bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Manipulating the Difference between the Day and Night Temperatures Can Enhance the Quality of Astragalus membranaceus and Codonopsis lanceolata Plug Seedlings
Authors: Liu Ya , Ren Xiuxia , Jeong Byoung Ryong
Published: October 2019

Astragalus membranaceus Bunge and Codonopsis lanceolata Benth. et Hook. f. are two famous medical species in Korea, China, and Japan, mainly used for treating diseases including cancer, obesity, and inflammation. Manipulation of the difference between the day and night temperatures (DIF) is an efficient horticultural practice to regulate the growth and development of vegetables in a glasshouse. However, little research has focused on how the DIF influences the plug seedling quality of medicinal plants. In this study, uniform plug seedlings were cultivated in three environmentally controlled chambers under an average daily temperature of 20 °C with negative (−10 °C), zero, or positive (+10 °C) DIFs, and the same relative humidity (75%), photoperiod (12 h), and light intensity (150 μmol·m−2·s−1 photosynthetic photon flux density with white LEDs). The results showed that the DIF had a noticeable effect on the growth, development, and morphology of A. membranaceus and C. lanceolata plug seedlings. The positive DIF (+10 °C) significantly increased the biomass (shoot, root, and leaf), stem diameter, and Dickson’s quality index, indicating an enhanced plug seedling quality. Moreover, the contents of primary and secondary metabolites, including soluble sugar, starch, total phenols and flavonoids, were higher with higher DIFs, where the maximum values were found at 0 °C or +10 °C DIF. Furthermore, the increases in the chlorophyll content and stomatal conductance were obtained in a positive DIF, indicating that a positive DIF was favorable to photosynthesis. An analysis of the gene expression showed that a positive DIF (+10 °C) up-regulated the expression of photosynthetic genes, including GBSS, RBCL, and FDX. In conclusion, the results of this study recommend a positive DIF (+10 °C) for enhancing the quality of A. membranaceus and C. lanceolata plug seedlings.
Erratum: Nadia Antonella Valverdi, et al., Apple Scion and Rootstock Contribute to Nutrient Uptake and Partitioning Under Different Belowground Environments. Agronomy 2019, 9, 415
Authors: Agronomy Editorial Office
Published: October 2019

The authors wish to correct the following erratum in this paper [...]
Effect of Immediately-After-Birth Weaning on the Development of Goat Kids Born to Small Ruminant Lentivirus-Positive Dams
Authors: Nalbert Tomasz , Czopowicz Michał , Szaluś-Jordanow Olga , Moroz Agata , Mickiewicz Marcin , Witkowski Lucjan , Markowska-Daniel Iwona , Puchała Ryszard , Bagnicka Emilia , Kaba Jarosław
Published: October 2019

A longitudinal study was carried out to investigate the influence of two different rearing systems of young kids on their development to sexual maturity. Kids born to small ruminant lentiviruses-infected (SRLV) female goats were split into two groups: the immediately-after-birth weaned group and the unweaned group. Kids’ body weight (BWT) was measured before the first consumption of colostrum, and then at the age of one week, and one, two, four, and seven months. The relationship between the rearing system and BWT at each age was investigated using mixed linear models adjusted for potential confounders. The mean BWT of kids of the immediately-after-birth weaned group was significantly lower at the age of one week, one month, and two months, and then the difference became insignificant. The mean daily body weight gain (DWG) was significantly lower in the immediately-after-birth weaned group during the whole first month of life, but then DWG in both groups became equal. Crude mortality rate did not differ significantly between groups. This study shows that weaning kids immediately after birth does not appear to have any negative impact on kids’ development except transient growth retardation, which is fully compensated until they reach sexual maturity.
Effect of Age and Weaning on Growth Performance, Rumen Fermentation, and Serum Parameters in Lambs Fed Starter with Limited Ewe–Lamb Interaction
Authors: Wang Shiqin , Ma Tao , Zhao Guohong , Zhang Naifeng , Tu Yan , Li Fadi , Cui Kai , Bi Yanliang , Ding Hongbiao , Diao Qiyu
Published: October 2019

Sixty neonatal Hu lambs were weaned at either 21 (n = 30) (early weaning, EW) or 49 days (n = 30) of age (control, CON). The starter intake and body weight (BW) of lambs was recorded weekly from birth to 63 days of age. Diarrhea rate of lambs was measured from birth to 35 days. Six randomly selected lambs from each treatment were slaughtered at 26, 35, and 63 days of age, respectively. Ruminal pH, NH3-N, and volatile fatty acid (VFA) concentration, as well as serum parameters including immunity, antioxidant status, and inflammatory parameters from randomly selected lambs from each treatment were measured. There was no difference in BW at birth and day 21 between the two groups of lambs (p > 0.05). However, BW of the lambs in the EW group was significantly lower than those in the CON group (p < 0.01) from 28 to 49 days of age. Average daily gain (ADG) of the lambs in the EW group was significantly lower than those in the CON group (p < 0.01) at three weeks after early weaning. Starter intake of the lambs in the EW group was obviously higher than that in the CON group (p < 0.01) from day 28 to 49. In addition, the diarrhea rate was significantly higher than that in the CON group from day 5 to 14 after weaning (p < 0.01). The EW group had heavier carcasses (p < 0.01) and rumen relative to whole stomach weights (p < 0.01). Rumen pH was increased by age (p < 0.01) and was not affected by early weaning (p > 0.05). Early weaning decreased abomasum relative to whole stomach weight (p < 0.01) and increased total VFA concentrations (p < 0.01) at day 26. There was no difference in lambs’ immunity and stress indicators (p > 0.05). The results indicated that lambs weaned at 21 days of age had decreased ADG and higher diarrhea rate, although the overall immunity was not compromised. Long-term study is needed to further validate the feasibility of early weaning strategy in lambs.
Development and Evaluation of a Prototype Scratch Apparatus for Wound Assays Adjustable to Different Forces and Substrates
Authors: Grimmig Roman , Babczyk Patrick , Gillemot Philipp , Schmitz Klaus-Peter , Schulze Margit , Tobiasch Edda
Published: October 2019

