bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Influence of Low-Temperature Charge on the Mechanical Integrity Behavior of 18650 Lithium-Ion Battery Cells Subject to Lateral Compression
Authors: Gao Zhenhai , Zhang Xiaoting , Xiao Yang , Gao Hao , Wang Huiyuan , Piao Changhao
Published: February 2019

The study on the damage tolerance and failure mechanism of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) subject to mechanical attack has attracted considerable attention. The electrochemical performance and thermal behavior of LIB were significantly affected by operation temperature and charging rate, but the dependence of these two factors on mechanical response remains unclear. Hence, we investigated how the environmental temperatures and rates in charging process affected the mechanical response characteristics of 18650 LIB cells. The onset of the short circuit in the cells which charged at temperatures above −25 °C occurred around their modulus peak under compression. At −25 °C, there was a strong possibility that a premature short circuit occurred locally in the cells during charging, thus they might show complex and variable mechanical response under compression. The failure moduli and crushing stresses of cells subject to compression tended to decrease as their ambient charging temperatures went down. Besides, 0.5 C-charged cells exhibited higher failure moduli and crushing stresses than the 1 C-charged cells above −20 °C. Morphology analyses of the cell electrode surfaces revealed that mossy lithium deposits became evident at temperatures below −10 °C. Furthermore, their distribution was uniform. Mechanical results also indicated that the short-term cycling at −20 °C and 0.5 C would soften the cell.
Hip-Hop Ethos
Authors: Harrison Anthony , Arthur Craig
Published: February 2019

This article excavates the ethos surrounding hip hop, starting from the proposition that hip hop represents a distinct yet pervasive expression of contemporary black subjectivity, which crystalized in 1970s New York City and has since proliferated into a potent ethos of the subaltern embraced within socially marginalized youth communities throughout the world. The article begins by outlining the black diasporic traditions of expressive performance that hip hop issues from, as discussed through the work of Zora Neale Hurston and Amiri Baraka. In the remainder of the article, a blueprint of hip hop’s ethos is presented based on five fundamental tenets: (1) properties of flow, layering, and rupture; (2) a principle of productive consumption; (3) the production of excessive publicity or promotion—what hip-hop affiliates refer to as “hype”; (4) embracing individual and communal entrepreneurship; and (5) a committed politics of action and loyalty. While acknowledging hip hop’s malleability and refusal to be neatly characterized, the article maintains that its characteristic spirit embodies these core doctrines.
Traditional Diet and Environmental Contaminants in Coastal Chukotka I: Study Design and Dietary Patterns
Authors: Dudarev Alexey A. , Yamin-Pasternak Sveta , Pasternak Igor , Chupakhin Valery S.
Published: February 2019

The article is the first in the series of four that present the results of a study on environmental contaminants in coastal Chukotka, conducted in the context of a multi-disciplinary investigation of indigenous foodways in the region of the Bering Strait. We provide an overview of the contemporary foodways in our study region and present the results of the survey on the consumption of locally harvested foods, carried out in 2016 in the Chukotkan communities of Enmelen, Nunligran, and Sireniki. The present results are evaluated in comparison to those of the analyses carried out in 2001–2002 in the village of Uelen, located further north. Where appropriate, we also draw comparative insight from the Alaskan side of the Bering Strait. The article sets the stage for the analyses of legacy persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and metals to which the residents become exposed through diet and other practices embedded in the local foodways, and for the discussion of the Recommended Food Daily Intake Limits (RFDILs) of the food that has been sampled and analyzed in the current study.
Internet-Delivered Cognitive Behavior Therapy for Young Taiwanese Female Nursing Students with Irritable Bowel Syndrome—A Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Lee Tzu-Ying , Hsieh Tsung-Cheng , Sung Huei-Chuan , Chen Wan-Lan
Published: February 2019

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is prevalent within the general population. Studies have shown that stress and anxiety co-exist with IBS. Young Taiwanese women commonly exhibit physical and psychological health problems caused by academic stress. The purpose of our current study was to evaluate the efficacy of short-term Internet-delivered cognitive-behavioral therapy (ICBT) on female nursing students in practicum. We performed a cluster randomized controlled trial comprised of 160 participants who met the inclusion criteria, which were divided into three groups: (1) ICBT, (2) expressive writing (EW), and (3) wait-list control. Treatment interventions lasted for 6 weeks. Levels of anxiety, depression, and IBS symptoms were assessed at four time points, baseline assessment at T0, 2 weeks after T0 (T1), at the end of practicum (T2), and at 3-month follow-up (T3). The results showed that ICBT and EW groups exhibited a significant, yet small, reduction in anxiety and depression at T2 and T3 compared to the wait-list control group. The EW group exhibited significantly greater reduction in anxiety and depression compared to the ICBT group at T2. However, the ICBT group demonstrated greater improvements in alleviating anxiety and depression at T3 compared to the EW group. These data indicate that ICBT and EW groups exhibited small effects on anxiety and depression reduction at T2 and T3 compared to the wait-list control group, with no effects on IBS symptoms in young Taiwanese female nursing students.
The Distribution of Trace Metals in Roadside Agricultural Soils, Thailand
Authors: Krailertrattanachai Nattanan , Ketrot Daojarus , Wisawapipat Worachart
Published: February 2019

