bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Mechanical Plantar Foot Stimulation in Parkinson′s Disease: A Scoping Review
Authors: Brognara Lorenzo , Cauli Omar
Published: May 2020

Background: Parkinson′s disease (PD) is the second most prevalent neurodegenerative disease in older individuals. Neurorehabilitation-based interventions such as those improving gait are crucial for a holistic approach and to limit falls. Several studies have recently shown that mechanical plantar foot stimulation is a beneficial intervention for improving gait impairment in PD patients. The objective of this scoping review is to evaluate the beneficial effects of this stimulation on gait parameters, and to analyse protocols of foot stimulation and other effects in non-motor symptoms. Relevant articles were searched in the Medline database using Pubmed and Scopus, using the primary search terms ‘foot stimulation’ OR ‘plantar stimulation’ AND ‘Parkinson’s disease*’. Several protocols have been used for mechanical plantar foot stimulation (ranging from medical devices to textured insoles). The gait parameters that have been shown to be improved are stride length and walking speed. The beneficial effects are achieved after both acute and repeated plantar foot stimulation. Beneficial effects are observed in other organs and systems, such as muscle activation, brain connectivity, cardiovascular control in the central nervous system, and the release of brain-derived neurotrophic factor and cortisol in blood added evidence about this intervention’s impact on brain function. Mechanical plantar foot stimulation is a safe and effective add-on treatment able for improving gait impairments in PD patients during the L-dopa off state. Randomized and controlled clinical trials to study its eventual potentiating effect with different pharmacotherapy regimens are warranted.
SGLT2 Inhibitors: The Star in the Treatment of Type 2 Diabetes?
Authors: Saisho Yoshifumi
Published: May 2020

Sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors are a novel class of oral hypoglycemic agents which increase urinary glucose excretion by suppressing glucose reabsorption at the proximal tubule in the kidney. SGLT2 inhibitors lower glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) by 0.6–0.8% (6–8 mmol/mol) without increasing the risk of hypoglycemia and induce weight loss and improve various metabolic parameters including blood pressure, lipid profile and hyperuricemia. Recent cardiovascular (CV) outcome trials have shown the improvement of CV and renal outcomes by treatment with the SGLT2 inhibitors, empagliflozin, canagliflozin, and dapagliflozin. The mechanisms by which SGLT2 inhibitors improve CV outcome appear not to be glucose-lowering or anti-atherosclerotic effects, but rather hemodynamic effects through osmotic diuresis and natriuresis. Generally, SGLT2 inhibitors are well-tolerated, but their adverse effects include genitourinary tract infection and dehydration. Euglycemic diabetic ketoacidosis is a rare but severe adverse event for which patients under SGLT2 inhibitor treatment should be carefully monitored. The possibility of an increase in risk of lower-extremity amputation and bone fracture has also been reported with canagliflozin. Clinical trials and real-world data have suggested that SGLT2 inhibitors improve CV and renal outcomes and mortality in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2DM), especially in those with prior CV events, heart failure, or chronic kidney disease. Results of recent trials including individuals without diabetes may change the positioning of this drug as ″a drug for cardiorenal protection″. This review summarizes the potential of SGLT2 inhibitors and discusses their role in the treatment of T2DM.
Trust and Positive Working Relationships among Teachers in Communities of Practice as an Avenue for Professional Development
Authors: Akinyemi Adeola Folasade , Rembe Symphorosa , Nkonki Vuyisile
Published: May 2020

This study explores trust and positive working relationships among teachers in communities of practice as an avenue for professional development in high schools in South Africa. A mixed methods research approach was employed for this study with the use of a semi-structured interview and semi-structured questionnaires as data collection instruments. Ten schools were purposively selected for this study and seventy-nine participants were selected as samples. The findings of the study show that teachers had good working relationships with their colleagues. The good working relationships they had enabled them to assist their colleagues, share their classroom challenges with them, confide in their colleagues, and they were able to get assistance from them. It was established from the study that a great number of teachers feel safe to be part of the communities of practice activities in the sampled high schools, thus, they engage in diverse of discussions with their colleagues and they were able to relate to their colleagues the difficulties they have in terms of their work. The study recommends that teachers should spend an adequate time in their meetings, see themselves as colleagues, interact as teams, and build strong ties to have good relationships and a strong level of trust among themselves.
Energy Use and Economic Analysis of Fertilizer Use in Wheat and Sugar Beet Production in Serbia
Authors: Dimitrijević Aleksandra , Gavrilović Marija , Ivanović Sanjin , Mileusnić Zoran , Miodragović Rajko , Todorović Saša
Published: May 2020

Increased demand for food production, influenced by the constant growth of population, resulted in the agricultural production systems that are more energy and economy intensive. The aim of this study was to evaluate the energetic and economic efficiency of sugar beet and wheat production. Attention was given to the fertilizer usage and its share in energy consumption since it can amount to 50%. Data show that energy input in wheat production was 5.84 MJ·kg−1 and in sugar beet it was 0.93 MJ·kg−1. The highest share of energy input both in wheat and sugar beet was observed for fertilizers, 52.45% and 46.70%, respectively. Economic analysis has shown that wheat production is a low profitable production with a net return of only 20.69 USD·ha−1, in comparison with sugar beet production with a net return of 513.53 USD·ha−1. Costs related to the fertilizer use prevailed in total variable and total production costs. Economic analysis has also shown that the benefit-to-cost ratio was higher in sugar beet production (1.33) compared to wheat production (1.03). Furthermore, it was determined that these economic indicators were less sensitive in sugar beet production than in wheat production regarding the variation of fertilizer.
Thermal Characterization and Modelling of AlGaN-GaN Multilayer Structures for HEMT Applications
Authors: Mitterhuber Lisa , Hammer René , Dengg Thomas , Spitaler Jürgen
Published: May 2020

