bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Role of the Core Non-Homologous End Joining Factors in Carcinogenesis and Cancer
Authors: Sishc Brock , Davis Anthony
Published: July 2017

DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) are deleterious DNA lesions that if left unrepaired or are misrepaired, potentially result in chromosomal aberrations, known drivers of carcinogenesis. Pathways that direct the repair of DSBs are traditionally believed to be guardians of the genome as they protect cells from genomic instability. The prominent DSB repair pathway in human cells is the non-homologous end joining (NHEJ) pathway, which mediates template-independent re-ligation of the broken DNA molecule and is active in all phases of the cell cycle. Its role as a guardian of the genome is supported by the fact that defects in NHEJ lead to increased sensitivity to agents that induce DSBs and an increased frequency of chromosomal aberrations. Conversely, evidence from tumors and tumor cell lines has emerged that NHEJ also promotes chromosomal aberrations and genomic instability, particularly in cells that have a defect in one of the other DSB repair pathways. Collectively, the data present a conundrum: how can a single pathway both suppress and promote carcinogenesis? In this review, we will examine NHEJ’s role as both a guardian and a disruptor of the genome and explain how underlying genetic context not only dictates whether NHEJ promotes or suppresses carcinogenesis, but also how it alters the response of tumors to conventional therapeutics.
Inside the Cell: Integrins as New Governors of Nuclear Alterations?
Authors: Madrazo Elena , Conde Andrea Cordero , Redondo-Muñoz Javier
Published: July 2017

Cancer cell migration is a complex process that requires coordinated structural changes and signals in multiple cellular compartments. The nucleus is the biggest and stiffest organelle of the cell and might alter its physical properties to allow cancer cell movement. Integrins are transmembrane receptors that mediate cell-cell and cell-extracellular matrix interactions, which regulate numerous intracellular signals and biological functions under physiological conditions. Moreover, integrins orchestrate changes in tumor cells and their microenvironment that lead to cancer growth, survival and invasiveness. Most of the research efforts have focused on targeting integrin-mediated adhesion and signaling. Recent exciting data suggest the crucial role of integrins in controlling internal cellular structures and nuclear alterations during cancer cell migration. Here we review the emerging role of integrins in nuclear biology. We highlight increasing evidence that integrins are critical for changes in multiple nuclear components, the positioning of the nucleus and its mechanical properties during cancer cell migration. Finally, we discuss how integrins are integral proteins linking the plasma membrane and the nucleus, and how they control cell migration to enable cancer invasion and infiltration. The functional connections between these cell receptors and the nucleus will serve to define new attractive therapeutic targets.
Shape-Controlled TiCx Particles Fabricated by Combustion Synthesis in the Cu-Ti-C System
Authors: Zhang Dongdong , Liu Haolong , Sun Liping , Bai Fang , Wang Yong , Wang Jinguo
Published: July 2017

TiCx particle-reinforced Cu-matrix composites were prepared in the Cu-Ti-C system by thermal explosion and hot press. Extracted TiCx particles with various shapes of in situ TiCx particles in the Cu-Ti-C system were observed through the Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope (FESEM). It was found that octahedral and close-to-spherical, spherical or cubic TiCx could be fabricated by changing the C/Ti molar ratio and Cu content. Then, the effect of the C/Ti molar ratio and constituent element concentrations on the shape of in situ TiCx particles was determined: the shape of TiCx particles is octahedral at a C/Ti ratio of 0.4–0.6 with the presence of 70 vol% Cu; or spherical and close-to-spherical at 0.8–1.0 with the presence of 70 vol% Cu; or cubic at C/Ti ratios ≥1.0 with the presence of Cu from 80 vol%–90 vol% and even at C/Ti ratios >1.0 with the presence of 70 vol% Cu. The shape-controlled synthesis of TiCx particles in the Cu-Ti-C system is realized.
Crystallization under an External Electric Field: A Case Study of Glucose Isomerase
Authors: Rubin Evgeniya , Owen Christopher , Stojanoff Vivian
Published: July 2017

Electric fields have been employed to promote macromolecular crystallization for several decades. Although crystals grown in electric fields seem to present higher diffraction quality, these methods are not widespread. For most configurations, electrodes are in direct contact with the protein solution. Here, we propose a configuration that can be easily extended to standard crystallization methods for which the electrodes are not in direct contact with the protein solution. Furthermore, the proposed electrode configuration supplies an external DC electric field. Glucose Isomerase from Streptomyces rubiginosus crystals were grown at room temperature using the microbatch method in the presence of 1, 2, 4, and 6 kV. Several crystallization trials were carried out for reproducibility and statistical analysis purposes. The comparison with crystals grown in the absence of electric fields showed that crystallization in the presence of electric fields increases the size of crystals, while decreasing the number of nucleations. X-ray diffraction analysis of the crystals showed that those grown in the presence of electric fields are of higher crystal quality.
Concepts and Criteria for Blind Quantum Source Separation and Blind Quantum Process Tomography
Authors: Deville Alain , Deville Yannick
Published: July 2017

