bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Efficient Intracellular Delivery of Cell-Impermeable Cargo Molecules by Peptides Containing Tryptophan and Histidine
Authors: Shirazi Amir Nasrolahi , Mozaffari Saghar , Sherpa Rinzhin Tshering , Tiwari Rakesh , Parang Keykavous
Published: June 2018

We have previously evaluated and reported numerous classes of linear and cyclic peptides containing hydrophobic and hydrophilic segments for intracellular delivery of multiple molecular cargos. Herein, a combination of histidine and tryptophan amino acids were designed and evaluated for their efficiency in intracellular delivery of cell-impermeable phosphopeptides and the anti-HIV drug, emtricitabine. Two new decapeptides, with linear and cyclic natures, both containing alternate tryptophan and histidine residues, were synthesized using Fmoc/tBu solid-phase chemistry. The peptides were characterized and purified by using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) spectroscopy and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), respectively. These peptides did not show significant toxicity up to 100 µM in ovarian cancer (SK-OV-3) and leukemia cancer (CCRF-CEM) cells. Furthermore, the cellular uptake of a fluorescence (F’)-labeled cell-impermeable phosphopeptide (F’-GpYEEI) was enhanced in the presence of linear (WH)5 and cyclic [WH]5 by 2- and 8-fold, respectively, compared to the uptake of the phosphopeptide alone. The cellular uptake was not significantly changed in the presence of endocytosis inhibitors. Furthermore, the intracellular uptake of the fluorescently-labeled anti-HIV drug, emtricitabine (F’-FTC), by linear (WH)5 and cyclic [WH]5 in SK-OV-3 cancer cell lines was found to be enhanced by 3.5- and 9-fold, respectively, compared to that of the drug alone. Fluorescent uptake experiments confirmed the localization of F’-GpYEEI-loaded cyclic [WH]5 intracellularly in the SK-OV-3 cancer cell line after 3 h of incubation. Thus, these data demonstrated that [WH]5 containing tryptophan and histidine enhanced the cellular uptake of F’-GpYEEI and emtricitabine.
Crystal Structure of LSD1 in Complex with 4-[5-(Piperidin-4-ylmethoxy)-2-(p-tolyl)pyridin-3-yl]benzonitrile
Authors: Niwa Hideaki , Sato Shin , Hashimoto Tomoko , Matsuno Kenji , Umehara Takashi
Published: June 2018

Because lysine-specific demethylase 1 (LSD1) regulates the maintenance of cancer stem cell properties, small-molecule inhibitors of LSD1 are expected to be useful for the treatment of several cancers. Reversible inhibitors of LSD1 with submicromolar inhibitory potency have recently been reported, but their exact binding modes are poorly understood. In this study, we synthesized a recently reported reversible inhibitor, 4-[5-(piperidin-4-ylmethoxy)-2-(p-tolyl)pyridin-3-yl]benzonitrile, which bears a 4-piperidinylmethoxy group, a 4-methylphenyl group, and a 4-cyanophenyl group on a pyridine ring, and determined the crystal structure of LSD1 in complex with this inhibitor at 2.96 Å. We observed strong electron density for the compound, showing that its cyano group forms a hydrogen bond with Lys661, which is a critical residue in the lysine demethylation reaction located deep in the catalytic center of LSD1. The piperidine ring interacts with the side chains of Asp555 and Asn540 in two conformations, and the 4-methylphenyl group is bound in a hydrophobic pocket in the catalytic center. Our elucidation of the binding mode of this compound can be expected to facilitate the rational design of more-potent reversible LSD1 inhibitors.
Solution-Grown Dendritic Pt-Based Ternary Nanostructures for Enhanced Oxygen Reduction Reaction Functionality
Authors: Leteba Gerard M. , Mitchell David R. G. , Levecque Pieter B. J. , Lang Candace I.
Published: June 2018

Nanoalloys with anisotropic morphologies of branched and porous internal structures show great promise in many applications as high performance materials. Reported synthetic approaches for branched alloy nanostructures are, however, limited by the synthesis using a seed-growth process. Here, we demonstrate a conveniently fast and one-pot solution-phase thermal reduction strategy yielding nanoalloys of Pt with various solute feed ratios, exhibiting hyperbranched morphologies and good dispersity. When Pt was alloyed with transition metals (Ni, Co, Fe), we observed well-defined dendritic nanostructures in PtNi, PtCo and Pt(NiCo), but not in PtFe, Pt(FeNi) or Pt(FeCo) due to the steric hindrance of the trivalent Fe(acac)3 precursor used during synthesis. In the case of Pt-based nanoalloys containing Ni and Co, the dendritic morphological evolution observed was insensitive to large variations in solute concentration. The functionality of these nanoalloys towards the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR); however, was observed to be dependent on the composition, increasing with increasing solute content. Pt3(NiCo)2 exhibited superior catalytic activity, affording about a five- and 10-fold enhancement in area-specific and mass-specific catalytic activities, respectively, compared to the standard Pt/C nanocatalyst. This solution-based synthetic route offers a new approach for constructing dendritic Pt-based nanostructures with excellent product yield, monodispersity and high crystallinity.
Role of Mn2+ Doping in the Preparation of Core-Shell Structured Fe3O4@upconversion Nanoparticles and Their Applications in T1/T2-Weighted Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Upconversion Luminescent Imaging and Near-Infrared Activated Photodynamic Therapy
Authors: Luo Yang , Zhang Wei , Liao Zhengfang , Yang Shengnan , Yang Shengtao , Li Xinhua , Zuo Fang , Luo Jianbin
Published: June 2018

