bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Age-Related Trends in the Diet of An Infant’s Cohort in the Northeast of Italy from Six to Twelve Months of Age
Authors: Carletti Claudia , Concina Federica , Pani Paola , Monasta Lorenzo , Knowles Alessandra , Parpinel Maria , Barbone Fabio , Ronfani Luca
Published: January 2019

Complementary feeding is recognized as an important predictor of health later in life and is likely to affect the development of food preferences. This paper describes age-related trends in terms of energy, nutrients intake and dietary habits of an Italian infant sub cohort (n = 152), enrolled in Trieste. Infant dietary data, collected using a food diary at 6, 9 and 12 months of age, were used to estimate energy and nutrients intake using the Italian food composition database. Age-related trends were calculated using Page’s trend test. An increasing age-trend was observed in the percentages of contribution of macronutrients to total energy intake, with the exception of total lipids, which instead decreased over time. Most of the infants shared a low varied diet especially with regards to protein intake sources, represented mainly by dairy and meat products rather than pulses and fish. This could also account for the low intake of essential fatty acids (ω3) that play an important role in infant neurodevelopment. Moreover, non-commercial baby foods contributed more in terms of quantity, energy and macronutrients intake, compared with commercial products. Healthy eating habits should be encouraged during the first year of life, promoting a varied and well balanced diet at family level.
Effect of 6-Month Vitamin D Supplementation on Plasma Matrix Gla Protein in Older Adults
Authors: van Ballegooijen Adriana J. , Beulens Joline W. J. , Schurgers Leon J. , de Koning Elisa J. , Lips Paul , van Schoor Natasja M. , Vervloet Marc G.
Published: January 2019

Vitamin D supplementation has been widely promoted to restore 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentrations; however, experimental evidence suggests a nutrient interaction with vitamin K. We assessed the effects of 1200 IU vitamin D3 per day versus placebo for six months on vitamin K status in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial with participants aged 60–80 years with depressive symptoms and ≥1 functional limitation for a secondary analysis. Stored baseline and six-month follow-up blood samples were available for 131 participants (n = 65 placebo vs. n = 66 vitamin D supplementation). We measured dephosphorylated uncarboxylated matrix gla protein (MGP) (dp-ucMGP) concentrations—a marker of vitamin K deficiency. Mean age was 68 years, and 89 participants (68%) were women. Vitamin K antagonists were used by 16 participants and multivitamin supplements by 50 participants. No differences in change between intervention and placebo were found (−38.5 ± 389 vs. 4.5 ± 127 (pmol/L), p = 0.562). When excluding vitamin K antagonist users and multivitamin users, dp-ucMGP at follow-up was significantly higher in the vitamin D group (n = 40) compared to placebo (n = 30), with a difference of 92.8 (5.7, 180) pmol/L, adjusting for baseline dp-ucMGP and sex. In conclusion, vitamin D supplementation for six months did not affect vitamin K status; however, among participants without vitamin K antagonist or multivitamin use, vitamin D supplementation influenced dp-ucMGP concentrations.
Content of n-3 LC-PUFA in Breast Milk Four Months Postpartum is Associated with Infancy Blood Pressure in Boys and Infancy Blood Lipid Profile in Girls
Authors: Bruun Signe , van Rossem Lenie , Lauritzen Lotte , Husby Steffen , Neergaard Jacobsen Lotte , Michaelsen Kim F. , Boysen Sandberg Maria , Stark Ken D. , Sørensen Jan , Zachariassen Gitte
Published: January 2019

Blood pressure (BP) and blood lipid profile (BLP) have been shown to track from childhood into adulthood, and n-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFAs) in breast milk have been suggested as mediators of the beneficial long-term effect of breastfeeding on BP and BLP. We aimed to investigate associations between n-3 LC-PUFA content in breast milk at 4 months postpartum and offspring BP and BLP in early life. BP and BLP were measured at 4, 18, and 36 months. Statistical analyses were sex-stratified and adjusted for gestational age, maternal pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI), and maternal educational level. Based on 336 mother-child dyads, high n-3 LC-PUFA in breast milk was inversely associated with systolic and diastolic BP in boys at 4 months (β = −20.0 (95% CI = −33.4, −6.7), p = 0.004 and β = −10.2 (95% CI = −19.8, −0.5), p = 0.039, respectively); inversely associated with HDL cholesterol, and directly associated with triglyceride in girls at 4 months (β = −0.7 (95% CI = −1.1, −0.3), p = 0.001 and β = 3.1 (95% CI = 1.0, 5.2), p = 0.005, respectively). Associations observed at the later time points were non-significant. Furthermore, we observed sex-specific changes over time in both size and direction of the associations. Our results indicate that early intake of n-3 LC-PUFA can affect early development in cardiometabolic factors such as BP and BLP in a sex-specific manner. Follow-up and further investigation in later childhood is planned.
Deciphering the Molecular Mechanisms Sustaining the Estrogenic Activity of the Two Major Dietary Compounds Zearalenone and Apigenin in ER-Positive Breast Cancer Cell Lines
Authors: Lecomte Sylvain , Demay Florence , Pham Thu Ha , Moulis Solenn , Efstathiou Théo , Chalmel Frédéric , Pakdel Farzad
Published: January 2019

