bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Experimental Study of Stepped-Lap Scarf Joint Repair for Spar Cap Damage of Wind Turbine Blade in Service
Authors: Li Hui , Chen Cheng , Wang Tongguang , Wang Long
Published: January 2020

The objective of this paper was to design configuration parameters for a stepped-lap scarf joint repair, which can be used for spar cap damage of a wind turbine blade in service and to realize the post-repair monitoring. Two experimental studies were included. First, tensile test for the unidirectional tape specimens with a large aspect ratio repaired using a multiple stepped-lap scarf joint method was carried out. The results showed that the reinforcement layer could effectively improve the load-carrying capacity of the repaired zone. The stepped-lap joint surface was identified as the weak part of the spar cap repair, which should be monitored. Second, by embedding carbon nanotube buckypaper sensors on the stepped-lap joint surface of the repaired specimens, quasi-static tensile tests and fatigue tests were carried out. According to the resistance response of the sensors, the quasi-static tensile test confirmed the failure processes, namely the stiffness turning point, damage evolution, crack propagation, and fracture. The fatigue test could accurately identify the progressive failure, namely the initial damage, damage accumulation, initial cracking, and crack propagation to structural failure. The above tests provided an important configuration parameter basis for evaluating the spar cap repair scheme and presented a promising method for the health monitoring of a spar cap after repair.
Calibration of Large-Scale Spatial Positioning Systems Based on Photoelectric Scanning Angle Measurements and Spatial Resection in Conjunction with an External Receiver Array
Authors: Xiong Chunbao , Bai Hongzhi
Published: January 2020

Positioning systems providing high-precision real-time measurements over very large spatial scales are urgently required for large-scale industrial manufacturing applications. While large-scale positioning systems (LSPSs) employing laser transmitter stations have been employed in engineering practice, the introduction of an LSPS into an existing industrial manufacturing setting must first solve the problems of docking with existing control points and external parameter calibration. However, calibrating the external parameters of a measurement system is very difficult under extreme and complicated working conditions due to the limited visibility of transmitter stations and the measurement distances involved. This problem is addressed in this paper by proposing a single transmitter station calibration method based on a photoelectric scanning multi-angle resection positioning model that combines photoelectric scanning angle measurements and spatial resection in conjunction with an external receiver array. Positioning information is obtained by solving the unknown parameters of the model according to a nonlinear optimization approach using the Levenberg–Marquardt least-squares fitting algorithm. The feasibility and spatial positioning accuracy of the proposed method are verified experimentally. The experimental results demonstrate that the principles of the proposed method are correct, and the method can achieve millimeter measurement accuracy, which meets the requirements of measurement tasks in engineering applications.
The Transformation by Catalysis of Prebiotic Chemical Systems to Useful Biochemicals: A Perspective Based on IR Spectroscopy of the Primary Chemicals: I. The Synthesis of Peptides by the Condensation of Amino Acids
Authors: Larsson Ragnar , Malek Abdul
Published: January 2020

It is now widely speculated that life originated at the “Black Smokers” of the undersea hydrothermal vents, where conditions exist for the formation of the primary ingredients and their subsequent transformation to higher biotic species such as amino acids, alcohols, etc. Any possible routes for the prebiotic oligomerization of simple compounds like amino acids, necessary for cell formation, has so far not been well understood. However, Leman et al. recently reported that under standard laboratory conditions carbonyl sulfide (COS) can “mediate” the oligomerization of simple amino acids in moderate yield. COS being a well-known volcanic gas points to its possible role in prebiotic peptide formation in the environment of the hydrothermal vents. Based on a previously developed and tested model for selective (vibrational) energy transfer (SET), we show that a COS-catalyzed condensation of α-amino-acids can lead to the formation of polypeptides. We also indicate that other agents can act as catalysts of the amino acid condensation, such as Fe(CN)63− and cyanamide (H2N-CN). This is related to the existence of vibrations with a frequency near to that of the critical vibration of the reactant, ρw (NH2). This wagging vibration occurs at 1048 ± 10 cm−1 (the mean value of Cu and Ni complexes) and, as the vibration of the presumed catalyst lies at 2079 cm−1, one notes that one quantum of the catalyst equals two quanta of the NH2 wagging: 2079/2 × 1048 = 0.9919. This is a good indication of a resonance.
A Study on Flow Characteristics and Flow Uniformity for the Efficient Design of a Flow Frame in a Redox Flow Battery
Authors: Kim Bo-Ra , Sohn Deok-Young , Choi Yun-Ho , Lee Yong-Hee
Published: January 2020

As global environmental problems are worsening, the efficiency of storage systems for renewable energy are gaining importance. The redox flow battery (RFB), a promising energy storage system (ESS), is a device that generates or stores electricity through reduction–oxidation reactions between active materials constituting electrolytes. Herein, we proposed a flow frame design that reduces flow resistance in the flow path and causes uniform flow distribution in the electrode to develop an efficient redox flow battery. Through computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and experimental verification, we investigated the flow characteristics and flow uniformity inside the conventional redox flow battery cell. An analysis of the flow characteristics of the conventional flow frame revealed a non-uniform distribution of the flow discharged to the electrodes, owing to the complex (branched) flow path geometry of the inlet channel. To address this problem, we proposed a new flow frame design that removed and integrated bifurcations in the flow path. This new design significantly improved flow uniformity parameters, such as the symmetry coefficient ( C s y m ), variability range coefficient ( R i ), and maximum flow rate deviation ( D m ). Ultimately, we decreased the pressure drop by 15.3% by reducing the number of flow path bifurcations and chevron repositioning.
Symbiotic Organism Search Algorithm with Multi-Group Quantum-Behavior Communication Scheme Applied in Wireless Sensor Networks
Authors: Chu Shu-Chuan , Du Zhi-Gang , Pan Jeng-Shyang
Published: January 2020

