bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Involvement of N-glycan in Multiple Receptor Tyrosine Kinases Targeted by Ling-Zhi-8 for Suppressing HCC413 Tumor Progression
Authors: You Ren-In , Wu Wen-Sheng , Cheng Chuan-Chu , Wu Jia-Ru , Pan Siou-Mei , Chen Chi-Wen , Hu Chi-Tan
Published: December 2018

The poor prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is resulted from tumor metastasis. Signaling pathways triggered by deregulated receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) were the promising therapeutic targets for prevention of HCC progression. However, RTK-based target therapy using conventional kinase-based inhibitors was often hampered by resistances due to compensatory RTKs signaling. Herein, we report that Ling-Zhi-8 (LZ-8), a medicinal peptide from Ganoderma lucidium, was effective in suppressing cell migration of HCC413, by decreasing the amount and activity of various RTKs. These led to the suppression of downstream signaling including phosphorylated JNK, ERK involved in HCC progression. The capability of LZ-8 in targeting multiple RTKs was ascribed to its simultaneous binding to these RTKs. LZ-8 may bind on the N-linked glycan motif of RTKs that is required for their maturation and function. Notably, pretreatment of the N-glycan trimming enzyme PNGase or inhibitors of the mannosidase (N-glycosylation processing enzyme), kifunensine (KIF) and swainsonine (SWN), prevented LZ-8 binding on the aforementioned RTKs and rescued the downstream signaling and cell migration suppressed by LZ-8. Moreover, pretreatment of KIF prevented LZ-8 triggered suppression of tumor growth of HCC413. Our study suggested that a specific type of N-glycan is the potential target for LZ-8 to bind on multiple RTKs for suppressing HCC progression.
DEMAND, a Dimensional Extreme Magnetic Neutron Diffractometer at the High Flux Isotope Reactor
Authors: Cao Huibo , Chakoumakos Bryan C. , Andrews Katie M. , Wu Yan , Riedel Richard A. , Hodges Jason , Zhou Wenduo , Gregory Ray , Haberl Bianca , Molaison Jamie , Lynn Gary W.
Published: December 2018

A two-dimensional (2D) Anger camera detector has been used at the HB-3A four-circle single-crystal neutron diffractometer at the High Flux Isotope Reactor (HFIR) since 2013. The 2D detector has enabled the capabilities of measuring sub-mm crystals and spin density maps, enhanced the efficiency of data collection and phase transition detection, and improved the signal-to-noise ratio. Recently, the HB-3A four-circle diffractometer has been undergoing a detector upgrade towards a much larger area, magnetic-field-insensitive, Anger camera detector. The instrument will become capable of doing single-crystal neutron diffraction under ultra-low temperatures (50 mK), magnetic fields (up to 8 T), electric fields (up to 11 kV/mm), and hydrostatic high pressures (up to 45 GPa). Furthermore, half-polarized neutron diffraction is also available to measure weak ferromagnetism and local site magnetic susceptibilities. With the new high-resolution 2D detector, the four-circle diffractometer has become more powerful for studying magnetic materials under extreme sample environment conditions; hence, it has been given a new name: DEMAND.
Meander Microwave Bandpass Filter on a Flexible Textile Substrate
Authors: Moradi Bahareh , Fernández-García Raul , Gil Ignacio
Published: December 2018

This paper presents an alternative process to fabricate flexible bandpass filters by using an embroidered yarn conductor on an electronic textile. The novelty of the proposed miniaturized filter is its complete integration on the outfit, with benefits in terms of compressibility, stretchability, and high geometrical accuracy opening the way to develop textile filters for wearable applications in sport and medicine. The proposed design consists of a fully embroidered microstrip topology with a length equal to quarter wavelength (λ/4) to develop a bandpass filter frequency response. A drastic reduction in the size of the filter was achieved by taking advantage of a simplified architecture based on meandered-line stepped impedance resonator. The e-textile microstrip filter was designed, simulated, fabricated, and measured with experimental validation at a 7.58 GHz frequency. The insertion loss obtained by simulation of the filter was substantially small. The return loss was greater than 20 dB for bands. To explore the relations between the physical parameters and filter performance characteristics, a theoretical equivalent circuit model of the filter constituent components was studied. The bending effect of the e-textile filter was also studied. The results showed that by raising the radius of bending to 40 mm, the resonance frequency was raised to 4.25 MHz/mm.
Small Signal Stability of a Balanced Three-Phase AC Microgrid Using Harmonic Linearization: Parametric-Based Analysis
Authors: Rahman Atta Ur , Syed Irtaza , Ullah Mukhtar
Published: December 2018

The growth of power-electronic-based components is inescapable in future distribution grids (DGs). The introduction of these non-linear components poses many challenges, not only in terms of power quality, but also in terms of stability. These challenges become more acute when active loads are behaving as generators and power is flowing in reverse direction. The frequency-domain-based impedance modeling methods are preferred for small signal stability analysis (SSSA) of DGs involving such non-linear components. The harmonic linearization method can be used for impedance estimation, and afterwards, the Nyquist stability criterion can be used for stability analysis. In this paper, a parametric-based stability analysis of grid-connected active loads at the point of common coupling (PCC) is done by changing the parallel clustering distance and size of active loads. The results verify a positive impact on the stability of increasing parallel clustering and distance from the PCC and a negative impact of increasing the size of individual active loads.
Effect of Cyclic Lateral Loading on the Compaction Behaviour of Waste Rock Backfill Materials in Coal Mines
Authors: Li Meng , Zhang Jixiong , An Baifu , Germain Deon M. , Xu Qianqian
Published: December 2018

