bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Método fotogramétrico pragmático para medir desplazamientos en puentes
Authors: Serrano Noé A. , Zuñiga Brayan A. , Gallardo José M.
Published: January 2019

En este artículo se presenta un método fotogramétrico para medir desplazamientos en puentes, utilizando una cámara digital y software de análisis de videos, como herramienta para la evaluación estructural de puentes. Este método permite registrar el desplazamiento vertical de los puentes, el cual es el parámetro más relevante para estimar la capacidad de los puentes, tanto durante pruebas de carga estáticas como durante el tráfico vehicular. El método propuesto es económico y sencillo, permite alta frecuencia de lectura (60 Hz), y ofrece medidas confiables, con errores de medición en el orden de 0.1 mm al medir desplazamientos y 0.01 Hz al estimar frecuencias de vibración. Este método es atractivo al compararlo con alternativas mayormente utilizadas actualmente, como los deformímetros de alta precisión, que requieren apoyarse en estructuras temporales costosas, o como los equipos de medición topográfica que cuentan con precisiones en el orden de 1 mm. El método fue validado mediante experimentación en especímenes de madera. Se demostró su uso práctico al implementarlo en el monitoreo de desplazamientos verticales, y la frecuencia de vibración principal, de cuatro puentes bajo la acción del tráfico regular.
Desarrollo de un software especializado para el diseño de antenas tipo reflector para aplicaciones 5G en banda E
Authors: López M María , Boccia Luigi , Palacios César
Published: January 2019

Desde el descubrimiento de la propagación de las ondas electromagnéticas, las antenas de tipo reflector son ampliamente utilizadas en campos como la radioastronomía, la comunicación microondas y la localización satelital. Estas aplicaciones han permitido el desarrollo de técnicas de análisis y cálculos más precisos, consiguiendo de esta forma mayor ganancia en la antena y optimización en la iluminación de la misma. Para aumentar esta recepción por ejemplo los radiotelescopios utilizan grandes reflectores que dirigen la energía receptada hasta un simple alimentador (feed). La forma más común de reflector es el paraboloide, ya que puede focalizar la onda plana en un solo punto llamado foco. Las antenas de tipo reflector pueden tener muchas configuraciones, pero en este artículo citaremos principalmente las de tipo reflector para aplicaciones 5G. El diseño inicia con el estudio de un reflector parabólico tipo offset, que es la base para el estudio del reflector tipo Cassegrain. Se realizan dos modelos analíticos en función de la óptica geométrica y la distribución de corriente superficial. Finalmente se desarrolla un software en Matlab, mediante el cual es posible calcular parámetros importantes del reflector, como: ganancia, directividad, componentes co y cross-polar en manera absoluta y normalizada. La validación de todo el estudio realizado se hace por medio de una comparación entre Matlab y simulaciones hechas en TICRA-GRASP.
Planficación en redes de área local inalámbricas en escenarios internos: elementos, herramientas y cuestiones prácticas
Authors: Cortés Antonio
Published: January 2019

En la actualidad unas de las dificultades que presentan las redes inalámbricas de área local (WLAN) en espacios internos, por ejemplo, edificios, oficinas, distribución de cubículos entre pisos, es la adecuada cobertura a la cual tiene acceso diversos tipos de artefactos como son los celulares, laptops, computadoras, a través de la conexión inalámbrica que provee los diversos puntos de acceso (AP) distribuidos en diversos espacios por dónde transitan o trabajan las personas. En este artículo presentamos un análisis de los escenarios internos, al considerar una serie de elementos básicos, características, herramientas y cuestiones prácticas en el momento de la planificación de una red inalámbrica. Existen una serie de herramientas como inSSIDer, NetSurveyor, NetSpot y Vistumbler orientados a la planificación y diseño de redes LAN inalámbricas 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac en la obtención de rendimiento, seguridad y cumplimiento óptimo de la red. Los resultados obtenidos mediante experimentación permiten obtener información relevante para el planificador de la red encargado de diseñar e implementar la red LAN inalámbrica. De igual modo, se hace uso de una serie de escenarios para la simulación, los cuales están configurados con ciertas características, lo que permite la verificación de la velocidad de conexión, frecuencia de la señal y capacidad de transmisión afrontando las etapas de congestión de la red.
Efecto de agentes estabilizantes en jugo de piña (Ananas comosus) y coco (cocos nucifera L.) edulcorado
Authors: Castulovich Brayan , Franco Jaruvy
Published: January 2019

En esta investigación se realizó una evaluación de los agentes estabilizantes en un jugo de piña y coco edulcorado para mejorar la inestabilidad coloidal que se presentan en los jugos mixtos de frutas. Se contempló una muestra control la cual no contaba con estabilizantes siendo ésta la que presentaba las separaciones de fases que es el problema que se observa con los jugos en el mercado actual. Se formularon dos muestras con diferentes estabilizantes, la formulación 1 se estabilizó a una concentración de 0.024% de goma xantana y 0.015% carboximetilcelulosa y la formulación 2 se estabilizó a una concentración de 0.024% de goma xantana y 0.015% carragenina con el fin de corregir este defecto de calidad. Las propiedades fisicoquímicas evaluadas fueron: acidez total, sólidos solubles, carbohidratos totales, cenizas, grasas, humedad, proteínas donde se encontraron diferencias significativas. Se evaluó la acidez total titulable, densidad y sólidos solubles donde no se observaron cambios entre las muestras. El porcentaje de sinéresis muestra valores de separación altos en ambas formulaciones con respecto al control. Los valores de la viscosidad obtenido a temperaturas de 15°, 35° y 50°C varían significativamente, resultando el coeficiente de consistencia K alterado debido a una menor consistencia y/o resistencia al flujo del jugo con las temperaturas. La adición de estabilizantes cambia la composición proximal y reológicas del jugo de piña y coco. Para obtener mejores cambios se debe utilizar porcentajes más altos de hidrocoloides (1-3%) para que la sinéresis sea menor y no se logren apreciar la separación de fases.
Estrategia metodológica para la elaboración y solución de problemas en química centrada en la simetría del icosaedro
Authors: Araque Marín Pedronel , Sierra Javier
Published: January 2019

