bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Studi Komparatif Upaya Penanganan Malpraktek Medis dalam Proses Peradilan Pidana di Indonesia dan Amerika
Authors: Faisal Fitriah , Hasima Rahman , Rizky Ali
Published: April 2020

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui perbandingan mengenai upaya penanganan Malapraktik medis dalam proses peradilan pidana di Indonesia dan Amerika sebagai salah satu negara yang maju dalam bidang medis dan teknologi kedokterannya. Penelitian ini menggunakan metode penelitian hukum normatif dengan pendekatan komparatif. Hasil penelitian yaitu diketahui bahwa pembuktian pada kasus Malapraktik di Indonesia menggunakan cara yang sama seperti yang diatur oleh KUHAP. Pembuktian dalam KUHAP menganut sistem atau teori pembuktian yang berdasarkan undang-undang secara negatif (negatief wettelijk), sedangkan di Amerika Serikat dalam menyelesaikan kasus Malapraktik medis menerapkan asas res ipsa loquitur. Di Amerika Serikat tiap-tiap negara bagian memiliki ketentuan-ketentuannya sendiri-sendiri dalam mengadili dokter. Beberapa perangkat hukum kedokteran yang dikenal di Amerika Serikat yaitu Liability Act, Good Samaritan Law dan Medico Legal Consideration.
Kejahatan Kekerasan Terhadap Anak dalam Perspektif Kriminologis di Kota Kendari
Authors: Rompo Iksan , Handrawan Handrawan , Tatawu Guasman , Ukkas Rustam
Published: April 2020

Beberapa teori kriminologis yang menguraikan tentang sebab terjadinya kejahatan dan segala faktor yang melandasinya, sangat sejalan dengan hasil penelitian yang telah dilakukan. Hasil penelitian tentang kekerasan terhadap anak banyak dilatar belakangi karena kondisi lingkungan serta menurunnya daya kontrol manusia dalam pergaulan sebagai akibat kemajuan teknologi jejaring sosial yang semakin berkembang dengan pesat. Kota Kendari pada tahun 2019 menempati urutan ke-2 (Kedua) di provinsi Sulawesi Tenggara sebagai kota yang tingkat kerawanan atas kekerasan terhadap perempuan dan anak tertinggi dengan 54 kasus dalam setahun. Kekerasan tersebut terjadi dalam lingkungan keluarga (Violence Domestic). Jika di jabarkan lebih detail 54 kasus tersebut memiliki kuantitas perselisihan dan pertengkaran yang terus menerus (Constant Disputes and Quarrel) sebanyak 627 dengan indikasi faktor kekerasan karena poligami sebanyak 4 kasus dari 54 kasus. Upaya penanggulangan atas kejahatan kekerasan anak di kota Kendari dilakukan melalui dua pendekatan yakni upaya preventif dan upaya represif.
Marketing in German Veterinary Practices
Authors: Diez Erik , Ózsvári László
Published: April 2020

The veterinary profession in Germany changed significantly in the past 20 years, and nowadays it can be categorized according to the specializations with a high emphasis on the target species (e.g. dogs, cats). Furthermore, the veterinary practice owners and managers are facing challenges of the fast-growing vet market, as well as the digitalization and its new marketing instruments and tools. The aim of our study was to survey if the German rural mixed animal veterinarians were keeping pace with time and investing in the marketing of their practices. A survey amongst pet owners and mixed animal veterinary practices was conducted regarding the marketing activities in the veterinary practices by using questionnaires in the district of Cloppenburg, Lower-Saxony, Germany, between February and June 2018. The questionnaires were spread through a Facebook group for pet owners and via email to the vet practitioners and we received 60 answers from pet owners and 21 answers from vet practices. The results show that the German mixed animal veterinary practices do not only lack marketing knowledge but the marketing strategies and tools as well. The surveyed veterinary practices neglected to improve their marketing communication activities, therefore, failed to analyze their customers’ needs. They usually did not invest in vet marketing services that would otherwise generate new customers or keep the existing clients. It can be concluded that the marketing trainings for the veterinary practice managers and owners working in the German rural areas would be a major need.
The Analysis of the Cross-border Corporate Profit’s Taxation
Authors: Koroseczné Pavlin Rita , Koponicsné Györke Diána
Published: April 2020

Ensuring the same competition conditions for the companies in EU requires tax harmonization between Member States. In this paper, we review some elements of the harmonization efforts. We will discuss the OECD guidelines on direct taxation and the transfer price regulation as a way to regulate corporate tax optimization behaviour. Based on the Effective Average Tax Rate we introduce the differences in the taxation of profits between Member States. The Common Consolidated Corporate Tax Base is one of the key elements in the harmonization of cross-border corporate profit taxation, so our study has a special focus on the proposal. The undisputed advantage of the CCCTB would be the simplification of the taxation of transactions between Member States. However, it also raises the question of how it limits the ability of each Member State to attract capital and to what extent can assign the profit tax to the given country in proportion to the operation of a company and with this how to realize that the base of the corporate tax focuses on the place of activity.
Environmental Impact of Edible Flower Production: A Case Study
Authors: Falla Nicole Mélanie , Contu Simone , Demasi Sonia , Caser Matteo , Scariot Valentina
Published: April 2020

