bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Microstructures and Properties of a Low-Carbon-Chromium Ferritic Stainless Steel Treated by a Quenching and Partitioning Process
Authors: Luo Gang , Li Huaying , Li Yugui , Mo Jinqiang
Published: May 2019

Low chromium ferritic stainless steel has great potential in automobile structures for improved strength. In this study, quenching and partitioning (Q-P) treatment was applied to a low-carbon-chromium ferritic stainless steel and compared with traditional heat treatment (quenching-tempering [Q-T] and annealing) in terms of microstructure, mechanical properties, corrosion resistance, and deformation of plate. The results show that the quenching and partitioning (Q-P) treatment has a series of advantages over conventional heat treatments (quenching-tempering and annealing). In terms of mechanical properties, it achieves a good match between strength and plasticity by combining the advantages of “soft state” with high elongation resulting from conventional annealing and high strength "hard state” through the traditional quenching-tempering process. The material possesses better crash safety; for the quenching-partitioning (Q-P) process, quenching-tempering process, and annealing process, the production of strength plasticity is about 16 GPa%, 15 GPa%, and 14 GPa%, respectively. The material has low yield strength, high work hardening index (compared with Q-T), a smooth tensile curve, and no yield plateau (compared with annealing), so it has better forming performance and processing surface, and the corrosion resistance has also improved. The pitting potential of the samples produced by the quenching treatment of Q-P and Q-T increased by about 0.2 V, which is about 20% higher than the one by the traditional annealing process.
Effect of Alkali Treatment on Structure and Properties of High Amylose Corn Starch Film
Authors: Qin Yang , Zhang Hui , Dai Yangyong , Hou Hanxue , Dong Haizhou
Published: May 2019

Alkali treatment is used for melt extrusion film formation with corn starch, but optimal conditions for this procedure are still unknown. In this study, the changes in properties and structure of high amylose corn starch (70%) films with different concentrations of sodium hydroxide (NaOH), prepared by melting extrusion, were investigated. With increasing sodium hydroxide concentrations, the tensile strength of the high-amylose starch film decreased gradually, while the elongation at break increased. The tensile strength of the high amylose starch (HAS) film with 2% NaOH-treatment was 10.03 MPa and its elongation at break was 40%. A 2% NaOH-treatment promoted the orderly rearrangement of starch molecules and formed an Eh-type crystal structure, which enlarged the spacing of the single helix structure, increased the molecular mobility of the starch, and slowed down the process of recrystallization; a 10% NaOH-treatment oxidized the hydroxyl groups of the high amylose corn starch during extrusion, formed a poly-carbonyl structure, and initiated the degradation and cross-linking of starch molecule chains.
Effect of Simultaneous Immediate Implant Placement and Guided Bone Reconstruction with Ultra-Fine Titanium Mesh Membranes on Radiographic and Clinical Parameters after 18 Months of Loading
Authors: Tallarico Marco , Ceruso Francesco Mattia , Muzzi Leonardo , Meloni Silvio Mario , Kim Yong-Jin , Gargari Marco , Martinolli Matteo
Published: May 2019

Background: The aim of the present prospective case series study was to evaluate the implant and prosthetic survival rates, complications and marginal bone loss using ultra-fine titanium mesh membrane with simultaneous implant placement, to provide space maintenance mandatory for guided bone reconstruction of alveolar bone defects. Materials and Methods: patients were recruited and treated at a private clinic in Rome, Italy, between March 2016 and October 2017. Self-tapping tapered implants were placed through a computer-guided template-assisted approach. Autogenous bone was placed alone over the exposed implant surface, then mixed with inorganic bovine bone material. Finally, the membrane was connected and shaped in order to securely enclose the graft area, and the healing cap was connected and screwed onto the height connector. Outcome measures were: implant and prosthetic failure, biological and mechanical complications, marginal and volumetric bone level changes, esthetic evaluation performed according to the pink aesthetic score (PES). Results: in total, seven patients (five women, two men) with a mean age of 52.7 ± 20.3 years (range: 27–71) received 10 self-tapping tapered implants and simultaneous guided bone regeneration with ultra-fine titanium mesh membranes. No implants and no prostheses failed during the entire follow-up period. One slightly membrane exposure was observed one month after implant placement in one patient. The mean marginal bone loss (MBL) at implant loading was 0.13 ± 0.09 mm (95% CI 0.08–0.19). At the 18-month follow-up examination, the mean MBL was 0.28 ± 0.33 mm (95% CI 0.07–0.50) The difference was not statistically significant (0.15 ± 0.31; 95% CI 0.05–0.35; P = 0.1888). The mean horizontal alveolar ridge width was 3.72 ± 1.08 mm (95% CI 3.22–4.22 mm). At the II-stage surgery, the mean bone width was 8.79 ± 0.98 mm (95% CI 8.51–9.07 mm). The mean bone gain was 5.06 ± 1.13 mm (95% CI 4.68–5.44 mm; P = 0.000). The mean volume of the grafted bone calculated using the superimposition technique was 0.99 ± 0.38 CC (95% CI 0.75–1.23 CC). The mean PES at implant loading was 8.2 ± 0.8 mm (95% CI 7.7–8.7). At the 18-month follow-up examination, the mean PES was 12.0 ± 0.7 mm (95% CI 11.5–12.5) The difference was statistically significant (3.8 ± 0.4; 95% CI 3.5–4.1; P = 0.0000); Conclusion: with the limitation of the present prospective study, the guided bone reconstruction using an ultra-fine titanium mesh membrane with simultaneous implant placement seems to provide good and stable results in implant/prosthesis success. Further research with a longer follow-up and a higher sample size are needed to confirm the results from this preliminary report.
Mechanical Properties and Fracture Behavior of an EBW T2 Copper–45 Steel Joint
Authors: Liu Peng , Bao Jiafeng , Bao Yumei
Published: May 2019

