bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The effect of ploidy number on vigor, productivity, and potential adaptation to climate change in annual Medicago species
Authors: Innes Lauren A. , Denton Matthew D. , Dundas Ian S. , Peck David M. , Humphries Alan W. 
Published: July 2020

AbstractTetraploid plants, including those induced from diploid barrel medic (Medicago truncatula Gaertn.) and the snail medic [Medicago scutellata (L.) Mill.], have the potential to increase vigor and leaf size to improve adaptation to environments with low and variable rainfall in Mediterranean climates. The growth of tetraploid lines induced from barrel medic cultivar Sultan‐SU was evaluated against the diploid parent line and a natural tetraploid snail medic cultivar Sava in field conditions in Adelaide, South Australia. In field conditions, tetraploid lines had up to 106% greater autumn biomass than Sultan‐SU, 58% larger seed weight, and a 127% increase in leaf area. In a controlled environment experiment, snail medic Sava was the only entry to show improved early season (assessed at 6 wk) shoot biomass and canopy cover under short days and low temperatures that were designed to simulate a late start to the growing season. An examination of fresh flower buds showed that the fertility and stability of induced tetraploid lines varied between lines and generations. Hardseed breakdown patterns differed among tetraploid mutant lines, with two lines having much harder seed than Sultan‐SU. Some tetraploid Medicago spp. produced greater early biomass and larger leaves than diploids. Increasing ploidy level provides plant breeders with a promising tool in the development of new cultivars better suited to future climate scenarios.
The Effects of Asymmetry in Combination with Reduced Graphene Oxide Nanosheets on Hydrazine Electrocatalytic Detection on Cobalt Phthalocyanines
Authors: Mpeta Lekhetho S. , Sen Pinar , Nyokong Tebello 
Published: July 2020

AbstractNew symmetric {tetrakis [4‐(4‐(5‐chloro‐1H‐benzo[d]imidazol‐2‐yl) phenoxy phthalocyaninato] Co (II) (CoTPc)} and low symmetry {tris tert butyl phenoxy mono [4‐(4‐(5‐chloro‐1H‐benzo[d]imidazol‐2‐yl) phenoxy phthalocyaninato]} Co (II) (CoMPc) were successfully synthesised and combined with reduced graphene oxide nanosheets (rGONS) for electrocatalytic detection of hydrazine. Prior to electrocatalysis, the probes were characterised using cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. Chronoamperometry was used to determine catalytic rate constant and the limit of detection (LOD). CoMPc‐rGONS gave catalytic rate constant and LOD of 1.37×106 M−1 s−1 and 0.82 μM respectively, rendering it a more suitable probe for hydrazine, due to low symmetry.
Boosting the Dynamic Range for Electrochemical Sensing of Hydrogen Peroxide by Enhanced Integration of Pd Nanoparticles in 3D Porous Si Framework
Authors: Wang Zi , Bi Yunke 
Published: July 2020

AbstractThree‐dimensional porous silicon framework (3D‐pSi) integrated with various nanostructures is highly potential for functional devices usage such as micro fuel cells or sensing chips. For noble metal deposition in highly directional Si nanowire array or porous Si with large aspect ratios, one difficulty is the restriction on the depth of deposition available. Herein, we would like to introduce a facile route to enhance the integration of Pd nanoparticles with anisotropic Si porous structure. By converting Si nanowire array into 3D‐pSi, the surface coverage of Pd nanoparticles is effectively improved as shown by scanning electron micrographs and cross‐sectional element mapping data. The relative electrochemical active surface area is increased by 3.5 folds. In order to demonstrate the merits brought by this morphological evolution, the electrochemical sensing devices are prepared for detecting H2O2 in PBS solution. As shown by differential pulse voltammetry, the upper limit of linear range of detection can be raised from 6.30 mM to 14.95 mM. This approach may indicate an alternative for boosting the performance of future sensing chips with progressively limited die area, especially attractive for those scenarios where large dynamic range is favourable.
Magnetohydrodynamic peristaltic flow of unsteady tangent‐hyperbolic fluid in an asymmetric channel
Authors: Naduvinamani Neminath Bujjappa , Guttedar Anita Siddayya , Shankar Usha , Basha Hussain 
Published: July 2020

