bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
An Increasing Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio Trajectory Predicts Organ Failure in Critically-Ill Male Trauma Patients. An Exploratory Study
Authors: Younan Duraid , Richman Joshua , Zaky Ahmed , Pittet Jean-Francois
Published: March 2019

Background: Although the association of neutrophil proportions with mortality in trauma patients has recently been shown, there is a paucity of research on the association with other outcomes. We sought to investigate the association of neutrophil proportions with organ failure in critically-ill trauma patients. Methods: We reviewed a randomly-selected group of trauma patients admitted to our level-1 trauma intensive care unit between July 2007 and December 2016. Data collected included demographics, injury mechanism and severity (ISS), neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) at admission and at 24 and 48 hours and organ failure data. NLR patterns during the first 48 hours were divided into two trajectories identified by applying factor and cluster analysis to longitudinal measures. Logistic regression was performed for the association between NLR trajectories and any organ failure; negative binomial regression was used to model the number of organ failures and stage of kidney failure measured by KDIGO classification. Results: 207 patients had NLR data at all three time points. The average age was 44.9 years with mean ISS of 20.6. Patients were 72% male and 23% had penetrating trauma. The 74 patients (36%) with Trajectory 1 had a mean NLR at admission of 3.6, which increased to 14.7 at 48 hours. The 133 (64%) patients in Trajectory 2 had a mean NLR at admission of 8.5 which decreased to 6.6 at 48 hours. Mean NLR was different between the two groups at all three time points (all p < 0.01). There was no significant difference in ISS, age or gender between the two trajectory groups. Models adjusted for age, gender and ISS showed that relative to those with trajectory 2, patients with the trajectory 1 were more likely to have organ failure OR 2.96 (1.42–6.18; p < 0.01), higher number of organ failures IRR 1.50 (1.13–2.00, p < 0.01), and degree of AKI IRR 2.06 (1.04–4.06, p = 0.04). In all cases, the estimated associations were higher among men vs. women, and all were significant among men, but not women. Conclusions: Trauma patients with an increasing NLR trajectory over the first 48 hours had increased risk, number and severity of organ failures. Further research should focus on the mechanisms behind this difference in outcome.
Corrosion and Conservation Management of the Submarine HMAS AE2 (1915) in the Sea of Marmara, Turkey
Authors: MacLeod Ian D.
Published: March 2019

The wreck site of the Australian First World War submarine HMAS AE2 in the Sea of Marmara had a salinity of 26‰ (parts per thousand) for the first 13 m, which increased to 41‰ at 21 m, after which it remained constant to the bottom at 72 m, where the dissolved oxygen was three parts per million. The vessel is protected by a very dense anaerobic concretion and lies half above a silt mound. Cross-sections of a concretion sample revealed the original surface, associated paint films and a series of burial-exposure episodes that reflected periodic changes in the silt levels, which are likely associated with major storms. Core samples of sediment have established the impact of the vessel on the site. Corrosion simulation experiments have established the direct linkage between chloride levels underneath the concretion layer and the pH of the entrapped solution. Following the initial drop camera survey, an ROV (Remote Observation Vehicle) examination of the interior of the boat showed a remarkable degree of preservation. A network of ten-tonnes of zinc anodes were distributed at the stern, amidships and the bow to bring about in-situ conservation of the historic submarine.
Validity of the Japanese Version of the Quick Mild Cognitive Impairment Screen
Authors: Morita Ayako , O’Caoimh Rónán , Murayama Hiroshi , Molloy D. William , Inoue Shigeru , Shobugawa Yugo , Fujiwara Takeo
Published: March 2019

Early detection of dementia provides opportunities for interventions that could delay or prevent its progression. We developed the Japanese version of the Quick Mild Cognitive Impairment (Qmci-J) screen, which is a performance-based, easy-to-use, valid and reliable short cognitive screening instrument, and then we examined its validity. Community-dwelling adults aged 65–84 in Niigata prefecture, Japan, were concurrently administered the Qmci-J and the Japanese version of the standardized Mini-Mental State Examination (sMMSE-J). Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and dementia were categorized using established and age-adjusted sMMSE-J cut-offs. The sample (n = 526) included 52 (9.9%) participants with suspected dementia, 123 (23.4%) with suspected MCI and 351 with likely normal cognition. The Qmci-J showed moderate positive correlation with the sMMSE-J (r = 0.49, p < 0.001) and moderate discrimination for predicting suspected cognitive impairment (MCI/dementia) based on sMMSE-J cut-offs, area under curve: 0.74, (95%CI: 0.70–0.79), improving to 0.76 (95%CI: 0.72 to 0.81) after adjusting for age. At a cut-off of 60/61/100, the Qmci-J had a 73% sensitivity, 68% specificity, 53% positive predictive value, and 83% negative predictive value for cognitive impairment. Normative data are presented, excluding those with any sMMSE-J < 27. Though further research is required, the Qmci-J screen may be a useful screening tool to identify older adults at risk of cognitive impairment.
Dialogic Model of Prevention and Resolution of Conflicts: Evidence of the Success of Cyberbullying Prevention in a Primary School in Catalonia
Authors: Villarejo-Carballido Beatriz , Pulido Cristina M. , de Botton Lena , Serradell Olga
Published: March 2019

