bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effect of early adjunctive use of oral sildenafil and inhaled nitric oxide on the outcome of pulmonary hypertension in newborn infants. A feasibility study
Authors: Al Omar S. , Salama H. , Al Hail M. , Al Rifai H. , Bunahia M. , El kasem W. , Siddiqui F.J. , Dilawar M. , Yassin H. , Masud F. , Mohamed A. , Mansour A.
Published: August 2016

INTRODUCTION: Inhaled nitric oxide (iNO) is the standard therapy for infants with persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn (PPHN). Recently, sildenafil has been evaluated as an alternative or adjunctive pulmonary vasodilator.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the effectiveness of adding sildenafil as an early adjunctive therapy together with iNO when treating newborns with PPHN and/or hypoxemic respiratory failure.

METHODS: This is a randomized placebo trial on newborns with gestational age > 34 weeks, postnatal age < 48 hours, and diagnosed with PPHN (oxygen index (OI) ≥ 20). Newborns were randomized to two groups: Group A- received oral sildenafil and iNO, and group B- received placebo and iNO. Initial and follow up echocardiography were performed over 14 days period.

RESULTS: A total of 24 newborns were recruited; 13 of them received sildenafil in addition to iNO and 11 received iNO and placebo. The most common causes of PPHN were meconium aspiration syndrome, pneumonia, and RDS. At the starting point, OI was marginally higher in the intervention group without statistical significance (29 vs 28). There were no differences between the two groups regarding surfactant administration, incidence of pneumothoraces, and the underlying causes of PPHN. Sildenafil or placebo treatment started within 12 hours after starting iNO (8 vs 6 hours).

CONCLUSION: Early use of oral sildenafil next to iNO in cases of PPHN was tolerated well by newborns and it did not show significant adverse effects. Further studies with a larger sample size is needed to assess its effecacy.
Neonatal listeriosis: Uncommon or misdiagnosed?
Authors: Kylat R.I. , Bartholomew A. , Cramer N. , Bader M.Y.
Published: August 2016

The incidence of perinatal and neonatal Listeriosis is underestimated due undiagnosed stillbirths, misdiagnosis of NL and underreporting of single case reports. Recent outbreaks reinforce the need for better surveillance and targeted health education in certain population groups especially during pregnancy.
Hemodynamic consequences of a restrictive ductus arteriosus and foramen ovale in fetal transposition of the great arteries
Authors: Talemal L. , Donofrio M.T.
Published: August 2016

D-transposition of the great arteries (D-TGA) is the most commonly diagnosed cyanotic congenital heart disease presenting in the neonatal period. The survival after an arterial switch operation, with freedom from adverse cardiovascular events, has been reported to be as high as 93% at 25 years. However, despite excellent surgical outcomes, there continues to be significant preoperative morbidity and potential mortality due to compromise in the delivery room from foramen ovale closure requiring urgent balloon atrial septostomy for stabilization in the first minutes of life. The prenatal diagnosis of D-TGA using fetal echocardiography has aided in the perinatal management and delivery planning of these infants, lowering preoperative morbidity and mortality and preventing delivery room compromise. Fetuses with D-TGA have more highly oxygenated blood supplying the pulmonary arteries and ductus arteriosus which likely results in ductal constriction and increased pulmonary blood flow. This may be the cause of foramen ovale restriction or closure in-utero, which then increases the risk for postnatal compromise at delivery. Theories regarding the cause of the abnormal pulmonary vasculature that may be seen in D-TGA, including aorto-pulmonary collateral formation, have been proposed but to our knowledge, observation of the ultrasound findings throughout mid and late gestation describing the progression of the abnormal fetal physiology have not been previously described. We present a case of D-TGA in which serial assessment using fetal echocardiography enabled observation of the in-utero progression of disease, predicting postnatal compromise and facilitating the planning of life-saving specialized delivery room care and intervention.
Necrotizing enterocolitis in premature infants and newborns
Authors: Mϋller M.J. , Paul T. , Seeliger S.
Published: August 2016

Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is the most common acquired disease of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) in premature infants and newborns. It is defined as an ulcerative inflammation of the intestinal wall. The clinical signs of incipient NEC are often very discrete, and range from localized intestinal symptoms to generalized signs of sepsis. NEC is classified depending on its severity into disease states according to the modified Bell’s Classification. Treatment of NEC ranges, depending on its severity, from a conservative therapeutic approach to surgery with resection of the affected parts of the intestine. Mortality is considerably high in extremely small preterm infants reaching up to 42% of the affected children. Measures such as breastfeeding or alternatively nutrition with pasteurized human donor milk from a milk bank, administration of probiotics, avoidance of histamine type II receptor antagonists, and restrictive antibiotic treatment should be considered early on for prevention of NEC.
Evaluation of Antioxidant and Cytotoxicity Activities of Copper Ferrite (CuFe2O4) and Zinc Ferrite (ZnFe2O4) Nanoparticles Synthesized by Sol-Gel Self-Combustion Method
Authors: Kanagesan Samikannu , Hashim Mansor , AB Aziz Sidek , Ismail Ismayadi , Tamilselvan Subramani , Alitheen Noorjahan , Swamy Mallappa , Purna Chandra Rao Bandaru
Published: August 2016

