bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Study on seismic residual deformation test of reinforced soil
Authors: He Bing , Zhao Jianming , Liu Qiwang , Liu Xiaosheng , Zhu Kaibin , Wang Long , Yang Yusheng , Yang Zhengquan
Published: May 2020

The reinforced material can increase the stability of soil material, improve its shear strength and reduce the residual deformation. In this paper, the vibration triaxial tests of coarse-grained soil under different confining pressure, consolidation ratio and dynamic stress are carried out by using the 100t electro-hydraulic servo large-scale static and dynamic triaxial testing machine of Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Research. The results show that the average reduction ratio of the axial residual deformation of reinforced soil to that of unreinforced soil is 40%-50%, and the average reduction of the volumetric residual deformation is 30-40% It has a good inhibitory effect. With the increase of confining pressure, consolidation ratio and dynamic shear stress ratio, the axial residual deformation and volumetric residual deformation of reinforced soil increase in varying degrees. The reinforcement effect of geogrid material on soil sample under different conditions is analyzed. The lower the dynamic shear stress ratio and the higher the consolidation ratio, the better the reinforcement effect. The lower the confining pressure is, the lower the reduction ratio of the reinforcement to the volumetric strain is.
System identification from ambient vibration measurements using output-only modal identification techniques
Authors: Ma Jun , Luan Wei
Published: May 2020

Frequency domain decomposition (FDD) method and Random decrement technique are proposed to analyze ambient vibration data. An ambient vibration test was conducted on an 18-story reinforced concrete building, and the proposed methods were applied to estimate modal parameters. The estimated natural frequencies by the FDD method and the RD technique are in good agreement, and comparisons for damping values estimated by the EFDD method and the RD technique show a 72-246 percent difference. The results imply that the proposed methods can accurately evaluate structural dynamic properties from ambient vibration data in a non-destructive manner.
A light piston well-flushing technique for clogged relief wells along Yangxin Dyke of Yangtze River in China
Authors: Tian Mi , Sheng Xiaotao
Published: May 2020

Plastic relief wells along Yangxin Dyke of Yangtze River in China have been seriously clogged in recent years. It is necessary to dredge the wells to restore its disaster prevention and mitigation function. However, traditional piston well-flushing technique is suitable to restore steel and iron wells, and it can cause damage to plastic relief wells. A new light piston well-flushing technique is proposed to overcome the limitation of traditional piston well-flushing technique. The proposed light piston has the advantages of simple structure, convenient use and low cost. By the light piston moving down and up quickly the relief well, the nylon brush can clean the side wall and filters of relief well, and the negative pressure can make the deposited materials in the aquifer and inverted filter sucked out. The proposed well-flushing technique is applied to restore the plastic wells along Yangxin Dyke of Yangtze River in China. Its efficiency is illustrated using field pumping test data. It is shown that the drainage capacity and permeability of clogged relief wells can be greatly improved after using the proposed technique. The light piston well-flushing technique can provide an effective way to restore clogged relief wells along Yangtze River levees.
Water Resources Allocation of the Changjiang To Huai River Water Diversion
Authors: Wu Zhijun , Yan Bo , Cao Hao , Wang Yongqiang , Huang Feng
Published: May 2020

The Changjiangriver to Huai river water diversion project plans to divert water from the lower reaches of the Changjiangriver to replenish water in the middle reaches of the Huaihe river, mainly for the purpose of ensuring urban and rural water supply, developing Jianghuai shipping and improving river and lake ecology. In this paper, we predict the four aspects water demand including domestic, industrial, agricultural and ecological water demand in the river channel in 2030. According to the rules of lakes and water supply projects, we can obtain the water supply under different typical years. The balance of water supply and demand is analyzed for different circumstances. It is concluded that the average annual total water demand in the planned area in 2030 is 18.335 billion m3, the total water supply is 15.356 billion m3, and the water shortage is 2.979 billion m3.
A numerical investigation of seismic performance for an RC frame with latticed concrete infill walls
Authors: Cao Xinyu , Li Xiaojun
Published: May 2020

Expansive polystyrene granule cement (EPSC) latticed concrete wall can be used as an infill wall. After the expanded polystyrene granule cement form has been demolished, the part that remains is a latticed concrete infill wall comprising lattice beams and columns whose cross section is circular with a diameter of 0.12 m. The horizontal and vertical rebar are arranged within the beams and columns. The dynamic responses of a full-scale single-story reinforced concrete (RC) frame with latticed concrete infill walls subjected to earthquake-induced ground motion are simulated using the nonlinear finite element ABAQUS software. This study aims to investigate the effects of different types of earthquakes on the structure and the acceleration responses of the structure. The results obtained indicate that the structure has excellent seismic behavior, although the structural responses vary between earthquakes. This research may help in promoting the design and application of RC frames with latticed concrete infill walls.
A survey on the satisfaction of living environment in old urban residential areas from the perspective of public infrastructure
Authors: Shen Yuchen , Wu Yun , Fang Weimiao
Published: May 2020

