bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Nonallelic homologous recombination events responsible for copy number variation within an RNA silencing locus
Authors: Cho Young B. , Jones Sarah I. , Vodkin Lila O. 
Published: August 2019

AbstractThe structure of chalcone synthase (CHS) gene repeats in different alleles of the I (inhibitor) locus in soybean spawns endogenous RNA interference (RNAi) that leads to phenotypic change in seed coat color of this major agronomic crop. Here, we examined CHS gene copy number by digital PCR and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) through whole genome resequencing of 15 cultivars that varied in alleles of the I locus (I, ii, ik, and i) that control the pattern distribution of pigments in the seed coats. Lines homozygous for the ii allele had the highest copy number followed by the I and ik cultivars which were more related to each other than to the lines with ii alleles. Some of the recessive i alleles were spontaneous mutations, and each revealed a loss of copy number by digital PCR relative to the parent varieties. Amplicon sequencing and whole genome resequencing determined that the breakpoints of several ii to i mutations resulted from nonallelic homologous recombination (NAHR) events between CHS genes located in segmental duplications leading to large 138‐kilobase deletions that erase the structure generating the CHS siRNAs along with eight other non‐CHS genes. Functional hybrid CHS genes (designated CHS5:1) were formed in the process and represent rare examples of NAHR in higher plants that have been captured by examining spontaneous mutational events in isogenic mutant lines.
Experimental Investigation of Characteristic Length Influence on a Combustion Chamber Performance with Liquid and Gelled UDMH/IRFNA Bi‐Propellants
Authors: Moghaddam Ali Saberi , Rezaei Mohammad Reza , Tavangar Saeed 
Published: August 2019

AbstractGel propulsion systems are of increasing interest due to their valuable energetic and safety considerations. In this paper, performance parameters of gelled UDMH/IRFNA bi‐propellant were compared with performance parameters of its liquid bi‐propellant. Fire tests were carried out with combustion chamber pressures of about 1 to 3 MPa and L* values of 89, 127 and 162 cm. The results showed that the suitable L* to obtain best performance for liquid UDMH/IRFNA combination at the mentioned conditions was 127 cm and for gelled UDMH/IRFNA bi‐propellant was 162 cm, although the increase in performance with an increase of L* from 127 to 162 cm for the gel was very low.
Quantum Coherence and Intrinsic Randomness
Authors: Yuan Xiao , Zhao Qi , Girolami Davide , Ma Xiongfeng 
Published: August 2019

AbstractThe peculiar uncertainty or randomness of quantum measurements stems from quantum coherence, whose information‐theoretic characterization is currently under investigation. The resource theory of coherence investigates interpretations of coherence measures and the interplay with other quantum properties, such as quantum correlations and intrinsic randomness. Coherence can be viewed as a resource for generating intrinsic randomness by measuring a state in the computational basis. It is observed in a previous work that the coherence of formation, which measures the asymptotic coherence dilution rate, indeed quantifies the uncertainty of a correlated party (classical system) about the system measurement outcome. In this work, the result is re‐derived from a quantum point of view, and then the intrinsic randomness is connected to the relative entropy of coherence, another important coherence measure that quantifies the asymptotic distillable coherence. Even though there do not exist bound coherent states, these two coherence measures—intrinsic randomness quantified by coherence of formation and by relative entropy of coherence—are different. Interestingly, it is shown that this gap is equal to the quantum discord, a general form of quantum correlations, in the state of the system of interest and the correlated party, after a local measurement on the former system.
Designing of Functionalized MWCNTs/Anodized Stainless Steel Heterostructure Electrode for Anodic Oxidation of Low Concentration As(III) in Drinking Water
Authors: Sarkar Arpan , Sarkar Ayan , Paul Biswajit , Khan Gobinda Gopal 
Published: August 2019