Nowadays the heightened awareness of the critical trend in resource depletion impels to improve the eco − sustainability of any productive process. The research presented in this paper aims to quantify the environmental impact of the emerging productive process of edible flowers, focusing on two model species, i.e., Begonia x semperflorens − cultorum hort and Viola cornuta L., and two types of product, i.e., flowering potted plants sold in plastic vases and packaged flowers ready to be consumed. The study was carried out in an Italian nursery located in Tuscany, interviewing the owners in order to complete the Life Cycle Inventory, assessing the value of the impact categories, and using the “cradle to gate” approach. The information about the production of flowering potted plants and packaged flowers were inserted in a database and elaborated by the appropriate software. The results of the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) analysis referred to 1 g of fresh edible flowers and were expressed in four impact categories. Global Warming Potential (GWP) values ranged from 24.94 to 31.25 g CO2 eq/g flowers, Acidification Potential (AP) ranged from 8.169E − 02 to 1.249E − 01 g SO2 eq/g flowers, Eutrophication Potential (EP) ranged from 3.961E − 02 to 5.284E − 02 g PO43 − eq/g flowers, and Photochemical Ozone Creation Potential (POCP) ranged from 8.998E − 03 to 1.134E − 02 g C2H4 eq/g flowers. Begonias showed lower emissions than violas in the GWP and POCP indexes, whereas violas showed lower values in the AP and EP impact categories. The most impactful phase was the propagation, accounting on average for 42% of the total emissions. Overall, the findings highlighted a higher environmental load for the production of both begonias and violas packaged flowers, especially if in small containers, rather than as potted plants, with an emission percentage increase from 8% to 17% among the impact categories.
Do Long-Term Continuous Cropping and Pesticides Affect Earthworm Communities?
Authors: Treder Kinga , Jastrzębska Magdalena , Kostrzewska Marta Katarzyna , Makowski Przemysław
Published: April 2020

Earthworm species composition, the density of individuals, and their biomass were investigated in spring barley and faba bean fields in a long-term (52-year) experiment conducted at the Production and Experimental Station in Bałcyny, in north-eastern Poland (53°40′ N; 19°50′ E). Additionally, post-harvest residues biomass, soil organic matter (SOM), and soil pH were recorded. The above traits were investigated using two experimental factors: I. cropping system—continuous cropping (CC) vs. crop rotation (CR) and II. pesticide plant protection: herbicide + fungicide (HF+) vs. no plant protection (HF−). A total of three species of Lumbricidae were found: Aporrectodea caliginosa (Sav.) in both crops, Aporrectodea rosea (Sav.) in spring barley, and Lumbricus terrestris (L.) in faba bean. The density and biomass of earthworms were unaffected by experimental treatments in spring barley fields, whereas in faba bean CC increased and HF+ decreased earthworm density and biomass in comparison with CR and HF− respectively. Total post-harvest residues in faba bean fields were higher under CC in relation to CR and under HF+ compared with HF− treatment in both crops. Compared to CR, CC increased soil pH in spring barley fields and decreased in faba bean fields. Experimental factors did not affect SOM. Earthworm density and biomass were positively correlated with SOM content.
Phenolic Content, Color Development, and Pigment−Related Gene Expression: A Comparative Analysis in Different Cultivars of Strawberry during the Ripening Process
Authors: Parra-Palma Carolina , Morales-Quintana Luis , Ramos Patricio
Published: April 2020

Globally, the strawberry is one of the most widely consumed fruits, but under certain environmental conditions, it exhibits inadequate red color development, causing economic losses due to lower product quality. In order to evaluate if changes in color are cultivar-specific and environmentally dependent, a comparative study of anthocyanin accumulation, total phenolic, total flavonoid content analysis and additionally a transcriptional profile of pigment-related genes in “Camarosa,” “Cristal,” “Monterey,” and “Portola” (four strawberry cultivars) was performed. These showed an increase in their red coloration during fruit development. The anthocyanin accumulation in the four cultivars was related to the particular progress of the transcriptional activity of genes involved in the biosynthesis of flavonoid pigments. The greatest increase was observed in “Monterey” and “Camarosa”; thus, we have found a correlation between fruit color redness and total anthocyanins only in these cultivars. However, a positive correlation between the mRNA abundance of FaF3′H and FaFLS and the total flavonoids content was found in all cultivars at early stages of ripening. Finally, we found correlations between color and other important physiological properties such as SSC/TA, weight, and aroma expressed as total esters. These results could be useful in making decisions in future breeding programs to improve the content of healthy compound content in strawberry fruit.
Undenatured Type II Collagen (UC-II) in Joint Health and Disease: A Review on the Current Knowledge of Companion Animals
Authors: Gencoglu Hasan , Orhan Cemal , Sahin Emre , Sahin Kazim
Published: April 2020

OA is quite common in companion animals, especially in large breed dogs and horses. Collagen, the most abundant protein of mammals, has specific connective tissue types for skin, bones, reticulate, basal lamina, bones, cell surfaces, while type II collagen (UC-II) forms the main structure of cartilage tissue. Even at the smaller dosages, UC-II has also been reported to be more effective than the glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate supplements, which are the supplements most frequently used in the market. In this review, we summarize the effects of UC-II on joint health and function in health and disease conditions in companion animals.
Identification and Genetic Characterization of a Novel Respirovirus in Alpine Chamois (Rupicapra rupicapra rupicapra)
Authors: Luzzago Camilla , Ebranati Erika , Lavazza Antonio , Besozzi Martina , Zehender Gianguglielmo , Lanfranchi Paolo , Lauzi Stefania
Published: April 2020

