bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Lipocalin 2: A New Antimicrobial in Mast Cells
Authors: Chang Yu-Ling , Wang Zhenping , Igawa Satomi , Choi Jae Eun , Werbel Tyler , Di Nardo Anna
Published: May 2019

Mast cells (MCs) play a significant role in the innate immune defense against bacterial infection through the release of cytokines and antimicrobial peptides. However, their antimicrobial function is still only partially described. We therefore hypothesized that MCs express additional antimicrobial peptides. In this study, we used FANTOM 5 transcriptome data to identify for the first time that MCs express lipocalin 2 (LCN2), a known inhibitor of bacterial growth. Using MCs derived from mice which were deficient in LCN2, we showed that this antimicrobial peptide is an important component of the MCs’ antimicrobial activity against Escherichia coli (E. coli). Since sphingosine-1-phosphate receptors (S1PRs) on MCs are known to regulate their function during infections, we hypothesized that S1P could activate LCN2 production in MCs. Using an in vitro assay, we demonstrated that S1P enhances MCs antimicrobial peptide production and increases the capacity of MCs to directly kill S. aureus and E. coli via an LCN2 release. In conclusion, we showed that LCN2 is expressed by MCs and plays a role in their capacity to inhibit bacterial growth.
Doratoxylon apetalum, an Indigenous Medicinal Plant from Mascarene Islands, Is a Potent Inhibitor of Zika and Dengue Virus Infection in Human Cells
Authors: Haddad Juliano G. , Koishi Andrea Cristine , Gaudry Arnaud , Nunes Duarte dos Santos Claudia , Viranaicken Wildriss , Desprès Philippe , El Kalamouni Chaker
Published: May 2019

Zika virus (ZIKV) and Dengue virus (DENV) are mosquito-borne viruses of the Flavivirus genus that could cause congenital microcephaly and hemorrhage, respectively, in humans, and thus present a risk to global public health. A preventive vaccine against ZIKV remains unavailable, and no specific antiviral drugs against ZIKV and DENV are licensed. Medicinal plants may be a source of natural antiviral drugs which mostly target viral entry. In this study, we evaluate the antiviral activity of Doratoxylum apetalum, an indigenous medicinal plant from the Mascarene Islands, against ZIKV and DENV infection. Our data indicated that D. apetalum exhibited potent antiviral activity against a contemporary epidemic strain of ZIKV and clinical isolates of four DENV serotypes at non-cytotoxic concentrations in human cells. Time-of-drug-addition assays revealed that D. apetalum extract acts on ZIKV entry by preventing the internalisation of virus particles into the host cells. Our data suggest that D. apetalum-mediated ZIKV inhibition relates to virus particle inactivation. We suggest that D. apetalum could be a promising natural source for the development of potential antivirals against medically important flaviviruses.
Altered Intracellular Calcium Homeostasis and Arrhythmogenesis in the Aged Heart
Authors: Hamilton Shanna , Terentyev Dmitry
Published: May 2019

Aging of the heart is associated with a blunted response to sympathetic stimulation, reduced contractility, and increased propensity for arrhythmias, with the risk of sudden cardiac death significantly increased in the elderly population. The altered cardiac structural and functional phenotype, as well as age-associated prevalent comorbidities including hypertension and atherosclerosis, predispose the heart to atrial fibrillation, heart failure, and ventricular tachyarrhythmias. At the cellular level, perturbations in mitochondrial function, excitation-contraction coupling, and calcium homeostasis contribute to this electrical and contractile dysfunction. Major determinants of cardiac contractility are the intracellular release of Ca2+ from the sarcoplasmic reticulum by the ryanodine receptors (RyR2), and the following sequestration of Ca2+ by the sarco/endoplasmic Ca2+-ATPase (SERCa2a). Activity of RyR2 and SERCa2a in myocytes is not only dependent on expression levels and interacting accessory proteins, but on fine-tuned regulation via post-translational modifications. In this paper, we review how aberrant changes in intracellular Ca2+ cycling via these proteins contributes to arrhythmogenesis in the aged heart.
Effect of Baicalin-Aluminum Complexes on Fecal Microbiome in Piglets
Authors: Fu Shulin , Zhuang Feng , Guo Ling , Qiu Yinsheng , Xiong Jianglin , Ye Chun , Liu Yu , Wu Zhongyuan , Hou Yongqing , Hu Chien-An Andy
Published: May 2019

The gut microbiome has important effects on gastrointestinal diseases. Diarrhea attenuation functions of baicalin (BA) is not clear. Baicalin–aluminum complexes (BBA) were synthesized from BA, but the BBA’s efficacy on the diarrhea of piglets and the gut microbiomes have not been explored and the mechanism remains unclear. This study has explored whether BBA could modulate the composition of the gut microbiomes of piglets during diarrhea. The results showed that the diarrhea rate reduced significantly after treatment with BBA. BBA altered the overall structure of the gut microbiomes. In addition, the Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment analysis indicated that the functional differentially expressed genes, which were involved in the top 30 GO enrichments, were associated with hydrogenase (acceptor) activity, nicotinamide-nucleotide adenylyltransferase activity, and isocitrate lyase activity, belong to the molecular function. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis showed that flagellar assembly, bacterial chemotaxis, lipopolysaccharide biosynthesis, ATP-binding cassette transporters (ABC) transporters, biosynthesis of amino acids, and phosphotransferase system (PTS) were the most enriched during BBA treatment process. Taken together, our results first demonstrated that BBA treatment could modulate the gut microbiomes composition of piglets with diarrhea, which may provide new potential insights on the mechanisms of gut microbiomes associated underlying the antimicrobial efficacy of BBA.
Combined Experimental and CFD Investigation of Flat Plate Film Cooling through Fan Shaped Holes
Authors: Rouina Samaneh , Ravelli Silvia , Barigozzi Giovanna
Published: May 2019

