bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Comparison of Meta-heuristic Algorithms on Benchmark Functions
Authors: Arıcı FerdaNur , Kaya Ersin
Published: December 2019

Optimization is a process to search the most suitable solution for a problem within an acceptable time interval. The algorithms that solve the optimization problems are called as optimization algorithms. In the literature, there are many optimization algorithms with different characteristics. The optimization algorithms can exhibit different behaviors depending on the size, characteristics and complexity of the optimization problem. In this study, six well-known population based optimization algorithms (artificial algae algorithm - AAA, artificial bee colony algorithm - ABC, differential evolution algorithm - DE, genetic algorithm - GA, gravitational search algorithm - GSA and particle swarm optimization - PSO) were used. These six algorithms were performed on the CEC’17 test functions. According to the experimental results, the algorithms were compared and performances of the algorithms were evaluated.
A New Approach to Produce Eco-friendly Antibacterial and Antistatic Polyamide Yarns
Authors: Çetiner Suat , Kanara Şeyma , Bozan Neslihan
Published: December 2019

In this paper, we reported on environmental technique of developing for the deposition of silver nanoparticles onto polyamide (PA) fibers. A new composite PA yarn with carboxyl methyl starch (CMS) including silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) has been synthesized. The influence of silver nitrate concentration on the morphological and spectrophometeric properties was investigated. SEM images showed the distribution of silver nanoparticles and nanolayer formation on the surface. Electrical conductivity of composite yarns was measured by four point probe technique and was changed from 1.574x10-7 to 2.630x10-4 S/cm. The antibacterial activities of the composite yarns have been investigated against Escherichia coli and determined considerable antibacterial properties.
Optimizasyon vasıtasıyla Tüp Tipi Akı Anahtarlamalı Doğrusal Jeneratörün Vuruntu Kuvveti Azaltımı
Authors: Arslan Serdal
Published: December 2019

Bu çalışmada ele alınan akı anahtarlamalı makine yapısal açıdan incelenmiştir. Araç süspansiyon sistemine yönelik tüp tipi akı anahtarlamalı doğrusal makinanın nümerik analizi gerçekleştirilmiştir. Ansys Maxwell’de yeralan genetik algoritma optimizasyon aracı kullanılmıştır. Vuruntu kuvvetini azaltmaya yönelik iki amaç foksiyonu tanımlanmıştır. Ayrıca lazer yer değiştirme sensörü ile hareketli mesafe değişimi incelenmiştir.
Sabit ve Değişken (Jerk) İvmeli Hareketin Sayısal Dinamik Analizi
Authors: Yilmaz Recep , Samanci Ahmet
Published: December 2019

Bu çalışmada jerk kavramının ne olduğu, neden kullanılması gerektiği gibi sorulara sabit ivmeli hareket ile çeşitli karşılaştırmalar verilerek cevap aramaya çalışılmıştır. Sabit ivmeli harekete ait hız, konum ve ivme gibi kinematik parametrelerin jerk ile kontrol edildiği zaman meydana gelen değişim incelenmiştir. Gerçekleştirilen sayısal dinamik analizler ile sabit ivmeli hareket ve jerk ile kontrol edilen ivmeli hareket sonunda modelde meydana gelen gerilme ve deformasyon değerleri ayrı ayrı değerlendirilerek çeşitli grafikler ile karşılaştırılmıştır.
Is There any Effect of Sample Sizes on Laboratory Liquefaction Tests?
Authors: Beyaz Turgay , Özçelik Şeyda
Published: December 2019

Determination of liquefaction potential of sands in laboratory; dynamic three axial, hollow cylindrical torsional shear, resonance column, bender elements and cyclic simple shear tests are used. In this study, the effect of sample size on the determination of liquefaction energy of sandy soils in cyclic simple shear test apparatus was investigated. Uniform clean sea sand was used in the study. The cell inner diameter in which the samples to be tested is placed is 50 mm. Samples were prepared three different sizes with a length/diameter (H/D) ratio of 1, 0.5 and 0.25 and four varied relative densities (Dr: 40%, 50%, 60% and 70%). The samples were subjected to 1D cyclic loading at a frequency of 0.1 Hz under 100 kPa vertical stress and 50 kPa pore pressure. Each experiment was repeated 3 times, with equivalent or closer results considered significant. According to the test results, the liquefaction energy values per volume (J/m3) of the samples of different sizes are different from each other.
Analysis of Parkinson’s Disease using Deep Learning and Word Embedding Models
Authors: Cevik Feyza , Kilimci Zeynep Hilal
Published: December 2019

Parkinson's disease is a common neurodegenerative neurological disorder, which affects the patient's quality of life, has significant social and economic effects, and is difficult to diagnose early due to the gradual appearance of symptoms. Examining the discussion of Parkinson’s disease in social media platforms such as Twitter provides a platform where patients communicate each other in both diagnosis and treatment stage of the Parkinson’s disease. The purpose of this work is to evaluate and compare the sentiment analysis of people about Parkinson's disease by using deep learning and word embedding models. To the best of our knowledge, this is the very first study to analyze Parkinson's disease from social media by using word embedding models and deep learning algorithms. In this study, Word2Vec, GloVe, and FastText are employed as word embedding models for the purpose of enriching tweets in terms of semantic, context, and syntax. Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs), Recurrent Neural Networks (RNNs), and Long Short-Term Memory Networks (LSTMs) are implemented for the classification task. This study demonstrates the efficiency of using word embedding models and deep learning algorithms to understand the needs of patients’ and provide a valuable contribution to the treatment process by analyzing sentiments of them with 93.63% accuracy performance.
Bir Lojistik Firması için Çok Ölçütlü Karar Verme Yöntemleri İle İç Anadolu Bölgesinde Depo Yeri Seçimi
Authors: Şeker Ömer , Alakaş Hacı Mehmet
Published: December 2019

