bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
In Silico Studies on Compounds Derived from Calceolaria: Phenylethanoid Glycosides as Potential Multitarget Inhibitors for the Development of Pesticides
Authors: Loza-Mejía Marco A. , Salazar Juan Rodrigo , Sánchez-Tejeda Juan Francisco
Published: October 2018

An increasing occurrence of resistance in insect pests and high mammal toxicity exhibited by common pesticides increase the need for new alternative molecules. Among these alternatives, bioinsecticides are considered to be environmentally friendly and safer than synthetic insecticides. Particularly, plant extracts have shown great potential in laboratory conditions. However, the lack of studies that confirm their mechanisms of action diminishes their potential applications on a large scale. Previously, we have reported the insect growth regulator and insecticidal activities of secondary metabolites isolated from plants of the Calceolaria genus. Herein, we report an in silico study of compounds isolated from Calceolaria against acetylcholinesterase, prophenoloxidase, and ecdysone receptor. The molecular docking results are consistent with the previously reported experimental results, which were obtained during the bioevaluation of Calceolaria extracts. Among the compounds, phenylethanoid glycosides, such as verbascoside, exhibited good theoretical affinity to all the analyzed targets. In light of these results, we developed an index to evaluate potential multitarget insecticides based on docking scores.
Red-Shifted FRET Biosensors for High-Throughput Fluorescence Lifetime Screening
Authors: Schaaf Tory , Li Ang , Grant Benjamin , Peterson Kurt , Yuen Samantha , Bawaskar Prachi , Kleinboehl Evan , Li Ji , Thomas David , Gillispie Gregory
Published: October 2018

We have developed fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) biosensors with red-shifted fluorescent proteins (FP), yielding improved characteristics for time-resolved (lifetime) fluorescence measurements. In comparison to biosensors with green and red FRET pairs (GFP/RFP), FPs that emit at longer wavelengths (orange and maroon, OFP/MFP) increased the FRET efficiency, dynamic range, and signal-to-background of high-throughput screening (HTS). OFP and MFP were fused to specific sites on the human cardiac calcium pump (SERCA2a) for detection of structural changes due to small-molecule effectors. When coupled with a recently improved HTS fluorescence lifetime microplate reader, this red-shifted FRET biosensor enabled high-precision nanosecond-resolved fluorescence decay measurements from microliter sample volumes at three minute read times per 1536-well-plate. Pilot screens with a library of small-molecules demonstrate that the OFP/MFP FRET sensor substantially improves HTS assay quality. These high-content FRET methods detect minute FRET changes with high precision, as needed to elucidate novel structural mechanisms from small-molecule or peptide regulators discovered through our ongoing HTS efforts. FRET sensors that emit at longer wavelengths are highly attractive to the FRET biosensor community for drug discovery and structural interrogation of new therapeutic targets.
Prolonged Idasanutlin (RG7388) Treatment Leads to the Generation of p53-Mutated Cells
Authors: Skalniak Lukasz , Kocik Justyna , Polak Justyna , Skalniak Anna , Rak Monika , Wolnicka-Glubisz Agnieszka , Holak Tad
Published: October 2018

The protein p53 protects the organism against carcinogenic events by the induction of cell cycle arrest and DNA repair program upon DNA damage. Virtually all cancers inactivate p53 either by mutations/deletions of the TP53 gene or by boosting negative regulation of p53 activity. The overexpression of MDM2 protein is one of the most common mechanisms utilized by p53wt cancers to keep p53 inactive. Inhibition of MDM2 action by its antagonists has proved its anticancer potential in vitro and is now tested in clinical trials. However, the prolonged treatment of p53wt cells with MDM2 antagonists leads to the development of secondary resistance, as shown first for Nutlin-3a, and later for three other small molecules. In the present study, we show that secondary resistance occurs also after treatment of p53wt cells with idasanutlin (RG7388, RO5503781), which is the only MDM2 antagonist that has passed phase II and entered phase III clinical trials, so far. Idasanutlin strongly activates p53, as evidenced by the induction of p21 expression and potent cell cycle arrest in all the three cell lines tested, i.e., MCF-7, U-2 OS, and SJSA-1. Notably, apoptosis was induced only in SJSA-1 cells, while MCF-7 and U-2 OS cells were able to restore the proliferation upon the removal of idasanutlin. Moreover, idasanutlin-treated U-2 OS cells could be cultured for long time periods in the presence of the drug. This prolonged treatment led to the generation of p53-mutated resistant cell populations. This resistance was generated de novo, as evidenced by the utilization of monoclonal U-2 OS subpopulations. Thus, although idasanutlin presents much improved activities compared to its precursor, it displays the similar weaknesses, which are limited elimination of cancer cells and the generation of p53-mutated drug-resistant subpopulations.
Is there a Chance to Promote Arteriogenesis by DPP4 Inhibitors Even in Type 2 Diabetes? A Critical Review
Authors: Vedantham Srinivasan , Kluever Anna-Kristina , Deindl Elisabeth
Published: October 2018

Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are still the prevailing cause of death not only in industrialized countries, but even worldwide. Type 2 diabetes mellitus (type 2 DM) and hyperlipidemia, a metabolic disorder that is often associated with diabetes, are major risk factors for developing CVD. Recently, clinical trials proved the safety of gliptins in treating patients with type 2 DM. Gliptins are dipeptidyl-peptidase 4 (DPP4/CD26) inhibitors, which stabilize glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), thereby increasing the bioavailability of insulin. Moreover, blocking DPP4 results in increased levels of stromal cell derived factor 1 (SDF-1). SDF-1 has been shown in pre-clinical animal studies to improve heart function and survival after myocardial infarction, and to promote arteriogenesis, the growth of natural bypasses, compensating for the function of an occluded artery. Clinical trials, however, failed to demonstrate a superiority of gliptins compared to placebo treated type 2 DM patients in terms of cardiovascular (CV) outcomes. This review highlights the function of DPP4 inhibitors in type 2 DM, and in treating cardiovascular diseases, with special emphasis on arteriogenesis. It critically addresses the potency of currently available gliptins and gives rise to hope by pointing out the most relevant questions that need to be resolved.
Telomere Length Calibration from qPCR Measurement: Limitations of Current Method
Authors: Wang Youjin , Savage Sharon A. , Alsaggaf Rotana , Aubert Geraldine , Dagnall Casey L. , Spellman Stephen R. , Lee Stephanie J. , Hicks Belynda , Jones Kristine , Katki Hormuzd A. , Gadalla Shahinaz M.
Published: October 2018

Telomere length (TL) comparisons from different methods are challenging due to differences in laboratory techniques and data configuration. This study aimed to assess the validity of converting the quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) telomere/single copy gene (T/S) ratio to TL in kilobases (kb). We developed a linear regression equation to predict TL from qPCR T/S using flow cytometry with fluorescence in situ hybridization (flow FISH) TL data from 181 healthy donors (age range = 19–53) from the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP) biorepository. TL measurements by qPCR and flow FISH were modestly correlated (R2 = 0.56, p < 0.0001). In Bland-Altman analyses, individuals with the shortest (≤10th percentile) or longest (≥90th) flow FISH TL had an over- or under-estimated qPCR TL (bias = 0.89 and −0.77 kb, respectively). Comparisons of calculated TL from the NMDP samples and 1810 age- and sex-matched individuals from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey showed significant differences (median = 7.1 versus 5.8 kb, respectively, p < 0.0001). Differences in annual TL attrition were also noted (31 versus 13 bp/year, respectively, p = 0.02). Our results demonstrate that TL calculated in kb from qPCR T/S may yield biased estimates for individuals with the shortest or longest TL, those often of high clinical interest. We also showed that calculated TL in kb from qPCR data are not comparable across populations and therefore are not necessarily useful.
Porous ZnO/2–Hydroxyethyl Methacrylate Eluting Coatings for Ureteral Stent Applications
Authors: Laurenti Marco , Grochowicz Marta , Cauda Valentina
Published: October 2018

High-surface-area porous coatings represent an interesting option to fabricate eluting stents with additional functionalities, as controlled drug delivery and antibacterial resistance properties. ZnO is a biocompatible material available in various high-surface-area morphologies, with promising antibacterial properties. Hydrophilic 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) polymers (pHEMA) have been widely investigated for their biomedical applications, thanks to their biocompatibility, absence of toxicity, and tunable swelling properties. This work aims to demonstrate the use of porous ZnO/polymer bilayer coatings for future drug eluting stent applications. Sputtered mesoporous ZnO layers were coated with pHEMA and p(HEMA-co-acrylic acid (AA)) films through vacuum infiltration and drop-casting methods. The last approach was found to be the most suitable one for achieving a good polymer infiltration within the ZnO matrix and to avoid the mechanical detachment of the porous film from the substrate. The corresponding release properties were evaluated by loading a fluorescent dye in the host ZnO matrix, before drop-casting the polymer coating. For pure ZnO, the release of the dye was completed after 2 h. For ZnO/pHEMA, the sustained release of the molecule was achieved with only 30% released after 2 h and 100% released after seven days. In this case, the pH-triggered delivery properties were also demonstrated by switching from neutral to acidic pH conditions. No significant changes were obtained for the ZnO/p(HEMA-co-AA) system, which exhibited a faster swelling behavior and a release profile similar to pure ZnO.
Corrosion Behavior of SA508 Coupled with and without Magnetite in EDTA-Based Solutions
Authors: Son Yeong-Ho , Jeon Soon-Hyeok , Song Geun Dong , Lee Jong Hyeon , Hur Do Haeng
Published: October 2018

The effects of magnetite on the corrosion behavior of SA508 were studied in 10% and 20% EDTA-based chemical cleaning solutions at 93 °C and 121 °C using electrochemical and immersion tests. SA508 was the anode of the galvanic pair between SA508 and magnetite. The galvanic coupling shifted the mixed corrosion potential of SA508 in the positive direction and thus increased its corrosion rate. The increase of the EDTA concentration and solution temperature led to an increase in the extent of the galvanic effect.
Growth and Characterization of Ni Nano-Micro Structures in the Presence of Ethylenediamine
Authors: Chen Lingxiao , Liu Hang , Liu Linghao , Zheng Yifan , Tang Haodong , Liu Zongjian
Published: October 2018