The present paper reports the results of an experimental and computational investigation of flat plate film cooling jets discharged from three fan-shaped holes. Measurements have been carried out at near unity density ratio in a low-speed wind tunnel, at low inlet turbulence intensity, with blowing ratios (BR) of 1 and 2. Aerodynamic results have shown that the jet stays attached to the flat plate. Thermal measurements have revealed that film cooling effectiveness decreases downstream of the holes, and BR equal to 1 provides the best trade-off between cooling air consumption and thermal protection. Consequently, BR = 1 was selected for assessing the performance of different turbulence models, implemented in STAR-CCM+, according with the steady Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) approach. Predictions from realizable k-ε (RKE), shear stress transport k-ω (SST KW) and Reynolds stress model (RSM) were compared against measurements of laterally averaged and centerline adiabatic effectiveness, as well as off-the-wall velocity maps and profiles of stress components. RSM provided the most accurate predictions.
Verification of the Axial Momentum Theory for Propellers with a Uniform Load Distribution
Authors: Bontempo Rodolfo , Manna Marcello
Published: May 2019

The paper provides an evaluation of the errors embodied in the Axial Momentum Theory (AMT) as applied to a uniformly loaded actuator disk model without wake rotation. Although this model exhibits some unphysical features, such as the tip singularity and the violation of the angular momentum equation, it is still considered a touchstone in the theoretical aerodynamics of propellers. To simplify the model, a purely mathematical assumption is commonly used in the differential form of the axial momentum equation, i.e., the contribution of the pressure forces on the lateral surface of the infinitesimal streamtubes swallowed by the disk is neglected. In this paper, the errors introduced by this simplifying assumption are evaluated by comparing the results of the AMT with those of a nonlinear method modelling the free wake as the superposition of ring vortices distributed along the wake boundary. Firstly, the validity of this method is verified in terms of global performance coefficients. Then, using a CFD approach, it is also verified in terms of local flow quantities. The comparison between the ring-vortices method and the AMT shows that, for a highly loaded propeller, significant errors exist in the axial velocity at the disk, especially near the tip. Moreover, despite the uniform load, the axial velocity at the disk varies in the radial direction. Instead, the velocity magnitude remains almost uniform only for values of the thrust coefficient lower than 1.
Can We Extract Production Cross-Sections from Thick Target Yield Measurements? A Case Study Using Scandium Radioisotopes
Authors: Sitarz Mateusz , Jastrzębski Jerzy , Haddad Férid , Matulewicz Tomasz , Szkliniarz Katarzyna , Zipper Wiktor
Published: May 2019

In this work, we present an attempt to estimate the reaction excitation function based on the measurements of thick target yield. We fit a function to experimental data points and then use three fitting parameters to calculate the cross-section. We applied our approach to 43Ca(p,n)43Sc, 44Ca(p,n)44gSc, 44Ca(p,n)44mSc, 48Ca(p,2n)47Sc and 48Ca(p,n)48Sc reactions. A general agreement was observed between the reconstructions and the available cross-section data. The algorithm described here can be used to roughly estimate cross-section values, but it requires improvements.
Stem Cells in Equine Veterinary Practice—Current Trends, Risks, and Perspectives
Authors: Kornicka Katarzyna , Geburek Florian , Röcken Michael , Marycz Krzysztof
Published: May 2019

With this Editorial, we introduce the Special Issue “Adipose-Derived Stem Cells and Their Extracellular Microvesicles (ExMVs) for Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine Applications” to the scientific community. In this issue, we focus on regenerative medicine, stem cells, and their clinical application.
The Effect of Aspirin on Preventing Vascular Access Dysfunction in Incident Hemodialysis Patients: A Prospective Cohort Study in Korean Clinical Research Centers for End-Stage Renal Disease (CRC for ESRD)
Authors: Kim Chan Ho , Oh Hyung Jung , Kim Yon Su , Kim Yong-Lim , Chang Jae Hyun , Ryu Dong-Ryeol
Published: May 2019