Lojistik operasyonlarının stratejik önemi giderek artmaktadır. Bundan dolayı şirketleri, rakipleri ile rekabet edebilmeleri için etkin lojistik kararlar almaya itmektedir. Depolar için en iyi yerlerin seçilmesi, uzun vadeli ve geri dönüşü zor bir karardır. Bu karar sürecinde birçok kriter etkindir. Bu karar; dağıtım stratejisini de etkileyerek müşteri memnuniyeti ve lojistik maliyetler üzerinde önemli rol oynar. Bu çalışmada bir ev aletleri firması için depo yeri seçim problemi ele alınmıştır. Firma için, İç Anadolu bölgesinde bir merkezi depo yeri seçimi yapılmıştır. Problemin çözümünde, çok ölçütlü karar verme yöntemlerinden Analitik Hiyerarşi Prosesi (AHP), TOPSIS ve PROMETHEE yöntemleri kullanılmıştır. Belirlenen 6 kriterin ağırlıkları AHP ile hesaplanarak, alternatifler bu 3 yönteme göre sıralanmıştır. Bu yöntemlerin yakın sonuç verdikleri görülmüş ve 5 alternatiften en uygun olanı seçilmiştir.
INDUSTRIAL OWNERSHIP IN ALBANIA: TRADEMARKS
Authors: Dajzmaili Anjeza
Published: December 2019

The term of industrial property in Albanian legislation, it refers to a complex of institutes that have the function of guarantee to the distinctive signs of entrepreneurship and the intellectual creation with technological content.

Trademarks are signs that can distinguish goods or services that produce or give a subject, from those of another subject. As a trademark can serve: words, combination of letters and numbers, logo, drawing, color, wrapping form, etc. Generally, as a trademark may serve any sign that can be presented graphically, through lines and figures. There are countries that allow the registration of so-called “invisible” trade such as those of voice or the fragrance of a product.
FACTORING AS A NEW POSSIBILITY IN THE FINANCIAL SECTOR
Authors: Hallunovi Arjeta , Osmanovic Elez
Published: December 2019

Over the past fifteen years, an increasing number of small and medium-sized companies have begun to consider factoring as a practical source of working capital. Unfortunately, the availability of accurate information and time has not kept the same pace with the growing interest in this used form of funding. The financial sector, especially the banking sector, has been hit by the difficulties generated by the tensions of debt dependence, which are affecting the banking market assessment and its ability to create medium and long-term funds. Consequently, making a comparison with the past, in general, the most valued valuation methods are the cost of funds which have increased significantly. Current economic conditions, characterized by credit constraints, make factoring one of the most favorable solutions for businesses. This funding method is one of the ways it takes a short time to negotiate and one of the easiest methods to provide working capital funds.

Factoring services offer an alternative to credit to companies that need little help with funds. By selling your receivables to a factoring company, you receive a portion of the forward amount and receive the rest, minus a percentage that the company receives as a payment as soon as the amount is collected. You get most of your funds before the customer has paid the account, instead of waiting until after paying the bill. The factoring service works to collect accounts receivable so that you can devote your resources and efforts elsewhere to your business. Through factoring, businesses can enable their boards and senior management to make better informed decisions; proactively manage the provisions and effects on capital plans; make strategic decisions with a view to mitigating risks in the event of current underlying conditions; get assistance in understanding the evolving risk nature of the banking sector.
DEVELOPMENT AND REFORMING IN PUBLIC REFORMS AND HEALTH CARE SYSTEM IN ALBANIA, SUPPORT AND REFLECTION
Authors: Ramon Leonard , Dumi Alba
Published: December 2019

The Health Care Systems in Transition (HiT) profiles are country-based reports that provide an analytical description of a health care system and of reform initiatives in progress or under development. The HiTs are a key element of the work of the European Observatory on Health Care Systems. HiTs seek to provide relevant comparative information to support policymakers and analysts in the development of health care systems in Europe. The HiT profiles are building blocks that can be used: to learn in detail about different approaches to the organization, financing and delivery of health services; to describe the process, content and implementation of health care reform programs; to highlight challenges and areas that require more in-depth analysis; and to provide a tool for the dissemination of information on health care systems and the exchange of experiences of reform strategies between policy-makers and analysts in different countries.