AbstractThe aim of the present numerical investigation is to explore the impact of magnetic field on peristaltic flow of an incompressible tangent‐hyperbolic fluid in an asymmetric channel. The present physical model is developed based on the considered flow configuration and with the help of small Reynolds number approximations. The current flow problem is revealed under the influence of applied magnetic field. The asymmetric channel has been considered to narrate the present physical problem. Considered physical situation in the current investigation gives the unsteady coupled highly nonlinear system of partial differential equations. Also, the simplified equations for pressure, pressure gradient, and streamlines have been obtained with the help of suitable transformations. A regular perturbation scheme is employed to produce the semi‐analytical results of the present problem. The influence of various physical parameters on pressure, pressure gradient, and streamlines are illustrated with the help of graphs. From the present analysis, it is observed that the increasing magnetic number decreases the pressure and pressure gradient in the channel. Also, the size of trapping bolus increases with increasing values of Weissenberg number.
Three‐dimensional turbulent forced convection around a hot cubic block exposed to a cross‐flow and an impinging jet
Authors: Boudraa Bouziane , Bessaїh Rachid 
Published: July 2020

AbstractA numerical study of a three‐dimensional, turbulent, forced convection flow around a hot cubic block exposed to cross‐flow and an impinging jet is carried out. The standard k‐ε turbulence model is used to study the effects of Reynolds number ratio on the flow and heat transfer. For each value of the Reynolds number of the jet, the Reynolds number ratio is equal to 1, 1.5, and 2. The influence of the channel height and the jet axis location are also examined. The governing equations are solved by using Ansys Fluent software 14.5. Results show that the heat transfer increases with the increase in the Reynolds number ratio. At the top of the cube, better cooling occurs with an increase in the speed of the impinging jet. A reduction in the height of the channel and the displacement of the axis of the jet toward the channel inlet improve the heat transfer. Our simulations are compared with experimental data found in the literature, using different turbulence models.
The effect of cannabidiol on simulated car driving performance: A randomised, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled, crossover, dose‐ranging clinical trial protocol
Authors: McCartney Danielle , Benson Melissa J. , Suraev Anastasia S. , Irwin Christopher , Arkell Thomas R. , Grunstein Ronald R. , Hoyos Camilla M. , McGregor Iain S. 
Published: July 2020

AbstractObjectiveInterest in the use of cannabidiol (CBD) is increasing worldwide as its therapeutic effects are established and legal restrictions moderated. Unlike Δ9‐tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9‐THC), CBD does not appear to cause cognitive or psychomotor impairment. However, further assessment of its effects on cognitively demanding day‐to‐day activities, such as driving, is warranted. Here, we describe a study investigating the effects of CBD on simulated driving and cognitive performance.MethodsThirty healthy individuals will be recruited to participate in this randomised, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled crossover trial. Participants will complete four research sessions each involving two 30‐min simulated driving performance tests completed 45 and 210 min following oral ingestion of placebo or 15, 300, or 1,500 mg CBD. Cognitive function and subjective drug effects will be measured, and blood and oral fluid sampled, at regular intervals. Oral fluid drug testing will be performed using the Securetec DrugWipe® 5S and Dräger DrugTest® 5000 devices to determine whether CBD increases the risk of “false‐positive” roadside tests to Δ9‐THC. Noninferiority analyses will test the hypothesis that CBD is no more impairing than placebo.ConclusionThis study will clarify the risks involved in driving following CBD use and assist in ensuring the safe use of CBD by drivers.
Model selection for one‐day‐ahead AUD/USD, AUD/EUR forecasts
Authors: Imam Tasadduq 
Published: July 2020

