bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Investigation on the Stability of Random Vortices in an Ion Concentration Polarization Layer with Imposed Normal Fluid Flow
Authors: Choi Jihye , Mani Ali , Lee Hyomin , Kim Sung Jae
Published: May 2020

While nanoscale electrokinetic studies based on ion concentration polarization has been actively researched recently, random vortices naturally occur, leading to significantly destabilize in laboratory experiments or practical applications. These random vortices agitate the fluid inside microchannels and let the sample molecules seriously leak out preventing them from being controlled. Therefore, several trials have been reported to regulate those uninvited fluctuations by fluid flow tangential to a nanoporous membrane. Indeed, the influence of normal flow should be studied since the mass transport happens in the normal direction to the membrane. Thus, in this work, the nonlinear influence of normal flow to the instability near ion-selective surface was investigated by fully-coupled direct numerical simulation using COMSOL Multiphysics. The investigation on the effect of normal flow revealed that a space charge layer plays a significant role in the onset and growth of instability. The normal flow from the reservoir into the ion-selective surface pushed the space charge layer and decreased the size of vortices. However, there existed a maximum point for the growth of instability. The squeeze of the space charge layer increased the gradient of ion concentration in the layer, which resulted in escalating the velocity of vortices. On the other hand, the normal flow from the ion-selective surface into the reservoir suppressed the instability by spreading ions in the expanding space charge layer, leading to the reduction of ion concentration delayed the onset of instability. These two different mechanisms rendered asymmetric transition of stability as a function of the Peclet number and applied voltage. Therefore, this investigation would help understand the growth of instability and control the inevitable random vortices for the inhibition of fluid-agitation and leakage.
Three-Dimensional Regularized Focusing Migration: A Case Study from the Yucheng Mining Area, Shandong, China
Authors: Ding Yidan , Ma Guoqing , Xiong Shengqing , Wang Haoran
Published: May 2020

Gravity migration is a fast imaging technique based on the migration concept to obtain subsurface density distribution. For higher resolution of migration imaging results, we propose a 3D regularized focusing migration method that implements migration imaging of an entire gravity survey with a focusing stabilizer based on regularization theory. When determining the model parameters, the iterative direction is chosen as the conjugate migration direction, and the step size is selected on the basis of the Wolfe–Powell conditions. The model tests demonstrate that the proposed method can improve the resolution and precision of imaging results, especially for blocky structures. At the same time, the method has high computational efficiency, which allows rapid imaging for large-scale gravity data. It also has high stability in noisy conditions. The developed novel method is applied to interpret gravity data collected from the skarn-type iron deposits in Yucheng, Shandong province. Migration results show that the depth of the buried iron ore in this area is 750–1500 m, which is consistent with the drilling data. We also provide recommendations for further mineral exploration in the survey area. This method can be used to complete rapid global imaging of large mining areas and it provides important technical support for exploration of deep, concealed deposits.
Coexisting Rubies and Blue Sapphires from Major World Deposits: A Brief Review of Their Mineralogical Properties
Authors: Palke Aaron C.
Published: May 2020

Gem corundum deposits are typically divided into blue sapphire and ruby deposits. However, this classification often overlooks the fact that the precious stones produced are the same mineral with only an overall slight difference in their trace element profiles. It can take only a couple thousand ppm chromium to create the rich, red color expected of a ruby. This contribution deals specifically with economically important gem corundum mining regions that produce both blue sapphires and rubies either in comparable quantities (Mogok, Myanmar, and the basalt-related gem fields on the border between Thailand and Cambodia at Chanthaburi, Thailand, and Pailin, Cambodia) or predominantly blue sapphires with rare rubies (secondary Montana sapphire deposits and Yogo Gulch in Montana as well as the gem fields of Sri Lanka). Comparison of the trace element profiles and inclusions in the blue sapphire/ruby assemblages in these deposits shows that there are both monogenetic and polygenetic assemblages in which the blue sapphires and rubies have the same geological origin (monogenetic) or distinct geological origins (polygenetic). In the monogenetic assemblages, the rubies and blue sapphires have essentially indistinguishable inclusions and trace element chemistry profiles (with the exception of Cr contents). On the other hand, polygenetic assemblages are composed of rubies and blue sapphires with distinct inclusions and trace element chemistry profiles. Notably, in the monogenetic assemblages, chromium seems to vary independently from other trace elements. In these assemblages, Cr can vary by nearly four orders of magnitude with essentially no consistent relationship to other trace elements. The observations described herein are an attempt to address the question of what the geochemical and geological constraints are that turn gem corundum into a spectacular ruby.
Anticancer Ruthenium Complexes with HDAC Isoform Selectivity
Authors: Cross Jasmine M. , Blower Tim R. , Kingdon Alexander D. H. , Pal Robert , Picton David M. , Walton James W.
Published: May 2020

The histone deacetylase (HDAC) enzymes have emerged as an important class of molecular targets in cancer therapy, with five inhibitors in clinical use. Recently, it has been shown that a lack of selectivity between the 11 Zn-dependent HDAC isoforms may lead to unwanted side-effects. In this paper, we show that piano stool Ru complexes can act as HDAC inhibitors, and variation in the capping arene leads to differences in HDAC isoform selectivity.
Novel Insights into the Thioesterolytic Activity of N-Substituted Pyridinium-4-oximes
Authors: Foretić Blaženka , Damjanović Vladimir , Vianello Robert , Picek Igor
Published: May 2020