This article analyses the evidence obtained from the application of the dialogic model of prevention and resolution of conflicts to eradicate cyberbullying behaviour in a primary school in Catalonia. The Dialogic Prevention Model is one of the successful educational actions identified by INCLUD-ED (FP6 research project). This case study, based on communicative methodology, includes the results obtained from documentary analysis, communicative observations and in-depth interviews. The evidence collected indicates that the implementation of this type of model can help to overcome cyberbullying; children are more confident to reject violence, students support the victims more and the whole community is involved in Zero Tolerance to violence.
Influence of Living Arrangements and Eating Behavior on the Risk of Metabolic Syndrome: A National Cross-Sectional Study in South Korea
Authors: Son Heesook , Kim Hyerang
Published: March 2019

Studies on the relationships between health, different living arrangements, and eating behaviors across age groups are limited. Therefore, we investigated these associations, focusing on metabolic syndrome, among 16,015 South Koreans aged ≥19 years who completed the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2013–2016). Multivariate logistic regression revealed that younger adults (<65 years) who lived and ate alone consumed more carbohydrates than those who lived and ate with others (p < 0.01). The odds of metabolic syndrome in younger adults increased with eating alone (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 2.11, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.10–4.02) and living and eating alone (2.39, 1.25–4.58). Older adults (≥65 years) did not differ in dietary intake or prevalence of metabolic syndrome according to their living and eating situations. Younger adults living and eating alone may benefit from customized nutrition and health management programs to reduce their risk of metabolic syndrome.
Oculo-Facio-Cardio-Dental Syndrome: A Case Report about a Rare Pathological Condition
Authors: Martinho José , Ferreira Hugo , Paulo Siri , Paula Anabela , Marto Carlos-Miguel , Carrilho Eunice , Marques-Ferreira Manuel
Published: March 2019

(1) Background: Oculo-facio-cardio-dental (OFCD) syndrome is a rare pathological condition with an X-linked dominant trait that only occurs in females; no males are born with OFCD syndrome. This syndrome is characterized by congenital cataracts with secondary glaucoma ocular defects, ventricular and atrial septal defects, or mitral valve prolapses. Facial traits are a long narrow face and a high nasal bridge with a bifid nasal tip. Dental anomalies include radiculomegaly, oligodontia, root dilacerations, malocclusion, and delayed eruption. (2) Methods: This clinical report describes a 26-year-old girl who suffers from OFCD syndrome and who was treated with a multidisciplinary approach. The treatment plan included orthodontic treatment, orthognathic surgery, namely LeFort I and a Bilateral Sagittal Split Osteotomy, and occlusal rehabilitation with implants. (3) Discussion: Early diagnosis and multidisciplinary treatment of orthodontic, orthognathic surgery and occlusal rehabilitation with implants make it possible to maintain tooth function and improve aesthetics with good prognoses for success. In this paper, we report a case of a female patient with OFCD syndrome, who was referred for orthodontic treatment and occlusal rehabilitation and treated with a multidisciplinary approach.
Hexokinase-II Inhibition Synergistically Augments the Anti-tumor Efficacy of Sorafenib in Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Authors: Yoo Jeong-Ju , Yu Su Jong , Na Juri , Kim Kyungmin , Cho Young Youn , Lee Yun Bin , Cho Eun Ju , Lee Jeong-Hoon , Kim Yoon Jun , Youn Hyewon , Yoon Jung-Hwan
Published: March 2019

This study aimed to examine whether inhibition of hexokinase (HK)-II activity enhances the efficacy of sorafenib in in-vivo models of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and to evaluate the prognostic implication of HK-II expression in patients with HCC. We used 3-bromopyruvate (3-BP), a HK-II inhibitor to target HK-II. The human HCC cell line was tested as both subcutaneous and orthotopic tumor xenograft models in BALB/c nu/nu mice. The prognostic role of HK-II was evaluated in data from HCC patients in The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database and validated in patients treated with sorafenib. Quantitative real-time PCR, western blot analysis, and immunohistochemical staining revealed that HK-II expression is upregulated in the presence of sorafenib. Further analysis of the endoplasmic reticulum-stress network model in two different murine HCC models showed that the introduction of additional stress by 3-BP treatment synergistically increased the in vivo/vitro efficacy of sorafenib. We found that HCC patients with increased HK-II expression in the TCGA database showed poor overall survival, and also confirmed similar results for TCGA database HCC patients who had undergone sorafenib treatment. These results suggest that HK-II is a promising therapeutic target to enhance the efficacy of sorafenib and that HK-II expression might be a prognostic factor in HCC.
Proteomics Analysis to Identify Proteins and Pathways Associated with the Novel Lesion Mimic Mutant E40 in Rice Using iTRAQ-Based Strategy
Authors: Yang Xiang-Bo , Meng Wei-Long , Zhao Meng-Jie , Zhang An-Xing , Liu Wei , Xu Zhao-Shi , Wang Yun-Peng , Ma Jian
Published: March 2019

A novel rice lesion mimic mutant (LMM) was isolated from the mutant population of Japonica rice cultivar Hitomebore generated by ethyl methane sulfonate (EMS) treatment. Compared with the wild-type (WT), the mutant, tentatively designated E40, developed necrotic lesions over the whole growth period along with detectable changes in several important agronomic traits including lower height, fewer tillers, lower yield, and premature death. To understand the molecular mechanism of mutation-induced phenotypic differences in E40, a proteomics-based approach was used to identify differentially accumulated proteins between E40 and WT. Proteomic data from isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantitation (iTRAQ) showed that 233 proteins were significantly up- or down-regulated in E40 compared with WT. These proteins are involved in diverse biological processes, but phenylpropanoid biosynthesis was the only up-regulated pathway. Differential expression of the genes encoding some candidate proteins with significant up- or down-regulation in E40 were further verified by qPCR. Consistent with the proteomic results, substance and energy flow in E40 shifted from basic metabolism to secondary metabolism, mainly phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, which is likely involved in the formation of leaf spots.
Morphological and Molecular Analysis of Australian Earwigs (Dermaptera) Points to Unique Species and Regional Endemism in the Anisolabididae Family
Authors: Stuart Oliver P. , Binns Matthew , Umina Paul A. , Holloway Joanne , Severtson Dustin , Nash Michael , Heddle Thomas , van Helden Maarten , Hoffmann Ary A.
Published: March 2019

