bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Clinical recommendations in pulmonology. The role of functional diagnostics methods in their implementation
Authors: Struchkov P. V.
Published: November 2019

The article presents excerpts related to the use of functional diagnostic methods from clinical recommendations for the treatment of bronchial asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, sarcoidosis, and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, which have been approved by the Russian Respiratory Society and the Russian Ministry of Health today.
Place of nitrates in modern therapy of coronary heart disease
Authors: Pinchuk T. V. , Orlova N. V.
Published: November 2019

The article provides information on various groups of nitropreparations, their pathogenetic effects, the possibility of their application in various clinical situations. The problems arising from the appointment of nitrates and their solutions are considered. The role of nitro drugs in the treatment of angina pectoris is highlighted. Advantages of modern forms of drugs, including Effox® long, are given. The results of clinical studies of the drug.
Comorbid patient with acute respiratory viral infections. Features of therapy and prevention
Authors: Orlova N. V. , Kaminer D. D.
Published: November 2019

The article presents the definition of comorbid pathology, discusses issues of prevalence, features of management, assessment of the forecast. The characteristic of complications of acute respiratory viral infections, risk groups of complications, the effect of comorbidity on the course of acute respiratory viral infections, the risk of complications and death, signs of disease progression are given, indications for hospitalization are defined. The treatment of ARVI, etiotropic therapy, interferons, interferon inducers are considered. The methods of prevention of influenza and other acute respiratory viral infections are presented: specific and nonspecific prevention.
Institutions, climate change, and the foundations of long-term policymaking
Authors: Finnegan Jared J.
Published: November 2019

Many policy problems require taking costly action today for future benefits. Do institutions structure the ability of governments to address long-term challenges? Examining the case of climate change, this paper argues yes. It focuses on the way that two institutions – electoral rules and interest group intermediation – drive variation in climate policies across the high-income democracies by structuring the political conditions needed for them to occur. Proportional electoral rules increase electoral safety, allowing politicians to impose short-term costs on constituents. Institutionalized relationships between industry and the state enable governments to compensate losers, defusing organized opposition to policy change. Moreover, their joint presence generates powerful institutional complementarities that push countries onto distinct varieties of decarbonization. Tests using new data on shadow carbon prices provide empirical support for the arguments.
Changing prices in a changing climate: Electoral competitiveness and fossil fuel taxation
Authors: Finnegan Jared J.
Published: November 2019

For over forty years, economists have advocated carbon taxes as the most efficient policy for addressing climate change. However, not all governments have increased the price of fossil fuels. When do politicians decide to increase consumer prices? This paper highlights the role of electoral competitiveness. I argue that carbon tax increases are most likely when competitiveness is low and politicians are insulated from voter punishment. Moreover, this effect depends on the personal costs of tax increases to voters. I test this explanation using an original dataset of gasoline taxes and new data on electoral competitiveness across high-income democracies between 1978 and 2013, as well as a case study of eco-tax reform in Germany. This analysis points to a crucial mechanism that plausibly accounts for the differential ability of governments to tackle a wider range of long-term policy challenges.
Vocational students’ identity formation in relation to vocations in the Swedish industrial sector
Authors: Ferm Lisa , Persson Thunqvist Daniel , Svensson Louise , Gustavsson Maria
Published: November 2019

This article investigates vocational identity formation among students studying vocational education programmes that focus on vocations within Sweden’s industrial sector. The empirical material is based on twenty-eight qualitative interviews with students enrolled on industrial programmes at four upper secondary schools. Taking a situated learning perspective as our starting point, the study reveals how the students’ vocational identity formation can be understood by examining their learning trajectories, which are shaped by their social backgrounds, their perceptions of workplace-based learning and industrial vocations, and their thoughts about their vocational futures. The findings demonstrate that students’ vocational identity formation is not a single linear process. On the contrary, three learning trajectories emerged which correspond to three different student groups. The students oriented towards commitment intended to work in industrial vocations, while the students oriented towards flexibility were open to the possibility of careers outside the industrial sector, and the students oriented towards ambivalence had no obvious plans for their vocational futures. In conclusion, this article suggests that in order to better understand the formation of vocational identities, the notions of learning trajectory types and social categorisations need to be considered in greater depth and understood in relation to the upper secondary school environment.
Fortalecimiento del desarrollo turístico sostenible en los humedales de Ventanilla, departamento de Lima, Perú
Authors: Mondragón Mondragón Duber Ysai , Salvador Garcia Claribel Rosario
Published: November 2019

