bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Health Consequences of Social Mobility in Contemporary China
Authors: Yan Fei , He Guangye , Chen Yunsong
Published: November 2018

Although numerous studies have shown the importance of an individual’s socioeconomic status on his or her self-rated health status, less well-known is whether self-perceived class mobility, a measure highly correlated with an individual’s de facto social class and past mobility experiences, affects self-rated health. In this paper, we attempt to fill the gap by examining how perception of class mobility is associated with self-rated health. Using eight waves of Chinese General Social Survey data spanning the years 2005 to 2015, we conducted an analysis at the micro (individual) level and the macro (provincial) level. Analyses at both levels yielded consistent results. At the individual level, we employed ordered logistic regression and found that the perception of experiencing downward mobility was associated with significantly lower self-rated health in both rural and urban areas compared with those who consider themselves to be upwardly mobile or immobile. At the provincial level, the findings from static panel analysis further revealed that there is a positive relationship between the self-perceived class mobility and self-rated health level.
Impact of tRNA Modifications and tRNA-Modifying Enzymes on Proteostasis and Human Disease
Authors: Pereira Marisa , Francisco Stephany , Varanda Ana Sofia , Santos Mafalda , Santos Manuel A. S. , Soares Ana Raquel
Published: November 2018

Transfer RNAs (tRNAs) are key players of protein synthesis, as they decode the genetic information organized in mRNA codons, translating them into the code of 20 amino acids. To be fully active, tRNAs undergo extensive post-transcriptional modifications, catalyzed by different tRNA-modifying enzymes. Lack of these modifications increases the level of missense errors and affects codon decoding rate, contributing to protein aggregation with deleterious consequences to the cell. Recent works show that tRNA hypomodification and tRNA-modifying-enzyme deregulation occur in several diseases where proteostasis is affected, namely, neurodegenerative and metabolic diseases. In this review, we discuss the recent findings that correlate aberrant tRNA modification with proteostasis imbalances, in particular in neurological and metabolic disorders, and highlight the association between tRNAs, their modifying enzymes, translational decoding, and disease onset.
Integration of a Gold-Specific Whole E. coli Cell Sensing and Adsorption Based on BioBrick
Authors: Yan Li , Sun Peiqing , Xu Yun , Zhang Shanbo , Wei Wei , Zhao Jing
Published: November 2018

Detection and recovery of heavy metals from environmental sources is a major task in environmental protection and governance. Based on previous research into cell-based visual detection and biological adsorption, we have developed a novel system combining these two functions by the BioBrick technique. The gold-specific sensory gol regulon was assembled on the gold-chaperone GolB (Gold-specific binding protein), which is responsible for selectively absorbing gold ions, and this led to an integration system with increased probe tolerance for gold. After being incorporated into E. coli, this system featured high-selective detection and recycling of gold ions among multi-metal ions from the environment. It serves as an efficient method for biological detection and recovery of various heavy metals. We have developed modular methods for cell-based detection and adsorption of heavy metals, and these offer a quick and convenient tool for development in this area.
Anti-Inflammatory Activity of Populus deltoides Leaf Extract via Modulating NF-κB and p38/JNK Pathways
Authors: Jeong Ye Eun , Lee Mi-Young
Published: November 2018

Populus deltoides, known as eastern cottonwood, has been commonly used as a medicinal plant. The aim of the present study was to investigate the mechanism underlying the anti-inflammatory activity of P. deltoides leaf extract (PLE). PLE effectively inhibited the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and nitric oxide (NO) production in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells, but not that of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and prostaglandin E2. Proinflammatory tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) levels were also reduced by the extract. PLE inhibited the phosphorylation of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) and inhibitor of Kappa Bα (IκBα), and blunted LPS-triggered enhanced nuclear translocation of NF-κB p65. In mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling, PLE effectively decreased the phosphorylation of p38 and c-Jun N-terminal protein kinase (JNK), but not of extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2). Taken together, these results suggest that anti-inflammatory activity of P. deltoides leaf extract might be driven by iNOS and NO inhibition mediated by modulation of the NF-κB and p38/JNK signaling pathways.
Newborn Sickle Cell Disease Screening Using Electrospray Tandem Mass Spectrometry
Authors: Daniel Yvonne , Turner Charles
Published: November 2018

There is a growing demand for newborn sickle cell disease screening globally. Historically techniques have relied on the separation of intact haemoglobin tetramers using electrophoretic or liquid chromatography techniques. These techniques also identify haemoglobin variants of no clinical significance. Specific electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry-mass spectrometry techniques to analyse targeted peptides formed after digestion of the haemoglobin with trypsin were reported in 2005. Since this time the method has been further developed and adopted in several European countries. It is estimated that more than one million babies have been screened with no false-negative cases reported. This review reports on the current use of the technique and reviews the related publications.
Newborn Screening for SCD in the USA and Canada
Authors: El-Haj Nura , Hoppe Carolyn C.
Published: November 2018

