bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Weighted Mean Value Analysis to Identify Biological Pathway Activity Changes during Poplar Seed Germination
Authors: Qu Chunpu , Zhang Yuqing , Chen Jinyuan , Zhang Shuang , Yu Jiajie , Yang Chengjun , Zhang Xiuli , Xu Zhi-Ru , Liu Guan-Jun
Published: August 2019

Poplar (Populus × xiaohei T. S. Hwang et Liang) is an excellent model plant, with a known genome sequence, for studying woody plant developmental processes, such as seed germination. Here, we report the transcriptional profiling of poplar seeds at five germination stages using RNA-Seq technology. We focused on identifying biological pathway activity changes during seed germination and transcription factors that play important roles in different stages. Among the 16 significantly changing clusters obtained using the STEM method, transcription was significantly enriched in five different clusters, 8, 21, 25, 27, and 35. The oxidative phosphorylation-related genes were only enriched in cluster 9, and expression patterns decreased in 6 and 24 HAI, while ubiquitin-dependent protein catabolic processes were only enriched in cluster 16, and expression patterns increased in 6 HAI. A weighted mean method analysis determined that most primary metabolism-associated categories, such as major carbohydrate metabolism, glycolysis, oxidative pentose phosphate, tricarboxylic acid cycle, lipid metabolism, nucleotide metabolism, amino acid metabolism, and protein metabolism, were elevated between 6 and 48 h after imbibition (HAI). ATP synthesis and C1 metabolism had highly active expression patterns between 0.75 and 48 HAI. The photosynthesis category-associated genes that were identified appeared highly active at 144 HAI. The homogenization of transcription factors in each cluster revealed that the HAP2, C3H zinc finger family, and C2C2(Zn) GATA transcription factors were present in relatively high numbers in cluster 8, while HAP5, Zn-finger (CCHC), FHA, and E2F/DP transcription factor families, as well as SNF7, were present in high numbers in cluster 25. Thus, we identified a series of biological pathway activity changes that occur, and transcription factors that are active, during poplar seed germination. Moreover, this study provides an integrated view of transcriptional regulation that can reveal the molecular events occurring during seed germination.
Production of Bio-Functional Protein through Revalorization of Apricot Kernel Cake
Authors: Čakarević Jelena , Vidović Senka , Vladić Jelena , Gavarić Aleksandra , Jokić Stela , Pavlović Nika , Blažić Marijana , Popović Ljiljana
Published: August 2019

The study describes and compares bio-functional properties and thein vitrodigestibility of protein isolates from apricot oil cakes obtained by supercritical fluid extraction and cold pressing, as control. Protein isolates have the potential to be food ingredients with amygdalin contents in an amount considerably lower than regulatory. Isolates showed hypoglycemic activity, studied by the inhibition of α-glucosidase, also functional properties were determined.Good digestibility of proteins, which were done using gastrointestinal proteases (pepsin and pancreatin) were proven by Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate Polyacrylamide Gel Electrophoresis SDS-PAGE analysis. Moreover, it was evident that the protein isolates were completely digested. The biologically active potential of the digests was evaluated measuring in vitro antioxidant capacity by three complementary methods and enzyme inhibitory effects towards Angiotensin-I Converting Enzyme (ACE) related with the onset of hypertension. All hydrolysates act as a DPPH and ABTS scavenger, as a reducing agents and an ACE enzyme inhibitor. In conclusion, protein isolates obtained from apricot kernel cake showed to be a promising source of natural products for food applications, with good functional and bioactive properties and easy digestibility.
Mealworms as Food Ingredient—Sensory Investigation of a Model System
Authors: Wendin Karin , Olsson Viktoria , Langton Maud
Published: August 2019

The use of insects as food is a sustainable alternative to meat and as a protein source is fully comparable to meat, fish and soybeans. The next step is to make insects available for use in the more widespread production of food and meals. Sensory attributes are of great importance in being able to increase the understanding of insects as an ingredient in cooking and production. In this pilot study, mealworms were used as the main ingredient in a model system, where the aim was to evaluate the impact on sensory properties of changing particle size, oil/water ratio and salt content of the insects using a factorial design. Twelve different samples were produced according to the factorial design. Further, the effect of adding an antioxidant agent was evaluated. Sensory analysis and instrumental analyses were performed on the samples. Particle size significantly influenced the sensory attributes appearance, odor, taste and texture, but not flavor, whereas salt content affected taste and flavor. The viscosity was affected by the particle size and instrumentally measured color was affected by particle size and oil content. The addition of the antioxidant agent decreased the changes in color, rancidity and separation.
Identification of the Non-Volatile Taste-Active Components in Crab Sauce
Authors: Liu Tian-Tian , Xia Ning , Wang Qin-Zhi , Chen De-Wei
Published: August 2019

