bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Animal Experiments in Periodontal and Peri-Implant Research: Are There Any Changes?
Authors: Staubli Noémie , Schmidt Julia C. , Rinne Carin A. , Signer-Buset Sabrina L. , Rodriguez Fabiola R. , Walter Clemens
Published: May 2019

Animal experiments are a source of debate. This bibliometric study aims to identify published research in two representative dental journals: the Journal of Periodontology (JP) and the Journal of Clinical Periodontology (JCP). Two time points (1982/83 and 2012/13) covering 30 years were chosen. Articles describing data from animal experiments were identified and the data were extracted and compared between journals and time points. In 1982/83, 27 animal studies were published in JP and 17 in JCP. For 2012/13, 54 animal studies were considered in JP and 37 in JCP. The species examined were predominantly dogs (37%) in JCP and rats (61%) in JP in 1982/83. In 2012/13, rodents accounted for 85% in JP and for 54% in JCP. The number of animals used per study increased by a factor of 1.6–2.6. The diversity of geographic origin and articles from emerging countries increased over time. The number of animals examined per study and the publications describing these experiments seemed to have increased in the journals analyzed in the last decades.
The Association between Tooth Loss and Alzheimer’s Disease: a Systematic Review with Meta-Analysis of Case Control Studies
Authors: Dioguardi Mario , Di Gioia Giovanni , Caloro Giorgia Apollonia , Capocasale Giorgia , Zhurakivska Khrystyna , Troiano Giuseppe , Lo Russo Lucio , Lo Muzio Lorenzo
Published: May 2019

Alzheimer’s disease is classified as a neurodegenerative condition, a heterogeneous group of illnesses characterized by the slow and progressive loss of one or more functions of the nervous system. Its incidence tends to increase gradually from 65 years of age, up to a prevalence of 4% at age 75. The loss of dental elements is more prevalent in this population and might negatively affect the masticatory capacity, quality of life, and pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s disease. This study investigated problems related to oral health and the loss of dental elements in elderly patients suffering from Alzheimer’s and considered whether local inflammatory processes could affect the etiopathogenesis of Alzheimer’s disease. The purpose of this systematic review is to identify a link between the causes leading to tooth loss and the onset/progression of Alzheimer’s disease. We also studied whether there is a higher incidence of tooth loss (primary outcome) and edentulism (secondary outcome) among Alzheimer’s patients. We searched records in electronic databases such as PubMed, EBSCO, and Web of Science using the following keywords: Alzheimer’s Disease AND periodontal, Alzheimer’s Disease AND periodontitis, dementia AND (periodontitis OR periodontal) “Alzheimer’s Disease” AND “tooth” OR “dental loss,” “dementia” AND “edentulous,” “Alzheimer’s Disease” AND “edentulous,” “dementia” AND “tooth” OR “dental loss.” The records were screened, and after applying the eligibility and inclusion criteria, nine articles were left, six of which were analyzed for the primary outcome (loss of dental elements) and six for the secondary outcome (tooth loss). Results from this meta-analysis revealed that Alzheimer’s disease patients have an increased risk of dental loss (hazard ratio (HR) 1.52, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.00–2.30, p = 0.05) and edentulous condition (HR 2.26, 95% CI 1.70–3.01, p < 0.001). A quantitative analysis of the included studies indicated that patients suffering from Alzheimer’s disease are characterized by a greater number of lost dental elements and general edentulism compared to the control groups.
Cone Beam Computed Tomography in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery: An Evidence-Based Review
Authors: Weiss Robert , Read-Fuller Andrew
Published: May 2019

Cone Beam Computed Tomography (CBCT) is a valuable imaging technique in oral and maxillofacial surgery (OMS) that can help direct a surgeon’s approach to a variety of conditions. A 3-dimensional analysis of head and neck anatomy allows practitioners to plan appropriately, operate with confidence, and assess results post-operatively. CBCT imaging has clear indications and limitations. CBCT offers the clinician 3-dimensional and multi-planar views for a more accurate diagnosis and treatment without the financial burden and radiation exposure of conventional computed tomography (CT) scans. Furthermore, CBCT overcomes certain limitations of 2-dimensional imaging, such as distortion, magnification, and superimposition. However, CBCT lacks the detailed depiction of soft tissue conditions for evaluation of pathologic conditions, head and neck infections, and temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disc evaluation. This review evaluates the evidence-based research supporting the application of CBCT in the various fields of oral and maxillofacial surgery, including dentoalveolar surgery, dental implants, TMJ, orthognathic surgery, trauma, and pathology, and will assess the value of CBCT in pre-operative assessment, surgical planning, and post-operative analysis when applicable. Additionally, the significant limitations of CBCT and potential areas for future research will be discussed.
A High-Efficiency K-band MMIC Linear Amplifier Using Diode Compensation
Authors: Zhu Heng , Chen Wei , Huang Jianhua , Wang Zhiyu , Yu Faxin
Published: May 2019