Scratch assays enable the study of the migration process of an injured adherent cell layer in vitro. An apparatus for the reproducible performance of scratch assays and cell harvesting has been developed that meets the requirements for reproducibility in tests as well as easy handling. The entirely autoclavable setup is divided into a sample translation and a scratching system. The translational system is compatible with standard culture dishes and can be modified to adapt to different cell culture systems, while the scratching system can be adjusted according to angle, normal force, shape, and material to adapt to specific questions and demanding substrates. As a result, a fully functional prototype can be presented. This system enables the creation of reproducible and clear scratch edges with a low scratch border roughness within a monolayer of cells. Moreover, the apparatus allows the collection of the migrated cells after scratching for further molecular biological investigations without the need for a second processing step. For comparison, the mechanical properties of manually performed scratch assays are evaluated.
Random Field-Based Time-Dependent Reliability Analyses of a PSC Box-Girder Bridge
Authors: Chen Zheheng , Guo Tong , Liu Shaobo , Lin Weiwei
Published: October 2019

The parameters affecting structural reliability are usually regarded as independent random variables in the current reliability analyses of bridge structures while the randomness of these structural parameters in spatial distribution is neglected. To overcome this disadvantage, the random field model should be used to describe their probability distribution. In this paper, a structural reliability analysis method considering the effect of a random field is proposed, and its validity is verified by three numerical case studies. A prestressed concrete (PSC) box-girder bridge with a main span of 150 m is selected for demonstration, and the importance sampling (IS) method is applied to estimate its failure probability, in which the influences of shrinkage and creep, stress relaxation, and shear lag on the time-dependent performance of the structure are taken into account. In addition, the random fields of the structure are discretized by using the local average method (LAM). Finally, the effects of random field parameters, such as the number of discrete elements, correlation model, and correlation length, on the reliability of the box-girder bridge are discussed.
Cellulases Production by a Trichoderma sp. Using Food Manufacturing Wastes
Authors: Gordillo-Fuenzalida Felipe , Echeverria-Vega Alex , Cuadros-Orellana Sara , Faundez Claudia , Kähne Thilo , Morales-Vera Rodrigo
Published: October 2019

The cost of cellulase enzymes is a main contributor to the operational cost of a biorefinery producing ethanol from lignocellulosic material. Therefore, onsite production of enzymes using low-value substrates might be an option to make a bio-based facility more economical, while improving environmental sustainability. Food manufacturing wastes (FMWs), such as olive mill solids, tomato pomace, and grape pomace, are some of the main wastes produced by the food industry in Chile. FMWs are mostly composed of lignocellulosic material, which is primarily made of cellulose. A fungal strain obtained from olive stones was identified as a Trichoderma sp. and characterized by molecular and morphological techniques. This strain was able to grow on three FMWs in both liquid and solid cultures. In liquid cultures, cellulase and β-glucosidase activities from the culture supernatants were quantified. Identification of extracellular proteins using mass spectrometry revealed the presence of endoglucanases, exoglucanases, and β-glucosidases. Cellulase production from agroindustrial residues could be an excellent opportunity to utilize FMWs as well as decrease enzyme production costs in biorefinery processes.
Microstructure and Tribological Properties of Self-Lubricating FeS Coating Prepared by Chemical Bath Deposition Coating Technique
Authors: Hu Jianjun , He Chuan , Yang Xian , Li Hui , Xu Hongbin , Guo Ning
Published: October 2019

The FeS solid lubricating coatings were prepared on the AISI 5140 steel by chemical bath deposition (CBD) coating technique at various temperatures from 30 to 90 °C. The influence of temperature on microstructure, microcracks, and tribological properties was characterized and studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), and energy dispersive spectrometry (EDS). The results show that the coating mainly consists of FexSy (FeS, FeS2, and Fe1−xS), and has a chrysanthemum-shaped (CS) morphology composed of the FeS crystal petals. The CS particles nucleate at about 30 °C, rapidly grow and reach a peak thickness at about 50–70 °C, and finally disappear and are replaced by disordered thick petals at 90 °C. The wear resistance of the steel was improved obviously after introducing of FeS coatings, owing to that the coatings can provide better lubrication and improve the wear resistance.
Design and Validation of the Invariant Imbedded T-Matrix Scattering Model for Atmospheric Particles with Arbitrary Shapes
Authors: Hu Shuai , Liu Lei , Gao Taichang , Zeng Qingwei
Published: October 2019

