bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Fashion Product Classification through Deep Learning and Computer Vision
Authors: Donati Luca , Iotti Eleonora , Mordonini Giulio , Prati Andrea
Published: April 2019

Visual classification of commercial products is a branch of the wider fields of object detection and feature extraction in computer vision, and, in particular, it is an important step in the creative workflow in fashion industries. Automatically classifying garment features makes both designers and data experts aware of their overall production, which is fundamental in order to organize marketing campaigns, avoid duplicates, categorize apparel products for e-commerce purposes, and so on. There are many different techniques for visual classification, ranging from standard image processing to machine learning approaches: this work, made by using and testing the aforementioned approaches in collaboration with Adidas AG™, describes a real-world study aimed at automatically recognizing and classifying logos, stripes, colors, and other features of clothing, solely from final rendering images of their products. Specifically, both deep learning and image processing techniques, such as template matching, were used. The result is a novel system for image recognition and feature extraction that has a high classification accuracy and which is reliable and robust enough to be used by a company like Adidas. This paper shows the main problems and proposed solutions in the development of this system, and the experimental results on the Adidas AG™ dataset.
Graphene Oxide Adsorption Enhanced by Attapulgite to Remove Pb (II) from Aqueous Solution
Authors: Wei Bigui , Cheng Xiabing , Wang Gang , Li Hua , Song Xiaosan , Dai Liang
Published: April 2019

To improve the adsorption and separation efficiency of lead-containing wastewater by graphene oxide (GO), attapulgite (ATP) was used through a simple hydrothermal reaction. The prepared GO was characterized by SEM, TEM, FTIR, and XPS. The adsorption properties of the prepared GO were investigated. The maximum adsorption capacity of Pb2+ on as-prepared GO at pH 5 and 25 °C was 450.9 mg/g. It is concluded that the as-prepared GO can be used as a high-efficiency adsorbent for lead-containing wastewater.
And Shift! A Review of Approaches That Support Transition from A-Level Art and Design to Fine Art Undergraduate Study
Authors: Thomas Judy
Published: April 2019

The profile of students applying to BA Fine Art undergraduate programs has shifted in the United Kingdom (UK). Until recently the usual academic pathway was to proceed after A-level to a one-year Art Foundation program; this route is increasingly challenged by a sense of urgency to enter university earlier. Students more frequently enter straight from school. To accommodate the recruitment of younger applicants there are significant implications for Higher Education Fine Art pedagogy. This article reports on some of the approaches implemented at Northumbria University to support positive transition and learning within the BA Fine Art program. Using the Year 1–Level 4 Fine Art as a case study this reflects on how one university fine arts team has responded to the challenge of induction.
Cyclohexene Oxidation with H2O2 over Metal-Organic Framework MIL-125(Ti): The Effect of Protons on Reactivity
Authors: Maksimchuk Nataliya , Lee Ji Sun , Ayupov Artem , Chang Jong-San , Kholdeeva Oxana
Published: April 2019

The catalytic performance of the titanium-based metal–organic framework MIL-125 was evaluated in the selective oxidation of cyclohexene (CyH) with environmentally friendly oxidants, H2O2 and tBuOOH. The catalytic activity of MIL-125 as well as the oxidant utilization efficiency and selectivity toward epoxide and epoxide-derived products can be greatly improved by acid additives (HClO4 or CF3SO3H). In the presence of 1 molar equivalent (relative to Ti) of a proton source, the total selectivity toward CyH epoxide and trans-cyclohexane-1,2-diol reached 75–80% at 38–43% alkene conversion after 45 min of reaction with 1 equivalent of 30% H2O2 at 50 °C. With 50% H2O2 as the oxidant, the total selectivity toward heterolytic oxidation products increased up to 92% at the same level of alkene conversion. N2 adsorption, powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), and infrared (IR) spectroscopy studies before and after the catalytic oxidations confirmed the absence of structural changes in the Metal–organic framework (MOF) structure. MIL-125 was stable toward titanium leaching, behaved as a truly heterogeneous catalyst, and could easily be recovered and reused several times without any loss of the catalytic properties.
Hybrid Catalysts for CO2 Conversion into Cyclic Carbonates
Authors: Calabrese Carla , Giacalone Francesco , Aprile Carmela
Published: April 2019

The conversion of carbon dioxide into valuable chemicals such as cyclic carbonates is an appealing topic for the scientific community due to the possibility of valorizing waste into an inexpensive, available, nontoxic, and renewable carbon feedstock. In this regard, last-generation heterogeneous catalysts are of great interest owing to their high catalytic activity, robustness, and easy recovery and recycling. In the present review, recent advances on CO2 cycloaddition to epoxide mediated by hybrid catalysts through organometallic or organo-catalytic species supported onto silica-, nanocarbon-, and metal–organic framework (MOF)-based heterogeneous materials, are highlighted and discussed.
Synthesis and Organocatalytic Asymmetric Nitro-aldol Initiated Cascade Reactions of 2-Acylbenzonitriles Leading to 3,3-Disubstituted Isoindolinones
Authors: Romano Fabio , Di Mola Antonia , Palombi Laura , Tiffner Maximilian , Waser Mario , Massa Antonio
Published: April 2019

