bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Kienlesberg Bridge in Ulm, Germany
Authors: Akkermann Jan , Halaczek Bartlomiej , Vieth Heinz‐Josef
Published: May 2017

Kienlesberg Bridge is the new link for trams, pedestrians and cyclists between the inner city and the science centre in the north‐west of Ulm. The bridge crosses a railway junction near the main station and a new high‐speed rail link. The geometric boundary conditions lead to unequal spans and complex alignments. Therefore, the scheme that won the design competition, which is now under construction, proposed a bridge made of steel. The superstructure was designed as a semi‐integral continuous beam with main girders of varying depth. Owing to the pedestrian and cyclists' path on one side, the orthotropic plate cross‐section is asymmetric and the main girders have varying depths. Special calculations and details were necessary for dynamic and noise control reasons. The bridge is being built using incremental launching.
Multimodal biometric identification system based on finger‐veins using hybrid rank–decision‐level fusion technique
Authors: Mohammad Razavi Seyyed , Taghipour‐Gorjikolaie Mehran , Mehrshad Nasser
Published: May 2017

The highly random manner in which veins spread along a finger, their immunity to counterfeiting, active liveness, and user friendliness make finger veins the best choice for a biometric identification system (BIS). In this paper, veins of six fingers of two hands of a person are used to develop a secure, reliable, and robust multimodal BIS (MBIS). The main structure of the proposed MBIS is based on the effective combination of rank‐ and decision‐level fusion. In the training step, the power (weight) of each single modality is estimated by extracting the information that lies in the cumulative match characteristic (CMC) curve. The testing step consists of two main parts. In the first part, the region of the finger vein is extracted by using a simple method, and then the binarized statistical image features (BSIFs) algorithm is used to extract feature vectors. In the second part, final decision for the test input probe is made by generating ‘top rank‐decision matrix’, which fuses the information of each biometric identifier in the hybrid rank‐decision level. The obtained results show that proposed method is more reliable and accurate than other fusion techniques at the post‐classification fusion level. © 2017 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Optimal regulator with time‐shifted state space expression converted from AR model for smart grid FastADR
Authors: Ninagawa Chuzo , Asaka Hidetoshi , Takahama Morio
Published: May 2017

Optimal control of the smart grid fast automated demand response (FastADR) of air‐conditioning facility is studied. A time‐shifted state space expression of the target facility is system‐identified through autoregressive modeling. We demonstrate this optimal control by using our proposed k‐step‐shifted state variable vectors, which show the precise power consumption response to the FastADR command, while the trade‐off variable of room temperature set point deviation remains nearly unchanged. © 2017 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Big data analytics for security and criminal investigations
Authors: Pramanik M.I. , Lau Raymond Y.K. , Yue Wei T. , Ye Yunming , Li Chunping
Published: May 2017

Applications of various data analytics technologies to security and criminal investigation during the past three decades have demonstrated the inception, growth, and maturation of criminal analytics. We first identify five cutting‐edge data mining technologies such as link analysis, intelligent agents, text mining, neural networks, and machine learning. Then, we explore their recent applications to the criminal analytics domain, and discuss the challenges arising from these innovative applications. We also extend our study to big data analytics which provides some state‐of‐the‐art technologies to reshape criminal investigations. In this paper, we review the recent literature, and examine the potentials of big data analytics for security intelligence under a criminal analytics framework. We examine some common data sources, analytics methods, and applications related to two important aspects of social network analysis namely, structural analysis and positional analysis that lay the foundation of criminal analytics. Another contribution of this paper is that we also advocate a novel criminal analytics methodology that is underpinned by big data analytics. We discuss the merits and challenges of applying big data analytics to the criminal analytics domain. Finally, we highlight the future research directions of big data analytics enhanced criminal investigations. WIREs Data Mining Knowl Discov 2017, 7:e1208. doi: 10.1002/widm.1208

This article is categorized under:

Fundamental Concepts of Data and Knowledge > Data Concepts

Fundamental Concepts of Data and Knowledge > Key Design Issues in Data Mining

Technologies > Computer Architectures for Data Mining
Crocodilian perivitelline membrane‐bound sperm detection
Authors: Augustine Lauren
Published: May 2017

Advanced reproductive technologies (ART's) are often employed with various taxa to enhance captive breeding programs and maintain genetic diversity. Perivitelline membrane‐bound (PVM‐bound) sperm detection has previously been demonstrated in avian and chelonian species as a useful technique for breeding management. In the absence of embryotic development within an egg, this technique can detect the presence of sperm trapped on the oocyte membrane confirming breeding, male reproductive status, and pair compatibility. PVM‐bound sperm were successfully detected in three clutches of Cuban crocodile (Crocodylus rhombifer) eggs at the Smithsonian's National Zoological Park (NZP) for the first time in any crocodilian species. PVM‐bound sperm were detected in fresh and incubated C. rhombifer eggs, as well as eggs that were developing (banded) and those that were not (not banded). The results of this study showed significant differences in average sperm densities per egg between clutches (p = 0.001). Additionally, there was not a significant difference within clutches between eggs that banded and those that did not band (Clutch A, p = 0.505; Clutch B, p = 0.665; Clutch C, p = 0.266). The results of this study demonstrate the necessity to microscopically examine eggs that do not develop (do not band), to determine if sperm is present, which can help animal managers problem solve reproductive shortcomings. PVM‐bound sperm detection could be a useful technique in assessing crocodilian breeding programs, as well as have potential uses in studies assessing sperm storage, artificial insemination, and artificial incubation.
Using Animal Models to Study the Role of the Gut–Brain Axis in Autism
Authors: Nithianantharajah Jess , Balasuriya Gayathri K. , Franks Ashley E. , Hill-Yardin Elisa L.
Published: May 2017