The flavone apigenin and the mycotoxin zearalenone are two major compounds found in the human diet which bind estrogen receptors (ERs), and therefore influence ER activity. However, the underlying mechanisms are not well known. To unravel the molecular mechanisms that could explain the differential effect of zearalenone and apigenin on ER-positive breast cancer cell proliferation, gene-reporter assays, chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) experiments, proliferation assays and transcriptomic analysis were performed. We found that zearalenone and apigenin transactivated ERs and promoted the expression of estradiol (E2)-responsive genes. However, zearalenone clearly enhanced cellular proliferation, while apigenin appeared to be antiestrogenic in the presence of E2 in both ER-positive breast cancer cell lines, MCF-7 and T47D. The transcriptomic analysis showed that both compounds regulate gene expression in the same way, but with differences in intensity. Two major sets of genes were identified; one set was linked to the cell cycle and the other set was linked to stress response and growth arrest. Our results show that the transcription dynamics in gene regulation induced by apigenin were somehow different with zearalenone and E2 and may explain the differential effect of these compounds on the phenotype of the breast cancer cell. Together, our results confirmed the potential health benefit effect of apigenin, while zearalenone appeared to be a true endocrine-disrupting compound.
Vegetable Nitrate Intakes Are Associated with Reduced Self-Reported Cardiovascular-Related Complications within a Representative Sample of Middle-Aged Australian Women, Prospectively Followed up for 15 Years
Authors: Jackson Jacklyn K. , Patterson Amanda J. , MacDonald-Wicks Lesley K. , Forder Peta M. , Blekkenhorst Lauren C. , Bondonno Catherine P. , Hodgson Jonathan M. , Ward Natalie C. , Holder Carl , Oldmeadow Christopher , Byles Julie E. , McEvoy Mark A.
Published: January 2019

Nitric oxide (NO) facilitates anti-atherosclerotic effects. Vegetables are a major source of dietary nitrate. Experimental data indicates that dietary nitrate can significantly reduce major risk factors for atherosclerosis and subsequent cardiovascular disease (CVD), as nitrate can be metabolized to produce NO via the nitrate-nitrite-NO pathway. The purpose of this study was to prospectively investigate the association between habitual dietary nitrate intakes and the incidence of self-reported CVD-related complications within a representative sample of middle-aged Australian women (1946–1951 cohort of the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women’s Health). Women free from disease at baseline who had completed the food frequency questionnaire data were included. Generalized estimating equations were used to estimate odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) across quartiles for nitrate intakes. Of the 5324 women included for analysis, there were 1951 new cases of CVD-related complications over 15-years of follow-up. Women reporting higher total dietary nitrate intakes (Q4 > 78.2 mg/day) and vegetable nitrate intakes (Q4 > 64.4 mg/day) were 25% and 27% reduced risk of developing CVD-related complications respectively, compared with women reporting low total (Q1 < 45.5 mg/day) and vegetable nitrate intakes (Q1 < 34.8 mg/day). Our findings were consistent with other observational data indicating that dietary nitrate may explain some of the cardiovascular benefits of vegetable consumption.
Impact of Donor Milk on Short- and Long-Term Growth of Very Low Birth Weight Infants
Authors: Hoban Rebecca , Schoeny Michael E. , Esquerra-Zwiers Anita , Kaenkumchorn Tanyaporn K. , Casini Gina , Tobin Grace , Siegel Alan H. , Patra Kousiki , Hamilton Matthew , Wicks Jennifer , Meier Paula , Patel Aloka L.
Published: January 2019

Mother’s own milk (MOM) reduces the risk of morbidities in very low birth weight (VLBW) infants. When MOM is unavailable, donor breastmilk (DM) is used, with unclear impact on short- and long-term growth. This retrospective analysis compared anthropometric data at six time points from birth to 20–24 months corrected age in VLBW infants who received MOM supplements of preterm formula (n = 160) versus fortified DM (n = 161) during neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) hospitalization. The cohort was 46% female; mean birth weight and gestational age (GA) were 998 g and 27.3 weeks. Multilevel linear growth models assessed changes in growth z-scores short-term (to NICU discharge) and long-term (post-discharge), controlling for amount of DM or formula received in first 28 days of life, NICU length of stay (LOS), birth GA, and sex. Z-scores for weight and length decreased during hospitalization but increased for all parameters including head circumference post-discharge. Short-term growth was positively associated with LOS and birth GA. A higher preterm formula proportion, but not DM proportion, was associated with slower rates of decline in short-term growth trajectories, but feeding type was unrelated to long-term growth. In conclusion, controlling for total human milk fed, DM did not affect short- or long-term growth.
Sophora Tomentosa Extract Prevents MPTP-Induced Parkinsonism in C57BL/6 Mice Via the Inhibition of GSK-3β Phosphorylation and Oxidative Stress
Authors: Chang Hung-Chi , Liu Keng-Fan , Teng Chia-Jen , Lai Shu-Chen , Yang Shu-Er , Ching Hui , Wu Chi-Rei
Published: January 2019

