bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Role of Two-Pore Channels in Norepinephrine-Induced [Ca2+]i Rise in Rat Aortic Smooth Muscle Cells and Aorta Contraction
Authors: Trufanov Sergei K. , Rybakova Elena Yu. , Avdonin Piotr P. , Tsitrina Alexandra A. , Zharkikh Irina L. , Goncharov Nikolay V. , Jenkins Richard O. , Avdonin Pavel V.
Published: September 2019

Second messenger nicotinic acid adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NAADP) triggers Ca2+ release via two-pore channels (TPCs) localized in endolysosomal vesicles. The aim of the present work is to evaluate the role of TPCs in the action of norepinephrine (NE), angiotensin II (AngII), vasopressin (AVP), and 5-hydroxytriptamine (5-HT) on free cytoplasmic calcium concentration ([Ca2+]i) in smooth muscle cells (SMCs) isolated from rat aorta and on aorta contraction. To address this issue, the NAADP structural analogue and inhibitor of TPCs, NED 19, was applied. We have demonstrated a high degree of colocalization of the fluorescent signals of cis-NED 19 and endolysosmal probe LysoTracker in SMCs. Both cis- or trans-NED 19 inhibited the rise of [Ca2+]i in SMCs induced by 100 μM NE by 50–60%. IC50 for cis- and trans-NED 19 were 2.7 and 8.9 μM, respectively. The inhibition by NED 19 stereoisomers of the effects of AngII, AVP, and 5-HT was much weaker. Both forms of NED 19 caused relaxation of aortic rings preconstricted by NE, with relative potency of cis-NED 19 several times higher than that of trans-NED 19. Inhibition by cis-NED 19 of NE-induced contraction was maintained after intensive washing and slowly reversed within an hour of incubation. Cis- and trans-NED 19 did not cause decrease in the force of aorta contraction in response to Ang II and AVP, and only slightly relaxed aorta preconstricted by 5-HT and by KCl. Suppression of TPC1 in SMCs with siRNA caused a 40% decrease in [Ca2+]i in response to NE, whereas siRNA against TPC2 did not change NE calcium signaling. These data suggest that TPC1 is involved in the NE-stimulated [Ca2+]i rise in SMCs. Inhibition of TPC1 activity by NED 19 could be the reason for partial inhibition of aortic rings contraction in response to NE.
Avian MHC Evolution in the Era of Genomics: Phase 1.0
Authors: O’Connor Emily A. , Westerdahl Helena , Burri Reto , Edwards Scott V.
Published: September 2019

Birds are a wonderfully diverse and accessible clade with an exceptional range of ecologies and behaviors, making the study of the avian major histocompatibility complex (MHC) of great interest. In the last 20 years, particularly with the advent of high-throughput sequencing, the avian MHC has been explored in great depth in several dimensions: its ability to explain ecological patterns in nature, such as mating preferences; its correlation with parasite resistance; and its structural evolution across the avian tree of life. Here, we review the latest pulse of avian MHC studies spurred by high-throughput sequencing. Despite high-throughput approaches to MHC studies, substantial areas remain in need of improvement with regard to our understanding of MHC structure, diversity, and evolution. Recent studies of the avian MHC have nonetheless revealed intriguing connections between MHC structure and life history traits, and highlight the advantages of long-term ecological studies for understanding the patterns of MHC variation in the wild. Given the exceptional diversity of birds, their accessibility, and the ease of sequencing their genomes, studies of avian MHC promise to improve our understanding of the many dimensions and consequences of MHC variation in nature. However, significant improvements in assembling complete MHC regions with long-read sequencing will be required for truly transformative studies.
An Efficient and Flexible Method for Deconvoluting Bulk RNA-Seq Data with Single-Cell RNA-Seq Data
Authors: Sun Xifang , Sun Shiquan , Yang Sheng
Published: September 2019

Estimating cell type compositions for complex diseases is an important step to investigate the cellular heterogeneity for understanding disease etiology and potentially facilitate early disease diagnosis and prevention. Here, we developed a computationally statistical method, referring to Multi-Omics Matrix Factorization (MOMF), to estimate the cell-type compositions of bulk RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) data by leveraging cell type-specific gene expression levels from single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) data. MOMF not only directly models the count nature of gene expression data, but also effectively accounts for the uncertainty of cell type-specific mean gene expression levels. We demonstrate the benefits of MOMF through three real data applications, i.e., Glioblastomas (GBM), colorectal cancer (CRC) and type II diabetes (T2D) studies. MOMF is able to accurately estimate disease-related cell type proportions, i.e., oligodendrocyte progenitor cells and macrophage cells, which are strongly associated with the survival of GBM and CRC, respectively.
Effects of Combined CO2 and O3 Exposures on Net CO2 Assimilation and Biomass Allocation in Seedlings of the Late-Successional Fagus Crenata
Authors: Tobita Hiroyuki , Komatsu Masabumi , Harayama Hisanori , Yazaki Kenichi , Kitaoka Satoshi , Kitao Mitsutoshi
Published: September 2019

