bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Autophagic Machinery of Plant Peroxisomes
Authors: Borek Sławomir , Stefaniak Szymon , Śliwiński Jan , Garnczarska Małgorzata , Pietrowska-Borek Małgorzata
Published: September 2019

Peroxisomes are cell organelles that play an important role in plants in many physiological and developmental processes. The plant peroxisomes harbor enzymes of the β-oxidation of fatty acids and the glyoxylate cycle; photorespiration; detoxification of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species; as well as biosynthesis of hormones and signal molecules. The function of peroxisomes in plant cells changes during plant growth and development. They are transformed from organelles involved in storage lipid breakdown during seed germination and seedling growth into leaf peroxisomes involved in photorespiration in green parts of the plant. Additionally, intensive oxidative metabolism of peroxisomes causes damage to their components. Therefore, unnecessary or damaged peroxisomes are degraded by selective autophagy, called pexophagy. This is an important element of the quality control system of peroxisomes in plant cells. Despite the fact that the mechanism of pexophagy has already been described for yeasts and mammals, the molecular mechanisms by which plant cells recognize peroxisomes that will be degraded via pexophagy still remain unclear. It seems that a plant-specific mechanism exists for the selective degradation of peroxisomes. In this review, we describe the physiological role of pexophagy in plant cells and the current hypotheses concerning the mechanism of plant pexophagy.
Cellular Mechanisms of Angiogenesis in Neonatal Rat Models of Retinal Neurodegeneration
Authors: Asano Daiki , Hokazono Masaki , Hirano Shogo , Morita Akane , Nakahara Tsutomu
Published: September 2019

Νeuronal and glial cells play an important role in the development of vasculature in the retina. In this study, we investigated whether re-vascularization occurs in retinal neurodegenerative injury models. To induce retinal injury, N-methyl-D-aspartic acid (NMDA, 200 nmol) or kainic acid (KA, 20 nmol) was injected into the vitreous chamber of the eye on postnatal day (P)7. Morphological changes in retinal neurons and vasculature were assessed on P14, P21, and P35. Prevention of vascular growth and regression of some capillaries were observed on P14 in retinas of NMDA- and KA-treated eyes. However, vascular growth and re-vascularization started on P21, and the retinal vascular network was established by P35 in retinas with neurodegenerative injuries. The re-vascularization was suppressed by a two-day treatment with KRN633, an inhibitor of VEGF receptor tyrosine kinase, on P21 and P22. Astrocytes and Müller cells expressed vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and the distribution pattern of VEGF was almost the same between the control and the NMDA-induced retinal neurodegenerative injury model, except for the difference in the thickness of the inner retinal layer. During re-vascularization, angiogenic sprouts from pre-existing blood vessels were present along the network of fibronectins formed by astrocytes. These results suggest that glial cells contribute to angiogenesis in neonatal rat models of retinal neurodegeneration.
Overexpression of Magnaporthe Oryzae Systemic Defense Trigger 1 (MoSDT1) Confers Improved Rice Blast Resistance in Rice
Authors: Wang Changmi , Li Chunqin , Duan Guihua , Wang Yunfeng , Zhang Yaling , Yang Jing
Published: September 2019

The effector proteins secreted by a pathogen not only promote virulence and infection of the pathogen, but also trigger plant defense response. Therefore, these proteins could be used as important genetic resources for transgenic improvement of plant disease resistance. Magnaporthe oryzae systemic defense trigger 1 (MoSDT1) is an effector protein. In this study, we compared the agronomic traits and blast disease resistance between wild type (WT) and MoSDT1 overexpressing lines in rice. Under control conditions, MoSDT1 transgenic lines increased the number of tillers without affecting kernel morphology. In addition, MoSDT1 transgenic lines conferred improved blast resistance, with significant effects on the activation of callose deposition, reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation and cell death. On the one hand, overexpression of MoSDT1 could delay biotrophy–necrotrophy switch through regulating the expression of biotrophy-associated secreted protein 4 (BAS4) and Magnaporthe oryzaecell death inducing protein 1 (MoCDIP1), and activate plant defense response by regulating the expression of Bsr-d1, MYBS1, WRKY45, peroxidase (POD), heat shock protein 90 (HSP90), allenoxide synthase 2 (AOS2), phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL), pathogenesis-related protein 1a (PR1a) in rice. On the other hand, overexpression of MoSDT1 could increase the accumulation of some defense-related primary metabolites such as two aromatic amino acids (L-tyrosine and L-tryptohan), 1-aminocyclopropane carboxylic acid, which could be converted to ethylene, vanillic acid and L-saccharopine. Taken together, overexpression of MoSDT1 confers improved rice blast resistance in rice, through modulation of callose deposition, ROS accumulation, the expression of defense-related genes, and the accumulation of some primary metabolites.
Improved In Vivo Anti-Tumor and Anti-Metastatic Effect of GnRH-III-Daunorubicin Analogs on Colorectal and Breast Carcinoma Bearing Mice
Authors: Ranđelović Ivan , Schuster Sabine , Kapuvári Bence , Fossati Gianluca , Steinkühler Christian , Mező Gábor , Tóvári József
Published: September 2019

