bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Microencapsulation of Calcium Nitrate for Concrete Applications
Authors: Hassan Marwa M. , Milla Jose , Rupnow Tyson , Al-Ansari Mohamed , Daly William H.
Published: September 2016

The use of encapsulating healing agents that allow the self-healing of concrete has emerged as a potential solution to the current decay and costly maintenance of concrete infrastructure; however, many healing agents are expensive. The objectives of this study were to develop a procedure for the production of urea–formaldehyde microcapsules of calcium nitrate and to evaluate the effects of the microcapsules on self-healing efficiency in concrete. Calcium nitrate was selected for microencapsulation, given its low cost and its effect on acceleration of the setting of unhydrated cement. The results indicated that the agitation rate and the temperature had a linear correlation with the microcapsule diameter and the shell wall thickness, respectively. A higher agitation rate resulted in a smaller microcapsule diameter, whereas a higher temperature resulted in a thinner shell wall. The morphology of all microcapsules synthesized was virtually the same throughout the experimental matrix, with the shell walls of all the microcapsules observed having a smooth exterior surface and a rough interior surface. All microcapsules produced were also observed to have a broad particle size distribution. This characteristic was attributed to the type of surfactant used in the process. Analysis of the effects of the microcapsules on the self-healing efficiency of concrete showed that the modulus of elasticity increased after healing for all concrete specimens prepared with self-healing agents. The largest increase in the modulus of elasticity was observed at a microcapsule content of 0.50%. The results also showed that concrete specimens into which microcapsules were incorporated at any concentration had greater surface resistivities than control specimens.
Reducing Joint Damage in Concrete Pavements: Quantifying Calcium Oxychloride Formation
Authors: Monical Jonathan , Unal Erol , Barrett Tim , Farnam Yaghoob , Weiss W. Jason
Published: September 2016

Deterioration has been observed at the joints of many portland cement–based concrete pavements in midwestern U.S. states. It has been shown that this damage can be caused by either classic freeze–thaw behavior triggered by high saturation levels or a chemical reaction that occurs between the deicing salt (in this study, calcium chloride) and the cementitious matrix. The objective of this study was to show that low-temperature differential scanning calorimetry could be used to quantify the potential for the chemical reaction between the salt and matrix (i.e., calcium oxychloride formation). The formation of calcium oxychloride is expansive and may lead to significant cracking and spalling without exposure to freeze–thaw cycles. This study examined pastes made with ordinary portland cement; portland limestone cement; and portland cement combined with fly ash, slag, or silica fume. The results indicate that the amount of calcium oxychloride formation that occurs is not significantly different between ordinary portland cements and portland limestone cements. The addition of supplementary cementitious materials reduces the formation of the calcium oxychloride, presumably because of the reduction of calcium hydroxide from dilution, the pozzolanic reaction, and a reduction in the alkali content in the pore solution. The results also indicate that sealers can be used to create a barrier between the salt and the calcium hydroxide or that they can react with the calcium hydroxide, thereby reducing the amount of calcium oxychloride.
Internal Curing for Concrete Bridge Decks: Integration of a Social Cost Analysis in Evaluation of Long-Term Benefit
Authors: Guo Yuntao , He Xiaozheng , Peeta Srinivas , Weiss W. Jason
Published: September 2016

Internal curing is a new approach to the proportioning of concrete mixtures in which a portion of the fine aggregate in concrete is replaced by prewetted lightweight fine aggregate. Internally cured concrete has the potential to extend the service life of bridge decks substantially because of reduced cracking and chloride ingress. Although internally cured concrete has been used, its use is limited because of the slight increase in the initial cost and need for an understanding of batching operations and performance of quality control. Even though some cost–benefit studies have been performed, the potential life-cycle benefits of internal curing may be significantly underestimated because the social costs (network traffic disruptions) have not been integrated into previous studies. This study evaluated the total life-cycle benefits of bridge decks made of high-performance concrete with internal curing (HPC-IC) by a comparison of such bridge decks with bridge decks made of normal concrete (NC). Three bridges on an Interstate highway, an arterial road, and an urban connector were selected to examine the total life-cycle costs of bridge decks made of NC, high-performance concrete, and HPC-IC. The results suggest that the total life-cycle costs of bridge decks made of HPC-IC might be reduced by 50% compared with those of bridge decks made of NC and that the scale of reduction of social costs depends on the bridge traffic volume. The study provides insights that relevant decision makers can use to determine whether the internal curing process should be used in bridge deck management activities so that limited resources can be more effectively allocated on the basis of the potential benefits.
Method to Investigate Mix Design Parameters of Pervious Concrete Mixtures
Authors: Kassem Hussein A. , Al Hassanieh Dima Z. , Mrad Maha , Chehab Ghassan R. , Abou Najm Majdi
Published: September 2016

