bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Unusual Imaging Features of Dentigerous Cyst: A Case Report
Authors: Martinelli-Kläy Carla Patrícia , Martinelli Celso Ricardo , Martinelli Celso , Macedo Henrique Roberto , Lombardi Tommaso
Published: August 2019

Dentigerous cysts (DC) are cystic lesions radiographically represented by a well-defined unilocular radiolucent area involving an impacted tooth crown. We present an unusual radiographic feature of dentigerous cyst related to the impacted mandibular right second molar, in a 16-year-old patient, which suggested an ameloblastoma or odontogenic keratocyst (OKC) because of its multilocular appearance seen on the panoramic radiography. A multi-slice computed tomography (MSCT), however, revealed a unilocular lesion without septations, with an attenuation coefficient from 3.9 to 22.9 HU suggesting a cystic lesion. Due to its extension, a marsupialization was performed together with the histopathological analysis of the fragment removed which suggested a dentigerous cyst. Nine months later, the lesion was reduced in size and then totally excised. The impacted mandibular right second molar was also extracted. Histopathological examination confirmed the diagnosis of a dentigerous cyst. One year later, the panoramic radiography showed a complete mandible bone healing. Large dentigerous cysts can sometimes suggest other more aggressive pathologies. Precise diagnosis is important to avoid mistakes since DC, OKC and ameloblastoma require different treatments. Histological examination is, therefore, essential to establish a definitive diagnosis. In our case, MSCT and the tissue attenuation coefficient analysis contributed to guide the diagnosis and management of the dentigerous cyst.
Adhesion of Two New Glass Fiber Post Systems Cemented with Self-Adhesive Resin Cements
Authors: Özlek Esin , Neelakantan Prasanna , Matinlinna Jukka Pekka , Belli Sema , Ugur Mehmet , Kavut Idrıs
Published: August 2019

The aim of this in vitro study was to evaluate the adhesion strength of two new fiber post systems (FiberSite™ Post and Cytec™ Blanco Post) cemented with two different adhesive resin cements (Panavia™ SA and Maxcem™ Elite). Root canals of sixty extracted human mandibular premolars were prepared using ProTaper Universal™ rotary files (Dentsply Sirona Endodontics, York, PA, USA). The root canals were irrigated with 5.25% sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) during instrumentation. After root canal preparation, the canals were irrigated with 2 mL of 17% EDTA (1 min), followed by 2 mL of 5.25% (5 min) NaOCI, and 2 mL saline. The root canals were dried with paper points and divided randomly into two study groups (n = 30) according to the type of post system: Group 1, FiberSite™ Post (MegaDental, Partanna, Italy); and group 2, Cytec™ Blanco Post (Hahnenkratt, Königsbach-Stein, Germany), with one of the two adhesive resin cements: Subgroup A, Panavia™ SA Cement Plus Automix (Kuraray, Osaka, Japan); subgroup B, Maxcem™ Elite (Kerr, Orange, CA, USA). Following thermocycling, the adhesion strength was evaluated using the push-out adhesion (bond) strength test. Fractographic analysis was performed using stereomicroscope. The data were analyzed using two-way analysis of variance (p = 0.05). The adhesion strength values of both the posts were significantly higher when cemented with subgroup B (Maxcem™ Elite). The highest adhesion strength value was demonstrated by group 1B (FiberSite™ post cemented with Maxcem™ Elite cement). The type of post did not have a significant impact on the bond strength values for either cement material.
Dimensional Stability of a Preliminary Vinyl Polysiloxane Impression Material
Authors: Martins Francisco , Reis José , Barbero Navarro Ignacio , Maurício Paulo
Published: August 2019

Oral rehabilitation success depends upon the accuracy and dimensional stability of the impressions. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the dimensional changes of a first impression type VPS (Vinyl Polysiloxane) (Imprint™ 4 Preliminary Penta™ Super Quick, 3M ESPE™, St Paul, MN, USA). 10 samples were obtained from this silicone with an automatic mixing machine (Pentamix 2, 3M ESPE™, Seefeld, Germany) according to International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 4823:2000 and stored in the IPQ (Portuguese Institute for Quality) for one week. The measurements were performed by laser interferometry, according to the Michelson technique. The dimensional stability was calculated according to the formula specified in ISO (International Organization for Standardization) 4823:2000. A statistical analysis via a one-way repeated measures ANOVA was performed. The material shrinkage was 0.29 ± 0.15% after setting, 0.32 ± 0.21% at 24 h and 0.30 ± 0.23% after 1 week. No significant shrinkage of the silicone under investigation was found over time. This material can be stored for a week without the risk of clinically significant dimensional changes.
Effect of Surface Treatments on Shear Bond Strength of Polyetheretherketone to Autopolymerizing Resin
Authors: Kurahashi Kosuke , Matsuda Takashi , Ishida Yuichi , Ichikawa Tetsuo
Published: August 2019

