bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Utilizing 3D printing for prosthetic limbs in developing nations and conflict zones
Authors: Rosenberger Madeline Rae
Published: April 2020

Traditional methods of prosthetics fabrication are slow, messy, inaccessible and prohibitively expensive, particularly in developing nations and conflict areas. The development of 3D printing technology allows for prosthetics to be made cost-effectively with an added degree of customization and personalization not previously utilized. 3D printing is quickly expanding in the field of prosthetics, but has rarely been implemented in developing nations or countries in armed conflict, despite these areas having the largest number of amputees and the greatest shortage of prosthetics. Resource-poor areas can use 3D printing as a means of providing prosthetic care for local amputees, as this technology is uniquely suited to help amputees acquire high-quality, affordable, comfortable prosthetics. The use of 3D printing can fulfil the critically unmet need for culturally appropriate prosthetic technology and alleviate many of the psychosocial effects suffered by amputees worldwide, but only if such programmes are implemented properly. This synthesized literature review provides information on the process of, usage for and benefits of utilizing 3D printing for prosthetic limbs.
Under pressure: Psychological perspectives on letterpress, craft and well-being
Authors: Squire Victoria , Homer Sophie R.
Published: April 2020

Arts and crafts are widely considered to be psychologically beneficial. Letterpress, as a traditional method of printing, was made redundant by computers in the later twentieth century but has enjoyed a 'rebirth' in recent years. There are a growing number of independent presses, and universities who are recognizing its potential as a pedagogical tool. As a printing method, it is no longer a necessity, so what is its role going forward? The techniques are not lost, but their value has changed. As a craft, letterpress has several distinctive qualities, particularly when compared to digital alternatives. When working with letterpress, students are no longer alone at their desks. Rather, the letterpress workshop is a social, communal space. In this article we reflect on the resurgence of letterpress as a celebration of culture and heritage: a coming together of like-minded individuals in a community of action. What is the value of enabling students to immerse themselves in letterpress, and what are the effects of this immersion on the practitioner and their well-being? There is a shift in focus of letterpress from output – mass-produced printed media – to process. We analyse the unique qualities of this process – its physicality, the restrictions it imposes and the latitude it allows – and explore links to mental and physical health and well-being. This position paper explores the practical, conceptual and emotional dimensions of letterpress as a craft. It draws upon personal reflection, observation and anecdotal accounts collected over years of teaching (V. S.), while offering psychological perspectives on the links between letterpress, craft and well-being (S. R. H.).
PROBLEMS OF LEGAL REGULATION OF EXTRACORPORAL FERTILIZATION
Authors: Golovina N.N. , Kiryushina I.V.
Published: April 2020

The regulatory environment lags behind developing social relations is quite natural. However, the gapin the domain of legal regulation of assisted reproductive technology has become excessive. Despite theextensive practices of using such technologies, at the legislative level even the question of what an embryoand an object or a subject of law are, has not been solved yet. The paper explores analysis of approaches tosolving this issue, expressed both in the juridical literature and legal precedents (including foreign ones).The approaches to solving the problem of disposing an embryo in a conflict between potential parents and incase of death of one or both of them are analyzed. The authors conclude that it is necessary to legislate thedefinition of an embryo and the characterization of its right status at the legislative level. It is necessary toregulate in detail the assessment of the quality of the provision of medical services in the field of reproductivemedicine
ADMISSIBILITY OF PROVIDING INFORMATION CONSTITUTING MEDICAL CONFIDENTIALITY IN THE PUBLIC INTEREST
Authors: Serebryakov A.A.
Published: April 2020

The article is devoted to this type of confidential information about a citizen, as information constitutinga medical secret. The legal regime of medical confidentiality is considered in the context of its relationshipwith personal secrecy and the right to privacy. The author concludes that initially information about thehealth of a citizen is protected under the regime of personal secrets. Herewith, the regime of medicalconfidentiality is called upon to provide additional guarantees to ensure the citizen’s right to confidentialinformation regarding his health. It has been established that restrictions on a citizen’s right to privacy andpersonal secrecy may arise from the characteristics of the legal regime of other types of secrets. Thus, theconsolidation in Russian law of the grounds for providing information constituting medical confidentiality tothird parties without the consent of a citizen by their nature and legal consequences limits the citizen’s rightsto privacy. At the same time, such restrictions can be justified if they are designed to ensure the protection ofpublic interests. On the example of road safety, the shortcomings of the existing legal regulation are shown.
The stability of aggregates and organic carbon content after the application of gypsum, soil scarification and a succession of agricultural crops
Authors: Santos Eduardo Santos Neves dos , Campos Milton César Costa , Souza Fernando Gomes de , Cunha Jose Mauricio , Pinheiro Elyenayra Nogueira , Lima Alan Ferreira Leite de , Brito Wildson Benedito Mendes , Wadt Paulo Guilherme Salvador
Published: April 2020

