bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Influence of Occupational and Environmental Exposure to Low Concentrations of Polychlorobiphenyls and a Smoking Habit on the Urinary Excretion of Corticosteroid Hormones
Authors: D’Errico Maria , Lovreglio Piero , Drago Ignazio , Apostoli Pietro , Soleo Leonardo
Published: March 2016

The effects of occupational exposure to low concentrations of polychlorobiphenyls (PCBs) on the urinary excretion of corticosteroid hormones were evaluated, taking into account the influence of cigarette smoking. The study included 26 males working as electrical maintenance staff in a steel factory, previously exposed to a mixture of PCBs (exposed workers), and 30 male workers with no occupational exposure to PCBs (controls). Serum PCBs (33 congeners), urinary 17-hydroxycorticosteroids, 17-ketosteroids (KS) and pregnanes, and their respective glucuronidated and sulfonated compounds, were determined for each subject. PCBs were significantly higher in the exposed workers than controls, and were correlated with age. Both the urinary concentrations of the total 17-KS and pregnanes, and those of some single steroids and their glucuronidated compounds, were significantly lower in the exposed workers than controls, but higher in smokers than the non-smokers + ex-smokers. Two-way analysis of variance showed a negative association between serum PCBs and both total glucuronidated 17-KS and total and glucuronidated pregnanes, and a positive association between cigarette smoking and both total and glucuronidated 17-KS. PCBs seem to act as endocrine disruptors by reducing the urinary excretion of corticosteroid hormones, particularly of the glucuronidated fraction. Cigarette smoking could boost these effects of PCBs in smokers.
Risk Assessment of Arsenic in Rice Cereal and Other Dietary Sources for Infants and Toddlers in the U.S.
Authors: Shibata Tomoyuki , Meng Can , Umoren Josephine , West Heidi
Published: March 2016

Currently, there are no set standards or quantitative guidelines available in the U.S. for arsenic levels in rice cereal, one of the most common first solid foods for infants. The objective of this study was to evaluate whether the detected levels of inorganic arsenic (Asi) in rice cereal in the U.S. market are safe for consumption by infants and toddlers. A risk assessment was conducted based on literature reviews of the reported Asi in rice cereal from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) survey and the recommended daily intake of rice cereal by body weight, for infants and toddlers between four and 24 months old. As a part of risk management, a maximum contaminant level (MCL) for Asi in rice cereal was computed considering overall exposure sources including drinking water, infant formula, and other infant solid foods. Hazard quotients (HQs) for acute and chronic exposures were calculated based on the U.S. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry’s (ATSDR) Minimal Risk Level (MRL)acute (5.0 × 10−3 mg/kg/day) and MRLchronic (3.0 × 10−4 mg/kg/day). A cancer slope or potency factor of 1.5 mg/kg/day was used to predict an incremental lifetime cancer risk (ILCR). Exposure assessment showed that the largest source of Asi for infants and toddlers between four and 24 months old was rice cereal (55%), followed by other infant solid food (19%), and drinking water (18%). Infant formula was the smallest source of Asi for babies (9%) at the 50th percentile based on Monte Carlo simulations. While HQacute were consistently below 1.0, HQchronic at the 50 and 75th percentiles exceeded 1.0 for both rice cereal and total sources. ILCR ranged from 10−6 (50th) to 10−5 (75th percentile). MCLs for Asi in rice cereal ranged from 0.0 (chronic) to 0.4 mg/kg (acute exposures).
Age- and Sex-Specific Trends in Lung Cancer Mortality over 62 Years in a Nation with a Low Effort in Cancer Prevention
Authors: John Ulrich , Hanke Monika
Published: March 2016

Background: A decrease in lung cancer mortality among females below 50 years of age has been reported for countries with significant tobacco control efforts. The aim of this study was to describe the lung cancer deaths, including the mortality rates and proportions among total deaths, for females and males by age at death in a country with a high smoking prevalence (Germany) over a time period of 62 years. Methods: The vital statistics data were analyzed using a joinpoint regression analysis stratified by age and sex. An age-period-cohort analysis was used to estimate the potential effects of sex and school education on mortality. Results: After an increase, lung cancer mortality among women aged 35–44 years remained stable from 1989 to 2009 and decreased by 10.8% per year from 2009 to 2013. Conclusions: Lung cancer mortality among females aged 35–44 years has decreased. The potential reasons include an increase in the number of never smokers, following significant increases in school education since 1950, particularly among females.
The Protective Effect of Gangliosides on Lead (Pb)-Induced Neurotoxicity Is Mediated by Autophagic Pathways
Authors: Meng Hongtao , Wang Lan , He Junhong , Wang Zhufeng
Published: March 2016

Lead (Pb) is a ubiquitous environmental and industrial pollutant and can affect intelligence development and the learning ability and memory of children. Therefore, necessary measures should be taken to protect the central nervous system (CNS) from Pb toxicity. Gangliosides are sialic acid-containing glycosphingolipids that are constituents of mammalian cell membranes and are more abundantly expressed in the CNS. Studies have shown that gangliosides constitute a useful tool in the attempt to promote functional recovery of CNS and can reverse Pb-induced impairments of synaptic plasticity in rats. However, the detailed mechanisms have yet to be fully understood. In our present study, we tried to investigate the role of gangliosides in Pb-induced injury in hippocampus neurons and to further confirm the detailed mechanism. Our results show that Pb-induced injuries in the spatial reference memory were associated with a reduction of cell viability and cell apoptosis, and treatment with gangliosides markedly ameliorated the Pb-induced injury by inhibition of apoptosis action. Gangliosides further attenuated Pb-induced the abnormal autophagic process by regulation of mTOR pathways. In summary, our study establishes the efficacy of gangliosides as neuroprotective agents and provides a strong rationale for further studies on the underlying mechanisms of their neuroprotective functions.
The Injury Profile of an Australian Specialist Policing Unit
Authors: Larsen Brianna , Aisbett Brad , Silk Aaron
Published: March 2016

