bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Contribution to the Geological Characterization of a Potential Caprock-Reservoir System in the Sulcis Coal Basin (South-Western Sardinia)
Authors: Fais Silvana , Casula Giuseppe , Cuccuru Francesco , Ligas Paola , Bianchi Maria Giovanna , Plaisant Alberto , Pettinau Alberto
Published: November 2019

The results provided by this study contribute to the geological characterization of a potential caprock-reservoir system for CO2 storage in the experimental area of the mining district of the Sulcis Coal Basin (south-western Sardinia, Italy). The work is aimed to improve the knowledge of the petrographic and petrophysical characteristics of the siliciclastic and carbonate geological formations that make up the potential caprock-reservoir system. Core samples from a number of wells drilled in the study area for mining purposes were analyzed especially for texture and physical properties (longitudinal velocity, density, porosity, and permeability). The preliminary integrated petrographic and petrophysical characterizations indicate that the Upper Paleocene to Early Eocene potential carbonate reservoir is heterogeneous but presents suitable reservoir zones for CO2. A preliminary analysis of the potential caprock siliciclastic lithologies of the Middle Eocene to Lower Oligocene suggests that they appear suitable for CO2 confinement. Finally, to account for the stability of the investigated area, an accurate geodynamical study of south-western Sardinia was carried out using global navigation satellite system and advanced differential interferometric synthetic aperture radar methodologies in order to estimate vertical and horizontal crustal displacements. The study area results stable, since it is characterized by surface crustal horizontal and vertical velocities smaller than 1 mm/year and few mm/year, respectively.
Reputation and Trust Approach for Security and Safety Assurance in Intersection Management System
Authors: Chuprov Sergey , Viksnin Ilya , Kim Iuliia , Marinenkov Egor , Usova Maria , Lazarev Eduard , Melnikov Timofey , Zakoldaev Danil
Published: November 2019

Crossroads are the main traffic jam generators in densely populated cities. Unmanned vehicles and intelligent transportation systems can significantly reduce congestion and improve road safety by eliminating the main cause of traffic accidents—the human factor. However, full confidence in their safety is necessary. This paper addresses the contextual data integrity problem, when an unmanned autonomous vehicle transmits incorrect data due to technical problems, or malicious attacks. We propose an approach based on trust and reputation that allows detecting vehicles transmitting bogus data. To verify the feasibility of the approach on practice, we conducted both software and physical simulations using the model of intersection and unmanned autonomous vehicle models. The simulation results show that the approach applied allows detecting vehicles with bogus data and excluding them from the group, thus increasing the safety of the intersection traversal by other vehicles.
Dual Solutions and Stability Analysis of Micropolar Nanofluid Flow with Slip Effect on Stretching/Shrinking Surfaces
Authors: Dero Sumera , Rohni Azizah Mohd , Saaban Azizan , Khan Ilyas
Published: November 2019

The purpose of the present paper is to investigate the micropolar nanofluid flow on permeable stretching and shrinking surfaces with the velocity, thermal and concentration slip effects. Furthermore, the thermal radiation effect has also been considered. Boundary layer momentum, angular velocity, heat and mass transfer equations are converted to non-linear ordinary differential equations (ODEs). Then, the obtained ODEs are solved by applying the shooting method and in the results, the dual solutions are obtained in the certain ranges of pertinent parameters in both cases of shrinking and stretching surfaces. Due to the presence of the dual solutions, stability analysis is done and it was found that the first solution is stable and physically feasible. The results are also compared with previously published literature and found to be in excellent agreement. Moreover, the obtained results reveal the angular velocity increases in the first solution when the value of micropolar parameter increases. The velocity of nanofluid flow decreases in the first solution as the velocity slip parameter increases, whereas the temperature profiles increase in both solutions when thermal radiation, Brownian motion and the thermophoresis parameters are increased. Concentration profile increases by increasing N t and decreases by increasing N b .
Recognitive Approach to the Energy Policies and Investments in Renewable Energy Resources via the Fuzzy Hybrid Models
Authors: Wang Shubin , Li Weijie , Dincer Hasan , Yuksel Serhat
Published: November 2019

This study aimed to evaluate the energy policies and investments in renewable energy resources. In this context, developing energy policy and investing in energy were defined as two different factors for renewable energy. Additionally, eight different criteria were also selected based on these two different factors. In the first stage of the analysis, these criteria were evaluated by using a correlation coefficient based on interval type-2 fuzzy sets. The findings show that five criteria have a relationship with policy factors, whereas seven criteria are related to the investment factor. After that, the fuzzy DEMATEL approach based on interval type-2 fuzzy sets were used to weight these criteria. It was identified that policy returns, policy facilities, and policy technology were the most important criteria. Additionally, a performance evaluation of renewable energy investment alternatives was made with a fuzzy TOPSIS approach based on interval type-2 fuzzy sets. It was concluded that wind and solar are the most significant renewable energy investment alternatives. Therefore, it is recommended that there should be government supports for wind and solar energy investments. Within this context, corporate tax discounts for these companies, customs duty decrease for the items used in the investments, and providing qualified personnel in this area can attract the attention of these investors.
Research of the Energy Losses of Photovoltaic (PV) Modules after Hail Simulation Using a Newly-Created Testbed
Authors: Kilikevičienė Kristina , Matijošius Jonas , Kilikevičius Artūras , Jurevičius Mindaugas , Makarskas Vytautas , Caban Jacek , Marczuk Andrzej
Published: November 2019

