bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Technology and Instrument Constituencies as Agents of Innovation: Sustainability Transitions and the Governance of Urban Transport
Authors: Goyal Nihit , Howlett Michael
Published: May 2018

Sustainable urban transport is a complex challenge requiring innovation in technologies, culture, and policies. Given the systemic nature of the issues involved, numerous studies have applied the transitions approach to urban transport. However, relatively weak conceptualization of agency in the transitions literature limits the usefulness of this approach for the governance of urban transport. The objective of this study is to contribute to the conceptualization of agency in the multilevel perspective to sustainability transitions. We propose that two types of actors exercise agency to foster innovation: technology constituencies, who promote the adoption of specific technologies by citizens, businesses, or governments; and instrument constituencies, who promote the adoption of specific policy instruments. In focusing predominantly on technological innovation, the transitions literature has generally juxtaposed these constituencies or considered them to be the same. We posit that the two constitute distinct, albeit possibly overlapping, actors and that their relationship(s) help better understand and explain how transitions evolve. We discuss the implications of this distinction for the governance of urban transport and argue that the presence of instrument and technology constituencies, and their relationship(s), should be examined empirically in future research.
Design and Concept of an Energy System Based on Renewable Sources for Greenhouse Sustainable Agriculture
Authors: Aschilean Ioan , Rasoi Gabriel , Raboaca Maria Simona , Filote Constantin , Culcer Mihai
Published: May 2018

Bio-organic greenhouses that are based on alternative resources for producing heat and electricity stand out as an efficient option for the sustainable development of agriculture, thus ensuring good growth and development of plants in all seasons, especially during the cold season. Greenhouses can be used with maximum efficiency in various agricultural lands, providing ideal conditions of temperature and humidity for short-term plant growing, thereby increasing the local production of fruit and vegetables. This paper presents the development of a durable greenhouse concept that is based on complex energy system integrating fuel cells and solar panels. Approaching this innovative concept encountered a major problem in terms of local implementation of this type of greenhouses because of the difficulty in providing electrical and thermal energy from conventional sources to ensure an optimal climate for plant growing. The project result consists in the design and implementation of a sustainable greenhouse energy system that is based on fuel cells and solar panels.
Numerical Study on Electrochemical Performance of Low-Temperature Micro-Solid Oxide Fuel Cells with Submicron Platinum Electrodes
Authors: Park Jee Min , Kim Dae Yun , Baek Jong Dae , Yoon Yong-Jin , Su Pei-Chen , Lee Seong Hyuk
Published: May 2018

The present study established the two-dimensional axisymmetric model for a freestanding circular cell of the low-temperature micro-solid oxide fuel cell (µ-SOFC) that is composed of platinum (Pt) electrodes and a yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) electrolyte. The only membrane electrode assembly (MEA) was constructed for the numerical simulation in order to avoid the meshing problem with a very high aspect ratio of the submicron layers. We considered the charge and species conservation equations and electrode kinetics to elucidate the intricate phenomena inside the µ-SOFC. The extensive numerical simulations were carried out by using the commercial code to predict the effect of operating temperature and electrolyte thickness on the electrochemical performance of µ-SOFC. Our numerical model was calibrated with the results from experiments, and we provided the average cell current density and overpotentials with respect to the electrolyte thickness and the operating temperature. It was found that the electrochemical performance increased with the increase in operating temperature, owing to both rapid electrochemical reactions and ionic conduction, even in µ-SOFC. Moreover, the major voltage loss of µ-SOFC at low-temperature was caused by the cathodic activation overpotential.
Investigation on the Regeneration and Corrosion Characteristics of an Anodized Aluminum Plate Regenerator
Authors: Wen Tao , Lu Lin , Yang Hongxing , Luo Yimo
Published: May 2018

The traditional vapor compression cooling system (VCS) has been criticized for its heavy reliance on electricity consumption and limited control ability of humidity. Compared with the VCS, the liquid desiccant cooling system (LDCS) is more efficient by handling the sensible and latent load separately. The present study investigated the regeneration and corrosion characteristics of an anodized aluminum plate regenerator for the first time. Comparative tests were conducted to present the regeneration and corrosion characteristics of the normal and anodized regenerator. The influence of internal heating on the regeneration performance was also identified. The results showed that the corrosion rate was reduced from 0.0005218 mm/year for normal aluminum to 0.000011 m/year for anodized one under the same operating conditions. However, pitting corrosion was observed at operating conditions with high solution temperature, as the anodized layer of anodized aluminum was damaged due to the high temperature. Compared with the normal aluminum regenerator, the anodized one had an average enhancement of 24% and 23.7% in terms of regeneration rate and effectiveness, respectively. It was attributed to the increment of surface energy from 26.4 mN/m for normal aluminum to 47.6 mN/m for anodized plate. Besides, it was found that, compared with adiabatic one, the internally-heated regenerator improved the regeneration rate by 6.0%~38% and the regeneration effectiveness by 6.3%~32% depending on the operating conditions. The advantage of present study is that it can guide the design of anodized aluminum regenerator for LDCS.
A TODIM-Based Investment Decision Framework for Commercial Distributed PV Projects under the Energy Performance Contracting (EPC) Business Model: A Case in East-Central China
Authors: Wu Yunna , Zhou Jianli , Hu Yong , Li Lingwenying , Sun Xiaokun
Published: May 2018

