bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Novel pathogenic alterations in pediatric and adult desmoid-type fibromatosis – A systematic analysis of 204 cases
Authors: Trautmann Marcel , Rehkämper Jan , Gevensleben Heidrun , Becker Jessica , Wardelmann Eva , Hartmann Wolfgang , Grünewald Inga , Huss Sebastian
Published: February 2020

Desmoid-type fibromatosis (DTF, aggressive fibromatosis) is a non-metastasizing mesenchymal neoplasm of deep soft tissue with a tendency towards local recurrence. Genetic alterations affecting canonical Wnt/β-catenin signaling are reported in the majority of DTF. While most sporadic DTF harbor somatic mutations in CTNNB1, germline mutations in adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) are known to occur in hereditary DTF types (FAP, Gardner-Syndrome). Additional single nucleotide variants (SNVs) in AKT1 (E17K) and BRAF (V600E) were reported in pediatric DTF with potential clinical implications. We performed targeted next-generation sequencing (NGS) in a large cohort of 204 formalin-fixed DTF samples, comprising 22 pediatric cases (patients age ≤18 years). The mutational status was correlated with clinicopathological characteristics. Overall, deleterious CTNNB1 mutations were detected in 89% of DTF, most frequently affecting the serine/threonine phosphorylation sites T41 and S45 of β-catenin. While the T41A CTNNB1 mutation was significantly more often identified in the mesenterial localization, DTF originating from extra-intestinal sites more frequently harbored the S45P CTNNB1 alteration. Beyond common mutations in CTNNB1, additional SNVs were demonstrated in 7% of the DTF cohort and in 18% of the pediatric DTF subgroup. The mutational spectrum included deleterious mutations in AKT1 (G311S/D and T312I), ALK (R806H and G924S), AR (A159T), EGFR (P848L), ERBB2 (H174Y), IDH2 (H354Y), KIT (V559D), RET (T1038A), SDHA (R325M), and SDHD (R115W), as characterized by in silico prediction tools. In conclusion, our study indicates that DTF may harbor a broader mutational spectrum beyond CTNNB1 mutations, comprising targetable alterations including the herewith first reported imatinib-sensitive KIT V559D mutation in DTF.
Identification of a novel trigger complex that facilitates ribosome-associated quality control in mammalian cells
Authors: Hashimoto Satoshi , Sugiyama Takato , Yamazaki Reina , Nobuta Risa , Inada Toshifumi
Published: February 2020

Ribosome stalling triggers the ribosome-associated quality control (RQC) pathway, which targets collided ribosomes and leads to subunit dissociation, followed by proteasomal degradation of the nascent peptide. In yeast, RQC is triggered by Hel2-dependent ubiquitination of uS10, followed by subunit dissociation mediated by the RQC-trigger (RQT) complex. In mammals, ZNF598-dependent ubiquitination of collided ribosomes is required for RQC, and activating signal cointegrator 3 (ASCC3), a component of the ASCC complex, facilitates RQC. However, the roles of other components and associated factors of the ASCC complex remain unknown. Here, we demonstrate that the human RQC-trigger (hRQT) complex, an ortholog of the yeast RQT complex, plays crucial roles in RQC. The hRQT complex is composed of ASCC3, ASCC2, and TRIP4, which are orthologs of the RNA helicase Slh1(Rqt2), ubiquitin-binding protein Cue3(Rqt3), and zinc-finger type protein yKR023W(Rqt4), respectively. The ATPase activity of ASCC3 and the ubiquitin-binding activity of ASCC2 are crucial for triggering RQC. Given the proposed function of the RQT complex in yeast, we propose that the hRQT complex recognizes the ubiquitinated stalled ribosome and induces subunit dissociation to facilitate RQC.
The Prognostic Implications of Tumor Infiltrating Lymphocytes in Colorectal Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Idos Gregory E. , Kwok Janet , Bonthala Nirupama , Kysh Lynn , Gruber Stephen B. , Qu Chenxu
Published: February 2020

Tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) are an important histopathologic feature of colorectal cancer that confer prognostic information. Previous clinical and epidemiologic studies have found that the presence and quantification of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes are significantly associated with disease-specific and overall survival in colorectal cancer. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis, establishing pooled estimates for survival outcomes based on the presence of TILs in colon cancer. PubMed (Medline), Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and ClinicalTrials.gov were searched from inception to April 2017. Studies were included, in which the prognostic significance of intratumoral tumor infiltrating lymphocytes, as well as subsets of CD3, CD8, FOXP3, CD45R0 lymphocytes, were determined within the solid tumor center, the invasive margin, and tumor stroma. Random-effects models were calculated to estimated summary effects using hazard ratios. Forty-three relevant studies describing 21,015 patients were included in our meta-analysis. The results demonstrate that high levels of generalized TILS as compared to low levels had an improved overall survival (OS) with a HR of 0.65 (p = <0.01). In addition, histologically localized CD3+ T-cells at the tumor center were significantly associated with better disease-free survival (HR = 0.46, 95% CI 0.36–0.61, p = 0.05), and CD3 + cells at the invasive margin were associated with improved disease-free survival (HR = 0.57, 95% CI 0.38–0.86, p = 0.05). CD8+ T-cells at the tumor center had statistically significant prognostic value on cancer-specific survival and overall survival with HRs of 0.65 (p = 0.02) and 0.71 (p < 0.01), respectively. Lastly, FOXP3+ T-cells at the tumor center were associated with improved prognosis for cancer-specific survival (HR = 0.65, p < 0.01) and overall survival (HR = 0.70, p < 0.01). These findings suggest that TILs and specific TIL subsets serve as prognostic biomarkers for colorectal cancer.
Tendentious effects of automated and manual metagenomic DNA purification protocols on broiler gut microbiome taxonomic profiling
Authors: Fidler Gabor , Tolnai Emese , Stagel Aniko , Remenyik Judit , Stundl Laszlo , Gal Ferenc , Biro Sandor , Paholcsek Melinda
Published: February 2020