Vehicle emissions have been known to cause trace metal contamination in soils. The extent of such contaminations in soils, and of the effects of traffic density and distance from highways on the concentration of trace metals in roadside agricultural soils is largely unknown. This study examined the total concentrations of common trace metals (Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, V, and Zn) in roadside agricultural soils from Thailand with diverse traffic densities (approximately 30–200 million vehicles/kilometer/year), roadside distances (0, 10, 20, 50, and 100 m from the road edge), and crops (rice, maize, and sugarcane). Cadmium, Cu, Pb, and Zn concentrations significantly decreased with increasing distance away from the roads (p < 0.05). However, the concentrations of these metals were not correlated with traffic density, probably due to extensive road maintenance and expansion. The contamination factor demonstrated that the road edge soils were moderately- to highly-polluted with Cd, Cu, Pb, and Zn. The safest distance to minimize metal pollution for agricultural production is proposed to be greater than 10 m away from the road edge.
Chemical Variability of the Essential Oil of Origanum ehrenbergii Boiss. from Lebanon, Assessed by Independent Component Analysis (ICA) and Common Component and Specific Weight Analysis (CCSWA)
Authors: Zgheib Raviella , El-Beyrouthy Marc , Chaillou Sylvain , Ouaini Naim , Rutledge Douglas N. , Stien Didier , Kassouf Amine , Leonti Marco , Iriti Marcello
Published: February 2019

Origanum ehrenbergii Boiss., an endemic plant to Lebanon, is widely acknowledged in Lebanese traditional medicine. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the influence of the drying method, region, and time of harvest on yield and chemical composition of O. ehrenbergii essential oils (EOs). Plants were harvested monthly throughout 2013 and 2014, from two different regions, Aabadiye and Qartaba, then dried using two drying methods: lyophilization and shade-drying at 4 °C. EO was extracted by hydrodistillation and analyzed by GC/MS. GC-MS data, combined with independent component analysis (ICA) and common component and specific weight analysis (CCSWA), showed that drying techniques, region of harvest, and soil composition have no effect on the chemical composition of O. ehrenbergii EOs. Of the factors analyzed, only harvesting time affected the EO composition of this species. High and stable amounts of carvacrol, associated with reliable antimicrobial activities, were detected in material harvested between March and October. EOs obtained from plants harvested in Aabadiye in January and February showed high amounts of thymoquinone, related to anti-inflammatory and cytotoxic effects. The use of ICA and CCSWA was proven to be efficient, and allowed the development of a discriminant model for the classification of O. ehrenbergii chemotype and the determination of the best harvesting time.
Cell Metabolism Control Through O-GlcNAcylation of STAT5: A Full or Empty Fuel Tank Makes a Big Difference for Cancer Cell Growth and Survival
Authors: Rauth Manuel , Freund Patricia , Orlova Anna , Grünert Stefan , Tasic Nikola , Han Xiaonan , Ruan Hai-Bin , Neubauer Heidi A. , Moriggl Richard
Published: February 2019

O-GlcNAcylation is a post-translational modification that influences tyrosine phosphorylation in healthy and malignant cells. O-GlcNAc is a product of the hexosamine biosynthetic pathway, a side pathway of glucose metabolism. It is essential for cell survival and proper gene regulation, mirroring the metabolic status of a cell. STAT3 and STAT5 proteins are essential transcription factors that can act in a mutational context-dependent manner as oncogenes or tumor suppressors. They regulate gene expression for vital processes such as cell differentiation, survival, or growth, and are also critically involved in metabolic control. The role of STAT3/5 proteins in metabolic processes is partly independent of their transcriptional regulatory role, but is still poorly understood. Interestingly, STAT3 and STAT5 are modified by O-GlcNAc in response to the metabolic status of the cell. Here, we discuss and summarize evidence of O-GlcNAcylation-regulating STAT function, focusing in particular on hyperactive STAT5A transplant studies in the hematopoietic system. We emphasize that a single O-GlcNAc modification is essential to promote development of neoplastic cell growth through enhancing STAT5A tyrosine phosphorylation. Inhibition of O-GlcNAcylation of STAT5A on threonine 92 lowers tyrosine phosphorylation of oncogenic STAT5A and ablates malignant transformation. We conclude on strategies for new therapeutic options to block O-GlcNAcylation in combination with tyrosine kinase inhibitors to target neoplastic cancer cell growth and survival.
Melatonin Mediates Enhancement of Stress Tolerance in Plants
Authors: Debnath Biswojit , Islam Waqar , Li Min , Sun Yueting , Lu Xiaocao , Mitra Sangeeta , Hussain Mubasher , Liu Shuang , Qiu Dongliang
Published: February 2019

Melatonin is a multifunctional signaling molecule, ubiquitously distributed in different parts of plants and responsible for stimulating several physiological responses to adverse environmental conditions. In the current review, we showed that the biosynthesis of melatonin occurred in plants by themselves, and accumulation of melatonin fluctuated sharply by modulating its biosynthesis and metabolic pathways under stress conditions. Melatonin, with its precursors and derivatives, acted as a powerful growth regulator, bio-stimulator, and antioxidant, which delayed leaf senescence, lessened photosynthesis inhibition, and improved redox homeostasis and the antioxidant system through a direct scavenging of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reactive nitrogen species (RNS) under abiotic and biotic stress conditions. In addition, exogenous melatonin boosted the growth, photosynthetic, and antioxidant activities in plants, confirming their tolerances against drought, unfavorable temperatures, salinity, heavy metals, acid rain, and pathogens. However, future research, together with recent advancements, would support emerging new approaches to adopt strategies in overcoming the effect of hazardous environments on crops and may have potential implications in expanding crop cultivation against harsh conditions. Thus, farming communities and consumers will benefit from elucidating food safety concerns.
Integrated Analysis of miRNA and mRNA Expression Profiles in Spleen of Specific Pathogen-Free Chicken Infected with Avian Reticuloendotheliosis Virus Strain SNV
Authors: Gao Shuo , Jiang Hao , Sun Jie , Diao Youxiang , Tang Yi , Hu Jingdong
Published: February 2019

