bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Karnaugh-Map Utility in Medical Studies: The Case of Fetal Malnutrition
Authors: Rushdi Rufaidah Ali , Rushdi Ali Muhammad
Published: March 2019

This paper advocate and demonstrates the utility of the Karnaugh map, as a pictorial manual tool of Boolean algebra, in the exploration of medical problems as exemplified herein by the problem of Fetal Malnutrition (FM). The paper briefly introduces the FM problem, and specifies four metrics or tests used frequently in its study. Clinical data collected about these metrics (as continuous variables or dichotomized versions thereof) are conventionally treated via statistical methods. The Karnaugh map serves as a convenient way for aggregating the set of clinical data available into a pseudo-Boolean function. The map can be used to produce a two-by-two contingency matrix (confusion matrix or frequency matrix) that relates an assessed test or metric to a reference or standard one. Each of these two metrics can be any of the map variables or a function of some or all of these variables. While the map serves in this capacity as a supplement or aid to statistical methods, it is also useful for certain non-statistical methods (specifically Boolean ones). The paper shows how the map entries can be dichotomized via an appropriate threshold for use in Boolean Analysis (BA), which can be conducted despite the lack of a gold standard. The map also implements Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA) for the given clinical data. The map variable-handling capability does not pose as a shortcoming for either BA or QCA, since the number of variables involved (not only herein but in other typical medical problems as well) is relatively small. The concepts and methods introduced herein are demonstrated through application to the aforementioned set of clinical data for the FM problem, and can be extended to a wide variety of medical problems.
An Efficient Portfolio with Several Objectives and Varying Parameters
Authors: Jana Mrinal , Panda Geetanjali , Agrawal Neelesh
Published: March 2019

We investigate a portfolio selection model with several objective functions, whose coefficients are uncertain and vary between some bounds. A preferable efficient portfolio of the model is obtained, which provides the range within which the portfolio return and the moments would vary. An optimal portfolio for the forecasted returns of stocks is found with actual market data from the Bombay Stock Exchange, India.
The Development and Evaluation of ‘Farm Animal Welfare’: An Educational Computer Game for Children
Authors: Hawkins Roxanne D. , Ferreira Gilly A. R. Mendes , Williams Joanne M.
Published: March 2019

Many children growing up in urban areas of Western countries have limited contact with and knowledge of farm animals and food production systems. Education can play an important role in children’s understanding of farm animal welfare issues, however, most education provided focuses on pets. There is a need to develop new farm animal welfare interventions for young children. This study examines the process of designing, developing, and evaluating the effectiveness of a new theoretically-driven digital game to teach children, aged 6–13 years, about farm animal welfare. ‘Farm Animal Welfare’ aimed to promote children’s knowledge about animal welfare, promote beliefs about animal sentience, and promote positive attitudes and compassion. A quasi-experimental design was carried out, using self-report questionnaires that children (n = 133, test = 69, control = 64) completed in the classroom. Test and control groups were from different schools and the control group did not engage in the intervention. Findings indicate a positive impact on beliefs about animal minds, knowledge about animal welfare needs, and knowledge about welfare in different farming systems, but there was no change in compassion or attitudes about cruelty. This study presents the first evaluation of a digital animal welfare education intervention for children, demonstrating the benefits of incorporating ‘serious games’ into farm animal welfare education. The findings will inform future practice around farm animal welfare education interventions for primary school children.
Hydroxycobalamin Reveals the Involvement of Hydrogen Sulfide in the Hypoxic Responses of Rat Carotid Body Chemoreceptor Cells
Authors: Gallego-Martin Teresa , Prieto-Lloret Jesus , Aaronson Philip I. , Rocher Asuncion , Obeso Ana
Published: March 2019

Carotid body (CB) chemoreceptor cells sense arterial blood PO2, generating a neurosecretory response proportional to the intensity of hypoxia. Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is a physiological gaseous messenger that is proposed to act as an oxygen sensor in CBs, although this concept remains controversial. In the present study we have used the H2S scavenger and vitamin B12 analog hydroxycobalamin (Cbl) as a new tool to investigate the involvement of endogenous H2S in CB oxygen sensing. We observed that the slow-release sulfide donor GYY4137 elicited catecholamine release from isolated whole carotid bodies, and that Cbl prevented this response. Cbl also abolished the rise in [Ca2+]i evoked by 50 µM NaHS in enzymatically dispersed CB glomus cells. Moreover, Cbl markedly inhibited the catecholamine release and [Ca2+]i rise caused by hypoxia in isolated CBs and dispersed glomus cells, respectively, whereas it did not alter these responses when they were evoked by high [K+]e. The L-type Ca2+ channel blocker nifedipine slightly inhibited the rise in CB chemoreceptor cells [Ca2+]i elicited by sulfide, whilst causing a somewhat larger attenuation of the hypoxia-induced Ca2+ signal. We conclude that Cbl is a useful and specific tool for studying the function of H2S in cells. Based on its effects on the CB chemoreceptor cells we propose that endogenous H2S is an amplifier of the hypoxic transduction cascade which acts mainly by stimulating non-L-type Ca2+ channels.
Fabrication of ZrO2(MgO)/CaAl2O4+CaAl4O7 Bilayer Structure Used for Sulfur Sensor by Laser Cladding
Authors: Wen Tianpeng , Yu Jingkun , Jin Endong , Yuan Lei , Zhou Yuting , Tian Chen
Published: March 2019

