bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Shear Load-Displacement Curves of PVA Fiber-Reinforced Engineered Cementitious Composite Expansion Joints in Steel Bridges
Authors: Yin Liqiang , Liu Shuguang , Yan Changwang , Zhang Ju , Wang Xiaoxiao
Published: December 2019

The concrete in the transition strips of expansion joints can become damaged prematurely during the service period. Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) fiber-reinforced engineered cementitious composite (ECC) is a kind of high ductility concrete material, and its ultimate uniaxial tensile strain is more than 3%. It can be used to improve the damage status of expansion joints. Based on previous research results, ECCs were used in the pilot project of bridge expansion joints. Under this engineering background, the shear load-displacement curves of ECC expansion joints were studied through 27 groups of compression-shear tests of ECC/steel composite structures. The shear failure characteristics of ECC expansion joints were analyzed by the digital image correlation method. A shear load-displacement curve model of the composite structures was proposed based on the equivalent strain assumption and Weibull distribution theory. The results show that the failure mode of the composite structure specimens was ECC shear cracking. Stress and strain field nephograms were used to explain the failure characteristics of the composite structure specimens. The calculated curves of the shear load-displacement model of the composite structures were in good agreement with the experimental curves. The work is of great importance to the shear design of ECC expansion joints and their further engineering applications.
Research on the Performance of an Aircraft Landing Gear Hook Lock Based on Bifurcation Analysis
Authors: Yin Yin , Xu Kui , Nie Hong , Wei Xiaohui , Zhang Zhipeng
Published: December 2019

To design and analyze a hook lock mechanism for a certain type of aircraft landing gear, numerical continuation and bifurcation theory are employed to study the performance of the lock mechanism in this paper. First, dynamic and static models of the hook lock mechanism are created separately, and by analyzing the locking and unlocking processes of the lock mechanism, the dynamic results are compared with the static numerical continuation results. According to the results, the static numerical continuation results agree excellently with the dynamic model results at the position of the stable equilibrium solution. Although the dynamic results can hardly explain the jump phenomenon of the lock mechanism at the moment of locking or unlocking, the bifurcation point of the static results suggests the occurrence of a stability change in the lock mechanism at the moment of jumping, thereby explaining the jumping mechanism of the lock mechanism. Therefore, the influences of the landing gear overload, lock spring parameters and attachment position on the performance of the lock mechanism are investigated. Furthermore, the critical installation position of the limit stop is defined, and the critical unlocking force of the lock mechanism is designed optimally based on the multi-island genetic algorithm.
Development of Zirconium-Based Alloys with Low Elastic Modulus for Dental Implant Materials
Authors: Kim Minsuk , An Seongbin , Huh Chaeeul , Kim Chungseok
Published: December 2019

The stress-shielding effect is a phenomenon in which the mutual coupling between bones and bio-materials of the human body is loosened due to the difference in elastic modulus, and bone absorption occurs due to the difference in density, which causes a shortening of the life of the material. The purpose of this study is to develop a zirconium-based alloy with low modulus and to prevent the stress-shielding effect. Zr–7Cu–xSn (x = 1, 5, 10, 15 mass%) alloys were prepared by an arc-melting process of pure zirconium, oxygen-free copper, and tin, respectively. The Zr–7Cu–xSn alloy has two phase α-Zr and Zr2Cu intermetallic compounds. Microstructure characterization was analyzed by microscopy and X-ray diffraction. Corrosion tests of zirconium-based alloys were conducted through polarization tests, and zirconium-based alloys had better corrosion characteristics than other metal bio-materials. In general, the elastic modulus value (14–25 GPa) of the zirconium-based alloy is very similar to the elastic modulus value (15–30 GPa) of the human bone. Consequently, the zirconium-based alloy is likely to be used as a bio-material that negates the effect of stress shielding on human bones.
Identify Road Clusters with High-Frequency Crashes Using Spatial Data Mining Approach
Authors: Zhang Zhonggui , Ming Yi , Song Gangbing
Published: December 2019

This paper develops a three-step spatial data mining approach to directly identify road clusters with high-frequency crashes (RCHC). The first step, preprocessing, is to store the roads and crashes in a spatial database. The second step is to describe the conceptualization of road–road and crash–road spatial relationships. The spatial weight matrix of roads (SWMR) is constructed to describe the conceptualization of road–road spatial relationships. The conceptualization of crash–road spatial relationships is established using crash spatial aggregation algorithm. The third step, spatial data mining, is to identify RCHC using the cluster and outlier analysis (local Moran’s I index). This approach was validated using spatial data set including roads and road-related crashes (2008–2018) from Polk County, IOWA, U.S.A. The findings of this research show that the proposed approach is successful in identifying RCHC and road outliers.
Genetic Structure and Gene Flow in Red Foxes (Vulpes vulpes) in Scandinavia: Implications for the Potential Future Spread of Echinococcus multilocularis Tapeworm
Authors: Hagenlund Mari , Linløkken Arne , Østbye Kjartan , Walton Zea , Odden Morten , Samelius Gustaf , Willebrand Tomas , Wilson Robert
Published: December 2019

