bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Microwave Assisted Sol-Gel Synthesis of Silica-Spider Silk Composites
Authors: Giasuddin Abul Bashar Mohammad , Britt David W.
Published: July 2019

This study introduces a simple and environmentally friendly method to synthesize silica-protein nanocomposite materials using microwave energy to solubilize hydrophobic protein in an aqueous solution of pre-hydrolyzed organo- or fluoro-silane. Sol-gel functionality can be enhanced through biomacromolecule incorporation to tune mechanical properties, surface energy, and biocompatibility. Here, synthetic spider silk protein and organo- and fluoro-silane precursors were dissolved and mixed in weakly acidic aqueous solution using microwave technology. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Atomic force microscopy (AFM) images revealed the formation of spherical nanoparticles with sizes ranging from 100 to 500 nm depending, in part, on silane fluoro- or organo-side chain chemistry. The silane-protein interaction in the nanocomposite was assessed through infrared spectroscopy. Deconvoluted ATR-FTIR (Attenuated total reflectance Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy) spectra revealed silane chemistry-specific conformational changes in the protein-silane nanocomposites. Relative to microwave-solubilized spider silk protein, the β structure content increased by 14% in the spider silk-organo-silica nanocomposites, but decreased by a net 20% in the spider silk-fluoro-silica nanocomposites. Methods of tuning the secondary structures, and in particular β-sheets that are the cross-linking moieties in spider silks and other self-assembling fibrillar proteins, may provide a unique means to promote protein interactions, favor subsequent epitaxial growth process, and enhance the properties of the protein-silane nanocomposites.
Quantitative Analysis of Polysaccharide Composition in Polyporus umbellatus by HPLC–ESI–TOF–MS
Authors: Guo Ning , Bai Zongli , Jia Weijuan , Sun Jianhua , Wang Wanwan , Chen Shizhong , Wang Hong
Published: July 2019

Polyporus umbellatus is a well-known and important medicinal fungus in Asia. Its polysaccharides possess interesting bioactivities such as antitumor, antioxidant, hepatoprotective and immunomodulatory effects. A qualitative and quantitative method has been established for the analysis of 12 monosaccharides comprising polysaccharides of Polyporus umbellatus based on high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray ionization–ion trap–time of flight–mass spectrometry. The hydrolysis conditions of the polysaccharides were optimized by orthogonal design. The results of optimized hydrolysis were as follows: neutral sugars and uronic acids 4 mol/L trifluoroacetic acid (TFA), 6 h, 120 °C; and amino sugars 3 mol/L TFA, 3 h, 100 °C. The resulting monosaccharides derivatized with 1-phenyl-3-methyl-5-pyrazolone have been well separated and analyzed by the established method. Identification of the monosaccharides was carried out by analyzing the mass spectral behaviors and chromatography characteristics of 1-phenyl-3-methyl-5-pyrazolone labeled monosaccharides. The results showed that polysaccharides in Polyporus umbellatus were composed of mannose, glucosamine, rhamnose, ribose, lyxose, erythrose, glucuronic acid, galacturonic acid, glucose, galactose, xylose, and fucose. Quantitative recoveries of these monosaccharides in the samples were in the range of 96.10–103.70%. This method is simple, accurate, and sensitive for the identification and quantification of monosaccharides, and can be applied to the quality control of Polyporusumbellatus as a natural medicine.
Concentration Effects in the Interaction of Monoclonal Antibodies (mAbs) with their Immediate Environment Characterized by EPR Spectroscopy
Authors: Haeri Haleh H. , Blaffert Jacob , Schöffmann Florian A. , Blech Michaela , Hartl Josef , Garidel Patrick , Hinderberger Dariush
Published: July 2019

Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) are often needed and applied in high concentration solutions, >100 mg/mL. Due to close intermolecular distances between mAbs at high concentrations (~10–20 nm at 200 mg/mL), intermolecular interactions between mAbs and mAbs and solvent/co-solute molecules become non-negligible. Here, EPR spectroscopy is used to study the high-concentration solutions of mAbs and their effect on co-solvated small molecules, using EPR “spin probing” assay in aqueous and buffered solutions. Such, information regarding the surrounding environments of mAbs at high concentrations were obtained and comparisons between EPR-obtained micro-viscosities (rotational correlation times) and macroscopic viscosities measured by rheology were possible. In comparison with highly viscous systems like glycerol-water mixtures, it was found that up to concentrations of 50 mg/mL, the mAb-spin probe systems have similar trends in their macro- (rheology) and micro-viscosities (EPR), whereas at very high concentrations they deviate strongly. The charged spin probes sense an almost unchanged aqueous solution even at very high concentrations, which in turn indicates the existence of large solvent regions that despite their proximity to large mAbs essentially offer pure water reservoirs for co-solvated charged molecules. In contrast, in buffered solutions, amphiphilic spin probes like TEMPO interact with the mAb network, due to slight charge screening. The application of EPR spectroscopy in the present work has enabled us to observe and discriminate between electrostatic and hydrophobic kinds of interactions and depict the potential underlying mechanisms of network formation at high concentrations of mAbs. These findings could be of importance as well for the development of liquid-liquid phase separations often observed in highly concentrated protein solutions.
High Impact: The Role of Promiscuous Binding Sites in Polypharmacology
Authors: Cerisier Natacha , Petitjean Michel , Regad Leslie , Bayard Quentin , Réau Manon , Badel Anne , Camproux Anne-Claude
Published: July 2019

