bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Metal–Organic Frameworks Toward Electrocatalytic Applications
Authors: Li Jun-Hong , Wang Yi-Sen , Chen Yu-Chuan , Kung Chung-Wei
Published: June 2019

Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) are a class of porous materials constructed from metal-rich inorganic nodes and organic linkers. Because of their regular porosity in microporous or mesoporous scale and periodic intra-framework functionality, three-dimensional array of high-density and well-separated active sites can be built in various MOFs; such characteristics render MOFs attractive porous supports for a range of catalytic applications. Furthermore, the electrochemically addressable thin films of such MOF materials are reasonably considered as attractive candidates for electrocatalysis and relevant applications. Although it still constitutes an emerging subfield, the use of MOFs and relevant materials for electrocatalytic applications has attracted much attention in recent years. In this review, we aim to focus on the limitations and commonly seen issues for utilizing MOFs in electrocatalysis and the strategies to overcome these challenges. The research efforts on utilizing MOFs in a range of electrocatalytic applications are also highlighted.
Evaluation of Quality of Eggs from Hens Kept in Caged and Free-Range Systems Using Traditional Methods and Ultra-Weak Luminescence
Authors: Gałązka-Czarnecka Ilona , Korzeniewska Ewa , Czarnecki Andrzej , Sójka Michał , Kiełbasa Paweł , Dróżdź Tomasz
Published: June 2019

The paper presents the results of an evaluation of the quality of eggs from laying hens kept in caged and free range systems using traditional methods and ultra-weak luminescence (USL). It was found that the tested eggs were fresh and were characterized by the required quality, as demonstrated by analysis of the egg white and egg yolk. Eggs from free-range laying hens were characterized by an eight-fold higher emission of photons compared to eggs from caged hens, and they had over three times higher content of natural antioxidants in the form of carotenoids. Most probably, the higher number of photons emitted is associated with a higher content of biologically active substances in the material under study. Photon emission also varies in different ways depending on the specific hen breeding system. Differences in time in the identified maximum values of photon emission result from the composition of individual parts of the egg. Different times in which the emission peaks occurred for free-range eggs and for caged eggs were observed. The application of the USL method in order to confirm its usefulness in the assessment of food quality requires further research.
Competition Among the World’s Main Technological Powers to Develop IPs: Cross-National Longitudinal Patentography Over a 9-Year Time Span
Authors: Hsu Cheng-Chien , Zhuang Zheng-Yun
Published: June 2019

Relatively few studies have focused on systematically mining the patent databases of different countries. This study mines the databases of the main ‘technological powers’ using several methods. By using descriptive statistical methods, the study yields key insights regarding patenting activities affecting the succession and ‘crowding out’ of technologies, the ‘hottest technologies’ and the patent application strategies in these countries. The spectrums of technological strength in these countries are further analysed with Principal Component Analysis (PCA), as two principal components are sufficient to resolve over 92% of the total variance. The US, EU and China are the economies that all technological powers may regard as important; similarities in the application strategies used in these countries are thus further investigated. Another extensive analysis utilising K-means clustering is also performed. Except for the optimal number for patent clustering, surprisingly, the top 10 ‘most important technologies’ are identical to the top 10 hottest ones that were previously identified. The knowledge and insights gained from this study are valuable not only for technological development policy makers, but also for business decision makers seeking suitable markets and areas to enter and invest in. Some data visualization and analysis methods are applied for the first time to this knowledge discovery problem.
Authenticity and Concentration Analysis of Extra Virgin Olive Oil Using Spontaneous Raman Spectroscopy and Multivariate Data Analysis
Authors: Duraipandian Shiyamala , Petersen Jan C. , Lassen Mikael
Published: June 2019

Adulteration of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) with cheaper edible oils is of considerable concern in the olive oil industry. The potential of Raman spectroscopy combined with multivariate statistics has been investigated for evaluating the authenticity (or purity) and concentration of EVOO irrespective of it being adulterated with one or more adulterants. The adulterated oil samples were prepared by blending different concentrations of EVOO (10–100% v/v) randomly with cheaper edible oils such as corn, soybean and rapeseed oil. As a result, a Raman spectral database of oil samples (n = 214 spectra) was obtained from 11 binary mixtures (EVOO and rapeseed oil), 16 ternary mixtures (EVOO, rapeseed and corn oil) and 44 quaternary mixtures (EVOO, rapeseed, corn and soybean oil). Partial least squares (PLS) calibration models with 10-fold cross validation were constructed for binary, ternary and quaternary oil mixtures to determine the purity of spiked EVOO. The PLS model on the complex dataset (binary + ternary + quaternary) where the spectra obtained with different measurement parameters and sample conditions can able to determine the purity of spiked EVOO inspite of being blended with one or more cheaper oils. As a proof of concept, in this study, we used single batch of commercial oil bottles for estimating the purity of EVOO. The developed method is not only limited to EVOO, but can be applied to clean EVOO obtained from the production site and other types of food.
Mining Sequential Patterns of Diseases Contracted and Medications Prescribed before the Development of Stevens-Johnson Syndrome in Taiwan
Authors: Ou-Yang Chao , Chou Shih-Chung , Juan Yeh-Chun , Wang Han-Cheng
Published: June 2019

