bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Ağır hizmet araçlarında kullanılan Z-kam kampanalı fren tork plakası ağırlık optimizasyonu
Authors: Güleryüz İbrahimCan , Yılmaz Barış
Published: December 2019

Teknoloji geliştikçe, yakıt tüketiminin ve araç emisyonlarının iyileştirilmesi için başarımdan ödün vermeden araç ağırlığının azaltılması önemli bir alan haline gelmektedir. Bir araçta yaylanmayan kütlenin azaltılma olasılığı, aks ve tekerlek ucu bileşenlerinin ağırlık optimizasyonu ile ilgili birçok araştırmanın odak noktası olmaktadır. Bu çalışmada, ağır hizmet araçlarında kullanılan Z-kam kampanalı frenin ana parçası olan tork plakasının mekanik tasarımı topoloji optimizasyonu ve sonlu elemanlar (SE) yöntemleri kullanılarak gerçekleştirilmiştir. İlk olarak, kritik gerilme bölgelerinin ve seviyelerinin tespiti için orijinal fren tablasının SE analizi gerçekleştirilmiştir. Daha sonra, belirlenen sınır koşulları altında orijinal tork plakasının topoloji optimizasyonu gerçekleştirilmiştir. İhtiyaç duyulmayan hacimler ve üretilebilirlik kısıtlamaları göz önünde bulundurularak yeni bir tork plakası tasarımı oluşturulmuştur. Son olarak, final tasarımın doğrulanması için SE analizleri tekrarlanmıştır. Gerilme seviyelerindeki belirgin düşüşe ek olarak, döküm ve işlenmiş parça ağırlıklarında sırasıyla %11,9 ve %12,2 azalma sağlanmıştır.
Energy Cost Assessment of an Industrial Wastewater Treatment Plant: Effect of Design Flow
Authors: Yapicioğlu Pelin
Published: December 2019

Wastewater treatment plants are widely used to decrease harmful discharges to receiving water bodies. These plants are regarded as the top energy consumers by municipalities. Energy demand of a plant depends on the volume of wastewater treated, organic load and effluent quality requirement etc. In order to ensure energy efficiency in these plants, it should be focused on these parameters. In this study, the impacts of design parameters on energy cost for a dairy wastewater treatment plant were investigated. This paper aims to reveal the role of design flow on energy efficiency. An indicator parameter that is energy cost indicator has been used. This indicator was calculated for both design wastewater flow and operational wastewater flow. The results show that energy cost indicator of operational flow was higher than design flow that were 2.1x10-8 and 2.36x10-27, respectively. If plants are operated in design flows, energy cost can be decreased.
Mikrobilgisayar Tabanlı El-Bilek Damar Örüntüleri Kullanılarak Biyometrik Kimlik Doğrulama İşleminin Yapılması
Authors: Boyraz Ömer Faruk , Pala Muhammed Ali , Çimen Murat Erhan , Boz Ali Fuat , Yıldız Mustafa Zahid
Published: December 2019

Damar tanıma sistemleri, insanları damar yapılarına göre ayırabilen bir biyometrik tanıma biçimidir. El-bilek damar deseninden kimlik tanıma da bu sistemlerden birisidir. Bu çalışmada 850 nm dalgaboyuna sahip kızılötesi ışık kaynağı kullanılarak kişilerden alınan el-bilek damar görüntüleri çeşitli görüntü işleme algoritmalarından geçirilerek segmente edilmiştir. Segmentasyonu sağlanan görüntülerden anahtar nokta çıkarımı işlemi için ölçekten bağımsız öznitelik dönüşümü (SURF) yöntemi kullanılmıştır. SURF yöntemi ile elde edilen öznitelikler dönme, kamera açısı, ortamın ışık şiddeti vb. durumlara karşı değişmez olduğu için bu yöntem tercih edilmiştir. Kimlik tespiti işleminde ise çıkarılan anahtar noktalardan faydalanılarak öklid mesafesi yönteminden yararlanılmıştır. Veritabanındaki el-bilek damar örüntüleri kullanılarak yapılan eşleştirme işlemleri sonucu doğruluk oranı %97 olarak tespit edilmiştir.
Energy Cost Estimation for a Dairy Wastewater Treatment Plant in Terms of Organic Load
Authors: Yapicioğlu Pelin
Published: December 2019

Energy demand of a wastewater treatment plant is mainly based on the volume of wastewater treated and organic load. In order to obtain energy efficiency in wastewater treatment plants, these significant parameters should be considered. Dairy wastewater has a high organic content. In this study, the impact of design organic loading parameter on energy cost for a dairy wastewater treatment plant was investigated. The aim of the study is in order to reveal the role of design biological oxygen demand on energy efficiency. A new development model that is energy cost indicator has been used. This index was figured out for both design organic load and operational organic load. The results revealed that energy cost indicator of operational organic load was higher than design organic load that were 2.1 x10-8 and 7.2x10-18, respectively. If WWTPs are operated at design organic load, energy cost would be lower.
5G-destekli Mobil Uç Hesaplama Çerçevesi
Authors: Akkurt Ramazan , Tuysuz Mehmet Fatih
Published: December 2019