This paper describes the design and measured performance of a high-efficiency and linearity-enhanced K-band MMIC amplifier fabricated with a 0.15 μm GaAs pHEMT processing technology. The linearization enhancement method utilizing a parallel nonlinear capacitance compensation diode was analyzed and verified. The three-stage MMIC operating at 20–22 GHz obtained an improved third-order intermodulation ratio (IM3) of 20 dBc at a 27 dBm per carrier output power while demonstrating higher than a 27 dB small signal gain and 1-dB compression point output power of 30 dBm with 33% power added efficiency (PAE). The chip dimension was 2.00 mm × 1.40 mm.
Challenges in NoSQL-Based Distributed Data Storage: A Systematic Literature Review
Authors: Ramzan Shabana , Bajwa Imran Sarwar , Kazmi Rafaqut , Amna
Published: May 2019

Key-Value stores (KVSs) are the most flexible and simplest model of NoSQL databases, which have become highly popular over the last few years due to their salient features such as availability, portability, reliability, and low operational cost. From the perspective of software engineering, the chief obstacle for KVSs is to achieve software quality attributes (consistency, throughput, latency, security, performance, load balancing, and query processing) to ensure quality. The presented research is a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) to find the state-of-the-art research in the KVS domain, and through doing so determine the major challenges and solutions. This work reviews the 45 papers between 2010–2018 that were found to be closely relevant to our study area. The results show that performance is addressed in 31% of the studies, consistency is addressed in 20% of the studies, latency and throughput are addressed in 16% of the studies, query processing is addressed in 13% of studies, security is addressed in 11% of the studies, and load balancing is addressed in 9% of the studies. Different models are used for execution. The indexing technique was used in 20% of the studies, the hashing technique was used in 13% of the studies, the caching and security techniques were used together in 9% of the studies, the batching technique was used in 5% of the studies, the encoding techniques and Paxos technique were used together in 4% of the studies, and 36% of the studies used other techniques. This systematic review will enable researchers to design key-value stores as efficient storage. Regarding future collaborations, trust and privacy are the quality attributes that can be addressed; KVS is an emerging facet due to its widespread popularity, opening the way to deploy it with proper protection.
Black-Box Marine Vehicle Identification with Regression Techniques for Random Manoeuvres
Authors: Moreno Raul , Moreno-Salinas David , Aranda Joaquin
Published: May 2019

As a critical step to efficiently design control structures, system identification is concerned with building models of dynamical systems from observed input–output data. In this paper, a number of regression techniques are used for black-box marine system identification of a scale ship. Unlike other works that train the models using specific manoeuvres, in this work the data have been collected from several random manoeuvres and trajectories. Therefore, the aim is to develop general and robust mathematical models using real experimental data from random movements. The techniques used in this work are ridge, kernel ridge and symbolic regression, and the results show that machine learning techniques are robust approaches to model surface marine vehicles, even providing interpretable results in closed form equations using techniques such as symbolic regression.
Differences in Timber Volume Estimates Using Various Algorithms Available in the Control and Information Systems of Harvesters
Authors: Löwe Radim , Sedmíková Monika , Natov Pavel , Jankovský Martin , Hejcmanová Pavla , Dvořák Jiří
Published: May 2019

Timber is the most important source of revenue in forestry and, therefore, is necessary to precisely estimate its volume. The share of timber volume produced by harvesters is annually growing in many European countries. Suitable settings of harvesters will allow us to achieve the most accurate volume estimates of the produced timber. In this study, we compared the different methods of log volume estimation applied by control and information systems of harvesters. The aim was to analyze the price categories that can be set up in the StanForD standard and to determine the differences between the algorithms used for log volume estimations. We obtained the data from *.STM files collected from March 2017 until June 2018 on a medium-size harvester. We analyzed price categories and found seven different algorithms used to estimate the log volumes. Log volume estimates according to Algorithm A2 were considered as standard because these estimates should be closest to the true log volumes. Significant differences, except the difference between Algorithm A2 and Algorithm A3, were found between log volumes estimated by different algorithms. After categorization of logs to assortments, the results showed that significant differences existed between algorithms in each assortment. In the roundwood assortment, which contains the most valuable logs, a difference of more than 6% was found between the log volumes estimated by Algorithm A5 and Algorithm A2. This is interesting because Algorithm A5 is widely used in some Central European countries. To obtain volumes closest to the true volumes, we should use Algorithm A2 for the harvester production outputs. The resulting differences between the algorithms can be used to estimate the volume difference between harvester outputs using the different price categories. Understanding this setting of harvesters and the differences between the price categories will provide users useful information in applied forest management.
Fabrication of Water Absorbing Nanofiber Meshes toward an Efficient Removal of Excess Water from Kidney Failure Patients
Authors: Tsuge Mirei , Takahashi Kanoko , Kurimoto Rio , Fulati Ailifeire , Uto Koichiro , Kikuchi Akihiko , Ebara Mitsuhiro
Published: May 2019

Excellent water-absorbing nanofiber meshes were developed as a potential material for removing excess fluids from the blood of chronic renal failure patients toward a wearable blood purification system without requiring specialized equipment. The nanofiber meshes were successfully fabricated from poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) under various applied voltages by appropriately setting the electrospinning conditions. The electrospun PAA nanofibers were thermally crosslinked via heat treatment and then neutralized from their carboxylic acid form (PAA) to a sodium carboxylate form poly(sodium acrylate) (PSA). The PSA nanofiber meshes exhibited a specific surface area 393 times that of the PSA film. The PSA fiber meshes showed a much faster and higher swelling than its corresponding film, owing to the higher capillary forces from the fibers in addition to the water absorption of the PSA gel itself. The proposed PSA fibers have the potential to be utilized in a new approach to remove excess water from the bloodstream without requiring specialized equipment.
Establishment and Expression of Cytokines in a Theileria annulata-Infected Bovine B Cell Line
Authors: Rashid Muhammad , Guan Guiquan , Luo Jianxun , Zhao Shuaiyang , Wang Xiaoxing , Rashid Muhammad Imran , Hassan Muhammad Adeel , Mukhtar Muhammad Uzair , Liu Junlong , Yin Hong
Published: May 2019

