bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Measuring the Spatial Allocation Rationality of Service Facilities of Residential Areas Based on Internet Map and Location-Based Service Data
Authors: Zhou Xinxin , Ding Yuan , Wu Changbin , Huang Jing , Hu Chendi
Published: March 2019

The spatial allocation rationality of the service facilities of residential areas, which is affected by the scope of the population and the capacity of service facilities, is meaningful for harmonious urban development. The growth of the internet, especially Internet map and location-based service (LBS) data, provides micro-scale knowledge about residential areas. The purpose is to characterize the spatial allocation rationality of the service facilities of residential areas from Internet map and LBS data. An Internet map provides exact geographical data (e.g., points of interests (POI)) and stronger route planning analysis capability through an application programming interface (API) (e.g., route planning API). Meanwhile, LBS data collected from mobile equipment afford detailed population distribution values. Firstly, we defined the category system of service facilities and calculated the available service facilities capacity of residential areas (ASFC-RA) through a scrappy algorithm integrated with the modified cumulative opportunity measure model. Secondly, we used Thiessen polygon spatial subdivision to gain the population distribution capacity of residential areas (PDC-RA) from Tencent LBS data at the representative moment. Thirdly, we measured the spatial allocation rationality of service facilities of residential areas (SARSF-RA) by combining ASFC-RA and PDC-RA. In this case, a trial strip census, consisting of serval urban residential areas from Wuxi City, Jiangsu Province, is selected as research area. Residential areas have been grouped within several ranges according to their SARSF-RA values. Different residential areas belong to different groups, even if they are spatially contiguous. Spatial locations and other investigation information coordinate with these differences. Those results show that the method that we proposed can express the micro-spatial allocation rationality of different residential areas dramatically, which provide a new data lens for various researchers and applications, such as urban residential areas planning and service facilities allocation.
Climate Change and Economics 101: Teaching the Greatest Market Failure
Authors: Liu John Chung-En , Bauman Yoram , Chuang Yating
Published: March 2019

In this paper, we explore how principles of economics courses prepare undergraduate students to think about climate change. We collected a comprehensive list of twenty-seven introductory economics textbooks in the United States and analyzed their coverage of climate change. Our finding shows that not all texts touch upon climate science, and a small subset deviates from the scientific consensus on the human causes of climate change. All texts conceptualize climate change as a problem of carbon emission’s negative externalities and the preferred market-based solutions, such as emission trading and Pigouvian tax. Besides externality, some authors include various useful points of engagement through GDP (Gross domestic product) accounting, economic growth, collective action problems, cost–benefit analysis, and global inequality. In the end, we provide suggestions for economics educators to innovate the current introductory curriculum to better cope with the climate crisis.
On Sliced Spaces: Global Hyperbolicity Revisited
Authors: Papadopoulos Kyriakos , Kurt Nazli , Papadopoulos Basil K.
Published: March 2019

We give a topological condition for a generic sliced space to be globally hyperbolic without any hypothesis on lapse function, shift function, and spatial metric.
Even Higher Order Fractional Initial Boundary Value Problem with Nonlocal Constraints of Purely Integral Type
Authors: Mesloub Said , Aldosari Faten
Published: March 2019

In this paper, the a priori estimate method, the so-called energy inequalities method based on some functional analysis tools is developed for a Caputo time fractional 2 m th order diffusion wave equation with purely nonlocal conditions of integral type. Existence and uniqueness of the solution are proved. The proofs of the results are based on some a priori estimates and on some density arguments.
Best Proximity Results on Dualistic Partial Metric Spaces
Authors: Pitea Ariana
Published: March 2019

We introduce the generalized almost ( φ , θ ) -contractions by means of comparison type functions and another kind of mappings endowed with specific properties in the setting of dualistic partial metric spaces. Also, generalized almost θ -Geraghty contractions in the setting of dualistic partial metric spaces are defined by the use of a function of Geraghty type and another adequate auxiliary function. For these classes of generalized contractions, we have stated and proved the existence and uniqueness of a best proximity point.
Optimal Decision in a Dual-Channel Supply Chain under Potential Information Leakage
Authors: Fang Debin , Ren Qiyu
Published: March 2019

The growing tendency for suppliers to encroach on the retailers’ market has forced the retailers, being independent entities, to distort shared information to maintain their information superiority. Previous studies on asymmetric information assumed that retailers share information truthfully or that demand satisfies a two-point distribution, which does not always conform to the reality of the dual-channel supply chain. Considering the potential information leakage problem, this paper studied the optimal strategies of the participants and focused on the strategic information management of the dual-channel supply chain. By introducing the retailers’ adverse selection behavior, a sequential game model under general uncertain demand was established, which replaced the classic high-low demand model. The perfect Bayesian Nash equilibrium was characterized, which depended on stochastic demand disturbance, product heterogeneity, supply chain structure, and market investigation cost. The results showed that asymmetric information made the supply chain management inefficient. When the demand disturbance was within the threshold, the retailer distorted order quantity to maintain the information advantage under potential information leakage, and information acquisition was not always good for the retailer—in some cases due to adverse selection problems. A numerical example and a sensitivity analysis were done to validate the model. Our work provides participants in the dual-channel supply chain with decision-making support and direction for improving information management.
Handling Semantic Complexity of Big Data using Machine Learning and RDF Ontology Model
Authors: Sajjad Rauf , Bajwa Imran Sarwar , Kazmi Rafaqut
Published: March 2019

