bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
An Active Direct Cell-to-Cell Balancing Circuit in Continuous Current Mode for Series Connected Batteries
Authors: Han Jiye , Yang Shiyan , Liu Xiaofang , Yang Wei
Published: October 2019

Bi-directional cell-to-cell balancing circuits can well prevent voltage imbalance of batteries that are connected in series. However, it is a challenge to achieve high equalization speed and equalization efficiency with low complex circuit structure. In order to overcome this challenge, it is proposed that a direct bi-directional cell-to-cell active equalization method that works in continuous current mode (CCM) is used. The proposed balancing circuit allows energy to transfer directly from the source cell to the target cell in one step, which guarantees high balancing speed and efficiency. The experiments in which six-20 Ah lithium-ion batteries are connected in series have been carried out, and the results show that the balancing circuit achieves a good comprehensive performance of equalization in efficiency, speed, and circuit complexity.
Energy Commodities: A Review of Optimal Hedging Strategies
Authors: Halkos George E. , Tsirivis Apostolos S.
Published: October 2019

Energy is considered as a commodity nowadays and continuous access along with price stability is of vital importance for every economic agent worldwide. The aim of the current review paper is to present in detail the two dominant hedging strategies relative to energy portfolios, the Minimum-Variance hedge ratio and the expected utility maximization methodology. The Minimum-Variance hedge ratio approach is by far the most popular in literature as it is less time consuming and computationally demanding; nevertheless by applying the appropriate multivariate model Garch family volatility model, it can provide a very reliable estimation of the optimal hedge ratio. However, this becomes possible at the cost of a rather restrictive assumption for infinite hedger’s risk aversion. Within an uncertain worldwide economic climate and a highly volatile energy market, energy producers, retailers and consumers had to become more adaptive and develop the necessary energy risk management and optimal hedging strategies. The estimation gap of an optimal hedge ratio that would be subject to the investor’s risk preferences through time is filled by the relatively more complex and sophisticated expected utility maximization methodology. Nevertheless, if hedgers share infinite risk aversion or if alternatively the expected futures price is approximately zero the two methodologies become equivalent. The current review shows that when evidence from the energy market during periods of extremely volatile economic climate is considered, both hypotheses can be violated, hence it becomes reasonable that especially for extended hedging horizons it would be wise for potential hedgers to take into consideration both methodologies in order to build a successful and profitable hedging strategy.
Identifying Patterns of Human and Bird Activities Using Bioacoustic Data
Authors: Li Renjie , Garg Saurabh , Brown Alexander
Published: October 2019

In general, humans and animals often interact within the same environment at the same time. Human activities may disturb or affect some bird activities. Therefore, it is important to monitor and study the relationships between human and animal activities. This paper proposed a system able not only to automatically classify human and bird activities using bioacoustic data, but also to automatically summarize patterns of events over time. To perform automatic summarization of acoustic events, a frequency–duration graph (FDG) framework was proposed to summarize the patterns of human and bird activities. This system first performs data pre-processing work on raw bioacoustic data and then applies a support vector machine (SVM) model and a multi-layer perceptron (MLP) model to classify human and bird chirping activities before using the FDG framework to summarize results. The SVM model achieved 98% accuracy on average and the MLP model achieved 98% accuracy on average across several day-long recordings. Three case studies with real data show that the FDG framework correctly determined the patterns of human and bird activities over time and provided both statistical and graphical insight into the relationships between these two events.
The Complete Mitogenome of Pyrrhocoris tibialis (Hemiptera: Pyrrhocoridae) and Phylogenetic Implications
Authors: Zhang Qi-Lin , Feng Run-Qiu , Li Min , Guo Zhong-Long , Zhang Li-Jun , Luo Fang-Zhen , Cao Ya , Yuan Ming-Long
Published: October 2019

We determined the complete mitogenome of Pyrrhocoris tibialis (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Pyrrhocoridae) to better understand the diversity and phylogeny within Pentatomomorpha, which is the second largest infra-order of Heteroptera. Gene content, gene arrangement, nucleotide composition, codon usage, ribosomal RNA (rRNA) structures, and sequences of the mitochondrial transcription termination factor were well conserved in Pyrrhocoroidea. Different protein-coding genes have been subject to different evolutionary rates correlated with the G + C content. The size of control regions (CRs) was highly variable among mitogenomes of three sequenced Pyrrhocoroidea species, with the P. tibialis CR being the largest. All the transfer RNA genes found in Pyrrhocoroidea had the typical clover leaf secondary structure, except for trnS1 (AGN), which lacked the dihydrouridine arm and possessed an unusual anticodon stem (9 bp vs. the normal 5 bp). A total of three different phylogenetic relationships among the five super-families of Pentatomomorpha were obtained using three analytical methods (MrBayes and RAxML under site-homogeneous models and PhyloBayes under a site-heterogeneous CAT + GTR model) and two mitogenomic datasets (nucleotides and amino acids). The tree topology test using seven methods statistically supported a phylogeny of (Aradoidea + (Pentatomoidea + (Lygaeoidea + (Pyrrhocoroidea + Coreoidea)))) as the best topology, as recognized by both RAxML and MrBayes based on the two datasets.
Genetic Diversity Assessed by Genotyping by Sequencing (GBS) in Watermelon Germplasm
Authors: Lee Kyung Jun , Lee Jung-Ro , Sebastin Raveendar , Shin Myoung-Jae , Kim Seong-Hoon , Cho Gyu-Taek , Hyun Do Yoon
Published: October 2019