To optimize the thermal design of AlGaN-GaN high-electron-mobility transistors (HEMTs), which incorporate high power densities, an accurate prediction of the underlying thermal transport mechanisms is crucial. Here, a HEMT-structure (Al0.17Ga0.83N, GaN, Al0.32Ga0.68N and AlN on a Si substrate) was investigated using a time-domain thermoreflectance (TDTR) setup. The different scattering contributions were investigated in the framework of phonon transport models (Callaway, Holland and Born-von-Karman). The thermal conductivities of all layers were found to decrease with a temperature between 300 K and 773 K, due to Umklapp scattering. The measurement showed that the AlN and GaN thermal conductivities were a magnitude higher than the thermal conductivity of Al0.32Ga0.68N and Al0.17Ga0.83N due to defect scattering. The layer thicknesses of the HEMT structure are in the length scale of the phonon mean free path, causing a reduction of their intrinsic thermal conductivity. The size-effect of the cross-plane thermal conductivity was investigated, which showed that the phonon transport model is a critical factor. At 300 K, we obtained a thermal conductivity of (130 ± 38) Wm−1K−1 for the (167 ± 7) nm thick AlN, (220 ± 38) Wm−1K−1 for the (1065 ± 7) nm thick GaN, (11.2 ± 0.7) Wm−1K−1 for the (423 ± 5) nm thick Al0.32Ga0.68N, and (9.7 ± 0.6) Wm−1K−1 for the (65 ± 5) nm thick Al0.17Ga0.83N. Respectively, these conductivity values were found to be 24%, 90%, 28% and 16% of the bulk values, using the Born-von-Karman model together with the Hua–Minnich suppression function approach. The thermal interface conductance as extracted from the TDTR measurements was compared to results given by the diffuse mismatch model and the phonon radiation limit, suggesting contributions from inelastic phonon-scattering processes at the interface. The knowledge of the individual thermal transport mechanisms is essential for understanding the thermal characteristics of the HEMT, and it is useful for improving the thermal management of HEMTs and their reliability.
Adaptive Armature Resistance Control of Virtual Synchronous Generators to Improve Power System Transient Stability
Authors: Carletti Daniel , Eduardo Alves Amorim Arthur , Silva Amorim Thiago , Sávio Lyrio Simonetti Domingos , Farias Fardin Jussara , Frizera Encarnacao Lucas
Published: May 2020

The growing number of renewable energy plants connected to the power system through static converters have been pushing the development of new strategies to ensure transient stability of these systems. The virtual synchronous generator (VSG) emerged as a way to contribute to the system stabilization by emulating the behavior of traditional synchronous machines in the power converters operation. This paper proposes a modification in the VSG implementation to improve its contribution to the power system transient stability. The proposal is based on the virtualization of the resistive superconducting fault current limiters’ (SFCL) behavior through an adaptive control that performs the VSG armature resistance change in short-circuit situations. A theoretical analysis of the problem is done based on the equal-area criterion, simulation results are obtained using PSCAD, and experimental results are obtained in a Hardware-In-the-Loop (HIL) test bench to corroborate the proposal. Results show an increase in the system transient stability margin, with an increase in the fault critical clearing time (CCT) for all virtual resistance values added by the adaptive control to the VSG operation during the short-circuit.
Tools for Measuring Energy Sustainability: A Comparative Review
Authors: Ninno Muniz Rafael , Frizzo Stefenon Stéfano , Gouvêa Buratto William , Nied Ademir , Meyer Luiz Henrique , Finardi Erlon Cristian , Marino Kühl Ricardo , Silva de Sá José Alberto , Ramati Pereira da Rocha Brigida
Published: May 2020

This paper is intended to perform a comparative and qualitative review among eight tools to measure energy sustainability. Therefore, it was necessary to create a theoretical and conceptual framework based on four criterias of selection and six categories of comparison. In this work, the conceptual bases that supported the research and the methodology created to carry out the comparative review will be presented. This analysis was based on the intrinsic concepts of energy sustainability of each of the reviewed tools with a critical qualitative analysis. Some conclusions shown through the conceptual framework developed that it was possible to apply an innovative methodology to qualitatively compare different tools to measure sustainability. The importance of this reflects the difficulty of conceptualizing the subjectivity of sustainable development, as shown throughout the paper, where it is often not possible to obtain a measurable result since the measured phenomenon is too complex to reduce it to a numerical value.
Two-Dimensional Tomographic Simultaneous Multispecies Visualization—Part II: Reconstruction Accuracy
Authors: Häber Thomas , Suntz Rainer , Bockhorn Henning
Published: May 2020

