bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Role of Glucagon-Like Peptide 1 (GLP1) in Type 3 Diabetes: GLP-1 Controls Insulin Resistance, Neuroinflammation and Neurogenesis in the Brain
Authors: Bae Choon , Song Juhyun
Published: November 2017

Alzheimer’s disease (AD), characterized by the aggregation of amyloid-β (Aβ) protein and neuroinflammation, is the most common neurodegenerative disease globally. Previous studies have reported that some AD patients show impaired glucose utilization in brain, leading to cognitive decline. Recently, diabetes-induced dementia has been called “type 3 diabetes”, based on features in common with those of type 2 diabetes and the progression of AD. Impaired glucose uptake and insulin resistance in the brain are important issues in type 3 diabetes, because these problems ultimately aggravate memory dysfunction in the brain. Glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) has been known to act as a critical controller of the glucose metabolism. Several studies have demonstrated that GLP-1 alleviates learning and memory dysfunction by enhancing the regulation of glucose in the AD brain. However, the specific actions of GLP-1 in the AD brain are not fully understood. Here, we review evidences related to the role of GLP-1 in type 3 diabetes.
miRNome Profiling in Bicuspid Aortic Valve-Associated Aortopathy by Next-Generation Sequencing
Authors: Borghini Andrea , Foffa Ilenia , Pulignani Silvia , Vecoli Cecilia , Ait-Ali Lamia , Andreassi Maria Grazia
Published: November 2017

The molecular mechanisms underlying thoracic aortic aneurysm (TAA) in patients with bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) are incompletely characterized. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) may play a major role in the different pathogenesis of aortopathy. We sought to employ next-generation sequencing to analyze the entire miRNome in TAA tissue from patients with BAV and tricuspid aortic valve (TAV). In the discovery stage, small RNA sequencing was performed using the Illumina MiSeq platform in 13 TAA tissue samples (seven patients with BAV and six with TAV). Gene ontology (GO) and KEGG pathway analysis were used to identify key pathways and biological functions. Validation analysis was performed by qRT-PCR in an independent cohort of 30 patients with BAV (26 males; 59.5 ± 12 years) and 30 patients with TAV (16 males; 68.5 ± 9.5 years). Bioinformatic analysis identified a total of 489 known mature miRNAs and five novel miRNAs. Compared to TAV samples, 12 known miRNAs were found to be differentially expressed in BAV, including two up-regulated and 10 down-regulated (FDR-adjusted p-value ≤ 0.05 and fold change ≥  1.5). GO and KEGG pathway enrichment analysis (FDR-adjusted p-value < 0.05) identified different target genes and pathways linked to BAV and aneurysm formation, including Hippo signaling pathway, ErbB signaling, TGF-beta signaling and focal adhesion. Validation analysis of selected miRNAs confirmed the significant down-regulation of miR-424-3p (p = 0.01) and miR-3688-3p (p = 0.03) in BAV patients as compared to TAV patients. Our study provided the first in-depth screening of the whole miRNome in TAA specimens and identified specific dysregulated miRNAs in BAV patients.
Metabolic Epilepsies—Commemorative Issue in Honor of Professor Uwe Heinemann
Authors: Kovács Richard , Kunz Wolfram S.
Published: November 2017

Epilepsy is a very frequent, severe, and disabling neurological disorder with has a considerable disease burden worldwide [...]
A Mini-Review of the NADPH Oxidases in Vascular Dementia: Correlation with NOXs and Risk Factors for VaD
Authors: Choi Dong-Hee , Lee Jongmin
Published: November 2017

Oxidative stress (OS) is one of the factors that cause dementia conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease and vascular dementia (VaD). In the pathogenesis of VaD, OS is associated with risk factors that include increased age, hypertension, and stroke. Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidases (NOXs) are a molecular source of reactive oxygen species (ROS). According to recent studies, inhibition of NOX activity can reduce cognitive impairment in animal models of VaD. In this article, we review the evidence linking cognitive impairment with NOX-dependent OS, including the vascular NOX and non-vascular NOX systems, in VaD.
Chemical Compounds and Bioactivity of Aqueous Extracts of Alibertia spp. in the Control of Plutella xylostella L. (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae)
Authors: Peres Lucas , Sobreiro Ana , Couto Irys , Silva Rosicléia , Pereira Fabricio , Heredia-Vieira Silvia , Cardoso Claudia , Mauad Munir , Scalon Silvana , Verza Sandra , Mussury Rosilda
Published: November 2017

Successive applications of insecticides to control Plutella xylostella L. (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae) have resulted in the emergence of resistant populations of this insect. A novel control measure for this target insect could be the use of botanical insecticides derived from plant tissues. Hence, we experimentally tested aqueous extracts of Alibertia edulis (Rich.), Alibertia intermedia (Mart.), and Alibertia sessilis (Vell.) K. Schum. found in the Brazilian savannah in order to investigate their potential to disrupt the life cycle of P. xylostella. Aqueous extracts of the leaves of A. intermedia and A. sessilis negatively affected the development of P. xylostella in all stages of the life cycle, prolonging the larval stage and causing mortality in the larval or pupal stages. Treatments with A. intermedia and A. sessilis extracts caused the lowest fecundity and the number of hatched larvae. The harmful effects of these aqueous extracts on the life cycle of P. xylostella may be attributable to the flavonoids and other phenolic compounds present in A. intermedia and A. sessilis. These aqueous botanical extracts are low in toxicity when compared to non-aqueous pesticides, and may emerge as an effective approach for control of populations of P. xylostella.
Knee and Ankle Arthroplasty in Hemophilia
Authors: Solimeno Luigi , Pasta Gianluigi
Published: November 2017