These days, new prosthodontic materials are appearing with the development of digitalization. Among these, the use of polyetheretherketone (PEEK) as the clasp of removable partial dentures has been proposed. The adhesive strength between the PEEK and acrylic resin influences the probability of denture fracture. To investigate the effect of PEEK surface treatments on the shear bond strength to acrylic resin, five surface treatment conditions of PEEK were analyzed: 1. no treatment; 2. ceramic primer application; 3. Al2O3 sandblasting; 4. Rocatec; and 5. Rocatec with ceramic primer application, comparing with a metal primer-treated Co-Cr alloy. Two kinds of autopolymerizing resin (Unifast II and Palapress Vario) were used as bonding materials. The specimens were evaluated to determine the bond strength. Rocatec treatment with ceramic primer application yielded the highest bond strengths (12.71 MPa and 15.32 MPa, respectively, for Unifast II and Palapress Vario). When compared to a metal primer-treated Co-Cr alloy, the bond strength of PEEK to Unifast II was similar, whereas it was about 60% of that to Palapress Vario. Rocatec treatment, combined with ceramic primer, showed the highest bond strength of PEEK to acrylic resin. Treatment of PEEK will enable its use as the clasp of removable dentures and the fixation of PEEK prostheses.
Implications of Coding Layers on Physical-Layer Security: A Secrecy Benefit Approach
Authors: Harrison Willie K. , Beard Elise , Dye Scott , Holmes Erin , Nelson Kaela , Gomes Marco A. C. , Vilela João P.
Published: August 2019

In this work, we consider the pros and cons of using various layers of keyless coding to achieve secure and reliable communication over the Gaussian wiretap channel. We define a new approach to information theoretic security, called practical secrecy and the secrecy benefit, to be used over real-world channels and finite blocklength instantiations of coding layers, and use this new approach to show the fundamental reliability and security implications of several coding mechanisms that have traditionally been used for physical-layer security. We perform a systematic/structured analysis of the effect of error-control coding, scrambling, interleaving, and coset coding, as coding layers of a secrecy system. Using this new approach, scrambling and interleaving are shown to be of no effect in increasing information theoretic security, even when measuring the effect at the output of the eavesdropper’s decoder. Error control coding is shown to present a trade-off between secrecy and reliability that is dictated by the chosen code and the signal-to-noise ratios at the legitimate and eavesdropping receivers. Finally, the benefits of secrecy coding are highlighted, and it is shown how one can shape the secrecy benefit according to system specifications using combinations of different layers of coding to achieve both reliable and secure throughput.
Scan Matching by Cross-Correlation and Differential Evolution
Authors: Konecny Jaromir , Kromer Pavel , Prauzek Michal , Musilek Petr
Published: August 2019

Scan matching is an important task, solved in the context of many high-level problems including pose estimation, indoor localization, simultaneous localization and mapping and others. Methods that are accurate and adaptive and at the same time computationally efficient are required to enable location-based services in autonomous mobile devices. Such devices usually have a wide range of high-resolution sensors but only a limited processing power and constrained energy supply. This work introduces a novel high-level scan matching strategy that uses a combination of two advanced algorithms recently used in this field: cross-correlation and differential evolution. The cross-correlation between two laser range scans is used as an efficient measure of scan alignment and the differential evolution algorithm is used to search for the parameters of a transformation that aligns the scans. The proposed method was experimentally validated and showed good ability to match laser range scans taken shortly after each other and an excellent ability to match laser range scans taken with longer time intervals between them.
A Control Scheme without Sensors at the PV Source for Cost and Size Reduction in Two-Stage Grid Connected Inverters
Authors: González-Medina Raúl , Liberos Marian , Marzal Silvia , Figueres Emilio , Garcerá Gabriel
Published: August 2019

In order to reduce the cost of PV facilities, the market requires low cost and highly reliable PV inverters, which must comply with several regulations. Some research has focused on decreasing the distortion of the current injected into the grid, reducing the size of the DC-link capacitors and removing sensors, while keeping a good performance of the maximum power point tracking (MPPT) algorithms. Although those objectives are different, all of them are linked to the inverter DC-link voltage control loop. Both the reduction of the DC-link capacitance and the use of sensorless MPPT algorithms require a voltage control loop faster than that of conventional implementations in order to perform properly, but the distortion of the current injected into the grid might rise as a result. This research studies a complete solution for two-stage grid-connected PV inverters, based on the features of second-order generalized integrators. The experimental tests show that the proposed implementation has a performance similar to that of the conventional control of two-stage PV inverters but at a much lower cost.
A Wake Modeling Paradigm for Wind Farm Design and Control
Authors: Shapiro Carl R. , Starke Genevieve M. , Meneveau Charles , Gayme Dennice F.
Published: August 2019

Wake models play an integral role in wind farm layout optimization and operations where associated design and control decisions are only as good as the underlying wake model upon which they are based. However, the desired model fidelity must be counterbalanced by the need for simplicity and computational efficiency. As a result, efficient engineering models that accurately capture the relevant physics—such as wake expansion and wake interactions for design problems and wake advection and turbulent fluctuations for control problems—are needed to advance the field of wind farm optimization. In this paper, we discuss a computationally-efficient continuous-time one-dimensional dynamic wake model that includes several features derived from fundamental physics, making it less ad-hoc than prevailing approaches. We first apply the steady-state solution of the model to predict the wake expansion coefficients commonly used in design problems. We demonstrate that more realistic results can be attained by linking the wake expansion rate to a top-down model of the atmospheric boundary layer, using a super-Gaussian wake profile that smoothly transitions between a top-hat and Gaussian distribution as well as linearly-superposing wake interactions. We then apply the dynamic model to predict trajectories of wind farm power output during start-up and highlight the improved accuracy of non-linear advection over linear advection. Finally, we apply the dynamic model to the control-oriented application of predicting power output of an irregularly-arranged farm during continuous operation. In this application, model fidelity is improved through state and parameter estimation accounting for spanwise inflow inhomogeneities and turbulent fluctuations. The proposed approach thus provides a modeling paradigm with the flexibility to enable designers to trade-off between accuracy and computational speed for a wide range of wind farm design and control applications.
NbO2 as a Noble Zero-Strain Material for Li-Ion Batteries: Electrochemical Redox Behavior in a Nonaqueous Solution
Authors: Kim Yang-Soo , Cho Yonghoon , Nogales Paul M. , Jeong Soon-Ki
Published: August 2019