Business information required for applications and business processes is extracted using systems like business rule engines. Since the advent of Big Data, such rule engines are producing rules in a big quantity whereas more rules lead to more complexity in semantic analysis and understanding. This paper introduces a method to handle semantic complexity in rules and support automated generation of Resource Description Framework (RDF) metadata model of rules and such model is used to assist in querying and analysing Big Data. Practically, the dynamic changes in rules can be a source of conflict in rules stored in a repository. It is identified during the literature review that there is a need of a method that can semantically analyse rules and help business analysts in testing and validating the rules once a change is made in a rule. This paper presents a robust method that not only supports semantic analysis of rules but also generates RDF metadata model of rules and provide support of querying for the sake of semantic interpretation of the rules. The results of the experiments manifest that consistency checking of a set of big data rules is possible through automated tools.
Research Front Detection and Topic Evolution Based on Topological Structure and the PageRank Algorithm
Authors: Xu Yangbing , Zhang Shuai , Zhang Wenyu , Yang Shuiqing , Shen Yue
Published: March 2019

Research front detection and topic evolution has for a long time been an important direction for research in the informetrics field. However, most previous studies either simply use a citation count for scientific document clustering or assume that each scientific document has the same importance in detecting the clustering theme in a cluster. In this study, utilizing the topological structure and the PageRank algorithm, we propose a new research front detection and topic evolution approach based on graph theory. This approach is made up of three stages: (1) Setting a time window with appropriate length according to the accuracy of scientific documents clustering results and the time delay of a scientific document to be cited, dividing scientific documents into several time windows according to their years of publication, calculating similarities between them according to their topological structure, and clustering them in each time window based on the fast greedy algorithm; (2) combining the PageRank algorithm and keywords’ frequency to detect the clustering theme, which assumes that the more important a scientific document in the cluster is, the greater the possibility that it is cited by the other documents in the same cluster; and (3) reconstructing the cluster graph where nodes represent clusters and edges’ strengths represent the similarities between different clusters, then detecting research front and identifying topic evolution based on the reconstructed cluster graph. To evaluate the performance of our proposed approach, the scientific documents related to data mining and covered by Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED) or Social Science Citation Index (SSCI) in Web of Science are collected as a case study. The experiment’s results show that the proposed approach can obtain reasonable clustering results, and it is effective for research front detection and topic evolution.
Some Difference Equations for Srivastava’s λ-Generalized Hurwitz–Lerch Zeta Functions with Applications
Authors: Tassaddiq Asifa
Published: March 2019

In this article, we establish some new difference equations for the family of λ-generalized Hurwitz–Lerch zeta functions. These difference equations proved worthwhile to study these newly defined functions in terms of simpler functions. Several authors investigated such functions and their analytic properties, but no work has been reported for an estimation of their values. We perform some numerical computations to evaluate these functions for different values of the involved parameters. It is shown that the direct evaluation of involved integrals is not possible for the large values of parameter s ; nevertheless, using our new difference equations, we can evaluate these functions for the large values of s . It is worth mentioning that for the small values of this parameter, our results are 100% accurate with the directly computed results using their integral representation. Difference equations so obtained are also useful for the computation of some new integrals of products of λ-generalized Hurwitz–Lerch zeta functions and verified to be consistent with the existing results. A derivative property of Mellin transforms proved fundamental to present this investigation.
Whether an Enormously Large Energy Density of the Quantum Vacuum Is Catastrophic
Authors: Mostepanenko Vladimir M. , Klimchitskaya Galina L.
Published: March 2019

The problem of an enormously large energy density of the quantum vacuum is discussed in connection with the concept of renormalization of physical parameters in quantum field theory. Using the method of dimensional regularization, it is recalled that the normal ordering procedure of creation and annihilation operators is equivalent to a renormalization of the cosmological constant leading to its zero and nonzero values in Minkowski space-time and in the standard cosmological model, respectively. It is argued that a frequently discussed gravitational effect, resulting from an enormously large energy density described by the nonrenormalized (bare) cosmological constant, might be nonobservable much like some other bare quantities introduced in the formalism of quantum field theory.
Construction of Stancu-Type Bernstein Operators Based on Bézier Bases with Shape Parameter λ
Authors: Srivastava Hari M. , Özger Faruk , Mohiuddine S. A.
Published: March 2019

We construct Stancu-type Bernstein operators based on Bézier bases with shape parameter λ ∈ [ − 1 , 1 ] and calculate their moments. The uniform convergence of the operator and global approximation result by means of Ditzian-Totik modulus of smoothness are established. Also, we establish the direct approximation theorem with the help of second order modulus of smoothness, calculate the rate of convergence via Lipschitz-type function, and discuss the Voronovskaja-type approximation theorems. Finally, in the last section, we construct the bivariate case of Stancu-type λ -Bernstein operators and study their approximation behaviors.
Connection Problem for Sums of Finite Products of Legendre and Laguerre Polynomials
Authors: Kim Taekyun , Hwang Kyung-Won , Kim Dae San , Dolgy Dmitry V.
Published: March 2019