El estudio se realizó en el distrito de Ventanilla, con el objetivo de elaborar un plan de fortalecimiento del desarrollo sostenible en los humedales de Ventanilla, Lima, aportando al cuidado y preservación del área natural. La investigación es de enfoque mixto, sintagma holístico y de tipo proyectiva. Para hacer el diagnostico se aplicó encuestas tomando como muestra a 116 pobladores locales y 25 visitantes del recurso, también se entrevistó a 3 profesionales vinculados al turismo en la zona. Los resultados indicaron que en la localidad no existe responsabilidad ambiental, en cuanto al recurso las acciones que se están gestionando son insuficientes para el cuidado de toda el área natural y evitar la contaminación. Por ello los visitantes consideran que mediante el desarrollo de las practicas ecológicas como la observación de flora y fauna en los humedales sería una forma de concientizar a las personas. Por otra parte, el recurso carece de infraestructura turística adecuada para los recorridos, lo cual hace que el turista no reciba una grata visita. Finalmente, se planteó desarrollar un plan basado en las prácticas de ecoturismo, junto a talleres dirigidos a pobladores y visitantes para lograr un compromiso ambiental, realizar campañas de limpieza, elaborar un circuito en los humedales basado en la observación de la biodiversidad de los humedales para evitar daños a la naturaleza, acondicionar el lugar para una visita satisfactoria con señaléticas, barandas y senderos definidos, además incentivar a los comuneros a participar en actividades de artesanía.
Quality of Adherence to the ARRIVE Guidelines in the Material and Methods Section in Studies Where Swine Were Used as Surgical Biomodels: A Systematic Review (2013–2018)
Authors: Alemán-Laporte Jilma , Alvarado Gilbert , SA Garcia-Gomes Mariana , Fonseca Brasil Antiorio Ana Tada , Zúñiga-Montero Marco , Cabrera Mori Claudia Madalena
Published: November 2019

Over the last two decades, pigs have become animal biomodels widely used for the investigation and practice of surgical techniques because of their great physiological and anatomical similarities to humans. Even though many of these studies must be carried out later in humans, the description of basic information is limited, making exact repetitions of the reported experimental methods impossible. In this review, 108 studies from 2013 to 2018 were considered to determine the quality of adherence to the ARRIVE guidelines in the reports of the methodologies. The majority of the studies lacked the details recommended in the ARRIVE guidelines regarding data directly related to the welfare of animals undergoing surgery and those about anesthetic protocols and analgesics. Information related to sample size calculation and housing and husbandry conditions was also very limited. We believe that the ARRIVE guidelines are an excellent tool for good-quality reporting. We encourage scientists to consistently use them as a tool to improve the quality of their scientific reports and, consequently, ensure animal welfare.
Classification of Pigs with Tail Lesions from Different Farrowing and Rearing Systems during Rearing and Fattening Period
Authors: Gentz Maria , Lange Anita , Zeidler Sebastian , Traulsen Imke
Published: November 2019

The aim of the present study was to classify and characterise pigs with tail lesions using a combined parameter based on the frequency and duration of tail lesions and to find out whether biologically relevant groups could be separated by cluster analysis. Pigs (n = 677, 50% docked, 50% undocked) from three farrowing systems, as follows: (1) Conventional farrowing crate (FC), (2) free farrowing (FF), and (3) a group housing lactating sows (GH), were divided into two rearing systems as follows: (1) A conventional system (CONV) and (2) a wean-to-finish (W-F) system. Within 18 assessment weeks, starting after weaning, animal tail lesions were recorded individually. The animals were characterised into five lesion groups, as follows: (I) No lesions to (V) many long lasting lesions. The separability of the predefined lesion groups was checked by an animal individual lesion parameter. By using a k-means cluster analysis, it was shown that the docking status was the mainly affected parameter on the tail lesions. The separation of the groups only succeeded for the most distinct groups, I and V. The high impact of the docking status and the reduction of tail lesions by more space allowance was shown. More characterising information for the individual pigs would improve the separability of the lesion groups.
Nitrosative Stress in Retinal Pathologies: Review
Authors: Cantó Antolin , Olivar Teresa , Romero Francisco Javier , Miranda María
Published: November 2019

Nitric oxide (NO) is a gas molecule with diverse physiological and cellular functions. In the eye, NO is used to maintain normal visual function as it is involved in photoreceptor light transduction. In addition, NO acts as a rapid vascular endothelial relaxant, is involved in the control of retinal blood flow under basal conditions and mediates the vasodilator responses of different substances such as acetylcholine, bradykinin, histamine, substance P or insulin. However, the retina is rich in polyunsaturated lipid membranes and is sensitive to the action of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species. Products generated from NO (i.e., dinitrogen trioxide (N2O3) and peroxynitrite) have great oxidative damaging effects. Oxygen and nitrogen species can react with biomolecules (lipids, proteins and DNA), potentially leading to cell death, and this is particularly important in the retina. This review focuses on the role of NO in several ocular diseases, including diabetic retinopathy, retinitis pigmentosa, glaucoma or age-related macular degeneration (AMD).
Quantification of the PEGylated Gold Nanoparticles Protein Corona. Influence on Nanoparticle Size and Surface Chemistry
Authors: Nicoară Raul , Ilieș Maria , Uifălean Alina , Iuga Cristina Adela , Loghin Felicia
Published: November 2019