La búsqueda de un trabajo colaborativo que impacte el quehacer educativo en el aula de clase, donde se construya un lenguaje en química vital en los procesos de enseñanza-aprendizaje, especialmente para construir e interpretar situaciones problema; nos lleva al planteamiento de una estrategia metodológica centrada en la simetría del icosaedro para la elaboración y solución de problemas en química. La metodología se desarrolló en seis momentos fundamentales, basados en un ciclo didáctico, con el fin de garantizar a los estudiantes su participación como: diseñadores, críticos, re-diseñadores, resolutivos y evaluadores. Durante la implementación de la estrategia se encontraron dificultades en comprensión lectora e interpretación a la hora de resolver un ejercicio, la escritura de la situación problema presentó deficiencias estructurales de forma, manejo conceptual e información inconexa. Al momento de replantear los problemas se observaron fallas en manejo de sinonimia y proformas. También se identificó y llamó profundamente la atención fue la dificultad al momento de aplicar conceptos básicos de Aritmética y Álgebra. La estrategia ha potencializado en los estudiantes el reescribir, justificar, describir, definir, reflexionar y por supuesto a argumentar y contra argumentar, de esta forma lo aprendido cobra sentido y su aprendizaje es significativo y colaborativo.
Generación de un ambiente controlado para semilleros de huertos urbanos con freertos y arduino
Authors: González Joseph , Morales Itza , García Alaín , Villarreal Vladimir
Published: January 2019

Elaborar semilleros para trasplante permite al horticultor el crecimiento prematuro de plantones para el adelanto controlado de cultivos a sus épocas de siembra adecuada. Sin embargo, no siempre es posible contar con el clima adecuado para la germinación de las semillas sembradas, lo que puede generar pérdidas de plantones y/o retrasos en la producción. Para prevenir esta situación se desarrolló un sistema electrónico que genera las condiciones ambientales requeridas para la germinación y crecimiento correcto de los plantones, dentro de un pequeño invernadero destinado a semilleros para huertos urbanos. Este sistema consiste en sensores de humedad y temperatura que se comunican a una placa microcontroladora Aruino UNO, donde los datos obtenidos por los sensores son manipulados por el sistema operativo de tiempo real FreeRTOS. Este sistema operativo analiza los datos obtenidos, determina la actividad que deben realizar los elementos actuadores (como sistema de riego, calefacción y ventilación) y gestiona la cantidad de recursos del sistema que puede utilizar cada uno a través de hilos de procesos. Todo esto para obtener como resultado un ambiente de crecimiento adecuado dentro del invernadero.
Análisis de la descarga de aguas grises por la Cafetería del Edificio N. º 1 de la Universidad Tecnológica de Panamá
Authors: Credidio Ángel , De Gracia David , García Evelin , Villarreal Dalys , Vallester Erick
Published: January 2019

El tratamiento de aguas residuales es de vital importancia para evitar vulnerar nuestros recursos hídricos. Las aguas grises son un tema que muchas veces es pasado por alto, ya que se piensa que su capacidad de contaminación no es de gran significancia. Sin embargo, hay que tener presente, que estas impactan de manera directa y negativa al ambiente. Sus componentes principales, como la materia orgánica, las grasas, aceites y detergentes, causan un incremento en los Sólidos Suspendidos (SS), la Demanda Química de Oxígeno (DQO), y al mismo tiempo en la Demanda Bioquímica de Oxígeno (DBO). Por esta razón se han aplicado diferentes metodologías para el análisis de los parámetros de calidad del agua, tales como: los SS, la DQO y la DBO. Resultando altas concentraciones que sobrepasan los límites máximos permitidos (LMP) por el Reglamento Técnico DGNTICOPANIT 35-2000 para los S.S 395 mg/L, 1224.67 mgO2/L para la DQO y 1102.00 mg/L para la DBO [3]. Además, se logró determinar el índice de Biodegradabilidad para este efluente, dando como resultado 0.92 considerándose alto según la escala utilizada, por lo que se prevé que su tratamiento sea fácil y rápido.
İNGİLTERE’NİN ORTADOĞU’DAKİ İSTİHBARAT MERKEZİ: ARAP BÜRO
Authors: Çabuk Mustafa
Published: January 2019

İngiliz istihbaratı Ortadoğu’da çeşitli
isimler altında faaliyet yürüttü. Özellikle de 20. Yüzyılın başında bölgedeki
faaliyetlerini artırdılar. Birinci Dünya savaşı başlamadan önce Ortadoğu ve
Afrika’da Mısır merkezli yaygın bir istihbarat ağı kurdular. Savaşın
başlamasıyla birlikte İngiltere’nin bölgedeki faaliyetlerini ve Hindistan
haricindeki Müslümanlara yönelik politikalarını yönlendirecek ve bölgedeki
Müslüman halka İngiltere lehinde propaganda yapacak bir kuruma ihtiyaç duyuldu.
Bu nedenle, bölgede İngiltere için istihbarat toplayacak ve bunları analiz
ederek Londra’ya, Hindistan, Sudan ve Mısır gibi İngiltere’nin önemli sömürge
merkezlerine iletecek bir ofisi Arap Büro adıyla Kahire’de kurdular. Bu ofis, İngiltere
Dış İşleri’ne ve Mısır’daki İngiliz Müstemleke yönetimine bağlı olarak çalışan
yarı özerk bir yapıya sahipti. Arap Büro’da askerden, akademisyene, bankacıya,
arkeologdan gazeteciye kadar çok farklı meslek grubundan elemanlar istihdam
edildi. Arap Büro, Şerif Hüseyin isyanından sonra faaliyetlerini bu isyan
üzerine yoğunlaştırarak devam ettirdi. İsyancılara silah, para yardımı yaparak
eğitim ve danışmalık hizmeti verdi. 
Bölgede saha çalışmaları yaparak bölgenin haritalarını çıkarttılar. Savaş
sırasında Arap Bülten adıyla gizli bir istihbarat dergisi çıkardılar. Bölgedeki
kabilelerle ve etkili liderlerle ilgili saha ve istihbarat çalışması yürüterek
elde ettikleri bilgileri Londra’ya gönderdiler. Savaştan sonra da Arap Büro
1920 yılına kadar faaliyetlerini devam ettirdi.
ATATÜRK BİYOGRAFİSİNE KATKI: “GAZİ PAŞA’YI NASIL TANIDINIZ?”
Authors: ÇELEBİ Mevlüt
Published: January 2019

