bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Perception of Wind in Open Spaces
Authors: Shooshtarian Salman , Rajagopalan Priyadarsini
Published: September 2019

Dense urbanization influences the livability of cities. Changes in local meteorological conditions can be adverse for human health and well-being. In urban open spaces, it is widely known that changes in building density and configuration in cities influence wind speed (Va). This influence modifies latent heat flux between the human body and surrounding environment and thereby affecting the thermal comfort conditions in open spaces between buildings. Several studies have demonstrated the significant effect of wind speed on outdoor thermal comfort. Melbourne’s Central Business District (CBD) has recently experienced dense urbanization and this pattern of development has instigated noticeable changes in meteorological conditions. Some evidence has suggested that the patterns of wind flow induce thermal discomfort during cool seasons. Conversely, the wind is most welcomed during warm seasons. This study was conducted to assess outdoor users’ responses to Va in three open spaces of an educational precinct in Melbourne’s CBD. The open spaces studied are different in terms of design and function. Users’ responses and meteorological conditions were examined through a series of field measurements and questionnaire surveys from November 2014 to May 2015. This study used three perceptual scales to analyze participants’ experience of Va during field surveys: “Bedford preference”, “thermal sensation” and “personal acceptability”. Analytical results yielded the wind perceptual comfort thresholds for different seasons as well as the entire study period. The results suggested that in addition to the geometry of the urban open space, the function of place could influence people’s perceptions of Va. The research findings contribute to developing thermally comfortable outdoor environments.
Monolithic Zirconia: An Update to Current Knowledge. Optical Properties, Wear, and Clinical Performance
Authors: Kontonasaki Eleana , Rigos Athanasios , Ilia Charithea , Istantsos Thomas
Published: September 2019

The purpose of this paper was to update the knowledge concerning the wear, translucency, as well as clinical performance of monolithic zirconia ceramics, aiming at highlighting their advantages and weaknesses through data presented in recent literature. New ultra-translucent and multicolor monolithic zirconia ceramics present considerably improved aesthetics and translucency, which, according to the literature reviewed, is similar to those of the more translucent lithium disilicate ceramics. A profound advantage is their high strength at thin geometries preserving their mechanical integrity. Based on the reviewed articles, monolithic zirconia ceramics cause minimal wear of antagonists, especially if appropriately polished, although no evidence still exists regarding the ultra-translucent compositions. Concerning the survival of monolithic zirconia restorations, the present review demonstrates the findings of the existing short-term studies, which reveal promising results after evaluating their performance for up to 5 or 7 years. Although a significant increase in translucency has been achieved, new translucent monolithic zirconia ceramics have to be further evaluated both in vitro and in vivo for their long-term potential to preserve their outstanding properties. Due to limited studies evaluating the wear properties of ultra-translucent material, no sound conclusions can be made, whereas well-designed clinical studies are urgently needed to enlighten issues of prognosis and long-term survival.
Evaluating Secrecy Capacity for In-Body Wireless Channels
Authors: Awan Muhammad Faheem , Fang Xiao , Ramzan Mehrab , Neumann Niels , Wang Qiong , Plettemeier Dirk , Kansanen Kimmo
Published: September 2019

The next generation of implanted medical devices is expected to be wireless, bringing along new security threats. Thus, it is critical to secure the communication between legitimate nodes inside the body from a possible eavesdropper. This work assesses the feasibility of securing next generation multi-nodal leadless cardiac pacemakers using physical layer security methods. The secure communication rate without leakage of information to an eavesdropper, referred to as secrecy capacity, depends on the signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs) of the eavesdropper and legitimate channels and will be used as a performance metric. Numerical electromagnetic simulations are utilized to compute the wireless channel models for the respective links. These channel models can be approximated with a log-normal distribution which can be used to evaluate the probability of positive secrecy capacity and the outage probability of this secrecy capacity. The channels are modeled for three different frequency bands and a comparison between their secrecy capacities is provided with respect to the eavesdropper distance. It has been found that the positive secrecy capacity is achievable within the personal space of the human body for all the frequency bands, with the medical implant communication systems (MICS) band outperforming others.
Compulsory Schooling and Returns to Education: A Re-Examination
Authors: van Huellen Sophie , Qin Duo
Published: September 2019

This paper re-examines the instrumental variable (IV) approach to estimating returns to education by use of compulsory school law (CSL) in the US. We show that the IV-approach amounts to a change in model specification by changing the causal status of the variable of interest. From this perspective, the IV-OLS (ordinary least square) choice becomes a model selection issue between non-nested models and is hence testable using cross validation methods. It also enables us to unravel several logic flaws in the conceptualisation of IV-based models. Using the causal chain model specification approach, we overcome these flaws by carefully distinguishing returns to education from the treatment effect of CSL. We find relatively robust estimates for the first effect, while estimates for the second effect are hindered by measurement errors in the CSL indicators. We find reassurance of our approach from fundamental theories in statistical learning.
A Novel Iterative Discrete Estimation Algorithm for Low-Complexity Signal Detection in Uplink Massive MIMO Systems
Authors: Feng Hui , Zhao Xiaoqing , Li Zhengquan , Xing Song
Published: September 2019

