bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Heat Transfer and Flow Structures of Laminar Confined Slot Impingement Jet with Power-Law Non-Newtonian Fluid
Authors: Qiang Yan , Wei Liejiang , Luo Xiaomei , Jian Hongchao , Wang Wenan , Li Fenfen
Published: October 2018

Heat transfer performances and flow structures of laminar impinging slot jets with power-law non-Newtonian fluids and corresponding typical industrial fluids (Carboxyl Methyl Cellulose (CMC) solutions and Xanthangum (XG) solutions) have been studied in this work. Investigations are performed for Reynolds number Re less than 200, power-law index n ranging from 0.5 to 1.5 and consistency index K varying from 0.001 to 0.5 to explore heat transfer and flow structure of shear-thinning fluid and shear-thickening fluid. Results indicate that with the increase of n, K for a given Re, wall Nusselt number increases mainly attributing to the increase of inlet velocity U. For a given inlet velocity, wall Nusselt number decreases with the increase of n and K, which mainly attributes to the increase of apparent viscosity and the reduction of momentum diffusion. For the same Re, U and Pr, wall Nusselt number decreases with the increase of n. Among the study of industrial power-law shear-thinning fluid, CMC solution with 100 ppm shows the best heat transfer performance at a given velocity. Moreover, new correlation of Nusselt number about industrial fluid is proposed. In general, for the heat transfer of laminar confined impinging jet, it is best to use the working fluid with low viscosity.
A Co-Opetition Straw Supply Strategy Integrating Rural Official Organizations and Farmers’ Behavior in China
Authors: Luo Kaiyan , Zhang Xingping , Tan Qinliang
Published: October 2018

China has a huge potential of biomass power generation since it is a big agricultural producer and abundant in agriculture straw. However, the current straw supply system cannot guarantee the feedstock sufficiency for biomass power plants. The main reason is the high costs of straw collection and transportation because farmers are scattered across the country and farming in a small-scaled method for self-support. This study aims at solving the issue with the introduction of China’s rural official organizations to collect agriculture straw in a centralized way and to share benefits with farmers. We apply the approach of multi-agent modeling and simulation to analyze the farmer’s participation behavior within a co-opetition supply strategy after the rural official organizations are incorporated. The results demonstrate that farmers’ participation is positively affected by the cooperative enthusiasm of rural official organizations. In addition to those basic factors, such as straw price, transportation cost, and shipping distance, the benefit sharing policy has a significant impact on the equilibrium percentage of the cooperative farmers. We recommend that the Chinese central government encourage and support rural official organizations to participate in the agriculture straw supply chain, and the benefit sharing policy should be implemented with the precaution against free rides.
Linear Hybrid Reluctance Motor with High Density Force
Authors: Garcia-Amorós Jordi
Published: October 2018

Linear switched reluctance motors are a focus of study for many applications because of their simple and sturdy electromagnetic structure, despite their lower thrust force density when compared with linear permanent magnet synchronous motors. This study presents a novel linear switched reluctance structure enhanced by the use of permanent magnets. The proposed structure preserves the main advantages of the reluctance machines, that is, mechanical and thermal robustness, fault tolerant, and easy assembly in spite of the permanent magnets. The linear hybrid reluctance motor is analyzed by finite element analysis and the results are validated by experimental results. The main findings show a significant increase in the thrust force when compared with the former reluctance structure, with a low detent force.
A Novel Inductor-Based Non-Dissipative Equalizer
Authors: Lu Chusheng , Kang Longyun , Wang Shubiao , Wang Zefeng , Rao Huabing
Published: October 2018

Large numbers of non-dissipative equalizers have been proposed for solving the inconsistency problem of lithium battery strings. However, these equalizers face problems such as slow speed or using excessively large numbers of energy storage elements. This paper improved a multiple switch-inductors equalizer (MSIE), and proposed a novel inductor-based non-dissipative equalizer (NIBNDE). A simulation is built to compare the NIBNDE with two other equalizers, which indicated that the NIBNDE can reduce the number of energy storage elements while remaining at a good equalization speed. Experimental results validate the analysis of the simulation and the feasibility of the NIBNDE.
Removal of Bacterial Contamination from Bioethanol Fermentation System Using Membrane Bioreactor
Authors: Mahboubi Amir , Cayli Beray , Bulkan Gülru , Doyen Wim , De Wever Heleen , Taherzadeh Mohammad J.
Published: October 2018

A major issue hindering efficient industrial ethanol fermentation from sugar-based feedstock is excessive unwanted bacterial contamination. In industrial scale fermentation, reaching complete sterility is costly, laborious, and difficult to sustain in long-term operation. A physical selective separation of a co-culture of Saccharomyces cerevisiae and an Enterobacter cloacae complex from a buffer solution and fermentation media at dilution rates of 0.1–1 1/h were examined using an immersed membrane bioreactor (iMBR). The effect of the presence of yeast, inoculum size, membrane pore size, and surface area, backwashing and dilution rate on bacteria removal were assessed by evaluating changes in the filtration conditions, medium turbidity, and concentration of compounds and cell biomass. The results showed that using the iMBR with dilution rate of 0.5 1/h results in successful removal of 93% of contaminating bacteria in the single culture and nearly complete bacteria decontamination in yeast-bacteria co-culture. During continuous fermentation, application of lower permeate fluxes provided a stable filtration of the mixed culture with enhanced bacteria washout. This physical selective separation of bacteria from yeast can enhance final ethanol quality and yields, process profitability, yeast metabolic activity, and decrease downstream processing costs.
mCherry-Labeled Verticillium dahliae Could Be Utilized to Investigate Its Pathogenicity Process in Nicotiana benthamiana
Authors: Su Xiaofeng , Lu Guoqing , Rehman Latifur , Li Xiaokang , Sun Lu , Guo Huiming , Cheng Hongmei
Published: October 2018