In this work, we investigated two strategies for the synthesis of the challenging ketones 2-acylbenzonitriles and we report their use as electrophiles in asymmetric organocatalytic cascade reactions with nitromethane. Promising results were obtained in the presence of chiral bifunctional ammonium salts under phase transfer conditions, which led to novel 3,3-disubstituted isoindolinones in quantitative yields and moderate enantioselectivity.
Enhanced Shadow Retargeting with Light-Source Estimation Using Flat Fresnel Lenses
Authors: Casas Cambra Llogari , Fauconneau Matthias , Kosek Maggie , Mclister Kieran , Mitchell Kenny
Published: April 2019

Shadow-retargeting maps depict the appearance of real shadows to virtual shadows given corresponding deformation of scene geometry, such that appearance is seamlessly maintained. By performing virtual shadow reconstruction from unoccluded real-shadow samples observed in the camera frame, this method efficiently recovers deformed shadow appearance. In this manuscript, we introduce a light-estimation approach that enables light-source detection using flat Fresnel lenses that allow this method to work without a set of pre-established conditions. We extend the adeptness of this approach by handling scenarios with multiple receiver surfaces and a non-grounded occluder with high accuracy. Results are presented on a range of objects, deformations, and illumination conditions in real-time Augmented Reality (AR) on a mobile device. We demonstrate the practical application of the method in generating otherwise laborious in-betweening frames for 3D printed stop-motion animation.
Accuracy of Computer-Assisted Template-Based Implant Placement Using Two Different Surgical Templates Designed with or without Metallic Sleeves: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Tallarico Marco , Martinolli Matteo , Kim Yong-Jin , Cocchi Fabio , Meloni Silvio Mario , Alushi Adem , Xhanari Erta
Published: April 2019

Purpose: To compare virtual planning accuracy of novel computer-assisted, template-based implant placement techniques, which make use of CAD/CAM stereolithographic surgical templates with or without metallic sleeves. Furthermore, to compare open versus closed sleeves for templates without metallic sleeves. Materials and methods: Any partially edentulous patients requiring at least one implant to be placed according to a computer-assisted template-based protocol were enrolled. Patients were randomized according to a parallel group design into two arms: Surgical template with or without metallic sleeves. Three deviation parameters (angular, horizontal, vertical) were defined to evaluate the discrepancy between the planned and placed implant positions. Results: No implants failed, and no complications were experienced. Forty-one implants were placed using surgical templates with metallic sleeves while 49 implants were placed with a surgical template without metallic sleeves. Of these, 16 implants were placed through open sleeves and 33 through closed sleeves. There was a statistically significant difference in angle (p = 0.0212) and in the vertical plan (p = 0.0073) with lower values for implants placed with a surgical template without metallic sleeves. In the test group, close sleeves were more accurate compared with open sleeves in angle (p = 0.0268) and in horizontal plan (p = 0.0477). Conclusion: With the limitations of the present study, surgical templates without metallic sleeves were more accurate in the vertical plan and angle compared to the conventional template with metallic sleeves. Open sleeves should be used with caution in the molar region only in case of reduced interarch space. Further research is needed to confirm these preliminary results.
An Integrated Approach Based on Swarm Decomposition, Morphology Envelope Dispersion Entropy, and Random Forest for Multi-Fault Recognition of Rolling Bearing
Authors: Wan Shuting , Peng Bo
Published: April 2019

Aiming at the problem that the weak faults of rolling bearing are difficult to recognize accurately, an approach on the basis of swarm decomposition (SWD), morphology envelope dispersion entropy (MEDE), and random forest (RF) is proposed to realize effective detection and intelligent recognition of weak faults in rolling bearings. The proposed approach is based on the idea of signal denoising, feature extraction and pattern classification. Firstly, the raw signal is divided into a group of oscillatory components through SWD algorithm. The first component has the richest fault information and perceived as the principal oscillatory component (POC). Secondly, the MEDE value of the POC is calculated and used to describe the characteristics of signal. Ultimately, the obtained MEDE values of various states are trained and recognized by being input as the feature vectors into the RF classifier to achieve the automatic identification of rolling bearing fault under different operation states. The dataset of Case Western Reserve University is conducted, the proposed approach achieves recognition accuracy rate of 100%. In summary, the proposed approach is efficient and robust, which can be used as a supplement to the rolling bearing fault diagnosis methods.
Modern Text Hiding, Text Steganalysis, and Applications: A Comparative Analysis
Authors: Taleby Ahvanooey Milad , Li Qianmu , Hou Jun , Rajput Ahmed Raza , Chen Yini
Published: April 2019

Modern text hiding is an intelligent programming technique which embeds a secret message/watermark into a cover text message/file in a hidden way to protect confidential information. Recently, text hiding in the form of watermarking and steganography has found broad applications in, for instance, covert communication, copyright protection, content authentication, etc. In contrast to text hiding, text steganalysis is the process and science of identifying whether a given carrier text file/message has hidden information in it, and, if possible, extracting/detecting the embedded hidden information. This paper presents an overview of state of the art of the text hiding area, and provides a comparative analysis of recent techniques, especially those focused on marking structural characteristics of digital text message/file to hide secret bits. Also, we discuss different types of attacks and their effects to highlight the pros and cons of the recently introduced approaches. Finally, we recommend some directions and guidelines for future works.
A Systematic Review Exploring the Differences in Reported Data for Pre-College Educational Activities for Computer Science, Engineering, and Other STEM Disciplines
Authors: Decker Adrienne , McGill Monica M.
Published: April 2019