Among various homing devices, gonadotropin-releasing hormone-III (GnRH-III) peptide represents a suitable targeting moiety for drug delivery systems. The anti-tumor activity of the previously developed GnRH-III-[4Lys(Bu),8Lys(Dau=Aoa)] conjugate and the novel synthesized GnRH-III-[2ΔHis,3d-Tic,4Lys(Bu),8Lys(Dau=Aoa)] conjugate, containing the anti-cancer drug daunorubicin, were evaluated. Here, we demonstrate that both GnRH-III-Dau conjugates possess an efficient growth inhibitory effect on more than 20 cancer cell lines, whereby the biological activity is strongly connected to the expression of gonadotropin-releasing hormone receptors (GnRH-R). The novel conjugate showed a higher in vitro anti-proliferative activity and a higher uptake capacity. Moreover, the treatment with GnRH-III-Dau conjugates cause a significant in vivo tumor growth and metastases inhibitory effect in three different orthotopic models, including 4T1 mice and MDA-MB-231 human breast carcinoma, as well as HT-29 human colorectal cancer bearing BALB/s and SCID mice, while toxic side-effects were substantially reduced in comparison to the treatment with the free drug. These findings illustrate that our novel lead compound is a highly promising candidate for targeted tumor therapy in both colon cancer and metastatic breast cancer.
Corticosteroids in Acute Lung Injury: The Dilemma Continues
Authors: Mokra Daniela , Mikolka Pavol , Kosutova Petra , Mokry Juraj
Published: September 2019

Acute lung injury (ALI) represents a serious heterogenous pulmonary disorder with high mortality. Despite improved understanding of the pathophysiology, the efficacy of standard therapies such as lung-protective mechanical ventilation, prone positioning and administration of neuromuscular blocking agents is limited. Recent studies have shown some benefits of corticosteroids (CS). Prolonged use of CS can shorten duration of mechanical ventilation, duration of hospitalization or improve oxygenation, probably because of a wide spectrum of potentially desired actions including anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, pulmonary vasodilator and anti-oedematous effects. However, the results from experimental vs. clinical studies as well as among the clinical trials are often controversial, probably due to differences in the designs of the trials. Thus, before the use of CS in ARDS can be definitively confirmed or refused, the additional studies should be carried on to determine the most appropriate dosing, timing and choice of CS and to analyse the potential risks of CS administration in various groups of patients with ARDS.
SOOCP: A Platform for Data and Analysis of Space Object Optical Characteristic
Authors: Lu Wanjie , Xu Qing , Lan Chaozhen
Published: September 2019

With the advancement of various technologies, the research and application of space object optical characteristic (SOOC), one of the main characteristics of space objects, are faced with new challenges. Current diverse structures of massive SOOC data cannot be stored and retrieved effectively. Moreover, SOOC processing and application platforms are inconvenient to build and deploy, while researchers’ innovative algorithms cannot be applied effectively, thereby limiting the promotion of the research achievements. To provide a scaffolding platform for users with different needs, this paper proposes SOOCP, a SOOC data and analysis service platform based on microservice architecture. Using the hybrid Structured Query Language (SQL)/NoSQL service, the platform provides efficient data storage and retrieval services for users at different levels. For promoting research achievements and reusing existing online services, the proposed heterogeneous function integration service assists researchers and developers in independently integrating algorithmic modules, functional modules, and existing online services to meet high concurrency requests with a unified interface. To evaluate the platform, three research cases with different requirement levels were considered. The results showed that SOOCP performs well by providing various data and function integration services for different levels of demand.
The Evolving Landscape of Biomarkers for Anti-PD-1 or Anti-PD-L1 Therapy
Authors: Tunger Antje , Sommer Ulrich , Wehner Rebekka , Kubasch Anne Sophie , Grimm Marc-Oliver , Bachmann Michael Philipp , Platzbecker Uwe , Bornhäuser Martin , Baretton Gustavo , Schmitz Marc
Published: September 2019

The administration of antibodies blocking the immune checkpoint molecules programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) or programmed cell death 1 ligand 1 (PD-L1) has evolved as a very promising treatment option for cancer patients. PD-1/PD-L1 inhibition has significantly enhanced expansion, cytokine secretion, and cytotoxic activity of CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocytes, resulting in enhanced antitumor responses. Anti-PD-1 or anti-PD-L1 therapy has induced tumor regression and improved clinical outcome in patients with different tumor entities, including melanoma, non-small-cell lung cancer, and renal cell carcinoma. These findings led to the approval of various anti-PD-1 or anti-PD-L1 antibodies for the treatment of tumor patients. However, the majority of patients have failed to respond to this treatment modality. Comprehensive immune monitoring of clinical trials led to the identification of potential biomarkers distinguishing between responders and non-responders, the discovery of modes of treatment resistance, and the design of improved immunotherapeutic strategies. In this review article, we summarize the evolving landscape of biomarkers for anti-PD-1 or anti-PD-L1 therapy.
Diabetic Foot Infection Presenting Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome: A Unique Disorder of Systemic Reaction from Infection of the Most Distal Body
Authors: Lin Cheng-Wei , Hung Shih-Yuan , Huang Chung-Huei , Yeh Jiun-Ting , Huang Yu-Yao
Published: September 2019