Proportioning of the constituents of pervious concrete (PC) mixtures is an intricate task, as it is sensitive to the balance of two intrinsic properties: air voids content and compressive strength. The research presented in this paper proposes a novel volumetrics-based method for proportioning PC mixtures by evaluating the relationships between and the impact of the aggregates volume needed to form the skeleton of the mix, the mortar volume needed to coat those aggregates, and the bridge between them, in addition to the air voids content. The paper also examines the effect of mortar constituents, PC specimen diameter, and the characteristics of the mortar bridging the aggregates on the proportioning and mechanical properties of PC mixes. The study shows that the compressive strength of PC is mainly governed by the volume of mortar between the aggregates, in addition to the air voids content, and not by the mechanical properties of the mortar. The study also recommends that specimens with a diameter of 150 mm be used to measure the void content and compressive strength of PC. Finally, a mathematical model that relates the compressive strength of PC to its void content is proposed. The model can be used to predict the mean compressive strength of PC for air voids content ranging from 15% to 43%.
Evaluation of Surface Resistivity for Concrete Quality Assurance in Missouri
Authors: Kevern John T. , Halmen Ceki , Hudson Dirk P. , Trautman Brett
Published: September 2016

This research evaluated a series of Missouri Department of Transportation (DOT) concrete mixtures to verify existing relationships between surface resistivity (SR), rapid chloride penetrability (RCP), and the AASHTO penetrability classes. Eleven mixtures that represented a range of currently allowable mixtures and several mixtures with potential use were produced in the laboratory. The classes of concrete mixtures included those used for paving, bridge deck, structural, and repair. The results showed an excellent correlation between SR and RCP that matched existing relationships provided by AASHTO and other state DOTs. The structural mixture containing 50% Class F fly ash had the best performance with very low chloride ion penetrability at 90 days. A ternary paving mixture with 20% Class C fly ash and 30% slag replacement for cement also demonstrated low penetrability as well as high compressive strength, with an average compressive strength value of over 9,000 pounds per square inch at 90 days. The two repair mixtures showed moderate to low penetrability readings and high early strength, consistent with their desired purpose. The extensive amount of SR testing (>4,500 tests) of 14 concrete mixtures at ages ranging from 3 h to 90 days by multiple laboratories, types of equipment, operators, and curing conditions verified the RCP. SR testing presents an opportunity to improve Missouri DOT concrete mixtures and specifications to increase durability without significant additional testing costs.
Behavior Comparison of Prestressed Channel Girders from High-Performance and Ultrahigh-Performance Concrete
Authors: Manning Mark P. , Weldon Brad D. , McGinnis Michael J. , Jáuregui David V. , Newtson Craig M.
Published: September 2016

In response to the demand for sustainable and improved bridge design practices, the development of emerging materials like ultrahigh-performance concrete (UHPC) is at the forefront of structural innovation. UHPC offers significant advantages to bridge superstructure design as it provides advanced mechanical and durability properties, including high compressive strength and increased tensile capacity. With the introduction of high-strength steel fibers into mixture proportions, postcracking tensile and flexural tensile capacities are increased. These increased tensile capacities provide greater ductility and reduce or possibly eliminate the need for mild steel reinforcement. The present research investigated the behavioral response of full-scale prestressed bridge girders subjected to four-point flexural loading. Two channel-shaped girders were designed to provide equal design moment capacities to facilitate comparative analyses of performance. The first of these girders was designed with high-performance concrete [HPC; 9.5 kips per square inch (ksi; 66 MPa)] and mild steel reinforcement typical of that used in New Mexico bridge designs. The second girder used nonproprietary UHPC [20 ksi (138 MPa)] mixture proportions consisting primarily of local materials, local mixing procedures, and a local curing regimen, all of which were developed at New Mexico State University, Las Cruces. Digital image correlation was used to capture deformations throughout the testing. This information creates a full field of displacements that captures tensile and compressive strain behaviors in the pure moment region. This investigation demonstrated the advantages and improved performance of UHPC and the contribution of steel fiber reinforcement to postcracking strength and flexural capacity.
Evaluation of Modified Engineered Cementitious Composite with Local Materials
Authors: Hajj Elie Y. , Sanders David H. , Weitzel Nicholas D.
Published: September 2016

Engineered cementitious composite (ECC) material is a high-strength, fiber-reinforced, ductile mortar mixture that can exhibit tensile strains of up to 5%. ECC has a dense matrix, which gives the material exceptional durability characteristics. The durability and the mechanical properties of ECC make it a desirable, though expensive, construction material. This paper presents an extensive evaluation of a modified ECC (MECC) prepared with locally sourced raw materials for use as a bridge deck overlay material. MECC is a mixture of cement, fly ash, water, concrete sand, and polyvinyl alcohol fibers. Concrete sand was used in lieu of the typically used silica sand to reduce the high material cost for ECC. Three representative fine aggregates from throughout Nevada were selected to understand how the local aggregates perform in MECC mixes. In total, 18 laboratory mixes of MECC, the polymer concrete, and a traditional PCC mix were evaluated by multiple performance and mechanical tests. After the completion of the laboratory phase, two field trials were conducted to determine the feasibility of batching of large amounts of MECC at commercial concrete batch plants. The large-scale trial of the batches showed that MECC could be produced at typical concrete batch plants with minimal adjustments to the standard of practice. Laboratory test results showed that the use of locally available materials in MECC provided a material with the desirable mechanical and durability properties for use as a bridge deck overlay in Nevada.
Effect of Surface Roughness on the Bond Between Ultrahigh-Performance and Precast Concrete in Bridge Deck Connections
Authors: Li Zhengqi , Rangaraju Prasada Rao
Published: September 2016