Here, we developed protocols to improve sensitivity, rigor and comparability of 16S rRNA gene amplification-based next-generation sequencing (NGS) results. A thorough study was performed by evaluating extraction efficiency with respect to the yield, purity, fragmentation of the purified DNA, and sequencing metrics considering the number of quality reads, amplicon sequence variants (ASVs), community structure and biodiversity. We identified batch-effects that significantly bias broiler gastrointestinal tract (GIT) community compositions and made recommendations to improve sensitivity, consistency, and cross-study comparability. We found that the purity of the extracted nucleic acid had a strong effect on the success rate of downstream library preparations. The preparation of stool bacterial suspensions from feces showed a significant positive influence on community biodiversity by enriching Gram-negative bacteria and cataloguing low abundant taxa with greater success than direct processing of fecal material. Applications relying on the automated Roche MagNa Pure 24 magnetic-bead based method provided results with high consistency therefore it seems to be the optimal choice in large-scale studies for investigating broiler GIT microbiota.
A predominant involvement of the triple seropositive patients and others with rheumatoid factor in the association of smoking with rheumatoid arthritis
Authors: Regueiro Cristina , Rodriguez-Rodriguez Luis , Lopez-Mejias Raquel , Nuño Laura , Triguero-Martinez Ana , Perez-Pampin Eva , Corrales Alfonso , Villalba Alejandro , Lopez-Golan Yolanda , Abasolo Lydia , Remuzgo-Martínez Sara , Ortiz Ana M. , Herranz Eva , Martínez-Feito Ana , Conde Carmen , Mera-Varela Antonio , Balsa Alejandro , Gonzalez-Alvaro Isidoro , González-Gay Miguel Ángel , Fernandez-Gutierrez Benjamín , Gonzalez Antonio
Published: February 2020

The major environmental risk factor for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is smoking, which according to a widely accepted model induces protein citrullination in the lungs, triggering the production of anti-citrullinated protein antibodies (ACPA) and RA development. Nevertheless, some research findings do not fit this model. Therefore, we obtained six independent cohorts with 2253 RA patients for a detailed analysis of the association between smoking and RA autoantibodies. Our results showed a predominant association of smoking with the concurrent presence of the three antibodies: rheumatoid factor (RF), ACPA and anti-carbamylated protein antibodies (ACarPA) (3 Ab vs. 0 Ab: OR = 1.99, p = 2.5 × 10–8). Meta-analysis with previous data (4491 patients) confirmed the predominant association with the concurrent presence of the three antibodies (3 Ab vs. 0 Ab: OR = 2.00, p = 4.4 ×10–16) and revealed that smoking was exclusively associated with the presence of RF in patients with one or two antibodies (RF+1+2vs. RF−0+1+2: OR = 1.32, p = 0.0002). In contrast, no specific association with ACPA or ACarPA was found. Therefore, these results showed the need to understand how smoking favors the concordance of RA specific antibodies and RF triggering, perhaps involving smoking-induced epitope spreading and other hypothesized mechanisms.
Serum Activin A Levels and Renal Outcomes After Coronary Angiography
Authors: Tsai Yi-Lin , Chou Ruey-Hsing , Lu Ya-Wen , Liu Chung-te , Huang Po-Hsun , Lin Shing-Jong
Published: February 2020

Prevention for contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN) is limited by the lack of a single predictor. As activin A is upregulated in heart failure and chronic kidney disease, we aimed to clarify the association between activin A levels and renal outcomes after coronary angiography (CAG). This prospective observational study included 267 patients who received CAG between 2009 and 2015. CIN was defined as elevation of serum creatinine to >0.5 mg/dL or to >25% above baseline within 48 hours after CAG. During follow-up, laboratory parameters were measured every 3–6 months. Renal decline was defined as>2-fold increase in serum creatinine or initiation of dialysis. The patients were stratified into tertiles according to serum activin A levels at baseline. High activin A tertile was significantly associated more CIN and renal function decline compared to low activin A tertile (all p < 0.001). After adjusting potential confounding factors, high serum activin A tertiles was associated to CIN (Odds ratio 4.49, 95% CI 1.07–18.86, p = 0.040) and renal function decline (Hazard ratio 4.49, 95% CI 1.27–11.41, p = 0.017) after CAG.
Dual-molecular barcode sequencing detects rare variants in tumor and cell free DNA in plasma
Authors: Hirotsu Yosuke , Otake Sotaro , Ohyama Hiroshi , Amemiya Kenji , Higuchi Rumi , Oyama Toshio , Mochizuki Hitoshi , Goto Taichiro , Omata Masao
Published: February 2020

