bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Astemizole Sensitizes Adrenocortical Carcinoma Cells to Doxorubicin by Inhibiting Patched Drug Efflux Activity
Authors: Hasanovic Anida , Simsir Méliné , Choveau Frank S. , Lalli Enzo , Mus-Veteau Isabelle
Published: July 2020

Adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) presents a high risk of relapse and metastases with outcomes not improving despite extensive research and new targeted therapies. We recently showed that the Hedgehog receptor Patched is expressed in ACC, where it strongly contributes to doxorubicin efflux and treatment resistance. Here, we report the identification of a new inhibitor of Patched drug efflux, the anti-histaminergic drug astemizole. We show that astemizole enhances the cytotoxic, proapoptotic, antiproliferative and anticlonogenic effects of doxorubicin on ACC cells at concentrations of astemizole or doxorubicin that are not effective by themselves. Our results suggest that a low concentration of astemizole sensitizes ACC cells to doxorubicin, which is a component of the standard treatment for ACC composed of etoposide, doxorubicin, cisplatin and mitotane (EDPM). Patched uses the proton motive force to efflux drugs. This makes its function specific to cancer cells, thereby avoiding toxicity issues that are commonly observed with inhibitors of ABC multidrug transporters. Our data provide strong evidence that the use of astemizole or a derivative in combination with EDPM could be a promising therapeutic option for ACC by increasing the treatment effectiveness at lower doses of EDPM, which would reduce the severe side effects of this regimen.
Novel Nargenicin A1 Analog Inhibits Angiogenesis by Downregulating the Endothelial VEGF/VEGFR2 Signaling and Tumoral HIF-1α/VEGF Pathway
Authors: Han Jang Mi , Choi Ye Seul , Dhakal Dipesh , Sohng Jae Kyung , Jung Hye Jin
Published: July 2020

Targeting angiogenesis is an attractive strategy for the treatment of angiogenesis-related diseases, including cancer. We previously identified 23-demethyl 8,13-deoxynargenicin (compound 9) as a novel nargenicin A1 analog with potential anticancer activity. In this study, we investigated the antiangiogenic activity and mode of action of compound 9. This compound was found to effectively inhibit in vitro angiogenic characteristics, including the proliferation, invasion, capillary tube formation, and adhesion of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) stimulated by vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). Furthermore, compound 9 suppressed the neovascularization of the chorioallantoic membrane of growing chick embryos in vivo. Notably, the antiangiogenic properties of compound 9 were related to the downregulation of VEGF/VEGFR2-mediated downstream signaling pathways, as well as matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 and MMP-9 expression in HUVECs. In addition, compound 9 was found to decrease the in vitro AGS gastric cancer cell-induced angiogenesis of HUVECs by blocking hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) and VEGF expression in AGS cells. Collectively, our findings demonstrate for the first time that compound 9 is a promising antiangiogenic agent targeting both VEGF/VEGFR2 signaling in ECs and HIF-1α/VEGF pathway in tumor cells.
Optimal Simulation of Three Peer to Peer (P2P) Business Models for Individual PV Prosumers in a Local Electricity Market Using Agent-Based Modelling
Authors: Lovati Marco , Zhang Xingxing , Huang Pei , Olsmats Carl , Maturi Laura
Published: July 2020

Solar photovoltaic (PV) is becoming one of the most significant renewable sources for positive energy district (PED) in Sweden. The lack of innovative business models and financing mechanisms are the main constraints for PV’s deployment installed in local communities. This paper therefore proposes a peer-to-peer (P2P) business model for 48 individual building prosumers with PV installed in a Swedish community. It considers energy use behaviour, electricity/financial flows, ownerships and trading rules in a local electricity market. Different local electricity markets are designed and studied using agent-based modelling technique, with different energy demands, cost–benefit schemes and financial hypotheses for an optimal evaluation. This paper provides an early insight into a vast research space, i.e., the operation of an energy system through the constrained interaction of its constituting agents. The agents (48 households) show varying abilities in exploiting the common PV resource, as they achieve very heterogeneous self-sufficiency levels (from ca. 15% to 30%). The lack of demand side management suggests that social and lifestyle differences generate huge impacts on the ability to be self-sufficient with a shared, limited PV resource. Despite the differences in self-sufficiency, the sheer energy amount obtained from the shared PV correlates mainly with annual cumulative demand.
Response Surface Methodology for the Optimization of Keratinase Production in Culture Medium Containing Feathers by Bacillus sp. UPM-AAG1
Authors: Abdul Gafar Aa’ishah , Khayat Mohd Ezuan , Ahmad Siti Aqlima , Yasid Nur Adeela , Shukor Mohd Yunus
Published: July 2020