Recently we demonstrated the simultaneous detection of the chemiluminescence of the radicals OH* (310 nm) and CH* (430 nm), as well as the thermal radiation of soot in laminar and turbulent methane/air diffusion flames. As expected, a strong spatial and temporal coupling of OH* and CH* in laminar and moderate turbulent flames was observed. Taking advantage of this coupling, multispecies tomography enables us to quantify the reconstruction quality completely independent of any phantom studies by simply utilizing the reconstructed distribution of both species. This is especially important in turbulent flames, where it is difficult to separate measurement noise from turbulent fluctuations. It is shown that reconstruction methods based on Tikhonov regularization should be preferred over the widely used algebraic reconstruction technique (ART) and multiplicative algebraic reconstruction techniques (MART), especially for high-speed imaging or generally in the limit of low signal-to-noise ratio.
The Cost of Saving Electricity: A Multi-Program Cost Curve for Programs Funded by U.S. Utility Customers
Authors: Goldman Charles A. , Hoffman Ian , Murphy Sean , Mims Frick Natalie , Leventis Greg , Schwartz Lisa
Published: May 2020

This study analyzed the cost performance of electricity efficiency programs implemented by 116 investor-owned utilities between 2009 and 2015 in 41 states, representing about three-quarters of the total spending on U.S. efficiency programs. We applied our typology to characterize efficiency programs along several dimensions (market sector, technology, delivery approach, and intervention strategy) and report the costs incurred by utilities and other program administrators to achieve electricity savings as a result of the programs. Such cost performance data can be used to compare relative costs of different types of efficiency programs, evaluate efficiency options alongside other electricity resources, benchmark local efficiency programs against regional and national cost estimates, and assess the costs of meeting state efficiency policies. The savings-weighted average cost of saved electricity for the period was $0.025/kilowatt-hour (kWh). The cost of saved electricity for programs that targeted residential customers was $0.021/kWh, compared to $0.025/kWh for programs for commercial and industrial customers. Ultimately, we developed an aggregate program savings “cost curve” for the actual electricity efficiency resource during the period that provides insights into the relative costs of various types of efficiency programs and the savings contribution of each program type to the efficiency resource at a national level.
Thermo-Economic Analysis of Hybrid Solar-Geothermal Polygeneration Plants in Different Configurations
Authors: Calise Francesco , Cappiello Francesco Liberato , Dentice d’Accadia Massimo , Vicidomini Maria
Published: May 2020

This work presents a thermoeconomic comparison between two different solar energy technologies, namely the evacuated flat-plate solar collectors and the photovoltaic panels, integrated as auxiliary systems into two renewable polygeneration plants. Both plants produce electricity, heat and cool, and are based on a 6 kWe organic Rankine cycle (ORC), a 17-kW single-stage H2O/LiBr absorption chiller, a geothermal well at 96 °C, a 200 kWt biomass auxiliary heater, a 45.55 kWh lithium-ion battery and a 25 m2 solar field. In both configurations, electric and thermal storage systems are included to mitigate the fluctuations due to the variability of solar radiation. ORC is mainly supplied by the thermal energy produced by the geothermal well. Additional heat is also provided by solar thermal collectors and by a biomass boiler. In an alternative layout, solar thermal collectors are replaced by photovoltaic panels, producing additional electricity with respect to the one produced by the ORC. To reduce ORC condensation temperature and increase the electric efficiency, a ground-cooled condenser is also adopted. All the components included in both plants were accurately simulated in a TRNSYS environment using dynamic models validated versus literature and experimental data. The ORC is modeled by zero-dimensional energy and mass balances written in Engineering Equation Solver and implemented in TRNSYS. The models of both renewable polygeneration plants are applied to a suitable case study, a commercial area near Campi Flegrei (Naples, South Italy), a location well-known for its geothermal sources and good solar availability. The economic results suggest that for this kind of plant, photovoltaic panels show lower pay back periods than evacuated flat-plate solar collectors, 13 years vs 15 years. The adoption of the electric energy storage system leads to an increase of energy-self-sufficiency equal to 42% and 47% for evacuated flat-plate solar collectors and the photovoltaic panels, respectively.
Evaluation of Anaerobic Digestion of Dairy Wastewater in an Innovative Multi-Section Horizontal Flow Reactor
Authors: Dębowski Marcin , Zieliński Marcin , Kisielewska Marta , Kazimierowicz Joanna
Published: May 2020

The aim of this study was the performance evaluation of anaerobic digestion of dairy wastewater in a multi-section horizontal flow reactor (HFAR) equipped with microwave and ultrasonic generators to stimulate biochemical processes. The effects of increasing organic loading rate (OLR) ranging from 1.0 g chemical oxygen demand (COD)/L·d to 4.0 g COD/L·d on treatment performance, biogas production, and percentage of methane yield were determined. The highest organic compounds removals (about 85% as COD and total organic carbon—TOC) were obtained at OLR of 1.0–2.0 g COD/L·d. The highest biogas yield of 0.33 ± 0.03 L/g COD removed and methane content in biogas of 68.1 ± 5.8% were recorded at OLR of 1.0 g COD/L·d, while at OLR of 2.0 g COD/L·d it was 0.31 ± 0.02 L/COD removed and 66.3 ± 5.7%, respectively. Increasing of the OLR led to a reduction in biogas productivity as well as a decrease in methane content in biogas. The best technological effects were recorded in series with an operating mode of ultrasonic generators of 2 min work/28 min break. More intensive sonication reduced the efficiency of anaerobic digestion of dairy wastewater as well as biogas production. A low nutrient removal efficiency was observed in all tested series of the experiment, which ranged from 2.04 ± 0.38 to 4.59 ± 0.68% for phosphorus and from 9.67 ± 3.36 to 20.36 ± 0.32% for nitrogen. The effects obtained in the study (referring to the efficiency of wastewater treatment, biogas production, as well as to the results of economic analysis) proved that the HFAR can be competitive to existing industrial technologies for food wastewater treatment.
Bio-Based Carbon Materials from Potato Waste as Electrode Materials in Supercapacitors
Authors: Hoffmann Viola , Jung Dennis , Alhnidi Muhammad Jamal , Mackle Lukas , Kruse Andrea
Published: May 2020

