bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Ecological Security Pattern and Its Constraint on Urban Expansion of a Black Soil Farming Area in Northeast China
Authors: Liu Shuhan , Wang Dongyan , Li Hong , Li Wenbo , Wu Wenjun , Zhu Yuanli
Published: August 2017

Rapid urbanization in China has increased the demand of land resources for urban areas and caused a series of environmental problems. Ecological security under the pressure of urban sprawl has become one typical indicator for illustrating regional environmental conditions and thus inform urban development. As an important farming area and one of the core economic development regions in northeast China, Changchun City is now confronted with severe contradictions between economic growth, habitat conservation and food security. Therefore, with the aim of developing an approach to optimize a regional ecological security pattern and land use structure, this study built a comprehensive ecological security pattern taking into account regional ecological processes including water regulation, soil and water conservation, species protection and recreation. Three patterns of ecological security were identified responding to different levels of ecological conservation: the basic security pattern, the buffer security pattern and the optimal security pattern. Based on the constraint of the ecological security pattern, the preservation area of prime farmland was added to an urban expansion suitability pattern as an additional constraint to simulate scenarios of urban expansion. The results indicate that the basic security pattern covers an area of 374.23 km2, accounting for 19.27% of the total area of Changchun City. This pattern is considered as the ecological baseline that maintains the basic ecological functions, and it is the area where ecological land cannot be occupied for construction purposes. Furthermore, co-constrained by the preservation area of prime farmland, the ecological conservation area, the ecological restriction area and the suitable development area are 190.34 km2, 384.75 km2 and 152.83 km2, respectively, accounting for 9.80%, 19.80% and 7.87% of the total area. It can be concluded that the suitable expansion area for the city is relatively limited when the conservation of farmland and regional ecological environment is considered. Therefore, positive actions such as industrial structure transformation and land use efficiency improvements should be perceived as a preferable pathway for urban development to balance economic growth, and regional ecological and food security.
Novel Drug Delivery Systems Tailored for Improved Administration of Glucocorticoids
Authors: Lühder Fred , Reichardt Holger
Published: August 2017

Glucocorticoids (GC) are one of the most popular and versatile classes of drugs available to treat chronic inflammation and cancer, but side effects and resistance constrain their use. To overcome these hurdles, which are often related to the uniform tissue distribution of free GC and their short half-life in biological fluids, new delivery vehicles have been developed including PEGylated liposomes, polymeric micelles, polymer-drug conjugates, inorganic scaffolds, and hybrid nanoparticles. While each of these nanoformulations has individual drawbacks, they are often superior to free GC in many aspects including therapeutic efficacy when tested in cell culture or animal models. Successful application of nanomedicines has been demonstrated in various models of neuroinflammatory diseases, cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, and several other disorders. Moreover, investigations using human cells and first clinical trials raise the hope that the new delivery vehicles may have the potential to make GC therapies more tolerable, specific and efficient in the future.
Synthesis and Characterization of Tissue Plasminogen Activator—Functionalized Superparamagnetic Iron Oxide Nanoparticles for Targeted Fibrin Clot Dissolution
Authors: Heid Susanne , Unterweger Harald , Tietze Rainer , Friedrich Ralf , Weigel Bianca , Cicha Iwona , Eberbeck Dietmar , Boccaccini Aldo , Alexiou Christoph , Lyer Stefan
Published: August 2017

Superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) have attracted great attention in many biomedical fields and are used in preclinical/experimental drug delivery, hyperthermia and medical imaging. In this study, biocompatible magnetite drug carriers, stabilized by a dextran shell, were developed to carry tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) for targeted thrombolysis under an external magnetic field. Different concentrations of active tPA were immobilized on carboxylated nanoparticles through carbodiimide-mediated amide bond formation. Evidence for successful functionalization of SPIONs with carboxyl groups was shown by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Surface properties after tPA immobilization were altered as demonstrated by dynamic light scattering and ζ potential measurements. The enzyme activity of SPION-bound tPA was determined by digestion of fibrin-containing agarose gels and corresponded to about 74% of free tPA activity. Particles were stored for three weeks before a slight decrease in activity was observed. tPA-loaded SPIONs were navigated into thrombus-mimicking gels by external magnets, proving effective drug targeting without losing the protein. Furthermore, all synthesized types of nanoparticles were well tolerated in cell culture experiments with human umbilical vein endothelial cells, indicating their potential utility for future therapeutic applications in thromboembolic diseases.
IonchanPred 2.0: A Tool to Predict Ion Channels and Their Types
Authors: Zhao Ya-Wei , Su Zhen-Dong , Yang Wuritu , Lin Hao , Chen Wei , Tang Hua
Published: August 2017