Crushed waste rock (CWR) can be used as backfill for goafs allowing disposal of solid waste and control of surface subsidence. Waste rocks for backfilling (WRBs) have a certain density before use if cyclic lateral loads are applied to CWRs, therefore, by employing a self-designed bidirectional loading test system for granular materials, the influence of the number of lateral loading cycles on the compaction characteristics of WRBs was explored. Through testing, changes in mechanical parameters of WRBs during lateral and axial loading were attained to analyse the influence of lateral loading on lateral strain, axial strain, porosity, and lateral pressure coefficient during their compaction. The test results showed that: (1) the lateral loading exerted a significant influence on the porosity, strain, and lateral pressure coefficient of crushed WRBs during lateral and axial loading; (2) under lateral load, the more cycles of lateral loading applied, the greater the lateral strain and the reduction in lateral porosity of samples; (3) during axial loading, for samples subjected to multiple cycles of lateral loading, owing to the porosity of WRBs having been decreased in advance to improve their density, the final axial strain was low; (4) after compaction, the particle size distributions of CWR samples after different numbers of cycles (1, 3, 5 and 7) of lateral loading all shifted upwards compared with those obtained before compaction, implying that rock particles were crushed. However, the number of cycles of lateral load did not affect crushing of particles before, and after, compaction.
Modelling of a Variable Refrigerant Flow System in EnergyPlus for Building Energy Simulation in an Open Building Information Modelling Environment
Authors: Torregrosa-Jaime Bárbara , Martínez Pedro J. , González Benjamín , Payá-Ballester Gaspar
Published: December 2018

Variable refrigerant flow (VRF) systems are one possible tool to meet the objective that all new buildings must be nearly zero-energy buildings by 31 December 2020. Building Information Modelling (BIM) is a methodology that centralizes building construction project information in a digital model promoting collaboration between all its agents. The objectives of this work were to develop a more precise model of the VRF system than the one available in EnergyPlus version 8.9 (US Department of Energy) and to study the operation of this system in an office building under different climates by implementing the building energy simulation in an Open BIM workflow. The percentage deviation between the estimation of the VRF energy consumption with the standard and the new model was 6.91% and 1.59% for cooling and heating respectively in the case of Barcelona and 3.27% and 0.97% respectively in the case of Madrid. The energy performance class of the analysed building was A for each climatic zone. The primary energy consumption of the office building equipped with the VRF system was of 65.8 kWh/(m2·y) for the Mediterranean climate of Barcelona and 72.4 kWh/(m2·y) for the Continental climate of Madrid.
Evolution of Cooperation in Public Goods Games with Stochastic Opting-Out
Authors: Ginsberg Alexander G. , Fu Feng
Published: December 2018

We study the evolution of cooperation in group interactions where players are randomly drawn from well-mixed populations of finite size to participate in a public goods game. However, due to the possibility of unforeseen circumstances, each player has a fixed probability of being unable to participate in the game, unlike previous models which assume voluntary participation. We first study how prescribed stochastic opting-out affects cooperation in finite populations, and then generalize for the limiting case of large populations. Because we use a pairwise comparison updating rule, our results apply to both genetic and behavioral evolution mechanisms. Moreover, in the model, cooperation is favored by natural selection over both neutral drift and defection if the return on investment exceeds a threshold value depending on the population size, the game size, and a player’s probability of opting-out. Our analysis further shows that, due to the stochastic nature of the opting-out in finite populations, the threshold of return on investment needed for natural selection to favor cooperation is actually greater than the one corresponding to compulsory games with the equal expected game size. We also use adaptive dynamics to study the co-evolution of cooperation and opting-out behavior. Indeed, given rare mutations minutely different from the resident population, an analysis based on adaptive dynamics suggests that over time the population will tend towards complete defection and non-participation, and subsequently cooperators abstaining from the public goods game will stand a chance to emerge by neutral drift, thereby paving the way for the rise of participating cooperators. Nevertheless, increasing the probability of non-participation decreases the rate at which the population tends towards defection when participating. Our work sheds light on understanding how stochastic opting-out emerges in the first place and on its role in the evolution of cooperation.
Documenting and Presenting Contentious Narratives and Objects—Experiences from Museums in Uganda
Authors: Nsibambi Fredrick
Published: December 2018