Dermaptera (earwigs) from the Anisolabididae family may be important for pest control but their taxonomy and status in Australia is poorly studied. Here we used taxonomic information to assess the diversity of southern Australian Anisolabididae and then applied cox1 barcodes as well as additional gene fragments (mitochondrial and nuclear) to corroborate classification and assess the monophyly of the putative genera. Anisolabididae morphospecies fell into two genera, Anisolabis Fieber and Gonolabis Burr, based on paramere morphology. Combinations of paramere and forceps morphology distinguished seven morphospecies, which were further supported by morphometric analyses. The morphospecies were corroborated by barcode data; all showed within-species genetic distance < 4% and between-species genetic distance > 10%. Molecular phylogenies did not support monophyly of putative genera nor clades based on paramere shape, instead pointing to regional clades distinguishable by forceps morphology. This apparent endemism needs to be further tested by sampling of earwig diversity outside of agricultural production regions but points to a unique regional insect fauna potentially important in pest control.
Global Evolution of Research in Artificial Intelligence in Health and Medicine: A Bibliometric Study
Authors: Tran Bach Xuan , Vu Giang Thu , Ha Giang Hai , Vuong Quan-Hoang , Ho Manh-Tung , Vuong Thu-Trang , La Viet-Phuong , Ho Manh-Toan , Nghiem Kien-Cuong P. , Nguyen Huong Lan Thi , Latkin Carl A. , Tam Wilson W. S. , Cheung Ngai-Man , Nguyen Hong-Kong T. , Ho Cyrus S. H. , Ho Roger C. M.
Published: March 2019

The increasing application of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in health and medicine has attracted a great deal of research interest in recent decades. This study aims to provide a global and historical picture of research concerning AI in health and medicine. A total of 27,451 papers that were published between 1977 and 2018 (84.6% were dated 2008–2018) were retrieved from the Web of Science platform. The descriptive analysis examined the publication volume, and authors and countries collaboration. A global network of authors’ keywords and content analysis of related scientific literature highlighted major techniques, including Robotic, Machine learning, Artificial neural network, Artificial intelligence, Natural language process, and their most frequent applications in Clinical Prediction and Treatment. The number of cancer-related publications was the highest, followed by Heart Diseases and Stroke, Vision impairment, Alzheimer’s, and Depression. Moreover, the shortage in the research of AI application to some high burden diseases suggests future directions in AI research. This study offers a first and comprehensive picture of the global efforts directed towards this increasingly important and prolific field of research and suggests the development of global and national protocols and regulations on the justification and adaptation of medical AI products.
High-Level Synthesis of Online K-Means Clustering Hardware for a Real-Time Image Processing Pipeline
Authors: Badawi Aiman , Bilal Muhammad
Published: March 2019

The growing need for smart surveillance solutions requires that modern video capturing devices to be equipped with advance features, such as object detection, scene characterization, and event detection, etc. Image segmentation into various connected regions is a vital pre-processing step in these and other advanced computer vision algorithms. Thus, the inclusion of a hardware accelerator for this task in the conventional image processing pipeline inevitably reduces the workload for more advanced operations downstream. Moreover, design entry by using high-level synthesis tools is gaining popularity for the facilitation of system development under a rapid prototyping paradigm. To address these design requirements, we have developed a hardware accelerator for image segmentation, based on an online K-Means algorithm using a Simulink high-level synthesis tool. The developed hardware uses a standard pixel streaming protocol, and it can be readily inserted into any image processing pipeline as an Intellectual Property (IP) core on a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA). Furthermore, the proposed design reduces the hardware complexity of the conventional architectures by employing a weighted instead of a moving average to update the clusters. Experimental evidence has also been provided to demonstrate that the proposed weighted average-based approach yields better results than the conventional moving average on test video sequences. The synthesized hardware has been tested in real-time environment to process Full HD video at 26.5 fps, while the estimated dynamic power consumption is less than 90 mW on the Xilinx Zynq-7000 SOC.
Image Registration with Particles, Examplified with the Complex Plasma Laboratory PK-4 on Board the International Space Station
Authors: Schwabe Mierk , Rubin-Zuzic Milenko , Räth Christoph , Pustylnik Mikhail
Published: March 2019

Often, in complex plasmas and beyond, images of particles are recorded with a side-by-side camera setup. These images ideally need to be joined to create a large combined image. This is, for instance, the case in the PK-4 Laboratory on board the International Space Station (the next generation of complex plasma laboratories in space). It enables observations of microparticles embedded in an elongated low temperature DC plasma tube. The microparticles acquire charges from the surrounding plasma and interact strongly with each other. A sheet of laser light illuminates the microparticles, and two cameras record the motion of the microparticles inside this laser sheet. The fields of view of these cameras slightly overlap. In this article, we present two methods to combine the associated image pairs into one image, namely the SimpleElastix toolkit based on comparing the mutual information and a method based on detecting the particle positions. We found that the method based on particle positions performs slightly better than that based on the mutual information, and conclude with recommendations for other researchers wanting to solve a related problem.
How to be Brief: Children’s and Adults’ Application of Grice’s Brevity Maxim in Production
Authors: Yatsushiro Kazuko , Sauerland Uli
Published: March 2019

