bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Allelic Variation in Taste Genes Is Associated with Taste and Diet Preferences and Dental Caries
Authors: Eriksson Linda , Esberg Anders , Haworth Simon , Holgerson Pernilla Lif , Johansson Ingegerd
Published: July 2019

Taste and diet preferences are complex and influenced by both environmental and host traits while affecting both food selection and associated health outcomes. The present study genotyped 94 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in previously reported taste and food intake related genes and assessed associations with taste threshold (TT) and preferred intensity (PT) of sweet, sour and bitter, food preferences, habitual diet intake, and caries status in healthy young Swedish men and women (n = 127). Polymorphisms in the GNAT3, SLC2A4, TAS1R1 and TAS1R2 genes were associated with variation in TT and PT for sweet taste as well as sweet food intake. Increasing PT for sweet was associated with increasing preference and intake of sugary foods. Similarly, increasing TT for sour was associated with increasing intake of sour foods, whereas the associations between food preference/intake and TT/PT for bitter was weak in this study group. Finally, allelic variation in the GNAT3, SLC2A2, SLC2A4, TAS1R1 and TAS1R2 genes was associated with caries status, whereas TT, PT and food preferences were not. It was concluded that variations in taste receptor, glucose transporter and gustducin encoding genes are related to taste perception, food preference and intake as well as the sugar-dependent caries disease.
Glucose Ingestion Inhibits Endurance Exercise-Induced IL-6 Producing Macrophage Infiltration in Mice Muscle
Authors: Tominaga Takaki , Ma Sihui , Saitou Kumiko , Suzuki Katsuhiko
Published: July 2019

Background: Carbohydrate (CHO) supplementation during exercise attenuates exercise-induced increases in plasma Interleukin (IL)-6 concentration. However, the effects of CHO supplementation on muscle IL-6 production during endurance exercise is controversial. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of CHO supplementation on muscle IL-6 production during endurance exercise with a special focus on the IL-6 producing cells. Methods: C57BL/6J mice were divided into three groups—sedentary with water ingestion group as the control (Con; n = 10), exercise with water ingestion group (Ex; n = 10), and exercise with 6% glucose ingestion group (Ex + glucose; n = 10). The Ex and Ex + glucose groups completed 3 h of treadmill running (24 m/min, 7% incline) and were sacrificed immediately after exercise. Results: The exercise-induced increases of plasma IL-6 concentration and gastrocnemius IL-6 gene expression were attenuated by glucose ingestion. However, the increases of soleus IL-6 gene expression and gastrocnemius and soleus IL-6 protein expression were not attenuated by glucose ingestion. Furthermore, we observed that macrophages that infiltrated muscle produce IL-6 and glucose ingestion attenuated the infiltration of IL-6-producing macrophages. Conclusion: This study revealed that infiltrating macrophages may be one type of IL-6-producing cells during endurance exercise, and the infiltration of these cells in muscle was attenuated by glucose ingestion. However, the effects of glucose ingestion on muscle IL-6 production were limited.
Suppression of Food Allergic Symptoms by Raw Cow’s Milk in Mice is Retained after Skimming but Abolished after Heating the Milk—A Promising Contribution of Alkaline Phosphatase
Authors: Abbring Suzanne , Ryan Joseph Thomas , Diks Mara A.P. , Hols Gert , Garssen Johan , van Esch Betty C.A.M.
Published: July 2019

Raw cow’s milk was previously shown to suppress allergic symptoms in a murine model for food allergy. In the present study, we investigated the contribution of fat content and heat-sensitive milk components to this allergy-protective effect. In addition, we determined the potency of alkaline phosphatase (ALP), a heat-sensitive raw milk component, to affect the allergic response. C3H/HeOuJ mice were treated with raw milk, pasteurized milk, skimmed raw milk, pasteurized milk spiked with ALP, or phosphate-buffered saline for eight days prior to sensitization and challenge with ovalbumin (OVA). Effects of these milk types on the allergic response were subsequently assessed. Similar to raw milk, skimmed raw milk suppressed food allergic symptoms, demonstrated by a reduced acute allergic skin response and low levels of OVA-specific IgE and Th2-related cytokines. This protective effect was accompanied by an induction of CD103+CD11b+ dendritic cells and TGF-β-producing regulatory T cells in the mesenteric lymph nodes. Pasteurized milk was not protective but adding ALP restored the allergy-protective effect. Not the fat content, but the heat-sensitive components are responsible for the allergy-protective effects of raw cow’s milk. Adding ALP to heat-treated milk might be an interesting alternative to raw cow’s milk consumption, as spiking pasteurized milk with ALP restored the protective effects.
Eating Competent Parents of 4th Grade Youth from a Predominantly Non-Hispanic White Sample Demonstrate More Healthful Eating Behaviors than Non-Eating Competent Parents
Authors: Lohse Barbara , Pflugh Prescott Melissa , Cunningham-Sabo Leslie
Published: July 2019