This study investigates the production of biobased carbon materials from potato waste and its application in energy storage systems such as supercapacitors. Three different categories of carbons were produced: hydrochar (HC) from hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) at three different temperatures (200 °C, 220 °C, 240 °C) and two different duration times (two hours and five hours), pyrolyzed hydrochar (PHC) obtained via pyrolysis of the HTC chars at 600 °C and 900 °C for two hours and pyrochar from the pyrolysis of biomass at 600 °C and 900 °C for two hours. The carbon samples were analysed regarding their physico-chemical properties such as elemental composition, specific surface area, bulk density and surface functionalities as well as their electrochemical characteristics such as electric conductivity and specific capacity via cyclic voltammetry. N- and O-enriched carbon materials with promising specific surface areas of up to 330 m2 g−1 containing high shares of microporosity were produced. Electric conductivities of up to 203 S m−1 and specific capacities of up to 134 F g−1 were obtained. The presence of high contents of oxygen (4.9–13.5 wt.%) and nitrogen (3.4–4.0 wt.%) of PHCs is assumed to lead to considerable pseudocapacitive effects and favor the high specific capacities measured. These results lead to the conclusion that the potential of agricultural biomass can be exploited by using hydrothermal and thermochemical conversion technologies to create N- and O-rich carbon materials with tailored properties for the application in supercapacitors.
The Application of Hierarchical Clustering to Power Quality Measurements in an Electrical Power Network with Distributed Generation
Authors: Jasiński Michał , Sikorski Tomasz , Leonowicz Zbigniew , Borkowski Klaudiusz , Jasińska Elżbieta
Published: May 2020

This article presents the application of data mining (DM) to long-term power quality (PQ) measurements. The Ward algorithm was selected as the cluster analysis (CA) technique to achieve an automatic division of the PQ measurement data. The measurements were conducted in an electrical power network (EPN) of the mining industry with distributed generation (DG). The obtained results indicate that the application of the Ward algorithm to PQ data assures the division with regards to the work of the distributed generation, and also to other important working conditions (e.g., reconfiguration or high harmonic pollution). The presented analysis is conducted for the area-related approach—all measurement point data are connected at an initial stage. The importance rate was proposed in order to indicate the parameters that have a high impact on the classification of the data. Another element of the article was the reduction of the size of the input database. The reduction of input data by 57% assured the classification with a 95% agreement when compared to the complete database classification.
“Peer-to-Peer Plus” Electricity Transaction within Community of Active Energy Agents Regarding Distribution Network Constraints
Authors: Fu Min , Xu Zhiyu , Wang Ning , Lyu Xiaoyu , Xu Weisheng
Published: May 2020

This paper proposes the concept “active energy agent (AEA)” to characterize the autonomous and interactive entities of power system. The future distribution network is a peer-to-peer (P2P) community based on numbers of AEAs. A two-stage “P2P Plus” mechanism is developed to address the electricity transaction within AEA community. In the first “P2P” stage, electricity is directly traded among AEAs via P2P price bidding. The model of P2P transaction is established, and the method of multi-dimensional willingness is adopted in price bidding. In the second “Plus” stage, the centralized coordination by distribution company (DisCo) is formulated as a constrained optimization problem, in which the objective is to maximize profit and the constraints are the basic rights of AEAs and line ratings of distribution network. A 30-bus test system including 29 AEAs and main grid is investigated. Numeric simulation results verify the effectiveness of the proposed models and methods regarding flow constraint. Comparative study reveals the economic motivations of AEAs to participate in P2P transaction, the efficiency of combined search, and the benefit of DisCo from pricing control.
1,1,6-Trimethyl-1,2-dihydronaphthalene (TDN) Sensory Thresholds in Riesling Wine
Authors: Tarasov Andrii , Giuliani Nicoló , Dobrydnev Alexey , Schuessler Christoph , Volovenko Yulian , Rauhut Doris , Jung Rainer
Published: May 2020

1,1,6-Trimethyl-1,2-dihydronaphthalene (TDN) is an aroma compound responsible for the kerosene/petrol notes in Riesling wines. In the current article, three sensory thresholds for TDN were determined in young Riesling wine: detection threshold (about 4 µg/L), recognition threshold (10–12 µg/L), and rejection threshold (71–82 µg/L). It was demonstrated that an elevated content of free SO2 in wine may have a certain masking effect on the TDN aroma perception. In addition, the influence of wine serving temperature on the recognition of kerosene/petrol notes was studied. It was found, that a lower wine serving temperature (about 11 °C) facilitated identification of the TDN aroma compared to the same wine samples at room temperature.
Liquid Chromatographic Determination of Biogenic Amines in Fish Based on Pyrene Sulfonyl Chloride Pre-Column Derivatization
Authors: Plakidi Elvira S. , Maragou Niki C. , Dasenaki Marilena E. , Megoulas Nikolaos C. , Koupparis Michael A. , Thomaidis Nikolaos S.
Published: May 2020

