bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Impact of the Framework Type on the Regeneration of Coked Zeolites by Non-Thermal Plasma in a Fixed Bed Dielectric Barrier Reactor
Authors: Astafan Amir , Sachse Alexander , Batiot-Dupeyrat Catherine , Pinard Ludovic
Published: November 2019

The formation of coke as a result of propene transformation at 623 K on zeolites results from a product shape selectivity mechanism of which the products are polyaromatic molecules, such as pyrene on MFI, anthracene on MOR, pyrene and coronene on FAU. Zeolite regeneration can be achieved by using non-thermal plasma (NTP), with decreased energy consumption, employing a fixed bed dielectric barrier reactor. The efficiency of this alternative regeneration process depends on the coke toxicity. On MFI and FAU (featuring three-dimensional 10 and 12 ring channel systems, respectively) coking occurs by poisoning the Brønsted acid sites; on MOR, (presenting a one-dimensional 12 ring channel system) pore blocking takes place, leading to higher coke toxicity. A complete coke removal is achieved on MFI and FAU zeolites using NTP within 3 h, while for MOR coke, removal proceeds slower and is incomplete after 3 h on stream. Hence, the efficiency of regeneration is impacted by the accessibility of active oxygenated species generated under plasma (e.g., O*, O2+) to coke molecules.
Differential Effects of Insulin and IGF1 Receptors on ERK and AKT Subcellular Distribution in Breast Cancer Cells
Authors: Sarfstein Rive , Nagaraj Karthik , LeRoith Derek , Werner Haim
Published: November 2019

Insulin and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF1) have important roles in breast cancer development. The recent identification of nuclear insulin (INSR) and IGF1 (IGF1R) receptors provides a novel paradigm in the area of signal transduction. The fact that INSR and IGF1R can function as transcription factors, capable of binding DNA and controlling transcription, adds a new layer of biological complexity by conferring upon cell-surface receptors the ability to regulate genomic events. The present study was designed to assess the hypothesis that insulin and IGF1 pathways elicit differential effects on subcellular distribution and activation of ERK1/2 and AKT. To this end, MCF7 breast cancer-derived cell lines with specific INSR or IGF1R disruption were employed. In addition, small interfering RNA technology was used to specifically down-regulate INSR or IGF1R expression in T47D breast cancer cells. DNA affinity chromatography assays were conducted to address the specific binding of ERK1/2 and AKT to the IGF1R promoter region. We demonstrate that both INSR and IGF1R exhibit a nuclear localization in breast cancer-derived cells. In addition, the insulin and IGF1 pathways have different effects on the subcellular distribution (and, particularly, the nuclear presence) of ERK1/2 and AKT molecules. Both cytoplasmic mediators are capable of binding and transactivating the IGF1R promoter. In conclusion, our data are consistent with the notion that, in addition to their classical roles as targets for insulin-like molecules, both ERK1/2 and AKT are involved in transcriptional control of the IGF1R gene. This previously unrecognized regulatory loop may provide mechanistic advantages to breast cancer cells. Given the potential role of INSR and IGF1R as therapeutic targets in oncology, it will be of clinical relevance to address the future use of nuclear receptors and their downstream cytoplasmic mediators as biomarkers for INSR/IGF1R targeted therapy.
Diversity of the Senescence Phenotype of Cancer Cells Treated with Chemotherapeutic Agents
Authors: Bojko Agnieszka , Czarnecka-Herok Joanna , Charzynska Agata , Dabrowski Michal , Sikora Ewa
Published: November 2019

It is acknowledged that cancer cells are able to undergo senescence in response to clinically used chemotherapeutics. Moreover, recent years have provided evidence that some drugs can selectively remove senescent cells. Therefore, it is essential to properly identify and characterize senescent cells, especially when it comes to cancer. Senescence was induced in various cancer cell lines (A549, SH-SY-5Y, HCT116, MDA-MB-231, and MCF-7) following treatment with doxorubicin, irinotecan, methotrexate, 5-fluorouracil, oxaliplatin, or paclitaxel. Treatment with tested chemotherapeutics resulted in upregulation of p21 and proliferation arrest without cytotoxicity. A comparative analysis with the use of common senescence markers (i.e., morphology, SA-β-galactosidase, granularity, secretory phenotype, and the level of double-stranded DNA damage) revealed a large diversity in response to the chemotherapeutics used. The strongest senescence inducers were doxorubicin, irinotecan, and methotrexate; paclitaxel had an intermediate effect and oxaliplatin and 5-fluorouracil did not induce senescence. In addition, different susceptibility of cancer cells to senescence was observed. A statistical analysis aimed at finding any relationship between the senescence markers applied did not show clear correlations. Moreover, increased SA-β-gal activity coupled with p21 expression proved not to be an unequivocal senescence marker. This points to a need to simultaneously analyze multiple markers, given their individual limitations.
MS CD49d+CD154+ Lymphocytes Reprogram Oligodendrocytes into Immune Reactive Cells Affecting CNS Regeneration
Authors: Piatek Paweł , Namiecinska Magdalena , Domowicz Małgorzata , Przygodzka Patrycja , Wieczorek Marek , Michlewska Sylwia , Lewkowicz Natalia , Tarkowski Maciej , Lewkowicz Przemysław
Published: November 2019

