bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Development of Formaldehyde Biosensor for Determination of Formalin in Fish Samples; Malabar Red Snapper (Lutjanus malabaricus) and Longtail Tuna (Thunnus tonggol)
Authors: Noor Aini Bohari , Siddiquee Shafiquzzaman , Ampon Kamaruzaman
Published: June 2016

Electrochemical biosensors are widely recognized in biosensing devices due to the fact that gives a direct, reliable, and reproducible measurement within a short period. During bio-interaction process and the generation of electrons, it produces electrochemical signals which can be measured using an electrochemical detector. A formaldehyde biosensor was successfully developed by depositing an ionic liquid (IL) (e.g., 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium trifluoromethanesulfonate ([EMIM][Otf])), gold nanoparticles (AuNPs), and chitosan (CHIT), onto a glassy carbon electrode (GCE). The developed formaldehyde biosensor was analyzed for sensitivity, reproducibility, storage stability, and detection limits. Methylene blue was used as a redox indicator for increasing the electron transfer in the electrochemical cell. The developed biosensor measured the NADH electron from the NAD+ reduction at a potential of 0.4 V. Under optimal conditions, the differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) method detected a wider linear range of formaldehyde concentrations from 0.01 to 10 ppm within 5 s, with a detection limit of 0.1 ppm. The proposed method was successfully detected with the presence of formalin in fish samples, Lutjanus malabaricus and Thunnus Tonggol. The proposed method is a simple, rapid, and highly accurate, compared to the existing technique.
Impedimetric Label-Free Immunosensor on Disposable Modified Screen-Printed Electrodes for Ochratoxin A
Authors: Malvano Francesca , Albanese Donatella , Crescitelli Alessio , Pilloton Roberto , Esposito Emanuela
Published: June 2016

An impedimetric label-free immunosensor on disposable screen-printed carbon electrodes (SPCE) for quantitative determination of Ochratoxin A (OTA) has been developed. After modification of the SPCE surface with gold nanoparticles (AuNPs), the anti-OTA was immobilized on the working electrode through a cysteamine layer. After each coating step, the modified surfaces were characterized by cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The capacitance was chosen as the best parameter that describes the reproducible change in electrical properties of the electrode surface at different OTA concentrations and it was used to investigate the analytical parameters of the developed immunosensor. Under optimized conditions, the immunosensor showed a linear relationship between 0.3 and 20 ng/mL with a low detection limit of 0.25 ng/mL, making it suitable to control OTA content in many common food products. Lastly, the immunosensor was used to measure OTA in red wine samples and the results were compared with those registered with a competitive ELISA kit. The immunosensor was sensitive to OTA lower than 2 μg/kg, which represents the lower acceptable limit of OTA established by European legislation for common food products.
Entropy? Honest!
Authors: Toffoli Tommaso
Published: June 2016

Here we deconstruct, and then in a reasoned way reconstruct, the concept of “entropy of a system”, paying particular attention to where the randomness may be coming from. We start with the core concept of entropy as a count associated with a description; this count (traditionally expressed in logarithmic form for a number of good reasons) is in essence the number of possibilities—specific instances or “scenarios”—that match that description. Very natural (and virtually inescapable) generalizations of the idea of description are the probability distribution and its quantum mechanical counterpart, the density operator. We track the process of dynamically updating entropy as a system evolves. Three factors may cause entropy to change: (1) the system’s internal dynamics; (2) unsolicited external influences on it; and (3) the approximations one has to make when one tries to predict the system’s future state. The latter task is usually hampered by hard-to-quantify aspects of the original description, limited data storage and processing resource, and possibly algorithmic inadequacy. Factors 2 and 3 introduce randomness—often huge amounts of it—into one’s predictions and accordingly degrade them. When forecasting, as long as the entropy bookkeping is conducted in an honest fashion, this degradation will always lead to an entropy increase. To clarify the above point we introduce the notion of honest entropy, which coalesces much of what is of course already done, often tacitly, in responsible entropy-bookkeping practice. This notion—we believe—will help to fill an expressivity gap in scientific discourse. With its help, we shall prove that any dynamical system—not just our physical universe—strictly obeys Clausius’s original formulation of the second law of thermodynamics if and only if it is invertible. Thus this law is a tautological property of invertible systems!
Application of Scaling-Law and CFD Modeling to Hydrodynamics of Circulating Biomass Fluidized Bed Gasifier
Authors: Biglari Mazda , Liu Hui , Elkamel Ali , Lohi Ali
Published: June 2016

Two modeling approaches, the scaling-law and CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) approaches, are presented in this paper. To save on experimental cost of the pilot plant, the scaling-law approach as a low-computational-cost method was adopted and a small scale column operating under ambient temperature and pressure was built. A series of laboratory tests and computer simulations were carried out to evaluate the hydrodynamic characteristics of a pilot fluidized-bed biomass gasifier. In the small scale column solids were fluidized. The pressure and other hydrodynamic properties were monitored for the validation of the scaling-law application. In addition to the scaling-law modeling method, the CFD approach was presented to simulate the gas-particle system in the small column. 2D CFD models were developed to simulate the hydrodynamic regime. The simulation results were validated with the experimental data from the small column. It was proved that the CFD model was able to accurately predict the hydrodynamics of the small column. The outcomes of this research present both the scaling law with the lower computational cost and the CFD modeling as a more robust method to suit various needs for the design of fluidized-bed gasifiers.
High Pressure Oxydesulphurisation of Coal—Effect of Oxidizing Agent, Solvent, Shear and Agitator Configuration
Authors: Ghauri Moinuddin , Shahzad Khurram , Inayat Abrar , Ali Zulfiqar , Khan Waqar , Akhtar Javaid , Cliffe Keith
Published: June 2016