The purpose of this study was to determine if the associations between eating competence (EC) and eating behaviors that were found in a USA sample of predominantly Hispanic parents of 4th grade youth could be replicated in a USA sample of predominantly non-Hispanic white parents of 4th graders. Baseline responses from parents (n = 424; 94% white) of youth participating in a year-long educational intervention were collected using an online survey. Validated measures included the Satter Eating Competence Inventory (ecSI 2.0TM), in-home fruit/vegetable (FV) availability, healthful eating behavior modeling, and FV self-efficacy/outcome expectancies (SE/OE). Data were analyzed with general linear modeling and cluster analyses. The findings replicated those from the primarily Hispanic sample. Of the 408 completing all ecSI 2.0TM items, 86% were female, 65% had a 4-year degree or higher, and 53% were EC (ecSI 2.0TM score ≥ 32). Compared with non-EC parents, EC modeled more healthful eating, higher FV SE/OE, and more in-home FV availability. Behaviors clustered into those striving toward more healthful practices (strivers; n = 151) and those achieving them (thrivers; n = 255). Striver ecSI 2.0TM scores were lower than those of thrivers (29.6 ± 7.8 vs. 33.7 ± 7.6; p < 0.001). More EC parents demonstrated eating behaviors associated with childhood obesity prevention than non-EC parents, encouraging education that fosters parent EC, especially in tandem with youth nutrition education.
Indirect Chronic Effects of an Oleuropein-Rich Olive Leaf Extract on Sucrase-Isomaltase In Vitro and In Vivo
Authors: Pyner Alison , Chan Shuk Yan , Tumova Sarka , Kerimi Asimina , Williamson Gary
Published: July 2019

Consumption of dietary bioactives is an avenue to enhancing the effective healthiness of diets by attenuating the glycaemic response. The intestinal brush border enzyme sucrase-isomaltase (SI) is the sole enzyme hydrolysing consumed sucrose, and we previously showed the acute effects of olive leaf extract (OLE) on sucrase activity when given together with sugars both in vitro and in vivo. Here we tested whether OLE could affect sucrase expression when pre-incubated chronically, a “priming” effect not dependent on competitive interaction with SI, in both a cell model and a human intervention. Using differentiated Caco-2/TC7 cells, long-term pre-treatment with oleuropein-rich olive leaf extract (OLE) lowered SI mRNA, surface protein and activity, and attenuated subsequent sucrose hydrolysis. Based on these results, a randomised, double-blinded, placebo-controlled, crossover pilot study was conducted. OLE (50 mg oleuropein) was consumed in capsule form 3 times a day for 1 week by 11 healthy young women followed by an oral sucrose tolerance test in the absence of OLE. However this treatment, compared to placebo, did not induce a change in post-prandial blood glucose maximum concentration (Glcmax), time to reach Glcmax and incremental area under the curve. These results indicate that changes in SI mRNA, protein and activity in an intestinal cell model by OLE are not sufficient under these conditions to induce a functional effect in vivo in healthy volunteers.
Mechanisms Involved in the Persistence of Babesia canis Infection in Dogs
Authors: Schetters Theo
Published: July 2019

Dogs that are infected with Babesia canis parasites usually show severe clinical signs, yet often very few parasites are detectable in the blood circulation. The results showed that large numbers of B. canis-infected red blood cells accumulate in the microvasculature of infected subjects. The initial process leading to the attachment of infected erythrocytes to the endothelial cells of small capillaries (sequestration) appears to involve the interaction of parasite molecules at the erythrocyte surface with ligands on the endothelial cells. Since parasites continue to develop in the sequestered erythrocyte, it would be expected that the infected erythrocyte is destroyed when the mature parasites escape the host cell, which would make it hard to explain accumulation of infected erythrocytes at the initial site of attachment. Apparently, additional processes are triggered that lead to consolidation of parasite sequestration. One possible explanation is that after initial attachment of an infected erythrocyte to the wall of a blood capillary, the coagulation system is involved in the trapping of infected and uninfected erythrocytes. The data further suggest that newly formed parasites subsequently infect normal red blood cells that are also trapped in the capillary, which finally leads to capillaries that appear to be loaded with infected erythrocytes.
α-Glucosidase Inhibitory Activity of Cycloartane-Type Triterpenes Isolated from Indonesian Stingless Bee Propolis and Their Structure–Activity Relationship
Authors: Pujirahayu Niken , Bhattacharjya Debu Kumar , Suzuki Toshisada , Katayama Takeshi
Published: July 2019

This study reports on the antioxidant activity and α-glucosidase inhibitory activity of five cycloartane-type triterpenes isolated from Indonesian stingless bee (Tetragonula sapiens Cockerell) propolis and their structure–activity relationships. The structure of the triterpenes was determined to include mangiferolic acid (1), Cycloartenol (2), ambonic acid (3), mangiferonic acid (4), and ambolic acid (5). The inhibitory test results of all isolated triterpenes against α-glucosidase showed a high potential for inhibitory activity with an IC50 range between 2.46 and 10.72 µM. Among the compounds tested, mangiferonic acid (4) was the strongest α-glucosidase inhibitor with IC50 2.46 µM compared to the standard (–)-epicatechin (1991.1 µM), and also had antioxidant activities with IC50 values of 37.74 ± 6.55 µM. The study on the structure–activity relationships among the compounds showed that the ketone group at C-3 and the double bonds at C-24 and C-25 are needed to increase the α-glucosidase inhibitory activity. The carboxylic group at C-26 is also more important for increasing the inhibitory activity compared with the methyl group. This study provides an approach to help consider the structural requirements of cycloartane-type triterpenes from propolis as α-glucosidase inhibitors. An understanding of these requirements is deemed necessary to find a new type of α-glucosidase inhibitor from the cycloartane-type triterpenes or to improve those inhibitors that are known to help in the treatment of diabetes.
Hyaluronic Acid-Coated Nanomedicine for Targeted Cancer Therapy
Authors: Kim Kibeom , Choi Huyeon , Choi Eun Seong , Park Myoung-Hwan , Ryu Ja-Hyoung
Published: July 2019