Knowledge about the dispersal and gene flow patterns in wild animals are important for our understanding of population ecology and the connectedness of populations. It is also important for management relating to disease control and the transmission of new and emerging diseases. Our study aimed to evaluate the genetic structuring among comparative samples of red foxes in a small part of Scandinavia and to estimate the gene flow and potential directionality in the movements of foxes using an optimized set of microsatellite markers. We compared genetic samples of red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) from two areas in Sweden and two areas in Norway, including red fox samples from areas where the occurrence of the cyclophyllic tapeworm Echinococcus multilocularis has been documented, and areas without known occurrence of the parasite. Our results show a high level of gene flow over considerable distances and substantiates migration from areas affected with E. multilocularis into Norway where the parasite is not yet detected. The results allow us to better understand the gene flow and directionality in the movement patterns of red foxes, which is important for wildlife management authorities regarding the spread of E. multilocularis.
A Gesture-Based Teleoperation System for Compliant Robot Motion
Authors: Zhang Wei , Cheng Hongtai , Zhao Liang , Hao Lina , Tao Manli , Xiang Chaoqun
Published: December 2019

Currently, the gesture-based teleoperation system cannot generate precise and compliant robot motions because human motions have the characteristics of uncertainty and low-resolution. In this paper, a novel, gesture-based teleoperation system for compliant robot motion is proposed. By using the left hand as the commander and the right hand as a positioner, different operation modes and scaling ratios can be tuned on-the-fly to meet the accuracy and efficiency requirements. Moreover, a vibration-based force feedback system was developed to provide the operator with a telepresence capability. The pick-and-place and peg-in-hole tasks were used to test the effectiveness of the teleoperation system we developed. The experiment results prove that the gesture-based teleoperation system is effective at handling compliant robot motions.
The Generalized Coefficients of Earth Pressure: A Unified Approach
Authors: Pantelidis Lysandros
Published: December 2019

This paper offers an extension of Cauchy’s first law of motion to deformable bodies with internal resistance with application to earth pressures. In this respect, a unified continuum mechanics approach for deriving earth pressure coefficients for all soil states, applicable to cohesive-frictional soils and both horizontal and vertical pseudo-static conditions is proposed. Adopting Jaky’s (1944) sand heap hypothesis, modified suitably to accommodate the needs of the present research, the analysis led to generalized, yet remarkably simple in form, expressions for the “at rest”, active and passive earth pressure coefficients. The validity of the proposed coefficients is strongly supported by the fact that, under static conditions they are transformed into the well-known Rankine’s expressions for cohesive-frictional soils for the active and passive state. Comparisons with widely used solutions (e.g., Rankine’s and Mononobe–Okabe’s), design code practices (Eurocode 8-5; AASHTO), and results from centrifuge tests further support the validity of the proposed coefficients. In the framework of the present work, analytical expressions for the calculation of the depth of neutral zone in the state “at rest”, the depth of tension crack in the active state, the required wall movement for the mobilization of the active or passive state, as well as the mobilized shear strength of soil (for all states) are also given. Finally, following the proposed approach, the earth pressure can be calculated for any intermediate state between the state “at rest” and the active or passive state when the allowable wall movement is known.
Image Segmentation for the Treatment Planning of Magnetic Resonance-Guided High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound (MRgHIFU) Therapy: A Parametric Study
Authors: Vargas-Olivares Arturo , Navarro-Hinojosa Octavio , Pichardo Samuel , Curiel Laura , Alencastre-Miranda Moisés , Chong-Quero Jesús Enrique
Published: December 2019

In the present research work, image segmentation methods were studied to find internal parameters that provide an efficient identification of the regions of interest in Magnetic Resonance (MR) images used for the therapy planning of High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU), a minimally invasive therapeutic method used for selective ablation of tissue. The involved image segmentation methods were threshold, level set and watershed segmentation algorithm with markers (WSAM), and they were applied to transverse and sagittal MR images obtained from an experimental setup of a murine experiment. A parametric study, involving segmentation tests with different values for the internal parameters, was carried out. The F-measure results from the parametric study were analyzed by region using Welch’s ANOVA followed by post hoc Games-Howell test to determine the most appropriate method for region identification. In transverse images, the threshold method had the best performance for the air region with a F-measure median of 0.9802 (0.9743–0.9847, interquartile range IQR 0.0104), the WSAM for the tissue, gel-pad, transducer and water region with a F-measure median of 0.9224 (0.8718–0.9468, IQR 0.075), 0.9553 (0.9496–0.9606, IQR 0.011), 0.9416 (0.9330–0.9540, IQR 0.021) and 0.9769 (0.9741–0.9803, IQR 0.0062), respectively. In sagittal images, threshold method had the best performance for the air region with a F-measure median of 0.9680 (0.9589–0.9735, IQR 0.0146), the WSAM for the tissue and gel-pad regions with a F-measure median of 0.9241 (0.8870–0.9426, IQR 0.0556) and 0.9553 (0.9472–0.9625, IQR 0.0153), respectively, and the Geodesic Active Contours (GAC) method for the transducer and water regions with a F-measure median of 0.9323 (0.9221–0.9402, IQR 0.0181) and 0.9681 (0.9627–0.9715, IQR 0.0088), respectively. The present research work integrates preliminary results to generate more efficient procedures of image segmentation for treatment planning of the MRgHIFU therapy. Future work will address the search of an automatic segmentation process, regardless of the experimental setup.
Pore Structure Degradation of Different Cement Mortars Exposed to Sulphuric Acid
Authors: Ortega José , García-Vera Victoria , Solak Afonso , Tenza-Abril Antonio
Published: December 2019