Purpose of Review

Individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) commonly also suffer from gastrointestinal (GI) dysfunction; however, few animal model studies have systematically examined both ASD and GI dysfunction. In this review, we highlight studies investigating GI dysfunction and alterations in gut microbiota in animal models of ASD with the aim of determining if routinely used microbiology and enteric neurophysiology assays could expand our understanding of the link between the two.

Recent Findings

Gut–brain axis research is expanding, and several ASD models demonstrate GI dysfunction. The integration of well-established assays for detecting GI dysfunction into standard behavioural testing batteries is needed.

Advances in understanding the role of the gut–brain axis in ASD are emerging; however, we outline standard assays for investigating gut–brain axis function in rodents to strengthen future phenotyping studies. Integrating these findings to the field of animal behaviour is one of the next major challenges in autism research.
The Eastern partnership in Georgia: Europeanizing civil society?
Authors: Rommens Thijs
Published: May 2017

Through the Eastern Partnership the EU specifically attempts to strengthen democracy in Georgia. Lacking strong conditionality, the EU has to rely on a different approach to democracy assistance, such as a network governance mode. The implementation of EU policies has led to an expanding institutional network where NGO inclusion has been strengthened. However, this form of network governance operates within the realities of the domestic political and international context, influencing its effectiveness and impact. Despite the increased involvement of NGOs in EU policies the role and impact of civil society within Georgian politics and society has remained limited.
New insights concerning homology of the oral region and ambulacral system plating of pentaradial echinoderms
Authors: Sumrall Colin D.
Published: May 2017

Universal elemental homology (UEH) underpins recent understanding of peristomial and ambulacral elemental homology of pentaradiate echinoderms by providing a uniform set of terminology to construct phylogenetic characters. Variation in the expression of these elements provides evidence for phylogenetic relationships. Two nonhomologous sets of plates border the peristome and are associated with two nonhomologous sets of floor plates forming the ambulacral food groove. Some edrioasteroid-grade and eocrinoid-grade echinoderms have ambulacral systems formed from oral frame plates and adradial floor plates, whereas most blastozoans and crinoids bear oral plates and abradial floor plates. These plates are expressed in a variety of ways among echinoderms, but nearly all can be reconciled with the underlying model. Arguments against UEH are methodologically flawed and confuse many terms and interpretations.
The Accidental Modernists: American Fundamentalism and the Canadian Controversy over Church Union
Authors: Airhart Phyllis D.
Published: May 2017

This article looks at confessional family resemblances between the fundamentalist controversy in the Presbyterian Church in the United States of America and the church union controversy in Canada. These resemblances have been obscured by focusing on the doctrinal dimensions of the former and the socio-institutional features of the latter. The role of the prominent American fundamentalist J. Gresham Machen in the transformation of Canadian unionists into modernists sheds light on the underlying tensions that sparked the two controversies, as well as the distinctive dynamics of the resistance to church union that shaped the confessional identity of both the Presbyterian Church in Canada and the United Church of Canada after 1925.
Purity and Pollution in Protestant Ritual Ethics
Authors: Yoder Klaus C.
Published: May 2017

Purification of the Church is frequently invoked to narrate Protestant justifications for the break from Rome during the Reformation. It also functions to link the Reformation to a process of modern disenchantment. However, little attention has been paid to the rhetoric of pollution and precisely how the reformers articulated the dangers of polluted ritual. The historical location of the sources examined here is the middle decades of the 16th century when Protestants were dealing with political setbacks to the Reformation cause in the Holy Roman Empire, particularly the imposition of the Augsburg Interim by Charles V. This law was designed to find some middle ground between Catholics and Protestants until the schism would be settled at the Council of Trent. However, the debates about whether certain ceremonies, supposedly non-binding with respect to doctrinal commitments, could be used for politically expedient purposes, pushed Protestant thinkers to reassess the power and dangers of liturgical practices and paraphernalia. This article interprets the discourse of pollution in Protestant controversies about compromise in ritual matters by treating the responses of two theologians writing against the Interim from different parts of Germany: Joachim Westphal and Wolfgang Musculus. By laying out the causes of ritual pollution and its negative effects upon body and soul according to individuals who worked for reform in both their intellectual activity as well as their pastoral service, this article demonstrates the importance of ritual matters for Protestant moral thought.
Compassion, ethics of care and legal rights
Authors: Herring Jonathan
Published: May 2017

This paper will explore the difficulties facing law in promoting compassion and responding to caring relationships. These include the difficulties in determining whether a person has demonstrated compassion and in enforcing any legal requirement for compassion. The paper will use the ethics-of-care literature to critique two key legal tools: human rights and the concept of best interests. These concepts are typically designed to promote individualistic abstract understandings of the self, which are problematic when used in the setting of intimate relationships. However, this paper will suggest that it might not be necessary to abandon the concepts of rights and best interests. They may be useful for setting the boundaries for a space in which appropriate care and compassion can be exercised. It will also be suggested that both rights and best interests are not immune from a relational analysis and might, with appropriate modification, be used to promote the exercise of compassionate relational care.
Formation of printable granular and colloidal chains through capillary effects and dielectrophoresis
Authors: Rozynek Zbigniew , Han Ming , Dutka Filip , Garstecki Piotr , Józefczak Arkadiusz , Luijten Erik
Published: May 2017