Conventional next generation sequencing analysis has provided important insights into cancer genetics. However, the detection of rare (low allele fraction) variants remains difficult because of the error-prone nucleotide changes derived from sequencing/PCR errors. To eliminate the false-positive variants and detect genuine rare variants, sequencing technology combined with molecular barcodes will be useful. Here, we used the newly developed dual-molecular barcode technology (Ion AmpliSeq HD) to analyze somatic mutations in 24 samples (12 tumor tissues and 12 plasma) from 12 patients with biliary-pancreatic and non-small cell lung cancers. We compared the results between next generation sequencing analysis with or without molecular barcode technologies. The variant allele fraction (VAF) between non-molecular barcode and molecular barcode sequencing was correlated in plasma DNA (R2 = 0.956) and tumor (R2 = 0.935). Both methods successfully detected high VAF mutations, however, rare variants were only identified by molecular barcode sequencing and not by non-molecular barcode sequencing. Some of these rare variants in tumors were annotated as pathogenic, and therefore subclonal driver mutations could be observed. Furthermore, the very low VAF down to 0.17% were identified in cell free DNA in plasma. These results demonstrate that the dual molecular barcode sequencing technologies can sensitively detect rare somatic mutations, and will be important in the investigation of the clonal and subclonal architectures of tumor heterogeneity.
Growth and establishment of monodominant stands affected by ENSO and flooding in the Pantanal
Authors: Gris Darlene , Paixão Eliana , Arruda Rosani C. O. , Ishii Iria H. , Marques Maria R. , Damasceno-Junior Geraldo A.
Published: February 2020

Climatic factors can influence the establishment and growth of wood species, but little is known about the effect of these factors on monodominant communities in wetlands. Therefore, we asked how climatic factors, such as ENSO (El Niño-Southern Oscillation), precipitation and flooding, influence growth and establishment of the dominant speciesErythrina fuscain the Pantanal. We determined the age of sampled individuals, the age of the population and evaluated the effects of climate on tree growth. We obtained samples for dendrochronological analyses using destructive (seven individuals) and non-destructive methods. We cross-dated and built a chronology, correlating results with climatic factors. We sampled 0.6 ha of the population and separated individuals into diameter classes to determine age based on diameter/age ratio obtained through dendrochronological analyses. We obtained a chronology with individuals up to 34 years old, while in the population sample, the oldest individual was 54 years old. The factors that influenced growth during the study period were precipitation (positive correlation) andEl Niño(negative correlation).E. fuscaindividuals seem to grow more during the period of highest precipitation, andEl Niñoevents reduce precipitation in the Pantanal, resulting in a decrease in the growth ofE. fuscaindividuals. We detected a decrease of young individuals in the last nine years, which seems to be related to the decrease in minimum flood levels. This indicates a future decline in the number of individuals. These results allow us to propose measures to protect these monodominant formations, which mainly involve avoiding further anthropic activities, that could reduce flooding levels.
Pleasant body odours, but not genetic similarity, influence trustworthiness in a modified trust game
Authors: Lobmaier Janek S. , Probst Fabian , Fischbacher Urs , Wirthmüller Urs , Knoch Daria
Published: February 2020

Identifying trustworthy partners is an important adaptive challenge for establishing mutually cooperative relationships. Previous studies have demonstrated a marked relationship between a person’s attractiveness and his apparent trustworthiness (beauty premium). Kin selection theory, however, suggests that cues to kinship enhance trustworthiness. Here we directly tested predictions of the beauty premium and kin selection theory by using body odours as cues to trustworthiness. Body odours reportedly portray information about an individuals’ genotype at the human leucocyte antigen system (HLA) and thus olfactory cues in body odours serve as a promising means for kin recognition. Ninety men played trust games in which they divided uneven sums of monetary units between two male trustees represented by their body odour and rated each body odour for pleasantness. Half of the odours came from HLA-similar men (suggesting closer kin) and half from HLA dissimilar men (suggesting non-kin). We found that the amount of money the players transferred was not related to HLA-similarity, but to the pleasantness of the trustee’s body odour. By showing that people with more pleasant body odours are trusted more than people with unpleasant body odour we provide evidence for a “beauty-premium” that overrides any putative effect of kin.
An assay for Staphylococcus aureus based on a self-catalytic ampicillin–metal (Fe3+)-organic gels–H2O2 chemiluminescence system with near-zero background noise
Authors: Zhang Yue , Cui Gaoxi , Qin Nana , Yu Xijuan , Zhang Hui , Jia Xiaofei , Li Xiaohua , Zhang Xuzhi , Hun Xu
Published: February 2020

A self-catalytic ampicillin–metal (Fe3+)-organic gels (AMP–MOGs (Fe))–H2O2 CL system, which is not influenced by transition metal ions, was studied.
The direct synthesis of hydrogen peroxide from H2 and O2 using Pd–Ga and Pd–In catalysts
Authors: Wang Sheng , Lewis Richard J. , Doronkin Dmitry E. , Morgan David J. , Grunwaldt Jan-Dierk , Hutchings Graham J. , Behrens Silke
Published: February 2020

The direct synthesis of hydrogen peroxide is investigated using PdGa/TiO2 and PdIn/TiO2 catalysts prepared by an acid-washed sol-immobilisation procedure, which allows for enhanced catalytic selectivity.
Castanea sativa male flower extracts as an alternative additive in the Portuguese pastry delicacy “pastel de nata”
Authors: Caleja Cristina , Barros Lillian , Barreira João C. M. , Soković Marina , Calhelha Ricardo C. , Bento Albino , Oliveira M. Beatriz P. P. , Ferreira Isabel C. F. R.
Published: February 2020

