bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Laser Welding of ASTM A553-1 (9% Nickel Steel) (PART II: Comparison of Mechanical Properties with FCAW)
Authors: Kim Jaewoong , Kim Jisun
Published: July 2020

The International Maritime Organization (IMO) is tightening regulations to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from ship operations. As a result, the number of vessels using liquefied natural gas (LNG) as fuel has increased rapidly. At this time, ASTM A553-1 (9% nickel steel) is being used as a tank material for storing LNG as fuel because of its higher strength than other cryogenic materials. Currently, shipyards are manufacturing LNG fuel tanks using the flux cored arc welding (FCAW) method using 9% nickel steel material. However, fabrication through FCAW has two drawbacks. The first is that the welding filler is 20 times higher cost than the base metal, and the second is that the total production cost increases because the thickness of the tank increases due to the strength drop near the heat affected zone (HAZ) after welding. The laser welding of A553-1, which does not require additional welding fillers and has no yield and tensile strength reduction in the HAZ, can overcome the drawbacks of FCAW and ensure price competitiveness. Through the study of Part I (penetration shape by bead on plate), the penetration characteristics of laser welding were studied and the optimized welding conditions of 15 mm thickness of A553-1 were obtained. With optimized conditions, butt laser welding tests of A553-1 material were conducted in this study, and mechanical properties, which are tensile/yield strength, hardness, bending strength, and impact property on the cryogenic temperature of the weld zone after laser beam welding, are confirmed by comparing those after FCAW. In the case of tensile/yield strength, hardness, and bending strength at weldment, the values of laser beam welding (LBW) are higher than those of FCAW, and the value of the impact test after FCAW is higher than that of LBW, but both values are satisfied in ASTM. Through these conclusions, it is confirmed that there are no mechanical property problems in replacing the existing FCAW with LBW.
Facile Synthesis, Characterization, and Adsorption Insights of Lanthanum Oxide Nanorods
Authors: Lingamdinne Lakshmi Prasanna , Koduru Janardhan Reddy , Chang Yoon-Young , Kang Seon-Hong , Yang Jae-Kyu
Published: July 2020

This study synthesized lanthanum oxide (La2O3) nanorods to develop a practical approach for the removal of arsenic from groundwater. La2O3 nanorods were synthesized by a simple hydrothermal process followed by calcination at 500 °C and were characterized by spectroscopic and microscopic techniques. To evaluate the adsorption mechanism of La2O3 nanorods, adsorption parameters including solution pH, temperature, equilibrium isotherms, and kinetics for arsenic were studied. The results suggested that the arsenic uptake was a rate-limiting, monolayer adsorption interaction on the La2O3 nanorods homogeneous surface. In addition, it was found that the adsorptive removal behavior of La2O3 for As(V) was sensitive to the initial pH and temperature, and the maximum uptake amount of as prepared La2O3 was found to be 260.56 mg/g of As(V) at pH 6.0 and 25 °C. Furthermore, the uptake capacity of La2O3 nanorods for As(V) increased with temperature. The resultant thermodynamic parameters (ΔG0, ΔH0, and ΔS0) suggested an endothermic adsorption of As(V) on La2O3. The adsorption capacity of La2O3 was higher than that of several reported nanocomposites, suggesting its practical applicability and novelty for As-contaminated wastewater treatment.
RSM and BPNN Modeling in Incremental Sheet Forming Process for AA5052 Sheet: Multi-Objective Optimization Using Genetic Algorithm
Authors: Xiao Xiao , Kim Jin-Jae , Hong Myoung-Pyo , Yang Sen , Kim Young-Suk
Published: July 2020

In this study, the response surface method (RSM), back propagation neural network (BPNN), and genetic algorithm (GA) were used for modeling and multi-objective optimization of the forming parameters of AA5052 in incremental sheet forming (ISF). The optimization objectives were maximum forming angle and minimum thickness reduction whose values vary in response to changes in production process parameters, such as the tool diameter, step depth, tool feed rate, and tool spindle speed. A Box–Behnken experimental design was used to develop an RSM and BPNN model for modeling the variations in the forming angle and thickness reduction in response to variations in process parameters. Subsequently, the RSM model was used as the fitness function for multi-objective optimization of the ISF process using the GA. The results showed that RSM effectively modeled the forming angle and thickness reduction. Furthermore, the correlation coefficients of the experimental responses and BPNN predictions of the experiment results were good with the minimum value being 0.97936. The Pareto optimal solutions for maximum forming angle and minimum thickness reduction were obtained and reported. The optimized Pareto front produced by the GA can be a rational design guide for practical applications of AA5052 in the ISF process.
Numerical Investigation on the Optimum Thermal Design of the Shape and Geometric Parameters of Microchannel Heat Exchangers with Cavities
Authors: Li Haiwang , Li Yujia , Huang Binghuan , Xu Tiantong
Published: July 2020