The dissimilar joining of T2 copper to 45 steel was performed by electron beam welding (EBW). Full-strength joints were obtained, and the highest tensile strength was found to be 270 MPa, which is almost equal to the strength of copper. Moreover, the macroscopic morphology of the tensile fracture exhibited an obvious necking phenomenon and features such as dimples, and spherical structures were found via scanning electron microscopy (SEM). These results indicated that the fracture of the T2 copper–45 steel joint is a mixed mode of cleavage and ductile fracture. Meanwhile, the fracture toughness was determined using the small punch test (SPT) with a drop rate of 0.5 mm/min. SEM imaging of the fracture surfaces revealed that the fracture was controlled by microscopic void nucleation and always occurred in the copper-side heat affected zone (HAZ). Finally, mutual verification between the numerical simulation of the finite element and the SPT results confirmed that the fracture first occurred in the copper-side HAZ due to the toughness difference.
Influence of Processing Parameters on the Thread and Spline Synchronous Rolling Process: An Experimental Study
Authors: Zhang Da-Wei , Liu Bing-Kun , Zhao Sheng-Dun
Published: May 2019

The thread and spline synchronous rolling (TSSR) process is a new developed rolling process, which can form the different profiles simultaneously in the process and can ensure the consistency of the relative position of different profiles of parts. However, the multi-meshing motions are intercoupling and the multi-deformation characteristics are intercoupling during the forming process. It can easily result in dimension overshoot, and even does not make the synchronous rolling process go smoothly. Exploring the influence of controllable processing parameters on the synchronous rolling process, especially the geometric parameters of rolled parts, is helpful to determine the parameters and control the size error for a smooth rolling process. Thus, in this paper, the effects of controllable geometric parameters and motion parameters such as billet diameter, radial feed-in speed, and rotational speed of synchronous rolling die on the TSSR process have been studied. The synchronous rolling experimental scheme was determined using an orthogonal experimental design method, and the geometric parameters of different tooth profiles of rolled parts were measured and analyzed. The experimental results indicated that: the uncoordinated meshing movement between different tooth profiles is more likely to cause tooth error of the splined section of the part; variations of the processing parameters are more likely to cause fluctuations in the size of the splined section of the part, and change of the billet diameter mainly affects the outside diameter of the threaded and splined sections, and the threaded and splined pitches are mainly affected by the motion parameters of the synchronous rolling die; the motion parameters of the rolling die should be matched and the lower rotational speed needs to match the lower radial feed-in amount per revolution; the ideal dimensional accuracy can be obtained by using an appropriate processing parameter combination, for example, the pitch error of the splined section of the part is less than 0.5 μm under one set of experimental conditions in this paper.
Universal Adhesives: Setting Characteristics and Reactivity with Dentin
Authors: Papadogiannis Dimitris , Dimitriadi Maria , Zafiropoulou Maria , Gaintantzopoulou Maria-Dimitra , Eliades George
Published: May 2019

The aim of the study was to evaluate the performance of six commercially available universal dental adhesives: Adhese Universal (ADU), All-Bond Universal (ABU), Clearfil Universal Bond Quick (CBQ), G-Premio Bond (GPB), Prelude One (PRO) and Scotchbond Universal (SBU). The properties tested were: (a) degree of C=C conversion (DC%); (b) Vickers micro-hardness (VHN); (c) extent of oxygen inhibition (OI/μm), all related with the adhesive film properties; (d) extent of dentin demineralisation (DM%), insoluble salt formation (AS%); and (e) shear bond strength (SBS, self-etch mode) related to the adhesive-dentin interactions. Statistical analysis (α = 0.05) was performed by one-way ANOVA and Tukey’s test (DC%, VHN, OI, DM% AS%) and Weibull analysis (SBS, σ0-β). The DC ranged from 67.2–82.5% (all >GPB), OI from 5.6–18.6 μm (SBU > ADU, GPB, ABU > CBQ > PRO), microhardness from 1.1–6.6 VHN (SBU > ADU > ABU > CBQ > PRO > GPB: not measurable), DM from 69.3% (GPB) to 16–12.5% (CBQ, SBU, ADU) and 13.2–10.6% (ABU, ADU, PRO), in homogeneous groups and AS from 26–15.9% (ABU, CBQ > GPB, PRO, ADU, SBU). For SBS the σ0 (characteristic life) ranged from 29.3–16.6 MPa (CBQ, ADU, ABU, SBU > PRO > GPB), the β (reliability) from 5.1–9.7 (p > 0.05). All failure modes were of mixed type (adhesive and composite cohesive). Although all these adhesives were based on the 10-methacryloyloxydecyl dihydrogen phosphate (10-MDP) adhesive monomer, the different co-monomers, solvents and catalysts led to variations in their film properties, reactivity and bonding capacity with dentin.
Modelling the Sintering Neck Growth Process of Metal Fibers under the Surface Diffusion Mechanism Using the Lattice Boltzmann Method
Authors: Dai Houping , Chen Dongdong , Zheng Zhoushun
Published: May 2019