Crab sauce is a traditional umami seasoning in the coastal cities in South East China. The putative non-volatile taste-active components in crab sauce were measured, and their impacts on the taste were evaluated on the basis of the taste activity value (TAV), omission test, addition test and equivalent umami concentration (EUC). The EUC used to evaluate the synergistic effect of the flavor nucleotides and umami amino acids was 19.3 g monosodium glutamate (MSG)/100 mL, which illuminated that crab sauce had a very intense umami taste. The key non-volatile taste-active components in crab sauce demonstrated by the omission test and addition test were glutamic acid (Glu), aspartic acid (Asp), glycine (Gly), alanine (Ala), lysine (Lys), histidine (His), 5′-inosine monophosphate (IMP), 5′-guanosine monophosphate (GMP), NaCl, KCl, serine (Ser) and valine (Val), and most of these components also had a higher TAV. So, the TAV could be a high-efficiency tool to predict the taste-active components, and the TAV combined with the omission test and addition test could be a very useful method to determine the taste-active components in crab sauce.
Behavioural Isomorphism, Cognitive Economy and Recursive Thought in Non-Transitive Game Strategy
Authors: Dyson Benjamin J.
Published: August 2019

Game spaces in which an organism must repeatedly compete with an opponent for mutually exclusive outcomes are critical methodologies for understanding decision-making under pressure. In the non-transitive game rock, paper, scissors (RPS), the only technique that guarantees the lack of exploitation is to perform randomly in accordance with mixed-strategy. However, such behavior is thought to be outside bounded rationality and so decision-making can become deterministic, predictable, and ultimately exploitable. This review identifies similarities across economics, neuroscience, nonlinear dynamics, human, and animal cognition literatures, and provides a taxonomy of RPS strategy. RPS strategies are discussed in terms of (a) whether the relevant computations require sensitivity to item frequency, the cyclic relationships between responses, or the outcome of the previous trial, and (b) whether the strategy is framed around the self or other. The negative implication of this taxonomy is that despite the differences in cognitive economy and recursive thought, many of the identified strategies are behaviorally isomorphic. This makes it difficult to infer strategy from behavior. The positive implication is that this isomorphism can be used as a novel design feature in furthering our understanding of the attribution, agency, and acquisition of strategy in RPS and other game spaces.
Genome-Wide Analysis of Artificial Mutations Induced by Ethyl Methanesulfonate in the Eggplant (Solanum melongena L.)
Authors: Xiao Xi-ou , Lin Wenqiu , Li Ke , Feng Xuefeng , Jin Hui , Zou Huafeng
Published: August 2019

Whole-genome sequences of four EMS (ethyl methanesulfonate)-induced eggplant mutants were analyzed to identify genome-wide mutations. In total, 173.01 GB of paired-end reads were obtained for four EMS-induced mutants and (WT) wild type and 1,076,010 SNPs (single nucleotide polymorphisms) and 183,421 indels were identified. The most common mutation type was C/G to T/A transitions followed by A/T to G/C transitions. The mean densities were one SNP per 1.3 to 2.6 Mb. The effect of mutations on gene function was annotated and only 7.2% were determined to be deleterious. KEGG (Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes) pathway analysis showed 10 and 11 genes, which were nonsynonymous mutation or frameshift deletion in 48-5 and L6-5 involved in the anthocyanin biosynthesis or flavone and flavonol biosynthesis. QRT-PCR results showed that only the Sme2.5_06210.1_g00004.1, which was annotated as UFGT (Flavonoid galactosidase transferase), expression significantly decreased in the L6-5 mutant compared with the WT. Also, the Sme2.5_06210.1_g00004.1 expression was lower in the colorless eggplant compared with colorful eggplant in the natural eggplant cultivar. These results suggest that Sme2.5_06210.1_g00004.1 may play a key role in eggplant anthocyanin synthesis.
“Still covered in sand.looked very old.”—Legal Obligations in the Internet Market for Antiquities
Authors: Dundler Lauren
Published: August 2019

The global internet antiquities market exists in a complex cultural heritage framework, comprised of international law and domestic legislation. In this paper, the questions I seek to answer are the following: how do internet antiquities dealers engage with their legal obligations, and how is this engagement translated to the ethics of their businesses? This paper presents a comparative examination of 45 antiquities dealers split across three categories—internet dealers, eBay dealers and social media dealers—revealing three key insights about the internet antiquities market: firstly, that the level of legal literacy in the market is depicted as being quite poor; secondly, that the performance of legal awareness does not always correspond with ethical dealer practices; and finally, some dealers utilise a suite of justifications for their behaviours, practices and values (known as neutralisation techniques) to undermine their legal obligations. Such results confirm existing claims of the failure of self-regulation in the internet antiquities market and reveal a demand for educational campaigns targeted at raising consumer awareness by challenging misleading market narratives and highlighting the ethical and legal issues involved with the trade of cultural heritage.
Incident Light and Leaf Age Influence Leaflet Element Concentrations of Cycas micronesica Trees
Authors: Marler Thomas E. , Krishnapillai Murukesan V.
Published: August 2019

The need for improved knowledge on conservation and management of cycad species has generated recent interest in compiling a database on leaf nutrient concentrations. However, the sampling protocols have not been consistent among reports and the influences of some plant and habitat traits on the plasticity of cycad leaf nutrient concentrations has not been adequately determined. We used Cycas micronesica K.D. Hill trees to determine the role of incident light level and leaf age on leaflet content of 11 essential elements. Shade leaves exhibited increased mass-based concentration for nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium above that of sun leaves. Shade leaves exhibited decreased area-based concentration for all of the macro- and micronutrients below that of sun leaves. Mass-based concentration of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium decreased with leaf age, and that of calcium, magnesium, iron, manganese, and zinc increased with leaf age. These findings indicate the relative leaf age and the amount of shade or incident light at the leaf level must be recorded and reported for leaf tissue studies in cycads in order to reduce ambiguity and ensure repeatability.
Synthetic Aggregates for the Production of Innovative Low Impact Porous Layers for Urban Pavements
Authors: Tataranni Piergiorgio , Sangiorgi Cesare
Published: August 2019