Due to the large surface-area-to-volume ratio, microchannel heat exchangers have a higher heat transfer rate compared with traditional scale heat exchangers. In this study, the optimum microchannel cavity with high heat transfer and low flow resistance is designed to further improve microchannel exchangers’ thermal performance. A three-dimensional laminar flow model, consisting of Navier–Stokes equations and an energy conservation equation is solved and the conjugate heat transfer between the silicon basement and deionized water is taken into consideration. The impact of the shape, aspect ratio, size and spacing of the cavity on the thermal performance of microchannel exchangers are numerically investigated, respectively. The results indicated that the cavity on the sidewall can enhance heat transfer and reduce flow resistance simultaneously, and cavities with a relatively small expansion angle and streamlined edge could enhance thermal performance the most. Based on the conclusions, a new cavity shape is proposed, and the simulation results verify its excellent thermal performance as expected. Furthermore, investigation is performed to figure out the optimum design of the new cavity and the optimal geometric parameters of the cavity under different flow conditions have been obtained in principle for microchannel exchangers’ design.
Recent Advances in Vertically Aligned Nanowires for Photonics Applications
Authors: Chang Sehui , Lee Gil , Song Young
Published: July 2020

Over the past few decades, nanowires have arisen as a centerpiece in various fields of application from electronics to photonics, and, recently, even in bio-devices. Vertically aligned nanowires are a particularly decent example of commercially manufacturable nanostructures with regard to its packing fraction and matured fabrication techniques, which is promising for mass-production and low fabrication cost. Here, we track recent advances in vertically aligned nanowires focused in the area of photonics applications. Begin with the core optical properties in nanowires, this review mainly highlights the photonics applications such as light-emitting diodes, lasers, spectral filters, structural coloration and artificial retina using vertically aligned nanowires with the essential fabrication methods based on top-down and bottom-up approaches. Finally, the remaining challenges will be briefly discussed to provide future directions.
Subtyping Cryptosporidium ryanae: A Common Pathogen in Bovine Animals
Authors: Yang Xin , Huang Ni , Jiang Wen , Wang Xinrui , Li Na , Guo Yaqiong , Kváč Martin , Feng Yaoyu , Xiao Lihua
Published: July 2020

Cryptosporidium ryanae is one of the most common species for cryptosporidiosis in cattle. However, little is known of the genetic characteristics of C. ryanae due to the lack of subtyping tools. In the present study, the 60-kDa glycoprotein (gp60) gene of C. ryanae was identified in whole genome sequence data and analyzed for sequence characteristics using bioinformatics tools. The protein it encodes had some of the typical characteristics of GP60 proteins, with a signal peptide, a furin cleavage site, and a glycosylphosphatidylinositol anchor at the C terminus of the protein, and numerous O-glycosylation sites. The gene sequence was used in the development of a subtyping tool, which was used in characterizing C. ryanae from 110 specimens from dairy cattle, 2 from beef cattle, 6 from yaks, and 4 from water buffaloes in China. Altogether, 17 subtypes from 8 subtype families were recognized, namely XXIa to XXIh. Possible host adaption was identified within this species, reflected by the unique occurrence of XXIa, XXIc, and XXIh in dairy cattle, yaks, and water buffaloes, respectively. Some geographical differences were detected in the distribution of subtype families in dairy cattle; specimens from southern China showed higher genetic diversity than from northern China, and the XXIa subtype family was only seen in dairy cattle in southern and eastern China. The gp60-based subtyping tool should be useful in molecular epidemiological studies of the transmission of C. ryanae.
Diversity of Gut Microbiota and Bifidobacterial Community of Chinese Subjects of Different Ages and from Different Regions
Authors: Yang Bo , Yan Shuang , Chen Yang , Ross R. Paul , Stanton Catherine , Zhao Jianxin , Zhang Hao , Chen Wei
Published: July 2020

Gut microbiota composition and functionality are closely linked to host health. In this study, the fecal microbiota and bifidobacterial communities of 111 healthy volunteers from four regions of China of varying age profiles (Child, 1–5 years; Young, 18–50 years; Elder, 60–80 years; Longevity, ≥90 years) were investigated via high-throughput sequencing. Canonical analysis revealed that the gut microbiota, as well as bifidobacteria profiles of the subjects, clustered according to their regions and age. Eight genera were shared among all subjects, however, certain genera distributed differently in subjects grouped by region and age. Faecalibacterium was enriched in samples from Zhongxiang, unclassified Ruminococcaceae and Christensenellaceae were enriched in the Longevity group, and Bifidobacterium was enriched in Child. Within Bifidobacterium, B. longum was the most abundant species in almost all samples except for Child, in which B. pseudocatenulatum was the most abundant. Additionally, the abundances of B. adolescentis and B. dentium were lower in Child. In conclusion, our results suggest that geography and age affect the structure of the gut microbiota, as well as Bifidobacterium composition, and this variation may greatly associate with the metabolic and immune changes that occur during the process of aging.
16S and 23S rRNA Gene Mutation Independent Multidrug Resistance of Non-Tuberculous Mycobacteria Isolated from South Korean Soil
Authors: Park Hyun-Eui , Kim Suji , Shim Soojin , Park Hong-Tae , Park Woo Bin , Im Young Bin , Yoo Han Sang
Published: July 2020