The purpose of this paper is to represent sums of finite products of Legendre and Laguerre polynomials in terms of several orthogonal polynomials. Indeed, by explicit computations we express each of them as linear combinations of Hermite, generalized Laguerre, Legendre, Gegenbauer and Jacobi polynomials, some of which involve terminating hypergeometric functions 1 F 1 and 2 F 1 .
On Suzuki Mappings in Modular Spaces
Authors: Bejenaru Andreea , Postolache Mihai
Published: March 2019

Inspired by Suzuki’s generalization for nonexpansive mappings, we define the ( C ) -property on modular spaces, and provide conditions concerning the fixed points of newly introduced class of mappings in this new framework. In addition, Kirk’s Lemma is extended to modular spaces. The main outcomes extend the classical results on Banach spaces. The major contribution consists of providing inspired arguments to compensate the absence of subadditivity in the case of modulars. The results herein are supported by illustrative examples.
Two Clostridium perfringens Type E Isolates in France
Authors: Diancourt Laure , Sautereau Jean , Criscuolo Alexis , Popoff Michel R.
Published: March 2019

Clostridium perfringens type E is a less frequently isolated C. perfringens type and has not previously been reported in France. We have characterized two recent type E isolates, C. perfringens 508.17 from the intestinal content of a calf that died of enterotoxemia, and 515.17 from the stool of a 60-year-old woman, subsequent to food poisoning, which contained the plasmid pCPPB-1 with variant iota toxin and C. perfringens enterotoxin genes.
Effect of Wheat Milling Process on the Distribution of Alternaria Toxins
Authors: Janić Hajnal Elizabet , Mastilović Jasna , Bagi Ferenc , Orčić Dejan , Budakov Dragana , Kos Jovana , Savić Zagorka
Published: March 2019

Alternaria toxins are mycotoxins produced by various Alternaria species which, besides the Fusarium species, represent the principal contaminants of wheat worldwide. As currently, only limited information on the behaviour of Alternaria toxins during processing of cereals is available, the objective of this study was to investigate the effect of the dry milling process of wheat on Alternaria toxins distribution. Alternariol (AOH), alternariol monomethyl ether (AME) and tenuazonic acid (TeA) content were analysed by high performance liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) in all milling fractions of untreated (control), fungicide-treated, Alternaria tenuissima inoculated and commercial wheat sample. After dry milling process, in last break and milling flows and by-products, increased concentration of examined Alternaria toxins was detected. TeA was quantified in almost all milling fractions in all tested wheat samples, while AOH and AME were detectable mostly in last break and milling flows and by-products. In respect to the contamination with Alternaria toxins, white flour can be considered as relatively safe product. Since Alternaria toxins are concentrated mainly in the peripheral parts of the kernel, a special attention should be given to their content in low-grade flours and milling by-products.
Staphylococcal Enterotoxin C Is an Important Virulence Factor for Mastitis
Authors: Fang Rendong , Cui Jingchun , Cui Tengteng , Guo Haiyong , Ono Hisaya K. , Park Chun-Ho , Okamura Masashi , Nakane Akio , Hu Dong-Liang
Published: March 2019

Staphylococcus aureus is an important bacterial pathogen causing bovine mastitis, but little is known about the virulence factor and the inflammatory responses in the mammary infection. Staphylococcal enterotoxin C (SEC) is the most frequent toxin produced by S. aureus, isolated from bovine mastitis. To investigate the pathogenic activity of SEC in the inflammation of the mammary gland and the immune responses in an animal model, mouse mammary glands were injected with SEC, and the clinical signs, inflammatory cell infiltration, and proinflammatory cytokine production in the mammary glands were assessed. SEC induced significant inflammatory reactions in the mammary gland, in a dose-dependent manner. SEC-injected mammary glands showed a severe inflammation with inflammatory cell infiltration and tissue damage. In addition, interleukin (IL)-1β and IL-6 production in the SEC-injected mammary glands were significantly higher than those in the PBS control glands. Furthermore, the SEC-induced inflammation and tissue damage in the mammary gland were specifically inhibited by anti-SEC antibody. These results indicated, for the first time, that SEC can directly cause inflammation, proinflammatory cytokine production, and tissue damage in mammary glands, suggesting that SEC might play an important role in the development of mastitis associated with S. aureus infection. This finding offers an opportunity to develop novel treatment strategies for reduction of mammary tissue damage in mastitis.
Molecular Interaction-Based Exploration of the Broad Spectrum Efficacy of a Bacillus thuringiensis Insecticidal Chimeric Protein, Cry1AcF
Authors: Rathinam Maniraj , Kesiraju Karthik , Singh Shweta , Thimmegowda Vinutha , Rai Vandna , Pattanayak Debasis , Sreevathsa Rohini
Published: March 2019

Bacillus thuringiensis insecticidal proteins (Bt ICPs) are reliable and valuable options for pest management in crops. Protein engineering of Bt ICPs is a competitive alternative for resistance management in insects. The primary focus of the study was to reiterate the translational utility of a protein-engineered chimeric Cry toxin, Cry1AcF, for its broad spectrum insecticidal efficacy using molecular modeling and docking studies. In-depth bioinformatic analysis was undertaken for structure prediction of the Cry toxin as the ligand and aminopeptidase1 receptors (APN1) from Helicoverpa armigera (HaAPN1) and Spodoptera litura (SlAPN1) as receptors, followed by interaction studies using protein-protein docking tools. The study revealed feasible interactions between the toxin and the two receptors through H-bonding and hydrophobic interactions. Further, molecular dynamics simulations substantiated the stability of the interactions, proving the broad spectrum efficacy of Cry1AcF in controlling H. armigera and S. litura. These findings justify the utility of protein-engineered toxins in pest management.
Self-Assembly of Tail Tube Protein of Bacteriophage vB_EcoS_NBD2 into Extremely Long Polytubes in E. coli and S. cerevisiae
Authors: Špakova Aliona , Šimoliūnas Eugenijus , Batiuškaitė Raminta , Pajeda Simonas , Meškys Rolandas , Petraitytė-Burneikienė Rasa
Published: March 2019