Araştırmacılar, Atatürk hakkında yeni bilgi
ve belgeler ortaya çıkartmaya devam ediyorlar. Bu, kendisini daha iyi ve
yakından tanımamıza yardımcı oluyor. Atatürk’ü bize sadece belgeler anlatmıyor,
tanıtmıyor. Aynı zamanda onu tanıyan kişilerin anlattıkları da son derece
önemlidir. 1926’da, dönemin tanınmış gazetecilerinden Ârif Oruç, Atatürk’ü kamuoyuna
daha yakından tanıtmak amacıyla mülakatlar yaptı. Hȃriciye Vekili Tevfik Rüşdü,
Dahiliye Vekili Şükrü Kaya ve Maarif Vekili Mustafa Necati ile yapılan
mülakatta Atatürk hakkında çok önemli bilgiler elde edildi. Gazeteci,
muhataplarına Atatürk ile nasıl tanıştıklarını, onun askerlik ve siyaset
sahnesindeki yerini ve hitabeti hakkında sorular sordu. Bu üç bakan verdikleri
bilgilerle Atatürk ile birlikte yakın dönem Türk tarihinin bilinmeyenlerini de
aydınlattılar.
CUMHURİYET DÖNEMİ’NİN UZUN SÜRELİ İLK POPÜLER TARİH DERGİSİ: RESİMLİ TARİH MECMUASI
Authors: KARABULUT Sezen
Published: January 2019

Akademik bir yazım tarzının dışında sade ve anlaşılabilir bir tarzda
yazılmış tarihi metinler aracılığı ile halk arasında tarihi konulara merak
uyandırmak ve milli duyguları beslemek amacıyla yayınlanan Cumhuriyet döneminin
uzun süreli ilk popüler tarih dergisi olan Resimli
Tarih Mecmuası’nın incelenmesi çalışmanın ana konusu olacaktır. Derginin
içerdiği konular dönemin siyasi, toplumsal ve ekonomik yapısı ile de
karşılaştırılarak döneme ışık tutulmaya çalışılacaktır. Bunun için dönemin
siyasi yapısını analiz eden ikincil kaynaklar ile çalışma desteklenecektir.
Ayrıca 1950’li yıllar popüler tarih dergiciliğinin de Türkiye’de geliştiği bir
süreç olmuştur. Bu durumun analizini yapabilmek için Türk basın tarihine kısaca
yer verilerek bunların arasında tarih dergilerinin yeri ve önemi
değerlendirilecektir. Okuyucuya derginin içeriği hakkında fikir vermesi ve
bundan sonraki çalışmalara kaynak oluşturabilmesi için Resimli Tarih Mecmuasının ilk on sayısının fihristi hazırlanarak
ekler bölümünde sunulmuştur.
ARNAVUTLUK’UN OSMANLI DEVLETİ’NDEN KOPUŞU SORUNU (1912-1913)
Authors: AYDIN Mithat
Published: January 2019

Arnavutluk, Osmanlı
Avrupası’ndan kopan en son toprak parçasıdır. Ulusal bağımsızlık hareketlerinin
ortaya çıktığı modern zamanlara kadar Arnavutluk, sahip oldukları yerel
imtiyazlarını korudukları sürece Sultan’a bağlılıktan ayrılmamışlardır. Arnavutluk’taki
bağımsızlık hareketleri 19. Yüzyılın ikinci yarısında hız kazanmıştır. Buna
temel neden ise Berlin Kongresi’nin Sırp ve Karadağ sınırlarını Arnavutlar
aleyhine genişletilmesini isteyen kararlarıdır. Yani Arnavut milliyetçiliği -başlangıçta-
diğer Balkan uluslarının tersine, doğrudan doğruya Osmanlı otoritesine karşı
değil, yabancı güçlerin kendi topraklarına yönelen saldırılarını engellemek
amacıyla doğmuştur. Bu amaçla 1878’de kurulan Prizren Birliği, Arnavut
topraklarının birliği ve savunulmasında Arnavutlar arasında önemli bir bilinç
oluşturmuştur. Balkan uluslarının bağımsızlıklarını kazanmaları, Arnavutları
önce dil ve kültür birlikteliğine, sonra da siyasal amaçlar etrafında
toplanmaya zorlamıştır. Arzu edilen şey, başlangıçta Osmanlı toprak bütünlüğü
içinde özerk bir yapı iken, daha sonra bağımsızlığa evrilmiştir. Kasım 1897,
Ocak 1899’da İpek’te Hacı Molla Zeka’nın başkanlığında yapılan toplantılar bu
türden (özerklik amaçlayan) örgütlenmelerdir. 1903’teki Makedonya İsyanı
sırasında Arnavutların Bulgar, Sırp ve Yunan saldırılarına maruz kalması onları
yeni bir savunma/saldırı biçimine yöneltmiştir: Komitacılık, Çetecilik.
Arnavutların 1908 Meşrutiyet idaresinden beklentilerinin (geniş bir özerkliğin)
gerçekleşmemesi, özellikle de Osmanlı Devleti’nin Arnavut topraklarını
koruyamayacağı inancı Arnavutlar arasındaki bağımsızlık fikrini
canlandırmıştır. 1913’teki bağımsızlığın ilanına kadar Osmanlı yönetimine karşı
arkası kesilmeyen ayaklanmalar, Tanin gazetesi yazarı Hüseyin Cahit’in
deyimiyle “her gün bitiyor ve her gün
yeniden başlıyordu.” Trablusgarp Savaşı, arkasından Balkan Savaşlarının
patlak vermesiyle Osmanlı Devleti’nin kontrolü kaybetmesi, Arnavut topraklarını
Balkan güçlerinin açık hedefi haline getirmiştir. Bu ise Arnavut ulusal gücünü yeniden
harekete geçirmiştir. Bu güç Arnavutluk’u İsmail Kemal Vlora’nın liderliğinde
önce -Aralık 1912 Londra Konferansıyla- özerkliğe,  sonra da bağımsızlığa taşımıştır. 1913
Temmuzunda Büyük Devletlerin aldıkları bağımsızlık kararına göre Arnavutluk
büyük devletlerin garantisi altında meşruti monarşi ile yönetilen bağımsız bir devlet
olacaktı. Bu çalışma, Arnavutluk’un 1912-1913 yıllarındaki bağımsızlık
sürecinin iç dinamikleri ile uluslararası boyutunu Osmanlı ve İngiliz belgeleri
ışığında değerlendirmeyi amaçlamaktadır.
An Efficient Approach for LBS Privacy Preservation in Mobile Social Networks
Authors: Yang Guangcan , Luo Shoushan , Zhu Hongliang , Xin Yang , Li Mingzhen , Wang Yunfeng
Published: January 2019

