bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Review of the Main Issues on the Loan Contracts: Asymmetric Information, Poor Transparency, and Hidden Costs
Authors: Rundo Francesco , Di Stallo Agatino Luigi
Published: September 2019

The well-known subprime mortgage crisis, which began to manifest in early 2007, since when the effects of the speculative bubble begin to become evident from the increase in default rates in residential mortgages, has triggered a global crisis that has pushed various legislations over time to implement a series of financial reforms with the specific objective of avoiding that similar phenomena could be repeated over time. The ability to repay a loan is strongly influenced by the amortization algorithm that the bank has decided to adopt. This appears even more evident in variable interest rate loans since, as the economic conditions of the indexation parameter change, the definition of the loan balance and the related portion of interest will be decisive in relation to the borrower’s ability to repay the loaned capital. A study of the main amortization algorithms and the related descriptions in the bank contracts will allow us to show which are the main issues due to an information asymmetry that, unfortunately, characterizes this type of contract and would seem to be one of the main reasons that lie at the root of the aforementioned crisis of subprime mortgages in the USA. Moreover, the authors will provide a clear analysis of the financial indicators usually reported in loan contracts and how often these indications are insufficient to characterize the actual cost of the loan. Furthermore, by highlighting the discretionary choice that banks often obtain following the contractual loan schemes commonly offered to retail and corporate clients, we will show how this often translates into greater cost to the borrower. Finally, we will propose two possible solutions to the problems highlighted, thus allowing us to reduce this information gap, which unfortunately translates into greater costs for customers with the associated increase in default rates, or the so-called nonperforming loan (NPLs) contracts. Therefore, the objective of this contribution is to show which are the most critical aspects of the bank contracts related to contractual transparency and to the presence or otherwise of hidden costs, i.e., not expressly shown in the contract. Specifically, we refer to the loan contracts issued in Italy both with reference to the local banking legislation and to the European one to which Italy must often refer.
Emotional and Behavioral Difficulties, Communication, Intelligence, and Reasoning in Children with Hearing Difficulties
Authors: Alegre de la Rosa Olga María , Villar Angulo Luis Miguel
Published: September 2019

This study aims to investigate whether emotional and behavioral difficulties (EBD) differ between children with cochlear implants (CIs) or hearing aids (HAs), according to multi-informant ratings. Methods: A battery of psychological measures (e.g., Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ), Illinois Test of Psycholinguistic Abilities (ITPA), Peabody Image Vocabulary Test (PPVT), and Raven Progressive Matrices Test (RPM), was administered to children with CIs or HAs. The study involved 187 children with CIs, 113 children with HAs, 176 fathers and mothers, and 300 schoolteachers. Results: Significant disagreements were found between children, parents, and schoolteachers with regard to SDQ ratings. Total SDQ difficulties score correlated poorly with other outcomes (e.g., total ITPA, final PPVT, and final RPM). Regression linear analyses showed six socio-demographic and linguistic covariates that significantly predicted children’s total SDQ difficulties score. Conclusion: Several independent variables were found to be associated with children’s total EBD scores. This article highlights the importance of providing professionals with sufficient training so that they are knowledgeable about the procedures they are to use to support children with EBD (e.g., developing and implementing instructional approaches for school students with EBD).
ProMo: A Probabilistic Model for Dynamic Load-Balanced Scheduling of Data Flows in Cloud Systems
Authors: Souravlas Stavros
Published: September 2019

An important issue in cloud computing is the balanced flow of big data centers, which usually transfer huge amounts of data. Thus, it is crucial to achieve dynamic, load-balanced data flow distributions that can take into account the possible change of states in the network. A number of scheduling techniques for achieving load balancing have therefore been proposed. To the best of my knowledge, there is no tool that can be used independently for different algorithms, in order to model the proposed system (network topology, linking and scheduling algorithm) and use its own probability-based parameters to test it for good balancing and scheduling performance. In this paper, a new, Probabilistic Model (ProMo) for data flows is proposed, which can be used independently with a number of techniques to test the most important parameters that determine good load balancing and scheduling performance in the network. In this work, ProMo is only used for testing with two well-known dynamic data flow scheduling schemes, and the experimental results verify the fact that it is indeed suitable for testing the performance of load-balanced scheduling algorithms.
Flexibly Extensible Planar Self-Isolated Wideband MIMO Antenna for 5G Communications
Authors: Li Qian , Wei Yanyu , Tan Mingtao , Lei Xia , Wu Gangxiong , Huang Minzhi , Gong Yubin
Published: September 2019

