bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Machine Learning Based Toxicity Prediction: From Chemical Structural Description to Transcriptome Analysis
Authors: Wu Yunyi , Wang Guanyu
Published: August 2018

Toxicity prediction is very important to public health. Among its many applications, toxicity prediction is essential to reduce the cost and labor of a drug’s preclinical and clinical trials, because a lot of drug evaluations (cellular, animal, and clinical) can be spared due to the predicted toxicity. In the era of Big Data and artificial intelligence, toxicity prediction can benefit from machine learning, which has been widely used in many fields such as natural language processing, speech recognition, image recognition, computational chemistry, and bioinformatics, with excellent performance. In this article, we review machine learning methods that have been applied to toxicity prediction, including deep learning, random forests, k-nearest neighbors, and support vector machines. We also discuss the input parameter to the machine learning algorithm, especially its shift from chemical structural description only to that combined with human transcriptome data analysis, which can greatly enhance prediction accuracy.
Non-Coding Transcriptome Maps across Twenty Tissues of the Korean Black Chicken, Yeonsan Ogye
Authors: Hong Hyosun , Chai Han-Ha , Nam Kyoungwoo , Lim Dajeong , Lee Kyung-Tai , Do Yoon Jung , Cho Chang-Yeon , Nam Jin-Wu
Published: August 2018

Yeonsan Ogye is a rare Korean domestic chicken breed whose entire body, including feathers and skin, has a unique black coloring. Although some protein-coding genes related to this unique feature have been examined, non-coding elements have not been widely investigated. Thus, we evaluated coding and non-coding transcriptome expression and identified long non-coding RNAs functionally linked to protein-coding genes in Ogye. High-throughput RNA sequencing and DNA methylation sequencing were performed to profile the expression of 14,264 Ogye protein-coding and 6900 long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) genes and detect DNA methylation in 20 different tissues of an individual Ogye. Approximately 75% of Ogye lncRNAs and 45% of protein-coding genes showed tissue-specific expression. For some genes, tissue-specific expression levels were inversely correlated with DNA methylation levels in their promoters. Approximately 39% of tissue-specific lncRNAs displayed functional associations with proximal or distal protein-coding genes. Heat shock transcription factor 2-associated lncRNAs appeared to be functionally linked to protein-coding genes specifically expressed in black skin tissues, more syntenically conserved in mammals, and differentially expressed in black relative to in white tissues. Pending experimental validation, our findings increase the understanding of how the non-coding genome regulates unique phenotypes and can be used for future genomic breeding of chickens.
Metal-Catalyzed Degradation of Cellulose in Ionic Liquid Media
Authors: Aid Tiina , Koel Mihkel , Lopp Margus , Vaher Merike
Published: August 2018

Biomass conversion to 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) has been widely investigated as a sustainable alternative to petroleum-based feedstock, since it can be efficiently converted to fuel, plastic, polyester, and other industrial chemicals. In this report, the degradation of commercial cellulose, the isomerization of glucose to fructose, and the conversion of glucose to HMF in 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride ([BMIM]Cl]) using metal catalysts (CrCl3, ZnCl2, MgCl2) as well as tungsten and molybdenum oxide-based polyoxometalates (POM) were investigated. Tungsten and molybdenum oxide-based POMs in ionic liquids (IL) were able to degrade cellulose to majority glucose and epimerize glucose to mannose (in the case of the molybdenum oxide-based POM). A certain amount of glucose was also converted to HMF. The tungsten oxide-based POM in IL showed good activity for cellulose degradation but the overall products yield remained 28.6% lower than those obtained using CrCl3 as a catalyst. Lowering the cellulose loading did not significantly influence the results and the addition of water to the reaction medium decreased the product yields remarkably.
The Importance of Lean Body Mass for the Rate of Force Development in Taekwondo Athletes and Track and Field Throwers
Authors: Kavvoura Angeliki , Zaras Nikolaos , Stasinaki Angeliki-Nikoletta , Arnaoutis Giannis , Methenitis Spyridon , Terzis Gerasimos
Published: August 2018

The rate of force development (RFD) is vital for power athletes. Lean body mass (LBM) is considered to be an essential contributor to RFD, nevertheless high RFD may be achieved by athletes with either high or low LBM. The aim of the study was to describe the relationship between lower-body LBM and RFD, and to compare RFD in taekwondo athletes and track and field (T&F) throwers, the latter having higher LBM when compared to taekwondo athletes. Nine taekwondo athletes and nine T&F throwers were evaluated for countermovement jumping, isometric leg press and leg extension RFD, vastus lateralis (VL), and medial gastrocnemius muscle architecture and body composition. Lower body LBM was correlated with RFD 0–250 ms (r = 0.81, p = 0.016). Taekwondo athletes had lower LBM and jumping power per LBM. RFD was similar between groups at 30–50 ms, but higher for throwers at 80–250 ms. RFD adjusted for VL thickness was higher in taekwondo athletes at 30 ms, but higher in throwers at 200–250 ms. These results suggest that lower body LBM is correlated with RFD in power trained athletes. RFD adjusted for VL thickness might be more relevant to evaluate in power athletes with low LBM, while late RFD might be more relevant to evaluate in athletes with higher LBM.
TiN Films Deposited on Uranium by High Power Pulsed Magnetron Sputtering under Low Temperature
Authors: Ding Jingjing , Yin Xixi , Fang Liping , Meng Xiandong , Yin Anyi
Published: August 2018

