bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Direct Lymph Node Vaccination of Lentivector/Prostate-Specific Antigen is Safe and Generates Tissue-Specific Responses in Rhesus Macaques
Authors: Au Bryan , Lee Chyan-Jang , Lopez-Perez Orlay , Foltz Warren , Felizardo Tania , Wang James , Huang Ju , Fan Xin , Madden Melissa , Goldstein Alyssa , Jaffray David , Moloo Badru , McCart J. , Medin Jeffrey
Published: February 2016

Anti-cancer immunotherapy is emerging from a nadir and demonstrating tangible benefits to patients. A variety of approaches are now employed. We are invoking antigen (Ag)-specific responses through direct injections of recombinant lentivectors (LVs) that encode sequences for tumor-associated antigens into multiple lymph nodes to optimize immune presentation/stimulation. Here we first demonstrate the effectiveness and antigen-specificity of this approach in mice challenged with prostate-specific antigen (PSA)-expressing tumor cells. Next we tested the safety and efficacy of this approach in two cohorts of rhesus macaques as a prelude to a clinical trial application. Our vector encodes the cDNA for rhesus macaque PSA and a rhesus macaque cell surface marker to facilitate vector titering and tracking. We utilized two independent injection schemas demarcated by the timing of LV administration. In both cohorts we observed marked tissue-specific responses as measured by clinical evaluations and magnetic resonance imaging of the prostate gland. Tissue-specific responses were sustained for up to six months—the end-point of the study. Control animals immunized against an irrelevant Ag were unaffected. We did not observe vector spread in test or control animals or perturbations of systemic immune parameters. This approach thus offers an “off-the-shelf” anti-cancer vaccine that could be made at large scale and injected into patients—even on an out-patient basis.
Association between Genetic Variants in DNA Double-Strand Break Repair Pathways and Risk of Radiation Therapy-Induced Pneumonitis and Esophagitis in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer
Authors: Zhao Lina , Pu Xia , Ye Yuanqing , Lu Charles , Chang Joe , Wu Xifeng
Published: February 2016

Radiation therapy (RT)-induced pneumonitis and esophagitis are commonly developed side effects in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients treated with definitive RT. Identifying patients who are at increased risk for these toxicities would help to maximize treatment efficacy while minimizing toxicities. Here, we systematically investigated single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within double-strand break (DSB) repair pathway as potential predictive markers for radiation-induced esophagitis and pneumonitis. We genotyped 440 SNPs from 45 genes in DSB repair pathways in 250 stage I–III NSCLC patients who received definitive radiation or chemoradiation therapy, followed by internal validation in 170 additional patients. We found that 11 SNPs for esophagitis and 8 SNPs for pneumonitis showed consistent effects between discovery and validation populations (same direction of OR and reached significance in meta-analysis). Among them, rs7165790 in the BLM gene was significantly associated with decreased risk of esophagitis in both discovery (OR = 0.59, 95% CI: 0.37–0.97, p = 0.037) and validation subgroups (OR = 0.45, 95% CI: 0.22–0.94, p = 0.032). A strong cumulative effect was observed for the top SNPs, and gene-based tests revealed 12 genes significantly associated with esophagitis or pneumonitis. Our results support the notion that genetic variations within DSB repair pathway could influence the risk of developing toxicities following definitive RT in NSCLC.
Nonparametric Problem-Space Clustering: Learning Efficient Codes for Cognitive Control Tasks
Authors: Maisto Domenico , Donnarumma Francesco , Pezzulo Giovanni
Published: February 2016

We present an information-theoretic method permitting one to find structure in a problem space (here, in a spatial navigation domain) and cluster it in ways that are convenient to solve different classes of control problems, which include planning a path to a goal from a known or an unknown location, achieving multiple goals and exploring a novel environment. Our generative nonparametric approach, called the generative embedded Chinese restaurant process (geCRP), extends the family of Chinese restaurant process (CRP) models by introducing a parameterizable notion of distance (or kernel) between the states to be clustered together. By using different kernels, such as the the conditional probability or joint probability of two states, the same geCRP method clusters the environment in ways that are more sensitive to different control-related information, such as goal, sub-goal and path information. We perform a series of simulations in three scenarios—an open space, a grid world with four rooms and a maze having the same structure as the Hanoi Tower—in order to illustrate the characteristics of the different clusters (obtained using different kernels) and their relative benefits for solving planning and control problems.
A Study on the Power Generation Capacity of Piezoelectric Energy Harvesters with Different Fixation Modes and Adjustment Methods
Authors: Li Zhixiang , Zhou Gongbo , Zhu Zhencai , Li Wei
Published: February 2016

The power generation capacity of piezoelectric energy harvesters (PEHs) is not only related to the properties of the piezoelectric material, the vibration magnitude and the subsequent conditioning circuit, but also to the fixation modes and adjustment methods. In this paper, a commercial piezoelectric ceramic plate (PCP) in simply supported beam fixation mode and cantilever beam fixation mode were analyzed through finite element simulations and experiments, and furthermore, two ways of adjusting the natural frequency of PCP are studied and compared. As a result, some guidelines are proposed for the application of PCPs according to the simulation and experimental results which showed that: (1) the simply supported beam fixation mode is suitable for environments in which the exciting frequency exceeds 50 Hz, while the cantilever beam fixation mode fits the circumstance where the exciting frequency is below 50 Hz; (2) the maximum generation power a PCP produces in simply supported beam fixation mode is larger than that in cantilever beam fixation mode; (3) adjusting the weight of the mass block affixed on the PCP can change the natural frequency of PCP more efficiently than length-width ratio does.
Performance Analysis of a Grid-connected High Concentrating Photovoltaic System under Practical Operation Conditions
Authors: Mi Zhe , Chen Jikun , Chen Nuofu , Bai Yiming , Wu Wenwang , Fu Rui , Liu Hu
Published: February 2016

