bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Novel Mutation of OsPPDKB, Encoding Pyruvate Orthophosphate Dikinase, Affects Metabolism and Structure of Starch in the Rice Endosperm
Authors: Zhang Long , Zhao Linglong , Lin Lingshang , Zhao Lingxiao , Liu Qiaoquan , Wei Cunxu
Published: August 2018

Starch, as a main energy storage substance, plays an important role in plant growth and human life. Despite the fact that several enzymes and regulators involved in starch biosynthesis have been identified, the regulating mechanism of starch synthesis is still unclear. In this study, we isolated a rice floury endosperm mutant M14 from a mutant pool induced by 60Co. Both total starch content and amylose content in M14 seeds significantly decreased, and starch thermal and pasting properties changed. Compound starch granules were defected in the floury endosperm of M14 seeds. Map-based cloning and a complementation test showed that the floury endosperm phenotype was determined by a gene of OsPPDKB, which encodes pyruvate orthophosphate dikinase (PPDK, EC 2.7.9.1). Subcellular localization analysis demonstrated that PPDK was localized in chloroplast and cytoplasm, the chOsPPDKB highly expressed in leaf and leaf sheath, and the cyOsPPDKB constitutively expressed with a high expression in developing endosperm. Moreover, the expression of starch synthesis-related genes was also obviously altered in M14 developing endosperm. The above results indicated that PPDK played an important role in starch metabolism and structure in rice endosperm.
Cytotoxic Potential and Molecular Pathway Analysis of Silver Nanoparticles in Human Colon Cancer Cells HCT116
Authors: Gurunathan Sangiliyandi , Qasim Muhammad , Park Chanhyeok , Yoo Hyunjin , Kim Jin-Hoi , Hong Kwonho
Published: August 2018

Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) have gained attention for use in cancer therapy. In this study, AgNPs were biosynthesized using naringenin. We investigated the anti-colon cancer activities of biogenic AgNPs through transcriptome analysis using RNA sequencing, and the mechanisms of AgNPs in regulating colon cancer cell growth. The synthesized AgNPs were characterized using UV–visible spectroscopy (UV–vis), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), dynamic light scattering (DLS), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The AgNPs were spherical with sizes of 2–10 nm. Cytotoxicity assays indicated that the AgNPs in HCT116 colorectal cancer cells were very effective at low concentrations. The viability and proliferation of colon cancer cells treated with 5 µg/mL biogenic AgNPs were reduced by 50%. Increased lactate dehydrogenase leakage (LDH), reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, malondialdehyde (MDA), and decreased dead-cell protease activity and ATP generation were observed. This impaired mitochondrial function and DNA damage led to cell death. The AgNPs upregulated and downregulated the most highly ranked biological processes of oxidation–reduction and cell-cycle regulation, respectively. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis showed that AgNPs upregulated GADD45G in the p53 pathway. Thus, the AgNP tumor suppressive effects were mediated by cell apoptosis following DNA damage, as well as by mitochondrial dysfunction and cell-cycle arrest following aberrant regulation of p53 effector proteins. It is of interest to mention that, to the best of our knowledge, this study is the first report demonstrating cellular responses and molecular pathways analysis of AgNPs in HCT116 colorectal cancer cells.
Genome-Wide Identification and Characterization of NODULE-INCEPTION-Like Protein (NLP) Family Genes in Brassica napus
Authors: Liu Miao , Chang Wei , Fan Yonghai , Sun Wei , Qu Cunmin , Zhang Kai , Liu Liezhao , Xu Xingfu , Tang Zhanglin , Li Jiana , Lu Kun
Published: August 2018

NODULE-INCEPTION-like proteins (NLPs) are conserved, plant-specific transcription factors that play crucial roles in responses to nitrogen deficiency. However, the evolutionary relationships and characteristics of NLP family genes in Brassica napus are unclear. In this study, we identified 31 NLP genes in B. napus, including 16 genes located in the A subgenome and 15 in the C subgenome. Subcellular localization predictions indicated that most BnaNLP proteins are localized to the nucleus. Phylogenetic analysis suggested that the NLP gene family could be divided into three groups and that at least three ancient copies of NLP genes existed in the ancestor of both monocots and dicots prior to their divergence. The ancestor of group III NLP genes may have experienced duplication more than once in the Brassicaceae species. Three-dimensional structural analysis suggested that 14 amino acids in BnaNLP7-1 protein are involved in DNA binding, whereas no binding sites were identified in the two RWP-RK and PB1 domains conserved in BnaNLP proteins. Expression profile analysis indicated that BnaNLP genes are expressed in most organs but tend to be highly expressed in a single organ. For example, BnaNLP6 subfamily members are primarily expressed in roots, while the four BnaNLP7 subfamily members are highly expressed in leaves. BnaNLP genes also showed different expression patterns in response to nitrogen-deficient conditions. Under nitrogen deficiency, all members of the BnaNLP1/4/5/9 subfamilies were upregulated, all BnaNLP2/6 subfamily members were downregulated, and BnaNLP7/8 subfamily members showed various expression patterns in different organs. These results provide a comprehensive evolutionary history of NLP genes in B. napus, and insight into the biological functions of BnaNLP genes in response to nitrogen deficiency.
Hedgehog Signaling Pathway and Autophagy in Cancer
Authors: Zeng Xian , Ju Dianwen
Published: August 2018