Background: Aspirin is often prescribed empirically to improve the patency of hemodialysis (HD) vascular access. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the impact of aspirin on the survival of vascular access in incident HD patients with arteriovenous fistula (AVF) or arteriovenous graft (AVG). Methods: A prospective cohort of 881 incident HD patients was enrolled between 2009 and 2014. The primary outcome was defined as the first AVF/AVG intervention or salvage procedure, including percutaneous transluminal angioplasty or surgery for vascular access failure. Cox analyses were performed to determine the association between aspirin usage and the occurrence of the primary outcome. Results: The mean age of the patient group was 57.9 ± 13.4, and 63.8% of the patients were male. Aspirin was prescribed in 241 (27.4%) patients, and the median follow-up duration was 30 months. During follow-up, 180 (20.4%) patients experienced the primary outcome event. Univariate analysis showed that age, gender, presence of diabetes mellitus (DM), preexisting peripheral arterial disease, and the type of vascular access used (AVG versus AVF) were significantly associated with the development of the primary outcome. However, aspirin usage from the baseline was not significantly associated with primary outcome events (hazard ratio (HR): 1.16; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.84–1.60; p = 0.378). Multivariate analysis showed that gender, the presence of DM, and the type of vascular access were still significantly associated with the occurrence of the primary outcome. Moreover, we did not observe the protective effect of taking aspirin on primary vascular access failure, even in subgroup analyses stratified according to gender, the presence of DM, and the type of vascular access. Conclusion: Physicians should carefully consider when they prescribe aspirin for the prevention of primary vascular access failure in Korean incident HD patients. In addition, larger prospective interventional studies are needed to elucidate the effect of aspirin on vascular access failure.
Does Prophylactic Administration of Edoxaban Increase D-Dimer Levels after Total Hip Arthroplasty?
Authors: Kawai Toshiyuki , Kuroda Yutaka , Goto Koji , Matsuda Shuichi
Published: May 2019

This study aimed to examine the effect of thromboprophylactic edoxaban on D-dimer levels and anemia after total hip arthroplasty (THA). We retrospectively analyzed data from 349 patients undergoing primary THA. Univariate regression and multivariate regression analyses were performed with D-dimer levels on the 7th, 14th, and 21st days postoperatively as the dependent variable Edoxaban use, age, sex, body mass index (BMI), renal function, drop in hemoglobin (Hb) drop, intraoperative blood loss and duration of surgery as were independent variables. Multivariate regression analysis was also performed with Hb drop as the dependent variable. Edoxaban administration of 15 mg/day and 30 mg/day after THA was correlated with higher D-dimer levels at 21, but not at 7 or 14, days postoperatively. Other significant independent predictors for high D-dimer levels were the duration of surgery (at 7 and 14 days), BMI (at 7 days), sex (at 14 days), and age (at 14 and 21 days). Edoxaban use was significantly, weakly correlated with a larger Hb drop at 7 and 14 days, but this was less than a clinically important difference. D-dimer levels after THA can be elevated by thromboprophylactic edoxaban after three weeks postoperatively.
Clinical and Gait Parameters Related to Pelvic Retraction in Patients with Spastic Hemiplegia
Authors: Park Kun-Bo , Park Hoon , Park Byoung Kyu , Abdel-Baki Sharkawy Wagih , Kim Hyun Woo
Published: May 2019

Pelvic retraction during walking is a common finding seen in patients with spastic hemiplegia. However, potential factors related to this condition have not been comprehensively examined in a systemic manner in previous studies. The purpose of this study was to elucidate any clinical and gait parameters related to pelvic retraction in patients with hemiplegic cerebral palsy. A total of 212 independent ambulatory patients were enrolled in the study. Group I consisted of 113 patients who had persistent pelvic retraction, and Group II of 99 with a normal range of pelvic rotation throughout the gait cycle as evidenced by kinematic analysis. A multivariate logistic regression analysis using a clustering technique was performed, with use of eight gait factors and five clinical factors. Decreased ankle dorsiflexion, increased hip internal rotation, increased anterior pelvic tilt, the Winters classification type II, and asymmetrical posturing of the upper extremity during gait were found to be related to pelvic retraction. This is the only study including a broader array of assessment domains of both clinical and gait parameters with a considerably large and homogenous population with hemiplegia. Further studies will be needed to see whether the rectification of those parameters may improve abnormal gait and pelvic retraction in hemiplegia.
Caffeine Modulates Cadmium-Induced Oxidative Stress, Neuroinflammation, and Cognitive Impairments by Regulating Nrf-2/HO-1 In Vivo and In Vitro
Authors: Khan Amjad , Ikram Muhammad , Muhammad Tahir , Park Junsung , Kim Myeong Ok
Published: May 2019

Cadmium (Cd), a nonbiodegradable heavy metal and one of the most neurotoxic environmental and industrial pollutants, promotes disturbances in major organs and tissues following both acute and chronic exposure. In this study, we assessed the neuroprotective potential of caffeine (30 mg/kg) against Cd (5 mg/kg)-induced oxidative stress-mediated neuroinflammation, neuronal apoptosis, and cognitive deficits in male C57BL/6N mice in vivo and in HT-22 and BV-2 cell lines in vitro. Interestingly, our findings indicate that caffeine markedly reduced reactive oxygen species (ROS) and lipid peroxidation (LPO) levels and enhanced the expression of nuclear factor-2 erythroid-2 (Nrf-2) and hemeoxygenase-1 (HO-1), which act as endogenous antioxidant regulators. Also, 8-dihydro-8-oxoguanine (8-OXO-G) expression was considerably reduced in the caffeine-treated group as compared to the Cd-treated group. Similarly, caffeine ameliorated Cd-mediated glial activation by reducing the expression of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), ionized calcium-binding adapter molecule 1 (Iba-1), and other inflammatory mediators in the cortical and hippocampal regions of the mouse brain. Moreover, caffeine markedly attenuated Cd-induced neuronal loss, synaptic dysfunction, and learning and cognitive deficits. Of note, nuclear factor-2 erythroid-2 (Nrf-2) gene silencing and nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) inhibition studies revealed that caffeine exerted neuroprotection via regulation of Nrf-2- and NF-κB-dependent mechanisms in the HT-22 and BV-2 cell lines, respectively. On the whole, these findings reveal that caffeine rescues Cd-induced oxidative stress-mediated neuroinflammation, neurodegeneration, and memory impairment. The present study suggests that caffeine might be a potential antioxidant and neuroprotective agent against Cd-induced neurodegeneration.
Geomorphological Processes and Environmental Interpretation at Espalmador islet (Western Mediterranean)
Authors: del Valle Villalonga Laura , Timar-Gabor Alida , Fornós Joan J.
Published: May 2019

