bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Metabolic Profiling of Dendrobium officinale in Response to Precursors and Methyl Jasmonate
Authors: Jiao Chunyan , Song Cheng , Zheng Siyan , Zhu Yingpeng , Jin Qing , Cai Yongping , Lin Yi
Published: March 2018

Alkaloids are the main active ingredients in the medicinal plant Dendrobium officinale. Based on the published genomic and transcriptomic data, a proposed terpenoid indole alkaloid (TIA) biosynthesis pathway may be present in D. officinale. In this study, protocorm-like bodies (PLBs) with a high-yielding production of alkaloids were obtained by the optimization of tryptophan, secologanin and methyl jasmonate (MeJA) treatment. The results showed that the total alkaloid content was 2.05 times greater than that of the control group when the PLBs were fed with 9 µM tryptophan, 6 µM secologanin and 100 µM MeJA after 36 days. HPLC analysis showed that strictosidine synthase (STR) activity also increased in the treated plants. A total of 78 metabolites were identified using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) in combination with liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) methods; 29 differential metabolites were identified according to the multivariate statistical analysis. Among them, carapanaubine, a kind of TIA, exhibited dramatically increased levels. In addition, a possible underlying process of the metabolic flux from related metabolism to the TIA biosynthetic pathway was enhanced. These results provide a comprehensive view of the metabolic changes related to alkaloid biosynthesis, especially TIA biosynthesis, in response to tryptophan, secologanin and MeJA treatment.
Identification and Functional Analysis of a Novel Cytochrome P450 Gene CYP9A105 Associated with Pyrethroid Detoxification in Spodoptera exigua Hübner
Authors: Wang Rui-Long , Liu Shi-Wei , Baerson Scott , Qin Zhong , Ma Zhi-Hui , Su Yi-Juan , Zhang Jia-En
Published: March 2018

In insects, cytochrome P450 monooxygenases (P450s or CYPs) are known to be involved in the detoxification and metabolism of insecticides, leading to increased resistance in insect populations. Spodoptera exigua is a serious polyphagous insect pest worldwide and has developed resistance to various insecticides. In this study, a novel CYP3 clan P450 gene CYP9A105 was identified and characterized from S. exigua. The cDNAs of CYP9A105 encoded 530 amino acid proteins, respectively. Quantitative real-time PCR analyses showed that CYP9A105 was expressed at all developmental stages, with maximal expression observed in fifth instar stage larvae, and in dissected fifth instar larvae the highest transcript levels were found in midguts and fat bodies. The expression of CYP9A105 in midguts was upregulated by treatments with the insecticides α-cypermethrin, deltamethrin and fenvalerate at both LC15 concentrations (0.10, 0.20 and 5.0 mg/L, respectively) and LC50 concentrations (0.25, 0.40 and 10.00 mg/L, respectively). RNA interference (RNAi) mediated silencing of CYP9A105 led to increased mortalities of insecticide-treated 4th instar S. exigua larvae. Our results suggest that CYP9A105 might play an important role in α-cypermethrin, deltamethrin and fenvalerate detoxification in S. exigua.
The Coordinated Activities of nAChR and Wnt Signaling Regulate Intestinal Stem Cell Function in Mice
Authors: Takahashi Toshio , Shiraishi Akira , Murata Jun
Published: March 2018

Cholinergic signaling, which modulates cell activities via nicotinic and muscarinic acetylcholine receptors (n- and mAChRs) in response to internal or external stimuli, has been demonstrated in mammalian non-neuronal cells that synthesize acetylcholine (ACh). One of the major pathways of excitatory transmission in the enteric nervous system (ENS) is mediated by cholinergic transmission, with the transmitter ACh producing excitatory potentials in postsynaptic effector cells. In addition to ACh-synthesizing and ACh-metabolizing elements in the ENS, the presence of non-neuronal ACh machinery has been reported in epithelial cells of the small and large intestines of rats and humans. However, little is known about how non-neuronal ACh controls physiological function in the intestine. Here, experiments using crypt–villus organoids that lack nerve and immune cells in culture suggest that endogenous ACh is synthesized in the intestinal epithelium to drive organoid growth and differentiation through activation of nAChRs. Treatment of organoids with nicotine enhanced cell growth and the expression of marker genes for stem and epithelial cells. On the other hand, the nAChR antagonist mecamylamine strongly inhibited the growth and differentiation of organoids, suggesting the involvement of nAChRs in the regulation of proliferation and differentiation of Lgr5-positive stem cells. More specifically, RNA sequencing analysis revealed that Wnt5a expression was dramatically upregulated after nicotine treatment, and Wnt5a rescued organoid growth and differentiation in response to mecamylamine. Taken together, our results indicate that coordinated activities of nAChR and Wnt signaling maintain Lgr5-positive stem cell activity and balanced differentiation. Furthermore, we could clearly separate the two groups, neuronal ACh in the ENS and non-neuronal ACh in the intestinal epithelium. Dysfunction of the non-neuronal cholinergic system is involved in the pathogenesis of disease. The data will increase our understanding of the cholinergic properties of non-neuronal cells and lead to optimization of drug therapy.
Current Molecular Targeted Therapies for Bone and Soft Tissue Sarcomas
Authors: Nakano Kenji , Takahashi Shunji
Published: March 2018