This study investigated the performance of the bond between ultrahigh-performance concrete (UHPC) and precast concrete by the use of three bond test methods: the slant shear test, the third-point flexural bond test, and the pull-off test. The influence of the degree of surface roughness—prepared by sandblasting—on the bond between UHPC and the precast concrete was also studied. The test results showed that the third-point flexural bond test was a convenient and a more realistic test of the bond. The increase in the duration of sandblasting increased the roughness of the precast concrete surface, which was quantified by the sand-spread test. A duration of sandblasting of as short as 10 s was enough to achieve an adequate bond between UHPC and precast concrete at 7 days of age after casting of the UHPC, which was indicated by a failure in the precast concrete part. The ultimate flexural load of those specimens was about the same as the ultimate flexural load of a monolithic precast concrete specimen. Specimens that did not receive any surface roughening (i.e., specimens that were not sandblasted) failed at the bond between UHPC and precast concrete, regardless of the type of precast concrete surface: a sawed surface or a molded surface. The ultimate load carried by these specimens was lower than that carried by monolithic precast concrete specimens. Moreover, the strength of the bond between UHPC and precast concrete cast on an unroughened sawed surface was higher than that between UHPC and precast concrete cast on an unroughened molded surface.
Are Hispanic patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage treated differently in border states than in nonborder states?
Authors: Hassan Ameer E. , Villanueva Gabriela A. , Malik Ahmed A. , Shariff Sonia , Qureshi Adnan I.
Published: September 2016

OBJECTIVE

Recent studies have found an underutilization of in-hospital procedures in treatments of Hispanic patients admitted with coronary artery disease in states along the US-Mexico border (“border states”). The purpose of this study was to determine any treatment disparities between patients treated for subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) in border and nonborder states and whether this disparity was associated with differential hospital charges.

METHODS

Using the National (Nationwide) Inpatient Sample, the authors retrieved data of Hispanic and non-Hispanic patients who were admitted in 2011 for SAH in a border state (California, Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas) or nonborder state (the remaining 46 US states). The authors determined the rates of use of endovascular coiling and surgical clipping treatments, hospital charges, and outcomes according to the patients' demographics and treatment in border or nonborder states.

RESULTS

In total, 18,368 patients were admitted with SAH in the selected time period, including 2310 Hispanic patients (12.6%). Of these patients, 1525 were admitted in a border state and 785 in a nonborder state. In border states, rates of surgical treatment significantly differed between patients of Hispanic (21.9%) and non-Hispanic (14.0%) origin (p = 0.02). In particular, Hispanic patients were more likely to undergo surgical clipping than were non-Hispanic patients. In the nonborder states, the rates of surgical treatment were similar for Hispanic and non-Hispanic patients (14.0% vs 15.6%, p = 0.6). Hispanic patients with SAH were billed significantly higher in-hospital charges in border states than in nonborder states ($219,260 and $192,418 [US dollars], respectively, p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Use of surgical treatments for Hispanic patients with SAH residing in border states has a unique pattern, which significantly increases in-hospital charges in this patient population.
The effect of posterior polyester tethers on the biomechanics of proximal junctional kyphosis: a finite element analysis
Authors: Bess Shay , Harris Jeffrey E. , Turner Alexander W. L. , LaFage Virginie , Smith Justin S. , Shaffrey Christopher I. , Schwab Frank J. , Haid Regis W.
Published: September 2016

OBJECTIVE

Proximal junctional kyphosis (PJK) remains problematic following multilevel instrumented spine surgery. Previous biomechanical studies indicate that providing less rigid fixation at the cranial aspect of a long posterior instrumented construct, via transition rods or hooks at the upper instrumented vertebra (UIV), may provide a gradual transition to normal motion and prevent PJK. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the ability of posterior anchored polyethylene tethers to distribute proximal motion segment stiffness in long instrumented spine constructs.

METHODS

A finite element model of a T7–L5 spine segment was created to evaluate range of motion (ROM), intradiscal pressure, pedicle screw loads, and forces in the posterior ligament complex within and adjacent to the proximal terminus of an instrumented spine construct. Six models were tested: 1) intact spine; 2) bilateral, segmental pedicle screws (PS) at all levels from T-11 through L-5; 3) bilateral pedicle screws from T-12 to L-5 and transverse process hooks (TPH) at T-11 (the UIV); 4) pedicle screws from T-11 to L5 and 1-level tethers from T-10 to T-11 (TE-UIV+1); 5) pedicle screws from T-11 to L-5 and 2-level tethers from T-9 to T-11 (TE-UIV+2); and 6) pedicle screws and 3-level tethers from T-8 to T-11 (TE-UIV+3).