With the rapid development of smart handheld devices, wireless communication, and positioning technologies, location-based service (LBS) has been gaining tremendous popularity in mobile social networks (MSN). Users’ daily lives are facilitated by the applications of LBS, but users’ privacy leaking hinders the further development of LBS. In order to solve this problem, techniques such as k-anonymity and l-diversity have been widely adopted. However, most papers that combine with k-anonymity and l-diversity focus on the security of users’ privacy with little consideration of service efficiency. In this paper, we firstly treat the relationship between k-anonymity and l-diversity in the clustering process from a dynamic and global perspective. Then a service category table based algorithm (SCTB) is designed to identify and calculate l-diversity securely and efficiently, which promotes the cooperative efficiency of users in LBS query, especially when the preference privacy that users request in the clustering process have similarities. Finally, theoretical performance analysis and extensive experimental studies are performed to validate the effectiveness of our SCTB algorithm.
An Enhanced Inference Algorithm for Data Sampling Efficiency and Accuracy Using Periodic Beacons and Optimization
Authors: Kang James Jin , Fahd Kiran , Venkatraman Sitalakshmi
Published: January 2019

Transferring data from a sensor or monitoring device in electronic health, vehicular informatics, or Internet of Things (IoT) networks has had the enduring challenge of improving data accuracy with relative efficiency. Previous works have proposed the use of an inference system at the sensor device to minimize the data transfer frequency as well as the size of data to save network usage and battery resources. This has been implemented using various algorithms in sampling and inference, with a tradeoff between accuracy and efficiency. This paper proposes to enhance the accuracy without compromising efficiency by introducing new algorithms in sampling through a hybrid inference method. The experimental results show that accuracy can be significantly improved, whilst the efficiency is not diminished. These algorithms will contribute to saving operation and maintenance costs in data sampling, where resources of computational and battery are constrained and limited, such as in wireless personal area networks emerged with IoT networks.
An X-Band 40 W Power Amplifier GaN MMIC Design by Using Equivalent Output Impedance Model
Authors: Chen Ruitao , Li Ruchun , Zhou Shouli , Chen Shi , Huang Jianhua , Wang Zhiyu
Published: January 2019

This paper presents an X-band 40 W power amplifier with high efficiency based on 0.25 μm GaN HEMT (High Electron Mobility Transistor) on SiC process. An equivalent RC (Resistance Capacitance) model is presented to provide accurate large-signal output impedances of GaN HEMTs with arbitrary dimensions. By introducing the band-pass filter topology, broadband impedance matching networks are achieved based on the RC model, and the power amplifier MMIC (Monolithic Microwave Integrated Circuit) with enhanced bandwidth is realized. The measurement results show that this power amplifier at 28 V operation voltage achieved over 40 W output power, 44.7% power-added efficiency and 22 dB power gain from 8 GHz to 12 GHz. The total chip size is 3.20 mm × 3.45 mm.
Physical Interactions Strengthen Chemical Gelatin Methacryloyl Gels
Authors: Rebers Lisa , Granse Tobias , Tovar Günter E.M. , Southan Alexander , Borchers Kirsten
Published: January 2019

Chemically cross-linkable gelatin methacryloyl (GM) derivatives are getting increasing attention regarding biomedical applications. Thus, thorough investigations are needed to achieve full understanding and control of the physico-chemical behavior of these promising biomaterials. We previously introduced gelatin methacryloyl acetyl (GMA) derivatives, which can be used to control physical network formation (solution viscosity, sol-gel transition) independently from chemical cross-linking by variation of the methacryloyl-to-acetyl ratio. It is known that temperature dependent physical network formation significantly influences the mechanical properties of chemically cross-linked GM hydrogels. We investigated the temperature sensitivity of GM derivatives with different degrees of modification (GM2, GM10), or similar degrees of modification but different methacryloyl contents (GM10, GM2A8). Rheological analysis showed that the low modified GM2 forms strong physical gels upon cooling while GM10 and GM2A8 form soft or no gels. Yet, compression testing revealed that all photo cross-linked GM(A) hydrogels were stronger if cooling was applied during hydrogel preparation. We suggest that the hydrophobic methacryloyl and acetyl residues disturb triple helix formation with increasing degree of modification, but additionally form hydrophobic structures, which facilitate chemical cross-linking.
A Multi-Label Supervised Topic Model Conditioned on Arbitrary Features for Gene Function Prediction
Authors: Liu Lin , Tang Lin , Jin Xin , Zhou Wei
Published: January 2019