Lithium-ion batteries are widely available commercially and attempts to extend the lifetime of these batteries remain necessary. The energy storage characteristics of NbO2 with a rutile structure as a material for the negative electrode of lithium-ion batteries were investigated. When negative potential was applied to the NbO2 electrode during application of a constant current in a nonaqueous solution containing lithium ions, these ions were inserted into the NbO2. Conversely, upon application of positive potential, the inserted lithium ions were extracted from the NbO2. In situ X-ray diffraction results revealed that the variation in the volume of NbO2 accompanying the insertion and extraction of lithium was 0.14%, suggesting that NbO2 is a zero-strain (usually defined by a volume change ratio of 1% or less) active material for lithium-ion batteries. Moreover, the highly stable structure of NbO2 allows the corresponding electrode to exhibit excellent cycling performance and coulombic efficiency.
A Comparative Study into Enhancing the PV Penetration Limit of a LV CIGRE Residential Network with Distributed Grid-Tied Single-Phase PV Systems
Authors: Wajahat Musharraf , Khalid Hassan Abdullah , Bhutto Ghullam Mustafa , Leth Bak Claus
Published: August 2019

Photovoltaic distributed generation (PVDG) has seen tremendous growth in recent years, especially in the residential sector. Among other concerns, the voltage rise in AC networks is considered the most limiting factor in achieving increased PV penetration levels. A steady-state impact study is performed on a CIGRE low-voltage (LV) residential network. This paper compares six techniques to increase the PV penetration limit in the LV residential network, namely single-phase penetration (SPP), Distribution Scheme 1 (DS1), Distribution Scheme 2 (DS2), alternate phase penetration (APP), offline tap adjustment (OTA) and switched on-load tap adjustment (SOLTA). PSCAD software is used for this study. The best results are obtained for the DS2-SOLTA case that gives the minimum voltage magnitude and voltage unbalance in the system. The steady-state results are validated by a dynamic data study using measured solar irradiance and residential load data. A novel approach is also proposed for calculating the worst day from the data set. The obtained results verify the effectiveness of the proposed approach.
Promoting Effect of H+ and Other Factors on NO Removal by Using Acidic NaClO2 Solution
Authors: Gong Pijian , Li Xinxue
Published: August 2019

In this study, NaClO2 was selected as a denitration oxidant. In order to clarify the mechanism of NaClO2 as an oxidation agent for NO removal efficiency, the effects of H+ and other factors (NaClO2 concentration, temperature, and the other gas) on the NO removal efficiency were investigated. NaClO2 showed a promotional ability on NO removal, whose efficiency increased with the increase of NaClO2 concentration. One hundred percent removal efficiency of NO could be achieved when the NaClO2 concentration was 0.014 mol/L. Furthermore, raising the reaction temperature benefited the removal of NO. The lower the pH, the better the NO removal efficiency. The promoting effect of H+ on the NO removal was studied by the Nernst equation, ionic polarization, and the generation of ClO2. Under the optimal conditions, the best removal efficiency of NO was 100%. Based on the experimental results, the reaction mechanism was finally speculated.
A Numerical Analysis of the Working Machine Tyre Inflation Process to Ensure Operator Safety
Authors: Karliński Jacek , Ptak Mariusz , Chybowski Leszek
Published: August 2019

Tyre replacement and inflation is a common occurrence in the transportation, construction and mining industries, but in commercial, off-highway, or earth-moving vehicles, the rupture of an inflated tyre can cause serious or even fatal injuries to an operator. This paper highlights the consequences of a burst tyre based on a real case. The presented analytical approach is based upon an assumed adiabatic process and continuum mechanics using Bernoulli’s flow equations. A numerical analysis of a tyre burst was performed using multibody and finite element methods to reconstruct the fatal accident. It was shown that tyre-blast injuries may lead to lethal head trauma and bodily injuries, since the potential energy stored in large, over-pressured tyres can exceed 1 MJ.
Production of Wood Pellets from Poplar Trees Managed as Coppices with Different Harvesting Cycles
Authors: Civitarese Vincenzo , Acampora Andrea , Sperandio Giulio , Assirelli Alberto , Picchio Rodolfo
Published: August 2019