Light scattering by non-spherical particles is an important factor influencing atmospheric radiative transfer. To accurately simulate the scattering properties of non-spherical particles, the Invariant Imbedded T-matrix method (IIM T-Matrix) is developed by combining the Lorenz–Mie theory and invariant imbedding technique. In this model, the non-spherical particle is regarded as an inhomogeneous sphere and discretized into multiple spherical layers in the spherical coordinate system. The T-matrix of the inscribed sphere is firstly calculated by the Lorenz–Mie theory, and then taking it as the initial value, the T-matrix is updated layer by layer by using the invariant imbedding technique. To improve the computational efficiency, the model is further parallelized by the OpenMP technique. To verify the simulation accuracy of the IIM T-Matrix method, the results of the model are compared with those of the EBCM (Extended Boundary Condition Method) T-Matrix method, DDA (Discrete Dipole Approximation) and MRTD (Multi-Resolution Time Domain). The results show that the scattering phase matrix simulated by the IIM T-Matrix method closely agrees with that of the well-tested models, indicating that the IIM T-Matrix method is a powerful tool for the light scattering simulation of non-spherical particles. Since the IIM T-Matrix method is derived from the volume integral equation, compared to the T-Matrix method which is based on surface integral principles (i.e., “EBCM” or the “null field method”), it can be applied to the scattering calculations of particle with arbitrary shapes and inhomogeneous compositions, which can greatly expand the application scope of the T-Matrix method.
Amelogenin Exon 5 Peptide Promotes Cell Proliferation and Osteogenic Differentiation in Human Dental Pulp Stem Cells
Authors: Kato Hirohito , Taguchi Yoichiro , Yamawaki Isao , Ruan Yaru , Wu Qingchao , Nakano Yuji , Tsumori Norimasa , Nakata Takaya , Noguchi Masahiro , Umeda Makoto
Published: October 2019

Amelogenin is a complex enamel matrix protein that consists of various molecular-size proteins and amino acids. A spliced form of amelogenin was identified that included exons 2, 3, 5, 6, and 7. However, the biological function of amelogenin exon 5 on dental pulp remains unknown. We designed a synthetic amelogenin exon 5 encoded peptide (SP), which was based on a protein produced by cells in response to the enamel matrix derivative (EMD). We investigated the effect of the SP on potentiation of osteogenesis and its signal pathway in dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs). DPSCs are an important cell for pulp tissue homeostasis. DPSCs were cultured with SP to examine the effect of cell proliferation and osteogenic differentiation. We also investigated the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway. SP significantly enhanced cell proliferation and the expression of osteogenic differentiation. Moreover, SP promoted the expression of the MAPK signaling pathway. Therefore, amelogenin exon 5 might contribute to dental pulp capping.
An Interactive and Personalized Erasure Animation System for a Large Group of Participants
Authors: Wang Hua , He Xiaoyu , Pan Mingge
Published: October 2019

This paper introduces a system to realize interactive and personalized erasure animations by using mobile terminals, a shared display terminal, and a database server for a large group of participants. In the system, participants shake their mobile terminals with their hands. Their shaking data are captured by the database server. Then there are immersive and somatosensory erasure animations on the shared display terminal according to the participants’ shaking data in the database server. The system is implemented by a data preprocessing module and an interactive erasure animation module. The former is mainly responsible for the cleaning and semantic standardization of the personalized erasure shape data. The latter realizes the interactive erasure animation, which involves shaking the mobile terminal, visualizations of the erasure animation on the shared display terminal, and dynamic and personalized data editing. The experimental results show that the system can realize various styles of personalized erasure animation and can respond to more than 2000 shaking actions simultaneously and present the corresponding erasure animations on the shared display terminal in real time.
Experimental Study on Mechanical Properties, Failure Behavior and Energy Evolution of Different Coal-Rock Combined Specimens
Authors: Yang Shang , Wang Jun , Ning Jianguo , Qiu Pengqi
Published: October 2019

To investigate the effect of the pure coal/rock strength on the mechanical behavior, failure behavior, and energy evolution of coal-rock combined (CRC) specimens, an AG-X250 Shimadzu Precision Universal Test was used to conduct uniaxial compressive loading, uniaxial cyclic loading, and unloading compression experiments on pure coal, pure rock, and different CRC specimens. The results show that the uniaxial compressive strength, Young’s modulus, and peak strain of the CRC specimen mainly depend on the coal specimen instead of the rock strength. The major failure modes of CRC were the shearing fracture and axial splitting failure, and for the CRC specimen with the same hard rock, the CRC specimen severely failed due to axial splitting cracks. In addition, the released elastic energy Ue, dissipated energy Ud, and kinetic energy Ur increase with increasing rock mass/coal strength, and for CRC specimen with the same coal, the greater the difference in strength between the rock and coal is, the greater the kinetic energy is.
New Security Improvements in Next-Generation Passive Optical Networks Stage 2 †
Authors: Clupek Vlastimil , Horvath Tomas , Munster Petr , Oujezsky Vaclav
Published: October 2019