High concentrating photovoltaic (HCPV) is a promising technique for the practical commercial utilization of solar energy. However, the performance of a HCPV system is significantly influenced by environmental parameters such as solar direct normal irradiance (DNI) level and environmental temperature. This paper analyzes the performance of a 9 kWp grid-connected HCPV system in Kunming (Yunnan, China), during practical field operations over an entire year, and discusses how the environmental parameters influence the performance from both the energy conversion and power inversion perspective. Large variations in the performance of the HCPV system have been observed for different months, due to the respective changes in the environmental parameters. The DNI level has been found to be a dominant parameter that mainly determines the amount of energy production as well as the performance ratio of the HCPV system. The environmental temperature and wind velocity have less influence on the system performance ratio than expected. Based on the performance of the present HCPV system, a quantified correlation between the output power and the direct normal irradiance has been derived, which provides guidelines for both the cogent application and the modeling of HCPV techniques for grid-connected power generation.
Short-Term Belowground Responses to Thinning and Burning Treatments in Southwestern Ponderosa Pine Forests of the USA
Authors: Overby Steven , Hart Stephen
Published: February 2016

Microbial-mediated decomposition and nutrient mineralization are major drivers of forest productivity. As landscape-scale fuel reduction treatments are being implemented throughout the fire-prone western United States of America, it is important to evaluate operationally how these wildfire mitigation treatments alter belowground processes. We quantified these important belowground components before and after management-applied fuel treatments of thinning alone, thinning combined with prescribed fire, and prescribed fire in ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) stands at the Southwest Plateau, Fire and Fire Surrogate site, Arizona. Fuel treatments did not alter pH, total carbon and nitrogen (N) concentrations, or base cations of the forest floor (O horizon) or mineral soil (0–5 cm) during this 2-year study. In situ rates of net N mineralization and nitrification in the surface mineral soil (0–15 cm) increased 6 months after thinning with prescribed fire treatments; thinning only resulted in net N immobilization. The rates returned to pre-treatment levels after one year. Based on phospholipid fatty acid composition, microbial communities in treated areas were similar to untreated areas (control) in the surface organic horizon and mineral soil (0–5 cm) after treatments. Soil potential enzyme activities were not significantly altered by any of the three fuel treatments. Our results suggest that a variety of one-time alternative fuel treatments can reduce fire hazard without degrading soil fertility.
Environmental Exposure to Triclosan and Semen Quality
Authors: Zhu Wenting , Zhang Hao , Tong Chuanliang , Xie Chong , Fan Guohua , Zhao Shasha , Yu Xiaogang , Tian Ying , Zhang Jun
Published: February 2016

Triclosan (2,4,4′-trichloro-2′-hydroxy-diphenyl ether, TCS) is widely used in personal care, household, veterinary and industrial products. It was considered as a potential male reproductive toxicant in previous in vitro and in vivo studies. However, evidence from human studies is scarce. Our study aims to investigate the relationship between TCS exposure and semen quality. We measured urinary TCS concentrations in 471 men recruited from a male reproductive health clinic. TCS was detected in 96.7% of urine samples, with a median concentration of 0.97 ng (mg·creatinine)−1 (interquartile range, 0.41–2.95 ng (mg·creatinine)−1). A multiple linear regression analysis showed a negative association between natural logarithm (Ln) transformed TCS concentration (Ln-TCS) and Ln transformed number of forward moving sperms (adjusted coefficient β = −0.17; 95% confidence interval (CI) (−0.32, −0.02). Furthermore, among those with the lowest tertile of TCS level, Ln-TCS was negatively associated with the number of forward moving sperms (β = −0.35; 95% CI (−0.68, −0.03)), percentage of sperms with normal morphology (β = −1.64; 95% CI (−3.05, −0.23)), as well as number of normal morphological sperms, sperm concentration and count. Our findings suggest that the adverse effect of TCS on semen quality is modest at the environment-relevant dose in humans. Further studies are needed to confirm our findings.
Protective Effect of Onion Extract on Bleomycin-Induced Cytotoxicity and Genotoxicity in Human Lymphocytes
Authors: Cho Yoon , Lee Joong , Woo Hae , Lee Sunyeong , Kim Yang , Lee Younghyun , Shin Sangah , Joung Hyojee , Chung Hai
Published: February 2016

Following one of the world’s largest nuclear accidents, occured at Fukushima, Japan in 2011, a significant scientific effort has focused on minimizing the potential adverse health effects due to radiation exposure. The use of natural dietary antioxidants to reduce the risk of radiation-induced oxidative DNA damage is a simple strategy for minimizing radiation-related cancer rates and improving overall health. The onion is among the richest sources of dietary flavonoids and is an important food for increasing their overall intake. Therefore, we examined the effect of an onion extract on cyto- and geno-toxicity in human lymphocytes treated with bleomycin (BLM), a radiomimetic agent. In addition, we measured the frequency of micronuclei (MN) and DNA damage following treatment with BLM using a cytokinesis-blocked micronucleus assay and a single cell gel electrophoresis assay. We observed a significant increase in cell viability in lymphocytes treated with onion extract then exposed to BLM compared to cells treated with BLM alone. The frequency of BLM induced MN and DNA damage increased in a dose-dependent manner; however, when lymphocytes were pretreated with onion extract (10 and 20 μL/mL), the frequency of BLM-induced MN was decreased at all doses of BLM and DNA damage was decreased at 3 μg/mL of BLM. These results suggest that onion extract may have protective effects against BLM-induced cyto- and genotoxicity in human lymphocytes.
Mental Illness and Juvenile Offenders
Authors: Underwood Lee , Washington Aryssa
Published: February 2016