RESULTS

Proximal-segment range of motion (ROM) for the PS construct increased from 16% at UIV−1 to 91% at UIV. Proximal-segment ROM for the TPH construct increased from 27% at UIV−1 to 92% at UIV. Posterior tether constructs distributed ROM at the UIV and cranial adjacent segments most effectively; ROM for TE-UIV+1 was 14% of the intact model at UIV−1, 76% at UIV, and 98% at UIV+1. ROM for TE-UIV+2 was 10% at UIV−1, 51% at UIV, 69% at UIV+1, and 97% at UIV+2. ROM for TE-UIV+3 was 7% at UIV−1, 33% at UIV, 45% at UIV+1, and 64% at UIV+2. Proximal segment intradiscal pressures, pedicle screw loads, and ligament forces in the posterior ligament complex were progressively reduced with increasing number of posterior tethers used.

CONCLUSIONS

Finite element analysis of long instrumented spine constructs demonstrated that posterior tethers created a more gradual transition in ROM and adjacent-segment stress from the instrumented to the noninstrumented spine compared with all PS and TPH constructs. Posterior tethers may limit the biomechanical risk factor for PJK; however, further clinical research is needed to evaluate clinical efficacy.
Idiopathic tumoral calcinosis–like lesion in the lower cervical spine causing acute central cord syndrome: case report
Authors: Al-Sukaini Ahmad , Paulino Pereira Nuno Rui , Yu Elaine W. , Chebib Ivan , Bredella Miriam A. , Schwab Joseph
Published: September 2016

A 57-year-old male presented with recurrent falls, bilateral lower-limb paresthesia, and severe neck pain. Imaging revealed a mass compressing his spinal cord. He was admitted for further workup for spinal cord compression. Within 24 hours of admission, he developed upper-extremity weakness while maintaining lower-extremity function. He underwent urgent decompression of his spinal cord. During exposure, a white, creamy odorless substance was noted. This same substance was found under pressure within the spinal canal. The mass was grossly removed, and the patient's weakness improved postoperatively. Based on the clinical picture, intraoperative presentation, and final histological examination, idiopathic tumoral calcinosis-like lesion was considered as the most appropriate diagnosis.
This is not a Festival. Transhumance-Based Economies on Turkey's Upland Pastures
Authors: Elias Nicolas
Published: September 2016

This article sets out to study how an instituted practice of pastoral societies has evolved under the industrialised, capitalist Turkey of the last decade. In the Pontic Mountains, in north-eastern Turkey, the celebrations that take place every summer on the upland pastures are some of the most eagerly-awaited events. Until recently they were related to pastoralism and transhumance. But, although pastoralism has collapsed, the number and popularity of these events is growing yearly. When the ethnographic study of the most famous of them (Kadırga) is related to recent social transformations in Turkey (migration, development of the culture industry, urbanisation, etc.), it becomes clear how such celebrations are instrumentalised by the new political economy. This leads us to re-examine the question of the culture industry.
Clinical surface modification process using the nitrogen plasma and its anti-bacterial efficiency
Authors: Ghoranneviss M. , Shahidi S. , Elahi A. Salar
Published: September 2016

In this research, the cotton fabrics were treated with nitrogen plasma for the clinical and anti-bacterial purposes. Turmeric was used a as a natural dye. Some part of both untreated and plasma treated samples was immersed in silver nitrate as a mordant before dyeing. Effect of plasma and silver nitrate on dye ability of cotton samples was compared and studied. Samples were analyzed with different experimental methods, such as scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Reflection spectro-photometry and antibacterial test. Results showed that, turmeric dye have anti-bacterial efficiency and good antibacterial activity achieved by plasma treatment of fabrics. In case of AgNO3 treatment, samples showed 100% antibacterial activity. It also concluded that, nitrogen plasma has synergic effect on antibacterial activity of turmeric as natural dye on cotton fabrics.
Say and stancetaking in courtroom talk: a corpus-assisted study
Authors: Szczyrbak Magdalena
Published: September 2016

Approached as an interactional phenomenon, stance is realised through varied linguistic devices and practices which need not be overtly evaluative. Say, the basic communication verb which indicates the source of knowledge and, thus, perspectivises the information imparted by speakers, is one such resource. Its stancetaking potential is exploited, among other settings, in the courtroom or in the police interview room, where institutional authority is exerted and the facts of legal stories are ‘fixed’ and formulated ( Holt and Johnson, 2010 ; and Johnson, 2014 ). Combining corpus and discourse-analytic perspectives ( Partington et al., 2013 ), this study explores the patterns of use and distribution of the verb say in a libel trial, demonstrating its role in the interactional co-construction of stance. It also provides insight into how more powerful participants use say as a means of claiming epistemic priority and asserting authority – or more broadly, to position themselves towards less powerful speakers. The analysis focusses in particular on the role of say in ‘shifting standpoints’, ‘challenging standpoints’, ‘reality reconstruction’ and ‘standpoint continuity’.
Chronic Inflammation in the Epidermis: A Mathematical Model
Authors: Nakaoka Shinji , Kuwahara Sota , Lee Chang , Jeon Hyejin , Lee Junho , Takeuchi Yasuhiro , Kim Yangjin
Published: September 2016