In this paper, a novel iterative discrete estimation (IDE) algorithm, which is called the modified IDE (MIDE), is proposed to reduce the computational complexity in MIMO detection in uplink massive MIMO systems. MIDE is a revision of the alternating direction method of multipliers (ADMM)-based algorithm, in which a self-updating method is designed with the damping factor estimated and updated at each iteration based on the Euclidean distance between the iterative solutions of the IDE-based algorithm in order to accelerate the algorithm’s convergence. Compared to the existing ADMM-based detection algorithm, the overall computational complexity of the proposed MIDE algorithm is reduced from O N t 3 + O N r N t 2 to O N t 2 + O N r N t in terms of the number of complex-valued multiplications, where Ntand Nr are the number of users and the number of receiving antennas at the base station (BS), respectively. Simulation results show that the proposed MIDE algorithm performs better in terms of the bit error rate (BER) than some recently-proposed approximation algorithms in MIMO detection of uplink massive MIMO systems.
Modeling and Validation of an Electrohydraulic Power Take-Off System for a Portable Wave Energy Convertor with Compressed Energy Storage
Authors: Tian Hao , Zhou Zijian , Sui Yu
Published: September 2019

Small-scale, portable generation of electricity from ocean waves provides a versatile solution to power the ocean sensors network, in addition to the traditional large-scale wave energy conversion facilities. However, one issue of small-scale wave energy convertor (WEC) is the low capturable power density, challenging the design of the efficient power take-off (PTO) system. To tackle this challenge, in this paper, an electrohydraulic PTO system with compressed energy storage was proposed to boost output power of a portable WEC. Lumped-parameter kinematics and dynamics of the four-bar mechanism, the fluid dynamics of the digital fluid power circuit, and the mechanical and volumetric power losses were modeled and experimentally validated. Initial test results of the 0.64 m2 footprint prototype showed that the inclusion of storage improved the averaged electric power output over 40 times compared to the traditional architecture, and the proposed device can deliver up to 122 W at peaks.
Multiscale Apparent Permeability Model of Shale Nanopores Based on Fractal Theory
Authors: Wang Qiang , Hu Yongquan , Zhao Jinzhou , Ren Lan , Zhao Chaoneng , Zhao Jin
Published: September 2019

Based on fractal geometry theory, the Hagen–Poiseuille law, and the Langmuir adsorption law, this paper established a mathematical model of gas flow in nano-pores of shale, and deduced a new shale apparent permeability model. This model considers such flow mechanisms as pore size distribution, tortuosity, slippage effect, Knudsen diffusion, and surface extension of shale matrix. This model is closely related to the pore structure and size parameters of shale, and can better reflect the distribution characteristics of nano-pores in shale. The correctness of the model is verified by comparison with the classical experimental data. Finally, the influences of pressure, temperature, integral shape dimension of pore surface and tortuous fractal dimension on apparent permeability, slip flow, Knudsen diffusion and surface diffusion of shale gas transport mechanism on shale gas transport capacity are analyzed, and gas transport behaviors and rules in multi-scale shale pores are revealed. The proposed model is conducive to a more profound and clear understanding of the flow mechanism of shale gas nanopores.
Facile Electrodeposition of Poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) on Poly(vinyl alcohol) Nanofibers as the Positive Electrode for High-Performance Asymmetric Supercapacitor
Authors: Dasdevan Nivekthiren , Mohd Abdah Muhammad Amirul Aizat , Sulaiman Yusran
Published: September 2019

Poly(vinyl alcohol)/poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PVA/PEDOT) nanofibers were synthesized as a positive electrode for high-performance asymmetric supercapacitor (ASC). PVA/PEDOT nanofibers were prepared through electrospinning and electrodeposition meanwhile reduced graphene oxide (rGO) was obtained by electrochemical reduction. The PVA/PEDOT nanofibers demonstrated cauliflower-like morphology showing that PEDOT was uniformly coated on the smooth cross-linking structure of PVA nanofibers. In addition, the ASC showed a remarkable energy output efficiency by delivering specific energy of 21.45 Wh·kg−1 at a specific power of 335.50 W·kg−1 with good cyclability performance (83% capacitance retained) after 5000 CV cycles. The outstanding supercapacitive performance is contributed from the synergistic effects of both PVA/PEDOT//rGO, which gives promising materials for designing high-performance supercapacitor applications.
Supply System for Three-Level Inverters Using Multi-Pulse Rectifiers with Coupled Reactors
Authors: Iwaszkiewicz Jan , Mysiak Piotr
Published: September 2019

The paper presents a proposal of the multi-pulse AC/DC converter for providing supply for multilevel inverters and considerably reducing the line current distortion factor. It can be applied as a suitable source of DC voltage and is convenient to supply such inverters that need three or more voltage terminals to supply all sections of the inverter. The converter in question works as a multi-pulse rectifier supplying a three-level NPC (Neutral Point Clamped) inverter. The load introduced by the inverter is simulated as an impedance depended on a selected inverter state. All possible states are determined by using a set of three digits: 0, 1, 2. The sourcing converter is constructed from diode bridge rectifiers connected in parallel as well as the system of magnetically coupled reactors. The reactors are used to shift subsequent line voltages so that they create a multiphase voltage system supplying component rectifiers. The article presents two alternative rectifiers: A 12-pulse diode rectifier using one magnetically coupled reactor unit 3CRλ, and a 24-pulse one using three 3CRλ units. Simulation and experimental tests have been executed and selected results included. Conclusion and discussion are added.
Bioactive Compounds, Antioxidant Activity, and Sensory Analysis of Rice-Based Extruded Snacks-Like Fortified with Bean and Carob Fruit Flours
Authors: Arribas Claudia , Cabellos Blanca , Cuadrado Carmen , Guillamón Eva , M. Pedrosa Mercedes
Published: September 2019

