bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Liver Cancer Classification Model Using Hybrid Feature Selection Based on Class-Dependent Technique for the Central Region of Thailand
Authors: Panthong Rattanawadee , Srivihok Anongnart
Published: May 2019

Liver cancer data always consist of a large number of multidimensional datasets. A dataset that has huge features and multiple classes may be irrelevant to the pattern classification in machine learning. Hence, feature selection improves the performance of the classification model to achieve maximum classification accuracy. The aims of the present study were to find the best feature subset and to evaluate the classification performance of the predictive model. This paper proposed a hybrid feature selection approach by combining information gain and sequential forward selection based on the class-dependent technique (IGSFS-CD) for the liver cancer classification model. Two different classifiers (decision tree and naïve Bayes) were used to evaluate feature subsets. The liver cancer datasets were obtained from the Cancer Hospital Thailand database. Three ensemble methods (ensemble classifiers, bagging, and AdaBoost) were applied to improve the performance of classification. The IGSFS-CD method provided good accuracy of 78.36% (sensitivity 0.7841 and specificity 0.9159) on LC_dataset-1. In addition, LC_dataset II delivered the best performance with an accuracy of 84.82% (sensitivity 0.8481 and specificity 0.9437). The IGSFS-CD method achieved better classification performance compared to the class-independent method. Furthermore, the best feature subset selection could help reduce the complexity of the predictive model.
Estimating the Level of Carbamoylated Plasma Non-High-Density Lipoproteins Using Infrared Spectroscopy
Authors: Delanghe Sigurd E. , De Bruyne Sander , De Baene Linde , Van Biesen Wim , Speeckaert Marijn M. , Delanghe Joris R.
Published: May 2019

Background: The increased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality observed in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients can be partly explained by the presence of carbamoylated lipoproteins. Lipid profiles can be determined with infrared spectroscopy. In this paper, the effects of carbamoylation on spectral changes of non-high-density lipoproteins (non-HDL) were studied. Methods: In the present study, fasting serum samples were obtained from 84 CKD patients (CKD stage 3–5: n = 37 and CKD stage 5d (hemodialysis): n = 47) and from 45 healthy subjects. In vitro carbamoylation of serum lipoproteins from healthy subjects was performed using increasing concentrations of potassium cyanate. Lipoprotein-containing pellets were isolated by precipitation of non-HDL. The amount of carbamoylated serum non-HDL was estimated using attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy, followed by soft independent modelling by class analogy analysis. Results: Carbamoylation resulted in a small increase of the amide I band (1714–1589 cm−1) of the infrared spectroscopy (IR) spectrum. A significant difference in the amide II/amide I area under the curves (AUC) ratio was observed between healthy subjects and CKD patients, as well as between the two CKD groups (non-dialysis versus hemodialysis patients). Conclusions: ATR-FTIR spectroscopy can be considered as a novel method to detect non-HDL carbamoylation.
Impact of Different Titanium Implant Thread Designs on Bone Healing: A Biomechanical and Histometric Study with an Animal Model
Authors: Gehrke Sergio Alexandre , Eliers Treichel Tiago Luis , Pérez-Díaz Letícia , Calvo-Guirado Jose Luis , Aramburú Júnior Jaime , Mazón Patricia , de Aza Piedad N.
Published: May 2019

Threads of dental implants with healing chamber configurations have become a target to improve osseointegration. This biomechanical and histometric study aimed to evaluate the influence of implant healing chamber configurations on the torque removal value (RTv), percentage of bone-to-implant contact (BIC%), bone fraction occupancy inside the thread area (BAFO%), and bone and osteocyte density (Ost) in the rabbit tibia after two months of healing. Titanium implants with three different thread configurations were evaluated: Group 1 (G1), with a conventional “v” thread-shaped implant design; Group 2 (G2), with square threads; and Group 3 (G3), the experimental group with longer threads (healing chamber). Ten rabbits (4.5 ± 0.5 kg) received three implants in each tibia (one per group), distributed in a randomized manner. After a period of two months, the tibia blocks (implants and the surrounding tissue) were removed and processed for ground sectioning to evaluate BIC%, BAFO%, and osteocyte density. The ANOVA one-way statistical test was used followed by the Bonferoni’s multiple comparison test to determine individual difference among groups, considering a statistical difference when p < 0.05. Histometric evaluation showed a higher BAFO% values and Ost density for G3 in comparison with the other two groups (G1 and G2), with p < 0.05. However, the RTv and BIC% parameters were not significantly different between groups (p > 0.05). The histological data suggest that the healing chambers in the implant macrogeometry can improve the bone reaction in comparison with the conventional thread design.
Mechanically Robust and Repairable Superhydrophobic Zinc Coating via a Fast and Facile Method for Corrosion Resisting
Authors: Ou Junfei , Zhu Wenhui , Xie Chan , Xue Mingshan
Published: May 2019