According to the latest estimates, 40% of urban areas are covered by pavements. One of the most remarkable effects on the urban environment is the increase in impermeable surfaces which leads to problems related to water infiltration into the ground and the increase in wash-off volumes. The use of permeable and porous layers in urban applications for cycle lanes, footpaths and parking areas is growing in interest, increasing the potential for control and management of urban runoff. In this paper, a physical and mechanical characterization is proposed of an innovative mixture, prepared with a polymeric transparent binder for semi-porous layers with reduced contribution to the urban heat island effect. Two versions of this mixture are compared, one with just virgin and the one with artificial synthetic aggregates, produced through the alkali-activation of waste basalt powder. Results show suitable properties for both materials if compared to porous asphalt concretes in traditional pavements. Furthermore, the application of synthetic aggregates seems to be a viable solution for the production of innovative and eco-friendly mixtures, allowing the recycling of waste materials.
Iridium Catalyzed Synthesis of Tetrahydro-1H-Indoles by Dehydrogenative Condensation
Authors: Forberg Daniel , Kallmeier Fabian , Kempe Rhett
Published: August 2019

Novel synthetic routes to the commonly encountered indole motif are highly sought after. Tetrahydro-1H-indoles were synthesized for the first time from secondary alcohols and 2-aminocyclohexanol in the presence of a well-established iridium catalyst using a modified synthetic procedure recently developed for the synthesis of hydrocarbazoles. The catalyst is stabilized by an inexpensive and easy-to-synthesize triazine based PN5P pincer ligand. The reaction proceeds through acceptorless dehydrogenative condensation (ADC) and yields the title compound, dihydrogen, and water and can thus be classified as sustainable synthesis. Overall, five examples, three of which were previously unknown compounds, were prepared. The propitious isolated yields and the mild reaction conditions show the synthetic value of this approach. These tetrahydroindoles can be quantitatively dehydrogenated over a heterogeneous Pd catalyst to yield the corresponding indoles.
High Dynamic Range Imaging with TDC-Based CMOS SPAD Arrays
Authors: Zarghami Majid , Gasparini Leonardo , Perenzoni Matteo , Pancheri Lucio
Published: August 2019

This paper investigates the use of image sensors based on complementary metal–oxide–semiconductor (CMOS) single-photon avalanche diodes (SPADs) in high dynamic range (HDR) imaging by combining photon counts and timestamps. The proposed method is validated experimentally with an SPAD detector based on a per-pixel time-to-digital converter (TDC) architecture. The detector, featuring 32 × 32 pixels with 44.64-µm pitch, 19.48% fill factor, and time-resolving capability of ~295-ps, was fabricated in a 150-nm CMOS standard technology. At high photon flux densities, the pixel output is saturated when operating in photon-counting mode, thus limiting the DR of this imager. This limitation can be overcome by exploiting the distribution of photon arrival times in each pixel, which shows an exponential behavior with a decay rate dependent on the photon flux level. By fitting the histogram curve with the exponential decay function, the extracted time constant is used to estimate the photon count. This approach achieves 138.7-dB dynamic range within 30-ms of integration time, and can be further extended by using a timestamping mechanism with a higher resolution.
Effects of Prevalent and Incident Chronic Kidney Disease on Cardiovascular Events in Patients with Atrial Fibrillation
Authors: Lin Hsuan-Yu , Kor Chew-Teng , Hsieh Yao-Peng , Chiu Ping-Fang
Published: August 2019

Background: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a well-known complication of atrial fibrillation (AF) but how the incident CKD affects the clinical outcomes amongst AF patients is not clear. Methods: Our study data were retrieved from National Health Insurance Research Data for the period from 1996 to 2013. Incident AF patients were classified as non-CKD group (n = 7272), prevalent CKD group (n = 2104), and incident CKD group (n = 1507) based on administrative codes. Patients with prevalent CKD were those participants who already had CKD ahead of the index date of AF, whereas patients with incident CKD were those who developed CKD after the index date and the remaining patients were designated as non-CKD. Multivariate-adjusted time-dependent Cox models were conducted to estimate the associations of CKD status with the outcomes of interest, including heart failure (HF), acute myocardial infarction (AMI), stroke or systemic thromboembolism, all-cause mortality, and cardiovascular (CV) mortality, expressed as hazard ratio (HR) and 95% confidence interval (CI). Results: The mean age was 70.8 ± 13.3 years, and 55.4% of the studied population were men. In Cox models, the adjusted rate of HF, AMI, all-cause mortality, and CV mortality was greater in the prevalent and incident CKD groups, ranging from 1.31-fold to 4.28-fold, compared with non-CKD group. Notably, incident CKD was associated with higher rates of HF (HR, 1.8; 95% CI, 1.67–1.93), stroke or systemic thromboembolism (HR, 1.33; 95% CI, 1.22–1.45), AMI (HR, 1.46; 95% CI, 1.25–1.71), all-cause mortality (HR, 1.76; 95% CI, 1.68–1.85), and CV mortality (HR, 2.13; 95% CI, 1.92–2.36) compared with prevalent CKD. Conclusion: The presence of CKD was associated with higher risks of subsequent adverse clinical outcomes in patients with AF. Our study was even highlighted by the finding that incident CKD was linked to higher risks of outcome events compared with prevalent CKD.
Fourier Truncation Regularization Method for a Three-Dimensional Cauchy Problem of the Modified Helmholtz Equation with Perturbed Wave Number
Authors: Yang Fan , Fan Ping , Li Xiao-Xiao
Published: August 2019

