bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Self-Assembly of the Bio-Surfactant Aescin in Solution: A Small-Angle X-ray Scattering and Fluorescence Study
Authors: Dargel Carina , Geisler Ramsia , Hannappel Yvonne , Kemker Isabell , Sewald Norbert , Hellweg Thomas
Published: April 2019

This work investigates the temperature-dependent micelle formation as well as the micellar structure of the saponin aescin. The critical micelle concentration ( c m c ) of aescin is determined from the concentration-dependent autofluorescence (AF) of aescin. Values between c m c aescin , AF (10 ∘ C) = 0.38 ± 0.09 mM and c m c aescin , AF (50 ∘ C) = 0.32 ± 0.13 mM were obtained. The significance of this method is verified by tensiometry measurements. The value determined from this method is within the experimental error identical with values obtained from autofluorescence ( c m c aescin , T ( WP ) (23 ∘ C) = 0.33 ± 0.02 mM). The structure of the aescin micelles was investigated by small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) at 10 and 40 ∘ C. At low temperature, the aescin micelles are rod-like, whereas at high temperature the structure is ellipsoidal. The radii of gyration were determined to ≈31 Å (rods) and ≈21 Å (ellipsoid). The rod-like shape of the aescin micelles at low temperature was confirmed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). All investigations were performed at a constant pH of 7.4, because the acidic aescin has the ability to lower the pH value in aqueous solution.
The Appropriation of Symbolic Language in Worldview Education through Bibliodrama
Authors: van den Berg Bas , Fortuin-van der Spek Cocky
Published: April 2019

One of the main questions regarding Dutch primary education in our secularised and religiously diverse society—both with regards to public and religiously-affiliated schools—is how to get students acquainted with the symbolic language of religious and worldview-affiliated life narratives. Teaching literacy in symbolic language has become less important in the education programmes of modern-day primary schools. The dominance of scientific descriptive language is evident in the majority of contemporary curricula. This language may be highly important for teaching mathematics and science, but for religious and cultural education, and for teaching art and history, symbolic language is the vehicle for acquiring knowledge, insight, and wisdom. Our aim in this article is to reflect on the idea that stimulating symbolic speech in primary school education through role playing, will bring out the sensitivity of current-day students to confer meaning to life questions and life themes.
Comparison of Local Volt/var Control Strategies for PV Hosting Capacity Enhancement of Low Voltage Feeders
Authors: Schultis Daniel-Leon
Published: April 2019

The PV hosting capacity of low voltage feeders is restricted by voltage and current limits, and in many cases, voltage limit violations are the limiting factor for photovoltaic integration. To control the voltage, local Volt/var control strategies absorb or inject reactive power, provoking an additional current. This study analyzes the hosting capacity increase potential and the associated additional grid losses of local cosφ(P)- and Q(U)-control of photovoltaic inverters, and of local L(U)-control of inductive devices and its combination with Q-Autarkic prosumers. Therefore, four theoretical and one real low voltage test-feeders with distinct structures are considered: long overhead line, short overhead line, long cable, short cable and branched cable. While the theoretical test-feeders host homogeneously distributed PV-plants, the real one hosts heterogeneously distributed PV-plants. Each test-feeder is used to conduct load flow simulations in the presence of no-control and the different control strategies separately, while gradually increasing the PV-penetration. The minimum PV-penetration that provokes voltage or current limit violations is compared for the different control strategies and test-feeders. Simulation results of the theoretical test-feeders show that the hosting capacity increase potential of all local Volt/var control strategies is higher for the overhead line feeders than for the cable ones. Local L(U)-control, especially its combination with Q-Autarkic prosumers, increases the hosting capacity of all low voltage test-feeders significantly. The PV-inverter-based local Volt/var control strategies, i.e., Q(U)- and cosφ(P)-control, enable lower hosting capacity increases; in particular, cosφ(P)-control causes high additional currents, allowing the feeder to host only a relatively small PV-module rating per prosumer. Q(U)- and cosφ(P)-control are not sufficient to increase the hosting capacity of the long cable feeder significantly; they provoke high additional grid losses for the overhead line test-feeders. Meanwhile, L(U)-control, especially its combination with Q-Autarkic prosumers, increases the hosting capacity of the long cable feeder significantly, causing high additional grid losses during peak production of PV-plants. Regarding the real test-feeder with heterogeneously distributed PV-plants, on the one hand, the same trend concerning the HC increase prevails for the real branched cable test-feeder as for the theoretical short cable one. On the other hand, higher losses occur for the branched feeder in the case of L(U)-control and its combination with Q-Autarkic prosumers, due to the lower voltage set-points that have to be used for the inductive devices. All in all, the use of local L(U)-control, whether combined with Q-Autarkic prosumers or not, enables the effective and complete utilization of the existing radial low voltage feeders.
An Embedded Sensor Node for the Surveillance of Power Quality
Authors: Guerrero-Rodríguez José-María , Cobos-Sánchez Clemente , González-de-la-Rosa Juan-José , Sales-Lérida Diego
Published: April 2019

