bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
PERANCANGAN DAN ANALISIS KEKUATAN FRAME SEPEDA HIBRID “TRISONA” MENGGUNAKAN SOFTWARE AUTODESK INVENTOR
Authors: Setyono Bambang
Published: April 2018

Sepeda hybrid trisona adalah sepeda yang digerakkan oleh tiga sumber gerak, yaitu gerak manual oleh engkol kaki, gerak motor pneumatik udara bertekanan, dan gerak motor listrik.  Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk merancang dan menganalisis kekuatan frame dengan variasi beban pengemudi mulai dari 0 – 95 kg menggunakan software autodesk inventor. Dengan menggunakan fitur Stress Analysis yang dilengkapi dengan metode finite element analysis (FEA), dapat diketahui luaran berupa von misses stress, displacement, dan safety factor. Frame hasil rancangan berdiameter 1 inchi, material dari mill steel. Panjang frame = 1200 mm, lebar =  180 mm, tinggi = 618 mm. Hasil analisis simulasi pada beban maksimum 95 kg besar tegangan von misses stress tertinggi terjadi di bagian rangka sambungan rangka dengan head tube sebesar 103,9 MPa. Displacement maksimum terbesar pada rangka tengah penyangga tempat duduk 0,2382 mm dan terkecil sebesar 0 MPa pada sambungan rangka dengan head tube. Safety factor minimum yang diperoleh dari analisa tersebut adalah sebesar 1,99 terjadi di sambungan rangka dengan head tube di bawah dan maksimum adalah 15 terjadi di sambungan rangka dengan head tube atas. Dengan kondisi angka keamanan tersebut maka desain frame sepeda trisona tersebut aman.

Kata kunci : sepeda hybrid trisona, frame, von misses stress, displacement, angka keamanan

 
Teaching French in Northern Ontario
Authors: Wacienga Judith
Published: April 2018

This is the first in a series of articles written by various language teachers in Northern Ontario. Since this brief article is meant to serve as an introduction, it is necessarily a very general view of the situation in the public and high schools.
Preparation of the Core French Teacher or Ensuring a Happy Ending to the Cinderella Story
Authors: Netten Joan
Published: April 2018

The last decade has witnessed a major refocusing of core French education. The general dissatisfaction with the language competence of students, the far-reaching effects of French immersion programs on the understanding of second language learning, and the innovative and powerful influence of Dr. H.H. Stem have created a new form for core French. These changes have been made manifest through the work of the National Core French Study (NCFS). However, innovative curricula are only as effective as the teachers who use them. New directions demand a reappraisal of the way we prepare our teachers. Cinderella may have her gown and slippers ready, but will she really go to the ball? Let us consider the proposed changes.
Meaning in Second Language Learning and Teaching
Authors: Chastain Kenneth
Published: April 2018

In this article I will focus on the role of grammar rules and their relationship to language teaching, learning, and communicating. My intent is to stimulate teachers to examine the approach that they take to teaching grammar rules, the amount of time that students spend learning, or trying to learn, grammar rules, and the effect that knowing traditional grammar rules has on the students' ability to communicate. My objective is to encourage readers to consider justifiable changes in their thinking about the role of grammar rules in teaching, learning and communicating.
Re: Vision
Authors: Jarvis Gilbert A.
Published: April 2018

If I could assemble pieces of my ideal foreign and second language teaching enterprise, it would have some components and characteristics that many other professionals have at various times argued for, but, especially, the composite would be much more caring, collaborative, and humanistic than that which we have created or perhaps even envisioned. My dream does require what some would call a paradigm shift and others, a magic wand.
Nature et validité du test de classement de l’institut des langues secondes
Authors: Weinberg Alysse
Published: April 2018

In this article the author evaluates the validity of the placement test used to place students in the comprehensioti-based courses offered by the Second Language Institute of the University of Ottawa. The test is described in the context of the target student population and the comprehension-based collrses. Different factors of evaluating the concurrent and predictive validity were considered. Professors were surveyed to see if they agreed with the assignment of students as made by the placement test. Students’ final marks and their marks on the placement test were mapped and analysed with respect to the cut-off points of the placement test and the professors’ evaluation. Spreadsheet-based statistical methods for evaluating test validity are demonstrated.
Assessing Second Language Vocabulary Knowledge: Depth Versus Breadth
Authors: Wesche Marjorie , Paribakht T. Sima
Published: April 2018

Most research on the acquisition of second language vocabulary has depended on estimates of vocabulary size, or 'breadth' measures, rather than on estimates of 'depth' defined either in terms of kinds of knowledge of specific words or in terms of degrees of such knowledge. Breadth tests provide rough comparative estimates of individuals' overall vocabulary knowledge, useful for such purposes as placement in instructional programs, and for charting group gains for purposes such as program evaluation. However, such measures have a number of limitations, an obvious one being that they do not measure how well given words are known (Read, 1988); thus they are of limited value in studies of the vocabulary acquisition process or in assessment of curriculum-related vocabulary learning. Few procedures and even fewer test instruments have been proposed that attempt to carry out these functions. This article surveys existing second language (L2) vocabulary measures of both kinds and describes in detail a recently developed instrument designed to assess levels of familiarity with given words, the Vocabulary Knowledge Scale (VKS) (Paribakht & Wesche, 1993a, 1993b).
Bilingual life in a multilingual high school classroom: Teaching and learning in Cantonese and English
Authors: Goldstein Tara
Published: April 2018