A planar flexibly extensible multiple-input–multiple-output (MIMO) antenna array with a self-isolation property is proposed. The main characteristics of the proposed array are: (i) no extra isolation structure is required to improve isolation between elements; (ii) elements are arranged with each other with a spacing of 0 mm, (iii) the configuration can be flexibly extended to a large antenna array according to actual requirements. For a test example, the practical processing and testing of an eight-element array is conducted. The tested results demonstrate that the proposed design possesses wide impedance bandwidth (IBW) of 65% and very good isolation (>18 dB) across the operating bandwidth, which match well with the simulated ones. Moreover, envelope correlation coefficient (ECC) is calculated to valuate MIMO performance; an acceptable ECC (lower than 0.05) suggests that the proposed configuration has good diversity performance and can be a potential candidate for MIMO communications.
Evolutionary-Fuzzy-Integral-Based Convolutional Neural Networks for Facial Image Classification
Authors: Lin Cheng-Jian , Lin Chun-Hui , Sun Chi-Chia , Wang Shyh-Hau
Published: September 2019

Various optimization methods and network architectures are used by convolutional neural networks (CNNs). Each optimization method and network architecture style have their own advantages and representation abilities. To make the most of these advantages, evolutionary-fuzzy-integral-based convolutional neural networks (EFI-CNNs) are proposed in this paper. The proposed EFI-CNNs were verified by way of face classification of age and gender. The trained CNNs’ outputs were set as inputs of a fuzzy integral. The classification results were operated using either Sugeno or Choquet output rules. The conventional fuzzy density values of the fuzzy integral were decided by heuristic experiments. In this paper, particle swarm optimization (PSO) was used to adaptively find optimal fuzzy density values. To combine the advantages of each CNN type, the evaluation of each CNN type in EFI-CNNs is necessary. Three CNN structures, AlexNet, very deep convolutional neural network (VGG16), and GoogLeNet, and three databases, computational intelligence application laboratory (CIA), Morph, and cross-age celebrity dataset (CACD2000), were used in experiments to classify age and gender. The experimental results show that the proposed method achieved 5.95% and 3.1% higher accuracy, respectively, in classifying age and gender.
Experimental and Numerical Analysis on Flow Characteristics in a Double Helix Screw Pump
Authors: Zhang Weibin , Jiang Qifeng , Bois Gérard , Li Hong , Liu Xiaobing , Yuan Shuai , Heng Yaguang
Published: September 2019

Experimental overall performances on a double helix screw pump are presented and discussed, focusing on the leakage flow for two different rotational speeds. A comparison between experimental and URANS CFD approaches is performed in order to check the CFD closure models’ validity. Some specific local flow characteristics are extracted from the numerical results which give explanations about leakage backflows inside the screws and local distortion at the pump inlet section.
Regulation Performance of Multiple DC Electric Springs Controlled by Distributed Cooperative System
Authors: Zha Daojun , Wang Qingsong , Cheng Ming , Deng Fujin , Buja Giuseppe
Published: September 2019

DC electric springs (DCESs) have been recently developed to improve the voltage stability of a DC microgrid. A lately proposed DCES topology is comprised of a DC/DC three port converter (TPC), a bi-directional buck-boost converter (BBC) and a battery, and is arranged as follows: The TPC input port is fed by a renewable energy source (RES) whilst the two TPC output ports supply a non-critical load (NCL) and a critical load (CL) separately; in turn, BBC together with the battery constitutes the DCES energy storage unit (ESU) and is connected in parallel to CL. In this paper, a set of DCESs with such a topology and with their CLs connected to a common DC bus is considered. The control of the DCESs is built up around a distributed cooperative system having two control levels, namely primary and secondary, each of them endowed with algorithms committed to specific tasks. The structure of the control levels is explicated and their parameters are designed. The control system is applied to a DCES set taken as a study-case and tested by simulation. The results of the tests show the excellent performance of the control system in both regulating the CL DC bus voltage and keeping the state-of-charge of the battery within predefined limits.
Comparison of Physics-Based, Semi-Empirical and Neural Network-Based Models for Model-Based Combustion Control in a 3.0 L Diesel Engine
Authors: Hu Song , d’Ambrosio Stefano , Finesso Roberto , Manelli Andrea , Marzano Mario Rocco , Mittica Antonio , Ventura Loris , Wang Hechun , Wang Yinyan
Published: September 2019

A comparison of four different control-oriented models has been carried out in this paper for the simulation of the main combustion metrics in diesel engines, i.e., combustion phasing, peak firing pressure, and brake mean effective pressure. The aim of the investigation has been to understand the potential of each approach in view of their implementation in the engine control unit (ECU) for onboard combustion control applications. The four developed control-oriented models, namely the baseline physics-based model, the artificial neural network (ANN) physics-based model, the semi-empirical model, and direct ANN model, have been assessed and compared under steady-state conditions and over the Worldwide Harmonized Heavy-duty Transient Cycle (WHTC) for a Euro VI FPT F1C 3.0 L diesel engine. Moreover, a new procedure has been introduced for the selection of the input parameters. The direct ANN model has shown the best accuracy in the estimation of the combustion metrics under both steady-state/transient operating conditions, since the root mean square errors are of the order of 0.25/1.1 deg, 0.85/9.6 bar, and 0.071/0.7 bar for combustion phasing, peak firing pressure, and brake mean effective pressure, respectively. Moreover, it requires the least computational time, that is, less than 50 μs when the model is run on a rapid prototyping device. Therefore, it can be considered the best candidate for model-based combustion control applications.
Experimental Investigation on the Energy Consumption, Physical, and Thermal Properties of a Novel Pellet Fuel Made from Wood Residues with Microalgae as a Binder
Authors: Cui Xuyang , Yang Junhong , Shi Xinyu , Lei Wanning , Huang Tao , Bai Chao
Published: September 2019