Hedgehog (Hh) pathway controls complex developmental processes in vertebrates. Abnormal activation of Hh pathway is responsible for tumorigenesis and maintenance of multiple cancers, and thus addressing this represents promising therapeutic opportunities. In recent years, two Hh inhibitors have been approved for basal cell carcinoma (BCC) treatment and show extraordinary clinical outcomes. Meanwhile, a series of novel agents are being developed for the treatment of several cancers, including lung cancer, leukemia, and pancreatic cancer. Unfortunately, Hh inhibition fails to show satisfactory benefits in these cancer types compared with the success stories in BCC, highlighting the need for better understanding of Hh signaling in cancer. Autophagy, a conserved biological process for cellular component elimination, plays critical roles in the initiation, progression, and drug resistance of cancer, and therefore, implied potential to be targeted. Recent evidence demonstrated that Hh signaling interplays with autophagy in multiple cancers. Importantly, modulating this crosstalk exhibited noteworthy capability to sensitize primary and drug-resistant cancer cells to Hh inhibitors, representing an emerging opportunity to reboot the efficacy of Hh inhibition in those insensitive tumors, and to tackle drug resistance challenges. This review will highlight recent advances of Hh pathway and autophagy in cancers, and focus on their crosstalk and the implied therapeutic opportunities.
Effect of ACTH and hCG on the Expression of Gonadotropin-Inducible Ovarian Transcription Factor 1 (Giot1) Gene in the Rat Adrenal Gland
Authors: Jopek Karol , Tyczewska Marianna , Ramanjaneya Manjunath , Szyszka Marta , Celichowski Piotr , Milecka Paulina , Malendowicz Ludwik K. , Rucinski Marcin
Published: August 2018

Gonadotropin-inducible ovarian transcription factor-1 (Giot1) belongs to a family of fast-responsive genes, and gonadotropins rapidly induce its expression in steroidogenic cells of ovaries and testes of rats. Gonadal Giot1 gene expression is regulated by cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) -dependent protein kinase A pathway, with essential role of orphan nuclear receptor NR4A1 transcription factor (nuclear receptor subfamily 4, group A, member 1). A recent study reports that Giot1 is also expressed in adrenals, however, the mechanism of its regulation in adrenal gland is yet to be identified. Therefore, the aim of this study was to characterise the changes in Giot1 gene expression in male and female rat adrenals using wide range of in vivo and in vitro experimental models. Special emphasis was directed at the Giot1 gene regulation by ACTH and gonadotropin. In our study, we found that ACTH rapidly stimulates Giot1 expression both in vivo and in vitro. However, gonadotropin does not affect the adrenal Giot1 gene expression, presumably due to the low expression of gonadotropin receptor in adrenals. Both testosterone and estradiol administered in vivo had inhibitory effect on Giot1 gene expression in the adrenals of post-gonadectomized adult rats. Further, our studies revealed that the intracellular mechanism of Giot1 gene regulation in rat adrenals is similar to that of gonads. As in the case of gonads, the expression of Giot1 in adrenal gland is regulated by cAMP-dependent signaling pathway with essential role of the NR4A1 transcription factor. The results of our studies suggest that Giot1 may be involved in the regulation of rat adrenocortical steroidogenesis.
Hematological Indices in Portal Hypertension: Cirrhosis versus Noncirrhotic Portal Hypertension
Authors: Sahin Abdurrahman , Artas Hakan , Tunc Nurettin , Yalniz Mehmet , Bahcecioglu Ibrahim
Published: August 2018

Portal hypertension (PHT) leads to several alterations on hematological indices (HI). The aim of the study is to investigate the differences in HI between cirrhotic subjects and subjects who have noncirrhotic PHT (NCPHT). This retrospective study included 328 patients with PHT (239 cirrhosis and 89 NCPHT). Demographic and clinical features, endoscopic and radiological findings, and HI including neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR) at the time of PHT diagnosis were recorded. Severity of cirrhosis was assessed according to the Child–Turcotte–Pugh (CTP) classification and Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) scores. Hematological abnormalities were found in 92.5% of cirrhotic patients and in 55.1% of patients with NCPHT (p < 0.001). While thrombocytopenia was the most common HI in patients with cirrhosis, anemia was the most prevalent HI in NCPHT group. In the cirrhotic group, the NLR was the only parameter to differentiate each CTP group from two others. The NLR value increased with the severity of cirrhosis (2.28 ± 0.14 in CTP-A, 2.85 ± 0.19 in CTP-B and 3.26 ± 0.37 in CTP-C). The AUROC of NLR was 0.692 for differentiating compensated cirrhotic patients from decompensated. Hematological abnormalities are more prevalent and more severe in cirrhotic patients compared to patients with NCPHT. NLR may be used to assess the severity of cirrhosis.
Using Standardized Test Scores to Include General Cognitive Ability in Education Research and Policy
Authors: Wai Jonathan , Brown Matt I. , Chabris Christopher F.
Published: August 2018