This paper explores the ways in which a group of Cantonese- speaking math students and their Cantonese-speaking teacher use different languages to achieve academic and social success in their multilingual classroom. It also discusses the inter-ethnic/interracial tensions that are related to the use of languages other than English in the multilingual classroom and raises questions around the advantages and disadvantages of multilingual teaching practices in terms of issues of accommodation and equity in multilingual, multicultural educational settings. In conclusion, ii seems that action and teacher research projects on negotiating language practices in multilingual classrooms are very much needed.
Global hydrocephalus epidemiology and incidence: systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Dewan Michael C. , Rattani Abbas , Mekary Rania , Glancz Laurence J. , Yunusa Ismaeel , Baticulon Ronnie E. , Fieggen Graham , Wellons John C. , Park Kee B. , Warf Benjamin C.
Published: April 2018

OBJECTIVE

Hydrocephalus is one of the most common brain disorders, yet a reliable assessment of the global burden of disease is lacking. The authors sought a reliable estimate of the prevalence and annual incidence of hydrocephalus worldwide.

METHODS

The authors performed a systematic literature review and meta-analysis to estimate the incidence of congenital hydrocephalus by WHO region and World Bank income level using the MEDLINE/PubMed and Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews databases. A global estimate of pediatric hydrocephalus was obtained by adding acquired forms of childhood hydrocephalus to the baseline congenital figures using neural tube defect (NTD) registry data and known proportions of posthemorrhagic and postinfectious cases. Adult forms of hydrocephalus were also examined qualitatively.

RESULTS

Seventy-eight articles were included from the systematic review, representative of all WHO regions and each income level. The pooled incidence of congenital hydrocephalus was highest in Africa and Latin America (145 and 316 per 100,000 births, respectively) and lowest in the United States/Canada (68 per 100,000 births) (p for interaction < 0.1). The incidence was higher in low- and middle-income countries (123 per 100,000 births; 95% CI 98–152 births) than in high-income countries (79 per 100,000 births; 95% CI 68–90 births) (p for interaction < 0.01). While likely representing an underestimate, this model predicts that each year, nearly 400,000 new cases of pediatric hydrocephalus will develop worldwide. The greatest burden of disease falls on the African, Latin American, and Southeast Asian regions, accounting for three-quarters of the total volume of new cases. The high crude birth rate, greater proportion of patients with postinfectious etiology, and higher incidence of NTDs all contribute to a case volume in low- and middle-income countries that outweighs that in high-income countries by more than 20-fold. Global estimates of adult and other forms of acquired hydrocephalus are lacking.

CONCLUSIONS

For the first time in a global model, the annual incidence of pediatric hydrocephalus is estimated. Low- and middle-income countries incur the greatest burden of disease, particularly those within the African and Latin American regions. Reliable incidence and burden figures for adult forms of hydrocephalus are absent in the literature and warrant specific investigation. A global effort to address hydrocephalus in regions with the greatest demand is imperative to reduce disease incidence, morbidity, mortality, and disparities of access to treatment.
Safe and stable noninvasive focal gene delivery to the mammalian brain following focused ultrasound
Authors: Stavarache Mihaela A. , Petersen Nicholas , Jurgens Eric M. , Milstein Elizabeth R. , Rosenfeld Zachary B. , Ballon Douglas J. , Kaplitt Michael G.
Published: April 2018

OBJECTIVE

Surgical infusion of gene therapy vectors has provided opportunities for biological manipulation of specific brain circuits in both animal models and human patients. Transient focal opening of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) by MR-guided focused ultrasound (MRgFUS) raises the possibility of noninvasive CNS gene therapy to target precise brain regions. However, variable efficiency and short follow-up of studies to date, along with recent suggestions of the potential for immune reactions following MRgFUS BBB disruption, all raise questions regarding the viability of this approach for clinical translation. The objective of the current study was to evaluate the efficiency, safety, and long-term stability of MRgFUS-mediated noninvasive gene therapy in the mammalian brain.

METHODS

Focused ultrasound under the control of MRI, in combination with microbubbles consisting of albumin-coated gas microspheres, was applied to rat striatum, followed by intravenous infusion of an adeno-associated virus serotype 1/2 (AAV1/2) vector expressing green fluorescent protein (GFP) as a marker. Following recovery, animals were followed from several hours up to 15 months. Immunostaining for GFP quantified transduction efficiency and stability of expression. Quantification of neuronal markers was used to determine histological safety over time, while inflammatory markers were examined for evidence of immune responses.

RESULTS

Transitory disruption of the BBB by MRgFUS resulted in efficient delivery of the AAV1/2 vector to the targeted rodent striatum, with 50%–75% of striatal neurons transduced on average. GFP transgene expression appeared to be stable over extended periods of time, from 2 weeks to 6 months, with evidence of ongoing stable expression as long as 16 months in a smaller cohort of animals. No evidence of substantial toxicity, tissue injury, or neuronal loss was observed. While transient inflammation from BBB disruption alone was noted for the first few days, consistent with prior observations, no evidence of brain inflammation was observed from 2 weeks to 6 months following MRgFUS BBB opening, despite delivery of a virus and expression of a foreign protein in target neurons.

