bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Experimental increase in female mass during the fertile phase leads to enhanced extra-pair paternity in pied flycatchers Ficedula hypoleuca
Authors: Plaza Mireia , Cantarero Alejandro , Moreno Juan
Published: September 2019

Female mass in most altricial birds reaches its maximum during breeding at egg-laying, which coincides temporally with the fertile phase when extra-pair paternity (EPP) is determined. Higher mass at laying may have two different effects on EPP intensity. On the one hand, it would lead to increased wing loading (body mass/wing area), which may impair flight efficiency and thereby reduce female’s capacity to resist unwanted extra-pair male approaches (sexual conflict hypothesis). On the other hand, it would enhance female condition, favouring her capacity to evade mate-guarding and to search for extra-pair mates (female choice hypothesis). In both cases, higher female mass at laying may lead to enhanced EPP. To test this prediction, we reduced nest building effort by adding a completely constructed nest in an experimental group of female pied flycatchers (Ficedula hypoleuca). Our treatment caused an increase in mass and thereby wing loading and this was translated into a significantly higher EPP in the manipulated group compared with the control group as expected. There was also a significant negative relationship between EPP and laying date and the extent of the white wing patch, an index of female dominance. More body reserves at laying mean not only a higher potential fecundity but a higher level of EPP as well. This interaction had not previously received due attention but should be considered in future studies of avian breeding strategies.
Effect of Cohesive Contact of Backfill with Arch and Spandrel Walls of a Historical Masonry Arch Bridge on Seismic Response
Authors: Hokelekli Emin
Published: September 2019

Historical masonry bridges generally consist of arches, spandrels walls, backfills, piers and foundations. Under the effects such as earthquake, flood and wind, the most vulnerable structural elements of bridges against out-of-plane seismic motions are spandrel walls. Increasing length and height of spandrel walls increases the vulnerability of the bridge under loads in vertical and transverse directions. The aim of this research is to examine the in-plane and out-of-plane non-linear structural responses of the spandrel walls of a historical masonry bridge. For this purpose, a historical masonry arch bridge with built in 1787 in Bartın-Turkey was chosen as the subject structure. The 3D finite element model and nonlinear seismic analyses of the bridge were performed with ABAQUS. Initially, the backfill-spandrels and backfill-arch interfaces of the bridge were modeled with and without cohesive contact. The non-linear material responses of the spandrel walls and the arch units were defined using Concrete Damage Plasticity material model and those of the backfill unit were defined with Mohr-Coulomb material model. The east-west component of 17 August 1999 Kocaeli Earthquake’s acceleration records was used in the analyses. The east-west acceleration component was applied on the bridge in-plane and out-of-plane directions during the time-history non-linear seismic analysis of the bridge. The results obtained from the analyses with and without the consideration of cohesive contact were compared to evaluate the seismic responses of the spandrel walls. As a result, cohesive interface behavior was found to significantly affect the spandrel wall response under in- plane and out-of-plane seismic forces.
Klauzula przeciwko unikaniu opodatkowania. Aspekty prawno-podatkowe
Authors: Glumińska-Pawlic Jadwiga , Kubista Bartosz
Published: September 2019

Artykuł omawia prawne i podatkowe aspekty wdrożenia do polskiego prawa podatkowego klauzuli o przeciwdziałaniu unikania opodatkowania, rys historyczny klauzuli, jej istotę oraz przydatność dla osiągnięcia zamierzonych przez ustawodawcę efektów. Artykuł odnosi się również do kwestii wad i zalet klauzuli, konstytucyjności regulacji oraz instytucji opinii zabezpieczających i pozycji Rady do Spraw Przeciwdziałania Unikaniu Opodatkowania.
Modeling Interstation Travel Speed of Hybrid Bus Rapid Transit within A Bayesian Framework
Authors: Hu Ji-hua , Liang Jia-xian
Published: September 2019

Interstation travel speed is an important indicator of the running state of hybrid Bus Rapid Transit and passenger experience. Due to the influence of road traffic, traffic lights and other factors, the interstation travel speeds are often some kind of multi-peak and it is difficult to use a single distribution to model them. In this paper, a Gaussian mixture model charactizing the interstation travel speed of hybrid BRT under a Bayesian framework is established. The parameters of the model are inferred using the Reversible-Jump Markov Chain Monte Carlo approach (RJMCMC), including the number of model components and the weight, mean and variance of each component. Then the model is applied to Guangzhou BRT, a kind of hybrid BRT. From the results, it can be observed that the model can very effectively describe the heterogeneous speed data among different inter-stations, and provide richer information usually not available from the traditional models, and the model also produces an excellent fit to each multimodal speed distribution curve of the inter-stations. The causes of different speed distribution can be identified through investigating the Internet map of GBRT, they are big road traffic and long traffic lights respectively, which always contribute to a main road crossing. So, the BRT lane should be elevated through the main road to decrease the complexity of the running state.
Kuivatun viljan varastoinnin maa
Authors: Hatakka Sampsa
Published: September 2019

Tuoreen ja kostean viljan varastoiminen on aina ollut haasteellista, sillä se pilaantuu helposti. Jos nykyäänkin viljaa halutaan varastoida pitkäaikaisesti, viljan kosteus pitää saada riittävän alhaiseksi. Kuivauksen tarve riippui siitä, kuinka kuivaa vilja on korjattaessa ja miten kuivaksi se voitiin saada pelkästään ulkokuivauksella. Pohjoisissa olosuhteissa ulkokuivaus on haasteellista, minkä vuoksi Suomessa, Baltiassa ja Venäjällä vilja on pyritty kuivaamaan keinotekoisesti riihien avulla jo vuosisatojen ajan. Riihet olivat rakenteeltaan yksinkertaisia hirsirakennuksia, joiden sisällä oli uuni ja parret. Riihen lämmittäminen vaati paljon polttopuuta ja käyttäjiltään taitoa, mitkä tekijät osaltaan rajoittivat tekniikan leviämistä. Vaikka riihikuivauksen tekniikka on ollut pitkään tunnettu, sen laajempaa merkitystä ei tästä huolimatta ole tutkimuksissa juuri käsitelty.

