bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Knowledge and opinions of the genetic counseling profession of high school students from underrepresented backgrounds
Authors: Urli Joanna , Connors Philip D. , Channaoui Nadine
Published: December 2019

The field of genetic counseling began in the 1960s, with young, white women quickly comprising the profession's core constituency. The field has made many efforts to increase its racial and ethnic diversity with little success. The 2019 Professional Status Survey, distributed by the National Society of Genetic Counselors, reported that 90% of the respondents identified as white, 95% as female, and 70% under the age of 40. This qualitative study explored the current career interests of high school students from underrepresented backgrounds as well as their understanding of and thoughts about the genetic counseling profession. Sixteen semi‐structured interviews were performed with high school students from the Boston Preparatory Charter School. Major themes emerged reflecting that the participants (a) were science‐minded and empathetic, (b) had not heard of genetic counseling but were interested in learning more about it, and (c) provided perspectives different from those historically over‐represented in the genetic counseling workforce. Implications for genetic counselors include the need for improved recruitment strategies accessible to individuals of underrepresented backgrounds who might be interested in the profession and the importance of acknowledging that valuable contributions and improvements to the field could be made by such individuals. Future studies could encompass a larger sample size; explore the interests, opinions, and perspectives of high school students with minority identities other than racial and/or ethnic minority; or assess the success of current or new recruitment methods.
Reevaluating the synthesis of 2,5‐disubstituted‐1H‐benzimidazole derivatives by different green activation techniques and their biological activity as antifungal and antimicrobial inhibitor
Authors: Penieres‐Carrillo José‐Guillermo , Ríos‐Guerra Hulme , Pérez‐Flores Javier , Rodríguez‐Molina Braulio , Torres‐Reyes Ángeles , Barrera‐Téllez Francisco , González‐Carrillo Jessica , Moreno‐González Lessly , Martínez‐Zaldívar Alejandro , Nolasco‐Fidencio Juan‐Jesús , Matus‐Meza Audifás‐Salvador , Luna‐Mora Ricardo‐Alfredo
Published: December 2019

A comparative study concerned with the preparation of diversely substituted‐1H‐benzimidazole under different green activation techniques and conventional methods is reported. Data are collected for infrared, ultrasound, microwave, and simultaneous irradiation with US and IR sources, as this last strategy shows an important improvement. Further, the small library of potentially bioactive benzimidazole 17‐76 synthesized was screened as an antifungal and antimicrobial agent. Strong activity against Candida albicans and Staphylococcus aureus was observed. Remarkably, 2‐(4‐aminophenyl)‐5‐phenylamino‐1H‐benzimidazole 63 resulted better than that of reference drugs miconazole with a zone of inhibition up to 42 mm. Likewise, 2‐(2‐aminophenyl)‐1H‐benzimidazole 21 showed substantial antimicrobial activity against MRSA strain. When assayed by the microdilution method, this azaheterocyclic compound presented a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) ≥ 16.4 μg/100 mL and a bacterial percentage reduction of 96%.
Synthesis, characterization, and antioxidant and anticholinesterase activities of pyrazolo derivatives
Authors: Sicak Yusuf , Oruç‐Emre Emine E. , Öztürk Mehmet , Karaküçük‐İyidoğan Ayşegül , Nadeem Said
Published: December 2019

Twenty‐four pyrazolo derivatives (1–4)(a‐f) were synthesized and characterized by FTIR, 1H, and 13C NMR (Nuclear Magnetic Resonance), and elemental analysis. The synthesized compounds were also investigated for their antioxidant and anticholinesterase activities. The compounds (3–4)(a‐f) carrying morpholine ring were more active than the piperidinyl containing compounds (1–2)(a‐f) in both activities. The compound 4f showed higher activity in both assays as compared with the others. Additionally, the anticholinesterase activity test provided higher values than the galantamine in the BChE assay. Therefore, compound 4f can be used as anticholinesterase agent and/or anticholinesterase assay standard.
Agronomic biofortification with selenium impacts storage proteins in grains of upland rice
Authors: Reis Heitor Pontes Gestal , de Queiroz Barcelos Jéssica Pigatto , Silva Vinícius Martins , Santos Elcio Ferreira , Tavanti Renan Francisco Rimoldi , Putti Fernando Ferrari , Young Scott D , Broadley Martin R , White Philip J , dos Reis André Rodrigues
Published: December 2019

BACKGROUND

Selenium (Se) is an essential element for humans and animals. Rice is one of the most commonly consumed cereals in the world, so the agronomic biofortification of cereals with Se may be a good strategy to increase the levels of daily intake of Se by the population. This study evaluated the agronomic biofortification of rice genotypes with Se and its effects on grain nutritional quality. Five rates of Se (0, 10, 25, 50, and 100 g ha
−1) were applied as selenate via the soil to three rice genotypes under field conditions.

RESULTS

Selenium concentrations in the leaves and polished grains increased linearly in response to Se application rates. A highly significant correlation was observed between the Se rates and the Se concentration in the leaves and grains, indicating high translocation of Se. The application of Se also increased the concentration of albumin, globulin, prolamin, and glutelin in polished grains.

