategies highlighted include using berberine in combination with other chemotherapeutic agents either to reduce toxic side effects or enhance their anticancer effects; the various novel formulation approaches which by order of magnitude improved the pharmacokinetics of berberine; and semisynthetic approaches that enhanced potency by up to 100-fold.
Nanomedicines for the Delivery of Antimicrobial Peptides (AMPs)
Authors: Teixeira Maria C. , Carbone Claudia , Sousa Maria C. , Espina Marta , Garcia Maria L. , Sanchez-Lopez Elena , Souto Eliana B.
Published: March 2020

Microbial infections are still among the major public health concerns since several yeasts and fungi, and other pathogenic microorganisms, are responsible for continuous growth of infections and drug resistance against bacteria. Antimicrobial resistance rate is fostering the need to develop new strategies against drug-resistant superbugs. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are small peptide-based molecules of 5–100 amino acids in length, with potent and broad-spectrum antimicrobial properties. They are part of the innate immune system, which can represent a minimal risk of resistance development. These characteristics contribute to the description of these molecules as promising new molecules in the development of new antimicrobial drugs. However, efforts in developing new medicines have not resulted in any decrease of drug resistance yet. Thus, a technological approach on improving existing drugs is gaining special interest. Nanomedicine provides easy access to innovative carriers, which ultimately enable the design and development of targeted delivery systems of the most efficient drugs with increased efficacy and reduced toxicity. Based on performance, successful experiments, and considerable market prospects, nanotechnology will undoubtedly lead a breakthrough in biomedical field also for infectious diseases, as there are several nanotechnological approaches that exhibit important roles in restoring antibiotic activity against resistant bacteria.
The Use of Electrospun Organic and Carbon Nanofibers in Bone Regeneration
Authors: Aoki Kaoru , Haniu Hisao , Kim Yoong Ahm , Saito Naoto
Published: March 2020

There has been an increasing amount of research on regenerative medicine for the treatment of bone defects. Scaffolds are needed for the formation of new bone, and various scaffolding materials have been evaluated for bone regeneration. Materials with pores that allow cells to differentiate into osteocytes are preferred in scaffolds for bone regeneration, and porous materials and fibers are well suited for this application. Electrospinning is an effective method for producing a nanosized fiber by applying a high voltage to the needle tip containing a polymer solution. The use of electrospun nanofibers is being studied in the medical field, and its use as a scaffold for bone regeneration therapy has become a topic of growing interest. In this review, we will introduce the potential use of electrospun nanofiber as a scaffold for bone regenerative medicine with a focus on carbon nanofibers produced by the electrospinning method.
Supercapacitor Performance of Nickel-Cobalt Sulfide Nanotubes Decorated Using Ni Co-Layered Double Hydroxide Nanosheets Grown in Situ on Ni Foam
Authors: Xin Chen , Ang Li , Musharavati Farayi , Jaber Fadi , Hui Li , Zalnezhad Erfan , Bae Sungchul , Hui Kwan San , Hui Kwun Nam
Published: March 2020

In this study, to fabricate a non-binder electrode, we grew nickel–cobalt sulfide (NCS) nanotubes (NTs) on a Ni foam substrate using a hydrothermal method through a two-step approach, namely in situ growth and an anion-exchange reaction. This was followed by the electrodeposition of double-layered nickel-cobalt hydroxide (NCOH) over a nanotube-coated substrate to fabricate NCOH core-shell nanotubes. The final product is called NCS@NCOH herein. Structural and morphological analyses of the synthesized electrode materials were conducted via SEM and XRD. Different electrodeposition times were selected, including 10, 20, 40, and 80 s. The results indicate that the NCSNTs electrodeposited with NCOH nanosheets for 40 s have the highest specific capacitance (SC), cycling stability (2105 Fg−1 at a current density of 2 Ag−1), and capacitance retention (65.1% after 3,000 cycles), in comparison with those electrodeposited for 10, 20, and 80 s. Furthermore, for practical applications, a device with negative and positive electrodes made of active carbon and NCS@NCOH was fabricated, achieving a high-energy density of 23.73 Whkg−1 at a power density of 400 Wkg−1.
Single Mutation in Hammerhead Ribozyme Favors Cleavage Activity with Manganese over Magnesium
Authors: Naghdi Mohammad Reza , Boutet Emilie , Mucha Clarisse , Ouellet Jonathan , Perreault Jonathan
Published: March 2020