The interactions of nanoparticles with living organisms are driven by an interface called the protein corona. This interface is formed when nanoparticles are introduced in biological milieu and proteins are adsorbed at nanoparticles’ surfaces. Understanding the factors that are responsible for the formation and the composition of the protein corona could reveal mechanistic insights that are involved in the interaction of nanoparticles with biological structures. Multiple studies have qualitatively described the protein corona, but just a few have proposed quantification methods, especially for gold nanoparticles. Using bovine serum albumin conjugated with fluorescein-5-isothiocyanate as a model protein, we developed a fluorescent-based quantification method for gold nanoparticles’ protein coronas. The impact of nanoparticle size and surface chemistry was studied, and our research emphasizes that size and surface chemistry are determinant factors: Bigger nanoparticles and amino-modified surface chemistry are responsible for higher protein adsorption compared to smaller ones and carboxyl- or methoxy-modified surface chemistry. The proposed method can be used to complete the full picture of the interactions of nanoparticles with biological milieu and to describe the parameters which govern these interactions for the better development of nanomedicines.
An Approach Based on Knowledge-Defined Networking for Identifying Heavy-Hitter Flows in Data Center Networks
Authors: Duque-Torres Alejandra , Amezquita-Suárez Felipe , Caicedo Rendon Oscar , Ordóñez Armando , Campo Wilmar
Published: November 2019

Heavy-Hitters (HHs) are large-volume flows that consume considerably more network resources than other flows combined. In SDN-based DCNs (SDDCNs), HHs cause non-trivial delays for small-volume flows known as non-HHs that are delay-sensitive. Uncontrolled forwarding of HHs leads to network congestion and overall network performance degradation. A pivotal task for controlling HHs is their identification. The existing methods to identify HHs are threshold-based. However, such methods lack a smart system that efficiently identifies HH according to the network behaviour. In this paper, we introduce a novel approach to overcome this lack and investigate the feasibility of using Knowledge-Defined Networking (KDN) in HH identification. KDN by using Machine Learning (ML), allows integrating behavioural models to detect patterns, like HHs, in SDN traffic. Our KDN-based approach includes mainly three modules: HH Data Acquisition Module (HH-DAM), Data ANalyser Module (HH-DANM), and APplication Module (HH-APM). In HH-DAM, we present the flowRecorder tool for organizing packets into flows records. In HH-DANM, we perform a cluster-based analysis to determine an optimal threshold for separating HHs and non-HHs. Finally, in HH-APM, we propose the use of MiceDCER for routing non-HHs efficiently. The per-module evaluation results corroborate the usefulness and feasibility of our approach for identifying HHs.
A Decentralized, Flat-Structured Control System for Chiller Plants
Authors: He Dong , Xiong Qingyu , Zhang Xuyang , Dai Yunchuang , Jiang Ziyan
Published: November 2019

This paper presents a novel control system for chiller plants that is decentralized and flat-structured. Each device in chiller plant system is fitted with a smart node. It is a smart agent, which collects, handles and sends out information to its neighbours. All the smart nodes form a network that can realize self-organization and self-recognition. Different kinds of control strategies can be converted into series of decentralized computing processes carried on by the smart nodes. The principle and mechanism of this decentralized, flat-structured control system for chiller plants are described in detail. Then a case study is presented to show how to build the decentralized, flat-structured control system actually. The measured data shows that the decentralized control method is energy efficiency. Moreover, it is much more flexible and scalable compared with the traditional centralized control method.
CISPNet: Automatic Detection of Remote Sensing Images from Google Earth in Complex Scenes Based on Context Information Scene Perception
Authors: Shi Wenxu , Jiang Jinhong , Bao Shengli , Tan Dailun
Published: November 2019

The ability to detect small targets and the speed of the target detector are very important for the application of remote sensing image detection, and in this paper, we propose an effective and efficient method (named CISPNet) with high detection accuracy and compact architecture. In particular, according to the characteristics of the data, we apply a context information scene perception (CISP) module to obtain the contextual information for targets of different scales and use k-means clustering to set the aspect ratios and size of the default boxes. The proposed method inherits the network structure of Single Shot MultiBox Detector (SSD) and introduces the CISP module into it. We create a dataset in the Pascal Visual Object Classes (VOC) format, annotated with the three types of detection targets, aircraft, ship, and oiltanker. Experimental results on our remote sensing image dataset as well as the Northwestern Polytechnical University very-high-resolution (NWPU VRH-10) dataset demonstrate that the proposed CISPNet performs much better than the original SSD and other detectors especially for small objects. Specifically, our network can achieve 80.34% mean average precision (mAP) at the speed of 50.7 frames per second (FPS) with the input size 300 × 300 pixels on the remote sensing image dataset. On extended experiments, the performance of CISPNet in fuzzy target detection in remote sensing image is better than that of SSD.
On the Impact of Trees on Ventilation in a Real Street in Pamplona, Spain
Authors: Santiago Jose-Luis , Buccolieri Riccardo , Rivas Esther , Sanchez Beatriz , Martilli Alberto , Gatto Elisa , Martín Fernando
Published: November 2019