Blind Source Separation (BSS) is an active domain of Classical Information Processing, with well-identified methods and applications. The development of Quantum Information Processing has made possible the appearance of Blind Quantum Source Separation (BQSS), with a recent extension towards Blind Quantum Process Tomography (BQPT). This article investigates the use of several fundamental quantum concepts in the BQSS context and establishes properties already used without justification in that context. It mainly considers a pair of electron spins initially separately prepared in a pure state and then submitted to an undesired exchange coupling between these spins. Some consequences of the existence of the entanglement phenomenon, and of the probabilistic aspect of quantum measurements, upon BQSS solutions, are discussed. An unentanglement criterion is established for the state of an arbitrary qubit pair, expressed first with probability amplitudes and secondly with probabilities. The interest of using the concept of a random quantum state in the BQSS context is presented. It is stressed that the concept of statistical independence of the sources, widely used in classical BSS, should be used with care in BQSS, and possibly replaced by some disentanglement principle. It is shown that the coefficients of the development of any qubit pair pure state over the states of an orthonormal basis can be expressed with the probabilities of results in the measurements of well-chosen spin components.
Quantum-Wave Equation and Heisenberg Inequalities of Covariant Quantum Gravity
Authors: Cremaschini Claudio , Tessarotto Massimo
Published: July 2017

Key aspects of the manifestly-covariant theory of quantum gravity (Cremaschini and Tessarotto 2015–2017) are investigated. These refer, first, to the establishment of the four-scalar, manifestly-covariant evolution quantum wave equation, denoted as covariant quantum gravity (CQG) wave equation, which advances the quantum state ψ associated with a prescribed background space-time. In this paper, the CQG-wave equation is proved to follow at once by means of a Hamilton–Jacobi quantization of the classical variational tensor field g ≡ g μ ν and its conjugate momentum, referred to as (canonical) g-quantization. The same equation is also shown to be variational and to follow from a synchronous variational principle identified here with the quantum Hamilton variational principle. The corresponding quantum hydrodynamic equations are then obtained upon introducing the Madelung representation for ψ , which provides an equivalent statistical interpretation of the CQG-wave equation. Finally, the quantum state ψ is proven to fulfill generalized Heisenberg inequalities, relating the statistical measurement errors of quantum observables. These are shown to be represented in terms of the standard deviations of the metric tensor g ≡ g μ ν and its quantum conjugate momentum operator.
A Flexible Maximum Power Point Tracking Control Strategy Considering Both Conversion Efficiency and Power Fluctuation for Large-inertia Wind Turbines
Authors: Meng Hongmin , Yang Tingting , Liu Ji-zhen , Lin Zhongwei
Published: July 2017

In wind turbine control, maximum power point tracking (MPPT) control is the main control mode for partial-load regimes. Efficiency potentiation of energy conversion and power smoothing are both two important control objectives in partial-load regime. However, on the one hand, low power fluctuation signifies inefficiency of energy conversion. On the other hand, enhancing efficiency may increase output power fluctuation as well. Thus the two objectives are contradictory and difficult to balance. This paper proposes a flexible MPPT control framework to improve the performance of both conversion efficiency and power smoothing, by adaptively compensating the torque reference value. The compensation was determined by a proposed model predictive control (MPC) method with dynamic weights in the cost function, which improved control performance. The computational burden of the MPC solver was reduced by transforming the cost function representation. Theoretical analysis proved the good stability and robustness. Simulation results showed that the proposed method not only kept efficiency at a high level, but also reduced power fluctuations as much as possible. Therefore, the proposed method could improve wind farm profits and power grid reliability.
Deducing Energy Consumer Behavior from Smart Meter Data
Authors: Ebeid Emad , Heick Rune , Jacobsen Rune
Published: July 2017

The ongoing upgrade of electricity meters to smart ones has opened a new market of intelligent services to analyze the recorded meter data. This paper introduces an open architecture and a unified framework for deducing user behavior from its smart main electricity meter data and presenting the results in a natural language. The framework allows a fast exploration and integration of a variety of machine learning algorithms combined with data recovery mechanisms for improving the recognition’s accuracy. Consequently, the framework generates natural language reports of the user’s behavior from the recognized home appliances. The framework uses open standard interfaces for exchanging data. The framework has been validated through comprehensive experiments that are related to an European Smart Grid project.
Chronic and Acute Ozone Exposure in the Week Prior to Delivery Is Associated with the Risk of Stillbirth
Authors: Mendola Pauline , Ha Sandie , Pollack Anna , Zhu Yeyi , Seeni Indulaxmi , Kim Sung , Sherman Seth , Liu Danping
Published: July 2017

Chronic and acute air pollution has been studied in relation to stillbirth with inconsistent findings. We examined stillbirth risk in a retrospective cohort of 223,375 singleton deliveries from 12 clinical sites across the United States. Average criteria air pollutant exposure was calculated using modified Community Multiscale Air Quality models for the day of delivery and each of the seven days prior, whole pregnancy, and first trimester. Poisson regression models using generalized estimating equations estimated the relative risk (RR) of stillbirth and 95% confidence intervals (CI) in relation to an interquartile range increase in pollutant with adjustment for temperature, clinical, and demographic factors. Ozone (O3) was associated with a 13–22% increased risk of stillbirth on days 2, 3, and 5–7 prior to delivery in single pollutant models, and these findings persisted in multi-pollutant models for days 5 (RR = 1.22, CI = 1.07–1.38) and 6 (RR = 1.18, CI = 1.04–1.33). Whole pregnancy and first trimester O3 increased risk 18–39% in single pollutant models. Maternal asthma increased stillbirth risk associated with chronic PM2.5 and carbon monoxide exposures. Both chronic and acute O3 exposure consistently increased stillbirth risk, while the role of other pollutants varied. Approximately 8000 stillbirths per year in the US may be attributable to O3 exposure.
Adherence to Referral Criteria at Admission and Patient Management at a Specialized Burns Centre: The Case of the Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital in Cape Town, South Africa
Authors: Boissin Constance , Hasselberg Marie , Kronblad Emil , Kim So-Mang , Wallis Lee , Rode Heinz , Laflamme Lucie
Published: July 2017