Replacing artificial additives by natural compounds is a current trend in the food industry. In addition to their preserving effect, naturally obtained ingredients often exhibit important levels of bioactivities.
Giant spin Seebeck effect through an interface organic semiconductor
Authors: Kalappattil V. , Geng R. , Das R. , Pham M. , Luong H. , Nguyen T. , Popescu A. , Woods L. M. , Kläui M. , Srikanth H. , Phan M. H.
Published: February 2020

Interfacing an organic semiconductor C60 with a non-magnetic metal (Cu or Pt) and a magnetic metal (Fe or Co) can create a new class of spin-caloric materials.
A room temperature sub-ppm NO2 gas sensor based on WO3 hollow spheres
Authors: Zhao Jing , Hu Mengqing , Liang Yan , Li Qiulin , Zhang Xinye , Wang Zhenyu
Published: February 2020

A pH regulated morphology evolution process was demonstrated, wherein WO3 hollow spheres obtained at pH = 0.7 exhibit good RT NO2 sensing performance.
Additive-assisted synthesis and optoelectronic properties of (CH3NH3)4Bi6I22
Authors: Sharma Manila , Yangui Aymen , Lusson Alain , Boukheddaden Kamel , Ding Xiaxin , Du Mao-Hua , Gofryk Krzysztof , Saparov Bayrammurad
Published: February 2020

A novel iodobismuthate semiconductor (MA)4Bi6I22 (measured bandgap of 1.9 eV) was prepared using solution methods in the presence of HgI2 additive.
Electronic structure of iron dinitrogen complex [(TPB)FeN2]2−/1−/0: correlation to Mössbauer parameters
Authors: Vyas Nidhi , Kumar Aditya , Ojha Animesh K. , Grover Abhinav
Published: February 2020

We use density functional theory studies to explore the electronic structure, bonding and spectroscopic analysis of a low-valent iron (2−/1−/0) complex [(TPB)FeN2]2−/1−/0and reveled the factor which affects the reactivity of the metal–dinitrogen moiety.
Trapping flocking particles with asymmetric obstacles
Authors: Martinez Raul , Alarcon Francisco , Aragones Juan Luis , Valeriani Chantal
Published: February 2020

Asymmetric obstacles can be exploited to direct the motion and induce sorting of run-and-tumble particles.
Fast production of zinc–hexamethylenetetramine complex microflowers as an advanced sulfur reservoir for high-performance lithium–sulfur batteries
Authors: Dou Xiaoyuan , Li Gaoran , Zhang Wenyao , Lu Fei , Luo Dan , Liu Wenwen , Yu Aiping , Chen Zhongwei
Published: February 2020

Hierarchical zinc–hexamethylenetetramine complex microflowers were developed to establish a multifunctional interlayer towards high-capacity and durable lithium–sulfur batteries.
Polymer field-effect transistor memory based on a ferroelectric nylon gate insulator
Authors: Anwar Saleem , Jeong Beomjin , Abolhasani Mohammad Mahdi , Zajaczkowski Wojciech , Hassanpour Amiri Morteza , Asadi Kamal
Published: February 2020

Ultra-smooth thin-films of nylons, one of the most successful commercialized polymers, have been realized for the application in ferroelectric field effect transistors.
Naturally available hypericin undergoes electron transfer for type I photodynamic and photothermal synergistic therapy
Authors: Ke Zhen , Xie Aize , Chen Jianjiao , Zou Zhenyuan , Shen Lei , Dai Yansong , Zou Dengfeng
Published: February 2020

Hypericin undergoing electron transfer can be used for type I PDT and PTT.
Ultra pH-sensitive polymeric nanovesicles co-deliver doxorubicin and navitoclax for synergetic therapy of endometrial carcinoma
Authors: Ding Jie , Zhang Xu , Chen Chuangqi , Huang Yuqiang , Yu Xingsu , Li Xiaomao
Published: February 2020

An ultra pH-sensitive polymeric nanovesicle was constructed to co-deliver doxorubicin and navitoclax for highly efficient synergetic treatment of endometrial carcinoma.
Non-analyte signals and supervised learning to evaluate matrix effects and predict analyte recoveries in inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry
Authors: Carter Jake A. , Sloop John T. , Harville Tina , Jones Bradley T. , Donati George L.
Published: February 2020

Plasma species of Ar, H and O are monitored and used for modeling and for correcting signal bias caused by high concentrations of easily ionizable elements in ICP OES.
Noncanonical Wnt planar cell polarity signaling in lung development and disease
Authors: Vladar Eszter K. , Königshoff Melanie
Published: February 2020