Today, major surgical procedures can be safely performed in hemophilic patients with chronic arthropathy, using available factor concentrates. In this setting, total knee replacement is considered the “gold standard”, while the use of total ankle replacement is still debated. Indeed, the unsatisfactory results obtained with the previous available design of implants did not raise enthusiasm as knee or hip replacement. Recently, the introduction of new implant designs and better reported outcomes have renewed the interest in total ankle replacement in people with hemophilia. In this review, the role of replacement surgery in the treatment of chronic hemophilic arthropathy will be described.
Auxeticity of Yukawa Systems with Nanolayers in the (111) Crystallographic Plane
Authors: Pigłowski Paweł , Narojczyk Jakub , Poźniak Artur , Wojciechowski Krzysztof , Tretiakov Konstantin
Published: November 2017

Elastic properties of model crystalline systems, in which the particles interact via the hard potential (infinite when any particles overlap and zero otherwise) and the hard-core repulsive Yukawa interaction, were determined by Monte Carlo simulations. The influence of structural modifications, in the form of periodic nanolayers being perpendicular to the crystallographic axis [111], on auxetic properties of the crystal was investigated. It has been shown that the hard sphere nanolayers introduced into Yukawa crystals allow one to control the elastic properties of the system. It has been also found that the introduction of the Yukawa monolayers to the hard sphere crystal induces auxeticity in the [ 11 1 ¯ ] [ 112 ] -direction, while maintaining the negative Poisson’s ratio in the [ 110 ] [ 1 1 ¯ 0 ] -direction, thus expanding the partial auxeticity of the system to an additional important crystallographic direction.
Analysis of the Shear Behavior of Stubby Y-Type Perfobond Rib Shear Connectors for a Composite Frame Structure
Authors: Kim Sang-Hyo , Kim Kun-Soo , Lee Do-Hoon , Park Jun-Seung , Han Oneil
Published: November 2017

Shear connectors are used in steel beam–concrete slabs of composite frame and bridge structures to transfer shear force according to design loads. The existing Y-type perfobond rib shear connectors are designed for girder slabs of composite bridges. Therefore, the rib and transverse rebars of the conventional Y-type perfobond rib shear connectors are extremely large for the composite frames of building structures. Thus, this paper proposes stubby Y-type perfobond rib shear connectors, redefining the existing connectors, for composite frames of building structures; these were used to perform push-out tests. These shear connectors have relatively small ribs compared to the conventional Y-type perfobond rib shear connectors. To confirm the shear resistance of these stubby shear connectors, we performed an experiment by using transverse rebars D13 and D16. The results indicate that these shear connectors have suitable shear strength and ductility for application in composite frame structures. The shear strengths obtained using D13 and D16 were not significantly different. However, the ductility of the shear connectors with D16 was 45.1% higher than that of the shear connectors with D13.
Separation of the α- and β-Anomers of Carbohydrates by Diffusion-Ordered NMR Spectroscopy
Authors: Yamanoi Takashi , Oda Yoshiki , Katsuraya Kaname
Published: November 2017

This article describes the successful application of the DOSY method for the separation and analysis of the α- and β-anomers of carbohydrates with different diffusion coefficients. In addition, the DOSY method was found to effectively separate two kinds of glucopyranosides with similar aglycon structures from a mixture.
Microstructure and Microhardness of Laser Metal Deposition Shaping K465/Stellite-6 Laminated Material
Authors: Wang Zhiguo , Zhao Jibin , Zhao Yuhui , Zhang Hongyu , Shi Fan
Published: November 2017

K465 superalloy with high titanium and aluminum contents was easy to crack during laser metal deposition. In this study, the crack-free sample of K465/Stellite-6 laminated material was formed by laser metal deposition shaping to control the cracking behaviour in laser metal deposition of K465 superalloy. The microstructure differences between the K465 superalloy with cracking and the laminated material were discussed. The microstructure and intermetallic phases were analyzed through scanning electron microscope (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The results showed that the microstructure of K465/Stellite-6 laminated material samples consisted of continuous dendrites with a similar structure size in different alloy deposition layers, and the second dendrite arm spacing was finer compared with laser metal deposition shaping K465. The intermetallic phases in the different alloy deposition layers varied, and the volume fraction of carbides in K465 deposition layer of the laminated material was higher than only K465 deposition under the fluid flow effect. In addition, the composition and microhardness distribution of laminated materials variation occurred along the deposition direction.
An Assay Using Localized Surface Plasmon Resonance and Gold Nanorods Functionalized with Aptamers to Sense the Cytochrome-c Released from Apoptotic Cancer Cells for Anti-Cancer Drug Effect Determination
Authors: Loo Jacky , Lau Pui-Man , Kong Siu-Kai , Ho Ho-Pui
Published: November 2017