This study aimed to establish a pure single-cell Theileria annulata-infected B cell line for the assessment of cytokine production in transformed and lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated cells. Several studies have aimed to identify cell surface markers in T. annulata-transformed cells; however, no information on cytokine production in these cells is available. To investigate the potential of the transformed cells to produce cytokines and their potential responses to antigen-stimulation, we purified mature B cells (CD21) from the whole blood of cattle experimentally infected with the T. annulata Kashi strain by magnetic separation. The purity and specificity of the established cell line was assessed by the identification of specific cell surface markers (CD21, IgM, and WC4) by flow cytometry analysis. The transcript levels of the cytokines IL1A, IL1B, IL2, IL4, IL6, IL8, IL10, IL16, LTA, TGFB1, TNFA, IFNA, and IFNB in transformed, buparvaquone (BW720c)-treated cells, and antigen-stimulated cells were analyzed by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) using cDNA from these cells. A T. annulata-infected bovine B cell line was successfully established with a purity of ~98.8% (CD21). IL4 and IL12A were significantly (p < 0.01) upregulated in the transformed cells. In BW720c-treated transformed cells, IL12B, TGFB1, and IFNB were significantly (p < 0.01) upregulated. Notably, no significant (p > 0.05) upregulation of cytokines was observed in LPS-stimulated transformed cells. Moreover, IL1A, IL1B, IL8, and IL16 were significantly (p < 0.01) upregulated in LPS-stimulated B cells. Our data signify the potential use of this cell line for cytokine production, observance of immunoglobulins, and production of an attenuated vaccine against tropical theileriosis.
It’s All in the Genes: The Regulatory Pathways of Sexual Reproduction in Filamentous Ascomycetes
Authors: Wilson Andi M. , Wilken P. Markus , van der Nest Magriet A. , Wingfield Michael J. , Wingfield Brenda D.
Published: May 2019

Sexual reproduction in filamentous ascomycete fungi results in the production of highly specialized sexual tissues, which arise from relatively simple, vegetative mycelia. This conversion takes place after the recognition of and response to a variety of exogenous and endogenous cues, and relies on very strictly regulated gene, protein, and metabolite pathways. This makes studying sexual development in fungi an interesting tool in which to study gene–gene, gene–protein, and protein–metabolite interactions. This review provides an overview of some of the most important genes involved in this process; from those involved in the conversion of mycelia into sexually-competent tissue, to those involved in the development of the ascomata, the asci, and ultimately, the ascospores.
Post-Translational Modifications of the Mini-Chromosome Maintenance Proteins in DNA Replication
Authors: Li Zheng , Xu Xingzhi
Published: May 2019

The eukaryotic mini-chromosome maintenance (MCM) complex, composed of MCM proteins 2–7, is the core component of the replisome that acts as the DNA replicative helicase to unwind duplex DNA and initiate DNA replication. MCM10 tightly binds the cell division control protein 45 homolog (CDC45)/MCM2–7/ DNA replication complex Go-Ichi-Ni-San (GINS) (CMG) complex that stimulates CMG helicase activity. The MCM8–MCM9 complex may have a non-essential role in activating the pre-replicative complex in the gap 1 (G1) phase by recruiting cell division cycle 6 (CDC6) to the origin recognition complex (ORC). Each MCM subunit has a distinct function achieved by differential post-translational modifications (PTMs) in both DNA replication process and response to replication stress. Such PTMs include phosphorylation, ubiquitination, small ubiquitin-like modifier (SUMO)ylation, O-N-acetyl-D-glucosamine (GlcNAc)ylation, and acetylation. These PTMs have an important role in controlling replication progress and genome stability. Because MCM proteins are associated with various human diseases, they are regarded as potential targets for therapeutic development. In this review, we summarize the different PTMs of the MCM proteins, their involvement in DNA replication and disease development, and the potential therapeutic implications.
‘Gavdos: The House’. A Theatre/Archaeology Narrative and Pieces of Knowledge of Diachronic Home Life
Authors: Theou Efthimis , Kopaka Katerina
Published: May 2019

At the site called Katalymata, on the island of Gavdos off the south western Cretan shores, the University of Crete is excavating a spacious building complex dating back to the Bronze Age (3rd and mainly 2nd millennia BC). In this paper, we discuss a theatrical performance inspired by this discovery and investigation, which was first presented in situ on the field in 2012. The play was created by young members of the research team, who are themselves both archaeologists and actors. It is based on the accounts in the excavation notebooks of the prehistoric activities revealed in the building’s stratigraphy and enlivened by the memories of the modern islanders of their happenings at home. It also draws upon wider cognitive pieces of relevant knowledge—philosophical, literary and other. This combination was moulded to produce a structured narrative of domestic life on the island through time, and illustrate some specific aspects and overall meanings, material and symbolic, of ‘dwelling’ down the ages. Since its Gavdiot premiere, the work has been adapted for different media to travel in Greece and elsewhere in Europe, as a performative guided tour played in historic houses, as a lecture performance for conferences and art venues, and as an audiovisual installation in museums of contemporary art.
Life History Effects Linked to an Advantage for wAu Wolbachia in Drosophila
Authors: Cao Li-Jun , Jiang Weibin , Hoffmann Ary A.
Published: May 2019