This study investigated the injuries sustained by an Australian specialist police division. Injury records spanning four-years were analyzed. The role being performed when the injury occurred, injury cause, body part injured, and injury-related costs were quantified. The percentage of personnel injured multiple times was documented. One hundred and thirty eight personnel reported injuries, 58 of these on multiple occasions. This resulted in 229 injuries and 76 claims being raised. Half of the injuries occurred during operational policing tasks, however training activities accounted for >30% of injuries. The most common injury was strain/sprain, and upper body injuries were 2.5-times more common than lower-body or torso injuries. 1107 shifts were lost, and injuries cost the organization $487,159 (Australian Dollars) over the four-year period. The injury costs (both financial and in manpower) may prompt policy makers to review the current training and post-injury rehabilitation protocols.
A Rat α-Fetoprotein Binding Activity Prediction Model to Facilitate Assessment of the Endocrine Disruption Potential of Environmental Chemicals
Authors: Hong Huixiao , Shen Jie , Ng Hui , Sakkiah Sugunadevi , Ye Hao , Ge Weigong , Gong Ping , Xiao Wenming , Tong Weida
Published: March 2016

Endocrine disruptors such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), diethylstilbestrol (DES) and dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) are agents that interfere with the endocrine system and cause adverse health effects. Huge public health concern about endocrine disruptors has arisen. One of the mechanisms of endocrine disruption is through binding of endocrine disruptors with the hormone receptors in the target cells. Entrance of endocrine disruptors into target cells is the precondition of endocrine disruption. The binding capability of a chemical with proteins in the blood affects its entrance into the target cells and, thus, is very informative for the assessment of potential endocrine disruption of chemicals. α-fetoprotein is one of the major serum proteins that binds to a variety of chemicals such as estrogens. To better facilitate assessment of endocrine disruption of environmental chemicals, we developed a model for α-fetoprotein binding activity prediction using the novel pattern recognition method (Decision Forest) and the molecular descriptors calculated from two-dimensional structures by Mold2 software. The predictive capability of the model has been evaluated through internal validation using 125 training chemicals (average balanced accuracy of 69%) and external validations using 22 chemicals (balanced accuracy of 71%). Prediction confidence analysis revealed the model performed much better at high prediction confidence. Our results indicate that the model is useful (when predictions are in high confidence) in endocrine disruption risk assessment of environmental chemicals though improvement by increasing number of training chemicals is needed.
Concurrent Phosphorus Recovery and Energy Generation in Mediator-Less Dual Chamber Microbial Fuel Cells: Mechanisms and Influencing Factors
Authors: Almatouq Abdullah , Babatunde Akintunde
Published: March 2016

This study investigated the mechanism and key factors influencing concurrent phosphorus (P) recovery and energy generation in microbial fuel cells (MFC) during wastewater treatment. Using a mediator-less dual chamber microbial fuel cell operated for 120 days; P was shown to precipitate as struvite when ammonium and magnesium chloride solutions were added to the cathode chamber. Monitoring data for chemical oxygen demand (COD), pH, oxidation reduction potential (ORP) and aeration flow rate showed that a maximum 38% P recovery was achieved; and this corresponds to 1.5 g/L, pH > 8, −550 ± 10 mV and 50 mL/min respectively, for COD, pHcathode, ORP and cathode aeration flow rate. More importantly, COD and aeration flow rate were shown to be the key influencing factors for the P recovery and energy generation. Results further show that the maximum P recovery corresponds to 72 mW/m2 power density. However, the energy generated at maximum P recovery was not the optimum; this shows that whilst P recovery and energy generation can be concurrently achieved in a microbial fuel cell, neither can be at the optimal value.
Association between Aflatoxin M1 and Liver Disease in HBV/HCV Infected Persons in Ghana
Authors: Afum Clarrisa , Cudjoe Lorene , Hills Justin , Hunt Raymond , Padilla Luz , Elmore Sarah , Afriyie Abena , Opare-Sem Ohene , Phillips Timothy , Jolly Pauline
Published: March 2016