Non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) are ubiquitous microorganisms that have the potential to cause disease in both humans and animals. Recently, NTM infections have rapidly increased in South Korea, especially in urbanized areas. However, the distribution of species and the antibiotic resistance profile of NTM in environmental sources have not yet been investigated. Therefore, we analyzed the distribution of species and the antibiotic resistance profile of NTM in soil within urban areas of South Korea. A total of 132 isolates of NTM were isolated from soil samples from 1 municipal animal shelter and 4 urban area parks. Among the 132 isolates, 105 isolates were identified as slowly growing mycobacteria (SGM) and 27 isolates as rapidly growing mycobacteria (RGM) based on the sequences of the rpoB and hsp65 genes. The antibiotic resistance patterns of NTM isolates differed from species to species. Additionally, a mutation in the rrs gene found in this study was not associated with aminoglycoside resistance. In conclusion, our results showed that NTM isolates from South Korean soil exhibit multidrug resistance to streptomycin, amikacin, azithromycin, ethambutol, isoniazid, and imipenem. These results suggest that NTM may pose a public threat.
Reversible and Non-Reversible Transformation of Magnetic Structure in Amorphous Microwires
Authors: Chizhik Alexander , Gonzalez Julian , Zhukov Arcady , Gawronski Przemyslaw , Ipatov Mihail , Corte-León Paula , Blanco Juan , Zhukova Valentina
Published: July 2020

We provide an overview of the tools directed to reversible and irreversible transformations of the magnetic structure of glass-covered microwires. The irreversible tools are the selection of the chemical composition, geometric ratio, and the stress-annealing. For reversible tuning we use the combination of magnetic fields and mechanical stresses. The studies were focused on the giant magnetoimpedance effect and the velocity of the domain walls propagation important for the technological applications. The essential increase of the giant magnetoimpedance effect and the control of the domain wall velocity were achieved as a result of the use of two types of control tools. The performed simulations reflect the real transformation of the helical domain structures experimentally found.
Effect of the Flipped Classroom and Gamification Methods in the Development of a Didactic Unit on Healthy Habits and Diet in Primary Education
Authors: Gómez-García Gerardo , Marín-Marín José Antonio , Romero-Rodríguez José-María , Ramos Navas-Parejo Magdalena , Rodríguez Jiménez Carmen
Published: July 2020

Currently, there are several methodological models that have broken into different disciplines of knowledge with the aim of making the teaching/learning process more dynamic, active and participatory for students. This is the case of Flipped Classroom, which is based on a mixed approach between e-learning and face-to-face teaching, as well as gamification, which bases its didactic principles on the recreational components of the games. Within this context, the aim of this research is to observe what effect the application of Flipped Classroom and gamification has in the development of motivation, autonomy and self-regulation towards learning through a didactic unit on healthy habits and diet in 202 students of 6th grade of Primary School from four different schools (public and state-subsidized) in the city of Granada (Spain). For this purpose, a methodological design was used with pre-test and post-test to check the effects of the experience on the students. The findings obtained showed that the application of these methods promoted an increase in students’ motivation, as well as in their autonomy and self-regulation when facing the contents of the subject. For this reason, it is advocated that there is a need to continue promoting a quality and innovative educational practice according to the figure of the student today.
Overfeeding and Substrate Availability, But Not Age or BMI, Alter Human Satellite Cell Function
Authors: Fausnacht Dane W. , McMillan Ryan P. , Boutagy Nabil E. , Lupi Ryan A. , Harvey Mordecai M. , Davy Brenda M. , Davy Kevin P. , Rhoads Robert P. , Hulver Matthew W.
Published: July 2020

Satellite cells (SC) aid skeletal muscle growth and regeneration. SC-mediated skeletal muscle repair can both be influenced by and exacerbate several diseases linked to a fatty diet, obesity, and aging. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of different lifestyle factors on SC function, including body mass index (BMI), age, and high-fat overfeeding. For this study, SCs were isolated from the vastus lateralis of sedentary young (18–30 years) and sedentary older (60–80 years) men with varying BMIs (18–32 kg/m2), as well as young sedentary men before and after four weeks of overfeeding (OVF) (55% fat/ + 1000 kcal, n = 4). The isolated SCs were then treated in vitro with a control (5 mM glucose, 10% fetal bovine serum (FBS)) or a high substrate growth media (HSM) (10% FBS, 25 mM glucose, and 400 μM 2:1 oleate–palmitate). Cells were assessed on their ability to proliferate, differentiate, and fuel substrate oxidation after differentiation. The effect of HSM was measured as the percentage difference between SCs exposed to HSM compared to control media. In vitro SC function was not affected by donor age. OVF reduced SC proliferation rates (–19% p < 0.05) but did not influence differentiation. Cellular proliferation in response to HSM was correlated to the donor’s body mass index (BMI) (r2 = 0.6121, p < 0.01). When exposed to HSM, SCs from normal weight (BMI 18–25 kg/m2) participants exhibited reduced proliferation and fusion rates with increased fatty-acid oxidation (p < 0.05), while SCs from participants with higher BMIs (BMI 25–32 kg/m2) demonstrated enhanced proliferation in HSM. HSM reduced proliferation and fusion (p < 0.05) in SCs isolated from subjects before OVF, whereas HSM exposure accelerated proliferation and fusion in SCs collected following OVF. These results indicated that diet has a greater influence on SC function than age and BMI. Though age and BMI do not influence in vitro SC function when grown in controlled conditions, both factors influenced the response of SCs to substrate challenges, indicating age and BMI may mediate responses to diet.
High Serum Folate Concentration Is Associated with Better Lung Function in Male Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Patients Who Are Current Smokers: Analysis of Nationwide Population-Based Survey
Authors: Kim Taeyun , Oak Chul-Ho , Jung Mann-Hong , Jang Tae-Won , Kim Jehun
Published: July 2020