Diabetic foot infection (DFI) is a major complication of diabetic foot that lead to nontraumatic lower-extremity amputation (LEA). Such distal infection of the body having systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) is rarely reported. Consecutive patients treated for limb-threatening DFI in a major diabetic foot center in Taiwan were analyzed between the years 2014 to 2017. Clinical factors, laboratory data, perfusion, extent, depth, infection and sensation (PEDIS) wound score in 519 subjects with grade 3 DFI and 203 presenting SIRS (28.1%) were compared. Major LEA and in-hospital mortality were defined as poor prognosis. Patients presenting SIRS had poor prognosis compared with those with grade 3 DFI (14.3% versus 6.6% for major LEA and 6.4% versus 3.5% for in-hospital mortality). Age, wound size, and HbA1c were independent risk factors favoring SIRS presentation. Perfusion grade 3 (odds ratio 3.37, p = 0.044) and history of major adverse cardiac events (OR 2.41, p = 0.036) were the independent factors for poor prognosis in treating patients with DFI presenting SIRS. SIRS when presented in patients with DFI is not only limb- but life-threatening as well. Clinicians should be aware of the clinical factors that are prone to develop and those affecting the prognosis in treating patients with limb-threatening foot infections.
Polymer Brush Friction in Cylindrical Geometries
Authors: van der Weg Karel J. , Ritsema van Eck Guido C. , de Beer Sissi
Published: September 2019

Polymer brushes are outstanding lubricants that can strongly reduce wear and friction between surfaces in sliding motion. In recent decades, many researchers have put great effort in obtaining a clear understanding of the origin of the lubricating performance of these brushes. In particular, molecular dynamics simulations have been a key technique in this scientific journey. They have given us a microscopic interpretation of the tribo-mechanical response of brushes and have led to the prediction of their shear-thinning behavior, which has been shown to agree with experimental observations. However, most studies so far have focused on parallel plate geometries, while the brush-covered surfaces might be highly curved in many applications. Here, we present molecular dynamics simulations that are set up to study the friction for brushes grafted on the exterior of cylinders that are moving inside larger cylinders that bear brushes on their interior. Our simulations show that the density distributions for brushes on the interior or exterior of these cylinders are qualitatively different from the density profiles of brushes on flat surfaces. In agreement with theoretical predictions, we find that brushes on the exterior of cylinders display a more gradual decay, while brushes on the interior of cylinders becomes denser compared to flat substrates. When motion is imposed, the density profiles for cylinder-grafted brushes adapt qualitatively differently to the shear motion than observed for the parallel plate geometry: the zone where brushes overlap moves away from its equilibrium position. Surprisingly, and despite all these differences, we observe that the effective viscosity is independent of the radius of the brush-grafted cylinders. The reason for this is that the viscosity is determined by the overlap between the brushes, which turns out to be insensitive to the exact density profiles. Our results provide a microscopic interpretation of the friction mechanism for polymer brushes in cylindrical geometries and will aid the design of effective lubricants for these systems.
Application of PVDF Organic Particles Coating on Polyethylene Separator for Lithium Ion Batteries
Authors: Wang Yuan , Yin Chuanqiang , Song Zhenglin , Wang Qiulin , Lan Yu , Luo Jinpeng , Bo Liwen , Yue Zhihao , Sun Fugen , Li Xiaomin
Published: September 2019

Surface coating modification on a polyethylene separator serves as a promising way to meet the high requirements of thermal dimensional stability and excellent electrolyte wettability for lithium ion batteries (LIBs). In this paper, we report a new type of surface modified separator by coating polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) organic particles on traditional microporous polyethylene (PE) separators. The PE separator coated by PVDF particles (PE-PVDF separator) has higher porosity (61.4%), better electrolyte wettability (the contact angle to water was 3.28° ± 0.21°) and superior ionic conductivity (1.53 mS/cm) compared with the bare PE separator (51.2%, 111.3° ± 0.12°, 0.55 mS/cm). On one hand, the PVDF organic polymer has excellent organic electrolyte compatibility. On the other hand, the PVDF particles contain sub-micro spheres, of which the separator can possess a large specific surface area to absorb additional electrolyte. As a result, LIBs assembled using the PE-PVDF separator showed better electrochemical performances. For example, the button cell using a PE-PVDF as the separator had a higher capacity retention rate (70.01% capacity retention after 200 cycles at 0.5 C) than the bare PE separator (62.5% capacity retention after 200 cycles at 0.5 C). Moreover, the rate capability of LIBs was greatly improved as well—especially at larger current densities such as 2 C and 5 C.
Microstructure and Tribological Performance of Mesocarbon Microbead–Silicon Carbide Composites
Authors: Wang Xiaojie , Yao Xiumin , Zhang Hui , Liu Xuejian , Huang Zhengren
Published: September 2019

Mesocarbon microbead–silicon carbide (MCMB–SiC) composites with 0–30 wt % MCMBs were prepared by pressureless sintering (PLS) method at 2200 °C in Ar. The microstructure and tribological properties of the prepared composites were investigated. The results show that there was a finer grain size of SiC with the increase in MCMB content because MCMBs hinder the growth of SiC grains. The hardness of the composites decreased with increasing MCMB content, whereas the fracture toughness fluctuated showing a complex trend. The tribological properties of the composites under dry friction conditions were evaluated using the pin-on-disk method against a SiC counterpart. We found that the tribological properties of the samples were influenced by the oxide film or lubricating film that formed during the wear process on wear surfaces. Different wear mechanisms were found to be associated with differing MCMB contents.
Atomistic Simulation on the Twin Boundary Migration in Mg under Shear Deformation
Authors: Song Shichao , Wang Yu , Wang Yang , Wang Xi
Published: September 2019