In this paper, the Cauchy problem of the modified Helmholtz equation (CPMHE) with perturbed wave number is considered. In the sense of Hadamard, this problem is severely ill-posed. The Fourier truncation regularization method is used to solve this Cauchy problem. Meanwhile, the corresponding error estimate between the exact solution and the regularized solution is obtained. A numerical example is presented to illustrate the validity and effectiveness of our methods.
Chen’s Biharmonic Conjecture and Submanifolds with Parallel Normalized Mean Curvature Vector
Authors: Chen Bang-Yen
Published: August 2019

The well known Chen’s conjecture on biharmonic submanifolds in Euclidean spaces states that every biharmonic submanifold in a Euclidean space is a minimal one. For hypersurfaces, we know from Chen and Jiang that the conjecture is true for biharmonic surfaces in E 3 . Also, Hasanis and Vlachos proved that biharmonic hypersurfaces in E 4 ; and Dimitric proved that biharmonic hypersurfaces in E m with at most two distinct principal curvatures. Chen and Munteanu showed that the conjecture is true for δ ( 2 ) -ideal and δ ( 3 ) -ideal hypersurfaces in E m . Further, Fu proved that the conjecture is true for hypersurfaces with three distinct principal curvatures in E m with arbitrary m. In this article, we provide another solution to the conjecture, namely, we prove that biharmonic surfaces do not exist in any Euclidean space with parallel normalized mean curvature vectors.
The Italian Domination Numbers of Generalized Petersen Graphs P(n,3)
Authors: Gao Hong , Xi Changqing , Li Kun , Zhang Qingfang , Yang Yuansheng
Published: August 2019

An Italian dominating function of G is a function f : V ( G ) → { 0 , 1 , 2 } , for every vertex v such that f ( v ) = 0 , it holds that ∑ u ∈ N ( v ) f ( u ) ≥ 2 . The Italian domination number γ I ( G ) is the minimum weight of an Italian dominating function on G. In this paper, we determine the exact values of the Italian domination numbers of P ( n , 3 ) .
Data-Driven Iron and Steel Inventory Control Policies
Authors: Tseng Shih-Hsien , Yu Jia-Chen
Published: August 2019

In this study, we investigated the optimal material inventory policy with regard to the iron and steel industry’s effort to reduce massive overstocking issues in the face of increased corporate competitiveness. We gathered actual data, including sales and inventory numbers, from a steel and iron company over a period of 216 weeks between January 2010 and February 2014. We then utilized the Markov decision process (MDP) to analyze this data for inventory problems, such as relevant reorder points and reorder quantity issues as they relate to lead time, stock on hand and the limitations of having stock in-transit. The purpose of the study was to determine the most effective method for minimizing costs by using the optimal inventory policy to calculate and verify the effectiveness of the results. The final 52 weeks of data were put aside, while the initial 164 weeks were used to create an inbound material receipt system to ultimately establish a yearly (52-week) policy based on the inventory and sales data for weeks 113–164. Finally, we verified the effectiveness of the policy using the data from the final 52 weeks. The results showed that our proposed categorization method was effective for reducing the quantity of inventory while still meeting quarterly demands.
Limiting Distributions for the Minimum-Maximum Models
Authors: Peng Ling , Gao Lei
Published: August 2019

We consider the extreme value problem of the minimum-maximum models for the independent and identically distributed random sequence and stationary random sequence, respectively. By invoking some probability formulas and Taylor’s expansions of the distribution functions, the limiting distributions for these two kinds of sequences are obtained. Moreover, convergence analysis is carried out for those extreme value distributions. Several numerical experiments are conducted to validate our theoretical results.
The Biosynthetic Pathway of Major Avenanthramides in Oat
Authors: Li Zhiyong , Chen Yi , Meesapyodsuk Dauenpen , Qiu Xiao
Published: August 2019

Avenanthramides are a group of N-cinnamoylanthranilic acids, with health-promoting properties mainly found in oat (Avena sativa L.). However, the biosynthetic mechanism for the main three types of avenanthramides (Avn-A, Avn-B and Avn-C) is not completely understood. In the present study, we report molecular identification and functional characterization of three different types of genes from oat encoding 4-coumarate-CoA ligase (4CL), hydroxycinnamoyl-CoA:hydroxyanthranilate N-hydroxycinnamoyl transferase (HHT) and a caffeoyl-CoA O-methyltransferase (CCoAOMT) enzymes, all involved in the biosynthesis of these avenanthramides. In vitro enzymatic assays using the proteins expressed in Escherichia coli showed that oat 4CL could convert p-coumaric acid, caffeic acid and ferulic acid to their CoA thioesters. Oat HHTs were only responsible for the biosynthesis of Avn-A and Avn-C using hydroxyanthranilic acid as an acyl acceptor and p-coumaroyl-CoA and caffeoyl-CoA as an acyl donor, respectively. Avn-B was synthesized by a CCoAOMT enzyme through the methylation of Avn-C. Collectively, these results have elucidated the molecular mechanisms for the biosynthesis of three major avenanthramides in vitro and paved the way for metabolic engineering of the biosynthetic pathway in heterologous systems to produce nutraceutically important compounds and make possible genetic improvement of this nutritional trait in oat through marker-assisted breeding.
Community Structures and Antifungal Activity of Root-Associated Endophytic Actinobacteria of Healthy and Diseased Soybean
Authors: Liu Chongxi , Zhuang Xiaoxin , Yu Zhiyin , Wang Zhiyan , Wang Yongjiang , Guo Xiaowei , Xiang Wensheng , Huang Shengxiong
Published: August 2019