The literature focuses on drug promiscuity, which is a drug’s ability to bind to several targets, because it plays an essential role in polypharmacology. However, little work has been completed regarding binding site promiscuity, even though its properties are now recognized among the key factors that impact drug promiscuity. Here, we quantified and characterized the promiscuity of druggable binding sites from protein-ligand complexes in the high quality Mother Of All Databases while using statistical methods. Most of the sites (80%) exhibited promiscuity, irrespective of the protein class. Nearly half were highly promiscuous and able to interact with various types of ligands. The corresponding pockets were rather large and hydrophobic, with high sulfur atom and aliphatic residue frequencies, but few side chain atoms. Consequently, their interacting ligands can be large, rigid, and weakly hydrophilic. The selective sites that interacted with one ligand type presented less favorable pocket properties for establishing ligand contacts. Thus, their ligands were highly adaptable, small, and hydrophilic. In the dataset, the promiscuity of the site rather than the drug mainly explains the multiple interactions between the drug and target, as most ligand types are dedicated to one site. This underlines the essential contribution of binding site promiscuity to drug promiscuity between different protein classes.
Significantly Enhanced Electrical Performances of Eco-Friendly Dielectric Liquids for Harsh Conditions with Fullerene
Authors: Huang Zhengyong , Wang Feipeng , Wang Qiang , Yao Wei , Sun Kai , Zhang Ruiqi , Zhao Jianying , Lou Ziyi , Li Jian
Published: July 2019

The eco-friendly vegetable liquid is increasingly used because of the growing demand for environmentally friendly dielectric liquid. A vegetable liquid/fullerene nanofluid was fabricated via ultrasonic processing with good dispersion of the fullerene nanoparticles. It was observed that a small amount of fullerene (~100 mg/L) can significantly improve the electrical properties of vegetable insulating liquid (dissipation factor decreased by 20.1%, volume resistivity increased by 23.3%, and Alternating Current (AC) dielectric breakdown strength increased by 8.6%). Meanwhile, the trace amount of fullerene is also able to improve the electrical performances (i.e., dissipation factor and electrical resistivity) of the vegetable nanofluid under harsh conditions of long-term thermal aging compared with the blank contrast. The reduced acid values (25%) and dissolved decomposition gases (58.2% for hydrogen) in the aged vegetable nanofluid indicate the inhibition of molecule decomposition of vegetable liquid with fullerene. The improved electrical performances and thermal resistance of the vegetable nanofluid contribute to the electron affinity of fullerene proved by calculation of electron density distribution on the surface. The thermogravimetric analysis of the nanofluid under different atmospheres interprets that the oxygen absorbed inevitably in the fullerene contributes to the performance deterioration of the nanofluids during the initial aging. This work provides a potential method towards eco-friendly dielectric liquid with great electrical performances for harsh environments.
Titanate Nanowires as One-Dimensional Hot Spot Generators for Broadband Au–TiO2 Photocatalysis
Authors: Negrín-Montecelo Yoel , Testa-Anta Martín , Marín-Caba Laura , Pérez-Lorenzo Moisés , Salgueiriño Verónica , Correa-Duarte Miguel A. , Comesaña-Hermo Miguel
Published: July 2019

Metal–semiconductor nanocomposites have become interesting materials for the development of new photocatalytic hybrids. Along these lines, plasmonic nanoparticles have proven to be particularly efficient photosensitizers due to their ability to transfer plasmonic hot electrons onto large bandgap semiconductors such as TiO2, thus extending the activity of the latter into a broader range of the electromagnetic spectrum. The extent of this photosensitization process can be substantially enhanced in those geometries in which high electromagnetic fields are created at the metal–semiconductor interface. In this manner, the formation of plasmonic hot spots can be used as a versatile tool to engineer the photosensitization process in this family of hybrid materials. Herein, we introduce the use of titanate nanowires as ideal substrates for the assembly of Au nanorods and TiO2 nanoparticles, leading to the formation of robust hybrids with improved photocatalytic properties. Our approach shows that the correct choice of the individual units together with their rational assembly are of paramount importance in the development of complex nanostructures with advanced functionalities.
Controllable Synthesis of Zn-Doped α-Fe2O3 Nanowires for H2S Sensing
Authors: Wei Kefeng , Zhao Sikai , Zhang Wei , Zhong Xiangxi , Li Tingting , Cui Baoyu , Gao Shuling , Wei Dezhou , Shen Yanbai
Published: July 2019

