bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Transcription Factors as Therapeutic Targets in Chronic Kidney Disease
Authors: Hishikawa Akihito , Hayashi Kaori , Itoh Hiroshi
Published: May 2018

The growing number of patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) is recognized as an emerging problem worldwide. Recent studies have indicated that deregulation of transcription factors is associated with the onset or progression of kidney disease. Several clinical trials indicated that regression of CKD may be feasible via activation of the transcription factor nuclear factor erythroid-2 related factor 2 (Nrf2), which suggests that transcription factors may be potential drug targets for CKD. Agents stabilizing hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF), which may be beneficial for renal anemia and renal protection, are also now under clinical trial. Recently, we have reported that the transcription factor Kruppel-like factor 4 (KLF4) regulates the glomerular podocyte epigenome, and that the antiproteinuric effect of the renin–angiotensin system blockade may be partially mediated by KLF4. KLF4 is one of the Yamanaka factors that induces iPS cells and is reported to be involved in epigenetic remodeling. In this article, we summarize the transcription factors associated with CKD and particularly focus on the possibility of transcription factors being novel drug targets for CKD through epigenetic modulation.
Mitochondria Transcription Factor A: A Putative Target for the Effect of Melatonin on U87MG Malignant Glioma Cell Line
Authors: Franco Daiane G. , Moretti Isabele F. , Marie Suely K. N.
Published: May 2018

The disruption of mitochondrial activity has been associated with cancer development because it contributes to regulating apoptosis and is the main source of reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. Mitochondrial transcription factor A (TFAM) is a protein that maintains mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) integrity, and alterations in its expression are associated with mitochondrial damage and cancer development. In addition, studies have shown that mitochondria are a known target of melatonin, the pineal gland hormone that plays an important anti-tumorigenic role. Thus, we hypothesized that melatonin decreases the expression of TFAM (RNA and protein) in the human glioblastoma cell line U87MG, which disrupts mtDNA expression and results in cell death due to increased ROS production and mitochondrial damage. Our results confirm the hypothesis, and also show that melatonin reduced the expression of other mitochondrial transcription factors mRNA (TFB1M and TFB2M) and interfered with mtDNA transcription. Moreover, melatonin delayed cell cycle progression and potentiated the reduction of cell survival due to treatment with the chemotherapeutic agent temozolomide. In conclusion, elucidating the effect of melatonin on TFAM expression should help to understand the signaling pathways involved in glioblastoma progression, and melatonin could be potentially applied in the treatment of this type of brain tumor.
Evaluation of the Impact of Storage Conditions on the Biogenic Amines Profile in Opened Wine Bottles
Authors: Płotka-Wasylka Justyna , Simeonov Vasil , Namieśnik Jacek
Published: May 2018

A survey of biogenic amine (BA) profiles in opened wine bottles has been established to monitor the level of biogenic amines (BAs) in opened bottles against time and other conditions. Bottles of red and white wine were submitted to different temperatures, stopper type (screw cap, cork), and use of vacuum devices. A total of six wines made from a variety of grapes were obtained from vineyards from regions across Poland. Dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (DLLME-GC-MS) procedure for BAs determination was validated and applied for wine sample analysis. The total content of BAs from the set of immediately opened wine samples ranged from 442 to 929 µg/L for white wines, and 669 to 2244 µg/L for red wines. The most abundant BAs in the analysed wines were histamine and putrescine. Considering the commercial availability of the analysed wines, there was no relationship between the presence of BAs in a given wine and their availability on the market. However, it was observed and confirmed by chemometric analysis that the different storage conditions employed in this experiment affect not only the BAs profile, but also the pH.
Salvia castanea Hairy Roots are More Tolerant to Phosphate Deficiency than Salvia miltiorrhiza Hairy Roots Based on the Secondary Metabolism and Antioxidant Defenses
Authors: Liu Lin , Yang Dongfeng , Xing Bingcong , Zhang Haihua , Liang Zongsuo
Published: May 2018

Salvia miltiorrhiza is a well-known traditional Chinese herb which is used to treat heart disease. Salvia castanea is a substitute product for S. miltiorrhiza in the medicinal field. Previous study has shown that phosphate (Pi) deficiency could promote the accumulation of secondary metabolism in herbs, and it has also developed a strategy for saving Pi resources and increasing the yield of active substances in herbs. In the present study, the hairy roots of S. miltiorrhiza and S. castanea were used to identify the Pi deficiency response mechanisms of these two Salvia species. The results showed that Pi deficiency increased the accumulation of specifically secondary metabolites, such as phenolic acids and tanshinones, which were caused by promoting the expression levels of key enzyme genes. In addition, Pi deficiency promoted the antioxidant activity in these two Salvia species. The data demonstrated that Pi deficiency increased the quality of the medicinal material in the plant. The hairy roots of S. castanea were more adaptive to Pi deficiency than those of S. miltiorrhiza in terms of biomass, secondary metabolism, and antioxidant activity. The results of this study provide insights into breeding herbs that are better adapted to Pi deficiency, which could increase the yield of active ingredients in herbs and save Pi resources.
Synthesis of Nano-Zinc Oxide Loaded on Mesoporous Silica by Coordination Effect and Its Photocatalytic Degradation Property of Methyl Orange
Authors: Shen Zhichuan , Zhou Hongjun , Chen Huayao , Xu Hua , Feng Chunhua , Zhou Xinhua
Published: May 2018