In this paper, the { 10 1 ¯ 2 } twinning and detwinning was studied by molecular dynamics simulation under different shear directions and strain rates. The results showed that the twin was thickened under [ 1 ¯ 011 ] shear direction and shrunken with shearing in the opposite direction. The critical resolved shear stress of { 10 1 ¯ 2 } twin boundary migration increased with the increase of the strain rate. By analyzing the atom’s displacement, it was concluded that the { 10 1 ¯ 2 } twin migration was achieved by both the shear and the atomic shuffling. Every atom would be affected by the shear, and different shear directions would cause opposite move directions, which led to twinning or detwinning. The atom shuffling was only used for adjusting the glide twin boundary and mirror-symmetric twin boundary structure evolution.
Effects of Sulfated Fucans from Laminaria hyperborea Regarding VEGF Secretion, Cell Viability, and Oxidative Stress and Correlation with Molecular Weight
Authors: Dörschmann Philipp , Kopplin Georg , Roider Johann , Klettner Alexa
Published: September 2019

Background: Sulfated fucans show interesting effects in the treatment of ocular diseases (e.g., age-related macular degeneration), depending on their chemical structure. Here, we compared three purified sulfated fucans from Laminaria hyperborea (LH) regarding cell viability, oxidative stress protection, and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) secretion in ocular cells. Methods: High-molecular-weight sulfated fucan (Mw = 1548.6 kDa, Fuc1) was extracted with warm water and purified through ultrafiltration. Lower-molecular-weight samples (Mw = 499 kDa, Fuc2; 26.9 kDa, Fuc3) were obtained by mild acid hydrolysis of ultrapurified sulfated fucan and analyzed (SEC-MALS (Size-exclusion chromatography-Multi-Angle Light Scattering), ICP-MS, and GC). Concentrations between 1 and 100 µg/mL were tested. Cell viability was measured after 24 h (uveal melanoma cell line (OMM-1), retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cell line ARPE-19, primary RPE cells) via MTT/MTS (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide/3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-5-(3-carboxymethoxyphenyl)-2-(4-sulfophenyl)-2H-tetrazolium) assay. Oxidative stress protection was determined after 24 h (OMM-1, ARPE-19). VEGF secretion was analyzed via ELISA after three days (ARPE-19, RPE). Results: Fuc2 and Fuc3 were antiproliferative for OMM-1, but not for ARPE. Fuc1 protected OMM-1. VEGF secretion was lowered with all fucans except Fuc3 in ARPE-19 and RPE. The results suggest a correlation between molecular weight and biological activity, with efficiency increasing with size. Conclusion: The LH sulfated fucan Fuc1 showed promising results regarding VEGF inhibition and protection, encouraging further medical research.
Mediterranean Native Leguminous Plants: A Reservoir of Endophytic Bacteria with Potential to Enhance Chickpea Growth under Stress Conditions
Authors: Brígido Clarisse , Menéndez Esther , Paço Ana , Glick Bernard R. , Belo Anabela , Félix Maria R. , Oliveira Solange , Carvalho Mário
Published: September 2019

Bacterial endophytes, a subset of a plant’s microbiota, can facilitate plant growth by a number of different mechanisms. The aims of this study were to assess the diversity and functionality of endophytic bacterial strains from internal root tissues of native legume species grown in two distinct sites in South of Portugal and to evaluate their ability to promote plant growth. Here, 122 endophytic bacterial isolates were obtained from 12 different native legume species. Most of these bacteria possess at least one of the plant growth-promoting features tested in vitro, with indole acetic acid production being the most common feature among the isolates followed by the production of siderophores and inorganic phosphate solubilization. The results of in planta experiments revealed that co-inoculation of chickpea plants with specific endophytic bacteria along with N2-fixing symbionts significantly improved the total biomass of chickpea plants, in particular when these plants were grown under saline conditions. Altogether, this study revealed that Mediterranean native legume species are a reservoir of plant growth-promoting bacteria, that are also tolerant to salinity and to toxic levels of Mn. Thus, these bacterial endophytes are well adapted to common constraints present in soils of this region which constitutes important factors to consider in the development of bacterial inoculants for stressful conditions in the Mediterranean region.
Therapeutic Use of Scoparia dulcis Reduces the Progression of Experimental Osteoarthritis
Authors: Lima Marcus Vinícius Viégas , Freire Abner de Oliveira , Sousa Emerson Lucas Frazão , Vale André Alvares Marques , Lopes Alberto Jorge Oliveira , Vasconcelos Cleydlenne Costa , Lima-Aragão Mônica Virginia Viégas , Serra Humberto Oliveira , Liberio Rosane Nassar Meireles Guerra , Santos Ana Paula Silva de Azevedo dos , Silva Gyl Eanes Barros , Rocha Claúdia Quintino da , Moreira Lima Fernando César Vilhena , Cartágenes Maria do Socorro de Sousa , Garcia João Batista Santos
Published: September 2019