One-dimensional Zn-doped α-Fe2O3 nanowires have been controllably synthesized by using the pure pyrite as the source of Fe element through a two-step synthesis route, including the preparation of Fe source solution by a leaching process and the thermal conversion of the precursor solution into α-Fe2O3 nanowires by the hydrothermal and calcination process. The microstructure, morphology, and surface composition of the obtained products were characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. It was found that the formation process of α-Fe2O3 is significantly influenced by the introduction of Zn2+. The gas sensing measurements indicated that the sensor based on 1% Zn-doped α-Fe2O3 nanowires showed excellent H2S sensing properties at the optimum operating temperature of 175 °C. Notably, the sensor showed a low H2S detection limit of 50 ppb with a sensor response of 1.5. Such high-performance sensing would be ascribed to the one-dimensional structure and high specific surface area of the prepared 1% Zn-doped α-Fe2O3 nanowires, which can not only provide a large number of surface active sites for the adsorption and reaction of the oxygen and H2S molecules, but also facilitate the diffusion of the gas molecules towards the entire sensing materials.
Practical Hydration Solutions for Sports
Authors: Belval Luke N. , Hosokawa Yuri , Casa Douglas J. , Adams William M. , Armstrong Lawrence E. , Baker Lindsay B. , Burke Louise , Cheuvront Samuel , Chiampas George , González-Alonso José , Huggins Robert A. , Kavouras Stavros A. , Lee Elaine C. , McDermott Brendon P. , Miller Kevin , Schlader Zachary , Sims Stacy , Stearns Rebecca L. , Troyanos Chris , Wingo Jonathan
Published: July 2019

Personalized hydration strategies play a key role in optimizing the performance and safety of athletes during sporting activities. Clinicians should be aware of the many physiological, behavioral, logistical and psychological issues that determine both the athlete’s fluid needs during sport and his/her opportunity to address them; these are often specific to the environment, the event and the individual athlete. In this paper we address the major considerations for assessing hydration status in athletes and practical solutions to overcome obstacles of a given sport. Based on these solutions, practitioners can better advise athletes to develop practices that optimize hydration for their sports.
The Effect of Habitual Fat Intake, IL6 Polymorphism, and Different Diet Strategies on Inflammation in Postmenopausal Women with Central Obesity
Authors: Chmurzynska Agata , Muzsik Agata , Krzyżanowska-Jankowska Patrycja , Walkowiak Jarosław , Bajerska Joanna
Published: July 2019

The hypothesis that habitual fat intake, the IL6 genotype, the Mediterranean diet or the central European diet for 16 weeks affect biomarkers of inflammation in centrally obese postmenopausal women, was tested in a randomized controlled trial. Dietary intake was assessed using a three-day food diary. Lipid parameters were measured using a Beckman Coulter AU analyzer. Transcription of TNF and IL6 genes was analyzed in peripheral blood mononuclear cells using real-time PCR. Concentrations of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα) and interleukin 6 (IL6) were measured with ELISA. rs1800795 polymorphism of IL6 was analyzed using hydrolyzing probes. Higher energy intake from fat was associated with higher IL6 levels (p < 0.05). Significantly (p < 0.01) lower total cholesterol (T-C) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) concentrations were observed in the GG IL6 rs1800795 genotype group. Both diets significantly (p < 0.001) decreased TNFα concentrations. Neither IL6 gene transcription levels nor blood IL6 concentrations were affected by them. Our findings confirm that habitual fat intake may affect inflammation. The rs1800795 IL6 polymorphism alone did not significantly affect body weight or body composition in aimed group, but C-allele carriers had higher levels of T-C and LDL-C. This polymorphism did not affect inflammation. Both diets may lead to a decrease in TNFα concentration.
Serological and Molecular Findings of Leishmania Infection in Healthy Donkeys (Equus asinus) from a Canine Leishmaniosis Endemic Focus in Tuscany, Italy: A Preliminary Report
Authors: Nardoni Simona , Altomonte Iolanda , Salari Federica , Martini Mina , Mancianti Francesca
Published: July 2019

Leishmania parasites are considered to be emergent zoonotic pathogens, which is a new concept regarding their epidemiology and the identification of novel animal hosts. The present study is the first in Italy to evaluate anti Leishmania seroprevalence, and the first in Europe to detect parasite DNA in donkeys’ blood. The study was performed on jennies living in a Leishmania infantum endemic area of Central Italy. One hundred and ten blood samples were obtained from 67 healthy lactating Amiatina jennies that were semi-extensively reared in Tuscany. When possible, more than one sample was subsequently obtained from the same subject. All samples were processed by immunofluorescence antibody test (IFAT) and by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). For the results, 11 out of 30 animals (36.7%) showed positive scores under IFAT. In addition, 22 out of the other 37 jennies had positive scores, also. The animals showed titers ranging from 40 to 320. Furthermore, 2 subjects that were submitted for 2 and 3 blood samplings, both had more than one positive score. Moreover, 2 seropositive animals were positive for Leishmania DNA. Donkeys are considered to be a preferred source for a sandfly blood meal, even if clinical leishmaniosis has never been reported in Europe for this animal species. In the view of these facts, our preliminary findings would suggest the role of donkey as a potential reservoir for this protozoan agent. Additional studies would be welcome to elucidate the role of the donkey in Leishmania epidemiology of CanL endemic areas and to confirm the preliminary findings and the hypothesis proposed here.
Reducing Medication Therapy Problems in the Transition from Hospital to Home: A Pre- & Post-Discharge Pharmacist Collaboration
Authors: Schullo-Feulner Anne , Krohn Lisa , Knutson Alison
Published: July 2019