In this paper, the sintering neck growth process of metal fibers under the surface diffusion mechanism is simulated by using the Lattice Boltzmann method (LBM). The surface diffusion model is developed considering the geometrical characteristic of metal fibers. Then, the LBM scheme is constructed for solving the developed surface diffusion model. The sintering neck growth process of two metal fibers with different fiber angles is simulated by LBM. The simulated morphologies of sintering metal fibers well agree with ones obtained by experiments. Moreover, the numerical simulation results show that the sintering neck radius of two metal fibers is increased with the increase of fiber angle, which implies that the initial geometrical characteristic plays an important role in the sintering neck formation and growth of metal fibers.
The Matrix KV Storage System Based on NVM Devices
Authors: Cai Tao , Chen Fuli , He Qingjian , Niu Dejiao , Wang Jie
Published: May 2019

The storage device based on Nonvolatile Memory (NVM devices) has high read/write speed and embedded processor. It is a useful way to improve the efficiency of Key-Value (KV) application. However it still has some limitations such as limited capacity, poorer computing power compared with CPU, and complex I/O system software. Thus it is not an effective way to construct KV storage system with NVM devices directly. We analyze the characteristics of NVM devices and demands of KV application to design the matrix KV storage system based on NVM Devices. The group collaboration management based on Bloomfilter, intragroup optimization based on competition, embedded KV management based on B+-tree, and the new interface of KV storage system are presented. Then, the embedded processor in the NVM device and CPU can be comprehensively utilized to construct a matrix KV pair management system. It can improve the storage and management efficiency of massive KV pairs, and it can also support the efficient execution of KV applications. A prototype is implemented named MKVS (the matrix KV storage system based on NVM devices) to test with YCSB (Yahoo! Cloud System Benchmark) and to compare with the current in-memory KV store. The results show that MKVS can improve the throughput by 5.98 times, and reduce the 99.7% read latency and 77.2% write latency.
Magnetite and Carbon Extraction from Coal Fly Ash Using Magnetic Separation and Flotation Methods
Authors: Valeev Dmitry , Kunilova Irina , Alpatov Alexander , Varnavskaya Alika , Ju Dianchun
Published: May 2019

In this study, enrichment methods for coal fly ash (CFA) from Omsk thermal power station No. 4 (TPS-4) were investigated. The magnetite and unburned carbon concentrates were obtained by magnetic separation and flotation methods. The wet magnetic separation used in the study increased the magnetite content in the magnetic fraction from 10.48 to 12.72 wt % compared to dry magnetic separation. The XRD analysis showed that the magnetic fraction primarily consists of magnetite, mullite, and quartz. The SEM analysis demonstrated that magnetite is located primarily on the surface of alumosilicate spheres and has three types of shape: dendritic structures, hexagonal bulk agglomerates, and star-like structures. For the flotation tests, a low-price diesel was used as the collector. It was found that, if CFA particles of 40–71 µm are used, ~99% of unburned carbon can be recovered. It was also found by SEM that, if CFA particles of 71–100 µm are used, alumosilicates on a carbon surface prevent complete interaction of diesel with carbon particles and decrease thereby carbon recovery to 83%.
Elemental Compositions of Smectites Reveal Detailed Sediment Provenance Changes during Glacial and Interglacial Periods: The Southern Drake Passage and Bellingshausen Sea, Antarctica
Authors: Park Young , Lee Jae , Jung Jaewoo , Hillenbrand Claus-Dieter , Yoo Kyu-Cheul , Kim Jinwook
Published: May 2019

Variations in clay mineral assemblages have been widely used to understand changes in sediment provenance during glacial and interglacial periods. Smectite clay minerals, however, have a range of various elemental compositions that possibly originated from multiple different sources. Therefore, it might be crucial to distinguish the various types of smectites by analyzing their elemental composition in order to verify the sediment provenances with certainty. This hypothesis was tested for the clay mineral characteristics in a marine sediment core from the southern Drake Passage (GC05-DP02). Rare earth elements and ε N d data had previously indicated that fine grained detritus was supplied from the Weddell Sea to the core site during interglacial periods, when the sediments contained more Al-rich smectite (montmorillonite). Indeed, marine sediments collected close to the Larsen Ice Shelf on the eastern Antarctic Peninsula continental shelf, western Weddell Sea embayment, show more Al-rich smectite components as compared with other possible West Antarctic sources, such as the Ross Sea embayment or King George Island, South Shetland Islands. Furthermore, two types of smectite (Al-rich and Al-poor) were identified in core GC360 from the Bellingshausen Sea shelf, suggesting that during glacial periods some sediment is derived from subglacial erosion of underlying pre-Oligocene sedimentary strata containing predominantly Al-rich montmorillonite. This finding reveals different sources for smectites in sediments deposited at site GC360 during the last glacial period and during the present interglacial that show only minor differences in smectite contents. For the interglacial period, two groups of smectite with a wide range of Al-rich and Mg–Fe-rich were identified, which indicate delivery from two different sources: (1) the detritus with high contents of Mg–Fe-rich smectite supplied from Beethoven Peninsula, southwestern Alexander island and (2) the detritus with higher contents of Al-rich smectite (montmorillonite) possibly derived from the subglacial reworking of pre-Oligocene sedimentary strata. These results demonstrate that the elemental compositions of smectites can be used to differentiate the sources of smectites in marine sediments, which is an important tool to define sediment provenance in detail, when down-core changes observed in clay mineral assemblages are interpreted.
Perovskites of the Tazheran Massif (Baikal, Russia)
Authors: Sklyarov Eugene V. , Karmanov Nikolai S. , Lavrenchuk Andrey V. , Starikova Anastasia E.
Published: May 2019