Under the circumstance of constantly accelerated urban development process, the old residential areas in urban areas have a lot of problems, such as earlier construction year, longer construction time, aging public infrastructure and lack of public services, etc., which directly affect the satisfaction of residential residents with the living environment. In this paper, a simple data analysis method is used to conduct a questionnaire survey on the residents of Chengnan Garden Residential District, Jiaxing City. The survey results are quantified and analyzed to understand the residents’ satisfaction with the public infrastructure of the old residential district. In this paper, the author analyzes the reasons for the satisfaction, and puts forward transformation suggestions for these problems.
The Critical Buckling Load of Column under Axial Compressive Force
Authors: Xifeng Kang , Xin Guo , Qilei Wang , Qiang Liang , Fang Zhang
Published: May 2020

Recent buckling failures of pipelines in permafrost regions reveal that buckling phenomenon is related to the initial displacement of the pipeline due to frost heave. The aim of this study is to investigate whether this relation influent widely the columns applied axial compressive forces. An apparatus was constructed to measure the loads applied on the specimens and the displacements of the specimens. The curve between the two measurement results are shown to lead to an accurate determination of the critical buckling load. Furthermore, a simulation calculation was conducted through finite element method, the numerical results are consistent with the experiment ones. We found that the critical buckling load is inversely correlated to the initial displacement, and further fitting the curves leads to a linear relation.
Study on optimization technology of protective engineering for submerged tube overburden in crossing river tunnel
Authors: Xiang-yang TU , Xiao-lei Tong , Shi-you GAO , Chen LU
Published: May 2020

Under the influence of many complex factors, such as flood, tidal power, ship operation, earthquake and construction quality, the stability of the tunnel’s underwater overburden layer is crucial to the safe operation of the project. A technical line combined with measured data analysisand physical model testing were utilized to study the features of scouring and sediment for tunnel overburden under several extreme hydrodynamic conditions. In order to ensure the rationtity of anti-scouring stability and economy for tunnel engineering project, optimization design for overburden layer of tunnel was proposed after detailed experiments and analysis. The slurry block stone and stone throwing method can be used to protect the slope and the bottom of the embankment downstream of the tunnel line, which can effectively control the possiblescouring of the concave embankment foot and river bed. The technical line and research methods applied in this paper can be extended to statisfy the engineering design optimization for overburden layer of similar tunnel engineering.
Study on River Health Assessment Method of the Urbanized Area in Eastern Plain of China
Authors: Ding Yifan , Ji Yongxing , Liu Xiaomei , Wu Jinlong
Published: May 2020

River health assessment is an important decision-making basis of ecological protection and watershed management. In this study, we established the river health evaluation method of the urbanized area in eastern plain of China. In recent years, Shanghai city has carried out many comprehensive river rehabilitation and ecological restoration projects. Two small rivers with different health condition background were taken as examples to reveal the river health status before and after their rectification. The assessment result shows that the health status of river Arestored from Sick (RHI=0.074) to Sub-healthy (RHI=0.510), and river B from Sub-healthy (RHI=0.585) to Ideal (RHI=0.956). This conclusion is consistent with the actual situation, and the evaluation results are reasonable.
Unidirectional Heat Transfer into a Rotating Cylinder Containing R-134a Refrigerant
Authors: Park David , Kim Sunwoo
Published: May 2020

An analysis was conducted on the feasibility of designing a unidirectional heat transfer cylindrical wall suitable for microgravity conditions. The heat transfer wall is unidirectional in the sense that heat is only allowed to flow in one direction, which is made possible by the principles of phase-change heat transfer (PCHT). The wall is to consist of two concentric cylindrical walls and is to direct heat from the outer wall to the inner wall radially. A mathematical model is presented for the proposed unidirectional heat transfer wall. Preexisting heat transfer correlations were utilized to calculate the heat transfer rate of the unidirectional heat transfer wall with R-134a as the working fluid. The present study demonstrates that the unidirectional heat transfer wall can switch from a heat conductor to a thermal insulator by adjusting the loading of the working fluid within the walls of the proposed device.
The Study on Chitosan Coating on Poly(Lactic Acid) Film Packaging to Extend Vegetable and Fruit Life
Authors: Kumbunleu J , Rattanapun A , Sapsrithong P , Tuampoemsab S , Sritapunya T
Published: May 2020

The objective of this work is the study of possibility of extending the life of vegetables and fruits packed with polylactic acid (PLA) film coated with squid chitosan with various contents (0, 1, 3 and 5 phr), acted as an antimicrobial agent and the study of mechanical properties of these films. In the first step, PLA was compounded with 20 percents of glycerol by using a two-roll mill. After that, all compounds were fabricated by blown film extrusion. In next step, the chitosan solutions were prepared in 1 wt% hydrochloric acid solution to coat on one side of PLA film. The last step, the prepared films were examined tensile properties and storage time of 4 types of vegetables and fruits including broccolis, Leb Mue Nang bananas, red grapes and queen tomatoes by packing. The results showed that the tensile strength of PLA films coated with chitosan was closed to that of neat PLA/glycerol film. For spoilage test, it was found that all vegetables and fruits were more shriveled and wilted with more chitosan content through respiration process due to the leakage of chotisan coated PLA film and weight loss of vegetables and fruits., especially for PLA film coated with 5 phr chitosan since more remained acetic acid solvent accelerated more hydrolysis rate of PLA film.
Traffic Safety Benefits of Using Highway Lighting Technology: (Case Study: 4-Lanes Expressways in the Rural Areas)
Authors: Abuzwidah Muamer , Balwan Mohsin , Abdel-Aty Mohamed , Al-Kateeb Ghazi
Published: May 2020