Hammerhead ribozymes are one of the most studied classes of ribozymes so far, from both the structural and biochemical point of views. The activity of most hammerhead ribozymes is cation-dependent. Mg2+ is one of the most abundant divalent cations in the cell and therefore plays a major role in cleavage activity for most hammerhead ribozymes. Besides Mg2+, cleavage can also occur in the presence of other cations such as Mn2+. The catalytic core of hammerhead ribozymes is highly conserved, which could contribute to a preference of hammerhead ribozymes toward certain cations. Here, we show a naturally occurring variation in the catalytic core of hammerhead ribozymes, A6C, that can favor one metallic ion, Mn2+, over several other cations.
Emerging Advanced Technologies to Mitigate the Impact of Climate Change in Africa
Authors: Francisco Ribeiro Priscilla , Camargo Rodriguez Anyela Valentina
Published: March 2020

Agriculture remains critical to Africa’s socioeconomic development, employing 65% of the work force and contributing 32% of GDP (Gross Domestic Product). Low productivity, which characterises food production in many Africa countries, remains a major concern. Compounded by the effects of climate change and lack of technical expertise, recent reports suggest that the impacts of climate change on agriculture and food systems in African countries may have further-reaching consequences than previously anticipated. Thus, it has become imperative that African scientists and farmers adopt new technologies which facilitate their research and provide smart agricultural solutions to mitigating current and future climate change-related challenges. Advanced technologies have been developed across the globe to facilitate adaptation to climate change in the agriculture sector. Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)-CRISPR-associated protein 9 (Cas9), synthetic biology, and genomic selection, among others, constitute examples of some of these technologies. In this work, emerging advanced technologies with the potential to effectively mitigate climate change in Africa are reviewed. The authors show how these technologies can be utilised to enhance knowledge discovery for increased production in a climate change-impacted environment. We conclude that the application of these technologies could empower African scientists to explore agricultural strategies more resilient to the effects of climate change. Additionally, we conclude that support for African scientists from the international community in various forms is necessary to help Africans avoid the full undesirable effects of climate change.
The Regulatory Effects of a Formulation of Cinnamomum osmophloeum Kaneh and Taiwanofungus camphoratus on Metabolic Syndrome and the Gut Microbiome
Authors: Wang Ya-Yun , Hsieh Yu-Hsin , Kumar K. J. Senthil , Hsieh Han-Wen , Lin Chin-Chung , Wang Sheng-Yang
Published: March 2020

The number of people with metabolic syndrome (MetS) is increasing year by year, and MetS is associated with gut microbiota dysbiosis. The demand for health supplements to treat or prevent MetS is also growing. Cinnamomum osmophloeum Kaneh (CO) and Taiwanofungus camphoratus (TC) are endemic to Taiwan. Both have been shown to improve the symptoms of MetS, such as dyslipidemia and hyperglycemia. Herein, we investigated the effect of CO, TC and their formulations on diet-induced obese mice. Male C57BL/6J mice were fed with a high-fat diet (HFD) for 10 weeks to induce MetS. After that, the mice were fed with HFD supplemented with CO, TC, and various CO/TC formulations, respectively, for 14 weeks. The changes in physiological parameters and the composition of the gut microbiome were investigated. The results indicated that CO, TC, and their formulations effectively reduced hyperglycemia, and tended to alleviate MetS in obese mice. Moreover, we also observed that CO, TC, and their formulations improved gut microbiota dysbiosis by decreasing the Firmicutes-to-Bacteroidetes ratio and increasing the abundance of Akkermansia spp. Our results revealed that CO and TC might have potential for use as a prebiotic dietary supplement to ameliorate obesity-related metabolic disorders and gut dysbiosis.
Molecular Characterization and Identification of Calnexin 1 As a Radiation Biomarker from Tradescantia BNL4430
Authors: Ha Hye-Jeong , Subburaj Saminathan , Kim Young-Sun , Kim Jin-Baek , Kang Si-Yong , Lee Geung-Joo
Published: March 2020

