bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Impact of Periodontal Inflammation on Nutrition and Inflammation Markers in Hemodialysis Patients
Authors: Rapone Biagio , Converti Ilaria , Santacroce Luigi , Cesarano Francesca , Vecchiet Federico , Cacchio Luciano , Scacco Salvatore , Grassi Roberta , Grassi Felice Roberto , Gnoni Antonio , Ferrara Elisabetta , Nardi Gianna Maria
Published: November 2019

Background: Malnutrition-inflammation complex syndrome (MICS) is a common and usually concurrent condition occurring in patients undergoing hemodialysis (HD), with a pathogenesis linked to biological and in situ environmental traditional risk factors. Periodontitis, one of the major types of infection-driven inflammation, often co-occurs in the in the hemodialysis population and correlates with markers of malnutrition and inflammation, such as albumin, creatinine, and C-reactive protein. Aim: The present study aimed to determine whether the periodontal inflammatory status parameters correlate with the albumin, creatinine, and C-reactive protein serum concentrations in HD patients, and investigate whether periodontal treatment improves these markers of nutritional and systemic inflammation. Materials and Methods: The serum creatinine, albumin, and C-reactive Protein (CRP) levels were measured at baseline and after non-surgical periodontal treatment, at 3 months and 6 months. Results: At 3 months, a significant correlation between plaque index and C-reactive protein (p = 0.012), bleeding on probing and C-reactive protein (p < 0.0019), and clinical attachment level and C-reactive protein (p = 0.022) was found. No significant correlation was found between clinical periodontal parameters and nutrition markers at each time. Conclusions: Our results confirmed the association between C-reactive protein serum concentration and periodontal inflammatory status, but further research is necessary to identify the contributing role of periodontitis on the onset and progression of MICS.
CoVSCode: A Novel Real-Time Collaborative Programming Environment for Lightweight IDE
Authors: Fan Hongfei , Li Kun , Li Xiangzhen , Song Tianyou , Zhang Wenzhe , Shi Yang , Du Bowen
Published: November 2019

Real-time collaborative programming is an emerging approach that supports a team of programmers to view and edit shared source code at the same time. Each programmer can edit any part of the source code, and changes become instantly visible at other collaborating sites. With a broad range of application scenarios and benefits, real-time collaborative programming has attracted increasing interest from academia and industry. Lightweight integrated development environments (lightweight IDEs) have rapidly grown in popularity in the recent years, but there are serious problems and limitations with existing real-time collaboration support for lightweight IDEs. In this study, we contribute a novel real-time collaborative programming environment named CoVSCode that supports unconstrained and flexible real-time collaboration based on Visual Studio Code, one of the most popular and widely used lightweight IDEs. We present design objectives and rationales, the workflow and functional design from collaborating programmers’ perspectives, major technical issues and solutions, and prototype implementation, as well as a set of experimental evaluations that have demonstrated the technical feasibility and good performance of the prototype system. All approaches, techniques and solutions derived in this work are generic, which can also be applied in building real-time collaborative programming environments for other lightweight IDEs.
Coupling and Trapping of Light in Thin-Film Solar Cells Using Modulated Interface Textures
Authors: Hüpkes Jürgen , Jost Gabrielle C. E. , Merdzhanova Tsvetelina , Owen Jorj I. , Zimmermann Thomas
Published: November 2019

Increasing the efficiency of solar cells relies on light management. This becomes increasingly important for thin-film technologies, but it is also relevant for poorly absorbing semiconductors like silicon. Exemplarily, the performance of a-Si:H/µc-Si:H tandem solar cells strongly depends on the texture of the front and rear contact surfaces. The rear contact interface texture usually results from the front surface texture and the subsequent absorber growth. A well-textured front contact facilitates light-coupling to the solar cell and light-trapping within the device. A variety of differently textured ZnO:Al front contacts were sputter deposited and subsequently texture etched. The optical performance of a-Si:H/µc-Si:H tandem solar cells were evaluated regarding the two effects: light-coupling and light-trapping. A connection between the front contact texture and the two optical effects is demonstrated, specifically, it is shown that both are induced by different texture properties. These findings can be transferred to any solar cell technologies, like copper indium gallium selenide (CIGS) or perovskites, where light management and modifications of surface textures by subsequent film growth have to be considered. A modulated surface texture of the ZnO:Al front contact was realized using two etching steps. Improved light-coupling and light-trapping in silicon thin-film solar cells lead to 12.5% efficiency.
Effect of Slot Opening Width on the Air-Gap Magnetic Field of a Direct Drive Permanent Magnet Motor
Authors: Han Yaofei , Chen Shaofeng , Gao Caixia , Gao Mengzhen , Si Jikai , Hu Yihua
Published: November 2019