Depleted uranium (DU) is oxidized readily due to its chemical activities, which limits its applications in nuclear industry. TiN film has been applied widely due to its good mechanical properties and its excellent corrosion resistance. In this work, TiN protection films were deposited on DU by direct current magnetron sputtering (DCMS) and high power pulsed magnetron sputtering (HPPMS), respectively. The surface morphology and microstructures were investigated by atomic force microscope (AFM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and grazing incidence X-ray diffraction (GIXRD). The hardness and Young’s modulus were determined by nano-Indenter. The wear behavior and adhesion was analyzed by pin-on-disc tests and scratch adhesion tests and the corrosion resistance was evaluated by electrochemical measurements. The results show that the TiN films that were deposited by HPPMS outperformed TiN film deposited by DCMS, with improvements on surface roughness, mechanical properties, wear behavior, adhesion strength, and corrosion resistance, thanks to its much denser columnar grain growth structure and preferred orientation of (111) plane with the lowest strain energy. Besides, the process of Ti interlayer deposition by HPPMS can enhance the film properties to an extent as compared to DCMS, which is attributed to the enhanced ion bombardment during the HPPMS.
Reduced Graphene Oxide and Its Modifications as Catalyst Supports and Catalyst Layer Modifiers for PEMFC
Authors: Grigoriev Sergey A. , Fateev Vladimir N. , Pushkarev Artem S. , Pushkareva Irina V. , Ivanova Natalia A. , Kalinichenko Valery N. , Yu. Presnyakov Mikhail , Wei Xing
Published: August 2018

Reduced graphene oxide (RGO) and RGO modified by ozone (RGO-O) and fluorine (RGO-F) were synthesized. Pt nanoparticles were deposited on these materials and also on Vulcan XC-72 using the polyol method. The structural and electrochemical properties of the obtained catalysts were investigated in a model glass three-electrode electrochemical cell and in a laboratory PEM fuel cell. Among the RGO-based catalysts, the highest electrochemically active surface area (EASA) was obtained for the oxidized RGO supported catalyst. The EASA of the fluorine-modified RGO-supported catalyst was half as big. In the PEM fuel cell the performance of RGO-based catalysts did not exceed the activity of Vulcan XC-72-based catalysts. However, the addition of an RGO-O-based catalyst to Vulcan XC-72-based catalyst (in contrast to the RGO-F-based catalyst) allowed us to increase the catalyst layer activity and PEM fuel cell performance. Possible reasons for such an effect are discussed.
Assessment of Immature Granulocytes Percentage to Predict Severe Bacterial Infection in Latvian Children: An Analysis of Secondary Data
Authors: Pavare Jana , Grope Ilze , Gardovska Dace
Published: August 2018

Background: Detection of small proportion of serious bacterial infections (SBI) with a potentially life threating course in a large group of children with fever admitted to emergency department (ED) is still complicated. Measurement of immature granulocytes (IG) percentage may be used as a marker of bacterial infections. The aim of the study was to evaluate whether the IG percentage is a useful additional predictive marker of SBI. Methods: This study included 258 children with febrile infections that were admitted to the ED. Clinical follow-up, microbiological and radiological tests were used as reference standards for the definition of SBI. Study population was categorized into two groups: (1) infected patients with no suspicion of SBI (n = 75); (2) patients with suspicion of SBI (n = 183). IG percentage, white blood cell count (WBC), and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels were analyzed from the first routine blood samples at hospital admission. Results: A statistically significant difference in IG percentage levels was observed in children with SBI and those without—the mean IG percentage was 1.2% for the SBI group, 0.3% for those without SBI. The cutoff level of IG percentage to predict SBI was 0.45 (84% specificity, 66% sensitivity, 90% positive predictive value). We combine variables and evaluate their additive values. The sensitivity of WBC to detected SBI improved from 74% to 85% when IG percentage was added to the prediction models. When CRP, WBC, and IG percentage were combined, the sensitivity to predict SBI increased to 93%, the specificity to 86% (95% CI 77%–93%). Receiver operator characteristic analysis to predict SBI showed an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.80 for IG percentage. Conclusion: Addition of IG percentage to traditionally used markers of SBI as WBC and CRP may help to identify children with serious bacterial infections. Furthermore, IG percentage can be rapidly obtained from the traditional full blood count without any extra sampling and costs.
Thickness Dependence of Toughness in Ultra-Heavy Low-Alloyed Steel Plate after Quenching and Tempering
Authors: Liu Huibin , Zhang Hanqian , Li Jinfu
Published: August 2018