High-density biomass plantations have played a key role in the national energy landscape in Italy since the 1990s but, to date, an inversion of tendency and a significant reduction of cultivated areas has been noted. Despite this, the existing plantations have seen their coppicing rotation become significantly lengthened, resulting in large quantities of biomass per hectare. This study aimed to identify the best raw material suitable for pellet production using whole trees or stems without branches from poplar plantations at the end of the third, sixth and ninth year of age. All types of pellets made reach the requirements of class A1 for diameter, length, moisture content, ash melting point, lower heating value, as well as nitrogen (N), sulfur (S), and heavy metals. None of the theses satisfied the bulk density parameters while for ashes and mechanical durability, a great variability was observed according to the different raw materials used. An improvement in terms of heating value was observed by transforming the poplar wood chips refined into pellets. The pelletizing process using high density poplar plantation as a raw material highlights the possibility of obtaining a product that meets many of the quality standards required on the market. These aspects are closely related to the innovation carried out in the agro-forestry sector for effective energetic sustainability.
Analyzing Demand Response in a Dynamic Capacity Expansion Model for the European Power Market
Authors: Marañón-Ledesma Héctor , Tomasgard Asgeir
Published: August 2019

One of the challenges in the transition towards a zero-emission power system in Europe will be to achieve an efficient and reliable operation with a high share of intermittent generation. The objective of this paper is to analyse the role that Demand Response (DR) potentially can play in a cost-efficient development until 2050. The benefits of DR consist of integrating renewable source generation and reducing peak load consumption, leading to a reduction in generation, transmission, and storage capacity investments. The capabilities of DR are implemented in the European Model for Power Investments with high shares of Renewable Energy (EMPIRE), which is an electricity sector model for long-term capacity and transmission expansion. The model uses a multi-horizon stochastic approach including operational uncertainty with hourly resolution and multiple investment periods in the long-term. DR is modelled through several classes of shiftable and curtailable loads in residential, commercial, and industrial sectors, including flexibility periods, operational costs, losses, and endogenous DR investments, for 31 European countries. Results of the case study shows that DR capacity partially substitutes flexible supply-side capacity from peak gas plants and battery storage, through enabling more solar PV generation. A European DR capacity at 91 GW in 2050 reduces the peak plant capacities by 11% and storage capacity by 86%.
Research on the Combustion, Energy and Emission Parameters of Various Concentration Blends of Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil Biofuel and Diesel Fuel in a Compression-Ignition Engine
Authors: Rimkus Alfredas , Žaglinskis Justas , Stravinskas Saulius , Rapalis Paulius , Matijošius Jonas , Bereczky Ákos
Published: August 2019

This article presents our research results on the physical-chemical and direct injection diesel engine performance parameters when fueled by pure diesel fuel and retail hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO). This fuel is called NexBTL by NESTE, and this renewable fuel blends with a diesel fuel known as Pro Diesel. A wide range of pure diesel fuel and NexBTL100 blends have been tested and analyzed: pure diesel fuel, pure NexBTL, NexBTL10, NexBTL20, NexBTL30, NexBTL40, NexBTL50, NexBTL70 and NexBTL85. The energy, pollution and in-cylinder parameters were analyzed under medium engine speed (n = 2000 and n = 2500 rpm) and brake torque load regimes (30–120 Nm). AVL BOOST software was used to analyze the heat release characteristics. The analysis of brake specific fuel consumption showed controversial results due to the lower density of NexBTL. The mass fuel consumption decreased by up to 4%, and the volumetric consumption increased by up to approximately 6%. At the same time, the brake thermal efficiency mainly increased by approximately 0.5–1.4%. CO, CO2, NOx, HC and SM were analyzed, and the change in CO was negligible when increasing NexBTL in the fuel blend. Higher SM reduction was achieved while increasing the percentage of NexBTL in the blends.
A Downdraft Fixed-Bed Biomass Gasification System with Integrated Products of Electricity, Heat, and Biochar: The Key Features and Initial Commercial Performance
Authors: Huang Yong , Wan Yiling , Liu Shasha , Zhang Yimeng , Ma Huanhuan , Zhang Shu , Zhou Jianbin
Published: August 2019

Biomass, as a renewable and clean energy resource, plays a vital role in energy security and greenhouse gas reduction across the world. This paper reports on our newly established technology: a downdraft fixed-bed biomass gasification system using nut shells (mainly apricot kernel shells) for electricity generation, heating and partially activated carbon production at the same time. Particularly, the key features of the gasification reactor will be presented in detail. In the commercial plant (3 MW scale) located in Hebei province, China, the typical energy conversion from apricot kernel shell gasification is as follows: 47% syngas, 44% char (partially activated carbon), 5% hot water, and 4% energy loss. The main gasification temperature is 600–800 °C, while the activation zone is 850–900 °C. The commercial system has currently been in operation for 4 years. Considering the partially activated carbon as a stable carbon carrier, the whole system features negative CO2 emissions.
Using Self Organizing Maps to Achieve Lithium-Ion Battery Cells Multi-Parameter Sorting Based on Principle Components Analysis
Authors: Xia Bizhong , Yang Yadi , Zhou Jie , Chen Guanghao , Liu Yifan , Wang Huawen , Wang Mingwang , Lai Yongzhi
Published: August 2019

