bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
New Insights into the Runt Domain of RUNX2 in Melanoma Cell Proliferation and Migration
Authors: Deiana Michela , Dalle Carbonare Luca , Serena Michela , Cheri Samuele , Parolini Francesca , Gandini Alberto , Marchetto Giulia , Innamorati Giulio , Manfredi Marcello , Marengo Emilio , Brandi Jessica , Cecconi Daniela , Mori Antonio , Mina Maria Mihaela , Antoniazzi Franco , Mottes Monica , Tiso Natascia , Malerba Giovanni , Zipeto Donato , Valenti Maria Teresa
Published: November 2018

The mortality rate for malignant melanoma (MM) is very high, since it is highly invasive and resistant to chemotherapeutic treatments. The modulation of some transcription factors affects cellular processes in MM. In particular, a higher expression of the osteogenic master gene RUNX2 has been reported in melanoma cells, compared to normal melanocytes. By analyzing public databases for recurrent RUNX2 genetic and epigenetic modifications in melanoma, we found that the most common RUNX2 genetic alteration that exists in transcription upregulation is, followed by genomic amplification, nucleotide substitution and multiple changes. Additionally, altered RUNX2 is involved in unchecked pathways promoting tumor progression, Epithelial Mesenchymal Transition (EMT), and metastasis. In order to investigate further the role of RUNX2 in melanoma development and to identify a therapeutic target, we applied the CRISPR/Cas9 technique to explore the role of the RUNT domain of RUNX2 in a melanoma cell line. RUNT-deleted cells showed reduced proliferation, increased apoptosis, and reduced EMT features, suggesting the involvement of the RUNT domain in different pathways. In addition, del-RUNT cells showed a downregulation of genes involved in migration ability. In an in vivo zebrafish model, we observed that wild-type melanoma cells migrated in 81% of transplanted fishes, while del-RUNT cells migrated in 58%. All these findings strongly suggest the involvement of the RUNT domain in melanoma metastasis and cell migration and indicate RUNX2 as a prospective target in MM therapy.
Self-Assembly of a Carboxyl-Functionalized BODIPY Dye via Hydrogen Bonding
Authors: Matarranz Beatriz , Sampedro Angel , G. Daniliuc Constantin , Fernández Gustavo
Published: November 2018

We report the synthesis, characterization, and self-assembly behavior of a 4,4-Difluoro-4-bora-3a,4a-diaza-s-indacene (BODIPY) dye functionalized at the meso-position with a butyric acid group. Various spectroscopic investigations (UV-Vis, emission, and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) studies) supported by X-ray analysis revealed the formation of self-assembled structures in the solid state with translationally stacked BODIPY units driven by hydrogen bonding between the carboxyl groups.
Establishing Analogy Categories for Bio-Inspired Design
Authors: Nagel Jacquelyn K.S. , Schmidt Linda , Born Werner
Published: November 2018

Biological systems have evolved over billions of years and cope with changing conditions through the adaptation of morphology, physiology, or behavior. Learning from these adaptations can inspire engineering innovation. Several bio-inspired design tools and methods prescribe the use of analogies, but lack details for the identification and application of promising analogies. Further, inexperienced designers tend to have a more difficult time recognizing or creating analogies from biological systems. This paper reviews biomimicry literature to establish analogy categories as a tool for knowledge transfer between biology and engineering to aid bio-inspired design that addresses the common issues. Two studies were performed with the analogy categories. A study of commercialized products verifies the set of categories, while a controlled design study demonstrates the utility of the categories. The results of both studies offer valuable information and insights into the complexity of analogical reasoning and transfer, as well as what leads to biological inspiration versus imitation. The influence on bio-inspired design pedagogy is also discussed. The breadth of the analogy categories is sufficient to capture the knowledge transferred from biology to engineering for bio-inspired design. The analogy categories are a design method independent tool and are applicable for professional product design, research, and teaching purposes.
Polyphenol Extracts from Red Wine and Grapevine: Potential Effects on Cancers
Authors: Amor Souheila , Châlons Pauline , Aires Virginie , Delmas Dominique
Published: November 2018

Wine has been popular worldwide for many centuries and currently remains an important component of our diet. Scientific interest in wine and its health effects has grown considerably since the 1990s with the emergence of the “French Paradox” concept, correlating moderate wine consumption, a characteristic of the Mediterranean diet, and low incidence of coronary heart diseases. Since then, the positive effects on health, health promotion, disease prevention, and disease prognosis of moderate wine consumption, in particular red wine, have been attributed to its polyphenolic compounds such as resveratrol, quercetin, and other flavonoids acting as antioxidants. Several epidemiological, in vivo and in vitro, studies have reported that moderate red wine or red wine polyphenolic extract consumption may be active in the prevention and treatment of chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, metabolic syndrome, degenerative pathologies, and cancer. The aim of this review is to summarize the current findings about the effects of red wine polyphenols on cancer and to discuss how the polyphenolic composition of red wine may influence its chemopreventive properties.
Small-Scale Plastic Deformation of Nanocrystalline High Entropy Alloy
Authors: Mridha Sanghita , Komarasamy Mageshwari , Bhowmick Sanjit , Mishra Rajiv S. , Mukherjee Sundeep
Published: November 2018