There has been considerable investment in pre-college educational interventions for all areas of STEM (including computer science). The goal of many of these initiatives is to engage and interest students early in their educational career. In this study, a systematic literature review was undertaken to determine the demographic and program data collected and reported for the field of computing education and for other STEM disciplines for activities that were not designed as part of the formal in-class curriculum (e.g., outreach activities). A comparison-contrast analysis of the resulting 342 articles found similarities and key differences in the reporting of this data as well as overarching characteristics of missing or incomplete reporting across disciplines. Authors from both fields reported equally well in the four categories studied: information about evaluation, participant gender, participant race and/or ethnicity, and activity demographics. However, the computing education articles were more likely to have clearly stated research questions and comparative analysis based on demographic characteristics. They were less likely to include the number of participants in the study, participant age/grade level, socioeconomic status, disability information, location of intervention, and instructor demographics. Through this analysis, it was determined that reporting can be improved across all disciplines to improve the quantity of data needed to replicate studies and to provide complete data sets that provide for the comparison of collected data.
A Novel Finite-Control-Set Model Predictive Directive Torque Control Strategy of Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motor with Extended Output
Authors: Du Mingxing , Tian Ye , Wang Wenbai , Ouyang Ziwei , Wei Kexin
Published: April 2019

The performance of conventional direct torque control strategy from the viewpoint of flux and torque ripples has been unsatisfactory. Therefore, this study aims to propose a novel finite-control-set model predictive direct torque control strategy with extended output based on two-step prediction. An appropriate pre-selected vector, which is modulated in a specific manner, is selected through a look-up table and then used to optimise the pre-selected voltage vector based on the computing result from the model prediction and output it. The proposed strategy extends the range of the vectors that can be used to enhance the flux and torque control performance and reduce ripples and computational complexity in comparison with the conventional finite-control-set model predictive direct torque control. The feasibility of the proposed method is verified by conducting a verification test using dSPACE and Tyhpoon HIL 402 experimental platform.
Writer Identification Using Handwritten Cursive Texts and Single Character Words
Authors: Kutzner Tobias , Pazmiño-Zapatier Carlos F. , Gebhard Matthias , Bönninger Ingrid , Plath Wolf-Dietrich , Travieso Carlos M.
Published: April 2019

One of the biometric methods in authentication systems is the writer verification/identification using password handwriting. The main objective of this paper is to present a robust writer verification system by using cursive texts as well as block letter words. To evaluate the system, two datasets have been used. One of them is called Secure Password DB 150, which is composed of 150 users with 18 samples of single character words per user. Another dataset is public and called IAM online handwriting database, and it is composed of 220 users of cursive text samples. Each sample has been defined by a set of features, composed of 67 geometrical, statistical, and temporal features. In order to get more discriminative information, two feature reduction methods have been applied, Fisher Score and Info Gain Attribute Evaluation. Finally, the classification system has been implemented by hold-out cross validation and k-folds cross validation strategies for three different classifiers, K-NN, Naïve Bayes and Bayes Net classifiers. Besides, it has been applied for verification and identification approaches. The best results of 95.38% correct classification are achieved by using the k-nearest neighbor classifier for single character DB. A feature reduction by Info Gain Attribute Evaluation improves the results for Naïve Bayes Classifier to 98.34% for IAM online handwriting DB. It is concluded that the set of features and its reduction are a strong selection for the based-password handwritten writer identification in comparison with the state-of-the-art.
A Fractional-Order Kinetic Battery Model of Lithium-Ion Batteries Considering a Nonlinear Capacity
Authors: Zhang Qi , Li Yan , Shang Yunlong , Duan Bin , Cui Naxin , Zhang Chenghui
Published: April 2019

Accurate battery models are integral to the battery management system and safe operation of electric vehicles. Few investigations have been conducted on the influence of current rate (C-rate) on the available capacity of the battery, for example, the kinetic battery model (KiBaM). However, the nonlinear characteristics of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) are closer to a fractional-order dynamic system because of their electrochemical materials and properties. The application of fractional-order models to represent physical systems is timely and interesting. In this paper, a novel fractional-order KiBaM (FO-KiBaM) is proposed. The available capacity of a ternary LIB module is tested at different C-rates, and its parameter identifications are achieved by the experimental data. The results showed that the estimated errors of available capacity in the proposed FO-KiBaM were low over a wide applied current range, specifically, the mean absolute error was only 1.91%.
Improving Anaerobic Digestion of Sewage Sludge by Hydrogen Addition: Analysis of Microbial Populations and Process Performance
Authors: Martínez Elia Judith , Sotres Ana , Arenas Cristián B. , Blanco Daniel , Martínez Olegario , Gómez Xiomar
Published: April 2019