Generally, extruded gluten-free foods are mostly phytochemically deficient. In this study inositol phosphates, α-galactosides, lectins, protease inhibitors, and phenols, their antioxidant activity and sensorial analysis of some rice/bean/whole carob fruit flour blends were determined in unprocessed (controls) and extruded formulations. The fortification of rice-based extrudates with both legumes has a positive influence on both their bioactive compound content and their acceptability by consumers. The extruded formulations contained around twice as much (p < 0.05) total α-galactosides than their unprocessed counterparts. Extrusion significantly reduced the phytic acid content (10%) and significantly increased the less phosphorylated forms (16%–70%). After extrusion, the lectins and protease inhibitors were eliminated. The different phenolic compounds mostly increased (11%–36%), notably in the formulations with carob fruit. The antioxidant activity and the different groups of phenols showed a positive correlation in the extrudates. All the experimental extrudates had higher amounts of bioactive compounds than the commercial extruded rice. Considering the amount of phytochemicals determined in the novel gluten-free extrudates and the scores of sensorial analysis, formulations containing 20%–40% bean and 5% carob fruit could be adequate in promoting health-related functions, helping to increase pulse consumption, and allowing the food industry to satisfy consumers’ requirement for functional foods.
Effect of Non-Conventional Drying Methods on In Vitro Starch Digestibility Assessment of Cooked Potato Genotypes
Authors: Larder Christina E. , Baeghbali Vahid , Pilon Celeste , Iskandar Michèle M. , Donnelly Danielle J. , Pacheco Sebastian , Godbout Stephane , Ngadi Michael O. , Kubow Stan
Published: September 2019

Potatoes (Solanum tuberosum L.) are a good dietary source of carbohydrates in the form of digestible starch (DS) and resistant starch (RS). As increased RS content consumption can be associated with decreased chronic disease risk, breeding efforts have focused on identifying potato varieties with higher RS content, which requires high-throughput analysis of starch profiles. For this purpose, freeze drying of potatoes has been used but this approach leads to inaccurate RS values. The present study objective was to assess the starch content (RS, DS and total starch (TS)) of three cooked potato genotypes that were dried using freeze drying and innovative drying techniques (microwave vacuum drying, instant controlled pressure drop drying and conductive hydro-drying) relative to freshly cooked potato samples. Depending on the genotype, all drying methods showed one or more starch measures that were significantly different from freshly cooked values. The combination of ultrasound and infrared assisted conductive hydro-drying was the only method identified to be associated with accurate assessment of DS and TS content relative to fresh samples. The drying treatments were all generally associated with highly variable RS content relative to fresh controls. We conclude that freshly cooked samples must be used for selecting varieties with a high proportion of RS starch as drying of cooked potatoes leads to unreliable RS measurements.
Desiccation Cracking Behavior of MICP-Treated Bentonite
Authors: Vail Mark , Zhu Cheng , Tang Chao-Sheng , Anderson Luke , Moroski Michael , Montalbo-Lomboy Melissa Tabada
Published: September 2019

This study aims to characterize the effect of microbial-induced calcite precipitation (MICP) on the desiccation cracking behaviors of compacted calcium bentonite soils. We prepare six groups of samples by mixing bentonites with deionized water, pure bacteria solution, pure cementation solution, and mixed bacteria and cementation solutions at three different percentages. We use an image processing tool to characterize the soil desiccation cracking patterns. Experimental results reveal the influences of fluid type and mixture percentage on the crack evolution and volumetric deformation of bentonite soils. MICP reactions effectively delay the crack initiation and remediate desiccation cracking, as reflected by the decreased geometrical descriptors of the crack pattern such as surface crack ratio. The mixture containing 50% bacteria and 50% cementation solutions maximizes the MICP treatment and works most effectively in lowering the soil cracking potential. This study provides new insights into the desiccation cracking of expansive clayey soils and shows the potential of MICP applications in the crack remediation.
Exploring the Linkage between the Neighborhood Environment and Mental Health in Guangzhou, China
Authors: Qiu Yingzhi , Liu Yuqi , Liu Yi , Li Zhigang
Published: September 2019

The relationship between the neighborhood environment and mental health has been investigated mostly in developed countries. Yet few studies have systematically examined the impact of the neighborhood-level built-environment and social environment on mental health within different localities in the Chinese context. Based on a household survey and geographical data in Guangzhou, China, this study aimed to explore the linkage between the neighborhood environment and mental health, with a particular focus on aspects of the built-environment that are related to new urbanism or compact cities and contextual social capital, using three geographic delineations. Our findings indicated that built-environment indicators based on a road network buffer had a higher explanatory power towards residents’ mental health than did those based on a circular buffer. The analytical models demonstrated that neighborhood floor-area ratio, building density, and per capita green area were positively correlated with mental health. Neighborhood safety and contextual neighborhood interactions and reciprocity had positive associations with mental health. These findings provide policy makers and urban planners with valuable information on the role of the compact city strategy and the neighborhood social environment to improve the mental health of residents.
Polymorphisms in PCSK9, LDLR, BCMO1, SLC12A3, and KCNJ1 Are Associated with Serum Lipid Profile in Chinese Han Population
Authors: Li Zheng , Zhao Tianyu , Tan Xiaohua , Lei Song , Huang Liu , Yang Lei
Published: September 2019