In education research and education policy, much attention is paid to schools, curricula, and teachers, but little attention is paid to the characteristics of students. Differences in general cognitive ability (g) are often overlooked as a source of important variance among schools and in outcomes among students within schools. Standardized test scores such as the SAT and ACT are reasonably good proxies for g and are available for most incoming college students. Though the idea of g being important in education is quite old, we present contemporary evidence that colleges and universities in the United States vary considerably in the average cognitive ability of their students, which correlates strongly with other methods (including international methods) of ranking colleges. We also show that these g differences are reflected in the extent to which graduates of colleges are represented in various high-status and high-income occupations. Finally, we show how including individual-level measures of cognitive ability can substantially increase the statistical power of experiments designed to measure educational treatment effects. We conclude that education policy researchers should give more consideration to the concept of individual differences in cognitive ability as well as other factors.
Optimized Reliability Based Upgrading of Rubble Mound Breakwaters in a Changing Climate
Authors: Galiatsatou Panagiota , Makris Christos , Prinos Panayotis
Published: August 2018

The present work aims at presenting an approach on implementing appropriate mitigation measures for the upgrade of rubble mound breakwaters protecting harbors and/or marinas against increasing future marine hazards and related escalating exposure to downtime risks. This approach is based on the reliability analysis of the studied structure coupled with economic optimization techniques. It includes the construction of probability distribution functions for all the stochastic variables of the marine climate (waves, storm surges, and sea level rise) for present and future conditions, the suggestion of different mitigation options for upgrading, the construction of a fault tree providing a logical succession of all events that lead to port downtime for each alternative mitigation option, and conclusively, the testing of a large number of possible alternative geometries for each option. A single solution is selected from the total sample of acceptable geometries for each upgrading concept that satisfy a probabilistic constraint in order to minimize the total costs of protection. The upgrading options considered in the present work include the construction or enhancement of a crown wall on the breakwater crest, the addition of the third layer of rocks above the primary armor layer of the breakwater (combined with crest elements), the attachment of a berm on the primary armor layer, and the construction of a detached low-crested structure in front of the breakwater. The proposed methodology is applied to an indicative rubble mound breakwater with an existing superstructure. The construction of a berm on the existing primary armor layer of the studied breakwater (port of Deauville, France), seems to be advantageous in terms of optimized total costs compared to other mitigation options.
Central Place and Liminal Landscape in the Territory of Populonia
Authors: Di Paola Giorgia Maria Francesca
Published: August 2018

This article aims to outline new data on the urbanization of Populonia starting from its foundation, with particular reference to the results of archaeological surveys carried out by the University of Siena since the 1980s. The landscape archaeology approach has allowed us to reconstruct the Etruscan city’s organization of settlements as well as its management of resources. In addition, this investigative tool has proven the most effective method to detect both places of economic or ideological centrality and specific liminal landscapes in the territory of Populonia. The urban development of the Etruscan city represents an anomalous case for several reasons that are mainly dependent on its shape, which required unconventional choices in the organization and management of its territory and natural resources. Our research leads us to suggest that the Etruscan city’s acropolis seems to have played the role of central place starting right from the establishment of the city. Within some of the new acquisitions coming from my PhD research we have to consider the feature of the hilltop fortresses system and the detection of a “liminal landscape” in the northeastern stretch of the territory between Populonia and Volterra. This particular part of the landscape had been a sacred district with a strong peripheral character and possibly close connections to the central place thanks to the significant availability of natural resources.
Fatigue Crack Growth Behavior of the MIG Welded Joint of 06Cr19Ni10 Stainless Steel
Authors: Tang Lanqing , Qian Caifu , Ince Ayhan , Zheng Jing , Li Huifang , Han Zhichao
Published: August 2018

In this paper, the fatigue crack growth behavior of the base metal (BM), the weld metal (WM) and the heat-affected zone (HAZ) in the metal-inert gas (MIG) welded joints of the 06Cr19Ni10 stainless steel are analyzed and studied. Results of the fatigue crack propagation tests show that a new fatigue crack initiates at the crack tip of a pre-existing crack, then propagates perpendicular to the direction of cyclic fatigue loads. This observation indicates that the original mixed-mode crack transforms into the mode I crack. The WM specimen has the largest fatigue crack growth rate, followed by the HAZ specimen and the BM specimen. To illustrate the differences in fatigue crack growth behavior of the three different types of specimens, metallographic structure, fracture morphology and residual stresses of the BM, HAZ and WM are investigated and discussed. The metallographic observations indicate that the mean grain size of the HAZ is relatively larger than that of the BM. The fractographic analysis shows that the WM has the largest fatigue striation width, followed by the HAZ and the BM. It is also found that the depth of dimple in the WM is relatively shallower than the one in the HAZ and BM, implying the poor plasticity behavior of the material. Analysis results of the residual stress analysis demonstrate a high level of tensile residual stress appearance in the WM and HAZ.
Femtosecond Laser-Induced Periodic Surface Structures on Fused Silica: The Impact of the Initial Substrate Temperature
Authors: Gräf Stephan , Kunz Clemens , Engel Sebastian , Derrien Thibault J. -Y. , Müller Frank A.
Published: August 2018