The energy supply of office buildings and smart homes is a key issue in the global energy system. The growing use of microelectronics-based technology achieves new devices for a more comfortable life and wider use of electronic office equipment. On the one hand, these applications incorporate more and more sensitive electronic devices which are potentially affected by any external electrical transient. On the other hand, the existing electrical loads, which generally use electronic power systems (such as different types of battery chargers, ballasts, inverters, switching power supplies, etc.), generate different kinds of transients in their own electrical internal network. Moreover, improvements in the information of the state of the mains alternating current (AC) power line allows risk evaluation of any disturbance caused to permanently connected electronic equipment, such as computers, appliances, home security systems, phones, TVs, etc. For this reason, it is nowadays more important to introduce monitoring solutions into the electrical network to measure the level of power quality so that it can protect itself when necessary. This article describes a small and compact detector using a low-cost microcontroller and a very simple direct acquiring circuit. In addition; it analyzes different methods to implement various power quality (PQ) surveillance algorithms that can be implemented in this proposed minimum hardware platform. Hence; it is possible to achieve cheap and low-power monitoring devices that can become nodes of a wireless sensor network (WSN). The work shows that using a small computational effort; reasonable execution speed; and acceptable reliability; this solution can be used to detect a variety of large disturbance phenomena and spread the respective failure report through a 433 MHz or 2.4 GHz radio transmitter. Therefore, this work can easily be extended to the Internet of Things (IoT) paradigm. Simultaneously, a software application (PulsAC) has been developed to monitor the microcontroller’s real-time progress and detection capability. Moreover, this high-level code (C++ language), allows us to test and debug the different utilized algorithms that will be later run by the microcontroller unit. These tests have been performed with real signals introduced by a function generator and superimposed on the true AC sine wave
Explosion Characteristics of Propanol Isomer–Air Mixtures
Authors: Skřínský Jan , Ochodek Tadeáš
Published: April 2019

This paper describes a series of experiments performed to study the explosion characteristics of propanol isomer (1-propanol and 2-propanol)–air binary mixtures. The experiments were conducted in two different experimental arrangements—a 0.02 m3 oil-heated spherical vessel and a 1.00 m3 electro-heated spherical vessel—for different equivalence ratios between 0.3 and 1.7, and initial temperatures of 50, 100, and 150 °C. More than 150 pressure–time curves were recorded. The effects of temperature and test vessel volume on various explosion characteristics, such as the maximum explosion pressure, maximum rate of pressure rise, deflagration index, and the lower and upper explosion limits were investigated and the results were further compared with the results available in literature for other alcohols, namely methanol, ethanol, 1-butanol, and 1-pentanol. The most important results from evaluated experiments are the values of deflagration index 89–98 bar·m/s for 2-propanol and 105–108 bar·m/s for 1-propanol/2-propanol–air mixtures. These values are used to describe the effect of isomer blends on a deflagration process and to rate the effects of an explosion.
Effects of Drying Methods and Ash Contents on Heat-Induced Gelation of Porcine Plasma Protein Powder
Authors: Hou Chengli , Wang Wenting , Song Xuan , Wu Liguo , Zhang Dequan
Published: April 2019

Porcine blood plasma is a rich source of proteins with high nutritional and functional properties, which can be used as a food ingredient. The plasma is usually processed into powders in applications. In the present study, the effects of drying methods and ash contents on heat-induced gelation of plasma protein powder were investigated. The drying methods had a significant impact on the gel properties of the plasma powder heat-induced gels. The hardness and elasticity of the gels by freeze-dried and spray-dried plasma powders were lower than that of the liquid plasma (p < 0.05). The microstructures of dehydrated plasma were denser and the holes were smaller. The secondary structure of the gels from the spray-dried plasma protein powders exhibited more α-helixes and less β-turns than that from the freeze-dried powder and liquid plasma. The thermostability of dehydrated plasma powder was found to have decreased compared to the liquid plasma. Compared with the gels obtained from the high ash content plasma protein powders, the gel from the 6% ash content plasma powder had the highest water-holding capacity and had the lowest hardness and elasticity. However, the secondary structure and microstructures of the heat-induced gels were not affected by the ash contents in the plasma powders. These findings show that the gel properties of plasma protein powder can be finely affected by drying methods and ash contents.
New and Old Indices for Evaluating Heat Stress in an Indoor Environment: Some Considerations. Comment on Kownacki, L.; Gao, C.; Kuklane, K.; Wierzbicka, A. Heat Stress in Indoor Environments of Scandinavian Urban Areas: A Literature Review. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2019, 16 (4), 560. doi:10.3390/ijerph16040560
Authors: Chirico Francesco , Magnavita Nicola
Published: April 2019

In their review, Kownacki et al. showed some practical and easy to use workplace heat indices that are useful for indoor environments, namely the “Wet Bulb Globe Temperature” (WBGT), the “Predicted Heat Strain” (PHS) model, the “Thermal Work Limit” (TWL), the “Equivalent Temperature” (ET) and the thermal comfort index “PMV/PPD”. In this letter, the authors explain why the modified PMV/PPD method together with the indices combining temperature with humidity, such as the “Humidex Index” and the “Heat Index”, could be a more feasible and useful tool for evaluating potential thermal stress in indoor environments for both the occupational and general population.
Assessment of Air Pollution Aggravation during Straw Burning in Hubei, Central China
Authors: Zhu Bo , Zhang Yu , Chen Nan , Quan Jihong
Published: April 2019