Pain is recognized as one of the main symptoms in knee osteoarthritis and is the main reason why patients seek medical attention. Scoparia dulcis has been popularly used to relieve discomfort caused by various painful conditions. The objective of the study is to evaluate the analgesic and anti-inflammatory effect of the crude extract of S. dulcis, in an experimental model of osteoarthritis. The experiment was performed with Wistar rats divided into 4 groups with 5 animals each: healthy, saline, crude extract, and meloxicam groups. Knee osteoarthritis was induced by intra-articular injection of sodium mono-iodoacetate. First, clinical parameters of pain were assessed at days 0, 5, 10, 15, and 20 after induction. Second, the potential cyclooxygenase inhibition was evaluated, and the cytokines of the synovial fluid were quantified. An in silico test and Molecular Docking tests were performed. A histopathological evaluation was made on articular cartilage with safranin O staining. The results showed that a 15-day treatment with crude extract reduced edema, spontaneous pain, peripheral nociceptive activity, and proinflammatory cytokines in the synovial fluid. The highest inhibition of cyclooxygenase 2 in the crude extract occurred at 50 µg/mL. The crude extract of S. dulcis presents therapeutic potential for the treatment of osteoarthritis due to its anti-inflammatory and anti-nociceptive action.
Substituted 1,3,5-Triazine Hexacarboxylates as Potential Linkers for MOFs
Authors: Klinkebiel Arne , Beyer Ole , Lüning Ulrich
Published: September 2019

Hexacarboxylates are promising linkers for MOFs such as NU-109 or NU-110, which possess large values for surfaces and pore volumina. Starting from 2,4,6-tris(bromoaryl)-1,3,5-triazines, palladium-catalyzed cross coupling reactions (Suzuki-Miyaura, Sonogashira-Hagihara) form elongated hexacarboxylate linkers. Eight new 2,4,6-tris(biphenyl) and 2,4,6-tris(phenylethynylphenyl) 1,3,5-triazines have been prepared in quantities ranging from 40 mg to 1.1 g. In five cases, one of the arms of the linker carries an additional functionality (NO2 or OMe).
Enzymatic Cascades for Tailored 13C6 and 15N Enriched Human Milk Oligosaccharides
Authors: Fischöder Thomas , Cajic Samanta , Grote Valerian , Heinzler Raphael , Reichl Udo , Franzreb Matthias , Rapp Erdmann , Elling Lothar
Published: September 2019

Several health benefits, associated with human milk oligosaccharides (HMOS), have been revealed in the last decades. Further progress, however, requires not only the establishment of a simple “routine” method for absolute quantification of complex HMOS mixtures but also the development of novel synthesis strategies to improve access to tailored HMOS. Here, we introduce a combination of salvage-like nucleotide sugar-producing enzyme cascades with Leloir-glycosyltransferases in a sequential pattern for the convenient tailoring of stable isotope-labeled HMOS. We demonstrate the assembly of [13C6]galactose into lacto-N- and lacto-N-neo-type HMOS structures up to octaoses. Further, we present the enzymatic production of UDP-[15N]GlcNAc and its application for the enzymatic synthesis of [13C6/15N]lacto-N-neo-tetraose for the first time. An exemplary application was selected—analysis of tetraose in complex biological mixtures—to show the potential of tailored stable isotope reference standards for the mass spectrometry-based quantification, using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS) as a fast and straightforward method for absolute quantification of HMOS. Together with the newly available well-defined tailored isotopic HMOS, this can make a crucial contribution to prospective research aiming for a more profound understanding of HMOS structure-function relations.
Dietary Quercetin and Kaempferol: Bioavailability and Potential Cardiovascular-Related Bioactivity in Humans
Authors: Dabeek Wijdan M. , Marra Melissa Ventura
Published: September 2019

Fruit and vegetable intake has been associated with a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease. Quercetin and kaempferol are among the most ubiquitous polyphenols in fruit and vegetables. Most of the quercetin and kaempferol in plants is attached to sugar moieties rather than in the free form. The types and attachments of sugars impact bioavailability, and thus bioactivity. This article aims to review the current literature on the bioavailability of quercetin and kaempferol from food sources and evaluate the potential cardiovascular effects in humans. Foods with the highest concentrations of quercetin and kaempferol in plants are not necessarily the most bioavailable sources. Glucoside conjugates which are found in onions appear to have the highest bioavailability in humans. The absorbed quercetin and kaempferol are rapidly metabolized in the liver and circulate as methyl, glucuronide, and sulfate metabolites. These metabolites can be measured in the blood and urine to assess bioactivity in human trials. The optimal effective dose of quercetin reported to have beneficial effect of lowering blood pressure and inflammation is 500 mg of the aglycone form. Few clinical studies have examined the potential cardiovascular effects of high intakes of quercetin- and kaempferol-rich plants. However, it is possible that a lower dosage from plant sources could be effective due to of its higher bioavailability compared to the aglycone form. Studies are needed to evaluate the potential cardiovascular benefits of plants rich in quercetin and kaempferol glycoside conjugates.
Mechanical and Thermal Properties of Montmorillonite-Reinforced Polypropylene/Rice Husk Hybrid Nanocomposites
Authors: Majeed Khaliq , Ahmed Ashfaq , Abu Bakar Muhammad Saifullah , Indra Mahlia Teuku Meurah , Saba Naheed , Hassan Azman , Jawaid Mohammad , Hussain Murid , Iqbal Javed , Ali Zulfiqar
Published: September 2019