The ZrO2(MgO)/CaAl2O4+CaAl4O7 bilayer structure used for sulfur sensor was fabricated by the laser powder cladding (LPC) method using the MgO partially stabilized zirconia (2.7 wt% MgO-PSZ) as the substrate and the CaAl2O4 + CaAl4O7 composites as the coating material. The microstructure, phase composition and ionic conductivity of this bilayer structure were investigated for better application in the sulfur determination. The results indicated that the structure of the coating was dense and well-distributed with a thickness of 100 μm. The ionic conductivity of the ZrO2(MgO)/CaAl2O4+CaAl4O7 bilayer structure was up to 2.06 × 10−3 S·cm−1 at 850 °C that met the required ionic conductivity of ionic conductor for solid electrolyte sulfur sensor. Furthermore, the sulfur sensor Mo|Cr+Cr2O3| ZrO2(MgO)| CaAl2O4+CaAl4O7|[S]Fe| Mo was assembled used this bilayer structure and tested in carbon-saturated liquid iron at 1773 K and 1823 K. The stability and reproducibility of the sulfur sensor were satisfactory and could be used for sulfur determination in the liquid iron.
Measurement Vertex Position of a Large Aspheric Mirror
Authors: Li Jie , Yan Fengtao , Chen Lin , Yang Jie , Wan Yongjian
Published: March 2019

We present a novel method to accurately measure the vertex position of a large aspheric mirror with a phasing measuring interferometer, a laser tracker, and a micro alignment telescope. The method consists of rotating the mirror by 180° about its mechanical axis and measuring the change in displacement. Use of a micro alignment telescope eliminates the need to adjust the mirror during the measurement, eases the alignment of the testing system, and improves the vertex position measurement accuracy. Using this method, we measured the vertex position of an aspheric mirror 1 m in diameter and 2 m in radius of curvature. The vertex position measurement uncertainty is 88 μm.
Prediction Model of Compressive Strength Development in Concrete Containing Four Kinds of Gelled Materials with the Artificial Intelligence Method
Authors: Liu Guohua , Zheng Jian
Published: March 2019

Green concrete has been widely used in recent years because its production compliments environmental conservation. The prediction of the compressive strength of concrete using non-destructive techniques is of interest to engineers worldwide. Such methods are easy to carry out because they require little or no sample preparation. Conventional models and artificial intelligence models are two main types of models to predict the compressive strength of concrete. Artificial intelligence models main include the artificial neural network (ANN) model, back propagation (BP) neural network model, fuzzy model etc. Since both conventional models and artificial intelligence models are flawed. This study proposes to build a concrete compressive strength development over time (CCSDOT) model by using conventional method combined with the artificial intelligence method. The CCSDOT model performed well in predicting and fitting the compressive strength development in green concrete containing cement, slag, fly ash, and limestone flour. It is concluded that the CCSDOT model is stable through the use of sensitivity analysis. To evaluate the precision of this model, the prediction results of the proposed model were compared to that of the model based on the BP neural network. The results verify that the recommended model enjoys better flexibility, capability, and accuracy in predicting the compressive strength development in concrete than the other models.
Supercapacitive Performance of N-Doped Graphene/Mn3O4/Fe3O4 as an Electrode Material
Authors: Chong Beng Meng , Azman Nur Hawa Nabilah , Mohd Abdah Muhammad Amirul Aizat , Sulaiman Yusran
Published: March 2019

Nitrogen-doped graphene (NDG) and mixed metal oxides have been attracting much attention as the combination of these materials resulted in enhanced electrochemical properties. In this study, a composite of nitrogen-doped graphene/manganese oxide/iron oxide (NDG/Mn3O4/Fe3O4) for a supercapacitor was prepared through the hydrothermal method, followed by freeze-drying. Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) images revealed that the NDG/Mn3O4/Fe3O4 composite displayed wrinkled-like sheets morphology with Mn3O4 and Fe3O4 particles attached on the surface of NDG. The presence of NDG, Mn3O4, and Fe3O4 was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The electrochemical studies revealed that the NDG/Mn3O4/Fe3O4 composite exhibited the highest specific capacitance (158.46 F/g) compared to NDG/Fe3O4 (130.41 F/g), NDG/Mn3O4 (147.55 F/g), and NDG (74.35 F/g) in 1 M Na2SO4 at a scan rate of 50 mV/s due to the synergistic effect between bimetallic oxides, which provide richer redox reaction and high conductivity. The galvanostatic charge discharge (GCD) result demonstrated that, at a current density of 0.5 A/g, the discharging time of NDG/Mn3O4/Fe3O4 is the longest compared to NDG/Mn3O4 and NDG/Fe3O4, indicating that it had the largest charge storage capacity. NDG/Mn3O4/Fe3O4 also exhibited the smallest resistance of charge transfer (Rct) value (1.35 Ω), showing its excellent charge transfer behavior at the interface region and good cyclic stability by manifesting a capacity retention of 100.4%, even after 5000 cycles.
Assessing Dynamic Conditions of the Retaining Wall: Developing Two Hybrid Intelligent Models
Authors: Chen Hui , Asteris Panagiotis G. , Jahed Armaghani Danial , Gordan Behrouz , Pham Binh Thai
Published: March 2019