Within the past decade, reliance on the juvenile justice system to meet the needs of juvenile offenders with mental health concerns has increased. Due to this tendency, research has been conducted on the effectiveness of various intervention and treatment programs/approaches with varied success. Recent literature suggests that because of interrelated problems involved for youth in the juvenile justice system with mental health issues, a dynamic system of care that extends beyond mere treatment within the juvenile justice system is the most promising. The authors provide a brief overview of the extent to which delinquency and mental illness co-occur; why treatment for these individuals requires a system of care; intervention models; and the juvenile justice systems role in providing mental health services to delinquent youth. Current and future advancements and implications for practitioners are provided.
Exposure to Agrochemicals and Cardiovascular Disease: A Review
Authors: Sekhotha Matome , Monyeki Kotsedi , Sibuyi Masezi
Published: February 2016

Introduction: In the agricultural world there is a continuous loss of food, fiber and other commodities due to pests, disease and weeds before harvesting time. These losses had create lots of financial burden to the farm owners that might lead to shutting down of their daily business. Worldwide, there is an overall very high loss of agricultural products due to weeds growth alone. To counteract this problem most farmers resort to the use of agrochemicals to increase their production but compromising the health of their farmworkers. The purpose of the study will be to assess the relationship between the agrochemical particles and cardiovascular diseases among farmworkers. Method: Non-systematic review was used to collect data. The following database were use: Medline, EBSCO, and Science Direct to search for the existing journal articles. Results: This study addresses the relationship between agrochemicals particles and cardiovascular diseases in the farming industries using literature review. Discussion: Other researchers had already done an extensive research on the pathway of potential mechanisms linking the ultrafine particulate matter to cardiovascular diseases. The outcomes of those investigations were the clinical results of events that might lead to the development of myocardial infarction, congestive heart failure (CHF), stroke, arrhythmia and sudden death. Xenobiotic compounds that maybe implicated in the pathophysiology of human cardiovascular diseases, will be examined and included in this study. There is compelling evidence suggesting that toxic free radicals of pesticides play an important role in human health. Conclusion: There is a close relationship between agrochemicals particle and cardiovascular diseases.
Determination of Sediment Oxygen Demand in the Ziya River Watershed, China: Based on Laboratory Core Incubation and Microelectrode Measurements
Authors: Rong Nan , Shan Baoqing , Wang Chao
Published: February 2016

A study coupling sedimentcore incubation and microelectrode measurement was performed to explore the sediment oxygen demand (SOD) at 16 stations in the Ziya River Watershed, a severely polluted and anoxic river system in the north of China. Total oxygen flux values in the range 0.19–1.41 g/(m2·d) with an average of 0.62 g/(m2·d) were obtained by core incubations, and diffusive oxygen flux values in the range 0.15–1.38 g/(m2·d) with an average of 0.51 g/(m2·d) were determined by microelectrodes. Total oxygen flux obviously correlated with diffusive oxygen flux (R2 = 0.842). The microelectrode method produced smaller results than the incubation method in 15 of 16 sites, and the diffusive oxygen flux was smaller than the total oxygen flux. Although the two sets of SOD values had significant difference accepted by the two methods via the Wilcoxon signed-rank test (p < 0.05), the microelectrode method was shown to produce results that were similar to those from the core incubation method. The microelectrode method, therefore, could be used as an alternative method for traditional core incubation method, or as a method to verify SOD rates measured by other methods. We consider that high potential sediment oxygen demand would occur in the Ziya River Watershed when the dissolved oxygen (DO) recovered in the overlying water.
Characteristics and Outcomes of Patients Injured in Road Traffic Crashes and Transported by Emergency Medical Services
Authors: Huang Chun-Ying , Rau Cheng-Shyuan , Chuang Jung-Fang , Kuo Pao-Jen , Hsu Shiun-Yuan , Chen Yi-Chun , Hsieh Hsiao-Yun , Hsieh Ching-Hua
Published: February 2016

To investigate the injury characteristics and mortality of patients transported by emergency medical services (EMS) and hospitalized for trauma following a road traffic crash, data obtained from the Trauma Registry System were retrospectively reviewed for trauma admissions between 1 January 2009 and 31 December 2013 in a Level I trauma center. Of 16,548 registered patients, 3978 and 1440 patients injured in road traffic crashes were transported to the emergency department by EMS and non-EMS, respectively. Patients transported by EMS had lower Glasgow coma scale (GCS) scores and worse hemodynamic measures. Compared to patients transported by non-EMS, more patients transported by EMS required procedures (intubation, chest tube insertion, and blood transfusion) at the emergency department. They also sustained a higher injury severity, as measured by the injury severity score (ISS) and the new injury severity score (NISS). Lastly, in-hospital mortality was higher among the EMS than the non-EMS group (1.8% vs. 0.3%, respectively; p < 0.001). However, we found no statistically significant difference in the adjusted odds ratio (AOR) for mortality among patients transported by EMS after adjustment for ISS (AOR 4.9, 95% CI 0.33–2.26), indicating that the higher incidence of mortality was likely attributed to the patients’ higher injury severity. In addition, after propensity score matching, logistic regression of 58 well-matched pairs did not show a significant influence of transportation by EMS on mortality (OR: 0.578, 95% CI: 0.132–2.541 p = 0.468).
Leg Power As an Indicator of Risk of Injury or Illness in Police Recruits
Authors: Orr Robin , Pope Rodney , Peterson Samantha , Hinton Benjamin , Stierli Michael
Published: February 2016