The Respirovirus genus, family Paramamixoviridae, includes respiratory viral pathogens. Here we report the identification and genetic characterization of a respirovirus in an Alpine chamois showing interstitial pneumonia associated with catarrhal bronchopneumonia. The full-genome characterization of this respirovirus, named ChamoisRV/IT2014, revealed low similarities to caprine respirovirus (77.1%), bovine respirovirus (74.5%) and human respirovirus (72.0%). The phylogenetic analyses based on the full-length genome sequence of the novel isolate and reference respirovirus strains showed that ChamoisRV/IT2014 clustered with caprine respirovirus but formed a separate branch. The phylogenetic tree topology of complete large protein amino acid sequences, representing the current species demarcation criterion for Respirovirus genus, showed a 0.05 branch length of ChamoisRV/IT2014 sequence between the nearest node and the tip of the branch, suggesting that this virus belongs to a novel species. This new isolate in a new host species raises several questions to be addressed on the epidemiological role of chamois and the risks of cross-transmission between wild ruminants and livestock.
Metabolic Syndrome-Preventive Peptides Derived from Milk Proteins and Their Presence in Cheeses: A Review
Authors: Iwaniak Anna , Mogut Damir
Published: April 2020

The metabolic syndrome (MetS) is defined as the occurrence of diet-related diseases such as abdominal obesity, atherogenic dyslipidemia, hyperglycemia (insulin resistance) and hypertension. Milk-derived peptides are well-known agents acting against high blood pressure, blood glucose level, and lipoprotein disproportion. The aim of this review are metabolic syndrome-preventive peptides derived from milk proteins which were identified in cheeses. Special attention was paid to the sequences acting as angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE), dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DDP4), and α-glucosidase inhibitors, as well as antioxidative, hypocholesterolemic, antiobesity, and anti-inflammatory agents. Some results of meta-analyses concerning the consumption of cheese and the risk of MetS diseases were also presented.
A Hybrid Dispatch Strategy Based on the Demand Prediction of Shared Bicycles
Authors: Shen Shu , Wei Zhaoqing , Sun Lijuan , Rao Khalida Shaheen , Wang Ruchuan
Published: April 2020

With the advent of pile-less shared bicycles, the techniques initially used for public bicycle dispatching were unable to fulfill the routine dispatch tasks, resulting in constant bicycle crowding. In this paper, to alleviate the mess of shared bicycles, we propose a hybrid dispatching algorithm based on bicycle demand data. We take the bicycle stations’ imbalance as an optimization index and use greedy ideas to ensure that after each dispatch all stations get the smallest imbalance. In addition, it is suggested that two assessment metrics evaluate the efficiency of the dispatching technique from the users and operators’ perspectives. It is shown that the proposed dispatching algorithm performs better in terms of user satisfaction and operator revenue, and is less affected by bicycle distribution compared with the traditional manual scheduling algorithm.
Traditional Decoction and PUAE Aqueous Extracts of Pomegranate Peels as Potential Low-Cost Anti-Tyrosinase Ingredients
Authors: Turrini Federica , Malaspina Paola , Giordani Paolo , Catena Silvia , Zunin Paola , Boggia Raffaella
Published: April 2020

The aim of the study is to evaluate the anti-tyrosinase activity of different aqueous extracts obtained from pomegranate juice processing by-products. External pomegranate peels of two certified cultivars (Akko and Wonderful), were extracted using only water as the extraction solvent. A traditional decoction and a pulsed ultrasound-assisted extraction (PUAE), both 10 min long, were performed and compared. All the aqueous extracts proved to be rich in bioactive compounds. In particular, the total phenolic content (TPC) ranged from 148 to 237 mg gallic acid equivalent (GAE)/g of dried peels (DW), the radical-scavenging ability (RSA) ranged from 307 to 472 mg ascorbic acid equivalent (AAE)/g DW, the free ellagic acid content (EA) ranged from 49 to 94 µg/mL, and the ellagitannins (ETs) ranged from 242 to 340 µg/mL. For both cultivars, PUAE extracts had higher ET content and a lower EC50, while the decoctions had slightly higher TPC, RSA, and free EA amounts. Principal component analysis (PCA) highlighted the direct correlation between the ET content and the tyrosinase enzyme inhibition (lower values of EC50). These findings suggest the potential use of both these natural extracts as low-cost lightening and/or anti-browning ingredients exploitable in several formulations (e.g., cosmetics) or extemporarily usable.
Safe and Policy Oriented Secure Android-Based Industrial Embedded Control System
Authors: Delgado Raimarius , Park Jaeho , Lee Cheonho , Choi Byoung Wook
Published: April 2020

Android is gaining popularity as the operating system of embedded systems and recent demands of its application on industrial control are steadily increasing. However, its feasibility is still in question due to two major drawbacks: safety and security. In particular, ensuring the safe operation of industrial control systems requires the system to be governed by stringent temporal constraints and should satisfy real-time requirements. In this sense, we explore the real-time characteristics of Xenomai to guarantee strict temporal deadlines, and provide a viable method integrating Android processes to real-time tasks. Security is another issue that affects safety due to the increased connectivity in industrial systems provoking a higher risk of cyber and hardware attacks. Herein, we adopted a hardware copy protection chip and enforced administrative security policies in the booting process and the Android application layer. These policies ensure that the developed system is protected from physical tampering and unwanted Android applications. The articulacy of the administrative policies is demonstrated through experiments. The developed embedded system is connected to an industrial EtherCAT motion device network exhibiting operability on an actual industrial application. Real-time performance was evaluated in terms of schedulability and responsiveness, which are critical in determining the safety and reliability of the control system.
Characteristics of Battery SOC According to Drive Output and Battery Capacity of Parallel Hybrid Electric Vehicle
Authors: Cho Insu , Lee Jinwook
Published: April 2020