The HiT profiles are produced by country experts in collaboration with the Observatory’s research directors and staff. In order to facilitate comparisons between countries, the profiles are based on a template, which is revised periodically. The template provides the detailed guidelines and specific questions, definitions and examples needed to compile a HiT. This guidance is intended to be flexible to allow authors to take account of their national context. Compiling the HiT profiles poses a number of methodological problems. In many countries, there is relatively little information available on the health care system and the impact of reforms.
GOOD TEACHING AND GOOD PERFORMANCE REQUIRES THE ESTABLISHMENT OF REFERENCE – TEACHING REFORMS IN HIGHER EDUCATION
Authors: Hasani Vjollca , Gagica Kumrije , Dumi Alba
Published: December 2019

Evaluation of teacher performance can also be used to determine career advancement, award performance rewards or establish sanctions for under-performing teachers. It constitutes an opportunity to recognize and reward teaching competence and performance, which is essential to retain effective teachers in schools as well as to make teaching an attractive career choice. (OECD, 2005)

In general, teacher evaluation frameworks might have consequences at the following levels: Career advancement. Most countries do not link directly teacher evaluation results with teacher· pay but, instead, to career progression (therefore establishing an indirect link with salaries). An example is England where teachers who meet the standards for “Post Threshold, Excellent and Advanced Skills Teachers” also access the higher pay scale.
CARACTERIZAÇÃO FÍSICA E QUÍMICA DE GRÃOS DE MILHO PIPOCA COMERCIALIZADOS NO BRASIL
Authors: Novaes Myrian , David Andressa , Silva Vitória , Rodrigues Erika , Villa Ricardo , Oliveira Adriana
Published: December 2019

Este trabalho teve como objetivo determinar a composição física e química de grãos de milho pipoca comercializados no Brasil. Para isso, foram coletados três lotes de cinco marcas de milho pipoca. Os parâmetros físicos determinados foram: índice de capacidade de expansão, densidade aparente, volume de um grão, tamanho e cor. Na composição química foram quantificados: umidade, cinzas, proteínas, lipídeos, fibra bruta, carboidratos digeríveis, valor energético total, pH, atividade de água, carotenoides e os minerais (cobre, zinco, ferro, manganês, potássio e sódio). Os parâmetros de cor, tamanho, cinzas, proteínas, carboidratos digeríveis, carotenoides, pH e atividade de água apresentaram diferenças significativas (p ≤ 0,05) entre as amostras. Com exceção do sódio, os demais minerais também apresentaram diferenças significativas (p ≤ 0,05) entre as concentrações nas amostras. Essas diferenças encontradas podem ser em decorrência das condições de armazenamento, método de secagem, tipo dos genótipos, fatores ligados ao solo do plantio e condições edafoclimáticas. Neste âmbito, os resultados obtidos neste trabalho indicam diferenças nas características físicas e químicas de grãos de milho pipoca comercializados no Brasil, sendo muito importante o conhecimento desses parâmetros a fim de garantir a segurança do alimento, qualidade nutricional e a valorização comercial deste alimento.
Pre and Postprocessing for JPEG to Handle Large Monochrome Images
Authors: Khalaf Walaa , Al Gburi Abeer , Zaghar Dhafer
Published: December 2019

Image compression is one of the most important fields of image processing. Because of the rapid development of image acquisition which will increase the image size, and in turn requires bigger storage space. JPEG has been considered as the most famous and applicable algorithm for image compression; however, it has shortfalls for some image types. Hence, new techniques are required to improve the quality of reconstructed images as well as to increase the compression ratio. The work in this paper introduces a scheme to enhance the JPEG algorithm. The proposed scheme is a new method which shrinks and stretches images using a smooth filter. In order to remove the blurring artifact which would be developed from shrinking and stretching the image, a hyperbolic function (tanh) is used to enhance the quality of the reconstructed image. Furthermore, the new approach achieves higher compression ratio for the same image quality, and/or better image quality for the same compression ratio than ordinary JPEG with respect to large size and more complex content images. However, it is an application for optimization to enhance the quality (PSNR and SSIM), of the reconstructed image and to reduce the size of the compressed image, especially for large size images.
Parameterized Algorithms in Bioinformatics: An Overview
Authors: Bulteau Laurent , Weller Mathias
Published: December 2019

Bioinformatics regularly poses new challenges to algorithm engineers and theoretical computer scientists. This work surveys recent developments of parameterized algorithms and complexity for important NP-hard problems in bioinformatics. We cover sequence assembly and analysis, genome comparison and completion, and haplotyping and phylogenetics. Aside from reporting the state of the art, we give challenges and open problems for each topic.
A General Integrated Method for Design Analysis and Optimization of Missile Structure
Authors: Wang Xiaoguang , Yang Jun , Guo Jian , Guo Jun
Published: December 2019

In the demonstration phase of a missile scheme, to obtain the optimum proposal, designers need to modify the parameters of the overall structure frequently and significantly, and perform the structural analysis repeatedly. In order to reduce the manual workload and improve the efficiency of research and development, a general integrated method of missile structure modeling, analysis and optimization was proposed. First, CST (Class and Shape transformation functions) parametric method was used to describe the general structure of the missile. The corresponding software geometric modeling and FEM (Finite Element Method) analyzing of the missile were developed in C/C++ language on the basis of the CST parametric method and UG (Unigraphics) secondary development technology. Subsequently, a novel surrogate model-based optimation strategy was proposed to obtain a relatively light mass missile structure under existing shape size. Eventually, different missile models were used to verify the validity of the method. After executing the structure modeling, analysis and optimization modules, satisfactory results can be obtained that demonstrated the stability and adaptability of the proposed method. The method presented saves plenty of time comparing to the traditional manual modeling and analysis method, which provides a valuable technique to improve the efficiency of research and development.
Integration and Verification Approach of ISTSat-1 CubeSat
Authors: Monteiro João P. , Rocha Rui M. , Silva Alexandre , Afonso Rúben , Ramos Nuno
Published: December 2019