We examined the effects of elevated CO2 and elevated O3 concentrations on net CO2 assimilation and growth of Fagus crenata in a screen-aided free-air concentration-enrichment (FACE) system. Seedlings were exposed to ambient air (control), elevated CO2 (550 µmol mol−1 CO2, +CO2), elevated O3 (double the control, +O3), and the combination of elevated CO2 and O3 (+CO2+O3) for two growing seasons. The responses in light-saturated net CO2 assimilation rates per leaf area (Agrowth-CO2) at each ambient CO2 concentration to the elevated CO2 and/or O3 treatments varied widely with leaf age. In older leaves, Agrowth-CO2 was lower in the presence of +O3 than in untreated controls, but +CO2+O3 treatment had no effect on Agrowth-CO2 compared with the +CO2 treatment. Total plant biomass increased under conditions of elevated CO2 and was largest in the +CO2+O3 treatment. Biomass allocation to roots decreased with elevated CO2 and with elevated O3. Elongation of second-flush shoots also increased in the presence of elevated CO2 and was largest in the +CO2+O3 treatment. Collectively, these results suggest that conditions of elevated CO2 and O3 contribute to enhanced plant growth; reflecting changes in biomass allocation and mitigation of the negative impacts of O3 on net CO2 assimilation.
A Parametric Three-Dimensional Phase-Field Study of the Physical Vapor Deposition Process of Metal Thin Films Aiming at Quantitative Simulations
Authors: Yang Shenglan , Zhong Jing , Chen Miao , Zhang Lijun
Published: September 2019

In this paper, a parametric three-dimensional (3D) phase-field study of the physical vapor deposition process of metal thin films was performed aiming at quantitative simulations. The effect of deposition rate and model parameters on the microstructure of deposited thin films was investigated based on more than 200 sets of 3D phase-field simulations, and a quantitative relationship between the deposition rate and model parameters was established. After that, the heat maps corresponding to the experimental atomic force microscopy images were plotted for characterization of the surface roughness. Different roughness parameters including the arithmetic average roughness (Ra), root mean square roughness (Rq), skewness (Rsk), and kurtosis (Rku), as well as the ratio of Rq to Ra were calculated and carefully analyzed. A quantitative relationship between the surface roughness and the deposition rate and model parameters was obtained. Moreover, the calculated Rq to Ra ratios for the thin films at the deposition rates of 0.22 and 1.0 nm s−1 agreed very well with the experimental data of the deposited Mo and Ti thin films. Finally, further discussion about the correlative behaviors between the surface roughness and the density was proposed for reasoning the shadowing effect as well as the formation of voids during the thin film production.
YAlO3—A Novel Environmental Barrier Coating for Al2O3/Al2O3–Ceramic Matrix Composites
Authors: Gatzen Caren , Mack Daniel Emil , Guillon Olivier , Vaßen Robert
Published: September 2019

Ceramic matrix composites (CMCs) are promising materials for high-temperature applications. Environmental barrier coatings (EBCs) are needed to protect the components against water vapor attack. A new potential EBC material, YAlO3, was studied in this paper. Different plasma-spraying techniques were used for the production of coatings on an alumina-based CMC, such as atmospheric plasma spraying (APS) and very low pressure plasma spraying (VLPPS). No bond coats or surface treatments were applied. The performance was tested by pull–adhesion tests, burner rig tests, and calcium-magnesium-aluminum-silicate (CMAS) corrosion tests. The samples were subsequently analyzed by means of X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. Special attention was paid to the interaction at the interface between coating and substrate. The results show that fully crystalline and good adherent YAlO3 coatings can be produced without further substrate preparation such as surface pretreatment or bond coat application. The formation of a thin reaction layer between coating and substrate seems to promote adhesion.
Synthesis of ErBa2Cu3O7−δ Superconductor Solder for the Fabrication of Superconducting Joint between Gdba2cu3o7−δ Coated Conductor
Authors: Zhang Zili , Wang Lei , Liu Jianhua , Wang Qiuliang
Published: September 2019

ErBa2Cu3O7−δ (Er123) superconductor is one of the best candidates of superconductor solder for the fabrication of superconducting joint between GdBa2Cu3O7−δ (Gd123) coated conductor, due to its high Tc value (93 K) and highest optimized oxygen annealing temperature among RE123 compounds. In this paper, we systematically research the effect of sintering parameters on the phase formation, microstructure and superconducting properties of Er123 powder. The optimized synthesis route to acquire high purity Er123 powder with as good superconducting properties as Gd123 has been uncovered. The melt temperature of Er123 with different dopant compared to Gd123 is also investigated, and the feasible operating temperature range of Er123 superconductor solder is discussed. This work reveals a very important starting point on fabrication high-quality superconducting joint between the commercial Gd123 coated conductor, which can further improve the development of the persistent operating mode on ultra-high field nuclear magnetic resonance and magnetic resonance imaging.
Growth of 4-N,N-Dimethylamino-4'-N'-methyl-stilbazolium Tosylate (DAST) Organic Single Crystals Controlled by Oleic Acid
Authors: Wen Xin , Xu Xiangdong , Zhou Huaxin , Hu Lu , Jing Yangyang , Xu Jimmy , Cheng Xiaomeng , Shi Jia , Liu Xinfeng , Fan Ting , Zhang Mingang , Gu Yu
Published: September 2019