Studies related to the monitoring of soil quality by physical attributes are important for the evaluation and maintenance of the sustainability of agricultural systems, besides indicating the appropriate management of the environment, aiming at its conservation and productivity. The objective of this study was to evaluate the stability of aggregates and organic carbon after the application of gypsum, soil scarification and a succession of crops. The treatments consisted of an absence and addition of gypsum, absence and presence of soil scarification, and three systems of crops in succession. The experimental design was made of randomized blocks, in a 2x2x4 factorial scheme, with eight replications. The aggregates were evaluated as stabled in water and soil organic carbon content. The treatment where gypsum was applied, as well as the soybean/maize/brachiaria/fallow (SMBF) succession system, presented better results in soil aggregation and higher levels of organic carbon.
Reliability of an isometric test for measuring the strength of the hip abductors and adductors
Authors: Silva Manoella Regina de Souza , Da Silva Thiago Keitiney Souza Teixeira , Delmondes Junior Valdemi Xavier , Araújo Silvia Ribeiro Santos , Calvo Adriano Percival Calderaro , Ferreira Jacielle Carolina
Published: April 2020

This study aimed to measure the reliability of a test for measuring the strength and strength imbalance of the hip abductors and adductors, using isokinetic equipment adapted for isometric testing. Thirteen healthy, physically active male individuals took part in the research. Two unilateral isometric tests were undertaken using a load cell attached to an adapted abductor bench machine: a hip abduction test and hip adduction test. Tests consisted of two maximum voluntary isometric contractions made for six seconds with a break of one minute between each. The following dynamic variables were measured: maximum force, mean force, rate of force development for each limb (right and left), and the existence of asymmetries between the limbs. For statistical analysis, the t-test, intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), and standard error of measurement (SEM) were applied. Results: The methodology utilized for the evaluation of the hip abductors and adductors did not show reliability in most of the parameters researched, with the ICC neither sufficient or low, and the retest performance higher than the test (p < 0.05). The applied test was not reliable for assessing strength and strength imbalances of hip abductors and adductors in most of the parameters investigated. These results indicate that the hip joints, more precisely, the abductor and adductor muscles, are complex structures to be assessed. They need to be previously familiarized with the proposed exercise, as their performance does not occur habitually. It is recommended to develop new tests in order to measure hip abduction and adduction strength adding a prior familiarization procedure.
The retranslocation of boron is influenced by the nutritional status of cherry tomato plants
Authors: Pogorzelski Denison Queiroz , Pinheiro Daniel Teixeira , De Queiroz Vanessa , Alexandre Jaqueline do Carmo , Faria Arlindo Ferreira de , Martinez Herminia Emilia Prieto
Published: April 2020

Boron (B) retranslocation may confer greater tolerance to B deficiency or toxicity, resulting in plants and fruits with better nutritional quality. Most plants do not demonstrate phloem mobility for B; however, some plants have natural mobility and others express it under stress conditions, such as nutritional stress. Therefore, we investigated the phloem mobility of B in cherry tomato plants with different nutritional status. The plants were cultivated in nutrient solution with adequate and insufficient doses of Potassium (K) and B. Furthermore, the plants received foliar fertilization with B in a mature leaf (F) in a localized form. The B content and amount in leaves near F were compared with leaves of the same age and position on control plants. The experiment was carried out in a protected environment and conducted in a randomized complete block design in a subdivided plot scheme with four replicates. Re-translocation of B between neighboring leaves was observed when the plant was without K deficiency and with B deficiency. In this nutritional status, leaves next to fertilized leaf with B (F) showed higher B amount when compared to leaves of the same position of control plants. Evidence suggests that retranslocation of B over relatively short distances (between leaves) can be influenced by the nutritional status the cherry tomato plants.
Potassium supplying capacity of some lowland soils under potassium fertilization and successive croppings
Authors: Steiner Fábio , Lana Maria do Carmo , Zoz Tiago , Zuffo Alan Mario
Published: April 2020

The effects of intense cropping and potassium fertilization on potassium (K) dynamics and non-exchangeable K release from three lowland soils of Paraná State, Brazil, were investigated in this study. Samples of three lowland soils were fertilized or not with K and subjected to six successive croppings (soybeans, pearl millet, wheat, common beans, soybeans, and maize). The crops were grown in 8-L pots for 45 days, and at the end of the sixth cropping, the soil from each pot was sampled to the determination of soil K pools. The lowland soils differ in the ability to K supply to the plants in the short to medium term due to the wide range of origin material and the concentration of K in solution, exchangeable K, non-exchangeable K, and structural K. When the soils were not fertilized with K, the successive cropping resulted in continuous depletion process of non-exchangeable and exchangeable K; however, this depletion was less pronounced in soils with a higher potential buffer capacity of K. Non-exchangeable and exchangeable K concentrations were increased with the addition of K fertilizer, indicating the occurrence of K fixation in soil. The non-exchangeable K contribution to K nutrition of plants ranged from 44 to 69% in the treatments without the addition of K fertilizer, reporting the importance of non-exchangeable K pools in the supply of this nutrient to plants in agricultural production systems.
Simulated drift of dicamba and 2,4-D on soybeans: effects of application dose and time
Authors: Costa Estevam Matheus , Jakelaitis Adriano , Zuchi Jacson , Pereira Leandro Spíndola , Ventura Matheus Vinícius Abadia , Oliveira Gustavo Silva de , Sousa Gustavo Dorneles de , Silva Jeovane Nascimento
Published: April 2020