Crop straw burning frequently occurs in Central China, where agriculture is highly productive. We carried out a two-month observation on straw burning in Hubei Province from September 1 to October 31, 2015 to track the variations of air pollutants and comprehensively quantify their influence on regional air quality. Results showed that the concentration of suspended particles (particles smaller than 2.5 or 10 µm, i.e., PM2.5/PM10) and gas pollutants including ozone (O3), sulfur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and carbon monoxide (CO) was significantly enhanced with the increasing number of fire spots. The average daily concentrations of PM10, PM2.5 and O3 during the intensive burning period (from October 12 to 25) exceeded the daily limits published by the World Health Organization (WHO) by 101.8, 72.7 and 59.1 μg/m3, respectively. In the hourly distribution of pollutant concentration, PM10, PM2.5, O3, SO2, NO2 and CO were 63.49%, 46.29%, 65.56%, 64.40%, 48.57% and 13.49% higher during burning periods than during non-burning periods. Statistical results based on the air quality index (AQI) indicated that biomass burning was the key factor for the deterioration of local air quality, with a contribution ratio exceeding 41%. Additionally, the pollutants were more spatially homogeneous during the burning period than during the non-burning period. Straw burning not only worsened the local air quality but also raised the pollution level of surrounding regions due to the transport of air mass.
A Meta-Analysis of the Rates of Suicide Ideation, Attempts and Deaths in People with Epilepsy
Authors: Abraham Nicholas , Buvanaswari P. , Rathakrishnan Rahul , Tran Bach X. , Thu Giang Vu. , Nguyen Long H. , Ho Cyrus S. , Ho Roger C.
Published: April 2019

This meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the association between epilepsy and suicide. We systematically searched PubMed, PsycINFO, Embase and Web of Science for studies that reported the prevalence of suicidality in the form of suicide ideation, attempts and deaths among people with epilepsy (PWE). Studies were included if they reported the numbers of patients who died by suicide and concurrently suffered from epilepsy, assessed suicide ideation, or studied suicide attempts in PWE by validated instruments or diagnostic interviews. We used the random effects model to calculate the pooled odds ratios (OR) and standard mean differences (SMDs). We performed subgroup analyses. Seven case-control studies were included in the comparison of rates of suicide attempts between PWE and controls, with a total of 821,594 participants. Our analyses demonstrated a positive association between epilepsy and suicide attempts (pooled OR = 3.25, 95% confidence interval (CI): 2.69–3.92, p < 0.001), indicating that PWE have an elevated risk of suicide. The pooled prevalence for suicide ideation (24 studies) and suicide attempts (18 studies) were 23.2% (95% CI: 0.176–0.301) and 7.4% (95% CI: 0.031–0.169) respectively. The pooled rate of death due to suicide (10 studies) was 0.5% (95% CI: 0.002–0.016). Meta-regression showed that mean age and proportion of male gender were significant moderators for prevalence of suicide attempts and death due to suicide in PWE. Young PWE could be triggered by relationship problems and male PWE might use more lethal methods to attempt suicide. This meta-analysis provides the most up-to-date information on the prevalence of suicide among people with epilepsy and guidance on strategies to improve current psychiatric services provided for this population.
Spatial Analysis of Built Environment Risk for Respiratory Health and Its Implication for Urban Planning: A Case Study of Shanghai
Authors: Wang Lan , Sun Wenyao , Zhou Kaichen , Zhang Minlu , Bao Pingping
Published: April 2019

Urban planning has been proven and is expected to promote public health by improving the built environment. With a focus on respiratory health, this paper explores the impact of the built environment on the incidence of lung cancer and its planning implications. While the occurrence of lung cancer is a complicated and cumulative process, it would be valuable to discover the potential risks of the built environment. Based on the data of 52,009 lung cancer cases in Shanghai, China from 2009 to 2013, this paper adopts spatial analytical methods to unravel the spatial distribution of lung cancer cases. With the assistance of geographic information system and Geo-Detector, this paper identifies certain built environments that are correlated with the distribution pattern of lung cancer cases in Shanghai, including the percentage of industrial land (which explains 28% of the cases), location factors (11%), and the percentages of cultivated land and green space (6% and 5%, respectively). Based on the quantitative study, this paper facilitates additional consideration and planning intervention measures for respiratory health such as green buffering. It is an ecological study to illustrate correlation that provides approaches for further study to unravel the causality of disease incidence and the built environment.
The Next Frontier in Health Geography: Context and Implications for Interventions
Authors: Curtis Andrew , Curtis Jacqueline
Published: April 2019

During an opening panel of the 2018 International Health Congress in Oxford, a question was raised as to how protection could be offered to young researchers in particular who explore new ideas [...]
Study on Benefit Coordination of Supply Chain Network Based on Green Development
Authors: Gao Xiong , Wang Yuhong
Published: April 2019

