bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Postharvest Loss Assessment of Rice at Selected Areas of Gazipur District
Authors: Nath BC , Hossen MA , Islam AKMS , Huda MD , Paul S , Rahman MA
Published: December 2016

Mechanical intervention in rice (Oryza sativa L.) postharvest operation especially harvesting, threshing and carrying is increasing due to shifting labour from agriculture to non-agricultural sector. It was hypothesized that mechanical intervention in rice postharvest operation will increase the postharvest losses. A two-year study (2008-2010) was conducted during Aus, Aman and Boro seasons in six locations of sadar upazila at Gazipur district to test the hypothesis. The widely used varieties of BR11, BR23, BR26, BR27, BRRI dhan28, BRRI dhan29 were used to assess the losses during harvesting to drying. In the study areas, farmers common practices (harvesting paddy by sickle; transportation by head, shoulder and power tiller operated trolley; threshing by open drum and close drum thresher; cleaning by traditional cleaning device kula and winnower and sun drying) were used to assess the postharvest losses. The average postharvest losses from harvesting to drying recorded 10% in three rice growing seasons. Losses due to mechanical threshing and traditional sun drying were 3.16% and 3.14% respectively. Power tiller operated trolley showed the lowest carrying loss compared to shoulder and head carrying methods. Both kula and winnower were observed as the most appropriate method of grain cleaning. Mechanical intervention in threshing increased the losses, whereas decreased in transportation and winnowing. These data might be used for policy makers to assess the national food grain loss and for researchers to design and development new technology to reduce the postharvest loss. The study should be continued to other regions for consistent results.Bangladesh Rice j. 2016, 20(1): 23-32
Fertilizer and Weed Management Options for Direct Wet Seeded Rice in Dry Season
Authors: Shultana R , Biswas JC , Mamun MAA , Nahar L
Published: December 2016

Direct seeding of rice is an emerging technology. However, direct seeded rice culture in the main field is hindered by enormous weed infestation and it lacks judicious fertilizer management. So, experiments were conducted during dry seasons of 2010 and 2012 with three fertilizer packages and four weed control measures. Rice seed was sown in the field using drum seeder in wet soil. The results revealed that weed density and weed biomass were strongly influenced by weed control methods and fertilizer rates. Weed density was higher in unweeded plots with 140:36:43 kg NPK ha-1. Among the species Echinichloa crusgalli (L.) P. Beauv. was the dominant species. Three hand weeding controlled maximum weeds. Uses of herbicide for controlling weeds were above 80 and 70% effective. Strong negative correlation was recorded between grain yield and weed density. Herbicide with one hand weeding and BRRI weeder in combination with 160:46:53 kg NPK ha-1 produced about 81- 104% higher grain yield than no weeding. Weed free plot produced 112% higher yield with 160:46:53 kg NPK ha-1. Besides, herbicide with one hand weeding and BRRI weeder treated plot produced similar yield irrespective of fertilizer doses. The strong positive and linear relationship was found in case of yield and yield components. Herbicide with one hand weeding and 120:26:33 kg NPK ha-1 gave higher net return (1145 $/ha). The benefit cost ratio was also higher in herbicide based weed management with reduced rate of fertilizer. Direct seeded culture using herbicide with one hand weeding and 120:26:33 kg NPK ha-1 could be an option for reducing production cost in dry season along with satisfactory grain yield.Bangladesh Rice j. 2016, 20(1): 65-75
Silymarin Activates c-AMP Phosphodiesterase and Stimulates Insulin Secretion in a Glucose-Dependent Manner in HIT-T15 Cells
Authors: Meng Ran , Mahadevan Jana , Oseid Elizabeth , Vallerie Sara , Robertson R.
Published: December 2016

Silymarin (SIL) is a flavonoid extracted from milk thistle seed that has been reported to decrease hyperglycemia in people with type 2 diabetes (T2D). However, it is not known whether SIL has direct secretory effects on β-cells. Using the β-cell line HIT-T15, SIL was shown to decrease intracellular peroxide levels and to augment glucose-stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS). However, the latter was observed using a concentration range of 25–100 µM, which was too low to affect endogenous peroxide levels. The stimulatory effect of SIL dissipated at higher concentrations (100–200 µM), and mild apoptosis was observed. The smaller concentrations of SIL also decreased cAMP phosphodiesterase activity in a Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent manner. The stimulatory effects of SIL on GSIS were inhibited by three different inhibitors of exocytosis, indicating that SIL’s mechanism of stimulating GSIS operated via closing β-cell K-ATP channels, and perhaps more distal sites of action involving calcium influx and G-proteins. We concluded that augmentation of GSIS by SIL can be observed at concentrations that also inhibit cAMP phosphodiesterase without concomitant lowering of intracellular peroxides.
Nonlinear Vibration Response of a Rectangular Tube with a Flexible End and Non-Rigid Acoustic Boundaries
Authors: Lee Yiu-Yin
Published: December 2016

This paper addresses the analysis for the nonlinear vibration response of a rectangular tube with a flexible end and non-rigid acoustic boundaries. The structural–acoustic modal formulations are developed from the Duffing differential equation and wave equation, which represent the large-amplitude structural vibration of a flexible panel coupled with a cavity. This problem considers both non-rigid acoustic boundary and structural cubic nonlinearity. The multi-level residue harmonic balance method is employed for solving the nonlinear coupled differential equations developed in the problem. The results obtained from the proposed method and numerical method are generally in good agreement. The effects of excitation magnitude, tube length, and phase shift parameter, etc., are examined.
Operational Approach and Solutions of Hyperbolic Heat Conduction Equations
Authors: Zhukovsky Konstantin
Published: December 2016