Distributed photovoltaic (DPV) projects have been rapidly proposed in China due to policy promotion, and investment decisions immensely decide the success of DPV projects. This paper aims to propose an investment decision framework for DPV projects under the energy performance contracting (EPC) business model which is currently vigorously promoted in China, thereby improving the efficiency and accuracy of decision making. Firstly, the distinctive criteria system for DPV project investment decision is established, including natural, market, technical, policy, competitive and economic factors. Secondly, the weights of criteria are determined by integrating subjective and objective weights to obtain more accurate weights. Then, the TODIM (an acronym in Portuguese of interactive and multicriteria decision making) approach is utilized to rank the alternative DPV projects, taking into account investors’ psychological behavior. Finally, a case study in central and eastern China is carried out to illustrate the rationality and feasibility of the proposed framework. The results show that the Project A4 located in Nanchang City is the optimal project, and the rank of alternatives is sensitive to the recession coefficient. This paper provides insightful information for the DPV investors with different risk preferences to evaluate the investment performance of EPC projects and select the most appropriate one under uncertain environment.
A Novel Battery State of Charge Estimation Method Based on a Super-Twisting Sliding Mode Observer
Authors: Huangfu Yigeng , Xu Jiani , Zhao Dongdong , Liu Yuntian , Gao Fei
Published: May 2018

A novel method for Li-ion battery state of charge (SOC) estimation based on a super-twisting sliding mode observer (STSMO) is proposed in this paper. To design the STSMO, the state equation of a second-order RC equivalent circuit model (SRCECM) is derived to represent the dynamic behaviors of the Li-ion battery, and the model parameters are determined by the pulse current discharge approach. The convergence of the STSMO is proven by Lyapunov stability theory. The experiments under three different discharge profiles are conducted on the Li-ion battery. Through comparisons with a conventional sliding mode observer (CSMO) and adaptive extended Kalman filter (AEKF), the superiority of the proposed observer for SOC estimation is validated.
Density Measurements of Waste Cooking Oil Biodiesel and Diesel Blends Over Extended Pressure and Temperature Ranges
Authors: NguyenThi Thanh , Bazile Jean-Patrick , Bessières David
Published: May 2018

Density and compressibility are primordial parameters for the optimization of diesel engine operation. With this objective, these properties were reported for waste cooking oil biodiesel and its blends (5% and 10% by volume) mixed with diesel. The density measurements were performed over expanded ranges of pressure (0.1 to 140 MPa) and temperature (293.15 to 353.15 K) compatible with engine applications. The isothermal compressibility was estimated within the same experimental range by density differentiation. The Fatty Acid Methyl Esters (FAMEs) profile of the biodiesel was determined using a Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) technique. The storage stability of the biodiesel was assessed in terms of the reproducibility of the measured properties. The transferability of this biodiesel fuel was discussed on the basis of the standards specifications that support their use in fuel engines. Additionally, this original set of data represents meaningful information to develop new approaches or to evaluate the predictive capability of models previously developed.
Enhanced Voltage Stability Assessment Index Based Planning Approach for Mesh Distribution Systems
Authors: Kazmi Syed Ali Abbas , Janjua Abdul Kashif , Shin Dong Ryeol
Published: May 2018

This paper offers an enhanced voltage stability assessment index (VSAI) and loss minimalize condition (LMC) centered integrated planning approach. The proposed method aims at the simultaneous attainment of voltage stability, loss minimizations and various other related objectives with the employment of multiple distributed generation (DG) units, in mesh distribution systems (MDS). The approach presents two enhanced VSAI expressions based on a multiple-loops configured equivalent MDS model. The main objective of each VSAI expression is to find the weakest buses as potential candidates for single and multiple DG placements with initial optimal DG sizes for aimed objectives attainment in MDS. Later, mathematical expressions for LMC have been presented, based on equivalent MDS model. The LMC aims to achieve significant loss minimization with optimal DG sizes and attain negligible voltage difference across tie-line branches via reduction of respective loop currents. The proposed integrated VSAI-LMC based planning approach is employed with two computation variants and tested on two well-known, 33-Bus and 69-Bus, test distribution systems (TDS). The performance analysis of each TDS is conducted with two cases and respective scenarios, across various performance evaluation indicators (PEIs). The paper also offers a comparative analysis of achieved numerical outcomes of the proposed planning approach with the available research works found in the literature. The numerical results attained have better performance in comparison with the presented literature data and thus shows the effectiveness and validity of the proposed planning approach.
Selecting Low-Flammability Plants as Green Firebreaks within Sustainable Urban Garden Design
Authors: Murray Brad R. , Martin Leigh J. , Brown Colin , Krix Daniel W. , Phillips Megan L.
Published: May 2018

In response to an increasing risk of property loss from wildfires at the urban–wildland interface[…]
Role of Aeolian Dust in Shaping Landscapes and Soils of Arid and Semi-Arid South Africa
Authors: McAuliffe Joseph R. , McFadden Leslie D. , Hoffman M. Timm
Published: May 2018