The impact of hail ice cubes on composite structures (such as solar cells) causes actual defects. This article presents a series of tests, in which solar cell modules were exposed to hail simulation testbed balls, allowing to assess the following: the impact energy, which causes the major defects in solar cells; the formed micro-cracks in the structure of solar cells, resulting in the loss of power generated by a solar cell; and the solar cell parameters necessary for modelling. In addition, this article presents a digital analysis of hail simulation. Information received from the digital analysis was used to optimize the structure of solar cells in order to improve its resistance properties. The aim of this study was to present a simple method for experimental hail simulation. The proposed hail impact estimation method can be successfully applied to study the influence of the mechanical–dynamic impact of photovoltaic (PV) modules of different structures on the technical characteristics of these modules (structural stability, power generation, etc.). The study showed that PV modules are subjected to an irreversible effect of the excitation force (i.e., micro-cracking) and it can reduce the generated power by 2.33% to 4.83%.
Perspectives and Intensification of Energy Efficiency in Commercial and Residential Buildings Using Strategic Auditing and Demand-Side Management
Authors: Kumar Pawan , Brar Gagandeep Singh , Singh Surjit , Nikolovski Srete , Baghaee Hamid Reza , Balkić Zoran
Published: November 2019

With the ever-growing power demand, the energy efficiency in commercial and residential buildings is a matter of great concern. Also, strategic energy auditing (SEA) and demand-side management (DSM) are cost-effective means to identify the requirements of power components and their operation in the energy management system. In a commercial or residential building, the major components are light sources and heating, ventilation, and air conditioning. The number of these components to be installed depends upon the technical and environmental standards. In this scenario, energy auditing (EA) allows identifying the methods, scope, and time for energy management, and it helps the costumers to manage their energy consumption wisely to reduce electricity bills. In the literature, most of the traditional strategies employed specific system techniques and algorithms, whereas, in recent years, load shifting-based DSM techniques were used under different operating scenarios. Considering these facts, the energy data in a year were collected under three different seasonal changes, i.e., severe cold, moderate, and severe heat for the variation in load demand under different environmental conditions. In this work, the energy data under three conditions were averaged, and the DSM schemes were developed for the operation of power components before energy auditing and after energy auditing. Moreover, the performance of the proposed DSM techniques was compared with the practical results in both scenarios, and, from the results, it was observed that the energy consumption reduced significantly in the proposed DSM approach.
Influence of Fiber Content on Shear Capacity of Steel Fiber-Reinforced Concrete Beams
Authors: Torres Juan Andres , Lantsoght Eva O.L.
Published: November 2019

For shear-critical structural elements where the use of stirrups is not desirable, such as slabs or beams with reinforcement congestion, steel fibers can be used as shear reinforcement. The contribution of the steel fibers to the shear capacity lies in the action of the steel fibers bridging the shear crack, which increases the shear capacity and prevents a brittle failure mode. This study evaluates the effect of the amount of fibers in a concrete mix on the shear capacity of steel fiber-reinforced concrete beams with mild steel tension reinforcement and without stirrups. For this purpose, 10 beams were tested. Five different fiber volume fractions were studied: 0.0%, 0.3%, 0.6%, 0.9%, and 1.2%. For each different steel fiber concrete mix, the concrete compressive strength was determined on cylinders and the tensile strength was determined in a flexural test on beam specimens. Additionally, the influence of fibers on the shear capacity was analyzed based on results reported in the literature, as well as based on the expressions derived for estimating the shear capacity of steel fiber-reinforced concrete beams. The outcome of these experiments is that a fiber percentage of 1.2% or fiber factor of 0.96 can be used to replace minimum stirrups according to ACI 318-14 and a 0.6% fiber volume fraction or fiber factor of 0.48 to replace minimum stirrups according to Eurocode 2. A fiber percentage of 1.2% or fiber factor of 0.96 was observed to change the failure mode from shear failure to flexural failure. The results of this study support the inclusion of provisions for steel fiber-reinforced concrete in building codes and provides recommendations for inclusion in ACI 318-14 and Eurocode 2, so that a wider adoption of steel fiber reinforced concrete can be achieved in the construction industry.
Why Are There No Earthquakes in the Intracratonic Paris Basin? Insights from Flexural Models
Authors: Petit Carole , de Barros Louis , Duclaux Guillaume , Mazabraud Yves
Published: November 2019