The ambient temperature high pressure oxydesulphurisation technique was investigated to reduce the sulphur content. Prince of Wales coal was chosen for this study. The focus of the study was to investigate the reduction of both pyritic and organic sulphur while changing the KMnO4/Coal ratio, agitation speed, agitator configuration, and shear. The effect of different concentrations of acetone as a solvent and effect of particle size on the sulphur removal was also studied by a series of experimental runs at ambient temperature. Heating value recovery was found to be increased with the decreased KMnO4/Coal ratio and with decreased acetone concentration. It was found that sulphur removal was enhanced with the increase in shear using a turbine impeller. The effect of particle size was more significant on the pyritic sulphur removal as compared to the organic sulphur removal while heating value recovery was found to increase with decreased desulphurization tome for both, under atmospheric and high pressure.
Study of Coal Burst Source Locations in the Velenje Colliery
Authors: Vižintin Goran , Kocjančič Maja , Vulić Milivoj
Published: June 2016

The Velenje coal mine (VCM) is situated on the largest Slovenian coal deposit and in one of the thickest layers of coal known in the world. The thickness of the coal layer causes problems for the efficiency of extraction, since the majority of mining operations is within the coal layer. The selected longwall coal mining method with specific geometry, increasing depth of excavations, changes in stress state and naturally given geomechanical properties of rocks induce seismic events. Induced seismic events can be caused by caving processes, blasting or bursts of coal or the surrounding rock. For 2.5D visualization, data of excavations, ash content and calorific value of coal samples, hanging wall and footwall occurrence, subsidence of the surface and coal burst source locations were collected. Data and interpolation methods available in software package Surfer®12 were statistically analyzed and a Kriging (KRG) interpolation method was chosen. As a result 2.5D visualizations of coal bursts source locations with geomechanical properties of coal samples taken at different depth in the coal seam in the VCM were made with data-visualization packages Surfer®12 and Voxler®3.
Progress of the Plasma Centerpost for the PROTO-SPHERA Spherical Tokamak
Authors: Lampasi Alessandro , Maffia Giuseppe , Alladio Franco , Boncagni Luca , Causa Federica , Giovannozzi Edmondo , Grosso Luigi , Mancuso Alessandro , Micozzi Paolo , Piergotti Valerio , Rocchi Giuliano , Sibio Alessandro , Tilia Benedetto , Zanza Vincenzo
Published: June 2016

Plasma properties can be useful in a wide spectrum of applications. Experimental projects on controlled nuclear fusion are the most challenging of these applications and, at the same time, the best way to approach plasma science. Since nuclear fusion reactors can ensure a large-scale, safe, environmentally-friendly and virtually inexhaustible source of energy, several fusion-oriented megaprojects and innovative companies are appearing all over the world. PROTO-SPHERA (Spherical Plasma for HElicity Relaxation Assessment) is the first plasma project with a simply connected configuration, namely not requiring additional objects inside the plasma volume. This is obtained by a plasma arc, shaped as a screw pinch, acting as the centerpost of a spherical torus with minimal aspect ratio. Due to its intrinsic physical, engineering and economic advantages, this new approach is attractive also on an industrial scale and with several developments that still needs to be explored. This paper presents the PROTO-SPHERA basic principles, its first encouraging results and its expected and potential evolutions.
Laminar Flame Characteristics of C1–C5 Primary Alcohol-Isooctane Blends at Elevated Temperature
Authors: Li Qianqian , Jin Wu , Huang Zuohua
Published: June 2016

The laminar combustion characteristics of blends of isooctane and C1–C5 primary alcohols (i.e., methanol, ethanol, n-propanol, n-butanol and n-pentanol) were investigated using the spherical expanding flame methodology in a constant volume chamber at various equivalence ratios and volume fractions of alcohol. The stretch effect was removed using the nonlinear methodology. The results indicate that the laminar flame speeds of alcohol-isooctane blends increase monotonously with the increasing volume fraction of alcohol. Among the five alcohols, the addition of methanol is identified to be the most effective in enhancing laminar flame speed. The addition of ethanol results in an approximately equivalent laminar flame speed enhancement rate as those of n-propanol, n-butanol and n-pentanol at ratios of 0.8 and 1.5, and a higher rate at 1.0 and 1.2. An empirical correlation is provided to describe the laminar flame speed variation with the volume fraction of alcohol. Meanwhile, the laminar flame speed increases with the mass content of oxygen in the fuel blends. At the equivalence ratio of 0.8 and fixed oxygen content, similar laminar flame speeds are observed with different alcohols blended into isooctane. Nevertheless, with the increase of equivalence ratio, heavier alcohol-isooctane blends tend to exhibit higher values. Markstein lengths of alcohol-isooctane blends decrease with the addition of alcohol into isooctane at 0.8, 1.0 and 1.2, however they increase at 1.5. This is consistent with the behavior deduced from the Schlieren images.
Experimental Study of Crack Initiation and Extension Induced by Hydraulic Fracturing in a Tree-Type Borehole Array
Authors: Lu Yiyu , Zuo Shaojie , Ge Zhaolong , Xiao Songqiang , Cheng Yugang
Published: June 2016