The epidermal tissue is the outmost component of the skin that plays an important role as a first barrier system in preventing the invasion of various environmental agents, such as bacteria. Recent studies have identified the importance of microbial competition between harmful and beneficial bacteria and the diversity of the skin surface on our health. We develop mathematical models (M1 and M2 models) for the inflammation process using ordinary differential equations and delay differential equations. In this paper, we study microbial community dynamics via transcription factors, protease and extracellular cytokines. We investigate possible mechanisms to induce community composition shift and analyze the vigorous competition dynamics between harmful and beneficial bacteria through immune activities. We found that the activation of proteases from the transcription factor within a cell plays a significant role in the regulation of bacterial persistence in the M1 model. The competition model (M2) predicts that different cytokine clearance levels may lead to a harmful bacteria persisting system, a bad bacteria-free state and the co-existence of harmful and good bacterial populations in Type I dynamics, while a bi-stable system without co-existence is illustrated in the Type II dynamics. This illustrates a possible phenotypic switch among harmful and good bacterial populations in a microenvironment. We also found that large time delays in the activation of immune responses on the dynamics of those bacterial populations lead to the onset of oscillations in harmful bacteria and immune activities. The mathematical model suggests possible annihilation of time-delay-driven oscillations by therapeutic drugs.
Flame Retardance and Smoke Suppression of CFA/APP/LDHs/EVA Composite
Authors: Wang Lili , Xu Miaojun , Shi Baoli , Li Bin
Published: September 2016

A new intumescent flame-retardants (IFR) system including the charing-foaming agent (CFA), ammonium polyphosphate (APP) and modified-layered double hydroxides (LDHs) with different transition metals (Ni, Co, Cu) were used in the ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) matrix. Both the limiting oxygen index and the vertical burning tests indicate that the CFA/APP system and LDHs have significant synergistic flame retardant effects. The morphology of combustion residues indicates that the many pores of residues can prevent the melt dripping. The thermal analysis shows that the flame retardants obviously enhanced the thermal degradation temperature of ethylene-based chains of the composites. The cone calorimeter test reveals that the CO2 and combustion residues have an important influence on the reduction of heat release rate (HRR), the smoke production rate (SPR), the production rate and the mean release yield of CO. The composite containing Cu (ELDH-Cu) delivers an 82% reduction in peak heat release rate, while ELDH-Ni has the best CO suppression among all composites. This work not only confirms the flame retardance and smoke suppression of CFA/APP/LDH/EVA, but also provides an effective method for producing new flame retardants and smoke suppressants.
Durability and Reliability of Electric Vehicle Batteries under Electric Utility Grid Operations. Part 1: Cell-to-Cell Variations and Preliminary Testing
Authors: Devie Arnaud , Dubarry Matthieu
Published: September 2016

Vehicle-to-grid (V2G) and grid-to-vehicle (G2V) strategies are considered to help stabilize the electric grid but their true impact on battery degradation is still unknown. The intention of this study is to test the impact of such strategies on the degradation of commercial Li-ion batteries. This first part looks into the preliminary testing performed prior to the start of degradation studies to ensure that the selected cells are compatible. Both the thermodynamic and kinetic cell-to-cell variation within the selected batch and the diagnostic-ability of the cells were investigated. The cells were found to have low cell-to-cell variations and are thus consistent. Moreover, the emulation of the full cell from the half-cell data prepared from harvested electrodes was successful and the degradation forecast showed that the main degradation modes can be differentiated.
Application of a Gradient Descent Continuous Actor-Critic Algorithm for Double-Side Day-Ahead Electricity Market Modeling
Authors: Zhao Huiru , Wang Yuwei , Guo Sen , Zhao Mingrui , Zhang Chao
Published: September 2016

