bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Target action of antioxidants using iontophoresis
Authors: Monteiro e Silva Silas Arandas , Souza Joel Gonçalves de , Melo Priscilla Siqueira , Moreno Ivani Aparecida Marchetto , Alencar Severino Matias , Lopez Renata Fonseca Vianna , Ricci Leonardi Gislaine
Published: June 2020

Background

The use of antioxidants in applications for topical use seems promising, however, many studies must be performed to ensure processes and products that can effectively bring benefits to combat the action of free radicals in the skin. For topical antioxidants to be effective against free radicals from the skin, it is essential that the antioxidants compounds permeate the different skin layers, to reach deeper layers of the epidermis in active form and stay there for a sufficient time to cause the beneficial effects.

Aim

This work aimed to evaluate the antioxidant action of formulations with phenolic compounds as well as to comprehend the skin retention profile of these actives.

Methods

The antioxidant potential was recognized with isolated phenolic acids (gallic, caffeic, and ferulic acid) or in combinations, using different in vitro methods (DPPH ABTS , FRAP , β‐carotene/linoleic acid system and ORAC). The skin retention study was performed throughin vitroassay with Franz's diffusion cell associating, or not, the cathodic iontophoresis.

Results

Gallic acid showed the greatest antioxidant activity and was selected for a study of skin permeation following gel application to porcine skin, with or without cathodic iontophoresis. Gallic acid retention in deeper skin layers was promoted by iontophoresis, and increased skin antioxidant activity was detected after only 20 min of iontophoresis. The present study demonstrated the importance of polymeric gelling agents for optimizing the antioxidant activity.

Conclusion

The cathodic iontophoresis represents a promising strategy to promote a target action of antioxidants in the skin.
Effect of previous cesarean sections on second‐trimester uterine artery Doppler
Authors: Işıkalan Mehmet M. , Yeniçeri Haççe , Toprak Erzat , Güleroğlu Filiz Y. , Acar Ali
Published: June 2020

Aim

In this study, we investigated the effects of previous cesarean sections on uterine artery Doppler indices.

Methods

This prospective cohort study included 153 healthy pregnant women between 18 and 24 weeks of gestation. Seventy‐three pregnant women without previous cesarean sections (control group) and 80 pregnant women with previous cesarean sections (study group) were compared in terms of uterine artery Doppler indices.

Results

The mean uterine artery pulsatility index (PI) MoM value was 1.18 ± 0.40 in the study group and 1.07 ± 0.35 in the control group (P = 0.046). The number of patients with uterine artery PI values above 95 percentile was 18 (22.5%) in the study group and 5(6.8%) in the control group (P = 0.007). The mean gestational age at birth was significantly lower in the study group (38.2 ± 1.3 vs. 39 ± 1.0, P < 0.001). There was no significant difference between the mean PI, resistance index (RI) and systolic/diastolic (S/D) ratio values of the uterine artery (P = 0.16, 0.11, 0.08, respectively). When the comparison was made with the number of previous cesarean sections, all three index values of the patients who had had more than two cesarean sections were found to be significantly higher.

Conclusion

The Doppler flow indices of the uterine artery significantly increased in patients with more than two previous cesarean sections. When evaluating uterine artery Doppler indices in pregnant women with a history of previous cesarean sections, these factors should be considered.
Additive influences of soil and climate gradients drive tree community composition of Central African rain forests
Authors: Libalah Moses Bakonck , Droissart Vincent , Sonké Bonaventure , Barbier Nicolas , Dauby Gilles , Fortunel Claire , Kamdem Gyslene , Kamdem Narcisse , Lewis Simon L , Mofack Gislain II , Momo Stéphane Takoudjou , Pélissier Raphaël , Ploton Pierre , Texier Nicolas , Zebazé Donatien , Couteron Pierre
Published: June 2020

Aim

Examining tree species–environment association can offer insight into the drivers of vegetation patterns and key information of practical relevance to forest management. Here, we aim to quantify the contribution of climate and soil gradients to variation in Central African tree species composition (abundance and occurrence).

Location

Tropical rain forests of southern and eastern Cameroon.

Methods

We established 82 1‐ha permanent plots across seven localities and censused all trees ≥10 cm in diameter, representing a total of 37,733 trees and 455 species. In 60 of those plots, we measured 10 soil variables describing texture and nutrients levels and extracted 10 bioclimatic variables from global‐gridded climate databases. We synthesized the main environmental gradients by conducting principal component analyses on climate and soil data, respectively. We performed unconstrained and constrained non‐symmetric correspondence analyses to account for the individual and joint contributions of climate and soil on species abundance and occurrence.

Results

Climate and soil contributed similarly to variances of species abundance and occurrence (12–15% variance for climate vs 11–12% variance for soil). Climate influence mostly concerns some abundant species, while some of the less abundant species were mainly driven by soil. Fractions of species variances accounted for by climate and soil show strong correlation when assessed from species occurrence and abundance data.