Based on Stackelberg’s master–slave game theory and green index decision-making conditions, this paper studies the benefit coordination of a supply chain network composed of a business flow network and logistics network, discusses the decision-making behavior of the main body of the supply chain network under the performance of green contracts or speculative behavior, respectively, and further constructs the supply chain network collaborative benefit coordination model under the guidance of a manufacturer considering a green development index. The supply chain network interest coordination model analyzes the relationship between the dominant manufacturer behavior and the supply chain network green index and network profit. The results show that fulfilling green contracts helps improve the profitability and sustainability of supply chain networks. A counter-intuitive but interesting result is that the dominant manufacturers increase the cost-sharing ratio or penalties of the logistics network, which will reduce the profit level and green index of the logistics network, and increase the cost-sharing ratio or punishment of the suppliers. Strength will increase the profitability and green index of the logistics network. Finally, we validate the relevant conclusions of the model through numerical simulation analysis.
Difference of Airborne Particulate Matter Concentration in Urban Space with Different Green Coverage Rates in Baoji, China
Authors: Qiu Ling , Liu Fang , Zhang Xiang , Gao Tian
Published: April 2019

With the acceleration of urbanization and industrialization, the problem of airborne particulate pollution has become more and more serious. Green areas in urban spaces with different green coverage rates in Baoji City were selected to quantitatively compare the effects and differences of month, time, temperature, humidity, wind velocity, vegetation structure, and area of site on PM2.5 and PM10 concentration. The results showed that increasing the urban green coverage rate will help to improve the green area’s reduction of airborne particulate matter concentration and the selected factors affecting the green area’s reduction ability were discrepant in urban spaces with different green coverage rates. With the decrease of the green coverage rate, the purification effect of green area itself on air particles was weakened, and other factors, such as meteorological conditions and human activities, became the dominant influencing factors. Vegetation structure only had significant effects on the concentration of PM2.5 and PM10 in green areas of urban space with a green coverage rate greater than 75%. The concentration of PM2.5 and PM10 were lowest in the partly closed green area of one-layered coniferous trees and the closed green area of one-layered mixed trees. The research shows that green areas in urban spaces with different green coverage rates have different reduction effects on the concentration of airborne particles, which provides a theoretical basis and reference for the optimization of green area structures and to improve air quality effectively in the future.
Menstrual Cycle Disorders in Professional Female Rhythmic Gymnasts
Authors: Czajkowska Mariola , Plinta Ryszard , Rutkowska Magdalena , Brzęk Anna , Skrzypulec-Plinta Violetta , Drosdzol-Cop Agnieszka
Published: April 2019

The aim of this research was to compare menstrual cycles, menstrual disorders, and the prevalence of premenstrual syndrome (PMS)and premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) in professional female gymnasts and their peers who donot practice any sport, and to identify factors causing a predisposition to premenstrual tension syndrome and premenstrual dysphoric disorders in both groups. The prospective study involved apopulation of 85 girls. The study group consisted of 45 professional female gymnasts (15–17 years of age) who lived inthe territory of Silesia, in the southern area of Poland. The control group consisted of 40 girls of the same age who lived in the same area but did not professionally practice any sport. The research tools included a questionnaire, a daily diary of PMS symptoms, a daily diary of PMDD symptoms, and a premenstrual symptom screening tool (PSST). The study showed that intensive physical activity undertaken by girls before their first menstruation is a menarche-delaying factor andthat competitive sport promotes premenstrual syndrome and premenstrual dysphoric disorder. The risk factors for PMS and PMDD were also identified, andincluded alcohol and coffee consumption.
The Effect of Ethyl Alcohol upon Pedestrian Trauma Sustained in Traffic Crashes
Authors: Pawłowski Witold , Lasota Dorota , Goniewicz Mariusz , Rzońca Patryk , Goniewicz Krzysztof , Krajewski Paweł
Published: April 2019

Introduction: Every year more than 1.2 million people worldwide die due to trauma sustained in road crashes, with an additional number of people injured exceeding 50 million. To a large extent, this applies to so called “unprotected road users”, including pedestrians. The risk involved in a traffic crash for pedestrians can result from many factors, one of which is participation in road traffic when under the influence of alcohol. The aim of this study was to analyze the impact of alcohol use among pedestrians as unprotected road traffic participants, and the consequences of them being struck by motor vehicles. Material and methods: The source of data was the medical documentation of the Department of Forensic Medicine at the Medical University of Warsaw. The sample for this research consisted of 313 pedestrians who were victims of fatal road crashes resulting from a collision with a mechanical vehicle. The obtained results were subjected to statistical analysis using the STATISTICA version 12.5 program (StatSoft Polska, Cracow, Poland). Results: Male fatalities constituted the majority of the study sample. Nearly half of the fatal pedestrian victims were found to be under the influence of alcohol. The statistical analysis demonstrated a significant relationship between the gender and age of the victims, as well as between the place of the event, the place of death, the mechanism of the event, and the presence of alcohol in pedestrians. Conclusions: Among pedestrians, victims of road crashes who were under the influence of alcohol were predominantly drunk young males. Victims under the influence of alcohol were more likely to become fatalities in crashes where the mechanism of the incident was being struck by a passenger car, and when the place of the incident was a rural area, in these cases the rates of death directly at the scene were much more frequent. The eradication of alcohol consumption by all road users should be the overriding objective of all measures aimed at reducing the number of road crashes.
Different Associations between DC-SIGN Promoter-336G/A (rs4804803) Polymorphism with Severe Dengue in Asians and South-Central Americans: a Meta-Analysis
Authors: Ren Jiangping , Wang Zhengting , Chen Enfu
Published: April 2019