The critical aspect in multiple sclerosis (MS) progression involves insufficient regeneration of CNS resulting from deficient myelin synthesis by newly generated oligodendrocytes (OLs). Although many studies have focused on the role of autoreactive lymphocytes in the inflammatory-induced axonal loss, the problem of insufficient remyelination and disease progression is still unsolved. To determine the effect of myelin-specific lymphocytes on OL function in MS patients and in a mouse model of MS, we cultured myelin induced MS CD49d+CD154+ circulating lymphocytes as well as Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis (EAE) mouse brain-derived T and memory B cells with maturing oligodendrocyte precursor cells (OPCs). We found that myelin-specific CD49d+CD154+ lymphocytes affected OPC maturation toward formation of immune reactive OLs. Newly generated OLs were characterized by imbalanced myelin basic protein (MBP) and proteolipid protein (PLP) production as well as proinflammatory chemokine/cytokine synthesis. The analysis of cellular pathways responsible for OL reprogramming revealed that CD49d+CD154+ lymphocytes affected miRNA synthesis by dysregulation of polymerase II activity. miR-665 and ELL3 turned out to be the main targets of MS myelin-specific lymphocytes. Neutralization of high intracellular miR-665 concentration restored miRNA and MBP/PLP synthesis. Together, these data point to new targets for therapeutic intervention promoting CNS remyelination.
Targeting Cyclic AMP Signalling in Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Authors: Massimi Mara , Ragusa Federica , Cardarelli Silvia , Giorgi Mauro
Published: November 2019

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a major healthcare problem worldwide, representing one of the leading causes of cancer mortality. Since there are currently no predictive biomarkers for early stage diagnosis, HCC is detected only in advanced stages and most patients die within one year, as radical tumour resection is generally performed late during the disease. The development of alternative therapeutic approaches to HCC remains one of the most challenging areas of cancer. This review focuses on the relevance of cAMP signalling in the development of hepatocellular carcinoma and identifies the modulation of this second messenger as a new strategy for the control of tumour growth. In addition, because the cAMP pathway is controlled by phosphodiesterases (PDEs), targeting these enzymes using PDE inhibitors is becoming an attractive and promising tool for the control of HCC. Among them, based on current preclinical and clinical findings, PDE4-specific inhibitors remarkably demonstrate therapeutic potential in the management of cancer outcomes, especially as adjuvants to standard therapies. However, more preclinical studies are warranted to ascertain their efficacy during the different stages of hepatocyte transformation and in the treatment of established HCC.
The Effects of Atmospheric Pressure Argon Plasma Treated Bovine Bone Substitute on Bone Regeneration
Authors: Ahn Jong-Ju , Yoo Ji-Hyun , Bae Eun-Bin , Kim Gyoo-Cheon , Hwang Jae Joon , Lee Wan-Sun , Kim Hyung-Joon , Huh Jung-Bo
Published: November 2019

This study was undertaken to compare new bone formation between non-expired and expired bovine-derived xenogeneic bone substitute (expired, out-of-use period) and to evaluate the efficacy of argon (Ar)-based atmospheric pressure plasma (APP) treatment on expired bone substitute in rat calvarial defect. The groups were divided into (1) Non/Expired group (Using regular xenografts), (2) Expired group (Using expired xenografts), and (3) Ar/Expired group (Using Ar-based APP treated expired xenografts). Surface observation and cell experiments were performed in vitro. Twelve rats were used for in vivo experiment and the bony defects were created on the middle of the cranium. The bone substitute of each group was implanted into the defective site. After 4 weeks, all the rats were sacrificed, and the volumetric, histologic, and histometric analyses were performed. In the results of osteogenic differentiation and mineralization, Non/Expired and Ar/Expired groups were significantly higher than Expired group (p < 0.05). However, there was no significant difference between groups in the animal study (p > 0.05). Within the limitations of this study, the surface treatment of Ar-based APP has a potential effect on the surface modification of bone grafts. However, there was no significant difference in bone regeneration ability between groups in vivo; thus, studies on APP to enhance bone regeneration should be carried out in the future.
Three New Lead Iodide Chain Compounds, APbI3, Templated by Molecular Cations
Authors: Guo Yuan-Yuan , Yang Lin-Jie , Lightfoot Philip
Published: November 2019

The crystal structures of three new hybrid organic-inorganic lead halide compounds [IqH]PbI3, [4MiH]PbI3, and [BzH]PbI3 ([IqH+] = isoquinolinium, [4MiH+] = 4-methylimidazolium, [BzH+] = benzotriazolium) have been determined by single crystal x-ray diffraction. All three compounds have the same generic formula as perovskite, ABX3, but adopt a rare non-perovskite structure built from one dimensional (1D) edge-sharing octahedral chains. The bandgap of each compound was investigated by solid UV-Vis spectra. In comparison with previously reported hybrid compounds containing the same type of octahedral chains, [C10H7CH2NH3]Pbl3 and (C7H7N2)PbI3, all three new compounds have lower bandgaps (<2.4 ev), indicating that they may be promising for photovoltaic application.
Protein Carbonyl Content Is a Predictive Biomarker of Eccentric Left Ventricular Hypertrophy in Hemodialysis Patients
Authors: Dimitrijevic Zorica M. , Salinger Martinovic Sonja S. , Nikolic Valentina N. , Cvetkovic Tatjana P.
Published: November 2019