Uganda is currently witnessing a new era, in as far as the safeguarding of cultural heritage is concerned. The preservation and presentation of cultural heritage objects is no longer a preserve of the state. National and community museums, totaling about 25, and spread across the country, are now preserving and presenting important aspects of Uganda’s diverse and multi-layered history as well as cultural heritage. Former leaders and political personalities are rarely documented. Even when documented by non-museum workers, their narratives are insufficiently presented in museums. Certain aspects of Uganda’s cultural heritage and history are silently being contested through museum spaces. The silent contestations are generally influenced by ethnicity, politics, and religion. Through this article, I intend to present the predicament of documenting contested histories and cultural heritage by Ugandan museums and provide examples of museum objects or aspects of Uganda’s cultural heritage, such as the narrative of “Walumbe” (death), that are subject to contestations.
Monitoring of the Impact of Lithium Nitrate on the Alkali–aggregate Reaction Using Acoustic Emission Methods
Authors: Zapała-Sławeta Justyna , Świt Grzegorz
Published: December 2018

The study analyzed the possibility of using the acoustic emission method to analyse the reaction of alkali with aggregate in the presence of lithium nitrate. Lithium nitrate is a chemical admixture used to reduce adverse effects of corrosion. The tests were carried out using mortars with reactive opal aggregate, stored under the conditions defined by ASTM C227. The acoustic activity of mortars with a corrosion inhibitor was referred to linear changes and microstructure of specimens in the initial reaction stages. The study found a low acoustic activity of mortars with lithium nitrate. Analysis of characteristic parameters of acoustic emission signals, combined with the observation of changes in the microstructure, made it possible to describe the corrosion processes. As the reaction progressed, signals with different characteristics were recorded, indicating aggregate cracking at the initial stage of the reaction, followed by cracking of the cement paste. The results, which were referred to the acoustic activity of reference mortars, confirmed that the reaction of opal aggregate with alkali was mitigated in mortars with lithium nitrate, and the applied acoustic emission method enabled the detection and monitoring of ASR progress.
Measuring the Cohesive Law in Mode I Loading of Eucalyptus globulus
Authors: Majano-Majano Almudena , Lara-Bocanegra Antonio José , Xavier José , Morais José
Published: December 2018

Assessing wood fracture behavior is essential in the design of structural timber elements and connections. This is particularly the case for connections with the possibility of brittle splitting failure. The numerical cohesive zone models that are used to simulate the fracture behavior of wood make it necessary to assume a cohesive law of the material that relates cohesive tractions and crack opening displacements ahead of the crack tip. This work addresses the determination of the fracture cohesive laws of Eucalyptus globulus, a hardwood species with great potential in timber engineering. This study centres on Mode I fracture loading for RL and TL crack propagation systems using Double Cantilever Beam tests. The Compliance-Based Beam Method is applied as the data reduction scheme in order to obtain the strain energy release rate from the load-displacement curves. The cohesive laws are determined by differentiating the relationship between strain energy release rate and crack tip opening displacement. The latter is measured by the digital image correlation technique. High strain energy release rates were obtained for this species, with no big differences between crack propagation systems. The difference between the crack systems is somewhat more pronounced in terms of maximum stress that determines the respective cohesive laws.
Study on the Geometric Design of Supports for Overhanging Structures Fabricated by Selective Laser Melting
Authors: Zhang Kaifei , Fu Guang , Zhang Peng , Ma Zhibo , Mao Zhongfa , Zhang David Z.
Published: December 2018

Additional structures are usually adopted to support the overhanging structures in order to resist the deformation of parts. Improper geometric design of the support structures may result in a sharp deterioration in the surface quality and a failure of manufacture, which affects the expansion in the use of selective laser melting (SLM) technology. In this research, cuboids were added into the conventional block support for a better heat dissipation. The Taguchi method was used to analyze the effect of the geometric design of this support on the part’s deformation and surface roughness. It was found that solid pieces or cuboids as support structures can reduce the deformation. However, their effects are weaker than those of teeth structures which decrease the deformation by more reliable connections. It is interesting that narrowing the gap between the cuboids and overhang can weaken the strength of teeth structures and then increases the deformation of part. In general, the distance between every two adjacent walls of support and the gap between the cuboids and the overhang have the greatest influence on the part’s deformation and surface quality respectively.
Analytical Model for Load–Slip Relationship of Perfobond Shear Connector Based on Push-Out Test
Authors: Zheng Shuangjie , Zhao Chen , Liu Yangqing
Published: December 2018

In composite structures, the perfobond connector is an alternative type of shear connector which consists of a steel plate with a certain number of holes. The load–slip relationship is critical for structural analysis and numerical simulation of composite structures using perfobond connectors. In this study, push-out tests were conducted on 72 specimens to obtain the load–slip behaviors of perfobond connectors. Based on the test results, parametric study was performed to analyze the effects of changing the hole geometry, the concrete strength, the configuration of the rebar in hole, the dimensions of the perfobond rib, and the size of the concrete slab. Furthermore, the characteristics and physical meanings of the load–slip curves were analyzed, and the limits and conditions for theoretical expressions were derived. Finally, an analytical model was proposed to express the load–slip relationship of perfobond connectors covering a wide range of design variables.
Deposition of Al Thin Film on Steel Substrate: The Role of Thickness on Crystallization and Grain Growth
Authors: Khachatryan Hayk , Lee Sung-Nam , Kim Kyoung-Bo , Kim Moojin
Published: December 2018