The Reticuloendotheliosis virus (REV) primarily causes avian severe immunosuppression, in addition to other symptoms, which include avian dwarfing syndrome and chronic tumors in lymphoid and other tissue. To date, REV’s molecular mechanisms leading to immunosuppression have not been fully elucidated. In the current study, we aimed to elucidate the role of microRNAs (miRNA) in regulating gene expression during REV infections. Therefore, we used a high-dose spleen necrosis virus (SNV) model of REV to inoculate one-day-old specific pathogen-free (SPF) chickens, thereby inducing congenital infections. We analyzed miRNA and mRNA expression profiles using Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) in a total of 19 spleen samples that were collected at 7, 14, and 21 days post infection (dpi). The results showed that 63 differentially expressed miRNAs (DEmiRNAs) (30 known miRNAs and 33 novel miRNAs) and 482 differentially expressed target genes (DETGs) were identified. Integration analysis identified 886 known miRNA–mRNA and 580 novel miRNA–mRNA interaction pairs, which involved miRNAs that were inversely correlated with the above DETGs. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis revealed that the DETGs were considerably enriched in the immune-relevant pathways category, such as immune system, cell growth and death, signaling molecules and interaction, signal transduction, etc. We further verified selected immune-relevant miRNA and their DETGs while using quantitative RT-PCR (qRT-PCR). Overall, our data revealed valuable immune-related miRNA–mRNA interaction information that occurred during REV infections, thereby broadening our understanding of the REV-induced immunosuppression.
Microstructure and Corrosion Behavior of (CoCrFeNi)95Nb5 High-Entropy Alloy Coating Fabricated by Plasma Spraying
Authors: Wang Wenrui , Qi Wu , Xie Lu , Yang Xiao , Li Jiangtao , Zhang Yong
Published: February 2019

In this paper, the (CoCrFeNi)95Nb5 high-entropy alloy (HEA) coating with a thickness of 500 μm on Q235 steel substrate was fabricated by plasma spraying. The microscopic results showed that a new Laves phase is formed in the (CoCrFeNi)95Nb5 HEA coating compared to the HEA powder, and elemental segregation occurs between the dendrites and the interdendrites of the coating, while the interdendritic phase enriches with the Cr and Nb. The phase composition change and elemental segregation behavior were mainly due to the faster cooling rate of the plasma spraying technique. At the junction of the coating and the substrate, the HEA coating bonded well to the substrate; in addition, the width of transition zone was merely 2 μm. The microhardness of the (CoCrFeNi)95Nb5 HEA coating was 321 HV0.5, which is significantly higher than that of the substrate. In terms of corrosion resistance, the (CoCrFeNi)95Nb5 HEA coating has good corrosion resistance in NaCl solution. Although the corrosion form was pitting corrosion, the pitting potential of the (CoCrFeNi)95Nb5 HEA coating was significantly higher than that of other coatings, which was mainly because of the dense passivation film formed by Cr and Nb on the surface of the coating. Once the passivation film was destroyed by Cl−, the selective corrosion occurred on the surface of the (CoCrFeNi)95Nb5 HEA coating. In summary, the (CoCrFeNi)95Nb5 HEA coating prepared by plasma spraying technology can significantly improve the corrosion resistance and mechanical properties of the Q235 steel substrate.
Poisson’s Ratio of the f.c.c. Hard Sphere Crystals with Periodically Stacked (001)-Nanolayers of Hard Spheres of Another Diameter
Authors: Narojczyk Jakub W. , Wojciechowski Krzysztof W.
Published: February 2019

The results of studies on the influence of periodically stacked nanolayer inclusions, introduced into the face-centered cubic (f.c.c.) hard sphere crystal, on Poisson’s ratio of the obtained nanocomposite system are presented. The monolayers are orthogonal to the [ 001 ] -direction. They are formed by hard spheres with diameter different from the spheres forming the matrix of the system. The Monte Carlo computer simulations show that in such a case the symmetry of the system changes from the cubic to tetragonal one. When the diameter of the inclusion spheres increases at certain range, a decrease of the negative Poisson’s ratio in the [ 101 ] [ 1 ¯ 01 ] -directions is observed, i.e., the system enhances its partial auxeticity. The dependence of the maximal, average, and negative parts of the minimal Poisson’s ratio on the direction of the applied load are shown in a form of surfaces in spherical coordinates, plotted for selected values of nanolayer particle diameters. The most negative value of the Poisson’s ratio found among all studied systems was − 0.11 (at pressure p * = 100 , which is about ten times higher than the melting pressure) what is almost twice more negative than in the f.c.c. crystal of identical hard spheres. The observed effect weakens along with the decrease of pressure and becomes hardly noticeable near melting. This study indicates that modifying only the size of the inclusion particles one can change Poisson’s ratio of nanocomposites at high pressures.
Application of a Bioactive/Bioresorbable Three-Dimensional Porous Uncalcined and Unsintered Hydroxyapatite/Poly-d/l-lactide Composite with Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells for Bone Regeneration in Maxillofacial Surgery: A Pilot Animal Study
Authors: Sha Jingjing , Kanno Takahiro , Miyamoto Kenichi , Bai Yunpeng , Hideshima Katsumi , Matsuzaki Yumi
Published: February 2019