This paper is devoted to the quantification of changes in ventilation of a real neighborhood located in Pamplona, Spain, due to the presence of street trees Pollutant dispersion in this urban zone was previously studied by means of computational fluid dynamic (CFD) simulations. In the present work, that research is extended to analyze the ventilation in the whole neighborhood and in a tree-free street. Several scenarios are investigated including new trees in the tree-free street, and different leaf area density (LAD) in the whole neighborhood. Changes between the scenarios are evaluated through changes in average concentration, wind speed, flow rates and total pollutant fluxes. Additionally, wind flow patterns and the vertical profiles of flow properties (e.g., wind velocity, turbulent kinetic energy) and concentration, horizontally-averaged over one particular street, are analyzed. The approach-flow direction is almost perpendicular to the street under study (prevailing wind direction is only deviated 4º from the perpendicular direction). For these conditions, as LAD increases, average concentration in the whole neighborhood increases due to the decrease of wind speed. On the other hand, the inclusion of trees in the street produces an increase of averaged pollutant concentration only within this street, in particular for the scenario with the highest LAD value. In fact, the new trees in the street analyzed with the highest LAD value notably change the ventilation producing an increase of total pollutant fluxes inward the street. Additionally, pollutant dispersion within the street is also influenced by the reduction of the wind velocity along the street axis and the decrease of turbulent kinetic energy within the vegetation canopy caused by the new trees. Therefore, the inclusion of new trees in a tree-free street should be done by considering ventilation changes and traffic emissions should be consequently controlled in order to keep pollutant concentration within healthy levels.
Rainfall Contribution of Tropical Cyclones in the Bay of Bengal between 1998 and 2016 using TRMM Satellite Data
Authors: Uddin Md. Jalal , Li Yubin , Cheung Kevin K. , Nasrin Zahan Most. , Wang Hong , Wang Linlin , Gao Zhiqiu
Published: November 2019

In the Bay of Bengal (BoB) area, landfalling Tropical Cyclones (TCs) often produce heavy rainfall that results in coastal flooding and causes enormous loss of life and property. However, the rainfall contribution of TCs in this area has not yet been systematically investigated. To fulfil this objective, firstly, this paper used TC best track data from the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) to analyze TC activity in this area from 1998 to 2016 (January–December). It showed that on average there were 2.47 TCs per year generated in BoB. In 1998, 1999, 2000, 2005, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2013, and 2016 there were 3 or more TCs; while in 2001, 2004, 2011, 2012, and 2015, there was only 1 TC. On a monthly basis, the maximum TC activity was in May, October, and November, and the lowest TC activity was from January to April and in July. Rainfall data from the Tropical Rainfall Measurement Mission (TRMM) were used to estimate TC rainfall contribution (i.e., how much TC contributed to the total rainfall) on an interannual and monthly scale. The result showed that TCs accounted for around 8% of total overland rainfall during 1998–2016, and with a minimum of 1% in 2011 and a maximum of 34% in 1999. On the monthly basis, TCs’ limited rainfall contribution overland was found from January to April and in July (less than 14%), whereas the maximum TC rainfall contribution overland was in November and December (16%), May (15%), and October (14%). The probability density functions showed that, in a stronger TC, heavier rainfall accounted for more percentages. However, there was little correlation between TC rainfall contribution and TC intensity, because the TC rainfall contribution was also influenced by the TC rainfall area and frequency, and as well the occurrence of other rainfall systems.
Melatonin Inhibits Transforming Growth Factor-β1-Induced Epithelial–Mesenchymal Transition in AML12 Hepatocytes
Authors: Kim Jung-Yeon , Park Jae-Hyung , Kim Kiryeong , Leem Jaechan , Park Kwan-Kyu
Published: November 2019

Recent studies showed that melatonin, a well-known pineal hormone that modulates the circadian rhythm, exerts beneficial effects against liver fibrosis. However, mechanisms for its protective action against the fibrotic processes remain incompletely understood. Here, we aimed to explore the effects of the hormone on transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1)-stimulated epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) in AML12 hepatocytes. Pretreatment with melatonin dose-dependently reversed downregulation of an epithelial marker and upregulation of mesenchymal markers after TGF-β1 stimulation. Additionally, melatonin dose-dependently suppressed an increased phosphorylation of Smad2/3 after TGF-β1 treatment. Besides the canonical Smad signaling pathway, an increase in phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 and p38 was also dose-dependently attenuated by melatonin. The suppressive effect of the hormone on EMT stimulated by TGF-β1 was not affected by luzindole, an antagonist of melatonin membrane receptors, suggesting that its membrane receptors are not required for the inhibitory action of melatonin. Moreover, melatonin suppressed elevation of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels in TGF-β1-treated cells. Finally, TGF-β1-stimulated EMT was also inhibited by the antioxidant N-acetylcysteine. Collectively, these results suggest that melatonin prevents TGF-β1-stimulated EMT through suppression of Smad and mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling cascades by deactivating ROS-dependent mechanisms in a membrane receptor-independent manner.
The Novel Serine/Threonine Protein Kinase LmjF.22.0810 from Leishmania major May Be Involved in the Resistance to Drugs such as Paromomycin
Authors: Vacas Andrés , Fernández-Rubio Celia , Algarabel Miriam , Peña-Guerrero José , Larrea Esther , Rocha Formiga Fabio , García-Sosa Alfonso T. , Nguewa Paul A.
Published: November 2019