Watermelon is an economically important vegetable fruit worldwide. The objective of this study was to conduct a genetic diversity of 68 watermelon accessions using single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). Genotyping by sequencing (GBS) was used to discover SNPs and assess genetic diversity and population structure using STRUCTURE and discriminant analysis of principal components (DAPC) in watermelon accessions. Two groups of watermelons were used: 1) highly utilized 41 watermelon accessions at the National Agrobiodiversity Center (NAC) at the Rural Development Administration in South Korea; and 2) 27 Korean commercial watermelons. Results revealed the presence of four clusters within the populations differentiated principally based on seed companies. In addition, there was higher genetic differentiation among commercial watermelons of each company. It is hypothesized that the results obtained from this study would contribute towards the expansion of this crop as well as providing data about genetic diversity, which would be useful for the preservation of genetic resources or for future breeding programs.
Implications of Gene Inheritance Patterns on the Heterosis of Abdominal Fat Deposition in Chickens
Authors: Mai Chunning , Wen Chaoliang , Sun Congjiao , Xu Zhiyuan , Chen Sirui , Yang Ning
Published: October 2019

Heterosis, a phenomenon characterized by the superior performance of hybrid individuals relative to their parents, has been widely utilized in livestock and crop breeding, while the underlying genetic basis remains elusive in chickens. Here, we performed a reciprocal crossing experiment with broiler and layer chickens and conducted RNA sequencing on liver tissues for reciprocal crosses and their parental lines to identify inheritance patterns of gene expression. Our results showed that heterosis of the abdominal fat percentage was 69.28%–154.71% in reciprocal crosses. Over-dominant genes of reciprocal crosses were significantly enriched in three biological pathways, namely, butanoate metabolism, the synthesis and degradation of ketone bodies, and valine, leucine, and isoleucine degradation. Among these shared over-dominant genes, we found that a lipid-related gene, HMGCL, was enriched in these pathways. Furthermore, we validated this gene as over-dominant using qRT-PCR. Although no shared significant pathway was detected in the high-parent dominant genes of reciprocal crosses, high-parent dominant gene expression was the major gene inheritance pattern in reciprocal crosses and we could not exclude the effect of high-parent dominant genes. These findings suggest that non-additive genes play important roles in the heterosis of important traits in chickens and have important implications regarding our understanding of heterosis.
Rare Genetic Variants in Jewish Patients Suffering from Age-Related Macular Degeneration
Authors: Shoshany Nadav , Weiner Chen , Safir Margarita , Einan-Lifshitz Adi , Pokroy Russell , Kol Ayala , Modai Shira , Shomron Noam , Pras Eran
Published: October 2019

Purpose: To identify rare genetic variants in early age-related macular degeneration (AMD) utilizing whole-exome sequencing (WES). Methods: Eight non-related early-AMD families of different Jewish ethnicities were ascertained. Initial mutation screening (phase-1) included common complement factor-H (CFH) p.Y402H; and age related maculopathy susceptibility 2 (ARMS2) p.A69S; and rare variants complement factor-I (CFI) p.V412M; and hemicentin1 (HMCN1) c.4163delC identified previously in our population. Four families, whose initial screening for the aforementioned variants was negative, underwent WES (phase-2). Bioinformatics filtering was based on functionality (from a panel of 234 genes with proven or presumed association to AMD); predicted severity; and frequency (rare variants with minor allele frequency <1%). When applicable, further screening for specific rare variants was carried out on additional cases of similar ethnicities and phenotypes (phase-3). Results: Phase-1 identified three families carrying CFI p.V412M mutation. WES analysis detected probable disease-related variants in three out of the remaining families. These included: a family with a variant in PLEKHA1 gene p.S177N; a family with previously reported variant p.R1210C in CFH gene; and two families with the C3 p.R735W variant. Conclusions: Rare, high-penetrance variants have a profound contribution to early-AMD pathogenesis. Utilization of WES in genetic research of multifactorial diseases as AMD, allows a thorough comprehensive analysis with the identification of previously unreported rare variants.
Seismic Imaging of the Mesozoic Bedrock Relief and Geological Structure under Quaternary Sediment Cover: The Bolmin Syncline (SW Holy Cross Mountains, Poland)
Authors: Owoc Bartosz , Marciniak Artur , Dzierżek Jan , Kowalczyk Sebastian , Majdański Mariusz
Published: October 2019

The clear and detailed images of geological structures that can be obtained by seismic methods are one of the main drivers of their popularity in geological research. The quality of final geophysical images and models relies strongly on the amount of data that goes into them. Analysing several complementary seismic datasets allow an improved interpretation. Responding to this challenge, this article proposed an optimal combination of geophysical methods for near-surface applications. Multi-channel analysis of surface waves, first-arrival travel-time tomography, and ground-penetrating radar were the key supports for standard reflection seismic imaging. Ease of use and fast and cheap acquisition are some of the advantages of the mentioned methods. Considering that all recorded wave fields required minimal additional processing while offering a significant improvement in the final stack, it was worth the extra effort. Thanks to that, the better-estimated velocity filed allowed high quality images to be obtained up to 200 m. The Mesozoic bedrock was a distinct and very strong reflector in the resulting reflection seismic imaging. There was also a clearly visible depression of the horizon corresponding to erosion or a structure (syncline). Deeper, it was possible to track two or even four detachments of faulting origin.
The City Doesn’t Sleep: Community Perceptions of Sleep Deficits and Disparities
Authors: Sonnega John , Sonnega Amanda , Kruger Daniel
Published: October 2019