A novel three-dimensional (3D) porous uncalcined and unsintered hydroxyapatite/poly-d/l-lactide (3D-HA/PDLLA) composite demonstrated superior biocompatibility, osteoconductivity, biodegradability, and plasticity, thereby enabling complex maxillofacial defect reconstruction. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs)—a type of adult stem cell—have a multipotent ability to differentiate into chondrocytes, adipocytes, and osteocytes. In a previous study, we found that CD90 (Thy-1, cluster of differentiation 90) and CD271 (low-affinity nerve growth factor receptor) double-positive cell populations from human bone marrow had high proliferative ability and differentiation capacity in vitro. In the present study, we investigated the utility of bone regeneration therapy using implantation of 3D-HA/PDLLA loaded with human MSCs (hMSCs) in mandibular critical defect rats. Microcomputed tomography (Micro-CT) indicated that implantation of a 3D-HA/PDLLA-hMSC composite scaffold improved the ability to achieve bone regeneration compared with 3D-HA/PDLLA alone. Compared to the sufficient blood supply in the mandibular defection superior side, a lack of blood supply in the inferior side caused delayed healing. The use of Villanueva Goldner staining (VG staining) revealed the gradual progression of the nucleated cells and new bone from the scaffold border into the central pores, indicating that 3D-HA/PDLLA loaded with hMSCs had good osteoconductivity and an adequate blood supply. These results further demonstrated that the 3D-HA/PDLLA-hMSC composite scaffold was an effective bone regenerative method for maxillofacial boney defect reconstruction.
Identification of Compounds That Inhibit Estrogen-Related Receptor Alpha Signaling Using High-Throughput Screening Assays
Authors: Lynch Caitlin , Zhao Jinghua , Sakamuru Srilatha , Zhang Li , Huang Ruili , Witt Kristine L. , Merrick B. Alex , Teng Christina T. , Xia Menghang
Published: February 2019

The nuclear receptor, estrogen-related receptor alpha (ERRα; NR3B1), plays a pivotal role in energy homeostasis. Its expression fluctuates with the demands of energy production in various tissues. When paired with the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ coactivator 1α (PGC-1α), the PGC/ERR pathway regulates a host of genes that participate in metabolic signaling networks and in mitochondrial oxidative respiration. Unregulated overexpression of ERRα is found in many cancer cells, implicating a role in cancer progression and other metabolism-related diseases. Using high throughput screening assays, we screened the Tox21 10K compound library in stably transfected HEK293 cells containing either the ERRα-reporter or the reporter plus PGC-1α expression plasmid. We identified two groups of antagonists that were potent inhibitors of ERRα activity and/or the PGC/ERR pathway: nine antineoplastic agents and thirteen pesticides. Results were confirmed using gene expression studies. These findings suggest a novel mechanism of action on bioenergetics for five of the nine antineoplastic drugs. Nine of the thirteen pesticides, which have not been investigated previously for ERRα disrupting activity, were classified as such. In conclusion, we demonstrated that high-throughput screening assays can be used to reveal new biological properties of therapeutic and environmental chemicals, broadening our understanding of their modes of action.
Development of Anthraquinone Analogues as Phosphoglycerate Mutase 1 Inhibitors
Authors: Huang Ke , Jiang Lulu , Li Huiti , Ye Deyong , Zhou Lu
Published: February 2019

Phosphoglycerate mutase 1 (PGAM1) coordinates glycolysis and biosynthesis to promote cancer cell proliferation, and is believed to be a promising target for cancer therapy. Herein, based on the anthraquinone scaffold, we synthesized 31 anthraquinone derivatives and investigated the structure−activity relationship (SAR). The 3-substitient of sulfonamide on the anthraquinone scaffold was essential for maintaining potency and the modifications of the hydroxyl of alizarin would cause a sharp decrease in potency. In the meantime, we determined the co-crystal structure of PGAM1 and one of the anthraquinone inhibitors 9i with IC50 value of 0.27 μM. The co-crystal structure revealed that F22, K100 and R116 of PGAM1 were critical residues for the binding of inhibitors which further validated the SAR. Consistent with the crystal structure, a competitive assay illustrated that compound 9i was a noncompetitive inhibitor. In addition, compound 9i effectively restrained different lung cancer cells proliferation in vitro. Taken together, this work provides reliable guide for future development of PGAM1 inhibitors and compound 9i may act as a new leading compound for further optimization.
Facile Fabrication of 3D Graphene–Silica Hydrogel Composite for Enhanced Removal of Mercury Ions
Authors: Lu Jinrong , Wu Xiaonan , Li Yao , Liang Yinghua , Cui Wenquan
Published: February 2019