The planar cell polarity (PCP) signaling pathway is a potent developmental regulator of directional cell behaviors such as migration, asymmetric division and morphological polarization that are critical for shaping the body axis and the complex three-dimensional architecture of tissues and organs. PCP is considered a noncanonical Wnt pathway due to the involvement of Wnt ligands and Frizzled family receptors in the absence of the beta-catenin driven gene expression observed in the canonical Wnt cascade. At the heart of the PCP mechanism are protein complexes capable of generating molecular asymmetries within cells along a tissue-wide axis that are translated into polarized actin and microtubule cytoskeletal dynamics. PCP has emerged as an important regulator of developmental, homeostatic and disease processes in the respiratory system. It acts along other signaling pathways to create the elaborately branched structure of the lung by controlling the directional protrusive movements of cells during branching morphogenesis. PCP operates in the airway epithelium to establish and maintain the orientation of respiratory cilia along the airway axis for anatomically directed mucociliary clearance. It also regulates the establishment of the pulmonary vasculature. In adult tissues, PCP dysfunction has been linked to a variety of chronic lung diseases such as cystic fibrosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension, stemming chiefly from the breakdown of proper tissue structure and function and aberrant cell migration during regenerative wound healing. A better understanding of these (impaired) PCP mechanisms is needed to fully harness the therapeutic opportunities of targeting PCP in chronic lung diseases.
Survey of UAV motion planning
Authors: Quan Lun , Han Luxin , Zhou Boyu , Shen Shaojie , Gao Fei
Published: February 2020

Motion planning is a vital module for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), especially in scenarios of autonomous navigation and operation. This survey delivers some recent state‐of‐the‐art UAV motion planning algorithms and related applications. The logic flow of this survey is divided as the path finding, which is the front‐end of most motion planning systems, and the trajectory optimisation, which usually serves as the back‐end. Motivation, methodology, problem formulation and derivation are given in this survey, in detail. Finally, a section about real‐world applications is given, where roles and effectiveness of most popular motion planning methods are revealed.
Application of micro pump hydro energy storage for reliable operation of microgrid system
Authors: Dhundhara Sandeep , Verma Yajvender Pal
Published: February 2020

The energy storage system is the backbone of an isolated microgrid (MG), which helps to provide a secure and reliable power supply. The operation of the MG systems operating without storage is affected highly due to intermittent generation and sudden load demand fluctuations. This study investigates the operational behaviour of an isolated MG system in terms of frequency and power balance by incorporating the Micro Pump Hydro Energy Storage (MPHES) system. The investigated MG system consists of biodiesel, solar and wind‐based generating units with MPHES and battery as energy storage systems. The realistic data for solar and wind resources have been used to consider the practical scenario of any area. The recently developed coyote‐optimisation algorithm is employed for optimal tuning of the proportional–integral controller using the integral of time multiplied absolute error criterion. The simulation studies have been conducted to investigate the performance of the MG system by incorporating the MPHES system for a typical day (36 h) under various operating conditions. The analysis reveals that the MG system exhibits smoother and consistent dynamic performance by including the MPHES unit and efficiently utilises renewable power.
Impact analysis of large power networks with high share of renewables in transient conditions
Authors: Sampath Kumar Dhivya , Sharma Anurag , Srinivasan Dipti , Reindl Thomas
Published: February 2020

With the growth of distributed generators in the power grid, replacing the fossil‐fuel‐based conventional generation sources with renewable power resources, namely photovoltaics (PVs) or wind turbines, is inevitable. However, when rotating‐kind synchronous machines that usually possess high inertia are replaced by PVs that have an inherent static nature, grid stability issues such as reduced system inertia, lack of reactive power, and decreased system damping may arise. This study investigates the stability impacts with high‐PV penetration in the Texas 2000‐bus network. From the impact analysis conducted under transient conditions, it is observed that high‐PV penetration could negatively adversely affect the voltage and frequency stability of the system which is mainly due to the replacement of conventional generators that results in reduced network inertia and lack of reactive power support. Hence, to alleviate the adverse stability implications of PVs on power systems with reduced inertia, a long‐term generator scheduling strategy is proposed considering the criticality of synchronous generators for optimally decommitting and scheduling the generators. Extensive case studies are conducted to determine the ideal dispatch strategy for the test system based on transient stability criterions.
Smart electric vehicle charging management for smart cities
Authors: Vaidya Binod , Mouftah Hussein T.
Published: February 2020

In recent years, attraction to alternative urban mobility paradigms such as electric vehicles (EVs) is increasing since EVs can significantly minimise fossil fuel dependency and reduce carbon emission in urban areas. Nonetheless, there are several barriers toward widespread adoption of EVs. Moreover, as EV penetration increases in urban areas, uncoordinated charging may cause power outage. Deployment of EV charging network can allow EVs to communicate with the service provider to coordinate charging activities. Taking into account, increased growth of EVs, number of charging facilities will be inadequate in urban areas, so efficient EV charging management is required for managing and allocating scarce charging station (CS) resources. In this study, the authors have designed and implemented a smart EV charging management system utilizing charging strategy that includes effective reservation management and efficient slot allocation of CSs. Considering composite cost that includes waiting time, estimated charging time, estimated charging cost, user discontent factor and CS congestion impact in such a method, their scheduling scheme shall furnish a set of optimal solutions. Viewing user discontent factor and average waiting time, they have evaluated performance of proposed strategy. The proposed charging strategy is effective than the existing one in terms of average waiting time.
Uncertainty identification method using kriging surrogate model and Akaike information criterion for industrial electromagnetic device
Authors: Kim Saekyeol , Lee Soo‐Gyung , Kim Ji‐Min , Lee Tae Hee , Lim Myung‐Seop
Published: February 2020

