bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Ensuring Environmental Accountability in Nigeria through the Liberalisation of the Locus Standi Rule: Lessons from some Selected Jurisdictions
Authors: Omukoro Dickson Ebikabowei
Published: October 2019

Oil pollution has become something of a daily occurrence in Nigeria, despite the existence of laws regulating petroleum operations. This is partly due to the cost of accessing judicial justice. Apart from cost issues, a plaintiff must satisfy that they have the standing to petition the court for the act complained of, which sometimes leaves the polluter without responsibility. This is against the notion of environmental accountability. It is the challenges posed by the strict interpretation of the standing rule in Nigeria on environmental accountability that forms the basis of this article. The article explores the lessons that can be learned from the development of standing rules in three different jurisdictions – the UK, Australia and South Africa.
Old Wine in New Bottles? Critical and Comparative Perspectives on Identity Crimes under the Nigerian Cybercrime Act 2015
Authors: Omotubora Adekemi
Published: October 2019

This article critically analyses the provisions on identity theft and identity fraud in the Nigerian Cybercrime Act passed in 2015. The objective of the article is to provide answers to three pressing questions: What was the law on identity crimes before the Cybercrime Act? How has the law addressed the peculiar challenges of identity theft and identity fraud online? Are the provisions of the law adequate and if not how should the law otherwise respond? This article provides an in-depth legal analysis of the relevant provisions of the law and highlights the gaps in the law through comparative analysis with UK and US laws. While the article proposes amendments to make the Nigerian law more effective in combatting identity crime, it also invariably pushes for harmonisation and consistency in the approach of national laws to the crime.
ÖRGÜTSEL BAĞLILIK VE ÖRGÜTSEL DEĞİŞME AÇIKLIĞIN ÖRGÜT SAĞLIĞI ÜZERİNDEKİ ETKİSİ: AFYONKARAHĠSAR’DAKİ SAĞLIK ÇALIŞANLARI ÜZERİNDE BİR ARAŞTIRMA
Authors: GÜL İsa , TÜFEKÇİ Nezihe
Published: October 2019

Günümüzde küresel ölçekte hızlı ve çok farklı alanda değişimler yaşanırken; teknolojik,

sosyolojik, ekonomik, politik, hukuksal ve bilimsel alanda yaşanan değişimler özellikle örgütler

yerelinde birçok değişime neden olabilmektedir. Bu koşullar altında örgütlerin tek çıkar yolu,

değişime ve örgüt çevresine hızlı bir şekilde adapte olmaktan geçmektedir. Bu nedenle tüm

örgütlerin değişime hazır, çabuk uyum sağlayabilen ve proaktif bir anlayışla yönetilmeleri

gereklidir. Örgütsel değişime hızlı adapte olabilen, kendini ve çalışanlarını değiştirebilen

(eğitimsel, davranışsal vb.) örgütler ise, sağlıklı olarak nitelendirilmektedir. Örgütlerin sağlıklı

olması, örgütsel süreçlerin ve uygulamaların ideal düzeyde olmasını gerekli kılmaktadır. Bunun

yanında sağlıklı örgütlerde çalışanların örgüte olan bağlılık düzeyleri yüksektir. Ayrıca çalışan

bağlılığının yüksek olması da değişime karşı olumlu tutum benimseme ve davranış göstermede

önemli bir etkiye sahip olduğu söylenebilir.

Bu çalışma Afyonkarahisar il Merkezinde çalışan sağlık personelinin örgüt sağlığı,

örgütsel bağlılık ve örgütsel değişime açıklık algıları arasındaki ilişkilerin tespit edilmesi

amacıyla yapılmıştır. Araştırma Afyonkarahisar İl Merkezinde bulunan Afyonkarahisar Devlet

Hastanesi, Afyon Kocatepe Üniversitesi Hastanesi ve Özel Park Hayat Hastanesi’nde çalışan

739 sağlık personeli ile gerçekleştirilmiştir. Hastane çalışanlarının örgüt sağlığı, örgütsel bağlılık

ve değişime açıklık algılarını ölçmek amacıyla LISREL kullanılarak yapısal eşitlik modellemesi

(YEM) uygulanmıştır. YEM sonuçlarına göre; örgütsel bağlılık üzerindeki bir birimlik artışın,

örgüt sağlığı üzerinde 0.75 birimlik bir artışa ve örgütsel değişime açıklık üzerinde 0.29 birimlik

bir artışa sebep olduğu, örgütsel değişime açıklık üzerinde bir birimlik artışın ise örgüt sağlığı

üzerinde 0.08 birimlik bir artışa sebep olduğu bulunmuştur. 
Electronic Design of a Cotton Harvester Yield Monitor Calibration System
Authors: Pelletier Mathew G. , Wanjura John D. , Holt Greg A.
Published: October 2019

Several yield monitors are available for use on cotton harvesters, but none are able to maintain yield measurement accuracy across cultivars and field conditions that vary spatially and/or temporally. Thus, the utility of yield monitors as tools for on-farm research is limited unless steps are taken to calibrate the systems as cultivars and conditions change. This technical note details the electronic system design for a harvester-based yield monitor calibration system for basket-type cotton strippers. The system was based upon the use of pressure sensors to measure the weight of the basket by monitoring the static pressure in the hydraulic lift cylinder circuit. To ensure accurate weighing, the system automatically lifted the basket to a target lift height, allowed the basket time to settle, then weighed the contents of the basket. The software running the system was split into two parts that were run on an embedded low-level micro-controller and a mobile computer located in the harvester cab. The system was field tested under commercial conditions and found to measure basket load weights within 2.5% of the reference scale. As such, the system was proven to be capable of providing an on-board auto-correction to a yield monitor for use in multi-variety field trials.
Sustainable Intensification of Sorghum and Pearl Millet Production by Seed Priming, Seed Treatment and Fertilizer Microdosing under Different Rainfall Regimes in Mali
Authors: Coulibaly Adama , Woumou Kamkam , Aune Jens B.
Published: October 2019

