bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Checkpoint Defects Elicit a WRNIP1-Mediated Response to Counteract R-Loop-Associated Genomic Instability
Authors: Marabitti Veronica , Lillo Giorgia , Malacaria Eva , Palermo Valentina , Pichierri Pietro , Franchitto Annapaola
Published: February 2020

Conflicts between replication and transcription are a common source of genomic instability, a characteristic of almost all human cancers. Aberrant R-loops can cause a block to replication fork progression. A growing number of factors are involved in the resolution of these harmful structures and many perhaps are still unknown. Here, we reveal that the Werner interacting protein 1 (WRNIP1)-mediated response is implicated in counteracting aberrant R-loop accumulation. Using human cellular models with compromised Ataxia-Telangiectasia and Rad3-Related (ATR)-dependent checkpoint activation, we show that WRNIP1 is stabilized in chromatin and is needed for maintaining genome integrity by mediating the Ataxia Telangiectasia Mutated (ATM)-dependent phosphorylation of Checkpoint kinase 1 (CHK1). Furthermore, we demonstrated that loss of Werner Syndrome protein (WRN) or ATR signaling leads to formation of R-loop-dependent parental ssDNA upon mild replication stress, which is covered by Radiorestistance protein 51 (RAD51). We prove that Werner helicase-interacting protein 1 (WRNIP1) chromatin retention is also required to stabilize the association of RAD51 with ssDNA in proximity of R-loops. Therefore, in these pathological contexts, ATM inhibition or WRNIP1 abrogation is accompanied by increased levels of genomic instability. Overall, our findings suggest a novel function for WRNIP1 in preventing R-loop-driven genome instability, providing new clues to understand the way replication–transcription conflicts are handled.
Evoked Methane Photocatalytic Conversion to C2 Oxygenates over Ceria with Oxygen Vacancy
Authors: Du Jin , Chen Wei , Wu Gangfeng , Song Yanfang , Dong Xiao , Li Guihua , Fang Jianhui , Wei Wei , Sun Yuhan
Published: February 2020

Direct conversion of methane to its oxygenate derivatives remains highly attractive while challenging owing to the intrinsic chemical inertness of CH4. Photocatalysis arises as a promising green strategy which could stimulate water splitting to produce oxidative radicals for methane C–H activation and subsequent C–C coupling. However, synthesis of a photocatalyst with an appropriate capability of methane oxidation by water remains a challenge using an effective and viable approach. Herein, ceria nanoparticles with abundant oxygen vacancies prepared by calcinating commercial CeO2 powder at high temperatures in argon are reported to capably produce ethanol and aldehyde from CH4 photocatalytic oxidation under ambient conditions. Although high-temperature calcinations lead to lower light adsorptions and increased band gaps to some extent, deficient CeO2 nanoparticles with oxygen vacancies and surface CeIII species are formed, which are crucial for methane photocatalytic conversion. The ceria catalyst as-calcinated at 1100 °C had the highest oxygen vacancy concentration and CeIII content, achieving an ethanol production rate of 11.4 µmol·gcat−1·h−1 with a selectivity of 91.5%. Additional experimental results suggested that the product aldehyde was from the oxidation of ethanol during the photocatalytic conversion of CH4.
Solid-State NaBH4 Composites as Hydrogen Generation Material: Effect of Thermal Treatment of a Catalyst Precursor on the Hydrogen Generation Rate
Authors: Netskina Olga V. , Pochtar Alena A. , Komova Oxana V. , Simagina Valentina I.
Published: February 2020

Solid-state composites based on sodium borohydride (NaBH4) were studied for applications as hydrogen generation materials. Hydrates of cobalt and nickel chlorides subjected to a thermal treatment were added to the composites as catalyst precursors. Using thermal analysis and FTIR spectroscopy, it was shown that the amount of water removed increases with the increasing temperature. Herewith, the water molecules that remained in the samples were strongly bound to the metal and isolated from each other. According to the ultraviolet–visible (UV-vis) spectroscopy data, with the increasing temperature of the thermal pretreatment there took place a substitution of a portion of water molecules by chloride ions in the nearest environment of the metal. It appeared that it was the resulting weakening of the electrostatic field on metal that was mainly responsible for the formation of a more finely dispersed catalytic phase of amorphous cobalt boride in the reaction medium under the action of sodium borohydride. The smaller particles of the active components led to a faster rate of gas generation when water was added to the solid-state NaBH4 composites. This trend remained for both the cobalt and the nickel catalytic systems even when the activity was calculated per gram of the metal. Thus, for the preparation of solid-state NaBH4 composites, hydrates of cobalt and nickel chlorides with a low content of water should be used.
Engineering Corynebacterium glutamicum for the Efficient Production of 3-Hydroxypropionic Acid from a Mixture of Glucose and Acetate via the Malonyl-CoA Pathway
Authors: Chang Zhishuai , Dai Wei , Mao Yufeng , Cui Zhenzhen , Wang Zhiwen , Chen Tao
Published: February 2020