We studied physical problems related to heat transport and the corresponding differential equations, which describe a wider range of physical processes. The operational method was employed to construct particular solutions for them. Inverse differential operators and operational exponent as well as operational definitions and operational rules for generalized orthogonal polynomials were used together with integral transforms and special functions. Examples of an electric charge in a constant electric field passing under a potential barrier and of heat diffusion were compared and explored in two dimensions. Non-Fourier heat propagation models were studied and compared with each other and with Fourier heat transfer. Exact analytical solutions for the hyperbolic heat equation and for its extensions were explored. The exact analytical solution for the Guyer-Krumhansl type heat equation was derived. Using the latter, the heat surge propagation and relaxation was studied for the Guyer-Krumhansl heat transport model, for the Cattaneo and for the Fourier models. The comparison between them was drawn. Space-time propagation of a power–exponential function and of a periodic signal, obeying the Fourier law, the hyperbolic heat equation and its extended Guyer-Krumhansl form were studied by the operational technique. The role of various terms in the equations was explored and their influence on the solutions demonstrated. The accordance of the solutions with maximum principle is discussed. The application of our theoretical study for heat propagation in thin films is considered. The examples of the relaxation of the initial laser flash, the wide heat spot, and the harmonic function are considered and solved analytically.
Comparative miRNA Analysis of Urine Extracellular Vesicles Isolated through Five Different Methods
Authors: Royo Felix , Diwan Izzuddin , Tackett Michael , Zuñiga Patricia , Sanchez-Mosquera Pilar , Loizaga-Iriarte Ana , Ugalde-Olano Aitziber , Lacasa Isabel , Perez Amparo , Unda Miguel , Carracedo Arkaitz , Falcon-Perez Juan
Published: December 2016

Urine extracellular vesicles are a valuable low-invasive source of information, especially for the cells of the genitourinary tract. In the search for biomarkers, different techniques have been developed to isolate and characterize the cargo of these vesicles. In the present work, we compare five of these different isolation methods (three commercial isolation kits, ultracentrifugation, and lectin-based purification) and perform miRNA profiling using a multiplex miRNA assay. The results showed high correlation through all isolation techniques, and 48 out of 68 miRNAs were detected above the detection limit at least 10 times. The results obtained by multiplex assay were validated through Taqman qPCR. In addition, using this technique combined with a clinically friendly extracellular vesicle (uEV)-enrichment method, we performed the analysis of selected miRNAs in urine from patients affected with bladder cancer, benign prostate hyperplasia, or prostate cancer. Importantly, we found that those miRNAs could be detected in almost 100% of the samples, and no significant differences were observed between groups. Our results support the feasibility of analyzing exosomes-associated miRNAs using a methodology that requires a small volume of urine and is compatible with a clinical environment and high-throughput analysis.
The Evaluation of Noise Spectroscopy Tests
Authors: Fiala Pavel , Drexler Petr , Nespor Dusan , Szabo Zoltan , Mikulka Jan , Polivka Jiri
Published: December 2016

The paper discusses mathematical tools to evaluate novel noise spectroscopy based analysis and describes, via physical similarity, the mathematical models expressing the quantitative character of the modeled task. Using the Stefan–Boltzmann law, the authors indicate finding the spectral density of the radiated power of a hemisphere, and, for the selected frequency interval and temperature, they compare the simplified models with the expression of noise spectral density according to the Johnson–Nyquist formula or Nyquist’s expression of the function of spectral density based on a derivation of Planck’s law. The related measurements and evaluations, together with analyses of the noise spectroscopy of periodic resonant structures, are also outlined in the given context.
Experimental Study of 6LoPLC for Home Energy Management Systems
Authors: Ikpehai Augustine , Adebisi Bamidele , Rabie Khaled , Haggar Russell , Baker Mike
Published: December 2016

Ubiquitous connectivity is already transforming residential dwellings into smart homes. As citizens continue to embrace the smart home paradigm, a new generation of low-rate and low-power communication systems is required to leverage the mass market presented by energy management in homes. Although Power Line Communication (PLC) technology has evolved in the last decade, the adaptation of PLC for constrained networks is not fully charted. By adapting some features of IEEE 802.15.4 and IPv6 over Low-power Wireless Personal Area Network (6LoWPAN) into power lines, this paper demonstrates a low-rate, low-power PLC system over the IPv6 network (referred to as 6LoPLC), for Home Energy Management System (HEMS) applications. The overall idea is to provide a framework for assessing various scenarios that cannot be easily investigated with the limited number of evaluation hardware available. In this respect, a network model is developed in NS-3 (Version 21) to measure several important characteristics of the designed system and then validated with experimental results obtained using the Hanadu evaluation kits. Following the good agreement between the two, the NS-3 model is utilised to investigate more complex scenarios and various use-cases, such as the effects of impulsive noise, the number of nodes and packet size on the latency and Bit Error Rate (BER) performances. We further demonstrate that for different network and application configurations, optimal data sizes exist. For instance, the results reveal that in order to guarantee 99% system reliability, the HEMS application data must not exceed 64 bytes. Finally, it is shown that with impulsive noise in a HEMS network comprising 50 appliances, provided the size of the payload does not exceed 64 bytes, monitoring and control applications incur a maximum latency of 238.117 ms and 248.959 ms, respectively; both of which are within acceptable limits.
A Dominant Voice amidst Not Enough People: Analysing the Legitimacy of Mexico’s REDD+ Readiness Process
Authors: Špirić Jovanka , Corbera Esteve , Reyes-García Victoria , Porter-Bolland Luciana
Published: December 2016

