bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Internet y estándares de calidad de aprendizaje en Ciencias Naturales en un colegio de Arenillas
Authors: Maldonado-Ramirez Raymon L.
Published: August 2020

El presente trabajo de investigación se realizó con el objetivo de demostrar cómo el uso de internet incide en los estándares de calidad del aprendizaje del área de ciencias Naturales de los estudiantes del 5to año, colegio del Bachillerato Arenillas, Provincia del Oro- Ecuador. Es una investigación de nivel descriptivo y asume el diseño correlacional. La población y muestra estuvo conformada por 92 miembros de la mencionada institución. Se aplicaron dos instrumentos: la técnica de la encuesta y el instrumento el cuestionario estructurado para medir la primera variable; el otro instrumento de medición fue una evaluación a los estudiantes para medir los estándares de calidad del área de ciencias naturales. Para medir la correlación que existe entre estas dos variables, se utilizó el coeficiente de relación de Pearson, en el que se observa que existe una correlación de 0.857, donde demuestra que existe una incidencia significativa entre el uso del internet y los estándares de calidad de aprendizaje en la población estudiada. Entonces, se afirma con un nivel de confianza del 95% que incidencia significativa entre ambas variables, por ende, el uso del internet mejora el aprendizaje de los estudiantes.
Evaluación del Perfil del Egresado y el Logro de las Competencias para la Acreditación Institucional
Authors: Espinoza-Narcizo Arnostron E.
Published: August 2020

La investigación tuvo como objetivo determinar la relación que existe entre la evaluación del Perfil del Egresado con el Logro de las Competencias para la Acreditación del Programa de Segunda Especialidad Profesional de estudiantes oficiales de la Marina de Guerra del Perú, Lima Perú. Método: el estudio fue de carácter cuantitativo, descriptivo – correlacional. Para la recolección de datos se elaboraron tres instrumentos, una muestra de 10 estudiantes y una encuesta de opinión a los estudiantes oficiales, utilizando la escala de valor: Promedio 1, Superior Promedio 2 y Superior Promedio 3. Para el contraste de hipótesis se usó la correlación de Pearson, logrando una correlación positiva alta para cada dimensión del estudio. Resultados: el estudio realizado ha demostrado que existe relación directa y significativa entre la evaluación del perfil del egresado con el logro de las competencias para la Acreditación del Programa de Segunda Especialidad a un nivel de significancia del 5% y un valor p = 0.000 < 0.05, concluyendo que la evaluación del Perfil del Egresado influye positivamente en la Acreditación del Programa.
Indigenous Survivance in Words and Land: Countering Culturecide in Northern California
Authors: Gellman Mneesha
Published: August 2020

This article explores repertoires of Indigenous survivance practices in Northern California in the face of historic and ongoing culturecide, meaning cultural genocide, or the intentional destruction of the culture of a specific group of people. The central research question is: how, why, and under what conditions does Indigenous cultural survival happen in public, institutionalized spaces outside of Indigenous control? Specifically, how have white-majority/Indigenous minority agreements in public domains bolstered Indigenous cultural autonomy and strengthening in Northern California? In other words, in what ways can white majority arenas of control, particularly off-reservation spaces like public schools and local government policies, can be included in tribal projects of cultural resilience and restoration?
Efficacy of a Semi Automated Commercial Closed System for Autologous Leukocyte- and Platelet-Rich Plasma (l-prp) Production in Dogs: A Preliminary Study
Authors: Perego Roberta , Spada Eva , Baggiani Luciana , Martino Piera Anna , Proverbio Daniela
Published: August 2020

Background: To characterize the cellular composition (platelets, erythrocytes, and leukocytes) and determine platelet-derived growth factor isoform BB (PDGF-BB) concentration in canine leukocyte- and platelet rich plasma (L-PRP) produced using a commercial semi-automated closed system. Methods: Twenty milliliters of citrated whole blood were obtained from 30 healthy un-sedated canine blood donors and processed using a semi-automated completely closed commercial system (CPUNT 20, Eltek group, Casale Monferrato, Alessandria, Italy) according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Erythrocyte, leukocyte, and platelet counts were determined in both whole blood (WB) and resultant L-PRP. The PDGF-BB concentration was evaluated after bovine thrombin activation of 10 L-PRP samples. Results: This commercial system produced on average 2.3 ± 0.7 mL of L-PRP containing a high concentration of platelets (767,633 ± 291,001 μL, p < 0.001), with a 4.4 fold increase in platelet count, lower concentration of erythrocytes (528,600 ± 222,773 μL, p < 0.001) and similar concentration of leukocytes (8422 ± 6346 μL, p = 0.9918) compared with WB. L-PRP had an average of 3442 ± 2061 pg/mL of PDGF-BB after thrombin activation. Neutrophils, lymphocytes and monocytes average percent content in L-PRP was 14.8 ± 13.2, 71.7 ± 18.5 and 10.7 ± 6.4, respectively. Conclusion: Sterile canine L-PRP prepared using this semi-automated closed system is easy to obtain, produces a significant increase in platelet count compared to WB and contains a detectable concentration of PDGF-BB after activation. Additional in vitro and in vivo studies are needed to assess inflammatory markers concentration and the therapeutic efficacy of this L-PRP in dogs.
Patterns of Feeding by Householders Affect Activity of Hedgehogs (Erinaceus europaeus) during the Hibernation Period
Authors: Gazzard Abigail , Baker Philip J.
Published: August 2020