High-pressure hydraulic fracturing technology in coal and coal bed methane mines can lead to roof and floor damage, and fracture initiation disorder that leads to a “blank area”, and other issues. A new method of hydraulic fracturing is proposed to increase the homogeneous permeability of coal in underground coalmines. Numerical and other simulation tests for different forms of a tree-type, branched borehole model are presented. The results show that the branched array causes cracks to initiate from the bottom of the array, and these extend along the direction of the adjacent boreholes. Generally, as the number of branched boreholes increases, the coal seam fracture network also increase, improving the distribution of the fracture network, making the fracturing effect better. The branched boreholes appear to reduce initiation pressure and, with increasing branches, the initiation pressure decreases. A model with four tree-type, branched boreholes leads to a reduction in initiation pressure of 69%. In terms of permeability improvement technology in underground coalmines, a branched hydraulic fracturing borehole array has the advantages of reducing initiation pressure, controlling crack initiation and extension, enhancing the fracturing effect and reducing the destruction of the roof and floor.
Military Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain and Psychiatric Comorbidity: Is Better Pain Management the Answer?
Authors: McGeary Cindy , McGeary Donald , Moreno Jose , Gatchel Robert
Published: June 2016

Chronic musculoskeletal pain, such as low back pain, often appears in the presence of psychiatric comorbidities (e.g., depression, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)), especially among U.S. military service members serving in the post-9/11 combat era. Although there has been much speculation about how to best address pain/trauma psychiatric symptom comorbidities, there are little available data to guide practice. The present study sought to examine how pre-treatment depression and PTSD influence outcomes in a functional restoration pain management program using secondary analysis of data from the Department of Defense-funded Functional and Orthopedic Rehabilitation Treatment (FORT) trial. Twenty-eight FORT completers were analyzed using a general linear model exploring how well depression and PTSD symptoms predict post-treatment pain (Visual Analog Scale (VAS) pain rating), disability (Oswestry Disability Index; Million Visual Analog Scale), and functional capacity (Floor-to-Waist and Waist-to-Eye Level progressive isoinertial lifting evaluation scores) in a sample of active duty military members with chronic musculoskeletal pain and comorbid depression or PTSD symptoms. Analysis revealed that pre-treatment depression and PTSD symptoms did not significantly predict rehabilitation outcomes from program completers. Implications of these findings for future research on trauma-related pain comorbidities are discussed.
Seroprevalence of Antibodies against Measles, Rubella and Varicella among Asylum Seekers Arriving in Lower Saxony, Germany, November 2014–October 2015
Authors: Toikkanen Salla , Baillot Armin , Dreesman Johannes , Mertens Elke
Published: June 2016

The number of asylum seekers arriving in Germany has increased rapidly since 2014 and cases of vaccine-preventable diseases at reception centres were reported. Asylum seekers 12 years and older arriving in Lower Saxony were serologically screened for antibodies against measles, rubella and varicella between November 2014 and October 2015. We calculated the seroprevalence from the screening data by disease, country of origin and age group and compared them to literature-based herd immunity thresholds in order to identify immunisation gaps. In total, 23,647 specimens were included in our study. Although the vast majority of asylum seekers tested positive for antibodies against measles, rubella and varicella, the seroprevalences were not sufficient to ensure herd immunity. The seroprevalences varied substantially between countries of origin and increased with age. Immunisation of asylum seekers against measles, rubella and varicella is needed and the detailed information on seroprevalences among subgroups of asylum seekers can be used for targeted immunisations at reception centres.
Discovering Land Cover Web Map Services from the Deep Web with JavaScript Invocation Rules
Authors: Hou Dongyang , Chen Jun , Wu Hao
Published: June 2016