Monitoring of biogenic amines in food is important for quality control, in terms of freshness evaluation and even more for food safety. A novel and cost-effective method was developed and validated for the determination of the main biogenic amines: histamine, putrescine, cadaverine, spermidine and spermine in fish tissues. The method includes extraction of amines with perchloric acid, pre-column derivatization with Pyrene Sulfonyl Chloride (PSCl), extraction of derivatives with toluene, back-dissolution in ACN after evaporation and determination by reversed phase high performance liquid chromatography with UV and intramolecular excimer fluorescence detection. The structure of the pyrene-derivatives was confirmed by liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry with electrospray ionization. The standard addition technique was applied for the quantitation due to significant matrix effect, while the use of 1,7-diaminoheptane as internal standard offered an additional confirmation tool for the identification of the analytes. Method repeatability expressed as %RSD ranged between 7.4–14% for the different amines and recovery ranged from 67% for histamine up to 114% for spermine. The limits of detection ranged between 0.1–1.4 mg kg−1 and the limits of quantification between 0.3–4.2 mg kg−1. The method was applied to canned fish samples and the concentrations of the individual biogenic amines were below the detection limit up to 40.1 mg kg−1, while their sum was within the range 4.1–49.6 mg kg−1.
The Effect of Sodium Reduction by Sea Salt and Dry Sourdough Addition on the Wheat Flour Dough Rheological Properties
Authors: Voinea Andreea , Stroe Silviu-Gabriel , Codină Georgiana Gabriela
Published: May 2020

The aim of this research was to investigate a technological approach to decrease the sodium content from bakery products in order to respond to the World Health Organization (WHO)’s recommendation to reduce dietary salt intake. Due to the fact that sodium chloride is one of the main ingredients from baking products that affects dough rheology and therefore the technological process of the bakery products, it is important to evaluate these properties. This study analyzes the effect of sea salt with low sodium content (SS) and dry sourdough from wheat flour (SD) as substitutes for sodium chloride on dough rheological properties and on mixing, extension, pasting, and fermentation process by using Farinograph, Extensograph, Amylograph, Falling Number, and Rheofermentometer devices. The results were analyzed using response surface methodology. SS presented a strengthening effect on the gluten network whereas SD presented a weakening one. On extension properties, SS and SD presented a significant positive effect (p < 0.01) on resistance to extension (R50) and maximum resistance to extension (Rmax) values. For pasting properties, SS increased peak viscosity and falling number values whereas SD decreased them. On fermentation properties, SS decreased the maximum height of gaseous production and total CO2 volume production and increased the retention coefficient whereas SD presented an antagonistic effect on these parameters.
Effects of Shiitake (Lentinus edodes P.) Mushroom Powder and Sodium Tripolyphosphate on Texture and Flavor of Pork Patties
Authors: Chun Soonsil , Chambers Edgar , Chambers Delores H.
Published: May 2020

Increasing consumer desire for functional food ingredients, including such PRODUCTS as shiitake mushroom (Lentinus edodes P.) powder (SM), demands that the sensory impact of such ingredients be tested in an appropriate food system. Pork patties are a common food in many Asian countries. Pork patties in this study were prepared with and without SM, an ingredient that is gaining popularity around the world. A lexicon for describing the texture and flavor of cooked pork patties, with and without 0.5% sodium tripolyphosphate (STP), a typical additive to meat, and with varying amounts of SM (0% to 6%) was developed by a highly trained panel to compare sensory properties for each type of patty. The attributes evaluated were juiciness, toughness, rubberiness, mealiness, pork identity (pork ID), meatiness, mushroom, onion, garlic, black pepper, heat/burn, soapy, chemical, animal hair, fatty, salty, sour, bitter, slick, and astringent. An addition of 0.5% STP produced more intense ratings for soapy, salty, sour, and astringent attributes. Without STP, patties containing shiitake mushroom powder had a more mealy consistency but more pork ID than they did with STP.
Physical and Dynamic Oscillatory Shear Properties of Gluten-Free Red Kidney Bean Batter and Cupcakes Affected by Rice Flour Addition
Authors: Chompoorat Pavalee , Kantanet Napong , Hernández Estrada Zorba J. , Rayas-Duarte Patricia
Published: May 2020

Red kidney bean (RKB) flour is a nutrient-rich ingredient with potential use in bakery products. The objective of this study was to investigate the viscoelastic properties and key quality parameters of a functional RKB flour in gluten-free cupcakes with different rice flour levels. A 10 g model batter was developed for analyzing the viscoelastic properties of RKB with rice incorporation, in a formula containing oil, liquid eggs, and water. Rice flour was added at five levels 0%, 5%, 10%, 15%, and 25% (w/w, g rice flour/100 g RKB flour). Rice flour increased RKB batter consistency, solid- and liquid-like viscoelastic behavior and revealed a heterogeneous structure, based on the sweep frequency test. Rice flour at the 25% level increased the shear modulus and activation energy of gelatinization, compared to 0% rice flour addition. Rice flour levels in the RKB batter decreased the inflection gelation temperature from 63 to 56 °C. In addition, the texture of RKB cupcakes with 25% rice flour were 46% softer, compared to the control. The scores from all sensory attributes of cupcakes increased with the addition of rice flour. Rice flour addition improved solid- and liquid-like behavior of the RKB batter and improved the cupcake’s macro-structural characteristics. Overall, 25% rice flour addition performed better than the lower levels. This study confirmed the potential of RKB as a functional ingredient and its improvement in cupcake application with the addition of rice flour.
Age-Standardized Breast Cancer Detection Rates of Breast Cancer Screening Program by Age Group in Korea; Comparison with Age-Standardized Incidence Rates from the Korea Central Cancer Registry
Authors: Kim Miye , Kim Hyeongsu , Choi Heejung , Son MiSeon , Lee Kun-Sei , Han Tae-Hwa , Kim Sollip
Published: May 2020