Zinc coatings and superhydrophobic surfaces have their own characteristics in terms of metal corrosion resistance. Herein, we have prepared a robust and repairable superhydrophobic zinc coating (SZC) based on a widely commercially available cold galvanized paint via a fast (within 10 min) and facile process for corrosion resistance. Specifically, the cold galvanized paint was sprayed onto the iron substrate, followed by acetic acid (HAc) etching and stearic acid (STA) hydrophobizing. The as-obtained sample was coded as Fe-Zn-HAc-STA and possessed an apparent contact angle of 168.4 ± 1.5° as well as a sliding angle of 3.5 ± 1.2°. The Fe-Zn-HAc-STA sample was mechanically durable and easily repairable. After being ultrasonicated in ethanol for 100 min, the superhydrophobicity was still retained. The Fe-Zn-HAc-STA sample lost its superhydrophobicity after being abraded against sandpaper with a load of 100 g and regained its superhydrophobicity after HAc etching and subsequent STA hydrophobizing. The corrosion resistance of the SZC was investigated by immersing the Fe-Zn-HAc-STA sample into the static or dynamic aqueous solution of NaCl (3.5 wt.%) and the lasting life of the entrapped underwater air layer (EUAL) was roughly determined by the turning point at the variation curve of surface wettability against immersion time. The lasting life of the EUAL iwas 8 to 10 days for the SZC in the static NaCl solution and it decreased sharply to 12 h in a dynamic one with the flow rate of 2 and 4 m/s. This suggests that the superhydrophobic surface provided extra corrosion protection of 8 to 10 days or 12 h to the zinc coating. We hope that the SZC may find its practical application due to the facile and fast fabrication procedure, the good mechanical durability, the easy repairability, and the good corrosion protection.
Modulating Band Gap of Boron Doping in Amorphous Carbon Nano-Film
Authors: Zhu Rui , Tao Qiang , Lian Min , Feng Xiaokang , Liu Jiayu , Ye Meiyan , Wang Xin , Dong Shushan , Cui Tian , Zhu Pinwen
Published: May 2019

Amorphous carbon (a-C) films are attracting considerable attention to due their large optical band gap (Eopt) range of 1–4 eV. But the hopping conducting mechanism of boron doping a-C (a-C:B) is still mysterious. To exploring the intrinsic reasons behind the semiconductor properties of a-C:B, in this work, the boron doping a-C (a-C:B) nano-film was prepared, and the growth rate and Eopt changing were analyzed by controlling the different experimental conditions of magnetron sputtering. A rapid deposition rate of 10.55 nm/min was obtained. The Eopt is reduced from 3.19 eV to 2.78 eV by improving the substrate temperature and sputtering power. The proportion of sp2/sp3 increasing was uncovered with narrowing the Eopt. The shrinking Eopt can be attributed to the fact that boron atoms act as a fluxing agent to promote carbon atoms to form sp2 hybridization at low energy. Furthermore, boron atoms can impede the formation of σ bonds in carbon atom sp3 hybridization by forming B–C bonds with high energy, and induce the sp3 hybridization transfer to sp2 hybridization. This work is significant to further study of amorphous semiconductor films.
Numerical Analysis of the Perforated Steel Sheets Under Uni-Axial Tensile Force
Authors: Sayed Ahmed M.
Published: May 2019

The perforated steel sheets have many uses, so they should be studied under the influence of the uniaxial tensile load. The presence of these holes in the steel sheets certainly affects the mechanical properties. This paper aims at studying the behavior of the stress-strain engineering relationships of the perforated steel sheets. To achieve this, the three-dimensional finite element (FE) model is mainly designed to investigate the effect of this condition. Experimental tests were carried out on solid specimens to be used in the test of model accuracy of the FE simulation. Simulation testing shows that the FE modeling revealed the ability to calculate the stress-strain engineering relationships of perforated steel sheets. It can be concluded that the effect of a perforated rhombus shape is greater than the others, and perforated square shape has no effect on the stress-strain engineering relationships. The efficiency of the perforated staggered or linearly distribution shapes with the actual net area on the applied loads has the opposite effect, as it reduces the load capacity for all types of perforated shapes. Despite the decrease in load capacity, it improves the properties of the steel sheets.
On the Role of Hazard and Particle Failure Statistics on the Variation of Fracture Parameters of Ductile-Brittle Composites
Authors: Lebyodkin Mikhail , Lebedkina Tatiana
Published: May 2019

The behavior of a simple computer model considering a random distribution of brittle spherical particles in a ductile matrix is examined in order to highlight the intrinsic variations of the fracture conditions due to the probabilistic nature of the particle cleavage. The model is qualitatively supported by experimental data on stress-strain behavior and damage accumulation in an Al-Si alloy with unconnected equiaxed Si particles. It is used to evaluate the effect of the particle failure statistics on the fracture characteristics (strength, ductility, and fraction of cracked particles) and their scatter, which occur to be strongly dependent on the specific shape of the probabilistic law. In particular, it is found that the variations of the fracture conditions may depend non-monotonously on its sharpness, in the case of the well-known Weibull statistics controlled by the value of the respective modulus of the material of hard particles. The existence of a maximum scatter leads to a suggestion that the choice of the reinforcements may influence not only on the average value of the fracture resistance but also on the quality of its prediction.
A Flexible Hybrid BCH Decoder for Modern NAND Flash Memories Using General Purpose Graphical Processing Units (GPGPUs)
Authors: Subbiah Arul , Ogunfunmi Tokunbo
Published: May 2019