The direct drive permanent magnet motor (DDPMM) is a promising candidate for applications because of its high efficiency, high power density, and low maintenance costs. This study focused on the effect of slot opening width on the air-gap magnetic field of a DDPMM. An exact analytical model based on Fourier analysis was established to calculate the air-gap magnetic field. The analytical general solution of the air-gap magnetic field shows that the slot opening greatly affects the air-gap magnetic field distribution when the amount of the permanent magnet is constant. Then, the air-gap magnetic fields of the DDPMM with closed and open slots were compared at different positions. Furthermore, several finite-element models of motors composed of different numbers of unit motor were established based on the different slot opening widths to study the effect of slot opening width on the air-gap magnetic field. The results obtained using the finite element method verify that the slot opening width greatly affects the air-gap magnetic field.
A Gene Expression Programming Model for Predicting Tunnel Convergence
Authors: Hajihassani Mohsen , Abdullah Shahrum Shah , Asteris Panagiotis G. , Armaghani Danial Jahed
Published: November 2019

Underground spaces have become increasingly important in recent decades in metropolises. In this regard, the demand for the use of underground spaces and, consequently, the excavation of these spaces has increased significantly. Excavation of an underground space is accompanied by risks and many uncertainties. Tunnel convergence, as the tendency for reduction of the excavated area due to change in the initial stresses, is frequently observed, in order to monitor the safety of construction and to evaluate the design and performance of the tunnel. This paper presents a model/equation obtained by a gene expression programming (GEP) algorithm, aiming to predict convergence of tunnels excavated in accordance to the New Austrian Tunneling Method (NATM). To obtain this goal, a database was prepared based on experimental datasets, consisting of six input and one output parameter. Namely, tunnel depth, cohesion, frictional angle, unit weight, Poisson’s ratio, and elasticity modulus were considered as model inputs, while the cumulative convergence was utilized as the model’s output. Configurations of the GEP model were determined through the trial-error technique and finally an optimum model is developed and presented. In addition, an equation has been extracted from the proposed GEP model. The comparison of the GEP-derived results with the experimental findings, which are in very good agreement, demonstrates the ability of GEP modeling to estimate the tunnel convergence in a reliable, robust, and practical manner.
Application of a Propeller-Based Air Propulsion System to the Land-Based Holonomic Vehicle
Authors: Zhang Sheng , Huang Wenjing
Published: November 2019

Holonomic vehicles with wheels such as ball wheels can move in any direction without rotating. For such a system, more driving motors and precise transmission mechanisms are necessary, which makes the control and fabrication complicated. This paper aims to present the design and construction of a novel holonomic mechanism to simplify the system. Air-based propulsion was applied to a land-based holonomic vehicle. A prototype with three roller balls was developed with a propeller for the propulsion of a triangular holonomic vehicle. Only two motors were applied, one for propeller rotation and the other for the adjustment of the angle of thrust. For the establishment of the methodology, the data, including propeller size, rotation per minute, velocity, thrust, efficiency, etc., were measured or calculated. The prototype can move at a velocity of approximate 0.558 m/s with an efficiency of 18.55%. Simulation results showed that with the increase of propulsion efficiency, the velocity can achieve more than 5 m/s if the efficiency is 70%. This study is the first attempt to apply air-based propulsion to a land-based holonomic vehicle. Further, the construction method is simple and can satisfy the accuracy requirement. This design method, therefore, will contribute to the application of holonomic vehicles due to the realization of holonomic functionality and simplicity.
Generating Transparency in the Worldwide Use of the Terminology Industry 4.0
Authors: Nolting Lars , Priesmann Jan , Kockel Christina , Rödler Georg , Brauweiler Tobias , Hauer Ines , Robinius Martin , Praktiknjo Aaron
Published: November 2019

In 2011, the concept of Industry 4.0 was introduced and later adopted by the German government, paving the way for a new industrial revolution in Germany. The high significance of this topic is reflected by the large number of corresponding publications. Additionally, the regional focus of research is widespread on a global level and often differs even at a national level. This paper generates transparency regarding the adoption of the concept of Industry 4.0 by analyzing the locations of main contributors within the research field on an international, European, and German-national level. Further, it examines the regionally different foci concerning the concept of Industry 4.0. Having identified four main aspects linked to Industry 4.0 within a pre-study, a quantitative literature research was conducted based on over 800 published papers. The results were further visualized with QGIS. Looking at the results, it can be concluded that the German research community is virtually the only user of the term Industry 4.0, while other institutions seem to link their research to other related concepts. On a German level, the majority of the analyzed studies originate from Southern and Western Germany. North Rhine-Westphalia and the Aachen/Jülich region, in particular, represent main contributors.
Comparative Study on the Effects of Laser Bleaching and Conventional Bleaching on the Physical Properties of Indigo Kapok/Cotton Denim Fabrics
Authors: Du Wei , Zuo Danying , Gan Houlei , Yi Changhai
Published: November 2019

Kapok is a hollow fiber with a 90% hollow degree. Compared with cotton fiber, kapok fiber has excellent performances, such as good hygroscopicity, and a good warmth retention property. In this work, desized indigo kapok/cotton denim fabrics were bleached in different ways: Laser, cellulose enzyme, sodium hypochlorite, potassium permanganate and hydrogen peroxide. After bleaching, the K/S values, tensile strength, air permeability, thickness, color fastness to rubbing and the crease recovery angle of denim fabrics were measured through the spectrophotometer, tensile strength tester, air permeability tester, thickness tester, rubbing fastness tester and fabric crease elasticity tester, respectively. The surfaces of fabrics and fibers were observed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Results show that the kapok/cotton fabrics were color-faded after five kinds of bleaching, the K/S values of denim with laser bleaching was declined dramatically, while there was a little change in the permeability. The tensile strength and the weight of the fabrics were decreased, and cloth which was bleached with potassium permanganate was most affected. The color fastness to rubbing and the crease recovery angle of denim fabrics with laser treatment is most suitable for industrial production. In general, laser bleaching is the better way to fade the kapok/cotton denim fabrics. Meanwhile, after five kinds of bleaching, the physical properties of kapok/cotton denim fabrics were similar to those of cotton denim fabric, which indicates that kapok/cotton denim fabric is suitable for the existing industrial bleaching technology.
Microscopic Multiple Fatigue Crack Simulation and Macroscopic Damage Evolution of Concrete Beam
Authors: Wu Baijian , Li Zhaoxia , Tang Keke , Wang Kang
Published: November 2019