Large-scale space projects rely on a thorough Assembly, Integration, and Verification (AIV) process to provide the upmost reliability to spacecraft. While this has not traditionally been the case with CubeSats, their increasing role in space science and technology has led to new verification approaches, including in educational CubeSats. This work describes the integration and verification approach for ISTSat-1, which is an educational CubeSat from the Instituto Superior Técnico in Portugal that partially discards the typical stage-gate approach to spacecraft development in favor of a more iterative approach, allowing for the system-level verification of unfinished prototypes. Early verification included software functional testing on a flatsat model, thermal vacuum and vibration testing on a battery model, ionizing radiation testing on the on-board computer, and non-ionizing radiation (EMC) testing on all subsystems. The testing of functional prototypes at an early development stage led to uncovering system-level errors that would typically require hardware redesign at a later project stage. The team considers the approach to be useful for educational projects that employ a small, co-located team with low non-recurring engineering costs.
Factors Underlying Seed Yield in Red Clover: Review of Current Knowledge and Perspectives
Authors: Vleugels Tim , Amdahl Helga , Roldán-Ruiz Isabel , Cnops Gerda
Published: December 2019

Red clover is a valuable forage crop, but often copes with unsatisfactory seed yield. Management practices to increase seed yield include fertilization, adequate weed and pest control, the synchronization of flowering through pre-cutting in spring, and the application of plant growth regulators to prevent lodging. Seed yield problems may have variable underlying reasons, such as inadequate pollination, fertility or genetic problems, or a combination of such traits. In this review paper, we summarize the results of recent publications that shed new light on the traits explaining seed yield differences between red clover genotypes. The main seed yield components are the number of flower heads per plant and the seed yield per flower head. Seed yield differences between diploid and tetraploid red clover are largely explained by the lower seed number per head. Recent research showed that, although inadequate pollination can lead to poor seed yield in certain areas, pollination cannot explain differences in seed yield between genotypes, cultivars, or ploidy levels. Correspondingly, corolla tube dimensions are not associated with seed yield, in spite of what is often believed by seed producers. On the other hand, fertility problems such as aberrations during male meiosis tend to occur more frequently in tetraploid genotypes and/or genotypes with low seed yield. A recent genetic study revealed 34 candidate genes for seed development, which opens perspectives for marker-assisted breeding. A final and remarkable finding is the occurrence of self-fertility in tetraploid red clover and its association with high seed yield. Breeders should be aware that selection for seed yield in tetraploid red clover may lead to unintentional selection for self-fertility, with possible consequences for inbreeding. The implications of recent findings for seed yield breeding and for the creation of novel tetraploids are discussed. Future research opportunities are considered.
Using Genetics to Evaluate the Success of a Feral Cat (Felis catus) Control Program in North-Western Australia
Authors: Cowen Saul , Clausen Lucy , Algar Dave , Comer Sarah
Published: December 2019

The feral cat has been implicated in the decline and extinction of many species worldwide and a range of strategies have been devised for its control. A five-year control program using the aerial broadcast of toxic Eradicat® baits was undertaken at Fortescue Marsh in the Pilbara region of north-western Australia, for the protection of biodiversity in this important wetland area. This program has been shown to have had a significant detrimental effect on cats in this landscape, but the long-term impact is difficult to ascertain. We assessed population genetics across three cohorts of feral cats sampled as part of the control program. We also compared cat populations in natural habitats and around human infrastructure. A key challenge in any study of wild animal populations is small sample sizes and feral cats are particularly difficult to capture and sample. The results of this study superficially appear to suggest promising trends but were limited by sample size and many were not statistically significant. We find that the use of genetic techniques to monitor the impact of invasive species control programs is potentially useful, but ensuring adequate sample sizes over a long enough time-frame will be critical to the success of such studies.
Evaluation of the Combined Use of Saccharomyces Cerevisiae and Aspergillus Oryzae with Phytase Fermentation Products on Growth, Inflammatory, and Intestinal Morphology in Broilers
Authors: Chuang Wen Yang. , Lin Wei Chih. , Hsieh Yun Chen. , Huang Chung Ming. , Chang Shen Chang. , Lee Tzu-Tai
Published: December 2019

Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Aspergillus oryzae are both ancient probiotic species traditionally used as microbes for brewing beer and soy sauce, respectively. This study investigated the effect of adding these two probiotics with phytase fermentation products to the broilers diet. Fermented products possess protease and cellulase, and the activities were 777.1 and 189.5 U/g dry matter (DM) on S. cerevisiae fermented products (SCFP) and 190 and 213.4 U/g DM on A. oryzae fermented products (AOFP), respectively. Liposaccharides stimulated PBMCs to produce nitric oxide to 120 μmol. Both SCFP and AOFP reduced lipopolysaccharides stimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) nitric oxide release to 40 and 60 μmol, respectively. Nevertheless, in an MTT (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) assay, SCFP and AOFP also increased the survival rate of lipopolysaccharides stimulated PBMCs by almost two-fold compared to the negative control. A total of 240 broilers were divided into four groups as Control, SCFP 0.1% (SCFP), SCFP 0.05% + AOFP 0.05% (SAFP), and AOFP 0.1% (AOFP) groups, respectively. Each group had 20 broilers, and three replicate pens. The results showed that the addition of SCFP, SAFP, and AOFP groups did not affect the growth performances, but increased the jejunum value of villus height and villus: crypt ratio on SAFP and AOFP groups compared to the control and SCFP groups. Furthermore, adding SCFP, SAFP, and AOFP significantly reduced the number of Clostridium perfringens in ileum chyme. SCFP, SAFP, and AOFP significantly reduced the amount of interleukin-1β, inducible nitric oxide synthases, interferon-γ, and nuclear factor kappa B mRNA expression in PBMCs, especially in the AOFP group. In summary, all the SCFP, SAFP, and AOFP groups can be suggested as a functional feed additive since they enhanced villus: crypt ratio and decreased inflammation-related mRNA expression, especially for AOFP group in broilers.
Horse Welfare During Equine Chorionic Gonadotropin (eCG) Production
Authors: Manteca Vilanova Xavier , De Briyne Nancy , Beaver Bonnie , Turner Patricia V.
Published: December 2019

Collection of blood from pregnant mares for extraction of equine chorionic gonadotropin (eCG) is a critical but relatively unknown and poorly regulated practice in the countries in which it occurs. Equine chorionic gonadotropin is a hormone that is widely used to enhance reproductive performance and management of dairy and beef cattle, sheep, goats, and pigs kept under intensive housing systems. eCG is extracted from the blood of brood mares between days 40–120 of gestation. Although alternatives have been sought, there is currently no efficacious replacement, natural or synthetic, for eCG. Recently, several animal welfare organizations have voiced concerns over the condition and treatment of pregnant mares kept for eCG production in some countries. Animal welfare issues may arise if mares are bled too frequently or if too much blood is collected at any time. In addition, these mares tend to be managed extensively on pastures with minimal veterinary oversight and they may be poorly desensitized and habituated to handling and other practices. This can lead to serious injuries and even death when mares are brought in for bleeding. This paper reviews the process of blood collection for eCG extraction and provides recommendations for ensuring mare welfare.
Genomic Prediction and Association Analysis with Models Including Dominance Effects for Important Traits in Chinese Simmental Beef Cattle
Authors: Liu Ying , Xu Lei , Wang Zezhao , Xu Ling , Chen Yan , Zhang Lupei , Xu Lingyang , Gao Xue , Gao Huijiang , Zhu Bo , Li Junya
Published: December 2019

Non-additive effects play important roles in determining genetic changes with regard to complex traits; however, such effects are usually ignored in genetic evaluation and quantitative trait locus (QTL) mapping analysis. In this study, a two-component genome-based restricted maximum likelihood (GREML) was applied to obtain the additive genetic variance and dominance variance for carcass weight (CW), dressing percentage (DP), meat percentage (MP), average daily gain (ADG), and chuck roll (CR) in 1233 Simmental beef cattle. We estimated predictive abilities using additive models (genomic best linear unbiased prediction (GBLUP) and BayesA) and dominance models (GBLUP-D and BayesAD). Moreover, genome-wide association studies (GWAS) considering both additive and dominance effects were performed using a multi-locus mixed-model (MLMM) approach. We found that the estimated dominance variances accounted for 15.8%, 16.1%, 5.1%, 4.2%, and 9.7% of the total phenotypic variance for CW, DP, MP, ADG, and CR, respectively. Compared with BayesA and GBLUP, we observed 0.5–1.1% increases in predictive abilities of BayesAD and 0.5–0.9% increases in predictive abilities of GBLUP-D, respectively. Notably, we identified a dominance association signal for carcass weight within RIMS2, a candidate gene that has been associated with carcass weight in beef cattle. Our results suggest that dominance effects yield variable degrees of contribution to the total genetic variance of the studied traits in Simmental beef cattle. BayesAD and GBLUP-D are convenient models for the improvement of genomic prediction, and the detection of QTLs using a dominance model shows promise for use in GWAS in cattle.
Anatomic Study of the Elbow Joint in a Bengal Tiger (Panthera tigris tigris) Using Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Gross Dissections
Authors: Encinoso Mario , Orós Jorge , Ramírez Gregorio , Jaber José Raduan , Artiles Alejandro , Arencibia Alberto
Published: December 2019

The objective of our research was to describe the normal appearance of the bony and soft tissue structures of the elbow joint in a cadaver of a male mature Bengal tiger (Panthera tigris tigris) scanned via MRI. Using a 0.2 Tesla magnet, Spin-echo (SE) T1-weighting, and Gradient-echo short tau inversion recovery (GE-STIR), T2-weighting pulse sequences were selected to generate sagittal, transverse, and dorsal planes. In addition, gross dissections of the forelimb and its elbow joint were made. On anatomic dissections, all bony, articular, and muscular structures could be identified. The MRI images allowed us to observe the bony and many soft tissues of the tiger elbow joint. The SE T1-weighted MR images provided good anatomic detail of this joint, whereas the GE-STIR T2-weighted MR pulse sequence was best for synovial cavities. Detailed information is provided that may be used as initial anatomic reference for interpretation of MR images of the Bengal tiger (Panthera tigris tigris) elbow joint and in the diagnosis of disorders of this region.
Longitudinal Phenotypes Improve Genotype Association for Hyperketonemia in Dairy Cattle
Authors: Leal Yepes Francisco A. , Nydam Daryl V. , Mann Sabine , Caixeta Luciano , McArt Jessica A. A. , Overton Thomas R. , Wakshlag Joseph J , Huson Heather J.
Published: December 2019

