bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Comparative Study of Piezoelectric Vortex-Induced Vibration-Based Energy Harvesters with Multi-Stability Characteristics
Authors: Naseer Rashid , Dai Huliang , Abdelkefi Abdessattar , Wang Lin
Published: December 2019

This work reports a comparative study on piezoelectric energy harvesting from vortex-induced vibration (VIV) with multi-stability characteristics by introducing the nonlinear magnetic forces. A lumped-parameter model for the piezoelectric cantilever-cylinder structure is considered for the sake of qualitative investigation. Firstly, the buckling displacement of harvester in monostable and bistable configurations is evaluated by virtue of a static analysis. Then, the coupled frequency and damping of the harvester varying with the electrical load resistance are determined for different values of the spacing distance between magnets. Subsequently, the dynamic behaviors and generated voltage of the harvester in two configurations are elaborately investigated, showing that varying the spacing distance is followed by a shift of lock-in region which is significant for performance optimization according to ambient wind conditions. In addition, the results show the harvester in monostable configuration displays a hardening behavior while a softening behavior takes place in bistable configuration, both of the harvester in two configurations can widen the synchronization region.
Experimental Study and Performance Analysis of a Portable Atmospheric Water Generator
Authors: He Wei , Yu Pengkun , Hu Zhongting , Lv Song , Qin Minghui , Yu Cairui
Published: December 2019

Found in some specific scenarios, drinking water is hard for people to get, such as during expeditions and scientific investigations. First, a novel water generator with only two thermoelectric coolers (Model A) is designed for extracting water from atmospheric vapor and then experimentally studied under a small inlet air flow rate. The impact of operating conditions on surface temperatures of cold/hot sides and water yield are investigated, including the air flow rate and humidity. Alternately, to determine the super performance of Model A, a comparative experiment between Model A and a reference model (Model B) is carried out. The results suggest that both the cold/hot temperature and water yield in Model A increases with the humidity and air flow rate rising. Seen in comparisons of Model A and Model B, it is found that, at an air humidity of 90% and air flow rate of 30 m3/h, the total water yield was increased by 43.4% and the corresponding value reached the maximum increment of 66.7% at an air humidity of 60% and air flow rate of 30 m3/h. These features demonstrate the advantage of Model A especially in low air humidity compared to Model B.
Bayesian Calibration with Augmented Stochastic State-Space Models of District-Heated Multifamily Buildings
Authors: Lundström Lukas , Akander Jan
Published: December 2019

Reliable energy models are needed to determine building energy performance. Relatively detailed energy models can be auto-generated based on 3D shape representations of existing buildings. However, parameters describing thermal performance of the building fabric, the technical systems, and occupant behavior are usually not readily available. Calibration with on-site measurements is needed to obtain reliable energy models that can offer insight into buildings’ actual energy performances. Here, we present an energy model that is suitable for district-heated multifamily buildings, based on a 14-node thermal network implementation of the ISO 52016-1:2017 standard. To better account for modeling approximations and noisy inputs, the model is converted to a stochastic state-space model and augmented with four additional disturbance state variables. Uncertainty models are developed for the inputs solar heat gains, internal heat gains, and domestic hot water use. An iterated extended Kalman filtering algorithm is employed to enable nonlinear state estimation. A Bayesian calibration procedure is employed to enable assessment of parameter uncertainty and incorporation of regulating prior knowledge. A case study is presented to evaluate the performance of the developed framework: parameter estimation with both dynamic Hamiltonian Monte Carlo sampling and penalized maximum likelihood estimation, the behavior of the filtering algorithm, the impact of different commonly occurring data sources for domestic hot water use, and the impact of indoor air temperature readings.
Response of Non-Polar Oil Component on Low Salinity Effect in Carbonate Reservoirs: Adhesion Force Measurement Using Atomic Force Microscopy
Authors: Maskari Nasser S. Al , Sari Ahmad , Hossain Md Mofazzal , Saeedi Ali , Xie Quan
Published: December 2019

While the effect of polar-oil component on oil-brine-carbonate system wettability has been extensively investigated, there has been little quantitative analysis of the effect of non-polar components on system wettability, in particular as a function of pH. In this context, we measured the contact angle of non-polar oil on calcite surface in the presence of 10,000 ppm NaCl at pH values of 6.5, 9.5 and 11. We also measured the adhesion of non-polar oil group (–CH3) and calcite using atomic force microscopy (AFM) under the same conditions of contact angle measurements. Furthermore, to gain a deeper understanding, we performed zeta potential measurements of the non-polar oil-brine and brine-calcite interfaces, and calculated the total disjoining pressure. Our results show that the contact angle decreases from 125° to 78° with an increase in pH from 6.5 to 11. AFM measurements show that the adhesion force decreases with increasing pH. Zeta potential results indicate that an increase in pH would change the zeta potential of the non-polar oil-brine and calcite-brine interfaces towards more negative values, resulting in an increase of electrical double layer forces. The total disjoining pressure and results of AFM adhesion tests predict the same trend, showing that adhesion forces decrease with increasing pH. Our results show that the pH increase during low-salinity waterflooding in carbonate reservoirs would lift off non-polar components, thereby lowering residual oil saturation. This physiochemical process can even occur in reservoirs with low concentration of polar components in crude oils.
Environmental Payback of Renovation Strategies in a Northern Climate—the Impact of Nuclear Power and Fossil Fuels in the Electricity Supply
Authors: Ramírez-Villegas Ricardo , Eriksson Ola , Olofsson Thomas
Published: December 2019