Microcracks in concrete can coalesce into larger cracks that further propagate under repetitive load cycles. Complex process of crack formation and growth are essentially involved in the failure mechanism of concrete. Understanding the crack formation and propagation is one of the core issues in fatigue damage evaluation of concrete materials and components. In this regard, a numerical model was formulated to simulate the thorough failure process, ranging from microcracks growth, crack coalescence, macrocrack formation and propagation, to the final rupture. This model is applied to simulate the fatigue rupture of three-point bending concrete beams at different stress levels. Numerical results are qualitatively consistent with the experimental observations published in literature. Furthermore, in the framework of damage mechanics, one damage variable is defined to reflect stiffness reduction caused by fatigue loading. S-N curve is subsequently computed and the macroscopic damage evolution of concrete beams are achieved. By employing the combined approaches of fracture mechanics and damage mechanics, made possible is the damage evolution of concrete beam as well as the microscopic multiple fatigue crack simulation. The proposed approach has the potential to be applied to the fatigue life assessment of materials and components at various scales in engineering practice.
Multichannel Active Noise Control Based on Filtered-x Affine Projection-Like and LMS Algorithms with Switching Filter Selection
Authors: Vázquez Ángel A. , Pichardo Eduardo , Avalos Juan G. , Sánchez Giovanny , Martínez Hugo M. , Sánchez Juan C. , Pérez Héctor M.
Published: November 2019

Affine projection (AP) algorithms have been demonstrated to have faster convergence speeds than the conventional least mean square (LMS) algorithms. However, LMS algorithms exhibit smaller steady-state mean square errors (MSEs) when compared with affine projection (AP) algorithms. Recently, several authors have proposed alternative methods based on convex combinations to improve the steady-state MSE of AP algorithms, even with the increased computational cost from the simultaneous use of two filters. In this paper, we present an alternative method based on an affine projection-like (APL-I) algorithm and least mean square (LMS) algorithm to solve the ANC under stationary Gaussian noise environments. In particular, we propose a switching filter selection criteria to improve the steady-state MSE without increasing the computational cost when compared with existing models. Here, we validate the proposed strategy in a single and a multichannel system, with and without automatically adjusting the scaling factor of the APL-I algorithm. The results demonstrate that the proposed scheme exploits the best features of each filter (APL-I and LMS) to guarantee rapid convergence with a low steady-state MSE. Additionally, the proposed approach demands a low computational burden compared with existing convex combination approaches, which will potentially lead to the development of real-time ANC applications.
Development and Evaluation of a Reynolds-Averaged Navier–Stokes Solver in WindNinja for Operational Wildland Fire Applications
Authors: Wagenbrenner Natalie S. , Forthofer Jason M. , Page Wesley G. , Butler Bret W.
Published: November 2019

An open source computational fluid dynamics (CFD) solver has been incorporated into the WindNinja modeling framework. WindNinja is widely used by wildland fire managers, as well as researchers and practitioners in other fields, such as wind energy, wind erosion, and search and rescue. Here, we describe the CFD solver and evaluate its performance against the WindNinja conservation of mass (COM) solver, and previously published large-eddy simulations (LES), for three field campaigns with varying terrain complexity: Askervein Hill, Bolund Hill, and Big Southern Butte. We also compare the effects of two model settings in the CFD solver, namely the discretization scheme used for the advection term of the momentum equation and the turbulence model, and provide guidance on model sensitivity to these settings. Additionally, we investigate the computational mesh and difficulties regarding terrain representation. Two important findings from this work are: (1) CFD solver predictions are significantly better than COM solver predictions at windward and lee side observation locations, but no difference was found in predicted speed-up at ridgetop locations between the two solvers, and (2) the choice of discretization scheme for advection has a significantly larger effect on the simulated winds than the choice of turbulence model.
Determining Conditions for Successful Culture of Multi-Cellular 3D Tumour Spheroids to Investigate the Effect of Mesenchymal Stem Cells on Breast Cancer Cell Invasiveness
Authors: Brown Marie-Juliet , Bahsoun Soukaina , Morris Mhairi A. , Akam Elizabeth C.
Published: November 2019