Automatic discovery of isolated land cover web map services (LCWMSs) can potentially help in sharing land cover data. Currently, various search engine-based and crawler-based approaches have been developed for finding services dispersed throughout the surface web. In fact, with the prevalence of geospatial web applications, a considerable number of LCWMSs are hidden in JavaScript code, which belongs to the deep web. However, discovering LCWMSs from JavaScript code remains an open challenge. This paper aims to solve this challenge by proposing a focused deep web crawler for finding more LCWMSs from deep web JavaScript code and the surface web. First, the names of a group of JavaScript links are abstracted as initial judgements. Through name matching, these judgements are utilized to judge whether or not the fetched webpages contain predefined JavaScript links that may prompt JavaScript code to invoke WMSs. Secondly, some JavaScript invocation functions and URL formats for WMS are summarized as JavaScript invocation rules from prior knowledge of how WMSs are employed and coded in JavaScript. These invocation rules are used to identify the JavaScript code for extracting candidate WMSs through rule matching. The above two operations are incorporated into a traditional focused crawling strategy situated between the tasks of fetching webpages and parsing webpages. Thirdly, LCWMSs are selected by matching services with a set of land cover keywords. Moreover, a search engine for LCWMSs is implemented that uses the focused deep web crawler to retrieve and integrate the LCWMSs it discovers. In the first experiment, eight online geospatial web applications serve as seed URLs (Uniform Resource Locators) and crawling scopes; the proposed crawler addresses only the JavaScript code in these eight applications. All 32 available WMSs hidden in JavaScript code were found using the proposed crawler, while not one WMS was discovered through the focused crawler-based approach. This result shows that the proposed crawler has the ability to discover WMSs hidden in JavaScript code. The second experiment uses 4842 seed URLs updated daily. The crawler found a total of 17,874 available WMSs, of which 11,901 were LCWMSs. Our approach discovered a greater number of services than those found using previous approaches. It indicates that the proposed crawler has a large advantage in discovering LCWMSs from the surface web and from JavaScript code. Furthermore, a simple case study demonstrates that the designed LCWMS search engine represents an important step towards realizing land cover information integration for global mapping and monitoring purposes.
A Local Land Use Competition Cellular Automata Model and Its Application
Authors: Yang Jun , Su Junru , Chen Fei , Xie Peng , Ge Quansheng
Published: June 2016

Cellular automaton (CA) is an important method in land use and cover change studies, however, the majority of research focuses on the discovery of macroscopic factors affecting LUCC, which results in ignoring the local effects within the neighborhoods. This paper introduces a Local Land Use Competition Cellular Automata (LLUC-CA) model, based on local land use competition, land suitability evaluation, demand analysis of the different land use types, and multi-target land use competition allocation algorithm to simulate land use change at a micro level. The model is applied to simulate land use changes at Jinshitan National Tourist Holiday Resort from 1988 to 2012. The results show that the simulation accuracies were 64.46%, 77.21%, 85.30% and 99.14% for the agricultural land, construction land, forestland and water, respectively. In addition, comparing the simulation results of the LLUC-CA and CA-Markov model with the real land use data, their overall spatial accuracies were found to be 88.74% and 86.82%, respectively. In conclusion, the results from this study indicated that the model was an acceptable method for the simulation of large-scale land use changes, and the approach used here is applicable to analyzing the land use change driven forces and assist in decision-making.
Demethyleneberberine Protects against Hepatic Fibrosis in Mice by Modulating NF-κB Signaling
Authors: Wang Yongchen , Zhao Zheng , Yan Yan , Qiang Xiaoyan , Zhou Cuisong , Li Ruiyan , Chen Huan , Zhang Yubin
Published: June 2016

Demethyleneberberine (DMB) is an essential metabolite of Berberine (BBR) in vivo. Recent reports have revealed multiple novel therapeutic applications of BBR. However, the pharmacological activities of DMB remain to be elucidated. This study aimed to demonstrate the hepatoprotective and anti-fibrotic effects of DMB both in vitro and in vivo. Here we showed that DMB protects against thioacetamide (TAA)-induced hepatic fibrosis in mice and exhibits a higher safety profile as compared to BBR. Flow cytometry and Western blotting analysis showed that DMB is able to suppress the activation of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) and induce cell apoptosis through the nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) cascade. Immunohistochemical (IHC) and quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) analysis indicated that DMB also has inhibitory effects on collagen synthesis and is able to increase collagen degradation by blocking the transforming growth factor β 1 (TGF-β1)-Smad signaling and reducing the expression of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and tissue inhibitors of MMP (TIMPs). These findings indicate that DMB has the potential to attenuate hepatic fibrosis via suppressing HSC activation.
Prognostic Value of Affective Symptoms in First-Admission Psychotic Patients
Authors: Arrasate Marta , González-Ortega Itxaso , García-Alocén Adriana , Alberich Susana , Zorrilla Iñaki , González-Pinto Ana
Published: June 2016

Background: Very little research has been conducted in patients with first-episode psychosis using a dimensional approach. Affective dimensional representations might be useful to predict the clinical course and treatment needs in such patients. Methods: Weincluded 112 patients with first-episode psychosis in a longitudinal-prospective study with a five-year follow-up (N = 82). Logistic analyses were performed to determine the predictive factors associated with depressive, manic, activation, and dysphoric dimensions. Results: High scores on the depressive dimension were associated with the best prognosis. On the other hand, high scores on the activation dimension and the manic dimension were associated with a poorer prognosis in terms of relapses. Only the dysphoric dimension was not associated with syndromic or functional prognosis. Conclusion: Ourresults suggest that the pattern of baseline affective symptoms helps to predict the course of psychotic illness. Therefore, the systematic assessment of affective symptoms would enable us to draw important conclusions regarding patients’ prognosis. Interventions for patients with high scores on manic or activation dimensions could be beneficial in decreasing relapses in first-episode psychosis.
Analysis of the Mitochondrial Genome in Hypomyces aurantius Reveals a Novel Twintron Complex in Fungi
Authors: Deng Youjin , Zhang Qihui , Ming Ray , Lin Longji , Lin Xiangzhi , Lin Yiying , Li Xiao , Xie Baogui , Wen Zhiqiang
Published: June 2016