Calnexin (CNX) is an integral membrane protein that functions as a chaperone in the endoplasmic reticulum for the correct folding of proteins under stress conditions, rendering organisms tolerant under adverse conditions. Studies have investigated the cytogenetic effects of gamma irradiation (Ɣ-IR) on plants, but information on the molecular response under Ɣ-IR remains limited. Previously, we constructed a cDNA library of an irradiation-sensitive bioindicator plant, Tradescantia BNL4430 (T-4430) under Ɣ-IR, in which the Calnexin-1 gene was highly upregulated at 50 mGy treatment. TrCNX1 encodes a 61.4 kDa protein with conserved signature motifs similar to already reported CNX1s. TrCNX1 expression was evaluated by semiquantitative reverse transcriptase PCR and quantitative real-time PCR and was ubiquitously expressed in various tissues and highly upregulated in flower petals under 50 mGy Ɣ-IR stress. The protective function of TrCNX1 was investigated by overexpression of TrCNX1 in an Escherichia coli BL21(DE3) heterologous system. Using plate assay, we showed that TrCNX1 increased the viability of E. coli transformants under both UV-B and Ɣ-IR compared with the control, demonstrating that TrCNX1 functions under irradiation stress. TrCNX1 may enhance irradiation stress tolerance in crops and act as a radio marker gene to monitor the effects of radiation.
Genetic and Epigenetic Stability in Rye Seeds under Different Storage Conditions: Ageing and Oxygen Effect
Authors: Pirredda Michela , González-Benito M. Elena , Martín Carmen , Mira Sara
Published: March 2020

Seed ageing is a complex process and can be described as the loss of viability or quality with time. It is important to elucidate whether genetic and epigenetic stability is altered in stored seeds and in seedlings produced from them. Non-stored and stored rye seeds at different stages of ageing were compared, as well as the seedlings obtained from them. Seeds were stored at 35 °C and 15% water content, under vacuum or air atmosphere. DNA of seeds and seedlings was isolated at three stages of the deterioration curve: P75 (13 days), P20 (29 days), and P0 (36 days). Genetic stability was assessed by RAPD technique, and epigenetic changes by MSAP markers. While seeds showed genetic stability after storage, the similarity of seedlings obtained from seeds stored for 29 days was lower (95%) when compared to seedlings from control seeds. Epigenetic changes were between 15% and 30% (both de novo methylation and demethylation) in the stored seeds compared to control seeds, with no differences between 13 and 29 days of storage with either air or vacuum atmospheres. In seedlings, epigenetic changes significantly increased with storage time. In conclusion, ageing increased epigenetic instability in both seeds and seedlings, when compared to controls.
Development and Characterization of an Ethyl Methane Sulfonate (EMS) Induced Mutant Population in Capsicum annuum L.
Authors: Siddique Muhammad Irfan , Back Seungki , Lee Joung-Ho , Jo Jinkwan , Jang Siyoung , Han Koeun , Venkatesh Jelli , Kwon Jin-Kyung , Jo Yeong Deuk , Kang Byoung-Cheorl
Published: March 2020