Mesenchymal stem cells have been widely implicated in tumour development and metastases. Moving from the use of two-dimensional (2D) models to three-dimensional (3D) to investigate this relationship is critical to facilitate more applicable and relevant research on the tumour microenvironment. We investigated the effects of altering glucose concentration and the source of foetal bovine serum (FBS) on the growth of two breast cancer cell lines (T47D and MDA-MB-231) and human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hBM-MSCs) to determine successful conditions to enable their co-culture in 3D tumour spheroid models. Subsequently, these 3D multi-cellular tumour spheroids were used to investigate the effect of hBM-MSCs on breast cancer cell invasiveness. Findings presented herein show that serum source had a statistically significant effect on two thirds of the growth parameters measured across all three cell lines, whereas glucose only had a statistically significant effect on 6%. It was determined that the optimum growth media composition for the co-culture of 3D hBM-MSCs and breast cancer cell line spheroids was 1 g/L glucose DMEM supplemented with 10% FBS from source A. Subsequent results demonstrated that co-culture of hBM-MSCs and MDA-MB-231 cells dramatically reduced invasiveness of both cell lines (F(1,4) = 71.465, p = 0.001) when embedded into a matrix comprising of growth-factor reduced base membrane extract (BME) and collagen.
Antibody-Based Targeting of Cell Surface GRP94 Specifically Inhibits Cetuximab-Resistant Colorectal Cancer Growth
Authors: Jeoung Mee Hyun , Kim Taek-Keun , Kim Ji Woong , Cho Yea Bin , Na Hee Jun , Yoo Byong Chul , Shim Hyunbo , Song Dong-Keun , Heo Kyun , Lee Sukmook
Published: November 2019

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the leading causes of cancer death worldwide. Cetuximab, a human/mouse chimeric monoclonal antibody, is effective in a limited number of CRC patients because of cetuximab resistance. This study aimed to identify novel therapeutic targets in cetuximab-resistant CRC in order to improve clinical outcomes. Through phage display technology, we isolated a fully human antibody strongly binding to the cetuximab-resistant HCT116 cell surface and identified the target antigen as glucose-regulated protein 94 (GRP94) using proteomic analysis. Short interfering RNA-mediated GRP94 knockdown showed that GRP94 plays a key role in HCT116 cell growth. In vitro functional studies revealed that the GRP94-blocking antibody we developed strongly inhibits the growth of various cetuximab-resistant CRC cell lines. We also demonstrated that GRP94 immunoglobulin G monotherapy significantly reduces HCT116 cell growth more potently compared to cetuximab, without severe toxicity in vivo. Therefore, cell surface GRP94 might be a potential novel therapeutic target in cetuximab-resistant CRC, and antibody-based targeting of GRP94 might be an effective strategy to suppress GRP94-expressing cetuximab-resistant CRC.
In Vivo Autophagy Up-Regulation of Small Intestine Enterocytes in Chinese Soft-Shelled Turtles during Hibernation
Authors: Vistro Waseem Ali , Zhang Yue , Bai Xuebing , Yang Ping , Huang Yufei , Qu Wenjia , Baloch Abdul Sattar , Wu Ruizhi , Tarique Imran , Chen Qiusheng
Published: November 2019

Many studies have focused on how autophagy plays an important role in intestinal homeostasis under pathological conditions. However, its role in the intestine during hibernation remains unclear. In the current study, we characterized in vivo up-regulation of autophagy in enterocytes of the small intestine of Chinese soft-shelled turtles during hibernation. Autophagy-specific markers were used to confirm the existence of autophagy in enterocytes through immunohistochemistry (IHC), immunofluorescence (IF), and immunoblotting. IHC staining indicated strong, positive immunoreactivity of the autophagy-related gene (ATG7), microtubule-associated protein light chain (LC3), and lysosomal-associated membrane protein 1 (LAMP1) within the mucosal surface during hibernation and poor expression during nonhibernation. IF staining results showed the opposite tendency for ATG7, LC3, and sequestosome 1 (p62). During hibernation ATG7 and LC3 showed strong, positive immunosignaling within the mucosal surface, while p62 showed strong, positive immunosignaling during nonhibernation. Similar findings were confirmed by immunoblotting. Moreover, the ultrastructural components of autophagy in enterocytes were revealed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). During hibernation, the cumulative formation of phagophores and autophagosomes were closely associated with well-developed rough endoplasmic reticulum in enterocytes. These autophagosomes overlapped with lysosomes, multivesicular bodies, and degraded mitochondria to facilitate the formation of autophagolysosome, amphisomes, and mitophagy in enterocytes. Immunoblotting showed the expression level of PTEN-induced kinase 1 (PINK1), and adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) was enhanced during hibernation. Furthermore, the exosome secretion pathway of early–late endosomes and multivesicular bodies were closely linked with autophagosomes in enterocytes during hibernation. These findings suggest that the entrance into hibernation is a main challenge for reptiles to maintain homeostasis and cellular quality control in the intestine.
Synthesis of β-d-galactopyranoside-Presenting Glycoclusters, Investigation of Their Interactions with Pseudomonas aeruginosa Lectin A (PA-IL) and Evaluation of Their Anti-Adhesion Potential
Authors: Malinovská Lenka , Le Son Thai , Herczeg Mihály , Vašková Michaela , Houser Josef , Fujdiarová Eva , Komárek Jan , Hodek Petr , Borbás Anikó , Wimmerová Michaela , Csávás Magdolna
Published: November 2019