Hyaluronic acid (HA) has been widely investigated in cancer therapy due to its excellent characteristics. HA, which is a linear anionic polymer, has biocompatibility, biodegradability, non-immunogenicity, non-inflammatory, and non-toxicity properties. Various HA nanomedicines (i.e., micelles, nanogels, and nanoparticles) can be prepared easily using assembly and modification of its functional groups such as carboxy, hydroxy and N-acetyl groups. Nanometer-sized HA nanomedicines can selectively deliver drugs or other molecules into tumor sites via their enhanced permeability and retention (EPR) effect. In addition, HA can interact with overexpressed receptors in cancer cells such as cluster determinant 44 (CD44) and receptor for HA-mediated motility (RHAMM) and be degraded by a family of enzymes called hyaluronidase (HAdase) to release drugs or molecules. By interaction with receptors or degradation by enzymes inside cancer cells, HA nanomedicines allow enhanced targeting cancer therapy. In this article, recent studies about HA nanomedicines in drug delivery systems, photothermal therapy, photodynamic therapy, diagnostics (because of the high biocompatibility), colloidal stability, and cancer targeting are reviewed for strategies using micelles, nanogels, and inorganic nanoparticles.
Controlled Drug Delivery Systems for Oral Cancer Treatment—Current Status and Future Perspectives
Authors: Ketabat Farinaz , Pundir Meenakshi , Mohabatpour Fatemeh , Lobanova Liubov , Koutsopoulos Sotirios , Hadjiiski Lubomir , Chen Xiongbiao , Papagerakis Petros , Papagerakis Silvana
Published: July 2019

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), which encompasses the oral cavity-derived malignancies, is a devastating disease causing substantial morbidity and mortality in both men and women. It is the most common subtype of the head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), which is ranked the sixth most common malignancy worldwide. Despite promising advancements in the conventional therapeutic approaches currently available for patients with oral cancer, many drawbacks are still to be addressed; surgical resection leads to permanent disfigurement, altered sense of self and debilitating physiological consequences, while chemo- and radio-therapies result in significant toxicities, all affecting patient wellbeing and quality of life. Thus, the development of novel therapeutic approaches or modifications of current strategies is paramount to improve individual health outcomes and survival, while early tumour detection remains a priority and significant challenge. In recent years, drug delivery systems and chronotherapy have been developed as alternative methods aiming to enhance the benefits of the current anticancer therapies, while minimizing their undesirable toxic effects on the healthy non-cancerous cells. Targeted drug delivery systems have the potential to increase drug bioavailability and bio-distribution at the site of the primary tumour. This review confers current knowledge on the diverse drug delivery methods, potential carriers (e.g., polymeric, inorganic, and combinational nanoparticles; nanolipids; hydrogels; exosomes) and anticancer targeted approaches for oral squamous cell carcinoma treatment, with an emphasis on their clinical relevance in the era of precision medicine, circadian chronobiology and patient-centred health care.
Molecular Mobility and Stability Studies of Amorphous Imatinib Mesylate
Authors: Karolewicz Bożena , Górniak Agata , Marciniak Dominik M. , Mucha Igor
Published: July 2019

The proposed study examined the characterization and stability of solid-state amorphous imatinib mesylate (IM) after 15 months under controlled relative humidity (60 ± 5%) and temperature (25 ± 2 °C) conditions. After 2 weeks, and 1, 3, 6, and 15 months, the samples were characterized using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), X-ray powder diffractometry (XRPD), attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Additionally, the amorphous form of imatinib mesylate was obtained via supercooling of the melt in a DSC apparatus, and aged at various temperatures (3, 15, 25 and 30 °C) and time periods (1–16 h). Glass transition and enthalpy relaxation were used to calculate molecular-relaxation-time parameters. The Kohlrausch–Williams–Watts (KWW) equation was applied to fit the experimental enthalpy-relaxation data. The mean molecular-relaxation-time constant (τ) increased with decreasing ageing temperature. The results showed a high stability of amorphous imatinib mesylate adequate to enable its use in solid dosage form.
The Use of Artificial Gel Forming Bolalipids as Novel Formulations in Antimicrobial and Antifungal Therapy
Authors: Goergen Nathalie , Wojcik Matthias , Drescher Simon , Pinnapireddy Shashank Reddy , Brüßler Jana , Bakowsky Udo , Jedelská Jarmila
Published: July 2019