Battery sorting is an important process in the production of lithium battery module and battery pack for electric vehicles (EVs). Accurate battery sorting can ensure good consistency of batteries for grouping. This study investigates the mechanism of inconsistency of battery packs and process of battery sorting on the lithium-ion battery module production line. Combined with the static and dynamic characteristics of lithium-ion batteries, the battery parameters on the production line that can be used as a sorting basis are analyzed, and the parameters of battery mass, volume, resistance, voltage, charge/discharge capacity and impedance characteristics are measured. The data of batteries are processed by the principal component analysis (PCA) method in statistics, and after analysis, the parameters of batteries are obtained. Principal components are used as sorting variables, and the self-organizing map (SOM) neural network is carried out to cluster the batteries. Group experiments are carried out on the separated batteries, and state of charge (SOC) consistency of the batteries is achieved to verify that the sorting algorithm and sorting result is accurate.
Turbulence Modeling Effects on the CFD Predictions of Flow over a Detailed Full-Scale Sedan Vehicle
Authors: Zhang Chunhui , Bounds Charles Patrick , Foster Lee , Uddin Mesbah
Published: August 2019

In today’s road vehicle design processes, Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) has emerged as one of the major investigative tools for aerodynamics analyses. The age-old CFD methodology based on the Reynolds Averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) approach is still considered as the most popular turbulence modeling approach in automotive industries due to its acceptable accuracy and affordable computational cost for predicting flows involving complex geometries. This popular use of RANS still persists in spite of the well-known fact that, for automotive flows, RANS turbulence models often fail to characterize the associated flow-field properly. It is even true that more often, the RANS approach fails to predict correct integral aerodynamic quantities like lift, drag, or moment coefficients, and as such, they are used to assess the relative magnitude and direction of a trend. Moreover, even for such purposes, notable disagreements generally exist between results predicted by different RANS models. Thanks to fast advances in computer technology, increasing popularity has been seen in the use of the hybrid Detached Eddy Simulation (DES), which blends the RANS approach with Large Eddy Simulation (LES). The DES methodology demonstrated a high potential of being more accurate and informative than the RANS approaches. Whilst evaluations of RANS and DES models on various applications are abundant in the literature, such evaluations on full-car models are relatively fewer. In this study, four RANS models that are widely used in engineering applications, i.e., the realizable k − ε two-layer, Abe–Kondoh–Nagano (AKN) k − ε low-Reynolds, SST k − ω , and V2F are evaluated on a full-scale passenger vehicle with two different front-end configurations. In addition, both cases are run with two DES models to assess the differences between the flow predictions obtained using RANS and DES.
Sources, Extraction and Biomedical Properties of Polysaccharides
Authors: Ullah Samee , Khalil Anees Ahmed , Shaukat Faryal , Song Yuanda
Published: August 2019

In the recent era, bioactive compounds from plants have received great attention because of their vital health-related activities, such as antimicrobial activity, antioxidant activity, anticoagulant activity, anti-diabetic activity, UV protection, antiviral activity, hypoglycemia, etc. Previous studies have already shown that polysaccharides found in plants are not likely to be toxic. Based on these inspirational comments, most research focused on the isolation, identification, and bioactivities of polysaccharides. A large number of biologically active polysaccharides have been isolated with varying structural and biological activities. In this review, a comprehensive summary is provided of the recent developments in the physical and chemical properties as well as biological activities of polysaccharides from a number of important natural sources, such as wheat bran, orange peel, barely, fungi, algae, lichen, etc. This review also focused on biomedical applications of polysaccharides. The contents presented in this review will be useful as a reference for future research as well as for the extraction and application of these bioactive polysaccharides as a therapeutic agent.
Drumstick (Moringa oleifera) Flower as an Antioxidant Dietary Fibre in Chicken Meat Nuggets
Authors: Madane Pratap , Das Arun , Pateiro Mirian , Nanda Pramod , Bandyopadhyay Samiran , Jagtap Prasant , Barba Francisco , Shewalkar Akshay , Maity Banibrata , Lorenzo Jose
Published: August 2019

The present work investigated the efficacy of Moringa flower (MF) extract to develop a functional chicken product. Three groups of cooked chicken nuggets—control (C), T1 (with 1% MF) and T2 (2% MF)—were elaborated and their physicochemical, nutritional, storage stability and sensory attributes were assessed during refrigerated storage at 4 °C up to 20 days. In addition, MF extracts were characterised in terms of chemical composition, total phenolic content and its components using high-performance liquid chromatography with a diode-array detector (HPLC-DAD), dietary fibre and antioxidant capacity. MF contained high protein (17.87 ± 0.28 dry matter), dietary fibre (36.14 ± 0.77 dry matter) and total phenolics (18.34 ± 1.16 to 19.49 ± 1.35 mg gallic acid equivalent (GAE)/g dry matter) content. The treated nuggets (T1 and T2) had significantly enhanced cooking yield, emulsion stability, ash, protein, total phenolics and dietary fibre compared to control. Incorporation of MF extract at 2% not only significantly reduced the redness/increased the lightness, but also decreased the hardness, gumminess and chewiness of the product compared to control. Moreover, the addition of MF extract significantly improved the oxidative stability and odour scores by reducing lipid oxidation during storage time. Sensory attributes of nuggets were not affected by the addition of MF extract and the products remained stable and acceptable even on 15th day of storage. These results showed that MF extract could be considered as an effective natural functional ingredient for quality improvement and reducing lipid oxidation in cooked chicken nuggets.
Corneal Buckling during Applanation and Its Effect on the Air Pressure Curve in Ocular Response Analyzer
Authors: Jóźwik Agnieszka , Kasprzak Henryk , Kozakiewicz Agata
Published: August 2019