The present study was conducted to examine the influence of a pathogen Sclerotinia sclerotiorum (Lib.) de Bary on the actinobacterial community associated with the soybean roots. A total of 70 endophytic actinobacteria were isolated from the surface-sterilized roots of either healthy or diseased soybeans, and they were distributed under 14 genera. Some rare genera, including Rhodococcus, Kribbella, Glycomyces, Saccharothrix, Streptosporangium and Cellulosimicrobium, were endemic to the diseased samples, and the actinobacterial community was more diverse in the diseased samples compared with that in the heathy samples. Culture-independent analysis of root-associated actinobacterial community using the high-throughput sequencing approach also showed similar results. Four Streptomyces strains that were significantly abundant in the diseased samples exhibited strong antagonistic activity with the inhibition percentage of 54.1–87.6%. A bioactivity-guided approach was then employed to isolate and determine the chemical identity of antifungal constituents derived from the four strains. One new maremycin analogue, together with eight known compounds, were detected. All compounds showed significantly antifungal activity against S. sclerotiorum with the 50% inhibition (EC50) values of 49.14–0.21 mg/L. The higher actinobacterial diversity and more antifungal strains associated with roots of diseased plants indicate a possible role of the root-associated actinobacteria in natural defense against phytopathogens. Furthermore, these results also suggest that the root of diseased plant may be a potential reservoir of actinobacteria producing new agroactive compounds.
Mineral Precipitation in Fractures and Nanopores within Shale Imaged Using Time-Lapse X-ray Tomography
Authors: Godinho Jose R. A. , Ma Lin , Chai Yuan , Storm Malte , Burnett Timothy L.
Published: August 2019

Barite precipitation in fractures and nanopores within a shale sample is analysed in situ, in 3D, and over time. Diffusion of barium and sulphate from opposite sides of the sample creates a supersaturated zone where barium sulphate crystals precipitate. Time-lapse synchrotron-based computed tomography was used to track the growth of precipitates over time, even within the shale’s matrix where the nanopores are much smaller than the resolution of the technique. We observed that the kinetics of precipitation is limited by the type and size of the confinement where crystals are growing, i.e., nanopores and fractures. This has a major impact on the ion transport at the growth front, which determines the extent of precipitation within wider fractures (fast and localised precipitation), thinner fractures (non-localised and slowing precipitation) and nanopores (precipitation spread as a front moving at an approximately constant velocity of 10 ± 3 µm/h). A general sequence of events during precipitation in rocks containing pores and fractures of different sizes is proposed and its possible implications to earth sciences and subsurface engineering, e.g., fracking and mineral sequestration, are discussed.
Effects of Lipid Solid Mass Fraction and Non-Lipid Solids on Crystallization Behaviors of Model Fats under High Pressure
Authors: Zulkurnain Musfirah , Balasubramaniam V.M. , Maleky Farnaz
Published: August 2019

Different fractions of fully hydrogenated soybean oil (FHSBO) in soybean oil (10–30% w/w) and the addition of 1% salt (sodium chloride) were used to investigate the effect of high-pressure treatments (HP) on the crystallization behaviors and physical properties of the binary mixtures. Sample microstructure, solid fat content (SFC), thermal and rheological properties were analyzed and compared against a control sample (crystallized under atmospheric condition). The crystallization temperature (Ts) of all model fats under isobaric conditions increased quadratically with pressure until reaching a pressure threshold. As a result of this change, the sample induction time of crystallization (tc) shifted from a range of 2.74–0.82 min to 0.72–0.43 min when sample crystallized above the pressure threshold under adiabatic conditions. At the high solid mass fraction, the addition of salt reduced the pressure threshold to induce crystallization during adiabatic compression. An increase in pressure significantly reduced mean cluster diameter in relation to the reduction of tc regardless of the solid mass fraction. In contrast, the sample macrostructural properties (SFC, storage modulus) were influenced more significantly by solid mass fractions rather than pressure levels. The creation of lipid gel was observed in the HP samples at 10% FHSBO. The changes in crystallization behaviors indicated that high-pressure treatments were more likely to influence crystallization mechanisms at low solid mass fraction.
Differences in the Moisture Capacity and Thermal Stability of Tremella fuciformis Polysaccharides Obtained by Various Drying Processes
Authors: Lin Chun-Ping , Tsai Shu-Yao
Published: August 2019