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic human pathogen associated with cystic fibrosis. This bacterium produces, among other virulence factors, a soluble d-galactose-specific lectin PA-IL (LecA). PA-IL plays an important role in the adhesion to the host cells and is also cytotoxic. Therefore, this protein is an interesting therapeutic target, suitable for inhibition by carbohydrate-based compounds. In the current study, β-d-galactopyranoside-containing tri- and tetravalent glycoclusters were synthesized. Methyl gallate and pentaerythritol equipped with propargyl groups were chosen as multivalent scaffolds and the galactoclusters were built from the above-mentioned cores by coupling ethylene or tetraethylene glycol-bridges and peracetylated propargyl β-d-galactosides using 1,3-dipolar azide-alkyne cycloaddition. The interaction between galactoside derivatives and PA-IL was investigated by several biophysical methods, including hemagglutination inhibition assay, isothermal titration calorimetry, analytical ultracentrifugation, and surface plasmon resonance. Their ability to inhibit the adhesion of P. aeruginosa to bronchial cells was determined by ex vivo assay. The newly synthesized multivalent galactoclusters proved to be significantly better ligands than simple d-galactose for lectin PA-IL and as a result, two representatives of the dendrimers were able to decrease adhesion of P. aeruginosa to bronchial cells to approximately 32% and 42%, respectively. The results may provide an opportunity to develop anti-adhesion therapy for the treatment of P. aeruginosa infection.
A Sexually Dimorphic Role for STAT3 in Sonic Hedgehog Medulloblastoma
Authors: White Christine L. , Jayasekara W. Samantha N. , Picard Daniel , Chen Jasmine , Watkins D. Neil , Cain Jason E. , Remke Marc , Gough Daniel J.
Published: November 2019

Medulloblastoma is the most common malignant brain tumor in children and represents 20% of all pediatric central nervous system neoplasms. While advances in surgery, radiation and chemotherapy have improved overall survival, the lifelong sequelae of these treatments represent a major health care burden and have led to ongoing efforts to find effective targeted treatments. There is a well-recognized male bias in medulloblastoma diagnosis, although the mechanism remains unknown. Herein, we identify a sex-specific role for the transcription factor Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription 3 (STAT3) in the Sonic Hedgehog (SHH) medulloblastoma subgroup. Specific deletion of Stat3 from granule cell precursors in a spontaneous mouse model of SHH medulloblastoma completely protects male, but not female mice from tumor initiation. Segregation of SHH medulloblastoma patients into high and low STAT3 expressing cohorts shows that low STAT3 expression correlates with improved overall survival in male patients. We observe sex specific changes in IL-10 and IL-6 expression and show that IL-6 stimulation enhances SHH-mediated gene transcription in a STAT3-dependent manner. Together these data identify STAT3 as a key molecule underpinning the sexual dimorphism in medulloblastoma.
Co(II/III) Complexes with Benzoxazole and Benzothiazole Ligands as Efficient Heterogenous Photocatalysts for Organic Dyes Degradation
Authors: Szymańska Martyna , Czepa Włodzimierz , Hołubowicz Cezary , Świsłocka Renata , Łuczak Teresa , Kubicki Maciej , Karpińska Joanna , Fik-Jaskółka Marta A. , Patroniak Violetta
Published: November 2019

The problem of pollution in the current world is growing, however people’s awareness of environmental protection and ecology is also increasing. The aim of the study is to present three new Schiff base compounds with Co(II/III) ions and to assess their photocatalytic activity. The study was supported by cyclic voltammetry technique. In due course the complex 2 revealed as the most effective in AR18 degradation, even more than commercially available TiO2. The search for new photocatalysts able to decompose harmful organic dyes into environmentally friendly basic substances is becoming a new trend in the area of chemistry development.
Physical Activity Prevents Cartilage Degradation: A Metabolomics Study Pinpoints the Involvement of Vitamin B6
Authors: Deiana Michela , Malerba Giovanni , Dalle Carbonare Luca , Cheri Samuele , Patuzzo Cristina , Tsenov Grygoriy , Moron Dalla Tor Lucas , Mori Antonio , Saviola Gianantonio , Zipeto Donato , Schena Federico , Mottes Monica , Valenti Maria Teresa
Published: November 2019

Osteoarthritis (OA) is predominantly characterized by the progressive degradation of articular cartilage, the connective tissue produced by chondrocytes, due to an imbalance between anabolic and catabolic processes. In addition, physical activity (PA) is recognized as an important tool for counteracting OA. To evaluate PA effects on the chondrocyte lineage, we analyzed the expression of SOX9, COL2A1, and COMP in circulating progenitor cells following a half marathon (HM) performance. Therefore, we studied in-depth the involvement of metabolites affecting chondrocyte lineage, and we compared the metabolomic profile associated with PA by analyzing runners’ sera before and after HM performance. Interestingly, this study highlighted that metabolites involved in vitamin B6 salvage, such as pyridoxal 5′-phosphate and pyridoxamine 5′-phosphate, were highly modulated. To evaluate the effects of vitamin B6 in cartilage cells, we treated differentiated mesenchymal stem cells and the SW1353 chondrosarcoma cell line with vitamin B6 in the presence of IL1β, the inflammatory cytokine involved in OA. Our study describes, for the first time, the modulation of the vitamin B6 salvage pathway following PA and suggests a protective role of PA in OA through modulation of this pathway.
TRPC6-Mediated ERK1/2 Activation Increases Dentate Granule Cell Resistance to Status Epilepticus via Regulating Lon Protease-1 Expression and Mitochondrial Dynamics
Authors: Kim Ji-Eun , Park Hana , Choi Seo-Hyeon , Kong Min-Jeong , Kang Tae-Cheon
Published: November 2019