Sorghum and pearl millet are the most important stable crops in the drylands of West Africa. This four-year study based on two experiments assessed different low-cost methods for intensification of sorghum and millet production under contrasting rainfall conditions in Mali. Experiment 1 assessed the microdosing rates 0, 0.2, 0.4, 0.6 and 0.8 g NPK hill−1 combined with seed priming across four locations in Mali while Experiment 2 assessed the cumulative effects of the seed priming, seed treatment with pesticide, microdosing and urea top dressing. In central Mali, there was a clear effect of seed priming while there was no such effect in southern Mali with better rainfall conditions. In central Mali, the microdosing rate of fertilizer of 0.4 g NPK hill−1 (4 kg NPK ha−1) performed best, while in southern Mali the microdosing rate of 0.8 g NPK hill−1 (20 kg NPK ha−1) gave the best result. Experiment 2 showed that there was a clear effect of top dressing of 1 g urea hill−1 (25 kg urea ha−1) in southern Mali while no such effect was apparent in central Mali. In general, there was a better response to microdosing in sorghum than in pearl millet. A decision tree for crop and fertilizer management in Mali was developed, taking into consideration rainfall, crop choice, use of seed priming and microdosing rates.
Optimizing Genetic Parameters of CSM-CERES Wheat and CSM-CERES Maize for Durum Wheat, Common Wheat, and Maize in Italy
Authors: Mereu Valentina , Gallo Andrea , Spano Donatella
Published: October 2019

The expected increase in population and the pressure posed by climate change on agricultural production require the assessment of future yield levels and the evaluation of the most suitable management options to minimize climate risk and promote sustainable agricultural production. Crop simulation models are widely applied tools to predict crop development and production under different management practices and environmental conditions. The aim of this study was to parameterize CSM-CERES-Wheat and CSM-CERES-Maize models, implemented in the Decision Support System for Agrotechnology Transfer (DSSAT) software, to predict phenology and grain yield of durum wheat, common wheat, and maize in different Italian environments. A 10-year (2001–2010) dataset was used to optimize the genetic parameters for selected varieties of each species and to evaluate the models considering several statistical indexes. The generalized likelihood uncertainty estimation method, and trial and error approach were used to optimize the cultivar-specific parameters of these models. Results show good model performances in reproducing crop phenology and yield for the analyzed crops, especially with the parameters optimized with the trial and error procedure. Highly significant (p ≤ 0.001) correlations between observed and simulated data were found for both anthesis and yield in model calibration and evaluation (p ≤ 0.01 for grain yield of maize in model evaluation). Root mean square error (RMSE) values range from six to nine days for anthesis and from 1.1 to 1.7 t ha−1 for crop yield and index of agreement (d-index) from 0.96 to 0.98 for anthesis and from 0.8 to 0.87 for crop yield. The set of genetic parameters obtained for durum wheat, common wheat, and maize may be applied in further analyses at field, regional, and national scales to guide operational (farmers), strategic, and tactical (policy makers) decisions.
The Anti-Oxidation and Mechanism of Essential Oil of Paederia scandens in the NAFLD Model of Chicken
Authors: Wu Qiang , Tang Huaqiao , Wang Hongbin
Published: October 2019

The aim of the study is to determine the underlying pathogenic mechanisms of oxidative stress and detect the anti-oxidative target of essential oil of Paederia scandens in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Chicken NAFLD was modeled by feeding with a high-capacity diet and Paederia scandens essential oil was used to treat the disease. The levels of hepatic reactive oxygen species (ROS), malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and the differential proteins and network of protein–protein interactions were investigated in model and drug-treated groups. The results showed that essential oil of Paederia scandens down regulated the hepatic ROS and MDA level significantly (p < 0.05 and 0.01, respectively). The heat shock cognate 71 kDa protein (HSP7C) was down regulated significantly, which was in the center of the network and interacted with 22 other proteins. The results showed that oxidative stress played an important role in the pathogenesis of chicken NAFLD. The essential oil of Paederia scandens showed good anti-oxidation activity by down regulating the HSP7C protein, which can be used as a potential therapeutic target in chicken NAFLD.
Variability and Potential of Seaweeds as Ingredients of Ruminant Diets: An In Vitro Study
Authors: de la Moneda Ana , Carro Maria Dolores , Weisbjerg Martin R. , Roleda Michael Y. , Lind Vibeke , Novoa-Garrido Margarita , Molina-Alcaide Eduarda
Published: October 2019