The symbiotic organism search (SOS) algorithm is a promising meta-heuristic evolutionary algorithm. Its excellent quality of global optimization solution has aroused the interest of many researchers. In this work, we not only applied the strategy of multi-group communication and quantum behavior to the SOS algorithm, but also formed a novel global optimization algorithm called the MQSOS algorithm. It has speed and convergence ability and plays a good role in solving practical problems with multiple arguments. We also compared MQSOS with other intelligent algorithms under the CEC2013 large-scale optimization test suite, such as particle swarm optimization (PSO), parallel PSO (PPSO), adaptive PSO (APSO), QUasi-Affine TRansformation Evolutionary (QUATRE), and oppositional SOS (OSOS). The experimental results show that MQSOS algorithm had better performance than the other intelligent algorithms. In addition, we combined and optimized the DV-hop algorithm for node localization in wireless sensor networks, and also improved the DV-hop localization algorithm to achieve higher localization accuracy than some existing algorithms.
Experimental Studies on Thermal Performance and Thermo-Structural Stability of Steelmaking Slag as Inventory Material for Thermal Energy Storage
Authors: Haunstetter Jürgen , Krüger Michael , Zunft Stefan
Published: January 2020

Thermal energy storage (TES) systems are key components for concentrated solar power plants to improve their dispatchability and for shifting the energy production efficiently to high revenue periods. The commercial state of the art is the molten salt two tank storage technology. However, this TES confronts some issues like freezing and decomposition, which require continued technical attention. Furthermore, the molten salt itself is very expensive compared to other storage materials. A TES option that possesses a high cost reduction potential and the ability to increase the whole power plant efficiency is the regenerator-type energy storage. Here, a packed bed inventory of waste metallurgical slag from electric arc furnace (EAF) can achieve further cost reduction. Despite previous studies regarding the use of steelmaking slag as an inventory material for thermal energy storages, there are still basic questions to be answered. This work presents experimental thermal performance and thermo-structural stability studies of slag-based TES, obtained during the European project REslag. The EAF slag and different insulation options were tested for their thermomechanical strength in a uniaxial compression test rig. The thermal cyclic behavior was investigated in a pilot TES plant with temperatures up to 700 °C. The experimental results confirm the suitability of steelmaking slag as thermal energy storage inventory material. Furthermore, a comparison of experimental and simulation model results shows an agreement of over 90%.
A High-Performance Deep Learning Algorithm for the Automated Optical Inspection of Laser Welding
Authors: Yang Yatao , Pan Longhui , Ma Junxian , Yang Runze , Zhu Yishuang , Yang Yanzhao , Zhang Li
Published: January 2020

The battery industry has been growing fast because of strong demand from electric vehicle and power storage applications.Laser welding is a key process in battery manufacturing. To control the production quality, the industry has a great desire for defect inspection of automated laser welding. Recently, Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) have been applied with great success for detection, recognition, and classification. In this paper, using transfer learning theory and pre-training approach in Visual Geometry Group (VGG) model, we proposed the optimized VGG model to improve the efficiency of defect classification. Our model was applied on an industrial computer with images taken from a battery manufacturing production line and achieved a testing accuracy of 99.87%. The main contributions of this study are as follows: (1) Proved that the optimized VGG model, which was trained on a large image database, can be used for the defect classification of laser welding. (2) Demonstrated that the pre-trained VGG model has small model size, lower fault positive rate, shorter training time, and prediction time; so, it is more suitable for quality inspection in an industrial environment. Additionally, we visualized the convolutional layer and max-pooling layer to make it easy to view and optimize the model.
Machine Learning and DWI Brain Communicability Networks for Alzheimer’s Disease Detection
Authors: Lella Eufemia , Lombardi Angela , Amoroso Nicola , Diacono Domenico , Maggipinto Tommaso , Monaco Alfonso , Bellotti Roberto , Tangaro Sabina
Published: January 2020

Signal processing and machine learning techniques are changing the clinical practice based on medical imaging from many perspectives. A major topic is related to (i) the development of computer aided diagnosis systems to provide clinicians with novel, non-invasive and low-cost support-tools, and (ii) to the development of new methodologies for the analysis of biomedical data for finding new disease biomarkers. Advancements have been recently achieved in the context of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) diagnosis through the use of diffusion weighted imaging (DWI) data. When combined with tractography algorithms, this imaging modality enables the reconstruction of the physical connections of the brain that can be subsequently investigated through a complex network-based approach. A graph metric particularly suited to describe the disruption of the brain connectivity due to AD is communicability. In this work, we develop a machine learning framework for the classification and feature importance analysis of AD based on communicability at the whole brain level. We fairly compare the performance of three state-of-the-art classification models, namely support vector machines, random forests and artificial neural networks, on the connectivity networks of a balanced cohort of healthy control subjects and AD patients from the ADNI database. Moreover, we clinically validate the information content of the communicability metric by performing a feature importance analysis. Both performance comparison and feature importance analysis provide evidence of the robustness of the method. The results obtained confirm that the whole brain structural communicability alterations due to AD are a valuable biomarker for the characterization and investigation of pathological conditions.
On the Utilization of Reversible Colour Transforms for Lossless 2-D Data Compression
Authors: Waleed Muhammad , Um Tai-Won , Khan Aftab , Khan Ali
Published: January 2020