Comparing nearby areas with contrasted seismicity distributions like the French Variscan Armorican Massif (AM) and the surrounding intracratonic Paris Basin (PB) can help deciphering which parameters control the occurrence or absence of diffuse, intraplate seismicity. In this paper, we examine how lithosphere temperature, fluid pressure, and frictional strength variations, combined with horizontal and bending stresses, may condition brittle, ductile or elastic behaviours of the crust in the AM and PB. We compute yield stress envelopes (YSE) and lithospheric flexure across a 1000 km-long SW–NE profile crossing the AM and PB approximately parallel to the direction of the minimum horizontal stress. Flexural models slightly better fit measured Bouguer gravity data if we apply two vertical loads on the AM and PB, with values (positive downward) ranging between −3 and −2.1012, and between 4 and 6.1012 N·m−2, respectively, depending on the chosen crustal composition. Our results evidence that whatever the crustal composition, bending stresses and heat flow variations alone are not sufficient to explain the difference in seismogenic behaviour between the AM and the PB. Variations in friction coefficient, in the range of standard values, are not totally satisfying either, since they do not restrain the brittle crustal thickness in the PB to less than 10 km, which is still large enough to be the locus of shallow earthquakes. Oppositely, increasing the cohesion from 10 to 80 MPa has a stronger effect on the thickness of the brittle upper crust, decreasing it from 10 to 15 km beneath the AM to 0–5 km beneath the PB. This suggests that the Mesozoic sedimentary pile can act as a sticky layer holding together basement rocks of the PB, which is equivalent to an increase in cohesion, and protects them from failure.
Pesticide Application Practices and Knowledge among Small-Scale Local Rice Growers and Communities in Rwanda: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Ndayambaje Benjamin , Amuguni Hellen , Coffin-Schmitt Jeanne , Sibo Nancy , Ntawubizi Martin , VanWormer Elizabeth
Published: November 2019

Background: Agriculture contributes a third of Rwanda’s GDP and is the main source of income for rural households, with 80% of the total population involved in crop and/or livestock production. The Government of Rwanda established the Muvumba rice project in 2011 amidst a policy shift towards rice as a national staple crop. However, the indiscriminate use of pesticides by local, low-income rice growers has raised concerns about potential human, animal and ecosystem health impacts as pesticide distribution and application are not strictly regulated. Although pesticide use can directly influence farmer health and ecosystems, little is known about small-scale farmers’ pesticide application practices and knowledge. We aimed to assess local application practices and understanding of pesticides to identify gaps in farmers’ knowledge on safe pesticide use and deviations from established standards and recommended practices. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study consisting of observations of pesticide practices and interviews with 206 small-scale rice growers in Nyagatare District, Rwanda, in March 2017. Descriptive statistical analyses (sample means, standard deviation and range) were performed, and we evaluated the association between farmers’ personal protective equipment (PPE) use and their education level and literacy status. Results: Over 95% of observed farmers did not comply with minimum standards for safe pesticide use, and 80% of respondents reported that they stored pesticides in their homes without personal protection measures. Education and literacy level were not significantly associated with PPE use. Additionally, 90% of respondents had experienced adverse health effects after using pesticides including intense headache, dizziness, stomach cramps, skin pain and itching, and respiratory distress. All respondents also reported animals in and around the rice scheme (cattle, birds, and fish) behaving abnormally or with signs consistent with pesticide exposure in the six months preceding the study, which may be linked to pesticide-contaminated water. Conclusions: Our study demonstrates potential for high exposure to pesticides for farmers, their families, and animals sharing rice-growing or downstream environments and points to the need for training on safe and effective pesticide use.
Applications of Photogrammetry for Environmental Research
Authors: Mancini Francesco , Salvini Riccardo
Published: November 2019

The applications of photogrammetry for environmental research benefits from the continuous and rapid evolution of sensors and methodologies in this field [...]
The Dual Interactions of p53 with MDM2 and p300: Implications for the Design of MDM2 Inhibitors
Authors: Kannan Srinivasaraghavan , Partridge Anthony W. , Lane David P. , Verma Chandra S.
Published: November 2019

Proteins that limit the activity of the tumour suppressor protein p53 are increasingly being targeted for inhibition in a variety of cancers. In addition to the development of small molecules, there has been interest in developing constrained (stapled) peptide inhibitors. A stapled peptide ALRN_6924 that activates p53 by preventing its interaction with its negative regulator Mdm2 has entered clinical trials. This stapled peptide mimics the interaction of p53 with Mdm2. The chances that this peptide could bind to other proteins that may also interact with the Mdm2-binding region of p53 are high; one such protein is the CREB binding protein (CBP)/p300. It has been established that phosphorylated p53 is released from Mdm2 and binds to p300, orchestrating the transcriptional program. We investigate whether molecules such as ALRN_6924 would bind to p300 and, to do so, we used molecular simulations to explore the binding of ATSP_7041, which is an analogue of ALRN_6924. Our study shows that ATSP_7041 preferentially binds to Mdm2 over p300; however, upon phosphorylation, it appears to have a higher affinity for p300. This could result in attenuation of the amount of free p300 available for interacting with p53, and hence reduce its transcriptional efficacy. Our study highlights the importance of assessing off-target effects of peptide inhibitors, particularly guided by the understanding of the networks of protein-protein interactions (PPIs) that are being targeted.
miRNAs and Novel Food Compounds Related to the Browning Process
Authors: Lorente-Cebrián Silvia , Herrera Katya , I. Milagro Fermín , Sánchez Juana , de la Garza Ana Laura , Castro Heriberto
Published: November 2019