Spinel copper ferrite (CuFe2O4) and zinc ferrite (ZnFe2O4) nanoparticles were synthesized using a sol-gel self-combustion technique. The structural, functional, morphological and magnetic properties of the samples were investigated by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and vibrating sample magnetometry (VSM). XRD patterns conform to the copper ferrite and zinc ferrite formation, and the average particle sizes were calculated by using a transmission electron microscope, the measured particle sizes being 56 nm for CuFe2O4 and 68 nm for ZnFe2O4. Both spinel ferrite nanoparticles exhibit ferromagnetic behavior with saturation magnetization of 31 emug−1 for copper ferrite (50.63 Am2/Kg) and 28.8 Am2/Kg for zinc ferrite. Both synthesized ferrite nanoparticles were equally effective in scavenging 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl hydrate (DPPH) free radicals. ZnFe2O4 and CuFe2O4 nanoparticles showed 30.57% ± 1.0% and 28.69% ± 1.14% scavenging activity at 125 µg/mL concentrations. In vitro cytotoxicity study revealed higher concentrations (>125 µg/mL) of ZnFe2O4 and CuFe2O4 with increased toxicity against MCF-7 cells, but were found to be non-toxic at lower concentrations suggesting their biocompatibility.
Experimental and Numerical Analysis of the Compressive and Shear Behavior for a New Type of Self-Insulating Concrete Masonry System
Authors: Abdelmoneim Elamin Mohamad Abu-Bakre , Chen Zhongfan
Published: August 2016

The developed study aimed at investigating the mechanical behavior of a new type of self-insulating concrete masonry unit (SCMU). A total of 12 full-grouted wall assemblages were prepared and tested for compression and shear strength. In addition, different axial stress ratios were used in shear tests. Furthermore, numerical models were developed to predict the behavior of grouted specimens using simplified micro-modeling technique. The mortar joints were modeled with zero thickness and their behavior was applied using the traction–separation model of the cohesive element. The experimental results revealed that the shear resistance increases as the level of precompression increases. A good agreement between the experimental results and numerical models was observed. It was concluded that the proposed models can be used to deduct the general behavior of grouted specimens.
Deep Brain Stimulation in Huntington’s Disease—Preliminary Evidence on Pathophysiology, Efficacy and Safety
Authors: Wojtecki Lars , Groiss Stefan , Hartmann Christian , Elben Saskia , Omlor Sonja , Schnitzler Alfons , Vesper Jan
Published: August 2016

Huntington’s disease (HD) is one of the most disabling degenerative movement disorders, as it not only affects the motor system but also leads to cognitive disabilities and psychiatric symptoms. Deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the pallidum is a promising symptomatic treatment targeting the core motor symptom: chorea. This article gives an overview of preliminary evidence on pathophysiology, safety and efficacy of DBS in HD.
Support Screening Studies on the Hydrogenation of Levulinic Acid to γ-Valerolactone in Water Using Ru Catalysts
Authors: Piskun Anna , Winkelman Jozef , Tang Zhenchen , Heeres Hero
Published: August 2016

γ-Valerolactone (GVL) has been identified as a sustainable platform chemical for the production of carbon-based chemicals. Here we report a screening study on the hydrogenation of levulinic acid (LA) to GVL in water using a wide range of ruthenium supported catalysts in a batch set-up (1 wt. % Ru, 90 °C, 45 bar of H2, 2 wt. % catalyst on LA). Eight monometallic catalysts were tested on carbon based(C, carbon nanotubes (CNT)) and inorganic supports (Al2O3, SiO2, TiO2, ZrO2, Nb2O5 and Beta-12.5). The best result was found for Ru/Beta-12.5 with almost quantitative LA conversion (94%) and 66% of GVL yield after 2 h reaction. The remaining product was 4-hydroxypentanoic acid (4-HPA). Catalytic activity for a bimetallic RuPd/TiO2 catalyst was by far lower than for the monometallic Ru catalyst (9% conversion after 2 h). The effects of relevant catalyst properties (average Ru nanoparticle size, Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface area, micropore area and total acidity) on catalyst activity were assessed.
Packing of Helices: Is Chirality the Highest Crystallographic Symmetry?
Authors: Gautier Romain , Poeppelmeier Kenneth
Published: August 2016

Chiral structures resulting from the packing of helices are common in biological and synthetic materials. Herein, we analyze the noncentrosymmetry (NCS) in such systems using crystallographic considerations. A comparison of the chiral structures built from helices shows that the chirality can be expected for specific building units such as 31/32 or 61/65 helices which, in hexagonal arrangement, will more likely lead to a chiral resolution. In these two systems, we show that the highest crystallographic symmetry (i.e., the symmetry which can describe the crystal structure from the smallest assymetric unit) is chiral. As an illustration, we present the synthesis of two materials ([Zn(2,2’-bpy)3](NbF6)2 and [Zn(2,2’-bpy)3](TaF6)2) in which the 3n helices pack into a chiral structure.
The Optical Variability of the BL Lac AO 0235+164
Authors: Fan Junhui , Kurtanidze Omar , Liu Yi , Liu Xiang , Richter Gotthard , Nikolashvili Maria , Kurtanidze Sophia , Chanishvili Revaz , Wang Hongtao , Sasada Mahito , Zhou Aiying , Lin Chao , Yuan Yuhai
Published: August 2016