West European hedgehogs (Erinaceus europaeus) are likely to encounter unusual ecological features in urban habitats, such as anthropogenic food sources and artificial refugia. Quantifying how these affect hedgehog behaviour is vital for informing conservation guidelines for householders. We monitored hedgehog presence/absence in gardens in the town of Reading, UK, over the winter of 2017–2018 using a volunteer-based footprint tunnel survey, and collected data on garden characteristics, supplementary feeding (SF) habits, and local environmental conditions. Over a 20-week survey period, hedgehog presence was lowest between January and March. Occupancy analysis indicated that SF significantly affected hedgehog presence/absence before, during, and after hibernation. The number of nesting opportunities available in gardens, average temperatures, and daylength were also supported as important factors at different stages. In particular, our results suggest that SF could act to increase levels of activity during the winter when hedgehogs should be hibernating. Stimulating increased activity at this sensitive time could push hedgehogs into a net energy deficit or, conversely, help some individuals survive which might not otherwise do so. Therefore, further research is necessary to determine whether patterns of feeding by householders have a positive or negative effect on hedgehog populations during the hibernation period.
Oxidative Stress, Antioxidant Capabilities, and Bioavailability: Ellagic Acid or Urolithins?
Authors: Alfei Silvana , Marengo Barbara , Zuccari Guendalina
Published: August 2020

Oxidative stress (OS), triggered by overproduction of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species, is the main mechanism responsible for several human diseases. The available one-target drugs often face such illnesses, by softening symptoms without eradicating the cause. Differently, natural polyphenols from fruits and vegetables possess multi-target abilities for counteracting OS, thus representing promising therapeutic alternatives and adjuvants. Although in several in vitro experiments, ellagitannins (ETs), ellagic acid (EA), and its metabolites urolithins (UROs) have shown similar great potential for the treatment of OS-mediated human diseases, only UROs have demonstrated in vivo the ability to reach tissues to a greater extent, thus appearing as the main molecules responsible for beneficial activities. Unfortunately, UROs production depends on individual metabotypes, and the consequent extreme variability limits their potentiality as novel therapeutics, as well as dietary assumption of EA, EA-enriched functional foods, and food supplements. This review focuses on the pathophysiology of OS; on EA and UROs chemical features and on the mechanisms of their antioxidant activity. A discussion on the clinical applicability of the debated UROs in place of EA and on the effectiveness of EA-enriched products is also included.
New Insights into the Exploitation of Vitis vinifera L. cv. Aglianico Leaf Extracts for Nutraceutical Purposes
Authors: Labanca Fabiana , Faraone Immacolata , Nolè Maria Rosaria , Hornedo-Ortega Ruth , Russo Daniela , García-Parrilla Maria Carmen , Chiummiento Lucia , Bonomo Maria Grazia , Milella Luigi
Published: August 2020

The leaves of Vitis vinifera L. have been used for a long time in traditional medicine for the treatment of many ailments. Grape polyphenols, indeed, have been demonstrated to be able to defend against oxidative stress, responsible for various disorders such as cancer, diabetes and neurodegenerative diseases. The effects of different extraction techniques, Soxhlet (SOX), Accelerated Solvent (ASE 40, ASE 50) and Ultrasound Assisted Extraction (UAE) were studied in this work to evaluate their impact on the chemical profile and bioactive potential of Vitis vinifera L. (cv. Aglianico) leaf extracts. The phytochemical profile was investigated by HPLC-DAD and 9 phenolic compounds were identified and quantified in the extract. Moreover, the antioxidant, anticholinesterase and antityrosinase activities were evaluated. In detail, the total polyphenol content and antioxidant activity (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl, Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacities and β-Carotene Bleaching assays) were evaluated and compared to assess the Relative Antioxidant Capacity Index (RACI). To test the inhibitory activity of extracts towards cholinesterases, acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) inhibition assays were performed. SOX and ASE 50 have shown the highest value of RACI, 0.76 and 0.65, respectively. Regarding enzymatic inhibitory activity, ASE 50 (IC50 = 107.16 ± 8.12 μg/mL) and SOX (IC50 = 171.34 ± 12.12 μg/mL) extracts exhibited the highest AChE and BChE inhibitory activity, respectively, while UAE (IC50 = 293.2 ± 25.6 μg/mL, followed by SOX (IC50 = 302.5 ± 38.3 μg/mL) showed the highest tyrosinase inhibition value. Our results demonstrated for the first time that Aglianico leaves are important sources of phenols that could be used to prevent oxidative stress and be potentially helpful in diseases treatable with tyrosinase and cholinesterase inhibitors, like myasthenia gravis or Alzheimer’s.
Investigating Vibration Acceleration of a Segmented Piezoelectric Ciliary-Like Body Beam for a Tactile Feedback Device
Authors: Xing Jichun , Li Huajun , Howard Ian
Published: August 2020