This study presents a sedimentological and stratigraphical description of the Pleistocene deposits cropping out in Espalmador islet (Illes Pitiüses). Four major sedimentary facies including the succession of aeolian, marine, colluvial and edaphic environments are described. The sedimentological and stratigraphical analysis of these deposits allows the reconstruction of the coastal Pleistocene environmental and geomorphological history of the Espalmador islet. The coastal relief and the fluctuations of the sea level mainly control the Pleistocene coastal landscape evolution on Espalmador. Episodes of aeolian activity and dune formation related to a predominant northwestern wind direction can be linked to periods of low sea level where a high amount of marine sediment is exposed on the shelf platform.
Threshold Stochastic Conditional Duration Model for Financial Transaction Data
Authors: Men Zhongxian , Kolkiewicz Adam W. , Wirjanto Tony S.
Published: May 2019

This paper proposes a variant of a threshold stochastic conditional duration (TSCD) model for financial data at the transaction level. It assumes that the innovations of the duration process follow a threshold distribution with a positive support. In addition, it also assumes that the latent first-order autoregressive process of the log conditional durations switches between two regimes. The regimes are determined by the levels of the observed durations and the TSCD model is specified to be self-excited. A novel Markov-Chain Monte Carlo method (MCMC) is developed for parameter estimation of the model. For model discrimination, we employ deviance information criteria, which does not depend on the number of model parameters directly. Duration forecasting is constructed by using an auxiliary particle filter based on the fitted models. Simulation studies demonstrate that the proposed TSCD model and MCMC method work well in terms of parameter estimation and duration forecasting. Lastly, the proposed model and method are applied to two classic data sets that have been studied in the literature, namely IBM and Boeing transaction data.
Tensile Properties and Fracture Behaviour of Biodegradable Iron–Manganese Scaffolds Produced by Powder Sintering
Authors: Dehghan-Manshadi A. , StJohn D.H. , Dargusch M.S.
Published: May 2019

Powder sintering at 1200 °C for 180 min was used to produce Fe–Mn based alloys with tensile properties and an elastic modulus suitable for biodegradable implant applications. The effect of the addition of manganese on the microstructure, tensile properties and fracture behaviour of the Fe–Mn alloys was investigated. The Fe–35Mn alloy with a microstructure dominated by the Austenite phase showed the best set of tensile properties, including ultimate tensile strength and Young’s modulus, suitable for orthopaedic implant applications. The fracture surface of the Fe–35Mn alloy showed signs of complex multimode fracture behaviour, consisting of interconnected pores and large segments with signs of ductile fracture, including the presence of dimples as well as micro-voids.
Thermal Analysis and SEM Microscopy Applied to Studying the Efficiency of Ionic Liquid Immobilization on Solid Supports
Authors: Sowińska Anna , Maciejewska Magdalena , Guo Laina , Delebecq Etienne
Published: May 2019

Ionic liquids (ILs) are widely used in elastomer composites, primarily as vulcanization activators or accelerators, crosslinkers, conductive additives, or dispersing agents of fillers. The aim of this work was to study the efficiency of ionic liquid immobilization on filler surfaces using different techniques of thermal analysis and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Ionic liquid, such as 1-decyl 3-methylimidazolium bromide (DmiBr) was grafted on the surface of silica, calcium oxide, and carbon black to improve the dispersion degree of their particles in the elastomeric matrix. Thermal analysis and SEM microscopy revealed a key role in determining the efficiency of the filler modification with ILs dissolved in acetone. Identifying the weight loss associated with thermal decomposition of DmiBr in modified fillers, allowed the calculation of the efficiency of their modification and compare the surface reactivity of studied fillers with DmiBr. Silica and carbon black exhibited high and comparable ability for interaction with ionic liquid. SEM images showed that particles of DmiBr-modified fillers were quite homogeneously dispersed in the elastomer matrix and exhibited good adhesion to the elastomer.
Fuzzy Filters of Hoops Based on Fuzzy Points
Authors: Kologani Mona Aaly , Takallo Mohammad Mohseni , Kim Hee Sik
Published: May 2019

In this paper, we define the concepts of ( ∈ , ∈ ) and ( ∈ , ∈ ∨ q ) -fuzzy filters of hoops, discuss some properties, and find some equivalent definitions of them. We define a congruence relation on hoops by an ( ∈ , ∈ ) -fuzzy filter and show that the quotient structure of this relation is a hoop.
Anticoagulant Activity of Sulfated Ulvan Isolated from the Green Macroalga Ulva rigida
Authors: Adrien Amandine , Bonnet Antoine , Dufour Delphine , Baudouin Stanislas , Maugard Thierry , Bridiau Nicolas
Published: May 2019