The precise estimation and forecast of the safety factor (SF) in civil engineering applications is considered as an important issue to reduce engineering risk. The present research investigates new artificial intelligence (AI) techniques for the prediction of SF values of retaining walls, as important and resistant structures for ground forces. These structures have complicated performances in dynamic conditions. Consequently, more than 8000 designs of these structures were dynamically evaluated. Two AI models, namely the imperialist competitive algorithm (ICA)-artificial neural network (ANN), and the genetic algorithm (GA)-ANN were used for the forecasting of SF values. In order to design intelligent models, parameters i.e., the wall thickness, stone density, wall height, soil density, and internal soil friction angle were examined under different dynamic conditions and assigned as inputs to predict SF of retaining walls. Various models of these systems were constructed and compared with each other to obtain the best one. Results of models indicated that although both hybrid models are able to predict SF values with a high accuracy and they can be introduced as new models in the field, the retaining wall performance could be properly predicted in dynamic conditions using the ICA-ANN model. Under these conditions, a combination of engineering design and artificial intelligence techniques can be used to control and secure retaining walls in dynamic conditions.
SLA-Based Adaptation Schemes in Distributed Stream Processing Engines
Authors: Hanif Muhammad , Kim Eunsam , Helal Sumi , Lee Choonhwa
Published: March 2019

With the upswing in the volume of data, information online, and magnanimous cloud applications, big data analytics becomes mainstream in the research communities in the industry as well as in the scholarly world. This prompted the emergence and development of real-time distributed stream processing frameworks, such as Flink, Storm, Spark, and Samza. These frameworks endorse complex queries on streaming data to be distributed across multiple worker nodes in a cluster. Few of these stream processing frameworks provides fundamental support for controlling the latency and throughput of the system as well as the correctness of the results. However, none has the ability to handle them on the fly at runtime. We present a well-informed and efficient adaptive watermarking and dynamic buffering timeout mechanism for the distributed streaming frameworks. It is designed to increase the overall throughput of the system by making the watermarks adaptive towards the stream of incoming workload, and scale the buffering timeout dynamically for each task tracker on the fly while maintaining the Service Level Agreement (SLA)-based end-to-end latency of the system. This work focuses on tuning the parameters of the system (such as window correctness, buffering timeout, and so on) based on the prediction of incoming workloads and assesses whether a given workload will breach an SLA using output metrics including latency, throughput, and correctness of both intermediate and final results. We used Apache Flink as our testbed distributed processing engine for this work. However, the proposed mechanism can be applied to other streaming frameworks as well. Our results on the testbed model indicate that the proposed system outperforms the status quo of stream processing. With the inclusion of learning models like naïve Bayes, multilayer perceptron (MLP), and sequential minimal optimization (SMO)., the system shows more progress in terms of keeping the SLA intact as well as quality of service (QoS).
Bioelectrochemical CO2 Reduction to Methane: MES Integration in Biogas Production Processes
Authors: Nelabhotla Anirudh Bhanu Teja , Dinamarca Carlos
Published: March 2019

Anaerobic digestion (AD) is a widely used technique to treat organic waste and produce biogas. This article presents a practical approach to increase biogas yield of an AD system using a microbial electrosynthesis system (MES). The biocathode in MES reduces carbon dioxide with the supplied electrons and protons (H+) to form methane. We demonstrate that the MES is able to produce biogas with over 90% methane when fed with reject water obtained from a local wastewater treatment plant. The optimised cathode potential was observed in the range of −0.70 V to −0.60 V and optimised feed pH was around 7.0. With autoclaved feed, these conditions allowed methane yields of about 9.05 mmol/L(reactor)-day. A control experiment was then carried out to make a comparison between open circuit and MES methanogenesis. The highest methane yield of about 22.1 mmol/L(reactor)-day was obtained during MES operation that performed 10–15% better than the open circuit mode of operation. We suggest and describe an integrated AD-MES system, by installing MES in the reject water loop, as a novel approach to improve the efficiency and productivity of existing waste/wastewater treatment plants.
Immobilization of Detonation Nanodiamonds on Macroscopic Surfaces
Authors: Balakin Sascha , Dennison Nicholas R. , Klemmed Benjamin , Spohn Juliane , Cuniberti Gianaurelio , Römhildt Lotta , Opitz Jörg
Published: March 2019

Detonation nanodiamonds (NDs) are a novel class of carbon-based nanomaterials, and have received a great deal of attention in biomedical applications, due to their high biocompatibility, facile surface functionalization, and commercialized synthetic fabrication. We were able to transfer the NDs from large-size agglomerate suspensions to homogenous coatings. ND suspensions have been used in various techniques to coat on commercially available substrates of pure Ti and Si. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) imaging and nanoindentation show that the densest and strongest coating of NDs was generated when using 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)carbodiimide and N-hydroxysuccinimide (EDC/NHS)-mediated coupling to macroscopic silanized surfaces. In the next step, the feasibility of DNA-mediated coupling of NDs on macroscopic surfaces is discussed using fluorescent microscopy and additional particle size distribution, as well as zeta potential measurements. This work compares different ND coating strategies and describes the straightforward technique of grafting single-stranded DNA onto carboxylated NDs via thioester bridges.
New Interpretative Scales for Lichen Bioaccumulation Data: The Italian Proposal
Authors: Cecconi Elva , Fortuna Lorenzo , Benesperi Renato , Bianchi Elisabetta , Brunialti Giorgio , Contardo Tania , Di Nuzzo Luca , Frati Luisa , Monaci Fabrizio , Munzi Silvana , Nascimbene Juri , Paoli Luca , Ravera Sonia , Vannini Andrea , Giordani Paolo , Loppi Stefano , Tretiach Mauro
Published: March 2019