The paper provides details of local geology and mineralogy of the Tazheran Massif, which was the sampling site of perovskite used as an external standard in perovskite U-Pb dating by sensitive high-resolution ion microprobe (SHRIMP) and laser ablation inductively-coupled plasma (LA–ICP–MS) mass spectrometry. The Tazheran Massif is a complex of igneous (mafic dikes, syenite, nepheline syenite), metamorphic (marble), and metasomatic (skarn, calc–silicate veins) rocks. Metasomatites are thin and restricted to the complex interior being absent from the margins. Perovskite has been studied at four sites of metasomatic rocks of three different types: forsterite–spinel calc–silicate veins in brucite marble (1); skarn at contacts between nepheline syenite and brucite marble (2), and skarn-related forsterite–spinel (Fo-Spl) calc–silicate veins (3). Pervoskite from Fo-Spl calc–silicate veins (type 1) is almost free from impurities (<1 wt.% in total: 0.06%–0.4% REE2O3, 0.10%–0.22% Nb2O5, ≤0.1% ThO2). The U contents are from 0.1 to 1.9 wt.% UO2 and are relatively uniform in perovskites from the same vein but differ from vein to vein of this type. Perovskite from the contact skarn (type 2) contains 1.5 to 4.5 wt.% REE2O3 but is poor in other impurities. Perovskite grains from skarn-related Fo-Spl calc–silicate rocks (type 3) belong to two generations that differ in REE, Nb, Th, Fe, and Na concentrations. Early-generation perovskites occurs as compositionally homogeneous octahedral or cubic-octahedral crystals with contents of impurities higher than in other varieties (3.6 wt.% REE2O3, 1.6 wt.% Fe2O3, 1.3 wt.% Nb2O5, 0.7 wt.% ThO2, 0.6 wt.% UO2, and 0.6 wt.% Na2O) but the lowest is at the respective site. Late-generation varieties show highly variable impurity concentrations of 1.5 to 22.7 wt.% REE2O3, 0.4 to 8.4 wt.% Nb2O5, and 0.8 to 4.5% ThO2, while the perovskite component may be as low as 65%. In addition to the lueshite and loparite, components, they contain REEFeO3 and Th0.5TiO3 endmembers which have no natural analogs.
Investigations of MgO on Sintering Performance and Metallurgical Property of High-Chromium Vanadium-Titanium Magnetite
Authors: Zhang Liheng , Yang Songtao , Tang Weidong , Xue Xiangxin
Published: May 2019

High-chromium vanadium-titanium magnetite (HCVTM) in the Hongge region has been used as an essential mineral resource in ironmaking. The effects of MgO on sintering performance and metallurgical properties were investigated by sintering pot tests, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive spectroscopy (SEM-EDS). HCVTM sinters with varying MgO contents (2.7–3.5%), which was achieved by adding dolomite, were tested for yield, strength, reduction degradation index (RDI), reduction index (RI), and softening-melting properties. The productivity and the comprehensive index were evaluated. The results show that yield and productivity increased, while the vertical sintering speed and the tumbler index (TI) initially increased then decreased with the increase of MgO content. The mineral structure of HCVTM sinter changed from a non-uniform state to a uniform state with increased MgO content. Most of the Mg2+ entered the magnetite lattice, while a small amount entered the perovskite and the calcium silicate. The increase of MgO content improved RDI and softening-melting properties while reducing RI. The best recommended amount of MgO was 3.3% from the comprehensive index.
The Difference in Cytotoxic Activity between Two Optical Isomers of Gelsemine from Gelsemium elegans Benth. on PC12 Cells
Authors: Lin Li , Liu Yan-Chun , Liu Zhao-Ying
Published: May 2019

Two optical isomers, +/− gelsemine (1, 2), together with one known compound were isolated from the whole plant of G. elegans. The structures of the separated constituents were elucidated on 1D and 2D (1H-1H COSY, HMBC, HSQC) NMR spectroscopy and high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS). The isolated alkaloids were tested in vitro for cytotoxic potential against PC12 cells by the MTT assay. As a result, (+) gelsemine (compound 1) exhibited cytotoxic activity against PC12 cells with an IC50 value of 31.59 μM, while (−) gelsemine (compound 2) was not cytotoxic.
Effect of Chitosan and Fish Gelatin Coatings on Preventing the Deterioration and Preserving the Quality of Fresh-Cut Apples
Authors: Shyu Yung-Shin , Chen Guan-Wen , Chiang Shao-Ching , Sung Wen-Chieh
Published: May 2019

The effect of fish gelatin and chitosan coatings on the physicochemical characteristics of fresh-cut apples (Malus pumila Mill.), stored at 5 °C and 22 °C, was investigated. Chitosan provided an effective control for microbial growth, maintained firmness during 4 days of storage at room temperature (22 °C), and 12 days at refrigerator (5 °C). The results indicated that chitosan coating caused a significant decrease (p < 0.05) in the L* value of cube color of cut apples. Fish gelatin–chitosan coatings mitigated the L* value and decrease in hue angle of the cut apple samples, at cold storage. Experimental results showed that fish gelatin–chitosan and chitosan coatings, can be used to mitigate the formation of vitamin C, due to respiration, microbial growth, and weight loss at cold storage. Fish gelatin–chitosan coating might be a better combination for maintaining appearance and extending shelf-life of cut apples, compared to only chitosan coatings.
Aldose Reductase, Protein Glycation Inhibitory and Antioxidant of Peruvian Medicinal Plants: The Case of Tanacetum parthenium L. and Its Constituents
Authors: Hwang Seung Hwan , Kim Hyun-Yong , Guillen Quispe Yanymee N. , Wang Zhiqiang , Zuo Guanglei , Lim Soon Sung
Published: May 2019