The deposition of fine aeolian sediment profoundly influences the morphology of several different landscapes of the arid and semi-arid western portion of South Africa. Such landscapes and features include: (1) regularly-spaced mounds known as heuweltjies of the succulent Karoo region, (2) barren stone pavements in the more arid regions, and (3) hillslopes with smooth, curvilinear slope profiles that are mantled with coarse, stony colluvium. Investigations of each of these are presented, together with comparisons of similar features found within arid and semi-arid portions of Western North America. Recent findings suggest that the formation of the distinct, regularly-spaced heuweltjies involves a linked set of biological and physical processes. These include nutrient accumulation by termites and the production of dense vegetation patches, which, in turn, serve as a trap for aeolian sediments. Dust deposition is also responsible for the formation of stone pavements as demonstrated by research conducted principally in the Mojave Desert region of the United States. Mineralogical and geochronological studies have demonstrated that the stone clasts remain on the surface as fine aeolian sediments are translocated downward beneath the clasts resulting in a silt-rich soil horizon directly beneath the clasts. Pavements examined in South Africa have the same morphological features that can only be explained by the same process. The formation of soils on hillslopes mantled with stony colluvium are commonly viewed as having formed through the in-situ weathering of the stony colluvium. However, like pavements, mantles of coarse, stony colluvium are effective dust traps that provide the long-term stability required for advanced development of thick, fine-grained soils. This process contributes to the evolution of smooth, vegetated, curvilinear slope profiles. In each of these examples, the accumulation of dust has a profound influence, not only in soil formation, but also on the development of dominant landform characteristics. A greater awareness of these processes will contribute considerably to the growth of knowledge about soils and landscape development in the drylands of South Africa.
Osteoporosis, Activities of Daily Living Skills, Quality of Life, and Dietary Adequacy of Congregate Meal Participants
Authors: Huffman Fatma G. , Vaccaro Joan A. , Zarini Gustavo G. , Vieira Edgar R.
Published: May 2018

Osteoporosis, a chronic disease that results in low bone mass with an increased risk of fragility fractures, is prevalent in older adults. Diet can prevent or lessen the severity of osteoporosis. The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to assess differences in diet, quality of life, self-rated health, and physical function between congregate meal participants with and without osteoporosis. Data were from telephone survey, 10th Annual National Survey of Older American Act Participants, a representative sample of congregate meal attendees across the United States. (N = 888). Osteoporosis was present in 20% of this population. Participants with, as compared to without, osteoporosis reported that their physical health limited moderate activities (31.5% vs. 18.9%, p = 0.026), stair climbing (32.2% vs. 22.8%, p = 0.032), and shopping (27.4 vs. 15.3, p = 0.018). More than half of the participants consumed less than the recommended servings of dairy, meat, grains, and fruits/vegetables regardless of osteoporosis status. Participants with osteoporosis had lower self-rated health and more physical limitations than people without osteoporosis. Although congregate meals are a way to improve nutritional intake, additional methods to improve nutrition (including education) may be of benefit, since undernutrition is a concern in this population.
Changes in Temperature and Rainfall as a Result of Local Climate Change in Pasadena, California
Authors: Kimbrough David Eugene
Published: May 2018

The City of Pasadena is located in southern California, a region which has a Mediterranean climate and where the vast majority of rainfall occurs between October and April, with the period between January and March being the most intense. A significant amount of the local water supply comes from regional rainfall, therefore any changes in precipitation patterns in the area has considerable significance. Hypothesis: Local climate change has been occurring in the Pasadena area over the last 100 years resulting in changes in air temperature and rainfall. Air Temperatures: Between 1886 and 2016, the air temperature in Pasadena, California has increased significantly, from a minimum of 23.8 °C in the daytime and 8.1 °C at night between 1911 and 1920 to 27.2 °C and 13.3 °C between 2011 and 2016. The increase in nighttime temperature was uniform throughout the year, however daytime temperatures showed more seasonal variation. There was little change in the daytime temperatures for May through July, but more change the rest of the year. For example, the median daytime temperature for June between 1911 and 1920 was 27.9 °C but was 28.7 °C between 2011 and 2016, a difference of 0.8 °C. In contrast, for October for the same periods, the median daytime temperatures were 25.6 °C and 28.9 °C, a difference of 3.3 °C. Rainfall: There has been a change in local rainfall pattern over the same period. In comparing rainfall between 1883 and 1949 and between 1950 and 2016, there appeared to be less rainfall in the months of October, December, and April while other months seemed to show no change in rainfall. For example, between the two periods mentioned above, the median rainfall in October was 12.4 mm and 8.9 mm, respectively, while for December they were 68.6 mm and 40.4 mm. There was comparatively a smaller change in the median volume of rainfall in April (18.8 mm vs. 17.5 mm). However, between 1883 and 2016, there were 13 with less than 1 mm of rain, 12 of which occurred after 1961. In the same line of logic, no measureable amount of rain occurred for 23 Octobers, 15 of those occurring after 1961. Conclusions: As air temperatures increased over the last 100 years in the Pasadena area, rainfall may have decreased in October, December, and April.
Patient-Related Factors Associated with Adherence to Recommendations Made by a Fracture Liaison Service: A Mixed-Method Prospective Study
Authors: Luc Mireille , Corriveau Hélène , Boire Gilles , Filiatrault Johanne , Beaulieu Marie-Claude , Gaboury Isabelle
Published: May 2018