Salicylaldimine-modified mesoporous silica (Sal-MCM-3 and Sal-MCM-9) was prepared through a co-condensation method with different amounts of added salicylaldimine. With the coordination from the salicylaldimine, zinc ions were impregnated on Sal-MCM-3 and Sal-MCM-9. Then, Zn-Sal-MCM-3 and Zn-Sal-MCM-9 were calcined to obtain nano-zinc oxide loaded on mesoporous silica (ZnO-MCM-3 and ZnO-MCM-9). The material structures were systematically studied by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), N2 adsorption/desorption measurements, X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), zeta potential, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), ultraviolet diffused reflectance spectrum (UV-vis DRS), and thermogravimetry (TGA). Methyl orange (MO) was used to investigate the photocatalysis behavior of ZnO-MCM-3 and ZnO-MCM-9. The results confirmed that nano ZnO was loaded in the channels as well as the outside surface of mesoporous silica (MCM-41). The modification of salicylaldimine helped MCM-41 to load more nano ZnO on MCM-41. When the modification amount of salicylaldimine was one-ninth and one-third of the mass of the silicon source, respectively, the load of nano ZnO on ZnO-MCM-9 and ZnO-MCM-3 had atomic concentrations of 1.27 and 2.03, respectively. ZnO loaded on ZnO-MCM-9 had a wurtzite structure, while ZnO loaded on ZnO-MCM-3 was not in the same crystalline group. The blocking effect caused by nano ZnO in the channels reduced the orderliness of MCM-41. The photodegradation of MO can be divided in two processes, which are mainly controlled by the surface areas of ZnO-MCM and the loading amount of nano ZnO, respectively. The pseudo-first-order model was more suitable for the photodegradation process.
Phospholipid-Coated Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticles Acting as Lubricating Drug Nanocarriers
Authors: Sun Tao , Sun Yulong , Zhang Hongyu
Published: May 2018

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a severe disease caused by wear and inflammation of joints. In this study, phospholipid-coated mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs@lip) were prepared in order to treat OA at an early stage. The phospholipid layer has excellent lubrication capability in aqueous media due to the hydration lubrication mechanism, while mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) act as effective drug nanocarriers. The MSNs@lip were characterized by scanning electron microscope, transmission electron microscope, Fourier transform infrared spectrum, X-ray photoelectron spectrum, thermogravimetric analysis and dynamic light scattering techniques to confirm that the phospholipid layer was coated onto the surface of MSNs successfully. A series of tribological tests were performed under different experimental conditions, and the results showed that MSNs@lip with multi-layers of phospholipids greatly reduced the friction coefficient in comparison with MSNs. Additionally, MSNs@lip demonstrated sustained drug release behavior and were biocompatible based on CCK-8 assay using MC3T3-E1 cells. The MSNs@lip developed in the present study, acting as effective lubricating drug nanocarriers, may represent a promising strategy to treat early stage OA by lubrication enhancement and drug delivery therapy.
Social Dynamics, Transnational Flows and Public Incidence of Religion in the Frontier in Latin America
Authors: Silva Anaxsuell Fernando da
Published: May 2018

In Latin America, the region known as the Triple Frontier is known for its qualitative religious diversification. Different expressions of believing and feeling abound in the neighborhoods and streets of the border towns Ciudad del Este (Paraguay), Puerto Iguaçu (Argentina) and Foz do Iguaçu (Brazil). The Christian hegemony, important in Latin America, shares space with African religions and with a notable presence of Islam. This dynamic makes the Triple Frontier a privileged geographic region to think about the religious dynamics in Latin America. There is, in this part of the continent, strong socio-cultural interrelations that are fed by the intense flow of material and symbolic religious goods circulating on the frontier. In this sense, the article we propose for this special issue of the journal seeks to discuss how these religious practices have been organized and maintained in the social, dynamic and multiform context of the frontier region. We are interested, based on empirical research carried out in the region, in characterizing the specificities of these distinct manifestations of belief/devotion/practices in the Triple Frontier and in configuring the socio-historical context of the emergence of these religious groups, to relate them to migratory and political issues, their transnational flows and the relations established among themselves in the public space. Finally, in treating the public sphere as a relational and discursive form, this approach will allow us to make visible the relationships between subjects of religious discourse and abstractly construct a model of the circulation network of categories to understand the dynamics of the production processes of legitimacy in the frontier region.
Use of Multi-Rotor Unmanned Aerial Vehicles for Radioactive Source Search
Authors: Li Bai , Zhu Yi , Wang Zhanyong , Li Chao , Peng Zhong-Ren , Ge Lixin
Published: May 2018