Bose–Chaudhuri–Hocquenghem (BCH) codes are broadly used to correct errors in flash memory systems and digital communications. These codes are cyclic block codes and have their arithmetic fixed over the splitting field of their generator polynomial. There are many solutions proposed using CPUs, hardware, and Graphical Processing Units (GPUs) for the BCH decoders. The performance of these BCH decoders is of ultimate importance for systems involving flash memory. However, it is essential to have a flexible solution to correct multiple bit errors over the different finite fields (GF(2 m )). In this paper, we propose a pragmatic approach to decode BCH codes over the different finite fields using hardware circuits and GPUs in tandem. We propose to employ hardware design for a modified syndrome generator and GPUs for a key-equation solver and an error corrector. Using the above partition, we have shown the ability to support multiple bit errors across different BCH block codes without compromising on the performance. Furthermore, the proposed method to generate modified syndrome has zero latency for scenarios where there are no errors. When there is an error detected, the GPUs are deployed to correct the errors using the iBM and Chien search algorithm. The results have shown that using the modified syndrome approach, we can support different multiple finite fields with high throughput.
In Vitro and In Vivo Effectiveness of Carvacrol, Thymol and Linalool against Leishmania infantum
Authors: Youssefi Mohammad Reza , Moghaddas Elham , Tabari Mohaddeseh Abouhosseini , Moghadamnia Ali Akbar , Hosseini Seyed Mohammad , Farash Bibi Razieh Hosseini , Ebrahimi Mohammad Amin , Mousavi Niki Nabavi , Fata Abdolmajid , Maggi Filippo , Petrelli Riccardo , Dall’Acqua Stefano , Benelli Giovanni , Sut Stefania
Published: May 2019

Background: One of the most important causative agents of visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is Leishmania infantum, which is mainly spread by Phlebotomus and Lutzomyia sandflies in the Old and New World, respectively. Novel and effective drugs to manage this neglected vector-borne disease are urgently required. In this study, we evaluated the toxicity of carvacrol, thymol and linalool, three common essential oil constituents, on amastigotes and promastigotes of L. infantum. Methods: in vitro experiments were performed by 24 h MTT assay. Carvacrol, thymol and linalool at concentrations ranging from 1.3 to 10 μg/mL were tested on promastigotes of L. infantum. For in vivo test, two groups of hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus) received 100 mg/kg of body weight/day of carvacrol and thymol as intraperitoneal injection on day 7 post-infection, followed by a 48 h later injection. The third group was treated with the glucantime as standard drug (500 mg/kg) and the last group (control) just received normal saline. On the 16th day, the number of parasites and histopathological changes in liver and spleen were investigated. Results: 24 h MTT assay showed promising antileishmanial activity of thymol and carvacrol, with IC50 values of 7.2 (48 μM) and 9.8 μg/mL (65 μM), respectively. Linalool at all concentrations did not affect L. infantum promastigote viability. In vivo toxicity data of carvacrol and thymol showed that the former at 100 mg/kg was the safest and most effective treatment with little side effects on the liver. Conclusions: Overall, thymol and carvacrol are highly promising candidates for the development of effective and safe drugs in the fight against VL.
In Silico Identification of Potential Inhibitor Against a Fungal Histone Deacetylase, RPD3 from Magnaporthe Oryzae
Authors: Shanmugam Gnanendra , Kim Taehyeon , Jeon Junhyun
Published: May 2019

Histone acetylation and deacetylation play an essential role in the epigenetic regulation of gene expression. Histone deacetylases (HDAC) are a group of zinc-binding metalloenzymes that catalyze the removal of acetyl moieties from lysine residues from histone tails. These enzymes are well known for their wide spread biological effects in eukaryotes. In rice blast fungus, Magnaporthe oryzae, MoRPD3 (an ortholog of Saccharomyces cerevisiae Rpd3) was shown to be required for growth and development. Thus in this study, the class I HDAC, MoRpd3 is considered as a potential drug target, and its 3D structure was modelled and validated. Based on the model, a total of 1880 compounds were virtually screened (molecular docking) against MoRpd3 and the activities of the compounds were assessed by docking scores. The in silico screening suggested that [2-[[4-(2-methoxyethyl) phenoxy] methyl] phenyl] boronic acid (−8.7 kcal/mol) and [4-[[4-(2-methoxyethyl) phenoxy] methyl] phenyl] boronic acid (−8.5 kcal/mol) are effective in comparison to trichostatin A (−7.9 kcal/mol), a well-known general HDAC inhibitor. The in vitro studies for inhibition of appressorium formation by [2-[[4-(2-methoxyethyl) phenoxy] methyl] phenyl] boronic acid has resulted in the maximum inhibition at lower concentrations (1 μM), while the trichostatin A exhibited similar levels of inhibition at 1.5 μM. These findings thus suggest that 3D quantitative structure activity relationship studies on [2-[[4-(2-methoxyethyl) phenoxy] methyl] phenyl] boronic acid compound can further guide the design of more potential and specific HDAC inhibitors.
The Role Ionic Liquid [BMIM][PF6] in One-Pot Synthesis of Tetrahydropyran Rings through Tandem Barbier–Prins Reaction
Authors: Batista Poliane K. , de O. Ferreira João Marcos G. , Silva Fabio P. L. , Vasconcellos Mario L. A. A , Vale Juliana A.
Published: May 2019