The uncertainty of an electromagnetic device is inherent in its manufacturing process. To consider the various uncertainties, several probabilistic design optimisation techniques, such as robust or reliability‐based design optimisation, have been developed. Although a statistical model of uncertainties is extremely important in obtaining an accurate result from a probabilistic design optimisation, most studies on probabilistic design optimisation have assumed these uncertainties to follow normal distributions. However, this assumption may not be valid in several real‐world applications. Therefore, this study presents an efficient uncertainty identification method that provides a systematic framework to select the fittest distribution and find its optimal statistical parameters using finite element analysis and experimental data from prototype testing. The Akaike information criterion and maximum likelihood estimation are used for model selection and parameter estimation, respectively. To reduce the computational cost, the kriging surrogate model is used to evaluate the response of the electromagnetic device. The proposed method is applied to a surface‐mounted permanent magnet synchronous motor, to identify the uncertainties that produce the additional harmonic components of cogging torque. The results show that this method is a powerful tool in analysing the effect of uncertainties on the performance of an electromagnetic device.
The coexistence of the streaming instability and the vertical shear instability in protoplanetary disks
Authors: Schäfer Urs , Johansen Anders , Banerjee Robi
Published: February 2020

The streaming instability is a leading candidate mechanism to explain the formation of planetesimals. However, the role of this instability in the driving of turbulence in protoplanetary disks, given its fundamental nature as a linear hydrodynamical instability, has so far not been investigated in detail. We study the turbulence that is induced by the streaming instability as well as its interaction with the vertical shear instability. For this purpose, we employ the FLASH Code to conduct two-dimensional axisymmetric global disk simulations spanning radii from 1  to 100 au, including the mutual drag between gas and dust as well as the radial and vertical stellar gravity. If the streaming instability and the vertical shear instability start their growth at the same time, we find the turbulence in the dust midplane layer to be primarily driven by the streaming instability. The streaming instability gives rise to vertical gas motions with a Mach number of up to ~10−2. The dust scale height is set in a self-regulatory manner to about 1% of the gas scale height. In contrast, if the vertical shear instability is allowed to saturate before the dust is introduced into our simulations, then it continues to be the main source of the turbulence in the dust layer. The vertical shear instability induces turbulence with a Mach number of ~10−1 and thus impedes dust sedimentation. Nonetheless, we find the vertical shear instability and the streaming instability in combination to lead to radial dust concentration in long-lived accumulations that are significantly denser than those formed by the streaming instability alone. Therefore, the vertical shear instability may promote planetesimal formation by creating weak overdensities that act as seeds for the streaming instability.
Justification of optimal design and technological parameters of needle discs of the combined working body
Authors: Petrov Alexander M. , Ivanayskiy Sergey A. , Kanaev Mikhail A. , Parfyonov Oleg M. , Ivanayskiy Maxim S.
Published: February 2020

The aim of the research is to improve soil tillage quality using combined working bodies in surface cultivation. There are various designs of combined tillage units including passive cultivators and active rotor-tooth working bodies cultivating land. However, an analysis of design and technological parameters of modern cultivators shows that they have a cumbersome design, required much metal and their quality indicators do not meet soil cultivation requirements. The article presents results of the studies on the influence of geometric and technological parameters of an additional battery of needle discs on land tillage quality. Using the research results, the land tillage has been improved and combined working bodies have been developed.
Use of environmentally safe preventive remedy against ascospherosis
Authors: Liubimov Aleksandr Ivanovich , Vorobeva Svetlana Leonidovna , Kisliakova Elena Mullanurovna , Berezkina Galina Iurevna , Mushtaleva Ekaterina Dmitrievna
Published: February 2020

Death of bee families in many countries has led to a reduction in the number of honey bees, a reduction in their medicinal food products and pollination activity. Honey bees are susceptible to various diseases of an infectious nature, including a disease such as ascospherosis caused by Ascosphaera apis fungus. The treatment of bee families against this disease with a preventive natural remedy, without the use of antibiotics and chemicals, is included in the concept of organic bee-farming and leads to a decrease in the percentage of affected families. Two groups of bee families treated with prophylactic compounds from natural raw materials were analyzed in the course of the research: experimental group № 1 (garlic, wormwood with vitamin C); experimental group № 2 (garlic and 5% iodine solution). Laboratory and field studies confirm the greatest effectiveness of garlic and iodine composition. There is a reduction in infection of bee brood due to the active substance allicin, which carries antimicrobial properties and, accordingly, increases the number of working flying bees.
Effect of various biological control agents (BCAs) on drought resistance and spring barley productivity
Authors: Safin Radik , Karimova Lilia , Nizhegorodtseva Lubov , Stepankova Daria , Shaimullina Gulnaz , Nazarov Ruslan
Published: February 2020

The aim of the article is to study the effect of various biological agents of biofungicides on plant resistance to drought and formation of spring barley crops. Endophytic bacteria (Bacillus subtilis), rhizospheric bacteria (Pseudomonas fluorescens), actinomycetes (Streptomyces sp.), and micromycetes (Trichoderma viride) were used as bioagents of biofungicides. Preparations based on biological agents were used to treat spring barley seeds. The studies were carried out in laboratory and field conditions. In the conditions of the model artificial acute drought, it was found that seed treatment with Streptomyces sp. Stimulates the leaf and root growth, as well as increases peroxidase activity in the leaves. The maximum content of proline was during seed treatment with Pseudomonas fluorescens. An increase in the content of chlorophyll was observed when treating with Trichoderma viride seeds. In the field conditions, Pseudomonas putida and Streptomyces were more efficient by the content of proline in seedlings. In terms of the spring barley yield, seed treatment with Streptomyces sp., Pseudomonas putida and Bacillus subtilis was more efficient. Streptomyces sp., Pseudomonas putida and Bacillus subtilis are promising for increasing barley resistance to drought.
Agrobiological basis of wheat yield formation Dicoccum Schrank (spelt) in the ancestral domain of the Republic of Tatarstan
Authors: Shaikhutdinov Farit , Serzhanov Igor , Serzhanova Albina , Valiev Abdulsamat , Aksakova Venera
Published: February 2020