Adsorption is a highly promising and widely used approach to remove Hg(II) ions from contaminated water. The key to this technology is exploring the effective adsorbent. The three-dimensional (3D) graphene as reduced graphene oxide hydrogel (rGH)-encapsulated silica gel (SG-PEI/rGH) was prepared by a moderate chemical reduction strategy using ascorbic acid. This composite structure was characterized by FTIR, XRD, and SEM analysis and used as adsorbents for Hg(II) ions. Its adsorption capacity toward Hg(II) ions was 266 mg/g and increased about 32% compared with the silica gel because of reduced graphene oxide hydrogel (rGH). Mechanism study showed that the high adsorption ability was due to the formation of an N–Hg complex with multi-amino groups on the surface of polyethyleneimine-modified silica gel (SG-PEI) and the rapid diffusion of adsorbed ions attributed to the rGH network structure. This composite SG-PEI/rGH would be a promising material for the removal of Hg(II) ions.
Scoping Pharmacy Students’ Learning Outcomes: Where Do We Stand?
Authors: Pires Carla , Cavaco Afonso
Published: February 2019

Background: The professional abilities of graduate pharmacists have been associated with pharmacy undergraduates’ educational settings and features. This study aimed to perform a scoping review on how students’ learning outcomes are achieved, including learning assessment strategies, focusing on current pharmacy practice education. Methods: Relevant keywords, e.g., “pharmacy practice”, “(students or undergraduates)” and “outcomes” were browsed in Public/Publisher MEDLINE, Scientific Electronic Library Online, Directory of Open Access Journals, and other relevant databases for recently published sources (2018 and 2017). Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses criteria were followed to assure the scoping quality. All types of students’ learning outcomes were addressed for indexed publications in English, Portuguese or Spanish. Reviews, descriptive studies and commentaries were excluded. Study data are presented in tables comprising objectives, methods, number of participants and main research findings. Results: Overall, 100 studies were identified and 22 were selected. The selected studies were distributed into seven main topics: real practices (n = 9); active-learning strategies (n = 5); comparisons between different teaching pedagogies (n = 3); pharmacy curriculum (n = 2); and other evaluations (n = 3). Conclusions: Studies on pharmacy students’ learning outcomes are limited. Pharmacy undergraduates’ performance was dependent on the learning strategies and extension of syllabus implementation.
Effects of Caustic Extraction on Properties of Viscose Grade Dissolving Pulp
Authors: Friebel Cindy , Bischof Robert H. , Schild Gabriele , Fackler Karin , Gebauer Ireen
Published: February 2019

Viscose, a cellulose-based commodity fibre, is produced by pulping and bleaching of wood, yielding a high quality “dissolving pulp” which is then spun. During pulping and bleaching, effective hemicellulose extraction is required to allow fibre production. We present a design of experiments (DoE) approach to optimise caustic extraction in a total chlorine free (TCF) bleaching sequence (O-CE-Z-P) of beech wood sulphite pulp. Temperature and sodium hydroxide concentration were varied to identify highest xylan extraction yield, and a maximum xylan removal of 83% was achieved at 20 °C and 120 g/L NaOH. Additionally, caustic extraction conditions were derived from the DoE model that led to pulps with high yield, high alpha cellulose content or uniform cellulose molecular weight distribution. Pulps from verification experiments exhibited good reactivity in viscose application tests. Hence, the presented O-CE-Z-P bleaching sequence can be considered as suitable for integrated viscose fibre production. We assume that the presented caustic extraction model will be useful for pulp and biorefinery researchers who work on caustic biorefinery processes involving hardwood feedstocks.
Distributed Fusion of Sensor Data in a Constrained Wireless Network
Authors: Papatsimpa Charikleia , Linnartz Jean-Paul
Published: February 2019

Smart buildings with connected lighting and sensors are likely to become one of the first large-scale applications of the Internet of Things (IoT). However, as the number of interconnected IoT devices is expected to rise exponentially, the amount of collected data will be enormous but highly redundant. Devices will be required to pre-process data locally or at least in their vicinity. Thus, local data fusion, subject to constraint communications will become necessary. In that sense, distributed architectures will become increasingly unavoidable. Anticipating this trend, this paper addresses the problem of presence detection in a building as a distributed sensing of a hidden Markov model (DS-HMM) with limitations on the communication. The key idea in our work is the use of a posteriori probabilities or likelihood ratios (LR) as an appropriate “interface” between heterogeneous sensors with different error profiles. We propose an efficient transmission policy, jointly with a fusion algorithm, to merge data from various HMMs running separately on all sensor nodes but with all the models observing the same Markovian process. To test the feasibility of our DS-HMM concept, a simple proof-of-concept prototype was used in a typical office environment. The experimental results show full functionality and validate the benefits. Our proposed scheme achieved high accuracy while reducing the communication requirements. The concept of DS-HMM and a posteriori probabilities as an interface is suitable for many other applications for distributed information fusion in wireless sensor networks.
2D Triangulation of Signals Source by Pole-Polar Geometric Models
Authors: Montanha Aleksandro , Polidorio Airton M. , Dominguez-Mayo F. J. , Escalona María J.
Published: February 2019