Acid attack causes the deterioration of construction material surfaces. The objective of this study was to investigate the degradation of different types of cement mortar in terms of variations in pore size distribution obtained by mercury intrusion porosimetry (MIP), mass loss, and compressive strength. The mortars were manufactured with nanosilica, zinc stearate, and an ethyl silicate coating. After curing (28 days), the samples were subjected to acid exposure for 90 days, immersed ina solution (3% w/w) of sulphuric acid (H2SO4). The results indicate that the mortars showed a more refined microstructure, with a higher proportion of smaller pores (<100 nm) compared to the control mortar. The 28-day and 90-day compressive strength variations of mortars were also determined by observing pronounced reduction due to the appearance of expansive compounds responsible for microcracking.
Frequency Response Analysis of Perforated Shells with Uncertain Materials and Damage
Authors: Hakula Harri , Laaksonen Mikael
Published: December 2019

In this paper, we give an overview of the issues one must consider when designing methods for vibration based health monitoring systems for perforated thin shells especially in relation to frequency response analysis. In particular, we allow either the material parameters or the structure or both to be random. The numerical experiments are computed using the standard high order finite element method with stochastic collocation for the cases with random material and Monte Carlo for those with damaged or random structures. The results display a wide range of responses over the experimental configurations. In perforated shell structures, the internal boundary layers can play an important role especially when damage is allowed within the penetration patterns. The computational methodology advocated here can be used to build statistical databases that are necessary for development of probabilistic damage identification methods.
Semantic Network Analysis Pipeline—Interactive Text Mining Framework for Exploration of Semantic Flows in Large Corpus of Text
Authors: Cenek Martin , Bulkow Rowan , Pak Eric , Oyster Levi , Ching Boyd , Mulagada Ashika
Published: December 2019

Historical topic modeling and semantic concepts exploration in a large corpus of unstructured text remains a hard, opened problem. Despite advancements in natural languages processing tools, statistical linguistics models, graph theory and visualization, there is no framework that combines these piece-wise tools under one roof. We designed and constructed a Semantic Network Analysis Pipeline (SNAP) that is available as an open-source web-service that implements work-flow needed by a data scientist to explore historical semantic concepts in a text corpus. We define a graph theoretic notion of a semantic concept as a flow of closely related tokens through the corpus of text. The modular work-flow pipeline processes text using natural language processing tools, statistical content narrowing, creates semantic networks from lexical token chaining, performs social network analysis of token networks and creates a 3D visualization of the semantic concept flows through corpus for interactive concept exploration. Finally, we illustrate the framework’s utility to extract the information from a text corpus of Herman Melville’s novel Moby Dick, the transcript of the 2015–2016 United States (U.S.) Senate Hearings on Environment and Public Works, and the Australian Broadcast Corporation’s short news articles on rural and science topics.
Two-Stage Configuration of User-Side Hybrid Energy Storage Based on Fuzzy Optimization
Authors: Xia Yuanxing , Xu Qingshan , Zhao Jun , Wang Chengliang
Published: December 2019

This paper proposes a new method for configuring hybrid energy storage systems on the user side with a distributed renewable energy power station. To reasonably configure the hybrid energy storage system, this paper divides the whole optimization into two stages from the two dimensions of capacity and power: supercapacitor and battery optimization. To minimize the fluctuation of new energy output when the user’s investment is as small as possible, a dual agent fuzzy optimization algorithm is used in the configuration of the supercapacitor. When the battery is configured, the optimization objective is to maximize the user’s income and minimize the number of charges and discharges in an optimization cycle. By dividing two objective functions, multi-objective optimization is integrated into single-objective optimization, the battery life is extended, and the total revenue of the user in the whole life cycle is increased.
Optimizing the Spectral Characterisation of a CMYK Printer with Embedded CMY Printer Modelling
Authors: Liu Qiang , Huang Zheng , Pointer Michael R. , Luo M. Ronnier
Published: December 2019

In the digital printing process, reliable colour reproduction is commonly achieved by printer characterisation, which defines the correspondence between the input device control values and the output colour information. The cellular Yule–Nielsen spectral Neugebauer model, together with its variants, is widely adopted in this topic because of its superb colorimetric and spectral accuracy. However, it seems that current studies have neglected an inconspicuous defect in such models when characterising printers equipped with black ink. That is, the cellular structure of these models overemphasises the sampling for dark-tone colours, and thus leads to relatively large errors in light tones. In this paper, taking a CMYK printer as an example, a simple and effective solution is proposed with no need of extra sampling. With the aid of a newly built cellular spectral Neugebauer model for the embedded CMY printer, this approach optimises the printer characterisation for light tones, slightly improves the precision for middle tones while it maintains the accuracy for dark tones. The performance of the proposed method was evaluated with regard to three different kinds of substrates and the experimental results validated its improvement in spectral printer characterisation.
Design of Travelling-Wave Rotating Ultrasonic Motor under High Overload Environments: Impact Dynamics Simulation and Experimental Validation
Authors: Zhang Jiaojiao , Yang Lin , Chen Haisong , Ma Chengcheng , Shen Xinmin , Chen Liang
Published: December 2019