A piezoelectric Ciliary-like body beam of a tactile feedback device can realize a touchpoint of different tactile sensations under simple control when the finger movement changes to the opposite direction. In a previous published study, the friction of touch sensation was shown to depend on the acceleration of forced vibration of the ciliary-like body beam. For investigating the system parameters’ effect on vibration accelerations, the dynamic model of forced vibration of the touch beam is established, and the steady-state response of the touch beam excited by piezoelectric sheets is deduced. The influence of instantaneous acceleration and average acceleration of the touch beam on skin was analyzed, and an experiment was conducted to prove the theoretical analysis. The study results show that larger excitation voltage, larger piezoelectric constants, smaller elasticity modulus, and smaller damping ratio would enhance the displacement and acceleration of the forced response of the touch beam. Through the experimental results, the working mode and frequency of the touch beam was obtained, and the correctness of the theoretical analysis was verified.
Selenium Deficiency—From Soil to Thyroid Cancer
Authors: Kazi Tani Latifa Sarra , Dennouni-Medjati Nouria , Toubhans Benoit , Charlet Laurent
Published: August 2020

Selenium (Se) is an essential micronutrient present in human diet, entering in the composition of selenoproteins as selenocysteine (Se-Cys) amino acid. At the thyroid level, these proteins play an important role as antioxidant and in hormone metabolism. Selenoproteins are essential for the balance of redox homeostasis and antioxidant defense of mammalian organisms, while the corresponding imbalance is now recognized as the cause of many diseases including cancer. The food chain is the main source of Se in human body. Dietary intake is strongly correlated with Se content in soil and varies according to several factors such as geology and atmospheric input. Both Se deficiency and toxicity have been associated with adverse health effects. This review synthesizes recent data on the transfer of Se from soil to humans, Se U-shaped deficiency and toxicity uptake effects and particularly the impact of Se deficiency on thyroid cancer.
Evaluation of the Effect of Freezing and Gamma Irradiation on Different Types of Tendon Allografts by DIC Assisted Tensile Testing
Authors: Faragó Dénes , Szebényi Gábor , Temesi Tamás , Mária Kiss Rita , Pap Károly
Published: August 2020

This study aimed to evaluate the changes in the endurance properties of four types of tendons caused by freezing and gamma irradiation. Four types of grafts were harvested: quadriceps, semitendinosus + gracilis, tibialis anterior, and peroneus longus. These were put into three groups: Group A was the control group, tested without freezing or irradiation. Grafts in Group B were frozen and irradiated (target dose: 21 kGy), while grafts in Group C were again frozen and irradiated (target dose: 42 kGy). Maximum load, tensile modulus, tensile strength, strain at maximum force and fracture strain were calculated from the force-elongation graphs of cyclic load tests. The higher gamma irradiation dose (Group C) significantly decreased the strains at tensile strength of the quadriceps tendons (p = 0.0004–0.0237), compared to the other two groups. In the case of the quadricep tendons (p = 0.0151), there is a significant decrease in Young’s modulus after gamma irradiation with the dose of 42 kGy. According to the results of the study, the tibialis anterior and the peroneus longus are recommended in ACL reconstruction when gamma irradiation is required, while quadricep tendons, which are usually used for an autograph, are not suitable for allograft reconstruction after gamma irradiation from the viewpoint of mechanical properties.
Application of Artificial Neural Network for Modeling and Studying In Vitro Genotype-Independent Shoot Regeneration in Wheat
Authors: Hesami Mohsen , Condori-Apfata Jorge A. , Valderrama Valencia Maria , Mohammadi Mohsen
Published: August 2020

Optimizing in vitro shoot regeneration conditions in wheat is one of the important steps in successful micropropagation and gene transformation. Various factors such as genotypes, explants, and phytohormones affect in vitro regeneration of wheat, hindering the ability to tailor genotype-independent protocols. Novel computational approaches such as artificial neural networks (ANNs) can facilitate modeling and predicting outcomes of tissue culture experiments and thereby reduce large experimental treatments and combinations. In this study, generalized regression neural network (GRNN) were used to model and forecast in vitro shoot regeneration outcomes of wheat on the basis of 10 factors including genotypes, explants, and different concentrations of 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP), kinetin (Kin), 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D), indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), indole-3-butyric acid (IBA), 1-naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA), zeatin, and CuSO4. In addition, GRNN was linked to a genetic algorithm (GA) to identify an optimized solution for maximum shoot regeneration. Results indicated that GRNN could accurately predict the shoot regeneration frequency in the validation set with a coefficient determination of 0.78. Sensitivity analysis demonstrated that shoot regeneration frequency was more sensitive to variables in the order of 2,4-D > explant > genotype < zeatin < NAA. Results of this study suggest that GRNN-GA can be used as a tool, besides experimental approaches, to develop and optimize in vitro genotype-independent regeneration protocols.
A Three-Tier Architecture of Large-Scale Wireless Sensor Networks for Big Data Collection
Authors: Abba Ari Ado Adamou , Djedouboum Asside Christian , Gueroui Abdelhak Mourad , Thiare Ousmane , Mohamadou Alidou , Aliouat Zibouda
Published: August 2020