Sophora species are used as dietary medicines in aging-associated symptoms. Sophora tomentosa L. (ST) is a native medicinal plant in Southeast Asia; however, there is no pharmacological literature about ST extract. The present study evaluates the antioxidant phytoconstituent contents and radical scavenging capacities of ST extract. The further investigation was to clarify the neuroprotective mechanism of ST extract against 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP)-induced Parkinsonism by assaying the activities of the dopaminergic system and antioxidant defenses, glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK3-β) phosphorylation, and α-synuclein levels in C57BL/6 mice. The results show that ST extract alleviated the motor deficits in MPTP-induced Parkinsonism with four behavioral tests, including a rearing locomotor, catalepsy test, balance beam walking test, and pole test. ST extract reversed the number of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH)-positive neurons in substantia nigra (SN) that had decreased by MPTP. ST extract also restored the decreased levels of dopamine and the expression of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) in the striatum. Furthermore, ST extract restored the levels of glutathione (GSH) and the activities of antioxidant enzymes, and decreased the elevated levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) in mouse striatum. ST extract also decreased α-synuclein overexpression and GSK-3β phosphorylation in mouse striatum. In vitro, ST extract exerted higher 2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) (ABTS) radical scavenging capacities through its higher phenolic contents, especially protocatechuic acid and epicatechin. These results suggest that ST extract has the potential to counteract MPTP-induced motor deficit. The neuroprotective mechanism of ST extract against MPTP-induced Parkinsonism might be related to decreasing GSK-3β phosphorylation and restoring the activities of striatal antioxidant defenses to restore the nigrostriatal dopaminergic function and decrease α-synuclein accumulation.
Dairy Product Consumption and Metabolic Diseases in the Di@bet.es Study
Authors: Lago-Sampedro Ana , García-Escobar Eva , Rubio-Martín Elehazara , Pascual-Aguirre Nuria , Valdés Sergio , Soriguer Federico , Goday Albert , Calle-Pascual Alfonso , Castell Conxa , Menéndez Edelmiro , Delgado Elías , Bordiú Elena , Castaño Luis , Franch-Nadal Josep , Girbés Juan , Chaves Felipe Javier , Gaztambide Sonia , Rojo-Martínez Gemma , Olveira Gabriel
Published: January 2019

To date it is not clear what the role of dairy products is in metabolic diseases like diabetes, obesity, and hypertension. Therefore, the aim of this study is to test the association between dairy product consumption and those pathologies. A cross-sectional study was conducted with 5081 adults included in the di@bet.es study, from 100 health centers around Spain. Food frequency questionnaires were carried out concerning consumption habits, which included dairy product consumption. Logistic regression models were used for the association analyses between the variables controlling confounding variables. Women had a higher consumption of milk, cheese, or yogurt than men (p < 0.0001), but men consumed more sugar dairy products (p < 0.001). People who live in the North of Spain consume more dairy products than those who live in the East. Dairy product consumption was inversely associated with the presence of hypertension regardless of age, sex, geographical region, and body mass index (BMI) (Odds Ratio (OR) 0.743; p = 0.022). The presence of obesity was inversely associated with dairy consumption regardless of age, sex, and geographical region (OR 0.61; p < 0.001). Milk consumption was not associated with diabetes. Our results show that consuming dairy products is associated with a better metabolic profile in the Spanish population.
Scutellarein Induces Fas-Mediated Extrinsic Apoptosis and G2/M Cell Cycle Arrest in Hep3B Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells
Authors: Ha Sang Eun , Kim Seong Min , Lee Ho Jeong , Vetrivel Preethi , Venkatarame Gowda Saralamma Venu , Heo Jeong Doo , Kim Eun Hee , Lee Sang Joon , Kim Gon Sup
Published: January 2019

Scutellarein (SCU), a flavone found in the perennial herb Scutellaria baicalensis, is known for a wide range of biological activities. In the present study, we investigated the effects of treatment with SCU flavonoids on inducing apoptosis via the extrinsic pathway in Hep3B cells. SCU treatment significantly inhibited Hep3B cell proliferation and induced G2/M phase cell cycle arrest by inhibiting the expression level of the proteins Cdc25C, cdk1 and Cyclin B1. Allophycocyanin (APC)/Annexin V and propidium iodide (PI) double-staining showed upregulation of apoptotic cell death fraction. We further confirmed apoptosis by 4′-6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI) fluorescent staining and observed DNA fragmentation with agarose gel electrophoresis. Further, immunoblotting results showed that treatment with SCU showed no changes in Bax and Bcl-xL protein levels. In addition, SCU treatment did not affect the mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) in Hep3B cells. On the contrary, treatment with SCU increased the expression of Fas and Fas ligand (FasL), which activated cleaved caspase-8, caspase-3, and polymeric adenosine diphosphate ribose (PARP), whereas the expression level of death receptor 4 (DR4) decreased. We confirmed that the proteins expressed upon treatment with SCU were involved in the Fas-mediated pathway of apoptosis in Hep3B cells. Thus, our findings in the current study strongly imply that SCU can be a basic natural source for developing potent anti-cancer agents for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) treatment.
Distorted Taste and Impaired Oral Health in Patients with Sicca Complaints
Authors: Singh Preet Bano , Young Alix , Homayouni Amin , Hove Lene Hystad , Petrovski Beáta Éva , Herlofson Bente Brokstad , Palm Øyvind , Rykke Morten , Jensen Janicke Liaaen
Published: January 2019

