bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Creating a Domain of Losses in the Laboratory: Effects of Endowment Size
Authors: Sorensen Andrea
Published: March 2018

This study examines the effects of initial endowment size on individual behavior in a binary choice game with no dominant strategy. Subjects make decisions in two, theoretically identical sequences, differing in initial endowment levels only. Each decision involves a choice between an option with a certain loss and an option with a loss that is increasing in the number of individuals who choose it. For the higher endowment level, all subjects are guaranteed a positive payoff. For the lower endowment level, subjects who choose the uncertain loss option could receive a negative payoff. The results indicate that in the first round of play, subjects with the higher endowment level choose the certain loss option significantly more often than subjects with the lower endowment level. There are, however, no significant differences in behavior beyond the first few rounds of play.
Hepatitis B Virus-Associated Hepatocellular Carcinoma and Hepatic Cancer Stem Cells
Authors: Mani Saravana , Andrisani Ourania
Published: March 2018

Chronic Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) infection is linked to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) pathogenesis. Despite the availability of a HBV vaccine, current treatments for HCC are inadequate. Globally, 257 million people are chronic HBV carriers, and children born from HBV-infected mothers become chronic carriers, destined to develop liver cancer. Thus, new therapeutic approaches are needed to target essential pathways involved in HCC pathogenesis. Accumulating evidence supports existence of hepatic cancer stem cells (hCSCs), which contribute to chemotherapy resistance and cancer recurrence after treatment or surgery. Understanding how hCSCs form will enable development of therapeutic strategies to prevent their formation. Recent studies have identified an epigenetic mechanism involving the downregulation of the chromatin modifying Polycomb Repressive Complex 2 (PRC2) during HBV infection, which results in re-expression of hCSC marker genes in infected hepatocytes and HBV-associated liver tumors. However, the genesis of hCSCs requires, in addition to the expression of hCSC markers cellular changes, rewiring of metabolism, cell survival, escape from programmed cell death, and immune evasion. How these changes occur in chronically HBV-infected hepatocytes is not yet understood. In this review, we will present the basics about HBV infection and hepatocarcinogenesis. Next, we will discuss studies describing the mutational landscape of liver cancers and how epigenetic mechanisms likely orchestrate cellular reprograming of hepatocytes to enable formation of hCSCs.
Digital Analysis of Sit-to-Stand in Masters Athletes, Healthy Old People, and Young Adults Using a Depth Sensor
Authors: Leightley Daniel , Yap Moi
Published: March 2018

The aim of this study was to compare the performance between young adults (n = 15), healthy old people (n = 10), and masters athletes (n = 15) using a depth sensor and automated digital assessment framework. Participants were asked to complete a clinically validated assessment of the sit-to-stand technique (five repetitions), which was recorded using a depth sensor. A feature encoding and evaluation framework to assess balance, core, and limb performance using time- and speed-related measurements was applied to markerless motion capture data. The associations between the measurements and participant groups were examined and used to evaluate the assessment framework suitability. The proposed framework could identify phases of sit-to-stand, stability, transition style, and performance between participant groups with a high degree of accuracy. In summary, we found that a depth sensor coupled with the proposed framework could identify performance subtleties between groups.
Empathy Variation in General Practice: A Survey among General Practitioners in Denmark
Authors: Charles Justin , Ahnfeldt-Mollerup Peder , Søndergaard Jens , Kristensen Troels
Published: March 2018

Background: Previous studies have demonstrated that high levels of physician empathy may be correlated with improved patient health outcomes and high physician job satisfaction. Knowledge about variation in empathy and related general practitioner (GP) characteristics may allow for a more informed approach to improve empathy among GPs. Objective: Our objective is to measure and analyze variation in physician empathy and its association with GP demographic, professional, and job satisfaction characteristics. Methods: 464 Danish GPs responded to a survey containing the Danish version of the Jefferson Scale of Empathy for Health Professionals (JSE-HP) and questions related to their demographic, professional and job satisfaction characteristics. Descriptive statistics and a quantile plot of the ordered empathy scores were used to describe empathy variation. In addition, random-effect logistic regression analysis was performed to explore the association between empathy levels and the included GP characteristics. Results: Empathy scores were negatively skewed with a mean score of 117.9 and a standard deviation of 10.1 within a range from 99 (p5) to 135 (p95). GPs aged 45–54 years and GPs who are not employed outside of their practice were less likely to have high empathy scores (≥120). Neither gender, nor length of time since specialization, length of time in current practice, practice type, practice location, or job satisfaction was associated with odds of having high physician empathy. However, odds of having a high empathy score were higher for GPs who stated that the physician-patient relationship and interaction with colleagues has a high contribution to job satisfaction compared to the reference groups (low and medium contribution of these factors). This was also the trend for GPs who stated a high contribution to job satisfaction from intellectual stimulation. In contrast, high contribution of economic profit and prestige did not contribute to increased odds of having a high empathy score. Conclusions: Albeit generally high, we observed substantial variation in physician empathy levels among this population of Danish GPs. This variation is positively associated with values of interpersonal relationships and interaction with colleagues, and negatively associated with middle age (45–54 years) and lack of outside employment. There is room to increase GP physician empathy via educational and organizational interventions, and consequently, to improve healthcare quality and outcomes.
Incidence and Characteristics of Cataract Surgery in Poland, during 2010–2015
Authors: Nowak Michał , Grabska-Liberek Iwona , Michalska-Małecka Katarzyna , Grzybowski Andrzej , Kozioł Milena , Niemczyk Wojciech , Więckowska Barbara , Szaflik Jacek
Published: March 2018