Folate, folic acid, has a role in mitigating inflammatory reactions in the human body. This study aimed to evaluate the association of serum folate levels with lung function in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients. Of the 8149 participants of the 2016 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES), 311 subjects (192 males and 119 females) having COPD defined by the lower fifth percentile of the reference population were selected. Pearson’s correlation coefficient was used to investigate the relationship between serum folate level and lung function measurements. The association between the serum folate level and lung function in patients with COPD was evaluated using multivariable linear regression analysis after adjustment for age, sex, height, high sensitivity C-reactive protein, total calorie intake, residence, smoking status and smoking pack–years, education, and household income. The serum folate level showed a positive correlation with the predicted percentage of forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1%). In males, a trend for a positive correlation with serum folate level was observed in predicted FEV1%, FEV1 value, predicted percentage of forced vital capacity (FVC%), FVC value, and peak expiratory flow (PEF). No significant correlation between the serum folate level and lung function in females was observed. In the multivariable linear regression model, the serum folate level was associated with an increase in predicted FEV1%, FEV1 value, predicted FVC%, FVC value, and PEF; however, the significance was only observed in males, especially among current smokers. High serum folate level was positively associated with lung function measurements in male COPD patients who were current smokers. Further longitudinal studies are needed to elucidate the underlying mechanisms.
GLIM Criteria for Malnutrition in Surgical IBD Patients: A Pilot Study
Authors: Fiorindi Camilla , Luceri Cristina , Dragoni Gabriele , Piemonte Guya , Scaringi Stefano , Staderini Fabio , Nannoni Anita , Ficari Ferdinando , Giudici Francesco
Published: July 2020

Background: A gold standard method for malnutrition diagnosis is still lacking in Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD). Objective: The aims of this study are to determine the prevalence of malnutrition in IBD patients according with recently published Global Leadership Initiative on Malnutrition (GLIM) criteria, to detect the factors contributing to the onset of malnutrition, and to evaluate the most accurate predictor of malnutrition risk within the available nutritional screening tools. Methods: Fifty-three consecutive adult IBD patients [38 Crohn’s disease (CD) and 15 ulcerative colitis (UC)] had been assessed preoperatively by a multidisciplinary IBD team before undergoing elective surgery. Several malnutrition risk tools were tested, such as NRS-2002, MUST, MST, MIRT, and SaskIBD-NR. The statistical association of independent GLIM variables with baseline characteristics of patients was explored as well as the concordance with the European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism (ESPEN 2015) and the screening tools. Results: Twenty-two IBD patients (42%) were malnourished according to GLIM criteria, of which 13 were CD (34%) and 9 UC (60%). The etiological criteria of inflammation and reduction of food intake were present in 51% and 19% of our patients, respectively. The prevalence of GLIM phenotypic criteria was 28%, 28% and 34% for BMI, Free Fat Mass Index (FFMI) and unintended weight loss (UWL), respectively. The presence of ileostomy was statistically associated with a higher prevalence of BMI (p = 0.030), FFMI (p = 0.030) and UWL (p = 0.002) values lower than the GLIM criteria cut-offs, while secondary surgery is associated with a decrease in FFMI (p = 0.017) and UWL (p = 0.041). The sensitivity of the tested nutritional screening tools, compared with the GLIM prevalence of malnutrition, was not satisfactory (between 50 and 82%). Conclusions: GLIM has a higher rate of malnutrition detection than ESPEN 2015, as malnutrition in IBD seems linked to inflammation and secondary malabsorption even without a reduction of food intake. The sensitivity of the screening tools is lower than the specificity when compared with GLIM criteria for malnutrition diagnosis.
Markers of Bone Health and Impact of Whey Protein Supplementation in Army Initial Entry Training Soldiers: A Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Study
Authors: Sefton JoEllen M. , Lyons Kaitlin D. , Beck Darren T. , Haun Cody T. , Romero Matthew A. , Mumford Petey W. , Roberson Paul A. , Young Kaelin C. , Roberts Michael D. , McAdam Jeremy S.
Published: July 2020

Training civilians to be soldiers is a challenging task often resulting in musculoskeletal injuries, especially bone stress injuries. This study evaluated bone health biomarkers (P1NP/CTX) and whey protein or carbohydrate supplementations before and after Army initial entry training (IET). Ninety male IET soldiers participated in this placebo-controlled, double-blind study assessing carbohydrate and whey protein supplementations. Age and fat mass predicted bone formation when controlling for ethnicity, explaining 44% (p < 0.01) of bone formation variations. Age was the only significant predictor of bone resorption (p = 0.02) when controlling for run, fat, and ethnicity, and these factors together explained 32% of the variance in bone resorption during week one (p < 0.01). Vitamin D increased across training (p < 0.01). There was no group by time interaction for supplementation and bone formation (p = 0.75), resorption (p = 0.73), Vitamin D (p = 0.36), or calcium (p = 0.64), indicating no influence of a supplementation on bone biomarkers across training. Age, fitness, fat mass, and ethnicity were important predictors of bone metabolism. The bone resorption/formation ratio suggests IET soldiers are at risk of stress injuries. Male IET soldiers are mildly to moderately deficient in vitamin D and slightly deficient in calcium throughout training. Whey protein or carbohydrate supplementations did not affect the markers of bone metabolism.
Interactions of Habitual Coffee Consumption by Genetic Polymorphisms with the Risk of Prediabetes and Type 2 Diabetes Combined
Authors: Jin Taiyue , Youn Jiyoung , Kim An Na , Kang Moonil , Kim Kyunga , Sung Joohon , Lee Jung Eun
Published: July 2020