Transient receptor potential canonical channel-6 (TRPC6) is one of the Ca2+-permeable non-selective cation channels. TRPC6 is mainly expressed in dentate granule cell (DGC), which is one of the most resistant neuronal populations to various harmful stresses. Although TRPC6 knockdown evokes the massive DGC degeneration induced by status epilepticus (a prolonged seizure activity, SE), the molecular mechanisms underlying the role of TRPC6 in DGC viability in response to SE are still unclear. In the present study, hyperforin (a TRPC6 activator) facilitated mitochondrial fission in DGC concomitant with increases in Lon protease-1 (LONP1, a mitochondrial protease) expression and extracellular-signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) phosphorylation under physiological conditions, which were abrogated by U0126 (an ERK1/2 inhibitor) co-treatment. TRPC6 knockdown showed the opposite effects on LONP1 expression, ERK1/2 activity, and mitochondrial dynamics. In addition, TRPC6 siRNA and U0126 evoked the massive DGC degeneration accompanied by mitochondrial elongation following SE, independent of seizure severity. However, LONP1 siRNA exacerbated SE-induced DGC death without affecting mitochondrial length. These findings indicate that TRPC6-ERK1/2 activation may increase DGC invulnerability to SE by regulating LONP1 expression as well as mitochondrial dynamics. Therefore, TRPC6-ERK1/2-LONP1 signaling pathway will be an interesting and important therapeutic target for neuroprotection from various neurological diseases.
Inhibition of GSK3β Reduces Ectopic Lipid Accumulation and Induces Autophagy by The AMPK Pathway in Goat Muscle Satellite Cells
Authors: Wang Linjie , Liu Xin , Zhan Siyuan , Guo Jiazhong , Yang Shizhong , Zhong Tao , Li Li , Zhang Hongping , Wang Yan
Published: November 2019

Ectopic lipid accumulation in muscle is important not only for obesity and myopathy treatment, but also for meat quality improvement in farm animals. However, the molecular mechanisms involved in lipid metabolism in muscle satellite cells are still elusive. In this study, SB216763 reduced GSK3β activation by increasing the level of pGSK3β (Ser9) and decreasing the level of total GSK3β protein. GSK3β inhibition decreased lipid accumulation and downregulated the expression level of lipogenesis-related genes in the adipogenic differentiation of goat muscle satellite cells. Furthermore, SB216763 treatment increased the levels of pAMPKα (T172) and pACC (Ser79). Further, we found that GSK3β inhibition promoted levels of LC3B-II and reduced the protein levels of p62 to induce the autophagy in muscle satellite cells. Taken together, our results provide new insight into a critical function for GSK3β: modulating lipid accumulation in goat muscle satellite cells through activating the AMPK pathway.
Children’s Intake of Food from Non-Fast-Food Outlets and Child-Specific Menus: A Survey of Parents
Authors: Chai Li Kheng , Yoong Sze Lin , Bucher Tamara , Collins Clare E , Shrewsbury Vanessa A
Published: November 2019

Eating out-of-home is associated with higher energy intakes in children. The continued high prevalence of childhood obesity requires a greater understanding of child menu options and eating out frequency to inform appropriate regulatory initiatives. The majority of studies to date have focused on menus from fast-food outlets with few focused on non-fast-food outlets. This study aimed to describe parents’ reports of their child(ren)’s (aged up to 6 years) frequency of consuming foods at non-fast-food outlets, observations of child menus at these outlets, and their purchasing behaviours and future preferences regarding these menus; and if their responses were influenced by sociodemographic characteristics. Ninety-five parents completed a 15-item cross-sectional survey. Overall, children from 54% of families consumed food from non-fast-food outlets at least monthly. Of the 87 parents who reported that their child eats at a non-fast-food restaurant, 71 had children who ordered from child menus every time (7%, n = 5), often (29%, n = 22), sometimes (42%, n = 32) or rarely (16%, n = 12), with a further 7% (n = 5) never ordering from these menus. All parents indicated that they would like to see a higher proportion of healthy child menu items than is currently offered. Parents’ responses were not influenced by sociodemographic characteristics. Parents’ views support implementation of initiatives to increase availability of healthy options on child menus at non-fast-food outlets.
Fabrication of Dense Gadolinia-Doped Ceria Coatings via Very-Low-Pressure Plasma Spray and Plasma Spray–Physical Vapor Deposition Process
Authors: Wen Jing , Song Chen , Liu Taikai , Deng Ziqian , Niu Shaopeng , Zhang Yapeng , Liu Libin , Liu Min
Published: November 2019