Nowadays, mobile devices have increased rapidly due to the fact that devices connected to the Internet become more portable and can respond to user requests remotely. With this increase, the workload of mobile devices has also increased. However, it is sometimes impossible for mobile devices with limited resources to evaluate some critical and large transactions locally on their own and hence, it may adversely affect the user experience. The MEC (Mobile Edge Computing) system, which enables these processes to be evaluated and returned to the device faster and more efficiently, is now made possible with the 5G-network technology. The MEC concept differs from the previous MCC (Mobile Cloud Computing) system. In this study, the content of the basic MEC system such as the comparison of the MEC system with the MCC, the advantages it offers to mobile devices, usage cases, offloading scenarios, effective resource allocation and mobility management are discussed. In addition, in the scope of the study, high performance studies using MEC system effectively in the literature were examined.
Fertilizer Use Efficiency of nano fertilizers of micronutrients foliar application on Jerusalem artichoke
Authors: Wewa atia Al-juthery Hayyawi , Fadhil saadoun Sahar
Published: December 2019

field experiment was carried out in one of the fields of plot 158 district 41 Husseiniya, township of Taliaa, Babylon Governorate, to study fertilizer use efficiency of nano fertilizers micronutrients foliar application on Jerusalem artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus L.).The experiment included 17 treatments of spraying the nano-fertilizes micronutrients of nano iron 13% Fe ,nano zinc 20% Zn, nano copper 15% Cu and nano manganese 18% Mn, single spray, dual, triple and quadruple combinations, as well as a quadratic combination of a traditional source as well as the treatment of water-only control. In nutrients content in arial parts and tubers, nutrients uptake, total uptake ,FUE,MNUE. RCBD design with three replicates, and the solutions were sprayed early in the morning after 60 days of planting and at 25, 50, 75 and 100 g fertilizer 100 L-1 Water for to spray the first, second, third and fourth respectively, and according to the recommendation by 1 kg Naon fertilizers h-1, and another 400 liters of spray solution h-1.The results of the duncan test showed a probability level of 0.05 The superiority of the single spray treatments followed by the treatment of nano (Zn+Cu+Fe+Mn) in micronutrients content of arial parts and tubers of zinc, copper, iron, manganese and total uptake, While achieved the nutrient use efficiency of nano-zinc, nano-copper, nano-iron and nano-manganese (93.10, 85.00, 99.00 and 85.50%) sequentially. For individual spray treatments and (91.60, 81.30, 91.85, and 83.40%) sequentially for the treatment of nano spray common quartet (Zn + Cu + Fe + Mn).
ÓXIDO NÍTRICO: UMA BREVE REVISÃO SOBRE ASPECTOS HISTÓRICOS, ESTRUTURA QUÍMICA E ALGUMAS APLICAÇÕES RELEVANTES PARA O CORPO HUMANO
Authors: Tomazini Lidiane Novaes , Novais de Andrade Whystney Houston , Máximo Leandro Nériton Cândido
Published: December 2019

O óxido nítrico (NO) é um radical livre, gasoso e incolor, que durante muitos anos foi conhecido apenas pela sua capacidade de contaminação ambiental e pelo potencial caráter carcinogênico. Após a descoberta de sua síntese pelo próprio organismo nas células endoteliais, as concepções a seu respeito mudaram radicalmente e atualmente, sabe-se que o NO é protagonista em diversos processos essenciais para o corpo humano, tais como vasodilatação, neurotransmissão e processos inflamatórios. Sua possível capacidade de promover a morte de células cancerígenas também tem sido bastante investigada. Com relação à sua estrutura química, a presença de um elétron desemparelhado confere alta reatividade, sobretudo com alguns metais de transição, possibilitando a formação de compostos de coordenação altamente estáveis quimicamente e que podem ser utilizados para controlar os níveis de NO no organismo humano. Nesse contexto, o objetivo desse trabalho é fazer uma revisão de literatura sobre os principais aspectos históricos envolvendo o óxido nítrico, bem como discutir um pouco da estrutura química e das aplicações biológicas dessa importante molécula. Fica evidenciado que em função da versatilidade química, o NO e os compostos liberadores ou sequestradores de NO apresentam promissoras aplicações no meio biológico, justificando os diversos estudos que têm sido realizados nos últimos 40 anos.
Improved Bilateral Filtering for a Gaussian Pyramid Structure-Based Image Enhancement Algorithm
Authors: Lin Chang , Zhou Hai-feng , Chen Wu
Published: December 2019