Medication is designed to cure diseases, but serious risks can arise from severe adverse drug reactions (ADRs). ADRs can lead to emergency room visits and hospitalization, straining healthcare resources and, thus, they have strong implications for public health. Stevens–Johnson Syndrome (SJS) is one ADR and comprises the highest proportion of all drug relief cases in Taiwan. Pharmacovigilance involves the collection, detection, assessment, monitoring, and prevention of ADRs, including SJS. Most medical specialists are not fully aware of the risk of drug-induced SJS. Consequently, various drugs may be prescribed to susceptible patients for a great variety of diseases and, in turn, cause SJS. In this research, medical records of SJS patients were retrieved from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database, and the Generalized Sequential Patterns (GSP) algorithm was used to find the sequential patterns of diseases before SJS onset. Then we mined the sequential patterns of medications prescribed in each disease pattern. Afterwards, we detected significant associations of each pattern of diseases and medications prescribed among age groups with statistical analysis. We found that, first, most patients developed SJS after being prescribed the causative medications fewer than four times. Second, Respiratory System Diseases (RSDs) appeared in disease sequential patterns of all lengths. Patterns involving RSDs were more frequent than others. Third, NSAIDs, H2-antagonists for peptic ulcer, penicillin antibiotics, theophylline bronchodilators, and cephalosporin antibiotics were the most frequent medications prescribed. Fourth, we found that patients in certain age groups had higher risks of developing SJS. This study aimed to mine the sequential patterns of diseases contracted and medications prescribed before patients developed SJS in Taiwan. This useful information can be provided to physicians so that they can stop the administration of suspected drugs to avoid evolution towards more severe cases.
Genomic and Microscopic Analysis of Ballast Water in the Great Lakes Region
Authors: Wright David A. , Mitchelmore Carys L. , Place Allen , Williams Ernest , Orano-Dawson Celia
Published: June 2019

Invasive aquatic species can have damaging effects on fisheries and aquaculture through significant, and irreversible, effects on biodiversity. Human health may also be affected. To combat this threat the International Maritime Organization (IMO) Convention for Ballast Water and Sediments (BWMC) came into force in September 2017. U.S. Federal and IMO ballast water standards for discharged organisms stipulate discharge limits for different size classes of organisms. Several studies including recent trials aboard Great Lakes freighters have shown that many phytoplankton found in ballast water do not fall into the regulated 10–50 µM size class. Such issues illustrate the need for new methods of assessing microorganism populations that will supersede laborious microscopy requiring rare technical expertise. Recent progress has been made in the use of DNA (deoxyribose nucleic acid)-based methods as a means of identifying the appearance of invasive species in aquatic environments. A significant advance has been the development of high throughput sequencing (HTS), which has expanded DNA barcoding, relating to an individual organism, into second generation sequencing (metabarcoding), capable of mapping whole populations of organisms in an environmental sample. Several recent studies of HTS in ships’ ballast water, have shown that the technique has the capacity for detecting potentially harmful taxonomic groups and is capable of differentiating among water from different sources. The current study was undertaken to investigate the suitability (or otherwise) of HTS as a tool for ballast water management. Possible applications include improved risk assessment relating to invasive species. Feasibility for indicative testing for ballast water treatment efficacy was also addressed. However, pending analysis of treated samples, the current study was confined to a comparison of HTS and microscope counts in untreated samples. A correlation of visual and molecular taxonomic assignments of microorganisms found in the ballast water from different ports and during different seasons indicated that such a comparison was best conducted at Family level, although Principal Components Analysis showed that the two methods differed qualitatively among major taxonomic groups.
Relationship of Total Hemoglobin in Subcutaneous Adipose Tissue with Whole-Body and Visceral Adiposity in Humans
Authors: Kuroiwa Miyuki , Fuse Sayuri , Amagasa Shiho , Kime Ryotaro , Endo Tasuki , Kurosawa Yuko , Hamaoka Takafumi
Published: June 2019

High whole-body and visceral adiposity are risk factors that can cause metabolic diseases. We hypothesized that the total hemoglobin concentration (total-Hb) in abdominal subcutaneous adipose tissue (SATab), an indicator of white adipose tissue (WAT) vascularity, correlates negatively with risk factors for developing metabolic diseases, such as whole-body and visceral adiposity. We tested the optical characteristics of abdominal tissue in 140 participants (45 men and 95 women) who were apparently healthy individuals with a median age of 39 years. They also had a median body fat percentage of 25.4%, a visceral fat area of 50.4 cm2, and a SATab thickness of 1.05 cm. These tests were conducted using near-infrared time-resolved spectroscopy (NIRTRS) with a 2-cm optode separation. To distinguish the segments of SATab (SegSAT) and the mixture of muscle and SATab (SegSAT+Mus), the threshold was analyzed using the slopes of (total-Hb) against the thickness of SATab using the least-squares mean method. According to the results from the logistic regression analysis, the percentage of body fat and visceral fat area remained significant predictors of the (total-Hb) (p = 0.005 and p = 0.043, respectively) in the data for SegSAT (no influence from the SATab thickness). We conclude that simple, rapid, and noninvasive NIRTRS-determined (total-Hb) in WAT could be a useful parameter for evaluating risk factors for metabolic diseases.
Lipid and Carotenoid Production by Rhodotorula glutinis with a Combined Cultivation Mode of Nitrogen, Sulfur, and Aluminium Stress
Authors: Elfeky Nora , Elmahmoudy Mostafa , Zhang Yue , Guo JianLi , Bao Yongming
Published: June 2019