Senses of smell and taste, saliva flow, and dental status are considered as important factors for the maintenance of a good nutritional status. Salivary secretory rates, chemosensory function, burning mouth sensation, halitosis and dental status were investigated in 58 patients with primary Sjögren’s syndrome (pSS), 22 non-Sjögren’s syndrome sicca (non-SS) patients, and 57 age-matched healthy controls. A significantly greater proportion of patients with pSS and non-SS had ageusia, dysgeusia, burning mouth sensation, and halitosis compared to controls. Patients with pSS had significantly lower olfactory and gustatory scores, and significantly higher caries experience compared to controls. Patients with pSS and non-SS patients had significantly lower unstimulated and stimulated whole saliva secretory rates compared to controls. The findings indicated that several different aspects of oral health were compromised in both, patients with pSS and non-SS, and this may affect their food intake and, hence, their nutritional status. Although non-SS patients do not fulfill Sjögren’s syndrome classification criteria, they have similar or, in some cases, even worse oral complaints than the patients with pSS. Further studies are needed to investigate food preferences, dietary intake, and nutritional status in these two patient groups in relation to their health condition.
L-Ferritin: One Gene, Five Diseases; from Hereditary Hyperferritinemia to Hypoferritinemia—Report of New Cases
Authors: Cadenas Beatriz , Fita-Torró Josep , Bermúdez-Cortés Mar , Hernandez-Rodriguez Inés , Fuster José Luis , Llinares María Esther , Galera Ana María , Romero Julia Lee , Pérez-Montero Santiago , Tornador Cristian , Sanchez Mayka
Published: January 2019

Ferritin is a multimeric protein composed of light (L-ferritin) and heavy (H-ferritin) subunits that binds and stores iron inside the cell. A variety of mutations have been reported in the L-ferritin subunit gene (FTL gene) that cause the following five diseases: (1) hereditary hyperferritinemia with cataract syndrome (HHCS), (2) neuroferritinopathy, a subtype of neurodegeneration with brain iron accumulation (NBIA), (3) benign hyperferritinemia, (4) L-ferritin deficiency with autosomal dominant inheritance, and (5) L-ferritin deficiency with autosomal recessive inheritance. Defects in the FTL gene lead to abnormally high levels of serum ferritin (hyperferritinemia) in HHCS and benign hyperferritinemia, while low levels (hypoferritinemia) are present in neuroferritinopathy and in autosomal dominant and recessive L-ferritin deficiency. Iron disturbances as well as neuromuscular and cognitive deficits are present in some, but not all, of these diseases. Here, we identified two novel FTL variants that cause dominant L-ferritin deficiency and HHCS (c.375+2T > A and 36_42delCAACAGT, respectively), and one previously reported variant (Met1Val) that causes dominant L-ferritin deficiency. Globally, genetic changes in the FTL gene are responsible for multiple phenotypes and an accurate diagnosis is useful for appropriate treatment. To help in this goal, we included a diagnostic algorithm for the detection of diseases caused by defects in FTL gene.
Acknowledgement to Reviewers of Photonics in 2018
Authors:   Photonics Editorial Office
Published: January 2019

Rigorous peer-review is the corner-stone of high-quality academic publishing [...]
Inhibition of Key Citrus Postharvest Fungal Strains by Plant Extracts In Vitro and In Vivo: A Review
Authors: Chen Jinyin , Shen Yuting , Chen Chuying , Wan Chunpeng
Published: January 2019

Citrus fruits are subjected to a diversity of postharvest diseases caused by various pathogens during picking, packing, storage and transportation. Green and blue molds, caused by Penicillium digitatum and Penicillium italicum, respectively, are two major postharvest citrus diseases and cause significant economic losses during the commercialization phase. Currently, the control of postharvest citrus diseases relies mainly on the use of synthetic fungicides, which usually result in the resistance against fungal attack, environment pollution and health hazards. In recent years, much attention has been given to the preservation of citrus by naturally isolated edible plant extracts, medicinal plant extracts, Citrus extracts and volatiles, et al. Scientists worldwide devote their time and energy to discover the high effect, low toxicity, safety and inexpensive plant-derived fungicides. The current review will highlight plant-derived fungicides and chemical constituents that aim to inhibit P. digitatum and P. italicum in vitro and in vivo. Coatings enriched with plant extracts could be good alternative methods for Citrus fruits preservation. Problems and prospects of the research and development of plant-derived natural fungicides will also be discussed in this article.
Identification and Characterization of Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase (MAPK) Genes in Sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.)
Authors: Neupane Surendra , Schweitzer Sarah E. , Neupane Achal , Andersen Ethan J. , Fennell Anne , Zhou Ruanbao , Nepal Madhav P.
Published: January 2019

Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase (MAPK) genes encode proteins that regulate biotic and abiotic stresses in plants through signaling cascades comprised of three major subfamilies: MAP Kinase (MPK), MAPK Kinase (MKK), and MAPKK Kinase (MKKK). The main objectives of this research were to conduct genome-wide identification of MAPK genes in Helianthus annuus and examine functional divergence of these genes in relation to those in nine other plant species (Amborella trichopoda, Aquilegia coerulea, Arabidopsis thaliana, Daucus carota, Glycine max, Oryza sativa, Solanum lycopersicum, Sphagnum fallax, and Vitis vinifera), representing diverse taxonomic groups of the Plant Kingdom. A Hidden Markov Model (HMM) profile of the MAPK genes utilized reference sequences from A. thaliana and G. max, yielding a total of 96 MPKs and 37 MKKs in the genomes of A. trichopoda, A. coerulea, C. reinhardtii, D. carota, H. annuus, S. lycopersicum, and S. fallax. Among them, 28 MPKs and eight MKKs were confirmed in H. annuus. Phylogenetic analyses revealed four clades within each subfamily. Transcriptomic analyses showed that at least 19 HaMPK and seven HaMKK genes were induced in response to salicylic acid (SA), sodium chloride (NaCl), and polyethylene glycol (Peg) in leaves and roots. Of the seven published sunflower microRNAs, five microRNA families are involved in targeting eight MPKs. Additionally, we discussed the need for using MAP Kinase nomenclature guidelines across plant species. Our identification and characterization of MAP Kinase genes would have implications in sunflower crop improvement, and in advancing our knowledge of the diversity and evolution of MAPK genes in the Plant Kingdom.
The Preparation and Study of Ethylene Glycol-Modified Graphene Oxide Membranes for Water Purification
Authors: Zhang Yang , Huang Lin-jun , Wang Yan-xin , Tang Jian-guo , Wang Yao , Cheng Meng-meng , Du Ying-chen , Yang Kun , Kipper Matt J. , Hedayati Mohammadhasan
Published: January 2019