Diabetes complications, including peripheral neuropathy, cataracts, impaired wound healing, vascular damage, arterial wall stiffening and retinopathy diseases, are among the most predominant health problems facing the world’s population today. The 22 Peruvian plant extracts were screened for their potential inhibitory activity against rat lens aldose reductase (RLAR) and DPPH radical scavenging. Among them, we have found that Tanacetum parthenium L. (TP) has the RLAR, AGEs and DPPH radical scavenging activities. We used for screening of active components in TP against RLAR and DPPH for the first time by ultrafiltration (UF) and DPPH. Compounds in TP were isolated by Sephadex column chromatography and their structures were established by MS and NMR spectroscopic analyses. Among the isolated compounds, ferulic acid, apigenin, luteolin-7-O-glucoside, luteolin, chrysosplenol, and kaempferol showed potent inhibition with IC50 values of 1.11–3.20 and 6.44–16.23 μM for RLAR and DPPH radical scavenging. Furthermore, these compounds suppressed sorbitol accumulation in rat lenses and ferulic acid, luteolin-7-O-glucoside, and luteolin have AGEs inhibitory activities with IC50 values of 3.43–6.73 μM. In summary, our study provides interesting plants for further study with respect to the treatment and prevention of diabetic complication of Peruvian plant and can provide the scientific base of the traditional uses.
Optimization of Ultrasonic-Assisted Extraction and Purification of Rhein from Cassia fistula Pod Pulp
Authors: Yingngam Bancha , Zhao Haiyu , Baolin Bian , Pongprom Nipawan , Brantner Adelheid
Published: May 2019

Rhein is used as an active ingredient in laxatives in medicinal herbal products and is a chemical marker for quality control purposes. Thus, a simple and effective method for the optimized extraction of a high amount of rhein from the fruit pulp of Cassia fistula was investigated using ultrasonic-assisted extraction (UAE). The response surface methodology was applied to find the most suitable parameters for optimizing the extraction process and to study the factors’ relationships with each other. The best conditions for ultrasonic extraction were the application of 1:40 g/mL solid-to-liquid ratio and 10% EtOH–H2O as a solvent at 75 °C for 40 min. This method was compared to a conventional decoction in two variations. In these experiments, it was confirmed that the UAE was more favorable than the decoction methods. The resulting crude extract was further purified by liquid–liquid extraction with a basic pH adjustment, followed by recrystallization. High-purity rhein was obtained by using chromatographic techniques and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Therefore, this study suggests that UAE is an efficient alternative method for the extraction of rhein from C. fistula pod pulp. The resulting optimized conditions can be applied as a useful tool for the large-scale industrial production of a rhein-rich plant extract.
Nanotechnology Approaches in Tackling Cardiovascular Diseases
Authors: Prajnamitra Ray Putra , Chen Hung-Chih , Lin Chen-Ju , Chen Li-Lun , Hsieh Patrick Ching-Ho
Published: May 2019

Cardiovascular diseases have continued to remain a leading cause of mortality and morbidity worldwide. Poor proliferation capability of adult cardiomyocytes disables the heart from regenerating new myocardium after a myocardial ischaemia event and therefore weakens the heart in the long term, which may result in heart failure and death. Delivery of cardioprotective therapeutics soon after the event can help to protect the heart from further cell death and improve cardiac function, but delivery methods and potential side effects of these therapeutics may be an issue. Advances in nanotechnology, particularly nanoparticles for drug delivery, have enabled researchers to obtain better drug targeting capability, thus increasing the therapeutic outcome. Detailed study of nanoparticles in vivo is useful as it can provide insight for future treatments. Nanogel can help to create a more favourable environment, not only for a sustained delivery of therapeutics, but also for a better navigation of the therapeutics to the targeted sites. Finally, if the damage to the myocardium is too severe for drug treatment, nanopatch can help to improve cardiac function and healing by becoming a platform for pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes to grow for the purpose of cell-based regenerative therapy.
Discovery of (3-Benzyl-5-hydroxyphenyl)carbamates as New Antitubercular Agents with Potent In Vitro and In Vivo Efficacy
Authors: Cheng Ya-Juan , Liu Zhi-Yong , Liang Hua-Ju , Fang Cui-Ting , Zhang Niu-Niu , Zhang Tian-Yu , Yan Ming
Published: May 2019

A series of 3-amino-5-benzylphenol derivatives were designed and synthesized. Among them, (3-benzyl-5-hydroxyphenyl)carbamates were found to exert good inhibitory activity against M. tuberculosis H37Ra, H37Rv and clinically isolated multidrug-resistant M. tuberculosis strains (MIC = 0.625–6.25 μg/mL). The privileged compounds 3i and 3l showed moderate cytotoxicity against cell line A549. Compound 3l also exhibited potent in vivo inhibitory activity on a mouse infection model via the oral administration. The results demonstrated 3-hydroxyphenylcarbamates as a class of new antitubercular agents with good potential.
Enzymatic Formation of Polyaniline, Polypyrrole, and Polythiophene Nanoparticles with Embedded Glucose Oxidase
Authors: German Natalija , Popov Anton , Ramanaviciene Almira , Ramanavicius Arunas
Published: May 2019