Torulene is a promising pink pigment, produced only by yeasts and fungi, and its production is still in a developing stage due to the low production rate. Accordingly, this study focuses on maximizing torulene production by Rhodotorula glutinis using shaken flask fermentation. The effect of different nitrogen sources, and C/N and C/S ratios on lipid and carotenoid production by R. glutinis was studied using 60 g/L glucose. The largest cells filled with golden fluorescence lipid bodies were observed using fluorescence microscopy when peptone was used as a nitrogen source. The highest total pigment (0.947 mg/L) and carotenoid relative productivity (Car-RP) (89.04 µg/g) were obtained at C/N 146 and C/S 120, and with ammonium sulfate as a nitrogen source, with 62% torulene domination using High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) for identification. Under a high C/N ratio, regardless of the C/S ratio, the carotenoid synthesis rate decreased after three days while the lipid synthesis rate kept increasing to the sixth day. Interestingly, after adding 0.7 mM Al2(SO4)3 to the optimized medium, the total pigment and Car-RP (2.2 mg/L and 212.9 µg/g) sharply increased, producing around 2.16 mg/L torulene (98%) with around 50% decrease in lipid yield. This is the first report on the role of Al2(SO4)3 for enhancing torulene production under lipogenesis condition, which could be used as a potential tool for torulene production.
Existence of Fractional Impulsive Functional Integro-Differential Equations in Banach Spaces
Authors: Chalishajar Dimplekumar , Ravichandran Chokkalingam , Dhanalakshmi Shanmugam , Murugesu Rangasamy
Published: June 2019

In this paper, we establish the existence of piece wise (PC)-mild solutions (defined in Section 2) for non local fractional impulsive functional integro-differential equations with finite delay. The proofs are obtained using techniques of fixed point theorems, semi-group theory and generalized Bellman inequality. In this paper, we used the distributed characteristic operators to define a mild solution of the system. We also discussed the controversy related to the solution operator for the fractional order system using weak and strong Caputo derivatives. Examples are given to illustrate the theory.
Radar-Based Automatic Identification and Quantification of Weak Echo Regions for Hail Nowcasting
Authors: Shi Junzhi , Wang Ping , Wang Di , Jia Huizhen
Published: June 2019

The identification of some radar reflectivity signatures plays a vital role in severe thunderstorm nowcasting. A weak echo region is one of the signatures that could indicate updraft, which is a fundamental condition for hail production. However, this signature is underutilized in automatic forecasting systems due to the lack of a reliable detection method and the uncertain relationships between different weak echo regions and hail-producing thunderstorms. In this paper, three algorithms related to weak echo regions are proposed. The first is a quasi-real-time weak echo region morphology identification algorithm using the radar echo bottom height image. The second is an automatic vertical cross-section-making algorithm. It provides a convenient tool for automatically determining the location of a vertical cross-section that exhibits a visible weak echo region to help forecasters assess the vertical structures of thunderstorms with less time consumption. The last is a weak echo region quantification algorithm mainly used for hail nowcasting. It could generate a parameter describing the scale of a weak echo region to distinguish hail and no-hail thunderstorms. Evaluation with real data of the Tianjin radar indicates that the critical success index of the weak echo region identification algorithm is 0.61. Statistics on these data also show that when the weak echo region parameters generated by the quantification algorithm are in a particular range, more than 85% of the convective cells produced hail.
Morphogenetic Variability as Potential Biomarker of Functional Outcome After Ischemic Stroke
Authors: Savic Milan , Cvjeticanin Suzana , Lazovic Milica , Nikcevic Ljubica , Petronic Ivana , Cirovic Dragana , Nikolic Dejan
Published: June 2019

The aim of our study was to evaluate the role of morphogenetic variability in functional outcome of patients with ischemic stroke. The prospective study included 140 patients with acute ischemic stroke, all of whom were tested upon: admission; discharge; one month post-discharge; and three months post-discharge. The age was analyzed, as well. The Functional Independence Measure (FIM) test and the Barthel Index (BI) were used for the evaluation of functional outcomes for the eligible participants. We analyzed the presence of 19 homozygous recessive characteristics (HRC) in the studied individuals. There was a significant change in FIM values at discharge (p = 0.033) and in BI values upon admission (p = 0.012) with regards to the presence of different HRCs. Age significantly negatively correlated for the FIM score and BI values at discharge for the group with 5 HRCs (p < 0.05), while for BI only, negative significant correlation was noticed for the group with 5 HRCs at three months post-discharge (p < 0.05), and for the group with 3 HRCs at one month post-discharge (p < 0.05) and three months post-discharge (p < 0.05). Morphogenetic variability might be one among potentially numerous factors that could have an impact on the response to defined treatment protocols for neurologically-impaired individuals who suffered an ischemic stroke.
The Role of Nurses and the Facilitators and Barriers in Diabetes Care: A Mixed Methods Systematic Literature Review
Authors: Nikitara Monica , Constantinou Costas S , Andreou Eleni , Diomidous Marianna
Published: June 2019