Co-pelletization of waste biomass and microalgae is an attractive option for using bioenergy efficiently. This work investigates the potential of microalgae as a binder to improve the energy consumption and physical and thermal properties of a novel pellet. Wood waste biomass was blended with microalgae in proportions of 15%, 30%, and 50% to investigate its properties using a single pelleting device and thermodynamic analysis. The results showed that, under the conditions of temperature (80–160 °C), pressure (120–200 MPa), and moisture content (6%–14%), blending microalgae can effectively increase the bulk density and mechanical durability of the pellets by 9%–36% and 0.7%–1.6%, respectively, and can significantly reduce the energy consumption of pelleting by 23.5%–40.4%. Blending microalgae can significantly reduce the energy consumption of pelleting by 23.5%–40.4%. Moreover, when the amount of Chlorella vulgaris powder (CVP) is 50%, a maximum bulk density (BD) of 1580.2 kg/m3, a durability (DU) of 98%, and a minimum energy consumption of 25.2 kJ/kg were obtained under the optimum conditions of temperature (120 °C), pressure (120 MPa), and moisture content (10%), respectively. Besides, the interaction between the microalgae and sawdust does exist, and their effect on the co-combustion process is inhibitive (0–300 °C) and accelerative (300–780 °C). When the amount of microalgae was 15%, the average activation energy of the pellet was a minimum value, which was 133.21 kJ/mol and 134.60 kJ/mol calculated by the Kissinger–Akahira–Sunose method and Ozawa–Flynn–Wall method, respectively. Therefore, the energy consumption, physical, and thermal properties of the novel pellet could be improved and meet the ISO standard (International Organization for Standardization of 17225, Geneva, Switzerland, 2016) by blending 15% of microalgae. Overall, the use of microalgae as a binder can indeed improve pellet quality, and it can be considered a significant way to utilize microalgae in the future.
Analysis of Modal and Vibration Reduction of an Interior Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motor
Authors: Xie Ying , Xia Yu , Li ZhiWei , Li Fei
Published: September 2019

Interior permanent magnet synchronous motors (IPMSMs) have been widely used in a variety of applications. The IPMSM will generate vibration as well as functioning like other traditional motors, which will affect the performance and the durability of the motor itself. The modal and vibration characteristics of the IPMSM and an optimization design to reduce vibration are researched in this paper. The formulas of electromagnetic force are deduced and analyzed, and a finite element model is established. The model is used for modal calculation, and the low order natural frequency is obtained. Then, the modal test is carried out by the hammering method, and the resonance frequency is found by analyzing the results. Eventually, the electromagnetic vibration is analyzed by taking the electromagnetic force as the load condition, the vibration displacement waveform is obtained, and the correctness of the dynamic calculation is verified by vibration tests. In addition, an eccentric tooth edge design is proposed to weaken the dominant radial electromagnetic force and the vibration displacement is compared with the designed prototype. This design method, which could help to reduce the vibration and noise of the IPMSM, has great potential in future applications.
A Family of Y-Impedance-Network Half-Bridge Converters with Additional Voltage Adjustment Function
Authors: Zhang Guidong , Chen Haodong , Qu Lili , Chen Sizhe , Zhang Yun
Published: September 2019

Half-bridge converters have been widely used in multiple medium power level applications because of the advantages of having less switches and being easy to control. However, their inherent structure leads to low output amplitude and shoot-through problems. In this study, we propose a family of novel half-bridge converters implementing a Y-impedance-network with additional buck-boost voltage adjustment function with the aim of resolving these issues. In order to verify the effectiveness of the proposed topologies, simulations and experiments were conducted, the results which well validate the feasibility of the proposed converters.
Seed Protein of Lentils: Current Status, Progress, and Food Applications
Authors: Khazaei Hamid , Subedi Maya , Nickerson Mike , Martínez-Villaluenga Cristina , Frias Juana , Vandenberg Albert
Published: September 2019

Grain legumes are widely recognized as staple sources of dietary protein worldwide. Lentil seeds are an excellent source of plant-based proteins and represent a viable alternative to animal and soybean proteins for food processing formulations. Lentil proteins provide not only dietary amino acids but are also a source of bioactive peptides that provide health benefits. This review focuses on the current knowledge of seed protein, extraction and isolation methods, bioactive peptides, and food applications of lentil protein. Lentil is the most rapidly expanding crop for direct human consumption, and has potential for greater impact as a protein source for food processing applications. Improvements in lentil protein quality, amino acid composition, and processing fractions will enhance the nutritional quality of this rapidly expanding crop globally.
Next-Generation Community Air Quality Sensors for Identifying Air Pollution Episodes
Authors: Seto Edmund , Carvlin Graeme , Austin Elena , Shirai Jeffry , Bejarano Esther , Lugo Humberto , Olmedo Luis , Calderas Astrid , Jerrett Michael , King Galatea , Meltzer Dan , Wilkie Alexa , Wong Michelle , English Paul
Published: September 2019