In this work, graphene oxide (GO)/ethylene glycol (EG) membranes were designed by a vacuum filtration method for molecular separation and water purification. The composite membranes were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), atomic force microscopy (AFM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The interlayer spacing of GO membranes (0.825 nm) and GO/EG membranes (0.634 nm) are measured by X-ray diffraction (XRD). Using the vacuum filtration method, the membrane thickness can be controlled by selecting the volume of the solution from which the membrane is prepared, to achieve high water permeance and high rejection of Rhodamine B (RhB). The membrane performance was evaluated on a dead-end filtration device. The water permeance and rejection of RhB of the membranes are 103.35 L m−2 h−1 bar−1 and 94.56% (GO), 58.17 L m−2 h−1 bar−1 and 97.13% (GO/EG), respectively. The permeability of GO/EG membrane is about 40 × 10−6 L m-1 h−1 bar−1. Compared with the GO membrane, the GO/EG membrane has better separation performance because of its proper interlayer spacing. In this study, the highest rejection of RhB (99.92%) is achieved. The GO/EG membranes have potential applications in the fields of molecular separation and water purification.
Synergistic Effect of Fullerenes on the Laser-Induced Periodic Surface Structuring of Poly(3-Hexyl Thiophene)
Authors: Rodríguez-Rodríguez Álvaro , Gutiérrez-Fernández Edgar , García-Gutiérrez Mari-Cruz , Nogales Aurora , Ezquerra Tiberio A. , Rebollar Esther
Published: January 2019

Ordered and homogeneous laser-induced periodic surface structures (LIPSS) could be fabricated in poly(3-hexyl thiophene):[6,6]-phenyl C71-butyric acid methyl ester (P3HT:PC71BM) blends by using wavelengths in the ultraviolet (UV) range (266 nm). The absorption coefficient of PC71BM, which is maximum in its UV–Visible absorption spectrum around 266 nm, enhanced the overall absorption of the blend. In addition, PC71BM itself was capable of developing homogeneous LIPSS by laser irradiation at λlaser = 266 nm. Therefore, we proposed that the synergistic effect of PC71BM on the LIPSS formation in P3HT:PC71BM (1:1) was due to a templating effect for the LIPSS formation of the PC71BM itself, which added to the overall increment of the absorption of the blend. LIPSS formation at ambient conditions in this wavelength range led to chemical modification of both P3HT and PC71BM, which rendered to non-conducting samples. Irradiation in vacuum significantly reduced radiation damage, rendering to the characteristic electrical conductivity pattern observed in P3HT LIPSS samples irradiated in the visible range. This effect could be of potential interest in order to obtain LIPSS in low absorbing polymers.
A New Synthesis Strategy on Styrene-Butadiene Di-Block Copolymer Containing High cis-1,4 Unit Via Transfer of Anionic to Coordination Polymerization
Authors: Liu Jie , Min Xin , Zhu Xiuzhong , Wang Zichao , Wang Tong , Fan Xiaodong
Published: January 2019

A novel synthesis strategy on styrene-butadiene di-block copolymer (PS-b-PB) with high cis-1,4 unit content was developed, based on a transfer technique from anionic to coordination polymerization. Firstly, the styrene monomer was initiated by n-butyllithium (Li) utilizing anionic polymerization at 50 °C, which resulted in a macromolecular alkylating initiator (PSLi). Secondly, PSLi was aged with nickel naphthenate (Ni) and boron trifluoride etherate (B) for obtaining a complex catalyst system (Ni/PSLi/B). Then, Ni/PSLi/B was applied to initiate the butadiene (Bd) polymerization. Following this new strategy, a series of PS-b-PBs were successfully synthesized. The experimental results indicated that under the molar ratio combination of [Li]/[Ni] = 5 and [B]/[Li] = 1, styrene-butadiene di-block copolymers could be easily achieved with high cis-1,4 unit content (>97%) and controlled molecular weight as well as narrow molecular weight distribution (Mw/Mn < 1.5). Furthermore, the copolymer’s block ratio could also be effectively controlled by controlling the two components’ monomer feed ratio.
Effect of Panel Construction on the Ballistic Performance of Multiply 3D through-the-Thickness Angle-Interlock fabrIc Reinforced Composites
Authors: Min Shengnan , Chai Yuan , Chu Yanyan , Chen Xiaogang
Published: January 2019