CONCLUSIONS

This study demonstrates that transitory BBB disruption using MRgFUS can be a safe and efficient method for site-specific delivery of viral vectors to the brain, raising the potential for noninvasive focal human gene therapy for neurological disorders.
BELMKN: Bayesian Extreme Learning Machines Kohonen Network
Authors: Senthilnath J. , Simha C Sumanth , G Nagaraj , Thapa Meenakumari , M Indiramma
Published: April 2018

This paper proposes the Bayesian Extreme Learning Machine Kohonen Network (BELMKN) framework to solve the clustering problem. The BELMKN framework uses three levels in processing nonlinearly separable datasets to obtain efficient clustering in terms of accuracy. In the first level, the Extreme Learning Machine (ELM)-based feature learning approach captures the nonlinearity in the data distribution by mapping it onto a d-dimensional space. In the second level, ELM-based feature extracted data is used as an input for Bayesian Information Criterion (BIC) to predict the number of clusters termed as a cluster prediction. In the final level, feature-extracted data along with the cluster prediction is passed to the Kohonen Network to obtain improved clustering accuracy. The main advantage of the proposed method is to overcome the problem of having a priori identifiers or class labels for the data; it is difficult to obtain labels in most of the cases for the real world datasets. The BELMKN framework is applied to 3 synthetic datasets and 10 benchmark datasets from the UCI machine learning repository and compared with the state-of-the-art clustering methods. The experimental results show that the proposed BELMKN-based clustering outperforms other clustering algorithms for the majority of the datasets. Hence, the BELMKN framework can be used to improve the clustering accuracy of the nonlinearly separable datasets.
Development of an Urban High-Resolution Air Temperature Forecast System for Local Weather Information Services Based on Statistical Downscaling
Authors: Yi Chaeyeon , Shin Yire , Roh Joon-Woo
Published: April 2018

The Korean peninsula has complex and diverse weather phenomena, and the Korea Meteorological Administration has been working on various numerical models to produce better forecasting data. The Unified Model Local Data Assimilation and Prediction System is a limited-area working model with a horizontal resolution of 1.5 km for estimating local-scale weather forecasts on the Korean peninsula. However, in order to numerically predict the detailed temperature characteristics of the urban space, in which surface characteristics change rapidly in a small spatial area, a city temperature prediction model with higher resolution spatial decomposition capabilities is required. As an alternative to this, a building-scale temperature model was developed, and a 25 m air temperature resolution was determined for the Seoul area. The spatial information was processed using statistical methods, such as linear regression models and machine learning. By comparing the accuracy of the estimated air temperatures with observational data during the summer, the machine learning was improved. In addition, horizontal and vertical characteristics of the urban space were better represented, and the air temperature was better resolved spatially. Air temperature information can be used to manage the response to heat-waves and tropical nights in administrative districts of urban areas.
Musical Experience, Sensorineural Auditory Processing, and Reading Subskills in Adults
Authors: Tichko Parker , Skoe Erika
Published: April 2018

Developmental research suggests that sensorineural auditory processing, reading subskills (e.g., phonological awareness and rapid naming), and musical experience are related during early periods of reading development. Interestingly, recent work suggests that these relations may extend into adulthood, with indices of sensorineural auditory processing relating to global reading ability. However, it is largely unknown whether sensorineural auditory processing relates to specific reading subskills, such as phonological awareness and rapid naming, as well as musical experience in mature readers. To address this question, we recorded electrophysiological responses to a repeating click (auditory stimulus) in a sample of adult readers. We then investigated relations between electrophysiological responses to sound, reading subskills, and musical experience in this same set of adult readers. Analyses suggest that sensorineural auditory processing, reading subskills, and musical experience are related in adulthood, with faster neural conduction times and greater musical experience associated with stronger rapid-naming skills. These results are similar to the developmental findings that suggest reading subskills are related to sensorineural auditory processing and musical experience in children.
Forecasting Inflation Uncertainty in the G7 Countries
Authors: Segnon Mawuli , Bekiros Stelios , Wilfling Bernd
Published: April 2018

There is substantial evidence that inflation rates are characterized by long memory and nonlinearities. In this paper, we introduce a long-memory Smooth Transition AutoRegressive Fractionally Integrated Moving Average-Markov Switching Multifractal specification [ STARFIMA ( p , d , q ) - MSM ( k ) ] for modeling and forecasting inflation uncertainty. We first provide the statistical properties of the process and investigate the finite sample properties of the maximum likelihood estimators through simulation. Second, we evaluate the out-of-sample forecast performance of the model in forecasting inflation uncertainty in the G7 countries. Our empirical analysis demonstrates the superiority of the new model over the alternative STARFIMA ( p , d , q ) - GARCH -type models in forecasting inflation uncertainty.
National REDD+ Implications for Tenured Indigenous Communities in Guyana, and Communities’ Impact on Forest Carbon Stocks
Authors: Overman Han , Butt Nathalie , Cummings Anthony R. , Luzar Jeffrey B. , Fragoso José M. V.
Published: April 2018

