bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Fast Analytic Simulation for Multi-Laser Heating of Sheet Metal in GPU
Authors: Mejia-Parra Daniel , Montoya-Zapata Diego , Arbelaiz Ander , Moreno Aitor , Posada Jorge , Ruiz-Salguero Oscar
Published: October 2018

Interactive multi-beam laser machining simulation is crucial in the context of tool path planning and optimization of laser machining parameters. Current simulation approaches for heat transfer analysis (1) rely on numerical Finite Element methods (or any of its variants), non-suitable for interactive applications; and (2) require the multiple laser beams to be completely synchronized in trajectories, parameters and time frames. To overcome this limitation, this manuscript presents an algorithm for interactive simulation of the transient temperature field on the sheet metal. Contrary to standard numerical methods, our algorithm is based on an analytic solution in the frequency domain, allowing arbitrary time/space discretizations without loss of precision and non-monotonic retrieval of the temperature history. In addition, the method allows complete asynchronous laser beams with independent trajectories, parameters and time frames. Our implementation in a GPU device allows simulations at interactive rates even for a large amount of simultaneous laser beams. The presented method is already integrated into an interactive simulation environment for sheet cutting. Ongoing work addresses thermal stress coupling and laser ablation.
Cationic Substitutions in Hydroxyapatite: Current Status of the Derived Biofunctional Effects and Their In Vitro Interrogation Methods
Authors: Tite Teddy , Popa Adrian-Claudiu , Balescu Liliana Marinela , Bogdan Iuliana Maria , Pasuk Iuliana , Ferreira José M. F. , Stan George E.
Published: October 2018

High-performance bioceramics are required for preventing failure and prolonging the life-time of bone grafting scaffolds and osseous implants. The proper identification and development of materials with extended functionalities addressing socio-economic needs and health problems constitute important and critical steps at the heart of clinical research. Recent findings in the realm of ion-substituted hydroxyapatite (HA) could pave the road towards significant developments in biomedicine, with an emphasis on a new generation of orthopaedic and dentistry applications, since such bioceramics are able to mimic the structural, compositional and mechanical properties of the bone mineral phase. In fact, the fascinating ability of the HA crystalline lattice to allow for the substitution of calcium ions with a plethora of cationic species has been widely explored in the recent period, with consequent modifications of its physical and chemical features, as well as its functional mechanical and in vitro and in vivo biological performance. A comprehensive inventory of the progresses achieved so far is both opportune and of paramount importance, in order to not only gather and summarize information, but to also allow fellow researchers to compare with ease and filter the best solutions for the cation substitution of HA-based materials and enable the development of multi-functional biomedical designs. The review surveys preparation and synthesis methods, pinpoints all the explored cation dopants, and discloses the full application range of substituted HA. Special attention is dedicated to the antimicrobial efficiency spectrum and cytotoxic trade-off concentration values for various cell lines, highlighting new prophylactic routes for the prevention of implant failure. Importantly, the current in vitro biological tests (widely employed to unveil the biological performance of HA-based materials), and their ability to mimic the in vivo biological interactions, are also critically assessed. Future perspectives are discussed, and a series of recommendations are underlined.
Demographic Pattern and Hospitalization Outcomes of Depression among 2.1 Million Americans with Four Major Cancers in the United States
Authors: Patel Rikinkumar S. , Wen Kuang-Yi , Aggarwal Rashi
Published: October 2018

Objective: To compare the prevalence of depression in the four most common cancers in the US and evaluate differences in demographics and hospital outcomes. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study using the Nationwide Inpatient Sample (2010–2014). We selected patients who had received ICD-9 codes of breast, lung, prostate, and colorectal cancers and major depressive disorder (MDD). Pearson’s chi-square test and independent sample t-test were used for categorical and continuous data, respectively. Results: MDD prevalence rate was highest in lung cancer (11.5%), followed by breast (10.3%), colorectal (8.1%), and prostate cancer (4.9%). Within colorectal and lung cancer groups, patients with MDD were significantly older (>80 years, p < 0.001) than non-MDD patients. Breast, lung, and colorectal cancer showed a higher proportion of female and Caucasian in the MDD group. Severe morbidity was seen in a greater proportion of the MDD group in all cancer types. The mean inpatient stay and cost were higher in the MDD compared to non-MDD group. Conclusion: Particular attention should be given to elderly, female, and to lung cancer patients with depression. Further studies of each cancer type are needed to expand our understanding of the different risk factors for depression as a higher proportion of patients had severe morbidity.
Thermomechanical Analysis of a Helical-Wedge Rolling Process for Producing Balls
Authors: Pater Zbigniew , Tomczak Janusz , Bartnicki Jarosław , Bulzak Tomasz
Published: October 2018

The paper presents a complete numerical model of a helical-wedge rolling process for producing balls. The model was designed in Finite Element Method (FEM)-based Forge NxT v.1.1 that enables the simulation of both forming and separating balls. A comparison of numerical results with experimental findings revealed a very high agreement in both qualitative and quantitative terms. The developed numerical model was used to investigate the effect of flange shape on the helical-wedge rolling process for producing balls with a diameter of 125 mm. Three types of flange tools were investigated, and the best results were obtained for a wedge-shaped flange.
Mechanical Spectroscopy Investigation of Point Defect-Driven Phenomena in a Cr Martensitic Steel
Authors: Fava Alessandra , Montanari Roberto , Varone Alessandra
Published: October 2018