4-N,N-Dimethylamino-4'-N'-methyl-stilbazolium Tosylate (DAST) organic single crystals controlled by (Z)-Octadec-9-enoic acid (oleic acid, OA) was grown by a slow-cooling method. The as-grown DAST single crystals were systematically characterized by FTIR, X-ray diffraction, second harmonic generation, and UV-vis spectroscopy. Results indicate that addition of OA into the DAST solutions leads to the controlled growth of DAST single crystals and consequently, the crystal quality and optical properties can be modified. Particularly, the DAST crystals grown under the control of OA exhibit larger sizes, higher crystallinities, and better optical qualities with higher optical band gaps and lower defect density, compared with those grown in the absence of OA. These results are helpful for better understanding the controlled growth of DAST organic single crystals and modifying their properties for practical applications.
Magnetic Field-Induced Macroscopic Alignment of Liquid-Crystalline Lanthanide Complexes
Authors: Aksenova Elena , Dobrun Liliya , Kovshik Alexander , Ryumtsev Evgeny , Tambovtcev Ivan
Published: September 2019

We propose a theoretical approach and a numerical method for determining the Frank elastic constants based on the experimental dependence of the effective values of the permittivity components on the magnetic field. The theoretical task was to find the minimum of the free energy and then to solve the inverse problem on finding elastic constants by the least squares root minimizing with experimental data. The proposed approach combines strong and weak models with various pretilt conditions at the boundaries. This model also describes the inhomogeneity of the electric field inside the sample. The proposed method allows to achieve higher accuracy using a small amount of experimental data. This statement is confirmed by the error estimation study, which is also presented in this research. As an experimental sample, we used the gadolinium-based liquid crystal complex, since there are no data on the Frank elastic constants for this complex.
Comparison of the Quality of Protein Crystals Grown by CLPC Seeds Method
Authors: Li Jin , Yan Er-Kai , Liu Yue , Wu Zi-Qing , Liu Ya-Li , Hou Hai , Zhang Chen-Yan , Lu Qin-Qin , Deng Xu-Dong , Yin Da-Chuan
Published: September 2019

We present a systematic quality comparison of protein crystals obtained with and without cross-linked protein crystal (CLPC) seeds. Four proteins were used to conduct the experiments, and the results showed that crystals obtained in the presence of CLPC seeds exhibited a better morphology. In addition, the X-ray diffraction data showed that the CLPC seeds method is a powerful tool to obtain high-quality protein crystals. Therefore, we recommend the use of CLPC seeds in preparing high-quality diffracting protein crystals.
Bifurcated Triel Bonds—Hydrides and Halides of 1,2-Bis(Dichloroboryl)Benzene and 1,8-Bis(Dichloroboryl)Naphthalene
Authors: Grabowski Sławomir
Published: September 2019

MP2/aug-cc-pVTZ calculations were performed on hydrides, fluorides, and chlorides of 1,8-bis(dichloroboryl)naphthalene and 1,2-bis(dichloroboryl)benzene. The theoretical analysis of BHB−, BFB−, and BClB− arrangements occurring in these complexes and classified as bifurcated triel bonds was partly based on decomposition of the energy of interaction. The latter was carried out for structures optimized using the DFT method. The complexes analyzed were characterized by a partly covalent character of the links to the hydride and halide anions; these anions strongly influenced the geometry of the complexes. The boron centers’ links for the neutral 1,8-bis(dichloroboryl)naphthalene and 1,2-bis(dichloroboryl)benzene molecules were characterized by approximately trigonal and planar configurations, while for anionic complexes, tetrahedral configurations were observed. The crystal structures of compounds related to species calculated here were found in the Cambridge Structural Database (CSD).
Crystal Structure of the Active Site Mutant Form of Soluble Fumarate Reductase, Osm1
Authors: Kim Chang Min , Kwon Sunghark , Jung Kyung Ho , Chun Hye Lin , Ha Hyun Ji , Park Hyun Ho
Published: September 2019

Soluble fumarate reductase is essential for survival under anaerobic conditions. This enzyme can maintain the redox balance in the cell by catalyzing the reduction of fumarate to succinate. Although the overall reaction mechanism of soluble fumarate reductase in yeast, Osm1, has been proposed by a previous structural study, the details of the underlying mechanism are not completely elucidated. The present study provides the structural information regarding the active site mutant form of Osm1 (R326A), thus, revealing that R326A mutation does not affect the substrate binding. Structural alterations of the residues surrounding the active site, and the missing 2nd flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) in the previously defined 2nd FAD binding site, were observed as characteristic features of the Osm1 R326A crystal structure. Based on these findings, we provided a clue that can explain the loss of activity of Osm1 R326A.
Psychological Response to a False Positive Ovarian Cancer Screening Test Result: Distinct Distress Trajectories and Their Associated Characteristics
Authors: Wiggins Amanda T. , Pavlik Edward J. , Andrykowski Michael A.
Published: September 2019