Habitual coffee consumption and its association with health outcomes may be modified by genetic variation. Adults aged 40 to 69 years who participated in the Korea Association Resource (KARE) study were included in this study. We conducted a genome-wide association study (GWAS) on coffee consumption in 7868 Korean adults, and examined whether the association between coffee consumption and the risk of prediabetes and type 2 diabetes combined was modified by the genetic variations in 4054 adults. In the GWAS for coffee consumption, a total of five single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) located in 12q24.11-13 (rs2074356, rs11066015, rs12229654, rs11065828, and rs79105258) were selected and used to calculate weighted genetic risk scores. Individuals who had a larger number of minor alleles for these five SNPs had higher genetic risk scores. Multivariate logistic regression models were used to estimate the odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) to examine the association. During the 12 years of follow-up, a total of 2468 (60.9%) and 480 (11.8%) participants were diagnosed as prediabetes or type 2 diabetes, respectively. Compared with non-black-coffee consumers, the OR (95% CI) for ≥2 cups/day by black-coffee consumers was 0.61 (0.38–0.95; p for trend = 0.023). Similarly, sugared coffee showed an inverse association. We found a potential interaction by the genetic variations related to black-coffee consumption, suggesting a stronger association among individuals with higher genetic risk scores compared to those with lower scores; the ORs (95% CIs) were 0.36 (0.15–0.88) for individuals with 5 to 10 points and 0.87 (0.46–1.66) for those with 0 points. Our study suggests that habitual coffee consumption was related to genetic polymorphisms and modified the risk of prediabetes and type 2 diabetes combined in a sample of the Korean population. The mechanisms between coffee-related genetic variation and the risk of prediabetes and type 2 diabetes combined warrant further investigation.
Weight Loss after 12 Weeks of Exercise and/or Nutritional Guidance Is Not Obligatory for Induced Changes in Local Fat/Lean Mass Indexes in Adults with Excess of Adiposity
Authors: Ramírez-Vélez Robinson , Izquierdo Mikel , Castro-Astudillo Karem , Medrano-Mena Carolina , Monroy-Díaz Angela Liliana , Castellanos-Vega Rocío del Pilar , Triana-Reina Héctor Reynaldo , Correa-Rodríguez María
Published: July 2020

The objectives of this secondary analysis are (1) to investigate the differential effects of exercise training modalities–high-intensity interval training (HIIT), resistance training (RT), combined training (CT = HIIT + RT), and/or nutritional guidance (NG) alone–on local fat/lean mass indexes in adults with excess of adiposity; (2) to identify the individual patterns of response based on either a clinical criterion of weight loss (≥5%) and/or technical error (TE) of measurement of local fat/lean mass indexes; and (3) to assess the individual change for body composition parameters assigned either to HIIT, RT, CT, and/or NG groups utilizing a TE. A 12-week trial was conducted in 55 participants randomized to one of the four interventions. The primary outcome was clinical change in body weight (i.e., weight loss of ≥5%). Secondary outcomes included change in ratio of android and gynoid fat mass, as well as local fat and lean mass indexes (arms, trunk, and legs), before and after intervention. The main findings from the current analysis revealed that (i) after 12 weeks of follow-up, significant decreases in several body composition indexes were found including body weight, arm, trunk, and legs fat mass, and android and gynecoid fat mass were observed in HIIT, RT, and CT groups (p < 0.05); (ii) a significant proportion of individuals showed a positive response following 12 weeks of training, led by the HIIT group with 44% and followed by RT with 39% in 9 indexes; (iii) the HIIT group showed lowest rates of adverse responders with (6%); and (iv) the individual patterns of response utilizing clinically meaningful weight loss were not necessarily associated with the corresponding individual training-induced changes in body composition indexes in adults with excess of adiposity. Overall, the study suggests that HIIT has an important ability to reduce the prevalence of non-response to improve body composition indexes.
Assessment of Diet Quality and Adherence to Dietary Guidelines in Gastrointestinal Cancer Survivors: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Moazzen Sara , Cortés-Ibañez Francisco O. , van Leeuwen Barbara L. , Alizadeh Behrooz Z. , de Bock Geertruida H.
Published: July 2020