Background: The aim of this review is to identify the roles and activities of nurses working with people with diabetes and to examine the facilitators and barriers in caring for such people. Methods: A systematic review was conducted. From 531 abstracts reviewed, 29 studies were included (18 studies comprised questionnaire surveys, one was an intervention study, two used both questionnaires and interviews, and eight of them used interviews). Barriers and facilitators were extracted and combined using qualitative synthesis. Results: The literature review revealed three major roles and a number of barriers. A model for achieving enhanced nursing care of patients with diabetes has been developed according to the findings of this literature. Specifically, a stepladder suggesting that through better nursing training and education and by providing adequate resources, time, and synergies to diabetes specialists, nurses will be able to correctly perform their diabetes care roles, which include patient education, advanced care, and psychological support. Conclusions: Taking into serious consideration that a large number of hospital users are people with diabetes and that there is an inconsistency among countries about the work settings of Diabetes Specialist Nurses (DSNs), it is important to give greater focus to inpatient care and perhaps to enhance nurses’ roles by eliminating any barriers that prevent them from providing adequate quality care. Furthermore, integrated care involving the role of DSNs within the inpatient care would have been more beneficial for patients.
Spontaneous Subdural Hematoma and Behavioral Changes Due to a Dural Arteriovenous Fistula. A Case Report and Literature Review
Authors: Hernández-Díaz Zenaida Milagros , Llíbre-Guerra Juan Carlos , Arteche-Prior Marianela , de la Paz-Bermúdez Tania , Águila-Ruiz Angel Francisco , Figueroa-García Luisa María , Robinson-Agramonte María de los Ángeles
Published: June 2019

Dural arteriovenous fistulas (DAVFs) represent 10–15% of intracranial arteriovenous malformations. Of these, only 12–29% cause intracranial hemorrhage. The presentation of DAVF as a subdural hematoma (SDH) and intraparenchymal hemorrhage (IPH) is infrequent; additionally, behavioral changes are not common among these patients. We report, for the first time in our country, the case of a 23-year-old man with no history of head injury, in which a brain computed tomography (CT) scan revealed SDH and IPH with behavioral disturbances. The angiotomography showed ecstatic venous vessels, indicating the presence of a DAVF, which was later confirmed by cerebral angiography. Endovascular therapy, which followed the clinical diagnosis, resulted in satisfactory evolution two years after treatment. A review of the literature concerning cases with DAVF and behavioral disturbances is presented. DAVF may lead to cognitive impairment, behavioral changes, and dementia as a result of diffuse white matter and thalamus modifications related to venous ischemia, and it should be considered as a reversible cause of vascular dementia.
Monitoring Moisture Performance of Cross-Laminated Timber Building Elements during Construction
Authors: Schmidt Evan , Riggio Mariapaola
Published: June 2019

There are currently no standards regulating water management for mass timber elements during construction, little knowledge of impacts of moisture exposure (wetting and drying performance, dimensional stability, checking), and few precedents serving as guidelines for monitoring moisture response of mass timber. To address these gaps, a hygrothermal monitoring study was devised to track moisture performance of U.S. made cross laminated timber (CLT) and glulam at a three-story mass timber building. This paper discusses moisture measurements that were collected during the first six months of construction at a CLT rocking shear wall and a timber floor connection. Despite the limited number of structural systems monitored during construction, the distribution and number of sensors in these elements allow to draw some important conclusions. The data confirmed that moisture distribution and wetting/drying rates varied based on local conditions and details (aspect, coatings, connections, etc.), with measurements at an uncoated, north-facing area showing the highest moisture levels (reaching fiber saturation at multiple ply depths and locations). Most locations rarely exceeded 16% moisture content for more than a few months. Certain moisture-trapping details consistently showed higher moisture levels (i.e., above 16%) and poorer drying. Some interior plies continued to show slow increases in MC even after months of drying conditions. These observations suggest preventative approaches implementable in the design (e.g., avoiding moisture trapping details), during fabrication (e.g., localized coating), and construction (e.g., sequencing installation to minimize exposure and allow drying).
Carbon Dots for Sensing and Killing Microorganisms
Authors: Lin Fengming , Bao Yan-Wen , Wu Fu-Gen
Published: June 2019