AbstractLiterature on exchange rate forecasting often focuses on varied algorithms' prediction performances and is comparatively silent regarding lag length and model structure (linear or nonlinear) selection. However, model selection and lag lengths are important decision criteria for practitioners when undertaking technical analysis. This research explores the impact of varied lags and different model structures on one‐day‐ahead forecasts of AUD/USD and AUD/EUR exchange rates. Two linear (MLR and SVR with linear kernel) and three nonlinear (SVR with RBF kernel and three gamma values) data mining models are adopted, along with lag lengths of 1, 5 (1 trading week), 10 (2 trading weeks), 20 (1 month) or 120 (6 months) days for both non‐differenced and first‐order differenced time series. The investigation highlights that, irrespective of estimating the magnitude of future exchange rate or the future inter‐day changes in exchange rate, linear models outperform nonlinear models at lower lag levels (1 or 5 or 10 days). At higher lags (20 or 120 days) and for the first‐order differenced time series, nonlinear models show promising outcomes. The MLR model, which emphasises training error reduction, generally outperforms the SVR model, which emphasises generalisability. Nonlinear models may show some prediction biases, while linear models appear to show no specific bias. Thus, for technical analysis upon AUD/USD and AUD/EUR exchange rates, instead of using a large lag of historical prices, a linear model with a lag length of 1 can produce good one‐day‐ahead forecasts.
Dermal modifications of the red lionfish, Pterois volitans
Authors: Galloway Katherine A. , Frazier Delaney J. , Porter Marianne E. 
Published: July 2020

AbstractVertebrates have evolved flexible and hard dermal armor, but there is often a tradeoff between mobility and protection. Skeletal modifications include fish scales, the shells of tortoises and turtles, and the cranial projections that are found in marine iguanas and lionfish. Sexual dimorphisms of cranial structures are prominent in fishes; we hypothesized that cranial projections of Pterois volitans will change over ontogeny and are sexually dimorphic. The goal of this study is to quantify differences in the cranial armor of P. volitans over a range of sizes (juveniles to adults) to understand allometric growth and possible sexual dimorphisms using specimens from invaded ranges. We found no difference in the total number of cranial spines between sexes, suggesting that the number of cranial spines is not a sexually dimorphic trait in P. volitans. We found positive allometry for total cranial spine number, and length and width of the three largest cranial spines, with respect to the fish total length. Here, we also document another skeletal modification in P. volitans, which is the addition of spines on the caudal fin. Overall, these data show that P. volitans’ develop robust dermal modifications as they grow larger, and we suggest that phenotypic plasticity of this species should be explored in their native and invaded ranges.
The anoxic corrosion behaviour of copper in the presence of chloride and sulphide
Authors: Senior Nicholas A. , Martino Taylor , Binns Jeff , Keech Peter 
Published: July 2020

AbstractThe Canadian used fuel container for the long‐term containment of spent nuclear fuel in a deep geological repository comprises a 3‐mm copper corrosion barrier applied directly to a strong carbon steel container. Although a final site for the Canadian deep geological repository has not yet been chosen, the site selection process has narrowed down to two candidate locations with unique groundwater chemistry, particularly with respect to salinity. Therefore, to ensure the long‐term integrity of the used fuel container, the effect of a range of groundwater chemistries on copper corrosion must be understood. The primary variables of interest are the influence of chloride concentration and the consequences of the interaction of hydrogen sulphide, naturally present in the groundwaters in very low concentrations, with the copper cladding. An additional aspect that has been investigated is the behaviour of copper in pure water. The anoxic corrosion of copper can be inferred by the very slow release of hydrogen gas. In this paper, new data are presented, which demonstrate an extremely sensitive approach to quantify the very limited hydrogen release at 75°C. Initially, corrosion rates under conditions approximating an anticipated Canadian deep geological repository were significantly less than 0.5 nm/year and they invariably declined over the course of several months/years. The presence of chloride or hydrogen sulphide was found, under specific conditions, to stimulate short‐term corrosion behaviour, which was consistent with anion‐assisted surface rearrangement, not bulk corrosion.
Pulmonary Staphylococcus aureus infection regulates breast cancer cell metastasis via neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) formation
Authors: Qi Jia‐Long , He Jin‐Rong , Liu Cun‐Bao , Jin Shu‐Mei , Gao Rui‐Yu , Yang Xu , Bai Hong‐Mei , Ma Yan‐Bing 
Published: July 2020