Due to the limitations of manufacturing techniques, inhomogeneous microstructures and properties along the thickness direction have been a big challenge for heavy and ultra-heavy plates of quenched and tempered low-alloyed steel. In this study, variation in microstructures and mechanical properties were investigated from the surface to the center of a 130 mm-thick ultra-heavy steel plate. Emphasis was made on toughness performance including impact toughness and crack resisting ability. It was found that the ultimate tensile strength at the plate surface, quarter and center thickness at room temperature are 715, 643 and 618 MPa, respectively. Meanwhile, the ductile-brittle transition temperature defined by fracture appearance for these three plate positions are −100, −30 and −15 °C, respectively. Moreover, the crack resisting ability represented by the nil-ductility temperature are −40, −25 and −10 °C for these three positions respectively. Investigation by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) and electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) revealed that the plate surface features finer matrix grain and carbide precipitation, as well as greater frequency of high angle misorientation. These microstructural features contribute to enhancing deformability, retarding cleavage initiation and hindering crack propagation, leading to the pronounced increase in the energy for fracture propagation and the overall impact energy as compared to the other two plate positions.
Modeling of Forming Limit Bands for Strain-Based Failure-Analysis of Ultra-High-Strength Steels
Authors: Bayat Hamid , Sarkar Sayantan , Anantharamaiah Bharath , Italiano Francesco , Bach Aleksandar , Tharani Shashidharan , Wulfinghoff Stephan , Reese Stefanie
Published: August 2018

Increased passenger safety and emission control are two of the main driving forces in the automotive industry for the development of light weight constructions. For increased strength to weight ratio, ultra-high-strength steels (UHSSs) are used in car body structures. Prediction of failure in such sheet metals is of high significance in the simulation of car crashes to avoid additional costs and fatalities. However, a disadvantage of this class of metals is a pronounced scatter in their material properties due to e.g., the manufacturing processes. In this work, a robust numerical model is developed in order to take the scatter into account in the prediction of the failure in manganese boron steel (22MnB5). To this end, the underlying material properties which determine the shapes of forming limit curves (FLCs) are obtained from experiments. A modified Marciniak–Kuczynski model is applied to determine the failure limits. By using a statistical approach, the material scatter is quantified in terms of two limiting hardening relations. Finally, the numerical solution obtained from simulations is verified experimentally. By generation of the so called forming limit bands (FLBs), the dispersion of limit strains is captured within the bounds of forming limits instead of a single FLC. In this way, the FLBs separate the whole region into safe, necking and failed zones.
The Substituent Effect on the Radical Scavenging Activity of Apigenin
Authors: Zheng Yan-Zhen , Chen Da-Fu , Deng Geng , Guo Rui
Published: August 2018

Flavonoids widely found in natural foods are excellent free radical scavengers. The relationship between the substituent and antioxidative activity of flavonoids has not yet been completely elucidated. In this work, the antioxidative activity of apigenin derivatives with different substituents at the C3 position was determined by density functional theory (DFT) calculations. The bond dissociation enthalpy (BDE), ionization potential (IP), and proton affinity (PA) were calculated. Donator acceptor map (DAM) analysis illustrated that the studied compounds are worse electron acceptors than F and also are not better electron donors than Na. The strongest antioxidative group of apigenin derivatives was the same as apigenin. Excellent correlations were found between the BDE/IP/PA and Hammett sigma constants. Therefore, Hammett sigma constants can be used to predict the antioxidative activity of substituted apigenin and to design new antioxidants based on flavonoids. In non-polar phases, the antioxidative activity of apigenin was increased by the electron-withdrawing groups, while it was reduced by the electron-donating groups. Contrary results occurred in the polar phase. The electronic effect of the substituents on BDE(4′-OH), BDE(5-OH), PA(4′-OH), and IP is mainly controlled by the resonance effect, while that on BDE(7-OH), PA(5-OH), and PA(7-OH) is governed by the field/inductive effect.
Antifibrotic Effect of Smad Decoy Oligodeoxynucleotide in a CCl4-Induced Hepatic Fibrosis Animal Model
Authors: Gwon Mi-Gyeong , Kim Jung-Yeon , An Hyun-Jin , Kim Woon-Hae , Gu Hyemin , Kim Min-Kyung , Pak Sok , Park Kwan-Kyu
Published: August 2018

Hepatic fibrosis is the wound-healing process of chronic hepatic disease that leads to the end-stage of hepatocellular carcinoma and demolition of hepatic structures. Epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) has been identified to phenotypic conversion of the epithelium to mesenchymal phenotype that occurred during fibrosis. Smad decoy oligodeoxynucleotide (ODN) is a synthetic DNA fragment containing a complementary sequence of Smad transcription factor. Thus, this study evaluated the antifibrotic effects of Smad decoy ODN on carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced hepatic fibrosis in mice. As shown in histological results, CCl4 treatment triggered hepatic fibrosis and increased Smad expression. On the contrary, Smad decoy ODN administration suppressed fibrogenesis and EMT process. The expression of Smad signaling and EMT-associated protein was markedly decreased in Smad decoy ODN-treated mice compared with CCl4-injured mice. In conclusion, these data indicate the practicability of Smad decoy ODN administration for preventing hepatic fibrosis and EMT processes.
Role of Resultant Dipole Moment in Mechanical Dissociation of Biological Complexes
Authors: Kouza Maksim , Banerji Anirban , Kolinski Andrzej , Buhimschi Irina , Kloczkowski Andrzej
Published: August 2018