The 2D point location problem has applications in several areas, such as geographic information systems, navigation systems, motion planning, mapping, military strategy, location and tracking moves. We aim to present a new approach that expands upon current techniques and methods to locate the 2D position of a signal source sent by an emitter device. This new approach is based only on the geometric relationship between an emitter device and a system composed of

m
≥
2

signal receiving devices. Current approaches applied to locate an emitter can be deterministic, statistical or machine-learning methods. We propose to perform this triangulation by geometric models that exploit elements of pole-polar geometry. For this purpose, we are presenting five geometric models to solve the point location problem: (1) based on centroid of points of pole-polar geometry, PPC; (2) based on convex hull region among pole-points, CHC; (3) based on centroid of points obtained by polar-lines intersections, PLI; (4) based on centroid of points obtained by tangent lines intersections, TLI; (5) based on centroid of points obtained by tangent lines intersections with minimal angles, MAI. The first one has computational cost

O

(
n
)

and whereas has the computational cost

O

(

n
l
o
g
n

)

where

n

is the number of points of interest.
Forecasting Quarterly Sales Volume of the New Energy Vehicles Industry in China Using a Data Grouping Approach-Based Nonlinear Grey Bernoulli Model
Authors: Pei Ling-Ling , Li Qin
Published: February 2019

The new energy vehicles (NEVs) industry has been regarded as the primary industry involving in the transformation of the China automobile industry and environmental pollution control. Based on the quarterly fluctuation characteristics of NEVs’ sales volume in China, this research puts forwards a data grouping approach-based nonlinear grey Bernoulli model (DGA-based NGBM (1,1)). The main ideas of this work are to effectively predict quarterly fluctuation of NEVs industry by introducing a data grouping approach into the NGBM (1,1) model, and then use the particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm to optimize the parameters of the model so as to increase forecasting precision. By empirical comparison between the DGA-based NGBM (1,1) and existing data grouping approach-based GM (1,1) model (DGA-based GM (1,1)), DGA-based NGBM (1,1) can effectively reduce the prediction error resulting from quarterly fluctuation of sales volume of the NEVs, and prediction performance are proven to be favorable. The results of out-of-sample forecasting using the model proposed show that the sales volume of NEVs in China will increase by 57% in 2019–2020 with a quarterly fluctuation. In 2020, the sales volume of NEVs will exceeds the target of 2 million in the “13th Five-Year Strategic Development Plan”. Therefore, China needs to pay more attention to infrastructure construction and after-sales service for NEVs.
Methane Production from Alginate-Extracted and Non-Extracted Waste of Laminaria japonica: Anaerobic Mono- and Synergetic Co-Digestion Effects on Yield
Authors: Osman Mohammed M.M. , Shao Xiaohou , Zhao Deling , Basheer Amir K. , Jin Hongmei , Zhang Yingpeng
Published: February 2019

This study investigated the potentiality of methane production from alginate-extracted (AEWLJ) and non-extracted (NAEWLJ) waste of Laminaria japonica through batch anaerobic fermentation in mono- and co-digestion with rice straw (RS) at different mixing ratios. Optimal C/N ratio was demonstrated, and system stability was monitored in terms of the total ammonia nitrogen, total volatile fatty acids, and pH throughout the digestion period. The results show that the combination of AEWLJ/RS at 67% mixing ratio generated the highest biogas yield of 247 NmL/gVS, which was 36% higher than the AEWLJ alone. The synergetic effect was clearly observed leading to an increase in the total methane yield up to 78% and 88%, respectively, for arrays of AEWLJ/RS and NAEWLJ/RS. The kinetic model showed a high coefficient of determination (R2 ≥ 0.9803) when the modified Gompertz model was applied to predict methane production. These outcomes support the possibility of an integrated biorefinery approach to attain value-added products in order to achieve circular economies.
Sowing the Seeds of a Pandemic? Mammalian Pathogenicity and Transmissibility of H1 Variant Influenza Viruses from the Swine Reservoir
Authors: Pulit-Penaloza Joanna A. , Belser Jessica A. , Tumpey Terrence M. , Maines Taronna R.
Published: February 2019

Emergence of genetically and antigenically diverse strains of influenza to which the human population has no or limited immunity necessitates continuous risk assessments to determine the likelihood of these viruses acquiring adaptations that facilitate sustained human-to-human transmission. As the North American swine H1 virus population has diversified over the last century by means of both antigenic drift and shift, in vivo assessments to study multifactorial traits like mammalian pathogenicity and transmissibility of these emerging influenza viruses are critical. In this review, we examine genetic, molecular, and pathogenicity and transmissibility data from a panel of contemporary North American H1 subtype swine-origin viruses isolated from humans, as compared to H1N1 seasonal and pandemic viruses, including the reconstructed 1918 virus. We present side-by-side analyses of experiments performed in the mouse and ferret models using consistent experimental protocols to facilitate enhanced interpretation of in vivo data. Contextualizing these analyses in a broader context permits a greater appreciation of the role that in vivo risk assessment experiments play in pandemic preparedness. Collectively, we find that despite strain-specific heterogeneity among swine-origin H1 viruses, contemporary swine viruses isolated from humans possess many attributes shared by prior pandemic strains, warranting heightened surveillance and evaluation of these zoonotic viruses.
Synthesis and biological investigation of (+)-3-hydroxymethylartemisinin
Authors: Smeilus Toni , Mousavizadeh Farnoush , Krieger Johannes , Tu Xingzhao , Kaiser Marcel , Giannis Athanassios
Published: February 2019