Tetrahydropyran (THP) rings are common in several natural products, therefore, various strategies are being developed to synthesize these rings. The present work described the study of a one-pot synthesis of 2,4,6-trisubstituted tetrahydropyran compounds promoted by the ionic liquid 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate [BMIM][PF6] through a Barbier–Prins reaction between allyl bromide and aldehydes. The use of [BMIM][PF6] gave Prins products from several aldehydes in good yields and reaction times. We also found that the anion, PF6-, accelerates the Barbier reaction when used alone, and the excess SnBr2 from the reaction conditions of the Barbier reaction leads to the formation of the THP rings, thus acting as a catalyst for Prins cyclization. Additionally, we demonstrate that ionic liquid can be recovered and reused five times in the preparation of 4-bromo-tetrahydro-2,6-diphenyl-2H-pyran without significant yield loss.
Synthesis of (1,2,3-triazol-4-yl)methyl Phosphinates and (1,2,3-Triazol-4-yl)methyl Phosphates by Copper-Catalyzed Azide-Alkyne Cycloaddition
Authors: Tripolszky Anna , Németh Krisztina , Szabó Pál Tamás , Bálint Erika
Published: May 2019

An efficient and practical method was developed for the synthesis of new (1,2,3‑triazol‑4‑yl)methyl phosphinates and (1,2,3-triazol-4-yl)methyl phosphates by the copper(I)‑catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition (CuAAC) of organic azides and prop-2-ynyl phosphinate or prop-2-ynyl phosphate. The synthesis of (1‑benzyl-1H-1,2,3-triazol-4-yl)methyl diphenylphosphinate was optimized with respect to the reaction parameters, such as the temperature, reaction time, and catalyst loading. The approach was applied to a range of organic azides, which confirmed the wide scope and the substituent tolerance of the process. The method elaborated represents a novel approach for the synthesis of the target compounds.
Chitinases as Food Allergens
Authors: Leoni Claudia , Volpicella Mariateresa , Dileo Maria C.G. , Gattulli Bruno A.R. , Ceci Luigi R.
Published: May 2019

Food allergies originate from adverse immune reactions to some food components. Ingestion of food allergens can cause effects of varying severity, from mild itching to severe anaphylaxis reactions. Currently there are no clues to predict the allergenic potency of a molecule, nor are cures for food allergies available. Cutting-edge research on allergens is aimed at increasing information on their diffusion and understanding structure-allergenicity relationships. In this context, purified recombinant allergens are valuable tools for advances in the diagnostic and immunotherapeutic fields. Chitinases are a group of allergens often found in plant fruits, but also identified in edible insects. They are classified into different families and classes for which structural analyses and identification of epitopes have been only partially carried out. Moreover, also their presence in common allergen databases is not complete. In this review we provide a summary of the identified food allergenic chitinases, their main structural characteristics, and a clear division in the different classes.
Dual-Responsive Alginate Hydrogels for Controlled Release of Therapeutics
Authors: Lin Xuexia , Ma Qiaoqiao , Su Jianlong , Wang Cui , Kankala Ranjith Kumar , Zeng Mingrong , Lin Honggui , Zhou Shu-Feng
Published: May 2019

In this work, with the drug oxytetracycline (OTC) released, cell cytotoxicity and antimicrobial studies of dual-responsive sodium alginate and N-Isopropylacrylamide hydrogels (SA/pNIPAAm) with enclosed OTC were investigated. The molecular OTC release was explored with different acid-base conditions and temperature conditions. In order to characterize cell cytotoxicity and antimicrobial efficacy, time-dependent OTC release analysis of different acid-base conditions was performed in SA/pNIPAAm hydrogels. OTC@SA/pNIPAAm hydrogels showed excellent time-dependent antimicrobial efficacy, in which the IC50 values were 50.11 μg mL−1, 34.27 μg mL−1, and 22.39 μg mL−1 among three consecutive days, respectively. Meanwhile, the human cells showed excellent viability at the IC50 dosage of OTC@SA/pNIPAAm (50.11 μg mL−1). OTC@SA/pNIPAAm performed in this study indicated that SA/pNIPAAm may serve as drug carriers for sustainable release at a specific concentration and for being employed as substrates for decreasing drug toxicity. Besides, pH-responsive and thermos-responsive SA/pNIPAAm may lead to the better selectivity of drug release in the ideal location or site. Finally, the results demonstrate that the designed, dual-responsive, biocompatible OTC@SA/pNIPAAm hydrogels showed excellent antimicrobial efficacy and may potentially be found to have enormous applicability in the field of pharmaceutics.
Sesquiterpenoids from Tussilago farfara Flower Bud Extract for the Eco-Friendly Synthesis of Silver and Gold Nanoparticles Possessing Antibacterial and Anticancer Activities
Authors: Lee You Jeong , Song Kwangho , Cha Song-Hyun , Cho Seonho , Kim Yeong Shik , Park Youmie
Published: May 2019