Conventional regulatory air quality monitoring sites tend to be sparsely located. The availability of lower-cost air pollution sensors, however, allows for their use in spatially dense community monitoring networks, which can be operated by various stakeholders, including concerned residents, organizations, academics, or government agencies. Networks of many community monitors have the potential to fill the spatial gaps between existing government-operated monitoring sites. One potential benefit of finer scale monitoring might be the ability to discern elevated air pollution episodes in locations that have not been identified by government-operated monitoring sites, which might improve public health warnings for populations sensitive to high levels of air pollution. In the Imperial Air study, a large network of low-cost particle monitors was deployed in the Imperial Valley in Southeastern California. Data from the new monitors is validated against regulatory air monitoring. Neighborhood-level air pollution episodes, which are defined as periods in which the PM2.5 (airborne particles with sizes less than 2.5 μm in diameter) hourly average concentration is equal to or greater than 35 μg m−3, are identified and corroborate with other sites in the network and against the small number of government monitors in the region. During the period from October 2016 to February 2017, a total of 116 episodes were identified among six government monitors in the study region; however, more than 10 times as many episodes are identified among the 38 community air monitors. Of the 1426 episodes identified by the community sensors, 723 (51%) were not observed by the government monitors. These findings suggest that the dense network of community air monitors could be useful for addressing current limitations in the spatial coverage of government air monitoring to provide real-time warnings of high pollution episodes to vulnerable populations.
The Nexus between Energy Consumption, Biodiversity, and Economic Growth in Lancang-Mekong Cooperation (LMC): Evidence from Cointegration and Granger Causality Tests
Authors: Liu Hongbo , Liang Shuanglu
Published: September 2019

This work is proposed to examine the relationships between energy consumption, biodiversity, and economic growth for China and five countries in the Indochina Peninsula, which are Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam, who also belong to Lancang-Mekong Cooperation, for the time span from 1991 to 2014. For this purpose, this work adopted autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) through a dynamic simulation process. The estimation outcomes indicate that the nexus of the economic growth and energy consumption are diversified in fossil energy consumption and renewable consumption, respectively. The results are consistent with the fact that renewable energy is an alternative to fossil fuels, and traditional energy is still in the dominant position. This work is expected to serve as a first-hand examination on Lancang-Mekong Cooperation by adding innovative perspectives into existing research. Meanwhile, policy implications will also be discussed in this work.
Development of Accident Probability Index Using Surrogate Indicators of Chemical Accidents in Chemical Plants
Authors: Huh Da-An , Huh Eun-Hae , Byeon Sang-Hoon , Sohn Jong-Ryeul , Moon Kyong Whan
Published: September 2019

To reduce damage caused by chemical accidents, it is important to establish a prevention system for chemical accidents. The first step in the prevention of chemical accidents is to screen the high-risk chemical plants. Risk index, one of the screening methods, can indirectly estimate the risk at each chemical plant. For calculating the risk index, the probability of an accident needs to be estimated, which requires complex calculation and confidential data from plants that are difficult to obtain. Therefore, we developed a new index, the accident probability index, to estimate accident probability in chemical plants using readily accessible data. We conducted a literature survey on the existing risk indices and interviewed chemical experts and government chemical managers to select surrogate indicators related to chemical accidents, and four indicators were chosen: hazardous characteristics of chemicals, handling volume, records of accident frequency, and national accident frequency of chemicals. We calculated the accident probability index for 4520 chemical plants, and index value means was 5.324 (95% confidence interval (CI): 3.156, 7.493). An increase by 10 in the index value denoted a 1.06-fold (95% CI: 1.04, 1.08) increase in the odds ratio for actual accident occurrence. The accident frequency of the fourth quartile of the index value was 4.30 times (95% CI: 1.72, 10.75) higher than those of the first quartile.
The Effect of Animal-Assisted Therapy on the State of Patients’ Health After a Stroke: A Pilot Study
Authors: Machová Kristýna , Procházková Radka , Říha Michal , Svobodová Ivona
Published: September 2019

A stroke is a condition that can give rise to consequences such as cognitive and physical constraints, which sometimes manifest in the psychological condition of the patient. Such patients commence rehabilitation as soon as is possible, which involves a multi-disciplinary approach to treatment. One aspect of complementary rehabilitation could be animal-assisted therapy (AAT). A total of 15 individuals were split into an experimental group comprising 6 patients (2 males, 4 females), and a control group of 9 patients (3 males, 6 females). The participants in the control group were aged from 43 to 87 years and the experimental group featured participants aged from 45 to 76 years. Both groups received standard physiotherapy and occupational therapy. In addition, the experimental group was supplemented with AAT, with the animal in question being a dog. The tools primarily applied to measure the outcomes were the Barthel index, blood pressure, and heart rate measurements, whereas the Likert scale was employed to discern the mood of the patients. The results showed that changes in the values for heart rate and blood pressure were insignificant. However, a statistically significant aspect of the research pertained to the patients confirming that they felt better after the AAT sessions. Hence, AAT could potentially bolster the effectiveness of other therapies.
Using Vehicle Synthesis Generative Adversarial Networks to Improve Vehicle Detection in Remote Sensing Images
Authors: Zheng Kun , Wei Mengfei , Sun Guangmin , Anas Bilal , Li Yu
Published: September 2019