CONCLUSION

Biofortifying rice genotypes using 25 g Se ha
−1 could increase the average daily Se intake from 4.64 to 66 μg day−1. Considering that the recommended daily intake of Se by adults is 55 μg day−1, this agronomic strategy could contribute to alleviating widespread Se malnutrition. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry
Antihyperlipidaemic effect of microencapsulated Lactobacillus plantarum LIP‐1 on hyperlipidaemic rats
Authors: Yao Caiqing , Tian Wenjing , Song Jiaojiao , Wang Junguo
Published: December 2019

BACKGROUND

Previous studies have shown that Lactobacillus plantarum LIP‐1 (hereafter LIP‐1) has an obvious hypolipidemic effect, and microencapsulated probiotics can ensure the strains live through the gastrointestinal tract. Although there has been much research on both preparation and assessment methods for probiotics microcapsules, most assessments were made in vitro and few were validated in vivo. In this study, the protective effect of microencapsulation and the possible hypolipidemic mechanisms of probiotic LIP‐1 were evaluated in rats. Treatments included rats fed on a normal diet, a high‐fat diet, and a high‐fat diet with an intragastric supplement of either non‐microencapsulated LIP‐1 cells (NME LIP‐1) or microencapsulated LIP‐1 (ME LIP‐1). Lipid metabolism indicators were measured during the experiment and following euthanasia.

RESULTS

Microencapsulation increased survival and colonization of LIP‐1 in the colon. ME LIP‐1 was superior to NME LIP‐1 in reducing cholesterol. The mechanisms behind the hypolipidemic effect exerted by LIP‐1 are possibly due to promoting the excretion of cholesterol, improving antioxygenic potentials, enhancing recovery from the injury in the liver, cardiovascular intima and intestinal mucosa, promoting the generation of short‐chain fatty acids, and improving lipid metabolism.

CONCLUSIONS

This study confirms that microencapsulation provides effective protection of LIP‐1 in the digestive system and the role of LIP‐1 in the prevention and cure of hyperlipidaemia, providing theoretical support for probiotics to enter clinical applications. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry
Spiral stir bar sorptive extraction with polyaniline‐polydimethylsiloxane sol‐gel packings for the analysis of trace estrogens in environmental water and animal‐derived food samples
Authors: Fan Wenying , He Man , You Linna , Chen Beibei , Hu Bin
Published: December 2019

A spiral stir bar was proposed by using stainless steel spring as the extraction phase carrier to avoid the extraction phase friction and increase the amount of extraction phase for improving extraction efficiency. The extraction phase is filled in the cavity of the spring, resulting in a larger amount of the extraction phase than that conventionally coated on glass stir bar or stainless steel wire. Polyaniline‐polydimethylsiloxane sol‐gel packed spiral stir bar was prepared and evaluated for the extraction of five estrogens. The prepared spiral stir bar presented good extraction efficiency/preparation reproducibility and long lifetime (more than 150 reused times) for target estrogens. Based on it, a method of spiral stir bar sorptive extraction combined with high performance liquid chromatography coupled with ultra‐violet detection was developed for the analysis of trace estrogens in environmental and food samples. The detection limit for five estrogens was 0.11–.31 µg/L, with the enrichment factors of 83.0–118‐fold (maximal enrichment factor: 200‐fold). The reproducibility evaluated with each estrogen of 5 µg/L (n = 5) was 5.8–8.9%. The method was successfully applied for the determination of estrogens in environmental water and animal‐derived food samples.
Pseudotargeted screening and determination of constituents in Qishen granule based on compound biosynthetic correlation using UHPLC coupled with high‐resolution MS
Authors: Li Yueting , Liu Jie , Su Rubin , Li Qian , Chen Yijun , Yang Jiao , Zhao Shujun , Jia Zhixin , Xiao Hongbin
Published: December 2019

Detection and determination of many known/unknown compounds in traditional Chinese medicines have always been challenging. To comprehensively identify compounds in Qishen granule, which is a widely prescribed herbal formula for treating chronic heart failure, a pseudotargeted screening method was proposed based on compound biosynthetic correlation using ultra high‐performance liquid chromatography coupled with high‐resolution mass spectrometry. Firstly, all possible compounds of Qishen granule were classified into nine types according to their core skeletons, and potential analogue molecular formulas were predicted according to core compound‐related biosynthetic correlations, such as methylation, hydroxylation, and glucosidation. Secondly, nine pseudocompound databases consisting of core compounds, deduced biosynthetic correlations, and predicted analogue molecular formulas were established. Then, compounds of interest were directly located by pseudotargeted screening of high resolution mass spectrometry data and further verified by target tandem mass spectrometry. As a result, 213 constituents were identified and 21 of them were determined as potential new compounds. This demonstrated that pseudotargeted screening based on compound biosynthetic correlations significantly facilitated the processing of extremely large information data and improved the efficiency of compound identification. This research provided essential data for exploration of effective substances in Qishen granule and enriched the methodology for comprehensive characterization of constituents in complex traditional Chinese medicines.
Relationship between macropores and soil organic carbon fractions under long‐term organic manure application
Authors: Xu Lingying , Wang Meiyan , Tian Yutian , Shi Xuezheng , Shi Yijie , Yu Quanbo , Xu Shengxiang , Pan Jinhua , Li Xiangwei , Xie Xinqiao
Published: December 2019