In the development of national governance systems for Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation (REDD+), countries struggle with ensuring that decision-making processes include a variety of actors (i.e., input legitimacy) and represent their diverse views in REDD+ policy documents (i.e., output legitimacy). We examine these two dimensions of legitimacy using Mexico’s REDD+ readiness process during a four-year period (2011–2014) as a case study. To identify REDD+ actors and how they participate in decision-making we used a stakeholder analysis; to assess actors’ views and the extent to which these views are included in the country’s official REDD+ documents we conducted a discourse analysis. We found low level of input legitimacy in so far as that the federal government environment agencies concentrate most decision-making power and key land-use sectors and local people’s representatives are absent in decision-making forums. We also observed that the REDD+ discourse held by government agencies and both multilateral and international conservation organisations is dominant in policy documents, while the other two identified discourses, predominantly supported by national and civil society organisations and the academia, are partly, or not at all, reflected in such documents. We argue that Mexico’s REDD+ readiness process should become more inclusive, decentralised, and better coordinated to allow for the deliberation and institutionalisation of different actors’ ideas in REDD+ design. Our analysis and recommendations are relevant to other countries in the global South embarking on REDD+ design and implementation.
Plant Food Residues as a Source of Nutraceuticals and Functional Foods
Authors: Varzakas Theodoros , Zakynthinos George , Verpoort Francis
Published: December 2016

This chapter describes the use of different plant and vegetable food residues as nutraceuticals and functional foods. Different nutraceuticals are mentioned and explained. Their uses are well addressed along with their disease management and their action as nutraceutical delivery vehicles.
Perfluorinated Compounds in Greenhouse and Open Agricultural Producing Areas of Three Provinces of China: Levels, Sources and Risk Assessment
Authors: Zhang Yanwei , Tan Dongfei , Geng Yue , Wang Lu , Peng Yi , He Zeying , Xu Yaping , Liu Xiaowei
Published: December 2016

Field investigations on perfluoroalkyl acid (PFAA) levels in various environmental matrixes were reported, but there is still a lack of PFAA level data for agricultural environments, especially agricultural producing areas, so we collected soil, irrigation water and agricultural product samples from agricultural producing areas in the provinces of Liaoning, Shandong and Sichuan in China. The background pollution from instruments was removed and C4–C18 PFAAs were detected by LC-MS/MS. The concentrations of PFAAs in the top and deep layers of soil were compared, and the levels of PFAAs in different agricultural environments (greenhouses and open agriculture) were analyzed. We found the order of PFAA levels by province was Shandong > Liaoning > Sichuan. A descending trend of PFAA levels from top to deep soil and open to greenhouse agriculture was shown and perfluorobutanoic acid (PFBA) was considered as a marker for source analysis. Bean vegetables contribute highly to the overall PFAA load in vegetables. A significant correlation was shown between irrigation water and agricultural products. The EDI (estimated daily intake) from vegetables should be of concern in China.
Heat or Cold: Which One Exerts Greater Deleterious Effects on Health in a Basin Climate City? Impact of Ambient Temperature on Mortality in Chengdu, China
Authors: Cui Yan , Yin Fei , Deng Ying , Volinn Ernest , Chen Fei , Ji Kui , Zeng Jing , Zhao Xing , Li Xiaosong
Published: December 2016

Background: Although studies from many countries have estimated the impact of ambient temperature on mortality, few have compared the relative impacts of heat and cold on health, especially in basin climate cities. We aimed to quantify the impact of ambient temperature on mortality, and to compare the contributions of heat and cold in a large basin climate city, i.e., Chengdu (Sichuan Province, China); Methods: We estimated the temperature-mortality association with a distributed lag non-linear model (DLNM) with a maximum lag-time of 21 days while controlling for long time trends and day of week. We calculated the mortality risk attributable to heat and cold, which were defined as temperatures above and below an “optimum temperature” that corresponded to the point of minimum mortality. In addition, we explored effects of individual characteristics; Results: The analysis provides estimates of the overall mortality burden attributable to temperature, and then computes the components attributable to heat and cold. Overall, the total fraction of deaths caused by both heat and cold was 10.93% (95%CI: 7.99%–13.65%). Taken separately, cold was responsible for most of the burden (estimate 9.96%, 95%CI: 6.90%–12.81%), while the fraction attributable to heat was relatively small (estimate 0.97%, 95%CI: 0.46%–2.35%). The attributable risk (AR) of respiratory diseases was higher (19.69%, 95%CI: 14.45%–24.24%) than that of cardiovascular diseases (11.40%, 95%CI: 6.29%–16.01%); Conclusions: In Chengdu, temperature was responsible for a substantial fraction of deaths, with cold responsible for a higher proportion of deaths than heat. Respiratory diseases exert a larger effect on death than other diseases especially on cold days. There is potential to reduce respiratory-associated mortality especially among the aged population in basin climate cities when the temperature deviates beneath the optimum. The result may help to comprehensively assess the impact of ambient temperature in basin cities, and further facilitate an appropriate estimate of the health consequences of various climate-change scenarios.
The Influence of Urbanization Modes on the Spatial Circulation of Flaviviruses within Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso)
Authors: Fournet Florence , Rican Stéphane , Vaillant Zoé , Roudot Anna , Meunier-Nikiema Aude , Kassié Daouda , Dabiré Roch , Salem Gérard
Published: December 2016