Plant breeding explores genetic diversity in useful traits to develop new, high-yielding, and improved cultivars. Ethyl methane sulfonate (EMS) is a chemical widely used to induce mutations at loci that regulate economically essential traits. Additionally, it can knock out genes, facilitating efforts to elucidate gene functions through the analysis of mutant phenotypes. Here, we developed a mutant population using the small and pungent ornamental Capsicum annuum pepper “Micro-Pep”. This accession is particularly suitable for mutation studies and molecular research due to its compact growth habit and small size. We treated 9500 seeds with 1.3% EMS and harvested 3996 M2 lines. We then selected 1300 (32.5%) independent M2 families and evaluated their phenotypes over four years. The mutants displayed phenotypic variations in plant growth, habit, leaf color and shape, and flower and fruit morphology. An experiment to optimize Targeting Induced Local Lesions IN Genomes (TILLING) in pepper detected nine EMS-induced mutations in the eIF4E gene. The M2 families developed here exhibited broad phenotypic variation and should be valuable genetic resources for functional gene analysis in pepper molecular breeding programs using reverse genetics tools, including TILLING.
Flower Colour Polymorphism, Pollination Modes, Breeding System and Gene Flow in Anemone coronaria
Authors: Dafni Amots , Tzohari Hagai , Ben-Shlomo Rachel , Vereecken Nicolas J. , Ne’eman Gidi
Published: March 2020

The flower colour of Anemone coronaria (Ranunculaceae) is a genetically inherited trait. Such intra-specific flower colour polymorphism might be driven by pollinators, other non-pollinating agents, or by abiotic factors. We investigated the genetic relations among red, white and purple-blue flower colour morphs growing in 10 populations of A. coronaria in Israel, in relation to their breeding system, pollination modes, differential perception by bees and visitors’ behaviour. Flowers of these three morphs differed in their reflectance that could be perceived by bees. Honeybees, solitary bees and flies demonstrated only partial preferences for the different colour morphs. No spontaneous self-pollination was found; however, fruit set under nets, excluding insects but allowing wind pollination, was not significantly lower than that of natural free pollinated flowers, indicating a potential role of wind pollination. Anemone coronaria flowers were visited by various insects, honeybees and Andrena sp. preferred the white and purple-blue morphs, while the syrphid flies preferred the white flowers. Thus, visitor behaviour can only partially explain the evolution or maintenance of the colour polymorphism. No significant genetic differences were found among the populations or colour morphs. Wind pollination, causing random gene flow, may explain why no significant genetic divergence was found among all studied populations and their colour morphs. The existence of monomorphic red populations, along other polymorphic populations, might be explained by linked resistance to aridity and/or grazing.
Heterosis Breeding in Eggplant (Solanum melongena L.): Gains and Provocations
Authors: Kumar Ashish , Sharma Vinay , Jain Bharat Taindu , Kaushik Prashant
Published: March 2020

Heterosis (or hybrid vigor) results in a hybrid’s phenotypic superiority over its founder parents for quantitative and qualitative traits. Hybrid vigor is defined by mechanisms such as dominant complementation, over-dominance, and epistasis. Eggplant (Solanum melongena L.) is an essential vegetable crop and a good source of dietary minerals, vitamins, and anthocyanins, with a high oxygen radical absorbance capacity and low caloric value. Given the economic and nutritional significance of eggplants, breeding efforts focus on developing high-yielding varieties—mostly F1 hybrids—with important traits. Studies indicate the successful exploitation of heterosis in the eggplant for a considerable improvement with respect to quantitative traits. In this direction, estimating heterosis for yield-related traits could well be useful for examining the most beneficial hybrid mix with the exploitation of top-quality hybrid. This review examines the current perception of the breeding and molecular aspects of heterosis in eggplants and cites several studies describing the mechanisms. Rendering and combining recent genomics, epigenetic, proteomic, and metabolomics studies present new prospects towards the understanding of the regulatory events of heterosis involved in the evolution and the domestication of the eggplant ideotype.
De novo Sequencing and Analysis of Salvia hispanica Tissue-Specific Transcriptome and Identification of Genes Involved in Terpenoid Biosynthesis
Authors: Wimberley James , Cahill Joseph , Atamian Hagop S.
Published: March 2020