Tässä artikkelissa riihikuivausta tarkastellaan kuivatun viljan ja sen varastoinnin näkökulmasta. Ruotsin valtakunnassa kuivattua viljaa hankittiin suuret määrät kruununmakasiineihin, joihin tarvittiin varmuusvarastoja sekä sotien että katojen varalle. Tutkimuksen on selvitetty, miksi varastoon hankittiin nimenomaan riihikuivattua viljaa ja miten paljon sitä määrällisesti oli makasiineissa. Tutkimusajanjaksona on hattujen sodan ja Pommerin sodan välinen rauhan aika (1743–1757). Maantieteellisesti tutkimus kattaa Pommeria lukuun ottamatta koko Ruotsin valtakunnan eli nykyiset Suomen ja Ruotsin alueet.

Tutkimuksesta käy ilmi, että suurin osa Ruotsin valtakunnan kruununmakasiineissa olleesta viljasta oli tutkimusajanjaksolla riihikuivattua. Selvimmin tämä näkyi Suomen makasiineissa, joissa oli vain riihikuivattua ruista lukuun ottamatta Ruotsista vuonna 1750 tuotua viljaa. Vaikeudet tämän tuontiviljan varastoimisessa ja hyödyntämisessä osoittavat sen, miten tottumattomia Suomessa oltiin kuivaamattomaan viljan käyttöön. Myös Ruotsin puolella valtakuntaa keskeisimmissä varastoissa, Tukholmassa ja Karlskronassa, pääosa viljasta oli riihikuivattua. Koska Ruotsissa riihikuivausta ei juuri harjoitettu, vilja piti hankkia varastoihin muualta. Riihikuivattua viljaa saatiin Suomesta sekä veroina että ostoina. Erityisesti Pohjanmaalta tuotua laadukasta Vaasan ruista arvostettiin Ruotsissa. Suurin osa Tukholman makasiineihin tuodusta riihikuivatusta viljasta oli kuitenkin peräisin ilmeisesti Baltiasta. Kuivatun viljan varmuusvarastoinnille oli Ruotsin valtakunnassa 1700-luvulla tarvetta, sillä valtakunta oli riippuvainen viljan tuonnista. Usein toistuneet kadot ja sodankäynnin tarpeet edellyttivät, että varastoissa oli jatkuvasti viljaa pahimman varalle.
Two antiquities – one policy: the «tribute of dorpat» and the «tribute of kazan» in Russian diplomacy and historical thought in 1550–60s
Authors: Podberezkin Philip D.
Published: September 2019

In the beginning of 1550s the diplomats of Russian Tsar Ivan IV for the first time used the legend about «Kazan tribute» and «Dorpat tribute» to justify the historical rule over Kazan and German Livonia. The story about «Kazan tribute» was firstly mainstreamed during the reign of Ivan IV; however, the «Dorpat tribute» was mentioned in the Russian-Livonian treaties of 15th century – its origin is still unknown. For the first time in historiography this article compares two stories. The author examines the sources of both legends, their author, the role in the justification of the continuity between the ancient Rus’ of Rurikovichi and Moscow Russia of Ivan IV, the relation between the terms «otchina» (paternity), «dan’» (tribute), «zemlya» (land). Since the 1470s Moscow began to rethink the tribute relationships, that had been established in Mongol-Turk political space. This resulted in an attempt to stop the payments for the Chan of Crimea (1473) and to demand the tribute from the Bishop of Dorpat (Russian Yuryev, 1474). Based on the Text of «Primary chronicle» the Russian intellectuals claimed the identity of Volga Bulgaria and Kazan, ancient Russian Yuryev and German Dorpat in the text of Nikon Chronicle. The main criterion for the hereditary rule over the territory was «zemlya» (land) as the political category, regardless of the ethnicity and religion of its population. The author concludes that the courtier Alexey Adashev edited the story about «Dorpat tribute» following the example of «Kazan tribute» story. Thus, there is a direct intertextual dependence between the two stories.
Assessing and Enhancing the Welfare of Animals with Equivocal and Reliable Cues
Authors: Watters Jason V. , Krebs Bethany L.
Published: September 2019