3-Hydroxypropionic acid (3-HP) has been recognized as one of the top value-added building block chemicals, due to its numerous potential applications. Over the past decade, biosynthesis of 3-HP via the malonyl-CoA pathway has been increasingly favored because it is balanced in terms of ATP and reducing equivalents, does not require the addition of costly coenzymes, and can utilize renewable lignocellulosic biomass. In this study, gene mcr encoding malonyl-CoA reductase from Chloroflexus aurantiacus was introduced into Corynebacterium glutamicum ATCC13032 to construct the strain Cgz1, which accumulated 0.30 g/L 3-HP. Gene ldhA encoding lactate dehydrogenase was subsequently deleted to eliminate lactate accumulation, but this decreased 3-HP production and greatly increased acetate accumulation. Then, different acetate utilization genes were overexpressed to reuse the acetate, and the best candidate Cgz5 expressing endogenous gene pta could effectively reduce the acetate accumulation and produced 0.68 g/L 3-HP. To enhance the supply of the precursor acetyl-CoA, acetate was used as an ancillary carbon source to improve the 3-HP production, and 1.33 g/L 3-HP could be produced from a mixture of glucose and acetate, with a 2.06-fold higher yield than from glucose alone. Finally, to inhibit the major 3-HP competing pathway-fatty acid synthesis, 10 μM cerulenin was added and strain Cgz5 produced 3.77 g/L 3-HP from 15.47 g/L glucose and 4.68 g/L acetate with a yield of 187 mg/g substrate in 48 h, which was 12.57-fold higher than that of Cgz1. To our best knowledge, this is the first report on engineering C. glutamicum to produce 3-HP via the malonyl-CoA pathway. The results indicate that the innocuous biosafety level I microorganism C. glutamicum is a potential industrial 3-HP producer.
Separated Siamese Twins: Intronic Small Nucleolar RNAs and Matched Host Genes May be Altered in Conjunction or Separately in Multiple Cancer Types
Authors: Penzo Marianna , Clima Rosanna , Trerè Davide , Montanaro Lorenzo
Published: February 2020

Small nucleolar RNAs (snoRNAs) are non-coding RNAs involved in RNA modification and processing. Approximately half of the so far identified snoRNA genes map within the intronic regions of host genes, and their expression, as well as the expression of their host genes, is dependent on transcript splicing and maturation. Growing evidence indicates that mutations and/or deregulations that affect snoRNAs, as well as host genes, play a significant role in oncogenesis. Among the possible factors underlying snoRNA/host gene expression deregulation is copy number alteration (CNA). We analyzed the data available in The Cancer Genome Atlas database, relative to CNA and expression of 295 snoRNA/host gene couples in 10 cancer types, to understand whether the genetic or expression alteration of snoRNAs and their matched host genes would have overlapping trends. Our results show that, counterintuitively, copy number and expression alterations of snoRNAs and matched host genes are not necessarily coupled. In addition, some snoRNA/host genes are mutated and overexpressed recurrently in multiple cancer types. Our findings suggest that the differential contribution to cancer development of both snoRNAs and host genes should always be considered, and that snoRNAs and their host genes may contribute to cancer development in conjunction or independently.
Astroglial Connexin 43 Deficiency Protects against LPS-Induced Neuroinflammation: A TSPO Brain µPET Study with [18F]FEPPA
Authors: Vignal Nicolas , Boulay Anne-Cécile , San Carine , Cohen-Salmon Martine , Rizzo-Padoin Nathalie , Sarda-Mantel Laure , Declèves Xavier , Cisternino Salvatore , Hosten Benoît
Published: February 2020

Astroglial connexin 43 (Cx43) has been recognized as a crucial immunoregulating factor in the brain. Its inactivation leads to a continuous immune recruitment, cytokine expression modification and a specific humoral autoimmune response against the astrocytic extracellular matrix but without brain lesions or cell lysis. To assess the impact of Cx43 deletion on the brain’s inflammatory response, TSPO expression was studied by positron emission tomography (PET) imaging with a specific radioligand, [18F]FEPPA, in basal conditions or upon Lipopolysaccharides (LPS)-induced inflammatory challenge. Astroglial Cx43-deleted mice underwent [18F]FEPPA PET/CT dynamic imaging with or without LPS injection (5 mg/kg) 24 h before imaging. Quantification and pharmacokinetic data modelling with a 2TCM-1K compartment model were performed. After collecting the mice brains, TSPO expression was quantified and localized by Western blot and FISH analysis. We found that astroglial Cx43 deficiency does not significantly alter TSPO expression in the basal state as observed with [18F]FEPPA PET imaging, FISH and Western blot analysis. However, deletion of astrocyte Cx43 abolishes the LPS-induced TSPO increase. Autoimmune encephalopathy observed in astroglial Cx43-deleted mice does not involve TSPO overexpression. Consistent with previous studies showing a unique inflammatory status in the absence of astrocyte Cx43, we show that a deficient expression of astrocytic Cx43 protects the animals from LPS-induced neuroinflammation as addressed by TSPO expression.
Structural Properties and Oxidation Resistance of ZrN/SiNx, CrN/SiNx and AlN/SiNx Multilayered Films Deposited by Magnetron Sputtering Technique
Authors: Saladukhin Ihar , Abadias Gregory , Uglov Vladimir , Zlotski Sergey , Janse van Vuuren Arno , Herman O’Connell Jacques
Published: February 2020