Aflatoxins are produced by the fungi Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus and are common food contaminants in tropical developing countries. Extensive aflatoxin consumption has been shown to be highly associated with liver disease. A case-control study was conducted to determine the association between aflatoxin and liver disease in Kumasi, Ghana. A questionnaire was administered to examine socio-demographic characteristics and food storage and consumption practices, and urine samples were collected to measure levels of the aflatoxin metabolite (AFM1). Two hundred and seventy-six people participated in the study; 38 had liver disease (cases), 136 had neither hepatitis B/C nor liver disease (negative controls), and 102 were hepatitis B/C positive without liver cancer (positive controls). A much higher percent of participants in each group was male (76% of cases, 88% of negative controls and 65% of positive controls). Multivariate analysis showed that age was a significant predictor for being a case when cases were compared to negative controls. The odds of being a case was 70% less for participants aged 25–34 years (odds ratios (OR) 0.30; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.10–0.88) compared to those ≥45 years. For cases; Akans were seven times more likely to have AFM1 levels below the median when compared to other ethnic groups (OR 7; CI 1.41–34.68). When cases were compared to positive controls, they were 2.29 times more likely to report awareness of aflatoxin contamination of groundnuts (95% CI 1.06–4.91). Cases were also two times more likely to report awareness of aflatoxin contamination of maize than all controls combined (95% CI 1.02–4.11). However, most cases reported that aflatoxin contamination does not cause sickness in humans. This shows that there is awareness of aflatoxin contamination without proper understanding of the serious potential adverse health impacts among these study participants. These findings indicate that educational interventions that stress the harmful health effects of aflatoxin in food, with an emphasis on the higher risk for males, are urgently needed. The reasons for lower aflatoxin levels among Akans need to be determined, and the findings used to design interventions that benefit other ethnic groups in the society.
Assessment and Molecular Characterization of Human Intestinal Parasites in Bivalves from Orchard Beach, NY, USA
Authors: Tei Freda , Kowalyk Steven , Reid Jhenelle , Presta Matthew , Yesudas Rekha , Mayer D.C.
Published: March 2016

Bivalves have been shown to be carriers of the human intestinal parasites Cryptosporidium parvum and Toxoplasma gondii. The goal of this study is to determine the prevalence of protozoan parasites in mollusks of New York City using a polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based assay. Four species of mollusks, Mya arenaria, Geukensia demissa, Crassostrea virginica, and Mytilis edulis, were collected from Orchard Beach, NY in the fall of 2014, totaling 159 specimens. Each individual mollusk was dissected to harvest the digestive gland, the mantle, the gills, the foot and the siphon. The tissues were assayed for the presence of Cryptosporidium parvum, Giardia lamblia, and Toxoplasma gondii DNA by using primers that target parasite-specific genes. C. parvum was found at a prevalence of 50%, 11.3%, and 1%, respectively, in Mya arenaria, G. demissa, and Mytilis edulis. C. parvum DNA was detected in all the tissues of these bivalve species, except the gills. Furthermore, G. lamblia was detected in Mya arenaria, G. demissa, Crassostrea virginica and Mytilis edulis at a prevalence of 37.5%, 4.5%, 60%, and 20.6%, respectively, while T. gondii DNA was not detected.
Gut Microbiota and Lifestyle Interventions in NAFLD
Authors: Houghton David , Stewart Christopher , Day Christopher , Trenell Michael
Published: March 2016

The human digestive system harbors a diverse and complex community of microorganisms that work in a symbiotic fashion with the host, contributing to metabolism, immune response and intestinal architecture. However, disruption of a stable and diverse community, termed “dysbiosis”, has been shown to have a profound impact upon health and disease. Emerging data demonstrate dysbiosis of the gut microbiota to be linked with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Although the exact mechanism(s) remain unknown, inflammation, damage to the intestinal membrane, and translocation of bacteria have all been suggested. Lifestyle intervention is undoubtedly effective at improving NAFLD, however, not all patients respond to these in the same manner. Furthermore, studies investigating the effects of lifestyle interventions on the gut microbiota in NAFLD patients are lacking. A deeper understanding of how different aspects of lifestyle (diet/nutrition/exercise) affect the host–microbiome interaction may allow for a more tailored approach to lifestyle intervention. With gut microbiota representing a key element of personalized medicine and nutrition, we review the effects of lifestyle interventions (diet and physical activity/exercise) on gut microbiota and how this impacts upon NAFLD prognosis.
Recurrent Fever in Children
Authors: Torreggiani Sofia , Filocamo Giovanni , Esposito Susanna
Published: March 2016

Children presenting with recurrent fever may represent a diagnostic challenge. After excluding the most common etiologies, which include the consecutive occurrence of independent uncomplicated infections, a wide range of possible causes are considered. This article summarizes infectious and noninfectious causes of recurrent fever in pediatric patients. We highlight that, when investigating recurrent fever, it is important to consider age at onset, family history, duration of febrile episodes, length of interval between episodes, associated symptoms and response to treatment. Additionally, information regarding travel history and exposure to animals is helpful, especially with regard to infections. With the exclusion of repeated independent uncomplicated infections, many infective causes of recurrent fever are relatively rare in Western countries; therefore, clinicians should be attuned to suggestive case history data. It is important to rule out the possibility of an infectious process or a malignancy, in particular, if steroid therapy is being considered. After excluding an infectious or neoplastic etiology, immune-mediated and autoinflammatory diseases should be taken into consideration. Together with case history data, a careful physical exam during and between febrile episodes may give useful clues and guide laboratory investigations. However, despite a thorough evaluation, a recurrent fever may remain unexplained. A watchful follow-up is thus mandatory because new signs and symptoms may appear over time.
Fragment Screening of Human Aquaporin 1
Authors: To Janet , Torres Jaume
Published: March 2016