Nowadays, piezoelectric actuators are widely used, but are rarely applied in high overload environments due to th difficulty implementing them. Traveling wave rotary ultrasonic motors (TRUMs) have the characteristics of variable structure and are insensitive to overload, endowing them with the potential ability of high overload resistance. In this study, four TRUMs with different rotor structures are designed to work under the high-impact acceleration of 10,000 g through modifying the rotors with a designed slotted disc spring. The dynamics model is established, the impact process is simulated, and the results are analyzed successively. The high-impact test, deformation measurement and performance test of the motors are carried out to verify the modification. The results show that performance of the TRUMs with a disc spring declines much less than those without a disc spring after the high-impact test. The TRUM-4 with the modified rotor and disc spring has the best performance, the speed of which decreased only 1.6% at the torque of 0.15 N m, and it is considered to be capable of withstanding the high acceleration of 10,000 g. This work is significance for guiding the ultrasonic motors’ optimization to expand their application in high-overload environments.
Application of a New Enhanced Deconvolution Method in Gearbox Fault Diagnosis
Authors: Wang Junyuan , Wang Jingtai , Du Wenhua , Zhang Jiping , Wang Zhijian , Wang Guanjun , Li Tao
Published: December 2019

When the mechanical transmission mechanism fails, such as gears and bearings in the gearbox, its vibration signal often appears as a periodic impact. Considering the influence of noise, however, the fault signal is often submerged in the noise, so it is necessary to propose a feasible and effective fault extraction method. MOMEDA (multipoint optimal minimum entropy deconvolution adjusted) overcomes the tedious iterative process of MED (minimum entropy deconvolution) and overcomes the resampling trouble in MCKD (maximum correlated kurtosis deconvolution). It is suitable for dealing with periodic impact signal. Besides, aiming at the poor ability of MOMEDA to capture the deconvolution result of target function in a strong noise environment, this paper proposes an improved MOMEDA gearbox fault feature extraction method. Considering that MOMEDA has poor anti-noise performance and can easily cause misdiagnosis in a strong noisy environment, this paper constructs an autoregressive mean sliding model to improve the noise immunity of MOMEDA. Firstly, the stability of the test signal is judged by the autocorrelation coefficient (ACF) and the partial correlation coefficient (PACF). Secondly, the ARMA (autoregressive moving average) model is constructed and a set of optimal model coefficients are obtained to filter the signal, which greatly improves MOMEDA’s ability to capture fault features. Thirdly, the fault feature is extracted by MOMEDA, and the fault information is extracted accurately under a strong noise environment. Finally, compared with AR-MED, ARMAMED, and other methods, the advantages of ARMAMOMEDA are verified. Moreover, the effectiveness and superiority of the proposed method are verified by simulation signals and experimental data from the Case Western Reserve University Bearing Data Center.
Geometric and Radiometric Consistency of Parrot Sequoia Multispectral Imagery for Precision Agriculture Applications
Authors: Franzini Marica , Ronchetti Giulia , Sona Giovanna , Casella Vittorio
Published: December 2019

This paper is about the geometric and radiometric consistency of diverse and overlapping datasets acquired with the Parrot Sequoia camera. The multispectral imagery datasets were acquired above agricultural fields in Northern Italy and radiometric calibration images were taken before each flight. Processing was performed with the Pix4Dmapper suite following a single-block approach: images acquired in different flight missions were processed in as many projects, where different block orientation strategies were adopted and compared. Results were assessed in terms of geometric and radiometric consistency in the overlapping areas. The geometric consistency was evaluated in terms of point cloud distance using iterative closest point (ICP), while the radiometric consistency was analyzed by computing the differences between the reflectance maps and vegetation indices produced according to adopted processing strategies. For normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), a comparison with Sentinel-2 was also made. This paper will present results obtained for two (out of several) overlapped blocks. The geometric consistency is good (root mean square error (RMSE) in the order of 0.1 m), except for when direct georeferencing is considered. Radiometric consistency instead presents larger problems, especially in some bands and in vegetation indices that have differences above 20%. The comparison with Sentinel-2 products shows a general overestimation of Sequoia data but with similar spatial variations (Pearson’s correlation coefficient of about 0.7, p-value < 2.2 × 10−16).
The Impact of the Strength of Roof Rocks on the Extent of the Zone with a High Risk of Spontaneous Coal Combustion for Fully Powered Longwalls Ventilated with the Y-Type System—A Case Study
Authors: Tutak Magdalena , Brodny Jarosław
Published: December 2019