Core-shell (C/S) structured upconversion coated Fe3O4 nanoparticles (NPs) are of great interest due to their potential as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and upconversion luminescent (UCL) imaging agents, as well as near-infrared activated photodynamic therapy (PDT) platforms. When C/S structured Fe3O4@Mn2+-doped NaYF4:Yb/Er NPs were prepared previously, well-defined C/S-NPs could not be formed without the doping of Mn2+ during synthesis. Here, the role of Mn2+ doping on the synthesis of core-shell structured magnetic-upconversion nanoparticles (MUCNPs) is investigated in detail. Core-shell-shell nanoparticles (C/S/S-MUCNPs) with Fe3O4 as the core, an inert layer of Mn2+-doped NaYF4 and an outer shell consisting of Mn2+-doped NaYF4:Yb/Er were prepared. To further develop C/S/S-MUCNPs applications in the biological field, amphiphilic poly(maleic anhydride-alt-1-octadecene) (C18PMH) modified with amine functionalized methoxy poly(ethylene glycol) (C18PMH-mPEG) was used as a capping ligand to modify the surface of C/S/S-MUCNPs to improve biocompatibility. UCL imaging, T1-weighted MRI ascribed to the Mn2+ ions and T2-weighted MRI ascribed to the Fe3O4 core of C/S/S-MUCNPs were then evaluated. Finally, chlorine e6 (Ce6) was loaded on the C/S/S-MUCNPs and the PDT performance of these NPs was explored. Mn2+ doping is an effective method to control the formation of core-shell structured MUCNPs, which would be potential candidate as multifunctional nanoprobes for future T1/T2-weighted MR/UCL imaging and PDT platforms.
Treatment of Nanocellulose by Submerged Liquid Plasma for Surface Functionalization
Authors: Panaitescu Denis Mihaela , Vizireanu Sorin , Nicolae Cristian Andi , Frone Adriana Nicoleta , Casarica Angela , Carpen Lavinia Gabriela , Dinescu Gheorghe
Published: June 2018

Tailoring the surface properties of nanocellulose to improve the compatibility of components in polymer nanocomposites is of great interest. In this work, dispersions of nanocellulose in water and acetonitrile were functionalized by submerged plasmas, with the aim of increasing the quality of this reinforcing agent in biopolymer composite materials. Both the morphology and surface chemistry of nanocellulose were influenced by the application of a plasma torch and filamentary jet plasma in a liquid suspension of nanocellulose. Depending on the type of plasma source and gas mixture the surface chemistry was modified by the incorporation of oxygen and nitrogen containing functional groups. The treatment conditions which lead to nanocellulose based polymer nanocomposites with superior mechanical properties were identified. This work provides a new eco-friendly method for the surface functionalization of nanocellulose directly in water suspension, thus overcoming the disadvantages of chemical treatments.
High Prevalence of Insufficient Vitamin D Intake and Serum 25-Hydroxyvitamin D in Chinese School-Age Children: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Liu Yan , Li Xinyi , Zhao Ai , Zheng Wei , Guo Mofan , Xue Yong , Wang Peiyu , Zhang Yumei
Published: June 2018

Despite the importance of vitamin D in early stages of life, data are lacking on the levels of vitamin D intake and serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25-(OH)D) among Chinese school-age children. The aims of this study were to investigate the vitamin D intake and serum 25-(OH)D concentration of children aged 7 to 12 years in China, and to measure the associations between vitamin D status and children’s growth and development parameters. We obtained data on vitamin D intake, serum 25-(OH)D concentration, and anthropometric measurements from a cross-sectional study on school-aged children in China. Multiple linear regression and multivariable logistic regression analyses assessed the associations mentioned above. A total of 563 children (9.5 ± 1.6 years) from six areas of China were included. Among them, 86.1% had a vitamin D intake below the recommended nutrient intake (10 μg/day), and 54.7% had vitamin D deficiency (serum 25-(OH)D <15 ng/mL). We also found that high vitamin D intake was inversely associated with the risk of vitamin D deficiency (OR = 0.836, 95% confidence interval: 0.713, 0.980), and serum 25-(OH)D concentration was positively associated with the intelligence score and body mass index-for-age Z-score (BAZ) (p < 0.05). Insufficient vitamin D intake and serum 25-(OH)D are prevalent among Chinese school-aged children. A negative association was observed between vitamin D intake and the risk of vitamin D deficiency. Moreover, vitamin D status was positively associated with intelligence and BAZ, which await confirmation in future studies.
Correction: Martínez-González, M.A. et al. Transferability of the Mediterranean Diet to Non-Mediterranean Countries. What Is and What Is Not the Mediterranean Diet. Nutrients 2017, 9, 1226
Authors: Martínez-González Miguel Ángel , Hershey Maria Soledad , Zazpe Itziar , Trichopoulou Antonia
Published: June 2018

The authors have requested that the following changes be made to their paper[...]
The Pattern of Complementary Foods in American Infants and Children Aged 0–5 Years Old—A Cross-Sectional Analysis of Data from the NHANES 2011–2014
Authors: Demmer Elieke , Cifelli Christopher J. , Houchins Jenny A. , Fulgoni Victor L.
Published: June 2018