The identification and clarification of the mechanisms of action of drugs used against leishmaniasis may improve their administration regimens and prevent the development of resistant strains. Herein, for the first time, we describe the structure of the putatively essential Ser/Thr kinase LmjF.22.0810 from Leishmania major. Molecular dynamics simulations were performed to assess the stability of the kinase model. The analysis of its sequence and structure revealed two druggable sites on the protein. Furthermore, in silico docking of small molecules showed that aminoglycosides preferentially bind to the phosphorylation site of the protein. Given that transgenic LmjF.22.0810-overexpressing parasites displayed less sensitivity to aminoglycosides such as paromomycin, our predicted models support the idea that the mechanism of drug resistance observed in those transgenic parasites is the tight binding of such compounds to LmjF.22.0810 associated with its overexpression. These results may be helpful to understand the complex machinery of drug response in Leishmania.
Neuro-Inflammation in Pediatric Traumatic Brain Injury—from Mechanisms to Inflammatory Networks
Authors: Fraunberger Erik , Esser Michael J.
Published: November 2019

Compared to traumatic brain injury (TBI) in the adult population, pediatric TBI has received less research attention, despite its potential long-term impact on the lives of many children around the world. After numerous clinical trials and preclinical research studies examining various secondary mechanisms of injury, no definitive treatment has been found for pediatric TBIs of any severity. With the advent of high-throughput and high-resolution molecular biology and imaging techniques, inflammation has become an appealing target, due to its mixed effects on outcome, depending on the time point examined. In this review, we outline key mechanisms of inflammation, the contribution and interactions of the peripheral and CNS-based immune cells, and highlight knowledge gaps pertaining to inflammation in pediatric TBI. We also introduce the application of network analysis to leverage growing multivariate and non-linear inflammation data sets with the goal to gain a more comprehensive view of inflammation and develop prognostic and treatment tools in pediatric TBI.
Arpp19 Promotes Myc and Cip2a Expression and Associates with Patient Relapse in Acute Myeloid Leukemia
Authors: Mäkelä Eleonora , Löyttyniemi Eliisa , Salmenniemi Urpu , Kauko Otto , Varila Taru , Kairisto Veli , Itälä-Remes Maija , Westermarck Jukka
Published: November 2019

Disease relapse from standard chemotherapy in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is poorly understood. The importance of protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) as an AML tumor suppressor is emerging. Therefore, here, we examined the potential role of endogenous PP2A inhibitor proteins as biomarkers predicting AML relapse in a standard patient population by using three independent patient materials: cohort1 (n = 80), cohort2 (n = 48) and The Cancer Genome Atlas Acute Myeloid Leukemia (TCGA LAML) dataset (n = 160). Out of the examined PP2A inhibitors (CIP2A, SET, PME1, ARPP19 and TIPRL), expression of ARPP19 mRNA was found to be independent of the current AML risk classification. Functionally, ARPP19 promoted AML cell viability and expression of oncoproteins MYC, CDK1, and CIP2A. Clinically, ARPP19 mRNA expression was significantly lower at diagnosis (p = 0.035) in patients whose disease did not relapse after standard chemotherapy. ARPP19 was an independent predictor for relapse both in univariable (p = 0.007) and in multivariable analyses (p = 0.0001) and gave additive information to EVI1 expression and risk group status (additive effect, p = 0.005). Low ARPP19 expression was also associated with better patient outcome in the TCGA LAML cohort (p = 0.019). In addition, in matched patient samples from diagnosis, remission and relapse phases, ARPP19 expression was associated with disease activity (p = 0.034), indicating its potential usefulness as a minimal residual disease (MRD) marker. Together, these data demonstrate the oncogenic function of ARPP19 in AML and its risk group independent role in predicting AML patient relapse tendency.
Decoding Essential Amino Acid Residues in the Substrate Groove of a Non-Specific Nuclease from Pseudomonas syringae
Authors: Schwardmann Lynn Sophie , Schmitz Sarah , Nölle Volker , Elleuche Skander
Published: November 2019

Non-specific nucleases (NSN) are of interest for biotechnological applications, including industrial downstream processing of crude protein extracts or cell-sorting approaches in microfabricated channels. Bacterial nucleases belonging to the superfamily of phospholipase D (PLD) are featured for their ability to catalyze the hydrolysis of nucleic acids in a metal-ion-independent manner. In order to gain a deeper insight into the composition of the substrate groove of a NSN from Pseudomonas syringae, semi-rational mutagenesis based on a structure homology model was applied to identify amino acid residues on the protein’s surface adjacent to the catalytic region. A collection of 12 mutant enzymes each with a substitution to a positively charged amino acid (arginine or lysine) was produced in recombinant form and biochemically characterized. Mutations in close proximity to the catalytic region (inner ring) either dramatically impaired or completely abolished the enzymatic performance, while amino acid residues located at the border of the substrate groove (outer ring) only had limited or no effects. A K119R substitution mutant displayed a relative turnover rate of 112% compared to the original nuclease. In conclusion, the well-defined outer ring of the substrate groove is a potential target for modulation of the enzymatic performance of NSNs belonging to the PLD superfamily.
Mild Iron Overload as Seen in Individuals Homozygous for the Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Pi*Z Variant Does Not Promote Liver Fibrogenesis in HFE Knockout Mice
Authors: Guldiken Nurdan , Hamesch Karim , Schuller Shari Malan , Aly Mahmoud , Lindhauer Cecilia , Schneider Carolin V. , Fromme Malin , Trautwein Christian , Strnad Pavel
Published: November 2019