Ion channels (IC) are ion-permeable protein pores located in the lipid membranes of all cells. Different ion channels have unique functions in different biological processes. Due to the rapid development of high-throughput mass spectrometry, proteomic data are rapidly accumulating and provide us an opportunity to systematically investigate and predict ion channels and their types. In this paper, we constructed a support vector machine (SVM)-based model to quickly predict ion channels and their types. By considering the residue sequence information and their physicochemical properties, a novel feature-extracted method which combined dipeptide composition with the physicochemical correlation between two residues was employed. A feature selection strategy was used to improve the performance of the model. Comparison results of in jackknife cross-validation demonstrated that our method was superior to other methods for predicting ion channels and their types. Based on the model, we built a web server called IonchanPred which can be freely accessed from http://lin.uestc.edu.cn/server/IonchanPredv2.0.
Molecular Structure and Phylogenetic Analyses of Complete Chloroplast Genomes of Two Aristolochia Medicinal Species
Authors: Zhou Jianguo , Chen Xinlian , Cui Yingxian , Sun Wei , Li Yonghua , Wang Yu , Song Jingyuan , Yao Hui
Published: August 2017

The family Aristolochiaceae, comprising about 600 species of eight genera, is a unique plant family containing aristolochic acids (AAs). The complete chloroplast genome sequences of Aristolochia debilis and Aristolochia contorta are reported here. The results show that the complete chloroplast genomes of A. debilis and A. contorta comprise circular 159,793 and 160,576 bp-long molecules, respectively and have typical quadripartite structures. The GC contents of both species were 38.3% each. A total of 131 genes were identified in each genome including 85 protein-coding genes, 37 tRNA genes, eight rRNA genes and one pseudogene (ycf1). The simple-sequence repeat sequences mainly comprise A/T mononucletide repeats. Phylogenetic analyses using maximum parsimony (MP) revealed that A. debilis and A. contorta had a close phylogenetic relationship with species of the family Piperaceae, as well as Laurales and Magnoliales. The data obtained in this study will be beneficial for further investigations on A. debilis and A. contorta from the aspect of evolution, and chloroplast genetic engineering.
Hepatocyte Growth Factor Mediates Enhanced Wound Healing Responses and Resistance to Transforming Growth Factor-β1-Driven Myofibroblast Differentiation in Oral Mucosal Fibroblasts
Authors: Dally Jordanna , Khan Jabur , Voisey Alex , Charalambous Chrisandrea , John Hannah , Woods Emma , Steadman Robert , Moseley Ryan , Midgley Adam
Published: August 2017

Oral mucosal wounds are characterized by rapid healing with minimal scarring, partly attributable to the “enhanced” wound healing properties of oral mucosal fibroblasts (OMFs). Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) is a pleiotropic growth factor, with potential key roles in accelerating healing and preventing fibrosis. HGF can exist as full-length or truncated (HGF-NK), NK1 and NK2 isoforms. As OMFs display elevated HGF expression compared to dermal fibroblasts (DFs), this study investigated the extent to which HGF mediates the preferential cellular functions of OMFs, and the influence of pro-fibrotic, transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) on these responses. Knockdown of HGF expression in OMFs by short-interfering RNA (siHGF) significantly inhibited OMF proliferative and migratory responses. Supplementation with exogenous TGF-β1 also significantly inhibited proliferation and migration, concomitant with significantly down-regulated HGF expression. In addition, knockdown abrogated OMF resistance to TGF-β1-driven myofibroblast differentiation, as evidenced by increased α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) expression, F-actin reorganisation, and stress fibre formation. Responses were unaffected in siHGF-transfected DFs. OMFs expressed significantly higher full-length HGF and NK1 levels compared to patient-matched DFs, whilst NK2 expression was similar in both OMFs and DFs. Furthermore, NK2 was preferentially expressed over NK1 in DFs. TGF-β1 supplementation significantly down-regulated full-length HGF and NK1 expression by OMFs, while NK2 was less affected. This study demonstrates the importance of HGF in mediating “enhanced” OMF cellular function. We also propose that full-length HGF and HGF-NK1 convey desirable wound healing properties, whilst fibroblasts preferentially expressing more HGF-NK2 readily undergo TGF-β1-driven differentiation into myofibroblasts.
Electroacupuncture Promotes Recovery of Motor Function and Reduces Dopaminergic Neuron Degeneration in Rodent Models of Parkinson’s Disease
Authors: Lin Jaung-Geng , Chen Chao-Jung , Yang Han-Bin , Chen Yi-Hung , Hung Shih-Ya
Published: August 2017

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a common neurodegenerative disease. The pathological hallmark of PD is a progressive loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra (SN) pars compacta in the brain, ultimately resulting in severe striatal dopamine deficiency and the development of primary motor symptoms (e.g., resting tremor, bradykinesia) in PD. Acupuncture has long been used in traditional Chinese medicine to treat PD for the control of tremor and pain. Accumulating evidence has shown that using electroacupuncture (EA) as a complementary therapy ameliorates motor symptoms of PD. However, the most appropriate timing for EA intervention and its effect on dopamine neuronal protection remain unclear. Thus, this study used the 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP)-lesioned mouse model (systemic-lesioned by intraperitoneal injection) and the 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium (MPP+)-lesioned rat model (unilateral-lesioned by intra-SN infusion) of PD, to explore the therapeutic effects and mechanisms of EA at the GB34 (Yanglingquan) and LR3 (Taichong) acupoints. We found that EA increased the latency to fall from the accelerating rotarod and improved striatal dopamine levels in the MPTP studies. In the MPP+ studies, EA inhibited apomorphine induced rotational behavior and locomotor activity, and demonstrated neuroprotective effects via the activation of survival pathways of Akt and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in the SN region. In conclusion, we observed that EA treatment reduces motor symptoms of PD and dopaminergic neurodegeneration in rodent models, whether EA is given as a pretreatment or after the initiation of disease symptoms. The results indicate that EA treatment may be an effective therapy for patients with PD.
Polydeoxyribonucleotide Ameliorates Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Lung Injury by Inhibiting Apoptotic Cell Death in Rats
Authors: An Jin , Park So , Ko Il-Gyu , Jin Jun-Jang , Hwang Lakkyong , Ji Eun-Sang , Kim Sang-Hoon , Kim Chang-Ju , Park So , Hwang Jae-Joon , Choi Cheon
Published: August 2017