The effect of hydrogen pulse addition on digestion performance of sewage sludge was evaluated as a means for studying the increase in efficiency of methane production. Microbial communities were also evaluated to get an insight of the changes caused by the operational modifications of the digester. An energy evaluation of this alternative was performed considering the theoretical process of coupling bioelectrochemical systems (BES) for the treatment of wastewater along with hydrogen production and the subsequent anaerobic digestion. The addition of hydrogen to sewage sludge digestion resulted in an increase of 12% in biogas production over the control (1353 mL CH4 d−1 at an injection flow rate of 1938 mL H2 d−1). The liquid phase of the sludge reactor and the H2 supplemented one did not show significant differences, thus indicating that the application of hydrogen as the co-substrate was not detrimental. High-throughput sequencing analysis showed slight changes in archaeal relative abundance after hydrogen addition, whereas eubacterial community structure and composition revealed noteworthy shifts. The mass and energy balance indicated that the amount of hydrogen obtained from a hypothetical BES can be assimilated in the sludge digester, improving biogas production, but this configuration was not capable of covering all energy needs under the proposed scenario.
Assessment of the Energy Potential of Chicken Manure in Poland
Authors: Tańczuk Mariusz , Junga Robert , Kolasa-Więcek Alicja , Niemiec Patrycja
Published: April 2019

Animal waste, including chicken manure, is a category of biomass considered for application in the energy industry. Poland is leading poultry producer in Europe, with a chicken population assessed at over 176 million animals. This paper aims to determine the theoretical and technical energy potential of chicken manure in Poland. The volume of chicken manure was assessed as 4.49 million tons per year considering three particular poultry rearing systems. The physicochemical properties of examined manure specimens indicate considerable conformity with the data reported in the literature. The results of proximate and ultimate analyses confirm a considerable effect of the rearing system on the energy parameters of the manure. The heating value of the chicken manure was calculated for the high moisture material in the condition as received from the farms. The value of annual theoretical energy potential in Poland was found to be equal to around 40.38 PJ. Annual technical potential of chicken biomass determined for four different energy conversion paths occurred significantly smaller then theoretical and has the value from 9.01 PJ to 27.3 PJ. The bigger energy degradation was found for heat and electricity production via anaerobic digestion path, while fluidized bed combustion occurred the most efficient scenario.
Wake Management in Wind Farms: An Adaptive Control Approach
Authors: Dhiman Harsh S. , Deb Dipankar , Muresan Vlad , Balas Valentina E.
Published: April 2019

Advanced wind measuring systems like Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) is useful for wake management in wind farms. However, due to uncertainty in estimating the parameters involved, adaptive control of wake center is needed for a wind farm layout. LiDAR is used to track the wake center trajectory so as to perform wake control simulations, and the estimated effective wind speed is used to model wind farms in the form of transfer functions. A wake management strategy is proposed for multi-wind turbine system where the effect of upstream turbines is modeled in form of effective wind speed deficit on a downstream wind turbine. The uncertainties in the wake center model are handled by an adaptive PI controller which steers wake center to desired value. Yaw angle of upstream wind turbines is varied in order to redirect the wake and several performance parameters such as effective wind speed, velocity deficit and effective turbulence are evaluated for an effective assessment of the approach. The major contributions of this manuscript include transfer function based methodology where the wake center is estimated and controlled using LiDAR simulations at the downwind turbine and are validated for a 2-turbine and 5-turbine wind farm layouts.
Multi-Period Observation Clustering for Tariff Definition in a Weekly Basis Remuneration of Demand Response
Authors: Silva Cátia , Faria Pedro , Vale Zita
Published: April 2019

Distributed energy resources can improve the operation of power systems, improving economic and technical efficiency. Aggregation of small size resources, which exist in large number but with low individual capacity, is needed to make these resources’ use more efficient. In the present paper, a methodology for distributed resources management by an aggregator is proposed, which includes the resources scheduling, aggregation and remuneration. The aggregation, made using a k-means algorithm, is applied to different approaches concerning the definition of tariffs for the period of a week. Different consumer types are remunerated according to time-of-use tariffs existing in Portugal. Resources aggregation and remuneration profiles are obtained for over 20.000 consumers and 500 distributed generation units. The main goal of this paper is to understand how the aggregation phase, or the way that is performed, influences the final remuneration of the resources associated with Virtual Power Player (VPP). In order to fulfill the proposed objective, the authors carried out studies for different time frames (week days, week-end, whole week) and also analyzed the effect of the formation of the remuneration tariff by considering a mix of fixed and indexed tariff. The optimum number of clusters is calculated in order to determine the best number of DR programs to be implemented by the VPP.
An Augmented Prony Method for Power System Oscillation Analysis Using Synchrophasor Data
Authors: Khodadadi Arpanahi Moossa , Kordi Meysam , Torkzadeh Roozbeh , Haes Alhelou Hassan , Siano Pierluigi
Published: April 2019

Intrinsic mode functions (IMFs) provide an intuitive representation of the oscillatory modes and are mainly calculated using Hilbert–Huang transform (HHT) methods. Those methods, however, suffer from the end effects, mode-mixing and Gibbs phenomena since they use an iterative procedure. This paper proposes an augmented Prony method for power system oscillation analysis using synchrophasor data obtained from a wide-area measurement system (WAMS). In the proposed method, in addition to the estimation of the modal information, IMFs are extracted using a new explicit mathematical formulation. Further, an indicator based on an energy and phase relationship of IMFs is proposed, which allows system operators to recognize the most effective generators/actuators on specific modes. The method is employed as an online oscillation-monitoring framework providing inputs for the so-called wide-area damping control (WADC) module. The efficacy of the proposed method is validated using three test cases, in which the IMFs calculation is simpler and more accurate if compared with other methods.
Exploring the Associations Between Urban Form and Neighborhood Vibrancy: A Case Study of Chengdu, China
Authors: Lu Shiwei , Huang Yaping , Shi Chaoyang , Yang Xiping
Published: April 2019