Tactical trainees, like those entering the police force, are required to undergo vigorous training as part of their occupational preparation. This training has the potential to cause injuries. In addition, the physical training, communal living and pressures of tactical training are known to induce immune suppression and have the potential to increase the risk of illness. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between leg power, as measured by a vertical jump (VJ), and rates of reported injuries and illnesses during police recruit training. Retrospective data from recruits (n = 1021) undergoing basic police recruit training at an Australian Police Force College was collected. Recruits completed a VJ assessment at the commencement of their second state of training. Formally reported illness and injuries were collected 12 weeks later, following completion of training. Correlations between VJ height and rates of reported illness and injury were low (r = −0.16 and −0.09, respectively) but significant (p < 0.005), with VJ height accounting for 2.6% and 0.8% of the variance in illness and injury rates, respectively. In terms of relative risks, recruits with the lowest recorded VJ heights were more than three times as likely as those with highest VJ heights to suffer injury and/or illness. Police recruits with lower VJ height are at a significantly greater risk of suffering an injury or illness during police basic recruit training.
Use of a Robotic Sampler (PIPER) for Evaluation of Particulate Matter Exposure and Eczema in Preschoolers
Authors: Shah Lokesh , Mainelis Gediminas , Ramagopal Maya , Black Kathleen , Shalat Stuart
Published: February 2016

While the association of eczema with asthma is well recognized, little research has focused on the potential role of inhalable exposures and eczema. While indoor air quality is important in the development of respiratory disease as children in the U.S. spend the majority of their time indoors, relatively little research has focused on correlated non-respiratory conditions. This study examined the relationship between particulate matter (PM) exposures in preschool age children and major correlates of asthma, such as wheeze and eczema. Air sampling was carried out using a robotic (PIPER) child-sampling surrogate. This study enrolled 128 participants, 57 male and 71 female children. Ages ranged from 3 to 58 months with the mean age of 29.3 months. A comparison of subjects with and without eczema showed a difference in the natural log (ln) of PM collected from the PIPER air sampling (p = 0.049). PIPER’s sampling observed an association between the ln PM concentrations and eczema, but not an association with wheezing history in pre-school children. Our findings are consistent with the hypothesis of the role of the microenvironment in mediating atopic dermatitis, which is one of the predictors of persistent asthma. Our findings also support the use of PIPER in its ability to model and sample the microenvironment of young children.
Integrative Transcriptome, Genome and Quantitative Trait Loci Resources Identify Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms in Candidate Genes for Growth Traits in Turbot
Authors: Robledo Diego , Fernández Carlos , Hermida Miguel , Sciara Andrés , Álvarez-Dios José , Cabaleiro Santiago , Caamaño Rubén , Martínez Paulino , Bouza Carmen
Published: February 2016

Growth traits represent a main goal in aquaculture breeding programs and may be related to adaptive variation in wild fisheries. Integrating quantitative trait loci (QTL) mapping and next generation sequencing can greatly help to identify variation in candidate genes, which can result in marker-assisted selection and better genetic structure information. Turbot is a commercially important flatfish in Europe and China, with available genomic information on QTLs and genome mapping. Muscle and liver RNA-seq from 18 individuals was carried out to obtain gene sequences and markers functionally related to growth, resulting in a total of 20,447 genes and 85,344 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). Many growth-related genes and SNPs were identified and placed in the turbot genome and genetic map to explore their co-localization with growth-QTL markers. Forty-five SNPs on growth-related genes were selected based on QTL co-localization and relevant function for growth traits. Forty-three SNPs were technically feasible and validated in a wild Atlantic population, where 91% were polymorphic. The integration of functional and structural genomic resources in turbot provides a practical approach for QTL mining in this species. Validated SNPs represent a useful set of growth-related gene markers for future association, functional and population studies in this flatfish species.
Metabolic Activity of Radish Sprouts Derived Isothiocyanates in Drosophila melanogaster
Authors: Baenas Nieves , Piegholdt Stefanie , Schloesser Anke , Moreno Diego , García-Viguera Cristina , Rimbach Gerald , Wagner Anika
Published: February 2016