While sleep research has focused primarily on aspects of the immediate physical environment and behavioral factors, a growing body of evidence suggests that broader social determinants may play an important role in sleep insufficiency. Yet public health education efforts for sleep largely address “sleep hygiene”, with an emphasis on information for getting a good night’s rest. The Flint Sleep Project employed community-based-participatory research methods to try to understand more about the sleep experiences of residents of an urban community reporting sleep insufficiency. The academic and community partner developed recruitment materials with community residents. The focus group protocol also utilized community input. Seven focus groups, with a total of 70 participants, were conducted. When asked about their view of causes for poor sleep, participants identified a range of stressors reflective of social determinants. Economic, safety, and future insecurity were the dominant themes emerging across all seven discussions. Participants also expressed feeling a lack of control over important aspects of their lives. Interventions to improve sleep are more likely to be effective if they include the perspectives of the community. A community-based approach offers opportunities for community empowerment and engagement that can improve efforts at sleep health promotion.
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders: Fixing Our Aim to Aim for the Fix
Authors: Burd Larry , Popova Svetlana
Published: October 2019

We, as editors of this special issue on Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD), are proud to present eleven papers [...]
Understanding the Operational Concept of a Flood-Resilient Urban Community in Jakarta, Indonesia, from the Perspectives of Disaster Risk Reduction, Climate Change Adaptation and Development Agencies
Authors: Dwirahmadi Febi , Rutherford Shannon , Phung Dung , Chu Cordia
Published: October 2019

Climate change-related extreme events such as floods have and will continue to present a great challenge to disaster risk management. There is a pressing need to develop a robust management strategy via enhancing the resiliency of the community, particularly in the context of complex urban environments, like Jakarta. Resilience is conceptualized within specific contexts and uniquely tailored to the targeted setting, yet research regarding the operational concept of a flood-resilient community in the context of Jakarta remains limited. This paper will elaborate this operational concept through understanding the desirable features and influential barriers of a flood-resilient community through the lenses of three main stakeholder groups: disaster risk reduction (DRR), climate change adaptation (CCA), and development. It will also discuss the ways in which the synergies that exist across these groups can be enhanced. Both quantitative and qualitative approaches were applied in this study, and multiple sources of data were used. The findings indicate that these groups share common views regarding the importance of human aspects being central to resilience building efforts. We argue there is an urgent need to shift the flood resilience building paradigm towards building community resilience from the people and to apply a collaborative governance approach to facilitate effective partnership between the actors involved.
A Novel Mechanism of S-equol Action in Neurons and Astrocytes: The Possible Involvement of GPR30/GPER1
Authors: Ariyani Winda , Miyazaki Wataru , Koibuchi Noriyuki
Published: October 2019

S-equol is a major bacterial metabolite of the soy isoflavone daidzein. It is known to be a phytoestrogen that acts by binding to the nuclear estrogen receptors (ERs) that are expressed in various brain regions, including the cerebellum. However, the effects of S-equol on cerebellar development and function have not yet been extensively studied. In this study, the effects of S-equol were evaluated using a mouse primary cerebellar culture, Neuro-2A clonal cells, and an astrocyte-enriched culture. S-equol augmented the dendrite arborization of Purkinje cells induced by triiodothyronine (T3) and the neurite growth of Neuro-2A cell differentiation. Such augmentation was suppressed by G15, a selective G-protein coupled ER (GPR30) antagonist, and ICI 182,780, an antagonist for ERs in both cultures. On the other hand, in astrocytes, S-equol induced cell proliferation and cell migration with an increase in the phosphorylated extracellular-signal-regulated kinase 1/2 and F-actin rearrangements. Such effects were suppressed by G15, but not by ICI. These findings indicated that S-equol may enhanced cerebellar development by affecting both neurons and astrocytes through several signaling pathways, including GPR30 and ERs. We here report a novel mechanism of S-equol in cerebellar development that may provide a novel possibility to use S-equol supplementation during development.
Male Horn Lack of Allometry May be Tied to Food Relocation Behaviour in Lifting Dung Beetles (Coleoptera, Scarabaeidae, Eucraniini)
Authors: Palestrini Claudia , Barbero Enrico , Roggero Angela
Published: October 2019

The small dung beetle tribe Eucraniini includes extremely specialized species that have been defined as “lifters” according to their food relocation behaviour. They are characterized by the presence of well-developed expansions on the head and pronotum, which can be included in the large and varied group of horns, whose presence is usually related to complex reproductive tactics. In this study, two closely related species, Anomiopsoides cavifrons and A. heteroclyta, were examined employing traditional and geometric morphometrics to test whether the Eucraniini has polymorphic males that might exhibit different reproductive tactics, as in the sister tribe Phanaeini, for which a male trimorphism was demonstrated. If also present in Eucraniini polyphenism could be considered a plesiomorphy common to the two clades. The inter- and intraspecific shape variation and object symmetry of the head and the scaling relationships between body size and traits were evaluated. Marked interspecific and small intraspecific differences in shape variation, high symmetry, and similar isometric growth patterns were shown in both species. The hypothesis of male polymorphism in Anomiopsoides was thus rejected. Instead, the results supported the alternative hypothesis that Eucraniini lacks male polymorphism, perhaps due to functional constraints affecting the shape of the structures involved in their peculiar food relocating behaviour.
Left Ventricular Assist Devices 101: Shared Care for General Cardiologists and Primary Care
Authors: Singhvi Aditi , Trachtenberg Barry
Published: October 2019