(1) Background: Brown and red algal sulfated polysaccharides have been widely described as anticoagulant agents. However, data on green algae, especially on the Ulva genus, are limited. This study aimed at isolating ulvan from the green macroalga Ulva rigida using an acid- and solvent-free procedure, and investigating the effect of sulfate content on the anticoagulant activity of this polysaccharide. (2) Methods: The obtained ulvan fraction was chemically sulfated, leading to a doubling of the polysaccharide sulfate content in a second ulvan fraction. The potential anticoagulant activity of both ulvan fractions was then assessed using different assays, targeting the intrinsic and/or common (activated partial thromboplastin time), extrinsic (prothrombin time), and common (thrombin time) pathways, and the specific antithrombin-dependent pathway (anti-Xa and anti-IIa), of the coagulation cascade. Furthermore, their anticoagulant properties were compared to those of commercial anticoagulants: heparin and Lovenox®. (3) Results: The anticoagulant activity of the chemically-sulfated ulvan fraction was stronger than that of Lovenox® against both the intrinsic and extrinsic coagulation pathways. (4) Conclusion: The chemically-sulfated ulvan fraction could be a very interesting alternative to heparins, with different targets and a high anticoagulant activity.
Influence of Anxiety/Depression on the Subjective Evaluation of Cough in Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and Obesity
Authors: Ovsyannikov Evgeniy , Avdeev Sergey , Budnevsky Andrey , Shkatova Yanina
Published: May 2019

Background and objectives: Obesity and anxiety and/or depression are common comorbidities in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). For doctors treating COPD, cough has a certain importance as a symptom. The purpose of this study was to figure out how obesity and anxiety/depression may influence the subjective assessment of cough. Materials and Methods: 110 patients with COPD participated in the study. The patients were divided into two groups, one including obese patients, and the other including patients with normal body weight. All patients filled out the hospital anxiety and depression scale (HADS) questionnaire, evaluated the severity of their cough by using visual analogue scale (VAS) on the 1st and 10th day of treatment, and underwent a 12 h cough monitoring with a special cough monitoring device both on the 1st and the 10th day of treatment. Results: The severity of anxiety according to the HADS in patients with COPD and normal body weight was significantly higher than in patients with COPD and obesity, corresponding to 9.25 ± 1.37 and 8.20 ± 1.18 points, respectively (p = 0.0063). The patients with normal body weight and obesity, but without anxiety and depression, subjectively noted an improvement in their well-being on the 10th day of treatment (p = 0.0022, p = 0.0021, respectively). In subgroups with normal body weight and obesity with anxiety and/or depression, the mean values for VAS on day 10 did not change significantly (p = 0.1917, p = 0.1921, respectively). Also, patients from the subgroup with normal body weight and anxiety/depression had a significantly higher assessment of their cough on day 10 than obese patients with anxiety/depression (p = 0.0411). The VAS values correlated positively with the actual amount of cough (r = 0.42, p = 0.0122 and r = 0.44, p = 0.0054, respectively) in patients without anxiety and/or depression, while in patients with anxiety and/or depression, there was an inverse correlation between VAS values and cough (r = −0.38, p = 0.0034 and r = −0.40, p = 0.0231). Conclusions: It is important to diagnose and treat anxiety and depression in patients with COPD for a better prognosis and higher efficacy of medical treatments. While treating such patients, it is preferable to use a cough monitoring device for objective assessments, since the patients may exaggerate or underestimate their symptoms.
The Transcription Factor Sfp1 Regulates the Oxidative Stress Response in Candida albicans
Authors: Lee Shao-Yu , Chen Hsueh-Fen , Yeh Ying-Chieh , Xue Yao-Peng , Lan Chung-Yu
Published: May 2019

Candida albicans is a commensal that inhabits the skin and mucous membranes of humans. Because of the increasing immunocompromised population and the limited classes of antifungal drugs available, C. albicans has emerged as an important opportunistic pathogen with high mortality rates. During infection and therapy, C. albicans frequently encounters immune cells and antifungal drugs, many of which exert their antimicrobial activity by inducing the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Therefore, antioxidative capacity is important for the survival and pathogenesis of C. albicans. In this study, we characterized the roles of the zinc finger transcription factor Sfp1 in the oxidative stress response against C. albicans. A sfp1-deleted mutant was more resistant to oxidants and macrophage killing than wild-type C. albicans and processed an active oxidative stress response with the phosphorylation of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) Hog1 and high CAP1 expression. Moreover, the sfp1-deleted mutant exhibited high expression levels of antioxidant genes in response to oxidative stress, resulting in a higher total antioxidant capacity, glutathione content, and glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase enzyme activity than the wild-type C. albicans. Finally, the sfp1-deleted mutant was resistant to macrophage killing and ROS-generating antifungal drugs. Together, our findings provide a new understanding of the complex regulatory machinery in the C. albicans oxidative stress response.
In Vitro Activation of Seed-Transmitted Cultivation-Recalcitrant Endophytic Bacteria in Tomato and Host–Endophyte Mutualism
Authors: Shaik Sadiq Pasha , Thomas Pious
Published: May 2019