Background: With 30-day Medicare readmission rates reaching 20%, a heightened focus has been placed on improving the transition process from hospital to home. For many institutions, this charge has identified medication-use safety as an area where pharmacists are well-positioned to improve outcomes by reducing medication therapy problems (MTPs). Methods: This system-wide (425 bed community hospital plus 18 primary care clinics) prospective study recruited inpatient and ambulatory pharmacists to provide comprehensive medication management before and after hospital discharge. The results analyzed were the success rate and timing of the inpatient to ambulatory pharmacist handoff, as well as the number, type, and severity of MTPs resolved in both settings. Results: Of the 105 eligible patients who received a pharmacist evaluation before discharge, 61 (58%) received follow-up with an ambulatory pharmacist an average of 2.88 days after discharge (range 1–8 days). An average of 5 and 1.4 MTPs per patient were identified and resolved in the inpatient vs. ambulatory setting, respectively. Although average MTP severity ratings were higher in the inpatient setting, the highest severity rating was seen most frequently in the ambulatory setting. Conclusions: In the transition from hospital to home, pharmacist evaluation in both the inpatient and ambulatory settings are necessary to resolve medication therapy problems.
Pharmacy Practice and Education in Estonia
Authors: Volmer Daisy , Sepp Kristiina , Raal An , Atkinson Jeffrey
Published: July 2019

The Pharmacy Education in Europe (PHARMINE) project studied pharmacy practice and education in the European Union (EU) member states. The work was carried out using an electronic survey forwarded to selected pharmacy representatives at community and hospital pharmacies, in the pharmacy industry and at drug authorities. The surveys of the individual member states are now being published as reference documents for students and staff interested in research on pharmacy education in the EU, and in mobility. This paper presents the results of the PHARMINE project on pharmacy practice and education in Estonia. In this paper, we examine the harmonisation of practice and education in Estonia with EU norms. Community pharmacies in Estonia provide traditional and extended services, of which influenza vaccination, the evaluation of the risk of diabetes, and medication use review have been introduced recently. Pharmacists (in Estonian proviisor) study at the University of Tartu for five years and graduate with a Master of Pharmacy (MSc Pharm) degree. A pharmacist can be the owner of a pharmacy, or work as a pharmacy manager or chief pharmacist in either a community or a hospital pharmacy. Assistant pharmacists (in Estonian farmatseut) study at the Tallinn Health Care College for 3 years; after graduation, they are mainly employed in community pharmacies. The University of Tartu is the only university in Estonia providing higher education in pharmacy at university level. The pharmacy curriculum is an integrated (bachelor followed by master), pharmaceutical product-oriented study programme. It was last updated in 2019. On that occasion, several changes were made such as the introduction of competency-based modules; novel methods in education and training based on the constructive alignment and the restructuring of the six-month traineeship. Several new courses focus on the concepts of clinical pharmacy and on patient-centred communication. In the current pharmacy curriculum, there is a balance between chemical and medical subjects. The traineeship is provided for six months at a community and/or hospital pharmacy in the 5th year. Currently, the pharmacy curriculum at the University of Tartu does not offer specialization in subjects such as hospital or industrial pharmacy.
Genetic Structure of Cultivated Varieties of Radicchio (Cichorium intybus L.): A Comparison between F1 Hybrids and Synthetics
Authors: Patella Alice , Scariolo Francesco , Palumbo Fabio , Barcaccia Gianni
Published: July 2019

Cichorium intybus L., well known in Italy with the common name “Radicchio”, is an important leafy vegetable that is prevalently reproduced by allogamy due to very efficient barriers of self-incompatibility. Marker-assisted breeding is widely used by seed firms to develop new hybrid varieties that manifest genetic distinctiveness, uniformity and stability. A total of 29 mapped microsatellite markers were used for genotyping 504 samples of the Red of Chioggia biotype: First, two synthetics, four F1 hybrids and two derived F2 populations were compared to assess the distinctiveness of their gene pool and structure; then, the uniformity and stability of 3 years of production of a commercial F1 variety were also investigated. Genetic similarity and diversity statistics as well as the genetic structure of populations were analysed, including allele and genotype frequencies. The mean estimates and ranges of genetic similarity enabled the molecular discrimination of OP synthetics from F1 varieties and their F2 progenies and the determination of individual plant memberships. Moreover, the genetic structure of F1 hybrids produced in 3 years unexpectedly revealed two main clusters that discriminate the first 2 years from the 3rd, mainly because of the presence of uncommon specific alleles and different allele frequencies. Overall, this molecular information will enable breeders to determine the genetic distinctness, uniformity and stability of commercial and experimental varieties, as well as their genetic relationships and relatedness. Hence, this work provides a useful tool for achieving the molecular characterisation and genetic identification of different radicchio populations.
Understanding the Role of the WRKY Gene Family under Stress Conditions in Pigeonpea (Cajanus Cajan L.)
Authors: Singh Akshay , Singh Pankaj Kumar , Sharma Ajay Kumar , Singh Nagendra Kumar , Sonah Humira , Deshmukh Rupesh , Sharma Tilak Raj
Published: July 2019