An important goal of China’s electric power system reform is to create a double-side day-ahead wholesale electricity market in the future, where the suppliers (represented by GenCOs) and demanders (represented by DisCOs) compete simultaneously with each other in one market. Therefore, modeling and simulating the dynamic bidding process and the equilibrium in the double-side day-ahead electricity market scientifically is not only important to some developed countries, but also to China to provide a bidding decision-making tool to help GenCOs and DisCOs obtain more profits in market competition. Meanwhile, it can also provide an economic analysis tool to help government officials design the proper market mechanisms and policies. The traditional dynamic game model and table-based reinforcement learning algorithm have already been employed in the day-ahead electricity market modeling. However, those models are based on some assumptions, such as taking the probability distribution function of market clearing price (MCP) and each rival’s bidding strategy as common knowledge (in dynamic game market models), and assuming the discrete state and action sets of every agent (in table-based reinforcement learning market models), which are no longer applicable in a realistic situation. In this paper, a modified reinforcement learning method, called gradient descent continuous Actor-Critic (GDCAC) algorithm was employed in the double-side day-ahead electricity market modeling and simulation. This algorithm can not only get rid of the abovementioned unrealistic assumptions, but also cope with the Markov decision-making process with continuous state and action sets just like the real electricity market. Meanwhile, the time complexity of our proposed model is only O(n). The simulation result of employing the proposed model in the double-side day-ahead electricity market shows the superiority of our approach in terms of participant’s profit or social welfare compared with traditional reinforcement learning methods.
Cyber Conflicts as a New Global Threat
Authors: Kosenkov Alexander
Published: September 2016

In this paper, an attempt is made to analyze the potential threats and consequences of cyber conflicts and, in particular, the risks of a global cyber conflict. The material is based on a comprehensive analysis of the nature of cyber conflict and its elements from both technical and societal points of view. The approach used in the paper considers the societal component as an essential part of cyber conflicts, allowing basics of cyber conflicts often disregarded by researchers and the public to be highlighted. Finally, the conclusion offers an opportunity to consider cyber conflict as the most advanced form of modern warfare, which imposes the most serious threat and whose effect could be comparable to weapons of mass destruction.
Household Air Pollution Intervention Implications: Findings from Qualitative Studies and a Field Trial of Clean Cookstoves in Two Rural Villages in India
Authors: Alam Ashraful , Tawale Nanda , Patel Archana , Dibley Michael , Jadhao Sunil , Raynes-Greenow Camille
Published: September 2016

Exposure to household air pollution is estimated to be the 3rd largest contributor to the global burden of disease and the largest contributor in South Asia. Unacceptability of improved cook stoves by the intended user has been identified as a crucial factor hindering uptake and sustained use. We conducted a qualitative study to understand the socio-cultural factors that influence acceptance of improved cookstoves and conducted a systematic field trial in two rural villages in Maharashtra, India. The qualitative study used semi-structured in-depth interviews and focus group discussions. We included women primarily responsible for household cooking, their husbands, senior women in their households, and community health workers. We also conducted kitchen observations. The results indicated low awareness and knowledge of the health risks associated with traditional cookstove use although high prevalence of household air pollution (HAP) exposure symptoms among all groups. Women were resigned to using traditional cookstoves although they did not like them. The field trial findings were dominated by responses concerned with convenience and health advantages. We identify important issues to be considered when introducing an improved cookstove programme that will increase acceptability and potentially sustained used of improved cookstoves.
Mortality and Burden of Disease Attributable to Cigarette Smoking in Qingdao, China
Authors: Wang Yani , Qi Fei , Jia Xiaorong , Lin Peng , Liu Hui , Geng Meiyun , Liu Yunning , Li Shanpeng , Tan Jibin
Published: September 2016

In China, smoking is the leading preventable cause of deaths by a disease. Estimating the disease burden attributable to smoking contributes to an evaluation of the adverse impact of smoking. To aid in policy change and implementation, this study estimated the population-attributable fractions (PAFs) of smoking, the all-cause mortality and the loss of life expectancy attributable to smoking in 2014 of Qingdao. PAFs were calculated using the smoking impact ratio (SIR) or current smoking rate (P) and relative risk (RR). We determined the smoking-attributable mortality by multiplying the smoking-attributable fraction by the total mortality. This study used the method of an abridged life table to calculate the loss of life expectancy caused by smoking. Smoking caused about 8635 deaths (6883 males, 1752 females), and accounted for 16% of all deaths; 22% in males and 8% in females. The leading causes of deaths attributable to smoking were lung cancer (38%), ischemic heart disease (19%) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD, 12%). The PAF for all causes was 22%; 30% in males and 10% in females. Tobacco use may cause a reduction of about 2.01 years of the loss of life expectancy; 3 years in males and 0.87 years in females. The findings highlight the need for taking effective measures to prevent initiation and induce cessation.
Evaluation of a Home-Based Environmental and Educational Intervention to Improve Health in Vulnerable Households: Southeastern Pennsylvania Lead and Healthy Homes Program
Authors: Mankikar Deepa , Campbell Carla , Greenberg Rachael
Published: September 2016