Nucleotides, peptides and proteins serve as a scaffold material for self-assembling nanostructures. In this study, the production of siphovirus vB_EcoS_NBD2 (NBD2) recombinant tail tube protein gp39 reached approximately 33% and 27% of the total cell protein level in Escherichia coli and Saccharomyces cerevisiae expression systems, respectively. A simple purification protocol allowed us to produce a recombinant gp39 protein with 85%–90% purity. The yield of gp39 was 2.9 ± 0.36 mg/g of wet E. coli cells and 0.85 ± 0.33 mg/g for S. cerevisiae cells. The recombinant gp39 self-assembled into well-ordered tubular structures (polytubes) in vivo in the absence of other phage proteins. The diameter of these structures was the same as the diameter of the tail of phage NBD2 (~12 nm). The length of these structures varied from 0.1 µm to >3.95 µm, which is 23-fold the normal NBD2 tail length. Stability analysis demonstrated that the polytubes could withstand various chemical and physical conditions. These polytubes show the potential to be used as a nanomaterial in various fields of science.
Bat Coronaviruses in China
Authors: Fan Yi , Zhao Kai , Shi Zheng-Li , Zhou Peng
Published: March 2019

During the past two decades, three zoonotic coronaviruses have been identified as the cause of large-scale disease outbreaks–Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), and Swine Acute Diarrhea Syndrome (SADS). SARS and MERS emerged in 2003 and 2012, respectively, and caused a worldwide pandemic that claimed thousands of human lives, while SADS struck the swine industry in 2017. They have common characteristics, such as they are all highly pathogenic to humans or livestock, their agents originated from bats, and two of them originated in China. Thus, it is highly likely that future SARS- or MERS-like coronavirus outbreaks will originate from bats, and there is an increased probability that this will occur in China. Therefore, the investigation of bat coronaviruses becomes an urgent issue for the detection of early warning signs, which in turn minimizes the impact of such future outbreaks in China. The purpose of the review is to summarize the current knowledge on viral diversity, reservoir hosts, and the geographical distributions of bat coronaviruses in China, and eventually we aim to predict virus hotspots and their cross-species transmission potential.
Identification of A Novel Picorna-Like Virus, Burpengary Virus, that is Negatively Associated with Chlamydial Disease in the Koala
Authors: Harvey Erin , Madden Danielle , Polkinghorne Adam , Holmes Edward C.
Published: March 2019

Koalas (Phascolarctos cinereus) are native Australian marsupials whose populations are in decline from a range of threats. Infectious diseases caused by the bacterium Chlamydia pecorum and other pathogens are of particular concern. We analysed 26 poly-A selected RNA-sequencing libraries from a data set designed to study the immune response of koalas to ocular chlamydial infection. Using virus discovery techniques, we identified the coding-complete genome sequence of a novel picorna-like virus, denoted Burpengary virus, that was most common in south-east Queensland. Notably, abundance measurements of the virus across all 26 libraries revealed an inverse relationship between abundance and ocular disease in koalas, suggesting that the co-infection of Burpengary virus and Chlamydia pecorum is inhibited.
Efficacy of an Adjuvanted Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus Spike Protein Vaccine in Dromedary Camels and Alpacas
Authors: Adney Danielle R. , Wang Lingshu , van Doremalen Neeltje , Shi Wei , Zhang Yi , Kong Wing-Pui , Miller Megan R. , Bushmaker Trenton , Scott Dana , de Wit Emmie , Modjarrad Kayvon , Petrovsky Nikolai , Graham Barney S. , Bowen Richard A. , Munster Vincent J.
Published: March 2019

MERS-CoV is present in dromedary camels throughout the Middle East and Africa. Dromedary camels are the primary zoonotic reservoir for human infections. Interruption of the zoonotic transmission chain from camels to humans, therefore, may be an effective strategy to control the ongoing MERS-CoV outbreak. Here we show that vaccination with an adjuvanted MERS-CoV Spike protein subunit vaccine confers complete protection from MERS-CoV disease in alpaca and results in reduced and delayed viral shedding in the upper airways of dromedary camels. Protection in alpaca correlates with high serum neutralizing antibody titers. Lower titers of serum neutralizing antibodies correlate with delayed and significantly reduced shedding in the nasal turbinates of dromedary camels. Together, these data indicate that induction of robust neutralizing humoral immune responses by vaccination of naïve animals reduces shedding that potentially could diminish the risk of zoonotic transmission.
Clinical, Histopathologic, and Immunohistochemical Characterization of Experimental Marburg Virus Infection in A Natural Reservoir Host, the Egyptian Rousette Bat (Rousettus aegyptiacus)
Authors: Jones Megan E.B. , Amman Brian R. , Sealy Tara K. , Uebelhoer Luke S. , Schuh Amy J. , Flietstra Timothy , Bird Brian H. , Coleman-McCray JoAnn D. , Zaki Sherif R. , Nichol Stuart T. , Towner Jonathan S.
Published: March 2019