This paper studied the ballistic performance of 3D woven angle-interlock fabric reinforced composites with different types of panel construction. Two types of composites P10B and P17C were designed to have the same areal density of around 12 kg/m2 although they both had different ply areal densities and consisted of different numbers of plies. Non-perforated ballistic impacts were conducted on the two types of panels under the same level of impact energy. Post-mortem examination on the non-perforated panels was conducted through the cross-sectional images, planar projected delamination and 3D damage volume extracted from the non-destructive tests. Three distinctive sections of damage were segmented from the non-perforated panels, each indicating different material failure modes upon impact. Under the same areal density, the coarser composite panel P10B with a larger ply areal density and fewer reinforcement plies would result in less damage. The damage volume of P10B is nearly one-third that of the P17C. The findings are instructive for the design of 3D woven fabric continuously reinforced composites with doubly-curved shapes.
Mitigating the Impact of Cellulose Particles on the Performance of Biopolyester-Based Composites by Gas-Phase Esterification
Authors: David Grégoire , Gontard Nathalie , Angellier-Coussy Hélène
Published: January 2019

Materials that are both biodegradable and bio-sourced are becoming serious candidates for substituting traditional petro-sourced plastics that accumulate in natural systems. New biocomposites have been produced by melt extrusion, using bacterial polyester (poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate)) as a matrix and cellulose particles as fillers. In this study, gas-phase esterified cellulose particles, with palmitoyl chloride, were used to improve filler-matrix compatibility and reduce moisture sensitivity. Structural analysis demonstrated that intrinsic properties of the polymer matrix (crystallinity, and molecular weight) were not more significantly affected by the incorporation of cellulose, either virgin or grafted. Only a little decrease in matrix thermal stability was noticed, this being limited by cellulose grafting. Gas-phase esterification of cellulose improved the filler’s dispersion state and filler/matrix interfacial adhesion, as shown by SEM cross-section observations, and limiting the degradation of tensile properties (stress and strain at break). Water vapor permeability, moisture, and liquid water uptake of biocomposites were increased compared to the neat matrix. The increase in thermodynamic parameters was limited in the case of grafted cellulose, principally ascribed to their increased hydrophobicity. However, no significant effect of grafting was noticed regarding diffusion parameters.
Enhanced Proton Conductivity in Sulfonated Poly(ether ether ketone) Membranes by Incorporating Sodium Dodecyl Benzene Sulfonate
Authors: Zhai Shaoxiong , Dai Wenxu , Lin Jun , He Shaojian , Zhang Bing , Chen Lin
Published: January 2019

It is of great importance to improve the proton conductivity of proton exchange membranes by easy-handling and cost-efficient approaches. In this work, we incorporated a commercially obtained surfactant, sodium dodecyl benzene sulfonate (SDBS), into sulfonated poly(ether ether ketone) (SPEEK) through solution casting to prepare SPEEK/SDBS membranes. When no more than 10 wt % SDBS was added, the SDBS was well dissolved into the SPEEK matrix, and the activation energy for the proton transfer in the SPEEK/SDBS membranes was greatly reduced, leading to significant enhancement of the membrane proton conductivity. Compared with the SPEEK control membrane, the SPEEK/SDBS membrane with 10 wt % SDBS showed a 78% increase in proton conductivity, up from 0.051 S cm−1 to 0.091 S cm−1, while the water uptake increased from 38% to 62%. Moreover, the SPEEK/SDBS membrane exhibited constant proton conductivity under a long-term water immersion test.
Preparation of Organo-Montmorillonite Modified Poly(lactic acid) and Properties of Its Blends with Wood Flour
Authors: Liu Ru , Yin Xiaoqian , Huang Anmin , Wang Chen , Ma Erni
Published: January 2019

In this study, poly(lactic acid) (PLA)/wood flour (WF) composites were prepared by first blending PLA with organo-montmorillonite (OMMT) at different contents (0.5, 1, 1.5, and 2 wt %). The physical and mechanical properties of the virgin and OMMT modified PLA and its WF composites were tested. The results showed that: (1) at low OMMT content (<1 wt %), OMMT can uniformly disperse into the PLA matrix with highly exfoliated structures. When the content increased to 1.5 wt %, some aggregations occurred; (2) after a second extruding process, the aggregated OMMT redistributed into PLA and part of OMMT even penetrated into the WF cell wall. However, at the highest OMMT content (2 wt %), aggregates still existed; (3) the highly exfoliated OMMT was beneficial to the physical and mechanical properties of PLA and the WF composites. The optimal group of OMMT-modified PLA was found at an OMMT content of 0.5 wt %, while for the PLA/WF system, the best properties were achieved at an OMMT content of 1.5 wt %.
Mapping Foliar Nutrition Using WorldView-3 and WorldView-2 to Assess Koala Habitat Suitability
Authors: Wu Huiying , Levin Noam , Seabrook Leonie , Moore Ben , McAlpine Clive
Published: January 2019