Sesquiterpenoids from the flower bud extract of Tussilago farfara were effectively utilized as a reducing agent for eco-friendly synthesis of silver and gold nanoparticles. The silver and gold nanoparticles had a characteristic surface plasmon resonance at 416 nm and 538 nm, respectively. Microscopic images revealed that both nanoparticles were spherical, and their size was measured to be 13.57 ± 3.26 nm for the silver nanoparticles and 18.20 ± 4.11 nm for the gold nanoparticles. The crystal structure was determined to be face-centered cubic by X-ray diffraction. Colloidal stability of the nanoparticle solution was retained in a full medium, which was used in the cell culture experiment. The antibacterial activity result demonstrated that the silver nanoparticles showed better activity (two- to four-fold enhancement) than the extract alone on both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Interestingly, the highest antibacterial activity was obtained against vancomycin-resistant Enterococci Van-A type Enterococcus faecium. Cytotoxicity on cancer cell lines confirmed that gold nanoparticles were more cytotoxic than silver nanoparticles. The highest cytotoxicity was observed on human pancreas ductal adenocarcinoma cells. Therefore, both nanoparticles synthesized with the sesquiterpenoids from T. farfara flower bud extract can be applicable as drug delivery vehicles of anticancer or antibacterial agents for future nanomedicine applications.
“Three-Bullets” Loaded Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticles for Combined Photo/Chemotherapy
Authors: Tessaro André Luiz , Fraix Aurore , Pedrozo da Silva Ana Claudia , Gazzano Elena , Riganti Chiara , Sortino Salvatore
Published: May 2019

This contribution reports the design, preparation, photophysical and photochemical characterization, as well as a preliminary biological evaluation of mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) covalently integrating a nitric oxide (NO) photodonor (NOPD) and a singlet oxygen (1O2) photosensitizer (PS) and encapsulating the anticancer doxorubicin (DOX) in a noncovalent fashion. These MSNs bind the NOPD mainly in their inner part and the PS in their outer part in order to judiciously exploit the different diffusion radius of the cytotoxic NO and 1O2. Furthermore this silica nanoconstruct has been devised in such a way to permit the selective excitation of the NOPD and the PS with light sources of different energy in the visible window. We demonstrate that the individual photochemical performances of the photoactive components of the MSNs are not mutually affected, and remain unaltered even in the presence of DOX. As a result, the complete nanoconstruct is able to deliver NO and 1O2 under blue and green light, respectively, and to release DOX under physiological conditions. Preliminary biological results performed using A375 cancer cells show a good tolerability of the functionalized MSNs in the dark and a potentiated activity of DOX upon irradiation, due to the effect of the NO photoreleased.
Synaptic and Fast Switching Memristance in Porous Silicon-Based Structures
Authors: Torres-Costa Vicente , Mäkilä Ermei , Granroth Sari , Kukk Edwin , Salonen Jarno
Published: May 2019

Memristors are two terminal electronic components whose conductance depends on the amount of charge that has flown across them over time. This dependence can be gradual, such as in synaptic memristors, or abrupt, as in resistive switching memristors. Either of these memory effects are very promising for the development of a whole new generation of electronic devices. For the successful implementation of practical memristors, however, the development of low cost industry compatible memristive materials is required. Here the memristive properties of differently processed porous silicon structures are presented, which are suitable for different applications. Electrical characterization and SPICE simulations show that laser-carbonized porous silicon shows a strong synaptic memristive behavior influenced by defect diffusion, while wet-oxidized porous silicon has strong resistance switching properties, with switching ratios over 8000. Results show that practical memristors of either type can be achieved with porous silicon whose memristive properties can be adjusted by the proper material processing. Thus, porous silicon may play an important role for the successful realization of practical memristorics with cost-effective materials and processes.
NiS2@rGO Nanosheet Wrapped with PPy Aerogel: A Sandwich-Like Structured Composite for Excellent Microwave Absorption
Authors: Zhang Zhi , Lv Qi , Chen Yiwang , Yu Haitao , Liu Hui , Cui Guangzhen , Sun Xiaodong , Li Ling
Published: May 2019

To reduce electromagnetic pollution as well as increase the accuracy of high-precision electronic equipment, more attention has been paid to new electromagnetic wave (EMW) absorbing materials, which have the advantages of strong absorption, wide absorption bands, and a narrow thickness. In this study, a novel ternary type of the NiS2@rGO/polypyrrole (PPy) sandwich-like structured composites was synthesized via a facile two-step method, in which the hydrothermal method was used to prepare NiS2@rGO binary composites and then the in situ polymerization method was used to synthesize the PPy, which acted as the outer layer of the sandwich-like structure. The morphologies and electromagnetic absorption performance of the NiS2@rGO/PPy were measured and investigated. A sample with 6 wt% NiS2@rGO/PPy loading paraffin-composite obtained an outstanding reflection loss (RL) of −58.7 dB at 16.44 GHz under a thickness of 2.03 mm. Simultaneously, the effective electromagnetic wave absorption bandwidth for RL < −10 dB, which covered 7.04 to 18.00 GHz (10.96 GHz), was achieved by changing the thickness of the absorber from 2.0 to 3.5 mm. The results not only suggest that the NiS2@rGO/PPy composite has excellent performance in the field of EMW absorption but also prove that the novel sandwich-like structure can contribute to appropriate impedance matching through multiple relaxation and interfacial polarization processes.
Characterization of Biological Resistance and Successful Drug Resistance Control in Medicine
Authors: Fullybright Rudolf
Published: May 2019