In recent years, technological advances and the ever-increasing power of embedded systems have seen the emergence of so-called smart cities. In these cities, application needs are increasingly calling for Large-Scale Wireless Sensor Networks (LS-WSN). However, the design and implementation of such networks pose several important and interesting challenges. These low-cost, low-power devices are characterized by limited computing, memory storage, communication, and battery power capabilities. Moreover, sensors are often required to cooperate in order to route the collected data to a single central node (or sink). The many-to-one communication model that governs dense and widely deployed Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) most often leads to problems of network overload and congestion. Indeed, it is easy to show that the closer a node is geographical to the sink, the more data sources it has to relay. This leads to several problems including overloading of nodes close to the sink, high loss rate in the area close to the sink, and poor distribution of power consumption that directly affects the lives of these networks. In this context, we propose a contribution to the problem of LS-WSN energy consumption. We designed a hierarchical 3-tier architecture of LS-WSNs coupled with a modeling of the activities of the different sensors in the network. This architecture that is based on clustering also includes a redeployment function to maintain the topology in case of coverage gaps. The results of the performed simulations show that our architecture maximizes the lifetime than compared solutions.
Non-Local Spatial and Temporal Attention Network for Video-Based Person Re-Identification
Authors: Liu Zheng , Du Feixiang , Li Wang , Liu Xu , Zou Qiang
Published: August 2020

Given a video containing a person, the video-based person re-identification (Re-ID) task aims to identify the same person from videos captured under different cameras. How to embed spatial-temporal information of a video into its feature representation is a crucial challenge. Most existing methods have failed to make full use of the relationship between frames during feature extraction. In this work, we propose a plug-and-play non-local attention module (NLAM) for frame-level feature extraction. NLAM, based on global spatial attention and channel attention, helps the network to determine the location of the person in each frame. Besides, we propose a non-local temporal pooling (NLTP) method used for temporal features’ aggregation, which can effectively capture long-range and global dependencies among the frames of the video. Our model obtained impressive results on different datasets compared to the state-of-the-art methods. In particular, it achieved the rank-1 accuracy of 86.3% on the MARS (Motion Analysis and Re-identification Set) dataset without re-ranking, which is 1.4% higher than the state-of-the-art way. On the DukeMTMC-VideoReID (Duke Multi-Target Multi-Camera Video Reidentification) dataset, our method also had an excellent performance of 95% rank-1 accuracy and 94.5% mAP (mean Average Precision).
Evaluating Multiple WRF Configurations and Forcing over the Northern Patagonian Icecap (NPI) and Baker River Basin
Authors: Somos-Valenzuela Marcelo , Manquehual-Cheuque Francisco
Published: August 2020

The use of numerical weather prediction (NWP) model to dynamically downscale coarse climate reanalysis data allows for the capture of processes that are influenced by land cover and topographic features. Climate reanalysis downscaling is useful for hydrology modeling, where catchment processes happen on a spatial scale that is not represented in reanalysis models. Selecting proper parameterization in the NWP for downscaling is crucial to downscale the climate variables of interest. In this work, we are interested in identifying at least one combination of physics in the Weather Research Forecast (WRF) model that performs well in our area of study that covers the Baker River Basin and the Northern Patagonian Icecap (NPI) in the south of Chile. We used ERA-Interim reanalysis data to run WRF in twenty-four different combinations of physics for three years in a nested domain of 22.5 and 4.5 km with 34 vertical levels. From more to less confident, we found that, for the planetary boundary layer (PBL), the best option is to use YSU; for the land surface model (LSM), the best option is the five-Layer Thermal, RRTM for longwave, Dudhia for short wave radiation, and Thompson for the microphysics. In general, the model did well for temperature (average, minimum, maximum) for most of the observation points and configurations. Precipitation was good, but just a few configurations stood out (i.e., conf-9 and conf-10). Surface pressure and Relative Humidity results were not good or bad, and it depends on the statistics with which we evaluate the time series (i.e., KGE or NSE). The results for wind speed were inferior; there was a warm bias in all of the stations. Once we identify the best configuration in our experiment, we run WRF for one year using ERA5 and FNL0832 climate reanalysis. Our results indicate that Era-interim provided better results for precipitation. In the case of temperature, FNL0832 gave better results; however, all of the models’ performances were good. Therefore, working with ERA-Interim seems the best option in this region with the physics selected. We did not experiment with changes in resolution, which may have improved results with ERA5 that has a better spatial and temporal resolution.
Co-Chaperones in Targeting and Delivery of Misfolded Proteins to the 26S Proteasome
Authors: Abildgaard Amanda B. , Gersing Sarah K. , Larsen-Ledet Sven , Nielsen Sofie V. , Stein Amelie , Lindorff-Larsen Kresten , Hartmann-Petersen Rasmus
Published: August 2020

Protein homeostasis (proteostasis) is essential for the cell and is maintained by a highly conserved protein quality control (PQC) system, which triages newly synthesized, mislocalized and misfolded proteins. The ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS), molecular chaperones, and co-chaperones are vital PQC elements that work together to facilitate degradation of misfolded and toxic protein species through the 26S proteasome. However, the underlying mechanisms are complex and remain partly unclear. Here, we provide an overview of the current knowledge on the co-chaperones that directly take part in targeting and delivery of PQC substrates for degradation. While J-domain proteins (JDPs) target substrates for the heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) chaperones, nucleotide-exchange factors (NEFs) deliver HSP70-bound substrates to the proteasome. So far, three NEFs have been established in proteasomal delivery: HSP110 and the ubiquitin-like (UBL) domain proteins BAG-1 and BAG-6, the latter acting as a chaperone itself and carrying its substrates directly to the proteasome. A better understanding of the individual delivery pathways will improve our ability to regulate the triage, and thus regulate the fate of aberrant proteins involved in cell stress and disease, examples of which are given throughout the review.
Transmissible Endosomal Intoxication: A Balance between Exosomes and Lysosomes at the Basis of Intercellular Amyloid Propagation
Authors: Bécot Anaïs , Volgers Charlotte , van Niel Guillaume
Published: August 2020

