bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Dimensional Stability of SBR-Modified Cementitious Mixtures for Use in 3D Additive Construction
Authors: Kim Kwan Kyu , Yeon Jaeheum , Lee Hee Jun , Yeon Jung Heum
Published: August 2019

This study experimentally investigated the dimensional stability of SBR (styrene butadiene rubber)-modified cementitious mixtures in order to determine whether their properties are sustainable as a 3D additive construction material. Dimensional stability refers to resistance to material deformation caused by changes in internal relative humidity and temperature. Hence, drying and thermal shrinkage, which are the primary factors affecting dimensional stability, were tested. The mixing ratio of SBR-modified cementitious mixtures was determined based on a predetermined optimal flow of 70% ± 1% applicable for 3D additive construction applications. The results of this study showed that the elastic modulus, and drying shrinkage strain, excluding the coefficient of thermal expansion, all significantly improved as the SBR/cement ratio increased. In particular, drying shrinkage can be a disadvantage in 3D additive construction because drying in the printed mixtures is rapid due to the large specific exposure area of moldless construction. Consequently, mitigating drying shrinkage is very important. The elastic modulus, drying shrinkage, and coefficient of thermal expansion were all found to be associated with the dimensional stability obtained in this study. It was concluded that using SBR-modified cementitious mixtures was advantageous in terms of dimensional stability.
Cucurbita Plants: From Farm to Industry
Authors: Salehi Bahare , Sharifi-Rad Javad , Capanoglu Esra , Adrar Nabil , Catalkaya Gizem , Shaheen Shabnum , Jaffer Mehwish , Giri Lalit , Suyal Renu , Jugran Arun K , Calina Daniela , Oana Docea Anca , Kamiloglu Senem , Kregiel Dorota , Antolak Hubert , Pawlikowska Ewelina , Sen Surjit , Acharya Krishnendu , Bashiry Moein , Selamoglu Zeliha , Martorell Miquel , Sharopov Farukh , Martins Natália , Namiesnik Jacek , Cho William C.
Published: August 2019

The Cucurbita genus, a member of Cucurbitaceae family, also known as cucurbits, is native to the Americas. Genus members, like Cucurbita pepo and Cucurbita maxima, have been used for centuries in folk medicine for treating gastrointestinal diseases and intestinal parasites. These pharmacological effects are mainly attributed to their phytochemical composition. Indeed, Cucurbita species are a natural source of carotenoids, tocopherols, phenols, terpenoids, saponins, sterols, fatty acids, functional carbohydrates, and polysaccharides, that beyond exerting remarkable biological effects, have also been increasingly exploited for biotechnological applications. In this article, we specifically cover the habitat, cultivation, phytochemical composition, and food preservative abilities of Cucurbita plants.
Changes of Photovoltaic Performance as a Function of Positioning Relative to the Focus Points of a Concentrator PV Module: Case Study
Authors: Zsiborács Henrik , Hegedűsné Baranyai Nóra , Vincze András , Háber István , Weihs Philipp , Oswald Sandro , Gützer Christian , Pintér Gábor
Published: August 2019

This article examines the positioning features of polycrystalline, monocrystalline, and amorphous silicon modules relative to the focus points of concentrator photovoltaic modules under real meteorological conditions using a dual tracking system. The performance of the photovoltaic modules mounted on a dual-axis tracking system was regarded as a function of module orientation where the modules were moved step by step up to a point where their inclination differed by 30° compared to the ideal focus point position of the reference concentrator photovoltaic module. The inclination difference relative to the ideal focus point position was determined by the perfect perpendicularity to the rays of the sun. Technology-specific results show the accuracy of a sun tracking photovoltaic system that is required to keep the loss in power yield below a defined level. The loss in power yield, determined as a function of the measurement results, also showed that the performance insensitivity thresholds of the monocrystalline, polycrystalline, and amorphous silicon modules depended on the direction of the alignment changes. The performance deviations showed clear azimuth dependence. Changing the tilt of the modules towards north and south showed little changes in results, but inclination changes towards northwest, southwest, southeast, and northeast produced results diverging more markedly from each other. These results may make the planning of solar tracking sensor investments easier and help with the estimate calculations of the total investment and operational costs and their return concerning monocrystalline, polycrystalline, and amorphous silicon photovoltaic systems. The results also provide guidance for the tracking error values of the solar tracking sensor.
A Novel Combined Evolutionary Algorithm for Optimal Planning of Distributed Generators in Radial Distribution Systems
Authors: Jamil Mahfoud Rabea , Sun Yonghui , Faisal Alkayem Nizar , Haes Alhelou Hassan , Siano Pierluigi , Shafie-khah Miadreza
Published: August 2019