This study was designed to analyze the chemical composition and in vitro rumen fermentation of eight seaweed species (Brown: Alaria esculenta, Laminaria digitata, Pelvetia canaliculata, Saccharina latissima; Red: Mastocarpus stellatus, Palmaria palmata and Porphyra sp.; Green: Cladophora rupestris) collected in Norway during spring and autumn. Moreover, the in vitro ruminal fermentation of seventeen diets composed of 1:1 oat hay:concentrate, without (control diet) or including seaweeds was studied. The ash and N contents were greater (p < 0.001) in seaweeds collected during spring than in autumn, but autumn-seaweeds had greater total extractable polyphenols. Nitrogen in red and green seaweeds was greater than 2.20 and in brown seaweeds, it was lower than 1.92 g/kg DM. Degradability after 24 h of fermentation was greater in spring seaweeds than in autumn, with Palmaria palmata showing the greatest value and Pelvetia canaliculata the lowest. Seaweeds differed in their fermentation pattern, and autumn Alaria esculenta, Laminaria digitata, Saccharina latissima and Palmaria palmata were similar to high-starch feeds. The inclusion of seaweeds in the concentrate of a diet up to 200 g/kg concentrate produced only subtle effects on in vitro ruminal fermentation.
Thioredoxin Downregulation Enhances Sorafenib Effects in Hepatocarcinoma Cells
Authors: López-Grueso María José , González Raúl , Muntané Jordi , Bárcena José Antonio , Padilla C. Alicia
Published: October 2019

Sorafenib is the first-line recommended therapy for patients with advanced hepatocarcinoma (HCC) in de-differentiation stage (presenting epithelial–mesenchymal transition, EMT). We studied the role of the thioredoxin system (Trx1/TrxR1) in the sensitivity or resistance of HCC cells to the treatment with Sorafenib. As a model, we used a set of three established HCC cell lines with different degrees of de-differentiation as occurs in metastasis. By quantitative proteomics, we found that the expression levels of Trx1 and TrxR1 followed the same trend as canonical EMT markers in these cell lines. Treatment with Sorafenib induced thiol redox reductive changes in critical elements of oncogenic pathways in all three cell lines but induced drastic proteome reprograming only in HCC cell lines of intermediate stage. Trx1 downregulation counteracted the thiol reductive effect of Sorafenib on Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription 3 (STAT3) but not on Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase (MAPK) or Protein Kinase B (Akt) and transformed advanced HCC cells into Sorafenib-sensitive cells. Ten targets of the combined Sorafenib–siRNATrx1 treatment were identified that showed a gradually changing expression trend in parallel to changes in the expression of canonical EMT markers, likely as a result of the activation of Hippo signaling. These findings support the idea that a combination of Sorafenib with thioredoxin inhibitors should be taken into account in the design of therapies against advanced HCC.
Alteration of the Antioxidant Capacity and Gut Microbiota under High Levels of Molybdenum and Green Tea Polyphenols in Laying Hens
Authors: Wang Jianping , Yang Zengqiao , Celi Pietro , Yan Lei , Ding Xuemei , Bai Shiping , Zeng Qiufeng , Mao Xiangbing , Feng Bing , Xu Shengyu , Zhang Keying
Published: October 2019

High dietary levels of molybdenum (MO) can negatively affect productive performances and health status of laying hens, while tea polyphenol (TP) can mitigate the negative impact of high MO exposure. However, our understanding of the changes induced by TP on MO challenged layers performances and oxidative status, and on the microbiota, remains limited. The aim of the present study was to better understand host (performances and redox balance) and microbiota responses in MO-challenged layers with dietary TP. In this study, 200 Lohmann laying hens (65-week-old) were randomly allocated in a 2 × 2 factorial design to receive a diet with or without MO (0 or 100 mg/kg), and supplemented with either 0 or 600 mg/kg TP. The results indicate that 100 mg/kg MO decreased egg production (p = 0.03), while dietary TP increased egg production in MO challenged layers (p < 0.01). Egg yolk color was decreased by high MO (p < 0.01), while dietary TP had no effect on yolk color (p > 0.05). Serum alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and malonaldehyde (MDA) concentration were increased by high MO, while total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC), xanthine oxidase (XOD) activity, glutathione s-transferase (GSH-ST), and glutathione concentration in serum were decreased (p < 0.05). Dietary TP was able to reverse the increasing effect of MO on ALT and AST (p < 0.05). High MO resulted in higher MO levels in serum, liver, kidney, and egg, but it decreased Cu and Se content in serum, liver, and egg (p < 0.05). The Fe concentration in liver, kidney, and eggs was significantly lower in MO supplementation groups (p < 0.05). High MO levels in the diet led to lower Firmicutes and higher Proteobacteria abundance, whereas dietary TP alone and/or in high MO treatment increased the Firmicutes abundance and the Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio at phylum level. High MO increased the abundance of Proteobacteria (phylum), Deltaproteobacteria (class), Mytococcales (order), and Nanocystaceae (family), whereas dietary TP promoted the enrichment of Lactobacillus agilis (species). Dietary TP also enhanced the enrichment of Bacilli (class), Lactobacillates (order), Lactobacillus (family), and Lactobacillus gasseri (species). Microbiota analysis revealed differentially enriched microbial compositions in the cecum caused by MO and TP, which might be responsible for the protective effect of dietary TP during a MO challenge.
Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Effects of Curcumin Nanoparticles on Drug-Induced Acute Myocardial Infarction in Diabetic Rats
Authors: Boarescu Paul-Mihai , Boarescu Ioana , Bocșan Ioana Corina , Gheban Dan , Bulboacă Adriana Elena , Nicula Cristina , Pop Raluca Maria , Râjnoveanu Ruxandra-Mioara , Bolboacă Sorana D.
Published: October 2019