The aim of this study is to assess how the use of fossil and nuclear power in different renovation scenarios affects the environmental impacts of a multi-family dwelling in Sweden, and how changes in the electricity production with different energy carriers affect the environmental impact. In line with the Paris Agreement, the European Union has set an agenda to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by means of energy efficiency in buildings. It is estimated that by the year 2050, 80% of Europe’s population will be living in buildings that already exist. This means it is important for the European Union to renovate buildings to improve energy efficiency. In this study, eight renovation scenarios, using six different Northern European electricity mixes, were analyzed using the standard of the European Committee for Standardization for life cycle assessment of buildings. This study covers all life cycle steps from cradle to grave. The renovation scenarios include combinations of photovoltaics, geothermal heat pumps, heat recovery ventilation, and improvement of the building envelope. The results show that while in some electricity mixes a reduction in the global warming potential can be achieved, it can be at the expense of an increase in radioactive waste production, and, in mixes with a high share of fossil fuels, the global warming potential of the scenarios increases with time, compared with that of the original building. It also shows that in most electricity mixes, scenarios that reduce the active heat demand of the building end up in reducing both the global warming potential and radioactive waste, making them less sensitive to changes in the energy system.
Analysis of the Effect of Using External Venetian Blinds on the Thermal Comfort of Users of Highly Glazed Office Rooms in a Transition Season of Temperate Climate—Case Study
Authors: Fedorczak-Cisak Małgorzata , Nowak Katarzyna , Furtak Marcin
Published: December 2019

Improving the energy efficiency of buildings is among the most urgent social development tasks due to the scale of energy consumption in this industry. At the same time, it is essential to meet high requirements for indoor environmental quality and thermal comfort. The issue of overheating is most often analysed in summer but it also occurs in transition seasons, when the cooling systems do not operate. The paper attempts to evaluate the effectiveness of external mobile shading elements on the microclimate of rooms with large glazed areas in the transition season. Passive solutions, such as shading elements, which limit the increase of indoor temperature, do not always allow the acquisition and maintenance of comfortable solutions for the duration of the season, as demonstrated by the authors. Temporary cooling of the rooms may be necessary to maintain comfortable conditions for the users, or other solutions should be devised to improve comfort (e.g., reduction of clothing insulation characteristics). The novelty of the study consists in the analysis of comfort in a “nearly zero energy consumption” building (NZEB) during a period not analyzed by other scientists. This is a transition period during which heating/cooling systems do not operate. The research task set by the authors involved the assessment of the possibility to reduce office space overheating in the transition season (spring) by using external shading equipment in rooms with large glazed areas. An additional research task aimed at checking the extent to which user behaviour, such as reduction in clothing insulation characteristics, can improve comfort in overheated rooms. The results of the tests reveal that the difference in the ambient air temperature between a room with external venetian blinds and an identical room with no venetian blinds in the transition season, i.e., from 27 March to 6 April 2017, ranged from 12.3 to 2.1 °C. The use of a shading system (external venetian blinds positioned at an angle of 45°) reduced the number of discomfort hours by 92% (during working hours) compared to the room without external venetian blinds. A reduction in the thermal insulation of the clothes worn by people working in the room with no venetian blinds helped to reduce the number of discomfort hours by 31%.
Combined Effects of Drought and Shading on Growth and Non-Structural Carbohydrates in Pinus massoniana Lamb. Seedlings
Authors: Deng Xiuxiu , Xiao Wenfa , Shi Zheng , Zeng Lixiong , Lei Lei
Published: December 2019

Carbon assimilation is reduced by stress. Under such conditions, the trade-off between growth and non-structural carbohydrate (NSC) storage becomes crucial for plant survival and continued growth. However, growth and NSC responses to drought and shading in Pinus massoniana Lamb. remain unclear. Here, we investigated the effects of drought, shading, and combined drought and shading on leaf gas exchange parameters, stem basal diameter, plant height, biomass accumulation, and NSC concentration in 2-year old seedlings after a 2 month treatment. The results showed that (1) both drought and shading significantly reduced photosynthetic rate, increment of stem basal diameter and plant height, and biomass accumulation, while NSC concentration increased under drought but decreased under shading; (2) the combined drought-shading treatment had a stronger effect on photosynthetic rate and growth than either stress factor individually, whereas the concentration of NSC did not change significantly; and (3) drought, shading, and their combination had a lower effect on biomass than on NSC partitioning, in which case clear effects were observed. Drought increased NSC proportion in roots by 5.4%; conversely, shading increased NSC proportion in leaves by 3.7%, while the combined treatment increased NSC proportion in roots by 5.1% but decreased it in the leaves by 5.4%. These results suggest that the mechanism inhibiting P. massoniana growth is different under drought and shading conditions according to carbon partitioning. Furthermore, complex environmental stress may lead to different mechanisms of carbon partitioning compared with either dry or shaded environments. Our findings will be helpful in predicting the impact of climate change on P. massoniana growth.
Response of Photosynthesis and Chlorophyll Fluorescence Parameters of Castanopsis kawakamii Seedlings to Forest Gaps
Authors: He Zhong-sheng , Tang Rong , Li Meng-jia , Jin Meng-ran , Xin Cong , Liu Jin-fu , Hong Wei
Published: December 2019