Salvia hispanica (commonly known as chia) is gaining popularity worldwide as a healthy food supplement due to its low saturated fatty acid and high polyunsaturated fatty acid content, in addition to being rich in protein, fiber, and antioxidants. Chia leaves contain plethora of secondary metabolites with medicinal properties. In this study, we sequenced chia leaf and root transcriptomes using the Illumina platform. The short reads were assembled into contigs using the Trinity software and annotated against the Uniprot database. The reads were de novo assembled into 103,367 contigs, which represented 92.8% transcriptome completeness and a diverse set of Gene Ontology terms. Differential expression analysis identified 6151 and 8116 contigs significantly upregulated in the leaf and root tissues, respectively. In addition, we identified 30 contigs belonging to the Terpene synthase (TPS) family and demonstrated their evolutionary relationships to tomato TPS family members. Finally, we characterized the expression of S. hispanica TPS members in leaves subjected to abiotic stresses and hormone treatments. Abscisic acid had the most pronounced effect on the expression of the TPS genes tested in this study. Our work provides valuable community resources for future studies aimed at improving and utilizing the beneficial constituents of this emerging healthy food source.
Facile Synthesis of Bio-Template Tubular MCo2O4 (M = Cr, Mn, Ni) Microstructure and Its Electrochemical Performance in Aqueous Electrolyte
Authors: Guragain Deepa , Zequine Camila , Gupta Ram K , Mishra Sanjay R
Published: March 2020

In this project, we present a comparative study of the electrochemical performance for tubular MCo2O4 (M = Cr, Mn, Ni) microstructures prepared using cotton fiber as a bio-template. Crystal structure, surface properties, morphology, and electrochemical properties of MCo2O4 are characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), gas adsorption, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transforms infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), cyclic voltammetry (CV), and galvanostatic charge-discharge cycling (GCD). The electrochemical performance of the electrode made up of tubular MCo2O4 structures was evaluated in aqueous 3M KOH electrolytes. The as-obtained templated MCo2O4 microstructures inherit the tubular morphology. The large-surface-area of tubular microstructures leads to a noticeable pseudocapacitive property with the excellent electrochemical performance of NiCo2O4 with specific capacitance value exceeding 407.2 F/g at 2 mV/s scan rate. In addition, a Coulombic efficiency ~100%, and excellent cycling stability with 100% capacitance retention for MCo2O4 was noted even after 5000 cycles. These tubular MCo2O4 microstructure display peak power density is exceeding 7000 W/Kg. The superior performance of the tubular MCo2O4 microstructure electrode is attributed to their high surface area, adequate pore volume distribution, and active carbon matrix, which allows effective redox reaction and diffusion of hydrated ions.
Deep Learning-Based Secure MIMO Communications with Imperfect CSI for Heterogeneous Networks
Authors: Deng Dan , Li Xingwang , Zhao Ming , Rabie Khaled M. , Kharel Rupak
Published: March 2020

Perfect channel state information (CSI) is required in most of the classical physical-layer security techniques, while it is difficult to obtain the ideal CSI due to the time-varying wireless fading channel. Although imperfect CSI has a great impact on the security of MIMO communications, deep learning is becoming a promising solution to handle the negative effect of imperfect CSI. In this work, we propose two types of deep learning-based secure MIMO detectors for heterogeneous networks, where the macro base station (BS) chooses the null-space eigenvectors to prevent information leakage to the femto BS. Thus, the bit error rate of the associated user is adopted as the metric to evaluate the system performance. With the help of deep convolutional neural networks (CNNs), the macro BS obtains the refined version from the imperfect CSI. Simulation results are provided to validate the proposed algorithms. The impacts of system parameters, such as the correlation factor of imperfect CSI, the normalized doppler frequency, the number of antennas is investigated in different setup scenarios. The results show that considerable performance gains can be obtained from the deep learning-based detectors compared with the classical maximum likelihood algorithm.
A Model Test for the Influence of Lateral Pressure on Vertical Bearing Characteristics in Pile Jacking Process Based on Optical Sensors
Authors: Wang Yonghong , Liu Xueying , Sang Songkui , Zhang Mingyi , Wang Peng
Published: March 2020