Protein-peptide interactions play essential roles in many cellular processes and their structural characterization is the major focus of current experimental and theoretical research. Two decades ago, it was proposed to employ the steered molecular dynamics (SMD) to assess the strength of protein-peptide interactions. The idea behind using SMD simulations is that the mechanical stability can be used as a promising and an efficient alternative to computationally highly demanding estimation of binding affinity. However, mechanical stability defined as a peak in force-extension profile depends on the choice of the pulling direction. Here we propose an uncommon choice of the pulling direction along resultant dipole moment (RDM) vector, which has not been explored in SMD simulations so far. Using explicit solvent all-atom MD simulations, we apply SMD technique to probe mechanical resistance of ligand-receptor system pulled along two different vectors. A novel pulling direction—when ligand unbinds along the RDM vector—results in stronger forces compared to commonly used ligand unbinding along center of masses vector. Our observation that RDM is one of the factors influencing the mechanical stability of protein-peptide complex can be used to improve the ranking of binding affinities by using mechanical stability as an effective scoring function.
Analyzing Iterative Training Game Design: A Multi-Method Postmortem Analysis of CYCLES Training Center and CYCLES Carnivale
Authors: Shaw Adrienne , McKernan Brian , Martey Rosa M. , Stromer-Galley Jennifer , Saulnier Emilie T. , McLaren Elizabeth , Rhodes Matthew G. , Folkestad James E. , Taylor Sarah M. , Kenski Kate , Clegg Benjamin A. , Stralkowski Tomek
Published: August 2018

That games can be used to teach specific content has been demonstrated numerous times. However, although specific game features have been conjectured to have an impact on learning outcomes, little empirical research exists on the impact of iterative design on learning outcomes. This article analyzes two games that have been developed to train an adult audience to recognize and avoid relying on six cognitive biases (three per game) in their decision making. The games were developed iteratively and were evaluated through a series of experiments. Although the experimental manipulations did not find a significant impact of the manipulated game features on the learning outcomes, each game iteration proved more successful than its predecessors at training players. Here, we outline a mixed-methods approach to postmortem game design analysis that helps us understand what might account for the improvement across games, and to identify new variables for future experimental training game studies.
Perfluoropolyether (PFPE) Intermediate Molds for High-Resolution Thermal Nanoimprint Lithography
Authors: Masciullo Cecilia , Sonato Agnese , Romanato Filippo , Cecchini Marco
Published: August 2018

Among soft lithography techniques, Thermal Nanoimprint Lithography (NIL) is a high-throughput and low-cost process that can be applied to a broad range of thermoplastic materials. By simply applying the appropriate pressure and temperature combination, it is possible to transfer a pattern from a mold surface to the chosen material. Usually, high-resolution and large-area NIL molds are difficult to fabricate and expensive. Furthermore, they are typically made of silicon or other hard materials such as nickel or quartz for preserving their functionality. Nonetheless, after a large number of imprinting cycles, they undergo degradation and become unusable. In this paper, we introduce and characterize an innovative two-step NIL process based on the use of a perfluoropolyether (PFPE) intermediate mold to replicate sub-100 nm features from a silicon mold to the final thermoplastic material. We compare PFPE elastomeric molds with molds made of the standard polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) elastomer, which demonstrates better resolution and fidelity of the replica process. By using PFPE intermediate molds, the nanostructured masters are preserved and the throughput of the process is significantly enhanced.
Markers of Oxidative Stress in the Exhaled Breath Condensate of Workers Handling Nanocomposites
Authors: Pelclova Daniela , Zdimal Vladimir , Schwarz Jaroslav , Dvorackova Stepanka , Komarc Martin , Ondracek Jakub , Kostejn Martin , Kacer Petr , Vlckova Stepanka , Fenclova Zdenka , Popov Alexey , Lischkova Lucie , Zakharov Sergey , Bello Dhimiter
Published: August 2018

Researchers in nanocomposite processing may inhale a variety of chemical agents, including nanoparticles. This study investigated airway oxidative stress status in the exhaled breath condensate (EBC). Nineteen employees (42.4 ± 11.4 y/o), working in nanocomposites research for 18.0 ± 10.3 years were examined pre-shift and post-shift on a random workday, together with nineteen controls (45.5 ± 11.7 y/o). Panels of oxidative stress biomarkers derived from lipids, nucleic acids, and proteins were analyzed in the EBC. Aerosol exposures were monitored during three major nanoparticle generation operations: smelting and welding (workshop 1) and nanocomposite machining (workshop 2) using a suite of real-time and integrated instruments. Mass concentrations during these operations were 0.120, 1.840, and 0.804 mg/m3, respectively. Median particle number concentrations were 4.8 × 104, 1.3 × 105, and 5.4 × 105 particles/cm3, respectively. Nanoparticles accounted for 95, 40, and 61%, respectively, with prevailing Fe and Mn. All markers of nucleic acid and protein oxidation, malondialdehyde, and aldehydes C6–C13 were elevated, already in the pre-shift samples relative to controls in both workshops. Significant post-shift elevations were documented in lipid oxidation markers. Significant associations were found between working in nanocomposite synthesis and EBC biomarkers. More research is needed to understand the contribution of nanoparticles from nanocomposite processing in inducing oxidative stress, relative to other co-exposures generated during welding, smelting, and secondary oxidation processes, in these workshops.
The State of Long Non-Coding RNA Biology
Authors: Mattick John
Published: August 2018