Light is a major environmental factor limiting the growth and survival of plants. The heterogeneity of the light environment after gap formation in forest influences the leaf chlorophyll contents, net photosynthetic rate (Pn), and chlorophyll fluorescence, thus influencing the growth and regeneration of Castanopsis kawakamii seedlings. The aim of this study was to explore the effects of weak light on the photosynthetic physiology of C. kawakamii seedlings in forest gaps and non-gaps. The results showed that (1) the contents of chlorophyll a (Chl-a), chlorophyll b (Chl-b), and total chlorophyll (Chl-T) in forest gaps were lower than in non-gaps. Seedlings tended to increase chlorophyll content to absorb light energy to adapt to low light intensity in non-gap environments. (2) The Pn values of C. kawakamii seedlings in forest gaps were significantly higher than in non-gaps, and forest gaps could improve the seedlings’ photosynthetic capacity. (3) The C. kawakamii seedlings in forest gaps were more sensitive to weak light and control group treatment, especially the tall seedlings, indicating that seedlings require more light to satisfy their growth needs in the winter. The seedlings in non-gaps demonstrated better adaptability to low light intensity. The light intensity was not adequate in weak light conditions and limited seedling growth. We suggest that partial forest selection cutting could improve light intensity in non-gaps, thus promoting seedling growth and regeneration of C. kawakamii more effectively in this forest.
Evaluation of the Fermentation Dynamics of Commercial Baker’s Yeast in Presence of Pistachio Powder to Produce Lysine-Enriched Breads
Authors: Alfonzo Antonio , Gaglio Raimondo , Barbera Marcella , Francesca Nicola , Moschetti Giancarlo , Settanni Luca
Published: December 2019

The present work was carried out to evaluate the microbiological, physicochemical, and sensory characteristics of fortified pistachio breads. Pistachio powder (5% w/w) was added to flour or semolina and fermented by a commercial baker’s yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae). Pistachio powder did not influence the biological leavening of the doughs. The kinetics of pH and total titratable acidity (TTA) during dough fermentation showed that the leavening process occurred similarly for all trials. The concentration of yeasts increased during fermentation and reached levels of 108 CFU/g after 2 h. Pistachio powder decreased the height and softness of the final breads and increased cell density of the central slices. The amount of lysine after baking increased in pistachio breads and this effect was stronger for semolina rather than flour trials. Sensory evaluation indicated that fortified breads processed from semolina were those more appreciated by the judges. This work clearly indicated that the addition of pistachio powder in bread production represents a promising strategy to increase the availability of lysine in cereal-based fermented products.
An Adaptive Differential Protection and Fast Auto-Closing System for 10 kV Distribution Networks Based on 4G LTE Wireless Communication
Authors: An Wen , Ma Jun Jie , Zhou Hong Yang , Chen Hong Shan , Jun Xu , Jian Xu
Published: December 2019

With the development of wireless communication technology and computer technology, more and more smart technologies have been applied in electricity distribution networks. This paper presents an adaptive current differential protection and fast auto-closing system for application in 10 kV distribution networks in China Southern Power Grid. The current differential protection can adaptively change its settings according to the topology change of the primary distribution networks, thus the system effectively reduces the operation and maintenance cost of the power distribution network. In order to restore the power supply for the healthy part of the 10 kV networks quickly after a power system fault is cleared, the protection and control system provides wide area control function for automatic fault isolation and automatic switching. The traditional overcurrent protection and control system have no fault location function, it may take several minutes or even hours to manually locate a fault and then restore the power supply. Compared with the protection and control system of the traditional 10 kV distribution networks, the system developed can locate and isolate faults within 900 ms (assuming that the operating time of the load switch is 700 ms), and can quickly restore power supply in less than one second after a power system fault is cleared.
Role of Surface-Layer Coherent Eddies in Potential Vorticity Transport in Quasigeostrophic Turbulence Driven by Eastward Shear
Authors: Zhang Wenda , Wolfe Christopher L. P. , Abernathey Ryan
Published: December 2019