A Fracture Liaison Service (FLS) has been calculated to be a cost-effective model of care for patients with fragility fracture (FF). Cost-effectiveness can be achieved when adherence to bone health recommendations from FLS staff is high. This prospective study combined participants’ telephone longitudinal survey data (intervention group, n = 354) and interviews with 16 individuals from FLS in three health regions of the province of Quebec (Canada). Participants were recruited between January 2013 and April 2015. Regression models were fit to examine the relationship between participant-related factors and adherence at 12 months to osteoporosis medication, vitamin D supplementation, and participation in physical activity. Participants acknowledging FF as a consequence of osteoporosis were more likely to adhere to medication (odds ratio (OR) 2.5; p = 0.001) and vitamin D supplementation (OR 2.3; p = 0.01). Paradoxically, the same participants were less prone to engage in physical activity (OR 0.5, p = 0.01). Qualitative interviews suggested that feedback from FLS coordinators helped participants understand the underlying cause of their FF. This study highlighted the key roles of FLS staff in helping patients to recognize FF as a sign of underlying bone disease and encouraging adherence to care recommendations.
Use of Diabetes Treatment Satisfaction Questionnaire in Diabetes Care: Importance of Patient-Reported Outcomes
Authors: Saisho Yoshifumi
Published: May 2018

The efficacy of diabetes treatment should not be evaluated solely by HbA1c levels as they should also focus on patient-reported outcomes (PROs), such as patient satisfaction, wellbeing and quality of life. The Diabetes Treatment Satisfaction Questionnaire (DTSQ) has been developed to assess patient satisfaction with diabetes treatment. DTSQ has been translated into more than 100 languages and is widely used in many countries, since it is relatively easy to answer and is used for both patients with and without medical therapy. Novel therapeutic options, such as insulin analogs, incretin-based therapy and sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors, have been shown to improve patient satisfaction using DTSQ for assessments. DTSQ is not only used for comparisons between different medications or treatment strategies, but also can be used to assess the quality of diabetes care in clinical settings. This is important as an improvement in treatment satisfaction may enhance patients’ self-efficacy and adherence to therapy, leading to the achievement of long-term stable glycemic control and reduced risk of diabetic complications. In this review, we summarize the current topics in DTSQ, introducing our own experience, and discuss the role of PROs in diabetes treatment.
Sport Activity for Health!! The Effects of Karate Participants’ Involvement, Perceived Value, and Leisure Benefits on Recommendation Intention
Authors: Chang Ying-Chih , Yeh Tsu-Ming , Pai Fan-Yun , Huang Tai-Peng
Published: May 2018

This study intends to discuss the effects of participants’ involvement, perceived value, and leisure benefits on recommendation intention in the sport of karate. The questionnaires were collected online by karate clubs on Facebook and included 369 valid participants. The research findings show that karate participants from different places of residence do not display significant differences in involvement, perceived value, leisure benefits, and recommendation intention. Furthermore, “attraction” in the involvement category reveals the highest mean, “paid spirit and energy being worthy” in perceived value appears as the highest mean, and “physiological benefits” in leisure benefits shows the highest mean. The Pearson correlation analysis result presents significant strong positive correlations between involvement, perceived value, leisure benefits, and recommendation intention. Finally, multiple regression analysis reveals that leisure benefits, except “physiological benefits”, show notably positive effects on recommendation intention. According to the research results, suggestions are proposed for the reference of karate teaching business managers, participants, and future research.
Expression and Interaction Analysis among Saffron ALDHs and Crocetin Dialdehyde
Authors: Gómez-Gómez Lourdes , Pacios Luis F. , Diaz-Perales Araceli , Garrido-Arandia María , Argandoña Javier , Rubio-Moraga Ángela , Ahrazem Oussama
Published: May 2018

In saffron, the cleavage of zeaxanthin by means of CCD2 generates crocetin dialdehyde, which is then converted by an unknown aldehyde dehydrogenase to crocetin. A proteome from saffron stigma was released recently and, based on the expression pattern and correlation analyses, five aldehyde dehydrogenases (ALDHs) were suggested as possible candidates to generate crocetin from crocetin dialdehydes. We selected four of the suggested ALDHs and analyzed their expression in different tissues, determined their activity over crocetin dialdehyde, and performed structure modeling and docking calculation to find their specificity. All the ALDHs were able to convert crocetin dialdehyde to crocetin, but two of them were stigma tissue-specific. Structure modeling and docking analyses revealed that, in all cases, there was a high coverage of residues in the models. All of them showed a very close conformation, indicated by the low root-mean-square deviation (RMSD) values of backbone atoms, which indicate a high similarity among them. However, low affinity between the enzymes and the crocetin dialdehyde were observed. Phylogenetic analysis and binding affinities calculations, including some ALDHs from Gardenia jasmonoides, Crocus sieberi, and Buddleja species that accumulate crocetin and Bixa orellana synthetizing the apocarotenoid bixin selected on their expression pattern matching with the accumulation of either crocins or bixin, pointed out that family 2 C4 members might be involved in the conversion of crocetin dialdehyde to crocetin with high specificity.
Beta-Estradiol Regulates Voltage-Gated Calcium Channels and Estrogen Receptors in Telocytes from Human Myometrium
Authors: Banciu Adela , Banciu Daniel Dumitru , Mustaciosu Cosmin Catalin , Radu Mihai , Cretoiu Dragos , Xiao Junjie , Cretoiu Sanda Maria , Suciu Nicolae , Radu Beatrice Mihaela
Published: May 2018