Sickle cell disease (SCD) encompasses a group of inherited red cell disorders characterized by an abnormal hemoglobin, Hb S. The most common forms of SCD in the United States and Canada are identified through universal newborn screening (NBS) programs. Now carried out in all fifty U.S. states and 8 Canadian provinces, NBS for SCD represents one of the major public health advances in North America. The current status of NBS programs for hemoglobinopathies and the screening techniques employed in many regions worldwide reflect in large part the U.S. and Canadian experiences. Although the structure, screening algorithms and laboratory procedures, as well as reporting and follow up, vary between NBS programs, the overall workflow is similar. The current review summarized the historical background, current approaches, and methods used to screen newborns for SCD in the United States and Canada.
Interstitial Lung Disease and Pulmonary Fibrosis: A Practical Approach for General Medicine Physicians with Focus on the Medical History
Authors: Kalchiem-Dekel Or , Galvin Jeffrey R. , Burke Allen P. , Atamas Sergei P. , Todd Nevins W.
Published: November 2018

Interstitial lung disease (ILD) and pulmonary fibrosis comprise a wide array of inflammatory and fibrotic lung diseases which are often confusing to general medicine and pulmonary physicians alike. In addition to the myriad of clinical and radiologic nomenclature used in ILD, histopathologic descriptors may be particularly confusing, and are often extrapolated to radiologic imaging patterns which may further add to the confusion. We propose that rather than focusing on precise histologic findings, focus should be on identifying an accurate etiology of ILD through a comprehensive and detailed medical history. Histopathologic patterns from lung biopsy should not be dismissed, but are often nonspecific, and overall treatment strategy and prognosis are likely to be determined more by the specific etiology of ILD rather than any particular histologic pattern. In this review, we outline a practical approach to common ILDs, highlight important aspects in obtaining an exposure history, clarify terminology and nomenclature, and discuss six common subgroups of ILD likely to be encountered by general medicine physicians in the inpatient or outpatient setting: Smoking-related, hypersensitivity pneumonitis, connective tissue disease-related, occupation-related, medication-induced, and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. Accurate diagnosis of these forms of ILD does require supplementing the medical history with results of the physical examination, autoimmune serologic testing, and chest radiographic imaging, but the importance of a comprehensive environmental, avocational, occupational, and medication-use history cannot be overstated and is likely the single most important factor responsible for achieving the best possible outcomes for patients.
Effects of 12-week Aerobic Exercise on Arterial Stiffness, Inflammation, and Cardiorespiratory Fitness in Women with Systemic LUPUS Erythematosus: Non-Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Soriano-Maldonado Alberto , Morillas-de-Laguno Pablo , Sabio José Mario , Gavilán-Carrera Blanca , Rosales-Castillo Antonio , Montalbán-Méndez Cristina , Sáez-Urán Luis Manuel , Callejas-Rubio José Luis , Vargas-Hitos José Antonio
Published: November 2018

This study assessed the effect of 12-week aerobic exercise on arterial stiffness (primary outcome), inflammation, oxidative stress, and cardiorespiratory fitness (secondary outcomes) in women with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). In a non-randomized clinical trial, 58 women with SLE were assigned to either aerobic exercise (n = 26) or usual care (n = 32). The intervention comprised 12 weeks of aerobic exercise (2 sessions × 75 min/week) between 40–75% of the individual’s heart rate reserve. At baseline and at week 12, arterial stiffness was assessed through pulse wave velocity (PWV), inflammatory (i.e., high-sensitivity C-reactive protein [hsCRP], tumor necrosis factor alpha [TFN-α], and inteleukin 6 [IL-6]) and oxidative stress (i.e., myeloperoxidase [MPO]) markers were obtained from blood samples, and cardiorespiratory fitness was assessed (Bruce test). There were no between-group differences in the changes in arterial stiffness (median PWV difference −0.034, 95% CI −0.42 to 0.36 m/s; p = 0.860) or hsCRP, TNF-α, IL-6, and MPO (all p > 0.05) at week 12. In comparison to the control group, the exercise group significantly increased cardiorespiratory fitness (median difference 2.26 minutes, 95% CI 0.98 to 3.55; p = 0.001). These results suggest that 12 weeks of progressive treadmill aerobic exercise increases cardiorespiratory fitness without exacerbating arterial stiffness, inflammation, or oxidative stress in women with SLE.
Efficacy and Safety of Denosumab Therapy for Osteogenesis Imperfecta Patients with Osteoporosis—Case Series
Authors: Kobayashi Tsukasa , Nakamura Yukio , Suzuki Takako , Yamaguchi Tomomi , Takeda Ryojun , Takagi Masaki , Hasegawa Tomonobu , Kosho Tomoki , Kato Hiroyuki
Published: November 2018

Osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) is a connective tissue disorder that is characterized by low bone density leading to recurrent fractures. The efficacy of the anti-resorption drug denosumab for OI with osteoporosis is still largely unknown. We herein describe the clinical outcomes of eight osteoporotic cases of OI to examine the effects and safety of denosumab. This retrospective, consecutive case series included eight patients respectively aged 42, 40, 14, 22, 3, 51, 37, and 9 years. We measured the bone mineral density (BMD) of the lumbar 1–4 spine (L-BMD) and bilateral hips (H-BMD), bone-specific alkaline phosphatase, urinary type I collagen amino-terminal telopeptide, and tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase 5b before and during denosumab therapy. Despite multiple pretreatment fractures in the cohort, no fractures or severe side effects, such as hypocalcemia, were observed during the observational period apart from a fracture in a young pediatric girl. Both L-BMD and H-BMD were increased by denosumab in seven of eight cases. Bone turnover markers were inhibited in most cases by denosumab therapy. Denosumab treatment could generally raise BMD without any adverse effects. The agent therefore represents a good therapeutic option for OI with osteoporosis.
Enabling Energy-Efficient Physical Computing through Analog Abstraction and IP Reuse
Authors: Hasler Jennifer , Natarajan Aishwarya , Kim Sihwan
Published: November 2018