Passive optical networks are currently the most promising solution for access networks. These networks rely on broadcast signal distribution in the downstream direction and unicast signal transmission in the upstream direction. The upstream direction is controlled by optical line termination (OLT). The broadcast transmission method increases security vulnerability because the attacker is able to connect his/her modified optical network unit (ONU) to the free port of the splitter (commonly in the basement). We present the concept for the activation process of ONUs based on physical unclonable function (PUF) for next-generation passive optical networks stage 2 (NG-PON2). The use of PUF increases security in the NG-PON2. Furthermore, the registration identifier (ID) is not stored in a nonvolatile memory, in comparison with the common solution defined by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) recommendation G.989.3. An attacker cannot perform a reverse engineering attack to obtain the registration ID. For this reason, the attacker cannot clone an ONU. We proposed security improvements that involve authentication, encryption, integrity protection, and data origin verification methods in the NG-PON2. Our model uses the standard implementation of the transmission convergence layer of NG-PON2 with the new physical layer operations, administration, and maintenance (PLOAM) messages. The recommendation G.989.3 allows specifying own PLOAM messages since not all IDs are used in the current specification.
Tsunami-Launched Acoustic Wave in the Layered Atmosphere: Explicit Formulas Including Electron Density Disturbances
Authors: Leble Sergey , Smirnova Ekaterina
Published: October 2019

The problem of the propagation of acoustic wave disturbance initiated by a boundary condition is used to simulate a disturbance of atmospheric gas caused by a rise of water masses. The boundary condition is a function of a dynamic variable that is defined on the border of the problem domain. In this work, it is chosen in such a way that its parameters and form correspond to disturbances in the gas layer produced by a tsunami wave at the air–water interface. The atmosphere is approximately described as a 1D multilayer gas media with an exponential structure of density in each layer. The boundary conditions are set at the interface between water–air and gas layers. These determine the direction of propagation and the ratio of dynamic variables characterizing an acoustic wave. The relationship between such variables (pressure, density, and velocity) is derived by means of projection operators on the subspaces of the z-evolution operator for each layer. The universal formulas for the perturbation of atmospheric variables in an arbitrary layer are obtained in frequency and time domains. As a result, explicit expressions are derived that determine the spectral composition and vertical velocity, by the stationary phase method, of the acoustic disturbance of the atmosphere at an arbitrary height, including the heights of the ionosphere. In return, this can be used to calculate the ionospheric effect. The effect is described by the explicit formula for electron density evolution, which is the solution of the diffusion equation. This forms a quick algorithm for early diagnostics of tsunami waves.
Correction: Jain, S., et al. The Influence of Absolute Mass Loading of Secondary Organic Aerosols on Their Phase State. Atmosphere, 2018, 9, 131
Authors: Jain Shashank , Fischer Kevin B. , Petrucci Giuseppe A.
Published: October 2019

The authors would like to correct the published article [...]
Electro-Acupuncture Alleviates Cisplatin-Induced Anorexia in Rats by Modulating Ghrelin and Monoamine Neurotransmitters
Authors: Baek Ji Yun , Trinh Tuy An , Huh Wonsang , Song Ji Hoon , Kim Hyun Young , Lim Juhee , Kim Jinhee , Choi Hyun Jin , Kim Tae-Hun , Kang Ki Sung
Published: October 2019

Anorexia is common in patients with cancer, mostly as a side effect of chemotherapy. The effect of electro-acupuncture (EA) on ameliorating cancer-related symptoms have been studied in animal models and in clinical trials. The aim of this study was to determine optimal conditions for the application of EA to alleviate anorexia, followed by the study of molecular mechanisms affecting its therapeutics. Anorexia was induced in male Wistar rats by injecting cisplatin, which was then followed by EA treatment at CV12, the acupuncture point located in the center of the abdominal midline. Body weight and food intake were measured daily throughout the duration of the study. The levels of monoamine neurotransmitters in the plasma were quantitatively analyzed by HPLC-ECD. Gastrointestinal hormone concentrations were elucidated with ELISA kits. RT-qPCR was performed to evaluate the mRNA expression of ghrelin (GHRL), neuropeptide Y (NPY), and pro-opiomelanocortin. The expression of c-Fos in the nucleus tractus solitarii was detected using western blotting analysis. The optimal conditions of EA to alleviate anorexia in rats was determined to be 1 unit for intensity and 10 Hz for frequency. EA treatment at CV12 reduced the levels of plasma monoamine neurotransmitters 5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid, dopamine, and norepinephrine; as well as stimulated the expression of GHRL and NPY to alleviate cisplatin-induced anorexia in rats. EA stimulation at CV12 could be used to treat cisplatin-induced anorexia in rats.
Mimicking Sub-Structures Self-Organization in Microtubules
Authors: O. V. Sanjay Sarma , Palaparthi Sruthi , Pidaparti Ramana
Published: October 2019

