bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Associations of Exposure to Air Pollution with Insulin Resistance: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Dang Jiajia , Yang Mengtong , Zhang Xinge , Ruan Haotian , Qin Guiyu , Fu Jialin , Shen Ziqiong , Tan Anran , Li Rui , Moore Justin
Published: November 2018

In this article, we review the available evidence and explore the association between air pollution and insulin resistance (IR) using meta-analytic techniques. Cohort studies published before January 2018 were selected through English-language literature searches in nine databases. Six cohort studies were included in our sample, which assessed air pollutants including PM2.5 (particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter less than or equal to 2.5 μm), NO2(nitrogen dioxide), and PM10 (particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter less than 10 μm). Percentage change in insulin or insulin resistance associated with air pollutants with corresponding 95% confidence interval (CI) was used to evaluate the risk. A pooled effect (percentage change) was observed, with a 1 μg/m3 increase in NO2 associated with a significant 1.25% change (95% CI: 0.67, 1.84; I2 = 0.00%, p = 0.07) in the Homeostasis Model Assessment of Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR) and a 0.60% change (95% CI: 0.17, 1.03; I2 = 30.94%, p = 0.27) in insulin. Similar to the analysis of NO2, a 1 μg/m3 increase in PM10 was associated with a significant 2.77% change (95% CI: 0.67, 4.87; I2 = 94.98%, p < 0.0001) in HOMA-IR and a 2.75% change in insulin (95% CI: 0.45, 5.04; I2 = 58.66%, p = 0.057). No significant associations were found between PM2.5 and insulin resistance biomarkers. We conclude that increased exposure to air pollution can lead to insulin resistance, further leading to diabetes and cardiometabolic diseases. Clinicians should consider the environmental exposure of patients when making screening and treatment decisions for them.
Estimation of Hourly Link Population and Flow Directions from Mobile CDR
Authors: Lwin Ko Ko , Sekimoto Yoshihide , Takeuchi Wataru
Published: November 2018

The rise in big data applications in urban planning and transport management is now widening and becoming a part of local government decision-making processes. Understanding people flow inside the city helps urban and transport planners build a healthy and lively city. Many flow maps are based on origin-and-destination points with crossing lines, which reduce the map’s readability and overall appearance. Today, with the emergence of geolocation-enabled handheld devices with wireless communication and networking capabilities, human mobility and the resulting events can be captured and stored as text-based geospatial big data. In this paper, we used one-week mobile-call-detail records (CDR) and a GIS road network model to estimate hourly link population and flow directions, based on mobile-call activities of origin–destination pairs with a shortest-path analysis for the whole city. Moreover, to gain the actual population size from the number of mobile-call users, we introduced a home-based magnification factor (h-MF) by integrating with the national census. Therefore, the final output link data have both magnitude (actual population) and flow direction at one-hour intervals between 06:00 and 21:00. The hourly link population and flow direction dataset are intended to optimize bus routes, solve traffic congestion problems, and enhance disaster and emergency preparedness.
Real-Time Efficient Exploration in Unknown Dynamic Environments Using MAVs
Authors: Mohamed Haytham , Moussa Adel , Elhabiby Mohamed , El-Sheimy Naser
Published: November 2018

Micro aerial vehicles (MAVs) have been acknowledged as an influential technology for indoor search and rescue operations. The time constraint is a crucial factor in most search and rescue operations. The employed MAVs in indoor environments are characterized by short endurance flight time and limited payload weights. Hence, adding more batteries to extend the flight time is practically not feasible. Typically, most of the indoor missions’ environments might not be accessed and remain unknown. Working in such environments requires effective exploration and information gathering to save time and maximize the coverage area. Furthermore, due to the dynamism of such environments, choosing the least risky trajectory is an important task. This paper proposes a real-time active exploration technique which is capable of efficiently generating paths that minimize the vehicle’s risk and maximize the coverage area. Furthermore, it accomplishes real-time monitoring of sudden changes in the estimated map, due to the dynamic objects, by reevaluating at real-time the destination and trajectory to minimize the risk on the chosen path and simultaneously preserving the maximization of the coverage area. Ultimately, recording the implemented trajectory of the vehicle also assists in time-saving as the vehicle depends on this trajectory during the exit process. The performance of the technique is studied under static and dynamic environments and is also compared with different algorithms.
Development of Pectin-Type B Gelatin Polyelectrolyte Complex for Curcumin Delivery in Anticancer Therapy
Authors: Shih Fu-Ying , Su Ih-Jen , Chu Li-Lun , Lin Xiaojie , Kuo Sheng-Chu , Hou Yu-Chi , Chiang Yi-Ting
Published: November 2018