Objective: This study was conducted to identify the association between rs4804803 polymorphism in DC-SIGN with the susceptibility of severe dengue. Methods: A comprehensive search was conducted to identify all eligible papers in PubMed, Web of Science, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), and Google Scholar. Odds ratios (ORs) and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) were used to assess the association. Subgroup analyses were performed by ethnicity. Sensitivity analyses were performed through employing different statistical models (fixed versus random effect model). Results: A total of nine papers and 12 studies, with 1520 severe dengue and 1496 clinical dengue infection were included. The overall meta-analysis revealed significant associations between rs4804803 and severe dengue under the recession (GG versus GA/AA: OR = 0.44, 95%CI, 0.23–0.82) and a codominant model (GG versus AA: OR = 0.43, 95%CI, 0.23–0.81), but sensitivity analysis indicated that the significant pooled ORs were not robust. The subgroup analysis suggested that the carrier of G in rs4804803 was a risk factor for severe dengue under dominant (GG/GA versus AA: OR = 1.86,95%CI, 1.01–3.45), superdominant (GA versus GG/AA: OR = 1.81,95%CI, 1.02–3.21) and a codominant (GA versus AA: OR=1.82,95%CI, 1.02–3.26) models in Asians, while it was a protective factor for severe dengue in South-central Americans under recessive (GG versus GA/AA: OR = 0.27,95%CI, 0.10–0.70) and codominant (GG versus AA: OR=0.24,95%CI, 0.09–0.64) models. The results from subgroup analysis were robust. Conclusions: Dendritic cell-specific intercellular adhesion molecule-3-grabbing non-integrin (DC-SIGN) promoter-336G/A (rs4804803) polymorphism is association with severe dengue, and it acts in different directions for Asians and South-central Americans.
Feasibility of Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy and Hyperspectral Imaging for Rapid Detection of Thiophanate-Methyl Residue on Mulberry Fruit
Authors: Wu Di , Meng Liuwei , Yang Liang , Wang Jingyu , Fu Xiaping , Du Xiaoqiang , Li Shaojia , He Yong , Huang Lingxia
Published: April 2019

An effective and rapid way to detect thiophanate-methyl residue on mulberry fruit is important for providing consumers with quality and safe of mulberry fruit. Chemical methods are complex, time-consuming, and costly, and can result in sample contamination. Rapid detection of thiophanate-methyl residue on mulberry fruit was studied using laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) and hyperspectral imaging (HSI) techniques. Principal component analysis (PCA) and partial least square regression (PLSR) were used to qualitatively and quantitatively analyze the data obtained by using LIBS and HSI on mulberry fruit samples with different thiophanate-methyl residues. The competitive adaptive reweighted sampling algorithm was used to select optimal variables. The results of model calibration were compared. The best result was given by the PLSR model that used the optimal preprocessed LIBS–HSI variables, with a correlation coefficient of 0.921 for the prediction set. The results of this research confirmed the feasibility of using LIBS and HSI for the rapid detection of thiophanate-methyl residue on mulberry fruit.
Chiral Recognition of Hexahelicene on a Surface via the Forming of Asymmetric Heterochiral Trimers
Authors: Zhang Hong , Liu Hong , Shen Chengshuo , Gan Fuwei , Su Xuelei , Qiu Huibin , Yang Bo , Yu Ping
Published: April 2019

Chiral recognition among helical molecules is of essential importance in many chemical and biochemical processes. The complexity necessitates investigating manageable model systems for unveiling the fundamental principles of chiral recognition at the molecular level. Here, we reported chiral recognition in the self-assembly of enantiopure and racemic hexahelicene on a Au(111) surface. Combing scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) measurements, the asymmetric heterochiral trimers were observed as a new type of building block in racemic helicene self-assembly on Au(111). The intermolecular recognition of the heterochiral trimer was investigated upon manual separation so that the absolute configuration of each helicene molecule was unambiguously determined one by one, thus confirming that the trimer was “2+1” in handedness. These heterochiral trimers showed strong stability upon different coverages, which was also supported by theoretical calculations. Our results provide valuable insights for understanding the intermolecular recognition of helical molecules.
TET1 Knockdown Inhibits Porphyromonas gingivalis LPS/IFN-γ-Induced M1 Macrophage Polarization through the NF-κB Pathway in THP-1 Cells
Authors: Huang Yanlan , Tian Cheng , Li Qimeng , Xu Qiong
Published: April 2019