Unfavorable serum lipid levels are the most important risk factors for coronary artery disease (CAD), cerebral infarction, and other cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. This study included 2323 Han Chinese in southern China. We collected medical reports, lifestyle details, and blood samples of individuals and used the polymerase chain reaction-ligase detection reaction method to genotype single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). Two SNPs showed a strong evidence of association with total cholesterol (TC): rs1003723 and rs6413504 in the low-density lipoproteins receptor (LDLR). Two SNPs in LDLR showed a strong evidence of association with low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), rs1003723 and rs6413504. Two SNPs showed a strong evidence of association with triglycerides (TG), namely, rs662145 in pro-protein convertase subtilisin-kexin type 9 (PCSK9) and rs11643718 in the solute carrier family 12 member 3 (SLC12A3). For the TC, LDL-C, and TG levels, these SNPs generated strong combined effects on these lipid levels. For each additional dangerous gene, TC increased by 0.085 mmol/L (p = 7.00 × 10−6), and LDL-C increased by 0.075 mmol/L (p = 9.00 × 10−6). The TG increased by 0.096 mmol/L (p = 2.90 × 10−5). Compared with those bearing no risk alleles, the risk of hypertriglyceridemia, hypercholesterolemia, and dyslipidemia increased in those with two or more risk alleles and one risk gene. Polymorphisms of PCSK9, LDLR, and SLC12A3 were associated with the plasma lipid levels in people in southern China. These results provide a theoretical basis for gene screening and the prevention of dyslipidemia.
β-catenin/LEF1/IGF-IIR Signaling Axis Galvanizes the Angiotensin-II- induced Cardiac Hypertrophy
Authors: Lai Chin-Hu , Pandey Sudhir , Day Cecilia Hsuan , Ho Tsung-Jung , Chen Ray-Jade , Chang Ruey-Lin , Pai Pei-Ying , Padma V. Vijaya , Kuo Wei-Wen , Huang Chih-Yang
Published: September 2019

Cardiovascular diseases have a high prevalence worldwide and constitute the leading causes of mortality. Recently, malfunctioning of β-catenin signaling has been addressed in hypertensive heart condition. Ang-II is an important mediator of cardiovascular remodeling processes which not only regulates blood pressure but also leads to pathological cardiac changes. However, the contribution of Ang-II/β-catenin axis in hypertrophied hearts is ill-defined. Employing in vitro H9c2 cells and in vivo spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) cardiac tissue samples, western blot analysis, luciferase assays, nuclear-cytosolic protein extracts, and immunoprecipitation assays, we found that under hypertensive condition β-catenin gets abnormally induced that co-activated LEF1 and lead to cardiac hypertrophy changes by up-regulating the IGF-IIR signaling pathway. We identified putative LEF1 consensus binding site on IGF-IIR promoter that could be regulated by β-catenin/LEF1 which in turn modulate the expression of cardiac hypertrophy agents. This study suggested that suppression of β-catenin expression under hypertensive condition could be exploited as a clinical strategy for cardiac pathological remodeling processes.
C2-Ceramide-Induced Rb-Dominant Senescence-Like Phenotype Leads to Human Breast Cancer MCF-7 Escape from p53-Dependent Cell Death
Authors: Chang Wen-Tsan , Wu Chang-Yi , Lin Yin-Chieh , Wu Min-Tsui , Su Kai-Li , Yuan Shyng-Shiou , Wang Hui-Min David , Fong Yao , Lin Yi-Hsiung , Chiu Chien-Chih
Published: September 2019

Ceramide is a sphingolipid which regulates a variety of signaling pathways in eukaryotic cells. Exogenous ceramide has been shown to induce cellular apoptosis. In this study, we observed that exogenous ceramide induced two distinct morphologies of cell fate following C2-ceramide treatment between the two breast cancer cell lines MCF-7 (wild type p53) and MDA-MB-231 (mutant p53) cells. The growth assessment showed that C2-ceramide caused significant growth inhibition and apoptosis in MDA-MB-231 cells through down-regulating the expression of mutant p53 whereas up-regulating the expression of pro-apoptotic Bad, and the proteolytic activation of caspase-3. However, senescence-associated (SA)-β-galactosidase (β-gal) was regulated in MCF-7 cells after C2-ceramide treatment. The results of proliferation and apoptosis assays showed that MCF-7 cells were more resistant to C2-ceramide treatment compared to MDA-MB-231 cells. Furthermore, C2-ceramide treatment induced a time-responsive increase in Rb protein, a key regulator of senescence accompanied with the upregulation of both mRNA level and protein level of SA-genes PAI-1 and TGaseII in MCF-7 but not in MDA-MB-231 cells, suggesting that some cancer cells escape apoptosis through modulating senescence-like phenotype. The results of our present study depicted the mechanism of C2-ceramide-resistant breast cancer cells, which might benefit the strategic development of ceramide-based chemotherapeutics against cancer in the future.
Opioid Addiction, Genetic Susceptibility, and Medical Treatments: A Review
Authors: Wang Shao-Cheng , Chen Yuan-Chuan , Lee Chun-Hung , Cheng Ching-Ming
Published: September 2019