AbstractConsidering the severe threat of arsenic contamination in drinking water on the life of millions of people around the world‐different technologies and materials have been employed throughout the ages to provide arsenic‐free drinking water. This work, demonstrates a facile fabrication of a low‐cost, bio‐friendly p‐type functionalized multiwalled carbon nanotubes (f‐MWCNTs)/n‐type anodized stainless steel (SS) hybrid material, which is used as an effective electrode for the easy and fast oxidation of arsenic(III) to arsenic(V), by applying relatively low positive voltage, to subsequently increase the proficiency of the process. This new material based technology used in this work is found very effective in oxidizing comparatively lower concentrations of arsenic (III) (<100 ppb) present in drinking water at 30 °C at a pH suitable for drinking water (6.5‐8.5). Fabrication of such interfacial band engineered nano‐hybrid electrode is beneficial to enhance the anodic current, which in turn, increases the As(III) oxidation. Based on the design of the electrode, the hole mediated anodic current is found to boost the oxidization of As(III). This technology could reduce the use of ultraviolet radiation and other use of costly oxidants for the oxidation of As(III) and thus can appear as a cost‐effective, energy‐efficient technique for the oxidizing of As(III) from drinking water.
Fatigue behavior of HPC and FRC under cyclic tensile loading: Experiments and modeling
Authors: Schäfer Niklas , Gudžulić Vladislav , Timothy Jithender J. , Breitenbücher Rolf , Meschke Günther 
Published: August 2019

AbstractSystematic investigations of hardened cement paste, high‐performance concrete and mortar with and without microfibers, subjected to static and cyclic tensile loadings, were conducted. The material degradation was investigated by means of microscopic analyses of the microcrack development. Notched specimens were subjected to a predefined number of load cycles. A nonsteady increase of microcracking with increasing load cycles was observed in high‐strength concrete, whereas the addition of steel fibers lead to a steady increase of microcracks. High‐strength mortar often showed premature failure, while addition of steel micro fibers allowed completion of the cyclic tests. To obtain a deeper insight into physical mechanisms governing fatigue and structural failure, high‐performance concrete (HPC) and fiber‐reinforced concrete (FRC) under static and cyclic tensile loadings have been modeled using cohesive interface finite elements, micromechanics, and a fiber‐bundle model. Analysis of model predictions shows the significance of strength disorder and fiber properties on the structural behavior.
Conceptualizing the key features of cyber‐physical systems in a multi‐layered representation for safety and security analysis
Authors: Carreras Guzman Nelson H. , Wied Morten , Kozine Igor , Lundteigen Mary Ann 
Published: August 2019

AbstractMany safety‐related systems are evolving into cyber‐physical systems (CPSs), integrating information technologies in their control architectures and modifying the interactions among automation and human operators. Particularly, a promising potential exists for enhanced efficiency and safety in applications such as autonomous transportation systems, control systems in critical infrastructures, smart manufacturing and process plants, robotics, and smart medical devices, among others. However, the modern features of CPSs are ambiguous for system designers and risk analysts, especially considering the role of humans and the interactions between safety and security. The sources of safety risks are not restricted to accidental failures and errors anymore. Indeed, cybersecurity attacks can now cascade into safety risks leading to physical harm to the system and its environment. These new challenges demand system engineers and risk analysts to understand the security vulnerabilities existing in CPS features and their dependencies with physical processes. Therefore, this paper (a) examines the key features of CPSs and their relation with other system types; (b) defines the dependencies between levels of automation and human roles in CPSs from a systems engineering perspective; and (c) applies systems thinking to describe a multi‐layered diagrammatic representation of CPSs for combined safety and security risk analysis, demonstrating an application in the maritime sector to analyze an autonomous surface vehicle.
Research Progress in the Field of Adsorption and Catalytic Degradation of Sewage by Hydrotalcite‐Derived Materials
Authors: Pan Duo , Ge Shengsong , Tian Jiangyang , Shao Qian , Guo Lin , Liu Hu , Wu Shide , Ding Tao , Guo Zhanhu 
Published: August 2019