In recent years, many radioactive sources have been lost or stolen during use or transportation. When the radioactive source is lost or stolen, it is challenging but imperative to quickly locate the source before it causes damage. Nowadays, source search based on fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) can significantly improve search efficiency, but this approach has higher requirements for the activity of the uncontrolled radioactive source and the take-off sites. The aim of this study was to design and demonstrate a platform that uses low-cost multi-rotor UAVs to automatically and efficiently search for uncontrolled radioactive sources even with lower activity. The hardware of this platform consists of a multi-rotor UAV, radiation detection sensor, main control module, gimbal and camera, and ground control station. In the search process, the ground control station and UAV communicate wirelessly in real time. To accommodate different search scenarios, the study proposed three search algorithms with a theoretical comparison. Then, field experiments based on the traversal search algorithm showed that the search system based on multi-rotor UAVs could effectively and accurately conduct contour mapping of a region and locate the radioactive source with an error of 0.32 m. The platform and algorithms enable accurate and efficient searching of radioactive sources, providing an innovative demonstration of future environmental risk assessment and management.
Airborne Near Infrared Three-Dimensional Ghost Imaging LiDAR via Sparsity Constraint
Authors: Wang Chenglong , Mei Xiaodong , Pan Long , Wang Pengwei , Li Wang , Gao Xin , Bo Zunwang , Chen Mingliang , Gong Wenlin , Han Shensheng
Published: May 2018

Three-dimensional ghost imaging LiDAR via sparsity constraint (3D GISC LiDAR), as a staring imaging method, can obtain both the range information and spatial distribution of a remote target with a single-pixel time-resolved detector. However, previous demonstrations mainly focused on the relatively static scene in visible light. Here we propose an airborne near infrared 3D GISC LiDAR system and airborne high-resolution imaging is implemented. Experimental results show that an image with 0.48 m horizontal resolution as well as 0.5 m range resolution at approximately 1.04 km height can be achieved. Some considerations on the improvement of this LiDAR system are also discussed.
Improving Remote Sensing Scene Classification by Integrating Global-Context and Local-Object Features
Authors: Zeng Dan , Chen Shuaijun , Chen Boyang , Li Shuying
Published: May 2018

Recently, many researchers have been dedicated to using convolutional neural networks (CNNs) to extract global-context features (GCFs) for remote-sensing scene classification. Commonly, accurate classification of scenes requires knowledge about both the global context and local objects. However, unlike the natural images in which the objects cover most of the image, objects in remote-sensing images are generally small and decentralized. Thus, it is hard for vanilla CNNs to focus on both global context and small local objects. To address this issue, this paper proposes a novel end-to-end CNN by integrating the GCFs and local-object-level features (LOFs). The proposed network includes two branches, the local object branch (LOB) and global semantic branch (GSB), which are used to generate the LOFs and GCFs, respectively. Then, the concatenation of features extracted from the two branches allows our method to be more discriminative in scene classification. Three challenging benchmark remote-sensing datasets were extensively experimented on; the proposed approach outperformed the existing scene classification methods and achieved state-of-the-art results for all three datasets.
A Double Dwell High Sensitivity GPS Acquisition Scheme Using Binarized Convolution Neural Network
Authors: Wang Zhen , Zhuang Yuan , Yang Jun , Zhang Hengfeng , Dong Wei , Wang Min , Hua Luchi , Liu Bo , Shi Longxing
Published: May 2018

Conventional GPS acquisition methods, such as Max selection and threshold crossing (MAX/TC), estimate GPS code/Doppler by its correlation peak. Different from MAX/TC, a multi-layer binarized convolution neural network (BCNN) is proposed to recognize the GPS acquisition correlation envelope in this article. The proposed method is a double dwell acquisition in which a short integration is adopted in the first dwell and a long integration is applied in the second one. To reduce the search space for parameters, BCNN detects the possible envelope which contains the auto-correlation peak in the first dwell to compress the initial search space to 1/1023. Although there is a long integration in the second dwell, the acquisition computation overhead is still low due to the compressed search space. Comprehensively, the total computation overhead of the proposed method is only 1/5 of conventional ones. Experiments show that the proposed double dwell/correlation envelope identification (DD/CEI) neural network achieves 2 dB improvement when compared with the MAX/TC under the same specification.
A Weighted Combination Method for Conflicting Evidence in Multi-Sensor Data Fusion
Authors: Xiao Fuyuan , Qin Bowen
Published: May 2018

Dempster–Shafer evidence theory is widely applied in various fields related to information fusion. However, how to avoid the counter-intuitive results is an open issue when combining highly conflicting pieces of evidence. In order to handle such a problem, a weighted combination method for conflicting pieces of evidence in multi-sensor data fusion is proposed by considering both the interplay between the pieces of evidence and the impacts of the pieces of evidence themselves. First, the degree of credibility of the evidence is determined on the basis of the modified cosine similarity measure of basic probability assignment. Then, the degree of credibility of the evidence is adjusted by leveraging the belief entropy function to measure the information volume of the evidence. Finally, the final weight of each piece of evidence generated from the above steps is obtained and adopted to modify the bodies of evidence before using Dempster’s combination rule. A numerical example is provided to illustrate that the proposed method is reasonable and efficient in handling the conflicting pieces of evidence. In addition, applications in data classification and motor rotor fault diagnosis validate the practicability of the proposed method with better accuracy.
Long-Term Deflection Prediction from Computer Vision-Measured Data History for High-Speed Railway Bridges
Authors: Lee Jaebeom , Lee Kyoung-Chan , Lee Young-Joo
Published: May 2018