Wolbachia endosymbiont infections can persist and spread in insect populations without causing apparent effects on reproduction of their insect hosts, but the mechanisms involved are largely unknown. Here, we test for fitness effects of the wAu infection of Drosophila simulans by comparing multiple infected and uninfected polymorphic isofemale lines derived from nature. We show a fitness advantage (higher offspring number) for lines with the wAu Wolbachia infection when breeding on grapes, but only where there was Talaromyces and Penicillium fungal mycelial growth. When breeding on laboratory medium, the wAu infection extended the development time and resulted in larger females with higher fecundity, life history traits, which may increase fitness. A chemical associated with the fungi (ochratoxin A) did not specifically alter the fitness of wAu-infected larvae, which developed slower and emerged with a greater weight regardless of toxin levels. These findings suggest that the fitness benefits of Wolbachia in natural populations may reflect life history changes that are advantageous under particular circumstances, such as when breeding occurs in rotting fruit covered by abundant mycelial growth.
Prospective Study of Sex-Specific Adiponectin Changes and Incident Metabolic Syndrome: The ARIRANG Study
Authors: Huh Ji Hye , Yoon Tae Woong , Kang Dae Ryong , Kim Jang Young
Published: May 2019

We investigated whether changes in adiponectin levels over time predict incident metabolic syndrome (MetS) in a population-based prospective study. In total, 1110 subjects were categorized into four groups according to their sex-specific median baseline adiponectin levels and the change in adiponectin levels at follow-up: low baseline adiponectin and decreased adiponectin during follow-up (LB&DF), low baseline adiponectin and increased adiponectin during follow-up (LB&IF), high baseline adiponectin and decreased adiponectin during follow-up (HB&DF), and high baseline adiponectin and increased adiponectin during follow-up (HB&IF). During the median 2.4-year follow-up period, 180 (16.2%) subjects developed MetS. Compared to the LB&DF group, the fully adjusted hazard ratio (95% confidence interval) for incident MS was the lowest in the HB&IF group (0.33, (0.17–0.63)), followed by the HB&DF group (0.58, (0.40–0.84)) and LB&IF group (0.63, (0.41–0.93)). This phenomenon was more prominent in men than in women. Among the individual MetS components, increased adiponectin levels during follow-up were significantly associated with lower risks of incident low high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol and incident high blood pressure. This finding suggests that a change in adiponectin level, as well as the baseline adiponectin level, might have a clinical role in the development of MetS among men.
Consecutive Prostate Cancer Specimens Revealed Increased Aldo–Keto Reductase Family 1 Member C3 Expression with Progression to Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer
Authors: Miyazaki Yu , Teramoto Yuki , Shibuya Shinsuke , Goto Takayuki , Okasho Kosuke , Mizuno Kei , Uegaki Masayuki , Yoshikawa Takeshi , Akamatsu Shusuke , Kobayashi Takashi , Ogawa Osamu , Inoue Takahiro
Published: May 2019

Aldo-keto reductase family 1 member C3 (AKR1C3) is an enzyme in the steroidogenesis pathway, especially in formation of testosterone and dihydrotestosterone, and is believed to have a key role in promoting prostate cancer (PCa) progression, particularly in castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). This study aims to compare the expression level of AKR1C3 between benign prostatic epithelium and cancer cells, and among hormone-naïve prostate cancer (HNPC) and CRPC from the same patients, to understand the role of AKR1C3 in PCa progression. Correlation of AKR1C3 immunohistochemical expression between benign and cancerous epithelia in 134 patient specimens was analyzed. Additionally, correlation between AKR1C3 expression and prostate-specific antigen (PSA) progression-free survival (PFS) after radical prostatectomy was analyzed. Furthermore, we evaluated the consecutive prostate samples derived from 11 patients both in the hormone-naïve and castration-resistant states. AKR1C3 immunostaining of cancer epithelium was significantly stronger than that of the benign epithelia in patients with localized HNPC (p < 0.0001). High AKR1C3 expression was an independent factor of poor PSA PFS (p = 0.032). Moreover, AKR1C3 immunostaining was significantly stronger in CRPC tissues than in HNPC tissues in the same patients (p = 0.0234). Our findings demonstrate that AKR1C3 is crucial in PCa progression.
Long-Term Nasal Growth after Primary Rhinoplasty for Bilateral Cleft Lip Nose Deformity: A Three-Dimensional Photogrammetric Study with Comparative Analysis
Authors: Seo Hyung Joon , Denadai Rafael , Lo Lun-Jou
Published: May 2019