Background: To assess the incidence and characteristic of cataract surgery in Poland from 2010 to 2015 and to interpret these findings. Patients and methods: Data from all patients who underwent cataract surgery alone or in combined procedures in Poland between January 2010 and December 2015 were evaluated. Patient data were from the national database of hospitalizations maintained by National Health Fund. Data on the population of Poland were obtained from Central Statistical Office of Poland. Results: In total, 1,218,777 cataract extractions (alone or combined with other procedures) were performed in 1,081,345 patients during 2010–2015. Overall, the incidence of cataract surgery increased from 5.22/1000 person-years in 2010 to 6.17/1000 person-years in 2015. Phacoemulsification was performed in 97.46% of cataract extractions, and 3.02% of cataract extractions were combined procedures. The rate of one-day procedures increased from 28.3% in 2010 to 43.1% in 2015. The probability of second-eye surgery 12 months after the first-eye surgery increased from 44% in 2010 to 73% in 2015 (log-rank test p < 0.0001). Conclusion: In Poland, from 2010 to 2015, the total incidence of cataract surgery, the number of people who underwent surgery, and the number of one-day cataract surgeries increased significantly.
Bax Inhibitor-1 Acts as an Anti-Influenza Factor by Inhibiting ROS Mediated Cell Death and Augmenting Heme-Oxygenase 1 Expression in Influenza Virus Infected Cells
Authors: Hossain Mohammed , Saha Subbroto , Abdal Dayem Ahmed , Kim Jung-Hyun , Kim Kyeongseok , Yang Gwang-Mo , Choi Hye , Cho Ssang-Goo
Published: March 2018

Influenza virus remains a major health concern worldwide, and there have been continuous efforts to develop effective antivirals despite the use of annual vaccination programs. The purpose of this study was to determine the anti-influenza activity of Bax inhibitor-1 (BI-1). Madin-Darby Canine Kidney (MDCK) cells expressing wild type BI-1 and a non-functional BI-1 mutant, BI-1 ∆C (with the C-terminal 14 amino acids deleted) were prepared and infected with A/PR/8/34 influenza virus. BI-1 overexpression led to the suppression of virus-induced cell death and virus production compared to control Mock or BI-1 ∆C overexpression. In contrast to BI-1 ∆C-overexpressing cells, BI-1-overexpressing cells exhibited markedly reduced virus-induced expression of several viral genes, accompanied by a substantial decrease in ROS production. We found that treatment with a ROS scavenging agent, N-acetyl cysteine (NAC), led to a dramatic decrease in virus production and viral gene expression in control MDCK and BI-1 ∆C-overexpressing cells. In contrast, NAC treatment resulted in the slight additional suppression of virus production and viral gene expression in BI-1-overexpressing cells but was statistically significant. Moreover, the expression of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) was also significantly increased following virus infection in BI-1-overexpressing cells compared to control cells. Taken together, our data suggest that BI-1 may act as an anti-influenza protein through the suppression of ROS mediated cell death and upregulation of HO-1 expression in influenza virus infected MDCK cells.
Estrogen Receptor Signaling in Radiotherapy: From Molecular Mechanisms to Clinical Studies
Authors: Rong Chao , Meinert Étienne , Hess Jochen
Published: March 2018

Numerous studies have established a proof of concept that abnormal expression and function of estrogen receptors (ER) are crucial processes in initiation and development of hormone-related cancers and also affect the efficacy of anti-cancer therapy. Radiotherapy has been applied as one of the most common and potent therapeutic strategies, which is synergistic with surgical excision, chemotherapy and targeted therapy for treating malignant tumors. However, the impact of ionizing radiation on ER expression and ER-related signaling in cancer tissue, as well as the interaction between endocrine and irradiation therapy remains largely elusive. This review will discuss recent findings on ER and ER-related signaling, which are relevant for cancer radiotherapy. In addition, we will summarize pre-clinical and clinical studies that evaluate the consequences of anti-estrogen and irradiation therapy in cancer, including emerging studies on head and neck cancer, which might improve the understanding and development of novel therapeutic strategies for estrogen-related cancers.
The Regulatory Role of MeAIB in Protein Metabolism and the mTOR Signaling Pathway in Porcine Enterocytes
Authors: Tang Yulong , Tan Bie , Li Guangran , Li Jianjun , Ji Peng , Yin Yulong
Published: March 2018