In this paper, a novel, combined evolutionary algorithm for solving the optimal planning of distributed generators (OPDG) problem in radial distribution systems (RDSs) is proposed. This algorithm is developed by uniquely combining the original differential evolution algorithm (DE) with the search mechanism of Lévy flights (LF). Furthermore, the quasi-opposition based learning concept (QOBL) is applied to generate the initial population of the combined DELF. As a result, the new algorithm called the quasi-oppositional differential evolution Lévy flights algorithm (QODELFA) is presented. The proposed technique is utilized to solve the OPDG problem in RDSs by taking three objective functions (OFs) under consideration. Those OFs are the active power loss minimization, the voltage profile improvement, and the voltage stability enhancement. Different combinations of those three OFs are considered while satisfying several operational constraints. The robustness of the proposed QODELFA is tested and verified on the IEEE 33-bus, 69-bus, and 118-bus systems and the results are compared to other existing methods in the literature. The conducted comparisons show that the proposed algorithm outperforms many previous available methods and it is highly recommended as a robust and efficient technique for solving the OPDG problem.
Adjustment of Surface Morphologies of Subwavelength-Rippled Structures on Titanium Using Femtosecond Lasers: The Role of Incubation
Authors: Yuan Yanping , Li Dongfang , Han Weina , Zhao Kai , Chen Jimin
Published: August 2019

Laser-induced periodic surface structures have been extensively studied for various materials because of their promising applications. For these applications, uniform rippled structures with well-defined large areas are required. However, the efficient fabrication of uniform rippled structures is a challenge. Morphologies of rippled structures of multiple-shot-ablated regions considerably affect the processing efficiency of uniform rippled structures because incubation effects are crucial. In this study, the effects of a pulse number and irradiation modes on surface morphologies of rippled structures on the titanium surface are experimentally studied. The experimental results indicate the following: (1) Samples first irradiated using several shots and then using remaining shots by designing laser pulse irradiation modes exhibit improved surface morphologies, such as larger ablation areas and finer rippled structures. (2) When the pulse number in the first series is less than that in the second series, the rippled structures are characterized using larger areas and periods. (3) The ablated areas with rippled structures increase with the increasing number of pulses. (4) The periods of ripples reduce with the increasing number of pulses. Therefore, according to different requirements, uniform rippled structures can be efficiently fabricated and adjusted using the designed laser pulse modes and pulse number.
Around View Monitoring-Based Vacant Parking Space Detection and Analysis
Authors: Hsu Chih-Ming , Chen Jian-Yu
Published: August 2019

Accelerated urbanization and the ensuing rapid increase in urban populations led to the need for a tremendous number of parking spaces. Automated parking systems coupled with new parking lot layouts can effectively address the need. However, most automated parking systems available on the market today use ultrasonic sensors to detect vacant parking spaces. One limitation of this method is that a reference vehicle must be parked in an adjacent space, and the accuracy of distance information is highly dependent on the positioning of the reference vehicle. To overcome this limitation, an around view monitoring-based method for detecting parking spaces and algorithms analyzing the vacancy of the space are proposed in this study. The framework of the algorithm comprises two main stages: parking space detection and space occupancy classification. In addition, a highly robust analysis method is proposed to classify parking space occupancy. Two angles of view were used to detect features, classified as road or obstacle features, within the parking space. Road features were used to provide information regarding the possible vacancy of a parking space, and obstacle features were used to provide information regarding the possible occupancy of a parking space. Finally, these two types of information were integrated to determine whether a specific parking space is occupied. The experimental settings in this study consisted of three common settings: an indoor parking lot, an outdoor parking lot, and roadside parking spaces. The final tests showed that the method’s detection rate was lower in indoor settings than outdoor settings because lighting problems are severer in indoor settings than outdoor settings in around view monitoring (AVM) systems. However, the method achieved favorable detection performance overall. Furthermore, we tested and compared performance based on road features, obstacle features, and a combination of both. The results showed that integrating both types of features produced the lowest rate of classification error.
TiO2/ZnO Nanofibers Prepared by Electrospinning and Their Photocatalytic Degradation of Methylene Blue Compared with TiO2 Nanofibers
Authors: Lee Chang-Gyu , Na Kyeong-Han , Kim Wan-Tae , Park Dong-Cheol , Yang Wan-Hee , Choi Won-Youl
Published: August 2019

TiO2 nanofibers have high chemical stability and high strength and are applied to many fields such as air pollution sensors and air pollutant removal filters. ZnO nanofibers also have very high absorptivity in that air and are used as germicides and ceramic brighteners. TiO2/ZnO nanofibers, which have a composite form of TiO2 and ZnO, were fabricated and show higher photocatalytic properties than existing TiO2. The precursor, including zinc nitrate hexahydrate, polyvinyl acetate, and titanium isopropoxide, was used as a spinning solution for TiO2/ZnO nanofibers. Electrospun TiO2/ZnO nanofibers were calcined at 600 °C and analyzed by field emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The average diameter of TiO2/ZnO nanofibers was controlled in the range of 189 nm to 1025 nm. XRD pattern in TiO2/ZnO nanofibers have a TiO2 anatase, ZnO, Ti2O3, and ZnTiO3 structure. TiO2/ZnO nanofibers with a diameter of 400 nm have the best photocatalytic performance in the methylene blue degradation experiments and an absorbance decrease of 96.4% was observed after ultraviolet (UV) irradiation of 12 h.
Fatigue Assessment on Suspenders under Stochastic Wind and Traffic Loads Based on In-Situ Monitoring Data
Authors: Wu Mengxue , Zhu Jin , Heng Junlin , Kaewunruen Sakdirat
Published: August 2019