Reversible Colour Transforms (RCTs) in conjunction with Bi-level Burrows–Wheeler Compression Algorithm (BBWCA) allows for high-level lossless image compression as demonstrated in this study. The RCTs transformation results in exceedingly coordinated image information among the neighbouring pixels as compared to the RGB colour space. This aids the Burrows–Wheeler Transform (BWT) based compression scheme and achieves compression ratios of high degree at the subsequent steps of the program. Validation has been done by comparing the proposed scheme across a range of benchmarks schemes and the performance of the proposed scheme is above par the other schemes. The proposed compression outperforms the techniques exclusively developed for 2-D electrocardiogram (EEG), RASTER map and Color Filter Array (CFA) image compression. The proposed system shows no dependency over parameters like image size, its type or the medium in which it is captured. A comprehensive analysis of the proposed scheme concludes that it achieves a significant increase in compression and depicts comparable complexity similar to the various benchmark schemes.
EMP: Extended Kalman Filter Based Self-Adaptive Mold Protection Method on a Toggle Mechanism
Authors: Chen Baiping , Wu Huifeng , Zhou Hongwei , Sun Danfeng
Published: January 2020

Nowadays, the plastic injection molding industry is ever-growing, crucial, and its plastic products can be seen everywhere. However, the mold damage problem still frustrates operators because of its high maintenance price and time-consuming maintenance process. This damage is commonly caused by foreign bodies in mold area, and the conventional mold protection method is insufficient for high-performance injection molding machines because of the uncertainty from many setting parameters. To improve detection precision of mold protection driven by a toggle mechanism ( T M ), this paper puts forward E M P , i.e., an extended Kalman filter ( E K F ) based self-adaptive mold protection method, wherein the E K F is used in current curve optimization, and the self-adaptive method ( S A M ) is proposed to gain an safety range of current curve. The E M P was verified in a 140-ton electric injection molding machine. Compared with a general method, the proposed method decreases the detected distance of mold protection by 22% under different thickness foreign bodies.
A Decade of Aerosol Optical Properties Measurements over Athens, Greece
Authors: Raptis Ioannis-Panagiotis , Kazadzis Stelios , Amiridis Vassilis , Gkikas Antonis , Gerasopoulos Evangelos , Mihalopoulos Nikolaos
Published: January 2020

Long-term ground-based measurements of aerosol optical properties in Athens, Greece, for the period 2008–2018 performed by the National Observatory of Athens are used in order to investigate the aerosol climatology of the area. In this study, we utilize quality-assured measurements of the aerosol optical depth (AOD), Single Scattering Albedo (SSA) and Ångström exponent obtained by CIMEL photometers in the framework of the Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET) to extract the seasonality and the trends of aerosols in the region. Higher aerosol loads are found during spring and summer months. A 1.1% per year decrease for AOD at 440 nm and 0.4% decrease per year for SSA during the studied period are recorded. Collocated and synchronous PM10 values, for a five-year period, are used in order to study ground-level conditions. Also, the Planetary Boundary Layer Height from ERA-5 is used to investigate the stratification of the particles. The classification of aerosols using AERONET data is performed to separate dust, biomass burning, polluted urban, marine and continental dominant aerosol mixtures. Also, the characterization of AOD provided by Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS) is investigated. Finally, seasonal AOD trends recorded from AERONET from satellite sensors (MODIS-Aqua/MODIS-Terra) and estimated by CAMS are examined, and significant differences have been found.
A Cell-Free SDKP-Conjugated Self-Assembling Peptide Hydrogel Sufficient for Improvement of Myocardial Infarction
Authors: Firoozi Saman , Pahlavan Sara , Ghanian Mohammad-Hossein , Rabbani Shahram , Tavakol Shima , Barekat Maryam , Yakhkeshi Saeed , Mahmoudi Elena , Soleymani Mansoureh , Baharvand Hossein
Published: January 2020

Biomaterials in conjunction with stem cell therapy have recently attracted attention as a new therapeutic approach for myocardial infarction (MI), with the aim to solve the delivery challenges that exist with transplanted cells. Self-assembling peptide (SAP) hydrogels comprise a promising class of synthetic biomaterials with cardiac-compatible properties such as mild gelation, injectability, rehealing ability, and potential for sequence modification. Herein, we developed an SAP hydrogel composed of a self-assembling gel-forming core sequence (RADA) modified with SDKP motif with pro-angiogenic and anti-fibrotic activity to be used as a cardioprotective scaffold. The RADA-SDKP hydrogel was intramyocardially injected into the infarct border zone of a rat model of MI induced by left anterior descending artery (LAD) ligation as a cell-free or a cell-delivering scaffold for bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSCs). The left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) was markedly improved after transplantation of either free hydrogel or cell-laden hydrogel. This cardiac functional repair coincided very well with substantially lower fibrotic tissue formation, expanded microvasculature, and lower inflammatory response in the infarct area. Interestingly, BM-MSCs alone or in combination with hydrogel could not surpass the cardiac repair effects of the SDKP-modified SAP hydrogel. Taken together, we suggest that the RADA-SDKP hydrogel can be a promising cell-free construct that has the capability for functional restoration in the instances of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) that might minimize the safety concerns of cardiac cell therapy and facilitate clinical extrapolation.
Quercetin and Coumarin Inhibit Dipeptidyl Peptidase-IV and Exhibits Antioxidant Properties: In Silico, In Vitro, Ex Vivo
Authors: Singh Anand-Krishna , Patel Pankaj Kumar , Choudhary Komal , Joshi Jaya , Yadav Dhananjay , Jin Jun-O
Published: January 2020

