bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Dietary inclusion of mushroom (Flammulina velutipes) stem waste on growth performance and immune responses in growing layer hens
Authors: Mahfuz Shad , Song Hui , Miao Yue , Liu Zhongjun
Published: July 2018

BACKGROUND

Medicinal mushrooms contain biologically active substances that can be used as an immune‐modulating agent in poultry. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of Flammulina velutipes mushroom waste (FVW) on performance, immune response and serum immunity in growing layer hens.

RESULTS

No significant differences (P > 0.05) were observed with respect to average daily feed intake, body weight gain and feed conversion ratio among the experimental groups during the entire study period (1–70 days). Antibody titers against Newcastle disease and infectious bronchitis were higher (P < 0.05) in the FVW fed groups than in the control and antibiotic groups. On day 28, serum immunoglobulin (Ig)A and IgG were higher (P < 0.05) in the 6% FVW group than in the control and antibiotic fed groups. On day 70, serum IgA was higher (P < 0.05) in FVW fed groups than in the control group; IgG was higher (P < 0.05) in the FVW groups than in the control and antibiotic groups. However, IgM was higher (P < 0.05) in both the 4% and 6% FVW groups than in the control and antibiotic groups for both experimental periods. Serum cytokine interleukin (IL)‐2 and tumor necrosis factor‐α concentrations were significantly higher (P < 0.05) in both the 4% and 6% FVW grousp than in the control and antibiotic groups; IL‐4 was significantly higher (P < 0.05) in the FVW groups than in the control group; and IL‐6 was significantly higher (P < 0.05) in the 6% FVW group than in the control and antibiotic groups.

CONCLUSION

FVW at the 6% level can be used as a potential phytogenic feed stuff in growing layer hen rations with respect to improving the immune response without affecting normal weight gain. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry
Estimation of functional components of Chinese cabbage leaves grown in a plant factory using diffuse reflectance spectroscopy
Authors: Ngo Viet‐Duc , Jang Bo‐Eun , Park Sang‐Un , Kim Sun‐Ju , Kim Yong‐Joo , Chung Sun‐Ok
Published: July 2018

BACKGROUND

In recent years, protected crop production using plant factories to produce high‐value crops with greater functional components has become more popular in many countries. The quantification of the components, however, is mainly conducted by laboratory analyses, which are both time‐ and labor‐consuming. The present study aimed to investigate the potential of a non‐destructive diffuse reflectance spectroscopy technique for estimating functional components (i.e. glucosinolates, amino acids, sugars and carotenoids) in the leaves of Chinese cabbage grown in a plant factory.

RESULTS

From the overall analysis, better estimations were obtained using the partial least square regression procedure. The important wavelengths for each functional component were identified mainly in the ultraviolet‐visible regions. Identified wavelengths were 317, 390, 888 and 940 nm for sugars; 520 and 960 nm for amino acids; 385, 860 and 945 nm for glucosinolates; and 454, 472 and 530 nm for carotenoids.

CONCLUSION

Optical reflectance spectroscopy shows potential as a tool for the estimation of functional components in the leaves of Chinese cabbage. The results of the present study provide useful information for the design and application of sensors with respect to on‐site quantification of the functional components. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry
Mechanotransduction and cell biomechanics of the intervertebral disc
Authors: Fearing Bailey V. , Hernandez Paula A. , Setton Lori A. , Chahine Nadeen O.
Published: July 2018

Mechanical loading of the intervertebral disc (IVD) initiates cell‐mediated remodeling events that contribute to disc degeneration. Cells of the IVD, nucleus pulposus (NP) and anulus fibrosus (AF), will exhibit various responses to different mechanical stimuli which appear to be highly dependent on loading type, magnitude, duration, and anatomic zone of cell origin. Cells of the NP, the innermost region of the disc, exhibit an anabolic response to low‐moderate magnitudes of static compression, osmotic pressure, or hydrostatic pressure, while higher magnitudes promote a catabolic response marked by increased protease expression and activity. Cells of the outer AF are responsive to physical forces in a manner that depends on frequency and magnitude, as are cells of the NP, though they experience different forces, deformations, pressure, and osmotic pressure in vivo. Much remains to be understood of the mechanotransduction pathways that regulate IVD cell responses to loading, including responses to specific stimuli and also differences among cell types. There is evidence that cytoskeletal remodeling and receptor‐mediated signaling are important mechanotransduction events that can regulate downstream effects like gene expression and posttranslational biosynthesis, all of which may influence phenotype and bioactivity. These and other mechanotransduction events will be regulated by known and to‐be‐discovered cell‐matrix and cell‐cell interactions, and depend on composition of extracellular matrix ligands for cell interaction, matrix stiffness, and the phenotype of the cells themselves. Here, we present a review of the current knowledge of the role of mechanical stimuli and the impact upon the cellular response to loading and changes that occur with aging and degeneration of the IVD.
On‐Chip Detection of Orbital Angular Momentum Beam by Plasmonic Nanogratings
Authors: Chen Ji , Chen Xi , Li Tao , Zhu Shining
Published: July 2018