The use of soybean varieties resistant to the herbicides dicamba and 2,4-D may lead to drifts towards areas grown with non-resistant varieties. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of dicamba and 2,4-D underdoses applied at the phenological stages V4 and R2 of soybeans. Two experiments were conducted with dicamba or 2,4-D in a randomized block design with four replications. The 4 × 2 + 1 factorial scheme was composed of four doses (0.028, 0.28, 2.8, and 28 g ae ha−1) of dicamba or 2,4-D applied at two phenological stages (V4 and R2) + a control treatment (without herbicide application). Dicamba underdoses caused damage to soybean crop affecting its vegetative growth and yield; the injuries caused by 2,4-D were neither enough to damage crop nor affect yield components. Dicamba underdoses applied at V4 caused injuries of up to 41%, while in R2 they reached 70%. Plant height decreased by up to 61% when treated with dicamba. Soybean yield was reduced by 29 and 76% when the simulated drift occurred at V4 and R2, respectively, and at a dose of 28 g ae ha−1 of dicamba. For the tested underdoses, only 2,4-D had no effect in soybean crop yield.
Spray drift and efficacy from glyphosate and 2,4-D applications with adjuvants
Authors: Alves Guilherme Sousa , Cunha João Paulo Arantes Rodrigues da , Landim Thiago Nunes , Silva Sérgio Macedo , Alves Thales Cassemiro , Goulart Caio Silva
Published: April 2020

Weed plants are one of main factors that affect the production of oilseed crops. Their management have been based on chemical control with herbicides, like glyphosate and 2,4-D, due to usefulness and efficiency of applications. However, their use must be managed correctly to mitigate the spray drift. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate efficacy and spray drift from glyphosate and 2,4-D applications with adjuvants. The drift evaluation of herbicide solutions was conducted in a split-plot arranged in a randomized block design with five replications. Main plots consisted of three herbicide solutions at 150 L ha-1 (glyphosate + 2,4-D, glyphosate + 2,4-D + sodium lauryl ether sulphate, and glyphosate + 2,4-D + fatty acid esters). Sub-plots consisted of five downwind distances (1 to 10 m) from the sprayed area. It was used a fluorecent tracer and drift colectors. The efficacy trial was performed in a randomized block design with four replications in a 3 x 2 factorial scheme, being the same herbicide solutions and two carrier volumes (75 and 150 L ha-1). Droplet spectrum and weed depositon were evaluated and physicochemical properties of the herbicide solutions were characterized. Glyphosate + 2,4-D with or without adjuvants, sprayed using 75 or 150 L ha-1, resulted in similar deposition of tracer on weeds and their control. Those herbicides associated or not with sodium lauryl ether sulphate and fatty acid esters produce similar droplet spectrum and deposition of tracer on drift collectors.
Comparative molecular studies of halophilic bacteria from saline water and soil in the Saudi environment
Authors: Ahmed Mohamed Morsi M. , Khan Md. Mohibul Alam , Al-Garni Saleh M. S. , Bora Roop Singh , Kabli Saleh A.
Published: April 2020

Halophilic bacteria are a microorganism that grows optimally in the presence of the very high concentration of sodium chloride. Halophiles are vital sources of various enzymes including hydrolases, which are very stable and catalytically highly efficient at high salt concentration and other extreme conditions such as high temperature, pH and presence of organic solvents.  Several hydrolases such as amylases, proteases, and lipases have been obtained from halophilic bacteria and are commonly used for various industrial applications. We initiated a screening project to isolate and characterize the halophilic bacteria from the Red Sea, which is one of the saltiest bodies of water in the world. Water and soil samples, collected from the Red Sea coast, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, were screened for isolation of halophilic bacteria. Ten bacterial isolates were obtained, which were characterized by biochemical tests and 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Hydrolase producing bacteria among the isolates were screened by plate assay on starch and gelatin agar plates for amylase and protease, respectively.  Two bacterial isolates i.e Bacillus haynesii and Enterobacter cloacae subsp. were found to possess significant amylase and protease activity. Further characterization of both the strains is in progress.
Factors Affecting Knowledge Commercialization in University, A Case Study
Authors: Biranvand Ali
Published: April 2020

Commercialisation is accounted as the third mission of the universities; it is the idea expressing that the universities play a socio-economic role. The current research paper attempts to identify and rank the factors influencing the process of commercializing the research results of Payam-e-Noor University (PNU) to recognise the extent to which the identified factors are influential to pave the way for offering a structural-interpretational model of commercialisation according to the present study’s findings. The delineation of a structural-interpretational model based on the investigation of the factors influencing the commercialisation of the researches’ results contributes to the managers and decision-makers in the area of knowledge commercialisation to, meanwhile paying attention to the existent factors offered in the influential and basic levels, set the ground for the corroboration and improvement of the statuses of the existent influential factors in higher levels of the model thereby to bring about an increase in the success rate of the commercialisation of the studies’ results.
Comparative Analysis of Information Retrieval using Ontology Based vs Traditional Information Systems in Food Science Domain
Authors: T Padmavathi
Published: April 2020