Quercetin and coumarin, two naturally occurring phytochemicals of plant origin, are known to regulate hyperglycemia and oxidative stress. The present study was designed to evaluate the inhibitory activity of quercetin and coumarin on dipeptidyl peptidase-IV (DPP-IV) and their antioxidant potential. DPP-IV inhibition assays were performed, and evaluated IC50 values of diprotin A, quercetin, coumarin, and sitagliptin were found to be 0.653, 4.02, 54.83, and 5.49 nmol/mL, respectively. Furthermore, in silico studies such as the drug-likeliness and docking efficiency of quercetin and coumarin to the DPP-IV protein were performed; the ex vivo antiperoxidative potential of quercetin and coumarin were also evaluated. The results of the present study showed that the DPP-IV inhibitory potential of quercetin was slightly higher than that of sitagliptin. Virtual docking revealed the tight binding of quercetin with DPP-IV protein. Quercetin and coumarin reduced oxidative stress in vitro and ex vivo systems. We report for the first time that both compounds inhibited the DPP-IV along with antioxidant activity and thus may be use as function food ingredients in the prevention of diabetes.
Cynara cardunculus Crude Extract as a Powerful Natural Herbicide and Insight into the Mode of Action of Its Bioactive Molecules
Authors: Ben Kaab Sofiene , Lins Laurence , Hanafi Marwa , Bettaieb Rebey Iness , Deleu Magali , Fauconnier Marie-Laure , Ksouri Riadh , Jijakli M. Haissam , De Clerck Caroline
Published: January 2020

The use of chemical herbicides could not only potentially induce negative impacts on the environment, animals, and human health, but also increase the weed resistance to herbicides. In this context, the use of plant extracts could be an interesting and natural alternative to chemical products. It is important to understand the mode of action of their bioactive compounds. This is why we have studied the herbicidal effect of Cynara cardunculus crude extract in terms of inhibition of weeds’ seedling growth and its impact on physiological parameters of treated plantlets, like conductivity, dry weight, and fluorescence, and biochemical parameters linked to oxidative stress. We have observed that C. cardunculus crude extract induces oxidative stress in the treated plants and consequently disturbs the physiological and biochemical functions of the plant cells. We have investigated the herbicidal activity of three bioactive compounds, naringenin, myricitrin, and quercetin, from the C. cardunculus crude extract. In both pre- and post-emergence trials, naringenin and myricitrin were significantly more phytotoxic than quercetin. We suggest that their differential initial interaction with the plant’s plasma membrane could be one of the main signals for electrolyte leakage and production of high levels of phenoxyl radicals.
Pharmacological Inhibition of Caspase-8 Suppresses Inflammation-Induced Angiogenesis in the Cornea
Authors: Tian Yunzhe , Li He , Liu Xiuxing , Xie Lihui , Huang Zhaohao , Li Weihua , Li Zhuang , Pan Yuan , Chen Xiaoqing , Su Wenru
Published: January 2020

Inflammation-induced angiogenesis is closely related to many diseases and has been regarded as a therapeutic target. Caspase-8 has attracted increasing attention for its immune properties and therapeutic potential in inflammatory disorders. The aim of our study is to investigate the clinical application of pharmacological inhibition of caspase-8 and the underlying molecular mechanisms in inflammation-induced angiogenesis in the cornea. A model of alkali burn (AB)-induced corneal neovascularization (CNV) in C57BL/6 wild-type (WT) mice and toll-like receptor 4 knockout (Tlr4-/-) mice was used. We found that AB increased caspase-8 activity and the pharmacological inhibition of caspase-8 exerted substantial inhibitory effects on CNV, with consistent decreases in caspase-8 activity, inflammatory cell infiltration, macrophage recruitment and activation, VEGF-A, TNF-α, IL-1β, MIP-1, and MCP-1 expression in the cornea. In vitro, caspase-8 mediated TLR4–dependent chemokines and VEGF-A production by macrophages. The TLR4 knockout significantly alleviated CNV, suppressed caspase-8 activity and downregulated expression of inflammatory cytokines and chemokines after AB. Taken together, these findings provide the first demonstration that the pharmacological inhibition of caspase-8 suppresses inflammation-induced angiogenesis and support the use of a pharmacological caspase-8 inhibitor as a novel clinical treatment for CNV and other angiogenic disorders.
Mechanisms and Alterations of Cardiac Ion Channels Leading to Disease: Role of Ankyrin-B in Cardiac Function
Authors: Sucharski Holly C. , Dudley Emma K. , Keith Caullin B.R. , El Refaey Mona , Koenig Sara N. , Mohler Peter J.
Published: January 2020