Ambulatory patients with a left ventricular assist device (LVAD) are increasing in number, and so is their life expectancy. Thus, there is an increasing need for care of these patients by non-LVAD specialists, such as providers in the emergency department, urgent care centers, community-based hospitals, outpatient clinics, etc. Non-LVAD specialists will increasingly come across LVAD patients and should be equipped with the knowledge and skills to provide initial assessment and management for these complex patients. These encounters may be for LVAD-related or unrelated issues. However, there are limited data and guidelines to assist non-LVAD specialists in caring for these complex patients. The aim of our review, targeting primary care providers (both inpatient and outpatient), general cardiologists, and other providers is to describe the current status of durable LVAD therapy in adults, patient selection, management strategies, complications and to summarize current outcome data.
Risk of Recurrent Peptic Ulcer Disease in Patients Receiving Cumulative Defined Daily Dose of Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs
Authors: Liang Chih-Ming , Yang Shih-Cheng , Wu Cheng-Kun , Li Yu-Chi , Yeh Wen-Shuo , Tai Wei-Chen , Lee Chen-Hsiang , Yang Yao-Hsu , Tsai Tzu-Hsien , Hsu Chien-Ning , Chuah Seng-Kee
Published: October 2019

The purpose of this population-based case–control study was to clarify the impact of cumulative dosage of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) on recurrent peptic ulcers among chronic users after Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) eradication. We analyzed data of 203,407 adult peptic ulcer disease (PUD) patients from the National Health Insurance Research Database in Taiwan entered between 1997 and 2013. After matching for age/gender frequencies and the length of follow-up time in a ratio of 1:1, the matched case–control groups comprised 1150 patients with recurrent PUD and 1150 patients without recurrent PUD within 3 years of follow-up. More recurrent PUDs occurred in NSAID users than in the control group (75.30% versus 69.74%; p = 0.0028). Independent risk factors for recurrent PUD included patients using NSAIDs (adjusted OR (aOR): 1.34, p = 0.0040), H. pylori eradication (aOR: 2.73; p < 0.0001), concomitant H2 receptor antagonist (aOR: 1.85; p < 0.0001) and anti-coagulant (aOR: 4.21; p = 0.0242) use. Importantly, in the initial subgroup analysis, the risk ratio of recurrent PUD did not increase in NSAID users after H. pylori eradication compared with that in non-users (p = 0.8490) but a higher risk for recurrent PUD with the increased doses of NSAIDs without H. pylori eradication therapy (aOR: 1.24, p = 0.0424; aOR: 1.47, p = 0.0074; and aOR: 1.64, p = 0.0152 in the groups of ≤28, 29–83, and ≥84 cumulative defined daily doses, respectively). The current study suggested that H. pylori eradication therapy could decrease the risk of recurrent PUD among patients with high cumulative doses of NSAIDs.
Embelin as a Novel Inhibitor of PKC in the Prevention of Platelet Activation and Thrombus Formation
Authors: Li Jiun Yi , Chen Ray Jade , Huang Li Ting , Lee Tzu Yin , Lu Wan Jung , Lin Kuan Hung
Published: October 2019

Embelin is a quinone derivative and found in the fruits of Embelia ribes Burm.f. Embelin has been identified as a small molecular inhibitor of X-chromosome-linked inhibitor of apoptosis proteins, and has multiple biological activities, including antioxidation, anti-inflammation, and antitumor effects. However, the effect of embelin in platelets remains unclear. Thus, this study investigated the antiplatelet mechanism of embelin. Our data revealed that embelin could inhibit platelet aggregation induced by various agonists, including the protein kinase C (PKC) activator phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate (PDBu). Embelin, as well as the PKC inhibitor Ro 31-8220, markedly reduced PDBu-mediated phosphorylation of the PKC substrate, suggesting that embelin may be a PKC inhibitor for platelets. Embelin could block PKC downstream signaling and events, including the inhibition of protein kinase B and mitogen-activated protein kinase activation, granule release, and glycoprotein IIbIIIa activation. Moreover, embelin could delay thrombus formation in the mesenteric microvessels of mice, but did not significantly affect the tail bleeding time. In conclusion, we demonstrated that embelin is a PKC inhibitor and possesses antiplatelet and antithrombotic effects. The further analysis is necessary to more accurately determine clinical therapeutic potential of embelin in all clinical thromboembolic events with disturbance of thrombocyte function.
Correction: Effect of Hygrothermal Aging and Surface Treatment on the Dynamic Mechanical Behavior of Flax Fiber Reinforced Composites. Materials 2019, 12(15), 2376
Authors: Wang Xiaomeng , Petrů Michal
Published: October 2019

The Y-axis in both Figure 3 and Figure 4 of [...]
Human Stem Cell Responses and Surface Characteristics of 3D Printing Co-Cr Dental Material
Authors: Ganbold Boldbayar , Heo Seong-Joo , Koak Jai-Young , Kim Seong-Kyun , Cho Jaejin
Published: October 2019