Conservation planning and population assessment for widely-distributed, but vulnerable, arboreal folivore species demands cost-effective mapping of habitat suitability over large areas. This study tested whether multispectral data from WorldView-3 could be used to estimate and map foliar digestible nitrogen (DigN), a nutritional measure superior to total nitrogen for tannin-rich foliage for the koala (Phascolarctos cinereus). We acquired two WorldView-3 images (November 2015) and collected leaf samples from Eucalyptus woodlands in semi-arid eastern Australia. Linear regression indicated the normalized difference index using bands “Coastal” and “NIR1” best estimated DigN concentration (% dry matter, R2 = 0.70, RMSE = 0.19%). Foliar DigN concentration was mapped for multi-species Eucalyptus open woodlands across two landscapes using this index. This mapping method was tested on a WorldView-2 image (October 2012) with associated koala tracking data (August 2010 to November 2011) from a different landscape of the study region. Quantile regression showed significant positive relationship between estimated DigN and occurrence of koalas at 0.999 quantile (R2 = 0.63). This study reports the first attempt to use a multispectral satellite-derived spectral index for mapping foliar DigN at a landscape-scale (100s km2). The mapping method can potentially be incorporated in mapping and monitoring koala habitat suitability for conservation management.
GNSS RTK Positioning Augmented with Large LEO Constellation
Authors: Li Xingxing , Lv Hongbo , Ma Fujian , Li Xin , Liu Jinghui , Jiang Zihao
Published: January 2019

It is widely known that in real-time kinematic (RTK) solution, the convergence and ambiguity-fixed speeds are critical requirements to achieve centimeter-level positioning, especially in medium-to-long baselines. Recently, the current status of the global navigation satellite systems (GNSS) can be improved by employing low earth orbit (LEO) satellites. In this study, an initial assessment is applied for LEO constellations augmented GNSS RTK positioning, where four designed LEO constellations with different satellite numbers, as well as the nominal GPS constellation, are simulated and adopted for analysis. In terms of aforementioned constellations solutions, the statistical results of a 68.7-km baseline show that when introducing 60, 96, 192, and 288 polar-orbiting LEO constellations, the RTK convergence time can be shortened from 4.94 to 2.73, 1.47, 0.92, and 0.73 min, respectively. In addition, the average time to first fix (TTFF) can be decreased from 7.28 to 3.33, 2.38, 1.22, and 0.87 min, respectively. Meanwhile, further improvements could be satisfied in several elements such as corresponding fixing ratio, number of visible satellites, position dilution of precision (PDOP) and baseline solution precision. Furthermore, the performance of the combined GPS/LEO RTK is evaluated over various-length baselines, based on convergence time and TTFF. The research findings show that the medium-to-long baseline schemes confirm that LEO satellites do helpfully obtain faster convergence and fixing, especially in the case of long baselines, using large LEO constellations, subsequently, the average TTFF for long baselines has a substantial shortened about 90%, in other words from 12 to 2 min approximately by combining with the larger LEO constellation of 192 or 288 satellites. It is interesting to denote that similar improvements can be observed from the convergence time.
Weakly Coupled Ocean–Atmosphere Data Assimilation in the ECMWF NWP System
Authors: Browne Philip A. , de Rosnay Patricia , Zuo Hao , Bennett Andrew , Dawson Andrew
Published: January 2019

Numerical weather prediction models are including an increasing number of components of the Earth system. In particular, every forecast now issued by the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) runs with a 3D ocean model and a sea ice model below the atmosphere. Initialisation of different components using different methods and on different timescales can lead to inconsistencies when they are combined in the full system. Historically, the methods for initialising the ocean and the atmosphere have been typically developed separately. This paper describes an approach for combining the existing ocean and atmospheric analyses into what we categorise as a weakly coupled assimilation scheme. Here, we show the performance improvements achieved for the atmosphere by having a weakly coupled ocean–atmosphere assimilation system compared with an uncoupled system. Using numerical weather prediction diagnostics, we show that forecast errors are decreased compared with forecasts initialised from an uncoupled analysis. Further, a detailed investigation into spatial coverage of sea ice concentration in the Baltic Sea shows that a much more realistic structure is obtained by the weakly coupled analysis. By introducing the weakly coupled ocean–atmosphere analysis, the ocean analysis becomes a critical part of the numerical weather prediction system and provides a platform from which to build ever stronger forms of analysis coupling.
Resolving Three-Dimensional Surface Motion with InSAR: Constraints from Multi-Geometry Data Fusion
Authors: Fuhrmann Thomas , Garthwaite Matthew C.
Published: January 2019

Interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) technology has been widely applied to measure Earth surface motions related to natural and anthropogenic crustal deformation phenomena. With the widespread uptake of data captured by the European Space Agency’s Sentinel-1 mission and other recently launched or planned space-borne SAR missions, the usage of the InSAR technique to detect and monitor Earth surface displacements will increase even more in the coming years. However, InSAR can only measure a one-dimensional motion along the radar line of sight (LOS), which makes interpretation and communication of InSAR measurements challenging, and can add ambiguity to the modelling process. Within this paper, we investigate the implications of the InSAR LOS geometry using simulated and observed deformation phenomena and describe a methodology for multi-geometry data fusion of LOS InSAR measurements from many viewing geometries. We find that projecting LOS measurements to the vertical direction using the incidence angle of the satellite sensor (and implicitly assuming no horizontal motions are present) may result in large errors depending on the magnitude of horizontal motion and on the steepness of the incidence angle. We quantify these errors as the maximum expected error from simulated LOS observations based on a Mogi deformation model. However, we recommend to use LOS observations from several image geometries wherever data are available, in order to solve for vertical and E–W oriented horizontal motion. For an anthropogenic deformation phenomenon observed in seven independent InSAR analyses of Envisat SAR data from the Sydney region, Australia, we find that the strong horizontal motion present could lead to misinterpretation of the actual motion direction when projecting LOS measurements to vertical (uplift instead of subsidence). In this example, the difference between multi-geometry data fusion and vertical projection of LOS measurements (at an incidence angle of 33.8°) reach up to 67% of the maximum vertical displacement rate. Furthermore, the position of maximum vertical motion is displaced horizontally by several hundred metres when the LOS measurements are projected.
A Fetal ECG Monitoring System Based on the Android Smartphone
Authors: Yuan Li , Yuan Yanchao , Zhou Zhuhuang , Bai Yanping , Wu Shuicai
Published: January 2019