Routine screening for ovarian cancer (OC) can yield an abnormal result later deemed benign. Such false positive (FP) results have been shown to trigger distress, which generally resolves over time. However, women might differ in the trajectory of the distress experience. Women participating in a routine OC screening program (n = 373) who received an abnormal screening result completed a baseline assessment prior to a follow-up screening test to clarify the nature of their abnormal result. All women were subsequently informed that no malignancy was present, and follow-up assessments were completed one and four months post-baseline. Demographic, clinical, dispositional (optimism, monitoring), and social environmental (social constraint, social support) variables were assessed at baseline. OC-specific distress was assessed at all three assessments. Trajectory analyses identified three distress trajectories differing in the baseline level of distress. A high decreasing trajectory, representing about 25% of women, was characterized by high levels of distress at baseline with distress declining over time, but still elevated at four-month follow-up. In contrast, a no distress trajectory group, representing about 30% of women, was characterized by essentially no distress at any time point. Principal risk factors for membership in the high decreasing trajectory group included a family history of OC, lower dispositional optimism, and greater social constraint. These risk factors could be used to target resources efficiently towards managing women at risk for potentially clinically-significant distress after receipt of an FP OC screening test.
Value of Diffusion Weighted MRI with Quantitative ADC Map in Diagnosis of Malignant Thyroid Disease
Authors: Linh Le Tuan , Cuong Nguyen Ngoc , Hung Tran Viet , Hieu Nguyen Van , Lenh Bui Van , Hue Nguyen Duy , Pham Van Huy , Nga Vu Thi , Chu Dinh-Toi
Published: September 2019

Thyroid nodule is a common disease in clinical practice. The diagnosis of malignant thyroid tumors determines the treatment strategy. Among a number of methods have claimed to help evaluating thyroid nodules, ultrasound is a usable one in spite of several disadvantages (dependent on the physician/technician, incomparable, etc.) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) accompanied by quantitative apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) is a promising diagnostic tool. This study was designed to investigate the usefulness of ADC cut-off values and the protocol of thyroid MRI derived from quantitative diffusion weighted imaging (DWI) in differentiating benign and malignant thyroid nodules. The study was conducted on 93 patients with 128 thyroid nodules, diagnosed and underwent surgery at Hanoi Medical University Hospital. All the patients took thyroid MRI with different b levels (from 200 to 800). ADC value was calculated to each b level, and the statistical tests were conducted with the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS—Windows and Mac version 20) and STATA 12. The mean ADC with all the b ranging from 200 to 800 of malignant groups was significantly higher than the group of benign lesions (p from <0.001 to 0.01). We chose b = 500 as a standard b-value in the protocol of thyroid MRI. The ADC cut-off point for distinguishing malignant from benign thyroid lesions: 1.7 × 10−3 mm2/s with high accuracy (87.1%, 95% CI: 79.59–92.07%). The study revealed that quantitative diffusion weighted MRI with ADC measurement could potentially quantitatively differentiate between benign and malignant thyroid nodules.
Association between Early Childhood Caries and Quality of Life: Early Childhood Oral Health Impact Scale and Pufa Index
Authors: Sharna Ningthoujam , Ramakrishnan Mahesh , Samuel Victor , Ravikumar Dhanalakshmi , Cheenglembi Khangembam , Anil Sukumaran
Published: September 2019

Early Childhood Caries (ECC) are one of the major oral diseases affecting children. ECC adversely affects the children’s as well as their parent/caregivers quality of life. The present study aims to assess the quality of life in children with Early Childhood Caries aged 6–72 months using the Early Childhood Oral Health Impact Scale. It also aims to compare the quality of life between children with pufa scores of > 0 and a pufa score = 0. A total of 238 children aged 6 months to 72 months with ECC and their parent/caregiver were included in the present study. Oral examinations of the children were performed by the principal examiner using the defs and pufa index, which was followed by a personal interview of the 13 items in the Early Childhood Oral Health Impact scale among the 238 parents/caregivers. The results showed that, overall, Early Childhood Caries have a negative impact on children’s quality of life, as assessed by the parent/caregiver. The overall Early Childhood Oral Health Impact scale score ranged from 0–32 (mean ± SD, 14.12 ± 6.72). Children with a pufa score > 0 (mean ± SD, 16.14 ± 6.27, p < 0.001) have significantly lower quality of life than children with pufa score = 0 (mean ± SD, 9.07 ± 4.94, p < 0.001). Early Childhood Caries had a negative impact on the quality of life of children aged 6–72 months. Children with a pufa score of “0” had better oral health-related quality of life than children with a pufa score > 0.
Multiscale Approximate Entropy for Gait Analysis in Patients with Neurodegenerative Diseases
Authors: Liu An-Bang , Lin Che-Wei
Published: September 2019

Neurodegenerative diseases such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Parkinson’s diseases (PD), and Huntington’s disease (HD) are not rare neurological diseases. They affect different neurological systems and present various characteristic gait abnormalities. We retrieved gait signals of the right and left feet from a public domain on the Physionet. There were 13 patients with ALS, 15 patients with PD, 20 patients with HD and 16 healthy controls (HC). We used multiscale approximate entropy (MAE) to analyze ground reaction force on both feet. Our study shows that MAE increases with scales in all tested subjects. The group HD has the highest MAE and group ALS has the lowest MAE. We can differentiate ALS from HC by MAE, while scale factors >10 in the left foot. There are few significant differences of MAE between the HC and HD. We found a good correlation of MAE between both feet in group ALS. In conclusion, our results indicate that MAE analysis of gait signals can be used for diagnosis and long-term assessment for ALS and probably HD. Similarity of MAE between both feet can also be a diagnostic marker for ALS.
Decomposition of a Multiscale Entropy Tensor for Sleep Stage Identification in Preterm Infants
Authors: De Wel Ofelie , Lavanga Mario , Caicedo Alexander , Jansen Katrien , Naulaers Gunnar , Van Huffel Sabine
Published: September 2019