Systemic treatment options for bone and soft tissue sarcomas remained unchanged until the 2000s. These cancers presented challenges in new drug development partly because of their rarity and heterogeneity. Many new molecular targeting drugs have been tried in the 2010s, and some were approved for bone and soft tissue sarcoma. As one of the first molecular targeted drugs approved for solid malignant tumors, imatinib’s approval as a treatment for gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) has been a great achievement. Following imatinib, other tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) have been approved for GISTs such as sunitinib and regorafenib, and pazopanib was approved for non-GIST soft tissue sarcomas. Olaratumab, the monoclonal antibody that targets platelet-derived growth factor receptor (PDGFR)-α, was shown to extend the overall survival of soft tissue sarcoma patients and was approved in 2016 in the U.S. as a breakthrough therapy. For bone tumors, new drugs are limited to denosumab, a receptor activator of nuclear factor κB ligand (RANKL) inhibitor, for treating giant cell tumors of bone. In this review, we explain and summarize the current molecular targeting therapies approved and in development for bone and soft tissue sarcomas.
Polymeric Nano-Micelles as Novel Cargo-Carriers for LY2157299 Liver Cancer Cells Delivery
Authors: Hanafy Nemany , Quarta Alessandra , Ferraro Marzia , Dini Luciana , Nobile Concetta , De Giorgi Maria , Carallo Sonia , Citti Cinzia , Gaballo Antonio , Cannazza Giuseppe , Rinaldi Rosaria , Giannelli Gianluigi , Leporatti Stefano
Published: March 2018

LY2157299 (LY), which is very small molecule bringing high cancer diffusion, is a pathway antagonist against TGFβ. LY dosage can be diluted by blood plasma, can be captured by immune system or it might be dissolved during digestion in gastrointestinal tract. The aim of our study is to optimize a “nano-elastic” carrier to avoid acidic pH of gastrointestinal tract, colon alkaline pH, and anti-immune recognition. Polygalacturonic acid (PgA) is not degradable in the gastrointestinal tract due to its insolubility at acidic pH. To avoid PgA solubility in the colon, we have designed its conjugation with Polyacrylic acid (PAA). PgA-PAA conjugation has enhanced their potential use for oral and injected dosage. Following these pre-requisites, novel polymeric nano-micelles derived from PgA-PAA conjugation and loading LY2157299 are developed and characterized. Efficacy, uptake and targeting against a hepatocellular carcinoma cell line (HLF) have also been demonstrated.
Residual Recurrent Neural Networks for Learning Sequential Representations
Authors: Yue Boxuan , Fu Junwei , Liang Jun
Published: March 2018

Recurrent neural networks (RNN) are efficient in modeling sequences for generation and classification, but their training is obstructed by the vanishing and exploding gradient issues. In this paper, we reformulate the RNN unit to learn the residual functions with reference to the hidden state instead of conventional gated mechanisms such as long short-term memory (LSTM) and the gated recurrent unit (GRU). The residual structure has two main highlights: firstly, it solves the gradient vanishing and exploding issues for large time-distributed scales; secondly, the residual structure promotes the optimizations for backward updates. In the experiments, we apply language modeling, emotion classification and polyphonic modeling to evaluate our layer compared with LSTM and GRU layers. The results show that our layer gives state-of-the-art performance, outperforms LSTM and GRU layers in terms of speed, and supports an accuracy competitive with that of the other methods.
Structural Performances of Bridge Types in the U.S. National Bridge Inventory
Authors: Farhey Daniel
Published: March 2018

This paper demonstrates a comprehensive national network-level analysis to determine the relative deteriorations and operational structural performances of the various types of bridge structural design and/or construction. The study analyzes the entire database of the U.S. National Bridge Inventory for the year 2013 and considers bridge counts along with bridge deck areas that provide more significant results. Analysis of the proportional distribution of structural deficiency reveals issues of deterioration. Considering the structural deficiency, service life cycle and deterioration trends of bridge types over time, the multi-criteria equivalent structural performances incorporate the condition, durability, longevity, rate and pattern performances. The results provide support for more sustainable engineering and management decisions. Stringer/multi beam or girder (type 02) bridges are the most common bridge type, 40.75% by counts and 61.88% by areas. The structural performance of type 02 bridges seems comparable to the average of all bridges, yet they have lower durability and longevity performances, revealing a relative service life cycle vulnerability. The lowest structural performances are orthotropic (type 08) and segmental box girder (type 21) bridges; while their condition performances are rather high, their durability, longevity, rate and pattern performances are essentially low. The slight improvement of structural performance from 2006 to 2013 for most bridge types is not significant over seven years. Also, certain bridge types worsened.
Wearable E-Textile Technologies: A Review on Sensors, Actuators and Control Elements
Authors: Gonçalves Carlos , Ferreira da Silva Alexandre , Gomes João , Simoes Ricardo
Published: March 2018