It has now been a century that drug resistance has been getting worse in human infectious diseases medicine. A similar trend is observed in veterinary medicine and agriculture. The successful control of drug resistance requires an understanding of biological resistance in general, as a phenomenon taking place in nature. Once we have understood the main characteristics of biological resistance and how it operates in nature, we can then apply that new understanding to its subset that drug resistance in human medicine is. Possession of such an edge can also lead to the successful control of resistance in veterinary medicine, in agriculture, and in other settings of resistance activity by biological organisms. Based on biological resistance data from human medicine, veterinary medicine, and agriculture, some of the fundamental characteristics of resistance as a natural process displayed by all living organisms are established. The consistent, common features characterizing the data are exploited, as is a mathematical model depicting how biological resistance strengthens in living organisms. It is found that biological resistance in general, and drug resistance in particular, is a phenomenon governed by at least two laws: the First Law of Resistance, requiring a threshold to be met before resistance can be prevented and the Second Law of Resistance, causing resistance to strengthen to infinite levels if unstopped. Inference is thereafter made as to the drug design strategy required for the successful control of resistance in medicine. To that end, the blueprint currently applied in the design of infectious diseases drugs needs revising.
Effect of Curing Agent on the Compressive Behavior at Elevated Test Temperature of Carbon Fiber-Reinforced Epoxy Composites
Authors: Bard Simon , Demleitner Martin , Weber Regino , Zeiler Rico , Altstädt Volker
Published: May 2019

The aim of the underlying research is to understand the effect of elevated test temperatures on the mechanical properties of carbon fiber-reinforced laminates based on three different hardeners. A high-temperature stable adhesive was developed for the end tabs of the specimen. Bifunctional bisphenol A diglycidyl ether (DGEBA) epoxy cured with triethylenetetramine (TETA), isophorone diamine (IPDA), and 4,4′-diaminodiphenylsulfone (DDS) were cured and tested in a Celanese compressive test up to 250 °C. A model by Feih was applied, and sufficient accordance (R2 > 97%) with the compressive data was found. We showed that the network density and the chemical structure of the thermoset network influenced the compressive behavior.
Antipodean and Biblical Encounter: Postcolonial Vernacular Hermeneutics in Novel Form
Authors: Connolly Michele A.
Published: May 2019

This article argues that in postcolonial and post-secular Australia, a country in which Christianity has been imported from Europe in the process of colonization in the eighteenth century by the British Empire, institutional Christianity is waning in influence. However, the article argues, Australian culture has a capacity for spiritual awareness provided it is expressed in language and idioms arising from the Australian context. R. S. Sugirtharajah’s concept of vernacular hermeneutics shows that a contemporary novel, The Shepherd’s Hut by Tim Winton, expresses Australian spirituality saturated with the images and values of the New Testament, but in a non-religious literary form.
Views on Religious Freedom among Young People in Belarus and Norway: Similarities and Contrasts
Authors: Breskaya Olga , Botvar Pål Ketil
Published: May 2019

The study of religious freedom has not received sufficient empirical attention from sociologists of religion, despite significant theoretical discussion of the governance of religious freedom. This article suggests empirical findings about the views on religious freedom in Belarus and Norway from the international research project “Religion and Human Rights.” The authors explore the effects of religiosity, spirituality, and cultural diversity on young people’s views of religious freedom in two countries. The comparative data from Belarus (N = 677) and Norway (N = 1001) examine patterns of attitudes towards religious freedom considering the effect of trust in institutions within democratic and non-democratic regimes. This two-country analysis reveals that religiosity, cultural diversity and trust in institutions exert a notable influence on religious freedom views in different ways in Belarus and Norway, on both non-religious young people and those from religious minorities.
Ensemble Identification of Spectral Bands Related to Soil Organic Carbon Levels over an Agricultural Field in Southern Ontario, Canada
Authors: Laamrani Ahmed , Berg Aaron A. , Voroney Paul , Feilhauer Hannes , Blackburn Line , March Michael , Dao Phuong D. , He Yuhong , Martin Ralph C.
Published: May 2019

The recent use of hyperspectral remote sensing imagery has introduced new opportunities for soil organic carbon (SOC) assessment and monitoring. These data enable monitoring of a wide variety of soil properties but pose important methodological challenges. Highly correlated hyperspectral spectral bands can affect the prediction and accuracy as well as the interpretability of the retrieval model. Therefore, the spectral dimension needs to be reduced through a selection of specific spectral bands or regions that are most helpful to describing SOC. This study evaluates the efficiency of visible near-infrared (VNIR) and shortwave near-infrared (SWIR) hyperspectral data to identify the most informative hyperspectral bands responding to SOC content in agricultural soils. Soil samples (111) were collected over an agricultural field in southern Ontario, Canada and analyzed against two hyperspectral datasets: An airborne Nano-Hyperspec imaging sensor with 270 bands (400–1000 nm) and a laboratory hyperspectral dataset (ASD FieldSpec 3) along the 1000–2500 nm range (NIR-SWIR). In parallel, a multimethod modeling approach consisting of random forest, support vector machine, and partial least squares regression models was used to conduct band selections and to assess the validity of the selected bands. The multimethod model resulted in a selection of optimal band or regions over the VNIR and SWIR sensitive to SOC and potentially for mapping. The bands that achieved the highest respective importance values were 711–715, 727, 986–998, and 433–435 nm regions (VNIR); and 2365–2373, 2481–2500, and 2198–2206 nm (NIR-SWIR). Some of these bands are in agreement with the absorption features of SOC reported in the literature, whereas others have not been reported before. Ultimately, the selection of optimal band and regions is of importance for quantification of agricultural SOC and would provide a new framework for creating optimized SOC-specific sensors.
Rapidly Deployable IoT Architecture with Data Security: Implementation and Experimental Evaluation
Authors: Maitra Sudip , Yelamarthi Kumar
Published: May 2019