In this study, we deposited aluminum (Al) films of different thicknesses on steel substrate and examined their phase, microstructure, and film growth process. We estimated that films of up to 30 nm thickness were mainly amorphous in nature. When the film thickness exceeded 30 nm, crystallization was observed. The further increase in film thickness triggered grain growth, and the formation of grains up to 40 nm occurred. In such cases, the Al film had a cross-grained structure with well-developed primary grains networks that were filled with small secondary grains. We demonstrated that the microstructure played a key role in optical properties. The films below 30 nm showed higher specular reflection, whereas thicker films showed higher diffuse reflections.
High Cycle Fatigue Performance of Inconel 718 Alloys with Different Strengths at Room Temperature
Authors: Zhong Liqiong , Hu Hao , Liang Yilong , Huang Chaowen
Published: December 2018

In this paper, the high cycle fatigue performance of solid solution state and aged Inconel 718 superalloys was studied at room temperature. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were used to analyze the original structural features and fatigue deformation features of two kinds of alloys. SEM, laser scanning confocal microscopy, and electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) were used to analyze the secondary fracture features of the fatigue fracture morphology and fatigue fracture profile. The results showed that the aging treatment significantly affected the strength and plasticity of the alloy, which in turn affected the fatigue performance of the alloy. After the aging treatment, the yield strength σs and the tensile strength σb of the Inconel 718 alloy increased by 152% and 65.9%, respectively, compared with those of the solid solution state, but the rate of elongation δ and rate of contraction in the cross-section area φ decreased by 63.7% and 52.3%, respectively. The fatigue limit of the aged state was lower than that of the solid solution state by 6.3%. The quadratic function relationship between the high cycle fatigue limit σ−1 and the tensile strength σb of the Inconel 718 superalloy at room temperature was σ−1 = σb · (0.869−3.67 × 10−4 · σb). An analysis of the fatigue fracture mechanism showed that the fatigue fractures before and after aging were all initiated in the grains oriented relatively unfavorably on the surface of the sample, with a mixture of intergranular and transgranular propagation after the transgranular propagation of several grains. The higher plasticity of the solid solution state Inconel 718 alloy resulted in a large number of slip deformation zones under high cycle fatigue loads, and the plastic deformation was relatively uniform. The lengths of the secondary fractures were as high as 120 μm, which formed the single-source plastic fatigue fracture that promoted an increase in the fatigue limit. After aging treatment, the higher strength of the Inconel 718 alloy made dislocation slip difficult under high cycle fatigue loads, and the plasticity compatible deformation capability was poor. When local dislocations slipped to the intragranular γ” phase, γ’ phase, or interfaces with nonmetallic compounds (NMCs), plugging occurred. The degree of stress concentration increased, causing the initiation of fatigue fracture; the secondary fracture was approximately 20 μm. Brittle cleavage due to multiple sources significantly reduced the fatigue limit.
Metabolic Profiling of Fish Meat by GC-MS Analysis, and Correlations with Taste Attributes Obtained Using an Electronic Tongue
Authors: Mabuchi Ryota , Ishimaru Ayaka , Tanaka Mao , Kawaguchi Osamu , Tanimoto Shota
Published: December 2018

To evaluate the taste of ordinary muscle from white-fleshed fish, we used GC-MS metabolomic analysis to characterise the compounds therein, and correlated the obtained data with taste measurements from an electronic tongue. Prediction models using orthogonal partial least squares were produced for different taste attributes, and the primary metabolic components correlated with the taste attributes were identified. Clear differences were observed in the component profiles for different fish species. Using an electronic tongue, differences in tastes were noted among the fish species in terms of sourness, acidic bitterness, umami and saltiness. The obtained correlations allowed the construction of good taste prediction models, especially for sourness, acidic bitterness and saltiness. Compounds such as phosphoric acid, lactic acid and creatinine were found to be highly correlated with some taste attributes. Phosphoric acid in particular showed the highest variable important for prediction (VIP) scores in many of the taste prediction models, and it is therefore a candidate marker to evaluate the tastes of white-fleshed fish.
Plasma Surface Functionalization of Carbon Nanofibres with Silver, Palladium and Platinum Nanoparticles for Cost-Effective and High-Performance Supercapacitors
Authors: Li Zelun , Qi Shaojun , Liang Yana , Zhang Zhenxue , Li Xiaoying , Dong Hanshan
Published: December 2018

Due to their relatively low cost, large surface area and good chemical and physical properties, carbon nanofibers (CNFs) are attractive for the fabrication of electrodes for supercapacitors (SCs). However, their relatively low electrical conductivity has impeded their practical application. To this end, a novel active-screen plasma activation and deposition technology has been developed to deposit silver, platinum and palladium nanoparticles on activated CNFs surfaces to increase their specific surface area and electrical conductivity, thus improving the specific capacitance. The functionalised CNFs were fully characterised using scanning electron microscope (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) and their electrochemical properties were evaluated using cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The results showed a significant improvement in specific capacitance, as well as electrochemical impedance over the untreated CNFs. The functionalisation of CNFs via environmental-friendly active-screen plasma technology provides a promising future for cost-effective supercapacitors with high power and energy density.
LARAMED: A Laboratory for Radioisotopes of Medical Interest
Authors: Esposito Juan , Bettoni Diego , Boschi Alessandra , Calderolla Michele , Cisternino Sara , Fiorentini Giovanni , Keppel Giorgio , Martini Petra , Maggiore Mario , Mou Liliana , Pasquali Micòl , Pranovi Lorenzo , Pupillo Gaia , Rossi Alvarez Carlos , Sarchiapone Lucia , Sciacca Gabriele , Skliarova Hanna , Favaron Paolo , Lombardi Augusto , Antonini Piergiorgio , Duatti Adriano
Published: December 2018