AbstractWith the rapid development of industry and agriculture and the greatly improved living conditions, the resultant gradually deteriorated environments threaten the human beings. Refractory or even toxic pollutants, which are from different industries such as printing and dyeing, pesticides, chemicals, petrochemicals, plastics and rubber, seriously threat the ecosystems and human health. Having the advantages of flexible composition, unique structure, high stability, memory effect, easy preparation and low cost, hydrotalcite compounds have a great potential in sewage degradation and environmental protection. This study focuses on the adsorption and catalytic properties (such as photocatalysis, electrocatalysis and photoelectrocatalysis) of hydrotalcite‐derived materials for treating organic, inorganic and heavy metal ion sewage. The types of adsorption and catalysis, and the effects of various influencing factors on the degradation efficiency were discussed as well.
Molecular characterization and expression analysis of copper‐zinc superoxide dismutases from the freshwater alga Closterium ehrenbergii under metal stress
Authors: Wang Hui , Ki Jang‐Seu 
Published: August 2019

AbstractSuperoxide dismutase (SOD) acts as the first line of defense against reactive oxygen species (ROS) within cells. In the present study, we determined two novel CuZnSOD genes (designated as CeCSD1 and CeCSD2) from the toxicity‐testing freshwater algae Closterium ehrenbergii and examined their structural features, phylogenetic relationships, and gene expression under exposure to different metals. Putative CeCSD1 (204 aa, 20.6 kDa) and CeCSD2 (155 aa, 15.3 kDa) proteins had conserved CuZnSOD family motifs and metal (Cu, Zn) binding sites, but different N‐terminus structures, that is, CeCSD1 has a signal peptide to chloroplasts. Phylogenetic analysis of each protein revealed that C. ehrenbergii was well clustered with other green algae and plants. Real‐time PCR results showed that the gene expression obviously increased with heavy metal exposure. In addition, excess copper considerably increased the SOD activity and ROS generation but decreased the photosynthetic efficiency in treated cells. These results suggest that CeCSDs are involved in the antioxidant defense system and can be regarded as potential biomarkers for monitoring metal contaminants in aquatic environments.
Understanding institutions for water allocation and exchange: Insights from dynamic agent‐based modeling
Authors: Murphy John T. , Altaweel Mark , Ozik Jonathan , Lammers Richard B. 
Published: August 2019

AbstractWater allocation occurs within systems that include market‐driven and nonmarket approaches; these are often nested within complex collections of laws, contracts, and customs, and embody cultural definitions of the nature of water as a commodity or a right and the nature of fair exchanges. Understanding the dynamics of such an allocation system, including the ways that it may change through time and the ways that it can be modified to better achieve societal goals, can be challenging. One promising approach is agent‐based modeling (ABM), and specifically models in which the agents dynamically adapt to the system that they create. The potential for such modeling in the domain of water systems is only beginning to be explored. We present a highly abstract but illustrative example of an adaptive system and its analysis to show the potential for the ABM approach.This article is categorized under:Engineering Water > Planning WaterHuman Water > Rights to WaterEngineering Water > MethodsHuman Water > Water Governance
Perspectives of energy transitions in East and Southeast Asia
Authors: Li Bo , Nian Victor , Shi Xunpeng , Li Hailong , Boey Augustin 
Published: August 2019

AbstractEnergy transitions are designed to improve the resilience, sustainability, and productivity of a country's energy system, and are the key instruments to mitigating the warming climate. Countries and regions have unique circumstances when projecting energy transition pathways. Nonetheless, East Asian economies have shared opportunities and challenges. From the perspective of fuel mix, East Asia had some initial success in renewable energy development accompanied by energy efficiency improvements. Nuclear energy, although controversial, has been well developed and is continuing its advancement in East Asia. However, the dominance of coal in the energy mix has not been sufficiently addressed, mostly because of legacy issues. The region's renewable energy potential is also underdeveloped due to a mismatch between resources and energy demand. Since the region as whole is well endowed with renewable energy resources, the region's advancement in regional energy connectivity presents a valuable institutional asset to further decarbonize East Asian energy sector beyond individual nation's efforts.This article is categorized under:
Energy and Climate > Economics and Policy
Energy Policy and Planning > Economics and Policy
Energy and Development > Economics and Policy
Experimental assessment of effectively probed volume in confocal XRF spectrometry using microparticles
Authors: Poths Patricia , Chinea‐Cano Ernesto , Dzigal Naida , Darby Iain Gerard , Osan Janos , Padilla‐Alvarez Roman 
Published: August 2019