Thanks to the unlimited orthogonal states, the orbital angular momentum (OAM) light is widely accepted as a promising carrier for high information multiplexing in optical communications, in which the OAM detection is an important issue. To keep up with the ever‐growing demand for compact integration, here, a plasmonic grating is employed to spatially couple the OAM modes into two separated propagating surface plasmon polariton (SPP) beams with different splitting angles. These splitting angles are found to strongly rely on the topological charges of the incident beams and are insensitive to the specific location of the OAM beam illumination, which provides an intuitive detection of the OAM modes without particular alignment. Besides, a further unidirectional SPP launching from the OAM beam is also achieved by a particular composite grating. With such composite grating, both the topological charge value and sign of OAM beam in a single measurement can be detected. Our results provide a convenient method for alignment‐free OAM detection by a compact device, and would inspire more multiplexing applications in nanophotonics.
Musielak–Orlicz–Bochner function spaces which are uniformly noncreasy
Authors: Shang Shaoqiang , Cui Yunan
Published: July 2018

In this paper, the criteria for uniform noncreasiness of Musielak–Orlicz–Bochner function spaces are given. Moreover authors also prove that the space (resp ) is uniformly noncreasy if and only if the space (resp ) is uniformly convex or uniformly smooth. As a corollary, the criteria for uniform noncreasiness of Musielak–Orlicz function spaces are given.
Predictive Models for HOMO and LUMO Energies of N‐Donor Heterocycles as Ligands for Lanthanides Separation
Authors: Solov'ev Vitaly P. , Ustynyuk Yuri A. , Zhokhova Nelly I. , Karpov Kirill V.
Published: July 2018

Quantum chemical calculations combined with QSPR methodology reveal challenging perspectives for the solution of a number of fundamental and applied problems. In this work, we performed the PM7 and DFT calculations and QSPR modeling of HOMO and LUMO energies for polydentate N‐heterocyclic ligands promising for the extraction separation of lanthanides because these values are related to the ligands selectivity in the respect to the target cations. Data for QSPR modeling comprised the PM7 calculated HOMO and LUMO energies of N‐donor heterocycles, including several types of both known and virtual undescribed polydentate ligands. Ensemble modeling included various molecular fragments as descriptors and different variable selection techniques to build consensus models (CMs) on a training set of 388 ligands using external cross‐validation. CMs were then verified to make predictions for two external test sets: 45 ligands (T1) that were similar to the ligands of the training set, and 1546 structures (T2), which were substantially different from the ligands of the training set. The consensus models predict well in 5‐fold cross‐validation (RMSEHOMO=0.097 eV, RMSELUMO=0.064 eV), and on the external test sets (T1: RMSEHOMO=0.26 eV, RMSELUMO=0.24 eV; T2: RMSEHOMO=0.26 eV, RMSELUMO=0.17 eV). An analysis of the results reveals that substituents in heteroaromatic rings of the ligands and at the amide nitrogens can deeply influence their metal binding properties.
Multiple positive radial solutions for Neumann elliptic systems with gradient dependence
Authors: Cianciaruso Filomena , Infante Gennaro , Pietramala Paolamaria
Published: July 2018

We provide new results on the existence, nonexistence, and multiplicity of nonnegative radial solutions for semilinear elliptic systems with Neumann boundary conditions on an annulus. Our approach is topological and relies on the classical fixed‐point index. We present an example to illustrate our theory.
Domain‐based distributed identifier‐locator mapping management in Internet‐of‐Things networks
Authors: Choi Nak‐Jung , Gohar Moneeb , Koh Seok‐Joo
Published: July 2018

Recently, a lot of studies on identifier‐locator mapping management for mobility control have been proposed. However, these studies did not consider the Internet‐of‐Things (IoT) environment. Thus, from the viewpoint of identifier‐locator mapping management for IoT devices, the existing schemes are still subject to scalability problems and performance degradation. In this paper, we propose a domain‐based identifier‐locator mapping management for IoT devices in a distributed manner, in which an identifier of IoT device represents the domain to which it belongs. Each domain gateway maintains the mapping information of identifiers and locators based on the domain information contained in the identifier. From the numerical analysis and testbed experimentation, we see that the proposed domain‐based distributed identifier‐locator mapping management scheme provides better performance than the existing schemes in terms of total delay, including registration delay and data delivery delay.
Stochastic network interdiction with incomplete preference
Authors: Pay Babak Saleck , Merrick Jason R. W. , Song Yongjia
Published: July 2018

We study a class of stochastic network interdiction problems where the defender has incomplete (ambiguous) preferences. Specifically, we focus on the shortest path network interdiction modeled as a Stackelberg game, where the defender (leader) makes an interdiction decision first, and then the attacker (follower) selects a shortest path after the observation of random arc costs and interdiction effects in the network. We assume that the defender's risk preferences over exogenously given probabilities can be summarized by the expected utility theory. Although the exact form of the utility function is ambiguous to the defender, we assume that a set of pairwise gamble comparisons made by the defender is available, which can be used to restrict the shape of the utility function. We present two approaches to tackle this problem. The first approach conducts utility estimation and optimization separately, by first finding the best fit for a piecewise linear concave utility function according to the available data, and then optimizing the expected utility. The second approach integrates utility estimation and optimization, by modeling the utility ambiguity under a robust optimization framework following Armbruster and Delage [B. Armbruster and E. Delage, Manag. Sci., 61 (2015), 111‐128] and Hu and Mehrotra [J. Hu and S. Mehrotra, IIE Trans., 47 (2015), 358‐372]. We conduct extensive computational experiments to evaluate the performances of these approaches.
Synthesis and application of a dual functional P/N/S‐containing microsphere with enhanced flame retardancy and mechanical strength on EP resin
Authors: Guo Xiaodong , Wang Xin , Liu Xiongrui , Zheng Yanyang , Xu Jianzhong , Ma Haiyun
Published: July 2018