The widespread availability of novel radioactive isotopes showing nuclear characteristics suitable for diagnostic and therapeutic applications in nuclear medicine (NM) has experienced a great development in the last years, particularly as a result of key advancements of cyclotron-based radioisotope production technologies. At Legnaro National Laboratories of the National Institute of Nuclear Physics (LNL-INFN), Italy, a 70-MeV high current cyclotron has been recently installed. This cyclotron will be dedicated not only to pursuing fundamental nuclear physics studies, but also to research related to other scientific fields with an emphasis on medical applications. LARAMED project was established a few years ago at LNL-INFN as a new research line aimed at exploiting the scientific power of nuclear physics for developing innovative applications to medicine. The goal of this program is to elect LNL as a worldwide recognized hub for the development of production methods of novel medical radionuclides, still unavailable for the scientific and clinical community. Although the research facility is yet to become fully operative, the LARAMED team has already started working on the cyclotron production of conventional medical radionuclides, such as Tc-99m, and on emerging radionuclides of high potential medical interest, such as Cu-67, Sc-47, and Mn-52.
A Flexible Synthesis of 68Ga-Labeled Carbonic Anhydrase IX (CAIX)-Targeted Molecules via CBT/1,2-Aminothiol Click Reaction
Authors: Chen Kuo-Ting , Nguyen Kevin , Ieritano Christian , Gao Feng , Seimbille Yann
Published: December 2018

We herein describe a flexible synthesis of a small library of 68Ga-labeled CAIX-targeted molecules via an orthogonal 2-cyanobenzothiazole (CBT)/1,2-aminothiol click reaction. Three novel CBT-functionalized chelators (1–3) were successfully synthesized and labeled with the positron emitter gallium-68. Cross-ligation between the pre-labeled bifunctional chelators (BFCs) and the 1,2-aminothiol-acetazolamide derivatives (8 and 9) yielded six new 68Ga-labeled CAIX ligands with high radiochemical yields. The click reaction conditions were optimized to improve the reaction rate for applications with short half-life radionuclides. Overall, our methodology allows for a simple and efficient radiosynthetic route to produce a variety of 68Ga-labeled imaging agents for tumor hypoxia.
Bioactive Compounds, Antioxidant Activity, and Biological Effects of European Cranberry (Vaccinium oxycoccos)
Authors: Jurikova Tunde , Skrovankova Sona , Mlcek Jiri , Balla Stefan , Snopek Lukas
Published: December 2018

Lesser known fruits or underutilized fruit species are recently of great research interest due to the presence of phytochemicals that manifest many biological effects. European cranberry, Vaccinium oxycoccos fruit, as an important representative of this group, is a valuable source of antioxidants and other biologically active substances, similar to American cranberry (V. macrocarpon) which is well known and studied. European cranberry fruit is rich especially in polyphenolic compounds anthocyanins (12.4–207.3 mg/100 g fw), proanthocyanins (1.5–5.3 mg/100 g fw), and flavonols, especially quercetin (0.52–15.4 mg/100 g fw), which mostly contribute to the antioxidant activity of the fruit. Small cranberry is also important due to its various biological effects such as urinary tract protection (proanthocyanidins), antibacterial and antifungal properties (quercetin, proanthocyanidins, anthocyanins), cardioprotective (proanthocyanidins) and anticancer activities (proanthocyanidins), and utilization in food (juice drinks, jams, jellies, sauces, additive to meat products) and pharmacological industries, and in folk medicine.
Direct Experimental Evidence of Biomimetic Surfaces with Chemical Modifications Interfering with Adhesive Protein Adsorption
Authors: Yang Hui , Zhang Wei , Chen Ting , Huang Shizhe , Quan Baogang , Wang Min , Li Junjie , Gu Changzhi , Wang Jinben
Published: December 2018

Current approaches to dealing with the worldwide problem of marine biofouling are to impart chemical functionality to the surface or utilize microtopography inspired by nature. Previous reports have shown that only introducing a single method may not resist adhesion of mussels or inhibit biofouling in static forms. While it is promising to integrate two methods to develop an effective antifouling strategy, related basic research is still lacking. Here, we have fabricated engineered shark skin surfaces with different feature heights and terminated with different chemical moieties. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) with a modified colloid probe technique and quartz crystal microbalance with a dissipation n (QCM-D) monitoring method have been introduced to directly determine the interactions between adhesive proteins and functionalized surfaces. Our results indicate that the adhesion strength of probe-surface decreases with increasing feature height, and it also decreases from bare Si surface to alkyl and hydroxyl modification, which is attributed to different contact area domains and interaction mechanisms. Combining biomimetic microtopography and surface chemistry, our study provides a new perspective for designing and developing underwater anti-fouling materials.
The Protective Effect of Sheep Placental Extract on Concanavalin A-induced Liver Injury in Mice
Authors: Liu Jingwen , Luo Suting , Yang Jun , Ren Fazheng , Zhao Yu , Luo Hailing , Ge Keshan , Zhang Hao
Published: December 2018