Transcriptomic studies have demonstrated that the vast majority of the genomes of mammals and other complex organisms is expressed in highly dynamic and cell-specific patterns to produce large numbers of intergenic, antisense and intronic long non-protein-coding RNAs (lncRNAs). Despite well characterized examples, their scaling with developmental complexity, and many demonstrations of their association with cellular processes, development and diseases, lncRNAs are still to be widely accepted as major players in gene regulation. This may reflect an underappreciation of the extent and precision of the epigenetic control of differentiation and development, where lncRNAs appear to have a central role, likely as organizational and guide molecules: most lncRNAs are nuclear-localized and chromatin-associated, with some involved in the formation of specialized subcellular domains. I suggest that a reassessment of the conceptual framework of genetic information and gene expression in the 4-dimensional ontogeny of spatially organized multicellular organisms is required. Together with this and further studies on their biology, the key challenges now are to determine the structure–function relationships of lncRNAs, which may be aided by emerging evidence of their modular structure, the role of RNA editing and modification in enabling epigenetic plasticity, and the role of RNA signaling in transgenerational inheritance of experience.
Nutritional Metabolomics: Postprandial Response of Meals Relating to Vegan, Lacto-Ovo Vegetarian, and Omnivore Diets
Authors: Rådjursöga Millie , Lindqvist Helen M. , Pedersen Anders , Karlsson B. Göran , Malmodin Daniel , Ellegård Lars , Winkvist Anna
Published: August 2018

Metabolomics provide an unbiased tool for exploring the modulation of the human metabolome in response to food intake. This study applied metabolomics to capture the postprandial metabolic response to breakfast meals corresponding to vegan (VE), lacto ovo-vegetarian (LOV), and omnivore (OM) diets. In a cross over design 32 healthy volunteers (16 men and 16 females) consumed breakfast meals in a randomized order during three consecutive days. Fasting and 3 h postprandial serum samples were collected and then subjected to metabolite profiling using 1H-nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. Changes in concentration of identified and discriminating metabolites, between fasting and postprandial state, were compared across meals. Betaine, choline, and creatine displayed higher concentration in the OM breakfast, while 3-hydroxyisobutyrate, carnitine, proline, and tyrosine showed an increase for the LOV and unidentified free fatty acids displayed a higher concentration after the VE breakfast. Using 1H NMR metabolomics it was possible to detect and distinguish the metabolic response of three different breakfast meals corresponding to vegan, lacto-ovo vegetarian, and omnivore diets in serum.
Anti-Resonant Hollow Core Fibers with Modified Shape of the Core for the Better Optical Performance in the Visible Spectral Region—A Numerical Study
Authors: Stawska Hanna Izabela , Popenda Maciej Andrzej , Bereś-Pawlik Elżbieta
Published: August 2018

In this paper, we present numerical studies of several different structures of anti-resonant, hollow core optical fibers. The cladding of these fibers is based on the Kagomé lattice concept, with some of the core-surrounding lattice cells removed. This modification, by creating additional, glass-free regions around the core, results in a significant improvement of some important optical fiber parameters, such as confinement loss (CL), bending loss (BL), and dispersion parameter (D). According to the conducted simulations (with fused silica glass being the structure’s material), CL were reduced from ~0.36 dB/m to ~0.16 dB/m (at 760 nm wavelength) in case of the structure with removed cells, and did not exceed the value of 1 dB/m across the 700–850 nm wavelength range. Additionally, proposed structure exhibits a remarkably low value of D—from 1.5 to 2.5 ps/(nm × km) at the 700–800 nm wavelength range, while the BL were estimated to be below 0.25 dB/m for bending radius of ~1.5 cm. CL and D were simulated, additionally, for structures made of acrylic glass polymethylmethacrylate, (PMMA), with similarly good results—DPMMA ∊ [2, 4] ps/(nm × km) and CLPMMA ≈ 0.13 dB/m (down from 0.41 dB/m), for the same spectral regions (700–800 nm bandwidth for D, and 760 nm wavelength for CL).
Contributions of Operational Satellites in Monitoring the Catastrophic Floodwaters Due to Hurricane Harvey
Authors: Goldberg Mitchell D. , Li Sanmei , Goodman Steven , Lindsey Dan , Sjoberg Bill , Sun Donglian
Published: August 2018

Hurricane Harvey made landfall as a Category-4 storm in the United States on 25 August 2017 in Texas, causing catastrophic flooding in the Houston metropolitan area and resulting in a total economic loss estimated to be about $125 billion. To monitor flooding in the areas affected by Harvey, we used data from sensors aboard the Suomi National Polar-Orbiting Partnership Satellite (SNPP) and the new Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES)-16. The GOES-16 Advanced Baseline Imager (ABI) observations are available every 5 min at 1-km spatial resolution across the entire United States, allowing for the possibility of frequent cloud free views of the flooded areas; while the higher resolution 375-m imagery available twice per day from the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) aboard the SNPP satellite can observe more details of the flooded regions. Combining the high spatial resolution from VIIRS with the frequent observations from ABI offers an improved capability for flood monitoring. The flood maps derived from the SNPP VIIRS and GOES-16 ABI observations were provided to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) continuously during Hurricane Harvey. According to FEMA’s estimate on 3 September 2017, approximately 155,000 properties might have been affected by the floodwaters of Hurricane Harvey.
Advancing Precipitation Estimation and Streamflow Simulations in Complex Terrain with X-Band Dual-Polarization Radar Observations
Authors: Anagnostou Marios , Nikolopoulos Efthymios , Kalogiros John , Anagnostou Emmanouil , Marra Francesco , Mair Elisabeth , Bertoldi Giacomo , Tappeiner Ulrike , Borga Marco
Published: August 2018