This study was aimed at exploring seed transmission of endophytic bacteria in tomato utilizing aseptic in vitro conditions. Cultivation-based studies were undertaken on two tomato cultivars “Arka Vikas” and “Arka Abha” employing surface sterilized seeds, aseptically germinated seeds and in vitro grown seedlings at different stages. Bacillus sp. appeared primarily as seed externally-associated bacteria. Tissue homogenate from extensively surface-sterilized seeds, day-3 germinating seeds, or 10-day in vitro seedlings did not show any cultivable bacteria on two bacteriological media. Indexing of 4-week old healthy seedlings with seed-coat removal following seed germination showed bacterial association in 50–75% seedlings yielding 106–107 cfu g−1 tissues. Four endophytic bacteria appeared common to both cultivars (Kosakonia, Ralstonia, Sphingomonas, Sphingobium spp.) with three additional species in “Arka Abha”. The bacterial strains showed a manifold increase in growth with host-tissue-extract supplementation. Seed inoculations with single-isolates stimulated germination or enhanced the seedling growth coupled with the activation of additional endophytic bacteria. In vitro seedlings upon recurrent medium-indexing over eight weeks showed gradual emergence of endophytic bacteria. The study reveals the seed internal colonization by different bacterial endophytes in a cultivation-recalcitrant form, their activation to cultivable state during seedling growth and transmission to seedlings with mutualistic effects.
Central Role of Cell Cycle Regulation in the Antitumoral Action of Ocoxin
Authors: Pérez-Peña Javier , Díaz-Rodríguez Elena , Sanz Eduardo , Pandiella Atanasio
Published: May 2019

Nutritional supplements which include natural antitumoral compounds could represent safe and efficient additives for cancer patients. One such nutritional supplement, Ocoxin Oral solution (OOS), is a composite formulation that contains several antioxidants and exhibits antitumoral properties in several in vitro and in vivo tumor conditions. Here, we performed a functional genomic analysis to uncover the mechanism of the antitumoral action of OOS. Using in vivo models of acute myelogenous leukemia (AML, HEL cells, representative of a liquid tumor) and small-cell lung cancer (GLC-8, representative of a solid tumor), we showed that OOS treatment altered the transcriptome of xenografted tumors created by subcutaneously implanting these cells. Functional transcriptomic studies pointed to a cell cycle deregulation after OOS treatment. The main pathway responsible for this deregulation was the E2F–TFDP route, which was affected at different points. The alterations ultimately led to a decrease in pathway activation. Moreover, when OOS-deregulated genes in the AML context were analyzed in patient samples, a clear correlation with their levels and prognosis was observed. Together, these data led us to suggest that the antitumoral effect of OOS is due to blockade of cell cycle progression mainly caused by the action of OOS on the E2F–TFDP pathway.
Philosophy in Reality: Scientific Discovery and Logical Recovery
Authors: Brenner Joseph E. , Igamberdiev Abir U.
Published: May 2019

Three disciplines address the codified forms and rules of human thought and reasoning: logic, available since antiquity; dialectics as a process of logical reasoning; and semiotics which focuses on the epistemological properties of the extant domain. However, both the paradigmatic-historical model of knowledge and the logical-semiotic model of thought tend to incorrectly emphasize the separation and differences between the respective domains vs. their overlap and interactions. We propose a sublation of linguistic logics of objects and static forms by a dynamic logic of real physical-mental processes designated as the Logic in Reality (LIR). In our generalized logical theory, dialectics and semiotics are recovered from reductionist interpretations and reunited in a new synthetic paradigm centered on meaning and its communication. Our theory constitutes a meta-thesis composed of elements from science, logic and philosophy. We apply the theory to gain new insights into the structure and role of semiosis, information and communication and propose the concept of ‘ontolon’ to define the element of reasoning as a real dynamic process. It is part of a project within natural philosophy, which will address broader aspects of the dynamics of the growth of civilizations and their potential implications for the information society.
Gasoline Quality Sensor Based on Tilted Fiber Bragg Gratings
Authors: Aristilde Stenio , Cordeiro Cristiano M. B. , Osório Jonas H.
Published: May 2019

We report on the study of an intensity-based optical fiber sensor for gasoline quality monitoring. The sensor setup employs two Bragg gratings with different spectral responses to interrogate the optical response of a tilted Bragg grating. The sensor operation is based on the tilted Bragg grating sensitivity to external refractive index changes, which are translated as power variations by the interrogation scheme. Gasoline–ethanol solutions with concentrations ranging from 0% to 60% ethanol were used to demonstrate the sensor performance. The results allowed to estimate that the sensor is able, within its resolution limit, to detect ethanol concentration variations of 1.5% in gasoline–ethanol solutions and discriminate temperature variations of 0.5 °C. The all-optical sensor setup is compact and robust, making it a competitive alternative for the realization of fuel quality analyses in practical applications.
Common Bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) Accumulates Most S-Methylcysteine as Its γ-Glutamyl Dipeptide
Authors: Saboori-Robat Elham , Joshi Jaya , Pajak Aga , Solouki Mahmood , Mohsenpour Motahhareh , Renaud Justin , Marsolais Frédéric
Published: May 2019