High entropy alloys (HEAs) have attracted widespread interest due to their unique properties at many different length-scales. Here, we report the fabrication of nanocrystalline (NC) Al0.1CoCrFeNi high entropy alloy and subsequent small-scale plastic deformation behavior via nano-pillar compression tests. Exceptional strength was realized for the NC HEA compared to pure Ni of similar grain sizes. Grain boundary mediated deformation mechanisms led to high strain rate sensitivity of flow stress in the nanocrystalline HEA.
The Indirect Effect of Democracy on Economic Growth in the MENA Region (1990–2015)
Authors: Nosier Shereen , El-Karamani Aya
Published: November 2018

This paper examines the indirect effect of democracy on economic growth using a dataset of 17 MENA countries from 1990 to 2015. Democracy is assumed to affect growth through a series of channels: education, health, physical capital accumulation per labor, government consumption, and trade openness. A system of six simultaneous equations using 3SLS, is used to estimate the effect of democracy on growth through these channels. For further analysis, the countries are classified into groups according to the democratic status on the one side, and the level of income on the other. The results indicate that democracy enhances growth through its positive effect on health in all classifications of countries within the MENA region. However, the effect of democracy on growth through education and physical capital/labor is non-monotonic. Democracy hinders growth through government size and trade openness. Once all of these indirect effects are accounted for, the overall effect of democracy on growth is negative in less democratic countries and poor countries, but positive in more democratic countries and rich countries.
Coordination of Congestion and Awareness Control in Vehicular Networks
Authors: Sepulcre Miguel , Gozalvez Javier
Published: November 2018

Vehicular networks need to guarantee the communication reliability levels necessary to satisfy the application requirements, while ensuring a stable network operation even under dense deployments. To this aim, congestion and awareness control protocols dynamically adapt the same communication parameters based on context conditions. If the two protocols operate independently, negative interactions or conflicts can arise. This situation can occur if for example congestion control requires decreasing the transmission power to reduce the channel load, but this reduction negatively influences the vehicles’ awareness range. To address these interactions or conflicts, this paper proposes and evaluates a methodology to coordinate congestion and awareness control protocols. A key advantage of the proposed methodology is that it does not require the integration of the interacting protocols, nor does it require changing their original design. The obtained results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed coordination methodology. In addition, the proposed methodology can be extended to the coordination of multiple protocols operating over the same communication parameters. This is here demonstrated considering the coordination of congestion, awareness and topology control protocols.
On-Line Analysis of Oil-Dissolved Gas in Power Transformers Using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrometry
Authors: Tang Xiaojun , Wang Wenjing , Zhang Xuliang , Wang Erzhen , Li Xuanjiannan
Published: November 2018

To address the problem of on-line dissolved gas analysis (DGA) of a power transformer, a Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectrometer was used to develop an analysis instrument. Carbon monoxide (CO), carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), ethane (C2H6), ethylene (C2H4) and acetylene (C2H2) were the analytes for the FT-IR spectrometer while propane (C3H8), propylene (C3H6), propyne (C3H4), n-butane (n-C4H10) and iso-butane (iso-C4H10) were the interferents, which might exist in the dissolved gas but are not currently used as analytes for detecting an internal fault. The instrument parameters and analysis approach are first introduced. Specifically, an absorption spectra reading approach by switching two cone-type gas cells into separate light-paths was presented for reducing the effects of gas in the gaps between gas cells and spectrometers, scanning the background spectrum without clearing the sample cell, and increasing the dynamics. Then, the instrument was tested with a standard gas mixture that was extracted from insulation oil in a power transformer. The testing results show that the detection limit of every analyte component is lower than 0.1 μL/L, and the detection limits of all analytes meet the detection requirements of oil-dissolved gas analysis, which means that the FT-IR spectrometer may be an ideal instrument due to its benefits, such as being maintenance-free and having a high stability.
Synergistic Impacts of China’s Subsidy Policy and New Energy Vehicle Credit Regulation on the Technological Development of Battery Electric Vehicles
Authors: Chen Kangda , Zhao Fuquan , Hao Han , Liu Zongwei
Published: November 2018