Highway Lighting (HL) is designed and implemented on the transportation system for expected societal, safety and security reasons. The use of Technologies such as LED lighting and the solar power can encourage many transportation agencies to implement the Highway Lighting on their roads, especially on the rural roads where there are difficulties to connect the power, also it known that the typical Highway Lighting is need a lot of energy. The main goal of this paper is to evaluate the safety effectiveness of the implementation of highway lighting on the Night-Time Crashes on 4-Lanes expressways in the rural areas. An advanced Cross-Sectional method was used to evaluate the effect of adding highway lighting on the safety performance of expressways as a major part of the transportation system. The data was carefully selected and only expressways with 4-lanes were chosen because there were enough treated and reference segments for them. In the Cross-sectional models, a total number of 22 treated segments and 155 untreated segment located on the 4-lanes expressways in Florida State were used. The results showed that adding HL has a positive effect on Crash reduction for the night-time Crashes (all crash types and all severity levels) by an approximately 30 percent. The night-time fatal and serious injury crashes were reduced by 27 percent while the Non-Injury crashes were reduced by 21 percent. Overall, implementing HL technologies is highly encouraged especially on the rural roads to improve safety and security. The Crash Modification Factors developed would help transportation officials to benefit from the extensive research in adding highway lighting to the road network, especially on expressways by providing quantitative information on crash analysis and evaluation for decision making in planning, design, operation, and maintenance.
Chemical Quality of Fresh New Zealand White Rabbit Meat in Batu, Indonesia
Authors: Fadlilah A , Rosyidi D , Susilo A
Published: May 2020

Batu was one of the cities in the province of East Java, Indonesia that one of the leading tourist cities in Indonesia. Rabbit satay was one of the Batu city famous foods. Many tourists visited Batu City for consume it. Rabbits were obtained from rabbit breeders in the Batu city. The environment and the pattern of rearing rabbits had an impact on the quality of the meat and specific characteristic of the meat production. This study aimed to determine the chemical quality of the fresh New Zealand White (NZW) rabbit meat in the Batu City using the proximate analysis. This Research used 9 males of NZW rabbits, each of them was taken 100gr of loin flesh for proximate analysis. Rabbits were kept intensively. The results showed that fresh NZW Rabbit Meat had a carbohydrate content was 0.43%, Protein content was 19.99%, Moisture was 75.84%, Ash content was 1.43% and Energy gross was 110.47 Kcal/100g.
Evaluation of Chemical Composition and Lipid Components in Maize Straw based Complete Feed Diets Supplemented by Conden Tannin and Myristic Acid
Authors: Muchlas M , Chuzaemi S , Mashudi
Published: May 2020

Although maize straw as an agricultural by products could be used as an alternative feed ingredient for ruminants, its low nutritional value and palatability require an early processing. Supplementation of feed additive that functions as a methane inhibitor. The study was to examine the chemical composition in maize straw based complete feed diets supplemented by conden tannin and myristic acid. The experimental method used a group-randomized trials by ANOVA with 4 dietary treatments and 3 replications. The treatments are T1: Maize Straw Based Complete Rations (Control Diet), T2: Control diet +Mimosa powder (MP) 1,5%/kgDM + Myristic acid (MA)2%/kgDM, T3: Control diet + MP 1,5%/kg DM + MA 3%/kg DM, and T4: Control diet + MP 1,5%/kg DM + MA 4%/kg DM. Proximate and van soest analysis was analysed in the Feed and Nutrition Laboratory, animal Science faculty, Brawijaya University, Malang. The result showed that the maize straw complete feed without supplemented has not different with a chemical compositions Maize straw with 3 level of Conden tannin and myristic acid supplementation. Besides higher EE components contained on T4 which supplemented by CT 1,5 %/kg DM and MA 40 g/kg DM. It can be concluded that CT and MA in Maize Straw based complete feed diets can be used as rumen modifier without effected on chemical component.
Higher Modes and Superposed Mode Behavior for Flexible Pavement Layer System
Authors: Ismail Norfarah Nadia , Yusoff Nur Izzi Md , Azahar Wan Nur Aifa Wan , Ramli Ahmad Bukhari , Husain Nadiah Md , Kassim Norhidayu
Published: May 2020

This paper presents the study of modes behavior in pavement layer system using Common Array Profiling Spectral Analysis of Surface Waves (CAP-SASW) testing method. Method for evaluation and testing the materials at pavement sites are traditionally destructive. The utilization of non-destructive method such as CAP-SASW is a very useful advantage, however deeper study on its mode behavior for pavement layer is not proven. Comparing both theoretical and experimental generated modes, this paper aims to provide precise configuration measurement in sampling pavement materials besides understanding its modes behavior.
Effect of Hinge Properties on Nonlinear Analysis of Eccentrically Steel Braced Frames
Authors: Apritasari Dwinita , Rastandi Josia Irwan , Orientilize M , Sentosa B O B
Published: May 2020