Nasal deformity is associated with congenital cleft lip and palate. Primary rhinoplasty for reconstruction of the nasal deformity at the time of bilateral cleft lip repair is a controversial issue in cleft care due to traditional teaching concerning the potential impairment of nasal growth. This study assessed long-term nasal growth in patients with bilateral cleft lip and palate who underwent primary rhinoplasty by a single surgeon between 1995 and 2002 and reached skeletal maturity (n = 39; mean: 19 ± 2 years). Normal age-, gender-, and ethnicity-matched subjects (n = 52) were enrolled for comparative analyses. Three-dimensional nasal photogrammetric measurements (10 linear, 4 angular, 6 proportional, 1 surface area, and 1 volume parameter) were collected from patients with bilateral cleft lip and palate and normal subjects. Patients who underwent rhinoplasty presented with significantly (all p < 0.05) smaller nasal tip projection and nasal tip angles, but greater values for nasal dorsum length, nasal protrusion, alar width, columellar height, dome height, columellar angle, labiocolumellar angle, nasal tip height ratio, nasal index, alar width/intercanthal distance ratio, and alar width/mouth width ratio compared to normal subjects. There were no differences (all p > 0.05) in nasal height, tip/midline deviation, nasal dorsum angle, dome-to-columella ratio, columella height/alar width ratio, area surface, and volume parameters between the two groups. This study shows that primary rhinoplasty performed in patients with bilateral cleft lip and palate during infancy does not result in deficiency of the nasal dimensions relative to controls.
Finite Element Modeling of Orthogonal Machining of Brittle Materials Using an Embedded Cohesive Element Mesh
Authors: Takabi Behrouz , Tai Bruce L.
Published: May 2019

Machining of brittle materials is common in the manufacturing industry, but few modeling techniques are available to predict materials’ behavior in response to the cutting tool. The paper presents a fracture-based finite element model, named embedded cohesive zone–finite element method (ECZ–FEM). In ECZ–FEM, a network of cohesive zone (CZ) elements are embedded in the material body with regular elements to capture multiple randomized cracks during a cutting process. The CZ element is defined by the fracture energy and a scaling factor to control material ductility and chip behavior. The model is validated by an experimental study in terms of chip formation and cutting force with two different brittle materials and depths of cut. The results show that ECZ–FEM can capture various chip forms, such as dusty debris, irregular chips, and unstable crack propagation seen in the experimental cases. For the cutting force, the model can predict the relative difference among the experimental cases, but the force value is higher by 30–50%. The ECZ–FEM has demonstrated the feasibility of brittle cutting simulation with some limitations applied.
Correlative Confocal Raman and Scanning Probe Microscopy in the Ionically Active Particles of LiMn2O4 Cathodes
Authors: Alikin Denis , Slautin Boris , Abramov Alexander , Rosato Daniele , Shur Vladimir , Tselev Alexander , Kholkin Andrei
Published: May 2019

In this contribution, a correlative confocal Raman and scanning probe microscopy approach was implemented to find a relation between the composition, lithiation state, and functional electrochemical response in individual micro-scale particles of a LiMn2O4 spinel in a commercial Li battery cathode. Electrochemical strain microscopy (ESM) was implemented both at a low-frequency (3.5 kHz) and in a high-frequency range of excitation (above 400 kHz). It was shown that the high-frequency ESM has a significant cross-talk with topography due to a tip-sample electrostatic interaction, while the low-frequency ESM yields a response correlated with distributions of Li ions and electrochemically inactive phases revealed by the confocal Raman microscopy. Parasitic contributions into the electromechanical response from the local Joule heating and flexoelectric effect were considered as well and found to be negligible. It was concluded that the low-frequency ESM response directly corresponds to the confocal Raman microscopy data. The analysis implemented in this work is an important step towards the quantitative measurement of diffusion coefficients and ion concentration via strain-based scanning probe microscopy methods in a wide range of ionically active materials.
Dynamic Response of Long Rectangular Floors Subjected to Periodic Force Excitation
Authors: Pap Zsuzsa B. , Kollár László P.
Published: May 2019

Since damping in lightweight floors is usually low, dynamic amplification can be rather high. Long rectangular plates subjected to concentrated loads are often investigated by a replacement beam with a so called “effective width”. Although this approach is a reliable tool for static loads, the steady-state dynamic response of beams and long plates subjected to periodic loads are significantly different. The maximum displacements and accelerations of beams (and of not-long rectangular plates) are obtained by using a dynamic amplification factor, which in the case of resonance is equal to 1 / 2 ξ , where ξ is the damping ratio. For long plates (and for not-long orthotropic rib-stiffened plates), as discussed in the paper, the response and the amplification factor are substantially different from those of beams. Hence, design based on effective width may lead to 2–4 times higher acceleration than the real values. In an economic design, to avoid unnecessary damping enhancement, this effect must be taken into account.
Microstructured Optical Waveguide-Based Endoscopic Probe Coated with Silica Submicron Particles
Authors: Ermatov Timur , Petrov Yury V. , German Sergei V. , Zanishevskaya Anastasia A. , Shuvalov Andrey A. , Аtkin Vsevolod , Zakharevich Andrey , Khlebtsov Boris N. , Skibina Julia S. , Ginzburg Pavel , Noskov Roman E. , Tuchin Valery V. , Gorin Dmitry A.
Published: May 2019