Current approaches for assessing a confocal micro‐X‐rayfluorescence–probing volume involve the use of sharp knife edges, thin films, or wires, which are moved through this volume. The fluorescence radiation excited in the material of the object is measured, and profiles are built to enable the determination of the full width at half maximum in any of the three axes of the excited volume. Such approaches do not provide information on the shape of the volume, and the consequent alignment of both used lenses is made based on the position of the maxima of the registered intensity measurements. The use of particles that are smaller than the interaction volume (isolated enough to prevent the influence of nearby particles) and translated through the interaction volume (3D scan) is presented as an alternative methodology to determine the confocal probing volume. Spherical shaped uranium particles with diameter of 1–3 μm originally produced for scanning electron microscopy analysis calibration purposes were used in this study. The results obtained showed that the effectively probed confocal volume has a distinct prolate spheroidal shape that is longer in the axis of the confocal detector than it is wide on the axes of the plane perpendicular to it. The diameter in the longest axis (tilted accordingly to the angle between the two silicon drift detectors) was found to be approximately 25 μm, whereas the shorter was found about 15 μm each, with a volume of about 3,000 μm3.
Experimental Investigation of Fastener Pull-out Response in Composite Joints under Static and Dynamic Loading Rates
Authors: Perogamvros Nikolaos , Lampeas George , Murphy Adrian 
Published: August 2019

Abstract
A novel device is adopted in order to experimentally investigate the effect of various loading rates on the pull-out response of a fastened composite joint configuration. The joint coupons comprise a composite plate made of the carbon/epoxy AS4/8552 material system and a centrally located titanium lockbolt. Tensile-type (pull) loading was applied to the specimens in a velocity range from quasi-static to 2.1 m/s. Both quasi-static and dynamic tests were conducted using the same specimen geometry and boundary conditions, which conform to international and industrial standards. The experimental work expands the limited literature and understanding of the mechanical response of composite pull-out joints under the action of dynamic loading. The main experimental observations revealed an increase of 15% regarding maximum load values when loading rate shifts from the static to the impact regime, while the failure patterns derived from static and dynamic tests were similar, although the latter presented a more intense damage zone.
More than meets the eye: a longitudinal analysis of climate change imagery in the print media
Authors: O’Neill Saffron 
Published: August 2019

AbstractImages are ubiquitous in everyday life. They are a key part of the communication process, shaping peoples’ attitudes and policy preferences on climate change. Images which have come to dominate visual portrayals of climate change (and conversely, those that are marginalised or excluded) influence how we interact with climate change in our everyday lives. This paper presents the first in-depth, cross-cultural and longitudinal study of climate change visual discourse. It examines over a thousand images associated with articles about climate change in UK and US newspapers between 2001 and 2009, a pivotal decade for climate change engagement. Content, frame and iconographic analyses reveal a remarkably consistent visual discourse in the UK and US newspapers. The longitudinal analysis shows how the visual representation of climate changed mid-decade. Before 2005, a distancing frame was common. Imagery of polar landscapes acted as a visual synecdoche for distant climate risk. After 2005, there was a rapid increase in visual coverage, an increase in use of the contested visual frame, alongside an increase in climate cartoons, protest imagery and visual synecdoches. These synecdoches began to be subverted and parodied, particularly in the right-leaning press. These results illustrate the rise of climate change scepticism during the mid-2000s. This study has implications for public engagement with climate change. It shows that the contested and distancing visual frames are deeply and historically embedded in the meaning-making of climate change. Additionally, it showcases the importance of visual synecdoches, used by newspapers in particular circumstances to engage particular audiences. Knowing and understanding visual use is imperative to enable an evidence-based approach to climate engagement endeavours.
Cardiac output estimation by multi-beat analysis of the radial arterial blood pressure waveform versus intermittent pulmonary artery thermodilution: a method comparison study in patients treated in the intensive care unit after off-pump coronary artery bypass surgery
Authors: Greiwe Gillis , Peters Valerie , Hapfelmeier Alexander , Romagnoli Stefano , Kubik Mathias , Saugel Bernd 
Published: August 2019