Early project-level initiatives of ‘reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation’ (REDD+) have left a negative impression among many forest-dependent peoples (FDP) across the tropics. As countries move towards national-level implementation and results-based payments, it is timely to analyze the effects of ‘national REDD+’ on FDP. We use Guyana’s technically approved United Nations Forest Reference Emission Level (FREL) submission and Opt-In Mechanism to assess how fifteen indigenous communities with tenured forestland may financially benefit from national REDD+, and evaluate whether, and to what extent, Guyana forms a best-case scenario. In addition, we provide a first-time assessment whether field estimates of the average carbon density of mature forests managed by fifteen forest-dependent communities (beyond rotational farming lands) equals that of nearby unmanaged mature forest, as this could affect REDD+ payment levels. We conclude that, notwithstanding some pending issues, Guyana’s national REDD+ program could be very beneficial for FDP, even under a modest United States (US) $5 unit carbon price. We present economic evidence to support forest governance change domestically in sovereign developing countries that may ease FDP tenure and national REDD+ implementation. The average carbon density was locally substantially less in FDP-managed forest, but had little effect on the overall carbon stock of the titled forest area, and is considered modest when incorporating ecological and socioeconomic attributes. Partnerships with FDP when combined with advances in remote sensing could have potential for economic monitoring of forest emissions across the tropics.
Spontaneous Synchronization of Beating Cilia: An Experimental Proof Using Vision-Based Control
Authors: Elshalakani Mohamed , Brücker Christoph H.
Published: April 2018

This article investigates the formation of spontaneous coordination in a row of flexible 2D flaps (artificial cilia) in a chamber filled with a high viscous liquid (Re = 0.12). Each flap is driven individually to oscillate by a rotary motor with the root of the flap attached to its spindle axle. A computer-vision control loop tracks the flap tips online and toggles the axle rotation direction when the tips reach a pre-defined maximum excursion. This is a vision-controlled implementation of the so-called “geometric clutch” hypothesis. When running the control loop with the flaps in an inviscid reference situation (air), they remain in their individual phases for a long term. Then, the flaps are studied in the chamber filled with a highly viscous liquid, and the same control loop is started. The flexible flaps now undergo bending due to hydrodynamic coupling and come, after a maximum of 15 beats, into a synchronous metachronal coordination. The study proves in a macroscopic lab experiment that viscous coupling is sufficient to achieve spontaneous synchronization, even for a symmetric cilia shape and beat pattern.
Ethics, Morality, and Game Theory
Authors: Alfano Mark , Rusch Hannes , Uhl Matthias
Published: April 2018

Ethics is a field in which the gap between words and actions looms large. Game theory and the empirical methods it inspires look at behavior instead of the lip service people sometimes pay to norms. We believe that this special issue comprises several illustrations of the fruitful application of this approach to ethics.
Structure-Function Mutational Analysis and Prediction of the Potential Impact of High Risk Non-Synonymous Single-Nucleotide Polymorphism on Poliovirus 2A Protease Stability Using Comprehensive Informatics Approaches
Authors: Younus Amna , Munawar Saba , Bhatti Muhammad Faraz , Ikram Aqsa , Awan Faryal Mehwish , Jabeen Ishrat , Virk Nasar , Janjua Hussnain Ahmed , Arshad Muhammad
Published: April 2018

Polio viral proteinase 2A performs several essential functions in genome replication. Its inhibition prevents viral replication, thus making it an excellent substrate for drug development. In this study, the three-dimensional structure of 2A protease was determined and optimized by homology modelling. To predict the molecular basis of the interaction of small molecular agonists, docking simulations were performed on a structurally diverse dataset of poliovirus 2A protease (PV2Apr°) inhibitors. Docking results were employed to identify high risk missense mutations that are highly damaging to the structure, as well as the function, of the protease. Intrinsic disorder regions (IDRs), drug binding sites (DBS), and protein stability changes upon mutations were also identified among them. Our results demonstrated dominant roles for Lys 15, His 20, Cys 55, Cys 57, Cys 64, Asp 108, Cys 109 and Gly 110, indicating the presence of various important drug binding sites of the protein. Upon subjecting these sites to single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) analysis, we observed that out of 155 high risk SNPs, 139 residues decrease the protein stability. We conclude that these missense mutations can affect the functionality of the 2A protease, and that identified protein binding sites can be directed for the attachment and inhibition of the target proteins.
A Systematic Review of the Time Series Studies Addressing the Endemic Risk of Acute Gastroenteritis According to Drinking Water Operation Conditions in Urban Areas of Developed Countries
Authors: Beaudeau Pascal
Published: April 2018

Time series studies (TSS) can be viewed as an inexpensive way to tackle the non-epidemic health risk from fecal pathogens in tap water in urban areas. Following the PRISMA recommendations, I reviewed TSS addressing the endemic risk of acute gastroenteritis risk according to drinking water operation conditions in urban areas of developed countries. Eighteen studies were included, covering 17 urban sites (seven in North-America and 10 in Europe) with study populations ranging from 50,000 to 9 million people. Most studies used general practitioner consultations or visits to hospitals for acute gastroenteritis (AGE) as health outcomes. In 11 of the 17 sites, a significant and plausible association was found between turbidity (or particle count) in finished water and the AGE indicator. When provided and significant, the interquartile excess of relative risk estimates ranged from 3–13%. When examined, water temperature, river flow, and produced flow were strongly associated with the AGE indicator. The potential of TSS for the study of the health risk from fecal pathogens in tap water is limited by the lack of specificity of turbidity and its site-sensitive value as an exposure proxy. Nevertheless, at the DWS level, TSS could help water operators to identify operational conditions most at risk, almost if considering other water operation indicators, in addition to turbidity, as possible relevant proxies for exposure.
Self-Reported Environmental Tobacco Smoke Exposure and Avoidance Compared with Cotinine Confirmed Tobacco Smoke Exposure among Pregnant Women and Their Infants
Authors: Gavarkovs Adam Gregory , Risica Patricia Markham , Parker Donna R. , Jennings Ernestine , Mello Jennifer , Phipps Maureen
Published: April 2018