The alarming growth of multi-drug resistant bacteria has led to a quest for alternative antibacterial therapeutics. One strategy to circumvent the already existing resistance is the use of photodynamic therapy. Antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (aPDT) involves the use of non-toxic photosensitizers in combination with light and in situ oxygen to generate toxic radical species within the microbial environment which circumvents the resistance building mechanism of the bacteria. Hydrogels are used ubiquitously in the biological and pharmaceutical fields, e.g., for wound dressing material or as drug delivery systems. Hydrogels formed by water-insoluble low-molecular weight gelators may potentially provide the much-needed benefits for these applications. Bolalipids are a superior example of such gelators. In the present work, two artificial bolalipids were used, namely PC-C32-PC and Me2PE-C32-Me2PE, which self-assemble in water into long and flexible nanofibers leading to a gelation of the surrounding solvent. The aim of the study was to create stable hydrogel formulations of both bolalipids and to investigate their applicability as a novel material for drug delivery systems. Furthermore, methylene blue—a well-known photosensitizer—was incorporated into the hydrogels in order to investigate the aPDT for the treatment of skin and mucosal infections using a custom designed LED device.
A Quantitative Curriculum Mapping of the Faculty of Pharmacy of Yeditepe University, Turkey: A Process to Assess the Consistency of a Curriculum with the Mission and Vision of an Institution and National Requirements
Authors: Önen Bayram Filiz Esra , Köksal Meriç
Published: July 2019

The changing role of the pharmacist led to some improvements of pharmacy education worldwide these last years. Curricula have evolved and the content-based education has been converted into a competency-based education. The definition of a global practice-based competency framework by the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP) and the European Pharmacy Competencies Framework by the European the Quality Assurance in European Pharmacy Education and Training (PHAR-QA) project helps Universities to keep in with these changes. The National Council of Deans of Faculties of Pharmacy in Turkey also defined 169 competencies with their sub-competencies that have to be reached upon the completion of a pharmacy education program, yet it did not indicate how the faculties can measure if their curricula are consistent with these competencies. This study aims to provide a method for a quantitative mapping of a given curriculum in order to analyze if a curriculum fulfills the requirements defined by the National Deans Council. It also helps to easily determine the weaknesses and strengths of a program. Moreover, with this study, the consistency of the content of the courses with the mission and vision defined by an institution can be easily determined. Thus, this study can also be a useful tool for the revision and enhancement of a program according to institutional targets.
Oxidative Damage and Antioxidant Defense in Sesamum indicum after Different Waterlogging Durations
Authors: Anee Taufika Islam , Nahar Kamrun , Rahman Anisur , Mahmud Jubayer Al , Bhuiyan Tasnim Farha , Alam Mazhar Ul , Fujita Masayuki , Hasanuzzaman Mirza
Published: July 2019

The present study was designed to investigate the duration-dependent changes in the biochemical attributes of sesame in response to waterlogging stress. Sesame plants (Sesamum indicum L. cv. BARI Til-4) were subjected to waterlogging for 2, 4, 6, and 8 days during the vegetative stage and data were measured following waterlogging treatment. The present study proves that waterlogging causes severe damage to different attributes of the sesame plant. The plants showed an increasing trend in lipid peroxidation as well as hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and methylglyoxal contents that corresponded to increased stress duration. A prolonged period of waterlogging decreased leaf relative water content and proline content. Photosynthetic pigments, like chlorophyll (chl) a, b, and chl (a+b) and carotenoid contents, also decreased over time in stressed plants. Glutathione (GSH) and oxidized glutathione (GSSG) contents increased under waterlogging, while the GSH/GSSG ratio and ascorbate content decreased, indicating the disruption of redox balance in the cell. Ascorbate peroxidase, monodehydroascorbate reductase, and glutathione peroxidase activity increased under waterlogging, while dehydroascorbate reductase, glutathione reductase, and catalase activity mostly decreased. Waterlogging modulated the glyoxalase system mostly by enhancing glyoxalase II activity, with a slight increase in glyoxalase I activity. The present study also demonstrates the induction of oxidative stress via waterlogging in sesame plants and that stress levels increase with increased waterlogging duration.
Nitrogen Dioxide at Ambient Concentrations Induces Nitration and Degradation of PYR/PYL/RCAR Receptors to Stimulate Plant Growth: A Hypothetical Model
Authors: Takahashi Misa , Morikawa Hiromichi
Published: July 2019

Exposing Arabidopsis thaliana (Arabidopsis) seedlings fed with soil nitrogen to 10–50 ppb nitrogen dioxide (NO2) for several weeks stimulated the uptake of major elements, photosynthesis, and cellular metabolisms to more than double the biomass of shoot, total leaf area and contents of N, C P, K, S, Ca and Mg per shoot relative to non-exposed control seedlings. The 15N/14N ratio analysis by mass spectrometry revealed that N derived from NO2 (NO2-N) comprised < 5% of the total plant N, showing that the contribution of NO2-N as N source was minor. Moreover, histological analysis showed that leaf size and biomass were increased upon NO2 treatment, and that these increases were attributable to leaf age-dependent enhancement of cell proliferation and enlargement. Thus, NO2 may act as a plant growth signal rather than an N source. Exposure of Arabidopsis leaves to 40 ppm NO2 induced virtually exclusive nitration of PsbO and PsbP proteins (a high concentration of NO2 was used). The PMF analysis identified the ninth tyrosine residue of PsbO1 (9Tyr) as a nitration site. 9Tyr of PsbO1 was exclusively nitrated after incubation of the thylakoid membranes with a buffer containing NO2 and NO2− or a buffer containing NO2− alone. Nitration was catalyzed by illumination and repressed by photosystem II (PSII) electron transport inhibitors, and decreased oxygen evolution. Thus, protein tyrosine nitration altered (downregulated) the physiological function of cellular proteins of Arabidopsis leaves. This indicates that NO2-induced protein tyrosine nitration may stimulate plant growth. We hypothesized that atmospheric NO2 at ambient concentrations may induce tyrosine nitration of PYR/PYL/RCAR receptors in Arabidopsis leaves, followed by degradation of PYR/PYL/RCAR, upregulation of target of rapamycin (TOR) regulatory complexes, and stimulation of plant growth.
Thermal Conductivity and Mechanical Properties of Thermoplastic Polyurethane-/Silane-Modified Al2O3 Composite Fabricated via Melt Compounding
Authors: Wondu Eyob , Lule Zelalem , Kim Jooheon
Published: July 2019