Conclusion

Variation in occurrence and abundance of tropical forest trees can be partly shaped by both climate and soil gradients in Cameroon, which emphasizes the importance to jointly consider soil and climate in species distribution modeling. Less abundant species may express environmental influence differently than abundant species and convey complementary information about community assemblage. Though showing congruent patterns here, species abundance and occurrence reflect different interacting community processes and both should be examined to better understand vegetation patterns.
Large transmission cluster of acute hepatitis C identified among HIV‐positive men who have sex with men in Bangkok, Thailand
Authors: Han Win M. , Colby Donn J. , Khlaiphuengsin Apichaya , Apornpong Tanakorn , Kerr Stephen J. , Ubolyam Sasiwimol , Kroon Eugène , Phanuphak Nittaya , Vasan Sandhya , Matthews Gail V. , Avihingsanon Anchalee , Ruxrungtham Kiat , Phanuphak Praphan , Tangkijvanich Pisit
Published: June 2020

A rapidly emerging and highly concentrated hepatitis C virus (HCV) outbreak has recently been observed among both acute and chronic HIV‐positive men who have sex with men (MSM) in Bangkok, Thailand. NS5B regions of the HCV genome were amplified using nested PCR and sequenced. Phylogenetic inference was constructed by Maximum Likelihood methods and clusters were identified with support and genetic distance thresholds of 85% and of 4.5%. Forty‐eight (25 acute HIV and 23 chronic HIV) MSM with incident HCV infection were included in the analysis. HCV genotype (GT) was 85% GT 1a and 15% GT 3a or 3b. Median age at HCV diagnosis was 34 (interquartile range, 28‐41) years. 83.3% (40/48) had history of syphilis infection and 36% (16/44) reported crystal methamphetamine use. Only 2 (4%) reported ever injecting drugs, both crystal methamphetamine. In the phylogenetic clustering analysis, 83% belonged to one of two clusters: one large (75%) and one small (8%) cluster. All clusters were GT 1a. MSM with acute HIV infection were more likely to be in a cluster (92%) than those with chronic infection (74%). HCV screening should be regularly performed for MSM in ART clinics, and offering direct‐acting antiviral agents to all MSM with HCV infection might contain the HCV epidemic from expanding further.
Thrombolytic therapy in ischemic stroke patients with a preceding transient ischemic attack in telestroke and non‐telestroke settings
Authors: Poupore Nicolas , Strat Dan , Mackey Tristan , Brown Katherine , Snell Ashley , Nathaniel Thomas I.
Published: June 2020

Background

This study investigates the risk factors associated with exclusion or inclusion for thrombolytic therapy in TIA‐ischemic stroke patients in a telestroke compared with a non‐telestroke setting.

Methods

This study retrospectively analyzes regional stroke data collected between January 2010 and June 2016 from TIA‐ischemic stroke patients. We used the logistic regression model to predict clinical risk factors associated with exclusion or inclusion for thrombolytic therapy in the telestroke and non‐telestroke setting.

Results

This study identified a total of 299 ischemic stroke patients with a history of TIAs. Of these, 98 patients received treatment in a telestroke setting, while 201 received treatment in a non‐telestroke setting. The telestroke excluded fewer patients (58%) and administered thrombolytic therapy to 42% of TIA‐ischemic stroke patients. The non‐telestroke setting excluded 89% of patients, while only 11% of TIA‐ischemic stroke patients received rtPA. In the telestroke setting, a history of previous TIA > 24 hours (OR = 16.014, 95% CI, 4.112‐62.368, P < .001) was associated with rtPA inclusion, while higher blood glucose levels (OR = 0.984, 95% CI, 0.969‐0.999, P = .042) were associated with an rtPA exclusion.

Conclusion

After adjusting for the effect of confounding variables, we found direct admission to be significant for exclusion in the non‐telestroke setting. Moreover, there was a significant association between hyperglycemia and exclusion from thrombolytic therapy in TIA‐ischemic stroke patients in the telestroke setting.
Synergistic effects of nitrogen and CO2 enrichment on alpine grassland biomass and community structure
Authors: Zhu Juntao , Zhang Yangjian , Yang Xian , Chen Ning , Jiang Lin
Published: June 2020

Global environmental change is altering the Earth's ecosystems. However, much research has focused on ecosystem‐level responses, and we know substantially less about community‐level responses to global change stressors.

Here we conducted a 6‐yr field experiment in a high‐altitude (4600 m asl) alpine grassland on the Tibetan Plateau to explore the effects of nitrogen (N) addition and rising atmospheric CO2 concentration on plant communities.

Our results showed that N and CO2 enrichment had synergistic effects on alpine grassland communities. Adding nitrogen or CO2 alone did not alter total community biomass, species diversity or community composition, whereas adding both resources together increased community biomass, reduced species diversity and altered community composition. The observed decline in species diversity under simultaneous N and CO2 enrichment was associated with greater community biomass and lower soil water content, and driven by the loss of species characterised simultaneously by tall stature and small specific leaf area.

Our findings point to the co‐limitation of alpine plant community biomass and structure by nitrogen and CO2, emphasising the need for future studies to consider multiple aspects of global environmental change together to gain a more complete understanding of their ecological consequences.
Rejection sensitivity and adolescent non‐suicidal self‐injury: Mediation through depressive symptoms and moderation by fear of self‐compassion
Authors: Jiang Yongqiang , Ren Yaxuan , Liu Tian , You Jianing
Published: June 2020

Objectives

Rejection sensitivity is a risk trait that contributes to the relationships between rejection experiences in various domains and non‐suicidal self‐injury (NSSI). However, research about the association between rejection sensitivity and NSSI has still been understudied. This study sought to examine the mediating role of depressive symptoms and the moderating role of fear of self‐compassion in the association between rejection sensitivity and adolescent NSSI.

