bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Continued Weight Loss and Sarcopenia Predict Poor Outcomes in Locally Advanced Pancreatic Cancer Treated with Chemoradiation
Authors: Naumann Patrick , Eberlein Jonathan , Farnia Benjamin , Hackert Thilo , Debus Jürgen , Combs Stephanie E.
Published: May 2019

Background: Surgical resection offers the best chance of survival in patients with pancreatic cancer, but those with locally advanced disease (LAPC) are usually not surgical candidates. This cohort often receives either neoadjuvant chemotherapy or chemoradiation (CRT), but unintended weight loss coupled with muscle wasting (sarcopenia) can often be observed. Here, we report on the predictive value of changes in weight and muscle mass in 147 consecutive patients with LAPC treated with neoadjuvant CRT. Methods: Clinicopathologic data were obtained via a retrospective chart review. The abdominal skeletal muscle area (SMA) at the third lumbar vertebral body was determined via computer tomographic (CT) scans as a surrogate for the muscle mass and skeletal muscle index (SMI) calculated. Uni- and multi-variable statistical tests were performed to assess for impact on survival. Results: Weight loss (14.5 vs. 20.3 months; p = 0.04) and loss of muscle mass (15.1 vs. 22.2 months; p = 0.007) were associated with poor outcomes. The highest survival was observed in patients who had neither cachectic weight loss nor sarcopenia (27 months), with improved survival seen in those who ultimately received a resection (23 vs. 10 months; p < 0.001). Cox regression revealed that either continued weight loss or continued muscle wasting (SMA reduction) was predictive of poor outcomes, whereas a sarcopenic SMI was not. Conclusions: Loss of weight and lean muscle in patients with LAPC is prognostic when persistent. Therefore, both should be assessed longitudinally and considered before surgery.
Novel Thienopyrimidine Derivative, RP-010, Induces β-Catenin Fragmentation and Is Efficacious against Prostate Cancer Cells
Authors: Amawi Haneen , Hussein Noor , Boddu Sai H. S. , Karthikeyan Chandrabose , Williams Frederick E. , Ashby Charles R. , Raman Dayanidhi , Trivedi Piyush , Tiwari Amit K.
Published: May 2019

Thienopyrimidines containing a thiophene ring fused to pyrimidine are reported to have a wide-spectrum of anticancer efficacy in vitro. Here, we report for the first time that thieno[3,2-d]pyrimidine-based compounds, also known as the RP series, have efficacy in prostate cancer cells. The compound RP-010 was efficacious against both PC-3 and DU145 prostate cancer (PC) cells (IC50 < 1 µM). The cytotoxicity of RP-010 was significantly lower in non-PC, CHO, and CRL-1459 cell lines. RP-010 (0.5, 1, 2, and 4 µM) arrested prostate cancer cells in G2 phase of the cell cycle, and induced mitotic catastrophe and apoptosis in both PC cell lines. Mechanistic studies suggested that RP-010 (1 and 2 µM) affected the wingless-type MMTV (Wnt)/β-catenin signaling pathway, in association with β-catenin fragmentation, while also downregulating important proteins in the pathway, including LRP-6, DVL3, and c-Myc. Interestingly, RP-010 (1 and 2 µM) induced nuclear translocation of the negative feedback proteins, Naked 1 and Naked 2, in the Wnt pathway. In addition, RP-010 (0.5, 1, 2 and 4 µM) significantly decreased the migration of PC cells in vitro. Finally, RP-010 did not produce significant toxic effects in zebrafish at concentrations of up to 6 µM. In conclusion, RP-010 may be an efficacious and relatively nontoxic anticancer compound for prostate cancer. Future mechanistic and in vivo efficacy studies are needed to optimize the hit compound RP-010 for lead optimization and clinical use.
Exploring the Chemical Space of Cytochrome P450 Inhibitors Using Integrated Physicochemical Parameters, Drug Efficiency Metrics and Decision Tree Models
Authors: Kiani Yusra Sajid , Jabeen Ishrat
Published: May 2019

The cytochrome P450s (CYPs) play a central role in the metabolism of various endogenous and exogenous compounds including drugs. CYPs are vulnerable to inhibition and induction which can lead to adverse drug reactions. Therefore, insights into the underlying mechanism of CYP450 inhibition and the estimation of overall CYP inhibitor properties might serve as valuable tools during the early phases of drug discovery. Herein, we present a large data set of inhibitors against five major metabolic CYPs (CYP1A2, CYP2C9, CYP2C19, CYP2D6 and CYP3A4) for the evaluation of important physicochemical properties and ligand efficiency metrics to define property trends across various activity levels (active, efficient and inactive). Decision tree models for CYP inhibition were developed with an accuracy >90% for both the training set and 10-folds cross validation. Overall, molecular weight (MW), hydrogen bond acceptors/donors (HBA/HBD) and lipophilicity (clogP/logPo/w) represent important physicochemical descriptors for CYP450 inhibitors. However, highly efficient CYP inhibitors show mean MW, HBA, HBD and logP values between 294.18–482.40,5.0–8.2,1–7.29 and 1.68–2.57, respectively. Our results might help in optimization of toxicological profiles associated with new chemical entities (NCEs), through a better understanding of inhibitor properties leading to CYP-mediated interactions.
Entropy Generation via Ohmic Heating and Hall Current in Peristaltically-Flowing Carreau Fluid
Authors: Noreen Saima , Abbas Asif , Hussanan Abid
Published: May 2019

