bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Mortality and Morbidity in a Population Exposed to Emission from a Municipal Waste Incinerator. A Retrospective Cohort Study
Authors: Romanelli Anna Maria , Bianchi Fabrizio , Curzio Olivia , Minichilli Fabrizio
Published: August 2019

In the present research, we evaluated the health effects of exposure to the municipal waste incinerator (MWI) in Pisa, Italy, through a population-based cohort design. The individual exposure pattern in the area was estimated through CALPUFF dispersion models of NOχ (developed by Atmospheric Studies Group Earth Tech, Lowell, Massachusetts), used as pollution proxies of the MWI and the relevant industrial plant, and through land-use regression for NOχ due to traffic pollution. Using Cox regression analysis, hazard ratios (HR) were estimated adjusting for exposure to other sources of pollution, age, and socioeconomic deprivation. An adjusted linear trend of HR (HRt) over the categories of exposure, with the relative 95% CI and p-value, was also calculated. Mortality and hospital discharge were studied as impact outcomes. Mortality analysis on males showed increased trends of mortality due to natural causes (HRt p < 0.05), the tumor of the lymphohematopoietic system (HRt p = 0.01), cardiovascular diseases (HRt p < 0.01); in females, increased trends for acute respiratory diseases (HRt p = 0.04). Morbidity analysis showed a HRt for lymphohematopoietic system tumor in males (HRt p = 0.04). Some of the excesses are in agreement with previous evidence on the health effects of MWIs, although the observation in males but not in females, suggests a cautious interpretation. Confounding due to other sources of exposure cannot be ruled out. The evidence was considered important in the decision-making process of the waste cycle.
Anaerobic Dechlorination by a Humin-Dependent Pentachlorophenol-Dechlorinating Consortium under Autotrophic Conditions Induced by Homoacetogenesis
Authors: Laskar Mahasweta , Awata Takanori , Kasai Takuya , Katayama Arata
Published: August 2019

Anoxic aquifers suffer from energy limitations due to the unavailability of organic substrates, as dictated by hydrogen (H2) for various electron-accepting processes. This deficiency often results in the accumulation of persistent organic pollutants, where bioremediation using organic compounds often leads to secondary contamination. This study involves the reductive dechlorination of pentachlorophenol (PCP) by dechlorinators that do not use H2 directly, but rather through a reduced state of humin—a solid-phase humic substance—as the extracellular electron donor, which requires an organic donor such as formate, lactate, etc. This shortcoming was addressed by the development of an anaerobic mixed culture that was capable of reductively dechlorinating PCP using humin under autotrophic conditions induced by homoacetogenesis. Here, H2 was used for carbon-dioxide fixation to acetate; the acetate produced was used for the reduction of humin; and consequently used for dechlorination through reduced humin. The 16SrRNA gene sequencing analysis showed Dehalobacter and Dehalobacterium as the possible dechlorinators, while Clostridium and Oxobacter were identified as the homoacetogens. Thus, this work contributes to the development of an anaerobic consortium that balanced H2 dependency, where efficiency of humin reduction extends the applicability of anaerobic microbial remediation in aquifers through autotrophy, syntrophy, and reductive dechlorination.
Air Pollution and Estimated Health Costs Related to Road Transportations of Goods in Italy: A First Healthcare Burden Assessment
Authors: Piscitelli Prisco , Valenzano Barbara , Rizzo Emanuele , Maggiotto Giuseppe , Rivezzi Matteo , Esposito Corcione Felice , Miani Alessandro
Published: August 2019

Background: The Italian Society of Environmental Medicine has performed a preliminary assessment of the health impact attributable to road freight traffic in Italy. Methods: We estimated fine particulate matter (PM10, PM2.5) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) generated by road transportation of goods in Italy considering the number of trucks, the emission factors and the average annual distance covered in the year 2016. Simulations on data concerning Years of Life Lost (YLL) attributable to PM2.5 (593,700) and nitrogen oxides NO2 (200,700) provided by the European Environmental Agency (EEA) were used as a proxy of healthcare burden. We set three different healthcare burden scenarios, varying from 1/5 to 1/10 of the proportion of the overall particulate matter attributable to road freight traffic in Italy (about 7% on a total of 2262 tons/year). Results: Road freight traffic in Italy produced about 189 tons of PM10, 147 tons of PM2.5 and 4125 tons of NOx in year 2016, resulting in annual healthcare costs varying from 400 million up to 1.2 billion EUR per year. Conclusion: Road freight traffic has a relevant impact on air pollution and healthcare costs, especially if considered over a 10-year period. Any solution able to significantly reduce the road transportation of goods could decrease avoidable mortality due to air pollution and related costs.
The Association Between Loneliness and Cognitive Impairment among Older Men and Women in China: A Nationwide Longitudinal Study
Authors: Zhou Zi , Mao Fanzhen , Zhang Wei , Towne Samuel D. , Wang Ping , Fang Ya
Published: August 2019