Aquaporins (AQPs) are membrane proteins that enable water transport across cellular plasma membranes in response to osmotic gradients. Phenotypic analyses have revealed important physiological roles for AQPs, and the potential for AQP water channel modulators in various disease states has been proposed. For example, AQP1 is overexpressed in tumor microvessels, and this correlates with higher metastatic potential and aggressiveness of the malignancy. Chemical modulators would help in identifying the precise contribution of water channel activity in these disease states. These inhibitors would also be important therapeutically, e.g., in anti-cancer treatment. This perceived importance contrasts with the lack of success of high-throughput screens (HTS) to identify effective and specific inhibitors of aquaporins. In this paper, we have screened a library of 1500 “fragments”, i.e., smaller than molecules used in HTS, against human aquaporin (hAQP1) using a thermal shift assay and surface plasmon resonance. Although these fragments may not inhibit their protein target, they bound to and stabilized hAQP1 (sub mM binding affinities (KD), with an temperature of aggregation shift ΔTagg of +4 to +50 °C) in a concentration-dependent fashion. Chemically expanded versions of these fragments should follow the determination of their binding site on the aquaporin surface.
Liver Fibrosis in HCV Monoinfected and HIV/HCV Coinfected Patients: Dysregulation of Matrix Metalloproteinases (MMPs) and Their Tissue Inhibitors TIMPs and Effect of HCV Protease Inhibitors
Authors: Latronico Tiziana , Mascia Claudia , Pati Ilaria , Zuccala Paola , Mengoni Fabio , Marocco Raffaella , Tieghi Tiziana , Belvisi Valeria , Lichtner Miriam , Vullo Vincenzo , Mastroianni Claudio , Liuzzi Grazia
Published: March 2016

An imbalance between matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs) may contribute to liver fibrosis in patients with hepatitis C (HCV) infection. We measured the circulating levels of different MMPs and TIMPs in HCV monoinfected and HIV/HCV coinfected patients and evaluated the potential for anti-HCV therapy to modulate MMP and TIMP levels in HCV subjects. We analyzed 83 plasma samples from 16 HCV monoinfected patients undergoing dual or triple anti-HCV therapy, 15 HIV/HCV coinfected patients with undetectable HIV load, and 10 healthy donors (HD). Levels of MMP-1, MMP-2, MMP-3, MMP-8, MMP-9, MMP-10, TIMP-1, and TIMP-2 were measured by a SearchLight Multiplex Immunoassay Kit. MMP-2 and MMP-9 were the highest expressed MMPs among all the analyzed samples and their levels significantly increased in HCV monoinfected and HIV/HCV coinfected subjects compared to HD. TIMP-1 levels were significantly higher in HCV and HIV/HCV subjects compared to HD and were correlated with liver stiffness. These findings raise the possibility of using circulating TIMP-1 as a non-invasive marker of liver fibrosis in HCV infection. A longitudinal study demonstrated that MMP-9 levels significantly decreased (40% reduction from baseline) in patients receiving dual as well as triple direct-acting antivirals (DAA) anti-HCV therapy, which had no effect on MMP-2, TIMP-1, and TIMP-2. As the dysregulation of MMP-2 and MMP-9 may reflect inflammatory processes in the liver, the decrease of MMP-9 following HCV protease inhibitor treatment suggests a positive effect on the reduction of liver inflammation.
Additive Effect of Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease on Metabolic Syndrome-Related Endothelial Dysfunction in Hypertensive Patients
Authors: Perticone Maria , Cimellaro Antonio , Maio Raffaele , Caroleo Benedetto , Sciacqua Angela , Sesti Giorgio , Perticone Francesco
Published: March 2016

Metabolic syndrome (MS) is characterized by an increased risk of incident diabetes and cardiovascular (CV) events, identifying insulin resistance (IR) and endothelial dysfunction as key elements. Moreover, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is bidirectionally linked with MS as a consequence of metabolic and inflammatory abnormalities. We addressed the question if the evolution in NAFLD might worsen endothelium-dependent vasodilating response in MS hypertensives. We recruited 272 Caucasian newly-diagnosed never-treated hypertensive outpatients divided into three groups according to the presence/absence of MS alone or in combination with NAFLD. MS and NAFLD were defined according to the National Cholesterol Education Program-Adult Treatment Panel III (NCEP-ATPIII) and non-invasive fatty liver index, respectively. We determined IR by using the homeostasis model assessment (HOMA) index. Vascular function, as forearm blood flow (FBF), was determined through strain-gauge plethysmography after intra-arterial infusion of acetylcholine (ACh) and sodium nitroprusside. MS+NAFLD+ group showed worse metabolic, inflammatory and vascular profiles compared with MS−NAFLD− and MS+NAFLD−. HOMA resulted in being the strongest predictor of FBF both in the MS+NAFLD− and in the MS+NAFLD+ groups, accounting for 20.5% and 33.2% of its variation, respectively. In conclusion, we demonstrated that MS+NAFLD+ hypertensives show a worse endothelium-dependent vasodilation compared with MS+NAFLD−, allowing for consideration of NAFLD as an early marker of endothelial dysfunction in hypertensives.
Apolipoprotein A1-Unique Peptide as a Diagnostic Biomarker for Acute Ischemic Stroke
Authors: Zhao Xu , Yu Yue , Xu Wenlong , Dong Lei , Wang Yuan , Gao Bing , Li Guangyu , Zhang Wentao
Published: March 2016

Clinically-informative biomarkers of ischemic stroke are needed for rapid diagnosis and timely treatment. In the present study, APOA1 unique peptide (APOA1-UP), a novel peptide biomarker, was identified and quantified by multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) using labeled reference peptide (LRP). Serum samples of 94 patients in the ischemic stroke group and 37 patients in the non-stroke group were analyzed for the levels of total APOA1-UP, low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), triglycerides (TG), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), and total cholesterol (TC). Median ratio of total APOA1-UP/LRP was 2.14 (interquartile range, 0.40) in the non-stroke group and 1.32 (0.44) in the ischemic stroke group (p < 0.0001). The serum level of total APOA1-UP was independently correlated with the presence of ischemic stroke by multivariate logistic regression analysis (p < 0.0001). From the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, the area under the curve (AUC) was 0.9750 and the optimal cutoff value of the serum APOA1-UP level was 1.80, which yielded a sensitivity of 90.63% and a specificity of 97.14%. The diagnostic efficiency of HDL-C was lower, with an AUC of 0.7488. Therefore, the serum level of APOA1-UP is a diagnostic biomarker candidate for ischemic stroke in the early stage.
Two ω-3 FADs Are Associated with Peach Fruit Volatile Formation
Authors: Wang Jiao-Jiao , Liu Hong-Ru , Gao Jie , Huang Yu-Ji , Zhang Bo , Chen Kun-Song
Published: March 2016