In this work, we present optical R band observations of AO 0235+164 carried out during the period of November 2006 to December 2012 using the Ap6E CCD camera attached to the primary focus of the 70 cm meniscus telescope at Abastumani Observatory, Georgia. It shows a large variation of Δ R = 4.88 mag (14.19–19.07 mag) and a short time scale of Δ T v = 73.5 min during our monitoring period. When periodicity analysis methods are applied to the R-band data from both historic and our observations, periods P 1 = 8.26 yr and P 2 = 0.54 yr are found.
18–22 cm VLBA Observational Evidence for Toroidal B-Field Components in Six AGN Jets
Authors: Motter Juliana , Gabuzda Denise
Published: August 2016

The formation of relativistic jets in Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN) is related to accretion onto their central supermassive black holes, and magnetic (B) fields are believed to play a central role in launching, collimating, and accelerating the jet streams from very compact regions out to kiloparsec scales. We present results of Faraday rotation studies based on Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA) data obtained at 18–22 cm for six well known AGN (OJ 287, 3C 279, PKS 1510-089, 3C 345, BL Lac, and 3C 454.3), which probe projected distances out to tens of parsecs from the observed cores. We have identified statistically significant, monotonic, transverse Faraday rotation gradients across the jets of all but one of these sources, indicating the presence of toroidal B fields, which may be one component of helical B fields associated with these AGN jets.
Targeting the Hippo Signaling Pathway for Tissue Regeneration and Cancer Therapy
Authors: Juan Wen , Hong Wanjin
Published: August 2016

The Hippo signaling pathway is a highly-conserved developmental pathway that plays an essential role in organ size control, tumor suppression, tissue regeneration and stem cell self-renewal. The YES-associated protein (YAP) and the transcriptional co-activator with PDZ-binding motif (TAZ) are two important transcriptional co-activators that are negatively regulated by the Hippo signaling pathway. By binding to transcription factors, especially the TEA domain transcription factors (TEADs), YAP and TAZ induce the expression of growth-promoting genes, which can promote organ regeneration after injury. Therefore, controlled activation of YAP and TAZ can be useful for regenerative medicine. However, aberrant activation of YAP and TAZ due to deregulation of the Hippo pathway or overexpression of YAP/TAZ and TEADs can promote cancer development. Hence, pharmacological inhibition of YAP and TAZ may be a useful approach to treat tumors with high YAP and/or TAZ activity. In this review, we present the mechanisms regulating the Hippo pathway, the role of the Hippo pathway in tissue repair and cancer, as well as a detailed analysis of the different strategies to target the Hippo signaling pathway and the genes regulated by YAP and TAZ for regenerative medicine and cancer therapy.
Analysis of the Influence of Construction Insulation Systems on Public Safety in China
Authors: Zhang Guowei , Zhu Guoqing , Zhao Guoxiang
Published: August 2016

With the Government of China’s proposed Energy Efficiency Regulations (GB40411-2007), the implementation of external insulation systems will be mandatory in China. The frequent external insulation system fires cause huge numbers of casualties and extensive property damage and have rapidly become a new hot issue in construction evacuation safety in China. This study attempts to reconstruct an actual fire scene and propose a quantitative risk assessment method for upward insulation system fires using thermal analysis tests and large eddy simulations (using the Fire Dynamics Simulator (FDS) software). Firstly, the pyrolysis and combustion characteristics of Extruded polystyrene board (XPS panel), such as ignition temperature, combustion heat, limiting oxygen index, thermogravimetric analysis and thermal radiation analysis were studied experimentally. Based on these experimental data, large eddy simulation was then applied to reconstruct insulation system fires. The results show that upward insulation system fires could be accurately reconstructed by using thermal analysis test and large eddy simulation. The spread of insulation material system fires in the vertical direction is faster than that in the horizontal direction. Moreover, we also find that there is a possibility of flashover in enclosures caused by insulation system fires as the smoke temperature exceeds 600 °C. The simulation methods and experimental results obtained in this paper could provide valuable references for fire evacuation, hazard assessment and fire resistant construction design studies.
Use of Social Media for the Detection and Analysis of Infectious Diseases in China
Authors: Ye Xinyue , Li Shengwen , Yang Xining , Qin Chenglin
Published: August 2016

Social media activity has become an important component of daily life for many people. Messages from Twitter (US) and Weibo (China) have shown their potential as important data sources for detecting and analyzing infectious diseases. Such emerging and dynamic new data sources allow us to predict how infectious diseases develop and evolve both spatially and temporally. We report the dynamics of dengue fever in China using messages from Weibo. We first extract and construct a list of keywords related to dengue fever in order to analyze how frequently these words appear in Weibo messages based on the Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA). Spatial analysis is then applied to detect how dengue fever cases cluster spatially and spread over time.
The piggyBac-Based Gene Delivery System Can Confer Successful Production of Cloned Porcine Blastocysts with Multigene Constructs
Authors: Sato Masahiro , Maeda Kosuke , Koriyama Miyu , Inada Emi , Saitoh Issei , Miura Hiromi , Ohtsuka Masato , Nakamura Shingo , Sakurai Takayuki , Watanabe Satoshi , Miyoshi Kazuchika
Published: August 2016