To mitigate global warming caused by vehicles, emission regulations have been implemented for all automobiles. Hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) are being designed to meet consumer demand for eco-friendly vehicles that offer increased power and improved fuel efficiency. HEVs are powered by an internal combustion engine (ICE) in combination with one or more electric motors that use electrical energy stored in a secondary battery, which is typically a lithium-based battery. With the use of such a hybrid drivetrain system, the fuel efficiency can be improved over that of conventional ICE vehicles. In this study, we conducted a vehicle-driving experiment to evaluate a transmission-mounted electric device (TMED) type parallel HEV using a chassis dynamometer and on-board diagnostics (OBD) signal-measuring equipment. In addition, we performed a numerical analysis using the CRUISE vehicle simulation code with experimental data. In our analysis, the engine output, which affects the torque of the drive motor, and the capacity (energy density) of the lithium-ion polymer battery were set as variables that affect the fuel-economy performance. As a result of this numerical analysis, a hybrid power-drivetrain model based on CRUISE was developed, and the current balance was evaluated according to the change in the battery capacity. We found that the battery state of charge (SOC) dropped because of a decrease in battery capacity. Thus, we predicted that the lithium-ion battery capacity would be reduced.
Computer-Assisted Relevance Assessment: A Case Study of Updating Systematic Medical Reviews
Authors: Tawfik Noha S. , Spruit Marco
Published: April 2020

It is becoming more challenging for health professionals to keep up to date with current research. To save time, many experts perform evidence syntheses on systematic reviews instead of primary studies. Subsequently, there is a need to update reviews to include new evidence, which requires a significant amount of effort and delays the update process. These efforts can be significantly reduced by applying computer-assisted techniques to identify relevant studies. In this study, we followed a “human-in-the-loop” approach by engaging medical experts through a controlled user experiment to update systematic reviews. The primary outcome of interest was to compare the performance levels achieved when judging full abstracts versus single sentences accompanied by Natural Language Inference labels. The experiment included post-task questionnaires to collect participants’ feedback on the usability of the computer-assisted suggestions. The findings lead us to the conclusion that employing sentence-level, for relevance assessment, achieves higher recall.
Design of a Sandwich Hierarchically Porous Membrane with Oxygen Supplement Function for Implantable Glucose Sensor
Authors: Huang Lijuan , Jia Ziru , Liu Hongying , Pi Xitian , Zhou Jiawen
Published: April 2020

This study aims to develop an oxygen regeneration layer sandwiched between multiple porous polyurethanes (PU) to improve the performance of implantable glucose sensors. Sensors were prepared by coating electrodes with platinum nanoparticles, Nafion, glucose oxidase and sandwich hierarchically porous membrane with an oxygen supplement function (SHPM-OS). The SHPM-OS consisted of a hierarchically porous structure synthesized by polyethylene glycol and PU and a catalase (Cat) layer that was coated between hierarchical membranes and used to balance the sensitivity and linearity of glucose sensors, as well as reduce the influence of oxygen deficiency during monitoring. Compared with the sensitivity and linearity of traditional non-porous (NO-P) sensors (35.95 nA/mM, 0.9987, respectively) and single porous (SGL-P) sensors (45.3 nA /mM, 0.9610, respectively), the sensitivity and linearity of the SHPM-OS sensor was 98.45 nA/mM and 0.9989, respectively, which was more sensitive with higher linearity. The sensor showed a response speed of five seconds and a relative sensitivity of 90% in the first 10 days and remained 78% on day 20. This sensor coated with SHPM-OS achieved rapid responses to changes of glucose concentration while maintaining high linearity for long monitoring times. Thus, it may reduce the difficulty of back-end hardware module development and assist with effective glucose self-management for people with diabetes.
Emissions from the Open Laboratory Combustion of Cheatgrass (Bromus Tectorum)
Authors: Rennie Megan , Samburova Vera , Sengupta Deep , Bhattarai Chiranjivi , Arnott W. Patrick , Khlystov Andrey , Moosmüller Hans
Published: April 2020

Cheatgrass (Bromus Tectorum) is a highly invasive species in the Great Basin of the Western USA that is increasing the frequency and intensity of wildland fires. Though cheatgrass plays a significant role in the fire ecology of the Great Basin, very little is known about its combustion emissions. The fresh smoke from 16 open laboratory burns of cheatgrass was analyzed using real-time measurements and filter analysis. We presented measured intensive optical properties of the emitted smoke, including absorption Ångström exponent (AAE), scattering Ångström exponent (SAE), single scattering albedo (SSA), and other combustion properties, such as modified combustion efficiency (MCE) and fuel-based emission factors (EFs). In addition, we gave a detailed chemical analysis of polar organic species in cheatgrass combustion emissions. We presented EFs that showed a large variation between fuels and demonstrated that analysis of combustion emissions for specific fuels was important for studying and modeling the chemistry of biomass-burning emissions.
Bimodal Benefits for Lexical Tone Recognition: An Investigation on Mandarin-speaking Preschoolers with a Cochlear Implant and a Contralateral Hearing Aid
Authors: Zhang Hao , Zhang Jing , Ding Hongwei , Zhang Yang
Published: April 2020