Vehicle detection based on very high-resolution (VHR) remote sensing images is beneficial in many fields such as military surveillance, traffic control, and social/economic studies. However, intricate details about the vehicle and the surrounding background provided by VHR images require sophisticated analysis based on massive data samples, though the number of reliable labeled training data is limited. In practice, data augmentation is often leveraged to solve this conflict. The traditional data augmentation strategy uses a combination of rotation, scaling, and flipping transformations, etc., and has limited capabilities in capturing the essence of feature distribution and proving data diversity. In this study, we propose a learning method named Vehicle Synthesis Generative Adversarial Networks (VS-GANs) to generate annotated vehicles from remote sensing images. The proposed framework has one generator and two discriminators, which try to synthesize realistic vehicles and learn the background context simultaneously. The method can quickly generate high-quality annotated vehicle data samples and greatly helps in the training of vehicle detectors. Experimental results show that the proposed framework can synthesize vehicles and their background images with variations and different levels of details. Compared with traditional data augmentation methods, the proposed method significantly improves the generalization capability of vehicle detectors. Finally, the contribution of VS-GANs to vehicle detection in VHR remote sensing images was proved in experiments conducted on UCAS-AOD and NWPU VHR-10 datasets using up-to-date target detection frameworks.
Image Retrieval Based on Learning to Rank and Multiple Loss
Authors: Fan Lili , Zhao Hongwei , Zhao Haoyu , Liu Pingping , Hu Huangshui
Published: September 2019

Image retrieval applying deep convolutional features has achieved the most advanced performance in most standard benchmark tests. In image retrieval, deep metric learning (DML) plays a key role and aims to capture semantic similarity information carried by data points. However, two factors may impede the accuracy of image retrieval. First, when learning the similarity of negative examples, current methods separate negative pairs into equal distance in the embedding space. Thus, the intraclass data distribution might be missed. Second, given a query, either a fraction of data points, or all of them, are incorporated to build up the similarity structure, which makes it rather complex to calculate similarity or to choose example pairs. In this study, in order to achieve more accurate image retrieval, we proposed a method based on learning to rank and multiple loss (LRML). To address the first problem, through learning the ranking sequence, we separate the negative pairs from the query image into different distance. To tackle the second problem, we used a positive example in the gallery and negative sets from the bottom five ranked by similarity, thereby enhancing training efficiency. Our significant experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method achieves state-of-the-art performance on three widely used benchmarks.
Cyclobutane-Containing Scaffolds as Useful Intermediates in the Stereoselective Synthesis of Suitable Candidates for Biomedical Purposes: Surfactants, Gelators and Metal Cation Ligands
Authors: Illa Ona , Serra Albert , Ardiaca Agustí , Herrero Xavier , Closa Guillem , Ortuño Rosa M.
Published: September 2019

Efficient and versatile synthetic methodologies are reported for the preparation of products that are suitable candidates to be used as surfactants, gelators for hydroxylic solvents or metal cation ligands, with potential use in several fields including biomedical applications. The common structural feature of all the synthesized products is the presence of a cis or trans-1,2- or cis-1,3-difunctionalized cyclobutane ring. In the two first cases, the key intermediates including enantiomerically pure 1,3-diamines and 1,3-amino alcohols have been prepared from β-amino acid derivatives obtained, in turn, from a chiral half-ester. This compound is also precursor of γ-amino esters. Furthermore, two kind of polydentate ligands have also been synthesized from a symmetric 1,5-diamine obtained from norpinic acid, which was easily prepared from commercial verbenone.
Risk Factors for the Development of Psoriasis
Authors: Kamiya Koji , Kishimoto Megumi , Sugai Junichi , Komine Mayumi , Ohtsuki Mamitaro
Published: September 2019

Psoriasis is an immune-mediated genetic skin disease. The underlying pathomechanisms involve complex interaction between the innate and adaptive immune system. T cells interact with dendritic cells, macrophages, and keratinocytes, which can be mediated by their secreted cytokines. In the past decade, biologics targeting tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin (IL)-23, and IL-17 have been developed and approved for the treatment of psoriasis. These biologics have dramatically changed the treatment and management of psoriasis. In contrast, various triggering factors can elicit the disease in genetically predisposed individuals. Recent studies suggest that the exacerbation of psoriasis can lead to systemic inflammation and cardiovascular comorbidity. In addition, psoriasis may be associated with other auto-inflammatory and auto-immune diseases. In this review, we summarize the risk factors, which can be divided into two groups (namely, extrinsic and intrinsic risk factors), responsible for the onset and exacerbation of psoriasis in order to facilitate its prevention.
Comparison of Lipid and Palmitoleic Acid Induction of Tribonema minus under Heterotrophic and Phototrophic Regimes by Using High-Density Fermented Seeds
Authors: Zhou Wenjun , Wang Hui , Zheng Li , Cheng Wentao , Gao Lili , Liu Tianzhong
Published: September 2019