The paper presents and discusses results of mechanical spectroscopy (MS) tests carried out on a Cr martensitic steel. The study regards the following topics: (i) embrittlement induced by Cr segregation; (ii) interaction of hydrogen with C–Cr associates; (iii) nucleation of Cr carbides. The MS technique permitted characterising of the specific role played by point defects in the investigated phenomena: (i) Cr segregation depends on C–Cr associates distribution in as-quenched material, in particular, a slow cooling rate (~150 K/min) from austenitic field involves an unstable distribution, which leads to Cr concentration fluctuations after tempering at 973 K; (ii) hydrogen interacts with C–Cr associates, and the phenomenon hinders hydrogen attack (HA) because hydrogen atoms bound by C–Cr associates are not able to diffuse towards grain boundaries and dislocation where CH4 bubbles may nucleate, grow, and merge to form the typical HA cracks; (iii) C–Cr associates take part in the nucleation mechanism of Cr7C3 carbides, and specifically these carbides form by the aggregation of C–Cr associates with 1 Cr atom.
Partial Least Squares Discriminant Analysis and Bayesian Networks for Metabolomic Prediction of Childhood Asthma
Authors: Kelly Rachel S. , McGeachie Michael J. , Lee-Sarwar Kathleen A. , Kachroo Priyadarshini , Chu Su H. , Virkud Yamini V. , Huang Mengna , Litonjua Augusto A. , Weiss Scott T. , Lasky-Su Jessica
Published: October 2018

To explore novel methods for the analysis of metabolomics data, we compared the ability of Partial Least Squares Discriminant Analysis (PLS-DA) and Bayesian networks (BN) to build predictive plasma metabolite models of age three asthma status in 411 three year olds (n = 59 cases and 352 controls) from the Vitamin D Antenatal Asthma Reduction Trial (VDAART) study. The standard PLS-DA approach had impressive accuracy for the prediction of age three asthma with an Area Under the Curve Convex Hull (AUCCH) of 81%. However, a permutation test indicated the possibility of overfitting. In contrast, a predictive Bayesian network including 42 metabolites had a significantly higher AUCCH of 92.1% (p for difference < 0.001), with no evidence that this accuracy was due to overfitting. Both models provided biologically informative insights into asthma; in particular, a role for dysregulated arginine metabolism and several exogenous metabolites that deserve further investigation as potential causative agents. As the BN model outperformed the PLS-DA model in both accuracy and decreased risk of overfitting, it may therefore represent a viable alternative to typical analytical approaches for the investigation of metabolomics data.
Correction: Toda, K., et al. Key Factors Affecting Strength Development of Steel Slag-Dredged Soil Mixtures. Minerals 2018, 8(5), 174
Authors: Toda Kanako , Sato Haruna , Weerakoon Nilan , Otake Tsubasa , Nishimura Satoshi , Sato Tsutomu
Published: October 2018

The authors wish to make the following corrections to this paper [...]
Modular Crystal Chemistry of Thallium Sulfosalts
Authors: Makovicky Emil
Published: October 2018

Complex sulfides of thallium with As, Sb, or Bi and with other cations (‘thallium sulfosalts’) are a large group of crystal structures with extreme variability. Incorporation of the large Tl+ cation in them is solved in several different ways: housing of Tl in columns of capped trigonal coordination prisms, which form separate walls in the structure (in different combinations with Pb and/or Sb), regular alternation of large Tl with small cations (As), presence of structural arrays of Tl coordination polyhedra paralleled by arrays of As coordination pyramids with a frequency ratio 1:2, omission derivatives with cavities for Tl accommodation and formation of layer structures with thallium concentrated into separate (inter)layers of different types. The first principle leads to a large family of sartorite homologues and rare lillianite homologues, as well as to the chabournéite group. The second one to the hutchinsonite family, omission derivatives form the routhierite and galkhaite groups, and the 1:2 periodicity ratio principle results in several outstanding structures from different groups. Layer structures consist of two-component and three-component layer combinations. Close cation-cation interactions are present but rare.
A Metabolomic and HPLC-MS/MS Analysis of the Foliar Phenolics, Flavonoids and Coumarins of the Fraxinus Species Resistant and Susceptible to Emerald Ash Borer
Authors: Qazi Sohail S. , Lombardo Domenic A. , Abou-Zaid Mamdouh M.
Published: October 2018