Established sleep cycling is one of the main hallmarks of early brain development in preterm infants, therefore, automated classification of the sleep stages in preterm infants can be used to assess the neonate’s cerebral maturation. Tensor algebra is a powerful tool to analyze multidimensional data and has proven successful in many applications. In this paper, a novel unsupervised algorithm to identify neonatal sleep stages based on the decomposition of a multiscale entropy tensor is presented. The method relies on the difference in electroencephalography(EEG) complexity between the neonatal sleep stages and is evaluated on a dataset of 97 EEG recordings. An average sensitivity, specificity, accuracy and area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.80, 0.79, 0.79 and 0.87 was obtained if the rank of the tensor decomposition is selected based on the age of the infant.
Robust Diabatic Grover Search by Landau–Zener–Stückelberg Oscillations
Authors: Atia Yosi , Oren Yonathan , Katz Nadav
Published: September 2019

Quantum computation by the adiabatic theorem requires a slowly-varying Hamiltonian with respect to the spectral gap. We show that the Landau–Zener–Stückelberg oscillation phenomenon, which naturally occurs in quantum two-level systems under non-adiabatic periodic drive, can be exploited to find the ground state of an N-dimensional Grover Hamiltonian. The total runtime of this method is O ( 2 n ) , which is equal to the computational time of the Grover algorithm in the quantum circuit model. An additional periodic drive can suppress a large subset of Hamiltonian control errors by using coherent destruction of tunneling, thus outperforming previous algorithms.
The Information Loss Problem: An Analogue Gravity Perspective
Authors: Liberati Stefano , Tricella Giovanni , Trombettoni Andrea
Published: September 2019

Analogue gravity can be used to reproduce the phenomenology of quantum field theory in curved spacetime and in particular phenomena such as cosmological particle creation and Hawking radiation. In black hole physics, taking into account the backreaction of such effects on the metric requires an extension to semiclassical gravity and leads to an apparent inconsistency in the theory: the black hole evaporation induces a breakdown of the unitary quantum evolution leading to the so-called information loss problem. Here, we show that analogue gravity can provide an interesting perspective on the resolution of this problem, albeit the backreaction in analogue systems is not described by semiclassical Einstein equations. In particular, by looking at the simpler problem of cosmological particle creation, we show, in the context of Bose–Einstein condensates analogue gravity, that the emerging analogue geometry and quasi-particles have correlations due to the quantum nature of the atomic degrees of freedom underlying the emergent spacetime. The quantum evolution is, of course, always unitary, but on the whole Hilbert space, which cannot be exactly factorized a posteriori in geometry and quasi-particle components. In analogy, in a black hole evaporation one should expect a continuous process creating correlations between the Hawking quanta and the microscopic quantum degrees of freedom of spacetime, implying that only a full quantum gravity treatment would be able to resolve the information loss problem by proving the unitary evolution on the full Hilbert space.
Phenomenology of Burnout Syndrome and Connection Thereof with Coping Strategies and Defense Mechanisms among University Professors
Authors: Zhao Xin , Ding Shaojie
Published: September 2019

This article is dedicated to the phenomenology of burnout syndrome among university professors. The features of the manifestation of burnout syndrome and its components in university professors are described. The relationship between the burnout components and coping strategies among teachers is considered. The differences in the leading coping strategies among teachers with high and low levels of burnout syndrome are revealed. The relationship between the components of burnout and protective mechanisms among teachers is revealed. The specifics of the manifestation of protective mechanisms among teachers with high and low levels of burnout syndrome is studied. The factor structure of the interconnection of burnout components, coping strategies and protective mechanisms among university professors is presented.
Applying International Power Quality Standards for Current Harmonic Distortion to Wave Energy Converters and Verified Device Emulators
Authors: Kelly James , Aldaiturriaga Endika , Ruiz-Minguela Pablo
Published: September 2019

The push for carbon-free energy sources has helped encourage the development of the ocean renewable energy sector. As ocean renewable energy approaches commercial maturity, the industry must be able to prove it can provide clean electrical power of good quality for consumers. As part of the EU funded Open Sea Operating Experience to Reduce Wave Energy Cost (OPERA) project that is tasked with developing the wave energy sector, the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) developed electrical power quality standards for marine energy converters, which were applied to an oscillating water column (OWC). This was done both in the laboratory and in the real world. Precise electrical monitoring equipment was installed in the Mutriku Wave Power Plant in Spain and to an OWC emulator in the Lir National Ocean Test Facility at University College Cork in Ireland to monitor the electrical power of both. The electrical power generated was analysed for harmonic current distortion and the results were compared. The observations from sea trials and laboratory trials demonstrate that laboratory emulators can be used in early stage development to identify the harmonic characteristics of a wave energy converter.
Revolutionizing Towards Sustainable Agricultural Systems: The Role of Energy
Authors: Zambon Ilaria , Cecchini Massimo , Mosconi Enrico Maria , Colantoni Andrea
Published: September 2019