The brevity maxim of Gricean pragmatics states that unnecessary prolixity should be avoided. We report a case in which 5-year-old children’s performance conforms better to Grice’s maxim than adults’ behavior. Our data come from a semi-spontaneous German relative clause production study that we carried out with 5- and 7-year-old children as well as adults. In particular, we focus on the pragmatics of the passive predicates that were produced. These constituted about a third of both child and adult productions in items that targeted an object relative clause structure. Since the expression of the agent is syntactically optional with passive predicates, the brevity maxim predicts that the agent should only be expressed when it is informative. We compare two conditions to test this prediction: one where the agent is informative and one where it is not. We find that 5-year-old children display significantly greater sensitivity to the brevity maxim than adults do. In two follow-up studies, we show that adults’ violations of brevity cannot be explained by priming of by-phrases expressing the agent and that there is an effect of age within children as well.
Using Green Supplementary Materials to Achieve More Ductile ECC
Authors: Wang Yichao , Zhang Zhigang , Yu Jiangtao , Xiao Jianzhuang , Xu Qingfeng
Published: March 2019

To improve the greenness and deformability of engineered cementitious composites (ECC), recycled powder (RP) from construction and demolition waste with an average size of 45 μm and crumb rubber (CR) of two particle sizes (40CR and 80CR) were used as supplements in the mix. In the present study, fly ash and silica sand used in ECC were replaced by RP (50% and 100% by weight) and CR (13% and 30% by weight), respectively. The tension test and compression test demonstrated that RP and CR incorporation has a positive effect on the deformability of ECC, especially on the tensile strain capacity. The highest tensile strain capacity was up to 12%, which is almost 3 times that of the average ECC. The fiber bridging capacity obtained from a single crack tension test and the matrix fracture toughness obtained from 3-point bending were used to analyze the influence of RP and CR at the meso-scale. It is indicated that the replacement of sand by CR lowers the matrix fracture toughness without decreasing the fiber bridging capacity. Accordingly, an explanation was achieved for the exceeding deformability of ECC incorporated with RP and CR based on the pseudo-strain hardening (PSH) index.
Anti-Diabetic Activity of 2,3,6-Tribromo-4,5-Dihydroxybenzyl Derivatives from Symphyocladia latiuscula through PTP1B Downregulation and α-Glucosidase Inhibition
Authors: Paudel Pradeep , Seong Su Hui , Park Hye Jin , Jung Hyun Ah , Choi Jae Sue
Published: March 2019

The marine alga, Symphyocladia latiuscula (Harvey) Yamada, is a good source of bromophenols with numerous biological activities. This study aims to characterize the anti-diabetic potential of 2,3,6-tribromo-4,5-dihydroxybenzyl derivatives isolated from S. latiuscula via their inhibition of tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B) and α-glucosidase. Additionally, this study uses in silico modeling and glucose uptake potential analysis in insulin-resistant (IR) HepG2 cells to reveal the mechanism of anti-diabetic activity. This bioassay-guided isolation led to the discovery of three potent bromophenols that act against PTP1B and α-glucosidase: 2,3,6-tribromo-4,5-dihydroxybenzyl alcohol (1), 2,3,6-tribromo-4,5-dihydroxybenzyl methyl ether (2), and bis-(2,3,6-tribromo-4,5-dihydroxybenzyl methyl ether) (3). All compounds inhibited the target enzymes by 50% at concentrations below 10 μM. The activity of 1 and 2 was comparable to ursolic acid (IC50; 8.66 ± 0.82 μM); however, 3 was more potent (IC50; 5.29 ± 0.08 μM) against PTP1B. Interestingly, the activity of 1–3 against α-glucosidase was 30–110 times higher than acarbose (IC50; 212.66 ± 0.35 μM). Again, 3 was the most potent α-glucosidase inhibitor (IC50; 1.92 ± 0.02 μM). Similarly, 1–3 showed concentration-dependent glucose uptake in insulin-resistant HepG2 cells and downregulated PTP1B expression. Enzyme kinetics revealed different modes of inhibition. In silico molecular docking simulations demonstrated the importance of the 7–OH group for H-bond formation and bromine/phenyl ring number for halogen-bond interactions. These results suggest that bromophenols from S. latiuscula, especially highly brominated 3, are inhibitors of PTP1B and α-glucosidase, enhance insulin sensitivity and glucose uptake, and may represent a novel class of anti-diabetic drugs.
Gait Training Using the Honda Walking Assistive Device® in a Patient Who Underwent Total Hip Arthroplasty: A Single-Subject Study
Authors: Koseki Kazunori , Mutsuzaki Hirotaka , Yoshikawa Kenichi , Endo Yusuke , Maezawa Takayuki , Takano Hanako , Yozu Arito , Kohno Yutaka
Published: March 2019