Microtubules (MTs) are highly dynamic polymers distributed in the cytoplasm of a biological cell. Alpha and beta globular proteins constituting the heterodimer building blocks combine to form these tubules through polymerization, controlled by the concentration of Guanosine-triphosphate (GTPs) and other Microtubule Associated Proteins (MAPs). MTs play a crucial role in many intracellular processes, predominantly in mitosis, organelle transport and cell locomotion. Current research in this area is focused on understanding the exclusive behaviors of self-organization and their association with different MAPs through organized laboratory experiments. However, the intriguing intelligence behind these tiny machines resulting in complex self-organizing structures is mostly unexplored. In this study, we propose a novel swarm engineering framework in modeling rules for these systems, by combining the principles of design with swarm intelligence. The proposed framework was simulated on a game engine and these simulations demonstrated self-organization of rings and protofilaments in MTs. Analytics from these simulations assisted in understanding the influence of GTPs on protofilament formation. Also, results showed that the population density of GTPs rather than their bonding probabilities played a crucial role in polymerization in forming microtubule substructures.
Capsaicin Targets tNOX (ENOX2) to Inhibit G1 Cyclin/CDK Complex, as Assessed by the Cellular Thermal Shift Assay (CETSA)
Authors: Islam Atikul , Su Ally J. , Zeng Zih-Ming , Chueh Pin Ju , Lin Ming-Hung
Published: October 2019

Capsaicin (8-methyl-N-vanillyl-6-noneamide), which is an active component in red chili peppers, is used as a chemopreventive agent that shows favorable cytotoxicity against cancer cells. Accumulating evidence indicates that capsaicin preferentially inhibits a tumor-associated NADH oxidase (tNOX, ENOX2) that is ubiquitously expressed in cancer but not in non-transformed cells. This attenuates cancer cell growth by inducing apoptosis. The capsaicin-mediated inhibition of tNOX was recently shown to prolong the cell cycle. However, the molecular events underlying this regulation have not yet been investigated. In the present study, we used a cellular thermal shift assay (CETSA) to detect “target engagement” of capsaicin and its consequent impact on cell cycle progression. Our results indicated that capsaicin engaged with tNOX and triggered the proteasomal degradation of tNOX, which leads to the inhibition of NAD+-dependent SIRT1 deacetylase. Ultimately, the acetylation levels of c-Myc and p53 were enhanced, which suppressed the activation of G1 cyclin/Cyclin-dependent kinase complexes and triggered cell cycle arrest in cancer cells. The results obtained when tNOX was overexpressed in non-cancer cells validated its importance in cell cycle progression. These findings provide the first molecular insights into the regulatory role of tNOX and the anti-proliferative property of capsaicin in regulating the cell cycle of bladder cancer cells.
Surface Texture Evolution of Fused Silica in a Combined Process of Atmospheric Pressure Plasma Processing and Bonnet Polishing
Authors: Su Xing , Ji Chenglong , Xu Yang , Li Duo , Walker David , Yu Guoyu , Li Hongyu , Wang Bo
Published: October 2019

The increasing demand for precision optical components invokes the requirement of advanced fabrication techniques with high efficiency. Atmospheric pressure plasma processing (APPP), based on chemical etching, has a high material removal rate and a Gaussian-shaped influence function, which is suitable to generate complex structures and correct form errors. Because of the pure chemical etching, an optically smooth surface cannot be achieved using only APPP. Thus, bonnet polishing (BP) with a flexible membrane tool, also delivering a Gaussian influence-function, is introduced to smooth the surface after APPP. In this paper, the surface texture evolution in the combined process of APPP and BP is studied. The etched texture with increased removal depth of APPP is presented and analyzed. Subsequently, the processed substrates are smoothed by BP. The texture smoothing and the roughness improvement is investigated in detail. The experimental results show that the APPP etched pits coalesce with each other and transform into irregular convex-concave structures, with roughness degraded to about 25 nm arithmetical mean deviation (Ra). The APPP etched texture can be successfully smoothed to 1.5 nm Ra, with 0.2–1 μm material removal of BP.
Interlaboratory Study of Ice Adhesion Using Different Techniques
Authors: Rønneberg Sigrid , Zhuo Yizhi , Laforte Caroline , He Jianying , Zhang Zhiliang
Published: October 2019

Low ice adhesion surfaces are a promising anti-icing strategy. However, reported ice adhesion strengths cannot be directly compared between research groups. This study compares results obtained from testing the ice adhesion strength on two types of surfaces at two different laboratories, testing two different types of ice with different ice adhesion test methods at temperatures of −10 and −18 °C. One laboratory used the centrifuge adhesion test and tested precipitation ice and bulk water ice, while the other laboratory used a vertical shear test and tested only bulk water ice. The surfaces tested were bare aluminum and a commercial icephobic coating, with all samples prepared in the same manner. The results showed comparability in the general trends, surprisingly, with the greatest differences for bare aluminum surfaces at −10 °C. For bulk water ice, the vertical shear test resulted in systematically higher ice adhesion strength than the centrifugal adhesion test. The standard deviation depends on the surface type and seems to scale with the absolute value of the ice adhesion strength. The experiments capture the overall trends in which the ice adhesion strength surprisingly decreases from −10 to −18 °C for aluminum and is almost independent of temperature for a commercial icephobic coating. In addition, the study captures similar trends in the effect of ice type on ice adhesion strength as previously reported and substantiates that ice formation is a key parameter for ice adhesion mechanisms. Repeatability should be considered a key parameter in determining the ideal ice adhesion test method.
On the Icephobic Behavior of Organosilicon-Based Surface Structures Developed Through Atmospheric Pressure Plasma Deposition in Nitrogen Plasma
Authors: Asadollahi Siavash , Farzaneh Masoud , Stafford Luc
Published: October 2019