Wearable e-textiles are able to perform electronic functions and are perceived as a way to add features into common wearable textiles, building competitive market advantages. The e-textile production has become not only a research effort but also an industrial production challenge. It is important to know how to use existing industrial processes or to develop new ones that are able to scale up production, ensuring the behavior and performance of prototypes. Despite the technical challenges, there are already some examples of wearable e-textiles where sensors, actuators, and production techniques were used to seamlessly embed electronic features into traditional wearable textiles, which allow for daily use without a bionic stigma.
Helicobacter Pylori Serology in Relation to Hepatitis C Virus Infection and IL28B Single Nucleotide Polymorphism
Authors: Gutwerk Alexander , Wex Thomas , Stein Kerstin , Langner Cosima , Canbay Ali , Malfertheiner Peter , Link Alexander
Published: March 2018

The aim of the study was to evaluate the serological rate of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and determine any correlations with liver damage and IL28B single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP). One hundred eighty-nine patients with chronic HCV infection were included in the study, and H. pylori status was defined based on anti-H. pylori-IgG or anti-CagA-IgG antibodies using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Liver damage was assessed using histology or transient elastography. IL28B C/T polymorphism (rs12979860) was evaluated in circulating blood cells using a PCR-based restriction fragment length polymorphism assay. Overall H. pylori serology was positive in 38.1% of our HCV-infected subjects. Among those, the anti-CagA-IgG positivity rate was 43.1% and was within the range of previously described populations of the same region. Highest prevalence of H. pylori was found in patients between 31 and 40 years compared to other age subgroups. The seropositivity rate was higher in the non-cirrhotic group than the cirrhotic one (45.4% vs. 20.0%, p < 0.05). No difference was found in IL28B genotype between H. pylori-positive and -negative cohorts. However, we observed a trend for the lower anti-CagA-IgG expression level in relation to the IL28B T-allele. Our results do not support an association between HCV and H. pylori infection. Whether IL28B SNP has a functional role in modulation of serological response to H. pylori CagA needs further investigation.
CT-Based Micro-Mechanical Approach to Predict Response of Closed-Cell Porous Biomaterials to Low-Velocity Impact
Authors: Koloushani Mehrdad , Hedayati Reza , Sadighi Mojtaba , Mohammadi-Aghdam Mohammad
Published: March 2018

In this study, a new numerical approach based on CT-scan images and finite element (FE) method has been used to predict the mechanical behavior of closed-cell foams under impact loading. Micro-structural FE models based on CT-scan images of foam specimens (elastic-plastic material model with material constants of bulk aluminum) and macro-mechanical FE models (with crushable foam material model with material constants of foams) were constructed. Several experimental tests were also conducted to see which of the two noted (micro- or macro-) mechanical FE models can better predict the deformation and force-displacement curves of foams. Compared to the macro-structural models, the results of the micro-structural models were much closer to the corresponding experimental results. This can be explained by the fact that the micro-structural models are able to take into account the interaction of stress waves with cell walls and the complex pathways the stress waves have to go through, while the macro-structural models do not have such capabilities. Despite their high demand for computational resources, using micro-scale FE models is very beneficial when one needs to understand the failure mechanisms acting in the micro-structure of a foam in order to modify or diminish them.
Quantitative Analysis of 3D Reconstruction Parameters of Multi-Materialsin Soft Clay
Authors: Liu Zhiqing , Song Jing , Yang Yushuang , Li Xue
Published: March 2018

The results of the three-dimensional reconstruction of soil were derived from the X-ray absorption coefficient of the material itself. However, the absorption coefficient is not a fixed value, and is related to densities, chemical molecular weight, and the weight percentages of chemical components. How to accurately obtain the density of one component is a vital issue in multi-materials. In this study, the influence of the physical parameters of each component in the data-constrained modeling (DCM) of the microstructure of soft clay was investigated. The results showed that density changes were more prominent. A reasonable multi-component density was calculated, and the density of organic matter had a significant effect on the volume percentage of three-dimensional soft clay. In the clay mineral montmorillonite, the density significantly affected the volume percentage data, which directly limited the accuracy of the material distribution analysis. Based on this, other physical parameters of each component in the data constraint model could be further explored. Based on the density value of the simple material, a reasonable multi-materials density was calculated, which provides a quantitative method for the evolution analysis of soil structure.
Ensemble Learning or Deep Learning? Application to Default Risk Analysis
Authors: Hamori Shigeyuki , Kawai Minami , Kume Takahiro , Murakami Yuji , Watanabe Chikara
Published: March 2018

Proper credit-risk management is essential for lending institutions, as substantial losses can be incurred when borrowers default. Consequently, statistical methods that can measure and analyze credit risk objectively are becoming increasingly important. This study analyzes default payment data and compares the prediction accuracy and classification ability of three ensemble-learning methods—specifically, bagging, random forest, and boosting—with those of various neural-network methods, each of which has a different activation function. The results obtained indicate that the classification ability of boosting is superior to other machine-learning methods including neural networks. It is also found that the performance of neural-network models depends on the choice of activation function, the number of middle layers, and the inclusion of dropout.
Assessing Climate Smart Agriculture and Its Determinants of Practice in Ghana: A Case of the Cocoa Production System
Authors: Akrofi-Atitianti Felix , Ifejika Speranza Chinwe , Bockel Louis , Asare Richard
Published: March 2018