We compared the proportions and differences in the polysaccharides of Tremella fuciformis (Berkeley) after drying them by various processes, such as 18 °C cold air, 50 °C hot air, and freeze-drying. We also focused on the moisture capacity kinetic parameters of Tremella fuciformis polysaccharides using various thermal analyses, including differential scanning calorimetry and thermogravimetric techniques. Erofeev’s kinetic and proto-kinetic equations, utilized for kinetic model simulation, can predict the moisture capacity due to the thermal effect. Among the various drying processes, cold air-drying had the highest molecular weight of 2.41 × 107 Da and a moisture content of 13.05% for Tremella fuciformis polysaccharides. Overall, the freeze-dried products had the best thermal decomposition properties under the conditions of a closed system, with an air or nitrogen atmosphere, and had an excellent moisture capacity of around 35 kJ/kg under a closed system for all samples.
Validation of an LC-MS/MS Method for the Quantification of Caffeine and Theobromine Using Non-Matched Matrix Calibration Curve
Authors: Mendes Vera M. , Coelho Margarida , Tomé Angelo R. , Cunha Rodrigo A. , Manadas Bruno
Published: August 2019

Caffeine is one of the most widely consumed psycho-stimulants. The study of the beneficial effects of caffeine consumption to decrease the risk of developing several neuropsychiatric pathologies is receiving increasing attention. Thus, accurate and sensitive methods have been developed, mainly by LC-MS/MS, in order to quantify caffeine and its metabolites. These quantifications of caffeine and its metabolites by LC-MS/MS require a considerable effort to select or find a surrogate matrix, without the compounds of interest, to be used in the calibration curves. Thus, we evaluated the possibility of using calibration curves prepared in solvent instead of calibration curves prepared in human plasma. Results show that the calibration curves prepared in solvent and in human plasma were similar by comparing their slopes and interceptions, and the accuracy and precision were within the limits of acceptance for both calibration curves. This work demonstrates that, by using internal standards, it is possible to use a calibration curve in solvent instead of a calibration curve in plasma to perform an accurate and precise quantification of caffeine and theobromine.
Biomass Characteristics and Their Effect on Membrane Bioreactor Fouling
Authors: Gkotsis Petros K. , Zouboulis Anastasios I.
Published: August 2019

Biomass characteristics are regarded as particularly influential for fouling in Membrane Bio-Reactors (MBRs). They primarily include the Mixed Liquor Suspended Solids (MLSS), the colloids and the Extracellular Polymeric Substances (EPS). Among them, the soluble part of EPS, which is also known as Soluble Microbial Products (SMP), is the most significant foulant, i.e., it is principally responsible for membrane fouling and affects all fundamental fouling indices, such as the Trans-Membrane Pressure (TMP) and the membrane resistance and permeability. Recent research in the field of MBRs, tends to consider the carbohydrate fraction of SMP (SMPc) the most important characteristic for fouling, mainly due to the hydrophilic and gelling properties, which are exhibited by polysaccharides and allow them to be easily attached on the membrane surface. Other wastewater and biomass characteristics, which affect indirectly membrane fouling, include temperature, viscosity, dissolved oxygen (DO), foaming, hydrophobicity and surface charge. The main methods employed for the characterization and assessment of biomass quality, in terms of filterability and fouling potential, can be divided into direct (such as FDT, SFI, TTF100, MFI, DFCM) or indirect (such as CST, TOC, PSA, RH) methods, and they are shortly presented in this review.
Bigger Data Approach to Analysis of Essential Oils and Their Antifungal Activity against Aspergillus niger, Candida albicans, and Cryptococcus neoformans
Authors: Powers Chelsea N. , Satyal Prabodh , Mayo John A. , McFeeters Hana , McFeeters Robert L.
Published: August 2019

With increasing drug resistance and the poor state of current antifungals, the need for new antifungals is urgent and growing. Therefore, we tested a variety of essential oils for antifungal activity. We report the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) values for a common set of 82 essential oils against Aspergillus niger, Candida albicans, and Cryptococcus neoformans. Generally, narrow-spectrum activity was found. However, C. neoformans was much more susceptible to inhibition by essential oils with over one-third of those tested having MIC values below 160 ppm. GC-MS analysis showed the essential oils to be chemically diverse, yet, the potentially active major constituents typically fell into a few general categories (i.e., terpenes, terpenoids, terpenols). While essential oils remain a rich source of potential antifungals, focus should shift to prioritizing activity from novel compounds outside the commonalities reported here, instead of simply identifying antifungal activity. Further, capitalizing on bigger data approaches can provide significant returns in expediting the identification of active components.
Discovery of Novel DPP-IV Inhibitors as Potential Candidates for the Treatment of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Predicted by 3D QSAR Pharmacophore Models, Molecular Docking and De Novo Evolution
Authors: Musoev Azizullo , Numonov Sodik , You Zhuhong , Gao Hongwei
Published: August 2019