One-dimensional conductive particle assembly holds promise for a variety of practical applications, in particular for a new generation of electronic devices. However, synthesis of such chains with programmable shapes outside a liquid environment has proven difficult. Here we report a route to simply ‘pull’ flexible granular and colloidal chains out of a dispersion by combining field-directed assembly and capillary effects. These chains are automatically stabilized by liquid bridges formed between adjacent particles, without the need for continuous energy input or special particle functionalization. They can further be deposited onto any surface and form desired conductive patterns, potentially applicable to the manufacturing of simple electronic circuits. Various aspects of our route, including the role of particle size and the voltages needed, are studied in detail. Looking towards practical applications, we also present the possibility of two-dimensional writing, rapid solidification of chains and methods to scale up chain production.
Near-Infrared Heptamethine Cyanine Based Iron Oxide Nanoparticles for Tumor Targeted Multimodal Imaging and Photothermal Therapy
Authors: Lee Sejy , George Thomas Reju , Ju Moon Myeong , Ju Park Hyeong , Park In-Kyu , Lee Byeong-Il , Yeon Jeong Yong
Published: May 2017

Near-infrared fluorescent (NIRF) imaging modality holds great promise for tumor detection and offers several advantages of bioimaging, such as high tissue penetration with less background scattering. The disadvantage of NIRF bioimaging is that it has very low spatial resolution. Thus, the combination of NIRF with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a good option because MRI can provide anatomical information with a higher resolution. Heptamethine cyanine dye (MHI-148) has been reported to have tumor-targeting capability which was used here as the NIRF agent. DSPE-SPION nanoparticles were synthesized by the solvent hydration method and conjugated with MHI-148 dye to form a MRI/NIRF dual imaging probe. The size and charge of the MHI-DSPE-SPION were found to be about 84 ± 6 nm and 3.7 mV by DLS & Zeta Potential analysis. In vivo MRI of the SCC7 tumor showed an enhanced accumulation of MHI-DSPE-SPION, peaking at day 1, compared to 4 hrs with the control DSPE-SPION. An in vivo photothermal tumor reduction study was done on the SCC7 tumor of BALB/c nude mice. Tumor reduction study showed complete tumor removal after 8 days. In conclusion, MHI-DSPE-SPION can be used as a cancer theranostics material because it provides MRI-optical imaging capabilities and the photothermal therapy (PTT) effect.
Target decoupling in coupled systems resistant to random perturbation
Authors: Yu Sunkyu , Piao Xianji , Park Namkyoo
Published: May 2017

To suppress unwanted crosstalks between nearby optical elements, the decoupling technique for integrated systems has been desired for the target control of light flows. Although cloaking methods have enabled complete decoupling of optical elements by manipulating electromagnetic waves microscopically, it is difficult to be applied rigorously to control each unit element in coupled systems due to severe restrictions on material parameters for cloaking. Here we develop the macroscopic approach to design crosstalk-free regions in coupled optical systems. By inversely designing the eigenstate which encompasses target elements, the stable decoupling of the elements from the coupled system is achieved, being completely independent from the random alteration of the decoupled region, and at the same time, allowing coherent and scattering-free wave transport with desired spatial profiles. We also demonstrate the decoupling in disordered systems, overcoming the transport blockade from Anderson localization. Our results provide an attractive solution for “target hiding” of elements inside coupled systems.
Shortest Paths in Multiplex Networks
Authors: Ghariblou Saeed , Salehi Mostafa , Magnani Matteo , Jalili Mahdi
Published: May 2017

The shortest path problem is one of the most fundamental networks optimization problems. Nowadays, individuals interact in extraordinarily numerous ways through their offline and online life (e.g., co-authorship, co-workership, or retweet relation in Twitter). These interactions have two key features. First, they have a heterogeneous nature, and second, they have different strengths that are weighted based on their degree of intimacy, trustworthiness, service exchange or influence among individuals. These networks are known as multiplex networks. To our knowledge, none of the previous shortest path definitions on social interactions have properly reflected these features. In this work, we introduce a new distance measure in multiplex networks based on the concept of Pareto efficiency taking both heterogeneity and weighted nature of relations into account. We then model the problem of finding the whole set of paths as a form of multiple objective decision making and propose an exact algorithm for that. The method is evaluated on five real-world datasets to test the impact of considering weights and multiplexity in the resulting shortest paths. As an application to find the most influential nodes, we redefine the concept of betweenness centrality based on the proposed shortest paths and evaluate it on a real-world dataset from two-layer trade relation among countries between years 2000 and 2015.
Ultrasensitive terahertz metamaterial sensor based on spoof surface plasmon
Authors: Chen Xu , Fan Wenhui
Published: May 2017