The core objective of the present study is to examine entropy generation minimization via Hall current and Ohmic heating. Carreau fluid considerations interpret the unavailability of systems’ thermal energy (for mechanical work). The magneto hydrodynamic flow is in the channel, which is not symmetric. We have solved analytically the resulting nonlinear mathematical model. Moreover, physical exploration of important parameters on total entropy generation, temperature, and Bejan number is plotted and discussed. We observed that the generation of entropy takes place throughout the confined flow field y = W1 and y = W2 because of the viscous dissipation effect. In addition, reducing the operating temperature minimizes the entropy.
Developing and Piloting a Pedagogy for Teaching Innovation, Collaboration, and Co-Creation in Secondary Education Based on Design Thinking, Digital Transformation, and Entrepreneurship
Authors: Androutsos Athanassios , Brinia Vasiliki
Published: May 2019

In Secondary Education, students need innovative skills and competences that the current education system does not sufficiently offer. Also, educators need pedagogical support to develop teaching to respond to 21st century skills requirements. In order to achieve these goals, an experimental culture of learning needs to be implemented in practice. The aim of this paper is to introduce and pilot a pedagogy for teaching innovation, collaboration, and co-creation in secondary education. The proposed pedagogy is based on a designerly way of thinking, digital competences, and entrepreneurial spirit, together with an experimental culture of creating, making, and collaborating in order to improve students’ innovative, co-creative and collaborative way of thinking and making. The main finding is that the proposed pedagogy enhanced innovative, collaborative and co-creative student competences. Moreover, digital and entrepreneurial skills gave the ability to the students to create new valuable products and services.
Post-Closure Performance Assessment for Deep Borehole Disposal of Cs/Sr Capsules
Authors: Freeze Geoff , Stein Emily , Brady Patrick
Published: May 2019

Post-closure performance assessment (PA) calculations suggest that deep borehole disposal of cesium (Cs)/strontium (Sr) capsules, a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) waste form (WF), is safe, resulting in no releases to the biosphere over 10,000,000 years when the waste is placed in a 3–5 km deep waste disposal zone. The same is true when a hypothetical breach of a stuck waste package (WP) is assumed to occur at much shallower depths penetrated by through-going fractures. Cs and Sr retardation in the host rock is a key control over movement. Calculated borehole performance would be even stronger if credit was taken for the presence of the WP.
Visual Comfort Assessment in an Industrial Environment: A Case Study
Authors: Dolnikova Erika , Katunsky Dusan
Published: May 2019

Air, water, soil, and light are important factors in the environment. Light is the only elementary part of life that has become an almost irreplaceable part of life. Because man is more connected with the interior, the task is to ensure that natural daylight in the interior is as high as possible. Industrial lighting is currently at a level that in many cases does not meet the requirements of legislation and standards. Optimal environmental conditions depend on the purpose for which the environment is intended. Since toplighting is largely involved in the overall lighting climate, the purpose of this paper is to evaluate the visual comfort in a selected industrial hall with two types of glazing at the saddle skylight. In the study, measured values in the hall were used as boundary conditions in the simulation program Radiance The program evaluated the visual comfort for two types of sky by the Guth VCP method. The results show that the use of diffuse glazing instead of simple wire glazing reduces the brightness and glare levels, but that people’s satisfaction with visual comfort is greater with wire glazing. Furthermore, the model of the hall can be used to calculate light conditions for other types of arches as well as to compare other types of skylights. An alternative to diffusing glazing could also be verified for side windows.
Impact of Shortened Winter Road Access on Costs of Forest Operations
Authors: Kuloglu Tevfik Z. , Lieffers Victor J. , Anderson Axel E.
Published: May 2019

A significant portion of the forest harvesting in the cooler regions of North America occurs in the winter when the ground is frozen and can support machine traffic. Climate change may influence the cost of forestry operations by reducing the period of winter access in those cold regions. In this study, we examined the impact of a shortened period of frozen ground conditions on logging operation and costs. To adapt to shorter period of frozen soil conditions, logging contractors might need to provide more machines and labor to complete logging in a shorter period of frozen conditions. The objectives were to calculate the costs of logging operations of a hypothetical forestry company in Alberta, Canada under two conditions: first, when the wood was hauled to the mill directly; and second, when part of the wood was hauled to satellite yards close to the logging area, thereby minimizing the annual number of idle hauling trucks. General Circulation Models were used to predict future winter weather conditions. Using the current type of harvesting machines and hauling directly to the mill, the unit cost of logging operations ($/m3) was projected to increase by an average of 1.6% to 2.5% in 2030s, 2.8% to 5.3% in the 2050s and 4.8% to 10.9% in the 2080s compared to the base year of 2015–2016. With use of satellite yards during the winter logging, the total logging cost will increase over direct haul, by 1.8% to 2.8% in the 2030s, 3.1% to 5.7% in the 2050s and 5.2% to 11.4% in the 2080s. Using satellite yards, however, will provide year-around employment for hauling truckers and more consistent and reliable hauling operations.
Hollow-Core Optical Fibers
Authors: Belardi Walter
Published: May 2019