With the continuous accumulation of biological data, more and more machine learning algorithms have been introduced into the field of gene function prediction, which has great significance in decoding the secret of life. Recently, a multi-label supervised topic model named labeled latent Dirichlet allocation (LLDA) has been applied to gene function prediction, and obtained more accurate and explainable predictions than conventional methods. Nonetheless, the LLDA model is only able to construct a bag of amino acid words as a classification feature, and does not support any other features, such as hydrophobicity, which has a profound impact on gene function. To achieve more accurate probabilistic modeling of gene function, we propose a multi-label supervised topic model conditioned on arbitrary features, named Dirichlet multinomial regression LLDA (DMR-LLDA), for introducing multiple types of features into the process of topic modeling. Based on DMR framework, DMR-LLDA applies an exponential a priori construction, previously with weighted features, on the hyper-parameters of gene-topic distribution, so as to reflect the effects of extra features on function probability distribution. In the five-fold cross validation experiment of a yeast datasets, DMR-LLDA outperforms the compared model significantly. All of these experiments demonstrate the effectiveness and potential value of DMR-LLDA for predicting gene function.
Cysteine-Rich Receptor-Like Kinase Gene Family Identification in the Phaseolus Genome and Comparative Analysis of Their Expression Profiles Specific to Mycorrhizal and Rhizobial Symbiosis
Authors: Quezada Elsa-Herminia , García Gabriel-Xicoténcatl , Arthikala Manoj-Kumar , Melappa Govindappa , Lara Miguel , Nanjareddy Kalpana
Published: January 2019

Receptor-like kinases (RLKs) are conserved upstream signaling molecules that regulate several biological processes, including plant development and stress adaptation. Cysteine (C)-rich receptor-like kinases (CRKs) are an important class of RLK that play vital roles in disease resistance and cell death in plants. Genome-wide analyses of CRK genes have been carried out in Arabidopsis and rice, while functional characterization of some CRKs has been carried out in wheat and tomato in addition to Arabidopsis. A comprehensive analysis of the CRK gene family in leguminous crops has not yet been conducted, and our understanding of their roles in symbiosis is rather limited. Here, we report the comprehensive analysis of the Phaseolus CRK gene family, including identification, sequence similarity, phylogeny, chromosomal localization, gene structures, transcript expression profiles, and in silico promoter analysis. Forty-six CRK homologs were identified and phylogenetically clustered into five groups. Expression analysis suggests that PvCRK genes are differentially expressed in both vegetative and reproductive tissues. Further, transcriptomic analysis revealed that shared and unique CRK genes were upregulated during arbuscular mycorrhizal and rhizobial symbiosis. Overall, the systematic analysis of the PvCRK gene family provides valuable information for further studies on the biological roles of CRKs in various Phaseolus tissues during diverse biological processes, including Phaseolus-mycorrhiza/rhizobia symbiosis.
Functional Comparison of XPF Missense Mutations Associated to Multiple DNA Repair Disorders
Authors: Marín Maria , Ramírez María José , Aza Carmona Miriam , Jia Nan , Ogi Tomoo , Bogliolo Massimo , Surrallés Jordi
Published: January 2019

XPF endonuclease is one of the most important DNA repair proteins. Encoded by XPF/ERCC4, XPF provides the enzymatic activity of XPF-ERCC1 heterodimer, an endonuclease that incises at the 5’ side of various DNA lesions. XPF is essential for nucleotide excision repair (NER) and interstrand crosslink repair (ICLR). XPF/ERCC4 mutations are associated with several human diseases: Xeroderma Pigmentosum (XP), Segmental Progeria (XFE), Fanconi Anemia (FA), Cockayne Syndrome (CS), and XP/CS combined disease (XPCSCD). Most affected individuals are compound heterozygotes for XPF/ERCC4 mutations complicating the identification of genotype/phenotype correlations. We report a detailed overview of NER and ICLR functional studies in human XPF-KO (knock-out) isogenic cells expressing six disease-specific pathogenic XPF amino acid substitution mutations. Ultraviolet (UV) sensitivity and unscheduled DNA synthesis (UDS) assays provide the most reliable information to discern mutations associated with ICLR impairment from mutations related to NER deficiency, whereas recovery of RNA synthesis (RRS) assays results hint to a possible role of XPF in resolving R-loops. Our functional studies demonstrate that a defined cellular phenotype cannot be easily correlated to each XPF mutation. Substituted positions along XPF sequences are not predictive of cellular phenotype nor reflect a particular disease. Therefore, in addition to mutation type, allelic interactions, protein stability and intracellular distribution of mutant proteins may also contribute to alter DNA repair pathways balance leading to clinically distinct disorders.
Expression of Histidine Decarboxylase and Its Roles in Inflammation
Authors: Hirasawa Noriyasu
Published: January 2019

Histamine is a well-known mediator of inflammation that is released from mast cells and basophils. To date, many studies using histamine receptor antagonists have shown that histamine acts through four types of receptors: H1, H2, H3, and H4. Thus, histamine plays more roles in various diseases than had been predicted. However, our knowledge about histamine-producing cells and the molecular mechanisms underlying histamine production at inflammatory sites is still incomplete. The histamine producing enzyme, histidine decarboxylase (HDC), is commonly induced at inflammatory sites during the late and chronic phases of both allergic and non-allergic inflammation. Thus, histamine levels in tissues are maintained at effective concentrations for hours, enabling the regulation of various functions through the production of cytokines/chemokines/growth factors. Understanding the regulation of histamine production will allow the development of a new strategy of using histamine antagonists to treat inflammatory diseases.
Early Vitamin C and Thiamine Administration to Patients with Septic Shock in Emergency Departments: Propensity Score-Based Analysis of a Before-and-After Cohort Study
Authors: Shin Tae Gun , Kim Youn-Jung , Ryoo Seung Mok , Hwang Sung Yeon , Jo Ik Joon , Chung Sung Phil , Choi Sung-Hyuk , Suh Gil Joon , Kim Won Young
Published: January 2019