Greenhouse vegetable production systems converted from cereal fields often experience a decrease in soil aeration due to intensive land use. Organic fertilization is a method commonly used to solve this problem. Although previous studies have considered soil organic carbon (SOC) or soil pores under organic cultivation, the relationship between SOC fractions and soil macropores is unknown. This study analysed the long‐term progressive variations in soil macropore (>50 μm) and SOC fraction characteristics in organic greenhouse vegetable plantations (1‐year‐old, 9‐year‐old, and 14‐year‐old fields) converted from rice–wheat rotation fields and established the relationship with X‐ray computed tomography scanning and 13C solid‐state nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. The results suggested that the total macroporosity increased from 7.95% to 16.36% throughout the whole organic plantation, and a similar trend occurred in small (50–500 μm) and medium (500–1,000 μm) macroporosity. Besides, the total SOC content and the contents of its fractions increased with organic planting time. With the total macroporosity exhibiting significant associations with SOC (r = .81**), the relative proportion of O–alkyl C (r = −.94**), and the relative proportion of aromatic C (r = .89**), a lower O–alkyl C proportion of SOC might help to increase macroporosity. A similar relationship was found between the relative proportion of SOC fractions and the macroporosity. The O–alkyl C proportion had significantly negative relations with aromatic C (r = −.94**) and SOC (r = .84**). Overall, both SOC and its fractions can help to improve soil macroporosity, but the effects of different fractions on these pores vary.
Landscape‐scale spatial modelling of deforestation, land degradation, and regeneration using machine learning tools
Authors: Grinand Clovis , Vieilledent Ghislain , Razafimbelo Tantely , Rakotoarijaona Jean‐Roger , Nourtier Marie , Bernoux Martial
Published: December 2019

Land degradation and regeneration are complex processes that greatly impact climate regulation, ecosystem service provision, and population well‐being and require an urgent and appropriate response through land use planning and interventions. Spatially explicit land change models can greatly help decision makers, but traditional regression approaches fail to capture the nonlinearity and complex interactions of the underlying drivers. Our objective was to use a machine learning algorithm combined with high‐resolution data sets to provide simultaneous and spatial forecasts of deforestation, land degradation, and regeneration for the next two decades. A 17,000‐km2 region in the south of Madagascar was taken as the study area. First, an empirical analysis of drivers of change was conducted, and then, an ensemble model was calibrated to predict and map potential changes based on 12 potential explanatory variables. These potential change maps were used to draw three scenarios of land change while considering past trends in intensity of change and expert knowledge. Historical observations displayed clear patterns of land degradation and relatively low regeneration. Amongst the 12 potential explanatory variables, distance to forest edge and elevation were the most important for the three land transitions studied. Random forest showed slightly better prediction ability compared with maximum entropy and generalized linear model. Business‐as‐usual scenarios highlighted the large areas under deforestation and degradation threat, and an alternative scenario enabled the location of suitable areas for regeneration. The approach developed herein and the spatial outputs provided can help stakeholders target their interventions or develop large‐scale sustainable land management strategies.
Structural and Optical Properties of Triclinic CuWO4 Prepared by Solid‐State Reaction Technique
Authors: Yadav Pritam , Sinha Ela
Published: December 2019

Copper tungstate CuWO4 ceramic is prepared by solid‐state reaction route at 850 °C for 3 h. The X‐ray diffraction (XRD) study proves that the synthesized composition possesses a monophasic triclinic structure with space group . The structural analysis (crystal symmetry and unit cell parameters) is investigated systematically using Rietveld refinement of the XRD patterns. Scanning electron microscope analysis of the sintered ceramics reveals the formation of dense microstructure with non‐uniform grains. The 16 active vibrational modes are observed in Raman spectra from 100 to 1000 cm−1. UV–vis absorption spectra revealed a direct allowed transition with band gap Eg = 2.23 eV. The photoluminescence (PL) emission spectra show intense yellow emission at room temperature. These results suggest the applications of CuWO4 as photocatalysts, photoanodes, and phosphors.
Photometric Study of the Interaction of Zinc (II) Complexes of Schiff Bases with Cetyltrimethyl Ammonium Bromide
Authors: Rai Sristi Raj , Sarkar Anwita , Pandey Akshaya , Dasgupta Sanchari , Majumder Ishani , Das Debasis , Bose Debosreeta , Mukhopadhyay Madhumita
Published: December 2019

A detailed photophysical behavioral study of zinc (II) complexes of Schiff bases 2,6‐bis((E)‐((2‐(dimethylamino) ethyl)imino)methyl)‐4‐R‐phenol, where R = methyl (1)/isopropyl (2)/tertiary butyl (3)/chloro (4) for ligands 1 to 4 (HL1 to HL4) have been done by utilising the surfactant cetyltrimethyl ammonium bromide as the biomimicking environment. Steady state absorption and emission studies have been studied to investigate the course of deciphering of the photophysical behavior of the complexes. The study reveals modification of the photophysical properties of the complexes based on the effect of polarity of the micellar environment. The studies reported in the present investigation describe the initial reduction of fluorescent intensity of all the four complexes followed by an escalation in intensity. The binding constant values reveal that the Schiff bases bind to the micellar compartment. The course of binding is however found to be dependent on the functional group of the ligand which is studied and reported in the present context.
High Purity Graphene Oxide Using Electrochemical Synthesis and Its Application
Authors: Konwar Subhrajit , Dhapola Pawan S. , Gupta Meenal , Singh Ram Chandra , Singh Pramod K
Published: December 2019