In the present work, the structure, stress state and phase composition of MeN/SiNx (Me = Zr, Cr, Al) multilayered films with the thickness of elementary layers in nanoscale range, as well as their stability to high temperature oxidation, were studied. Monolithic (reference) and multilayered films were deposited on Si substrates at the temperatures of 300 °C (ZrN/SiNx and AlN/SiNx systems) or 450 °C (CrN/SiNx) by reactive magnetron sputtering. The thickness ratios of MeN to SiNx were 5 nm/2 nm, 5 nm/5 nm, 5 nm/10 nm and 2 nm/5 nm. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray Reflectivity (XRR) and X-ray Diffraction (XRD) testified to the uniform alternation of MeN and SiNx layers with sharp interlayer boundaries. It was observed that MeN sublayers have a nanocrystalline structure with (001) preferred orientation at 5 nm, but are X-ray amorphous at 2 nm, while SiNx sublayers are always X-ray amorphous. The stability of the coatings to oxidation was investigated by in situ XRD analysis (at the temperature range of 400–950 °C) along with the methods of wavelength-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (WDS) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) after air annealing procedure. Reference ZrN and CrN films started to oxidize at the temperatures of 550 and 700 °C, respectively, while the AlN reference film was thermally stable up to 950 °C. Compared to reference monolithic films, MeN/SiNx multilayers have an improved oxidation resistance (onset of oxidation is shifted by more than 200 °C), and the performance is enhanced with increasing fraction of SiNx layer thickness. Overall, CrN/SiNx and AlN/SiNx multilayered films are characterized by noticeably higher resistance to oxidation as compared to ZrN/SiNx multilayers, the best performance being obtained for CrN/SiNx and AlN/SiNx with 5 nm/5 nm and 5 nm/10 nm periods, which remain stable at least up to 950 °C.
Robust Audio Content Classification Using Hybrid-Based SMD and Entropy-Based VAD
Authors: Wang Kun-Ching
Published: February 2020

A robust approach for the application of audio content classification (ACC) is proposed in this paper, especially in variable noise-level conditions. We know that speech, music, and background noise (also called silence) are usually mixed in the noisy audio signal. Based on the findings, we propose a hierarchical ACC approach consisting of three parts: voice activity detection (VAD), speech/music discrimination (SMD), and post-processing. First, entropy-based VAD is successfully used to segment input signal into noisy audio and noise even if variable-noise level is happening. The determinations of one-dimensional (1D)-subband energy information (1D-SEI) and 2D-textural image information (2D-TII) are then formed as a hybrid feature set. The hybrid-based SMD is achieved because the hybrid feature set is input into the classification of the support vector machine (SVM). Finally, a rule-based post-processing of segments is utilized to smoothly determine the output of the ACC system. The noisy audio is successfully classified into noise, speech, and music. Experimental results show that the hierarchical ACC system using hybrid feature-based SMD and entropy-based VAD is successfully evaluated against three available datasets and is comparable with existing methods even in a variable noise-level environment. In addition, our test results with the VAD scheme and hybrid features also shows that the proposed architecture increases the performance of audio content discrimination.
Effect of Prandtl Number on Mixed Convective Heat Transfer from a Porous Cylinder in the Steady Flow Regime
Authors: Yu Shimin , Tang Tingting , Li Jianhui , Yu Peng
Published: February 2020

The effect of the Prandtl number (Pr) on the flow and heat transfer from a porous circular cylinder with internal heat generation in the mixed convection regime is numerically investigated. The steady flow regime is considered over the ranges of the Reynolds number (Re), Darcy number (Da), and Richardson number (Ri), varying from 5 to 40, 10−6 to 10−2, and 0 to 2, respectively. The wake structure, the temperature distribution, and the heat transfer rate are discussed. Besides precipitating the growth of the recirculating wake, the Prandtl number is found to have a significant impact on the thermal characteristics. The concave isotherms, resembling a saddle-shaped structure, occur behind the cylinder at larger Pr, resulting in swells of the isotherms pairing off at the lateral sides. These swells are found to have a negative effect on heat transfer owing to a relatively smaller temperature gradient there. Then, the heat transfer rate in terms of the local Nusselt number (Nu) and enhancement ratio (Er) is calculated, which is closely related to Pr, Re, Da, and Ri. The local minimum heat transfer rate along the cylinder surface is found at the position where the swells of the isotherms form.
Mean Shift Cluster Recognition Method Implementation in the Nested Sampling Algorithm
Authors: Trassinelli Martino , Ciccodicola Pierre
Published: February 2020