Microstructured optical waveguides (MOW) are of great interest for chemical and biological sensing. Due to the high overlap between a guiding light mode and an analyte filling of one or several fiber capillaries, such systems are able to provide strong sensitivity with respect to variations in the refractive index and the thickness of filling materials. Here, we introduce a novel type of functionalized MOWs whose capillaries are coated by a layer-by-layer (LBL) approach, enabling the alternate deposition of silica particles (SiO2) at different diameters—300 nm, 420 nm, and 900 nm—and layers of poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride) (PDDA). We demonstrate up to three covering bilayers consisting of 300-nm silica particles. Modifications in the MOW transmission spectrum induced by coating are measured and analyzed. The proposed technique of MOW functionalization allows one to reach novel sensing capabilities, including an increase in the effective sensing area and the provision of a convenient scaffold for the attachment of long molecules such as proteins.
Interlaminar Bonding Properties on Cement Concrete Deck and Phosphorous Slag Asphalt Pavement
Authors: Qian Guoping , Li Shunjun , Yu Huanan , Gong Xiangbing
Published: May 2019

The slippage damage caused by weak interlaminar bonding between cement concrete deck and asphalt surface is a serious issue for bridge pavement. In order to evaluate the interlaminar bonding of cement concrete bridge deck and phosphorous slag (PS) asphalt pavement, the shear resistance properties of the bonding layer structure were studied through direct shear tests. The impact of PS as a substitute of asphalt mixture aggregate, interface characteristics, normal pressure, waterproof and cohesive layer types, temperature and shear rate on the interlaminar bonding properties were analyzed. The test results indicated that the interlaminar bonding of bridge deck pavement is improved after asphalt mixture fine aggregate was substituted with PS and PS powder, and the result indicated that the shear strength of grooved and aggregate-exposed interfaces is significantly higher than untreated interface, the PS micro-powder or anti-stripping agent can also improve the adhesion between layers when mixed into SBS asphalt. This study provided important theoretical and practical guidance for improving the shear stability of bridge deck pavement.
Fracture Toughness Calculation Method Amendment of the Dissimilar Steel Welded Joint Based on 3D XFEM
Authors: Qian Yuwen , Zhao Jianping
Published: May 2019

The dissimilar steel welded joint is divided into three pieces, parent material–weldmetal–parent material, by the integrity identification of BS7910-2013. In reality, the undermatchedwelded joint geometry is dierent: parent material–heat aected zone (HAZ)–fusion line–weld metal.A combination of the CF62 (parent material) and E316L (welding rod) was the example undermatchedwelded joint, whose geometry was divided into four pieces to investigate the fracture toughness of thejoint by experiments and the extended finite element method (XFEM) calculation. The experimentalresults were used to change the fracture toughness of the undermatched welded joint, and the XFEMresults were used to amend the fracture toughness calculation method with a new definition of thecrack length. The research results show that the amendment of the undermatched welded jointgeometry expresses more accuracy of the fracture toughness of the joint. The XFEM models wereverified as valid by the experiment. The amendment of the fracture toughness calculation methodexpresses a better fit by the new definition of the crack length, in accordance with the crack routesimulated by the XFEM. The results after the amendment coincide with the reality in engineering.
Feeding Essential Oils to Neonatal Holstein Dairy Calves Results in Increased Ruminal Prevotellaceae Abundance and Propionate Concentrations
Authors: Poudel Prakash , Froehlich Kelly , Casper David Paul , St-Pierre Benoit
Published: May 2019

Since antibiotic use in animal production has become a public health concern, great efforts are being dedicated to find effective and viable alternatives. While essential oils (EO) have become attractive candidates for use in the livestock industry, their mode of action and microbial targets in food animals remain largely uncharacterized. To gain further insight, we investigated the rumen environment of neonatal calves fed calf starter pellets and milk replacer supplemented with a commercial blend of EO. Propionate concentrations were not only found to be higher in EO-fed calves compared to controls (P < 0.05), but ruminal bacterial communities also differed greatly. For instance, the abundance of Firmicutes was significantly lower in samples from EO-fed calves than in controls, which appeared to be mostly due to lower Lachnospiraceae levels (P < 0.05). In contrast, Bacteriodetes were more abundant in EO-fed calves compared to controls, which was primarily the result of higher Prevotellaceae (P < 0.05). Notably, two bacterial operational taxonomic units (OTUs) were significantly more abundant in EO-fed calves; SD_Bt-00966 was found to be a close relative of Prevotella ruminicola (97%), while SD_Bt-00978 likely corresponded to an uncharacterized species of Gammaproteobacteria. In addition, Pearson correlation and canonical correspondence analyses revealed potential associations between other ruminal bacterial OTUs and either short chain fatty acids (SCFA) parameters or metrics for calf growth. Together, these results support that EO supplementation in growing dairy calves can modulate rumen function through SCFA production and growth of specific rumen bacterial groups.
A Multi-Convolutional Autoencoder Approach to Multivariate Geochemical Anomaly Recognition
Authors: Chen Lirong , Guan Qingfeng , Feng Bin , Yue Hanqiu , Wang Junyi , Zhang Fan
Published: May 2019