Herein, we describe a biomimetic entry to (+)-3-hydroxymethylartemisinin (2) as well as to the artemisinin derivatives (+)-3-hydroxymethyl-9-desmethylartemisinin (16) and (+)-3-hydroxymethyl-9-epi-artemisinin (18), starting from the known and readily available chiral aldehyde 3 and alkyne 4. Subsequently, the synthesized compounds have been evaluated for their antimalarial activity against the drug-sensitive P. falciparum NF54 strain. All of them were inactive. In addition, they did not show any toxicity against L6 cells (a primary cell line derived from rat skeletal myoblasts). These results contribute to a better understanding of artemisinins mechanism of action.
Intramolecular cascade annulation triggered by rhodium(III)-catalyzed sequential C(sp2)–H activation and C(sp3)–H amination
Authors: Song Liangliang , Tian Guilong , Van der Eycken Johan , Van der Eycken Erik V
Published: February 2019

A rhodium(III)-catalyzed intramolecular oxidative annulation of O-substituted N-hydroxyacrylamides for the construction of indolizinones via sequential C(sp2)–H activation and C(sp3)–H amination has been developed. This approach shows excellent functional-group tolerance. The synthesized scaffold forms the core of many natural products with pharmacological relevance.
DO THE FAMA AND FRENCH FIVE-FACTOR MODEL FORECAST WELL USING ANN?
Authors: Naveed Jan Muhammad , Ayub Usman
Published: February 2019

Forecasting the stock returns in the emerging markets is challenging due to their peculiar characteristics. These markets exhibit linear as well as nonlinear features and Conventional forecasting methods partially succeed in dealing with the nonlinear nature of stock returns. Contrarily, Artificial Neural Networks (ANN) is a flexible machine learning tool which caters both the linear and nonlinear markets. This paper investigates the forecasting ability of ANN by using Fama and French five-factor model. We construct ANN’s based on the composite factors of the FF5F model to predict portfolio returns in two stages; in stage one, the study identifies the best-fit combination of training, testing, and validation along with the number of neurons full sample period. In stage two, the study uses this best combination to forecast the model under 48-months rolling window analysis. In-sample and out-sample comparisons, regression, and goodness of fit test and actual and predicted values of the stock returns of our ANN model reveal that the proposed model accurately predicts the one-month ahead returns. Our findings reinforce the investment concept that the markets compensate the high-risk portfolios more than mid and low beta portfolios and the methodology will significantly improve the return on investment of the investors.
Pitch-angle Diffusion and Bohm-type Approximations in Diffusive Shock Acceleration
Authors: Riordan John Daniel , Pe’er Asaf
Published: February 2019

The problem of accelerating cosmic rays is one of fundamental importance, particularly given the uncertainty in the conditions inside the acceleration sites. Here we examine diffusive shock acceleration in arbitrary turbulent magnetic fields, constructing a new model that is capable of bridging the gap between the very weak (δB/B
0 ≪ 1) and the strong turbulence regimes. To describe the diffusion we provide a quantitative analytical description of the “Bohm exponent” in each regime. We show that our results converge to the well known quasi-linear theory in the weak turbulence regime. In the strong regime, we quantify the limitations of the Bohm-type models. Furthermore, our results account for the anomalous diffusive behavior which has been noted previously. Finally, we discuss the implications of our model in the study of possible acceleration sites in different astronomical objects.
Jet-powered Outflows in Supermassive Black Hole Binary Candidate SDSS J1048+0055
Authors: Jaiswal Sumit , Mohan Prashanth , An Tao , Frey Sándor
Published: February 2019

The search and study of close pairs of supermassive black holes (SMBHs) is important in the study of galaxy mergers that can possibly trigger active galactic nucleus (AGN) activity, and in the context of their evolution into the gravitational wave emitting regime. The quasar SDSS J1048+0055 was identified as an SMBH binary (SMBHB) candidate based on the observed double-peaked [O iii] λλ4959, 5007 emission lines and two distinct radio components separated by ∼20 pc (Zhou et al. 2004). To ascertain the binary nature of this source, we analyzed multifrequency, multiepoch very long baseline interferometry (VLBI) data to investigate its parsec-scale radio properties. The source shows double components with the western feature being brighter than the eastern one. This brighter component has a brightness temperature of ∼1010 K, a spectral index of α = −0.09 ± 0.09 (flat), and is indicative of mildly relativistic beaming. In contrast, the faint component has a lower brightness temperature of ∼108−9 K and a steep spectrum. These clues are consistent with a core–jet structure; moreover, the apparent separation speed between the two components is much higher than the expected orbital motion in a binary SMBH. Thus the present study excludes the association of the two VLBI components with the cores of an SMBHB; though, the SMBHB possibility (e.g., a pair of radio-loud and radio-quiet AGNs) is not fully ruled out. In the single AGN scenario, the double-peaked optical emission lines can originate from the jet interacting with the narrow-line region as indicated by a change in the jet direction at ∼140 pc.
The Galactic Center: Improved Relative Astrometry for Velocities, Accelerations, and Orbits near the Supermassive Black Hole
Authors: Jia Siyao , Lu Jessica R. , Sakai S. , Gautam A. K. , Do T. , Hosek M. W. , Service M. , Ghez A. M. , Gallego-Cano E. , Schödel R. , Hees Aurelien , Morris M. R. , Becklin E. , Matthews K.
Published: February 2019