Keratinase is a type of proteolytic enzyme with broad application in industry. The main objective of this work is the optimization of keratinase production from Bacillus sp. strain UPM-AAG1 using Plackett-Burman (PB) and central composite design (CCD) for parameters, such as pH, temperature, feather concentration, and inoculum size. The optimum points for temperature, pH, and inoculum and feather concentrations were 31.66 °C, 6.87, 5.01 (w/v), and 4.53 (w/v), respectively, with an optimum keratinase activity of 60.55 U/mL. The keratinase activity was further numerically optimized for commercial application. The best numerical solution recommended a pH of 5.84, temperature of 25 °C, inoculums’ size of 5.0 (v/v), feather concentration of 4.97 (w/v). Optimization resulted an activity of 56.218 U/mL with the desirability value of 0.968. Amino acid analysis profile revealed the presence of essential and non-essential amino acids. These properties make Bacillus sp. UPM-AAG1 a potential bacterium to be used locally for the production of keratinase from feather waste.
Trend Analysis of Air Temperature in the Federal District of Brazil: 1980–2010
Authors: Steinke Valdir Adilson , Martins Palhares de Melo Luis Alberto , Luiz Melo Mamedes , Rodrigues da Franca Rafael , Luna Lucena Rebecca , Torres Steinke Ercilia
Published: July 2020

This study was designed to identify trends in maximum, minimum, and average air temperatures in the Federal District of Brazil from 1980 to 2010, measured at five weather stations. Three statistical tests (Wald–Wolfowitz, Cox–Stuart, and Mann–Kendall) were tested for their applicability for this purpose, and the ones found to be most suitable for the data series were validated. For this data sample, it was observed that the application of the Wald–Wolfowitz test and its validation by the Cox–Stuart and Mann–Kendall tests was the best solution for analyzing the air temperature trends. The results showed an upward trend in average and maximum air temperature at three weather stations, a downward trend at one, and the absence of any trend at two. If the trend of increasing air temperature in the Federal District persists, it could have a negative impact on various sectors of society, mainly on the health of the population, especially during the dry season when more cases of respiratory diseases are registered. These results could serve as inputs for public administrators involved in the planning and formulation of public policies.
Synthesis and Characterization of New Superconductors Materials
Authors: Gilioli Edmondo , Delmonte Davide
Published: July 2020

In the last few decades, the persisting scientific interest in high temperature superconductor (HTS) cuprates has been accompanied by the search for new families of superconducting compounds (SPCs) [...]
Postponing Distillability Sudden Death in a Correlated Dephasing Channel
Authors: Xue Guanghao , Qiu Liang
Published: July 2020

We investigated the dynamics of a two-qutrit system in a correlated quantum channel. The partial correlations between consecutive actions of the channel can effectively postpone the phenomenon of distillability sudden death (DSD) and broaden the range of the time cutoff that indicates entanglement of the positive partial transpose states. Particularly, the negativity of the system will revive and DSD will disappear in the fully correlated channel.
Data Mining in Entrepreneurial Competencies Diagnosis
Authors: Czyzewska Marta , Mroczek Teresa
Published: July 2020

The aim of the paper is to diagnose the entrepreneurship competency levels among students to identify differences in competencies and their levels regarding gender, material status, and professional situation. In addition, the goal of the analysis is to indicate the competencies that need to be strengthened among individual groups of students. The research was conducted using a questionnaire by The European Entrepreneurship Competence (EntreComp) framework that was sent to students at the Pedagogical University of Cracow and the Rzeszow University. The rule induction method enabled us to discover dependencies that were not obvious among different competencies of respondents and their status. The research revealed that the surveyed women had completely different competencies than men. Good financial status has a positive impact on the self-assessment of competencies and worse-cause difficulties in assessing business ideas. Unemployed students need stimulation to take action, seek funding, share ideas, and protect them. Students running their businesses are able to identify market needs. The results revealed the following implications: It is important to verify the EntreComp methodology to examine how different groups are evaluating their entrepreneurial competencies; the data mining technique enables discover of new knowledge based on regularities hidden in data; and the results can be used to tailor special teaching programs for developing skills that individual subgroups lack.
Virtual Sensing Directional Hub MAC (VSDH-MAC) Protocol with Power Control
Authors: Chau Arnold , Dawson John , Mitchell Paul , Loh Tian Hong
Published: July 2020

Medium access control (MAC) protocols play a vital role in making effective use of a multiple access channel as it governs the achievable performance such as channel utilization and corresponding quality of service of wireless sensor networks (WSNs). In this paper, a virtual carrier sensing directional hub (VSDH) MAC protocol incorporating realistic directional antenna patterns is proposed for directional single hub centralized WSNs. While in most instances, MAC protocols assume idealized directional antenna patterns, the proposed VSDH-MAC protocol incorporates realistic directional antenna patterns to deliver enhanced link performance. We demonstrate that the use of directional antennas with a suitable MAC protocol can provide enhanced communication range and increased throughput with reduced energy consumption at each node, compared to the case when only omnidirectional antennas are used. For the scenarios considered in this study, results show that the average transmit power of the sensor nodes can be reduced by a factor of two, and at the same time offer significantly extended lifetime.
Method for Scalable and Automatised Thermal Building Performance Documentation and Screening
Authors: Rasmussen Christoffer , Bacher Peder , Calì Davide , Nielsen Henrik Aalborg , Madsen Henrik
Published: July 2020