Ni nano-micro structures have been synthesized via a solution reduction route in the presence of ethylenediamine (EDA) under strong alkaline conditions. The phase composition, morphology, and microstructure of the resulting products are investigated by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. The presence of EDA plays an important role in the formation of Ni nano-micro structures, and microflowers or microspheres assembled from nanosized horns can be produced by changing the amount of EDA. The size of Ni nano-micro structures is dependent on the NaOH concentration, and long chains assembled from Ni nano-micro structured microspheres can be obtained by reducing the amount of NaOH solution used. The role of both EDA and NaOH in the reduction of Ni (II) to Ni, as well as in the growth of Ni nano-micro structures, has been discussed, and a possible formation mechanism of these Ni nano-micro structures has been proposed based on the experimental results.
High-Performance Thermal Management Nanocomposites: Silver Functionalized Graphene Nanosheets and Multiwalled Carbon Nanotube
Authors: Zhou Yongcun , Zhuang Xiao , Wu Feixiang , Liu Feng
Published: October 2018

Polymer composites with high thermal conductivity have a great potential for applications in modern electronics due to their low cost, easy process, and stable physical and chemical properties. Nevertheless, most polymer composites commonly possess unsatisfactory thermal conductivity, primarily because of the high interfacial thermal resistance between inorganic fillers. Herein, we developed a novel method through silver functionalized graphene nanosheets (GNS) and multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) composites with excellent thermal properties to meet the requirements of thermal management. The effects of composites on interfacial structure and properties of the composites were identified, and the microstructures and properties of the composites were studied as a function of the volume fraction of fillers. An ultrahigh thermal conductivity of 12.3 W/mK for polymer matrix composites was obtained, which is an approximate enhancement of 69.1 times compared to the polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) matrix. Moreover, these composites showed more competitive thermal conductivities compared to untreated fillers/PVA composites applied to the desktop central processing unit, making these composites a high-performance alternative to be used for thermal management.
Iron(II) Spin Crossover (SCO) Materials Based on Dipyridyl-N-Alkylamine
Authors: Houari Taous , Cuza Emmelyne , Pinkowicz Dawid , Marchivie Mathieu , Yefsah Said , Triki Smail
Published: October 2018

We present here a new series of spin crossover (SCO) Fe(II) complexes based on dipyridyl-N-alkylamine and thiocyanate ligands, with the chemical formulae [Fe(dpea)2(NCS)2] (1) (dpea = 2,2’-dipyridyl-N-ethylamine), I-[Fe(dppa)2(NCS)2], (2) II-[Fe(dppa)2(NCS)2], and (2’) (dppa = 2,2’-dipyridyl-N-propylamine). The three complexes displayed nearly identical discrete molecular structures, where two chelating ligands (dpea (1) and dppa (2 and 2’)) stand in the cis-positions, and two thiocyanato-κN ligands complete the coordination sphere in the two remaining cis-positions. Magnetic studies as a function of temperature revealed the presence of a complete high-spin (HS) to low-spin (LS) transition at T1/2 = 229 K for 1, while the two polymorphs I-[Fe(dppa)2(NCS)2] (2) and II-[Fe(dppa)2(NCS)2] (2’) displayed similar magnetic behaviors with lower transition temperatures (T1/2 = 211 K for 2; 212 K for 2’). Intermolecular contacts in the three complexes indicated the absence of any significant interaction, in agreement with the gradual SCO behaviors revealed by the magnetic data. The higher transition temperature observed for complex 1 agrees well with the more pronounced linearity of the Fe–N–C angles recently evidenced by experimental and theoretical magnetostructural studies.
Short-Term Forecasting of Electricity Supply and Demand by Using the Wavelet-PSO-NNs-SO Technique for Searching in Big Data of Iran’s Electricity Market
Authors: Salami Mesbaholdin , Movahedi Sobhani Farzad , Ghazizadeh Mohammad
Published: October 2018

The databases of Iran’s electricity market have been storing large sizes of data. Retail buyers and retailers will operate in Iran’s electricity market in the foreseeable future when smart grids are implemented thoroughly across Iran. As a result, there will be very much larger data of the electricity market in the future than ever before. If certain methods are devised to perform quick search in such large sizes of stored data, it will be possible to improve the forecasting accuracy of important variables in Iran’s electricity market. In this paper, available methods were employed to develop a new technique of Wavelet-Neural Networks-Particle Swarm Optimization-Simulation-Optimization (WT-NNPSO-SO) with the purpose of searching in Big Data stored in the electricity market and improving the accuracy of short-term forecasting of electricity supply and demand. The electricity market data exploration approach was based on the simulation-optimization algorithms. It was combined with the Wavelet-Neural Networks-Particle Swarm Optimization (Wavelet-NNPSO) method to improve the forecasting accuracy with the assumption Length of Training Data (LOTD) increased. In comparison with previous techniques, the runtime of the proposed technique was improved in larger sizes of data due to the use of metaheuristic algorithms. The findings were dealt with in the Results section.
Information Theory in Game Theory
Authors: Khouzani MHR , Malacaria Pasquale
Published: October 2018