The increase of miniaturization and rise of powerhouses has caused a need for high-performing thermal interface materials (TIMs) that can transfer heat in electronic packaging. In this study, a thermoplastic polyurethane (PU)/alumina composite was produced via twin extrusion and was suggested as a TIM. The surfaces of the alumina particles were modified by γ-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES) and then evaluated using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) images revealed that the addition of surface-modified alumina was well adhered in the PU matrix. The tensile strength of the composite remained unchanged, while the Young’s modulus showed improvement as compared to the pure PU. The elongation at the break decreased as the filler loading increased, due to the brittle behavior of the composite. The viscoelastic elastic property analysis results revealed that there was an increase in the storage modulus of the composite and the glass transition temperature curve shifted to the right. The thermal conductivity of the composite showed that there was an 80.6% improvement in thermal conductivity with the incorporation of 40% APTES-treated alumina particles.
The Use of POSS-Based Nanoadditives for Cable-Grade PVC: Effects on Its Thermal Stability
Authors: Palin Luca , Rombolà Giuseppe , Milanesio Marco , Boccaleri Enrico
Published: July 2019

Plasticized–Poly(vinyl chloride) (P-PVC) for cables and insulation requires performances related to outdoor, indoor and submarine contexts and reduction of noxious release of HCl-containing fumes in case of thermal degradation or fire. Introducing suitable nanomaterials in polymer-based nanocomposites can be an answer to this clue. In this work, an industry-compliant cable-grade P-PVC formulation was added with nanostructured materials belonging to the family of Polyhedral Oligomeric Silsesquioxane (POSS). The effects of the nanomaterials, alone and in synergy with HCl scavenging agents as zeolites and hydrotalcites, on the thermal stability and HCl evolution of P-PVC were deeply investigated by thermogravimetric analysis and reference ASTM methods. Moreover, hardness and mechanical properties were studied in order to highlight the effects of these additives in the perspective of final industrial uses. The data demonstrated relevant improvements in the thermal stability of the samples added with nanomaterials, already with concentrations of POSS down to 0.31 phr and interesting additive effects of POSS with zeolites and hydrotalcites for HCl release reduction without losing mechanical performances.
Preparation and Application of Molecularly Imprinted Monolithic Extraction Column for the Selective Microextraction of Multiple Macrolide Antibiotics from Animal Muscles
Authors: Song Xuqin , Zhou Tong , Zhang Jiahui , Su Yijuan , Zhou Hao , He Limin
Published: July 2019

This study aimed to prepare a molecularly imprinted monolithic extraction column (MIMC) inside a micropipette tip by situ polymerization with roxithromycin as the dummy template. The polymers possessed excellent adsorption capacity and class-specificity to multiple macrolide drugs. MIMC was directly connected to a syringe for template removal and for the optimization of extraction conditions without any other post-treatment of polymers. A liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometric method was developed for the selective microextraction and determination of macrolide antibiotics in animal muscles based on MIMC. High recoveries of 76.1–92.8% for six macrolides were obtained with relative standard deviations less than 10.4%. MIMC exhibited better retention ability and durability when compared with the traditional C18 and HLB cartridges. The proposed method shows a great potential for the analysis of macrolide drugs at the trace level in animal foodstuffs.
Impact of Ultraviolet Radiation on the Aging Properties of SBS-Modified Asphalt Binders
Authors: Yu Huanan , Bai Xianping , Qian Guoping , Wei Hui , Gong Xiangbing , Jin Jiao , Li Zhijie
Published: July 2019