Carbon dots (or carbon quantum dots) are small (less than 10 nm) and luminescent carbon nanoparticles with some form of surface passivation. As an emerging class of nanomaterials, carbon dots have found wide applications in medicine, bioimaging, sensing, electronic devices, and catalysis. In this review, we focus on the recent advancements of carbon dots for sensing and killing microorganisms, including bacteria, fungi, and viruses. Synthesis, functionalization, and a toxicity profile of these carbon dots are presented. We also discuss the underlying mechanisms of carbon dot-based sensing and killing of microorganisms.
Resistance to Systemic Agents in Renal Cell Carcinoma Predict and Overcome Genomic Strategies Adopted by Tumor
Authors: Mollica Veronica , Di Nunno Vincenzo , Gatto Lidia , Santoni Matteo , Scarpelli Marina , Cimadamore Alessia , Lopez-Beltran Antonio , Cheng Liang , Battelli Nicola , Montironi Rodolfo , Massari Francesco
Published: June 2019

The development of new systemic agents has led us into a “golden era” of management of metastatic renal cell carcinoma (RCC). Certainly, the approval of immune-checkpoint inhibitors and the combination of these with targeted compounds has irreversibly changed clinical scenarios. A deeper knowledge of the molecular mechanisms that correlate with tumor development and progression has made this revolution possible. In this amazing era, novel challenges are awaiting us in the clinical management of metastatic RCC. Of these, the development of reliable criteria which are able to predict tumor response to treatment or primary and acquired resistance to systemic treatments still remain an unmet clinical need. Thanks to the availability of data provided by studies evaluating genomic assessments of the disease, this goal may no longer be out of reach. In this review, we summarize current knowledge about genomic alterations related to primary and secondary resistance to target therapy and immune-checkpoint inhibitors in RCC.
The Peptide ERα17p Is a GPER Inverse Agonist that Exerts Antiproliferative Effects in Breast Cancer Cells
Authors: Lappano Rosamaria , Mallet Christophe , Rizzuti Bruno , Grande Fedora , Galli Giulia , Byrne Cillian , Broutin Isabelle , Boudieu Ludivine , Eschalier Alain , Jacquot Yves , Maggiolini Marcello
Published: June 2019

The inhibition of the G protein-coupled estrogen receptor (GPER) offers promising perspectives for the treatment of breast tumors. A peptide corresponding to part of the hinge region/AF2 domain of the human estrogen receptor α (ERα17p, residues 295–311) exerts anti-proliferative effects in various breast cancer cells including those used as triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) models. As preliminary investigations have evoked a role for the GPER in the mechanism of action of this peptide, we focused our studies on this protein using SkBr3 breast cancer cells, which are ideal for GPER evaluation. ERα17p inhibits cell growth by targeting membrane signaling. Identified as a GPER inverse agonist, it co-localizes with GPER and induces the proteasome-dependent downregulation of GPER. It also decreases the level of pEGFR (phosphorylation of epidermal growth factor receptor), pERK1/2 (phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase), and c-fos. ERα17p is rapidly distributed in mice after intra-peritoneal injection and is found primarily in the mammary glands. The N-terminal PLMI motif, which presents analogies with the GPER antagonist PBX1, reproduces the effect of the whole ERα17p. Thus, this motif seems to direct the action of the entire peptide, as highlighted by docking and molecular dynamics studies. Consequently, the tetrapeptide PLMI, which can be claimed as the first peptidic GPER disruptor, could open new avenues for specific GPER modulators.
Beyond Science and Technology: Creating Planetary Health Needs Not Just ‘Head Stuff’, but Social Engagement and ‘Heart, Gut and Spirit’ Stuff
Authors: Hancock Trevor
Published: June 2019

I have been involved in studying and working within what is now called the Anthropocene for almost 50 years, and in all that time, not only have we failed to make much progress, but the state of the Earth’s ecosystems has generally worsened. Yet somehow we must create a world in which everyone on Earth has good health and a good quality of life—a matter of social justice—while living within the physical and ecological constraints of the one small planet that is our home; this is the focus of the new field of planetary health. Our worsening situation is not due to lack of knowledge, science and technology; in broad terms, we knew most of the challenges and many of the needed solutions back in the 1970s. Instead, the challenges we face are social, rooted in cultural values, political ideologies, legal and economic systems, ethical principles and spiritual/religious beliefs. Therefore, we have to move beyond science and technology and address these broader socio-cultural issues by engaging in economic, legal and political work, complementing and supplementing ‘head stuff’ with ‘heart, gut and spirit stuff’, and working from the grass roots up.
Binary Competitive Swarm Optimizer Approaches for Feature Selection
Authors: Too Jingwei , Abdullah Abdul Rahim , Mohd Saad Norhashimah
Published: June 2019

Feature selection is known as an NP-hard combinatorial problem in which the possible feature subsets increase exponentially with the number of features. Due to the increment of the feature size, the exhaustive search has become impractical. In addition, a feature set normally includes irrelevant, redundant, and relevant information. Therefore, in this paper, binary variants of a competitive swarm optimizer are proposed for wrapper feature selection. The proposed approaches are used to select a subset of significant features for classification purposes. The binary version introduced here is performed by employing the S-shaped and V-shaped transfer functions, which allows the search agents to move on the binary search space. The proposed approaches are tested by using 15 benchmark datasets collected from the UCI machine learning repository, and the results are compared with other conventional feature selection methods. Our results prove the capability of the proposed binary version of the competitive swarm optimizer not only in terms of high classification performance, but also low computational cost.
Invasive Potential of Pet-Traded Pill-Box Crabs from Genus Limnopilos
Authors: Patoka Jiří , Bohatá Lucie , Karella Tomáš , Marková Jana , Yuliana Ernik , Yonvitner Yonvitner
Published: June 2019