To address the problem of unclear images affected by occlusion from fog, we propose an improved Retinex image enhancement algorithm based on the Gaussian pyramid transformation. Our algorithm features bilateral filtering as a replacement for the Gaussian function used in the original Retinex algorithm. Operation of the technique is as follows. To begin, we deduced the mathematical model for an improved bilateral filtering function based on the spatial domain kernel function and the pixel difference parameter. The input RGB image was subsequently converted into the Hue Saturation Intensity (HSI) color space, where the reflection component of the intensity channel was extracted to obtain an image whose edges were retained and are not affected by changes in brightness. Following reconversion to the RGB color space, color images of this reflection component were obtained at different resolutions using Gaussian pyramid down-sampling. Each of these images was then processed using the improved Retinex algorithm to improve the contrast of the final image, which was reconstructed using the Laplace algorithm. Results from experiments show that the proposed algorithm can enhance image contrast effectively, and the color of the processed image is in line with what would be perceived by a human observer.
Monitoring Patients with Metastatic Hormone-Sensitive and Metastatic Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer: A Multidisciplinary Consensus Document
Authors: Lapini Alberto , Caffo Orazio , Pappagallo Giovanni , Iacovelli Roberto , D’Angelillo Rolando Maria , Vavassori Vittorio , Ceccarelli Roberta , Bracarda Sergio , Jereczek-Fossa Barbara Alicja , Da Pozzo Luigi , Conti Giario Natale
Published: December 2019

Background: The availability of a number of agents that are efficacious in patients with metastatic prostate cancer (mPC) has led to them being used sequentially, and this has prolonged patient survival. However, in order to maximize their efficacy, clinicians need to be able to obtain a reliable picture of disease evolution by means of monitoring procedures. Methods: As the intensive monitoring protocols used in pivotal trials cannot be adopted in everyday clinical practice and there is no agreement among the available guidelines, a multidisciplinary panel of Italian experts met to develop recommendations for monitoring mPC patients using a modified Delphi method. Results: The consensus project considered methods of clinically, radiographically, and biochemically monitoring patients with metastatic hormone-sensitive and metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer undergoing chemotherapy and/or hormonal treatment. The panelists also considered the methods and timing of monitoring castration levels, bone health, and the metabolic syndrome during androgen deprivation therapy. Conclusions: The recommendations, which were drawn up by experts following a formal and validated consensus procedure, will help clinicians face the everyday challenges of monitoring metastatic prostate cancer patients.
Spatial EGFR Dynamics and Metastatic Phenotypes Modulated by Upregulated EphB2 and Src Pathways in Advanced Prostate Cancer
Authors: Liu Yen-Liang , Horning Aaron M. , Lieberman Brandon , Kim Mirae , Lin Che-Kuang , Hung Chia-Nung , Chou Chih-Wei , Wang Chiou-Miin , Lin Chun-Lin , Kirma Nameer B. , Liss Michael A. , Vasisht Rohan , Perillo Evan P. , Blocher Katherine , Horng Hannah , Taverna Josephine A. , Ruan Jianhua , Yankeelov Thomas E. , Dunn Andrew K. , Huang Tim H.-M. , Yeh Hsin-Chih , Chen Chun-Liang
Published: December 2019

Advanced prostate cancer is a very heterogeneous disease reflecting in diverse regulations of oncogenic signaling pathways. Aberrant spatial dynamics of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) promote their dimerization and clustering, leading to constitutive activation in oncogenesis. The EphB2 and Src signaling pathways are associated with the reorganization of the cytoskeleton leading to malignancy, but their roles in regulating EGFR dynamics and activation are scarcely reported. Using single-particle tracking techniques, we found that highly phosphorylated EGFR in the advanced prostate cancer cell line, PC3, was associated with higher EGFR diffusivity, as compared with LNCaP and less aggressive DU145. The increased EGFR activation and biophysical dynamics were consistent with high proliferation, migration, and invasion. After performing single-cell RNA-seq on prostate cancer cell lines and circulating tumor cells from patients, we identified that upregulated gene expression in the EphB2 and Src pathways are associated with advanced malignancy. After dasatinib treatment or siRNA knockdowns of EphB2 or Src, the PC3 cells exhibited significantly lower EGFR dynamics, cell motility, and invasion. Partial inhibitory effects were also found in DU145 cells. The upregulation of parts of the EphB2 and Src pathways also predicts poor prognosis in the prostate cancer patient cohort of The Cancer Genome Atlas. Our results provide evidence that overexpression of the EphB2 and Src signaling pathways regulate EGFR dynamics and cellular aggressiveness in some advanced prostate cancer cells.
mTORC1 Mediates Lysine-Induced Satellite Cell Activation to Promote Skeletal Muscle Growth
Authors: Jin Cheng-long , Ye Jin-ling , Yang Jinzeng , Gao Chun-qi , Yan Hui-chao , Li Hai-chang , Wang Xiu-qi
Published: December 2019