In Alzheimer′s disease (AD), endolysosomal dysfunctions are amongst the earliest cellular features to appear. Each organelle of the endolysosomal system, from the multivesicular body (MVB) to the lysosome, contributes to the homeostasis of amyloid precursor protein (APP) cleavage products including β-amyloid (Aβ) peptides. Hence, this review will attempt to disentangle how changes in the endolysosomal system cumulate to the generation of toxic amyloid species and hamper their degradation. We highlight that the formation of MVBs and the generation of amyloid species are closely linked and describe how the molecular machineries acting at MVBs determine the generation and sorting of APP cleavage products towards their degradation or release in association with exosomes. In particular, we will focus on AD-related distortions of the endolysomal system that divert it from its degradative function to favour the release of exosomes and associated amyloid species. We propose here that such an imbalance transposed at the brain scale poses a novel concept of transmissible endosomal intoxication (TEI). This TEI would initiate a self-perpetuating transmission of endosomal dysfunction between cells that would support the propagation of amyloid species in neurodegenerative diseases.
The Curcumin Analogue, EF-24, Triggers p38 MAPK-Mediated Apoptotic Cell Death via Inducing PP2A-Modulated ERK Deactivation in Human Acute Myeloid Leukemia Cells
Authors: Hsiao Pei-Ching , Chang Jer-Hwa , Lee Wei-Jiunn , Ku Chia-Chi , Tsai Meng-Ying , Yang Shun-Fa , Chien Ming-Hsien
Published: August 2020

Curcumin (CUR) has a range of therapeutic benefits against cancers, but its poor solubility and low bioavailability limit its clinical use. Demethoxycurcumin (DMC) and diphenyl difluoroketone (EF-24) are natural and synthetic curcumin analogues, respectively, with better solubilities and higher anti-carcinogenic activities in various solid tumors than CUR. However, the efficacy of these analogues against non-solid tumors, particularly in acute myeloid leukemia (AML), has not been fully investigated. Herein, we observed that both DMC and EF-24 significantly decrease the proportion of viable AML cells including HL-60, U937, and MV4-11, harboring different NRAS and Fms-like tyrosine kinase 3 (FLT3) statuses, and that EF-24 has a lower half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) than DMC. We found that EF-24 treatment induces several features of apoptosis, including an increase in the sub-G1 population, phosphatidylserine (PS) externalization, and significant activation of extrinsic proapoptotic signaling such as caspase-8 and -3 activation. Mechanistically, p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) activation is critical for EF-24-triggered apoptosis via activating protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) to attenuate extracellular-regulated protein kinase (ERK) activities in HL-60 AML cells. In the clinic, patients with AML expressing high level of PP2A have the most favorable prognoses compared to various solid tumors. Taken together, our results indicate that EF-24 is a potential therapeutic agent for treating AML, especially for cancer types that lose the function of the PP2A tumor suppressor.
Facile Synthesis of Iron-Titanate Nanocomposite as a Sustainable Material for Selective Amination of Substitued Nitro-Arenes
Authors: Sohail Manzar , Tahir Nimra , Rubab Anosha , Beller Matthias , Sharif Muhammad
Published: August 2020

The fabrication of durable and low-cost nanostructured materials remains important in chemical, biologic and medicinal applications. Particularly, iron-based nanomaterials are of central importance due to the ‘noble’ features of iron such as its high abundance, low cost and non-toxicity. Herein we report a simple sol–gel method for the synthesis of novel iron–titanium nanocomposite-based material (Fe9TiO15@TiO2). In order to prepare this material, we made a polymeric gel using ferrocene, titanium isopropoxide and THF precursors. The calcination of this gel in air at 500 °C produced Fe-Ti bimetallic nanoparticles-based composite and nano-TiO2 as support. Noteworthy, our methodology provides an excellent control over composition, size and shape of the resulting nanoparticles. The resulted Fe-based material provides a sustainable catalyst for selective synthesis of anilines, which are key intermediates for the synthesis of several chemicals, dyes and materials, via reduction of structurally diverse and functionalized nitroarenes.
Evaluation of Designed Immobilized Catalytic Systems: Activity Enhancement of Lipase B from Candida antarctica
Authors: Siódmiak Tomasz , G. Haraldsson Gudmundur , Dulęba Jacek , Ziegler-Borowska Marta , Siódmiak Joanna , Marszałł Michał Piotr
Published: August 2020