The Emerald Ash Borer (EAB), Agrilus planipennis, Fairmaire, an Asian invasive alien buprestid has devastated tens of millions of ash trees (Fraxinus spp.) in North America. Foliar phytochemicals of the genus Fraxinus (Oleaceae): Fraxinus pennsylvanica (Green ash), F. americana (White ash), F. profunda (Bush) Bush. (Pumpkin ash), F. quadrangulata Michx. (Blue ash), F. nigra Marsh. (Black ash) and F. mandshurica (Manchurian ash) were investigated using HPLC-MS/MS and untargeted metabolomics. HPLC-MS/MS help identified 26 compounds, including phenolics, flavonoids and coumarins in varying amounts. Hydroxycoumarins, esculetin, esculin, fraxetin, fraxin, fraxidin and scopoletin were isolated from blue, black and Manchurian ashes. High-throughput metabolomics revealed 35 metabolites, including terpenes, secoiridoids and lignans. Metabolomic profiling indicated several upregulated putative compounds from Manchurian ash, especially fraxinol, ligstroside, oleuropin, matairesinol, pinoresinol glucoside, 8-hydroxypinoresinol-4-glucoside, verbenalin, hydroxytyrosol-1-O-glucoside, totarol and ar-artemisene. Further, dicyclomine, aphidicolin, parthenolide, famciclovir, ar-turmerone and myriocin were identified upregulated in blue ash. Principal component analysis demonstrated a clear separation between Manchurian and blue ashes from black, green, white and pumpkin ashes. The presence of defensive compounds upregulated in Manchurian ash, suggests their potential role in providing constitutive resistance to EAB, and reflects its co-evolutionary history with A. planipennis, where they appear to coexist in their native habitats.
Selective Photokilling of Human Pancreatic Cancer Cells Using Cetuximab-Targeted Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticles for Delivery of Zinc Phthalocyanine
Authors: Er Özge , Colak Suleyman Gokhan , Ocakoglu Kasim , Ince Mine , Bresolí-Obach Roger , Mora Margarita , Sagristá Maria Lluïsa , Yurt Fatma , Nonell Santi
Published: October 2018

Background: Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a non-invasive and innovative cancer therapy based on the photodynamic effect. In this study, we sought to determine the singlet oxygen production, intracellular uptake, and in vitro photodynamic therapy potential of Cetixumab-targeted, zinc(II) 2,3,9,10,16,17,23,24-octa(tert-butylphenoxy))phthalocyaninato(2-)-N29,N30,N31,N32 (ZnPcOBP)-loaded mesoporous silica nanoparticles against pancreatic cancer cells. Results: The quantum yield (ΦΔ) value of ZnPcOBP was found to be 0.60 in toluene. In vitro cellular studies were performed to determine the dark- and phototoxicity of samples with various concentrations of ZnPcOBP by using pancreatic cells (AsPC-1, PANC-1 and MIA PaCa-2) and 20, 30, and 40 J/cm2 light fluences. No dark toxicity was observed for any sample in any cell line. ZnPcOBP alone showed a modest photodynamic activity. However, when incorporated in silica nanoparticles, it showed a relatively high phototoxic effect, which was further enhanced by Cetuximab, a monoclonal antibody that targets the Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR). The cell-line dependent photokilling observed correlates well with EGFR expression levels in these cells. Conclusions: Imidazole-capped Cetuximab-targeted mesoporous silica nanoparticles are excellent vehicles for the selective delivery of ZnPcOBP to pancreatic cancer cells expressing the EGFR receptor. The novel nanosystem appears to be a suitable agent for photodynamic therapy of pancreatic tumors.
The Effect of Enzymolysis on Performance of Soy Protein-Based Adhesive
Authors: Xu Yantao , Xu Yecheng , Han Yufei , Chen Mingsong , Zhang Wei , Gao Qiang , Li Jianzhang
Published: October 2018

In this study, bromelain was used to break soy protein molecules into polypeptide chains, and triglycidylamine (TGA) was added to develop a bio-adhesive. The viscosity, residual rate, functional groups, thermal behavior, and fracture surface of different adhesives were measured. A three-ply plywood was fabricated and evaluated. The results showed that using 0.1 wt% bromelain improved the soy protein isolate (SPI) content of the adhesive from 12 wt% to 18 wt%, with viscosity remaining constant, but reduced the residual rate by 9.6% and the wet shear strength of the resultant plywood by 69.8%. After the addition of 9 wt% TGA, the residual rate of the SPI/bromelain/TGA adhesive improved by 13.7%, and the wet shear strength of the resultant plywood increased by 681.3% relative to that of the SPI/bromelain adhesive. The wet shear strength was 30.2% higher than that of the SPI/TGA adhesive, which was attributed to the breakage of protein molecules into polypeptide chains. This occurrence led to (1) the formation of more interlocks with the wood surface during the curing process of the adhesive and (2) the exposure and reaction of more hydrophilic groups with TGA to produce a denser cross-linked network in the adhesive. This denser network exhibited enhanced thermal stability and created a ductile fracture surface after the enzymatic hydrolysis process.
Chemical Modification of Sweet Potato β-amylase by Mal-mPEG to Improve Its Enzymatic Characteristics
Authors: Liang Xinhong , Zhang Wanli , Ran Junjian , Sun Junliang , Jiao Lingxia , Feng Longfei , Liu Benguo
Published: October 2018

The sweet potato β-amylase (SPA) was modified by 6 types of methoxy polyethylene glycol to enhance its specific activity and thermal stability. The aims of the study were to select the optimum modifier, optimize the modification parameters, and further investigate the characterization of the modified SPA. The results showed that methoxy polyethylene glycol maleimide (molecular weight 5000, Mal-mPEG5000) was the optimum modifier of SPA; Under the optimal modification conditions, the specific activity of Mal-mPEG5000-SPA was 24.06% higher than that of the untreated SPA. Mal-mPEG5000-SPA was monomeric with a molecular weight of about 67 kDa by SDS-PAGE. The characteristics of Mal-mPEG5000-SPA were significantly improved. The Km value, Vmax and Ea in Mal-mPEG5000-SPA for sweet potato starch showed that Mal-mPEG5000-SPA had greater affinity for sweet potato starch and higher speed of hydrolysis than SPA. There was no significant difference of the metal ions’ effect on Mal-mPEG5000-SPA and SPA.
HSP70 Acetylation Prevents Combined mTORC1/2 Inhibitor and Curcumin Treatment-Induced Apoptosis
Authors: Seo Seung Un , Min Kyoung-jin , Woo Seon Min , Seo Ji Hae , Kwon Taeg Kyu
Published: October 2018