Palmitoleic acid, one scarce omega-7 monounsaturated fatty acid, has important applications in the fields of medicine and health products. Tribonema has been considered as a promising candidate for the production of palmitoleic acid due to its high lipid and palmitoleic acid content and remarkable heterotrophic ability. The high-density heterotrophic cultivation of Tribonema minus was conducted in this work, and the highest biomass of 42.9 g L−1 and a relatively low lipid content of 28.7% were observed. To further enhance the lipid and palmitoleic acid accumulation, induction strategies under two regimes of phototrophy and heterotrophy with different conditions were investigated and compared. Results demonstrated encouraging promotions both by heterotrophic and phototrophic ways, and the final lipid contents reached 41.9% and 49.0%, respectively. In consideration of the time cost, however, the induction under heterotrophic conditions was much more advantageous, by which the highest lipid and palmitoleic acid productivities of 1.77 g L−1 d−1 and 924 mg L−1 d−1 were obtained respectively, with the lipid yield on glucose of 0.26 g g−1.
Quinacrine-Mediated Inhibition of Nrf2 Reverses Hypoxia-Induced 5-Fluorouracil Resistance in Colorectal Cancer
Authors: Kim Ha Gyeong , Kim Chan Woo , Lee Don Haeng , Lee Jae-Seon , Oh Eun-Taex , Park Heon Joo
Published: September 2019

5-Fluorouracil (5-FU) is an important chemotherapeutic agent for the systemic treatment of colorectal cancer (CRC), but its effectiveness against CRC is limited by increased 5-FU resistance caused by the hypoxic tumor microenvironment. The purpose of our study was to assess the feasibility of using quinacrine (QC) to increase the efficacy of 5-FU against CRC cells under hypoxic conditions. QC reversed the resistance to 5-FU induced by hypoxia in CRC cell lines, as determined using ATP-Glo cell viability assays and clonogenic survival assays. Treatment of cells with 5-FU under hypoxic conditions had no effect on the expression of nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2)-like 2 (Nrf2), a regulator of cellular resistance to oxidative stress, whereas treatment with QC alone or in combination with 5-FU reduced Nrf2 expression in all CRC cell lines tested. Overexpression of Nrf2 effectively prevented the increase in the number of DNA double-strand breaks induced by QC alone or in combination with 5-FU. siRNA-mediated c-Jun N-terminal kinase-1 (JNK1) knockdown inhibited the QC-mediated Nrf2 degradation in CRC cells under hypoxic conditions. The treatment of CRC xenografts in mice with the combination of QC and 5-FU was more effective in suppressing tumor growth than QC or 5-FU alone. QC increases the susceptibility of CRC cells to 5-FU under hypoxic conditions by enhancing JNK1-dependent Nrf2 degradation.
Assessment of Digital Co-Creation for Public Open Spaces: Methodological Guidelines
Authors: Skaržauskienė Aelita , Mačiulienė Monika
Published: September 2019

The accessibility and quality of public open spaces (e.g., parks, gardens, squares and plazas) are critical for cultural identity development as they provide important gathering points in the urban fabric and offer a place for social activities, enabling interaction among people of different generations and ethnicities. Public open spaces enhance the urban environment by providing important ecological processes and ecosystem services. The current research generates knowledge about co-creation approach to be used to merge the application of information and communication technologies (ICT) with these essential functions of the public spaces. It explores new dynamics of open spaces as a trusted service for the community and expands our understanding of how meditated public open spaces function, paying attention to stakeholders, local context and different social groups. The paper presents the design of Digital Co-Creation Index and methodological guidelines for applying Digital Co-creation monitoring technique for evaluation of co-creation processes in designing attractive, inclusive and responsive public open spaces.
Oviposition Behavior and Distribution of Eucryptorrhynchus scrobiculatus and E. brandti (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) on Ailanthus altissima (Mill.)
Authors: Zhang Gan-Yu , Ji Ying-Chao , Gao Peng , Wen Jun-Bao
Published: September 2019