Eccentrically Braced Frame (EBF) is one of seismic resistance of steel structures. Dissipation of seismic energies is designed by allowing plastic hinges to form in link element. Design of link elements allow plastic hinge to form due to shear or flexural failure. Structural analysis using finite element software require shear plastic hinges to be modelled. It is found that hinge properties proposed by two references, FEMA 356 and Richards & Uang are different. Study of effect of hinge properties on non-linier analysis of EBF was performed. The research is limited to hinge properties of shear link of EBFs. Numerical study was conducted on one and three storey of EBFs in two and three dimensional geometric of EBFs. Two different hinge properties from FEMA 356 and Richard-Uang were compared each other. Results show that hinge properties affect the structural response. It is found that EBFs modelled by hinge properties according to Richards-Uang has close result to experimental result than modelled built by FEMA 356. The difference between FEMA 356 and Richard-Uang to experiment are 34,54% and 15,55%, respectively.
A Multifunctional Ankle Foot Orthosis Utilizing a Magnetorheological Actuator
Authors: Zhou Y , Liu L
Published: May 2020

The intelligent material, so-called magnetorheological (MR) fluid, is used in the design of an ankle foot orthosis. This paper presents the configuration of a multifunctional ankle foot orthosis that is equipped with a novel MR actuator. At first, the structure of the orthosis is introduced. Then, according to the mounting position of the actuator, the MR actuator is conceived by designing the structure and magnetic circuit. The actuator has three working modes, assistant, resistant and free modes. Finally, the manual power consumptions of two conditions, gait with and without the orthosis, are investigated; electricity consumptions of two cases, orthosis with and without the MR actuator, are compared.
Distributed Electric System Control Strategy Optimization
Authors: Chen Chunping , Wang Jie , Zhang Jie
Published: May 2020

With the increasing energy crisis and environmental pollution, this paper concentrates on the energy management and power control of DC microgrid due to its advantage in the utilization of renewable energy resources (RES). However, the traditional centralized control relies heavily on communication since the distribution of most RES is scattered, and the communication failures may cause serious control error, therefore, a distributed and cooperative control strategy without communication is proposed for DC microgrid in this paper. The proposed strategy not only maintains the bus voltage and power balance in a cooperative way through the regulation of each micro-sources, but also solves theunbalance problem between ESUs, meanwhile, this method is suitable for DC microgrid with multiple PVs and ESUs since the communication is not necessary, which is benefit for the plug and in of micro-sources. Finally, some simulation models are built on Matlab/Simulink platform, and the performance of suggested solution is verified through a set of simulation experiments, the result turns out to be good and confirms our expectation.
Analysis of Contact Stress and Vibration of Rolling Element Bearing
Authors: Adman Amirul Akil , Yusof Nurul Farhana Mohd
Published: May 2020

The initial surface and operating condition of rolling element bearing are very important as this may reduce or extend the lifetime of the bearings. Bearing condition monitoring is one of the most used method to evaluate the bearing performance. In this study, the vibration level and surface deformation produced by different contact stress condition is investigated. The experiment is carried out using rolling contact rig and the roller samples are fabricated to produce line contact similar to the roller bearing. The rollers are made from four different materials to produce different contact characteristics. The finding shows that the contact stresses affect the vibration level and the surface deformation of the rolling contact.
Coastal Sediment Transport Study along Shoreline by using Smooth Particle Hydrodynamics
Authors: Zawawi M H , Azman Aqil , Radzi M R M , Abas Aizat , Aziz Nurhanani A
Published: May 2020

Sediment transport typically due to combination of gravity acting on the sediment, and/or the movement of the fluid in which the sediment is entrained. This paper gives an exposure simulation of three-dimensional (3D) sediment transports by using Smooth Particle Hydrodynamics (SPH) at coastal area. The SPH formulation from Monaghan constructed in the code is modified according to the desired model to be solved. The code is then computed by using single Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) with 14 cores multiprocessors. The behavior of sediment transport is investigated in this research based on Herschel-Bulkley-Papanastasiou (HBP) model. A constant sinewave of 0.5sin(0.5πt) is applied to the fluid domain to create sea wave effect that will cause sediment transport. The results show that the goal to get sediment transport is achieved and for the further study, the rate of erosion and accretion can be determined to give more meaningful and valuable to the result.
Effect of Gd3+ substitution on proton relaxation and magnetic hyperthermia efficiency of cobalt ferrite nanoparticles
Authors: D Jaison , E Meher Abhinav , Gangwar Asnit , Nand Kishore Prasad , Chandrasekaran Gopalakrishnan , M Mothilal
Published: May 2020

In this study, Gadolinium substituted Cobalt Ferrite nanoparticles (CoFe2-xGdxO4, 0 ≤ x ≤ 0.4) were prepared via hydrothermal route using triethylamine as reducing agent at 180°C for 12 h. X-ray diffraction studies revealed the single phase cubic spinel structure for both Cobalt ferrite (CF) and Gadolinium substituted Cobalt Ferrite (CFG) nanoparticles (x ≤ 0.24). An increase in the Specific absorption rate (SAR) was observed with increase in Gd concentration. Further with increase in the molar concentration (x > 0.24), gadolinium hydroxide was observed as the secondary phase, which was also confirmed by the Gd–O stretching vibrations observed in Fourier transform Infrared spectroscopy. The evolution of Gadolinium hydroxide showed a strong influence in the relaxivity (r
1) and hyperthermia potential. Field emission scanning electron microscopy revealed that CF and CFG (x ≤ 0.24) nanoparticles were spherical in nature with particle size ranging from 10 to 25 nm, whereas the particle size increases above 30 nm for CFG (0.3 ≤ x ≤ 0.4) nanoparticles along with the presence of columnar shaped particles. Magnetic measurements confirmed the pseudo single domain, ferri-magnetic nature of CF and CFG nanoparticles. The magnetization data revealed a change in direction of magnetization towards easy axis with increasing Gd concentration. The orientation of magnetization direction towards easy axis had induced change in the hyperthermia potential. Proton relaxation studies of CF and CFG nanoparticles revealed that there is a strong interaction between the relaxivities r
1 and r
2. The specific absorption rate of CF and CFG nanoparticles were observed to be in the range from 91.49 W g−1 to 232.17 W g−1 at applied Hf of 4.19 × 109 Am−1 s−1.
Application of sonication in improving the Cu(II) adsorptivity and recycling performanc of activated carbon fibers
Authors: Yu Liyuan , Yu Junwei , Zhu Bo , Cheng Yuan , Shang Mingpeng , Zhang Min
Published: May 2020