Curcumin has been proven to be a potent agent in colon cancer treatment. However, its hydrophobicity and low oral bioavailability hampered its clinical application. These limitations could be improved through appropriate formulations such as using polyelectrolyte complexes (PECs). PECs were self-assembled with polycations and polyanions in polar solvents. In this study, a novel pectin-type B gelatin PEC was developed for use in curcumin formulation. At pH 4.0, natural polyanions pectin and polycations type B gelatin spontaneously formed PECs in ethanol/water solution, whereas under mimetic gastrointestinal tract (GI tract) conditions, at pH 2.0 and 8.0, pectin and type B gelatin were electrically neutralized, and the PECs swelled to allow payload release. After being transferred to pH 7.0 condition, as in the colon environment, PECs were internalized into colon carcinomas. Thus, pectin-type B gelatin PECs were successfully prepared, and their constituent ratio and drug-loading process were also optimized. The optimum particle size of the PECs was 264.0 ± 3.1 nm and they could swell as the zeta potential was altered at either pH 2.0 or 8.0. The optimum drug content and loading efficiency were 40% and 53%, respectively. At pH 2.0, curcumin was rapidly released from curcumin-loaded PECs, whereas at pH 8.0, curcumin-loaded PECs showed a sustained-release of curcumin. The bare PECs showed very low toxicity toward human normal cells, whereas curcumin-loaded PECs, after incubation at pH 2.0 for 2 h and at pH 8.0 for 4 h, induced cell cycle arrest and exhibited cytotoxic effect to HCT116 human colon cancer cells, even though these loaded PECs were pretreated with mimetic GI tract conditions. Our pectin-type B gelatin PECs were shown to be a promising oral formulation for curcumin delivery in anticancer therapy.
Genome-Wide Transcriptional and Functional Analysis of Human T Lymphocytes Treated with Benzo[α]pyrene
Authors: Liamin Marie , Le Mentec Hélène , Evrard Bertrand , Huc Laurence , Chalmel Frédéric , Boutet-Robinet Elisa , Le Ferrec Eric , Sparfel Lydie
Published: November 2018

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are widely distributed environmental contaminants, known to affect T lymphocytes. However, the molecular targets and pathways involved in their immunotoxic effects in human T lymphocytes remain unknown. Here, we analyzed the gene expression profile of primary human T lymphocytes treated with the prototypical PAH, benzo[α]pyrene (B[α]P), using a microarray-based transcriptome analysis. After a 48 h exposure to B[α]P, we identified 158 genes differentially expressed in T lymphocytes, including not only genes well-known to be affected by PAHs such as the cytochromes P450 (CYP) 1A1 and 1B1, but also others not previously shown to be targeted by B[α]P such as genes encoding the gap junction beta (GJB)-2 and 6 proteins. Functional enrichment analysis revealed that these candidates were significantly associated with the aryl hydrocarbon (AhR) and interferon (IFN) signaling pathways; a marked alteration in T lymphocyte recruitment was also observed. Using functional tests in transwell migration experiments, B[α]P was then shown to significantly decrease the chemokine (C-X-C motif) ligand 12-induced chemotaxis and transendothelial migration of T lymphocytes. In total, this study opens the way to unsuspected responsive pathway of interest, i.e., T lymphocyte migration, thus providing a more thorough understanding of the molecular basis of the immunotoxicity of PAHs.
Identification of Arenin, a Novel Kunitz-Like Polypeptide from the Skin Secretions of Dryophytes arenicolor
Authors: Hernández-Pérez Jesús , Serra Aida , Sze Siu Kwan , Conway Patricia L. , Schlundt Jørgen , Benavides Jorge
Published: November 2018

Amphibian skin secretions are enriched with complex cocktails of bioactive molecules such as proteins, peptides, biogenic amines, alkaloids guanidine derivatives, steroids and other minor components spanning a wide spectrum of pharmacological actions exploited for centuries in folk medicine. This study presents evidence on the protein profile of the skin secretions of the canyon tree frog, Dryophytes arenicolor. At the same time, it presents the reverse-phase liquid chromatography isolation, mass spectrometry characterization and identification at mRNA level of a novel 58 amino acids Kunitz-like polypeptide from the skin secretions of Dryophytes arenicolor, arenin. Cell viability assays performed on HDFa, CaCo2 and MCF7 cells cultured with different concentrations of arenin showed a discrete effect at low concentrations (2, 4, 8 and 16 µg/mL) suggesting a multi-target interaction in a hormetic-like dose-response. Further work is required to investigate the mechanisms underlying the variable effect on cell viability produced by different concentrations of arenin.
Actions of Brain-Derived Neurotrophin Factor in the Neurogenesis and Neuronal Function, and Its Involvement in the Pathophysiology of Brain Diseases
Authors: Numakawa Tadahiro , Odaka Haruki , Adachi Naoki
Published: November 2018

It is well known that brain-derived neurotrophic factor, BDNF, has an important role in a variety of neuronal aspects, such as differentiation, maturation, and synaptic function in the central nervous system (CNS). BDNF stimulates mitogen-activated protein kinase/extracellular signal-regulated kinase (MAPK/ERK), phosphoinositide-3kinase (PI3K), and phospholipase C (PLC)-gamma pathways via activation of tropomyosin receptor kinase B (TrkB), a high affinity receptor for BDNF. Evidence has shown significant contributions of these signaling pathways in neurogenesis and synaptic plasticity in in vivo and in vitro experiments. Importantly, it has been demonstrated that dysfunction of the BDNF/TrkB system is involved in the onset of brain diseases, including neurodegenerative and psychiatric disorders. In this review, we discuss actions of BDNF and related signaling molecules on CNS neurons, and their contributions to the pathophysiology of brain diseases.
Rex Retroelements and Teleost Genomes: An Overview
Authors: Carducci Federica , Barucca Marco , Canapa Adriana , Biscotti Maria Assunta
Published: November 2018