We aimed to investigate the association between loneliness and cognitive impairment among older men and women in China. Data for 6898 eligible participants aged 65 years and older were derived from the latest two waves (2008/2009 and 2011/2012) of the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey. A logistic regression analysis was performed to determine whether the association between loneliness at baseline and the risk of cognitive impairment at follow-up varied by sex, with adjustment for social-demographic variables, social isolation, lifestyles, and health status. The rates of baseline loneliness and follow-up cognitive impairment were both higher among women than men. Loneliness at baseline was significantly associated with cognitive impairment at follow-up among elderly men (OR = 1.30; 95% CI 1.01–1.69), even after adjusting for potential confounding variables; however, a similar association was not observed among elderly women (OR = 0.98; 95% CI 0.81–1.19). Multiple imputations were applied to address missing data. Although elderly women more frequently reported feelings of loneliness, the impact of loneliness on cognitive impairment was significant among elderly men but not elderly women. Interventions designed to decrease the incidence of loneliness may be particularly beneficial for the reduction of cognitive impairment among elderly Chinese men.
Impact of the Universal Two-Child Policy on the Workload of Community-Based Basic Public Health Services in Zhejiang Province, China
Authors: Zhao Yanrong , Lin Junfen , Shang Xiaopeng , Yang Qing , Wang Wei , Qiu Yinwei
Published: August 2019

We aimed to quantitatively estimate the amount of pressure that was placed on basic public health care services (BPHS) due to the universal two-child policy issued in 2015 by comparing the workload change in maternal and child health management and the immunization of children. BPHS performance surveillance data from 2014 to 2018 in Zhejiang Province, China were analyzed to calculate the workload of the above three services using the equivalent method of BPHS cost estimation of community health services. From 2014 to 2018, the numbers of births from the Statistical Yearbook in Zhejiang Province were 578,000, 581,000, 624,000, 670,000, and 628,000, respectively, and those from the surveillance data were 416,941, 41,490, 434,163, 546,816, and 45,964, respectively. The number of births reached a peak in 2017, with the yearbook and surveillance data showing increases of 15.92% and 31.15%, respectively, over 2014. The workload of maternal and child health management and children’s immunization also peaked in 2017, increasing by 30.37%, 12.70%, and 4.33% over 2014, respectively. In 2018, the workload of maternal and child health management and children’s immunization dropped to 107.34%, 107.73%, and 98.81% over 2014, respectively. The indicators of maternal and child health management and children’s immunization services remained stable, and the related services did not decline, even in 2017. The maternal health management workload was more affected by the universal two-child policy than child health management and children’s immunization.
Proteomic Analysis of Lipid Rafts from RBL-2H3 Mast Cells
Authors: Freitas Filho Edismauro Garcia , Jaca Luiz Augusto Marin , Baeza Lilian Cristiane , Soares Célia Maria de Almeida , Borges Clayton Luiz , Oliver Constance , Jamur Maria Célia
Published: August 2019

Lipid rafts are highly ordered membrane microdomains enriched in cholesterol, glycosphingolipids, and certain proteins. They are involved in the regulation of cellular processes in diverse cell types, including mast cells (MCs). The MC lipid raft protein composition was assessed using qualitative mass spectrometric characterization of the proteome from detergent-resistant membrane fractions from RBL-2H3 MCs. Using two different post-isolation treatment methods, a total of 949 lipid raft associated proteins were identified. The majority of these MC lipid raft proteins had already been described in the RaftProtV2 database and are among highest cited/experimentally validated lipid raft proteins. Additionally, more than half of the identified proteins had lipid modifications and/or transmembrane domains. Classification of identified proteins into functional categories showed that the proteins were associated with cellular membrane compartments, and with some biological and molecular functions, such as regulation, localization, binding, catalytic activity, and response to stimulus. Furthermore, functional enrichment analysis demonstrated an intimate involvement of identified proteins with various aspects of MC biological processes, especially those related to regulated secretion, organization/stabilization of macromolecules complexes, and signal transduction. This study represents the first comprehensive proteomic profile of MC lipid rafts and provides additional information to elucidate immunoregulatory functions coordinated by raft proteins in MCs.
Significantly Elevated FMR1 mRNA and Mosaicism for Methylated Premutation and Full Mutation Alleles in Two Brothers with Autism Features Referred for Fragile X Testing
Authors: Field Michael , Dudding-Byth Tracy , Arpone Marta , Baker Emma K. , Aliaga Solange M. , Rogers Carolyn , Hickerton Chriselle , Francis David , Phelan Dean G. , Palmer Elizabeth E. , Amor David J. , Slater Howard , Bretherton Lesley , Ling Ling , Godler David E.
Published: August 2019

Although fragile X syndrome (FXS) is caused by a hypermethylated full mutation (FM) expansion with ≥200 cytosine-guanine-guanine (CGG) repeats, and a decrease in FMR1 mRNA and its protein (FMRP), incomplete silencing has been associated with more severe autism features in FXS males. This study reports on brothers (B1 and B2), aged 5 and 2 years, with autistic features and language delay, but a higher non-verbal IQ in comparison to typical FXS. CGG sizing using AmplideX PCR only identified premutation (PM: 55–199 CGGs) alleles in blood. Similarly, follow-up in B1 only revealed PM alleles in saliva and skin fibroblasts; whereas, an FM expansion was detected in both saliva and buccal DNA of B2. While Southern blot analysis of blood detected an unmethylated FM, methylation analysis with a more sensitive methodology showed that B1 had partially methylated PM alleles in blood and fibroblasts, which were completely unmethylated in buccal and saliva cells. In contrast, B2 was partially methylated in all tested tissues. Moreover, both brothers had FMR1 mRNA ~5 fold higher values than those of controls, FXS and PM cohorts. In conclusion, the presence of unmethylated FM and/or PM in both brothers may lead to an overexpression of toxic expanded mRNA in some cells, which may contribute to neurodevelopmental problems, including elevated autism features.
The Antitumor Activity of TCR-Mimic Antibody-Drug Conjugates (TCRm-ADCs) Targeting the Intracellular Wilms Tumor 1 (WT1) Oncoprotein
Authors: Shen Ying , Li Yi-Ming , Zhou Jing-Jing , Zhou Zhan , Xu Ying-Chun , Zhao Wen-Bin , Chen Shu-Qing
Published: August 2019