In order to fabricate a highly efficient super capacitor, a noble material, graphene oxide (GO), is synthesized by simple electrochemical synthesis method. The chosen source material is an ordinary graphite rod extracted from Nippo battery. Raman spectroscopy as well as Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy affirms the formation of highly pure GO. The super capacitor is fabricated with prepared graphene oxide based electrodes and ionic liquid as electrolyte and tissue paper as separator. The prepared cell shows promising results, a high capacitance value of 78.82 F g−1 at 20 mV s−1 scan rate. The prepared cell is also tested after 30 days in order to determine its stability and performance.
Comparative Study on Electrical Behavior of Silicon/Fullerene/CuI Dispersed Composite Polymer Electrolytes
Authors: Saxena Amit , Bhattacharya Bhaskar
Published: December 2019

This paper presents the comparative study of electrical characterization for Si/C60/CuI dispersed composite polymer electrolyte thin films. Thin polymer films are prepared for different wt% of dispersoid with the host polymer electrolyte (PEO: NaI) matrix. Si and CuI are used as procured and C60 is prepared in the laboratory and the same has been verified with NMR data sheet. Furthermore, the prepared films are subjected to structural and electrical characterization. The composite nature of the films is verified with the X‐ray diffraction and Fourier Transform Infrared. The complex impedance spectroscopy is used to analyze the electrical conductivity of the samples. The polarization technique is performed to calculate the transference of ion (T¬ion). The concentration and mobility of charge carries are calculated to explain and to support the change in conductivity.
A coordination mechanism through value‐added profit distribution in a supply chain considering corporate social responsibility
Authors: Liu Yong , Xu Qian , Liu Zhi‐yang
Published: December 2019

The consumers pay more and more attention to corporate social responsibility (CSR), which has been a new competitiveness for the enterprises. This paper constructs a supply chain consisting of a dominated retailer, a socially responsible supplier and a non‐socially responsible supplier (compared with the socially responsible supplier), consider the consumer preference and exploit the game analysis technique to analyze the optimal decisions under the decentralized and concentrated decision, and then design a coordination mechanism based on value‐added profit distribution. The results show that compared with the decentralized decision, the retail price and order quantity of two products are lower, the CSR effort degree of socially responsible supplier is higher, and the performance of the whole supply chain is better under the concentrated decision. In addition, the mechanism designed can induce the socially responsible supplier to undertake CSR without damaging its profit, prompt the supply chain members to make the concentrated decisions, and promote the competitiveness of the retailer‐dominated supply chain.
Medium‐range global ensemble prediction system at 12 km horizontal resolution and its preliminary validation
Authors: Mamgain Ashu , Sarkar Abhijit , Rajagopal E. N.
Published: December 2019

Forecasts of high‐impact weather systems require sufficiently high resolution of state‐of‐the‐art numerical models in order to resolve the small‐scale features. At the National Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasting (NCMRWF) in India, a global ensemble prediction system (EPS—called the NEPS) has been implemented operationally at 12 km horizontal grid size. The NEPS configuration is based on the UK Met Office Global and Regional Ensemble Prediction System (MOGREPS). Initial condition perturbations are generated by the ensemble transform Kalman filter (ETKF) method. Model uncertainties are taken care of by stochastic kinetic energy backscatter (SKEB) and random parameters (RP) schemes. Forecast perturbations obtained from 6 hr short forecasts of 22 ensemble members are updated by the ETKF four times a day (0000, 0600, 1200 and 1800 UTC). Perturbations of surface parameters such as sea‐surface temperature, soil moisture content and soil temperature are also included in the new NEPS. The NEPS aims to provide 10 day probabilistic long forecasts using 23 ensemble members (22 perturbed plus one control). The long forecast provided at 0000 UTC is the combination of 11 members from the 0000 UTC cycle and lagged 11 members from the 1200 UTC cycle. The new NEPS shows improvements in terms of forecast agreement among the members in comparison with the previously operational NEPS that was running at 33 km horizontal grid size with 44 perturbed members. The ratio between the root mean square error of the ensemble mean and ensemble spread as a function of lead time has improved in both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres in the new NEPS.
Real‐time tomographic reconstructor based on convolutional neural networks for solar observation
Authors: Sanchez Lasheras Fernando , Ordóñez Celestino , Roca‐Pardiñas Javier , de Cos Juez Francisco Javier
Published: December 2019

Solar observation is the branch of astronomy devoted to the study of the Sun. When the light wavefront that comes from the Sun penetrates the atmosphere, it suffers some distortions caused by optically turbulent layers that change the wavefront's shape and morphology. Therefore, in order to obtain a good‐quality image, it is necessary to correct the induced error. This is done by applying adaptive optics (AO) techniques. In the case of the present research, it is performed with the help of a Single Conjugate Adaptive Optics System (SCAO). The reconstruction technique proposed in this research is a SCAO based on convolutional neural networks (CNNs). This research develops and assesses a real‐time tomographic reconstructor based on CNN, able to correct the error introduced by the atmosphere in the light wavefront received from the Sun. The CNN was trained and validated using data from the Durham AO Simulation Platform as input information. This platform incorporates certain solar functionalities that have been employed in the present research, allowing us to simulate a solar telescope. The normalized errors obtained for both ReLu and Leaky ReLu kernels were promising, without showing statistically significant differences among kernels in the value of RMSE volts of the deformable mirror commands. When different kernel dimensions are compared, statistically significant differences are found, showing that RMSE volts of the deformable mirror commands are lower for 3 × 3 kernels when compared with those of dimensions 5 × 5 and 7 × 7. As far as the authors know, this is the first time that an AO system based on CNN has been developed for solar telescopes.
Imprecise parameters for near‐optimal control of stochastic SIV epidemic model
Authors: Wang Zong , Zhang Qimin , Meyer‐Baese Anke
Published: December 2019