We present improved relative astrometry for stars within the central half parsec of our Galactic Center (GC) based on data obtained with the 10 m W. M. Keck Observatory from 1995 to 2017. The new methods used to improve the astrometric precision and accuracy include correcting for local astrometric distortions, applying a magnitude-dependent additive error, and more carefully removing instances of stellar confusion. Additionally, we adopt jackknife methods to calculate velocity and acceleration uncertainties. The resulting median proper motion uncertainty is 0.05 mas yr−1 for our complete sample of 1184 stars in the central 10″ (0.4 pc). We have detected 24 accelerating sources, 2.6 times more than the number of previously published accelerating sources, which extend out to 4″ (0.16 pc) from the black hole. Based on S0-2's orbit, our new astrometric analysis has reduced the systematic error of the supermassive black hole (SMBH) by a factor of 2. The linear drift in our astrometric reference frame is also reduced in the north–south direction by a factor of 4. We also find the first potential astrometric binary candidate S0-27 in the GC. These astrometric improvements provide a foundation for future studies of the origin and dynamics of the young stars around the SMBH, the structure and dynamics of the old nuclear star cluster, the SMBH’s properties derived from orbits, and tests of general relativity in a strong gravitational field.
Influence of Stellar Metallicity on Occurrence Rates of Planets and Planetary Systems
Authors: Zhu 祝 Wei 伟
Published: February 2019

We study the influence of stellar metallicity on the fraction of stars with planets (i.e., the occurrence rate of planetary systems) and the average number of planets per star (i.e., the occurrence rate of planets). The former directly reveals the planet formation efficiency, whereas the latter reveals the final product of formation and evolution. We show that these two occurrence rates have different dependences on stellar metallicity. Specifically, the fraction of stars with planets rises gradually with metallicity, from ∼25% to ∼36% for 0.4 dex of [Fe/H] for all Kepler-like planets (period P < 400 days and radius

). The average number of planets per star reaches a plateau (or possibly starts declining) at [Fe/H] ≳ 0.1. This is plausibly caused by the emergence of distant giant planets at high metallicities, given that the close-in small planets and the distant giants preferentially coexist in the same system.
The Early Stage of Molecular Cloud Formation by Compression of Two-phase Atomic Gases
Authors: Iwasaki Kazunari , Tomida Kengo , Inoue Tsuyoshi , Inutsuka Shu-ichiro
Published: February 2019

We investigate the formation of molecular clouds from atomic gas by using three-dimensional magnetohydrodynamic simulations, including non-equilibrium chemical reactions and heating/cooling processes. We consider super-Alfvénic head-on colliding flows of atomic gas possessing the two-phase structure that consists of H i clouds and surrounding warm diffuse gas. We examine how the formation of molecular clouds depends on the angle θ between the upstream flow and the mean magnetic field. We find that there is a critical angle θ
cr above which the shock-amplified magnetic field controls the post-shock gas dynamics. If the atomic gas is compressed almost along the mean magnetic field (θ ≪ θ
cr), super-Alfvénic anisotropic turbulence is maintained by the accretion of the highly inhomogeneous upstream atomic gas. As a result, a greatly extended turbulence-dominated post-shock layer is generated. Around θ ∼ θ
cr, the shock-amplified magnetic field weakens the post-shock turbulence, leading to a dense post-shock layer. For θ ≫ θ
cr, the strong magnetic pressure suppresses the formation of cold dense clouds. Efficient molecular cloud formation is expected if θ is less than a few times θ
cr. Developing an analytic model and performing a parameter survey, we obtain an analytic formula for the critical angle as a function of the mean density, collision speed, and field strength of the upstream atomic gas. The critical angle is found to be less than ∼15° as long as the field strength is larger than 1 μG, indicating that the probability of occurrence of compression with θ < θ
cr is limited if shock waves come from various directions.
Calibrating Star Formation Rate Prescriptions at Different Scales (10 pc–1 kpc) in M31
Authors: Tomičić Neven , Ho I-Ting , Kreckel Kathryn , Schinnerer Eva , Leroy Adam , Groves Brent , Sandstrom Karin , Blanc Guillermo A. , Jarrett Thomas , Thilker David , Kapala Maria , McElroy Rebecca
Published: February 2019

We calibrate commonly used star formation rate (SFR) prescriptions using observations in five kiloparsec-sized fields in the nearby galaxy Andromeda (M31) at 10 pc spatial resolution. Our observations at different scales enable us to resolve the star-forming regions and to distinguish them from non-star-forming components. We use extinction-corrected Hα from optical integral field spectroscopy as our reference tracer and have verified its reliability via tests. It is used to calibrate monochromatic and hybrid (Hα+a×IR and far-UV+b×IR) SFR prescriptions, which use far-UV (GALEX), 22 μm (Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer), and 24 μm (MIPS). Additionally, we evaluate other multiwavelength infrared tracers. Our results indicate that the SFR prescriptions do not change (in M31) with spatial scales or with subtraction of the diffuse component. For the calibration factors in the hybrid SFR prescriptions, we find a ≈ 0.2 and b ≈ 22 in M31, which are a factor of 5 higher than in the literature. As the fields in M31 exhibit high attenuation and low dust temperatures, lie at large galactocentric distances, and suffer from high galactic inclination compared to measurements in other galaxies, we propose that the fields probe a dust layer extended along the line of sight that is not directly spatially associated with star-forming regions. This (vertically) extended dust component increases the attenuation and alters the SFR prescriptions in M31 compared to literature measurements. We recommend that SFR prescriptions should be applied with caution at large galactocentric distances and in highly inclined galaxies, due to variations in the relative (vertical) distribution of dust and gas.