Wilms tumor 1 (WT1) oncoprotein is an intracellular oncogenic transcription factor which is barely expressed in normal adult tissues but over expressed in a variety of leukemias and solid cancers. WT1-derived HLA-A*02:01 T cell epitope, RMFPNAPYL (RMF), is a validated target for T cell-based immunotherapy. We generated two T cell receptor mimic antibody-drug conjugates (TCRm-ADCs), ESK-MMAE, and Q2L-MMAE, against WT1 RMF/HLA-A*02:01 complex with distinct affinities, which mediate specific antitumor activity. Although ESK-MMAE showed higher tumor growth inhibition ratio in vivo, the efficacy of them was not so promising, which might be due to low expression of peptide/HLA targets. Therefore, we explored a bispecific TCRm-ADC that exerted more potent tumor cytotoxicity compared with TCRm-ADCs. Hence, our findings validate the feasibility of the presenting intracellular peptides as the targets of ADCs, which broadens the antigen selection range of antibody-based drugs and provides new strategies for precision medicine in tumor therapy.
Selective Separation of Acetic and Hexanoic Acids across Polymer Inclusion Membrane with Ionic Liquids as Carrier
Authors: Wang Bao-Ying , Zhang Na , Li Zhen-Yu , Lang Qiao-Lin , Yan Bing-Hua , Liu Yang , Zhang Yang
Published: August 2019

This paper first reports on the selective separation of volatile fatty acids (VFAs) (acetic and hexanoic acids) using polymer inclusion membranes (PIMs) containing quaternary ammonium and phosphonium ionic liquids (ILs) as the carrier. The affecting parameters such as IL content, VFA concentration, and the initial pH of the feed solution as well as the type and concentration of the stripping solution were investigated. PIMs performed a much higher selective separation performance toward hexanoic acid. The optimal PIM composed of 60 wt% quaternary ammonium IL with the permeability coefficients for acetic and hexanoic acid of 0.72 and 4.38 µm s−1, respectively, was determined. The purity of hexanoic acid obtained in the stripping solution increased with an increase in the VFA concentration of the feed solution and decreasing HCl concentration of the stripping solution. The use of Na2CO3 as the stripping solution and the involvement of the electrodialysis process could dramatically enhance the transport efficiency of both VFAs, but the separation efficiency decreased sharply. Furthermore, a coordinating mechanism containing hydrogen bonding and ion exchange for VFA transport was demonstrated. The highest purity of hexanoic acid (89.3%) in the stripping solution demonstrated that this PIM technology has good prospects for the separation and recovery of VFAs from aqueous solutions.
Mesoporous Nanocast Electrocatalysts for Oxygen Reduction and Oxygen Evolution Reactions
Authors: Priamushko Tatiana , Guillet-Nicolas Rémy , Kleitz Freddy
Published: August 2019

Catalyzed oxygen evolution and oxygen reduction reactions (OER and ORR, respectively) are of particular significance in many energy conversion and storage processes. During the last decade, they emerged as potential routes to sustain the ever-growing needs of the future clean energy market. Unfortunately, the state-of-the-art OER and ORR electrocatalysts, which are based on noble metals, are noticeably limited by a generally high activity towards one type of reaction only, high costs and relatively low abundance. Therefore, the development of (bi)functional low-cost non-noble metal or metal-free electrocatalysts is expected to increase the practical energy density and drastically reduce the production costs. Owing to their pore properties and high surface areas, mesoporous materials show high activity towards electrochemical reactions. Among all synthesis methods available for the synthesis of non-noble mesoporous metal oxides, the hard-templating (or nanocasting) approach is one of the most attractive in terms of achieving variable morphology and porosity of the materials. In this review, we thus focus on the recent advances in the design, synthesis, characterization and efficiency of non-noble metal OER and ORR electrocatalysts obtained via the nanocasting route. Critical aspects of these materials and perspectives for future developments are also discussed.
Prediction of Solar Irradiance Based on Artificial Neural Networks
Authors: Hameed Waleed I. , Sawadi Baha A. , Al-Kamil Safa J. , Al-Radhi Mohammed S. , Al-Yasir Yasir I. A. , Saleh Ameer L. , Abd-Alhameed Raed A.
Published: August 2019

Prediction of solar irradiance plays an essential role in many energy systems. The objective of this paper is to present a low-cost solar irradiance meter based on artificial neural networks (ANN). A photovoltaic (PV) mathematical model of 50 watts and 36 cells was used to extract the short-circuit current and the open-circuit voltage of the PV module. The obtained data was used to train the ANN to predict solar irradiance for horizontal surfaces. The strategy was to measure the open-circuit voltage and the short-circuit current of the PV module and then feed it to the ANN as inputs to get the irradiance. The experimental and simulation results showed that the proposed method could be utilized to achieve the value of solar irradiance with acceptable approximation. As a result, this method presents a low-cost instrument that can be used instead of an expensive pyranometer.
Strength Performance of an Eccentric Jacket Substructure
Authors: Han Xiaoshuang , Chen Anlong , Zhou Bo , Zhang Guiyong , Gho Wie Min
Published: August 2019