Lung injury is characterized by diffuse lung inflammation, alveolar-capillary destruction, and alveolar flooding, resulting in respiratory failure. Polydexyribonucleotide (PDRN) has an anti-inflammatory effect, decreasing inflammatory cytokines, and suppressing apoptosis. Thus, we investigated its efficacy in the treatment of lung injury, which was induced in rats using lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Rats were randomly divided into three groups according to sacrifice time, and each group split into control, lung injury-induced, and lung injury-induced + PDRN-treated groups. Rats were sacrificed 24 h and 72 h after PDRN administration, according to each group. Lung injury was induced by intratracheal instillation of LPS (5 mg/kg) in 0.2 mL saline. Rats in PDRN-treated groups received a single intraperitoneal injection of 0.3 mL distilled water including PDRN (8 mg/kg), 1 h after lung injury induction. Percentages of terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL)-positive, cleaved caspase-3-, -8-, and -9-positive cells, the ratio of Bcl-2-associated X protein (Bax) to B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2), and expressions of inflammatory cytokines (tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-6) were decreased by PDRN treatment in the LPS-induced lung injury rats. Therefore, treatment with PDRN reduced lung injury score. This anti-apoptotic effect of PDRN can be ascribed to the enhancing effect of PDRN on adenosine A2A receptor expression. Based on these results, PDRN might be considered as a new therapeutic agent for the treatment of lung injury.
Activation of Matrix Hyaluronan-Mediated CD44 Signaling, Epigenetic Regulation and Chemoresistance in Head and Neck Cancer Stem Cells
Authors: Bourguignon Lilly Y. W. , Earle Christine , Shiina Marisa
Published: August 2017

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is a solid tumor composed by a genotypically and phenotypically heterogeneous population of neoplastic cells types. High recurrence rate and regional metastases lead to major morbidity and mortality. Recently, many studies have focused on cellular and molecular mechanisms of tumor progression that can help to predict prognosis and to choose the best therapeutic approach for HNSCC patients. Hyaluronan (HA), an important glycosaminoglycan component of the extracellular matrix (ECM), and its major cell surface receptor, CD44, have been suggested to be important cellular mediators influencing tumor progression and treatment resistance in head and neck cancer. HNSCC contains a small subpopulation of cells that exhibit a hallmark of CD44-expressing cancer stem cell (CSC) properties with self-renewal, multipotency, and a unique potential for tumor initiation. HA has been shown to stimulate a variety of CSC functions including self-renewal, clone formation and differentiation. This review article will present current evidence for the existence of a unique small population of CD44v3highALDHhigh-expressing CSCs in HNSCC. A special focus will be placed on the role of HA/CD44-induced oncogenic signaling and histone methyltransferase, DOT1L activities in regulating histone modifications (via epigenetic changes) and miRNA activation. Many of these events are essential for the CSC properties such as Nanog/Oct4/Sox2 expression, spheroid/clone formation, self-renewal, tumor cell migration/invasion, survival and chemotherapeutic drug resistance in HA-activated head and neck cancer. These newly-discovered HA/CD44-mediated oncogenic signaling pathways delineate unique tumor dynamics with implications for defining the drivers of HNSCC progression processes. Most importantly, the important knowledge obtained from HA/CD44-regulated CSC signaling and functional activation could provide new information regarding the design of novel drug targets to overcome current therapeutic drug resistance which will have significant treatment implications for head and neck cancer patients.
A Preliminary Investigation of the Interactions between the Brood Parasite Chalcoela iphitalis and Its Polistine Wasp Hosts
Authors: Nacko Scott , Henderson Gregg
Published: August 2017

The life history of Chalcoela iphitalis—a common brood parasite of social wasps—has been described in previous literature, but critical information regarding oviposition behavior and possible differential host parasitism remain cryptic. Here we report on infestation levels of this moth in field populations of paper wasps in Polistes and Mischocyttarus, as well as the oviposition behavior of the moths under a laboratory setting. We found evidence for differential parasitism between paper wasp genera in the field, with almost 50% nest infestation in P. bellicosus and no occurrences of moth infestation in M. mexicanus. Laboratory results revealed that oviposition occurs only at night and is stimulated by contact with the wasp nest or adult wasps. In this setting, eggs were laid largely on the substrate above or adjacent to the host nest, but not on the nest itself.
Midkine’s Role in Cardiac Pathology
Authors: Woulfe Kathleen , Sucharov Carmen
Published: August 2017