Background: Exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) presents substantial health risks for pregnant women and newborn infants. Measurements of ETS include invasive and expensive biochemical tests, as well as less invasive and lower-cost, self-reported exposure and avoidance measures. Better understanding of self-report measures will help to select ETS assessments for evaluation. Methods: This analysis was conducted within the context of a tailored video intervention to reduce tobacco smoking and ETS exposure during pregnancy and after delivery in the control group sample of 147 nonsmoking women. Measurements of salivary cotinine concentration, self-reported ETS exposure, and avoidance behaviors were captured at 32 weeks’ gestation and 6 months postpartum. Results: Salivary cotinine concentration was significantly related to ETS avoidance among pregnant nonsmokers at 32 weeks’ gestation, but not ETS exposure. At 6 months postpartum, both the reported ETS exposure of the infant and maternal avoidance behaviors to reduce her infant’s exposure were associated with the infant’s salivary cotinine concentration. At 32 weeks’ gestation and 6 months postpartum, avoidance behaviors decreased as exposure increased. Discussion: This study suggests that for nonsmoking women during pregnancy, reports of tobacco smoke avoidance are more valid than reports of exposure. After delivery, self-reported ETS exposure or avoidance are associated with each other and the biochemical measurement of salivary cotinine. These results provide researchers and clinicians with evidence to support the inclusion of avoidance behaviors in the selection of ETS measures.
Health Risk Behavior Patterns in a National Adult Population Survey
Authors: John Ulrich , Hanke Monika , Freyer-Adam Jennis
Published: April 2018

Background: The aim of this paper is to analyze the co-occurrence of health risk behaviors (HRBs), namely, tobacco smoking, alcohol risk drinking, overeating, and physical inactivity, as well as their 16 combinations (patterns), which are stratified by age and gender. Methods: The data of 19,294 study participants, from a telephone survey among the adult general population of Germany that was conducted in 2012, were analyzed. Results: In adults, two or more of the four HBRs were found among 51.5% of females and 61.9% of males. The single most prevalent HRB pattern among all of the female (20.7, 19.6–21.8%) and male participants (18.2, 17.1–19.3%) was being overweight combined with a lack of physical activity, and its prevalence increased by 4% with each year of life. A multinomial regression analysis revealed that education was inversely associated with 11 of the 15 HRB patterns. The risk of having four, compared to zero, HRBs was 3.3 (2.5–4.4) for males relative to females. Conclusion: Similar to the findings from other western countries, the majority of the participants in this adult national sample from Germany had two or more HRBs. The most common of all possible HRB patterns was overweight and inactivity. The data confirm inverse relations between education and most HRB patterns.
Characterization of RUNX1T1, an Adipogenesis Regulator in Ovine Preadipocyte Differentiation
Authors: Deng Kaiping , Ren Caifang , Liu Zifei , Gao Xiaoxiao , Fan Yixuan , Zhang Guomin , Zhang Yanli , MA Ei-Samahy , Wang Feng , You Peihua
Published: April 2018

Runt-related transcription factor 1 translocation partner 1 (RUNX1T1), a potential novel regulator of adipogenesis, exists in two splice variants: a long (RUNX1T1-L) and a short (RUNX1T1-S) isoform. However, there is no data showing the existence of RUNX1T1 in ovine subcutaneous fat at different stages of developmental and its role on ovine adipogenesis. Therefore, the objectives of this study were to evaluate the presence of RUNX1T1 in subcutaneous fat of five-day-old to 24-month-old sheep and to investigate the role of RUNX1T1 in ovine adipogenesis. In this study, we detected a 1829 bp cDNA fragment of RUNX1T1 which contains a 1815 bp coding sequence that encodes 602-amino acid and 14 bp of 5′ untranslated region, respectively. The amino acid sequence of RUNX1T1 has 31.18–94.21% homology with other species’ protein sequences. During fat development, the RUNX1T1 protein expression was higher in subcutaneous fat of 24-month-old Hu sheep. In addition, the expression of RUNX1T1-L mRNA decreased first, then subsequently increased during ovine preadipocyte differentiation. Knockdown of RUNX1T1-L in ovine preadipocytes promoted preadipocyte differentiation and lipid accumulation. Taken together, our data suggests that RUNX1T1 is an important functional molecule in adipogenesis. Moreover, it showed for the first time that RUNX1T1-L was negatively correlated with the ovine preadipocyte differentiation.
An Integrated Approach of Proteomics and Computational Genetic Modification Effectiveness Analysis to Uncover the Mechanisms of Flood Tolerance in Soybeans
Authors: Wang Xin , Sakata Katsumi , Komatsu Setsuko
Published: April 2018

Flooding negatively affects the growth of soybeans. Recently, omic approaches have been used to study abiotic stress responses in plants. To explore flood-tolerant genes in soybeans, an integrated approach of proteomics and computational genetic modification effectiveness analysis was applied to the soybean (Glycine max L. (Merrill)). Flood-tolerant mutant and abscisic acid (ABA)-treated soybean plants were used as the flood-tolerant materials. Among the primary metabolism, glycolysis, fermentation, and tricarboxylic acid cycle were markedly affected under flooding. Fifteen proteins, which were related to the affected processes, displayed similar protein profiles in the mutant and ABA-treated soybean plants. Protein levels of glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH), aconitase 1, and 2-oxoglutarate dehydrogenase were higher in flood-tolerant materials than in wild-type soybean plants under flood conditions. These three proteins were positioned in each of the three enzyme groups revealed by our computational genetic modification effectiveness analysis, and the three proteins configured a candidate set of genes to promote flood tolerance. Additionally, transcript levels of GAPDH were similar in flood-tolerant materials and in unstressed plants. These results suggest that proteins related to energy metabolism might play an essential role to confer flood tolerance in soybeans.
A New Bi-Directional Projection Model Based on Pythagorean Uncertain Linguistic Variable
Authors: Wang Huidong , He Shifan , Pan Xiaohong
Published: April 2018