Amino acid transporters play an important role in cell growth and metabolism. MeAIB, a transporter-selective substrate, often represses the adaptive regulation of sodium-coupled neutral amino acid transporter 2 (SNAT2), which may act as a receptor and regulate cellular amino acid contents, therefore modulating cellular downstream signaling. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of MeAIB to SNAT2 on cell proliferation, protein turnover, and the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathway in porcine enterocytes. Intestinal porcine epithelial cells (IPEC)-J2 cells were cultured in a high-glucose Dulbecco’s modified Eagle’s (DMEM-H) medium with 0 or 5 mmoL/L System A amino acid analogue (MeAIB) for 48 h. Cells were collected for analysis of proliferation, cell cycle, protein synthesis and degradation, intracellular free amino acids, and the expression of key genes involved in the mTOR signaling pathway. The results showed that SNAT2 inhibition by MeAIB depleted intracellular concentrations of not only SNAT2 amino acid substrates but also of indispensable amino acids (methionine and leucine), and suppressed cell proliferation and impaired protein synthesis. MeAIB inhibited mTOR phosphorylation, which might be involved in three translation regulators, EIF4EBP1, IGFBP3, and DDIT4 from PCR array analysis of the 84 genes related to the mTOR signaling pathway. These results suggest that SNAT2 inhibition treated with MeAIB plays an important role in regulating protein synthesis and mTOR signaling, and provide some information to further clarify its roles in the absorption of amino acids and signal transduction in the porcine small intestine.
Comparative Transcriptome Profiling of Rice Near-Isogenic Line Carrying Xa23 under Infection of Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae
Authors: Tariq Rezwan , Wang Chunlian , Qin Tengfei , Xu Feifei , Tang Yongchao , Gao Ying , Ji Zhiyuan , Zhao Kaijun
Published: March 2018

Bacterial blight, caused by Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae (Xoo), is an overwhelming disease in rice-growing regions worldwide. Our previous studies revealed that the executor R gene Xa23 confers broad-spectrum disease resistance to all naturally occurring biotypes of Xoo. In this study, comparative transcriptomic profiling of two near-isogenic lines (NILs), CBB23 (harboring Xa23) and JG30 (without Xa23), before and after infection of the Xoo strain, PXO99A, was done by RNA sequencing, to identify genes associated with the resistance. After high throughput sequencing, 1645 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified between CBB23 and JG30 at different time points. Gene Ontlogy (GO) analysis categorized the DEGs into biological process, molecular function, and cellular component. KEGG analysis categorized the DEGs into different pathways, and phenylpropanoid biosynthesis was the most prominent pathway, followed by biosynthesis of plant hormones, flavonoid biosynthesis, and glycolysis/gluconeogenesis. Further analysis led to the identification of differentially expressed transcription factors (TFs) and different kinase responsive genes in CBB23, than that in JG30. Besides TFs and kinase responsive genes, DEGs related to ethylene, jasmonic acid, and secondary metabolites were also identified in both genotypes after PXO99A infection. The data of DEGs are a precious resource for further clarifying the network of Xa23-mediated resistance.
Using PDX for Preclinical Cancer Drug Discovery: The Evolving Field
Authors: Williams Juliet
Published: March 2018

The ability to create patient derived xenografts (PDXs) has evolved considerably from the breakthrough of the development of immune compromised mice. How researchers in drug discovery have utilized PDX of certain cancer types has also changed from traditionally selecting a few models to profile a drug, to opting to assess inter-tumor response heterogeneity by screening across a broad range of tumor models, and subsequently to enable clinical stratification strategies. As with all models and methodologies, imperfections with this approach are apparent, and our understanding of the fidelity of these models continues to expand. To date though, they are still viewed as one of the most faithful modeling systems in oncology. Currently, there are many efforts ongoing to increase the utility and translatability of PDXs, including introducing a human immune component to enable immunotherapy studies.
Relationship between Sedentary Time, Physical Activity and Multiple Lifestyle Factors in Children
Authors: Sheldrick Michael , Tyler Richard , Mackintosh Kelly , Stratton Gareth
Published: March 2018

An improved understanding of relationships between moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA), screen-time and lifestyle factors is imperative for developing interventions, yet few studies have explored such relationships simultaneously. Therefore, the study’s aim was to examine the relationship between sufficient MVPA (≥60 min·day–1) and excessive screen-time (≥2 h·day–1) with lifestyle factors in children. In total, 756 children (10.4 ± 0.6 years) completed a questionnaire, which assessed sleep duration, MVPA, homework/reading, screen-time and diet, and a 20 metre multi-stage shuttle run test to assess cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF). Body mass and stature were measured and used to calculate BMI (body mass index) for age/sex z-scores. Fruit and vegetable consumption and CRF were positively associated with sufficient MVPA, irrespective of sex (p < 0.05). Excessive screen-time was positively associated with sugary snack consumption in boys and girls, and diet soft drink intake in boys (p < 0.05). In addition, excessive screen-time was negatively associated with MVPA before school for both boys and girls, as well as with sleep duration and fruit and vegetable consumption for girls (p < 0.05). Sufficient MVPA and excessive screen-time were associated with healthy and unhealthy factors, respectively, with relationships sometimes differing by sex. Future health promoting interventions should consider targeting change in multiple lifestyle factors.
Novel Wearable Electrodes Based on Conductive Chitosan Fabrics and Their Application in Smart Garments
Authors: Qin Haiming , Li Junrong , He Beihai , Sun Jingbo , Li Lingrui , Qian Liying
Published: March 2018