Design

A cross‐sectional correlational design was employed through which rejection sensitivity, depressive symptoms, fear of self‐compassion, and NSSI experiences in the past year were measured.

Methods

Seven‐hundred twenty‐eight Chinese secondary school students (51.1% females; mean age = 14.07, SD = 0.75) were included by convenient sampling.

Results

Regression analyses revealed that depressive symptoms worked as a mediator in the association between rejection sensitivity and NSSI. It was also found that fear of self‐compassion acted as a moderator, such that a higher level of fear of self‐compassion strengthened the link between rejection sensitivity and depressive symptoms and the direct link between rejection sensitivity and NSSI.

Conclusions

These findings highlight the need to address adolescents’ rejection sensitivity, depressive symptoms, and fear of self‐compassion in preventing and intervening NSSI.

Practitioner points

Focusing on rejection sensitivity might help understand the relationships between intra‐ and interpersonal distress and NSSI. The findings of this study evidenced the risk effect of adolescents’ rejection sensitivity on NSSI and the partial mediation of depressive symptoms in the link. Targeting adolescents’ rejection sensitivity will be beneficial in developing NSSI‐related prevention and intervention programs.

This study also found that adolescents’ fear of self‐compassion magnified the associations between rejection sensitivity, depressive symptoms, and NSSI. It suggests that targeting adolescent’s fear of self‐compassion will also be beneficial.
Living There, Leaving There: Identity, Sociospatial Mobility, and Exclusion in “Stigmatized Neighborhoods”
Authors: Ropert Teresa , Di Masso Andres
Published: June 2020

As mobility is increasingly reshaping social relations, understanding how it affects new forms of social exclusion is an important challenge in today's polarized societies. From a political‐psychological perspective, this challenge requires recognition of how identity processes linked to exclusion are significantly shaped by sociospatial mobility practices. Identity, mobility, and exclusion are at the core of the psychological experience of people living in segregated areas from where they are impelled to leave. Building on this argument, we present a qualitative case study based on ethnographic and narrative methods, which aimed to understand identity processes among young people who have lived most of their lives in four “stigmatized neighborhoods” in Santiago de Chile. The analysis indicated that young people navigate a paradoxical identity project in such neighborhoods, driven by contradictory cultural mandates. This case study contributes to knowledge on how sociospatial exclusion and the politics of mobility can manifest in the form of “identity trouble,” as young people struggle between belonging and running away, while attempting to maintain a coherent sense of self.
Threat vs control: Potentiation of the trigeminal blink reflex by threat proximity is overruled by self‐stimulation
Authors: Versace Viviana , Campostrini Stefania , Sebastianelli Luca , Saltuari Leopold , Valls‐Solé Josep , Kofler Markus
Published: June 2020

The magnitude of the defensive blink reflex is modulated by continuous assessment of its protective value. Here, we studied whether the trigeminal blink reflex (TBR) is modulated by a potentially offensive object close to the face, and, if so, whether self‐stimulation or observation of the act of stimulus triggering counteracts such modulation. In all, 26 healthy volunteers participated in various experimental conditions. At baseline, an experimenter triggered supraorbital nerve stimuli remotely, unseen by the participants; in experimental conditions, the experimenter held a stimulation probe close to the participant’s face but triggered the stimuli either remotely, “surprising” participants (S1), or directly on the probe, observed by participants (S2). In other conditions, participants triggered stimuli themselves on the probe held next to their body (S3) or held in front of their face (S4). The latter condition was repeated similarly, but pressing the button only randomly generated electrical stimuli (S5, “Russian roulette”). The size of the R2 component of the TBR (TBR‐R2) was the main outcome measure. Compared to baseline, TBR‐R2 area was significantly larger in S1 when the “threatening” probe was close to the face and the participant had no control over stimulation. Conversely, TBR‐R2 was suppressed when participants either saw the action of triggering, thus being aware (S2), or had full initiative over stimulation (S3, S4). Random self‐generated stimuli (S5) inhibited TBR‐R2, but to a lesser extent than S3 and S4. Perceived threat close to the face facilitates TBR‐R2, but knowledge about impending stimulation or self‐agency overrules this effect.
Global Forensic Geolocation with Deep Neural Networks
Authors: Grantham Neal S. , Reich Brian J. , Laber Eric B. , Pacifici Krishna , Dunn Robert R. , Fierer Noah , Gebert Matthew , Allwood Julia S. , Faith Seth A.
Published: June 2020