Referral guidelines for burn care are meant to assist in decision-making as regards patient transfer and admissions to specialized units. Little is known, however, concerning how closely they are followed and whether they are linked to patient care. This is the object of the current study, focused on the paediatric burns centre of the Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital in Cape Town, South Africa. All patients admitted to the centre during the winters of 2011–2015 (n = 1165) were included. The patient files were scrutinized to clarify whether the referral criteria in place were identified (seven in total) and to compile data on patient and injury characteristics. A case was defined as adherent to the criteria when at least one criterion was fulfilled and adherence was expressed as a percentage with 95% confidence intervals, for all years aggregated as well as by year and by patient or injury characteristics. The association between adherence to any individual criterion and hospital care (surgery or longer length of stay) was measured using logistic regressions. The overall adherence was 93.4% (100% among children under 2 years of age and 86% among the others) and it did not vary remarkably over time. The two criteria of “injury sustained at a specific anatomical site” (85.2%) and “young age” (51.9%) were those most often identified. Children aged 2 years or older were more likely to undergo surgery or to stay longer than those of young age (although a referral criterion) and so were those with higher injury severity (a referral criterion). In this specialized paediatric burns centre, children are admitted mainly according to the guidelines. However, given the high prevalence of paediatric burns in the region and the limited resources at the burns centre, adherence to the guidelines need to be further studied at all healthcare levels in the province.
Comment on Giuseppe Genchi et al. Mercury Exposure and Heart Diseases. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2017, 14, 74
Authors: Mortazavi S. , Mortazavi Ghazal , Paknahad Maryam
Published: July 2017

Cenchi et al. [1] have recently published an article entitled “Mercury Exposure and Heart Diseases” that is published in Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2017, 14, 74; doi:10.3390/ijerph14010074.[...]
Spatio-Temporal Analysis of Suicide-Related Emergency Calls
Authors: Marco Miriam , López-Quílez Antonio , Conesa David , Gracia Enrique , Lila Marisol
Published: July 2017

Considerable effort has been devoted to incorporate temporal trends in disease mapping. In this line, this work describes the importance of including the effect of the seasonality in a particular setting related with suicides. In particular, the number of suicide-related emergency calls is modeled by means of an autoregressive approach to spatio-temporal disease mapping that allows for incorporating the possible interaction between both temporal and spatial effects. Results show the importance of including seasonality effect, as there are differences between the number of suicide-related emergency calls between the four seasons of each year.
Trypanosoma brucei Inhibition by Essential Oils from Medicinal and Aromatic Plants Traditionally Used in Cameroon (Azadirachta indica, Aframomum melegueta, Aframomum daniellii, Clausena anisata, Dichrostachys cinerea and Echinops giganteus)
Authors: Kamte Stephane L. Ngahang , Ranjbarian Farahnaz , Campagnaro Gustavo Daniel , Nya Prosper C. Biapa , Mbuntcha Hélène , Woguem Verlaine , Womeni Hilaire Macaire , Ta Léon Azefack , Giordani Cristiano , Barboni Luciano , Benelli Giovanni , Cappellacci Loredana , Hofer Anders , Petrelli Riccardo , Maggi Filippo
Published: July 2017

Essential oils are complex mixtures of volatile components produced by the plant secondary metabolism and consist mainly of monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes and, to a minor extent, of aromatic and aliphatic compounds. They are exploited in several fields such as perfumery, food, pharmaceutics, and cosmetics. Essential oils have long-standing uses in the treatment of infectious diseases and parasitosis in humans and animals. In this regard, their therapeutic potential against human African trypanosomiasis (HAT) has not been fully explored. In the present work, we have selected six medicinal and aromatic plants (Azadirachta indica, Aframomum melegueta, Aframomum daniellii, Clausena anisata, Dichrostachys cinerea, and Echinops giganteus) traditionally used in Cameroon to treat several disorders, including infections and parasitic diseases, and evaluated the activity of their essential oils against Trypanosma brucei TC221. Their selectivity was also determined with Balb/3T3 (mouse embryonic fibroblast cell line) cells as a reference. The results showed that the essential oils from A. indica, A. daniellii, and E. giganteus were the most active ones, with half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) values of 15.21, 7.65, and 10.50 µg/mL, respectively. These essential oils were characterized by different chemical compounds such as sesquiterpene hydrocarbons, monoterpene hydrocarbons, and oxygenated sesquiterpenes. Some of their main components were assayed as well on T. brucei TC221, and their effects were linked to those of essential oils.
Analysis of Metal-Binding Features of the Wild Type and Two Domain-Truncated Mutant Variants of Littorina littorea Metallothionein Reveals Its Cd-Specific Character
Authors: Palacios Òscar , Jiménez-Martí Elena , Niederwanger Michael , Gil-Moreno Selene , Zerbe Oliver , Atrian Sílvia , Dallinger Reinhard , Capdevila Mercè
Published: July 2017