This paper shows the first step in analog (and mixed signal) abstraction utilized in large-scale Field Programmable Analog Arrays (FPAA), encoded in the open-source SciLab/Xcos based toolset. Having any opportunity of a wide-scale utilization of ultra-low power technology both requires programmability/reconfigurability as well as abstractable tools. Abstraction is essential both make systems rapidly, as well as reduce the barrier for a number of users to use ultra-low power physical computing techniques. Analog devices, circuits, and systems are abstractable and retain their energy efficient opportunities compared with custom digital hardware. We will present the analog (and mixed signal) abstraction developed for the open-source toolkit used for the SoC FPAAs. Abstraction of Blocks in the FPAA block library makes the SoC FPAA ecosystem accessible to system-level designers while still enabling circuit designers the freedom to build at a low level. Multiple working test cases of various levels of complexity illustrate the analog abstraction capability. The FPAA block library provides a starting point for discussing the fundamental block concepts of analog computational approaches.
Comparison of Statistical Approaches for Modelling Land-Use Change
Authors: Sun Bo , Robinson Derek
Published: November 2018

Land-use change can have local-to-global environment impacts such as loss of biodiversity and climate change as well as social-economic impacts such as social inequality. Models that are built to analyze land-use change can help us understand the causes and effects of change, which can provide support and evidence to land-use planning and land-use policies to eliminate or alleviate potential negative outcomes. A variety of modelling approaches have been developed and implemented to represent land-use change, in which statistical methods are often used in the classification of land use as well as to test hypotheses about the significance of potential drivers of land-use change. The utility of statistical models is found in the ease of their implementation and application as well as their ability to provide a general representation of land-use change given a limited amount of time, resources, and data. Despite the use of many different statistical methods for modelling land-use change, comparison among more than two statistical methods is rare and an evaluation of the performance of a combination of different statistical methods with the same dataset is lacking. The presented research fills this gap in land-use modelling literature using four statistical methods—Markov chain, logistic regression, generalized additive models and survival analysis—to quantify their ability to represent land-use change. The four methods were compared across three dimensions: accuracy (overall and by land-use type), sample size, and spatial independence via conventional and spatial cross-validation. Our results show that the generalized additive model outperformed the other three models in terms of overall accuracy and was the best for modelling most land-use changes with both conventional and spatial cross-validation regardless of sample size. Logistic regression and survival analysis were more accurate for specific land-use types, and Markov chain was able to represent those changes that could not be modeled by other approaches due to sample size restrictions. Spatial cross-validation accuracies were slightly lower than the conventional cross-validation accuracies. Our results demonstrate that not only is the choice of model by land-use type more important than sample size, but also that a hybrid land-use model comprising the best statistical modelling approaches for each land-use change can outperform individual statistical approaches. While Markov chain was not competitive, it was useful in providing representation using other methods or in other cases where there is no predictor data.
4′-(5-Methylfuran-2-yl)-2,2′:6′,2″-terpyridine: A New Ligand Obtained from a Biomass-Derived Aldehyde with Potential Application in Metal-Catalyzed Reactions
Authors: Husson Jérôme , Guyard Laurent
Published: November 2018

The new ligand 4′-(5-methylfuran-2-yl)-2,2′:6′,2″-terpyridine (1) was prepared in one step from 2-acetylpyridine and 5-methylfurfural. The latter is an aldehyde that can be readily obtained from biomass. The new terpyridine molecule was characterized by 1H and 13C-NMR spectroscopy as well as by elemental analyses and HR-MS. Owing to its chelating properties, this new terpyridine molecule was tested as a ligand in a metal-catalyzed reaction: The Ni-catalyzed dimerization of benzyl bromide.
Characterization of MgCl2·6H2O-Based Eutectic/Expanded Perlite Composite Phase Change Material with Low Thermal Conductivity
Authors: Zhang Chao , Zhang Zeyu , Ye Rongda , Gao Xuenong , Ling Ziye
Published: November 2018

The melting points of the phase change materials (PCMs) incorporated into the walls of buildings should be within the human thermal comfort temperature range. In this paper, 15 wt.% of MgCl2·6H2O was mixed with CaCl2·6H2O to obtain the eutectic with a melting point of 23.9 °C. SrCl2·6H2O suppresses the supecooling of the eutectic. The combination with expanded perlite (EP) via the impregnation method overcomes the phase separation and liquid leakage of the CaCl2∙6H2O-MgCl2∙6H2O mixture. The composite PCM is form-stable with the maximum loading mass fraction up to 50 wt.% and latent heat of 73.55 J/g. EP also significantly reduces the thermal conductivity of the CaCl2∙6H2O-MgCl2∙6H2O from 0.732 to 0.144 W/(m·K). The heating-cooling cycling test reveals that the composite PCM is thermally stable. The cheap eutectic salt hydrate, with little supercooling, no phase separation and liquid leakage, low thermal conductivity and good thermal reliability, show great potential as envelope materials to save energy consumption in buildings.
Simulation of Eccentric Impact of Square and Rectangular Composite Laminates Embedded with SMA
Authors: Sun Min , Chang Mengzhou , Wang Zhenqing , Li Hao , Liu Yanfei
Published: November 2018