The objective of our study was to identify genomic regions associated with varying concentrations of non-esterified fatty acid (NEFA), β-hydroxybutyrate (BHB), and the development of hyperketonemia (HYK) in longitudinally sampled Holstein dairy cows. Our study population consisted of 147 multiparous cows intensively characterized by serial NEFA and BHB concentrations. To identify individuals with contrasting combinations in longitudinal BHB and NEFA concentrations, phenotypes were established using incremental area under the curve (AUC) and categorized as follows: Group (1) high NEFA and high BHB, group (2) low NEFA and high BHB), group (3) low NEFA and low BHB, and group (4) high NEFA and low BHB. Cows were genotyped on the Illumina Bovine High-density (777 K) beadchip. Genome-wide association studies using mixed linear models with the least-related animals were performed to establish a genetic association with HYK, BHB-AUC, NEFA-AUC, and the comparisons of the 4 AUC phenotypic groups using Golden Helix software. Nine single-nucleotide polymorphisms were associated with high longitudinal concentrations of BHB and further investigated. Five candidate genes related to energy metabolism and homeostasis were identified. These results provide biological insight and help identify susceptible animals thus improving genetic selection criteria thereby decreasing the incidence of HYK.
Analysis of Agricultural Drought Risk Based on Information Distribution and Diffusion Methods in the Main Grain Production Areas of China
Authors: Niu Kaijie , Hu Qingfang , Zhao Lu , Jiang Shouzheng , Yu Haiying , Liang Chuan , Wang Yintang
Published: December 2019

Accurate assessment of agricultural drought risk is of strategic significance to ensure future grain production security in the main grain production areas of China. Agricultural drought risk assessment is based on drought vulnerability characteristics. In this study, firstly the drought thresholds were redefined by correlation analysis of drought strength based on the Standardized Precipitation Evapotranspiration Index (SPEI) and drought damage rates, then the information distribution and the two-dimensional normal information diffusion method were employed to establish the vulnerability curve between drought strength and drought damage rates. Finally, provincial drought risks and the conditional probabilities at different drought damage stages were obtained. The results show that the drought vulnerability curve was nonlinear. With the increase of drought strength, drought damage rates increased rapidly at the beginning, and after a small fluctuation locally, they no longer increased significantly and tended to be relative stable. The occurrence probabilities of agricultural drought risk presented great spatial differences, with the characteristics of high in the northern, moderate in the central and southwestern part, and lower in the southeastern provinces in the main grain production areas of China. The analysis of conditional probability showed that Hubei, Henan, and Jiangxi were the provinces most prone to drought-affected risk under the drought-induced condition; while Liaoning, Hunan, and Inner Mongolia were the ones most prone to lost harvest risk under the drought-induced or the drought-affected condition. The results could be used to provide guidance for drought risk management and to formulate appropriate plans by the relevant departments.
Estimation of Brain Functional Connectivity in Patients with Mild Cognitive Impairment
Authors: Farràs-Permanyer Laia , Mancho-Fora Núria , Montalà-Flaquer Marc , Gudayol-Ferré Esteve , Gallardo-Moreno Geisa Bearitz , Zarabozo-Hurtado Daniel , Villuendas-González Erwin , Peró-Cebollero Maribel , Guàrdia-Olmos Joan
Published: December 2019

Mild cognitive impairment is defined as greater cognitive decline than expected for a person at a particular age and is sometimes considered a stage between healthy aging and Alzheimer’s disease or other dementia syndromes. It is known that functional connectivity patterns change in people with this diagnosis. We studied functional connectivity patterns and functional segregation in a resting-state fMRI paradigm comparing 10 MCI patients and 10 healthy controls matched by education level, age and sex. Ninety ROIs from the automated anatomical labeling (AAL) atlas were selected for functional connectivity analysis. A correlation matrix was created for each group, and a third matrix with the correlation coefficient differences between the two matrices was created. Functional segregation was analyzed with the 3-cycle method, which is novel in studies of this topic. Finally, cluster analyses were also performed. Our results showed that the two correlation matrices were visually similar but had many differences related to different cognitive functions. Differences were especially apparent in the anterior default mode network (DMN), while the visual resting-state network (RSN) showed no differences between groups. Differences in connectivity patterns in the anterior DMN should be studied more extensively to fully understand its role in the differentiation of healthy aging and an MCI diagnosis.
Immunological Effects of Epigenetic Modifiers
Authors: Bezu Lucillia , Wu Chuang Alejandra , Liu Peng , Kroemer Guido , Kepp Oliver
Published: December 2019