After the resolution of the 3D structure of the Cd9-aggregate of the Littorina littorea metallothionein (MT), we report here a detailed analysis of the metal binding capabilities of the wild type MT, LlwtMT, and of two truncated mutants lacking either the N-terminal domain, Lltr2MT, or both the N-terminal domain, plus four extra flanking residues (SSVF), Lltr1MT. The recombinant synthesis and in vitro studies of these three proteins revealed that LlwtMT forms unique M9-LlwtMT complexes with Zn(II) and Cd(II), while yielding a complex mixture of heteronuclear Zn,Cu-LlwtMT species with Cu(I). As expected, the truncated mutants gave rise to unique M6-LltrMT complexes and Zn,Cu-LltrMT mixtures of lower stoichiometry with respect to LlwtMT, with the SSVF fragment having an influence on their metal binding performance. Our results also revealed a major specificity, and therefore a better metal-coordinating performance of the three proteins for Cd(II) than for Zn(II), although the analysis of the Zn(II)/Cd(II) displacement reaction clearly demonstrates a lack of any type of cooperativity in Cd(II) binding. Contrarily, the analysis of their Cu(I) binding abilities revealed that every LlMT domain is prone to build Cu4-aggregates, the whole MT working by modules analogously to, as previously described, certain fungal MTs, like those of C. neoformans and T. mesenterica. It is concluded that the Littorina littorea MT is a Cd-specific protein that (beyond its extended binding capacity through an additional Cd-binding domain) confers to Littorina littorea a particular adaptive advantage in its changeable marine habitat.
Letter to the Editor: “Detection of Ribosomal DNA Sequence Polymorphisms in the Protist Plasmodiophora brassicae for the Identification of Geographical Isolates”
Authors: Schwelm Arne , Neuhauser Sigrid
Published: July 2017

In the publication “Detection of Ribosomal DNA Sequence Polymorphisms in the Protist Plasmodiophora brassicae for the Identification of Geographical Isolates”, Laila et al.[...]
Biomphalaria glabrata Metallothionein: Lacking Metal Specificity of the Protein and Missing Gene Upregulation Suggest Metal Sequestration by Exchange Instead of through Selective Binding
Authors: Niederwanger Michael , Calatayud Sara , Zerbe Oliver , Atrian Sílvia , Albalat Ricard , Capdevila Mercè , Palacios Òscar , Dallinger Reinhard
Published: July 2017

The wild-type metallothionein (MT) of the freshwater snail Biomphalaria glabrata and a natural allelic mutant of it in which a lysine residue was replaced by an asparagine residue, were recombinantly expressed and analyzed for their metal-binding features with respect to Cd2+, Zn2+ and Cu+, applying spectroscopic and mass-spectrometric methods. In addition, the upregulation of the Biomphalaria glabrata MT gene was assessed by quantitative real-time detection PCR. The two recombinant proteins revealed to be very similar in most of their metal binding features. They lacked a clear metal-binding preference for any of the three metal ions assayed—which, to this degree, is clearly unprecedented in the world of Gastropoda MTs. There were, however, slight differences in copper-binding abilities between the two allelic variants. Overall, the missing metal specificity of the two recombinant MTs goes hand in hand with lacking upregulation of the respective MT gene. This suggests that in vivo, the Biomphalaria glabrata MT may be more important for metal replacement reactions through a constitutively abundant form, rather than for metal sequestration by high binding specificity. There are indications that the MT of Biomphalaria glabrata may share its unspecific features with MTs from other freshwater snails of the Hygrophila family.
Bevacizumab-Based Chemotherapy Combined with Regional Deep Capacitive Hyperthermia in Metastatic Cancer Patients: A Pilot Study
Authors: Ranieri Girolamo , Ferrari Cristina , Palo Alessandra Di , Marech Ilaria , Porcelli Mariangela , Falagario Gianmarco , Ritrovato Fabiana , Ramunni Luigi , Fanelli Margherita , Rubini Giuseppe , Gadaleta Cosmo Damiano
Published: July 2017