In mountain basins, the use of long-range operational weather radars is often associated with poor quantitative precipitation estimation due to a number of challenges posed by the complexity of terrain. As a result, the applicability of radar-based precipitation estimates for hydrological studies is often limited over areas that are in close proximity to the radar. This study evaluates the advantages of using X-band polarimetric (XPOL) radar as a means to fill the coverage gaps and improve complex terrain precipitation estimation and associated hydrological applications based on a field experiment conducted in an area of Northeast Italian Alps characterized by large elevation differences. The corresponding rainfall estimates from two operational C-band weather radar observations are compared to the XPOL rainfall estimates for a near-range (10–35 km) mountainous basin (64 km2). In situ rainfall observations from a dense rain gauge network and two disdrometers (a 2D-video and a Parsivel) are used for ground validation of the radar-rainfall estimates. Ten storm events over a period of two years are used to explore the differences between the locally deployed XPOL vs. longer-range operational radar-rainfall error statistics. Hourly aggregate rainfall estimates by XPOL, corrected for rain-path attenuation and vertical reflectivity profile, exhibited correlations between 0.70 and 0.99 against reference rainfall data and 21% mean relative error for rainfall rates above 0.2 mm h−1. The corresponding metrics from the operational radar-network rainfall products gave a strong underestimation (50–70%) and lower correlations (0.48–0.81). For the two highest flow-peak events, a hydrological model (Kinematic Local Excess Model) was forced with the different radar-rainfall estimations and in situ rain gauge precipitation data at hourly resolution, exhibiting close agreement between the XPOL and gauge-based driven runoff simulations, while the simulations obtained by the operational radar rainfall products resulted in a greatly underestimated runoff response.
Direct Instantaneous Frequency Rate Estimation to Improve the Carrier Estimation Performance in Mars Entry, Descent, and Landing Flight
Authors: Hao Wanhong , Cui Xiaowei , Feng Jianguang , Dong Guangliang , Zhu Zhiyong
Published: August 2018

This paper focuses on the carrier estimation performance improvement in Mars entry, descent, and landing (EDL) flights. Carrier reconstruction could be used for trajectory derivation and Martian atmosphere profile inversion, and is the critical information for mission operations, as it helps determine the flight status of the spacecraft, demodulate the downlink information. The current approach is maximum likelihood estimation based on a two-dimensional (2D) maximum energy search algorithm, which computes the grid energy over all the combinations of frequency cells and frequency rate cells among the search space. Although it has good performance on robust estimation, the frequency estimation accuracy is limited due to the short coherent integration. An instantaneous frequency rate tracking approach based on the cubic phase function (CPF) is proposed that directly estimates the instantaneous frequency rate over the frequency rate cells, followed by the frequency estimation among the frequency cells. A sequential estimation method is introduced to propose the sequential CPF statistics, which uses the a priori Doppler phase information to suppress the noise squaring loss inherent in the standard CPF statistics. Simulations have been made on the released Mars Science Laboratory EDL trajectory for the two approaches, which show that considerable estimation improvement has been achieved for aerobraking flight by the new algorithm.
Potential Point-of-Care Microfluidic Devices to Diagnose Iron Deficiency Anemia
Authors: Yap Boon Kar , M.Soair Siti Nur’Arifah , Talik Noor Azrina , Lim Wai Feng , Mei I Lai
Published: August 2018

Over the past 20 years, rapid technological advancement in the field of microfluidics has produced a wide array of microfluidic point-of-care (POC) diagnostic devices for the healthcare industry. However, potential microfluidic applications in the field of nutrition, specifically to diagnose iron deficiency anemia (IDA) detection, remain scarce. Iron deficiency anemia is the most common form of anemia, which affects billions of people globally, especially the elderly, women, and children. This review comprehensively analyzes the current diagnosis technologies that address anemia-related IDA-POC microfluidic devices in the future. This review briefly highlights various microfluidics devices that have the potential to detect IDA and discusses some commercially available devices for blood plasma separation mechanisms. Reagent deposition and integration into microfluidic devices are also explored. Finally, we discuss the challenges of insights into potential portable microfluidic systems, especially for remote IDA detection.
Adolescent Finswimmers: Early Myocardial Adaptations in Different Swimming Styles
Authors: Stavrou Vasileios , Tsarouhas Konstantinos , Karetsi Eleni , Michos Panagiotis , Daniil Zoe , I. Gourgoulianis Konstantinos
Published: August 2018

Background: The purpose of our study was to investigate early differences in the adolescent female finswimmers’ echocardiography parameters, possibly associated with different swimming-style training and different training equipment (monofin (MF) versus bifin (BF)). Method: Forty-three female finswimmers participated in our study (age: 15.6 ± 2.1 years, body mass index: 20.4 ± 2.2 kg/m2, body surface area: 1.56 ± 0.04 m2, body fat: 11.2 ± 0.6%) and were divided into two groups, according to the swimming style practiced (MF vs BF). Anthropometric characteristics, echocardiography and arterial pressure were measured. The independent t-test was used for statistical comparisons between groups. Stepwise multivariate regression analysis was applied to investigate associations between various variables. Results: The two groups used training equipment with different weights (p < 0.001). Female adolescent finswimmers presented signs of myocardial hypertrophy depicted by the increased left ventricle myocardial mass indexed to body surface area (101.34 ± 23.65). Different patterns of myocardial hypertrophy were observed for the two groups; MF swimmers presented concentric hypertrophy, while BF swimmers presented eccentric hypertrophy (relative wall thickness MF = 0.46 ± 0.08 vs BF = 0.39 ± 0.06 cm, p < 0.05). MF swimmers had also higher left ventricular posterior wall diameters (p < 0.05), lower stroke volume values (p < 0.05) and lower ejection fraction (p < 0.05) compared to BF athletes. Conclusion: Adolescent female finswimmers presented different patterns of myocardial hypertrophy possibly related to different training protocols and modes of exercise.
Sustainable Waste Tire Derived Carbon Material as a Potential Anode for Lithium-Ion Batteries
Authors: Gnanaraj Joseph S. , Lee Richard J. , Levine Alan M. , Wistrom Jonathan L. , Wistrom Skyler L. , Li Yunchao , Li Jianlin , Akato Kokouvi , Naskar Amit K. , Paranthaman M. Parans
Published: August 2018