Repetitive DNA is an intriguing portion of the genome still not completely discovered and shows a high variability in terms of sequence, genomic organization, and evolutionary mode. On the basis of the genomic organization, it includes satellite DNAs, which are organized as long arrays of head-to-tail linked repeats, and transposable elements, which are dispersed throughout the genome. These repeated elements represent a considerable fraction of vertebrate genomes contributing significantly in species evolution. In this review, we focus our attention on Rex1, Rex3 and Rex6, three elements specific of teleost genomes. We report an overview of data available on these retroelements highlighting their significative impact in chromatin and heterochromatin organization, in the differentiation of sex chromosomes, in the formation of supernumerary chromosomes, and in karyotype evolution in teleosts.
Methyl-β-Cyclodextrin Impairs the Phosphorylation of the β2 Subunit of L-Type Calcium Channels and Cytosolic Calcium Homeostasis in Mature Cerebellar Granule Neurons
Authors: Fortalezas Sofia , Marques-da-Silva Dorinda , Gutierrez-Merino Carlos
Published: November 2018

The activation of L-type calcium channels (LTCCs) prevents cerebellar granule neurons (CGNs) from entering low-K+-induced apoptosis. In previous works, we showed that LTCCs are largely associated with caveolin-1-rich lipid rafts in the CGN plasma membrane. In this work, we show that protein kinase A (PKA) and calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMK-II) are associated with caveolin-1-rich lipid rafts of mature CGNs, and we further show that treatment with the cholesterol-trapping and lipid raft-disrupting agent methyl-β-cyclodextrin decreases the phosphorylation level of the LTCC β2 subunit and the steady-state calcium concentration in neuronal somas ([Ca2+]i) to values close to those measured in 5 mM KCl proapoptotic conditions. These effects correlate with the effects produced by a short (15 min) treatment of CGNs with H-89 and KN-93—inhibitors of PKA and CaMK-II, respectively—in 25 mM KCl medium. Moreover, only a 15 min incubation of CGNs with H-89 produces about a 90% inhibition of the calcium entry that would normally occur through LTCCs to increase [Ca2+]i upon raising the extracellular K+ from 5 to 25 mM, i.e., from proapoptotic to survival conditions. In conclusion, the results of this work suggest that caveolin-1-rich lipid rafts play a major role in the control of the PKA- and CaMK-II-induced phosphorylation level of the LTCC β2 subunit, thus preventing CGNs from entering apoptosis.
YAP/TAZ Signaling as a Molecular Link between Fibrosis and Cancer
Authors: Noguchi Satoshi , Saito Akira , Nagase Takahide
Published: November 2018

Tissue fibrosis is a pathological condition that is associated with impaired epithelial repair and excessive deposition of extracellular matrix (ECM). Fibrotic lesions increase the risk of cancer in various tissues, but the mechanism linking fibrosis and cancer is unclear. Yes-associated protein (YAP) and the transcriptional coactivator with PDZ-binding motif (TAZ) are core components of the Hippo pathway, which have multiple biological functions in the development, homeostasis, and regeneration of tissues and organs. YAP/TAZ act as sensors of the structural and mechanical features of the cell microenvironment. Recent studies have shown aberrant YAP/TAZ activation in both fibrosis and cancer in animal models and human tissues. In fibroblasts, ECM stiffness mechanoactivates YAP/TAZ, which promote the production of profibrotic mediators and ECM proteins. This results in tissue stiffness, thus establishing a feed-forward loop of fibroblast activation and tissue fibrosis. In contrast, in epithelial cells, YAP/TAZ are activated by the disruption of cell polarity and increased ECM stiffness in fibrotic tissues, which promotes the proliferation and survival of epithelial cells. YAP/TAZ are also involved in the epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT), which contributes to tumor progression and cancer stemness. Importantly, the crosstalk with transforming growth factor (TGF)-β signaling and Wnt signaling is essential for the profibrotic and tumorigenic roles of YAP/TAZ. In this article, we review the latest advances in the pathobiological roles of YAP/TAZ signaling and their function as a molecular link between fibrosis and cancer.
Targeting Smoothened as a New Frontier in the Functional Recovery of Central Nervous System Demyelinating Pathologies
Authors: Del Giovane Alice , Ragnini-Wilson Antonella
Published: November 2018

Myelin sheaths on vertebrate axons provide protection, vital support and increase the speed of neuronal signals. Myelin degeneration can be caused by viral, autoimmune or genetic diseases. Remyelination is a natural process that restores the myelin sheath and, consequently, neuronal function after a demyelination event, preventing neurodegeneration and thereby neuron functional loss. Pharmacological approaches to remyelination represent a promising new frontier in the therapy of human demyelination pathologies and might provide novel tools to improve adaptive myelination in aged individuals. Recent phenotypical screens have identified agonists of the atypical G protein-coupled receptor Smoothened and inhibitors of the glioma-associated oncogene 1 as being amongst the most potent stimulators of oligodendrocyte precursor cell (OPC) differentiation in vitro and remyelination in the central nervous system (CNS) of mice. Here, we discuss the current state-of-the-art of studies on the role of Sonic Hedgehog reactivation during remyelination, referring readers to other reviews for the role of Hedgehog signaling in cancer and stem cell maintenance.
Decentralized Transaction Mechanism Based on Smart Contract in Distributed Data Storage
Authors: Gu Yonggen , Hou Dingding , Wu Xiaohong , Tao Jie , Zhang Yanqiong
Published: November 2018