An important problem in modern forensic analyses is identifying the provenance of materials at a crime scene, such as biological material on a piece of clothing. This procedure, which is known as geolocation, is conventionally guided by expert knowledge of the biological evidence and therefore tends to be application specific, labour intensive and often subjective. Purely data-driven methods have yet to be fully realized in this domain, because in part of the lack of a sufficiently rich source of data. However, high throughput sequencing technologies can identify tens of thousands of fungi and bacteria taxa by using DNA recovered from a single swab collected from nearly any object or surface. This microbial community, or microbiome, may be highly informative of the provenance of the sample, but data on the spatial variation of microbiomes are sparse and high dimensional and have a complex dependence structure that render them difficult to model with standard statistical tools. Deep learning algorithms have generated a tremendous amount of interest within the machine learning community for their predictive performance in high dimensional problems. We present DeepSpace: a new algorithm for geolocation that aggregates over an ensemble of deep neural network classifiers trained on randomly generated Voronoi partitions of a spatial domain. The DeepSpace algorithm makes remarkably good point predictions; for example, when applied to the microbiomes of over 1300 dust samples collected across continental USA, more than half of geolocation predictions produced by this model fall less than 100 km from their true origin, which is a 60% reduction in error from competing geolocation methods. Moreover, we apply DeepSpace to a novel data set of global dust samples collected from nearly 30 countries, finding that dust-associated fungi alone predict a sample's country of origin with nearly 90% accuracy.
Geochemical fingerprints of dolomitization in Bahamian carbonates: Evidence from sulphur, calcium, magnesium and clumped isotopes
Authors: Murray Sean T. , Higgins John A. , Holmden Chris , Lu Chaojin , Swart Peter K.
Published: June 2020

In an effort to constrain the mechanism of dolomitization in Neogene dolomites in the Bahamas and improve understanding of the use of chemostratigraphic tracers in shallow‐water carbonate sediments the δ34S, Δ47, δ13C, δ18O, δ44/40Ca and δ26Mg values and Sr concentrations have been measured in dolomitized intervals from the Clino core, drilled on the margin of Great Bahama Bank and two other cores (Unda and San Salvador) in the Bahamas. The Unda and San Salvador cores have massively dolomitized intervals that have carbonate associated sulphate δ34S values similar to those found in contemporaneous seawater and δ44/40Ca, δ26Mg values, Sr contents and Δ47 temperatures (25 to 30°C) indicating relatively shallow dolomitization in a fluid‐buffered system. In contrast, dolomitized intervals in the Clino core have elevated values of carbonate associated sulphate δ34S values indicating dolomitization in a more sediment‐buffered diagenetic system where bacterial sulphate reduction enriches the residual in 34S, consistent with high sediment Sr concentrations and low δ44/40Ca and high δ26Mg values. Only dolomites associated with hardgrounds in the Clino core have carbonate associated δ34S values similar to seawater, indicating continuous flushing of the upper layers of the sediment by seawater during sedimentary hiatuses. This interpretation is supported by changes to more positive δ44/40Ca values at hardground surfaces. All dolomites, whether they formed in an open fluid‐buffered or closed sediment‐buffered diagenetic system have similar δ26Mg values suggesting that the HMC transformed to dolomite. The clumped isotope derived temperatures in the dolomitized intervals in Clino yield temperatures that are higher than normal, possibly indicating a kinetic isotope effect on dolomite Δ47 values associated with carbonate formation through bacterial sulphate reduction. The findings of this study highlight the utility of applying multiple geochemical proxies to disentangle the diagenetic history of shallow‐water carbonate sediments and caution against simple interpretations of stratigraphic variability in these geochemical proxies as indicating changes in the global geochemical cycling of these elements in seawater.
On inference for modes under long memory
Authors: Beran Jan , Telkmann Klaus
Published: June 2020

We consider inference for local maxima of the marginal density function of strongly dependent linear processes. Weak consistency of the estimated modular set and the number of modes is derived. A uniform reduction principle for kernel density estimators is used to obtain confidence sets for the set of modes. The results can be extended to multivariate modes. Simulations illustrate the asymptotic results.
Testing multivariate normality by zeros of the harmonic oscillator in characteristic function spaces
Authors: Dörr Philip , Ebner Bruno , Henze Norbert
Published: June 2020

We study a novel class of affine invariant and consistent tests for normality in any dimension in an i.i.d.‐setting. The tests are based on a characterization of the standardd‐variate normal distribution as the unique solution of an initial value problem of a partial differential equation motivated by the harmonic oscillator, which is a special case of a Schrödinger operator. We derive the asymptotic distribution of the test statistics under the hypothesis of normality as well as under fixed and contiguous alternatives. The tests are consistent against general alternatives, exhibit strong power performance for finite samples, and they are applied to a classical data set due to R.A. Fisher. The results can also be used for a neighborhood‐of‐model validation procedure.
Does habit weaken the relationship between intention and behaviour? Revisiting the habit‐intention interaction hypothesis
Authors: Gardner Benjamin , Lally Phillippa , Rebar Amanda L.
Published: June 2020

Habitual behaviours are elicited when a familiar context activates cue‐behaviour associations that have been learned through previous performance. A core hypothesis within habit theory is that, by virtue of its automaticity, habit weakens the impact of intention on action, such that in facilitating conditions, action will be guided more by habit than momentary intentions. This has led to recommendations that habit formation be harnessed as a mechanism for sustaining desirable behaviour over time, when people would otherwise relapse due to loss of motivation. This article reviews theory and evidence around the hypothesized interaction between habit and intention as determinants of behaviour. We first qualify the hypothesis by clarifying that it pertains only to determinants of the instigation of action, rather than execution. Next, drawing on a systematic review of 52 behaviour‐prediction studies, we highlight mixed empirical support for the interaction. We argue that ostensibly inconsistent findings can be reconciled by recognizing the distinction between the direction and strength of intention, and identifying the “facilitating conditions” that may determine the relative influence of habit and intention on behaviour. Evidence demonstrates that when self‐control is diminished, people act habitually regardless of intention direction or strength. When people possess self‐control, habits can help people to act on favourable but weakened intentions, but intentions that oppose habitual tendencies can override habitual influence. This has important implications for behaviour change: even if habit has formed, a minimal level of favourable conscious motivation may be required to sustain behaviours over time. Social psychology might fruitfully move beyond asking whether habit moderates the intention‐behaviour relationship, and instead probe how and in which conditions habits and intentions interact.
Patient sexual orientation and gender identity disclosure
Authors: Jamieson Abigail , Cross Harry , Arthur Sophie , Nambiar Kate , Llewellyn Carrie D
Published: June 2020