Innovations play a significant role in the primary sector (i.e., agriculture, fisheries and forestry), ensuring a greater performance towards bioeconomy and sustainability. Innovation is being progressively applied to examining the organization of joint technological, social, and institutional modernizations in the primary sector. Exploring the governance of actor relations, potential policies, and support structures is crucial in the phase of innovation, e.g., during research activities, often applied at the national or sectorial scale. However, when opposing normative guidelines for alternative systems of agriculture arise (e.g., the industrial agriculture paradigm), modernizations in agricultural and forestry may contribute to outlining more sustainable systems. To date, innovations in the primary sector do not seem as advanced as in other sectors, apart from industrial agriculture, which sometimes appears to be the most encouraged. The present review aims to shed light on innovations that have been identified and promoted in recent years in the primary sector, including agriculture and forestry. The need to pursue sustainable development in this sector requires the inclusion of a fourth dimension, namely energy. In fact, energy sustainability is an issue that has been much discussed in recent years. However, the need for progressive technological progress is indispensable to ensure long-lasting energy efficiency. The aim is to understand what innovations have been implemented recently, highlighting opportunities and limitations for the primary sector.
Phase Change Materials for Reducing Cooling Energy Demand and Improving Indoor Comfort: A Step-by-Step Retrofit of a Mediterranean Educational Building
Authors: Ascione Fabrizio , Bianco Nicola , De Masi Rosa Francesca , Mastellone Margherita , Vanoli Giuseppe Peter
Published: September 2019

The present work concerns the energy retrofit of a public educational building at the University of Molise, located in Termoli, South Italy. The study provides a comparison of the results obtained by different dynamic simulations of passive strategies to improve thermal comfort and energy behavior of the building during the summer regime. Firstly, the building model was calibrated against historical consumption data. Then, a subsequent step involves the technical-economic analysis, by means of building performance simulations, of energy upgrading scenarios, specifically, cool roof and green roof technologies for the horizontal opaque envelope and thermal insulation, vented façade, and phase change materials’ applications for the vertical opaque envelope. Improving the indoor thermal comfort and reducing the thermal energy demand during summertime through innovative solutions will be the primary objective of the present study. The energy efficiency measures are compared from the energy, emissions, costs, and indoor comfort points of view. Phase Change Materials applied to the inner side of the external walls are analyzed in depth and, by varying their melting temperature, optimization of design is performed too. This innovative material, with a melting temperature of 23 °C and a freezing temperature of 21 °C, determines the reduction of summer energy consumption of 11.7% and the increase of summer indoor comfort of 215 h. Even if consolidated, other solutions, like the cool roof, green roof, thermal insulation, and vented façade induce improvements in terms of summer energy saving, and the percentage difference compared to the basic building is less than 2%. For this case study, a Mediterranean building, with construction characteristics typical of the 1990s, traditional passive technologies are not very efficient in improving the energy performance, so the investigation focused on the adoption of innovative solutions such as PCMs, for reducing summer energy demand and improving indoor thermal comfort.
The Role of Nuclear Power in Meeting Current and Future Industrial Process Heat Demands
Authors: Peakman Aiden , Merk Bruno
Published: September 2019

There is growing interest in the use of advanced reactor systems for powering industrial processes which could significantly help to reduce CO 2 emissions in the global energy system. However, there has been limited consideration into the role nuclear power would play in meeting current and future industry heat demand, especially with respect to the advantages and disadvantages nuclear power offers relative to other competing low-carbon technologies, such as Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS). In this study, the current market needs for high temperature heat are considered based on UK industry requirements and work carried out in other studies regarding how industrial demand could change in the future. How these heat demands could be met via different nuclear reactor systems is also presented. Using this information, it was found that the industrial heat demands for temperature in the range of 500 ∘ C to 1000 ∘ C are relatively low. Whilst High Temperature Gas-cooled Reactors (HTGRs), Very High Temperature Reactors (VHTRs), Gas-cooled Fast Reactors (GFRs) and Molten Salt Reactors (MSRs) have an advantage in terms of capability to achieve higher temperatures (>500 ∘ C), their relative benefit over Liquid Metal-cooled Fast Reactors (LMFRs) and Light Water Reactors (LWRs) is actually smaller than previous studies indicate. This is because, as is shown here, major parts of the heat demand could be served by almost all reactor types. Alternative (non-nuclear) means to meet industrial heat demands and the indirect application of nuclear power, in particular via producing hydrogen, are also considered. As hydrogen is a relatively poor energy carrier, current trends indicate that the use of low-carbon derived hydrogen is likely to be limited to certain applications and there is a focus in this study on the emerging demands for hydrogen.
Atomic Scheduling of Appliance Energy Consumption in Residential Smart Grids
Authors: Kim Kyeong Soo , Lee Sanghyuk , Ting Tiew On , Yang Xin-She
Published: September 2019