As an angiogenesis inhibitor, bevacizumab has been investigated in combination with different chemotherapeutic agents, achieving an established role for metastatic cancer treatment. However, potential synergic anti-angiogenic effects of hyperthermia have not tested to date in literature. The aim of our study was to analyze efficacy, safety, and survival of anti-angiogenic-based chemotherapy associated to regional deep capacitive hyperthermia (HT) in metastatic cancer patients. Twenty-three patients with metastatic colorectal (n = 16), ovarian (n = 5), and breast (n = 2) cancer were treated with HT in addition to a standard bevacizumab-based chemotherapy regimen. Treatment response assessment was performed, according to the modified Response Evaluation Criteria for Solid Tumors (mRECIST), at 80 days (timepoint-1) and at 160 days (timepoint-2) after therapy. Disease Response Rate (DRR), considered as the proportion of patients who had the best response rating (complete response (CR), partial response (PR), or stable disease (SD)), was assessed at timepoint-1 and timepoint-2. Chi-squared for linear trend test was performed to evaluated the association between response groups (R/NR) and the number of previous treatment (none, 1, 2, 3), number of chemotherapy cycles (<6, 6, 12, >12), number of hyperthermia sessions (<12, 12, 24, >24), and lines of chemotherapy (I, II). Survival curves were estimated by Kaplan-Meier method. DRR was 85.7% and 72.2% at timepoint-1 and timepoint-2, respectively. HT was well tolerated without additional adverse effects on chemotherapy-related toxicity. Chi-squared for linear trend test demonstrated that the percentage of responders grew in relation to the number of chemotherapy cycles (p = 0.015) and to number of HT sessions (p < 0.001) performed. Both overall survival (OS) and time to progression (TTP) were influenced by the number of chemotherapy cycles (p < 0.001) and HT sessions (p < 0.001) performed. Our preliminary data, that need to be confirmed in larger studies, suggest that the combined treatment of bevacizumab-based chemotherapy with HT has a favorable tumor response, is feasible and well tolerated, and offers a potentially promising option for metastatic cancer patients.
Color Stability of New Esthetic Restorative Materials: A Spectrophotometric Analysis
Authors: Poggio Claudio , Vialba Lodovico , Berardengo Anna , Federico Ricaldone , Colombo Marco , Beltrami Riccardo , Scribante Andrea
Published: July 2017

The aim of this in vitro study was to evaluate and compare the color stability of different esthetic restorative materials (one microfilled composite, one nanofilled composite, one nanoceramic composite, one microfilled hybrid composite, one microfilled hybrid composite, one nanohybrid Ormocer based composite and one supra-nano spherical hybrid composite) after exposure to different staining solutions (physiological saline, red wine, coffee). All materials were prepared and polymerized into silicon rings (2 mm × 6 mm × 8 mm) to obtain specimens identical in size. Thirty cylindrical specimens of each material were prepared. Specimens were immersed in staining solutions (physiological saline, coffee and red wine) over a 28-day test period. A colorimetric evaluation according to the CIE L*a*b* system was performed by a blind trained operator at 7, 14, 21, 28 days of the staining process. The Shapiro–Wilk test and ANOVA were applied to assess significant differences among restorative materials. A paired t-test was applied to test which CIE L*a*b* parameters significantly changed after immersion in staining solutions. All restorative materials showed significant color differences after immersion in coffee. Coffee caused a significant color change in all types of tested composite resins. Only Filtek Supreme XTE demonstrated a staining susceptibility to red wine; no other significant differences among the materials were demonstrated. Long-term exposure to some food dyes (coffee in particular) can significantly affect the color stability of modern esthetic restorative materials regardless of materials’ different compositions.
Zinc Sorption on Modified Waste Poly(methyl methacrylate)
Authors: Jakóbik-Kolon Agata , Milewski Andrzej , Zdybał Dominik , Mitko Krzysztof , Laskowska Ewa , Mielańczyk Anna , Bok-Badura Joanna
Published: July 2017

The new one-pot hydrolysis-crosslinking reaction was used to synthesize a new, waste poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA)-based material for zinc(II) ions removal. The alkaline hydrolysis of PMMA in diethylene glycol diethyl ether was used to obtain polymer matrix and it was then crosslinked with Ca and Mg ions to obtain the sorbent. As a result, the macroporous materials were obtained with a yield of 87% when waste PMMA was used, and about 95% when the commercial PMMAs were used. The degree of hydrolysis was similar, from 32% to 35%. New materials were then tested for their affinity towards zinc(II) ions. Two kinetic models (pseudo-first and pseudo-second order), as well as two isotherms (Langmuir and Freundlich), were used to describe the kinetics and equilibrium of zinc(II) ion sorption on the studied materials, respectively. All the prepared PMMA-based sorbents showed similar or higher sorption capacity (q up to 87.7 mg/g) compared to commercially available materials in a broad pH range (4–7). The study shows sorption was fast—above 80% of equilibrium capacity was achieved after ca. 0.5 h. Presented results show that waste PMMA may be an interesting raw material for the preparation of sorbents for zinc(II) ions removal.
A New Biphasic Dicalcium Silicate Bone Cement Implant
Authors: Zuleta Fausto , Murciano Angel , Gehrke Sergio , Maté-Sánchez de Val José , Calvo-Guirado José , De Aza Piedad
Published: July 2017

This study aimed to investigate the processing parameters and biocompatibility of a novel biphasic dicalcium silicate (C2S) cement. Biphasic α´L + β-C2Sss was synthesized by solid-state processing, and was used as a raw material to prepare the cement. In vitro bioactivity and biocompatibility studies were assessed by soaking the cement samples in simulated body fluid (SBF) and human adipose stem cell cultures. Two critical-sized defects of 6 mm Ø were created in 15 NZ tibias. A porous cement made of the high temperature forms of C2S, with a low phosphorous substitution level, was produced. An apatite-like layer covered the cement’s surface after soaking in SBF. The cell attachment test showed that α´L + β-C2Sss supported cells sticking and spreading after 24 h of culture. The cement paste (55.86 ± 0.23) obtained higher bone-to-implant contact (BIC) percentage values (better quality, closer contact) in the histomorphometric analysis, and defect closure was significant compared to the control group (plastic). The residual material volume of the porous cement was 35.42 ± 2.08% of the initial value. The highest BIC and bone formation percentages were obtained on day 60. These results suggest that the cement paste is advantageous for initial bone regeneration.
Corrosion Behavior of Silver-Plated Circuit Boards in a Simulated Marine Environment with Industrial Pollution
Authors: Xiao Kui , Yi Pan , Yan Lidan , Bai Ziheng , Dong Chaofang , Dong Pengfei , Gao Xiong
Published: July 2017