High prevalence of left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) and elevated oxidative stress are associated with poor outcomes in chronic hemodialysis patients. Abnormal left ventriculаr geomеtry and different geometric patterns play an important role as well. Our study analyzed the role of oxidative stress on myocardial remodeling in these patients. Plasma malondialdehyde (MDA), protein carbonyl (PC) content, and total antioxidative capacity (TAC) were investigated in 104 hemodialysis patients together with transthoracic echocardiography. Compared to patients with normal ventricular geometry, patients with LVH had increased MDA and PC plasma concentration. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that protein carbonyls, as biomarkers of oxidative protein modification, were an independent predictor of eccentric hypertrophy (eLVH), including higher LV end-diastolic diameter and LV end-diastolic volume, (β = 0.32 and β = 0.28, p < 0.001 for both). The incidence of eLVH increased progressively from the lowest to the highest baseline PC tertile (p < 0.001 for the trend) and the subjects in the former group showed a 76% greater risk of developing eLVH compared to their counterparts. After further adjustment for the potential mediators, PCs carried eLVH odds (95% confidence interval (CI)) of 1.256 (0.998–1.514), per standard deviation increase. High plasma protein carbonyls levels are a significant independent predictor of eccentric LVH in chronic hemodialysis patients.
Residual Agroforestry Biomass–Thermochemical Properties
Authors: Enes Teresa , Aranha José , Fonseca Teresa , Matos Carlos , Barros Ana , Lousada José
Published: November 2019

Research Highlights: Biomass from Mediterranean agroforestry vegetation may be a potential source of renewable energy. However, due to the high heterogeneity of this type of resource, the study of its characteristics becomes necessary for its efficient use. Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the thermal and chemical properties of 14 different kinds of agroforestry biomass groups: shrubs, forest, and agricultural wastes. Materials and Methods: The higher heating value (HHV), the elemental analysis (C, H, O, N, S), ashes, mineral elements (Na, K, Ca, Mg, and P), trace elements (Mn, Fe, Zn, Ni, Cu, Cr, and Cd) and halogen elements (F and Cl) were quantified and compared with CEN/TS 147775 and CENS/TS 14961 standards, looking forward to future use for energy purposes, namely through combustion processes, as an alternative to fossil fuels. Results: The shrubs present the highest values of higher heating value (20.5 MJ kg−1), followed by the forest wastes (19.2 MJ kg−1) and the lowest in the agricultural wastes (18.5 MJ kg−1). Concerning the elemental analysis, the difference between groups C, H, and O are very small and not statistically significant, while for N, S and ashes values are higher in agricultural than shrubs and forestry wastes. The same tendency was found for the mineral nutrients. For the trace elements, the lowest content of Mn, Fe, and Zn is found in agricultural, Ni, and Cr content in the shrubs and Cu in the forest wastes. The halogen elements are present in greater amount in shrubs than agricultural and forest wastes. Conclusions: Although the high values of the halogen elements which may raise sintering problems and corrosive effect on metal parts in furnace and boiler, in general the shrubs biomass are those with better characteristics for energy uses, namely through combustion processes.
Teaching and Learning Pressure and Fluids
Authors: Kariotoglou Petros , Psillos Dimitris
Published: November 2019

This essay is a synthesis of more than twenty years of research, already published, on teaching and learning fluids and pressure. We examine teaching fluids globally, i.e., the content to be taught and its transformations, students’ alternative conceptions and their remediation, the sequence of educational activities, being right for students’ understanding, as well as tasks for evaluating their conceptual evolution. Our samples are junior high school students and primary school student-teachers. This long-term study combines research and development concerning teaching and learning fluids and has evolved through iteratively based design application and reflective feedback related to empirical data. The results of our research include several publications.
Preliminary Study and Observation of “Kalamata PDO” Extra Virgin Olive Oil, in the Messinia Region, Southwest of Peloponnese (Greece)
Authors: Skiada Vasiliki , Tsarouhas Panagiotis , Varzakas Theodoros
Published: November 2019

While there has been considerable research related to Koroneiki cultivar in different areas in Greece, no systematic work has been carried out on olive oil analysis from one of the most important olive-growing regions in Greece, located southwest of Peloponnese, Messinia. This work is the first systematic attempt to study the profile of Messinian olive oils and evaluate to what extent they comply with the recent EU regulations in order to be classified as “Kalamata Protected Designation of Origin (PDO)”-certified products. Quality indices were measured and detailed analyses of sterols, triterpenic dialcohols, fatty acid composition and wax content were conducted in a total of 71 samples. Messinian olive oils revealed a high-quality profile but, at the same time, results demonstrated major fluctuations from the established EU regulatory limits on their chemical parameters. Results showed low concentrations of total sterols, with 66.7% of the examined samples below the regulated set limits for Kalamata PDO status; high concentrations of campesterol, with a total of 21.7%, exceeding the legal maximum of 4.0%; and a slight tendency of high total erythrodiol content. Fatty acid composition and wax content were within the normal range expected for the extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) category. However, the narrower established PDO limits in specific fatty acids showed some fluctuations in a few cases.
MapReduce-Based Parallel Genetic Algorithm for CpG-Site Selection in Age Prediction
Authors: Momeni Zahra , Saniee Abadeh Mohammad
Published: November 2019