We have investigated the cardio-protective effects of pretreatment with curcumin nanoparticles (CUN) compared to conventional curcumin (CUS) on the changes in oxidative stress parameters and inflammatory cytokine levels during induced acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in rats with diabetes mellitus (DM). DM was induced with streptozotocin, and AMI with isoproterenol. Eight groups of seven Wister Bratislava rats were included in the study. The N-C was the normal control group, AMI-C was the group with AMI, DM-C was the group with DM, and DM-AMI-C was the group with DM and AMI. All four groups received saline solution orally during the whole experiment. S-DM-CUS-AMI and S-DM-CUN-AMI groups received saline for seven days prior to DM induction and continued with CUS (200 mg/kg bw, bw = body weight) for S-DM-CUS-AMI and CUN for S-DM-CUN-AMI (200 mg/kg bw) for 15 days before AMI induction. The CUS-DM-CUS-AMI group received CUS (200 mg/kg bw), while the CUN-DM-CUN-AMI received CUN (200 mg/kg bw) for seven days prior to DM induction, and both groups continued with administration in the same doses for 15 days before AMI induction. CUS and CUN prevented elevation of creatine kinase, creatine kinase-MB, lactate dehydrogenase in all groups, with better results in the CUN (S-DM-CUN-AMI and CUN-DM-CUN-AMI groups). CUS and CUN significantly reduced serum levels of oxidative stress markers (malondialdehyde, the indirect assessment of nitric oxide synthesis, and total oxidative status) and enhanced antioxidative markers (total antioxidative capacity and thiols, up to 2.5 times). All groups that received CUS or CUN showed significantly lower serum levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha, interleukin-6, and interleukin-1β. The best antioxidative and anti-inflammatory effects were obtained for the group that received CUN before DM induction (CUN-DM-CUN-AMI group). Pretreatment with CUN proved higher cardio-protective effects exerting an important antioxidative and anti-inflammatory impact in the case of AMI in DM.
Effects of Laser Beam Parameters on Bendability and Microstructure of Stainless Steel in Three-Dimensional Laser Forming
Authors: Abolhasani Daniyal , Seyedkashi Seyed Mohammad Hossein , Hoseinpour Gollo Mohammad , Moon Young Hoon
Published: October 2019

In this study, the effects of beam diameter and hatch spacing between the scanning paths on the bendability and microstructural behavior of an AISI 316 stainless-steel sheet in three-dimensional laser forming were investigated. The strain on the heating lines and that between the scanning tracks were numerically investigated to elucidate the effects of process parameters. The strain on heating lines and that between scanning tracks were numerically investigated. The increase in hatch spacing caused a larger amount of counter bending to be retained in the unaffected areas between the tracks through a process dominated by a temperature gradient mechanism (TGM), and also caused a lower deformation. The formation of small equiaxed dendrite grains instead of coarse and inhomogeneous austenite grains occurred during the process at a larger beam diameter and smaller hatch spacing, which increased the bendability of the material, owing to the decrease in anisotropy in the microstructure. Moreover, the increase in the grain size of the reheated overlap region of the deformed sample led to a higher bendability. Under these conditions, the microhardness was also increased owing to the grain boundary strengthening effect.
An Automatic Marker–Object Offset Calibration Method for Precise 3D Augmented Reality Registration in Industrial Applications
Authors: Yin Xuyue , Fan Xiumin , Yang Xu , Qiu Shiguang , Zhang Zhinan
Published: October 2019

Industrial augmented reality (AR) applications demand high on the visual consistency of virtual-real registration. To present, the marker-based registration method is most popular because it is fast, robust, and convenient to obtain the registration matrix. In practice, the registration matrix should multiply an offset matrix that describes the transformation between the attaching position and the initial position of the marker relative to the object. However, the offset matrix is usually measured, calculated, and set manually, which is not accurate and convenient. This paper proposes an accurate and automatic marker–object offset matrix calibration method. First, the normal direction of the target object is obtained by searching and matching the top surface of the CAD model. Then, the spatial translation is estimated by aligning the projected and the imaged top surface. Finally, all six parameters of the offset matrix are iteratively optimized using a 3D image alignment framework. Experiments were performed on the publicity monocular rigid 3D tracking dataset and an automobile gearbox. The average translation and rotation errors of the optimized offset matrix are 2.10 mm and 1.56 degree respectively. The results validate that the proposed method is accurate and automatic, which contributes to a universal offset matrix calibration tool for marker-based industrial AR applications.
Analysis of Coastal Zone Data of Northern Yantai Collected by Remote Sensing from 1990 to 2018
Authors: Zhou Min , Wu Mengquan , Zhang Guangzong , Zhao Lianjie , Hou Xiaoyun , Yang Yi
Published: October 2019