Hypomyces aurantius is a mycoparasite that causes cobweb disease, a most serious disease of cultivated mushrooms. Intra-species identification is vital for disease control, however the lack of genomic data makes development of molecular markers challenging. Small size, high copy number, and high mutation rate of fungal mitochondrial genome makes it a good candidate for intra and inter species differentiation. In this study, the mitochondrial genome of H. H.a0001 was determined from genomic DNA using Illumina sequencing. The roughly 72 kb genome shows all major features found in other Hypocreales: 14 common protein genes, large and small subunit rRNAs genes and 27 tRNAs genes. Gene arrangement comparison showed conserved gene orders in Hypocreales mitochondria are relatively conserved, with the exception of Acremonium chrysogenum and Acremonium implicatum. Mitochondrial genome comparison also revealed that intron length primarily contributes to mitogenome size variation. Seventeen introns were detected in six conserved genes: five in cox1, four in rnl, three in cob, two each in atp6 and cox3, and one in cox2. Four introns were found to contain two introns or open reading frames: cox3-i2 is a twintron containing two group IA type introns; cox2-i1 is a group IB intron encoding two homing endonucleases; and cox1-i4 and cox1-i3 both contain two open reading frame (ORFs). Analyses combining secondary intronic structures, insertion sites, and similarities of homing endonuclease genes reveal two group IA introns arranged side by side within cox3-i2. Mitochondrial data for H. aurantius provides the basis for further studies relating to population genetics and species identification.
Age-Specific Lipid and Fatty Acid Profiles of Atlantic Salmon Juveniles in the Varzuga River
Authors: Murzina Svetlana , Nefedova Zinaida , Pekkoeva Svetlana , Veselov Alexey , Efremov Denis , Nemova Nina
Published: June 2016

The age-specific lipid and fatty acid profiles of juvenile Atlantic salmon at different ages (0+, 1+, and 2+ years) after hatching from nests located in the mainstream of a large Arctic River, the Varzuga River, and resettling to the favorable Sobachji shoal in autumn before overwinter are herein presented. The contemporary methods of the lipid analysis were used: thin layer chromatography and gas chromatography. The results show that the stability of the regulation of important functions in developing organisms is maintained through structural alterations in lipids. These alterations can be considered as a sequence of the modifications and changes in the ratios of certain lipid classes and fatty acids constituents. In general, changes in the lipids and fatty acids (FAs) maintained the physiological limits and controls through the adaptive systems of the organism. The mechanisms of juvenile fish biochemical adaptation to the environmental conditions in the studied biotope include the modification of the energy metabolism and anabolism, and here belongs to the energy characteristics of metabolic processes.
The Cosmic Zoo: The (Near) Inevitability of the Evolution of Complex, Macroscopic Life
Authors: Bains William , Schulze-Makuch Dirk
Published: June 2016

Life on Earth provides a unique biological record from single-cell microbes to technologically intelligent life forms. Our evolution is marked by several major steps or innovations along a path of increasing complexity from microbes to space-faring humans. Here we identify various major key innovations, and use an analytical toolset consisting of a set of models to analyse how likely each key innovation is to occur. Our conclusion is that once the origin of life is accomplished, most of the key innovations can occur rather readily. The conclusion for other worlds is that if the origin of life can occur rather easily, we should live in a cosmic zoo, as the innovations necessary to lead to complex life will occur with high probability given sufficient time and habitat. On the other hand, if the origin of life is rare, then we might live in a rather empty universe.
Recovery of Butanol by Counter-Current Carbon Dioxide Fractionation with its Potential Application to Butanol Fermentation
Authors: Solana Miriam , Qureshi Nasib , Bertucco Alberto , Eller Fred
Published: June 2016

A counter-current CO2 fractionation method was applied as a mean to recover n-butanol and other compounds that are typically obtained from biobutanol fermentation broth from aqueous solutions. The influence of operating variables, such as solvent-to-feed ratio, temperature, pressure and feed solution composition was experimentally studied in terms of separation efficiency, butanol removal rate, total removal and butanol concentration in the extract at the end of the continuous cycle. With respect to the temperature and pressure conditions investigated, results show that the highest separation efficiency was obtained at 35 °C and 10.34 MPa. At these operating conditions, 92.3% of the butanol present in the feed solution was extracted, and a concentration of 787.5 g·L−1 of butanol in the extract was obtained, starting from a feed solution of 20 g·L−1. Selectivity was calculated from experimental data, concluding that our column performs much better than a single equilibrium stage. When adding ethanol and acetone to the feed solution, ethanol was detected in the water-rich fraction (raffinate), whereas the highest concentration of acetone was found in the butanol rich fraction (extract).
Corrosion Behavior of AlSi10Mg Alloy Produced by Additive Manufacturing (AM) vs. Its Counterpart Gravity Cast Alloy
Authors: Leon Avi , Shirizly Amnon , Aghion Eli
Published: June 2016