Management of the vertical long-term deflection of a high-speed railway bridge is a crucial factor to guarantee traffic safety and passenger comfort. Therefore, there have been efforts to predict the vertical deflection of a railway bridge based on physics-based models representing various influential factors to vertical deflection such as concrete creep and shrinkage. However, it is not an easy task because the vertical deflection of a railway bridge generally involves several sources of uncertainty. This paper proposes a probabilistic method that employs a Gaussian process to construct a model to predict the vertical deflection of a railway bridge based on actual vision-based measurement and temperature. To deal with the sources of uncertainty which may cause prediction errors, a Gaussian process is modeled with multiple kernels and hyperparameters. Once the hyperparameters are identified through the Gaussian process regression using training data, the proposed method provides a 95% prediction interval as well as a predictive mean about the vertical deflection of the bridge. The proposed method is applied to an arch bridge under operation for high-speed trains in South Korea. The analysis results obtained from the proposed method show good agreement with the actual measurement data on the vertical deflection of the example bridge, and the prediction results can be utilized for decision-making on railway bridge maintenance.
A Vision-Based Counting and Recognition System for Flying Insects in Intelligent Agriculture
Authors: Zhong Yuanhong , Gao Junyuan , Lei Qilun , Zhou Yao
Published: May 2018

Rapid and accurate counting and recognition of flying insects are of great importance, especially for pest control. Traditional manual identification and counting of flying insects is labor intensive and inefficient. In this study, a vision-based counting and classification system for flying insects is designed and implemented. The system is constructed as follows: firstly, a yellow sticky trap is installed in the surveillance area to trap flying insects and a camera is set up to collect real-time images. Then the detection and coarse counting method based on You Only Look Once (YOLO) object detection, the classification method and fine counting based on Support Vector Machines (SVM) using global features are designed. Finally, the insect counting and recognition system is implemented on Raspberry PI. Six species of flying insects including bee, fly, mosquito, moth, chafer and fruit fly are selected to assess the effectiveness of the system. Compared with the conventional methods, the test results show promising performance. The average counting accuracy is 92.50% and average classifying accuracy is 90.18% on Raspberry PI. The proposed system is easy-to-use and provides efficient and accurate recognition data, therefore, it can be used for intelligent agriculture applications.
A Novel Nonlinear Piezoelectric Energy Harvesting System Based on Linear-Element Coupling: Design, Modeling and Dynamic Analysis
Authors: Zhou Shengxi , Yan Bo , Inman Daniel J.
Published: May 2018

This paper presents a novel nonlinear piezoelectric energy harvesting system which consists of linear piezoelectric energy harvesters connected by linear springs. In principle, the presented nonlinear system can improve broadband energy harvesting efficiency where magnets are forbidden. The linear spring inevitably produces the nonlinear spring force on the connected harvesters, because of the geometrical relationship and the time-varying relative displacement between two adjacent harvesters. Therefore, the presented nonlinear system has strong nonlinear characteristics. A theoretical model of the presented nonlinear system is deduced, based on Euler-Bernoulli beam theory, Kirchhoff’s law, piezoelectric theory and the relevant geometrical relationship. The energy harvesting enhancement of the presented nonlinear system (when n = 2, 3) is numerically verified by comparing with its linear counterparts. In the case study, the output power area of the presented nonlinear system with two and three energy harvesters is 268.8% and 339.8% of their linear counterparts, respectively. In addition, the nonlinear dynamic response characteristics are analyzed via bifurcation diagrams, Poincare maps of the phase trajectory, and the spectrum of the output voltage.
Real-Time Large-Scale Dense Mapping with Surfels
Authors: Fu Xingyin , Zhu Feng , Wu Qingxiao , Sun Yunlei , Lu Rongrong , Yang Ruigang
Published: May 2018

Real-time dense mapping systems have been developed since the birth of consumer RGB-D cameras. Currently, there are two commonly used models in dense mapping systems: truncated signed distance function (TSDF) and surfel. The state-of-the-art dense mapping systems usually work fine with small-sized regions. The generated dense surface may be unsatisfactory around the loop closures when the system tracking drift grows large. In addition, the efficiency of the system with surfel model slows down when the number of the model points in the map becomes large. In this paper, we propose to use two maps in the dense mapping system. The RGB-D images are integrated into a local surfel map. The old surfels that reconstructed in former times and far away from the camera frustum are moved from the local map to the global map. The updated surfels in the local map when every frame arrives are kept bounded. Therefore, in our system, the scene that can be reconstructed is very large, and the frame rate of our system remains high. We detect loop closures and optimize the pose graph to distribute system tracking drift. The positions and normals of the surfels in the map are also corrected using an embedded deformation graph so that they are consistent with the updated poses. In order to deal with large surface deformations, we propose a new method for constructing constraints with system trajectories and loop closure keyframes. The proposed new method stabilizes large-scale surface deformation. Experimental results show that our novel system behaves better than the prior state-of-the-art dense mapping systems.
Understanding Adolescent–Parent Interpersonal Relationships in Youth Sports: A Mixed-Methods Study
Authors: Lisinskiene Ausra , Guetterman Timothy , Sukys Saulius
Published: May 2018