Recently, the selective laser melting (SLM) method of manufacturing three dimensional (3D) dental prosthetics by applying a laser to metal powder has been widely used in the field of dentistry. This study investigated human adipose derived stem cell (hADSC) behavior on a 3D printed cobalt-chrome (Co-Cr) alloy and its surface characteristics and compared them those of a nickel-chrome (Ni-Cr) alloy. Alloys were divided into four groups according to the material and manufacturing methods. Co-Cr disks were manufactured with three different methods: a conventional casting method, a metal milling method, and an SLM method. Ni-Cr disks were manufactured with a conventional casting method. The surface roughness and compositions of the disks were assessed. hADSCs were then cultured on the disks. Cell morphologies on the disks were analyzed by a field emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM). Cell proliferation was assessed with a bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) assay kit. Cell viability was evaluated with a water-soluble tetrazolium salt (WST) assay kit. There were no differences in surface roughness between all groups. The cells were well attached to the disks, and morphologies of the cells were similar. The cell proliferation and viability of the Ni-Cr disks were significantly lower than the other groups. However, the Co-Cr disks showed no differences in their different fabricating methods. In conclusion, the biocompatibility of 3D printed Co-Cr alloys showed comparable results compared to that of the conventional casting method, and these alloys were more biocompatible than Ni-Cr alloys.
On the Integral of the Fractional Brownian Motion and Some Pseudo-Fractional Gaussian Processes
Authors: Abundo Mario , Pirozzi Enrica
Published: October 2019

We investigate the main statistical parameters of the integral over time of the fractional Brownian motion and of a kind of pseudo-fractional Gaussian process, obtained as a classical Gauss–Markov process from Doob representation by replacing Brownian motion with fractional Brownian motion. Possible applications in the context of neuronal models are highlighted. A fractional Ornstein–Uhlenbeck process is considered and relations with the integral of the pseudo-fractional Gaussian process are provided.
Editorial for the Special Issue on Micro/Nano Devices for Blood Analysis
Authors: Catarino Susana O. , Minas Graça , Lima Rui
Published: October 2019

The development of microdevices for blood analysis is an interdisciplinary subject that demands an integration of several research fields such as biotechnology, medicine, chemistry, informatics, optics, electronics, mechanics, and micro/nanotechnologies [...]
Erratum: Kim, J.; et al. Characterization of mcr-1-Harboring Plasmids from Pan Drug-Resistant Escherichia coli Strains Isolated from Retail Raw Chicken in South Korea. Microorganisms 2019, 7, 344
Authors: Kim Jinshil , Hwang Bo Kyoung , Choi HyeLim , Wang Yang , Choi Sang Ho , Ryu Sangryeol , Jeon Byeonghwa
Published: October 2019

The authors would like to make the following corrections to the published paper [...]
Bioactive Molecules and Their Mechanisms of Action
Authors: Wang Dongdong , Heiss Elke , Šmejkal Karel , Atanasov Atanas G.
Published: October 2019

Chronic inflammation with a wide spectrum of connected diseases (e [...]
Quantitative Analysis of Major Metals in Agricultural Biochar Using Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy with an Adaboost Artificial Neural Network Algorithm
Authors: Duan Hongwei , Han Lujia , Huang Guangqun
Published: October 2019

To promote the green development of agriculture by returning biochar to farmland, it is of great significance to simultaneously detect heavy and nutritional metals in agricultural biochar. This work aimed first to apply laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) for the determination of heavy (Pb, Cr) and nutritional (K, Na, Ca, Mg, Cu, and Zn) metals in agricultural biochar. Each batch of collected biochar was prepared to a standardized sample using the separating and milling method. Two types of univariate analysis model were developed using peak intensity and integration area of the sensitive emission lines, but the performance did not satisfy the requirements of practical application because of the poor correlations between the measured values and predicted values, as well as large relative standard deviation of the prediction (RSDP) values. An ensemble learning algorithm, adaboost backpropagation artificial neural network (BP-Adaboost), was then used to develop the multivariate analysis models, which had a more robust performance than traditional univariate analysis, partial least squares regression (PLSR), and backpropagation artificial neural network (BP-ANN). The optimized RSDP values for K, Ca, Mg, and Cu were less than 10%, while the RSDP values for Pb, Cr, Zn, and Na were in the range of 10–20%. Moreover, the pairwise t-test of its prediction set showed that there was no significant difference between the measurements of LIBS and ICP-MS. The promising results indicate that rapid and simultaneous detection of major heavy and nutritional metals in agricultural biochar can be achieved using LIBS and reasonable chemometric algorithms.
Untargeted/Targeted 2D Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry Detection of the Total Volatile Tea Metabolome
Authors: Morimoto Joshua , Rosso Marta Cialiè , Kfoury Nicole , Bicchi Carlo , Cordero Chiara , Robbat Albert
Published: October 2019

Identifying all analytes in a natural product is a daunting challenge, even if fractionated by volatility. In this study, comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC×GC-MS) was used to investigate relative distribution of volatiles in green, pu-erh tea from leaves collected at two different elevations (1162 m and 1651 m). A total of 317 high and 280 low elevation compounds were detected, many of them known to have sensory and health beneficial properties. The samples were evaluated by two different software. The first, GC Image, used feature-based detection algorithms to identify spectral patterns and peak-regions, leading to tentative identification of 107 compounds. The software produced a composite map illustrating differences in the samples. The second, Ion Analytics, employed spectral deconvolution algorithms to detect target compounds, then subtracted their spectra from the total ion current chromatogram to reveal untargeted compounds. Compound identities were more easily assigned, since chromatogram complexities were reduced. Of the 317 compounds, for example, 34% were positively identified and 42% were tentatively identified, leaving 24% as unknowns. This study demonstrated the targeted/untargeted approach taken simplifies the analysis time for large data sets, leading to a better understanding of the chemistry behind biological phenomena.
d-Idose, d-Iduronic Acid, and d-Idonic Acid from d-Glucose via Seven-Carbon Sugars
Authors: Liu Zilei , Jenkinson Sarah , Yoshihara Akihide , Wormald Mark , Izumori Ken , Fleet George
Published: October 2019