The electrochemical corrosion behavior of a silver-plated circuit board (PCB-ImAg) in a polluted marine atmosphere environment (Qingdao in China) is studied through a simulated experiment. The morphologies of PCB-ImAg show some micropores on the surface that act as the corrosion-active points in the tests. Cl− mainly induces microporous corrosion, whereas SO2 causes general corrosion. Notably, the silver color changes significantly under SO2 influence. EIS results show that the initial charge transfer resistance in the test containing SO2 and Cl− is 9.847 × 103, while it is 3.701 × 104 in the test containing Cl− only, which demonstrates that corrosion accelerates in a mixed atmosphere. Polarization curves further show that corrosion potential is lower in mixed solutions (between −0.397 V SCE and −0.214 V SCE) than it in the solution containing Cl− only (−0.168 V SCE), indicating that corrosion tendency increases with increased HSO3− concentration.
On the Short Surface Fatigue Crack Growth Behavior in a Fine-Grained WC-Co Cemented Carbide
Authors: Mikado Hiroko , Ishihara Sotomi , Oguma Noriyasu , Kawamura Shingo
Published: July 2017

In the present study, the fatigue crack growth (FCG) behavior of short surface cracks in a fine-grained cemented carbide with a length of less than 1 mm was investigated. The rotating bending and the four-point bending fatigue tests were carried out at stress ratios of R = −1 and R = 0.1 (R = maximum stress/minimum stress). It was found that a short surface crack had a longer stable fatigue crack growth area than a long through-thickness crack; the FCG behaviors of the two types of crack are clearly different. Furthermore, the FCG path of short surface cracks was investigated in detail to study the interaction between fatigue cracks and microstructures of the cemented carbide such as WC grains and the Co phase. At a low Kmax (Kmax = the maximum stress intensity factor), it was found that fatigue crack growth within WC grains is difficult because of a small driving force; instead, crack growth is along the brittle WC/WC interface. On the other hand, at a high Kmax, WC grain breakage often occurs, since the driving force of FCG is large, and the fatigue crack grows linearly.
Designing a Tool System for Lowering Friction during the Ejection of In-Die Sintered Micro Gears
Authors: Cannella Emanuele , Nielsen Emil , Stolfi Alessandro
Published: July 2017

The continuous improvements in micro-forging technologies generally involve process, material, and tool design. The field assisted sintering technique (FAST) is a process that makes possible the manufacture of near-net-shape components in a closed-die setup. However, the final part quality is affected by the influence of friction during the ejection phase, caused by radial expansion of the compacted and sintered powder. This paper presents the development of a pre-stressed tool system for the manufacture of micro gears made of aluminum. By using the hot isostatic pressing (HIP) sintering process and different combinations of process parameters, the designed tool system was compared to a similar tool system designed without a pre-stressing strategy. The comparison between the two tool systems was based on the ejection force and part fidelity. The ejection force was measured during the tests, while the part fidelity was documented using an optical microscope and computed tomography in order to obtain a multi-scale characterization. The results showed that the use of pre-stress reduced the porosity in the gear by 40% and improved the dimensional fidelity by more than 75% compared to gears produced without pre-stress.
n-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids and Metabolic Syndrome Risk: A Meta-Analysis
Authors: Guo Xiao-fei , Li Xin , Shi Meiqi , Li Duo
Published: July 2017

The associations between n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) and metabolic syndrome (MetS) risk have demonstrated inconsistent results. The present study aimed to investigate whether higher circulating n-3 PUFAs and dietary n-3 PUFAs intake have a protective effect on MetS risk. A systematic literature search in the PubMed, Scopus, and Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) databases was conducted up to March 2017. Odd ratios (ORs) from case-control and cross-sectional studies were combined using a random-effects model for the highest versus lowest category. The differences of n-3 PUFAs between healthy subjects and patients with MetS were calculated as weighted mean difference (WMD) by using a random-effects model. Seven case-control and 20 cross-sectional studies were included. A higher plasma/serum n-3 PUFAs was associated with a lower MetS risk (Pooled OR = 0.63, 95% CI: 0.49, 0.81). The plasma/serum n-3 PUFAs in controls was significantly higher than cases (WMD: 0.24; 95% CI: 0.04, 0.43), especially docosapentaenoic acid (DPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). However, no significant association was found between dietary intake of n-3 PUFAs or fish and MetS risk. The present study provides substantial evidence of a higher circulating n-3 PUFAs associated with a lower MetS risk. The circulating n-3 PUFAs can be regarded as biomarkers indicating MetS risk, especially DPA and DHA.
Western and Mediterranean Dietary Patterns and Physical Activity and Fitness among Spanish Older Adults
Authors: Bibiloni Maria , Julibert Alicia , Argelich Emma , Aparicio-Ugarriza Raquel , Palacios Gonzalo , Pons Antoni , Gonzalez-Gross Marcela , Tur Josep
Published: July 2017