The transport by materially coherent surface-layer eddies was studied in a two-layer quasigeostrophic model driven by eastward mean shear. The coherent eddies were identified by closed contours of the Lagrangian-averaged vorticity deviation obtained from Lagrangian particles advected by the flow. Attention was restricted to eastward mean flows, but a wide range of flow regimes with different bottom friction strengths, layer thickness ratios, and background potential vorticity (PV) gradients were otherwise considered. It was found that coherent eddies become more prevalent and longer-lasting as the strength of bottom drag increases and the stratification becomes more surface-intensified. The number of coherent eddies is minimal when the shear-induced PV gradient is 10–20 times the planetary PV gradient and increases for both larger and smaller values of the planetary PV gradient. These coherent eddies, with an average core radius close to the deformation radius, propagate meridionally with a preference for cyclones to propagate poleward and anticyclones to propagate equatorward. The meridional propagation preference of the coherent eddies gives rise to a systematic upgradient PV transport, which is in the opposite direction as the background PV transport and not captured by standard Lagrangian diffusivity estimates. The upgradient PV transport by coherent eddy cores is less than 15% of the total PV transport, but the PV transport by the periphery flow induced by the PV inside coherent eddies is significant and downgradient. These results clarify the distinct roles of the trapping and stirring effect of coherent eddies in PV transport in geophysical turbulence.
Multi-Scale Modeling of the Dynamics of a Fibrous Reactor: Use of an Analytical Solution at the Micro-Scale to Avoid the Spatial Discretization of the Intra-Fiber Space
Authors: Dobri Adam , Papathanasiou Thanasis D.
Published: December 2019

Direct modeling of time-dependent transport and reactions in realistic heterogeneous systems, in a manner that considers the evolution of the quantities of interest in both, the macro-scale (suspending fluid) and the micro-scale (suspended particles), is currently well beyond the capabilities of modern supercomputing. This is understandable, since even a simple system such as this can easily contain over 107 particles, whose length and time scales differ from those of the macro-scale by several orders of magnitude. While much can be gained by applying direct numerical solution to representative model systems, the direct approach is impractical when the performance of large, realistic systems is to be modeled. In this study we derive and analyze a “hybrid” model that is suitable for fibrous reactors. The model considers convection/diffusion in the bulk liquid, as well as intra-fiber diffusion and reaction. The essence of our approach is that diffusion and (first-order) reaction in the intra-fiber space are handled semi-analytically, based on well-established theory. As a result, the problem of intra-fiber transport and reaction is reduced to an easily solvable set of n 0 ODEs, where n 0 is the number of terms in the Bessel expansion evaluated without recourse to approximation; this set is coupled, point-wise, with a numerical model of the macro-scale. When the latter is discretized using N nodes, the total “hybrid” model for the system consists of a system of N ( 2 + n 0 ) ODEs, which is easily solvable on a modest workstation. Parametric analyses are presented and discussed.
Regeneration of Magnetic Nanoparticles Used in the Removal of Pathogenesis-Related Proteins from White Wines
Authors: Mierczynska-Vasilev Agnieszka , Qi Geridi , Smith Paul , Bindon Keren , Vasilev Krasimir
Published: December 2019

Protein haze remains a serious problem for the wine industry and requires costly bentonite treatment, leading to significant wine volume loss. Recently developed magnetic separation technology that allows a fast and efficient separation of haze proteins from wine shows promise for the development of an alternative method for white wine fining. The key purpose of this study was to understand the potential of the nanoparticles to be reused in multiple fining and regeneration cycles. Bare and acrylic-acid-based plasma polymer coated magnetic nanoparticles were cleaned with water, 10% SDS/water and acetone/water solution after each adsorption cycle to investigate their restored efficiency in removing pathogenesis-related proteins from three unfined white wines. The concentrations of metals, acids and phenolics were monitored to determine changes in the concentration of these essential wine constituents. The regeneration study verified that the acrylic acid plasma-coated magnetic nanoparticles, which underwent ten successive adsorption-desorption processes, still retained close to the original removal capacity for haze proteins from wines when 10% SDS solution and water were used for surface regeneration. In addition, the concentrations of organic acids and wine phenolic content remained almost unchanged, which are important indicators for the retention of the original wine composition.
A Review of Factors Affecting Anthocyanin Bioavailability: Possible Implications for the Inter-Individual Variability
Authors: Eker Merve Eda , Aaby Kjersti , Budic-Leto Irena , Rimac Brnčić Suzana , El Sedef Nehir , Karakaya Sibel , Simsek Sebnem , Manach Claudine , Wiczkowski Wieslaw , de Pascual-Teresa Sonia
Published: December 2019

Anthocyanins are dietary bioactive compounds showing a range of beneficial effects against cardiovascular, neurological, and eye conditions. However, there is, as for other bioactive compounds in food, a high inter and intra-individual variation in the response to anthocyanin intake that in many cases leads to contradictory results in human trials. This variability could be caused at two levels, one at the bioavailability level and the other at the effect and mechanisms of action. In this context, we have thoroughly reviewed the scientific literature on anthocyanins variability caused by variation in bioavailability. Based on the literature reviewed, we have concluded that the variability in anthocyanins bioavailability might be produced by the lack of homogeneity introduced at three different levels: food matrix and food processing, enzymes involved in anthocyanin metabolism and transport, and anthocyanin metabolizing gut microbiota. However, it should be noted that the literature on anthocyanins bioavailability considering inter or intra-individual variability is still very scarce, which makes it difficult to reach any firm conclusion on the main metabolizing enzymes or bacteria that would be responsible for the variability in anthocyanin bioavailability.
Stone Milling versus Roller Milling in Soft Wheat: Influence on Products Composition
Authors: Carcea Marina , Turfani Valeria , Narducci Valentina , Melloni Sahara , Galli Vincenzo , Tullio Valentina
Published: December 2019