Aroma-related volatiles, together with sugars and acids, play an important role in determining fruit flavor quality. Characteristic volatiles of peach fruit are mainly derived from fatty acids such as linoleic acid (18:2) and linolenic acid (18:3). In the present study, six genes encoding fatty acid desaturases (FAD) were cloned, including two ω-6 FAD genes (PpFAD2, PpFAD6) and four ω-3 FAD genes (PpFAD3-1, PpFAD3-2, PpFAD7 and PpFAD8). Heterologous expression of peach FADs in tobacco plants showed that PpFAD3-1, and PpFAD3-2 significantly reduced contents of 18:2, and accumulated significant higher levels of 18:3. In the case of volatiles, transgenic plants produced lower concentrations of hexanal and higher levels of (E)-2-hexenal. Consequently, the ratio of the (E)-2-hexenal and hexanal was about 5- and 3-fold higher than that of wild type (WT) in PpFAD3-1 and PpFAD3-2 transformants, respectively. No significant changes in volatile profiles were observed in transgenic plants overexpressing the four other peach FAD genes. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) analysis showed that ripe fruit had high PpFAD3-1 and low PpFAD3-2 transcript levels. In contrast, high PpFAD3-2 and low PpFAD3-1 transcript levels were observed in young fruit. These results indicate a temporal regulation of these two ω-3 FADs during development and ripening, influencing peach fruit volatile formation.
Anti-Apoptotic and Pro-Survival Effect of Alpinate Oxyphyllae Fructus (AOF) in a d-Galactose-Induced Aging Heart
Authors: Chang Yung-Ming , Chang Hen-Hong , Kuo Wei-Wen , Lin Hung-Jen , Yeh Yu-Lan , Padma Viswanadha Vijaya , Tsai Chin-Chuan , Chen Ray-Jade , Chang Hsin-Nung , Huang Chih-Yang
Published: March 2016

Aging, a natural biological/physiological phenomenon, is accelerated by reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation and identified by a progressive decrease in physiological function. Several studies have shown a positive relationship between aging and chronic heart failure (HF). Cardiac apoptosis was found in age-related diseases. We used a traditional Chinese medicine, Alpinate Oxyphyllae Fructus (AOF), to evaluate its effect on cardiac anti-apoptosis and pro-survival. Male eight-week-old Sprague–Dawley (SD) rats were segregated into five groups: normal control group (NC), d-Galactose-Induced aging group (Aging), and AOF of 50 (AL (AOF low)), 100 (AM (AOF medium)), 150 (AH (AOF high)) mg/kg/day. After eight weeks, hearts were measured by an Hematoxylin–Eosin (H&E) stain, Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL)-assays and Western blotting. The experimental results show that the cardiomyocyte apoptotic pathway protein expression increased in the d-Galactose-Induced aging groups, with dose-dependent inhibition in the AOF treatment group (AL, AM, and AH). Moreover, the expression of the pro-survival p-Akt (protein kinase B (Akt)), Bcl-2 (B-cell lymphoma 2), anti-apoptotic protein (Bcl-xL) protein decreased significantly in the d-Galactose-induced aging group, with increased performance in the AOF treatment group with levels of p-IGFIR and p-PI3K (Phosphatidylinositol-3′ kinase (PI3K)) to increase by dosage and compensatory performance. On the other hand, the protein of the Sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) pathway expression decreased in the aging groups and showed improvement in the AOF treatment group. Our results suggest that AOF strongly works against ROS-induced aging heart problems.
Multiplex Immunoassay of Plasma Cytokine Levels in Men with Alcoholism and the Relationship to Psychiatric Assessments
Authors: Manzardo Ann , Poje Albert , Penick Elizabeth , Butler Merlin
Published: March 2016

Chronic alcohol use alters adaptive immunity and cytokine activity influencing immunological and hormone responses, inflammation, and wound healing. Brain cytokine disturbances may impact neurological function, mood, cognition and traits related to alcoholism including impulsiveness. We examined the relationship between plasma cytokine levels and self-rated psychiatric symptoms in 40 adult males (mean age 51 ± 6 years; range 33–58 years) with current alcohol dependence and 30 control males (mean age 48 ± 6 years; range 40–58 years) with no history of alcoholism using multiplex sandwich immunoassays with the Luminex magnetic-bead based platform. Log-transformed cytokine levels were analyzed for their relationship with the Symptom Checklist-90R (SCL-90R), Barratt Impulsivity Scales (BIS) and Alcoholism Severity Scale (ASS). Inflammatory cytokines (interferon γ-induced protein-10 (IP-10); monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP1); regulated on activation, normal T cell expressed and secreted (RANTES)) were significantly elevated in alcoholism compared to controls while bone marrow-derived hematopoietic cytokines and chemokines (granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (GCSF); soluble CD40 ligand (sCD40L); growth-related oncogene (GRO)) were significantly reduced. GRO and RANTES levels were positively correlated with BIS scales; and macrophage-derived chemokine (MDC) levels were positively correlated with SCL-90R scale scores (p < 0.05). Elevated inflammatory mediators in alcoholism may influence brain function leading to increased impulsiveness and/or phobia. The novel association between RANTES and GRO and impulsivity phenotype in alcoholism should be further investigated in alcoholism and psychiatric conditions with core impulsivity and anxiety phenotypes lending support for therapeutic intervention.
Comparative Studies on the Stenogamous and Eurygamous Behavior of Eight Anopheles Species of the Hyrcanus Group (Diptera: Culicidae) in Thailand
Authors: Wijit Adulsak , Taai Kritsana , Dedkhad Watcharatip , Hempolchom Chayanit , Thongsahuan Sorawat , Srisuka Wichai , Otsuka Yasushi , Fukuda Masako , Saeung Atiporn
Published: March 2016