In Europe, more and more data on building energy use will be collected in the future as a result of the energy performance of buildings directive (EPBD), issued by the European Union. Moreover, both at European level and globally it became evident that the real energy performance of new buildings and the existing building stock needs to be documented better. Such documentation can, for example, be done with data-driven methods based on mathematical and statistical approaches. Even though the methods to extract energy performance characteristics of buildings are numerous, they are of varying reliability and often associated with a significant amount of human labour, making them hard to apply on a large scale. A classical approach to identify certain thermal performance parameters is the energy signature method. In this study, an automatised, nonlinear and smooth approach to the well-known energy signature is proposed, to quantify key thermal building performance parameters. The research specifically aims at describing the linear and nonlinear heat usage dependency on outdoor temperature, wind and solar irradiation. To make the model scalable, we realised it so that it only needs the daily average heat use of buildings, the outdoor temperature, the wind speed and the global solar irradiation. The results of applying the proposed method on heat consumption data from 16 different and randomly selected Danish occupied houses are analysed.
Response of Soil Microbial Community to C:N:P Stoichiometry along a Caragana korshinskii Restoration Gradient on the Loess Plateau, China
Authors: Zhang Xinyi , Li Wenjie , Zhong Zekun , Zhang Qingyue , Wang Xing , Han Xinhui , Ren Chengjie , Yang Gaihe
Published: July 2020

Soil microorganisms play crucial roles between plants and soil following afforestation. However, the relationship between the microbial community and carbon:nitrogen:phosphorus (C:N:P) stoichiometry in the plant–soil–microbe continuum remains unclear. In this study, we investigated this relationship by collecting plant and soil samples from Caragana korshinskii Kom. plantations with different years of afforestation (17-, 32-, and 42-year-old plantations), and from farmland. Illumina sequencing of the 16S rRNA and internal transcribed spacer (ITS) ribosomal RNA was used to examine the soil microbial community and the C, N, and P concentrations in plants, soil, and microbial biomass. Other soil characteristics were also measured. The results showed that the C and N concentrations in plants (leaves, herbs, and litter), soil, and microbial biomass increased as the vegetation restoration stage increased, but the P concentration in leaves and herbs slightly decreased. The C:P and N:P ratios in the plant–soil–microbe continuum substantially increased over time, particularly that of the microbial biomass. These results suggest that the unbalanced increase of C, N, and P following vegetation restoration may result in a P limitation in plant–soil systems. Moreover, bacterial and fungal alpha diversity significantly increased following afforestation. Afforestation had a greater impact on bacterial diversity (both alpha and beta diversity) than did fungal diversity. Among the dominant bacterial taxa, Proteobacteria increased significantly with afforestation time, whereas Actinobacteria decreased and Acidobacteria peaked in 32-year-old C. korshinskii plantations. However, there were no significant changes in the dominant fungal taxa. Collectively, we found that microbial diversity and dominant phyla were closely associated with the C:P and N:P ratios in the plant–soil–microbe continuum, particularly the N:P ratio. These results suggest that microbial diversity and composition may be limited by the imbalances of C, N, and especially P in afforested ecosystems, which provides evidence of linkages between microbial diversity and plant–soil systems in afforested ecosystems and could help in improving the predictions of sustainably restoring C. korshinskii plantations.
Effects of Mulligan Mobilization and Low-Level Laser Therapy on Physical Disability, Pain, and Range of Motion in Patients with Chronic Low Back Pain: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Seo U-Hyeok , Kim Jung-Hee , Lee Byoung-Hee
Published: July 2020

This study aimed to determine the combined treatment effects of Mulligan sustained natural apophyseal glides (SNAGs) and low-level laser therapy (LLLT) on function, pain, and range of motion (ROM) in patients with chronic low back pain. A total of 49 adults participated in this study and were randomly divided into three groups (SNAGs with LLLT group, SNAGs group, and control group). The participants in the SNAGs with LLLT group received SNAGs for 10 min, LLLT for 10 min, and electrotherapy for 10 min. The SNAGs group received SNAGs for 10 min and electrotherapy for 20 min. The control group received electrotherapy for 30 min. All participants received the assigned treatment for 30 min a day, 3 times a week, for 4 weeks. We used the visual analogue scale (VAS) to measure pain, the modified-modified Schober test (MMST) to measure ROM, and the Roland Morris disability questionnaire (RMDQ) to measure physical disability. Compared to the pre-intervention values, the VAS and MMST scores significantly increased after the intervention in the SNAGs with LLLT group (p = 0.000) and the SNAGs group (p = 0.000). The RMDQ score significantly improved in the SNAGs with LLLT (p = 0.000), SNAGs (p = 0.000) and control (p = 0.025) group after the intervention. The inter-group differences were greater for the SNAGs with LLLT and SNAGs groups than for the control group (p = 0.001), and the difference was greater for the SNAGs with LLLT than for the SNAGs (p = 0.001) with respect to the VAS, MMST, and RMDQ scores. These results indicate that significant improvement in pain, function, and ROM may be achieved by a combination of SNAGs and LLLT to treat chronic low back pain.
Industry 4.0 in Finance: The Impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) on Digital Financial Inclusion
Authors: Mhlanga David
Published: July 2020