The design and optimization of urban form has always been a hot topic in urban planning and development research. Besides, the creation of continuous vitality in urban areas is of critical importance in the development of urbanization. However, due to the lack of data, it is difficult to measure the effects of urban form on neighborhood vibrancy. Additionally, no uniform conclusion has been drawn regarding to what degree urban form can contribute to neighborhood vibrancy. Taking advantage of emerging new data sources, the depth and breadth of related research can now be improved. Therefore, this paper uses high-precision positioning social media check-in data to approximate the vibrancy of 658 neighborhoods, and uses a geographical information system (GIS) to quantitatively measure the urban form indicators in the central area of Chengdu City, China. A quantitative exploration and analysis of the relationships between neighborhood vibrancy and urban form is conducted. The results of three regression models considering different explanatory variables show that socio-economic factors account for approximately 23% of neighborhood vibrancy. In addition, the correlation between the shape characteristics of a neighborhood and the vibrancy is weak. However, when the inner urban form indicators of neighborhoods are introduced into the regression model, the goodness of fit (R2) is nearly doubled. This finding indicates that strong associations exist between urban form and neighborhood vibrancy. Specifically, building density and functional diversity are positively correlated with neighborhood vibrancy. Unlike existing studies, this study finds that the road network within the neighborhood plays a positive role in the creation of neighborhood vibrancy. However, the impact of a road density indicator is not as powerful as the impacts of building density and functional diversity. This research can help urban designers to better design urban environments.
Enhanced Drone Navigation in GNSS Denied Environment Using VDM and Hall Effect Sensor
Authors: Zahran Shady , Moussa Adel , El-Sheimy Naser
Published: April 2019

The last decade has witnessed a wide spread of small drones in many civil and military applications. With the massive advancement in the manufacture of small and lightweight Inertial Navigation System (INS), navigation in challenging environments became feasible. Navigation of these small drones mainly depends on the integration of Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) and INS. However, the navigation performance of these small drones deteriorates quickly when the GNSS signals are lost, due to accumulated errors of the low-cost INS that is typically used in these drones. During GNSS signal outages, another aiding sensor is required to bound the drift exhibited by the INS. Before adding any additional sensor on-board the drones, there are some limitations that must be taken into considerations. These limitations include limited availability of power, space, weight, and size. This paper presents a novel unconventional method, to enhance the navigation of autonomous drones in GNSS denied environment, through a new utilization of hall effect sensor to act as flying odometer “Air-Odo” and vehicle dynamic model (VDM) for heading estimation. The proposed approach enhances the navigational solution by estimating the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) velocity, and heading and fusing these measurements in the Extended Kalman Filter (EKF) of the integrated system.
Method of Selecting a Decontamination Site Deployment for Chemical Accident Consequences Elimination: Application of Multi-Criterial Analysis
Authors: Talhofer Václav , Hošková-Mayerová Šárka
Published: April 2019

Multi-criterial analysis under the current use of digital geographic data is a quite common method used to evaluate the influence of the geographic environment on a planned or ongoing activity. The advantage of this method is a possibility of complex evaluation of all influences as well as a possibility to observe how the individual influences manifest in the final result. Its critical moment is establishing the structure of individual factors that influence the given activity, setting their weights and, subsequently, a choice of a suitable user function. The article provides guidelines how to set the individual decision-making criteria including setting their weights, and the application of the resulting user function in GIS environment with regards to the problem solved. Furthermore, the influence of change in weights of criteria on the complete result of the analysis is discussed. This article documents detailed studies that show how the results of solutions can differ in the same analytical task based on change in the weights of individual criteria. These studies are documented on a model example of a chosen suitable place for the deployment of decontamination center. Finally, the article describes possibilities of further development of the model solution, with the aim to make it a verified tool that may be implemented in the systems of command in Fire Rescue Service units and Chemical Troops units of the Czech Army.
PD-L1 Expression in Systemic Immune Cell Populations as a Potential Predictive Biomarker of Responses to PD-L1/PD-1 Blockade Therapy in Lung Cancer
Authors: Bocanegra Ana , Fernandez-Hinojal Gonzalo , Zuazo-Ibarra Miren , Arasanz Hugo , Garcia-Granda Maria Jesus , Hernandez Carlos , Ibañez Maria , Hernandez-Marin Berta , Martinez-Aguillo Maite , Lecumberri Maria Jose , Fernandez de Lascoiti Angela , Teijeira Lucia , Morilla Idoia , Vera Ruth , Escors David , Kochan Grazyna
Published: April 2019