During the ventilation of longwalls in hard coal mines, part of the air stream migrates to the goaves with caving. These goaves constitute a space (void) filled with rocks following coal extraction. In the case where these goaves contain coal susceptible to spontaneous combustion, the flow of such an air stream through the goaves may lead to the formation of favourable conditions for coal oxidation, self-heating and spontaneous combustion. Such an area is referred to as the zone with a particularly high risk of spontaneous coal combustion (endogenous fires). The location and extent of this zone depend on many factors, with one of the most important being the permeability of the goaves which determines the tensile strength of the roof rocks forming the caving. This strength determines the propensity of these rocks to transform into the state of caving and the degree of tightness of the cave-in rubble (treated as a porous medium). The purpose of the present paper is to determine how the tensile strength of roof rocks influences the extent of the zone with a particularly high risk of spontaneous coal combustion (endogenous fires) in caving goaves of the longwalls ventilated with the Y-type system. To achieve this goal, model-based tests were conducted for a region of the longwall mined with caving and ventilated with the Y-type system. Critical air speed and oxygen concentration values in the caving goaves of this longwall were determined for the actual conditions of exploitation. These parameters define the risk zone of spontaneous coal combustion. The tests also helped to determine the extent of this zone, depending on the strength of the rocks forming the caving. The results obtained unequivocally indicate that the type of rocks forming the caving affects its permeability and the extent of the risk zone for spontaneous coal combustion. At the same time, the distribution of this zone is substantially different than in the case of other ventilation systems. The results obtained are of real practical significance for preventive measures to reduce fire risks. The effectiveness of these measures significantly improves the safety of mining exploitation.
Israeli-Ness or Israeli-Less? How Israeli Women Artists from FSU Deal with the Place and Role of “Israeli-Ness” in the Era of Transnationalism
Authors: Guilat Yael
Published: December 2019

The Israeli art field has been negotiating with the definition of Israeli-ness since its beginnings and more even today, as “transnationalism” has become not only a lived daily experience among migrants or an ideological approach toward identity but also a challenge to the Zionist-Hebrew identity that is imposed on “repatriated” Jews. Young artists who reached Israel from the Former Soviet Union (FSU) as children in the 1990s not only retained their mother tongue but also developed a hyphenated first-generation immigrant identity and a transnational state of mind that have found artistic expression in projects and exhibitions in recent years, such as Odessa–Tel Aviv (2017), Dreamland Never Found (2017), Pravda (2018), and others. Nicolas Bourriaud’s botanical metaphor of the radicant, which insinuates successive or even “simultaneous en-rooting”, seems to be close to the 1.5-generation experience. Following the transnational perspective and the intersectional approach (the “inter” being of ethnicity, gender, and class), the article examines, among others, photographic works of three women artists: Angelika Sher (born 1969 in Vilnius, Lithuania), Vera Vladimirsky (born 1984 in Kharkiv, Ukraine), and Sarah Kaminker (born 1987 in Dnipropetrovsk, Ukraine). All three reached Israel in the 1990s, attended Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design in Jerusalem, and currently live and work in Tel Aviv or (in Kaminker’s case) Haifa. The Zionist-oriented Israeli-ness of the Israeli art field is questioned in their works. Regardless of the different and peculiar themes and approaches that characterize each of these artists, their oeuvres touch on the senses of radicantity, strangeness, and displacement and show that, in the globalization discourse and routine transnational moving around, anonymous, generic, or hybrid likenesses become characteristics of what is called “home,” “national identity,” or “promised land.” Therefore, it seems that under the influence of this young generation, the local field of art is moving toward a re-framing of its Israeli national identity.
A Clean Air Plan for Sydney: An Overview of the Special Issue on Air Quality in New South Wales
Authors: Paton-Walsh Clare , Rayner Peter , Simmons Jack , Fiddes Sonya L. , Schofield Robyn , Bridgman Howard , Beaupark Stephanie , Broome Richard , Chambers Scott D. , Chang Lisa Tzu-Chi , Cope Martin , Cowie Christine T. , Desservettaz Maximilien , Dominick Doreena , Emmerson Kathryn , Forehead Hugh , Galbally Ian E. , Griffiths Alan , Guérette Élise-Andrée , Haynes Alison , Heyworth Jane , Jalaludin Bin , Kan Ruby , Keywood Melita , Monk Khalia , Morgan Geoffrey G. , Nguyen Duc Hiep , Phillips Frances , Popek Robert , Scorgie Yvonne , Silver Jeremy D. , Utembe Steve , Wadlow Imogen , Wilson Stephen R. , Zhang Yang
Published: December 2019