The formation and properties of laser-induced periodic surface structures (LIPSS) were investigated upon fs-laser irradiation of fused silica at different initial substrate temperatures, TS. For substrate heating between room temperature, TRT, and TS = 1200 °C, a continuous wave CO2 laser was used as the radiation source. The surface structures generated in the air environment at normal incidence with five successive fs-laser pulses (pulse duration, τ = 300 fs, laser wavelength, λ = 1025 nm, repetition frequency, frep = 1 kHz) were characterized by using optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and 2D-Fourier transform analysis. The threshold fluence of fused silica was systematically investigated as a function of TS. It was shown that the threshold fluence for the formation of low-spatial frequency LIPSS (LSFL) decreases with increasing TS. The results reveal that the initial spatial period observed at TRT is notably increased by increasing TS, finally leading to the formation of supra-wavelength LIPSS. The findings are discussed in the framework of the electromagnetic interference theory, supplemented with an analysis based on thermo-convective instability occurring in the laser-induced molten layer. Our findings provide qualitative insights into the formation mechanisms of LIPSS, which allow improvements of the control of nanostructure formation to be made for corresponding applications of dielectric materials in the future.
Preclinical Studies of the Biosafety and Efficacy of Human Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stem Cells Pre-Seeded into β-TCP Scaffolds after Transplantation
Authors: Gonzálvez-García Mar , Martinez Carlos M. , Villanueva Victor , García-Hernández Ana , Blanquer Miguel , Meseguer-Olmo Luis , Oñate Sánchez Ricardo E. , Moraleda José M. , Rodríguez-Lozano Francisco Javier
Published: August 2018

Background: Cell-Based Therapies (CBT) constitute a valid procedure for increasing the quantity and quality of bone in areas with an inadequate bone volume. However, safety and efficacy should be investigated prior to clinical application. The objective of this study was to evaluate the biodistribution, safety and osteogenic capacity of bone marrow-derived human mesenchymal stem cells (hBMMSCs) pre-seeded into β-tricalcium phosphate (TCP) and implanted into NOD/SCID mice at subcutaneous and intramuscular sites. Methods: hBMMSCs were isolated, characterized and then cultured in vitro on a porous β-TCP scaffold. Cell viability and attachment were analyzed and then hBMMSCs seeded constructs were surgically placed at subcutaneous and intramuscular dorsal sites into NOD/SCID mice. Acute and subchronic toxicity, cell biodistribution and efficacy were investigated. Results: There were no deaths or adverse events in treated mice during the 48-hour observation period, and no toxic response was observed in mice. In the 12-week subchronic toxicity study, no mortalities, abnormal behavioral symptoms or clinical signs were observed in the saline control mice or the hBMMSCs/β-TCP groups. Finally, our results showed the bone-forming capacity of hBMMSCs/β-TCP since immunohistochemical expression of human osteocalcin was detected from week 7. Conclusions: These results show that transplantation of hBMMSCs/β-TCP in NOD/SCID mice are safe and effective, and might be applied to human bone diseases in future clinical trials.
Removal of Zinc Ions Using Hydroxyapatite and Study of Ultrasound Behavior of Aqueous Media
Authors: Iconaru Simona Liliana , Motelica-Heino Mikael , Guegan Régis , Predoi Mihai Valentin , Prodan Alina Mihaela , Predoi Daniela
Published: August 2018

The present study demonstrates the effectiveness of hydroxyapatite nanopowders in the adsorption of zinc in aqueous solutions. The synthesized hydroxyapatites before (HAp) and after the adsorption of zinc (at a concentration of 50 mg/L) in solution (HApD) were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), and scanning and transmission electron microscopy (SEM and TEM, respectively). The effectiveness of hydroxyapatite nanopowders in the adsorption of zinc in aqueous solutions was stressed out through ultrasonic measurements. Both Langmuir and Freundlich models properly fitted on a wide range of concentration the equilibrium adsorption isotherms, allowing us to precisely quantify the affinity of zinc to hydroxyapatite nanopowders and to probe the efficacy of hydroxyapatite in removal of zinc ions from aqueous solutions in ultrasonic conditions.
Orally Administered Phlorotannins from Eisenia arborea Suppress Chemical Mediator Release and Cyclooxygenase-2 Signaling to Alleviate Mouse Ear Swelling
Authors: Sugiura Yoshimasa , Usui Masakatsu , Katsuzaki Hirotaka , Imai Kunio , Kakinuma Makoto , Amano Hideomi , Miyata Masaaki
Published: August 2018

Phlorotannin is the collective term for polyphenols derived from brown algae belonging to the genera Ascopyllum, Ecklonia, Eisenia, Fucus and Sargassum etc. Since the incidence of allergies is currently increasing in the world, there is a focus on phlorotannins having anti-allergic and anti-inflammatory effects. In this study, six purified phlorotannins (eckol; 6,6′-bieckol; 6,8′-bieckol; 8,8′-bieckol; phlorofucofuroeckol (PFF)-A and PFF-B) from Eisenia arborea, orally administered to mice, were examined for their suppression effects on ear swelling. In considering the suppression, we also examined whether the phlorotannins suppressed release of chemical mediators (histamine, leukotriene B4 and prostaglandin E2), and mRNA expression and/or the activity of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), using RBL-2H3 cells, a cultured mast cell model. Results showed that the phlorotnannins exhibited suppression effects in all experiments, with 6,8′-bieckol, 8,8′-bieckol and PFF-A showing the strongest of these effects. In conclusion, orally administered phlorotannins suppress mouse ear swelling, and this mechanism apparently involves suppression of chemical mediator release and COX-2 mRNA expression or activity. This is the first report of the anti-allergic effects of the orally administered purified phlorotannins in vivo. Phlorotannins show potential for use in functional foods or drugs.
An Ultra-High Performance Liquid Chromatography with Tandem Mass Spectrometry Method for Determination of 10 Alkaloids in Beagle Dog Plasma after the Oral Administration of the Corydalis yanhusuo W.T. Wang Extract and Yuanhuzhitong Tablets
Authors: Cui Binbin , Yang Jing , Wang Zhibin , Wu Chengcui , Dong Hongrui , Ren Yixuan , Yang Chunjuan
Published: August 2018