Though the biological effects of human placental extract have been widely studied, it has limited availability and its use poses ethical problems. Thus, domestic animal placental extracts are suggested as alternatives. In this study, the protective effect of sheep placental extract (SPE) on concanavalin A (Con A)-induced liver injury was investigated. BALB/c mice were randomly divided into six groups, including one normal group and five experimental groups, which received different oral doses of SPE (0, 5, 10 and 50 mg/kg) or a mixture of amino acids for 3 days before Con A injection. Compared with Con A-induced model group, the SPE administration significantly decreased serum aminotransaminase activity, alleviated pathological changes, recovered liver antioxidant capacity and prevented the increase of nitric oxide. Secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines in serum decreased and mRNA expression of hepatic intercellular adhesion molecule-1, interferon-inducible chemokine 10 and inducible nitric oxide synthase were downregulated, while B-cell lymphoma-2 expression increased. The administration of amino acids mixture had no significant effect in most measurements compared with the model group, which indicated proteins and peptides, rather than individual amino acid, were largely responsible for the bioactivity of SPE. The results indicate SPE has potential therapeutic effects against immune-mediated hepatitis.
Metal- and Oxidant-Free Photoinduced Aromatic Trifluoromethylation Performed in Aerated Gel Media: Determining the Effects on Yield and Selectivity
Authors: Abramov Alex , Vernickel Hendrik , Saldías César , Díaz Díaz David
Published: December 2018

In this work we have investigated the potential benefits of using supramolecular gel networks as reaction media to carry out air-sensitive metal-free light-induced trifluoromethylation of six-membered (hetero)arenes under aerobic conditions. This reaction was performed at room temperature (RT) using sodium triflinate (CF3SO2Na, Langlois’ reagent) as a source of radicals and diacetyl as electron donor. The effects of confinement in gel media, concentration of reactants, and type of light source on yield and product distribution were evaluated and compared to the results obtained in homogeneous solution. Four different low molecular weight (LMW) gelators were employed in this study. The results confirmed the blocking effect of the gel medium against reaction quenching by external oxygen, as well as a certain control on the kinetics and selectivity.
Magnetic Binary Supersaturated Solid Solutions Processed by Severe Plastic Deformation
Authors: Stückler Martin , Krenn Heinz , Pippan Reinhard , Weissitsch Lukas , Wurster Stefan , Bachmaier Andrea
Published: December 2018

Samples consisting of one ferromagnetic and one diamagnetic component which are immiscible at the thermodynamic equilibrium (Co-Cu, Fe-Cu, Fe-Ag) are processed by high-pressure torsion at various compositions. The received microstructures are investigated by electron microscopy and synchrotron X-ray diffraction, showing a microstructural saturation. Results gained from microstructural investigations are correlated to magnetometry data. The Co-Cu samples show mainly ferromagnetic behavior and a decrease in coercivity with increasing Co-content. The saturation microstructure of Fe-Cu samples is found to be dual phase. Results of magnetic measurements also revealed the occurrence of two different magnetic phases in this system. For Fe-Ag, the microstructural and magnetic results indicate that no intermixing between the elemental phases takes place.
Cordyceps militaris Grown on Germinated Soybean Suppresses KRAS-Driven Colorectal Cancer by Inhibiting the RAS/ERK Pathway
Authors: Seo HeeJung , Song Jisu , Kim Minyoung , Han Dong-Wook , Park Hye-Jin , Song Minjung
Published: December 2018

Cordyceps militaris is a commonly used medicinal mushroom containing various therapeutic effects such as anti-inflammatory, anti-allergic, and anti-cancer activities. This study examined whether Cordyceps militaris on germinated soybeans (GSC) has a suppressive effect on a v-ki-ras2 Kirsten rat sarcoma viral oncogene homolog (KRAS)-driven colorectal cancer which is notorious for its un-druggable features and the ineffectiveness of conventional therapies against it. GSC extract was prepared and its proximate composition and amino acids were analyzed. The suppressive effects were investigated with the KRAS-driven colorectal cancer cell-line, SW480. SW480 proliferation, clonogenic potential, apoptosis, and the RAS/extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) pathway under the GSC treatment were analyzed by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-5-(3-carboxymethoxyphenyl)-2-(4-sulfophenyl)-2H-tetrazolium (MTS) assay, flow cytometry, and Western blot, respectively. An in vivo experiment with the SW480 xenograft mouse model was performed. As a result, GSC suppressed cell proliferation by inducing the apoptosis of KRAS-driven colorectal cancer cells and inhibited clonogenic capabilities. The decrease of KRAS and ERK phosphorylation was detected by Western blot. Tumor growth was significantly suppressed when GSC was introduced to the tumor-xenograft mouse model. In conclusion, GSC suppressed KRAS-driven colorectal cancer growth both in vitro and in vivo, and can be used as an alternative or simultaneous approach in colorectal cancer therapy.
A Review on Gut Remediation of Selected Environmental Contaminants: Possible Roles of Probiotics and Gut Microbiota
Authors: Feng Pengya , Ye Ze , Kakade Apurva , Virk Amanpreet Kaur , Li Xiangkai , Liu Pu
Published: December 2018