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between participation in youth sport and adolescent–parent attachment. A mixed-method explanatory sequential study design was applied. In the first phase, 648 adolescent athletes and non-athletes completed the Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachment–Revised (IPPA–R). In the second phase, 15 adolescent athletes took part in semi-structured interviews. In the first, quantitative phase, three factors were predictors of adolescents’ attachment to parents and peers: trust, communication, and alienation. In the qualitative follow-up, three themes emerged: adolescents’ attachment to the sport; adolescent–parent attachment; adolescents’ thoughts about parents. The analysis of the adolescent–parent interpersonal relationship revealed that athlete adolescents’ relations and attachment to parents compared to non-athlete adolescents are more intensively expressed in all scales: trust, communication and alienation. Interviews with adolescent athletes revealed that parent–adolescent interpersonal relationship and attachment to parents is more important at the early period of sporting life, and becomes less appreciable or unwelcome when children gain sporting experience. The study indicated that the form and degree of parental involvement in children’s sporting activities impacts the effectiveness of parent–athlete interpersonal relationships. The degree and the form of parental involvement in children’s sports chosen by the parents are not always appropriate and encouraging, and they are not always supportive of adolescents’ opinions.
Founder Succession, The Imprint of Founders’ Legacies, and Long-Term Corporate Survival
Authors: Ahn Se-Yeon
Published: May 2018

This study aimed to portray how founders’ legacies influence the long-term survival of companies. We argue that the imprint of founders’ legacies can be positive strategic inertia for long-term corporate survival. By analyzing the characteristics of the founder succession processes of a set of 64 paired (survival-delisted) Korean Exchange listed companies, this study examined whether the founder succession characteristics that led to strong founder’s legacy imprints positively influenced long-term corporate survival. The results showed that firms with longer founder tenure and those with insider succession or succession of an heir apparent tended to survive longer, given similar environmental conditions during the founding stages. While limited, the study results indicate that companies that establish strong legacies from their founders and adhere to them may have a greater likelihood of long-term survival.
Stress Regulation, Physical Activity, and Perseverance in Spanish Teenagers with Perfectionist Trends
Authors: González Hernández Juan , Muñoz-Villena Antonio Jesús , Gómez-López Manuel
Published: May 2018

Stress as an emotional response with adaptive function can obstruct both academic performance and psychosocial and physiological functioning when it is recurrent, persistent, and intense. Individual characteristics and regular physical activity produce differences in ways of coping with pressure situations, stressing the necessity of teenagers handling them in an effective way for their psychological adjustment and well-being. The purpose of this investigation was to identify how the frequency of physical activity and the influence of certain personality traits (perfectionism and perseverance) moderate stress. The sample was composed of 127 teenage students; tests were administered to measure perfectionism, perseverance, perceived stress, including an ad hoc sociodemographic questionnaire. The results show that particular conditions/skills have a moderating effect on stress perception in students with perfectionist maladaptive tendencies. Training in perseverance allows students to develop resources for handling stress, making it possible to achieve personal standards as well as adapt to one’s context.
Experimental Analysis of Soil and Mandarin Orange Plants Treated with Heavy Metals Found in Oilfield-Produced Wastewater
Authors: Zhang Ailin , Cortes Veronica , Phelps Bradley , Van Ryswyk Hal , Srebotnjak Tanja
Published: May 2018

Despite a declining trend, California remains a significant oil-producing state. For every barrel of crude oil, an average of 15 barrels of oilfield produced water (OPW) is generated, some of which is used to boost freshwater sources for crop irrigation in the agriculturally important Central Valley. OPW is known to contain salts, metals, hydrocarbons, alkylphenols, naturally radioactive materials, biocides, and other compounds from drilling and production processes. Less is known about the potential uptake and accumulation of these compounds in crops and soil irrigated with OPW. In this study, 23 potted mandarin orange plants were irrigated two to three times weekly (depending on season) with water containing three different concentrations of the known OPW heavy metals barium, chromium, lead, and silver. Seven sets of samples of soil and leaves and 11 fruits were collected and processed using microwave-assisted digestion (EPA Method 3051A). Processed samples were analyzed using inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES). Analysis of variance (ANOVA) and covariance (ANCOVA) coupled with Tukey’s honest significant difference test were used to examine the effects of metal concentrations in the irrigation water and number of watering days, respectively, on the metal concentrations in the soil, leaf, and fruit samples. Accumulation of barium in soil and leaves was strongly positively associated with sample and number of watering days, increasing nearly 2000-fold. Lead also showed an upward trend, increasing up to 560-fold over the baseline level. Total chromium showed an increase in the soil that tapered off, but less consistent results in the leaves and fruit. The silver results were more volatile, but also indicated at least some level of accumulation in the tested media. The smallest absolute accumulation was observed for chromium. Concentrations in the fruit were highest in the peel, followed by pith and juice. Accumulation of all heavy metals was generally highest in the soil and plants that received the highest irrigation water concentration. Considering the potential for adverse human health effects associated with ingesting soluble barium contained in food and drinking water, and to a lesser extent chromium and lead, the study signals that it is important to conduct further research into the accessibility and bioavailability of the tested heavy metals in the soil and whether they pose risks to consumers.
Establishing Design Strategies and an Assessment Tool of Home Appliances to Promote Sustainable Behavior for the New Poor
Authors: Tu Jui-Che , Nagai Yukari , Shih Min-Chieh
Published: May 2018