To determine the degree of cancer cell killing after treatment with chemotherapeutic drugs, we have developed a sensitive platform using localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) and aptamers to detect the extracellular cytochrome-c (cyto-c), a mitochondrial protein released from cancer cells for the induction of apoptosis after treatment, to evaluate the effectiveness of cancer therapy. In this assay, a short single-stranded 76-mer DNA aptamer with a unique DNA sequence, which binds towards the cyto-c like an antibody with a high binding affinity and specificity, was conjugated to gold nanorods (AuNR) for LSPR sensing. Practically, cyto-c was first grabbed by a capturing antibody functionalized on the surface of micro-magnetic particles (MMPs). Subsequently, the AuNR-conjugated aptamer was added to form a complex sandwich structure with cyto-c (i.e., (MMP-Ab)-(cyto-c)-(AuNR-aptamer)) after washing away the non-target impurities, such as serum residues and intracellular contents, in a microfluidic chip. The sandwich complex led to formation of AuNR aggregates, which changed the LSPR signals in relation to the amount of cyto-c. With the LSPR signal enhancement effects from the AuNRs, the detection limit of cyto-c, sparked in human serum or culture medium, was found to be 0.1 ng/mL in our platform and the whole sensing process could be completed within two hours. Moreover, we have applied this assay to monitor the apoptosis in leukemia cancer cells induced by a potential anti-cancer agent phenylarsine oxide.
Exploiting Stretchable Metallic Springs as Compliant Electrodes for Cylindrical Dielectric Elastomer Actuators (DEAs)
Authors: Liu Chien-Hao , Lin Po-Wen , Chen Jui-An , Lee Yi-Tsung , Chang Yuan-Ming
Published: November 2017

In recent years, dielectric elastomer actuators (DEAs) have been widely used in soft robots and artificial bio-medical applications. Most DEAs are composed of a thin dielectric elastomer layer sandwiched between two compliant electrodes. DEAs vary in their design to provide bending, torsional, and stretch/contraction motions under the application of high external voltages. Most compliant electrodes are made of carbon powders or thin metallic films. In situations involving large deformations or improper fabrication, the electrodes are susceptible to breakage and increased resistivity. The worst cases result in a loss of conductivity and functional failure. In this study, we developed a method by which to exploit stretchable metallic springs as compliant electrodes for cylindrical DEAs. This design was inspired by the extensibility of mechanical springs. The main advantage of this approach is the fact that the metallic spring-like compliant electrodes remain conductive and do not increase the stiffness as the tube-like DEAs elongate in the axial direction. This can be attributed to a reduction in thickness in the radial direction. The proposed cylindrical structure is composed of highly-stretchable VHB 4905 film folded within a hollow tube and then sandwiched between copper springs (inside and outside) to allow for stretching and contraction in the axial direction under the application of high DC voltages. We fabricated a prototype and evaluated the mechanical and electromechanical properties of the device experimentally using a high-voltage source of 9.9 kV. This device demonstrated a non-linear increase in axial stretching with an increase in applied voltage, reaching a maximum extension of 0.63 mm (axial strain of 2.35%) at applied voltage of 9.9 kV. Further miniaturization and the incorporation of compressive springs are expected to allow the implementation of the proposed method in soft micro-robots and bio-mimetic applications.
The Rosiglitazone-Like Effects of Vitexilactone, a Constituent from Vitex trifolia L. in 3T3-L1 Preadipocytes
Authors: Nishina Atsuyoshi , Itagaki Masaya , Sato Daisuke , Kimura Hirokazu , Hirai Yasuaki , Phay Nyunt , Makishima Makoto
Published: November 2017

The increased number of patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) has become a worldwide problem, and insulin sensitizers such as thiazolidinediones (TZDs) are used as therapeutic agents. We found that extracts of Vitex trifolia L. (V. trifolia), a medicinal plant from Myanmar, induced adipogenesis similar to rosiglitazone (ROS), which is a TZD, in 3T3-L1 preadipocytes. In the present study, we attempted to isolate from V. trifolia those compounds that showed ROS-like effects. Among the extracts of hexane, ethyl acetate, and methanol obtained from V. trifolia, the ethyl acetate extract with the strongest ROS-like effects was purified by various chromatographic methods to obtain three known compounds: vitexilactone (1), vitexicarpin (2) and oleanolic acid (3). Among the isolated compounds, the ROS-like action of 1 was the strongest. The effects of 1 on 3T3-L1 cells during adipogenesis were compared with those of ROS. Both 1 and ROS increased lipid accumulation, the expression of adiponectin and GLUT4 in the cell membrane and decreased both the size of adipocytes and the phosphorylation of IRS-1, ERK1/2 and JNK in 3T3-L1 cells. In contrast, unlike ROS, the induction of proteins involved in lipogenesis was partial. ROS-like effects of 1 in 3T3-L1 cells were suppressed by the addition of bisphenol A diglycidyl ether (BADGE), one of a peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ) antagonists, suggesting that the action of 1 on adipocytes is mediated by PPARγ. From the results of the present study, it can be concluded that 1 is a novel insulin sensitizer candidate.
Action of Monomeric/Gemini Surfactants on Free Cells and Biofilm of Asaia lannensis
Authors: Koziróg Anna , Kręgiel Dorota , Brycki Bogumił
Published: November 2017