As a critical component of a suspension bridge, the integrity of the suspenders plays a critical role in the serviceability and reliability of the bridge during its life time. Despite the wide recognition of the importance of the suspenders, very few studies have been devoted to the condition evaluation of suspenders in operation. The present study performs the fatigue assessment on the suspenders accounting for the stochastic wind and traffic loads using the in-situ monitoring data. To this end, a probabilistic numerical framework is proposed to predict the time-dependent fatigue reliability of the suspenders under stochastic wind and traffic loads during the bridge’s life time, based on the linear fatigue damage rule. As a demonstration, the proposed numerical framework is applied to a long-span suspension bridge located in a mountainous canyon. The results indicate that it is of paramount importance to consider both the wind and traffic load effects in the fatigue reliability evaluation of the suspenders. In addition, it was also found that among the suspenders under investigation, the short suspender at the bridge mid-span (S36) is more prone to the fatigue damage, while the long suspender at the end of the bridge girder (S2) is less prone to the fatigue damage. Finally, provided with a target reliability index of 3.0, the fatigue life of the suspenders S36 and S2, considering the life time wind and traffic load, is estimated as 53 years and 167 years, respectively. The present research could provide essential guidelines for the optimization of inspection and replacement in maintenance practices for suspenders.
NMR Relaxometry and IR Thermography to Study Ancient Cotton Paper Bookbinding
Authors: Tortora Mariagrazia , Sfarra Stefano , Casieri Cinzia
Published: August 2019

Defects related to degradation were observed in an ancient book paperboard cover through nuclear magnetic resonance relaxometry and infrared thermography. Data collected with this combined method allowed identifying areas with moisture content and thermal diffusivity anomalies within the front board, corresponding to the different conservation status of the cellulose-based material. Non-destructive testing analytical procedures provide comprehensive knowledge for preserving precious library archives.
Analysis of the Impact of the “Sea Toll” Program for Seaports: Resilience and Competitiveness
Authors: Kusuma Lalu Tri Wijaya Nata , Tseng Fu-Shiang
Published: August 2019

Maritime transportation is one of the most important global activities, especially for archipelagic countries. Inland components that exist within the seaport system, such as port authorities who manage passenger and cruise services even for container unloading and loading areas, have become an important aspect to improve performance and determine competitive strategies for seaports. The importance of this interdependence between ports with passenger services and container seaports led us to investigate the impact of the “sea toll” program on seaport resilience and competitiveness. Although the concept of a “sea toll” was initiated by the US government in 2011, there are only a few, if any, studies or clear standards related to the development of “sea toll” systems in archipelago countries. We conducted an empirical study in Indonesia through an online survey of key stakeholders of seaports, including shipping companies, seaport authorities, commodities companies, and government. The data were analyzed using the analytical hierarchy process technique and the results showed that the “sea toll” had an impact on seaport resilience and competitiveness. For seaport resilience, the “sea toll” had an impact on the strategic alliance. For competitiveness, the “sea toll” had an impact on seaport performance, including ship calling frequency and reliability.
Cm-Level Photonic-Crystal-Like Subwavelength Waveguide Platform with High Integration Density
Authors: Huang Xiangxin , Chen Gengxin , Zhou Wen , Huang Xuguang
Published: August 2019

In this paper, the cm-level photonic-crystal-like subwavelength waveguide platform is developed and analyzed by using the finite-difference time-domain method. The configuration can be considered as a hybrid waveguide combining with the advantages of a metal-dielectric-metal waveguide and a photonic crystal waveguide. The symmetric and high reflection effect of metallic sidewall and the effect of the photonic crystal structure on the light-guiding mechanism and integration characteristics of the waveguide are systematically investigated. The results reveal that the cm-level photonic-crystal-like waveguide platform provides subwavelength confinement and very low propagation loss with the isolation more than 30 dB, which are promising for high-density photonic integration. The tradeoff between integration density and propagation loss is optimized. In addition, a T-shaped power splitter based on the waveguide platform is proposed. The excess loss of the T-shaped power splitter is less than 0.4 dB. A set of passive components can be exploited on the proposed cm-level photonic-crystal-like subwavelength waveguide platform in future work to constitute the large-scale integrated photonic systems.
Minimum Frequency and Voltage Stability Constrained Unit Commitment for AC/DC Transmission Systems
Authors: Zhang Ningyu , Zhou Qian , Hu Haoming
Published: August 2019

An increased use of the high-voltage direct current (HVDC) technologies can have important effects on frequency performance and voltage stability of the receiving-end grid during normal operation as well as during blocking failure. The main reasons are the inherent characteristics of the HVDC such as its much larger capacity than thermal plants and lack of voltage supporting ability to the alternating current (AC) grid. These has led to new challenges for AC/direct current (DC) power grid operators in terms of ensuring power system security. To address these challenges, a unit commitment (UC) of the receiving-end in the AC/DC hybrid grid is presented in this paper. In the proposed model, primary frequency modulation constraints are added to provide sufficient capacity for HVDC blocking. Besides, grid security constraint after secondary frequency regulation is also considered because HVDC blocking failure would cause large range power transfer and transmission lines overload. Meanwhile, voltage stability constraints are employed to guarantee enough voltage supporting capacity from thermal plants at the HVDC feed-in area. Based on the characteristics of the model, Benders decomposition and mixed integer programming algorithm are used to get the optimal transmission power of the HVDC and schedule of thermal units. The study is done by considering the IEEE-39 and Jiangsu power grid in eastern China, containing two HVDC transmission projections respectively. The results are also validated by simulation of different HVDC blocking failure scenarios.
A Multi-Scale Modeling of CH4 and H2O Adsorption on Coal Molecules and the Water Blocking Effect in Coalbed Methane Extraction
Authors: Yang Yanhui , Lin Ling , Li Mengxi , Zhang Xueying , Yang Chunli , Wang Yuting , Fan Bin , Chen Congmei , Luo Wenjia
Published: August 2019