This study has developed a sensitive and simple ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry method for the simultaneous determination of corydaline, dehydrocorydaline, tetrahydropalmatine, protopine, palmatine, tetrahydroberberine, columbamine, berberine, coptisine and berberrubine in beagle dog plasma after the oral administration of the Corydalis yanhusuo W.T. Wang and Yuanhuzhitong tablets. Chromatographic separation was achieved on an Agilent Eclipse Plus C18 RRHD column (1.8 µm, 50 × 2.1 mm) using a gradient elution program with a mobile phase consisting of acetonitrile and water containing 0.1% formic acid at a flow rate of 0.3 mL/min. A tandem mass spectrometric detection was conducted by multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) mode via an electrospray ionization source in the positive mode. The calibration curves of all analytes showed good linear (r2 > 0.9800). The intra-day and inter-day precisions were less than 15% and the accuracies were within ±15%. The extraction recoveries conformed to the acceptable range. And there was no interference of endogenous substances in the sensitive assay method. All analytes were proven to be stable during sample storage and analysis procedures. The pharmacokinetic study indicated that the Yuanhuzhitong tablets could get a better absorption than Corydalis yanhusuo W.T. Wang.
Novel Potent Hypoglycemic Compounds from Euonymus laxiflorus Champ. and Their Effect on Reducing Plasma Glucose in an ICR Mouse Model
Authors: Nguyen Van Bon , Wang San-Lang , Nguyen Thi Hanh , Nguyen Minh Trung , Doan Chien Thang , Tran Thi Ngoc , Lin Zhi-Hu , Nguyen Quang Vinh , Kuo Yao-Haur , Nguyen Anh Dzung
Published: August 2018

α-Glucosidase inhibitors (aGIs) have been used as an effective therapy for type-2 diabetes, which remains a global health issue. The aim of this study was to achieve bioactivity-guided isolation, identification and evaluation of hypoglycemic compounds from Euonymus laxiflorus Champ. trunk bark (ELCTB). Eleven active compounds were isolated and identified as walterolactone A/B β-d-pyranoglucoside (1), 1-β-d-glucopyranosyloxy-3,5-dimethoxy-4-hydroxybenzene (9), (−)-gallocatechin (10), schweinfurthinol 9-O-β-d-pyranoglucoside (11), 1-O-(3-methyl)-butenoyl-myo-inositol (12), leonuriside (14), (+)-catechin (19), methyl galloate (20), (−)-catechin (23), and condensed tannins (5 and 18). Of these 11, novel 4 compounds (1, 11, 12, and 14) were found as new α-glucosidase inhibitors. Notably, in vitro results indicated that compounds 1, 5, 10–12, 18, and 19 showed potent activity (IC50 = 0.076−31 µg/mL), and their activities were at a higher level than that of acarbose, a commercial inhibitor (IC50 = 1345 µg/mL). In animal tests, the major inhibitor, condensed tannin (18), demonstrated significant reduction of plasma glucose in mice with no symptoms of diarrhea at the dose of 100 mg/kg bw. The results suggest that Euonymus laxiflorus Champ. is a rich source of bioactive compounds for development as health food or drugs with potent hypoglycemic effect. The results of this study also enriched the current novel biological activities of constituents from Euonymus laxiflorus species.
Bioactive Compound Fingerprint Analysis of Aged Raw Pu’er Tea and Young Ripened Pu’er Tea
Authors: Pedan Vasilisa , Rohn Sascha , Holinger Mirjam , Hühn Tilo , Chetschik Irene
Published: August 2018

Pu’er tea produced from Camellia sinensis var. assamica is a widely appreciated and consumed beverage that can be divided into two kinds of tea depending on the different fermentation processed used, the special sensory characteristics, and their chemical composition. However, authentication seems to be very important for such teas, as they are traded to comparatively high prices, especially in Europe. The results for selected biochemical markers showed that aged raw pu’er tea contained 210.2 mg GAE/g polyphenols, of which 2.2 mg/g were gallic acid, 16.1 mg/g theogallin, 35.1 mg/g (−)-epigallocatechin gallate, and 40.1 mg/g (−)-epicatechin gallate, on average. Young ripened pu’er tea contained about 104.6 mg GAE/g polyphenols, of which 5.5 mg/g gallic acid, 0.9 mg/g theogallin, 0.7 mg/g (−)-epigallocatechin gallate, and 1.8 mg/g (−)-epicatechin gallate, on average. An additional objective of the present study was to unravel the best brewing conditions for optimal extraction of the bioactive compounds. Infusions of nineteen commercial teas (from pu’er cakes) were obtained at different time-temperature ratios for studying the content of bioactive compounds (flavan-3-ols, flavonols, caffeoylquinic acids, methylxanthines). Brewing at 90 °C for 5 min was the best condition to obtain a high content of total polyphenols in ripened pu’er tea. Principal component analysis and hierarchical cluster analysis showed, that young ripened and aged raw pu’er tea can be successfully differentiated by the analyzed chemical compounds. Principal component analysis results indicated that young ripened pu’er tea has higher contents of gallic acid, quercetin, and kaempferol than aged raw pu’er tea.
Synthesis and Cytoprotective Characterization of 8-Hydroxyquinoline Betti Products
Authors: Kanizsai Iván , Madácsi Ramóna , Hackler Jr. László , Gyuris Márió , Szebeni Gábor J. , Huzián Orsolya , Puskás László G.
Published: August 2018