The actions of human caretakers strongly influence animals living under human care. Here, we consider how intentional and unintentional signals provided by caretakers can inform our assessment of animals’ well-being as well as help to support it. Our aim is to assist in further developing techniques to learn animals’ affective state from their behavior and to provide simple suggestions for how animal caretakers’ behavior can support animal welfare. We suggest that anticipatory behavior towards expected rewards is related to decision-making behavior as viewed through the cognitive bias lens. By considering the predictions of the theories associated with anticipatory behavior and cognitive bias, we propose to use specific cues to probe the cumulative affective state of animals. Additionally, our commentary draws on the logic of reward sensitivity and judgement bias theories to develop a framework that suggests how reliable and equivocal signals may influence animals’ affective states. Application of this framework may be useful in supporting the welfare of animals in human care.
Carbapenemase Genes and Multidrug Resistance of Acinetobacter Baumannii: A Cross Sectional Study of Patients with Pneumonia in Southern Vietnam
Authors: Hoang Quoc Cuong , Nguyen Thi Phuong Thao , Nguyen Duc Hai , Tran Le Trung , Tran Thi Thu Hang , Nguyen Tuan Si , Phan Trong Lan
Published: September 2019

Background: Acinetobacter baumannii (Ab) is an opportunistic bacterial pathogen found in hospital-acquired infections including nosocomial pneumonia, especially multidrug-resistant Ab. This study aims to survey the drug resistance profiles of Ab isolated from patients in Thong Nhat Dong Nai General Hospital and assess the relationship between genotypes and antibiotic resistance; Methods: Ninety-seven Ab strains isolated from 340 lower respiratory tract specimens among pneumonia patients were used to screen the most common local carbapenemase genes. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing results and demographic data were collected and minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of colistin were also determined; Results: Over 80% and 90% of Ab strains were determined as carbapenem-resistant and multidrug-resistant (MDR), respectively. Most of the strains carried carbapenemase genes, including blaOXA-51, blaOXA-23-like, blaOXA-58-like, and blaNDM-1, with proportions of 97 (100%), 76 (78.4%), 10 (10.3%), 6 (6.2%), respectively. Amongst these genes, blaOXA-23-like was the only gene which significantly influenced the resistance (p < 0.0001); and Conclusions: The severity of Ab antibiotic resistance is urgent and specifically related to carbapenemase encoding genes. Therefore, screening of MDR Ab and carbapenemase for better treatment options is necessary.
Anti-Microbiological, Anti-Hyperglycemic and Anti-Obesity Potency of Natural Antioxidants in Fruit Fractions of Saskatoon Berry
Authors: Lachowicz Sabina , Wiśniewski Rafał , Ochmian Ireneusz , Drzymała Katarzyna , Pluta Stanisław
Published: September 2019

The aim of the present work was to evaluate for content of phytochemicals (monophosphate nucleotides, free amino acids, polyphenols), and for anti-microbiological, anti-diabetic (ability to inhibit pancreatic lipase, α-glucosidase, and α-amylase), and antioxidant activities in seven selected fruit and fruit fractions of Amelanchier alnifolia. Most of the fruit and fruit fractions analyzed in this study have not been examined in this respect until now. The content of monophosphate nucleotides and free amino acids were tested by ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with photodiode array detector and electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry (UPLC-PDA-ESI-MS). The distribution of the examined compounds and biological activity differed significantly depending on the tested fruit and parts of the fruit. Cultivars “Smoky” and “Thiessen” had a high content of essential free amino acids, monophosphate nucleotides, and the highest antioxidant activity. They were also accountable for the high ability to inhibit Enterococcus hirae (anti-bacterial activity), of activity toward α-amylase, α-glucosidase, and pancreatic lipase. Moreover, the fruit peel was abundant in polyphenolic compounds and showed the highest antioxidative activity, which were strongly correlated with each other. In addition, the peel was characterized by a high concentration of monophosphate nucleotides, free amino acids, and were responsible above all for the strong ability to inhibit pancreatic lipase enzymes contributing to the development of obesity. The seeds were rich in uridine 5’-monophosphate, and total essential and non-essential free amino acids, whose contents correlated with the inhibitory activity toward α-amylase and α-glucosidase. The fruit flesh showed a high content of total free amino acids (hydroxy-L-proline, O-phosphoethanolamine, L-citruline). There was a positive correlation between antioxidant capacity and the content of polyphenolic compounds, nucleotide, and ability to inhibit pancreatic lipase, and between anti-hyperglycemic and free amino acids in fruits and fruit fractions. Therefore, the tested fruit of A. alnifolia and their fractions could be essential ingredients of new functional products and/or probiotic food.
Welding Deformation Analysis, Using an Inherent Strain Method for Friction Stir Welded Electric Vehicle Aluminum Battery Housing, Considering Productivity
Authors: Kang Sungwook , Kim Jaewoong , Jang Youngjae , Lee Kwangjin
Published: September 2019

With the rise of electric vehicles, the use of battery modules, which are key units that drive vehicles, is increasing. The battery housing is the final form of a battery system mounted on electric vehicles, and is generally made of aluminum alloys, located at the bottom of the vehicle. The aluminum housing has a special shape to accommodate the battery module and is produced by welding extruded panels. This study applied friction stir welding (FSW) to weld 2.5 mm thin aluminum plates in order to improve the weldability and productivity. To increase productivity, we compared the mechanical properties after performing experiments under various FSW conditions. As a result, it was possible to derive speed-enabling welding conditions that can improve productivity without decreasing tensile strength. Deformation occurred in the structure during welding, causing gaps in the structure. Since these gaps have a significant influence on the degradation of mechanical properties after welding, the welding deformation at each step of welding must be calculated and reflected in the process. This study used the inherent strain method to calculate the deformation of each step of welding to apply automatic welding, and reduced the analysis time to 1/30 compared to the thermal elasto-plastic analysis method. Finally, this study verified the validity of the analysis method by comparing the experimental results with the numerical results using the inherent strain method.
Automatic Detection of a Standard Line for Brain Magnetic Resonance Imaging Using Deep Learning
Authors: Sugimori Hiroyuki , Kawakami Masashi
Published: September 2019