Agriculture in Africa is not only exposed to climate change impacts but is also a source of greenhouse gases (GHGs). While GHG emissions in Africa are relatively minimal in global dimensions, agriculture in the continent constitutes a major source of GHG emissions. In Ghana, agricultural emissions are accelerating, mainly due to ensuing deforestation of which smallholder cocoa farming is largely associated. The sector is also bedevilled by soil degradation, pests, diseases and poor yields coupled with poor agronomic practices. Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA) thus offers a way to reduce the sector’s GHG emissions and to adapt the sector to the adverse impacts of climate change. This study assesses the potential of CSA vis-à-vis conventional cocoa systems to enhance production, mitigate and/or remove GHG emissions and build resilience, in addition to understanding key determinants influencing CSA practices. Using a mixed methods approach, data was collected in Ghana’s Juabeso and Atwima Mponua districts through semi-structured household questionnaires administered to 80 household heads of cocoa farms, two focus group discussions and expert interviews. A farm budget analysis of productivity and economic performance for both scenarios show that CSA practitioners had a 29% higher income per ha compared to the conventional farmers. Estimations using the FAO Ex-Ante Carbon-Balance Tool (EX-ACT) indicate CSA practices preserve forest resources without which the effect on carbon balance as presented by conventional farming would remain a source of GHG emissions. Farm tenure, age of farmers, location of farm, residential status and access to extension services were the main determining factors influencing CSA practices among cocoa farmers. An in-depth understanding of these indicators can help identify ways to strengthen CSA strategies in the cocoa sector and their contributions to climate change mitigation and resilience.
Considering Materials Management in Construction: An Exploratory Study
Authors: Dakhli Zakaria , Lafhaj Zoubeir
Published: March 2018

While materials count for a considerable amount of construction costs, the way materials are managed seems to be improvised rather than approached methodically. This study investigates the practice of novel techniques used to manage materials in the construction industry. Techniques that have already proven themselves to be efficient ways to manage the production pace within the industry include the pull system, Just-In-Time, Kitting and off-site fabrication. These are explained and assessed in the context of the French construction industry through an exploratory study, supported by a questionnaire completed by contractors. The results reveal that a clear plan to manage materials on-site is lacking among the respondents, creating common inventory problems. This research provides evidence to support the central role played by an efficient management of material flow on-site. It also highlights the obstacles that hinder the adoption of innovative techniques, such as sub-contractor coordination.
Liquid Crystal Elastomers—A Path to Biocompatible and Biodegradable 3D-LCE Scaffolds for Tissue Regeneration
Authors: Prévôt Marianne , Ustunel Senay , Hegmann Elda
Published: March 2018

The development of appropriate materials that can make breakthroughs in tissue engineering has long been pursued by the scientific community. Several types of material have been long tested and re-designed for this purpose. At the same time, liquid crystals (LCs) have captivated the scientific community since their discovery in 1888 and soon after were thought to be, in combination with polymers, artificial muscles. Within the past decade liquid crystal elastomers (LCE) have been attracting increasing interest for their use as smart advanced materials for biological applications. Here, we examine how LCEs can potentially be used as dynamic substrates for culturing cells, moving away from the classical two-dimensional cell-culture nature. We also briefly discuss the integration of a few technologies for the preparation of more sophisticated LCE-composite scaffolds for more dynamic biomaterials. The anisotropic properties of LCEs can be used not only to promote cell attachment and the proliferation of cells, but also to promote cell alignment under LCE-stimulated deformation. 3D LCEs are ideal materials for new insights to simulate and study the development of tissues and the complex interplay between cells.
Advancements, Challenges and Prospects of Chemical Vapour Pressure at Atmospheric Pressure on Vanadium Dioxide Structures
Authors: Drosos Charalampos , Vernardou Dimitra
Published: March 2018

Vanadium (IV) oxide (VO2) layers have received extensive interest for applications in smart windows to batteries and gas sensors due to the multi-phases of the oxide. Among the methods utilized for their growth, chemical vapour deposition is a technology that is proven to be industrially competitive because of its simplicity when performed at atmospheric pressure (APCVD). APCVD’s success has shown that it is possible to create tough and stable materials in which their stoichiometry may be precisely controlled. Initially, we give a brief overview of the basic processes taking place during this procedure. Then, we present recent progress on experimental procedures for isolating different polymorphs of VO2. We outline emerging techniques and processes that yield in optimum characteristics for potentially useful layers. Finally, we discuss the possibility to grow 2D VO2 by APCVD.
Production of Low Cost Carbon-Fiber through Energy Optimization of Stabilization Process
Authors: Golkarnarenji Gelayol , Naebe Minoo , Badii Khashayar , Milani Abbas , Jazar Reza , Khayyam Hamid
Published: March 2018