Pigeonpea (Cajanus cajan L.), a protein-rich legume, is a major food component of the daily diet for residents in semi-arid tropical regions of the word. Pigeonpea is also known for its high level of tolerance against biotic and abiotic stresses. In this regard, understanding the genes involved in stress tolerance has great importance. In the present study, identification, and characterization of WRKY, a large transcription factor gene family involved in numerous biological processes like seed germination, metabolism, plant growth, biotic and abiotic stress responses was performed in pigeonpea. A total of 94 WRKY genes identified in the pigeonpea genome were extensively characterized for gene-structures, localizations, phylogenetic distribution, conserved motif organizations, and functional annotation. Phylogenetic analysis revealed three major groups (I, II, and III) of pigeonpea WRKY genes. Subsequently, expression profiling of 94 CcWRKY genes across different tissues like root, nodule, stem, petiole, petal, sepal, shoot apical meristem (SAM), mature pod, and mature seed retrieved from the available RNAseq data identified tissue-specific WRKY genes with preferential expression in the vegetative and reproductive stages. Gene co-expression networks identified four WRKY genes at the center of maximum interaction which may play a key role in the entire WRKY regulations. Furthermore, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) expression analysis of WRKY genes in root and leaf tissue samples from plants under drought and salinity stress identified differentially expressed WRKY genes. The study will be helpful to understand the evolution, regulation, and distribution of the WRKY gene family, and additional exploration for the development of stress tolerance cultivars in pigeonpea and other legumes crops.
Global and Local Aging in Differently Stabilized Polypropylenes Exposed to Hot Chlorinated Water with and without Superimposed Mechanical-Environmental Loads
Authors: Fischer Joerg , Lang Reinhold , Bradler Patrick , Freudenthaler Paul , Buchberger Wolfgang , Mantell Susan
Published: July 2019

The influence of chlorinated water on the global and local aging behavior of polypropylene (PP) was investigated for three differently stabilized PP grades consisting of the same PP base polymer. While one of the PP grades contained only a processing stabilizer (PP-S0), the other two were modified with a primary phenolic antioxidant (PP-S1) and a combination of a primary phenolic antioxidant and a hindered amine stabilizer (PP-S3). To study global aging effects, micro-sized specimens were pre-exposed to chlorinated water (5 mg/L free chlorine) at 60 °C for up to 750 h. Over the entire exposure period, significant material aging was detected by monitoring a continuous decrease in stabilizer content, oxidation induction temperature, mean molar mass, and mechanical strain at break. In terms of aging resistance and ultimate mechanical performance, PP-S1 was found to outperform the other two material formulations under these test conditions. Moreover, superimposed mechanical-environmental fatigue tests with cracked round bar specimens were carried out with the three PP grades in non-chlorinated (0 mg/L free chlorine) and chlorinated (5 mg/L free chlorine) water at 80 °C and 95 °C to study local crack tip aging effects. While the fatigue crack growth resistance substantially deteriorated for all three materials in chlorinated water, a significantly stronger effect was found for the higher temperature, with crack growth rates at a given stress intensity factor range in chlorinated water being ca. 30 to 50 times faster than in non-chlorinated water, depending on the material. Molar mass measurements of material samples taken from various positions of the tested CRB specimens provided clear evidence of enhanced local crack tip aging due to the chlorinated water environment.
Tie-Bar Elongation Based Filling-To-Packing Switchover Control and Prediction of Injection Molding Quality
Authors: Chen Jian-Yu , Liu Chun-Ying , Huang Ming-Shyan
Published: July 2019

Filling-to-packing switchover (also called V/P switchover) is critical for assuring injection molding quality. An improper V/P switchover setting may result in various defects of injection-molded parts, such as excessive residual stress, flash, short shot, and warpage, etc. To enhance a consistent molding quality, recent V/P switchover approaches adopt cavity pressure profiles requiring sensors embedded in mold cavities, which is invasive to mold cavities and more expensive. Instead of using cavity pressure sensors, by working with the most popular screw position switchover control, this study hereby proposes a novel approach of tuning V/P switchover timing using a tie-bar elongation profile. In this investigation, a dumbbell testing specimen mold is applied to verify the feasibility of the method proposed. The results show that the mold filling and packing stages can be observed along the tie-bar elongation profile, detected by mounting strain gauges on the tie bars. Also, the characteristics of the cavity pressure are similar to those of the tie-bar elongation profile under a proper clamping force condition. Moreover, the varying process parameter settings which include injection speed, V/P switchover point, and holding pressure, can be reflected in these profiles. By extracting their characteristics, the application of the V/P switchover is proved to be realistic. This research conducted an experiment to verify the proposed V/P switchover decision method based on the tie-bar elongation profile. The result showed that the fluctuation of the part’s weight corresponding to a slight change of the barrel’s temperature from 210 °C to 215 °C can be successfully controlled with this method. Besides, the maximum clamping force increment extracted from the tie-bar elongation profile was found to be a good indicator for online monitoring of the reground material variation.
RETRACTED: Chen et al. Computational Fluid Dynamics Modeling of the Catalytic Partial Oxidation of Methane in Microchannel Reactors for Synthesis Gas Production. Processes 2018, 6, 83
Authors:   Processes Editorial Office
Published: July 2019