Environmental benefits related to home appliance life cycles depend on how these products are used. Designing home appliances that promote sustainable behavior is an effective way to reduce environmental impacts. This study aimed to increase relevant opportunities for promoting sustainable behavior practices on the new poor through home appliances, which is rarely discussed in the fields of design for sustainable behavior (DfSB) and product design. In particular, relevant assessment tools or indicators are lacking in DfSB, and people’s use of home appliances is generally unsustainable. Therefore, repertory grid technology was used to understand the perceptions of the new poor, develop an assessment tool, and construct design strategies for home appliances that promote sustainable behavior. Data were collected from the new poor and from designers. Through cluster and principal component analyses, three strategy types were proposed that corresponded to different product features, suggestions, and guidance. In addition, the effectiveness and potential of an assessment tool were demonstrated using the Wilcoxon rank test. The findings could be used by designers, retailers, and green marketers to propose effective product design programs that promote sustainable behavior of the new poor during product use.
An Intelligent Improvement of Internet-Wide Scan Engine for Fast Discovery of Vulnerable IoT Devices
Authors: Kim Hwankuk , Kim Taeun , Jang Daeil
Published: May 2018

Since 2016, Mirai and Persirai malware have infected hundreds of thousands of Internet of Things (IoT) devices and created a massive IoT botnet, which caused distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks. IoT malware targets vulnerable IoT devices, which are vulnerable to security risks. Techniques are needed to prevent IoT devices from being exploited by attackers. However, unlike high-performance PCs, IoT devices are lightweight, low-power, and low-cost, having performance limitations regarding processing and memory, which makes it difficult to install security and anti-malware programs. Recently, several studies have been attempted to quickly search for vulnerable internet-connected devices to solve this real issue. Issues yet to be studied still exist regarding these types of internet-wide scan technologies, such as filtering by security devices and a shortage of collected operating system (OS) information. This paper proposes an intelligent internet-wide scan model that improves IP state scanning with advanced internet protocol (IP) randomization, reactive protocol (port) scanning, and OS fingerprinting scanning, applying k* algorithm in order to find vulnerable IoT devices. Additionally, we describe the experiment’s results compared to the existing internet-wide scan technologies, such as ZMap and Shodan. As a result, the proposed model experimentally shows improved performance. Although we improved the ZMap, the throughput per minute (TPM) performance is similar to ZMap without degrading the IP scan throughput and the performance of generating a single IP address is about 118% better than ZMap. In the protocol scan performance experiments, it is about 129% better than the Censys based ZMap, and the performance of OS fingerprinting is better than ZMap, with about 50% accuracy.
Thiol-Activated Hydrogen Sulfide Donors Antiviral and Anti-Inflammatory Activity in Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infection
Authors: Bazhanov Nikolay , Ivanciuc Teodora , Wu Haotian , Garofalo Matteo , Kang Jianming , Xian Ming , Casola Antonella
Published: May 2018

We have recently shown that endogenous hydrogen sulfide (H2S), an important cellular gaseous mediator, exerts an antiviral and anti-inflammatory activity in vitro and in vivo, and that exogenous H2S delivered via the synthetic H2S-releasing compound GYY4137 also has similar properties. In this study, we sought to extend our findings to a novel class of H2S donors, thiol-activated gem-dithiol-based (TAGDDs). In an in vitro model of human respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection, TAGDD-1 treatment significantly reduced viral replication, even when added up to six hours after infection. Using a mouse model of RSV infection, intranasal delivery of TAGDD-1 to infected mice significantly reduced viral replication and lung inflammation, markedly improving clinical disease parameters and pulmonary dysfunction, compared to vehicle treated controls. Overall our results indicate that this novel synthetic class of H2S-releasing compounds exerts antiviral and anti-inflammatory activity in the context of RSV infection and represents a potential novel pharmacological approach to ameliorate viral-induced lung disease.
Field Efficacy of an Attenuated Infectious Bronchitis Variant 2 Virus Vaccine in Commercial Broiler Chickens
Authors: Elhady Mohamed A. , Ali Ahmed , Kilany Walid H. , Elfeil Wael K. , Ibrahim Hytham , Nabil Ahmed , Samir Ahmed , El Sayed Magdy
Published: May 2018