As the first limiting amino acid, lysine (Lys) has been thought to promote muscle fiber hypertrophy by increasing protein synthesis. However, the functions of Lys seem far more complex than that. Despite the fact that satellite cells (SCs) play an important role in skeletal muscle growth, the communication between Lys and SCs remains unclear. In this study, we investigated whether SCs participate directly in Lys-induced skeletal muscle growth and whether the mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) pathway was activated both in vivo and in vitro to mediate SC functions in response to Lys supplementation. Subsequently, the skeletal muscle growth of piglets was controlled by dietary Lys supplementation. Isobaric tag for relative and absolute quantitation (iTRAQ) analysis showed activated SCs were required for longissimus dorsi muscle growth, and this effect was accompanied by mTORC1 pathway upregulation. Furthermore, SC proliferation was governed by medium Lys concentrations, and the mTORC1 pathway was significantly enhanced in vitro. After verifying that rapamycin inhibits the mTORC1 pathway and suppresses SC proliferation, we conclude that Lys is not only a molecular building block for protein synthesis but also a signal that activates SCs to manipulate muscle growth via the mTORC1 pathway.
Enhanced Wear Resistance of Iron-Based Alloy Coating Induced by Ultrasonic Impact
Authors: Li Li , Zhao Suyan , Zhang Nannan , Guo Yanhui , Gan Hongyan
Published: December 2019

Wear failures of components often occur and cause great economic losses in modern industry production. To obtain excellent wear resistance surface will help reduce the abrasion. Herein, a wear-resistant iron-based alloy coating was deposited on a low-carbon steel substrate by argon arc overlaying, and sequentially surface nanocrystallized through ultrasonic impact treatment (UIT). Micro-structural, mechanical property (including nanohardness and elastic modulus) and wear behavior changes of the coating before and after UIT were experimentally investigated. In addition, the wear mechanism variation owing to the application of UIT was discussed. The results show that a highly deformed nanocrystalline layer with an average grain size in the range of ~100 nm was generated at a depth of approximately 34 μm from the treated coating surface, which contains a certain amount of the deformation-induced α’-martensite phase. Compared with the as-deposited coating, the coating after UIT processing exhibits considerable improvements in the ratio of nanohardness (H) to elastic modulus (E) and better wear resistance under the same wear test conditions. The wear mechanism has also changed from the adhesive type of the as-deposited coating to an abrasive type on the introduction of a nanocrystalline microstructure.
Strategies of Broadband Monitoring Aimed at Minimizing Deposition Errors
Authors: Tikhonravov Alexander , Kochikov Igor , Matvienko Ivan , Isaev Temur , Yagola Anatoly
Published: December 2019

This article presents a computational approach for comparing various broadband monitoring strategies, taking into account the positive and negative effects associated with the correlation of thickness errors caused by the monitoring procedure. The approach is based on statistical estimates of the strength of the error self-compensation effect and the expected level of thickness errors. Its application is demonstrated by using a 50-layer, nonpolarizing edge filter. The presented approach is general and can be applied to verify the prospects of broadband monitoring for the production of various types of optical coatings.
Nonlinear Information Bottleneck
Authors: Kolchinsky Artemy , Tracey Brendan D. , Wolpert David H.
Published: December 2019

Information bottleneck (IB) is a technique for extracting information in one random variable X that is relevant for predicting another random variable Y. IB works by encoding X in a compressed “bottleneck” random variable M from which Y can be accurately decoded. However, finding the optimal bottleneck variable involves a difficult optimization problem, which until recently has been considered for only two limited cases: discrete X and Y with small state spaces, and continuous X and Y with a Gaussian joint distribution (in which case optimal encoding and decoding maps are linear). We propose a method for performing IB on arbitrarily-distributed discrete and/or continuous X and Y, while allowing for nonlinear encoding and decoding maps. Our approach relies on a novel non-parametric upper bound for mutual information. We describe how to implement our method using neural networks. We then show that it achieves better performance than the recently-proposed “variational IB” method on several real-world datasets.
Thermalization of Finite Many-Body Systems by a Collision Model
Authors: Arısoy Onat , Campbell Steve , Müstecaplıoğlu Özgür E.
Published: December 2019

We construct a collision model description of the thermalization of a finite many-body system by using careful derivation of the corresponding Lindblad-type master equation in the weak coupling regime. Using the example of a two-level target system, we show that collision model thermalization is crucially dependent on the various relevant system and bath timescales and on ensuring that the environment is composed of ancillae which are resonant with the system transition frequencies. Using this, we extend our analysis to show that our collision model can lead to thermalization for certain classes of many-body systems. We establish that for classically correlated systems our approach is effective, while we also highlight its shortcomings, in particular with regards to reaching entangled thermal states.
From Key Encapsulation to Authenticated Group Key Establishment—A Compiler for Post-Quantum Primitives †
Authors: Persichetti Edoardo , Steinwandt Rainer , Suárez Corona Adriana
Published: December 2019

Assuming the availability of an existentially unforgeable signature scheme and an (IND- CCA secure) key encapsulation mechanism, we present a generic construction for group key establishment. The construction is designed with existing proposals for post-quantum cryptography in mind. Applied with such existing proposals and assuming their security, we obtain a quantum-safe three-round protocol for authenticated group key establishment that requires only one signature per protocol participant.
MIMO Radar Using a Vector Network Analyzer
Authors: Hefnawi Mostafa , Bray Joey , Bathurst Jonathan , Antar Yahia
Published: December 2019