Recently, deep learning technology has been applied to medical images. This study aimed to create a detector able to automatically detect an anatomical structure presented in a brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan to draw a standard line. A total of 1200 brain sagittal MRI scans were used for training and validation. Two sizes of regions of interest (ROIs) were drawn on each anatomical structure measuring 64 × 64 pixels and 32 × 32 pixels, respectively. Data augmentation was applied to these ROIs. The faster region-based convolutional neural network was used as the network model for training. The detectors created were validated to evaluate the precision of detection. Anatomical structures detected by the model created were processed to draw the standard line. The average precision of anatomical detection, detection rate of the standard line, and accuracy rate of achieving a correct drawing were evaluated. For the 64 × 64-pixel ROI, the mean average precision achieved a result of 0.76 ± 0.04, which was higher than the outcome achieved with the 32 × 32-pixel ROI. Moreover, the detection and accuracy rates of the angle of difference at 10 degrees for the orbitomeatal line were 93.3 ± 5.2 and 76.7 ± 11.0, respectively. The automatic detection of a reference line for brain MRI can help technologists improve this examination.
A Correction Method for Heat Wave Distortion in Digital Image Correlation Measurements Based on Background-Oriented Schlieren
Authors: Ma Chang , Zeng Zhoumo , Zhang Hui , Rui Xiaobo
Published: September 2019

Digital image correlation (DIC) is a kind of displacement and strain measurement technique. It can realize non-contact and full-field measurement and is widely used in the testing and research of mechanical properties of materials at high temperatures. However, many factors affect measurement accuracy. As the high temperature environment is complex, the impact of heat waves on DIC is the most significant factor. In order to correct the disturbance in DIC measurement caused by heat waves, this paper proposes a method based on the background-oriented schlieren (BOS) technique. The spot pattern on the surface of a specimen in digital image correlation can be used as the background in the background-oriented schlieren technique. The BOS technique can measure the distortion information of the images caused by heat flow field. The specimen images taken through the heat waves can be corrected using the distortion information. Besides, the characteristics of distortions due to heat waves are also studied in this paper. The experiment results verify that the proposed method can effectively eliminate heat wave disturbances in DIC measurements.
Dual-View Integral Imaging 3D Display Based on Multiplexed Lens-Array Holographic Optical Element
Authors: Zhang Hanle , Deng Huan , He Minyang , Li Dahai , Wang Qionghua
Published: September 2019

We propose a dual-view integral imaging 3D display based on a multiplexed lens-array holographic optical element (MHOE). A MHOE is a volume holographic optical element obtained by multiplexing technology, which can be used for dual-view integral imaging 3D display due to the angle selectivity of the volume HOE. In the fabrication of the MHOE, two spherical wavefront arrays with different incident angles are recorded using photopolymer material. In the reconstruction, two projectors are used to project the elemental image arrays (EIA) with corresponding angles for two viewing zones. We have developed a prototype of the dual-view integral imaging display. The experimental results demonstrate the correctness of the theory.
Energy Management in Microgrids with Renewable Energy Sources: A Literature Review
Authors: García Vera Yimy E. , Dufo-López Rodolfo , Bernal-Agustín José L.
Published: September 2019

Renewable energy sources have emerged as an alternative to meet the growing demand for energy, mitigate climate change, and contribute to sustainable development. The integration of these systems is carried out in a distributed manner via microgrid systems; this provides a set of technological solutions that allows information exchange between the consumers and the distributed generation centers, which implies that they need to be managed optimally. Energy management in microgrids is defined as an information and control system that provides the necessary functionality, which ensures that both the generation and distribution systems supply energy at minimal operational costs. This paper presents a literature review of energy management in microgrid systems using renewable energies, along with a comparative analysis of the different optimization objectives, constraints, solution approaches, and simulation tools applied to both the interconnected and isolated microgrids. To manage the intermittent nature of renewable energy, energy storage technology is considered to be an attractive option due to increased technological maturity, energy density, and capability of providing grid services such as frequency response. Finally, future directions on predictive modeling mainly for energy storage systems are also proposed.
Personalized Mobile Video Recommendation Based on User Preference Modeling by Deep Features and Social Tags
Authors: Li Jiafeng , Li Chenhao , Liu Jihong , Zhang Jing , Zhuo Li , Wang Meng
Published: September 2019

With the explosive growth of mobile videos, helping users quickly and effectively find mobile videos of interest and further provide personalized recommendation services are the developing trends of mobile video applications. Mobile videos are characterized by their wide variety, single content, and short duration, and thus traditional personalized video recommendation methods cannot produce effective recommendation performance. Therefore, a personalized mobile video recommendation method is proposed based on user preference modeling by deep features and social tags. The main contribution of our work is three-fold: (1) deep features of mobile videos are extracted by an improved exponential linear units-3D convolutional neural network (ELU-3DCNN) for representing video content; (2) user preference is modeled by combining user preference for deep features with user preference for social tags that are respectively modeled by maximum likelihood estimation and exponential moving average method; (3) a personalized mobile video recommendation system based on user preference modeling is built after detecting key frames with a differential evolution optimization algorithm. Experiments on YouTube-8M dataset have shown that our method outperforms state-of-the-art methods in terms of both precision and recall of personalized mobile video recommendation.
Efficient Production of Medium-Chain Structured Phospholipids over Mesoporous Organosulfonic Acid-Functionalized SBA-15 Catalysts
Authors: Zhang Jianghua , Yang Shasha , Cai Weijie , Yin Fawen , Jia Jin , Zhou Dayong , Zhu Beiwei
Published: September 2019

It is highly desirable that efficient recoverable heterogeneous catalysts should be developed to replace the costly biocatalysts used in producing structured phospholipids (SPLs) with medium-chain fatty acids (MCFAs). Thus, mesoporous propyl and phenyl sulfonic acid-functionalized SBA-15 materials synthesized via surface modification methods were investigated for the soybean lecithin interesterification with methyl caprate or caprylate. The physicochemical properties of the synthesized solid acids were deeply studied by small-angle X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared and pyridine adsorption, etc. to build the possible structure–performance relationships. The results revealed that amounts of organosulfonic acid groups were successfully grafted onto the SBA-15 support, and most of the surface acid sites contained in the as-prepared organic–inorganic hybrid samples were assigned as strong Brӧnsted acid sites. Notably, the functionalized SBA-15 materials exhibited promising catalytic behaviors in producing MCFA-enriched SPLs under mild conditions (40 °C, 6 h) when compared with commercial Amberlyst-15 and typical phospholipases or lipases, mostly due to their high surface area, ordered structure and adequate Brӧnsted acid sites. Besides, the as-prepared materials could be easily recycled five times without obvious deactivation. This work might shed light on alternative catalysts for SPL production instead of the costly enzymes.
Two-Body and Three-Body Wear Behavior of a Dental Fluorapatite Glass-Ceramic
Authors: Wang Gaoqi , Li Yunkai , Wang Shouren , Yang Xuefeng , Sun Yujing
Published: September 2019

As a veneering porcelain coating of dental prosthesis, two-body and three-body wear behavior of dental glass-ceramic with the main crystalline phase of fluorapatite has not been comprehensively studied. In this work, a self-made fluorapatite glass-ceramic was synthesized and the mechanical and tribological performances of the glass-ceramic were tested, comparing with a commercial feldspathic glass-ceramic. The friction and wear experiments were performed between disk-shaped glass-ceramics and natural teeth in two-body (dry, water, saliva) and three-body (slurry) modes, respectively. Results showed that good mechanical properties of fluorapatite glass-ceramic can be achieved by the sintering process. In both two-body and three-body modes, the fluorapatite glass-ceramic had a smaller friction coefficient and wear rate and caused less damage on antagonistic teeth than the feldspathic glass-ceramic. The greater mechanical properties give fluorapatite glass-ceramic a better wear resistance and reduce the adhesive wear.
Quantifying the Measurement Error on England and Wales EPC Ratings
Authors: Crawley Jenny , Biddulph Phillip , Northrop Paul J. , Wingfield Jez , Oreszczyn Tadj , Elwell Cliff
Published: September 2019

Domestic Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) are used in the UK to provide energy efficiency ratings for use in policy and investment decisions on individual dwellings and at a stock level. There is evidence that the process of creating an EPC introduces measurement error such that repeat assessments of the same property give different ratings, compromising their reliability. This study presents a novel error analysis to estimate the size of this effect, using repeated EPC assessments of 1.6 million existing dwellings in England and Wales. A statistical model of how measurement error contributes to variation between repeated measurements is set out, and exploratory data analysis is used to decide how to apply this model to the available data. The results predict that the one standard deviation measurement error decreases with EPC rating, from around ± 8.0 EPC points on a rating of 35 to ±2.4 on a rating of 85. This predicted error is higher than the limit recommended in UK guidance except in very efficient buildings; it can also result in dwellings being rated in the wrong EPC band, for example it was estimated that 24% of band D homes are rated as band C.
Environmental Sustainability of Road Transport in OECD Countries
Authors: Mo Fei , Wang Derek
Published: September 2019

Road transport is a primary source of various forms of air pollution and climate-impacting emissions, and contains huge potential for improving the environment and combating climate change. This paper studies the environmental sustainability of road transport for a set of OECD countries over the period 2000–2014. We capture the sustainability performance of road transport in two data envelopment analysis (DEA) models, corresponding to the concepts of natural disposability and managerial disposability, respectively. Air pollution and carbon emissions are treated as undesirable outputs. The models produce two unified measures of environmental sustainability performance, accounting for transport activities and environmental impacts simultaneously. We find that the studied countries have improved their overall managerial disposability performance from 2000 to 2014, driven by technological progress and tightening regulations on fuel economy and vehicle emissions. The analysis enables us to identify best-practice and laggard countries in transport sustainability.
Techno-Economic Optimization of Grid-Connected Photovoltaic (PV) and Battery Systems Based on Maximum Demand Reduction (MDRed) Modelling in Malaysia
Authors: Subramani Gopinath , K. Ramachandaramurthy Vigna , Sanjeevikumar P. , Holm-Nielsen Jens Bo , Blaabjerg Frede , Zbigniew Leonowicz , Kostyla Pawel
Published: September 2019