Background and objectives: The Honda Walking Assistive device® (HWA) is a light and easy wearable robot device for gait training, which assists patients’ hip flexion and extension movements to guide hip joint movements during gait. However, the safety and feasibility of robot-assisted gait training after total hip arthroplasty (THA) remains unclear. Thus, we aimed to evaluate the safety and feasibility of this gait training intervention using HWA in a patient who underwent THA. Materials and methods: The patient was a 76-year-old woman with right hip osteoarthritis. Gait training using HWA was implemented for 20 sessions in total, five times per week from 1 week to 5 weeks after THA. Self-selected walking speed (SWS), step length (SL), cadence, timed up and go (TUG), range of motion (ROM) of hip extension, and hip abduction and extension torque were measured preoperatively, and at 1 (pre-HWA), 2, 3, 4, 5 (post-HWA), and 10 weeks (follow-up) after THA. The gait patterns at SWS without HWA were measured by using three-dimensional (3D) gait analysis and an integrated electromyogram (iEMG). Results: The patient completed 20 gait training sessions with no adverse event. Hip abduction torque at the operative side, hip extension torque, SWS, SL, and cadence were higher at post-HWA than at pre-HWA. In particular, SWS, TUG, and hip torque were remarkably increased 3 weeks after THA and improved to almost the same levels at follow-up. Maximum hip extension angle and hip ROM during gait were higher at post-HWA than at pre-HWA. Maximum and minimum anterior pelvic tilt angles were lower at post-HWA than at pre-HWA. The iEMG of the gluteus maximus and gluteus medius in the stance phase were lower at post-HWA than preoperatively and at pre-HWA. Conclusions: In this case, the gait training using HWA was safe and feasible, and could be effective for the early improvement of gait ability, hip function, and gait pattern after THA.
Correlation between Microstructural Evolution and Mechanical Properties of 2000 MPa Cold-Drawn Pearlitic Steel Wires during Galvanizing Simulated Annealing
Authors: Lu Xiuyu
Published: March 2019

In the present experiment, hot-dip galvanizing simulated annealing of 2000 MPa cold-drawn pearlitic steel wires was carried out at 450 °C. The effects of microstructural evolution on the mechanical properties of the as-prepared wires were analyzed through scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), tensile test, torsion test, and Vickers hardness test. In addition, the relationship between torsion laps and microstructural evolution of cold-drawn pearlitic steel wires was investigated in detail. It was found that the torsional performance of the wires deteriorated after annealing at 450 °C for 2–5 min, and the corresponding microstructural evolution was accompanied by the partial degradation of lamellar pearlites due to the diffusion and dislocation pinning of dissolved carbon atoms in ferrites, and it is not feasible to achieve the matching of strength and torsion laps by prolonging the holding time. The deterioration in torsional performance can be attributed to the microstructural difference between the surface and the center of the annealed wires. When the proportion of non-lamellar structure between the surface and the center in each specimen exceeded 8%, the microhardness difference was found to be greater than 40 HV and the torsion lap was less than 3 circles.
Effect of Etching Depth on Threshold Characteristics of GaSb-Based Middle Infrared Photonic-Crystal Surface-Emitting Lasers
Authors: Li Zong-Lin , Lin Shen-Chieh , Lin Gray , Cheng Hui-Wen , Sun Kien-Wen , Lee Chien-Ping
Published: March 2019

We study the effect of etching depth on the threshold characteristics of GaSb-based middle infrared (Mid-IR) photonic-crystal surface-emitting lasers (PCSELs) with different lattice periods. The below-threshold emission spectra are measured to identify the bandgap as well as band-edge modes. Moreover, the bandgap separation widens with increasing etching depth as a result of enhanced diffraction feedback coupling. However, the coupling is nearly independent of lattice period. The relationship between threshold gain and Bragg detuning is also experimentally determined for PCSELs and is similar to that calculated theoretically for one-dimensional distributed feedback lasers.
Multi-Level Model to Predict Antibody Response to Influenza Vaccine Using Gene Expression Interaction Network Feature Selection
Authors: Parvandeh Saeid , Poland Greg A. , Kennedy Richard B. , McKinney Brett A.
Published: March 2019

Vaccination is an effective prevention of influenza infection. However, certain individuals develop a lower antibody response after vaccination, which may lead to susceptibility to subsequent infection. An important challenge in human health is to find baseline gene signatures to help identify individuals who are at higher risk for infection despite influenza vaccination. We developed a multi-level machine learning strategy to build a predictive model of vaccine response using pre−vaccination antibody titers and network interactions between pre−vaccination gene expression levels. The first-level baseline−antibody model explains a significant amount of variation in post-vaccination response, especially for subjects with large pre−existing antibody titers. In the second level, we clustered individuals based on pre−vaccination antibody titers to focus gene−based modeling on individuals with lower baseline HAI where additional response variation may be predicted by baseline gene expression levels. In the third level, we used a gene−association interaction network (GAIN) feature selection algorithm to find the best pairs of genes that interact to influence antibody response within each baseline titer cluster. We used ratios of the top interacting genes as predictors to stabilize machine learning model generalizability. We trained and tested the multi-level approach on data with young and older individuals immunized against influenza vaccine in multiple cohorts. Our results indicate that the GAIN feature selection approach improves model generalizability and identifies genes enriched for immunologically relevant pathways, including B Cell Receptor signaling and antigen processing. Using a multi-level approach, starting with a baseline HAI model and stratifying on baseline HAI, allows for more targeted gene−based modeling. We provide an interactive tool that may be extended to other vaccine studies.
Luminescent κ-Carrageenan-Based Electrolytes Containing Neodymium Triflate
Authors: Nunes S. C. , Saraiva S. M. , Pereira R. F. P. , Silva M. M. , Carlos L. D. , Almeida P. , Gonçalves M. C. , Ferreira R. A. S. , Bermudez V. de Zea
Published: March 2019