The pet trade in aquatic animals is known to be one of the main sources of non-native species worldwide. Freshwater decapod crustaceans have increased in popularity as ornamentals in the last two decades. Freshwater crabs of the genus Limnopilos were discovered by hobby aquarists and introduced on the market in 2008. They are generally considered interesting additions to an aquarium, but information about their living requirements are scarce. Additionally, their invasive potential is not known. Here, we present a survey of the availability of Limnopilos crabs on the market in Europe and North America and analyzed the invasive potential of all species from the genus based on climate matching from a global perspective. The only species recorded in the pet trade is L. naiyanetri, but future introduction of other species is discussed. Certain tropical regions were identified as the most suitable for the potential establishment of Limnopilos crabs including the northern part of South America, and L. microrhynchus was evaluated as the highest risk species. In this pilot study, we also suggest some points to be answered regarding further improving the risk assessment and also recommend continuous monitoring of the market for ornamental decapods.
Epigenetic Factors of Disease
Authors: Alshiraihi Ilham , Brown Mark A.
Published: June 2019

The development of tissues involves the direction of specific programs for gene expression among distinct cell types. These programs are often established in a heritable state by virtue of epigenetic mechanisms and corresponding pathways of cellular memory. Thus, the broad synchronization in patterns of gene expression ultimately dictates cellular consequences. Aberrations in these epigenetic mechanisms are known to be associated with a range of diseases. Herein, we highlight epigenetic factors that, when aberrantly expressed, lead to a broad range of diseases. Further, we call upon the community of biomedical researchers to share their findings related to the epigenetic factors of disease.
Epigenetics—Shedding Light on the Path Ahead for Material Sciences
Authors: Krüger-Genge Anne , Mauger Olivia , Storsberg Joachim , Schmidt Christian
Published: June 2019

The harmonious regulation of bodily function is a necessity for healthy individuals. Looking from the viewpoint of material sciences, one can only marvel at the cellular factories, their renewal, and the overall control of messaging and control of responses. As aging progresses and/or pathologies arise, clinicians may be forced to look for replacement of organs/tissues with medical devices. Since all devices are tailored, a detailed understanding of developmental processes, including aberrant processes leading to pathologies, is crucial to provide clinicians with a suitable device. Although research in the field of epigenetics has produced effective therapeutics and diagnostic markers, our currently fragmented understanding of epigenetic processes as they relate to material development is inherently limited, with logical implications for the success of medical procedures. Here, we illustrate how material sciences for clinical applications, critically depend on all aspects of biomedical sciences, including the field of epigenetics.
Looking Backward and Looking Forward
Authors: Gao Zhengyuan , Hafner Christian M.
Published: June 2019

Filtering has had a profound impact as a device of perceiving information and deriving agent expectations in dynamic economic models. For an abstract economic system, this paper shows that the foundation of applying the filtering method corresponds to the existence of a conditional expectation as an equilibrium process. Agent-based rational behavior of looking backward and looking forward is generalized to a conditional expectation process where the economic system is approximated by a class of models, which can be represented and estimated without information loss. The proposed framework elucidates the range of applications of a general filtering device and is not limited to a particular model class such as rational expectations.
Children Who Are Deaf/Hard of Hearing with Disabilities: Paths to Language and Literacy
Authors: Nelson Catherine , Bruce Susan M.
Published: June 2019

Students who are Deaf with Disabilities (DWD) comprise an extremely heterogeneous population. Similar to students who are d/Deaf or hard of hearing (DHH), students who are DWD vary in terms of degree, type, and age at onset of hearing loss, amplification, and preferred communication method. However, students who are DWD are also diverse in terms of type, etiology, and number and severity of disability(ies). Presented in this article is an overview of DWD followed by foci on Deaf with learning disabilities, Deaf with intellectual disabilities, Deaf with autism spectrum disorder, and deafblindness. Particular attention is given to communication, language, and literacy development.
Performance Analysis of a Small-Scale ORC Trigeneration System Powered by the Combustion of Olive Pomace
Authors: Colantoni Andrea , Villarini Mauro , Marcantonio Vera , Gallucci Francesco , Cecchini Massimo
Published: June 2019