Background: Intravenous vitamin C and thiamine administration may be a potential adjuvant therapy for septic shock. We aimed to investigate the impact of early vitamin C and thiamine administration in septic shock patients. Methods: This retrospective before-and-after cohort study used data extracted from the Korean Shock Society’s prospective septic shock registry. We compared 28-day and in-hospital mortality rates between patients treated with intravenous vitamin C (3 g/12 h or 1.5 g/6 h) and thiamine (200 mg/12 h) <6 h after shock recognition from July through December 2017 (n = 229) and control patients from October 2015 through June 2017 (n = 915) using propensity score matching. Results: The 28-day (18.3% vs. 17.5%; p = 0.76) and in-hospital (16.6% vs. 18.3%; p = 0.55) mortality rates did not differ between treatment and control groups, nor did 28-day (18.5% vs. 17.5%; p = 0.84) and in-hospital (16.7% vs. 18.4%; p = 0.54) mortality rates after matching. In the subgroup analysis, treatment was associated with lower in-hospital mortality rates in patients with albumin <3.0 mg/dL or a Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score >10. Conclusion: Early vitamin C and thiamine administration in patients with septic shock did not improve survival; however, administration could benefit conditions that are more severe, such as hypoalbuminemia or severe organ failure.
Investigation of Feedstock Preparation for Injection Molding of Oxide–Oxide Ceramic Composites
Authors: Tülümen Hasan Metin , Hanemann Thomas , Piotter Volker , Stenzel David
Published: January 2019

In this fundamental work, a series of experiments were performed to define the optimal amount of dispersant and solid content for feedstock with and without ceramic fibers (Nextel 610). Based on these fixed conditions, investigations were carried out to discover the effects of binder system, fiber sizing, and increasing fiber content on mixing and viscosity. In addition, the effects of kneading temperature and time, fiber sizing, and different binder systems on fiber length were investigated using a measuring mixer, high-pressure capillary rheometer, and microscopy. Stearic acid, as a dispersant, modified the particle surface and improved the rheological properties. Moreover, increasing the solid content in the feedstocks led to an exponential growth of final torque and relative viscosity, because of the increasing friction between particles. Paraffin wax (PW)- and polyethylene glycol (PEG)-based feedstocks showed different mixing behaviors and rheological results with increasing fiber, whereas PEG-based feedstocks had higher final torques and kneading energies without fibers, whilst PEG feedstocks displayed lower viscosities. Consequently, during kneading, the amount of fiber has been predominating over fiber length, and the effect of the binder, the kneading temperature, and time did not cause significant changes.
Chaos and Relativistic Energy-Momentum of the Nonlinear Time Fractional Duffing Equation
Authors: Attia Raghda A. M. , Lu Dianchen , M. A. Khater Mostafa
Published: January 2019

This paper studies the nonlinear fractional undamped Duffing equation. The Duffing equation is one of the fundamental equations in engineering. The geographical areas of this model represent chaos, relativistic energy-momentum, electrodynamics, and electromagnetic interactions. These properties have many benefits in different science fields. The equation depicts the energy of a point mass, which is well thought out as a periodically-forced oscillator. We employed twelve different techniques to the nonlinear fractional Duffing equation to find explicit solutions and approximate solutions. The stability of the solutions was also examined to show the ability of our obtained solutions in the application. The main goals here were to apply a novel computational method (modified auxiliary equation method) and compare the novel method with other methods via the solutions that were obtained by each of these methods.
Investigation of Test Parameters on EBSD Analysis of Retained Austenite in TRIP and Pipeline Steels
Authors: Zhang Yucheng , Lai Ping , Jia Huiping , Ju Xinhua , Cui Guibin
Published: January 2019

In this article we discuss the effect of different test parameters on the analysis of retained austenite in TRIP590, TRIP780 and X90 steels, by means of Electron Backscattered Diffraction (EBSD) and X-ray Diffraction (XRD), respectively. By analyzing the measuring retained austenite content under different conditions, the optimal test parameters were obtained. The retained austenite content measured both by the EBSD and XRD methods were also compared. The results showed that the test parameters had a great influence on the measured results of retained austenite content in steel by the EBSD method. The higher the indexing rate, the better the precision of the measured results. The step size used for EBSD analysis should not exceed 1/5 of the average grain size of retained austenite. The scanning area for EBSD retained austenite analysis in TRIP and pipeline steels should be no less than 0.068 mm2, which is recommended to be performed by multiple small fields.
Identification, Characterization, and Optimization of Integrin αvβ6-Targeting Peptides from a One-Bead One-Compound (OBOC) Library: Towards the Development of Positron Emission Tomography (PET) Imaging Agents
Authors: Tang Yng (Sarah) C. , Davis Ryan A. , Ganguly Tanushree , Sutcliffe Julie L.
Published: January 2019

The current translation of peptides identified through the one-bead one-compound (OBOC) technology into positron emission tomography (PET) imaging agents is a slow process, with a major delay between ligand identification and subsequent lead optimization. This work aims to streamline the development process of 18F-peptide based PET imaging agents to target the integrin αvβ6. By directly identify αvβ6–targeting peptides from a 9-mer 4-fluorobenzoyl peptide library using the on-bead two-color (OBTC) cell-screening assay, a total of 185 peptide beads were identified and 5 beads sequenced for further evaluation. The lead peptide 1 (VGDLTYLKK(FB), IC50 = 0.45 ± 0.06 μM, 25% stable in serum at 1 h) was further modified at the N-, C-, and bi-termini. C-terminal PEGylation increased the metabolic stability (>95% stable), but decreased binding affinity (IC50 = 3.7 ± 1 μM) was noted. C-terminal extension (1i, VGDLTYLKK(FB)KVART) significantly increased binding affinity for integrin αvβ6 (IC50 = 0.021 ± 0.002 μM), binding selectivity for αvβ6-expressing cells (3.1 ± 0.8:1), and the serum stability (>99% stable). Our results demonstrate the challenges in optimizing OBOC-derived peptides, indicate both termini of 1 are sensitive to modifications, and show that further modification of 1 is necessary to demonstrate utility as an 18F-peptide imaging agent.
Butyl Methacrylate-Co-Ethylene Glycol Dimethacrylate Monolith for Online in-Tube SPME-UHPLC-MS/MS to Determine Chlopromazine, Clozapine, Quetiapine, Olanzapine, and Their Metabolites in Plasma Samples
Authors: Beloti Luiz G. M. , Miranda Luis F. C. , Queiroz Maria Eugênia C.
Published: January 2019