In the present work, we study the low velocity impact, both central and eccentric, on square and rectangular laminated composite plates with embedded shape memory alloy (SMA) wires, which are stitched on the top and bottom surfaces of the plate, by using the finite element method. In finite element methods (FEM) simulations, a super-elastic SMA constitutive model is implemented in Abaqus/Explict by using a user defined material subroutine to describe the behaviors of SMAs. The three-dimensional (3D) Hashin failure criterion is adopted to model the damage initiation of laminated composite plates. To model the delamination failure, a cohesive damage zone model is introduced in interface elements. A comprehensive parametric study has been carried out to analyze the effects of eccentricity for the case of square and rectangular laminated composite plates.
Implicit Equations of the Henneberg-Type Minimal Surface in the Four-Dimensional Euclidean Space
Authors: Güler Erhan , Kişi Ömer , Konaxis Christos
Published: November 2018

Considering the Weierstrass data as ( ψ , f , g ) = ( 2 , 1 - z - m , z n ) , we introduce a two-parameter family of Henneberg-type minimal surface that we call H m , n for positive integers ( m , n ) by using the Weierstrass representation in the four-dimensional Euclidean space E 4 . We define H m , n in ( r , θ ) coordinates for positive integers ( m , n ) with m ≠ 1 , n ≠ - 1 , - m + n ≠ - 1 , and also in ( u , v ) coordinates, and then we obtain implicit algebraic equations of the Henneberg-type minimal surface of values ( 4 , 2 ) .
A General Theorem on the Stability of a Class of Functional Equations Including Quartic-Cubic-Quadratic-Additive Equations
Authors: Lee Yang-Hi , Jung Soon-Mo
Published: November 2018

We prove general stability theorems for n-dimensional quartic-cubic-quadratic-additive type functional equations of the form ∑ i = 1 ℓ c i f a i 1 x 1 + a i 2 x 2 + ⋯ + a i n x n = 0 . by applying the direct method. These stability theorems can save us the trouble of proving the stability of relevant solutions repeatedly appearing in the stability problems for various functional equations.
Clogging the Ubiquitin-Proteasome Machinery with Marine Natural Products: Last Decade Update
Authors: Della Sala Gerardo , Agriesti Francesca , Mazzoccoli Carmela , Tataranni Tiziana , Costantino Valeria , Piccoli Claudia
Published: November 2018

The ubiquitin-proteasome pathway (UPP) is the central protein degradation system in eukaryotic cells, playing a key role in homeostasis maintenance, through proteolysis of regulatory and misfolded (potentially harmful) proteins. As cancer cells produce proteins inducing cell proliferation and inhibiting cell death pathways, UPP inhibition has been exploited as an anticancer strategy to shift the balance between protein synthesis and degradation towards cell death. Over the last few years, marine invertebrates and microorganisms have shown to be an unexhaustive factory of secondary metabolites targeting the UPP. These chemically intriguing compounds can inspire clinical development of novel antitumor drugs to cope with the incessant outbreak of side effects and resistance mechanisms induced by currently approved proteasome inhibitors (e.g., bortezomib). In this review, we report about (a) the role of the UPP in anticancer therapy, (b) chemical and biological properties of UPP inhibitors from marine sources discovered in the last decade, (c) high-throughput screening techniques for mining natural UPP inhibitors in organic extracts. Moreover, we will tell about the fascinating story of salinosporamide A, the first marine natural product to access clinical trials as a proteasome inhibitor for cancer treatment.
The Instability Criterion for Bicrystal at Nanoscale
Authors: Yuan Lin , Xu Chuanlong , Zhang Jiangwei , Shan Debin , Guo Bin
Published: November 2018

Atomistic simulations are performed to predict the plastic yield using the instability criterion under thermal effect. The results show the instability criterion is applicable at low temperature (0~100 K) and invalid at a higher temperature (>200 K) due to the influence of thermal vibration. The tensile stress, minimum eigenvalue of matrix A, and atom configurations are compared to investigate the instability criterion in bicrytals. The instability criterion can successfully capture the plastic deformation initiation for bicrystal at 0 K.
Influences of Pin Shape on a High Rotation Speed Friction Stir Welding Joint of a 6061-T6 Aluminum Alloy Sheet
Authors: Zhou Yang , Chen Shujin , Wang Jiayou , Wang Penghao , Xia Jingyu
Published: November 2018

In order to explore the influences of different pins on the weld based on the specialty of the aluminium alloy sheet welding, three kinds of pins were chosen to perform high rotation speed friction stir welding on a 1 mm thick 6061-T6 aluminium alloy in this study. The microstructure and mechanical properties of the joints were analysed at the same time. When the rotation speed was 11,000 rpm and the welding speed was 300 mm/min, more sufficient stirring and a better joint (the tensile strength reaches 87.2% of the base metal) can be obtained with the pin design of a quadrangular frustum pyramid. The pattern of the weld cross section was a “flat T” and no obvious “S curve” was found in nugget zone (NZ). Heat affected zone (HAZ) and thermo-mechanically affected zone (TMAZ) were also narrow. The results demonstrate that the proportion of low angle boundaries in each area of the weld is lower than that of traditional Friction Stir Welding (FSW). The grain size of NZ is significantly refined and the proportion of low angle boundaries is only 20.1%, which have improved the welding quality.
Enhanced Photocatalytic Performance of Nitrogen-Doped TiO2 Nanotube Arrays Using a Simple Annealing Process
Authors: Le Phuoc , Hieu Le , Lam Tu-Ngoc , Hang Nguyen , Truong Nguyen , Tuyen Le , Phong Pham , Leu Jihperng
Published: November 2018