This study sought to investigate the impact of AI on digital financial inclusion. Digital financial inclusion is becoming central in the debate on how to ensure that people who are at the lower levels of the pyramid become financially active. Fintech companies are using AI and its various applications to ensure that the goal of digital financial inclusion is realized that is to ensure that low-income earners, the poor, women, youths, small businesses participate in the mainstream financial market. This study used conceptual and documentary analysis of peer-reviewed journals, reports and other authoritative documents on AI and digital financial inclusion to assess the impact of AI on digital financial inclusion. The present study discovered that AI has a strong influence on digital financial inclusion in areas related to risk detection, measurement and management, addressing the problem of information asymmetry, availing customer support and helpdesk through chatbots and fraud detection and cybersecurity. Therefore, it is recommended that financial institutions and non-financial institutions and governments across the world adopt and scale up the use of AI tools and applications as they present benefits in the quest to ensure that the vulnerable groups of people who are not financially active do participate in the formal financial market with minimum challenges and maximum benefits.
Cationic Porphyrins as Effective Agents in Photodynamic Inactivation of Opportunistic Plumbing Pathogen Legionella pneumophila
Authors: Lesar Andrija , Mušković Martina , Begić Gabrijela , Lončarić Martin , Tomić Linšak Dijana , Malatesti Nela , Gobin Ivana
Published: July 2020

Legionella pneumophila is an environmental bacterium, an opportunistic premise plumbing pathogen that causes the Legionnaires’ disease. L. pneumophila presents a serious health hazard in building water systems, due to its high resistance to standard water disinfection methods. Our aim was to study the use of photodynamic inactivation (PDI) against Legionella. We investigated and compared the photobactericidal potential of five cationic dyes. We tested toluidine blue (TBO) and methylene blue (MB), and three 3-N-methylpyridylporphyrins, one tetra-cationic and two tri-cationic, one with a short (CH3) and the other with a long (C17H35) alkyl chain, against L. pneumophila in tap water and after irradiation with violet light. All tested dyes demonstrated a certain dark toxicity against L. pneumophila; porphyrins with lower minimal effective concentration (MEC) values than TBO and MB. Nanomolar MEC values, significantly lower than with TBO and MB, were obtained with all three porphyrins in PDI experiments, with amphiphilic porphyrin demonstrating the highest PDI activity. All tested dyes showed increasing PDI with longer irradiation (0–108 J/cm2), especially the two hydrophilic porphyrins. All three porphyrins caused significant changes in cell membrane permeability after irradiation and L. pneumophila, co-cultivated with Acanthamoeba castellanii after treatment with all three porphyrins and irradiation, did not recover in amoeba. We believe our results indicate the considerable potential of cationic porphyrins as effective anti-Legionella agents.
The Mitochondrial Proteomic Signatures of Human Skeletal Muscle Linked to Insulin Resistance
Authors: Kruse Rikke , Sahebekhtiari Navid , Højlund Kurt
Published: July 2020

Introduction: Mitochondria are essential in energy metabolism and cellular survival, and there is growing evidence that insulin resistance in chronic metabolic disorders, such as obesity, type 2 diabetes (T2D), and aging, is linked to mitochondrial dysfunction in skeletal muscle. Protein profiling by proteomics is a powerful tool to investigate mechanisms underlying complex disorders. However, despite significant advances in proteomics within the past two decades, the technologies have not yet been fully exploited in the field of skeletal muscle proteome. Area covered: Here, we review the currently available studies characterizing the mitochondrial proteome in human skeletal muscle in insulin-resistant conditions, such as obesity, T2D, and aging, as well as exercise-mediated changes in the mitochondrial proteome. Furthermore, we outline technical challenges and limitations and methodological aspects that should be considered when planning future large-scale proteomics studies of mitochondria from human skeletal muscle. Authors’ view: At present, most proteomic studies of skeletal muscle or isolated muscle mitochondria have demonstrated a reduced abundance of proteins in several mitochondrial biological processes in obesity, T2D, and aging, whereas the beneficial effects of exercise involve an increased content of muscle proteins involved in mitochondrial metabolism. Powerful mass-spectrometry-based proteomics now provides unprecedented opportunities to perform in-depth proteomics of muscle mitochondria, which in the near future is expected to increase our understanding of the complex molecular mechanisms underlying the link between mitochondrial dysfunction and insulin resistance in chronic metabolic disorders.
The Role of the Epididymis and the Contribution of Epididymosomes to Mammalian Reproduction
Authors: James Emma R. , Carrell Douglas T. , Aston Kenneth I. , Jenkins Timothy G. , Yeste Marc , Salas-Huetos Albert
Published: July 2020

It is well-established that testicular spermatozoa are immature and acquire motility and fertilization capabilities during transit throughout the epididymis. The epididymis is a duct-like organ that connects the testis to the vas deferens and is comprised of four anatomical regions: the initial segment, caput, corpus, and cauda. Sperm maturation occurs during epididymal transit by the interaction of sperm cells with the unique luminal environment of each epididymal region. In this review we discuss the epididymis as an essential reproductive organ responsible for sperm concentration, maturation (including sperm motility acquisition and fertilizing ability), protection and storage. Importantly, we also discuss specific characteristics and roles of epididymal-derived exosomes (epididymosomes) in establishing sperm competency within the intricate process of reproduction. This review suggests that an increasing body of evidence is working to develop a complete picture of the role of the epididymis in male reproduction, offspring health, and disease susceptibility.
RSA-CP-IDABE: A Secure Framework for Multi-User and Multi-Owner Cloud Environment
Authors: Chandel Sonali , Yang Geng , Chakravarty Sumit
Published: July 2020