We investigated the biological activity of surfactants based on quaternary ammonium compounds: gemini surfactant hexamethylene-1,6-bis-(N,N-dimethyl-N-dodecylammonium bromide) (C6), synthesized by the reaction of N,N-dimethyl-N-dodecylamine with 1,6-dibromohexane, and its monomeric analogue dodecyltrimethylammonium bromide (DTAB). The experiments were performed with bacteria Asaia lannensis, a common spoilage in the beverage industry. The minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) values were determined using the tube standard two-fold dilution method. The growth and adhesive properties of bacterial cells were studied in different culture media, and the cell viability was evaluated using plate count method. Both of the surfactants were effective against the bacterial strain, but the MIC of gemini compound was significantly lower. Both C6 and DTAB exhibited anti-adhesive abilities. Treatment with surfactants at or below MIC value decreased the number of bacterial cells that were able to form biofilm, however, the gemini surfactant was more effective. The used surfactants were also found to be able to eradicate mature biofilms. After 4 h of treatment with C6 surfactant at concentration 10 MIC, the number of bacterial cells was reduced by 91.8%. The results of this study suggest that the antibacterial activity of the gemini compound could make it an effective microbiocide against the spoilage bacteria Asaia sp. in both planktonic and biofilm stages.
Preparation of Vitexin Nanoparticles by Combining the Antisolvent Precipitation and High Pressure Homogenization Approaches Followed by Lyophilization for Dissolution Rate Enhancement
Authors: Gu Chengbo , Liu Ziwei , Yuan Xiaohan , Li Wang , Zu Yuangang , Fu Yujie
Published: November 2017

Vitexin, a natural flavonoid found in many medicinal plants, is well known for its rich pharmacological activities. However, the poor water solubility of vitexin has limited its therapeutic application. The aim of this study was to prepare the nanoparticles of vitexin by combining the antisolvent precipitation (ASP) and high pressure homogenization (HPH) approaches followed by lyophilization for improving the dissolution rate of this poorly water-soluble drug. The effects of main factors influencing the mean particle size (MPS) of vitexin were investigated and optimized. Under optimum conditions, vitexin nanosuspensions with an MPS of 80.5 nm were obtained and then lyophilized to form nanoparticles. The obtained vitexin nanoparticles were further characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), mass spectrometry (MS), X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD), gas chromatography (GC) and dissolution testing. The results showed that the nanoparticles of vitexin were converted into an amorphous form, with its chemical structure unchanged. Additionally, the residual dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) is lower than the International Conference on Harmonization (ICH) limit for class 3 solvents. The dissolution rate of processed vitexin was significantly higher (5.58-fold) than that of raw drug. Overall, the combinative process we developed is an effective way to produce vitexin nanoparticles with markedly enhanced dissolution rate.
Solid Lipid Nanoparticles of Albendazole for Enhancing Cellular Uptake and Cytotoxicity against U-87 MG Glioma Cell Lines
Authors: Marslin Gregory , Siram Karthik , Liu Xiang , Khandelwal Vinoth Kumar Megraj , Shen Xiaolei , Wang Xiang , Franklin Gregory
Published: November 2017

Albendazole (ABZ) is an antihelminthic drug used for the treatment of several parasitic infestations. In addition to this, there are reports on the anticancer activity of ABZ against a wide range of cancer types. However, its effect on glioma has not yet been reported. In the present study, cytotoxicity of ABZ and ABZ loaded solid lipid nanoparticles (ASLNs) was tested in human glioma/astrocytoma cell line (U-87 MG). Using glyceryl trimyristate as lipid carrier and tween 80 as surfactant spherical ASLNs with an average size of 218.4 ± 5.1 nm were prepared by a combination of high shear homogenization and probe sonication methods. A biphasic in vitro release pattern of ABZ from ASLNs was observed, where 82% of ABZ was released in 24 h. In vitro cell line studies have shown that ABZ in the form of ASLNs was more cytotoxic (IC50 = 4.90 µg/mL) to U-87 MG cells compared to ABZ in the free form (IC50 = 13.30 µg/mL) due to the efficient uptake of the former by these cells.
Comparison of Anionic, Cationic and Nonionic Surfactants as Dispersing Agents for Graphene Based on the Fluorescence of Riboflavin
Authors: Mateos Rocío , Vera Soledad , Valiente Mercedes , Díez-Pascual Ana , San Andrés María
Published: November 2017

Fluorescence quenching is a valuable tool to gain insight about dynamic changes of fluorophores in complex systems. Graphene (G), a single-layered 2D nanomaterial with unique properties, was dispersed in surfactant aqueous solutions of different nature: non-ionic polyoxyethylene-23-lauryl ether (Brij L23), anionic sodium dodecylsulphate (SDS), and cationic hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) and dodecyltrimethylammonium bromide (DTAB). The influence of the surfactant type, chain length and concentration, G total concentration and G/surfactant weight ratio on the fluorescence intensity of vitamin B2 (riboflavin) was investigated. The quality of the different G dispersions was assessed by scanning and transmission electron microscopies (SEM and TEM). A quenching phenomenon of the fluorescence of riboflavin was found for G dispersions in all the surfactants, which generally becomes stronger with increasing G/surfactant weight ratio. For dispersions in the ionic surfactants, the quenching is more pronounced as the surfactant concentration raises, whilst the non-ionic one remains merely unchanged for the different G/Brij L23 weight ratios. More importantly, results indicate that DTAB solutions are the optimum media for dispersing G sheets, leading to an up to 16-fold drop in the fluorescence intensity. Understanding the mechanism in fluorescence quenching of G dispersions in surfactants could be useful for several optical applications.
Enhanced Oxygen Reduction Reaction by In Situ Anchoring Fe2N Nanoparticles on Nitrogen-Doped Pomelo Peel-Derived Carbon
Authors: Wang Yiqing , Zhu Mingyuan , Wang Gang , Dai Bin , Yu Feng , Tian Zhiqun , Guo Xuhong
Published: November 2017