Midkine (MDK) is a heparin-binding growth factor that is normally expressed in mid-gestational development mediating mesenchymal and epithelial interactions. As organisms age, expression of MDK diminishes; however, in adults, MDK expression is associated with acute and chronic pathologic conditions such as myocardial infarction and heart failure (HF). The role of MDK is not clear in cardiovascular disease and currently there is no consensus if it plays a beneficial or detrimental role in HF. The lack of clarity in the literature is exacerbated by differing roles that circulating and myocardial MDK play in signaling pathways in cardiomyocytes (some of which have yet to be elucidated). Of particular interest, serum MDK is elevated in adults with chronic heart failure and higher circulating MDK is associated with worse cardiac function. In addition, pediatric HF patients have higher levels of myocardial MDK. This review focuses on what is known about the effect of exogenous versus myocardial MDK in various cardiac disease models in an effort to better clarify the role of midkine in HF.
Enhanced Cycleability of Amorphous MnO2 by Covering on α-MnO2 Needles in an Electrochemical Capacitor
Authors: Liu Quanbing , Ji Shan , Yang Juan , Wang Hui , Pollet Bruno , Wang Rongfang
Published: August 2017

An allomorph MnO2@MnO2 core-shell nanostructure was developed via a two-step aqueous reaction method. The data analysis of Scanning Electron Microscopy, Transmission Electron Microscopy, X-Ray Diffraction and N2 adsorption-desorption isotherms experiments indicated that this unique architecture consisted of a porous layer of amorphous-MnO2 nano-sheets which were well grown onto the surface of α-MnO2 nano-needles. Cyclic voltammetry experiments revealed that the double-layer charging and Faradaic pseudo-capacity of the MnO2@MnO2 capacitor electrode contributed to a specific capacitance of 150.3 F·g−1 at a current density of 0.1 A·g−1. Long cycle life experiments on the as-prepared MnO2@MnO2 sample showed nearly a 99.3% retention after 5000 cycles at a current density of 2 A·g−1. This retention value was found to be significantly higher than those reported for amorphous MnO2-based capacitor electrodes. It was also found that the remarkable cycleability of the MnO2@MnO2 was due to the supporting role of α-MnO2 nano-needle core and the outer amorphous MnO2 layer.
Effect of Twisting and Stretching on Magneto Resistance and Spin Filtration in CNTs
Authors: Singh Anil , Choudhary Sudhanshu
Published: August 2017

Spin-dependent quantum transport properties in twisted carbon nanotube and stretched carbon nanotube are calculated using density functional theory (DFT) and non-equilibrium green’s function (NEGF) formulation. Twisting and stretching have no effect on spin transport in CNTs at low bias voltages. However, at high bias voltages the effects are significant. Stretching restricts any spin-up current in antiparallel configuration (APC), which results in higher magneto resistance (MR). Twisting allows spin-up current almost equivalent to the pristine CNT case, resulting in lower MR. High spin filtration is observed in PC and APC for pristine, stretched and twisted structures at all applied voltages. In APC, at low voltages spin filtration in stretched CNT is higher than in pristine and twisted ones, with pristine giving a higher spin filtration than twisted CNT.
Kinetics of Rare Earth and Aluminum Leaching from Kaolin
Authors: Ran Xiuchuan , Ren Zijie , Gao Huimin , Zheng Renji , Jin Junxun
Published: August 2017

In this paper, magnesium sulfate was used as a lixiviant to recover rare earth from kaolin. The effects of column leaching conditions, such as the concentration of magnesium sulfate, liquid/solid ratio, flow rate, and pH of the magnesium sulfate solution on the leaching efficiency of rare earth and aluminum, were investigated. In addition, the leaching kinetics of rare earth and aluminum were analyzed based on the magnesium concentration. The results showed that the optimal leaching conditions 0.2 mol/L magnesium sulfate solution with no pH adjustment, 1.2:1 for the liquid/solid ratio, and at a flow rate of 0.5 mL/min led to an 89% rare earth leaching efficiency and an 81% aluminum leaching efficiency. The aluminum leaching efficiency by magnesium sulfate was 7% less than that by ammonium sulfate. Moreover, the equilibrium time for rare earth was 33 min shorter than aluminum, which is of benefit to reduce the leaching time of aluminum. The leaching kinetic data fitted an unreacted shrinking-core model. Semi-empirical equations based on the apparent rate constant and magnesium concentration of rare earth and aluminum were established, and the reaction orders for rare earth and aluminum were determined to be 1.69 and 1.61, respectively. The results of this study could help to better understand and optimize the leaching process by magnesium sulfate.
Electrostatic Assembly of Platinum Nanoparticles along Electrospun Polymeric Nanofibers for High Performance Electrochemical Sensors
Authors: Li Peng , Zhang Mingfa , Liu Xueying , Su Zhiqiang , Wei Gang
Published: August 2017