A practical synthesis of the very rare sugar d-idose and the stable building blocks for d-idose, d-iduronic, and d-idonic acids from ido-heptonic acid requires only isopropylidene protection, Shing silica gel-supported periodate cleavage of the C6-C7 bond of the heptonic acid, and selective reduction of C1 and/or C6. d-Idose is the most unstable of all the aldohexoses and a stable precursor which be stored and then converted under very mild conditions into d-idose is easily prepared.
Microwave Assisted Reactions of Fluorescent Pyrrolodiazine Building Blocks
Authors: Moldoveanu Costel , Amariucai-Mantu Dorina , Mangalagiu Violeta , Antoci Vasilichia , Maftei Dan , Mangalagiu Ionel I. , Zbancioc Gheorghita
Published: October 2019

We report here the synthesis and optical spectral properties of several new pyrrolodiazine derivatives. The luminescent heterocycles were synthesized by 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reactions between N-alkylated pyridazine and methylpropiolate or dimethyl acetylenedicarboxylate (DMAD). The pyrrolopyridazine derivatives are blue emitters with moderate quantum yields (around 25%) in the case of pyrrolopyridazines and negligible yet measurable emission for pyrrolophthalazines. In a subsequent step towards including the pyrrolodiazine moiety, given its spectral properties in various macromolecular frameworks such as biological molecules, a subset of the synthetized compounds has been subjected to α-bromination. A selective and efficient way for α-bromination in heterogeneous catalysis of pyrrolodiazine derivatives under microwave (MW) irradiation is presented. We report substantially higher yields under MW irradiation, whereas the solvent amounts required are at least five-fold less compared to classical heating.
Compositional and Micro-Morphological Characterisation of Red Colourants in Archaeological Textiles from Pharaonic Egypt
Authors: Tamburini Diego , Dyer Joanne , Davit Patrizia , Aceto Maurizio , Turina Valentina , Borla Matilde , Vandenbeusch Marie , Gulmini Monica
Published: October 2019

When the imagination conjures up an image of an Egyptian mummy, it is normally one of a human body wrapped with undyed linen bandages. However, the reality was much more colourful, as shown by the set of red mummy shrouds and textile fragments from Pharaonic Egypt considered in this work. The textiles were subjected to scientific investigation with the main aim of shedding light on the sources of red colour and on the possible reasons for the different levels of colour fading. The red colourants were investigated using various non-invasive and micro-invasive approaches. The results pointed towards the presence of three sources of red colour, which, in increasing order of lightfastness, are safflower (Carthamus tinctorius), madder (Rubia spp.), and red ochre. Micro-morphological observations and elemental analyses also enabled some hypotheses to be formulated regarding the application of these colourants to the textiles. The results not only deepen our knowledge of dyeing technologies in ancient Egypt and shed new light on the function of red shrouds and textiles as part of the funerary practices of Pharaonic Egypt, but are also essential in planning the display and future preservation of these mummies and their associated textiles.
Correction: Saha, C., et al. Differential Effects of Viscum album Preparations on the Maturation and Activation of Human Dendritic Cells and CD4+ T Cell Responses. Molecules 2016, 21, 912
Authors: Saha Chaitrali , Das Mrinmoy , Stephen-Victor Emmanuel , Friboulet Alain , Bayry Jagadeesh , Kaveri Srini V.
Published: October 2019

The authors wish to make the following corrections to this paper [...]
Nanostructured Perovskite Solar Cells
Authors: McDonald Calum , Ni Chengsheng , Maguire Paul , Connor Paul , Irvine John , Mariotti Davide , Svrcek Vladimir
Published: October 2019

Over the past decade, lead halide perovskites have emerged as one of the leading photovoltaic materials due to their long carrier lifetimes, high absorption coefficients, high tolerance to defects, and facile processing methods. With a bandgap of ~1.6 eV, lead halide perovskite solar cells have achieved power conversion efficiencies in excess of 25%. Despite this, poor material stability along with lead contamination remains a significant barrier to commercialization. Recently, low-dimensional perovskites, where at least one of the structural dimensions is measured on the nanoscale, have demonstrated significantly higher stabilities, and although their power conversion efficiencies are slightly lower, these materials also open up the possibility of quantum-confinement effects such as carrier multiplication. Furthermore, both bulk perovskites and low-dimensional perovskites have been demonstrated to form hybrids with silicon nanocrystals, where numerous device architectures can be exploited to improve efficiency. In this review, we provide an overview of perovskite solar cells, and report the current progress in nanoscale perovskites, such as low-dimensional perovskites, perovskite quantum dots, and perovskite-nanocrystal hybrid solar cells.
Effect of Functionalized Graphene Nanoplatelets on the Delamination-Buckling and Delamination Propagation Resistance of 3D Fiber-Metal Laminates Under Different Loading Rates
Authors: De Cicco Davide , Taheri Farid
Published: October 2019