Distributed data storage has received more attention due to its advantages in reliability, availability and scalability, and it brings both opportunities and challenges for distributed data storage transaction. The traditional transaction system of storage resources, which generally runs in a centralized mode, results in high cost, vendor lock-in and single point failure risk. To overcome the above shortcomings, considering the storage policy with erasure coding, in this paper we propose a decentralized transaction method for cloud storage based on a smart contract, which takes into account the resource cost for distributed data storage. First, to guarantee the availability and decrease the storing cost, a reverse Vickrey-Clarke-Groves (VCG) based auction mechanism is proposed for storage resource selection and transaction. Then we deploy and implement the proposed mechanism by designing a corresponding smart contract. Especially, we address the problem of how to implement a VCG-like mechanism in a blockchain environment. Based on the private chain of Ethereum, we make the simulation for the proposed storage transaction method. The results of simulation show that the proposed transaction model can realize competitive trading of storage resources and ensure the safe and economic operation of resource trading.
A Hybrid Swarm Intelligent Neural Network Model for Customer Churn Prediction and Identifying the Influencing Factors
Authors: Faris Hossam
Published: November 2018

Customer churn is one of the most challenging problems for telecommunication companies. In fact, this is because customers are considered as the real asset for the companies. Therefore, more companies are increasing their investments in developing practical solutions that aim at predicting customer churn before it happens. Identifying which customer is about to churn will significantly help the companies in providing solutions to keep their customers and optimize their marketing campaigns. In this work, an intelligent hybrid model based on Particle Swarm Optimization and Feedforward neural network is proposed for churn prediction. PSO is used to tune the weights of the input features and optimize the structure of the neural network simultaneously to increase the prediction power. In addition, the proposed model handles the imbalanced class distribution of the data using an advanced oversampling technique. Evaluation results show that the proposed model can significantly improve the coverage rate of churn customers in comparison with other state-of-the-art classifiers. Moreover, the model has high interpretability, where the assigned feature weights can give an indicator about the importance of their corresponding features in the classification process.
A Ranking Method for User Recommendation Based on Fuzzy Preference Relations in the Nature Reserve of Dangshan Pear Germplasm Resources
Authors: Mohsin Ali , Shen Qiong , Wang Xinyu , Zhang Xiaoming
Published: November 2018

Precision orchard management is an important avenue of investigation in agricultural technology and is an urgently needed part of information development in the fruit industry. Precision management based on a precision agricultural technology system involves many factors and results in users being unable to make accurate judgments. To improve user decision-making accuracy and the level of precision management, we used user preferences to achieve the recommendation function. In this paper, a ranking method based on fuzzy preference relations for user recommendation is proposed. We selected the Nature Reserve of Dangshan Pear Germplasm Resources as the research location and invited experts and representatives of different roles (government, farmers, and tourists) to give the fuzzy preference relation coefficients. Then, an optimization model was proposed based on the fuzzy preference relation. We solved the proposed model by constructing a Lagrangian function, and obtained the ranking values of the user preference recommendation function. Finally, we ranked the order of the given roles and implemented the fuzzy preference recommendation. The experimental results show that the proposed method is effective and can be conveniently applied to other problems related to user preference relations.
Hydrogenase Biomimetics with Redox-Active Ligands: Synthesis, Structure, and Electrocatalytic Studies on [Fe2(CO)4(κ2-dppn)(µ-edt)] (edt = Ethanedithiolate; dppn = 1,8-bis(Diphenylphosphino)Naphthalene)
Authors: Ghosh Shishir , Rana Shahed , Hollingsworth Nathan , Richmond Michael G. , Kabir Shariff E. , Hogarth Graeme
Published: November 2018

Addition of the bulky redox-active diphosphine 1,8-bis(diphenylphosphino)naphthalene (dppn) to [Fe2(CO)6(µ-edt)] (1) (edt = 1,2-ethanedithiolate) affords [Fe2(CO)4(κ2-dppn)(µ-edt)] (3) as the major product, together with small amounts of a P–C bond cleavage product [Fe2(CO)5{κ1-PPh2(1-C10H7)}(µ-edt)] (2). The redox properties of 3 have been examined by cyclic voltammetry and it has been tested as a proton-reduction catalyst. It undergoes a reversible reduction at E1/2 = −2.18 V and exhibits two overlapping reversible oxidations at E1/2 = −0.08 V and E1/2 = 0.04 V. DFT calculations show that while the Highest Occupied Molecular Orbital (HOMO) is metal-centred (Fe–Fe σ-bonding), the Lowest Unoccupied Molecular Orbital (LUMO) is primarily ligand-based, but also contains an antibonding Fe–Fe contribution, highlighting the redox-active nature of the diphosphine. It is readily protonated upon addition of strong acids and catalyzes the electrochemical reduction of protons at Ep = −2.00 V in the presence of CF3CO2H. The catalytic current indicates that it is one of the most efficient diiron electrocatalysts for the reduction of protons, albeit operating at quite a negative potential.
Gold(III) Pyridine-Benzimidazole Complexes as Aquaglyceroporin Inhibitors and Antiproliferative Agents
Authors: Aikman Brech , Wenzel Margot N. , Mósca Andreia F. , De Almeida Andreia , Klooster Wim T. , Coles Simon J. , Soveral Graça , Casini Angela
Published: November 2018

