bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
GPX1 Localizes to the Nucleus in Prostate Epithelium and its Levels are not Associated with Prostate Cancer Recurrence
Authors: Ekoue Dede N. , Ansong Emmanuel , Hong Lenny K. , Nonn Larisa , Macias Virgilia , Deaton Ryan , Rupnow Rawan , Gann Peter H. , Kajdacsy-Balla Andre , Diamond Alan M.
Published: November 2018

Glutathione peroxidase 1 (GPX1) is an extensively studied selenium-dependent protein that reduces hydrogen and lipid peroxides to water. Because of its antioxidant function and its responsiveness to dietary intakes of selenium, an essential trace element whose levels are inversely associated with prostate cancer risk, GPX1 levels were assessed in a prostate cancer tissue microarray, comparing cases of recurrent prostate cancer following prostatectomy to non-recurrent controls. While GPX1 is generally considered as a protein that resides in both the cytoplasm and mitochondria, we detected strong nuclear staining by immunofluorescence using GPX1-specific antibodies. Nuclear localization of GPX1 was also observed in both primary prostate epithelial cells and the immortalized prostate-derived cell line RWPE-1, but not in LNCaP or PC3 prostate tumor-derived cell lines. Quantification of GPX1 levels in the entire cell, the cytoplasm, and the nucleus did not indicate any association of either its levels or subcellular distribution with prostate cancer recurrence. While GPX1 levels may not have an impact on survival among men with prostate cancer, the data indicates that this extensively characterized protein may have a novel function in the nucleus of prostate epithelial cells.
The Plasma Membrane: A Platform for Intra- and Intercellular Redox Signaling
Authors: Nordzieke Daniela E. , Medraño-Fernandez Iria
Published: November 2018

Membranes are of outmost importance to allow for specific signal transduction due to their ability to localize, amplify, and direct signals. However, due to the double-edged nature of reactive oxygen species (ROS)—toxic at high concentrations but essential signal molecules—subcellular localization of ROS-producing systems to the plasma membrane has been traditionally regarded as a protective strategy to defend cells from unwanted side-effects. Nevertheless, specialized regions, such as lipid rafts and caveolae, house and regulate the activated/inhibited states of important ROS-producing systems and concentrate redox targets, demonstrating that plasma membrane functions may go beyond acting as a securing lipid barrier. This is nicely evinced by nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH)-oxidases (NOX), enzymes whose primary function is to generate ROS and which have been shown to reside in specific lipid compartments. In addition, membrane-inserted bidirectional H2O2-transporters modulate their conductance precisely during the passage of the molecules through the lipid bilayer, ensuring time-scaled delivery of the signal. This review aims to summarize current evidence supporting the role of the plasma membrane as an organizing center that serves as a platform for redox signal transmission, particularly NOX-driven, providing specificity at the same time that limits undesirable oxidative damage in case of malfunction. As an example of malfunction, we explore several pathological situations in which an inflammatory component is present, such as inflammatory bowel disease and neurodegenerative disorders, to illustrate how dysregulation of plasma-membrane-localized redox signaling impacts normal cell physiology.
C-RAN Traffic Aggregation on Latency-Controlled Ethernet Links
Authors: Tonini Federico , Khorsandi Bahare Masood , Bjornstad Steinar , Veisllari Raimena , Raffaelli Carla
Published: November 2018

Centralized/Cloud Radio Access Networks (C-RAN) are deployed in converged fixed-mobile networks to exploit the flexibility coming from joint application of Network Function Virtualization (NFV) and Software Defined Networking (SDN). In this context, optical links connecting C-RAN nodes, possibly based on the Ethernet standards, may carry traffic with different requirements in terms of latency and throughput. This paper considers the problem of traffic aggregation on C-RAN optical Ethernet links with latency control for fronthaul traffic and throughput capability for backhaul traffic. Integrated hybrid network technique is applied to show how time transparency can be enforced for Ethernet encapsulated Common Public Radio Interface (CPRI) traffic while allowing statistical multiplexing of backhaul traffic. Simulation results show the effectiveness of segmentation of backhaul traffic to allow exploitation of the available bandwidth even with high capacity CPRI options.
The Effects of Acidic, Alkaline, and Neutral Anolytes on Electrochemical Seawater Deoxygenation
Authors: Dotel Utsav Raj , Sydnes Magne Olav , Urkedal Hans , Hemmingsen Tor
Published: November 2018

Electrochemical deoxygenation of seawater has advantages over available chemical and physical methods. For seawater deoxygenation, acidic, neutral, or alkaline anolytes can be used. The effects of acidic, alkaline, and neutral buffered and non-buffered anolytes were studied in two compartment deoxygenation cells. The pH, conductivity, H2O2 production, and current were measured throughout the experiments. The optimum applied potentials for oxygen reduction were between 1.9 V–2.2 V, giving water as product; reducing the applied potential also resulted in the formation of H2O2. Analysis after the experiments using a scanning electron microscope with electron-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy showed that both the silver mesh and the cation exchange membrane remained stable during the experiments. The use of alkaline anolytes resulted in the maximum oxygen removal with minimal side reactions in the cell.
Revealing Rutherfordine Mineral as an Auxetic Material
Authors: Colmenero Francisco
Published: November 2018