The interpretation of lichen bioaccumulation data is of paramount importance in environmental forensics and decision-making processes. By implementing basic ideas underlying previous interpretative scales, new dimensionless, species-independent “bioaccumulation scales” for native and transplanted lichens are proposed. Methodologically consistent element concentration datasets were populated with data from biomonitoring studies relying on native and transplanted lichens. The scale for native lichens was built up by analyzing the distribution of ratios between element concentration data and species-specific background concentration references (B ratios), herein provided for Flavoparmelia caperata and Xanthoria parietina (foliose lichens). The scale for transplants was built up by analyzing the distribution of ratios between element concentration in exposed and unexposed samples (EU ratio) of Evernia prunastri and Pseudevernia furfuracea (fruticose lichens). Both scales consist of five percentile-based classes; namely, “Absence of”, “Low”, “Moderate”, “High”, and “Severe” bioaccumulation. A comparative analysis of extant interpretative tools showed that previous ones for native lichens suffered from the obsolescence of source data, whereas the previous expert-assessed scale for transplants failed in describing noticeable element concentration variations. The new scales, based on the concept that pollution can be quantified by dimensionless ratios between experimental and benchmark values, overcome most critical points affecting the previous scales.
‘Materials as a Design Tool’ Design Philosophy Applied in Three Innovative Research Pavilions Out of Sustainable Building Materials with Controlled End-Of-Life Scenarios
Authors: Dahy Hanaa
Published: March 2019

Choosing building materials is usually the stage that follows design in the architectural design process, and is rarely used as a main input and driver for the design of the whole building’s geometries or structures. As an approach to have control over the environmental impact of the applied building materials and their after-use scenarios, an approach has been initiated by the author through a series of research studies, architectural built prototypes, and green material developments. This paper illustrates how sustainable building materials can be a main input in the design process, and how digital fabrication technologies can enable variable controlling strategies over the green materials’ properties, enabling adjustable innovative building spaces with new architectural typologies, aesthetic values, and controlled martial life cycles. Through this, a new type of design philosophy by means of applying sustainable building materials with closed life cycles is created. In this paper, three case studies of research pavilions are illustrated. The pavilions were prefabricated and constructed from newly developed sustainable building materials. The applied materials varied between structural and non-structural building materials, where each had a controlled end-of-life scenario. The application of the bio-based building materials was set as an initial design phase, and the architects here participated within two disciplines: once as designers, and additionally as green building material developers. In all three case studies, Design for Deconstruction (DfD) strategies were applied in different manners, encouraging architects to further follow such suggested approaches.
Catalytic Behaviour of Flame-Made CuO-CeO2 Nanocatalysts in Efficient CO Oxidation
Authors: Zhao Feng , Li Shuangde , Wu Xiaofeng , Yue Renliang , Li Weiman , Zha Xicuo , Deng Yuzhou , Chen Yunfa
Published: March 2019

CuO-CeO2 nanocatalysts with varying CuO contents (1, 5, 9, 14 and 17 wt %) were prepared by one-step flame spray pyrolysis (FSP) and applied to CO oxidation. The influences of CuO content on the as-prepared catalysts were systematically characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), N2 adsorption-desorption at −196 °C, field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), Raman spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and hydrogen-temperature programmed reduction (H2-TPR). A superior CO oxidation activity was observed for the 14 wt % CuO-CeO2 catalyst, with 90% CO conversion at 98 °C at space velocity (60,000 mL × g−1 × h−1), which was attributed to abundant surface defects (lattice distortion, Ce3+, and oxygen vacancies) and high reducibility supported by strong synergistic interaction. In addition, the catalyst also displayed excellent stability and resistance to water vapor. Significantly, in situ diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy (in situ DRIFTS) showed that in the CO catalytic oxidation process, the strong synergistic interaction led readily to dehydroxylation and CO adsorption on Cu+ at low temperature. Furthermore, in the feed of water vapor, although there was an adverse effect on the access of CO adsorption, there was also a positive effect on the formation of fewer carbon intermediates. All these results showed the potential of highly active and water vapor-resistive CuO-CeO2 catalysts prepared by FSP.
CIDE Proteins in Human Health and Disease
Authors: Slayton Mark , Gupta Abhishek , Balakrishnan Bijinu , Puri Vishwajeet
Published: March 2019