The rapidly growing automobile industry increases the accumulation of end-of-life tires each year throughout the world. Waste tires lead to increased environmental issues and lasting resource problems. Recycling hazardous wastes to produce value-added products is becoming essential for the sustainable progress of society. A patented sulfonation process followed by pyrolysis at 1100 °C in a nitrogen atmosphere was used to produce carbon material from these tires and utilized as an anode in lithium-ion batteries. The combustion of the volatiles released in waste tire pyrolysis produces lower fossil CO2 emissions per unit of energy (136.51 gCO2/kW·h) compared to other conventional fossil fuels such as coal or fuel–oil, usually used in power generation. The strategy used in this research may be applied to other rechargeable batteries, supercapacitors, catalysts, and other electrochemical devices. The Raman vibrational spectra observed on these carbons show a graphitic carbon with significant disorder structure. Further, structural studies reveal a unique disordered carbon nanostructure with a higher interlayer distance of 4.5 Å compared to 3.43 Å in the commercial graphite. The carbon material derived from tires was used as an anode in lithium-ion batteries exhibited a reversible capacity of 360 mAh/g at C/3. However, the reversible capacity increased to 432 mAh/g at C/10 when this carbon particle was coated with a thin layer of carbon. A novel strategy of prelithiation applied for improving the first cycle efficiency to 94% is also presented.
Novel Procedure for Designing and 3D Printing a Customized Surgical Template for Arthrodesis Surgery on the Sacrum
Authors: Naddeo Francesco , Naddeo Alessandro , Cappetti Nicola , Cataldo Emilio , Militio Riccardo
Published: August 2018

In this article, the authors propose a novel procedure for designing a customized 3D-printed surgical template to guide surgeons in inserting screws into the sacral zone during arthrodesis surgeries. The template is characterized by two cylindrical guides defined by means of trajectories identified, based on standard procedure, via an appropriate Computer-Aided-Design (CAD)-based procedure. The procedure is based on the definition of the insertion direction by means of anatomical landmarks that enable the screws to take advantage of the maximum available bone path. After 3D printing, the template adheres perfectly to the bone surface, showing univocal positioning by exploiting the foramina of the sacrum, great maneuverability due to the presence of an ergonomic handle, as well as a break system for the two independent guides. These features make the product innovative. Thanks to its small size and the easy anchoring, the surgeon can simply position the template on the insertion area and directly insert the screws, without alterations to standard surgical procedures. This has the effect of reducing the overall duration of the surgery and the patient’s exposure to X-rays, and increasing both the safety of the intervention and the quality of the results.
The Vestigial Esterase Domain of Haemagglutinin of H5N1 Avian Influenza A Virus: Antigenicity and Contribution to Viral Pathogenesis
Authors: Zheng Zhiqiang , Paul Subha Sankar , Mo Xiaobing , Yuan Yu-Ren Adam , Tan Yee-Joo
Published: August 2018

Initial attempts to develop monoclonal antibodies as therapeutics to resolve influenza infections focused mainly on searching for antibodies with the potential to neutralise the virus in vitro with classical haemagglutination inhibition and microneutralisation assays. This led to the identification of many antibodies that bind to the head domain of haemagglutinin (HA), which generally have potent neutralisation capabilities that block viral entry or viral membrane fusion. However, this class of antibodies has a narrow breadth of protection in that they are usually strain-specific. This led to the emphasis on stalk-targeting antibodies, which are able to bind a broad range of viral targets that span across different influenza subtypes. Recently, a third class of antibodies targeting the vestigial esterase (VE) domain have been characterised. In this review, we describe the key features of neutralising VE-targeting antibodies and compare them with head- and stalk-class antibodies.
Apparent Motion Perception in the Praying Mantis: Psychophysics and Modelling
Authors: Tarawneh Ghaith , Jones Lisa , Nityananda Vivek , Rosner Ronny , Rind Claire , Read Jenny
Published: August 2018