Gold compounds have been proven to be novel and versatile tools for biological applications, including as anticancer agents. Recently, we explored the potential of Au(III) complexes with bi-dentate N-donor ligands as inhibitors of the membrane water and glycerol channels aquaporins (AQPs), involved in different physiological and pathophysiological pathways. Here, eight new Au(III) complexes featuring a pyridine-benzimidazole scaffold have been synthesized and characterized via different methods. The stability of all the compounds in aqueous solution and their reactivity with glutathione have been investigated by UV–visible spectroscopy. The Au(III) compounds, tested for their AQPs inhibition properties in human Red Blood Cells (hRBC), are potent and selective inhibitors of AQP3. Furthermore, the compounds’ antiproliferative effects have been studied in a small panel of human cancer cells expressing AQP3. The complexes show only very moderate anticancer effects in vitro and are mostly active against the melanoma A375 cells, with marked expression of AQP3 at the level of the nuclear membrane. In general, the AQP3 inhibition properties of these complexes hold promises to develop them as chemical probes to study the function of this protein isoform in biological systems.
Comparison of Short-Term Clinical and Pathological Outcomes after Transanal versus Laparoscopic Total Mesorectal Excision for Low Anterior Rectal Resection Due to Rectal Cancer: A Systematic Review with Meta-Analysis
Authors: Rubinkiewicz Mateusz , Czerwińska Agata , Zarzycki Piotr , Małczak Piotr , Nowakowski Michał , Major Piotr , Budzyński Andrzej , Pędziwiatr Michał
Published: November 2018

Background: Transanal total mesorectal excision (TaTME) is a new technique that is designed to overcome the limits of the open and laparoscopic approach for rectal resections. Objective: This study is designed to compare TaTME with standard laparoscopic TME (LaTME). Methods: We searched Medline, Embase, and Scopus databases covering a up to October 2018. Inclusion criteria for study enrolment: (1) study comparing laparoscopic resection of rectal cancer vs. TaTME for rectal malignancy, (2) reporting of overall morbidity, operative time, or major complications. Results: Eleven non-randomized studies were eligible with a total of 778 patients. We found statistical significant differences in regard to major complications in favour of TaTME (RR = 0.55; 95% CI 0.31–0.97; p = 0.04). We did not found significant differences regarding overall complications intraoperative adverse effects, operative time, anastomotic leakage, intra-abdominal abscess occurrence, Surgical Site Infection, reoperations, Length of stay, completeness of mesorectal excision, R0 resection rate, number of harvested lymph nodes, circumferential resection margin, and distal resection margin. Conclusions: This meta-analysis shows benefits of TaTME technique regarding major postoperative complications. Regarding clinicopathological features transanal approach is not superior to LaTME. Currently, the quality of the evidence on benefits of TaTME is low due to lack of randomized controlled trials, which needs to be taken into consideration in further evaluation of the technique. Further evaluation of TaTME require conducting large randomized control trials.
Associations with the In-Hospital Survival Following Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation in Adult Acute Fulminant Myocarditis
Authors: Chong Shaur-Zheng , Fang Chih-Yuan , Fang Hsiu-Yu , Chen Huang-Chung , Chen Chien-Jen , Yang Cheng-Hsu , Hang Chi-Ling , Yip Hon-Kan , Wu Chiung-Jen , Lee Wei-Chieh
Published: November 2018

Background: Acute fulminant myocarditis (AFM) is a serious disease that progresses rapidly, and leads to failing respiratory and circulatory systems. When medications fail to reverse the patient’s clinical course, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is considered the most effective, supportive and adjunct strategy. In this paper we analyzed our experience in managing AFM with ECMO support. Methods: During October 2003 and February 2017, a total of 35 patients (≥18 years) were enrolled in the study. Twenty patients survived, and another 15 patients expired. General demographics, the hemodynamic condition, timing of ECMO intervention, and laboratory data were compared for the survival and non-survival groups. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses were performed to identify the associations with in-hospital mortality following ECMO use in this situation. Results: The survival rate was 57.1% during the in-hospital period. The average age, gender, severity of the hemodynamic condition, and cardiac rhythm were similar between the survival and non-survival groups. Higher serum lactic acid (initial and 24 h later), higher peak cardiac biomarkers, higher incidence of acute kidney injury and the need for hemodialysis were noted in the non-survival group. Higher 24-h lactic acid levels and higher peak troponin-I levels were associated with in-hospital mortality. Conclusions: When ECMO was used for AFM, related cardiogenic shock and decompensated heart failure, higher peak serum troponin-I levels and 24-h serum lactic acid levels following ECMO use were independently associated with in-hospital mortality.
Natural Fibre Composites and Their Applications: A Review
Authors: Peças Paulo , Carvalho Hugo , Salman Hafiz , Leite Marco
Published: November 2018