Styrene Butadiene Styrene (SBS) polymer-modified asphalt binders have become widely used in asphalt pavement because of their advantages in high- and low-temperature performance and fatigue resistance. Asphalt pavement is inevitably exposed to sunlight and ultraviolet (UV) radiation during its construction and service life. However, consideration of the aging effect of UV radiation is still limited in current pavement design and evaluation systems. In order to evaluate the impact of UV radiation on the aging properties of SBS-modified asphalt binders, UV aging tests were performed on Rolling Thin Film Oven Test (RTFOT)-aged samples with different UV radiation intensities and aging times. Sixteen different groups of tests were conducted to compare the rheological properties and functional group characteristics of SBS-modified asphalt binders. Dynamic Shear Rheometer (DSR), Bending Beam Rheometer (BBR), FTIR, and SEM tests were conducted to evaluate the aging mechanisms in various UV aging conditions. The results found that UV radiation seriously destroys the network structure formed by the cross-linking effect in SBS-modified asphalt binders, which aggravates the degradation of SBS and results in a great change of rheological properties after UV aging. The nature of SBS-modified asphalt binder aging resulted from the degradation of SBS and the changes of asphalt binder base composition, which lead to the transformation of colloidal structure and the deterioration of asphalt binder performance. The tests also found that continuous UV radiation can increase shrinkage stress in the asphalt binder surface and leads to surface cracking of the asphalt binder.
Methylene-Bridged Tridentate Salicylaldiminato Binuclear Titanium Complexes as Copolymerization Catalysts for the Preparation of LLDPE through [Fe]/[Ti] Tandem Catalysis
Authors: Luo Yani , Li Jian , Luo Derong , You Qingliang , Yang Zifeng , Li Tingcheng , Li Xiandan , Xie Guangyong
Published: July 2019

A novel tandem catalysis system consisted of salicylaldiminato binuclear/mononuclear titanium and 2,6-bis(imino)pyridyl iron complexes was developed to catalyze ethylene in-situ copolymerization. Linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE) with varying molecular weight and branching degree was successfully prepared with ethylene as the sole monomer feed. The polymerization conditions, including the reaction temperature, the Fi/Ti molar ratio, and the structures of bi- or mononuclear Ti complexes were found to greatly influence the catalytic performances and the properties of obtained polymers. The polymers were characterized by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), high temperature gel permeation chromatography (GPC) and high temperature 13C NMR spectroscopy, and found to contain ethyl, butyl, as well as some longer branches. The binuclear titanium complexes demonstrated excellent catalytic activity (up to 8.95 × 106 g/molTi·h·atm) and showed a strong positive comonomer effect when combined with the bisiminopyridyl Fe complex. The branching degree can be tuned from 2.53 to 22.89/1000C by changing the reaction conditions or using different copolymerization pre-catalysts. The melting points, crystallinity and molecular weights of the products can also be modified accordingly. The binuclear complex Ti2L1 with methylthio sidearm showed higher capability for comonomer incorporation and produced polymers with higher branching degree and much higher molecular weight compared with the mononuclear analogue.
Sequencing of Side-Chain Liquid Crystalline Copolymers by Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Tandem Mass Spectrometry
Authors: Snyder Savannah R. , Wei Wei , Xiong Huiming , Wesdemiotis Chrys
Published: July 2019

Polyether based side-chain liquid crystalline (SCLC) copolymers with distinct microstructures were prepared using living anionic polymerization techniques. The composition, end groups, purity, and sequence of the resulting copolymers were elucidated by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI-MS) and tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS). MALDI-MS analysis confirmed the presence of (CH3)3CO– and –H end groups at the initiating (α) and terminating (ω) chain end, respectively, and allowed determination of the molecular weight distribution and comonomer content of the copolymers. The comonomer positions along the polymer chain were identified by MS/MS, from the fragments formed via C–O and C–C bond cleavages in the polyether backbone. Random and block architectures could readily be distinguished by the contiguous fragment series formed in these reactions. Notably, backbone C–C bond scission was promoted by a radical formed via initial C–O bond cleavage in the mesogenic side chain. This result documents the ability of a properly substituted side chain to induce sequence indicative bond cleavages in the polyether backbone.
Enhanced Anaerobic Mixed Culture Fermentation with Anion-Exchange Resin for Caproate Production
Authors: Yu Jiangnan , Liao Jialin , Huang Zhenxing , Wu Peng , Zhao Mingxing , Liu Chunmei , Ruan Wenquan
Published: July 2019

The bioproduction of caproate from organic waste by anaerobic mixed culture is a very attractive technology for upgrading low-grade biomass to a high-value resource. However, the caproate production process is markedly restricted by the feedback inhibition of caproate. In this study, four types of anion-exchange resin were investigated for their enhancing capability in caproate fermentation of anaerobic mixed culture. The strong base anion-exchange resin D201 showed the highest adsorption capacity (62 mg/g), selectivity (7.50), and desorption efficiency (88.2%) for caproate among the test resins. Subsequently, the optimal desorption temperature and NaOH concentration of eluent for D201 were determined. The adsorption and desorption efficiency of D201 remained stable during eight rounds of the adsorption–desorption cycle, indicating a satisfactory reusability of D201. Finally, performances of caproate fermentation with and without resin adsorption for carboxylate were evaluated. The results demonstrated that the final concentration of caproate was improved from 12.43 ± 0.29 g/L (without adsorption) to 17.30 ± 0.13 g/L (with adsorption) and the maximum caproate production rate was improved from 0.60 ± 0.01 g/L/d to 2.03 ± 0.02 g/L/d. In the group with adsorption, the cumulative caproate production was increased to 29.10 ± 0.33 g/L broth, which was 134% higher than that of the control group. Therefore, this study provides effective approaches to enhance caproate production.
Process Simulation of the Separation of Aqueous Acetonitrile Solution by Pressure Swing Distillation
Authors: Li Jing , Wang Keliang , Lian Minglei , Li Zhi , Du Tingzhao
Published: July 2019