The presence of the homozygous ‘Pi*Z’ variant of alpha-1 antitrypsin (AAT) (‘Pi*ZZ’ genotype) predisposes to liver fibrosis development, but the role of iron metabolism in this process remains unknown. Therefore, we assessed iron metabolism and variants in the Homeostatic Iron Regulator gene (HFE) as the major cause of hereditary iron overload in a large cohort of Pi*ZZ subjects without liver comorbidities. The human cohort comprised of 409 Pi*ZZ individuals and 254 subjects without evidence of an AAT mutation who were recruited from ten European countries. All underwent a comprehensive work-up and transient elastography to determine liver stiffness measurements (LSM). The corresponding mouse models (Pi*Z overexpressors, HFE knockouts, and double transgenic [DTg] mice) were used to evaluate the impact of mild iron overload on Pi*Z-induced liver injury. Compared to Pi*Z non-carriers, Pi*ZZ individuals had elevated serum iron, transferrin saturation, and ferritin levels, but relevant iron overload was rare. All these parameters were higher in individuals with signs of significant liver fibrosis (LSM ≥ 7.1 kPa) compared to those without signs of significant liver fibrosis. HFE knockout and DTg mice displayed similar extent of iron overload and of fibrosis. Loss of HFE did not alter the extent of AAT accumulation. In Pi*ZZ individuals, presence of HFE mutations was not associated with more severe liver fibrosis. Taken together, Pi*ZZ individuals display minor alterations in serum iron parameters. Neither mild iron overload seen in these individuals nor the presence of HFE mutations (C282Y and H63D) constitute a major contributor to liver fibrosis development.
TGF-β in Hepatic Stellate Cell Activation and Liver Fibrogenesis—Updated 2019
Authors: Dewidar Bedair , Meyer Christoph , Dooley Steven , Meindl-Beinker and Nadja
Published: November 2019

Liver fibrosis is an advanced liver disease condition, which could progress to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. To date, there is no direct approved antifibrotic therapy, and current treatment is mainly the removal of the causative factor. Transforming growth factor (TGF)-β is a master profibrogenic cytokine and a promising target to treat fibrosis. However, TGF-β has broad biological functions and its inhibition induces non-desirable side effects, which override therapeutic benefits. Therefore, understanding the pleiotropic effects of TGF-β and its upstream and downstream regulatory mechanisms will help to design better TGF-β based therapeutics. Here, we summarize recent discoveries and milestones on the TGF-β signaling pathway related to liver fibrosis and hepatic stellate cell (HSC) activation, emphasizing research of the last five years. This comprises impact of TGF-β on liver fibrogenesis related biological processes, such as senescence, metabolism, reactive oxygen species generation, epigenetics, circadian rhythm, epithelial mesenchymal transition, and endothelial-mesenchymal transition. We also describe the influence of the microenvironment on the response of HSC to TGF-β. Finally, we discuss new approaches to target the TGF-β pathway, name current clinical trials, and explain promises and drawbacks that deserve to be adequately addressed.
Review of Size Effects during Micropillar Compression Test: Experiments and Atomistic Simulations
Authors: Shahbeyk Sharif , Voyiadjis George Z. , Habibi Vahid , Astaneh Sarah Hashemi , Yaghoobi Mohammadreza
Published: November 2019

The micropillar compression test is a novel experiment to study the mechanical properties of materials at small length scales of micro and nano. The results of the micropillar compression experiments show that the strength of the material depends on the pillar diameter, which is commonly termed as size effects. In the current work, first, the experimental observations and theoretical models of size effects during micropillar compression tests are reviewed in the case of crystalline metals. In the next step, the recent computer simulations using molecular dynamics are reviewed as a powerful tool to investigate the micropillar compression experiment and its governing mechanisms of size effects.
A Three-Dimensional Cadmium(II) Coordination Network Based on 1,3-Di-(1,2,4-triazole-4-yl)benzene: Synthesis, Structure, and Luminescence Properties
Authors: Miao Shaobin , Li Zhaohao , Xu Chunying , Deng Dongsheng , Ji Baoming
Published: November 2019

1,2,4-Triazole and its derivatives have been investigated extensively in the construction of coordination polymers. Using a 1,2,4-triazole ligand 1,3-di-(1,2,4-triazole-4-yl)benzene (dtb), a new three-dimensional coordination polymer, {[Cd2(dtb)2(SO4)(H2O)]·(1,2-H2bdc)·SO4}n (1) (1,2-H2bdc = 1,2-benzenedicarboxylic acid), was synthesized under solvothermal conditions. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis revealed that there are two crystallographically different Cd(II) ions in 1 with distorted pentagonal bipyramidal [CdN4O3] geometry and distorted octahedral [CdN4O2] geometry, respectively. The Cd1 atoms are connected by dtb ligands to generate Cd4(dtb)8 secondary building units (SUBs), and the SUBs are further linked by Cd2 atoms into a three-dimensional network with two different one-dimensional channels of 14.63(2) × 14.63(2) and 7.54(2) × 7.54(2) Å2 along the c axis. The topological analysis of the framework has also been discussed. In addition, compound 1 exhibits strong fluorescence emission in the solid state at room temperature.
Soil Biological Fertility and Bacterial Community Response to Land Use Intensity: A Case Study in the Mediterranean Area
Authors: Yaghoubi Khanghahi Mohammad , Murgese Pasqua , Strafella Sabrina , Crecchio Carmine
Published: November 2019