The introduction of multigene constructs into single cells is important for improving the performance of domestic animals, as well as understanding basic biological processes. In particular, multigene constructs allow the engineering and integration of multiple genes related to xenotransplantation into the porcine genome. The piggyBac (PB) transposon system allows multiple genes to be stably integrated into target genomes through a single transfection event. However, to our knowledge, no attempt to introduce multiple genes into a porcine genome has been made using this system. In this study, we simultaneously introduced seven transposons into a single porcine embryonic fibroblast (PEF). PEFs were transfected with seven transposons containing genes for five drug resistance proteins and two (red and green) fluorescent proteins, together with a PB transposase expression vector, pTrans (experimental group). The above seven transposons (without pTrans) were transfected concomitantly (control group). Selection of these transfected cells in the presence of multiple selection drugs resulted in the survival of several clones derived from the experimental group, but not from the control. PCR analysis demonstrated that approximately 90% (12/13 tested) of the surviving clones possessed all of the introduced transposons. Splinkerette PCR demonstrated that the transposons were inserted through the TTAA target sites of PB. Somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) using a PEF clone with multigene constructs demonstrated successful production of cloned blastocysts expressing both red and green fluorescence. These results indicate the feasibility of this PB-mediated method for simultaneous transfer of multigene constructs into the porcine cell genome, which is useful for production of cloned transgenic pigs expressing multiple transgenes.
Integrative Analysis of Metabolomic, Proteomic and Genomic Data to Reveal Functional Pathways and Candidate Genes for Drip Loss in Pigs
Authors: Welzenbach Julia , Neuhoff Christiane , Heidt Hanna , Cinar Mehmet , Looft Christian , Schellander Karl , Tholen Ernst , Große-Brinkhaus Christine
Published: August 2016

The aim of this study was to integrate multi omics data to characterize underlying functional pathways and candidate genes for drip loss in pigs. The consideration of different omics levels allows elucidating the black box of phenotype expression. Metabolite and protein profiling was applied in Musculus longissimus dorsi samples of 97 Duroc × Pietrain pigs. In total, 126 and 35 annotated metabolites and proteins were quantified, respectively. In addition, all animals were genotyped with the porcine 60 k Illumina beadchip. An enrichment analysis resulted in 10 pathways, amongst others, sphingolipid metabolism and glycolysis/gluconeogenesis, with significant influence on drip loss. Drip loss and 22 metabolic components were analyzed as intermediate phenotypes within a genome-wide association study (GWAS). We detected significantly associated genetic markers and candidate genes for drip loss and for most of the metabolic components. On chromosome 18, a region with promising candidate genes was identified based on SNPs associated with drip loss, the protein “phosphoglycerate mutase 2” and the metabolite glycine. We hypothesize that association studies based on intermediate phenotypes are able to provide comprehensive insights in the genetic variation of genes directly involved in the metabolism of performance traits. In this way, the analyses contribute to identify reliable candidate genes.
A Long Noncoding RNA ZEB1-AS1 Promotes Tumorigenesis and Predicts Poor Prognosis in Glioma
Authors: Lv Qiao-Li , Hu Lei , Chen Shu-Hui , Sun Bao , Fu Meng-Long , Qin Chong-Zhen , Qu Qiang , Wang Gui-Hua , He Chen-Jie , Zhou Hong-Hao
Published: August 2016

Emerging studies show that long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have important roles in carcinogenesis. lncRNA ZEB1 antisense 1 (ZEB1-AS1) is a novel lncRNA, whose clinical significance, biological function, and underlying mechanism remains unclear in glioma. Here, we found that ZEB1-AS1 was highly expressed in glioma tissues, being closely related to clinical stage of glioma. Moreover, patients with high ZEB1-AS1 levels had poor prognoses, with the evidence provided by multivariate Cox regression analysis indicating that ZEB1-AS1 expression could serve as an independent prognostic factor in glioma patients. Functionally, silencing of ZEB1-AS1 could significantly inhibit cell proliferation, migration, and invasion, as well as promote apoptosis. Knockdown of ZEB1-AS1 significantly induced the G0/G1 phase arrest and correspondingly decreased the percentage of S phase cells. Further analysis indicated that ZEB1-AS1 could regulate the cell cycle by inhibiting the expression of G1/S transition key regulators, such as Cyclin D1 and CDK2. Furthermore, ZEB1-AS1 functioned as an important regulator of migration and invasion via activating epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) through up-regulating the expression of ZEB1, MMP2, MMP9, N-cadherin, and Integrin-β1 as well as decreasing E-cadherin levels in the metastatic progression of glioma. Additionally, forced down-regulation of ZEB1-AS1 could dramatically promote apoptosis by increasing the expression level of Bax and reducing Bcl-2 expression in glioma. Taken together, our data suggest that ZEB1-AS1 may serve as a new prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target of glioma.
Targeting the Tumor Microenvironment: The Protumor Effects of IL-17 Related to Cancer Type
Authors: Fabre Joseph , Giustiniani Jerome , Garbar Christian , Antonicelli Frank , Merrouche Yacine , Bensussan Armand , Bagot Martine , Al-Dacak Reem
Published: August 2016