The possibility of guiding light in air has fascinated optical scientists and engineers since the dawn of optical fiber technology [...]
Biological Effects of Food Coloring in In Vivo and In Vitro Model Systems
Authors: Merinas-Amo Rocío , Martínez-Jurado María , Jurado-Güeto Silvia , Alonso-Moraga Ángeles , Merinas-Amo Tania
Published: May 2019

(1) Background: The suitability of certain food colorings is nowadays in discussion because of the effects of these compounds on human health. For this reason, in the present work, the biological effects of six worldwide used food colorings (Riboflavin, Tartrazine, Carminic Acid, Erythrosine, Indigotine, and Brilliant Blue FCF) were analyzed using two model systems. (2) Methods: In vivo toxicity, antitoxicity, and longevity assays using the model organism Drosophila melanogaster and in vitro cytotoxicity, DNA fragmentation, and methylation status assays using HL-60 tumor human cell line were carried out. (3) Results: Our in vivo results showed safe effects in Drosophila for all the food coloring treatments, non-significant protective potential against an oxidative toxin, and different effects on the lifespan of flies. The in vitro results in HL-60 cells, showed that the tested food colorings increased tumor cell growth but did not induce any DNA damage or modifications in the DNA methylation status at their acceptable daily intake (ADI) concentrations. (4) Conclusions: From the in vivo and in vitro studies, these results would support the idea that a high chronic intake of food colorings throughout the entire life is not advisable.
Biological Rationale for Targeting MEK/ERK Pathways in Anti-Cancer Therapy and to Potentiate Tumour Responses to Radiation
Authors: Marampon Francesco , Ciccarelli Carmela , Zani Bianca Maria
Published: May 2019

ERK1 and ERK2 (ERKs), two extracellular regulated kinases (ERK1/2), are evolutionary-conserved and ubiquitous serine-threonine kinases involved in regulating cell signalling in normal and pathological tissues. The expression levels of these kinases are almost always different, with ERK2 being the more prominent. ERK1/2 activation is fundamental for the development and progression of cancer. Since their discovery, much research has been dedicated to their role in mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK) pathway signalling and in their activation by mitogens and mutated RAF or RAS in cancer cells. In order to gain a better understanding of the role of ERK1/2 in MAPK pathway signalling, many studies have been aimed at characterizing ERK1/2 splicing isoforms, mutants, substrates and partners. In this review, we highlight the differences between ERK1 and ERK2 without completely discarding the hypothesis that ERK1 and ERK2 exhibit functional redundancy. The main goal of this review is to shed light on the role of ERK1/2 in targeted therapy and radiotherapy and highlight the importance of identifying ERK inhibitors that may overcome acquired resistance. This is a highly relevant therapeutic issue that needs to be addressed to combat tumours that rely on constitutively active RAF and RAS mutants and the MAPK pathway.
Exploration of Axial Fan Design Space with Data-Driven Approach
Authors: Angelini Gino , Corsini Alessandro , Delibra Giovanni , Tieghi Lorenzo
Published: May 2019

Since the 1960s, turbomachinery design has mainly been based on similarity theory and empirical correlations derived from experimental data and manufacturing experience. Over the years, this knowledge was consolidated and summarized by parameters such as specific speed and diameters that represent the flow features on the meridional plane, hiding however the direct correlations between all the actual design parameters (e.g., blade number or hub-to-tip ratio). Today a series of statistical tools developed for big data analysis sheds new light on correlations among turbomachinery design and performance parameters. In the following article we explore a dataset of over 10,000 axial fans by means of principal component analysis and projection to latent structures. The aim is to find correlations between design and performance features and comment on the capabilities of this approach to give new insights on the design space of axial fans.
An Approach for Recommending Contextualized Services in e-Tourism
Authors: Casillo Mario , Clarizia Fabio , Colace Francesco , Lombardi Marco , Pascale Francesco , Santaniello Domenico
Published: May 2019

«You take delight not in a city’s seven or seventy wonders, but in the answer it gives to a question of yours». Those are the words used by Italo Calvino in his book “Invisible Cities” to give us a key aspect of a city, and it is from this consideration that this research work starts. In particular, the aim is to study and develop innovative solutions that guarantee value for the territory and for the cultural and landscape assets that insist on it. At the same time, such innovative solutions should be able to make the answers, connected to these resources, “tailored” to the user who requested it. For this reason, an architecture will be described, which allows content generating actors and users to operate by means of a broker-platform. Through this platform, it is possible to search a content within a Knowledge Base and, through the automatic orchestration of services, to activate in a controlled way the access and fruition of the information contained in it.
Performance-Based Analysis in Civil Engineering: Overview of Applications
Authors: Easa Said M. , Yan Wai Yeung
Published: May 2019