We previously reported that PP242 (dual inhibitor of mTORC1/2) plus curcumin induced apoptotic cell death through lysosomal membrane permeabilization (LMP)-mediated autophagy. However, the relationship between ER stress and apoptotic cell death by combined PP242 and curcumin treatment remains unknown. In the present study, we found that combined PP242 and curcumin treatment induced cytosolic Ca2+ release and ER stress. Interestingly, pretreatment with the chemical chaperones (TUDCA and 4-PBA) and knockdown of CHOP and ATF4 by siRNA did not abolish combined treatment-induced apoptosis in renal carcinoma cells. These results suggest that combined treatment with mTORC1/2 inhibitor and curcumin induces ER stress which is not essential for apoptotic cell death. Furthermore, overexpression of HSP70 significantly inhibited PP242 plus curcumin-induced LMP and apoptosis, but the protective effect was abolished by K77R mutation of acetylation site of HSP70. Taken together, our results reveal that regulation of HSP70 through K77 acetylation plays role in combined PP242 and curcumin treatment-induced apoptosis.
Study of the Applicability Domain of the QSAR Classification Models by Means of the Rivality and Modelability Indexes
Authors: Luque Ruiz Irene , Gómez-Nieto Miguel Ángel
Published: October 2018

The reliability of a QSAR classification model depends on its capacity to achieve confident predictions of new compounds not considered in the building of the model. The results of this external validation process show the applicability domain (AD) of the QSAR model and, therefore, the robustness of the model to predict the property/activity of new molecules. In this paper we propose the use of the rivality and modelability indexes for the study of the characteristics of the datasets to be correctly modeled by a QSAR algorithm and to predict the reliability of the built model to prognosticate the property/activity of new molecules. The calculation of these indexes has a very low computational cost, not requiring the building of a model, thus being good tools for the analysis of the datasets in the first stages of the building of QSAR classification models. In our study, we have selected two benchmark datasets with similar number of molecules but with very different modelability and we have corroborated the capacity of the predictability of the rivality and modelability indexes regarding the classification models built using Support Vector Machine and Random Forest algorithms with 5-fold cross-validation and leave-one-out techniques. The results have shown the excellent ability of both indexes to predict outliers and the applicability domain of the QSAR classification models. In all cases, these values accurately predicted the statistic parameters of the QSAR models generated by the algorithms.
Spatial and Temperature Resolutions of Magnetic Nanoparticle Temperature Imaging with a Scanning Magnetic Particle Spectrometer
Authors: Zhong Jing , Schilling Meinhard , Ludwig Frank
Published: October 2018

This paper quantitatively investigates the spatial and temperature resolutions of magnetic nanoparticle (MNP) temperature imaging with a multiline phantom filled with MNPs. The multiline phantom in total consists of seven lines with different distances between two adjacent lines. A scanning magnetic particle spectrometer is used to measure the spatial distributions of the MNP harmonics for MNP concentration and temperature imaging, whereas an iterative deconvolution method is used to improve the spatial resolution. A modulation transfer function calculated from the MNP concentration image is used to quantitatively present the spatial resolution, whereas the standard deviation of the measured temperatures is used to quantitatively present the temperature resolution. The spatial resolution is about 4 mm while the temperature resolution is about 1.0 K without deconvolution. With increasing the number of the iterative loops in the deconvolution, the spatial resolution is improved to 2 mm while the temperature resolution is worsened to about 9.6 K due to deconvolution-based oscillation.
Probing Internalization Effects and Biocompatibility of Ultrasmall Zirconium Metal-Organic Frameworks UiO-66 NP in U251 Glioblastoma Cancer Cells
Authors: Arcuri Cataldo , Monarca Lorenzo , Ragonese Francesco , Mecca Carmen , Bruscoli Stefano , Giovagnoli Stefano , Donato Rosario , Bereshchenko Oxana , Fioretti Bernard , Costantino Ferdinando
Published: October 2018

The synthesis of ultrasmall UiO-66 nanoparticles (NPs) with an average size of 25 nm, determined by X-ray powder diffraction and electron microscopies analysis, is reported. The NPs were stabilized in water by dialyzing the NP from the DMF used for the synthesis. DLS measurements confirmed the presence of particles of 100 nm, which are spherical aggregates of smaller particles of 20–30 nm size. The NP have a BET surface area of 700 m2/g with an external surface area of 300 m2/g. UiO-66_N (UiO-66 nanoparticles) were loaded with acridine orange as fluorescent probe. UV-vis spectroscopy analysis revealed no acridine loss after 48 h of agitation in simulated body fluid. The biocompatibility of UiO-66_N was evaluated in human glioblastoma (GBM) cell line U251, the most malignant (IV grade of WHO classification) among brain tumors. In U251 cells, UiO-66_N are inert since they do not alter the cell cycle, the viability, migration properties, and the expression of kinases involved in cancer cell growth. The internalization process was evident after a few hours of incubation. After 24 h, UiO-66_N@Acr (UiO-66_N loaded with acridine orange) were detectable around the nuclei of the cells. These data suggest that small UiO-66 are biocompatible NP and could represent a potential carrier for drug delivery in glioblastoma therapies.
Synthesis and Characterization of Graphene Oxide Derivatives via Functionalization Reaction with Hexamethylene Diisocyanate
Authors: Luceño-Sánchez Jose Antonio , Maties Georgiana , Gonzalez-Arellano Camino , Diez-Pascual Ana Maria
Published: October 2018