To produce high quality and low cost carbon fiber-based composites, the optimization of the production process of carbon fiber and its properties is one of the main keys. The stabilization process is the most important step in carbon fiber production that consumes a large amount of energy and its optimization can reduce the cost to a large extent. In this study, two intelligent optimization techniques, namely Support Vector Regression (SVR) and Artificial Neural Network (ANN), were studied and compared, with a limited dataset obtained to predict physical property (density) of oxidative stabilized PAN fiber (OPF) in the second zone of a stabilization oven within a carbon fiber production line. The results were then used to optimize the energy consumption in the process. The case study can be beneficial to chemical industries involving carbon fiber manufacturing, for assessing and optimizing different stabilization process conditions at large.
Collagens of Poriferan Origin
Authors: Ehrlich Hermann , Wysokowski Marcin , Żółtowska-Aksamitowska Sonia , Petrenko Iaroslav , Jesionowski Teofil
Published: March 2018

The biosynthesis, structural diversity, and functionality of collagens of sponge origin are still paradigms and causes of scientific controversy. This review has the ambitious goal of providing thorough and comprehensive coverage of poriferan collagens as a multifaceted topic with intriguing hypotheses and numerous challenging open questions. The structural diversity, chemistry, and biochemistry of collagens in sponges are analyzed and discussed here. Special attention is paid to spongins, collagen IV-related proteins, fibrillar collagens from demosponges, and collagens from glass sponge skeletal structures. The review also focuses on prospects and trends in applications of sponge collagens for technology, materials science and biomedicine.
Electrodermal Activity during Blood Pooling for Arterial Blood Gases Analysis in Sedated Adult Intensive Care Unit Patients
Authors: Aslanidis Theodoros , Grosomanidis Vasilios , Karakoulas Konstantinos , Chatzisotiriou Athanasios
Published: March 2018

Electrodermal activity (EDA) is considered a measure of autonomous nervous system activity. This study performed an exploratory analysis of the EDA changes during blood pooling for arterial blood gas analysis in sedated adult critical care patients and correlated the variations to other monitored parameters. EDA, along with other parameters, were monitored during 4 h routine daytime intensive care nursing and treatment in an adult ICU. 4 h measurements were divided into two groups based upon the sedation level. Selected recordings before and after blood pooling for arterial blood gases analysis (stress event) was performed. Nine stress events from Group A and 17 from Group B were included for further analysis. Patients’ demographics, laboratory exams, and severity scores were recorded. For both sedation levels, EDA changes are much greater than any other monitoring parameters used. The changes are noticed in both measurement (15 s and 60 s), even though in the 60 s measurement only selected EDA parameters are significantly changed after the start of the procedure. EDA measurements are more sensitive to a given stress event than cardiovascular or respiratory parameters. However, the present results could only be considered as a pilot study. More studies are needed in order to identify the real stress-load and clinical significance of such stimuli, which are considered otherwise painless in those patients.
Electrospun Fibrous Scaffolds for Small-Diameter Blood Vessels: A Review
Authors: Awad Nasser , Niu Haitao , Ali Usman , Morsi Yosry , Lin Tong
Published: March 2018

Small-diameter blood vessels (SDBVs) are still a challenging task to prepare due to the occurrence of thrombosis formation, intimal hyperplasia, and aneurysmal dilation. Electrospinning technique, as a promising tissue engineering approach, can fabricate polymer fibrous scaffolds that satisfy requirements on the construction of extracellular matrix (ECM) of native blood vessel and promote the adhesion, proliferation, and growth of cells. In this review, we summarize the polymers that are deployed for the fabrication of SDBVs and classify them into three categories, synthetic polymers, natural polymers, and hybrid polymers. Furthermore, the biomechanical properties and the biological activities of the electrospun SBVs including anti-thrombogenic ability and cell response are discussed. Polymer blends seem to be a strategic way to fabricate SDBVs because it combines both suitable biomechanical properties coming from synthetic polymers and favorable sites to cell attachment coming from natural polymers.
Characterization on the Microstructure Evolution and Toughness of TIG Weld Metal of 25Cr2Ni2MoV Steel after Post Weld Heat Treatment
Authors: Liu Xia , Cai Zhipeng , Yang Sida , Feng Kai , Li Zhuguo
Published: March 2018

The microstructure and toughness of tungsten inert gas (TIG) backing weld parts in low-pressure steam turbine welded rotors contribute significantly to the total toughness of the weld metal. In this study, the microstructure evolution and toughness of TIG weld metal of 25Cr2Ni2MoV steel low-pressure steam turbine welded rotor under different post-weld heat treatment (PWHT) conditions are investigated. The fractography and microstructure of weld metal after PWHT are characterized by optical microscope, SEM, and TEM, respectively. The Charpy impact test is carried out to evaluate the toughness of the weld. The optical microscope and SEM results indicate that the as-welded sample is composed of granular bainite, acicular ferrite and blocky martensite/austenite (M-A) constituent. After PWHT at 580 °C, the blocky M-A decomposes into ferrite and carbides. Both the number and size of precipitated carbides increase with holding time. The impact test results show that the toughness decreases dramatically after PWHT and further decreases with holding time at 580 °C. The precipitated carbides are identified as M23C6 carbides by TEM, which leads to the dramatic decrease in the toughness of TIG weld metal of 25Cr2Ni2MoV steel.
Multi-Objective Optimizations of a Serpentine Micromixer with Crossing Channels at Low and High Reynolds Numbers
Authors: Raza Wasim , Ma Sang-Bum , Kim Kwang-Yong
Published: March 2018