The development of effective oxygen electrode catalysts for renewable energy technologies such as metal-air batteries and fuel cells remains challenging. Here, we prepared a novel high-performance oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) catalyst comprised of Fe2N nanoparticles (NPs) in situ decorated over an N-doped porous carbon derived from pomelo peel (i.e., Fe2N/N-PPC). The decorated Fe2N NPs provided large quantities of Fe-N-C bonding catalytic sites. The as-obtained Fe2N/N-PPC showed superior onset and half-wave potentials (0.966 and 0.891 V, respectively) in alkaline media (0.1 M KOH) compared to commercial Pt/C through a direct four-electron reaction pathway. Fe2N/N-PPC also showed better stability and methanol tolerance than commercial Pt/C. The outstanding ORR performance of Fe2N/N-PPC was attributed to its high specific surface area and the synergistic effects of Fe2N NPs. The utilization of agricultural wastes as a precursor makes Fe2N/N-PPC an ideal non-precious metal catalyst for ORR applications.
Benefits of Nut Consumption on Insulin Resistance and Cardiovascular Risk Factors: Multiple Potential Mechanisms of Actions
Authors: Kim Yoona , Keogh Jennifer , Clifton Peter
Published: November 2017

Epidemiological and clinical studies have indicated that nut consumption could be a healthy dietary strategy to prevent and treat type 2 diabetes (T2DM) and related cardiovascular disease (CVD). The objective of this review is to examine the potential mechanisms of action of nuts addressing effects on glycemic control, weight management, energy balance, appetite, gut microbiota modification, lipid metabolism, oxidative stress, inflammation, endothelial function and blood pressure with a focus on data from both animal and human studies. The favourable effects of nuts could be explained by the unique nutrient composition and bioactive compounds in nuts. Unsaturated fatty acids (monounsaturated fatty acids and polyunsaturated fatty acids) present in nuts may play a role in glucose control and appetite suppression. Fiber and polyphenols in nuts may also have an anti-diabetic effect by altering gut microbiota. Nuts lower serum cholesterol by reduced cholesterol absorption, inhibition of HMG-CoA reductase and increased bile acid production by stimulation of 7-α hydroxylase. Arginine and magnesium improve inflammation, oxidative stress, endothelial function and blood pressure. In conclusion, nuts contain compounds that favourably influence glucose homeostasis, weight control and vascular health. Further investigations are required to identify the most important mechanisms by which nuts decrease the risk of T2DM and CVD.
Emotion Regulation in Binge Eating Disorder: A Review
Authors: Dingemans Alexandra , Danner Unna , Parks Melissa
Published: November 2017

The purpose of the present review is to provide a summary of the research findings on emotion regulation in Binge Eating Disorder (BED). Negative emotions and maladaptive emotion regulation strategies play a role in the onset and maintenance of binge eating in BED. Anger and sadness, along with negative emotions related to interpersonal experiences (i.e., disappointment, being hurt or loneliness), seem to be particularly relevant. Individuals with BED have a tendency to suppress and ruminate on their unwanted emotions, which leads to increased psychopathological thoughts and symptoms. Compared to healthy controls, they use adaptive strategies, such as reappraisal, less frequently. Evidence concerning the causal relation between negative affect and binge eating is inconclusive and still very limited. While experimental studies in a laboratory setting lack ecological validity, ecological momentary assessment studies offer more promise at unraveling the causal relationship between emotions and binge eating. Increases in negative affect are found to be antecedents of binge eating in BED. However, there seems to be less support for the possibility that binge eating serves as a means to alleviate negative affect. Finally, BED seems to be related to other forms of maladaptive emotion regulation strategies, such as substance abuse and self-harm.
Mechanisms of SAR Imaging of Shallow Water Topography of the Subei Bank
Authors: Zhang Shuangshang , Xu Qing , Zheng Quanan , Li Xiaofeng
Published: November 2017