AbstractThe formation of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) was recently identified as one of the most important processes for the maintenance of host tissue homeostasis in bacterial infection. Meanwhile, pneumonia infection has a poor effect on cancer patients receiving immunotherapy. Whether pneumonia‐mediated NETs increase lung metastasis remains unclear. In this study, we identified a critical role for multidrug‐resistant Staphylococcus aureus infection‐induced NETs in the regulation of cancer cell metastasis. Notably, S. aureus triggered autophagy‐dependent NETs formation in vitro and in vivo and increased cancer cell metastasis. Targeting autophagy effectively regulated NETs formation, which contributed to the control of cancer metastasis in vivo. Moreover, the degradation of NETs by DNase I significantly suppresses metastasis in lung. Our work offers novel insight into the mechanisms of metastasis induced by bacterial pneumonia and provides a potential therapeutic strategy for pneumonia‐related metastasis.
Phenotypic variance in monozygotic twins with SCA3
Authors: Zhao Hua , Yang Lu , Dong Yi , Wu Zhi‐Ying 
Published: July 2020

AbstractBackgroundSpinocerebellar ataxia type 3 (SCA3) is a hereditary neurodegenerative disorder with high clinical heterogeneity. Twin study is valuable to estimate the contributions of gene and/or environment to phenotypic variance. However, SCA3 twins were extremely sparse and rarely reported.MethodsA pair of monozygotic twins with SCA3 was assessed using well‐acknowledged scales. Genetic modifiers and methylation levels were determined by Sanger sequencing and pyrosequencing.ResultsSharing identical CAG repeat lengths, the twins presented with similar symptoms, whereas, the younger sister had an earlier age at onset of two years. The occurrence time and severity of constipation, blepharospasm and fasciculation were markedly different between the twins. Notable methylation level differences of several CpG sites existed between the twins.ConclusionsIt is the first time to report SCA3 monozygotic twin worldwide. The role of epigenetic factors in the phenotype variance deserved more attention. The DNA methylation may influence the phenotypic variance by altering the occurrence time and severity of symptoms, indicating its potential in alleviating the disease.
Syringaresinol Protects against Type 1 Diabetic Cardiomyopathy by Alleviating Inflammation Responses, Cardiac Fibrosis, and Oxidative Stress
Authors: Li Guangru , Yang Lei , Feng Lifeng , Yang Jiu , Li Yafei , An Jiale , Li Dihua , Xu Yang , Gao Yang , Li Jing , Liu Jie , Yang Liang , Qi Zhi 
Published: July 2020

ScopeSyringaresinol (SYR) is a phenolic compound, which could be found in various cereals and medicinal plants. It exerts both anti‐inflammatory and antioxidant pharmacological properties. However, little is known about the effect of SYR on modulating diabetic cardiomyopathy. The present study aimed to investigate the pharmacodynamic effect of SYR on diabetic cardiomyopathy and the underlying molecular mechanism.Methods and ResultsIn STZ‐induced type 1 diabetic mice, orally administration with SYR in every other day for 8 weeks significantly improves cardiac dysfunction and preventes cardiac hypertrophy and fibrosis. The macrophage infiltration and oxidative stress biomarkers are also suppressed by SYR without affecting hyperglycemia and body weight. In neonatal cardiomyocytes, high glucose‐induced cell apoptosis and fibrosis are potently decreased by SYR, and the inflammatory response and oxidant stress are also alleviated by SYR incubation. Mechanistically, SYR may exert protective effects by restoring suppression of antioxidant kelch‐like ECH‐associated protein 1 (Keap1)/nuclear factor‐E2‐related factor 2 (Nrf2) system and abnormal activation of transforming growth factor‐β (TGF‐β)/mothers against decapentaplegic homolog (Smad) signaling pathway in vitro and in vivo.ConclusionThe results indicated that SYR could be a potential therapeutic agent for the treatment of diabetic cardiomyopathy by inhibiting inflammation, fibrosis, and oxidative stress. The signaling pathway of Keap1/Nrf2 and TGF‐β/Smad could be used as therapeutic targets for diabetic complications.
Antibiotic Treatment Reduces the Health Benefits of Soy Protein
Authors: Sánchez‐Tapia Monica , Moreno‐Vicencio Daniela , Ordáz‐Nava Guillermo , Guevara‐Cruz Martha , Granados‐Portillo Omar , Vargas‐Castillo Ariana , Torres Nimbe , Tovar Armando R. 
Published: July 2020