Graphene oxide (GO), the oxidized form of graphene, shows unique properties including high mechanical strength, optical transparency, amphiphilicity and surface functionalization capability that make it attractive in fields ranging from medicine to optoelectronic devices and solar cells. However, its insolubility in non-polar and polar aprotic solvents hinders some applications. To solve this issue, novel functionalization strategies are pursued. In this regard, this study deals with the preparation and characterization of hexamethylene diisocyanate (HDI)-functionalized GO. Different reaction conditions were tested to optimize the functionalization degree (FD), and detailed characterizations were conducted via elemental analysis, Fourier-transformed infrared (FT-IR) and Raman spectroscopies to confirm the success of the functionalization reaction. The morphology of HDI-GO was investigated by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), which revealed an increase in the flake thickness with increasing FD. The HDI-GO showed a more hydrophobic nature than pristine GO and could be suspended in polar aprotic solvents such as N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF), N-methylpyrrolidone (NMP) and dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) as well as in low polar/non-polar solvents like tetrahydrofuran (THF), chloroform and toluene; further, the dispersibility improved upon increasing FD. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) confirmed that the covalent attachment of HDI greatly improves the thermal stability of GO, ascribed to the crosslinking between adjacent sheets, which is interesting for long-term electronics and electrothermal device applications. The HDI-GO samples can further react with organic molecules or polymers via the remaining oxygen groups, hence are ideal candidates as nanofillers for high-performance GO-based polymer nanocomposites.
Porous Silicon Photonic Crystals Coated with Ag Nanoparticles as Efficient Substrates for Detecting Trace Explosives Using SERS
Authors: Zhong Furu , Wu Zhaofeng , Guo Jixi , Jia Dianzeng
Published: October 2018

Picric acid (PA) is an organic substance widely used in industry and military, which poses a great threat to the environment and security due to its unstable, toxic, and explosive properties. Trace detection of PA is also a challenging task because of its highly acidic and anionic character. In this work, silver nanoparticles (AgNPs)-decorated porous silicon photonic crystals (PS PCs) were controllably prepared as surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrates using the immersion plating solution. PA and Rhodamine 6G dye (R6G) were used as the analyte to explore the detection performance. As compared with single layer porous silicon, the enhancement factor of PS PCs substrates is increased to 3.58 times at the concentration of 10−6 mol/L (R6G). This additional enhancement was greatly beneficial to the trace-amount-detection of target molecules. Under the optimized assay condition, the platform shows a distinguished sensitivity with the limit of detection of PA as low as 10−8 mol/L, the linear range from 10−4 to 10−7 mol/L, and a decent reproducibility with a relative standard deviation (RSD) of ca. 8%. These results show that the AgNPs-modified PS PCs substrates could also find further applications in biomedical and environmental sensing.
Glutamine: Metabolism and Immune Function, Supplementation and Clinical Translation
Authors: Cruzat Vinicius , Macedo Rogero Marcelo , Noel Keane Kevin , Curi Rui , Newsholme Philip
Published: October 2018

Glutamine is the most abundant and versatile amino acid in the body. In health and disease, the rate of glutamine consumption by immune cells is similar or greater than glucose. For instance, in vitro and in vivo studies have determined that glutamine is an essential nutrient for lymphocyte proliferation and cytokine production, macrophage phagocytic plus secretory activities, and neutrophil bacterial killing. Glutamine release to the circulation and availability is mainly controlled by key metabolic organs, such as the gut, liver, and skeletal muscles. During catabolic/hypercatabolic situations glutamine can become essential for metabolic function, but its availability may be compromised due to the impairment of homeostasis in the inter-tissue metabolism of amino acids. For this reason, glutamine is currently part of clinical nutrition supplementation protocols and/or recommended for immune suppressed individuals. However, in a wide range of catabolic/hypercatabolic situations (e.g., ill/critically ill, post-trauma, sepsis, exhausted athletes), it is currently difficult to determine whether glutamine supplementation (oral/enteral or parenteral) should be recommended based on the amino acid plasma/bloodstream concentration (also known as glutaminemia). Although the beneficial immune-based effects of glutamine supplementation are already established, many questions and evidence for positive in vivo outcomes still remain to be presented. Therefore, this paper provides an integrated review of how glutamine metabolism in key organs is important to cells of the immune system. We also discuss glutamine metabolism and action, and important issues related to the effects of glutamine supplementation in catabolic situations.
Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet Is Related to Healthy Habits, Learning Processes, and Academic Achievement in Adolescents: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Chacón-Cuberos Ramón , Zurita-Ortega Félix , Martínez-Martínez Asunción , Olmedo-Moreno Eva María , Castro-Sánchez Manuel
Published: October 2018