We used Drosophila melanogaster as a model system to study the absorption, metabolism and potential health benefits of plant bioactives derived from radish sprouts (Raphanus sativus cv. Rambo), a Brassicaceae species rich in glucosinolates and other phytochemicals. Flies were subjected to a diet supplemented with lyophilized radish sprouts (10.6 g/L) for 10 days, containing high amounts of glucoraphenin and glucoraphasatin, which can be hydrolyzed by myrosinase to the isothiocyanates sulforaphene and raphasatin, respectively. We demonstrate that Drosophila melanogaster takes up and metabolizes isothiocyanates from radish sprouts through the detection of the metabolite sulforaphane-cysteine in fly homogenates. Moreover, we report a decrease in the glucose content of flies, an upregulation of spargel expression, the Drosophila homolog of the mammalian PPARγ-coactivator 1 α, as well as the inhibition of α-amylase and α-glucosidase in vitro. Overall, we show that the consumption of radish sprouts affects energy metabolism in Drosophila melanogaster which is reflected by lower glucose levels and an increased expression of spargel, a central player in mitochondrial biogenesis. These processes are often affected in chronic diseases associated with aging, including type II diabetes mellitus.
Energy Metabolism Plays a Critical Role in Stem Cell Maintenance and Differentiation
Authors: Hu Chenxia , Fan Linxiao , Cen Panpan , Chen Ermei , Jiang Zhengyi , Li Lanjuan
Published: February 2016

Various stem cells gradually turned to be critical players in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine therapies. Current evidence has demonstrated that in addition to growth factors and the extracellular matrix, multiple metabolic pathways definitively provide important signals for stem cell self-renewal and differentiation. In this review, we mainly focus on a detailed overview of stem cell metabolism in vitro. In stem cell metabolic biology, the dynamic balance of each type of stem cell can vary according to the properties of each cell type, and they share some common points. Clearly defining the metabolic flux alterations in stem cells may help to shed light on stemness features and differentiation pathways that control the fate of stem cells.
Prenylated Flavonoids from Cudrania tricuspidata Suppress Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Neuroinflammatory Activities in BV2 Microglial Cells
Authors: Kim Dong-Cheol , Yoon Chi-Su , Quang Tran , Ko Wonmin , Kim Jong-Su , Oh Hyuncheol , Kim Youn-Chul
Published: February 2016

In Korea and China, Cudrania tricuspidata Bureau (Moraceae) is an important traditional medicinal plant used to treat lumbago, hemoptysis, and contusions. The C. tricuspidata methanol extract suppressed both production of NO and PGE2 in BV2 microglial cells. Cudraflavanone D (1), isolated from this extract, remarkably suppressed the protein expression of inducible NO synthase and cyclooxygenase-2, and decreased the levels of NO and PGE2 in BV2 microglial cells exposed to lipopolysaccharide. Cudraflavanone D (1) also decreased IL-6, TNF-α, IL-12, and IL-1β production, blocked nuclear translocation of NF-κB heterodimers (p50 and p65) by interrupting the degradation and phosphorylation of inhibitor of IκB-α, and inhibited NF-κB binding. In addition, cudraflavanone D (1) suppressed the phosphorylation of c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) and p38 MAPK pathways. This study indicated that cudraflavanone D (1) can be a potential drug candidate for the cure of neuroinflammation.
In Silico Screening Identifies a Novel Potential PARP1 Inhibitor Targeting Synthetic Lethality in Cancer Treatment
Authors: Li Jian , Zhou Nan , Cai Peiling , Bao Jinku
Published: February 2016

Synthetic lethality describes situations in which defects in two different genes or pathways together result in cell death. This concept has been applied to drug development for cancer treatment, as represented by Poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARPs) inhibitors. In the current study, we performed a computational screening to discover new PARP inhibitors. Among the 11,247 compounds analyzed, one natural product, ZINC67913374, stood out by its superior performance in the simulation analyses. Compared with the FDA approved PARP1 inhibitor, olaparib, our results demonstrated that the ZINC67913374 compound achieved a better grid score (−86.8) and amber score (−51.42). Molecular dynamics simulations suggested that the PARP1-ZINC67913374 complex was more stable than olaparib. The binding free energy for ZINC67913374 was −177.28 kJ/mol while that of olaparib was −159.16 kJ/mol. These results indicated ZINC67913374 bound to PARP1 with a higher affinity, which suggest ZINC67913374 has promising potential for cancer drug development.
Tailored N-Containing Carbons as Catalyst Supports in Alcohol Oxidation
Authors: Campisi Sebastiano , Marzorati Stefania , Spontoni Paolo , Chan-Thaw Carine , Longhi Mariangela , Villa Alberto , Prati Laura
Published: February 2016

The introduction of N-containing functionalities in carbon-based materials is brought to stable and highly active metal-supported catalysts. However, up to now, the role of the amount and the nature of N-groups have not been completely clear. This study aims to clarify these aspects by preparing tailored N-containing carbons where different N-groups are introduced during the synthesis of the carbon material. These materials were used as the support for Pd nanoparticles. Testing these catalysts in alcohol oxidations and comparing the results with those obtained using Pd nanoparticles supported on different N-containing supports allowed us to obtain insight into the role of the different N-containing groups. In the cinnamyl alcohol oxidation, pyridine-like groups seem to favor both activity and selectivity toward cinnamaldehyde.
Biosurfactants Produced by Marine Microorganisms with Therapeutic Applications
Authors: Gudiña Eduardo , Teixeira José , Rodrigues Lígia
Published: February 2016