Verticillium dahliae is a soil-borne phytopathogenic fungus that causes a destructive vascular wilt, but details of the molecular mechanism behind its pathogenicity are not very clear. Here, we generated a red fluorescent isolate of V. dahliae by protoplast transformation to explore its pathogenicity mechanism, including colonization, invasion, and extension in Nicotiana benthamiana, using confocal microscopy. The nucleotide sequences of mCherry were optimized for fungal expression and cloned into pCT-HM plasmid, which was inserted into V. dahliae protoplasts. The transformant (Vd-m) shows strong red fluorescence and its phenotype, growth rate, and pathogenicity did not differ significantly from the wild type V. dahliae (Vd-wt). Between one and three days post inoculation (dpi), the Vd-m successfully colonized and invaded epidermal cells of the roots. From four to six dpi, hyphae grew on root wounds and lateral root primordium and entered xylem vessels. From seven to nine dpi, hyphae extended along the surface of the cell wall and massively grew in the xylem vessel of roots. At ten dpi, the Vd-m was found in petioles and veins of leaves. Our results distinctly showed the pathway of V. dahliae infection and colonization in N. benthamiana, and the optimized expression can be used to deepen our understanding of the molecular mechanism of pathogenicity.
Significance of Blood Transfusion Units in Determining the Probability of Mortality among Elderly Trauma Patients Based on the Geriatric Trauma Outcome Scoring System: A Cross-Sectional Analysis Based on Trauma Registered Data
Authors: Wu Shao-Chun , Rau Cheng-Shyuan , Kuo Pao-Jen , Liu Hang-Tsung , Hsu Shiun-Yuan , Hsieh Ching-Hua
Published: October 2018

Background: For elderly trauma patients, a prognostic tool called the Geriatric Trauma Outcome Score (GTOS), where GTOS = (age) + (ISS × 2.5) + (22 if any packed red blood cells (pRBCs) were transfused within 24 h after admission), was developed for predicting mortality. In such calculation, a score of 22 was added in the calculation of GTOS regardless of the transfused units of blood. This study aimed to assess the effect of transfused blood units on the mortality outcomes of the elderly trauma patients who received blood transfusion (BT). Methods: Detailed data of 687 elderly trauma patients aged ≥65 years who were transfused with pRBCs within 24 h after admission into a level I trauma center between 1 January 2009 and 31 December 2016 were retrieved from the Trauma Registry System database. Based on the units of pRBCs transfused, the study population was divided into two groups to compare the mortality outcomes between these groups. Adjusted odds ratios (AORs) with its 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for mortality were calculated by adjusting sex, pre-existing comorbidities, and GTOS. Results: When the cut-off value of BT was set as 3 U of pRBCs, patients who received BT ≥ 3 U had higher odds of mortality than those who received BT < 3 U (OR, 3.0; 95% CI, 1.94–4.56; p < 0.001). Patients who received more units of pRBCs still showed higher odds of mortality than their counterparts. After adjusting for sex, pre-existing comorbidities, and GTOS, comparison revealed that the patients who received BT of 3 U to 6 U had a 1.7-fold adjusted odds of mortality than their counterparts. The patients who received BT ≥ 8 U and 10 U had a 2.1-fold (AOR, 2.1; 95% CI, 1.09–3.96; p < 0.001) and 4.4-fold (AOR, 4.4; 95% CI, 2.04–9.48; p < 0.001) adjusted odds of mortality than those who received BT < 8 U and <10 U, respectively. Conclusions: This study revealed that the units of BT did matter in determining the probability of mortality. For those who received more units of blood, the mortality may be underestimated according to the GTOS.
Can Industrial Structural Adjustment Improve the Total-Factor Carbon Emission Performance in China?
Authors: Cheng Zhonghua , Shi Xiai
Published: October 2018

How to improve the industrial total-factor carbon emission performance (TCPI), or total-factor carbon productivity, through industrial structural adjustment, is crucial to China’s energy conservation and emission reduction and sustainable growth. In this paper, we use a dynamic spatial panel model to empirically analyze the effect of industrial structural adjustment on TCPI of 30 provinces in China from 2000 to 2015. The results show that most of the provinces with high TCPI are located in the eastern coastal areas, while the provinces with relatively low TCPI are to be found in the central and western regions. The spatial auto-correlation tests show that there are significant global spatial auto-correlation and local spatial agglomeration characteristics in TCPI. The regression results of the dynamic spatial panel models show that at the national level, the structure of industrialization, the industrial structure of heavy industrialization, the coal-based energy consumption structure and the endowment structure have significant negative effects on the improvement of TCPI. The expansion of industrial enterprise scale, on the other hand, is conducive to an improvement in TCPI while the effects of foreign direct investment (FDI) structure and ownership structure on TCPI are not significant. At the regional level, there are certain differences in the effects of different types of industrial structural adjustment on TCPI.
Unfolded Protein Response-Dependent Communication and Contact among Endoplasmic Reticulum, Mitochondria, and Plasma Membrane
Authors: Saito Atsushi , Imaizumi Kazunori
Published: October 2018