Coalbed methane (CBM) is of great economic value. However, at the same time, CBM is facing a multitude of technological challenges. The water blocking effect (WBE) is one of the physical effects that controls the production of CBM. To alleviation WBE, it is necessary to study its mechanisms at the molecular level. In this study, we used a combined first-principles calculation and molecular simulation approach to investigate the adsorption and diffusion of both methane and water in coal. The results suggest that water does not compete with methane in the adsorption on coal surfaces, yet the presence of water significantly slows down the diffusion of methane within the micropores of coal. This work not only explains the fundamental mechanisms of the WBE but also provides a simulation framework for building strategies to alleviate WBE.
Temperature Changes in the Maloti-Drakensberg Region: An Analysis of Trends for the 1960–2016 Period
Authors: Mohamed Abdelmoneim Abdelsalam , Mukwada Geoffrey
Published: August 2019

Nature has been adversely affected by increasing industrialization, especially during the latter part of the last century, as a result of accelerating technological development, unplanned urbanization, incorrect agricultural policies and deforestation, which have contributed to the elevated concentration of the greenhouse gases (GHGs) in the environment. GHG accumulation has an adverse impact on meteorological and hydro-meteorological parameters, particularly temperature. Temperature plays a prominent and well-known role in evaporation, transpiration and changes in water demand, and thus significantly affects both water availability and food security. Therefore, a systematic understanding of temperature is important for fighting food insecurity and household poverty. Variations in temperature are often assessed and characterized through trend analysis. Hence, the objective of this paper is to determine long-term trends in mean monthly maximum and minimum air temperatures for the Maloti-Drakensberg region. The Mann–Kendall test, a non-parametric test, was applied on mean air temperature for the 1960–2016 period. A significant rising trend (p < 0.001) was detected with a yearly change in the long term annual mean maximum and mean minimum temperature by 0.03 °C/annum and 0.01 °C/annum, respectively. This knowledge has important implications for both the state of the environment and livelihoods in the region, since its use can be useful in planning and policymaking in water resource management, biodiversity conservation, agriculture, tourism and other sectors of the economy within the region.
Current Status, Challenges and Resilient Response to Air Pollution in Urban Subway
Authors: Zhang Weiji , Zhao Han , Zhao Ang , Lin Jiaqiao , Zhou Rui
Published: August 2019

Subway air pollution mainly refers to inhalable particulate matter (PM) pollution, organic pollution, and microbial pollution. Based on the investigation and calculation of the existing researches, this paper summarizes the sources of air pollutants, chemical compositions, and driving factors of PM variations in subway. It evaluates the toxicity and health risks of pollutants. In this paper, the problems and challenges during the deployment of air pollution governance are discussed. Results show that the global PM compliance rate of subway is about 30%. Subway air pollution is endogenous, which means that pollutants mainly come from mechanical wear and building materials erosions. Particles are mainly metal particles, black carbon, and floating dust. The health risks of some chemical elements in the subway have reached critical levels. The variations of PM concentrations show spatial-temporal characteristics, which are mainly controlled by train age, brakes types, and environmental control systems. The authors then analyze the dynamics of interactions among government, companies and public during the air pollution governance by adding the following questions: (a) who pays the bill; (b) how to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of policies; (c) how the public moves from risk perception to actions; (d) how to develop clean air technology better so as to ultimately incentivize stakeholders and to facilitate the implementation of subway clean air programme in a resilient mode.
Stark Broadening of Neutral Boron Lines
Authors: Christova Magdalena , Dimitrijević Milan S. , Sahal-Bréchot Sylvie
Published: August 2019

Stark broadening parameters, width and shift, of lines within B I 2s22p–2s2ns spectral series have been calculated. Semi-classical theory in impact approximation has been applied. Temperature dependence of Stark parameters has been studied. The presented results could be applied for plasma diagnostics.
Emission of Fast Hydrogen Atoms in a Low Density Gas Discharge—The Most “Natural” Mirror Laboratory
Authors: Marchuk Oleksandr , Dickheuer Sven , Ertmer Stephan , Krasikov Yuri , Mertens Philippe , Brandt Christian , Brezinsek Sebastijan , Goriaev Andrei , Ialovega Mykola , Göths Beatrix , Kreter Arkadi , Linsmeier Christian
Published: August 2019