Marine microorganisms possess unique metabolic and physiological features and are an important source of new biomolecules, such as biosurfactants. Some of these surface-active compounds synthesized by marine microorganisms exhibit antimicrobial, anti-adhesive and anti-biofilm activity against a broad spectrum of human pathogens (including multi-drug resistant pathogens), and could be used instead of existing drugs to treat infections caused by them. In other cases, these biosurfactants show anti-cancer activity, which could be envisaged as an alternative to conventional therapies. However, marine biosurfactants have not been widely explored, mainly due to the difficulties associated with the isolation and growth of their producing microorganisms. Culture-independent techniques (metagenomics) constitute a promising approach to study the genetic resources of otherwise inaccessible marine microorganisms without the requirement of culturing them, and can contribute to the discovery of novel biosurfactants with significant biological activities. This paper reviews the most relevant biosurfactants produced by marine microorganisms with potential therapeutic applications and discusses future perspectives and opportunities to discover novel molecules from marine environments.
Himalayan Aromatic Medicinal Plants: A Review of their Ethnopharmacology, Volatile Phytochemistry, and Biological Activities
Authors: Joshi Rakesh , Satyal Prabodh , Setzer Wiliam
Published: February 2016

Aromatic plants have played key roles in the lives of tribal peoples living in the Himalaya by providing products for both food and medicine. This review presents a summary of aromatic medicinal plants from the Indian Himalaya, Nepal, and Bhutan, focusing on plant species for which volatile compositions have been described. The review summarizes 116 aromatic plant species distributed over 26 families.
Combined Forced and Thermocreep Convection through a Long Horizontal Microchannel
Authors: Weng Huei
Published: February 2016

This study examines how thermal creep affects the mixed convection in a long horizontal parallel-plate microchannel under a pressure drop and a temperature rise. The analytical solutions of the fully developed thermal-flow fields and the corresponding characteristics are derived based on the Maxwell boundary conditions with thermal creep and presented for the physical properties of air at the standard reference state. The calculated thermal-flow characteristics reveal that thermal creep has an appreciable effect on the velocity slip, flow rate, and heat transfer rate but a negligible effect on the flow drag. Such a creep effect could be further magnified by decreasing the pressure drop or increasing the Knudsen number.
Lead-Antimony Sulfosalts from Tuscany (Italy). XX. Members of the Jordanite–Geocronite Series from the Pollone Mine, Valdicastello Carducci: Occurrence and Crystal Structures
Authors: Biagioni Cristian , Dini Andrea , Orlandi Paolo , Moëlo Yves , Pasero Marco , Zaccarini Federica
Published: February 2016

A crystal-chemical study of historical specimens as well as new ones belonging to the jordanite–geocronite series from the Pollone baryte + pyrite ± (Pb-Zn-Ag) ore deposit (Valdicastello Carducci, Apuan Alps, Tuscany, Italy) has been performed. These crystals were collected in quartz extension veins embedded in three different occurrences: (i) baryte + pyrite orebodies; (ii) schist layers interbedded between baryte + pyrite orebodies; and (iii) schists at the contact with pyrite-poor baryte orebodies. Electron-microprobe data indicated the occurrence of three distinct groups of compositions within the sample suite. These correspond to As-bearing geocronite, Sb-rich jordanite, and Sb-bearing jordanite, with mean compositions Pb14Sb3.8As2.2S23, Pb14Sb2.9As3.1S23, and Pb14Sb2.6As3.4S23, respectively. Crystals representative of these different compositions have been investigated through single-crystal X-Ray diffraction studies and their crystal structures have been solved to R1 = 0.078, 0.069, and 0.033, respectively. The unit-cell volume decreases passing through As-bearing geocronite (V = 2149.5(3) Å3) to Sb-bearing jordanite (V = 2132.3(3) Å3). The As-to-Sb substitution takes place preferentially at the Sb4 site; through the increasing of the Sb content, Sb can substitute As also at the As6 site. According to the structural study of the ore deposit, formation of jordanite–geocronite is subordinated to a late Alpine deformative D2 stage, which permitted in situ remobilization of preexisting sulfide ore in small quartz extension veins. Such a local recrystallization would explain the variability of the As/(As + Sb) ratio of the members of the jordanite series, reflecting the heterogeneity of the orebody.
Conjugated Oligo-Aromatic Compounds Bearing a 3,4,5-Trimethoxy Moiety: Investigation of Their Antioxidant Activity Correlated with a DFT Study
Authors: Kareem Huda. , Nordin Nurdiana , Heidelberg Thorsten , Abdul-Aziz Azlina , Ariffin Azhar
Published: February 2016

A series of heterocyclic compounds bearing the well-known free radical scavenging 3,4,5-trimethoxybenzyloxy group, was synthesized. The key compound 4-(3,4,5-trimethoxybenzyl-oxy)benzohydrazide was converted into thiosemicarbazide derivatives, which were subsequently cyclized with NaOH to provide 1,2,4-triazole derivatives. Alternative treatment of the acid hydrazide with carbon disulfide in the presence of KOH led to the corresponding 1,3,4-oxadiazole and various alkylated derivatives. The newly synthesized compounds were purified and the structures of the products were elucidated and confirmed on the basis of their analytical and spectral data. Their antioxidant activities were evaluated using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH•) and Ferric Reducing Antioxidant Power (FRAP) assays. The thiosemicarbazide derivatives were highly active in both antioxidant assays with the lowest IC50 value for DPPH radical scavenging. Theoretical calculations based on density functional theory (DFT) were performed to understand the relative importance of NH, SH and CH hydrogens on the radical scavenging activities of these compounds.
Microarray Analysis of Differentially-Expressed Genes Encoding CYP450 and Phase II Drug Metabolizing Enzymes in Psoriasis and Melanoma
Authors: Sumantran Venil , Mishra Pratik , Bera Rakesh , Sudhakar Natarajan
Published: February 2016