The mechanical behavior of the uranyl carbonate mineral, rutherfordine, UO2CO3, was studied by means of theoretical solid-state methods based in Density Functional Theory using plane waves and pseudopotentials. The results of the computations reported in this work show that this mineral exhibits the important negative Poisson ratio (NPR) phenomenon. In order to show that this feature is not an artifact associated to the theoretical treatment employed, additional calculations were carried out using very large calculation parameters. These calculations improved the mechanical description of this mineral and confirmed its auxeticity, i.e., it shows NPR values. Rutherfordine is a highly anisotropic material showing a maximum value of the NPR of the order of −0.3 ± 0.1 for applied stresses directed along the X axis, the transverse direction being the Y axis perpendicular to the structural sheets in rutherfordine structure. The underlying reason for this observation is that under the effect of applied positive pressures, the interlayer space between the sheets of rutherfordine vary in the opposite way to the expected behavior; that is, it decreases instead of increasing.
Hydrogeochemical Modeling to Identify Potential Risks of Underground Hydrogen Storage in Depleted Gas Fields
Authors: Hemme Christina , Van Berk Wolfgang
Published: November 2018

Underground hydrogen storage is a potential way to balance seasonal fluctuations in energy production from renewable energies. The risks of hydrogen storage in depleted gas fields include the conversion of hydrogen to CH4(g) and H2S(g) due to microbial activity, gas–water–rock interactions in the reservoir and cap rock, which are connected with porosity changes, and the loss of aqueous hydrogen by diffusion through the cap rock brine. These risks lead to loss of hydrogen and thus to a loss of energy. A hydrogeochemical modeling approach is developed to analyze these risks and to understand the basic hydrogeochemical mechanisms of hydrogen storage over storage times at the reservoir scale. The one-dimensional diffusive mass transport model is based on equilibrium reactions for gas–water–rock interactions and kinetic reactions for sulfate reduction and methanogenesis. The modeling code is PHREEQC (pH-REdox-EQuilibrium written in the C programming language). The parameters that influence the hydrogen loss are identified. Crucial parameters are the amount of available electron acceptors, the storage time, and the kinetic rate constants. Hydrogen storage causes a slight decrease in porosity of the reservoir rock. Loss of aqueous hydrogen by diffusion is minimal. A wide range of conditions for optimized hydrogen storage in depleted gas fields is identified.
Vector-Based Eddy-Current Testing Method
Authors: Li Cheng , Liu Runcong , Dai Shangjun , Zhang Nianmei , Wang Xiaodong
Published: November 2018

We present a type of eddy-current testing (ECT) method based on measuring the reaction of the Lorentz force by using a small permanent magnet (PM) as the probe. The means of measuring impedance is superseded by measuring force. By analyzing the variations in different components of the reaction of Lorentz force, the defects characteristics within the measured conductor can be revealed. The results indicate that the vector-based eddy-current testing method obtains good quantitative results and precisely evaluates the lift-off effect during measurement along two orthogonal directions. Numerical simulations are performed to provide supports for the experimental results. The method described in this paper may have great potential for use in industrial nondestructive testing applications.
An Approach for Multiparameter Meteorological Forecasts
Authors: Pérez-Vega Abrahán , Travieso-González Carlos M. , Hernández-Travieso José Gustavo
Published: November 2018

Accurate meteorological forecasting has great importance in different fields. This works introduces a system to obtain precise predictions, which uses regression functions, and collected data using the meteorological stations from the Gran Canaria and South Tenerife airports. The dataset offers information about different phenomena as temperature, wind speed, solar radiation, pressure, moisture, cloudiness, rainfall and meteors. A preprocessing stage has been applied before prediction stage to adapt the collected data. A support vector machine, regression tree, and fit linear model are applied as regression functions. Results has been measured by the mean square error. These results reached an accuracy of 0.07 °C for temperature, 0.56 km/h for wind speed, 7.45 tenths of kJ/m2 for solar radiation and 0.11 mm for precipitation. It shows the robustness of the multiparameter meteorological forecast approach.
Adsorption of Nonylphenol to Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotubes: Kinetics and Isotherm Study
Authors: Dai Yung-Dun , Shah Kinjal J. , Huang Ching P. , Kim Hyunook , Chiang Pen-Chi
Published: November 2018

We explored the occurrence and distribution of nonylphenol (NP) in 13 Taiwanese source waters. From all the surveyed waters, NP was detected at a high concentration, which could be attributed to contamination by wastewater discharges. In this study, we applied modified multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) for removing NP from aqueous solution. The impact of a few experimental factors, i.e., pH, contact time, MWCNTs dose, and temperature on the NP removal efficiency of modified MWCNTs was studied. The maximum adsorption capacity of the MWCNTs was observed to be 1040 mg NP/g when the initial NP concentration was 2.5 mg/L, and the solution pH was 4. The adsorption process followed the Elovich kinetics and the Elovich isotherm, indicating it is multilayer adsorption. The thermodynamic analysis demonstrated the NP adsorption by MWCNTs was thermodynamically satisfactory and, for the most part, endothermic as in the case of phenol adsorption. The result of the current study demonstrated the significance of free binding sites and the pore size of MWCNTs in the NP adsorption. This paper will help to better comprehend the adsorption behavior and mechanism of alkyl phenolic compounds onto MWCNTs.
SCoPE: Service Composition and Personalization Environment
Authors: Baldissera Thais A. , Camarinha-Matos Luis M.
Published: November 2018