A phosphazene derivative flame retardant with a highly cross‐linked microsphere structure, named poly(cyclotriphosphazene‐c‐sulfonyldiphenol) (PCPS) microspheres, were synthesized by 1‐pot reaction and then applied on flame retarded epoxy (EP) resin. The microstructure and chemical composition of PCPS microspheres were characterized using scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and element mapping. The thermal stability of PCPS microspheres and PCPS/EP composites was explored through thermogravimetric analysis. Thermogravimetric data showed that the PCPS microspheres have excellent thermal stability, and the char yield is about 43% at the end of 800°C. The incorporation of PCPS microspheres significantly increased the char yield of PCPS/EP composites. The flammability was investigated by limited oxygen index tests and cone calorimeter. The limited oxygen index value of PCPS/EP composite was increased to 29.8 from 26.6 when 3 wt% of PCPS microspheres was added. Compared with neat EP, the flame retardancy was greatly improved. The peak heat release rate and smoke production rate of PCPS/EP composites were reduced by 45.0% and 43.6%, respectively. The mechanical properties including tensile strength and modulus were both improved due to the enhancement of PCPS microspheres. The PCPS microspheres act as a dual function for improving both the flame resistance and mechanical strength of PCPS/EP system.
Geranylgeranyl diphosphate synthase (GGPPS) regulates non‐alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD)–fibrosis progression by determining hepatic glucose/fatty acid preference under high‐fat diet conditions
Authors: Liu Jia , Jiang Shan , Zhao Yue , Sun Qian , Zhang Jingzi , Shen Di , Wu Jing , Shen Ning , Fu Xiao , Sun Xitai , Yu Decai , Chen Jun , He Jian , Shi Tingting , Ding Yitao , Fang Lei , Xue Bin , Li Chaojun
Published: July 2018

Patients with obesity have a high prevalence of non‐alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and, in parallel, increased susceptibility to fibrosis/cirrhosis/hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Herein, we report that a high‐fat diet (HFD) can augment glycolysis and then accelerate NAFLD–fibrosis progression by downregulating the expression of geranylgeranyl diphosphate synthase (GGPPS), which is a critical enzyme in the mevalonate pathway. Long‐term HFD overloading decreases GGPPS expression in mice, which shifts the fuel preference from fatty acids towards glucose. Liver‐specific Ggpps deficiency drives the Warburg effect by impairing mitochondrial function, and then induces hepatic inflammation, thus exacerbating fibrosis. Ggpps deficiency also enhances the hyperfarnesylation of liver kinase B1, and promotes metabolic reprogramming by regulating 5′‐AMP‐activated protein kinase activity. Clinical data further imply that GGPPS expression can predict the stage of NAFLD and recurrence of NAFLD‐associated HCC. We conclude that the level of GGPPS is a susceptibility factor for NAFLD–fibrosis progression, and requires more stringent surveillance to ensure early prediction and precision of treatment of NAFLD‐related HCC. Copyright © 2018 Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Self–Compassion is Best Measured as a Global Construct and is Overlapping with but Distinct from Neuroticism: A Response to Pfattheicher, Geiger, Hartung, Weiss, and Schindler (2017)
Authors: Neff Kristin D. , Tóth–Király István , Colosimo Ken
Published: July 2018

Pfattheicher and colleagues recently published an article entitled ‘Old Wine in New Bottles? The Case of Self–compassion and Neuroticism’ that argues the negative items of the Self–compassion Scale (SCS), which represent reduced uncompassionate self–responding, are redundant with neuroticism (especially its depression and anxiety facets) and do not evidence incremental validity in predicting life satisfaction. Using potentially problematic methods to examine the factor structure of the SCS (higher–order confirmatory factor analysis), they suggest a total self–compassion score should not be used and negative items should be dropped. In Study 1, we present a reanalysis of their data using what we argue are more theoretically appropriate methods (bifactor exploratory structural equation modelling) that support use of a global self–compassion factor (explaining 94% of item variance) over separate factors representing compassionate and reduced uncompassionate self–responding. While self–compassion evidenced a large correlation with neuroticism and depression and a small correlation with anxiety, it explained meaningful incremental validity in life satisfaction compared with neuroticism, depression, and anxiety. Findings were replicated in Study 2, which examined emotion regulation. Study 3 established the incremental validity of negative items with multiple well–being outcomes. We conclude that although self–compassion overlaps with neuroticism, the two constructs are distinct. © 2018 European Association of Personality Psychology
School reentry services for students with chronic health conditions: An examination of regional practices
Authors: Schilling Ethan J. , Getch Yvette Q.
Published: July 2018

Students experiencing chronic health difficulties represent a growing population in public schools. Given the unique challenges faced by these students including increased absences, resulting academic, and social/emotional/behavioral deficits, it is vital that schools are prepared to adequately meet their needs. One of the sometimes daunting tasks faced by these students and their families is the school reentry process, which occurs when the child returns to school following an extended period of time away. The purpose of the current study was to identify and evaluate the extent to which these services are currently being provided within school districts across a large Southeastern state. Results demonstrated that, although schools reported proficiency in the provision of formal school services, adherence to other best practices in school reentry, namely establishing multidisciplinary school reentry teams led by an appointed liaison, developing school reentry protocols and subsequent individualized reentry plans, sharing information with the student's peers, and formally assessing the student prior to or upon reentry, was lacking. Implications for schools and areas for future research are also discussed.
Publication characteristics and outlets of school and educational psychology scholars around the globe
Authors: Kim Eui Kyung , Begeny John C. , Hida Rahma , Wang Jiayi , Jones Renee , Oluokun Helen
Published: July 2018