Nitrogen-doped TiO2 nanotube arrays (N-TNAs) were successfully fabricated by a simple thermal annealing process in ambient N2 gas at 450 °C for 3 h. TNAs with modified morphologies were prepared by a two-step anodization using an aqueous NH4F/ethylene glycol solution. The N-doping concentration (0–9.47 at %) can be varied by controlling N2 gas flow rates between 0 and 500 cc/min during the annealing process. Photocatalytic performance of as-prepared TNAs and N-TNAs was studied by monitoring the methylene blue degradation under visible light (λ ≥ 400 nm) illumination at 120 mW·cm−2. N-TNAs exhibited appreciably enhanced photocatalytic activity as compared to TNAs. The reaction rate constant for N-TNAs (9.47 at % N) reached 0.26 h−1, which was a 125% improvement over that of TNAs (0.115 h−1). The significant enhanced photocatalytic activity of N-TNAs over TNAs is attributed to the synergistic effects of (1) a reduced band gap associated with the introduction of N-doping states to serve as carrier reservoir, and (2) a reduced electron‒hole recombination rate.
Raman Spectroscopic Analysis to Detect Reduced Bone Quality after Sciatic Neurectomy in Mice
Authors: Ishimaru Yasumitsu , Oshima Yusuke , Imai Yuuki , Iimura Tadahiro , Takanezawa Sota , Hino Kazunori , Miura Hiromasa
Published: November 2018

Bone mineral density (BMD) is a commonly used diagnostic indicator for bone fracture risk in osteoporosis. Along with low BMD, bone fragility accounts for reduced bone quality in addition to low BMD, but there is no diagnostic method to directly assess the bone quality. In this study, we investigated changes in bone quality using the Raman spectroscopic technique. Sciatic neurectomy (NX) was performed in male C57/BL6J mice (NX group) as a model of disuse osteoporosis, and sham surgery was used as an experimental control (Sham group). Eight months after surgery, we acquired Raman spectral data from the anterior cortical surface of the proximal tibia. We also performed a BMD measurement and micro-CT measurement to investigate the pathogenesis of osteoporosis. Quantitative analysis based on the Raman peak intensities showed that the carbonate/phosphate ratio and the mineral/matrix ratio were significantly higher in the NX group than in the Sham group. There was direct evidence of alterations in the mineral content associated with mechanical properties of bone. To fully understand the spectral changes, we performed principal component analysis of the spectral dataset, focusing on the matrix content. In conclusion, Raman spectroscopy provides reliable information on chemical changes in both mineral and matrix contents, and it also identifies possible mechanisms of disuse osteoporosis.
Kupffer Cells Survive Plasmodium berghei Sporozoite Exposure and Respond with a Rapid Cytokine Release
Authors: Tweedell Rebecca , Qi Le , Sun Zhaoli , Dinglasan Rhoel
Published: November 2018

The liver stage of the Plasmodium life cycle features sporozoite traversal of the liver sinusoidal barrier through Kupffer cells (KCs) followed by invasion of hepatocytes. Little is known about the interaction of Plasmodium sporozoites with KCs, the liver-resident macrophages. Previous reports suggest KCs do not mount a pro-inflammatory response and undergo cell death following this interaction. Our work explores this interaction using primary rat KCs (PRKCs) and Plasmodium berghei sporozoites. We analyzed PRKC culture supernatants for markers of an immunological response through cytokine arrays. Additionally, cell wounding and death were assessed by monitoring lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) levels in these supernatants and by live/dead cell imaging. We found that PRKCs mount an immunological response to P. berghei sporozoites by releasing a diverse set of both pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines, including IFNγ, IL-12p70, Mip-3α, IL-2, RANTES, IL-1α, IL-4, IL-5, IL-13, EPO, VEGF, IL-7, and IL-17α. We also observed no difference in LDH level or live/dead staining upon sporozoite exposure, suggesting that the KCs are not deeply wounded or dying. Overall, our data suggest that sporozoites may be actively modulating the KC’s reaction to their presence and altering the way the innate immune system is triggered by KCs.
Otherwise Than Politics: A Levinassian Defense of Political Indifference
Authors: Tritten Tyler
Published: November 2018