Current demographic trends suggest that people are living longer, while the ageing process entails many necessities calling for care services tailored to the individual senior’s needs and life style. Personalized provision of care services usually involves a number of stakeholders, including relatives, friends, caregivers, professional assistance organizations, enterprises, and other support entities. Traditional Information and Communication Technology (ICT) based care and assistance services for the elderly have been mainly focused on the development of isolated and generic services, considering a single service provider, and excessively featuring a techno-centric approach. In contrast, advances on collaborative networks for elderly care suggest the integration of services from multiple providers, encouraging collaboration as a way to provide better personalized services. This approach requires a support system to manage the personalization process and allow ranking the {service, provider} pairs. In accordance with these requirements, an Elderly Care Ecosystem (ECE) framework and a Service Composition and Personalization Environment (SCoPE) are proposed. ECE provides the context for the personalization method which is based on the match between a taxonomy of care needs and the {service, provider} pairs, and the calculation of a service adherence index to identify suitable services and corresponding providers. To demonstrate the feasibility and applicability of SCoPE, a number of methods and algorithms are presented. Furthermore, an illustrative scenario is introduced in which {service, provider} pairs are ranked based on multidimensional assessment method and composition strategies are based on customer’s profile and requirements.
Feasibility Study of Steel Bar Corrosion Monitoring Using a Piezoceramic Transducer Enabled Time Reversal Method
Authors: Huo Linsheng , Li Chuanbo , Jiang Tianyong , Li Hong-Nan
Published: November 2018

Steel bars, which are commonly used as reinforcements in concrete structures, are slender rods and are good conduits for stress wave propagation. In this paper, a lead zirconate titanate (PZT)-based steel bar corrosion monitoring approach was proposed. Two PZT transducers are surface-bonded on the two ends of a steel rod, respectively. One works as actuator to generate stress waves, and the other functions as a sensor to detect the propagated stress waves. Time reverse technology was applied in this research to monitor the corrosion of the steel bars with a high signal to noise ratio (SNR). Accelerated corrosion experiments of steel bars were conducted. The anti-corrosion performance of the protected piezoceramic transducers was tested first, and then they were used to monitor the corrosion of the steel bar using the time reversal method. The degree of corrosion in the steel bar was determined by the ratio of mass loss during the experiment. The experimental results show that the peak values of the signal that were obtained by time reversal operation are linearly related to the degree of corrosion of the steel bar, which demonstrates the feasibility of the proposed approach for monitoring the corrosion of steel bars using the time reversal method enabled by piezoceramic transducers.
Design and Implementation of a Security Improvement Framework of Zigbee Network for Intelligent Monitoring in IoT Platform
Authors: Rana S , Halim Miah , Kabir M.
Published: November 2018

Internet of Things (IoT) opens new horizons by enabling automated procedures without human interaction using IP connectivity. IoT deals with devices, called things, represented as any items from our daily life that are enhanced with computing or communication facilities. Among various mobile communications, Zigbee communication is broadly used in controlling or monitoring applications due to its low data rate and low power consumption. Securing IoT systems has been the main concern for the research community. In this paper, different security threats of Zigbee networks in the IoT platform have been addressed to predict the potential security threats of Zigbee protocol and a Security Improvement Framework (SIF) has been designed for intelligent monitoring in an office/corporate environment. Our proposed SIF can predict and protect against various potential malicious attacks in the Zigbee network and respond accordingly through a notification to the system administrator. This framework (SIF) is designed to make automated decisions immediately based on real-time data which are defined by the system administrator. Finally, the designed SIF has been implemented in an office security system as a case study for real-time monitoring. This office security system is evaluated based on the capacity of detecting potential security attacks. The evaluation results show that the proposed SIF is capable of detecting and protecting against several potential security attacks efficiently, enabling a more secure way of intelligent monitoring in the IoT platform.
Response Characteristics of the DeepCwind Floating Wind Turbine Moored by a Single-Point Mooring System
Authors: Liu Yingyi , Yoshida Shigeo , Yamamoto Hiroshi , Toyofuku Akinori , He Guanghua , Yang Shunhan
Published: November 2018

In recent years, the SPM (Single-Point Mooring) concept has been widely employed in several branches of the naval architecture and marine engineering field, such as FPSOs (Floating Production, Storage and Offloading units), offshore oil rigs, etc., but not yet popular in the offshore wind energy. To investigate the response characteristics of an SPM-moored FWT (Floating Wind Turbine), in the present work, we perform a numerical study on the DeepCwind semisubmersible wind turbine, using the state-of-the-art open-source tool FAST. The free-decay test results show that the SPM layout affects the natural periods of the wind turbine in rotational modes, as well as the mooring stiffness of the diagonal rotational and crossing rotational-translational terms, especially in relation to the yaw mode. Comparisons of the RAOs (Response Amplitude Operators) elucidate that the presence of wind influences significantly the sway, roll and yaw motions of the SPM layout. Finally, the weathervane test shows that an asymmetry exists in the free-yaw motion response when the semisubmersible wind turbine is moored by an SPM system.
Ethylene- and Propylene-Glycol Based Nanofluids: A Litterature Review on Their Thermophysical Properties and Thermal Performances
Authors: Sekrani Ghofrane , Poncet Sébastien
Published: November 2018