In recent years, the synthesis of polymer electrolyte systems derived from biopolymers for the development of sustainable green electrochemical devices has attracted great attention. Here electrolytes based on the red seaweeds-derived polysaccharide κ-carrageenan (κ-Cg) doped with neodymium triflate (NdTrif3) and glycerol (Gly) were obtained by means of a simple, clean, fast, and low-cost procedure. The aim was to produce near-infrared (NIR)-emitting materials with improved thermal and mechanical properties, and enhanced ionic conductivity. Cg has a particular interest, due to the fact that it is a renewable, cost-effective natural polymer and has the ability of gelling in the presence of certain alkali- and alkaline-earth metal cations, being good candidates as host matrices for accommodating guest cations. The as-synthesised κ-Cg-based membranes are semi-crystalline, reveal essentially a homogeneous texture, and exhibit ionic conductivity values 1–2 orders of magnitude higher than those of the κ-Cg matrix. A maximum ionic conductivity was achieved for 50 wt.% Gly/κ-Cg and 20 wt.% NdTrif3/κ-Cg (1.03 × 10−4, 3.03 × 10−4, and 1.69 × 10−4 S cm−1 at 30, 60, and 97 °C, respectively). The NdTrif-based κ-Cg membranes are multi-wavelength emitters from the ultraviolet (UV)/visible to the NIR regions, due to the κ-Cg intrinsic emission and to Nd3+, 4F3/2→4I11/2-9/2.
Synthesis and Stereostructure-Activity Relationship of Novel Pyrethroids Possessing Two Asymmetric Centers on a Cyclopropane Ring
Authors: Taniguchi Takashi , Taketomo Yasuaki , Moriyama Mizuki , Matsuo Noritada , Tanabe Yoo
Published: March 2019

2-Methylcyclopropane pyrethroid insecticides bearing chiral cyanohydrin esters or chiral ethers and two asymmetric centers on the cyclopropane ring, were synthesized. These compounds were designed using a “reverse connection approach” between the isopropyl group in Fenvalerate, and between two dimethyl groups in an Etofenprox analogue (the methyl, ethyl form), respectively. These syntheses were achieved by accessible ring opening reactions of commercially available (±)-, (R)-, and (S)-propylene oxides using 4-chlorobenzyl cyanide anion as the crucial step, giving good overall yield of the product with >98% ee. The insecticidal activity against the common mosquito (Culex pipiens pallens) was assessed for pairs of achiral diastereomeric (1R*,2S*)-, (1R*,2R*)-cyanohydrin esters, and (1R*,2S*)-, (1R*,2R*)-ethers; only the (1R*,2R*)-ether was significantly effective. For the enantiomeric (1S,2S)-ether and (1R,2R)-ether, the activity was clearly centered on the (1R,2R)-ether. The present stereostructure‒activity relationship revealed that (i) cyanohydrin esters derived from fenvalerate were unexpectedly inactive, whereas ethers derived from etofenprox were active, and (ii) apparent chiral discrimination between the (1S,2S)-ether and the (1R,2R)-ether was observed. During the present synthetic study, we performed alternative convergent syntheses of Etofenprox and novel 4-EtO-type (1S,2S)- and (1R,2R)-pyrethroids from the corresponding parent 4-Cl-type pyrethroids, by utilizing a recently-developed hydroxylation cross-coupling reaction.
In-Situ Synthesized Si@C Materials for the Lithium Ion Battery: A Mini Review
Authors: Tu Wenmao , Bai Ziyu , Deng Zhao , Zhang Haining , Tang Haolin
Published: March 2019

As an important component, the anode determines the property and development of lithium ion batteries. The synthetic method and the structure design of the negative electrode materials play decisive roles in improving the property of the thus-assembled batteries. Si@C compound materials have been widely used based on their excellent lithium ion intercalation capacity and cyclic stability, in which the in-situ synthetic method can make full use of the structural advantages of the monomer itself, thus improving the electrochemical performance of the anode material. In this paper, the different preparation technologies and composite structures of Si@C compound materials by in-situ synthesis are introduced. The research progress of Si@C compound materials by in-situ synthesis is reviewed, and the prospect of future development of Si@C compound materials has been tentatively commented.
Suboptimal Nutrition and Low Physical Activity Are Observed Together with Reduced Plasma Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) Concentration in Children with Severe Cerebral Palsy (CP)
Authors: Hansen Solvejg L. , Lorentzen Jakob , Pedersen Lin T. , Hendrich Frederikke L. , Jorsal Martin , Pingel Jessica , Nielsen Jens B. , Kiens Bente
Published: March 2019