The article presents the results of a three-year (2016–2018) study on the role of seeding rates taking into account the depth of seeding on different backgrounds of mineral nutrition in the conditions of gray forest soils in the middle Volga region. Experiments were conducted on the pilot field of the Department of Plant Industry and Horticulture of Kazan State Automobile University. Soil of the experimental site is characterized by the following agrochemical indicators: humus content – 2.9–3.2 % (according to Tyurin), the sum of the absorbed bases – 27 mg.-per 100 g of soil, light hydrolysable nitrogen – 79.0...110 mg/1000 g (according to Corinth), mobile phosphorus and potassium (according to Kirsanov) – 105...184 and 79...149 mg/1000 g of soil, pHsol.– 5.6–5.7. Research material – double-grain wheat Triticum Dicoccum Schrank (spelt) grade Runo. During all the years of research, the soil layer 4 and 6 cm was the most wetted during the sprouting phase. On average, for 3 years the best completeness of sprouting was provided by sowing rates of 4–5 million germplasm seeds per hectare at the depth of seed placement by 2 and 4 cm. Safety of plants to full ripeness at sowing of 6 million grains per hectare on both feeding backgrounds made up at planting of seeds on 2 cm – 414–423 pieces/m2, 4 cm – 411–432 and 6 cm – 356–374 plants on 1 m2. The highest yield for 3 years on average on both feeding grounds (1.93...2.55 t/ha) was provided by sowing 4 million grains per hectare when planting seeds by 4 cm.
Automated system-cognitive analysis of the dependence of export and import of agricultural machinery on its production (the case of Russia)
Authors: Semenenko Ksenia A. , Lutsenko Eugeny V. , Snimshchikova Irina V. , Loiko Valery I.
Published: February 2020

The issue raised in the article is the study of the dependence of export and import of agricultural machinery on its production in Russia. The Russian agricultural machinery market is influenced by three groups of factors: 1) own production of agricultural machinery; 2) export of agricultural machinery of Russian production; 3) import of agricultural machinery of foreign production. Traditionally, such problems are solved using multivariate analysis. However, in this case, the use of this method is problematic for a number of reasons: the source data is dimensional and measured in different units, the number of observations is less than the number of factors, the factors depend on each other, and the number of factors is too large. These restrictions are proposed to be overcome by applying automated system-cognitive analysis and its software tools of the intellectual system “Eidos”. For this purpose the following tasks were solved: 1) formulation of the idea and the concept of problem solving; 2) justification of the choice of the method and tool for solving the problem; 3) application of the selected method and tool to solve the problem; 4) evaluation of the effectiveness of the proposed solution of the problem; 5) consideration of the restrictions and disadvantages of the proposed solution of the problem and the prospects for its development by overcoming these restrictions and disadvantages. Some results of solving these problems are briefly summarized in this article.
Intellectual analysis of spectral images of plants
Authors: Lutsenko Eugeny V. , Korzhakov Valery E. , Loiko Valery I.
Published: February 2020

Traditionally, the assessment of plants for different diseases is carried out by visual determination of leaf damage with the help of an expert – phytopathologist. This method has a number of disadvantages that are proposed to be overcome with the use of the automated system-cognitive analysis (ASC-analysis) of the spectra of images plants in the intelligent system called “Eidos”. For this purpose, we solve the following tasks: Task 1: formulating the idea and concept of the solution of the problem; Task 2: justifying the choice of the method and the tool to solve problems; Task 3: applying the selected method and the tool to solve the problems, i.e. to perform the following steps: – cognitive structuring of the subject area; – formalization of the subject area; – synthesis and verification of models; – improving the quality of the model and the choice of the most reliable models – solution in the most reliable model of diagnostic tasks (classification, recognition, identification), decision support and research of the modeled subject area by studying its model. Task 4: describing the effectiveness of the proposed solution. Task 5: examining the limitations and disadvantages of the proposed solutions for the problems and prospects of its development by overcoming those limitations and drawbacks. We also provide a detailed numerical example intellectual analysis of spectral images of plants with real data by applying the ASC-analysis and “Eidos” intellectual system. However, students and scientists still do not notice that open, scalable, interactive, intelligent online environment for learning and researches already exists and operates, based on automated systemcognitive analysis (ASC-analysis) and its programmatic Toolkit – intellectual “Eidos” and the author’s website. This article is an original presentation and it is designed to familiarize potential users with the capabilities of this environment.
Linguistic corpus as a means of adaptation of modern scientific agricultural approaches
Authors: Melnikov Maxim , Mallyamova Elvira , Morozova Marina
Published: February 2020

The article touches upon the issue of the relevance of creating a specialized agrarian linguistic corpus containing a sufficient amount of scientific publications. The authors substantiate the importance of facilitating prompt access to research results through the global Internet system in agricultural field to increase effectiveness and sustainability of the industry. The study described in the article is aimed to determine the effectiveness of using agrarian linguistic corpus in the process of analysis and adaptation of scientific information in English for academic staff. The problem solution of facilitating the process of obtaining information on scientific discoveries in the agricultural sector is presented in the article. The research team of the Department of Foreign Languages of Ulyanovsk State Agrarian University introduced findings of the study.
Problems and management mechanisms of reproduction of human resources of peripheral rural territories of the Republic of Mordovia
Authors: Kovalenko Elena , Polushkina Tatiana , Koroleva Tatiana , Yakimova Olga
Published: February 2020