Nanofluids are considered a promising way to improve the heat transfer capability of base fluids. Water is the most commonly-used heat transfer fluid. However, in refrigeration systems, it may be necessary to mix water with either ethylene- or propylene-glycol to lower its freezing point and prevent from ice formation. In the same way, for car radiators or industrial heat exchangers, the boiling point of water can be pushed up by mixing it with glycol-based fluids. The increasing awareness of energy saving and industrial energy efficiency improvement results in the growing interest in ethylene- or propylene-glycol-based nanofluids for applications in various thermal systems. The present paper proposes an extensive review of the most recent and relevant experimental and numerical works on the thermophysical properties and performances of ethylene- or propylene-glycol-based nanofluids. Research perspectives are also provided with the long-term objective that these nanofluids be more widely considered in real industrial applications.
Surveying the Environmental and Technical Dimensions of Sustainability in Software Development Companies
Authors: García-Berna José Alberto , Carrillo de Gea Juan Manuel , Moros Begoña , Fernández-Alemán José Luis , Nicolás Joaquín , Toval Ambrosio
Published: November 2018

The growing concern over the state of degradation of the environment has led to a consideration of aspects relating to sustainability in software. Bearing this in mind, we have carried out a survey of practitioners, aiming to gather information about their awareness of sustainable software, not only during the development process, but also throughout the period in which the software is used. Using the data gathered, we studied professionals’ perspectives on sustainability in software development, and were able to get a picture of the current situation of the application of sustainability practices in this sector. We focused on the environmental and technical dimensions of sustainability aimed at extending the longevity of information systems and making them more energy efficient. From the results, we observed that there is a widespread desire to pursue sustainable behavior at work, even though there are not always clear guidelines on how to proceed in this endeavor.
Designing a Diving Protocol for Thermocline Identification Using Dive Computers in Marine Citizen Science
Authors: Egi Salih Murat , Cousteau Pierre-Yves , Pieri Massimo , Cerrano Carlo , Özyigit Tamer , Marroni Alessandro
Published: November 2018

Dive computers have an important potential for citizen science projects where recreational SCUBA divers can upload the depth temperature profile and the geolocation of the dive to a central database which may provide useful information about the subsurface temperature of the oceans. However, their accuracy may not be adequate and needs to be evaluated. The aim of this study is to assess the accuracy and precision of dive computers and provide guidelines in order to enable their contribution to citizen science projects. Twenty-two dive computers were evaluated during real ocean dives for consistency and scatter in the first phase. In the second phase, the dive computers were immersed in sufficient depth to initiate the dive record inside a precisely controlled sea aquarium while using a calibrated device as a reference. Results indicate that the dive computers do not have the accuracy required for monitoring temperature changes in the oceans, however, they can be used to detect thermoclines if the users follow a specific protocol with specific dive computers. This study enabled the authors to define this protocol based on the results of immersion in two different sea aquarium tanks set to two different temperatures in order to simulate the conditions of a thermocline.
Progressive Collapse Analysis of SRC Frame-RC Core Tube Hybrid Structure
Authors: Chen Xingxing , Xie Wei , Xiao Yunfeng , Chen Yiguang , Li Xianjie
Published: November 2018

Steel reinforced concrete (SRC) frame-reinforced concrete (RC) core tube hybrid structures are widely used in high-rise buildings. Focusing on the progressive collapse behavior of this structural system, this paper presents an experiment and analysis on a 1/5 scaled, 10-story SRC frame-RC core tube structural model. The finite element (FE) model developed for the purpose of progressive collapse analysis was validated by comparing the test results and simulation results. The alternate load path method (APM) was applied in conducting nonlinear static and dynamic analyses, in which key components including columns and shear walls were removed. The stress state of the beams adjacent to the removed component, the structural behavior including inter-story drift ratio and shear distribution between frame and tube were investigated. The demand capacity ratio (DCR) was applied to evaluate the progressive collapse resistance under loss of key components scenarios. The results indicate that the frame and the tube cooperate in a certain way to resist progressive collapse. The core tube plays a role as the first line of defense against progressive collapse, and the frame plays a role as the second line of defense against progressive collapse. It is also found that the shear distribution is related to the location of the component removed, especially the corner column and shear walls.
Heat Loss Measurement of Lithium Titanate Oxide Batteries under Fast Charging Conditions by Employing Isothermal Calorimeter
Authors: Madani Seyed Saeed , Schaltz Erik , Knudsen Kær Søren
Published: November 2018