This evaluation examined whether participation in a home-based environmental educational intervention would reduce exposure to health and safety hazards and asthma-related medical visits. The home intervention program focused on vulnerable, low-income households, where children had asthma, were at risk for lead poisoning, or faced multiple unsafe housing conditions. Home visitors conducted two home visits, two months apart, consisting of an environmental home assessment, Healthy Homes education, and distribution of Healthy Homes supplies. Measured outcomes included changes in participant knowledge and awareness of environmental home-based hazards, rate of children’s asthma-related medical use, and the presence of asthma triggers and safety hazards. Analysis of 2013–2014 baseline and post-intervention program data for a cohort of 150 families revealed a significantly lower three-month rate (p < 0.05) of children’s asthma-related doctor visits and hospital admissions at program completion. In addition, there were significantly reduced reports of the presence of home-based hazards, including basement or roof leaks (p = 0.011), plumbing leaks (p = 0.019), and use of an oven to heat the home (p < 0.001). Participants’ pre- and post- test scores showed significant improvement (p < 0.05) in knowledge and awareness of home hazards. Comprehensive home interventions may effectively reduce environmental home hazards and improve the health of asthmatic children in the short term.
Disadvantaged Parents’ Engagement with a National Secondhand Smoke in the Home Mass Media Campaign: A Qualitative Study
Authors: Rowa-Dewar Neneh , Amos Amanda
Published: September 2016

Mass media campaigns can be effective in tobacco control but may widen health inequalities if they fail to engage disadvantaged smokers. This qualitative study explored how parents with young children living in disadvantaged circumstances engaged with a national campaign which aimed to raise awareness of the importance of smokefree homes. Individual semi-structured interviews were carried out with 17 parents before and after the Scottish 2014 “Right Outside” mass media campaign. A conceptual framework exploring meaningful exposure (recall and understanding), motivational responses (protecting children from secondhand smoke (SHS)) and opportunities to act (barriers) was used to thematically analyse the findings. Campaign recall and engagement, and motivation to protect children were high. Parents identified with the dramatized scenario and visual impact of SHS harm to children in the TV advertisement. Some reported changed smoking practices. However, supervising young children in limited accommodation when caring alone constrained opportunities to smoke outside. Instead, parents described actions other than smoking outside that they had taken or were planning to take to create smokefree homes. Mass media campaigns using emotive, real-life circumstances can be effective in engaging parents about SHS. However, the behavioural impact may be limited because of difficult home environments and circumstances.
Virtual Screening Approaches towards the Discovery of Toll-Like Receptor Modulators
Authors: Pérez-Regidor Lucía , Zarioh Malik , Ortega Laura , Martín-Santamaría Sonsoles
Published: September 2016

This review aims to summarize the latest efforts performed in the search for novel chemical entities such as Toll-like receptor (TLR) modulators by means of virtual screening techniques. This is an emergent research field with only very recent (and successful) contributions. Identification of drug-like molecules with potential therapeutic applications for the treatment of a variety of TLR-regulated diseases has attracted considerable interest due to the clinical potential. Additionally, the virtual screening databases and computational tools employed have been overviewed in a descriptive way, widening the scope for researchers interested in the field.
In Vitro Assessment of the Expression and T Cell Immunogenicity of the Tumor-Associated Antigens BORIS, MUC1, hTERT, MAGE-A3 and Sp17 in Uterine Cancer
Authors: Vanderstraeten Anke , Tuyaerts Sandra , Everaert Tina , Van Bree Rieta , Verbist Godelieve , Luyten Cathérine , Amant Frederic
Published: September 2016

Background: While immunotherapy moved to the forefront of treatment of various cancers, it remains underexplored for uterine cancer. This might be due to the small patient population with advanced endometrial carcinoma and uterine sarcoma. Data about immunotherapeutic targets are scarce in endometrial carcinoma and lacking in uterine sarcoma. Methods: Expression of five tumor-associated antigens (TAA) (BORIS, MUC1, hTERT, MAGE-A3 and Sp17) was validated in uterine tumor samples by immunohistochemistry (IHC) and/or quantitative reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). TAA immunogenicity was analyzed by determining spontaneous T cell responses towards overlapping peptide pools covering the whole TAA in patient blood. Results: At mRNA level, MAGE-A3 and Sp17 were overexpressed in a minority of patients and BORIS was moderately overexpressed (26% in endometrial carcinoma and 62% in uterine sarcoma). hTERT was overexpressed in the vast majority of tumors. On protein level, MUC1 was upregulated in primary, recurrent and metastatic EMCAR and in metastatic US tumors. hTERT protein was highly expressed in both normal and malignant tissue. Spontaneous TAA-specific T cell responses were detected in a minority of patients, except for hTERT to which T cell responses occurred more frequently. Conclusions: These data point to MUC1 and hTERT as most suitable targets based on expression levels and T cell immunogenicity for use in immunotherapeutic regimens.
Comprehensive Numerical Simulation of Filling and Solidification of Steel Ingots
Authors: Pola Annalisa , Gelfi Marcello , La Vecchia Giovina
Published: September 2016

In this paper, a complete three-dimensional numerical model of mold filling and solidification of steel ingots is presented. The risk of powder entrapment and defects formation during filling is analyzed in detail, demonstrating the importance of using a comprehensive geometry, with trumpet and runner, compared to conventional simplified models. By using a case study, it was shown that the simplified model significantly underestimates the defects sources, reducing the utility of simulations in supporting mold and process design. An experimental test was also performed on an instrumented mold and the measurements were compared to the calculation results. The good agreement between calculation and trial allowed validating the simulation.
Dichotocejpins A–C: New Diketopiperazines from a Deep-Sea-Derived Fungus Dichotomomyces cejpii FS110
Authors: Fan Zhen , Sun Zhang-Hua , Liu Zhong , Chen Yu-Chan , Liu Hong-Xin , Li Hao-Hua , Zhang Wei-Min
Published: September 2016