The current study was performed to investigate the effects of three different long-term land use intensities on adjacent soil plots, namely a winter wheat field, a grass-covered vineyard, and a cherry farm, on soil biochemical, microbial, and molecular parameters. The results showed the maximum content of soil organic matter (SOM) and microbial biomass carbon (MBC) observed in the grass-covered vineyard. Basal respiration (BSR) and the cumulated respiration (CSR) after 25 days of incubation were significantly higher in the grass-covered vineyard and cherry farm, respectively (BSR 11.84 mg CO2–C kg−1 soil d−1, CSR 226.90 mg CO2–C kg−1 soil). Grass-covered vineyard showed the highest soil biological fertility index (BFI) score (20) and ranked in the class IV (good) of soil biological fertility. Cereal field and cherry farm had lower BFI scores and the corresponding BFI class was III (medium). In addition, the maximum ribosomal RNA copy number and the highest abundance of oligotrophic bacterial groups (25.52% Actinobacteria, 3.45% Firmicutes, and 1.38% Acidobacteria) were observed in the grass-covered vineyard. In conclusion, the grass-covered vineyard is a more conservative system and could have a large potential to improve total carbon storage in soil, mainly because of the cover crop residue management and the low soil perturbation through the no-tillage system.
Magnetic Loss Analysis in Coaxial Magnetic Gears
Authors: Filippini Mattia , Alotto Piergiorgio , Cirimele Vincenzo , Repetto Maurizio , Ragusa Carlo , Dimauro Luca , Bonisoli Elvio
Published: November 2019

This paper proposes a procedure for computing magnetic losses in coaxial magnetic gears. These magnetic structures are made of permanent magnets and ferromagnetic poles in relative motion transferring torque between two shafts in a contactless way. The loss computation in magnetic materials is crucial to define the system performance. The flux distribution inside the iron parts is computed by means of the finite element method and a model of iron losses taking into account the rotational nature of the flux loci is applied. The procedure highlights where the major loss sources are present and gives the opportunity to evaluate some corrective measures to reduce their effects. Particular attention is devoted to the 2D modeling in presence of permanent magnets segmentation.
Review of Multilevel Voltage Source Inverter Topologies and Analysis of Harmonics Distortions in FC-MLI
Authors: Rana Ronak A. , Patel Sujal A. , Muthusamy Anand , Lee Chee woo , Kim Hee-Je
Published: November 2019

We review the most common topology of multi-level inverters. As is known, the conventional inverters are utilized to create an alternating current (AC) source from a direct current (DC) source. The two-level inverter provides various output voltages [(Vdc/2) and (−Vdc/2)] of the load. It is a successive method, but it makes the harmonic distortion of the output side, Electromagnetic interference (EMI), and high dv/dt. We solve this problem by constructing the sinusoidal voltage waveform. This is achieved by a “multilevel inverter” (MLI). The multilevel inverter creates the output voltage with multiple DC voltages as inputs. Many voltage levels are combined to produce a smoother waveform. During the last decade, the multilevel inverter has become very popular in medium and high-power applications with some advantages, such as the reduced power dissipation of switching elements, low harmonics, and low EMIs. We introduce the information about several multilevel inverters such as the diode-clamped multilevel inverter (DC-MLI), cascaded H-bridge multilevel inverter (CHB-MLI), and flying-capacitor multilevel inverter (FC-MLI) with Power systems CAD (PSCAD) simulation. It is shown that THD is 28.88% in three level FC-MLI while THD is 18.56% in five level topology. Therefore, we can decrease the total harmonic distortion adopting the higher-level topology.
An Efficient Connected Dominating Set Clustering Based Routing Protocol with Dynamic Channel Selection in Cognitive Mobile Ad Hoc Networks
Authors: Tran Thong Nhat , Nguyen Toan-Van , An Beongku
Published: November 2019