Nested sampling is an efficient algorithm for the calculation of the Bayesian evidence and posterior parameter probability distributions. It is based on the step-by-step exploration of the parameter space by Monte Carlo sampling with a series of values sets called live points that evolve towards the region of interest, i.e., where the likelihood function is maximal. In presence of several local likelihood maxima, the algorithm converges with difficulty. Some systematic errors can also be introduced by unexplored parameter volume regions. In order to avoid this, different methods are proposed in the literature for an efficient search of new live points, even in presence of local maxima. Here we present a new solution based on the mean shift cluster recognition method implemented in a random walk search algorithm. The clustering recognition is integrated within the Bayesian analysis program NestedFit. It is tested with the analysis of some difficult cases. Compared to the analysis results without cluster recognition, the computation time is considerably reduced. At the same time, the entire parameter space is efficiently explored, which translates into a smaller uncertainty of the extracted value of the Bayesian evidence.
Coded Permutation Entropy: A Measure for Dynamical Changes Based on the Secondary Partitioning of Amplitude Information
Authors: Kang Huan , Zhang Xiaofeng , Zhang Guangbin
Published: February 2020

An improved permutation entropy (PE) algorithm named coded permutation entropy (CPE) is proposed in this paper to optimize the problems existing in PE based on the secondary partitioning. The principle of CPE algorithm is given, and the performance of it for dynamical change detection is analyzed using synthetic signal, logistic map and Lorenz map. The detection ability of CPE algorithm in different signal-to-noise ratios (SNR) is studied and the algorithm complexity is discussed. The results show that CPE can accurately capture minor feature information and amplify the detection results of dynamical changes compared with PE, weighted permutation entropy (WPE) and amplitude-aware permutation entropy (AAPE), but it has less robustness to noise and requires a higher computation cost than the others. Finally, we use the new algorithm to analyze the rolling bearing fault signals. The application of actual signals illustrates that CPE performs better in detecting abnormal pulse of the rolling bearing when the embedded dimension is small. From all the analyses in this paper, we find that CPE has a better performance for dynamical change detection compared with the other three algorithms when there is a larger repetition rate of permutation pattern in the position sequences.
Information Transfer between Stock Market Sectors: A Comparison between the USA and China
Authors: Yue Peng , Fan Yaodong , Batten Jonathan A. , Zhou Wei-Xing
Published: February 2020

Information diffusion within financial markets plays a crucial role in the process of price formation and the propagation of sentiment and risk. We perform a comparative analysis of information transfer between industry sectors of the Chinese and the USA stock markets, using daily sector indices for the period from 2000 to 2017. The information flow from one sector to another is measured by the transfer entropy of the daily returns of the two sector indices. We find that the most active sector in information exchange (i.e., the largest total information inflow and outflow) is the non-bank financial sector in the Chinese market and the technology sector in the USA market. This is consistent with the role of the non-bank sector in corporate financing in China and the impact of technological innovation in the USA. In each market, the most active sector is also the largest information sink that has the largest information inflow (i.e., inflow minus outflow). In contrast, we identify that the main information source is the bank sector in the Chinese market and the energy sector in the USA market. In the case of China, this is due to the importance of net bank lending as a signal of corporate activity and the role of energy pricing in affecting corporate profitability. There are sectors such as the real estate sector that could be an information sink in one market but an information source in the other, showing the complex behavior of different markets. Overall, these findings show that stock markets are more synchronized, or ordered, during periods of turmoil than during periods of stability.
Negation of Pythagorean Fuzzy Number Based on a New Uncertainty Measure Applied in a Service Supplier Selection System
Authors: Mao Haiyi , Cai Rui
Published: February 2020

The Pythagorean fuzzy number (PFN) consists of membership and non-membership as an extension of the intuitionistic fuzzy number. PFN has a larger ambiguity, and it has a stronger ability to express uncertainty. In the multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) problem, it is also very difficult to measure the ambiguity degree of a set of PFN. A new entropy of PFN is proposed based on a technique for order of preference by similarity to ideal solution (Topsis) method of revised relative closeness index in this paper. To verify the new entropy with a good performance in uncertainty measure, a new Pythagorean fuzzy number negation approach is proposed. We develop the PFN negation and find the correlation of the uncertainty measure. Existing methods can only evaluate the ambiguity of a single PFN. The newly proposed method is suitable to systematically evaluate the uncertainty of PFN in Topsis. Nowadays, there are no uniform criteria for measuring service quality. It brings challenges to the future development of airlines. Therefore, grasping the future market trends leads to winning with advanced and high-quality services. Afterward, the applicability in the service supplier selection system with the new entropy is discussed to evaluate the service quality and measure uncertainty. Finally, the new PFN entropy is verified with a good ability in the last MCDM numerical example.
Optimizing Variational Graph Autoencoder for Community Detection with Dual Optimization
Authors: Choong Jun Jin , Liu Xin , Murata Tsuyoshi
Published: February 2020

Variational Graph Autoencoder (VGAE) has recently gained traction for learning representations on graphs. Its inception has allowed models to achieve state-of-the-art performance for challenging tasks such as link prediction, rating prediction, and node clustering. However, a fundamental flaw exists in Variational Autoencoder (VAE)-based approaches. Specifically, merely minimizing the loss of VAE increases the deviation from its primary objective. Focusing on Variational Graph Autoencoder for Community Detection (VGAECD) we found that optimizing the loss using the stochastic gradient descent often leads to sub-optimal community structure especially when initialized poorly. We address this shortcoming by introducing a dual optimization procedure. This procedure aims to guide the optimization process and encourage learning of the primary objective. Additionally, we linearize the encoder to reduce the number of learning parameters. The outcome is a robust algorithm that outperforms its predecessor.
A Telespirometer for the Developing World
Authors: Brooker Graham
Published: February 2020