There is significant work published in recent years about natural fibres polymeric composites. Most of the studies are about the characterization of natural fibres and their comparison with conventional composites regarding mechanical behaviour and application performance. There are dozens of types of natural fibres with different properties influencing their use, or not, in specific industrial applications. The natural origin of these materials causes, in general, a wide range of variations in properties depending mainly on the harvesting location and conditions, making it difficult to select the appropriate fibre for a specific application. In this paper, a comprehensive review about the properties of natural fibres used as composite materials reinforcement is presented, aiming to map where each type of fibre is positioned in several properties. Recent published work on emergent types of fibres is also reviewed. A bibliometric study regarding applications of natural fibres composites is presented. A prospective analysis about the future trends of natural fibres applications and the required developments to broaden their applications is also presented and discussed.
Bidirectional Reflectance Measurement and Reflection Model Fitting of Complex Materials Using an Image-Based Measurement Setup
Authors: Sole Aditya , Farup Ivar , Nussbaum Peter , Tominaga Shoji
Published: November 2018

Materials with a complex visual appearance, like goniochromatic or non-diffuse, are widely used for the packaging industry. Measuring optical properties of such materials requires a bidirectional approach, and therefore, it is difficult and time consuming to characterize such a material. We investigate the suitability of using an image-based measurement setup to measure materials with a complex visual appearance and model them using two well-established reflection models, Cook–Torrance and isotropic Ward. It was learned that the complex materials typically used in the print and packaging industry, similar to the ones used in this paper, can be measured bidirectionally using our measurement setup, but with a noticeable error. Furthermore, the performance of the reflection models used in this paper shows big errors colorimetrically, especially for the goniochromatic material measured.
Climate Change, Coasts and Coastal Risk
Authors: Ranasinghe Roshanka , Jongejan Ruben
Published: November 2018

Projected climate change driven variations in mean sea level (i. [...]
Special Issue: Wireless Sensor and Actuator Networks for Smart Cities
Authors: Kantarci Burak , Oktug Sema
Published: November 2018

Our lives are being transformed by the interplay between mobile networks, wireless communications, and artificial intelligence. [...]
High Performance Anti-Corrosion Coatings of Poly (Vinyl Butyral) Composites with Poly N-(vinyl)pyrrole and Carbon Black Nanoparticles
Authors: Hao Lu , Lv Guowei , Zhou Yaqian , Zhu Kaiming , Dong Mochen , Liu Yuhang , Yu Demei
Published: November 2018

Zinc is widely used in battery negative electrodes and steel coatings for automotive industries. The anti-corrosion property of zinc is the most important factor determining the performance and lifetime of the products. In this paper, both size-controlled poly N-(vinyl)pyrrole (PNVPY) nanoparticles and carbon black (CB) nanoparticles were compounded with poly (vinyl butyral) (PVB) binder developing a series of composite coatings covered on the zinc substrates using a spin-coating technique. The morphologies of the surface and cross section of the PNVPY/CB/PVB coatings indicate that the PNVPY and CB nanoparticles are uniformly distributed in the matrix. The corrosion resistance of the composite coatings was tested by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and potentiodynamic polarization in a 3.5% NaCl solution. It is found that the coating with 1.9 wt.% PNVPY and 2.3 wt.% CB nanoparticles shows a remarkably high resistance value (Rc) and corrosion protection efficiency (99.99%). Meanwhile, the immersion results also reveal its superior corrosion resistance. It is considered that the nanoscale dispersion of PNVPY and carbon in PVB matrix and the strong interface action between the nanoparticles and PVB result in the uniform microstructure of the composites which endues the superior corrosion properties of the coatings.
Evaluation of Substrates of Al-Mg and Aluminized Steel Coated With Non-Stick Fluoropolymers after the Removal of the Coating
Authors: Rodríguez-Alabanda Óscar , Romero Pablo E. , Guerrero-Vaca Guillermo
Published: November 2018

Many trays and pieces of Al-Mg and aluminized steel are used in the food industry. Sometimes these elements have non-stick coatings to solve problems related to the adhesion of masses and food products. With use, the coatings deteriorate and lose efficiency and must be removed to apply a new coating. The thermal cycles suffered by these alloys during the removal process of the deteriorated coating (500 °C) and the polymerization of a new coating (400 °C) can affect the durability and efficiency of the metallic substrates. The evolution of the mechanical and microstructural properties of the Al-Mg and aluminized steel substrates after two thermal cycles was studied in this work. The following parameters were analyzed: tensile strength, elongation (%), hardness, ASTM grain size, and the nature and distribution of the constituent particles. The report concluded that the removal of the coating, after each cycle, produced a decrease in the mechanical properties of the substrates. The hardness and tensile strength in Al-Mg decreases between 20–27% and in aluminized steel between 10–11%. In both cases, the process does not compromise the reuse of the substrate for the application of a new coating layer. The final blasting stage does not affect the Al-Mg alloys but may affect the aluminized steel Al-Si protective layer if special precautions are not taken.
Synthesis and Characterization of a Dual-Cation Organomontmorillonite Nanocomposite
Authors: Wang Guifang , Xiao Huizhen , Zhang Shuai , Qiu Jun , Li Hengjun , Yang Meijin , Ma Shaojian , Komarneni Sridhar
Published: November 2018