Proper nutrition early in life can influence children’s present and future health. While several authoritative sources provide eating/food recommendations, only a few studies have assessed whether these recommendations are followed. The goal of this paper was to examine food and nutrient intakes on any given day during infancy and early childhood among various ethnicities. Twenty-four-hour dietary recall data of 0–5 years-old children (n = 2431) from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2011–2014 was used to estimate intakes of nutrients and food groups and prevalence of inadequate intake. Data was analyzed separately for various age groups and ethnicities, and differences in means by age and or race/ethnicity were determined by t-tests with p < 0.05 as significant. The results indicate that intakes of all food groups were expectedly low at 0–11 months, increased with age, and were influenced by race/ethnicity. Mixed dish consumption, which also increased with age, made substantial contributions to children’s food group intakes. However, there was a substantial percentage of the population among all age and race/ethnic groups who did not consume the recommended amounts for each food group and had inadequate intakes of key nutrients, such as calcium, vitamin D, and vitamin E. Non-Hispanic black children consumed less dairy and more protein foods, and a significantly greater proportion of these children had inadequate intakes of calcium and vitamin D compared to their peers. In conclusion, the results from this study suggest that a substantial population of American infants and children from 0 to five years of age did not meet food group recommendations and had inadequate intakes of key nutrients such as calcium, vitamin D, and vitamin E from foods.
Mechanical and Unlubricated Sliding Wear Properties of Nitrile Rubber Reinforced with Micro Glass Flake
Authors: Guo Yanbao , Tan Hai , Cao Zhiqiang , Wang Deguo , Zhang Siwei
Published: June 2018

In this study, the filled nitrile rubber (NBR) was prepared with micro glass flake (GF). The tribological behaviors of filled NBR were tested by a ball-on-disk tribometer. Material properties such as glass transition temperature (Tg), fracture energy, tensile strength and dispersity of GF filler were also investigated. The results showed that the coefficient of friction (COF) of NBR reduced and the wear-resistant enhanced with the GF filler. Compared to unfilled NBR, the COF of filled NBR suffered a maximal drop percent (about 21.1%) at a rotation speed of 100 rpm and normal load of 1.5 N. Mechanical and wear behaviors were dependent on the interfacial performance of filler in the rubber matrix. Filler with smaller size was more conducive to enhance the interfacial strength of the polymer matrix. That can increase the interfacial strength of filler and benefits to improve the anti-wear behavior of rubber.
Replication of Overmolded Orthopedic Implants with a Functionalized Thin Layer of Biodegradable Polymer
Authors: Elkaseer Ahmed , Mueller Tobias , Azcarate Sabino , Philipp-Pichler Martin , Wilfinger Thomas , Wittner Wolfgang , Prantl Manfred , Sampaio Daniel , Hagenmeyer Veit , Scholz Steffen
Published: June 2018

The present paper reports on the development of a biodegradable overmolded orthopedic implant: a metal bone fixing screw, which has been overmolded with a functionalized thin layer of biodegradable polymer to enhance cell adhesion during the healing process. The main challenges were to integrate precise, high-throughput and repeatable solutions to achieve a thin, defect-free structured polymer layer and to ensure a high and consistent implant quality. The work carried out entailed determining proper materials (Purasorb PDLG 5010) for the biodegradable overmolding layer and its economical substitute (NaKu PLA 100HF) to be used during initial tool and process development, designing the surface structure of the overmolded polymer layer, development of injection molding tools, as well as feeding and handling procedures. The injection overmolding process of Purasorb PDLG 5010 polymer was controlled, and the process parameters were optimized. In particular, the dominant process parameters for the overmolding, namely injection pressure, barrel temperature and mold temperature, were experimentally examined using a circumscribed three-factor central composite design and two quality marks; overmolding roughness and mass of polymer. The analysis of the experimental results shows that the mass of the overmolding is not feasible for use as the quality mark. However, the optimal parameters for the overmolding of a metallic implant screw with a thin, micro-structured polymer layer with a predefined roughness of the surface texture have been identified successfully.
An Appraisal of the Potential of Landsat 8 in Estimating Chlorophyll-a, Ammonium Concentrations and Other Water Quality Indicators
Authors: Markogianni Vassiliki , Kalivas Dionissios , Petropoulos George P. , Dimitriou Elias
Published: June 2018