There are numerous examples in which the introduction of expensive medical equipment into the developing world fail for lack of a basic understanding of the device operation, lack of spare parts and poor maintenance. This paper describes the development of a Fleisch pneumotachograph and cellphone based telespirometer that can easily be built from “junk box” medical and electronic components available in the developing world. This approach should introduce a sense of local ownership to the project as well as encouraging participation by the local electronics repair industry. Experimental results confirm that the forced expiratory flow data are reliably modulated onto an audio signal and transmitted by cellphone to a base station for examination by a district nurse or doctor. Flow measurement and data transmission accuracies are sufficiently good for remote diagnoses of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
Sensor Selection via Maximizing Hybrid Bayesian Fisher Information and Mutual Information in Unreliable Sensor Networks
Authors: Yan Qingli , Chen Jianfeng
Published: February 2020

The sensor selection problem is addressed for unreliable sensor networks. The Bayesian Fisher information (BFI) matrix, mutual information (MI) and their relationship are investigated under Gaussian mixture noise conditions. To overcome the flaw that the sensor selection methods based on either BFI matrix or MI could not provide coincident results, the multiple objective optimal (MOP) -based sensor selection approach is developed via minimizing the number of selected sensors while maximizing corresponding BFI matrix and MI. The variable weight decision making (VWDM) and technique for order of preference by similarity to ideal solution (TOPSIS) approaches are then proposed to find the candidate that can better trade off the cost and two performance metrics. Comparison results demonstrated that the proposed method can find a more informative sensor group, and ultimately, its overall localization performance outperforms the sensor selection methods based on BFI or MI.
Exploring Efficient Acceleration Architecture for Winograd-Transformed Transposed Convolution of GANs on FPGAs
Authors: Di Xinkai , Yang Hai-Gang , Jia Yiping , Huang Zhihong , Mao Ning
Published: February 2020

The acceleration architecture of transposed convolution layers is essential since transposed convolution operations, as critical components in the generative model of generative adversarial networks, are computationally intensive inherently. In addition, the pre-processing of inserting and padding with zeros for input feature maps causes many ineffective operations. Most of the already known FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array) based architectures for convolution layers cannot tackle these issues. In this paper, we firstly propose a novel dataflow exploration through splitting the filters and its corresponding input feature maps into four sets and then applying the Winograd algorithm for fast processing with a high efficiency. Secondly, we present an underlying FPGA-based accelerator architecture that features owning processing units, with embedded parallel, pipelined, and buffered processing flow. At last, a parallelism-aware memory partition technique and the hardware-based design space are explored coordinating, respectively, for the required parallel operations and optimal design parameters. Experiments of several state-of-the-art GANs by our methods achieve an average performance of 639.2 GOPS on Xilinx ZCU102 and 162.5 GOPS on Xilinx VC706. In reference to a conventional optimized accelerator baseline, this work demonstrates an 8.6× (up to 11.7×) increase in processing performance, compared to below 2.2× improvement by the prior studies in the literature.
Determining an Appropriate Parameter of Analytical Wake Models for Energy Capture and Layout Optimization on Wind Farms
Authors: Yang Kyoungboo
Published: February 2020

The wake of a wind turbine is a crucial factor that decreases the output of downstream wind turbines and causes unsteady loading. Various wake models have been developed to understand it, ranging from simple ones to elaborate models that require long calculation times. However, selecting an appropriate wake model is difficult because each model has its advantages and disadvantages as well as distinct characteristics. Furthermore, determining the parameters of a given wake model is crucial because this affects the calculation results. In this study, a method was introduced of using the turbulence intensity, which can be measured onsite, to objectively define parameters that were previously set according to the subjective judgement of a wind farm designer or general recommended values. To reflect the environmental effects around a site, the turbulence intensity in each direction of the wind farm was considered for four types of analytical wake models: the Jensen, Frandsen, Larsen, and Jensen–Gaussian models. The prediction performances of the wake models for the power deficit and energy production of the wind turbines were compared to data collected from a wind farm. The results showed that the Jensen and Jensen–Gaussian models agreed more with the power deficit distribution of the downstream wind turbines than when the same general recommended parameters were applied in all directions. When applied to energy production, the maximum difference among the wake models was approximately 3%. Every wake model clearly showed the relative wake loss tendency of each wind turbine.
Predicting Tree Height-Diameter Relationship from Relative Competition Levels Using Quantile Regression Models for Chinese Fir (Cunninghamia lanceolata) in Fujian Province, China
Authors: Zhang Bo , Sajjad Saeed , Chen Keyi , Zhou Lai , Zhang Yaxin , Yong Kok Kian , Sun Yujun
Published: February 2020