A planar terahertz metamaterial sensor consisting of a corrugated metal stripe perforated by three rectangular grooves is proposed and investigated numerically. Due to the formation of Fabry-Perot resonance of the spoof surface plasmons mode on the corrugated metal stripe, the extremely sharp resonance in transmission spectrum associated with strong local field enhancement and high quality factor can be realized and exploited for ultrasensitive sensing. Since the intense interaction between electromagnetic waves and analyte materials, the frequency sensitivity of 1.966 THz per refractive index unit and the figure of merit of 19.86 can be achieved. Meanwhile, the film thickness sensitivity of this metamaterial sensor is higher than 52.5 GHz/μm when the analyte thickness is thinner than 4 μm. More interestingly, we find that the metal thickness has a great effect on the sensor performance. These findings open up opportunities for planar metamaterial structures to be developed into practical sensors in terahertz regime.
The Alpine LGM in the boreal ice-sheets game
Authors: Monegato Giovanni , Scardia Giancarlo , Hajdas Irka , Rizzini Francesca , Piccin Andrea
Published: May 2017

New chronologic and stratigraphic constraints from the Garda morainic amphitheater define the extension of the last glaciation in the Adige-Sarca system and improve the Alpine LGM dataset. Together with the available chronology of the Rhine and Tagliamento systems, our results indicate a synchronous maximum culmination of Alpine glaciers during the LGM, which anticipated by about 3.5 ka the maximum extension of the Eurasian Ice Sheet (EIS). This is ascribed to the sensitivity of Alpine glaciers to the availability of moisture from southerly circulation, as recently documented by speleothem δ18O curve from Sieben Hengste (7 H). According to global circulation models, the waxing of the North American Ice Sheet (NAIS) at 26–23 ka pushed the North Atlantic jet stream southwards. This enhanced precipitation rates in southern Europe by advection of moisture from the Mediterranean Sea, triggering expansion of the Alpine glaciers. NAIS waning after 23 ka led to the gradual re-establishment of westerly circulation and renewal of a moisture supply to northern Europe, feeding the EIS to its maximum volume. Reduced supply of moisture from the Mediterranean Sea sealed the fate of the Alpine glaciers, which entered a final recessional phase after 22 ka and faded out after 17.5 ka.
Inhibition of endocytic lipid antigen presentation by common lipophilic environmental pollutants
Authors: Sharma Manju , Zhang Xiang , Zhang Shuangmin , Niu Liang , Ho Shuk-mei , Chen Aimin , Huang Shouxiong
Published: May 2017

Environmental pollutants as non-heritable factors are now recognized as triggers for multiple human inflammatory diseases involving T cells. We postulated that lipid antigen presentation mediated by cluster of differentiation 1 (CD1) proteins for T cell activation is susceptible to lipophilic environmental pollutants. To test this notion, we determined whether the common lipophilic pollutants benzo[a]pyrene and diesel exhaust particles impact on the activation of lipid-specific T cells. Our results demonstrated that the expression of CD1a and CD1d proteins, and the activation of CD1a- and CD1d-restricted T cells were sensitively inhibited by benzo[a]pyrene even at the low concentrations detectable in exposed human populations. Similarly, diesel exhaust particles showed a marginal inhibitory effect. Using transcriptomic profiling, we discovered that the gene expression for regulating endocytic and lipid metabolic pathways was perturbed by benzo[a]pyrene. Imaging flow cytometry also showed that CD1a and CD1d proteins were retained in early and late endosomal compartments, respectively, supporting an impaired endocytic lipid antigen presentation for T cell activation upon benzo[a]pyrene exposure. This work conceptually demonstrates that lipid antigen presentation for T cell activation is inhibited by lipophilic pollutants through profound interference with gene expression and endocytic function, likely further disrupting regulatory cytokine secretion and ultimately exacerbating inflammatory diseases.
The influence of emotional interference on cognitive control: A meta-analysis of neuroimaging studies using the emotional Stroop task
Authors: Song Sensen , Zilverstand Anna , Song Hongwen , d’Oleire Uquillas Federico , Wang Yongming , Xie Chao , Cheng Li , Zou Zhiling
Published: May 2017

The neural correlates underlying the influence of emotional interference on cognitive control remain a topic of discussion. Here, we assessed 16 neuroimaging studies that used an emotional Stroop task and that reported a significant interaction effect between emotion (stimulus type) and cognitive conflict. There were a total of 330 participants, equaling 132 foci for an activation likelihood estimation (ALE) analysis. Results revealed consistent brain activation patterns related to emotionally-salient stimuli (as compared to emotionally-neutral trials) during cognitive conflict trials [incongruent trials (with task-irrelevant information interfering), versus congruent/baseline trials (less disturbance from task-irrelevant information)], that span the lateral prefrontal cortex (dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and inferior frontal gyrus), the medial prefrontal cortex, and the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex. Comparing mild emotional interference trials (without semantic conflict) versus intense emotional interference trials (with semantic conflict), revealed that while concurrent activation in similar brain regions as mentioned above was found for intense emotional interference trials, activation for mild emotional interference trials was only found in the precentral/postcentral gyrus. These data provide evidence for the potential neural mechanisms underlying emotional interference on cognitive control, and further elucidate an important distinction in brain activation patterns for different levels of emotional conflict across emotional Stroop tasks.
Method to estimate relative risk using exposed proportion and case group data
Authors: Yada Yoichi
Published: May 2017