A novel polyacrylonitrile (PAN) nanofibrous membrane conjugated with platinum nanoparticles (PtNPs) was fabricated by electrospinning and electrostatic assembly techniques. In this procedure, PAN was electrospun with 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APS) together as precursor materials. First, amine groups were introduced onto PAN nanofibers, and then the as-prepared negative-charged platinum nanoparticles (PtNPs) were conjugated onto the surface of the amino-modified PAN nanofibers uniformly by the electrostatic interaction-mediated assembly. The fabricated PAN–PtNPs hybrid nanofibrous membrane was further utilized to modify the glassy carbon electrodes and was used for the fabrication of a non-enzymatic amperometric sensor to detect hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). The electrochemical results indicated that, due to the uniform dispersion of PtNPs and the electrostatic interaction between amine groups and PtNPs, the fabricated PAN–PtNPs nanofibrous membrane-based electrochemical sensor showed excellent electrocatalytic activity toward H2O2, and the chronoamperometry measurements illustrated that the fabricated sensor had a high sensitivity for detecting H2O2. It is anticipated that the strategies used in this work will not only guide the design and fabrication of functional polymeric nanofiber-based biomaterials and nanodevices, but also extend their potential applications in energy storage, cytology, and tissue engineering.
Resveratrol as a Natural Autophagy Regulator for Prevention and Treatment of Alzheimer’s Disease
Authors: Kou Xianjuan , Chen Ning
Published: August 2017

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is one of the most common neurodegenerative disorders over the age of 65 years old. Although several underlying mechanisms for explaining the pathogenesis of AD are elucidated, the effective supplements or drugs for the intervention of AD are still limited. Recently, impaired autophagy associated with miRNA dysfunction has been reported to involve in aging and aging-related neurodegenerative diseases. Thus, the activation of autophagy through effectively regulating miRNAs may become a potential target for the prevention or treatment of AD. Mounting evidence from in vitro and in vivo AD models has demonstrated that resveratrol, one of polyphenolic compounds, can exert neuroprotective role in neurodegenerative diseases especially AD. In this review, the regulation of miRNAs and autophagy using resveratrol during the prevention and treatment of AD are systematically discussed, which will be beneficial to establish a target for the direct link between pharmacological intervention and AD in the future.
Activities, Participation and Quality of Life Concepts in Children and Adolescents with Celiac Disease: A Scoping Review
Authors: Meyer Sonya , Rosenblum Sara
Published: August 2017

Celiac disease (CD) is a food-related chronic condition and adherence to a strict gluten-free diet is the only available treatment. Adherence to the restrictive diet is challenging among children, especially adolescents. The aim was to describe existing knowledge about food-related activities, participation, and quality of life in daily life among children and adolescents with CD and to illuminate gaps in knowledge. The scoping review methodology was applied and literature searches were conducted in electronic databases. Twenty-three articles met the inclusion criteria. Food-related activities were identified, classified, and coded under the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health adapted for children and youth (ICF-CY) concepts of activities and participation. A wide variety of study populations, objectives, methods, and tools involving 55 different food-related activities were found. Incorporation of the ICF-CY concepts and quality of life captures new insights into everyday challenges. Reviewing the CD literature using this different lens reveals areas yet to receive sufficient attention. Further research can deepen the understanding of daily functioning of children with CD and the underlying skills required to participate in daily food-related activities while adhering to the diet. This can lead to the development of standardized disease-specific assessment tools and suitable intervention programs.
Ginseng Extract G115 Attenuates Ethanol-Induced Depression in Mice by Increasing Brain BDNF Levels
Authors: Boonlert Weerawan , Benya-aphikul Hattaya , Umka Welbat Jariya , Rodsiri Ratchanee
Published: August 2017

The decrease of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) has been reported in alcohol use disorder and major depression. The effective treatment of these comorbid diseases remains undiscovered. Nutraceutical products are therefore proposed as an alternative approach to overcome this challenge. Ginseng extract G115, the standardized extract of Panax ginseng, is a widely-used nutraceutical that is beneficial for various central nervous system disorders. This study aimed to determine the antidepressant effect of ginseng extract G115 in ethanol-treated mice models. Mice received either water, amitriptyline, or various doses of G115 (p.o.) followed by water or ethanol (i.p.) for 8 days. The antidepressant activity was evaluated using forced swimming test. BDNF levels were measured from hippocampal and prefrontal cortex tissues. The results demonstrated that the increase of immobility time in depressant mice induced by ethanol was reversed by both G115 and amitriptyline treatment. A significant increase of BDNF levels in the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex was observed in ethanol-treated mice receiving G115. Taken together, this study provides scientific information on the use of G115 as an antidepressant that could be further used as a dietary supplement in comorbid alcohol use and major depressive disorders.
Comment on: Macronutrient Intake and Risk of Crohn’s Disease: Systematic Review and Dose–Response: Meta-Analysis of Epidemiological Studies, Nutrients 2017, 9, 500
Authors: Zhang Yong-Fang , Xiang Zheng-Ke , Liu Chang-Zhao
Published: August 2017

We read with great interest the article by Zeng et al. recently published in Nutrients [1].[...]
Dietary Sources of High Sodium Intake in Turkey: SALTURK II
Authors: Erdem Yunus , Akpolat Tekin , Derici Ülver , Şengül Şule , Ertürk Şehsuvar , Ulusoy Şükrü , Altun Bülent , Arıcı Mustafa
Published: August 2017