Gadolinia-doped ceria (GDC) is a promising electrolyte material for low-temperature solid oxide fuel cells (LT-SOFCs). Many works used ceramic sintering methods to prepare the GDC electrolyte, which was mature and reliable but presented difficulties in rapidly preparing a large area of GDC electrolyte without cracks. The low-pressure plasma spray (LPPS) process has the potential to solve this problem, but few studies have been conducted to date. In this work, submicron GDC powder was agglomerated by a spray drying method to achieve the proper granularity with D50 about 10 μm, and then two dense GDC coatings were fabricated with this agglomerated GDC powder using very-low-pressure plasma spray (VLPPS) and plasma spray–physical vapor deposition (PS-PVD), respectively. The results indicate that the two GDC coatings exhibited similar microstructure but with different densification mechanisms. The VLPPS coating was mainly built up in the form of liquid splats, which had lower mechanical properties due to the lower density and crystallinity, while the PS-PVD coating was co-deposited with the vapor clusters and liquid splats, which had higher density, crystallinity, and mechanical properties. It can therefore be concluded that the GDC coating prepared by PS-PVD is more appropriate for the LT-SOFC application.
Paint Pull-Off Strength and Permeability in Nanosilver-Impregnated and Heat-Treated Beech Wood
Authors: Taghiyari Hamid , Esmailpour Ayoub , Papadopoulos Antonios
Published: November 2019

The effects of impregnation with nanosilver suspension as well as heat treatment on pull-off adhesion strength and specific air permeability in beech specimens were studied here. The size range of silver nanoparticles was 30–80 nm. The cross-section of specimens was cold-sprayed with unpigmented sealer-clear, polyester, and lacquer paints. Heat treatment, as the most commonly used wood modification, was applied at three different temperatures of 145, 165, and 185 °C. Results showed that the highest and lowest pull-off strengths were found in the un-impregnated and unheated specimens painted with polyester (8.98 MPa) and the unpainted unheated nanosilver-impregnated specimens (3.10 MPa), respectively. Impregnation with nanosilver resulted in the rupture of perforation plates and pit openings, and eventually, permeability increased significantly. As for the pull-off adhesion strength, the increased permeability resulted in the adhesive being penetrated in to the pores in the wood substrate, and eventually, a significant decrease in the pull-off strengths occurred. No significant correlation was found between pull-off strength versus specific air permeability, although both properties depend on the porous structure. This was due to the fact that permeability depends on the continuous pore system, while pull-off strength is dependent on the surface pore system of the substrate.
Influence of Ultrasonic Excitation Sealing on the Corrosion Resistance of HVOF-Sprayed Nanostructured WC-CoCr Coatings under Different Corrosive Environments
Authors: Zhang Yuquan , Hong Sheng , Lin Jinran , Zheng Yuan
Published: November 2019

The corrosion behavior of unsealed and sealed high-velocity oxygen-fuel (HVOF)-sprayed nanostructured WC-CoCr cermet coatings under different corrosive environments was investigated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), open circuit potential (OCP), potentiodynamic polarization and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). Ultrasonic excitation sealing with aluminum phosphate was performed in an external ultrasonic bath with the frequency of 40 kHz at atmospheric pressure and room temperature. SEM micrographs revealed that the exposed area of the coating was effectively reduced by the coverage of aluminum phosphate sealant on the majority of pores. Electrochemical measurements demonstrated that the sealant with the help of ultrasonic energy could shift the corrosion potential to a more noble direction, reduce the corrosion current density, increase the resistance of charge transfer, and effectively improve the corrosion resistance of the coating in both 3.5 wt % NaCl and 1 mol·L−1 HCl solutions.
A DFT Study on Structure and Electronic Properties of BN Nanostructures Adsorbed with Dopamine
Authors: Soltani Ali Reza , Baei Mohammad T.
Published: November 2019

Density functional theory calculations were carried out to investigate the adsorption behaviors of dopamine (DPM) on the BN nanostructures in gas and solvent phases. Our results revealed that the adsorption of DPM on BN nano-cages was stronger than other BN nanotubes. It was found that the adsorption of two DPM (−1.30 eV) upon B12N12 was weaker than those of a single DPM (−1.41 eV). The Ga-doped B12N12 had better conditions for the detection of DPM than that of the Al-doped B12N12 nano-cage. The solvation effects for the most stable systems were calculated which showed that it had positive impacts upon the adsorption behavior of the applied systems than those studied in gas phase. The available results are expected to provide a useful guidance for the adsorption of DPM and generation of the new hybrid compounds.
Recent Trends of Sunscreen Cosmetic: An Update Review
Authors: Ngoc Le Thi Nhu , Tran Vinh Van , Moon Ju-Young , Chae Minhe , Park Duckshin , Lee Young-Chul
Published: November 2019

Ultraviolet (UV) radiation has been demonstrated to cause skin disorders, including sunburn and relative symptoms of prolonged exposure. It has been reported that sunscreens have beneficial effects in reducing the incidence of skin disorders (sunburn, skin aging, and immunosuppression) through their ability to absorb, reflect, and scatter UV. Many commercial products have recently been manufactured from not only usual organic and inorganic UV filters, but also hybrid and botanical ingredients using typical formulations (emulsion, gel, aerosol, and stick). Particularly, these products have been supplemented with several preeminent properties to protect against the negative effects of not only UVB, but also UVA. However, the use of sunscreen has faced many challenges, including inducing photoallergic dermatitis, environment pollution, and deficiency of vitamin D production. Therefore, consumers should efficiently apply suitable products to improve sun protection. as well as to avoid the side effects of sunscreen.
Algae Diversity and Ecology during a Summer Assessment of Water Quality in the Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historical Park, USA
Authors: Barinova Sophia , Smith Thomas
Published: November 2019