Cell death-Inducing DNA Fragmentation Factor Alpha (DFFA)-like Effector (CIDE) proteins have emerged as lipid droplet-associated proteins that regulate fat metabolism. There are three members in the CIDE protein family—CIDEA, CIDEB, and CIDEC (also known as fat-specific protein 27 (FSP27)). CIDEA and FSP27 are primarily expressed in adipose tissue, while CIDEB is expressed in the liver. Originally, based upon their homology with DNA fragmentation factors, these proteins were identified as apoptotic proteins. However, recent studies have changed the perception of these proteins, redefining them as regulators of lipid droplet dynamics and fat metabolism, which contribute to a healthy metabolic phenotype in humans. Despite various studies in humans and gene-targeting studies in mice, the physiological roles of CIDE proteins remains elusive. This review will summarize the known physiological role and metabolic pathways regulated by the CIDE proteins in human health and disease.
Electrodeposition of Nanocrystalline Fe-P Coatings: Influence of Bath Temperature and Glycine Concentration on Structure, Mechanical and Corrosion Behavior
Authors: Kovalska Natalia , Tsyntsaru Natalia , Cesiulis Henrikas , Gebert Annet , Fornell Jordina , Pellicer Eva , Sort Jordi , Hansal Wolfgang , Kautek Wolfgang
Published: March 2019

A detailed electrochemical study and investigation of a Fe-P glycine bath as a function of the temperature and glycine concentrations and current density, and their resulting corrosion and mechanical behavior is presented. A low addition of glycine to the electrolyte led to a drastic increase of the P content. At low Fe-P deposition rates, heterogeneous rough deposits with morphological bumps and pores were observed. By increasing the Fe-P deposition rate, the number of pores were reduced drastically, resulting in smooth coatings. Increasing the P content led to the formation of nanocrystalline grains from an “amorphous-like” state. Coatings with higher P contents exhibited better corrosion resistance and hardening, most likely attributed to grain boundary strengthening.
Scaling Behavior of Pattern Formation in the Flexographic Ink Splitting Process
Authors: Brumm Pauline , Sauer Hans Martin , Dörsam Edgar
Published: March 2019

We considered pattern formation, i.e. viscous fingering, in the ink splitting process between an elastic flexographic printing plate and the substrate. We observed an unexpected scaling behavior of the emerging pattern length scale (i.e., finger width) as a function of printing velocity, fluid viscosity, surface tension, and plate elasticity coefficients. Scaling exponents depended on the ratio of the capillary number of the fluid flow, and the elastocapillary number defined by plate elasticity and surface tension. The exponents significantly differed from rigid printing plates, which depend on the capillary number only. A dynamic model is proposed to predict the scaling exponents. The results indicate that flexo printing corresponded to a self-regulating dynamical equilibrium of viscous, capillary, and elastic forces. We argue that these forces stabilize the process conditions in a flexo printing unit over a wide range of printing velocities, ink viscosities, and mechanical process settings.
Dynamically Tunable Plasmon-Induced Transparency Based on Radiative–Radiative-Coupling in a Terahertz Metal–Graphene Metamaterial
Authors: Wang Guanqi , Zhang Xianbin , Zhang Lei , Wei Xuyan
Published: March 2019

New technologies and materials with superior characteristics impel great development of functional devices in the terahertz field. The dynamically tunable plasmon-induced transparency (PIT) based on radiative–radiative-coupling in terahertz hybrid metal–graphene metamaterial is numerically investigated in this paper. For the active manipulation of the PIT device, the single-layer graphene is integrated into the proposed structure consisting of the split-ring-resonator (SRR) and the closed-ring-resonator (CRR). Dynamically adjusting Fermi energy in graphene leads to modulation of the PIT window, allowing for the active control of the group delay. From the simulated electrical field distributions and effective circuit model to analyze, the transmission spectrum modulation can be attributed to the altering in the energy loss of the dark mode resonator through the conduction effect of the graphene layer. Our work offers theoretical references for the development of slow light terahertz devices in the future.
Leaf Fresh Weight Versus Dry Weight: Which is Better for Describing the Scaling Relationship between Leaf Biomass and Leaf Area for Broad-Leaved Plants?
Authors: Huang Weiwei , Ratkowsky David A. , Hui Cang , Wang Ping , Su Jialu , Shi Peijian
Published: March 2019

Leaf dry mass per unit area (LMA) is considered to represent the photosynthetic capacity, which actually implies a hypothesis that foliar water mass (leaf fresh weight minus leaf dry weight) is proportional to leaf dry weight during leaf growth. However, relevant studies demonstrated that foliar water mass disproportionately increases with increasing leaf dry weight. Although scaling relationships of leaf dry weight vs. leaf area for many plants were investigated, few studies compared the scaling relationship based on leaf dry weight with that based on leaf fresh weight. In this study, we used the data of three families (Lauraceae, Oleaceae, and Poaceae, subfamily Bambusoideae) with five broad-leaved species for each family to examine whether using different measures for leaf biomass (i.e., dry weight and fresh weight) can result in different fitted results for the scaling relationship between leaf biomass and area. Reduced major axis regression was used to fit the log-transformed data of leaf biomass and area, and the bootstrap percentile method was used to test the significance of the difference between the estimate of the scaling exponent of leaf dry weight vs. area and that of leaf fresh weight vs. area. We found that there were five species across three families (Phoebe sheareri (Hemsl.) Gamble, Forsythia viridissima Lindl., Osmanthus fragrans Lour., Chimonobambusa sichuanensis (T.P. Yi) T.H. Wen, and Hibanobambusa tranquillans f. shiroshima H. Okamura) whose estimates of the scaling exponent of leaf dry weight to area and that of leaf fresh weight to area were not significantly different, whereas, for the remaining ten species, both estimates were significantly different. For the species in the same family whose leaf shape is narrow (i.e., a low ratio of leaf width to length) the estimates of two scaling exponents are prone to having a significant difference. There is also an allometric relationship between leaf dry weight and fresh weight, which means that foliar water mass disproportionately increases with increased leaf dry weight. In addition, the goodness of fit for the scaling relationship of leaf fresh weight vs. area is better than that for leaf dry weight vs. area, which suggests that leaf fresh mass might be more able to reflect the physiological functions of leaves associated with photosynthesis and respiration than leaf dry mass. The above conclusions are based on 15 broad-leaved species, although we believe that those conclusions may be potentially extended to other plants with broad and flat leaves.
Divergent Responses of Foliar N:P Stoichiometry During Different Seasons to Nitrogen Deposition in an Old-Growth Temperate Forest, Northeast China
Authors: Yang Dongxing , Mao Hongrui , Jin Guangze
Published: March 2019