The pyridinium oximes are known esterolytic agents, usually classified in the literature as catalysts, which mimic the catalytic mode of hydrolases. Herein, we combined kinetic and computational studies of the pyridinium-4-oxime-mediated acetylthiocholine (AcSCh+) hydrolysis to provide novel insights into their potential catalytic activity. The N-methyl- and N-benzylpyridinium-4-oximes have been tested as oximolytic agents toward the AcSCh+, while the newly synthesized O-acetyl-N-methylpyridinium-4-oxime iodide was employed for studying the consecutive hydrolytic reaction. The relevance of the AcSCh+ hydrolysis as a competitive reaction to AcSCh+ oximolysis was also investigated. The reactions were independently studied spectrophotometrically and rate constants, koxime, kw and kOH, were evaluated over a convenient pH-range at I = 0.1 M and 25 °C. The catalytic action of pyridinium-4-oximes comprises two successive stages, acetylation (oximolysis) and deacetylation stage (pyridinium-4-oxime-ester hydrolysis), the latter being crucial for understanding the whole catalytic cycle. The complete mechanism is presented by the free energy reaction profiles obtained with (CPCM)/M06–2X/6–311++G(2df,2pd)//(CPCM)/M06–2X/6–31+G(d) computational model. The comparison of the observed rates of AcSCh+ oximolytic cleavage and both competitive AcSCh+ and consecutive pyridinium-4-oxime-ester hydrolytic cleavage revealed that the pyridinium-4-oximes cannot be classified as non-enzyme catalyst of the AcSCh+ hydrolysis but as the very effective esterolytic agents.
Evaluation of Antioxidant and Antibacterial Activities, Cytotoxicity of Acacia seyal Del Bark Extracts and Isolated Compounds
Authors: Elmi Abdirahman , Spina Rosella , Risler Arnaud , Philippot Stéphanie , Mérito Ali , Duval Raphaël E. , Abdoul-latif Fatouma Mohamed , Laurain-Mattar Dominique
Published: May 2020

Water extract of Acacia seyal bark is used traditionally by the population in Djibouti for its anti-infectious activity. The evaluation of in vitro antibacterial, antioxidant activities and cytotoxicity as well as chemical characterization of Acacia seyal bark water and methanolic extracts were presented. The water extract has a toxicity against the MRC-5 cells at 256 μg/mL while the methanolic extract has a weak toxicity at the same concentration. The methanolic extract has a strong antioxidant activity with half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) of 150 ± 2.2 μg/mL using 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and IC50 of 27 ± 1.3 μg/mL using 2,2′-azino-bis 3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulphonic acid (ABTS) radical methods. For ferric reducing/antioxidant power (FRAP) assay, the result is 45.74 ± 5.96 μg Vitamin C Equivalent (VCE)/g of dry weight (DW). The precipitation of tannins from methanol crude extract decreases the MIC from 64 µg/mL to 32 µg/mL against Staphylococcus aureus and Corynebacterium urealyticum. However, the antioxidant activity is higher before tannins precipitation than after (IC50 = 150 µg/mL for methanolic crude extract and 250 µg/mL after tannins precipitation determined by DPPH method). By matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) analysis, the results showed that the condensed tannins consist of two types of catechin and gallocatechin-based oligomers. The fractionation led to the identification of three pure compounds: two flavanols catechin and epicatechin; one triterpene as lupeol; and a mixture of three steroids and one fatty acid: campesterol, stigmasterol, clionasterol, and oleamide.
Autofluorescence in Plants
Authors: Donaldson Lloyd
Published: May 2020

Plants contain abundant autofluorescent molecules that can be used for biochemical, physiological, or imaging studies. The two most studied molecules are chlorophyll (orange/red fluorescence) and lignin (blue/green fluorescence). Chlorophyll fluorescence is used to measure the physiological state of plants using handheld devices that can measure photosynthesis, linear electron flux, and CO2 assimilation by directly scanning leaves, or by using reconnaissance imaging from a drone, an aircraft or a satellite. Lignin fluorescence can be used in imaging studies of wood for phenotyping of genetic variants in order to evaluate reaction wood formation, assess chemical modification of wood, and study fundamental cell wall properties using Förster Resonant Energy Transfer (FRET) and other methods. Many other fluorescent molecules have been characterized both within the protoplast and as components of cell walls. Such molecules have fluorescence emissions across the visible spectrum and can potentially be differentiated by spectral imaging or by evaluating their response to change in pH (ferulates) or chemicals such as Naturstoff reagent (flavonoids). Induced autofluorescence using glutaraldehyde fixation has been used to enable imaging of proteins/organelles in the cell protoplast and to allow fluorescence imaging of fungal mycelium.
Antitumor Effects of N-Butylidenephthalide Encapsulated in Lipopolyplexs in Colorectal Cancer Cells
Authors: Chang Kai-Fu , Chang Jinghua Tsai , Huang Xiao-Fan , Lin Yu-Ling , Liao Kuang-Wen , Huang Chien-Wei , Tsai Nu-Man
Published: May 2020