A change in risk of an event occurring, which is affected with a factor, is a common issue in many research fields, and relative risk is widely used because of intuitive interpretation. Estimating relative risk has required data from two follow-up groups and can thus be cost and time consuming. Subjects for whom an event occurred (case group) are often observed but generally analyzed in comparison to those for whom an event did not (control group); however, estimating relative risk using case group data without approximation is hindered. In this study, an obstacle to estimate relative risk using case control data is clarified as a mathematical expression and a new equation to estimate relative risk using the exposed proportion and case group data is proposed. The proposed equation is derived without using the Bayesian methods. A method to estimate the confidence interval for the proposed estimator is also provided. The usefulness of the proposed equation, which requires neither control nor follow-up groups, is demonstrated for both theoretical and real-life examples.
Limited evidence on the effectiveness of interventions to reduce livestock predation by large carnivores
Authors: Eklund Ann , López-Bao José Vicente , Tourani Mahdieh , Chapron Guillaume , Frank Jens
Published: May 2017

Successful coexistence between large carnivores and humans is conditional upon effective mitigation of the impact of these species on humans, such as through livestock depredation. It is therefore essential for conservation practitioners, carnivore managing authorities, or livestock owners to know the effectiveness of interventions intended to reduce livestock predation by large carnivores. We reviewed the scientific literature (1990–2016), searching for evidence of the effectiveness of interventions. We found experimental and quasi-experimental studies were rare within the field, and only 21 studies applied a case-control study design (3.7% of reviewed publications). We used a relative risk ratio to evaluate the studied interventions: changing livestock type, keeping livestock in enclosures, guarding or livestock guarding dogs, predator removal, using shock collars on carnivores, sterilizing carnivores, and using visual or auditory deterrents to frighten carnivores. Although there was a general lack of scientific evidence of the effectiveness of any of these interventions, some interventions reduced the risk of depredation whereas other interventions did not result in reduced depredation. We urge managers and stakeholders to move towards an evidence-based large carnivore management practice and researchers to conduct studies of intervention effectiveness with a randomized case-control design combined with systematic reviewing to evaluate the evidence.
Parkin regulation of CHOP modulates susceptibility to cardiac endoplasmic reticulum stress
Authors: Han Kim , Hassanzadeh Shahin , Singh Komudi , Menazza Sara , Nguyen Tiffany T. , Stevens Mark V. , Nguyen An , San Hong , Anderson Stasia A. , Lin Yongshun , Zou Jizhong , Murphy Elizabeth , Sack Michael N.
Published: May 2017

The regulatory control of cardiac endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress is incompletely characterized. As ER stress signaling upregulates the E3-ubiquitin ligase Parkin, we investigated the role of Parkin in cardiac ER stress. Parkin knockout mice exposed to aortic constriction-induced cardiac pressure-overload or in response to systemic tunicamycin (TM) developed adverse ventricular remodeling with excessive levels of the ER regulatory C/EBP homologous protein CHOP. CHOP was identified as a Parkin substrate and its turnover was Parkin-dose and proteasome-dependent. Parkin depletion in cardiac HL-1 cells increased CHOP levels and enhanced susceptibility to TM-induced cell death. Parkin reconstitution rescued this phenotype and the contribution of excess CHOP to this ER stress injury was confirmed by reduction in TM-induced cell death when CHOP was depleted in Parkin knockdown cardiomyocytes. Isogenic Parkin mutant iPSC-derived cardiomyocytes showed exaggerated ER stress induced CHOP and apoptotic signatures and myocardium from subjects with dilated cardiomyopathy showed excessive Parkin and CHOP induction. This study identifies that Parkin functions to blunt excessive CHOP to prevent maladaptive ER stress-induced cell death and adverse cardiac ventricular remodeling. Additionally, Parkin is identified as a novel post-translational regulatory moderator of CHOP stability and uncovers an additional stress-modifying function of this E3-ubiquitin ligase.
CarcinoPred-EL: Novel models for predicting the carcinogenicity of chemicals using molecular fingerprints and ensemble learning methods
Authors: Zhang Li , Ai Haixin , Chen Wen , Yin Zimo , Hu Huan , Zhu Junfeng , Zhao Jian , Zhao Qi , Liu Hongsheng
Published: May 2017

Carcinogenicity refers to a highly toxic end point of certain chemicals, and has become an important issue in the drug development process. In this study, three novel ensemble classification models, namely Ensemble SVM, Ensemble RF, and Ensemble XGBoost, were developed to predict carcinogenicity of chemicals using seven types of molecular fingerprints and three machine learning methods based on a dataset containing 1003 diverse compounds with rat carcinogenicity. Among these three models, Ensemble XGBoost is found to be the best, giving an average accuracy of 70.1 ± 2.9%, sensitivity of 67.0 ± 5.0%, and specificity of 73.1 ± 4.4% in five-fold cross-validation and an accuracy of 70.0%, sensitivity of 65.2%, and specificity of 76.5% in external validation. In comparison with some recent methods, the ensemble models outperform some machine learning-based approaches and yield equal accuracy and higher specificity but lower sensitivity than rule-based expert systems. It is also found that the ensemble models could be further improved if more data were available. As an application, the ensemble models are employed to discover potential carcinogens in the DrugBank database. The results indicate that the proposed models are helpful in predicting the carcinogenicity of chemicals. A web server called CarcinoPred-EL has been built for these models (http://ccsipb.lnu.edu.cn/toxicity/CarcinoPred-EL/).
Movement protein of Apple chlorotic leaf spot virus is genetically unstable and negatively regulated by Ribonuclease E in E. coli
Authors: Singh Rahul Mohan , Singh Dharam , Hallan Vipin
Published: May 2017