The 8-hydroxyquinoline pharmacophore scaffold has been shown to possess a range of activities as metal chelation, enzyme inhibition, cytotoxicity, and cytoprotection. Based on our previous findings we set out to optimize the scaffold for cytoprotective activity for its potential application in central nervous system related diseases. A 48-membered Betti-library was constructed by the utilization of formic acid mediated industrial-compatible coupling with sets of aromatic primary amines such as anilines, oxazoles, pyridines, and pyrimidines, with (hetero)aromatic aldehydes and 8-hydroxiquinoline derivatives. After column chromatography and re-crystallization, the corresponding analogues were obtained in yields of 13–90%. The synthesized analogs were optimized with the utilization of a cytoprotection assay with chemically induced oxidative stress, and the most active compounds were further tested in orthogonal assays, a real time cell viability method, a fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS)-based assay measuring mitochondrial membrane potential changes, and gene expression analysis. The best candidates showed potent, nanomolar activity in all test systems and support the need for future studies in animal models of central nervous system (CNS) disorders.
Probing Protein-Protein Interactions Using Asymmetric Labeling and Carbonyl-Carbon Selective Heteronuclear NMR Spectroscopy
Authors: Larsen Erik K. , Olivieri Cristina , Walker Caitlin , V.S. Manu , Gao Jiali , Bernlohr David A. , Tonelli Marco , Markley John L. , Veglia Gianluigi
Published: August 2018

Protein-protein interactions (PPIs) regulate a plethora of cellular processes and NMR spectroscopy has been a leading technique for characterizing them at the atomic resolution. Technically, however, PPIs characterization has been challenging due to multiple samples required to characterize the hot spots at the protein interface. In this paper, we review our recently developed methods that greatly simplify PPI studies, which minimize the number of samples required to fully characterize residues involved in the protein-protein binding interface. This original strategy combines asymmetric labeling of two binding partners and the carbonyl-carbon label selective (CCLS) pulse sequence element implemented into the heteronuclear single quantum correlation (1H-15N HSQC) spectra. The CCLS scheme removes signals of the J-coupled 15N–13C resonances and records simultaneously two individual amide fingerprints for each binding partner. We show the application to the measurements of chemical shift correlations, residual dipolar couplings (RDCs), and paramagnetic relaxation enhancements (PRE). These experiments open an avenue for further modifications of existing experiments facilitating the NMR analysis of PPIs.
Styryl Quinazolinones as Potential Inducers of Myeloid Differentiation via Upregulation of C/EBPα
Authors: Sridhar Radhakrishnan , Takei Hisashi , Syed Riyaz , Kobayashi Ikei S. , Hui Liu Bee , Kamal Ahmed , Tenen Daniel G. , Kobayashi Susumu S.
Published: August 2018

The CCAAT enhancer-binding protein α (C/EBPα) plays an important role in myeloid cell differentiation and in the enhancement of C/EBPα expression/activity, which can lead to granulocytic differentiation in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cells. We found that styryl quinazolinones induce upregulation of C/EBPα expression, and thereby induce myeloid differentiation in human myeloid leukemia cell lines. We screened a series of active styryl quinazolinones and evaluated the structure–activity relationship (SAR) of these small molecules in inducing C/EBPα expression—thereby prompting the leukemic cells to differentiate. We observed that compound 78 causes differentiation at 3 μM concentration, while 1 induces differentiation at 10 μM concentration. We also observed an increase in the expression of neutrophil differentiation marker CD11b upon treatment with 78. Both the C/EBPα and C/EBPε levels were found to be upregulated by treatment with 78. These SAR findings are inspiration to develop further modified styryl quinazolinones, in the path of this novel differentiation therapy, which can contribute to the care of patients with AML.
pH Stability and Antioxidant Power of CycloDOPA and Its Derivatives
Authors: Nakagawa Shiori , Tachrim Zetryana Puteri , Kurokawa Natsumi , Ohashi Fumina , Sakihama Yasuko , Suzuki Takeyuki , Hashidoko Yasuyuki , Hashimoto Makoto
Published: August 2018

CycloDOPA (leukodopachrome), a well known metabolite of tyrosine, is a precursor of melanine in mammalian organisms and of the pigment betalain in plants. However, the isolation of cycloDOPA from natural sources has not been widely reported. In the present work, the stabilities of cycloDOPA and cycloDOPA methyl ester at various pH levels were studied. Both compounds were stable under acidic conditions. By contrast, both compounds were unstable when the pH was shifted from neutral to basic to form indole derivatives as major products. Based on the pH stability, cycloDOPA and its derivatives were subjected to the DPPH radical scavenging assay for the first time.
Ultrasound Assisted Synthesis of 4-(Benzyloxy)-N-(3-chloro-2-(substitutedphenyl)-4-oxoazetidin-1-yl) Benzamide as Challenging Anti-Tubercular Scaffold
Authors: Nimbalkar Urja D. , Seijas Julio A. , Borkute Rachna , Damale Manoj G. , Sangshetti Jaiprakash N. , Sarkar Dhiman , Nikalje Anna Pratima G.
Published: August 2018