Previous research has shown daily salt intakes in Turkey to be far above the recommended limits. Knowing the sources of dietary salt could form a basis for preventive strategies aimed towards salt reduction. This study aimed to investigate dietary sources of salt in Turkey. A sub-group (n = 657) was selected from the PatenT2 study population, which represented the urban and rural areas of 4 major cities (Ankara, Istanbul, Izmir, and Konya). A questionnaire inquiring about sociodemographic characteristics, medical histories, detailed histories of diet, and salt consumption was completed. Participants were asked to collect a 24-h urine sample and to record their food intake (dietary recall) on the same day. Of 925 participants selected, 657 (71%) provided accurate 24-h urine collections, based on creatinine excretion data. The mean daily 24-h urinary sodium excretion was 252.0 ± 92.2 mmol/day, equal to daily salt intake of 14.8 ± 5.4 g. Of the 657 participants with accurate 24-h urine collections, 464 (70%) provided fully completed dietary recalls. Among these 464 participants, there was a significant difference between the 24-h urinary sodium excretion-based salt intake estimation (14.5 ± 5.1 g/day) and the dietary recall-based salt intake estimation (12.0 ± 7.0 g/day) (p < 0.001). On the other hand, a positive correlation was obtained between the dietary recall-based daily salt intake and 24-h urinary sodium excretion-based daily salt intake (r = 0.277, p < 0.001). Bread was the main source of salt (34%) followed by salt added during cooking and preparing food before serving (30%), salt from various processed foods (21%), and salt added at the table during food consumption (11%). Conclusively, this study confirmed a very high salt intake of the adult population in four major cities in Turkey. The present findings support the emerging salt reduction strategy in Turkey by promoting lower salt content in baked bread, and less salt use in habitual food preparation and during food consumption in the home.
The Reality and the Verifiability of Reincarnation
Authors: Barua Ankur
Published: August 2017

We investigate the topic of reincarnation by revisiting a recent debate from the pages of the journal Philosophy East and West between Whitley Kaufman, who presents five moral objections to karma and reincarnation as an explanation for human suffering, and Monima Chadha and Nick Trakakis, who seek to respond to Kaufman’s critiques. Our discussion of four of the problems analysed in their exchange will suggest that while the rejoinders of Chadha and Trakakis to Kaufman consist of plausible logical possibilities which successfully rebut some of his criticisms, the scenarios that they sketch are grounded in specific metaphysical theses about the nature of the human person and the structure of reality. The cogency of the responses that Chadha and Trakakis formulate is integrally related to the acceptance of these metaphysical presuppositions which need to be highlighted more clearly as we seek to understand what is at stake in the dispute.
Christian Conversion, the Double Consciousness, and Transcendentalist Religious Rhetoric
Authors: Hodder Alan
Published: August 2017

Despite the theological gulf that separated the Transcendentalists from their Puritan predecessors, certain leading Transcendentalists—Emerson, Fuller, and Thoreau among them—often punctuated their writings, published and private, with literary representations of dramatic episodes of spiritual awakening whose rhetorical structure sometimes betrays suggestive parallels with traditional, recognizably Christian, forms of conversion rhetoric. While all of these Transcendentalists clearly showcase representations of dramatic religious experience in their work, this reliance on Christian rhetorical patterns is most obvious in the early writings of Emerson and Fuller. Thoreau’s constructions reflect little ostensible Christian influence, yet even here, thematic continuities with earlier forms of religious self-expression are discernible.
Fibre Bragg Gratings in Embedded Microstructured Optical Fibres Allow Distinguishing between Symmetric and Anti-Symmetric Lamb Waves in Carbon Fibre Reinforced Composites
Authors: De Pauw Ben , Goossens Sidney , Geernaert Thomas , Habas Dimitrios , Thienpont Hugo , Berghmans Francis
Published: August 2017

Conventional contact sensors used for Lamb wave-based ultrasonic inspection, such as piezo-electric transducers, measure omnidirectional strain and do not allow distinguishing between fundamental symmetric and anti-symmetric modes. In this paper, we show that the use of a single fibre Bragg grating created in a dedicated microstructured optical fibre allows one to directly make the distinction between these fundamental Lamb wave modes. This feature stems from the different sensitivities of the microstructured fibre to axial and transverse strain. We fabricated carbon fibre-reinforced polymer panels equipped with embedded microstructured optical fibre sensors and experimentally demonstrated the strain waves associated with the propagating Lamb waves in both the axial and transverse directions of the optical fibre.
Spatial and Temporal Variations of Water Quality in Songhua River from 2006 to 2015: Implication for Regional Ecological Health and Food Safety
Authors: Wei Chunfeng , Gao Chuanyu , Han Dongxue , Zhao Winston , Lin Qianxin , Wang Guoping
Published: August 2017

The Songhua River is the largest river in northeastern China; the river’s water quality is one of the most important factors that influence regional ecological health and food safety in northeastern China and even the downstream of the Heilong River in Russia. In recent years, the Chinese government implemented several water resource protection policies to improve the river’s water quality. In order to evaluate the influence of the new policies on the water quality in the Songhua River, water quality data from 2006 to 2015 were collected monthly from the nine sites along the mainstream of the Songhua River. Results show that the water quality in the Songhua River could be divided into two groups during the last 10 years. Before 2010, water quality in the Songhua River was primarily influenced by regional human activities. Industries were the major pollutant sources in the upstream of the Songhua River. After several new policies were implemented by the local government in 2010, water quality in the Songhua River improved. As a result, the biodiversity of fish and ecological health in the Songhua River improved.
Decisions on Remanufacturing with WTP Disparity and Recycling Competition under Government Subsidies
Authors: Shu Tong , Wang Yongjian , Chen Shou , Wang Shouyang , Lai Kin , Yang Yan
Published: August 2017