Dengue is an emerging infectious disease of global significance. Although this virus has been reported for a long time, its significance within the burden of diseases in West Africa is not obvious, especially in Burkina Faso. Our objective was to evaluate flavivirus presence in Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso) and the link between anti-flavivirus antibody seroprevalence and urbanization modes. A population-based cross-sectional survey was conducted and 3015 children were enrolled from Ouagadougou districts with different types and degrees of urbanization (with/without equipment and high/low building density). Flavivirus (FLAV) IgM MAC-ELISA and FLAV indirect IgG ELISA were performed. Associations between FLAV IgG presence (sign of past infection) and various independent variables were assessed using the chi-square test and a multivariate logistic regression analysis. The apparent prevalence of past flavivirus infections among the enrolled children was 22.7% (95% CI: 22.4–26.7) (n = 685). Eleven children (0.4%; 95% CI: 0.61–2.14) were positive for FLAV IgM, indicating active transmission. Factors associated with flavivirus infection were identified among the enrolled children (age, sex), householders (educational level, asset index) and in the environment (building density, water access, waste management and house appearance); however, they showed great variability according to the city districts. The water access modality did not significantly influence FLAV IgG positivity. Conversely, apparently good practices of waste management had unexpected consequences (increased risk related to municipal dumpsters). Given the scale of ongoing urbanization and the spread of arboviral diseases, close collaboration between health and city stakeholders is needed.
Structural Characterization of Oligochitosan Elicitor from Fusarium sambucinum and Its Elicitation of Defensive Responses in Zanthoxylum bungeanum
Authors: Li Peiqin , Linhardt Robert , Cao Zhimin
Published: December 2016

Oligosaccharide elicitors from pathogens have been shown to play major roles in host plant defense responses involving plant–pathogen chemoperception and interaction. In the present study, chitosan and oligochitosan were prepared from pathogen Fusarium sambucinum, and their effects on infection of Zanthoxylum bungeanum stems were investigated. Results showed that oligochitosan inhibited the infection of the pathogen, and that the oligochitosan fraction with a degree of polymerization (DP) between 5 and 6 showed the optimal effect. Oligochitosan DP5 was purified from fraction DP5-6 and was structurally characterized using electrospray ionization mass spectrometry, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Oligochitosan DP5 showed significant inhibition against the infection of the pathogenic fungi on host plant stems. An investigation of the mechanism underlying this effect showed that oligochitosan DP5 increased the activities of defensive enzymes and accumulation of phenolics in host Z. bungeanum. These results suggest that oligochitosan from pathogenic fungi can mediate the infection of host plants with a pathogen by acting as an elicitor that triggers the defense system of a plant. This information will be valuable for further exploration of the interactions between the pathogen F. sambucinum and host plant Z. bungeanum.
Down-Regulation of Ca2+-Activated K+ Channel KCa1.1 in Human Breast Cancer MDA-MB-453 Cells Treated with Vitamin D Receptor Agonists
Authors: Khatun Anowara , Fujimoto Mayu , Kito Hiroaki , Niwa Satomi , Suzuki Takayoshi , Ohya Susumu
Published: December 2016

Vitamin D (VD) reduces the risk of breast cancer and improves disease prognoses. Potential VD analogs are being developed as therapeutic agents for breast cancer treatments. The large-conductance Ca2+-activated K+ channel KCa1.1 regulates intracellular Ca2+ signaling pathways and is associated with high grade tumors and poor prognoses. In the present study, we examined the effects of treatments with VD receptor (VDR) agonists on the expression and activity of KCa1.1 in human breast cancer MDA-MB-453 cells using real-time PCR, Western blotting, flow cytometry, and voltage-sensitive dye imaging. Treatments with VDR agonists for 72 h markedly decreased the expression levels of KCa1.1 transcripts and proteins in MDA-MB-453 cells, resulting in the significant inhibition of depolarization responses induced by paxilline, a specific KCa1.1 blocker. The specific proteasome inhibitor MG132 suppressed VDR agonist-induced decreases in KCa1.1 protein expression. These results suggest that KCa1.1 is a new downstream target of VDR signaling and the down-regulation of KCa1.1 through the transcriptional repression of KCa1.1 and enhancement of KCa1.1 protein degradation contribute, at least partly, to the antiproliferative effects of VDR agonists in breast cancer cells.
The Many Hats of Sonic Hedgehog Signaling in Nervous System Development and Disease
Authors: Belgacem Yesser , Hamilton Andrew , Shim Sangwoo , Spencer Kira , Borodinsky Laura
Published: December 2016