The attractiveness of additive manufacturing (AM) relates to the ability of this technology to rapidly produce very complex components at affordable costs. However, the properties and corrosion behavior, in particular, of products produced by AM technology should at least match the properties obtained by conventional technologies. The present study aims at evaluating the corrosion behavior and corrosion fatigue endurance of AlSi10Mg alloy produced by selective laser melting (SLM) in comparison with its conventional counterpart, gravity cast alloy. The results obtained indicate that the corrosion resistance of the printed and cast alloys was relatively similar, with a minor advantage to the printed alloy. The corrosion fatigue endurance of the printed alloy was relatively improved compared to the cast alloy. This was mainly attributed to the significant differences between the microstructure and defect characteristics of those two alloys.
Design and Experiment of a Solder Paste Jetting System Driven by a Piezoelectric Stack
Authors: Gu Shoudong , Jiao Xiaoyang , Liu Jianfang , Yang Zhigang , Jiang Hai , Lv Qingqing
Published: June 2016

To compensate for the insufficiency and instability of solder paste dispensing and printing that are used in the SMT (Surface Mount Technology) production process, a noncontact solder paste jetting system driven by a piezoelectric stack based on the principle of the nozzle-needle-system is introduced in this paper, in which a miniscule gap exists between the nozzle and needle during the jetting process. Here, the critical jet ejection velocity is discussed through theoretical analysis. The relations between ejection velocity and needle structure, needle velocity, and nozzle diameter were obtained by FLUENT software. Then, the prototype of the solder paste jetting system was fabricated, and the performance was verified by experiments. The effects of the gap between nozzle and needle, the driving voltage, and the nozzle diameter on the jetting performance and droplet diameter were obtained. Solder paste droplets 0.85 mm in diameter were produced when the gap between the nozzle and needle was adjusted to 10 μm, the driving voltage to 80 V, the nozzle diameter to 0.1 mm, and the variation of the droplet diameter was within ±3%.
Alternative Process Flow for Underground Mining Operations: Analysis of Conceptual Transport Methods Using Discrete Event Simulation
Authors: Greberg Jenny , Salama Abubakary , Gustafson Anna , Skawina Bartłomiej
Published: June 2016

As the near surface deposits are being mined out, underground mines will increasingly operate at greater depths. This will increase the challenges related to transporting materials from deeper levels to the surface. For many years, the ore and waste transportation from most deep underground mines has depended on some or all of the following: truck haulage, conveyor belts, shafts, rails, and ore pass systems. In sub-level caving, and where ore passes are used, trains operating on the main lower level transport the ore from ore passes to a crusher, for subsequent hoisting to the surface through the shaft system. In many mines, the use of the ore pass system has led to several problems related to the ore pass availability, causing production disturbances and incurred cost and time for ore pass rehabilitation. These production disturbances have an impact on the mining activities since they increase the operational costs, and lower the mine throughput. A continued dependency on rock mass transportation using ore passes will generate high capital costs for various supporting structures such as rail tracks, shaft extensions, and crushers for every new main level. This study was conducted at an existing underground mine and analyzed the transport of ore from loading areas at the lower levels up to the existing shaft points using trucks without employing ore passes. The results show that, when the costs of extending ore passes to lower levels become too great or ore passes cannot be used for production, haul trucks can be a feasible alternative method for transport of ore and waste up the ramp to the existing crusher located at the previous main level. The use of trucks will avoid installing infrastructure at the next main level and extending the ore passes to lower levels, hence reducing costs.
Synthesis and Antimicrobial Activity of 1,2-Benzothiazine Derivatives
Authors: Patel Chandani , Bassin Jatinder , Scott Mark , Flye Jenna , Hunter Ann , Martin Lee , Goyal Madhu
Published: June 2016

A number of 1,2-benzothiazines have been synthesized in a three-step process. Nine chalcones 1–9 bearing methyl, fluoro, chloro and bromo substituents were chlorosulfonated with chlorosulfonic acid to generate the chalcone sulfonyl chlorides 10–18. These were converted to the dibromo compounds 19–27 through reaction with bromine in glacial acetic acid. Compounds 19–27 were reacted with ammonia, methylamine, ethylamine, aniline and benzylamine to generate a library of 45 1,2-benzothiazines 28–72. Compounds 28–72 were evaluated for their antimicrobial activity using broth microdilution techniques against two Gram-positive bacteria (Bacillus subtilis and Staphylococcus aureus) and two Gram-negative bacteria (Proteus vulgaris and Salmonella typhimurium). The results demonstrated that none of the compounds showed any activity against Gram-negative bacteria P. vulgaris and S. typhimurium; however, compounds 31, 33, 38, 43, 45, 50, 53, 55, 58, 60, 63 and 68 showed activity against Gram-positive bacteria Bacillus subtilis and Staphylococcous aureus. The range of minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) was 25–600 µg/mL, though some of the MIC and MBC concentrations were high, indicating weak activity. Structure activity relationship studies revealed that the compounds with a hydrogen atom or an ethyl group on the nitrogen of the thiazine ring exerted antibacterial activity against Gram-positive bacteria. The results also showed that the compounds where the benzene ring of the benzoyl moiety contained a methyl group or a chlorine or bromine atom in the para position showed higher antimicrobial activity. Similar influences were identified where either a bromine or chlorine atom was in the meta position.
Pingyangmycin and Bleomycin Share the Same Cytotoxicity Pathway
Authors: He Yanli , Lan Ying , Liu Yong , Yu Haibo , Han Zhangrun , Li Xiulian , Zhang Lijuan
Published: June 2016