In this work, we present a new application for the line shapes of emission induced by reflected hydrogen atoms. Optical properties of the solids in contact with the plasma could be effectively measured at the wavelength of Balmer lines: time-resolved measurements of reflectance and polarization properties of mirrors are performed using the wavelength separation of the direct and reflected signals. One uses the Doppler effect of emission of atoms excited by collisions with noble gases, primarily with Ar or with Kr. In spite of a new application of line shapes, the question of the source of the strong signal in the case of Ar exists: the emission observed in the case of the excitation of H or D atoms by Ar exceeds the signal induced by collisions with Kr atoms by a factor of five, and the only available experimental data for the ground state excitation show practically equal cross-sections for both gases in the energy range of 80–200 eV.
Dissociative Recombination of CH+ Molecular Ion Induced by Very Low Energy Electrons
Authors: Mezei Zsolt J. , Epée Epée Michel D. , Motapon Ousmanou , Schneider Ioan F.
Published: August 2019

We used the multichannel quantum defect theory to compute cross sections and rate coefficients for the dissociative recombination of CH + initially in its lowest vibrational level v i + = 0 with electrons of incident energy below 0.2 eV. We have focused on the contribution of the 2 2 Π state which is the main dissociative recombination route at low collision energies. The final cross section is obtained by averaging the relevant initial rotational states ( N i + = 0 , ⋯ , 10 ) with a 300 K Boltzmann distribution. The Maxwell isotropic rate coefficients for dissociative recombination are also calculated for different initial rotational states and for electronic temperatures up to a few hundred Kelvins. Our results are compared to storage-ring measurements.
Changes in Mitochondrial Genome Associated with Predisposition to Atherosclerosis and Related Disease
Authors: Volobueva Aleksandrina , Grechko Andrey , Yet Shaw-Fang , Sobenin Igor , Orekhov Alexander
Published: August 2019

Atherosclerosis-related cardiovascular diseases remain the leading cause of morbidity and mortality, and the search for novel diagnostic and therapeutic methods is ongoing. Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) mutations associated with atherosclerosis represent one of the less explored aspects of the disease pathogenesis that may bring some interesting opportunities for establishing novel molecular markers and, possibly, new points of therapeutic intervention. Recent studies have identified a number of mtDNA mutations, for which the heteroplasmy level was positively or negatively associated with atherosclerosis, including the disease at its early, subclinical stages. In this review, we summarize the results of these studies, providing a list of human mtDNA mutations potentially involved in atherosclerosis. The molecular mechanisms underlying such involvement remain to be elucidated, although it is likely that some of them may be responsible for the increased oxidative stress, which plays an important role in atherosclerosis.
Exploring Structure-Activity Relationship in Tacrine-Squaramide Derivatives as Potent Cholinesterase Inhibitors
Authors: Svobodova Barbora , Mezeiova Eva , Hepnarova Vendula , Hrabinova Martina , Muckova Lubica , Kobrlova Tereza , Jun Daniel , Soukup Ondrej , Jimeno María Luisa , Marco-Contelles José , Korabecny Jan
Published: August 2019

Tacrine was the first drug to be approved for Alzheimer’s disease (AD) treatment, acting as a cholinesterase inhibitor. The neuropathological hallmarks of AD are amyloid-rich senile plaques, neurofibrillary tangles, and neuronal degeneration. The portfolio of currently approved drugs for AD includes acetylcholinesterase inhibitors (AChEIs) and N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist. Squaric acid is a versatile structural scaffold capable to be easily transformed into amide-bearing compounds that feature both hydrogen bond donor and acceptor groups with the possibility to create multiple interactions with complementary sites. Considering the relatively simple synthesis approach and other interesting properties (rigidity, aromatic character, H-bond formation) of squaramide motif, we combined this scaffold with different tacrine-based derivatives. In this study, we developed 21 novel dimers amalgamating squaric acid with either tacrine, 6-chlorotacrine or 7-methoxytacrine representing various AChEIs. All new derivatives were evaluated for their anti-cholinesterase activities, cytotoxicity using HepG2 cell line and screened to predict their ability to cross the blood-brain barrier. In this contribution, we also report in silico studies of the most potent AChE and BChE inhibitors in the active site of these enzymes.
Effect of Photobiomodulation in Rescuing Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Dopaminergic Cell Loss in the Male Sprague–Dawley Rat
Authors: O’Brien Jayden A. , Austin Paul J.
Published: August 2019

Photobiomodulation (PBM) provides neuroprotection against dopaminergic cell death and associated motor deficits in rodent and primate models of Parkinson’s disease (PD). However, it has not yet been tested in the lipopolysaccharide (LPS) model of PD, which leads to dopaminergic cell death through microglia-evoked neuroinflammation. We investigated whether transcranial PBM could protect against dopaminergic cell death within the substantia nigra in male Sprague–Dawley rats following supranigral LPS injection. PBM fully protected rats from 10 µg LPS which would have otherwise caused 15% cell loss, but there was no significant neuroprotection at a 20 µg dose that led to a 50% lesion. Cell loss at this dose varied according to the precise site of injection and correlated with increased local numbers of highly inflammatory amoeboid microglia. Twenty microgram LPS caused motor deficits in the cylinder, adjusted stepping and rotarod tests that correlated with dopaminergic cell loss. While PBM caused no significant improvement at the group level, motor performance on all three tests no longer correlated with the lesion size caused by 20 µg LPS in PBM-treated rats, suggesting extranigral motor improvements in some animals. These results provide support for PBM as a successful neuroprotective therapy against the inflammatory component of early PD, provided inflammation has not reached a devastating level, as well as potential benefits in other motor circuitries.
Attentional Control in Bilingualism: An Exploration of the Effects of Trait Anxiety and Rumination on Inhibition
Authors: Ouzia Julia , Bright Peter , Filippi Roberto
Published: August 2019