Polyaniline (PANI), polypyrrole (Ppy), and polythiophene (PTh) composite nanoparticles with embedded glucose oxidase (GOx) were formed by enzymatic polymerization of corresponding monomers (aniline, pyrrole, and thiophene). The influence of monomers concentration, the pH of solution, and the ratio of enzyme/substrate on the formation of PANI/GOx, Ppy/GOx, and PTh/GOx composite nanoparticles were spectrophotometrically investigated. The highest formation rate of PANI-, Ppy-, and PTh-based nanoparticles with embedded GOx was observed in the sodium acetate buffer solution, pH 6.0. The increase of optical absorbance at λmax = 440 nm, λmax = 460 nm, and λmax = 450 nm was exploited for the monitoring of PANI/GOx, Ppy/GOx and PTh/GOx formation, respectively. It was determined that the highest polymerization rate of PANI/GOx, Ppy/GOx, and PTh/GOx composite nanoparticles was achieved in solution containing 0.75 mg mL−1 of GOx and 0.05 mol L−1 of glucose. The influence of the enzymatic polymerization duration on the formation of PANI/GOx and Ppy/GOx composite nanoparticles was spectrophotometrically investigated. The most optimal duration for the enzymatic synthesis of PANI/GOx and Ppy/GOx composite nanoparticles was in the range of 48–96 h. It was determined that the diameter of formed PANI/GOx and Ppy/GOx composite nanoparticles depends on the duration of polymerization using dynamic light scattering technique (DLS), and it was in the range of 41–167 nm and 65–122 nm, when polymerization lasted from 16 to 120 h.
Food Composition Impacts the Accuracy of Wearable Devices When Estimating Energy Intake from Energy-Dense Food
Authors: Lorenzoni Giulia , Bottigliengo Daniele , Azzolina Danila , Gregori Dario
Published: May 2019

The present study aimed to assess the feasibility and reliability of an a3utomatic food intake measurement device in estimating energy intake from energy-dense foods. Eighteen volunteers aged 20–36 years were recruited from the University of Padova. The device used in the present study was the Bite Counter (Bite Technologies, Pendleton, USA). The rationale of the device is that the wrist movements occurring in the act of bringing food to the mouth present unique patterns that are recognized and recorded by the Bite Counter. Subjects were asked to wear the Bite Counter on the wrist of the dominant hand, to turn the device on before the first bite and to turn it off once he or she finished his or her meal. The accuracy of caloric intake was significantly different among the methods used. In addition, the device’s accuracy in estimating energy intake varied according to the type and amount of macronutrients present, and the difference was independent of the number of bites recorded. Further research is needed to overcome the current limitations of wearable devices in estimating caloric intake, which is not independent of the food being eaten.
Role of Apple Phytochemicals, Phloretin and Phloridzin, in Modulating Processes Related to Intestinal Inflammation
Authors: Zielinska Danuta , Laparra-Llopis José Moisés , Zielinski Henryk , Szawara-Nowak Dorota , Giménez-Bastida Juan Antonio
Published: May 2019

Plant-derived food consumption has gained attention as potential intervention for the improvement of intestinal inflammatory diseases. Apple consumption has been shown to be effective at ameliorating intestinal inflammation symptoms. These beneficial effects have been related to (poly)phenols, including phloretin (Phlor) and its glycoside named phloridzin (Phldz). To deepen the modulatory effects of these molecules we studied: i) their influence on the synthesis of proinflammatory molecules (PGE2, IL-8, IL-6, MCP-1, and ICAM-1) in IL-1β-treated myofibroblasts of the colon CCD-18Co cell line, and ii) the inhibitory potential of the formation of advanced glycation end products (AGEs). The results showed that Phlor (10–50 μM) decreased the synthesis of PGE2 and IL-8 and the formation of AGEs by different mechanisms. It is concluded that Phlor and Phldz, compounds found exclusively in apples, are positively associated with potential beneficial effects of apple consumption.
Comparison of Blood Profiles of γ-Oryzanol and Ferulic Acid in Rats after Oral Intake of γ-Oryzanol
Authors: Kokumai Takumi , Ito Junya , Kobayashi Eri , Shimizu Naoki , Hashimoto Hiroyuki , Eitsuka Takahiro , Miyazawa Teruo , Nakagawa Kiyotaka
Published: May 2019

γ-Oryzanol (OZ), a bioactive phytochemical abundant in cereals such as rice, has been reported to be mainly hydrolyzed to ferulic acid (FA) in the body. Meanwhile, in our previous study, we revealed that a part of OZ is absorbed into the body and exists in its intact form. However, the comprehensive absorption profile of OZ and its metabolites (e.g., FA) after OZ intake has not been fully elucidated yet. Therefore, in this study, we measured the concentrations of OZ, FA, and FA conjugates (i.e., FA sulfate and glucuronide) in the blood of rats with the use of HPLC-MS/MS after a single oral administration of 300 µmol/kg body weight of rice bran OZ (RBOZ). As a result, intact OZ along with FA and FA conjugates existed in the blood, which implied that these constituents may all contribute to the physiological effects under OZ intake. Additionally, when an equimolar amount of FA (300 µmol/kg body weight) was administered, it was found that the absorption profile of FA was significantly different from that when RBOZ was administered.
Overcoming the Bitter Taste of Oils Enriched in Fatty Acids to Obtain Their Effects on the Heart in Health and Disease
Authors: Stamenkovic Aleksandra , Ganguly Riya , Aliani Michel , Ravandi Amir , Pierce Grant N.
Published: May 2019