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common type of cancer and the second most common cause of cancer-related death in the world. N-Butylidenephthalide (BP), a natural compound, inhibits several cancers, such as hepatoma, brain tumor and colon cancer. However, due to the unstable structure, the activity of BP is quickly lost after dissolution in an aqueous solution. A polycationic liposomal polyethylenimine and polyethylene glycol complex (LPPC), a new drug carrier, encapsulates both hydrophobic and hydrophilic compounds, maintains the activity of the compound, and increases uptake of cancer cells. The purpose of this study is to investigate the antitumor effects and protection of BP encapsulated in LPPC in CRC cells. The LPPC encapsulation protected BP activity, increased the cytotoxicity of BP and enhanced cell uptake through clathrin-mediated endocytosis. Moreover, the BP/LPPC-regulated the expression of the p21 protein and cell cycle-related proteins (CDK4, Cyclin B1 and Cyclin D1), resulting in an increase in the population of cells in the G0/G1 and subG1 phases. BP/LPPC induced cell apoptosis by activating the extrinsic (Fas, Fas-L and Caspase-8) and intrinsic (Bax and Caspase-9) apoptosis pathways. Additionally, BP/LPPC combined with 5-FU synergistically inhibited the growth of HT-29 cells. In conclusion, LPPC enhanced the antitumor activity and cellular uptake of BP, and the BP/LPPC complex induced cell cycle arrest and apoptosis, thereby causing death. These findings suggest the putative use of BP/LPPC as an adjuvant cytotoxic agent for colorectal cancer.
Composition, Seasonal Variation, and Biological Activities of Lantana camara Essential Oils from Côte d’Ivoire
Authors: Nea Fatimata , Kambiré Didjour Albert , Genva Manon , Tanoh Evelyne Amenan , Wognin Esse Leon , Martin Henri , Brostaux Yves , Tomi Félix , Lognay Georges C. , Tonzibo Zanahi Félix , Fauconnier Marie-Laure
Published: May 2020

This work aims to study the variations in the composition of Lantana camara leaf, flower, and stem essential oils over two years. L. camara organs were harvested in Bregbo (East Côte d’Ivoire) each month from June 2015 to June 2017. The essential oils were obtained by hydrodistillation and characterized by GC-MS and 13C NMR. Eighty-four compounds accounting for 84.4–99.1% of the essential oils have been identified. The essential oils hydrodistillated from L. camara are dominated by sesquiterpenes such as (E)-β-caryophyllene and α-humulene, which were found in all samples. Some monoterpenes such as thymol, sabinene, and α-pinene were also present. Statistical analysis (principal component analysis and clustering) revealed a high variability in essential oil composition between the different organs and also within the studied periods, as the thymol proportion was higher during flowering and fruiting months. In addition, the stem, flower, and fruit essential oils were more concentrated in thymol than the leaf essential oils. The proportions of (E)-β-caryophyllene and α-humulene were strictly inverted with the thymol proportion throughout the harvest period or vegetative cycle. The antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and insecticidal activities of leaves and flowers essential oils were also studied. Results showed that L. camara leaf and flower essential oils displayed high antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and insecticidal activities.
Antimicrobials from Venomous Animals: An Overview
Authors: Yacoub Tania , Rima Mohamad , Karam Marc , Sabatier Jean-Marc , Fajloun Ziad
Published: May 2020

The inappropriate or excessive use of antimicrobial agents caused an emerging public health problem due to the resulting resistance developed by microbes. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop effective antimicrobial strategies relying on natural agents with different mechanisms of action. Nature has been known to offer many bioactive compounds, in the form of animal venoms, algae, and plant extracts that were used for decades in traditional medicine. Animal venoms and secretions have been deeply studied for their wealth in pharmaceutically promising molecules. As such, they were reported to exhibit many biological activities of interest, such as antibacterial, antiviral, anticancer, and anti-inflammatory activities. In this review, we summarize recent findings on the antimicrobial activities of crude animal venoms/secretions, and describe the peptides that are responsible of these activities.
Food and Drug Analysis
Authors: Kuo Ping-Chung
Published: May 2020

Food can be regarded as functional if it beneficially affects one or more target functions in the body in a way that is relevant to either the state of well-being and health or to the reduction of the risk of a disease [...]
Flame Retardant Paraffin-Based Shape-Stabilized Phase Change Material via Expandable Graphite-Based Flame-Retardant Coating
Authors: Xu Ling , Liu Xuan , Yang Rui
Published: May 2020

Shape-stabilized phase change material (SSPCM) is a promising thermal energy storage material in energy-saving buildings. However, its flammability leads to a fire risk. The conventional bulk addition method has a limited flame-retardant effect. Herein, a series of surface coatings with various flame retardants were introduced to improve flame retardance of SSPCM. The results showed that all of the coatings had flame-retardant effects on SSPCM; In particular, the EG coating performed the best: the horizontal burning time was the longest, the limiting oxygen index was above 30%, the V0 classification was obtained, the peak heat release rate was sharply decreased from 1137.0 to 392.5 kW/m2 and the burning process was prolonged with the least total smoke production. The flame-retardant mechanism was discussed. As paraffin easily evaporated from the SSPCM at a moderate temperature, it caused flames. After being surface coated, the EG-based coatings first hindered the volatilization of paraffin at a moderate temperature, then expanded and formed thick porous carbon layers at a high temperature to block the transfer of combustibles, oxygen and heat between the bulk and the environment. Therefore, the surface coating strategy achieved a desirable flame-retardant level with fewer flame retardants.
A High-Throughput Screening System Based on Droplet Microfluidics for Glucose Oxidase Gene Libraries
Authors: Prodanović Radivoje , Ung W. Lloyd , Ilić Đurđić Karla , Fischer Rainer , Weitz David A. , Ostafe Raluca
Published: May 2020