Genomic biomarkers such as DNA methylation (DNAm) are employed for age prediction. In recent years, several studies have suggested the association between changes in DNAm and its effect on human age. The high dimensional nature of this type of data significantly increases the execution time of modeling algorithms. To mitigate this problem, we propose a two-stage parallel algorithm for selection of age related CpG-sites. The algorithm first attempts to cluster the data into similar age ranges. In the next stage, a parallel genetic algorithm (PGA), based on the MapReduce paradigm (MR-based PGA), is used for selecting age-related features of each individual age range. In the proposed method, the execution of the algorithm for each age range (data parallel), the evaluation of chromosomes (task parallel) and the calculation of the fitness function (data parallel) are performed using a novel parallel framework. In this paper, we consider 16 different healthy DNAm datasets that are related to the human blood tissue and that contain the relevant age information. These datasets are combined into a single unioned set, which is in turn randomly divided into two sets of train and test data with a ratio of 7:3, respectively. We build a Gradient Boosting Regressor (GBR) model on the selected CpG-sites from the train set. To evaluate the model accuracy, we compared our results with state-of-the-art approaches that used these datasets, and observed that our method performs better on the unseen test dataset with a Mean Absolute Deviation (MAD) of 3.62 years, and a correlation (R2) of 95.96% between age and DNAm. In the train data, the MAD and R2 are 1.27 years and 99.27%, respectively. Finally, we evaluate our method in terms of the effect of parallelization in computation time. The algorithm without parallelization requires 4123 min to complete, whereas the parallelized execution on 3 computing machines having 32 processing cores each, only takes a total of 58 min. This shows that our proposed algorithm is both efficient and scalable.
Evaluating the Highway Tunnel Construction in Western Sichuan Plateau Considering Vocational Health and Environment
Authors: Wu Peng , Yang Feng , Zheng Jinlong , Wei Yanqing
Published: November 2019

Oxygen deficiency and coldness are the main challenges for highway tunnel construction in high-altitude areas such as western Sichuan plateau. The artificial oxygen supply and anti-freezing structure in the tunnel construction process has a significant impact on vocational health and the environment. Thus, the conditions of tunnels need to be carefully evaluated before construction. However, the current design code for tunnel construction contains few instructions about these aspects. This paper attempts to establish a simple evaluation method to guide the construction design by analyzing the oxygen partial pressure of trachea, the mean temperature of the coldest month, and the maximum freezing depth for tunnel projects in western Sichuan plateau. Based on the on-site meteorological monitoring at different altitudes of three typical tunnels in the western Sichuan plateau and the comparative analysis of the existing meteorological data, the corresponding relationships between the three parameters and the altitude were investigated. The thresholds by altitude for grading the tunnels are identified as 2100 m and 4200 m, respectively. The highway tunnels in the western Sichuan plateau are graded in three categories, namely, general-altitude tunnels, high-altitude tunnels, and ultra-high-altitude tunnels. The corresponding measures of oxygen supply and freezing prevention for different graded tunnels are recommended. The results would provide a basis for the design and construction of new tunnels and enhance the service life and operations safety of the tunnels in western Sichuan plateau and other similar high-altitude areas.
Household Contamination with Methamphetamine: Knowledge and Uncertainties
Authors: Kuhn Emma J. , Walker G. Stewart , Whiley Harriet , Wright Jackie , Ross Kirstin E.
Published: November 2019

Contamination of residential homes with methamphetamine is an emerging issue of significant concern to public health. Cooking or smoking methamphetamine in a residential property contaminates the house, furnishings and personal possessions within it, with subsequent exposure through ingestion, dermal absorption and/or inhalation causing adverse health effects. Current guidelines identifying levels of methamphetamine contamination that require remediation vary between countries. There is also no international standard protocol for measuring levels of contamination and research has shown that different materials give rise to different recovery rates of methamphetamine. There are a number of currently used remediation methods; however, they have varying levels of success with limited studies comparing their long-term efficacies. Most importantly, there are few guidelines available that are based on a transparent, health risk-based approach, and there are many uncertainties on exposures and health effects, making it difficult to ensure the health of people residing in homes that have been used to cook or smoke methamphetamine are sufficiently protected. This manuscript presents the current state of knowledge regarding the contamination of residential homes with methamphetamine and identifies the current gaps in knowledge and priority areas for future research. The current regulatory approach to public health protection associated with exposure to residential premises contaminated with methamphetamine in Australia, New Zealand and the USA is also discussed.
An Azure ACES Early Warning System for Air Quality Index Deteriorating
Authors: Shih Dong-Her , Wu Ting-Wei , Liu Wen-Xuan , Shih Po-Yuan
Published: November 2019

With the development of industrialization and urbanization, air pollution in many countries has become more serious and has affected people’s health. The air quality has been continuously concerned by environmental managers and the public. Therefore, accurate air quality deterioration warning system can avoid health hazards. In this study, an air quality index (AQI) warning system based on Azure cloud computing platform is proposed. The prediction model is based on DFR (Decision Forest Regression), NNR (Neural Network Regression), and LR (Linear Regression) machine learning algorithms. The best algorithm was selected to calculate the 6 pollutants required for the AQI calculation of the air quality monitoring in real time. The experimental results show that the LR algorithm has the best performance, and the method of this study has a good prediction on the AQI index warning for the next one to three hours. Based on the ACES system proposed, it is hoped that it can prevent personal health hazards and help to reduce medical costs in public.
Early Waning of Maternal Measles Antibodies in Infants in Zhejiang Province, China: A Comparison of Two Cross-Sectional Serosurveys
Authors: Chong Ka Chun , Rui Yan , Liu Yan , Zhou Tianyuan , Jia Katherine , Wang Maggie Haitian , Mohammad Kirran N. , He Hanqing
Published: November 2019