The article is devoted to the problem of human resourcing in the agricultural sector of the economy which has been aggravated for a long time. The measures taken under the framework of the widespread implementation of the State Program for Development of Agriculture and Regulation of Agricultural Commodity Markets for 2013–2020 contribute to the modernization of the physical infrastructure, growth of agriculture, development of the village social assets, but they do not ensure abatement of depopulation of the rural population and the influx of skilled personnel into the agro-industrial complex. This is facilitated by the lack of a spatial aspect in the programs implemented, insufficient consideration of features, potential and possibilities of self-development of territories that reduces performance and effectiveness of municipal programs. A typology of municipalities of the Republic of Mordovia was carried out on the basis of “center – periphery”, demographic situation and economic specialization characteristics. The proposals on improving management of human resources reproduction in municipal territories, in particular, on creating a system for monitoring labor resources and selecting personnel using modern information technologies, as well as on improving the current system for assessing the effectiveness of local governmental activities are formulated.
Livestock salmonellosis in the Irkutsk region
Authors: Batomunkuev Aldar , Sukhinin Alexander , Silkin Ivan , Tarasevich Vyacheslav
Published: February 2020

The analysis of the incidence of livestock (cattle and pigs) of salmonellosis in the territory of the Irkutsk region during 2004–2016 was carried out. It was found that the incidence rate of cattle was 5.4±0.62 per 100 thousands livestock, pigs − 4.0±0.04 0/0000. The dynamics of reducing of the incidence of pigs was identified. Negative rates of increase in the incidence of animals were revealed. The epizootic index was 1.0. Salmonella of nine species (Salmonella dublin, S.enteritidis, S.choleraesuis, S.typhimurium, S.london, S.lindi, S.wernigerode and S.othmarschen) in cattle and five species (S.choleraesuis, S.enteritidis, S.typhimurium, S.rochdale and S.arizonae) in pigs were identified as the causative agent of the infection. S.dublin was dominated at the etiology of salmonellosis in cattle (75.1 %) (p≤0.05), S.choleraesuis – in pigs (89.2±2.9 %) (p≤0.01). Salmonellosis in cattle was recorded in 11 districts of the Irkutsk region, in pigs – in nine districts.
Encapsulated Sulfur targets for light ion beam experiments
Authors: Jongile Sandile , Kheswa Ntombizonke , Papka Paul , Sorlin Olivier , Lemasson Antoine , Wiedeking Mathis , Brits Christiaan , Mthembu Sinegugu , Kheswa Bonginkosi , Makhathini Lucky , Nemulodi Fhumulani , Maqabuka Bongani , Sithole Makuhane
Published: February 2020

A new method was developed to produce enriched Sulfur targets with minimum loss of material. This was made possible by inserting Sulfur in-between two 0.5 μm Mylar foils (C10H8O4). The initial aim was to ensure that the Sulfur targets reduce by no more than 50% of the initial thickness within 24 hours under the equivalent of 10 J/cm2 of integrated energy deposition by an energetic (Eb > 50 MeV) proton beam. There is no loss of enriched material while making the target, as all the material is deposited within the surface area to be exposed to the beam. During beam irradiation, the targets were frequently swivelled in order to expose each part of the target to the beam and achieve homogeneous irradiation. Targets of 0.4 mg/cm2 thickness were produced and characterised using ion beam analysis technique with a 3 MeV proton beam.
Electrodes criticality: the impact of CRMs in the leachate electrochemical oxidation
Authors: Pierpaoli Mattia , Rycewicz Michał , Łuczkiewicz Aneta , Fudala-Ksiązek Sylwia , Bogdanowicz Robert , Ruello Maria Letizia
Published: February 2020

Landfill leachate possesses high concentrations of ammonia, micropollutants, and heavy metals, and are characterised for low biodegradability. For this reason, conventional treatment technologies may result ineffective for complete pollutant removal. Electrochemical oxidation allows most of the of recalcitrant pollutants to be oxidised effectively within an easy operational and acceptable retention time, without the need to provide additional chemicals, and without producing waste materials. The mineralisation efficiency and electrode durability depend on the nature of the electrode material. The conventionally adopted anodes can contain critical raw materials (CRMs), and are subject to extreme corrosion conditions. CRM-free electrodes, such as carbon and graphite-based, exhibit a lower efficiency, and are subject to faster deactivation, or, as for lead-dioxide-based electrodes, can constitute a hazard due to the release into the effluent of the coating corrosion products. In this study, the relationship between electrode type, CRM content, and the removal efficiencies of organic compounds and ammonium-nitrogen (N-NH4) was investigated. Material criticality was estimated by the supply risk with economic importance indexes reported in the 2017 EU CRM List. The COD and N-NH4removal efficiencies were obtained from a literature analysis of 25 publications. The results show that, while single and multi-oxide-coated electrodes may contain low amounts of CRM, but with limited efficiency, boron-doped diamonds (BDD) may constitute the best compromise in terms of a reduced content of CRM and a high mineralisation efficiency.