Objectives: To assess prevailing food patterns, and its association with physical activity and fitness among Spanish older adults. Methods: Cross-sectional study in Spain, collecting data from a sample (n = 380; 54% female) aged 55–80 years (men) and 60–80 years (women) with no previously documented cardiovascular disease. Body weight, body fat and waist circumference were assessed. Physical activity performed was measured using the Minnesota Leisure-time Physical Activity Questionnaire (LTPA). Physical fitness was assessed using a validated physical fitness test battery. Food consumption was assessed by a validated semi-quantitative food-frequency questionnaire. Factor analysis identified two major dietary food patterns: “Western” (WDP) and “Mediterranean” (MDP) dietary patterns. Results: Participants in MDP’s fourth quartile were classified in the second (men) and third (men and women) tertile of LTPA. After adjusting for age, body fat, waist-to-height ratio, and METs, in both sexes, a negative significant association was found between 30-s Chair stand and 6-min walking test, a positive significant association was found between 30-m Gait speed and 8-foot Time Up-and-Go (except in men) tests with WDP. The 30-m Gait speed test was negatively associated with MDP in men. Conclusions: MDP is associated with more time spent on LTPA, and this association was independent of body composition and a fast gait speed in men. WDP is associated with slower gait speed and lower body strength, agility and aerobic endurance. MDP has protective effect on healthy physical fitness, and WDP may be a contributor to frailty.
Secretory Leukoprotease Inhibitor (Slpi) Expression Is Required for Educating Murine Dendritic Cells Inflammatory Response Following Quercetin Exposure
Authors: De Santis Stefania , Galleggiante Vanessa , Scandiffio Letizia , Liso Marina , Sommella Eduardo , Sobolewski Anastasia , Spilotro Vito , Pinto Aldo , Campiglia Pietro , Serino Grazia , Santino Angelo , Notarnicola Maria , Chieppa Marcello
Published: July 2017

Dendritic cells’ (DCs) ability to present antigens and initiate the adaptive immune response confers them a pivotal role in immunological defense against hostile infection and, at the same time, immunological tolerance towards harmless components of the microbiota. Food products can modulate the inflammatory status of intestinal DCs. Among nutritionally-derived products, we investigated the ability of quercetin to suppress inflammatory cytokines secretion, antigen presentation, and DCs migration towards the draining lymph nodes. We recently identified the Slpi expression as a crucial checkpoint required for the quercetin-induced inflammatory suppression. Here we demonstrate that Slpi-KO DCs secrete a unique panel of cytokines and chemokines following quercetin exposure. In vivo, quercetin-enriched food is able to induce Slpi expression in the ileum, while little effects are detectable in the duodenum. Furthermore, Slpi expressing cells are more frequent at the tip compared to the base of the intestinal villi, suggesting that quercetin exposure could be more efficient for DCs projecting periscopes in the intestinal lumen. These data suggest that quercetin-enriched nutritional regimes may be efficient for suppressing inflammatory syndromes affecting the ileo-colonic tract.
Dietary Chlorella vulgaris Ameliorates Altered Immunomodulatory Functions in Cyclophosphamide-Induced Immunosuppressive Mice
Authors: Cheng Dai , Wan Zhaodong , Zhang Xinyu , Li Jian , Li He , Wang Chunling
Published: July 2017

Based on the well-known toxicity of cyclophosphamide (CYP) on the immune system, this research investigated the modulating effects of the long-term dietary Chlorella vulgaris (CV) supplementation on the immunosuppression induced by CYP in mice, in order to provide a novel dietary design to mitigate the side effects of CYP therapy. Control, CYP-treated, CYP + CV (6%), CYP + CV (12%) and CYP + CV (24%) were used for 6 weeks, CV supplement in diet recovered the significantly reduced immunological function in CYP treated mice. As CV may have a modulating function through the inducible expression of cytokines, we assayed the expressions of interleukin-2 (IL-2), interleukin-12 (IL-12), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interferon-γ (IFN-γ). Our results suggested that CYP significantly reduced the lymphocytes proliferation and phagocytic activities of macrophages, and stimulated the production of IL-2, IL-12, TNF-α and IFN-γ and that this impairment has been successfully adjusted by CV supplementation. Treatment with the algae also enhanced the natural killer (NK) cells cytotoxicity, and ameliorate histological changes of the spleen in CYP-treated mice. Therefore, as we found in this study, a diet supplemented with whole CV has beneficial effects on CVP-induced immunosuppression, through its immunomodulatory potential.
Integrated Assessment of Pharmacological and Nutritional Cardiovascular Risk Management: Blood Pressure Control in the DIAbetes and LifEstyle Cohort Twente (DIALECT)
Authors: Gant Christina , Binnenmars S. , Berg Else , Bakker Stephan , Navis Gerjan , Laverman Gozewijn
Published: July 2017