Pingyangmycin is an anticancer drug known as bleomycin A5 (A5), discovered in the Pingyang County of Zhejiang Province of China. Bleomycin (BLM) is a mixture of mainly two compounds (A2 and B2), which is on the World Health Organization’s list of essential medicines. Both BLM and A5 are hydrophilic molecules that depend on transporters or endocytosis receptors to get inside of cells. Once inside, the anticancer activities rely on their abilities to produce DNA breaks, thus leading to cell death. Interestingly, the half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) of BLMs in different cancer cell lines varies from nM to μM ranges. Different cellular uptake, DNA repair rate, and/or increased drug detoxification might be some of the reasons; however, the molecules and signaling pathways responsible for these processes are largely unknown. In the current study, we purified the A2 and B2 from the BLM and tested the cytotoxicities and the molecular mechanisms of each individual compound or in combination with six different cell lines, including a Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell line defective in glycosaminoglycan biosynthesis. Our data suggested that glycosaminoglycans might be involved in the cellular uptake of BLMs. Moreover, both BLM and A5 shared similar signaling pathways and are involved in cell cycle and apoptosis in different cancer cell lines.
Phenolic Profiles and Antioxidant Activity of Lotus Root Varieties
Authors: Yi Yang , Sun Jie , Xie Jun , Min Ting , Wang Li-Mei , Wang Hong-Xun
Published: June 2016

Lotus root attracts increasing attention mainly because of its phenolic compounds known as natural antioxidants. Its thirteen varieties were systematically analyzed on the content, distribution, composition and antioxidant activity of phenolic compounds for a better understanding of this aquatic vegetable. The respective mean contents of total phenolics in their flesh, peel and nodes were 1.81, 4.30 and 7.35 mg gallic acid equivalents (GAE)/g fresh weight (FW), and those of total flavonoids were 3.35, 7.69 and 15.58 mg rutin equivalents/g FW. The phenolic composition determined by a high-performance liquid chromatography method varied significantly among varieties and parts. The phenolics of flesh were mainly composed of gallocatechin and catechin; those of peel and node were mainly composed of gallocatechin, gallic acid, catechin and epicatechin. The antioxidant activities of phenolic extracts in increasing order were flesh, peel and node; their mean concentrations for 50% inhibition of 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical were 46.00, 26.43 and 21.72 µg GAE/mL, and their mean values representing ferric reducing antioxidant power were 75.91, 87.66 and 100.43 µg Trolox equivalents/100 µg GAE, respectively. “Zoumayang”, “Baheou”, “No. 5 elian” and “Guixi Fuou” were the hierarchically clustered varieties with relatively higher phenolic content and stronger antioxidant activity as compared with the others. Especially, their nodes and peels are promising sources of antioxidants for human nutrition.
Pyridine and p-Nitrophenyl Oxime Esters with Possible Photochemotherapeutic Activity: Synthesis, DNA Photocleavage and DNA Binding Studies
Authors: Pasolli Milena , Dafnopoulos Konstantinos , Andreou Nicolaos-Panagiotis , Gritzapis Panagiotis , Koffa Maria , Koumbis Alexandros , Psomas George , Fylaktakidou Konstantina
Published: June 2016

Compared to standard treatments for various diseases, photochemotherapy and photo-dynamic therapy are less invasive approaches, in which DNA photocleavers represent promising tools for novel “on demand” chemotherapeutics. A series of p-nitrobenzoyl and p-pyridoyl ester conjugated aldoximes, amidoximes and ethanone oximes were subjected to UV irradiation at 312 nm with supercoiled circular plasmid DNA. The compounds which possessed appropriate properties were additionally subjected to UVA irradiation at 365 nm. The ability of most of the compounds to photocleave DNA was high at 312 nm, whereas higher concentrations were required at 365 nm as a result of their lower UV absorption. The affinity of selected compounds to calf-thymus (CT) DNA was studied by UV spectroscopy, viscosity experiments and competitive studies with ethidium bromide (EB) revealing that all compounds interacted with CT DNA. The fluorescence emission spectra of the pre-treated EB-DNA exhibited a moderate to significant quenching in the presence of the compounds indicating the binding of the compounds to CT DNA via intercalation as concluded also by DNA-viscosity experiments. For the oxime esters the DNA photocleavage and affinity studies aimed to clarify the role of the oxime nature (aldoxime, ketoxime, amidoxime) and the role of the pyridine and p-nitrophenyl moieties both as oxime substituents and ester conjugates.
Study of the UV Light Conversion of Feruloyl Amides from Portulaca oleracea and Their Inhibitory Effect on IL-6-Induced STAT3 Activation
Authors: Hwang Joo , Kim Yesol , Jang Hyun-Jae , Oh Hyun-Mee , Lim Chi-Hwan , Lee Seung , Rho Mun-Chual
Published: June 2016