Information theory, as the mathematics of communication and storage of information, and game theory, as the mathematics of adversarial and cooperative strategic behaviour, are each successful fields of research on their own. [...]
Vocabulary Instruction: A Critical Analysis of Theories, Research, and Practice
Authors: Moody Stephanie , Hu Xueyan , Kuo Li-Jen , Jouhar Mohammed , Xu Zhihong , Lee Sungyoon
Published: October 2018

Much is known about the impact of vocabulary instruction on reading skills, word knowledge, and reading comprehension. However, knowledge of the underlying theories that guide vocabulary instruction and their potential impact on teachers’ performance and/or students’ achievement has not been investigated. In this content analysis, articles published in The Reading Teacher and Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy between 2007 and 2017 were dissected to identify and code embedded word-learning strategies, grade levels addressed, target student populations, and desired outcomes (receptive or productive vocabulary). Our primary goal was to examine the embedded word-learning strategies within the articles, and to identify the theories on which they were built. Findings showed that a combination of theories guided most strategy recommendations: Social constructivism and sociocultural theories, schema and psycholinguistic theories, motivation theory, and dual coding theory. We also parallel-coded our findings with a recent review of literature on vocabulary instruction by Wright and Cervetti (2017), and found that they corresponded with the original coding. Follow-up quantitative studies can use the salient theories detected in this content analysis to investigate whether knowledge of underlying theories has an impact on teachers’ performance and student vocabulary and reading comprehension achievement.
Assessment of Competencies in Scientific Inquiry Through the Application of Rasch Measurement Techniques
Authors: Arnold Julia C. , Boone William J. , Kremer Kerstin , Mayer Jürgen
Published: October 2018

Achieving competence in scientific inquiry or mastering scientific practices is an essential element of scientific literacy. Clearly, if students’ Scientific Inquiry Competence (SIC) is to be improved, a critical step is to reliably measure it and provide from this measurement feedback for teaching. Although numerous instruments were presented in literature to assess SIC, the specific potential of Rasch measurement for the integration of research assessment and individual feedback onto SIC is so far underestimated. This article presents details regarding the design and evaluation of a test instrument using an open-response format to measure students’ SIC in content-rich biology contexts at the upper secondary level. First, a set of three sub-competences (“generating hypotheses”, “designing experiments” and “analyzing data”) each composed of five competence aspects is introduced from literature to define the SIC construct. The SIC instrument was then operationalized using six open-ended partial-credit items. After pilot testing, the instrument was administered to N = 220 students (ages 15–19) before and after an inquiry-based unit on enzymes. Instrument functioning was evaluated using the Rasch Partial-Credit Model and first results towards satisfactory instrument functioning (e.g., validity and reliability) are presented. Particularly noteworthy is that the observed pattern in competence difficulty matched the pattern predicted from theoretical considerations. We demonstrate how the SIC instrument can be used for competence assessment and the evaluation of the effectiveness of learning.
What Kind of Economic Citizen? A Response
Authors: Crowley Ryan , Swan Kathy
Published: October 2018

In our previous work (Crowley & Swan, 2018), we extended the three citizenship categories (personally responsible, participatory, justice-oriented) created by Westheimer and Kahne into the realm of economic citizenship. In doing so, we added a fourth citizenship archetype: the discerning economic citizen. In a comment on our original article, Cameron (2018) suggested that the discerning economic citizen is not a distinct archetype, but rather a foundational aspect of all elements of economic citizenship. Herein, we provide greater foundation for our decision to separate out the discerning economic citizen.
Customized CAD Modeling and Design of Production Process for One-Person One-Clothing Mass Production System
Authors: Yuan Ying , Huh Jun-Ho
Published: October 2018

Following the development of the Industrial Revolution 4.0, many new types of systems are being designed, introduced, or attempted, even in almost every traditional industry. The clothing industry is no exception. The use of continuously developing production equipment and Information and Communication Technology (ICT) has a single objective, providing a customized service to all customers. Thus, in this study, the primary research task was to identify ill-balanced aspects or disadvantages of the services previously analyzed to construct a more complete online customized service. This was accomplished by analyzing an automated Computer-Aided Design (CAD) output file containing customer requirements regarding individual clothing items. The secondary research task was to plan and design a clothing manufacturing process to which a one-person one-item mass production system has been applied to achieve a customized service. As a result, for the primary research task, the customers’ requirements for each dress were reflected in attributes, such as color, pattern, or size, and it was possible to obtain an automated CAD output file for each element. Such CAD output files can be used in the production process directly. To find the possibility of upgrading the existing dressmaking process and implement the one-person one-item system, the entire manufacturing process was simulated for the test.
Majority and Minority Voted Redundancy Scheme for Safety-Critical Applications with Error/No-Error Signaling Logic
Authors: Balasubramanian Padmanabhan , Maskell Douglas , Mastorakis Nikos
Published: October 2018