In order to enhance the adsorptivity of viscose-based activated carbon fibers (VACFs) for low-concentration Cu(II), sonication-assisted zinc chloride reactivation process and sonication-assisted-pickling regeneration process were studied in this research. This study aims to prepare a modified VACFs with high Cu(II) adsorptivity and recycling performance at the same time. As 10 wt% ZnCl2 used as activator, specific surface area, micropore volume and mesopore volume of VACFs increase by 59.33%, 37.35% and 813.87% respectively, besides, the Cu(II) adsorptivity was improved by 2.04 times through the reactivation process. Based on the sonication-assisted-pickling regeneration process, the regeneration rate was changed from 96.85% to 107.81% during 1–5 recycling times.
Inhomogeneous driving in quantum annealers can result in orders-of-magnitude improvements in performance
Authors: Adame Juan I , McMahon Peter L
Published: May 2020

Quantum annealers are special-purpose quantum computers that primarily target solving Ising optimization problems. Theoretical work has predicted that the probability of a quantum annealer ending in a ground state can be dramatically improved if the spin driving terms, which play a crucial role in the functioning of a quantum annealer, have different strengths for different spins; that is, they are inhomogeneous. In this paper we describe a time-shift-based protocol for inhomogeneous driving and demonstrate, using an experimental quantum annealer, the performance of our protocol on a range of hard Ising problems that have been well-studied in the literature. Compared to the homogeneous-driving case, we find that we are able to improve the probability of finding a ground state by up to 107× for Weak–Strong–Cluster problem instances, and by up to 103× for more general spin-glass problem instances. In addition to being of practical interest as a heuristic speedup method, inhomogeneous driving may also serve as a useful tool for investigations into the physics of experimental quantum annealers.
Graphene, other carbon nanomaterials and the immune system: toward nanoimmunity-by-design
Authors: Gazzi Arianna , Fusco Laura , Orecchioni Marco , Ferrari Silvia , Franzoni Giulia , Yan J Stephen , Rieckher Matthias , Peng Guotao , Lucherelli Matteo Andrea , Vacchi Isabella Anna , Chau Ngoc Do Quyen , Criado Alejandro , Istif Akcan , Mancino Donato , Dominguez Antonio , Eckert Hagen , Vázquez Ester , Ros Tatiana Da , Nicolussi Paola , Palermo Vincenzo , Schumacher Björn , Cuniberti Gianaurelio , Mai Yiyong , Clementi Cecilia , Pasquali Matteo , Feng Xinliang , Kostarelos Kostas , Yilmazer Acelya , Bedognetti Davide , Fadeel Bengt , Prato Maurizio , Bianco Alberto , Delogu Lucia Gemma
Published: May 2020

Carbon-based materials (CBMs), such as graphene, nanodiamonds, carbon fibers, and carbon dots, have attracted a great deal scientific attention due to their potential as biomedical tools. Following exposure, particularly intravenous injection, these nanomaterials can be recognized by immune cells. Such interactions could be modulated by the different physicochemical properties of the materials (e.g. structure, size, and chemical functions), by either stimulating or suppressing the immune response. However, a harmonized cutting-edge approach for the classification of these materials based not only on their physicochemical parameters but also their immune properties has been missing. The European Commission-funded G-IMMUNOMICS and CARBO-IMmap projects aimed to fill this gap, developing a functional pipeline for the qualitative and quantitative immune characterization of graphene, graphene-related materials (GRMs), and other CBMs. The goal was to open breakthrough perspectives for the definition of the immune profiles of these materials. Here, we summarize our methodological approach, key results, and the necessary multidisciplinary expertise ranging across various fields, from material chemistry to engineering, immunology, toxicology, and systems biology. G-IMMUNOMICS, as a partnering project of the Graphene Flagship, the largest scientific research initiative on graphene worldwide, also complemented the studies performed in the Flagship on health and environmental impact of GRMs. Finally, we present the nanoimmunity-by-design concept, developed within the projects, which can be readily applied to other 2D materials. Overall, the G-IMMUNOMICS and CARBO-IMmap projects have provided new insights on the immune impact of GRMs and CBMs, thus laying the foundation for their safe use and future translation in medicine.
The Virtue of Aesthetic Courage
Authors: Wilson Alan T
Published: May 2020