This paper presents a summary of the key findings of the special issue of Atmosphere on Air Quality in New South Wales and discusses the implications of the work for policy makers and individuals. This special edition presents new air quality research in Australia undertaken by (or in association with) the Clean Air and Urban Landscapes hub, which is funded by the National Environmental Science Program on behalf of the Australian Government’s Department of the Environment and Energy. Air pollution in Australian cities is generally low, with typical concentrations of key pollutants at much lower levels than experienced in comparable cities in many other parts of the world. Australian cities do experience occasional exceedances in ozone and PM2.5 (above air pollution guidelines), as well as extreme pollution events, often as a result of bushfires, dust storms, or heatwaves. Even in the absence of extreme events, natural emissions play a significant role in influencing the Australian urban environment, due to the remoteness from large regional anthropogenic emission sources. By studying air quality in Australia, we can gain a greater understanding of the underlying atmospheric chemistry and health risks in less polluted atmospheric environments, and the health benefits of continued reduction in air pollution. These conditions may be representative of future air quality scenarios for parts of the Northern Hemisphere, as legislation and cleaner technologies reduce anthropogenic air pollution in European, American, and Asian cities. However, in many instances, current legislation regarding emissions in Australia is significantly more lax than in other developed countries, making Australia vulnerable to worsening air pollution in association with future population growth. The need to avoid complacency is highlighted by recent epidemiological research, reporting associations between air pollution and adverse health outcomes even at air pollutant concentrations that are lower than Australia’s national air quality standards. Improving air quality is expected to improve health outcomes at any pollution level, with specific benefits projected for reductions in long-term exposure to average PM2.5 concentrations.
Specific BK Channel Activator NS11021 Protects Rat Renal Proximal Tubular Cells from Cold Storage—Induced Mitochondrial Injury In Vitro
Authors: Shrum Stephen , Rusch Nancy J. , MacMillan-Crow Lee Ann
Published: December 2019

Kidneys from deceased donors used for transplantation are placed in cold storage (CS) solution during the search for a matched recipient. However, CS causes mitochondrial injury, which may exacerbate renal graft dysfunction. Here, we explored whether adding NS11021, an activator of the mitochondrial big-conductance calcium-activated K+ (mitoBK) channel, to CS solution can mitigate CS-induced mitochondrial injury. We used normal rat kidney proximal tubular epithelial (NRK) cells as an in vitro model of renal cold storage (18 h) and rewarming (2 h) (CS + RW). Western blots detected the pore-forming α subunit of the BK channel in mitochondrial fractions from NRK cells. The fluorescent K+-binding probe, PBFI-AM, revealed that isolated mitochondria from NRK cells exhibited mitoBK-mediated K+ uptake, which was impaired ~70% in NRK cells subjected to CS + RW compared to control NRK cells maintained at 37 °C. Importantly, the addition of 1 μM NS11021 to CS solution prevented CS + RW-induced impairment of mitoBK-mediated K+ uptake. The NS11021–treated NRK cells also exhibited less cell death and mitochondrial injury after CS + RW, including mitigated mitochondrial respiratory dysfunction, depolarization, and superoxide production. In summary, these new data show for the first time that mitoBK channels may represent a therapeutic target to prevent renal CS-induced injury.
Effects of Synergistic Inhibition on α-glucosidase by Phytoalexins in Soybeans
Authors: Son Hyeong-U , Yoon Eun-Kyeong , Yoo Chi-Yeol , Park Chul-Hong , Bae Myung-Ae , Kim Tae-Ho , Lee Chang Hyung , Lee Ki Won , Seo Hogyun , Kim Kyung-Jin , Lee Sang-Han
Published: December 2019

To determine the mechanism of action of the effects of phytoalexins in soybeans, we analyzed α-glucosidase inhibition kinetics using Michaelis–Menten plots and Lineweaver–Burk plots. The results showed that the type of inhibition with glyceollin was competitive, that of genistein was noncompetitive, that of daidzein was uncompetitive, and luteolin showed a mixed mode of action. The Ki values were determined using a Dixon plot as glyceollin, 18.99 μM; genistein, 15.42 μM; luteolin, 16.81 μM; and daidzein, 9.99 μM. Furthermore, potential synergistic effects between glyceollin and the three polyphenols were investigated. A combination of glyceollin and luteolin at a ratio of 3:7 exhibited synergistic effects on α-glucosidase inhibition, having a combination index (CI) of 0.64244, according to the CI–isobologram equation. Collectively, these results showed that a combination of glyceollin and luteolin has the potential to inhibit α-glucosidase activity via a synergistic mode of inhibition.
Fluctuations of Histone Chemical Modifications in Breast, Prostate, and Colorectal Cancer: An Implication of Phytochemicals as Defenders of Chromatin Equilibrium
Authors: Samec Marek , Liskova Alena , Koklesova Lenka , Mestanova Veronika , Franekova Maria , Kassayova Monika , Bojkova Bianka , Uramova Sona , Zubor Pavol , Janikova Katarina , Danko Jan , Samuel Samson , Büsselberg Dietrich , Kubatka Peter
Published: December 2019