To solve the multi-attribute decision making (MADM) problems with Pythagorean uncertain linguistic variable, an extended bi-directional projection method is proposed. First, we utilize the linguistic scale function to convert uncertain linguistic variable and provide a new projection model, subsequently. Then, to depict the bi-directional projection method, the formative vectors of alternatives and ideal alternatives are defined. Furthermore, a comparative analysis with projection model is conducted to show the superiority of bi-directional projection method. Finally, an example of graduate’s job option is given to demonstrate the effectiveness and feasibility of the proposed method.
On Convergence, Ongoing Language Change, and Crosslinguistic Influence in Direct Object Expression in Catalan–Spanish Bilingualism
Authors: Perpiñán Silvia
Published: April 2018

The present study explores two morphological differences in direct object expression between Spanish and Catalan: Differential Object Marking (DOM), and the accusative clitics el /l/ vs. ho /u/. Both phenomena are regulated by semantic features, such as animacy and specificity/definiteness. The study experimentally tested 57 Catalan–Spanish bilinguals with different degrees of language dominance in their comprehension and production of these Catalan constructions in order to explore the degree of structural convergence. The results show that with respect to DOM, bilinguals systematically accept ample optionality, creating a new language variety, the bilingual variety, with properties similar and different from both Spanish and Catalan. With respect to the accusative clitics, a certain degree of functional interference in the grammar of Spanish-dominant bilinguals is found. These results illustrate, on the one hand, structural convergence in DOM, culminating in an internal language change accelerated by language contact, and, on the other hand, incipient language transfer from the dominant language in the expression of accusative clitics.
Performance Evaluation and Improving Mechanisms of Diatomite-Modified Asphalt Mixture
Authors: Yang Chao , Xie Jun , Zhou Xiaojun , Liu Quantao , Pang Ling
Published: April 2018

Diatomite is an inorganic natural resource in large reserve. This study consists of two phases to evaluate the effects of diatomite on asphalt mixtures. In the first phase, we characterized the diatomite in terms of mineralogical properties, chemical compositions, particle size distribution, mesoporous distribution, morphology, and IR spectra. In the second phase, road performances, referring to the permanent deformation, crack, fatigue, and moisture resistance, of asphalt mixtures with diatomite were investigated. The characterization of diatomite exhibits that it is a porous material with high SiO2 content and large specific surface area. It contributes to asphalt absorption and therefore leads to bonding enhancement between asphalt and aggregate. However, physical absorption instead of chemical reaction occurs according to the results of FTIR. The resistance of asphalt mixtures with diatomite to permanent deformation and moisture are superior to those of the control mixtures. But, the addition of diatomite does not help to improve the crack and fatigue resistance of asphalt mixture.
Reactive Sintering Mechanism and Phase Formation in Ni-Ti-Al Powder Mixture During Heating
Authors: Salvetr Pavel , Školáková Andrea , Hudrisier Cyprien , Novák Pavel , Vojtěch Dalibor
Published: April 2018

This work aims to describe the formation of intermetallics in the Ni-Ti-Al system in dependence on the heating rate, which has been determined previously as the crucial factor of thermal explosion self-propagating synthesis (TE-SHS). The tested alloys contained 1–7 wt % aluminum. Thermal analysis has been realized by the optical pyrometer under the conditions of high heating rates up to 110 °C·min−1. TE-SHS process in Ni-Ti-Al system is initiated by exothermic reaction of nickel aluminides Ni2Al3 and NiAl3 at the temperature of 535–610 °C. The next reactions occur in dependence on the heating rate. Samples containing 1–3 wt % of aluminum exhibit the similar initiation temperature as Ni-Ti binary mixture. The samples containing 5 wt % and more of aluminum were fully reacted after sintering at 800 °C with the heating rate of 300 °C·min−1 and the initiation temperature of the TE-SHS was observed close to Al-Al3Ni eutectic temperature (between 630–640 °C).
Multiple Isoforms of Anti-Lipopolysaccharide Factors and Their Antimicrobial Functions in the Ridgetail Prawn Exopalaemon carinicauda
Authors: Lv Xinjia , Li Shihao , Zhang Chengsong , Xiang Jianhai , Li Fuhua
Published: April 2018