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is a mediator of exercise and nutrition-induced neural plasticity. In children with cerebral palsy (CP), neuromuscular deficits and mobility impairment have a negative impact on their physical activity level and nutritional status, but whether these children have reduced BDNF concentrations is unknown. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to investigate the plasma BDNF concentration, nutritional status, and physical activity level in children with mild to severe CP. Blood sampling, dietary registration, and questionnaires were completed for children with mild CP (gross motor function classification system (GMFCS) I–II, n = 31, age 10.6 ± 0.6 years), severe CP (GMFCS IV–V, n = 14, age 10.9 ± 1.1 years) and typically developed (TD) children (n = 22, age 10.9 ± 0.6 years). Children with severe CP had ~40% lower plasma BDNF concentration than TD children (p < 0.05). Furthermore, children with severe CP had lower daily physical activity level than TD children (p < 0.01), and a daily intake of energy, n-3 fatty acids, and dietary fibers that was only ~50% of TD (p > 0.001). Reduced plasma BDNF concentrations were observed in children with severe CP. This may be of significance for optimal neural growth and plasticity. This was observed together with low physical activity levels and a suboptimal intake of energy, n-3 fatty acids, and dietary fibers.
Red and Processed Meat and Mortality in a Low Meat Intake Population
Authors: Alshahrani Saeed Mastour , Fraser Gary E. , Sabaté Joan , Knutsen Raymond , Shavlik David , Mashchak Andrew , Lloren Jan Irene , Orlich Michael J.
Published: March 2019

Associations of low-to-moderate consumption of red and processed meat with mortality would add to the evidence of possible adverse effects of these common foods. This study aims to investigate the association of red and processed meat intake with mortality. The Adventist Health Study-2 (AHS-2) is a prospective cohort study of ~96,000 Seventh-day Adventist men and women recruited in the US and Canada between 2002 and 2007. The final analytic sample after exclusions was 72,149. Cox proportional hazards regression was used and hazard ratios (HR) and confidence intervals (CI) were obtained. Diet was assessed by a validated quantitative food frequency questionnaire (FFQ), calibrated using six 24-h dietary recalls. Mortality outcome data were obtained from the National Death Index. During a mean follow-up of 11.8 years, there were 7961 total deaths, of which 2598 were Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) deaths and 1873 were cancer deaths. Unprocessed red meat was associated with risk of all-cause mortality (HR: 1.18; 95% CI: 1.07–1.31) and CVD mortality (HR: 1.26; 95% CI: 1.05–1.50). Processed meat alone was not significantly associated with risk of mortality. The combined intake of red and processed meat was associated with all-cause mortality (HR: 1.23; 95% CI: 1.11–1.36) and CVD mortality (HR: 1.34; 95% CI: 1.12–1.60). These findings suggest moderately higher risks of all-cause and CVD mortality associated with red and processed meat in a low meat intake population.
Baicalein Suppresses Stem Cell-Like Characteristics in Radio- and Chemoresistant MDA-MB-231 Human Breast Cancer Cells through Up-Regulation of IFIT2
Authors: Koh So Yae , Moon Jeong Yong , Unno Tatsuya , Cho Somi Kim
Published: March 2019

Resistance to both chemotherapy and radiation therapy is frequent in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) patients. We established treatment-resistant TNBC MDA-MB-231/IR cells by irradiating the parental MDA-MB-231 cells 25 times with 2 Gy irradiation and investigated the molecular mechanisms of acquired resistance. The resistant MDA-MB-231/IR cells were enhanced in migration, invasion, and stem cell-like characteristics. Pathway analysis by the Database for Annotation, Visualization and Integrated Discovery revealed that the NF-κB pathway, TNF signaling pathway, and Toll-like receptor pathway were enriched in MDA-MB-231/IR cells. Among 77 differentially expressed genes revealed by transcriptome analysis, 12 genes involved in drug and radiation resistance, including interferon-induced protein with tetratricopeptide repeats 2 (IFIT2), were identified. We found that baicalein effectively reversed the expression of IFIT2, which is reported to be associated with metastasis, recurrence, and poor prognosis in TNBC patients. Baicalein sensitized radio- and chemoresistant cells and induced apoptosis, while suppressing stem cell-like characteristics, such as mammosphere formation, side population, expression of Oct3/4 and ABCG2, and CD44highCD24low population in MDA-MB-231/IR cells. These findings improve our understanding of the genes implicated in radio- and chemoresistance in breast cancer, and indicate that baicalein can serve as a sensitizer that overcomes treatment resistance.
Associations between Macronutrient Intakes and Obesity/Metabolic Risk Phenotypes: Findings of the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey
Authors: Kim Ha-Na , Song Sang-Wook
Published: March 2019

Obesity is a risk factor for many health issues, as are metabolic abnormalities. However, few studies have addressed the associations between obesity/metabolic risk phenotypes and dietary macronutrient intakes (carbohydrate, protein, and fat). Therefore, this study examined the associations between macronutrient intakes and obesity/metabolic risk phenotypes in a Korean population. We used data from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, a cross-sectional survey of Korean civilians, conducted in 2014 and 2016, and data on a total of 7374 participants were analyzed. Macronutrient intakes were defined as the proportions of energy derived from carbohydrate, protein, and fat. Those exhibiting obesity/metabolic risk phenotypes (or not) were divided into four groups: normal weight without metabolic abnormalities; obese without metabolic abnormalities; normal weight with metabolic abnormalities; and obese with metabolic abnormalities. After adjusting for age, smoking status, alcohol consumption, extent of physical activity, household income, and daily fiber intake, no association was found between the proportions of carbohydrate, protein, or fat intakes and obesity/metabolic risk phenotypes except for a positive association between metabolically healthy but obese status and low protein intake in females. Further studies are required to evaluate the effects of macronutrient intakes on obesity/metabolic risk phenotypes and associated health outcomes.
Current and Potential Roles in Sports Pharmacy: A Systematic Review
Authors: Hooper Alison D. , Cooper Joyce M. , Schneider Jennifer , Kairuz Therése
Published: March 2019