Using remote sensing images of different time phases from 1990 to 2018, the surface coverage information of northern Yantai (coastline, 2 km from coastline to land) was extracted by means of average high tide line and visual interpretation. The end point change rate (EPR) and linear regression rate were used to study the coastline change rate, the fractal dimension of the coastline in the study area was analyzed, and the change of the type of coastal surface cover was analyzed by the transition matrix. The results show that: (1) Form 1990 to 2018, a significant trend of a continuous increase in the total length of coastline was observed with an increase of 181.08 km (43.18%). In the study area, the coastline of Laizhou had the greatest change rate with an EPR value of 33.67 m/a, whereas the coastline of Laishan had the smallest change rate with an EPR value of 0.30 m/a. (2) Over the past 30 years, with the rapid economic development of Yantai and the ensuant urbanization, the total surface area of the coastal zone in the study area has increased by 144.94 km2, mainly in the areas covered by structures and forests/grasses, by 112.96 km2 and 96.08 km2, respectively, while the areas of desert/bare land and water have decreased by 92.26 km2 and 12.32 km2, respectively. (3) The changes among different types in the study area were clear, mainly from desert/bare land, cultivated land, and building areas to forests/grasses cover and structures. The change areas were mainly concentrated in Laizhou, Longkou, Zhifu, and Penglai. Frequent human activities are an important factor affecting the continuous expansion of the coastal areas of Jiaodong Peninsula to the sea. Aquaculture, coastal construction, construction of artificial islands, and expansion of port terminals have seriously affected the sustainability of ecological resources in the coastal areas. At the same time, the changes in the ecological environment in the coastal zone will have a greater impact on the health of the coastal zone.
Optimization of the CO2 Liquefaction Process-Performance Study with Varying Ambient Temperature
Authors: Jackson Steven , Brodal Eivind
Published: October 2019

In carbon capture utilization and storage (CCUS) projects, the transportation of CO2 by ship can be an attractive alternative to transportation using a pipeline, particularly when the distance between the source and usage or storage location is large. However, a challenge associated with this approach is that the energy consumption of the liquefaction process can be significant, which makes the selection of an energy-efficient design an important factor in the minimization of operating costs. Since the liquefaction process operates at low temperature, its energy consumption varies with ambient temperature, which influences the trade-off point between different liquefaction process designs. A consistent set of data showing the relationship between energy consumption and cooling temperature is therefore useful in the CCUS system modelling. This study addresses this issue by modelling the performance of a variety of CO2 liquefaction processes across a range of ambient temperatures applying a methodical approach for the optimization of process operating parameters. The findings comprise a set of data for the minimum energy consumption cases. The main conclusions of this study are that an open-cycle CO2 process will offer lowest energy consumption below 20 °C cooling temperature and that over the cooling temperature range 15 to 50 °C, the minimum energy consumption for all liquefaction process rises by around 40%.
Design and Research of a Color Discrimination Method for Polycrystalline Silicon Cells Based on Laser Detection System
Authors: Chen Zijian , Wang Shiyu , Zhang Lian , Ma Zenghong
Published: October 2019

In this paper, a method of color discrimination based on sample sensitivity to light wavelength is proposed based on the reflection spectra of a large number of samples and the statistical calculation of the measurement data. A laser detection system is designed to realize the color discrimination. For the color discrimination of polycrystalline silicon cells, the most sensitive wavelength, 434 nm, and the least sensitive wavelength, 645 nm, of polycrystalline silicon cells is obtained according to this method. A laser detection system was built to measure the polycrystalline silicon cells. This system consists of two lasers, optical shutters, collimating beam expanding systems, an optical coaxial system, sample platform, collecting lens, and optical power meter or optical sensor. Two laser beams of different wavelengths are beamed coaxially through the optical coaxial system onto a polycrystalline silicon cell and are reflected or scattered. The reflected or scattered lights are collected through a lens with a high number aperture and received separately by the optical power meter. Then the color value of the polycrystalline silicon cell in this system is characterized by the ratio of light intensity data received. The system measured a large number of previous polycrystalline silicon cells to form the different color categories of polycrystalline silicon cells of this system in the computer database. When a new polycrystalline silicon cell is measured, the color discrimination system can automatically classify the new polycrystalline silicon cell to a certain color category in order to achieve color discrimination.
Automated Real-Time Assessment of Stay-Cable Serviceability Using Smart Sensors
Authors: Jeong Seunghoo , Lee Young-Joo , Shin Do Hyoung , Sim Sung-Han
Published: October 2019

The number of cable-stayed bridges being built worldwide has been increasing owing to the increasing demand for long-span bridges. As the stay-cable is one of critical load-carrying members of cable-stayed bridges, its maintenance has become a significant issue. The stay-cable has an inherently low damping ratio with high flexibility, which makes it vulnerable to vibrations owing to wind, rain, and traffic. Excessive vibration of the stay-cable can cause long-term fatigue problems in the stay-cable as well as the cable-stayed bridge. Therefore, civil engineers are required to carry out maintenance measures on stay-cables as a high priority. For the maintenance of the stay-cables, an automated real-time serviceability assessment system using wireless smart sensors was developed in this study. When the displacement of the cable in the mid-span exceeds either the upper or the lower bound provided in most bridge design codes, it is considered as a serviceability failure. The system developed in this study features embedded on-board processing, including the measurement of acceleration, estimation of displacement from measured acceleration, serviceability assessment, and monitoring through wireless communication. A series of laboratory tests were carried out to verify the performance of the developed system.
Mutual Information Input Selector and Probabilistic Machine Learning Utilisation for Air Pollution Proxies
Authors: Zaidan Martha A. , Dada Lubna , Alghamdi Mansour A. , Al-Jeelani Hisham , Lihavainen Heikki , Hyvärinen Antti , Hussein Tareq
Published: October 2019