Background: Several studies have shown that following a healthy diet and practicing regular physical activity (PA) are related with multiple health benefits. However, the cognitive and academic implications of these behaviors within adolescents requires further study. Material and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with a simple of 1059 adolescents from Spain. The main instruments employed were the Adherence to Mediterranean Diet Test (KIDMED), the Physical Activity Questionnaire for Adolescents (PAQ-A) and the Motivation and Learning Strategies Short Form (MSLQ-SF). Results: Practicing PA for more than three hours per week was related to better dietary habits (p < 0.001) such as increased consumption of vegetables (0.75 ± 0.43 vs. 0.62 ± 0.48), fish (0.67 ± 0.47 vs. 0.58 ± 0.49), cereals (0.85 ± 0.35 vs. 0.77 ± 0.41) and nuts (0.44 ± 0.49 vs. 0.35 ± 0.47). High adherence to a Mediterranean diet (MD) was positively related to elaboration strategies (r = 0.116), organizational strategies (r = 0.109), critical thinking (r = 0.116), self-regulation (r = 0.159), time and study habits (r = 0.160), self-regulation of effort (r = 0.118), and intrinsically orientated goals (r = 0.090) (p < 0.01 for all variables). Practicing PA every week was also related to improvements in several of the measured variables and in addition was related to lower levels of anxiety within the academic environment (r = −0.070; p < 0.05). Conclusions: Given the benefits of eating habits and the practice of PA in the cognitive processes involved in adolescent learning, intervention programs within the educational context are recommended to improve healthy habits.
Association between Gestational Weight Gain, Gestational Diabetes Risk, and Obstetric Outcomes: A Randomized Controlled Trial Post Hoc Analysis
Authors: Simmons David , Devlieger Roland , Van Assche Andre , Galjaard Sander , Corcoy Rosa , Adelantado Juan M. , Dunne Fidelma , Desoye Gernot , Kautzky-Willer Alexandra , Damm Peter , Mathiesen Elisabeth R. , Jensen Dorte M. , Andersen Lise Lotte T. , Lapolla Annunziata , Dalfra Maria G. , Bertolotto Alessandra , Wender-Ozegowska Ewa , Zawiejska Agnieszka , Hill David , Snoek Frank J. , Van Poppel Mireille N. M.
Published: October 2018

Excess gestational weight gain (GWG) is associated with the development of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Lifestyle trials have not achieved much GWG limitation, and have largely failed to prevent GDM. We compared the effect of substantial GWG limitation on maternal GDM risk. Pregnant women with a body mass index (BMI) ≥29 kg/m2 <20 weeks gestation without GDM (n = 436) were randomized, in a multicenter trial, to usual care (UC), healthy eating (HE), physical activity (PA), or HE and PA lifestyle interventions. GWG over the median was associated with higher homeostasis model assessment insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) and insulin secretion (Stumvoll phases 1 and 2), a higher fasting plasma glucose (FPG) at 24–28 weeks (4.66 ± 0.43 vs. 4.61 ± 0.40 mmol/L, p < 0.01), and a higher rate of caesarean section (38% vs. 27% p < 0.05). The GWG over the median at 35–37 weeks was associated with a higher rate of macrosomia (25% vs. 16%, p < 0.05). A post hoc comparison among women from the five sites with a GWG difference >3 kg showed no significance difference in glycaemia or insulin resistance between HE and PA, and UC. We conclude that preventing even substantial increases in GWG after the first trimester has little effect on maternal glycaemia. We recommend randomized controlled trials of effective lifestyle interventions, starting in or before the first trimester.
Effective Null Raychaudhuri Equation
Authors: Pesci Alessandro
Published: October 2018

The effects on Raychaudhuri’s equation of an intrinsically-discrete or particle nature of spacetime are investigated. This is done through the consideration of null congruences emerging from, or converging to, a generic point of spacetime, i.e., in geometric circumstances somehow prototypical of singularity issues. We do this from an effective point of view, that is through a (continuous) description of spacetime modified to embody the existence of an intrinsic discreteness on the small scale, this adding to previous results for non-null congruences. Various expressions for the effective rate of change of expansion are derived. They in particular provide finite values for the limiting effective expansion and its rate of variation when approaching the focal point. Further, this results in a non-vanishing of the limiting cross-sectional area itself of the congruence.
Silk/Fibroin Microcarriers for Mesenchymal Stem Cell Delivery: Optimization of Cell Seeding by the Design of Experiment
Authors: Perucca Orfei Carlotta , Talò Giuseppe , Viganò Marco , Perteghella Sara , Lugano Gaia , Fabro Fontana Francesca , Ragni Enrico , Colombini Alessandra , De Luca Paola , Moretti Matteo , Torre Maria Luisa , De Girolamo Laura
Published: October 2018