The utilisation of low- and medium-temperature energy allows to reduce the energy shortage and environmental pollution problems because low-grade energy is plentiful in nature and renewable as well. In the past two decades, thanks to its feasibility and reliability, the organic Rankine cycle (ORC) has received great attention. The present work is focused on a small-scale (7.5 kW nominal electric power) combined cooling, heating and power ORC system powered by the combustion of olive pomace obtained as a by-product in the olive oil production process from an olive farm situated in the central part of Italy. The analysis of the employment of this energy system is based on experimental data and Aspen Plus simulation, including biomass and combustion tests, biomass availability and energy production analysis, Combined Cooling Heat and Power (CCHP) system sizing and assessment. Different low environmental impact working fluids and various operative process parameters were investigated. Olive pomace has been demonstrated to be suitable for the energy application and, in this case, to be able to satisfy the energy consumption of the same olive farm with the option of responding to further energy users. Global electrical efficiency varied from 12.7% to 19.4%, depending on the organic fluid used and the working pressure at the steam generator.
Hybrid Model for Determining Dual String Gas Lift Split Factor in Oil Producers
Authors: Law Chew Chen , Zainal Mohamed Zamrud , Chew Kew Hong , Lee Jang Hyun
Published: June 2019

Upstream oil production using dual string completion, i.e., two tubing inside a well casing, is common due to its cost advantage. High pressure gas is employed to lift the oil to the surface when there is insufficient reservoir energy to overcome the liquids static head in the tubing. However, gas lifting for this type of completion can be complicated. This is due to the operating condition where total gas is injected into the common annulus and then allowed to be distributed among the two strings without any surface control. High uncertainties often result from the methods used to determine the split factor—the ratio between the gas lift rate to one string over the total gas injected. A hybrid model which combined three platforms: the Visual Basics for Application programme, PROSPER (a nodal analysis tool) and Excel spreadsheet, is proposed for the estimation of the split factor. The model takes into consideration two important parameters, i.e., the lift gas pressure gradient along the annulus and the multiphase pressure drop inside the tubing to estimate the gas lift rate to the individual string and subsequently the split factor. The proposed model is able to predict the split factor to within 2% to 7% accuracy from the field measured data. Accurate knowledge of the amount of gas injected into each string leads to a more efficient use of lift gas, improving the energy efficiency of the oil productions facilities and contributing toward the sustainability of fossil fuel.
How Much Does Fire Behavior of Leaf Litter Beds Change within Two Months?
Authors: Kauf Zorica , Damsohn Walter , Fangmeier Andreas
Published: June 2019

Fire behavior is well-recognized as a function of fuel characteristics, but in practice the dynamics of fuels are often overlooked. Here we focus on short term changes in the fuel bed structure and fire behavior. Fire behavior and structural characteristics of leaf litter beds of Pinus halepensis, Ceratonia silique, and Quercus pubescens were examined. Three treatments were applied: testing freshly constructed samples (treatment “0”), exposure to a simulated precipitation event (treatment ”10”), and a two-month exposure to outside weather conditions (treatment “60”). The testing procedure allowed fire behavior testing without disturbing sample structure. Out of the tested species P. halepensis was most affected by the treatments, followed by Q. pubescens. C. silique showed no significant treatment effects. Response to the treatments could be attributed to pore space within the fuel bed, with more pore space relating to more dramatic treatment effects. In the treatment “0” P. halepensis and C. silique exhibited opposing fire behavior, but showed no significant differences in the treatment “60”. The measured effects show that short-term alterations in the fuel bed structure and fire behavior can be substantial, making it an issue that should be addressed in future research.
Two-Way Characterization of Beekeepers’ Honey According to Botanical Origin on the Basis of Mineral Content Analysis Using ICP-OES Implemented with Multiple Chemometric Tools
Authors: Louppis Artemis Panormitis , Karabagias Ioannis Konstantinos , Papastephanou Chara , Badeka Anastasia
Published: June 2019

Asfaka, fir, flower, forest flowers and orange blossom honeys harvested in the wider area of Hellas by professional beekeepers, were subjected to mineral content analysis using inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES). The main purpose of this study was to characterize the mineral profile and content of toxic metals such as lead, cadmium and chromium, and investigate whether specific minerals could assist accurately in the botanical origin discrimination with implementation of chemometrics. Twenty-five minerals were identified (Ag, Al, As, B, Ba, Be, Ca, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Hg, Mg, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, Sb, Se, Si, Ti, Tl, V, Zn) and quantified. Results showed that the mineral content varied significantly (p < 0.05) according to honey botanical origin, whereas lead, cadmium, and chromium contents ranged between 0.05–0.33 mg kg−1, <0.05 mg kg−1, and in the range of <0.12 to 0.39 mg kg−1, respectively. Fir honeys from Aitoloakarnania region showed the highest mineral content (182.13 ± 71.34 mg kg−1), while flower honeys from Samos Island recorded the highest silicon content (16.08 ± 2.94 mg kg−1). Implementation of multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA), factor analysis (FA), linear discriminant analysis (LDA), and stepwise discriminant analysis (SDA) led to the perfect classification (100%) of these honeys according to botanical origin with the use of Al, As, Ca, Mg, Mn, Ni, Pb, Sb, Si, Zn and total mineral content. However, the higher lead content in the majority of samples than the regulated upper limit (0.10 mg kg−1), sets the need for further improvements of the beekeepers’ practices/strategies for honey production.
Metagenomic Insights into the Bacterial Functions of a Diesel-Degrading Consortium for the Rhizoremediation of Diesel-Polluted Soil
Authors: Garrido-Sanz Daniel , Redondo-Nieto Miguel , Guirado María , Pindado Jiménez Oscar , Millán Rocío , Martin Marta , Rivilla Rafael
Published: June 2019