Two new feruloyl amides, N-cis-hibiscusamide (5) and (7′S)-N-cis-feruloylnormetanephrine (9), and eight known feruloyl amides were isolated from Portulaca oleracea L. and the geometric conversion of the ten isolated feruloyl amides by UV light was verified. The structures of the feruloyl amides were determined based on spectroscopic data and comparison with literature data. The NMR data revealed that the structures of the isolated compounds showed cis/trans-isomerization under normal laboratory light conditions. Therefore, cis and trans-isomers of feruloyl amides were evaluated for their convertibility and stability by UV light of a wavelength of 254 nm. After 96 h of UV light exposure, 23.2%–35.0% of the cis and trans-isomers were converted to trans-isomers. Long-term stability tests did not show any significant changes. Among all compounds and conversion mixtures collected, compound 6 exhibited the strongest inhibition of IL-6-induced STAT3 activation in Hep3B cells, with an IC50 value of 0.2 μM. This study is the first verification of the conversion rates and an equilibrium ratio of feruloyl amides. These results indicate that this natural material might provide useful information for the treatment of various diseases involving IL-6 and STAT3.
Variations in the Life Cycle of Anemone patens L. (Ranunculaceae) in Wild Populations of Canada
Authors: Kricsfalusy Vladimir
Published: June 2016

Based on a study of a perennial herb Anemone patens L. (Ranunculaceae) in a variety of natural habitats in Saskatchewan, Canada, eight life stages (seed, seedling, juvenile, immature, vegetative, generative, subsenile, and senile) are distinguished and characterized in detail. The species ontogenetic growth patterns are investigated. A. patens has a long life cycle that may last for several decades which leads to the formation of compact clumps. The distribution and age of clumps vary substantially in different environments with different levels of disturbance. The plant ontogeny includes the regular cycle with reproduction occurring through seeds. There is an optional subsenile vegetative disintegration at the end of the life span. The following variations in the life cycle of A. patens are identified: with slower development in young age, with an accelerated development, with omission of the generative stage, with retrogression to previous life stages in mature age, and with vegetative dormancy. The range of variations in the life cycle of A. patens may play an important role in maintaining population stability in different environmental conditions and management regimes.
Obstacles to Scholarly Publishing in the Social Sciences and Humanities: A Case Study of Vietnamese Scholars
Authors: Pho Phuong , Tran Thi
Published: June 2016

Publishing scientific research is very important in contributing to the knowledge of a discipline and in sharing research findings among scientists. Based on the quantity and quality of publications, one can evaluate the research capacity of a researcher or the research performance of a university or a country. However, the number of quality publications in Vietnam is very low in comparison with those in the other countries in the region or in the world, especially in the fields of social sciences and humanities. Employing both quantitative and qualitative approaches, the current study investigates university lecturers’ attitudes towards research and publication and the obstacles to local and international publication at one of the main universities in social sciences and humanities in Vietnam. The study found the main barriers to publication are funding and time for research and publication, among many other obstacles. From the analysis of the data, the study would also argue that lecturers’ obstacles to publication may vary across faculties (or disciplines), ages, qualifications, education, research and publication experience. The findings in this study may be applied to other institutions in Vietnam or in other countries where English is used as a foreign language.
Trajectory Generation and Stability Analysis for Reconfigurable Klann Mechanism Based Walking Robot
Authors: Kulandaidaasan Sheba Jaichandar , Elara Mohan , Martínez-García Edgar , Tan-Phuc Le
Published: June 2016

Reconfigurable legged robots based on one degree of freedom are highly desired because they are effective on rough and irregular terrains and they provide mobility in such terrain with simple control schemes. It is necessary that reconfigurable legged robots should maintain stability during rest and motion, with a minimum number of legs while maintaining their full range of walking patterns resulting from different gait configuration. In this paper we present a method to generate input trajectory for reconfigurable quadruped robots based on Klann mechanism to properly synchronize movement. Six useful gait cycles based on this reconfigurable Klann mechanism for quadruped robots has been clearly shown here. The platform stability for these six useful gait cycles are validated through simulated results which clearly shows the capabilities of reconfigurable design.
A Semi-Analytic Model for Estimating Total Suspended Sediment Concentration in Turbid Coastal Waters of Northern Western Australia Using MODIS-Aqua 250 m Data
Authors: Dorji Passang , Fearns Peter , Broomhall Mark
Published: June 2016

Knowledge of the concentration of total suspended sediment (TSS) in coastal waters is of significance to marine environmental monitoring agencies to determine the turbidity of water that serve as a proxy to estimate the availability of light at depth for benthic habitats. TSS models applicable to data collected by satellite sensors can be used to determine TSS with reasonable accuracy and of adequate spatial and temporal resolution to be of use for coastal water quality monitoring. Thus, a study is presented here where we develop a semi-analytic sediment model (SASM) applicable to any sensor with red and near infrared (NIR) bands. The calibration and validation of the SASM using bootstrap and cross-validation methods showed that the SASM applied to Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS)-Aqua band 1 data retrieved TSS with a root mean square error (RMSE) and mean averaged relative error (MARE) of 5.75 mg/L and 33.33% respectively. The application of the SASM over our study region using MODIS-Aqua band 1 data showed that the SASM can be used to monitor the on-going, post and pre-dredging activities and identify daily TSS anomalies that are caused by natural and anthropogenic processes in coastal waters of northern Western Australia.