PD-L1 tumor expression is a widely used biomarker for patient stratification in PD-L1/PD-1 blockade anticancer therapies, particularly for lung cancer. However, the reliability of this marker is still under debate. Moreover, PD-L1 is widely expressed by many immune cell types, and little is known on the relevance of systemic PD-L1+ cells for responses to immune checkpoint blockade. We present two clinical cases of patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and PD-L1-negative tumors treated with atezolizumab that showed either objective responses or progression. These patients showed major differences in the distribution of PD-L1 expression within systemic immune cells. Based on these results, an exploratory study was carried out with 32 cases of NSCLC patients undergoing PD-L1/PD-1 blockade therapies, to compare PD-L1 expression profiles and their relationships with clinical outcomes. Significant differences in the percentage of PD-L1+ CD11b+ myeloid cell populations were found between objective responders and non-responders. Patients with percentages of PD-L1+ CD11b+ cells above 30% before the start of immunotherapy showed response rates of 50%, and 70% when combined with memory CD4 T cell profiling. These findings indicate that quantification of systemic PD-L1+ myeloid cell subsets could provide a simple biomarker for patient stratification, even if biopsies are scored as PD-L1 null.
Age-Associated Changes in the Immune System and Blood–Brain Barrier Functions
Authors: Erickson Michelle A. , Banks William A.
Published: April 2019

Age is associated with altered immune functions that may affect the brain. Brain barriers, including the blood–brain barrier (BBB) and blood–CSF barrier (BCSFB), are important interfaces for neuroimmune communication, and are affected by aging. In this review, we explore novel mechanisms by which the aging immune system alters central nervous system functions and neuroimmune responses, with a focus on brain barriers. Specific emphasis will be on recent works that have identified novel mechanisms by which BBB/BCSFB functions change with age, interactions of the BBB with age-associated immune factors, and contributions of the BBB to age-associated neurological disorders. Understanding how age alters BBB functions and responses to pathological insults could provide important insight on the role of the BBB in the progression of cognitive decline and neurodegenerative disease.
Endogenous and Exogenous Modulation of Nrf2 Mediated Oxidative Stress Response in Bovine Granulosa Cells: Potential Implication for Ovarian Function
Authors: Khadrawy Omar , Gebremedhn Samuel , Salilew-Wondim Dessie , Taqi Mohamed Omar , Neuhoff Christiane , Tholen Ernst , Hoelker Michael , Schellander Karl , Tesfaye Dawit
Published: April 2019

Nrf2 is a redox sensitive transcription factor regulating the expression of antioxidant genes as defense mechanism against various stressors. The aim of this study is to investigate the potential role of noncoding miRNAs as endogenous and quercetin as exogenous regulators of Nrf2 pathway in bovine granulosa cells. For this cultured granulosa cells were used for modulation of miRNAs (miR-28, 153 and miR-708) targeting the bovine Nrf2 and supplementation of quercentin to investigate the regulatory mechanisms of the Nrf2 antioxidant system. Moreover, cultured cells were treated with hydrogen peroxide to induce oxidative stress in those cells. Our results showed that, oxidative stress activated the expression of Nrf2 as a defense mechanism, while suppressing the expression of those miRNAs. Overexpression of those miRNAs resulted in downregulation of Nrf2 expression resulted in higher ROS accumulation, reduced mitochondrial activity and cellular proliferation. Quercetin supplementation showed its protective role against oxidative stress induced by H2O2 by inducing the expression of antioxidant enzymes. In conclusion, this study highlighted the involvement of miR-153, miR-28 and miR-708 in regulatory network of Nrf2 mediated antioxidant system in bovine granulosa cells function. Furthermore, quercetin at a low dose played a protective role in bovine granulosa cells against oxidative stress damage.
Diversity, Daily Activity Patterns, and Pollination Effectiveness of the Insects Visiting Camellia osmantha, C. vietnamensis, and C. oleifera in South China
Authors: Wei Wei , Wu Haipan , Li Xueyuan , Wei Xing , Lu Wen , Zheng Xialin
Published: April 2019

Camellia spp., which are self-incompatible plants, are some of the most important woody species producing edible oil in Southeast Asian countries. However, the demand for camellia oil currently exceeds the supply due to low product yields that have resulted from a decrease in pollination services. Although Camellia osmantha, C. vietnamensis, and C. oleifera are cultivated in South China, little is known about the correspondence between pollinator abundance and pollinator services for this plant genus. In this study, the diversity, daily activity patterns, and pollination effectiveness of insects visiting C. osmantha, C. vietnamensis and C. oleifera were investigated. A total of 24 species, belonging to four orders and 11 families, of visiting insects were identified. Apis cerana cerana Fabricius, Vespa bicolor Fabricius, V. velutina Lepeletier, V. ducalis Smith, and Phytomia zonata Fabricius were the dominant pollinators. The daily activity peaks of the five visiting insects were between 10:00 and 14:00, which may have been related to the pattern of floral resource production (particularly nectar). Cross-pollination by insects significantly increased the fruit production rates of C. osmantha, C. vietnamensis, and C. oleifera. Therefore, the wild bees and flies that pollinate wild and cultivated Camellia plants should be protected in South China.
Diffusely Increased 18F-FDG Uptake in the Thyroid Gland and Risk of Thyroid Dysfunction: A Cohort Study
Authors: Kim Young Hwan , Chang Yoosoo , Kim Yejin , Kim Soo Jeong , Rhee Eun-Jung , Kwon Hyemi , Ahn Jiin , Ryu Seungho
Published: April 2019