In this study, the C-band radar backscatter features of the shallow water topography of Subei Bank in the Southern Yellow Sea are statistically investigated using 25 ENVISAT (Environmental Satellite) ASAR (advanced synthetic aperture radar) and ERS-2 (European Remote-Sensing Satellite-2) SAR images acquired between 2006 and 2010. Different bathymetric features are found on SAR imagery under different sea states. Under low to moderate wind speeds (3.1~6.3 m/s), the wide bright patterns with an average width of 6 km are shown and correspond to sea surface imprints of tidal channels formed by two adjacent sand ridges, while the sand ridges appear as narrower (only 1 km wide), fingerlike, quasi-linear features on SAR imagery in high winds (5.4~13.9 m/s). Two possible SAR imaging mechanisms of coastal bathymetry are proposed in the case where the flow is parallel to the major axes of tidal channels or sand ridges. When the surface Ekman current is opposite to the mean tidal flow, two vortexes will converge at the central line of the tidal channel in the upper layer and form a convergent zone over the sea surface. Thus, the tidal channels are shown as wide and bright stripes on SAR imagery. For the SAR imaging of sand ridges, all the SAR images were acquired at low tidal levels. In this case, the ocean surface waves are possibly broken up under strong winds when propagating from deep water to the shallower water, which leads to an increase of surface roughness over the sand ridges.
Reconstruction of Daily Sea Surface Temperature Based on Radial Basis Function Networks
Authors: Liao Zhihong , Dong Qing , Xue Cunjin , Bi Jingwu , Wan Guangtong
Published: November 2017

A radial basis function network (RBFN) method is proposed to reconstruct daily Sea surface temperatures (SSTs) with limited SST samples. For the purpose of evaluating the SSTs using this method, non-biased SST samples in the Pacific Ocean (10°N–30°N, 115°E–135°E) are selected when the tropical storm Hagibis arrived in June 2014, and these SST samples are obtained from the Reynolds optimum interpolation (OI) v2 daily 0.25° SST (OISST) products according to the distribution of AVHRR L2p SST and in-situ SST data. Furthermore, an improved nearest neighbor cluster (INNC) algorithm is designed to search for the optimal hidden knots for RBFNs from both the SST samples and the background fields. Then, the reconstructed SSTs from the RBFN method are compared with the results from the OI method. The statistical results show that the RBFN method has a better performance of reconstructing SST than the OI method in the study, and that the average RMSE is 0.48 °C for the RBFN method, which is quite smaller than the value of 0.69 °C for the OI method. Additionally, the RBFN methods with different basis functions and clustering algorithms are tested, and we discover that the INNC algorithm with multi-quadric function is quite suitable for the RBFN method to reconstruct SSTs when the SST samples are sparsely distributed.
An Improved Rotation Forest for Multi-Feature Remote-Sensing Imagery Classification
Authors: Xiu Yingchang , Liu Wenbao , Yang Wenjing
Published: November 2017

Multi-feature, especially multi-temporal, remote-sensing data have the potential to improve land cover classification accuracy. However, sometimes it is difficult to utilize all the features efficiently. To enhance classification performance based on multi-feature imagery, an improved rotation forest, combining Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and a boosting naïve Bayesian tree (NBTree), is proposed. First, feature extraction was carried out with PCA. The feature set was randomly split into several disjoint subsets; then, PCA was applied to each subset, and new training data for linear extracted features based on original training data were obtained. These steps were repeated several times. Second, based on the new training data, a boosting naïve Bayesian tree was constructed as the base classifier, which aims to achieve lower prediction error than a decision tree in the original rotation forest. At the classification phase, the improved rotation forest has two-layer voting. It first obtains several predictions through weighted voting in a boosting naïve Bayesian tree; then, the first-layer vote predicts by majority to obtain the final result. To examine the classification performance, the improved rotation forest was applied to multi-feature remote-sensing images, including MODIS Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI) imagery time series, MODIS Surface Reflectance products and ancillary data in Shandong Province for 2013. The EVI imagery time series was preprocessed using harmonic analysis of time series (HANTS) to reduce the noise effects. The overall accuracy of the final classification result was 89.17%, and the Kappa coefficient was 0.71, which outperforms the original rotation forest and other classifier ensemble results, as well as the NASA land cover product. However, this new algorithm requires more computational time, meaning the efficiency needs to be further improved. Generally, the improved rotation forest has a potential advantage in remote-sensing classification.
Comparison of Benchtop Fourier-Transform (FT) and Portable Grating Scanning Spectrometers for Determination of Total Soluble Solid Contents in Single Grape Berry (Vitis vinifera L.) and Calibration Transfer
Authors: Xiao Hui , Sun Ke , Sun Ye , Wei Kangli , Tu Kang , Pan Leiqing
Published: November 2017

Near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy was applied for the determination of total soluble solid contents (SSC) of single Ruby Seedless grape berries using both benchtop Fourier transform (VECTOR 22/N) and portable grating scanning (SupNIR-1500) spectrometers in this study. The results showed that the best SSC prediction was obtained by VECTOR 22/N in the range of 12,000 to 4000 cm−1 (833–2500 nm) for Ruby Seedless with determination coefficient of prediction (Rp2) of 0.918, root mean squares error of prediction (RMSEP) of 0.758% based on least squares support vector machine (LS-SVM). Calibration transfer was conducted on the same spectral range of two instruments (1000–1800 nm) based on the LS-SVM model. By conducting Kennard-Stone (KS) to divide sample sets, selecting the optimal number of standardization samples and applying Passing-Bablok regression to choose the optimal instrument as the master instrument, a modified calibration transfer method between two spectrometers was developed. When 45 samples were selected for the standardization set, the linear interpolation-piecewise direct standardization (linear interpolation-PDS) performed well for calibration transfer with Rp2 of 0.857 and RMSEP of 1.099% in the spectral region of 1000–1800 nm. And it was proved that re-calculating the standardization samples into master model could improve the performance of calibration transfer in this study. This work indicated that NIR could be used as a rapid and non-destructive method for SSC prediction, and provided a feasibility to solve the transfer difficulty between totally different NIR spectrometers.
Low Computational-Cost Footprint Deformities Diagnosis Sensor through Angles, Dimensions Analysis and Image Processing Techniques
Authors: Maestre-Rendon J. , Rivera-Roman Tomas , Sierra-Hernandez Juan , Cruz-Aceves Ivan , Contreras-Medina Luis , Duarte-Galvan Carlos , Fernandez-Jaramillo Arturo
Published: November 2017