The change of parameters may influence the dynamic behaviors of epidemic diseases. Biological system parameters can also be changed due to diverse uncertainties such as lack of data and errors in the statistical approach. The problem of how to define and decide the optimal‐control strategies of epidemic diseases with imprecise parameters deserves further researches. The paper presents a stochastic susceptible, infected, and vaccinated (SIV) system that includes imprecise parameters. Firstly, we give the method of parameter estimates of the SIV model. Then, by using Ekeland's principle and Hamiltonian function, we obtain the sufficient conditions and necessary conditions of near‐optimal control of the SIV epidemic model with imprecise parameters. At last, numerical examples prove our theoretical results.
The asymptotic limits of Riemann solutions for the isentropic drift‐flux model of compressible two‐phase flows
Authors: Shen Chun
Published: December 2019

The formation of vacuum state and delta shock wave are observed and studied in the limits of Riemann solutions for the one‐dimensional isentropic drift‐flux model of compressible two‐phase flows by letting the pressure in the mixture momentum equation tend to zero. It is shown that the Riemann solution containing two rarefaction waves and one contact discontinuity turns out to be the solution containing two contact discontinuities with the vacuum state between them in the limiting situation. By comparison, it is also proved rigorously in the sense of distributions that the Riemann solution containing two shock waves and one contact discontinuity converges to a delta shock wave solution under this vanishing pressure limit.
The effectiveness of hydrodistension and physiotherapy following previously failed conservative management of frozen shoulder in a UK primary care centre
Authors: Rae Glen C. , Clark Jill , Wright Matthew , Chesterton Paul
Published: December 2019

Background

There is a lack of evidence on the clinical effectiveness of hydrodistension for frozen shoulder following failed conservative management.

Methods

A total of 90 patients opted for hydrodistension following failed initial treatment which included physiotherapy and at least one corticosteroid injection. Shoulder pain and function were assessed at baseline, and 6, 12 and 24 weeks using the Shoulder Pain Disability Index (SPADI), The Upper Extremity Functional Index (UEFI) and a visual analogue scale (VAS) for pain. Active ranges of motion were assessed at baseline, post‐24 hr and discharge.

Results

We observed clinically important improvements in pain (VAS −5.5; 90% confidence interval [CI] −6.0 to −5.0; SPADI pain, −20; 90% CI−23 to −17) and function (UEFI 23; 90% CI 19 to 26; SPADI disability, −32; 90% CI −36 to −28) at 6 weeks. These improvements remained clearly substantial at 24 weeks. Active range of motion improved substantially post‐24 hr (flexion 20, 90% CI 18 to 23; lateral rotation 14, 90% CI 12 to 16; abduction 22, 90% CI 19 to 25) and at discharge (flexion 37, 90% CI 33 to 41; lateral rotation 24, 90% CI 21 to 27; abduction 44, 90% CI 38 to 50).

Discussion

This single‐arm observational study suggests that hydrodistension is an effective treatment of frozen shoulder within a UK primary care setting when standard treatment has failed.
Using Radiotelemetry to Evaluate Poststocking Survival and Behavior of Large Fingerling Walleye in Three Iowa, USA, Lakes
Authors: Weber Michael J. , Weber Robert E. , Ball Emily E. , Meerbeek Jonathan R.
Published: December 2019

Stocking Walleye Sander vitreus is a common management tool to augment populations where natural reproduction is limited. Some hatcheries have progressively raised larger fingerling Walleye to improve poststocking survival; however, little is known about the poststocking survival and behavior of large fingerling Walleye. We sought to evaluate the poststocking daily apparent survival, depth use, dispersal, and home range size of large fingerling Walleye (>200 mm TL) in three Iowa, USA, lakes. Walleye (209–265 mm; n = 15 per lake [45 fish total]) were implanted with radio tags, stocked on October 26–30, 2017, and tracked until May 30, 2018. Cormack–Jolly–Seber recapture models estimated that Walleye apparent survival increased with days poststocking and fish length, resulting in 76% (95% CI = 44–89%) cumulative survival by May. Walleye in Brushy Creek Lake were located in deeper water (mean ± SE = 5.1 ± 0.2 m) than those in Big Creek Lake (3.3 ± 0.2 m) or East Okoboji Lake (1.7 ± 0.1 m), but depth use did not vary with days poststocking. Walleye dispersed an average of 1,355 ± 234 m within 13 d across all lakes, with home range size being larger in Big Creek Lake (mean ± SE = 67.9 ± 21.7 ha) than in Brushy Creek Lake (15.5 ± 15.7 ha) or East Okoboji Lake (31.0 ± 14.0 ha). Our results indicate that Walleye poststocking survival is high overall, with most mortality occurring within 20 d as Walleye are dispersing, suggesting that managers should focus on improving survival during this critical period to improve stocking success.
Using Common Age Units to Communicate the Relative Catch of Red Snapper in Recreational, Commercial, and Shrimp Fisheries in the Gulf of Mexico
Authors: Putman Nathan F. , Gallaway Benny J.
Published: December 2019