There were 88 species of algae and cyanobacteria observed from seven sites in the Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historical Park (Hodgenville, Kentucky, USA). This was the first algal investigation study in the park. There were 21 samples collected, during the summer, on 16 July 2008. Algal flora, dominated by diatoms was represented by 54 species identified (61.4% of the total), 20 species of cyanobacteria, 11 green and two charophyte algal species, and one red algal species (22.7%, 12.5%, 2.2%, and 1.1%, respectively). Benthic diatoms dominated the aquatic system with 14 species of Navicula and 12 species of Nitzschia identified, which was 15.7% and 13.5% of the total, respectively. Species tended to be site specific and 78.6% of the species were only found in two or less sites. The bioindicator methods for water quality assessment were based on species autoecology. This method was used for the first time in the USA during this study. This demonstrated that benthic and planktonic-benthic algae preferred temperate temperatures, middle-oxygenated mesotrophic waters, low-to-middle enriched by chlorides. The waters were well oxygenated, sometimes saturated by sulfides, low-alkaline, low-to-middle organic enriched, and of class 1–3 water quality with high self-purification capacity. This is very important for habitat protection and cannot be easily accomplished strictly through chemical analysis. The diversity of diatom algae not only plays a major role in the formation of algal communities and their uniqueness, but diatom algae can be a good indicator of environmental assessments and change.
Effects of Changing Vegetation Composition on Community Structure, Ecosystem Functioning, and Predator–Prey Interactions at the Saltmarsh-Mangrove Ecotone
Authors: Walker Julie E. , Angelini Christine , Safak Ilgar , Altieri Andrew H. , Osborne Todd Z.
Published: November 2019

Decreasing frequency of freeze events due to climate change is enabling the poleward range expansion of mangroves. As these tropical trees expand poleward, they are replacing herbaceous saltmarsh vegetation. Mangroves and saltmarsh vegetation are ecosystem engineers that are typically viewed as having similar ecosystem functions. However, few studies have investigated whether predation regimes, community structure, and ecosystem functions are shifting at the saltmarsh-mangrove ecotone. In this study, we manipulated predator access to marsh and mangrove creekside habitats to test their role in mediating vegetation and invertebrate structure and stability in a two-year experiment. We also conducted a survey to evaluate how shifting vegetation is modifying structural complexity, invertebrate communities, and ecosystem functioning at the ecotone. Excluding larger (> 2 cm diameter) predators did not affect vegetation or invertebrate structure or stability in either saltmarsh or mangrove habitats. The survey revealed that the two habitat types consistently differ in structural metrics, including vegetation height, inter-stem distance, and density, yet they support similar invertebrate and algal communities, soil properties, and predation rates. We conclude that although mangrove range expansion immediately modifies habitat structural properties, it is not altering larger predator consumptive effects, community stability, community composition, or some other ecosystem functions and properties at the ecotone.
Histone Deacetylases and Their Inhibitors in Cancer Epigenetics
Authors: Hassell Kelly N.
Published: November 2019

Histone deacetylases (HDAC) and histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDACi) have greatly impacted the war on cancer. Their role in epigenetics has significantly altered the development of anticancer drugs used to treat the most rare, persistent forms of cancer. During transcription, HDAC and HDACi are used to regulate the genetic mutations found in cancerous cells by removing and/or preventing the removal of the acetyl group on specific histones. This activity determines the relaxed or condensed conformation of the nucleosome, changing the accessibility zones for transcription factors. These modifications lead to other biological processes for the cell, including cell cycle progression, proliferation, and differentiation. Each HDAC and HDACi class or group has a distinctive mechanism of action that can be utilized to halt the progression of cancerous cell growth. While the use of HDAC- and HDACi-derived compounds are relatively new in treatment of cancers, they have a proven efficacy when the appropriately utilized. This following manuscript highlights the mechanisms of action utilized by HDAC and HDACi in various cancer, their role in epigenetics, current drug manufacturers, and the impact predicative modeling systems have on cancer therapeutic drug discovery.
Matrix Integral Approach to MIMO Mutual Information Statistics in High-SNR Regime
Authors: Wei Lu , Liu Chun-Hung , Liang Ying-Chang , Bai Zhidong
Published: November 2019

In this work, an analytical framework for deriving the exact moments of multiple-input- multiple-output (MIMO) mutual information in the high-signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) regime is proposed. The idea is to make efficient use of the matrix-variate densities of channel matrices instead of the eigenvalue densities as in the literature. The framework is applied to the study of the emerging models of MIMO Rayleigh product channels and Jacobi MIMO channels, which include several well-known channels models as special cases. The corresponding exact moments of any order for the high-SNR mutual information are derived. The explicit moment expressions are utilized to construct simple yet accurate approximations to the outage probability. Despite the high-SNR nature, simulation shows usefulness of the approximations with finite SNR values in the scenario of low outage probability relevant to MIMO communications.