In many regions around the world, atmospheric icing during freezing rains and ice storms can cause severe damage to exposed infrastructure. Subsequently, protective coatings capable of ice accumulation prevention or ice adhesion reduction, often referred to as icephobic coatings, have gained a significant amount of interest. In this study, we examine an atmospheric-pressure plasma jet technique for the development of organosilicon-based icephobic coatings on aluminum substrates. Initially, Al-6061 samples are exposed to multiple passes of air plasma treatment at very short jet-to-substrate distances to create a microporous alumina-based surface structure. These surfaces are then used for plasma deposition of superhydrophobic coatings in the same jet with hexamethyldisiloxane (HMDSO) as the precursor and nitrogen as the plasma gas. Several samples are created with varying plasma precursor flow rates and number of deposition passes. All samples are exposed to three cycles of icing/de-icing to estimate coatings’ stability in aggressive natural conditions. The effects of multiple icing/de-icing cycles on surface chemistry, surface morphology, and wetting behavior is studied. It is shown that the most remarkable mechanism through which icing affects surface properties is coating removal during aggressive de-icing procedure. Finally, the icephobic properties of the most efficient coating (referred to as PT5x3) is further studied through 10 cycles of icing/de-icing, and it is shown that this coating can reduce ice adhesion strength by a factor of at least two for up to nine cycles of icing/de-icing.
Soft Elbow Exoskeleton for Upper Limb Assistance Incorporating Dual Motor-Tendon Actuator
Authors: Ismail Rifky , Ariyanto Mochammad , Perkasa Inri A. , Adirianto Rizal , Putri Farika T. , Glowacz Adam , Caesarendra Wahyu
Published: October 2019

Loss of muscle functions, such as the elbow, can affect the quality of life of a person. This research is aimed at developing an affordable two DOF soft elbow exoskeleton incorporating a dual motor-tendon actuator. The soft elbow exoskeleton can be used to assist two DOF motions of the upper limb, especially elbow and wrist movements. The exoskeleton is developed using fabric for the convenience purpose of the user. The dual motor-tendon actuator subsystem employs two DC motors coupled with lead-to-screw converting motion from angular into linear motion. The output is connected to the upper arm hook on the soft exoskeleton elbow. With this mechanism, the proposed actuator system is able to assist two DOF movements for flexion/extension and pronation/supination motion. Proportional-Integral (PI) control is implemented for controlling the motion. The optimized value of Kp and Ki are 200 and 20, respectively. Based on the test results, there is a slight steady-state error between the first and the second DC motor. When the exoskeleton is worn by a user, it gives more steady-state errors because of the load from the arm weight. The test results demonstrate that the proposed soft exoskeleton elbow can be worn easily and comfortably by a user to assist two DOF for elbow and wrist motion. The resulted range of motion (ROM) for elbow flexion–extension can be varied from 90° to 157°, whereas the maximum of ROM that can be achieved for pronation and supination movements are 19° and 18°, respectively.
Correlated Blocking in mmWave Cellular Networks: Macrodiversity, Outage, and Interference
Authors: Hriba Enass , Valenti Matthew C.
Published: October 2019

In this paper, we provide a comprehensive analysis of macrodiversity for millimeter wave (mmWave) cellular networks. The key issue with mmWave networks is that signals are prone to blocking by objects in the environment, which causes paths to go from line-of-sight (LOS) to non-LOS (NLOS). We identify macrodiversity as an important strategy for mitigating blocking, as with macrodiversity the user will attempt to connect with two or more base stations. Diversity is achieved because if the closest base station is blocked, then the next base station might still be unblocked. However, since it is possible for a single blockage to simultaneously block the paths to two base stations, the issue of correlated blocking must be taken into account by the analysis. Our analysis characterizes the macrodiverity gain in the presence of correlated random blocking and interference. To do so, we develop a framework to determine distributions for the LOS probability, Signal to Noise Ratio (SNR), and Signal to Interference and Noise Ratio (SINR) by taking into account correlated blocking. We validate our framework by comparing our analysis, which models blockages using a random point process, with an analysis that uses real-world data to account for blockage. We consider a cellular uplink with both diversity combining and selection combining schemes. We also study the impact of blockage size and blockage density along with the effect of co-channel interference arising from other cells. We show that the assumption of independent blocking can lead to an incorrect evaluation of macrodiversity gain, as the correlation tends to decrease macrodiversity gain.
Dissecting the Genome-Wide Evolution and Function of R2R3-MYB Transcription Factor Family in Rosa chinensis
Authors: Han Yu , Yu Jiayao , Zhao Tao , Cheng Tangren , Wang Jia , Yang Weiru , Pan Huitang , Zhang Qixiang
Published: October 2019

