bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
eHealth Familias Unidas: Pilot Study of an Internet Adaptation of an Evidence-Based Family Intervention to Reduce Drug Use and Sexual Risk Behaviors Among Hispanic Adolescents
Authors: Estrada Yannine , Molleda Lourdes , Murray Ashley , Drumhiller Kathryn , Tapia Maria , Sardinas Krystal , Rosen Alexa , Pantin Hilda , Perrino Tatiana , Sutton Madeline , Cano Miguel , Dorcius Daphney , Wendorf Muhamad Jessica , Prado Guillermo
Published: March 2017

This paper describes the Internet adaptation of an evidenced-based intervention for Hispanic families, eHealth Familias Unidas, and explores whether an Internet-based format is feasible and acceptable to Hispanic families. Core intervention components from the evidence-based intervention, Familias Unidas, were transposed into a video format and edited for content. Additionally, interactive exercises and a soap opera series were incorporated to reinforce intervention content and optimize participant engagement and retention. To understand the feasibility and acceptability of eHealth Familias Unidas, we conducted a pilot study and examined findings from: (1) session completion rates for both e-parent group sessions and family sessions (n = 23 families); and (2) qualitative data collected from Hispanic parents (n = 29) that received the eHealth intervention. Engagement and attendance in the intervention showed that 83% of families engaged in the intervention and that there was an overall session completion rate of 78%. Qualitative interviews were conducted mid and post intervention with a combined total of 29 participants. A general inductive approach was used to derive themes from the collected data. Overall, parents expressed positive feedback in regards to the intervention and stated that there were multiple lessons learned from participating in eHealth Familias Unidas. Findings indicate that an Internet-based family intervention is not only feasible and acceptable for Hispanic families, but also offers a viable option to ameliorate barriers to participation and implementation of preventive interventions.
Nitrate, Nitrite, and Ammonium Variability in Drinking Water Distribution Systems
Authors: Schullehner Jörg , Stayner Leslie , Hansen Birgitte
Published: March 2017

Accurate assessments of exposure to nitrate in drinking water is a crucial part of epidemiological studies investigating long-term adverse human health effects. However, since drinking water nitrate measurements are usually collected for regulatory purposes, assumptions on (1) the intra-distribution system variability and (2) short-term (seasonal) concentration variability have to be made. We assess concentration variability in the distribution system of nitrate, nitrite, and ammonium, and seasonal variability in all Danish public waterworks from 2007 to 2016. Nitrate concentrations at the exit of the waterworks are highly correlated with nitrate concentrations within the distribution net or at the consumers’ taps, while nitrite and ammonium concentrations are generally lower within the net compared with the exit of the waterworks due to nitrification. However, nitrification of nitrite and ammonium in the distribution systems only results in a relatively small increase in nitrate concentrations. No seasonal variation for nitrate, nitrite, or ammonium was observed. We conclude that nitrate measurements taken at the exit of the waterworks are suitable to calculate exposures for all consumers connected to that waterworks and that sampling frequencies in the national monitoring programme are sufficient to describe temporal variations in longitudinal studies.
Salience Indicators for Landmark Extraction at Large Spatial Scales Based on Spatial Analysis Methods
Authors: Weng Min , Xiong Qin , Kang Mengjun
Published: March 2017

Urban landmarks are frequently used in way-finding and representations of spatial knowledge. However, assessing the salience of urban landmarks is difficult. Moreover, no method exists to rapidly extract urban landmarks from basic geographic information databases. The goal of this paper is to solve these problems from the dual aspects of spatial knowledge representation and public spatial cognition rules. A clear and systematic definition for multiple-scale urban landmarks is proposed, together with a category reference for extracting small- and medium-scale urban landmarks and a model for the large-scale automatic extraction of urban landmarks. In this large-scale automatic urban landmark extraction model, the salience is expressed by two weighted parameters: the check-in totals and local accessibility. The extraction threshold is set according to a predefined number of landmarks to be extracted. Experiments show that the extraction results match the reference data well.
Frontiers in Spatial and Spatiotemporal Crime Analytics—An Editorial
Authors: Helbich Marco , Leitner Michael
Published: March 2017

Environmental criminological theory is well-developed [1,2] but analytical techniques to explore and model crime incidents are lagging behind. Due to the emergence and accumulation of a wide range of environmental data [...]
Applicability Analysis of VTEC Derived from the Sophisticated Klobuchar Model in China
Authors: Chen Jun , Huang Liangke , Liu Lilong , Wu Pituan , Qin Xuyuan
Published: March 2017