An eccentric jacket substructure is comprised of circular hollow section tubular joints with complete overlap of braces. The joint is formed with the lap brace overlapping the diagonal through the brace joining the chord face. In this study, the jacket substructure is subjected to a static vertical load due to self-weight and facilities, and four horizontal loads to simulate the environmental loads applied at four different horizontal angles. The maximum stresses at each level of the eccentric jacket are found lower than that of the traditional jacket. For the eccentric jacket substructure, the high stress critical area is mostly located at the short segment of the diagonal through brace joining the chord face. From the parametric study, the ultimate strength of the joint with the complete overlap of braces of the eccentric jacket reduces with increasing the gap size-to-through brace diameter ratio, ξ. With the short segment of the through-brace joining the chord face, the high-stress area is transferred from the joint intersection of the chord and the braces to the lap brace and the diagonal through-brace. It could; therefore, be concluded, based on the strength performance, that the eccentric jacket performed better with maximum stresses and high-stress critical areas.
Effects of Phytoplankton Growth Phase on Settling Properties of Marine Aggregates
Authors: Prairie Jennifer , Montgomery Quinn , Proctor Kyle , Ghiorso Kathryn
Published: August 2019

Marine snow aggregates often dominate carbon export from the surface layer to the deep ocean. Therefore, understanding the formation and properties of aggregates is essential to the study of the biological pump. Previous studies have observed a relationship between phytoplankton growth phase and the production of transparent exopolymer particles (TEP), the sticky particles secreted by phytoplankton that act as the glue during aggregate formation. In this experimental study, we aim to determine the effect of phytoplankton growth phase on properties related to aggregate settling. Cultures of the diatom Thalassiosira weissflogii were grown to four different growth phases and incubated in rotating cylindrical tanks to form aggregates. Aggregate excess density and delayed settling time through a sharp density gradient were quantified for the aggregates that were formed, and relative TEP concentration was measured for cultures before aggregate formation. Compared to the first growth phase, later phytoplankton growth phases were found to have higher relative TEP concentration and aggregates with lower excess densities and longer delayed settling times. These findings may suggest that, although particle concentrations are higher at later stages of phytoplankton blooms, aggregates may be less dense and sink slower, thus affecting carbon export.
A Computational Fluid Dynamics Study on Shearing Mechanisms in Thermal Elastohydrodynamic Line Contacts
Authors: Tošić Marko , Larsson Roland , Jovanović Janko , Lohner Thomas , Björling Marcus , Stahl Karsten
Published: August 2019

A computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model of the thermal elastohydrodynamically lubricated (EHL) line contact problem has been developed for the purpose of exploring the physical processes that occur inside a thin EHL film subjected to shearing motion. The Navier–Stokes equations are solved by using the finite volume method (FVM) in a commercial CFD software, ANSYS Fluent. A set of user-defined functions (UDF) are used for computing viscosity, density, heat source, temperature of moving surfaces and elastic deformation of the top roller according to well-established equations commonly used in the EHL theory. The cavitation problem is solved by taking into account multiphase mixture flow. The model combinations of Houpert and Ree–Eyring and of Tait and Carreau were used for modeling the non-Newtonian behavior of Squalane and the results were compared. Both rheological models suggest the existence of shear-band and plug-flow at high fluid pressure. Due to the differences in viscosity at GPa-level pressure, the chosen model has substantial influence on the computed shear stress and temperature distributions in the high-pressure region. This shows the importance of using correct rheology information in the whole range of pressure, temperature, and shear strain rate.
Preparation of 6N,7N High-Purity Gallium by Crystallization: Process Optimization
Authors: Hou Jianfeng , Pan Kefeng , Tan Xihan
Published: August 2019

In this study, radial crystallization purification method under induction was proposed for preparing 6N,7N ultra-high purity gallium crystal seed. The effect of cooling temperature on the morphology of the crystal seed, as well as the cooling water temperature, flow rate, and the addition amount of crystal seed on the crystallization process was explored, and the best purification process parameters were obtained as follows: temperature of the crystal seed preparation, 278 K; temperature and flow rate of the cooling water, 293 K and 40 L·h−1, respectively; and number of added crystal seed, six. The effects of temperature and flow rate of the cooling water on the crystallization rate were investigated. The crystallization rate decreased linearly with increasing cooling water temperature, but increased exponentially with increasing cooling water flow. The governing equation of the crystallization rate was experimentally determined, and three purification schemes were proposed. When 4N crude gallium was purified by Scheme I, 6N high-purity gallium was obtained, and 7N high-purity gallium was obtained by Schemes II and III. The purity of high-purity gallium prepared by the three Schemes I, II, and III was 99.999987%, 99.9999958%, and 99.9999958%, respectively.
Evaluation of a Ti–Base Alloy as Steam Cracking Reactor Material
Authors: Sarris Stamatis A. , Verbeken Kim , Reyniers Marie-Françoise , Van Geem Kevin M.
Published: August 2019