Theorists have recently been exploring the prospects for a virtue-centred approach to aesthetics. Virtue aesthetics encourages a re-focusing of philosophical attention onto the aesthetic character traits of agents, in the same way that virtue ethics and virtue epistemology have encouraged us to focus on moral and intellectual traits. In this paper, I aim to contribute to the development of virtue aesthetics by discussing aesthetic courage, the aesthetic analogue of one of the most widely acknowledged moral virtues. In addition to proposing an account of the nature of this trait, I also argue that aesthetic courage is vital for any sort of aesthetically virtuous life. It is not possible to possess any aesthetic virtue without possessing aesthetic courage. It is important, therefore, for any future development of virtue aesthetics to acknowledge the central importance of aesthetic courage.
Estimation of maize plant height and leaf area index dynamics using an unmanned aerial vehicle with oblique and nadir photography
Authors: Che Yingpu , Wang Qing , Xie Ziwen , Zhou Long , Li Shuangwei , Hui Fang , Wang Xiqing , Li Baoguo , Ma Yuntao
Published: May 2020

Background and Aims

High-throughput phenotyping is a limitation in plant genetics and breeding due to large-scale experiments in the field. Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) can help to extract plant phenotypic traits rapidly and non-destructively with high efficiency. The general aim of this study is to estimate the dynamic plant height and leaf area index (LAI) by nadir and oblique photography with a UAV, and to compare the integrity of the established three-dimensional (3-D) canopy by these two methods.

Methods

Images were captured by a high-resolution digital RGB camera mounted on a UAV at five stages with nadir and oblique photography, and processed by Agisoft Metashape to generate point clouds, orthomosaic maps and digital surface models. Individual plots were segmented according to their positions in the experimental design layout. The plant height of each inbred line was calculated automatically by a reference ground method. The LAI was calculated by the 3-D voxel method. The reconstructed canopy was sliced into different layers to compare leaf area density obtained from oblique and nadir photography.

Key Results

Good agreements were found for plant height between nadir photography, oblique photography and manual measurement during the whole growing season. The estimated LAI by oblique photography correlated better with measured LAI (slope = 0.87, R2 = 0.67), compared with that of nadir photography (slope = 0.74, R2 = 0.56). The total number of point clouds obtained by oblique photography was about 2.7–3.1 times than those by nadir photography. Leaf area density calculated by nadir photography was much less than that obtained by oblique photography, especially near the plant base.

Conclusions

Plant height and LAI can be extracted automatically and efficiently by both photography methods. Oblique photography can provide intensive point clouds and relatively complete canopy information at low cost. The reconstructed 3-D profile of the plant canopy can be easily recognized by oblique photography.
Prostate cancer early diagnosis: circulating microRNA pairs potentially beyond single microRNAs upon 1231 serum samples
Authors: Liu Hua-Ping , Lai Hung-Ming , Guo Zheng
Published: May 2020

The accuracy of prostate-specific antigen or clinical examination in prostate cancer (PCa) screening is in question, and circulating microRNAs (miRNAs) can be alternatives to PCa diagnosis. However, recent circulating miRNA biomarkers either are identified upon small sample sizes or cannot have robust diagnostic performance in every aspect of performance indicators. These may decrease applicability of potential biomarkers for the early detection of PCa. We reviewed recent studies on blood-derived miRNAs for prostate cancer diagnosis and carried out a large case study to understand whether circulating miRNA pairs, rather than single circulating miRNAs, could contribute to a more robust diagnostic model to significantly improve PCa diagnosis. We used 1231 high-throughput miRNA-profiled serum samples from two cohorts to design and verify a model based on class separability miRNA pairs (cs-miRPs). The pairwise model was composed of five circulating miRNAs coupled to miR-5100 and miR-1290 (i.e. five miRNA pairs, 5-cs-miRPs), reaching approximately 99% diagnostic performance in almost all indicators (sensitivity = 98.96%, specificity = 100%, accuracy = 99.17%, PPV = 100%, NPV = 96.15%) shown by a test set (n = 484: PCa = 384, negative prostate biopsies = 100). The nearly 99% diagnostic performance was also verified by an additional validation set (n = 140: PCa = 40, healthy controls = 100). Overall, the 5-cs-miRP model had 1 false positive and 7 false negatives among the 1231 serum samples and was superior to a recent 2-miRNA model (so far the best for PCa diagnosis) with 18 false positives and 80 false negatives. The present large case study demonstrated that circulating miRNA pairs could potentially bring more benefits to PCa early diagnosis for clinical practice.
BioPAX-Parser: parsing and enrichment analysis of BioPAX pathways
Authors: Agapito Giuseppe , Pastrello Chiara , Guzzi Pietro Hiram , Jurisica Igor , Cannataro Mario
Published: May 2020

Biological pathways are fundamental for learning about healthy and disease states. Many existing formats support automatic software analysis of biological pathways, e.g. BioPAX (Biological Pathway Exchange). Although some algorithms are available as web application or stand-alone tools, no general graphical application for the parsing of BioPAX pathway data exists. Also, very few tools can perform pathway enrichment analysis (PEA) using pathway encoded in the BioPAX format. To fill this gap, we introduce BiP (BioPAX-Parser), an automatic and graphical software tool aimed at performing the parsing and accessing of BioPAX pathway data, along with PEA by using information coming from pathways encoded in BioPAX.

Availability and implementation

BiP is freely available for academic and non-profit organizations at https://gitlab.com/giuseppeagapito/bip under the LGPL 2.1, the GNU Lesser General Public License.