Egyptian rousette bats (Rousettus aegyptiacus) are natural reservoir hosts of Marburg virus (MARV), and Ravn virus (RAVV; collectively called marburgviruses) and have been linked to human cases of Marburg virus disease (MVD). We investigated the clinical and pathologic effects of experimental MARV infection in Egyptian rousettes through a serial euthanasia study and found clear evidence of mild but transient disease. Three groups of nine, captive-born, juvenile male bats were inoculated subcutaneously with 10,000 TCID50 of Marburg virus strain Uganda 371Bat2007, a minimally passaged virus originally isolated from a wild Egyptian rousette. Control bats (n = 3) were mock-inoculated. Three animals per day were euthanized at 3, 5–10, 12 and 28 days post-inoculation (DPI); controls were euthanized at 28 DPI. Blood chemistry analyses showed a mild, statistically significant elevation in alanine aminotransferase (ALT) at 3, 6 and 7 DPI. Lymphocyte and monocyte counts were mildly elevated in inoculated bats after 9 DPI. Liver histology revealed small foci of inflammatory infiltrate in infected bats, similar to lesions previously described in wild, naturally-infected bats. Liver lesion severity scores peaked at 7 DPI, and were correlated with both ALT and hepatic viral RNA levels. Immunohistochemical staining detected infrequent viral antigen in liver (3–8 DPI, n = 8), spleen (3–7 DPI, n = 8), skin (inoculation site; 3–12 DPI, n = 20), lymph nodes (3–10 DPI, n = 6), and oral submucosa (8–9 DPI, n = 2). Viral antigen was present in histiocytes, hepatocytes and mesenchymal cells, and in the liver, antigen staining co-localized with inflammatory foci. These results show the first clear evidence of very mild disease caused by a filovirus in a reservoir bat host and provide support for our experimental model of this virus-reservoir host system.
Cell Cycle Arrest is a Conserved Function of Norovirus VPg Proteins
Authors: McSweeney Alice , Davies Colin , Ward Vernon K.
Published: March 2019

Murine norovirus (MNV) viral protein genome-linked (VPg) manipulates the cell cycle to induce a G0/G1 arrest and gain a beneficial replication environment. All viruses of the norovirus genus encode a VPg protein; however, it is unknown if the G0/G1 arrest induced by MNV VPg is conserved in other members of the genus. RNA transcripts encoding a representative viral VPg from five norovirus genogroups were transfected into RAW-Blue murine macrophages, and the percentage of cells in each phase of the cell cycle was determined. A G0/G1 cell cycle arrest was observed for all norovirus VPg proteins tested, and in the wider Caliciviridae family the arrest was also conserved in rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus (RHDV) VPg and human sapovirus (HuSV) VPg. Truncation of MNV VPg shows that the first 62 amino acids are sufficient for a cell cycle arrest, and alignment of VPg sequences revealed a conserved motif in the N-terminal region of VPg. Analysis of VPg constructs with single N-terminal region point mutations, or exchange of N-terminal regions between VPg proteins, confirmed the importance of the N-terminal region for cell cycle arrest. These results provide evidence that G0/G1 cell cycle arrest is a conserved function of norovirus VPg proteins that involves the N-terminal region of these proteins.
Characterization of Collagen Fibers (I, III, IV) and Elastin of Normal and Neoplastic Canine Prostatic Tissues
Authors: Calderón Luis Gabriel Rivera , Kobayashi Priscila Emiko , Vasconcelos Rosemeri Oliveira , Fonseca-Alves Carlos Eduardo , Laufer-Amorim Renée
Published: March 2019

This study aimed to investigate collagen (Coll-I, III, IV) and elastin in canine normal prostate and prostate cancer (PC) using Picrosirius red (PSR) and Immunohistochemical (IHC) analysis. Eight normal prostates and 10 PC from formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded samples were used. Collagen fibers area was analyzed with ImageJ software. The distribution of Coll-I and Coll-III was approximately 80% around prostatic ducts and acini, 15% among smooth muscle, and 5% surrounding blood vessels, in both normal prostate and PC. There was a higher median area of Coll-III in PC when compared to normal prostatic tissue (p = 0.001 for PSR and p = 0.05 for IHC). Immunostaining for Coll-IV was observed in the basal membrane of prostate acini, smooth muscle, blood vessels, and nerve fibers of normal and PC samples. Although there was no difference in Coll-IV area between normal tissue and PC, tumors with Gleason score 10 showed absence of Coll-IV, when compared to scores 6 and 8 (p = 0.0095). Elastic fibers were found in the septa dividing the lobules and around the prostatic acini of normal samples and were statistically higher in PC compared to normal tissue (p = 0.00229). Investigation of ECM components brings new information and should be correlated with prognosis in future studies.
Combing Random Forest and Least Square Support Vector Regression for Improving Extreme Rainfall Downscaling
Authors: Pham Quoc Bao , Yang Tao-Chang , Kuo Chen-Min , Tseng Hung-Wei , Yu Pao-Shan
Published: March 2019