Dipeptidyl peptidase-IV (DPP-IV) rapidly breaks down the incretin hormones glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) and glucose-dependent insulinotropic peptide (GIP). Thus, the use of DPP-IV inhibitors to retard the degradation of endogenous GLP-1 is a possible mode of therapy correcting the defect in incretin-related physiology. The aim of this study is to find a new small molecule and explore the inhibition activity to the DPP-IV enzyme using a computer aided simulation. In this study, the predicted compounds were suggested as potent anti-diabetic candidates. Chosen structures were applied following computational strategies: The generation of the three-dimensional quantitative structure-activity relationship (3D QSAR) pharmacophore models, virtual screening, molecular docking, and de novo Evolution. The method also validated by performing re-docking and cross-docking studies of seven protein systems for which crystal structures were available for all bound ligands. The molecular docking experiments of predicted compounds within the binding pocket of DPP-IV were conducted. By using 25 training set inhibitors, ten pharmacophore models were generated, among which hypo1 was the best pharmacophore model with the best predictive power on account of the highest cost difference (352.03), the lowest root mean squared deviation (RMSD) (2.234), and the best correlation coefficient (0.925). Hypo1 pharmacophore model was used for virtual screening. A total of 161 compounds including 120 from the databases, 25 from the training set, 16 from the test set were selected for molecular docking. Analyzing the amino acid residues of the ligand-receptor interaction, it can be concluded that Arg125, Glu205, Glu206, Tyr547, Tyr662, and Tyr666 are the main amino acid residues. The last step in this study was de novo Evolution that generated 11 novel compounds. The derivative dpp4_45_Evo_1 by all scores CDOCKER_ENERGY (CDOCKER, -41.79), LigScore1 (LScore1, 5.86), LigScore2 (LScore2, 7.07), PLP1 (-112.01), PLP2 (-105.77), PMF (-162.5)—have exceeded the control compound. Thus the most active compound among 11 derivative compounds is dpp4_45_Evo_1. Additionally, for derivatives dpp4_42_Evo_1, dpp4_43_Evo2, dpp4_46_Evo_4, and dpp4_47_Evo_2, significant upward shifts were recorded. The consensus score for the derivatives of dpp4_45_Evo_1 from 1 to 6, dpp4_43_Evo2 from 4 to 6, dpp4_46_Evo_4 from 1 to 6, and dpp4_47_Evo_2 from 0 to 6 were increased. Generally, predicted candidates can act as potent occurring DPP-IV inhibitors given their ability to bind directly to the active sites of DPP-IV. Our result described that the 6 re-docked and 27 cross-docked protein-ligand complexes showed RMSD values of less than 2 Å. Further investigation will result in the development of novel and potential antidiabetic drugs.
Nanostructuration of Thin Metal Films by Pulsed Laser Irradiations: A Review
Authors: Ruffino Francesco , Grimaldi Maria Grazia
Published: August 2019

Metal nanostructures are, nowadays, extensively used in applications such as catalysis, electronics, sensing, optoelectronics and others. These applications require the possibility to design and fabricate metal nanostructures directly on functional substrates, with specifically controlled shapes, sizes, structures and reduced costs. A promising route towards the controlled fabrication of surface-supported metal nanostructures is the processing of substrate-deposited thin metal films by fast and ultrafast pulsed lasers. In fact, the processes occurring for laser-irradiated metal films (melting, ablation, deformation) can be exploited and controlled on the nanoscale to produce metal nanostructures with the desired shape, size, and surface order. The present paper aims to overview the results concerning the use of fast and ultrafast laser-based fabrication methodologies to obtain metal nanostructures on surfaces from the processing of deposited metal films. The paper aims to focus on the correlation between the process parameter, physical parameters and the morphological/structural properties of the obtained nanostructures. We begin with a review of the basic concepts on the laser-metal films interaction to clarify the main laser, metal film, and substrate parameters governing the metal film evolution under the laser irradiation. The review then aims to provide a comprehensive schematization of some notable classes of metal nanostructures which can be fabricated and establishes general frameworks connecting the processes parameters to the characteristics of the nanostructures. To simplify the discussion, the laser types under considerations are classified into three classes on the basis of the range of the pulse duration: nanosecond-, picosecond-, femtosecond-pulsed lasers. These lasers induce different structuring mechanisms for an irradiated metal film. By discussing these mechanisms, the basic formation processes of micro- and nano-structures is illustrated and justified. A short discussion on the notable applications for the produced metal nanostructures is carried out so as to outline the strengths of the laser-based fabrication processes. Finally, the review shows the innovative contributions that can be proposed in this research field by illustrating the challenges and perspectives.
Enhancing the Electrochemical Performance of SbTe Bimetallic Anodes for High-Performance Sodium-Ion Batteries: Roles of the Binder and Carbon Support Matrix
Authors: Nagulapati Vijay Mohan , Kim Doo Soo , Oh Jinwoo , Lee Jin Hong , Hur Jaehyun , Kim Il Tae , Lee Seung Geol
Published: August 2019

Synergism between the alloy materials and the carbon support matrix, in conjunction with the binder and electrolyte additives, is of utmost importance when developing sodium-ion batteries as viable replacements for lithium-ion batteries. In this study, we demonstrate the importance of the binder and carbon support matrix in enhancing the stabilities, cyclabilities, and capacity retentions of bimetallic anodes in sodium-ion batteries. SbTe electrodes containing 20%, 30%, and 40% carbon were fabricated with polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) and polyacrylic acid (PAA) binders, and electrochemically evaluated at a current rate of 100 mA g−1 using electrolytes with 0%, 2%, and 5% added fluoroethylene carbonate (FEC). The electrodes with the PVDF binder in cells with 5% FEC added to the electrolyte showed capacity retentions that increased with increasing carbon percentage, delivering reversible capacities of 34, 69, and 168 mAh g−1 with 20%, 30%, and 40% carbon; these electrodes retained 8.1%, 17.4%, and 44.8% of their respective capacities after 100 cycles. However, electrodes composed of the PAA binder in cells with 5% FEC added to the electrolyte delivered reversible capacities of 408, 373, and 341 mAh g−1 with 20%, 30%, and 40% carbon; 93.5%, 93.4%, and 94.4% of their respective capacities were retained after 100 cycles. The carbon support matrix plays a significant role in improving the stability, cyclability, and capacity retention of the electrode. However, when the tradeoff between capacity and cyclability associated with carbon percentage is considered, the binder plays a significantly more prominent role in achieving high capacities, high cyclabilities, and enhanced retention rates.
Xylitol’s Health Benefits beyond Dental Health: A Comprehensive Review
Authors: Salli Krista , Lehtinen Markus J. , Tiihonen Kirsti , Ouwehand Arthur C.
Published: August 2019