In recent years, there has been considerable interest in the use of natural fibers as potential reinforcing fillers in polymer composites despite their hydrophilicity, which limits their widespread commercial application. The present study explored the fabrication of nanocomposites by melt mixing, using an internal mixer followed by a compression molding technique, and incorporating rice husk (RH) as a renewable natural filler, montmorillonite (MMT) nanoclay as water-resistant reinforcing nanoparticles, and polypropylene-grafted maleic anhydride (PP-g-MAH) as a compatibilizing agent. To correlate the effect of MMT delamination and MMT/RH dispersion in the composites, the mechanical and thermal properties of the composites were studied. XRD analysis revealed delamination of MMT platelets due to an increase in their interlayer spacing, and SEM micrographs indicated improved dispersion of the filler(s) from the use of compatibilizers. The mechanical properties were improved by the incorporation of MMT into the PP/RH system and the reinforcing effect was remarkable as a result of the use of compatibilizing agent. Prolonged water exposure of the prepared samples decreased their tensile and flexural properties. Interestingly, the maximum decrease was observed for PP/RH composites and the minimum was for MMT-reinforced and PP-g-MAH-compatibilized PP/RH composites. DSC results revealed an increase in crystallinity with the addition of filler(s), while the melting and crystallization temperatures remained unaltered. TGA revealed that MMT addition and its delamination in the composite systems improved the thermal stability of the developed nanocomposites. Overall, we conclude that MMT nanoclay is an effective water-resistant reinforcing nanoparticle that enhances the durability, mechanical properties, and thermal stability of composites.
Polyamide-Laccase Nanofiber Membrane for Degradation of Endocrine-Disrupting Bisphenol A, 17α-ethinylestradiol, and Triclosan
Authors: Maryskova Milena , Rysova Miroslava , Novotny Vit , Sevcu Alena
Published: September 2019

Contamination of potable water by endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) is a growing problem worldwide. One of the possible treatments is the utilization of laccase enzyme catalyzing oxidation of phenolic structures of EDC when anchored in a polymeric nanofiber membrane. Previous studies failed to develop a membrane with a sufficiently active enzyme, or the immobilization process was too complicated and time-consuming. Here, we established an elegant method for immobilizing Trametes versicolor laccase onto polyamide 6 nanofibers (PA6-laccase) via adsorption and glutaraldehyde crosslinking, promoting high enzyme activity and easier applicability in water treatment technology. This simple and inexpensive immobilization ensures both repeated use, with over 88% of initial activity retained after five ABTS catalytic cycles, and enhanced storage stability. PA6-laccase was highly effective in degrading a 50-µM EDC mixture, with only 7% of bisphenol A, 2% of 17α-ethinylestradiol, and 30% of triclosan remaining after a 24-h catalytic process. The PA6-laccase membrane can lead to the improvement of novel technologies for controlling of EDC contamination in potable water.
An Intensified Reactive Separation Process for Bio-Jet Diesel Production
Authors: García-Sánchez Miriam , Sales-Cruz Mauricio , Lopez-Arenas Teresa , Viveros-García Tomás , Pérez-Cisneros Eduardo S.
Published: September 2019

An intensified three-step reaction-separation process for the production of bio-jet diesel from tryglycerides and petro-diesel mixtures is proposed. The intensified reaction-separation process considers three sequentially connected sections: (1) a triglyceride hydrolysis section with a catalytic heterogeneous reactor, which is used to convert the triglycerides of the vegetable oils into the resultant fatty acids. The separation of the pure fatty acid from glycerol and water is performed by a three-phase flash drum and two conventional distillation columns; (2) a co-hydrotreating section with a reactive distillation column used to perform simultaneously the deep hydrodesulphurisation (HDS) of petro-diesel and the hydrodeoxigenation (HDO), decarbonylation and decarboxylation of the fatty acids; and (3) an isomerization-cracking section with a hydrogenation catalytic reactor coupled with a two-phase flash drum is used to produce bio-jet diesel with the suitable fuel features required by the international standards. Intensive simulations were carried out and the effect of several operating variables of the three sections (triglyceride-water feed ratio, oleic acid-petro-diesel feed ratio, hydrogen consumption) on the global intensified process was studied and the optimal operating conditions of the intensified process for the production of bio-jet diesel were achieved.
Participation in S-LCA: A Methodological Proposal Applied to Belgian Alternative Food Chains (Part 1)
Authors: Sureau Solène , Lohest François , Van Mol Joris , Bauler Tom , Achten Wouter M. J.
Published: September 2019

In social life cycle assessment (S-LCA), the use of a participatory approach to define and select assessment criteria and indicators (C&Is) is recommended given the specificity of social issues, but it has been, for now, rarely implemented and presents methodological challenges. Within a participatory action research project gathering academic researchers and field actors, we tested the applicability of configuring a C&Is list for S-LCA, together with chain actors of three alternative food distribution systems active in Belgium. The purpose of this article is to present the results of this work and to examine the methodological limits, requirements, and contributions of such an approach. The participatory approach is an appropriate method to build a list of C&Is standing out from other studies, with the identification of ambitious and innovative C&Is relating to value-chain actors (VCAs) stakeholder category, on chain governance and transaction modalities. In our case, it required an adaptation work of C&Is to the S-LCA requirements and the use of a specific theoretical approach to articulate C&Is within a coherent framework. Finally, this kind of work seems useful to give ground to the S-LCA Guidelines’ list of subcategories, which was built through a rather top-down expert-based approach.
Remote Sensing of Secchi Depth in Highly Turbid Lake Waters and Its Application with MERIS Data
Authors: Liu Xiaohan , Lee Zhongping , Zhang Yunlin , Lin Junfang , Shi Kun , Zhou Yongqiang , Qin Boqiang , Sun Zhaohua
Published: September 2019