Ankyrin-B (encoded by ANK2), originally identified as a key cytoskeletal-associated protein in the brain, is highly expressed in the heart and plays critical roles in cardiac physiology and cell biology. In the heart, ankyrin-B plays key roles in the targeting and localization of key ion channels and transporters, structural proteins, and signaling molecules. The role of ankyrin-B in normal cardiac function is illustrated in animal models lacking ankyrin-B expression, which display significant electrical and structural phenotypes and life-threatening arrhythmias. Further, ankyrin-B dysfunction has been associated with cardiac phenotypes in humans (now referred to as “ankyrin-B syndrome”) including sinus node dysfunction, heart rate variability, atrial fibrillation, conduction block, arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy, structural remodeling, and sudden cardiac death. Here, we review the diverse roles of ankyrin-B in the vertebrate heart with a significant focus on ankyrin-B-linked cell- and molecular-pathways and disease.
GP130 Cytokines in Breast Cancer and Bone
Authors: Omokehinde Tolu , Johnson Rachelle W.
Published: January 2020

Breast cancer cells have a high predilection for skeletal homing, where they may either induce osteolytic bone destruction or enter a latency period in which they remain quiescent. Breast cancer cells produce and encounter autocrine and paracrine cytokine signals in the bone microenvironment, which can influence their behavior in multiple ways. For example, these signals can promote the survival and dormancy of bone-disseminated cancer cells or stimulate proliferation. The interleukin-6 (IL-6) cytokine family, defined by its use of the glycoprotein 130 (gp130) co-receptor, includes interleukin-11 (IL-11), leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF), oncostatin M (OSM), ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF), and cardiotrophin-1 (CT-1), among others. These cytokines are known to have overlapping pleiotropic functions in different cell types and are important for cross-talk between bone-resident cells. IL-6 cytokines have also been implicated in the progression and metastasis of breast, prostate, lung, and cervical cancer, highlighting the importance of these cytokines in the tumor–bone microenvironment. This review will describe the role of these cytokines in skeletal remodeling and cancer progression both within and outside of the bone microenvironment.
Leucine Improved Growth Performance, Muscle Growth, and Muscle Protein Deposition Through AKT/TOR and AKT/FOXO3a Signaling Pathways in Hybrid Catfish Pelteobagrus vachelli × Leiocassis longirostris
Authors: Zhao Ye , Li Jin-Yang , Jiang Qin , Zhou Xiao-Qiu , Feng Lin , Liu Yang , Jiang Wei-Dan , Wu Pei , Zhou Jian , Zhao Juan , Jiang Jun
Published: January 2020

(1) Background: l-leucine (Leu) plays a positive role in regulating protein turnover in skeletal muscle in mammal. However, the molecular mechanism for the effects of Leu on muscle growth and protein deposition is not clearly demonstrated in fish. This study investigated the effects of dietary Leu on growth performance and muscle growth, protein synthesis, and degradation-related signaling pathways of hybrid catfish (Pelteobagrus vachelli♀ × Leiocassis longirostris♂). (2) Methods: A total of 630 hybrid catfish (23.19 ± 0.20 g) were fed 6 different experimental diets containing graded levels of Leu at 10.0 (control), 15.0, 20.0, 25.0, 30.0, 35.0, and 40.0 g Leu kg-1 for 8 weeks. (3) Results: Results showed that dietary Leu increased percent weight gain (PWG), specific growth rate (SGR), FI (feed intake), feed efficiency (FE), protein efficiency ratio (PER), muscle fibers diameter, and muscle fibers density; up-regulated insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I), insulin-like growth factor I receptor (IGF-IR), proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), myogenic regulation factors (MyoD, Myf5, MyoG, and Mrf4), and MyHC mRNA levels; increased muscle protein synthesis via regulating the AKT/TOR signaling pathway; and attenuated protein degradation via regulating the AKT/FOXO3a signaling pathway. (4) Conclusions: These results suggest that Leu has potential role to improve muscle growth and protein deposition in fish, which might be due to the regulation of IGF mRNA expression, muscle growth related gene, and protein synthesis and degradation-related signaling pathways. Based on the broken-line model, the Leu requirement of hybrid catfish (23.19-54.55 g) for PWG was estimated to be 28.10 g kg-1 of the diet (73.04 g kg-1 of dietary protein). These results will improve our understanding of the mechanisms responsible for muscle growth and protein deposition effects of Leu in fish.
Autophagy Controls Sulphur Metabolism in the Rosette Leaves of Arabidopsis and Facilitates S Remobilization to the Seeds
Authors: Lornac Aurélia , Havé Marien , Chardon Fabien , Soulay Fabienne , Clément Gilles , Avice Jean-Christophe , Masclaux-Daubresse Céline
Published: January 2020