The natural mortality rates and fecundity of Red Snapper Lutjanus campechanus vary substantially by age, so the age composition of catch is an important consideration when quantifying the relative effects of catch on the Red Snapper population across different fisheries. For example, the shrimp fishery catches many (but younger) Red Snapper, whereas directed commercial and recreational fisheries catch fewer (but older) individuals. We propose a simple approach for comparing catch across sectors. Fish that are caught can be scaled to a common age by multiplying or dividing by natural mortality rates so that the catch data can then be reported in “common age units.” Applying this approach to the catch data from the 2018 Red Snapper stock assessment, we showed that the shrimp-trawl bycatch typically accounts for <10% of the relative catch, the commercial sectors account for ~32%, and the recreational sectors are responsible for ~59%. We believe that the effective management of Red Snapper requires regulation and oversight of each fishery that is proportional to its effect on the population. Given the apparently large influence of recreational fisheries on Red Snapper populations, recent management changes that delegate state-by-state control over important aspects of the recreational fishery (Amendment 50) should be accompanied by efforts to improve the understanding of this sector's interactions with Red Snapper.
Interactions between Marine Growth and Life History Diversity of Steelhead from the Situk River, Alaska
Authors: Catterson Matthew R. , Love David C. , Sutton Trent M. , McPhee Megan V.
Published: December 2019

Steelhead (the anadromous form of Rainbow Trout Oncorhynchus mykiss) exhibit a complex life history that is described by variable freshwater and ocean residency and maturation schedules. This diversity confers resilience but complicates their monitoring and management. The Situk River in Southeast Alaska has the longest running set of biological data and scale samples for steelhead in the state, and it is of particular interest because it supports the largest known population of steelhead in Alaska and is free of hatchery influence. We used a retrospective analysis of scales that were collected from 525 individuals over 11 years (1999–2012) to examine the relationships among freshwater growth, early ocean growth, and life history in a mixed-effects modeling framework. Specifically, we examined the relationships among annual growth stanzas and adult length and we determined how age at maturity varied by sex and growth history while allowing these relationships to vary randomly among calendar years of growth. Within individuals, freshwater and first ocean-year growth were positively correlated, while second ocean-year growth was negatively correlated with earlier growth stanzas. Early-maturing steelhead (returning after two ocean years) grew more quickly during their first ocean year, and they then grew more slowly during their second ocean year and attained smaller adult length than did later-maturing steelhead (those that returned after three ocean years). Second ocean-year growth was more variable than first ocean-year growth and adult length were. Males tended to mature earlier than females did, and later-maturing males attained larger freshwater growth than their earlier-maturing male counterparts did and grew larger in overall length than did females. Our analyses identified divergent growth trajectories that were associated with age at maturity that began in freshwater periods but were most pronounced during early ocean residency. We found retrospective scale-growth analysis to be a useful tool for better understanding the connections between ocean growth and demography in this important sport fish.
Short-Term Distribution Patterns of Young-of-the-Year Fish Assemblages between the Main Stem and Affiliated Lakes in the Middle Reaches of the Yangtze River, China
Authors: Cheng Fei , Schmidt Bjorn , Qin Jiao , Xie Songuang , Li Wei
Published: December 2019

Survival of fish in the first year is critical in determining the year-class strength of fish populations. In river–floodplain ecosystems, affiliated lakes (i.e., floodplain lakes that are hydrologically connected to the river) play a crucial role as nursery habitats for young-of-the-year (age-0) fish. However, most lakes in the river–floodplain ecosystem of the Yangtze River, China, have been disconnected. Data on age-0 fish distribution are important for developing appropriate strategies for management and conservation of fish populations in the river. We investigated the distribution patterns of age-0 fish in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River. Overall, 33 species were collected from four main-stem reaches (29 species) and two lakes (32 species) connected with the main stem from July to September in 2010 and 2011. The CPUE and species richness of age-0 fish were higher in the lakes; age-0 species richness showed an increasing trend in a downstream direction along the main stem. Analysis of similarities revealed that significant differences in assemblage structure of age-0 fish occurred mainly among sampling sites. The higher CPUE and species richness of age-0 fish in the lakes indicate the importance of connected lakes as age-0 fish nursery habitats. We also found abundant age-0 fish in the main stem and a relationship between spatial patterns of age-0 fish with site proximity to the Three Gorges Dam, similar to previously observed spatial patterns in larval fishes. These results indicate the importance of the main stem as age-0 fish nursery habitat and the effects of the dam on age-0 fish distribution. This study presents the first data on age-0 fish in the Yangtze River, thus providing a baseline for future age-0 fish research. It also provides essential information for management and conservation measures, such as restoring the lateral connectivity between the main stem and disconnected lakes and guidelines for ecological operation of the dam.
An atmospheric pressure non‐self‐sustained glow discharge in between metal/metal and metal/liquid electrodes
Authors: Sremački Ivana , Gromov Mikhail , Leys Christophe , Morent Rino , Snyders Rony , Nikiforov Anton
Published: December 2019