The Secchi disk depth (ZSD, m) has been used globally for many decades to represent water clarity and an index of water quality and eutrophication. In recent studies, a new theory and model were developed for ZSD, which enabled its semi-analytical remote sensing from the measurement of water color. Although excellent performance was reported for measurements in both oceanic and coastal waters, its reliability for highly turbid inland waters is still unknown. In this study, we extend this model and its evaluation to such environments. In particular, because the accuracy of the inherent optical properties (IOPs) derived from remote sensing reflectance (Rrs, sr−1) plays a key role in determining the reliability of estimated ZSD, we first evaluated a few quasi-analytical algorithms (QAA) specifically tuned for turbid inland waters and determined the one (QAATI) that performed the best in such environments. For the absorption coefficient at 443 nm (a(443), m−1) ranging from ~0.2 to 12.5 m−1, it is found that the QAATI-derived absorption coefficients agree well with field measurements (r2 > 0.85, and mean absolute percentage difference (MAPD) smaller than ~39%). Furthermore, with QAATI-derived IOPs, the MAPD was less than 25% between the estimated and field-measured ZSD (r2 > 0.67, ZSD in a range of 0.1–1.7 m). Furthermore, using matchup data between Rrs from the Medium Resolution Imaging Spectrometer (MERIS) and in-situ ZSD, a similar performance in the estimation of ZSD from remote sensing was obtained (r2 = 0.73, MAPD = 37%, ZSD in a range of 0.1–0.9 m). Based on such performances, we are confident to apply the ZSD remote sensing scheme to MERIS measurements to characterize the spatial and temporal variations of ZSD in Lake Taihu during the period of 2003–2011.
Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) Compact Polarimetry for Soil Moisture Retrieval
Authors: Merzouki Amine , McNairn Heather , Powers Jarrett , Friesen Matthew
Published: September 2019

Soil moisture is a factor for risk analysis in the agricultural sector, yet access to temporally and spatially detailed data is challenging for much of the world’s agricultural extend. Significant effort has been focused on developing methodologies to estimate soil moisture from microwave satellite sensors. Canada’s RADARSAT Constellation Mission (RCM) is capable of acquiring imagery in a number of modes with a Compact Polarimetry (CP) configuration at different spatial resolutions (1 to 100 m). RCM offers greater polarization diversity, wide swaths and improved temporal frequency (4-day exact revisit time); all important considerations for large area monitoring of agricultural resources. The major goal of this study was to examine whether CP could accurately estimate surface soil moisture over bare fields. A methodology was developed using the calibrated Integral Equation Model (IEM) multi-polarization inversion approach. RADARSAT-2 data was acquired between 2012 and 2017 over a test site in eastern Canada. CP backscatter for two RCM modes (medium resolution 30 m and 50 m (MR30 and MR50)) was simulated using 63 RADARSAT-2 fully polarimetric images. A simple transfer function was developed between RH (right circular-horizontal) and HH (horizontal-horizontal) intensity, as well as RV (right circular-vertical) and VV (vertical-vertical). These HH- and VV-like intensities were then used in the multi-polarization inversion scheme to retrieve soil moisture. CP soil moisture retrievals were validated against soil moisture measurements from a long term in-situ network instrumented with five soil moisture stations. Retrieved and measured soil moisture were well correlated (R > 0.70) with an unbiased root mean square error (ubRMSE) less than 0.06 m3/m3. Overall, the developed method clearly captured the dry down and wetting trends observed through the five years study period. However, results demonstrated that the inversion method introduced a consistent bias (~0.10 m3/m3). Comparison of CP soil moisture estimates to those from the Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) passive microwave satellite confirmed this bias. This study demonstrates the potential of C-band CP data to deliver accurate soil moisture products over wide swaths for regional and national soil moisture monitoring.
Urban Flood Mapping Using SAR Intensity and Interferometric Coherence via Bayesian Network Fusion
Authors: Li Yu , Martinis Sandro , Wieland Marc , Schlaffer Stefan , Natsuaki Ryo
Published: September 2019

Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) observations are widely used in emergency response for flood mapping and monitoring. However, the current operational services are mainly focused on flood in rural areas and flooded urban areas are less considered. In practice, urban flood mapping is challenging due to the complicated backscattering mechanisms in urban environments and in addition to SAR intensity other information is required. This paper introduces an unsupervised method for flood detection in urban areas by synergistically using SAR intensity and interferometric coherence under the Bayesian network fusion framework. It leverages multi-temporal intensity and coherence conjunctively to extract flood information of varying flooded landscapes. The proposed method is tested on the Houston (US) 2017 flood event with Sentinel-1 data and Joso (Japan) 2015 flood event with ALOS-2/PALSAR-2 data. The flood maps produced by the fusion of intensity and coherence and intensity alone are validated by comparison against high-resolution aerial photographs. The results show an overall accuracy of 94.5% (93.7%) and a kappa coefficient of 0.68 (0.60) for the Houston case, and an overall accuracy of 89.6% (86.0%) and a kappa coefficient of 0.72 (0.61) for the Joso case with the fusion of intensity and coherence (only intensity). The experiments demonstrate that coherence provides valuable information in addition to intensity in urban flood mapping and the proposed method could be a useful tool for urban flood mapping tasks.
UoNGBR: A Regional Assimilation Barotropic Tidal Model for the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea Based on Satellite, Coastal and Marine Data
Authors: Seifi Fardin , Deng Xiaoli , Baltazar Andersen Ole
Published: September 2019