Xylitol has been widely documented to have dental health benefits, such as reducing the risk for dental caries. Here we report on other health benefits that have been investigated for xylitol. In skin, xylitol has been reported to improve barrier function and suppress the growth of potential skin pathogens. As a non-digestible carbohydrate, xylitol enters the colon where it is fermented by members of the colonic microbiota; species of the genus Anaerostipes have been reported to ferment xylitol and produce butyrate. The most common Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium species do not appear to be able to grow on xylitol. The non-digestible but fermentable nature of xylitol also contributes to a constipation relieving effect and improved bone mineral density. Xylitol also modulates the immune system, which, together with its antimicrobial activity contribute to a reduced respiratory tract infection, sinusitis, and otitis media risk. As a low caloric sweetener, xylitol may contribute to weight management. It has been suggested that xylitol also increases satiety, but these results are not convincing yet. The benefit of xylitol on metabolic health, in addition to the benefit of the mere replacement of sucrose, remains to be determined in humans. Additional health benefits of xylitol have thus been reported and indicate further opportunities but need to be confirmed in human studies.
The Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor (AhR) Mediates the Counter-Regulatory Effects of Pelargonidins in Models of Inflammation and Metabolic Dysfunctions
Authors: Biagioli Michele , Carino Adriana , Fiorucci Chiara , Annunziato Giannamaria , Marchianò Silvia , Bordoni Martina , Roselli Rosalinda , Giorgio Cristina Di , Castiglione Federica , Ricci Patrizia , Bruno Agostino , Faccini Andrea , Distrutti Eleonora , Baldoni Monia , Costantino Gabriele , Fiorucci Stefano
Published: August 2019

Pelargonidins are anthocyanidins thought to be beneficial for the human health, although controversies exist over the doses needed and the unclear mechanism of action, along with poor systemic bioavailability. One putative target of pelargonidins is the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR). A synthetic pelargonidin (Mt-P) was synthesized by the methylation of the pelargonidin (the natural compound indicated as P). Mt-P transactivated the AhR with an EC50 of 1.97 µM and was ~2-fold more potent than the natural compound. In vitro Mt-P attenuated pro-inflammatory activities of Raw264.7 macrophage cells in an AhR-dependent manner. In vivo, administration of the Mt-P in Balb/c mice resulted in a dose-dependent attenuation of signs and symptoms of colitis induced by TNBS. A dose of 5 mg/kg Mt-P, but not the natural compound P, reversed intestinal inflammation and increased expression of Tnf-α, Ifn-ƴ, and Il-6, while promoted the expansion of regulatory T cells and M2 macrophages. In C57BL/6J mice fed a high fat diet (HFD), Mt-P attenuated body weight gain, intestinal and liver inflammation, and ameliorated insulin sensitivity, while worsened liver steatosis by up-regulating the liver expression of Cd36 and Apo100b. These effects were abrogated by AhR gene ablation. Mt-P is a synthetic pelargonidin endowed with robust AhR agonist activity that exerts beneficial effects in murine models of inflammation and metabolic dysfunction.
Hot Water Extract of Curcuma longa L. Improves Serum Inflammatory Markers and General Health in Subjects with Overweight or Prehypertension/Mild Hypertension: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial
Authors: Uchio Ryusei , Muroyama Koutarou , Okuda-Hanafusa Chinatsu , Kawasaki Kengo , Yamamoto Yoshihiro , Murosaki Shinji
Published: August 2019

To investigate the effect of a hot water extract of C. longa L. (WEC) containing anti-inflammatory agents, bisacurone, and turmeronol on chronic inflammation, a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled study was conducted in middle-aged and elderly subjects aged 50–69 years with overweight or prehypertension/mild hypertension. The subjects consumed 900 mg WEC tablets, containing 400 μg bisacurone, 80 μg turmeronol A and 20 μg turmeronol B (WEC group: n = 45), or placebo tablets without WEC (placebo group: n = 45) daily for 12 weeks. Serum inflammatory and metabolic markers were measured. The subjects also completed the MOS 36-item short-form health survey (SF-36) and the Profile of Mood States scale (POMS). In the WEC group, the serum levels of C-reactive protein, tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-6, and soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 decreased significantly. Compared with the placebo group, the WEC group had significantly lower serum levels of glucose, hemoglobin A1c, and triglycerides, as well as higher serum levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol. The WEC group also showed significant improvement of SF-36 scores (for general health, vitality, mental health, and mental summary component) and POMS scores for positive mood states (vigor-activity and friendliness). In conclusion, WEC may ameliorate chronic low-grade inflammation, thus contributing to the improvement of associated metabolic disorders and general health.