In this paper, a multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) radar system was developed using a Keysight’s N5244A 4-port PNA-X network analyzer and Simulink. The system can transmit and receive TDM stepped-frequency continuous wave signals with a total sweep bandwidth of 450 MHz. The system also provides a reliable, self-contained phase-coherent RF front-end across four RF channels, which is a critical requirement for MIMO Radar signal processing algorithms. A Simulink model was built to organize the collected S-parameters into a virtual array and to perform IFFT processing so that range and angle information from targets could be extracted. The experimental results show the ability of the MIMO radar to distinguish between multiple closely spaced targets with a 33 cm range resolution and a 19o angle resolution.
Modeling Effects of Stochastic Stray Currents from D.C. Traction on Corrosion Hazard of Buried Pipelines
Authors: Szymenderski Jan , Machczyński Wojciech , Budnik Krzysztof
Published: December 2019

The main problems discussed in the article concern the analysis of the phenomenon of stray currents generated by electric D.C. traction currents. These currents flow in the ground and, when they encounter an underground metal structure, can lead to the acceleration of electrochemical corrosion. There is a stochastic phenomenon that depends on many factors such as the position of the traction vehicle along the route or the current drawn by it from the traction network. The presented research concerns the use of probabilistic methods to analyze this phenomenon. The proposed algorithm allows determining the occurrence of electrochemical-pipeline corrosion risk for geometrically complex traction-pipeline systems, including many random variables and corrosion phenomena. The non-deterministic solution to such an interdisciplinary problem is an element of novelty.
Variable Renewable Energy and Market Design: New Products and a Real-World Study
Authors: Algarvio Hugo , Lopes Fernando , Couto António , Estanqueiro Ana , Santana João
Published: December 2019

Most existing energy markets (EMs) were not designed to take into account an active participation of variable renewable energy (VRE). This situation results typically in imbalances and substantial costs in balancing markets. Such costs are reflected both in the energy and the VRE parts of the consumer tariffs. Both appropriate market products and new elements of market design may largely facilitate the large-scale integration of VRE in EMs. Accordingly, this article presents a new bilateral energy contract and introduces two new marketplaces that can contribute to reduce the imbalances resulting from VRE producers. It also presents a study conducted with the help of an agent-based tool, called MATREM. The results indicate a significant decrease in the imbalances and the associated costs.
Threshold Pore Pressure Gradients in Water-Bearing Tight Sandstone Gas Reservoirs
Authors: Wang Yong , Long Yunqian , Sun Yeheng , Zhang Shiming , Song Fuquan , Wang Xiaohong
Published: December 2019

Tight gas reservoirs commonly occur in clastic formations having a complex pore structure and a high water saturation, which results in a threshold pressure gradient (TPG) for gas seepage. The micropore characteristics of a tight sandstone gas reservoir (Tuha oilfield, Xinjiang, China) were studied, based on X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and high pressure mercury testing. The TPG of gas in cores of the tight gas reservoir was investigated under various water saturation conditions, paying special attention to core permeability and water saturation impact on the TPG. A mathematical TPG model applied a multiple linear regression method to evaluate the influence of core permeability and water saturation. The results show that the tight sandstone gas reservoir has a high content of clay minerals, and especially a large proportion of illite–smectite mixed layers. The pore diameter is distributed below 1 micron, comprising mesopores and micropores. With a decrease of reservoir permeability, the number of micropores increases sharply. Saturated water tight cores show an obvious non-linear seepage characteristic, and the TPG of gas increases with a decrease of core permeability or an increase of water saturation. The TPG model has a high prediction accuracy and shows that permeability has a greater impact on TPG at high water saturation, while water saturation has a greater impact on TPG at low permeability.
Comprehensive Evaluation of the New Energy Power Generation Development at the Regional Level: An Empirical Analysis from China
Authors: Jin Xiaoye , Li Meiying , Meng Fansheng
Published: December 2019

In order to build an environment-friendly society and realize the coordinated allocation and effective utilization of resources and finally achieve China’s energy supply security, it is imperative to vigorously develop new energy sources. This study establishes a four-level new energy power generation (NEPG) development index system from multiple dimensions. Taking the installed capacity and generating capacity of China’s NEPG in 2016 and 2017 as samples, we used the improved entropy method, to analyze the development of different types of NEPG among 31 provinces from three aspects: absolute value, relative value, and incremental value. Finally, we comprehensively evaluated the NEPG development in each province. The empirical analysis shows that the spatial distribution of NEPG development in China is uneven, the growth rate is different, the development gap is obvious, and the development efficiency is quite different.
Analyzing Oil Price Shocks and Exchange Rates Movements in Korea using Markov Regime-Switching Models
Authors: Kim Suyi , Kim So-Yeun , Choi Kyungmee
Published: December 2019