Supplementary information

Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Genomic identification of intergeneric hybrids in New World wood-warblers (Aves: Parulidae)
Authors: Toews David P L , Kramer Gunnar R , Jones Andrew W , Brennan Courtney L , Cloud Benjamin E , Andersen David E , Lovette Irby J , Streby Henry
Published: May 2020

The documentation of hybrids between distantly related taxa can illustrate an initial step to explain how genes might move between species that do not exhibit complete reproductive isolation. In birds, some of the most phylogenetically distant hybrid combinations occur between genera. Traditionally, morphological and plumage characters have been used to assign the identity of the parental species of a putative hybrid, although recently, nuclear introns also have been used. Here, we demonstrate how high-throughput short-read DNA sequence data can be used to identify the parentage of a putative intergeneric hybrid, in this case between a blue-winged warbler (Vermivora cyanoptera) and a cerulean warbler (Setophaga cerulea). This hybrid had mitochondrial DNA of a cerulean warbler, indicating the maternal parent. For hundreds of single nucleotide polymorphisms within six regions of the nuclear genome that differentiate blue-winged warblers and golden-winged warblers (Vermivora chrysoptera), the hybrid had roughly equal ancestry assignment to blue-winged and cerulean warblers, suggesting a blue-winged warbler as the paternal parent species and demonstrating that this was a first generation (F1) hybrid between these species. Unlike other recently characterized intergeneric warbler hybrids, this individual hybrid learned to song match its maternal parent species, suggesting that it might have been the result of an extra-pair mating and raised in a cerulean warbler nest.
Functional regression on the manifold with contamination
Authors: Lin Zhenhua , Yao Fang
Published: May 2020

We propose a new method for functional nonparametric regression with a predictor that resides on a finite-dimensional manifold, but is observable only in an infinite-dimensional space. Contamination of the predictor due to discrete or noisy measurements is also accounted for. By using functional local linear manifold smoothing, the proposed estimator enjoys a polynomial rate of convergence that adapts to the intrinsic manifold dimension and the contamination level. This is in contrast to the logarithmic convergence rate in the literature of functional nonparametric regression. We also observe a phase transition phenomenon related to the interplay between the manifold dimension and the contamination level. We demonstrate via simulated and real data examples that the proposed method has favourable numerical performance relative to existing commonly used methods.
Genome size variation and endopolyploidy in the diverse succulent plant family Aizoaceae
Authors: Powell Robyn F , Pulido Suarez Laura , Magee Anthony R , Boatwright James S , Kapralov Maxim V , Young Andrew J
Published: May 2020

Aizoaceae are one of the most diverse succulent plant families in the world, with c. 2 400 species, and they are a major component of the Greater Cape Floristic Region of South Africa. Despite this diversity, genome size (GS) has only been recorded in three of the c. 144 genera of Aizoaceae. This study provides the first comprehensive assessment of GS in the family with 109 genera measured (76% of genera). GS (2C) is conserved in Aizoaceae, varying from 0.54 to 6.34 pg (0.53–6.20 Gbp), with a mean of 2.6 pg. No significant differences between GS and the ecological and environmental traits tested were recovered. Infrageneric GS was explored in the most diverse stoneplant genus, Conophytum, and was found to be extremely conserved [0.98–2.24 pg (1C)]. Furthermore, the extent of endoreduplication in Conophytum was determined across 46 species. Leaf and flower tissues of Conophytum are highly polysomatic and ploidy states of 2C–64C were typically observed across the genus, with some instances of 128C. The relatively conserved and small GS measured across Aizoaceae and in Conophytum is possibly linked to the recent and rapid radiation of the family.
Targeting RLIP with CRISPR/Cas9 controls tumor growth
Authors: Singhal Jyotsana , Chikara Shireen , Horne David , Awasthi Sanjay , Salgia Ravi , Singhal Sharad S
Published: May 2020

Breast cancer (BC) remains one of the major causes of cancer deaths in women. Over half of all BCs carry genetic defects in the gene encoding p53, a powerful tumor suppressor. P53 is known as the ‘guardian of the genome’ because it is essential for regulating cell division and preventing tumor formation. Ral-interacting protein (RLIP) is a modular protein capable of participating in many cellular functions. Blocking this stress-responsive protein, which is overexpressed during malignancy, enables BC cells to overcome the deleterious effects of p53 loss more effectively. In the clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats/CRISPR-associated protein (CRISPR/Cas9) system, a single-guide RNA (sgRNA) recognizes a specific DNA sequence and directs the endonuclease Cas9 to make a double-strand break, which enables editing of targeted genes. Here, we harnessed CRISPR/Cas9 technology to target the RLIP gene in BC cells. We screened sgRNAs using a reporter system and lentivirally delivered them, along with Cas9, to BC cells for validation. We then assessed the survival, proliferation, and tumorigenicity of BC cells in vitro and the growth of tumors in vivo after CRISPR-mediated knockdown of RLIP. Doxycycline-inducible expression of Cas9 in BC cells transduced with lentiviral vectors encoding the sgRNAs disrupted the RLIP gene, leading to inhibition of BC cell proliferation both in vitro and in vivo, with resected tumors showing reduced levels of the survival and proliferation markers Ki67, RLIP, pAkt, and survivin, the cell cycle protein CDK4, and the mesenchymal marker vimentin, as well as elevated levels of the differentiation protein E-cadherin and pro-apoptotic protein Bim. Inducible Cas9/sgRNA-transduced BC cells without doxycycline treatment did not exhibit altered cell survival or proliferation in vitro or in vivo. Our study provides proof-of-concept that the CRISPR/Cas9 system can be utilized to target RLIP in vitro and in vivo.
COVID-19: The New Caledonia Experience
Authors: Kerbaj Jad , Cazorla Cecile , De Greslan Thierry , Serie Mathieu , Gourinat Ann-Claire , Marot Benoit
Published: May 2020