In this methodological paper, lyophilized fibroin-coated alginate microcarriers (LFAMs) proposed as mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) delivery systems and optimal MSCs seeding conditions for cell adhesion rate and cell arrangement, was defined by a Design of Experiment (DoE) approach. Cells were co-incubated with microcarriers in a bioreactor for different time intervals and conditions: variable stirring speed, dynamic culture intermittent or continuous, and different volumes of cells-LFAMs loaded in the bioreactor. Intermittent dynamic culture resulted as the most determinant parameter; the volume of LFAMs/cells suspension and the speed used for the dynamic culture contributed as well, whereas time was a less influencing parameter. The optimized seeding conditions were: 98 min of incubation time, 12.3 RPM of speed, and 401.5 µL volume of cells-LFAMs suspension cultured with the intermittent dynamic condition. This DoE predicted protocol was then validated on both human Adipose-derived Stem Cells (hASCs) and human Bone Marrow Stem Cells (hBMSCs), revealing a good cell adhesion rate on the surface of the carriers. In conclusion, microcarriers can be used as cell delivery systems at the target site (by injection or arthroscopic technique), to maintain MSCs and their activity at the injured site for regenerative medicine.
New Insights on the Mechanism of Fatty Acids as Buccal Permeation Enhancers
Authors: Padula Cristina , Pescina Silvia , Nicoli Sara , Santi Patrizia
Published: October 2018

Buccal mucosa has recently received much attention as a potential route for systemic delivery of drugs, including biologics and vaccines. The aim of this work was to gain insight into the mechanism of fatty acids as buccal permeation enhancers, by studying the effect of a series of medium and long chain fatty acids on the permeation of a model high molecular weight and hydrophilic molecule, fluorescein isothiocyanate labelled dextran (FD-4, m.w. 4 kDa) across porcine esophageal epithelium. A parabolic relationship between fatty acid lipophilicity and enhancement was obtained, regardless of the presence and number of double bonds. The relationship, which resembles the well-known relationship between permeability and lipophilicity of transdermal delivery, presents a maximum value in correspondence of C10 (logP approx. 4). This is probably the ideal lipophilicity for the fatty acid to interact with the lipid domains of the mucosa. When the same analysis was performed on skin data, the same trend was observed, although the maximum value was reached for C12 (logP approx. 5), in agreement with the higher lipophilicity of the skin. The results obtained in the present work represent a significant advancement in the understanding of the mechanisms of action of fatty acids as buccal penetration enhancers.
Implementing Clinical Pharmacogenomics in the Classroom: Student Pharmacist Impressions of an Educational Intervention Including Personal Genotyping
Authors: Frick Amber , Benton Cristina , Suzuki Oscar , Dong Olivia , Howard Rachel , El-Sabae Hijrah , Wiltshire Tim
Published: October 2018

Pharmacogenomics provides a personalized approach to pharmacotherapy by using genetic information to guide drug dosing and selection. However, partly due to lack of education, pharmacogenomic testing has not been fully implemented in clinical practice. With pharmacotherapy training and patient accessibility, pharmacists are ideally suited to apply pharmacogenomics to patient care. Student pharmacists (n = 222) participated in an educational intervention that included voluntary personal genotyping using 23andMe. Of these, 31% of students completed both pre- and post-educational interventions to evaluate their attitudes and confidence towards the use of pharmacogenomics data in clinical decision making, and 55% of this paired subset obtained personal genotyping. McNemar’s test and the Wilcoxon signed-rank test were used to analyze responses. Following the educational intervention, students regardless of genotyping were more likely to recommend personal genotyping (36% post-educational intervention versus 19% pre-educational intervention, p = 0.0032), more confident in using pharmacogenomics in the management of drug therapy (51% post-educational intervention versus 29% pre-educational intervention, p = 0.0045), and more likely to believe that personalized genomics would have an important role in their future pharmacy career (90% post-educational intervention versus 51% pre-educational intervention, p = 0.0072) compared to before receiving the educational intervention. This educational intervention positively influenced students’ attitudes and confidence regarding pharmacogenomics in the clinical setting. Future studies will examine the use of next-generation sequencing assays that selectively examine pharmacogenes in the education of student pharmacists.
Knowledge and Practice of Pharmacists toward Antimicrobial Stewardship in Pakistan
Authors: Rehman Inayat Ur , Asad Malik Muhammad , Bukhsh Allah , Ali Zahid , Ata Humera , Dujaili Juman Abdulelah , Blebil Ali Qais , Khan Tahir Mehmood
Published: October 2018

Background: The irrational use, “over the counter supply”, and unregulated supply chains of antimicrobials are contributing toward antimicrobial resistance. Antimicrobial stewardship programs regulate antimicrobials usage to prevent resistance and reduce health care burden. Objective: To assess the knowledge and practice of pharmacists’ working in various healthcare settings toward antimicrobial stewardship in Pakistan. Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted among pharmacists working in different sectors between March to June 2017. Results: A total of 181 pharmacists participated, of whom (n = 145, 80.1%) were males. The majority of participants were in the 20–30 age group (n = 147, 81.2%) and hold Doctor of Pharmacy degrees. More than 80% of pharmacists agreed that “antimicrobial stewardship is essential to improve patient care”; while (n = 159, 87.8%) pharmacists agreed that “pharmacist should be trained on the use of antimicrobial”. Close to 90% of pharmacists agreed that “adequate training should be provided to pharmacists on antimicrobial use”. Regarding the practice of antimicrobial stewardship, (n = 72, 39.8%) pharmacists often/always “make efforts to prevent or reduce the transmission of infections within the community”; (n = 58, 32%) pharmacists never “dispense antimicrobials without a prescription”; and (n = 60, 32%) pharmacist often/always “communicate with prescribers if unsure about the appropriateness of an antibiotic prescription”. Conclusions: Increased antimicrobial stewardship efforts can both optimize the treatment of infections and reduce adverse events associated with antibiotic use. Pharmacists in Pakistan have good knowledge and adopt positive practices toward antimicrobial stewardship. Pharmacist and other health care professionals should collaborate within multi-disciplinary teams to reduce the problem of antimicrobial resistance and improve the quality of life of patients.
Fabrication of Novel Ball-Like Polystyrene Films Containing Schiff Base Microspheres as Photostabilizers
Authors: Yousif Emad , Ahmed Dina S. , El-Hiti Gamal A. , Alotaibi Mohammad Hayal , Hashim Hassan , Hameed Ayad S. , Ahmed Ahmed
Published: October 2018