Diet quality among short- and long-term gastrointestinal (GI) cancer survivors with different tumor sites was investigated compared to a reference population cohort. Diet quality of GI cancer survivors (n = 307) was compared to an age- and sex-matched reference population with no history of cancer (n = 3070). All were selected from Lifelines, a population-based cohort. GI cancers were defined as having a history of cancer of the bowel, esophagus, or stomach. Diet quality was assessed by a self-administrated food frequency questionnaire in terms of: (i) Lifelines Diet (LLD) scores, where higher scores indicate higher diet quality; (ii) the adherence to dietary guidelines, quantified by the percentage of meeting dietary recommendations, as given by Dutch dietary guidelines; and (iii) the mean daily intake of food components. All analyses were adjusted for lifestyle factors. Diet scores in GI cancer survivors were not different from the reference population (OR = 0.97, 95% CI: 0.73–1.23). Stratification for time since diagnosis and tumor site gave similar results. The intake of vegetables, unsweetened dairies, and nuts and legumes was almost 50% lower than the recommended amount, and the mean intake of unhealthy food components was at least one serving/day among GI cancer survivors, as well as in the reference population. In the long run, GI cancer survivors do not differ from the reference population in their diet quality. In conclusion, both groups can improve their diet quality.
Where Do Adolescents Eat Less-Healthy Foods? Correspondence Analysis and Logistic Regression Results from the UK National Diet and Nutrition Survey
Authors: Palla Luigi , Chapman Andrew , Beh Eric , Pot Gerda , Almiron-Roig Eva
Published: July 2020

This study investigates the relationship between the consumption of foods and eating locations (home, school/work and others) in British adolescents, using data from the UK National Diet and Nutrition Survey Rolling Program (2008–2012 and 2013–2016). A cross-sectional analysis of 62,523 food diary entries from this nationally representative sample was carried out for foods contributing up to 80% total energy to the daily adolescent’s diet. Correspondence analysis (CA) was used to generate food–location relationship hypotheses followed by logistic regression (LR) to quantify the evidence in terms of odds ratios and formally test those hypotheses. The less-healthy foods that emerged from CA were chips, soft drinks, chocolate and meat pies. Adjusted odds ratios (99% CI) for consuming specific foods at a location “other” than home (H) or school/work (S) in the 2008–2012 survey sample were: for soft drinks, 2.8 (2.1 to 3.8) vs. H and 2.0 (1.4 to 2.8) vs. S; for chips, 2.8 (2.2 to 3.7) vs. H and 3.4 (2.1 to 5.5) vs. S; for chocolates, 2.6 (1.9 to 3.5) vs. H and 1.9 (1.2 to 2.9) vs. S; and for meat pies, 2.7 (1.5 to 5.1) vs. H and 1.3 (0.5 to 3.1) vs. S. These trends were confirmed in the 2013–2016 survey sample. Interactions between location and BMI were not significant in either sample. In conclusion, public health policies to discourage less-healthy food choices in locations away from home and school/work are warranted for adolescents, irrespective of their BMI.
Ginseng-Induced Changes to Blood Vessel Dilation and the Metabolome of Rats
Authors: Lee Hyeon-Jeong , Kim Bo-Min , Lee Soo Hee , Sohn Ju-Tae , Choi Jae Woong , Cho Chang-Won , Hong Hee-Do , Rhee Young Kyoung , Kim Hyun-Jin
Published: July 2020

Ginseng consumption has been shown to prevent and reduce many health risks, including cardiovascular disease. However, the ginseng-induced changes in biofluids and tissue metabolomes associated with blood health remain poorly understood. In this study, healthy rats were orally administered ginseng extracts or water for one month. Biofluid and tissue metabolites along with steroid hormones, plasma cytokines, and blood pressure factors were determined to elucidate the relationship between ginseng intake and blood vessel health. Moreover, the effect of ginseng extract on blood vessel tension was measured from the thoracic aorta. Ginseng intake decreased the levels of blood phospholipids, lysophosphatidylcholines and related enzymes, high blood pressure factors, and cytokines, and induced vasodilation. Moreover, ginseng intake decreased the level of renal oxidized glutathione. Overall, our findings suggest that ginseng intake can improve blood vessel health via modulation of vasodilation, oxidation stress, and pro-inflammatory cytokines. Moreover, the decrease in renal oxidized glutathione indicated that ginseng intake is positively related with the reduction in oxidative stress-induced renal dysfunction.
Zebrafish as a Model for Fish Diseases in Aquaculture
Authors: Jørgensen Louise von Gersdorff
Published: July 2020

The use of zebrafish as a model for human conditions is widely recognized. Within the last couple of decades, the zebrafish has furthermore increasingly been utilized as a model for diseases in aquacultured fish species. The unique tools available in zebrafish present advantages compared to other animal models and unprecedented in vivo imaging and the use of transgenic zebrafish lines have contributed with novel knowledge to this field. In this review, investigations conducted in zebrafish on economically important diseases in aquacultured fish species are included. Studies are summarized on bacterial, viral and parasitic diseases and described in relation to prophylactic approaches, immunology and infection biology. Considerable attention has been assigned to innate and adaptive immunological responses. Finally, advantages and drawbacks of using the zebrafish as a model for aquacultured fish species are discussed.
Phenotypic Screening in C. elegans as a Tool for the Discovery of New Geroprotective Drugs
Authors: Bulterijs Sven , Braeckman Bart P.
Published: July 2020

Population aging is one of the largest challenges of the 21st century. As more people live to advanced ages, the prevalence of age-related diseases and disabilities will increase placing an ever larger burden on our healthcare system. A potential solution to this conundrum is to develop treatments that prevent, delay or reduce the severity of age-related diseases by decreasing the rate of the aging process. This ambition has been accomplished in model organisms through dietary, genetic and pharmacological interventions. The pharmacological approaches hold the greatest opportunity for successful translation to the clinic. The discovery of such pharmacological interventions in aging requires high-throughput screening strategies. However, the majority of screens performed for geroprotective drugs in C. elegans so far are rather low throughput. Therefore, the development of high-throughput screening strategies is of utmost importance.
State of the Art Biocompatible Gold Nanoparticles for Cancer Theragnosis
Authors: Kang Moon Sung , Lee So Yun , Kim Ki Su , Han Dong-Wook
Published: July 2020