Enterprises have assigned increasing importance to remanufacturing, and meanwhile, the competitiveness of remanufacturing has also become established. In this article, game theory is exploited and government subsidies for remanufacturing, consumer willingness to pay and recycling competition are considered, with a focus on a supply chain consisting of one local manufacturer and one nonlocal remanufacturer. This study attempts to investigate how nonlocal remanufacturers and local manufacturers determine whether they recycle used products and engage in remanufacturing when these factors are considered, in the hope that the results can be constructive in terms of policies and management related to enterprises and governments. As such, four situations are considered and the corresponding models are built to derive the optimal production of each enterprise in the four different situations. Numerical results under the four situations are furthercompared. The results show that consumer acceptance of remanufactured products, irrespective of whether there is competition in production and recycling of remanufactured products and whetherthe government provides subsidy for remanufacturing directly affects each enterprise, remanufacturing and the profits of the overall supply chains. Based on these factors, enterprises should adjust strategies and choose to compete or stop competing or monopolize the market. The government should define attitudes towards the market competition and supervise the changes of market competitiveness based onmarket competition and consumer acceptance of remanufactured products. This study can provide some constructive guidance for some potential nonlocal enterprises engaged in remanufacturing, and at the same time shed some light for desirable direction in some further research onremanufacturing in theory and practice.
Circular Economy and Decision Models among European SMEs
Authors: Zamfir Ana-Maria , Mocanu Cristina , Grigorescu Adriana
Published: August 2017

While targeting waste reduction and maintaining the value of products and resources in the system as much as possible, undertaking circular economy practices at the company level is a way of achieving entrepreneurial sustainability. This paper explores entrepreneurial decision models for adopting circular economy practices, focusing on European SMEs. Decision tree models are applied on data from Flash Eurobarometer 441 in order to uncover business strategies in relation to the implementation of circular economy practices at the company level and with the optimal level and nature of investments in the circular economy for improving economic performances of companies. The main findings of the article offer a better understanding of the relation between characteristics of European SMEs and their decisions in the field of circular economy. Such results are relevant from both macro and micro perspectives, as they can be used for customizing circular economy programs and intervention strategies for various groups of SMEs, as well as for supporting sustainable entrepreneurial decisions.
Material Services with Both Eyes Wide Open
Authors: Carmona Luis , Whiting Kai , Carrasco Angeles , Sousa Tânia , Domingos Tiago
Published: August 2017

Energy has been at the forefront of the sustainable development discourse for quite some time as policymakers, industry heads and society at large have taken progressive steps to cut carbon via renewable energy technologies and energy efficiency measures. Unfortunately, some of these methods have given rise to perverse socio-environmental effects; as materials have been unnecessarily sacrificed, mines and wells have opened and plantations grown, in the name of energy saving. This paper contributes to clean energy-orientated policies and practices by exploring the discipline of sustainable materials. We first review two strategies: energy efficiency linked to materials; and material efficiency, meaning “doing more with less.” We find that, although both contribute significantly, they are hampered by the rebound effect and their focus on “doing less bad” rather than “good”. Furthermore, they do not in themselves evaluate the services and societal wellbeing that materials provide. We then define “material services” and propose a wider strategy that encompasses and enhances the previous two. Under the new strategy, we argue that sustainable materials should be considered as those that do no harm and which optimally, through the services provided, contribute to better sustainable development policies and practices.
Factors Affecting the Capital Cost of Prefabrication—A Case Study of China
Authors: Xue Hong , Zhang Shoujian , Su Yikun , Wu Zezhou
Published: August 2017

As a sustainable construction method, prefabrication has become popular in many nations. However, there are many challenges for prefabrication, especially in terms of cost. Previous studies have revealed that higher capital cost was the most important barrier to the implementation of prefabrication. Thus, the objective of this study is to explore and evaluate the critical factors affecting the capital cost of prefabrication and examine how cost management may be affected by the “experience”, “corporate responsibility”, and “participant function” as a fix independent factors. To achieve the research objective, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 11 experts for the development of the questionnaire. Then, a questionnaire survey was conducted to investigate the significance of 49 factors related to prefabrication capital cost. The survey results revealed that “Specification and standards for prefabricated building design”, “Related experience of manager”, and “Rationality of precast component split” were the most critical factors. In addition, “experience”, “corporate responsibility”, and “participant function” had significant impact on the evaluation of capital cost factors. The findings can facilitate developing a benchmark framework for exploring the factors affecting the capital cost of prefabrication in China.
An Extended VIKOR Method Using Intuitionistic Fuzzy Sets and Combination Weights for Supplier Selection
Authors: Zhao Jiansen , You Xiao-Yue , Liu Hu-Chen , Wu Song-Man
Published: August 2017