We have become aware that figures, tables, experimental data, and a whole paragraph in the results and discussion section of the published article [...]
The Effect of Very Cohesive Ultra-Fine Particles in Mixtures on Compression, Consolidation, and Fluidization
Authors: Kamranian Marnani Abbas , Bück Andreas , Antonyuk Sergiy , van Wachem Berend , Thévenin Dominique , Tomas Jürgen
Published: July 2019

This paper focuses on the effect of ultra-fine ( d < 10 µm) powders in mixtures with fine ( d < 100 µm) bulk material on compression processes and also evaluates the re-fluidization behavior of the compressed bed (history effect). Achieving this goal, different mixtures of fine and ultra-fine Ground-Carbonate-Calcium were compressed at three pressure levels. The results show that by increasing the applied pressure, the compressibility decreases due to change in compaction regime. Subsequently, for the higher pressure, the slope of packing density versus applied stress curves is noticeably different. However, this slope does not depend on the size distribution of mixtures, but on the type of material. Comparing fluidization and re-fluidization curves (bed pressure drop vs. gas velocity) shows an increase in the maximum bed pressure drop ( Δ P p e a k ) for re-fluidization. By increasing the portion of ultra-fine particles in the binary mixture, Δ P p e a k increases in a non-linear manner. Furthermore, the incipient fluidization point moves to a higher gas velocity. After compression, the peak of the bed pressure drop in the re-fluidization test happens at a lower gas velocity than in the initial fluidization test. Thus, the slope of the loading curve is much larger for re-fluidization. The opposite is observed for the unloading curves.
Exercise and Retrieval-Induced Forgetting
Authors: Cantrelle Justin , Loprinzi Paul
Published: July 2019

Retrieving a subset of items from memory can cause forgetting of other related items in memory, referred to as retrieval-induced forgetting (RIF). This type of forgetting (RIF) is thought to be related to working memory and executive control processes, of which are known to be influenced by acute exercise. The objective of this study was to evaluate whether acute exercise could accentuate RIF. A two-arm, parallel-group randomized controlled intervention was employed. Participants (N = 40) were randomized into one of two groups, including an experimental group (15-min of moderate-intensity exercise) and a control group (time-matched seated task). Retrieval-induced forgetting (RIF) and retrieval practice (RP) were assessed from a category-exemplar memory task. There was no significant main effect for RIF and no group by RIF interaction, suggesting that acute exercise did not alter RIF more than the control group. There was a significant main effect for RP, but there was no group by RP interaction. These RP findings align with the RIF findings, indicating that acute exercise did not alter RP more so than the control group. In conclusion, our experimental results do not provide support for an association of acute exercise on retrieval-induced forgetting or retrieval practice.
Curation and Publication of Simulation Data in DesignSafe, a Natural Hazards Engineering Open Platform and Repository
Authors: Esteva Maria , Jansen Craig , Arduino Pedro , Sharifi-Mood Mahyar , Dawson Clint N. , Balandrano-Coronel Josue
Published: July 2019

Most open repositories present a similar interface and workflow to publish data resultant from different types of research methods. Publishing simulation datasets is challenging due to the iterative nature of simulations that generate large numbers and sizes of files, and their need for detailed documentation. DesignSafe is a web-based open platform for natural hazards engineering research where users can conduct simulations in high performance computing resources, curate, and publish their data. Working closely with experts, we completed a data design project for curation and representation of simulation datasets. The design involved the creation of a data and metadata model that captures the main processes, data, and documentation used in natural hazards simulation research. The model became the foundation to design an interactive curation pipeline integrated with the rest of the platform functions. In the curation interface, users are guided to move, select, categorize, describe, and register relations between files corresponding to the simulation model, the inputs and the outputs categories. Curation steps can be undertaken at any time during active research. To engage users, the web interactions were designed to facilitate managing large numbers of files. The resultant data landing pages show the structure and metadata of a simulation process both as a tree, and a browsing interface for understandability and ease of access. To evaluate the design, we mapped real simulation data to interactive mockups and sought out experts’ feed-back. Upon implementing a first release of the pipeline, we evaluated the data publications and made necessary enhancements.
“I Feel as Though I’m Doing the Job of the Imam for Them”: Considering ‘Tactical’ Muslim Leadership Through the Case of ‘Muslim RE Teachers’
Authors: Vince Matthew
Published: July 2019

Although Muslim leadership in Britain has long been the focus of scholarly attention, discussion has tended to prioritise “official” Muslim leaders (Birt 2006; Geaves 2008; Ahmad and Evergeti 2010). However, what constitutes a “Muslim leader” is increasingly contested, revealing instead a diversity of authoritative ‘claim makers’ and representative positions (Jones et al. 2015). These contestations were a recurring theme throughout the Leadership, Authority and Representation in British Muslim Communities conference (Gilliat-Ray and Timol 2019). Building upon these debates, this article considers how Muslim teachers can be considered Muslim leaders within their local contexts. This paper draws on qualitative research with 21 ‘Muslim RE teachers’ across England to consider how their experience and positioning as ‘role models’ for Muslim and non-Muslim pupils brought considerable influence to represent Muslims, affect school policy and practice, and shape “official” Islamic discourses in their local communities. I argue that their experience reflects what can be considered as ‘Muslim leadership’ on the broader scholarly terrain, but as a form of ‘tactical’ Muslim leadership by virtue of existing within the confines of “secular” institutions. As such, this article concludes by calling for the recognition of Muslim leadership beyond national, ‘strategic’ forms to more ‘tactical’, contextually bounded cases.
Improving the Positioning Accuracy of Satellite-Borne GNSS-R Specular Reflection Point on Sea Surface Based on the Ocean Tidal Correction Positioning Method
Authors: Wu Fan , Zheng Wei , Li Zhaowei , Liu Zongqiang
Published: July 2019