Sonic hedgehog (Shh) signaling occurs concurrently with the many processes that constitute nervous system development. Although Shh is mostly known for its proliferative and morphogenic action through its effects on neural stem cells and progenitors, it also contributes to neuronal differentiation, axonal pathfinding and synapse formation and function. To participate in these diverse events, Shh signaling manifests differently depending on the maturational state of the responsive cell, on the other signaling pathways regulating neural cell function and the environmental cues that surround target cells. Shh signaling is particularly dynamic in the nervous system, ranging from canonical transcription-dependent, to non-canonical and localized to axonal growth cones. Here, we review the variety of Shh functions in the developing nervous system and their consequences for neurodevelopmental diseases and neural regeneration, with particular emphasis on the signaling mechanisms underlying Shh action.
Fabrication of Fe-Based Diamond Composites by Pressureless Infiltration
Authors: Li Meng , Sun Youhong , Meng Qingnan , Wu Haidong , Gao Ke , Liu Baochang
Published: December 2016

A metal-based matrix is usually used for the fabrication of diamond bits in order to achieve favorable properties and easy processing. In the effort to reduce the cost and to attain the desired bit properties, researchers have brought more attention to diamond composites. In this paper, Fe-based impregnated diamond composites for drill bits were fabricated by using a pressureless infiltration sintering method at 970 °C for 5 min. In addition, boron was introduced into Fe-based diamond composites. The influence of boron on the density, hardness, bending strength, grinding ratio, and microstructure was investigated. An Fe-based diamond composite with 1 wt % B has an optimal overall performance, the grinding ratio especially improving by 80%. After comparing with tungsten carbide (WC)-based diamond composites with and without 1 wt % B, results showed that the Fe-based diamond composite with 1 wt % B exhibits higher bending strength and wear resistance, being satisfactory to bit needs.
Intrinsic Flame-Retardant and Thermally Stable Epoxy Endowed by a Highly Efficient, Multifunctional Curing Agent
Authors: Dong Chunlei , Wirasaputra Alvianto , Luo Qinqin , Liu Shumei , Yuan Yanchao , Zhao Jianqing , Fu Yi
Published: December 2016

It is difficult to realize flame retardancy of epoxy without suffering much detriment in thermal stability. To solve the problem, a super-efficient phosphorus-nitrogen-containing reactive-type flame retardant, 10-(hydroxy(4-hydroxyphenyl)methyl)-5,10-dihydrophenophosphazinine-10-oxide (HB-DPPA) is synthesized and characterized. When it is used as a co-curing agent of 4,4′-methylenedianiline (DDM) for curing diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A (DGEBA), the cured epoxy achieves UL-94 V-0 rating with the limiting oxygen index of 29.3%. In this case, the phosphorus content in the system is exceptionally low (0.18 wt %). To the best of our knowledge, it currently has the highest efficiency among similar epoxy systems. Such excellent flame retardancy originates from the exclusive chemical structure of the phenophosphazine moiety, in which the phosphorus element is stabilized by the two adjacent aromatic rings. The action in the condensed phase is enhanced and followed by pressurization of the pyrolytic gases that induces the blowing-out effect during combustion. The cone calorimeter result reveals the formation of a unique intumescent char structure with five discernible layers. Owing to the super-efficient flame retardancy and the rigid molecular structure of HB-DPPA, the flame-retardant epoxy acquires high thermal stability and its initial decomposition temperature only decreases by 4.6 °C as compared with the unmodified one.
Immunoregulation in Fungal Diseases
Authors: Roussey Jonathan , Olszewski Michal , Osterholzer John
Published: December 2016

This review addresses specific regulatory mechanisms involved in the host immune response to fungal organisms. We focus on key cells and regulatory pathways involved in these responses, including a brief overview of their broader function preceding a discussion of their specific relevance to fungal disease. Important cell types discussed include dendritic cells and regulatory T cells, with a focus on specific studies relating to their effects on immune responses to fungi. We highlight the interleukin-10, programmed cell death 1, and cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated protein 4 signaling pathways and emphasize interrelationships between these pathways and the regulatory functions of dendritic cells and regulatory T cells. Throughout our discussion, we identify selected studies best illustrating the role of these cells and pathways in response to specific fungal pathogens to provide a contextual understanding of the tightly-controlled network of regulatory mechanisms critical to determining the outcome of exposure to fungal pathogens. Lastly, we discuss two unique phenomena relating to immunoregulation, protective tolerance and immune reactivation inflammatory syndrome. These two clinically-relevant conditions provide perspective as to the range of immunoregulatory mechanisms active in response to fungi.
Enhanced Stilbene Production and Excretion in Vitis vinifera cv Pinot Noir Hairy Root Cultures
Authors: Tisserant Leo-Paul , Aziz Aziz , Jullian Nathalie , Jeandet Philippe , Clément Christophe , Courot Eric , Boitel-Conti Michèle
Published: December 2016