New Caledonia is a French territory in the South Pacific Ocean. While COVID-19 is expanding over the world, the situation on our island seems controlled with a total of 18 documented cases. We report the measures implemented on our island that probably helped contain the epidemic spread.
Chromosomal-Level Genome Assembly of the Sea Urchin Lytechinus variegatus Substantially Improves Functional Genomic Analyses
Authors: Davidson Phillip L , Guo Haobing , Wang Lingyu , Berrio Alejandro , Zhang He , Chang Yue , Soborowski Andrew L , McClay David R , Fan Guangyi , Wray Gregory A
Published: May 2020

Lytechinus variegatus is a camarodont sea urchin found widely throughout the western Atlantic Ocean in a variety of shallow-water marine habitats. Its distribution, abundance, and amenability to developmental perturbation make it a popular model for ecologists and developmental biologists. Here, we present a chromosomal-level genome assembly of L. variegatus generated from a combination of PacBio long reads, 10× Genomics sequencing, and HiC chromatin interaction sequencing. We show L. variegatus has 19 chromosomes with an assembly size of 870.4 Mb. The contiguity and completeness of this assembly are reflected by a scaffold length N50 of 45.5 Mb and BUSCO completeness score of 95.5%. Ab initio and transcript-informed gene modeling and annotation identified 27,232 genes with an average gene length of 12.6 kb, comprising an estimated 39.5% of the genome. Repetitive regions, on the other hand, make up 45.4% of the genome. Physical mapping of well-studied developmental genes onto each chromosome reveals nonrandom spatial distribution of distinct genes and gene families, which provides insight into how certain gene families may have evolved and are transcriptionally regulated in this species. Lastly, aligning RNA-seq and ATAC-seq data onto this assembly demonstrates the value of highly contiguous, complete genome assemblies for functional genomics analyses that is unattainable with fragmented, incomplete assemblies. This genome will be of great value to the scientific community as a resource for genome evolution, developmental, and ecological studies of this species and the Echinodermata.
Viviparous Reptile Regarded to Have Temperature-Dependent Sex Determination Has Old XY Chromosomes
Authors: Cornejo-Páramo Paola , Dissanayake Duminda S B , Lira-Noriega Andrés , Martínez-Pacheco Mónica L , Acosta Armando , Ramírez-Suástegui Ciro , Méndez-de-la-Cruz Fausto R , Székely Tamás , Urrutia Araxi O , Georges Arthur , Cortez Diego
Published: May 2020

The water skinks Eulamprus tympanum and Eulamprus heatwolei show thermally induced sex determination where elevated temperatures give rise to male offspring. Paradoxically, Eulamprus species reproduce in temperatures of 12–15 °C making them outliers when compared with reptiles that use temperature as a cue for sex determination. Moreover, these two species are among the very few viviparous reptiles reported to have thermally induced sex determination. Thus, we tested whether these skinks possess undetected sex chromosomes with thermal override. We produced transcriptome and genome data for E. heatwolei. We found that E. heatwolei presents XY chromosomes that include 14 gametologs with regulatory functions. The Y chromosomal region is 79–116 Myr old and shared between water and spotted skinks. Our work provides clear evidence that climate could be useful to predict the type of sex determination systems in reptiles and it also indicates that viviparity is strictly associated with sex chromosomes.
Co-development of Couples’ Life Satisfaction in Transition to Retirement: A Longitudinal Dyadic Perspective
Authors: Weber Elisa , Hülür Gizem
Published: May 2020

Objectives

Retirement is one of the major life course transitions in old age. Evidence suggests that exiting work life is associated with notable changes in life satisfaction, which are heterogeneous across individuals. Effects of retirement transitions on life satisfaction have been understudied in couples. We examined change in life satisfaction with retirement for retirees and their spouses/partners, the extent to which change in life satisfaction was heterogeneous and correlated within couples, and associations with health status and social participation.

Method

We used data from the German Socioeconomic Panel obtained in the years 1984 to 2016 (n = 2,117 couples; 74% male retirees; age at retirement: M = 61 years, SD = 3 years, range = 55 to 70 years; 98% married or in a registered relationship). We examined health and social participation of retirees and their partners as predictor variables and controlled for age, gender, education, partner employment, household income, and region in Germany (former East vs West). Data were analyzed with dyadic multilevel two-phase growth curve models.

Results

On average, both retirees and partners reported increasing life satisfaction at retirement. Change in life satisfaction was heterogeneous across individuals and highly correlated within couples. Health and social participation were associated with levels of, but not with change in life satisfaction with retirement in retirees and partners.

Discussion

Retirement is not a uniform period of transition, but is shaped by the multidimensional context in which life unfolds. Moreover, life satisfaction can be shaped in response to life transitions experienced by close others.