To compare the epidemiological characteristics of a breast cancer screening program of patients between 40–69 years of age and ≥70 years of age, we calculated the age-standardized detection rate of the breast cancer screening program and compared it with the age-standardized incidence rate from the Korea Central Cancer Registry. The data of the breast cancer screening program from January 2009 to December 2016 and the data of the health insurance claims from January 2006 to August 2017 were used. In the 40–69 year age group, the age-standardized detection rate of breast cancer increased annually from 106.1 in 2009 to 158.6 in 2015 and did not differ from the age-standardized incidence rate. In the ≥70 year age group, the age-standardized detection rate of breast cancer increased annually from 65.7 in 2009 to 120.3 in 2015 and was 1.9 to 2.7 fold of the age-standardized incidence rate. It shows that the early detection effect of breast cancer screening was greater for patients over 70 years old. Further studies are needed to evaluate the effect of breast cancer detection in the ≥70 year age group on all-cause mortality or breast cancer mortality.
Subjective or Objective? How Objective Measures Relate to Subjective Life Satisfaction in Europe
Authors: Macků Karel , Caha Jan , Pászto Vít , Tuček Pavel
Published: May 2020

Quality of life and life satisfaction are topics that currently receive a great deal of attention across the globe. Many approaches exist, which use both qualitative and quantitative methods, to capture these phenomena. Historically, quality of life was measured exclusively by economic indicators. However, it is indisputable that other factors influence people’s life satisfaction, which is captured by subjective survey-based data. By contrast, objective data can easily be obtained and cover a wider range, in terms of population and area. In this research, the multiple fuzzy linear regression model is applied in order to explain the relationship between subjective life satisfaction and selected objective indicators used to evaluate quality of life. The great advantage of the fuzzy model lies in its ability to capture uncertainty, which is undoubtedly associated with the vague concept of subjective life satisfaction. The main outcome of the paper is the detection of indicators that have a statistically significant relationship with life satisfaction. Subsequently, a pan-European sub-national prediction of life satisfaction after the consideration of the most relevant input indicators was proposed, including the uncertainty associated with the prediction of such a phenomenon. The study revealed significant regional differences and similarities between the originally reported satisfaction of life and the predicted one. With the help of spatial and non-spatial statistics supported by visual analysis, it is possible to assess life satisfaction more precisely, while taking into account the ambiguity of the perception of life satisfaction. Additionally, predicted values supplemented with the uncertainty measure (fuzzy approach) and the synthesis of results in the form of European typology help to compare and contrast the results in a more useful manner than in existing studies.
Chimera Diimine Ligands in Emissive [Cu(P^P)(N^N)][PF6] Complexes
Authors: Meyer Marco , Brunner Fabian , Prescimone Alessandro , Constable Edwin C. , Housecroft Catherine E.
Published: May 2020

The syntheses and characterizations of the chelating ligand 6-chloro-6′-methyl-2,2′-bipyridine (6-Cl-6′-Mebpy) and of the copper(I) compounds [Cu(POP)(6-Cl-6′-Mebpy)][PF6] and [Cu(xantphos)(6-Cl-6′-Mebpy)][PF6] (POP = bis(2-(diphenylphosphanyl)phenyl)ether and xantphos = 4,5-bis(diphenylphosphanyl)-9,9-dimethyl-9H-xanthene) are described. The single crystal structures of both complexes were determined; the copper(I) ion is in a distorted tetrahedral environment and in [Cu(xantphos)(6-Cl-6′-Mebpy)][PF6], the disorder of the 6-Cl-6′-Mebpy ligand indicates there is no preference of the ‘bowl’-like cavity of the xanthene unit to host either the methyl or chloro-substituent, consistent with comparable steric effects of the two groups. The electrochemical and photophysical properties of [Cu(POP)(6-Cl-6′-Mebpy)][PF6] and [Cu(xantphos)(6-Cl-6′-Mebpy)][PF6] were investigated and are compared with those of the related compounds containing 6,6′-dichloro-2,2′-bipyridine or 6,6′-dimethyl-2,2′-bipyridine ligands. Trends in properties of the [Cu(P^P)(N^N)]+ complexes were consistent with 6-Cl-6′-Mebpy behaving as a combination of the two parent ligands.
Influence of Nanoscale Surface Arrangements on the Oxygen Transfer Ability of Ceria–Zirconia Mixed Oxide
Authors: Aneggi Eleonora , de Leitenburg Carla , Trovarelli Alessandro
Published: May 2020