Supplier selection is a complex multiple criteria decision-making (MCDM) problem, which considers a number of alternative suppliers as well as conflicting and noncommensurable criteria. Considering the fact that it is difficult to precisely determine criteria weights and the ratings of alternatives on each criterion in real-life situations, the VIKOR (VIsekriterijumska optimizacija i KOmpromisno Resenje) method has been modified for intuitionistic fuzzy data in this study for supplier evaluation and selection. Further, we take into account both subjective and objective weights of criteria in the decision-making process, as most supplier selection approaches consider only subjective criteria weights. Finally, two supplier selection examples are provided to illustrate the proposed intuitionistic fuzzy hybrid VIKOR (IFH-VIKOR) method, and its merits are highlighted by comparing it with other relevant approaches.
Organic Solar Cell by Inkjet Printing—An Overview
Authors: Sumaiya Sharaf , Kardel Kamran , El-Shahat Adel
Published: August 2017

In recent years, organic solar cells became more attractive due to their flexible power devices and the potential for low-cost manufacturing. Inkjet printing is a very potential manufacturing technique of organic solar cells because of its low material usage, flexibility, and large area formation. In this paper, we presented an overall review on the inkjet printing technology as well as advantages of inkjet-printing, comparison of inkjet printing with other printing technologies and its potential for organic solar cells (OSCs). Here we highlighted in more details about the viability of environment-friendly and cost-effective, non-halogenated indium tin oxide (ITO) free large scale roll to roll production of the OSC by inkjet printing technology. The challenges of inkjet printing like the viscosity limitations, nozzle clogging, coffee ring effect, and limitation of printability as well as dot spacing are also discussed. Lastly, some of the improvement strategies for getting the higher efficiency of the OSCs have been suggested.
Heterologous Expression, Purification and Immunoreactivity of the Antigen 5 from Polybia paulista Wasp Venom
Authors: Bazon Murilo , Perez-Riverol Amilcar , Dos Santos-Pinto José , Fernandes Luis , Lasa Alexis , Justo-Jacomini Débora , Palma Mario , Zollner Ricardo , Brochetto-Braga Márcia
Published: August 2017

Polybia paulista (Hymenoptera: Vespidae) is responsible for a high number of sting accidents and anaphylaxis events in Southeast Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay. The specific detection of allergy to the venom of this wasp is often hampered by the lack of recombinant allergens currently available for molecular diagnosis. Antigen 5 (~23 kDa) from P. paulista venom (Poly p 5) is a highly abundant and glycosylated allergenic protein that could be used for development of component-resolved diagnosis (CRD). Here, we describe the cloning and heterologous expression of the antigen 5 (rPoly p 5) from P. paulista venom using the eukaryotic system Pichia pastoris. The expression as a secreted protein yielded high levels of soluble rPoly p 5. The recombinant allergen was further purified to homogeneity (99%) using a two-step chromatographic procedure. Simultaneously, the native form of the allergen (nPoly p 5) was purified from the wasp venom by Ion exchange chromatography. The rPoly p 5 and nPoly p 5 were then submitted to a comparative analysis of IgE-mediated immunodetection using sera from patients previously diagnosed with sensitization to wasp venoms. Both rPoly p 5 and nPoly p 5 were recognized by specific IgE (sIgE) in the sera of the allergic individuals. The high levels of identity found between nPoly p 5 and rPoly p 5 by the alignment of its primary sequences as well as by 3-D models support the results obtained in the immunoblot. Overall, we showed that P. pastoris is a suitable system for production of soluble rPoly p 5 and that the recombinant allergen represents a potential candidate for molecular diagnosis of P.paulista venom allergy.
miR-216a-3p Inhibits the Proliferation, Migration, and Invasion of Human Gastric Cancer Cells via Targeting RUNX1 and Activating the NF-κB Signaling Pathway
Authors: Wu Yinfang , Zhang Jun , Zheng Yu , Ma Cheng , Liu Xing-E , Sun Xiaodong
Published: August 2017

This work aims to elucidate the effects and the potential underlying mechanisms of microRNA-216a-3p (miR-216a-3p) on the proliferation, migration, and invasion of gastric cancer (GC) cells. In this study, we revealed that the expression of miR-216a-3p was significantly elevated in GC
tissues and cell lines. The different expression level of miR-216a-3p was firmly correlated with clinicopathological characteristics of GC patients. We next demonstrated that upregulation of miR-216a-3p could dramatically promote the ability of proliferation, migration, and invasion of GC
cells using a series of experiments, whereas downregulation essentially inhibited these properties. Additionally, through bioinformatics analysis and biological approaches, we confirmed that runt-related transcription factor 1 (RUNX1) was a direct target of miR-216a-3p, and overexpression
of RUNX1 could reverse the potential effect of miR-216a-3p on GC cells. Furthermore, mechanistic investigation using Western blot analysis showed that downregulation of RUNX1 by miR-216a-3p could stimulate the activation of NF-κB signaling pathway. In summary, this work proved that miR-216a-3p
can promote GC cell proliferation, migration, and invasion via targeting RUNX1 and activating the NF-κB signaling pathway. Therefore, miR-216a-3p/RUNX1 could be a possible molecular target for innovative therapeutic agents against GC.