The inflammatory process contributes to immune tolerance as well as to tumor progression and metastasis. By releasing extracellular signals, cancerous cells constantly shape their surrounding microenvironment through their interactions with infiltrating immune cells, stromal cells and components of extracellular matrix. Recently, the pro-inflammatory interleukin 17 (IL-17)-producing T helper lymphocytes, the Th17 cells, and the IL-17/IL-17 receptor (IL-17R) axis gained special attention. The IL-17 family comprises at least six members, IL-17A, IL-17B, IL-17C, IL-17D, IL-17E (also called IL-25), and IL-17F. Secreted as disulfide-linked homo- or heterodimers, the IL-17 bind to the IL-17R, a type I cell surface receptor, of which there are five variants, IL-17RA to IL-17RE. This review focuses on the current advances identifying the promoting role of IL-17 in carcinogenesis, tumor metastasis and resistance to chemotherapy of diverse solid cancers. While underscoring the IL-17/IL-17R axis as promising immunotherapeutic target in the context of cancer managing, this knowledge calls upon further in vitro and in vivo studies that would allow the development and implementation of novel strategies to combat tumors.
Precision Medicine and Advancing Genetic Technologies—Disability and Human Rights Perspectives
Authors: De Paor Aisling , Blanck Peter
Published: August 2016

Scientific and technological developments are propelling genetics and genetic technologies into the public sphere. Scientific and technological innovation is becoming more refined, resulting in an increase in the availability and use of genetic testing, and other cutting edge genetic technologies, including gene editing. These genetic advances not only signal a growing trend towards precision medicine, but also provoke consideration of the protection of genetic information as an emerging human rights concern. Particular ethical and legal issues arise from a disability perspective, including the potential for discrimination and privacy violations. In consideration of the intersection of genetics and disability, this article highlights the significant concerns raised as genetic science and technology advances, and the consequences for disability rights, particularly the core concepts of non-discrimination, and respect for diversity and difference. On examining international human rights perspectives, it looks particularly at the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and how it may be used to guide best practice in this area. With an acknowledgement of historical abuses of genetic science, this article highlights the need to maintain caution as to the potential consequences of advancing genetic technologies on persons with disabilities and indeed on society as a whole.
Improved Bond Equations for Fiber-Reinforced Polymer Bars in Concrete
Authors: Pour Sadaf , Alam M. , Milani Abbas
Published: August 2016

This paper explores a set of new equations to predict the bond strength between fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) rebar and concrete. The proposed equations are based on a comprehensive statistical analysis and existing experimental results in the literature. Namely, the most effective parameters on bond behavior of FRP concrete were first identified by applying a factorial analysis on a part of the available database. Then the database that contains 250 pullout tests were divided into four groups based on the concrete compressive strength and the rebar surface. Afterward, nonlinear regression analysis was performed for each study group in order to determine the bond equations. The results show that the proposed equations can predict bond strengths more accurately compared to the other previously reported models.
A Facile in Situ and UV Printing Process for Bioinspired Self-Cleaning Surfaces
Authors: González Lazo Marina , Katrantzis Ioannis , Dalle Vacche Sara , Karasu Feyza , Leterrier Yves
Published: August 2016

A facile in situ and UV printing process was demonstrated to create self-cleaning synthetic replica of natural petals and leaves. The process relied on the spontaneous migration of a fluorinated acrylate surfactant (PFUA) within a low-shrinkage acrylated hyperbranched polymer (HBP) and its chemical immobilization at the polymer-air interface. Dilute concentrations of 1 wt. % PFUA saturated the polymer-air interface within 30 min, leading to a ten-fold increase of fluorine concentration at the surface compared with the initial bulk concentration and a water contact angle (WCA) of 108°. A 200 ms flash of UV light was used to chemically crosslink the PFUA at the HBP surface prior to UV printing with a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) negative template of red and yellow rose petals and lotus leaves. This flash immobilization hindered the reverse migration of PFUA within the bulk HBP upon contacting the PDMS template, and enabled to produce texturized surfaces with WCA well above 108°. The synthetic red rose petal was hydrophobic (WCA of 125°) and exhibited the adhesive petal effect. It was not superhydrophobic due to insufficient concentration of fluorine at its surface, a result of the very large increase of the surface of the printed texture. The synthetic yellow rose petal was quasi-superhydrophobic (WCA of 143°, roll-off angle of 10°) and its self-cleaning ability was not good also due to lack of fluorine. The synthetic lotus leaf did not accurately replicate the intricate nanotubular crystal structures of the plant. In spite of this, the fluorine concentration at the surface was high enough and the leaf was superhydrophobic (WCA of 151°, roll-off angle below 5°) and also featured self-cleaning properties.
Improvement in the Design of Welded Joints of EN 235JR Low Carbon Steel by Multiple Response Surface Methodology
Authors: Lostado Lorza Ruben , Escribano García Ruben , Martínez Calvo María , Múgica Vidal Rodolfo
Published: August 2016