In order to maximize the mixing performance of a micromixer with an integrated three-dimensional serpentine and split-and-recombination configuration, multi-objective optimizations were performed at two different Reynolds numbers, 1 and 120, based on numerical simulation. Numerical analyses of fluid flow and mixing in the micromixer were performed using three-dimensional Navier-Stokes equations and convection-diffusion equation. Three dimensionless design variables that were related to the geometry of the micromixer were selected as design variables for optimization. Mixing index at the exit and pressure drop through the micromixer were employed as two objective functions. A parametric study was carried out to explore the effects of the design variables on the objective functions. Latin hypercube sampling method as a design-of-experiment technique has been used to select design points in the design space. Surrogate modeling of the objective functions was performed by using radial basis neural network. Concave Pareto-optimal curves comprising of Pareto-optimal solutions that represents the trade-off between the objective functions were obtained using a multi-objective genetic algorithm at Re = 1 and 120. Through the optimizations, maximum enhancements of 18.8% and 6.0% in mixing index were achieved at Re = 1 and 120, respectively.
Synthesis of Dihydrooxepino[3,2-c]Pyrazoles via Claisen Rearrangement and Ring-Closing Metathesis from 4-Allyloxy-1H-pyrazoles
Authors: Usami Yoshihide , Kohno Aoi , Yoneyama Hiroki , Harusawa Shinya
Published: March 2018

Synthesis of novel pyrazole-fused heterocycles, i.e., dihydro-1H- or 2H-oxepino[3,2-c]pyrazoles (6 or 7) from 4-allyloxy-1H-pyrazoles (1) via combination of Claisen rearrangement and ring-closing metathesis (RCM) has been achieved. A suitable catalyst for the RCM of 5-allyl-4-allyloxy-1H-pyrazoles (4) was proved to be the Grubbs second generation catalyst (Grubbs2nd) to give the predicted RCM product at room temperature in three hours. The same reactions of the regioisomer, 3-allyl-4-allyloxy-1H-pyrazoles (5), also proceeded to give the corresponding RCM products. On the other hand, microwave aided RCM at 140 °C on both of 4 and 5 afforded mixtures of isomeric products with double bond rearrangement from normal RCM products in spite of remarkable reduction of the reaction time to 10 min.
Tunable Electronic and Topological Properties of Germanene by Functional Group Modification
Authors: Ren Ceng-Ceng , Zhang Shu-Feng , Ji Wei-Xiao , Zhang Chang-Wen , Li Ping , Wang Pei-Ji
Published: March 2018

Electronic and topological properties of two-dimensional germanene modified by functional group X (X = H, F, OH, CH3) at full coverage are studied with first-principles calculation. Without considering the effect of spin-orbit coupling (SOC), all functionalized configurations become semiconductors, removing the Dirac cone at K point in pristine germanene. We also find that their band gaps can be especially well tuned by an external strain. When the SOC is switched on, GeX (X = H, CH3) is a normal insulator and strain leads to a phase transition to a topological insulator (TI) phase. However, GeX (X = F, OH) becomes a TI with a large gap of 0.19 eV for X = F and 0.24 eV for X = OH, even without external strains. More interestingly, when all these functionalized monolayers form a bilayer structure, semiconductor-metal states are observed. All these results suggest a possible route of modulating the electronic properties of germanene and promote applications in nanoelectronics.
Resveratrol Inhibits Porcine Intestinal Glucose and Alanine Transport: Potential Roles of Na+/K+-ATPase Activity, Protein Kinase A, AMP-Activated Protein Kinase and the Association of Selected Nutrient Transport Proteins with Detergent Resistant Membranes
Authors: Klinger Stefanie , Breves Gerhard
Published: March 2018

Background: Beneficial effects of Resveratrol (RSV) have been demonstrated, including effects on transporters and channels. However, little is known about how RSV influences intestinal transport. The aim of this study was to further characterize the effects of RSV on intestinal transport and the respective mechanisms. Methods: Porcine jejunum and ileum were incubated with RSV (300 µM, 30 min) in Ussing chambers (functional studies) and tissue bathes (detection of protein expression, phosphorylation, association with detergent resistant membranes (DRMs)). Results: RSV reduced alanine and glucose-induced short circuit currents (ΔIsc) and influenced forskolin-induced ΔIsc. The phosphorylation of sodium–glucose-linked transporter 1 (SGLT1), AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), protein kinase A substrates (PKA-S) and liver kinase B1 (LKB1) increased but a causative relation to the inhibitory effects could not directly be established. The DRM association of SGLT1, peptide transporter 1 (PEPT1) and (phosphorylated) Na+/H+-exchanger 3 (NHE3) did not change. Conclusion: RSV influences the intestinal transport of glucose, alanine and chloride and is likely to affect other transport processes. As the effects of protein kinase activation vary between the intestinal localizations, it would appear that increasing cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) levels are part of the mechanism. Nonetheless, the physiological responses depend on cell type-specific structures.
Body Fat Measurements in Singaporean Adults Using Four Methods
Authors: Bi Xinyan , Loo Yi , Henry Christiani
Published: March 2018