Opioid addiction is a chronic and complex disease characterized by relapse and remission. In the past decade, the opioid epidemic or opioid crisis in the United States has raised public awareness. Methadone, buprenorphine, and naloxone have proven their effectiveness in treating addicted individuals, and each of them has different effects on different opioid receptors. Classic and molecular genetic research has provided valuable information and revealed the possible mechanism of individual differences in vulnerability for opioid addiction. The polygenic risk score based on the results of a genome-wide association study (GWAS) may be a promising tool to evaluate the association between phenotypes and genetic markers across the entire genome. A novel gene editing approach, clustered, regularly-interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR), has been widely used in basic research and potentially applied to human therapeutics such as mental illness; many applications against addiction based on CRISPR are currently under research, and some are successful in animal studies. In this article, we summarized the biological mechanisms of opioid addiction and medical treatments, and we reviewed articles about the genetics of opioid addiction, the promising approach to predict the risk of opioid addiction, and a novel gene editing approach. Further research on medical treatments based on individual vulnerability is needed.
The ZT Biopolymer: A Self-Assembling Protein Scaffold for Stem Cell Applications
Authors: Nesterenko Yevheniia , Hill Christopher J. , Fleming Jennifer R. , Murray Patricia , Mayans Olga
Published: September 2019

The development of cell culture systems for the naturalistic propagation, self-renewal and differentiation of cells ex vivo is a high goal of molecular engineering. Despite significant success in recent years, the high cost of up-scaling cultures, the need for xeno-free culture conditions, and the degree of mimicry of the natural extracellular matrix attainable in vitro using designer substrates continue to pose obstacles to the translation of cell-based technologies. In this regard, the ZT biopolymer is a protein-based, stable, scalable, and economical cell substrate of high promise. ZT is based on the naturally occurring assembly of two human proteins: titin-Z1Z2 and telethonin. These protein building blocks are robust scaffolds that can be conveniently functionalized with full-length proteins and bioactive peptidic motifs by genetic manipulation, prior to self-assembly. The polymer is, thereby, fully encodable. Functionalized versions of the ZT polymer have been shown to successfully sustain the long-term culturing of human embryonic stem cells (hESCs), human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs), and murine mesenchymal stromal cells (mMSCs). Pluripotency of hESCs and hiPSCs was retained for the longest period assayed (4 months). Results point to the large potential of the ZT system for the creation of a modular, pluri-functional biomaterial for cell-based applications.
Collecting Labels for Rare Anomalies via Direct Human Feedback—An Industrial Application Study
Authors: Reich Christian , Mansour Ahmad , Van Laerhoven Kristof
Published: September 2019

Many systems rely on the expertise from human operators, who have acquired their knowledge through practical experience over the course of many years. For the detection of anomalies in industrial settings, sensor units have been introduced to predict and classify such anomalous events, but these critically rely on annotated data for training. Lengthy data collection campaigns are needed, which tend to be combined with domain expert annotations of the data afterwards, resulting in costly and slow process. This work presents an alternative by studying live annotation of rare anomalous events in sensor streams in a real-world manufacturing setting by experienced human operators that can also observe the machinery itself. A prototype for visualization and in situ annotation of sensor signals is developed with embedded unsupervised anomaly detection algorithms to propose signals for annotation and which allows the operators to give feedback on the detection and classify anomalous events. This prototype allowed assembling a corpus of several weeks of sensor data measured in a real manufacturing surrounding and was annotated by domain experts as an evaluation basis for this study. The evaluation of live annotations reveals high user motivation after getting accustomed to the labeling prototype. After this initial period, clear anomalies with characteristic signal patterns are detected reliably in visualized envelope signals. More subtle signal deviations were less likely to be confirmed an anomaly due to either an insufficient visibility in envelope signals or the absence of characteristic signal patterns.
EAG Responses of Adult Lobesia botrana Males and Females Collected from Vitis vinifera and Daphne gnidium to Larval Host-Plant Volatiles and Sex Pheromone
Authors: Pérez-Aparicio Alicia , Torres-Vila Luis M. , Gemeno César
Published: September 2019