The common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) constitutes an excellent source of vegetable dietary protein. However, there are sub-optimal levels of the essential amino acids, methionine and cysteine. On the other hand, P. vulgaris accumulates large amounts of the γ-glutamyl dipeptide of S-methylcysteine, and lower levels of free S-methylcysteine and S-methylhomoglutathione. Past results suggest two distinct metabolite pools. Free S-methylcysteine levels are high at the beginning of seed development and decline at mid-maturation, while there is a biphasic accumulation of γ-glutamyl-S-methylcysteine, at early cotyledon and maturation stages. A possible model involves the formation of S-methylcysteine by cysteine synthase from O-acetylserine and methanethiol, whereas the majority of γ-glutamyl-S-methylcysteine may arise from S-methylhomoglutathione. Metabolite profiling during development and in genotypes differing in total S-methylcysteine accumulation showed that γ-glutamyl-S-methylcysteine accounts for most of the total S-methylcysteine in mature seed. Profiling of transcripts for candidate biosynthetic genes indicated that BSAS4;1 expression is correlated with both the developmental timing and levels of free S-methylcysteine accumulated, while homoglutathione synthetase (hGS) expression was correlated with the levels of γ-glutamyl-S-methylcysteine. Analysis of S-methylated phytochelatins by liquid chromatography and high resolution tandem mass spectrometry revealed only small amounts of homophytochelatin-2 with a single S-methylcysteine. The mitochondrial localization of phytochelatin synthase 2—predominant in seed, determined by confocal microscopy of a fusion with the yellow fluorescent protein—and its spatial separation from S-methylhomoglutathione may explain the lack of significant accumulation of S-methylated phytochelatins.
Innovation in Continuous Rectification for Tequila Production
Authors: Mirna Estarrón-Espinosa , Mariela Ruperto-Pérez , Daniel Padilla-de la Rosa José , Rogelio Prado-Ramírez
Published: May 2019

In this study, a new process of continuous horizontal distillation at a pilot level is presented. It was applied for the first time to the rectification of an ordinario fraction obtained industrially. Continuous horizontal distillation is a new process whose design combines the benefits of both distillation columns, in terms of productivity and energy savings (50%), and distillation stills in batch, in terms of the aromatic complexity of the distillate obtained. The horizontal process of continuous distillation was carried out at the pilot level in a manual mode, obtaining five accumulated fractions of distillate that were characterized by gas chromatography (GC-FID). The tequila obtained from the rectification process in this new continuous horizontal distillation process complies with the content of methanol and higher alcohols regulated by the Official Mexican Standard (NOM-006-SCFI-2012). Continuous horizontal distillation of tequila has potential energy savings of 50% compared to the traditional process, besides allowing products with major volatile profiles within the maximum limits established by the regulation for this beverage to be obtained.
Conceptual Design of Pyrolytic Oil Upgrading Process Enhanced by Membrane-Integrated Hydrogen Production System
Authors: Chen Bo , Yang Tao , Xiao Wu , Nizamani Aazad khan
Published: May 2019

Hydrotreatment is an efficient method for pyrolytic oil upgrading; however, the trade-off between the operational cost on hydrogen consumption and process profit remains the major challenge for the process designs. In this study, an integrated process of steam methane reforming and pyrolytic oil hydrotreating with gas separation system was proposed conceptually. The integrated process utilized steam methane reformer to produce raw syngas without further water–gas-shifting; with the aid of a membrane unit, the hydrogen concentration in the syngas was adjusted, which substituted the water–gas-shift reactor and improved the performance of hydrotreater on both conversion and hydrogen consumption. A simulation framework for unit operations was developed for process designs through which the dissipated flow in the packed-bed reactor, along with membrane gas separation unit were modeled and calculated in the commercial process simulator. The evaluation results showed that, the proposed process could achieve 63.7% conversion with 2.0 wt% hydrogen consumption; the evaluations of economics showed that the proposed process could achieve 70% higher net profit compared to the conventional plant, indicating the potentials of the integrated pyrolytic oil upgrading process.
Modeling of Wastewater Treatment Processes in Membrane Bioreactors Compared to Conventional Activated Sludge Systems
Authors: Bis Marta , Montusiewicz Agnieszka , Piotrowicz Adam , Łagód Grzegorz
Published: May 2019

Membrane techniques constitute an interesting alternative to conventional activated sludge systems (CAS). In membrane bioreactors (MBR), the biomass separated on membranes is retained independently of sludge sedimentation properties. As a consequence, a high biomass concentration as well as low food to microorganisms ratio can be obtained. Moreover, the development of a characteristic activated sludge population is stimulated by the specific conditions prevailing in MBRs. In the study, the operation and treatment efficiency of the MBR and CAS processes were examined and compared. Simulation was performed with the use of GPS-X software. The effluent quality obtained for the MBR system was either better or comparable to that of CAS. The most significant difference concerned the elimination of total suspended solids, which amounted to 99.8% in the MBR. Regarding nutrients, a low concentration of total phosphorus in the effluent from CAS and MBR was obtained (0.67 gP m−3 and 0.50 gP m−3, respectively). Greater differences were achieved in the case of total nitrogen. Although almost complete nitrification took place in both systems, a lower concentration of nitrate in the effluent from MBR in comparison to CAS, i.e., 11.2 gN m−3 and 14.1 gN m−3, respectively, allowed us to obtain a higher removal of total nitrogen (80.8% and 76.1%, respectively).
Parcel-Based Crop Classification Using Multi-Temporal TerraSAR-X Dual Polarimetric Data
Authors: Sonobe Rei
Published: May 2019