Korea imports all of its crude oil, and is the world's fifth largest oil importing country. We analyze the effects of oil prices, interest rates, consumer price indexes (CPIs), and industrial production indexes (IPIs) on the regime shift behavior of the Korean exchange rates against the USA from January 1991 to March 2019. We use the Markov regime switching model (MRSM) to detect the regime shift behavior of the movements of Korean exchange rates. In order to select the optimal MRSM, we fit a total of 30 models considering four explanatory variables. The selected model based on Akaike information criteria (AIC) and maximum log likelihood (MLL) includes the log-differentials of oil prices, the log-differentials of CPIs compared to those of the US, and its own auto-regressive terms. Based on the selected MRSM model, throughout all markets, we find evidence to support the existence of two distinct regimes: a stable regime with low-volatility, and an unstable regime with high-volatility. The regime with high-volatility includes the Asian financial crisis of 1997 and the global financial crisis of 2008–2009 in the Korean exchange rates market. In the regime with low-volatility, the Korean exchange rates are not significantly influenced by any of the explanatory variables, except for its own auto-regressive terms. In the regime with high-volatility, the Korean exchange rates are significantly influenced by the CPIs and oil prices. The transition probability from the regime with low-volatility to the regime with high-volatility is about ten times that of the opposite case.
Screening and Evaluation of Stable Reference Genes for Quantitative Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction (qRT-PCR) Analysis in Chinese Fir Roots under Water, Phosphorus, and Nitrogen Stresses
Authors: Chen Ranhong , Chen Wanting , Tigabu Mulualem , Zhong Weimin , Li Yushan , Ma Xiangqing , Li Ming
Published: December 2019

Chinese fir (Cunninghamia lanceolata) is an economical important timber species widely planted in southeastern Asia. Decline in yield and productivity during successive rotation is believed to be linked with abiotic stress, such as drought stress and nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) starvation. Molecular breeding could be an option to develop tolerant genotypes. For gene expression studies using quantitative real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), stable reference genes are needed for normalization of gene expression under different experimental conditions. However, there is no internal reference genes identified for Chinese fir under abiotic stresses. Thus, nine internal reference genes based on transcriptome data were selected and analyzed in the root of Chinese fir under drought stress and N and P starvation. Data were analyzed using geNorm, NormFinder, and BestKeeper, to screen and identify the best reference genes. The results showed that the UBQ and GAPDH genes were the two most stable genes under drought stress and the Actin1 and GAPDH were the two most stable genes under P starvation. Further, it was discovered that the Actin1 and UBC were the two most stable genes under N starvation among nine candidate reference genes. The gene expression of drought stress induced expression protein 14-3-3-4, the P transporter gene ClPht1;3, and the nitrate transporter gene NRT1.1 were used to verify the stability of the selected reference genes under drought stress and P and N starvation, respectively, and the results revealed that the screened reference genes were sufficient to normalize expression of the target genes. In conclusion, the results demonstrate that the stability of reference genes was closely related to the external conditions and reference genes applied to the roots of Chinese fir under different abiotic stress treatments were different. Our data will facilitate further studies on stress ecology and gene function analysis in Chinese fir.
Elevation Gradient Altered Soil C, N, and P Stoichiometry of Pinus taiwanensis Forest on Daiyun Mountain
Authors: Jiang Lan , He Zhongsheng , Liu Jinfu , Xing Cong , Gu Xinguang , Wei Chensi , Zhu Jing , Wang Xuelin
Published: December 2019

Researches focused on soil carbon (C), nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P) content and the stoichiometry characteristics along elevation gradients are important for effective management of forest ecosystems. Taking the soil of different elevations from 900 to 1700 m on Daiyun Mountain as the object, the elevation distribution of total C, N, and P in soil and their stoichiometry characteristics were studied. Also, the driving factors resulting in the spatial heterogeneity of soil stoichiometry are presented. The results show the following: (1) The average soil C and N content was 53.03 g·kg−1 and 3.82 g·kg−1, respectively. The content of C and N at high elevation was higher than that of at low elevation. Soil phosphorus fluctuated with elevation. (2) With increasing elevation, soil C:N ratio increased initially to 17.40 at elevation between 900–1000 m, and then decreased to 12.02 at elevation 1600 m. The changing trends of C:P and N:P were similar, and they all fluctuated with elevation. (3) Elevation, soil bulk density, and soil temperature were the main factors influencing the variation of soil C, N, and C:N. Soil pH and slope position were the driving factors for soil P, C:P, and N:P. The soil is rich in C and N, and has less total phosphorus on Daiyun Mountain. Raising the level of phosphate fertilizer appropriately can help to improve soil fertility and promote plant growth as well. In light of this information, in the near future, it will be necessary to conduct separation management of C, N, and P with regular monitoring systems to maintain favorable conditions for soil.
The Availability of Non-Timber Forest Products under Forest Succession on Abandoned Fields along the Wild Coast, South Africa
Authors: Njwaxu Afika , Shackleton Charlie M.
Published: December 2019