Few studies have been conducted to measure body composition in Asian populations. In this study, we determined the percent body fat (PBF) by using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA), air-displacement plethysmography (ADP or BOD POD), bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) and skinfold (SKF) in 445 healthy Singaporean adults. We observed that the BOD POD, BIA and SKF estimates of PBF were highly correlated with that from DEXA (as a reference method) among Singaporean adults. However, they all underestimated PBF (differences of 3.9% for BOD POD, 5.6% for BIA and 12.5% for SKF). Our results filled a gap in the literature by testing the relationships between DEXA and BOD POD, BIA and SKF in a large sample with a wide range of body mass index (BMI) from 16.1 to 37.5 kg/m2 and age from 21 to 69.2 years. The differences of PBF measured by different methods were dependent on age, gender and ethnicity. No significant difference was observed between DEXA and BOD POD in men aged > 40 or in BMI tertile 3. However, the mean difference between DEXA and BOD POD was significant in women. Different measuring methods of estimating PBF therefore must be cautiously interpreted.
Higher Dietary Magnesium Intake and Higher Magnesium Status Are Associated with Lower Prevalence of Coronary Heart Disease in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes
Authors: Gant Christina , Soedamah-Muthu Sabita , Binnenmars S. , Bakker Stephan , Navis Gerjan , Laverman Gozewijn
Published: March 2018

In type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D), the handling of magnesium is disturbed. Magnesium deficiency may be associated with a higher risk of coronary heart disease (CHD). We investigated the associations between (1) dietary magnesium intake; (2) 24 h urinary magnesium excretion; and (3) plasma magnesium concentration with prevalent CHD in T2D patients. This cross-sectional analysis was performed on baseline data from the DIAbetes and LifEstyle Cohort Twente-1 (DIALECT-1, n = 450, age 63 ± 9 years, 57% men, and diabetes duration of 11 (7–18) years). Prevalence ratios (95% CI) of CHD by sex-specific quartiles of magnesium indicators, as well as by magnesium intake per dietary source, were determined using multivariable Cox proportional hazard models. CHD was present in 100 (22%) subjects. Adjusted CHD prevalence ratios for the highest compared to the lowest quartiles were 0.40 (0.20, 0.79) for magnesium intake, 0.63 (0.32, 1.26) for 24 h urinary magnesium excretion, and 0.62 (0.32, 1.20) for plasma magnesium concentration. For every 10 mg increase of magnesium intake from vegetables, the prevalence of CHD was, statistically non-significantly, lower (0.75 (0.52, 1.08)). In this T2D cohort, higher magnesium intake, higher 24 h urinary magnesium excretion, and higher plasma magnesium concentration are associated with a lower prevalence of CHD.
Generic Meal Patterns Identified by Latent Class Analysis: Insights from NANS (National Adult Nutrition Survey)
Authors: Uzhova Irina , Woolhead Clara , Timon Claire , O’Sullivan Aifric , Brennan Lorraine , Peñalvo José , Gibney Eileen
Published: March 2018

Nutritional data reduction methods are widely applied in nutrition epidemiology in order to classify individuals into meaningful groups with similar dietary patterns. To date, none of the existing studies have applied latent class analysis to examine dietary patterns which include meal types consumed throughout a day. We investigated main meal patterns followed on weekend and weekdays, and evaluated their associations with cardio-metabolic biomarkers. The analyses were performed within the NANS (National Adult Nutrition Survey) a cross-sectional national food consumption survey of 1500 nationally representative Irish adults. A total number of seven dietary patterns were identified using latent class analysis. The typical meal pattern followed by the majority of the population was characterized by consumption of cereal or toast for breakfast, skipping or consuming a sandwich for light meal, and meat or fish with potatoes, pasta or vegetables for the main meal. Eating patterns differed on weekends, and those participants who consumed meat and eggs for breakfast instead of breakfast cereal and skipped light meal were more likely to have an unhealthier dietary pattern, a higher diastolic blood pressure, and increased serum ferritin. The application of data reduction techniques to simplify the multifaceted nature of dietary data is a useful approach to derive patterns, which might shed further light on the typical dietary patterns followed by populations.
Meat Mutagens and Colorectal Adenoma and Cancer: A Problem with a Recently Published Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Le Ngoan
Published: March 2018

Dear Editors and Authors, I had the pleasure to read the published article entitled [1] “Dietary Intake of Meat Cooking-Related Mutagens (HCAs) and Risk of Colorectal Adenoma and Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis” [...]
Realistic Compactification Models in Einstein–Gauss–Bonnet Gravity
Authors: Pavluchenko Sergey
Published: March 2018

We report the results of a study on the dynamical compactification of spatially flat cosmological models in Einstein–Gauss–Bonnet gravity. The analysis was performed in the arbitrary dimension in order to be more general. We consider both vacuum and Λ -term cases. Our results suggest that for vacuum case, realistic compactification into the Kasner (power law) regime occurs with any number of dimensions (D), while the compactification into the exponential solution occurs only for D ⩾ 2 . For the Λ -term case only compactification into the exponential solution exists, and it only occurs for D ⩾ 2 as well. Our results, combined with the bounds on Gauss–Bonnet coupling and the Λ -term ( α , Λ , respectively) from other considerations, allow for the tightening of the existing constraints and forbid α < 0 .
Assessing the Understanding of Pharmaceutical Pictograms among Cultural Minorities: The Example of Hindu Individuals Communicating in European Portuguese
Authors: Kanji Lakhan , Xu Sensen , Cavaco Afonso
Published: March 2018