The function of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) can be impaired by changes to the extra- and intracellular environment, such as disruption of calcium homeostasis, expression of mutated proteins, and oxidative stress. In response to disruptions to ER homeostasis, eukaryotic cells activate canonical branches of signal transduction cascades, collectively termed the unfolded protein response (UPR). The UPR functions to remove or recover the activity of misfolded proteins that accumulated in the ER and to avoid irreversible cellular damage. Additionally, the UPR plays unique physiological roles in the regulation of diverse cellular events, including cell differentiation and development and lipid biosynthesis. Recent studies have shown that these important cellular events are also regulated by contact and communication among organelles. These reports suggest strong involvement among the UPR, organelle communication, and regulation of cellular homeostasis. However, the precise mechanisms for the formation of contact sites and the regulation of ER dynamics by the UPR remain unresolved. In this review, we summarize the current understanding of how the UPR regulates morphological changes to the ER and the formation of contact sites between the ER and other organelles. We also review how UPR-dependent connections between the ER and other organelles affect cellular and physiological functions.
Homology Model and Docking-Based Virtual Screening for Ligands of Human Dyskerin as New Inhibitors of Telomerase for Cancer Treatment
Authors: Armando Romina Gabriela , Mengual Gómez Diego Luis , Juritz Ezequiel Ivan , Lorenzano Menna Pablo , Gomez Daniel Eduardo
Published: October 2018

Immortality is one of the main features of cancer cells. Tumor cells have an unlimited replicative potential, principally due to the holoenzyme telomerase. Telomerase is composed mainly by dyskerin (DKC1), a catalytic retrotranscriptase (hTERT) and an RNA template (hTR). The aim of this work is to develop new inhibitors of telomerase, selecting the interaction between hTR–DKC1 as a target. We designed two models of the human protein DKC1: homology and ab initio. These models were evaluated by different procedures, revealing that the homology model parameters were the most accurate. We selected two hydrophobic pockets contained in the PUA (pseudouridine synthase and archaeosine transglycosylase) domain, using structural and stability analysis. We carried out a docking-based virtual screen on these pockets, using the reported mutation K314 as the center of the docking. The hDKC1 model was tested against a library of 450,000 drug-like molecules. We selected the first 10 molecules that showed the highest affinity values to test their inhibitory activity on the cell line MDA MB 231 (Monroe Dunaway Anderson Metastasis Breast cancer 231), obtaining three compounds that showed inhibitory effect. These results allowed us to validate our design and set the basis to continue with the study of telomerase inhibitors for cancer treatment.
Synthesis of Indoleacetic Acid, Gibberellic Acid and ACC-Deaminase by Mortierella Strains Promote Winter Wheat Seedlings Growth under Different Conditions
Authors: Ozimek Ewa , Jaroszuk-Ściseł Jolanta , Bohacz Justyna , Korniłłowicz-Kowalska Teresa , Tyśkiewicz Renata , Słomka Anna , Nowak Artur , Hanaka Agnieszka
Published: October 2018

The endogenous pool of phytoregulators in plant tissues supplied with microbial secondary metabolites may be crucial for the development of winter wheat seedlings during cool springs. The phytohormones may be synthesized by psychrotrophic microorganisms in lower temperatures occurring in a temperate climate. Two fungal isolates from the Spitzbergen soils after the microscopic observations and “the internal transcribed spacer” (ITS) region molecular characterization were identified as Mortierella antarctica (MA DEM7) and Mortierella verticillata (MV DEM32). In order to study the synthesis of indoleacetic acid (IAA) and gibberellic acid (GA), Mortierella strains were grown on media supplemented with precursor of phytohormones tryptophan at 9, 15 °C, and 20 °C for nine days. The highest amount of IAA synthesis was identified in MV DEM32 nine-day-culture at 15 °C with 1.5 mM of tryptophan. At the same temperature (15 °C), the significant promoting effect (about 40% root and shoot fresh weight) of this strain on seedlings was observed. However, only MA DEM-7 had the ACC (1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate) deaminase activity with the highest efficiency at 9 °C and synthesized IAA without tryptophan. Moreover, at the same conditions, the strain was confirmed to possess the strong promoting effect (about 40% root and 24% shoot fresh weight) on seedlings. Both strains synthesized GA in all tested terms and temperatures. The studied Mortierella strains had some important traits that led them to be considered as microbial biofertilizers components, improving plant growth in difficult temperate climates.
The Emerging Role of Cyclin-Dependent Kinases (CDKs) in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma
Authors: García-Reyes Balbina , Kretz Anna-Laura , Ruff Jan-Philipp , Von Karstedt Silvia , Hillenbrand Andreas , Knippschild Uwe , Henne-Bruns Doris , Lemke Johannes
Published: October 2018