The importance of the height-diameter (H-D) relationship in forest productivity is well known. The general nonlinear regression model, based on the mean regression technical, is not able to give a complete description of the H-D relationship. This study aims to evaluate the H-D relationship among relative competition levels and develop a quantile regression (QR) model to fully describe the H-D relationship. The dominance index was applied to determine the relative competition levels of trees for the Chinese fir. Based on the basic Weibull growth model, the mean regression for five relative competition levels and 11 QR models was constructed with 10-fold cross-validation. We have demonstrated that the H-D relationship for the Chinese fir strongly correlated with relative competition states, but the five curves from mean regression models did not show a notable difference between the trends of H-D relationship under different competition levels. Similar regression results were found in QR models of the specific quantiles; the average tree height of five competition levels varied between 5.78% and 17.65% (i.e., about 0.06 and 0.18 quantiles). In addition, some special curves of the H-D relationship such as the QR models of the 0.01 and 0.99 quantile showed the H-D relationship under certain conditions. These findings indicate that the QR models not only evaluated the rates of change of the H-D relationships in various competition levels, but also described their characteristics with more information, like the upper and lower boundary of the conditional distribution of responses. Although the flexible QR curves followed the distribution of the data and showed more information about the H-D relationships, the H-D curves may not intersect with each other, even when the trees reached their maximum height. Hence, the QR model requires further practice in assessing the growth trajectory of the tree’s diameter or tree height to gain better results.
Individual Cryptomeria fortunei Hooibrenk Clones Show Varying Degrees of Chilling Stress Resistance
Authors: Zhang Yingting , Zhu Qianyu , Zhang Meng , Guo Zhenhao , Yang Junjie , Mo Jiaxing , Cui Jiebing , Hu Hailiang , Xu Jin
Published: February 2020

Low temperature (LT) is an important abiotic factor affecting plant survival, growth and distribution. The response of Cryptomeria fortunei (Chinese cedar) to LT is not well known, limiting its application in production and ornamental value. In this study, we first screened ten clones (#3, #25, #32, #42, #54, #57, #68, #66, #74, #X1), originating from five different locations in China, for their degrees of cold resistance. We then selected the two showing the highest (#32) and lowest (#42) cold resistance to see the physiological and morphological response of different cold-resistant C. fortunei clones to LT. We found that the electrolyte leakage of all ten clones increased strongly between 0 and −8 °C, while below −8 or between 4 and 0 °C did not yield additional increases. Under cold stress, clones #32 and #42 showed different degrees of needle browning. From 25 to −20 °C, maximum and effective quantum yields of photosystem II (Fv/Fm and YII) and photochemical and non-photochemical quenching (qP and NPQ) decreased continuously in two clones with decreasing temperature, where #42 was more strongly affected compared with #32. The chlorophyll content first decreased significantly to the lowest from 25 to −12 °C, then increased significantly at −16/−20 °C compared with −12 °C. We observed changes in needle cellular ultrastructure at −8 °C, with chloroplasts of #32 swelling, while those of #42 were destroyed. Correlation analysis indicated that needle browning and chlorophyll fluorescence were closely related to temperature, and cellular ultrastructure changed notably around semi-lethal temperature (LT50), which can be used as physiological indicators for the identification of cold resistance. We found a clear difference in cold tolerance between clones of #32 and #42, with #32 being more tolerant, which can be exploited in breeding programs. We conclude that strongly cold-resistant clones have more stable physiological states and a wider adaptability to LT compared with weak ones.
A Survey of Security Vulnerability Analysis, Discovery, Detection, and Mitigation on IoT Devices
Authors: Yu Miao , Zhuge Jianwei , Cao Ming , Shi Zhiwei , Jiang Lin
Published: February 2020

With the prosperity of the Internet of Things (IoT) industry environment, the variety and quantity of IoT devices have grown rapidly. IoT devices have been widely used in smart homes, smart wear, smart manufacturing, smart cars, smart medical care, and many other life-related fields. With it, security vulnerabilities of IoT devices are emerging endlessly. The proliferation of security vulnerabilities will bring severe risks to users’ privacy and property. This paper first describes the research background, including IoT architecture, device components, and attack surfaces. We review state-of-the-art research on IoT device vulnerability discovery, detection, mitigation, and other related works. Then, we point out the current challenges and opportunities by evaluation. Finally, we forecast and discuss the research directions on vulnerability analysis techniques of IoT devices.
From by-Product to Unconventional Vegetable: Preliminary Evaluation of Fresh Fava Hulls Highlights Richness in L-Dopa and Low Content of Anti-Nutritional Factor
Authors: Renna Massimiliano , De Cillis Francesca , Leoni Beniamino , Acciardi Ermelinda , Santamaria Pietro
Published: February 2020