Traditional design approaches in civil engineering mainly focus on codes/guidelines related to building an infrastructure, while performance-based analysis (PBA), an emerging new reality around the world, focuses on the performance of the end product. Professional organizations, academicians, and the industry have made significant contributions in formulating PBA in various civil engineering fields, where practical guidelines and principles have been adopted in infrastructure analysis. This paper presents a critical review of PBA applications in three civil engineering fields: transportation, environmental, and structural engineering. The applications are grouped into a wide array of civil engineering areas, including highway transportation, pavement design and management, air transportation, water-structures design and operation, landfill design, building architectural design for evacuation, urban energy design, building earthquake-based design, building wind-based design, and bridge design and management. A total of 187 publications on PBA were reviewed and details on 122 application papers (from 23 countries/regions) are presented. The review consists of vertical and horizontal scans of PBA applications. In the vertical scan, the applications in each civil engineering area are summarized in tabular format that shows the system element modeled, analysis objective, performance criteria, analytical tool, and specifications/codes. The horizontal scan (discussion and lessons learned) addresses the following aspects of PBA: (1) the wide array of analytical tools used, (2) the broad functional and process-related areas, (3) the advantages, challenges, and opportunities, and (4) potential future applications. It is hoped that the state-of-the-art review presented in this paper will help researchers/practitioners quickly find useful information about PBA and promote its development in their respective fields.
Titanium Doping of the Metallic One-Dimensional Antiferromagnet, Nb12O29
Authors: Kruk Izabella , Waldron Joanna E. L. , Green Mark A.
Published: May 2019

Monoclinic Nb12O29 undergoes a charge ordering transition to form antiferromagnetic Nb4+ chains (TN ~ 12 K) spaced 15.7 Å apart, which are coupled through mediation from a subset of metallic electrons which are present over all temperature regimes. We present the effects of disrupting the delicate electronic equilibrium in monoclinic Nb12O29 through doping Nb4+ (d1) with Ti4+ (d0) ions in the series, TixNb12−xO29. Powder neutron diffraction demonstrates that Ti is distributed over all of the 6 crystallographically distinct Nb positions. Magnetic susceptibility measurements reveal a rapid suppression of the magnetic ordered state on Ti doping, with a 3% percolation threshold consistent with the existence of one-dimensional Nb4+ chains. The reduction of the number of unpaired electrons on Ti4+ doping is shown to depopulate both localised and itinerant electron subsets, demonstrating that they are intrinsic to the properties of the system, which is argued to be a direct consequence of the mixture of bonding schemes within the lattice.
The Contribution of Surrounding Margins in the Promotion of Natural Enemies in Mediterranean Apple Orchards
Authors: Rodríguez-Gasol Neus , Avilla Jesús , Aparicio Yahana , Arnó Judit , Gabarra Rosa , Riudavets Jordi , Alegre Simó , Lordan Jaume , Alins Georgina
Published: May 2019

(1) Habitat management can enhance beneficial arthropod populations and provide ecosystem services such as biological control. However, the implementation of ecological infrastructures inside orchards has a number of practical limitations. Therefore, planting/growing insectary plants in the margins of orchards should be considered as an alternative approach. (2) Here, we assessed the efficacy of a flower margin composed by four insectary plant species (Achillea millefolium, Lobularia maritima, Moricandia arvensis and Sinapis alba), which was placed on an edge of four Mediterranean apple orchards to attract natural enemies of two apple tree aphids (Dysaphis plantaginea and Eriosoma lanigerum). We also characterized the natural enemies present in the aphid colonies. (3) Our results show that the implementation of a flower margin at the edge of apple orchards attracts predators (Syrphidae, Thysanoptera, Araneae, Heteroptera, Coleoptera) and parasitoids. Parasitoids are the main natural enemies present in aphid colonies in our area. (4) The implementation of the flower margins successfully recruited natural enemy populations, and the presence of parasitoids in the surroundings of the orchards increased the parasitism of D. plantaginea colonies.
Interdisciplinary Methodology to Extend Technology Readiness Levels in SONAR Simulation from Laboratory Validation to Hydrography Demonstrator
Authors: Riordan James , Flannery Francis , Toal Daniel , Rossi Matija , Dooly Gerard
Published: May 2019

This paper extends underwater SONAR simulation from laboratory prototype to real-world demonstrator. It presents the interdisciplinary methodology to advance the state of the art from level four to level seven on the technology readiness level (TRL) standard scale for measuring the maturity of innovations. While SONAR simulation offers the potential to unlock cost-effective personnel capacity building in hydrography, demonstration of virtualised survey-scale operations is a prerequisite for validation by practitioners. Our research approach uses the TRL framework to identify and map current barriers to the use of simulation to interdisciplinary solutions adapted from multiple domains. To meet the distinct challenges of acceptance tests at each level in the TRL scale, critical knowledge is incorporated from different branches of science, engineering, project management, and pedagogy. The paper reports the simulator development at each escalation of TRL. The contributions to simulator performance and usability at each level of advancement are presented, culminating in the first case study demonstration of SONAR simulation as a real-world hydrographic training platform.
Endophytic Fungi from Terminalia Species: A Comprehensive Review
Authors: Kouipou Toghueo Rufin Marie , Boyom Fabrice Fekam
Published: May 2019