Emmanuel Levinas critiques the political sovereignty of what is Said (le Dit), the surface differences and visible identities politics imposes, through a recourse to the nudity of the invisible face, which, audible rather than visible, is a pre-predicative Saying (le Dire). Although Levinas does not deny systemic and political injustices, he is not convinced that the solution to these problems is itself systemic and political, as the political is a problem rather than a solution. Only the ethical and/or religious can offer a response to the problem of the political. Given this Levinassian edifice, then, this article argues that all thinking that fails to skeptically unsay (le Dédire) the social and institutionalized differences of the political machine makes no difference. The article will first articulate why, following Levinas, politics is the problem rather than a solution and then explain why ethical (and religious) relation is prior to politics (and ontology) by demarcating different senses of thirdness (le tier). A criticism of natural rights will follow before some concluding remarks are offered that explain how one might enact a skeptical comportment toward all politics that may nevertheless let political situations lie exactly as they were.
Performance of TRMM TMPA 3B42 V7 in Replicating Daily Rainfall and Regional Rainfall Regimes in the Amazon Basin (1998–2013)
Authors: Michot Véronique , Vila Daniel , Arvor Damien , Corpetti Thomas , Ronchail Josyane , Funatsu Beatriz M. , Dubreuil Vincent
Published: November 2018

Knowledge and studies on precipitation in the Amazon Basin (AB) are determinant for environmental aspects such as hydrology, ecology, as well as for social aspects like agriculture, food security, or health issues. Availability of rainfall data at high spatio-temporal resolution is thus crucial for these purposes. Remote sensing techniques provide extensive spatial coverage compared to ground-based rainfall data but it is imperative to assess the quality of the estimates. Previous studies underline at regional scale in the AB, and for some years, the efficiency of the Tropical Rainfall Measurement Mission (TRMM) 3B42 Version 7 (V7) (hereafter 3B42) daily product data, to provide a good view of the rainfall time variability which is important to understand the impacts of El Nino Southern Oscilation. Then our study aims to enhance the knowledge about the quality of this product on the entire AB and provide a useful understanding about his capacity to reproduce the annual rainfall regimes. For that purpose we compared 3B42 against 205 quality-controlled rain gauge measurements for the period from March 1998 to July 2013, with the aim to know whether 3B42 is reliable for climate studies. Analysis of quantitative (Bias, Relative RMSE) and categorical statistics (POD, FAR) for the whole period show a more accurate spatial distribution of mean daily rainfall estimations in the lowlands than in the Andean regions. In the latter, the location of a rain gauge and its exposure seem to be more relevant to explain mismatches with 3B42 rather than its elevation. In general, a good agreement is observed between rain gauge derived regimes and those from 3B42; however, performance is better in the rainy period. Finally, an original way to validate the estimations is by taking into account the interannual variability of rainfall regimes (i.e., the presence of sub-regimes): four sub-regimes in the northeast AB defined from rain gauges and 3B42 were found to be in good agreement. Furthermore, this work examined whether TRMM 3B42 V7 rainfall estimates for all the grid points in the AB, outgoing longwave radiation (OLR) and water vapor flux patterns are consistent in the northeast of AB.
Effect of Torsion Stress on the Offset and Sensitivity of Diagonal and Off-Diagonal GMI in Amorphous Wires
Authors: Nabias Julie , Asfour Aktham , Yonnet Jean-Paul
Published: November 2018

In this paper, the torsional stress effect on Giant Magneto-Impedance (GMI) was studied in Co-rich amorphous wires. The study, which was conducted in the context of the development of a current clamp based on GMI, considered torsion as a parameter of the influence of this sensor. Both diagonal, Z11, and off-diagonal, Z21, components of the impedance tensor were investigated. The samples were Co-rich wires with a 100 µ diameter. The wires were twisted positive and negative angles with respect to a reference position. For each component of the impedance, the intrinsic sensitivity and offset were measured as a function of the rotation angle. The results showed that the sensitivity of the diagonal component at a given working point slightly increased for angles between −90° to +90°, whereas the sensitivity was almost constant for the off-diagonal component at zero-field. The intrinsic offset in the diagonal configuration was almost unchanged for the rotation angles considered, whereas this offset increased in the off-diagonal configuration. Furthermore, the GMI ratio of Z11 was also measured as a function of the rotation angle for comparison purposes with known data. The maximum of this ratio was obtained for a rotation angle of about 50°.
A New Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) Imaging Method Combining Match Filter Imaging and Image Edge Enhancement
Authors: Sun Bing , Fang Chuying , Xu Hailun , Gao Anqi
Published: November 2018

In general, synthetic aperture radar (SAR) imaging and image processing are two sequential steps in SAR image processing. Due to the large size of SAR images, most image processing algorithms require image segmentation before processing. However, the existence of speckle noise in SAR images, as well as poor contrast and the uneven distribution of gray values in the same target, make SAR images difficult to segment. In order to facilitate the subsequent processing of SAR images, this paper proposes a new method that combines the back-projection algorithm (BPA) and a first-order gradient operator to enhance the edges of SAR images to overcome image segmentation problems. For complex-valued signals, the gradient operator was applied directly to the imaging process. The experimental results of simulated images and real images validate our proposed method. For the simulated scene, the supervised image segmentation evaluation indexes of our method have more than 1.18%, 11.2% and 11.72% improvement on probabilistic Rand index (PRI), variability index (VI), and global consistency error (GCE). The proposed imaging method will make SAR image segmentation and related applications easier.
On the Influence of Infra-Red Sensor in the Accurate Estimation of Grinding Temperatures
Authors: Urgoiti Lander , Barrenetxea David , Sánchez Jose Antonio , Pombo Iñigo , Álvarez Jorge
Published: November 2018