Faba bean hulls are a by-product, generated from the processing of beans and usually disposed of as waste, utilized in some recipes of Italian traditional cuisine. In this research, a quality evaluation of faba hulls in six genotypes (four local varieties—‘Cegliese’, ‘Iambola’, ‘San Francesco’ and ‘FV5′—and two commercial ones—‘Aguadulce supersimonia’ and ‘Extra-early purple’) of faba bean (Vicia faba L. var. major Harz) for fresh consumption grown with two plant densities (4.16 and 2.08 plants m−2) was carried out. For all the measured parameters, the statistical analysis reveals that the interaction between plant density and genotype was not significant. On the other hand, independently of the genotype, the higher the plant’s density the higher was the pods’ yield per unit area, while the average percentage of hulls was of 75% with little differences between genotypes. All genotypes showed a low content of vicine (12.4 mg 100 g−1 FW), a well know favism-inducing factor, and a very high phenols content (between 443 and 646 mg 100 g−1 FW) and levo-dihydroxy phenylalanine (L-dopa—on average 170 mg 100 g−1 FW), used for the treatment of patients affected by Parkinson’s disease. In conclusion, this study highlights the good potential of faba hulls as unconventional vegetable, suggesting its use as a new functional food in the daily diet and also for patients with Parkinson’s disease.
Segmentation of Potato Consumers Based on Sensory and Attitudinal Aspects
Authors: Sharma Chetan , Jayanty Sastry S. , Chambers Edgar , Talavera Martin
Published: February 2020

Consumer hedonic scores for potatoes were linked to sensory characteristics to understand the underlying consumer segments, flavor and texture preferences and attitudinal associations regarding potatoes. Consumers were asked to evaluate liking on a 9-point hedonic scale for 12 cultivars of potatoes. Sensory findings were collected by using a consensus-based descriptive analysis approach for the same cultivars. Segmentation analysis procedure identified three subgroups of consumers with different overall liking patterns, indicating variability in the acceptance of different potato cultivars. Drivers of liking were identified for respective segments by using preference mapping. Dissimilar features were found important in determining potato liking patterns. Purple Majesty, Masquerade and Rio Colorado cultivars were found most liked by respondents, while Russian Banana were found to be liked the least. Tuber color, price, variety name on package, color of peel, and being locally produced were found to be important factors in purchasing decisions.
Rapid PCR Method for the Selection of 1,3-Pentadiene Non-Producing Debaryomyces hansenii Yeast Strains
Authors: Rivas Eva-María , Wrent Petra , de Silóniz María-Isabel
Published: February 2020

To prevent microbial growth and its consequences, preservatives such as sorbic acid or its salts, commonly known as sorbates, are added to foods. However, some moulds and yeasts are capable of decarboxylating sorbates and producing 1,3-pentadiene. This is a volatile compound with an unpleasant “petroleum-like “odour, which causes consumer rejection of the contaminated products. In this work, we studied the production of 1,3-pentadiene in 91 strains of the yeast Debaryomyces hansenii, and we found that nearly 96% were able to produce this compound. The sequence of the FDC1Dh gene was analysed showing differences between 1,3-pentadiene producer (P) and non-producer (NP) strains. A specific PCR assay with degenerated primers based on the gene sequence was developed to discern NP and P strains. It was tested on D. hansenii strains and on some physiologically related species frequently isolated from foods, such as D. fabrii, D. subglobosus and Meyerozyma guillermondii. This method could be applied for the selection of NP D. hansenii strains, useful in biotechnological food production and as a biocontrol agent.
Introduction to the Special Issue Political Games: Strategy, Persuasion, and Learning
Authors: Gratton Gabriele , Zudenkova Galina
Published: February 2020

All political actors, from world leaders to common citizens, make choices based on information that is noisy, perhaps biased, and sometimes fake [...]
Homology-Free Detection of Transposable Elements Unveils Their Dynamics in Three Ecologically Distinct Rhodnius Species
Authors: Castro Marcelo R. J. , Goubert Clément , Monteiro Fernando A. , Vieira Cristina , Carareto Claudia M. A.
Published: February 2020

Transposable elements (TEs) are widely distributed repetitive sequences in the genomes across the tree of life, and represent an important source of genetic variability. Their distribution among genomes is specific to each lineage. A phenomenon associated with this feature is the sudden expansion of one or several TE families, called bursts of transposition. We previously proposed that bursts of the Mariner family (DNA transposons) contributed to the speciation of Rhodnius prolixus Stål, 1859. This hypothesis motivated us to study two additional species of the R. prolixus complex: Rhodnius montenegrensis da Rosa et al., 2012 and Rhodnius marabaensis Souza et al., 2016, together with a new, de novo annotation of the R. prolixus repeatome using unassembled short reads. Our analysis reveals that the total amount of TEs present in Rhodnius genomes (19% to 23.5%) is three to four times higher than that expected based on the original quantifications performed for the original genome description of R. prolixus. We confirm here that the repeatome of the three species is dominated by Class II elements of the superfamily Tc1-Mariner, as well as members of the LINE order (Class I). In addition to R. prolixus, we also identified a recent burst of transposition of the Mariner family in R. montenegrensis and R. marabaensis, suggesting that this phenomenon may not be exclusive to R. prolixus. Rather, we hypothesize that whilst the expansion of Mariner elements may have contributed to the diversification of the R. prolixus-R. robustus species complex, the distinct ecological characteristics of these new species did not drive the general evolutionary trajectories of these TEs.
Transcriptomic and Metabolomic Changes Triggered by Fusarium solani in Common Bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.)
Authors: Chen Limin , Wu Quancong , He Tianjun , Lan Jianjun , Ding Li , Liu Tingfu , Wu Qianqian , Pan Yiming , Chen Tingting
Published: February 2020