The paper presents, for the first time, corneal buckling, during the air puff applanation, recorded with use of Ocular Response Analyzer (ORA), when the cornea is deeper deformed after its applanation. Precise numerical analysis of the air pressure curve from the raw data, distinct local disturbances of the curve, which appear almost exactly at the time of the first and the second applanations. Thirty measurements taken on six eyes show clear dependencies between times of both applanations and appearances of local wave disturbances on the air pressure curve as well as between the amplitude of pressure wave disturbances and the respective height of applanation curve. These findings can be interpreted as a result of very fast corneal buckling, that produces the air pressure wave, propagating from the cornea towards the device. The quantitative dependencies measured and described in this study, enable to characterize the individual buckling during respective applanations. Due to these individual characterizations and dependencies it is possible to understand and describe better the ultrafast corneal applanation process. Such phenomena could likely be employed to increase the accuracy of measured parameters by ORA or for identifying new types of biomechanical properties of the cornea.
Effects of Maternal Prenatal Multi-Micronutrient Supplementation on Growth and Development until 3 Years of Age
Authors: Cheng Gang , Sha Tingting , Gao Xiao , Wu Xialing , Tian Qianling , Yang Fan , Yan Yan
Published: August 2019

At present, there is insufficient evidence on whether prenatal multi-micronutrient (MM) supplementation can be an antenatal nutritional intervention or not. This study aimed to explore the sustained effect of prenatal MM supplementation on early childhood health. A total of 939 mother–offspring pairs were followed up in the study between 2015 to 2018 in Changsha, China. Information was mainly collected through household surveys at the ages of 1, 3, 6, 8, 12, 18, 24, and 36 months. General linear models and generalized estimating equation models were used to estimate the effects of maternal prenatal MM compared with IFA supplementation on infant growth and development. Offspring of women who used prenatal MM compared with IFA supplements had lower weight-for-age z score (WAZ) (adjusted β: −0.23, 95% CI: (−0.40, −0.06)) and weight-for-length z score (WLZ) (adjusted β: −0.20, 95% CI: (−0.37, −0.02)) at 3 months old, but a reduced risk of obesity at birth (aRR: 0.30, 95% CI: 0.11–0.78) and being overweight at 3 months old (aRR: 0.52, 95% CI: 0.32–0.84). Moreover, offspring of women who used prenatal MM compared with IFA supplements had significantly higher scores for communication (adjusted β: 0.41, 95% CI: 0.61–0.21), gross motor (adjusted β: 0.68, 95% CI: 0.49–0.88), fine motor (adjusted β: 1.64, 95% CI: 1.45–1.84), problem solving (adjusted β: 0.29, 95% CI: 0.10–0.49), and personal–social (adjusted β: 0.90, 95% CI: 0.70–1.10) skills at 36 months old. Prenatal MM supplementation could result in better infant growth in the first few months of life and improve development scores at the age of 3 years compared with IFA supplementation.
How Does Industrial Waste Gas Emission Affect Health Care Expenditure in Different Regions of China: An Application of Bayesian Quantile Regression
Authors: Xu Xiaocang , Xu Zhiming , Chen Linhong , Li Chang
Published: August 2019

Industrial development has brought about not only rapid economic growth, but also serious environmental pollution in China, which has led to serious health problems and heavy economic burdens on healthcare. Therefore, the relationship between the industrial air pollution and health care expenditure (HCE) has attracted the attention of researchers, most of which used the traditional empirical methods, such as ordinary least squares (OLS), logistic and so on. By collecting the panel data of 30 provinces of China during 2005–2016, this paper attempts to use the Bayesian quantile regression (BQR) to reveal the impact of industrial air pollution represented by industrial waste gas emission (IWGE) on HCE in high-, middle-, low-income regions. It was found that double heterogeneity in the influence of IWGE on HCE was obvious, which revealed that people in high-, middle-, low-income regions have significantly different understandings of environmental pollution and health problems. In addition, the BQR method provided more information than the traditional empirical methods, which verified that the BQR method, as a new empirical method for previous studies, was applicable in this topic and expanded the discussion space of this research field.
Suicidal Ideation and Severity of Distress among Refugees Residing in Asylum Accommodations in Sweden
Authors: Leiler Anna , Hollifield Michael , Wasteson Elisabet , Bjärtå Anna
Published: August 2019

Refugees worldwide suffer high levels of distress and are at increased risk for death by suicide. The Refugee Health Screener (RHS) was developed to screen for emotional distress among refugees and can be used to assess distress severity. This paper examines the association between distress severity and suicidal ideation in a sample of refugees residing in asylum accommodations. Data from the RHS and item 9 on the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) was analyzed. Results showed that individuals at moderate and severe levels of distress were much more likely to exhibit suicidal ideation than individuals with low levels of distress. Even though we cannot conclude that individuals with low levels of distress do not have thoughts of ending their lives, further suicide assessment is warranted in asylum seekers with moderate to severe distress on the RHS.
Performance Testing on Marker Clustering and Heatmap Visualization Techniques: A Comparative Study on JavaScript Mapping Libraries
Authors: Netek Rostislav , Brus Jan , Tomecka Ondrej
Published: August 2019