Wholegrain wheat flours are in great demand from consumers worldwide because they are considered healthier then refined flours. They can be obtained by either stone milling, which is experiencing a revival in Europe, or roller milling. In order to study compositional differences due to the milling technology and to explore the possibility of a better qualification of wholegrain flours by means of nutritionally oriented quality parameters, eight mixes of soft wheat grains were stone milled and roller milled and the milling products were analyzed for their protein, ash, lipids, total dietary fibre, total polyphenols and alkylresorcinols content. A wholegrain flour milled with a laboratory disk mill was used as a comparison and a set of seven wholegrain flours purchased on themarket were also analyzed and compared. The particle size distribution of stone milled and recombined roller milled flour was also studied. Considering the above mentioned parameters, we found that there is no compositional difference between a stone milled or a roller milled flour if, in this latter one, the milling streams are all recombined, but the particle size distribution was different. This might have an impact on the technological quality of flours and on the bioavailability of components.
LC-ESI-QTOF/MS Characterization of Phenolic Compounds from Medicinal Plants (Hops and Juniper Berries) and Their Antioxidant Activity
Authors: Tang Jiafei , Dunshea Frank R. , Suleria Hafiz A. R.
Published: December 2019

Hops (Humulus lupulus L.) and juniper berries (Juniperus communis L.) are two important medicinal plants widely used in the food, beverage, and pharmaceutical industries due to their strong antioxidant capacity, which is attributed to the presence of polyphenols. The present study is conducted to comprehensively characterize polyphenols from hops and juniper berries using liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray-ionization quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-QTOF/MS) to assess their antioxidant capacity. For polyphenol estimation, total phenolic content, flavonoids and tannins were measured, while for antioxidant capacity, three different antioxidant assays including the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) antioxidant assay, the 2,2-azino-bis-3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS) radical cation decolorization assay and the ferric reducing-antioxidant power (FRAP) assay were used. Hops presented the higher phenolic content (23.11 ± 0.03 mg/g dw) which corresponded to its strong antioxidant activity as compared to the juniper berries. Using LC-ESI-QTOF/MS, a total of 148 phenolic compounds were tentatively identified in juniper and hops, among which phenolic acids (including hydroxybenzoic acids, hydroxycinnamic acids and hydroxyphenylpropanoic acids) and flavonoids (mainly anthocyanins, flavones, flavonols, and isoflavonoids) were the main polyphenols, which may contribute to their antioxidant capacity. Furthermore, the HPLC quantitative analysis showed that both samples had a high concentration of phenolic acids and flavonoids. In the HPLC quantification, the predominant phenolic acids in hops and juniper berries were chlorogenic acid (16.48 ± 0.03 mg/g dw) and protocatechuic acid (11.46 ± 0.03 mg/g dw), respectively. The obtained results highlight the importance of hops and juniper berries as a rich source of functional ingredients in different food, beverage, and pharmaceutical industries.
Influence of Rice Flour, Glutinous Rice Flour, and Tapioca Starch on the Functional Properties and Quality of an Emulsion-Type Cooked Sausage
Authors: Pereira Jailson , Hu Hongyan , Xing Lujuan , Zhang Wangang , Zhou Guanghong
Published: December 2019

This study aimed to investigate the impact of the addition of rice flour (RF) and glutinous rice flour (GRF) in comparison with tapioca starch (TS) on the emulsion stability, water states, protein secondary structure, and microstructure of an emulsion-type cooked sausage. Their incorporation significantly increased the cooking yield and moisture retention of cooked sausages (p < 0.05). RF and GRF significantly decreased the fat loss and total fluid release of the cooked sausage compared to control (p < 0.05). However, RF and GRF functional effects on these parameters remained lower compared to TS (p < 0.05). Among these functional ingredients, TS had a significantly higher emulsion stability and cooking yield and generated a firmer and more uniform gel network structure. The transverse relaxation time T2 results revealed four categories of water population (T2b1, T2b2, T21, and T22) with particular mobility. TS immobilized a greater proportion of water molecules within the myofibrils (T21 population). All three ingredients increased the emulsion stability of the emulsion-type cooked sausages by decreasing the fat globule mobility and binding more water molecules. Raman spectra (400–3600 cm−1) showed that the incorporation of RF, GRF, or TS did not affect the β-sheet and α-helix protein structure. However, TS presented significantly higher contents of the random coil structure. These findings provide a good insight into the effects of RF and GRF as functional ingredients to manufacture emulsified meat products with good quality and improved nutritional values.
Crosslinker-Based Regulation of Swelling Behavior of Poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) Gels in a Post-Polymerization Crosslinking System
Authors: Ida Shohei , Katsurada Akimitsu , Tsujio Mitsuhiro , Nakamura Motoharu , Hirokawa Yoshitsugu
Published: December 2019