The separation of aqueous acetonitrile solution by pressure swing distillation (PSD) was simulated and optimized through Aspen Plus software. The distillation sequence of the low pressure column (LPC) and high pressure column (HPC) was determined with a phase diagram. The pressures of the two columns were set to 1 and 4 atm, respectively. Total annual cost (TAC) was considered as the objective function, and design variables, such as the tray number, the reflux ratio, and the feeding position, were optimized. The optimum process parameters were obtained. For the reduction of energy consumption, the PSD with full-heat integration was designed. The TAC of this method is lower by 32.39% of that of the PSD without heat integration. Therefore, it is more economical to separate acetonitrile and water mixture by PSD with full-heat integration, which provides technical support for the separation design of such azeotropes.
Improvement of 1,3-Butadiene Separation in 2,3-Butanediol Dehydration Using Extractive Distillation
Authors: Song Daesung , Yoon Young-Gak , Seo Seung-Kwon , Lee Chul-Jin
Published: July 2019

This study was performed to investigate the extractive distillation for 1,3-butadiene (1,3-BD) purification as a part of the 2,3-butanediol (2,3-BDO) dehydration process. The separation of 1,3-BD from 1-butene produced as a 2,3-BDO dehydration by-product while using distillation is complicated due to the similar volatilities of the two compounds. Thus, an extractive distillation system is proposed for the effective recovery of 1,3-BD, and is compared with a conventional distillation system in terms of its performance and economic feasibility. A higher 1,3-BD recovery rate was achieved while using the proposed system and the relative profitabilities of both separation systems were analyzed according to the market price of 1,3-BD, which is a decisive variable for economic feasibility.
Statistical Process Monitoring of the Tennessee Eastman Process Using Parallel Autoassociative Neural Networks and a Large Dataset
Authors: Heo Seongmin , Lee Jay H.
Published: July 2019

In this article, the statistical process monitoring problem of the Tennessee Eastman process is considered using deep learning techniques. This work is motivated by three limitations of the existing works for such problem. First, although deep learning has been used for process monitoring extensively, in the majority of the existing works, the neural networks were trained in a supervised manner assuming that the normal/fault labels were available. However, this is not always the case in real applications. Thus, in this work, autoassociative neural networks are used, which are trained in an unsupervised fashion. Another limitation is that the typical dataset used for the monitoring of the Tennessee Eastman process is comprised of just a small number of data samples, which can be highly limiting for deep learning. The dataset used in this work is 500-times larger than the typically-used dataset and is large enough for deep learning. Lastly, an alternative neural network architecture, which is called parallel autoassociative neural networks, is proposed to decouple the training of different principal components. The proposed architecture is expected to address the co-adaptation issue of the fully-connected autoassociative neural networks. An extensive case study is designed and performed to evaluate the effects of the following neural network settings: neural network size, type of regularization, training objective function, and training epoch. The results are compared with those obtained using linear principal component analysis, and the advantages and limitations of the parallel autoassociative neural networks are illustrated.
Proteomic Analysis of Plasma-Derived Exosomes in Defining Their Role as Biomarkers of Disease Progression, Response to Therapy and Outcome
Authors: Whiteside Theresa L.
Published: July 2019

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) have recently emerged as an intercellular communication system that plays an important role in health and becomes dysfunctional in disease [...]
An Assessment of the Pakistan Water Apportionment Accord of 1991
Authors: Hassan Daniyal , Burian Steven J. , Bano Rakhshinda , Ahmed Waqas , Arfan Muhammad , Naseer Rais Muhammad , Rafique Ahmed , Ansari Kamran
Published: July 2019

The Water Apportionment Accord (WAA) of Pakistan was instituted in 1991 to allocate Indus River water among Pakistan’s provinces. This paper assesses the performance of the WAA in terms of the accord’s ability to meet the barrages’ and environmental demands in the Lower Indus Basin. Use of metrics as assessment tools in water security and climate adaptation is an important field, with the potential to inform sustainable management policy. Reliability, resiliency, and vulnerability are used as indicators to define the system’s performance against supply. The results indicate from the pre-Accord period to the post-Accord period, the reliability of Guddu Barrage (the upstream-most barrage in the study) is not changed. However, at Sukkur and Kotri, the most downstream barrage in the study, reliability has significantly decreased. The Results reveal the high vulnerability of the Indus delta in Rabi season when the flows decline and the majority of the water at the Kotri Barrage is diverted.
On the Validation of Claims with Excess Zeros in Liability Insurance: A Comparative Study
Authors: Qazvini Marjan
Published: July 2019

In this study, we consider the problem of zero claims in a liability insurance portfolio and compare the predictability of three models. We use French motor third party liability (MTPL) insurance data, which has been used for a pricing game, and show that how the type of coverage and policyholders’ willingness to subscribe to insurance pricing, based on telematics data, affects their driving behaviour and hence their claims. Using our validation set, we then predict the number of zero claims. Our results show that although a zero-inflated Poisson (ZIP) model performs better than a Poisson regression, it can even be outperformed by logistic regression.
Premium Risk Net of Reinsurance: From Short-Term to Medium-Term Assessment
Authors: Pallaria Antonio , Savelli Nino
Published: July 2019