Abstract
Cardiac output (CO) is a key hemodynamic variable that can be minimally invasively estimated by pulse wave analysis. Multi-beat analysis is a novel pulse wave analysis method. In this prospective observational clinical method comparison study, we compared CO estimations by multi-beat analysis with CO measured by intermittent pulmonary artery thermodilution (PATD) in adult patients treated in the intensive care unit (ICU) after off-pump coronary artery bypass surgery (OPCAB). We included patients after planned admission to the ICU after elective OPCAB who were monitored with a radial arterial catheter and a pulmonary artery catheter. At seven time points, we determined CO using intermittent PATD (PATD-CO; reference method) and simultaneously recorded the radial arterial blood pressure waveform that we later used to estimate CO using multi-beat analysis (MBA-CO; test method) with the Argos monitor (Retia Medical; Valhalla, NY, USA). Blood pressure waveforms impaired by inappropriate damping properties or artifacts were excluded. We compared PATD-CO and MBA-CO using Bland–Altman analysis accounting for repeated measurements, the percentage error, and the concordance rate derived from four-quadrant plot analysis (15% exclusion zone). We analyzed 167 CO values of 31 patients. Mean PATD-CO was 5.30 ± 1.22 L/min and mean MBA-CO was 5.55 ± 1.82 L/min. The mean of the differences between PATD-CO and MBA-CO was 0.08 ± 1.10 L/min (95% limits of agreement: − 2.13 L/min to + 2.29 L/min). The percentage error was 40.7%. The four-quadrant plot-derived concordance rate was 88%. CO estimation by multi-beat analysis of the radial arterial blood pressure waveform (Argos monitor) shows reasonable agreement compared with CO measured by intermittent PATD in adult patients treated in the ICU after OPCAB.
Cardiac output estimation using multi-beat analysis of the radial arterial blood pressure waveform: a method comparison study in patients having off-pump coronary artery bypass surgery using intermittent pulmonary artery thermodilution as the reference method
Authors: Saugel Bernd , Heeschen Julia , Hapfelmeier Alexander , Romagnoli Stefano , Greiwe Gillis 
Published: August 2019

Abstract
Pulse wave analysis enables stroke volume to be estimated from an arterial blood pressure waveform. Multi-beat analysis is a novel pulse wave analysis method. We aimed to investigate cardiac output (CO) estimations using multi-beat analysis of the radial arterial blood pressure waveform in patients undergoing off-pump coronary artery bypass surgery (OPCAB) using intermittent pulmonary artery thermodilution (PATD) as the reference method. This was a prospective clinical method comparison study. In 58 patients, we measured CO using PATD (PATD-CO; reference method) and simultaneously recorded the radial arterial blood pressure waveform that we used for off-line estimation of CO based on multi-beat analysis (MBA-CO; test method) using the Argos CO monitor (Retia Medical; Valhalla, NY, USA). The final analysis was performed using 572 paired CO measurements. We performed Bland–Altman analysis accounting for multiple observations per patient. To describe the ability of the test method to track changes in CO over time we computed four-quadrant plots using a central exclusion zone of 15% and calculated the concordance rate. Mean PATD-CO was 4.13 ± 1.26 L/min and mean MBA-CO was 4.31 ± 1.25 L/min. The mean of the differences between PATD-CO and MBA-CO was − 0.20 L/min with a standard deviation of ± 1.14 L/min and 95% limits of agreement of − 2.48 to + 2.08 L/min. The concordance rate for CO changes between PATD-CO and MBA-CO was 89%. CO estimations using multi-beat analysis (Argos monitor) show reasonable agreement and trending ability compared with PATD-CO as the reference method in adult patients during OPCAB.