Cloud has become one of the most widely used technologies to store data due to its availability, flexibility, and low cost. At the same time, the security, integrity, and privacy of data that needs to be stored on the cloud is the primary threat for cloud deployment. However, the increase in cloud utilization often results in the creation of a multi-user cloud environment, which requires its owners to manage and monitor the data more effectively. The security of information faces an additional threat, which is related to the increasing number of users and owners who deal with the data stored on the cloud. Many researchers have developed several frameworks and algorithms to address the security issues of the cloud environment. In the present work, a novel algorithm is proposed with the integration of Ciphertext Policy-Identity Attribute-based Encryption (CP-IDABE) and the Rivest–Shamir–Adelman (RSA) algorithm for securing the cloud. Both the owners and users are provided with the public and distinct secret keys that are generated by the Automated Certificate Authority (ACA). The attribute policy differentiates between the user and owner for accessing the cloud data. The proposed RSA-CP-IDABE algorithm also prevents the Man in the Middle (MITM) attack effectively. The performance of the proposed algorithm is evaluated for its time used for encryption, decryption, and execution for varying sizes of data. The obtained results are compared with the existing framework to show its effectiveness. The proposed algorithm can be enhanced with the revocation of privileges in the future.
An Approach for a Wide Dynamic Range Low-Noise Current Readout Circuit
Authors: Wang Wei , Sonkusale Sameer
Published: July 2020

Designing low-noise current readout circuits at high speed is challenging. There is a need for preamplification stages to amplify weak input currents before being processed by conventional integrator based readout. However, the high current gain preamplification stage usually limits the dynamic range. This article presents a 140 dB input dynamic range low-noise current readout circuit with a noise floor of 10 fArms/sq(Hz). The architecture uses a programmable bidirectional input current gain stage followed by an integrator-based analog-to-pulse conversion stage. The programmable current gains setting enables one to achieve higher overall input dynamic range. The readout circuit is designed and in 0.18 μm CMOS and consumes 10.3 mW power from a 1.8 V supply. The circuit has been verified using post-layout simulations.
The Viral Hypothesis in Alzheimer’s Disease: Novel Insights and Pathogen-Based Biomarkers
Authors: Naughton Sean X , Raval Urdhva , Pasinetti Giulio M.
Published: July 2020

Early diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and the identification of significant risk factors are necessary to better understand disease progression, and to develop intervention-based therapies prior to significant neurodegeneration. There is thus a critical need to establish biomarkers which can predict the risk of developing AD before the onset of cognitive decline. A number of studies have indicated that exposure to various microbial pathogens can accelerate AD pathology. Additionally, several studies have indicated that amyloid-β possess antimicrobial properties and may act in response to infection as a part of the innate immune system. These findings have led some to speculate that certain types of infections may play a significant role in AD pathogenesis. In this review, we will provide an overview of studies which suggest pathogen involvement in AD. Additionally, we will discuss a number of pathogen-associated biomarkers which may be effective in establishing AD risk. Infections that increase the risk of AD represent a modifiable risk factor which can be treated with therapeutic intervention. Pathogen-based biomarkers may thus be a valuable tool for evaluating and decreasing AD risk across the population.
First Total Synthesis of 5′-O-α-d-Glucopyranosyl Tubercidin
Authors: Ouyang Wenliang , Huang Haiyang , Yang Ruchun , Ding Haixin , Xiao Qiang
Published: July 2020

The first total synthesis of 5′-O-α-d-glucopyranosyl tubercidin was successfully developed. It is a structurally unique disaccharide 7-deazapurine nucleoside exhibiting fungicidal activity, and was isolated from blue-green algae. The total synthesis was accomplished in eight steps with 27% overall yield from commercially available 1-O-acetyl-2,3,5-tri-O-benzoyl-β-d-ribose. The key step involves stereoselective α-O-glycosylation of the corresponding 7-bromo-6-chloro-2′,3′-O-isopropylidene-β-d-tubercidin with 2,3,4,6-tetra-O-benzyl-glucopyranosyl trichloroacetimidate. All spectra are in accordance with the reported data for natural 5′-O-α-d-glucopyranosyl tubercidin. Meanwhile, 5′-O-β-d-glucopyranosyl tubercidin was also prepared using the same strategy.
Effect of Mo Addition on The Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of CoCuFeNi High Entropy Alloy
Authors: Shao Yang , Ma Huan , Wang Yibing
Published: July 2020