Pitch perception is known to be difficult for individuals with cochlear implant (CI), and adding a hearing aid (HA) in the non-implanted ear is potentially beneficial. The current study aimed to investigate the bimodal benefit for lexical tone recognition in Mandarin-speaking preschoolers using a CI and an HA in opposite ears. The child participants were required to complete tone identification in quiet and in noise with CI + HA in comparison with CI alone. While the bimodal listeners showed confusion between Tone 2 and Tone 3 in recognition, the additional acoustic information from the contralateral HA alleviated confusion between these two tones in quiet. Moreover, significant improvement was demonstrated in the CI + HA condition over the CI alone condition in noise. The bimodal benefit for individual subjects could be predicted by the low-frequency hearing threshold of the non-implanted ear and the duration of bimodal use. The findings support the clinical practice to fit a contralateral HA in the non-implanted ear for the potential benefit in Mandarin tone recognition in CI children. The limitations call for further studies on auditory plasticity on an individual basis to gain insights on the contributing factors to the bimodal benefit or its absence.
In Vitro Differentiation of Human Skin-Derived Cells into Functional Sensory Neurons-Like
Authors: Bataille Adeline , Leschiera Raphael , L’Hérondelle Killian , Pennec Jean-Pierre , Le Goux Nelig , Mignen Olivier , Sakka Mehdi , Plée-Gautier Emmanuelle , Brun Cecilia , Oddos Thierry , Carré Jean-Luc , Misery Laurent , Lebonvallet Nicolas
Published: April 2020

Skin-derived precursor cells (SKPs) are neural crest stem cells that persist in certain adult tissues, particularly in the skin. They can generate a large type of cell in vitro, including neurons. SKPs were induced to differentiate into sensory neurons (SNs) by molecules that were previously shown to be important for the generation of SNs: purmorphamine, CHIR99021, BMP4, GDNF, BDNF, and NGF. We showed that the differentiation of SKPs induced the upregulation of neurogenins. At the end of the differentiation protocol, transcriptional analysis was performed on BRN3A and a marker of pain-sensing nerve cell PRDM12 genes: 1000 times higher for PRDM12 and 2500 times higher for BRN3A in differentiated cells than they were in undifferentiated SKPs. Using immunostaining, we showed that 65% and 80% of cells expressed peripheral neuron markers BRN3A and PERIPHERIN, respectively. Furthermore, differentiated cells expressed TRPV1, PAR2, TRPA1, substance P, CGRP, HR1. Using calcium imaging, we observed that a proportion of cells responded to histamine, SLIGKV (a specific agonist of PAR2), polygodial (a specific agonist of TRPA1), and capsaicin (a specific agonist of TRPV1). In conclusion, SKPs are able to differentiate directly into functional SNs. These differentiated cells will be very useful for further in vitro studies.
A Comparative Analysis of Oocyte Development in Mammals
Authors: Dalbies-Tran Rozenn , Cadoret Véronique , Desmarchais Alice , Elis Sébastien , Maillard Virginie , Monget Philippe , Monniaux Danielle , Reynaud Karine , Saint-Dizier Marie , Uzbekova Svetlana
Published: April 2020

Sexual reproduction requires the fertilization of a female gamete after it has undergone optimal development. Various aspects of oocyte development and many molecular actors in this process are shared among mammals, but phylogeny and experimental data reveal species specificities. In this chapter, we will present these common and distinctive features with a focus on three points: the shaping of the oocyte transcriptome from evolutionarily conserved and rapidly evolving genes, the control of folliculogenesis and ovulation rate by oocyte-secreted Growth and Differentiation Factor 9 and Bone Morphogenetic Protein 15, and the importance of lipid metabolism.
IGF-1/IGF-1R/FAK/YAP Transduction Signaling Prompts Growth Effects in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer (TNBC) Cells
Authors: Rigiracciolo Damiano Cosimo , Nohata Nijiro , Lappano Rosamaria , Cirillo Francesca , Talia Marianna , Scordamaglia Domenica , Gutkind J. Silvio , Maggiolini Marcello
Published: April 2020

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an aggressive breast tumor subtype that currently lacks targeted treatment options. The role played by the insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) and its cognate receptor IGF-1R in TNBC has been reported. Nevertheless, the molecular mechanisms by which the IGF-1/IGF-1R system may contribute to TNBC progression still remains to be fully understood. By computational analysis of the vast cancer genomics information in public databases (TCGA and METABRIC), we obtained evidence that high IGF-1 or IGF-1R levels correlate with a worse clinical outcome in TNBC patients. Further bioinformatics analysis revealed that both the focal adhesion and the Hippo pathways are enriched in TNBC harboring an elevated expression of IGF-1 or IGF-1R. Mechanistically, we found that in TNBC cells, the IGF-1/IGF-1R system promotes the activation of the FAK signal transduction pathway, which in turn regulates the nuclear accumulation of YAP (yes-associated protein/yes-related protein) and the expression of its target genes. At the biological level, we found that the IGF-1/IGF-1R-FAK-YAP network cascade triggers the growth potential of TNBC cells, as evaluated in different experimental systems. Overall, our results suggest that the IGF-1/IGF-1R/FAK/YAP axis may contribute to the progression of the aggressive TNBC subtype.
Transcriptional Plasticity of Autophagy-Related Genes Correlates with the Genetic Response to Nitrate Starvation in Arabidopsis Thaliana
Authors: Bedu Magali , Marmagne Anne , Masclaux-Daubresse Céline , Chardon Fabien
Published: April 2020