Atmospheric nitrogen (N) deposition has rapidly increased during the last few decades; however, the seasonal responses of leaf N:P stoichiometry to N deposition remain unclear. In 2008, a simulated N deposition experiment (0, 30, 60, and 120 kg·N·ha−1·yr−1) was conducted in an old-growth temperate forest in Northeast China. In 2014, the leaves of 17 woody species and soil were sampled in spring, summer, and autumn in each treatment, and N:P stoichiometry was assessed. Community N and P in summer were significantly lower than that in spring and autumn. Unlike broadleaved species, conifers showed no significant variation among the three seasons. N addition significantly enhanced community N and soil available P but decreased soil total P in summer and autumn, and decreased community P, as well as the P concentration of three life forms (conifer, tree, and shrub), in autumn. Our results emphasize the importance of multiple sampling across seasons in temperate forests. Arguing against the traditional consensus, the productivity of the old-growth temperate forests is limited by both N and P.
Study of the Chronology of Expression of Ten Extracellular Matrix Molecules during the Myogenesis in Cattle to Better Understand Sensory Properties of Meat
Authors: Listrat Anne , Gagaoua Mohammed , Picard Brigitte
Published: March 2019

The sensory properties of beef are known to depend on muscle fiber and intramuscular connective tissue composition (IMCT). IMCT is composed of collagens, proteoglycans and glycoproteins. The differentiation of muscle fibers has been extensively studied but there is scarcity in the data concerning IMCT differentiation. In order to be able to control muscle differentiation to improve beef quality, it is essential to understand the ontogenesis of IMCT molecules. Therefore, in this study, we investigated the chronology of appearance of 10 IMCT molecules in bovine Semitendinosus muscle using immunohistology technique at five key stages of myogenesis. Since 60 days post-conception (dpc), the whole molecules were present, but did not have their final location. It seems that they reach it at around 210 dpc. Then, the findings emphasized that since 210 dpc, the stage at which the differentiation of muscle fibers is almost complete, the differentiation of IMCT is almost completed. These data suggested that for the best controlling of the muscular differentiation to improve beef sensory quality, it would be necessary to intervene very early (before the IMCT constituents have acquired their definitive localization and the muscle fibers have finished differentiating), i.e., at the beginning of the first third of gestation.
Multiomics Analysis Reveals that GLS and GLS2 Differentially Modulate the Clinical Outcomes of Cancer
Authors: Saha Subbroto , Islam S.M. , Abdullah-AL-Wadud M. , Islam Saiful , Ali Farman , Park Kyoung
Published: March 2019

Kidney-type glutaminase (GLS) and liver-type glutaminase (GLS2) are dysregulated in many cancers, making them appealing targets for cancer therapy. However, their use as prognostic biomarkers is controversial and remains an active area of cancer research. Here, we performed a systematic multiomic analysis to determine whether glutaminases function as prognostic biomarkers in human cancers. Glutaminase expression and methylation status were assessed and their prominent functional protein partners and correlated genes were identified using various web-based bioinformatics tools. The cross-cancer relationship of glutaminases with mutations and copy number alterations was also investigated. Gene ontology (GO) and pathway analysis were performed to assess the integrated effect of glutaminases and their correlated genes on various cancers. Subsequently, the prognostic roles of GLS and GLS2 in human cancers were mined using univariate and multivariate survival analyses. GLS was frequently over-expressed in breast, esophagus, head-and-neck, and blood cancers, and was associated with a poor prognosis, whereas GLS2 overexpression implied poor overall survival in colon, blood, ovarian, and thymoma cancers. Both GLS and GLS2 play oncogenic and anti-oncogenic roles depending on the type of cancer. The varying prognostic characteristics of glutaminases suggest that GLS and GLS2 expression differentially modulate the clinical outcomes of cancers.
Relationship between Sleep Duration and Osteoarthritis in Middle-Aged and Older Women: A Nationwide Population-Based Study
Authors: Park Hye-Min , Kwon Yu-Jin , Kim Hyoung-Sik , Lee Yong-Jae
Published: March 2019