Sulphur deficiency in crops became an agricultural concern several decades ago, due to the decrease of S deposition and the atmospheric sulphur dioxide emissions released by industrial plants. Autophagy, which is a conserved mechanism for nutrient recycling in eukaryotes, is involved in nitrogen, iron, zinc and manganese remobilizations from the rosette to the seeds in Arabidopsis thaliana. Here, we have compared the role of autophagy in sulphur and nitrogen management at the whole plant level, performing concurrent labelling with 34S and 15N isotopes on atg5 mutants and control lines. We show that both 34S and 15N remobilizations from the rosette to the seeds are impaired in the atg5 mutants irrespective of salicylic acid accumulation and of sulphur nutrition. The comparison in each genotype of the partitions of 15N and 34S in the seeds (as % of the whole plant) indicates that the remobilization of 34S to the seeds was twice more efficient than that of 15N in both autophagy mutants and control lines under high S conditions, and also in control lines under low S conditions. This was different in the autophagy mutants grown under low S conditions. Under low S, the partition of 34S to their seeds was indeed not twice as high but similar to that of 15N. Such discrepancy shows that when sulphate availability is scarce, autophagy mutants display stronger defects for 34S remobilization relative to 15N remobilization than under high S conditions. It suggests, moreover, that autophagy mainly affects the transport of N-poor S-containing molecules and possibly sulphate.
Exercise-Induced Vascular Adaptations under Artificially Versus Pathologically Reduced Blood Flow: A Focus Review with Special Emphasis on Arteriogenesis
Authors: Vogel Johanna , Niederer Daniel , Jung Georg , Troidl Kerstin
Published: January 2020

Background: The vascular effects of training under blood flow restriction (BFR) in healthy persons can serve as a model for the exercise mechanism in lower extremity arterial disease (LEAD) patients. Both mechanisms are, inter alia, characterized by lower blood flow in the lower limbs. We aimed to describe and compare the underlying mechanism of exercise-induced effects of disease- and external application-BFR methods. Methods: We completed a narrative focus review after systematic literature research. We included only studies on healthy participants or those with LEAD. Both male and female adults were considered eligible. The target intervention was exercise with a reduced blood flow due to disease or external application. Results: We identified 416 publications. After the application of inclusion and exclusion criteria, 39 manuscripts were included in the vascular adaption part. Major mechanisms involving exercise-mediated benefits in treating LEAD included: inflammatory processes suppression, proinflammatory immune cells, improvement of endothelial function, remodeling of skeletal muscle, and additional vascularization (arteriogenesis). Mechanisms resulting from external BFR application included: increased release of anabolic growth factors, stimulated muscle protein synthesis, higher concentrations of heat shock proteins and nitric oxide synthase, lower levels in myostatin, and stimulation of S6K1. Conclusions: A main difference between the two comparators is the venous blood return, which is restricted in BFR but not in LEAD. Major similarities include the overall ischemic situation, the changes in microRNA (miRNA) expression, and the increased production of NOS with their associated arteriogenesis after training with BFR.
Physiochemical Effects of SiC and ZrO2 Particle Fillers on the Properties of Enamel Coatings
Authors: Ko Hyunseok , Lee Sung-Jin , Oh Jae-Jong , Lee Seungho , Lim Hyung Mi
Published: January 2020

The ceramic particles of SiC and ZrO2 are embedded as fillers in the enamel coating with varying contents of 0.03, 0.05, and 0.1 wt %, and the surface properties are measured. It is found that the addition of ceramic fillers indeed causes changes in surface properties. The roughness was influenced mainly by the particle size embedded. The contact angle decreased at 0.03 and 0.05 wt % and equivalent to that of no filler at 0.10%. Our analysis suggested that the contact angle is influenced by both surface roughness and surface morphology (with chemical composition). The microstructure and elemental analysis suggest that the chemical composition and shape of Al, Ce, Ca, and P-rich aggregates on the enamel surface are showing significant changes when fillers are added. It is observed that the Al- and Ce-rich aggregates decrease both in number and size as the filler content increases, and Ca-rich aggregates change their shape from needle to spot at 0.1 wt % inclusion. The washability is notably improved at 0.1 wt %, which corresponds to the content where the drastic microstructure change occurred. The examination of the contaminated surface revealed that the phosphate component in the contamination has reacted with the Ca-rich phase of the needle-shape during the process of burning, thus inhibiting an easy removal of the contamination. Therefore, the formation of the Ca-rich phase of the needle-shape on the enamel surface should be suppressed for easy-cleaning enamel coatings for cooking wares.
Acknowledgement to Reviewers of Cryptography in 2019
Authors:   Cryptography Editorial Office
Published: January 2020

The editorial team greatly appreciates the reviewers who have dedicated their considerable time and expertise to the journal’s rigorous editorial process over the past 12 months, regardless of whether the papers are finally published or not [...]
Hybrid Nanosystems Based on Metal-Containing Mesogenic CyanoAlkyl and Alkoxybiphenyls
Authors: Shabatina Tatyana I. , Morosov Yurii N.
Published: January 2020