Most of the current formulations of the optimal scheduling of appliance energy consumption use the vectors of appliances’ scheduled energy consumption over equally divided time slots of a day as optimization variables, which does not take into account the atomicity of certain appliances’ operations, i.e., the non-interruptibility of appliances’ operations and the non-throttleability of the energy consumption patterns specific to their operations. In this paper, we provide a new formulation of atomic scheduling of energy consumption based on the optimal routing framework; the flow configurations of users over multiple paths between the common source and destination nodes of a ring network are used as optimization variables, which indicate the starting times of scheduled energy consumption, and optimal scheduling problems are now formulated in terms of the user flow configurations. Because the atomic optimal scheduling results in a Boolean-convex problem for a convex objective function, we propose a successive convex relaxation technique for efficient calculation of an approximate solution, where we iteratively drop fractional-valued elements and apply convex relaxation to the resulting problem until we find a feasible suboptimal solution. Numerical results for the cost and peak-to-average ratio minimization problems demonstrate that the successive convex relaxation technique can provide solutions close to and often identical to global optimal solutions.
Integrating Energy Demand and Local Renewable Energy Sources in Smart Urban Development Zones: New Options for Climate-Friendly Resilient Urban Planning
Authors: Zach Franz , Kretschmer Florian , Stoeglehner Gernot
Published: September 2019

In recent years, most cities have experienced rapid population growth. Concurrently, international policies have called for substantial reductions of greenhouse gas emissions. Additionally, the resilience of energy-supply systems has become more important. Consequently, solutions to exhaust locally-available sources must be developed to minimize the fraction of fossil fuels for heating, cooling and electricity. This article shows an example of designing a low-temperature heating and cooling grid based on locally-available renewables and waste heat and introduces general hypotheses concerning smart energy planning in urban development zones. Taking an urban development area in Vienna, Austria, as example, it is shown that wastewater, geothermal and (office) waste heat, solar energy, and the heat content of ambient air can play an important role within a climate-friendly urban energy concept and that heating and cooling demand can be covered completely on-site. From an environmental point of view, the concept is promising, as greenhouse gas emissions and the non-renewable primary energy consumption can be reduced by over 70% compared to conventional gas heating, while, based on current (fossil) energy prices, it is economically not fully competitive. The gap could be closed e.g. by CO2 taxes on fossil energy sources or (temporal) subsidies for renewables. Additionally, reservations of stakeholders in the energy sector against this innovative approach must be dismantled.
A Comprehensive Evaluation Model for Curtain Grouting Efficiency Assessment Based on Prospect Theory and Interval-Valued Intuitionistic Fuzzy Sets Extended by Improved D Numbers
Authors: Liu Zongxian , Song Wenshuai , Cui Bo , Wang Xiaoling , Yu Hongling
Published: September 2019

Grouting-efficiency evaluation is a key element in grouting-construction control. However, most existing grouting-efficiency evaluation models do not consider the hesitation and bounded rationality of experts and have difficulty in handling the problem of incomplete decision-making information generated by experts. Furthermore, the diversity of the evaluation indicators used can be further improved. This study conducts a comprehensive evaluation model to address these problems. An objective and reasonable fuzzy evaluation method is demonstrated through the integration of interval-valued intuitionistic fuzzy sets, prospect theory, and improved D numbers. The secondary permeability index is introduced to establish a more scientific evaluation indicator system. The proposed model is implemented in evaluating the curtain-grouting efficiency of a hydropower station, and its consistency, representativeness, and superiority are validated and analyzed.
Targeting Gut Microbiota for the Prevention and Management of Diabetes Mellitus by Dietary Natural Products
Authors: Li Bang-Yan , Xu Xiao-Yu , Gan Ren-You , Sun Quan-Cai , Meng Jin-Ming , Shang Ao , Mao Qian-Qian , Li Hua-Bin
Published: September 2019

Diabetes mellitus is one of the biggest public health concerns worldwide, which includes type 1 diabetes mellitus, type 2 diabetes mellitus, gestational diabetes mellitus, and other rare forms of diabetes mellitus. Accumulating evidence has revealed that intestinal microbiota is closely associated with the initiation and progression of diabetes mellitus. In addition, various dietary natural products and their bioactive components have exhibited anti-diabetic activity by modulating intestinal microbiota. This review addresses the relationship between gut microbiota and diabetes mellitus, and discusses the effects of natural products on diabetes mellitus and its complications by modulating gut microbiota, with special attention paid to the mechanisms of action. It is hoped that this review paper can be helpful for better understanding of the relationships among natural products, gut microbiota, and diabetes mellitus.
Common Nevus and Skin Cutaneous Melanoma: Prognostic Genes Identified by Gene Co-Expression Network Analysis
Authors: Yang Lingge , Xu Yu , Yan Yan , Luo Peng , Chen Shiqi , Zheng Biqiang , Yan Wangjun , Chen Yong , Wang Chunmeng
Published: September 2019