The positioning error of the specular reflection point is the main error source of Global Navigation Satellite System Reflectometry (GNSS-R) satellite sea surface altimetry. The existing specular reflection point geometric positioning methods do not consider the static-state elevation difference of tens of meters and the decimeter-level time-varying elevation difference between the reflection reference surface and the instantaneous sea surface. The resulting positioning error restricts the GNSS-R satellite sea surface altimetry from reaching cm-level high accuracy on the reference datum. Under the premise of the basic static-state elevation positioning error correction, reducing the time-varying elevation positioning error is the key to improving positioning accuracy. In this study, based on the principle of elevation correction of GNSS-R reflection reference surface, the main parameter that determines the real-time variation of sea surface height, ocean tide, is used to correct the specular reflection point from geoid to ocean tidal surface. The positioning error caused by the time-varying elevation error of the reflection reference surface is reduced, the positioning accuracy is improved, and the improvement is quantified. According to the research results, the ocean tidal correction positioning (OTCP) method improves the positioning accuracy by 0.31 m. The positioning accuracy improvement has a good correlation with the corresponding tidal height modulo, and the improvement is 1.07 times of the tidal height modulo. In the offshore, the tidal height gradient modulo is greater than the deep sea, the gradient of the tidal positioning correction has a good response to the tidal height gradient modulo, while the sensitivity of this response decreases in the deep sea.
Long-Term Spatiotemporal Dynamics of Terrestrial Biophysical Variables in the Three-River Headwaters Region of China from Satellite and Meteorological Datasets
Authors: Bei Xiangyi , Yao Yunjun , Zhang Lilin , Xu Tongren , Jia Kun , Zhang Xiaotong , Shang Ke , Xu Jia , Chen Xiaowei
Published: July 2019

Terrestrial biophysical variables play an essential role in quantifying the amount of energy budget, water cycle, and carbon sink over the Three-River Headwaters Region of China (TRHR). However, direct field observations are missing in this region, and few studies have focused on the long-term spatiotemporal variations of terrestrial biophysical variables. In this study, we evaluated the spatiotemporal dynamics of biophysical variables including meteorological variables, vegetation, and evapotranspiration (ET) over the TRHR, and analyzed the response of vegetation and ET to climate change in the period from 1982 to 2015. The main input gridded datasets included meteorological reanalysis data, a satellite-based vegetation index dataset, and the ET product developed by a process-based Priestley–Taylor algorithm. Our results illustrate that: (1) The air temperature and precipitation over the TRHR increased by 0.597 °C and 41.1 mm per decade, respectively, while the relative humidity and surface downward shortwave radiation declined at a rate of 0.9% and 1.8 W/m2 per decade during the period 1982–2015, respectively. We also found that a ‘dryer warming’ tendency and a ‘wetter warming’ tendency existed in different areas of the TRHR. (2) Due to the predominant ‘wetter warming’ tendency characterized by the increasing temperature and precipitation, more than 56.8% of areas in the TRHR presented a significant increment in vegetation (0.0051/decade, p < 0.05), particularly in the northern and western meadow areas. When energy was the limiting factor for vegetation growth, temperature was a considerably more important driving factor than precipitation. (3) The annual ET of the TRHR increased by 3.34 mm/decade (p < 0.05) with an annual mean of 230.23 mm/year. More importantly, our analysis noted that ET was governed by terrestrial water supply, e.g., soil moisture and precipitation in the arid region of the western TRHR. By contrast, atmospheric evaporative demand derived by temperature and relative humidity was the primary controlling factor over the humid region of the southeastern TRHR. It was noted that land management activities, e.g., irrigation, also had a nonnegligible impact on the temporal and spatial variation of ET.
Micro-Motion Estimation of Maritime Targets Using Pixel Tracking in Cosmo-Skymed Synthetic Aperture Radar Data—An Operative Assessment
Authors: Biondi Filippo , Addabbo Pia , Orlando Danilo , Clemente Carmine
Published: July 2019

In this paper, we propose a novel strategy to estimate the micro-motion (m-m) of ships from synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images. To this end, observe that the problem of motion and m-m detection of targets is usually solved using synthetic aperture radar (SAR) along-track interferometry through two radars spatially separated by a baseline along the azimuth direction. The approach proposed in this paper for m-m estimation of ships, occupying thousands of pixels, processes the information generated during the coregistration of several re-synthesized time-domain and not overlapped Doppler sub-apertures. Specifically, the SAR products are generated by splitting the raw data according to a temporally small baseline using one single wide-band staring spotlight (ST) SAR image. The predominant vibrational modes of different ships are then estimated. The performance analysis is conducted on one ST SAR image recorded by COSMO-SkyMed satellite system. Finally, the newly proposed approach paves the way for application to the surveillance of land-based industry activities.
Evaluation of Different Methods for Estimating the Fraction of Sunlit Leaves and Its Contribution for Photochemical Reflectance Index Utilization in a Coniferous Forest
Authors: Huang Qing , Qiu Feng , Fan Weiliang , Liu Yibo , Zhang Qian
Published: July 2019