As a kind of antimicrobial peptides (AMP) in crustacean, anti-lipopolysaccharide factors (ALFs) have broad spectrum antimicrobial activities. In the present study, we identified four ALF genes, EcALF2-5, from the ridgetail prawn Exopalaemon carinicauda. Tissue distribution analysis showed that EcALF2 and EcALF4 transcripts were mainly located in gill, epidermis, and stomach, while EcALF3 and EcALF5 were mainly in hemocytes. Peptides corresponding to the LPS binding domain (LBD) of EcALFs were synthesized for analyzing their antimicrobial activities. Minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) analysis showed that the synthetic LBD peptides of EcALF3 and EcALF4 could inhibit the growth of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, while the synthetic LBD peptides of EcALF2 and EcALF5 showed antibacterial activity against Vibrio. Incubation of white spot syndrome virus (WSSV) with the synthetic LBD peptides of EcALF3, EcALF4, and EcALF5 could reduce the in vivo viral copy number in WSSV-infected prawns. After silencing of EcALFs, Vibrio exhibited a rapid proliferation in the hepatopancreas of the prawn. The present data showed the important function of different EcALFs in modulating the in vivo bacterial and viral propagation in E. carinicauda. This study will provide new clues into the disease control in aquaculture.
Preparation and Characteristics of MAPbBr3 Perovskite Quantum Dots on NiOx Film and Application for High Transparent Solar Cells
Authors: Chen Lung-Chien , Lee Kuan-Lin , Huang Chun-Yuan , Lin Jia-Ching , Tseng Zong-Liang
Published: April 2018

In this work, a MAPbBr3 quantum dot (QD-MAPbBr3) layer was prepared by a simple and rapid method. Octylammonium bromide (OABr) gives the MAPbBr3 better exciton binding energy, good surface morphology, and stability. To form a nanocrystalline thin film on indium tin oxide (ITO) glass, the QD-MAPbBr3 film was coated by a spin-coating method in a nitrogen-filled glove box and the NiOx film was used as an adhesive layer and hole transport layer. The highest transmittance of MAPbBr3 on NiOx/ITO glass was around 75% at 700 nm. This study also reported a high transparent and perovskite bulk-free ITO/NiOx/QD-MAPbBr3/C60/Ag solar cell where the NiOx, QD-MAPbBr3, and C60 were used as a hole transport layer, active layer, and electron transport layer, respectively.
Evaluation of Local Matching Methods in Image Analysis for Mineral Grain Tracking in Microscope Images of Rock Sections
Authors: Habrat Magdalena , Młynarczuk Mariusz
Published: April 2018

Modern geological techniques have resulted in vast and growing databases of digital images and video sequences of rocks, which are available for the use of researchers. The number of database images continues to increase exponentially, creating a need for techniques that will enable the automation of data set management. Desired techniques include query by image, a topic that has been extensively elaborated on in the literature recently. Unfortunately, using such techniques in the geological sciences has been very sporadic and insufficient. This paper presents the evaluation of characteristic local features within rock images for tracking objects on images or video sequences. It also discusses the possibilities for using selected local feature descriptors for content-based image retrieval (CBIR) in the area of geological sciences. The evaluation was performed for the Speeded Up Robust Features (SURF), Binary Robust Invariant Scalable Keypoints (BRISK), Harris–Stephens Algorithm (HSA), Minimum Eigenvalue Algorithm (MEA), and Features from Accelerated Segment Test algorithm (FAST) methods, which are widely known and appreciated in the computer vision field. These methods were analysed for their application to microscopic images of rocks. Five functional cases of geological grain tracking were investigated, based on a selected non-transformed query image, as well as a computer-rotated, acquisitive-rotated, computer-magnified, and an acquisitive-magnified query image. The results demonstrated that these methods can be successfully used for geological applications.
Effect of Hydrophobic Polypeptide Length on Performances of Thermo-Sensitive Hydrogels
Authors: Han Jiandong , Zhao Xingyu , Xu Weiguo , Wang Wei , Han Yuping , Feng Xiangru
Published: April 2018

Thermosensitive gels are commonly used as drug carriers in medical fields, mainly due to their convenient processing and easy functionalization. However, their overall performance has been severely affected by their unsatisfying biocompatibility and biodegradability. To this end, we synthesized poly(l-alanine) (PLAla)-based thermosensitive hydrogels with different degrees of polymerization by ring-opening polymerization. The obtained mPEG45−PLAla copolymers showed distinct transition temperatures and degradation abilities. It was found that slight changes in the length of hydrophobic side groups had a decisive effect on the gelation behavior of the polypeptide hydrogel. Longer hydrophobic ends led to a lower gelation temperature of gel at the same concentration, which implied better gelation capability. The hydrogels showed rapid gelling, enhanced biocompatibility, and better degradability. Therefore, this thermosensitive hydrogel is a promising material for biomedical application.
Anticancer Profiling for Coumarins and Related O-Naphthoquinones from Mansonia gagei against Solid Tumor Cells In Vitro
Authors: Baghdadi Mohammed A. , Al-Abbasi Fahad A. , El-Halawany Ali M. , Aseeri Ali H. , Al-Abd Ahmed M.
Published: April 2018