This paper presents an investigation into the effect of graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs) as a means of improving the impact buckling performance and delamination propagation resistance of a recently developed 3D fiber-metal laminate (3D-FML). One of the highlights of the investigation is the examination of the performance of the GNP-reinforced resin at a sub-freezing temperature (−50 °C). 3D-FML beam specimens were subjected to axial impact of various intensities at room-temperature, while they were subjected to quasi-static axial compression load at the sub-freezing temperature. Moreover, the influence of two different surface preparation methods on the performance of the metallic/FRP interfaces of the hybrid system was also investigated in this study. Although the inclusion of the GNPs in the resin resulted in some gain in the buckling capacity of the 3D-FML, nevertheless, the results revealed that the lack of adequate chemical bond between the GNP-reinforced resin and the magnesium skins of the hybrid material system significantly limited the potential influence of the GNPs. Therefore, a cost-effective and practical alternative is presented that results in a significant improvement in the interfacial capacity.
Computational Modeling of Tensile Stress Effects on the Structure and Stability of Prototypical Covalent and Layered Materials
Authors: Chorfi Hocine , Lobato Álvaro , Boudjada Fahima , Salvadó Miguel A. , Franco Ruth , Baonza Valentín G. , Recio J. Manuel
Published: October 2019

Understanding the stability limit of crystalline materials under variable tensile stress conditions is of capital interest for technological applications. In this study, we present results from first-principles density functional theory calculations that quantitatively account for the response of selected covalent and layered materials to general stress conditions. In particular, we have evaluated the ideal strength along the main crystallographic directions of 3C and 2H polytypes of SiC, hexagonal ABA stacking of graphite and 2H-MoS 2 . Transverse superimposed stress on the tensile stress was taken into account in order to evaluate how the critical strength is affected by these multi-load conditions. In general, increasing transverse stress from negative to positive values leads to the expected decreasing of the critical strength. Few exceptions found in the compressive stress region correlate with the trends in the density of bonds along the directions with the unexpected behavior. In addition, we propose a modified spinodal equation of state able to accurately describe the calculated stress–strain curves. This analytical function is of general use and can also be applied to experimental data anticipating critical strengths and strain values, and for providing information on the energy stored in tensile stress processes.
Polyfluorene-Based Multicolor Fluorescent Nanoparticles Activated by Temperature for Bioimaging and Drug Delivery
Authors: Rubio-Camacho Marta , Alacid Yolanda , Mallavia Ricardo , Martínez-Tomé María José , Mateo C. Reyes
Published: October 2019

Multifunctional nanoparticles have been attracting growing attention in recent years because of their capability to integrate materials with different features in one entity, which leads them to be considered as the next generation of nanomedicine. In this work, we have taken advantage of the interesting properties of conjugated polyelectrolytes to develop multicolor fluorescent nanoparticles with integrating imaging and therapeutic functionalities. With this end, thermosensitive liposomes were coated with three recently synthesized polyfluorenes: copoly-((9,9-bis(6′-N,N,N-trimethylammonium)hexyl)-2,7-(fluorene)-alt-1,4-(phenylene)) bromide (HTMA-PFP), copoly-((9,9-bis(6′-N,N,N-trimethylammonium)hexyl)-2,7-(fluorene)-alt-4,7-(2- (phenyl)benzo(d) (1,2,3) triazole)) bromide (HTMA-PFBT) and copoly-((9,9-bis(6′-N,N,N- trimethylammonium)hexyl)-2,7-(fluorene)-alt-1,4-(naphtho(2,3c)-1,2,5-thiadiazole)) bromide (HTMA-PFNT), in order to obtain blue, green and red fluorescent drug carriers, respectively. The stability, size and morphology of the nanoparticles, as well as their thermotropic behavior and photophysical properties, have been characterized by Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS), Zeta Potential, transmission electron microscope (TEM) analysis and fluorescence spectroscopy. In addition, the suitability of the nanostructures to carry and release their contents when triggered by hyperthermia has been explored by using carboxyfluorescein as a hydrophilic drug model. Finally, preliminary experiments with mammalian cells demonstrate the capability of the nanoparticles to mark and visualize cells with different colors, evidencing their potential use for imaging and therapeutic applications.
Hyperthermia, Cytotoxicity, and Cellular Uptake Properties of Manganese and Zinc Ferrite Magnetic Nanoparticles Synthesized by a Polyol-Mediated Process
Authors: Iacovita Cristian , Florea Adrian , Scorus Lavinia , Pall Emoke , Dudric Roxana , Moldovan Alin Iulian , Stiufiuc Rares , Tetean Romulus , Lucaciu Constantin Mihai
Published: October 2019