Skin cutaneous melanoma (SCM) is a common malignant tumor of the skin and its pathogenesis still needs to be studied. In this work, we constructed a co-expression network and screened for hub genes by weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) using the GSE98394 dataset. The relationship between the mRNA expression of hub genes and the prognosis of patients with melanoma was validated by Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis (GEPIA) database. Furthermore, immunohistochemistry in the Human Protein Atlas was used to validate hub genes and grayscale analysis was performed using ImageJ software. It was found that the yellow module was most significantly associated with the difference between common nevus and SCM, and 13 genes whose expression correlation >0.9 were candidate hub genes. The expression of three genes (STK26, KCNT2, CASP12) was correlated with the prognosis of SCM. STK26 (P = 0.0024) and KCNT2 (P < 0.0001) were significantly different between normal skin and SCM. These three hub genes have potential value as predictors for accurate diagnosis and prognosis of SCM in the future.
Coding RNA Sequencing of Equine Endometrium during Maternal Recognition of Pregnancy
Authors: Klohonatz Kristin M. , Coleman Stephen J. , Islas-Trejo Alma D. , Medrano Juan F. , Hess Ann M. , Kalbfleisch Ted , Thomas Milton G. , Bouma Gerrit J. , Bruemmer Jason E.
Published: September 2019

Equine maternal recognition of pregnancy (MRP) is a process whose signal remains unknown. During MRP the conceptus and endometrium communicate to attenuate prostaglandin F2α (PGF) secretion, sparing the corpus luteum and maintaining progesterone production. Recognition of a mobile conceptus by the endometrium is critical by days 14–16 post-ovulation (PO), when endometrium produces PGF, initiating luteolysis. The objective of this study was to evaluate endometrial gene expression changes based upon pregnancy status via RNA sequencing. This experiment utilized a cross-over design with each mare serving as both a pregnant and non-mated control on days nine, 11, and 13 PO (n = 3/status/day). Mares were randomly assigned to collection day and pregnancy confirmed by terminal uterine lavage at the time of endometrial biopsy. Total RNA was isolated and libraries prepared using Illumina TruSeq RNA sample preparation kit. Reads were mapped and annotated using HISAT2 and Stringtie. Expression values were evaluated with DESEQ2 (P ≤ 0.05 indicated significance). On day nine, 11, and 13 there were 1435, 1435 and 916 significant transcripts, respectively. Multiple genes with splice variants had different expression patterns within the same day. These are the first data to evaluate the endometrial transcriptome during MRP on days nine, 11, and 13.
Identification of Alternatively-Activated Pathways between Primary Breast Cancer and Liver Metastatic Cancer Using Microarray Data
Authors: Wang Limei , Li Jin , Liu Enze , Kinnebrew Garrett , Zhang Xiaoli , Stover Daniel , Huo Yang , Zeng Zhi , Jiang Wanli , Cheng Lijun , Feng Weixing , Li Lang
Published: September 2019

Alternatively-activated pathways have been observed in biological experiments in cancer studies, but the concept had not been fully explored in computational cancer system biology. Therefore, an alternatively-activated pathway identification method was proposed and applied to primary breast cancer and breast cancer liver metastasis research using microarray data. Interestingly, the results show that cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction and calcium signaling were significantly enriched under both conditions. TGF beta signaling was found to be the hub in network topology analysis. In total, three types of alternatively-activated pathways were recognized. In the cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction pathway, four active alteration patterns in gene pairs were noticed. Thirteen cytokine-cytokine receptor pairs with inverse activity changes of both genes were verified by the literature. The second type was that some sub-pathways were active under only one condition. For the third type, nodes were significantly active in both conditions, but with different active genes. In the calcium signaling and TGF beta signaling pathways, node E2F5 and E2F4 were significantly active in primary breast cancer and metastasis, respectively. Overall, our study demonstrated the first time using microarray data to identify alternatively-activated pathways in breast cancer liver metastasis. The results showed that the proposed method was valid and effective, which could be helpful for future research for understanding the mechanism of breast cancer metastasis.
Evaluating GRACE Mass Change Time Series for the Antarctic and Greenland Ice Sheet—Methods and Results
Authors: Groh Andreas , Horwath Martin , Horvath Alexander , Meister Rakia , Sørensen Louise , Barletta Valentina , Forsberg René , Wouters Bert , Ditmar Pavel , Ran Jiangjun , Klees Roland , Su Xiaoli , Shang Kun , Guo Junyi , Shum C. , Schrama Ernst , Shepherd Andrew
Published: September 2019

Satellite gravimetry data acquired by the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) allows to derive the temporal evolution in ice mass for both the Antarctic Ice Sheet (AIS) and the Greenland Ice Sheet (GIS). Various algorithms have been used in a wide range of studies to generate Gravimetric Mass Balance (GMB) products. Results from different studies may be affected by substantial differences in the processing, including the applied algorithm, the utilised background models and the time period under consideration. This study gives a detailed description of an assessment of the performance of GMB algorithms using actual GRACE monthly solutions for a prescribed period as well as synthetic data sets. The inter-comparison exercise was conducted in the scope of the European Space Agency’s Climate Change Initiative (CCI) project for the AIS and GIS, and was, for the first time, open to everyone. GMB products generated by different groups could be evaluated and directly compared against each other. For the period from 2003-02 to 2013-12, estimated linear trends in ice mass vary between −99 Gt/yr and −108 Gt/yr for the AIS and between −252 Gt/yr and −274 Gt/yr for the GIS, respectively. The spread between the solutions is larger if smaller drainage basins or gridded GMB products are considered. Finally, findings from the exercise formed the basis to select the algorithms used for the GMB product generation within the AIS and GIS CCI project.