Voltage-gated calcium channels and estrogen receptors are essential players in uterine physiology, and their association with different calcium signaling pathways contributes to healthy and pathological conditions of the uterine myometrium. Among the properties of the various cell subtypes present in human uterine myometrium, there is increasing evidence that calcium oscillations in telocytes (TCs) contribute to contractile activity and pregnancy. Our study aimed to evaluate the effects of beta-estradiol on voltage-gated calcium channels and estrogen receptors in TCs from human uterine myometrium and to understand their role in pregnancy. For this purpose, we employed patch-clamp recordings, ratiometric Fura-2-based calcium imaging analysis, and qRT-PCR techniques for the analysis of cultured human myometrial TCs derived from pregnant and non-pregnant uterine samples. In human myometrial TCs from both non-pregnant and pregnant uterus, we evidenced by qRT-PCR the presence of genes encoding for voltage-gated calcium channels (Cav3.1, Ca3.2, Cav3.3, Cav2.1), estrogen receptors (ESR1, ESR2, GPR30), and nuclear receptor coactivator 3 (NCOA3). Pregnancy significantly upregulated Cav3.1 and downregulated Cav3.2, Cav3.3, ESR1, ESR2, and NCOA3, compared to the non-pregnant condition. Beta-estradiol treatment (24 h, 10, 100, 1000 nM) downregulated Cav3.2, Cav3.3, Cav1.2, ESR1, ESR2, GRP30, and NCOA3 in TCs from human pregnant uterine myometrium. We also confirmed the functional expression of voltage-gated calcium channels by patch-clamp recordings and calcium imaging analysis of TCs from pregnant human myometrium by perfusing with BAY K8644, which induced calcium influx through these channels. Additionally, we demonstrated that beta-estradiol (1000 nM) antagonized the effect of BAY K8644 (2.5 or 5 µM) in the same preparations. In conclusion, we evidenced the presence of voltage-gated calcium channels and estrogen receptors in TCs from non-pregnant and pregnant human uterine myometrium and their gene expression regulation by beta-estradiol in pregnant conditions. Further exploration of the calcium signaling in TCs and its modulation by estrogen hormones will contribute to the understanding of labor and pregnancy mechanisms and to the development of effective strategies to reduce the risk of premature birth.
The DNA Methylome and Association of Differentially Methylated Regions with Differential Gene Expression during Heat Stress in Brassica rapa
Authors: Liu Gaofeng , Xia Yudong , Liu Tongkun , Dai Shaojun , Hou Xilin
Published: May 2018

Cytosine DNA methylation is a critical epigenetic mechanism in the silencing of transposable elements, imprinting and regulating gene expression. However, little is known about the potential role of mC in response to heat stress. To determine and explore the functions of the dynamic DNA methylome during heat stress, we characterized single-base resolution methylome maps of Brassica rapa and assessed the dynamic changes of mC under heat stress using whole genome bisulfite sequencing. On average, the DNA methylation levels of CG, CHG and CHH are 39.3%, 15.38% and 5.24% in non-heading Chinese cabbage (NHCC), respectively. We found that the patterns of methylation are similar to other eudicot plants, but with higher CHH methylation levels. Further comparative analysis revealed varying patterns for three sequence contexts (mCG, mCHG and mCHH) under heat stress indicating context- and position-dependent methylation regulation. DNA methylation near the TSS and TES may be closely associated with methylation-dependent transcriptional silencing. Association analysis of differential methylation and differential gene expression revealed a different set of methDEGs involved at early and late stages under heat stress. The systemic characterization of the dynamic DNA methylome during heat stress will improve our understanding of the mechanism of epigenetic regulation under heat stress.
Role of Bone Morphogenetic Protein 7 (BMP7) in the Modulation of Corneal Stromal and Epithelial Cell Functions
Authors: Kowtharapu Bhavani S. , Prakasam Ruby Kala , Murín Radovan , Koczan Dirk , Stahnke Thomas , Wree Andreas , Jünemann Anselm G. M. , Stachs Oliver
Published: May 2018