Egyptian poultry suffer from frequent respiratory disease outbreaks associated with Infectious Bronchitis Virus (IBV) variant 2 strains (Egy/VarII). Different vaccination programs using imported vaccines have failed to protect the flocks from field challenge. Recent studies confirmed a successful protection using homologous strains as live attenuated vaccines. In this study, a newly developed live attenuated IB-VAR2 vaccine representing the GI-23 Middle East IBV lineage was evaluated in day-old commercial broilers in an IBV-endemic area. A commercial broiler flock was vaccinated with the IB-VAR2 vaccine at day-old age followed by IB-H120 at day 16. The vaccinated flock was monitored on a weekly basis till the slaughter age. The health status and growth performance were monitored, and selected viral pathogen real-time RT-PCR (rRT-PCR) detection was conducted on a weekly basis. Finally, the flock was compared to a nearby farm with only the classical IB-H120 vaccination program. Results showed that the IB-VAR2 vaccine was tolerable in day-old broiler chicks. The IBV virus rRT-PCR detection was limited to the trachea as compared to its nephropathogenic parent virus. Respiratory disease problems and high mortalities were reported in the IB-H120-only vaccinated flock. An exposure to a wild-type Egy/VarII strain was confirmed in both flocks as indicated by partial IBV S1 gene sequence. Even though the IB-VAR2-vaccinated flock performance was better than the flock that received only IB-H120, the IBV ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) and log2 Haemagglutination inhibition (HI) antibody mean titers remained high (3128 ± 2713 and ≥9 log2, respectively) until the 28th day of age. The current study demonstrates the safety and effectiveness of IB-VAR2 as a live attenuated vaccine in day-old commercial broilers. Also, the combination of IB-VAR2 and classical IBV vaccines confers a broader protective immune response against IBV in endemic areas.
Precursor Wave Emission Enhanced by Weibel Instability in Relativistic Shocks
Authors: Iwamoto Masanori , Amano Takanobu , Hoshino Masahiro , Matsumoto Yosuke
Published: May 2018

We investigated the precursor wave emission efficiency in magnetized purely perpendicular relativistic shocks in pair plasmas. We extended our previous study to include the dependence of upstream magnetic field orientations. We performed two-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations and focused on two magnetic field orientations: the magnetic field in the simulation plane (i.e., in-plane configuration) and that perpendicular to the simulation plane (i.e., out-of-plane configuration). Our simulations in the in-plane configuration demonstrated that not only extraordinary but also ordinary mode waves are excited. We quantified the emission efficiency as a function of the magnetization parameter σ

e
and found that the large-amplitude precursor waves are emitted for a wide range of σ

e
. We found that especially at low σ

e
, the magnetic field generated by Weibel instability amplifies the ordinary mode wave power. The amplitude is large enough to perturb the upstream plasma, and transverse density filaments are generated as in the case of the out-of-plane configuration investigated in the previous study. We confirmed that our previous conclusion holds regardless of upstream magnetic field orientations with respect to the two-dimensional simulation plane. We discuss the precursor wave emission in three dimensions and the feasibility of wakefield acceleration in relativistic shocks based on our results.
On the Limitations of Taylor’s Hypothesis in Parker Solar Probe’s Measurements near the Alfvén Critical Point
Authors: Bourouaine Sofiane , Perez Jean C.
Published: May 2018

In this Letter, we present an analysis of two-point, two-time correlation functions from high-resolution numerical simulations of Reflection-driven Alfvén Turbulence near the Alfvén critical point r
c. The simulations model the turbulence in a prescribed background solar wind model chosen to match observational constraints. This analysis allows us to investigate the temporal decorrelation of solar wind turbulence and the validity of Taylor’s approximation near the heliocentric distance r
c, which Parker Solar Probe (PSP) is expected to explore in the coming years. The simulations show that the temporal decay of the Fourier-transformed turbulence decorrelation function is better described by a Gaussian model rather than a pure exponential time decay, and that the decorrelation frequency is almost linear with perpendicular wave number k
⊥ (perpendicular with respect to the background magnetic field

). Based on the simulations, we conclude that Taylor’s approximation cannot be used in this instance to provide a connection between the frequency ω of the time signal (measured in the probe frame) and the wavevector k
⊥ of the fluctuations because the frequency k
⊥
V
sc (V
sc is the spacecraft speed) near r
c is comparable to the estimated decorrelation frequency. However, the use of Taylor’s approximation still leads to the correct spectral indices of the power spectra measured at the spacecraft frame. In this Letter, based on a Gaussian model, we suggest a modified relationship between ω and k
⊥, which might be useful in the interpretation of future PSP measurements.
Weak Magnetic Fields in Two Herbig Ae Systems: The SB2 AK Sco and the Presumed Binary HD 95881
Authors: Järvinen S. P. , Carroll T. A. , Hubrig S. , Ilyin I. , Schöller M. , Castelli F. , Hummel C. A. , Petr-Gotzens M. G. , Korhonen H. , Weigelt G. , Pogodin M. A. , Drake N. A.
Published: May 2018

We report the detection of weak mean longitudinal magnetic fields in the Herbig Ae double-lined spectroscopic binary AK Sco and in the presumed spectroscopic Herbig Ae binary HD 95881 using observations with the High Accuracy Radial velocity Planet Searcher polarimeter (HARPSpol) attached to the European Southern Observatory’s (ESO’s) 3.6 m telescope. Employing a multi-line singular value decomposition method, we detect a mean longitudinal magnetic field

G in the secondary component of AK Sco on one occasion. For HD 95881, we measure

G and

G at two different observing epochs. For all the detections the false alarm probability is smaller than 10−5. For AK Sco system, we discover that accretion diagnostic Na i doublet lines and photospheric lines show intensity variations over the observing nights. The double-lined spectral appearance of HD 95881 is presented here for the first time.
Enhanced Global Signal of Neutral Hydrogen Due to Excess Radiation at Cosmic Dawn
Authors: Feng Chang , Holder Gilbert
Published: May 2018