Stilbenes are defense molecules produced by grapevine in response to stresses including various elicitors and signal molecules. Together with their prominent role in planta, stilbenes have been the center of much attention in recent decades due to their pharmaceutical properties. With the aim of setting up a cost-effective and high purity production of resveratrol derivatives, hairy root lines were established from Vitis vinifera cv Pinot Noir 40024 to study the organ-specific production of various stilbenes. Biomass increase and stilbene production by roots were monitored during flask experiments. Although there was a constitutive production of stilbenes in roots, an induction of stilbene synthesis by methyl jasmonate (MeJA) after 18 days of growth led to further accumulation of ε-viniferin, δ-viniferin, resveratrol and piceid. The use of 100 µM MeJA after 18 days of culture in the presence of methyl-β-cyclodextrins (MCDs) improved production levels, which reached 1034µg/g fresh weight (FW) in roots and 165 mg/L in the extracellular medium, corresponding to five-and 570-foldincrease in comparison to control. Whereas a low level of stilbene excretion was measured in controls, addition of MeJA induced excretion of up to 37% of total stilbenes. The use of MCDs increased the excretion phenomenon even more, reaching up to 98%. Our results demonstrate the ability of grapevine hairy roots to produce various stilbenes. This production was significantly improved in response to elicitation by methyl jasmonate and/or MCDs. This supports the interest of using hairy roots as a potentially valuable system for producing resveratrol derivatives.
Sugar-Annulated Oxazoline Ligands: A Novel Pd(II) Complex and Its Application in Allylic Substitution
Authors: Kraft Jochen , Mill Katharina , Ziegler Thomas
Published: December 2016

Two novel carbohydrate-derived pyridyl (PYOX)- and cyclopropyl (CYBOX)-substituted oxazoline ligands were prepared from d-glucosamine hydrochloride and 1,3,4,6-tetra-O-acetyl-2-amino-2-deoxy-β-d-glucopyranose hydrochloride in two steps, respectively. The sugar-annulated PYOX ligand formed a stable metal complex with Pd(II), which was fully characterized by NMR spectroscopy and X-ray crystallography. NMR and X-ray analysis revealed a change of the conformation in the sugar moiety upon complexation with the palladium(II) species. Both glycosylated ligands resulted in high asymmetric induction (up to 98% ee) upon application as chiral ligands in the Pd-catalyzed allylic alkylation of rac-1,3-diphenylallyl acetate with dimethyl malonate (Tsuji-Trost reaction). Both ligands provided mainly the (R)-enantiomer of the alkylation product.
Investigating Polymer–Metal Interfaces by Grazing Incidence Small-Angle X-Ray Scattering from Gradients to Real-Time Studies
Authors: Schwartzkopf Matthias , Roth Stephan
Published: December 2016

Tailoring the polymer–metal interface is crucial for advanced material design. Vacuum deposition methods for metal layer coating are widely used in industry and research. They allow for installing a variety of nanostructures, often making use of the selective interaction of the metal atoms with the underlying polymer thin film. The polymer thin film may eventually be nanostructured, too, in order to create a hierarchy in length scales. Grazing incidence X-ray scattering is an advanced method to characterize and investigate polymer–metal interfaces. Being non-destructive and yielding statistically relevant results, it allows for deducing the detailed polymer–metal interaction. We review the use of grazing incidence X-ray scattering to elucidate the polymer–metal interface, making use of the modern synchrotron radiation facilities, allowing for very local studies via in situ (so-called “stop-sputter”) experiments as well as studies observing the nanostructured metal nanoparticle layer growth in real time.
Effects of Low versus High Glycemic Index Sugar-Sweetened Beverages on Postprandial Vasodilatation and Inactivity-Induced Impairment of Glucose Metabolism in Healthy Men
Authors: Keller Judith , Kahlhöfer Julia , Peter Andreas , Bosy-Westphal Anja
Published: December 2016

Intake of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB) may contribute to cardiovascular risk. The aim of this study was to investigate whether functional sugars with low compared to high glycemic index (GI) have beneficial effects on arterial stiffness during a period of low-physical activity. In a controlled cross-over dietary intervention (55% CHO, 30% fat, 15% protein), 13 healthy men (age: 23.7 ± 2.2 years, body mass index: 23.6 ± 1.9 kg/m2) completed 2 × 1 week of low physical activity following 1 week of normal physical activity (2363 ± 900 vs. 11,375 ± 3124 steps/day). During inactive phases participants consumed either low-GI (isomaltulose) or high-GI SSB (maltodextrin-sucrose), providing 20% of energy requirements. Postprandial vasodilatation (augmentation index, AIx), insulin sensitivity (IS) and Glucagon-like-peptide 1 (GLP-1) responses were measured during a meal test before and after SSB-intervention. Compared to maltodextrin-sucrose-SSB, postprandial vasodilatation was prolonged (AIx after 120 min: 9.9% ± 4.3% vs. 11.4% ± 3.7%, p < 0.05) and GLP-1 secretion was higher with isomaltulose-SSB (total area under the GLP-1 curve (tAUCGLP)-1: 8.0 ± 4.4 vs. 5.4 ± 3.4 pM × 3 h; p < 0.05). One week of low-physical activity led to impaired IS that was attenuated with low-GI SSB consumption, but did not affect arterial stiffness (p > 0.05). Higher postprandial GLP-1 secretion after intake of low compared to high-GI beverages may contribute to improved postprandial vasodilatation. Although one week of low-physical activity led to marked impairment in IS, it had no effect on arterial stiffness in healthy men.
Anti-Inflammatory Effects of Vitamin D on Human Immune Cells in the Context of Bacterial Infection
Authors: Hoe Edwin , Nathanielsz Jordan , Toh Zheng , Spry Leena , Marimla Rachel , Balloch Anne , Mulholland Kim , Licciardi Paul
Published: December 2016