In the cornea, healing of the wounded avascular surface is an intricate process comprising the involvement of epithelial, stromal and neuronal cell interactions. These interactions result to the release of various growth factors that play prominent roles during corneal wound healing response. Bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) are unique multi-functional potent growth factors of the transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) superfamily. Treatment of corneal epithelial cells with substance P and nerve growth factor resulted to an increase in the expression of BMP7 mRNA. Since BMP7 is known to modulate the process of corneal wound healing, in this present study, we investigated the influence of exogenous rhBMP7 on human corneal epithelial cell and stromal cell (SFs) function. To obtain a high-fidelity expression profiling of activated biomarkers and pathways, transcriptome-wide gene-level expression profiling of epithelial cells in the presence of BMP7 was performed. Gene ontology analysis shows BMP7 stimulation activated TGF-β signaling and cell cycle pathways, whereas biological processes related to cell cycle, microtubule and intermediate filament cytoskeleton organization were significantly impacted in corneal epithelial cells. Scratch wound healing assay showed increased motility and migration of BMP7 treated epithelial cells. BMP7 stimulation studies show activation of MAPK cascade proteins in epithelial cells and SFs. Similarly, a difference in the expression of claudin, Zink finger E-box-binding homeobox 1 was observed along with phosphorylation levels of cofilin in epithelial cells. Stimulation of SFs with BMP7 activated them with increased expression of α-smooth muscle actin. In addition, an elevated phosphorylation of epidermal growth factor receptor following BMP7 stimulation was also observed both in corneal epithelial cells and SFs. Based on our transcriptome analysis data on epithelial cells and the results obtained in SFs, we conclude that BMP7 contributes to epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition-like responses and plays a role equivalent to TGF-β in the course of corneal wound healing.
Glucosamine-Induced Autophagy through AMPK–mTOR Pathway Attenuates Lipofuscin-Like Autofluorescence in Human Retinal Pigment Epithelial Cells In Vitro
Authors: Chen Ching-Long , Chen Yi-Hao , Liang Chang-Min , Tai Ming-Cheng , Lu Da-Wen , Chen Jiann-Torng
Published: May 2018

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a vision-threatening age-associated disease. The retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells phagocytose and digest photoreceptor outer segment (POS). Incomplete digestion of POS leads to lipofuscin accumulation, which contributes to the pathology of the AMD. Autophagy could help reduce the amount of lipofuscin accumulation. In the present study, we evaluated the effects of glucosamine (GlcN), a natural supplement, on the induction of autophagy and POS-derived lipofuscin-like autofluorescence (LLAF) in ARPE-19 cells in vitro, and investigated the potential molecular pathway involved. Our results revealed that GlcN had no effect on phagocytosis of POS at the lower doses. GlcN treatment induced autophagy in cells. GlcN decreased the LLAF in native POS-treated cells, whereas malondialdehyde or 4-hydroxynonenal-modified POS attenuated this effect. 3-Methyladenine inhibited GlcN-induced autophagy and attenuated the effect of GlcN on the decrease of the native POS-derived LLAF. Furthermore, GlcN induced the phosphorylation of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and inhibited the phosphorylation of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), whereas Compound C inhibited these effects of GlcN. Altogether, these results suggest that GlcN decreased the native POS-derived LLAF through induction of autophagy, at least in part, by the AMPK–mTOR pathway. This mechanism has potential for the preventive treatment of lipofuscin-related retinal degeneration such as AMD.
CaWRKY22 Acts as a Positive Regulator in Pepper Response to Ralstonia Solanacearum by Constituting Networks with CaWRKY6, CaWRKY27, CaWRKY40, and CaWRKY58
Authors: Hussain Ansar , Li Xia , Weng Yahong , Liu Zhiqin , Ashraf Muhammad Furqan , Noman Ali , Yang Sheng , Ifnan Muhammad , Qiu Shanshan , Yang Yingjie , Guan Deyi , He Shuilin
Published: May 2018

The WRKY web, which is comprised of a subset of WRKY transcription factors (TFs), plays a crucial role in the regulation of plant immunity, however, the mode of organization and operation of this network remains obscure, especially in non-model plants such as pepper (Capsicum annuum). Herein, CaWRKY22, a member of a subgroup of IIe WRKY proteins from pepper, was functionally characterized in pepper immunity against Ralstonia Solanacearum. CaWRKY22 was found to target the nuclei, and its transcript level was significantly upregulated by Ralstonia Solanacearum inoculation (RSI) and exogenously applied salicylic acid (SA), Methyl jasmonate (MeJA), or ethephon (ETH). Loss-of-function CaWRKY22, caused by virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS), enhanced pepper’s susceptibility to RSI. In addition, the silencing of CaWRKY22 perturbed the hypersensitive response (HR)-like cell death elicited by RSI and downregulated defense-related genes including CaPO2, CaPR4, CaACC, CaBPR1, CaDEF1, CaHIR1, and CaWRKY40. CaWRKY22 was found to directly bind to the promoters of CaPR1, CaDEF1, and CaWRKY40 by chromatin immuno-precipitation (ChIP) analysis. Contrastingly, transient overexpression of CaWRKY22 in pepper leaves triggered significant HR-like cell death and upregulated the tested immunity associated maker genes. Moreover, the transient overexpression of CaWRKY22 upregulated the expression of CaWRKY6 and CaWRKY27 while it downregulated of the expression of CaWRKY58. Conversely, the transient overexpression of CaWRKY6, CaWRKY27, and CaWRKY40 upregulated the expression of CaWRKY22, while transient overexpression of CaWRKY58 downregulated the transcript levels of CaWRKY22. These data collectively recommend the role of CaWRKY22 as a positive regulator of pepper immunity against R. Solanacearum, which is regulated by signaling synergistically mediated by SA, jasmonic acid (JA), and ethylene (ET), integrating into WRKY networks with WRKY TFs including CaWRKY6, CaWRKY27, CaWRKY40, and CaWRKY58.
Case Definitions for Conditions Identified by Newborn Screening Public Health Surveillance
Authors: Sontag Marci K. , Sarkar Deboshree , Comeau Anne M. , Hassell Kathryn , Botto Lorenzo D. , Parad Richard , Rose Susan R. , Wintergerst Kupper A. , Smith-Whitley Kim , Singh Sikha , Yusuf Careema , Ojodu Jelili , Copeland Sara , Hinton Cynthia F.
Published: May 2018