We revisit the global 21 cm signal calculation incorporating a possible radio background at early times, and find that the global 21 cm signal shows a much stronger absorption feature, which could enhance detection prospects for future 21 cm experiments. In light of recent reports of a possible low-frequency excess radio background, we propose that detailed 21 cm calculations should include a possible early radio background.
Worldwide Prevalence of Baseline Resistance-Associated Polymorphisms and Resistance Mutations in HCV against Current Direct-Acting Antivirals
Authors: Palanisamy Navaneethan , Kalaghatgi Prabhav , Akaberi Dario , Lundkvist Åke , Chen Zhi-wei , Hu Peng , Lennerstrand Johan
Published: May 2018

Background

HCV infections can now be completely cured, thanks to the currently marketed direct-acting antivirals (DAAs). It is known that HCV patients carry viral populations with baseline polymorphisms and/or mutations that make them resistant against some of these DAAs, which can negatively impact the patient's treatment outcome. Using complete HCV coding sequences isolated from 1,306 treatment-naive patients of genotypes (GTs) 1, 2, 3, 4 and 6 from around the globe, we studied the prevalence of baseline resistance-associated polymorphisms (RAPs) and resistance mutations (RMs) against DAAs that are currently on the market or in clinical trials.

Methods

The HCV genome sequences used in this study were retrieved from the NCBI database. RAPs and RMs, with reference to HCV GT1a, were identified using the HCV Geno2pheno web server.

Results

Nearly 50% of the total amino acid positions (including NS3 protease, NS5A and NS5B) studied are baseline polymorphisms that differentiated one GT from the rest. A proportion of these baseline polymorphisms and baseline non-polymorphic RMs could confer a significant increase in resistance against DAAs.

Conclusions

In this study, we show the presence and prevalence of RAPs and RMs in DAA treatment-naive patients against currently used DAAs or DAAs in clinical trials. Our study suggests that RAPs and RMs profiling of HCV patients should be performed before the start of the therapy. Our results should be relevant especially in low- and middle-income countries, where the patients have a large variation of GTs and subtypes, and where the generic HCV treatment is now increasingly available.
Karyotype description and comparative analysis in Ringed Kingfisher and Green Kingfisher (Coraciiformes, Alcedinidae)
Authors: Degrandi Tiago Marafiga , de Oliveira Jean Carlo Pedroso , de Araújo Soares Amanda , Ledesma Mario Angel , Hass Iris , Garnero Analía del Valle , Gunski Ricardo José
Published: May 2018

Kingfishers comprise about 115 species of the family Alcedinidae, and are an interesting group for cytogenetic studies, for they are among birds with most heterogeneous karyotypes. However, cytogenetics knowledge in Kingfishers is extremely limited. Thus, the aim of this study was to describe the karyotype structure of the Ringed Kingfisher (Megaceryletorquata Linnaeus, 1766) and Green Kingfisher (Chloroceryleamericana Gmelin, 1788) and also compare them with related species in order to identify chromosomal rearrangements. The Ringed Kingfisher presented 2n = 84 and the Green Kingfisher had 2n = 94. The increase of the chromosome number in the Green Kingfisher possibly originated by centric fissions in macrochromosomes. In addition, karyotype comparisons in Alcedinidae show a heterogeneity in the size and morphology of macrochromosomes, and chromosome numbers ranging from 2n = 76 to 132. Thus, it is possible chromosomal fissions in macrochromosomes resulted in the increase of the diploid number, whereas chromosome fusions have originated the karyotypes with low diploid number.
Architrypethelium murisporum (Ascomycota, Trypetheliaceae), a remarkable new lichen species from Thailand challenging ascospore septation as an indicator of phylogenetic relationships
Authors: Luangsuphabool Theerapat , Lumbsch H. Thorsten , Piapukiew Jittra , Sangvichien Ek
Published: May 2018

Architrypetheliummurisporum Luangsuphabool, Lumbsch & Sangvichien is described for a crustose lichen occurring in dry evergreen forest in Thailand. It is characterised by a green to yellow-green corticated thallus, perithecia fused in black pseudostromata with white rim surrounding the ostiole and small, hyaline and muriform ascospores. Currently, all species in the genus Architrypethelium have transversely septate ascospores, hence the discovery of this new species indicates that ascospore septation is variable within the genus, similar to numerous other groups of lichen-forming ascomycetes. Phylogenetic analyses of two loci (mtSSU and nuLSU) supported the position of the new species within Architrypethelium. This is the first report of the genus in Southeast Asia.
Vatica najibiana (Dipterocarpaceae), a new species from limestone in Peninsular Malaysia
Authors: Ummul-Nazrah Abdul Rahman , Mohd Hairul Mohd Amin , Kamin Imin , Kiew Ruth , Ong Poh Teck
Published: May 2018

Vaticanajibiana Ummul-Nazrah (Dipterocarpaceae), from the Relai Forest Reserve, Gua Musang, Kelantan and Gua Tanggang, Merapoh, Pahang, is described and illustrated. This species is Endangered and known from small populations restricted to two isolated karst limestone hills. The type locality, Relai Forest Reserve limestone, is currently under threat from encroaching oil palm plantations and ongoing logging, which, if it continues, will threaten the Kelantan population with extinction. The morphology of V.najibiana and the similar V.odoratasubsp.odorata and V.harmandiana is compared.