The impact of incidentally identified diffuse thyroid FDG uptake on 18F-FDG PET/CT scan on the incidence of thyroid dysfunction remains unclear. We examined the association of diffuse thyroid FDG uptake with the development of thyroid dysfunction. This cohort study involved 39,098 Korean adults who were free of malignancy and thyroid disease at baseline and underwent regular health checkup examinations including an 18F-FDG whole body PET/CT scan, thyroid-stimulating hormone and free thyroxine. The participants were annually or biennially followed for up to 5 years. A parametric proportional hazard model was used to estimate the adjusted hazard ratio (HR) and 95% confidence interval (CI). Diffuse thyroid uptake was positively associated with increased risk of thyroid dysfunction in both the cross-sectional and cohort studies. During 104,261.4 person-years of follow-up, 102 incident hypothyroidism cases and 172 hyperthyroidism cases were identified. Multivariable-adjusted HR (95% CI) for incident hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism comparing diffuse thyroid uptake to no uptake were 15.72 (9.23–26.77) and 7.38 (4.23–12.87), respectively. In this large cohort, incidentally, identified diffuse thyroid uptake on 18F-FDG PET/CT was associated with increased risk of both prevalent and incident thyroid dysfunction. Therefore, baseline and follow-up evaluations in individuals with diffuse thyroid uptake may help identify individuals with thyroid dysfunction.
Microbiome of the Skin and Gut in Atopic Dermatitis (AD): Understanding the Pathophysiology and Finding Novel Management Strategies
Authors: Kim Jung Eun , Kim Hei Sung
Published: April 2019

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a long-standing inflammatory skin disease that is highly prevalent worldwide. Multiple factors contribute to AD, with genetics as well as the environment affecting disease development. Although AD shows signs of skin barrier defect and immunological deviation, the mechanism underlying AD is not well understood, and AD treatment is often very difficult. There is substantial data that AD patients have a disturbed microbial composition and lack microbial diversity in their skin and gut compared to controls, which contributes to disease onset and atopic march. It is not clear whether microbial change in AD is an outcome of barrier defect or the cause of barrier dysfunction and inflammation. However, a cross-talk between commensals and the immune system is now noticed, and their alteration is believed to affect the maturation of innate and adaptive immunity during early life. The novel concept of modifying skin and gut microbiome by applying moisturizers that contain nonpathogenic biomass or probiotic supplementation during early years may be a preventive and therapeutic option in high risk groups, but currently lacks evidence. This review discusses the nature of the skin and gut flora in AD, possible mechanisms of skin–gut interaction, and the therapeutic implications of microbiome correction in AD.
K Index is a Reliable Marker of Intrathecal Synthesis, and an Alternative to IgG Index in Multiple Sclerosis Diagnostic Work-Up
Authors: Crespi Ilaria , Vecchio Domizia , Serino Roberto , Saliva Elena , Virgilio Eleonora , Sulas Maria Giovanna , Bellomo Giorgio , Dianzani Umberto , Cantello Roberto , Comi Cristoforo
Published: April 2019

The K free light chain (K) index has been suggested as a reliable marker of intrathecal synthesis, despite the 2017 McDonald criteria for multiple sclerosis (MS) suggesting to “interpret with caution positive immunoglobulin G (IgG) index when testing for oligoclonal bands (OB) is negative or not performed”. The aim of this study was to compare the performance of K and IgG indexes for MS diagnosis and OB detection in a cohort of Italian patients. We enrolled 385 patients (127 MS, 258 non-MS) who had cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis, including isoelectric focusing (IEF), to detect OB in the diagnostic work-up. Albumin, IgG and free light chains were measured by nephelometry and used to calculate IgG and K indexes. Although the two markers were highly related (r = 0.75, r2 = 0.55, p < 0.0001), the K index showed greater sensitivity and negative predictive value (versus the IgG index) for OB detection (97% versus 48% and 97% versus 71%) and MS diagnosis (96% versus 50% and 98% versus 78%). These results support K index (and not IgG index) as a first-line marker for MS, followed by IEF, according to a sequential testing approach in CSF analysis.
Injectable Hydrogels Based on Pluronic/Water Systems Filled with Alginate Microparticles for Biomedical Applications
Authors: Cidade M. T. , Ramos D. J. , Santos J. , Carrelo H. , Calero N. , Borges J. P.
Published: April 2019

A (model) composite system for drug delivery was developed based on a thermoresponsive hydrogel loaded with microparticles. We used Pluronic F127 hydrogel as the continuous phase and alginate microparticles as the dispersed phase of this composite system. It is well known that Pluronic F127 forms a gel when added to water in an appropriate concentration and in a certain temperature range. Pluronic F127 hydrogel may be loaded with drug and injected, in its sol state, to act as a drug delivery system in physiological environment. A rheological characterization allowed the most appropriate concentration of Pluronic F127 (15.5 wt%) and appropriate alginate microparticles contents (5 and 10 wt%) to be determined. Methylene blue (MB) was used as model drug to perform drug release studies in MB loaded Pluronic hydrogel and in MB loaded alginate microparticles/Pluronic hydrogel composite system. The latter showed a significantly slower MB release than the former (10 times), suggesting its potential in the development of dual cargo release systems either for drug delivery or tissue engineering.
Characterization of the Mixing Flow Structure of Molten Steel in a Single Snorkel Vacuum Refining Furnace
Authors: Qi Fengsheng , Liu Jinxin , Liu Zhongqiu , Cheung Sherman C. P. , Li Baokuan
Published: April 2019