Apparent motion is the perception of motion created by rapidly presenting still frames in which objects are displaced in space. Observers can reliably discriminate the direction of apparent motion when inter-frame object displacement is below a certain limit, Dmax . Earlier studies of motion perception in humans found that Dmax is lower-bounded at around 15 arcmin, and thereafter scales with the size of the spatial elements in the images. Here, we run corresponding experiments in the praying mantis Sphodromantis lineola to investigate how Dmax scales with the element size. We use random moving chequerboard patterns of varying element and displacement step sizes to elicit the optomotor response, a postural stabilization mechanism that causes mantids to lean in the direction of large-field motion. Subsequently, we calculate Dmax as the displacement step size corresponding to a 50% probability of detecting an optomotor response in the same direction as the stimulus. Our main findings are that the mantis Dmax scales roughly as a square-root of element size and that, in contrast to humans, it is not lower-bounded. We present two models to explain these observations: a simple high-level model based on motion energy in the Fourier domain and a more-detailed one based on the Reichardt Detector. The models present complementary intuitive and physiologically-realistic accounts of how Dmax scales with the element size in insects. We conclude that insect motion perception is limited by only a single stage of spatial filtering, reflecting the optics of the compound eye. In contrast, human motion perception reflects a second stage of spatial filtering, at coarser scales than imposed by human optics, likely corresponding to the magnocellular pathway. After this spatial filtering, mantis and human motion perception and Dmax are qualitatively very similar.
Estimating Real-World Emissions of PHEVs in Norway by Combining Laboratory Measurement with User Surveys
Authors: Figenbaum Erik , Weber Christian
Published: August 2018

The paper presents the results of experimental testing of the exhaust emission and energy consumption of two gasoline plug-in hybrid vehicles in an emission testing laboratory with different drive cycles and drive modes and at summer and winter temperatures. One was a compact vehicle with a type approval electric mode range of 50 km, the other a mid-sized vehicle with an electric mode range of 31 km. Additionally, an online survey of 2065 private plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEV) owners investigated the usage pattern of the vehicles. Combining the laboratory tests with the user survey results provided an estimate for the reduction of CO2-emission of PHEVs in use in Norway. The main conclusion is that the PHEV is a vehicle type that needs to match well with the use pattern to produce low CO2- and local emissions. The achievable CO2-emission reduction was proportional to the range in electric drive-mode (E-mode), i.e., 50 km range resulted in about 50% reduction.
Stress of Strains: Inbred Mice in Liver Research
Authors: Rogers Arlin B.
Published: August 2018

Inbred mice are the most popular animals used for in vivo liver research. These mice are genetically defined, readily available, less expensive to maintain than larger animals, and enjoy a broad array of commercial reagents for scientific characterization. C57BL/6 mice are the most
commonly used strain. However, other strains discussed, including BALB/c, C3H, A/J, and FVB/N, may be better suited to a particular disease model or line of investigation. Understanding the phenotypes of different inbred mouse strains facilitates informed decision making during experimental
design. Model systems influenced by strain-dependent phenotype include tissue regeneration, drug-induced liver injury (DILI; e.g., acetaminophen), fibrosis (e.g., carbon tetrachloride, CCl4), Fas-induced apoptosis, cholestasis, alcohol-induced liver disease and cirrhosis, nonalcoholic
fatty liver disease and steatohepatitis (NAFLD/NASH), and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Thoughtful consideration of the strengths and weaknesses of each inbred strain in a given model system will lead to more robust data and a clearer understanding of translational relevance to human liver
disease.
The Super Earth–Cold Jupiter Relations
Authors: Zhu 祝 Wei 伟 , Wu 武延 Yanqin 庆
Published: August 2018

We report relations between inner (<1 au) super Earths (planets with mass/radius between Earth and Neptune) and outer (>1 au) giant planets (mass > 0.3 M
J, or cold Jupiters) around Sun-like stars, based on data from both ground-based radial velocity (RV) observations and the Kepler mission. We find that cold Jupiters appear three times more often around hosts of super Earths than they do around field stars. Given the prevalence of the super Earth systems, their cold Jupiters can account for nearly all cold Jupiters. In other words, cold Jupiters are almost certainly (∼90%) accompanied by super Earths. A few corollaries follow: (1) around metal-rich ([Fe/H] > 0.1) stars, the fraction of super Earths with cold Jupiters can rise to 60% or higher; (2) the inner architecture can be strongly impacted by the outer giant and we report some observational evidence for this; (3) planetary systems like our own, with cold Jupiters but no super Earths, should be rare (∼1%). The strong correlation between super Earths and cold Jupiters establish that super Earths and cold Jupiters do not compete for solid material, rather, they share similar origins, with the cold Jupiter formation requiring a somewhat more stringent condition. Lastly, we propose a few immediate observational tests of our results, using ground-based RV observations and ongoing/planned space missions.
Radiating the Hydrogen Recombination Energy during Common Envelope Evolution
Authors: Soker Noam , Grichener Aldana , Sabach Efrat
Published: August 2018

Using the stellar evolution code Modules for Experiments in Stellar Astrophysics (MESA), we show that most of the hydrogen recombination energy that is released as the envelope expands during a regular common envelope evolution—namely, the initial dynamical phase or plunge-in phase—is radiated, and hence substantially increases the stellar luminosity. Only about 10% of the hydrogen recombination energy might be used to remove the envelope. We show that the key property of energy transport is that when convection becomes inefficient in the outer parts of the envelope, where the ionization degree of hydrogen falls below about 30%, photon diffusion becomes very efficient and removes the recombination energy. The expanding envelope absorbs most of the gravitational energy that is released by the spiraling-in process of the secondary star inside the common envelope, and so it is the hydrogen recombination energy that is responsible for most of the luminosity increase of the system. The recombination energy of hydrogen adds only a small fraction of the energy required to remove the common envelope, and hence does not play a significant role in the ejection of the envelope.