The current methods of searching and information retrieval are imprecise, often yielding results in tens of thousands of web pages. Extraction of the actual information needed often requires extensive manual browsing of retrieved documents. In order to address these drawbacks, this paper introduces an implementation in the field of food science of the ontology-based information retrieval system, and comparison is made with conventional information systems. The ontology of Food Semantic Web Knowledge Base (FSWKB) was built using the Protégé framework which supports two main models of ontology through the editors Protégé-Frames and Protégé-OWL. The FSWKB is composed of two heterogeneous ontologies, and these are merged and processed on a separate server application making use of the Apache Jena Fuseki an SPARQL server offering SPARQL endpoint. The experimental results indicated that ontology-based information systems are more effective in terms of their retrieval capability compared to the more conventional information retrieval systems. The retrieval effectiveness was measured in terms of precision and recall. The results of the work showed that traditional search results in average precision and recall levels of 0.92 and 0.18. The ontology-based test for precision and recall has average rates of 0.96 and 0.97.
Citizens’ Perceptions towards Transportation Tax and Retribution in Malang City, Indonesia
Authors: Utomo Dadang M , Anjarwi Astri Warih , Kumalasari Kartika Putri
Published: April 2020

This paper tries to look at the root cause of low ridership in public transport in the city of Malang, locally known as Angkutan Kota (Angkot), in a kind of non-traditional perspective. The decreasing interest of the people of Malang City towards the use of public transport was presumed partly due to the transportation tax and retribution policies that are somewhat not too restrictive. This study explains that 80% of people in Malang City consider the amount of Motor Vehicle Tax (PKB) is cheap and reasonable which is believed to drive people away from utilizing Angkot. On the other hand, surprisingly, parking fees for motorized vehicles for most people are considered quite burdensome. Thus, this study suggests that in addition to the need to improve the quality of public transport services, adjusting the amount of tax and the cost of parking for motorized vehicles in the city of Malang needs to be reconsidered to increase the interest of the people of Malang in using public transport.
Sevoflurane inhibits proliferation, invasion, but enhances apoptosis of lung cancer cells by Wnt/β-catenin signaling via regulating lncRNA PCAT6/ miR-326 axis
Authors: Su Guoning , Yan Zhibing , Deng Min
Published: April 2020

Sevoflurane was frequently used as a volatile anesthetic in cancer surgery. However, the potential mechanism of sevoflurane on lung cancer remains largely unclear. In this study, lung cancer cell lines (H446 and H1975) were treated by various concentrations of sevoflurane. 3-(4,5-dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyl-2-H-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assessment and colony formation assay were performed to detect the cell viability and proliferation, separately. Also, transwell assay or flow cytometry assay was applied as well to evaluate the invasive ability or apoptosis in lung cancer cells, respectively. Western blot assay was employed to detect the protein levels of β-catenin and Wnt5a. Moreover, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was used to examine the expression level of prostate cancer-associated transcript 6 (PCAT6) and miR-326 in lung cancer tissues and cells. The target interaction between miR-326 and PCAT6 or Wnt5a was predicted by bioinformatics analysis and verified by the dual-luciferase reporter gene assay. Sevoflurane inhibited the abilities on viability, proliferation, invasion, and activation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling, but promoted apoptosis of H446 and H1975 cells in a dose-dependent manner. The expression of PCAT6 was increased in lung cancer tissues and cells, except for that of miR-326. Besides, sevoflurane could lead to expressed limitation of PCAT6 or improvement of miR-326. This process presented a stepwise manner. Up-regulation of PCAT6 restored the suppression of sevoflurane on abilities of proliferation, invasion, rather than apoptosis, and re-activated the Wnt5a/β-catenin signaling in cells. Moreover, the putative binding sites between miR-326 and PCTA6 or Wnt5a were predicted by starBase v2.0 software online. PCAT6 suppressing effects on cells could be reversed by pre-treatment with miR-326 vector. The promotion of Wnt5a inverted effects led from miR-326 or sevoflurane. Our study indicated that sevoflurane inhibited the proliferation, and invasion, but enhanced the apoptosis in lung cancer cells by regulating the lncRNA PCAT6/miR-326/Wnt5a/β-catenin axis.
Role of strigolactones: Signalling and crosstalk with other phytohormones
Authors: Faizan Mohammad , Faraz Ahmad , Sami Fareen , Siddiqui Husna , Yusuf Mohammad , Gruszka Damian , Hayat Shamsul
Published: April 2020

Plant hormones play important roles in controlling how plants grow and develop. While metabolism provides the energy needed for plant survival, hormones regulate the pace of plant growth. Strigolactones (SLs) were recently defined as new phytohormones that regulate plant metabolism and, in turn, plant growth and development. This group of phytohormones is derived from carotenoids and has been implicated in a wide range of physiological functions including regulation of plant architecture (inhibition of bud outgrowth and shoot branching), photomorphogenesis, seed germination, nodulation, and physiological reactions to abiotic factors. SLs also induce hyphal branching in germinating spores of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), a process that is important for initiating the connection between host plant roots and AMF. This review outlines the physiological roles of SLs and discusses the significance of interactions between SLs and other phytohormones to plant metabolic responses.
Obesity: epigenetic aspects
Authors: Kaushik Prashant , Anderson James T.
Published: April 2020