Fatty acids come in a variety of structures and, because of this, create a variety of functions for these lipids. Some fatty acids have a role to play in energy metabolism, some help in lipid storage, cell structure, the physical state of the lipid, and even in food stability. Fatty acid metabolism plays a particularly important role in meeting the energy demands of the heart. It is the primary source of myocardial energy in control conditions. Its role changes dramatically in disease states in the heart, but the pathologic role these fatty acids play depends upon the type of cardiovascular disease and the type of fatty acid. However, no matter how good a food is for one’s health, its taste will ultimately become a deciding factor in its influence on human health. No food will provide health benefits if it is not ingested. This review discusses the taste characteristics of culinary oils that contain fatty acids and how these fatty acids affect the performance of the heart during healthy and diseased conditions. The contrasting contributions that different fatty acid molecules have in either promoting cardiac pathologies or protecting the heart from cardiovascular disease is also highlighted in this article.
Which Diet for Calcium Stone Patients: A Real-World Approach to Preventive Care
Authors: D’Alessandro Claudia , Ferraro Pietro Manuel , Cianchi Caterina , Barsotti Massimiliano , Gambaro Giovanni , Cupisti Adamasco
Published: May 2019

Kidney stone disease should be viewed as a systemic disorder, associated with or predictive of hypertension, insulin resistance, chronic kidney disease and cardiovascular damage. Dietary and lifestyle changes represent an important strategy for the prevention of kidney stone recurrences and cardiovascular damage. A full screening of risk factors for kidney stones and for cardiovascular damage should be recommended in all cases of calcium kidney stone disease, yet it is rarely performed outside of stone specialist clinics. Many patients have a history of kidney stone disease while lacking a satisfactory metabolic profile. Nonetheless, in a real-world clinical practice a rational management of kidney stone patients is still possible. Different scenarios, with different types of dietary approaches based on diagnosis accuracy level can be envisaged. The aim of this review is to give patient-tailored dietary suggestions whatever the level of clinical and biochemistry evaluation. This can help to deliver a useful recommendation, while avoiding excessive dietary restrictions especially when they are not based on a specific diagnosis, and therefore potentially useless or even harmful. We focused our attention on calcium stones and the different scenarios we may find in the daily clinical practice, including the case of patients who reported renal colic episodes and/or passed stones with no information on stone composition, urinary risk factors or metabolic cardiovascular risk factors; or the case of patients with partial and incomplete information; or the case of patients with full information on stone composition, urinary risk factors and metabolic cardiovascular profile.
Nutritional Strategies to Prevent Lens Cataract: Current Status and Future Strategies
Authors: Braakhuis Andrea J , Donaldson Caitlin I , Lim Julie C , Donaldson Paul J
Published: May 2019

Oxidative stress and the subsequent oxidative damage to lens proteins is a known causative factor in the initiation and progression of cataract formation, the leading cause of blindness in the world today. Due to the role of oxidative damage in the etiology of cataract, antioxidants have been prompted as therapeutic options to delay and/or prevent disease progression. However, many exogenous antioxidant interventions have to date produced mixed results as anti-cataract therapies. The aim of this review is to critically evaluate the efficacy of a sample of dietary and topical antioxidant interventions in the light of our current understanding of lens structure and function. Situated in the eye behind the blood-eye barrier, the lens receives it nutrients and antioxidants from the aqueous and vitreous humors. Furthermore, being a relatively large avascular tissue the lens cannot rely of passive diffusion alone to deliver nutrients and antioxidants to the distinctly different metabolic regions of the lens. We instead propose that the lens utilizes a unique internal microcirculation system to actively deliver antioxidants to these different regions, and that selecting antioxidants that can utilize this system is the key to developing novel nutritional therapies to delay the onset and progression of lens cataract.
Developmental Vitamin D Deficiency Produces Behavioral Phenotypes of Relevance to Autism in an Animal Model
Authors: Ali Asad , Vasileva Svetlina , Langguth Mia , Alexander Suzanne , Cui Xiaoying , Whitehouse Andrew , McGrath John J. , Eyles Darryl
Published: May 2019

Emerging evidence suggests that gestational or developmental vitamin D (DVD) deficiency is associated with an increased risk of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). ASD is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by impairments in social interaction, lack of verbal and non-verbal communications, stereotyped repetitive behaviors and hyper-activities. There are several other clinical features that are commonly comorbid with ASD, including olfactory impairments, anxiety and delays in motor development. Here we investigate these features in an animal model related to ASD—the DVD-deficient rat. Compared to controls, both DVD-deficient male and female pups show altered ultrasonic vocalizations and stereotyped repetitive behavior. Further, the DVD-deficient animals had delayed motor development and impaired motor control. Adolescent DVD-deficient animals had impaired reciprocal social interaction, while as adults, these animals were hyperactive. The DVD-deficient model is associated with a range of behavioral features of interest to ASD.
Cyanidin-3-O-Galactoside-Enriched Aronia melanocarpa Extract Attenuates Weight Gain and Adipogenic Pathways in High-Fat Diet-Induced Obese C57BL/6 Mice
Authors: Lim Su-Min , Lee Hyun Sook , Jung Jae In , Kim So Mi , Kim Nam Young , Seo Tae Su , Bae Jung-Shik , Kim Eun Ji
Published: May 2019