Cardiovascular risk management is an integral part of treatment in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM), and requires pharmacological as well as nutritional management. We hypothesize that a systematic assessment of both pharmacological and nutritional management can identify targets for the improvement of treatment quality. Therefore, we analysed blood pressure (BP) management in the DIAbetes and LifEstyle Cohort Twente (DIALECT). DIALECT is an observational cohort from routine diabetes care, performed at the ZGT Hospital (Almelo and Hengelo, The Netherlands). BP was measured for 15 minutes with one minute intervals. Sodium and potassium intake was derived from 24-hour urinary excretion. We determined the adherence to pharmacological and non-pharmacological guidelines in patients with BP on target (BP-OT) and BP not on target (BP-NOT). In total, 450 patients were included from August 2009 until January 2016. The mean age was 63 ± 9 years, and the majority was male (58%). In total, 53% had BP-OT. In those with BP-NOT, pharmacological management was suboptimal (zero to two antihypertensive drugs) in 62% of patients, and nutritional guideline adherence was suboptimal in 100% of patients (only 8% had a sodium intake on target, 66% had a potassium intake on target, 3% had a sodium-to-potassium ratio on target, and body mass index was <30 kg/m2 in 35%). These data show pharmacological undertreatment and a low adherence to nutritional guidelines. Uncontrolled BP is common in T2DM, and our data show a window of opportunity for improving BP control, especially in nutritional management. To improve treatment quality, we advocate to incorporate the integrated monitoring of nutritional management in quality improvement cycles in routine care.
Gene–Dairy Food Interactions and Health Outcomes: A Review of Nutrigenetic Studies
Authors: Comerford Kevin , Pasin Gonca
Published: July 2017

Each person differs from the next by an average of over 3 million genetic variations in their DNA. This genetic diversity is responsible for many of the interindividual differences in food preferences, nutritional needs, and dietary responses between humans. The field of nutrigenetics aims to utilize this type of genetic information in order to personalize diets for optimal health. One of the most well-studied genetic variants affecting human dietary patterns and health is the lactase persistence mutation, which enables an individual to digest milk sugar into adulthood. Lactase persistence is one of the most influential Mendelian factors affecting human dietary patterns to occur since the beginning of the Neolithic Revolution. However, the lactase persistence mutation is only one of many mutations that can influence the relationship between dairy intake and disease risk. The purpose of this review is to summarize the available nutrigenetic literature investigating the relationships between genetics, dairy intake, and health outcomes. Nonetheless, the understanding of an individual’s nutrigenetic responses is just one component of personalized nutrition. In addition to nutrigenetic responses, future studies should also take into account nutrigenomic responses (epigenomic, transcriptomic, proteomic, metabolomic), and phenotypic/characteristic traits (age, gender, activity level, disease status, etc.), as these factors all interact with diet to influence health.
Neuroprotective Effects of β-Caryophyllene against Dopaminergic Neuron Injury in a Murine Model of Parkinson’s Disease Induced by MPTP
Authors: Viveros-Paredes Juan , González-Castañeda Rocio , Gertsch Juerg , Chaparro-Huerta Veronica , López-Roa Rocio , Vázquez-Valls Eduardo , Beas-Zarate Carlos , Camins-Espuny Antoni , Flores-Soto Mario
Published: July 2017

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is one of the most common neurodegenerative disorders and is characterized by the loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra (SN). Although the causes of PD are not understood, evidence suggests that its pathogenesis is associated with oxidative stress and inflammation. Recent studies have suggested a protective role of the cannabinoid signalling system in PD. β-caryophyllene (BCP) is a natural bicyclic sesquiterpene that is an agonist of the cannabinoid type 2 receptor (CB2R). Previous studies have suggested that BCP exerts prophylactic and/or curative effects against inflammatory bowel disease through its antioxidative and/or anti-inflammatory action. The present study describes the neuroprotective effects of BCP in a 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP)-induced murine model of PD, and we report the results of our investigation of its neuroprotective mechanism in neurons and glial cells. In the murine model, BCP pretreatment ameliorated motor dysfunction, protected against dopaminergic neuronal losses in the SN and striatum, and alleviated MPTP-induced glia activation. Additionally, BCP inhibited the levels of inflammatory cytokines in the nigrostriatal system. The observed neuroprotection and inhibited glia activation were reversed upon treatment with the CB2R selective antagonist AM630, confirming the involvement of the CB2R. These results indicate that BCP acts via multiple neuroprotective mechanisms in our murine model and suggest that BCP may be viewed as a potential treatment and/or preventative agent for PD.
A New Polymer-Based Fluorescent Chemosensor Incorporating Propane-1,3-Dione and 2,5-Diethynylbenzene Moieties for Detection of Copper(II) and Iron(III)
Authors: Yang Dongliang , Dai Chunhui , Hu Yanling , Liu Shuli , Weng Lixing , Luo Zhimin , Cheng Yixiang , Wang Lianhui
Published: July 2017

A novel conjugated polymer (PDBDBM) was developed by the polymerization of 1,4-dioctyloxy-2,5-diethynylbenzene with 1,3-bis(4-bromophenyl)propane-1,3-dione based on Pd-catalyzed Sonogashira-coupling reaction. The obtained polymer PDBDBM exhibited bright green photoluminescence under UV irradiation. According to the metal ion titration experiments, PDBDBM showed high sensitivity and selectivity for detection of Cu2+ and Fe3+ over other metal ions. The fluorescent detection limits of PDBDBM were calculated to be 5 nM for Cu2+ and 0.4 μM for Fe3+ and the Stern–Volmer quenching constant for Cu2+ and Fe3+ were found to be 1.28 × 108 M−1 and 2.40 × 104 M−1, respectively. These results indicated that the polymer can be used as a potential probe for Cu2+ and Fe3+ detection.