A fundamental understanding of the effect of a crosslinker on gel properties is important for the design of novel soft materials because a crosslinking is a key component of polymer gels. We focused on post-polymerization crosslinking (PPC) system utilizing activated ester chemistry, which is a powerful tool due to structural diversity of diamine crosslinkers and less susceptibility to solvent effect compared to conventional divinyl crosslinking system, to systematically evaluate the crosslinker effect on the gel properties. A variety of alkyldiamine crosslinkers was employed for the synthesis of poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAAm) gels and it was clarified that the length of alkyl chains of diamine crosslinkers strongly affected the gelation reaction and the swelling behavior. The longer crosslinker induced faster gelation and decreased the swelling degree and the response temperature in water, while the crosslinking density did not significantly change. In addition, we were able to modify the polymer chains in parallel with crosslinking by using a monoamine modifier along with a diamine crosslinker. This simultaneous chain modification during crosslinking (SMC) was demonstrated to be useful for the regulation of the crosslinking density and the swelling behavior of PNIPAAm gels.
Effects of Intronic SNPs in the Myostatin Gene on Growth and Carcass Traits in Colored Polish Merino Sheep
Authors: Grochowska Ewa , Borys Bronisław , Mroczkowski Sławomir
Published: December 2019

Myostatin acts as a negative regulator of muscle growth; therefore, its role is important with regard to animal growth and meat production. This study was undertaken with the objective to detect polymorphisms in the first intron and c.*1232 position of the MSTN gene and to analyze effects of the detected alleles/genotypes on growth and carcass traits in Colored Polish Merino sheep. In total, 23 traits were analyzed, i.e., seven describing lamb growth and 16 carcass traits. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the first intron and the c.*1232 position were identified using polymerase chain reaction single-strand conformation polymorphism (PCR-SSCP) and PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) methods, respectively. The MIXED procedure of the SAS software package was used to analyze allelic and genotypic effects of the MSTN gene on growth and carcass traits. Polymorphisms were only detected in the first intron of the MSTN gene. All investigated sheep were monomorphic G in the c.*1232 position. The MSTN genotype was found to have significant effect on body weight at 2nd day of life (BW2) and loin and fore shank weights. Significant allelic effects were detected with respect to BW2, scrag, leg, fore, and hind shank weights. These results suggest that polymorphisms in the first intron of the MSTN gene are relevant with respect to several carcass traits and BW2 in Colored Polish Merino sheep.
Assembly of a G-Quadruplex Repair Complex by the FANCJ DNA Helicase and the REV1 Polymerase
Authors: Lowran Kaitlin , Campbell Laura , Popp Phillip , Wu Colin G.
Published: December 2019

The FANCJ helicase unfolds G-quadruplexes (G4s) in human cells to support DNA replication. This action is coupled to the recruitment of REV1 polymerase to synthesize DNA across from a guanine template. The precise mechanisms of these reactions remain unclear. While FANCJ binds to G4s with an AKKQ motif, it is not known whether this site recognizes damaged G4 structures. FANCJ also has a PIP-like (PCNA Interacting Protein) region that may recruit REV1 to G4s either directly or through interactions mediated by PCNA protein. In this work, we measured the affinities of a FANCJ AKKQ peptide for G4s formed by (TTAGGG)4 and (GGGT)4 using fluorescence spectroscopy and biolayer interferometry (BLI). The effects of 8-oxoguanine (8oxoG) on these interactions were tested at different positions. BLI assays were then performed with a FANCJ PIP to examine its recruitment of REV1 and PCNA. FANCJ AKKQ bound tightly to a TTA loop and was sequestered away from the 8oxoG. Reducing the loop length between guanine tetrads increased the affinity of the peptide for 8oxoG4s. FANCJ PIP targeted both REV1 and PCNA but favored interactions with the REV1 polymerase. The impact of these results on the remodeling of damaged G4 DNA is discussed herein.
Metastasis in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma: Current Standing and Methodologies
Authors: Ayres Pereira Marina , Chio Iok In Christine
Published: December 2019

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma is an extremely aggressive disease with a high metastatic potential. Most patients are diagnosed with metastatic disease, at which the five-year survival rate is only 3%. A better understanding of the mechanisms that drive metastasis is imperative for the development of better therapeutic interventions. Here, we take the reader through our current knowledge of the parameters that support metastatic progression in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, and the experimental models that are at our disposal to study this process. We also describe the advantages and limitations of these models to study the different aspects of metastatic dissemination.
Transferability and Polymorphism of SSR Markers Located in Flavonoid Pathway Genes in Fragaria and Rubus Species
Authors: Lebedev Vadim G. , Subbotina Natalya M. , Maluchenko Oleg P. , Lebedeva Tatyana N. , Krutovsky Konstantin V. , Shestibratov Konstantin A.
Published: December 2019