Movement protein (MP) of Apple chlorotic leaf spot virus (ACLSV) belongs to “30 K” superfamily of proteins and members of this family are known to show a wide array of functions. In the present study this gene was found to be genetically unstable in E. coli when transformed DH5α cells were grown at 28 °C and 37 °C. However, genetic instability was not encountered at 20 °C. Heterologous over expression failed despite the use of different transcriptional promoters and translational fusion constructs. Total cell lysate when subjected to western blotting using anti-ACLSV MP antibodies, showed degradation/cleavage of the expressed full-length protein. This degradation pointed at severe proteolysis or instability of the corresponding mRNA. Predicted secondary structure analysis of the transcript revealed a potential cleavage site for an endoribonuclease (RNase E) of E. coli. The negating effect of RNase E on transcript stability and expression was confirmed by northern blotting and quantitative RT-PCR of the RNA extracted from RNase E temperature sensitive mutant (strain N3431). The five fold accumulation of transcripts at non-permissive temperature (43 °C) suggests the direct role of RNase E in regulating the expression of ACLSV MP in E. coli.
Somatic Tumor Mutations Detected by Targeted Next Generation Sequencing in Minute Amounts of Serum-Derived Cell-Free DNA
Authors: Weerts Marjolein J. A. , van Marion Ronald , Helmijr Jean C. A. , Beaufort Corine M. , Krol Niels M. G. , Trapman-Jansen Anita M. A. C. , Dinjens Winand N. M. , Sleijfer Stefan , Jansen Maurice P. H. M. , Martens John W. M.
Published: May 2017

The use of blood-circulating cell-free DNA (cfDNA) as ‘liquid-biopsy’ is explored worldwide, with hopes for its potential in providing prognostic or predictive information in cancer treatment. In exploring cfDNA, valuable repositories are biobanks containing material collected over time, however these retrospective cohorts have restrictive resources. In this study, we aimed to detect tumor-specific mutations in only minute amounts of serum-derived cfDNA by using a targeted next generation sequencing (NGS) approach. In a retrospective cohort of ten metastatic breast cancer patients, we profiled DNA from primary tumor tissue (frozen), tumor-adjacent normal tissue (formalin-fixed paraffin embedded), and three consecutive serum samples (frozen). Our presented workflow includes comparisons with matched normal DNA or in silico reference DNA to discriminate germline from somatic variants, validation of variants through the detection in at least two DNA samples of an individual, and the use of public databases on variants. By our workflow, we were able to detect a total of four variants traceable as circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) in the sera of three of the ten patients.
Integrative analysis of genomic sequencing data reveals higher prevalence of LRP1B mutations in lung adenocarcinoma patients with COPD
Authors: Xiao Dakai , Li Fuqiang , Pan Hui , Liang Han , Wu Kui , He Jianxing
Published: May 2017

Both chronic Obstruction Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and lung cancer are leading causes of death globally. Although COPD and lung cancer coexist frequently, it is unknown whether lung cancer patients with COPD harbor distinct genomic characteristics compared to those without COPD. In this study, we retrospectively analyzed genomic sequencing data from 272 patients with lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) and compared the genetic alterations in LUAD patients with and without COPD. Integrative analysis of whole-genome and exome sequencing data revealed that COPD and non-COPD groups showed high concordance in mutational burden and spectra. Notably, we also found that EGFR mutations were more prevalent in LUAD patients without COPD, whereas mutated LRP1B was more frequently observed in LUAD patients with COPD. In addition, multi-variable analysis with logistic regression demonstrated that mutation of LRP1B was a predictive marker for the presence of COPD in the patients with LUAD. Our analysis demonstrated for the first time the high concordance in genomic alterations between the tumors from LUAD patients with and without COPD. We also identified higher prevalence of LRP1B among the LUAD patients with COPD, which might help understand the underlying mechanisms which link COPD and lung cancer.
Suppression of cognitive function in hyperthermia; From the viewpoint of executive and inhibitive cognitive processing
Authors: Shibasaki Manabu , Namba Mari , Oshiro Misaki , Kakigi Ryusuke , Nakata Hiroki
Published: May 2017

Climate change has had a widespread impact on humans and natural systems. Heat stroke is a life-threatening condition in severe environments. The execution or inhibition of decision making is critical for survival in a hot environment. We hypothesized that, even with mild heat stress, not only executive processing, but also inhibitory processing may be impaired, and investigated the effectiveness of body cooling approaches on these processes using the Go/No-go task with electroencephalographic event-related potentials. Passive heat stress increased esophageal temperature (Tes) by 1.30 ± 0.24 °C and decreased cerebral perfusion and thermal comfort. Mild heat stress reduced the amplitudes of the Go-P300 component (i.e. execution) and No-go-P300 component (i.e. inhibition). Cerebral perfusion and thermal comfort recovered following face/head cooling, however, the amplitudes of the Go-P300 and No-go-P300 components remained reduced. During whole-body cooling, the amplitude of the Go-P300 component returned to the pre-heat baseline, whereas that of the No-go-P300 component remained reduced. These results suggest that local cooling of the face and head does not restore impaired cognitive processing during mild heat stress, and response inhibition remains impaired despite the return to normothermia.
A facile graphene oxide based sensor for electrochemical detection of prostate anti-cancer (anti-testosterone) drug flutamide in biological samples
Authors: Karthik R. , Govindasamy Mani , Chen Shen-Ming , Chen Tse-Wei , Vinoth kumar J. , Elangovan A. , Muthuraj V. , Yu Ming-Chin
Published: May 2017