Immobilized enzymatic catalysts are widely used in the chemical and pharmaceutical industries. As Candida antarctica lipase B (CALB) is one of the more commonly used biocatalysts, we attempted to design an optimal lipase-catalytic system. In order to do that, we investigated the enantioselectivity and lipolytic activity of CALB immobilized on 12 different supports. Immobilization of lipase on IB-D152 allowed us to achieve hyperactivation (178%) in lipolytic activity tests. Moreover, the conversion in enantioselective esterification increased 43-fold, when proceeding with lipase-immobilized on IB-S861. The immobilized form exhibited a constant high catalytic activity in the temperature range of 25 to 55 °C. Additionally, the lipase immobilized on IB-D152 exhibited a higher lipolytic activity in the pH range of 6 to 9 compared with the native form. Interestingly, our investigations showed that IB-S500 and IB-S60S offered a possibility of application in catalysis in both organic and aqueous solvents. A significant link between the reaction media, the substrates, the supports and the lipase was confirmed. In our enzymatic investigations, high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and the titrimetric method, as well as the Bradford method were employed.
Catalytic Degradation of Nerve Agents
Authors: Zammataro Agatino , Santonocito Rossella , Pappalardo Andrea , Trusso Sfrazzetto Giuseppe
Published: August 2020

Nerve agents (NAs) are a group of highly toxic organophosphorus compounds developed before World War II. They are related to organophosphorus pesticides, although they have much higher human acute toxicity than commonly used pesticides. After the detection of the presence of NAs, the critical step is the fast decontamination of the environment in order to avoid the lethal effect of these organophosphorus compounds on exposed humans. This review collects the catalytic degradation reactions of NAs, in particular focusing our attention on chemical hydrolysis. These reactions are catalyzed by different catalyst categories (metal-based, polymeric, heterogeneous, enzymatic and MOFs), all of them described in this review.
Tumor Necrosis Factor-Like Weak Inducer of Apoptosis (TWEAK) Enhances Activation of STAT3/NLRC4 Inflammasome Signaling Axis through PKCδ in Astrocytes: Implications for Parkinson’s Disease
Authors: Samidurai Manikandan , Tarale Prashant , Janarthanam Chelva , Estrada Crystal Gomez , Gordon Richard , Zenitsky Gary , Jin Huajun , Anantharam Vellareddy , Kanthasamy Anumantha G. , Kanthasamy Arthi
Published: August 2020

Astrocytic dysfunction has been implicated in Parkinson’s disease (PD) pathogenesis. While the Tumor necrosis factor-like weak inducer of apoptosis (TWEAK)/Fn14 signaling axis is known to play a role in PD-like neuropathology, the molecular mechanisms that govern this process remain poorly understood. Herein, we show that TWEAK levels are elevated in PD serum compared to controls. Moreover, using both U373 human astrocyte cells and primary mouse astrocytes, we demonstrate that TWEAK induces mitochondrial oxidative stress as well as protein kinase C delta (PKCδ) and signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) activation, accompanied by NLRC4 inflammasome activation and upregulation and release of proinflammatory cytokines, including IL-1β, TNF-α, and IL-18. Mechanistically, TWEAK-induced PKCδ activation enhances the STAT3/NLRC4 signaling pathway and other proinflammatory mediators through a mitochondrial oxidative stress-dependent mechanism. We further show that PKCδ knockdown and mito-apocynin, a mitochondrial antioxidant, suppress TWEAK-induced proinflammatory NLRC4/STAT3 signaling and cellular oxidative stress response. Notably, we validated our in vitro findings in an MPTP mouse model of PD and in mice receiving intrastriatal administration of TWEAK. These results indicate that TWEAK is a key regulator of astroglial reactivity and illustrate a novel mechanism by which mitochondrial oxidative stress may influence dopaminergic neuronal survival in PD.
In Vivo Assembly of a Dictyostelium Lamin Mutant Induced by Light, Mechanical Stress, and pH
Authors: Grafe Marianne , Hofmann Phillip , Batsios Petros , Meyer Irene , Gräf Ralph
Published: August 2020

We expressed Dictyostelium lamin (NE81) lacking both a functional nuclear localization signal and a CAAX-box for C-terminal lipid modification. This lamin mutant assembled into supramolecular, three-dimensional clusters in the cytosol that disassembled at the onset of mitosis and re-assembled in late telophase, thus mimicking the behavior of the endogenous protein. As disassembly is regulated by CDK1-mediated phosphorylation at serine 122, we generated a phosphomimetic S122E mutant called GFP-NE81-S122E-ΔNLSΔCLIM. Surprisingly, during imaging, the fusion protein assembled into cytosolic clusters, similar to the protein lacking the phosphomimetic mutation. Clusters disassembled again in the darkness. Assembly could be induced with blue but not green or near ultraviolet light, and it was independent of the fusion tag. Assembly similarly occurred upon cell flattening. Earlier reports and own observations suggested that both blue light and cell flattening could result in a decrease of intracellular pH. Indeed, keeping the cells at low pH also reversibly induced cluster formation. Our results indicate that lamin assembly can be induced by various stress factors and that these are transduced via intracellular acidification. Although these effects have been shown in a phosphomimetic CDK1 mutant of the Dictyostelium lamin, they are likely relevant also for wild-type lamin.
Sphingolipids in Type 1 Diabetes: Focus on Beta-Cells
Authors: Gurgul-Convey Ewa
Published: August 2020