Internet of Things (IoT) has brought about a new horizon in the field of pervasive computing and integration of heterogeneous objects connected to the network. The broad nature of its applications requires a modular architecture that can be rapidly deployed. Alongside the increasing significance of data security, much research has focused on simulation-based encryption algorithms. Currently, there is a gap in the literature on identifying the effect of encryption algorithms on timing and energy consumption in IoT applications. This research addresses this gap by presenting the design, implementation, and practical evaluation of a rapidly deployable IoT architecture with embedded data security. Utilizing open-source off-the-shelf components and widely accepted encryption algorithms, this research presents a comparative study of Advanced Encryption Standards (AES) with and without hardware accelerators and an eXtended Tiny Encryption Algorithm (XTEA) to analyze the performance in memory, energy, and execution time. Experimental results from implementation in multiple IoT applications has shown that utilizing the AES algorithm with a hardware accelerator utilizes the least amount of energy and is ideal where timing is a major constraint, whereas the XTEA algorithm is ideal for resource constrained microcontrollers. Additionally, software implementation of AES on 8-bit PIC architecture required 6.36x more program memory than XTEA.
An Internet of Things Based Bed-Egress Alerting Paradigm Using Wearable Sensors in Elderly Care Environment
Authors: Awais Muhammad , Raza Mohsin , Ali Kamran , Ali Zulfiqar , Irfan Muhammad , Chughtai Omer , Khan Imran , Kim Sunghwan , Ur Rehman Masood
Published: May 2019

The lack of healthcare staff and increasing proportions of elderly population is alarming. The traditional means to look after elderly has resulted in 255,000 reported falls (only within UK). This not only resulted in extensive aftercare needs and surgeries (summing up to £4.4 billion) but also in added suffering and increased mortality. In such circumstances, the technology can greatly assist by offering automated solutions for the problem at hand. The proposed work offers an Internet of things (IoT) based patient bed-exit monitoring system in clinical settings, capable of generating a timely response to alert the healthcare workers and elderly by analyzing the wireless data streams, acquired through wearable sensors. This work analyzes two different datasets obtained from divergent families of sensing technologies, i.e., smartphone-based accelerometer and radio frequency identification (RFID) based accelerometer. The findings of the proposed system show good efficacy in monitoring the bed-exit and discriminate other ambulating activities. Furthermore, the proposed work manages to keep the average end-to-end system delay (i.e., communications of sensed data to Data Sink (DS)/Control Center (CC) + machine-based feature extraction and class identification + feedback communications to a relevant healthcare worker/elderly) below 1 10 th of a second.
Use of Multiple EEG Features and Artificial Neural Network to Monitor the Depth of Anesthesia
Authors: Gu Yue , Liang Zhenhu , Hagihira Satoshi
Published: May 2019

The electroencephalogram (EEG) can reflect brain activity and contains abundant information of different anesthetic states of the brain. It has been widely used for monitoring depth of anesthesia (DoA). In this study, we propose a method that combines multiple EEG-based features with artificial neural network (ANN) to assess the DoA. Multiple EEG-based features can express the states of the brain more comprehensively during anesthesia. First, four parameters including permutation entropy, 95% spectral edge frequency, BetaRatio and SynchFastSlow were extracted from the EEG signal. Then, the four parameters were set as the inputs to an ANN which used bispectral index (BIS) as the reference output. 16 patient datasets during propofol anesthesia were used to evaluate this method. The results indicated that the accuracies of detecting each state were 86.4% (awake), 73.6% (light anesthesia), 84.4% (general anesthesia), and 14% (deep anesthesia). The correlation coefficient between BIS and the index of this method was 0.892 ( p < 0.001 ). The results showed that the proposed method could well distinguish between awake and other anesthesia states. This method is promising and feasible for a monitoring system to assess the DoA.
Non-Linear Dynamical Analysis of Resting Tremor for Demand-Driven Deep Brain Stimulation
Authors: Camara Carmen , Subramaniyam Narayan P. , Warwick Kevin , Parkkonen Lauri , Aziz Tipu , Pereda Ernesto
Published: May 2019

Parkinson’s Disease (PD) is currently the second most common neurodegenerative disease. One of the most characteristic symptoms of PD is resting tremor. Local Field Potentials (LFPs) have been widely studied to investigate deviations from the typical patterns of healthy brain activity. However, the inherent dynamics of the Sub-Thalamic Nucleus (STN) LFPs and their spatiotemporal dynamics have not been well characterized. In this work, we study the non-linear dynamical behaviour of STN-LFPs of Parkinsonian patients using ε -recurrence networks. RNs are a non-linear analysis tool that encodes the geometric information of the underlying system, which can be characterised (for example, using graph theoretical measures) to extract information on the geometric properties of the attractor. Results show that the activity of the STN becomes more non-linear during the tremor episodes and that ε -recurrence network analysis is a suitable method to distinguish the transitions between movement conditions, anticipating the onset of the tremor, with the potential for application in a demand-driven deep brain stimulation system.
Wireless Indoor Localization Using Convolutional Neural Network and Gaussian Process Regression
Authors: Zhang Guolong , Wang Ping , Chen Haibing , Zhang Lan
Published: May 2019