Cytochrome P450 drug metabolizing enzymes are implicated in personalized medicine for two main reasons. First, inter-individual variability in CYP3A4 expression is a confounding factor during cancer treatment. Second, inhibition or induction of CYP3A4 can trigger adverse drug–drug interactions. However, inflammation can downregulate CYP3A4 and other drug metabolizing enzymes and lead to altered metabolism of drugs and essential vitamins and lipids. Little is known about effects of inflammation on expression of CYP450 genes controlling drug metabolism in the skin. Therefore, we analyzed seven published microarray datasets, and identified differentially-expressed genes in two inflammatory skin diseases (melanoma and psoriasis). We observed opposite patterns of expression of genes regulating metabolism of specific vitamins and lipids in psoriasis and melanoma samples. Thus, genes controlling the turnover of vitamin D (CYP27B1, CYP24A1), vitamin A (ALDH1A3, AKR1B10), and cholesterol (CYP7B1), were up-regulated in psoriasis, whereas melanomas showed downregulation of genes regulating turnover of vitamin A (AKR1C3), and cholesterol (CYP39A1). Genes controlling abnormal keratinocyte differentiation and epidermal barrier function (CYP4F22, SULT2B1) were up-regulated in psoriasis. The up-regulated CYP24A1, CYP4F22, SULT2B1, and CYP7B1 genes are potential drug targets in psoriatic skin. Both disease samples showed diminished drug metabolizing capacity due to downregulation of the CYP1B1 and CYP3A5 genes. However, melanomas showed greater loss of drug metabolizing capacity due to downregulation of the CYP3A4 gene.
Functionalized Cellulose Networks for Efficient Oil Removal from Oil–Water Emulsions
Authors: Paul Uttam , Fragouli Despina , Bayer Ilker , Athanassiou Athanassia
Published: February 2016

The separation of oil from water in emulsions is a great environmental challenge, since oily wastewater is industrially produced. Here, we demonstrate a highly efficient method to separate oil from water in non-stabilized emulsions, using functionalized cellulose fiber networks. This is achieved by the modification of the wetting properties of the fibers, transforming them from oil- and water-absorbing to water-absorbing and oil-proof. In particular, two diverse layers of polymeric coatings, paraffin wax and poly(dimethylsiloxane)-b-poly(ethylene oxide) (PDMS-b-PEO) diblock copolymer, are applied on the surface of each individual fiber by a two-step dip adsorption process. The resulting cellulose networks exhibit superhydrophilicity and underwater superoleophobicity and they are mechanically reinforced. Therefore, the described treatment makes cellulose fiber networks excellent candidates for the filtration and subsequent removal of oil from oil-in-water non-stabilized emulsions with oil separation efficiency up to 99%. The good selectivity, reproducibility, and cost effectiveness of the preparation process leads to the production of low cost filters that can be used in oil–water separation applications.
Fabrication of Nerve Growth Factor Encapsulated Aligned Poly(ε-Caprolactone) Nanofibers and Their Assessment as a Potential Neural Tissue Engineering Scaffold
Authors: Hu Jue , Tian Lingling , Prabhakaran Molamma , Ding Xin , Ramakrishna Seeram
Published: February 2016

Peripheral nerve injury is a serious clinical problem to be solved. There has been no breakthrough so far and neural tissue engineering offers a promising approach to promote the regeneration of peripheral neural injuries. In this study, emulsion electrospinning technique was introduced as a flexible and promising technique for the fabrication of random (R) and aligned (A) Poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL)-Nerve Growth Factor (NGF)&Bovine Serum Albumin (BSA) nanofibrous scaffolds [(R/A)-PCL-NGF&BSA], where NGF and BSA were encapsulated in the core while PCL form the shell. Random and aligned pure PCL, PCL-BSA, and PCL-NGF nanofibers were also produced for comparison. The scaffolds were characterized by Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM) and water contact angle test. Release study showed that, with the addition of stabilizer BSA, a sustained release of NGF from emulsion electrospun PCL nanofibers was observed over 28 days. [3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-5-(3-carboxymethoxyphenyl)-2-(4-sulfophenyl)-2H-tetrazolium, inner salt; MTS] assay revealed that (R/A)-PCL-NGF and (R/A)-PCL-NGF&BSA scaffolds favored cell growth and showed no cytotoxicity to PC12 cells. Laser scanning confocal microscope images exhibited that the A-PCL-NGF&BSA scaffold increased the length of neurites and directed neurites extension along the fiber axis, indicating that the A-PCL-NGF&BSA scaffold has a potential for guiding nerve tissue growth and promoting nerve regeneration.
Impacts of Re-Vegetation on Surface Soil Moisture over the Chinese Loess Plateau Based on Remote Sensing Datasets
Authors: Jiao Qiao , Li Rui , Wang Fei , Mu Xingmin , Li Pengfei , An Chunchun
Published: February 2016