Bilingual individuals have been reported to show enhanced executive function in comparison to monolingual peers. However, the role of adverse emotional traits such as trait anxiety and rumination in bilingual cognitive control has not been established. Attentional Control Theory holds that anxiety disproportionately impacts processing efficiency (typically measured via reaction time) in comparison to accuracy (performance effectiveness). We administered eye tracking and behavioural measures of inhibition to young, healthy monolingual and highly proficient bilingual adults. We found that trait anxiety was a reliable risk factor for decreased inhibitory control accuracy in bilingual but not monolingual participants. These findings, therefore, indicate that adverse emotional traits may differentially modulate performance in monolingual and bilingual individuals, an interpretation which has implications both for ACT and future research on bilingual cognition.
Mild Preoxidation Treatment of Pt/TiO2 Catalyst and Its Enhanced Low Temperature Formaldehyde Decomposition
Authors: Shi Kangzhong , Wang Lei , Li Long , Zhao Xuejuan , Chen Yuanyuan , Hua Zelin , Li Xiaobao , Gu Xiaoli , Li Licheng
Published: August 2019

The typical platinum nanoparticles loaded on titania (Pt/TiO2) were pretreated with mild oxidation (<300 °C) in pure oxygen to enhance the low-temperature formaldehyde (HCHO) decomposition performance. The structural properties of support and platinum nanoparticles were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), physical adsorption/desorption, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), in situ diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy (DRIFITS), and temperature-programmed reduction and oxidation (TPR and TPO). The catalytic results showed that the low temperature HCHO decomposition activity of mild pre-oxidized Pt/TiO2 was around three times that of the pristine one. According to the characterization results, the structure of the Pt/TiO2 support and their Pt particle sizes had negligible change after pre-oxidation treatment. The cationic Pt content of Pt/TiO2 and surface roughness of Pt nanoparticles gradually increased with the increasing temperature of the pre-oxidation treatment. Mild pre-oxidation treatment was beneficial to the oxygen activation and water dissociation of Pt/TiO2. In situ HCHO-DFIRTS results showed that the mild pre-oxidation treatment could enhance the dehydrogenation of formate.
IGF2/IGF1R Signaling as a Therapeutic Target in MYB-Positive Adenoid Cystic Carcinomas and Other Fusion Gene-Driven Tumors
Authors: Andersson Mattias K. , Åman Pierre , Stenman Göran
Published: August 2019

Chromosome rearrangements resulting in pathogenetically important gene fusions are a common feature of many cancers. They are often potent oncogenic drivers and have key functions in central cellular processes and pathways and encode transcription factors, transcriptional co-regulators, growth factor receptors, tyrosine kinases, and chromatin modifiers. In addition to being useful diagnostic biomarkers, they are also targets for development of new molecularly targeted therapies. Studies in recent decades have shown that several oncogenic gene fusions interact with the insulin-like growth factor (IGF) signaling pathway. For example, the MYB–NFIB fusion in adenoid cystic carcinoma is regulated by IGF1R through an autocrine loop, and IGF1R is a downstream target of the EWSR1–WT1 and PAX3–FKHR fusions in desmoplastic small round cell tumors and alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma, respectively. Here, we will discuss the mechanisms behind the interactions between oncogenic gene fusions and the IGF signaling pathway. We will also discuss the role of therapeutic inhibition of IGF1R in fusion gene driven malignancies.
Cancer Stem Cells and Targeting Strategies
Authors: Barbato Luisa , Bocchetti Marco , Di Biase Anna , Regad Tarik
Published: August 2019

Chemoresistance is a major problem in cancer therapy as cancer cells develop mechanisms that counteract the effect of chemotherapeutic compounds, leading to relapse and the development of more aggressive cancers that contribute to poor prognosis and survival rates of treated patients. Cancer stem cells (CSCs) play a key role in this event. Apart from their slow proliferative property, CSCs have developed a range of cellular processes that involve drug efflux, drug enzymatic inactivation and other mechanisms. In addition, the microenvironment where CSCs evolve (CSC niche), effectively contributes to their role in cancer initiation, progression and chemoresistance. In the CSC niche, immune cells, mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), endothelial cells and cancer associated fibroblasts (CAFs) contribute to the maintenance of CSC malignancy via the secretion of factors that promote cancer progression and resistance to chemotherapy. Due to these factors that hinder successful cancer therapies, CSCs are a subject of intense research that aims at better understanding of CSC behaviour and at developing efficient targeting therapies. In this review, we provide an overview of cancer stem cells, their role in cancer initiation, progression and chemoresistance, and discuss the progress that has been made in the development of CSC targeted therapies.
Targeting the CD40-CD154 Signaling Pathway for Treatment of Autoimmune Arthritis
Authors: Lai Jenn-Haung , Luo Shue-Fen , Ho Ling-Jun
Published: August 2019