(1) Background: The objective of this systematic review was to evaluate current and potential roles for pharmacists in sports medicine and to identify key themes in outcomes reported in studies. (2) Methods: EMBASE, MEDLINE, CINAHL, Scopus and the Cochrane Library were searched in January 2019. Peer-reviewed, original research articles were considered for inclusion. Articles published in a language other than English were excluded. Quality appraisal was performed independently by two authors. (3) Results: Findings of 11 eligible articles (10 observational and 1 experimental study design) were grouped into three themes: (i) doping prevention and control, (ii) injury management and first aid, and (iii) educational and curricular needs. Pharmacists were perceived as a good potential source of information about doping and are enthusiastic about counseling athletes, but lack knowledge and confidence in this area. While pharmacists were frequently consulted for advice on managing sprains and strains, their advice was not always guided by current evidence. Pharmacists and pharmacy students recalled limited opportunity for education in sports pharmacy. (4) Conclusion: Pharmacists showed a willingness and an aptitude to counsel athletes. However, lack of knowledge and confidence, and limited educational opportunities, were key barriers. More research is necessary to support pharmacists in this role.
Robust Superhydrophobic Cellulose Nanofiber Aerogel for Multifunctional Environmental Applications
Authors: M. Hasan. , Gopakumar Deepu A. , Arumughan Vishnu , Pottathara Yasir Beeran , K. S. Sisanth , Pasquini Daniel , Bračič Matej , Seantier Bastien , Nzihou Ange , Thomas Sabu , Rizal Samsul , H. P. S. Abdul Khalil
Published: March 2019

The fabrication of superadsorbent for dye adsorption is a hot research area at present. However, the development of low-cost and highly efficient superadsorbents against toxic textile dyes is still a big challenge. Here, we fabricated hydrophobic cellulose nanofiber aerogels from cellulose nanofibers through an eco-friendly silanization reaction in liquid phase, which is an extremely efficient, rapid, cheap, and environmentally friendly procedure. Moreover, the demonstrated eco-friendly silanization technique is easy to commercialize at the industrial level. Most of the works that have reported on the hydrophobic cellulose nanofiber aerogels explored their use for the elimination of oil from water. The key novelty of the present work is that the demonstrated hydrophobic cellulose nanofibers aerogels could serve as superadsorbents against toxic textile dyes such as crystal violet dye from water and insulating materials for building applications. Here, we make use of the possible hydrophobic interactions between silane-modified cellulose nanofiber aerogel and crystal violet dye for the removal of the crystal violet dye from water. With a 10 mg/L of crystal violet (CV) aqueous solution, the silane-modified cellulose nanofiber aerogel showed a high adsorption capacity value of 150 mg/g of the aerogel. The reason for this adsorption value was due to the short-range hydrophobic interaction between the silane-modified cellulose nanofiber aerogel and the hydrophobic domains in crystal violet dye molecules. Additionally, the fabricated silane-modified cellulose nanofiber hydrophobic aerogels exhibited a lower thermal conductivity value of 0.037 W·m−1 K−1, which was comparable to and lower than the commercial insulators such as mineral wools (0.040 W·m−1 K−1) and polystyrene foams (0.035 W·m−1 K−1). We firmly believe that the demonstrated silane-modified cellulose nanofiber aerogel could yield an eco-friendly adsorbent that is agreeable to adsorbing toxic crystal violet dyes from water as well as active building thermal insulators.
Chitosan Grafted Adsorbents for Diclofenac Pharmaceutical Compound Removal from Single-Component Aqueous Solutions and Mixtures
Authors: Tzereme Areti , Christodoulou Evi , Kyzas George Z. , Kostoglou Margaritis , Bikiaris Dimitrios N. , Lambropoulou Dimitra A.
Published: March 2019

The main purpose of this study was to investigate the synthesis of some cross-linked carboxyl-grafted chitosan derivatives to be used as selective adsorbents for diclofenac (DCF) pharmaceutical compounds from aqueous mixtures. Four different materials were synthesized using succinic anhydride (CsSUC), maleic anhydride (CsMAL), itaconic acid (CsITA), and trans-aconitic acid (CsTACON) as grafting agents. After synthesis, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) were performed before and after DCF adsorption. In addition, a complete adsorption evaluation was carried out for all materials studying some important parameters. The optimum pH was 4; the amino groups of DCF can be protonated at pH = 4 (–NH+), so this groups can easily attract the clear negatively carboxyl moieties (–COO−) of the chitosan adsorbents. The Qm for CsTACON was higher than those of the other materials, at all temperatures studied. By altering the temperature from 25 to 35 °C, an increase (16%) of Qm (from 84.56 to 98.34 mg g−1) was noted, while similar behavior was revealed after a further increase of temperature from 35 to 45 °C, improving by 5% (from 98.34 to 102.75 mg g−1). All isotherms were fitted to Langmuir, Freundlich, and Langmuir-Freundlich (L-F) models). In addition, a kinetic model was proposed taking into account not only the interactions but also the diffusivity of the molecule (DCF) into the polymeric network. The behavior of the prepared chitosan materials in simultaneously removing other compounds (synergetic or antagonistic) was also evaluated by experiments performed in mixtures. DCF presented the highest removal from the mixture in the order: CsTACON (92.8%) > CsITA (89.5%) > CsSUC (80.9%) > CsMAL (66.2%) compared to other pharmaceutical compounds (salicylic acid, ibuprofen and ketoprofen). Desorption was achieved by using different eluants (either water or organic). The highest desorption ability was found for acetone (100% for CsTACON, CsSUC, CsMAL and 77% for CsITA) for all materials.