In China, children aged <8 months, who were expected to be protected by maternal antibodies before receiving the first dose of measles vaccine, were the age group with the greatest risk of infection in recent years. In this study, we evaluated whether infants yet to be age-eligible for measles vaccine had a sufficient seropositive level of maternal measles antibodies in 2009 and 2013. Blood samples were collected from infants aged <8 months through population-based serological surveys conducted in Zhejiang, China. Serum levels of immunoglobulin G measles antibodies were quantified using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. In 2013, the mean geometric mean titres (GMTs) of infants aged 4 to 8 months were below the seropositivity threshold (<200 mIU/mL), decreasing from 118.6 mIU/mL (95% confidence interval [CI] 83.0, 169.3 mIU/mL) at 4 months to 28.6 mIU/mL (95% CI 15.6, 52.3 mIU/mL) at 7 months. Antibody levels were significantly lower in 2013 than in 2009 starting from 5 months of age. In conclusion, infants aged 4 to 8 months are susceptible to measles due to low levels of maternal measles antibodies. It is thus suggested to provide infants with a supplementary dose on top of the routine schedule, and/or launch catch-up vaccination campaigns among young women.
Spread of Infectious Disease Modeling and Analysis of Different Factors on Spread of Infectious Disease Based on Cellular Automata
Authors: Bin Sheng , Sun Gengxin , Chen Chih-Cheng
Published: November 2019

Infectious diseases are an important cause of human death. The study of the pathogenesis, spread regularity, and development trend of infectious diseases not only provides a theoretical basis for future research on infectious diseases, but also has practical guiding significance for the prevention and control of their spread. In this paper, a controlled differential equation and an objective function of infectious diseases were established by mathematical modeling. Based on cellular automata theory and a compartmental model, the SLIRDS (Susceptible-Latent-Infected-Recovered-Dead-Susceptible) model was constructed, a model which can better reflect the actual infectious process of infectious diseases. Considering the spread of disease in different populations, the model combines population density, sex ratio, and age structure to set the evolution rules of the model. Finally, on the basis of the SLIRDS model, the complex spread process of pandemic influenza A (H1N1) was simulated. The simulation results are similar to the macroscopic characteristics of pandemic influenza A (H1N1) in real life, thus the accuracy and rationality of the SLIRDS model are confirmed.
Spatial-Temporal Effects of PM2.5 on Health Burden: Evidence from China
Authors: Zeng Ming , Du Jiang , Zhang Weike
Published: November 2019

By collecting the panel data of 29 regions in China from 2008 to 2017, this study used the spatial Durbin model (SDM) to explore the spatial effect of PM2.5 exposure on the health burden of residents. The most obvious findings to emerge from this study are that: health burden and PM2.5 exposure are not randomly distributed over different regions in China, but have obvious spatial correlation and spatial clustering characteristics. The maximum PM2.5 concentrations have a significant positive effect on outpatient expense and outpatient visits of residents in the current period, and the impact of PM2.5 pollution has a significant temporal lag effect on residents’ health burden. PM2.5 exposure has a spatial spillover effect on the health burden of residents, and the PM2.5 concentrations in the surrounding regions or geographically close regions have a positive influence on the health burden in the particular region. The impact of PM2.5 exposure is divided into the direct effect and the indirect effect (the spatial spillover effect), and the spatial spillover effect is greater than that of the direct effect. Therefore, we conclude that PM2.5 exposure has a spatial spillover effect and temporal lag effect on the health burden of residents, and strict regulatory policies are needed to mitigate the health burden caused by air pollution.
Treatment with Peanut Sprout Root Extract Alleviates Inflammation in a Lipopolysaccharide-Stimulated Mouse Macrophage Cell Line by Inhibiting the MAPK Signaling Pathway
Authors: Lee Yun Mi , Son Eunjung , Kim Dong-Seon
Published: November 2019

Inflammation is a key response of the immune system to infection but aberrant inflammatory activity can lead to tissue damage and inflammatory diseases. Increasing evidence suggests that peanut sprout root extract (PSRE) has anti-inflammatory activity, and the aim of this study is therefore to investigate the effects of PSRE on the inflammatory response and the molecular mechanisms underpinning this effect in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW264.7 cells. Using a combination of cell viability, ELISA, and nitric oxide (NO) assays, together with Western blotting, we showed that PSRE effectively inhibited NO production in LPS-stimulated cells and significantly reduced the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines, including IL-6, IL-1β, and PGE2, at a dose of 200 µg/mL of PSRE, whereas TNF-α expression tended to decrease under PSRE treatment. We also confirmed a dose-dependent and significant inhibition of iNOS and COX-2 protein expression. In addition, PSRE treatment induced anti-inflammatory effects by inhibiting the phosphorylation of MAPKs (ERK, JNK, and p38) and NF-κB activation. Our results indicate that the anti-inflammatory properties of PSRE may result from inhibition of the MAPK pathways, which are known promoters of cytokine secretion.
A Novel Low Processing Time System for Criminal Activities Detection Applied to Command and Control Citizen Security Centers
Authors: Suarez-Paez Julio , Salcedo-Gonzalez Mayra , Climente Alfonso , Esteve Manuel , Gómez Jon Ander , Palau Carlos Enrique , Pérez-Llopis Israel
Published: November 2019