Epigenetic alterations are associated with major pathologies including cancer. Epigenetic dysregulation, such as aberrant histone acetylation, altered DNA methylation, or modified chromatin organization, contribute to oncogenesis by inactivating tumor suppressor genes and activating oncogenic pathways. Targeting epigenetic cancer hallmarks can be harnessed as an immunotherapeutic strategy, exemplified by the use of pharmacological inhibitors of DNA methyltransferases (DNMT) and histone deacetylases (HDAC) that can result in the release from the tumor of danger-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs) on one hand and can (re-)activate the expression of tumor-associated antigens on the other hand. This finding suggests that epigenetic modifiers and more specifically the DNA methylation status may change the interaction of chromatin with chaperon proteins including HMGB1, thereby contributing to the antitumor immune response. In this review, we detail how epigenetic modifiers can be used for stimulating therapeutically relevant anticancer immunity when used as stand-alone treatments or in combination with established immunotherapies.
Interaction between Angiotensin Type 1, Type 2, and Mas Receptors to Regulate Adult Neurogenesis in the Brain Ventricular–Subventricular Zone
Authors: Garcia-Garrote Maria , Perez-Villalba Ana , Garrido-Gil Pablo , Belenguer German , Parga Juan A. , Perez-Sanchez Francisco , Labandeira-Garcia Jose Luis , Fariñas Isabel , Rodriguez-Pallares Jannette
Published: December 2019

The renin–angiotensin system (RAS), and particularly its angiotensin type-2 receptors (AT2), have been classically involved in processes of cell proliferation and maturation during development. However, the potential role of RAS in adult neurogenesis in the ventricular-subventricular zone (V-SVZ) and its aging-related alterations have not been investigated. In the present study, we analyzed the role of major RAS receptors on neurogenesis in the V-SVZ of adult mice and rats. In mice, we showed that the increase in proliferation of cells in this neurogenic niche was induced by activation of AT2 receptors but depended partially on the AT2-dependent antagonism of AT1 receptor expression, which restricted proliferation. Furthermore, we observed a functional dependence of AT2 receptor actions on Mas receptors. In rats, where the levels of the AT1 relative to those of AT2 receptor are much lower, pharmacological inhibition of the AT1 receptor alone was sufficient in increasing AT2 receptor levels and proliferation in the V-SVZ. Our data revealed that interactions between RAS receptors play a major role in the regulation of V-SVZ neurogenesis, particularly in proliferation, generation of neuroblasts, and migration to the olfactory bulb, both in young and aged brains, and suggest potential beneficial effects of RAS modulators on neurogenesis.
Short- and Long-Term Neurodevelopmental Outcomes of Very Preterm Infants with Neonatal Sepsis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Cai Shirley , Thompson Deanne K. , Anderson Peter J. , Yang Joseph Yuan-Mou
Published: December 2019

Sepsis is commonly experienced by infants born very preterm (<32 weeks gestational age and/or <1500 g birthweight), but the long-term functional outcomes are unclear. The objective of this systematic review was to identify observational studies comparing neurodevelopmental outcomes in very preterm infants who had blood culture-proven neonatal sepsis with those without sepsis. Twenty-four studies were identified, of which 19 used prespecified definitions of neurodevelopmental impairment and five reported neurodevelopmental outcomes as continuous variables. Meta-analysis was conducted using 14 studies with defined neurodevelopmental impairment and demonstrated that very preterm infants with neonatal sepsis were at higher risk of impairments, such as cerebral palsy and neurosensory deficits, compared with infants without sepsis (OR 3.18; 95% CI 2.29–4.41). Substantial heterogeneity existed across the studies (I2 = 83.1, 95% CI 73–89). The five studies that reported outcomes as continuous variables showed no significant difference in cognitive performance between sepsis and non-sepsis groups. Neonatal sepsis in very preterm infants is associated with increased risk of neurodevelopmental disability. Due to the paucity of longitudinal follow-up data beyond 36 months, the long-term cognitive effect of neonatal sepsis in very preterm infants could not be conclusively determined. Effects on the development of minor impairment could not be assessed, due to the small numbers of infants included in the studies.
Atomic Layer Deposition of Inorganic Films for the Synthesis of Vertically Aligned Carbon Nanotube Arrays and Their Hybrids
Authors: Yuan Guang-Jie , Xie Jie-Fei , Li Hao-Hao , Lu Hong-Liang , Tian Ying-Zhong
Published: December 2019

Vertically aligned carbon nanotube arrays (VACNTs) have many excellent properties and show great potential for various applications. Recently, there has been a desire to grow VACNTs on nonplanar surfaces and synthesize core-sheath-structured VACNT–inorganic hybrids. To achieve this aim, atomic layer deposition (ALD) has been extensively applied, especially due to its atomic-scale thickness controllability and excellent conformality of films on three-dimensional (3D) structures with high aspect ratios. In this paper, the ALD of catalyst thin films for the growth of VACNTs, such as Co3O4, Al2O3, and Fe2O3, was first mentioned. After that, the ALD of thin films for the synthesis of VACNT–inorganic hybrids was also discussed. To highlight the importance of these hybrids, their potential applications in supercapacitors, solar cells, fuel cells, and sensors have also been reviewed.
Nanotechnology to Improve the Performances of Hydrodynamic Surfaces
Authors: Alshehri Ali , Champagne Philippe , Keirsbulck Laurent , Dogheche El Hadj
Published: December 2019