Smart garments, which can capture electrocardiogram signals at any time or location, can alert others to the risk of heart attacks and prevent sudden cardiac death when people are sleeping, walking, or running. Novel wearable electrodes for smart garments based on conductive chitosan fabrics were fabricated by electroless plating of silver nanoparticles onto the surfaces of the fibers. The electrical resistance, which is related to the silver content of the composite fabrics, can be as low as 0.0332 ± 0.0041 Ω/sq due to the strong reactivity between amine groups and silver ions. After washing these fabrics eight times, the electrical resistance remained below 1 Ω/sq. The conductive chitosan fabrics were applied to smart garments as wearable electrodes to capture electrocardiogram signals of the human body in static state, jogging state, and running state, which showed good data acquisition ability and sensitivity.
Precision CNC Machining of Femoral Component of Knee Implant: A Case Study
Authors: Markopoulos Angelos , Galanis Nikolaos , Karkalos Nikolaos , Manolakos Dimitrios
Published: March 2018

The design and manufacturing of medical implants constitutes an active and highly important field of research, both from a medical and an engineering point of view. From an engineering aspect, the machining of implants is undoubtedly challenging due to the complex shape of the implants and the associated restrictive geometrical and dimensional requirements. Furthermore, it is crucial to ensure that the surface integrity of the implant is not severely affected, in order for the implant to be durable and wear resistant. In the present work, the methodology of designing and machining the femoral component of total knee replacement using a 3-axis Computer Numerical Control (CNC) machine is presented, and then, the results of the machining process, as well as the evaluation of implant surface quality are discussed in detail. At first, a preliminary design of the components of the knee implant is performed and the planning for the production of the femoral component is implemented in Computed Aided Manufacturing (CAM) software. Then, three femoral components are machined under different process conditions and the surface quality is evaluated in terms of surface roughness. Analysis of the results indicated the appropriate process conditions for each part of the implant surface and led to the determination of optimum machining strategy for the finishing stage.
A Simple Formula for the Hilbert Metric with Respect to a Sub-Gaussian Cone
Authors: Chrétien Stéphane , Ortega Juan-Pablo
Published: March 2018

The Hilbert metric is a widely used tool for analysing the convergence of Markov processes and the ergodic properties of deterministic dynamical systems. A useful representation formula for the Hilbert metric was given by Liverani. The goal of the present paper is to extend this formula to the non-compact and multidimensional setting with a different cone, taylored for sub-Gaussian tails.
The Influence of Cu Addition on Dispersoid Formation and Mechanical Properties of Al-Mn-Mg 3004 Alloy
Authors: Li Zhen , Zhang Zhan , Chen X.-Grant
Published: March 2018

The effect of Cu addition on dispersoid precipitation, mechanical properties and creep resistance was investigated in an Al-Mn-Mg 3004 alloy. The addition of Cu promoted dispersoid precipitation by increasing the number density and decreasing the size of dispersoids. Metastable β′-Mg2Si and Q-AlCuMgSi precipitates were observed during the heating process and both could provide favorable nucleation sites for dispersoid precipitation. The addition of Cu improved the thermal stability of dispersoids during a long-term thermal holding at 350 °C for 500 h. Results of mechanical testing show that the addition of Cu remarkably improved the hardness at room temperature, as well as the yield strength and creep resistance at 300 °C, which was mainly attributed to dispersoid strengthening and Cu solid solution strengthening. The yield strength contribution at 300 °C was quantitatively evaluated based on the dispersoid, solid solution and matrix contributions. It was confirmed that dispersoid strengthening is the main strengthening mechanism in the experimental alloys.
Analytical, Numerical and Experimental Study of a Horizontal Electrothermal MEMS Microgripper for the Deformability Characterisation of Human Red Blood Cells
Authors: Cauchi Marija , Grech Ivan , Mallia Bertram , Mollicone Pierluigi , Sammut Nicholas
Published: March 2018