A large-scale re-vegetation supported by the Grain for Green Project (GGP) has greatly changed local eco-hydrological systems, with an impact on soil moisture conditions for the Chinese Loess Plateau. It is important to know how, exactly, re-vegetation influences soil moisture conditions, which not only crucially constrain growth and distribution of vegetation, and hence, further re-vegetation, but also determine the degree of soil desiccation and, thus, erosion risk in the region. In this study, three eco-environmental factors, which are Soil Water Index (SWI), the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), and precipitation, were used to investigate the response of soil moisture in the one-meter layer of top soil to the re-vegetation during the GGP. SWI was estimated based on the backscatter coefficient produced by the European Remote Sensing Satellite (ERS-1/2) and Meteorological Operational satellite program (MetOp), while NDVI was derived from SPOT imageries. Two separate periods, which are 1998–2000 and 2008–2010, were selected to examine the spatiotemporal pattern of the chosen eco-environmental factors. It has been shown that the amount of precipitation in 1998–2000 was close to that of 2008–2010 (the difference being 13.10 mm). From 1998–2000 to 2008–2010, the average annual NDVI increased for 80.99%, while the SWI decreased for 72.64% of the area on the Loess Plateau. The average NDVI over the Loess Plateau increased rapidly by 17.76% after the 10-year GGP project. However, the average SWI decreased by 4.37% for two-thirds of the area. More specifically, 57.65% of the area on the Loess Plateau experienced an increased NDVI and decreased SWI, 23.34% of the area had an increased NDVI and SWI. NDVI and SWI decreased simultaneously for 14.99% of the area, and the decreased NDVI and increased SWI occurred at the same time for 4.02% of the area. These results indicate that re-vegetation, human activities, and climate change have impacts on soil moisture. However, re-vegetation, which consumes a large quantity of soil water, may be the major factor for soil moisture change in most areas of the Loess Plateau. It is, therefore, suggested that Soil Moisture Content (SMC) should be kept in mind when carrying out re-vegetation in China’s arid and semi-arid regions.
Dynamic Mapping of Evapotranspiration Using an Energy Balance-Based Model over an Andean Páramo Catchment of Southern Ecuador
Authors: Carrillo-Rojas Galo , Silva Brenner , Córdova Mario , Célleri Rolando , Bendix Jörg
Published: February 2016

Understanding of evapotranspiration (ET) processes over Andean mountain environments is crucial, particularly due to the importance of these regions to deliver water-related ecosystem services. In this context, the detection of spatio-temporal changes in ET remains poorly investigated for specific Andean ecosystems, like the páramo. To overcome this lack of knowledge, we implemented the energy-balance model METRIC with Landsat 7 ETM+ and MODIS-Terra imagery for a páramo catchment. The implementation contemplated adjustments for complex terrain in order to obtain daily, monthly and annual ET maps (between 2013 and 2014). In addition, we compared our results to the global ET product MOD16. Finally, a rigorous validation of the outputs was conducted with residual ET from the water balance. ET retrievals from METRIC (Landsat-based) showed good agreement with the validation-related ET at monthly and annual steps (mean bias error <8 mm·month−1 and annual deviation <17%). However, METRIC (MODIS-based) outputs and the MOD16 product were revealed to be unsuitable for our study due to the low spatial resolution. At last, the plausibility of METRIC to obtain spatial ET retrievals using higher resolution satellite data is demonstrated, which constitutes the first contribution to the understanding of spatially-explicit ET over an alpine catchment in the neo-tropical Andes.
Tunable Microcavity-Stabilized Quantum Cascade Laser for Mid-IR High-Resolution Spectroscopy and Sensing
Authors: Borri Simone , Siciliani de Cumis Mario , Insero Giacomo , Bartalini Saverio , Cancio Pastor Pablo , Mazzotti Davide , Galli Iacopo , Giusfredi Giovanni , Santambrogio Gabriele , Savchenkov Anatoliy , Eliyahu Danny , Ilchenko Vladimir , Akikusa Naota , Matsko Andrey , Maleki Lute , De Natale Paolo
Published: February 2016

The need for highly performing and stable methods for mid-IR molecular sensing and metrology pushes towards the development of more and more compact and robust systems. Among the innovative solutions aimed at answering the need for stable mid-IR references are crystalline microresonators, which have recently shown excellent capabilities for frequency stabilization and linewidth narrowing of quantum cascade lasers with compact setups. In this work, we report on the first system for mid-IR high-resolution spectroscopy based on a quantum cascade laser locked to a CaF2 microresonator. Electronic locking narrows the laser linewidth by one order of magnitude and guarantees good stability over long timescales, allowing, at the same time, an easy way for finely tuning the laser frequency over the molecular absorption line. Improvements in terms of resolution and frequency stability of the source are demonstrated by direct sub-Doppler recording of a molecular line.
A Rapid Coordinate Transformation Method Applied in Industrial Robot Calibration Based on Characteristic Line Coincidence
Authors: Liu Bailing , Zhang Fumin , Qu Xinghua , Shi Xiaojia
Published: February 2016

Coordinate transformation plays an indispensable role in industrial measurements, including photogrammetry, geodesy, laser 3-D measurement and robotics. The widely applied methods of coordinate transformation are generally based on solving the equations of point clouds. Despite the high accuracy, this might result in no solution due to the use of ill conditioned matrices. In this paper, a novel coordinate transformation method is proposed, not based on the equation solution but based on the geometric transformation. We construct characteristic lines to represent the coordinate systems. According to the space geometry relation, the characteristic line scan is made to coincide by a series of rotations and translations. The transformation matrix can be obtained using matrix transformation theory. Experiments are designed to compare the proposed method with other methods. The results show that the proposed method has the same high accuracy, but the operation is more convenient and flexible. A multi-sensor combined measurement system is also presented to improve the position accuracy of a robot with the calibration of the robot kinematic parameters. Experimental verification shows that the position accuracy of robot manipulator is improved by 45.8% with the proposed method and robot calibration.