The paper reviews the results of the authors on the production of hybrid nanosystems based on liquid crystalline (LC) long-chain cyano(alkyl and alkoxy)biphenyls (5CB, 5OCB, and 8CCB) including nanosized metal species. The samples were obtained through the direct incorporation of metal (silver and copper) atoms and small clusters into mesogenic CB matrices via a low temperature co-condensation technique, and the formation of biligand metal complexes were revealed by FTIR and ESR-spectroscopy. The heating of the systems led to the controlled growth of metal clusters and nanosized metal particles of the definite size beginning from 1 up to 200 nanometers, and their highly-ordered assemblies stabilized in the solid and liquid crystalline phases. It is shown that supramolecular ordering in different LC phases of cyanobiphenyl matrices determines the size and shape of nanosized metal species that are formed in the systems under investigation, as well as the morphology of their aggregates. TEM and atomic force microscopy (AFM) data revealed the existence of orientationally-ordered nanostructures in the nematic phases of 5CB and 5OCB. The growth of quasi-fractal 2D-aggregates was shown for layer-structured smectic mesophase of 8CB. The UV–Visible spectra of hybrid metal–mesogenic nanosystems Ag-5CB and Cu-5CB that were incorporated into polymeric films revealed intensive plasmonic bands at 400–450 nm, similar to silver nanoparticles, and 540–650 nm, similar to copper nanoparticles. The increasing of the metal contents in the samples caused the growth of highly anisometric shaped metal rods, with the ratio of the length to the diameter being more than 10 and plasmonic bands at region of λ ≥ 650 nm.
Influence of Halogen Substituent on the Self-Assembly and Crystal Packing of Multicomponent Crystals Formed from Ethacridine and Meta-Halobenzoic Acids
Authors: Mirocki Artur , Sikorski Artur
Published: January 2020

In order to determine the influence of halogen substituent on the self-assembly of the 6,9-diamino-2-ethoxyacridinium cations and 3-halobenzoate anions in the crystals formed from ethacridine and halobenzoic acids, the series of ethacridinium meta-halobenzoates dihydrates: ethacridinium 3-chlorobenzoate dihydrate (1), ethacridinium 3-bromobenzoate dihydrate (2), and ethacridinium 3-iodobenzoate dihydrate (3), were synthesized and structurally characterized. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction measurements showed that the title compounds crystallized in the monoclinic P21/c space group and are isostructural. In the crystals of title compounds, the ions and water molecules interact via N–H⋯O, O–H⋯O and C–H⋯O hydrogen bonds and π–π stacking interactions to produce blocks. The relationship between the distance X⋯O between the halogen atom (X=Cl, Br, I) of meta-halobenzoate anion and the O-atom from the ethoxy group of cation from neighbouring blocks and crystal packing is observed in the crystals of the title compounds.
Rhodamine B Removal of TiO2@SiO2 Core-Shell Nanocomposites Coated to Buildings
Authors: Wang Dan , Geng Zhi , Hou Pengkun , Yang Ping , Cheng Xin , Huang Shifeng
Published: January 2020

Surface application of photocatalyst in cement-based materials could endow it with photocatalytic properties, however, the weak adhesion between photocatalyst coatings and the substrates may result in poor durability in outdoor environments. In this study, TiO2@SiO2 core-shell nanocomposites with different coating thicknesses were synthesized by varying the experiment parameters. The results indicate that SiO2 coatings accelerated the rhodamine B removal to a certain extent, owing to its high surface area; however, more SiO2 coatings decreased its photocatalytic efficiencies. The cement matrix treated with TiO2@SiO2 core-shell nanocomposites showed good photocatalytic efficiency and durability after harsh weathering processing. A reaction mechanism was revealed by the reaction of TiO2@SiO2 nanocomposites with Ca(OH)2.
A Short Review of Current Computational Concepts for High-Pressure Phase Transition Studies in Molecular Crystals
Authors: Rychkov Denis A.
Published: January 2020

High-pressure chemistry of organic compounds is a hot topic of modern chemistry. In this work, basic computational concepts for high-pressure phase transition studies in molecular crystals are described, showing their advantages and disadvantages. The interconnection of experimental and computational methods is highlighted, showing the importance of energy calculations in this field. Based on our deep understanding of methods’ limitations, we suggested the most convenient scheme for the computational study of high-pressure crystal structure changes. Finally, challenges and possible ways for progress in high-pressure phase transitions research of organic compounds are briefly discussed.
The Roles of Celiac Trunk Angle and Vertebral Origin in Median Arcuate Ligament Syndrome
Authors: Dyches Ryan P. , Eaton Kelsey J. , Smith Heather F.
Published: January 2020

Median arcuate ligament syndrome (MALS) is a rarely diagnosed condition resulting from compression of the celiac trunk (CT) by the median arcuate ligament (MAL) of the diaphragm. Ischemia due to reduced blood flow through the CT and/or neuropathic pain resulting from celiac ganglion compression may result in a range of gastrointestinal symptoms, including nausea, postprandial discomfort, and weight loss. However, the mechanism of compression and its anatomical correlates have been incompletely delineated. It has been hypothesized that CT angle of origination may be more acute in individuals with MALS. Here, frequency of anatomical variation in the MAL and CT were assessed in 35 cadaveric subjects (17M/18F), including the vertebral level of origin of CT and superior mesenteric artery (SMA), the distance between CT and MAL and SMA, the angles of origination of CT and SMA, the diameter at the CT base, and MAL/CT overlap. Females exhibited significantly higher rates of inferred MAL/CT overlap than males. Significant correlations were revealed between MAL/CT overlap and angles of origination of the CT and SMA. Vertebral level of origin of the CT in individuals with MAL/CT overlap was not significantly more superior than in those without. This study also revealed a significant relationship between MAL/CT overlap and angle of origination of the CT, which has clinical implications for understanding the anatomy associated with MALS.
Ovarian Seromucinous Tumors: Pathogenesis, Morphologic Spectrum, and Clinical Issues
Authors: Nagamine Michiko , Mikami Yoshiki
Published: January 2020