An air pollutant proxy is a mathematical model that estimates an unobserved air pollutant using other measured variables. The proxy is advantageous to fill missing data in a research campaign or to substitute a real measurement for minimising the cost as well as the operators involved (i.e., virtual sensor). In this paper, we present a generic concept of pollutant proxy development based on an optimised data-driven approach. We propose a mutual information concept to determine the interdependence of different variables and thus select the most correlated inputs. The most relevant variables are selected to be the best proxy inputs, where several metrics and data loss are also involved for guidance. The input selection method determines the used data for training pollutant proxies based on a probabilistic machine learning method. In particular, we use a Bayesian neural network that naturally prevents overfitting and provides confidence intervals around its output prediction. In this way, the prediction uncertainty could be assessed and evaluated. In order to demonstrate the effectiveness of our approach, we test it on an extensive air pollution database to estimate ozone concentration.
The Incidence of Skin Cancer in Relation to Climate Change in South Africa
Authors: Wright Caradee Y. , Norval Mary , Kapwata Thandi , du Preez David Jean , Wernecke Bianca , Tod Bianca M. , Visser Willem I.
Published: October 2019

Climate change is associated with shifts in global weather patterns, especially an increase in ambient temperature, and is deemed a formidable threat to human health. Skin cancer, a non-communicable disease, has been underexplored in relation to a changing climate. Exposure to solar ultraviolet radiation (UVR) is the major environmental risk factor for skin cancer. South Africa is situated in the mid-latitudes and experiences relatively high levels of sun exposure with summertime UV Index values greater than 10. The incidence of skin cancer in the population group with fair skin is considered high, with cost implications relating to diagnosis and treatment. Here, the relationship between skin cancer and several environmental factors likely to be affected by climate change in South Africa are discussed including airborne pollutants, solar UVR, ambient temperature and rainfall. Recommended strategies for personal sun protection, such as shade, clothing, sunglasses and sunscreen, may change as human behaviour adapts to a warming climate. Further research and data are required to assess any future impact of climate change on the incidence of skin cancer in South Africa.
Correction: Cizdziel, J., et al. Air/Surface Exchange of Gaseous Elemental Mercury at Different Landscapes in Mississippi, USA. Atmosphere 2019, 10, 538
Authors: Cizdziel James V. , Jiang Yi , Nallamothu Divya , Brewer J. Stephen , Gao Zhiqiang
Published: October 2019

The authors wish to make the following correction to this paper [...]
CDK12 Activity-Dependent Phosphorylation Events in Human Cells
Authors: Bartkowiak Bartlomiej , Yan Christopher M. , Soderblom Erik J. , Greenleaf Arno L.
Published: October 2019

We asked whether the C-terminal repeat domain (CTD) kinase, CDK12/CyclinK, phosphorylates substrates in addition to the CTD of RPB1, using our CDK12analog-sensitive HeLa cell line to investigate CDK12 activity-dependent phosphorylation events in human cells. Characterizing the phospho-proteome before and after selective inhibition of CDK12 activity by the analog 1-NM-PP1, we identified 5,644 distinct phospho-peptides, among which were 50 whose average relative amount decreased more than 2-fold after 30 min of inhibition (none of these derived from RPB1). Half of the phospho-peptides actually showed >3-fold decreases, and a dozen showed decreases of 5-fold or more. As might be expected, the 40 proteins that gave rise to the 50 affected phospho-peptides mostly function in processes that have been linked to CDK12, such as transcription and RNA processing. However, the results also suggest roles for CDK12 in other events, notably mRNA nuclear export, cell differentiation and mitosis. While a number of the more-affected sites resemble the CTD in amino acid sequence and are likely direct CDK12 substrates, other highly-affected sites are not CTD-like, and their decreased phosphorylation may be a secondary (downstream) effect of CDK12 inhibition.
Mechanical Tillage Diversely Affects Glomalin Content, Water Stable Aggregates and AM Fungal Community in the Soil Profiles of Two Differently Managed Olive Orchards
Authors: Lombardo Luca , Palese Assunta Maria , Grasso Filomena , Duffy Donald H. , Briccoli Bati Caterina , Xiloyannis Cristos
Published: October 2019

This work was designed to investigate the effect of mechanical tillage on glomalin content, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) abundance and diversity, and the concentration of water stable aggregates (WSA), in two adjacent olive groves located in Basilicata (Italy) that were managed over the course of 11 years in accordance with different horticultural models (conventional and sustainable). Soil sampling was performed at four depths between the trees within a row and between rows. In the end, WSA was found to be a highly sensitive indicator (especially in the “macro” fraction) of the effect of management on soil structure, showing the highest statistically significant values within the sustainable system. In the same regard, the diversity of the AM fungal community was negatively affected by conventional practices; on the other hand, a higher concentration of glomalin in the first 20 cm layer of the conventional system is here reported for the first time, as a likely result of disruption of the mycelium provoked by the mechanical tillage.
Integrated Analysis of microRNA and mRNA Expression Profiles: An Attempt to Disentangle the Complex Interaction Network in Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
Authors: Nuzziello Nicoletta , Craig Francesco , Simone Marta , Consiglio Arianna , Licciulli Flavio , Margari Lucia , Grillo Giorgio , Liuni Sabino , Liguori Maria
Published: October 2019