Background

In the UK, 2.3% of men and 1.6% of women identify as lesbian, gay or bisexual (LGB). Of the UK population, 1% are estimated to identify as transgender (T). Of the LGB population, 46% do not disclose their sexual orientation to health care professionals (HCPs) and 18% of transgender patients avoid health care altogether. Non‐disclosure of sexual orientation and/or gender identity contributes to worse health outcomes for LGBT patients.

Objectives

This study aimed to explore medical students’ perceptions of the barriers to health care for LGBT patients and the importance of patient disclosure of sexual orientation or gender identity.

Methods

Focus groups included medical students across five year‐groups from a medical school in the South East of England. Discussions followed a pre‐approved topic guide with a primary and co‐facilitator present. Focus groups were audio‐recorded, transcribed verbatim and the data underwent framework analysis.

Results

Forty‐five undergraduate medical students participated (40% of whom were non‐heterosexual). Most participants believed that the incorrect use of pronouns and discrimination would be a cause for non‐disclosure of gender identity and sexual orientation to HCPs. Several participants thought it was more important to know a patient's gender identity than sexual orientation. Many participants felt that collecting sexual orientation information on healthcare registration forms is acceptable.

Discussion

More education regarding LGBT health needs and ways to encourage patient disclosure of sexual orientation or gender identity should be included in the undergraduate medical school curricula to increase the competency of future doctors when interacting with LGBT patients.
Eosinophilic gastroenteritis and graft‐versus‐host disease induced by transmission of Norovirus with fecal microbiota transplant
Authors: Bilinski Jaroslaw , Lis Karol , Tomaszewska Agnieszka , Pechcinska Aleksandra , Grzesiowski Pawel , Dzieciatkowski Tomasz , Walesiak Alicja , Gierej Beata , Ziarkiewicz‐Wróblewska Bogna , Tyszka Martyna , Kacprzyk Piotr , Chmielewska Lidia , Waszczuk‐Gajda Anna , Wiktor‐Jedrzejczak Wieslaw , Basak Grzegorz W.
Published: June 2020

Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) was performed to decolonize gastrointestinal tract from antibiotic‐resistant bacteria before allogeneic hematopoietic cells transplantation (alloHCT). AlloHCT was complicated by norovirus gastroenteritis, acute graft‐versus‐host disease, and eosinophilic pancolitis. Norovirus was identified in samples from FMT material. Symptoms resolved after steroids course and second norovirus‐free FMT from another donor.
Enhanced photosynthetic activity in pak choi hybrids is associated with increased grana thylakoids in chloroplasts
Authors: Liu Tongkun , Duan Weike , Chen Zhongwen , Yuan Jingping , Xiao Dong , Hou Xilin , Li Ying
Published: June 2020

Increased photosynthetic activity is closely linked to heterosis in plants, but the underlying molecular mechanisms remain elusive. Pak choi (Brassica rapa ssp. chinensis) is a widely grown vegetable in Asia, and the most commercial cultivars are F1 hybrids. Here, the inbred pak choi lines WTC and 2Q, and their reciprocal F1 hybrids WQ and QW, were used to characterize the increased photosynthetic activity in these hybrids at the physiological, cellular and molecular levels. We found that the hybrids had larger leaves, with more grana thylakoids. Additionally, these hybrids had significantly increased net photosynthetic rates (Pn) under both saturating and low irradiance conditions. These data indicate that the increased photosynthetic activity in pak choi hybrids was associated with an improved photosynthetic mechanism and larger leaves. Next, we obtained genome‐wide data using transcriptome and bisulfite sequencing. Gene ontology (GO) analysis showed that the differentially expressed genes among the parents and hybrids were mostly enriched in the ‘photosynthesis’, ‘thylakoid’, and ‘chloroplast’ categories, indicating that the increased number of grana thylakoids contributes to the enhanced photosynthetic capacity in hybrids. Furthermore, we found that the increased number of grana thylakoids was associated with the upregulation of light‐harvesting complex of photosystem II 1 (BrLhcb1). Yeast one‐hybrid and transient assay showed that the BrLhcb1 promoter was directly bound by CIRCADIAN CLOCK ASSOCIATED 1 (BrCCA1), resulting in increased BrLhcb1 expression and enhanced carbon fixation in hybrids. Finally, our findings provide new insight into molecular mechanisms underlying enhanced photosynthesis in pak choi hybrids.
Long and short‐term assessment of surface area changes in saline and freshwater lakes via remote sensing
Authors: Yagmur Nur , Bilgilioglu Burhan Baha , Dervisoglu Adalet , Musaoglu Nebiye , Tanik Aysegul
Published: June 2020