In the era of nanoelectronics, multiple faults or failures of function blocks are likely to occur. To withstand these, higher levels of redundancy are suggested to be employed in at least the sensitive portions of a circuit or system. In this context, the N-modular redundancy (NMR) scheme may be used to guard against the multiple faults or failures of function blocks. However, the NMR scheme would exacerbate the weight, cost, and design metrics to implement higher-order redundancy. Hence, as an alternative to the NMR, the majority and minority voted redundancy (MMR) scheme was proposed recently. However, the proposal was restricted to the basic implementation with no provision for indicating the correct or the incorrect operation of the MMR. Hence in this work, we present the MMR scheme with the error/no-error signaling logic (ESL). Example NMR circuits without and with the ESL (NMRESL), and example MMR circuits without and with the proposed ESL (MMRESL) were implemented to achieve similar degrees of fault tolerance using a 32/28-nm CMOS technology. The results show that, on average, the proposed MMRESL circuits have 18.9% less critical path delay, dissipate 64.8% less power, and require 49.5% less silicon area compared to their counterpart NMRESL circuits.
Control-Loop-Based Impedance Enhancement of Grid-Tied Inverters for Harmonic Suppression: Principle and Implementation
Authors: Wang Fei , Zhang Lijun , Guo Hui , Feng Xiayun
Published: October 2018

To understand different control loops that have been proposed to improve the quality of current into grid from the perspective of output impedance, control-loop-based output impedance enhancement of grid-tied inverters for harmonic suppression is proposed in this paper. The principle and generalized control loop deduction are presented for reshaping the output impedance. Taking a traditional LCL (Inductor-Capacitor-Inductor)-type inverter with dual-loop control as an example, different kinds of control loop topologies are derived step by step and further optimized for the implementation of the proposed principle. Consequently, the improved control consists of a filtering-capacitor voltage loop, and a grid current loop is found which can remove the existing inner capacitor current loop and therefore simplify the control. Finally, the effectiveness of the proposed control method is compared with the existing method and both are verified by simulations and experiments.
Study of the Circular Flat Spiral Coil Structure Effect on Wireless Power Transfer System Performance
Authors: Liu Xu , Xia Chenyang , Yuan Xibo
Published: October 2018

This paper analyses the relationship between the coil design parameters and the system performance, including power transfer efficiency and amount, when circular flat spiral coils are adopted in a wireless power transfer (WPT) system. Coil design variables including outer radius, inner radius, channel width and coil turns are thoroughly studied to improve the system performance with a limited maximum outer radius for practical purposes. A two-coil WPT system has been built to verify the analysis, and the experimental results show good consistency with the theoretical calculations and simulation results, which show that the coil design parameters have a significant impact on the system performance, even with the same coil size. In the experiments, the coil-to-coil distance is 150 mm, the maximum coil outer radius is limited in 300 mm, and the DC input voltage and the load resistance are 100 V and 5 Ω, respectively. When the coils are tightly-wound in the most traditional way to maximize the coil size, the coil-system efficiency is 62.6% with only 4.5 W load power. In contrast, the efficiency optimized coil can improve the coil-system efficiency to 91.2% with the outer radius stayed the same. Besides, when the power transfer efficiency and amount are considered simultaneously, the system can achieve 1279 W load power with 85.94% coil-system efficiency.
A Review of Microwave Assisted Liquefaction of Lignin in Hydrogen Donor Solvents: Effect of Solvents and Catalysts
Authors: Zhou Minghao , Xu Junming , Jiang Jianchun , Sharma Brajendra K.
Published: October 2018

Lignin, a renewable source of aromatic chemicals in nature, has attracted increasing attention due to its structure and application prospect. Catalytic solvolysis has developed as a promising method for the production of value-added products from lignin. The liquefaction process is closely associated with heating methods, catalysts and solvents. Microwave assisted lignin liquefaction in hydrogen donor solvent with the presence of catalysts has been confirmed to be effective to promote the production of liquid fuels or fine chemicals. A great number of researchers should be greatly appreciated on account of their contributions on the progress of microwave technology in lignin liquefaction. In this study, microwave assisted liquefaction of lignin in a hydrogen donor solvent is extensively overviewed, concerning the effect of different solvents and catalysts. This review concludes that microwave assisted liquefaction is a promising technology for the valorization of lignin, which could reduce the reaction time, decrease the reaction temperature, and finally fulfill the utilization of lignin in a relatively mild condition. In the future, heterogeneous catalysts with high catalytic activity and stability need to be prepared to achieve the need for large-scale production of high-quality fuels and value-added chemicals from lignin.
Competing Tenures: Implications for REDD+ in the Democratic Republic of Congo
Authors: Samndong Raymond Achu , Vatn Arild
Published: October 2018