Diesel is a complex pollutant composed of a mixture of aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons. Because of this complexity, diesel bioremediation requires multiple microorganisms, which harbor the catabolic pathways to degrade the mixture. By enrichment cultivation of rhizospheric soil from a diesel-polluted site, we have isolated a bacterial consortium that can grow aerobically with diesel and different alkanes and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) as the sole carbon and energy source. Microbiome diversity analyses based on 16S rRNA gene showed that the diesel-degrading consortium consists of 76 amplicon sequence variants (ASVs) and it is dominated by Pseudomonas, Aquabacterium, Chryseobacterium, and Sphingomonadaceae. Changes in microbiome composition were observed when growing on specific hydrocarbons, reflecting that different populations degrade different hydrocarbons. Shotgun metagenome sequence analysis of the consortium growing on diesel has identified redundant genes encoding enzymes implicated in the initial oxidation of alkanes (AlkB, LadA, CYP450) and a variety of hydroxylating and ring-cleavage dioxygenases involved in aromatic and polyaromatic hydrocarbon degradation. The phylogenetic assignment of these enzymes to specific genera allowed us to model the role of specific populations in the diesel-degrading consortium. Rhizoremediation of diesel-polluted soil microcosms using the consortium, resulted in an important enhancement in the reduction of total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPHs), making it suited for rhizoremediation applications.
Impact of Deforestation on Streamflow in the Amur River Basin
Authors: Sokolova Galina V. , Verkhoturov Andrei L. , Korolev Sergei P.
Published: June 2019

In the basin of the Amur River in the Russian Far East, the influence of watershed areas covered by forests on the river basin has a complex nature, and no strict functional dependency has been established yet between these two factors. A study of the Amur River watershed in the current conditions, between 2000 and 2016 (climate, forest coverage, fires, and felling), has been conducted using the ground and satellite observations. The purpose of the study was to identify their influence on the river behaviour (flow, flooding, and levels of water). The study of hydrological regime of rivers was conducted in conjunction with the analysis of the dynamics of forest and burns areas over the synchronised periods of time. A special attention was given to the changing nature of the species composition of the forests (coniferous and deciduous forests separately) from 2000 to 2016, and climatic parameters over thirty years (atmospheric temperature, dew point, precipitation). New facts have been obtained, which provide an explanation of the reasons for predominant prolonged trends in the dynamics of the summer streamflow. In the view of the general tendency toward increased forest coverage combining all species of forest stand, the trend in the dynamics of the coniferous species areas is negative. Therefore, a conclusion can be made, that one of the major factors in the increase of the river flood flow (alongside the atmospheric precipitation), is deforestation of primary coniferous forests on the watershed areas, in contrast with the deciduous forests, where the trend is positive. Practicability of such conclusions can be justified, as different types of forests have different root systems, which mellow the ground and facilitate partial loss of the atmospheric precipitation and its transformation into the groundwater flow. Besides, coniferous forests attract more frequent and intensive fires, more subjected to felling, have longer regeneration period, and also, use larger volumes of ground waters for growing and functioning. Consequently, with their disappearance, an increase in streamflow should be expected. No changes in surface temperature and humidity of the forest cover in the watersheds during 1980-2016 despite global warming. Therefore, annual variability of forested areas of watersheds is greatly influenced by fires and felling. There are reasons to assume, that because of the tendency for decreasing areas of coniferous forests, the conditions contributing to the increases in rivers’ flood flow and flood risks during monsoon and frontal cyclonic rainfalls will remain.
Raman Microspectroscopic Imaging of Binder Remnants in Historical Mortars Reveals Processing Conditions
Authors: Schmid Thomas , Dariz Petra
Published: June 2019

Binder remnants in historical mortars represent a record of the connection between the raw materials that enter the kiln, the process parameters, and the end product of the calcination. Raman microspectroscopy combines high structural sensitivity with micrometre to sub-micrometre spatial resolution and compatibility with conventional thin-sectional samples in an almost unique fashion, making it an interesting complementary extension of the existing methodological arsenal for mortar analysis. Raman spectra are vibrational fingerprints of crystalline and amorphous compounds, and contain marker bands that are specific for minerals and their polymorphic forms. Relative intensities of bands that are related to the same crystalline species change according to crystal orientations, and band shifts can be caused by the incorporation of foreign ions into crystal lattices, as well as stoichiometric changes within solid solution series. Finally, variations in crystallinity affect band widths. These effects are demonstrated based on the analysis of three historical mortar samples: micrometric distribution maps of phases and polymorphs, crystal orientations, and compositional variations of solid solution series of unreacted clinker grains in the Portland cement mortars of two 19th century castings, and the crystallinities of thermal anhydrite clusters in a high-fired medieval gypsum mortar as a measure for the applied burning temperature were successfully acquired.