Endophytic fungi have proven their usefulness for drug discovery, as suggested by the structural complexity and chemical diversity of their secondary metabolites. The diversity and biological activities of endophytic fungi from the Terminalia species have been reported. Therefore, we set out to discuss the influence of seasons, locations, and even the plant species on the diversity of endophytic fungi, as well as their biological activities and secondary metabolites isolated from potent strains. Our investigation reveals that among the 200–250 Terminalia species reported, only thirteen species have been studied so far for their endophytic fungi content. Overall, more than 47 fungi genera have been reported from the Terminalia species, and metabolites produced by some of these fungi exhibited diverse biological activities including antimicrobial, antioxidant, antimalarial, anti-inflammatory, anti-hypercholesterolemic, anticancer, and biocontrol varieties. Moreover, more than 40 compounds with eighteen newly described secondary metabolites were reported; among these, metabolites are the well-known anticancer drugs, a group that includes taxol, antioxidant compounds, isopestacin, and pestacin. This summary of data illustrates the considerable diversity and biological potential of fungal endophytes of the Terminalia species and gives insight into important findings while paving the way for future investigations.
Land Conservation in the Gulf of Mexico Region: A Comprehensive Review of Plans, Priorities, and Efforts
Authors: Samiappan Sathishkumar , Shamaskin Andrew , Liu Jiangdong , Roberts Jennifer , Linhoss Anna , Evans Kristine
Published: May 2019

An unprecedented land conservation effort is presently underway in the Gulf of Mexico Coastal Region (GCR) due to an influx of funds from settlements related to the 2012 RESTORE Act. A complete understanding of the priorities of the states in the GCR is critical to ensure that land conservation planning efforts are implemented effectively and efficiently. The paper reviews past, current, and future land conservation priorities in the GCR to inform strategic planning efforts. This review catalogs an extensive list of projects and plans proposed and implemented at federal, state, county, and city levels with direct ties to land conservation during the past 20 years. Comprehensive restoration goals proposed by the Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration (Restore) Council were used as a framework for grouping priorities within conservation plans and projects. Plans were first compiled via internet searches and expert sources, then a series of eight stakeholder charrettes were held across the GCR states to validate the catalog and add missing projects and plans. A geospatial web tool was developed using the Restore Council goal framework to allow for the identification and exploration of plans in the GCR.
Comparison of Laser Milling Performance against Difficult-To-Cut Alloys: Parametric Significance, Modeling and Optimization for Targeted Material Removal
Authors: Ahmed Naveed , Rafaqat Madiha , Ishfaq Kashif , Ur Rehman Ateekh , Hassan Adeel , Umer Usama , Ragab Adham Ezzat , Al-Zabidi Ayoub
Published: May 2019

During laser milling, the objective is not always to maximize the material removal rate (MRR). Milling of new material with targeted MRR is challenging without prior knowledge and established sets of laser parameters. The laser milling performance has been evaluated for three important aerospace alloys, i.e., titanium alloy, nickel alloy and aluminum alloy using the response surface method experimental plan (54 experiments for each alloy). Parametric effects of five important laser parameters, statistical analysis (main effects, interaction effects, strength and direction of effects), mathematical modeling and optimality search is conducted for the said alloys. Under the non-optimized laser parameters, the actual MRR significantly varies from the targeted MRR. Variation in the aluminum alloy is at the top as compared to the other two alloys. Among other significant terms, three terms have the largest effect on MRR in the case of TiA, two terms in the case of NiA, and five terms in the case of AlA. Under the optimized sets of laser parameters, the actual material removal highly close to the desired level (100%) can be achieved with minimum variation in all the three alloys. Mathematical models proposed here have the capability to well predict material removal prior to the actual machining of Ti6Al4V, Inconel 718 and AA 2024.
Effect of Air Oxidation on Texture, Surface Properties and Dye Adsorption of Wood-Derived Porous Carbon Materials
Authors: Ren Suhong , Deng Liping , Zhang Bo , Lei Yafang , Ren Haiqing , Lv Jianxiong , Zhao Rongjun , Chen Xiufang
Published: May 2019

Hierarchical porous carbon materials made from cork were fabricated using a facile and green method combined with air activation, without any templates and chemical agents. The influence of air activation on the texture and other surface characteristics of the carbon materials were evaluated by various characterization techniques. Results indicate that air oxidation can effectively improve the surface area and the hierarchical porous structure of carbon materials, as well as increase the number of oxygen-containing functional groups on the carbon surface. The specific surface area and the pore volume of the carbon material activated by air at 450 °C (C800-M450) can reach 580 m2/g and 0.379 cm3/g, respectively. These values are considerably higher than those for the non-activated material (C800, 376 m2/g, 0.201 cm3/g). The contents of the functional groups (C–O, C=O and O–H) increased with rising activation temperature. After air activation, the adsorption capacity of the carbon materials for methylene blue (MB) and methyl orange (MO) was increased from 7.7 and 6.4 mg/g for C800 to 312.5 and 97.1 mg/g for C800-M450, respectively. The excellent dye removal of the materials suggests that the porous carbon obtained from biomass can be potentially used for wastewater treatment.
Research on Recognition Technology of Aluminum Profile Surface Defects Based on Deep Learning
Authors: Wei Ruofeng , Bi Yunbo
Published: May 2019