Cropland maps are useful for the management of agricultural fields and the estimation of harvest yield. Some local governments have documented field properties, including crop type and location, based on site investigations. This process, which is generally done manually, is labor-intensive, and remote-sensing techniques can be used as alternatives. In this study, eight crop types (beans, beetroot, grass, maize, potatoes, squash, winter wheat, and yams) were identified using gamma naught values and polarimetric parameters calculated from TerraSAR-X (or TanDEM-X) dual-polarimetric (HH/VV) data. Three indices (difference (D-type), simple ratio (SR), and normalized difference (ND)) were calculated using gamma naught values and m-chi decomposition parameters and were evaluated in terms of crop classification. We also evaluated the classification accuracy of four widely used machine-learning algorithms (kernel-based extreme learning machine, support vector machine, multilayer feedforward neural network (FNN), and random forest) and two multiple-kernel methods (multiple kernel extreme learning machine (MKELM) and multiple kernel learning (MKL)). MKL performed best, achieving an overall accuracy of 92.1%, and proved useful for the identification of crops with small sample sizes. The difference (raw or normalized) between double-bounce scattering and odd-bounce scattering helped to improve the identification of squash and yams fields.
Chemical Sensors Generated on Wafer-Scale Epitaxial Graphene for Application to Front-Line Drug Detection
Authors: Karlsson Mikael , Strandqvist Carl , Jussi Johnny , Öberg Olof , Petermann Ingemar , Elmlund Louise , Dunne Simon , Fu Ying , Wang Qin
Published: May 2019

Generation of large areas of graphene possessing high quality and uniformity will be a critical factor if graphene-based devices/sensors are to be commercialized. In this work, epitaxial graphene on a 2" SiC wafer was used to fabricate sensors for the detection of illicit drugs (amphetamine or cocaine). The main target application is on-site forensic detection where there is a high demand for reliable and cost-efficient tools. The sensors were designed and processed with specially configured metal electrodes on the graphene surface by utilizing a series of anchors where the metal contacts are directly connected on the SiC substrate. This has been shown to improve adhesion of the electrodes and decrease the contact resistance. A microfluidic system was constructed to pump solutions over the defined graphene surface that could then act as a sensor area and react with the target drugs. Several prototypic systems were tested where non-covalent interactions were used to localize the sensing components (antibodies) within the measurement cell. The serendipitous discovery of a wavelength-dependent photoactivity for amphetamine and a range of its chemical analogs, however, limited the general application of these prototypic systems. The experimental results reveal that the drug molecules interact with the graphene in a molecule dependent manner based upon a balance of π -stacking interaction of the phenyl ring with graphene (p-doping) and the donation of the amine nitrogens lone pair electrons into the π - π *-system of graphene (n-doping).
Temperature Characteristics of a Pressure Sensor Based on BN/Graphene/BN Heterostructure
Authors: Li Mengwei , Zhang Teng , Wang Pengcheng , Li Minghao , Wang Junqiang , Liu Zewen
Published: May 2019

Temperature is a significant factor in the application of graphene-based pressure sensors. The influence of temperature on graphene pressure sensors is twofold: an increase in temperature causes the substrates of graphene pressure sensors to thermally expand, and thus, the graphene membrane is stretched, leading to an increase in the device resistance; an increase in temperature also causes a change in the graphene electrophonon coupling, resulting in a decrease in device resistance. To investigate which effect dominates the influence of temperature on the pressure sensor based on the graphene–boron nitride (BN) heterostructure proposed in our previous work, the temperature characteristics of two BN/graphene/BN heterostructures with and without a microcavity beneath them were analyzed in the temperature range 30–150 °C. Experimental results showed that the resistance of the BN/graphene/BN heterostructure with a microcavity increased with the increase in temperature, and the temperature coefficient was up to 0.25%°C−1, indicating the considerable influence of thermal expansion in such devices. In contrast, with an increase in temperature, the resistance of the BN/graphene/BN heterostructure without a microcavity decreased with a temperature coefficient of −0.16%°C−1. The linearity of the resistance change rate (ΔR/R)–temperature curve of the BN/graphene/BN heterostructure without a microcavity was better than that of the BN/graphene/BN heterostructure with a microcavity. These results indicate that the influence of temperature on the pressure sensors based on BN/graphene/BN heterostructures should be considered, especially for devices with pressure microcavities. BN/graphene/BN heterostructures without microcavities can be used as high-performance temperature sensors.
An Improved Point Cloud Descriptor for Vision Based Robotic Grasping System
Authors: Wang Fei , Liang Chen , Ru Changlei , Cheng Hongtai
Published: May 2019

In this paper, a novel global point cloud descriptor is proposed for reliable object recognition and pose estimation, which can be effectively applied to robot grasping operation. The viewpoint feature histogram (VFH) is widely used in three-dimensional (3D) object recognition and pose estimation in real scene obtained by depth sensor because of its recognition performance and computational efficiency. However, when the object has a mirrored structure, it is often difficult to distinguish the mirrored poses relative to the viewpoint using VFH. In order to solve this difficulty, this study presents an improved feature descriptor named orthogonal viewpoint feature histogram (OVFH), which contains two components: a surface shape component and an improved viewpoint direction component. The improved viewpoint component is calculated by the orthogonal vector of the viewpoint direction, which is obtained based on the reference frame estimated for the entire point cloud. The evaluation of OVFH using a publicly available data set indicates that it enhances the ability to distinguish between mirrored poses while ensuring object recognition performance. The proposed method uses OVFH to recognize and register objects in the database and obtains precise poses by using the iterative closest point (ICP) algorithm. The experimental results show that the proposed approach can be effectively applied to guide the robot to grasp objects with mirrored poses.