Type 1 diabetes (T1DM) is a chronic autoimmune disease, with a strong genetic background, leading to a gradual loss of pancreatic beta-cells, which secrete insulin and control glucose homeostasis. Patients with T1DM require life-long substitution with insulin and are at high risk for development of severe secondary complications. The incidence of T1DM has been continuously growing in the last decades, indicating an important contribution of environmental factors. Accumulating data indicates that sphingolipids may be crucially involved in T1DM development. The serum lipidome of T1DM patients is characterized by significantly altered sphingolipid composition compared to nondiabetic, healthy probands. Recently, several polymorphisms in the genes encoding the enzymatic machinery for sphingolipid production have been identified in T1DM individuals. Evidence gained from studies in rodent islets and beta-cells exposed to cytokines indicates dysregulation of the sphingolipid biosynthetic pathway and impaired function of several sphingolipids. Moreover, a number of glycosphingolipids have been suggested to act as beta-cell autoantigens. Studies in animal models of autoimmune diabetes, such as the Non Obese Diabetic (NOD) mouse and the LEW.1AR1-iddm (IDDM) rat, indicate a crucial role of sphingolipids in immune cell trafficking, islet infiltration and diabetes development. In this review, the up-to-date status on the findings about sphingolipids in T1DM will be provided, the under-investigated research areas will be identified and perspectives for future studies will be given.
A Multi-Annotator Survey of Sub-km Craters on Mars
Authors: Francis Alistair , Brown Jonathan , Cameron Thomas , Crawford Clarke Reuben , Dodd Romilly , Hurdle Jennifer , Neave Matthew , Nowakowska Jasmine , Patel Viran , Puttock Arianne , Redmond Oliver , Ruban Aaron , Ruban Damien , Savage Meg , Vermeer Wiggert , Whelan Alice , Sidiropoulos Panagiotis , Muller Jan-Peter
Published: August 2020

We present here a dataset of nearly 5000 small craters across roughly 1700 km2 of the Martian surface, in the MC-11 East quadrangle. The dataset covers twelve 2000-by-2000 pixel Context Camera images, each of which is comprehensively labelled by six annotators, whose results are combined using agglomerative clustering. Crater size-frequency distributions are centrally important to the estimation of planetary surface ages, in lieu of in-situ sampling. Older surfaces are exposed to meteoritic impactors for longer and, thus, are more densely cratered. However, whilst populations of larger craters are well understood, the processes governing the production and erosion of small (sub-km) craters are more poorly constrained. We argue that, by surveying larger numbers of small craters, the planetary science community can reduce some of the current uncertainties regarding their production and erosion rates. To this end, many have sought to use state-of-the-art object detection techniques utilising Deep Learning, which—although powerful—require very large amounts of labelled training data to perform optimally. This survey gives researchers a large dataset to analyse small crater statistics over MC-11 East, and allows them to better train and validate their crater detection algorithms. The collection of these data also demonstrates a multi-annotator method for the labelling of many small objects, which produces an estimated confidence score for each annotation and annotator.
Effect of Flavonoid Supplementation on Alveolar Bone Healing—A Randomized Pilot Trial
Authors: Souza Jose Moises , Tuin Stephen A. , Robinson Adam G. , Souza Joao Gustavo Oliveira de , Bianchini Marco Aurelio , Miguez Patricia A.
Published: August 2020

We investigated the effects of two common dietary supplements on bone healing in dental extraction sockets in humans. In this randomized pilot trial, male subjects took Grape Seed Extract [GSE] or Grapefruit Extract [GFE] starting two weeks prior to dental extraction and maintained this regimen for sixty days after surgery. Extraction sockets were filled with a collagen plug. After 24 h, a socket sample was collected and processed for quantitative real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and an 84-gene wound healing assay. Sixty days after tooth extraction, a core of newly formed bone was obtained prior to dental implant placement and processed for histology. qRT-PCR revealed that GFE led to a significant decrease in platelet-derived growth factor and interleukin (IL)1-β compared to GSE, and a significant decrease in IL-6 and CXCL2 compared to control. GSE led to a significant increase in coagulation factor Von Willebrand and inflammatory marker IL1-β compared to GFE. WISP1 and CXCL5 were upregulated in both groups. Overall, GFE showed a downregulation of inflammation and GSE led to a decrease in collagen density and increased osteoclasts. This pilot trial highlights the need for further investigation on the mechanism of action of such supplements on bone healing and oral health.
A Survey on Reconfigurable Microstrip Filter–Antenna Integration: Recent Developments and Challenges
Authors: Tu Yuxiang , Al-Yasir Yasir I. A. , Ojaroudi Parchin Naser , Abdulkhaleq Ahmed M. , Abd-Alhameed Raed A.
Published: August 2020

Reconfigurable and tunable radio frequency (RF) and microwave (MW) components have become exciting topics for many researchers and design engineers in recent years. Reconfigurable microstrip filter–antenna combinations have been studied in the literature to handle multifunctional tasks for wireless communication systems. Using such devices can reduce the need for many RF components and minimize the cost of the whole wireless system, since the changes in the performance of these applications are achieved using electronic tuning techniques. However, with the rapid development of current fourth-generation (4G) and fifth-generation (5G) applications, compact and reconfigurable structures with a wide tuning range are in high demand. However, meeting these requirements comes with some challenges, namely the increased design complexity and system size. Accordingly, this paper aims to discuss these challenges and review the recent developments in the design techniques used for reconfigurable filters and antennas, as well as their integration. Various designs for different applications are studied and investigated in terms of their geometrical structures and operational performance. This paper begins with an introduction to microstrip filters, antennas, and filtering antennas (filtennas). Then, performance comparisons between the key and essential structures for these aspects are presented and discussed. Furthermore, a comparison between several RF reconfiguration techniques, current challenges, and future developments is presented and discussed in this review. Among several reconfigurable structures, the most efficient designs with the best attractive features are addressed and highlighted in this paper to improve the performance of RF and MW front end systems.
Application of IoT and BEMS to Visualise the Environmental Performance of an Educational Building
Authors: Hossain Mohataz , Weng Zhenzhou , Schiano-Phan Rosa , Scott David , Lau Benson
Published: August 2020