Obesity prevalence is rapidly increasing worldwide. With the discovery of brown adipose tissue (BAT) in adult humans, BAT activation has emerged as a potential strategy for increasing energy expenditure. Recently, the presence of a third type of fat, referred to as beige or brite (brown in white), has been recognized to be present in certain kinds of white adipose tissue (WAT) depots. It has been suggested that WAT can undergo the process of browning in response to stimuli that induce and enhance the expression of thermogenesis: a metabolic feature typically associated with BAT. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small transcriptional regulators that control gene expression in a variety of tissues, including WAT and BAT. Likewise, it was shown that several food compounds could influence miRNAs associated with browning, thus, potentially contributing to the management of excessive adipose tissue accumulation (obesity) through specific nutritional and dietetic approaches. Therefore, this has created significant excitement towards the development of a promising dietary strategy to promote browning/beiging in WAT to potentially contribute to combat the growing epidemic of obesity. For this reason, we summarize the current knowledge about miRNAs and food compounds that could be applied in promoting adipose browning, as well as the cellular mechanisms involved.
Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography Imaging in Inherited Retinal Diseases
Authors: Ong Sally S. , Patel Tapan P. , Singh Mandeep S.
Published: November 2019

Optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) is a novel, noninvasive imaging modality that allows depth-resolved imaging of the microvasculature in the retina and the choroid. It is a powerful research tool to study the pathobiology of retinal diseases, including inherited retinal dystrophies. In this review, we provide an overview of the evolution of OCTA technology, compare the specifications of various OCTA devices, and summarize key findings from published OCTA studies in inherited retinal dystrophies including retinitis pigmentosa, Stargardt disease, Best vitelliform macular dystrophy, and choroideremia. OCTA imaging has provided new data on characteristics of these conditions and has contributed to a deeper understanding of inherited retinal disease.
Evaluation of Suitability of Current Industrial Standards in Designing Control Applications for Internet of Things Healthcare Sensor Networks
Authors: Mishra Amitabh , Agrawal Dharma P.
Published: November 2019

Internet of Things (IoT) holds great promises for industrial, commercial, and consumer applications. While wireless techniques have matured with time and have gained the users’ confidence in relaying data containing qualitative as well as quantitative information, cynicism still exists on trusting them for applications involving control. The wireless protocols and techniques used for industrial control have proved their robustness. In this work we have attempted to test some aspects of feasibility on the use of wireless control involving such protocols for IoT healthcare sensor networks (IoT-HSNs). We conceptualized and simulated a 24-channel IoT-HSN model that includes biosensors as well as bioactuators. Currently, no protocol supporting control in such networks has been standardized. We tried to fit in the widely used WirelessHART (Highway Addressable Remote Transducer) industrial protocol for sensing as well as control in the model to test if it would work for a healthcare sensor network. We probed the performance of the model with respect to network parameters such as channels, bandwidth, Quality of Service (QoS) requirements, payload, transmission delays, and allowable errors. For the parameters considered, the results obtained from the model were encouraging, suggesting that WirelessHART fits the IoT-HSN control requirements according to this initial probe. The findings could provide useful insights for researchers working in the field of control in IoT-HSNs and for designers and manufacturers of IoT-HSN equipment.
Fatigue Properties of Maraging Steel after Laser Peening
Authors: Petan Luca , Grum Janez , Porro Juan Antonio , Ocaña José Luis , Šturm Roman
Published: November 2019

Maraging steels are precipitation hardening steels used for highly loaded components in aeronautical and tooling industry. They are subjected to thermomechanical loads and wear, which significantly shorten their service life. Improvements of their surface mechanical properties to overcome such phenomena are of great interest. The purpose of our research was to investigate the influence of pulse density and spot size of a laser shock peening (LSP) process on the surface integrity with the fatigue resistance of X2NiCoMo18-9-5 maraging steel. Surface integrity was analyzed through roughness, residual stress, and microhardness measurements. The tests performed on resonant testing machine confirmed LSP is a promising process for increasing fatigue resistance of a component. Fatigue crack occurs, when the resonance frequency decreases. This moment, when the fatigue crack initiation phase ends and the fatigue crack propagation phase starts, was chosen as the moment of failure. We have proved LSP is a successful method in improving fatigue resistance of maraging steel by appropriate combination of laser spot size and pulse density tested in our research.
Study on Friction Behavior of Ferroalloy and Wet Granulation Sulfur under Low Normal Load Conditions
Authors: Dai Haoyuan , Fan Jianchun , Yu Yanqiu , Sun Li , Hu Zhibin , Gao Jiancun
Published: November 2019