To understand better the thermal behaviour of lithium-ion batteries under different working conditions, various experiments were applied to a 13 Ah Altairnano lithium titanate oxide battery cell by means of isothermal battery calorimeter. Several parameters were measured such as the battery surface temperature, voltage, current, power, heat flux, maximum temperature and power area. In addition, the efficiency was calculated. Isothermal battery calorimeter was selected as the most appropriate method for heat loss measurements. Temperatures on the surface of the battery were measured by employing four contact thermocouples (type K). In order to determine the heat loss of the battery, constant current charge and discharge pulses at sixteen different C-rates were applied to the battery. It was seen that the charge and discharge C-rates has a considerable influence on the thermal behaviours of lithium-ion batteries. In this research paper, the C-rate was linked to the peak temperature, efficiency and heat loss and it was concluded that they are linear dependent on the C-rate. In addition, the outcomes of this investigation can be used for battery thermal modelling and design of thermal management systems.
Therapeutic Chemical Screen Identifies Phosphatase Inhibitors to Reconstitute PKB Phosphorylation and Cardiac Contractility in ILK-Deficient Zebrafish
Authors: Pott Alexander , Shahid Maryam , Köhler Doreen , Pylatiuk Christian , Weinmann Karolina , Just Steffen , Rottbauer Wolfgang
Published: November 2018

Patients with inherited dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) often suffer from severe heart failure based on impaired cardiac contractility leading to increased morbidity and mortality. Integrin-linked kinase (ILK) as a part of the cardiac mechanical stretch sensor was found to be an essential genetic regulator of cardiac contractility. Integrin-linked kinase localizes to z-disks and costameres in vertebrate hearts and regulates the activity of the signaling molecule protein kinase B (PKB/Akt) by controlling its phosphorylation. Despite identification of several potential drug targets in the ILK signaling pathway, pharmacological treatment strategies to restore contractile function in ILK-dependent cardiomyopathies have not been established yet. In recent years, the zebrafish has emerged as a valuable experimental system to model human cardiomyopathies as well as a powerful tool for the straightforward high-throughput in vivo small compound screening of therapeutically active substances. Using the ILK deficient zebrafish heart failure mutant main squeeze (msq), which shows reduced PKB phosphorylation and thereby impaired cardiac contractile force, we identified here, in an automated small compound screen, the protein phosphatase inhibitors calyculin A and okadaic acid significantly restoring myocardial contractile function by reconstituting PKB phosphorylation in msq ILK-deficient zebrafish embryos.
Squalene Found in Alpine Grassland Soils under a Harsh Environment in the Tibetan Plateau, China
Authors: Lu Xuyang , Ma Shuqin , Chen Youchao , Yangzom Degyi , Jiang Hongmao
Published: November 2018

Squalene is found in a large number of plants, animals, and microorganisms, as well as other sources, playing an important role as an intermediate in sterol biosynthesis. It is used widely in the food, cosmetics, and medicine industries because of its antioxidant, antistatic, and anti-carcinogenic properties. A higher natural squalene component of lipids is usually reported as being isolated to organisms living in harsh environments. In the Tibetan Plateau, which is characterized by high altitude, strong solar radiation, drought, low temperatures, and thin air, the squalene component was identified in five alpine grasslands soils using the pyrolysis gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (Py-GC/MS) technique. The relative abundance of squalene ranged from 0.93% to 10.66% in soils from the five alpine grasslands, with the highest value found in alpine desert and the lowest in alpine meadow. Furthermore, the relative abundance of squalene in alpine grassland soils was significantly negatively associated with soil chemical/microbial characteristics. These results indicate that the extreme environmental conditions of the Tibetan Plateau may stimulate the microbial biosynthesis of squalene, and the harsher the environment, the higher the relative abundance of soil squalene.
In Vitro Anti-Inflammatory Properties of Selected Green Leafy Vegetables
Authors: Gunathilake K. D. P. P. , Ranaweera K. K. D. S. , Rupasinghe H. P. Vasantha
Published: November 2018

The study investigated the anti-inflammatory activity of the hydro methanolic extract of six leafy vegetables, namely Cassia auriculata, Passiflora edulis, Sesbania grandiflora, Olax zeylanica, Gymnema lactiferum, and Centella asiatica. The anti-inflammatory activity of methanolic extracts of leafy vegetables was evaluated using four in vitro-based assays: hemolysis inhibition, proteinase inhibition, protein denaturation inhibition, and lipoxygenase inhibition. Results showed that the percent inhibition of hemolysis from these leaf extracts (25–100 µg/mL dry weight basis (DW)) was within the range from 5.4% to 14.9%, and the leaves of P. edulis and O. zeylanica showed a significantly higher (p < 0.05) inhibition levels. Percent inhibition of protein denaturation of these leafy types was within the range of 36.0–61.0%, and the leaf extract of C. auriculata has exhibited a significantly higher (p < 0.05) inhibition level. Proteinase inhibitory activity of these leaf extracts was within the range of 20.2–25.9%. The lipoxygenase inhibition was within the range of 3.7–36.0%, and the leaf extract of G. lactiferum showed an improved ability to inhibit lipoxygenase activity. In conclusion, results revealed that all the studied leaves possess anti-inflammatory properties at different levels, and this could be due to the differences in the composition and concentration of bioactive compounds.
A Review on the Synthesis and Characterization of Biomass-Derived Carbons for Adsorption of Emerging Contaminants from Water
Authors: Bedia Jorge , Peñas-Garzón Manuel , Gómez-Avilés Almudena , Rodriguez Juan J. , Belver Carolina
Published: November 2018