An electrochemical sensor based on graphene oxide modified glassy carbon electrode for the determination of anti-cancer drug flutamide.
Self-assembly of amphiphilic tripeptides with sequence-dependent nanostructure
Authors: Sahoo Jugal Kishore , Nazareth Calvin , VandenBerg Michael A. , Webber Matthew J.
Published: May 2017

Sequence variation in short self-assembled peptides enables creation of a diversity of nanostructures and biomaterials.
Two bilayer metal–organic frameworks with rare trinuclear heterometal clusters and tunable photoluminescence
Authors: Gong Yun-Nan , Wei Xue-Wen , He Lv-Heng , Wen Ya-Qiong , Ren Ya-Wen , Xie Yong-Rong , Zhong Di-Chang
Published: May 2017

Two bilayer metal–organic frameworks based on rare trinuclear Pb/K and Cd/Na clusters have been solvothermally synthesized. They exhibit tunable purple-to-red-to-green and purple-to-green photoluminescence by variation of excitation light, respectively.
Soil sorption of two nitramines derived from amine-based CO2 capture
Authors: Gundersen Cathrine Brecke , Breedveld Gijs D. , Foseid Lena , Vogt Rolf D.
Published: May 2017

The first thorough assessment describing the soil sorption characteristics of potentially carcinogenic nitramines formed from amines used in CO2 captures.
Dichloro-naphthoquinone as a non-classical inhibitor of the mycobacterial carbonic anhydrase Rv3588c
Authors: Dallaston M. A. , Rajan S. , Chekaiban J. , Wibowo M. , Cross M. , Coster M. J. , Davis R. A. , Hofmann A.
Published: May 2017

This study reports the most active non-sulfonamide mycobacterial CA inhibitor to date.
Design, facile synthesis and anthelmintic activity of new O-substituted 6-methoxybenzothiazole-2-carbamates. Part II
Authors: Omar A. Mohsen M. E. , Aboulwafa Omaima M. , Issa Doaa A. E. , El-Shoukrofy Mai S. M. , Amr May E. , El-Ashmawy Ibrahim M.
Published: May 2017

Hypothesis for the design of 6-substituted benzothiazolecarbamate prototype anthelmintics having planar heterocyclic systems at the 6-position of benzothiazole ring with different polar nature and hydrophilic–lipophilic properties.
Facilitating the presentation of antigen peptides on dendritic cells for cancer immunotherapy using a polymer-based synthetic receptor
Authors: Li Cuicui , Takeo Masafumi , Matsuda Masayoshi , Nagai Hiroko , Xizheng Sun , Hatanaka Wataru , Kishimura Akihiro , Inoue Hiroyuki , Tani Kenzaburo , Mori Takeshi , Katayama Yoshiki
Published: May 2017

A synthetic receptor modified on DCs successfully facilitated cancer immunotherapy.
Redox reactions by thermally excited charge carriers: towards sensitized thermal cells
Authors: Matsushita S. , Tsuruoka A. , Kobayashi E. , Isobe T. , Nakajima A.
Published: May 2017

“Sensitized thermal cells” do not rely on the Seebeck effect and do not require a temperature difference.
Recent advances in N-heterocyclic carbene catalyzed achiral synthesis
Authors: Ren Qiao , Li Muyao , Yuan Lujiang , Wang Jian
Published: May 2017

This review reveals the recent developments in NHC-promoted non-asymmetricumpolungtransformations resulting in the expeditious construction of versatile achiral natural heterocycles, carbocycles and acylated products.
Metal-free I2O5-mediated direct construction of sulfonamides from thiols and amines
Authors: Zhu Minghui , Wei Wei , Yang Daoshan , Cui Huanhuan , Wang Leilei , Meng Guoqing , Wang Hua
Published: May 2017

A simple and efficient metal-free I2O5-mediated one-pot procedure for the construction of sulfonamides from thiols and amines has been developed.
Synthesis of g-C3N4 nanosheet modified SnO2 composites with improved performance for ethanol gas sensing
Authors: Cao Jianliang , Qin Cong , Wang Yan , Zhang Huoli , Zhang Bo , Gong Yuxiao , Wang Xiaodong , Sun Guang , Bala Hari , Zhang Zhanying
Published: May 2017

Considering the facile effective synthesis approach and high gas sensing performance for ethanol vapor, the g-C3N4 nanosheet modified SnO2 composite will be an ideal candidate for ethanol gas sensor applications.
Highly active g-C3N4 as a solid base catalyst for knoevenagel condensation reaction under phase transfer conditions
Authors: Sharma Priti , Sasson Yoel
Published: May 2017

g-C3N4 with phase transfer catalyst (PTC) advantages for the Knoevenagel condensation reaction.
Electrochemical properties of PX-phase PbTiO3 electrode for sodium ion batteries
Authors: Zhang Yixiang , Ji Muwei , Liu Ziyi , He Yiqing , Hu Yao , Yang Qinghua , Li Bo , Wang Jin
Published: May 2017