Advances in remote sensing technology enable monitoring and detection of these vulnerable water bodies that bear numerous functions and ecological services beyond their intended use. As such, valuable data and information may be provided for long and short‐term analyses and stored in a database for future projections. This paper initially grouped 18 natural lakes of the Konya Closed Basin of Turkey according to their salinity level. Freshwater, saline and brackish lakes have then undergone temporal analysis for every 5‐year intervals via Landsat satellite images. Freshwater lake surfaces have not changed noticeably during the inspection period; however, saline waters have decreased in surface area by 32%. Beysehir Lake constituting 94% of the freshwater category and Tuz Lake representing 97% of the saline group were selected for the short‐term analysis that was monthly conducted for years 2017 and 2018 with optical and SAR images to better verify cause and effect relationship.
Social Cognitive Theory and Health Care: Analysis and Evaluation
Authors: Manjarres-Posada Natalia I. , Onofre-Rodríguez Dora J. , Benavides-Torres Raquel A.
Published: June 2020

Social Cognitive Theory explains how different personal, environmental and cognitive factors influence human behavior and it has been an important source of knowledge in the social and health sciences. It has been employed in research and practice in nursing, the science of caring. However, no critical analysis has been conducted to show the impact of Social Cognitive Theory in nursing. This article aims to conduct an analysis and evaluation of Social Cognitive Theory using the Fawcett and DeSanto-Madeya methodological framework and a systematic search of the literature. Social Cognitive Theory showed that even though is a non-disciplinary theory of health sciences, the clarity and simplicity of its content facilitates its use in understanding and addressing different phenomena of caring, the creation of middle-range theories and in professional education. The contribution of Social Cognitive Theory in nursing science has focused mainly on two aspects: firstly, on improving disciplinary knowledge with the practical context of health caring by understanding human behavior and its integration in interventions for the promotion, prevention and treatment of health, and secondly, on nursing professionals’ education, highlighting the relevance of the interdisciplinary nature of knowledge.
High Strain Rate Mechanical Properties of SAC-Q With Sustained Elevated Temperature Storage at 100 °C
Authors: Lall Pradeep , Mehta Vishal , Suhling Jeff , Locker David
Published: June 2020

Leadfree electronics in harsh environments often may be exposed to elevated temperature for the duration of storage, transport, and usage in addition to high strain rate triggering loads during drop-impact, vibration, and shock. These electronic components may get exposed to high strain rates of 1 to 100 s−1 and operating temperatures up to 200 °C in critical surroundings. Doped SAC solder alloys such as SAC-Q are being considered for use in fine-pitch electronic components. SAC-Q consists of Sn-Ag-Cu alloy in addition to Bi (SAC+Bi). Prior data presented to date for lead-free solders, such as SAC-Q alloy, at high aging temperature and high strain rate are for 50 °C sustained exposure. In this paper, the effect of sustained exposure to temperature of 100 °C on high strain rate properties of SAC-Q is studied. Thermally aged SAC-Q samples at 100 °C have been tested at a range of strain rates including 10, 35, 50, and 75 s−1 and operating temperatures ranging from 25 °C up to 200 °C. Stress–strain curves are established for the given range of strain rates and operating temperatures. Also, the computed experimental results and data have been fitted to the Anand viscoplasticity model for SAC-Q for comparison.
Wind Energy Potential in Jordan: Analysis of the First Large-Scale Wind Farm and Techno-Economic Assessment of Potential Farms
Authors: Kiwan Suhil , Al-Gharibeh Elyasa , Abu-Lihia Emad
Published: June 2020

We research the investment potential of wind energy in Jordan. The capacity factor of the first large-scale wind farm in the country, Tafila Wind Farm, was found to be 33.1%, based on actual energy production during its first year of operation. The best performing turbine in the farm achieved a capacity factor of 39.1%. Other eight sites, which are expected to have such capacity factors were subjected to techno-economic investigation utilizing 52 different turbine models of nameplate capacities range from 1.0 to 5.0 MW. A capacity factor higher than 25.0% can be achieved at all the studied sites. The average levelized cost of electricity of the 52 turbines at the eight sites is 0.0708 $/kWh, and the cost ranges from 0.0452 to 0.1108 $/kWh. A proposed 80 MW farm at every location results in a total capacity of 640 MW and an annual estimated energy generation of 1545.0–2076.0 GWh, around 7.0–9.0% of the country's projected electricity demand in 2020.
Contact Yield Initiation and Its Influence on Rolling Contact Fatigue of Case-Hardened Steels
Authors: Li Donglong , Zhang Mengqi , Xie Lechun , Wang Zhanjiang , Zhou Zhongrong , Zhao Ning , Palmer David , Jane Wang Q.
Published: June 2020

Stress distributions and plastic deformation zones are factors directly influencing the fatigue life of components under cyclic contact. An effective approach to improving the resistance of a steel to contact fatigue failure is surface hardening, which builds gradient yield strength from the surface of the steel to the bulk. When using the distortion energy theory as the criterion to identify failure initiation for a case-hardened steel, contact yield starts in the subsurface wherever the von Mises stress reaches the local material strength, rather than at the point of the maximum von Mises stress in the subsurface. If the yield strength changes from the surface to the bulk following a straight line, the location of yield initiation should occur at the tangency of the strength line and the von Mises stress curve. Analyses on circular, rectangular, and elliptical contacts are presented to reveal the locations of contact yield initiation for such case-hardened steels subjected to rolling contact stresses, for which the influence of friction can be ignored. A group of formulas relating contact yield initiation, in terms of the critical pressure, location of the first yield, and plasticity index (transition to plasticity) to case-hardening parameters, such as the case slope, the minimum case depth, and surface and bulk strengths, are derived to facilitate contact element designs using case-hardened materials. The results are applied to examine the rolling contact behaviors of several case-hardened steels, and the data correlation suggests that their rolling contact fatigue lives are related to a nondimensional case-hardening slope besides external loading.
Experimental Investigation on the Effects of Swirlers Configurations and Air Inlet Partitioning in a Partially Premixed Double High Swirl Gas Turbine Model Combustor
Authors: Mardani Amir , Asadi Rekabdarkolaei Benyamin , Rezapour Rastaaghi Hamed
Published: June 2020