Low-coking reactor material technologies are key for improving the performance and sustainability of steam crackers. In an attempt to appraise the coking performance of an alternative Ti–base alloy during ethane steam cracking, an experimental study was performed in a jet stirred reactor under industrially relevant conditions using thermogravimetry (Tgasphase = 1173 K, Ptot = 0.1 MPa, XC2H6 = 70%, and dilution δ = 0.33 kgH2O/kgHC). Initially, a typical pretreatment used for Fe–Ni–Cr alloys was utilized and compared with a pretreatment at increased temperature, aiming at better surface oxidation and thus suppressing coke formation. The results revealed a decrease in coking rates upon high temperature pretreatment of the Ti–base alloy, however, its coking performance was significantly worse compared to the typically used Fe–Ni–Cr alloys, and carbon oxides formation increased by a factor of 30 or more. Moreover, the analyzed coupons showed crack propagation after coking/decoking and cooling down to ambient temperature. Scanning electron microscopy combined with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy indicated that the prompt and unsystematic oxidation of the surface and bulk caused observable crack initiation and propagation due to alloy brittleness. Hence, the tested Ti–base alloy cannot be considered an industrially noteworthy steam cracking reactor alloy.
Methods to Characterize Effective Thermal Conductivity, Diffusivity and Thermal Response in Different Classes of Composite Phase Change Materials
Authors: Gariboldi Elisabetta , Colombo Luigi P. M. , Fagiani Davide , Li Ziwei
Published: August 2019

The phase change materials (PCMs) used in devices for thermal energy storage (TES) and management are often characterized by low thermal conductivity, a limit for their applicability. Composite PCMs (C-PCM), which combine active phase (proper PCM) with a passive phase with high conductivity and melting temperature have thus been proposed. The paper deals with the effect of length-scale on thermal characterization methods of C-PCM. The first part of the work includes a review of techniques proposed in the scientific literature. Up to now, special focus has been given to effective thermal conductivity and diffusivity at room or low temperature, at which both phases are solid. Conventional equipment has been used, neglecting length-scale effect in cases of coarse porous structures. An experimental set-up developed to characterize the thermal response of course porous C-PCMs also during active phase transition at high temperature is then presented. The setup, including high temperature-heat flux sensors and thermocouples to be located within samples, has been applied to evaluate the thermal response of some of the above C-PCMs. Experimental test results match Finite Elements (FE) simulations well, once a proper lattice model has been selected for the porous passive phase. FE simulations can then be used to estimate temperature difference between active and passive phase that prevents considering the C-PCM as a homogeneous material, to describe it by effective thermo-physical properties. In the engineering field, under these conditions, the design steps for TES systems design cannot be simplified by considering C-PCMs as homogeneous materials in FE codes.
Dynamic Mechanical Analysis on Delaminated Flax Fiber Reinforced Composites
Authors: Shen Yiou , Tan Jiayi , Fernandes Luis , Qu Zehua , Li Yan
Published: August 2019

It is well-known that the presence of the delamination in a plant fiber-reinforced composite is difficult to detect. However, the delamination introduces a local flexibility, which changes the dynamic characteristics of the composite structure. This paper presents a new methodology for composite laminate delamination detection, which is based on dynamic mechanical analysis. A noticeable delamination-induced storage modulus reduction and loss factor enhancement have been observed when the delaminated laminate was subjected to a forced oscillation compared to the intact composite laminate. For delamination area of 12.8% of the whole area of the composite laminate, loss factor of approximately 12% increase was observed. For near-to-surface delamination position, loss factor of approximately an 18% increment was observed. The results indicate that the delamination can be reliably detected with this method, and delamination position shows greater influence on the loss factor than that of the delamination size. Further investigations on different frequencies and amplitudes configurations show that the variation of loss factor is more apparently with low frequency as well as the low amplitude.
Improvement of the Physical Properties of Guided Bone Regeneration Membrane from Porcine Pericardium by Polyphenols-Rich Pomace Extract
Authors: Russo Nazario , Cassinelli Clara , Torre Elisa , Morra Marco , Iviglia Giorgio
Published: August 2019

To achieve optimal performances, guided bone regeneration membranes should have several properties, in particular, proper stiffness and tear resistance for space maintenance, appropriate resorption time, and non-cytotoxic effect. In this work, polyphenol-rich pomace extract (PRPE), from a selected grape variety (Nebbiolo), rich in proanthocyanidins and flavonols (e.g., quercetin), was used as a rich source of polyphenols, natural collagen crosslinkers, to improve the physical properties of the porcine pericardium membrane. The incorporation of polyphenols in the collagen network of the membrane was clearly identified by infra-red spectroscopy through the presence of a specific peak between 1360–1380 cm−1. Polyphenols incorporated into the pericardium membrane bind to collagen with high affinity and reduce enzymatic degradation by 20% compared to the native pericardium. The release study shows a release of active molecules from the membrane, suggesting a possible use in patients affected by periodontitis, considering the role of polyphenols in the control of this pathology. Mechanical stiffness is increased making the membrane easier to handle. Young’s modulus of pericardium treated with PRPE was three-fold higher than the one measured on native pericardium. Tear and suture retention strength measurement suggest favorable properties in the light of clinical practice requirements.
Spatially Distributed Differential Game Theoretic Model of Fisheries
Authors: Ougolnitsky Guennady , Usov Anatoly
Published: August 2019

We consider a differential game of fisheries in a fan-like control structure of the type “supervisor—several agents”. The dynamics of the controlled system is described by a non-linear differential equation model which is identified on the Azov Sea data. An averaging by two spatial coordinates is conducted. Different information structures of the game are generated by the control methods of compulsion (supervisor restricts the feasible strategies of agents) and impulsion (she exerts an impact to their payoff functionals). Both Stackerlberg and inverse Stackelberg games are considered. For the numerical investigation we use a discretization of the initial model and the method of qualitatively representative scenarios in simulation modeling.
An Origami Paper-Based Device Printed with DNAzyme-Containing DNA Superstructures for Escherichia coli Detection
Authors: Sun Yating , Chang Yangyang , Zhang Qiang , Liu Meng
Published: August 2019