Electrochemical properties of PX-phase PbTiO3 electrode with different binders (PVDF or CMC–SBR) for sodium ion batteries.
Controlled synthesis of soluble conjugated polymeric nanoparticles for fluorescence detection
Authors: Dai Yanan , Zhao Peng , Wang Lili , Ding Yun , Hu Aiguo
Published: May 2017

Highly fluorescent soluble conjugated polymeric nanoparticles (SCPNs) were synthesized in confined nanoreactors and used for fluorescence sensing of glucose and Fe ion.
Graphene based nanosensor for aqueous phase detection of nitroaromatics
Authors: Avaz S. , Roy R. B. , Mokkapati V. R. S. S. , Bozkurt A. , Pandit Santosh , Mijakovic Ivan , Menceloglu Y. Z.
Published: May 2017

Nitroaromatics sensor composed of monolayer graphene and molecularly imprinted chitosan thin film was fabricated and responded selectively against imprinted nitrotriazolone.
Biofilms formed within the acidic and the neutral biotrickling filters for treating H2S-containing waste gases
Authors: Tu Xiang , Guo Jun , Yang Yonggang , Feng Rongfang , Sun Guoping , Li Jianjun
Published: May 2017

Microbial cell in the innermost biofilm have higher viability, and produce polysaccharide as the main component of EPS in acidic environment.
Phase-conjugated directional diffraction from a retroreflector array hologram
Authors: Ahmed Rajib , Rifat Ahmmed. A. , Hassan Muhammad Umair , Yetisen Ali K. , Butt Haider
Published: May 2017

A corner cube retroreflector (CCR) consists of three perpendicular flat surfaces and reflects the incident light back to its source.
Luminescence properties and site occupancy of Ce3+ in Ba2SiO4: a combined experimental and ab initio study
Authors: Lin Litian , Huang Xiaoxiao , Shi Rui , Zhou Weijie , Huang Yan , Zhong Jiuping , Tao Ye , Chen Jun , Ning Lixin , Liang Hongbin
Published: May 2017

Luminescence properties of Ce3+ in Ba2SiO4 were investigated by a combination of experimental and ab initio methods.
Dynamic key‐frame selection technique for enhanced odometry estimation based on laser scan similarity comparison
Authors: Yoo W.S. , Lee B.H.
Published: May 2017

A dynamic key‐frame selection technique is proposed for enhanced odometry estimation. The odometry estimation problem has a drift problem in which errors are accumulated over time. The proposed technique finds the key‐frame which reduces the odometry drift for every time step based on scan similarity comparisons. The enhancement of the proposed method is verified through the performance comparison with the frame‐to‐frame and the conventional frame to key‐frame methods.
Active contours driven by novel fitting term for image segmentation
Authors: Ni Kang , Wu Yiquan
Published: May 2017

Active contour model driven by novel fitting term is proposed for image segmentation in this letter. The novel fitting term contains two parts: one is L1 fitting term, which describes the change of energy between inside and outside the curve; another is the reciprocal cross‐entropy fitting term, which can compute the local energy of every point on the curve. The reciprocal cross‐entropy fitting term is more robust than L1 fitting term when the regional grey scale fluctuates greatly, and the detail direction of the curve can be controlled better by it. Experiments on several synthetic and real images have shown that the proposed model achieves better segmentation results and efficiency than the other models; in addition, it is insensitive to different initial contours.
Genetic algorithm based fault tolerant clustering in wireless sensor network
Authors: Rajeswari Kasilingam , Neduncheliyan Subbu
Published: May 2017

In wireless sensor network (WSN), during fault detection and recovery, average energy loss, and message loss occurs including the link failure. Also, the number of faulty nodes and the traffic overhead is increased with the size of WSN. In order to overcome this issue, in this study, a cluster‐based fault tolerance technique using genetic algorithm is proposed. Here the network is clustered according to energy‐efficient distance‐based clustering algorithm. For each cluster head, a set of backup nodes are selected using genetic algorithm based on the sponsored coverage and residual energy parameters. This helps in detecting the faults occurring in cluster members and cluster heads. Simulation results show that the proposed technique minimises the energy loss and overhead.
Performance evaluation of vehicular platoons using Webots
Authors: Karoui Oussama , Guerfala Emna , Koubaa Anis , Khalgui Mohamed , Tovard Eduardo , Wu Naiqi , Al‐Ahmari Abdulrahman , Li Zhiwu
Published: May 2017

Safety issue of vehicular platoons remains a critical challenge and is still open for investigation. In this study, the authors propose an accurate simulation model for vehicular platoons, taking into consideration of the kinematics and dynamics aspects of the platoon and its physical constraints. A hybrid controller formed by two different longitudinal and lateral proportional–integral–derivative controllers and two operation modes at the same time is developed and simulated using Webots. By this study, the aim is to deeply study the performance of the platoon and reveal its weakness in real scenarios. The latter includes normal/degraded operating modes, different speeds, full brake scenarios and various global positioning system accuracies. Results show the efficiency of the platoon controller even in the predefined degraded mode.