Tet-eleven translocation 1 (TET1) is a dioxygenase that plays an important role in decreasing the abundance of DNA methylation and changing the expression levels of specific genes related to inflammation. Porphyromonas gingivalis (Pg.) lipopolysaccharide (LPS) can induce periodontal diseases that present with severe bone loss and collagen fiber destruction accompanied by a high number of M1 macrophages. M1-polarized macrophages are pivotal immune cells that promote the progression of the periodontal inflammatory response, but the function of TET1 during M1 macrophage activation is still unknown. Our results showed that the mRNA and protein expression levels of TET1 decreased in THP-1 cells during M1 macrophage differentiation. TET1 knockdown resulted in a significant decrease in the production of proinflammatory markers such as IL-6, TNF-α, CCL2, and HLA-DR in Pg. LPS/IFN-γ- and Escherichia coli (E. coli) LPS/IFN-γ-induced M1 macrophages. Mechanistically, TET1 knockdown downregulated the activity of the NF-κB signaling pathway. After treatment with the NF-κB inhibitor BAY 11-7082, M1 marker expression showed no significant difference between the TET1 knockdown group and the control group. Taken together, these results suggest that TET1 depletion inhibited Pg. LPS/IFN-γ-induced M1 macrophage polarization through the NF-κB pathway in THP-1 cells.
Aquaporin Channels in the Heart—Physiology and Pathophysiology
Authors: Verkerk Arie O. , Lodder Elisabeth M. , Wilders Ronald
Published: April 2019

Mammalian aquaporins (AQPs) are transmembrane channels expressed in a large variety of cells and tissues throughout the body. They are known as water channels, but they also facilitate the transport of small solutes, gasses, and monovalent cations. To date, 13 different AQPs, encoded by the genes AQP0–AQP12, have been identified in mammals, which regulate various important biological functions in kidney, brain, lung, digestive system, eye, and skin. Consequently, dysfunction of AQPs is involved in a wide variety of disorders. AQPs are also present in the heart, even with a specific distribution pattern in cardiomyocytes, but whether their presence is essential for proper (electro)physiological cardiac function has not intensively been studied. This review summarizes recent findings and highlights the involvement of AQPs in normal and pathological cardiac function. We conclude that AQPs are at least implicated in proper cardiac water homeostasis and energy balance as well as heart failure and arsenic cardiotoxicity. However, this review also demonstrates that many effects of cardiac AQPs, especially on excitation-contraction coupling processes, are virtually unexplored.
Role of Metabolic Reprogramming in Epithelial–Mesenchymal Transition (EMT)
Authors: Kang Hyunkoo , Kim Hyunwoo , Lee Sungmin , Youn HyeSook , Youn BuHyun
Published: April 2019

Activation of epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) is thought to be an essential step for cancer metastasis. Tumor cells undergo EMT in response to a diverse range of extra- and intracellular stimulants. Recently, it was reported that metabolic shifts control EMT progression and induce tumor aggressiveness. In this review, we summarize the involvement of altered glucose, lipid, and amino acid metabolic enzyme expression and the underlying molecular mechanisms in EMT induction in tumor cells. Moreover, we propose that metabolic regulation through gene-specific or pharmacological inhibition may suppress EMT and this treatment strategy may be applied to prevent tumor progression and improve anti-tumor therapeutic efficacy. This review presents evidence for the importance of metabolic changes in tumor progression and emphasizes the need for further studies to better understand tumor metabolism.
Neuropilins Controlling Cancer Therapy Responsiveness
Authors: Napolitano Virginia , Tamagnone Luca
Published: April 2019

Neuropilins (NRPs) are cell surface glycoproteins, acting as co-receptors for secreted Semaphorins (SEMAs) and for members of the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) family; they have been initially implicated in axon guidance and angiogenesis regulation, and more recently in cancer progression. In addition, NRPs have been shown to control many other fundamental signaling pathways, especially mediated by tyrosine kinase receptors (RTKs) of growth factors, such as HGF (hepatocyte growth factor), PDGF (platelet derived growth factor) and EGF (epidermal growth factor). This enables NRPs to control a range of pivotal mechanisms in the cancer context, from tumor cell proliferation and metastatic dissemination, to tumor angiogenesis and immune escape. Moreover, cancer treatment failures due to resistance to innovative oncogene-targeted drugs is typically associated with the activity of alternative RTK-dependent pathways; and neuropilins’ capacity to control oncogenic signaling cascades supports the hypothesis that they could elicit such mechanisms in cancer cells, in order to escape cytotoxic stress and therapeutic attacks. Intriguingly, several studies have recently assayed the impact of NRPs inhibition in combination with diverse anti-cancer drugs. In this minireview, we will discuss the state-of-art about the relevance of NRPs as potential predictive biomarkers of drug response, and the rationale to target these proteins in combination with other anticancer therapies.
Xenobiotics Formed during Food Processing: Their Relation with the Intestinal Microbiota and Colorectal Cancer
Authors: Nogacka Alicja , Gómez-Martín María , Suárez Adolfo , González-Bernardo Oscar , de los Reyes-Gavilán Clara , González Sonia
Published: April 2019