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a childhood-onset neurodevelopmental disorder, whose etiology and pathogenesis are still largely unknown. In order to uncover novel regulatory networks and molecular pathways possibly related to ADHD, we performed an integrated miRNA and mRNA expression profiling analysis in peripheral blood samples of children with ADHD and age-matched typically developing (TD) children. The expression levels of 13 miRNAs were evaluated with microfluidic qPCR, and differentially expressed (DE) mRNAs were detected on an Illumina HiSeq 2500 genome analyzer. The miRNA targetome was identified using an integrated approach of validated and predicted interaction data extracted from seven different bioinformatic tools. Gene Ontology (GO) and pathway enrichment analyses were carried out. Results showed that six miRNAs (miR-652-3p, miR-942-5p, let-7b-5p, miR-181a-5p, miR-320a, and miR-148b-3p) and 560 genes were significantly DE in children with ADHD compared to TD subjects. After correction for multiple testing, only three miRNAs (miR-652-3p, miR-148b-3p, and miR-942-5p) remained significant. Genes known to be associated with ADHD (e.g., B4GALT2, SLC6A9 TLE1, ANK3, TRIO, TAF1, and SYNE1) were confirmed to be significantly DE in our study. Integrated miRNA and mRNA expression data identified critical key hubs involved in ADHD. Finally, the GO and pathway enrichment analyses of all DE genes showed their deep involvement in immune functions, reinforcing the hypothesis that an immune imbalance might contribute to the ADHD etiology. Despite the relatively small sample size, in this study we were able to build a complex miRNA-target interaction network in children with ADHD that might help in deciphering the disease pathogenesis. Validation in larger samples should be performed in order to possibly suggest novel therapeutic strategies for treating this complex disease.
Productive Cross-Talk with the Microenvironment: A Critical Step in Ovarian Cancer Metastasis
Authors: Abd El Aziz Mohamed A. , Agarwal Komal , Dasari Subramanyam , Mitra Anirban K.
Published: October 2019

Most ovarian cancer patients present with disseminated disease at the time of their diagnosis, which is one of the main reasons for their poor prognosis. Metastasis is a multi-step process and a clear understanding of the mechanism of regulation of these steps remains elusive. Productive reciprocal interactions between the metastasizing ovarian cancer cells and the microenvironment of the metastatic site or the tumor microenvironment play an important role in the successful establishment of metastasis. Much progress has been made in the recent past in our understanding of such interactions and the role of the cellular and acellular components of the microenvironment in establishing the metastatic tumors. This review will outline the role of the microenvironmental components of the ovarian cancer metastatic niche and their role in helping establish the metastatic tumors. Special emphasis will be given to the mesothelial cells, which are the first cells encountered by the cancer cells at the site of metastasis.
Functionalized Tobacco Mosaic Virus Coat Protein Monomers and Oligomers as Nanocarriers for Anti-Cancer Peptides
Authors: Gamper Coralie , Spenlé Caroline , Boscá Sonia , van der Heyden Michael , Erhardt Mathieu , Orend Gertraud , Bagnard Dominique , Heinlein Manfred
Published: October 2019

Components with self-assembly properties derived from plant viruses provide the opportunity to design biological nanoscaffolds for the ordered display of agents of diverse nature and with complementing functions. With the aim of designing a functionalized nanoscaffold to target cancer, the coat protein (CP) of Tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) was tested as nanocarrier for an insoluble, highly hydrophobic peptide that targets the transmembrane domain of the Neuropilin-1 (NRP1) receptor in cancer cells. The resulting construct CPL-K (CP-linker-“Kill”) binds to NRP1 in cancer cells and disrupts NRP1 complex formation with PlexA1 as well as downstream Akt survival signaling. The application of CPL-K also inhibits angiogenesis and cell migration. CP was also fused to a peptide that targets the extracellular domain of NRP1 and this fusion protein (CPL-F, CP-Linker-“Find”) is shown to bind to cultured cancer cells and to inhibit NRP1-dependent angiogenesis as well. CPL-K and CPL-F maintain their anti-angiogenic properties upon co-assembly to oligomers/nanoparticles together with CPL. The observations show that the CP of TMV can be employed to generate a functionalized nanoparticle with biological activity. Remarkably, fusion to CPL allowed us to solubilize the highly insoluble transmembrane NRP1 peptide and to retain its anti-angiogenic effect.
The Epithelial to Mesenchymal Transition Promotes Glutamine Independence by Suppressing GLS2 Expression
Authors: Ramirez-Peña Esmeralda , Arnold James , Shivakumar Vinita , Joseph Robiya , Vidhya Vijay Geraldine , den Hollander Petra , Bhangre Neeraja , Allegakoen Paul , Prasad Rishika , Conley Zachary , Matés José M. , Márquez Javier , Chang Jeffrey T. , Vasaikar Suhas , Soundararajan Rama , Sreekumar Arun , Mani Sendurai A.
Published: October 2019

Identifying bioenergetics that facilitate the epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) in breast cancer cells may uncover targets to treat incurable metastatic disease. Metastasis is the number one cause of cancer-related deaths; therefore, it is urgent to identify new treatment strategies to prevent the initiation of metastasis. To characterize the bioenergetics of EMT, we compared metabolic activities and gene expression in cells induced to differentiate into the mesenchymal state with their epithelial counterparts. We found that levels of GLS2, which encodes a glutaminase, are inversely associated with EMT. GLS2 down-regulation was correlated with reduced mitochondrial activity and glutamine independence even in low-glucose conditions. Restoration of GLS2 expression in GLS2-negative breast cancer cells rescued mitochondrial activity, enhanced glutamine utilization, and inhibited stem-cell properties. Additionally, inhibition of expression of the transcription factor FOXC2, a critical regulator of EMT in GLS2-negative cells, restored GLS2 expression and glutamine utilization. Furthermore, in breast cancer patients, high GLS2 expression is associated with improved survival. These findings suggest that epithelial cancer cells rely on glutamine and that cells induced to undergo EMT become glutamine independent. Moreover, the inhibition of EMT leads to a GLS2-directed metabolic shift in mesenchymal cancer cells, which may make these cells susceptible to chemotherapies.
Size and Shape Filtering of Malignant Cell Clusters within Breast Tumors Identifies Scattered Individual Epithelial Cells as the Most Valuable Histomorphological Clue in the Prognosis of Distant Metastasis Risk
Authors: Vranes Velicko , Rajković Nemanja , Li Xingyu , Plataniotis Konstantinos N. , Raković Nataša Todorović , Milovanović Jelena , Kanjer Ksenija , Radulovic Marko , Milošević Nebojša T.
Published: October 2019