In-situ monitoring of lake water quality in synergy with satellite remote sensing represents the latest scientific trend in many water quality monitoring programs worldwide. This study investigated the suitability of the Operational Land Imager (OLI) instrument onboard the Landsat 8 satellite platform in accurately estimating key water quality parameters such as chlorophyll-a and nutrient concentrations. As a case study the largest freshwater body of Greece (Trichonis Lake) was used. Two Landsat 8 images covering the study site were acquired on 30 October 2013 and 30 August 2014 respectively. Near concurrent in-situ observations from two water sampling campaigns were also acquired from 22 stations across the lake under study. In-situ measurements (nutrients and chlorophyll-a concentrations) were statistically correlated with various spectral band combinations derived from the Landsat imagery of year 2014. Subsequently, the most statistically promising predictive models were applied to the satellite image of 2013 and validation was conducted using in-situ data of 2013 as reference. Results showed a relatively variable statistical relationship between the in-situ and reflectances (R logchl-a: 0.58, R NH4+: 0.26, R chl-a: 0.44). Correlation coefficient (R) values reported of up to 0.7 for ammonium concentrations and also up to 0.5 and up to 0.4 for chl-a concentration and chl-a concentrations respectively. These results represent a higher accuracy of Landsat 8 in comparison to its predecessors in the Landsat satellites series, as evidenced in the literature. Our findings suggest that Landsat 8 has a promising capability in estimating water quality components in an oligotrophic freshwater body characterized by a complete absence of any quantitative, temporal and spatial variance, as is the case of Trichonis lake. Yet, even with the presence of a lot of ground information as was the case in our study, a quantitatively accurate estimation of water quality constituents in coastal/inland waters remains a great challenge. The launch of sophisticated spaceborne sensing systems, such as that of Landsat 8, can assist in improving our ability to estimate freshwater lake properties from space.
Visual Information Fusion through Bayesian Inference for Adaptive Probability-Oriented Feature Matching
Authors: Valiente David , Payá Luis , Jiménez Luis , Sebastián Jose , Reinoso Óscar
Published: June 2018

This work presents a visual information fusion approach for robust probability-oriented feature matching. It is sustained by omnidirectional imaging, and it is tested in a visual localization framework, in mobile robotics. General visual localization methods have been extensively studied and optimized in terms of performance. However, one of the main threats that jeopardizes the final estimation is the presence of outliers. In this paper, we present several contributions to deal with that issue. First, 3D information data, associated with SURF (Speeded-Up Robust Feature) points detected on the images, is inferred under the Bayesian framework established by Gaussian processes (GPs). Such information represents a probability distribution for the feature points’ existence, which is successively fused and updated throughout the robot’s poses. Secondly, this distribution can be properly sampled and projected onto the next 2D image frame in t+1, by means of a filter-motion prediction. This strategy permits obtaining relevant areas in the image reference system, from which probable matches could be detected, in terms of the accumulated probability of feature existence. This approach entails an adaptive probability-oriented matching search, which accounts for significant areas of the image, but it also considers unseen parts of the scene, thanks to an internal modulation of the probability distribution domain, computed in terms of the current uncertainty of the system. The main outcomes confirm a robust feature matching, which permits producing consistent localization estimates, aided by the odometer’s prior to estimate the scale factor. Publicly available datasets have been used to validate the design and operation of the approach. Moreover, the proposal has been compared, firstly with a standard feature matching and secondly with a localization method, based on an inverse depth parametrization. The results confirm the validity of the approach in terms of feature matching, localization accuracy, and time consumption.
Food Safety in China: The Structure and Substantive Foci of an Emerging Field of Social Science Research
Authors: Dickinson Harley D. , Liu Willa , Graham Paul J. , Chen Wei
Published: June 2018

This paper is the first to describe the structure and content of the English language social science literature on food safety in China. To do this research we systematically searched Web of Science and Scopus, the most comprehensive indexes, using the terms “Food Safety” AND “China” OR “Chinese”. To focus our search results, we used the index features available on Web of Science and Scopus, and limited results to the English language, peer-reviewed journal articles, social sciences, and published in the period of 2009 to 2015. This resulted in 272 selected journal articles, with a final data set of 185 articles for review. A food safety system model we developed was used to classify and present the findings derived from content analysis of abstracts, titles, and keywords. Our findings show that the research reviewed is unevenly distributed across the components of the food safety system model. The greatest proportions of the literature reviewed focused on consumers, primary and secondary producers and products, and government legislators and regulators, respectively. Smaller proportions focused on food wholesalers, retailers, researchers, educators, and the media. Few of the articles reviewed used a model of the food safety system. None identified an explicit knowledge transfer strategy.
How to Build Consumer Trust: Socially Responsible or Controversial Advertising
Authors: Bachnik Katarzyna , Nowacki Robert
Published: June 2018

Developing trust in a product, brand or company is a significant part of building a successful consumer-company relationship. Two-way communication is one of the main factors weighing on the level of consumer trust. Advertising as a communication tool that elicits lots of attention and emotions is a big part of the trust building process. Its character—whether socially responsible or controversial sets a tone for the communication and influences the receptiveness of the message. Companies undertake various efforts to make their messages more attractive to recipients and seek new ways to attract customers’ attention. Many companies experiment with unconventional and controversial advertising designs and tones, as it seems that there is some level of social acceptance for original, emotional and shocking marketing messages. This paper aims to analyze this level of the social acceptance in more detail. The study focuses on the following marketing dilemma: Should companies continue to use socially responsible advertising or should they adopt more controversial or even unethical strategies? The managers of 626 enterprises were interviewed to find out the answer. The research compares controversial advertising efforts with consumers’ evaluations of the messages to which they are exposed.
Emission of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) from Dispersion and Cementitious Waterproofing Products
Authors: Kozicki Mateusz , Piasecki Michał , Goljan Anna , Deptuła Halina , Niesłochowski Adam
Published: June 2018