In this paper, a fetal electrocardiogram (ECG) monitoring system based on the Android smartphone was proposed. We designed a portable low-power fetal ECG collector, which collected maternal abdominal ECG signals in real time. The ECG data were sent to a smartphone client via Bluetooth. Smartphone app software was developed based on the Android system. The app integrated the fast fixed-point algorithm for independent component analysis (FastICA) and the sample entropy algorithm, for the sake of real-time extraction of fetal ECG signals from the maternal abdominal ECG signals. The fetal heart rate was computed using the extracted fetal ECG signals. Experimental results showed that the FastICA algorithm can extract a clear fetal ECG, and the sample entropy can correctly determine the channel where the fetal ECG is located. The proposed fetal ECG monitoring system may be feasible for non-invasive, real-time monitoring of fetal ECGs.
A Quantitative Approach for the Bone-implant Osseointegration Assessment Based on Ultrasonic Elastic Guided Waves
Authors: Vien Benjamin Steven , Chiu Wing Kong , Russ Matthias , Fitzgerald Mark
Published: January 2019

Quantitative and reliable monitoring of osseointegration will help further evaluate the integrity of the orthopaedic construct to promote novel prosthesis design and allow early mobilisation. Quantitative assessment of the degree or the lack of osseointegration is important for the clinical management with the introduction of prosthetic implants to amputees. Acousto-ultrasonic wave propagation has been used in structural health monitoring as well as human health monitoring but so far has not extended to osseointegrated implants or prostheses. This paper presents an ultrasonic guided wave approach to assess the osseointegration of a novel implant. This study explores the potential of integrating structural health monitoring concepts into a new osseointegrated implant. The aim is to demonstrate the extension of acousto-ultrasonic techniques, which have been widely reported for the structural health monitoring of engineering structures, to assess the state of osseointegration of a bone and implant. To illustrate this potential, this paper will report on the experimental findings which investigated the unification of an aluminium implant and bone-like geometry surrogate. The core of the test specimen is filled with silicone and wrapped with plasticine to simulate the highly damped cancellous bone and soft tissue, respectively. To simulate the osseointegration process, a 2-h adhesive epoxy is used to bond the surrogate implant and a bone-like structure. A series of piezoelectric elements are bonded onto the surrogate implant to serve as actuators and sensors. The actuating piezoelectric element on an extramedullary strut is excited with a 1 MHz pulse signal. The reception of the ultrasonic wave by the sensing elements located on the adjacent and furthest struts is used to assess the integration of this implant to the parent bone structure. The study shows an Osseointegration Index can be formulated by using engineering and acousto-ultrasonic methods to measure the unification of a bone and implant. This also highlights a potential quantitative evaluation technique regardless of bone-implant geometry and soft tissue damping.
A Sitting Posture Monitoring Instrument to Assess Different Levels of Cognitive Engagement
Authors: Bibbo Daniele , Carli Marco , Conforto Silvia , Battisti Federica
Published: January 2019

An office chair for analyzing the seated posture variation during the performance of a stress-level test is presented in this work. To meet this aim, we placed a set of textile pressure sensors both on the backrest and on the seat of the chair. The position of the sensors was selected for maximizing the detection of variations of user’s posture. The effectiveness of the designed system was evaluated through an experiment where increasing stress levels were obtained by administering a Stroop test. The collected results had been analyzed by considering three different time intervals based on the difficulty level of the test (low, medium, and high). A transition analysis conducted on postures assumed during the test showed that participants reached a different posture at the end of the test, when the cognitive engagement increased, with respect to the beginning. This evidence highlighted the presence of movement presumably due to the increased cognitive engagement. Overall, the performed analysis showed the proposed monitoring system could be used to identify body posture variations related to different levels of engagement of a seated user while performing cognitive tasks.
Spectral Data Collection by Dual Field-of-View System under Changing Atmospheric Conditions—A Case Study of Estimating Early Season Soybean Populations
Authors: Herrmann Ittai , Vosberg Steven K. , Townsend Philip A. , Conley Shawn P.
Published: January 2019

There is an increasing interest in using hyperspectral data for phenotyping and crop management while overcoming the challenge of changing atmospheric conditions. The Piccolo dual field-of-view system collects up- and downwelling radiation nearly simultaneously with one spectrometer. Such systems offer great promise for crop monitoring under highly variable atmospheric conditions. Here, the system’s utility from a tractor-mounted boom was demonstrated for a case study of estimating soybean plant populations in early vegetative stages. The Piccolo system is described and its performance under changing sky conditions are assessed for two replicates of the same experiment. Plant population assessment was estimated by partial least squares regression (PLSR) resulting in stable estimations by models calibrated and validated under sunny and cloudy or cloudy and sunny conditions, respectively. We conclude that the Piccolo system is effective for data collection under variable atmospheric conditions, and we show its feasibility of operation for precision agriculture research and potential commercial applications.