The capacity of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) forests to sequestrate carbon has attracted interest from the international community to protect forests for carbon storage and alleviate rural poverty by establishing REDD+ (Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation). Using information gathered from interviews, focus groups, field observations, and policy document analysis, this paper demonstrates that REDD+ is not well adapted to the institutional structures of forest governance in the DRC, including both statutory and customary tenure. The lack of harmonization between these systems has created a situation of competition between state and customary authorities. This has created opportunities for powerful actors to ‘shop’ between the two systems to attempt to legitimize their expanded use and control over forest resources. As the REDD+ process evolves from the preparation to the implementation phase, competing institutional structures may negatively impact the effectiveness of REDD+, as well as the distribution of costs and benefits. While the newly enacted community forest law provides an opportunity to recognize customary rights to forestland, the lack of functional local government at the district and village levels has prompted REDD+ pilot project organizers to establish new village organizations for REDD+.
Fabrication and Characteristics of Yb-Doped Silica Fibers Produced by the Sol-Gel Based Granulated Silica Method
Authors: El Sayed Ali , Pilz Soenke , Najafi Hossein , Alexander Duncan T. L. , Hochstrasser Martin , Romano Valerio
Published: October 2018

Combining the sol-gel method for fiber material production with the granulated silica method for preform assembly results in a robust method that offers a high degree of freedom regarding both the composition and the geometry of the produced fiber. Using this method, two types of Yb-doped silica glass composition, that feature an excess in P concentration with respect to Al, have been prepared. The elemental distributions in a fiber core were analyzed by scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM). The elemental mapping shows a similar localization of Al, P and Yb through the microstructure. In addition, the influence of the variation in the co-dopant concentration, with respect to Yb, on the fiber properties has been investigated. The results show an increase in the refractive index step and in the fiber’s transmission loss as the excess concentration of P increases. A significant contribution to the losses can be assigned to the existence of impurities such as iron, which was detected in our samples by mass spectrometer. Single exponential fluorescence decays with lifetimes of around 0.88 ms were measured for the two compositions. Finally, pumping at 976 nm a laser slope efficiency of 67% at 1031 nm was achieved for one of the fiber compositions.
Quasi-Steady versus Navier–Stokes Solutions of Flapping Wing Aerodynamics
Authors: Pohly Jeremy A. , Salmon James L. , Bluman James E. , Nedunchezian Kabilan , Kang Chang-kwon
Published: October 2018

Various tools have been developed to model the aerodynamics of flapping wings. In particular, quasi-steady models, which are considerably faster and easier to solve than the Navier–Stokes equations, are often utilized in the study of flight dynamics of flapping wing flyers. However, the accuracy of the quasi-steady models has not been properly documented. The objective of this study is to assess the accuracy of a quasi-steady model by comparing the resulting aerodynamic forces against three-dimensional (3D) Navier–Stokes solutions. The same wing motion is prescribed at a fruit fly scale. The pitching amplitude, axis, and duration are varied. Comparison of the aerodynamic force coefficients suggests that the quasi-steady model shows significant discrepancies under extreme pitching motions, i.e., the pitching motion is large, quick, and occurs about the leading or trailing edge. The differences are as large as 1.7 in the cycle-averaged lift coefficient. The quasi-steady model performs well when the kinematics are mild, i.e., the pitching motion is small, long, and occurs near the mid-chord with a small difference in the lift coefficient of 0.01. Our analysis suggests that the main source for the error is the inaccuracy of the rotational lift term and the inability to model the wing-wake interaction in the quasi-steady model.
mully: An R Package to Create, Modify and Visualize Multilayered Graphs
Authors: Hammoud Zaynab , Kramer Frank
Published: October 2018

The modelling of complex biological networks such as pathways has been a necessity for scientists over the last decades. The study of these networks also imposes a need to investigate different aspects of nodes or edges within the networks, or other biomedical knowledge related to it. Our aim is to provide a generic modelling framework to integrate multiple pathway types and further knowledge sources influencing these networks. This framework is defined by a multi-layered model allowing automatic network transformations and documentation. By providing a tool that generates this model, we aim to facilitate the data integration, boost the reproducibility and increase the interoperability between different sources and databases in the field of pathways. We present mully R package that allows the user to create, modify and visualize graphs with multi-layers. The package is implemented with features to specifically handle multilayered graphs.
Growth Responses and Root Characteristics of Lettuce Grown in Aeroponics, Hydroponics, and Substrate Culture
Authors: Li Qiansheng , Li Xiaoqiang , Tang Bin , Gu Mengmeng
Published: October 2018

Aeroponics is a relatively new soilless culture technology which may produce food in space-limited cities or on non-arable land with high water-use efficiency. The shoot and root growth, root characteristics, and mineral content of two lettuce cultivars were measured in aeroponics, and compared with hydroponics and substrate culture. The results showed that aeroponics remarkably improved root growth with a significantly greater root biomass, root/shoot ratio, and greater total root length, root area, and root volume. However, the greater root growth did not lead to greater shoot growth compared with hydroponics, due to the limited availability of nutrients and water. It was concluded that aeroponics systems may be better for high value true root crop production. Further research is necessary to determine the suitable pressure, droplet size, and misting interval in order to improve the continuous availability of nutrients and water in aeroponics, if it is to be used to grow crops such as lettuce for harvesting above-ground parts.
Not-in-My-Backyard: Legislation Requirements and Economic Analysis for Developing Underground Wastewater Treatment Plant in China
Authors: Wang Meishu , Gong Hui
Published: October 2018