Survival and life quality of breast cancer patients could be improved by more aggressive chemotherapy for those at high metastasis risk and less intense treatments for low-risk patients. Such personalized treatment cannot be currently achieved due to the insufficient reliability of metastasis risk prognosis. The purpose of this study was therefore, to identify novel histopathological prognostic markers of metastasis risk through exhaustive computational image analysis of 80 size and shape subsets of epithelial clusters in breast tumors. The group of 102 patients had a follow-up median of 12.3 years, without lymph node spread and systemic treatments. Epithelial cells were stained by the AE1/AE3 pan-cytokeratin antibody cocktail. The size and shape subsets of the stained epithelial cell clusters were defined in each image by use of the circularity and size filters and analyzed for prognostic performance. Epithelial areas with the optimal prognostic performance were uniformly small and round and could be recognized as individual epithelial cells scattered in tumor stroma. Their count achieved an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of 0.82, total area (AUC = 0.77), average size (AUC = 0.63), and circularity (AUC = 0.62). In conclusion, by use of computational image analysis as a hypothesis-free discovery tool, this study reveals the histomorphological marker with a high prognostic value that is simple and therefore easy to quantify by visual microscopy.
Biocatalytic Synthesis of Natural Green Leaf Volatiles Using the Lipoxygenase Metabolic Pathway
Authors: Vincenti Sophie , Mariani Magali , Alberti Jean-Christophe , Jacopini Sabrina , Brunini-Bronzini de Caraffa Virginie , Berti Liliane , Maury Jacques
Published: October 2019

In higher plants, the lipoxygenase enzymatic pathway combined actions of several enzymes to convert lipid substrates into signaling and defense molecules called phytooxylipins including short chain volatile aldehydes, alcohols, and esters, known as green leaf volatiles (GLVs). GLVs are synthesized from C18:2 and C18:3 fatty acids that are oxygenated by lipoxygenase (LOX) to form corresponding hydroperoxides, then the action of hydroperoxide lyase (HPL) produces C6 or C9 aldehydes that can undergo isomerization, dehydrogenation, and esterification. GLVs are commonly used as flavors to confer a fresh green odor of vegetable to perfumes, cosmetics, and food products. Given the increasing demand in these natural flavors, biocatalytic processes using the LOX pathway reactions constitute an interesting application. Vegetable oils, chosen for their lipid profile are converted in natural GLVs with high added value. This review describes the enzymatic reactions of GLVs biosynthesis in the plant, as well as the structural and functional properties of the enzymes involved. The various stages of the biocatalytic production processes are approached from the lipid substrate to the corresponding aldehyde or alcoholic aromas, as well as the biotechnological improvements to enhance the production potential of the enzymatic catalysts.
Hepatitis C Virus Improves Human Tregs Suppressive Function and Promotes Their Recruitment to the Liver
Authors: Ouaguia Laurissa , Moralès Olivier , Aoudjehane Lynda , Wychowski Czeslaw , Kumar Abhishek , Dubuisson Jean , Calmus Yvon , Conti Filomena , Delhem Nadira
Published: October 2019

Background: The role of regulatory T cells (Tregs) is now well established in the progression of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) linked to Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. However, nothing is known about the potential interplay between Tregs and HCV. In this pilot study, we have investigated the ability of Tregs to hang HCV on and the subsequent effect on their suppressive function and phenotype. Moreover, we have evaluated how HCV could promote the recruitment of Tregs by infected primary human hepatocytes. Methods: Tregs of healthy donors were incubated with JFH-1/HCVcc. Viral inoculation was assessed using adapted assays (RT-qPCR, Flow Citometry (FACS) and Western Blot (WB). Expression of Tregs phenotypic (CD4, CD25, CD127 and Foxp3) and functional (IL-10, GZMB, TGF-β1 and IL-2) markers was monitored by RT-qPCR, FACS and ELISA. Suppressive activity was validated by suppressive assays. Tregs recruitment by infected primary hepatic cells was evaluated using Boyden Chamber. Results: Tregs express the classical HCV receptors (CD81, CLDN1 and LDLR) and some co-receptors (CD5). HCV inoculation significantly increases the suppressive phenotype and activity of Tregs, and raises their anergy by inducing an unexpected IL-2 production. Moreover, HCV infection induces the expression of chemokines (CCL17, CXCL16, and CCL20) by primary hepatic human hepatocytes and chemokine receptors (CCR4, CXCR6 and CCR6) by Tregs. Finally, infected hepatocytes have a significantly higher potential to recruit Tregs in a seemingly CCL20-dependent manner. Conclusions: Direct interaction between HCV and Tregs represents a newly defined mechanism that could potentiate HCV immune evasion and favor intratumoral recruitment contributing to HCC progression.