The family of cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) has critical functions in cell cycle regulation and controlling of transcriptional elongation. Moreover, dysregulated CDKs have been linked to cancer initiation and progression. Pharmacological CDK inhibition has recently emerged as a novel and promising approach in cancer therapy. This idea is of particular interest to combat pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), a cancer entity with a dismal prognosis which is owed mainly to PDAC’s resistance to conventional therapies. Here, we review the current knowledge of CDK biology, its role in cancer and the therapeutic potential to target CDKs as a novel treatment strategy for PDAC.
The Novel Autophagy Inhibitor Alpha-Hederin Promoted Paclitaxel Cytotoxicity by Increasing Reactive Oxygen Species Accumulation in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Cells
Authors: Zhan Yujuan , Wang Kun , Li Qiao , Zou Yidan , Chen Bonan , Gong Qing , HO Hiuting Idy , Yin Ting , Zhang Fangyuan , Lu Yuhua , Wu Weijie , Zhang Yilin , Tan Yuhui , Du Biaoyan , Liu Xiaodong , Xiao Jianyong
Published: October 2018

Chemoresistance is a major limiting factor that impairs the outcome of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) chemotherapy. Paclitaxel (Tax) induces protective autophagy in NSCLC cells, leading to the development of drug resistance. We recently identified a new autophagy inhibitor (alpha-hederin) and hypothesized that it may promote the killing effect of Tax on NSCLC cells. We found that alpha-hederin (α-Hed) could block late autophagic flux in NSCLC cells by altering lysosomal pH and inhibiting lysosomal cathepsin D maturation. Combination treatment of α-Hed and Tax synergistically reduced NSCLC cell proliferation and increased NSCLC cell apoptosis compared with treatment with α-Hed or Tax alone. Furthermore, α-Hed plus Tax enhanced the accumulation of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) in NSCLC cells, while the ROS inhibitor N-acetylcysteine reversed the inhibitory effect of the combination treatment. Our findings suggest that α-Hed can increase the killing effect of Tax on NSCLC cells by promoting ROS accumulation, and that combining α-Hed with classical Tax represents a novel strategy for treating NSCLC.
Novel Potentials of the DPP-4 Inhibitor Sitagliptin against Ischemia-Reperfusion (I/R) Injury in Rat Ex-Vivo Heart Model
Authors: Al-awar Amin , Almási Nikoletta , Szabó Renáta , Takacs Istvan , Murlasits Zsolt , Szűcs Gergő , Török Szilvia , Pósa Anikó , Varga Csaba , Kupai Krisztina
Published: October 2018

Dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitors are a class of oral anti-diabetic drugs, implicated in pleiotropic secondary cardioprotective effects. The aim of the study was to unveil the unknown and possible cardioprotective targets that can be exerted by sitagliptin (Sitg) against ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury. Male wistar rats received 2 weeks’ Sitg oral treatment of different doses (25, 50, 100, and 150 mg/kg/day), or saline as a Control. Hearts were then isolated and subjected to two different I/R injury protocols: 10 min perfusion, 45 min regional ischemia, and 120 min reperfusion for infarct size (IS) measurement, or: 10 min perfusion, 45 min regional ischemia and 10 min reperfusion for biochemical analysis: nitric oxide synthases (NOSs) and DPP-4 activity, glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), Calcium, transient receptor potential vanilloid (TRPV)-1 and calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) levels, transient receptor potential canonical (TRPC)-1 and e-NOS protein expression. NOS inhibitor (l-NAME) and TRPV-1 inhibitor (Capsazepine) were utilized to confirm the implication of both signaling mechanisms in DPP-4 inhibition-induced at the level of IS. Findings show that Sitg (50 mg) resulted in significant decrease in IS and DPP-4 activity, and significant increase in GLP-1, NOS activity, e-NOS expression, TRPV-1 level and TRPC-1 expression, compared to controls. Results of CGRP are in line with TRPV-1, as a downstream regulatory effect. NOS system and transient receptor potential (TRP) channels can contribute to DPP-4 inhibition-mediated cardioprotection against I/R injury using Sitagliptin.
Mitigation of Lost Circulation in Oil-Based Drilling Fluids Using Oil Absorbent Polymers
Authors: Zhong Hanyi , Shen Guangcheng , Yang Peng , Qiu Zhengsong , Jin Junbin , Xing Xiaodong
Published: October 2018

In order to mitigate the loss circulation of oil-based drilling fluids (OBDFs), an oil-absorbent polymer (OAP) composed by methylmethacrylate (MMA), butyl acrylate (BA), and hexadecyl methacrylate (HMA) was synthesized by suspension polymerization and characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and scanning electronic microscopy (SEM). The oil-absorptive capacity of OAP under different solvents was measured as the function of temperature and time. The effect of the OAP on the rheological and filtration properties of OBDFs was initially evaluated, and then the sealing property of OAP particles as lost circulation materials (LCMs) was examined by a high-temperature and high-pressure (HTHP) filtration test, a sand bed filtration test, a permeable plugging test, and a fracture sealing testing. The test results indicated that the addition of OAP had relatively little influence on the rheological properties of OBDF at content lower than 1.5 w/v % but increased the fluid viscosity remarkably at content higher than 3 w/v %. It could reduce the HTHP filtration and improve the sealing capacity of OBDF significantly. In the sealing treatment, after addition into the OBDF, the OAP particles could absorb oil accompanied with volume enlargement, which led to the increase of the fluid viscosity and slowing down of the fluid loss speed. The swelled and deformable OAP particles could be squeezed into the micro-fractures with self-adoption and seal the loss channel. More important, fluid loss was dramatically reduced when OAP particles were combined with other conventional LCMs by a synergistic effect.
Investigation on the Material Removal and Surface Generation of a Single Crystal SiC Wafer by Ultrasonic Chemical Mechanical Polishing Combined with Ultrasonic Lapping
Authors: Hu Yong , Shi Dong , Hu Ye , Zhao Hongwei , Sun Xingdong
Published: October 2018