This paper presents the application of Internet of Things (IoT) Technology and Building Energy Management System (BEMS) within the Marylebone Campus of the University of Westminster, located in central London, to improve the environmental performance of the existing building as well as enhance the learning experience on energy and sustainability. Sixty IoT sensors connected to minicomputers were planned to be deployed within three floors of the building to continuously measure the real-time environmental parameters, such as dry-bulb temperature, relative humidity, illuminance level, carbon dioxide, and sound levels. Experimental workshops were also arranged with undergraduate and post-graduate students at their classrooms using IoT sensors, portable Bluetooth sensors and online questionnaires to increase awareness of the effect of environmental and behavioural changes on energy saving through real-time visualisation. Users’ subjective feedback on their workplace was also collected through Post Occupancy Evaluation (POE) questionnaire surveys. The results show the effectiveness of IoT systems and BEMS in supplying the building users and management with high-resolution, low-cost data acquisition systems highlighting the existing challenges and future scopes. The study also documents the process and the improvement in students’ awareness of environmental and energy performance of their building through IoT data visualizations and POE.
Defining Transmission System Operators’ Investment Shares for Phase-Shifting Transformers Used for Coordinated Redispatch
Authors: Kłos Michał , Urresti-Padrón Endika , Krzyk Przemysław , Jaworski Wojciech , Jakubek Marcin
Published: August 2020

The implementation of network codes within the framework of European Transmission System Operators (TSOs), involves redesigning the process of executing remedial actions aimed at maintaining the power system on a daily basis. One of the key elements of this redesign is the co-optimisation of all accessible measures, bringing a cost-optimal result and providing network security for the entire Capacity Calculation Region (CCR). This specifically means that the currently installed Phase Shifting Transformers (PSTs) are expected to be utilised for the benefit of the whole CCR, with no special priority to any issues incurred by the owner. Therefore, this paper addresses any questions regarding the rules of financing (investment shares per TSO) to be applied for future PST installations. The investment shares are calculated based on the exemplary implementation of a new European procedure – cost-sharing of remedial actions. Consequently, another long-term application of this process is postulated. In order to support the claims with numerical evidence, two scenarios with new PST investments are analysed. The conclusions drawn show that the largest investment burden can be imposed upon zones different from the area of which the new PST installation has taken place. As a result, joint TSOs’ investments may be a potential solution to financing new devices used for future coordination of remedial actions.
Assessment of Energy Storage from Photovoltaic Installations in Poland Using Batteries or Hydrogen
Authors: Knutel Bernard , Pierzyńska Anna , Dębowski Marcin , Bukowski Przemysław , Dyjakon Arkadiusz
Published: August 2020

This paper presents a series of economic efficiency studies comparing three different investment variants: without energy storage, with energy stored in batteries and hydrogen installation with a PEM fuel cell stack for a location in Poland. To reach a target, the current solar potential in Poland, the photovoltaic (PV) productivity, the capacity of the energy storage in batteries as well as the size of the hydrogen production system were calculated. The solar potential was determined using archival meteorological data and the Krieg estimation method. A laboratory scale PV system (1 kW) was used to estimate the decrease in real solar installation power during the last 10 years of operation. All analyses were made for a 100 kW photovoltaic array located in Poland using static and dynamic methods of investment project assessment, such as Simply Bay Back Period (SPBP) or Net Present Value (NPV). The results showed that the SPBP amounted to 8.8 years and NPV 54,896 € for non-storage systems. Whereas, for systems with energy stored the economic indexes were, as follow: SPBP = never, NPV = 183,428 € for batteries and SPBP = 14.74 years, NPV = 22,639 € for hydrogen/fuel cell installation. Storage in hydrogen is more advantageous than batteries due to the smaller investment outlays.
RANS Simulation of the Effect of Pulse Form on Fluid Flow and Convective Heat Transfer in an Intermittent Round Jet Impingement
Authors: Pakhomov M. A. , Terekhov V. I.
Published: August 2020

The of effect pulse form (rectangular, sinusoidal and triangular) on the fluid flow and heat transfer of an intermittent jet impingement was studied numerically. It was shown in a non-steady-state jet, both an increase and decrease in heat transfer are possible compared with steady-state jet for all investigated pulse forms. For small distances between the pipe edge and obstacle (H/D ≤ 6) in the pulsed jet, heat transfer around the stagnation point increases with increasing pulse frequency, while for H/D > 8 an increase in frequency causes a heat transfer decrease. A growth in the Reynolds number causes a decrease in heat transfer, and data for all frequencies approach the steady-state flow regime. The numerical model is compared with the experimental results. Satisfactory agreement on the influence of the form and frequency of pulses on heat transfer for the pulsed jet on the obstacle surface is obtained.