Ceria-based materials, and particularly CeO2–ZrO2 (CZ) solid solutions are key ingredient in catalyst formulations for several applications due to the ability of ceria to easily cycling its oxidation state between Ce4+ and Ce3+. Ceria-based catalysts have a great soot oxidation potential and the mechanism deeply relies on the degree of contact between CeO2 and carbon. In this study, carbon soot has been used as solid reductant to better understand the oxygen transfer ability of ceria–zirconia at low temperatures; the effect of different atmosphere and contact conditions has been investigated. The difference in the contact morphology between carbon soot and CZ particles is shown to strongly affect the oxygen transfer ability of ceria; in particular, increasing the carbon–ceria interfacial area, the reactivity of CZ lattice oxygen is significantly improved. In addition, with a higher degree of contact, the soot oxidation is less affected by the presence of NOx. The NO oxidation over CZ in the presence of soot has also been analyzed. The existence of a core/shell structure strongly enhances reactivity of interfacial oxygen species while affecting negatively NO oxidation characteristics. These findings are significant in the understanding of the redox chemistry of substituted ceria and help determining the role of active species in soot oxidation reaction as a function of the degree of contact between ceria and carbon.
Potential Distribution and the Risks of Bactericera cockerelli and Its Associated Plant Pathogen Candidatus Liberibacter Solanacearum for Global Potato Production
Authors: Wan Jing , Wang Rui , Ren Yonglin , McKirdy Simon
Published: May 2020

The tomato potato psyllid (TPP), Bactericera cockerelli, is a psyllid native to North America that has recently invaded New Zealand and Australia. The potential for economic losses accompanying invasions of TPP and its associated bacterial plant pathogen Candidatus Liberibacter solanacearum (CLso), has caused much concern. Here, we employed ecological niche models to predict environments suitable for TPP/CLso on a global scale and then evaluated the extent to which global potato cultivation is at risk. In addition, at a finer scale the risk to the Australian potato acreage was evaluated. A total of 86 MaxEnt models were built using various combinations of settings and climatic predictors, and the best model based on model evaluation metrics was selected. Climatically suitable habitats were identified in Eurasia, Africa, South America, and Australasia. Intersecting the predicted suitability map with land use data showed that 79.06% of the global potato cultivation acreage, 96.14% of the potato production acreage in South America and Eurasia, and all the Australian potato cropping areas are at risk. The information generated by this study increases knowledge of the ecology of TPP/CLso and can be used by government agencies to make decisions about preventing the spread of TPP and CLso across the globe.
Protein Profiling of Serum Extracellular Vesicles Reveals Qualitative and Quantitative Differences after Differential Ultracentrifugation and ExoQuick™ Isolation
Authors: Gemoll Timo , Strohkamp Sarah , Rozanova Svitlana , Röder Christian , Hartwig Sonja , Kalthoff Holger , Lehr Stefan , ElSharawy Abdou , Habermann Jens
Published: May 2020

Solid tumor biopsies are the current standard for precision medicine. However, the procedure is invasive and not always feasible. In contrast, liquid biopsies, such as serum enriched for extracellular vesicles (EVs) represent a non-invasive source of cancer biomarkers. In this study, we compared two EV isolation methods in the context of the protein biomarker detection in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and colorectal cancer (CRC). Using serum samples of a healthy cohort as well as CRC and IBD patients, EVs were isolated by ultracentrifugation and ExoQuick™ in parallel. EV associated protein profiles were compared by multiplex-fluorescence two-dimensional difference gel electrophoresis (2D-DIGE) and subsequent identification by mass spectrometry. Validation of gelsolin (GSN) was performed using fluorescence-quantitative western blot. 2D-DIGE resolved 936 protein spots in all serum-enriched EVs isolated by ultracentrifugation or ExoQuick™. Hereof, 93 spots were differently expressed between isolation approaches. Higher levels of GSN in EVs obtained with ExoQuick™ compared to ultracentrifugation were confirmed by western blot (p = 0.0006). Although patient groups were distinguishable after both EV isolation approaches, sample preparation strongly influences EVs’ protein profile and thus impacts on inter-study reproducibility, biomarker identification and validation. The results stress the need for strict SOPs in EV research before clinical implementation can be reached.
Risk Factors for Mortality in Patients with Elizabethkingia Infection and the Clinical Impact of the Antimicrobial Susceptibility Patterns of Elizabethkingia Species
Authors: Seong Hye , Kim Jung Ho , Kim Jun Hyoung , Lee Woon Ji , Ahn Jin Young , Ku Nam Su , Choi Jun Yong , Yeom Joon Sup , Song Young Goo , Jeong Su Jin
Published: May 2020

Elizabethkingia species (spp.), which can colonize hospital environments, are emerging nosocomial pathogens presenting high mortality. Due to their intrinsic resistance to a broad range of antibiotics, optimal antibiotic dosage has yet to be determined against infections caused by Elizabethkingia spp. This study aimed to investigate the risk factors for the mortality of infections caused by Elizabethkingia spp. and assess the clinical implications of their antimicrobial susceptibility patterns. Data from 210 patients affected by Elizabethkingia-induced pneumonia and bacteremia between 1 November 2005 and 31 May 2016, were analyzed. Further antimicrobial susceptibility tests for moxifloxacin, rifampin, and vancomycin using Elizabethkingia isolates were performed to compensate for the Elizabethkingia spp. susceptibility panel in patients affected after 2013. The mean age of the patients was 66.5 ± 18 years and the 28-day mortality rate was 25.2% (53/210). In the univariate analysis, history of prior stay in an intensive care unit, central venous catheter use, presented thrombocytopenia, immunocompetent status, a high simplified acute physiology score II (SAPS II score), a high C-reactive protein (CRP)/albumin ratio on the day of isolation and seven days later, and a high minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) value of rifampin were significantly associated with a higher mortality rate. In the multivariate logistic regression analysis, the MIC values of rifampin (odds ratio (OR): 1.045; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.006–1.085; p = 0.023), SAPS II score (OR: 1.053; 95% CI: 1.022–1.084; p = 0.001), and initial CRP/albumin ratio (OR: 1.030; 95% CI: 1.009–1.051; p = 0.004) were significantly associated with 28-day mortality. To reduce the mortality associated with Elizabethkingia infections, prediction of the clinical course using initial CRP/albumin ratio and SAPS II and early intervention are essential. Rifampin is a promising candidate as the drug of choice in treating Elizabethkingia infections.
An Unsupervised Data-Driven Model to Classify Gait Patterns in Children with Cerebral Palsy
Authors: Choisne Julie , Fourrier Nicolas , Handsfield Geoffrey , Signal Nada , Taylor Denise , Wilson Nichola , Stott Susan , Besier Thor F.
Published: May 2020