Gas metal arc welding (GMAW) is a joining process that is controlled by several inputs or welding parameters. However, speed, current and voltage are the parameters that are most frequently used in setting this process. Cord area, yield stress, tensile strength, residual stresses, hardness and roughness are considered to be outputs or welded joints parameters. They are widely used when the design requirements are based on the cost, manufacturing speed, strength and surface finish. This paper seeks to determine the relationship between the welding parameters and the welded joint parameters of speed, current and voltage in butt joints (X-groove) of EN 235JR by the response surface method (RSM). The optimal joints when considering the design requirements of cost, manufacturing speed, strength and surface finish were achieved by using the multi-response surface (MRS). The optimal welding parameters reached when considering the design requirements of cost were 140.593 amps, 8.192 mm/s and 29.999 volts, respectively, whereas the design requirements of manufacturing speed were 149.88 amps, 9.261 mm/s and 29.999 volts. Finally, the welding parameters for the design requirements of joint strength and surface finish were 149.086 amps, 7.139 mm/s and 28.541 volts and 150.372 amps, 8.561 mm/s and 29.877 volts, respectively.
The Role of Nutrition in Periodontal Health: An Update
Authors: Najeeb Shariq , Zafar Muhammad , Khurshid Zohaib , Zohaib Sana , Almas Khalid
Published: August 2016

Periodontal health is influenced by a number of factors such as oral hygiene, genetic and epigenetic factors, systemic health, and nutrition. Many studies have observed that a balanced diet has an essential role in maintaining periodontal health. Additionally, the influences of nutritional supplements and dietary components have been known to affect healing after periodontal surgery. Studies have attempted to find a correlation between tooth loss, periodontal health, and nutrition. Moreover, bone formation and periodontal regeneration are also affected by numerous vitamins, minerals, and trace elements. The aim of this review is to critically appraise the currently available data on diet and maintenance of periodontal health and periodontal healing. The effects of nutritional intervention studies to improve the quality of life and well-being of patients with periodontal disease have been discussed.
Associations between Dietary Fiber Intake in Infancy and Cardiometabolic Health at School Age: The Generation R Study
Authors: Van Gijssel Rafaëlle , Braun Kim , Kiefte-de Jong Jessica , Jaddoe Vincent , Franco Oscar , Voortman Trudy
Published: August 2016

Dietary fiber (DF) intake may be beneficial for cardiometabolic health. However, whether this already occurs in early childhood is unclear. We investigated associations between DF intake in infancy and cardiometabolic health in childhood among 2032 children participating in a population-based cohort in The Netherlands. Information on DF intake at a median age of 12.9 months was collected using a food-frequency questionnaire. DF was adjusted for energy intake using the residual method. At age 6 years, body fat percentage, high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol, insulin, triglycerides, and blood pressure were assessed and expressed in age- and sex-specific standard deviation scores (SDS). These five factors were combined into a cardiometabolic risk factor score. In models adjusted for several parental and child covariates, a higher DF intake was associated with a lower cardiometabolic risk factor score. When we examined individual cardiometabolic factors, we observed that a 1 g/day higher energy-adjusted DF intake was associated with 0.026 SDS higher HDL-cholesterol (95% CI 0.009, 0.042), and 0.020 SDS lower triglycerides (95% CI −0.037, −0.003), but not with body fat, insulin, or blood pressure. Results were similar for DF with and without adjustment for energy intake. Our findings suggest that higher DF intake in infancy may be associated with better cardiometabolic health in later childhood.
Platycodon grandiflorus Root Extract Attenuates Body Fat Mass, Hepatic Steatosis and Insulin Resistance through the Interplay between the Liver and Adipose Tissue
Authors: Kim Ye , Choi Ji-Young , Ryu Ri , Lee Jeonghyeon , Cho Su-Jung , Kwon Eun-Young , Lee Mi-Kyung , Liu Kwang-Hyeon , Rina Yu , Sung Mi-Kyung , Choi Myung-Sook
Published: August 2016

The Platycodon grandiflorus root, a Korean medicinal food, is well known to have beneficial effects on obesity and diabetes. In this study, we demonstrated the metabolic effects of P. grandiflorus root ethanol extract (PGE), which is rich in platycodins, on diet-induced obesity. C57BL/6J mice (four-week-old males) were fed a normal diet (16.58% of kilocalories from fat), high-fat diet (HFD, 60% of kilocalories from fat), and HFD supplemented with 5% (w/w) PGE. In the HFD-fed mice, PGE markedly suppressed the body weight gain and white fat mass to normal control level, with simultaneous increase in the expression of thermogenic genes (such as SIRT1, PPARα, PGC1α, and UCP1), that accompanied changes in fatty acid oxidation (FAO) and energy expenditure. In addition, PGE improved insulin sensitivity through activation of the PPARγ expression, which upregulates adiponectin while decreasing leptin gene expression in adipocytes. Furthermore, PGE improved hepatic steatosis by suppressing hepatic lipogenesis while increasing expression of FAO-associated genes such as PGC1α. PGE normalized body fat and body weight, which is likely associated with the increased energy expenditure and thermogenic gene expression. PGE can protect from HFD-induced insulin resistance, and hepatic steatosis by controlling lipid and glucose metabolism.
Performance Parameters and Characterizations of Nanocrystals: A Brief Review
Authors: Chogale Manasi , Ghodake Vinod , Patravale Vandana
Published: August 2016