Glucose oxidase (GOx) is an important industrial enzyme that can be optimized for specific applications by mutagenesis and activity-based screening. To increase the efficiency of this approach, we have developed a new ultrahigh-throughput screening platform based on a microfluidic lab-on-chip device that allows the sorting of GOx mutants from a saturation mutagenesis library expressed on the surface of yeast cells. GOx activity was measured by monitoring the fluorescence of water microdroplets dispersed in perfluorinated oil. The signal was generated via a series of coupled enzyme reactions leading to the formation of fluorescein. Using this new method, we were able to enrich the yeast cell population by more than 35-fold for GOx mutants with higher than wild-type activity after two rounds of sorting, almost double the efficiency of our previously described flow cytometry platform. We identified and characterized novel GOx mutants, the most promising of which (M6) contained a combination of six point mutations that increased the catalytic constant kcat by 2.1-fold compared to wild-type GOx and by 1.4-fold compared to a parental GOx variant. The new microfluidic platform for GOx was therefore more sensitive than flow cytometry and supports comprehensive screens of gene libraries containing multiple mutations per gene.
Optical Properties of Composites Based on Graphene Oxide and Polystyrene
Authors: Stroe Malvina , Cristea Mirela , Matei Elena , Galatanu Andrei , Cotet Liviu C. , Pop Lucian C. , Baia Monica , Danciu Virginia , Anghel Ion , Baia Lucian , Baibarac Mihaela A.
Published: May 2020

In this work, new optical properties of composites based on polystyrene (PS) microspheres and graphene oxide (GO) are reported. The radical polymerization of styrene in the presence of benzoyl peroxide, pentane and GO induces the appearance of new ester groups in the PS macromolecular chains remarked through an increase in the absorbance of the infrared (IR) band at 1743 cm−1. The decrease in the GO concentration in the PS/GO composites mass from 5 wt.% to 0.5 wt.% induces a diminution in the intensities of the D and G Raman bands of GO simultaneous with a down-shift of the D band from 1351 to 1322 cm−1. These variations correlated with the covalent functionalization of the GO layers with PS. For the first time, the photoluminescent (PL) properties of PS/GO composites are reported. The PS microspheres are characterized by a PL band at 397 nm. Through increasing the GO sheets’ concentration in the PS/GO composite mass from 0.5 wt.% to 5 wt.%, a PS PL quenching process is reported. In addition, in the presence of ultraviolet A (UVA) light, a photo-degradation process of the PS/GO composite having the GO concentration equal to 5 wt.% is demonstrated by the PL studies.
Covalent Organic Frameworks: A Promising Materials Platform for Photocatalytic CO2 Reductions
Authors: Li Jundan , Zhao Dongni , Liu Jiangqun , Liu Anan , Ma Dongge
Published: May 2020

Covalent organic frameworks (COFs) are a kind of porous crystalline polymeric material. They are constructed by organic module units connected with strong covalent bonds extending in two or three dimensions. COFs possess the advantages of low-density, large specific surface area, high thermal stability, developed pore-structure, long-range order, good crystallinity, and the excellent tunability of the monomer units and the linking reticular chemistry. These features endowed COFs with the ability to be applied in a plethora of applications, ranging from adsorption and separation, sensing, catalysis, optoelectronics, energy storage, mass transport, etc. In this paper, we will review the recent progress of COFs materials applied in photocatalytic CO2 reduction. The state-of-the-art paragon examples and the current challenges will be discussed in detail. The future direction in this research field will be finally outlooked.
Chemical Composition and Determination of the Antibacterial Activity of Essential Oils in Liquid and Vapor Phases Extracted from Two Different Southeast Asian Herbs—Houttuynia cordata (Saururaceae) and Persicaria odorata (Polygonaceae)
Authors: Řebíčková Kristýna , Bajer Tomáš , Šilha David , Houdková Markéta , Ventura Karel , Bajerová Petra
Published: May 2020

Essential oils obtained via the hydrodistillation of two Asian herbs (Houttuynia cordata and Persicaria odorata) were analyzed by gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (GC–MS) and gas chromatography with flame ionization detector (GC–FID). Additionally, both the liquid and vapor phase of essential oil were tested on antimicrobial activity using the broth microdilution volatilization method. Antimicrobial activity was tested on Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria—Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Enterococcus faecalis, Streptococcus pyogenes, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Seratia marcescense and Bacillus subtilis. Hydrodistillation produced a yield of 0.34% (Houttuynia cordata) and 0.40% (Persicaria odorata). 41 compounds were identified in both essential oils. Essential oils contained monoterpenes and their oxidized forms, sesquiterpenes and their oxidized forms, oxidized diterpenes, derivates of phenylpropene and other groups, such as, for example, aldehydes, alcohols or fatty acids. Both essential oils were antimicrobial active in both vapor and liquid phases at least in case of one bacterium. They expressed various antimicrobial activity in the range of 128–1024 μg∙mL−1, 512–1024 μg∙mL−1 in broth and 1024 μg∙mL−1, 512–1024 μg∙mL−1 in agar, respectively. Research showed new interesting information about P. odorata and H. cordata essential oils and demonstrated that both essential oils could be possibly used in the field of natural medicine or natural food preservation.
Gold Nanoparticles Induce Oxidative Stress and Apoptosis in Human Kidney Cells
Authors: Enea Maria , Pereira Eulália , Peixoto de Almeida Miguel , Araújo Ana Margarida , Bastos Maria de Lourdes , Carmo Helena
Published: May 2020

Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) are highly attractive for biomedical applications. Therefore, several in vitro and in vivo studies have addressed their safety evaluation. Nevertheless, there is a lack of knowledge regarding their potential detrimental effect on human kidney. To evaluate this effect, AuNPs with different sizes (13 nm and 60 nm), shapes (spheres and stars), and coated with 11-mercaptoundecanoic acid (MUA) or with sodium citrate, were synthesized, characterized, and their toxicological effects evaluated 24 h after incubation with a proximal tubular cell line derived from normal human kidney (HK-2). After exposure, viability was assessed by the MTT assay. Changes in lysosomal integrity, mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm), reactive species (ROS/RNS), intracellular glutathione (total GSH), and ATP were also evaluated. Apoptosis was investigated through the evaluation of the activity of caspases 3, 8 and 9. Overall, the tested AuNPs targeted mainly the mitochondria in a concentration-dependent manner. The lysosomal integrity was also affected but to a lower extent. The smaller 13 nm nanospheres (both citrate- and MUA-coated) proved to be the most toxic among all types of AuNPs, increasing ROS production and decreasing mitochondrial membrane potential (p ≤ 0.01). For the MUA-coated 13 nm nanospheres, these effects were associated also to increased levels of total glutathione (p ≤ 0.01) and enhanced ATP production (p ≤ 0.05). Programmed cell death was detected through the activation of both extrinsic and intrinsic pathways (caspase 8 and 9) (p ≤ 0.05). We found that the larger 60 nm AuNPs, both nanospheres and nanostars, are apparently less toxic than their smaller counter parts. Considering the results herein presented, it should be taken into consideration that even if renal clearance of the AuNPs is desirable, since it would prevent accumulation and detrimental effects in other organs, a possible intracellular accumulation of AuNPs in kidneys can induce cell damage and later compromise kidney function.
Cardio-Metabolic Effects of High-Fat Diets and Their Underlying Mechanisms—A Narrative Review
Authors: Wali Jibran A. , Jarzebska Natalia , Raubenheimer David , Simpson Stephen J. , Rodionov Roman N. , O’Sullivan John F.
Published: May 2020

The majority of the epidemiological evidence over the past few decades has linked high intake of fats, especially saturated fats, to increased risk of diabetes and cardiovascular disease. However, findings of some recent studies (e.g., the PURE study) have contested this association. High saturated fat diets (HFD) have been widely used in rodent research to study the mechanism of insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome. Two separate but somewhat overlapping models—the diacylglycerol (DAG) model and the ceramide model—have emerged to explain the development of insulin resistance. Studies have shown that lipid deposition in tissues such as muscle and liver inhibit insulin signaling via the toxic molecules DAG and ceramide. DAGs activate protein kinase C that inhibit insulin-PI3K-Akt signaling by phosphorylating serine residues on insulin receptor substrate (IRS). Ceramides are sphingolipids with variable acyl group chain length and activate protein phosphatase 2A that dephosphorylates Akt to block insulin signaling. In adipose tissue, obesity leads to infiltration of macrophages that secrete pro-inflammatory cytokines that inhibit insulin signaling by phosphorylating serine residues of IRS proteins. For cardiovascular disease, studies in humans in the 1950s and 1960s linked high saturated fat intake with atherosclerosis and coronary artery disease. More recently, trials involving Mediterranean diet (e.g., PREDIMED study) have indicated that healthy monounsaturated fats are more effective in preventing cardiovascular mortality and coronary artery disease than are low-fat, low-cholesterol diets. Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of Mediterranean diets are potential mediators of these benefits.
Nutritional Quality of Food and Beverages Offered in Supermarkets of Lima According to the Peruvian Law of Healthy Eating
Authors: Meza-Hernández Mayra , Villarreal-Zegarra David , Saavedra-Garcia Lorena
Published: May 2020

The purpose of this paper was to determine the foods and beverages offered in the city of Lima, Peru, that would be subject to front-of-package warning labels (octagons) according to the thresholds for the two phases (6 and 39 months after the approval) for nutrients of concern (sugar, sodium, saturated fat, and trans-fat) included in the Peruvian Law of Healthy Eating. An observational, descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted that evaluated the nutritional composition of processed and ultra-processed foods that are sold in a supermarket chain in Lima. Of all the processed and ultra-processed foods captured, foods that report nutritional information and do not require reconstitution to be consumed were included. A descriptive analysis was carried out by food categories to report the nutrient content and the percentage of foods that would be subject to front-of-package warning labels. Results: A total of 1234 foods were evaluated, according to the initial thresholds that became effective 6 months after the law was implemented; 35.9% of foods had two octagons; 34.8% had one octagon; 15.8% had no octagons; 12% had three octagons; and no products had four octagons. At 39 months, when the final and more restrictive thresholds become effective, 4.8% did not have octagons. The majority of processed and ultra-processed foods that are sold in a Peruvian supermarket chain carry at least one octagon, and more than 10% of them carry octagons for three of the four nutrients of concern.
Prevalence of Product Claims and Marketing Buzzwords Found on Health Food Snack Products Does Not Relate to Nutrient Profile
Authors: Breen Maddison , James Hollie , Rangan Anna , Gemming Luke
Published: May 2020