Epigenetics, defined as inheritable and reversible phenomena that affect gene expression without altering the underlying base pair sequence has been shown to play an important role in the etiopathogenesis of obesity. Obesity is associated with extensive gene expression changes in tissues throughout the body. Epigenetics is emerging as perhaps the most important mechanism through which the lifestyle-choices we make can directly influence the genome. Considerable epidemiological, experimental and clinical data have been amassed showing that the risk of developing disease in later life is dependent on early life conditions, mainly operating within the normative range of developmental exposures. In addition to the ‘maternal’ interactions, there has been increasing interest in the epigenetic mechanisms through which ‘paternal’ influences on offspring development can be achieved. Nutrition, among many other environmental factors, is a key player that can induce epigenetic changes not only in the directly exposed organisms but also in subsequent generations through the transgenerational inheritance of epigenetic traits. Overall, significant progress has been made in the field of epigenetics and obesity and the first potential epigenetic markers for obesity that could be detected at birth have been identified. Fortunately, epigenetic phenomena are dynamic and rather quickly reversible with intensive lifestyle changes. This is a very promising and sustainable resolution to the obesity pandemic.
On the tail dependence in bivariate
hydrological frequency analysis
Authors: Lekina Alexandre , Chebana Fateh , Ouarda Taha B. M. J.
Published: April 2020

In Bivariate Frequency Analysis (BFA) of hydrological events, the study and quantification of the
dependence between several variables of interest is commonly carried out through Pearson’s correlation (r),
Kendall’s tau (τ) or Spearman’s rho (ρ). These measures provide an overall evaluation of the dependence.
However, in BFA, the focus is on the extreme events which occur on the tail of the distribution. Therefore,
these measures are not appropriate to quantify the dependence in the tail distribution. To quantify such a risk,
in Extreme Value Analysis (EVA), a number of concepts and methods are available but are not appropriately
employed in hydrological BFA. In the present paper, we study the tail dependence measures with their nonparametric
estimations. In order to cover a wide range of possible cases, an application dealing with bivariate
flood characteristics (peak flow, flood volume and event duration) is carried out on three gauging sites in
Canada. Results show that r, τ and ρ are inadequate to quantify the extreme risk and to reflect the dependence
characteristics in the tail. In addition, the upper tail dependence measure, commonly employed in hydrology,
is shown not to be always appropriate especially when considered alone: it can lead to an overestimation or
underestimation of the risk. Therefore, for an effective risk assessment, it is recommended to consider more
than one tail dependence measure.
Acrylate copolymer: a rate-controlling membrane in the transdermal drug delivery system
Authors: Zhan Xiaoping , Mao Zhenmin , Chen Jian , Zhang Yuankui
Published: April 2020

A film-like copolymer composed of 2-hydroxy-3-phenoxypropylacrylate, 4-hydroxybutyl acrylate and cyclohexyl methacrylate was synthesized and exploited as a rate-controlling membrane in the transdermal drug delivery systems (TDDs). A series of acrylate copolymers with different formulations were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry and tensile strength, and then evaluated by clonidine hydrochloride transporting through the films. It was found that the formulation M2 composed of three monomers at a ratio of 4:4:2 (w/w/w) showed excellent mechanical and permeation properties. The optimal formulation M2 was further characterized by scanning electron microscopy, contact angles and swelling ratio, and then the permeation behaviors of five different physicochemical drugs transporting through the M2 were evaluated. The results showed that the permeation behaviors were influenced by many factors including the thickness of the membrane, the physicochemical properties of the drugs, the dose of the drugs and the interactions between the drugs and the membrane. This type of copolymer membrane might open new applications in the field of TDDs.
Synthesis of polyether imidazole ionic liquid and its modification on polypropylene crystal structure and mechanical properties
Authors: Guo Liying , Ma Xiuyun , Zhang Bin , Wang Zhiming , Huang Pengcheng
Published: April 2020

Polyether imidazole ionic liquid (PIIL) was synthesized from N-ethyl iminazole and hydroxyl-terminated polyepichlorhydrin, produced through cationic ring-opening polymerization of epichlorohydrin using Et2O·BF3 as catalyst, and utilized for the modification of polypropylene (PP) by the method of melt blending. The prepared PIIL was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and 1H nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. The resulting composite of PP and PIIL was characterized by differential scanning calorimetry and X-ray diffraction analyses. With PIIL acting as a nucleating agent, the crystal structure of PP transformed from α to β crystalline form after modification, while crystallization peak temperature was kept unchanged. Comparison test of the mechanical properties of pure PP and PP/PIIL proved that the long flexible chain of PIIL achieved good compatibility with PP and had reinforcing and toughening effects on PP. With the increase of ionic liquid in PP, both the impact strength and the breaking elongation of the PP/PIIL composite were significantly improved.
Layer-by-layer self-assembly for controlled magnetic multilayer thin film fabrication
Authors: Luo Jin , Wang Yanhua , Ren Rong , Sun Weilin , Shen Zhiquan
Published: April 2020