Newborn screening (NBS) identifies infants with rare conditions to prevent death or the onset of irreversible morbidities. Conditions on the Health and Human Services Secretary’s Recommended Uniform Screening Panel have been adopted by most state NBS programs, providing a consistent approach for identification of affected newborns across the United States. Screen-positive newborns are identified and referred for confirmatory diagnosis and follow-up. The designation of a clinically significant phenotype precursor to a clinical diagnosis may vary between clinical specialists, resulting in diagnostic variation. Determination of disease burden and birth prevalence of the screened conditions by public health tracking is made challenging by these variations. This report describes the development of a core group of new case definitions, along with implications, plans for their use, and links to the definitions that were developed by panels of clinical experts. These definitions have been developed through an iterative process and are piloted in NBS programs. Consensus public health surveillance case definitions for newborn screened disorders will allow for consistent categorization and tracking of short- and long-term follow-up of identified newborns at the local, regional, and national levels.
Artificial Neural Networks and Particle Swarm Optimization Algorithms for Preference Prediction in Multi-Criteria Recommender Systems
Authors: Hamada Mohamed , Hassan Mohammed
Published: May 2018

Recommender systems are powerful online tools that help to overcome problems of information overload. They make personalized recommendations to online users using various data mining and filtering techniques. However, most of the existing recommender systems use a single rating to represent the preference of user on an item. These techniques have several limitations as the preference of the user towards items may depend on several attributes of the items. Multi-criteria recommender systems extend the single rating recommendation techniques to incorporate multiple criteria ratings for improving recommendation accuracy. However, modeling the criteria ratings in multi-criteria recommender systems to determine the overall preferences of users has been considered as one of the major challenges in multi-criteria recommender systems. In other words, how to additionally take the multi-criteria rating information into account during the recommendation process is one of the problems of multi-criteria recommender systems. This article presents a methodological framework that trains artificial neural networks with particle swarm optimization algorithms and uses the neural networks for integrating the multi-criteria rating information and determining the preferences of users. The proposed neural network-based multi-criteria recommender system is integrated with k-nearest neighborhood collaborative filtering for predicting unknown criteria ratings. The proposed approach has been tested with a multi-criteria dataset for recommending movies to users. The empirical results of the study show that the proposed model has a higher prediction accuracy than the corresponding traditional recommendation technique and other multi-criteria recommender systems.
Sporotrichin Skin Test for the Diagnosis of Sporotrichosis
Authors: Bonifaz Alexandro , Toriello Conchita , Araiza Javier , Ramírez-Soto Max C. , Tirado-Sánchez Andrés
Published: May 2018

Sporotrichosis is the most common implantation mycosis caused by several species of the Sporothrix schenckii complex. The gold standard for diagnosis is concerned with the isolation of the fungus; although, fresh examinations, staining, and biopsies are also helpful for this purpose. The sporotrichin is an antigenic complex comprised of a peptide-rhamnomannan, which is relevant with respect to pathogenic fungi; it is primarily used for serological and skin testing. We present a study regarding the use of sporotrichin as a diagnostic aid for cutaneous sporotrichosis. Furthermore, 138 cases with suspicion of sporotrichosis were included, 55 of which were proven through cultures. Moreover, out of these 55 cases, 52 (94.5%) tested positive for sporotrichin, while the negative cases corresponded to the disseminated cutaneous forms. We observed a sensitivity of 94.5% and a specificity of 95.2%. We consider that the use of sporotrichin as a skin test helps us as an auxiliary diagnosis before a positive sample culture.
Improving the Charge Carrier Transport and Suppressing Recombination of Soluble Squaraine-Based Solar Cells via Parallel-Like Structure
Authors: Zhu Youqin , Liu Jingli , Zhao Jiao , Li Yang , Qiao Bo , Song Dandan , Huang Yan , Xu Zheng , Zhao Suling , Xu Xurong
Published: May 2018

Small molecule organic solar cells (SMOSCs) have attracted extensive attention in recent years. Squaraine (SQ) is a kind of small molecule material for potential use in high-efficiency devices, because of its high extinction coefficient and low-cost synthesis. However, the charge carrier mobility of SQ-based film is much lower than other effective materials, which leads to the pretty low fill factor (FF). In this study, we improve the performance of SQ derivative-based solar cells by incorporating PCDTBT into LQ-51/PC71BM host binary blend film. The incorporation of PCDTBT can not only increase the photon harvesting, but also provide an additional hole transport pathway. Through the charge carrier mobility and transient photovoltage measurement, we find that the hole mobility and charge carrier lifetime increase in the ternary system. Also, we carefully demonstrate that the charge carrier transport follows a parallel-like behavior.
Improved Optical and Electrochromic Properties of NiOx Films by Low-Temperature Spin-Coating Method Based on NiOx Nanoparticles
Authors: Xie Xiaohong , Gao Changkang , Du Xiang , Zhu Gangyi , Xie Weiguang , Liu Pengyi , Tang Zhenfang
Published: May 2018