To study the friction behavior of ferroalloy and wet granulation sulfur under low normal load conditions, a series of experiments were performed using a homemade rotating test apparatus. Scanning electron microscopy with an energy dispersive spectrometer (SEM-EDS) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) were utilized to examine the friction products. The experimentally monitored friction coefficient data were used to develop a finite element model to simulate the temperature field and a theoretical model to calculate the flash temperature of the contact area of the friction surface. The experimental, simulation, and theoretical results showed that the flash temperature of the friction surface is much higher than the average temperature of the friction surface and allows the reaction of iron and sulfur to form iron–sulfide compounds.
Evaluation of the Precipitation Process of a Clad Pipe by the Thermoelectric Potential Technique
Authors: Carabes Ricardo , Carreón Héctor , Carreon Maria L. , Salazar Melchor , Hernández Pedro
Published: November 2019

The article reports a study carried out on metallic samples extracted from a metallurgically bonded clad pipe (API 5L X65 steel-Inconel 825 alloy) subjected to a solution heat treatment at 1200 °C and a subsequent aging treatment at 650 °C for different times in order to promote microstructural changes in thermo-metallurgical bonded materials. The non-destructive thermoelectric potential (TEP) technique was used to monitor microstructure changes due to the artificial aging process. In addition, micro-hardness tests were carried out on the metallic materials and micrographs were obtained by means of an optical and scanning electron microscope (SEM). The TEP value changed with solution treatment temperature and reached a maximum value for solution treatment at 1200 °C. The changes in TEP during solution treatment were caused by changes in the solubility of the alloying elements. In the artificial aging process, the TEP value decreased with increasing aging time due to the precipitation process, but exhibited distinct characteristics for the different zones at the clad pipe samples.
Comparison of Linear and Nonlinear Ultrasonic Parameters in Characterizing Grain Size and Mechanical Properties of 304L Stainless Steel
Authors: Choi Sungho , Ryu Juyoung , Kim Jae-Seung , Jhang Kyung-Young
Published: November 2019

Ultrasonic nondestructive techniques can be used to characterize grain size and to evaluate mechanical properties of metals more practically than conventional destructive optical metallography and tensile tests. Typical ultrasonic parameters that can be correlated with material properties include ultrasonic velocity, ultrasonic attenuation coefficient, and nonlinear ultrasonic parameters. In this work, the abilities of these ultrasonic parameters to characterize the grain size and the mechanical properties of 304L stainless steel were evaluated and compared. Heat-treated specimens with different grain sizes were prepared and tested, where grain size ranged from approximately 40 to 300 μm. The measurements of ultrasonic velocity and ultrasonic attenuation coefficient were based on a pulse-echo mode, and the nonlinear ultrasonic parameter was measured based on a through-transmission mode. Grain size, elastic modulus, yield strength, and hardness were measured using conventional destructive methods, and their results were correlated with the results of ultrasonic measurements. The experimental results showed that all the measured ultrasonic parameters correlated well with the average grain size and the mechanical properties of the specimens. The nonlinear ultrasonic parameter provided better sensitivity than the ultrasonic velocity and the ultrasonic attenuation coefficient, which suggests that the nonlinear ultrasonic measurement would be more effective in characterizing grain size and mechanical properties than linear ultrasonic measurements.
PgRsp Is a Novel Redox-Sensing Transcription Regulator Essential for Porphyromonas gingivalis Virulence
Authors: Śmiga Michał , Olczak Teresa
Published: November 2019

Porphyromonas gingivalis is one of the etiological agents of chronic periodontitis. Both heme and oxidative stress impact expression of genes responsible for its survival and virulence. Previously we showed that P. gingivalis ferric uptake regulator homolog affects expression of a gene encoding a putative Crp/Fnr superfamily member, termed P. gingivalis redox-sensing protein (PgRsp). Although PgRsp binds heme and shows the highest similarity to proteins assigned to the CooA family, it could be a member of a novel, separate family of proteins with unknown function. Expression of the pgrsp gene is autoregulated and iron/heme dependent. Genes encoding proteins engaged in the oxidative stress response were upregulated in the pgrsp mutant (TO11) strain compared with the wild-type strain. The TO11 strain showed higher biomass production, biofilm formation, and coaggregation ability with Tannerella forsythia and Prevotella intermedia. We suggest that PgRsp may regulate production of virulence factors, proteases, Hmu heme acquisition system, and FimA protein. Moreover, we observed growth retardation of the TO11 strain under oxidative conditions and decreased survival ability of the mutant cells inside macrophages. We conclude that PgRsp protein may play a role in the oxidative stress response using heme as a ligand for sensing changes in redox status, thus regulating the alternative pathway of the oxidative stress response alongside OxyR.
Bacteriophage and the Innate Immune System: Access and Signaling
Authors: Carroll-Portillo Amanda , Lin Henry C.
Published: November 2019

Bacteriophage and the bacteria they infect are the dominant members of the gastrointestinal microbiome. While bacteria are known to be central to maintenance of the structure, function, and health of the microbiome, it has only recently been recognized that phage too might serve a critical function. Along these lines, bacteria are not the only cells that are influenced by bacteriophage, and there is growing evidence of bacteriophage effects on epithelial, endothelial, and immune cells. The innate immune system is essential to protecting the Eukaryotic host from invading microorganisms, and bacteriophage have been demonstrated to interact with innate immune cells regularly. Here, we conduct a systematic review of the varying mechanisms allowing bacteriophage to access and interact with cells of the innate immune system and propose the potential importance of these interactions.
Trace-Element Distribution on Sulfide Mineralization in Trento Province, NE Italy
Authors: Bianchini Gianluca , Natali Claudio , Ferretti Paolo , Casagrande Lara , Conedera Manuel , Marchina Chiara
Published: November 2019