Growth in the consumer health and wellness industry has led to an increase of packaged foods marketed as health food (HF) products. In consequence, a ‘health halo’ around packaged HF has arisen that influences consumers at point-of-purchase. This study compared product claims (nutrient content claims (NCC), health claims and marketing ‘buzzwords’) displayed on packaged HF snack products sold in HF stores and HF aisles in supermarkets to equivalent products sold in regular aisles (RA) of supermarkets. Product Health Star Rating (HSR), nutrient profile and price were also compared. Data were collected for 2361 products from three supermarket chains, two HF chains and one independent HF store in Sydney, Australia. Mann-Whitney U tests compared the product claims, HSR, nutrient composition and unit ($) price. HF snacks displayed significantly more product claims per product compared to RA foods (HSR ≤ 2.5), median (IQR) 5.0(4.0) versus 1.0(2) and (HSR > 2.5) 4.0(4.0) versus 3.0(4), respectively (p < 0.001). A significantly different HSR was evident between HF and RA snack products, median 2.5(0) versus 2.0(1.5), respectively (p < 0.001). HF snacks cost significantly more than RA snack foods, irrespective of product HSR (p < 0.001). These findings support the recommendation for revised labelling regulations and increased education regarding consumers food label interpretation.
Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis L., syn Salvia rosmarinus Spenn.) and Its Topical Applications: A Review
Authors: de Macedo Lucas Malvezzi , Santos Érica Mendes dos , Militão Lucas , Tundisi Louise Lacalendola , Ataide Janaína Artem , Souto Eliana Barbosa , Mazzola Priscila Gava
Published: May 2020

Topical application is an important administration route for drugs requiring local action on the skin, thereby avoiding their systemic absorption and adverse side effects. Rosmarinus officinalis L. (syn. Salvia rosmarinus Spenn.), popularly known as rosemary, is an aromatic plant with needle-like leaves belonging to the Lamiaceae family. Rosemary has therapeutic properties and has been used in the folk medicine, pharmaceutical, and cosmetics industries, mainly for its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, which are attributed to the presence of carnosol/carnosic and ursolic acids. The therapeutic use of rosemary has been explored for the treatment of inflammatory diseases; however, other uses have been studied, such as wound healing and skin cancer and mycoses treatments, among others. Besides it therapeutic uses, rosemary has potential applications in cosmetic formulations and in the treatment of pathological and non-pathological conditions, such as cellulite, alopecia, ultraviolet damage, and aging. This review aims to critically discuss the topical applications of rosemary found in the literature while also offering relevant information for the development of topical formulations of its bioactive compounds.
Insecticidal Activity of Hyoscyamus niger L. on Lucilia sericata Causing Myiasis
Authors: Küpeli Akkol Esra , Ilhan Mert , Kozan Esma , Gürağaç Dereli Fatma Tuğçe , Sak Mustafa , Sobarzo-Sánchez Eduardo
Published: May 2020

Background: Hyoscyamus niger L. (Solanaceae) generally known as henbane, is commonly distributed in Europe and Asia. In Turkey, henbane seeds have been used in folk medicine to remove worms from the eyes. The present study aimed to investigate the insecticidal activity of H. niger seeds. Methods: n-hexane, ethyl acetate, methanol and alkaloid extracts were prepared from the seeds of the plant and their insecticidal activities on Lucilia sericata larvae were evaluated. EC50 and EC90 values of the alkaloid extract were calculated and morphological abnormalities were investigated. Results: Alkaloid extract prepared from the seeds of this plant displayed significant insecticidal activity. EC50 values of H. niger seeds alkaloid extract were found to be 8.04, 8.49, 7.96 μg/mL against first, second and third instar, respectively. It was determined that malformations of larvae included damaged larvae with small size, contraction and weak cuticle. Furthermore, HPLC analysis was performed on alkaloid extract of H. niger seeds and main components of the extract were determined. It was determined that alkaloid extract mainly contain hyoscyamine and scopolamine. Conclusions: These results confirm the folkloric usage of the plant and suggest that the alkaloid content of the plant could be responsible for the insecticidal activity.
Multi-Responsive Polysiloxane/Poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) Interpenetrating Networks Containing Urea and Thiourea Groups
Authors: Sano Junta , Habaue Shigeki
Published: May 2020

Novel interpenetrating polymer networks (IPNs) were synthesized from N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAM) and polysiloxanes containing a urea or thiourea side group, in addition to the silanol residue, through two reactions, such as the radical gelation of NIPAM and the condensation of silanols to form a siloxane linkage. The obtained IPNs showed a typical temperature-responsive volume change in water based on the constructed poly-NIPAM gel component. In addition, the characteristic color and volume changes responding to chemical stimuli, such as acetate and/or fluoride ions, based on the introduced urea and thiourea groups onto the polysiloxane gel were observed in N,N-dimethylformamide.
Construction of NIR Light Controlled Micelles with Photothermal Conversion Property: Poly(poly(ethylene glycol)methyl ether methacrylate) (PPEGMA) as Hydrophilic Block and Ketocyanine Dye as NIR Photothermal Conversion Agent
Authors: Yao Lan , Li Haihui , Tu Kai , Zhang Lifen , Cheng Zhenping , Zhu Xiulin
Published: May 2020