Ankle and foot orthoses are commonly prescribed to children with cerebral palsy (CP). It is unclear whether 3D gait analysis (3DGA) provides sufficient and reliable information for clinicians to be consistent when prescribing orthoses. Data-driven modeling can probe such questions by revealing non-intuitive relationships between variables such as 3DGA parameters and gait outcomes of orthoses use. The purpose of this study was to (1) develop a data-driven model to classify children with CP according to their gait biomechanics and (2) identify relationships between orthotics types and gait patterns. 3DGA data were acquired from walking trials of 25 typically developed children and 98 children with CP with additional prescribed orthoses. An unsupervised self-organizing map followed by k-means clustering was developed to group different gait patterns based on children’s 3DGA. Model inputs were gait variable scores (GVSs) extracted from the gait profile score, measuring root mean square differences from TD children’s gait cycle. The model identified five pathological gait patterns with statistical differences in GVSs. Only 43% of children improved their gait pattern when wearing an orthosis. Orthotics prescriptions were variable even in children with similar gait patterns. This study suggests that quantitative data-driven approaches may provide more clarity and specificity to support orthotics prescription.
Negative Inotropic Effect of BGP-15 on the Human Right Atrial Myocardium
Authors: Lampé Nóra , Priksz Dániel , Erdei Tamás , Bombicz Mariann , Kiss Rita , Varga Balázs , Zsuga Judit , Szerafin Tamás , Csanádi Zoltán , Balla György , Balla József , Szilvássy Zoltán , Gesztelyi Rudolf , Juhász Béla
Published: May 2020

Cardiovascular morbidity and mortality carry great socioeconomic burden worldwide that mandates the development of new, efficacious therapeutic agents with limited adverse effects. O-(3-piperidino-2-hydroxy-1-propyl) nicotinic acid amidoxime (BGP-15) is a known, well-tolerable drug candidate that exerts beneficial effects in several disease models. As BGP-15 has a significant structural similarity with propranolol, it arose that BGP-15 might also have a direct effect on the heart. Thus, in the present work, we investigated the effect of BGP-15 and propranolol on the contractility of isolated, paced, human right atrial samples (obtained from patients undergone open-heart surgery), with or without previous isoproterenol (ISO) stimulation (evoking an indirect or direct effect, respectively). We found that both BGP-15 and propranolol exerted direct as well as indirect negative inotropic effects on the atrial myocardium, reaching similar maximal response. However, BGP-15 had considerably smaller potency than propranolol regarding both types of negative inotropy. In addition, BGP-15, in contrast to propranolol, had a significantly greater indirect negative inotropic effect on samples exhibiting strong response to ISO. Moreover, the indirect negative inotropic effect of BGP-15 was significantly greater on samples derived from diabetic patients than on samples obtained from non-diabetic ones. Our results suggest that the enhanced ISO sensitivity is associated with the diabetic state, and BGP-15 exerts greater negative inotropic effect on the human atrial myocardium in both conditions (as compared to the atrial tissue that is not ISO oversensitive and/or diabetic). Additionally, the negative inotropic effects of BGP-15 and propranolol seem to be mediated by in part different molecular pathways in the atrial myocardium.
Impact of Aging on the Accuracy of 3D-Printed Dental Models: An In Vitro Investigation
Authors: Joda Tim , Matthisson Lea , Zitzmann Nicola U.
Published: May 2020

The aim of this in vitro study was to analyze the impact of model aging on the accuracy of 3D-printed dental models. A maxillary full-arch reference model with prepared teeth for a three-unit fixed dental prosthesis was scanned ten times with an intraoral scanner (3Shape TRIOS Pod) and ten models were 3D printed (Straumann P-Series). All models were stored under constant conditions and digitized with a desktop scanner after 1 day; 1 week; and 2, 3, and 4 weeks. For accuracy, a best-fit algorithm was used to analyze the deviations of the abutment teeth (GFaI e.V Final Surface®). Wilcoxon Rank Sum Tests were used for comparisons with the level of significance set at α = 0.05. Deviation analysis of the tested models showed homogenous intragroup distance calculations at each timepoint. The most accurate result was for 1 day of aging (3.3 ± 1.3 µm). A continuous decrease in accuracy was observed with each aging stage from day 1 to week 4. A time-dependent difference was statistically significant after 3 weeks (p = 0.0008) and 4 weeks (p < 0.0001). Based on these findings, dental models should not be used longer than 3 to 4 weeks after 3D printing for the fabrication of definitive prosthetic reconstructions.