Napthoquinones and coumarins are naturally occurring compounds with potential anticancer activity. In the current study, two O-naphthoquinons (mansonone-G and mansonone-N) and six coumarins (mansorin-A, mansorin-B, mansorin-C, mansorins-I, mansorin-II, and mansorin-III) were isolated from the heartwood of Mansonia gagei family Sterculariaceae. Isolated compounds were examined for their potential anticancer activity against breast (MCF-7), cervix (HeLa), colorectal (HCT-116) and liver (HepG2) cancer cells using Sulfarhodamine-B (SRB) assay. Mansorin-II and mansorin-III showed relatively promising cytotoxic profile in all cell lines under investigation with inhibitory concentrations (IC50s) in the range of 0.74 µM to 36 µM and 3.95 µM to 35.3 µM, respectively. In addition, mansorin-B, mansorin-C, mansorin-II and mansorin-III significantly increased cellular entrapment of the P-glycoprotein (P-gp) substrate, doxorubicin, in colorectal cancer cells expressing the P-gp pump. The inhibitory effect of the isolated compounds on P-gp pump was examined using human recombinant P-gp molecules attached to ATPase subunit. Mansorin-B and mansonone-G were found to inhibit the P-gp attached ATPase subunit. On the other hand, mansorin-C, mansorin-III and mansorin-II inhibited P-gp pump via dual action (P-gp related ATPase subunit inhibition and P-gp substrate binding site occupation). However, mansorin II was examined for its potential chemomodulatory effect to paclitaxel (PTX) against colorectal cancer cells (HCT-116 and CaCo-2). Mansorin-II significantly reduced the IC50 of PTX in HCT-116 cells from 27.9 ± 10.2 nM to 5.1 ± 1.9 nM (synergism with combination index of 0.44). Additionally, Mansorin-II significantly reduced the IC50 of PTX in CaCo-2 cells from 2.1 ± 0.8 µM to 0.13 ± 0.03 µM (synergism with combination index of 0.18). Furthermore, cell cycle analysis was studied after combination of mansorin-II with paclitaxel using DNA flow cytometry analysis. Synergism of mansorin-II and PTX was reflected in increasing apoptotic cell population in both HCT-116 and CaCo-2 cells compared to PTX treatment alone. Combination of mansorin-II with PTX in CaCo-2 cells significantly increased the cell population in G2/M phase (from 2.9 ± 0.3% to 7.7 ± 0.8%) with reciprocal decrease in G0/G1 cell fraction from 52.1 ± 1.1% to 45.5 ± 1.0%. Similarly in HCT-116 cells, mansorin-II with PTX significantly increased the cell population in G2/M phase (from 33.4 ± 2.8% to 37.6 ± 1.3%) with reciprocal decrease in the S-phase cell population from 22.8 ± 1.7% to 20.2 ± 0.8%. In conclusion, mansorin-II synergizes the anticancer effect of paclitaxel in colorectal cancer cells, which might be partially attributed to enhancing its cellular entrapment via inhibiting P-gp efflux pump.
Preferential and Increased Uptake of Hydroxyl-Terminated PAMAM Dendrimers by Activated Microglia in Rabbit Brain Mixed Glial Culture
Authors: Alnasser Yossef , Kambhampati Siva P. , Nance Elizabeth , Rajbhandari Labchan , Shrestha Shiva , Venkatesan Arun , Kannan Rangaramanujam M. , Kannan Sujatha
Published: April 2018

Polyamidoamine (PAMAM) dendrimers are multifunctional nanoparticles with tunable physicochemical features, making them promising candidates for targeted drug delivery in the central nervous system (CNS). Systemically administered dendrimers have been shown to localize in activated glial cells, which mediate neuroinflammation in the CNS. These dendrimers delivered drugs specifically to activated microglia, producing significant neurological improvements in multiple brain injury models, including in a neonatal rabbit model of cerebral palsy. To gain further insight into the mechanism of dendrimer cell uptake, we utilized an in vitro model of primary glial cells isolated from newborn rabbits to assess the differences in hydroxyl-terminated generation 4 PAMAM dendrimer (D4-OH) uptake by activated and non-activated glial cells. We used fluorescently-labelled D4-OH (D-Cy5) as a tool for investigating the mechanism of dendrimer uptake. D4-OH PAMAM dendrimer uptake was determined by fluorescence quantification using confocal microscopy and flow cytometry. Our results indicate that although microglial cells in the mixed cell population demonstrate early uptake of dendrimers in this in vitro system, activated microglia take up more dendrimer compared to resting microglia. Astrocytes showed delayed and limited uptake. We also illustrated the differences in mechanism of uptake between resting and activated microglia using different pathway inhibitors. Both resting and activated microglia primarily employed endocytotic pathways, which are enhanced in activated microglial cells. Additionally, we demonstrated that hydroxyl terminated dendrimers are taken up by primary microglia using other mechanisms including pinocytosis, caveolae, and aquaporin channels for dendrimer uptake.
Profiling of Heterobranchia Sea Slugs from Portuguese Coastal Waters as Producers of Anti-Cancer and Anti-Inflammatory Agents
Authors: Gomes Nelson G. M. , Fernandes Fátima , Madureira-Carvalho Áurea , Valentão Patrícia , Lobo-da-Cunha Alexandre , Calado Gonçalo , Andrade Paula B.
Published: April 2018

Bioprospection of marine invertebrates has been predominantly biased by the biological richness of tropical regions, thus neglecting macro-organisms from temperate ecosystems. Species that were not the object of studies on their biochemical composition include the Heterobranchia gastropods Armina maculata, Armina tigrina and Aglaja tricolorata, inhabitants of the Portuguese Atlantic coastal waters. Here, we present for the first time the fatty acid profile of neutral lipids and homarine content of these three species. Qualitative and quantitative differences in the fatty acid content among species points to the existence of a fatty acid profile of neutral lipids, particularly of each genus. The results from cytotoxicity assays, using the acetonic extracts of the gastropods on human gastric adenocarcinoma (AGS) and human lung adenocarcinoma (A549) cell lines, revealed a pronounced cytotoxic effect of the A. tigrina extract on both cell lines (IC50 values of 68.75 and 69.77 μg mL−1 for AGS and A549, respectively). It is worth noting the significant reduction of NO levels in LPS-challenged RAW 264.7 macrophages exposed to A. tricolorata extract, at concentrations as low as 125 μg mL−1.