Ovarian seromucinous tumors were introduced in the 2014 World Health Organization (WHO) classification as one of the seven types of ovarian epithelial tumors. They are characterized by frequent association with endometriosis and bilaterality, microscopic appearance of papillary architecture, and admixture of a variety of müllerian-type epithelium. They are considered to be endometriosis-related ovarian neoplasms, along with endometrioid and clear cell tumors; recent molecular studies suggest this particular tumor is a variant of endometrioid tumor. Discrepancies in nomenclature, definition, and morphology of seromucinous tumors appear to be a source of confusion, for both clinicians and general surgicalpathologists. This review summarizes the clinicopathological features of benign, borderline, and malignant seromucinous tumors, as well as controversies regarding these tumors.
Improving the Scalability of the Magnitude-Based Deceptive Path-Planning Using Subgoal Graphs
Authors: Xu Kai , Hu Yue , Zeng Yunxiu , Yin Quanjun , Yang Mei
Published: January 2020

Deceptive path-planning is the task of finding a path so as to minimize the probability of an observer (or a defender) identifying the observed agent’s final goal before the goal has been reached. Magnitude-based deceptive path-planning takes advantage of the quantified deceptive values upon each grid or position to generate paths that are deceptive. Existing methods using optimization techniques cannot satisfy the time constraints when facing with the large-scale terrain, as its computation time grows exponentially with the size of road maps or networks. In this work, building on recent developments in the optimal path planner, the paper proposes a hybrid solution between map scaling and hierarchical abstractions. By leading the path deception information down into a general purpose but highly-efficient path-planning formulation, the paper substantially speeds up the task upon large scale terrains with an admissible loss of deception.
The δ(2,2)-Invariant on Statistical Submanifolds in Hessian Manifolds of Constant Hessian Curvature
Authors: Mihai Adela , Mihai Ion
Published: January 2020

We establish Chen inequality for the invariant δ ( 2 , 2 ) on statistical submanifolds in Hessian manifolds of constant Hessian curvature. Recently, in co-operation with Chen, we proved a Chen first inequality for such submanifolds. The present authors previously initiated the investigation of statistical submanifolds in Hessian manifolds of constant Hessian curvature; this paper represents a development in this topic.
Practical Implementation of Privacy Preserving Clustering Methods Using a Partially Homomorphic Encryption Algorithm
Authors: Catak Ferhat Ozgur , Aydin Ismail , Elezaj Ogerta , Yildirim-Yayilgan Sule
Published: January 2020

The protection and processing of sensitive data in big data systems are common problems as the increase in data size increases the need for high processing power. Protection of the sensitive data on a system that contains multiple connections with different privacy policies, also brings the need to use proper cryptographic key exchange methods for each party, as extra work. Homomorphic encryption methods can perform similar arithmetic operations on encrypted data in the same way as a plain format of the data. Thus, these methods provide data privacy, as data are processed in the encrypted domain, without the need for a plain form and this allows outsourcing of the computations to cloud systems. This also brings simplicity on key exchange sessions for all sides. In this paper, we propose novel privacy preserving clustering methods, alongside homomorphic encryption schemes that can run on a common high performance computation platform, such as a cloud system. As a result, the parties of this system will not need to possess high processing power because the most power demanding tasks would be done on any cloud system provider. Our system offers a privacy preserving distance matrix calculation for several clustering algorithms. Considering both encrypted and plain forms of the same data for different key and data lengths, our privacy preserving training method’s performance results are obtained for four different data clustering algorithms, while considering six different evaluation metrics.
VCC-DASH: A Video Content Complexity-Aware DASH Bitrate Adaptation Strategy
Authors: Duan Juzheng , Zhang Min , Wang Jing , Han Shuai , Chen Xun , Yang Xiaolong
Published: January 2020

Traditional DASH (dynamic adaptation streaming over HTTP(i.e., HyperText Transfer Protocol)) bitrate strategy cannot differentiate segments with different complexities of video content, resulting in the user’s QoE (quality of experience) of segments with high content complexity as worse than that with low content complexity. In case of this, this paper firstly studies video coding and puts forward the definition of video content complexity. Then the effects of content complexity on user’s QoE is analyzed and the QoE utility function of the segment is formulated based on its MOS (mean opinion score, related to the content complexity and bitrate) and bitrate switching between consecutive segments. Last, in order to maximize user’s QoE, this paper proposes VCC-DASH (video content complexity-aware DASH bitrate adaptation strategy) under the constraints of the network bandwidth and the buffer occupancy. In simulations, we compare VCC-DASH with the classical bitrate adaptation strategy proposed by Liu et al. (LIU’s strategy, for short). The simulation results show that the two strategies have similar performances in bitrate switching numbers, playback interruption times, and buffer lengths. In addition, it is more important for simulation results to reveal that VCC-DASH’s average bitrate is much higher than that of LIU’s strategy, which means that VCC-DASH can make fuller use of the network bandwidth than LIU’s strategy does. Moreover, the MOS distribution of the VCC-DASH is more concentrated on the better scores “4~5”, which profit from its content complexity-aware adaptation to allocate more bandwidth resources to high-complexity segments.