Manual measurements of foot anthropometry can lead to errors since this task involves the experience of the specialist who performs them, resulting in different subjective measures from the same footprint. Moreover, some of the diagnoses that are given to classify a footprint deformity are based on a qualitative interpretation by the physician; there is no quantitative interpretation of the footprint. The importance of providing a correct and accurate diagnosis lies in the need to ensure that an appropriate treatment is provided for the improvement of the patient without risking his or her health. Therefore, this article presents a smart sensor that integrates the capture of the footprint, a low computational-cost analysis of the image and the interpretation of the results through a quantitative evaluation. The smart sensor implemented required the use of a camera (Logitech C920) connected to a Raspberry Pi 3, where a graphical interface was made for the capture and processing of the image, and it was adapted to a podoscope conventionally used by specialists such as orthopedist, physiotherapists and podiatrists. The footprint diagnosis smart sensor (FPDSS) has proven to be robust to different types of deformity, precise, sensitive and correlated in 0.99 with the measurements from the digitalized image of the ink mat.
Terrestrial Condition Assessment for National Forests of the USDA Forest Service in the Continental US
Authors: Cleland David , Reynolds Keith , Vaughan Robert , Schrader Barbara , Li Harbin , Laing Larry
Published: November 2017

The terrestrial condition assessment (TCA) evaluates effects of uncharacteristic stressors and disturbance agents on land-type associations (LTAs) to identify restoration opportunities on national forest system (NFS) lands in the United States. A team of agency scientists and managers, representing a broad array of natural resource disciplines, developed a logic structure for the TCA to identify appropriate data sources to support analyses. Primary national data sources included observed insect- and pathogen-induced mortality, key critical loads for soil and the atmosphere, long term seasonal departures in temperature and precipitation, road densities, uncharacteristic wildfires, historical fire regime departure, wildfire potential, insect and pathogen risk, and vegetation departure from natural range of variability. The TCA was implemented with the ecosystem management decision support (EMDS) system, a spatial decision support system for landscape analysis and planning. EMDS uses logic models to interpret data, synthesizes information over successive layers of logic topics, and draws inferences about the ecological integrity of LTAs as an initial step to identifying high priority LTAs for landscape restoration on NFS lands. Results from the analysis showed that about 74 percent of NFS lands had moderate or better overall ecological integrity. Major impacts to ecological integrity included risk of mortality due to insects and disease, extent of current mortality, extent of areas with high and very high wildfire hazard potential, uncharacteristically severe wildfire, and elevated temperatures. In the discussion, we consider implications for agency performance reporting on restoration activities, and subsequent possible steps, including strategic and tactical planning for restoration. The objective of the paper is to describe the TCA framework with results from a national scale application on NFS lands.
Coordination Contracts in a Dual-Channel Supply Chain with a Risk-Averse Retailer
Authors: Zhu Lijing , Ren Xiaohang , Lee Chulung , Zhang Yumeng
Published: November 2017

Dual channels have become popular strategies for manufacturers due to the development of innovative selling platforms. Examples in practice also show that the lack of relationship management, such as cooperation and sharing, may cause an unsustainable supply chain performance. However, previous studies on coordination of dual-channel supply chains always focus on the contribution to profits and neglect the sustainability of relationship development between channel members. In this paper, we study the coordination of a dual-channel supply chain including a direct channel and a traditional channel. Under the fact that sustainable economy, instead of profit maximization, is the more appropriate objective in channel members’ decision making, we consider the retailer’s risk exposure and assume the risk degree is also a factor that impacts decision making. We assume the manufacturer is risk-neutral and the retailer is risk-averse, and measure the risk attitude with Conditional Value-at-Risk (CVaR) approach. Two traditional contracts widely used in single-channel supply chains, i.e., revenue-sharing contract and buy-back contract, are analyzed first. Although some researchers have discussed that traditional contracts cannot coordinate the dual-channel supply chain, our results show that traditional contracts can still come into play with restrictions on the risk-averse degree. Then we propose a risk-sharing contract which could distribute profits between two channel members and coordinate the system under varied risk-averse degrees with a fixed risk-sharing degree. Finally, we analyze the sensitivity of different parameters to illustrate the stable coordinating outcomes of this contract, and prove its generalization with more powerful channel members. The results provide important managerial insights.
The Choice of Gadolinium-Based Contrast Agents: A Radiologist’s Responsibility between Pharmaceutical Equivalence and Bioethical Issues
Authors: Cartocci Gaia , Santurro Alessandro , La Russa Raffaele , Guglielmi Giuseppe , Frati Paola , Fineschi Vittorio
Published: November 2017