In this work, a double-high swirl gas turbine model combustor (GTMC) has been experimentally investigated to identify the effects of air partitioning and swirlers geometry on combustion characteristics in terms of flame stability, exhaust gas temperature, NOx generation, and combustion efficiency. This high swirl model combustor is originally developed in the German Aerospace Center (DLR) and known as GTMC and recently reconstructed at Sharif University's Combustion Laboratory (named as SGTMC). Here, SGTMC run for liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) fuel and air oxidizer at room temperature and atmospheric pressure. Eleven different burner geometries, M1–M11, are considered for the aims of this work. Furthermore, the effects of burner confinement are also investigated. The results show that under the confined state, the flame has a lower width and height than the unconfined one. Exchanging the swirlers of annular and central air inlets shows a more stable and lifted V type flame with almost zero levels of CO and CH4. In addition, measurement showed that the annular swirler removing leads to incomplete combustion. Moreover, an increment in discharged air velocity leads to more completed combustion and less pollutant exhaust gas but the attachment of flame to the burner hub. Strengthening the flow channeling is not reasonable in terms of emission aspects. Moreover, burner configuring to counterrotating swirlers leads to a more stable flame but with lower combustion efficiency. Among 11 test cases, the original configuration and the case of exchanging the swirlers of annular and central air inlets are the best choices in terms of combustion efficiency and stability. Measurements show the improvement of burner stability, 2–10%, due to inlet air preheating.
A Combined Wavelet Transform and Recurrent Neural Networks Scheme for Identification of Hydrocarbon Reservoir Systems From Well Testing Signals
Authors: Moghimihanjani Mehrafarin , Vaferi Behzad
Published: June 2020

Oil and gas are likely the most important sources for producing heat and energy in both domestic and industrial applications. Hydrocarbon reservoirs that contain these fuels are required to be characterized to exploit the maximum amount of their fluids. Well testing analysis is a valuable tool for the characterization of hydrocarbon reservoirs. Handling and analysis of long-term and noise-contaminated well testing signals using the traditional methods is a challenging task. Therefore, in this study, a novel paradigm that combines wavelet transform (WT) and recurrent neural networks (RNN) is proposed for analyzing the long-term well testing signals. The WT not only reduces the dimension of the pressure derivative (PD) signals during feature extraction but it efficiently removes noisy data. The RNN identifies reservoir type and its boundary condition from the extracted features by WT. Results confirmed that the five-level decomposition of the PD signals by the Bior 1.1 filter provides the best features for classification. A two-layer RNN model with nine hidden neurons correctly detects 3202 out of 3298 hydrocarbon reservoir systems. Performance of the proposed approach is checked using smooth, noisy, and real field well testing signals. Moreover, a comparison is done among predictive accuracy of WT-RNN, traditional RNN, conventional multilayer perceptron (MLP) neural networks, and couple WT-MLP approaches. The results confirm that the coupled WT-RNN paradigm is superior to the other considered smart machines.
Analytical and Experimental Investigation of Perforation Layout Parameters on Hydraulic Fracture Propagation
Authors: Zuo Shaojie , Ge Zhaolong , Lu Yiyu , Cao Shirong , Zhang Liang
Published: June 2020

Horizontal wellbore fracturing technology is an effective method to stimulate reservoirs and increase energy production, such as gas, oil, and geothermy. The perforation layout parameters are the key parameters affecting the fracturing effect. To analyze the influence of perforation layout parameters on hydraulic fracture propagation and optimization of the perforation layout parameters, the stress surrounding the perforation is derived, key oriented points and effective oriented angles are defined, and effective oriented criteria are proposed. The principal stress direction angle can be divided into three stages as the distance from the fracturing hole increases: decreasing stage (tends to the connection direction of perforations), stable stage, and increasing stage (tends to the maximum horizontal ground stress direction). A common relationship between the perforation length, the initial angle, the ground stress difference, and the suitable oriented angle is obtained. The results will guide the field application of the above fracturing technologies.
A Semi-Analytical Fractal-Fractional Mathematical Model for Multi-Fractured Horizontal Wells in Coalbed Methane Reservoirs
Authors: Jiang Ruizhong , Liu Xiuwei , Wang Xing , Wang Qiong , Cui Yongzheng , Zhang Chunguang
Published: June 2020