Underground wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) have achieved fast development in China in recent years. Due to the remarkable differences between underground and conventional aboveground construction mode, legislation including technical specifications and regulations for underground WWTPs, which was revealed in vacancy, should be issued in time to promote its development. It is also expected to avoid not-in-my-backyard sentiment by decreasing negative effects of WWTPs via construction in sealed underground space. This research took Beijing city as case study to investigate the impacts of WWTPs on nearby community from the perspective of housing price quantitatively. Differences-in-Difference (DID) model result indicates that WWTPs inhibited nearby housing price increases, leading to huge financial losses. The closer are the houses and WWTPs, the severer were the inhibition effects, indicating the relationship between environmental quality and property price. During 2016–2017, the deteriorated estate value surrounding the investigated WWTPs in Beijing was estimated as high as 32.53 billion RMB, much higher than their construction cost of about 4.38 billion RMB. Transformation from grey to green by underground construction was expected to avoid these huge value distortions, while providing alternative to enhance WWTPs with various social functions for public services. This research demonstrates the high social requirements in highly developed cities to promote fast development of underground WWTPs in China.
Reduced Postcapping Period in Honey Bees Surviving Varroa destructor by Means of Natural Selection
Authors: Oddie Melissa A. Y. , Dahle Bjørn , Neumann Peter
Published: October 2018

The ectoparasitic mite Varroa destructor is a key factor for colony losses in European honey bee subspecies (Apis mellifera), but it is also known that some host populations have adapted to the mite by means of natural selection. The role of a shorter host brood postcapping period in reducing mite reproductive success has been investigated in other surviving subspecies, however its role in the adaptation of European honey bee populations has not been addressed. Here, we use a common garden approach to compare the length of the worker brood postcapping period in a Norwegian surviving honey bee population with the postcapping period of a local susceptible population. The data show a significantly shorter postcapping period in the surviving population for ~10% of the brood. Since even small differences in postcapping period can significantly reduce mite reproductive success, this mechanism may well contribute to natural colony survival. It appears most likely that several mechanisms acting together produce the full mite-surviving colony phenotype.
Association of Tramadol and Hypoglycemia in Diabetic Asians
Authors: Li Shang-Yi , Chen Hsin-Hung , Lin Cheng-Li , Yeh Su-Yin , Kao Chia-Hung
Published: October 2018

To evaluate the association between tramadol and hypoglycemia in diabetic Asians. The data adopted in this study were derived from a subset of the National Health Insurance (NHI) Research Database, which comprises data on one million randomly sampled beneficiaries enrolled in the NHI program. Patients diagnosed with diabetes (according to the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification code 250) were identified from claims data between 1998 and 2011. Diabetic patients aged 20 years or older and prescribed tramadol constituted the tramadol group and other diabetic patients without tramadol use constituted the non-tramadol group. For each tramadol case, one non-tramadol control frequency matched according to age (every 5 years), sex and the year of tramadol use was identified. The tramadol group comprised 12,446 patients and non-tramadol group comprised 11,982 patients. During a mean follow-up of 2 years for the patients in the tramadol group and 2.79 years for those in the non-tramadol group, the overall incidences of hypoglycemia (per 1000 person-years) were 7.37 and 3.77, respectively. According to the multivariable analyses, after baseline characteristics were controlled, the tramadol group exhibited a significantly greater risk of hypoglycemia (hazard ratio (HR) = 1.34, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.05–1.71) compared with the non-tramadol group. Tramadol use increases hypoglycemia in diabetic Asians. Greater attention must be paid to diabetic Asians with tramadol use.
Automated Curved and Multiplanar Reformation for Screening of the Proximal Coronary Arteries in MR Angiography
Authors: Stimpel Bernhard , Wetzl Jens , Forman Christoph , Schmidt Michaela , Maier Andreas , Unberath Mathias
Published: October 2018

Congenital anomalies of the coronary ostia can lead to sudden death. A screening solution would be useful to prevent adverse outcomes for the affected individuals. To be considered for integration into clinical routine, such a procedure must meet strict constraints in terms of invasiveness, time and user interaction. Imaging must be fast and seamlessly integrable into the clinical process. Non-contrast enhanced coronary magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) is well suited for this. Furthermore, planar reformations proved effective to reduce the acquired volumetric datasets to 2D images. These usually require time consuming user interaction, though. To fulfill the aforementioned challenges, we present a fully automated solution for imaging and reformatting of the proximal coronary arteries which enables rapid screening of these. The proposed pipeline consists of: (I) highly accelerated single breath-hold MRA data acquisition, (II) coronary ostia detection and vessel centerline extraction, and (III) curved planar reformation of the proximal coronary arteries, as well as multiplanar reformation of the coronary ostia. The procedure proved robust and effective in ten volunteer data sets. Imaging of the proximal coronary arteries took 24 ± 5 s and was successful within one breath-hold for all patients. The extracted centerlines achieve an overlap of 0.76 ± 0.18 compared to the reference standard and the average distance of the centerline points from the spherical surface for reformation was 1.1 ± 0.51 mm. The promising results encourage further experiments on patient data, particularly in coronary ostia anomaly screening.
Annealing of Gadolinium-Doped Ceria (GDC) Films Produced by the Aerosol Deposition Method
Authors: Exner Jörg , Pöpke Hendrik , Fuchs Franz-Martin , Kita Jaroslaw , Moos Ralf
Published: October 2018