The colonic epithelium is exposed to a mixture of compounds through diet, among which some are procarcinogens, whereas others have a protective effect. Therefore, the net impact of these compounds on human health depends on the overall balance between all factors involved. Strong scientific evidence has demonstrated the relationship between nitrosamines (NA), heterocyclic amines (HCAs), and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), which are the major genotoxins derived from cooking and food processing, and cancer. The mechanisms of the relationship between dietary toxic xenobiotics and cancer risk are not yet well understood, but it has been suggested that differences in dietary habits affect the colonic environment by increasing or decreasing the exposure to mutagens directly and indirectly through changes in the composition and activity of the gut microbiota. Several changes in the proportions of specific microbial groups have been proposed as risk factors for the development of neoplastic lesions and the enrichment of enterotoxigenic microbial strains in stool. In addition, changes in the gut microbiota composition and activity promoted by diet may modify the faecal genotoxicity/cytotoxicity, which can be associated with a higher or lower risk of developing cancer. Therefore, the interaction between dietary components and intestinal bacteria may be a modifiable factor for the development of colorectal cancer in humans and deserves more attention in the near future.
Molecular and Cellular Networks in The Suprachiasmatic Nuclei
Authors: El Cheikh Hussein Lama , Mollard Patrice , Bonnefont Xavier
Published: April 2019

Why do we experience the ailments of jetlag when we travel across time zones? Why is working night-shifts so detrimental to our health? In other words, why can’t we readily choose and stick to non-24 h rhythms? Actually, our daily behavior and physiology do not simply result from the passive reaction of our organism to the external cycle of days and nights. Instead, an internal clock drives the variations in our bodily functions with a period close to 24 h, which is supposed to enhance fitness to regular and predictable changes of our natural environment. This so-called circadian clock relies on a molecular mechanism that generates rhythmicity in virtually all of our cells. However, the robustness of the circadian clock and its resilience to phase shifts emerge from the interaction between cell-autonomous oscillators within the suprachiasmatic nuclei (SCN) of the hypothalamus. Thus, managing jetlag and other circadian disorders will undoubtedly require extensive knowledge of the functional organization of SCN cell networks. Here, we review the molecular and cellular principles of circadian timekeeping, and their integration in the multi-cellular complexity of the SCN. We propose that new, in vivo imaging techniques now enable to address these questions directly in freely moving animals.
Understanding Ocean Acoustics by Eigenray Analysis
Authors: Hovem Jens M. , Dong Hefeng
Published: April 2019

Acoustics is important for all underwater systems for object detection, classification, surveillance systems, and communication. However, underwater acoustics is often difficult to understand, and even the most carefully conducted measurements may often give unexpected results. The use of theory and acoustic modelling in support of measurements is very important since theory tends to be better behaved and more consistent than experiments, and useful to acquire better knowledge about the physics principle. This paper, having a tutorial flair, concerns the use of ray modelling and in particular eigenray analysis to obtain increased knowledge and understanding of underwater acoustic propagation.
On Opial’s Type Integral Inequalities
Authors: Zhao Chang-Jian
Published: April 2019

In the article we establish some new Opial’s type inequalities involving higher order partial derivatives. These new inequalities, in special cases, yield Agarwal-Pang’s, Pachpatte’s and Das’s type inequalities.
Conformational Dynamics of the RNA G-Quadruplex and its Effect on Translation Efficiency
Authors: Endoh Tamaki , Sugimoto Naoki
Published: April 2019

During translation, intracellular mRNA folds co-transcriptionally and must refold following the passage of ribosome. The mRNAs can be entrapped in metastable structures during these folding events. In the present study, we evaluated the conformational dynamics of the kinetically favored, metastable, and hairpin-like structure, which disturbs the thermodynamically favored G-quadruplex structure, and its effect on co-transcriptional translation in prokaryotic cells. We found that nascent mRNA forms a metastable hairpin-like structure during co-transcriptional folding instead of the G-quadruplex structure. When the translation progressed co-transcriptionally before the metastable hairpin-like structure transition to the G-quadruplex, function of the G-quadruplex as a roadblock of the ribosome was sequestered. This suggested that kinetically formed RNA structures had a dominant effect on gene expression in prokaryotes. The results of this study indicate that it is critical to consider the conformational dynamics of RNA-folding to understand the contributions of the mRNA structures in controlling gene expression.
Chemical Composition, Antimicrobial and Antiparasitic Screening of the Essential Oil from Phania matricarioides (Spreng.) Griseb.
Authors: Gutiérrez Yamilet , Scull Ramón , Villa Anabel , Satyal Prabodh , Cos Paul , Monzote Lianet , Setzer William
Published: April 2019

Essential oils (EOs) have gained increasing attention due to their pharmacological effectiveness, and they also constitute some of the most popular natural products. In this study, we present the chemical characterization of the EO from Phania matricarioides and the in vitro activity/selectivity against a wide panel of bacteria, fungi and parasitic protozoa. Forty-five compounds were identified in the studied EO, of which lavandulyl acetate (40.1%) and thymyl isobutyrate (13.9%) were the major components. The EO did not inhibit bacterial or fungal growth at the maximum concentration tested (64 µg/mL), although it displayed activity on all evaluated protozoa (IC50 values ranging from 2.2 to 56.6 µg/mL). In parallel, the EO demonstrated a noteworthy cytotoxic activity against peritoneal macrophages (CC50 values of 28.0 µg/mL). The most sensitive microorganism was Trypanosoma cruzi, which had a superior activity (IC50 = 2.2 µg/mL) and selectivity (SI = 13) in respect to other parasitic protozoa and the reference drug (p < 0.05). Further in vivo studies are needed to evaluate the potential use of this EO and the main compounds as antitrypanosomal agents. To our knowledge, this is the first report of chemical characterization and antimicrobial assessment of the EO from P. matricarioides.
Volatile Organic Compound and Fatty Acid Profile of Milk from Cows and Buffaloes Fed Mycorrhizal or Nonmycorrhizal Ensiled Forage
Authors: Genovese Alessandro , Marrazzo Andrea , De Luca Lucia , Romano Raffaele , Manzo Nadia , Masucci Felicia , Di Francia Antonio , Sacchi Raffaele
Published: April 2019