This manuscript describes a sensitive, selective, and online in-tube solid-phase microextraction coupled with an ultrahigh performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (in-tube SPME-UHPLC-MS/MS) method to determine chlopromazine, clozapine, quetiapine, olanzapine, and their metabolites in plasma samples from schizophrenic patients. Organic poly(butyl methacrylate-co-ethylene glycol dimethacrylate) monolith was synthesized on the internal surface of a fused silica capillary (covalent bonds) for in-tube SPME. Analyte extraction and analysis was conducted by connecting the monolithic capillary to an UHPLC-MS/MS system. The monolith was characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Fourier transform infrared spectrometry (FTIR). The developed method presented adequate linearity for all the target antipsychotics: R2 was higher than 0.9975, lack-of-fit ranged from 0.115 to 0.955, precision had variation coefficients lower than 14.2%, and accuracy had relative standard error values ranging from −13.5% to 14.6%, with the exception of the lower limit of quantification (LLOQ). The LLOQ values in plasma samples were 10 ng mL−1 for all analytes. The developed method was successfully applied to determine antipsychotics and their metabolites in plasma samples from schizophrenic patients.
Theoretical Studies on the Electronic Structure Parameters and Reactive Activity of Neu5Gc and Neu5Ac under Food Processing Solvent Environment
Authors: Chang Rui , Yang Bowen , Zhu Qiu-Jin
Published: January 2019

The animal product hazard factor N-glycolylneuraminic (Neu5Gc) and brain nutrient substance N-acetylneuraminic acid (Neu5Ac) were studied at the M062X/6-311 + G(d,p) geometry optimization level. We considered the electronic structure parameters with different solvents: (benzene ε = 2.27, acetic acid ε = 6.25, ethanol ε = 24.85, lactic acid ε = 22.00, formic acid ε = 51.1, water ε = 78.35). The maximum molecular surface electrostatic potentials, which were 62.77 for Neu5Gc and 60.90 kcal/mol for Neu5Ac, are both located on the carboxyl group hydrogen. The orbital analysis showed that the amide group and carboxyl group confer the sites with susceptibility to nucleophilic and electrophilic attack, respectively. The solvent effect showed that polar solvents, such as formic acid and water, can enhance the two molecules’ nucleophilic activity. To better understand the roles of the hydroxyl group in the two molecules, the independent gradient model theory confirmed the four intramolecular hydrogen bonds of Neu5Gc at gas phase, whereas Neu5Ac only has two. The lowest bond dissociation energy in solvent occurs at O7-H, which is 104.03 kcal/mol in water for Neu5Gc and 104.57 kcal/mol in lactic acid for Neu5Ac. The lowest proton affinity value for Neu5Gc (20.34 kcal/mol) and Neu5Ac (20.76 kcal/mol) was both occur at the carboxyl group O6-H under ethanol. The antioxidant mechanisms of the two sialic acid are prone to sequential proton-loss electron transfer under polar or non-polar solvents.
Nutritional Composition, Anti-Diabetic Properties and Identification of Active Compounds Using UHPLC-ESI-Orbitrap-MS/MS in Mangifera odorata L. Peel and Seed Kernel
Authors: Lasano Nur Fatimah , Hamid Azizah Haji , Karim Roselina , Pak Dek Mohd Sabri , Shukri Radhiah , Ramli Nurul Shazini
Published: January 2019

Mangifera odorata fruit, the hybrid forms between M. indica (mango) and M. foetida (bacang), has been shown to exhibit potential antioxidant activity, and the fruit waste could demonstrate functional and nutritional potential. In the present study, the nutritional composition (proximate, sugars, vitamins and minerals analyses), the anti-diabetic activities and phytochemical profile of M. odorata peel and seed kernel were investigated for the first time. The results indicated that seed kernel rich in fat, protein, carbohydrate, and ash while peel contained significantly greater amount of fiber, minerals, β-Carotene and ascorbic acid compared to seed kernel. The samples were then extracted using different solvents (acetone, ethanol, methanol at 60%, v/v and pure deionized water) and their anti-diabetic activities (α-amylase and α-glucosidase inhibition assay) were determined. Seed kernel had the lowest IC50 values for α-amylase and α-glucosidase inhibition assay in 60% ethanol and 60% acetone, respectively. Due to the toxic effect and high volatility of acetone, the ethanolic extracts of samples were further analyses for their phytochemical profile using high performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) and ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography electrospray ionization orbitrap tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-ESI-Orbitrap-MS/MS). The most abundant compounds identified were phenolic acid, ellagic acid, and flavonoid. These findings suggest that M. odorata fruit wastes, especially the seed kernel possesses promising ability to be used as functional ingredient in the food industry.
Development and Validation of an Analytical Method Based on HPLC-ELSD for the Simultaneous Determination of Rosmarinic Acid, Carnosol, Carnosic Acid, Oleanolic Acid and Ursolic Acid in Rosemary
Authors: Li Penghui , Liu Ailing , Li Yinhua , Yuan Bin , Xiao Wenjun , Liu Zhonghua , Zhang Sheng , Lin Haiyan
Published: January 2019