Poor bioavailability of drugs associated with their poor solubility limits the clinical effectiveness of almost 40% of the newly discovered drug moieties. Low solubility, coupled with a high log p value, high melting point and high dose necessitates exploration of alternative formulation strategies for such drugs. One such novel approach is formulation of the drugs as “Nanocrystals”. Nanocrystals are primarily comprised of drug and surfactants/stabilizers and are manufactured by “top-down” or “bottom-up” methods. Nanocrystals aid the clinical efficacy of drugs by various means such as enhancement of bioavailability, lowering of dose requirement, and facilitating sustained release of the drug. This effect is dependent on the various characteristics of nanocrystals (particle size, saturation solubility, dissolution velocity), which have an impact on the improved performance of the nanocrystals. Various sophisticated techniques have been developed to evaluate these characteristics. This article describes in detail the various characterization techniques along with a brief review of the significance of the various parameters on the performance of nanocrystals.
Diel and Spatial Dependence of Humpback Song and Non-Song Vocalizations in Fish Spawning Ground
Authors: Huang Wei , Wang Delin , Ratilal Purnima
Published: August 2016

The vocalization behavior of humpback whales was monitored over vast areas of the Gulf of Maine using the passive ocean acoustic waveguide remote sensing technique (POAWRS) over multiple diel cycles in Fall 2006. The humpback vocalizations comprised of both song and non-song are analyzed. The song vocalizations, composed of highly structured and repeatable set of phrases, are characterized by inter-pulse intervals of 3.5 ± 1.8 s. Songs were detected throughout the diel cycle, occuring roughly 40% during the day and 60% during the night. The humpback non-song vocalizations, dominated by shorter duration (≤3 s) downsweep and bow-shaped moans, as well as a small fraction of longer duration (∼5 s) cries, have significantly larger mean and more variable inter-pulse intervals of 14.2 ± 11 s. The non-song vocalizations were detected at night with negligible detections during the day, implying they probably function as nighttime communication signals. The humpback song and non-song vocalizations are separately localized using the moving array triangulation and array invariant techniques. The humpback song and non-song moan calls are both consistently localized to a dense area on northeastern Georges Bank and a less dense region extended from Franklin Basin to the Great South Channel. Humpback cries occur exclusively on northeastern Georges Bank and during nights with coincident dense Atlantic herring shoaling populations, implying the cries are feeding-related.
Target Capturing Control for Space Robots with Unknown Mass Properties: A Self-Tuning Method Based on Gyros and Cameras
Authors: Li Zhenyu , Wang Bin , Liu Hong
Published: August 2016

Satellite capturing with free-floating space robots is still a challenging task due to the non-fixed base and unknown mass property issues. In this paper gyro and eye-in-hand camera data are adopted as an alternative choice for solving this problem. For this improved system, a new modeling approach that reduces the complexity of system control and identification is proposed. With the newly developed model, the space robot is equivalent to a ground-fixed manipulator system. Accordingly, a self-tuning control scheme is applied to handle such a control problem including unknown parameters. To determine the controller parameters, an estimator is designed based on the least-squares technique for identifying the unknown mass properties in real time. The proposed method is tested with a credible 3-dimensional ground verification experimental system, and the experimental results confirm the effectiveness of the proposed control scheme.
Advanced Spatial-Division Multiplexed Measurement Systems Propositions—From Telecommunication to Sensing Applications: A Review
Authors: Weng Yi , Ip Ezra , Pan Zhongqi , Wang Ting
Published: August 2016

The concepts of spatial-division multiplexing (SDM) technology were first proposed in the telecommunications industry as an indispensable solution to reduce the cost-per-bit of optical fiber transmission. Recently, such spatial channels and modes have been applied in optical sensing applications where the returned echo is analyzed for the collection of essential environmental information. The key advantages of implementing SDM techniques in optical measurement systems include the multi-parameter discriminative capability and accuracy improvement. In this paper, to help readers without a telecommunication background better understand how the SDM-based sensing systems can be incorporated, the crucial components of SDM techniques, such as laser beam shaping, mode generation and conversion, multimode or multicore elements using special fibers and multiplexers are introduced, along with the recent developments in SDM amplifiers, opto-electronic sources and detection units of sensing systems. The examples of SDM-based sensing systems not only include Brillouin optical time-domain reflectometry or Brillouin optical time-domain analysis (BOTDR/BOTDA) using few-mode fibers (FMF) and the multicore fiber (MCF) based integrated fiber Bragg grating (FBG) sensors, but also involve the widely used components with their whole information used in the full multimode constructions, such as the whispering gallery modes for fiber profiling and chemical species measurements, the screw/twisted modes for examining water quality, as well as the optical beam shaping to improve cantilever deflection measurements. Besides, the various applications of SDM sensors, the cost efficiency issue, as well as how these complex mode multiplexing techniques might improve the standard fiber-optic sensor approaches using single-mode fibers (SMF) and photonic crystal fibers (PCF) have also been summarized. Finally, we conclude with a prospective outlook for the opportunities and challenges of SDM technologies in optical sensing industry.
Internal and External Temperature Monitoring of a Li-Ion Battery with Fiber Bragg Grating Sensors
Authors: Novais Susana , Nascimento Micael , Grande Lorenzo , Domingues Maria , Antunes Paulo , Alberto Nélia , Leitão Cátia , Oliveira Ricardo , Koch Stephan , Kim Guk , Passerini Stefano , Pinto João
Published: August 2016