With the phasing down of subsidies, China has launched the new energy vehicle (NEV) credit regulation to continuously promote the penetration of electric vehicles. The two policies will coexist through 2020 and definitely pose a dramatic impact on the development of the Chinese and even the global electric vehicle market. However, few studies have systematically investigated the relationship between the two policies as well as the synergistic impacts during the overlap period. This paper interprets the rationales of China’s subsidy policy and NEV credit regulation and establishes a bottom-up model to estimate the synergistic impacts of the two policies on the technological trends of battery electric vehicles (BEVs) from the perspective of credit cost-effectiveness. The results suggest that the subsidy policy still maintains strong support for the development of electric vehicles in China. For small BEVs whose driving ranges are higher than 300 km, subsidies even account for 40–50% of the manufacturing cost. In addition, we conclude that the two policies will complement each other in the transitional period and small BEVs are preferred by both policies. Under the NEV credit regulation, 350 km will consistently be the optimal driving range, which will definitely limit the development of other ranges. With the addition of the subsidy, the limitation will be amended in the short run. However, the effect of the subsidy is decreasing and is going to be canceled after 2020, so the focus should be on the optimization of the NEV credit regulation.
Assessment of Resource and Forecast Modeling of Wind Speed through An Evolutionary Programming Approach for the North of Tehuantepec Isthmus (Cuauhtemotzin, Mexico)
Authors: López-Manrique Luis M. , Macias-Melo E. V. , May Tzuc O. , Bassam A. , Aguilar-Castro K. M. , Hernández-Pérez I.
Published: November 2018

This work studies the characteristics of the wind resource for a location in the north zone of Tehuantepec isthmus. The study was conducted using climatic data from Cuauhtemotzin, Mexico, measured at different altitudes above the ground level. The measured data allowed establishing the profile of wind speeds as well as the analysis of its availability. Analysis results conclude that the behavior of the wind speed presents a bimodal distribution with dominant northeast wind direction (wind flow of sea–land). In addition, the area was identified as feasible for the use of low speed power wind turbines. On the other hand, the application of a new approach for very short-term wind speed forecast (10 min) applying multi-gene genetic programming and global sensitivity analysis is also presented. Using a computational methodology, an exogenous time series with fast computation time and good accuracy was developed for the forecast of the wind speed. The results presented in this work complement the panorama for the evaluation of the resource in an area recognized worldwide for its vast potential for wind power.
Optimal Scheduling of Hybrid Energy Resources for a Smart Home
Authors: Rafique Muhammad Kashif , Haider Zunaib Maqsood , Mehmood Khawaja Khalid , Saeed Uz Zaman Muhammad , Irfan Muhammad , Khan Saad Ullah , Kim Chul-Hwan
Published: November 2018

The present environmental and economic conditions call for the increased use of hybrid energy resources and, concurrently, recent developments in combined heat and power (CHP) systems enable their use at a domestic level. In this work, the optimal scheduling of electric and gas energy resources is achieved for a smart home (SH) which is equipped with a fuel cell-based micro-CHP system. The SH energy system has thermal and electrical loops that contain an auxiliary boiler, a battery energy storage system, and an electrical vehicle besides other typical loads. The optimal operational cost of the SH is achieved using the real coded genetic algorithm (RCGA) under various scenarios of utility tariff and availability of hybrid energy resources. The results compare different scenarios and point-out the conditions for economic operation of micro-CHP and hybrid energy systems for an SH.
Current Spikes Minimization Method for Three-Phase Permanent Magnet Brushless DC Motor with Real-Time Implementation
Authors: Dahbi Mohamed , Doubabi Said , Rachid Ahmed
Published: November 2018

Due to their high efficiency and low cost of maintenance, brushless DC motors (BLDCMs) with trapezoidal electromotive forces (back-EMFs), have become widely used in various applications such as aerospace, electric vehicles, industrial uses, and robotics. However, they suffer from large current ripples and current spikes. In this paper, a new method for minimizing current spikes appearing during BLDCM start-up or sudden set point changes is proposed. The method is based on controlling the MOSFET gates of the motor driver using R-C filters. These filters are placed between the PWM control signal generator and the MOSFET gates to smooth these control signals. The analysis of the proposed method showed that the R-C filter usage affects the BLDCM steady-state performances. To overcome this limitation, the R-C filter circuit was activated only during current spikes detection. The effectiveness of the proposed method was analytically analyzed and then validated through simulation and experimental tests. The obtained results allowed a reduction of 13% in current spikes amplitude.
Scaling Criteria for Axial Piston Machines Based on Thermo-Elastohydrodynamic Effects in the Tribological Interfaces
Authors: Shang Lizhi , Ivantysynova Monika
Published: November 2018

In lieu of reliable scaling rules, hydraulic pump and motor manufacturers pay a high monetary and temporal price for attempting to expand their production lines by scaling their existing units to other sizes. The challenge is that the lubricating interfaces, which are the key elements in determining the performance of a positive displacement machine, are not easily scalable. This article includes an analysis of the size-dependence of these units with regard to the significant physical phenomena describing the behavior of their three most critical lubricating interfaces. These phenomena include the non-isothermal elastohydrodynamic effects in the fluid domain, and the heat transfer and thermal elastic deflection in the solid domain. The performance change due to size variation is found to be unavoidable and explained through fundamental physics. The results are demonstrated using a numerical fluid–structure–thermal interaction model over a wide range of unit sizes. Based on the findings, a guide to scaling swashplate-type axial piston machines such as to uphold their efficiency is proposed.
Electrical Modelling of a DC Railway System with Multiple Trains
Authors: Alnuman Hammad , Gladwin Daniel , Foster Martin
Published: November 2018