In order to reveal the effect of Mo addition on the microstructure and mechanical properties, (CoCuFeNi)100-xMox (x = 0, 10, 15, 19, and 25, x values in atomic ratio) high entropy alloys were prepared by vacuum arc-melting. The results showed that with Mo addition, the μ phase formed and serious separation occurred in the high entropy alloys. The content of μ phase increased with the increase in Mo content. The microstructure of the alloys changed from an initial single-phase face-center-cubic (FCC) solid solution structure (x = 0) to a hypoeutectic microstructure (x = 15), then to a full eutectic microstructure (x = 19), and finally to a hypereutectic microstructure (x = 25). Coherent interface between μ phase and FCC phase was observed. The (CoCuFeNi)81Mo19 alloy with fully eutectic microstructures exhibited the highest yield strength of 557 MPa and fracture strength of 767 MPa in tensile tests at room temperature. The fracture surface revealed that the formation of great amounts of the μ phase resulted in the loss of ductility of (CoCuFeNi)100-xMox alloys.
Fatigue Corrosion Behavior of Friction Welded Dissimilar Joints in Different Testing Conditions
Authors: Rossi Stefano , Russo Francesca , Lemmi Alberto Maria , Benedetti Matteo , Fontanari Viglio
Published: July 2020

Our study will be focused on stainless steel AISI 304—carbon steel ASTM A105 joints obtained by rotary friction welding and on their fatigue corrosion behavior in different testing environments. As a first thing, the joints will be characterized by microscopy and electrochemical techniques. The manuscript will then describe the optimization of the experimental setup and the validation of the testing procedure. After that, the fatigue behavior of the joints will be tested in different aggressive environments. This study pointed out that it is possible to build a simple and low-cost setup for the study of fatigue corrosion behavior of dissimilar joints while exploiting in situ electrochemical measurements to follow the fatigue corrosion process.
Continuous ES/Feeder Cell-Sorting Device Using Dielectrophoresis and Controlled Fluid Flow
Authors: Takahashi Yuuwa , Miyata Shogo
Published: July 2020

Pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) are considered as being an important cell source for regenerative medicine. The culture of PSCs usually requires a feeder cell layer or cell adhesive matrix coating such as Matrigel, laminin, and gelatin. Although a feeder-free culture using a matrix coating has been popular, the on-feeder culture is still an effective method for the fundamental study of regenerative medicine and stem cell biology. To culture PSCs on feeder cell layers, the elimination of feeder cells is required for biological or gene analysis and for cell passage. Therefore, a simple and cost-effective cell sorting technology is required. There are several commercialized cell-sorting methods, such as FACS or MACS. However, these methods require cell labeling by fluorescent dye or magnetic antibodies with complicated processes. To resolve these problems, we focused on dielectrophoresis (DEP) phenomena for cell separation because these do not require any fluorescent or magnetic dyes or antibodies. DEP imposes an electric force on living cells under a non-uniform AC electric field. The direction and magnitude of the DEP force depend on the electric property and size of the cell. Therefore, DEP is considered as a promising approach for sorting PSCs from feeder cells. In this study, we developed a simple continuous cell-sorting device using the DEP force and fluid-induced shear force. As a result, mouse embryonic stem cells (mESCs) were purified from a mixed-cell suspension containing mESCs and mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) using our DEP cell-sorting device.
To-Do and Not-To-Do in Model Studies of the Uptake, Fate and Metabolism of Metal-Containing Nanoparticles in Plants
Authors: Wojcieszek Justyna , Jiménez-Lamana Javier , Ruzik Lena , Szpunar Joanna , Jarosz Maciej
Published: July 2020

Due to the increasing release of metal-containing nanoparticles into the environment, the investigation of their interactions with plants has become a hot topic for many research fields. However, the obtention of reliable data requires a careful design of experimental model studies. The behavior of nanoparticles has to be comprehensively investigated; their stability in growth media, bioaccumulation and characterization of their physicochemical forms taken-up by plants, identification of the species created following their dissolution/oxidation, and finally, their localization within plant tissues. On the basis of their strong expertise, the authors present guidelines for studies of interactions between metal-containing nanoparticles and plants.
Highly Sensitive UV Photodiode Composed of β-Polyfluorene/YZnO Nanorod Organic-Inorganic Hybrid Heterostructure
Authors: Lee Youngmin , Kim Soo Youn , Kim Deuk Young , Lee Sejoon
Published: July 2020

The highly sensitive ultra-violet (UV) photodiode was demonstrated on the organic-inorganic hybrid heterostructure of β-phase p-type polyfluorene (PFO)/n-type yttrium-doped zinc oxide nanorods (YZO-NRs). The device was fabricated through a simple fabrication technique of β-phase PFO coating onto YZO-NRs that had been directly grown on graphene by the hydrothermal synthesis method. Under UV illumination (λ = 365 nm), the device clearly showed excellent photoresponse characteristics (e.g., high quantum efficiency ~690%, high photodetectivity ~3.34 × 1012 cm·Hz1/2·W−1, and fast response time ~0.17 s). Furthermore, the ratio of the photo current-to-dark current exceeds 103 even under UV illumination with a small optical power density of 0.6 mW/cm2. We attribute such superb photoresponse characteristics to both Y incorporation into YZO-NRs and conformation of β-phase PFO. Namely, Y dopants could effectively reduce surface states at YZO-NRs, and β-phase PFO might increase the photocarrier conductivity in PFO. The results suggest that the β-phase p-PFO/n-YZO-NR hybrid heterostructure holds promise for high-performance UV photodetectors.
Desaturase Activity and the Risk of Type 2 Diabetes and Coronary Artery Disease: A Mendelian Randomization Study
Authors: Jäger Susanne , Cuadrat Rafael , Hoffmann Per , Wittenbecher Clemens , Schulze Matthias B.
Published: July 2020