Full activation of T lymphocytes requires signals from both T cell receptors and costimulatory molecules. In addition to CD28, several T cell molecules could deliver costimulatory signals, including CD154, which primarily interacts with CD40 on B-cells. CD40 is a critical molecule regulating several B-cell functions, such as antibody production, germinal center formation and cellular proliferation. Upregulated expression of CD40 and CD154 occurs in immune effector cells and non-immune cells in different autoimmune diseases. In addition, therapeutic benefits have been observed by blocking the CD40-CD154 interaction in animals with collagen-induced arthritis. Given the therapeutic success of the biologics abatacept, which blocks CD28 costimulation, and rituximab, which deletes B cells in the treatment of autoimmune arthritis, the inhibition of the CD40-CD154 axis has two advantages, namely, attenuating CD154-mediated T cell costimulation and suppressing CD40-mediated B-cell stimulation. Furthermore, blockade of the CD40-CD154 interaction drives the conversion of CD4+ T cells to regulatory T cells that mediate immunosuppression. Currently, several biological products targeting the CD40-CD154 axis have been developed and are undergoing early phase clinical trials with encouraging success in several autoimmune disorders, including autoimmune arthritis. This review addresses the roles of the CD40-CD154 axis in the pathogenesis of autoimmune arthritis and its potential as a therapeutic target.
Influence of TiO2 Additives on Cavitation Erosion Resistance of Al-Mg Alloy Micro-Arc Oxidation Coating
Authors: Jiang Hongyan , Cheng Feng , Fang Dianjun
Published: August 2019

Four ceramic coatings are fabricated on 6061 aluminum alloy substrates with a micro-arc oxidation technique in silicate electrolytes with different TiO2 nano-additive concentrations. To explore the cavitation erosion resistance of the micro-arc oxidation (MAO) coating, cavitation tests are performed using a vibratory test rig. After cavitation tests lasting 10 min, the mass losses, surface morphologies, and chemical compositions of the samples after cavitation tests are examined using a digital balance, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), respectively. The results indicate that, in contrast to the aluminum alloy, the MAO coatings, by adjusting TiO2 nano-additive concentration, can decrease the mean depth of erosion rate (MDER) due to the cavitation damage, and lead to an excellent cavitation erosion resistance. The results also show that: In contrast to aluminum alloy, MAO coatings can decrease the MDER due to the cavitation damage in a short period of time by adjusting TiO2 nano-additive concentration. With the increase of TiO2 nano-additive concentration, the compactness and the surface hardness of MAO coatings decrease, which can easily lead to larger erosion pits.
Raman Characterization of Carrier Concentrations of Al-implanted 4H-SiC with Low Carrier Concentration by Photo-Generated Carrier Effect
Authors: Liu Tao , Xu Zongwei , Rommel Mathias , Wang Hong , Song Ying , Wang Yufang , Fang Fengzhou
Published: August 2019

In this work, 4H SiC samples with a multilayer structure (shallow implanted layer in a lowly doped n-type epitaxial layer grown on a highly doped thick substrate) were investigated by Raman scattering. First, Raman depth profiling was performed to identify characteristic peaks for the different layers. Then, Raman scattering was used to characterize the carrier concentration of the samples. In contrast to the conventional Raman scattering measuring method of the Longitudinal Optical Plasmon Coupled (LOPC) mode, which is only suitable to characterize carrier concentrations in the range from 2 × 1016 to 5 × 1018 cm−3, in this work, Raman scattering, which is based on exciting photons with an energy above the band gap of 4H-SiC, was used. The proposed method was evaluated and approved for different Al-implanted samples. It was found that with increasing laser power the Al-implanted layers lead to a consistent redshift of the LOPC Raman peak compared to the peak of the non-implanted layer, which might be explained by a consistent change in effective photo-generated carrier concentration. Besides, it could be demonstrated that the lower concentration limit of the conventional approach can be extended to a value of 5 × 1015 cm−3 with the approach presented here.
Structural Analyses of Helicobacter Pylori FolC Conducting Glutamation in Folate Metabolism
Authors: Park Joon Sung , Kim Hyoun Sook , Park Sang Ho , Park Mi Seul , Kang Sung-Min , Kim Hyun-Jung , Han Byung Woo
Published: August 2019

FolC plays important roles in the folate metabolism of cells by attaching l-Glu to dihydropteroate (DHP) and folate, which are known activities of dihydrofolate synthetase (DHFS) and folylpolyglutamate synthetase (FPGS), respectively. Here, we determined the crystal structure of Helicobacter pylori FolC (HpFolC) at 1.95 Å resolution using the single-wavelength anomalous diffraction method. HpFolC has globular N- and C-terminal domains connected by a single loop, and a binding site for ATP is located between the two domains. Apo-HpFolC was crystallized in the presence of citrate in a crystallization solution, which was held in the ATP-binding site. Structural motifs such as the P-loop and Ω-loop of HpFolC for binding of ATP and two magnesium ions are well conserved in spite of the low overall sequence similarity to other FolC/FPGSs. The Ω-loop would also recognize a folate molecule, and the DHP-binding loop of HpFolC is expected to exhibit a unique recognition mode on DHP, compared with other FolCs. Because human FolC is known to only exhibit FPGS activity, the DHFS activity of bacterial FolC is an attractive target for the eradication of pathogenic bacteria. Consequently, our structural analyses of HpFolC provide a valuable foundation for a universal antibacterial strategy against H. pylori as well as other pathogenic bacteria.
Hall and Ion-Slip Effect on CNTS Nanofluid over a Porous Extending Surface through Heat Generation and Absorption
Authors: Ameen Ibni , Shah Zahir , Islam Saeed , Nasir Saleem , Khan Waris , Kumam Poom , Thounthong Phatiphat
Published: August 2019