Microgrippers are typical microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) that are widely used for micromanipulation and microassembly in both biological and micromanufacturing fields. This paper presents the design, modelling, fabrication and experimental testing of an electrothermal microgripper based on a ‘hot and cold arm’ actuator design that is suitable for the deformability characterisation of human red blood cells (RBCs). The analysis of the mechanical properties of human RBCs is of great interest in the field of medicine as pathological alterations in the deformability characteristics of RBCs have been linked to a number of diseases. The study of the microgripper’s steady-state performance is initially carried out by the development of a lumped analytical model, followed by a numerical model established in CoventorWare® (Coventor, Inc., Cary, NC, USA) using multiphysics finite element analysis. Both analytical and numerical models are based on an electothermomechanical analysis, and take into account the internal heat generation due to the applied potential, as well as conduction heat losses through both the anchor pads and the air gap to the substrate. The models are used to investigate key factors of the actuator’s performance including temperature distribution, deflection and stresses based on an elastic analysis of structures. Results show that analytical and numerical values for temperature and deflection are in good agreement. The analytical and computational models are then validated experimentally using a polysilicon microgripper fabricated by the standard surface micromachining process, PolyMUMPs™ (Durham, NC, USA). The microgripper’s actuation is characterised at atmospheric pressure by optical microscopy studies. Experimental results for the deflection of the microgripper arm tips are found to be in good agreement with the analytical and numerical results, with process-induced variations and the non-linear temperature dependence of the material properties accounting for the slight discrepancies observed. The microgripper is shown to actuate to a maximum opening displacement of 9 μ m at an applied voltage of 3 V, thus being in line with the design requirement of an approximate opening of 8 μ m for securing and characterising a RBC.
Turing Instability-Driven Biofabrication of Branching Tissue Structures: A Dynamic Simulation and Analysis Based on the Reaction–Diffusion Mechanism †
Authors: Zhu Xiaolu , Yang Hao
Published: March 2018

Four-dimensional (4D) biofabrication techniques aim to dynamically produce and control three-dimensional (3D) biological structures that would transform their shapes or functionalities with time, when a stimulus is imposed or cell post-printing self-assembly occurs. The evolution of 3D branching patterns via self-assembly of cells is critical for the 4D biofabrication of artificial organs or tissues with branched geometry. However, it is still unclear how the formation and evolution of these branching patterns are biologically encoded. Here, we study the biofabrication of lung branching structures utilizing a simulation model based on Turing instability that raises a dynamic reaction–diffusion (RD) process of the biomolecules and cells. The simulation model incorporates partial differential equations of four variables, describing the tempo-spatial distribution of the variables in 3D over time. The simulation results present the formation and evolution process of 3D branching patterns over time and also interpret both the behaviors of side-branching and tip-splitting as the stalk grows and the fabrication style under an external concentration gradient of morphogen, through 3D visualization. This provides a theoretical framework for rationally guiding the 4D biofabrication of lung airway grafts via cellular self-organization, which would potentially reduce the complexity of future experimental research and number of trials.
Micropore Structure of Cement-Stabilized Gold Mine Tailings
Authors: Lee Joon , Shang Julie
Published: March 2018

Mine tailings have often to be stabilized by mixing them with cementing agents. In this study, the pore structure of gold tailings stabilized with Portland cement was evaluated by means of mercury intrusion porosimetry. The investigation was conducted on samples prepared with different fractions of tailings and cement as well as on samples activated with elevated temperature curing and chemical (CaCl2) addition. It was observed that all mixed samples exhibit a mono-modal pore size distribution, indicating that the cement-stabilized tailings are characterized by a single-porosity structure. The results also showed that the higher fraction of tailings and cement leads to a dense and finer pore structure. The total porosity of mixture samples decreases with increasing curing temperature and CaCl2 concentration due to the acceleration of hydration reaction.
Isolation and Purification of Two Isoflavones from Hericium erinaceum Mycelium by High-Speed Counter-Current Chromatography
Authors: He Jinzhe , Fan Peng , Feng Simin , Shao Ping , Sun Peilong
Published: March 2018

High-speed counter-current chromatography (HSCCC) was used to separate and purify two isoflavones for the first time from Hericium erinaceum (H. erinaceum) mycelium using a two-phase solvent system composed of chloroform-dichloromethane-methanol-water (4:2:3:2, v/v/v/v). These two isoflavones were identified as genistein (4′,5,7-trihydroxyisoflavone, C15H10O5) and daidzein (4′,7-dihydroxyisoflavone, C15H10O4), using infrared spectroscopy (IR), electro-spary ionisation mass (ESI-MS), 1H-nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and 13C-NMR spectra. About 23 mg genistein with 95.7% purity and 18 mg daidzein with 97.3% purity were isolated from 150 mg ethanolic extract of H. erinaceum mycelium. The results demonstrated that HSCCC was a feasible method to separate and purify genistein and daidzein from H. erinaceum mycelium.
Antiangiogenic Potential of Microbial Metabolite Elaiophylin for Targeting Tumor Angiogenesis
Authors: Lim Haet , Jang Jun-Pil , Han Jang , Jang Jae-Hyuk , Ahn Jong , Jung Hye
Published: March 2018

Angiogenesis plays a very important role in tumor progression through the creation of new blood vessels. Therefore, angiogenesis inhibitors could contribute to cancer treatment. Here, we show that a microbial metabolite, elaiophylin, exhibits potent antiangiogenic activity from in vitro and in vivo angiogenesis assays. Elaiophylin dramatically suppressed in vitro angiogenic characteristics such as proliferation, migration, adhesion, invasion and tube formation of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) stimulated by vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) at non-toxic concentrations. In addition, elaiophylin immensely inhibited in vivo angiogenesis of the chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) from growing chick embryos without cytotoxicity. The activation of VEGF receptor 2 (VEGFR2) in HUVECs by VEGF was inhibited by elaiophylin, resulting in the suppression of VEGF-induced activation of downstream signaling molecules, Akt, extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2), c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), p38, nuclear factor-κB (NFκB), matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 and -9 which are closely associated with VEGF-induced angiogenesis. We also found that elaiophylin blocked tumor cell-induced angiogenesis both in vitro and in vivo. Elaiophylin downregulated the expression of VEGF by inhibiting hypoxia inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) accumulation in tumor cells. To our knowledge, these results for the first time demonstrate that elaiophylin effectively inhibits angiogenesis and thus may be utilized as a new class of natural antiangiogenic agent for cancer therapy.
Targeting Receptor-Type Protein Tyrosine Phosphatases with Biotherapeutics: Is Outside-in Better than Inside-Out?
Authors: Senis Yotis , Barr Alastair
Published: March 2018

Protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTPs), of the receptor and non-receptor classes, are key signaling molecules that play critical roles in cellular regulation underlying diverse physiological events. Aberrant signaling as a result of genetic mutation or altered expression levels has been associated with several diseases and treatment via pharmacological intervention at the level of PTPs has been widely explored; however, the challenges associated with development of small molecule phosphatase inhibitors targeting the intracellular phosphatase domain (the “inside-out” approach) have been well documented and as yet there are no clinically approved drugs targeting these enzymes. The alternative approach of targeting receptor PTPs with biotherapeutic agents (such as monoclonal antibodies or engineered fusion proteins; the “outside-in” approach) that interact with the extracellular ectodomain offers many advantages, and there have been a number of exciting recent developments in this field. Here we provide a brief overview of the receptor PTP family and an update on the emerging area of receptor PTP-targeted biotherapeutics for CD148, vascular endothelial-protein tyrosine phosphatase (VE-PTP), receptor-type PTPs σ, γ, ζ (RPTPσ, RPTPγ, RPTPζ) and CD45, and discussion of future potential in this area.
Regulation of Muscle Glycogen Metabolism during Exercise: Implications for Endurance Performance and Training Adaptations
Authors: Hearris Mark , Hammond Kelly , Fell J. , Morton James
Published: March 2018

Since the introduction of the muscle biopsy technique in the late 1960s, our understanding of the regulation of muscle glycogen storage and metabolism has advanced considerably. Muscle glycogenolysis and rates of carbohydrate (CHO) oxidation are affected by factors such as exercise intensity, duration, training status and substrate availability. Such changes to the global exercise stimulus exert regulatory effects on key enzymes and transport proteins via both hormonal control and local allosteric regulation. Given the well-documented effects of high CHO availability on promoting exercise performance, elite endurance athletes are typically advised to ensure high CHO availability before, during and after high-intensity training sessions or competition. Nonetheless, in recognition that the glycogen granule is more than a simple fuel store, it is now also accepted that glycogen is a potent regulator of the molecular cell signaling pathways that regulate the oxidative phenotype. Accordingly, the concept of deliberately training with low CHO availability has now gained increased popularity amongst athletic circles. In this review, we present an overview of the regulatory control of CHO metabolism during exercise (with a specific emphasis on muscle glycogen utilization) in order to discuss the effects of both high and low CHO availability on modulating exercise performance and training adaptations, respectively.
Effects of Medium-Term Amendment with Diversely Processed Sewage Sludge on Soil Humification—Mineralization Processes and on Cu, Pb, Ni, and Zn Bioavailability
Authors: Rossi Gabriella , Beni Claudio
Published: March 2018

The organic fraction of sewage sludge administered to agricultural soil can contribute to slowing down the loss of soil’s organic carbon and, in some cases, can improve the physical and mechanical properties of the soil. One of the main constraints to the agricultural use of sewage sludge is its heavy metals content. In the long term, agricultural administration of sewage sludge to soil could enhance the concentration of soil heavy metals (as total and bioavailable fractions). The aim of this research was to evaluate the effects of medium-term fertilization with diversely processed sewage sludge on the soil’s organic carbon content and humification–mineralization processes, on the physical–mechanical properties of soil and their influence on the pool of potentially bioavailable heavy metals, in order to assess their effectiveness as soil organic amendments. After eight years of sludge administration; an increase in the concentrations of bioavailable form was evidenced in all the heavy metals analyzed; independently of the type of sludge administered. The form of sludge administration (liquid, dehydrated, composted) has differently influenced the soil humification–mineralization processes and the physical–mechanical properties of soil. The prolonged amendment with composted sewage sludge contributed to keeping the soil humification–mineralization process in equilibrium and to improving the physical and mechanical qualities of the treated soil.
Effects of Charge Density on Photophysics and Aggregation Behavior of Anionic Fluorene-Arylene Conjugated Polyelectrolytes
Authors: Martelo Liliana , Fonseca Sofia , Marques Ana , Burrows Hugh , Valente Artur , Justino Licínia , Scherf Ullrich , Pradhan Swapna , Song Qiu
Published: March 2018