This paper shows a Novel Low Processing Time System focused on criminal activities detection based on real-time video analysis applied to Command and Control Citizen Security Centers. This system was applied to the detection and classification of criminal events in a real-time video surveillance subsystem in the Command and Control Citizen Security Center of the Colombian National Police. It was developed using a novel application of Deep Learning, specifically a Faster Region-Based Convolutional Network (R-CNN) for the detection of criminal activities treated as “objects” to be detected in real-time video. In order to maximize the system efficiency and reduce the processing time of each video frame, the pretrained CNN (Convolutional Neural Network) model AlexNet was used and the fine training was carried out with a dataset built for this project, formed by objects commonly used in criminal activities such as short firearms and bladed weapons. In addition, the system was trained for street theft detection. The system can generate alarms when detecting street theft, short firearms and bladed weapons, improving situational awareness and facilitating strategic decision making in the Command and Control Citizen Security Center of the Colombian National Police.
Role of Polypropylene Fibres in Concrete Spalling Risk Mitigation in Fire and Test Methods of Fibres Effectiveness Evaluation
Authors: Hager Izabela , Mróz Katarzyna
Published: November 2019

The explosive behaviour of concrete in fire is observed in rapidly heated concrete. The main factors controlling the occurrence of spalling are related to the material’s low porosity and high density as well as the limited ability to transport gases and liquids. Thus, for high-strength, ultrahigh-strength, and reactive powder concrete, the risk of spalling is much higher than for normal-strength concrete. The paper presents the discussion on the leading hypothesis concerning the occurrence of concrete spalling. Moreover, the methods for spalling prevention, such as polypropylene fibre application, which has been found to be an effective technological solution for preventing the occurrence of spalling, are presented. Various tests and testing protocols are used to screen concrete mixes propensity toward spalling and to evaluate the polypropylene fibres’ effectiveness in spalling risk mitigation. The most effective testing methods were selected and their advantages were presented in the paper. The review was based mainly on the authors’ experiences regarding high performance concrete, reactive powder concrete testing, and observations on the effect of polypropylene fibres on material behaviour at high temperature.
Analysis of Strength Development and Soil–Water Characteristics of Rice Husk Ash–Lime Stabilized Soft Soil
Authors: Jiang Xunli , Huang Zhiyi , Ma Fuquan , Luo Xue
Published: November 2019

With increased awareness of environmental protection, the output of traditional curing agents such as cement and lime is less and less, so it is urgent to develop new curing agents with high efficiency and environmental benefits. Thus, this study aims at investigating the application of rice husk ash (RHA) from agricultural waste to the soft soil stabilization. A series of tests are conducted to analyze the strength development process and soil–water characteristics of rice husk ash–lime (RHA–lime) stabilized soils. The results of the strength tests showed that by increasing the content of RHA, the unconfined compressive strength (UCS) and splitting strength of stabilized soils increased first and then decreased. The effective shear strength indexes of the three soil types (soft soil, lime-stabilized soil, and RHA–lime soil) are measured and compared. It is found that RHA can effectively improve the shear resistance and water resistance of stabilized soil. The results of methylene blue test demonstrated that RHA can also promote the reduction of the specific surface area and swelling potential energy of lime-stabilized soil. In addition, the influence of RHA on mineral composition and morphology change in stabilized soils is studied at the microscopic level. The X-ray diffraction tests and scanning electron microscope (SEM) tests showed that strength development and change of soil–water properties of RHA–lime stabilized soil are attributed to enhanced cohesion by cementation and pores filling with agglomerated mineral.
Synthesis of Fe- and Co-Doped TiO2 with Improved Photocatalytic Activity Under Visible Irradiation Toward Carbamazepine Degradation
Authors: El Mragui Abderrahim , Logvina Yuliya , Pinto da Silva Luís , Zegaoui Omar , Esteves da Silva Joaquim C.G.
Published: November 2019

Pure TiO2 and Fe- and Co-doped TiO2 nanoparticles (NPs) as photocatalysts were synthesized using wet chemical methods (sol-gel + precipitation). Their crystalline structure and optical properties were analyzed using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy and Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, ultraviolet-visible light (UV-Vis) diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS), and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy. The photocatalytic activity of the synthesized nanoparticles was evaluated through degradation of carbamazepine (CBZ) under UV-A and visible-light irradiations. The XRD and Raman analyses revealed that all synthesized nanomaterials showed only the anatase phase. The DRS results showed that the absorption edge was blue-shifted for Fe-doped TiO2 NPs. The decrease in charge recombination was evidenced from the PL investigation for both Co-doped and Fe-doped TiO2 nanomaterials. An enhancement in photocatalytic degradation of carbamazepine in aqueous suspension under both UV-A light and visible-light irradiations was observed for Fe-doped Titania NPs by comparison with pure TiO2. These results suggest that the doping cations could suppress the electron/hole recombination. Therefore, the photocatalytic activity of TiO2-based nanomaterials was enhanced.
Magnetic Fe3O4@SiO2–Pt and Fe3O4@SiO2–Pt@SiO2 Structures for HDN of Indole
Authors: Dinamarca Robinson , Valles Verónica , Ledesma Brenda , Campos Cristian H. , Pecchi Gina , Beltramone Andrea
Published: November 2019