Sulfide mineralization in the province of Trento (northeastern Italy) includes various mineral assemblages that are often silver-rich and have been exploited in different phases from the Middle Ages until the 20th century. This study investigates mineralized rocks from three historically important sites (Calisio mount, Erdemolo lake, and the locality of Cinque Valli), providing new analytical data (Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry on bulk rocks, and Scanning Electron Microscopy on thin sections) that demonstrate that parageneses do not only include galena, chalcopyrite, and sphalerite but also accessory minerals, such as tetrahedrite, tennantite, acanthite, and sulfosalts (matildite/polybasite). This explains the high content of As (up to 278 ppm), Bi (up to 176 ppm), and Sb (up to 691 ppm) that are associated with Pb–Cu–Zn mineralization. Notably, trace-element ratios indicate that, although closely associated from a geographical point of view, the studied sites are not genetically related and have to be referred to in distinct mineralization events, possibly induced by three diverse magmatic and hydrothermal phases that occurred in the Variscan post-orogenic setting. Besides geological and petrogenetic reconstruction, the new data outline potential geochemical risks, as they reveal a high concentration of elements characterized by marked toxicity that can be transferred into the local soil and water. Therefore, future studies should be devoted to better investigating the metal distribution in the surroundings of ancient mining sites and their geochemical behavior during the weathering processes.
Discovery and Characterisation of Dual Inhibitors of Tryptophan 2,3-Dioxygenase (TDO2) and Indoleamine 2,3-Dioxygenase 1 (IDO1) Using Virtual Screening
Authors: Sari Suat , Tomek Petr , Leung Euphemia , Reynisson Jóhannes
Published: November 2019

Cancers express tryptophan catabolising enzymes indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase 1 (IDO1) and tryptophan 2,3-dioxygenase (TDO2) to produce immunosuppressive tryptophan metabolites that undermine patients’ immune systems, leading to poor disease outcomes. Both enzymes are validated targets for cancer immunotherapy but there is a paucity of potent TDO2 and dual IDO1/TDO2 inhibitors. To identify novel dual IDO1/TDO2 scaffolds, 3D shape similarity and pharmacophore in silico screening was conducted using TDO2 as a model for both systems. The obtained hits were tested in cancer cell lines expressing mainly IDO1 (SKOV3—ovarian), predominantly TDO2 (A172—brain), and both IDO1 and TDO2 (BT549—breast). Three virtual screening hits were confirmed as inhibitors (TD12, TD18 and TD34). Dose response experiments showed that TD34 is the most potent inhibitor capable of blocking both IDO1 and TDO2 activity, with the IC50 value for BT549 at 3.42 µM. This work identified new scaffolds able to inhibit both IDO1 and TDO2, thus enriching the collection of dual IDO1/TDO2 inhibitors and providing chemical matter for potential development into future anticancer drugs.
Study on the Separation of H2 from CO2 Using a ZIF-8 Membrane by Molecular Simulation and Maxwell-Stefan Model
Authors: Bayati Behrouz , Ghorbani Asma , Ghasemzadeh Kamran , Iulianelli Adolfo , Basile Angelo
Published: November 2019

The purification of H2-rich streams using membranes represents an important separation process, particularly important in the viewpoint of pre-combustion CO2 capture. In this study, the separation of H2 from a mixture containing H2 and CO2 using a zeolitic imidazolate framework (ZIF)-8 membrane is proposed from a theoretical point of view. For this purpose, the adsorption and diffusion coefficients of H2 and CO2 were considered by molecular simulation. The adsorption of these gases followed the Langmuir model, and the diffusion coefficient of H2 was much higher than that of CO2. Then, using the Maxwell–Stefan model, the H2 and CO2 permeances and H2/CO2 permselectivities in the H2–CO2 mixtures were evaluated. Despite the fact that adsorption of CO2 was higher than H2, owing to the simultaneous interference of adsorption and diffusion processes in the membrane, H2 permeation was more pronounced than CO2. The modeling results showed that, for a ZIF-8 membrane, the H2/CO2 permselectivity for the H2–CO2 binary mixture 80/20 ranges between 28 and 32 at ambient temperature.
A Review of Bark-Extract-Mediated Green Synthesis of Metallic Nanoparticles and Their Applications
Authors: Burlacu Ema , Tanase Corneliu , Coman Năstaca-Alina , Berta Lavinia
Published: November 2019