Although a few prior studies have explored the publication outlets of school and educational psychology scholars employed within the United States, past research has not yet examined the publication outlets of such scholars working outside of the United States. With the aim of addressing this gap in the literature and increasing empirical data related to internationalization in school and educational psychology, the present study gathered data about the publication outlets among international scholars in the field since 2000. Several findings are reported, such as the number of books, chapters, and journal articles published by participants, as well as the names of the journals that participants most frequently published in—within and across global regions. One key finding from the study was that school and educational psychology scholars around the globe frequently publish in discipline‐specific journals, but generally publish in a wide range of journals that focus on specific topics (e.g., behavior, child development). Additionally, it was found that the large majority of authors from our study published their studies in English.
Linking rock weathering, rockwall instability and rockfall supply on talus slopes in glaciated hanging valleys (Swiss Alps)
Authors: Messenzehl Karoline , Viles Heather , Otto Jan‐Christoph , Ewald Andreas , Dikau Richard
Published: July 2018

In high‐alpine valleys undergoing glacier retreat, the spatial distribution of talus slopes and their sediments have been frequently used as a proxy for rockfall activity. However, within this ‘sediment‐dominated’ research focus, the deglaciated source rockwalls are often portrayed in an oversimplified way. Here, we investigate 12 rockwall‐talus systems in three glaciated hanging valleys in the Swiss Alps and explore the role of source rockwalls on the spatial pattern of talus slopes and their paraglacial rockfall activity. Data from field‐based talus slope surveys, rockwall geotechnical studies, rock temperature monitoring, frost cracking modeling and GIS‐based topoclimatic analyses are evaluated by ergodic reasoning in a principal component analysis to identify patterns of rockwall‐talus systems with respect to their topoclimatic, rock mechanical and paraglacial controls. The results show that four main factors (frost cracking, permafrost probability, rockwall morphometry and mechanical preconditioning by rock mass strength and joint orientation) combine to dictate the paraglacial and spatial variability of sediment production, rockfall activity and block size. Our study demonstrates that more emphasis must be given to source rockwalls as their instability and weathering are directly linked to landform and material characteristics of talus deposits.
CPAP to diagnose laryngeal clefts by flexible endoscopy in infants
Authors: Trachsel Daniel , Hammer Jürg
Published: July 2018

Background

Laryngeal clefts (LC) are uncommon but important causes of stridor in infants. Direct laryngoscopy is the recommended method for the detection of LC because LC may be missed by flexible endoscopy. As laryngomalacia by far outnumbers any other cause of stridor in this age group flexible bronchoscopy is usually the preferred method for the evaluation of significant infantile stridor. The aim is to illustrate how the application of CPAP assists the detection of LC during flexible endoscopy.

Method

Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) is applied via endoscopy mask during flexible endoscopy, titrated to open the upper esophageal sphincter, and to spread the inter‐arytenoid folds.

Results

The application of CPAP of 10‐15 cmH2O resulted in visual unmasking of otherwise obscured LC in four young children assessed for congenital stridor.

Conclusion

CPAP helps visualize LC by flexible endoscopy obviating transition to direct laryngoscopy and manual exploration.
Making Progress Towards «Green» Propellants
Authors: Dejeaifve Alain , Fantin André , Monseur Lara , Dobson Rowan
Published: July 2018

Stabilisers are used in propellants to prevent the various effects such as oxidation, chain scission, energy loss and uncontrolled heat generation that are caused by homolytic and heterolytic cleavage of the weakest Nitrogen‐Oxygen bond of the nitrate ester functional group. Conventional stabilisers for nitrocellulose‐based propellants belong to a‐aromatic amines (e. g., diphenylamine, 4‐nitro‐N‐methylaniline…) or b‐aromatic urea derivatives (e. g., Akardite, centralite…) and are/or produce highly toxic and/or potentially carcinogenic species at some point during a propellant's lifetime. There is an obvious need for alternative stabilisers presenting a low toxicity profile and providing efficiencies similar to, or better than conventional stabilisers. This paper presents novel, environmentally friendly, efficient and readily‐available stabilisers for use in nitrocellulose‐based compositions. With REACh legislation (1907/2006), industry in Europe has made progress in using less toxic compounds, that are often more environmentally‐friendly. The aim of this work is to go beyond REACh and to anticipate the inclusion of other molecules that produce non‐ or less toxic daughter products and that can fulfil their role in the propellant's formulation.
Thickness and Temperature Dependent Out‐of‐Plane Anisotropy of Amorphous CoSiB Thin Films
Authors: Zhang Yu , Wang San‐Sheng , Li Fang , Jiang Wen , Zhang Zhu‐Li , Chen Zi‐Yu
Published: July 2018