In eukaryotes, autophagy, a catabolic mechanism for macromolecule and protein recycling, allows the maintenance of amino acid pools and nutrient remobilization. For a better understanding of the relationship between autophagy and nitrogen metabolism, we studied the transcriptional plasticity of autophagy genes (ATG) in nine Arabidopsis accessions grown under normal and nitrate starvation conditions. The status of the N metabolism in accessions was monitored by measuring the relative expression of 11 genes related to N metabolism in rosette leaves. The transcriptional variation of the genes coding for enzymes involved in ammonium assimilation characterize the genetic diversity of the response to nitrate starvation. Starvation enhanced the expression of most of the autophagy genes tested, suggesting a control of autophagy at transcriptomic level by nitrogen. The diversity of the gene responses among natural accessions revealed the genetic variation existing for autophagy independently of the nutritive condition, and the degree of response to nitrate starvation. We showed here that the genetic diversity of the expression of N metabolism genes correlates with that of the ATG genes in the two nutritive conditions, suggesting that the basal autophagy activity is part of the integral response of the N metabolism to nitrate availability.
Preparation of Zr-Al-Mo-Cu Single Targets with Glass Forming Ability and Deposition of Thin Film Metallic Glass
Authors: Yoon Hae Won , Lee Han Chan , Shin Seung Yong , Kwon Se Hun , Moon Kyoung Il
Published: April 2020

Generally, thin-film metal glass (TFMG) is deposited using two or more elemental targets. Thus, achievement of a homogeneous coating during mass production is difficult. As a new method of TFMG deposition, a single target with high glass-forming ability (GFA) has been used to improve the sputtering process, facilitating easy processing and broad application of sputtering targets. In this study, three kinds of targets (i.e., cast, amorphous, and crystalline targets) are prepared via casting and powder processes. The thermal and mechanical properties of the three targets prepared using the various methods are investigated, and the crystalline target is found to be the most thermodynamically and mechanically stable of the three alternatives. In addition, for TFMG deposited using the microcrystalline target, excellent compositional uniformity between the target and coating is achieved. Therefore, this study experimentally demonstrates that a fine crystalline target is most suitable for use as a multi-component single target in GFA manufacturing methods. These findings are expected to facilitate commercial use of TFMGs.
Properties of Graphene-Thermoplastic Polyurethane Flexible Conductive Film
Authors: Wang Yuehui , Zhou Zhimin , Zhang Jiahao , Tang Jinyuan , Wu Peiyu , Wang Ke , Zhao Yuzhen
Published: April 2020

Flexible conductive films were prepared via a convenient blending method with thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) as matrix and nanocrystalline cellulose (NCC) modified chemically reduced graphene oxide (RGO/NCC) as the conductive fillers. The relationships between the electrical and thermal properties as well as the tensile strength and electrothermal response performance of the composite film and the mass content of reduced graphene oxide (RGO) and the initial TPU concentration were systematically investigated. The experimental results show that the resistivity of the composite film with the mass content of RGO/NCC of 7 wt% and an initial TPU concentration of 20 wt% is the minimum of 8.1 Ω·mm. However, the thermal conductivity of composite film with mass content of RGO/NCC of 5 wt% and the initial TPU concentration of 30 wt% reaches a maximum of 0.3464 W·m−1·K−1, which is an increase of 56% compared with pure TPU. The tensile strength of the composite films with mass contents of RGO of 3 wt% prepared with the initial TPU concentrations of 20 wt% reaches the maximum of 43.2 MPa, which increases by a factor of 1.5 (the tensile strength of the pure TPU is 28.9 MPa). The composite conductive film has a fast electrothermal response. Furthermore, superhydrophobic composite conductive films were prepared by immersing the composite conductive film into fluorinated decyl polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (F-POSS) ethanol solution. The water contact angle of the superhydrophobic composite conductive film reaches 158.19° and the resistivity of the superhydrophobic composite film slightly increases and still has good conductivity.
Solvent Effects on Catechol Crystal Habits and Aspect Ratios: A Combination of Experiments and Molecular Dynamics Simulation Study
Authors: Zhu Dan , Zhang Shihao , Cui Pingping , Wang Chang , Dai Jiayu , Zhou Ling , Huang Yaohui , Hou Baohong , Hao Hongxun , Zhou Lina , Yin Qiuxiang
Published: April 2020

This work could help to better understand the solvent effects on crystal habits and aspect ratio changes at the molecular level, which provide some guidance for solvent selection in industrial crystallization processes. With the catechol crystal habits acquired using both experimental and simulation methods in isopropanol, methyl acetate and ethyl acetate, solvent effects on crystal morphology were explored based on the modified attachment energy model. Firstly, morphologically dominant crystal faces were obtained with the predicted crystal habit in vacuum. Then, modified attachment energies were calculated by the molecular dynamics simulation to modify the crystal shapes in a real solvent environment, and the simulation results were in agreement with the experimental ones. Meanwhile, the surface properties such as roughness and the diffusion coefficient were introduced to analyze the solvent adsorption behaviors and the radial distribution function curves were generated to distinguish diverse types of interactions like hydrogen bonds and van der Waals forces. Results show that the catechol crystal habits were affected by the combination of the attachment energy, surface structures and molecular interaction types. Moreover, the changing aspect ratios of catechol crystals are closely related to the existence of hydrogen bonds which contribute to growth inhibition on specific faces.
Experimental Sensing and DFT Mechanism of Zn(II) Complex for Highly Sensitive and Selective Detection of Acetone
Authors: Muddassir Mohd. , Usman Mohammad , Alarifi Abdullah , Afzal Mohd. , Abdullah Alshali Khulud , Beagan Abeer , Kumar Abhinav , Abduhd Naaser A. Y. , Ahmad Musheer
Published: April 2020