Nanoparticles are intensely studied because of their importance in diverse fields of biotechnology, especially in medicine. This paper highlights that waste bark can be a cheap source of biocompounds, with high recovery and functionalization potential in nanoparticle synthesis. Due to their biocompatibility and activity as antioxidant, antimicrobial, and anticancer agents, the green synthesis of metallic nanoparticles is of great importance. This review aims to bring together the diversity of synthesized metallic nanoparticles mediated by bark extracts obtained from different woody vascular plants, the phytoconstituents responsible for the reduction of metal salts, and the activity of metallic nanoparticles as diverse agents in combating the microbial, oxidant, and cancer activity. The literature data highlight the fact that metallic nanoparticles obtained from natural compounds are proven reducing agents with multiple activities. Thus, the activity of natural components in environmental protection and human health is confirmed.
Thiyl Radical Reactions in the Chemical Degradation of Pharmaceutical Proteins
Authors: Schöneich Christian
Published: November 2019

Free radical pathways play a major role in the degradation of protein pharmaceuticals. Inspired by biochemical reactions carried out by thiyl radicals in various enzymatic processes, this review focuses on the role of thiyl radicals in pharmaceutical protein degradation through hydrogen atom transfer, electron transfer, and addition reactions. These processes can lead to the epimerization of amino acids, as well as the formation of various cleavage products and cross-links. Examples are presented for human insulin, human and mouse growth hormone, and monoclonal antibodies.
Transport and Deposition of Large Aspect Ratio Prolate and Oblate Spheroidal Nanoparticles in Cross Flow
Authors: Åkerstedt Hans O.
Published: November 2019

The objective of this paper was to study the transport and deposition of non-spherical oblate and prolate shaped particles for the flow in a tube with a radial suction velocity field, with an application to experiments related to composite manufacturing. The transport of the non- spherical particles is governed by a convective diffusion equation for the probability density function, also called the Fokker–Planck equation, which is a function of the position and orientation angles. The flow is governed by the Stokes equation with an additional radial flow field. The concentration of particles is assumed to be dilute. In the solution of the Fokker–Planck equation, an expansion for small rotational Peclet numbers and large translational Peclet numbers is considered. The solution can be divided into an outer region and two boundary layer regions. The outer boundary layer region is governed by an angle-averaged convective-diffusion equation. The solution in the innermost boundary layer region is a diffusion equation including the radial variation and the orientation angles. Analytical deposition rates are calculated as a function of position along the tube axis. The contribution from the innermost boundary layer called steric- interception deposition is found to be very small. Higher order curvature and suction effects are found to increase deposition. The results are compared with results using a Lagrangian tracking method of the same flow configuration. When compared, the deposition rates are of the same order of magnitude, but the analytical results show a larger variation for different particle sizes. The results are also compared with numerical results, using the angle averaged convective-diffusion equation. The agreement between numerical and analytical results is good.
Distorted Building Image Matching with Automatic Viewpoint Rectification and Fusion
Authors: Yue Linwei , Li Hongjie , Zheng Xianwei
Published: November 2019

Building image-matching plays a critical role in the urban applications. However, finding reliable and sufficient feature correspondences between the real-world urban building images that were captured in widely separate views are still challenging. In this paper, we propose a distorted image matching method combining the idea of viewpoint rectification and fusion. Firstly, the distorted images are rectified to the standard view with the transform invariant low-rank textures (TILT) algorithm. A local symmetry feature graph is extracted from the building images, followed by multi-level clustering using the mean shift algorithm, to automatically detect the low-rank texture region. After the viewpoint rectification, the Oriented FAST and Rotated BRIEF (ORB) feature is used to match the images. The grid-based motion statistics (GMS) and RANSAC techniques are introduced to remove the outliers and preserve the correct matching points to deal with the mismatched pairs. Finally, the matching results for the rectified views are projected to the original viewpoint space, and the matches before and after distortion rectification are fused to further determine the final matches. The experimental results show that both the number of matching pairs and the matching precision for the distorted building images can be significantly improved while using the proposed method.
Improving the Chemical Selectivity of an Electronic Nose to TNT, DNT and RDX Using Machine Learning
Authors: Gradišek Anton , van Midden Marion , Koterle Matija , Prezelj Vid , Strle Drago , Štefane Bogdan , Brodnik Helena , Trifkovič Mario , Kvasić Ivan , Zupanič Erik , Muševič Igor
Published: November 2019

We used a 16-channel e-nose demonstrator based on micro-capacitive sensors with functionalized surfaces to measure the response of 30 different sensors to the vapours from 11 different substances, including the explosives 1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazinane (RDX), 1-methyl-2,4-dinitrobenzene (DNT) and 2-methyl-1,3,5-trinitrobenzene (TNT). A classification model was developed using the Random Forest machine-learning algorithm and trained the models on a set of signals, where the concentration and flow of a selected single vapour were varied independently. It is demonstrated that our classification models are successful in recognizing the signal pattern of different sets of substances. An excellent accuracy of 96% was achieved for identifying the explosives from among the other substances. These experiments clearly demonstrate that the silane monolayers used in our sensors as receptor layers are particularly well suited to selecting and recognizing TNT and similar types of explosives from among other substances.
A Classification Method for Select Defects in Power Transformers Based on the Acoustic Signals
Authors: Kunicki Michał , Wotzka Daria
Published: November 2019