Solvency II requirements introduced new issues for actuarial risk management in non-life insurance, challenging the market to have a consciousness of its own risk profile, and also investigating the sensitivity of the solvency ratio depending on the insurance risks and technical results on either a short-term and medium-term perspective. For this aim, in the present paper, a partial internal model for premium risk is developed for three multi-line non-life insurers, and the impact of some different business mixes is analyzed. Furthermore, the risk-mitigation and profitability impact of reinsurance in the premium risk model are introduced, and a global framework for a feasible application of this model consistent with a medium-term analysis is provided. Numerical results are also figured out with evidence of various effects for several portfolios and reinsurance arrangements, pointing out the main reasons for these differences.
Spectral–Spatial Discriminant Feature Learning for Hyperspectral Image Classification
Authors: Dong Chunhua , Naghedolfeizi Masoud , Aberra Dawit , Zeng Xiangyan
Published: July 2019

Sparse representation classification (SRC) is being widely applied to target detection in hyperspectral images (HSI). However, due to the problem in HSI that high-dimensional data contain redundant information, SRC methods may fail to achieve high classification performance, even with a large number of spectral bands. Selecting a subset of predictive features in a high-dimensional space is an important and challenging problem for hyperspectral image classification. In this paper, we propose a novel discriminant feature learning (DFL) method, which combines spectral and spatial information into a hypergraph Laplacian. First, a subset of discriminative features is selected, which preserve the spectral structure of data and the inter- and intra-class constraints on labeled training samples. A feature evaluator is obtained by semi-supervised learning with the hypergraph Laplacian. Secondly, the selected features are mapped into a further lower-dimensional eigenspace through a generalized eigendecomposition of the Laplacian matrix. The finally extracted discriminative features are used in a joint sparsity-model algorithm. Experiments conducted with benchmark data sets and different experimental settings show that our proposed method increases classification accuracy and outperforms the state-of-the-art HSI classification methods.
Investigating Spatiotemporal Patterns of Surface Urban Heat Islands in the Hangzhou Metropolitan Area, China, 2000–2015
Authors: Li Fei , Sun Weiwei , Yang Gang , Weng Qihao
Published: July 2019

Rapid urbanization has resulted in a serious urban heat island effect in the Hangzhou Metropolitan Area of China during the past decades, negatively impacting the area’s sustainable development. Using Landsat images from 2000 to 2015, this paper analysed the spatial-temporal patterns in a surface urban heat island (SUHI) and investigated its relationship with urbanization. The derived land surface temperature (LST) and surface urban heat island intensity (SUHII) were used to quantify the SUHI effect. Spatial analysis was employed to illustrate the spatial distribution and evolution of a SUHI. The geographically weighted regression (GWR) model was implemented to identify statistically significant factors that influenced the change of SUHII. The results show that hot and very hot spot areas increased from 387 km2 in 2000 to 615 km2 in 2015, and the spatial distribution changed from a monocentric to a polycentric pattern. The results also indicate that high-LST clusters moved towards the east, which was consistent with urban expansion throughout the study period. These changes mirrored the intensive development of three satellite towns. The statistical analysis suggests that both population density (e.g., changes in population density, CPOPD) and green space (e.g., changes in green space fraction, CGSF) strongly affected the changes in SUHII at different stages of the urbanization process. Increasing in population density has a lastingly effect on elevating the SUHII, whereas increasing green space has a constantly significant effect in mitigating the SUHII. These findings suggest that urban planners and policymakers should protect the cultivated lands in suburbs and exurbs, and make efforts to improve the utilization efficiency of construction land by encouraging the migrating population to live within the existing built-up regions.
A Deep Learning-Based Approach for Automated Yellow Rust Disease Detection from High-Resolution Hyperspectral UAV Images
Authors: Zhang Xin , Han Liangxiu , Dong Yingying , Shi Yue , Huang Wenjiang , Han Lianghao , González-Moreno Pablo , Ma Huiqin , Ye Huichun , Sobeih Tam
Published: July 2019

Yellow rust in winter wheat is a widespread and serious fungal disease, resulting in significant yield losses globally. Effective monitoring and accurate detection of yellow rust are crucial to ensure stable and reliable wheat production and food security. The existing standard methods often rely on manual inspection of disease symptoms in a small crop area by agronomists or trained surveyors. This is costly, time consuming and prone to error due to the subjectivity of surveyors. Recent advances in unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) mounted with hyperspectral image sensors have the potential to address these issues with low cost and high efficiency. This work proposed a new deep convolutional neural network (DCNN) based approach for automated crop disease detection using very high spatial resolution hyperspectral images captured with UAVs. The proposed model introduced multiple Inception-Resnet layers for feature extraction and was optimized to establish the most suitable depth and width of the network. Benefiting from the ability of convolution layers to handle three-dimensional data, the model used both spatial and spectral information for yellow rust detection. The model was calibrated with hyperspectral imagery collected by UAVs in five different dates across a whole crop cycle over a well-controlled field experiment with healthy and rust infected wheat plots. Its performance was compared across sampling dates and with random forest, a representative of traditional classification methods in which only spectral information was used. It was found that the method has high performance across all the growing cycle, particularly at late stages of the disease spread. The overall accuracy of the proposed model (0.85) was higher than that of the random forest classifier (0.77). These results showed that combining both spectral and spatial information is a suitable approach to improving the accuracy of crop disease detection with high resolution UAV hyperspectral images.