In this research work, a 3D rotating flow of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) over a porous stretchable sheet for heat and mass transfer is investigated. Kerosene oil is considered as a base liquid and two types of CNTs, (Single & Multi) WCNTs are added as the additives to the base liquid. The present analysis further comprises the combined effect of the Hall, ion-slip, and thermal radiation, along with heat generation/absorption. The appropriate ordinary differential system of equations after applying appropriate transformation is calculated. The resulting nonlinear system of equations (conservation of mass, momentum, temperature) is explained by HAM (Homotopy Analysis Method). Solution of velocities and thermal fields are obtained and discussed graphically. Expression of C f and N u are intended for both type of nanoliquids. The influences of prominent physical factors are plotted for velocities and thermal profiles using Methematica. These graphical results are qualitatively in excellent agreement with the previous published results. Also, single wall nanoparticles are found to have higher temperatures than multi wall CNTs nanoparticles.
Measures of Entropy to Characterize Fatigue Damage in Metallic Materials
Authors: Yun Huisung , Modarres Mohammad
Published: August 2019

This paper presents the entropic damage indicators for metallic material fatigue processes obtained from three associated energy dissipation sources. Since its inception, reliability engineering has employed statistical and probabilistic models to assess the reliability and integrity of components and systems. To supplement the traditional techniques, an empirically-based approach, called physics of failure (PoF), has recently become popular. The prerequisite for a PoF analysis is an understanding of the mechanics of the failure process. Entropy, the measure of disorder and uncertainty, introduced from the second law of thermodynamics, has emerged as a fundamental and promising metric to characterize all mechanistic degradation phenomena and their interactions. Entropy has already been used as a fundamental and scale-independent metric to predict damage and failure. In this paper, three entropic-based metrics are examined and demonstrated for application to fatigue damage. We collected experimental data on energy dissipations associated with fatigue damage, in the forms of mechanical, thermal, and acoustic emission (AE) energies, and estimated and correlated the corresponding entropy generations with the observed fatigue damages in metallic materials. Three entropic theorems—thermodynamics, information, and statistical mechanics—support approaches used to estimate the entropic-based fatigue damage. Classical thermodynamic entropy provided a reasonably constant level of entropic endurance to fatigue failure. Jeffreys divergence in statistical mechanics and AE information entropy also correlated well with fatigue damage. Finally, an extension of the relationship between thermodynamic entropy and Jeffreys divergence from molecular-scale to macro-scale applications in fatigue failure resulted in an empirically-based pseudo-Boltzmann constant equivalent to the Boltzmann constant.
Parkinson’s Disease Detection from Drawing Movements Using Convolutional Neural Networks
Authors: Gil-Martín Manuel , Montero Juan Manuel , San-Segundo Rubén
Published: August 2019

Nowadays, an important research effort in healthcare biometrics is finding accurate biomarkers that allow developing medical-decision support tools. These tools help to detect and supervise illnesses like Parkinson’s disease (PD). This paper contributes to this effort by analyzing a convolutional neural network (CNN) for PD detection from drawing movements. This CNN includes two parts: feature extraction (convolutional layers) and classification (fully connected layers). The inputs to the CNN are the module of the Fast Fourier’s transform in the range of frequencies between 0 Hz and 25 Hz. We analyzed the discrimination capability of different directions during drawing movements obtaining the best results for X and Y directions. This analysis was performed using a public dataset: Parkinson Disease Spiral Drawings Using Digitized Graphics Tablet dataset. The best results obtained in this work showed an accuracy of 96.5%, a F1-score of 97.7%, and an area under the curve of 99.2%.
Power Output Enhancement of a Ducted Wind Turbine by Stabilizing Vortices around the Duct
Authors: Watanabe Koichi , Ohya Yuji , Uchida Takanori
Published: August 2019

A brimmed-diffuser augmented turbine (called a wind lens turbine: WLT) actively uses vortices around the brim to enhance its power output. However, the vortices are usually unstable and asymmetric. This study attempted to stabilize the vortices to enhance the power output of a WLT. Then, we investigated new approaches using vortex stabilization plates and polygonal brims in wind tunnel experiments and numerical simulations. Both approaches achieved a 1.5–3.8% increase in power output compared with a standard WLT. Our numerical simulations revealed a periodicity existing in a fluctuating vortex structure on the circular brim. Importantly, vortex stabilization plates and polygonal brims must be the same periodic scale to suppress the vortex fluctuation and stabilize the vortices effectively. In addition, a larger brim tended to enhance the stabilizing effects. We believe that this discovery provides an easy way to increase the power output of existing wind turbines. It is particularly important in light of advances in wind energy technology and the increasing wind energy market.