A series of ten novel derivatives of 4-(benzyloxy)-N-(3-chloro-2-(substituted phenyl)-4-oxoazetidin-1-yl) benzamide 6a–j were synthesized in good yield from the key compound 4-(benzyloxy)-N′-(substituted benzylidene) benzo hydrazide, called Schiff ’s bases 5a–j, by Staudinger reaction ([2 + 2] ketene-imine cycloaddition reaction) with chloro acetyl chloride in the presence of catalyst tri ethylamine and solvent dimethyl formamide (DMF), by using ultra-sonication as one of the green chemistry tools. All the synthesised compounds were evaluated for in vitro anti-tubercular activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) and most of them showed promising activity with an IC50 value of less than 1 µg/mL. To establish the safety, all the synthesized compounds were further tested for cytotoxicity against the human cancer cell line HeLa and all 6a–j compounds were found to be non-cytotoxic in nature. The molecular docking study was carried out with essential enzyme InhA (FabI/ENR) of Mycobacterium responsible for cell wall synthesis which suggests that 6a and 6e are the most active derivatives of the series. The theoretical evaluation of cell permeability based on Lipinski’s rule of five has helped to rationalize the biological results and hence the synthesized azetidinone derivatives 6a–j were also analyzed for physicochemical evaluation that is, absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion, and toxicity (ADMET) properties and the results showed that all the derivatives could comply with essential features required for a potential lead in the anti-tubercular drug discovery process.
Dynamic Optimization of a Subcritical Steam Power Plant Under Time-Varying Power Load
Authors: Chen Chen , Bollas George M.
Published: August 2018

The increasing variability in power plant load in response to a wildly uncertain electricity market and the need to to mitigate CO2 emissions, lead power plant operators to explore advanced options for efficiency optimization. Model-based, system-scale dynamic simulation and optimization are useful tools in this effort and are the subjects of the work presented here. In prior work, a dynamic model validated against steady-state data from a 605 MW subcritical power plant was presented. This power plant model was used as a test-bed for dynamic simulations, in which the coal load was regulated to satisfy a varying power demand. Plant-level control regulated the plant load to match an anticipated trajectory of the power demand. The efficiency of the power plant’s operation at varying loads was optimized through a supervisory control architecture that performs set point optimization on the regulatory controllers. Dynamic optimization problems were formulated to search for optimal time-varying input trajectories that satisfy operability and safety constraints during the transition between plant states. An improvement in time-averaged efficiency of up to 1.8% points was shown to be feasible with corresponding savings in coal consumption of 184.8 tons/day and a carbon footprint decrease of 0.035 kg/kWh.
Islam in the Syrian War: Spotting the Various Dimensions of Religion in Conflict
Authors: Lakitsch Maximilian
Published: August 2018

Religion has been a determining factor in the recent Syrian war since its beginnings, as a prominent identity marker as well as a motivational aspect on the path of jihad. This paper seeks to contribute to a more thorough understanding of the conflict dynamics in Syria by adequately describing the role of religion in the war. Its comprehensive approach takes into account various ontological manifestations of religion: as an identity, a discourse, in its doctrinal aspect as a set of teachings, and in its significance for the individual believer. In doing so, the paper will focus on Sunni Islam as the focal point of the most crucial intersections of religion and conflict in Syria. Finally, religion will be described as a resource for reconciliation in Syria.
A Gyroscope Bias Estimation Algorithm Based on Map Specific Information
Authors: Tan Tian , Peng Ao , Huang Junjun , Zheng Lingxiang , Ou Gang
Published: August 2018

In an inertial navigation system, especially in a pedestrian dead-reckoning system, gyroscope bias can demonstrably reduce positioning accuracy. A novel gyroscope bias estimation algorithm is proposed, which estimates the bias of a gyroscope under any set of angle observations. Moreover, a method for obtaining Euler angles using map corridor information is proposed. The heading information obtained from a map is used to estimate the bias, and the estimated bias is used to correct the trajectories. Experimental results show that it is feasible for the algorithm to estimate the bias of the gyroscope.
Thermal Compensation of Low-Cost MEMS Accelerometers for Tilt Measurements
Authors: Ruzza Giuseppe , Guerriero Luigi , Revellino Paola , Guadagno Francesco M.
Published: August 2018

Low-cost MEMS accelerometers have the potential to be used in a number of tilt-based monitoring applications but have the disadvantage of being very sensitive to temperature variation (thermal drift). In this paper, we analyze the thermal behavior of a low-cost sensor in the range −10 to +45 °C in order to provide a simple compensation strategy to mitigate this problem. For sensor analysis, we have developed a miniaturized thermal chamber, which was mounted on a tilting device to account for tilt angle variation. The obtained raw data were used to construct low degree polynomial equations that by relating the measurement error induced by thermal drift (i.e., acceleration residuals) to temperature and inclination (of each specific axis), can be used for thermal compensation. To validate our compensation strategy, we performed a field monitoring test and evaluated the compensation performance by calculating RMS errors before and after correction. After compensation, the RMS errors calculated for both the X and Y axes decreased by 96%, indicating the potential of using a simple set of equations to solve common drawbacks that currently make low-cost MEMS sensors unsuitable for tilt-based monitoring applications.
Optimal Time Assignment Policy for Maximizing Throughput in Cognitive Sensor Network with Energy Harvesting
Authors: Wu Hao , Chen Yong
Published: August 2018