Vitamin D induces a diverse range of biological effects, including important functions in bone health, calcium homeostasis and, more recently, on immune function. The role of vitamin D during infection is of particular interest given data from epidemiological studies suggesting that vitamin D deficiency is associated with an increased risk of infection. Vitamin D has diverse immunomodulatory functions, although its role during bacterial infection remains unclear. In this study, we examined the effects of 1,25(OH)2D3, the active metabolite of vitamin D, on peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and purified immune cell subsets isolated from healthy adults following stimulation with the bacterial ligands heat-killed pneumococcal serotype 19F (HK19F) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS). We found that 1,25(OH)2D3 significantly reduced pro-inflammatory cytokines TNF-α, IFN-γ, and IL-1β as well as the chemokine IL-8 for both ligands (three- to 53-fold), while anti-inflammatory IL-10 was increased (two-fold, p = 0.016) in HK19F-stimulated monocytes. Levels of HK19F-specific IFN-γ were significantly higher (11.7-fold, p = 0.038) in vitamin D-insufficient adults (<50 nmol/L) compared to sufficient adults (>50 nmol/L). Vitamin D also shifted the pro-inflammatory/anti-inflammatory balance towards an anti-inflammatory phenotype and increased the CD14 expression on monocytes (p = 0.008) in response to LPS but not HK19F stimulation. These results suggest that 1,25(OH)2D3 may be an important regulator of the inflammatory response and supports further in vivo and clinical studies to confirm the potential benefits of vitamin D in this context.
Varicella-Zoster Virus Infectious Cycle: ER Stress, Autophagic Flux, and Amphisome-Mediated Trafficking
Authors: Grose Charles , Buckingham Erin , Carpenter John , Kunkel Jeremy
Published: December 2016

Varicella-zoster virus (VZV) induces abundant autophagy. Of the nine human herpesviruses, the VZV genome is the smallest (~124 kbp), lacking any known inhibitors of autophagy, such as the herpes simplex virus ICP34.5 neurovirulence gene. Therefore, this review assesses the evidence for VZV-induced cellular stress, endoplasmic-reticulum-associated degradation (ERAD), and autophagic flux during the VZV infectious cycle. Even though VZV is difficult to propagate in cell culture, the biosynthesis of the both N- and O-linked viral glycoproteins was found to be abundant. In turn, this biosynthesis provided evidence of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, including a greatly enlarged ER and a greatly diminished production of cellular glycoproteins. Other signs of ER stress following VZV infection included detection of the alternatively spliced higher-molecular-weight form of XBP1 as well as CHOP. VZV infection in cultured cells leads to abundant autophagosome production, as was visualized by the detection of the microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3-II (LC3-II). The degree of autophagy induced by VZV infection is comparable to that induced in uninfected cells by serum starvation. The inhibition of autophagic flux by chemicals such as 3-methyladenine or ATG5 siRNA, followed by diminished virus spread and titers, has been observed. Since the latter observation pointed to the virus assembly/trafficking compartments, we purified VZ virions by ultracentrifugation and examined the virion fraction for components of the autophagy pathway. We detected LC3-II protein (an autophagy marker) as well as Rab11 protein, a component of the endosomal pathway. We also observed that the virion-containing vesicles were single-walled; thus, they are not autophagosomes. These results suggested that some VZ virions after secondary envelopment were transported to the outer cell membrane in a vesicle derived from both the autophagy and endosomal pathways, such as an amphisome. Thus, these results demonstrate that herpesvirus trafficking pathways can converge with the autophagy pathway.
Variation among Soybean Cultivars in Mesophyll Conductance and Leaf Water Use Efficiency
Authors: Bunce James
Published: December 2016

Improving water use efficiency (WUE) may prove a useful way to adapt crop species to drought. Since the recognition of the importance of mesophyll conductance to CO2 movement from inside stomatal pores to the sites of photosynthetic carboxylation, there has been interest in how much intraspecific variation in mesophyll conductance (gm) exists, and how such variation may impact leaf WUE within C3 species. In this study, the gm and leaf WUE of fifteen cultivars of soybeans grown under controlled conditions were measured under standardized environmental conditions. Leaf WUE varied by a factor of 2.6 among the cultivars, and gm varied by a factor of 8.6. However, there was no significant correlation (r = −0.047) between gm and leaf WUE. Leaf WUE was linearly related to the sub-stomatal CO2 concentration. The value of gm affected the ratio of maximum Rubisco carboxylation capacity calculated from the sub-stomatal CO2 concentration to that calculated from the CO2 concentration at the site of carboxylation. That is, variation in gm affected the efficiency of Rubisco carboxylation, but not leaf WUE. Nevertheless, there is considerable scope for genetically improving soybean leaf water use efficiency.
All-Inorganic Intumescent Nanocoating Containing Montmorillonite Nanoplatelets in Ammonium Polyphosphate Matrix Capable of Preventing Cotton Ignition
Authors: Alongi Jenny , Carosio Federico
Published: December 2016