(1) Eucryptorrhynchus scrobiculatus Motschulsky (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Cryptorrhychinae) is a major quarantine forest pest in China. It often co-occurs with E. brandti (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Cryptorrhychinae) on a single host Ailanthus altissima (Mill.) Swingle (tree of heaven). (2) In this study, to explain the coexistence of the two weevils on a single host, we investigated the oviposition behavior of E. scrobiculatus and oviposition sites of E. scrobiculatus and E. brandti under afield and laboratory conditions. (3) The characteristic behaviors of E. scrobiculatus females prior to oviposition included searching, locating, excavation, turning, locating the oviposition cavity, egg deposition, and hiding. (4) The oviposition sites used by E. scrobiculatus and E. brandti differed. Eucryptorrhynchus scrobiculatus females laid eggs in the soil near A. altissima and compound leaf petioles, while E. brandti females laid eggs in A. altissima trunks. The eggs in compound leaf petioles did not hatch in the field. (5) Eucryptorrhynchus scrobiculatus and E. brandti utilized different oviposition sites and these differences in habitat use may reduce the competition for resources between species during the larval period, thus facilitating their coexistence on A. altissima.
The Eye as a Window to Systemic Infectious Diseases: Old Enemies, New Imaging
Authors: Pirani Vittorio , Pelliccioni Paolo , De Turris Serena , Rosati Alessandro , Franceschi Alessandro , Cesari Claudia , Nicolai Michele , Mariotti Cesare
Published: September 2019

Background: Syphilis, tuberculosis and toxoplasmosis are major infectious diseases worldwide; all of them are multisystem pathologies and share a possible ocular involvement. In this context, a fundamental help for the definitive diagnosis is provided by the ophthalmologist, through clinical evaluation and with the aid of a multimodal imaging examination. Methods: We hereby describe selected cases who came to our attention and were visited in our eye clinic. In all clinics, the use of retinal and optic disc multimodal imaging during ophthalmological evaluation allowed to make a diagnosis of an infectious disease. Results: In our tertiary referral center more than 60 patients with syphilis, tuberculosis and toxoplasmosis have been evaluated in the last two years: In 60% of cases the ophthalmological evaluation was secondary to a previous diagnosis of an infectious disease, while in the remaining cases the ophthalmologist, with the help of a multimodal imaging examination and clinical evaluation, represented the physician who leads to the diagnosis. Conclusion: Our results confirm how in these life-threatening pathologies a prompt diagnosis is mandatory and may benefit from a multidisciplinary and multimodal imaging approach, especially during ophthalmological evaluation.
Effect of Baricitinib and Adalimumab in Reducing Pain and Improving Function in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis in Low Disease Activity: Exploratory Analyses from RA-BEAM
Authors: Fautrel Bruno , Kirkham Bruce , Pope Janet , Takeuchi Tsutomu , Gaich Carol , Quebe Amanda , Zhu Baojin , de la Torre Inmaculada , De Leonardis Francesco , Taylor Peter
Published: September 2019

Patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) may experience residual pain and functional impairment despite good control of disease activity. This study compared improvements in pain and physical function in patients with well-controlled RA after 24 weeks’ treatment with baricitinib, adalimumab or placebo in the 52-week RA-BEAM phase III study. Adults with active RA and inadequate response to methotrexate received baricitinib 4 mg once daily, adalimumab 40 mg every two weeks or placebo, with background methotrexate. Patients (N = 1010) were categorised as in remission, in remission or low disease activity, or not in remission or low disease activity at week 24. For patients in remission or low disease activity (n = 310), improvements in mean pain and physical function scores at week 24 were significantly greater with baricitinib than placebo (p < 0.001 and p < 0.01, respectively) and adalimumab (p < 0.05 for both). For both outcomes, differences between adalimumab and placebo were not significant. The proportions of patients in remission or low disease activity with minimal or no pain and with normalised physical function were numerically greater with baricitinib than placebo. Baricitinib 4 mg once daily provided enhanced improvement in pain and physical function in patients with well-controlled RA, suggesting it may produce effects beyond immunomodulation.
A Week of Oral Terbinafine Pulse Regimen Every Three Months to Treat all Dermatophyte Onychomycosis
Authors: Sprenger Anarosa B. , Purim Katia Sheylla Malta , Sprenger Flávia , Queiroz-Telles Flávio
Published: September 2019

Terbinafine has proved to treat numerous fungal infections, including onychomycosis, successfully. Due to its liver metabolization and dependency on the cytochrome P450 enzyme complex, undesirable drug interaction are highly probable. Additionally to drug interactions, the treatment is long, rising the chances of the appearance of side effects and abandonment. Pharmacokinetic data suggest that terbinafine maintains a fungicidal effect within the nail up to 30 weeks after its last administration, which has aroused the possibility of a pulse therapy to reduce the side effects while treating onychomycosis. This study’s goal was to evaluate the effectiveness of three different oral terbinafine regimens in treating onychomycosis due to dermatophytes. Sixty-three patients with onychomycosis were sorted by convenience in three different groups. Patients from group 1 received the conventional terbinafine dose (250 mg per day for 3 months). Group 2 received a monthly week-long pulse-therapy dose (500 mg per day for 7 days a month, for 4 months) and group 3 received a 500 mg/day dose for 7 days every 3 months, totaling four treatments. There were no statistical differences regarding the effectiveness or side effects between the groups. Conclusion: A quarterly terbinafine pulse regimen can be a possible alternative for treating onychomycosis caused by dermatophytes.
A Multi-Scale Simulation Approach to Investigate Local Contact Temperatures for Commercial Cu-Full and Cu-Free Brake Pads
Authors: Riva Gabriele , Perricone Guido , Wahlström Jens
Published: September 2019