(1) Background: Both long and short sleep durations have been associated with negative health outcomes, particularly in middle-aged and older adults. To date, there has been little research on the association between sleep and osteoarthritis. This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between sleep duration and radiographically confirmed osteoarthritis in middle-aged and older women. (2) Methods: This study included 5268 women aged ≥50 years from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Sleep duration was categorized into four groups (≤5 h, 6 h, 7–8 h, and ≥9 h) using responses from a self-reported questionnaire, and 7–8 h was set as an appropriate sleep duration. Osteoarthritis was defined as Kellgren–Lawrence grade ≥2 in the knee or hip area in radiographic images with knee or hip joint pain. The odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of osteoarthritis according to sleep duration were calculated using multiple logistic regression analyses. (3) Results: The prevalence of osteoarthritis according to sleep duration showed a U-shaped curve, with the nadir in the appropriate sleep category (7–8 h). Compared with the 7–8 h sleep duration, the ORs (95% CIs) of osteoarthritis in the short sleep duration (≤5 h/day) and long sleep duration (≥9 h/day) were 1.343 (1.072–1.682) and 1.388 (1.020–1.889), respectively, after adjusting for age, body mass index, current smoking, alcohol consumption, regular exercise, occupation, residential area, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and stroke. (4) Conclusions: Short and long sleep duration were positively associated with osteoarthritis in middle-aged and older women.
Tick Bite Risk as a Socio-Spatial Representation—An Exploratory Study in Massif Central, France
Authors: Dernat Sylvain , Johany François
Published: March 2019

Ticks are responsible for the largest number of transmissions of vector-borne diseases in the northern hemisphere, which makes the risk from tick bites a serious public health problem. Biological scientific research and prevention studies are important, but they have not focused on the population’s perception of tick bite risk, especially at a spatial level. This exploratory article sets out to study this point through an innovative methodology involving the collection of 133 mental maps associated with a semi-structured interview and a socio-demographic questionnaire collected in the Massif Central region, France. The results show a strong link between the representation of the tick bite risk and the representation of particular landscapes. Forests appear as dangerous for the population, especially in the traditional activities of family walking or hiking. This calls into question overly anxiogenic prevention approaches that neglect the impact on practices in risk-prone spaces. It accentuates the need for localized education measure to improve knowledge about tick biology and avoid stereotypical and unnecessary negative representations associated with the environment.
q-Rung Orthopair Fuzzy Hypergraphs with Applications
Authors: Luqman Anam , Akram Muhammad , N. Al-Kenani Ahmad
Published: March 2019

The concept of q-rung orthopair fuzzy sets generalizes the notions of intuitionistic fuzzy sets and Pythagorean fuzzy sets to describe complicated uncertain information more effectively. Their most dominant attribute is that the sum of the q th power of the truth-membership and the q th power of the falsity-membership must be equal to or less than one, so they can broaden the space of uncertain data. This set can adjust the range of indication of decision data by changing the parameter q, q ≥ 1 . In this research study, we design a new framework for handling uncertain data by means of the combinative theory of q-rung orthopair fuzzy sets and hypergraphs. We define q-rung orthopair fuzzy hypergraphs to achieve the advantages of both theories. Further, we propose certain novel concepts, including adjacent levels of q-rung orthopair fuzzy hypergraphs, ( α , β ) -level hypergraphs, transversals, and minimal transversals of q-rung orthopair fuzzy hypergraphs. We present a brief comparison of our proposed model with other existing theories. Moreover, we implement some interesting concepts of q-rung orthopair fuzzy hypergraphs for decision-making to prove the effectiveness of our proposed model.
Pre-Exercise Rehydration Attenuates Central Fatigability during 2-Min Maximum Voluntary Contraction in Hyperthermia
Authors: Vadopalas Kazys , Ratkevičius Aivaras , Skurvydas Albertas , Sipavičienė Saulė , Brazaitis Marius
Published: March 2019

Background and objectives: Hyperthermia with dehydration alters several brain structure volumes, mainly by changing plasma osmolality, thus strongly affecting neural functions (cognitive and motor). Here, we aimed to examine whether the prevention of significant dehydration caused by passively induced whole-body hyperthermia attenuates peripheral and/or central fatigability during a sustained 2-min isometric maximal voluntary contraction (MVC). Materials and Methods: Ten healthy and physically active adult men (21 ± 1 years of age) performed an isometric MVC of the knee extensors for 2 min (2-min MVC) under control (CON) conditions, after passive lower-body heating that induced severe whole-body hyperthermia (HT, Tre > 39 °C) with dehydration (HT-D) and after HT with rehydration (HT-RH). Results: In the HT-D trial, the subjects lost 0.94 ± 0.15 kg (1.33% ± 0.13%) of their body weight; in the HT-RH trial, their body weight increased by 0.1 ± 0.42 kg (0.1% ± 0.58%). After lower-body heating, the HT-RH trial (vs. HT-D trial) was accompanied by a significantly lower physiological stress index (6.77 ± 0.98 vs. 7.40 ± 1.46, respectively), heart rate (47.8 ± 9.8 vs. 60.8 ± 13.2 b min−1, respectively), and systolic blood pressure (−12.52 ± 5.1 vs. +2.3 ± 6.4, respectively). During 2-min MVC, hyperthermia (HT-D; HT-RH) resulted in greater central fatigability compared with the CON trial. The voluntary activation of exercising muscles was less depressed in the HT-RH trial compared with the HT-D trial. Over the exercise period, electrically (involuntary) induced torque decreased less in the HT-D trial than in the CON and HT-RH trials. Conclusions: Our results suggest that pre-exercise rehydration might have the immediate positive effect of reducing physiological thermal strain, thus attenuating central fatigability even when exercise is performed during severe (Tre > 39 °C) HT, induced by passive warming of the lower body.
Design, Fabrication and Experiment of Double U-Beam MEMS Vibration Ring Gyroscope
Authors: Cao Huiliang , Liu Yu , Kou Zhiwei , Zhang Yingjie , Shao Xingling , Gao Jinyang , Huang Kun , Shi Yunbo , Tang Jun , Shen Chong , Liu Jun
Published: March 2019