Manganese and zinc ferrite magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) were successfully synthesizedusing the polyol method in ethylene glycol and were found to have high saturation magnetizationvalues (90–95 emu/g at 4 K) when formed by ~30-nm crystallites assembled in an ~80-nm multicorestructure. Hyperthermia data revealed a sigmoidal dependence of the specific absorption rate (SAR)on the alternating magnetic field (AMF) amplitude, with remarkable saturation SAR values in waterof ~1200 W/gFe+Mn and ~800 W/gFe+Zn for the Mn and Zn ferrites, respectively. The immobilizationof the MNPs in a solid matrix reduced the maximum SAR values by ~300 W/gFe+Mn, Zn for bothferrites. The alignment of the MNPs in a uniform static magnetic field, before their immobilizationin a solid matrix, significantly increased their heating performance. Toxicity assays performed infour cell lines revealed a lower toxicity for the Mn ferrites, while in the case of the Zn ferrites, only~50% of cells were viable upon their incubation for 24 h with 0.2 mg/mL of MNPs. Cellular uptakeexperiments revealed that both MNPs entered the cells in a time-dependent manner, as they werefound initially in endosomes and later in the cytosol. All of the studied cell lines were more sensitiveto the ZnFe2O4 MNPs.
Magnesium Intake Predicts Bone Turnover in Postmenopausal Black South African Women
Authors: Wright Hattie H. , Kruger Marlena C. , Schutte Willem D. , Wentzel-Viljoen Edelweiss , Kruger Iolanthe M. , Kruger Herculina S.
Published: October 2019

This prospective study investigated the association between nutrient intake, dietary patterns, and changes in bone turnover and bone mineral density (BMD) in postmenopausal urban black South African women over two years. These women (n = 144) underwent BMD measurements at the distal radius, lumbar spine, femoral neck (FN), as well as a biochemical analysis which included the parathyroid hormone (PTH), 25-hydroxyvitamin D, C-Telopeptide of type I collagen (CTX-1) in 2010 and 2012. Their dietary intake was assessed in 2010 using a food frequency questionnaire, and sociodemographic and health information was collected. Four dietary patterns explained 54.4% of the variance of dietary intake, namely staple foods and processed meats, home cooking, snacking, and high sugar. Dietary magnesium negatively correlated with CTx-1 in 2012 (r = −0.21, p = 0.02), calcium correlated with distal radius BMD in 2010 (r = 0.22, p = 0.01) and 2012 (r = 0.24, p = 0.005), and the snacking dietary pattern score correlated with FN BMD in 2010 (r = 0.18, p = 0.03) and 2012 (r = 0.21, p = 0.02). The baseline CTx-1 and dietary magnesium intake predicted 22% of the variance in percentage change of CTx-1 over two years (p < 0.001).The magnesium intake predicted short-term bone resorption over two years.
Vitamin D Improves Nitric Oxide-Dependent Vasodilation in Adipose Tissue Arterioles from Bariatric Surgery Patients
Authors: Mahmoud Abeer M. , Szczurek Mary , Hassan Chandra , Masrur Mario , Gangemi Antonio , Phillips Shane A.
Published: October 2019

There is a high prevalence of vitamin-D deficiency in obese individuals that could be attributed to vitamin-D sequestration in the adipose tissue. Associations between vitamin-D deficiency and unfavorable cardiometabolic outcomes were reported. However, the pathophysiological mechanisms behind these associations are yet to be established. In our previous studies, we demonstrated microvascular dysfunction in obese adults that was associated with reduced nitric oxide (NO) production. Herein, we examined the role of vitamin D in mitigating microvascular function in morbidly obese adults before and after weight loss surgery. We obtained subcutaneous (SAT) and visceral adipose tissue (VAT) biopsies from bariatric patients at the time of surgery (n = 15) and gluteal SAT samples three months post-surgery (n = 8). Flow-induced dilation (FID) and acetylcholine-induced dilation (AChID) and NO production were measured in the AT-isolated arterioles ± NO synthase inhibitor N(ω)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) inhibitor, polyethylene glycol-modified catalase (PEG-CAT), or 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D. Vitamin D improved FID, AChID, and NO production in AT-isolated arterioles at time of surgery; these effects were abolished by L-NAME but not by PEG-CAT. Vitamin-D-mediated improvements were of a higher magnitude in VAT compared to SAT arterioles. After surgery, significant improvements in FID, AChID, NO production, and NO sensitivity were observed. Vitamin-D-induced changes were of a lower magnitude compared to those from the time of surgery. In conclusion, vitamin D improved NO-dependent arteriolar vasodilation in obese adults; this effect was more significant before surgery-induced weight loss.
Optimization and Prediction of Ibuprofen Release from 3D DLP Printlets Using Artificial Neural Networks
Authors: Madzarevic Marijana , Medarevic Djordje , Vulovic Aleksandra , Sustersic Tijana , Djuris Jelena , Filipovic Nenad , Ibric Svetlana
Published: October 2019

The aim of this work was to investigate effects of the formulation factors on tablet printability as well as to optimize and predict extended drug release from cross-linked polymeric ibuprofen printlets using an artificial neural network (ANN). Printlets were printed using digital light processing (DLP) technology from formulations containing polyethylene glycol diacrylate, polyethylene glycol, and water in concentrations according to D-optimal mixture design and 0.1% w/w riboflavin and 5% w/w ibuprofen. It was observed that with higher water content longer exposure time was required for successful printing. For understanding the effects of excipients and printing parameters on drug dissolution rate in DLP printlets two different neural networks were developed with using two commercially available softwares. After comparison of experimental and predicted values of in vitro dissolution at the corresponding time points for optimized formulation, the R2 experimental vs. predicted value was 0.9811 (neural network 1) and 0.9960 (neural network 2). According to difference f1 and similarity factor f2 (f1 = 14.30 and f2 = 52.15) neural network 1 with supervised multilayer perceptron, backpropagation algorithm, and linear activation function gave a similar dissolution profile to obtained experimental results, indicating that adequate ANN is able to set out an input–output relationship in DLP printing of pharmaceutics.