The integration of fiber Bragg grating (FBG) sensors in lithium-ion cells for in-situ and in-operando temperature monitoring is presented herein. The measuring of internal and external temperature variations was performed through four FBG sensors during galvanostatic cycling at C-rates ranging from 1C to 8C. The FBG sensors were placed both outside and inside the cell, located in the center of the electrochemically active area and at the tab-electrode connection. The internal sensors recorded temperature variations of 4.0 ± 0.1 °C at 5C and 4.7 ± 0.1 °C at 8C at the center of the active area, and 3.9 ± 0.1 °C at 5C and 4.0 ± 0.1 °C at 8C at the tab-electrode connection, respectively. This study is intended to contribute to detection of a temperature gradient in real time inside a cell, which can determine possible damage in the battery performance when it operates under normal and abnormal operating conditions, as well as to demonstrate the technical feasibility of the integration of in-operando microsensors inside Li-ion cells.
Does Intellectual Capital Disclosure Matter for Audit Risk? Evidence from the UK and Italy
Authors: Demartini Chiara , Trucco Sara
Published: August 2016

Disclosure theory argues that better information quality reduces audit risk, by decreasing information asymmetry in the market and consequently, information risk for firms. Extant literature on voluntary disclosure analyzes the relationships between Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and audit risk, finding that auditors charge lower fees and issue less going concern opinions to firms with good CSR performance. In this study, we test the relationship between intellectual capital disclosure (ICD) and audit risk and we assess the effect of ICD and audit risk on audit fees. To do so, we use data from the ESG Asset4 database (Thomson Reuters Datastream) on 166 UK and 27 Italian listed firms that issue stand-alone social and intellectual capital statements. The audit risk is measured from both a qualitative and a quantitative perspective. Panel data analysis on 2004–2011 years has been used to test our research hypotheses. Empirical findings from a sample of UK and Italian listed companies show that auditors estimate a lower qualitative risk, albeit a higher quantitative one, for those companies reporting higher ICD scores, compared to those ones with lower disclosure scores on the intellectual capital. Furthermore, we find that reputation risk contributes to the relationship between ICD and audit risk.
Does Non-Fossil Energy Usage Lower CO2 Emissions? Empirical Evidence from China
Authors: Li Deshan , Yang Degang
Published: August 2016

This paper uses an autoregressive distributed lag model (ARDL) to examine the dynamic impact of non-fossil energy consumption on carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions in China for a given level of economic growth, trade openness, and energy usage between 1965 and 2014. The results suggest that the variables are in a long-run equilibrium. ARDL estimation indicates that consumption of non-fossil energy plays a crucial role in curbing CO2 emissions in the long run but not in the short term. The results also suggest that, in both the long and short term, energy consumption and trade openness have a negative impact on the reduction of CO2 emissions, while gross domestic product (GDP) per capita increases CO2 emissions only in the short term. Finally, the Granger causality test indicates a bidirectional causality between CO2 emissions and energy consumption. In addition, this study suggests that non-fossil energy is an effective solution to mitigate CO2 emissions, providing useful information for policy-makers wishing to reduce atmospheric CO2.
Facial Feature Movements Caused by Various Emotions: Differences According to Sex
Authors: Suh Kun , Kim Yoonkyoung , Lee Eui
Published: August 2016

Facial muscle micro movements for eight emotions were induced via visual and auditory stimuli and were verified according to sex. Thirty-one main facial features were chosen from the Kinect API out of 121 initially obtained facial features; the average change of pixel value was measured after image alignment. The proposed method is advantageous as it allows for comparisons. Facial micro-expressions are analyzed in real time using 31 facial feature points. The amount of micro-expressions for the various emotion stimuli was comparatively analyzed for differences according to sex. Men’s facial movements were similar for each emotion, whereas women’s facial movements were different for each emotion. The six feature positions were significantly different according to sex; in particular, the inner eyebrow of the right eye had a confidence level of p < 0.01. Consequently, discriminative power showed that men’s ability to separate one emotion from the others was lower compared to women’s ability in terms of facial expression, despite men’s average movements being higher compared to women’s. Additionally, the asymmetric phenomena around the left eye region of women appeared more strongly in cases of positive emotions.
Weyl, Majorana and Dirac Fields from a Unified Perspective
Authors: Aste Andreas
Published: August 2016

A self-contained derivation of the formalism describing Weyl, Majorana and Dirac fields from a unified perspective is given based on a concise description of the representation theory of the proper orthochronous Lorentz group. Lagrangian methods play no role in the present exposition, which covers several fundamental aspects of relativistic field theory, which are commonly not included in introductory courses when treating fermionic fields via the Dirac equation in the first place.