Under the present electricity tariff structure in Malaysia, electricity billing on a monthly basis for commercial and industrial consumers includes the net consumption charges together with maximum demand (MD) charges. The use of batteries in combination with photovoltaic (PV) systems is projected to become a viable solution for energy management, in terms of peak load shaving. Based on the latest studies, maximum demand (MD) reduction can be accomplished via a solar PV-battery system based on a few measures such as load pattern, techno-economic traits, and electricity scheme. Based on these measures, the Maximum Demand Reduction (MDRed) Model is developed as an optimization tool for the solar PV-battery system. This paper shows that energy savings on net consumption and maximum demand can be maximized via optimal sizing of the solar PV-battery system using the MATLAB genetic algorithm (GA) tool. GA optimization results revealed that the optimal sizing of solar PV-battery system gives monthly energy savings of up to 20% of net consumption via solar PV self-consumption, 3% of maximum demand (MD) via MD shaving and 2% of surplus power supplied to grid via net energy metering (NEM) in regards to Malaysian electricity tariff scheme and cost of the overall system.
Application of Cross-Hole Tomography for Assessment of Soil Stabilization by Grout Injection
Authors: Lebedev Mikhail , Dorokhin Kirill
Published: September 2019

Currently, the spread of megalopolises poses an ever-increasing necessity for underground space development for the purpose of the arrangement of transport communications, underground parking areas, trade areas, etc. The implementation of such projects entails a significant increase in the risk of accidents and damage to existing buildings within construction activity influence areas. The reduction of the risk of accidents during the construction of underground facilities within urban areas may only become possible with the identification of adverse factors negatively influencing existing buildings or a facility under erection and elaboration (to reduce such negative influence). The application of geophysical methods in complex assessments of the actual state of an encompassing mass significantly increases efficiency and the credibility of geotechnical monitoring. The application of seismic tomography significantly increases the resolution capability of surveys. Existing techniques, e.g., seismic tomography, allow for any depths to be investigated at a high resolution, even given constricted urban conditions. This article covers the practical applications of seismic tomography in qualitative assessments of actions and an efficiency evaluation of the injective stabilization of soil.
Rationale for a Rapid Methodology to Assess the Prevalence of Hearing Loss in Population-Based Surveys
Authors: Bright Tess , Mactaggart Islay , Kim Min , Yip Jennifer , Kuper Hannah , Polack Sarah
Published: September 2019

Data on the prevalence and causes of hearing loss is lacking from many low and middle-income countries, in part, because all-age population-based surveys of hearing loss can be expensive and time consuming. Restricting samples to older adults would reduce the sample size required, as hearing loss is more prevalent in this group. Population-based surveys of hearing loss require clinicians to be involved in the data collection team and reducing the duration of the survey may help to minimise the impact on service delivery. The objective of this paper was to identify the optimal age-group for conduct of population-based surveys of hearing loss, balancing sample size efficiencies, and expected response rates with ability to make inferences to the all-age population. Methods: Between 2013–2014, two all aged population-based surveys of hearing loss were conducted in one district each of India and Cameroon. Secondary data analysis was conducted to determine the proportion of hearing loss (moderate or greater) in people aged 30+, 40+ and 50+. Poisson regression models were developed to predict the expected prevalence of hearing loss in the whole population, based on the prevalence in people aged 30+, 40+, and 50+, which was compared to the observed prevalence. The distribution of causes in these age groups was also compared to the all-age population. Sample sizes and response rates were estimated to assess which age cut-off is most rapid. Results: Of 160 people in India and 131 in Cameroon with moderate or greater hearing loss, over 70% were older than 50 in both settings. For people aged 30+ (90.6% India; 76.3% Cameroon), 40+ (81% India; 75% Cameroon) and 50+ (73% India; 73% Cameroon) the proportions were higher. Prediction based on Poisson distributed observations the predicted prevalence based on those aged 30+, 40+, and 50+ fell within the confidence intervals of the observed prevalence. The distribution of probable causes of hearing loss in the older age groups was statistically similar to the total population. Sample size calculations and an analysis of response rates suggested that a focus on those aged 50+ would minimise costs the most by reducing the survey duration. Conclusion: Restricting the age group included in surveys of hearing loss, in particular to people aged 50+, would still allow inferences to be made to the total population, and would mean that the required sample size would be smaller, thus reducing the duration of the survey and costs.
Immunohistochemical Examination of Trophoblast Syncytialization during Early Placentation in Sheep
Authors: Seo Heewon , Bazer Fuller W. , Burghardt Robert C. , Johnson Greg A.
Published: September 2019