Aluminum profile surface defects can greatly affect the performance, safety, and reliability of products. Traditional human-based visual inspection has low accuracy and is time consuming, and machine vision-based methods depend on hand-crafted features that need to be carefully designed and lack robustness. To recognize the multiple types of defects with various size on aluminum profiles, a multiscale defect-detection network based on deep learning is proposed. Then, the network is trained and evaluated using aluminum profile surface defects images. Results show 84.6%, 48.5%, 96.9%, 97.9%, 96.9%, 42.5%, 47.2%, 100%, 100%, and 43.3% average precision (AP) for the 10 defect categories, respectively, with a mean AP of 75.8%, which illustrate the effectiveness of the network in aluminum profile surface defects detection. In addition, saliency maps also show the feasibility of the proposed network.
DOPSIE: Deep-Order Proximity and Structural Information Embedding
Authors: Manzo Mario , Rozza Alessandro
Published: May 2019

Graph-embedding algorithms map a graph into a vector space with the aim of preserving its structure and its intrinsic properties. Unfortunately, many of them are not able to encode the neighborhood information of the nodes well, especially from a topological prospective. To address this limitation, we propose a novel graph-embedding method called Deep-Order Proximity and Structural Information Embedding (DOPSIE). It provides topology and depth information at the same time through the analysis of the graph structure. Topological information is provided through clustering coefficients (CCs), which is connected to other structural properties, such as transitivity, density, characteristic path length, and efficiency, useful for representation in the vector space. The combination of individual node properties and neighborhood information constitutes an optimal network representation. Our experimental results show that DOPSIE outperforms state-of-the-art embedding methodologies in different classification problems.
Unified Local Convergence for Newton’s Method and Uniqueness of the Solution of Equations under Generalized Conditions in a Banach Space
Authors: Argyros Ioannis K. , Magreñán Ángel Alberto , Orcos Lara , Sarría Íñigo
Published: May 2019

Under the hypotheses that a function and its Fréchet derivative satisfy some generalized Newton–Mysovskii conditions, precise estimates on the radii of the convergence balls of Newton’s method, and of the uniqueness ball for the solution of the equations, are given for Banach space-valued operators. Some of the existing results are improved with the advantages of larger convergence region, tighter error estimates on the distances involved, and at-least-as-precise information on the location of the solution. These advantages are obtained using the same functions and Lipschitz constants as in earlier studies. Numerical examples are used to test the theoretical results.
Multi-Product Production System with the Reduced Failure Rate and the Optimum Energy Consumption under Variable Demand
Authors: Bhuniya Shaktipada , Sarkar Biswajit , Pareek Sarla
Published: May 2019

The advertising of any smart product is crucial in generating customer demand, along with reducing sale prices. Naturally, a decrease in price always increases the demand for any smart product. This study introduces a multi-product production process, taking into consideration the advertising- and price-dependent demands of products, where the failure rate of the production system is reduced under the optimum energy consumption. For long-run production systems, unusual energy consumption and machine failures occur frequently, which are reduced in this study. All costs related with the production system are included in the optimum energy costs. The unit production cost is dependent on the production rate of the machine and its failure rate. The aim of this study is to obtain the optimum profit with a reduced failure rate, under the optimum advertising costs and the optimum sale price. The total profit of the model becomes a complex, non-linear function, with respect to the decision variables. For this reason, the model is solved numerically by an iterative method. However, the global optimality is proved numerically, by using the Hessian matrix. The numerical results obtained show that for smart production, the maximum profit always occurs at the optimum values of the decision variables.
Some q-Rung Picture Fuzzy Dombi Hamy Mean Operators with Their Application to Project Assessment
Authors: He Jiahuan , Wang Xindi , Zhang Runtong , Li Li
Published: May 2019

The recently proposed q-rung picture fuzzy set (q-RPFSs) can describe complex fuzzy and uncertain information effectively. The Hamy mean (HM) operator gets good performance in the process of information aggregation due to its ability to capturing the interrelationships among aggregated values. In this study, we extend HM to q-rung picture fuzzy environment, propose novel q-rung picture fuzzy aggregation operators, and demonstrate their application to multi-attribute group decision-making (MAGDM). First of all, on the basis of Dombi t-norm and t-conorm (DTT), we propose novel operational rules of q-rung picture fuzzy numbers (q-RPFNs). Second, we propose some new aggregation operators of q-RPFNs based on the newly-developed operations, i.e., the q-rung picture fuzzy Dombi Hamy mean (q-RPFDHM) operator, the q-rung picture fuzzy Dombi weighted Hamy mean (q-RPFDWHM) operator, the q-rung picture fuzzy Dombi dual Hamy mean (q-RPFDDHM) operator, and the q-rung picture fuzzy Dombi weighted dual Hamy mean (q-RPFDWDHM) operator. Properties of these operators are also discussed. Third, a new q-rung picture fuzzy MAGDM method is proposed with the help of the proposed operators. Finally, a best project selection example is provided to demonstrate the practicality and effectiveness of the new method. The superiorities of the proposed method are illustrated through comparative analysis.
Solving Bi-Matrix Games Based on Fuzzy Payoffs via Utilizing the Interval Value Function Method
Authors: Liu Kaisheng , Xing Yumei
Published: May 2019