Research on cancer theragnosis with gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) has rapidly increased, as AuNPs have many useful characteristics for various biomedical applications, such as biocompatibility, tunable optical properties, enhanced permeability and retention (EPR), localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR), photothermal properties, and surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS). AuNPs have been widely utilized in cancer theragnosis, including phototherapy and photoimaging, owing to their enhanced solubility, stability, biofunctionality, cancer targetability, and biocompatibility. In this review, specific characteristics and recent modifications of AuNPs over the past decade are discussed, as well as their application in cancer theragnostics and future perspectives. In the future, AuNP-based cancer theragnosis is expected to facilitate the development of innovative and novel strategies for cancer therapy.
Trends in Clinical Pharmacist Integration in Family Medicine Residency Programs in North America
Authors: Jarrett Jennie B. , Lounsbery Jody L.
Published: July 2020

(1) Objective: To determine the change in prevalence of clinical pharmacists as clinician educators within family medicine residency programs (FMRPs) in North America and to describe their clinical, educational and administrative scope over time. (2) Methods: A systematic review of the literature was performed starting with an electronic search of PubMed and Embase for articles published between January 1980 and December 2019. Studies were included if they surveyed clinical pharmacists regarding their clinical, educational, or other roles in FMRPs in the United States or Canada. The primary outcome was the change in prevalence of clinical pharmacists in North America. Secondary outcomes included: demographic information of clinical pharmacists, change in the prevalence in Canada and United States, and descriptions of clinical services, educational roles, and other activities of clinical pharmacists within FMRPs. (3) Results: Of the 65 articles identified, six articles met the inclusion criteria. The prevalence of clinical pharmacists as clinician educators in FMRPs in North America has grown from 24% to 53% in the United States (U.S.) and from 14% to 47% in Canada over the study period. The clinical and educational roles are similar including: the direct patient care, clinical education, and interprofessional education and practice. (4) Conclusion: The prevalence of clinical pharmacists in FMRPs is growing across North America. Clinical pharmacists are highly educated and trained to support these clinician educator positions. While educational roles are consistent, clinical pharmacists’ patient care roles are unique to their clinical site and growing.
Effect of Mesos Components (MgSO4, CaCl2, KH2PO4) on In Vitro Shoot Growth of Blackberry, Blueberry, and Saskatoon
Authors: Hunková Júlia , Gajdošová Alena , Szabóová Monika
Published: July 2020

Berry fruit species are, in many countries, considered biologically and economically valuable and important species of small fruits. The aim of this work was to examine the influence of either decreased or increased mesos concentrations (MgSO4, CaCl2, and KH2PO4) on shoot multiplication of five cultivars of three small fruit species (Amelanchier alnifolia var. cusickii, Rubus fruticosus ‘Black Satin’ and ‘Loch Ness’, and Vaccinium corymbosum ‘Brigitta Blue’ and ‘Toro’). Mesos nutrients were manipulated from half to four times their base concentration. The results indicate that mesos manipulation significantly influences the number and length of shoots in most of the studied cultivars. The greatest multiplication rate for A. alnifolia was achieved with tripled mesos, whereas ‘Black Satin’ and ‘Loch Ness’ reacted positively to a lower (1–2x) concentration of mesos. Decreasing the concentration of mesos to half led to worse quality in both blackberry and Saskatoon shoots. ‘Brigitta Blue’ was more sensitive to greater mesos concentrations compared to ‘Toro’. Optimizing the mineral nutrition of plants cultivated in vitro enhances their multiplication rate and contributes to a higher production of good quality plantlets.
Identification of Leaf-Scale Wheat Powdery Mildew (Blumeria graminis f. sp. Tritici) Combining Hyperspectral Imaging and an SVM Classifier
Authors: Zhao Jinling , Fang Yan , Chu Guomin , Yan Hao , Hu Lei , Huang Linsheng
Published: July 2020

Powdery mildew (PM, Blumeria graminis f. sp. tritici) is a devastating disease for wheat growth and production. It is highly meaningful that the disease severities can be objectively and accurately identified by image visualization technology. In this study, an integral method was proposed based on a hyperspectral imaging dataset and machine learning algorithms. The disease severities of wheat leaves infected with PM were quantitatively identified based on hyperspectral images and image segmentation techniques. A technical procedure was proposed to perform the identification and evaluation of leaf-scale wheat PM, specifically including three primary steps of the acquisition and preprocessing of hyperspectral images, the selection of characteristic bands, and model construction. Firstly, three-dimensional reduction algorithms, namely principal component analysis (PCA), random forest (RF), and the successive projections algorithm (SPA), were comparatively used to select the bands that were most sensitive to PM. Then, three diagnosis models were constructed by a support vector machine (SVM), RF, and a probabilistic neural network (PNN). Finally, the best model was selected by comparing the overall accuracies. The results show that the SVM model constructed by PCA dimensionality reduction had the best result, and the classification accuracy reached 93.33% by a cross-validation method. There was an obvious improvement of the identification accuracy with the model, which achieved an 88.00% accuracy derived from the original hyperspectral images. This study can provide a reference for accurately estimating the disease severity of leaf-scale wheat PM and other plant diseases by non-contact measurement technology.
Recent Advances of In Vitro Culture for the Application of New Breeding Techniques in Citrus
Authors: Poles Lara , Licciardello Concetta , Distefano Gaetano , Nicolosi Elisabetta , Gentile Alessandra , La Malfa Stefano
Published: July 2020