Amorphous CoSiB thin films are prepared on Si (111) substrate at different temperatures. A thickness‐induced reversible spin reorientation transition (SRT) of the magnetic direction from in‐plane to out‐of‐plane is observed in the thick films due to the presence of out‐of‐plane anisotropy. Out‐of‐plane anisotropy is abnormally enhanced during the annealing process for films deposited at a low temperature, so the stress relaxation has no influence on out‐of‐plane anisotropy. The thermodynamic magnetization crossover effect from T3/2 to T2 occurs in the thick films due to the itinerant and localized characteristics of the 3d electrons of Co atoms. The temperature‐dependent SRT is found only in the 300‐nm‐thick film as the temperature increases from 5 to 400 K, whereas SRT has previously been shown to occur in the thick glassy films over a large thickness window. The thermodynamic magnetization crossover temperature shifts to a high temperature as the film thickness increases. As the film thickness decreases to 20 nm, the crossover effect disappears, and magnetization varies with temperature following the T2 law in the temperature range from 5 to 400 K. The low‐temperature SRT in the CoSiB alloy is due to the strong spin–orbit coupling, which is responsible for the low‐temperature out‐of‐plane anisotropy. The transition from low to high resistance provides evidence for the presence of localized 3d electrons in Co atoms.
The Second and Third Crystal Field Splitting Moments in Verification of the Trigonal and Hexagonal Crystal Field Parametrizations
Authors: Mulak Maciej , Mulak Jacek
Published: July 2018

The paper, as the third in a series, presents the complete formulas for the crystal field splitting third moment of free ion states as functions of the relevant crystal field parameters in the case of the trigonal and hexagonal crystal fields. The additive structure of the expressions consists of 21 independent components for the trigonal symmetry, 12 for the hexagonal one and only 4 components for the ideal hexagonal coordination. The two scalar characteristics of the crystal field Hamiltonian HCF – the crystal field splitting second and third moments – enable us to verify the HCF parametrizations solely in an algebraic way. Such verification concerns the multipolar structure of the parametrizations as well as the signs of the crystal field parameters. Both the crystal field splitting moments can ensure us in what degree the comprehensive HCF parametrizations are adequate with respect to the individual ionic states of the electron configuration. As an example two chosen HCF parametrizations, one for the hexagonal system Nd3+:LaCl3 of the C3h symmetry, and the second for the trigonal system Tb3+:Y2O2S of the C3v symmetry are subjected to in depth analysis. The presented approach provides a critical insight into the crystal field parametrizations from a different point of view, i.e., omitting the conventional fitting procedure. After the extended verification the studied classical HCF parametrizations withstand, in principle, the test of time.
Combination Law for Drude–Sommerfeld's Electron Damping in Multilayer Thin Metal Films
Authors: Mezzasalma Stefano A. , Janicki Vesna , Salamon Krešimir , Sancho‐Parramon Jordi
Published: July 2018

A combination rule for electron damping in multilayer thin metal films is derived from a mean‐field picture and is applied to optical experimental data. The overall coefficient obeys a parallel law of pure materials damping, , chemical specificity being involved by averaging over densities of low energy states in the free electron model. Geometric and static electromagnetic features of single layers couple via small Fermi's energy fractions (αi). An application is developed for thin Cu/Au and Au/Ag films, showing an apparently irregular damping trend in the film thickness (di = 2.5–7.5 nm). The inferred ⟨γ⟩'s agree in both cases with our data when |αi| = 10−2 ÷ 10−3 linearly increases with decreasing di, suggesting a coupling phenomenology that can bring new insights in the optics and plasmonics of nanostructures.
An ethyl acetate fraction of Artemisia capillaris (ACE‐63) induced apoptosis and anti‐angiogenesis via inhibition of PI3K/AKT signaling in hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors: Jung Kyung Hee , Rumman Marufa , Yan Honghua , Cheon Min Ji , Choi Jin Gyu , Jin Xing , Park Sunghouk , Oh Myung Sook , Hong Soon‐Sun
Published: July 2018

In cancer treatment, herbal medicines may be a good choice because of the reduced risk of adverse side effects. Artemisia capillaris has been recognized as a promising candidate due to its hepatoprotective effects. Herein, we investigated whether A. capillaris‐derived fraction (ACE‐63) could inhibit the progression of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and its underlying mechanism. In this study, ACE‐63 effectively inhibited the growth and proliferation of HCC cells. ACE‐63 induced apoptosis, as observed using Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) staining, which was accompanied with increases in cleaved Poly (ADP‐ribose) polymerase (PARP) and caspase‐3 in HCC cells. Additionally, the pro‐apoptotic effect of ACE‐63 was demonstrated by a decrease in the expression of the X‐linked inhibitor of apoptosis protein (XIAP) and survivin via a loss of mitochondrial membrane potential. In an ex vivo model, ACE‐63 significantly inhibited tumor cell growth and induced apoptosis by increasing the expression of cleaved caspase‐3 and DNA fragmentation. In addition, ACE‐63 decreased the expression of hypoxia‐inducible factor‐1α and vascular endothelial growth factor and inhibited tube formation of human umbilical vein endothelial cells. A mechanistic study revealed that ACE‐63 effectively suppressed the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathways, which were observed as a target signaling by phosphokinase array. Taken together, our findings demonstrate that ACE‐63 could not only efficiently induce apoptosis but also inhibit the growth/angiogenesis of human HCC cells by blocking the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway, suggesting that ACE‐63 may be a new chemotherapeutic candidate against HCC.
High‐performance liquid chromatography/electrospray ionisation mass spectrometric characterisation of metabolites produced by Pseudovibrio sp. W64, a marine sponge derived bacterium isolated from Irish waters
Authors: Choudhary Alka , Naughton Lynn M. , Dobson Alan D.W. , Rai Dilip K.
Published: July 2018

Rationale

In recent years, metabolites produced by Pseudovibrio species have gained scientific attention due to their potent antimicrobial activity. Recently, we also have assessed the antibacterial activities of Pseudovibrio sp. W64 isolates against Staphylococcus aureus, where only the dominant tropodithietic acid (TDA) was identified. However, characterisation of other metabolites is necessary as these metabolites may also serve as potent antimicrobial agents.