Nature continues to inspire scientists to adapt solutions in order to satisfy human needs, mainly in the maritime domain with metallic surface corrosion and its mechanical friction. In this research, the source of innovation comes from the lotus leaf and its well-known super-hydrophobicity. In this study, we have investigated the lotus leaf as a model for a super-hydrophobic maritime surface. The hydrothermal technique, which is considered to be a simple, low-cost, and scalable coating method, is applied to create zinc oxide (ZnO) nanorods (NRs), and an evaporation method is used to apply octadecyltrimethoxysilane (ODS). We apply such eco-green coatings onto commercial epoxy paints. Superhydrophobic surfaces (SHS) are obtained on maritime aluminum substrates. The characterization of SHS indicates improved behavior of water droplets on the treated surface: higher water static contact angles (WCA) from 98° to more than 152° and reduced sliding angles (SA) from 46° to 7°. Sliding speeds (SS) have been largely raised from 54 in the epoxy case to 1300 mm·s−1 after treatment. These results clearly demonstrate the real opportunity to apply ZnO-based nanomaterials onto existing commercial maritime coatings.
TMP-SSurface: A Deep Learning-Based Predictor for Surface Accessibility of Transmembrane Protein Residues
Authors: Lu Chang , Liu Zhe , Kan Bowen , Gong Yingli , Ma Zhiqiang , Wang Han
Published: December 2019

Transmembrane proteins (TMPs) play vital and diverse roles in many biological processes, such as molecular transportation and immune response. Like other proteins, many major interactions with other molecules happen in TMPs’ surface area, which is important for function annotation and drug discovery. Under the condition that the structure of TMP is hard to derive from experiment and prediction, it is a practical way to predict the TMP residues’ surface area, measured by the relative accessible surface area (rASA), based on computational methods. In this study, we presented a novel deep learning-based predictor TMP-SSurface for both alpha-helical and beta-barrel transmembrane proteins (α-TMP and β-TMP), where convolutional neural network (CNN), inception blocks, and CapsuleNet were combined to construct a network framework, simply accepting one-hot code and position-specific score matrix (PSSM) of protein fragment as inputs. TMP-SSurface was tested against an independent dataset achieving appreciable performance with 0.584 Pearson correlation coefficients (CC) value. As the first TMP’s rASA predictor utilizing the deep neural network, our method provided a referenceable sample for the community, as well as a practical step to discover the interaction sites of TMPs based on their sequence.
Ultrasound and Clinical Preoperative Characteristics for Discrimination Between Ovarian Metastatic Colorectal Cancer and Primary Ovarian Cancer: A Case-Control Study
Authors: Stukan Maciej , Alcazar Juan Luis , Gębicki Jacek , Epstein Elizabeth , Liro Marcin , Sufliarska Alexandra , Szubert Sebastian , Guerriero Stefano , Braicu Elena Ioana , Szajewski Mariusz , Pietrzak-Stukan Małgorzata , Fischerova Daniela
Published: December 2019

The aim of this study was to describe the clinical and sonographic features of ovarian metastases originating from colorectal cancer (mCRC), and to discriminate mCRC from primary ovarian cancer (OC). We conducted a multi-institutional, retrospective study of consecutive patients with ovarian mCRC who had undergone ultrasound examination using the International Ovarian Tumor Analysis (IOTA) terminology, with the addition of evaluating signs of necrosis and abdominal staging. A control group included patients with primary OC. Clinical and ultrasound data, subjective assessment (SA), and an assessment of different neoplasias in the adnexa (ADNEX) model were evaluated. Fisher’s exact and Student’s t-tests, the area under the receiver–operating characteristic curve (AUC), and classification and regression trees (CART) were used to conduct statistical analyses. In total, 162 patients (81 with OC and 81 with ovarian mCRC) were included. None of the patients with OC had undergone chemotherapy for CRC in the past, compared with 40% of patients with ovarian mCRC (p < 0.001). The ovarian mCRC tumors were significantly larger, a necrosis sign was more frequently present, and tumors had an irregular wall or were fixed less frequently; ascites, omental cake, and carcinomatosis were less common in mCRC than in primary OC. In a subgroup of patients with ovarian mCRC who had not undergone treatment for CRC in anamnesis, tumors were larger, and had fewer papillations and more locules compared with primary OC. The highest AUC for the discrimination of ovarian mCRC from primary OC was for CART (0.768), followed by SA (0.735) and ADNEX calculated with CA-125 (0.680). Ovarian mCRC and primary OC can be distinguished based on patient anamnesis, ultrasound pattern recognition, a proposed decision tree model, and an ADNEX model with CA-125 levels.
Zero-Delay Multiple Descriptions of Stationary Scalar Gauss-Markov Sources
Authors: Fuglsig Andreas Jonas , Østergaard Jan
Published: December 2019

In this paper, we introduce the zero-delay multiple-description problem, where an encoder constructs two descriptions and the decoders receive a subset of these descriptions. The encoder and decoders are causal and operate under the restriction of zero delay, which implies that at each time instance, the encoder must generate codewords that can be decoded by the decoders using only the current and past codewords. For the case of discrete-time stationary scalar Gauss—Markov sources and quadratic distortion constraints, we present information-theoretic lower bounds on the average sum-rate in terms of the directed and mutual information rate between the source and the decoder reproductions. Furthermore, we show that the optimum test channel is in this case Gaussian, and it can be realized by a feedback coding scheme that utilizes prediction and correlated Gaussian noises. Operational achievable results are considered in the high-rate scenario using a simple differential pulse code modulation scheme with staggered quantizers. Using this scheme, we achieve operational rates within 0.415 bits / sample / description of the theoretical lower bounds for varying description rates.