Many different methods and indicators are commonly used for the assessment of indoor air quality (IAQ). One of them is pollution source control; among the sources, building materials are of special concern. This study presents a source characterization of waterproofing products used mainly in non-industrial buildings. The authors have attempted to fill some research gaps by determining emission factors for waterproofing materials. The work contains a summary of the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted from dispersion and cementitious liquid-applied water-impermeable products. VOC emissions were determined in a 100-L stainless steel ventilated emission test chamber. Air samples were collected by an active method on Tenax TA®, while VOCs were analyzed using a TD-GC/MS method. Identified VOCs were also expressed as the total volatile organic compounds (TVOCs) and converted into area-specific emission rates qA. The results for different groups of identified compounds (alcohols, benzene derivatives, aldehydes, ketones, ethers and esters) were compared. It was found that VOC emissions clearly decreased with time during each experiment, which lasted 28 days. It is further noted that different types of products were characterized by the emission of specific groups of compounds that were not emitted by other types of products. An essential factor in the elimination and minimization of the occurrence of sources of indoor air pollution is the appropriate selection of finishing materials, which should be characterized by as low as possible emission of VOCs. The results presented in this work can lead to practical applications in the selection of low-emission products for certified green buildings.
Study on Air Pollution and Control Investment from the Perspective of the Environmental Theory Model: A Case Study in China, 2005–2014
Authors: Su Peng , Lin Degen , Qian Chen
Published: June 2018

China has been suffering from serious air pollution for years due to rapid industrialization. However, the relationship between China’s air pollution and pollution control schemes remains understudied in the Chinese air pollution literature. Using the Environmental Theory Model, this paper studies the relationship between air pollution and control investment in China for the period 2005–2014 and applies the inverse distance weighted interpolation (IDW) and Pearson correlation methods. As a result, this paper puts forward some policy suggestions for the governance of air pollution in China. The results are as follows: (1) The Pearson correlation coefficient between China’s air pollution index (API) and control investment is 0.466 (p < 0.01). This shows that the phenomenon of ‘Treatment after Pollution’ still exists in China’s economy; (2) there is an inverted U-shaped relationship that is in accordance with the environmental Kuznets curve between China’s air pollution control investment and air pollution; (3) the high-effectiveness of governmental air pollution control is reflected in the 2013–2014 period, where the API of year 2014 decreased by 10.45 from 2013. This shows a one-year lag between exposure to air pollution and the start of control investment. Future research is warranted to concentrate on establishing a model of the relationship between air pollution and control investment or an air pollution risk assessment based on the proportional hazards model (COX) model.
Left (Right)-Quasi Neutrosophic Triplet Loops (Groups) and Generalized BE-Algebras
Authors: Zhang Xiaohong , Wu Xiaoying , Smarandache Florentin , Hu Minghao
Published: June 2018

The new notion of a neutrosophic triplet group (NTG) is proposed by Florentin Smarandache; it is a new algebraic structure different from the classical group. The aim of this paper is to further expand this new concept and to study its application in related logic algebra systems. Some new notions of left (right)-quasi neutrosophic triplet loops and left (right)-quasi neutrosophic triplet groups are introduced, and some properties are presented. As a corollary of these properties, the following important result are proved: for any commutative neutrosophic triplet group, its every element has a unique neutral element. Moreover, some left (right)-quasi neutrosophic triplet structures in BE-algebras and generalized BE-algebras (including CI-algebras and pseudo CI-algebras) are established, and the adjoint semigroups of the BE-algebras and generalized BE-algebras are investigated for the first time.
Automatic Grading of Palsy Using Asymmetrical Facial Features: A Study Complemented by New Solutions
Authors: Sajid Muhammad , Shafique Tamoor , Baig Mirza Jabbar Aziz , Riaz Imran , Amin Shahid , Manzoor Sohaib
Published: June 2018

Facial palsy caused by nerve damage results in loss of facial symmetry and expression. A reliable palsy grading system for large-scale applications is still missing in the literature. Although numerous approaches have been reported on facial palsy quantification and grading, most employ hand-crafted features on relatively smaller datasets which limit the classification accuracy due to non-optimal face representation. In contrast, convolutional neural networks (CNNs) automatically learn the discriminative features facilitating the accurate classification of underlying tasks. In this paper, we propose to apply a typical deep network on a large dataset to extract palsy-specific features from face images. To prevent the inherent limitation of overfitting frequently occurring in CNNs, a generative adversial network (GAN) is applied to augment the training dataset. The deeply learned features are then used to classify the palsy disease into five benchmarked grades. The experimental results show that the proposed approach offers superior palsy grading performance compared to some existing methods. Such an approach is useful for palsy grading at large scale, such as primary health care.
Metabolomic Changes in Sogatella furcifera under Southern rice black-streaked dwarf virus Infection and Temperature Stress
Authors: Zhang Tong , Feng Wendi , Ye Jiajie , Li Zhanbiao , Zhou Guohui
Published: June 2018