A statistical downscaling approach for improving extreme rainfall simulation was proposed to predict the daily rainfalls at Shih-Men Reservoir catchment in northern Taiwan. The structure of the proposed downscaling approach is composed of two parts: the rainfall-state classification and the regression for rainfall-amount prediction. Predictors of classification and regression methods were selected from the large-scale climate variables of the NCEP reanalysis data based on statistical tests. The data during 1964–1999 and 2000–2013 were used for calibration and validation, respectively. Three classification methods, including linear discriminant analysis (LDA), random forest (RF), and support vector classification (SVC), were adopted for rainfall-state classification and their performances were compared. After rainfall-state classification, the least square support vector regression (LS-SVR) was used for rainfall-amount prediction for different rainfall states. Two rainfall states (i.e., dry day and wet day) and three rainfall states (dry day, non-extreme-rainfall day, and extreme-rainfall day) were defined and compared for judging their downscaling performances. The results show that RF outperforms LDA and SVC for rainfall-state classification. Using RF for three-rainfall-states classification and LS-SVR for rainfall-amount prediction can improve the extreme rainfall downscaling.
Water, Energy and Food Supply Security in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Countries—A Risk Perspective
Authors: Al-Saidi Mohammad , Saliba Sally
Published: March 2019

Supply systems for water, energy and food in the Gulf region are becoming highly interlinked. In the last decades, interdependence was evident in the increase of coproduction plants and the cross-sectoral resource use footprints. In light of increasing integration due to growing scarcities, the construction of mega projects for coproduction, and the use of renewables across sectors, the security notion can be revisited. This paper proposes a view of the resource supply security based on the systems’ characteristics under change and their ability to deal with risks and shocks (resilience). It introduces internal and external risk factors for the water, energy and food supply systems in the Gulf region and highlights recent knowledge on such risks. Further, the paper explains the vulnerability of supply systems to planning risks like scale, integration intensity and level of service provisions together with risks related to growth, technology, market and climate. In light of such insecurities, we stress the importance of investing in risk management and resilience policies in infrastructure planning. Response measures to future risks can focus on options like storage, knowledge, diversification and, importantly, promoting regional cooperation and synergies from common infrastructure planning between countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).
Enhancement in thermoelectric properties due to Ag nanoparticles incorporated in Bi2Te3 matrix
Authors: Gupta Srashti , Agarwal Dinesh Chandra , Sivaiah Bathula , Amrithpandian Sankarakumar , Asokan Kandasami , Dhar Ajay , Panigrahi Binaya Kumar , Avasthi Devesh Kumar , Gupta Vinay
Published: March 2019

The present study aims to see the enhancement in thermoelectric properties of bismuth telluride (Bi2Te3) annealed at different temperatures (573 and 773 K) through silver (Ag) nano-inclusions (0, 2, 5, 10, 15 and 20 wt %). Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images of Ag incorporated in Bi2Te3 annealed at 573 K shows tubular, pentagonal, trigonal, circular and hexagonal nanoparticles with sizes of 6–25 nm (for 5 wt % Ag ) and 7–30 nm (for 20 wt % Ag). Ag incorporated in Bi2Te3 annealed at 773 K shows mainly hexagonally shaped structures with particle sizes of 2–20 nm and 40–80 nm (for 5 wt % Ag) and 10–60 nm (for 20 wt % Ag). Interestingly, the samples annealed at 573 K show the highest Seebeck coefficient (S, also called thermopower) at room temperature (p-type behavior) for 5% Ag which is increased ca. five-fold in comparison to Ag-free Bi2Te3, whereas for samples with the same content (5% Ag) annealed at 773 K the increment in thermopower is only about three-fold with a 6.9-fold enhancement of the power factor (S2σ). The effect of size and shape of the nanoparticles on thermoelectric properties can be understood on the basis of a carrier-filtering effect that results in an increase in thermopower along with a control over the reduction in electrical conductivity to maintain a high power factor yielding a high figure of merit.
Frequency–Distance Structure of Solar Radio Sources Observed by LOFAR
Authors: Gordovskyy Mykola , Kontar Eduard , Browning Philippa , Kuznetsov Alexey
Published: March 2019

Low-frequency radio observations make it possible to study the solar corona at distances up to 2–3 R
☉. Frequency of plasma emission is a proxy for electron density of the emitting plasma and, therefore, observations of solar radio bursts can be used to probe the density structure of the outer corona. In this study, positions of solar radio sources are investigated using the Low-Frequency Array (LOFAR) spectral imaging in the frequency range 30–50 MHz. We show that there are events where apparent positions of the radio sources cannot be explained using the standard coronal density models. Namely, the apparent heliocentric positions of the sources are 0.1–0.7 R
☉ further from the Sun compared with the positions predicted by the Newkirk model, and these shifts are frequency-dependent. We discuss several possible explanations for this effect, including enhanced plasma density in the flaring corona, as well as scattering and refraction of the radio waves.
Three-dimensional Core-collapse Supernova Simulations with Multidimensional Neutrino Transport Compared to the Ray-by-ray-plus Approximation
Authors: Glas Robert , Just Oliver , Janka H.-Thomas , Obergaulinger Martin
Published: March 2019