Strawberry (Fragaria) and raspberry (Rubus) are very popular crops, and improving their nutritional quality and disease resistance are important tasks in their breeding programs that are becoming increasingly based on use of functional DNA markers. We identified 118 microsatellite (simple sequence repeat—SSR) loci in the nucleotide sequences of flavonoid biosynthesis and pathogenesis-related genes and developed 24 SSR markers representing some of these structural and regulatory genes. These markers were used to assess the genetic diversity of 48 Fragaria and Rubus specimens, including wild species and rare cultivars, which differ in berry color, ploidy, and origin. We have demonstrated that a high proportion of the developed markers are transferable within and between Fragaria and Rubus genera and are polymorphic. Transferability and polymorphism of the SSR markers depended on location of their polymerase chain reaction (PCR) primer annealing sites and microsatellite loci in genes, respectively. High polymorphism of the SSR markers in regulatory flavonoid biosynthesis genes suggests their allelic variability that can be potentially associated with differences in flavonoid accumulation and composition. This set of SSR markers may be a useful molecular tool in strawberry and raspberry breeding programs for improvement anthocyanin related traits.
Exploring the Genetic Landscape of Retinal Diseases in North-Western Pakistan Reveals a High Degree of Autozygosity and a Prevalent Founder Mutation in ABCA4
Authors: Ur Rehman Atta , Peter Virginie G. , Quinodoz Mathieu , Rashid Abdur , Khan Syed Akhtar , Superti-Furga Andrea , Rivolta Carlo
Published: December 2019

Variants in more than 271 different genes have been linked to hereditary retinal diseases, making comprehensive genomic approaches mandatory for accurate diagnosis. We explored the genetic landscape of retinal disorders in consanguineous families from North-Western Pakistan, harboring a population of approximately 35 million inhabitants that remains relatively isolated and highly inbred (~50% consanguinity). We leveraged on the high degree of consanguinity by applying genome-wide high-density single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) genotyping followed by targeted Sanger sequencing of candidate gene(s) lying inside autozygous intervals. In addition, we performed whole-exome sequencing (WES) on at least one proband per family. We identified 7 known and 4 novel variants in a total of 10 genes (ABCA4, BBS2, CNGA1, CNGA3, CNGB3, MKKS, NMNAT1, PDE6B, RPE65, and TULP1) previously known to cause inherited retinal diseases. In spite of all families being consanguineous, compound heterozygosity was detected in one family. All homozygous pathogenic variants resided in autozygous intervals ≥2.0 Mb in size. Putative founder variants were observed in the ABCA4 (NM_000350.2:c.214G>A; p.Gly72Arg; ten families) and NMNAT1 genes (NM_022787.3:c.25G>A; p.Val9Met; two families). We conclude that geographic isolation and sociocultural tradition of intrafamilial mating in North-Western Pakistan favor both the clinical manifestation of rare “generic” variants and the prevalence of founder mutations.
Genome-Wide Analyses and Prediction of Resistance to MLN in Large Tropical Maize Germplasm
Authors: Nyaga Christine , Gowda Manje , Beyene Yoseph , Muriithi Wilson T. , Makumbi Dan , Olsen Michael S. , Suresh L. M. , Bright Jumbo M. , Das Biswanath , Prasanna Boddupalli M.
Published: December 2019

Maize lethal necrosis (MLN), caused by co-infection of maize chlorotic mottle virus and sugarcane mosaic virus, can lead up to 100% yield loss. Identification and validation of genomic regions can facilitate marker assisted breeding for resistance to MLN. Our objectives were to identify marker-trait associations using genome wide association study and assess the potential of genomic prediction for MLN resistance in a large panel of diverse maize lines. A set of 1400 diverse maize tropical inbred lines were evaluated for their response to MLN under artificial inoculation by measuring disease severity or incidence and area under disease progress curve (AUDPC). All lines were genotyped with genotyping by sequencing (GBS) SNPs. The phenotypic variation was significant for all traits and the heritability estimates were moderate to high. GWAS revealed 32 significantly associated SNPs for MLN resistance (at p < 1.0 × 10−6). For disease severity, these significantly associated SNPs individually explained 3–5% of the total phenotypic variance, whereas for AUDPC they explained 3–12% of the total proportion of phenotypic variance. Most of significant SNPs were consistent with the previous studies and assists to validate and fine map the big quantitative trait locus (QTL) regions into few markers’ specific regions. A set of putative candidate genes associated with the significant markers were identified and their functions revealed to be directly or indirectly involved in plant defense responses. Genomic prediction revealed reasonable prediction accuracies. The prediction accuracies significantly increased with increasing marker densities and training population size. These results support that MLN is a complex trait controlled by few major and many minor effect genes.
Compaction and Fluid—Rock Interaction in Chalk Insight from Modelling and Data at Pore-, Core-, and Field-Scale
Authors: Minde Mona Wetrhus , Hiorth Aksel
Published: December 2019