Estimated Δ5-desaturase (D5D) and Δ6-desaturase (D6D) are key enzymes in metabolism of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) and have been associated with cardiometabolic risk; however, causality needs to be clarified. We applied two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) approach using a representative sub-cohort of the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC)–Potsdam Study and public data from DIAbetes Genetics Replication And Meta-analysis (DIAGRAM) and Coronary ARtery DIsease Genome wide Replication and Meta-analysis (CARDIoGRAM) genome-wide association studies (GWAS). Furthermore, we addressed confounding by linkage disequilibrium (LD) as all instruments from FADS1 (encoding D5D) are in LD with FADS2 (encoding D6D) variants. Our univariable MRs revealed risk-increasing total effects of both, D6D and D5D on type 2 diabetes (T2DM) risk; and risk-increasing total effect of D6D on risk of coronary artery disease (CAD). The multivariable MR approach could not unambiguously allocate a direct causal effect to either of the individual desaturases. Our results suggest that D6D is causally linked to cardiometabolic risk, which is likely due to downstream production of fatty acids and products resulting from high D6D activity. For D5D, we found indication for causal effects on T2DM and CAD, which could, however, still be confounded by LD.
Immune Control of Herpesvirus Infection in Molluscs
Authors: Agius Jacinta R , Corbeil Serge , Helbig Karla J
Published: July 2020

Molluscan herpesviruses that are capable of infecting economically important species of abalone and oysters have caused significant losses in production due to the high mortality rate of infected animals. Current methods in preventing and controlling herpesviruses in the aquacultural industry are based around biosecurity measures which are impractical and do not contain the virus as farms source their water from oceans. Due to the lack of an adaptive immune system in molluscs, vaccine related therapies are not a viable option; therefore, a novel preventative strategy known as immune priming was recently explored. Immune priming has been shown to provide direct protection in oysters from Ostreid herpesvirus-1, as well as to their progeny through trans-generational immune priming. The mechanisms of these processes are not completely understood, however advancements in the characterisation of the oyster immune response has assisted in formulating potential hypotheses. Limited literature has explored the immune response of abalone infected with Haliotid herpesvirus as well as the potential for immune priming in these species, therefore, more research is required in this area to determine whether this is a practical solution for control of molluscan herpesviruses in an aquaculture setting.
Game Theoretic Honeypot Deployment in Smart Grid
Authors: Diamantoulakis Panagiotis , Dalamagkas Christos , Radoglou-Grammatikis Panagiotis , Sarigiannidis Panagiotis , Karagiannidis George
Published: July 2020

The smart grid provides advanced functionalities, including real-time monitoring, dynamic energy management, advanced pricing mechanisms, and self-healing, by enabling the two-way flow of power and data, as well as the use of Internet of Things (IoT) technologies and devices. However, converting the traditional power grids to smart grids poses severe security challenges and makes their components and services prone to cyber attacks. To this end, advanced techniques are required to mitigate the impact of the potential attacks. In this paper, we investigate the use of honeypots, which are considered to mimic the common services of the smart grid and are able to detect unauthorized accesses, collect evidence, and help hide the real devices. More specifically, the interaction of an attacker and a defender is considered, who both optimize the number of attacks and the defending system configuration, i.e., the number of real devices and honeypots, respectively, with the aim to maximize their individual payoffs. To solve this problem, game theoretic tools are used, considering an one-shot game and a repeated game with uncertainty about the payoff of the attacker, where the Nash Equilibrium (NE) and the Bayesian NE are derived, respectively. Finally, simulation results are provided, which illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed framework.
The Association between Family Structure Changes and High School Completion in South Africa
Authors: Bengesai Annah Vimbai , Nzimande Nompumelelo
Published: July 2020

Over the past few years, family structures have been dramatically transformed, yet limited research from South Africa has assessed the effect on children’s developmental outcomes. Using data from the National Income Dynamics Study, we aim to contribute to the literature by examining the relationship between family structure disruption and high school completion in South Africa. Our sample consisted of 1649 young people who were aged 12, 13 and 14 in 2008 and their educational attainment was tracked through to 2017. The results from the logistic regression analysis demonstrate that family structure disruption is negatively associated with high school completion. After controlling for variation in household income change, the child’s educational factors and socio-demographic controls, young people who experienced a change from a co-resident family or were in stable non-resident parent family structures were up to 50% less likely to complete high school relative to those from undisrupted co-resident parent family structures. Given that family structure disruption is a widespread phenomenon in South Africa, research should consider it as a key determinant of educational attainment and policymakers should come up with holistic interventions to support families as well as allocate public resources in ways that can help reduce educational inequalities.
Managing Soils for Recovering from the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Lal Rattan , Brevik Eric C. , Dawson Lorna , Field Damien , Glaser Bruno , Hartemink Alfred E. , Hatano Ryusuke , Lascelles Bruce , Monger Curtis , Scholten Thomas , Singh Bal Ram , Spiegel Heide , Terribile Fabio , Basile Angelo , Zhang Yakun , Horn Rainer , Kosaki Takashi , Sánchez Laura Bertha Reyes
Published: July 2020