Methods

Liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS), aided by accurate mass measurements, was employed to screen and characterise a range of metabolites produced by Pseudovibrio sp. W64 via assessment of ethyl acetate fractions generated from bacterial cultures.

Results

Thirteen metabolites unique to the bacterial culture were detected and their chemical structures were assigned by MS/MS and accurate mass measurements. Among the thirteen metabolites, a methyl ester of TDA, a number of cholic acid derivatives, and amino diols and triols were characterised.

Conclusions

Pseudovibrio sp. W64 produces methylated TDA in addition to TDA, and metabolises lipids and amino acids in the cell‐culture medium. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of methylated TDA, cholic acid and its various analogs, and sphinganine being detected in this Pseudovibrio strain. The data generated may help to better understand the biochemical processes and metabolism of bacterial strains towards discovery of antimicrobial agents from marine sources.
Diversity of river fishes influenced by habitat heterogeneity across hydrogeomorphic divisions
Authors: Spurgeon J. J. , Pegg M. A. , Parasiewicz P. , Rogers J.
Published: July 2018

Freshwater fish communities are structured through complex interactions among multiple spatial scales. Efforts to conserve and rehabilitate fish communities in riverine systems can benefit from an understanding of how processes across spatial scales influence species diversity patterns. We assessed species diversity at different hierarchical spatial scales and changes in species composition along the longitudinal gradient of the Niobrara River basin, Great Plains, USA. We assessed the contribution of α‐ and β‐diversity components to γ‐diversity at five spatial scales (i.e., mesohabitat, site, reach, segment, and river) using an additive partitioning approach. The observed mean β‐diversity was significantly greater than expected at the site, reach, and segment spatial scales. The most significant difference between expected and observed β‐diversity occurred at the segment spatial scale and suggests differences in community structure along the Niobrara River. Additive partitioning of diversity components provided a framework with which to assess patterns at multiple hierarchical levels. Our results suggest that changes in channel geomorphic and hydrologic conditions provide the impetus for species sorting resulting in unique fish assemblages along the Niobrara River. Conservation of species diversity for Great Plains fishes and other similar systems will likely benefit from considering species filtering processes at multiple spatial scales and maintaining intact hydrologic regimes across unique geomorphic boundaries.
Housing providers' insights on the benefits of sustainable affordable housing
Authors: Olanrewaju AbdulLateef , Tan Seong Yeow , Abdul‐Aziz Abdul‐Rashid
Published: July 2018

The present research aims to investigate the insights of housing providers on potential benefits of sustainable affordable housing. Housing providers need certainty on the benefits of sustainable affordable housing for homebuyers. We used a cross‐sectional survey questionnaire consisting of 23 benefits of sustainable affordable housing administered to 121 experts from the housing industry. In total, 82% of the housing professional respondents believed that sustainable affordable housing offered all 23 benefits included in the survey. The first five main benefits were an increase in the comfort of homeowners, the enjoyment of natural ventilation, a reduction in water bills, a reduction in electricity bills and an increase in housing values. An exploratory factor analysis returned 5 components: environmental, energy, social, cost and status. The findings provide insight into the drivers of sustainable affordable housing. A framework for the benefits of sustainable affordable housing was developed. The results will be useful for policy‐makers, developers, place managers, housing associations and academics attempting to increase the supply and demand of sustainable affordable housing.
Thickness and temperature‐dependent study of Co/Si interface
Authors: Kumar Anil , Brajpuriya Ranjeet , Singh Priti
Published: July 2018

Thin films of cobalt (10, 40, and 100 nm) are deposited on Si substrate by electron beam physical vapor deposition technique. After deposition, 4 pieces from each of the wafers of silicon substrate were cut and annealed at a temperature of 200°C, 300°C, and 400°C for 2 hours each, separately. X‐ray diffraction, atomic force microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) are used to study the structural and morphological characteristics of the deposited films. To obtain TEM images, Co films are deposited on Cu grids; so far, no such types of TEM images of Co films are reported. Structural studies confirm nanocrystalline nature with hexagonal close packed structure of the deposited Co film at lower thickness, while at higher thickness, film structure transforms to amorphous with lower surface roughness value. The particle sizes in all the cases are in the range of 3 to 5 nm. Micro‐Raman spectroscopy is also used to study the phase formation and chemical composition as a function of thickness and temperature. The results confirm that the grown films are of good quality and free from any impurity. Studies show the silicide formation at the interface during deposition. The appearance of new band at 1550 cm−1 as a result of annealing indicates the structural transformation from CoSi to CoSi2, which further enhances at higher annealing temperatures.
The collective excitations and static dipole polarizability in small nanoparticles
Authors: Leiro J. A.
Published: July 2018