Large swathes of arable fields have been abandoned in many areas of the world over the last few decades driven by a multitude of local and broader-scale factors. Many former fields experience a change in vegetation composition and structure post-abandonment, typically through a process of plant succession. The changes in species and abundance mean that the nature and quantity of ecosystem services provided by the former fields also varies. We examined the types of provisioning services obtained from non-timber forest products (NTFPs) with increasing age since field abandonment. We sampled 43 former fields ranging in age since abandonment from approximately 7 to 55 years, and seven plots in intact forests. We held seven focus group discussions with local residents to determine uses of species found in the former fields. Plant cover and species richness increased with former field age, although old field community composition was also influenced by soil chemistry. Of the 177 species recorded, 70 (40%) had one or more uses, spanning six NTFP categories namely, food, building, medicinal, craft, cultural and energy. The number of NTFP species increased with increasing age of the former field, but the proportion of NTFP species declined from 80% in the youngest former fields to 65% in the oldest ones, which were similar to the 63% recorded within intact forests. The youngest former fields had more medicinal species than the older ones, as the abundance and diversity of herbaceous species declined with increasing woody plant cover. Species used for building and food (especially fruits) peaked when the former fields became dominated by woody plants. NTFPs used for craft were most abundant in the oldest sites.
Transgenerational Immune Priming in the Field: Maternal Environmental Experience Leads to Differential Immune Transfer to Oocytes in the Marine Annelid Hediste diversicolor
Authors: Bernier Clémentine , Boidin-Wichlacz Céline , Tasiemski Aurélie , Hautekèete Nina , Massol François , Cuvillier-Hot Virginie
Published: December 2019

Transgenerational immune priming (TGIP) is an intriguing form of parental care which leads to the plastic adjustment of the progeny’s immunity according to parental immune experience. Such parental effect has been described in several vertebrate and invertebrate taxa. However, very few empirical studies have been conducted from the field, with natural host-parasite systems and real ecological settings, especially in invertebrates. We investigated TGIP in wild populations of the marine annelid Hediste diversicolor. Females laid eggs in a mud tube and thus shared the local microbial threats with the first developmental stages, thus meeting expectations for the evolution of TGIP. We evidenced that a maternal bacterial challenge led to the higher antibacterial defense of the produced oocytes, with higher efficiency in the case of Gram-positive bacterial challenge, pointing out a prevalent role of these bacteria in the evolutionary history of TGIP in this species. Underlying mechanisms might involve the antimicrobial peptide hedistin that was detected in the cytoplasm of oocytes and whose mRNAs were selectively stored in higher quantity in mature oocytes, after a maternal immune challenge. Finally, maternal immune transfer was significantly inhibited in females living in polluted areas, suggesting associated costs and the possible trade-off with female’s protection.
Besides and beyond Flowering: Other Roles of EuAP2 Genes in Plant Development
Authors: Solomon Charles U. , Drea Sinéad
Published: December 2019

EuAP2 genes are well-known for their role in flower development, a legacy of the founding member of this subfamily of transcription factors, whose mutants lacked petals in Arabidopsis. However, studies of euAP2 genes in several species have accumulated evidence highlighting the diverse roles of euAP2 genes in other aspects of plant development. Here, we emphasize other developmental roles of euAP2 genes in various species and suggest a shift from regarding euAP2 genes as just flowering genes to consider the global role they may be playing in plant development. We hypothesize that their almost universal expression profile and pleiotropic effects of their mutation suggest their involvement in fundamental plant development processes.
Solid Particle Number (SPN) Portable Emissions Measurement Systems (PEMS) in the European Legislation: A Review
Authors: Giechaskiel Barouch , Bonnel Pierre , Perujo Adolfo , Dilara Panagiota
Published: December 2019

Portable emissions measurement systems (PEMS) for gaseous pollutants were firstly introduced in the United States regulation to check the in-use compliance of heavy-duty engines, avoiding the high costs of removing the engine and testing it on a dynamometer in the laboratory. In Europe, the in-service conformity of heavy-duty engines has been checked with PEMS for gaseous pollutants since 2014. To strengthen emissions regulations with a view to minimise the differences between on-road and laboratory emission levels in some cases, PEMS testing, including solid particle number (SPN), was introduced for the type-approval of light-duty vehicles in Europe in 2017 and for in-service conformity in 2019. SPN-PEMS for heavy-duty engines will be introduced in 2021. This paper gives an overview of the studies for SPN-PEMS from early 2013 with the first prototypes until the latest testing and improvements in 2019. The first prototype diffusion charger (DC) based systems had high differences from the reference laboratory systems at the first light-duty vehicles campaign. Tightening of the technical requirements and improvements from the instrument manufacturers resulted in differences of around 50%. Similar differences were found in an inter-laboratory comparison exercise with the best performing DC- and CPC- (condensation particle counter) based system. The heavy-duty evaluation phase at a single lab and later at various European laboratories revealed higher differences due to the small size of the urea generated particles and their high charge at elevated temperatures. This issue, along with robustness at low ambient temperatures, was addressed by the instrument manufacturers bringing the measurement uncertainty to the 50% levels. This measurement uncertainty needs to be considered at the on-road emission results measured with PEMS.
Binge Drinking in Spanish University Students: Associated Factors and Repercussions: A Preliminary Study
Authors: Herrero-Montes Manuel , Alonso-Blanco Cristina , Paz-Zulueta María , Sarabia-Cobo Carmen , Ruiz-Azcona Laura , Parás-Bravo Paula
Published: December 2019