Electrical modelling of rail tracks with multiple running trains is complex due to the difficulties in solving the power flow. The train positions, speed and acceleration are constantly varying resulting in a nonlinear system. In this work, a method is proposed for modelling DC electric railways to support power flow analysis of a simulated metro train service. The method exploits the MathWorks simulation tool Simscape, using it to model the mechanical and electrical characteristics of the rail track system. The model can be simulated to provide voltages at any position in the track and additionally, the voltages seen by any train. The model includes regenerative braking on trains, this is demonstrated to cause overvoltage in the feeding line if it is higher than the power demand of the other trains at that time. Braking resistors are used to protect the network from overvoltage by burning the excess energy. Through the implementation of Energy Storage Systems (ESSs), it will be possible to improve the energy efficiency and remove timetabling restrictions of electric railways by effectively controlling the rail track voltage. The paper proposes several methods to validate the model.
Spatial Heterogeneous Characteristics of Ridesharing in Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei Region of China
Authors: Ma Ye , Yu Biying , Xue Meimei
Published: November 2018

Ridesharing is becoming popular in many cities in China where transportation alternatives are easily accessible. Individuals typically access services by smartphone app developed by ridesharing company to join a trip offered by other private vehicle’s drivers who share same or geographically close destination. However, there are some internal differences within this region indicating the service heterogeneity of ridesharing. In order to discover this regional heterogeneity, this paper chooses Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei (BTH) region as research target and uses BTH regional ridesharing data provided by DiDi Chuxing Company. Then, this paper conducts an in-depth study by summarizing the travel pattern characteristics and evaluating the environmental impacts that result from individuals participating in ridesharing services. Lifecycle analysis of fuel and environmental input–output are applied to estimate the direct and indirect environmental impact separately. The results reveal heterogeneous spatial heterogeneous of ridesharing, including travel pattern and environmental influence caused by service demand and supply, which results from the unbalance of regional development and infrastructure construction condition of the transportation system, and other travel behavior differences.
Energy and Economic Analysis for Greenhouse Ground Insulation Design
Authors: Bambara James , Athienitis Andreas K.
Published: November 2018

Energy and life cycle cost analysis were employed to identify the most-cost effective ground envelope design for a greenhouse that employs supplemental lighting located in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada (45.4° N). The envelope design alternatives that were investigated consist of installing insulation vertically around the perimeter and horizontally beneath the footprint of a greenhouse with a concrete slab and unfinished soil floor. Detailed thermal interaction between the greenhouse and the ground surface is achieved by considering 3-dimensional conduction heat transfer within the TRNSYS 17.2 simulation software. The portion of total heat loss that occurred through the ground was approximately 4% and permutations in ground insulation design reduced heating energy consumption by up to 1%. For the two floor designs, the highest net savings was achieved when perimeter and floor zone horizontal insulation was installed whereas a financial loss occurred when it was also placed beneath the crop zone. However, in all cases, the improvement in economic performance was small (net savings below $4000 and reduction in life cycle under 0.2%). Combined energy and life cycle cost analysis is valuable for selecting optimal envelope designs that are capable of lowering energy consumption, improving economics and enhancing greenhouse durability.
Cogging Torque Reduction Based on a New Pre-Slot Technique for a Small Wind Generator
Authors: García-Gracia Miguel , Jiménez Romero Ángel , Herrero Ciudad Jorge , Martín Arroyo Susana
Published: November 2018

Cogging torque is a pulsating, parasitic, and undesired torque ripple intrinsic of the design of a permanent magnet synchronous generator (PMSG), which should be minimized due to its adverse effects: vibration and noise. In addition, as aerodynamic power is low during start-up at low wind speeds in small wind energy systems, the cogging torque must be as low as possible to achieve a low cut-in speed. A novel mitigation technique using compound pre-slotting, based on a combination of magnetic and non-magnetic materials, is investigated. The finite element technique is used to calculate the cogging torque of a real PMSG design for a small wind turbine, with and without using compound pre-slotting. The results show that cogging torque can be reduced by a factor of 48% with this technique, while avoiding the main drawback of the conventional closed slot technique: the reduction of induced voltage due to leakage flux between stator teeth. Furthermore, through a combination of pre-slotting and other cogging torque optimization techniques, cogging torque can be reduced by 84% for a given design.
Prediction of Wind Turbine-Grid Interaction Based on a Principal Component Analysis-Long Short Term Memory Model
Authors: Wang Yining , Xie Da , Wang Xitian , Zhang Yu
Published: November 2018