The safety, efficacy and stability of natural antioxidants have been the focus of research in the food industry, with the aim of rapidly analyzing and controlling the quality of rosemary and its extracts, a novel analytical method involving high-performance liquid chromatography with evaporative light scattering detection (HPLC-ELSD) was developed for the simultaneous determination of rosmarinic acid, carnosol, carnosic acid, oleanolic acid and ursolic acid in rosemary. Chromatographic separation was conducted with gradient elution mode by using a Zorbax SB-C18 column (4.6 mm × 250 mm, 5 μm) with mobile phases of methanol and 0.6% acetic acid. The drift tube temperature of ELSD was 70 °C, and the pressure of nebulizer nitrogen gas was 40 Psi. The method developed has high sensitivity (with limits of detection from 1.3 to 8.6 μg/mL), acceptable linearity over the tested concentrations (with correlation coefficients from 0.991 to 0.999), good repeatability (with intra- and inter-day CV less than 3.1% for all analytes) and satisfactory accuracy (with recovery between 95.5% and 100.8%). The method has been demonstrated as a powerful tool for the functional ingredients analysis and quality control of rosemary and its extracts in a cost- and time-effective manner.
Erratum: Chen, L.X., et al. Synthesis and Structure of the Inclusion Complex {NdQ[5]K@Q[10](H2O)4}•4NO3•20H2O. Molecules 2017, 22, 1147
Authors: Chen Li Xia , Kan Jing Lan , Cong Hang , Prior Timothy J. , Tao Zhu , Xiao Xin , Redshaw Carl
Published: January 2019

The authors wish to make the following correction to their paper [...]
Novel Cucurbitane Triterpenes from the Tubers of Hemsleya amabilis with Their Cytotoxic Acitivity
Authors: Feng Wei , Zhou Yuan , Zhou Ling-Yu , Kang Li-Ying , Wang Xiang , Li Bao-Lin , Li Qing , Niu Li-Ying
Published: January 2019

Chemical research of the medicinal plant Hemsleya amabilis (Cucurbitaceae) yielded five new cucurbitane-type triterpenes hemslelis A–E (1–5) by silica gel column, ODS column, and semi-HPLC techniques. Their structures were determined by spectroscopic analysis and examined alongside existing data from prior studies. Compounds 1–5 were evaluated for their cytotoxic activities against three human tumor cell lines, Hela, HCT-8, and HepG-2, with the IC50 ranging from 5.9 to 33.9 μM compared to Cisplatin.
Large Pore Mesoporous Silica and Organosilica Nanoparticles for Pepstatin A Delivery in Breast Cancer Cells
Authors: Rahmani Saher , Budimir Jelena , Sejalon Mylene , Daurat Morgane , Aggad Dina , Vives Eric , Raehm Laurence , Garcia Marcel , Lichon Laure , Gary-Bobo Magali , Durand Jean-Olivier , Charnay Clarence
Published: January 2019

(1) Background: Nanomedicine has recently emerged as a new area of research, particularly to fight cancer. In this field, we were interested in the vectorization of pepstatin A, a peptide which does not cross cell membranes, but which is a potent inhibitor of cathepsin D, an aspartic protease particularly overexpressed in breast cancer. (2) Methods: We studied two kinds of nanoparticles. For pepstatin A delivery, mesoporous silica nanoparticles with large pores (LPMSNs) and hollow organosilica nanoparticles (HOSNPs) obtained through the sol–gel procedure were used. The nanoparticles were loaded with pepstatin A, and then the nanoparticles were incubated with cancer cells. (3) Results: LPMSNs were monodisperse with 100 nm diameter. HOSNPs were more polydisperse with diameters below 100 nm. Good loading capacities were obtained for both types of nanoparticles. The nanoparticles were endocytosed in cancer cells, and HOSNPs led to the best results for cancer cell killing. (4) Conclusions: Mesoporous silica-based nanoparticles with large pores or cavities are promising for nanomedicine applications with peptides.
Manufacture of Highly Transparent and Hazy Cellulose Nanofibril Films via Coating TEMPO-Oxidized Wood Fibers
Authors: Yang Weisheng , Jiao Liang , Liu Wei , Dai Hongqi
Published: January 2019

Traditionally, inorganic nanoparticles (SiO2, TiO2) have been utilized to tune the optical haze of optoelectronic devices. However, restricted to complex and costly processes for incorporating these nanoparticles, a simple and low-cost approach becomes particularly important. In this work, a simple, effective, and low-cost method was proposed to improve optical haze of transparent cellulose nanofibril films by directly depositing micro-sized 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-1-oxyl (TEMPO)-oxidized wood fibers (“coating” method). The obtained films had a high total transmittance of 85% and a high haze of 62%. The film samples also showed a high tensile strength of 80 MPa and excellent thermal stability. Dual sides of the obtained films had different microstructures: one side was extremely smooth (root-mean-square roughness of 6.25 nm), and the other was extremely rough (root-mean-square roughness of 918 nm). As a reference, micro-sized TEMPO-oxidized wood fibers and cellulose nanofibrils were mixed to form a transparent and hazy film (“blending” method). These results show that hazy transparent films prepared using the “coating” method exhibit superior application performances than films prepared using the “blending” method.
Real-Time Underwater Image Recognition with FPGA Embedded System for Convolutional Neural Network
Authors: Zhao Minghao , Hu Chengquan , Wei Fenglin , Wang Kai , Wang Chong , Jiang Yu
Published: January 2019

The underwater environment is still unknown for humans, so the high definition camera is an important tool for data acquisition at short distances underwater. Due to insufficient power, the image data collected by underwater submersible devices cannot be analyzed in real time. Based on the characteristics of Field-Programmable Gate Array (FPGA), low power consumption, strong computing capability, and high flexibility, we design an embedded FPGA image recognition system on Convolutional Neural Network (CNN). By using two technologies of FPGA, parallelism and pipeline, the parallelization of multi-depth convolution operations is realized. In the experimental phase, we collect and segment the images from underwater video recorded by the submersible. Next, we join the tags with the images to build the training set. The test results show that the proposed FPGA system achieves the same accuracy as the workstation, and we get a frame rate at 25 FPS with the resolution of 1920 × 1080. This meets our needs for underwater identification tasks.