Southern rice black-streaked dwarf virus (SRBSDV) is a devastating newly emerged rice reovirus in Eastern and Southeastern Asia transmitted by a long-distance migratory pest, the white-backed planthopper (WBPH). We previously showed that SRBSDV infection decreased the cold tolerance but improved the heat tolerance of its vector, WBPH. Comparative metabolomic analysis was used to explore the potential mechanisms underlying these changes in temperature stress response. Fourth-generation WBPH nymphs were treated with SRBSDV and/or extreme temperature stress and were analyzed using gas chromatography-time of flight-mass spectrometry. A total of 605 distinguishable peaks were identified and 165, 207, and 202 differentially accumulated metabolites were identified in WBPH after virus infection, cold, or heat stress, respectively. The nucleic acids and fatty acids were the major categories of metabolites regulated by SRBSDV infection, whereas temperature stress regulated tricarboxylic acid cycle compounds, sugars, and polyols. For the WBPH samples infected with SRBSDV and subjected to temperature stress, amino acids, sugars, and polyols were the most significant regulated metabolites. The metabolomics study suggests that SRBSDV may influence the extreme temperature tolerance of WBPH by regulating the accumulation of amino acids, sugars, and polyols in the insect body.
DNA and Protein Analyses to Confirm the Absence of Cross-Contamination and Support the Clinical Reliability of Extensively Hydrolysed Diets for Adverse Food Reaction-Pets
Authors: Lesponne Isabelle , Naar Jérôme , Planchon Sébastien , Serchi Tommaso , Montano Mauricio
Published: June 2018

Adverse food reactions (AFR) are a common cause of skin diseases in cats and dogs. The correct diagnosis and management of AFR relies upon clinical nutrition. The reliability of commercial hypoallergenic diets commonly used in AFR has been questioned because studies have shown the presence of proteins not declared on the label ingredients. It is proposed that extensively hydrolysed protein-based diets constitute a reliable nutritional solution. Royal Canin Anallergenic™ Canine and Feline diets are formulated with very low molecular weight feather protein and purified corn starch. Protein gel electrophoresis and thin layer paper chromatography were used to characterize protein hydrolysis in these diets and their hydrolysed raw materials; protein species were identified by mass spectrometry. To detect cross-contaminating protein, species-specific DNA was measured and correlated with ancillary protein content using calibration curves. The only protein components detected in the extensively hydrolysed feather protein raw material were amino acids and small oligopeptides. GBSS-I (Granule-bound starch synthase 1) was detected in the finished diets; this has not been reported as a clinically apparent allergen in dogs or cats. The DNA threshold corresponding to the maximum acceptable level of ancillary protein was not exceeded in 99.9% of more than 2150 product batches tested and no products were released to the market with cross-contaminating proteins. These results demonstrate the extensive level of protein hydrolysis in Royal Canin Anallergenic™ Canine and Feline diets and the absence of cross-contaminating protein, both key requirements for a diet to be used during diagnosis and for management of pets with AFR.
Ecosystemic Assessment of Surface Water Quality in the Virilla River: Towards Sanitation Processes in Costa Rica
Authors: Mena-Rivera Leonardo , Vásquez-Bolaños Oscar , Gómez-Castro Cinthya , Fonseca-Sánchez Alicia , Rodríguez-Rodríguez Abad , Sánchez-Gutiérrez Rolando
Published: June 2018

Water quality information is essential supporting decision making in water management processes. The lack of information restricts, at some point, the implementation of adequate sanitation, which is still scarce in developing countries. In this study, an ecosystemic water quality assessment was conducted in the Virilla river in Costa Rica, in a section of particular interest for future sanitation development. It included the monitoring of physical, chemical, microbiological and benthic macroinvertebrate parameters from 2014 to 2016. Mutivariate statistics and water quality indexes were used for data interpretation. Results indicated that water quality decreased downstream towards more urbanised areas. Particularly, extreme values of phosphorous, nitrogen and E. coli were found. Sample sites were grouped in two clusters, which were consistent with land use. Benthic macroinverterbrates diversity was predominantly represented by Baetidae, Chironomidae, Leptohyphidae, Hydropsychidae, Simuliidae and Physidae. They were mostly influenced by water temperature, nitrite, ammonium, soluble reactive phosphorous, total solids, alkalinity, nitrate and total suspended solids. Three water quality indexes consistently showed the poor condition of the water body. The overall results indicate that the main sources of pollution in the river are likely to be wastewater discharges. Thus, special efforts should be undertaken regarding its regulation in the country.
The Value of Environmental Base Flow in Water-Scarce Basins: A Case Study of Wei River Basin, Northwest China
Authors: Yue Siyu , Li Huaien , Cheng Bo , Gao Zhiyue
Published: June 2018

In the perennial river, environmental base flow, associated with environmental flow, is the base flow that should be maintained within the river channel throughout the year, especially in the dry season, to sustain basic ecosystem functions and prevent the shrinkage or discontinuity of a river. The functions of environmental base flow include eco-environmental functions, natural functions, and social functions. In this study, we provided a method based on these functions; this method estimated the function values per unit area, introduced the scarcity coefficient, multiplied by the corresponding water area, and summed over to quantify the value of environmental base flow from 1973 to 2015 in the Wei River Basin, the largest tributary of the Yellow River in Northwest China. We observed that there was a positive correlation between the total value of environmental base flow and its water yield, whereas this outcome was completely different in the benefit per unit discharge of environmental base flow, which was closely associated with the shortage of environmental base flow. This method can thus present the considerable value of environmental base flow in monetary terms in a simple and effective way and lay the foundation for further reasonable protection levels of environmental base flow.
Impact of Infiltration Process Modeling on Soil Water Content Simulations for Irrigation Management
Authors: Feki Mouna , Ravazzani Giovanni , Ceppi Alessandro , Milleo Giuseppe , Mancini Marco
Published: June 2018