In mobile ad-hoc networks (MANETs), nodes are mobility naturally which renders a great challenge in topology controls. Connected dominating set (CDS) has been considered as an efficient solution to solve such a problem by constructing a virtual backbone network to achieve the scalability and efficiency of wireless networks. In this paper, we propose an efficient connected dominating set clustering based routing protocol with dynamic channel selection (CRD) in multi-channel cognitive radio MANETs to obtain high packet delivery ratio (PDR), low control overheads, low delay and low energy consumption when node is moving in high speed. Moreover, CRD protocol can apply for Vehicular Ad Hoc Network, IoT and 5G. The proposed CRD protocol includes clustering and routing phases under multi-channel cognitive radio approach. In the clustering phase, we propose CDS selection, CDS size reduction and CDS based clustering algorithms to formulate clusters and provide a set of intermediate nodes which is latter used as a route searching space for the routing phase. In the routing phase, a sending channel based focus region selection (CFS) algorithm is adopted dynamically to establish an efficient route from a set of intermediate nodes that avoids the affected region of a primary user. The CRD routing protocol is then implemented in environmental conditions close to reality (OMNET++ platform) to demonstrate its superiority over the conventional AODV protocol in terms of PDR, control overhead, delay and energy consumption.
HVAC-Based Cooperative Algorithms for Demand Side Management in a Microgrid
Authors: Ma Jie , Ma Xiandong , Ilic Suzana
Published: November 2019

The high penetration of renewable power generators and various loads have brought a great challenge for dispatching energy in a microgrid system. Heating ventilation air conditioning (HVAC) system, as a household appliance with high popularity, can be considered as an effective technology to alleviate energy dispatch issues. This paper presents novel distributed algorithms based on HVAC to solve the demand side management problem, where the microgrid system with HVAC units is considered as a multi-agent system (MAS). The approach provides a desirable operating frequency signal for each HVAC based on the power mismatch value occurring on each local bus. It utilizes demand response of the HVAC units to minimize the supply-demand mismatch, thus reducing the quantity and capacity of energy storage devices potentially to be required. Compared with existing approaches focusing on the distributed algorithms under a fixed communication network, this paper addresses a consensus problem under a switching topology by using the Lyapunov argument. It is verified that a jointly strong and connected topology is a sufficient condition in order to achieve an average consensus for a time-varying topology. A number of cases are studied to evaluate the effectiveness of the algorithms by taking into account its power constraints, dynamic behaviors, anti-damage characteristics and time-varying communication topology. Modelling these system interactions has demonstrated the feasibility of the proposed microgrid system.
Changes in the Species Composition of Elms (Ulmus spp.) in Poland
Authors: Napierała-Filipiak Anna , Filipiak Maciej , Łakomy Piotr
Published: November 2019

In nearly 600 randomly selected forest stands including elms (Ulmus spp.), we conducted field research to identify them to species level and to find trees showing symptoms of Dutch elm disease (DED). The presented data show that all the 3 native elms (U. glabra, U. laevis, and U. minor) still exist in the whole ranges of their distribution in Poland reported earlier, but their role as forest-forming species has changed. In comparison to published data, the contribution of U. minor has markedly decreased, while an increased contribution was observed in the case of U. laevis, a species which in the past was predominantly located out of woodland and was rarely cultivated. In mountains, where the most frequent is U. glabra, the contribution of elms to forest stands is currently clearly lower than in the lowlands and uplands of Poland. The observed changes most probably result from Dutch elm disease. It cannot be excluded that the changes are at least partly linked with natural correction of forest stand composition modified earlier by human activity (silviculture). In all parts of Poland, trees with symptoms of Dutch elm disease are found, but large-scale decline (of a majority of elm trees) is observed only in about 1.5% of the directly investigated localities.
RNA Sequencing Reveals That Both Abiotic and Biotic Stress-Responsive Genes are Induced during Expression of Steroidal Glycoalkaloid in Potato Tuber Subjected to Light Exposure
Authors: Zhang Weina , Zuo Cunwu , Chen Zhongjian , Kang Yichen , Qin Shuhao
Published: November 2019

Steroidal glycoalkaloids (SGAs), which are widely produced by potato, even in other Solanaceae plants, are a class of potentially toxic compounds, but are beneficial to host resistance. However, changes of the other metabolic process along with SGA accumulation are still poorly understood and researched. Based on RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) and bioinformatics analysis, the global gene expression profiles of potato variety Helan 15 (Favorita) was investigated at four-time points during light exposure. The data was further verified by using quantitative Real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). When compared to the control group, 1288, 1592, 1737, and 1870 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were detected at 6 h, 24 h, 48 h, and 8 d, respectively. The results of both RNAseq and qRT-PCR showed that SGA biosynthetic genes were up-regulated in the potato tuber under light exposure. Functional enrichment analysis revealed that genes related to PS light reaction and Protein degradation were significantly enriched in most time points of light exposure. Additionally, enriched Bins included Receptor kinases, Secondary metabolic process in flavonoids, Abiotic stress, and Biotic stress in the early stage of light exposure, but PS Calvin cycle, RNA regulation of transcription, and UDP glucosyl and glucoronyl transferases in the later stage. Most of the DEGs involved in PS light reaction and Abiotic stress were up-regulated at all four time points, whereas DEGs that participated in biotic stresses were mainly up-regulated at the later stage (48 h and 8 d). Cis-element prediction and co-expression assay were used to confirm the expressional correlation between genes that are responsible for SGA biosynthesis and disease resistance. In conclusion, the expressions of genes involved in PS light reaction, Abiotic stress, and Biotic stress were obviously aroused during the accumulation of SGAs induced by light exposure. Moreover, an increased defense response might contribute to the potato resistance to the infection by phytopathogenic microorganisms.