Natural substances of plant origin exert health beneficiary efficacy due to the content of various phytochemicals. Significant anticancer abilities of natural compounds are mediated via various processes such as regulation of a cell’s epigenome. The potential antineoplastic activity of plant natural substances mediated by their action on posttranslational histone modifications (PHMs) is currently a highly evaluated area of cancer research. PHMs play an important role in maintaining chromatin structure and regulating gene expression. Aberrations in PHMs are directly linked to the process of carcinogenesis in cancer such as breast (BC), prostate (PC), and colorectal (CRC) cancer, common malignant diseases in terms of incidence and mortality among both men and women. This review summarizes the effects of plant phytochemicals (isolated or mixtures) on cancer-associated PHMs (mainly modulation of acetylation and methylation) resulting in alterations of chromatin structure that are related to the regulation of transcription activity of specific oncogenes, which are crucial in the development of BC, PC, and CRC. Significant effectiveness of natural compounds in the modulation of aberrant PHMs were confirmed by a number of in vitro or in vivo studies in preclinical cancer research. However, evidence concerning PHMs-modulating abilities of plant-based natural substances in clinical trials is insufficient.
Colonic Bacteria-Transformed Catechin Metabolite Response to Cytokine Production by Human Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells
Authors: Krishnamoorthy Rajapandiyan , Adisa Abdulraheem R. , Periasamy Vaiyapuri Subbarayan , Athinarayanan Jegan , Pandurangan Subash-Babu , Alshatwi Ali A.
Published: December 2019

Human gut microbes are a profitable tool for the modification of food compounds into biologically active metabolites. The biological properties of catechins have been extensively investigated. However, the bioavailability of catechin in human blood plasma is very low. This study aimed to determine the biotransformed catechin metabolites and their bioactive potentials for modulating the immune response of human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). Biotransformation of catechin was carried out using in-vitro gut microbial biotransformation method, the transformed metabolites were identified and confirmed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC–MS) and high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (HPLC–MS). Present observations confirmed that the catechin was biotransformed into 11 metabolites upon microbial dehydroxylation and C ring cleavage. Further, immunomodulatory potential of catechin metabolites was analyzed in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). We found up-regulation of anti-inflammatory cytokine (IL-4, IL-10) and down-regulation of pro-inflammatory (IL-16, IL-12B) cytokine may be due to Th2 immune response. In conclusion, biotransformed catechin metabolites enhance anti-inflammatory cytokines which is beneficial for overcoming inflammatory disorders.
Lemon Peel Polyphenol Extract Reduces Interleukin-6-Induced Cell Migration, Invasiveness, and Matrix Metalloproteinase-9/2 Expression in Human Gastric Adenocarcinoma MKN-28 and AGS Cell Lines
Authors: Pagliara Valentina , Nasso Rosarita , Di Donato Paola , Finore Ilaria , Poli Annarita , Masullo Mariorosario , Arcone Rosaria
Published: December 2019

Among plant polyphenols, lemon peels extract (LPE) from the residues of the industrial processing of lemon (Citrus limon) shows anti-proliferative properties in cancer cells and anticholinesterase activity. In this study, we analyze the anti-cancer properties of LPE on migration and invasiveness in MKN-28 and AGS human gastric cancer cell lines either in the absence or presence of the pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-6. We find that the pretreatment with non-cytotoxic concentrations (0.5–1 μg/ml of gallic acid equivalent) of LPE inhibits interleukin-6 (IL-6)-induced cell migration and invasiveness in MKN-28 and AGS cells, as analyzed by wound and matrigel assays. Pretreatment with LPE is able to prevent either IL-6-induced matrix metalloproteinases (MMP)-9/2 activity, as assessed by gel zymography, or mRNA and protein MMP-9/2 expression, as evaluated by qPCR and Western blotting analysis, respectively. These LPE effects are associated with an IL-6-dependent STAT3 signaling pathway in MKN-28 and AGS cells. Furthermore, LPE shows acetylcholinesterase inhibitory activity when assayed by the Ellman method. In conclusion, our results demonstrate that LPE reduces the invasiveness of gastric MKN-28 and AGS cancer cells through the reduction of IL-6-induced MMP-9/2 up-regulation. Therefore, these data suggest that LPE exerts a protective role against the metastatic process in gastric cancer.
Synergistic Action of Stilbenes in Muscadine Grape Berry Extract Shows Better Cytotoxic Potential Against Cancer Cells Than Resveratrol Alone
Authors: Balasubramani Subramani Paranthaman , Rahman Mohammad Atikur , Basha Sheikh Mehboob
Published: December 2019

Muscadine grape is rich in stilbenes, which include resveratrol, piceid, viniferin, pterostilbene, etc. Resveratrol has been extensively studied for its biological activities; however, the synergistic effect of stilbene compounds in berry extracts is poorly understood. The aim of this study was to evaluate the anti-cancer activity of stilbene-rich muscadine berry extract and pure resveratrol. Stilbenes were extracted from ripened berries of muscadine grape cultivars, Pineapple, and Southern Home. HPLC analysis was performed to determine quantity of stilbenes. The extracts were tested for their cytotoxic activity against A549 (lung carcinoma cells), triple negative breast cancer (HCC-1806) and HepG2 (human liver cancer) cells. The stilbene-rich extracts of the muscadine berry extracts showed cytotoxic activity against all of the cells tested. The extracts at 1 μg/mL induced death in 50–80% of cells by 72 h of treatment. About 50 μg/mL of resveratrol was required to induce a similar response in the cells. Further, modulation of genes involved in tumor progression and suppression was significantly (p < 0.0005) higher with the HepG2 cells treated with stilbene-rich berry extracts than the pure resveratrol. This shows that the synergistic activity of stilbenes present in muscadine grape berries have more potent anti-cancer activity than the resveratrol alone.
On the Fluid Dynamical Effects of Synchronization in Side-by-Side Swimmers
Authors: Godoy-Diana Ramiro , Vacher Jérôme , Raspa Veronica , Thiria Benjamin
Published: December 2019