In the present manuscript a new concept of completely inorganic intumescent flame retardant nanocoating comprised of sodium montmorillonite nanoplatelets embedded in an ammonium polyphosphate matrix has been investigated using cotton as model substrate. The coating, deposited by multistep adsorption from diluted water-based suspensions/solutions, homogenously cover each cotton fibers with average thicknesses below 50 nm and add-on up to 5% in weight. Combustion characterization evidences the interesting properties: indeed, the so-treated fabrics reached self-extinguishing during horizontal flame spread tests. Furthermore, when the coating add-on reaches 5%, no ignition has been observed during cone calorimetry tests under 35 kW/m2 heat flux. Residue analyses pointed out the formation of an expanded all-inorganic coating capable of greatly improving char formation by exerting barrier function towards volatile release and heat transfer.
Multi-Range Conditional Random Field for Classifying Railway Electrification System Objects Using Mobile Laser Scanning Data
Authors: Jung Jaewook , Chen Leihan , Sohn Gunho , Luo Chao , Won Jong-Un
Published: December 2016

Railways have been used as one of the most crucial means of transportation in public mobility and economic development. For safe railway operation, the electrification system in the railway infrastructure, which supplies electric power to trains, is an essential facility for stable train operation. Due to its important role, the electrification system needs to be rigorously and regularly inspected and managed. This paper presents a supervised learning method to classify Mobile Laser Scanning (MLS) data into ten target classes representing overhead wires, movable brackets and poles, which are key objects in the electrification system. In general, the layout of the railway electrification system shows strong spatial regularity relations among object classes. The proposed classifier is developed based on Conditional Random Field (CRF), which characterizes not only labeling homogeneity at short range, but also the layout compatibility between different object classes at long range in the probabilistic graphical model. This multi-range CRF model consists of a unary term and three pairwise contextual terms. In order to gain computational efficiency, MLS point clouds are converted into a set of line segments to which the labeling process is applied. Support Vector Machine (SVM) is used as a local classifier considering only node features for producing the unary potentials of the CRF model. As the short-range pairwise contextual term, the Potts model is applied to enforce a local smoothness in the short-range graph; while long-range pairwise potentials are designed to enhance the spatial regularities of both horizontal and vertical layouts among railway objects. We formulate two long-range pairwise potentials as the log posterior probability obtained by the naive Bayes classifier. The directional layout compatibilities are characterized in probability look-up tables, which represent the co-occurrence rate of spatial relations in the horizontal and vertical directions. The likelihood function is formulated by multivariate Gaussian distributions. In the proposed multi-range CRF model, the weight parameters to balance four sub-terms are estimated by applying the Stochastic Gradient Descent (SGD). The results show that the proposed multi-range CRF can effectively classify individual railway elements, representing an average recall of 97.66% and an average precision of 97.07% for all classes.
Telecouplings in the East–West Economic Corridor within Borders and Across
Authors: Leisz Stephen , Rounds Eric , The An Ngo , Thi Bich Yen Nguyen , Nguyen Bang Tran , Douangphachanh Souvanthone , Ninchaleune Bounheuang
Published: December 2016

In recent years, the concepts of teleconnections and telecoupling have been introduced into land-use and land-cover change literature as frameworks that seek to explain connections between areas that are not in close physical proximity to each other. The conceptual frameworks of teleconnections and telecoupling seek to explicitly link land changes in one place, or in a number of places, to distant, usually non-physically connected locations. These conceptual frameworks are offered as new ways of understanding land changes; rather than viewing land-use and land-cover change through discrete land classifications that have been based on the idea of land-use as seen through rural–urban dichotomies, path dependencies and sequential land transitions, and place-based relationships. Focusing on the land-use and land-cover changes taking place along the East–West Economic Corridor that runs from Dong Ha City in Quang Tri, Vietnam, through Sepon District, Savannakhet, Lao PDR, into Thailand this paper makes use of data gathered from fieldwork and remote sensing analysis to examine telecouplings between sending, receiving and spill-over systems on both sides of the Vietnam-Lao PDR border. Findings are that the telecouplings are driving changes in rural village and urban systems on both sides of the border, and are enabled by a policy environment that has sought to facilitate the cross-border transportation of goods within the region.
Development of a Mid-Infrared Sea and Lake Ice Index (MISI) Using the GOES Imager
Authors: Dorofy Peter , Nazari Rouzbeh , And Peter , Key Jeffrey
Published: December 2016

An automated ice-mapping algorithm has been developed and evaluated using data from the GOES-13 imager. The approach includes cloud-free image compositing as well as image classification using spectral criteria. The algorithm uses an alternative snow index to the Normalized Difference Snow Index (NDSI). The GOES-13 imager does not have a 1.6 µm band, a requirement for NDSI; however, the newly proposed Mid-Infrared Sea and Lake Ice Index (MISI) incorporates the reflective component of the 3.9 µm or mid-infrared (MIR) band, which the GOES-13 imager does operate. Incorporating MISI into a sea or lake ice mapping algorithm allows for mapping of thin or broken ice with no snow cover (nilas, frazil ice) and thicker ice with snow cover to a degree of confidence that is comparable to other ice mapping products. The proposed index has been applied over the Great Lakes region and qualitatively compared to the Interactive Multi-sensor Snow and Ice Mapping System (IMS), the National Ice Center ice concentration maps and MODIS snow cover products. The application of MISI may open additional possibilities in climate research using historical GOES imagery. Furthermore, MISI may be used in addition to the current NDSI in ice identification to build more robust ice-mapping algorithms for the next generation GOES satellites.