We are now generating exponentially more data from more sources than a few years ago. Big data, an already familiar term, has been generally defined as a massive volume of structured, semi-structured, and/or unstructured data, which may not be effectively managed and processed using traditional databases and software techniques. It could be problematic to visualize easily and quickly a large amount of data via an Internet platform. From this perspective, the main aim of the paper is to test point data visualization possibilities of selected JavaScript Mapping Libraries to measure their performance and ability to cope with a big amount of data. Nine datasets containing 10,000 to 3,000,000 points were generated from the Nature Conservation Database. Five libraries for marker clustering and two libraries for heatmap visualization were analyzed. Loading time and the ability to visualize large data sets were compared for each dataset and each library. The best-evaluated library was a Mapbox GL JS (Graphics Library JavaScript) with the highest overall performance. Some of the tested libraries were not able to handle the desired amount of data. In general, an amount of less than 100,000 points was indicated as the threshold for implementation without a noticeable slowdown in performance. Their usage can be a limiting factor for point data visualization in such a dynamic environment as we live nowadays.
Analysis of Survival-Related lncRNA Landscape Identifies A Role for LINC01537 in Energy Metabolism and Lung Cancer Progression
Authors: Gong Wei , Yang Lei , Wang Yuanyuan , Xian Jianfeng , Qiu Fuman , Liu Li , Lin Mingzhu , Feng Yingyi , Zhou Yifeng , Lu Jiachun
Published: August 2019

Many long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have emerged as good biomarkers and potential therapeutic targets for various cancers. We aimed to get a detailed understanding of the lncRNA landscape that is associated with lung cancer survival. A comparative analysis between our RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) data and TCGA datasets was conducted to reveal lncRNAs with significant correlations with lung cancer survival and then the association of the most promising lncRNA was validated in a cohort of 243 lung cancer patients. Comparing RNA-seq data with TCGA ones, 84 dysregulated lncRNAs were identified in lung cancer tissues, among which 10 lncRNAs were significantly associated with lung cancer survival. LINC01537 was the most significant one (p = 2.95 × 10−6). Validation analysis confirmed the downregulation of LINC01537 in lung cancer. LINC01537 was observed to inhibit tumor growth and metastasis. It also increased cellular sensitivity to nilotinib. PDE2A (phosphodiesterase 2A) was further identified to be a target of LINC01537 and it was seen that LINC01537 promoted PDE2A expression via RNA–RNA interaction to stabilize PDE2A mRNA and thus echoed effects of PDE2A on energy metabolism including both Warburg effect and mitochondrial respiration. Other regulators of tumor energy metabolism were also affected by LINC01537. These results elucidate a suppressed role of LINC01537 in lung cancer development involving tumor metabolic reprogramming, and we believe that it might be a biomarker for cancer survival prediction and therapy.
Therapeutic Effects of Curcumin—From Traditional Past to Present and Future Clinical Applications
Authors: Bachmeier Beatrice , Melchart Dieter
Published: August 2019

The efficacy of the plant-derived polyphenol curcumin, in various aspects of health and wellbeing, is matter of public interest. An internet search of the term “Curcumin” displays about 12 million hits. Among the multitudinous information presented on partly doubtful websites, there are reports attracting the reader with promises ranging from eternal youth to cures for incurable diseases. Unfortunately, many of these reports are not based on scientific evidence, but they feed the desideratum of the reader for a “miracle cure”. This circumstance makes it very difficult for researchers, who work in a scientifically sound and evidence-based manner on the therapeutic benefits (or side effects) of curcumin, to demarcate their results from sensational reports that circulate in the web and in other media. This is only one of many obstacles making it difficult to pave curcumin’s way into clinical application; others are its nonpatentability and low economic usability. A further impediment comes from scientists who never worked with curcumin or any other natural plant-derived compound in their own labs. They have never tested these compounds in any scientific assay, neither in vitro nor in vivo; however, they claim, in a sometimes polemic manner, that everything that has so far been published on curcumin’s molecular effects is based on artefacts. The here presented Special Issue comprises a collection of five scientifically sound articles and nine reviews reporting on the therapeutic benefits and the molecular mechanisms of curcumin or of chemically modified curcumin in various diseases ranging from malignant tumors to chronic diseases, microbial infection, and even neurodegenerative diseases. The excellent results of the scientific projects that underlie the five original papers give reason to hope that curcumin will be part of novel treatment strategies in the near future—either as monotherapy or in combination with other drugs or therapeutic applications.
Anti-Tumor Effects of Vitamin B2, B6 and B9 in Promonocytic Lymphoma Cells
Authors: Mikkelsen Kathleen , Prakash Monica D. , Kuol Nyanbol , Nurgali Kulmira , Stojanovska Lily , Apostolopoulos Vasso
Published: August 2019