In-phase and anti-phase synchronization of neighboring swimmers is examined experimentally using two self-propelled independent flexible foils swimming side-by-side in a water tank. The foils are actuated by pitching oscillations at one extremity—the head of the swimmers—and the flow engendered by their undulations is analyzed using two-dimensional particle image velocimetry in their frontal symmetry plane. Following recent observations on the behavior of real fish, we focus on the comparison between in-phase and anti-phase actuation by fixing all other geometric and kinematic parameters. We show that swimming with a neighbor is beneficial for both synchronizations tested, as compared to swimming alone, with an advantage for the anti-phase synchronization. We show that the advantage of anti-phase synchronization in terms of swimming performance for the two-foil “school” results from the emergence of a periodic coherent jet between the two swimmers.
Change & Grow® Therapeutic Model for Addiction: Preliminary Results of an Interventional Study
Authors: Ramadas Eduardo , Lopes Jessica , Caetano Tânia
Published: December 2019

The last years have seen a paradigm shift concerning addictive disorders, indicating the necessity to study alternative therapeutic models. In this longitudinal study, the objective was to explore the impact of the Change & Grow® therapeutic model developed and used by VillaRamadas on certain psychological variables that frequently appear associated with addiction. A repeated measures (first and last weeks of treatment) design was used, and the psychological measurements were Beck’s Depression Inventory II (BDI-II), Suicide Ideation Questionnaire (SIQ), State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), and Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA). Results include 26 (16 male and 10 female) patients. Age varied between 17 and 64 years (M = 35.62, SD = 12.60) and duration of treatment between 91 and 193 days (M = 147.35, SD = 27.05). The MoCA total result was significantly higher in the last week of treatment. The results of BDI-II, SIQ, and STAI (both state and trait) were all significantly lower. Neither duration of treatment nor self-reported motivation presented significant correlation values with the difference between measures for any of the variables. The Change & Grow® therapeutic model appears to have an impact on relevant psychological variables in patients admitted into treatment for addictive disorders.
Pituitary Adenomas and Invasiveness from Anatomo-Surgical, Radiological, and Histological Perspectives: A Systematic Literature Review
Authors: Serioli Simona , Doglietto Francesco , Fiorindi Alessandro , Biroli Antonio , Mattavelli Davide , Buffoli Barbara , Ferrari Marco , Cornali Claudio , Rodella Luigi , Maroldi Roberto , Gasparotti Roberto , Nicolai Piero , Fontanella Marco Maria , Poliani Pietro Luigi
Published: December 2019

Invasiveness in pituitary adenomas has been defined and investigated from multiple perspectives, with varying results when its predictive value is considered. A systematic literature review, following PRISMA guidelines, was performed, searching PubMed and Scopus databases with terms that included molecular markers, histological, radiological, anatomical and surgical data on invasiveness of pituitary adenomas. The results showed that differing views are still present for anatomical aspects of the sellar region that are relevant to the concept of invasiveness; radiological and histological diagnoses are still limited, but might improve in the future, especially if they are related to surgical findings, which have become more accurate thanks to the introduction of the endoscope. The aim is to achieve a correct distinction between truly invasive pituitary adenomas from those that, in contrast, present with extension in the parasellar area through natural pathways. At present, diagnosis of invasiveness should be based on a comprehensive analysis of radiological, intra-operative and histological findings.
Recommendations Favoring Anal Cytology as a Method for Anal Cancer Screening: A Systematic Review
Authors: Albuquerque Andreia , Rios Elisabete , Schmitt Fernando
Published: December 2019

Clinicians are increasingly facing the decision of performing anal cancer screening in high-risk groups. Anal cytology is commonly the first approach. We systematically reviewed recommendations favoring anal cytology for anal cancer screening. Three databases were searched: PubMed, Scopus, and Embase, from January 2007 to 12 September 2019. The references cited by the retrieved articles and the websites of relevant organizations were also searched without language restrictions. Studies reporting guidelines from regional or national societies, institutes, or groups were included. Eight papers met the inclusion criteria and were selected, five were from the United States of America (USA) and three from Europe. There were no national recommendations published. There was one guideline specifically for solid-organ transplant recipients. The other seven targeted HIV-positive patients, with HIV-positive men who have sex with men (MSM) included as a screening group in all of these. Two recommendations favored screening in all HIV-positive patients. Five recommendations targeting HIV-positive patients made considerations about the cytology follow-up, recommending at least annual cytology in case of a normal result, and in case of squamous cytological abnormalities, a referral for anoscopy/high-resolution anoscopy. There were no recommendations for upper and lower age limits for screening. In conclusion, several societies recommend anal cancer screening using anal cytology in HIV-positive MSM patients. There is a lack of screening recommendations for other high-risk groups, with only one society recommending screening in transplant recipients.