ScopeSoy protein is a high‐quality protein and its consumption has been associated with a reduction of serum cholesterol and triglycerides and an improvement in insulin resistance. However, it is not known whether the effects of soy protein are mediated by the gut microbiota. Thus, the aim of this study is to assess whether using antibiotics to partially eradicate the gut microbiota can prevent the beneficial effects of soy protein in rats.Methods and resultsThus, rats are fed one of the following diets for 16 weeks: casein control, soy protein control, high‐fat casein, and high‐fat soy protein. The rats are then treated for 4 weeks with antibiotics. Body weight and composition, energy expenditure, glucose tolerance test, metabolic endotoxemia, and gut microbiota are measured before and after treatment with antibiotic. The results show that soy protein consumption decreases weight gain, body fat, metabolic endotoxemia, and increases energy expenditure and glucose tolerance. Antibiotic treatment suppresses all these metabolic effects. These changes are accompanied by modifying the diversity and taxonomy of the gut microbiota.ConclusionIn conclusion, the evidence suggests that the health benefits of soy protein are partly dependent of the gut microbiota.
Using stochastic programming to solve an outpatient appointment scheduling problem with random service and arrival times
Authors: Shehadeh Karmel S. , Cohn Amy E. M. , Jiang Ruiwei 
Published: July 2020

AbstractWe study a stochastic outpatient appointment scheduling problem (SOASP) in which we need to design a schedule and an adaptive rescheduling (i.e., resequencing or declining) policy for a set of patients. Each patient has a known type and associated probability distributions of random service duration and random arrival time. Finding a provably optimal solution to this problem requires solving a multistage stochastic mixed‐integer program (MSMIP) with a schedule optimization problem solved at each stage, determining the optimal rescheduling policy over the various random service durations and arrival times. In recognition that this MSMIP is intractable, we first consider a two‐stage model (TSM) that relaxes the nonanticipativity constraints of MSMIP and so yields a lower bound. Second, we derive a set of valid inequalities to strengthen and improve the solvability of the TSM formulation. Third, we obtain an upper bound for the MSMIP by solving the TSM under the feasible (and easily implementable) appointment order (AO) policy, which requires that patients are served in the order of their scheduled appointments, independent of their actual arrival times. Fourth, we propose a Monte Carlo approach to evaluate the relative gap between the MSMIP upper and lower bounds. Finally, in a series of numerical experiments, we show that these two bounds are very close in a wide range of SOASP instances, demonstrating the near‐optimality of the AO policy. We also identify parameter settings that result in a large gap in between these two bounds. Accordingly, we propose an alternative policy based on neighbor‐swapping. We demonstrate that this alternative policy leads to a much tighter upper bound and significantly shrinks the gap.
Theoretical and experimental assessment of thinned germanium substrates for III–V multijunction solar cells
Authors: Lombardero Iván , Ochoa Mario , Miyashita Naoya , Okada Yoshitaka , Algora Carlos 
Published: July 2020

AbstractSolar cells manufactured on top of Ge substrates suffer from inherent drawbacks that hinder or limit their potential. The most deleterious ones are heavy weight, high bulk recombination, lack of photon confinement, and an increase of the heat absorption. The use of thinned Ge substrates is herein proposed as a possible solution to the aforementioned challenges. The potential of a thinned Ge subcell inside a standard GaInP/Ga(In)As/Ge triple‐junction solar cell is assessed by simulations, pointing to an optimum thickness around 5–10 μm. This would reduce the weight by more than 90%, whereas the available current for the Ge subcell would decrease only by 5%. In addition, the heat absorption for wavelengths beyond 1600 nm would decrease by more than 85%. The performance of such a device is highly influenced by the front and back surface recombination of the p–n junction. Simulations remark that good back surface passivation is mandatory to avoid losing power generation by thinning the substrate. In contrast, it has been found that front surface recombination lowers the power generation in a similar manner for thin and thick solar cells. Therefore, the benefits of thinning the substrate are not limited by the front surface recombination. Finally, Ge single‐junction solar cells thinned down to 85 μm by wet etching processes are demonstrated. The feasibility of the thinning process is supported by the limited losses measured in the current generation (less than 6%) and generated voltage (4%) for the thinnest solar cell manufactured.