The copolymer poly[4′-(4-methacryloyphenyl)-2,2′:6′,2″-terpyridine-co-N-(vinylbenzylimino)-diacetic acid] [P(mPhtpy-co-vbda)] was synthesized by the RAFT (reversible addition fragmentation chain transfer) polymerization method and confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and 1H nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. The bimetallic complexes of the copolymer were prepared by chelating with Nd3+ and Co2+. The magnetic multilayer film was fabricated via layer-by-layer (LbL) self-assembly with the copolymer and metal ions (Nd3+ and Co2+). Attenuated total reflectance-infrared spectroscopy and UV-Vis spectroscopy were used to characterize the film, indicating that the driving force for fabricating the multilayer film was the coordination interaction. The magnetic behavior of the complexes and the film was measured as a function of the magnetic field strength (0–50 kOe) at 5 K and also of the temperature (5–300 K) at the magnetic field strength (30 kOe). The magnetic hysteresis loops of the complexes and the film showed the typical “S” shape at 5 K, exhibiting the properties of soft ferromagnetic materials.
EFFECT OF SUNFLOWER CHLOROTIC MOTTLE VIRUS INFECTION ON SUNFLOWER YIELD PARAMETERS / EFECTOS DE LA INFECCIÓN CON EL VIRUS DEL MOTEADO CLORÓTICO DEL GIRASOL SOBRE PARÁMETROS DE LA PRODUCCIÓN DEL GIRASOL / EFFET DE L´INFECTION AVEC LE VIRUS "SUNFLOWER CHLOROTIC MOTTLE VIRUS" (SuCMoV) SUR LES PARAMETRES DE LA PRODUCTION EN TOURNESOL
Authors: Lenardon S. L. , Giolitti F. , León A. , Bazzalo M. E. , Grondona M.
Published: April 2020

Sunflower chlorotic mottle virus (SuCMoV) was detected in several sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) growing areas, causing a disease characterized by systemic chlorotic mottling. Symptom severity depended on several factors, including the ontogenetic stage at which infections occur. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of artificial infections with SuCMoV at different ontogenetic stages on agronomic yield characters (plant height, stem and capitulum diameters, achene yield, seed width and length, weight of 1000 seeds and oil content). Sunflower seeds of commercial hybrids Dekalb 4030, Contiflor 3N, and ACA 884 were sown in a split plot design with four replications, which were mechanically inoculated with SuCMoV at four growth stages. A negative (non-inoculated) control was included in the experiment. Virus infection was detected by symptoms and by double antibody sandwich enzymelinked immunosorbent assay (DAS-ELISA). Virus infections at all stages significantly reduced plant height (16-39%), stem diameter (21-51%), capitulum diameter (27-57%), achene yield (58-87%), seed width (13 -15%), seed length (10-16%) and weight of 1000 seeds (26-28%) compared with healthy controls, independent of hybrid tested. Oil content determined by magnetic nuclear resonance showed no significant differences among treatments.
DISTRIBUTION AND BIODIVERSITY OF BROOMRAPE (Orobanche L.) WORLDWIDE AND IN SERBIA / EXTENSION Y BIODIVERSIDAD DE OROBANCA (Orobanche L.) EN EL MUNDO Y EN SERBIA / DISTRIBUTION ET BIODIVERSITÉ DE L’OROBANCHE (Orobanche L.) DANS LE MONDE ET EN SEBIE
Authors: Kojić Momčilo , Maširević Stevan , Jovanović Dušan
Published: April 2020

The broomrape genus (Orobanche L.) is characterized by pronounced biodiversity. Of its 99 species identified so far throughout the world, 26 have been found in Serbia. The species of the Orobanche genus are highly variable and include 56 varieties, 226 forms (a total of 308 taxons), and a number of physiological races adjusted to specific crops. Despite such high biodiversity, 8 species alone are important parasite species in cultivated crops (Orobanchecumana Wallr., O. ramosa L., O. nana Noë, O. muteli Sch., O. minor Sutt., O. lutea Baumg., O. aegyptiaca Pers. and O. crenata Forsk.). Orobanchecumana Wallr. (O. cernua Loefl.) is especially important as a parasite species in sunflower but it is also frequently found growing on the root of tomato, tobacco and some weed plants.
Prediction of cement strength: analysis and implementation in process quality control
Authors: Tsamatsoulis Dimitris
Published: April 2020

The main purpose of the present article is to develop mathematical models predicting cement strength at 28 days based on early strength as well as on physical and chemical characteristics of cement types investigated. In parallel, a relatively extended analysis of a series of existing models is performed. Static and movable time horizon models have been built and implemented to real industrial conditions for the long-term. These tools are applied in conjunction with a proportional-integral controller regulating 28 days strength around a target. Performance of the models is investigated using typical statistical analysis. The implementation of these techniques in daily quality control has been demonstrated as an important factor of quality improvement by maintaining a low variance of 28 days strength.
Microstructure correlation in high-strength steels with continuous stiffness mode nanoindentation results. High-resolution vs. low-resolution nanoindentation
Authors: Hackney Stephen A. , Bradley John R. , Wood Thomas D. , Miskioglu Ibrahim
Published: April 2020