Solid oxide fuel cells need a diffusion barrier layer to protect the zirconia-based electrolyte if a cobalt-containing cathode material like lanthanum strontium cobalt ferrite (LSCF) is used. This protective layer must prevent the direct contact and interdiffusion of both components while still retaining the oxygen ion transport. Gadolinium-doped ceria (GDC) meets these requirements. However, for a favorable cell performance, oxide ion conducting films that are thin yet dense are required. Films with a thickness in the sub-micrometer to micrometer range were produced by the dry room temperature spray-coating technique, aerosol deposition. Since commercially available GDC powders are usually optimized for the sintering of screen printed films or pressed bulk samples, their particle morphology is nanocrystalline with a high surface area that is not suitable for aerosol deposition. Therefore, different thermal and mechanical powder pretreatment procedures were investigated and linked to the morphology and integrity of the sprayed films. Only if a suitable pretreatment was conducted, dense and well-adhering GDC films were deposited. Otherwise, low-strength films were formed. The ionic conductivity of the resulting dense films was characterized by impedance spectroscopy between 300 °C and 1000 °C upon heating and cooling. A mild annealing occurred up to 900 °C during first heating that slightly increased the electric conductivity of GDC films formed by aerosol deposition.
Correlations between Microstructure Characteristics and Mechanical Properties in 5183 Aluminium Alloy Fabricated by Wire-Arc Additive Manufacturing with Different Arc Modes
Authors: Fang Xuewei , Zhang Lijuan , Chen Guopeng , Dang Xiaofeng , Huang Ke , Wang Lei , Lu Bingheng
Published: October 2018

The effect of arc modes on the microstructure and tensile properties of 5183 aluminium alloy fabricated by cold metal transfer (CMT) processes has been thoroughly investigated. Heat inputs of CMT processes with three arc modes, i.e., CMT, CMT advance (CMT+A), and CMT pulse (CMT+P), were quantified, and their influence on the formation of pores were investigated. The highest tensile strength was found from samples built by the CMT+A process. This agrees well with their smallest average pore sizes. Average tensile strengths of CMT+A arc mode-built samples were 296.9 MPa and 291.8 MPa along the horizontal and vertical directions, respectively. The difference of tensile strength along the horizontal and vertical directions of the CMT+P and CMT samples was mainly caused by the pores at the interfaces between each deposited layer. The successfully built large 5183 aluminium parts by the CMT+A arc mode further proves that this arc mode is a suitable mode for manufacturing of 5183 aluminium alloy.
Structure/Function Analysis of Nonwoven Cotton Topsheet Fabrics: Multi-Fiber Blending Effects on Fluid Handling and Fabric Handle Mechanics
Authors: Easson Michael , Edwards Judson Vincent , Mao Ningtao , Carr Chris , Marshall David , Qu Jianguo , Graves Elena , Reynolds Michael , Villalpando Andres , Condon Brian
Published: October 2018

Greige cotton (GC) has attracted interest in recent years as an eco-friendly, functional fiber for use in nonwoven topsheet materials. GC imparts favorable fluid management and sensorial properties associated with urinary liquid transport and indices related to comfort in wearable incontinence nonwovens. Nonwoven GC has material surface polarity, an ambient moisture content, and a lipid/polysaccharide matrix that imparts positive fluid mechanic properties applicable to incontinence management topsheet materials. However, a better understanding of the connection between functionality and compositional aspects of molecular, mechanical, and material property relations is still required to employ structure/function relations beyond a priori design. Thus, this study focuses on the relation of key indices of material fluid and sensorial functions to nonwoven topsheet composition. Greige cotton, polypropylene, bleached cotton, and polyester fiber blends were hydroentangled at 60, 80, and 100 bar. Greige cotton polypropylene and bleached cotton were blended at ratios to balance surface polarity, whereas low percentages of polyester were added to confer whiteness properties. Electrokinetic and contact angle measurements were obtained for the hydroentangled nonwovens to assess surface polarity in light of material composition. Notably, materials demonstrated a relation of hydrophobicity to swelling as determined electrokinetically by Δζ, ζplateau, and contact angles greater than 90°. Subsequently, three blended nonwoven fabrics were selected to assess effects on fluid management properties including topsheet performance indices of rewet, strikethrough, and fluid handling (rate and efficiency of transport to the absorbent core). These materials aligned well with commercial topsheet fluid mechanics. Using the Leeds University Fabric Handle Evaluation System (LUFHES), the nonwovens were tested for total fabric hand. The results of the LUFHES measurements are discussed in light of fiber contributions. Fiber ratios were found to correlate well with improvement in softness, flexibility, and formability. This study provides insights that improves the understanding of the multifunctional properties accessible with greige cotton toward decisions valuable to selecting greige cotton as an environmentally friendly fiber for nonwoven topsheets.