All available satellite altimetry, coastal and marine data have been used to develop a new assimilative barotropic tidal model over the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) and Coral Sea using the Oregon State University Tidal Inverse Software (OTIS) with the specific consideration of bathymetry and drag coefficients. The model, named the University of Newcastle Great Barrier Reef (UoNGBR), has a 2′ × 2′ spatial resolution and includes 37 major and shallow water tidal constituents. The key to the development of UoNGBR is the use of a high-resolution bathymetry model gbr100 (3.6″ × 3.6″, corresponding to 100 meters resolution) and a recent baroclinic GBR1 hydrodynamic model. The gbr100 provides more detailed and accurate bottom topography, while the GBR1 hydrodynamic model provides spatially variable drag coefficients. These are particularly important in our study area due to the existence of numerous islands, coral reefs and complex bottom topography. The UoNGBR and seven existing tidal models have been used to detide independent datasets from the coastal tide gauges and Sentinel-3A altimeter mission. The detided datasets are then compared to the UoNGBR-detided data. The results show that UoNGBR has the minimum root sum square value (25.1 cm) when compared to those (between 26.1 and 66.7 cm) from seven other models, indicating that UoNGBR is among the best models in predicting tidal heights in the GBR and Coral Sea. Over coastline and coastal zones, the UoNGBR’s mean RMS errors are ~18 and 5 cm, respectively, smaller than TPXO models, as well as about 1–5 cm smaller than FES2012 and FES2014. These suggest that the UoNGBR model is a major improvement over other models in coastline and coastal zones.
Combining InSAR and GNSS to Track Magma Transport at Basaltic Volcanoes
Authors: Smittarello Delphine , Cayol Valérie , Pinel Virginie , Froger Jean-Luc , Peltier Aline , Dumont Quentin
Published: September 2019

The added value of combining InSAR and GNSS data, characterized by good spatial coverage and high temporal resolution, respectively, is evaluated based on a specific event: the propagation of the magma intrusion leading to the 26 May 2016 eruption at Piton de la Fournaise volcano (Reunion Island, France). Surface displacement is a non linear function of the geometry and location of the pressurized source of unrest, so inversions use a random search, based on a neighborhood algorithm, combined with a boundary element modeling method. We first invert InSAR and GNSS data spanning the whole event (propagation phase and eruption) to determine the final geometry of the intrusion. Random search conducted in the inversion results in two best-fit model families with similar data fits. Adding the same time-period GNSS dataset to the inversions does not significantly modify the results. Even when weighting data to provide even contributions, the fit is systematically better for descending than ascending interferograms, which might indicate an eastward flank motion. Then, we invert the GNSS time series in order to derive information on the propagation dynamics, validating our approach using a SAR image acquired during the propagation phase. We show that the GNSS time series can only be used to correctly track the magma propagation when the final intrusion geometry derived from InSAR and GNSS measurements is used as an a priori. A new method to extract part of a mesh, based on the representation of meshes as graphs, better explains the data and better accounts for the opening of the eruptive fissure than a method based on the projection of a circular pressure sources. Finally, we demonstrate that the temporal inversion of GNSS data strongly favors one family of models over an other for the final intrusion, removing the ambiguity inherent in the inversion of InSAR data.
An Onsite Calibration Method for MEMS-IMU in Building Mapping Fields
Authors: Li Sen , Niu Yunchen , Feng Chunyong , Liu Haiqiang , Zhang Dan , Qin Hengjie
Published: September 2019

Light detection and ranging (LiDAR) is one of the popular technologies to acquire critical information for building information modelling. To allow an automatic acquirement of building information, the first and most important step of LiDAR technology is to accurately determine the important gesture information that micro electromechanical (MEMS) based inertial measurement unit (IMU) sensors can provide from the moving robot. However, during the practical building mapping, serious errors may happen due to the inappropriate installation of a MEMS-IMU. Through this study, we analyzed the different systematic errors, such as biases, scale errors, and axial installation deviation, that happened during the building mapping, based on a robot equipped with MEMS-IMU. Based on this, an error calibration model was developed. The problems of the deviation between the calibrated and horizontal planes were solved by a new sampling method. For this method, the calibrated plane was rotated twice; the gravity acceleration of the six sides of the MEMS-IMU was also calibrated by the practical values, and the whole calibration process was completed after solving developed model based on the least-squares method. Finally, the building mapping was then calibrated based on the error calibration model, and also the Gmapping algorithm. It was indicated from the experiments that the proposed model is useful for the error calibration, which can increase the prediction accuracy of yaw by 1–2° based on MEMS-IMU; the mapping results are more accurate when compared to the previous methods. The research outcomes can provide a practical basis for the construction of the building information modelling model.