In this study, a novel dual-cation organomontmorillonites (OMt) nanocomposite was synthesized by two kinds of modifiers cetyltrimethylammonium chloride and cysteamine hydrochloride, and the adsorption behavior of modifiers into montmorillonite (Mt) has been investigated. The OMt were characterized by techniques, such as X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, and thermogravimetric and differential thermal (TG-DTA) analyses. The effects of temperature, contact time, the order of addition and the concentration of organic modifiers on the amounts of organics adsorbed were investigated. The adsorption amount of cetyltrimethylammonium chloride (CTAC) and cysteamine hydrochloride (CSH) increased with the increase of the added CTAC amount and contact time, while the addition order of modifiers and modification temperature had no significant effect on the actual adsorption amount of CTAC and CSH on Mt, as confirmed by the XRD patterns. The experimentally determined isotherms showed a good fit with the Langmuir adsorption models. The adsorption kinetics demonstrated that the adsorption of CTAC and CSH by Mt followed the pseudo-second-order model, and CTAC adsorption rate on Mt was faster than that of CSH. FTIR spectrum clearly revealed the incorporation of surfactant ions into the interlayer region. The TG-DTA analyses showed that the total mass losses of OMt strongly depended on the molecular volume of modifiers.
Multi-Objective Optimizations for Microinjection Molding Process Parameters of Biodegradable Polymer Stent
Authors: Li Hongxia , Liu Kui , Zhao Danyang , Wang Minjie , Li Qian , Hou Jianhua
Published: November 2018

Microinjection molding technology for degradable polymer stents has good development potential. However, there is a very complicated relationship between molding quality and process parameters of microinjection, and it is hard to determine the best combination of process parameters to optimize the molding quality of polymer stent. In this study, an adaptive optimization method based on the kriging surrogate model is proposed to reduce the residual stress and warpage of stent during its injection molding. Integrating design of experiment (DOE) methods with the kriging surrogate model can approximate the functional relationship between design goals and design variables, replacing the expensive reanalysis of the stent residual stress and warpage during the optimization process. In this proposed optimization algorithm, expected improvement (EI) is used to balance local and global search. The finite element method (FEM) is used to simulate the micro-injection molding process of polymer stent. As an example, a typical polymer vascular stent ART18Z was studied, where four key process parameters are selected to be the design variables. Numerical results demonstrate that the proposed adaptive optimization method can effectively decrease the residual stress and warpage during the stent injection molding process.
Coherent Diffraction Imaging in Transmission Electron Microscopy for Atomic Resolution Quantitative Studies of the Matter
Authors: Carlino Elvio , Scattarella Francesco , Caro Liberato De , Giannini Cinzia , Siliqi Dritan , Colombo Alessandro , Galli Davide Emilio
Published: November 2018

The paper focuses on the development of electron coherent diffraction imaging in transmission electron microscopy, made in the, approximately, last ten years in our collaborative research group, to study the properties of materials at atomic resolution, overcoming the limitations due to the aberrations of the electron lenses and obtaining atomic resolution images, in which the distribution of the maxima is directly related to the specimen atomic potentials projected onto the microscope image detector. Here, it is shown how augmented coherent diffraction imaging makes it possible to achieve quantitative atomic resolution maps of the specimen atomic species, even in the presence of low atomic number atoms within a crystal matrix containing heavy atoms. This aim is achieved by: (i) tailoring the experimental set-up, (ii) improving the experimental data by properly treating parasitic diffused intensities to maximize the measure of the significant information, (iii) developing efficient methods to merge the information acquired in both direct and reciprocal spaces, (iv) treating the dynamical diffused intensities to accurately measure the specimen projected potentials, (v) improving the phase retrieval algorithms to better explore the space of solutions. Finally, some of the future perspectives of coherent diffraction imaging in a transmission electron microscope are given.
Deformation and Failure Behavior of Wooden Sandwich Composites with Taiji Honeycomb Core under a Three-Point Bending Test
Authors: Hao Jingxin , Wu Xinfeng , Oporto Gloria , Wang Jingxin , Dahle Gregory , Nan Nan
Published: November 2018

A new type of Taiji honeycomb structure bonded outside with wood-based laminates was characterized from a mechanical standpoint. Both theoretical and experimental methods were employed to analyze comprehensively the deformation behavior and failure mechanism under a three-point bending test. The analytical analysis reveals that a Taiji honeycomb has 3.5 times higher strength in compression and 3.44 times higher strength in shear compared with a traditional hexagonal honeycomb. Considering the strength-weight issue, the novel structure also displays an increase in compression strength of 1.75 times and shear strength of 1.72 times. Under a three-point bending test, indentation and core shear failure played the dominant role for the total failure of a wooden sandwich with Taiji honeycomb core. Typical face yield was not observed due to limited thickness-span ratio of specimens. Large spans weaken the loading level due to the contribution of global bending stress in the compressive skin to indentation failure. A set of analytical equations between mechanical properties and key structure parameters were developed to accurately predict the threshold stresses corresponding to the onset of those deformation events, which offer critical new knowledge for the rational structure design of wooden sandwich composites.
Assumption of Constraining Force to Explain Distortion in Laser Additive Manufacturing
Authors: Xie Deqiao , Zhao Jianfeng , Liang Huixin , Tian Zongjun , Shen Lida , Xiao Meng , Ahsan Muhammad Naveed , Wang Changjiang
Published: November 2018