In this article, we introduce a model of bi-matrix games based on crisp parametric payoffs via utilizing the method of interval value function. Then, we get that equilibrium solutions of bi-matrix games on the basis of fuzzy payoffs and equilibrium solutions of the game model are of equal value. Furthermore, it is concluded that equilibrium solutions of the game can be converted to optimal solutions of discrete nonlinear optimization problems with parameters. Lastly, the proposed methodology is illustrated by an example.
Augmented Lagrangian Approach to the Newsvendor Model with Component Commonality
Authors: Hamdi Abdelouahed , Tadj Lotfi
Published: May 2019

Component commonality is a well-known approach in manufacturing, where the same components are used for multiple products. It has been implemented by many established companies such as Airbus, Kodak, Toyota, etc. We consider a standard two-product inventory model with a common component. The demands for the products are independent random variables. Instead of the usual approach to minimize the total shortage quantity, we propose to minimize the total shortage cost. The resulting problem is a non-convex nonlinear mathematical program. We illustrate the use of a primal-dual proximal method to solve this problem by obtaining numerically the optimal allocations of components. In particular, we show that a higher unit shortage cost induces a higher allocation.
GC-MS Chemical Characterization and In Vitro Evaluation of Antioxidant and Toxic Effects Using Drosophila melanogaster Model of the Essential Oil of Lantana montevidensis (Spreng) Briq.
Authors: de Oliveira Maria Rayane Correia , Barros Luiz Marivando , Duarte Antônia Eliene , Gabriely de Lima Silva Maria , da Silva Bruno Anderson Fernandes , Oliveira Brito Pereira Bezerra Anita , Oliveira Tintino Cícera Datiane Morais , Afonso Pereira de Oliveira Victor , Boligon Aline Augusti , Kamdem Jean Paul , Coutinho Henrique Douglas Melo , de Menezes Irwin Rose Alencar
Published: May 2019

Background and objectives: Natural products such as essential oils with antioxidant potential can reduce the level of oxidative stress and prevent the oxidation of biomolecules. In the present study, we investigated the antioxidant potential of Lantana montevidensis leaf essential oil (EOLM) in chemical and biological models using Drosophila melanogaster. Materials and methods: in addition, the chemical components of the oil were identified and quantified by gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (GC-MS), and the percentage compositions were obtained from electronic integration measurements using flame ionization detection (FID). Results: our results demonstrated that EOLM is rich in terpenes with Germacrene-D (31.27%) and β-caryophyllene (28.15%) as the major components. EOLM (0.12–0.48 g/mL) was ineffective in scavenging DPPH radical, and chelating Fe(II), but showed reducing activity at 0.24 g/mL and 0.48 g/mL. In in vivo studies, exposure of D. melanogaster to EOLM (0.12–0.48 g/mL) for 5 h resulted in 10% mortality; no change in oxidative stress parameters such as total thiol, non-protein thiol, and malondialdehyde contents, in comparison to control (p > 0.05). Conclusions: taken together, our results indicate EOLM may not be toxic at the concentrations tested, and thus may not be suitable for the development of new botanical insecticides, such as fumigants or spray-type control agents against Drosophila melanogaster.
Preliminary Work Towards Finding Proteins as Potential Vaccine Candidates for Vibrio cholerae Pakistani Isolates through Reverse Vaccinology
Authors: Zeb Samia , Ali Amjad , Gulfam Sardar Muhammad , Bokhari Habib
Published: May 2019

Background and Objective: Vibrio cholerae continues to emerge as a dangerous pathogen because of increasing resistance to a number of antibiotics. This paper provides a solution to emerging antibiotic resistance by introducing novel proteins as vaccine candidates against cholera. Materials and Methods: Vibrio cholerae genome versatility is a hurdle for developing a vaccine to combat diarrhoeal infection, so its core gene information was used to determine a potential vaccine candidate. Whole genome sequence data of more than 100 Vibrio cholerae strains were used simultaneously to get core genome information. The VacSol pipeline based on reverse vaccinology was selected to address the problem of safe, cheap, temperature-stable, and effective vaccine candidates which can be used for vaccine development against Vibrio cholerae. VacSol screens vaccine candidates using integrated, well-known, and robust algorithms/tools for proteome analysis. The proteomes of the pathogens were initially screened to predict homology using BLASTp. Proteomes that are non-homologous to humans are then subjected to a predictor for localization. Helicer predicts transmembrane helices for the protein. Proteins failing to comply with the set parameters were filtered at each step, and finally, 11 proteins were filtered as vaccine candidates. Results: This selected group of vaccine candidates consists of proteins from almost all structural parts of Vibrio cholerae. Their blast results show that this filtered group includes flagellin A protein, a protein from the Zn transporter system, a lipocarrier outer membrane protein, a peptidoglycan-associated protein, a DNA-binding protein, a chemotaxis protein, a tRNA Pseuriudine synthase A, and two selected proteins, which were beta lactamases. The last two uncharacterized proteins possess 100% similarity to V. albensis and Enterobacter, respectively. Tertiary structure and active site determination show a large number of pockets on each protein. Conclusions: The most interesting finding of this study is that 10 proteins out of 11 filtered proteins are introduced as novel potential vaccine candidates. These novel vaccine candidates can result in the development of cost-effective and broad-spectrum vaccines which can be used in countries where cholera is a major contributor to diarrheal disease.
Involvement of Cardiorespiratory Capacity on the Acute Effects of Caffeine on Autonomic Recovery
Authors: Gonzaga Luana A. , Vanderlei Luiz C. M. , Gomes Rayana L. , Garner David M. , Valenti Vitor E.
Published: May 2019