The spatial structural patterns of geochemical backgrounds are often ignored in geochemical anomaly recognition, leading to the ineffective recognition of valuable anomalies in geochemical prospecting. In this contribution, a multi-convolutional autoencoder (MCAE) approach is proposed to deal with this issue, which includes three unique steps: (1) a whitening process is used to minimize the correlations among geochemical elements, avoiding the diluting of effective background information embedded in redundant data; (2) the Global Moran’s I index is used to determine the recognition domain of the background spatial structure for each element, and then the domain is used for convolution window size setting in MCAE; and (3) a multi-convolutional autoencoder framework is designed to learn the spatial structural pattern and reconstruct the geochemical background of each element. Finally, the anomaly score at each sampling location is calculated as the difference between the whitened geochemical features and the reconstructed features. This method was applied to the southwestern Fujian Province metalorganic belt in China, using the concentrations of Cu, Mn, Pb, Zn, and Fe2O3 measured from stream sediment samples. The results showed that the recognition domain determination greatly improved the quality of anomaly recognition, and MCAE outperformed several existing methods in all aspects. In particular, the anomalies from MCAE were the most consistent with the known Fe deposits in the area, achieving an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.89 and a forecast area of 17%.
A Novel Process for the Synthesis of NaV2O5 Mesocrystals from Alkaline-Stripped Vanadium Solution via the Hydrothermal Hydrogen Reduction Method
Authors: Zhang Guobin , Zhang Yimin , Bao Shenxu , Zhang Liuhong
Published: May 2019

NaV2O5 mesocrystals were successfully synthesized from an alkaline-stripped pentavalent vanadium solution through a novel hydrothermal hydrogen reduction process. The optimal conditions for the hydrogen partial pressure, reaction temperature, initial solution pH value, and reaction time for the pure-phase NaV2O5 synthesis were ascertained to be 4 MPa, 200 °C, 4.0, and 2 h, respectively. The synthesis time (only 2 h) was greatly shortened, by nine times, compared with the most time-saving (18 h) hydrothermal process at present. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis revealed that the as-prepared powders demonstrated a typical layered orthorhombic structure of NaV2O5. The purity of the as-prepared NaV2O5 reached up to 99.98%. An electrochemical test showed that the as-prepared NaV2O5 has a potential application in sodium ion batteries. According to scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analyses, the as-prepared NaV2O5 powders were identified to have rod-like mesocrystals consisting of small rods which preferentially grow along the (010) direction. Furthermore, the phase transformation mechanism and crystal growth mechanism in NaV2O5 preparation were discussed systematically, based on which the synthesis mechanism of NaV2O5 was proposed as pentavalent vanadates pre-sedimentation, hydrogen reduction with dehydration, sodium ions insertion, and finally self-assembly oriented attachment. The synthesis process is characterized as time-saving and low-cost, and thus it may have great application prospects.
Facile Hydrothermal Synthesis of Nanocubic Pyrite Crystals Using Greigite Fe3S4 and Thiourea as Precursors
Authors: Nie Xin , Luo Suxing , Yang Meizhi , Zeng Ping , Qin Zonghua , Yu Wenbin , Wan Quan
Published: May 2019

Nanocubic pyrite (FeS2) crystals with exposed (100) crystal faces and sizes of 100–200 nm were successfully synthesized via a facile hydrothermal method using greigite (Fe3S4) as the iron precursor and thiourea (NH2CSNH2) as the sulfur source. When the concentration of thiourea was 40 mmol/L, both pyrite and hematite were observed in the as-prepared sample, indicating incomplete conversion of greigite into pyrite. With an increased thiourea concentration to 80 mmol/L, pyrite was found to be the only crystalline phase in the synthesized samples. All greigite could be transformed to pyrite within 24 h via the hydrothermal method, while further prolonging the hydrothermal time had insignificant effect on the crystal phase composition, crystallinity, and morphologies of the prepared nanocubic pyrite crystals. In contrast, when a mixture of Na2S and S powder was used to replace the thiourea as the sulfur source, tetragonal, orthorhombic, cubic, and irregular pyrite crystal particles with sizes of 100 nm–1 μm were found to co-exist in the prepared samples. These results demonstrate the critical influence of sulfur source on pyrite morphology. Furthermore, our hydrothermal process, using a combination of greigite and thiourea, is proved to be effective in preparing nanocubic pyrite crystals. Our findings can also provide new insight into the formation environments and pathways of nanocubic pyrite under hydrothermal conditions.
Analysis and Comparison of Vector Space and Metric Space Representations in QSAR Modeling
Authors: Kausar Samina , Falcao Andre O.
Published: May 2019

The performance of quantitative structure–activity relationship (QSAR) models largely depends on the relevance of the selected molecular representation used as input data matrices. This work presents a thorough comparative analysis of two main categories of molecular representations (vector space and metric space) for fitting robust machine learning models in QSAR problems. For the assessment of these methods, seven different molecular representations that included RDKit descriptors, five different fingerprints types (MACCS, PubChem, FP2-based, Atom Pair, and ECFP4), and a graph matching approach (non-contiguous atom matching structure similarity; NAMS) in both vector space and metric space, were subjected to state-of-art machine learning methods that included different dimensionality reduction methods (feature selection and linear dimensionality reduction). Five distinct QSAR data sets were used for direct assessment and analysis. Results show that, in general, metric-space and vector-space representations are able to produce equivalent models, but there are significant differences between individual approaches. The NAMS-based similarity approach consistently outperformed most fingerprint representations in model quality, closely followed by Atom Pair fingerprints. To further verify these findings, the metric space-based models were fitted to the same data sets with the closest neighbors removed. These latter results further strengthened the above conclusions. The metric space graph-based approach appeared significantly superior to the other representations, albeit at a significant computational cost.
Ionic Liquid-Based Ultrasonic-Assisted Extraction to Analyze Seven Compounds in Psoralea Fructus Coupled with HPLC
Authors: Shi Mengjun , Zhang Juanjuan , Liu Cunyu , Cui Yiping , Li Changqin , Liu Zhenhua , Kang Wenyi
Published: May 2019