Self-consistent, time-dependent supernova (SN) simulations in three spatial dimensions (3D) are conducted with the Aenus-Alcar code, comparing, for the first time, calculations with fully multidimensional (FMD) neutrino transport and the ray-by-ray-plus (RbR+) approximation, both based on a two-moment solver with algebraic M1 closure. We find good agreement between 3D results with FMD and RbR+ transport for both tested grid resolutions in the cases of a 20 M
⊙ progenitor, which does not explode with the employed simplified set of neutrino opacities, and of an exploding 9 M
⊙ model. This is in stark contrast to corresponding axisymmetric (2D) simulations, which confirm previous claims that the RbR+ approximation can foster explosions in 2D, particularly in models with powerful axial sloshing of the stalled shock due to the standing accretion shock instability. However, while local and instantaneous variations of neutrino fluxes and heating rates can still be considerably higher with RbR+ transport in 3D, the time-averaged quantities are very similar to FMD results, because of the absence of a fixed, artificial symmetry axis that channels the flow. Therefore, except for stochastic fluctuations, the neutrino signals and the postbounce evolution of 3D simulations with FMD and RbR+ transport are also very similar, particularly for our calculations with the better grid resolution. Higher spatial resolution clearly has a more important impact than the differences due to the two transport treatments. Our results back up the use of the RbR+ approximation for neutrino transport in 3D SN modeling.
Gluconobacter oxydans – potential biological agent for binding or biotransformation of mycotoxins
Authors: Markov K. , Frece J. , Pleadin J. , Bevardi M. , Barišić L. , Kljusurić J. Gajdoš , Vulić A. , Jakopović Ž. , Mrvčić J.
Published: March 2019

The potential application of viable and heat-treated cells ofGluconobacter oxydans for binding or degradation of aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), citrinin (CIT), ochratoxin A (OTA) and patulin (PAT) in liquid matrix was investigated. Experiments were conducted using uncontaminated and toxin-containing YPM (yeast-peptone-mannitol) medium and inoculated with a bacterium suspension of either viable or heat-treated cells (108 cfu/ml) and incubated at 28 °C for 24 h. The unbound AFB1 and OTA were quantified by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), whereas CIT and PAT were quantified by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Obtained results suggest thatG. oxydans is able to bind various mycotoxins by 26 to 94%. Viable cells showed the best binding ability towards OTA and PAT (80.8 and 93.8%, respectively), while heat-treated cells bound less than 50% of tested mycotoxins. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) showed that partial removal of mycotoxins involves physical binding of the toxin to the proteins and polysaccharides constituting the bacterial cell wall. Since mycotoxins contain numerous functional groups that multiply the IR spectra upon binding to bacteria, the precision of FTIR monitoring of bacteria-mycotoxin interactions is limited.
Of technical writing, instructions for use as a specialised genre and discourse communities
Authors: Isani Shaeda
Published: March 2019

Cet article postule que si le mode d’emploi peut être considéré comme genre spécialisé en raison de ses conventions textuelles et linguistiques, la notion corollaire de communauté discursive reste posée. Après un bref survol du genre procédural et du mode d’emploi en tant que sous-genre, nous examinons ses caractéristiques textuelles et linguistiques, notamment la concision syntaxique imposée par les exigences de brièveté. Nous nous intéressons aussi au mode d’emploi en tant qu’éventuel langage contrôlé. Nous étudions ensuite le mode d’emploi eu égard au concept de communauté discursive telle que définie par Swales, les caractéristiques du destinateur (le rédacteur technique) et du destinataire (le client final à l’échelle mondiale) pour conclure que le profil ultra-diversifié et fluctuant du destinateur en termes de compétence en anglais ne permet pas de l’envisager comme appartenant à une communauté discursive homogène. En conclusion, nous évoquons quelques évolutions du genre vers le remplacement de l’écrit par l’image et la dématérialisation du genre, des transformations qui ne feront que fragmenter davantage le peu de cohésion identitaire qui existe aujourd’hui au niveau des destinataires.
L’évolution de l’anglais vétérinaire britannique : étude d’un corpus d’articles professionnels en diachronie courte
Authors: Conan Muriel
Published: March 2019

Longtemps considéré comme une variété de l’anglais médical, l’anglais vétérinaire en tant que langue de spécialité (LSP) n’a pas encore été décrit, malgré ses spécificités propres et les besoins langagiers des étudiants vétérinaires non anglophones. Nous proposons une première étude qui indique un lien fort entre la LSP et la culture qui la sous-tend. L’étude comparative, en diachronie courte, d’un corpus constitué d’articles publiés dans la revue professionnelle britannique In Practice en 1987 et 2017, nous a permis de tracer l’évolution de l’anglais vétérinaire afin de définir les éléments nécessaires au vétérinaire français pour coagir efficacement avec la communauté spécialisée britannique. L’analyse des données suggère que le vétérinaire avait pour préoccupation de soigner l’animal en 1987, alors qu’aujourd’hui il doit répondre aux attentes de ses clients en plus de traiter les besoins de ses patients. Les compétences nécessaires à la pratique en clientèle se sont diversifiées pour inclure communication et réflexion éthique, deux domaines fortement influencés par l’appartenance à une culture nationale spécialisée, et méritant l’attention des linguistes et des didacticiens.
The process of dictionarisation in English for Police Purposes: Dictionaries, glossaries and encyclopaedias as entry points in the specialised language and communities of policing and law enforcement
Authors: Cartron Audrey
Published: March 2019