Solution approaches to NiOx films for electrochromic applications are problematic due to the need of an additional high-temperature annealing treatment step in inert gas. In this study, nanostructured NiOx powder with grain size of about 10.1 nm was synthesized for fabrication of NiOx films for electrochromic application. Non-toxic dispersants of isopropanol and deionized water were used and the whole process was carried out in air. The effects of the number of spin-coating layers, annealing temperature, and the volume ratios of isopropanol to deionized water were systematically investigated. Large transmittance change of 62.3% at 550 nm, high coloration efficiency (42.8 cm2/C), rapid switching time (coloring time is 4 s, bleaching time is 3 s), and good stability were achieved in the optimized NiOx film. The optimized process only required a low processing temperature of 150 °C in air with spin-coating three times and 1:2 volume ratio of isopropanol to deionized water. Finally, good cycle durability of up to 2000 cycles without obvious degradation was demonstrated by cyclic voltammetry tests in a LiClO4/propylene carbonate electrolyte. This study provides a simple and effective approach for fabrication of NiOx films at low temperature in air, which is attractive for further commercialization of electrochromic devices.
The “Lévy or Diffusion” Controversy: How Important Is the Movement Pattern in the Context of Trapping?
Authors: Ahmed Danish A. , Petrovskii Sergei V. , Tilles Paulo F. C.
Published: May 2018

Many empirical and theoretical studies indicate that Brownian motion and diffusion models as its mean field counterpart provide appropriate modeling techniques for individual insect movement. However, this traditional approach has been challenged, and conflicting evidence suggests that an alternative movement pattern such as Lévy walks can provide a better description. Lévy walks differ from Brownian motion since they allow for a higher frequency of large steps, resulting in a faster movement. Identification of the ‘correct’ movement model that would consistently provide the best fit for movement data is challenging and has become a highly controversial issue. In this paper, we show that this controversy may be superficial rather than real if the issue is considered in the context of trapping or, more generally, survival probabilities. In particular, we show that almost identical trap counts are reproduced for inherently different movement models (such as the Brownian motion and the Lévy walk) under certain conditions of equivalence. This apparently suggests that the whole ‘Levy or diffusion’ debate is rather senseless unless it is placed into a specific ecological context, e.g., pest monitoring programs.
Global Behavior of Certain Nonautonomous Linearizable Three Term Difference Equations
Authors: Janowski E. J. , Kulenović M. R. S.
Published: May 2018

We investigate the nonautonomous difference equation with real initial conditions and coefficients g i , i = 0 , 1 which are in general functions of n and/or the state variables x n , x n − 1 , … , and satisfy g 0 + g 1 = 1 . We also obtain some global results about the behavior of solutions of the nonautonomous non-homogeneous difference equation where g i , i = 0 , 1 , 2 are functions of n and/or the state variables x n , x n − 1 , … , with g 0 + g 1 = 1 . Our results are based on the explicit formulas for solutions. We illustrate our results by numerous examples.
Fatigue of Thin, Oligo-Crystalline Wires Made of X2 CrNiMo 18-15-3
Authors: Mitevski Bojan , Weiß Sabine
Published: May 2018

For a variety of applications, such as in miniaturized machines, tools for minimal invasive surgery, or coronary stents, microscale components are used. For all these components, their dimensions are far below the size of conventional test specimens, and thus the grain size can approach the dimension of the cross section in these microscale components. According to experimental results, large differences in the mechanical behavior of the material occur between single- and polycrystalline test specimens. Therefore, oligo-crystalline microstructures are defined as a transition between single- and polycrystal. To investigate and understand the fundamental impact of oligo-crystalline microstructures on the mechanical behavior of the material, thin wires made of the austenitic CrNiMo steel 316LVM were fatigued. The choice of the material is justified, because it is one of the most frequently-used materials for coronary stents, and only a small amount of research has been done on oligo-crystalline microstructures of this material. Solution were annealed and 10% cold drawn oligo-crystalline wires were compared. The cold drawn wires exhibit an endurance limit of 450 MPa, which is significantly higher compared to solution annealed oligo-crystalline wires (250 MPa). Electron backscattering diffraction (EBSD) measurements of the fatigued wires show massive grain rotations, which lead to orientation changes within the grains. Sometimes, the deformation of a whole structure is concentrated on just one or only very few grains, with a particularly high Schmid factor (>0.44).
On-Demand Microwave-Assisted Fabrication of Gelatin Foams
Authors: Frazier Shane D. , Aday Anastasia N. , Srubar Wil V.
Published: May 2018

Ultraporous gelatin foams (porosity >94%, ρ ≈ 0.039–0.056 g/cm3) have been fabricated via microwave radiation. The resulting foam structures are unique with regard to pore morphology (i.e., closed-cell) and exhibit 100% macroporosity (pore size 332 to 1700 μm), presence of an external skin, and densities similar to aerogels. Results indicate that the primary foaming mechanism is governed by the vaporization of water that is tightly bound in secondary structures (i.e., helices, β-turns, β-sheets) that are present in dehydrated gelatin films but not present in the foams after microwave radiation (700 Watts).