Seed inoculation of forage crops by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) generally results in higher profitability, but also modifies the chemical composition of silage in terms of increased biomass, protein, and dry matter. Raw milk aroma is affected by the type of feed. This work investigated the influence of ensiled forage obtained by seed inoculation with AMF on the volatile fractions and fatty acid composition of milk. Two experiments were carried out: in the first, buffaloes were fed maize silage, and in the second, cows were fed sorghum silage. The volatile fractions of milk were quantified by headspace solid-phase micro-extraction (HS-SPME), combined with gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS), and fatty acids by gas chromatography (GC). The ensiled forage obtained with AMF increased saturated fatty acids (SFAs), and decreased monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) in both experiments. The volatile fraction in milk samples obtained from bovines fed mycorrhizal ensiled forage showed an increase of free fatty acids and ketones, responsible for cheesy and fruity odors. Aldehydes, responsible for green and grassy notes, increased only in the milk from buffaloes fed ensiled maize. Our results suggest that inoculation of maize and sorghum seed with AMF, combined with a low rate of fertilizers, leads to ensiled forage that could slightly affect the FA profile and odor quality of milk.
Fused in Sarcoma: Properties, Self-Assembly and Correlation with Neurodegenerative Diseases
Authors: Chen Chen , Ding Xiufang , Akram Nimrah , Xue Song , Luo Shi-Zhong
Published: April 2019

Fused in sarcoma (FUS) is a DNA/RNA binding protein that is involved in RNA metabolism and DNA repair. Numerous reports have demonstrated by pathological and genetic analysis that FUS is associated with a variety of neurodegenerative diseases, including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD), and polyglutamine diseases. Traditionally, the fibrillar aggregation of FUS was considered to be the cause of those diseases, especially via its prion-like domains (PrLDs), which are rich in glutamine and asparagine residues. Lately, a nonfibrillar self-assembling phenomenon, liquid–liquid phase separation (LLPS), was observed in FUS, and studies of its functions, mechanism, and mutual transformation with pathogenic amyloid have been emerging. This review summarizes recent studies on FUS self-assembling, including both aggregation and LLPS as well as their relationship with the pathology of ALS, FTLD, and other neurodegenerative diseases.
Calculation of the Isobaric Heat Capacities of the Liquid and Solid Phase of Organic Compounds at and around 298.15 K Based on Their “True” Molecular Volume
Authors: Naef Rudolf
Published: April 2019

A universally applicable method for the prediction of the isobaric heat capacities of the liquid and solid phase of molecules at 298.15 K is presented, derived from their “true” volume. The molecules’ “true” volume in A3 is calculated on the basis of their geometry-optimized structure and the Van-der-Waals radii of their constituting atoms by means of a fast numerical algorithm. Good linear correlations of the “true” volume of a large number of compounds encompassing all classes and sizes with their experimental liquid and solid heat capacities over a large range have been found, although noticeably distorted by intermolecular hydrogen-bond effects. To account for these effects, the total amount of 1303 compounds with known experimental liquid heat capacities has been subdivided into three subsets consisting of 1102 hydroxy-group-free compounds, 164 monoalcohols/monoacids, and 36 polyalcohols/polyacids. The standard deviations for Cp(liq,298) were 20.7 J/mol/K for the OH-free compunds, 22.91 J/mol/K for the monoalcohols/monoacids and 16.03 J/mol/K for the polyols/polyacids. Analogously, 797 compounds with known solid heat capacities have been separated into a subset of 555 OH-free compounds, 123 monoalcohols/monoacids and 119 polyols/polyacids. The standard deviations for Cp(sol,298) were calculated to 23.14 J/mol/K for the first, 21.62 J/mol/K for the second, and 19.75 J/mol/K for the last subset. A discussion of structural and intermolecular effects influencing the heat capacities as well as of some special classes, in particular hydrocarbons, ionic liquids, siloxanes and metallocenes, has been given. In addition, the present method has successfully been extended to enable the prediction of the temperature dependence of the solid and liquid heat capacities in the range between 250 and 350 K.
The Ancient Samaritans and Greek Culture
Authors: van der Horst Pieter W.
Published: April 2019

After the conquest of the Near East by Alexander the Great in 332 BCE, the Samaritans, like all other peoples in the region, fell under the influence of Greek culture. In a gradual process of Hellenization, the Samaritans developed their own variant of Hellenism. The extant fragments of Samaritan literature in Greek, as well as quite a number of Greco-Samaritan inscriptions (both in Palestine and the diaspora) testify to the existence of a variegated Samaritan Hellenism.