Although the Klobuchar model is widely used in single-frequency GPS receivers, it cannot effectively correct the ionospheric delay. The Klobuchar model sets the night ionospheric delay as a constant, i.e., it cannot reflect temporal changes at night. The observation data of seventeen International Global Navigation Satellite System Service (IGS) stations within and around China from 2011 provided by the IGS center are used in this study to calculate the Total Electron Content (TEC) values using the Klobuchar model and the dual-frequency model. The Holt–Winters exponential smoothing model is used to forecast the error of the 7th day between the Klobuchar model and the dual-frequency model by using the error of the former six days. The forecast results are used to develop the sophisticated Klobuchar model when no epochs are missing, considering that certain reasons may result in some of the observation data being missing and weaken the relationship between each epoch in practical applications. We study the applicability of the sophisticated Klobuchar model when observation data are missing. This study deletes observation data of some epochs randomly and then calculates TEC values using the Klobuchar model. A cubic spline curve is used to restore the missing TEC values calculated in the Klobuchar mode. Finally, we develop the sophisticated Klobuchar model when N epochs are missing in China. The sophisticated Klobuchar model is compared with the dual-frequency model. The experimental results reveal the following: (1) the sophisticated Klobuchar model can correct the ionospheric delay more significantly than the Klobuchar model; (2) the sophisticated Klobuchar model can reflect the ionosphere temporal evolution, particularly at night, with the correct results increasing with increasing latitude; and (3) the sophisticated Klobuchar model can achieve remarkable correction results when N epochs are missing, with the correct results being nearly as good as that of the dual-frequency model when no epochs are missing.
A Web-Based Visual and Analytical Geographical Information System for Oil and Gas Data
Authors: Li Yuanchen , Wei Bingjie , Wang Xin
Published: March 2017

With the development of strategic oil and gas assets, massive spatiotemporal oil and gas data have been accumulated. Application systems that assist in the storage and management of the voluminous and complex oil and gas datasets are in high demand. The voluminous and various data should be leveraged and turned into information for business decision-making and operation assistance. In this paper, we propose a set of visual analytic methods that specialize in oil and gas data; and, we develop a web-based oil and gas data management, visualization and analytical system, called Oil and Gas Visual Exploration System (OGVES). With OGVES, complex and multi-sourced oil and gas data can be stored, searched, filtered, and represented. As a web-based system, the OGVES provides more accessibility, convenience and efficiency than traditional desktop systems. Spatial scales and temporal primitives contained in oil and gas data are discussed. Different visualization methods are then presented to explore and represent spatiotemporal features of the oil and gas data. Various case studies demonstrate the usability of the system.
Comprehensive Metabolomic Analysis in Blood, Urine, Fat, and Muscle in Men with Metabolic Syndrome: A Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial on the Effects of Resveratrol after Four Months’ Treatment
Authors: Korsholm Anne , Kjær Thomas , Ornstrup Marie , Pedersen Steen
Published: March 2017

Resveratrol possesses several beneficial metabolic effects in rodents, while the effects of resveratrol in humans remain unclear. Therefore, we performed a non-targeted comprehensive metabolomic analysis on blood, urine, adipose tissue, and skeletal muscle tissue in middle-aged men with metabolic syndrome randomized to either resveratrol or placebo treatment for four months. Changes in steroid hormones across all four matrices were the most pronounced changes observed. Resveratrol treatment reduced sulfated androgen precursors in blood, adipose tissue, and muscle tissue, and increased these metabolites in urine. Furthermore, markers of muscle turnover were increased and lipid metabolism was affected, with increased intracellular glycerol and accumulation of long-chain saturated, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated (n3 and n6) free fatty acids in resveratrol-treated men. Finally, urinary derivatives of aromatic amino acids, which mainly reflect the composition of the gut microbiota, were altered upon resveratrol treatment. In conclusion, the non-targeted metabolomics approach applied to four different matrices provided evidence of subtle but robust effects on several metabolic pathways following resveratrol treatment for four months in men with metabolic syndrome—effects that, for the most part, would not have been detected by routine analyses. The affected pathways should be the focus of future clinical trials on resveratrol’s effects, and perhaps particularly the areas of steroid metabolism and the gut microbiome.
Effects and Mechanisms of Fruit and Vegetable Juices on Cardiovascular Diseases
Authors: Zheng Jie , Zhou Yue , Li Sha , Zhang Pei , Zhou Tong , Xu Dong-Ping , Li Hua-Bin
Published: March 2017

Many studies have indicated that consumption of vegetables and fruits are positively related to lower incidence of several chronic noncommunicable diseases. Although composition of fruit and vegetable juices is different from that of the edible portion of fruits and vegetables, they contain polyphenols and vitamins from fruits and vegetables. Drinking vegetable and fruit juices is very popular in many countries, and also an efficient way to improve consumption of fruits and vegetables. The studies showed that fruit and vegetable juices affect cardiovascular risk factors, such as lowering blood pressure and improving blood lipid profiles. The main mechanisms of action included antioxidant effects, improvement of the aspects of the cardiovascular system, inhibition of platelet aggregation, anti-inflammatory effects, and prevention of hyperhomocysteinemia. Drinking juices might be a potential way to improve cardiovascular health, especially mixtures of juices because they contain a variety of polyphenols, vitamins, and minerals from different fruits and vegetables. This review summarizes recent studies on the effects of fruit and vegetable juices on indicators of cardiovascular disease, and special attention is paid to the mechanisms of action.
Caloric Restriction Protects against Lactacystin-Induced Degeneration of Dopamine Neurons Independent of the Ghrelin Receptor
Authors: Coppens Jessica , Bentea Eduard , Bayliss Jacqueline , Demuyser Thomas , Walrave Laura , Albertini Giulia , Van Liefferinge Joeri , Deneyer Lauren , Aourz Najat , Van Eeckhaut Ann , Portelli Jeanelle , Andrews Zane , Massie Ann , De Bundel Dimitri , Smolders Ilse
Published: March 2017

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder, characterized by a loss of dopamine (DA) neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNc). Caloric restriction (CR) has been shown to exert ghrelin-dependent neuroprotective effects in the 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrathydropyridine (MPTP)-based animal model for PD. We here investigated whether CR is neuroprotective in the lactacystin (LAC) mouse model for PD, in which proteasome disruption leads to the destruction of the DA neurons of the SNc, and whether this effect is mediated via the ghrelin receptor. Adult male ghrelin receptor wildtype (WT) and knockout (KO) mice were maintained on an ad libitum (AL) diet or on a 30% CR regimen. After 3 weeks, LAC was injected unilaterally into the SNc, and the degree of DA neuron degeneration was evaluated 1 week later. In AL mice, LAC injection significanty reduced the number of DA neurons and striatal DA concentrations. CR protected against DA neuron degeneration following LAC injection. However, no differences were observed between ghrelin receptor WT and KO mice. These results indicate that CR can protect the nigral DA neurons from toxicity related to proteasome disruption; however, the ghrelin receptor is not involved in this effect.
Structural Characterization of Core Region in Erwinia amylovora Lipopolysaccharide
Authors: Casillo Angela , Ziaco Marcello , Lindner Buko , Merino Susana , Mendoza-Barberá Elena , Tomás Juan , Corsaro Maria
Published: March 2017

Erwinia amylovora (E. amylovora) is the first bacterial plant pathogen described and demonstrated to cause fire blight, a devastating plant disease affecting a wide range of species including a wide variety of Rosaceae. In this study, we reported the lipopolysaccharide (LPS) core structure from E. amylovora strain CFBP1430, the first one for an E. amylovora highly pathogenic strain. The chemical characterization was performed on the mutants waaL (lacking only the O-antigen LPS with a complete LPS-core), wabH and wabG (outer-LPS core mutants). The LPSs were isolated from dry cells and analyzed by means of chemical and spectroscopic methods. In particular, they were subjected to a mild acid hydrolysis and/or a hydrazinolysis and investigated in detail by one and two dimensional Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and ElectroSpray Ionization Fourier Transform-Ion Cyclotron Resonance (ESI FT-ICR) mass spectrometry.
Inhibition of NLRP3 Inflammasome Pathway by Butyrate Improves Corneal Wound Healing in Corneal Alkali Burn
Authors: Bian Fang , Xiao Yangyan , Zaheer Mahira , Volpe Eugene , Pflugfelder Stephen , Li De-Quan , De Paiva Cintia
Published: March 2017

Epithelial cells are involved in the regulation of innate and adaptive immunity in response to different stresses. The purpose of this study was to investigate if alkali-injured corneal epithelia activate innate immunity through the nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-containing protein (NOD)-like receptor family pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome pathway. A unilateral alkali burn (AB) was created in the central cornea of C57BL/6 mice. Mice received either no topical treatment or topical treatment with sodium butyrate (NaB), β-hydroxybutyric acid (HBA), dexamethasone (Dex), or vehicle (balanced salt solution, BSS) quater in die (QID) for two or five days (d). We evaluated the expression of inflammasome components including NLRP3, apoptosis-associated speck-like protein (ASC), and caspase-1, as well as the downstream cytokine interleukin (IL)-1β. We found elevation of NLRP3 and IL-1β messenger RNA (mRNA) transcripts, as well as levels of inflammasome component proteins in the alkali-injured corneas compared to naïve corneas. Treatment with NLRP3 inhibitors using NaB and HBA preserved corneal clarity and decreased NLRP3, caspase-1, and IL-1β mRNA transcripts, as well as NLRP3 protein expression on post-injury compared to BSS-treated corneas. These findings identified a novel innate immune signaling pathway activated by AB. Blocking the NLRP3 pathway in AB mouse model decreases inflammation, resulting in greater corneal clarity. These results provide a mechanistic basis for optimizing therapeutic intervention in alkali injured eyes.
Characterization of ACE and ACE2 Expression within Different Organs of the NOD Mouse
Authors: Roca-Ho Heleia , Riera Marta , Palau Vanesa , Pascual Julio , Soler Maria
Published: March 2017

Renin angiotensin system (RAS) is known to play a key role in several diseases such as diabetes, and renal and cardiovascular pathologies. Its blockade has been demonstrated to delay chronic kidney disease progression and cardiovascular damage in diabetic patients. In this sense, since local RAS has been described, the aim of this study is to characterize angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) and ACE2 activities, as well as protein expression, in several tissues of the non-obese diabetic (NOD) mice model. After 21 or 40 days of diabetes onset, mouse serums and tissues were analyzed for ACE and ACE2 enzyme activities and protein expression. ACE and ACE2 enzyme activities were detected in different tissues. Their expressions vary depending on the studied tissue. Thus, whereas ACE activity was highly expressed in lungs, ACE2 activity was highly expressed in pancreas among the studied tissues. Interestingly, we also observed that diabetes up-regulates ACE mainly in serum, lung, heart, and liver, and ACE2 mainly in serum, liver, and pancreas. In conclusion, we found a marked serum and pulmonary alteration in ACE activity of diabetic mice, suggesting a common regulation. The increase of ACE2 activity within the circulation in diabetic mice may be ascribed to a compensatory mechanism of RAS.
Blockage of Glyoxalase I Inhibits Colorectal Tumorigenesis and Tumor Growth via Upregulation of STAT1, p53, and Bax and Downregulation of c-Myc and Bcl-2
Authors: Chen Yuan , Fang Lei , Zhang Jiali , Li Gefei , Ma Mengni , Li Changxi , Lyu Jianxin , Meng Qing
Published: March 2017

GlyoxalaseI (GLOI) is an enzyme that catalyzes methylglyoxal metabolism. Overexpression of GLOI has been documented in numerous tumor tissues, including colorectal cancer (CRC). The antitumor effects of GLOI depletion have been demonstrated in some types of cancer, but its role in CRC and the mechanisms underlying this activity remain largely unknown. Our purpose was to investigate the antitumor effects of depleted GLOI on CRC in vitro and in vivo. RNA interference was used to deplete GLOI activity in four CRC cell lines. The cells’ proliferation, apoptosis, migration, and invasion were assessed by using the Cell Counting Kit-8, plate colony formation assay, flow cytometry, and transwell assays. Protein and mRNA levels were analyzed by western blot and quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR), respectively. The antitumor effect of GLOI depletion in vivo was investigated in a SW620 xenograft tumor model in BALB/c nude mice. Our results show that GLOI is over-expressed in the CRC cell lines. GLOI depletion inhibited the proliferation, colony formation, migration, and invasion and induced apoptosis of all CRC cells compared with the controls. The levels of signal transducer and activator of transcription 1 (STAT1), p53, and Bcl-2 assaciated X protein (Bax) were upregulated by GLOI depletion, while cellular homologue of avian myelocytomatosis virus oncogene (c-Myc) and B cell lymphoma/lewkmia-2 (Bcl-2) were downregulated. Moreover, the growth of SW620-induced CRC tumors in BALB/c nude mice was significantly attenuated by GLOI depletion. The expression levels of STAT1, p53, and Bax were increased and those of c-Myc and Bcl-2 were decreased in the GLOI-depleted tumors. Our findings demonstrate that GLOI depletion has an antitumor effect through the STAT1 or p53 signaling pathways in CRC, suggesting that GLOI is a potential therapeutic target.
Structural and Functional Modeling of Artificial Bioactive Proteins
Authors: Štambuk Nikola , Konjevoda Paško
Published: March 2017

A total of 32 synthetic proteins designed by Michael Hecht and co-workers was investigated using standard bioinformatics tools for the structure and function modeling. The dataset consisted of 15 artificial α-proteins (Hecht_α) designed to fold into 102-residue four-helix bundles and 17 artificial six-stranded β-sheet proteins (Hecht_β). We compared the experimentally-determined properties of the sequences investigated with the results of computational methods for protein structure and bioactivity prediction. The conclusion reached is that the dataset of Michael Hecht and co-workers could be successfully used both to test current methods and to develop new ones for the characterization of artificially-designed molecules based on the specific binary patterns of amino acid polarity. The comparative investigations of the bioinformatics methods on the datasets of both de novo proteins and natural ones may lead to: (1) improvement of the existing tools for protein structure and function analysis; (2) new algorithms for the construction of de novo protein subsets; and (3) additional information on the complex natural sequence space and its relation to the individual subspaces of de novo sequences. Additional investigations on different and varied datasets are needed to confirm the general applicability of this concept.
Feeding Deterrence to Reticulitermes speratus (Kolbe) by Fibroporia radiculosa (Peck) Parmasto 1968
Authors: Kamaluddin Nadia , Matsuyama Shigeru , Nakagawa-Izumi Akiko
Published: March 2017

Brown rot fungus Fibroporia radiculosa (Peck) Parmasto grown in decayed wood and non-wood material, potato dextrose agar (PDA) media, deterred Reticulitermes speratus (Kolbe) feeding. Decayed wood and PDA media were extracted and tests were performed to assess termite feeding behavior towards the extracts. We found that the extract from PDA media also suppressed termite feeding, although it did not induce mortality. Using gas chromatography and mass spectrometry analysis, two bioactive compounds were detected from the decayed wood extract, and one was detected from the PDA extract. Based on National Institute of Science and Technology (USA) Mass Spectral library match and compound fragmentation, both of the compounds belong to the sesquiterpenes family.
Biochemical Assessment of Coenzyme Q10 Deficiency
Authors: Rodríguez-Aguilera Juan , Cortés Ana , Fernández-Ayala Daniel , Navas Plácido
Published: March 2017

Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) deficiency syndrome includes clinically heterogeneous mitochondrial diseases that show a variety of severe and debilitating symptoms. A multiprotein complex encoded by nuclear genes carries out CoQ10 biosynthesis. Mutations in any of these genes are responsible for the primary CoQ10 deficiency, but there are also different conditions that induce secondary CoQ10 deficiency including mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) depletion and mutations in genes involved in the fatty acid β-oxidation pathway. The diagnosis of CoQ10 deficiencies is determined by the decrease of its content in skeletal muscle and/or dermal skin fibroblasts. Dietary CoQ10 supplementation is the only available treatment for these deficiencies that require a rapid and distinct diagnosis. Here we review methods for determining CoQ10 content by HPLC separation and identification using alternative approaches including electrochemical detection and mass spectrometry. Also, we review procedures to determine the CoQ10 biosynthesis rate using labeled precursors.
(5-Chloroquinolin-8-yl)-2-fluorobenzoate. The Halogen Bond as a Structure Director
Authors: Moreno-Fuquen Rodolfo , Castillo Juan , Abonía Rodrigo , Portilla Jaime , Henao José
Published: March 2017

Structures containing 8-hydroxyquinoline scaffold are useful for anticancer drug development. The title ester (5-chloroquinolin-8-yl)-2-fluorobenzoate was prepared by the reaction of 2-fluorobenzoyl chloride with 5-chloro-8-hydroxyquinoline. The structure of the title compound was assigned by diverse spectroscopic techniques. Moreover, a crystallographic study was undertaken and its supramolecular characteristics were analyzed. Thus, the central ester fragment C8/O1/C10(O2)/C11 is almost planar with a root mean square (r.m.s.) deviation of 0.0612 Å and it makes dihedral angles of 76.35(6)° and 12.89(11)°, with quinoline and phenyl rings respectively. The structure shows C–H...X (X = halogen) non-classical hydrogen bonds. It also has a halogen…halogen distance less than the sum of the van der Waals radii (3.2171(15) Å). As a result of interactions with halogen atoms, chains of centrosymmetric dimer that form edge-fused R22(18) rings run parallel to the plane (100).
An Experimental Study on the Shear Hysteresis and Energy Dissipation of the Steel Frame with a Trapezoidal-Corrugated Steel Plate
Authors: Shon Sudeok , Yoo Mina , Lee Seungjae
Published: March 2017

The steel frame reinforced with steel shear wall is a lateral load resisting system and has higher strength and shear performance than the concrete shear wall system. Especially, using corrugated steel plates in these shear wall systems improves out-of-plane stiffness and flexibility in the deformation along the corrugation. In this paper, a cyclic loading test of this steel frame reinforced with trapezoidal-corrugated steel plate was performed to evaluate the structural performance. The hysteresis behavior and the energy dissipation capacity of the steel frame were also compared according to the corrugated direction of the plate. For the test, one simple frame model without the wall and two frame models reinforced with the plate are considered and designed. The test results showed that the model reinforced with the corrugated steel plate had a greater accumulated energy dissipation capacity than the experimental result of the non-reinforced model. Furthermore, the energy dissipation curves of two reinforced frame models, which have different corrugated directions, produced similar results.
Verification of the Seismic Performance of a Rigidly Connected Modular System Depending on the Shape and Size of the Ceiling Bracket
Authors: Lee Seungjae , Park Jaeseong , Kwak Euishin , Shon Sudeok , Kang Changhoon , Choi Hosoon
Published: March 2017

Modular systems have been mostly researched in relatively low-rise structures but, lately, their applications to mid- to high-rise structures began to be reviewed, and research interest in new modularization subjects has increased. The application of modular systems to mid- to high-rise structures requires the structural stability of the frame and connections that consist of units, and the evaluation of the stiffness of structures that are combined in units. However, the combination of general units causes loss of the cross-section of columns or beams, resulting in low seismic performance and hindering installation works in the field. In addition, the evaluation of a frame considering such a cross-sectional loss is not easy. Therefore, it is necessary to develop a joint that is stable and easy to install. In the study, a rigidly connected modular system was proposed as a moment-resisting frame for a unit modular system, and their joints were developed and their performances were compared. The proposed system changed the ceiling beam into a bracket type to fasten bolts. It can be merged with other seismic force-resisting systems. To verify the seismic performance of the proposed system, a cyclic loading test was conducted, and the rigidly connected joint performance and integrated behavior at the joint of modular units were investigated. From the experimental results, the maximum resisting force of the proposed connection exceeded the theoretical parameters, indicating that a rigid joint structural performance could be secured.
A Weakly Pareto Compliant Quality Indicator
Authors: Dilettoso Emanuele , Rizzo Santi , Salerno Nunzio
Published: March 2017

In multi‐ and many‐objective optimization problems, the optimization target is to obtain a set of non‐dominated solutions close to the Pareto‐optimal front, well‐distributed, maximally extended and fully filled. Comparing solution sets is crucial in evaluating the performance of different optimization algorithms. The use of performance indicators is common in comparing those sets and, subsequently, optimization algorithms. Therefore, an effective performance indicator must encompass these features as a whole and, above all, it must be Pareto dominance compliant. Unfortunately, some of the known indicators often fail to properly reflect the quality of a solution set or cost a lot to compute. This paper demonstrates that the Degree of Approximation (DOA) quality indicator is a weakly Pareto compliant unary indicator that gives a good estimation of the match between the approximated front and the Pareto‐optimal front.
Membranes with Surface-Enhanced Antifouling Properties for Water Purification
Authors: Shahkaramipour Nima , Tran Thien , Ramanan Sankara , Lin Haiqing
Published: March 2017

Membrane technology has emerged as an attractive approach for water purification, while mitigation of fouling is key to lower membrane operating costs. This article reviews various materials with antifouling properties that can be coated or grafted onto the membrane surface to improve the antifouling properties of the membranes and thus, retain high water permeance. These materials can be separated into three categories, hydrophilic materials, such as poly(ethylene glycol), polydopamine and zwitterions, hydrophobic materials, such as fluoropolymers, and amphiphilic materials. The states of water in these materials and the mechanisms for the antifouling properties are discussed. The corresponding approaches to coat or graft these materials on the membrane surface are reviewed, and the materials with promising performance are highlighted.
Modeling of the Effect of Process Variations on a Micromachined Doubly-Clamped Beam
Authors: Gao Lili , Zhou Zai-Fa , Huang Qing-An
Published: March 2017

In the fabrication of micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) devices, manufacturing process variations are usually involved. For these devices sensitive to process variations such as doubly-clamped beams, mismatches between designs and final products will exist. As a result, it underlies yield problems and will be determined by design parameter ranges and distribution functions. Topographical changes constitute process variations, such as inclination, over-etching, and undulating sidewalls in the Bosch process. In this paper, analytical models are first developed for MEMS doubly-clamped beams, concerning the mentioned geometrical variations. Then, finite-element (FE) analysis is performed to provide a guidance for model verifications. It is found that results predicted by the models agree with those of FE analysis. Assigning process variations, predictions for performance as well as yield can be made directly from the analytical models, by means of probabilistic analysis. In this paper, the footing effect is found to have a more profound effect on the resonant frequency of doubly-clamped beams during the Bosch process. As the confining process has a variation of 10.0%, the yield will have a reduction of 77.3% consequently. Under these circumstances, the prediction approaches can be utilized to guide the further MEMS device designs.
Design and Analysis of a New High Precision Decoupled XY Compact Parallel Micromanipulator
Authors: Chen Xigang , Li Yangmin
Published: March 2017

With the development of nanotechnology that contains automatic control, precision machinery and precise measurement, etc., micro/nano manipulation has become a new research direction in recent years. This paper presents the design and analysis procedures of a new high precision XY decoupled compact parallel micromanipulator (DCPM) for micro scale positioning applications. The DCPM is made up of the decoupler, two-stage amplifier and the piezoelectric translator (PZT) actuators, which utilizes the characteristics of flexure hinges. In this paper, firstly, a new two-stage bridge-principle amplifier is proposed by a serial connection of two fundamental bridge amplifiers in order to increase the ratio of amplification. It is pivotal for designing the micromanipulator. Then, the kinematic modeling of the micromanipulator is carried out by resorting to stiffness and compliance analysis via matrix method. Finally, the performance of the micromanipulator is validated by finite-element analysis (FEA) which is preliminary job for fabricating the prototype and designing the control system of the XY stage that is expected to be adopted into micro/nano manipulations.
Interface Friction of Double-Walled Carbon Nanotubes Investigated Using Molecular Dynamics †
Authors: Wu Cheng-Da , Fang Te-Hua , Tung Fu-Yung
Published: March 2017

The interface friction characteristics of double-walled carbon nanotubes (DWCNTs) are studied using molecular dynamics simulations based on the Tersoff potential. The effects of the DWCNT type, outer shell diameter, and temperature are evaluated. The simulation results show that when an inner shell is being pulled out from a DWCNT, the friction force and normal force between shells increase with increasing the outer shell diameter. The noise of the friction force significantly increases with the increasing temperature. Zigzag@zigzag and armchair@armchair DWCNTs exhibit larger friction forces and smaller normal forces compared to those of chiral@chiral DWCNTs.
Optimization of Ultrasonic-Assisted Enzymatic Extraction Conditions for Improving Total Phenolic Content, Antioxidant and Antitumor Activities In Vitro from Trapa quadrispinosa Roxb. Residues
Authors: Li Feng , Mao Yi-Dan , Wang Yi-Fan , Raza Aun , Qiu Li-Peng , Xu Xiu-Quan
Published: March 2017

Stems are the important residues of Trapa quadrispinosa Roxb., which are abundant in phenolic compounds. Ultrasonic-assisted enzymatic extraction (UAEE) is confirmed as a novel extraction technology with main advantages of enhancing extraction yield and physiological activities of the extracts from various plants. In this study, UAEE was applied to obtain the highest yield of phenolic content, strongest antioxidant, and antitumor activities and to optimize the extraction conditions using response surface methodology (RSM). The extracts from the stems of T. quadrispinosa were characterized by determination of their antioxidant activities through 2,2-azinobis(3-ethylbenzthiazoline)-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS), 1,1-Diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazxyl (DPPH) radical scavenging, total antioxidant capacity (TAC), ferric reducing antioxidant capacity (FRAC) methods and of their antitumor activity by MTT method. The selected key independent variables were cellulase concentration (X1: 1.5%–2.5%), extraction time (X2: 20–30 min) and extraction temperature (X3: 40–60 °C). The optimal extraction conditions for total phenolic content (TPC) value of the extracts were determined as 1.74% cellulase concentration, 25.5 min ultrasonic extraction time and 49.0 °C ultrasonic temperature. Under these conditions, the highest TPC value of 53.6 ± 2.2 mg Gallic acid equivalent (GAE)/g dry weight (DW) was obtained, which agreed well with the predicted value (52.596 mg GAE/g·DW. Furthermore, the extracts obtained from UAEE presented highest antioxidant activities through ABTS, DPPH, TAC and FRAC methods were of 1.54 ± 0.09 mmol Trolox equivalent (TE)/g·DW; 1.45 ± 0.07 mmol·TE/g·DW; 45.2 ± 2.2 mg·GAE/g·DW; 50.4 ± 2.6 μmol FeSO4 equivalent/g·DW and lowest IC50 values of 160.4 ± 11.6 μg/mL, 126.1 ± 10.8 μg/mL, and 178.3 ± 13.1 μg/mL against Hela, HepG-2 and U251 tumor cells, respectively. The results indicated that the UAEE was an efficient alternative to improve extraction yield and enhance the antioxidant and antitumor activities of the extracts. The phenolic extracts from the stems of T. quadrispinosa had significant antioxidant and antitumor activities, which could be used as a source of potential antioxidant and antitumor agents.
Pentacyclic Triterpene Bioavailability: An Overview of In Vitro and In Vivo Studies
Authors: J. C. Furtado Niege , Pirson Laetitia , Edelberg Hélène , M. Miranda Lisa , Loira-Pastoriza Cristina , Preat Véronique , Larondelle Yvan , André Christelle
Published: March 2017

Pentacyclic triterpenes are naturally found in a great variety of fruits, vegetables and medicinal plants and are therefore part of the human diet. The beneficial health effects of edible and medicinal plants have partly been associated with their triterpene content, but the in vivo efficacy in humans depends on many factors, including absorption and metabolism. This review presents an overview of in vitro and in vivo studies that were carried out to determine the bioavailability of pentacyclic triterpenes and highlights the efforts that have been performed to improve the dissolution properties and absorption of these compounds. As plant matrices play a critical role in triterpene bioaccessibility, this review covers literature data on the bioavailability of pentacyclic triterpenes ingested either from foods and medicinal plants or in their free form.
In Vitro Comparative Skin Irritation Induced by Nano and Non-Nano Zinc Oxide
Authors: Vinardell Maria , Llanas Hector , Marics Laura , Mitjans Montserrat
Published: March 2017

This study was designed to determine whether nano-sized ZnO has the potential to cause acute cutaneous irritation using cultured HaCaT keratinocytes and a human skin equivalent as in vitro models, compared to non-nanomaterials. Commercial nano ZnO with different sizes (50 nm and 100 nm) was characterized by dynamic light scattering (DLS) and microscopy (SEM) in different media. Nano ZnO reduced the cell viability of HaCaT in a dose-dependent and time-dependent manner, in a similar way to macro ZnO. However, the 3D-epidermis model revealed no irritation at 1 mg/mL after 24 h of exposure. In conclusion, nano-sized ZnO does not irritate skin, in a similar manner to non-nano ZnO.
Nanocellulose-Based Materials for Water Purification
Authors: Voisin Hugo , Bergström Lennart , Liu Peng , Mathew Aji
Published: March 2017

Nanocellulose is a renewable material that combines a high surface area with high strength, chemical inertness, and versatile surface chemistry. In this review, we will briefly describe how nanocellulose is produced, and present—in particular, how nanocellulose and its surface modified versions affects the adsorption behavior of important water pollutants, e.g., heavy metal species, dyes, microbes, and organic molecules. The processing of nanocellulose-based membranes and filters for water purification will be described in detail, and the uptake capacity, selectivity, and removal efficiency will also be discussed. The processing and performance of nanocellulose-based membranes, which combine a high removal efficiency with anti-fouling properties, will be highlighted.
Effect of the Polymeric Stabilizer in the Aqueous Phase Fischer-Tropsch Synthesis Catalyzed by Colloidal Cobalt Nanocatalysts
Authors: Delgado Jorge , Claver Carmen , Castillón Sergio , Curulla-Ferré Daniel , Godard Cyril
Published: March 2017

A series of small and well defined cobalt nanoparticles were synthesized by the chemical reduction of cobalt salts in water using NaBH4 as a reducing agent and using various polymeric stabilizers. The obtained nanocatalysts of similar mean diameters (ca. 2.6 nm) were fully characterized and tested in the aqueous phase Fischer-Tropsch Synthesis (AFTS). Interestingly, the nature and structure of the stabilizers used during the synthesis of the CoNPs affected the reduction degree of cobalt and the B-doping of these NPs and consequently, influenced the performance of these nanocatalysts in AFTS.
Dietary Patterns and Insomnia Symptoms in Chinese Adults: The China Kadoorie Biobank
Authors: Yu Canqing , Shi Zumin , Lv Jun , Guo Yu , Bian Zheng , Du Huaidong , Chen Yiping , Tao Ran , Huang Ying , Chen Junshi , Chen Zhengming , Li Liming
Published: March 2017

Limited attention has been paid to the effect of dietary patterns on sleep problems. In the present study, we analyzed the cross-sectional data of 481,242 adults aged 30–79 years from the China Kadoorie Biobank. A laptop-based questionnaire was administered to collect information on food intakes and insomnia symptoms. Logistic regression was used to estimate the odds ratios of each insomnia symptom according to quartiles of each dietary pattern, with adjustment for potential confounders. Two major dietary patterns were derived by factor analysis. The traditional northern dietary pattern was characterized by high intakes of wheat and other staple food, whereas the modern dietary pattern was characterized by high intakes of meat, poultry, fish, eggs, fresh fruit, and dairy products. Both dietary patterns were associated with a decreased prevalence of insomnia symptoms (p for trend < 0.001); after adjustment for potential confounders, individuals who had the highest quartile score of traditional northern dietary pattern were 12%–19% less likely to have insomnia symptoms compared to those in the lowest quartile (odds ratio: 0.81–0.88), and the corresponding values for the modern dietary pattern were 0.89–1.01. Furthermore, interactions of these two dietary patterns on insomnia symptoms were observed. Further prospective studies are needed to elucidate the relationship between diet and insomnia.
Interaction between Single Nucleotide Polymorphism and Urinary Sodium, Potassium, and Sodium-Potassium Ratio on the Risk of Hypertension in Korean Adults
Authors: Park Yeong , Kwock Chang , Kim Kyunga , Kim Jihye , Yang Yoon
Published: March 2017