Distortion is a common but unrevealed problem in metal additive manufacturing, due to the rapid melting in metallurgy and the intricate thermal-mechanical processes involved. We explain the distortion mechanism and major influencing factors by assumption of constraining force, which is assumed between the added layer and substrate. The constraining force was set to act on the substrate in a static structural finite element analysis (FEA) model. The results were compared with those of a thermal-mechanical FEA model and experiments. The constraining force and the associated static structural FEA showed trends in distortion and stress distribution similar to those shown by thermal-mechanical FEA and experiments. It can be concluded that the constraining force acting on the substrate is a major contributory factor towards the distortion mechanism. The constraining force seems to be primarily related to the material properties, temperature, and cross-sectional area of the added layer.
Effect of Samarium on the Microstructure and Corrosion Resistance of AZ91 Magnesium Alloy Treated by Ultrasonic Vibration
Authors: Chen Yang , Yin Zheng , Yan Hong , Zhou Guo-Hua , Wu Xiao-Quan , Hu Zhi
Published: November 2018

The effects of samarium (Sm) on the microstructure and corrosion behavior of AZ91 magnesium alloy treated by ultrasonic vibration were investigated by scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, and electrochemical measurements. The results showed that the addition of Sm resulted in the formation of Al2Sm, which reduced the volume fraction of the β-Mg17Al12 phase and changed its morphology to fine granular. The AZ91–Sm alloys treated by ultrasonic vibration revealed relatively lower weight loss, hydrogen evolution, and corrosion current density values compared to the ultrasonic-treated AZ91 alloy prepared without Sm. Locally, a coarse β phase in the ultrasonic-treated AZ91 alloy accelerated the possibility of micro-galvanic corrosion growing into the matrix. In the prepared AZ91–Sm alloys treated by ultrasonic vibration, the fine β and Al2Sm phases reduced the probability of micro-galvanic corrosion growth and, therefore, formed a uniform corrosion layer on the surface of the alloys.
Inverse Identification of Elastic Properties of Constituents of Discontinuously Reinforced Composites
Authors: Ogierman Witold
Published: November 2018

This paper is devoted to determination of elastic properties of composite constituents by using an inverse identification procedure. The aim of the developed identification procedure is to compute the elastic constants of individual material phases on the basis of known properties of composite materials. The inverse problem of identification has been solved by combining an evolutionary algorithm with a micromechanical model. The paper also focuses on selection of a suitable micromechanical model for optimization which should ensure a compromise between accuracy and complexity. Two different cases have been studied: composite reinforced with short cylindrical fibers and composite reinforced with cubic particles. Moreover, Monte Carlo simulations have been carried out to expose a difference in outcome of identification which may occur when uncertain input data is considered. Obtained results show that identification is successful only when properties of composite materials with at least two different volume fractions of the reinforcement are known.
Integrated Fault Detection Framework for Classifying Rotating Machine Faults Using Frequency Domain Data Fusion and Artificial Neural Networks
Authors: Luwei Kenisuomo C. , Yunusa-Kaltungo Akilu , Sha’aban Yusuf A.
Published: November 2018

The availability of complex rotating machines is vital for the prevention of catastrophic failures in a significant number of industrial operations. Reliability engineering theories stipulate that optimising the mean-time-to-repair (MTTR) for failed machines can immensely boost availability. In practice, however, a significant amount of time is taken to accurately detect and classify rotor-related anomalies which often negate the drive to achieve a truly robust maintenance decision-making system. Earlier studies have attempted to address these limitations by classifying the poly coherent composite spectra (pCCS) features generated at different machine speeds using principal components analysis (PCA). As valuable as the observations obtained were, the PCA-based classifications applied are linear which may or may not limit their applicability to some real-life machine vibration data that are often associated with certain degrees of non-linearities due to faults. Additionally, the PCA-based faults classification approach used in earlier studies sometimes lack the capability to self-learn which implies that routine machine health classifications would be done manually. The initial parts of the current paper were presented in the form of a thorough search of the literature related to the general concept of data fusion approaches in condition monitoring (CM) of rotation machines. Based on the potentials of pCCS features, the later parts of the article are concerned with the application of the same features for the exploration of a simplified two-staged artificial neural network (ANN) classification approach that could pave the way for the automatic classification of rotating machines faults. This preliminary examination of the classification accuracies of the networks at both stages of the algorithm offered encouraging results, as well as indicates a promising potential for this enhanced approach during field-based condition monitoring of critical rotating machines.
Determinant Forms, Difference Equations and Zeros of the q-Hermite-Appell Polynomials
Authors: Khan Subuhi , Nahid Tabinda
Published: November 2018

The present paper intends to introduce the hybrid form of q-special polynomials, namely q-Hermite-Appell polynomials by means of generating function and series definition. Some significant properties of q-Hermite-Appell polynomials such as determinant definitions, q-recurrence relations and q-difference equations are established. Examples providing the corresponding results for certain members belonging to this q-Hermite-Appell family are considered. In addition, graphs of certain q-special polynomials are demonstrated using computer experiment. Thereafter, distribution of zeros of these q-special polynomials is displayed.
The Coefficients of Powers of Bazilević Functions
Authors: Cho Nak Eun , Kumar Virendra , Park Ji Hyang
Published: November 2018

In the present work, a sharp bound on the modulus of the initial coefficients for powers of strongly Bazilević functions is obtained. As an application of these results, certain conditions are investigated under which the Littlewood-Paley conjecture holds for strongly Bazilević functions for large values of the parameters involved therein. Further, sharp estimate on the generalized Fekete-Szegö functional is also derived. Relevant connections of our results with the existing ones are also made.