Polymeric nanomaterials made from amphiphilic block copolymers are increasingly used in the treatment of tumor tissues. In this work, we firstly synthesized the amphiphilic block copolymer PBnMA-b-P(BAPMA-co-PEGMA) via reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization using benzyl methacrylate (BnMA), poly (ethylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylate (PEGMA), and 3-((tert-butoxycarbonyl)amino)propyl methacrylate (BAPMA) as the monomers. Subsequently, PBnMA-b-P(APMA-co-PEGMA)@NIR 800 with photothermal conversion property was obtained by deprotection of the tert-butoxycarbonyl (BOC) groups of PBAPMA chains with trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) and post-modification with carboxyl functionalized ketocyanine dye (NIR 800), and it could self-assemble into micelles in CH3OH/water mixed solvent. The NIR photothermal conversion property of the post-modified micelles were investigated. Under irradiation with NIR light (λmax = 810 nm, 0.028 W/cm2) for 1 h, the temperature of the modified micelles aqueous solution increased to 53 °C from 20 °C, which showed the excellent NIR photothermal conversion property.
Synthesis, Characterization and Sorption Capacity Examination for a Novel Hydrogel Composite Based on Gellan Gum and Graphene Oxide (GG/GO)
Authors: Modrogan Cristina , Pandele Andreea Mădălina , Bobirică Constantin , Dobrotǎ Dan , Dăncilă Annette Madelene , Gârleanu Gabriel , Orbuleţ Oanamari Daniela , Borda Claudia , Gârleanu Delia , Orbeci Cristina
Published: May 2020

A novel hydrogel composite based on gellan gum and graphene oxide (GG/GO) was synthesized, characterized and tested for sorption capacity in this work. The microstructural, thermogravimetric and spectroscopic analysis confirmed the formation of the GG/GO composite. Comparative batch sorption experiments revealed a sorption capacity of the GG/GO composite for Zn (II) ions of approximately 2.3 higher than that of pure GG. The GG/GO composite exhibits a maximum sorption capacity of 272.57 mg/g at a pH of Zn (II) initial solution of 6. Generally, the sorption capacity of the sorbents is approximately 1.5 higher in slightly acidic conditions (pH 6) comparative with that for strong acidic conditions (pH 3). The sorption isotherms revealed that the sorption followed a monolayer/homogenous behavior. The sorption kinetic data were well fitted by the pseudo-second-order kinetic model, and were consistent with those derived from sorption isotherms. The intraparticle diffusion was considered to be the rate-determining step. Two main sorption mechanisms for Zn (II) were identified namely, ion exchange at low pH values, and both ion exchange and chemisorption in weekly acidic conditions.
The Effect of Variations of Flow from Tributary Channel on the Flow Behavior in a T-Shape Confluence
Authors: Azma Aliasghar , Zhang Yongxiang
Published: May 2020

Channel confluences are of the common structures in fluid transport channels. In this study, a series of numerical simulations were performed, utilizing a 3D code to investigate the reaction of the flow parameters and vortical structure to the variations in flow discharge and its Froude number from both main channel and tributary branch in a T-shape junction. The code was calibrated with the experimental data. Parameters, including the velocity, the turbulence energy, stream surface profile, head losses, and the transverse flow motions, were considered in different situations. It was concluded that increasing the ratio of discharge of flow from side-channel to the main channel (Q*) increased the area and power of the recirculation zone, as well as the width of separation plate downstream of the confluence, while it reduced the area of the stagnation zone (or the wake vortex) within the side-channel. It was also indicated that increasing the discharge ratio from side-channel resulted in an increase in the upstream water level in the main channels, which was dependent on the upstream discharge.
A Data-Driven-Based Industrial Refrigeration Optimization Method Considering Demand Forecasting
Authors: Cirera Josep , Carino Jesus A. , Zurita Daniel , Ortega Juan A.
Published: May 2020

One of the main concerns of industry is energy efficiency, in which the paradigm of Industry 4.0 opens new possibilities by facing optimization approaches using data-driven methodologies. In this regard, increasing the efficiency of industrial refrigeration systems is an important challenge, since this type of process consume a huge amount of electricity that can be reduced with an optimal compressor configuration. In this paper, a novel data-driven methodology is presented, which employs self-organizing maps (SOM) and multi-layer perceptron (MLP) to deal with the (PLR) issue of refrigeration systems. The proposed methodology takes into account the variables that influence the system performance to develop a discrete model of the operating conditions. The aforementioned model is used to find the best PLR of the compressors for each operating condition of the system. Furthermore, to overcome the limitations of the historical performance, various scenarios are artificially created to find near-optimal PLR setpoints in each operation condition. Finally, the proposed method employs a forecasting strategy to manage the compressor switching situations. Thus, undesirable starts and stops of the machine are avoided, preserving its remaining useful life and being more efficient. An experimental validation in a real industrial system is performed in order to validate the suitability and the performance of the methodology. The proposed methodology improves refrigeration system efficiency up to 8%, depending on the operating conditions. The results obtained validates the feasibility of applying data-driven techniques for the optimal control of refrigeration system compressors to increase its efficiency.
Assessment and Prediction of Complex Industrial Steam Network Operation by Combined Thermo-Hydrodynamic Modeling
Authors: Hanus Kristián , Variny Miroslav , Illés Peter
Published: May 2020