This study presents a new microelectromechanical system, a vibration ring gyroscope with a double U-beam (DUVRG), which was designed using a combination of mathematical analysis and the finite element method. First, a ring vibration resonator with eight double U-beam structures was developed, and 24 capacitive electrodes were designed for drive and sense according to the advantageous characteristics of a thin-shell vibrating gyroscope. Then, based on the elastic mechanics and thin-shell theory, a mathematical stiffness model of the double U-beam was established. The maximum mode resonant frequency error calculated by the DUVRG stiffness model, finite element analysis (FEA) and experiments was 0.04%. DUVRG structures were manufactured by an efficient fabrication process using silicon-on-glass (SOG) and deep reactive ion etching (DRIE), and the FEA value and theoretical calculation had differences of 5.33% and 5.36% with the measured resonant frequency value, respectively. Finally, the static and dynamic performance of the fabricated DUVRG was tested, and the bias instability and angular random walk were less than 8.86 (°)/h and 0.776 (°)/√h, respectively.
Fighting for “Justice”, Engaging the Other: Shi’a Muslim Activism on the British University Campus
Authors: Degli Esposti Emanuelle , Scott-Baumann Alison
Published: March 2019

While Shi’a Muslims remain in the minority in Europe, including within universities, the past decade has witnessed the growing profile of Shi’ism on university campuses, especially in Britain. In particular, there has been an emphasis on campaigns that prioritise notions of justice, equality, and human rights. Drawing on interviews and ethnographic fieldwork conducted amongst Twelver Shi’a students in Britain between 2013–2018, this paper examines the forms of Shi’a activism currently being articulated on university campuses, especially those that explicitly seek to engage non-Muslims and spread awareness about Shi’a Islam. On the one hand, such practices constitute a form of self-representation for Shi’a students who would otherwise feel marginalised within the university space; while on the other, they promote a particular version of Shi’a Islam that both frames it within the European context and that also contributes to the sectarianisation of the contemporary Shi’a subject. While the forms and resonance of Shi’a student activism arguably only have meaning within the context of contemporary Europe, we argue that the discursive contours underpinning such activism ultimately transcend such national and cultural boundaries and contribute to a reinterpretation and reimagining of Shi’a sectarian identity for the modern age.
Deciding on Discipline: The Importance of Parent Demeanor in the Transmission of Discipline Practices
Authors: Burke Jessica L. , Doucet Jessica M.
Published: March 2019

Although child abuse is a social problem in the United States, many cases go unreported because there is not a consensus as to what disciplinary actions are deemed abusive. Thus, it is paramount to understand the demarcation between physical punishment and physical abuse among parents and their use of certain forms of discipline. This study examines how discipline experienced by adolescent respondents affects their choice of discipline practices in adulthood. A random sample of residents was selected from three South Carolina counties using the 2016 state voter registration list. Respondents were mailed a survey asking questions pertaining to their disciplinary practices and experiences. Analyses were conducted using the ordinary least squares regression. Those who experienced abusive discipline as a child were significantly less likely to report that they use the same discipline techniques as their parents. However, adding parenting traits into the model revealed a mediation effect. Abusive discipline no longer plays a significant role in how respondents discipline their own children once the perceived demeanor of their parent is taken into consideration. These findings suggest that disciplinary techniques are less important than a parent’s attitude when correcting their children’s behavior. Implications for the current research, limitations, and directions for future research are discussed.
How May Public Transport Influence the Practice of Everyday Life among Younger and Older People and How May Their Practices Influence Public Transport?
Authors: Levin Lena
Published: March 2019

This paper examines public transport use through the lens of practice to understand the perspectives of two categories of public transport users: Younger and older people. In taking this approach, we assume that the forms of mobility in a society are dependent on citizens’ everyday practices and on the structures of the cities, landscapes, etc. Transport needs and accessibility may vary depending on contexts (i.e., where and how we live) and on the various resources of groups of citizens. Results indicated that younger people are repeatedly referred to public transport to meet their mobility needs, while older people are more often car-dependent. Local variations, among both younger and older people, indicate higher confidence in public transport in big and medium-sized cities and a greater desire for car ownership in small cities. For the transition to sustainable mobility, e.g., public transport, transport associations and local governments should be responsive to the practice of everyday life among citizens: e.g., younger people’s leisure activities in afternoons and weekends, and older people’s wish for accessible transport service outside the dominant flow of passengers and their daily commuting practice. The data come from Sweden, specifically from focus groups with teenagers aged 14–16 years and retired people aged 63–97 years.