Rapid detection of pathogenic bacteria is extremely important for public health and safety. Here, we describe for the first time an integrated origami paper-based analytical device (PAD) incorporating cell lysis, molecular recognition, amplification and visual detection of Escherichia coli (E. coli). The device features three components: paper for its ability to extract protein molecules nonspecifically from cells, DNA superstructures for their ability to immobilize RNA-cleaving DNAzymes (RCDs) but undergo target-induced RNA cleavage on paper, and isothermal rolling circle amplification (RCA) for its ability to amplify each cleavage event into repetitive sequence units that can be detected by naked eye. This device can achieve detection of E. coli K12 with a detection limit of as low as 103 CFU·mL−1 in a total turnaround time of 35 min. Furthermore, this device allowed the sensitive detection of E. coli in complex sample matrices such as juice and milk. Given that more specific RCDs can be evolved for diverse bacteria, the integrated PAD holds great potential for rapid, sensitive and highly selective detection of pathogenic bacteria in resource-limited settings.
Aryliodonium Ylides as Novel and Efficient Additives for Radical Chemistry: Example in Camphorquinone (CQ)/Amine Based Photoinitiating Systems
Authors: Kirschner Julie , Paillard Julien , Bouzrati-Zerelli Mariem , Becht Jean-Michel , Klee Joachim E. , Chelli Saloua , Lakhdar Sami , Lalevée Jacques
Published: August 2019

Diaryliodonium salts are well-established compounds in free radical chemistry and are already used as photoinitiators (free radical or cationic polymerization), but the presence of counter anions is a strong drawback. Indeed, a counter anion is always required (e.g., SbF6−) leading to potential toxicity issues or release of HF. In the present paper, counter anion-free and fluoride-free aryliodonium salts are proposed, that is, aryliodonium ylides (AY) are studied here as new and efficient additives for radical chemistry and an example is provided for the camphorquinone (CQ)/amine based photoinitiating systems (PISs) for the polymerization of thick (1.4 mm) and thin (20–13 µm) methacrylates under air and blue light irradiation. The newly proposed PISs, for example, CQ/amine/AY, presented excellent polymerization performances and good bleaching properties were obtained after polymerization. Real-time Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (RT-FTIR) was used to monitor the photopolymerization profiles. The chemical mechanisms involved were investigated using electron spin resonance (ESR).
Determination of 107 Pesticide Residues in Wolfberry with Acetate-buffered Salt Extraction and Sin-QuEChERS Nano Column Purification Coupled with Ultra Performance Liquid Chromatography Tandem Mass Spectrometry
Authors: Chen Jia-Nan , Lian Yu-Jing , Zhou Yi-Ran , Wang Ming-Hui , Zhang Xi-Qing , Wang Jian-Hua , Wu Yong-Ning , Wang Ming-Lin
Published: August 2019

A multi-residue method for the determination of 107 pesticide residues in wolfberry has been developed and validated. Similar pretreatment approaches were compared, and the linearity, matrix effect, analysis limits, precision, stability and accuracy were validated, which verifies the satisfactory performance of this new method. The LODs and LOQs were in the range of 0.14–1.91 µg/kg and 0.46–6.37 µg/kg, respectively. The recovery of analytes at three fortification levels (10 µg/kg, 50 µg/kg, 100 µg/kg) ranged from 63.3–123.0%, 72.0–118.6% and 67.0–118.3%, respectively, with relative standard deviations (RSDs) below 15.0%. The proposed method was applied to the analysis of fifty wolfberry samples collected from supermarkets, pharmacies and farmers’ markets in different cities of Shandong Province. One hundred percent of the samples analyzed included at least one pesticide, and a total of 26 pesticide residues was detected in fifty samples, which mainly were insecticides and bactericide. Several pesticides with higher detection rates were 96% for acetamiprid, 82% for imidacloprid, 54% for thiophanate-methyl, 50% for blasticidin-S, 42% for carbendazim, 42% for tebuconazole and 36% for difenoconazole in wolfberry samples. This study proved the adaptability of the developed method to the detection of multiple pesticide residues in wolfberry and provided basis for the research on the risks to wolfberry health.
Modeling Analysis of Silk Fibroin/Poly(ε-caprolactone) Nanofibrous Membrane under Uniaxial Tension
Authors: Yin Yunlei , Zhao Xinfei , Xiong Jie
Published: August 2019

Evaluating the mechanical ability of nanofibrous membranes during processing and end uses in tissue engineering is important. We propose a geometric model to predict the uniaxial behavior of randomly oriented nanofibrous membrane based on the structural characteristics and tensile properties of single nanofibers. Five types of silk fibroin (SF)/poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) nanofibers were prepared with different mixture ratios via an electrospinning process. Stress–strain responses of single nanofibers and nanofibrous membranes were tested. We confirmed that PCL improves the flexibility and ductility of SF/PCL composite membranes. The applicability of the analytical model was verified by comparison between modeling prediction and experimental data. Experimental stress was a little lower than the modeling results because the membranes were not ideally uniform, the nanofibers were not ideally straight, and some nanofibers in the membranes were not effectively loaded.
Epigallocatechin-3-Gallate Reduces Hepatic Oxidative Stress and Lowers CYP-Mediated Bioactivation and Toxicity of Acetaminophen in Rats
Authors: Yao Hsien-Tsung , Li Chien-Chun , Chang Chen-Hui
Published: August 2019

Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) is the most abundant polyphenol in green tea. To investigate the effects of dietary EGCG on oxidative stress and the metabolism and toxicity of acetaminophen in the liver, rats were fed diets with (0.54%) or without EGCG supplementation for four weeks and were then injected intraperitoneally with acetaminophen (1 g/kg). The results showed that EGCG lowered hepatic oxidative stress and cytochrome P450 (CYP) 1A2, 2E1, and 3A, and UDP-glucurosyltransferase activities prior to acetaminophen injection. After acetaminophen challenge, the elevations in plasma alanine aminotransferase activity and histological changes in the liver were ameliorated by EGCG treatment. EGCG reduced acetaminophen-induced apoptosis by lowering the Bax/Bcl2 ratio in the liver. EGCG mildly increased autophagy by increasing the LC3B II/I ratio. Lower hepatic acetaminophen–glutathione and acetaminophen–protein adducts contents were observed after EGCG treatment. EGCG increased glutathione peroxidase and NAD(P)H quinone 1 oxidoreductase activities and reduced organic anion-transporting polypeptides 1a1 expression in the liver after acetaminophen treatment. Our results indicate that EGCG may reduce oxidative stress and lower the metabolism and toxicity of acetaminophen. The reductions in CYP-mediated acetaminophen bioactivation and uptake transporter, as well as enhanced antioxidant enzyme activity, may limit the accumulation of toxic products in the liver and thus lower hepatotoxicity.
Hydration Status and Cardiovascular Function
Authors: Watso Joseph C. , Farquhar William B.
Published: August 2019

Hypohydration, defined as a state of low body water, increases thirst sensations, arginine vasopressin release, and elicits renin–angiotensin–aldosterone system activation to replenish intra- and extra-cellular fluid stores. Hypohydration impairs mental and physical performance, but new evidence suggests hypohydration may also have deleterious effects on cardiovascular health. This is alarming because cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the United States. Observational studies have linked habitual low water intake with increased future risk for adverse cardiovascular events. While it is currently unclear how chronic reductions in water intake may predispose individuals to greater future risk for adverse cardiovascular events, there is evidence that acute hypohydration impairs vascular function and blood pressure (BP) regulation. Specifically, acute hypohydration may reduce endothelial function, increase sympathetic nervous system activity, and worsen orthostatic tolerance. Therefore, the purpose of this review is to present the currently available evidence linking acute hypohydration with altered vascular function and BP regulation.
Can a Simple Dietary Screening in Early Pregnancy Identify Dietary Habits Associated with Gestational Diabetes?
Authors: Hrolfsdottir Laufey , Gunnarsdottir Ingibjorg , Birgisdottir Bryndis Eva , Hreidarsdottir Ingibjorg Th , Smarason Alexander Kr. , Hardardottir Hildur , Halldorsson Thorhallur I.
Published: August 2019

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is predominantly a lifestyle disease, with diet being an important modifiable risk factor. A major obstacle for the prevention in clinical practice is the complexity of assessing diet. In a cohort of 1651 Icelandic women, this study examined whether a short 40-item dietary screening questionnaire administered in the 1st trimester could identify dietary habits associated with GDM. The dietary variables were aggregated into predefined binary factors reflecting inadequate or optimal intake and stepwise backward elimination was used to identify a reduced set of factors that best predicted GDM. Those binary factors were then aggregated into a risk score (range: 0–7), that was mostly characterised by frequent consumption of soft drinks, sweets, cookies, ice creams and processed meat. The women with poor dietary habits (score ≥ 5, n = 302), had a higher risk of GDM (RR = 1.38; 95%CI = 3, 85) compared with women with a more optimal diet (score ≤ 2, n = 407). In parallel, a pilot (n = 100) intervention was conducted among overweight and obese women examining the effect of internet-based personalized feedback on diet quality. Simple feedback was given in accordance with the answers provided in the screening questionnaire in 1st trimester. At the endpoint, the improvements in diet quality were observed by, as an example, soft drink consumption being reduced by ~1 L/week on average in the intervention group compared to the controls. Our results suggest that a simple dietary screening tool administered in the 1st trimester could identify dietary habits associated with GMD. This tool should be easy to use in a clinical setting, and with simple individualized feedback, improvements in diet may be achieved.
Protective Effects of Hydrolyzed Chicken Extract (Probeptigen®/Cmi-168) on Memory Retention and Brain Oxidative Stress in Senescence-Accelerated Mice
Authors: Chou Ming-Yu , Chen Ying-Ju , Lin Liang-Hung , Nakao Yoshihiro , Lim Ai Lin , Wang Ming-Fu , Yong Shan May
Published: August 2019