One of the sources of poor health outcomes is the lack of compliance with the prescribed treatment plans, often due to communication barriers between healthcare professionals and patients. Pictograms are a form of communication that conveys meaning through its pictorial resemblance to a physical object or an action. Pharmaceutical pictograms are often associated with a better comprehension of treatment regimens, although their use is still subject to limitations. The main goal of this study was to examine the potential understanding of pharmaceutical pictograms by a cultural minority when providing patient information while comparing the effectiveness of two reference systems (United States Pharmacopeia USP and International Pharmacy Federation FIP) for this purpose. A self-administered questionnaire was developed comprising 30 pictograms, 15 selected from the United States Pharmacopeia Dispensing Information and the equivalent from the International Pharmaceutical Federation. The questionnaire comprised plain instructions, socio-demographic data, self-reported language fluency and pictogram labels in Portuguese presented to conveniently selected members of the Hindu community of Lisbon (Portugal) until reaching a quota of 50. Participants showed difficulties in understanding some pictograms, which was related to the self-reported reduced fluency in Portuguese. Overall, the interpretation of USP pictograms was better than FIP ones, as well as for pictograms composed of multiple images, presenting a negative reading, or when conveying information unrelated to medication instructions. Even using internationally validated pictograms, added care should be taken when community pharmacists use such communication resources with cultural minorities. It is important not to disregard other forms of patient communication and information, considering pictograms as a complement to other forms of patient counselling.
Enhanced Figures of Merit for a High-Performing Actuator in Electrostrictive Materials
Authors: Della Schiava Nellie , Thetpraphi Kritsadi , Le Minh-Quyen , Lermusiaux Patrick , Millon Antoine , Capsal Jean-Fabien , Cottinet Pierre-Jean
Published: March 2018

The overall performance of an electrostrictive polymer is rated by characteristic numbers, such as its transverse strain, blocking force, and energy density, which are clearly limited by several parameters. Besides the geometrical impact, intrinsic material parameters, such as the permittivity coefficient as well as the Young’s modulus and the breakdown electric field, have strong influences on the actuation properties of an electroactive polymer and thus on the device’s overall behavior. As a result, an analysis of the figures of merit (FOMs) involving all relevant material parameters for the transverse strain, the blocking force, and the energy density was carried out, making it possible to determine the choice of polymer matrix in order to achieve a high actuator performance. Another purpose of this work was to demonstrate the possibility of accurately measuring the free deflection without the application of an external force and inversely measuring the blocking force under quasi-static displacement. The experimental results show good electrostrictive characteristics of the plasticized terpolymer under relatively low electric fields.
The Use of Polymer Chitosan in Intravesical Treatment of Urinary Bladder Cancer and Infections
Authors: Erman Andreja , Veranič Peter
Published: March 2018

The most frequent diseases of the urinary bladder are bacterial infections and bladder cancers. For both diseases, very high recurrence rates are characteristic: 50–80% for bladder cancer and more than 50% for bladder infections, causing loss of millions of dollars per year for medical treatment and sick leave. Despite years of searching for better treatment, the prevalence of bladder infections and bladder cancer remains unchanged and is even increasing in recent years. Very encouraging results in treatment of both diseases recently culminated from studies combining biopolymer chitosan with immunotherapy, and chitosan with antibiotics for treatment of bladder cancer and cystitis, respectably. In both pathways of research, the discoveries involving chitosan reached a successful long-lasting cure. The property of chitosan that boosted the effectivity of illness-specific drugs is its ability to enhance the accessibility of these drugs to the very sources of both pathologies that individual treatments without chitosan failed to achieve. Chitosan can thus be recognised as a very promising co-player in treatment of bladder cancer and bacterial cystitis.
Revealing the Interface Structure and Bonding Mechanism of Coupling Agent Treated WPC
Authors: Rao Jiuping , Zhou Yonghui , Fan Mizi
Published: March 2018

This paper presents the interfacial optimisation of wood plastic composites (WPC) based on recycled wood flour and polyethylene by employing maleated and silane coupling agents. The effect of the incorporation of the coupling agents on the variation of chemical structure of the composites were investigated by Attenuated total reflectance-Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) and Solid state 13C Nuclear Magnetic Resonance spectroscopy (NMR) analyses. The results revealed the chemical reactions that occurred between the coupling agents and raw materials, which thus contributed to the enhancement of compatibility and interfacial adhesion between the constituents of WPC. NMR results also indicated that there existed the transformation of crystalline cellulose to an amorphous state during the coupling agent treatments, reflecting the inferior resonance of crystalline carbohydrates. Fluorescence Microscope (FM) and Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) analyses showed the improvements of wood particle dispersion and wettability, compatibility of the constituents, and resin penetration, and impregnation of the composites after the coupling agent treatments. The optimised interface of the composites was attributed to interdiffusion, electrostatic adhesion, chemical reactions, and mechanical interlocking bonding mechanisms.