The effect of a second porous SiO2 shell in the activity and selectivity of the Fe3O4@SiO2–Pt catalyst in the hydrodenitrogenation of indole is reported. The double Fe3O4@SiO2–Pt@SiO2 structure was prepared by coating Fe3O4 nanoparticles with tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) with a further impregnation of 1.0 wt.% of Pt on the (3-aminopropyl)triethoxysilane functionalized Fe3O4@SiO2 structures. The second porous SiO2 shell, obtained by using a hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) template, covered the Fe3O4@SiO2–Pt catalyst with a well-defined and narrow pore-sized distribution. The full characterization by TEM, inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES), XRD, and N2 adsorption isotherm at 77 K and vibrating sample magnetometry (VSM) of the catalysts indicates homogeneous core@shell structures with a controlled nano-size of metallic Pt. A significant effect of the double SiO2 shell in the catalytic performance was demonstrated by both a higher activity to eliminate the nitrogen atom of the indole molecule present in model liquid fuel and the improvement of the catalytic stability reaching four consecutive reaction cycles with only a slight conversion level decrease.
Nd-Fe-B Magnets: The Gradient Change of Microstructures and the Diffusion Principle after Grain Boundary Diffusion Process
Authors: Lu Yaojun , Zhong Shuwei , Yang Munan , Wang Chunming , Yang Liuyimei , Li Longgui , Yang Bin
Published: November 2019

The diffusion of Tb in sintered Nd-Fe-B magnets by the grain boundary diffusion process can significantly enhance coercivity. However, due to the influence of microstructures at different depths, the coercivity increment and temperature stability gradually decreases with the increase of diffusion depth, and exhibit good corrosion resistance at a sub-surface layer (300–1000 μm). According to the Electron Probe Micro-analyzer (EPMA) test results and the diffusion mechanism, the grain boundary and intragranular diffusion behavior under different Tb concentration gradients were analyzed, and the diffusion was divided into three stages. The first stage is located on the surface of the magnet, which formed a thick core-shell structure and a large number of RE-rich phases. The second stage is located in the sub-surface layer, forming a uniform and continuous RE-rich phase and thin core-shell structure. The third stage is located deeper in the magnet, and the Tb enrichment only existed at the triangular grain boundary.
Isothermal Diffusion Behavior and Surface Performance of Cu/Ni Coating on TC4 Alloy
Authors: Wang Nan , Chen Yong-Nan , Zhang Long , Li Yao , Liu Shuang-Shuang , Zhan Hai-Fei , Zhu Li-Xia , Zhu Shi-Dong , Zhao Yong-Qing
Published: November 2019

The poor surface performance of titanium alloys substantially limits their application in many fields, such as the petrochemical industry. To overcome this weakness, the Cu and Ni double layers were deposited on the surface of TC4 alloy by the electroplating method, and the isothermal diffusion process was performed at 700 °C to enhance the binding ability between Cu and Ni layers. The isothermal diffusion behavior and microstructure of the coating were systematically analyzed, and tribological property and corrosion resistance of the coating were also evaluated to reveal the influence of isothermal diffusion on the surface performance. It was shown that multiple diffusion layers appeared on the Cu/Ni and Ni/Ti interface, and that NixTiy and CuxTiy phases were formed in the coating with the increase of diffusion time. More importantly, Kirkendall diffusion occurred when the diffusion time increased, which led to the formation of continuous microvoids and cracks in the diffusion layer, weakening the surface performance of the Cu/Ni coatings. This paper unveils the relationship between the microstructure of the Cu/Ni coatings and isothermal diffusion behavior, providing guidelines in preparing high performance surface coatings.
Reusing Discarded Ballast Waste in Ecological Cements
Authors: Yagüe García Santiago , González Gaya Cristina
Published: November 2019

Numerous waste streams can be employed in different cement production processes, and the inclusion of pozzolans will, moreover, permit the manufacture of concrete with improved hydraulic properties. Pozzolanic materials can be added to Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC) in the range of 10%–20% by mass of cement. One such example is the phyllosilicate kaolinite (K), and its calcined derivative metakaolin (MK), incorporated in international cement manufacturing standards, due to its high reactivity and utility as a pozzolan. In the present paper, discarded ballast classed as Construction and Demolition Waste (C&DW) is reused as a pozzolanic material. Various techniques are used to characterize its chemical, mineralogical, and morphological properties, alongside its mechanical properties, such as compressive and flexural strength. Discarded ballast in substitution of cement at levels of 10% and 20% produced type II or IV pozzolanic cements that yielded satisfactory test results.
Some Novel Interactive Hybrid Weighted Aggregation Operators with Pythagorean Fuzzy Numbers and Their Applications to Decision Making
Authors: Li Na , Garg Harish , Wang Lei
Published: November 2019