The senescence-accelerated prone (SAMP8) mouse model shows age-dependent deterioration in learning and memory and increased oxidative stress in the brain. We previously showed that healthy subjects on a six-week supplementation of a chicken meat hydrolysate (ProBeptigen®/CMI-168) demonstrated enhanced and sustained cognitive performance up until two weeks after the termination of supplementation. In this study, we investigate the effect of ProBeptigen on the progression of age-related cognitive decline. Three-month old SAMP8 mice were orally administered different doses of ProBeptigen (150,300 or 600 mg/kg/day) or saline daily for 13 weeks. Following ProBeptigen supplementation, mice showed lower scores of senescence and improved learning and memory in avoidance tasks. ProBeptigen treatment also increased antioxidant enzyme activity and dopamine level while reducing protein and lipid peroxidation and mitochondrial DNA damage in the brain. Microarray analysis of hippocampus revealed several processes that may be involved in the improvement of cognitive ability by ProBeptigen, including heme binding, insulin growth factor (IGF) regulation, carboxylic metabolic process, oxidation–reduction process and endopeptidase inhibition. Genes found to be significantly altered in both ProBeptigen treated male and female mice include Mup1, Mup17, Mup21, Ahsg and Alb. Taken together, these results suggest a potential anti-aging effect of ProBeptigen in alleviating cognitive deficits and promoting the antioxidant defense system.
Sedentary Behavior and Alcohol Consumption Increase Breast Cancer Risk Regardless of Menopausal Status: A Case-Control Study
Authors: Godinho-Mota Jordana Carolina Marques , Gonçalves Larissa Vaz , Mota Joao Felipe , Soares Leonardo Ribeiro , Schincaglia Raquel Machado , Martins Karine Anusca , Freitas-Junior Ruffo
Published: August 2019

Identification of modifiable risk factors for breast cancer is critical for primary prevention of the disease. The aim of this study was to evaluate how certain lifestyle variables modify the chances of developing breast cancer based on menopausal status. A case-control study was performed in a group of 542 women, 197 who were diagnosed with breast cancer and 344 control individuals. The groups were matched by age, body mass index, and menopausal status. Participants were evaluated for level of physical activity, alcohol consumption, smoking habit, weight, height, and waist circumference (WC). A multivariate logistic regression model was used to estimate odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI). Regular consumption of alcoholic beverages (2.91, 95% CI 1.58–5.38 and 1.86, 95% CI 1.15–3.03) and sedentary behavior (2.08; 95% CI 1.12–3.85 and 1.81; 95% CI 1.12–2.94) were associated with breast cancer risk in pre- and postmenopausal women, respectively. High WC (3.31, 95% CI 1.45–7.55) was associated with an increased risk of developing breast cancer in premenopausal women. While in postmenopausal women, current smoking (2.43, 95% CI 1.01–5.83) or previous history of smoking (1.90; 95% CI 1.14–3.14) increased the chances of developing breast cancer. Sedentary behavior and current consumption of alcoholic beverages were more likely to increase the risk of developing breast cancer regardless of menopausal status.
Synthetic Environmentally Friendly Castor Oil Based-Polyurethane with Carbon Black as a Microphase Separation Promoter
Authors: Li Jia-Wun , Tsen Wen-Chin , Tsou Chi-Hui , Suen Maw-Cherng , Chiu Chih-Wei
Published: August 2019

This study created water polyurethane (WPU) prepolymer by using isophorone diisocyanate, castor oil, dimethylolpropionic acid, and triethanolamine (TEA) as the hard segment, soft segment, hydrophilic group, and neutralizer, respectively. TEA, deionized water, and carbon black (CB) were added to the prepolymer under high-speed rotation to create an environmentally friendly vegetable-oil-based polyurethane. CB served as the fortifier and promoter of microphase separation. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy was performed to elucidate the role of H-bond interactions within the CB/WPUs. Additionally, atomic force microscopy was conducted to determine the influence of H-bond interactions on the degree of microphase separation in the WPU. Furthermore, this study used four-point probe observation to discover the materials’ conductivity of CB in the WPU. Thermogravimetric analysis and dynamic mechanical analysis were performed to measure the thermal properties of the CB/WPUs. The mechanical properties of CB/WPUs were measured using a tensile testing machine. The CB/WPUs were also soaked in 1 wt.% NaOH solution for different amounts of time to determine the degradation properties of the CB/WPUs. Finally, scanning electron microscopy was performed to observe the topography of the CB/WPUs after degradation.
A Wind Farm Active Power Dispatch Strategy Considering the Wind Turbine Power-Tracking Characteristic via Model Predictive Control
Authors: Li Wei , Kong Dean , Xu Qiang , Wang Xiaoyu , Zhao Xiang , Li Yongji , Han Hongzhi , Wang Wei , Chen Zhenyu
Published: August 2019

In this paper, an industrial application-oriented wind farm automatic generation control strategy is proposed to stabilize the wind farm power output under power limitation conditions. A wind farm with 20 units that are connected beneath four transmission lines is the selected control object. First, the power-tracking dynamic characteristic of wind turbines is modeled as a first-order inertial model. Based on the wind farm topology, the wind turbines are grouped into four clusters to fully use the clusters’ smoothing effect. A method for frequency-domain aggregation and approximation is used to obtain the clusters’ power-tracking equivalent model. From the reported analysis, a model predictive control strategy is proposed in this paper to optimize the rapidity and stability of the power-tracking performance. In this method, the power set-point for the wind farm is dispatched to the clusters. Then, the active power control is distributed from the cluster to the wind turbines using the conventional proportional distribution strategy. Ultra-short-term wind speed prediction is also included in this paper to assess the real-time performance. The proposed strategy was tested using a simulated wind farm based on an industrial wind farm. Good power-tracking performance was achieved in several scenarios, and the results demonstrate that the performance markedly improved using the proposed strategy compared with the conventional strategy.