This study utilizes instrumented nanoindentation to compare the mechanical response of a transformation-induced plasticity (TRIP) steel to that of a quench and partition steel (QP). The nanoindenter was operated using continuous stiffness mode, and the microstructure under the indent revealed by chemical etching was examined. Examination of the microstructure in the indents by scanning electron microscopy allows a direct correlation with nanoindentation properties. It is found that the hardness measured at an indentation depth of 1.1 μm is, on average, significantly greater in the QP steel than in the TRIP steel. The continuous hardness measurement also allows the microstructure observed at the center of the indent to be correlated with the hardness values when indentation depths are <0.1 μm. This high-resolution hardness measurement allows for a direct comparison of mechanical response for the individual retained austenite phase particles in the TRIP steel with the strengthening microconstituent in the QP steel. With this methodology, the surprising result is that the TRIP retained austenite particles have a higher hardness than the QP hardening microconstituent. It is proposed that the resolution of the apparent disagreement between the hardness measurements obtained at 1.1 μm depth (QP has the higher hardness) and the 0.1-μm depth hardness measurements of the microconstituents containing retained austenite (TRIP has the higher hardness) lies in the volume fraction of the microconstituent as the QP has a two- to threefold higher volume fraction of hardening phase as compared to TRIP.
Reinventing Ethics: Inventing Right and Wrong
Authors: Ridge Michael
Published: April 2020

I offer new arguments for an unorthodox reading of J. L. Mackie’s Ethics: Inventing Right and Wrong, one on which Mackie does not think all substantive moral claims are false, but allows that a proper subset of them are true. Further, those that are true should be understood in terms of a “hybrid theory”. The proposed reading is one on which Mackie is a conceptual pruner, arguing that we should prune away error-ridden moral claims but hold onto those already free of error. This reading is very different from the standard ones found in the literature. I build on recent work by Moberger and argue that this reading is better corroborated by close attention to the way in which Mackie argues at length that terms like “good” and “ought” are systematically context-sensitive, as well as by considerable additional textual evidence. This reading, however, faces an important challenge—to explain in what sense, if any, morality retains its “normativity” on the proposed reading. I argue that this challenge can be met, at least given some of Mackie’s further assumptions about the nature of rationality.
Divergent Synaptic Scaling of Miniature EPSCs following Activity Blockade in Dissociated Neuronal Cultures
Authors: Hanes Amanda L. , Koesters Andrew G. , Fong Ming-fai , Altimimi Haider F. , Stellwagen David , Wenner Peter , Engisch Kathrin L.
Published: April 2020

Neurons can respond to decreased network activity with a homeostatic increase in the amplitudes of miniature EPSCs (mEPSCs). The prevailing view is that mEPSC amplitudes are uniformly multiplied by a single factor, termed “synaptic scaling.” Deviations from purely multiplicative scaling have been attributed to biological differences, or to a distortion imposed by a detection threshold limit. Here, we demonstrate in neurons dissociated from cortices of male and female mice that the shift in mEPSC amplitudes observed in the experimental data cannot be reproduced by simulation of uniform multiplicative scaling, with or without the distortion caused by applying a detection threshold. Furthermore, we demonstrate explicitly that the scaling factor is not uniform but is close to 1 for small mEPSCs, and increases with increasing mEPSC amplitude across a substantial portion of the data. This pattern was also observed for previously published data from dissociated mouse hippocampal neurons and dissociated rat cortical neurons. The finding of “divergent scaling” shifts the current view of homeostatic plasticity as a process that alters all synapses on a neuron equally to one that must accommodate the differential effect observed for small versus large mEPSCs. Divergent scaling still accomplishes the essential homeostatic task of modifying synaptic strengths in the opposite direction of the activity change, but the consequences are greatest for those synapses which individually are more likely to bring a neuron to threshold.

SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENTIn homeostatic plasticity, the responses to chronic increases or decreases in network activity act in the opposite direction to restore normal activity levels. Homeostatic plasticity is likely to play a role in diseases associated with long-term changes in brain function, such as epilepsy and neuropsychiatric illnesses. One homeostatic response is the increase in synaptic strength following a chronic block of activity. Research is focused on finding a globally expressed signaling pathway, because it has been proposed that the plasticity is uniformly expressed across all synapses. Here, we show that the plasticity is not uniform. Our work suggests that homeostatic signaling molecules are likely to be differentially expressed across synapses.
Cerebellar–Motor Cortex Connectivity: One or Two Different Networks?
Authors: Spampinato Danny A. , Celnik Pablo A. , Rothwell John C.
Published: April 2020

Anterior–posterior (AP) and posterior–anterior (PA) pulses of transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) over the primary motor cortex (M1) appear to activate distinct interneuron networks that contribute differently to two varieties of physiological plasticity and motor behaviors (Hamada et al., 2014). The AP network is thought to be more sensitive to online manipulation of cerebellar (CB) activity using transcranial direct current stimulation. Here we probed CB–M1 interactions using cerebellar brain inhibition (CBI) in young healthy female and male individuals. TMS over the cerebellum produced maximal CBI of PA-evoked EMG responses at an interstimulus interval of 5 ms (PA-CBI), whereas the maximum effect on AP responses was at 7 ms (AP-CBI), suggesting that CB–M1 pathways with different conduction times interact with AP and PA networks. In addition, paired associative stimulation using ulnar nerve stimulation and PA TMS pulses over M1, a protocol used in human studies to induce cortical plasticity, reduced PA-CBI but not AP-CBI, indicating that cortical networks process cerebellar inputs in distinct ways. Finally, PA-CBI and AP-CBI were differentially modulated after performing two different types of motor learning tasks that are known to process cerebellar input in different ways. The data presented here are compatible with the idea that applying different TMS currents to the cerebral cortex may reveal cerebellar inputs to both the premotor cortex and M1. Overall, these results suggest that there are two independent CB–M1 networks that contribute uniquely to different motor behaviors.

SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENTConnections between the cerebellum and primary motor cortex (M1) are essential for performing daily life activities, as damage to these pathways can result in faulty movements. Therefore, developing and understanding novel approaches to probe this pathway are critical to advancing our understanding of the pathophysiology of diseases involving the cerebellum. Here, we show evidence for two distinct cerebellar–cerebral interactions using cerebellar stimulation in combination with directional transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) over M1. These distinct cerebellar–cerebral interactions respond differently to physiological plasticity and to distinct motor learning tasks, which suggests they represent separate cerebellar inputs to the premotor cortex and M1. Overall, we show that directional TMS can probe two distinct cerebellar–cerebral pathways that likely contribute to independent processes of learning.
Frequency-Specific Optogenetic Deep Brain Stimulation of Subthalamic Nucleus Improves Parkinsonian Motor Behaviors
Authors: Yu Chunxiu , Cassar Isaac R. , Sambangi Jaydeep , Grill Warren M.
Published: April 2020

Deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the subthalamic nucleus (STN) is an effective therapy for the motor symptoms of Parkinson's disease (PD). However, the neural elements mediating symptom relief are unclear. A previous study concluded that direct optogenetic activation of STN neurons was neither necessary nor sufficient for relief of parkinsonian symptoms. However, the kinetics of the channelrhodopsin-2 (ChR2) used for cell-specific activation are too slow to follow the high rates required for effective DBS, and thus the contribution of activation of STN neurons to the therapeutic effects of DBS remains unclear. We quantified the behavioral and neuronal effects of optogenetic STN DBS in female rats following unilateral 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) lesion using an ultrafast opsin (Chronos). Optogenetic STN DBS at 130 pulses per second (pps) reduced pathologic circling and ameliorated deficits in forelimb stepping similarly to electrical DBS, while optogenetic STN DBS with ChR2 did not produce behavioral effects. As with electrical DBS, optogenetic STN DBS exhibited a strong dependence on stimulation rate; high rates produced symptom relief while low rates were ineffective. High-rate optogenetic DBS generated both increases and decreases in firing rates of single neurons in STN, globus pallidus externa (GPe), and substantia nigra pars reticular (SNr), and disrupted β band oscillatory activity in STN and SNr. High-rate optogenetic STN DBS can indeed ameliorate parkinsonian motor symptoms through reduction of abnormal oscillatory activity in the STN-associated neural circuit, and these results highlight that the kinetic properties of opsins have a strong influence on the effects of optogenetic stimulation.

SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENTWhether STN local cells contribute to the therapeutic effects of subthalamic nucleus (STN) deep brain stimulation (DBS) in Parkinson's disease (PD) remains unclear. We re-examined the role of STN local cells in mediating the symptom-relieving effects of STN DBS using cell type-specific optogenetic stimulation with a much faster opsin, Chronos. Direct optogenetic stimulation of STN neurons was effective in treating the symptoms of parkinsonism in the 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) lesion rat. These results highlight that the kinetic properties of opsins can have a strong influence on the effects of optogenetic activation/inhibition and must be considered when employing optogenetic to study high-rate neural stimulation.
The Arabidopsis lncRNA ASCO modulates the transcriptome through interaction with splicing factors
Authors: Rigo Richard , Bazin Jérémie , Romero‐Barrios Natali , Moison Michaël , Lucero Leandro , Christ Aurélie , Benhamed Moussa , Blein Thomas , Huguet Stéphanie , Charon Céline , Crespi Martin , Ariel Federico
Published: April 2020

Alternative splicing (AS) is a major source of transcriptome diversity. Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have emerged as regulators of AS through different molecular mechanisms. In Arabidopsis thaliana, the AS regulators NSRs interact with the ALTERNATIVE SPLICING COMPETITOR (ASCO) lncRNA. Here, we analyze the effect of the knock‐down and overexpression of ASCO at the genome‐wide level and find a large number of deregulated and differentially spliced genes related to flagellin responses and biotic stress. In agreement, ASCO‐silenced plants are more sensitive to flagellin. However, only a minor subset of deregulated genes overlaps with the AS defects of the nsra/b double mutant, suggesting an alternative way of action for ASCO. Using biotin‐labeled oligonucleotides for RNA‐mediated ribonucleoprotein purification, we show that ASCO binds to the highly conserved spliceosome component PRP8a. ASCO overaccumulation impairs the recognition of specific flagellin‐related transcripts by PRP8a. We further show that ASCO also binds to another spliceosome component, SmD1b, indicating that it interacts with multiple splicing factors. Hence, lncRNAs may integrate a dynamic network including spliceosome core proteins, to modulate transcriptome reprogramming in eukaryotes.