A new method of ultrasonic chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) combined with ultrasonic lapping is introduced to improve the machining performance of carbide silicon (SiC). To fulfill the method, an ultrasonic assisted machining apparatus is designed and manufactured. Comparative experiments with and without ultrasonic assisted vibration are conducted. According to the experimental results, the material removal rate (MRR) and surface generation are investigated. The results show that both ultrasonic lapping and ultrasonic CMP can decrease the two-body abrasion and reduce the peak-to-valley (PV) value of surface roughness, the effect of ultrasonic in lapping can contribute to the higher MRR and better surface quality for the following CMP. The ultrasonic assisted vibration in CMP can promote the chemical reaction, increase the MRR and improve the surface quality. The combined ultrasonic CMP with ultrasonic lapping achieved the highest MRR of 1.057 μm/h and lowest PV value of 0.474 μm. Therefore this sequent ultrasonic assisted processing method can be used to improve the material removal rate and surface roughness for the single crystal SiC wafer.
Shear Behavior of Hybrid Fiber Reinforced Concrete Deep Beams
Authors: Ma Kaize , Qi Ting , Liu Huijie , Wang Hongbing
Published: October 2018

Hybrid fiber reinforced concrete (HFRC) is based on a multilevel-reinforcement material design that improves both the compressive strength and tensile strength. Investigations of the mechanical performance of HFRC with two types of steel fibers were conducted experimentally. The investigated parameters were the volume fractions of the short steel fibers and long steel fibers. The compressive strength, tensile strength, and flexural strength of the HFRC were researched. The group with volume fractions of 1.5% for the long steel fibers and 0.5% for the short steel fibers exhibited the best flexural strength. The synergetic effect clearly was improved by combining different types of steel fiber. Four HFRC deep beams and one reinforced concrete (RC) deep beam were conducted to consider the shear behavior of these beams. The primary variables included the volume fraction of steel fibers and the web reinforcement ratio. The shear behavior was evaluated based on the cracking pattern, load-deflection behavior, and shear capacity. All of the beams failed due to the formation of diagonal cracks. The results indicated that hybrid fibers contribute greatly to the shear behavior of deep beams. The hybrid fibers led to the formation of multiple diagonal cracks in the deep beams and enhanced the damage tolerance. With the same web reinforcement ratio, the ultimate load and deformation of the HFRC deep beams were better than those of the RC deep beam.
Self-Assembly Synthesis of Silver Nanowires/Graphene Nanocomposite and Its Effects on the Performance of Electrically Conductive Adhesive
Authors: Xu Tao , Chen Jiayu , Yuan Wenhui , Liu Yinhua , Sun Yongjun , Wu Huijun , Zhou Xiaoqing
Published: October 2018

Among recent advances in electronic packaging technologies, electrically conductive adhesives (ECAs) attract most researchers’ attention, as they are environment-friendly and simple to apply. ECAs also have a lower operating temperature and volume resistivity compared with conventional electronic conductive adhesives. In ECAs, the conducting fillers play a significant role in improving conductivity and strength. In this work, as filler additives, the silver nanowires/graphene nanocomposites (AgNWs-GNs) were successfully fabricated via a facile self-assembly method. The characteristics of the as-prepared nanocomposites were evaluated by FTIR (Fourier Transform infrared spectroscopy), XRD (X-ray Diffraction), XPS (X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy), TEM (Transmission electron microscope) and Raman tests, demonstrating a successful synthesis process. Different amounts of AgNWs-GNs were used as additives in micron flake silver filler, and the effects of AgNWs-GNs on the properties of ECAs were studied. The results suggested that the as-synthesized composites can significantly improve the electrical conductivity and shear strength of ECAs. With 0.8% AgNWs/GNs (AgNWs to GO (Graphite oxide) mass ratio is 4:1), the ECAs have the lowest volume resistivity of 9.31 × 10−5 Ω·cm (95.4% lower than the blank sample without fillers), while with 0.6% AgNWs/GNs (AgNWs to GO mass ratio is 6:1), the ECAs reach the highest shear strength of 14.3 MPa (68.2% higher than the blank sample).
Differential Accumulation of Aroma Compounds in Normal Green and Albino-Induced Yellow Tea (Camellia sinensis) Leaves
Authors: Dong Fang , Zeng Lanting , Yu Zhenming , Li Jianlong , Tang Jinchi , Su Xinguo , Yang Ziyin
Published: October 2018

Tea (Camellia sinensis) cultivars with green leaves are the most widely used for making tea. Recently, tea mutants with white or yellow young shoots have attracted increasing interest as raw materials for making “high-quality” tea products. Albino teas are generallycharacterized as having metabolites of relatively high amino acid content and lower catechin content. However, little is known about aroma compounds in albino tea leaves. Herein, we compared original normal leaves (green) and light-sensitive albino leaves (yellow) of cv. Yinghong No. 9. GC-MS was employed to analyze endogenous tea aroma compounds and related precursors. Quantitative real time PCR was used to measure expression levels of genes involved in biosyntheses of tea aromas.The total contents of most endogenous free tea aromas, including aroma fatty acid derivatives, aroma terpenes, and aroma phenylpropanoids/benzenoids, and their glycosidically bound aroma compounds, were lower in yellow leaves than in green leaves. The content of the key precursor geranyl diphosphate (GDP) and expression levels of key synthetic genes involved in the formation of linalool, a major aroma compound in cv. Yinghong No. 9, were investigated. Linalool content was lower in albino-induced yellow leaves, which was due to the lower GDP content compared with normal green leaves.
A Near-Infrared Fluorescent Probe Based on a FRET Rhodamine Donor Linked to a Cyanine Acceptor for Sensitive Detection of Intracellular pH Alternations
Authors: Zhang Yibin , Bi Jianheng , Xia Shuai , Mazi Wafa , Wan Shulin , Mikesell Logan , Luck Rudy L. , Liu Haiying
Published: October 2018

A fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET)-based near-infrared fluorescent probe (B+) for double-checked sensitive detection of intracellular pH changes has been synthesized by binding a near-infrared rhodamine donor to a near-infrared cyanine acceptor through robust C-N bonds via a nucleophilic substitution reaction. To demonstrate the double-checked advantages of probe B+, a near-infrared probe (A) was also prepared by modification of a near-infrared rhodamine dye with ethylenediamine to produce a closed spirolactam residue. Under basic conditions, probe B+ shows only weak fluorescence from the cyanine acceptor while probe A displays nonfluorescence due to retention of the closed spirolactam form of the rhodamine moiety. Upon decrease in solution pH level, probe B+ exhibits a gradual fluorescence increase from rhodamine and cyanine constituents at 623 nm and 743 nm respectively, whereas probe A displays fluorescence increase at 623 nm on the rhodamine moiety as acidic conditions leads to the rupture of the probe spirolactam rings. Probes A and B+ have successfully been used to monitor intracellular pH alternations and possess pKa values of 5.15 and 7.80, respectively.
Theoretical Investigations on the Reactivity of Methylidyne Radical toward 2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-Dioxin: A DFT and Molecular Dynamics Study
Authors: Wang Weihua , Feng Wenling , Wang Wenliang , Li Ping
Published: October 2018

To explore the potential reactivity of the methylidyne radical (CH) toward 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD), the reaction mechanism between them has been systematically investigated employing the density functional theory (DFT) and ab initio molecular dynamics simulations. The relevant thermodynamic and kinetic parameters in the possible reaction pathways have been discussed as well as the IR spectra and hyperfine coupling constants (hfcc’s) of the major products. Different from the reaction of the CH radical with 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzofuran, CH radical can attack all the C-C bonds of TCDD to form an initial intermediate barrierlessly via the cycloaddition mechanism. After then, the introduced C-H bond can be further inserted into the C-C bond of TCDD, resulting in the formation of a seven-membered ring structure. The whole reactions are favorable thermodynamically and kinetically. Moreover, the major products have been verified by ab initio molecular dynamics simulations. The distinct IR spectra and hyperfine coupling constants of the major products can provide some help for their experimental detection and identification. In addition, the reactivity of the CH radical toward the F- and Br-substituted TCDDs has also been investigated. Hopefully, the present findings can provide new insights into the reactivity of the CH radical in the transformation of TCDD-like dioxins.
Microbial and Nutritional Programming—The Importance of the Microbiome and Early Exposure to Potential Food Allergens in the Development of Allergies
Authors: Cukrowska Bożena
Published: October 2018

The “microbiota hypothesis” ties the increase in allergy rates observed in highly developed countries over the last decades to disturbances in the gut microbiota. Gut microbiota formation depends on a number of factors and occurs over approximately 1000 days of life, including the prenatal period. During this period the microbiota helps establish the functional immune phenotype, including immune tolerance. The development of immune tolerance depends also on early exposure to potential food allergens, a process referred to as nutritional programming. This article elaborates on the concepts of microbial and nutritional programming and their role in the primary prevention of allergy.
Functional Nanoparticles for Tumor Penetration of Therapeutics
Authors: Su Yu-Lin , Hu Shang-Hsiu
Published: October 2018

Theranostic nanoparticles recently received great interest for uniting unique functions to amplify therapeutic efficacy and reduce side effects. Despite the enhanced permeability and retention (EPR) effect, which amplifies the accumulation of nanoparticles at the site of a tumor, tumor heterogeneity caused by the dense extracellular matrix of growing cancer cells and the interstitial fluid pressure from abnormal angiogenesis in the tumor inhibit drug/particle penetration, leading to inhomogeneous and limited treatments. Therefore, nanoparticles for penetrated delivery should be designed with different strategies to enhance efficacy. Many strategies were developed to overcome the obstacles in cancer therapy, and they can be divided into three main parts: size changeability, ligand functionalization, and modulation of the tumor microenvironment. This review summarizes the results of ameliorated tumor penetration approaches and amplified therapeutic efficacy in nanomedicines. As the references reveal, further study needs to be conducted with comprehensive strategies with broad applicability and potential translational development.
Transformative Pedagogy, Black Theology and Participative forms of Praxis
Authors: Reddie Anthony G.
Published: October 2018

This paper outlines the development of a form of scholarship that seeks to bring together transformative modes of pedagogy that have become commonplace in Christian religious education alongside the liberative themes to be found in Black theology. The paper summarises the significant contributions of Paulo Freire to transformative pedagogy and conscientization as the first stage in this developing work. This formative analysis is then followed by reflections on the significant developments in religious education by and for Black people, principally in the US. In the final part of the paper, I describe my own participative approaches to Black theology by means of transformative pedagogy, which utilises interactive exercises as a means of combining the insights of the aforementioned ideas and themes into a transformative mode of teaching and learning.
Pulse-Width Multiplexing ϕ-OTDR for Nuisance-Alarm Rate Reduction
Authors: Zhong Xiang , Gao Xicheng , Deng Huaxia , Zhao Shisong , Ma Mengchao , Zhang Jin , Li Jianquan
Published: October 2018