Citrus is one of the most important fruit crops in the world. This review will discuss the recent findings related to citrus transformation and regeneration protocols of juvenile and adult explants. Despite the many advances that have been made in the last years (including the use of inducible promoters and site-specific recombination systems), transformation efficiency, and regeneration potential still represent a bottleneck in the application of the new breeding techniques in commercial citrus varieties. The influence of genotype, explant type, and other factors affecting the regeneration and transformation of the most used citrus varieties will be described, as well as some examples of how these processes can be applied to improve fruit quality and resistance to various pathogens and pests, including the potential of using genome editing in citrus. The availability of efficient regeneration and transformation protocols, together with the availability of the source of resistance, is made even more important in light of the fast diffusion of emerging diseases, such as Huanglongbing (HLB), which is seriously challenging citriculture worldwide.
Evaluation of the Rheologic and Physicochemical Properties of a Novel Hyaluronic Acid Filler Range with eXcellent Three-Dimensional Reticulation (XTR™) Technology
Authors: Salti Giovanni , Fundarò Salvatore Piero
Published: July 2020

Soft-tissue fillers made of hyaluronic acid and combined with lidocaine have recently become a popular tool in aesthetic medicine. Several manufacturers have developed their own proprietary formulae with varying manufacturing tools, concentrations, crosslinked three-dimensional network structures, pore size distributions of the fibrous networks, as well as cohesivity levels and rheological properties, lending fillers and filler ranges their unique properties and degradability profiles. One such range of hyaluronic acid fillers manufactured using the novel eXcellent three-dimensional reticulation (XTR™) technology was evaluated in comparison with other HA fillers and filler ranges by an independent research laboratory. Fillers manufactured with the XTR™ technology were shown to have characteristic rheological, crosslinking and biophysical factors that support the suitability of this filler range for certain patient profiles.
Effects of Different Grafting Density of Amino Silane Coupling Agents on Thermomechanical Properties of Cross-Linked Epoxy Resin
Authors: Du Dongyuan , Tang Yujing , Yang Lu , Tang Chao
Published: July 2020

In order to study the influences of amino silane coupling agents with different grafting densities on the surface of nano silica on the thermomechanical properties of cross-linked epoxy resin, the molecular dynamics method was used to establish an amorphous model and calculate the mechanical properties, glass transition temperature, mean square displacement, hydrogen bond, binding energy, and radial distribution function of the composite models in this paper. The results are as follows: with the increase of the grafting density of an amino silane coupling agent on the surface of nano silica particles, the mechanical properties and glass transition temperature of epoxy resin showed a trend of increasing first and then decreasing. When the grafting ratio was 9%, the mechanical properties and glass transition temperature of the epoxy resin were the largest, and the glass transition temperature was increased by 41 K. At the same time, it was found that the higher the grafting ratio, the lower the chain movement ability, but the higher the binding energy. Besides, the binding energy between the nanoparticles of the grafted silane coupling agent and epoxy resin was negatively correlated with the temperature. By analyzing the hydrogen bond and radial distribution function, the results showed that the improvement of the grafted silane coupling agent on the surface of the nanoparticle to the thermomechanical properties of the epoxy resin was related to the OH···O and NH···O hydrogen bonds. The analysis results indicated that the proper grafting density should be selected based on the established model size, selected nanoparticle diameter, and epoxy resin materials in order to better improve the thermomechanical properties of the epoxy resin.
High-Throughput Identification of the Rhodnius prolixus Midgut Proteome Unravels a Sophisticated Hematophagic Machinery
Authors: Ouali Radouane , Valentim de Brito Karen Caroline , Salmon Didier , Bousbata Sabrina
Published: July 2020

Chagas disease is one of the most common parasitic infections in Latin America, which is transmitted by hematophagous triatomine bugs, of which Rhodnius prolixus is the vector prototype for the study of this disease. The protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, the etiologic agent of this disease, is transmitted by the vector to humans through the bite wound or mucosa. The passage of the parasite through the digestive tract of its vector constitutes a key step in its developmental cycle. Herewith, by a using high-throughput proteomic tool in order to characterize the midgut proteome of R. prolixus, we describe a set of functional groups of proteins, as well as the biological processes in which they are involved. This is the first proteomic analysis showing an elaborated hematophagy machinery involved in the digestion of blood, among which, several families of proteases have been characterized. The evaluation of the activity of cathepsin D proteases in the anterior part of the digestive tract of the insect suggested the existence of a proteolytic activity within this compartment, suggesting that digestion occurs early in this compartment. Moreover, several heat shock proteins, blood clotting inhibitors, and a powerful antioxidant enzyme machinery against reactive oxygen species (ROS) and cell detoxification have been identified. Highlighting the complexity and importance of the digestive physiology of insects could be a starting point for the selection of new targets for innovative control strategies of Chagas disease.