Establishment of laboratory colony is essential for mosquito-borne-disease research. Mating behavior of stenogamous Anopheles peditaeniatus and seven eurygamous species (Anopheles argyropus, Anopheles crawfordi, Anopheles nigerrimus, Anopheles nitidus, Anopheles paraliae (=An. lesteri), Anopheles pursati and Anopheles sinensis), were investigated and compared in this study. The self-mating success of adult mosquitoes in different size cages at two density resting surface (DRS) values, 3.6 and 7.2, was statistically significant between stenogamous and eurygamous species. The results obtained from comparative measurements of specific characters in adult females (maxillary palpomere and antennal sensilla characters) and males (wing and genitalia) indicate those characters might influence the mating success of An. peditaeniatus in a small cage. The gonostylus of An. peditaeniatus was shorter than the eurygamous species. Additionally, the lower frequency of clasper movement and shorter mating time could be important mechanisms that control the stenogamous behavior of An. peditaeniatus. Interestingly, for the first time, a cluster of large sensilla coeloconica was recorded on the antenna of An. argyropus and An. peditaeniatus females. There was no statistically significant difference in the mean number per female of those large antennal sensilla coeloconica among six of the eurygamous species.
Routing Protocols for Delay Tolerant Networks: A Reference Architecture and a Thorough Quantitative Evaluation
Authors: Massri Khalil , Vitaletti Andrea , Vernata Alessandro , Chatzigiannakis Ioannis
Published: March 2016

In this paper, we propose a reference architecture for Delay-Tolerant Networking (DTN) routing protocols and a thorough quantitative evaluation of many protocols proposed in the literature. We categorize DTN protocols according to their use of the three techniques that are the key elements of our reference architecture: queue management, forwarding and replication. Queue management orders and manages the messages in the node’s buffer; forwarding selects the messages to be delivered when there is a contact; and finally, replication bounds the number of replicas in the network. Contrary to most previous papers, where either only qualitative comparisons have been presented or only a single category of protocols has been analyzed, in our work, we discuss the results of our experimental activity on many of the DTN protocols in the literature. Our results, which have been obtained both using synthetic and real mobility traces, show that an effective combination of the proposed techniques can significantly improve the performance of the protocols in terms of delivery ratio, overhead and delay.
Prebiotic Lipidic Amphiphiles and Condensing Agents on the Early Earth
Authors: Fiore Michele , Strazewski Peter
Published: March 2016

It is still uncertain how the first minimal cellular systems evolved to the complexity required for life to begin, but it is obvious that the role of amphiphilic compounds in the origin of life is one of huge relevance. Over the last four decades a number of studies have demonstrated how amphiphilic molecules can be synthesized under plausibly prebiotic conditions. The majority of these experiments also gave evidence for the ability of so formed amphiphiles to assemble in closed membranes of vesicles that, in principle, could have compartmented first biological processes on early Earth, including the emergence of self-replicating systems. For a competitive selection of the best performing molecular replicators to become operative, some kind of bounded units capable of harboring them are indispensable. Without the competition between dynamic populations of different compartments, life itself could not be distinguished from an otherwise disparate array or network of molecular interactions. In this review, we describe experiments that demonstrate how different prebiotically-available building blocks can become precursors of phospholipids that form vesicles. We discuss the experimental conditions that resemble plausibly those of the early Earth (or elsewhere) and consider the analytical methods that were used to characterize synthetic products. Two brief sections focus on phosphorylating agents, catalysts and coupling agents with particular attention given to their geochemical context. In Section 5, we describe how condensing agents such as cyanamide and urea can promote the abiotic synthesis of phospholipids. We conclude the review by reflecting on future studies of phospholipid compartments, particularly, on evolvable chemical systems that include giant vesicles composed of different lipidic amphiphiles.
Application of Image Analysis to Identify Quartz Grains in Heavy Aggregates Susceptible to ASR in Radiation Shielding Concrete
Authors: Jóźwiak-Niedźwiedzka Daria , Jaskulski Roman , Glinicki Michał
Published: March 2016