A cognitive sensor network with energy harvesting (EH-CSN) is a promising paradigm to address the issues both in spectrum efficiency and in energy efficiency. The cognitive sensors (CSs) equipped with energy harvesting devices are assumed to operate in a harvesting-sensing-transmission mode and permitted to access the idle licensed frequency bands without causing any harmful jamming to the primary user. By identifying the time fractions of harvesting, sensing, and transmission, we can discuss some design considerations for the EH-CSN. In the meantime, considering the possibility that the primary user may reoccupy the idle channel during the CS’s data transmission duration, we formulate an optimization problem to maximize the average throughput of EH-CSN under a collision constraint and an energy constraint. After deriving the lower and upper bounds of the time fraction for energy harvesting, the uniqueness and existence of the optimal time fraction set have been proved. Finally, our theoretical analysis is also verified through numerical simulations.
Optimal Resource Allocation for Uplink Data Collection in Nonorthogonal Multiple Access Networks
Authors: Wu Yuan , Zhang Cheng , Ni Kejie , Qian Liping , Huang Liang , Zhu Wei
Published: August 2018

Accommodating massive connectivity for Internet of Things (IoT) applications is considered an important goal of future 5G cellular systems. Nonorthogonal multiple access (NOMA), which enables a group of mobile users to simultaneously share the same spectrum channel for transmission, provides an efficient approach to achieve the goals of spectrum-efficient data delivery. In this paper, we consider an uplink transmission in a sensor network in which a group of smart terminals (e.g., sensors) use NOMA to send their collected data to an access point. We aim to minimize the total radio resource consumption cost, including the cost for the channel usage and the cost for all senors’ energy consumption to allow the sensors to complete their data delivery requirements. Specifically, we formulate a joint optimization of the decoding-order, transmit-power and time allocations to study this problem and propose an efficient algorithm to find the optimal solution. Numerical results are provided to validate our proposed algorithm and the performance advantage of our proposed joint optimization for the uplink data collection via NOMA transmission.
Line and V-Shape Formation Based Distributed Processing for Robotic Swarms
Authors: Yang Jian , Wang Xin , Bauer Peter
Published: August 2018

Efficient distributed processing is vital for collaborative searching tasks of robotic swarm systems. Typically, those systems are decentralized, and the members have only limited communication and processing capacities. What is illustrated in this paper is a distributed processing paradigm for robotic swarms moving in a line or v-shape formation. The introduced concept is capable of exploits the line and v-shape formations for 2-D filtering and processing algorithms based on a modified multi-dimensional Roesser model. The communication is only between nearest adjacent members with a simple state variable. As an example, we applied a salient region detection algorithm to the proposed framework. The simulation results indicate the designed paradigm can detect salient regions by using a moving line or v-shape formation in a scanning way. The requirement of communication and processing capability in this framework is minimal, making it a good candidate for collaborative exploration of formatted robotic swarms.
Cognitive Interference Alignment Schemes for IoT Oriented Heterogeneous Two-Tier Networks
Authors: Tian Run , Ma Lin , Wang Zhe , Tan Xuezhi
Published: August 2018

This paper considers interference management and capacity improvement for Internet of Things (IoT) oriented two-tier networks by exploiting cognition between network tiers with interference alignment (IA). More specifically, we target our efforts on the next generation two-tier networks, where a tier of femtocell serving multiple IoT devices shares the licensed spectrum with a tier of pre-existing macrocell via a cognitive radio. Aiming to manage the cross-tier interference caused by cognitive spectrum sharing as well as ensure an optimal capacity of the femtocell, two novel self-organizing cognitive IA schemes are proposed. First, we propose an interference nulling based cognitive IA scheme. In such a scheme, both co-tier and cross-tier interferences are aligned into the orthogonal subspace at each IoT receiver, which means all the interference can be perfectly eliminated without causing any performance degradation on the macrocell. However, it is known that the interference nulling based IA algorithm achieves its optimum only in high signal to noise ratio (SNR) scenarios, where the noise power is negligible. Consequently, when the imposed interference-free constraint on the femtocell can be relaxed, we also present a partial cognitive IA scheme that further enhances the network performance under a low and intermediate SNR. Additionally, the feasibility conditions and capacity analyses of the proposed schemes are provided. Both theoretical and numerical results demonstrate that the proposed cognitive IA schemes outperform the traditional orthogonal precoding methods in terms of network capacity, while preserving for macrocell users the desired quality of service.
A Cross-Reading Approach to Smart City: A European Perspective of Chinese Smart Cities
Authors: Riva Sanseverino Eleonora , Riva Sanseverino Raffaella , Anello Enrico
Published: August 2018

The present study, after a literature review of the smart city definitions and ranking tools in Europe and in China, presents a cross-reading approach to the Chinese smart cities concept and implementation. It is indeed nowadays mandatory to re-convert cities in sustainable and smart ecosystems and this can be done with different approaches. In this frame, the role of ICT—the glue of the smart city concept—is central and pervasive. The Smart city model could be a way to reverse the actual trend of cities, re-defining an integrated approach between tangible and intangible infrastructures of cities. Future cities are influenced by two main different visions with different connotations that come along with the planning capacity and with the ability of countries to follow a coherent and sustainable development project. European approach for planning is quite consolidated and based on a long term holistic vision, while Chinese vision is catching up with the dramatic speed of urbanization, deploying critical infrastructures in most cases without a long-term view. On the other hand, Chinese projects are in some cases exemplary for Europe where many constraints and regulatory issues put a strong limitation on the many possible implementations.