In the present work, a new Zn(II) perchlorate complex with 2,2’–bipyridyl of formulation {[Zn(bipy)2(H2O)](ClO4)2} (1) was obtained and well analyzed. This chemosensor was evaluated as a selective sensor for acetone among the several different organic solvents(CH3OH, EtOH, i–PrOH, i–BuOH, CHCl3, CH2Cl2, CCl4, C6H6, C7H8, C8H10, C2H3N, C3H7NO, C4H8O2, C3H6O3) in a fluorescence turn–off response in accordance with theoretical calculations. Sensing experiments were performed at ambient temperature which shows the acetone molecule distinctly reduces transfer of energy barrier to complex 1 and hence, produces remarkable luminescent quenching. Also, the weak intermolecular hydrogen–bonding interactions thanks to the presence of various hydrogen bonding donors and acceptors, exist between ligand molecules, which were broken during fluorescence, resulting in quenching. The stoichiometry ratio and association constant were evaluated using Benesi–Hildebrand relation giving 1:1 stoichiometry between complex 1 and acetone. Additionally, DFT results can also explicate the significant response on complex 1 upon addition of acetone. This work is vital in a new loom for the detection of acetone and other ketones.
T-FSW of Dissimilar Aerospace Grade Aluminium Alloys: Influence of Second Pass on Weld Defects
Authors: Abidi Mustufa Haider , Ali Nabeel , Ibrahimi Hashmatullah , Anjum Saquib , Bajaj Dhruv , Siddiquee Arshad Noor , Alkahtani Mohammed , Rehman Ateekh Ur
Published: April 2020

The restoration of numerous aircraft structures is achievable with effective repair of welded joints. T-joints are often utilized in these structures to provide structural stability, keeping minimal body weight. Multi-pass friction stir welding (FSW) has proved to be useful for improving the quality of aluminium alloy welds employed in the aerospace sector. However, FSW of these alloys in T-configuration has not been sufficiently addressed yet. Even rarer is the discussion of efficacy of second FSW pass, with altered process parameters for improving the weld quality in T-joints. Hence, two commonly used aerospace grade aluminium alloys, namely, AA2024 and AA7075, were friction stir welded in T-configuration, varying three process parameters, i.e., tool rotational speed, welding speed and shoulder diameter. The effect of second FSW pass, performed at an optimum set of parameters, on kissing bond and tunnelling defect was studied in detail. A substantial reduction in the detrimental effect of these weld defects was discussed via tensile testing, micro-hardness and micro-structural observations.
Evaluation of Biomedical Ti/ZrO2 Joint Brazed with Pure Au Filler: Microstructure and Mechanical Properties
Authors: Lei Yuzhen , Bian Hong , Fu Wei , Song Xiaoguo , Feng Jicai , Long Weimin , Niu Hongwei
Published: April 2020

Titanium and zirconia (ZrO2) ceramics are widely used in biomedical fields. This study aims to achieve reliable brazed joints of titanium/ZrO2 using biocompatible Au filler for implantable medical products. The effects of brazing temperature and holding time on the interfacial microstructures and mechanical properties of titanium/Au/ZrO2 joints were fully investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive spectrometry (EDS) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The results indicated that the typical interfacial microstructure of the titanium/Au/ZrO2 joint was titanium/Ti3Au layer/TiAu layer/TiAu2 layer/TiAu4 layer/TiO layer/ZrO2 ceramic. With an increasing brazing temperature or holding time, the thickness of the Ti3Au + TiAu + TiAu2 layer increased gradually. The growth of the TiO layer was observed, which promoted metallurgical bonding between the filler metal and ZrO2 ceramic. The optimal shear strength of ~35.0 MPa was obtained at 1150 °C for 10 min. SEM characterization revealed that cracks initiated and propagated along the interface of TiAu2 and TiAu4 reaction layers.
Performance Improvements during Mineral Processing Using Material Fingerprints Derived from Machine Learning—A Conceptual Framework
Authors: van Duijvenbode Jeroen R. , Buxton Mike W.N. , Shishvan Masoud Soleymani
Published: April 2020

Material attributes (e.g., chemical composition, mineralogy, texture) are identified as the causative source of variations in the behaviour of mineral processing. That makes them suitable to act as key characteristics to characterise and classify material. Therefore, vast quantities of collected data describing material attributes could help to forecast the behaviour of mineral processing. This paper proposes a conceptual framework that creates a data-driven link between ore and the processing behaviour through the creation of material “fingerprints”. A fingerprint is a machine learning-based classification of measured material attributes compared to the range of attributes found within the mine’s mineral reserves. The outcome of the classification acts as a label for a machine learning model and contains relevant information, which may identify the root cause of measured differences in processing behaviour. Therefore, this class label can forecast the associated behaviour of mineral processing. Furthermore, insight is given into the confidence of available data originating from different analytical techniques. Taken together, this enhances the understanding of how differences in geology impact metallurgical plant performance. Targeted measurements at low-confidence unit processes and for specific attributes would upgrade the confidence in fingerprints and capabilities to predict plant performance.
Kirkwood-Buff Integrals Using Molecular Simulation: Estimation of Surface Effects
Authors: Dawass Noura , Krüger Peter , Schnell Sondre K. , Moultos Othonas A. , Economou Ioannis G. , Vlugt Thijs J. H. , Simon Jean-Marc
Published: April 2020