Collective dipole excitations for small clusters have been considered in the energy range close to the visible light. The absorption energies and static dipole polarizabilities are estimated. In the case of Ag8, Na18, Na20, Cs40, Mg10, Ba20, Ag9+, Na21+, and Mg11++ clusters, a semiclassical density functional method with the Thomas‐Fermi approximation has been used. Also, applications in Al6, Al7, (ZnS)3, and (ZnSe)4 will be discussed. The results are compared with the available data.
Silica‐Coated Metal Oxide Nanoparticles: Magnetic and Cytotoxicity Studies
Authors: Basu Parbati , De Kalyanashis , Das Soma , Mandal Amit K. , Kumar Anoop , Jana Tushar K. , Chatterjee Kuntal
Published: July 2018

Metal oxide nanoparticles are one of the most important categories of nanomaterials. Increasing use of metal oxide nanoparticles necessitates an improved understanding of their potential impact on human health. We demonstrated that silica(SiO2) coated magnetic transitional metal oxides (α‐Fe2O3, NiO, Co3O4) nanoparticles were facilely synthesized through wet chemical methods. Structural, morphological and compositional details of these nanoparticles have been investigated. Optical absorption study was also carried out to compare the bare and silica coated metal oxide nanoparticles. Magnetic measurement of these three silica coated metal oxide samples reveals their ferromagnetic behavior. The biocompatibility of nanoparticles is the prerequisite for their applications in biomedicine, but can be misleading due to toxicity of these nanomaterials. Cytotoxicity was evaluated for these materials via Cell culture, MTT (3‐(4,5‐dimethyl‐2‐thiazolyl)‐2,5‐diphenyl‐tetrazolium bromide) assay in human normal embryonic kidney cell line (HEK‐293) and human breast adenocarcinoma cell line (MCF‐7) which shows its non‐toxicity towards HEK‐293 and the effectiveness of the sample towards the destruction of MCF‐7. Measurements of nanoparticles treated cells by morphological assessment assay demonstrate that these nanomaterials exhibit excellent cellular viability. Thus, silica coated magnetic metal oxide nanomaterials appear to be a new roadmap in the search of biocompatible resources for medical applications.
In Situ XAS Study on Growth of PVP‐Stabilized Cu Nanoparticles
Authors: Nayak Chandrani , Bhattacharyya Dibyendu , Jha Shambhu N. , Sahoo Naba K.
Published: July 2018

Cu nanoparticles have been synthesized from copper acetate using NaBH4 as a reducing agent and poly(N‐vinyl‐2‐pyrrolidone) (PVP) as a stabilizing agent under an inert ambience. In‐situ time‐resolved X‐ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) measurement, which include both X‐ray near edge structure (XANES) and extended X‐ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) techniques, have been carried out in a specially designed measurement cell during the formation of Cu nanoparticles using a specialized computer controlled flow setup. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Multivariate Curve Resolution with Alternating Least Squares (MCR‐ALS) analysis have been successfully applied to the time‐resolved Cu K‐edge XANES data recorded during the growth of Cu nanoparticles. PCA of the XANES spectra predicted three chemical species present in the reaction solution including an intermediate species apart from the initial and the product species. From MCR‐ALS analysis of the Cu K‐edge XANES spectra, the oxidation state of the reaction intermediate species and the concentration profile of the constituents during the reactions have been determined. Finally the EXAFS spectra of the intermediate species has been extracted and analyzed to predict the local structure of Cu cations in this species.
Highly Stable Battery Pack via Insulated, Reinforced, Buckling‐Enabled Interconnect Array
Authors: Yin Lu , Seo Joon Kyo , Kurniawan Jonas , Kumar Rajan , Lv Jian , Xie Lingye , Liu Xinyu , Xu Sheng , Meng Ying S. , Wang Joseph
Published: July 2018

This work describes a flexible and stretchable battery pack configuration that exhibits highly stable performance under large deformation up to 100% biaxial stretching. Using stress‐enduring printable inks and serpentine interconnects, the new screen‐printing route offers an attractive solution for converting rigid battery units into a flexible, stretchable energy storage device. Coin‐cell lithium ion batteries are thus assembled onto the island regions of a screen‐printed, buckling‐enabled, polymer‐reinforced interconnect “island‐bridge” array. Most of the strain on the new energy‐storage device is thus accommodated by the stress‐enduring serpentine structures, and the array is further reinforced by mechanically strong “backbone” layers. Battery pack arrays are assembled and tested under different deformation levels, demonstrating a highly stable performance (<2.5% change) under all test conditions. A light emitting diode band powered by the battery pack is tested on‐body, showing uninterrupted illumination regardless of any degrees of deformation. Moreover, battery‐powered devices that are ultrastable under large deformation can be easily fabricated by incorporating different electronics parts such as sensors or integrated circuits on the same platform. Such ability to apply traditionally rigid, bulky lithium ion batteries onto flexible and stretchable printed surfaces holds considerable promise for diverse wearable applications.
Hybrid PbS Quantum‐Dot‐in‐Perovskite for High‐Efficiency Perovskite Solar Cell
Authors: Han Jianhua , Luo Songping , Yin Xuewen , Zhou Yu , Nan Hui , Li Jianbao , Li Xin , Oron Dan , Shen Heping , Lin Hong
Published: July 2018