Alkali-silica reaction (ASR) is considered as a potential aging-related degradation phenomenon that might impair the durability of concrete in nuclear containments. The objective of this paper is the application of digital analysis of microscopic images to identify the content and size of quartz grains in heavy mineral aggregates. The range of investigation covered magnetite and hematite aggregates, known as good absorbers of gamma radiation. Image acquisition was performed using thin sections observed in transmitted cross-polarized light with λ plate. Image processing, consisting of identification of ferrum oxide and epoxy resin, and the subsequent application of a set of filtering operations resulted in an adequate image reduction allowing the grain size analysis. Quartz grains were classified according to their mean diameter so as to identify the reactive range. Accelerated mortar bar tests were performed to evaluate the ASR potential of the aggregates. The SiO2 content in the heavyweight aggregates determined using the image analysis of thin sections was similar to XRF test result. The content of reactive quartz hematite was 2.7%, suggesting that it would be prone to ASR. The expansion test, according to ASTM C1260, confirmed the prediction obtained using the digital image analysis.
Preparation of Modified Beeswax and Its Influence on the Surface Properties of Compressed Poplar Wood
Authors: Ren Lili , Cai Yingchun , Ren Limin , Yang Hong
Published: March 2016

Beeswax was modified through the direct blending of nano-TiO2, chitosan, acid dyes, and neutral dyes. With the varied modified beeswax, hot waxing was conducted on compressed poplar wood. Treated wood surfaces were characterized with scanning electron microscopy and thermogravimetric analysis. Results show that the C, O, N, Au, S, and Ti elements in modified beeswax successfully penetrated into pits of compressed poplar wood, imparting rich colors to the wood surface. The blending of 10% (mass fraction) beeswax, 0.2% chitosan, and 0.05% neutral red was the best treatment for mulation for improving the in-surface staining uniformity, durability, surface gloss, contact angle, and texture conspicuity of compressed poplar.
Review on Microwave-Matter Interaction Fundamentals and Efficient Microwave-Associated Heating Strategies
Authors: Sun Jing , Wang Wenlong , Yue Qinyan
Published: March 2016

Microwave heating is rapidly emerging as an effective and efficient tool in various technological and scientific fields. A comprehensive understanding of the fundamentals of microwave–matter interactions is the precondition for better utilization of microwave technology. However, microwave heating is usually only known as dielectric heating, and the contribution of the magnetic field component of microwaves is often ignored, which, in fact, contributes greatly to microwave heating of some aqueous electrolyte solutions, magnetic dielectric materials and certain conductive powder materials, etc. This paper focuses on this point and presents a careful review of microwave heating mechanisms in a comprehensive manner. Moreover, in addition to the acknowledged conventional microwave heating mechanisms, the special interaction mechanisms between microwave and metal-based materials are attracting increasing interest for a variety of metallurgical, plasma and discharge applications, and therefore are reviewed particularly regarding the aspects of the reflection, heating and discharge effects. Finally, several distinct strategies to improve microwave energy utilization efficiencies are proposed and discussed with the aim of tackling the energy-efficiency-related issues arising from the application of microwave heating. This work can present a strategic guideline for the developed understanding and utilization of the microwave heating technology.
Enhancement in Mechanical and Electrical Properties of Polypropylene Using Graphene Oxide Grafted with End-Functionalized Polypropylene
Authors: Chammingkwan Patchanee , Matsushita Katsuhiko , Taniike Toshiaki , Terano Minoru
Published: March 2016

Terminally hydroxylated polypropylene (PP) synthesized by a chain transfer method was grafted to graphene oxide (GO) at the chain end. Thus obtained PP-modified GO (PP-GO) was melt mixed with PP without the use of a compatibilizer to prepare PP/GO nanocomposites. Mechanical and electrical properties of the resultant nanocomposites and reference samples that contained graphite nanoplatelets, partially reduced GO, or fully reduced GO were examined. The best improvement in the tensile strength was obtained using PP-GO at 1.0 wt %. The inclusion of PP-GO also led to the highest electrical conductivity, in spite of the incomplete reduction. These observations pointed out that terminally hydroxylated PP covalently grafted to GO prevented GO layers from re-stacking and agglomeration during melt mixing, affording improved dispersion as well as stronger interfacial bonding between the matrix and GO.
Effect of Sn Content in a CuSnZn Metal Precursor on Formation of MoSe2 Film during Selenization in Se+SnSe Vapor
Authors: Yao Liyong , Ao Jianping , Jeng Ming-Jer , Bi Jinlian , Gao Shoushuai , Sun Guozhong , He Qing , Zhou Zhiqiang , Sun Yun , Chang Liann-Be
Published: March 2016

The preparation of Cu2ZnSnSe4 (CZTSe) thin films by the selenization of an electrodeposited copper–tin–zinc (CuSnZn) precursor with various Sn contents in low-pressure Se+SnSex vapor was studied. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) measurements revealed that the Sn content of the precursor that is used in selenization in a low-pressure Se+SnSex vapor atmosphere only slightly affects the elemental composition of the formed CZTSe films. However, the Sn content of the precursor significantly affects the grain size and surface morphology of CZTSe films. A metal precursor with a very Sn-poor composition produces CZTSe films with large grains and a rough surface, while a metal precursor with a very Sn-rich composition procures CZTSe films with small grains and a compact surface. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and SEM revealed that the metal precursor with a Sn-rich composition can grow a thicker MoSe2 thin film at CZTSe/Mo interface than one with a Sn-poor composition, possibly because excess Sn in the precursor may catalyze the formation of MoSe2 thin film. A CZTSe solar cell with an efficiency of 7.94%was realized by using an electrodeposited metal precursor with a Sn/Cu ratio of 0.5 in selenization in a low-pressure Se+SnSex vapor.
Influence of Li2Sb Additions on Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Al-20Mg2Si Alloy
Authors: Yu Hong-Chen , Wang Hui-Yuan , Chen Lei , Zha Min , Wang Cheng , Li Chao , Jiang Qi-Chuan
Published: March 2016