This review analyzes the preparation and characterization of biomass-derived carbons and their application as adsorbents of emerging contaminants from water. The study begins by identifying the different types of emerging contaminants more often found in water streams, including a brief reference to the available technologies for their removal. It also describes the biomass sources that could be used for the synthesis of biochars and activated carbons (AC). The characterization of the adsorbents and the different approaches that can be followed to learn about the adsorption processes are also detailed. Finally, the work reviews literature studies focused on the adsorption of emerging contaminants on biochars and activated carbons synthesized from biomass precursors.
Experimental Evaluation of a Membrane Micro Channel Reactor for Liquid Phase Direct Synthesis of Hydrogen Peroxide in Continuous Flow Using Nafion® Membranes for Safe Utilization of Undiluted Reactants
Authors: Selinsek Manuel , Kraut Manfred , Dittmeyer Roland
Published: November 2018

In recent years, various modular micro channel reactors have been developed to overcome limitations in challenging chemical reactions. Direct synthesis of hydrogen peroxide from hydrogen and oxygen is a very interesting process in this regard. However, the complex triphasic process (gaseous reactants, reaction in liquid solvent, solid catalyst) still holds challenges regarding safety, selectivity and productivity. The membrane micro reactor system for continuous liquid phase H2O2 direct synthesis was designed to reduce safety issues by separate dosing of the gaseous reactants via a membrane into a liquid-flow channel filled with a catalyst. Productivity is increased by enhanced mass transport, attainable in micro channels and by multiple re-saturation of the liquid with the reactants over the length of the reaction channel. Lastly, selectivity is optimized by controlling the reactant distribution. The influence of crucial technical features of the design, such as micro channel geometry, were studied experimentally in relationship with varying reaction conditions such as residence time, pressure, reactant ratio and solvent flow rate. Successful continuous operation of the reactor at pressures up to 50 bars showed the feasibility of this system. During the experiments, control over the reactant ratio was found to be crucial in order to maximize product yield. Thereby, yields above 80% were achieved. The results obtained are the key elements for future development and optimization of this reactor system, which will hopefully lead to a breakthrough in decentralized H2O2 production.
Effect of Ni–Mo Carbide Catalyst Formation on Furfural Hydrogenation
Authors: Shilov Ivan N. , Smirnov Andrey A. , Bulavchenko Olga A. , Yakovlev Vadim A.
Published: November 2018

High-loading Ni–Mo carbide catalysts were prepared by the modified gel-combustion method under various thermal treatment conditions. All samples were studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis, which showed that the catalysts could contain cubic and hexagonal molybdenum carbides, nickel, nickel oxide and Ni–Mo solid solutions, depending on the thermal treatment conditions. Study of catalyst activity and selectivity in the hydrogenation of furfural was carried out in a batch reactor at 150 °C and hydrogen pressure 6.0 MPa. Analysis of the reaction products showed that the highest yields of 2-methylfuran (2-MF) and furfuryl alcohol (FA) were achieved using catalysts synthesized by calcination of the nickel-molybdenum-carbon precursor at 400 °С with the following reduction in a stream of hydrogen at 600 °C. The best results for production of FA with a yield of 80 mol % and 2-MF with a yield of 29 mol % were observed using Ni6MoC–SiO2 (400/600) and Ni1MoC–SiO2 (400/600) catalysts, respectively. It has been shown that the addition of nickel to the carbide molybdenum catalyst significantly increases the activity of the catalytic systems. In addition, nickel also contributes to the formation of products formed by hydrogenation of the aromatic ring tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol (THFA) and 2-methyltetrahydrofuran (2-MTHF).
Revisiting Rab7 Functions in Mammalian Autophagy: Rab7 Knockout Studies
Authors: Kuchitsu Yoshihiko , Fukuda Mitsunori
Published: November 2018

Rab7 (or Ypt7 in yeast) is one of the well-characterized members of the Rab family small GTPases, which serve as master regulators of membrane trafficking in eukaryotes. It localizes to late endosomes and lysosomes and has multiple functions in the autophagic pathway as well as in the endocytic pathway. Because Rab7/Ypt7 has previously been shown to regulate the autophagosome-lysosome fusion step in yeast and fruit flies (i.e., autophagosome accumulation has been observed in both Ypt7-knockout [KO] yeast and Rab7-knockdown fruit flies), it is widely assumed that Rab7 regulates the autophagosome-lysosome fusion step in mammals. A recent analysis of Rab7-KO mammalian cultured cells, however, has revealed that Rab7 is essential for autolysosome maturation (i.e., autolysosome accumulation has been observed in Rab7-KO cells), but not for autophagosome-lysosome fusion, under nutrient-rich conditions. Thus, although Rab7/Ypt7 itself is essential for the proper progression of autophagy in eukaryotes, the function of Rab7/Ypt7 in autophagy in yeast/fruit flies and mammals must be different. In this review article, we describe novel roles of Rab7 in mammalian autophagy and discuss its functional diversification during evolution.
Mechanisms of TQ-6, a Novel Ruthenium-Derivative Compound, against Lipopolysaccharide-Induced In Vitro Macrophage Activation and Liver Injury in Experimental Mice: The Crucial Role of p38 MAPK and NF-κB Signaling
Authors: Hsia Chih-Hsuan , Velusamy Marappan , Jayakumar Thanasekaran , Chen Yen-Jen , Hsia Chih-Wei , Tsai Jie-Heng , Teng Ruei-Dun , Sheu Joen-Rong
Published: November 2018

Several studies have reported that metal complexes exhibit anti-inflammatory activities; however, the molecular mechanism is not well understood. In this study, we used a potent ruthenium (II)-derived compound, [Ru(η6-cymene)2-(1H-benzoimidazol-2-yl)-quinoline Cl]BF4 (TQ-6), to investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying the anti-inflammatory effects against lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced macrophage activation and liver injury in mice. Treating LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells with TQ-6 suppressed nitric oxide (NO) production and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) expression in a concentration-dependent manner. The LPS-induced expression of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) and interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β) were reduced in TQ-6-treated cells. TQ-6 suppressed, LPS-stimulated p38 MAPK phosphorylation, IκBα degradation, and p65 nuclear translocation in cells. Consistent with the in vitro studies, TQ-6 also suppressed the expression of iNOS, TNF-α, and p65 in the mouse model with acute liver injury induced by LPS. The present study showed that TQ-6 could protect against LPS-induced in vitro inflammation in macrophage and in vivo liver injury in mice, and suggested that NF-κB could be a promising target for protecting against LPS-induced inflammation and liver injury by TQ-6. Therefore, TQ-6 can be a potential therapeutic agent for treating inflammatory diseases.
A Useful Excel-Based Program for Kinetic Model Discrimination
Authors: Pino Lidia , Recupero Vincenzo , Hernández Agustín
Published: November 2018

In the present study, the ANEMONA.XLT tool, an Excel template that was designed for calculation of enzyme kinetic parameters, has been successful adapted to some proposed models for dry reforming reaction, such as Eley-Rideal or Langmuir-Hinshelwood kinetic models. Model discrimination by non-linear regression analysis has been applied to data from the literature; the predicted kinetic parameters that were obtained using ANEMONA.XLT were fully comparable with those already published. Thus, the template can be a helpful and user-friendly alternative tool for researchers who do not have advanced skills in computer programming.
Decadal Ocean Heat Redistribution Since the Late 1990s and Its Association with Key Climate Modes
Authors: Cheng Lijing , Wang Gongjie , Abraham John P. , Huang Gang
Published: November 2018

Ocean heat content (OHC) is the major component of the earth’s energy imbalance. Its decadal scale variability has been heavily debated in the research interest of the so-called “surface warming slowdown” (SWS) that occurred during the 1998–2013 period. Here, we first clarify that OHC has accelerated since the late 1990s. This finding refutes the concept of a slowdown of the human-induced global warming. This study also addresses the question of how heat is redistributed within the global ocean and provides some explanation of the underlying physical phenomena. Previous efforts to answer this question end with contradictory conclusions; we show that the systematic errors in some OHC datasets are partly responsible for these contradictions. Using an improved OHC product, the three-dimensional OHC changes during the SWS period are depicted, related to a reference period of 1982–1997. Several “hot spots” and “cold spots” are identified, showing a significant decadal-scale redistribution of ocean heat, which is distinct from the long-term ocean-warming pattern. To provide clues for the potential drivers of the OHC changes during the SWS period, we examine the OHC changes related to the key climate modes by regressing the Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO), El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO), and Atlantic Multi-decadal Oscillation (AMO) indices onto the de-trended gridded OHC anomalies. We find that no single mode can fully explain the OHC change patterns during the SWS period, suggesting that there is not a single “pacemaker” for the recent SWS. Our observation-based analyses provide a basis for further understanding the mechanisms of the decadal ocean heat uptake and evaluating the climate models.
Finite Element Modellingand Simulations of Piezoelectric Actuators Responses with Uncertainty Quantification
Authors: Nguyen Vinh-Tan , Kumar Pankaj , Leong Jason Yu Chuan
Published: November 2018

Piezoelectric structures are widely used in engineering designs including sensors, actuators, and energy-harvesting devices. In this paper, we present the development of a three-dimensional finite element model for simulations of piezoelectric actuators and quantification of their responses under uncertain parameter inputs. The implementation of the finite element model is based on standard nodal approach extended for piezoelectric materials using three-dimensional tetrahedral and hexahedral elements. To account for electrical-mechanical coupling in piezoelectric materials, an additional degree of freedom for electrical potential is added to each node in those elements together with their usual mechanical displacement unknowns. The development was validated with analytical and experimental data for a range of problems from a single-layer piezoelectric beam to multiple layer beams in unimorph and bimorph arrangement. A more detailed analysis is conducted for a unimorph composite plate actuator with different design parameters. Uncertainty quantification was also performed to evaluate the sensitivity of the responses of the piezoelectric composite plate with an uncertain input of material properties. This sheds light on understanding the variations in reported responses of the device; at the same time, providing extra confidence to the numerical model.
Fabrication of Novel ZIF-8@BiVO4 Composite with Enhanced Photocatalytic Performance
Authors: Si Yun-hui , Li Ya-yun , Xia Yu , Shang Shao-ke , Xiong Xin-bo , Zeng Xie-rong , Zhou Ji
Published: November 2018