Copper from vehicles disc brakes is one main contributor of the total copper found in the environment. Therefore, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the automotive industries started the Copper-Free Brake Initiative. The pad friction material is essentially composed of a binder, fillers, reinforcing fibres and frictional additives. Copper and brass fibres are the most commonly used fibres in brake pads. There is a need to understand how the contact temperature distribution will change if copper-based fibres are changed to steel fibres. The aim of this work is, therefore, to investigate how this change could influence the local contact temperatures. This is done by developing a multi-scale simulation approach which combines cellular automaton, finite element analysis (FEA) and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) approaches with outputs from inertia brake dyno bench tests of Cu-full and Cu-free pads. FEA and thermal-CFD are used to set the pressure and the temperature boundary conditions of the cellular automaton. The outputs of dyno tests are used to calibrate FEA and CFD simulations. The results of the study show lower peaks in contact temperature and a more uniform temperature distribution for the Cu-free pad friction material.
The Role of Fluorine in F-La/TiO2 Photocatalysts on Photocatalytic Decomposition of Methanol-Water Solution
Authors: Edelmannová Miroslava , Dubnová Lada , Reli Martin , Meinhardová Vendula , Huo Pengwei , Lavrenčič Štangar Urška , Čapek Libor , Kočí Kamila
Published: September 2019

F-La/TiO2 photocatalysts were studied in photocatalytic decomposition water-methanol solution. The structural, textural, optical, and electronic properties of F-La/TiO2 photocatalysts were studied by combination of X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), nitrogen physisorption, Ultraviolet–visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (UV-Vis DRS), Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), and X-ray fluorescence (XPS). The production of hydrogen in the presence of 2.8F-La/TiO2 was nearly up to 3 times higher than in the presence of pure TiO2. The photocatalytic performance of F-La/TiO2 increased with increasing photocurrent response and conductivity originating from the higher amount of fluorine presented in the lattice of TiO2.
Olive Pomace-Derived Carbon Materials—Effect of Carbonization Pressure under CO2 Atmosphere
Authors: Howaniec Natalia
Published: September 2019

The valorization of waste and by-products from various industrial activities is a must in our world of depleting natural resources and increasing volume of environmentally negative waste materials. The economic utilization of solid biowaste involves predominantly its use as a carbon-neutral energy resource or a precursor of porous carbon materials, with a potential application range including sorption processes, energy storage, and electric engineering. With the considerable number of lignocellulosic residues tested and applied as the most suitable porous material precursors, such as woods, shells, stones, peels, husks, and stalks of various crop plants, there is still space and need for further developments in the valorization of high amounts of other types of biowaste. Here, the olive pomace was considered because of both the vast volume and the environmentally undesired (when stored) phytotoxic effect of its components. While the literature on chemical (acidic and alkali treatment) and physical activation (temperature, carbon dioxide, and/or steam) of various biowaste precursors is considerable, the effects of pressure in the carbonization step are reported rarely, although the results observed are promising. The same applies to reports on the application of olive pomace for porous materials production, which indicate that olive pomace currently seems to be underestimated as a carbon materials precursor. In the study presented, the combined effects of pressure (0.1–3 MPa), temperature (800 °C), and carbon dioxide atmosphere in the carbonization of olive pomace were assessed on the basis of qualitative and quantitative data on micro- and mesoporosity of the carbon materials produced. The results showed the positive effect of increasing the process pressure on the development of a porous structure, and particularly, on the development of supermicropores and ultramicropores under the carbonization conditions applied. Carbon material with the most developed porous structure and the highest share of micropores was obtained under the maximum pressure tested.
Effects of Light-Burnt Dolomite Incorporation on the Setting, Strength, and Drying Shrinkage of One-Part Alkali-Activated Slag Cement
Authors: Jeon In Kyu , Ryou Jae Suk , Jakhrani Sadam Hussain , Kim Hong Gi
Published: September 2019

This study investigates the potential of light-burnt dolomite (LBD) as a supplementary cementitious material with ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBFS) and Ordinary Portland cement (OPC). In this work, LBD was substituted for up to 20% of GGBFS in sodium sulfate-activated slag systems. The effects of LBD incorporation on the flow, setting time, compressive and flexural strength development, and drying shrinkage were explored with, X-ray diffraction and thermogravimetric analyses. LBD incorporation resulted in greater strength development of an alkali-activated slag system. The optimum LBD content for strength development was 10%, regardless of ordinary Portland cement content. In addition, LBD decreased the drying shrinkage, accelerated the hydration process, and induced hydrotalcite formation, which can be attributed to the reactive MgO inside LBD.
Further Improved Weighted Arithmetic-Geometric Operator Mean Inequalities
Authors: Xue Jianming , Hu Xingkai
Published: September 2019

The main purpose of this paper is to present some weighted arithmetic-geometric operator mean inequalities. These inequalities are refinements and generalizations of the corresponding results. An example is provided to confirm the effectiveness of the results.