The interaction between the gird and wind farms has significant impact on the power grid, therefore prediction of the interaction between gird and wind farms is of great significance. In this paper, a wind turbine-gird interaction prediction model based on long short term memory (LSTM) network under the TensorFlow framework is presented. First, the multivariate time series was screened by principal component analysis (PCA) to reduce the data dimensionality. Secondly, the LSTM network is used to model the nonlinear relationship between the selected sequence of wind turbine network interactions and the actual output sequence of the wind farms, it is proved that it has higher accuracy and applicability by comparison with single LSTM model, Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average (ARIMA) model and Back Propagation Neural Network (BPNN) model, the Mean Absolute Percentage Error (MAPE) is 0.617%, 0.703%, 1.397% and 3.127%, respectively. Finally, the Prony algorithm was used to analyze the predicted data of the wind turbine-grid interactions. Based on the actual data, it is found that the oscillation frequencies of the predicted data from PCA-LSTM model are basically the same as the oscillation frequencies of the actual data, thus the feasibility of the model proposed for analyzing interaction between grid and wind turbines is verified.
Effects of Site Preparation Methods on the Establishment and Natural-Regeneration Traits of Scots Pines (Pinus sylvestris L.) in Northeastern Poland
Authors: Aleksandrowicz-Trzcińska Marta , Drozdowski Stanisław , Studnicki Marcin , Żybura Henryk
Published: November 2018

While some tree species can regenerate naturally without mechanical site preparation (MSP), Scots pine has been shown to benefit from this process. We compared three methods: using a double-mouldboard forest plough (FP), an active single-disc plough (AP), and a forest mill (FM), as well as a no-MSP control, in terms of growth, survival and density of occurrence of pines during the first 4 years of natural regeneration. Moisture conditions were expressed via calculated de Martonne aridity indices, while the microhabitats generated via different MSP methods were further characterised by the total contents of N and C, and the C/N ratio, P2O5, and base cations, as well as bulk density and actual moisture. The trials showed inferior regeneration without MSP in terms of the density and cover of young pines. Any of the studied treatments influenced survival, though the best growth was achieved by seedlings using the FP and AP methods, while the best density and evenness results were obtained using AP. The factors most influencing regeneration features were high precipitation during the first growing season after sowing and reduced competition with other vegetation in the cleared area. This impact seems far more important than the capacity of different MSPs to produce differentiation in soil microhabitats in terms of nutrient status or bulk density.
Succession of Mite Assemblages (Acari, Mesostigmata) during Decomposition of Tree Leaves in Forest Stands Growing on Reclaimed Post-Mining Spoil Heap and Adjacent Forest Habitats
Authors: Urbanowski Cezary K. , Horodecki Paweł , Kamczyc Jacek , Skorupski Maciej , Jagodziński Andrzej M.
Published: November 2018

Mites significantly contribute, prevalently by vertical movement, to mixing of the organic layer with the mineral soil, thus they may be important in renewing soils. Our aim was to analyze the changes in abundance and species richness of mesostigmatid assemblages on decomposing leaves of Alnus glutinosa (L.) Gaertn., Betula pendula Roth, Pinus sylvestris L. and Quercus robur L. in pine and birch stands growing on a reclaimed spoil heap and adjacent forests. In December 2013, 1024 litterbags (mesh size = 1 mm) containing leaf litter of broadleaved and coniferous trees (mean initial dry weight per sample = 5.789 g) were laid out in the same number and kind in each of the two sites. Mites were extracted from litterbags which were collected every 3–6 months for 3 years. In total, 6466 mites were identified in 59 taxa. Total abundance was higher on forest habitats (5174 specimens) compared to the spoil (1292), and in birch compared to pine stands, both in forest (3345, 1829, respectively) and spoil habitats (981, 311). Throughout the experiment, mites were most abundant on oak litter samples (2063 specimens), while the remaining litter types had similar abundances (1455–1482). At the beginning of the experiment (3–6 months) mite abundance was very low, but was higher on forest habitats. The highest abundance was found after 9 months—144 specimens in pine stands on the spoil heap and 685 in birch stands on forest habitats. During the study, 49 taxa were found on forest and 29 on heap habitats. In birch stands, 37 and 22 taxa were found, whereas in pine 30 and 21, on forest and heap, respectively. The most frequent species on the heap were Amblyseius tubae Karg, Asca bicornis Canestrini et Fanzago, and Asca aphidioides Linneaeus, whereas in forest habitat—Zercon peltatus C.L. Koch, Veigaia nemorensis C.L. Koch, and Trachytes aegrota C.L. Koch. Habitat conditions, tree species and litter type significantly determined the mesostigmatid species composition, richness and abundance. By selection of dominant tree species during afforestation, it is possible to significantly affect the soil fauna composition, and thus indirectly the rate of decomposition.
RETRACTED: Ren et al. Spatio-Temporal Patterns of Urban Forest Basal Area under China’s Rapid Urban Expansion and Greening: Implications for Urban Green Infrastructure Management. Forests 2018, 9, 272
Authors: Ren Zhibin , Wei Hongxu
Published: November 2018

The Forests Editorial Office has been made aware that Table 2, Figure 2, Figure 7, and Figure 8 listed in the paper [...]
Refining Species Traits in a Dynamic Vegetation Model to Project the Impacts of Climate Change on Tropical Trees in Central Africa
Authors: Dury Marie , Mertens Lenni , Fayolle Adeline , Verbeeck Hans , Hambuckers Alain , François Louis
Published: November 2018