Effective, accurate and adequately early detection of any potential defects in power transformers is still a challenging issue. As the acoustic method is known as one of the noninvasive and nondestructive testing methods, this paper proposes a new approach of the classification method for defect identification in power transformers based on the acoustic measurements. Typical application of acoustic emission (AE) method is the detection of partial discharges (PD); however, during PD measurements other defects may also be identified in the transformer. In this research, a database of various signal sources recorded during acoustic PD measurements in real-life power transformers over several years was gathered. Furthermore, all of the signals are divided into two groups (PD/other) and in the second step into eight classes of various defects. Based on these, selected classification models including machine learning algorithms were applied to training and validation. Energy patterns based on the discrete wavelet transform (DWT) were used as model inputs. As a result, the presented method allows one to identify with high accuracy, not only the selected kind of PD (1st step), but other kinds of faults or anomalies within the transformer being tested (2nd step). The proposed two-step classification method may be applied as a supplementary part of a technical condition assessment system or decision support system for management of power transformers.
Identification of Soybean Seed Varieties Based on Hyperspectral Imaging Technology
Authors: Zhu Shaolong , Chao Maoni , Zhang Jinyu , Xu Xinjuan , Song Puwen , Zhang Jinlong , Huang Zhongwen
Published: November 2019

Hyperspectral imaging is a nondestructive testing technology that integrates spectroscopy and iconology technologies, which enables us to quickly obtain both internal and external information of objects and identify crop seed varieties. First, the hyperspectral images of ten soybean seed varieties were collected and the reflectance was obtained. Savitzky-Golay smoothing (SG), first derivative (FD), standard normal variate (SNV), fast Fourier transform (FFT), Hilbert transform (HT), and multiplicative scatter correction (MSC) spectral reflectance pretreatment methods were used. Then, the feature wavelengths and feature information of the pretreated spectral reflectance data were extracted using competitive adaptive reweighted sampling (CARS), the successive projections algorithm (SPA), and principal component analysis (PCA). Finally, 5 classifiers, Bayes, support vector machine (SVM), k-nearest neighbor (KNN), ensemble learning (EL), and artificial neural network (ANN), were used to identify seed varieties. The results showed that MSC-CARS-EL had the highest accuracy among the 90 combinations, with training set, test set, and 5-fold cross-validation accuracies of 100%, 100%, and 99.8%, respectively. Moreover, the contribution of spectral pretreatment to discrimination accuracy was higher than those of feature extraction and classifier selection. Pretreatment methods determined the range of the identification accuracy, feature-selective methods and classifiers only changed within this range. The experimental results provide a good reference for the identification of other crop seed varieties.
Real-Time Docking Ring Detection Based on the Geometrical Shape for an On-Orbit Spacecraft
Authors: Zhang Limin , Pan Wang , Ma Xianghua
Published: November 2019

Docking ring is a circular hatch of spacecraft that allows servicing spacecraft to dock in various space missions. The detection of the ring is greatly beneficial to automatic capture, rendezvous and docking. Based on its geometrical shape, we propose a real-time docking ring detection method for on-orbit spacecraft. Firstly, we extract arcs from the edge mask and classify them into four classes according to edge direction and convexity. By developing the arc selection strategy, we select a combination of arcs possibly belonging to the same ellipse, and then estimate its parameters via the least squares fitting technique. Candidate ellipses are validated according to the fitness of the estimation with the actual edge pixels. The experiments show that our method is superior to the state-of-the-art methods, and can be used in real time application. The method can also be extended to other applications.
Sustainable Feedbacks of Colombian Paramos Involving Livestock, Agricultural Activities, and Sustainable Development Goals of the Agenda 2030
Authors: Molina Benavides Raúl Andrés , Campos Gaona Rómulo , Sánchez Guerrero Hugo , Giraldo Patiño Leonidas , Atzori Alberto Stanislao
Published: November 2019

Colombian mountain Páramos are considered natural areas with a very important role for human life. Páramos provide, both in mountain and lowland areas, a multitude of ecosystem services which start from vegetation to soil sustainability. The sustainability of Páramos is however impaired by several anthropogenic activities, including agricultural and livestock practices. A system thinking approach was applied in this work to improve the systemic understanding of factors affecting sustainability and resilience of Páramos agro-ecosystems. Interdisciplinary literature evidences were summarized and conceptually analyzed in order to develop causal loop diagrams of Páramo system structures allowing describing the main feedback loops involving (involved in/connecting) the Páramo ecosystem and driving its sustainability. From the causal diagram analysis few insights to maintain the human presence in Páramos arose. The system analysis highlights that human presence in Páramos should be stimulated, avoiding agriculture and livestock activities as the main income source. Particularly, social interactions, education on the Páramos environmental and relevance of agricultural practices to foster ecosystem services and multiple rentable economic activities should be enhanced. The study also includes the role of the government in providing the Páramo inhabitants with payments for ecosystem services and environmental education aimed to boost sustainability. Sustainable Páramo management will apply specific leverages on the system to reach Sustainable Development Goals 6 (water), 8 (economic growth, employment and work), 13 (climate change), and 15 (sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems) of the Agenda 2030.