Workpiece rejection originated by thermal damage is of great concern in high added-value industries, such as automotive or aerospace. Surface temperature control is vital to avoid this kind of damage. Difficulties in empirical measurement of surface temperatures in-process imply the measurement in points other than the ground surface. Indirect estimation of temperatures demands the use of thermal models. Among the numerous temperature measuring techniques, infra-red measurement devices excel for their speed and accurate measurements. With all of this in mind, the current work presents a novel temperature estimation system, capable of accurate measurements below the surface as well as correct interpretation and estimation of temperatures. The estimation system was validated by using a series of tests in different grinding conditions that confirm the hypotheses of the error made when measuring temperatures in the workpiece below the surface in grinding. This method provides a flexible and precise way of estimating surface temperatures in grinding processes and has shown to reduce measurement error by up to 60%.
A Distributed NFV-Enabled Edge Cloud Architecture for ICN-Based Disaster Management Services
Authors: Nguyen Van-Ca , Dinh Ngoc-Thanh , Kim Younghan
Published: November 2018

In disaster management services, the dynamic binding between roles and individuals for creating response teams across multiple organizations to act during a disaster recovery time period is an important task. Existing studies have shown that IP-based or traditional telephony solutions are not well-suited to deal with such group communication. Research has also shown the advantages of leveraging information centric networking (ICN) in providing essential communication in disaster management services. However, present studies use a centralized networking architecture for disaster management, in which disaster information is gathered and processed at a centralized management center before incident responses are made and warning messages are sent out. The centralized design can be inefficient in terms of scalability and communication. The reason is that when the network is very large (i.e., country level), the management for disaster services becomes very complicated, with a large number of organizations and offices. Disaster data are required to be transmitted over a long path before reaching the central management center. As a result, the transmission overhead and delay are high. Especially when the network is fragmented and network connectivity from a disaster-affected region to the central management center is disconnected, the service may be corrupted. In this paper, we designed and implemented a distributed edge cloud architecture based on ICN and network function virtualization (NFV) to address the above issues. In the proposed architecture, disaster management functions with predefined disaster templates were implemented at edge clouds closed to local regions to reduce the communication overhead and increase the service availability. The real implementation and performance evaluation showed that the proposed architecture achieves a significant improvement in terms of average bandwidth utilization, disaster notification delivery latency, routing convergence time, and successful request ratio compared to the existing approaches.
Stiffness and Cavity Test of Concrete Face Based on Non-Destructive Elastic Investigation
Authors: Hong Jinpyo , Oh Seokhoon , Im Eunsang
Published: November 2018

A non-destructive testing (NDT) method was used in a concrete face rockfill dam (CFRD) to identify the condition of the concrete face slab and detect any existing cavities between the concrete face slab and the underlying support layer. The NDT for the concrete face slab was conducted using the impulse response (IR) method and the electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) method with the application of non-destructive electrodes. Information regarding the dynamic stiffness and average mobility of the concrete was obtained based on the mobility-frequency of the IR method, and cavity detection under the plate structures was analyzed using the two-dimensional (2D) electrical resistivity section of the ERT method. The results of the IR method showed that zones with low dynamic stiffness and high average mobility were expected to be found in concrete of poor quality and in cavities beneath the concrete face slab. The results of the ERT method showed that zones with high resistivity were expected to be cavities between the concrete face slab and the underlying support layer. As a result, the tendency toward low dynamic stiffness, high average mobility, and high resistivity in both methods implies unstable concrete conditions and the possible occurrence of a cavity. The results of the two methods also showed a good correlation, and it was confirmed that the NDT method was reliable in terms of cavity estimation.
Mission Impossible? Socio-Technical Integration of Nuclear Waste Geological Disposal Systems
Authors: Diaz-Maurin François , Ewing Rodney C.
Published: November 2018

We present a new perspective on geological disposal systems for nuclear waste. Geological disposal systems encompass all the processes required for the permanent isolation of highly-radioactive materials from humans and the biosphere. Radioactive materials requiring geological disposal are created by commercial nuclear power plants, research reactors, and defense-related nuclear activities, such as spent nuclear fuel from commercial reactors and high-level waste from reprocessing to reclaim fissile material for weapons. We show that disposal systems are so complex that new methods of representation are required. Despite the common call for a systems approach, a broader perspective is needed to obtain an integrated view of disposal systems. We introduce a conceptual formalism of geological disposal systems based on a multi-scale integrated analysis approach. This ‘metabolic’ representation allows one to account for the technical complexity of disposal systems in relation to their broader societal context. Although the paper is conceptual, the integrated formalism can improve the understanding of the complexity of disposal systems and their policy requirements by connecting technical solutions with societal constraints. However, the paper also reveals the limits to efforts to integrate technical and social dimensions of geological disposal systems into a single formalism.
Carbon Capture and Storage: A Review of Mineral Storage of CO2 in Greece
Authors: Kelektsoglou Kyriaki
Published: November 2018