Cet article explore une variété spécialisée de l’anglais jusqu’alors peu étudiée : l’anglais de la police. La publication en anglais de dictionnaires, glossaires et encyclopédies de la police apporte un éclairage précieux sur l’existence de cette langue de spécialité, mais souligne également la nécessité de rendre les termes et concepts spécialisés accessibles aux non-spécialistes. La dictionnarisation n’est pas le seul critère attestant une spécialisation ; cependant, ces ouvrages offrent d’intéressantes voies d’accès à la langue et à la communauté spécialisées. Cette étude vise à décrire le contenu d’une sélection de cinq dictionnaires, glossaires et encyclopédies spécialisés. Elle propose également d’analyser le rôle joué par les auteurs ayant contribué à la compilation de ces publications ainsi que leurs motivations, souvent explicitées dans les sections introductives. De nombreux éléments pris en compte lors de la compilation, comme le profil du lectorat ciblé ou la nécessité de refléter les évolutions institutionnelles, sont également analysés.
Prediction of Hardness in Drawn Copper Wire by Effective Strain from Finite Element Simulation
Authors: Chang Chao Cheng , Hsieh Yen Ta , Kao Chun Hsuan , Shao Shun Yu , Hsu Chia Hao
Published: March 2019

The study developed a hardness-strain reference curve to be used with the finite element simulation for the prediction of the hardness in the drawn copper wire. The hardness values of the deformed copper specimens from tensile tests were analyzed to construct a relationship between hardness and strain. By using an industrial wire drawing machine, a copper wire was drawn by 5 passes to reduce its diameter from 8 to 4.64 mm. All drawing dies used the same configurations which include an area reduction ratio of 20 percent, an approach angle of 7°, and a bearing length of 0.5 times the feeding wire diameter. The finite element simulations of the wire drawing processes were also performed to predict the effective strains in the drawn copper wires. With the use of the developed hardness-strain curve, the hardness of the drawn wires can be estimated. The results show that the difference between the predicted and measured hardness values is about 10 percent lower in the early stage of the wire drawing process, and the difference increases with the number of passes to about 30 percent higher in the later stage of the process.
Effects of Flame Retardant Nano Bio-Based Filler on Fire Behaviors of Intumescent Coating
Authors: Yew Ming Kun , Yew Ming Chian , Saw Lip Huat , Beh Jing Han , King Yeong Jin , Durairaj Rajkumar
Published: March 2019

The present work analyzed the fire protection performances, char formation and heat release characteristics of the thin film intumescent fire protective coatings that incorporate the eggshell (ES) waste as a renewable flame retardant nano bio-based filler. The fire performances of the coatings were evaluated using Bunsen burner and cone calorimeter. The fire behaviors of the samples in the condensed phase were conducted in accordance with the ISO 5660-1 standard. On exposure, the samples B and D reinforced with 3.30 wt.% and 2.75 wt.% of ES nano bio-filler, respectively showed a significant reduction in total heat rate, promoting thicker and more uniform char layer in protecting the steel structural. As a result, ES nano bio-filler composition has shown to be efficient in fire protective performance of the intumescent coatings.
Tensile Properties and Dynamic Mechanical Behaviour of Natural Rubber Compound Filled with Rice Husk Silica Produced via Solvent-Thermal Extraction Method
Authors: Salim Zainathul Akhmar Salim Abdul , Hassan Aziz , Ismail Hanafi , Che Ismail Nor Hafizah
Published: March 2019

This study highlighted the effect of incorporation of rice husk silica (RHS) on the tensile properties and dynamic mechanical behaviour of natural rubber (NR) compounds. High purity RHS was synthesised by solvent-thermal extraction method, which was inspired by TAPPI T204 cm-97 and TAPPI T264 cm-97 standards with some modifications. The extraction method had successfully produced RHS with 99.9% of silica content and surface area of 234.25 m2/g. The incorporation of RHS in NR showed increment in tensile properties compared to unfilled NR. Further improvement was recorded by surface modification of RHS with 1 wt. % bis (triethoxysilylpropyl) tetrasulfide (TESPT). The modification of RHS with TESPT increased the rubber-filler interaction between RHS and NR matrix, hence enhancing the strength-related properties. The modified RHS-NR also recorded highest storage modulus, and the presence of RHS in the NR compound had slightly shifted the glass transition temperature (Tg) to a higher value. This confirmed that the strong rubber-filler interaction had increased the rigidity of the compounds and restricted the mobility of the rubber chains.
Preparation, Characterization, and Encapsulation Efficiency Test of Simvastatin Microencapsulation Using Polyblend of Poly(Lactic Acid)and Poly(ɛ-Caprolactone)
Authors: Hayatunnufus Rahmi , Wati Galuh Putri Erika , Budianto Emil
Published: March 2019

Simvastatin is one of the most extensively used drugs to reduce blood cholesterol levels, which practically insoluble in water and not well absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract. In this study, simvastatin was encapsulated using polyblend of PLA and PCL in the composition of 60:40 by solvent evaporation technique (oil-in-water). The optimization of agitation rate, solvent removal time, emulsion time, and emulsifier concentration have been conducted to obtain the maximum efficiency to encapsulate simvastatin in the matrix polymer. The result showed that the optimum conditions to increase the encapsulation efficiency of simvastatin in the microcapsule using polyblend of PLA and PCL were obtained in the agitation rate, solvent removal time, emulsion time, and Tween 80 concentration as an emulsifier at 700 rpm, 1 hour, 1 hour, and 0.5% (v/v), respectively.