Chronic inflammation can lead to tumour initiation and progression. Vitamin B complex has the ability to regulate the immune response and, therefore, inflammation but many of the mechanistic and molecular processes involved in this regulation are still not fully understood. This study sought to determine some of these processes by studying the effects of vitamin B2 (riboflavin) B6 (pyridoxine) and B9 (folic acid) on un-differentiated pro-monocytic lymphoma cells in regard to their ability to alter the proliferation, migration, apoptosis, cytokines and expression levels of programmed death ligand 1. We show that vitamin B2, B6 and B9, on pro-monocytic lymphoma cells exerted an anti-tumorigenic effect. This data could form the basis for future studies in using vitamin B supplementation to reduce cancer cell growth in vivo.
The Impact of Magnesium–Aluminum-Layered Double Hydroxide-Based Polyvinyl Alcohol Coated on Magnetite on the Preparation of Core-Shell Nanoparticles as a Drug Delivery Agent
Authors: Ebadi Mona , Buskaran Kalaivani , Saifullah Bullo , Fakurazi Sharida , Hussein Mohd Zobir
Published: August 2019

One of the current developments in drug research is the controlled release formulation of drugs, which can be released in a controlled manner at a specific target in the body. Due to the diverse physical and chemical properties of various drugs, a smart drug delivery system is highly sought after. The present study aimed to develop a novel drug delivery system using magnetite nanoparticles as the core and coated with polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), a drug 5-fluorouracil (5FU) and Mg–Al-layered double hydroxide (MLDH) for the formation of FPVA-FU-MLDH nanoparticles. The existence of the coated nanoparticles was supported by various physico-chemical analyses. In addition, the drug content, kinetics, and mechanism of drug release also were studied. 5-fluorouracil (5FU) was found to be released in a controlled manner from the nanoparticles at pH = 4.8 (representing the cancerous cellular environment) and pH = 7.4 (representing the blood environment), governed by pseudo-second-order kinetics. The cytotoxicity study revealed that the anticancer delivery system of FPVA-FU-MLDH nanoparticles showed much better anticancer activity than the free drug, 5FU, against liver cancer and HepG2 cells, and at the same time, it was found to be less toxic to the normal fibroblast 3T3 cells.
A Mixture of Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids ω-3 and ω-6 Reduces Melanoma Growth by Inhibiting Inflammatory Mediators in the Murine Tumor Microenvironment
Authors: Almeida Ewin B. , Silva Karina P.H. , Paixão Vitoria , Amaral Jônatas B. do , Rossi Marcelo , Xavier-Navarro Roberta A. , Barros Karina V. , Silveira Vera L.F. , Vieira Rodolfo P. , Oliveira Luis V.F. , Perez Elizabeth C. , Jasiulionis Miriam G. , Bachi André L.L.
Published: August 2019

Background: Although it has been previously demonstrated that acute inflammation can promote the tumor growth of a sub-tumorigenic dose of melanoma cells through of 5-lipoxygenase inflammatory pathway and its product leukotriene B4, and also that the peritumoral treatment with eicosapentaenoic acid and its product, leukotriene B5, reduces the tumor development, the effect of the treatment by gavage with omega-3 and omega-6 in the tumor microenvironment favorable to melanoma growth associated with acute inflammation has never been studied. Methods: C57BL/6 mice were coinjected with 1 × 106 apoptotic cells plus 1 × 103 viable melanoma cells into the subcutaneous tissue and treated by gavage with omega-3-rich fish oil or omega-6-rich soybean oil or a mixture of these oils (1:1 ratio) during five consecutive days. Results: The treatment by gavage with a mixture of fish and soybean oils (1:1 ratio) both reduced the melanoma growth and the levels of leukotriene B4 (LTB4), prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), PGE2/prostaglandin E3 (PGE3) ratio, and CXC ligand 1 (CXCL1) and increased the levels of interleukin 10 (IL-10) to IL-10/CXCL1 ratio in the melanoma microenvironment. Conclusion: The oral administration of a 1:1 mixture of fish oil and soybean oil was able to alter the release of inflammatory mediators that are essential for a microenvironment favorable to the melanoma growth in mice, whereas fish oil or soybean oil alone was ineffective.
Molecular Characterization and Functional Analysis of Three Autophagy Genes, BxATG5, BxATG9, and BxATG16, in Bursaphelenchus xylophilus
Authors: Liu Hong-Bin , Rui Lin , Feng Ya-Qi , Wu Xiao-Qin
Published: August 2019

The pine wood nematode (PWN), Bursaphelenchus xylophilus, is the pathogen responsible for pine wilt disease (PWD), a devastating forest disease with a pathogenic mechanism that remains unclear. Autophagy plays a crucial role in physiological and pathological processes in eukaryotes, but its regulatory mechanism and significance in PWN are unknown. Therefore, we cloned and characterized three autophagy genes, BxATG5, BxATG9, and BxATG16, in PWN. BxATG9 and BxATG16 were efficiently silenced through RNA interference, and we found that BxATG16 positively regulated the expression of BxATG5. Silencing BxATG9 and BxATG16 severely inhibited feeding and reproduction in PWN, indicating that autophagy is essential for these processes. We then examined the expression patterns of these three autophagy genes in PWN under the stresses of α-pinene and H2O2, the main defense substances of pine trees, and during the development of PWD using quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. The expression levels of BxATG5, BxATG9, and BxATG16 all significantly increased after nematodes were stressed with α-pinene and H2O2 and inoculated into pine trees, suggesting that autophagy plays an important role in the defense and pathogenesis of PWN. In this study, the molecular characteristics and functions of the autophagy genes BxATG5, BxATG9, and BxATG16 in PWN were elucidated.