In this study, a facile and effective approach to synthesize high‐quality perovskite‐quantum dots (QDs) hybrid film is demonstrated, which dramatically improves the photovoltaic performance of a perovskite solar cell (PSC). Adding PbS QDs into CH3NH3PbI3 (MAPbI3) precursor to form a QD‐in‐perovskite structure is found to be beneficial for the crystallization of perovskite, revealed by enlarged grain size, reduced fragmentized grains, enhanced characteristic peak intensity, and large percentage of (220) plane in X‐ray diffraction patterns. The hybrid film also shows higher carrier mobility, as evidenced by Hall Effect measurement. By taking all these advantages, the PSC based on MAPbI3‐PbS hybrid film leads to an improvement in power conversion efficiency by 14% compared to that based on pure perovskite, primarily ascribed to higher current density and fill factor (FF). Ultimately, an efficiency reaching up to 18.6% and a FF of over ≈0.77 are achieved based on the PSC with hybrid film. Such a simple hybridizing technique opens up a promising method to improve the performance of PSCs, and has strong potential to be applied to prepare other hybrid composite materials.
Strongly Coupled g‐C3N4 Nanosheets‐Co3O4 Quantum Dots as 2D/0D Heterostructure Composite for Peroxymonosulfate Activation
Authors: Gao Huihui , Yang Hongcen , Xu Jinzhang , Zhang Shouwei , Li Jiaxing
Published: July 2018

The development of effective approaches for the preparation of 0D quantum dots (QDs)/2D nanosheets (NSs) heterostructures, which have been proven to be favorable for heterogeneous catalysis, is highly desirable but remains a great challenge. Herein, 0D metal oxide nanocrystals–2D ultrathin g‐C3N4 nanosheets (Co3O4/CNNS) heterostructures are synthesized via a facile chemical reaction, followed by annealing in air. Ultrafine Co3O4 QDs (≈2.2–3.2 nm) are uniformly and tightly attached on the surface of g‐C3N4 nanosheets. Detailed characterization reveals that the specially designed unique 0D/2D structure is critical to the high photocatalytic performance for the degradation of tetracycline (TC) via peroxymonosulfate (PMS) activation. The optimal catalyst, namely, Co3O4/CNNS‐1100, exhibits excellent performance and ≈98.7% TC can be degraded under visible light irradiation. Moreover, TC degradation is almost completely insusceptible to several real water samples. Meanwhile, other dye pollutants can also be efficiently degraded by the Co3O4/CNNS‐1100/PMS/vis system. The quenching tests display that that the h+, ∙OH, O2∙−, and SO4∙− are responsible for TC removal. The improved photocatalytic performance can be attributed to the synergistic effect of the photocatalytic‐ and chemical‐processes in the PMS activation. This work gives an insight into the development of multifunctional 0D/2D nanocomposites for further potential applications which are not limited to environmental purification.
Ag+‐Gated Surface Chemistry of Gold Nanoparticles and Colorimetric Detection of Acetylcholinesterase
Authors: Zhang Jiangjiang , Zheng Wenshu , Jiang Xingyu
Published: July 2018

Chemical regulation of enzyme‐mimic activity of nanomaterials is challenging because it requires a precise understanding of the surface chemistry and mechanism, and rationally designed applications. Herein, Ag+‐gated peroxidase activity is demonstrated by successfully modulating surface chemistry of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide‐capped gold nanoparticles (CTAB‐AuNPs). A surface blocking effect of long‐chain molecules on surfaces of AuNPs that inhibit peroxidase activity of AuNPs is found. Ag+ ions can selectively bind on the surfaces of AuNPs and competitively destroy CTAB membrane forming Ag+@CTAB‐AuNPs complexes to result in enhanced peroxidase activity. Ag+@CTAB‐AuNPs show the highest peroxidase activity compared to similar‐sized citrate‐capped and ascorbic acid‐capped AuNPs. Ag+@CTAB‐AuNPs can potentially develop into analyte‐responsive systems and exhibit advantages in the optical sensing field. For example, the Ag+@CTAB‐AuNPs system shows an enhanced sensitivity and selectivity for acetylcholinesterase activity sensing compared to other methods.
Optimal selection of VMs for resource task scheduling in geographically distributed clouds using fuzzy c‐mean and MOLP
Authors: Ziafat Hassan , Babamir Seyed Morteza
Published: July 2018

Because of widespread distribution of resources in the geographically distributed cloud environment, optimal selection of virtual machines (VMs) is one of the most important challenges for the structure of the network. This is due to the high number of data centers and VMs with different qualities of service parameters. Because of redundancy in the VMs and the high number of service parameters, optimal selection of VMs is an NP‐hard problem. Therefore, a method is required, which can suggest the best VMs on the basis of the user's request and on the service‐level agreements (SLAs). This study focuses on four important factors in SLAs: cost, response time, availability, and reliability.

In this paper, we propose a four‐tier structure, Observe, Orient, Decide, and Act, where (1) Observe is responsible for continuous monitoring users' requests and characteristics of data centers and VMs, (2) Orient is responsible for clustering data centers using fuzzy c‐means and based of the four quality of services (SLA's factors) and then the selection of the most suitable data center cluster for the VM selection, (3) Decide is responsible for making decision on the most suitable VMs using multiobjective linear programming, and (4) Act is responsible for the execution of the decision. The proposed structure was implemented, and its effectiveness was evaluated through considering the number of SLA violations.