A Pythagorean fuzzy set (PFS) is one of the extensions of the intuitionistic fuzzy set which accommodate more uncertainties to depict the fuzzy information and hence its applications are more extensive. In the modern decision-making process, aggregation operators are regarded as a useful tool for assessing the given alternatives and whose target is to integrate all the given individual evaluation values into a collective one. Motivated by these primary characteristics, the aim of the present work is to explore a group of interactive hybrid weighted aggregation operators for assembling Pythagorean fuzzy sets to deal with the decision information. The proposed aggregation operators include interactive the hybrid weighted average, interactive hybrid weighted geometric and its generalized versions. The major advantages of the proposed operators to address the decision-making problems are (i) to consider the interaction among membership and non-membership grades of the Pythagorean fuzzy numbers, (ii) it has the property of idempotency and simple computation process, and (iii) it possess an adjust parameter value and can reflect the preference of decision-makers during the decision process. Furthermore, we introduce an innovative multiple attribute decision making (MADM) process under the PFS environment based on suggested operators and illustrate with numerous numerical cases to verify it. The comparative analysis as well as advantages of the proposed framework confirms the supremacies of the method.
Investigation on the Inert Gas-Assisted Laser Cutting Performances and Quality Using Supersonic Nozzles
Authors: Orazi Leonardo , Darwish Mohamed , Reggiani Barbara
Published: November 2019

In the present work, three different supersonic nozzles were designed and manufactured to operate at various stagnation pressures during laser cutting. Several cutting experiments were performed on stainless steel samples of various thicknesses (2, 4, 6 mm) using a fiber laser of 3 kW with a head adapted to fit with both the proposed supersonic nozzles and a commercial reference conical nozzle. The flow through these nozzles was numerically modeled and compared with the Schlieren visualization measurements. The mass flow rate, the Mach number, and the pressure distributions were selected in detail in order to analyze the dynamic characteristics of the exit jet and to comparatively assess the achieved cutting quality (roughness perpendicularity) and capability (maximum thickness, cutting speed). The numerical and the experimental results were found to be in high agreement in terms of the flow structure and mass flow rate. In addition, a significant reduction of the assistance gas consumption of up to 65% on average was achieved by using supersonic nozzles as opposed to conical ones, accompanied with the decrease of the operating pressure and the increase of the cutting speed.
An Experimental Study on the Erosion-Corrosion Performance of AISI 1018 Carbon Steel and AISI 304L Stainless Steel 90-Degree Elbow Pipe
Authors: Khan Rehan , H. Ya Hamdan , Pao William
Published: November 2019

Erosion-corrosion is an unavoidable material degradation process in flow pipelines transporting abrasive particles with carrier fluids. In this study, the multiphase flow loop apparatus is employed to assess the erosion-corrosion behavior and mechanism relative to AISI 1018 carbon steel (CS) and AISI 304L stainless steel (SS) 90° long radius elbows with the inner diameter of 50.8 mm. Fine silica sand of 50 µm average size was used as a dispersed phase and erosion-corrosion tests were conducted for slug flow conditions. The erosion-corrosion analysis of 90° elbows was determined from its surface morphologies before and after the experiment using confocal and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The direct mass loss was measured to quantify the erosion-corrosion rate of the elbow configurations. Additionally, multilayer paint modeling experiments were performed to relate qualitative inferences on erosion distribution and location with the erosion-corrosion mechanism. It was observed that the erosion or corrosion pitting mechanism prevailed on the 1018 CS elbow surface, and the 304L SS displayed excellent erosion-corrosion resistance properties. Moreover, the erosion-corrosion rate was found to be 4.12 times more in the 1018 CS compared to the 304L SS with the maximum particle impaction identified at the exit of the horizontal-horizontal (H-H) 90° elbow for slug flow.
1H-NMR Urinary Metabolic Profile, A Promising Tool for the Management of Infants with Human Cytomegalovirus-Infection
Authors: Frick Marie Antoinette , Barba Ignasi , Fenoy-Alejandre Marina , López-López Paula , Baquero-Artigao Fernando , Rodríguez-Molino Paula , Noguera-Julian Antoni , Nicolás-López Marta , de la Fuente-Juárez Asunción , Codina-Grau Maria Gemma , Esperalba Esquerra Juliana , Linde-Sillo Ángeles , Soler-Palacín Pere
Published: November 2019

Congenital human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) infection is the most common mother-to-child transmitted infection in the developed world. Certain aspects of its management remain a challenge. Urinary metabolic profiling is a promising tool for use in pediatric conditions. The aim of this study was to investigate the urinary metabolic profile in HCMV-infected infants and controls during acute care hospitalization. Urine samples were collected from 53 patients at five hospitals participating in the Spanish congenital HCMV registry. Thirty-one cases of HCMV infection and 22 uninfected controls were included. Proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H-NMR) spectra were obtained using NOESYPR1D pulse sequence. The dataset underwent orthogonal projection on latent structures discriminant analysis to identify candidate variables affecting the urinary metabolome: HCMV infection, type of infection, sex, chronological age, gestational age, type of delivery, twins, and diet. Statistically significant discriminative models were obtained only for HCMV infection (p = 0.03) and chronological age (p < 0.01). No significant differences in the metabolomic profile were found between congenital and postnatal HCMV infection. When the HCMV-infected group was analyzed according to chronological age, a statistically significant model was obtained only in the neonatal group (p = 0.01), with the differentiating metabolites being betaine, glycine, alanine, and dimethylamine. Despite the considerable variation in urinary metabolic profiles in a real-life setting, clinical application of metabolomics to the study of HCMV infection seems feasible.