We analysed electroantennogram (EAG) responses of male and female adults of the European grapevine moth Lobesia botrana (Denis et Schiffermüller) (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) collected as larvae from grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.) and flax-leaved daphne (Daphne gnidium L.). The host-plant odorants tested were either V. vinifera-specific [1-octen-3-ol, (E)-β-farnesene, (E)-4,8-dimethyl-1,3,7-nonatriene], D. gnidium-specific (2-ethyl-hexan-1-ol, benzothiazole, linalool-oxide, ethyl benzanoate), or were shared by both host-plants (linalool, methyl salicylate). Sex pheromone compounds were also tested. The male response to the major pheromone component (E7,Z9-12:Ac) was higher than to any other stimuli, whereas the response to the minor pheromone components (E7,Z9-12:OH and Z9-12:Ac) was not different from the response to the plant odorants. The female response to pheromone was lower or not different from that to plant odorants. Methyl salicylate elicited a higher response in females and (E)-β-farnesene elicited a higher response than several other plant odorants in both sexes. Non-significant interactions between host-plant odorant and sex indicated an absence of sex specialization for host-plant volatile detection. The lack of a significant interaction between plant volatiles and larval host-plants suggested that there was no specialization for plant-volatile detection between V. vinifera and D. gnidium individuals.
The Effect of Diet on the Composition and Stability of Proteins Secreted by Honey Bees in Honey
Authors: Lewkowski Oleg , Mureșan Carmen I. , Dobritzsch Dirk , Fuszard Matthew , Erler Silvio
Published: September 2019

Honey proteins are essential bee nutrients and antimicrobials that protect honey from microbial spoilage. The majority of the honey proteome includes bee-secreted peptides and proteins, produced in specialised glands; however, bees need to forage actively for nitrogen sources and other basic elements of protein synthesis. Nectar and pollen of different origins can vary significantly in their nutritional composition and other compounds such as plant secondary metabolites. Worker bees producing and ripening honey from nectar might therefore need to adjust protein secretions depending on the quality and specific contents of the starting material. Here, we assessed the impact of different food sources (sugar solutions with different additives) on honey proteome composition and stability, using controlled cage experiments. Honey-like products generated from sugar solution with or without additional protein, or plant secondary metabolites, differed neither in protein quality nor in protein quantity among samples. Storage for 4 weeks prevented protein degradation in most cases, without differences between food sources. The honey-like product proteome included several major royal jelly proteins, alpha-glucosidase and glucose oxidase. As none of the feeding regimes resulted in different protein profiles, we can conclude that worker bees may secrete a constant amount of each bee-specific protein into honey to preserve this highly valuable hive product.
The Use of Genetically Engineered Mouse Models for Studying the Function of Mutated Driver Genes in Pancreatic Cancer
Authors: Weng Ching-Chieh , Lin Yu-Chun , Cheng Kuang-Hung
Published: September 2019

Pancreatic cancer is often treatment-resistant, with the emerging standard of care, gemcitabine, affording only a few months of incrementally-deteriorating survival. Reflecting on the history of failed clinical trials, genetically engineered mouse models (GEMMs) in oncology research provides the inspiration to discover new treatments for pancreatic cancer that come from better knowledge of pathogenesis mechanisms, not only of the derangements in and consequently acquired capabilities of the cancer cells, but also in the aberrant microenvironment that becomes established to support, sustain, and enhance neoplastic progression. On the other hand, the existing mutational profile of pancreatic cancer guides our understanding of the disease, but leaves many important questions of pancreatic cancer biology unanswered. Over the past decade, a series of transgenic and gene knockout mouse modes have been produced that develop pancreatic cancers with features reflective of metastatic pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) in humans. Animal models of PDAC are likely to be essential to understanding the genetics and biology of the disease and may provide the foundation for advances in early diagnosis and treatment.
Acute Kidney Injury and In-Hospital Mortality: A Retrospective Analysis of a Nationwide Administrative Database of Elderly Subjects in Italy
Authors: Fabbian Fabio , Savriè Caterina , De Giorgi Alfredo , Cappadona Rosaria , Di Simone Emanuele , Boari Benedetta , Storari Alda , Gallerani Massimo , Manfredini Roberto
Published: September 2019

Background: The aim of this study was to investigate the association between acute kidney injury (AKI) and in-hospital mortality (IHM) in a large nationwide cohort of elderly subjects in Italy. Methods: We analyzed the hospitalization data of all patients aged ≥65 years, who were discharged with a diagnosis of AKI, which was identified by the presence of the International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM), and extracted from the Italian Health Ministry database (January 2000 to December 2015). Data regarding age, gender, dialysis treatment, and comorbidity, including the development of sepsis, were also collected. Results: We evaluated 760,664 hospitalizations, the mean age was 80.5 ± 7.8 years, males represented 52.2% of the population, and 9% underwent dialysis treatment. IHM was 27.7% (210,661 admissions): Deceased patients were more likely to be older, undergoing dialysis treatment, and to be sicker than the survivors. The population was classified on the basis of tertiles of comorbidity score (the first group 7.48 ± 1.99, the second 13.67 ± 2,04, and third 22.12 ± 4.13). IHM was higher in the third tertile, whilst dialysis-dependent AKI was highest in the first. Dialysis-dependent AKI was associated with an odds ratios (OR) of 2.721; 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.676–2.766; p < 0.001, development of sepsis was associated with an OR of 1.990; 95% CI 1.948–2.033; p < 0.001, the second tertile of comorbidity was associated with an OR of 1.750; 95% CI 1.726–1.774; p < 0.001, and the third tertile of comorbidity was associated with an OR of 2.522; 95% CI 2.486–2.559; p < 0.001. Conclusions: In elderly subjects with AKI discharge codes, IHM is a frequent complication affecting more than a quarter of the investigated population. The increasing burden of comorbidity, dialysis-dependent AKI, and sepsis are the major risk factors.
The Utility of ABO Testing in Pediatric Patients Undergoing Elective Surgery
Authors: Kim Min Seob , Ahn Sanghyun , Chung Eun-Jin , Choi Seungeun , Kim Jin-Tae , Ryu Ho-Geol
Published: September 2019