During the peri-implantation period, multinucleated syncytia are formed in the sheep placenta. For over 20 years the scientific consensus has been that during trophoblast syncytialization in sheep, binucleate trophoblast giant cells (BNCs) differentiate from mononuclear trophoblast cells, and individual BNCs fuse with individual luminal epithelial (LE) cells to form trinucleate cells. These trophoblast–LE syncytial plaques then grow through continued BNC migration and fusion. Therefore, LE cells are thought to be incorporated into syncytial plaques. However, these ideas were based on electron microscopy studies, without benefit of molecular markers for BNC and LE cells to support conclusions. The aim of this study was to observe interactions between BNCs and uterine LE cells using immunohistochemical localization for molecular markers for BNCs and uterine LE cells. We performed immunofluorescence staining, laser capture microdissection, and TUNEL staining on the uterine–placental tissues of sheep during early placentation. We observed: (1) syncytial cells containing more than two nuclei within the trophoblast cell layer; (2) depolarized LE cells that express caspase 3 and stain positively for TUNEL; (3) engulfment of caspase 3-positive LE cells by trophoblast giant cells (TGCs) and empty spaces within the LE layer at sites of implantation; (4) rapid enlargement of syncytial plaques; and (5) E-cadherin and TUNEL-positive cells within the uterine stroma underlying degenerating LE was coincident with accumulation of CD45-positive cells at these sites. These data suggest that during early placentation: (1) fusion between trophoblasts is not limited to the formation of BNCs, and the term ‘trophoblast giant cell (TGC)’ may be appropriate; (2) LE cells undergo apoptosis; (3) apoptotic LE cells are eliminated by TGCs; (4) fusion is not limited to the incorporation of new BNCs but involves the lateral fusion between growing syncytial plaques; and (5) TGCs carry apoptotic LE cells away from the uterine–placental interface for elimination by immune cells within the stroma. These data indicate that uterine LE cells are not incorporated into syncytial plaques, but are engulfed and eliminated, and that early placentation in sheep is more similar to early placentation in humans than is currently understood in that both develop mononucleated cytotrophoblast and multinucleated syncytiotrophoblast layers of entirely placental origin. The elimination of LE cells by sheep TGCs might provide insights into elimination and penetration of LE cells during human embryo implantation.
Chloroplast Genomes and Comparative Analyses among Thirteen Taxa within Myrsinaceae s.str. Clade (Myrsinoideae, Primulaceae)
Authors: Yan Xiaokai , Liu Tongjian , Yuan Xun , Xu Yuan , Yan Haifei , Hao Gang
Published: September 2019

The Myrsinaceae s.str. clade is a tropical woody representative in Myrsinoideae of Primulaceae and has ca. 1300 species. The generic limits and alignments of this clade are unclear due to the limited number of genetic markers and/or taxon samplings in previous studies. Here, the chloroplast (cp) genomes of 13 taxa within the Myrsinaceae s.str. clade are sequenced and characterized. These cp genomes are typical quadripartite circle molecules and are highly conserved in size and gene content. Three pseudogenes are identified, of which ycf15 is totally absent from five taxa. Noncoding and large single copy region (LSC) exhibit higher levels of nucleotide diversity (Pi) than other regions. A total of ten hotspot fragments and 796 chloroplast simple sequence repeats (SSR) loci are found across all cp genomes. The results of phylogenetic analysis support the notion that the monophyletic Myrsinaceae s.str. clade has two subclades. Non-synonymous substitution rates (dN) are higher in housekeeping (HK) genes than photosynthetic (PS) genes, but both groups have a nearly identical synonymous substitution rate (dS). The results indicate that the PS genes are under stronger functional constraints compared with the HK genes. Overall, the study provides hypervariable molecular markers for phylogenetic reconstruction and contributes to a better understanding of plastid gene evolution in Myrsinaceae s.str. clade.
A Model for the Homotypic Interaction between Na+,K+-ATPase β1 Subunits Reveals the Role of Extracellular Residues 221–229 in Its Ig-Like Domain
Authors: Páez Omar , Martínez-Archundia Marlet , Villegas-Sepúlveda Nicolás , Roldan María Luisa , Correa-Basurto José , Shoshani Liora
Published: September 2019

The Na+, K+-ATPase transports Na+ and K+ across the membrane of all animal cells. In addition to its ion transporting function, the Na+, K+-ATPase acts as a homotypic epithelial cell adhesion molecule via its β1 subunit. The extracellular region of the Na+, K+-ATPase β1 subunit includes a single globular immunoglobulin-like domain. We performed Molecular Dynamics simulations of the ectodomain of the β1 subunit and a refined protein-protein docking prediction. Our results show that the β1 subunit Ig-like domain maintains an independent structure and dimerizes in an antiparallel fashion. Analysis of the putative interface identified segment Lys221-Tyr229. We generated triple mutations on YFP-β1 subunit fusion proteins to assess the contribution of these residues. CHO fibroblasts transfected with mutant β1 subunits showed a significantly decreased cell-cell adhesion. Association of β1 subunits in vitro was also reduced, as determined by pull-down assays. Altogether, we conclude that two Na+, K+-ATPase molecules recognize each other by a large interface spanning residues 221–229 and 198–207 on their β1 subunits.
More than just Stem Cells: Functional Roles of the Transcription Factor Sox2 in Differentiated Glia and Neurons
Authors: Mercurio Sara , Serra Linda , Nicolis Silvia K.
Published: September 2019

The Sox2 transcription factor, encoded by a gene conserved in animal evolution, has become widely known because of its functional relevance for stem cells. In the developing nervous system, Sox2 is active in neural stem cells, and important for their self-renewal; differentiation to neurons and glia normally involves Sox2 downregulation. Recent evidence, however, identified specific types of fully differentiated neurons and glia that retain high Sox2 expression, and critically require Sox2 function, as revealed by functional studies in mouse and in other animals. Sox2 was found to control fundamental aspects of the biology of these cells, such as the development of correct neuronal connectivity. Sox2 downstream target genes identified within these cell types provide molecular mechanisms for cell-type-specific Sox2 neuronal and glial functions. SOX2 mutations in humans lead to a spectrum of nervous system defects, involving vision, movement control, and cognition; the identification of neurons and glia requiring Sox2 function, and the investigation of Sox2 roles and molecular targets within them, represents a novel perspective for the understanding of the pathogenesis of these defects.
Melatonin Enhances Mitophagy by Upregulating Expression of Heat Shock 70 kDa Protein 1L in Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells under Oxidative Stress
Authors: Yoon Yeo Min , Kim Hyung Joo , Lee Jun Hee , Lee Sang Hun
Published: September 2019