Kirkwood-Buff (KB) integrals provide a connection between microscopic properties and thermodynamic properties of multicomponent fluids. The estimation of KB integrals using molecular simulations of finite systems requires accounting for finite size effects. In the small system method, properties of finite subvolumes with different sizes embedded in a larger volume can be used to extrapolate to macroscopic thermodynamic properties. KB integrals computed from small subvolumes scale with the inverse size of the system. This scaling was used to find KB integrals in the thermodynamic limit. To reduce numerical inaccuracies that arise from this extrapolation, alternative approaches were considered in this work. Three methods for computing KB integrals in the thermodynamic limit from information of radial distribution functions (RDFs) of finite systems were compared. These methods allowed for the computation of surface effects. KB integrals and surface terms in the thermodynamic limit were computed for Lennard–Jones (LJ) and Weeks–Chandler–Andersen (WCA) fluids. It was found that all three methods converge to the same value. The main differentiating factor was the speed of convergence with system size L. The method that required the smallest size was the one which exploited the scaling of the finite volume KB integral multiplied by L. The relationship between KB integrals and surface effects was studied for a range of densities.
Influence of Carbyne Content on the Mechanical Performance of Nanothick Amorphous Carbon Coatings
Authors: Piedade Ana P. , Cangueiro Liliana
Published: April 2020

This study concerns the evaluation of the coefficient of friction, at different temperatures, of amorphous carbon thin films, deposited onto nanocrystalline sputtered copper coatings by clean-technology rf magnetron sputtering. The aim is to access the capacity of carbon thin films, with different contents of sp2 and sp1 bonds, to act as a solid lubricant for copper surfaces. Raman spectroscopy revealed that all the as-deposited coatings consist of amorphous carbon with low defect content and decreasing carbyne concentration with increasing thickness. The tribological tests at 25 °C and 200 °C revealed that, for the higher temperature, the 15 nm carbon coating present 0.001 friction coefficients at 2 N load. Overall, the study presents a one-step technology for the greener production of solid lubrication systems for micro- and nano-components, avoiding the environmental impact of lubricants.
Biogenic-Mediated Synthesis of Mesoporous Cu2O/CuO Nano-Architectures of Superior Catalytic Reductive towards Nitroaromatics
Authors: Alhumaimess Mosaed S. , Essawy Amr A. , Kamel Mahmoud M. , Alsohaimi Ibrahim Hotan , Hassan Hassan M. A.
Published: April 2020

Cu2O/CuO nano-architectures were prepared by biogenic-mediated synthesis using pomegranate seeds extract as the reducing/stabilizing mediator during an aqueous solution combustion process of the Cu2+ precursor. The fabricated Cu2O/CuO nanocomposite were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) and nitrogen sorption. Nitrobenzene (NB) was applied a probe to test the catalytic activities of the fabricated Cu2O/CuO nanocomposite. The results indicated that pomegranate seeds extract (PSE) manifest Cu2O/CuO NPs of tiny particle size, larger pore volume and greater surface area compared to the bulky CuO synthesized in the absence of PSE. The surface area and total pore volume of Cu2O/CuO NPs were 20.1 m2 g−1 and 0.0362 cm3 g−1, respectively. The FESEM image shows the formation of broccoli-like architecture. The fabricated Cu2O/CuO nanocomposite possesses surprising activity towards the reduction of nitro compounds in the presence of NaBH4 into amino compounds with high conversion (94%). The reduction process was performed in water as a green solvent. Over four consecutive cycles the resulting nanocomposite also exhibits outstanding stability. In addition, the resulting Cu2O/CuO nanocomposite suggested herein may encourage scientists to start preparing more cost-effective catalysts for marketing instead of complicated catalysts.
Discriminable Sensing Response Behavior to Homogeneous Gases Based on n-ZnO/p-NiO Composites
Authors: Zhou Wen-Dong , Dastan Davoud , Li Jing , Yin Xi-Tao , Wang Qi
Published: April 2020

Metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) gas sensors have the advantages of high sensitivity, short response-recovery time and long-term stability. However, the shortcoming of poor discriminability of homogeneous gases limits their applications in gas sensors. It is well-known that the MOS materials have similar gas sensing responses to homogeneous gases such as CO and H2, so it is difficult for these gas sensors to distinguish the two gases. In this paper, simple sol–gel method was employed to obtain the ZnO–xNiO composites. Gas sensing performance results illustrated that the gas sensing properties of composites with x > 0.425 showed a p-type response to both CO and H2, while the gas sensing properties of composites with x < 0.425 showed an n-type response to both CO and H2. However, it was interesting that ZnO–0.425NiO showed a p-type response to CO but an discriminable response (n-type) to H2, which indicated that modulating the p-type or n-type semiconductor concentration in p-n composites could be an effective method with which to improve the discriminability of this type of gas sensor regarding CO and H2. The phenomenon of the special gas sensing behavior of ZnO–0.425NiO was explained based on the experimental observations and a range of characterization techniques, including XRD, HRTEM and XPS, in detail.