Alcohol consumption is common among young people. We performed a preliminary cross-sectional study among students (aged 18–30 years) enrolled for the academic year 2018–2019 at the Faculty of Nursing, University of Cantabria (Spain). We collected information on psychological and sociographic factors, tobacco and cannabis uses, and levels of physical activity by AUDIT questionnaires and in person interviews. The aim of our study was to assess the potential of binge drinking (BD) to adversely affect memory and executive function. We recruited 103 students, of whom 85% were female. The alcohol use pattern of slightly more than one-half of the total population was classified as BD. Among BD students, one-fourth were smokers, and nearly one-third had tried cannabis. The mean onset for alcohol use was 15.11 years. Despite our relatively small sample size, our results show that there are strong relationships between BD and both smoking and cannabis use.
The Integration of Recipes with a Standardizable Food Description FACET for Cadmium Exposure Risk Assessment
Authors: Chiu She-Yu , Lin Hsin-Tang , Lin Min-Hua , Ho Wen-Chao , Chen Pau-Chung , Huang Hui-Ying
Published: December 2019

Existing food classification and description systems provide users with limited information related to exposure assessment. Our aim in this work is to propose a standardized food description facet called the Taiwan Food Recipe (TFR) system as an emerging tool for food composition, with detailed food ingredient information, including names, proportions, weights of uncooked and cooked foods, etc. The composite foods listed in the Taiwan Nutrition and Health Survey were collected into a list and as consumption data. The TFR system is intended to help analysts reduce potential estimation bias, where, for example, risk assessment results may be overestimated or underestimated due to the complexity of the composition in the composite foods. Based on a Taiwanese food database, we further illustrate and demonstrate how the TFR system can be applied to the assessment of risk of cadmium (Cd) exposure in rice ingredients in the composite food products. In the original system (HFDFC system), the composite food intakes used total weight to estimate the hazard index (HI) of cadmium in the exposure risk assessment, but the percentage of rice was not 100%. The proposed TFR system estimates the percentage of rice and actual intakes in composite foods. Fried rice, sushi, and rice balls in the study were the most common foods containing rice and had higher consumption rates among Taiwan’s rice-based composite foods. The HIs of fried rice, sushi, and rice balls were 0.09, 0.10, and 0.13, respectively, in the HFDFC system. In the TFR system, the HIs of rice in fried rice, sushi, and rice balls were 0.06, 0.04 and 0.05, respectively. The HI of other components in fried rice, sushi, and rice balls were 0.03, 0.06 and 0.08, respectively. More precise HIs were thus shown. The TFR system contributes to global food classification and description systems by providing an appropriate, standardized, and generalized framework for exposure assessments.
Comparing Economics, Environmental Pollution and Health Efficiency in China
Authors: Shi Zhen , Wu Fengping , Huang Huinan , Sun Xinrui , Zhang Lina
Published: December 2019

As the modern economy develops rapidly, environmental pollution and human health have also been threatened. In recent years, relevant research has focused on subjects such as energy and economic, environmental pollution and health issues. Yet this has not considered the use of water resources and the impact of wastewater pollutant emissions on the economy and health. This article has combined the following factors like water consumption with wastewater discharge, pollutant concentration in sewage and local medical care expenditure and put them into the model of water resources, energy and health measurement, and a two-stage dynamic data envelopment analysis (DEA) model considering undesirable outputs is applied to 30 provinces (including autonomous regions and municipalities) to calculate the total efficiency, production efficiency and health efficiency in 2014–2017.The results show that the total efficiency values of most provinces are between 0.2 and 0.4, providing large room for improvement. Production efficiency and health efficiency have increased in recent years, but the health efficiency values of most provinces are still so low that they have dragged back the overall efficiency. The key impact indicators of different provinces are different, and each province should formulate different policies according to its own specific conditions so as to purposefully to deepen the energy, economic and medical reforms in each province, and also to promote sustainable economic development while improving health efficiency.
Effects of Motivation, Basic Psychological Needs, and Teaching Competence on Disruptive Behaviours in Secondary School Physical Education Students
Authors: Granero-Gallegos Antonio , Ruiz-Montero Pedro Jesús , Baena-Extremera Antonio , Martínez-Molina Marina
Published: December 2019

Currently, disruptive and aggressive behaviours of a physical and verbal nature are a reality among adolescent students and a concern in the educational context. Therefore, the main objective of this research was to analyse the effects of perceived teaching competence, motivation and basic psychological needs on disruptive behaviours in secondary school PE students. The sample was composed of 758 adolescent students from seven public secondary schools. The following instruments adapted to physical education were used: The Disruptive Behaviours Questionnaire, The Evaluation of Teaching Competencies Scale, The Sport Motivation Scale, and The Basic Psychological Needs Scale. Multilevel regression models with the MIXED procedure were performed for data analysis. The results show that misbehaviour is more likely among male students and that disruptive behaviours decrease when a teacher is perceived as competent. Students with greater self-determined motivation are more likely to exhibit fewer behaviours related to low engagement and irresponsibility while amotivation increases the different disruptive behaviours in the classroom. In conclusion, it is proposed that educators work in line with the students’ needs by responding to their interests and that this will increase self-determined motivation.