It is found that Li2Sb compound can act as the nucleus of primary Mg2Si during solidification, by which the particle size of primary Mg2Si decreased from ~300 to ~15–25 μm. Owing to the synergistic effect of the Li2Sb nucleus and adsorption-poisoning of Li atoms, the effect of complex modification of Li-Sb on primary Mg2Si was better than that of single modification of Li or Sb. When Li-Sb content increased from 0 to 0.2 and further to 0.5 wt.%, coarse dendrite changed to defective truncated octahedron and finally to perfect truncated octahedral shape. With the addition of Li and Sb, ultimate compression strength (UCS) of Al-20Mg2Si alloys increased from ~283 to ~341 MPa and the yield strength (YS) at 0.2% offset increased from ~112 to ~179 MPa while almost no change was seen in the uniform elongation. Our study offers a simple method to control the morphology and size of primary Mg2Si, which will inspire developing new Al-Mg-Si alloys with improved mechanical properties.
Lipid Production from Nannochloropsis
Authors: Ma Xiao-Nian , Chen Tian-Peng , Yang Bo , Liu Jin , Chen Feng
Published: March 2016

Microalgae are sunlight-driven green cell factories for the production of potential bioactive products and biofuels. Nannochloropsis represents a genus of marine microalgae with high photosynthetic efficiency and can convert carbon dioxide to storage lipids mainly in the form of triacylglycerols and to the ω-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA). Recently, Nannochloropsis has received ever-increasing interests of both research and public communities. This review aims to provide an overview of biology and biotechnological potential of Nannochloropsis, with the emphasis on lipid production. The path forward for the further exploration of Nannochloropsis for lipid production with respect to both challenges and opportunities is also discussed.
The Bacterial (Vibrio alginolyticus) Production of Tetrodotoxin in the Ribbon Worm Lineus longissimus—Just a False Positive?
Authors: Strand Malin , Hedström Martin , Seth Henrik , McEvoy Eric , Jacobsson Erik , Göransson Ulf , Andersson Håkan , Sundberg Per
Published: March 2016

We test previous claims that the bacteria Vibrio alginolyticus produces tetrodotoxin (TTX) when living in symbiosis with the nemertean Lineus longissimus by a setup with bacteria cultivation for TTX production. Toxicity experiments on the shore crab, Carcinus maenas, demonstrated the presence of a paralytic toxin, but evidence from LC-MS and electrophysiological measurements of voltage-gated sodium channel–dependent nerve conductance in male Wistar rat tissue showed conclusively that this effect did not originate from TTX. However, a compound of similar molecular weight was found, albeit apparently non-toxic, and with different LC retention time and MS/MS fragmentation pattern than those of TTX. We conclude that C. maenas paralysis and death likely emanate from a compound <5 kDa, and via a different mechanism of action than that of TTX. The similarity in mass between TTX and the Vibrio-produced low-molecular-weight, non-toxic compound invokes that thorough analysis is required when assessing TTX production. Based on our findings, we suggest that re-examination of some published claims of TTX production may be warranted.
Anthraquinones and Derivatives from Marine-Derived Fungi: Structural Diversity and Selected Biological Activities
Authors: Fouillaud Mireille , Venkatachalam Mekala , Girard-Valenciennes Emmanuelle , Caro Yanis , Dufossé Laurent
Published: March 2016

Anthraquinones and their derivatives constitute a large group of quinoid compounds with about 700 molecules described. They are widespread in fungi and their chemical diversity and biological activities recently attracted attention of industries in such fields as pharmaceuticals, clothes dyeing, and food colorants. Their positive and/or negative effect(s) due to the 9,10-anthracenedione structure and its substituents are still not clearly understood and their potential roles or effects on human health are today strongly discussed among scientists. As marine microorganisms recently appeared as producers of an astonishing variety of structurally unique secondary metabolites, they may represent a promising resource for identifying new candidates for therapeutic drugs or daily additives. Within this review, we investigate the present knowledge about the anthraquinones and derivatives listed to date from marine-derived filamentous fungi′s productions. This overview highlights the molecules which have been identified in microorganisms for the first time. The structures and colors of the anthraquinoid compounds come along with the known roles of some molecules in the life of the organisms. Some specific biological activities are also described. This may help to open doors towards innovative natural substances.
Preparation of Property-Controlled Bi-Based Solder Powders by a Ball-Milling Process
Authors: Kim Sang , Son Min , Nguyen Van , Lim Tae-Soo , Yang Dong-Yeol , Kim Min-Hyeong , Kim Ki , Kim Young , Lee Jun , Kim Yang , Kim Inyoung , Lee Taik-Min , Kim Yong-Jin , Yang Sangsun
Published: March 2016

Three kinds of Bi-based solder powders with different chemical compositions of binary Bi–Sn, ternary Bi–Sn–In, and quaternary Bi–Sn–In–Ga were prepared using a gas atomization process and subsequently ball-milled for smaller-size fabrication. In particular, only the quaternary Bi–Sn–In–Ga solder powders were severely broken to the size of less than 10 μm in a polyhedral shape due to the presence of the constitutional element, the degree of overall oxidation, and the formation of solid solution, which had affected the fractured extent of the Ga-containing solder powders. Furthermore, a melting point also decreased by the addition of In and/or Ga into the binary Bi–Sn solder system, resulting in a melting point of 60.3 °C for the Bi–Sn–In–Ga solder powders. Thus, it was possible that fractured Bi–Sn–In–Ga solder powders were appropriate for the adhesion of more compact solder bump arrays, enabling reflowing at the low temperature of 110 °C on a flexible polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrate.