bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Differences in Sulfotyrosine Binding amongst CXCR1 and CXCR2 Chemokine Ligands
Authors: Moussouras Natasha , Getschman Anthony , Lackner Emily , Veldkamp Christopher , Dwinell Michael , Volkman Brian
Published: September 2017

Tyrosine sulfation, a post-translational modification found on many chemokine receptors, typically increases receptor affinity for the chemokine ligand. A previous bioinformatics analysis suggested that a sulfotyrosine (sY)-binding site on the surface of the chemokine CXCL12 may be conserved throughout the chemokine family. However, the extent to which receptor tyrosine sulfation contributes to chemokine binding has been examined in only a few instances. Computational solvent mapping correctly identified the conserved sulfotyrosine-binding sites on CXCL12 and CCL21 detected by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, demonstrating its utility for hot spot analysis in the chemokine family. In this study, we analyzed five chemokines that bind to CXCR2, a subset of which also bind to CXCR1, to identify hot spots that could participate in receptor binding. A cleft containing the predicted sulfotyrosine-binding pocket was identified as a principal hot spot for ligand binding on the structures of CXCL1, CXCL2, CXCL7, and CXCL8, but not CXCL5. Sulfotyrosine titrations monitored via NMR spectroscopy showed specific binding to CXCL8, but not to CXCL5, which is consistent with the predictions from the computational solvent mapping. The lack of CXCL5–sulfotyrosine interaction and the presence of CXCL8–sulfotyrosine binding suggests a role for receptor post-translational modifications regulating ligand selectivity.
Modulation of Immunogenicity and Conformation of HA1 Subunit of Influenza A Virus H1/N1 Hemagglutinin in Tubular Immunostimulating Complexes
Authors: Sanina Nina , Davydova Ludmila , Chopenko Natalia , Kostetsky Eduard , Shnyrov Valery
Published: September 2017

The HA1 subunit of the influenza virus hemagglutinin (HA) is a valuable antigen for the development of vaccines against flu due to the availability of most antigenic sites which are conformational. Therefore, a novel adjuvanted antigen delivery system, tubular immunostimulating complexes (TI-complexes) comprising monogalactosyldiacylglycerol (MGDG) from different marine macrophytes as a lipid matrix for an antigen, was applied to enhance the immunogenicity of recombinant HA1 of influenza A H1N1 and to study the relation between its immunogenicity and conformation. The content of anti-HA1 antibodies and cytokines was estimated by ELISA after the immunization of mice with HA1 alone, and HA1 was incorporated in TI-complexes based on different MGDGs isolated from green algae Ulva lactuca, brown algae Sargassum pallidum, and seagrass Zostera marina. Conformational changes of HA1 were estimated by differential scanning calorimetry and intrinsic fluorescence. It was shown that the adjuvant activity of TI-complexes depends on the microviscosity of MGDGs, which differently influence the conformation of HA1. The highest production of anti-HA1 antibodies (compared with the control) was induced by HA1 incorporated in a TI-complex based on MGDG from S. pallidum, which provided the relaxation of the spatial structure and, likely, the proper presentation of the antigen to immunocompetent cells.
Potential Roles of Intrinsic Disorder in Maternal-Effect Proteins Involved in the Maintenance of DNA Methylation
Authors: Liu Hongliang , Wei Qing , Huang Chenyang , Zhang Yong , Guo Zekun
Published: September 2017

DNA methylation is an important epigenetic modification that needs to be carefully controlled as a prerequisite for normal early embryogenesis. Compelling evidence now suggests that four maternal-effect proteins, primordial germ cell 7 (PGC7), zinc finger protein 57 (ZFP57), tripartite motif-containing 28 (TRIM28) and DNA methyltransferase (cytosine-5) 1 (DNMT1) are involved in the maintenance of DNA methylation. However, it is still not fully understood how these maternal-effect proteins maintain the DNA methylation imprint. We noticed that a feature common to these proteins is the presence of significant levels of intrinsic disorder so in this study we started from an intrinsic disorder perspective to try to understand these maternal-effect proteins. To do this, we firstly analysed the intrinsic disorder predispositions of PGC7, ZFP57, TRIM28 and DNMT1 by using a set of currently available computational tools and secondly conducted an intensive literature search to collect information on their interacting partners and structural characterization. Finally, we discuss the potential effect of intrinsic disorder on the function of these proteins in maintaining DNA methylation.
Comparative Programs for Arthropod, Disease and Weed Management in New York Organic Apples
Authors: Agnello Arthur , Cox Kerik , Lordan Jaume , Francescatto Poliana , Robinson Terence
Published: September 2017

Organic apple production in the eastern US is small and is mostly based on existing varieties, which are susceptible to scab, and rootstocks, which are susceptible to fire blight. This requires numerous sprays per year of various pesticides to produce acceptable fruit. From 2014 to 2016, we tested different arthropod, disease and weed management programs in an advanced tall spindle high-density production system that included disease-resistant cultivars and rootstocks, in an organic research planting of apples in Geneva, New York. Arthropod and disease management regimens were characterized as Advanced Organic, Minimal Organic, or Untreated Control. Results varied by year and variety, but, in general, the Advanced program was more effective than the Minimal program in preventing damage from internal-feeding Lepidoptera, plum curculio, and obliquebanded leafroller, and less effective than the Minimal program against damage by foliar insects. Both organic programs provided comparable control of sooty blotch, cedar apple rust, and fire blight, with some variability across cultivars and years. The advanced selection CC1009 and Modi seemed to possess complete resistance to cedar apple rust, while Pristine had partial resistance. For weed control, bark chip mulch, organic soap sprays, and limonene sprays tended to be most effective, while mechanical tillage and flame weeding had lower success.
Choosing a Future Shoreline for the San Francisco Bay: Strategic Coastal Adaptation Insights from Cost Estimation
Authors: Hirschfeld Daniella , Hill Kristina
Published: September 2017

In metropolitan regions made up of multiple independent jurisdictions, adaptation to increased coastal flooding due to sea level rise requires coordinated strategic planning of the physical and organizational approaches to be adopted. Here, we explore a flexible method for estimating physical adaptation costs along the San Francisco Bay shoreline. Our goal is to identify uncertainties that can hinder cooperation and decision-making. We categorized shoreline data, estimated the height of exceedance for sea level rise scenarios, and developed a set of unit costs for raising current infrastructure to meet future water levels. Using these cost estimates, we explored critical strategic planning questions, including shoreline positions, design heights, and infrastructure types. For shoreline position, we found that while the shortest line is in fact the least costly, building the future shoreline at today’s transition from saltwater to freshwater vegetation is similar in cost but allows for the added possibility of conserving saltwater wetlands. Regulations requiring a specific infrastructure design height above the water level had a large impact on physical construction costs, increasing them by as much as 200%. Finally, our results show that the costs of raising existing walls may represent 70% to 90% of the total regional costs, suggesting that a shift to earthen terraces and levees will reduce adaptation costs significantly.
Photoswitchable Fluorescent Diarylethene Derivatives with Thiophene 1,1-Dioxide Groups: Effect of Alkyl Substituents at the Reactive Carbons
Authors: Morimoto Masakazu , Sumi Takaki , Irie Masahiro
Published: September 2017

Photoswitching and fluorescent properties of sulfone derivatives of 1,2-bis(2-alkyl-4-methyl-5-phenyl-3-thienyl)perfluorocyclopentene, 1–5, having methyl, ethyl, n-propyl, i-propyl, and i-butyl substituents at the reactive carbons (2- and 2′-positions) of the thiophene 1,1-dioxide rings were studied. Diarylethenes 1–5 underwent isomerization reactions between open-ring and closed-ring forms upon alternate irradiation with ultraviolet (UV) and visible light and showed fluorescence in the closed-ring forms. The alkyl substitution at the reactive carbons affects the fluorescent property of the closed-ring isomers. The closed-ring isomers 2b–5b with ethyl, n-propyl, i-propyl, and i-butyl substituents show higher fluorescence quantum yields than 1b with methyl substituents. In polar solvents, the fluorescence quantum yield of 1b markedly decreases, while 2b–5b maintain the relatively high fluorescence quantum yields. Although the cycloreversion quantum yields of the derivatives with methyl, ethyl, n-propyl, and i-propyl substituents are quite low and in the order of 10−5, introduction of i-butyl substituents was found to increase the yield up to the order of 10−3. These results indicate that appropriate alkyl substitution at the reactive carbons is indispensable for properly controlling the photoswitching and fluorescent properties of the photoswitchable fluorescent diarylethenes, which are potentially applicable to super-resolution fluorescence microscopies.
Relationship between Degree of Deformation in Quartz and Silica Dissolution for the Development of Alkali-Silica Reaction in Concrete
Authors: Tiecher Francieli , Gomes Marcia , Dal Molin Denise , Hasparyk Nicole , Monteiro Paulo
Published: September 2017

This paper presents research on the influence of quartz deformation in aggregates for the development of the alkali-silica reaction in concrete and its relationship with silica dissolution. The study also compares these characteristics with the field behavior of such rocks in concrete. The paper proposes parameters to classify the different degrees of deformation of quartz. Transmission electron microscopy showed the presence of walls even in slightly deformed quartz, which indicate the presence of the internal paths available to react with the alkaline concrete pore solutions and point to the potential development of an alkali-silica reaction. The presence of the deformation bands in the quartz grains leads to the alkali aggregate reaction occurring more rapidly. The visible spectrophotometer test was performed to evaluate the dissolution potential of the different samples of deformed quartz, which confirmed that the reactivity of the quartz increases as the deformation of the crystalline structure increases. The parameters established in the present study could be verified by analyzing the behavior of reactive and innocuous aggregates from the buildings.
Electron Beam Welding of IN792 DS: Effects of Pass Speed and PWHT on Microstructure and Hardness
Authors: Angella Giuliano , Barbieri Giuseppe , Donnini Riccardo , Montanari Roberto , Richetta Maria , Varone Alessandra
Published: September 2017

Electron Beam (EB) welding has been used to realize seams on 2 mm-thick plates of directionally solidified (DS) IN792 superalloy. The first part of this work evidenced the importance of pre-heating the workpiece to avoid the formation of long cracks in the seam. The comparison of different pre-heating temperatures (PHT) and pass speeds (v) allowed the identification of optimal process parameters, namely PHT = 300 °C and v = 2.5 m/min. The microstructural features of the melted zone (MZ); the heat affected zone (HAZ), and base material (BM) were investigated by optical microscopy (OM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersion spectroscopy (EDS), electron back-scattered diffraction (EBSD), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and micro-hardness tests. In the as-welded condition; the structure of directionally oriented grains was completely lost in MZ. The γ’ phase in MZ consisted of small (20–40 nm) round shaped particles and its total amount depended on both PHT and welding pass speed, whereas in HAZ, it was the same BM. Even if the amount of γ’ phase in MZ was lower than that of the as-received material, the nanometric size of the particles induced an increase in hardness. EDS examinations did not show relevant composition changes in the γ’ and γ phases. Post-welding heat treatments (PWHT) at 700 and 750 °C for two hours were performed on the best samples. After PWHTs, the amount of the ordered phase increased, and the effect was more pronounced at 750 °C, while the size of γ’ particles in MZ remained almost the same. The hardness profiles measured across the joints showed an upward shift, but peak-valley height was a little lower, indicating more homogeneous features in the different zones.
Preparation of Humidity-Sensitive Poly(Ethylene Glycol) Inverse Opal Micropatterns Using Colloidal Lithography
Authors: Yu Bing , Cong Hailin , Yang Zhen , Yang Shujing , Wang Yuezhong , Zhai Feng , Wang Yifan
Published: September 2017

Humidity-sensitive poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) inverse opals with micropatterns of 2 μm wide anti-swell-broken grooves were prepared using polystyrene (PS) colloidal crystals as templates and colloidal lithography. Monodisperse PS colloids were deposited in an ordered manner onto glass slides using a double-substrate vertical deposition method to form colloidal crystal templates. Poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate (PEGDA) with photoinitiator was infiltrated into the interspaces of the colloidal crystals and photo-crosslinked by UV irradiation through a photomask. After removal the PS templates and unexposed PEGDA by tetrahydrofuran (THF), PEG hydrogel micropatterns with three-dimensional ordered porous structures were obtained. The band gaps of the PS colloidal crystals and corresponding PEG hydrogel inverse opals were measured by UV-VIS reflection spectrometer, calculated by Bragg law and simulated by Band SOLVE. The obtained PEG hydrogel inverse opal micropatterns can be used as sensors for humidity sensing due to absorption and desorption of moisture in the band gap structures. The sensor had a very reliable performance after repeated humidity sensing, and could be mass produced facilely with very low cost. The photopatterned anti-swell-broken grooves play an important role in the reliability of the sensors.
Fusion Estimation from Multisensor Observations with Multiplicative Noises and Correlated Random Delays in Transmission
Authors: Caballero-Águila Raquel , Hermoso-Carazo Aurora , Linares-Pérez Josefa
Published: September 2017

In this paper, the information fusion estimation problem is investigated for a class of multisensor linear systems affected by different kinds of stochastic uncertainties, using both the distributed and the centralized fusion methodologies. It is assumed that the measured outputs are perturbed by one-step autocorrelated and cross-correlated additive noises, and also stochastic uncertainties caused by multiplicative noises and randomly missing measurements in the sensor outputs are considered. At each sampling time, every sensor output is sent to a local processor and, due to some kind of transmission failures, one-step correlated random delays may occur. Using only covariance information, without requiring the evolution model of the signal process, a local least-squares (LS) filter based on the measurements received from each sensor is designed by an innovation approach. All these local filters are then fused to generate an optimal distributed fusion filter by a matrix-weighted linear combination, using the LS optimality criterion. Moreover, a recursive algorithm for the centralized fusion filter is also proposed and the accuracy of the proposed estimators, which is measured by the estimation error covariances, is analyzed by a simulation example.
A Novel Method of Offset Approximation along the Normal Direction with High Precision
Authors: Zhao Hongyan , Zhou Lian
Published: September 2017

A new algorithm is proposed for polynomial or rational approximation of the planar offset curve. The best rational Chebyshev approximation could be regarded as a kind of geometric approximation along the fixed direction. Based on this idea, we developed a wholly new offset approximation method by changing the fixed direction to the normal directions. The error vectors follow the direction of normal, and thus could reflect the approximate performance more properly. The approximation is completely independent of the original curve parameterization, and thus could ensure the stability of the approximation result. Experimental results show that the proposed algorithm is reasonable and effective.
Stress Corrosion Cracking Behavior of Fine-Grained AZ61 Magnesium Alloys Processed by Equal-Channel Angular Pressing
Authors: Xie Qiuyuan , Ma Aibin , Jiang Jinghua , Cheng Zhaojun , Song Dan , Yuan Yuchun , Liu Huan
Published: September 2017

The effect of equal-channel angular pressing (ECAP) on stress corrosion cracking (SCC) behavior of a cast AZ61 Mg alloy was investigated in distilled water (DW) using the slow strain rate tensile test (SSRT) at a strain rate of 1 × 10−6 s−1. The fine-grained alloy after ECAP showed a greater SCC susceptibility but a higher ultimate tensile strength, compared with the as-cast counterpart. The results were attributed to refined grains, high-density dislocations and increased proportion of high-angle grain boundaries induced by severe plastic deformation, as well as isolated fine β-phase particles transiting from net-like β-phase.
Demonstrating the Effect of Precipitation on the Mechanical Stability of Fine-Grained Austenite in Reversion-Treated 301LN Stainless Steel
Authors: Järvenpää Antti , Jaskari Matias , Juuti Timo , Karjalainen Pentti
Published: September 2017

According to recent investigations, a huge difference exists in the mechanical stability of austenite between the grain-refined structure states obtained in reversion annealing at 800–700 °C or at 900 °C, in a 301LN type austenitic stainless steel. Precipitation of chromium nitride occurring at these lower temperatures has been argued to be the factor reducing the stability. To prove this argument, a fine-grained, very stable austenitic structure was created at 900 °C in 1 s, and subsequently annealed at lower temperatures between 850 and 750 °C, up to 1000 s. It was found that the subsequent annealing at 750 and 800 °C resulted in prominent gradual decrease of the mechanical stability under tensile straining, detectable after 10 s annealing duration and continued until 1000 s. Only minimal grain growth occurred, which decreased the stability very marginally. The degree of the stability drop followed the predicted kinetics of the Cr2N precipitation with regards as its dependence on annealing duration and temperature. Further, the tensile yield strength of the fine-grained structure increased slightly due to the annealing. The presence of nano-sized Cr2N particles was verified after 1000 s holding at 750 °C. These observations and predictions yield firm evidence for the imperative contribution of precipitation to the highly reduced mechanical stability of grain-refined austenite in this steel.
A Hybrid Multi-Scale Model of Crystal Plasticity for Handling Stress Concentrations
Authors: Sun Shang , Ramazani Ali , Sundararaghavan Veera
Published: September 2017

Microstructural effects become important at regions of stress concentrators such as notches, cracks and contact surfaces. A multiscale model is presented that efficiently captures microstructural details at such critical regions. The approach is based on a multiresolution mesh that includes an explicit microstructure representation at critical regions where stresses are localized. At regions farther away from the stress concentration, a reduced order model that statistically captures the effect of the microstructure is employed. The statistical model is based on a finite element representation of the orientation distribution function (ODF). As an illustrative example, we have applied the multiscaling method to compute the stress intensity factor K I around the crack tip in a wedge-opening load specimen. The approach is verified with an analytical solution within linear elasticity approximation and is then extended to allow modeling of microstructural effects on crack tip plasticity.
Medicinal Plants Based Products Tested on Pathogens Isolated from Mastitis Milk
Authors: Pașca Claudia , Mărghitaș Liviu , Dezmirean Daniel , Bobiș Otilia , Bonta Victorița , Chirilă Flore , Matei Ioana , Fiț Nicodim
Published: September 2017

Bovine mastitis a major disease that is commonly associated with bacterial infection. The common treatment is with antibiotics administered intramammary into infected quarters of the udder. The excessive use of antibiotics leads to multidrug resistance and associated risks for human health. In this context, the search for alternative drugs based on plants has become a priority in livestock medicine. These products have a low manufacturing cost and no reports of antimicrobial resistance to these have been documented. In this context, the main objective of this study was to determine the antimicrobial effect of extracts and products of several indigenous, or acclimatized plants on pathogens isolated from bovine mastitis. A total of eleven plant alcoholic extracts and eight plant-derived products were tested against 32 microorganisms isolated from milk. The obtained results have shown an inhibition of bacterial growth for all tested plants, with better results for Evernia prunastri, Artemisia absinthium, and Lavandula angustifolia. Moreover, E. prunastri, Populus nigra, and L. angustifolia presented small averages of minimum inhibitory and bactericidal concentrations. Among the plant-derived products, three out of eight have shown a strong anti-microbial effect comparable with the effect of florfenicol and enrofloxacin, and better than individual plant extracts possibly due to synergism. These results suggest an important anti-microbial effect of these products on pathogens isolated from bovine mastitis with a possible applicability in this disease.
TiO2 Nanobelt@Co9S8 Composites as Promising Anode Materials for Lithium and Sodium Ion Batteries
Authors: Zhou Yanli , Zhu Qian , Tian Jian , Jiang Fuyi
Published: September 2017

TiO2 anodes have attracted great attention due to their good cycling stability for lithium ion batteries and sodium ion batteries (LIBs and SIBs). Unfortunately, the low specific capacity and poor conductivity limit their practical application. The mixed phase TiO2 nanobelt (anatase and TiO2-B) based Co9S8 composites have been synthesized via the solvothermal reaction and subsequent calcination. During the formation process of hierarchical composites, glucose between TiO2 nanobelts and Co9S8 serves as a linker to increase the nucleation and growth of sulfides on the surface of TiO2 nanobelts. As anode materials for LIBs and SIBs, the composites combine the advantages of TiO2 nanobelts with those of Co9S8 nanomaterials. The reversible specific capacity of TiO2 nanobelt@Co9S8 composites is up to 889 and 387 mAh·g−1 at 0.1 A·g−1 after 100 cycles, respectively. The cooperation of excellent cycling stability of TiO2 nanobelts and high capacities of Co9S8 nanoparticles leads to the good electrochemical performances of TiO2 nanobelt@Co9S8 composites.
Effects of a Transverse Field in Two Mixed-Spin Ising Bilayer Films
Authors: Kaneyoshi Takahito
Published: September 2017

The magnetic properties (phase diagrams and magnetizations) of two mixed-spin Ising bilayer films with a transverse field are investigated by the use of the effective field theory with correlations. The systems consist of two magnetic atoms where spin-1/2 atoms are directed to the z-direction and only spin-1 atoms are canted from the z-direction by applying a transverse field. We examined how magnetization sign reversal can be realized in the system, due to the effects of the transverse field on the spin-1 atoms. The compensation point phenomena are found in both systems, depending on the selections of physical parameters. However, the reentrant phenomena are found only for one of the two systems.
Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Activities of Hydrolysates and Peptide Fractions Obtained by Enzymatic Hydrolysis of Selected Heat-Treated Edible Insects
Authors: Zielińska Ewelina , Baraniak Barbara , Karaś Monika
Published: September 2017

This study investigated the effect of heat treatment of edible insects on antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities of peptides obtained by in vitro gastrointestinal digestion and absorption process thereof. The antioxidant potential of edible insect hydrolysates was determined as free radical-scavenging activity, ion chelating activity, and reducing power, whereas the anti-inflammatory activity was expressed as lipoxygenase and cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitory activity. The highest antiradical activity against DPPH• (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical) was noted for a peptide fraction from baked cricket Gryllodes sigillatus hydrolysate (IC50 value 10.9 µg/mL) and that against ABTS•+ (2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) radical) was the highest for raw mealworm Tenebrio molitor hydrolysate (inhibitory concentration (IC50 value) 5.3 µg/mL). The peptides obtained from boiled locust Schistocerca gregaria hydrolysate showed the highest Fe2+ chelation ability (IC50 value 2.57 µg/mL); furthermore, the highest reducing power was observed for raw G. sigillatus hydrolysate (0.771). The peptide fraction from a protein preparation from the locust S. gregaria exhibited the most significant lipoxygenase and cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitory activity (IC50 value 3.13 µg/mL and 5.05 µg/mL, respectively).
Dietary Protein and Amino Acid Profiles in Relation to Risk of Dysglycemia: Findings from a Prospective Population-Based Study
Authors: Mirmiran Parvin , Bahadoran Zahra , Esfandyari Saeed , Azizi Fereidoun
Published: September 2017

Considering the limited knowledge on the effects of dietary amino acid intake on dysglycemia, we assessed the possible association of dietary protein and amino acid patterns with the risk of pre-diabetes in a prospective population-based study. Participants without diabetes and pre-diabetes (n = 1878) were recruited from the Tehran Lipid and Glucose Study and were followed for a mean of 5.8 years. Their dietary protein and amino acid intakes were assessed at baseline (2006–2008); demographic, lifestyle, and biochemical variables were evaluated at baseline and in follow-up examinations. Pre-diabetes was defined according to the American Diabetes Association criteria. Multivariate Cox proportional hazard regression models, adjusted for potential confounders, were used to estimate the risk of pre-diabetes across tertiles of dietary protein and amino acid pattern scores. The mean age of the participants (44.9% men) was 38.3 ± 12.7 years at baseline. Three major amino acid patterns were characterized: (1) higher loads of lysine, methionine, valine, aspartic acids, tyrosine, threonine, isoleucine, leucine, alanine, histidine, and serine; (2) higher loads of glycine, cysteine, arginine, and tryptophan; and (3) higher loads of proline and glutamic acid. Dietary total protein intake Hazard Ratio (HR) = 1.13, 95% Confidence Interval (CI) = 0.92–1.38 and HR = 1.00, 95% CI = 0.81–1.23, in the second and third tertile, respectively) was not related to the development of pre-diabetes. The highest score of second dietary amino acid pattern tended to be associated with a decreased risk of pre-diabetes (HR = 0.81, 95% CI = 0.65–1.01), whereas the third pattern was related to an increased risk in the fully adjusted model (HR = 1.24, 95% CI = 1.02–1.52; p for trend = 0.05). These novel data suggest that the amino acid composition of an individual’s diet may modify their risk of pre-diabetes.
Polymethoxyflavones: Novel β-Secretase (BACE1) Inhibitors from Citrus Peels
Authors: Youn Kumju , Yu Yoonjin , Lee Jinhyuk , Jeong Woo-Sik , Ho Chi-Tang , Jun Mira
Published: September 2017

Beta-site amyloid precursor protein (APP) cleaving enzyme1 (BACE1) catalyzes the rate-limiting step of amyloid-β protein (Aβ) generation, and is considered as a prime target for Alzheimer’s disease (AD). In search of a candidate for AD prevention, our efforts exploring the natural BACE1 inhibitor have led to the finding of nobiletin, tangeretin, and sinensetin—representative compounds of polymethoxyflavones (PMFs). Tangeretin exhibited the strongest BACE1 inhibition (IC50, 4.9 × 10−5 M), followed by nobiletin and sinensetin with IC50 values of 5.9 × 10−5 M and 6.3 × 10−5 M, respectively. In addition, all compounds reacted in a non-competitive manner with the substrate. Docking analysis results for complexes with BACE1 indicated that SER10 and THR232 residues of BACE1 hydrogen bonded with two oxygen atoms of tangeretin, while three additional BACE1 residues (ALA157, VAL336 and THR232) interacted with three oxygen atoms of nobiletin. Furthermore, sinensetin formed four hydrogen bonds through nitrogen atoms of TYR71, LYS75, and TRP76, and an oxygen atom of TYR198. Furthermore, the lowest-energy conformations of the most proposed complexes of sinensetin, nobiletin, and tangeretin with BACE1 were −7.2, −7.0, and −6.8 kcal/mol, respectively. Taken together, our results suggest that these polymethoxyflavones (PMFs) might be considered as promising BACE1 inhibitory agents that could lower Aβ production in AD.
The Development of a Chinese Healthy Eating Index and Its Application in the General Population
Authors: Yuan Ya-Qun , Li Fan , Dong Rui-Hua , Chen Jing-Si , He Geng-Sheng , Li Shu-Guang , Chen Bo
Published: September 2017

The objective of this study was to develop a Chinese Healthy Eating Index (CHEI) based on the updated Dietary Guidelines for Chinese (DGC-2016) and to apply it in the 2011 China Health and Nutrition Survey (CHNS-2011) to assess diet quality and its association with typical sociodemographic/economic factors. Data from 14,584 participants (≥2 years) from the CHNS-2011, including three 24-h dietary recalls and additional variables, were used to develop the CHEI. The standard portion size was applied to quantify food consumption. The CHEI was designed as a continuous scoring system, comprising 17 components; the maximum total score is 100. The mean, 1st and 99th percentiles of the CHEI score were 52.4, 27.6 and 78.3, respectively. Young and middle-aged adults scored better than the elderly. Diet insufficiency was chiefly manifested in fruits, dairy, whole grains and poultry; diet excess was mainly reflected in red meat, cooking oils and sodium. The CHEI was positively associated with education and urbanization levels; current smokers and unmarried people obtained relative low CHEI scores. Occupation and body mass index (BMI) were also related to the CHEI. Our findings indicate that the CHEI is capable of recognizing differences in diet quality among the Chinese, and it is sensitive to typical sociodemographic/economic factors.
HPV16 E6 and E7 Upregulate Interferon-Induced Antiviral Response Genes ISG15 and IFIT1 in Human Trophoblast Cells
Authors: Ambühl Lea M.M. , Villadsen Annemarie B. , Baandrup Ulrik , Dybkær Karen , Sørensen Suzette
Published: September 2017

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is suggested to infect trophoblasts in the placenta, and HPV infections are reported to be more prevalent in pregnancies with adverse outcomes. Results are however controversial, and studies investigating the molecular consequences of placental HPV infections are lacking. We studied HPV DNA localization in the placenta in cases of spontaneous abortion/spontaneous preterm delivery as well as in elective abortion/normal full-term delivery. Using in vitro assays, we investigated downstream effects of HPV16 E6 and E7 expression in trophoblast cells at the gene expression level in order to gain increased biological insight into the interaction between HPV and the cellular host. Fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH), combined with fluorescent immunohistochemistry (FIHC) to target the trophoblast marker CK7 clearly showed, that HPV DNA resides within syncytiotrophoblast cells in the placenta. In vitro HPV16 E6 and E7-transfected trophoblasts were analyzed by RNA sequencing, and results were validated by reverse transcription real time polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) for selected genes in cell lines, as well as in patient material. We show that HPV16 E6 and E7 upregulate interferon-induced antiviral response genes ISG15 and IFIT1 in a human trophoblast cell line two-days post-transfection. This is a response that is not observed when assessing the gene expression levels of the same genes in HPV16-positive placenta samples. Investigations on viral activity find that HPV16 E6 and E7 are not transcribed in patients, possibly suggesting that HPV16 syncytiotrophoblast infection may be latent. We conclude that HPV localizes to syncytiotrophoblast cells of the placenta, and that active expression of HPV16 E6 and E7 induce an immediate interferon-induced antiviral response in trophoblast cells, which is not present in HPV-positive placenta samples, suggesting latent infection.
Prevalence of Self-Medication among Students of Pharmacy and Medicine Colleges of a Public Sector University in Dammam City, Saudi Arabia
Authors: Albusalih Fatimah , Naqvi Atta , Ahmad Rizwan , Ahmad Niyaz
Published: September 2017

Pharmacy and medical students are expected to be more knowledgeable regarding rational use of medications as compared to the general public. A cross-sectional study was conducted among students of pharmacy and medicine colleges of Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University in Dammam, Saudi Arabia using a survey questionnaire. The duration of the study was six months. The aim was to report self-medication prevalence of prescription and non-prescription drugs among pharmacy and medical students. The prevalence of self-medication in the pharmacy college was reported at 19.61%. Prevalence of self-medication at the medical college was documented at 49.3%. The prevalence of multivitamin use was reported at 30.53%, analgesics; 72.35%, antihistamines; 39.16%, and antibiotic use at 16.59%. The prevalence of anti-diarrheal medicines and antacids use among students was found to be 8.63% and 6.64%, respectively. The variable of college and study year was statistically associated with the nature of the medicines. The most common justifications given by students indulging in self-medication were ‘mild problems’ and ‘previous experience with medicines’. Our study reported that prevalence of self-medication in the College of Clinical Pharmacy was low, i.e., 19.61%. The figure has been reported for the first time. Students were mostly observed self-medicating with OTC drugs, however, some reported using corticosteroids and isotretenoin, which are quite dangerous if self-medicated. Students have a positive outlook towards pharmacists as drug information experts.
Surface Active to Non-Surface Active Transition and Micellization Behaviour of Zwitterionic Amphiphilic Diblock Copolymers: Hydrophobicity and Salt Dependency
Authors: Murugaboopathy Sivanantham , Matsuoka Hideki
Published: September 2017

We have synthesized a range of zwitterionic amphiphilic diblock copolymers with the same hydrophilic block (carboxybetaine) but with different hydrophobic blocks (n-butylmethacrylate (n-BMA) or 2-ethylhexylacrylate (EHA)) by the reversible addition–fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization method. Herein, we systematically examined the role of hydrophobicity and salt concentration dependency of surface activity and micellization behaviour of block copolymer. Transition from surface active to non-surface active occurred with increasing hydrophobicity of the hydrophobic block of block copolymer (i.e., replacing P(n-BMA) by PEHA). Foam formation of block copolymer slightly decreased with the similar variation of the hydrophobic block of block copolymer. Block copolymer with higher hydrophobicity preferred micelle formation rather than adsorption at the air–water interface. Dynamic light scattering studies showed that block copolymer having P(n-BMA) produced near-monodisperse micelles, whereas block copolymer composed of PEHA produced polydisperse micelles. Zimm plot results revealed that the value of the second virial coefficient (A2) changed from positive to negative when the hydrophobic block of block copolymer was changed from P(n-BMA) to PEHA. This indicates that the solubility of block copolymer having P(n-BMA) in water may be higher than that of block copolymer having PEHA in water. Unlike ionic amphiphilic block copolymer micelles, the micellar shape of zwitterionic amphiphilic block copolymer micelles is not affected by addition of salt, with a value of packing parameters of block copolymer micelles of less than 0.3.
Effective Assembly of Nano-Ceramic Materials for High and Anisotropic Thermal Conductivity in a Polymer Composite
Authors: Hong Haeleen , Kim Jong , Kim Tae-il
Published: September 2017

Recently, anisotropic heat dissipation and its management have drawn attention as a promising technique for highly integrated electrical devices. Among many potentially challenging materials such as carbon nanotube, graphene, metal particles, and inorganic ceramics commonly used for high thermally conductive fillers in a composite form, nanoscale ceramic fillers are considered ideal candidates due to their thermal conductivity, electrical insulation, and low thermal expansion coefficient. However, enhancing the thermal conductivity of a randomly dispersed ceramic-polymer composite is limited by its discontinuous filler contact and thermal expansion coefficient mismatch. Thus, recent research has focused on how to assemble and generate highly networked filler contacts to make effective pathways for heat flow, with minimized concentration of the filler in the composite. In this review, we will introduce several essential strategies to assemble fillers with a two- or three-dimensional networked composite for highly enhanced anisotropic heat dissipation. Moreover, this review elucidates filler alignment effects compared to randomly dispersed ceramic composites.
The Reincarnation(s) of Jaya and Vijaya: A Journey through the Yugas
Authors: Rosen Steven
Published: September 2017

Among the earliest reincarnation narratives found in India’s Puranic texts, we find the stories of Jaya and Vijaya, the two gatekeepers of the spiritual world. Though there is little in these stories to explain reincarnation in a philosophical sense, the teaching of transmigration is implicit in the stories themselves, for we follow the two gatekeepers through three successive incarnations (along with the three incarnations of the divine who follow them through their various lifetimes).
“The Necessary Result of Piety”: Slavery and Religious Establishments in South Carolina Presbyterianism, 1800–1840
Authors: Smith Miles
Published: September 2017

Historians have argued that disestablishment liberated American religion and allowed for the proliferation of religious practice and religious freedom, especially individualistic Evangelicalism in the South. This proposition reduced nearly all of southern Protestantism to Revivalist Evangelicalism, and failed to account for the powerful presence of coercive Protestant religiosity in older southern states such as South Carolina. While they shared certain Evangelical particulars with frontier populations, Protestants in South Carolina, especially Presbyterians, rejected individualized religion in favor of religiosity that favored and nurtured activist state protection of both antidemocratic political norms and chattel slavery. This essay argues that ostensibly disestablished Presbyterianism in South Carolina helped intellectually erect and socially perpetuate coercive religious and state power.
Sustainable Tourism and Natural Resource Conservation in the Polar Regions: An Editorial
Authors: Huijbens Edward , Lamers Machiel
Published: September 2017

This editorial provides an introduction to the special issue of Resources on Sustainable Tourism and Natural Resource Conservation in the Polar Regions, which proceeds the fifth bi-annual conference of the International Polar Tourism Research Network (IPTRN). The conference and coinciding community workshop on tourism development were organized at the edge of the Arctic in the community of Raufarhöfn (pop. 160) in Northeast Iceland from 29 August to 2 September 2016.
Assessing Lodging Severity over an Experimental Maize (Zea mays L.) Field Using UAS Images
Authors: Chu Tianxing , Starek Michael , Brewer Michael , Murray Seth , Pruter Luke
Published: September 2017

Lodging has been recognized as one of the major destructive factors for crop quality and yield, resulting in an increasing need to develop cost-efficient and accurate methods for detecting crop lodging in a routine manner. Using structure-from-motion (SfM) and novel geospatial computing algorithms, this study investigated the potential of high resolution imaging with unmanned aircraft system (UAS) technology for detecting and assessing lodging severity over an experimental maize field at the Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center in Corpus Christi, Texas, during the 2016 growing season. The method was proposed to not only detect the occurrence of lodging at the field scale, but also to quantitatively estimate the number of lodged plants and the lodging rate within individual rows. Nadir-view images of the field trial were taken by multiple UAS platforms equipped with consumer grade red, green, and blue (RGB), and near-infrared (NIR) cameras on a routine basis, enabling a timely observation of the plant growth until harvesting. Models of canopy structure were reconstructed via an SfM photogrammetric workflow. The UAS-estimated maize height was characterized by polygons developed and expanded from individual row centerlines, and produced reliable accuracy when compared against field measures of height obtained from multiple dates. The proposed method then segmented the individual maize rows into multiple grid cells and determined the lodging severity based on the height percentiles against preset thresholds within individual grid cells. From the analysis derived from this method, the UAS-based lodging results were generally comparable in accuracy to those measured by a human data collector on the ground, measuring the number of lodging plants (R2 = 0.48) and the lodging rate (R2 = 0.50) on a per-row basis. The results also displayed a negative relationship of ground-measured yield with UAS-estimated and ground-measured lodging rate.
A Survey on Data Quality for Dependable Monitoring in Wireless Sensor Networks
Authors: Jesus Gonçalo , Casimiro António , Oliveira Anabela
Published: September 2017

Wireless sensor networks are being increasingly used in several application areas, particularly to collect data and monitor physical processes. Non-functional requirements, like reliability, security or availability, are often important and must be accounted for in the application development. For that purpose, there is a large body of knowledge on dependability techniques for distributed systems, which provide a good basis to understand how to satisfy these non-functional requirements of WSN-based monitoring applications. Given the data-centric nature of monitoring applications, it is of particular importance to ensure that data are reliable or, more generically, that they have the necessary quality. In this survey, we look into the problem of ensuring the desired quality of data for dependable monitoring using WSNs. We take a dependability-oriented perspective, reviewing the possible impairments to dependability and the prominent existing solutions to solve or mitigate these impairments. Despite the variety of components that may form a WSN-based monitoring system, we give particular attention to understanding which faults can affect sensors, how they can affect the quality of the information and how this quality can be improved and quantified.
Electrical Detection of Pneumococcus through the Nanoparticle Decoration Method
Authors: Pyo Hannah , Lee Cho , Kim Daehee , Kim Gyuhee , Lee Sangho , Yun Wan
Published: September 2017

A simple method of nanoparticle decoration can be used in the detection of pneumococcus. After the pneumococcal bacteria were captured by an antibody (pneumococcal C-polysaccharide (PnC) antibody) between the interdigitated electrodes, the gold nanoparticles conjugated with the PnC antibodies were let to bind onto an outer membrane of the bacteria. Upon successfully dense decoration, the bacteria surface will become conductive owing to the metal nanoparticles, and a distinctive conductance change between the electrodes can be observed. Since this success ratio, or the probability of the conductance change, reflects the concentration of the analyte, a number of repeated measurements can be used in the quantification of the bacteria. In this way, we have successfully detected S. pneumoniae in the range of 10–108 CFU/mL. The limit of detection in this work is lower than that in the commercial detection kit. We hope that the nanoparticle decoration method will play a role in the facile detection of various bacteria.
An Adaptive Trajectory Clustering Method Based on Grid and Density in Mobile Pattern Analysis
Authors: Mao Yingchi , Zhong Haishi , Qi Hai , Ping Ping , Li Xiaofang
Published: September 2017

Clustering analysis is one of the most important issues in trajectory data mining. Trajectory clustering can be widely applied in the detection of hotspots, mobile pattern analysis, urban transportation control, and hurricane prediction, etc. To obtain good clustering performance, the existing trajectory clustering approaches need to input one or more parameters to calibrate the optimal values, which results in a heavy workload and computational complexity. To realize adaptive parameter calibration and reduce the workload of trajectory clustering, an adaptive trajectory clustering approach based on the grid and density (ATCGD) is proposed in this paper. The proposed ATCGD approach includes three parts: partition, mapping, and clustering. In the partition phase, ATCGD applies the average angular difference-based MDL (AD-MDL) partition method to ensure the partition accuracy on the premise that it decreases the number of the segments after the partition. During the mapping procedure, the partitioned segments are mapped into the corresponding cells, and the mapping relationship between the segments and the cells are stored. In the clustering phase, adopting the DBSCAN-based method, the segments in the cells are clustered on the basis of the calibrated values of parameters from the mapping procedure. The extensive experiments indicate that although the results of the adaptive parameter calibration are not optimal, in most cases, the difference between the adaptive calibration and the optimal is less than 5%, while the run time of clustering can reduce about 95%, compared with the TRACLUS algorithm.
An Effective Semantic Event Matching System in the Internet of Things (IoT) Environment
Authors: Alhakbani Noura , Hassan Mohammed Mehedi , Ykhlef Mourad
Published: September 2017

IoT sensors use the publish/subscribe model for communication to benefit from its decoupled nature with respect to space, time, and synchronization. Because of the heterogeneity of communicating parties, semantic decoupling is added as a fourth dimension. The added semantic decoupling complicates the matching process and reduces its efficiency. Our proposed algorithm clusters subscriptions and events according to topic and performs the matching process within these clusters, which increases the throughput by reducing the matching time from the range of 16–18 ms to 2–4 ms. Moreover, the accuracy of matching is improved when subscriptions must be fully approximated, as demonstrated by an over 40% increase in F-score results. This work shows the benefit of clustering, as well as the improvement in the matching accuracy and efficiency achieved using this approach.