Non‐thermal plasmas operating at high pressure attract increasing attention for a variety of applications as an alternative to conventional chemical processes. In this study, an atmospheric pressure direct current non‐self‐sustained discharge in nitrogen is investigated as a source of non‐thermal plasma capable of operating in a glow regime. The discharge is sustained between an internal source of ionization and a metal or liquid electrode and studied by electrical diagnostics as well as by spectroscopy methods. The work is focused on the determination of the discharge properties including vibrational and gas temperature. The effect of the liquid electrode on the discharge properties is studied and analyzed. The mechanisms of the discharge sustaining and pathways of nitrogen state excitation are discussed.
Isothiocyanate groups of 4,4′‐diisothiocyanatostilbene‐2,2′‐disulfonate (DIDS) inhibit cell penetration of octa‐arginine (R8)–fused peptides
Authors: Park Junghee , Han Ji‐Hye , Myung Seung‐Hyun , Kim Tae‐Hyoung
Published: December 2019

Delivering biomolecules, such as antibodies, proteins, and peptides, to the cytosol is an important and challenging aspect of drug development and chemical biology. Polyarginine—a well‐known cell‐penetrating peptide (CPP)—is capable of exploiting its positive charge and guanidium groups to carry a fused cargo into the cytosol. However, the precise mechanism by which this occurs remains ambiguous. In the present study, we established a new method of quantitatively assessing cell penetration. The method involves inducing cell death by using a polyarginine (R8) to deliver a peptide—ie, mitochondrial targeting domain (MTD)—to the cytosol. We found that 4,4′‐diisothiocyanatostilbene‐2,2′‐di‐sulfonate (DIDS)—an anion channel blocker—inhibited the ability of octa‐arginine (R8)–fused MTD to penetrate cells. Other anion channel blockers did not inhibit the penetration of peptides fused with R8. Comparison of DIDS with other structurally similar chemicals revealed that the isothiocyanate group of DIDS may be primarily responsible for the inhibitory effect than its stilbene di‐sulfonate backbone. These results imply that the inhibitory effect of DIDS may not be derived from the interaction between stilbene di‐sulfonate and the anion channels, but from the interaction between the isothiocyanate groups and the cell membrane. Our new MTD method enables the quantitative assessment of cell penetration. Moreover, further studies on the inhibition of CPPs by DIDS may help clarify the mechanism by which penetration occurs and facilitate the design of new penetrative biomolecules.
Effects of Mid‐Infrared Graphene Plasmons on Photothermal Heating
Authors: Phan Anh D. , Nga Do T. , Nghia Do Chi , Lam Vu Dinh , Wakabayashi Katsunori
Published: December 2019

Herein, the plasmonic heating of graphene‐based systems under the mid‐infrared laser irradiation is theoretically investigated, where periodic arrays of graphene plasmonic resonators are placed on dielectric thin films. Optical resonances are sensitive to structural parameters and the number of graphene layers. Under mid‐infrared laser irradiation, the steady‐state temperature gradients are calculated. It is found that graphene plasmons significantly enhance the confinement of electromagnetic fields in the system and lead to a large temperature increase compared with the case without graphene. The correlations between temperature change and the optical power, laser spot, and thermal conductivity of dielectric layer in these systems are discussed. The numerical results are in accordance with experiments.
Optimization of condition‐based maintenance considering partial opportunities
Authors: Truong‐Ba Huy , Borghesani Pietro , Cholette Michael E. , Ma Lin
Published: December 2019

Recent studies have demonstrated the economic benefit of exploiting partial opportunities for maintenance, which arise from the reduction of costs of doing partial maintenance utilizing the opportunity given. A typical example is an externally induced production stop with a duration that may not be sufficient to a complete maintenance activity. This paper combines partial opportunities and condition‐based maintenance (CBM) strategies and proposes an innovative maintenance optimization method considering time‐varying economic conditions. This scenario naturally fits a broad range of assets with a finite design life (including long‐life machinery and infrastructure), operating under variable economic conditions and usage‐intensities. The maintenance optimization problem is formulated in this study as a finite‐horizon Markov decision process, where the randomly occurring opportunities are accounted for by augmenting the time‐varying, decision‐dependent transition probabilities. A dynamic programming approach is subsequently used to obtain the optimal CBM policy, consisting of time‐varying thresholds on equipment condition and the cost of conducting maintenance during the arrived opportunity. A case study of such a maintenance policy for an induced draft fan of a sugar production system located in Queensland, Australia, is undertaken to evaluate the benefits of the proposed methodology against more traditional approaches that neglect opportunities or consider only replete opportunity durations.
Spatially restricted Double Z‐Simplified Box Orbital basis sets: Optimization and comparison with some standard basis sets
Authors: García Victor , Sánchez‐Márquez Jesús , Torres Estefanía , Zorrilla David , Fernández Manuel
Published: December 2019

As part of previous studies, we introduced a new type of basis function named Simplified Box Orbitals (SBOs) that belong to a class of spatially restricted functions which allow the zero differential overlap (ZDO) approximation to be applied with complete accuracy. The original SBOs and their Gaussian expansions SBO‐3G form a minimal basis set, which was compared to the standard Slater‐type orbital basis set (STO‐3G). In the present paper, we have developed the SBO basis functions at double‐zeta (DZ) level, and we have assessed the option of expanding the SBO‐DZ as a combination of Gaussian functions. Finally, we have determined the quality of the new basis set by comparing the molecular properties calculated with SBO‐nG with those achieved with some standard basis sets.
Asynchronous fault detection observer design for discrete‐time piecewise linear systems
Authors: Wang Xiao‐Lei , Yang Guang‐Hong
Published: December 2019