Proper determinations of light use efficiency (LUE) and absorbed photosynthetically active radiation (APAR) are essential for LUE models to simulate gross primary productivity (GPP). This study intended to apply the photochemical reflectance index (PRI) to track LUE or APAR variations in a subtropical coniferous forest using tower-based PRI and GPP measurements. To improve the ability of using PRI to track LUE or APAR, a two-leaf approach differentiating sunlit and shaded leaves was used to process the remote sensing and flux data. However, penumbra region, the ‘grey region’ between sunlit and shaded leaves, increases the difficulty for quantifying the fractions of sunlit and shaded leaves. Firstly, three methods with different ways on treating the penumbra region were investigated for estimating the fraction of sunlit leaves (PT). After evaluating the correlations between observed PRI (PRIobs) and inversely retrieved PRI (PRIinv) from estimated PT using the three methods, we found that treating a substantial portion of penumbra region as sunlit leaves was reasonable and using the ratio of canopy reflectance to leaf reflectance as PT was accurate and efficient. Based on this, we used the two-leaf approach to estimate the canopy-level PRI, aiming to evaluate the ability of using PRI as a proxy for LUE or APAR. Results showed that PRI was able to capture half-hourly and daily changes in LUE and APAR, and the two-leaf approach could enhance the correlations between PRI and both LUE and APAR at both half-hourly and daily time steps. Strong diurnal correlations (averaged R = 0.82 from 173 days) between two-leaf PRI and APAR were found on more than 80% days and the relationship between them over the whole study period was also very significant (R2 > 0.5, p <0.0001) regardless of different climate conditions, suggesting that the two-leaf PRI was probably a better proxy for APAR than for LUE at short-term scale as PRI mainly represented the absorbed energy allocated to photoprotection at short time scale and was a direct outcome driven by APAR. However, the scattered relationships of PRI with LUE and APAR indicated there were still many limitations in usage of PRI to accurately estimate physiological parameters affected by changing weather conditions, pigment pool size, etc., which needed further exploration.
STAM-CCF: Suspicious Tracking Across Multiple Camera Based on Correlation Filters
Authors: Sheu Ruey-Kai , Pardeshi Mayuresh , Chen Lun-Chi , Yuan Shyan-Ming
Published: July 2019

There is strong demand for real-time suspicious tracking across multiple cameras in intelligent video surveillance for public areas, such as universities, airports and factories. Most criminal events show that the nature of suspicious behavior are carried out by un-known people who try to hide themselves as much as possible. Previous learning-based studies collected a large volume data set to train a learning model to detect humans across multiple cameras but failed to recognize newcomers. There are also several feature-based studies aimed to identify humans within-camera tracking. It would be very difficult for those methods to get necessary feature information in multi-camera scenarios and scenes. It is the purpose of this study to design and implement a suspicious tracking mechanism across multiple cameras based on correlation filters, called suspicious tracking across multiple cameras based on correlation filters (STAM-CCF). By leveraging the geographical information of cameras and YOLO object detection framework, STAM-CCF adjusts human identification and prevents errors caused by information loss in case of object occlusion and overlapping for within-camera tracking cases. STAM-CCF also introduces a camera correlation model and a two-stage gait recognition strategy to deal with problems of re-identification across multiple cameras. Experimental results show that the proposed method performs well with highly acceptable accuracy. The evidences also show that the proposed STAM-CCF method can continuously recognize suspicious behavior within-camera tracking and re-identify it successfully across multiple cameras.
Deep ECG-Respiration Network (DeepER Net) for Recognizing Mental Stress
Authors: Seo Wonju , Kim Namho , Kim Sehyeon , Lee Chanhee , Park Sung-Min
Published: July 2019

Unmanaged long-term mental stress in the workplace can lead to serious health problems and reduced productivity. To prevent this, it is important to recognize and relieve mental stress in a timely manner. Here, we propose a novel stress detection algorithm based on end-to-end deep learning using multiple physiological signals, such as electrocardiogram (ECG) and respiration (RESP) signal. To mimic workplace stress in our experiments, we used Stroop and math tasks as stressors, with each stressor being followed by a relaxation task. Herein, we recruited 18 subjects and measured both ECG and RESP signals using Zephyr BioHarness 3.0. After five-fold cross validation, the proposed network performed well, with an average accuracy of 83.9%, an average F1 score of 0.81, and an average area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve (AUC) of 0.92, demonstrating its superiority over conventional machine learning models. Furthermore, by visualizing the activation of the trained network’s neurons, we found that they were activated by specific ECG and RESP patterns. In conclusion, we successfully validated the feasibility of end-to-end deep learning using multiple physiological signals for recognition of mental stress in the workplace. We believe that this is a promising approach that will help to improve the quality of life of people suffering from long-term work-related mental stress.