Contrast Agents (CA) are among the most commonly prescribed drugs worldwide, and are used, with a variety of techniques, to increase and intensify the differences between body tissues and to help radiologist make diagnoses in a fast and precise way. In recent decades, advancements in research have resulted in significant improvements in their composition, and have made them safer and better-tolerated by patients; this notwithstanding, although the currently available CA are generally considered to be safe, their use is not completely without risk. The use of CA faces the radiologist with economic considerations, bioethical dilemmas, and possible profiles of professional responsibility. In fact, to achieve the best results in diagnostic imaging, radiologists have to focus on making an appropriate choice of CA, in consideration of efficacy, safety and appropriateness. Moreover, besides by cost/benefit models widely introduced in health management, radiologists are also influenced by their responsibility of appropriate use for the various diagnostic tests and, finally, the choice of best CA to utilise for each individual patient. Thus, the dilemma of choosing between the best and the most cost-effective tests and procedures is occurring more frequently every day. Different variables, such as the patient, examinations, and technology available, can affect the choice of CA in terms of obtaining the highest diagnostic quality, minimum impact on higher-risk patients, and optimisation of used volumes and injection flows.
Veterinarian Nominated Common Conditions of Rabbits and Guinea Pigs Compared with Published Literature
Authors: Robinson Natalie , Lyons Emma , Grindlay Douglas , Brennan Marnie
Published: November 2017

Rabbits and guinea pigs are increasingly popular pets in the UK, yet little is known about their common ailments, or how these relate to what appears in the published literature. The aim of this study was to characterise the common conditions of rabbits and guinea pigs, and to compare these with the topics found in the published literature. Information about the common conditions seen in rabbits and guinea pigs in clinical practice was obtained from a survey of UK veterinarians. The common conditions seen were compared with results from a structured literature search. Conditions relating to the dental (29.9%), and skin (37.6%) body systems were commonly nominated by veterinarians for rabbits and guinea pigs, respectively. A total of 655 rabbit and 1086 guinea pig citations were examined and there appeared to be a mismatch between the conditions nominated in the veterinary questionnaire, and those found in the literature. This is the first time that the published literature has been compared to the nominated caseload of veterinarians in practice, and there is concern that the literature about rabbits and guinea pigs may not be representative of, or relevant to the caseload seen in clinical practice. This is of importance for clinicians being able to apply an objective, evidence-based approach. The publishing of clinically-relevant, research-based evidence should be prioritised.
Observations on bipolar disjunctions of moonwort ferns (Botrychium, Ophioglossaceae)
Authors: Farrar Donald R. , Stensvold Mary C.
Published: November 2017

Peter Raven, in 1963, included two fern taxa of the genus Botrychium in his list of plant species exhibiting American amphitropical bipolar disjunctions. He attributed the southern hemisphere occurrences to post‐Pleistocene long‐distance dispersal from counterparts in the northern hemisphere, probably assisted by annual bird migrations between the disjunct areas. Using genetic evidence gathered through worldwide analyses of phylogenetic relationship in Botrychium, we now review and reconsider Raven's conclusions. Genetic similarities indicate that South American Botrychium dusenii is an allotetraploid taxon closely related to B. spathulatum, a North American endemic, and that B. lunaria in New Zealand possesses a genotype identical to that of a taxon in North America derived through introgressive hybridization between B. lunaria and an endemic North American species, B. neolunaria. Both North American counterparts exhibit Raven's characteristics of bipolar disjuncts in their occurrence in mountain and coastal meadows, copious production of small propagules (spores in Botrychium), occurrence in habitats frequented by transpolar bird migrants, and ability to found new colonies through inbreeding. We discuss these characteristics in Botrychium and relative to other ferns and suggest further studies on Botrychium and related taxa to address questions of time, number, and mode of bipolar dispersals.
Niche shifts after long‐distance dispersal events in bipolar sedges (Carex, Cyperaceae)
Authors: Villaverde Tamara , González‐Moreno Pablo , Rodríguez‐Sánchez Francisco , Escudero Marcial
Published: November 2017

PREMISE OF THE STUDY:

Bipolar species represent the greatest biogeographical disjunction on Earth, raising many questions about the colonization and adaptive processes behind such striking distribution. We investigated climatic niche differences of five Carex bipolar species in North and South America to assess niche shifts between these two regions. Moreover, we assessed potential distribution changes with future climate change.

METHODS:

We used 1202 presence data points from herbarium specimens and 19 bioclimatic variables to assess climatic niche differences and potential distributions among the five species using ordination methods and Maxent.

KEY RESULTS:

The niche overlap analyses showed low levels of niche filling and high climatic niche expansion between North and South America. Carex macloviana and C. maritima showed the greatest niche expansion (60% and 96%, respectively), followed by C. magellanica (45%) and C. microglochin (39%). Only C. canescens did not colonize new environments (niche expansion = 0.2%). In contrast, all species but C. magellanica had niche filling that was <40%; hence, they are absent in the south from many environments they inhabit in North America. Climate change will push all species toward higher latitudes and elevation, reducing the availability of suitable environments.

CONCLUSIONS:

The colonization of South America seems to have involved frequent climatic niche shifts. Most species have colonized new environments from those occupied in the North. Observed niche shifts appear congruent with time since colonization and with current genetic structure within species. In these cold‐dwelling species, climate change will most likely decrease their suitable environments in the future.