Photoelectric integrated testing technology was used to study precast piles during pile jacking at the pile–soil interface considering the influence of the earth and pore water pressures on its vertical bearing performance. The low temperature sensitive fiber Bragg grating (FBG) strain sensors and miniature silicon piezoresistive sensors were implanted in the model pile to test the changes of earth pressure, pore water pressure and pile axial force of the jacked pile at the pile–soil interface, and the influence of lateral pressure on pile axial force was studied. The test results showed that the nylon rod is feasible as a model pile. The FBG strain sensor had a stable performance and monitored changes in the axial force of the model pile in real time. The miniature earth and pore water pressure sensors were small enough to avoid size effects and accurately measured changes in the earth and pore water pressures during the pile jacking process. During pile jacking, the lateral earth pressure increased gradually in depth, and the lateral earth pressure at the same depth tended to decrease at greater depths. Lateral pressures caused the axial force of the pile to increases by a factor of 1–2, where the maximum was 2.7. Therefore, the influence of the lateral pressure must be considered when studying the residual pile stress.
Super Wide Band, Defected Ground Structure (DGS), and Stepped Meander Line Antenna for WLAN/ISM/WiMAX/UWB and other Wireless Communication Applications
Authors: Ullah Shahid , Ruan Cunjun , Sadiq Muhammad Shahzad , Haq Tanveer Ul , Fahad Ayesha Kosar , He Wenlong
Published: March 2020

This paper presents a new shape (s-shape monopole) of a super wideband antenna using stepped meander lines, a quarter waveguide transformer feeding line, and a defected ground structure (DGS). The antenna will be used for multiple wireless communication applications like WIMAX/WLAN/ISM/UWB, and also for several wireless communication applications. The total dimensions of the proposed antenna are 35 mm × 35 mm × 1.57 mm or 0.36 λo × 0.36 λo × 0.016 λo, which are the corresponding electrical dimensions with free-space wavelength (λo) at the lower operating frequency. The antenna is designed and simulated into two steps: the first (Antenna 1) covers a bandwidth of 18.2 GHz, while the second (Antenna 2, using DGS) covers a super wide bandwidth of 37.82 GHz (3.08–40.9 GHz). The measured fractional bandwidth and bandwidth ratio of the antenna are 174.68% and 13.009:1, respectively, which is operating from 3.09–40.2 GHz. The maximum calculated gain and efficiency are 5.9 dBi and 92.7%, respectively. The time-domain performance is good due to the calculation of the system fidelity factor, group delay, and its linear and constant phase variation.
A Study on Hybrid Sensor Technology in Winter Road Assessment
Authors: Pedersen Aleksander , Brustad Tanita F.
Published: March 2020

Road conditions during the winter months in Nordic countries can be highly unstable. Slippery roads combined with heavy haul traffic and ordinary road users can create dangerous, even lethal, situations if road maintenance is unsuccessful. Accidents and critical road conditions may lead to blocked roads, putting strain on a limited number of main roads in many regions, and may in the worst case isolate areas entirely. Using sensors in winter road assessment has been a popular topic for over 20 years. However, with today’s developments connected to smaller and cheaper sensors, new opportunities are presenting themselves. In this study, we performed preliminary experiments on a variety of sensors, both commercial and experimental, to evaluate their benefits in possible hybrid sensor technology, which can give a more complete characterization of the road surface than what is possible from just one sensor. From the collected data and visual analysis of the results, the idea of a hybrid sensor seems promising when considering the differences in the tested sensors and how they may complement each other.
Experimental Study on Purification Effect of Biochemical Pool Model for Treatment of Pavement Runoff by Aquatic Plants
Authors: Wang Qinge , Cao He , Yu Huanan , Zhao Luwei , Fan Jinchan , Wang Yingqing
Published: March 2020