Coalbed methane (CBM) which is clean energy has received great emphasis recently, and the multi-fracturing technology is widely applied in the exploitation of CBM. Due to the complexity, the randomness, and the anisotropism of the porous medium and the anomalous diffusion process, the fractal theory and fractional calculus are utilized to establish a semi-analytical fractal-fractional mathematical model considering the stress sensitivity of the cleat system for multi-fractured horizontal wells in CBM reservoirs. Through line-sink theory, Pedrosa transformation, perturbation theory, Laplace transformation, element discretization, superposition principle, and Stehfest numerical inversion, the pressure-transient analysis curves are plotted in the double logarithmic coordinates. By comparing with the existing model, the validation of the proposed model is illustrated. Also, nine flowing stages are identified according to different characteristics. Then, sensitivity analysis is conducted and influence laws are summarized. At last, a field application is introduced to furtherly verify the reliability of the proposed model. The relevant results analysis can provide some new significant guidance for interpreting the field data more precisely.
Experimental Study on the Influence of Film Cooling Hole Extraction on Heat Transfer and Flow Field in Internal Ribbed Cooling Channels of Turbine Blades
Authors: Böttger Marlene , Lange Martin , Mailach Ronald , Vogeler Konrad
Published: June 2020

Film cooling and internal passage cooling play a fundamental role in turbine blade cooling. As the cooling holes are fed by the internal crossflow, interaction of these both cooling strategies is implicated. The influence of film hole extraction on the internal flow field and heat transfer of a ribbed cooling channel is investigated in this study. Therefore, a rectangular cooling channel (AR = 2:1) is equipped with parallel ribs of four different geometries (90 deg ribs, 60 deg ribs, 60 deg V-shaped ribs, and 60 deg Λ-shaped ribs) and also with bleed holes at varying positions between the ribs. The different geometrical configurations are examined using 2D-particle image velocimetry (PIV) for flow measurements and transient thermochromic liquid crystal (TLC) technique for heat transfer measurements. Depending on the rib-induced heat transfer pattern, cooling hole positions in the rib segments are found, which can enhance passage internal heat transfer. 90 deg and 60 deg ribs show the best results for upstream hole positions regardless of the lateral positioning. V and Λ ribs reveal a benefit for lateral positioned cooling holes near the upstream rib.
Engineering anisotropic magnetoresistance of Hall bars with interfacial organic layers
Authors: Park Jun Hong , Ribeiro Mario , Pham Thi Kim Hang , Lee Nyun Jong , Eom Tai-woon , Jo Junhyeon , Park Seung-Young , Rhim Sonny H. , Nakamura Kohji , Yoo Jung-Woo , Kim Tae Hee
Published: June 2020

Tuning the magnetoresistance behavior of heterostructures composed of nonmagnetic and ferromagnetic (FM) materials is crucial for improving their applicability in electronic and spintronic devices. In this study, we investigate whether the integration of organic layers to NiFe/Pt junctions can result in the modification of the magnetic moment of the FM layer using iron phthalocyanines (FePc) and copper phthalocyanines (CuPc) as the interfacial layers for controlling the spin-charge conversion. Relaxation of the out-of-plane magnetic hard axis of the NiFe/Pt junctions is observed, as a result of the modification of the interfacial magnetic structure. The transport measurements of the fabricated hybrid Hall bar junctions with NiFe/FePc/Pt and NiFe/CuPc/Pt reveal that although the intrinsic anisotropic magnetoresistance of the present Hall bar is maintained with the integration of interfacial metal phthalocyanine (MPc) layers, a change in the magnetic response along the axis perpendicular to the in-plane of Hall bars is observed, owing to the insertion of the interfacial MPc layers. The present method of interface engineering via integration of organic interfacial layers can act as a model system for controlling the spin-charge conversion behavior of magnetic heterojunction toward the development of multifunctional molecular-engineered spintronic devices.
A talker-independent deep learning algorithm to increase intelligibility for hearing-impaired listeners in reverberant competing talker conditions
Authors: Healy Eric W. , Johnson Eric M. , Delfarah Masood , Wang DeLiang
Published: June 2020

Deep learning based speech separation or noise reduction needs to generalize to voices not encountered during training and to operate under multiple corruptions. The current study provides such a demonstration for hearing-impaired (HI) listeners. Sentence intelligibility was assessed under conditions of a single interfering talker and substantial amounts of room reverberation. A talker-independent deep computational auditory scene analysis (CASA) algorithm was employed, in which talkers were separated and dereverberated in each time frame (simultaneous grouping stage), then the separated frames were organized to form two streams (sequential grouping stage). The deep neural networks consisted of specialized convolutional neural networks, one based on U-Net and the other a temporal convolutional network. It was found that every HI (and normal-hearing, NH) listener received algorithm benefit in every condition. Benefit averaged across all conditions ranged from 52 to 76 percentage points for individual HI listeners and averaged 65 points. Further, processed HI intelligibility significantly exceeded unprocessed NH intelligibility. Although the current utterance-based model was not implemented as a real-time system, a perspective on this important issue is provided. It is concluded that deep CASA represents a powerful framework capable of producing large increases in HI intelligibility for potentially any two voices.
TRPML1ng on sparks
Authors: Nieves-Cintron Madeline , Santana Luis F. , Navedo Manuel F.
Published: June 2020

The lysosomal channel TRPML1 acts as the trigger for Ca
2+
sparks that promote arterial relaxation (Thakore
et al.
, in 23 June 2020 issue).
Sleepless with ROS
Authors: Wong Wei
Published: June 2020

Sleep deprivation may kill because it induces ROS accumulation and increased oxidative stress in the gut.