With the demand of high-quality steel and miniaturization of the special steel production, single snorkel vacuum refining process has been widely concerned in China recently, because of its simple structure and good performance of degassing and decarburization. In this study, a water model experimental system and a three-dimensional mathematical model based on two-fluid multiphase flow model have been built to analyze the refining efficiency limitation of the single snorkel vacuum refining furnace from the flow pattern and gas distribution. The results showed that there is a limited gas flow rate, and beyond this flow rate the gas column deviates to the wall and the redundant bubbles escape from the free surface, which will not further improve the refining efficiency and will lead to the erosion of the snorkel. In this case, the limited flow rate is 900 NL/h. Furthermore, the fluctuation of the free surface and the different structural parameters have significant effects on the flow field in single-snorkel vacuum refining furnace (SSF).
Enzyme Inhibitory Potential of Ligustrum lucidum Aiton Berries
Authors: Paula Vanessa , Delgado Teresa , Campos Maria , Anjos Ofélia , Estevinho Leticia
Published: April 2019

Ligustrum lucidum Aiton and its berries have been used in Chinese traditional medicine for around two thousand years. In the present study, L. lucidium berries harvested in two regions of Portugal were studied. Haemolytic activity and inhibition of oxidative haemolysis as well as the enzyme inhibitory activities (α-amylase enzyme and acetylcholinesterase) were assessed. Results suggest that the different biological activities varied according to the region where samples were collected. Results demonstrated that the sample obtained from region R1 was the most efficient extract for all parameters evaluated, presenting the lowest values of IC50, 10.67 ± 0.46 μg/mL for the inhibition of erythrocyte oxidative haemolysis, 58.28 ± 3.77 μg/mL for the α-amylase enzyme and 67.67 ± 2.10 μg/mL for the acetylcholinesterase inhibition. L. Lucidum berries may be an interesting source of compounds for use in the development of the therapeutic armamentarium for diseases where enzymatic disruption is believed to play a role.
Polyacetylenes from the Roots of Swietenia macrophylla King
Authors: Mi Cheng-Neng , Wang Hao , Chen Hui-Qin , Cai Cai-Hong , Li Shao-Peng , Mei Wen-Li , Dai Hao-Fu
Published: April 2019

A phytochemical investigation of the roots of Swietenia macrophylla led to the isolation of seven polyacetylenes, including five new compounds (1–5) and two known ones (6–7). Their structures were elucidated by extensive spectroscopic analysis and detailed comparison with reported data. All the isolates were tested for their cytotoxicity against the human hepatocellular carcinoma cell line BEL-7402, human myeloid leukemia cell line K562, and human gastric carcinoma cell line SGC-7901. Compounds 1 and 6 showed moderate cytotoxicity against the above three human cancer cell lines with IC50 values ranging from 14.3 to 45.4 μM. Compound 4 displayed cytotoxicity against the K562 and SGC-7901 cancer cell lines with IC50 values of 26.2 ± 0.4 and 21.9 ± 0.3 μM, respectively.
Optimal Ultrasound-Assisted Process Extraction, Characterization, and Functional Product Development from Flaxseed Meal Derived Polysaccharide Gum
Authors: Akhtar Muhammad Nadeem , Mushtaq Zarina , Ahmad Nazir , Khan Muhammad Kamran , Ahmad Muhammad Haseeb , Hussain Abdullah Ijaz , Imran Muhammad
Published: April 2019

Flaxseed (Linum usitatissimum L.) has several health-promoting applications as dietary food ingredient supplementation, owing to presence of high quality of oil, polyunsaturated fatty acids, high dietary fiber and protein contents. The presence of different anti-nutritional components, for example cyanogens (HCN) and tannins in meal, limits its application for food purposes. The study was conducted to observe the effect of ultrasound-assisted extraction on polysaccharide gums (PSG) yield using response surface methodology. The selected variables were sonication temperature (°C), water to meal ratio, sonication amplitude level (%), sonication pH, and sonication time (min). Ultrasound-assisted extraction significantly reduced the anti-nutritional components like HCN and tannins. The extracted PSG yield from partially defatted flaxseed meal (PDFM) samples varied to a minimum of 7.24% to a maximum of 11.04% when extraction temperature (°C) and amplitude level (%) varied from −1 to +1 and keeping all other variables constant at mean value. Physiochemical and functional properties of extracted PSG were studied. Yoghurt with different treatment combinations were prepared by supplementing flaxseed-derived PSG as stabilizer ranging from 0.25% to 1.5%, keeping baseline samples without PSG as control. Functional properties of PSG-supplemented yoghurt such as pH, syneresis, and viscosity were determined to assess the influence of PSG supplementation on yoghurt quality. In the organoleptic behavior of PSG-supplemented yoghurt, no adverse effect on the flavor have been observed, but the textural properties vary significantly among different treatments. Overall, the acceptability of 1% PSG-supplemented yoghurt was significantly higher than other treatments.