The uncertainty in a hydrological model, due to its structure or implemented input parameters, affects the accuracy of simulations that are usually used for important applications such as drought predictions, flood risk assessment, irrigation scheduling, ground water recharge and contamination. Several models describing soil infiltration processes have been developed. Some are analytical, while others implement numerical solutions of the Richards’ equation. The objective of this work was to assess the impact of infiltration process modeling on soil water content simulations. For this study, different infiltration models were included within FEST-WB (Flash Flood Event-based Spatially-distributed rainfall-runoff Transformations-Water Balance) distributed hydrological model (SCS-CN, Green and Ampt, Philip and Ross solution). Performances of implemented infiltration models in simulating soil water content were evaluated against observations acquired in the experimental site located in a maize field in northern Italy. Soil water content was monitored together with continuous measurements of meteorological data. A sensitivity analysis was performed to assess the most important parameters governing infiltration process in the different models tested. A comparison of soil water content simulations show that Ross solution allowed the description of soil moisture variation along the vertical, but simpler lumped models provide sufficient accuracy when properly calibrated.
Is integrated private-clinic based early child development care effective? A clustered randomised trial in Pakistan
Authors: Khan Muhammad Amir , Owais Syeda Somyyah , Maqbool Shazia , Ishaq Sehrish , Khan Haroon Jehangir , Minhas Fareed A , Hicks Joseph , Khan Muhammad Ahmar , Walley John D
Published: June 2018

Background

In Pakistan, high prevalence of delays in early child development (ECD) is associated with poverty and lack of mothers’ caregiving skills. GP clinics, the main sources of care in poor urban localities, lack quality ECD care delivery. A contextualised intervention was developed and tested to enable GPs to deliver clinic-based, tool-assisted ECD counselling of mothers on a quarterly basis.

Aim

To assess the effectiveness of delivering a contextualised ECD mother-counselling intervention.

Design & setting

Clustered randomised controlled trial, in poor urban localities of Pakistan. Locality clusters were allocated to intervention and control arm using simple randomisation.

Method

A total of 2327 mother–child pairs were recruited at 32 GP clinics, one from each cluster-locality; 16 GP clinics per arm. The clinic-based counselling intervention covering child stimulation, nutrition, and maternal mental health was delivered mainly by clinic assistants to mothers at ≤6 weeks, and 3, 6, and 9 months of child age. At 12 months of child age, each mother–child pair was assessed for the primary outcome, that is, delays in the five development domains (determined by Ages and Stages Questionnaire-3 [ASQ-3] score); and secondary outcomes, namely the prevalence of stunting and maternal depression (determined by Patient Health Questionnaire-9 [PHQ-9] score). The outcome assessors were blinded to the cluster–arm allocation. Outcome analyses were calculated on cluster-level.

Results

At 12 months, the number of children with delay in two or more development domains was significantly lower in the intervention arm (-0.17 [95% confidence interval {CI} = -0.26 to -0.09]; P<0.001) compared to the control arm. The difference in the prevalence of child stunting and maternal depression were also significant at -0.21% (95% CI = -0.30 to -0.13; P<0.001) and -0.23% (95% CI = -0.29 to -0.18; P = 0.000) respectively.

Conclusion

Contextualised ECD care, when delivered at GP clinics in poor urban localities, can effectively reduce the developmental delays during the first 12 months of the child's life.
Lanyamycin, a macrolide antibiotic from Sorangium cellulosum, strain Soce 481 (Myxobacteria)
Authors: Mulwa Lucky S , Jansen Rolf , Praditya Dimas F , Mohr Kathrin I , Okanya Patrick W , Wink Joachim , Steinmann Eike , Stadler Marc
Published: June 2018

Lanyamycin (1/2), a secondary metabolite occurring as two epimers, was isolated from the myxobacterium Sorangium cellulosum, strain Soce 481. The structures of both epimers were elucidated from HRESIMS and 1D and 2D NMR data and the relative configuration of their macrolactone ring was assigned based on NOE and vicinal 1H NMR coupling constants and by calculation of a 3D model. Lanyamycin inhibited HCV infection into mammalian liver cells with an IC50 value of 11.8 µM, and exhibited a moderate cytotoxic activity against the mouse fibroblast cell line L929 and the human nasopharyngeal cell line KB3 with IC50 values of 3.1 and 1.5 μM, respectively, and also suppressed the growth of the Gram-positive bacterium Micrococcus luteus.
Phosphoramidite building blocks with protected nitroxides for the synthesis of spin-labeled DNA and RNA
Authors: Weinrich Timo , Jaumann Eva A , Scheffer Ute M , Prisner Thomas F , Göbel Michael W
Published: June 2018

TEMPO spin labels protected with 2-nitrobenzyloxymethyl groups were attached to the amino residues of three different nucleosides: deoxycytidine, deoxyadenosine, and adenosine. The corresponding phosphoramidites could be incorporated by unmodified standard procedures into four different self-complementary DNA and two RNA oligonucleotides. After photochemical removal of the protective group, elimination of formic aldehyde and spontaneous air oxidation, the nitroxide radicals were regenerated in high yield. The resulting spin-labeled palindromic duplexes could be directly investigated by PELDOR spectroscopy without further purification steps. Spin–spin distances measured by PELDOR correspond well to the values obtained from molecular models.
Infall Signatures in a Prestellar Core Embedded in the High-mass 70 μm Dark IRDC G331.372-00.116
Authors: Contreras Yanett , Sanhueza Patricio , Jackson James M. , Guzmán Andrés E. , Longmore Steven , Garay Guido , Zhang Qizhou , Nguyễn-Lu’o’ng Quang , Tatematsu Ken’ichi , Nakamura Fumitaka , Sakai Takeshi , Ohashi Satoshi , Liu Tie , Saito Masao , Gomez Laura , Rathborne Jill , Whitaker Scott
Published: June 2018