Human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) are a potent source of cell-based regenerative therapeutics used to treat patients with ischemic disease. However, disease-induced oxidative stress disrupts mitochondrial homeostasis in transplanted hMSCs, resulting in hMSC apoptosis and reducing their efficacy post-transplantation. To address this issue, we evaluated the effects of melatonin on cellular defense mechanisms and mitophagy in hMSCs subjected to oxidative stress. H2O2-induced oxidative stress increases the levels of reactive oxygen species and reduces membrane potential in hMSCs, leading to mitochondrial dysfunction and cell death. Oxidative stress also decreases the expression of 70-kDa heat shock protein 1L (HSPA1L), a molecular chaperone that assists in the recruitment of parkin to the autophagosomal mitochondrial membrane. Decreased expression of HSPA1L destabilizes parkin, thereby impairing mitophagy. Our results indicate that treating hMSCs with melatonin significantly inhibited mitochondrial dysfunction induced by oxidative stress, which decreased hMSCs apoptosis. In damaged hMSCs, treatment with melatonin increased the levels of HSPA1L, which bound to parkin. The interaction between HSPA1L and parkin increased membrane potential and levels of oxidative phosphorylation, resulting in enhanced mitophagy. Our results indicate that melatonin increased the expression of HSPA1L, thereby upregulating mitophagy and prolonging cell survival under conditions of oxidative stress. In this study, we have shown that melatonin, a readily available compound, can be used to improve hMSC-based therapies for patients with pathologic conditions involving oxidative stress.
MAPK Pathway under Chronic Copper Excess in Green Macroalgae (Chlorophyta): Involvement in the Regulation of Detoxification Mechanisms
Authors: Rodríguez-Rojas Fernanda , Celis-Plá Paula S. M. , Méndez Lorena , Moenne Fabiola , Muñoz Pamela T. , Lobos M. Gabriela , Díaz Patricia , Sánchez-Lizaso José Luis , Brown Murray T. , Moenne Alejandra , Sáez Claudio A.
Published: September 2019

Following the physiological complementary/parallel Celis-Plá et al., by inhibiting extracellular signal regulated kinases (ERK), c-Jun N-terminal kinases (JNK), and cytokinin specific binding protein (p38), we assessed the role of the mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK) pathway in detoxification responses mediated by chronic copper (10 µM) in U. compressa. Parameters were taken at 6, 24, and 48 h, and 6 days (d). H2O2 and lipid peroxidation under copper and inhibition of ERK, JNK, or p38 alone increased but recovered by the sixth day. By blocking two or more MAPKs under copper, H2O2 and lipid peroxidation decayed even below controls. Inhibition of more than one MAPK (at 6 d) caused a decrease in total glutathione (reduced glutathione (GSH) + oxidised glutathione (GSSG)) and ascorbate (reduced ascorbate (ASC) + dehydroascorbate (DHA)), although in the latter it did not occur when the whole MAPK was blocked. Catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), thioredoxin (TRX) ascorbate peroxidase (APX), dehydroascorbate reductase (DHAR), and glutathione synthase (GS), were downregulated when blocking more than one MAPK pathway. When one MAPK pathway was blocked under copper, a recovery and even enhancement of detoxification mechanisms was observed, likely due to crosstalk within the MAPKs and/or other signalling processes. In contrast, when more than one MAPK pathway were blocked under copper, impairment of detoxification defences occurred, demonstrating that MAPKs were key signalling mechanisms for detoxification in macroalgae.
Cooperative Binding of KaiB to the KaiC Hexamer Ensures Accurate Circadian Clock Oscillation in Cyanobacteria
Authors: Murakami Reiko , Yunoki Yasuhiro , Ishii Kentaro , Terauchi Kazuki , Uchiyama Susumu , Yagi Hirokazu , Kato Koichi
Published: September 2019

The central oscillator generating cyanobacterial circadian rhythms comprises KaiA, KaiB, and KaiC proteins. Their interactions cause KaiC phosphorylation and dephosphorylation cycles over approximately 24 h. KaiB interacts with phosphorylated KaiC in competition with SasA, an output protein harboring a KaiB-homologous domain. Structural data have identified KaiB–KaiC interaction sites; however, KaiB mutations distal from the binding surfaces can impair KaiB–KaiC interaction and the circadian rhythm. Reportedly, KaiB and KaiC exclusively form a complex in a 6:6 stoichiometry, indicating that KaiB–KaiC hexamer binding shows strong positive cooperativity. Here, mutational analysis was used to investigate the functional significance of this cooperative interaction. Results demonstrate that electrostatic complementarity between KaiB protomers promotes their cooperative assembly, which is indispensable for accurate rhythm generation. SasA does not exhibit such electrostatic complementarity and noncooperatively binds to KaiC. Thus, the findings explain KaiB distal mutation effects, providing mechanistic insights into clock protein interplay.