African tropical ecosystems and the services they provide to human society suffer from an increasing combined pressure of land use and climate change. How individual tropical tree species respond to climate change remains relatively unknown. In this study, we refined the species characterization in the CARAIB (CARbon Assimilation In the Biosphere) dynamic vegetation model by replacing plant functional type morpho-physiological traits by species-specific traits. We focus on 12 tropical tree species selected for their importance in both the plant community and human society. We used CARAIB to simulate the current species net primary productivity (NPP), biomass and potential distribution and their changes in the future. Our results indicate that the use of species-specific traits does not necessarily result in an increase of predicted current NPPs. The model projections for the end of the century highlight the large uncertainties in the future of African tropical species. Projected changes in species distribution vary greatly with the general circulation model (GCM) and, to a lesser extent, with the concentration pathway. The question about long-term plant response to increasing CO2 concentrations also leads to contrasting results. In absence of fertilization effect, species are exposed to climate change and might lose 25% of their current distribution under RCP8.5 (12.5% under RCP4.5), considering all the species and climatic scenarios. The vegetation model projects a mean biomass loss of −21.2% under RCP4.5 and −34.5% under RCP8.5. Potential range expansions, unpredictable due to migration limitations, are too limited for offsetting range contraction. By contrast, if the long-term species response to increasing [CO2] is positive, the range reduction is limited to 5%. However, despite a mean biomass increase of 12.2%, a positive CO2 feedback might not prevent tree dieback. Our analysis confirms that species will respond differently to new climatic and atmospheric conditions, which may induce new competition dynamics in the ecosystem and affect ecosystem services.
REDD+ as a Public Policy Dilemma: Understanding Conflict and Cooperation in the Design of Conservation Incentives
Authors: Rosa da Conceição Hugo , Börner Jan , Wunder Sven
Published: November 2018

Command-and-control policies are often criticized as insufficient to tackle tropical deforestation. Over the past two decades, both academics and policy-makers have promoted incentive-based policies, notably REDD+ (Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation), as attractive alternatives to curb forest loss, while also potentially contributing to the poverty reduction of forest-dwelling populations. Governments have been the driving force behind the largest incentive-based forest conservation programs in Latin America. Many science-based recommendations on how to design effective incentive-based policies have, however, not found much resonance within policy circles. To understand the gap between recommendations and practice, it is important to analyze how these schemes are designed towards achieving environmental and non-environmental outcomes. To this end, we analyzed the comprehensive history of governance dynamics behind two government-led incentive schemes in Ecuador and Peru. We found that electoral interests and bureaucratic politics exerted pressure on policy design teams, which eventually traded off long-term societal efficiency concerns against short-term administrative goals. Priority was often given to non-environmental concerns, due to perceptions of political feasibility, the influence of non-environmental government agencies, and beliefs in particular government roles or public response. These findings are especially relevant for scholars studying the design, implementation and impacts of incentive-based conservation policies, and for practitioners aiming to enhance policy efficiency.
Two-Stage Aeration Fermentation Strategy to Improve Bioethanol Production by Scheffersomyces stipitis
Authors: Henriques Tiago M. , Pereira Susana R. , Serafim Luísa S. , Xavier Ana M. R. B.
Published: November 2018

Hardwood spent sulfite liquor (HSSL) is a by-product from pulp industry with a high concentration of pentose sugars, besides some hexoses suitable for bioethanol production by Scheffersomyces stipitis. The establishment of optimal aeration process conditions that results in specific microaerophilic conditions required by S. stipitis is the main challenge for ethanol production. The present study aimed to improve the ethanol production from HSSL by S. stipitis through a two-stage aeration fermentation. Experiments with controlled dissolved oxygen tension (DOT) in the first stage and oxygen restriction in the second stage were carried out. The best results were obtained with DOT control at 50% in the first stage, where the increase of oxygen availability provided faster growth and higher biomass yield, and no oxygen supply with an agitation rate of 250 rpm, in the second stage allowed a successful induction of ethanol production. Fermentation using 60% of HSSL (v/v) as substrate for S. stipitis provided a maximum specific growth rate of 0.07 h−1, an ethanol productivity of 0.04 g L h−1 and an ethanol yield of 0.39 g g−1, respectively. This work showed a successful two-stage aeration strategy as a promising aeration alternative for bioethanol production from HSSL by S. stipitis.
Query Recommendation Using Hybrid Query Relevance
Authors: Xu Jialu , Ye Feiyue
Published: November 2018

With the explosion of web information, search engines have become main tools in information retrieval. However, most queries submitted in web search are ambiguous and multifaceted. Understanding the queries and mining query intention is critical for search engines. In this paper, we present a novel query recommendation algorithm by combining query information and URL information which can get wide and accurate query relevance. The calculation of query relevance is based on query information by query co-concurrence and query embedding vector. Adding the ranking to query-URL pairs can calculate the strength between query and URL more precisely. Empirical experiments are performed based on AOL log. The results demonstrate the effectiveness of our proposed query recommendation algorithm, which achieves superior performance compared to other algorithms.
Science Pipelines for the Square Kilometre Array
Authors: Farnes Jamie , Mort Ben , Dulwich Fred , Salvini Stef , Armour Wes
Published: November 2018