The road runoff after rainfall carries a lot of pollutants that could cause great harm to the water environment. A biochemical pool can be used as a treatment for the road runoff. In order to further improve the efficiency of road runoff treatment by biochemical pool and to evaluate the purification effect of the aquatic plants, two aquatic plants of Iris pseudacorus and Myriophyllum verticillatum were chosen in this research. The effect of different planting densities on the treatment of runoff pollutants and the planting mode by different aquatic plants were studied. The results show that both plants have the ability to remove the pollutants like chemical oxygen demand (COD), Zn, Cu, oil, and suspended solids (SS), and the ability is increased with the increase of planting density. The Iris pseudacorus is better than Myriophyllum verticillatum on the removal of Zn, while Myriophyllum verticillatum does better on the removal of Cu, oil, and SS. Combined planting mode can effectively improve the purification effect of COD and petroleum.
Main Dimensions in the Building of the Circular Supply Chain: A Literature Review
Authors: González-Sánchez Rocío , Settembre-Blundo Davide , Ferrari Anna Maria , García-Muiña Fernando E.
Published: March 2020

Circular economy is an alternative to the traditional production model and has therefore attracted a great deal of attention from researchers. The change in the production system is accompanied by new logistical needs related both to resources and waste and to the distribution and recovery of products. The circular supply chain involves return processes and the manufacturer intends to capture additional value in the supply chain. In this paper, value chains have been mapped to visualize the links and interactions between the different stages and actors to understand the complexities of these systems and to make informed decisions. For this reason, and based on thorough literature review, the final objective of this work is to achieve a conceptual framework to study circular supply chain, which uses the main theoretical perspectives in strategic management literature. Four dimensions have been identified to support the development of these new supply chains—greater intensity in the relationships established in the supply chain, adaptation of logistics and organizational, disruptive and smart technologies, and a functioning environment. It can be concluded that to develop a new relationship capacity will allow for reaching more frequent, closer relationships with more actors. These relationships will be developed within an adapted organizational and logistical framework that is framed in new business model archetypes. However, dimensions related to the business environment such as sectoral, legislative, and fiscal frameworks must be incorporated.
The Importance of Leader Integrity on Family Restaurant Employees’ Engagement and Organizational Citizenship Behaviors: Exploring Sustainability of Employees’ Generational Differences
Authors: Jung Hyo Sun , Seo Kyung Hwa , Yoon Hye Hyun
Published: March 2020

The purpose of this study is to investigate how foodservice employees’ perceptions of their leader’s integrity affect their work engagement and organizational citizenship behaviors, with the aim of moderating empirical evidence of generational differences. This study was administered to 218 foodservice employees using a self-administered questionnaire. The validity and reliability of the measured items were reviewed using a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), and they were verified using structural equation modeling (SEM). The study results showed that leader integrity had a significant positive effect on employees’ work engagement, and organizational citizenship behaviors, while employee engagement induced by leader integrity increased organizational citizenship behaviors (OCBs). Also, the results found that the effects of leader integrity on OCBs were stronger for Generation Y workers than for Generation X workers. Limitations and future research directions are also discussed.
Radiosity from Individual Urban Landscape Elements Measured Using a Modified Low-Cost Temperature Sensor
Authors: Loveday Jane , Loveday Grant K. , Byrne Joshua J. , Ong Boon-lay , Morrison Gregory M.
Published: March 2020

Loss of green space in our suburban environment is contributing to increased urban heat. The material properties of surface treatments or landscape elements (LEs) are a determining factor in the amount, timing, and type of radiation present in the local environment. Landscape designers can use this information to better design for urban heat management, as emitted and reflected radiation (radiosity) from LEs can affect pedestrians via heat stress and glare and affect energy usage in buildings and houses if the landscape sky view factor is low. Low-cost black painted iButton temperature sensors were successfully used as radiometers to concurrently measure the daytime radiosity from 19 LEs samples located on an oval in the warm temperate climate of Perth, (Australia). Normalisation against gloss white paint on polystyrene removed the effect of varying weather conditions. Each LE had the same normalised average radiosity (DRav) between seasons (within ±5%), meaning the relative radiosity of new LEs can be measured on any day. White and lighter coloured LEs had the highest DRav and would have the most detrimental effect on nearby objects. Plants and moist LEs had the least DRav and would be most beneficial for managing local daytime urban heat. Measuring relative radiosity with iButtons presents a new way to examine the effect of LEs on the urban environment.
Taenia ovis in Small Ruminants in Iran: Prevalence, Pathology, and Economic Loss
Authors: Hajipour Nasser , Allah Rashidzadeh Habib , Ketzis Jennifer , Esmaeili seraji Rouhollah , Azizi Hamidreza , Karimi Iraj , Bagherniaee Hossein , Montazeri Rohollah
Published: March 2020