Steam network operation stability and reliability is vital for any industrial branch. A combined steam network model comprising a balance and a coupled thermo-hydrodynamic model, including seasonal variations impact and system specificities, is presented. A balance model can readily be used by a refinery’s operators. The thermo-hydrodynamic model identifies system bottlenecks and cold spots and evaluates proposed operation and investment measures including heat loss reduction. A three-pressure levels refinery steam network served for model testing and validation. Balance model results reveal significant misbalance in steam production and consumption, reaching 30.5% in the low-pressure steam system, and heat balance differences in the range of 9.2% to 29.5% on individual pressure levels, attributable both to flow measurement accuracy issues and to heat losses. The thermo-hydrodynamic model results differ from the measured steam parameters by less than 5% (temperature) and by less than 4% (pressure), respectively, with the estimated operational insulation heat conductivity exceeding 0.08 W/m/K. Its comparison with that of 0.03 W/m/K for dry insulation material yields the need for pipelines re-insulation and a partial revamp of the steam network. The model is sufficiently general for any type of industry, pursuing the goal of cleaner and energy-efficient steam transport and consumption.
Ruin Probability for Stochastic Flows of Financial Contract under Phase-Type Distribution
Authors: Adékambi Franck , Essiomle Kokou
Published: May 2020

This paper examines the impact of the parameters of the distribution of the time at which a bank’s client defaults on their obligated payments, on the Lundberg adjustment coefficient, the upper and lower bounds of the ruin probability. We study the corresponding ruin probability on the assumption of (i) a phase-type distribution for the time at which default occurs and (ii) an embedding of the stochastic cash flow or the reserves of the bank to the Sparre Andersen model. The exact analytical expression for the ruin probability is not tractable under these assumptions, so Cramér Lundberg bounds types are obtained for the ruin probabilities with concomitant explicit equations for the calculation of the adjustment coefficient. To add some numerical flavour to our results, we provide some numerical illustrations.
Online Estimation of the Current Ripple on a Saturating Ferrite-Core Inductor in a Boost Converter
Authors: Lodi Matteo , Oliveri Alberto
Published: May 2020

In this paper, a nonlinear observer is proposed for the estimation of the current ripple in a ferrite-core inductor working in partial saturation, mounted on a boost converter. The estimator is based on a recently proposed nonlinear inductance model, which expresses the inductance as a function of the inductor current, taking into account also the non-negligible effects of the core temperature. The proposed observer is implemented on a low-cost microcontroller and tested, both offline and online, on a real boost converter with different operating conditions. The offline tests show a satisfactory estimation accuracy both during the electrical (fast) and thermal (slow) transients. Due to the high microcontroller latency, some delays and inaccuracies occur during electrical transients in the online tests. This work suggests that, in order to exploit the observer for control purposes, the target architecture should be a high-performance microcontroller, a system-on-chip, or a field programmable gate array, where parallelism can be exploited to speed-up the computations. The proposed implementation can be instead suitable for switch-mode power supply (SMPS) monitoring purposes.
SlowITe, a Novel Denial of Service Attack Affecting MQTT
Authors: Vaccari Ivan , Aiello Maurizio , Cambiaso Enrico
Published: May 2020

Security of the Internet of Things is a crucial topic, due to the criticality of the networks and the sensitivity of exchanged data. In this paper, we target the Message Queue Telemetry Transport (MQTT) protocol used in IoT environments for communication between IoT devices. We exploit a specific weakness of MQTT which was identified during our research, allowing the client to configure the behavior of the server. In order to validate the possibility to exploit such vulnerability, we propose SlowITe, a novel low-rate denial of service attack aimed to target MQTT through low-rate techniques. We validate SlowITe against real MQTT services, considering both plain text and encrypted communications and comparing the effects of the threat when targeting different daemons. Results show that the attack is successful and it is able to exploit the identified vulnerability to lead a DoS on the victim with limited attack resources.
Integrating 3D Model Representation for an Accurate Non-Invasive Assessment of Pressure Injuries with Deep Learning
Authors: Zahia Sofia , Garcia-Zapirain Begonya , Elmaghraby Adel
Published: May 2020

Pressure injuries represent a major concern in many nations. These wounds result from prolonged pressure on the skin, which mainly occur among elderly and disabled patients. If retrieving quantitative information using invasive methods is the most used method, it causes significant pain and discomfort to the patients and may also increase the risk of infections. Hence, developing non-intrusive methods for the assessment of pressure injuries would represent a highly useful tool for caregivers and a relief for patients. Traditional methods rely on findings retrieved solely from 2D images. Thus, bypassing the 3D information deriving from the deep and irregular shape of this type of wounds leads to biased measurements. In this paper, we propose an end-to-end system which uses a single 2D image and a 3D mesh of the pressure injury, acquired using the Structure Sensor, and outputs all the necessary findings such as: external segmentation of the wound as well as its real-world measurements (depth, area, volume, major axis and minor axis). More specifically, a first block composed of a Mask RCNN model uses the 2D image to output the segmentation of the external boundaries of the wound. Then, a second block matches the 2D and 3D views to segment the wound in the 3D mesh using the segmentation output and generates the aforementioned real-world measurements. Experimental results showed that the proposed framework can not only output refined segmentation with 87% precision, but also retrieves reliable measurements, which can be used for medical assessment and healing evaluation of pressure injuries.