Water weakening is a phenomenon that is observed in high porosity chalk formations. The rock interacts with ions in injected water and additional deformation occurs. This important effect needs to be taken into account when modelling the water flooding of these reservoirs. The models used on field scale are simple and only model the effect as a change in water saturation. In this paper, we argue that the water weakening effect can to a large extend be understood as a combination of changes in water activity, surface charge and chemical dissolution. We apply the de Waal model to analyse compaction experiments, and to extract the additional deformation induced by the chemical interaction between the injected water and the rock. The chemical changes are studied on a field scale using potential flow models. On a field scale, we show that the dissolution/precipitation mechanisms studied in the lab will propagate at a much lower speed and mainly affect compaction near the well region and close to the temperature front. Changes in surface charge travel much faster in the reservoir and might be an important contributor to the observed water weakening effect. We also discuss how mineralogical variations impacts compaction.
Farmers’ Risk Cognition, Risk Preferences and Climate Change Adaptive Behavior: A Structural Equation Modeling Approach
Authors: He Rui , Jin Jianjun , Kuang Foyuan , Zhang Chenyang , Guan Tong
Published: December 2019

Improving local farmers′ climate change adaptive capacity is an important policy issue in rural China. This study investigates farmers′ risk cognition, risk preferences and climate change adaptive behavior. Based on unique data from a survey and a paired lottery experiment completed by 240 rural farmers in Chongqing City of China, this paper finds that farmers have a pessimistic risk cognition towards climate change and the typical farmers are risk-averse and loss-averse. Risk cognition and adaptation cognition have significantly positive influences on climate change adaptive behavior, and loss aversion has a significantly positive influence on farmers′ adaptation decisions. Loss aversion exerts a positive impact on risk cognition and adaptation cognition, and risk aversion has a positive impact on adaptation cognition. This paper contributes to the emerging literature that relates risk preference in experiments and risk cognition to farmers′ climate change adaptive behavior.
The Evaluation Method of Low-Carbon Scenic Spots by Combining IBWM with B-DST and VIKOR in Fuzzy Environment
Authors: Liu Aijun , Liu Taoning , Ji Xiaohui , Lu Hui , Li Feng
Published: December 2019

With the concept of sustainability gaining popularity, low-carbon tourism has been widely considered. In this paper, a multicriteria group decision making (MCGDM) process based on an uncertain environment is proposed to study the evaluation problem of low-carbon scenic spots (LSSs). In order to minimize the influence of subjective and objective factors, the traditional Vlse Kriterjumska Optimizacija I Kompromisno Resenje (VIKOR) method is expanded, using the improved best and worst method (IBWM) and Bayes approximation method, based on Dempster-Shafer Theory (B-DST). First, in order to make the evaluation process more professional, a number of evaluation criteria are established as effective systems, followed by the use of triangular intuitionistic fuzzy numbers (TIFNs) to evaluate alternatives of LSSs. Next, according to the evaluation results, the weights of the criteria are determined by the IBWM method, and the weights of the expert panels (Eps) are determined by B-DST. Finally, a weighted averaging algorithm of TIFN is used to integrate the above results to expand the traditional VIKOR and obtain the optimal LSS. The applicability of this method is proven by example calculation. The main conclusions are as follows: tourist facilities and the eco-environment are the two most important factors influencing the choice of LSSs. Meanwhile, the roles of management and participant attitudes in LSS evaluations cannot be ignored.
Potential Confounders in the Analysis of Brazilian Adolescent’s Health: A Combination of Machine Learning and Graph Theory
Authors: Ambriola Oku Amanda Yumi , Zimeo Morais Guilherme Augusto , Arantes Bueno Ana Paula , Fujita André , Sato João Ricardo
Published: December 2019

The prevalence of health problems during childhood and adolescence is high in developing countries such as Brazil. Social inequality, violence, and malnutrition have strong impact on youth health. To better understand these issues we propose to combine machine-learning methods and graph analysis to build predictive networks applied to the Brazilian National Student Health Survey (PenSE 2015) data, a large dataset that consists of questionnaires filled by the students. By using a combination of gradient boosting machines and centrality hub metric, it was possible to identify potential confounders to be considered when conducting association analyses among variables. The variables were ranked according to their hub centrality to predict the other variables from a directed weighted-graph perspective. The top five ranked confounder variables were “gender”, “oral health care”, “intended education level”, and two variables associated with nutrition habits—“eat while watching TV” and “never eat fast-food”. In conclusion, although causal effects cannot be inferred from the data, we believe that the proposed approach might be a useful tool to obtain novel insights on the association between variables and to identify general factors related to health conditions.
Complexity and Community Context: Learning from the Evaluation Design of a National Community Empowerment Programme
Authors: South Jane , Button Daniel , Quick Annie , Bagnall Anne-Marie , Trigwell Joanne , Woodward Jenny , Coan Susan , Southby Kris
Published: December 2019

Community empowerment interventions, which aim to build greater individual and community control over health, are shaped by the community systems in which they are implemented. Drawing on complex systems thinking in public health research, this paper discusses the evaluation approach used for a UK community empowerment programme focused on disadvantaged neighbourhoods. It explores design choices and the tension between the overall enquiry questions, which were based on a programme theory of change, and the varied dynamic socio-cultural contexts in intervention communities. The paper concludes that the complexity of community systems needs to be accounted for through in-depth case studies that incorporate community perspectives.