Background and objectives: As a result of ergogenic properties, caffeine has been increasingly taken prior to physical exercise, yet its effects on post-exercise recovery, considering the differences in the cardiorespiratory capacity of the individuals, has not yet been studied or fully elucidated. Optimizing the post-exercise recovery can convey advantages to physical activity practitioners. We evaluated the acute effects of caffeine on heart rate (HR) autonomic control recovery following moderate aerobic exercise in males with different cardiorespiratory capacities. Materials and Methods: We split young adult men into two groups based on their various oxygen consumption peaks (VO2 peak): (1) Higher VO2 (HO): Sixteen volunteers, peak VO2 > 42.46 mL/kg/min and (2) Low VO2 (LO): Sixteen individuals, VO2 < 42.46 mL/kg/min). The volunteers were submitted to placebo and caffeine protocols, which entailed 300 mg of caffeine or placebo (starch) in capsules, followed by 15 min of rest, 30 min of moderate exercise on a treadmill at 60% of the VO2 peak, followed by 60 min of supine recovery. Heart rate variability (HRV) indexes in the time and frequency domains were examined. Results: Effect of time for RMSSD (square root of the average of the square of the differences between normal adjacent RR intervals) and SDNN (standard deviation of all normal RR intervals recorded in a time interval) was achieved (p < 0.001). Significant adjustments were observed (rest versus recovery) at the 0 to 5th min of recovery from exercise for the LO during the placebo protocol and at the 5th at 10th min of recovery for the caffeine protocol. For the HO in both procedures we found significant alterations only at the 0 to 5th min of recovery. Conclusion: Caffeine delayed parasympathetic recovery from exercise in individuals with lower cardiorespiratory capacity.
Effects of Lactobacillus Plantarum and Lactobacillus Helveticus on Renal Insulin Signaling, Inflammatory Markers, and Glucose Transporters in High-Fructose-Fed Rats
Authors: Korkmaz Omer A. , Sumlu Esra , Koca H. Bugra , Pektas M. Bilgehan , Kocabas Aytac , Sadi Gokhan , Akar Fatma
Published: May 2019

Background and Objectives: The excess consumption of fructose in the diet may cause metabolic syndrome, which is associated with an increased risk of kidney disease. There is limited data on probiotic treatment in high-fructose-induced metabolic syndrome. The present study aims to investigate whether the supplementation of Lactobacillus plantarum (L. plantarum) and Lactobacillus helveticus (L. helveticus) could provide an improving effect on the renal insulin signaling effectors, inflammatory parameters, and glucose transporters in fructose-fed rats. Materials and Methods: The model of metabolic syndrome in male Wistar rats was produced by fructose, which was given as 20% solution in drinking water for 15 weeks. L. plantarum and L. helveticus supplementations were given by gastric gavage from 10 to 15 weeks of age. Results: High-fructose consumption in rats reduced renal protein expressions of insulin receptor substrate (IRS)-1, protein kinase B (AKT), and endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS), which were improved by L. plantarum and partially by L. helveticus supplementations. Dietary fructose-induced elevations in renal tissue levels of tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, and IL-10, as well as expression of IL-6 mRNA, were attenuated, especially in L. plantarum treated rats. The increased renal expression of sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT2), but not that of glucose transporter type-5 (GLUT5), was suppressed by the treatment with L. plantarum. Conclusion: Suppression in insulin signaling pathway together with the induction of inflammatory markers and upregulation of SGLT2 in fructose-fed rats were improved by L. plantarum supplementation. These findings may offer a new approach to the management of renal dysregulation induced by dietary high-fructose.
Leaching of White Metal in a NaCl-H2SO4 System under Environmental Conditions
Authors: Castillo Jonathan , Sepúlveda Rossana , Araya Giselle , Guzmán Danny , Toro Norman , Pérez Kevin , Rodríguez Marcelo , Navarra Alessandro
Published: May 2019

The effect of NaCl on the leaching of white metal from a Teniente Converter was investigated in NaCl-H2SO4 media under environmental conditions. The copper dissolution from white metal was studied using ferric ions in the range of 1–10 g/L, NaCl in the range of 30–210 g/L, and sulfuric acid in the range of 10–50 g/L. The test without NaCl produced a dissolution of 55%; through the addition of NaCl, the dissolution increased to nearly 90%. The effect of sulfuric acid on the copper dissolution was not significant in the studied range, as the excess sulfuric acid simply increased the iron precipitation. The positive effect of NaCl seems to be related to the action of chloro-complex oxidizing agents in relation to the Cu+2/Cu+ couple. A simplified two-stage mechanism is proposed for the leaching of white metal. In the first stage, the white metal produces covellite and Cu2+, and in the second stage it produces elemental sulfur and Cu2+. The first stage is very rapidly compared to the second stage.