Various environmental contaminants including heavy metals, pesticides and antibiotics can contaminate food and water, leading to adverse effects on human health, such as inflammation, oxidative stress and intestinal disorder. Therefore, remediation of the toxicity of foodborne contaminants in human has become a primary concern. Some probiotic bacteria, mainly Lactobacilli, have received a great attention due to their ability to reduce the toxicity of several contaminants. For instance, Lactobacilli can reduce the accumulation and toxicity of selective heavy metals and pesticides in animal tissues by inhibiting intestinal absorption of contaminants and enhancing intestinal barrier function. Probiotics have also shown to decrease the risk of antibiotic-associated diarrhea possibly via competing and producing antagonistic compounds against pathogenic bacteria. Furthermore, probiotics can improve immune function by enhancing the gut microbiota mediated anti-inflammation. Thus, these probiotic bacteria are promising candidates for protecting body against foodborne contaminants-induced toxicity. Study on the mechanism of these beneficial bacterial strains during remediation processes and particularly their interaction with host gut microbiota is an active field of research. This review summarizes the current understanding of the remediation mechanisms of some probiotics and the combined effects of probiotics and gut microbiota on remediation of foodborne contaminants in vivo.
Synthesis and Characterization of Konjac Glucomannan/Carrageenan/Nano-silica Films for the Preservation of Postharvest White Mushrooms
Authors: Zhang Rongfei , Wang Xiangyou , Wang Juan , Cheng Meng
Published: December 2018

In this study, the konjac glucomannan (KGM)/carrageenan (KC)/nano-silica film was prepared and characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The preservation quality of white mushrooms (Agaricus bisporus) packed using the films was also determined. The nano-silica dosage was found to affect the properties of the nanocomposite KGM/KC films. The results indicated that the properties of the films were significantly improved with the addition of nano-silica. The water vapor permeability, water solubility, moisture absorption, and light transmittance of KGM/KC/nano-silica films were significantly affected by the nano-silica dosage. In this study, the optimal nano-silica dosage to incorporate into the film in order to achieve excellent performance was 0.3%. Strong intermolecular hydrogen bonds were also observed between KGM/KC and nano-silica in the KGM/KC/nano-silica film by FTIR. In addition, the KGM/KC/nano-silica film markedly reduced the browning index, delayed the weight loss and softening, and extended the shelf life of mushrooms during storage at 4 °C. The KGM/KC film modified using nano-silica can provide a potential method for improving the preservation quality of white mushrooms during storage.
Effect of an Atmospheric Pressure Plasma Jet on the Structure and Physicochemical Properties of Waxy and Normal Maize Starch
Authors: Zhou Yaping , Yan Yizhe , Shi Miaomiao , Liu Yanqi
Published: December 2018

In present study, a novel physical modification of waxy maize starch (WMS) and normal maize starch (NMS) was investigated by using an atmospheric pressure plasma jet (APPJ) treatment. The effect on the structure and physicochemical properties of both starches was demonstrated by treatment with a 5% starch suspension (w/w) with APPJ for short periods of time (1, 3, 5, or 7 min). The pH of WMS and NMS was decreased after APPJ treatment from 5.42 to 4.94, and 5.09 to 4.75, respectively. The water-binding capacity (WBC) (WMS: 105.19%–131.27%, NMS: 83.56%–95.61%) and swelling volume (SV) (WMS: 2.96 g/mL–3.33 g/mL, NMS: 2.75 g/mL–3.05 g/mL) of the starches were obviously increased by APPJ treatment. The surfaces of starch granules were wrecked, due to plasma etching. No changes in the crystalline types of both starches were observed. However, the relative crystallinities (RCs) of WMS and NMS were reduced from 46.7% to 42.0%, and 40.1% to 35.7%, respectively. Moreover, the short-range molecular orders of both starches were slightly reduced. In addition, APPJ treatment resulted in lower gelatinization temperature and enthalpies. Therefore, APPJ provides a mild and green approach to starch modification, showing great potential for applications in the food and non-food industry.
Phase-Field Modeling of Freeze Concentration of Protein Solutions
Authors: Fan Tai-Hsi , Li Ji-Qin , Minatovicz Bruna , Soha Elizabeth , Sun Li , Patel Sajal , Chaudhuri Bodhisattwa , Bogner Robin
Published: December 2018

Bulk solutions of therapeutic proteins are often frozen for long-term storage. During the freezing process, proteins in liquid solution redistribute and segregate in the interstitial space between ice crystals. This is due to solute exclusion from ice crystals, higher viscosity of the concentrated solution, and space confinement between crystals. Such segregation may have a negative impact on the native conformation of protein molecules. To better understand the mechanisms, we developed a phase-field model to describe the growth of ice crystals and the dynamics of freeze concentration at the mesoscale based on mean field approximation of solute concentration and the underlying heat, mass and momentum transport phenomena. The model focuses on evolution of the interfaces between liquid solution and ice crystals, and the degree of solute concentration due to partition, diffusive, and convective effects. The growth of crystals is driven by cooling of the bulk solution, but suppressed by a higher solute concentration due to increase of solution viscosity, decrease of freezing point, and the release of latent heat. The results demonstrate the interplay of solute exclusion, space confinement, heat transfer, coalescence of crystals, and the dynamic formation of narrow gaps between crystals and Plateau border areas along with correlations of thermophysical properties in the supercooled regime.
Enhanced Photovoltaic Performance in D-π-A Copolymers Containing Triisopropylsilylethynyl-Substituted Dithienobenzodithiophene by Modulating the Electron-Deficient Units
Authors: Tong Junfeng , An Lili , Lv Jie , Guo Pengzhi , Wang Xunchang , Yang Chunyan , Xia Yangjun
Published: December 2018