Rosa chinensis, an important ancestor species of Rosa hybrida, the most popular ornamental plant species worldwide, produces flowers with diverse colors and fragrances. The R2R3-MYB transcription factor family controls a wide variety of plant-specific metabolic processes, especially phenylpropanoid metabolism. Despite their importance for the ornamental value of flowers, the evolution of R2R3-MYB genes in plants has not been comprehensively characterized. In this study, 121 predicted R2R3-MYB gene sequences were identified in the rose genome. Additionally, a phylogenomic synteny network (synnet) was applied for the R2R3-MYB gene families in 35 complete plant genomes. We also analyzed the R2R3-MYB genes regarding their genomic locations, Ka/Ks ratio, encoded conserved motifs, and spatiotemporal expression. Our results indicated that R2R3-MYBs have multiple synteny clusters. The RcMYB114a gene was included in the Rosaceae-specific Cluster 54, with independent evolutionary patterns. On the basis of these results and an analysis of RcMYB114a-overexpressing tobacco leaf samples, we predicted that RcMYB114a functions in the phenylpropanoid pathway. We clarified the relationship between R2R3-MYB gene evolution and function from a new perspective. Our study data may be relevant for elucidating the regulation of floral metabolism in roses at the transcript level.
Effects of the Herbicide Glyphosate on Honey Bee Sensory and Cognitive Abilities: Individual Impairments with Implications for the Hive
Authors: Farina Walter M. , Balbuena M. Sol , Herbert Lucila T. , Mengoni Goñalons Carolina , Vázquez Diego E.
Published: October 2019

The honeybee Apis mellifera is an important pollinator in both undisturbed and agricultural ecosystems. Its great versatility as an experimental model makes it an excellent proxy to evaluate the environmental impact of agrochemicals using current methodologies and procedures in environmental toxicology. The increase in agrochemical use, including those that do not target insects directly, can have deleterious effects if carried out indiscriminately. This seems to be the case of the herbicide glyphosate (GLY), the most widely used agrochemical worldwide. Its presence in honey has been reported in samples obtained from different environments. Hence, to understand its current and potential risks for this pollinator it has become essential to not only study the effects on honeybee colonies located in agricultural settings, but also its effects under laboratory conditions. Subtle deleterious effects can be detected using experimental approaches. GLY negatively affects associative learning processes of foragers, cognitive and sensory abilities of young hive bees and promotes delays in brood development. An integrated approach that considers behavior, physiology, and development allows not only to determine the effects of this agrochemical on this eusocial insect from an experimental perspective, but also to infer putative effects in disturbed environments where it is omnipresent.
Natural Product Medicines for Honey Bees: Perspective and Protocols
Authors: Tauber James P. , Collins William R. , Schwarz Ryan S. , Chen Yanping , Grubbs Kyle , Huang Qiang , Lopez Dawn , Peterson Raymond , Evans Jay D.
Published: October 2019

The western honey bee remains the most important pollinator for agricultural crops. Disease and stressors threaten honey bee populations and productivity during winter- and summertime, creating costs for beekeepers and negative impacts on agriculture. To combat diseases and improve overall bee health, researchers are constantly developing honey bee medicines using the tools of microbiology, molecular biology and chemistry. Below, we present a manifesto alongside standardized protocols that outline the development and a systematic approach to test natural products as ‘bee medicines’. These will be accomplished in both artificial rearing conditions and in colonies situated in the field. Output will be scored by gene expression data of host immunity, bee survivorship, reduction in pathogen titers, and more subjective merits of the compound in question. Natural products, some of which are already encountered by bees in the form of plant resins and nectar compounds, provide promising low-cost candidates for safe prophylaxis or treatment of bee diseases.
Laxer Clinical Criteria for Gaming Disorder May Hinder Future Efforts to Devise an Efficient Diagnostic Approach: A Tree-Based Model Study
Authors: Pontes Halley M. , Schivinski Bruno , Brzozowska-Woś Magdalena , Stavropoulos Vasileios
Published: October 2019

Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD) has been recognized in May 2013 and can be evaluated using the criteria developed by American Psychiatric Association (APA). The present study investigated the role each IGD criteria plays in diagnosing disordered gaming. A total of 3377 participants (mean age 20 years, SD = 4.3 years) participated in the study. The data collected was scrutinized to detect patterns of IGD using Conditional Inference Tree (Ctree), a sophisticated machine algorithm. Participants provided basic sociodemographic information and completed the Internet Gaming Disorder Scale–Short-Form (IGDS9-SF). The results identified classes of IGD-related symptoms, indicating that endorsing ‘withdrawal’ and ‘loss of control’ increases the probability of disordered gaming by 77.77% while endorsement of ‘withdrawal’, ‘loss of control’ and ‘negative consequences’ increases the probability of disordered gaming by 26.66%. Moreover, lack of endorsement of ‘withdrawal’ and endorsement of ‘preoccupation’ increases the likelihood of disordered gaming by 7.14%. Taken together, the results obtained illustrate that different IGD criteria can present with different clinical weighing as unique diagnostic roles in the development of disordered gaming can be evidenced by each criterion. Moreover, the present findings help inform future revisions of diagnostic manuals and helps enhancing the assessment of IGD in the future. Additional research and clinical implications are discussed.
Bending and Torsion Fatigue-Testing Machine Developed for Multiaxial Non-Proportional Loading
Authors: Ogawa Fumio , Shimizu Yusuke , Bressan Stefano , Morishita Takahiro , Itoh Takamoto
Published: October 2019