A pulse-width multiplexing method for reducing the nuisance-alarm rate of a phase-sensitive optical time-domain reflectometer ( ϕ -OTDR) is described. In this method, light pulses of different pulse-widths are injected into the sensing fiber; the data acquired at different pulse-widths are regarded as the outputs of different sensors; and these data are then processed by a multisensor data fusion algorithm. In laboratory tests with a sensing fiber on a vibrating table, the effects of pulse-width on the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of the ϕ -OTDR data are observed. Furthermore, by utilizing the SNR as the feature in a feature-layer algorithm based on Dempster–Shafer evidential theory, a four-pulse-width multiplexing ϕ -OTDR system is constructed, and the nuisance-alarm rate is reduced by about 70%. These experimental results show that the proposed method has great potential for perimeter protection, since the nuisance-alarm rate is significantly reduced by using a simple configuration.
A Novel Scheme for MIMO-SAR Systems Using Rotational Orbital Angular Momentum
Authors: Bu Xiangxi , Zhang Zhuo , Liang Xingdong , Chen Longyong , Tang Haibo , Zeng Zheng , Wang Jie
Published: October 2018

The vortex electromagnetic (EM) wave with orbital angular momentum (OAM) brings a new degree of freedom for synthetic aperture radar (SAR) imaging, although to date, its application to multi-input multi-output (MIMO) SAR has not yet been widely reported. In this paper, an orbital angular momentum (OAM)-based MIMO-SAR system is proposed. The rotational Doppler Effect (RDE) of vortex EM waves offers a novel scheme for an OAM-based MIMO-SAR system. By transmitting the rotational vortex EM waves, echoes of different OAM modes can be discriminated by a bandpass filter in the range-Doppler domain. The performance of the proposed scheme is independent of the time-variant channel responses, and the wider beam width of the vortex EM waves delivers, for the same antenna aperture size, better performance in terms of swath width and azimuth resolution, in contrast to the plane EM waves. Moreover, the spatial diversity of vortex EM waves shows great potential to enhance the MIMO-SAR system applications, which involve high-resolution wide-swath remote sensing, 3-D imaging, and radar-communication integration. The proposed scheme is verified by proof-of-concept experiments. This work presents a new application of vortex EM waves, which facilitates the development of new-generation and forthcoming SAR systems.
Partial Discharge Recognition with a Multi-Resolution Convolutional Neural Network
Authors: Li Gaoyang , Wang Xiaohua , Li Xi , Yang Aijun , Rong Mingzhe
Published: October 2018

Partial discharge (PD) is not only an important symptom for monitoring the imperfections in the insulation system of a gas-insulated switchgear (GIS), but also the factor that accelerates the degradation. At present, monitoring ultra-high-frequency (UHF) signals induced by PDs is regarded as one of the most effective approaches for assessing the insulation severity and classifying the PDs. Therefore, in this paper, a deep learning-based PD classification algorithm is proposed and realized with a multi-column convolutional neural network (CNN) that incorporates UHF spectra of multiple resolutions. First, three subnetworks, as characterized by their specified designed temporal filters, frequency filters, and texture filters, are organized and then intergraded by a fully-connected neural network. Then, a long short-term memory (LSTM) network is utilized for fusing the embedded multi-sensor information. Furthermore, to alleviate the risk of overfitting, a transfer learning approach inspired by manifold learning is also present for model training. To demonstrate, 13 modes of defects considering both the defect types and their relative positions were well designed for a simulated GIS tank. A detailed analysis of the performance reveals the clear superiority of the proposed method, compared to18 typical baselines. Several advanced visualization techniques are also implemented to explore the possible qualitative interpretations of the learned features. Finally, a unified framework based on matrix projection is discussed to provide a possible explanation for the effectiveness of the architecture.
Towards a Cascading Reasoning Framework to Support Responsive Ambient-Intelligent Healthcare Interventions
Authors: De Brouwer Mathias , Ongenae Femke , Bonte Pieter , De Turck Filip
Published: October 2018

In hospitals and smart nursing homes, ambient-intelligent care rooms are equipped with many sensors. They can monitor environmental and body parameters, and detect wearable devices of patients and nurses. Hence, they continuously produce data streams. This offers the opportunity to collect, integrate and interpret this data in a context-aware manner, with a focus on reactivity and autonomy. However, doing this in real time on huge data streams is a challenging task. In this context, cascading reasoning is an emerging research approach that exploits the trade-off between reasoning complexity and data velocity by constructing a processing hierarchy of reasoners. Therefore, a cascading reasoning framework is proposed in this paper. A generic architecture is presented allowing to create a pipeline of reasoning components hosted locally, in the edge of the network, and in the cloud. The architecture is implemented on a pervasive health use case, where medically diagnosed patients are constantly monitored, and alarming situations can be detected and reacted upon in a context-aware manner. A performance evaluation shows that the total system latency is mostly lower than 5 s, allowing for responsive intervention by a nurse in alarming situations. Using the evaluation results, the benefits of cascading reasoning for healthcare are analyzed.
Minimizing Delay and Transmission Times with Long Lifetime in Code Dissemination Scheme for High Loss Ratio and Low Duty Cycle Wireless Sensor Networks
Authors: Qi Wei , Liu Wei , Liu Xuxun , Liu Anfeng , Wang Tian , Xiong Neal N , Cai Zhiping
Published: October 2018