The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the global food supply chain and exacerbated the problem of food and nutritional insecurity. Here we outline soil strategies to strengthen local food production systems, enhance their resilience, and create a circular economy focused on soil restoration through carbon sequestration, on-farm cycling of nutrients, minimizing environmental pollution, and contamination of food. Smart web-based geospatial decision support systems (S-DSSs) for land use planning and management is a useful tool for sustainable development. Forensic soil science can also contribute to cold case investigations, both in providing intelligence and evidence in court and in ascertaining the provenance and safety of food products. Soil can be used for the safe disposal of medical waste, but increased understanding is needed on the transfer of virus through pedosphere processes. Strengthening communication between soil scientists and policy makers and improving distance learning techniques are critical for the post-COVID restoration.
Combined Effect of Outdoor Microclimate Boundary Conditions on Air Conditioning System’s Efficiency and Building Energy Demand in Net Zero Energy Settlements
Authors: Piselli Cristina , Di Grazia Matteo , Pisello Anna Laura
Published: July 2020

In Europe, near zero energy buildings (NZEBs) represent the new frontier of energy efficiency in the built environment. Shifting the scale from NZEBs to net zero energy (NZE) settlements represents the opportunity to achieve further energy, environmental, and cost benefits, thanks to shared energy management, optimization of renewable energy systems, and microclimate mitigation. In particular, the last aspect takes advantage of the implementation of local microclimate mitigation strategies at a larger scale to improve settlements outdoor environmental conditions and citizens’ wellbeing. Furthermore, this inter-building scale mitigation involves relatively less severe working boundary conditions for buildings, able to both reduce building energy demand and improve HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) system’s efficiency. In this study, this potential extra-energy saving, achievable without additional costs, is explored within the framework of a NZE settlement built in Italy thanks to an ongoing Horizon 2020 project. Improved working conditions for the operating air conditioning system and building energy savings thanks to settlement scale opportunities for microclimate mitigation are assessed. Findings show how this effect represents a further non-negligible energy-efficient and environmentally sustainable benefit achievable through the design and construction of NZE settlements. Potential energy savings are up to 24% when considering the double effect of microclimate mitigation.
Selected Papers from the Eurasian Conference on Educational Innovation 2020
Authors: Meen Teen-Hang , Tijus Charles , Tu Jui-Che
Published: July 2020

The 3rd Eurasian Conference on Educational Innovation 2020 (ECEI 2020) was held in Hanoi, Vietnam from 5–7 February 2020. The Special Issue “Selected Papers from the Eurasian Conference on Educational Innovation 2020” selected excellent papers from ECEI 2020 about the topics of education and awareness of sustainability. There were 36 papers published in this Special Issue from 366 papers presented at ECEI 2020. The topics of published papers are relative to educational innovation, socioeconomic, scientific, cultural, and social sustainability, and integrated approaches to sustainable development. The aim is to encourage the attendees of ECEI 2020 to publish their novel experimental and theoretical research relating to educational innovation and awareness of sustainability in this Special Issue.
Impacts of Rapid Changes of Land Cover and Intensive Human Activities on Avarga Toson Lake Area, Mongolia
Authors: Mandakh Urtnasan , Ganbat Danzanchadav , Batsaikhan Bayartungalag , Dalantai Sainbayar , Adiya Zolzaya , Bayasgalan Natsagsuren , Bayarsaikhan Sainbuyan , Borjigidai Almaz , Long Chunlin
Published: July 2020

Avarga Toson Lake and its surrounding area are very important for people, wildlife, and animals in Delgerkhaan Soum of Khentii Province in Eastern Mongolia. Some research has been conducted so as to explore the medical nature and characteristics of the lake and its surrounding area. However, the adverse effects of land use have neither been studied nor reported. The fact that the water catchment area is shrinking evidences clearly that findings of various real-time studies must be used effectively in the long-term by the local government and relevant authorities in order to take immediate remedial measures. Our study focused on land cover changes occurring as a result of human activities in the area, using a Landsat imageries and water indices approach to estimate the changes of land use and land cover. The aims of this study were to assess the land use and cover change that occurred between 1989 and 2018 and to define the impacting factors on the changes of water surface area in Avarga Toson Lake area, Mongolia. Findings revealed that the water surface area has decreased by 34.1% in the past 30 years. The lake water area had the weakest, positive correlation with temperature and precipitation. We did not find any indicators suggesting a relationship between lake area and climate variables. In contrast, the area was slightly correlated with socio-economic variables, such as Toson Lake area with the number of visitors (R2 = 0.89) and Burd Lake area the with number of livestocks (R2 = 0.75), respectively. Therefore, the main conclusion of this paper is that socioeconomic factors driven by land use change, policy, and institutional failure together with the existing pressure on the lake may amplify their effect of the water surface area decreasing. Additionally, even if policy adoption is relatively sufficient in the country, the public institutional capacity to implement a successful sustainable land management model regarding land access, land development, land resources protection, land market, and investments in infrastructure remains very limited.