Taenia ovis larvae can result in economic losses in small ruminants due to condemnation of infected tissues or whole carcasses. From 2017 to 2018, the T. ovis prevalence in 16,180 sheep and 7560 goats at the Najafabad slaughterhouse in Isfahan was determined. More sheep (477; 2.9%) than goats (90; 1.2%) were found to be infected, and the prevalence was higher in animals <1 y (p < 0.0001), and higher in spring in sheep (8.2%) and goats (2.2%). Female sheep were more frequently infected than males (p < 0.0001); this did not hold true for goats. Of the tissues examined, T. ovis was found more often in the heart muscle of sheep compared with other tissues; however, infections in the heart muscle, masseter muscle, diaphragm, and triceps were similar in goats. Granulomas and caseous necrosis in the heart muscles were associated with the accumulation of mononuclear inflammatory cells and the formation of fibrous tissue around the parasite. Based solely on infected tissues found in this study, the economic loss caused by the presence of T. ovis larvae was estimated to be 4167 United States dollars (USD). Control methods, such as proper disposal of infected tissues and anthelmintic treatment of infected dogs, are necessary to decrease infection and prevent economic loss in small ruminants.
Interocular Differences in Spatial Frequency Influence the Pulfrich Effect
Authors: Min Seung Hyun , Reynaud Alexandre , Hess Robert F.
Published: March 2020

The Pulfrich effect is a stereo-motion phenomenon. When the two eyes are presented with visual targets moving in fronto-parallel motion at different luminances or contrasts, the perception is of a target moving-in-depth. It is thought that this percept of motion-in-depth occurs because lower luminance or contrast delays the speed of visual processing. Spatial properties of an image such as spatial frequency and size have also been shown to influence the speed of visual processing. In this study, we use a paradigm to measure interocular delay based on the Pulfrich effect where a structure-from-motion defined cylinder, composed of Gabor elements displayed at different interocular phases, rotates in depth. This allows us to measure any relative interocular processing delay while independently manipulating the spatial frequency and size of the micro elements (i.e., Gabor patches). We show that interocular spatial frequency differences, but not interocular size differences of image features, produce interocular processing delays.
Identifying the Conflict between Religion and Science
Authors: Johnson David Kyle
Published: March 2020

Inspired by Stephen J. Gould’s NOMA thesis, it is commonly maintained among academic theists (and some atheists) that religion and science are not in conflict. This essay will argue, by analogy, that science and religion undeniably are in conflict. It will begin by quickly defining religion and science and then present multiple examples that are unquestionable instances of unscientific reasoning and beliefs and show how they precisely parallel common mainstream orthodox religious reasoning and doctrines. It will then consider objections. In essence, this article will show that religion and science conflict when religion encroaches into the scientific domain. But in closing, it will show that they might also conflict when science encroaches into domains traditionally reserved for religion.
Labor potential of engineering personnel in the russian oil and gas region: problems of development in the system of secondary professional education
Authors: Kolesnik Elena Andreevna , Stepanov Vladimir Gennadievich
Published: March 2020

The article studies urgent issues of development of the labor potential of engineering personnel and the role of secondary vocational education system. The consideration of the theoretical foundations of the «development of labor potential» concept became the basis for the formation of the author's vision of it as an irreversible and purposeful change in the consciousness and actions of workers, resulting in a new quality. The study of the peculiarities of the development of the labor potential of engineering personnel on the example of the Tyumen Region has shown that the system of secondary vocational education in the Region is aimed at creating conditions for reducing the existing gap between the knowledge received by students under educational programs and the knowledge required by business and the market. The revealed problems have served as a basis for formation of offers on the environment creation directed on the formation of conditions of development of labour potential of engineering personnel in the system of the intermediate vocational education of the Tyumen Region.