Psoralea Fructus is widely used in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), and the content of psoralen, isopsoralen, neobavaisoflavone, bavachin, psoralidin, isobavachalcone, and bavachinin A is the main quality control index of Psoralea Fructus because of its clinical effects. Thus, a fast and environmentally-benign extraction method of seven compounds in Psoralea Fructus is necessary. In this work, an ionic liquid-based ultrasonic-assisted method (ILUAE) for the extraction of seven compounds from Psoralea Fructus was proposed. Several ILs of different types and parameters, including the concentration of ILs, concentration of ethanol (EtOH), solid–liquid ratio, particle size, ultrasonic time, centrifugal speed, and ultrasonic power, were optimized by the Placket–Burman (PB) design and Box–Behnken response surface analysis. Under this optimal condition, the total extraction yield of the seven compounds in Psoralea Fructus was 18.90 mg/g, and significantly greater than the conventional 75% EtOH solvent extraction.
Heme Oxygenase-1 is a Key Molecule Underlying Differential Response of TW-37-Induced Apoptosis in Human Mucoepidermoid Carcinoma Cells
Authors: Yang In-Hyoung , Ahn Chi-Hyun , Cho Nam-Pyo , Jin Bohwan , Lee WonWoo , Jung Yun Chan , Hong Seong Doo , Shin Ji-Ae , Cho Sung-Dae
Published: May 2019

TW-37 is a small-molecule inhibitor of Bcl-2 family proteins, which can induce anti-cancer activities in various types of cancer. In the current study, we investigated the potential molecular mechanism underlying the differential response to TW-37-induced apoptosis in two human mucoepidermoid carcinoma (MEC) cell lines. The differential response and underlying molecular mechanism of human MEC cells to TW-37 was evaluated by trypan blue exclusion assay, western blotting, 4’, 6-diamidino-2-phenylindole staining, annexin V/propidium iodide double staining, analysis of the sub-G1 population, human apoptosis array, and measurements of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS). TW-37 decreased cell viability and induced apoptosis in YD-15 cells, but not in MC3 cells. Proteome profiling using a human apoptosis array revealed four candidate proteins and of these, heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) was mainly related to the differential response to TW-37 of YD-15 and MC3 cells. TW-37 also led to a significant increase in intracellular levels of ROS in YD-15 cells, which is associated with apoptosis induction. The ectopic expression of HO-1 recovered YD-15 cells from TW-37-induced apoptosis by reducing intracellular levels of ROS. The expression of HO-1 was reduced through both transcriptional and post-translational modification during TW-37-mediated apoptosis. We conclude that HO-1 is a potential indicator to estimate response to TW37-induced apoptosis in human MEC.
Sesquiterpenoids and Their Anti-Inflammatory Activity: Evaluation of Ainsliaea yunnanensis
Authors: Li Jinjie , Li Xiuting , Wang Xin , Zhong Xiangjian , Ji Linlin , Guo Zihan , Liu Yiran , Shang Xiaoya
Published: May 2019

Four new sesquiterpenoids (1–4) and six known sesquiterpenoids (5–10), were isolated from the EtOAc phase of the ethanolic extract of Ainsliaea yunnanensis. Their structures were established by spectroscopic methods, including 1-D, 2-D NMR and HPLC-MS. All compounds were tested for their anti-inflammatory effect by the inhibition of the activity of NLRP3 inflammasome by blocking the self-slicing of pro-caspase-1, which is induced by nigericin, then the secretion of mature IL-1β, mediated by caspase-1, was suppressed. Unfortunately none of the compounds showed an anti-inflammatory effect.
Small AntiMicrobial Peptide with In Vivo Activity Against Sepsis
Authors: Boullet Héloise , Bentot Fayçal , Hequet Arnaud , Ganem-Elbaz Carine , Bechara Chérine , Pacreau Emeline , Launay Pierre , Sagan Sandrine , Jolivalt Claude , Lacombe Claire , Moumné Roba , Karoyan Philippe
Published: May 2019

Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are considered as potential therapeutic sources of future antibiotics because of their broad-spectrum activities and alternative mechanisms of action compared to conventional antibiotics. Although AMPs present considerable advantages over conventional antibiotics, their clinical and commercial development still have some limitations, because of their potential toxicity, susceptibility to proteases, and high cost of production. To overcome these drawbacks, the use of peptides mimics is anticipated to avoid the proteolysis, while the identification of minimalist peptide sequences retaining antimicrobial activities could bring a solution for the cost issue. We describe here new polycationic -amino acids combining these two properties, that we used to design small dipeptides that appeared to be active against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, selective against prokaryotic versus mammalian cells, and highly stable in human plasma. Moreover, the in vivo data activity obtained in septic mice reveals that the bacterial killing effect allows the control of the infection and increases the survival rate of cecal ligature and puncture (CLP)-treated mice.