Three new diketopiperazines, dichotocejpins A–C (1–3), together with eight known analogues (4–11), were isolated from the culture of the deep-sea sediment derived fungus Dichotomomyces cejpii FS110. Their structures, including absolute configurations, were elucidated by a combination of HRESIMS, NMR, X-ray crystallography, and ECD calculations. Compounds 4–6, 10–11 showed significant cytotoxic activities against MCF-7, NCI-H460, HepG-2, and SF-268 tumor cell lines. Compound 1 exhibited excellent inhibitory activity against α-glucosidase with an IC50 of 138 μM.
Chemical Analysis of Dietary Constituents in Rosa roxburghii and Rosa sterilis Fruits
Authors: Liu Meng-Hua , Zhang Qi , Zhang Yuan-He , Lu Xian-Yuan , Fu Wei-Ming , He Jing-Yu
Published: September 2016

Both Rosa roxburghii and R. sterilis, belonging to the Rosaceae, are endemic species in Guizhou Province, China. The fruits of these two species are mixed-used as functional food in the region. Aiming to elucidate the phytochemical characteristics of R. roxburghii and R. sterilis fruits, the essential oils and constituents in a methanol extract have been analyzed and compared by GC-MS and UFLC/Q-TOF-MS, respectively. As a result, a total of 135 volatile compounds were identified by GC-MS and 91 components were different between R. roxburghii and R. sterilis fruits; a total of 59 compounds in methanol extracts were identified by UFLC/Q-TOF-MS, including 13 organic acids, 12 flavonoids, 11 triterpenes, nine amino acids, five phenylpropanoid derivatives, four condensed tannins, two stilbenes, two benzaldehyde derivatives and one benzoic acid derivative; and nine characteristic compounds were found between R. roxburghii and R. sterilis fruits. This systematic study plays an important role for R. roxburghii and R. sterilis fruits in the product development.
Effects of Folic Acid on Secretases Involved in Aβ Deposition in APP/PS1 Mice
Authors: Tian Tian , Bai Dong , Li Wen , Huang Guo-Wei , Liu Huan
Published: September 2016

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common type of dementia. Amyloid-β protein (Aβ) is identified as the core protein of neuritic plaques. Aβ is generated by the sequential cleavage of the amyloid precursor protein (APP) via the APP cleaving enzyme (α-secretase, or β-secretase) and γ-secretase. Previous studies indicated that folate deficiency elevated Aβ deposition in APP/PS1 mice, and this rise was prevented by folic acid. In the present study, we aimed to investigate whether folic acid could influence the generation of Aβ by regulating α-, β-, and γ-secretase. Herein, we demonstrated that folic acid reduced the deposition of Aβ42 in APP/PS1 mice brain by decreasing the mRNA and protein expressions of β-secretase [beta-site APP-cleaving enzyme 1 (BACE1)] and γ-secretase complex catalytic component—presenilin 1 (PS1)—in APP/PS1 mice brain. Meanwhile, folic acid increased the levels of ADAM9 and ADAM10, which are important α-secretases in ADAM (a disintegrin and metalloprotease) family. However, folic acid has no impact on the protein expression of nicastrin (Nct), another component of γ-secretase complex. Moreover, folic acid regulated the expression of miR-126-3p and miR-339-5p, which target ADAM9 and BACE1, respectively. Taken together, the effect of folic acid on Aβ deposition may relate to making APP metabolism through non-amyloidogenic pathway by decreasing β-secretase and increasing α-secretase. MicroRNA (miRNA) may involve in the regulation mechanism of folic acid on secretase expression.
TRPV3 in Drug Development
Authors: Broad Lisa , Mogg Adrian , Eberle Elizabeth , Tolley Marcia , Li Dominic , Knopp Kelly
Published: September 2016

Transient receptor potential vanilloid 3 (TRPV3) is a member of the TRP (Transient Receptor Potential) super-family. It is a relatively underexplored member of the thermo-TRP sub-family (Figure 1), however, genetic mutations and use of gene knock-outs and selective pharmacological tools are helping to provide insights into its role and therapeutic potential. TRPV3 is highly expressed in skin, where it is implicated in skin physiology and pathophysiology, thermo-sensing and nociception. Gain of function TRPV3 mutations in rodent and man have enabled the role of TRPV3 in skin health and disease to be particularly well defined. Pre-clinical studies provide some rationale to support development of TRPV3 antagonists for therapeutic application for the treatment of inflammatory skin conditions, itch and pain. However, to date, only one compound directed towards block of the TRPV3 receptor (GRC15300) has progressed into clinical trials. Currently, there are no known clinical trials in progress employing a TRPV3 antagonist.