As the demand for the reduction of global emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2) increases, the need for anthropogenic CO2 emission reductions becomes urgent. One promising technology to this end, is carbon capture and storage (CCS). This paper aims to provide the current state-of-the-art of CO2 capure, transport, and storage and focuses on mineral carbonation, a novel method for safe and permanent CO2 sequestration which is based on the reaction of CO2 with calcium or magnesium oxides or hydroxides to form stable carbonate materials. Current commercial scale projects of CCS around Europe are outlined, demonstrating that only three of them are in operation, and twenty-one of them are in pilot phase, including the only one case of mineral carbonation in Europe the case of CarbFix in Iceland. This paper considers the necessity of CO2 sequestration in Greece as emissions of about 64.6 million tons of CO2 annually, originate from the lignite fired power plants. A real case study concerning the mineral storage of CO2 in Greece has been conducted, demonstrating the applicability of several geological forms around Greece for mineral carbonation. The study indicates that Mount Pindos ophiolite and Vourinos ophiolite complex could be a promising means of CO2 sequestration with mineral carbonation. Further studies are needed in order to confirm this aspect.
Fatal Dengue, Chikungunya and Leptospirosis: The Importance of Assessing Co-infections in Febrile Patients in Tropical Areas
Authors: Cardona-Ospina Jaime A. , Jiménez-Canizales Carlos E. , Vásquez-Serna Heriberto , Garzón-Ramírez Jesús Alberto , Alarcón-Robayo José Fair , Cerón-Pineda Juan Alexander , Rodríguez-Morales Alfonso J.
Published: November 2018

The febrile patient from tropical areas, in which emerging arboviruses are endemic, represents a diagnostic challenge, and potential co-infections with other pathogens (i.e., bacteria or parasites) are usually overlooked. We present a case of an elderly woman diagnosed with dengue, chikungunya and Leptospira interrogans co-infection. Study Design: Case report. An 87-year old woman from Colombia complained of upper abdominal pain, arthralgia, myalgia, hyporexia, malaise and intermittent fever accompanied with progressive jaundice. She had a medical history of chronic heart failure (Stage C, New York Heart Association, NYHA III), without documented cardiac murmurs, right bundle branch block, non-valvular atrial fibrillation, hypertension, and chronic venous disease. Her cardiac and pulmonary status quickly deteriorated after 24 h of her admission without electrocardiographic changes and she required ventilatory and vasopressor support. In the next hours the patient evolved to pulseless electrical activity and then she died. Dengue immunoglobulin M (IgM), non-structural protein 1 (NS1) enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), microagglutination test (MAT) for Leptospira interrogans and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) for chikungunya, were positive. This case illustrates a multiple co-infection in a febrile patient from a tropical area of Latin America that evolved to death.
Mycoviral Population Dynamics in Spanish Isolates of the Entomopathogenic Fungus Beauveria bassiana
Authors: Filippou Charalampos , Garrido-Jurado Inmaculada , Meyling Nicolai V. , Quesada-Moraga Enrique , Coutts Robert H. A. , Kotta-Loizou Ioly
Published: November 2018

The use of mycoviruses to manipulate the virulence of entomopathogenic fungi employed as biocontrol agents may lead to the development of novel methods to control attacks by insect pests. Such approaches are urgently required, as existing agrochemicals are being withdrawn from the market due to environmental and health concerns. The aim of this work is to investigate the presence and diversity of mycoviruses in large panels of entomopathogenic fungi, mostly from Spain and Denmark. In total, 151 isolates belonging to the genera Beauveria, Metarhizium, Lecanicillium, Purpureocillium, Isaria, and Paecilomyces were screened for the presence of dsRNA elements and 12 Spanish B. bassiana isolates were found to harbor mycoviruses. All identified mycoviruses belong to three previously characterised species, the officially recognised Beauveria bassiana victorivirus 1 (BbVV-1) and the proposed Beauveria bassiana partitivirus 2 (BbPV-2) and Beauveria bassiana polymycovirus 1 (BbPmV-1); individual B. bassiana isolates may harbor up to three of these mycoviruses. Notably, these mycovirus species are under distinct selection pressures, while recombination of viral genomes increases population diversity. Phylogenetic analysis of the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase gene sequences revealed that the current population structure in Spain is potentially a result of both vertical and horizontal mycovirus transmission. Finally, pathogenicity experiments using the Mediterranean fruit fly Ceratitis capitata showed no direct correlation between the presence of any particular mycovirus and the virulence of the B. bassiana isolates, but illustrated potentially interesting isolates that exhibit relatively high virulence, which will be used in more detailed virulence experimentation in the future.
Depth-Dependent Seasonal Variation of Soil Water in a Thick Vadose Zone in the Badain Jaran Desert, China
Authors: Zhou Yanyi , Wang Xu-Sheng , Han Peng-Fei
Published: November 2018

In a vadose zone the soil water content can change seasonally, driven by seasonal variations of meteorological factors. This dynamic behavior is depth-dependent, which controls the groundwater recharge from infiltration, and plays an essential role in the environments in arid and semi-arid regions. In particular, the depth-dependent seasonal variations of soil water were investigated in the Badain Jaran Desert (BJD), China, where the vadose zone is thick. The monitoring results showed that the amplitudes of temperature and soil moisture content in the shallow vadose zone (depth < 3 m) significantly decrease with depth. For the deep vadose zone (depth >3 m), the depth-dependent dynamic was synthetically estimated with both numerical and analytical models. Results show that the penetration depth of seasonal fluctuation is about 47 m, below which the infiltration flux stabilizes at a level of 30.7 ± 4 mm/yr. The depth to water table in the BJD is generally larger than 50 m, up to 480 m. As a consequence, groundwater recharge from infiltration in this area almost does not change in different seasons.