The Square Kilometre Array (SKA) will be both the largest radio telescope ever constructed and the largest Big Data project in the known Universe. The first phase of the project will generate on the order of five zettabytes of data per year. A critical task for the SKA will be its ability to process data for science, which will need to be conducted by science pipelines. Together with polarization data from the LOFAR Multifrequency Snapshot Sky Survey (MSSS), we have been developing a realistic SKA-like science pipeline that can handle the large data volumes generated by LOFAR at 150 MHz. The pipeline uses task-based parallelism to image, detect sources and perform Faraday tomography across the entire LOFAR sky. The project thereby provides a unique opportunity to contribute to the technological development of the SKA telescope, while simultaneously enabling cutting-edge scientific results. In this paper, we provide an update on current efforts to develop a science pipeline that can enable tight constraints on the magnetised large-scale structure of the Universe.
Association of Candidate Genes with Response to Heat and Newcastle Disease Virus
Authors: Rowland Kaylee , Saelao Perot , Wang Ying , Fulton Janet E. , Liebe Grant N. , McCarron Amy M. , Wolc Anna , Gallardo Rodrigo A. , Kelly Terra , Zhou Huaijun , Dekkers Jack C. M. , Lamont Susan J.
Published: November 2018

Newcastle disease is considered the number one disease constraint to poultry production in low and middle-income countries, however poultry that is raised in resource-poor areas often experience multiple environmental challenges. Heat stress has a negative impact on production, and immune response to pathogens can be negatively modulated by heat stress. Candidate genes and regions chosen for this study were based on previously reported associations with response to immune stimulants, pathogens, or heat, including: TLR3, TLR7, MX, MHC-B (major histocompatibility complex, gene complex), IFI27L2, SLC5A1, HSPB1, HSPA2, HSPA8, IFRD1, IL18R1, IL1R1, AP2A2, and TOLLIP. Chickens of a commercial egg-laying line were infected with a lentogenic strain of NDV (Newcastle disease virus); half the birds were maintained at thermoneutral temperature and the other half were exposed to high ambient temperature before the NDV challenge and throughout the remainder of the study. Phenotypic responses to heat, to NDV, or to heat + NDV were measured. Selected SNPs (single nucleotide polymorphisms) within 14 target genes or regions were genotyped; and genotype effects on phenotypic responses to NDV or heat + NDV were tested in each individual treatment group and the combined groups. Seventeen significant haplotype effects, among seven genes and seven phenotypes, were detected for response to NDV or heat or NDV + heat. These findings identify specific genetic variants that are associated with response to heat and/or NDV which may be useful in the genetic improvement of chickens to perform favorably when faced with pathogens and heat stress.
Dysphagia in Frail Patients Is Not Frailty Dysphagia
Authors: Smithard David G.
Published: November 2018

Society revolves around food, both as a physical necessity and a social nicety; thus, eating and drinking (and, hence, swallowing safely) have become a cornerstone of social life. [...]
The Differential Effect of Ego-Resiliency on the Relationship between Emotional Labor and Salivary Cortisol Level in Bank Clerks
Authors: Lim You Kyung , Cho Soo Jin , Min Sung , Park Jeong Hoon , Park Soo Hyun
Published: November 2018

Elevated stress levels in emotional laborers has been documented in a number of studies. To minimize the negative effects of stress, the need to examine potential protective factors has been highlighted. The primary purpose of this study was to investigate the differential moderating effect of ego-resiliency on the relationship between emotional labor and salivary cortisol level by comparing two groups of bank clerks deemed to experience different degree of emotional labor. Twenty-four bank clerks working in regional branch offices who provided face-to-face customer service (customer service group) and 33 administrative-duty bank clerks who work without face-to-face customer service (administrative work group) were recruited to participate in the study. Participants were asked to draw saliva into a specimen tube at an identical time during a work day and complete self-report scales measuring emotional labor and ego-resiliency. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses were conducted to examine the interaction effect of ego-resiliency on the relationship between emotional labor and salivary cortisol level by controlling for gender, age and education level as covariates. The results demonstrated that the degree of emotional labor reported by the customer service group was higher than that of the administrative work group. Furthermore, ego-resiliency moderated the relationship between emotional labor and cortisol levels in the customer service group but not in the administrative work group. The implications and limitations of this study are discussed along with suggestions for future research.
Physical Activity Programming Advertised on Websites of U.S. Islamic Centers: A Content Analysis
Authors: Kahan David
Published: November 2018