Common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) is a major legume and is frequently attacked by fungal pathogens, including Fusarium solani f. sp. phaseoli (FSP), which cause Fusarium root rot. FSP substantially reduces common bean yields across the world, including China, but little is known about how common bean plants defend themselves against this fungal pathogen. In the current study, we combined next-generation RNA sequencing and metabolomics techniques to investigate the changes in gene expression and metabolomic processes in common bean infected with FSP. There were 29,722 differentially regulated genes and 300 differentially regulated metabolites between control and infected plants. The combined omics approach revealed that FSP is perceived by PAMP-triggered immunity and effector-triggered immunity. Infected seedlings showed that common bean responded by cell wall modification, ROS generation, and a synergistic hormone-driven defense response. Further analysis showed that FSP induced energy metabolism, nitrogen mobilization, accumulation of sugars, and arginine and proline metabolism. Importantly, metabolic pathways were most significantly enriched, which resulted in increased levels of metabolites that were involved in the plant defense response. A correspondence between the transcript pattern and metabolite profile was observed in the discussed pathways. The combined omics approach enhances our understanding of the less explored pathosystem and will provide clues for the development of common bean cultivars’ resistant to FSP.
Naturally Occurring Potentially Harmful Elements in Groundwater in Makueni County, South-Eastern Kenya: Effects on Drinking Water Quality and Agriculture
Authors: Gevera Patrick Kirita , Cave Mark , Dowling Kim , Gikuma-Njuru Peter , Mouri Hassina
Published: February 2020

Makueni County is located in the semi-arid south-eastern Kenya region characterized by unreliable rainfall and limited surface water resources. This necessitates a high reliance on groundwater for domestic and agricultural use. In this paper, we report on the physico-chemical characteristics of 20 drinking water sources (boreholes, shallow wells, streams, and tap water) collected during the dry season (November 2018), the geochemical processes controlling their composition, and their suitability for drinking water and irrigation. Of all the physico-chemical parameters analysed, the concentrations of total dissolved solids, hardness, electrical conductivity, magnesium, calcium, chloride, and fluoride exceeded the permissible drinking water limits set by both the World Health Organization (WHO) and Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) in up to 55% of the samples. The dominant ions reflect the high salinity in the water that ranged from very high to extreme in up to 50% of samples. The northern region shows the highest concentrations of the dominant parameters. The water type is predominantly Ca-Mg-HCO3 with a trend to Ca-Mg-Cl-SO4. Rock weathering and evaporation are suggested to be the primary controls of groundwater geochemical characteristics. High salinity and fluoride, which are associated with reported undesirable taste and gastrointestinal upsets, as well as cases of dental fluorosis are some of the effects of consuming groundwater in the region. These two parameters can be attributed to the weathering of biotite gneisses, granitoid gneisses, migmatites, and basaltic rocks that occur in the area. The high salinity and alkalinity of most of the samples analysed, renders the water unsuitable for irrigation in the study area.
The Impact of Joining a Team on the Initial Trust in Online Physicians
Authors: Li Jia , Bao Xinyu , Liu Xuan , Ma Ling
Published: February 2020

Introduction: Trust is a major challenge for the online market and this is especially the case for e-consultation platforms. Research that promotes online physician trust is highly desirable. In this study, we focus on whether joining a team led by a well-known physician will increase physician trust and what team characteristics will affect this trust. Materials and Methods: Brand extension theory is applied to the healthcare context to explain the impact of joining a team on physician trust. Specifically, both team strength and team similarity are hypothesized to have the main effects. In addition, team size is hypothesized to have a moderating effect. A 2 × 2 × 2 experiment was conducted to test the proposed research model. Results: The results indicated that joining a team would significantly increase physician trust (p < 0.001). Both team strength (p < 0.001) and team similarity (p < 0.001) had positive impacts on physician trust. In addition, a larger team size resulted in a reduced positive effect of team strength on physician trust (p < 0.001). Conclusions: Joining a physician team is an effective and low-cost method to address the initial trust problem of unknown online physicians.
Barriers to Early Utilization of Palliative Care in Heart Failure: A Narrative Review
Authors: Romanò Massimo
Published: February 2020

Palliative care is indicated in patients with heart failure since the early phases of the disease, as suggested by international guidelines. However, patients are referred to palliative care very late. Many barriers could explain the gap between the guidelines’ indications and clinical practice. The term palliative is perceived as a stigma by doctors, patients, and family members because it is charged with negative meanings, a poor prognosis, and no hope for improvement. Many authors prefer the term supportive care, which could facilitate a discussion between doctors, patients, and caregivers. There is substantial variation and overlap in the meanings assigned to these two terms in the literature. Prognosis, as the main indication to palliative care, delays its implementation. It is necessary to modify this paradigm, moving from prognosis to patients’ needs. The lack of access to palliative care programs is often due to a lack of palliative care specialists and this shortage will be greater in the near future. In this study, a new model is proposed to integrate early over the course of the disease the palliative care (PC) specialist in the heart failure team, allowing to overcome the barriers and to achieve truly simultaneous care in the treatment of heart failure (HF) patients.