Background: Patients for elective operation often undergo routine ABO/Rh type and screening test for potential need of transfusion. Some institutions require double verification of ABO/Rh type. We evaluated the clinical practice pattern of performing ABO/Rh type and screening test in pediatric patients undergoing elective operation. Methods: Electronic medical records from pediatric patients who underwent elective surgery between June 2006 and June 2010 were retrieved. The frequency of ABO/Rh type and screening test and the incidence of packed red blood cell (pRBC) request and pRBC dispatch from the blood bank among those tested were analyzed by year and the surgical department. Results: Of the 23,631 patients, the incidence of ABO/Rh type and screening was 32.2%, and pRBC was dispatched in 37.9% of these patients. The incidence of ABO/Rh type and screening varied between 1.5% and 97.9% among surgical departments and also within the surgical departments depending on the type of surgery. The incidence of ABO/Rh type and screening showed a decreasing trend over the study period. Conclusions: There was significant variability among and within the surgical departments in the incidence of ABO/Rh type and screening in children undergoing elective surgery. A tailored approach may be beneficial to the patient in terms of comfort and cost.
Advances and Current Challenges in Marine Biotoxins Monitoring
Authors: Costa Pedro Reis
Published: September 2019

Shellfish are filter-feeding organisms that may accumulate high levels of naturally-occurring toxins, produced by harmful algal blooms, and act as marine toxin vectors to whomever consumes them [...]
Grafting Hyperbranched Polymers onto TiO2 Nanoparticles via Thiol-yne Click Chemistry and Its Effect on the Mechanical, Thermal and Surface Properties of Polyurethane Coating
Authors: Zhan Feng , Xiong Lei , Liu Fang , Li Chenying
Published: September 2019

In this study, we proposed a novel and facile method to modify the surface of TiO2 nanoparticles and investigated the influence of the surface-modified TiO2 nanoparticles as an additive in a polyurethane (PU) coating. The hyperbranched polymers (HBP) were grafted on the surface of TiO2 nanoparticles via the thiol-yne click chemistry to reduce the aggregation of nanoparticles and increase the interaction between TiO2 and polymer matrices. The grafting of HBP on the TiO2 nanoparticles surface was investigated by means of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and thermogravimetry analysis (TGA). The thermal and mechanical properties of nanocomposite coatings containing various amounts of TiO2 nanoparticles were measured by dynamic mechanical thermal (DMTA) and tensile strength measurement. Moreover, the surface structure and properties of the newly prepared nanocomposite coatings were examined. The experimental results demonstrate that the incorporation of the surface-modified TiO2 nanoparticles can improve the mechanical and thermal properties of nanocomposite coatings. The results also reveal that the surface modification of TiO2 with the HBP chains improves the nanoparticle dispersion, and the coating surface shows a lotus leaf-like microstructure. Thus, the functional nanocomposite coatings exhibit superhydrophobic properties, good photocatalytic depollution performance, and high stripping resistance.
Neural Network Modelling of Track Profile in Cold Spray Additive Manufacturing
Authors: Ikeuchi Daiki , Vargas-Uscategui Alejandro , Wu Xiaofeng , King Peter C.
Published: September 2019

Cold spray additive manufacturing is an emerging technology that offers the ability to deposit oxygen-sensitive materials and to manufacture large components in the solid state. For further development of the technology, the geometric control of cold sprayed components is fundamental but not yet fully matured. This study presents a neural network predictive modelling of a single-track profile in cold spray additive manufacturing to address the problem. In contrast to previous studies focusing only on key geometric feature predictions, the neural network model was employed to demonstrate its capability of predicting complete track profiles at both normal and off-normal spray angles, resulting in a mean absolute error of 8.3%. We also compared the track profile modelling results against the previously proposed Gaussian model and showed that the neural network model provided comparable predictive accuracy, even outperforming in the predictions at cold spray profile edges. The results indicate that a neural network modelling approach is well suited to cold spray profile prediction and may be used to improve geometric control during additive manufacturing with an appropriate process planning algorithm.
Pharmaceutical Applications of Iron-Oxide Magnetic Nanoparticles
Authors: Bruschi Marcos Luciano , de Toledo Lucas de Alcântara Sica
Published: September 2019

Advances of nanotechnology led to the development of nanoparticulate systems with many advantages due to their unique physicochemical properties. The use of iron-oxide magnetic nanoparticles (IOMNPs) in pharmaceutical areas increased in the last few decades. This article reviews the conceptual information about iron oxides, magnetic nanoparticles, methods of IOMNP synthesis, properties useful for pharmaceutical applications, advantages and disadvantages, strategies for nanoparticle assemblies, and uses in the production of drug delivery, hyperthermia, theranostics, photodynamic therapy, and as an antimicrobial. The encapsulation, coating, or dispersion of IOMNPs with biocompatible material(s) can avoid the aggregation, biodegradation, and alterations from the original state and also enable entrapping the bioactive agent on the particle via adsorption or covalent attachment. IOMNPs show great potential for target drug delivery, improving the therapy as a consequence of a higher drug effect using lower concentrations, thus reducing side effects and toxicity. Different methodologies allow IOMNP synthesis, resulting in different structures, sizes, dispersions, and surface modifications. These advantages support their utilization in pharmaceutical applications, and getting suitable drug release control on the target tissues could be beneficial in several clinical situations, such as infections, inflammations, and cancer. However, more toxicological clinical investigations about IOMNPs are necessary.
Existence and Uniqueness of Zeros for Vector-Valued Functions with K-Adjustability Convexity and Their Applications
Authors: Du Wei-Shih
Published: September 2019