Previous research has found churches to be effective at delivering physical activity (PA) programs to their congregants. Mosques, however, have not been extensively studied. Therefore, we quantified U.S. Islamic centers’ advertisement of PA programming and examined their programming characteristics. We conducted a content analysis of the websites of 773 eligible Islamic centers of which 206 centers in 32 states advertised PA programming. We categorized PA by program type: camping, fitness classes, sports, youth programs, and irregular offerings. We calculated descriptive statistics by program type for specific activity, frequency/duration/volume, participant/instructor sex, and instructor religion. Youth group (44%) and sports (23%) programs were most and least frequently advertised, respectively. Most centers (66%) that posted information on PA programming advertised only one program type. Men and Muslims taught most activities. Most activities—except for fitness classes—were advertised to a male audience. Islamic centers should offer and advertise additional PA programming—especially for women—and better utilize their websites for promoting such programming. Individual Islamic centers and Islamic- and non-religion based public health agencies can utilize our findings to fashion future PA offerings.
A Comparison of Waste Stability Indices for Mechanical–Biological Waste Treatment and Composting Plants
Authors: Jędrczak Andrzej , Suchowska-Kisielewicz Monika
Published: November 2018

Achieving high efficiency of biological waste treatment in mechanical–biological treatment (MBT) plants requires reliable methods for measuring the degree of biodegradation of organic substances. For this purpose, several physical, chemical, and biological indices are used. This paper presents respirometric activity (AT4), biogas potential (GB21), total and dissolved organic carbon (TOC and DOC, respectively), and loss on ignition (LOI) values, as well as the correlations between the indices selected for stabilized waste produced in 18 MBT plants in Poland, which use various technologies for biological processing of the organic fraction of municipal solid waste. The study confirms that there is a linear relationship between AT4 and GB21 for stabilized waste produced in MBT plants, regardless of the waste treatment technology used. It has also been found that there is a linear relationship between AT4 and the concentration of dissolved carbon in water extract from stabilized waste. This indicates that DOC can be used for monitoring the organic matter stabilization process in mechanical–biological waste treatment plants. Its advantage is a shorter time needed for measurements in comparison to AT4 and GB21 tests.
Variation in Cold-Related Mortality in England Since the Introduction of the Cold Weather Plan: Which Areas Have the Greatest Unmet Needs?
Authors: Murage Peninah , Hajat Shakoor , Bone Angie
Published: November 2018

The Cold Weather Plan (CWP) in England was introduced to prevent the adverse health effects of cold weather; however, its impact is currently unknown. This study characterizes cold-related mortality and fuel poverty at STP (Sustainability and Transformation Partnership) level, and assesses changes in cold risk since the introduction of the CWP. Time series regression was used to estimate mortality risk for up to 28 days following exposure. Area level fuel poverty was used to indicate mitigation against cold exposure and mapped alongside area level risk. We found STP variations in mortality risk, ranging from 1.74, 1.44–2.09 (relative risk (RR), 95% CI) in Somerset, to 1.19, 1.01–1.40 in Cambridge and Peterborough. Following the introduction of the CWP, national-level mortality risk declined significantly in those aged 0–64 (1.34, 1.23–1.45, to 1.09, 1.00–1.19), but increased significantly among those aged 75+ (1.36, 1.28–1.44, to 1.58, 1.47–1.70) and for respiratory conditions (1.78, 1.56–2.02, to 2.4, 2.10–2.79). We show how spatial variation in cold mortality risk has increased since the introduction of the CWP, which may reflect differences in implementation of the plan. Combining risk with fuel poverty information identifies 14 STPs with the greatest need to address the cold effect, and that would gain most from enhanced CWP activity or additional intervention measures.
Geographical Prevalence of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome as Determined by Region and Race/Ethnicity
Authors: Wolf Wendy M. , Wattick Rachel A. , Kinkade Olivia N. , Olfert Melissa D.
Published: November 2018

Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is thought to be the most common endocrine disorder found in women. Common symptoms include irregular menstrual cycle, polycystic ovaries, and hirsutism, as well as an increased risk for a multitude of conditions, including insulin resistance, dyslipidemia and infertility. The prevalence of polycystic ovarian syndrome is generally thought to be between 3% and 10% but it is widely unknown for specific subpopulations based on geographical location and race/ethnicity. Based on the high degree of variability and inconsistencies between the different diagnostic criteria, there is a unique challenge that exists when determining the prevalence of this syndrome. There are a large percentage of individuals that remain undiagnosed even after visiting multiple health care providers. Most studies conducted across the world are limited by small sample size, selection bias, and lack of comparability across studies. There have been very few studies that have examined the prevalence of polycystic ovary syndrome across the United States. Based on the National Institutes of Health (NIH)’s diagnostic criteria, there is a similar prevalence of PCOS documented across the United States, the United Kingdom, Spain, Greece, Australia, and Mexico. Other studies have shown some differences between geographical location and race. The existing data is not conclusive enough to determine whether or not there is any significant differences in the prevalence of PCOS across geographical location, racial or ethnic groups. This review will seek to determine the prevalence of polycystic ovarian syndrome based on geographical location and race/ethnicity.