Three anionic fluorene-based alternating conjugated polyelectrolytes (CPEs) have been synthesized that have 9,9-bis(4-phenoxy-butylsulfonate) fluorene-2,7-diyl and 1,4-phenylene (PBS-PFP), 4,4′-biphenylene (PBS-PFP2), or 4,4″-p-terphenylene (PBS-PFP3) groups, and the effect of the length of the oligophenylene spacer on their aggregation and photophysics has been studied. All form metastable dispersions in water, but can be solubilized using methanol, acetonitrile, or dioxane as cosolvents. This leads to increases in their emission intensities and blue shifts in fluorescence maxima due to break-up of aggregates. In addition, the emission maximum shifts to the blue and the loss of vibronic structure are observed when the number of phenylene rings is increased. Debsity Functional Theory (DFT) calculations suggest that this is due to increasing conformational flexibility as the number of phenylene rings increases. This is supported by increasing amplitude in the fast component in the fluorescence decay. The nonionic surfactant n-dodecylpentaoxyethylene glycol ether (C12E5) also breaks up aggregates, as seen by changes in fluorescence intensity and maximum. However, the loss in vibrational structure is less pronounced in this case, possibly due to a more rigid environment in the mixed surfactant-CPE aggregates. Further information on the aggregates formed with C12E5 was obtained by electrical conductivity measurements, which showed an initial increase in specific conductivity upon addition of surfactants, while at higher surfactant/CPE molar ratios a plateau was observed. The specific conductance in the plateau region decreased in the order PBS-PFP3 < PBS-PFP2 < PBS-PFP, in agreement with the change in charge density on the CPE. The reverse process of aggregate formation has been studied by injecting small volumes of solutions of CPEs dissolved at the molecular level in a good solvent system (50% methanol-water) into the poor solvent, water. Aggregation was monitored by changes in both fluorescence and light scattering. The rate of aggregation increases with hydrophobicity and concentration of sodium chloride but is only weakly dependent on temperature.
The Role of NWP Filter for the Satellite Based Detection of Cumulonimbus Clouds
Authors: Müller Richard , Haussler Stephane , Jerg Matthias
Published: March 2018

This study is motivated by the great importance of Cbs for aviation safety. The study investigates the role of Numerical Weather Prediction (NWP) filtering for the remote sensing of Cumulonimbus Clouds (Cbs) by implementation of about 30 different experiments, covering Central Europe. These experiments compile different stability filter settings as well as the use of different channels for the InfraRed (IR) brightness temperatures (BT). As stability filters, parameters from Numerical Weather Prediction (NWP) are used. The application of the stability filters restricts the detection of Cbs to regions with a labile atmosphere. Various NWP filter settings are investigated in the experiments. The brightness temperature information results from the infrared (IR) Spinning Enhanced Visible and InfraRed Image (SEVIRI) instrument on-board of the Meteosat Second Generation satellite and enables the detection of very cold and high clouds close to the tropopause. Various satellite channels and BT thresholds are applied in the different experiments. The satellite only approaches (no NWP filtering) result in the detection of Cbs with a relative high probability of detection, but unfortunately combined with a large False Alarm Rate (FAR), leading to a Critical Success Index (CSI) below 60% for the investigated summer period in 2016. The false alarms result from other types of very cold and high clouds. It is shown that the false alarms can be significantly decreased by application of an appropriate NWP stability filter, leading to the increase of CSI to about 70% for 2016. CSI is increased from about 70 to about 75% by application of NWP filtering for the other investigated summer period in 2017. A brief review and reflection of the literature clarify that the function of the NWP filter can not be replaced by MSG IR spectroscopy. Thus, NWP filtering is strongly recommended to increase the quality of satellite based Cb detection. Further, it has been shown that the well established convective available potential energy (CAPE) and the convection index (KO) work well as a stability filter.
Assessment of the Structural Integrity of the Roman Bridge of Alcántara (Spain) Using TLS and GPR
Authors: Pérez Juan , De Sanjosé Blasco José , Atkinson Alan , Del Río Pérez Luis
Published: March 2018

The Roman bridge of Alcántara is the largest in Spain. Its preservation is of the utmost importance and to this end different aspects must be studied. The most prominent is the assessment of its structure, and this is especially important as the bridge remains in use. This paper documents the way the assessment of structural safety was carried out. The assessment methodology of existing structures was applied. The preliminary assessment was based on bibliographic data and non-destructive techniques. The geometric data of the bridge were obtained by Terrestrial Laser Scanning (TLS), which made possible the analysis of its deformations and assessment of its structure. Ground-Penetrating Radar (GPR) was also used with different antennae to work at different depths and spatial resolutions with the aim of analysing structural elements. From the above information, the assessment of structural safety was made using the limit analysis method by applying the historical works carried out on it and those described in the regulation of obligatory compliance in Spain (IAP11), studying the sensitivity of safety to the most relevant parameters. The state of preservation and structural integrity of the bridge is discussed and conclusions are drawn on the areas of greatest risk and the bases for the following assessment phase of preservation of the bridge.
Satellite Rainfall (TRMM 3B42-V7) Performance Assessment and Adjustment over Pahang River Basin, Malaysia
Authors: Mohd Zad Siti , Zulkafli Zed , Muharram Farrah
Published: March 2018

The Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) was the first Earth Science mission dedicated to studying tropical and subtropical rainfall. Up until now, there is still limited knowledge on the accuracy of the version 7 research product TRMM 3B42-V7 despite having the advantage of a high temporal resolution and large spatial coverage over oceans and land. This is particularly the case in tropical regions in Asia. The objective of this study is therefore to analyze the performance of rainfall estimation from TRMM 3B42-V7 (henceforth TRMM) using rain gauge data in Malaysia, specifically from the Pahang river basin as a case study, and using a set of performance indicators/scores. The results suggest that the altitude of the region affects the performances of the scores. Root Mean Squared Error (RMSE) is lower mostly at a higher altitude and mid-altitude. The correlation coefficient (CC) generally shows a positive but weak relationship between the rain gauge measurements and TRMM (0 < CC < 0.4), while the Nash-Sutcliffe Efficiency (NSE) scores are low (NSE < 0.1). The Percent Bias (PBIAS) shows that TRMM tends to overestimate the rainfall measurement by 26.95% on average. The Probability of Detection (POD) and Threat Score (TS) demonstrate that more than half of the pixel-point pairs have values smaller than 0.7. However, the Probability of False Detection (POFD) and False Alarm Rate (FAR) show that most of the pixel-point gauges have values lower than 0.55. The seasonal analysis shows that TRMM overestimates during the wet season and underestimates during the dry season. The bias adjustment shows that Mean Bias Correction (MBC) improved the scores better than Double-Kernel Residual Smoothing (DS) and Residual Inverse Distance Weighting (RIDW). The large errors imply that TRMM may not be suitable for applications in environmental, water resources, and ecological studies without prior correction.
Understanding Temporal and Spatial Distribution of Crop Residue Burning in China from 2003 to 2017 Using MODIS Data
Authors: Zhuang Yan , Li Ruiyuan , Yang Hao , Chen Danlu , Chen Ziyue , Gao Bingbo , He Bin
Published: March 2018

Crop residue burning, which is a convenient approach to process excessive crop straws, has a negative impact on local and regional air quality and soil structures. China, as a major agricultural country with a large population, should take more effective measures to control crop residue burning. In this case, a better understanding of long-term spatio-temporal variations of crop residue burning in China is required. The MODIS products MOD14A1/MYD14A1 were employed in this research. Meanwhile, due to the vast territory of China, we divided the study area into seven regions based on the national administrative divisions to examine crop residue burning in each region, respectively. The temporal analysis of crop residue burning in different regions demonstrates a fluctuated, but generally upward, trend from 2003 to 2017. For monthly variations of crop residue burning in different regions, detected fire spots in June mainly concentrated in Central China (CC), East China (EC), and North China (NC). A majority of detected fire spots in Northeast China (NEC) and Northwest China (NWC) appeared in April and October. For other months, a small number of fire spots were distributed in all regions in a scattered manner. Furthermore, from a spatio-temporal perspective, this research revealed that crop residue burning in NEC was the most active among all regions both in spring and autumn. For summer, EC holds a larger proportion of burning spots than other regions. For winter, the number of burning spots in most regions was close. This research conducts a comprehensive analysis of crop residue burning in China at both a national and regional scale. The methodology and results from this research provide useful reference for better monitoring and controlling crop residue burning in China.
Combining Load and Motor Encoders to Compensate Nonlinear Disturbances for High Precision Tracking Control of Gear-Driven Gimbal
Authors: Tang Tao , Chen Sisi , Huang Xuanlin , Yang Tao , Qi Bo
Published: March 2018

High-performance position control can be improved by the compensation of disturbances for a gear-driven control system. This paper presents a mode-free disturbance observer (DOB) based on sensor-fusion to reduce some errors related disturbances for a gear-driven gimbal. This DOB uses the rate deviation to detect disturbances for implementation of a high-gain compensator. In comparison with the angular position signal the rate deviation between load and motor can exhibits the disturbances exiting in the gear-driven gimbal quickly. Due to high bandwidth of the motor rate closed loop, the inverse model of the plant is not necessary to implement DOB. Besides, this DOB requires neither complex modeling of plant nor the use of additive sensors. Without rate sensors providing angular rate, the rate deviation is easily detected by encoders mounted on the side of motor and load, respectively. Extensive experiments are provided to demonstrate the benefits of the proposed algorithm.
Adjacent Vehicle Number-Triggered Adaptive Transmission for V2V Communications
Authors: Wei Yiqiao , Chen Jingjun , Hwang Seung-Hoon
Published: March 2018

For vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communication, such issues as continuity and reliability still have to be solved. Specifically, it is necessary to consider a more scalable physical layer due to the high-speed mobility of vehicles and the complex channel environment. Adaptive transmission has been adapted in channel-dependent scheduling. However, it has been neglected with regards to the physical topology changes in the vehicle network. In this paper, we propose a physical topology-triggered adaptive transmission scheme which adjusts the data rate between vehicles according to the number of connectable vehicles nearby. Also, we investigate the performance of the proposed method using computer simulations and compare it with the conventional methods. The numerical results show that the proposed method can provide more continuous and reliable data transmission for V2V communications.