In this paper, we introduce the new concepts of K-adjustability convexity and strictly K-adjustability convexity which respectively generalize and extend the concepts of K-convexity and strictly K-convexity. We establish some new existence and uniqueness theorems of zeros for vector-valued functions with K-adjustability convexity. As their applications, we obtain existence theorems for the minimization problem and fixed point problem which are original and quite different from the known results in the existing literature.
Characterization and Antibiofilm Activity of Mannitol–Chitosan-Blended Paste for Local Antibiotic Delivery System
Authors: Pace Leslie R. , Harrison Zoe L. , Brown Madison N. , Haggard Warren O. , Jennings J. Amber
Published: September 2019

Mannitol, a polyalcohol bacterial metabolite, has been shown to activate dormant persister cells within bacterial biofilm. This study sought to evaluate an injectable blend of mannitol, chitosan, and polyethylene glycol for delivery of antibiotics and mannitol for eradication of Staphylococcal biofilm. Mannitol blends were injectable and had decreased dissociation and degradation in the enzyme lysozyme compared to blends without mannitol. Vancomycin and amikacin eluted in a burst response, with active concentrations extended to seven days compared to five days for blends without mannitol. Mannitol eluted from the paste in a burst the first day and continued through Day 4. Eluates from the mannitol pastes with and without antibiotics decreased viability of established S. aureus biofilm by up to 95.5% compared to blends without mannitol, which only decreased biofilm when loaded with antibiotics. Cytocompatibility tests indicated no adverse effects on viability of fibroblasts. In vivo evaluation of inflammatory response revealed mannitol blends scored within the 2–4 range at Week 1 (2.6 ± 1.1) and at Week 4 (3.0 ± 0.8), indicative of moderate inflammation and comparable to non-mannitol pastes (p = 0.065). Clinically, this paste could be loaded with clinician-selected antibiotics and used as an adjunctive therapy for musculoskeletal infection prevention and treatment.
Physical Activity and the Occurrence of Postnatal Depression—A Systematic Review
Authors: Kołomańska-Bogucka Daria , Mazur-Bialy Agnieszka Irena
Published: September 2019

Background and Objectives: During pregnancy and the postnatal period many changes occur in a woman’s body, both in mental and physical spheres. The birth of a child and a new role—of a mother—can sometimes be associated with numerous negative emotions, uncertainty, fear, anxiety, disgust, depression, or sadness. In the puerperium period, the development of baby blues or postpartum depression may occur. Postpartum depression develops within one month of childbirth and may last up to one year. Depressive disorders that may develop in a young mother affect both her and the newborn’s health. That is why it is so important to try to search for factors that could significantly reduce the likelihood of developing depression in this period. The study aims at assessing the relationship between physical activity during pregnancy and puerperium or in the postpartum and the development of postnatal depression. Materials and Methods: A review of the literature was carried out in the Medline-PubMed database. The search terms were “pregnancy” AND “physical activity AND postpartum depression”. The study included only English-language publications published in the period 2000–2018. Results: A total of 216 references were found. After establishing the inclusion and exclusion criteria based on the analysis of titles and abstracts, 173 articles were excluded from the review. A total of 43 publications were read in full. Finally, 16 articles were included in the review. It was shown that regular physical activity during pregnancy, pregnancy, and puerperium, or in the postnatal period itself as compared to inactivity, reduces the risk of developing depression in pregnant women and after the birth of a child. Conclusions: Physical activity can be an essential factor in the prevention of depressive disorders of women in the postnatal period.
Destruction of Cyanide and Removal of Copper from Waste Printed Circuit Boards Leach Solution Using Electro-Generated Hypochlorite Followed by Magnetite Adsorption
Authors: Bae Mooki , Lee Hyunju , Kim Sookyung , Yoo Kyoungkeun
Published: September 2019

The removal of the cyanide and copper (Cu) from the waste printed circuit boards (WPCBs) cyanide leach solution through the alkaline chlorination using electro-generated hypochlorite (NaOCl) followed by magnetite (Fe3O4) adsorption is investigated. The efficiency of the destruction of cyanide and precipitation of Cu was increased with increasing the concentration of free available chlorine in NaOCl. More than 99% of free cyanide and 76% of Cu were removed under the following conditions: concentration of chlorine in electro-generated NaOCl, 5.2 g/L; volume ratio of NaOCl/leach solution, 1; pH, ~9.8; ambient temperature for 12 h. Then, magnetite adsorption for selective removal of remaining Cu (50.5 mg/L) was selected and more than 99% of copper ion was successfully removed with dosage 10g/100mL, shaking speed 150 rpm within 30 min. The results revealed that the alkaline chlorination using electro-generated NaOCl followed by magnetite adsorption could completely remove the cyanide and Cu, remaining Au in the final solution.