Software defined networks brings greater flexibility to networks and therefore generates new vitality. Thanks to the ability to update soft code to sensor nodes, wireless sensor networks (WSNs) brings profound changes to Internet of Things. However, it is a challenging issue to minimize delay and transmission times and maintain long lifetime when broadcasting data packets in high loss ratio and low duty cycle WSNs. Although there have been some research concerning code dissemination, those schemes can only achieve a tradeoff between different performances, instead of optimizing all these important performances at the same time. Therefore, in this paper we propose a new strategy that can reduce delay and transmission times simultaneously. In traditional method, the broadcasting nature of wireless communication is not sufficiently utilized. By allowing sons of the same parent node to share awake slots, the broadcasting nature is well exploited and delay is thus reduced as well as transmission times with lifetime not affected. And, as we discover there is energy surplus when collecting data in area away from sink, we further improve this strategy so that all the performances can be further bettered. Compared with traditional method, the methods we design (IFAS, BTAS and AAPS) can respectively reduce delay by 20.56%, 31.59%, 55.16% and reduce transmission times by 29.53%, 43.93%, 42.04%, while not reducing lifetime.
A New Approach to Guided Wave Ray Tomography for Temperature-Robust Damage Detection Using Piezoelectric Sensors
Authors: Li Dan , Shi Ming , Xu Feng , Liu Chengcheng , Zhang Jianqiu , Ta Dean
Published: October 2018

In this paper, a new approach to guided wave ray tomography for temperature-robust damage detection with time-of-flight (TOF) temperature compensation is developed. Based on the linear relationship between the TOF of a guided wave and temperature, analyses show that the TOF of the baseline signal can be compensated by the temperature measurement of the inspected materials without estimating the temperature compensation parameters. The inversion is based on the optimization of the TOF misfit function between the inspected and compensated baseline TOFs of the guided waves, and is applied by the elastic net penalty approach to perform thickness change mapping in a structural health monitoring (SHM) application. Experiments that are conducted in isotropic plates by piezoelectric sensors demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method. According to the results, our approach not only eliminates the artefacts that are caused by a temperature variation from 25 °C to 70 °C but also provides more accurate and clearer imaging of damage than conventional ray tomography methods.
Electro-Mechanical Impedance (EMI) Based Interlayer Slide Detection Using Piezoceramic Smart Aggregates—A Feasibility Study
Authors: Wu Jianchao , Li Weijie , Feng Qian
Published: October 2018

Interlayer slide damage is one of the main causes of landslide hazard, inflicting huge economic losses and casualties. It is urgent to accurately detect the initiation and development of the interlayer slide damage in real time. In this paper, a study on the feasibility of using the electro-mechanical impedance (EMI) technique to detect the interlayer slide damage was presented. The main purpose of this paper is to investigate the application of the EMI technique for interlayer slide detection using piezoceramic smart aggregates (SAs). In the experimental study, three small landslide specimens with a weak interlayer in the middle were fabricated. For each specimen, three piezoceramic SAs were post-embedded at specific positions, which were located above the weak interlayer inside the structure. The specimens were subjected to a compressive test to initiate an interlayer slide along the weak layer. The whole loading process was monitored with a precision impedance analyzer by measuring the admittance (reciprocal of impedance) of the SAs over time. The statistic metrics, including root mean square deviation (RMSD) and mean absolute percentage deviation (MAPD), were introduced to quantify the variations in admittance signatures due to interlayer slide damage. It was found that the admittance signatures and statistic metrics were sensitive to the interlayer slide damage. The experimental results verify the feasibility and practicality of using EMI technique to detect the interlayer slide.
Constituents and Consequences of Online-Shopping in Sustainable E-Business: An Experimental Study of Online-Shopping Malls
Authors: Ijaz Muhammad Fazal , Rhee Jongtae
Published: October 2018

With the growth of the internet, electronic (online) business has become an important trend in the economy. This study investigates how retailers could enhance their shopping processes and hence help sustain their e-business development. Therefore, we propose a unified information system-consumer behavior (IS-CB) model for online shopping to analyze factors that impact online shopping. We used an online survey to gather data from 633 online customers to test the theoretical model, matching differences using structural equation modeling. Highly influencing factors for the IS-CB online shopping model included perceived value (PV), perceived risk (PR), social factors (SF), perceived ease of use (PEOU), perceived usefulness (PU), online shopping intention, trust, online shopping experience, actual online shopping purchases, entertainment gratification (EG), website irritation (WI), information design (ID), visual design (VD), and navigation design (ND). This study provides important theoretical and practical implications. PV and trust in online shopping can nurture positive attitudes and shopping intentions among online customers. Well-designed websites produce higher levels of trust and reduced WI. Similarly, online shopping sites with better ID, ND, and VD also reduce WI and increase trust. This study fills gaps in previous studies relating to IS and CB and provides explanations for IS and CB constituent impacts on acceptance and use of online shopping. The proposed unified IS-CB explains consumer online shopping patterns for a sustainable e-business.