Aronia melanocarpa are a rich source of anthocyanins that have received considerable interest for their relations to human health. In this study, the anti-adipogenic effect of cyanidin-3-O-galactoside-enriched Aronia melanocarpa extract (AM-Ex) and its underlying mechanisms were investigated in an in vivo system. Five-week-old male C57BL/6N mice were randomly divided into five groups for 8-week feeding with a control diet (CD), a high-fat diet (HFD), or a HFD with 50 (AM-Ex 50), 100 (AM-Ex 100), or 200 AM-Ex (AM-Ex 200) mg/kg body weight/day. HFD-fed mice showed a significant increase in body weight compared to the CD group, and AM-Ex dose-dependently inhibited this weight gain. AM-Ex significantly reduced the food intake and the weight of white fat tissue, including epididymal fat, retroperitoneal fat, mesenteric fat, and inguinal fat. Treatment with AM-Ex (50 to 200 mg/kg) reduced serum levels of leptin, insulin, triglyceride, total cholesterol, and low density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol. Real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis revealed that AM-Ex suppressed adipogenesis by decreasing CCAAT/enhancer binding protein α, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ, sterol regulatory element-binding protein-1c, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator-1α, acetyl-CoA carboxylase 1, ATP-citrate lyase, fatty acid synthase, and adipocyte protein 2 messenger RNA (mRNA) expressions. These results suggest that AM-Ex is potentially beneficial for the suppression of HFD-induced obesity by modulating multiple pathways associated with adipogenesis and food intake.
The Association of Body Mass Index and Body Composition with Pain, Disease Activity, Fatigue, Sleep and Anxiety in Women with Fibromyalgia
Authors: Correa-Rodríguez María , El Mansouri-Yachou Jamal , Casas-Barragán Antonio , Molina Francisco , Rueda-Medina Blanca , Aguilar-Ferrándiz María Encarnación
Published: May 2019

The link between fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) and obesity has not been thoroughly investigated. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships among body mass index (BMI) and body composition parameters, including fat mass, fat mass percentage, and visceral fat, as well as FMS features, such as tender point count (TPC), pain, disease activity, fatigue, sleep quality, and anxiety, in a population of FMS women and healthy controls. A total of seventy-three women with FMS and seventy-three healthy controls, matched on weight, were included in this cross-sectional study. We used a body composition analyzer to measure fat mass, fat mass percentage, and visceral fat. Tender point count (TPC) was measured by algometry pressure. The disease severity was measured with the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ-R) and self-reported global pain was evaluated with the visual analog scale (VAS). To measure the quality of sleep, fatigue, and anxiety we used the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Questionnaire (PSQI), the Spanish version of the multidimensional fatigue inventory (MFI), and the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), respectively. Of the women in this study, 38.4% and 31.5% were overweight and obese, respectively. Significant differences in FIQ-R.1 (16.82 ± 6.86 vs. 20.66 ± 4.71, p = 0.030), FIQ-R.3 (35.20 ± 89.02 vs. 40.33 ± 5.60, p = 0.033), and FIQ-R total score (63.87 ± 19.12 vs. 75.94 ± 12.25, p = 0.017) among normal-weight and overweight FMS were observed. Linear analysis regression revealed significant associations between FIQ-R.2 (β(95% CI) = 0.336, (0.027, 0.645), p = 0.034), FIQ-R.3 (β(95% CI) = 0.235, (0.017, 0.453), p = 0.035), and FIQ-R total score (β(95% CI) = 0.110, (0.010, 0.209), p = 0.032) and BMI in FMS women after adjusting for age and menopause status. Associations between sleep latency and fat mass percentage in FMS women (β(95% CI) = 1.910, (0.078, 3.742), p = 0.041) and sleep quality and visceral fat in healthy women (β(95% CI) = 2.614, (2.192, 3.036), p = 0.008) adjusted for covariates were also reported. The higher BMI values are associated with poor FIQ-R scores and overweight and obese women with FMS have higher symptom severity. The promotion of an optimal BMI might contribute to ameliorate some of the FMS symptoms.
Effects of Intrinsic Properties on Fracture Nucleation and Propagation in Swelling Hydrogels
Authors: Ding Jingqian , Remij Ernst W. , Remmers Joris J. C. , Huyghe Jacques M.
Published: May 2019

In numerous industrial applications, the microstructure of materials is critical for performance. However, finite element models tend to average out the microstructure. Hence, finite element simulations are often unsuitable for optimisation of the microstructure. The present paper presents a modelling technique that addresses this limitation for superabsorbent polymers with a partially cross-linked surface layer. These are widely used in the industry for a variety of functions. Different designs of the cross-linked layer have different material properties, influencing the performance of the hydrogel. In this work, the effects of intrinsic properties on the fracture nucleation and propagation in cross-linked hydrogels are studied. The numerical implementation for crack propagation and nucleation is based on the framework of the extended finite element method and the enhanced local pressure model to capture the pressure difference and fluid flow between the crack and the hydrogel, and coupled with the cohesive method to achieve crack propagation without re-meshing. Two groups of numerical examples are given: (1) effects on crack propagation, and (2) effects on crack nucleation. Within each example, we studied the effects of the stiffness (shear modulus) and ultimate strength of the material separately. Simulations demonstrate that the crack behaviour is influenced by the intrinsic properties of the hydrogel, which gives numerical support for the structural design of the cross-linked hydrogel.
Correction: Zhang, M., et al. Estimation of Vegetation Productivity Using a Landsat 8 Time Series in a Heavily Urbanized Area, Central China. Remote Sens. 2019, 11, 133
Authors: Zhang Meng , Lin Hui , Wang Guangxin , Sun Hua , Cai Yaotong
Published: May 2019

The authors wish to make the following corrections to this paper [...]