A new fatigue-testing machine was developed to perform high-cycle multiaxial fatigue tests at 50 Hz, in order to reduce testing time. The developed machine can combine bending and torsion loading and perform fatigue tests at a high frequency, under proportional and non-proportional loading conditions, where the principal stress direction changes during a cycle. The proportional loading is cyclic bending loading, and the non-proportional loading is cyclic, combining bending and reversed torsion loading. In this study, the effectiveness of the testing machine was verified by conducting tests under these loading conditions, using specimens of type 490A hot-rolled steel and type 304 stainless steel. The fatigue life linked to bending loading obtained using the new testing machine was slightly extended compared with that obtained using the conventional fatigue-testing machine. The fatigue life derived as a result of a combination of bending and torsion was comparable to that obtained using the conventional fatigue-testing machine, although a fatigue limit reduction of 100 MPa was observed compared to the former study. The feasibility of tests using the developed multiaxial fatigue-testing machine was confirmed.
Fabrication of 512-Channel Geometrical Passive Breakup Device for High-Throughput Microdroplet Production
Authors: Kim Chul Min , Kim Gyu Man
Published: October 2019

We present a 512-microchannel geometrical passive breakup device for the mass production of microdroplets. The mass production is achieved through the passive breakup of a droplet into two droplets. The microchannel geometry in the microfluidic device was designed and optimized by focusing on stable droplet splitting for microdroplet preparation and minimizing the hydraulic resistance of the microchannel for achieving high throughput; the minimization of hydraulic resistance was achieved by employing analytical approaches. A total of 512 microdroplets could be prepared from a single liquid plug by making the liquid plug pass through nine sequential T-junctions in the microfluidic device, which led to the splitting of droplets. The microfluidic device was fabricated using conventional photolithography and polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) casting. We estimated the performance of the microfluidic device in terms of the size distribution and production rate of microdroplets. Microdroplets with a diameter of 40.0 ± 2.2 µm were prepared with a narrow size distribution (coefficient of variation (CV) < 5.5%) for flow rates of disperse (Qd) and continuous phase (Qc) of 2 and 3 mL/h, respectively. Microdroplet production rates were measured using a high-speed camera. Furthermore, monodisperse microdroplets were prepared at 42.7 kHz for Qd and Qc of 7 and 15 mL/h, respectively. Finally, the feasibility of the fabricated microfluidic device was verified by using it to prepare biodegradable chitosan microspheres.
Cupric and Chloride Ions: Leaching of Chalcopyrite Concentrate with Low Chloride Concentration Media
Authors: Torres Cynthia M. , Ghorbani Yousef , Hernández Pía C. , Justel Francisca J. , Aravena Matías I. , Herreros Osvaldo O.
Published: October 2019

In this paper, the effect of the cupric and chloride ions concentrations on copper dissolution from chalcopyrite concentrate was studied in acidified media. Variables included three different concentrations of Cu2+ (0.5, 1.5, and 2.5 g L−1), four different concentrations of Cl− (0, 5, 7, and 10 g L−1), two different pH values of 1 and 2, and a constant temperature of 60 °C. Results indicated that addition of Cl− to the system improves copper extractions, especially at higher concentrations of Cu2+. Initial copper concentrations in the leaching solution did not significantly affect the copper extraction when Cl− was not present. Better copper extractions were obtained at pH 1 as compared with pH 2. As the Cu2+ and Cl− concentrations were increased, higher values of redox potential were obtained. According to the formation constants of the chloro-complexes, the predominant species in the Cu2+/Cl− system in the studied interval were CuCl+ and Cu2+. Using a model of copper speciation in the experimental range predicted for a single copper concentration with increasing Cl− concentration, the Cu2+ concentration decreased significantly while the concentration of the chloro-complex species CuCl+ increased. In the leached residue, evidence of sulfur formation was found using SEM and corroborated by XRD analysis. When chloride is present in the medium, the amounts of copper and iron in the residue decrease, confirming a positive effect of chloride on the extraction of copper from concentrate for the studied conditions.
Characterization of Redox-Responsive LXR-Activating Nanoparticle Formulations in Primary Mouse Macrophages
Authors: Smith Tyler K. T. , Kahiel Zaina , LeBlond Nicholas D. , Ghorbani Peyman , Farah Eliya , Al-Awosi Refel , Cote Marceline , Gadde Suresh , Fullerton Morgan D.
Published: October 2019

Activation of the transcription factor liver X receptor (LXR) has beneficial effects on macrophage lipid metabolism and inflammation, making it a potential candidate for therapeutic targeting in cardiometabolic disease. While small molecule delivery via nanomedicine has promising applications for a number of chronic diseases, questions remain as to how nanoparticle formulation might be tailored to suit different tissue microenvironments and aid in drug delivery. In the current study, we aimed to compare the in vitro drug delivering capability of three nanoparticle (NP) formulations encapsulating the LXR activator, GW-3965. We observed little difference in the base characteristics of standard PLGA-PEG NP when compared to two redox-active polymeric NP formulations, which we called redox-responsive (RR)1 and RR2. Moreover, we also observed similar uptake of these NP into primary mouse macrophages. We used the transcript and protein expression of the cholesterol efflux protein and LXR target ATP-binding cassette A1 (ABCA1) as a readout of GW-3956-induced LXR activation. Following an initial acute uptake period that was meant to mimic circulating exposure in vivo, we determined that although the induction of transcript expression was similar between NPs, treatment with the redox-sensitive RR1 NPs resulted in a higher level of ABCA1 protein. Our results suggest that NP formulations responsive to cellular cues may be an effective tool for targeted and disease-specific drug release.