This paper studies the problem of asynchronous fault detection (FD) observer design for piecewise linear systems. Considering that the states of the FD observer and the system may stay at different regions of the state space, asynchronous FD observers are designed at different instants to cope with the challenges incurred by exogenous disturbances and fault signals. By employing new piecewise Lyapunov functions that depend on the different regions where the states are located, it is proved that the proposed asynchronous FD observers ensure the stability andH∞performance of the error systems. Three examples are given to show that the new design scheme provides better FD results than the existing design methods.
An observer‐based output feedback robust MPC approach for constrained LPV systems with bounded disturbance and noise
Authors: Ping Xubin , Yang Sen , Wang Peng , Li Zhiwu
Published: December 2019

The present paper addresses an observer‐based output feedback robust model predictive control for the linear parameter varying system with bounded disturbance and noise subject to input and state constraints. The main contribution is that the on‐line convex optimization problem not only simultaneously optimizes the observer and controller gains to stabilize the augmented closed‐loop system but also incorporates the refreshment of bounds of the estimation error set. The optimization problem steers the nominal augmented closed‐loop system to converge to the origin, and the real augmented closed‐loop system bounded within robust positive invariant set converges to a neighborhood of the origin such that recursive feasibility of the optimization and robust stability of the controlled system are ensured. Two numerical examples are given to illustrate the effectiveness of the method.
Ethylene Oligomerization Study Bearing Nickel (II) and Cobalt (II) Complexes with N, O‐Donor Schiff Bases as Ligands
Authors: Liu Jinyi , Wang Jun , Chen Liduo , Zhang Na , Lan Tianyu , Wang Libo
Published: December 2019

A series of novel nickel 1–4 {[Ni(L1)] (1); [Ni(L2)Cl2] (2); [Ni(L3)Cl2] (3); [Ni(L4)Cl2] (4)} and cobalt complexes 5–8 {[Co(L1)] (5); [Co(L2)Cl2] (6); [Co(L3)Cl2] (7); [Co(L4)Cl2] (8)}bearing N, O‐donor Schiff bases as ligands L1‐L4 (L1= (E)‐2‐(((2‐phenoxyethyl)imino)methyl)‐phenol; L2= (E)‐5‐methoxy‐2‐(((2‐phenoxyethyl)imino)methyl)phenol; L3= (E)‐2‐(((2‐(2‐methox yphenoxy)ethyl)imino)methyl)phenol; L4= (E)‐5‐methoxy‐2‐(((2‐(2‐methoxyphenoxy)ethyl)imino) methyl)phenol) were synthesized from the complex reaction between salicylaldehyde and phenoxye‐thylamine analogues and characterized by UV‐Vis, IR, 1H NMR, ESI‐MS and elemental analysis. All the nickel complexes (1‐4) and cobalt complexes (5‐8) as catalyst precursors were evaluated in detail with methylaluminoxane (MAO) as an activator in the ethylene oligomerization. At the same time, the effects of reaction parameters, catalyst structures and solvent on ethylene oligomerization were investigated too. As a result, complexes 5–8 showed a better catalytic activity (2.05‐3.38×105 g/(mol(Co)•h) and a higher selectivity of 34.44% toward the valuable C8 compound using toluene as the solvent than complexes 1–4.
High‐Efficiency Photocatalysis of Self‐Hydroxylated TiO2 Nanocrystals for Water Splitting
Authors: Yu Siqi , Fan Chenyao , Han Bing , Qian Guodong , Wang Zhiyu
Published: December 2019

Herein, a facile and controllable strategy to synthesize self‐hydroxylated TiO2 nanocrystals with promoted photocatalytic activity in hydrogen evolution is demonstrated. Various colors (yellow, light yellow, blueish gray and gray) in appearance are induced by controlling the molar ratio of titanium source to oxidant during the hydrothermal treatment. Compared with commercial P25 TiO2 nanoparticles, the as‐obtained self‐hydroxylated TiO2 nanocrystals exhibit better photocatalytic performance in H2 evolution. Specifically, the maximum hydrogen evolution rate under solar light illumination (10.0 mmol/h/g) is 4.6 times superior to that of P25. The characterization results confirm the presence of abundant hydroxyls resulting from the hydrothermal treatment, which decreases the recombination rate of carriers and the energy barrier of hydrogen formation while facilitates light absorption for promoting photocatalytic performance.
Hollow TiN Nanospheres as Advanced Host Materials for High Performance Lithium‐Sulfur Batteries
Authors: Luo Jie , Zheng Jianming , Dang Bo
Published: December 2019

To improve the electrochemical performance of lithium‐sulfur batteries, the issues of poor electronic conductivity and shuttle effect of soluble polysulfide must be solved. In this work, hollow mesoporous TiN nanospheres are developed and designed as host materials for the lithium‐sulfur batteries. The as‐prepared TiN/S composites show initial high specific capacity of 1316 mAh g−1 at the current density of 0.1 C. Furthermore, the TiN/S composites deliver superior cycle stability and excellent rate capability. The superior electrochemical performance could be ascribed to the following advantages: (a) The presence of TiN could enhance the electronic conductivity; (b) The mesoporous structure is beneficial for inhibiting the shuttle effect of soluble polysulfide.