Using Galactic Plane surveys, we have selected a massive (1200 M
⊙), cold (14 K) 3.6–70 μm dark IRDC, G331.372-00.116. This infrared dark cloud (IRDC) has the potential to form high-mass stars, and given the absence of current star formation signatures, it seems to represent the earliest stages of high-mass star formation. We have mapped the whole IRDC with the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) at 1.1 and 1.3 mm in dust continuum and line emission. The dust continuum reveals 22 cores distributed across the IRDC. In this work, we analyze the physical properties of the most massive core, ALMA1, which has no molecular outflows detected in the CO (2–1), SiO (5–4), and H2CO (3–2) lines. This core is relatively massive (M = 17.6 M
⊙), subvirialized (virial parameter α
vir = M
vir/M = 0.14), and is barely affected by turbulence (transonic Mach number of 1.2). Using the HCO+ (3–2) line, we find the first detection of infall signatures in a relatively massive, prestellar core (ALMA1) with the potential to form a high-mass star. We estimate an infall speed of 1.54 km s−1 and a high accretion rate of 1.96 × 10−3
M
⊙ yr−1. ALMA1 is rapidly collapsing, out of virial equilibrium, which is more consistent with competitive accretion scenarios rather than the turbulent core accretion model. On the other hand, ALMA1 has a mass ∼6 times larger than the clumps Jeans mass, as it is in an intermediate mass regime (M

J
= 2.7 < M ≲ 30 M
⊙), contrary to what both the competitive accretion and turbulent core accretion theories predict.
Star Formation Histories of z ∼ 1 Galaxies in LEGA-C
Authors: Chauke Priscilla , Wel Arjen van der , Pacifici Camilla , Bezanson Rachel , Wu Po-Feng , Gallazzi Anna , Noeske Kai , Straatman Caroline , Muños-Mateos Juan-Carlos , Franx Marijn , Barišić Ivana , Bell Eric F. , Brammer Gabriel B. , Calhau Joao , Houdt Josha van , Labbé Ivo , Maseda Michael V. , Muzzin Adam , Rix Hans-Walter , Sobral David
Published: June 2018

Using high-resolution spectra from the VLT Large Early Galaxy Astrophysics Census (LEGA-C) program, we reconstruct the star formation histories (SFHs) of 607 galaxies at redshifts z = 0.6–1.0 and stellar masses ≳1010
M
⊙ using a custom full spectrum fitting algorithm that incorporates the emcee and FSPS packages. We show that the mass-weighted age of a galaxy correlates strongly with stellar velocity dispersion (σ
*) and ongoing star formation (SF) activity, with the stellar content in higher-σ
* galaxies having formed earlier and faster. The SFHs of quiescent galaxies are generally consistent with passive evolution since their main SF epoch, but a minority show clear evidence of a rejuvenation event in their recent past. The mean age of stars in galaxies that are star-forming is generally significantly younger, with SF peaking after z < 1.5 for almost all star-forming galaxies in the sample: many of these still have either constant or rising SFRs on timescales >100 Myr. This indicates that z > 2 progenitors of z ∼ 1 star-forming galaxies are generally far less massive. Finally, despite considerable variance in the individual SFHs, we show that the current SF activity of massive galaxies (>L
*) at z ∼ 1 correlates with SF levels at least 3 Gyr prior: SFHs retain “memory” on a large fraction of the Hubble time. Our results illustrate a novel approach to resolve the formation phase of galaxies, and, by identifying their individual evolutionary paths, one can connect progenitors and descendants across cosmic time. This is uniquely enabled by the high-quality continuum spectroscopy provided by the LEGA-C survey.
Long-term Simulation of MHD Jet Launching in an Orbiting Star–Disk System
Authors: Sheikhnezami Somayeh , Fendt Christian
Published: June 2018

We present fully three-dimensional magnetohydrodynamic jet-launching simulations of a jet source orbiting in a binary system. We consider a time-dependent binary gravitational potential, and thus all tidal forces are experienced in the non-inertial frame of the jet-launching primary. We investigate systems with different binary separations, different mass ratios, and different inclinations between the disk plane and the orbital plane. The simulations run over a substantial fraction of the binary orbital period. All simulations show similar local and global non-axisymmetric effects, such as local instabilities in the disk and jet or in global features, such as disk spiral arms and warps, or a global realignment of the inflow–outflow structure. The disk accretion rate is higher than in axisymmetric simulations, most probably due to the enhanced angular momentum transport by spiral waves. The disk outflow leaves the Roche lobe of the primary and becomes disturbed by tidal effects. While a disk-orbit inclination of 10° still allows for a persistent outflow, an inclination of 30° does not, suggesting a critical angle in between. For moderate inclination, we find an indication for jet precession, such that the jet axis starts to follow a circular pattern with an opening cone of ≃8°. Simulations with different mass ratios indicate a change of timescales over which the tidal forces affect the disk–jet system. A large mass ratio (a massive secondary) leads to stronger spiral arms, higher (average) accretion, and a more pronounced jet–counter-jet asymmetry.