In this work, a novel metal-organic framework (MOF) and BiVO4 (BVO) composite photocatalyst was successfully synthesized by an in-situ growth method. The characterization of obtained samples was done by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive spectroscopy, N2 adsorption, and photoluminescence spectroscopy. The photocatalytic performance of ZIF-8@BiVO4 composite was evaluated by the degradation of methylene blue (MB) under simulated visible light irradiation. Compared with the mixture of BVO and ZIF-8, the composite photocatalyst exhibited superior photodegradation efficiency, which could be attributed to the synergistic effect between BVO and ZIF-8. The reduced recombination of photogenerated electrons and holes was considered to be an important reason for the enhancement of photocatalytic performance. This design demonstrates a rational method to improve the photocatalytic performance by combining photocatalysts with MOFs.
From Initial Hit to Crystal Optimization with Microseeding of Human Carbonic Anhydrase IX—A Case Study for Neutron Protein Crystallography
Authors: Koruza Katarina , Lafumat Bénédicte , Nyblom Maria , Knecht Wolfgang , Fisher Zoë
Published: November 2018

Human carbonic anhydrase IX (CA IX) is a multi-domain membrane protein that is therefore difficult to express or crystalize. To prepare crystals that are suitable for neutron studies, we are using only the catalytic domain of CA IX with six surface mutations, named surface variant (SV). The crystallization of CA IX SV, and also partly deuterated CA IX SV, was enabled by the use of microseed matrix screening (MMS). Only three drops with crystals were obtained after initial sparse matrix screening, and these were used as seeds in subsequent crystallization trials. Application of MMS, commercial screens, and refinement resulted in consistent crystallization and diffraction-quality crystals. The crystallization protocols and strategies that resulted in consistent crystallization are presented. These results demonstrate not only the use of MMS in the growth of large single crystals for neutron studies with defined conditions, but also that MMS enabled re-screening to find new conditions and consistent crystallization success.
Parental Perception of Children Affected by Amelogenesis Imperfecta (AI) and Dentinogenesis Imperfecta (DI): A Qualitative Study
Authors: Alqadi Areej , O’Connell Anne C.
Published: November 2018

This qualitative study was conducted to explore parental attitudes and values regarding aesthetics and treatment needs of children in primary dentition affected by AI and DI. A purposive sample of parents of young children attended two focus groups: mothers (n = 7) and fathers (n = 6). A topic guide with open-ended questions was formulated and standardised photographs showing primary teeth affected by varying severity of AI/DI and photographs of different aesthetic treatments were utilised to stimulate discussion. Data was audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. A cross-sectional thematic analysis was performed which identified six main themes; the impact on affected children, the impact on parents, the life course of the disease, coping mechanisms, treatment need, and experience of treatment. Parents believed that young children were aware of their altered dental appearance. A feeling of guilt was evident among fathers affected by the same condition. Most parents sought dental treatment before starting school due to worries of bullying at school. Parents appeared to rely solely on the professional advice of the paediatric dentist in making all treatment related decisions. The personal experience of parents affected by AI/DI played a pivotal role in parent’s judgements of their children’s teeth and perceived need for treatment.
Hybrid Integration Approach of Entropy with Logistic Regression and Support Vector Machine for Landslide Susceptibility Modeling
Authors: Zhang Tingyu , Han Ling , Chen Wei , Shahabi Himan
Published: November 2018

The main purpose of the present study is to apply three classification models, namely, the index of entropy (IOE) model, the logistic regression (LR) model, and the support vector machine (SVM) model by radial basis function (RBF), to produce landslide susceptibility maps for the Fugu County of Shaanxi Province, China. Firstly, landslide locations were extracted from field investigation and aerial photographs, and a total of 194 landslide polygons were transformed into points to produce a landslide inventory map. Secondly, the landslide points were randomly split into two groups (70/30) for training and validation purposes, respectively. Then, 10 landslide explanatory variables, such as slope aspect, slope angle, altitude, lithology, mean annual precipitation, distance to roads, distance to rivers, distance to faults, land use, and normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), were selected and the potential multicollinearity problems between these factors were detected by the Pearson Correlation Coefficient (PCC), the variance inflation factor (VIF), and tolerance (TOL). Subsequently, the landslide susceptibility maps for the study region were obtained using the IOE model, the LR–IOE, and the SVM–IOE model. Finally, the performance of these three models was verified and compared using the receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curve. The success rate results showed that the LR–IOE model has the highest accuracy (90.11%), followed by the IOE model (87.43%) and the SVM–IOE model (86.53%). Similarly, the AUC values also showed that the prediction accuracy expresses a similar result, with the LR–IOE model having the highest accuracy (81.84%), followed by the IOE model (76.86%) and the SVM–IOE model (76.61%). Thus, the landslide susceptibility map (LSM) for the study region can provide an effective reference for the Fugu County government to properly address land planning and mitigate landslide risk.