Three alternated D-π-A type 5,10-bis(triisopropylsilylethynyl)dithieno[2,3-d:2′,3′-d′]-benzo[1,2-b:4,5-b′]dithiophene (DTBDT-TIPS)-based semiconducting conjugated copolymers (CPs), PDTBDT-TIPS-DTBT-OD, PDTBDT-TIPS-DTFBT-OD, and PDTBDT-TIPS-DTNT-OD, bearing different A units, including benzothiadiazole (BT), 5,6-difluorinated-BT (FBT) and naphtho[1,2-c:5,6-c′]-bis[1,2,5]thiadiazole (NT), were designed and synthesized to investigate the impact of the variation in electron-deficient units on the properties of these photovoltaic polymers. It was exhibited that the down-shifted highest occupied molecular orbital energy level (EHOMO), the enhanced aggregation in both the chlorobenzene solution and the solid film, as well as the better molecular planarity, were achieved using methods involving fluorination and the replacement of BT with NT on the polymer backbone. The absorption profile was little changed upon fluorination; however, it was greatly broadened during replacement of BT with NT. Consequently, the optimized photovoltaic device based on the PDTBDT-TIPS-DTNT-OD exhibited synchronous enhancements in the open-circuit voltage (VOC) of 0.88 V, the short-circuit current density (JSC) of 7.21 mA cm−2, and the fill factor (FF) of 52.99%, resulting in a drastic elevation in the PCE by 129% to 3.37% compared to that of the PDTBDT-TIPS-DTBT-OD. This was triggered by PDTBDT-TIPS-DTNT-OD’s broadened absorption, deepened EHOMO, improved coplanarity, and enhanced SCLC mobility (which increased 3.9 times), as well as a favorable morphology of the active layer. Unfortunately, the corresponding PCE deteriorated after incorporating fluorine into the BT, due to the oversized aggregation and large phase separation morphology in the blend films, severely impairing its JSC. Our preliminary results demonstrated that the replacement of BT with NT in a D-π-A type polymer backbone was an effective strategy of tuning the molecular structure to achieve highly efficient polymer solar cells (PSCs).
Scarcity and Environmental Impact of Mineral Resources—An Old and Never-Ending Discussion
Authors: Schmidt Mario
Published: December 2018

A historical overview shows that mankind has feared the scarcity of mineral resources, especially metals, for many centuries. In the first half of the 20th century, this discussion was marked by the great military demand for raw materials, followed by the growing world population, increasing consumption and environmental awareness. From then on, there was less talk of regional shortages, but more discussion of a global scarcity or even a drying up of raw material sources worldwide. Although these forecasts are still controversially discussed today, the assessment of resource depletion has become an integral element of Life Cycle Assessments (LCA) or Life Cycle Impact Assessments (LCIA) of product systems. A number of methodological approaches are available for this purpose, which are presented and applied in a series of articles as part of a special issue of “Resources”. The fundamental question is also addressed, namely to what extent the assessment of resource depletion in the context of an environmental study such as LCA is appropriate.
Large-Scale Oil Palm Tree Detection from High-Resolution Satellite Images Using Two-Stage Convolutional Neural Networks
Authors: Li Weijia , Dong Runmin , Fu Haohuan , Yu Le
Published: December 2018

Being an important economic crop that contributes 35% of the total consumption of vegetable oil, remote sensing-based quantitative detection of oil palm trees has long been a key research direction for both agriculture and environmental purposes. While existing methods already demonstrate satisfactory effectiveness for small regions, performing the detection for a large region with satisfactory accuracy is still challenging. In this study, we proposed a two-stage convolutional neural network (TS-CNN)-based oil palm detection method using high-resolution satellite images (i.e. Quickbird) in a large-scale study area of Malaysia. The TS-CNN consists of one CNN for land cover classification and one CNN for object classification. The two CNNs were trained and optimized independently based on 20,000 samples collected through human interpretation. For the large-scale oil palm detection for an area of 55 km2, we proposed an effective workflow that consists of an overlapping partitioning method for large-scale image division, a multi-scale sliding window method for oil palm coordinate prediction, and a minimum distance filter method for post-processing. Our proposed approach achieves a much higher average F1-score of 94.99% in our study area compared with existing oil palm detection methods (87.95%, 81.80%, 80.61%, and 78.35% for single-stage CNN, Support Vector Machine (SVM), Random Forest (RF), and Artificial Neural Network (ANN), respectively), and much fewer confusions with other vegetation and buildings in the whole image detection results.