Hypertension is a complex disease explained with diverse factors including environmental factors and genetic factors. The objectives of this study were to determine the interaction effects between gene variants and 24 h estimated urinary sodium and potassium excretion and sodium-potassium excretion ratios on the risk of hypertension. A total of 8839 participants were included in the genome-wide association study (GWAS) to find genetic factors associated with hypertension. Tanaka and Kawasaki formulas were applied to estimate 24 h urinary sodium and potassium excretion. A total of 4414 participants were included in interaction analyses to identify the interaction effects of gene variants according to 24 h estimated urinary factors on the risk of hypertension. CSK rs1378942 and CSK-MIR4513 rs3784789 were significantly modified by urinary sodium-potassium excretion ratio. In addition, MKLN rs1643270 with urinary potassium excretion, LOC101929750 rs7554672 with urinary sodium and potassium excretion, and TENM4 rs10466739 with urinary sodium-potassium excretion ratio showed significant interaction effects. The present study results indicated that the mutant alleles of CSK rs1378942 and CSK-MIR4513 rs3784789 had the strongest protective effects against hypertension in the middle group of 24 h estimated urinary sodium-potassium excretion ratio. Further studies are needed to replicate these analyses in other populations.
Early-Life Nutritional Programming of Type 2 Diabetes: Experimental and Quasi-Experimental Evidence
Authors: Vaiserman Alexander
Published: March 2017

Consistent evidence from both experimental and human studies suggest that inadequate nutrition in early life can contribute to risk of developing metabolic disorders including type 2 diabetes (T2D) in adult life. In human populations, most findings supporting a causative relationship between early-life malnutrition and subsequent risk of T2D were obtained from quasi-experimental studies (‘natural experiments’). Prenatal and/or early postnatal exposures to famine were demonstrated to be associated with higher risk of T2D in many cohorts around the world. Recent studies have highlighted the importance of epigenetic regulation of gene expression as a possible major contributor to the link between the early-life famine exposure and T2D in adulthood. Findings from these studies suggest that prenatal exposure to the famine may result in induction of persistent epigenetic changes that have adaptive significance in postnatal development but can predispose to metabolic disorders including T2D at the late stages of life. In this review, quasi-experimental data on the developmental programming of T2D are summarized and recent research findings on changes in DNA methylation that mediate these effects are discussed.
A High Fiber Cookie Made with Resistant Starch Type 4 Reduces Post-Prandial Glucose and Insulin Responses in Healthy Adults
Authors: Stewart Maria , Zimmer J.
Published: March 2017

Distarch phosphate is a resistant starch type 4 (RS4) containing phosphodiester cross-links within and between starch molecules. This study examined the glycemic effects of VERSAFIBE 1490™ resistant starch, a distarch phosphate derived from potato, containing 90% total dietary fiber (TDF, AOAC 991.43 method). In this double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, cross-over study, 28 healthy adults consumed a cookie containing 24 g fiber from distarch phosphate (fiber cookie) or a control cookie containing 0.5 g fiber that was matched for fat, protein, and total carbohydrate content. Intravenous blood glucose, intravenous blood insulin, and capillary glucose were measured for two hours after cookie consumption. The fiber cookie reduced the post-prandial blood glucose incremental area under the curve from 0 to 120 minutes (iAUC0-120min) by 44% (p = 0.004) and reduced the maximum glucose concentration (Cmax0-120min) by 8% (p = 0.001) versus the control cookie. Consumption of the fiber cookie resulted in a significant 46% reduction of the post-prandial serum insulin iAUC0-120min (p < 0.001) and a 23% reduction in Cmax0-120min (p = 0.007) versus the control cookie. This study shows that distarch phosphate RS4 can be incorporated into a cookie and significantly reduce post-prandial glucose and insulin responses in healthy adults.
The Association between Dietary Quality and Dietary Guideline Adherence with Mental Health Outcomes in Adults: A Cross-Sectional Analysis
Authors: Meegan Amy , Perry Ivan , Phillips Catherine
Published: March 2017

The prevalence of adverse mental health outcomes in adults is increasing. Although beneficial effects of selected micronutrients and foods on mental health have been reported, they do not reflect the impact of the habitual diet on mental health. Therefore, our objective is to examine potential associations between dietary quality, dietary composition and compliance with food pyramid recommendations with depressive symptoms, anxiety and well-being (assessed using CES-D, HADS-A and WHO-5 screening tools) in a cross-sectional sample of 2047 middle-aged adults. Diet was assessed using a self-completed FFQ. Chi-square tests, t-tests and logistic regression analyses were used to investigate the associations between dietary components and mental health outcomes. Dietary quality, but not dietary composition or guideline adherence, was associated with well-being. Those with high dietary quality were more likely to report well-being (OR =1.67, 95% CI 1.15–2.44, p = 0.007) relative to those with low dietary quality. This remained significant among females (OR = 1.92, (95% CI 1.14–3.23, p = 0.014) and non-obese individuals (OR = 2.03, 95% CI 1.28–3.20, p = 0.003). No associations between any dietary measures with anxiety or depressive symptoms were observed. These novel results highlight the importance of dietary quality in maintaining optimal psychological well-being. Better understanding of the relationship between dietary quality and mental health may provide insight into potential therapeutic or intervention strategies to improve mental health and well-being.