This paper presents a localization model employing convolutional neural network (CNN) and Gaussian process regression (GPR) based on Wi-Fi received signal strength indication (RSSI) fingerprinting data. In the proposed scheme, the CNN model is trained by a training dataset. The trained model adapts to complex scenes with multipath effects or many access points (APs). More specifically, the pre-processing algorithm makes the RSSI vector which is formed by considerable RSSI values from different APs readable by the CNN algorithm. The trained CNN model improves the positioning performance by taking a series of RSSI vectors into account and extracting local features. In this design, however, the performance is to be further improved by applying the GPR algorithm to adjust the coordinates of target points and offset the over-fitting problem of CNN. After implementing the hybrid model, the model is experimented with a public database that was collected from a library of Jaume I University in Spain. The results show that the hybrid model has outperformed the model using k-nearest neighbor (KNN) by 61.8%. While the CNN model improves the performance by 45.8%, the GPR algorithm further enhances the localization accuracy. In addition, the paper has also experimented with the three kernel functions, all of which have been demonstrated to have positive effects on GPR.
Volcanic Ash, Insecurity for the People but Securing Fertile Soil for the Future
Authors: Fiantis Dian , Ginting Frisa , Gusnidar  , Nelson M. , Minasny Budiman
Published: May 2019

Volcanic eruptions affect land and humans globally. When a volcano erupts, tons of volcanic ash materials are ejected to the atmosphere and deposited on land. The hazard posed by volcanic ash is not limited to the area in proximity to the volcano, but can also affect a vast area. Ashes ejected from volcano’s affect people’s daily life and disrupts agricultural activities and damages crops. However, the positive outcome of this natural event is that it secures fertile soil for the future. This paper examines volcanic ash (tephra) from a soil security view-point, mainly its capability. This paper reviews the positive aspects of volcanic ash, which has a high capability to supply nutrients to plant, and can also sequester a large amount of carbon out of the atmosphere. We report some studies around the world, which evaluated soil organic carbon (SOC) accumulation since volcanic eruptions. The mechanisms of SOC protection in volcanic ash soil include organo-metallic complexes, chemical protection, and physical protection. Two case studies of volcanic ash from Mt. Talang and Sinabung in Sumatra, Indonesia showed the rapid accumulation of SOC through lichens and vascular plants. Volcanic ash plays an important role in the global carbon cycle and ensures soil security in volcanic regions of the world in terms of boosting its capability. However, there is also a human dimension, which does not go well with volcanic ash. Volcanic ash can severely destroy agricultural areas and farmers’ livelihoods. Connectivity and codification needs to ensure farming in the area to take into account of risk and build appropriate adaptation and resilient strategy.
On the Unsustainable Macroeconomy with Increasing Inequality of Firms Induced by Excessive Liquidity
Authors: Zheng Wenzhi , Lou Yuting , Chen Yu
Published: May 2019

This research studies how excessive liquidity can trigger catastrophic economic crises in a stylized macroeconomic agent-based model (ABM). Previous studies showed the relevance of the income distribution to the economic crises, whereas we find, in a well-studied macroeconomic ABM endowed with diverse economic performance of firms, while providing moderate liquidity serves as an effective tool to stabilize the economy, excessive liquidity may cause abnormal dispersion of firm’s wealth and the subsequent severe endogenous crises. The mechanism for such large-scale crises is found in the model as the increasing gap of financial fagility between the advantageous and disadvantageous groups of firms. Two factors, diverse production cycles and variable wages, are used to explore the robustness of the occurrence of crises. Moreover, our study shows that the leverage ratio based on aggregate values may underestimate the systemic risk. Hence, a proposal for the new design of the risk measurement in the macro-economy and insights into monetary policies for a sustainable economic development is given.
A Bibliometric Analysis of Research on Acid Rain
Authors: Liu Ziqiang , Yang Jiayue , Zhang Jiaen , Xiang Huimin , Wei Hui
Published: May 2019

With the continuation of industrialization and urbanization, acid rain (AR) has aroused extensive concern because of its potential negative effects on ecosystems. However, analysis of the current status and development trends in AR research area has seldom been systematically studied. Therefore, we motivated to conduct a bibliometric analysis of AR publications (1900–2018) using HistCite and CiteSpace software programs. Compared to traditional reviews by experts, this study offers an alternative method to quantitatively analyze and visualize the development of AR field at a large time scale. The results indicated that the overall concern of AR research studies had increased from 1900 to 2018. The most productive country was the United States, while the institution with the most publications was Chinese Academy of Sciences. “Environmental Sciences” was the most popular subject category, Water, Air, and Soil Pollution was the dominant journal, and C.T. Driscoll was the most prominent author in AR field. There were three hotspots in the field of AR, including analyzing AR status and its control policies in Europe, the United States, and China in the past few decades, investigating the ecological consequences of AR on plant histological, physiological, and biochemical traits, as well as surface water and soil properties, and the model application for quantitatively assessing AR and its effects on terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems at regional scale. Further, “behavior”, “phosphorus”, “fractionation”, “soil acidification”, “corrosion”, “performance”, “recovery”, “rainwater”, “trace element”, and “surface water” have been emerging active topics in recent years. This study can help new researchers to find out the most relevant subject categories, countries, institutions, journals, authors, and articles, and identify research trends and frontiers in the field of AR.