Polystyrene films containing a low concentration of three highly aromatic Schiff bases were prepared using the casting method. The polystyrene films were irradiated with ultraviolet light (300 h). The polystyrene infrared spectra, weight loss, molecular weight reduction and the surface morphology were examined upon irradiation. The Schiff bases acted as photostabilizers and reduced the photodegradation of polystyrene films to a significant level in comparison to the blank film. The images recorded of the surface of the miscible polystyrene/Schiff base blends showed novel ball-like microspheres with a diameter of 3.4–4.3 µm. The Schiff bases were able to endow excellent protection to polystyrene against ultraviolet irradiation.
Classification of Hydrometeors Using Measurements of the Ka-Band Cloud Radar Installed at the Milešovka Mountain (Central Europe)
Authors: Sokol Zbyněk , Minářová Jana , Novák Petr
Published: October 2018

In radar meteorology, greater interest is dedicated to weather radars and precipitation analyses. However, cloud radars provide us with detailed information on cloud particles from which the precipitation consists of. Motivated by research on the cloud particles, a vertical Ka-band cloud radar (35 GHz) was installed at the Milešovka observatory in Central Europe and was operationally measuring since June 2018. This study presents algorithms that we use to retrieve vertical air velocity (Vair) and hydrometeors. The algorithm calculating Vair is based on small-particle tracers, which considers the terminal velocity of small particles negligible and, thereby, Vair corresponds to the velocity of the small particles. The algorithm classifying hydrometeors consists of calculating the terminal velocity of hydrometeors and the vertical temperature profile. It identifies six hydrometeor types (cloud droplets, ice, and four precipitating particles: rain, graupel, snow, and hail) based on the calculated terminal velocity of hydrometeors, temperature, Vair, and Linear Depolarization Ratio. The results of both the Vair and the distribution of hydrometeors were found to be realistic for a thunderstorm associated with significant lightning activity on 1 June 2018.
Absolute Calibration or Validation of the Altimeters on the Sentinel-3A and the Jason-3 over Lake Issykkul (Kyrgyzstan)
Authors: Crétaux Jean-François , Bergé-Nguyen Muriel , Calmant Stephane , Jamangulova Nurzat , Satylkanov Rysbek , Lyard Florent , Perosanz Felix , Verron Jacques , Samine Montazem Amanda , Le Guilcher Gianfranco , Leroux Delphine , Barrie Joel , Maisongrande Philippe , Bonnefond Pascal
Published: October 2018

Calibration/Validation (C/V) studies using sites in the oceans have a long history and protocols are well established. Over lakes, C/V allows addressing problems such as the performance of the various retracking algorithms and evaluating the accuracy of the geophysical corrections for continental waters. This is achievable when measurements of specific and numerous field campaigns and a ground permanent network of level gauges and weather stations are processed. C/V consists of installation of permanent sites (weather stations, limnigraphs, and GPS reference points) and the organization of regular field campaigns. The lake Issykkul serves as permanent site of C/V, for a multi-mission purpose. The objective of this paper is to calculate the altimeter biases of Jason-3 and Sentinel-3A, both belonging to an operational satellite system which is used for the long-term monitoring of lake level variations. We have also determined the accuracy of the altimeters of these two satellites, through a comparison analysis with in situ data. In 2016 and 2017, three campaigns have been organized over this lake in order to estimate the absolute bias of the nadir altimeter onboard the Jason-3 and Sentinel-3A. The fieldwork consisted of measuring water height using a GPS system, carried on a boat, along the track of the altimeter satellite across the lake. It was performed at the time of the pass of the altimeter. Absolute altimeter biases were calculated by averaging the water height differences along the pass of the satellite (GPS from the boat system versus altimetry). Jason-3 operates in a Low Resolution Mode (LRM), while the Sentinel-3A operates in Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) mode. In this study we found that the absolute biases measured for Jason-3 were −28 ± 40 mm with the Ocean retracker and 206 ± 30 mm with the Ice-1 retracker. The biases for Sentinel-3A were −14 ± 20 mm with the Samosa (Ocean like) retracker and 285 ± 20 mm with the OCOG (Ice-1-like) retracker. We have also evaluated the accuracy of these two altimeters over Lake Issykkul which reached to 3 cm, for both the instruments, using the Ocean retracker.
Active Thermal Sensing for Bonding Structure Damage Detection of Hidden Frame Glass Curtain Wall
Authors: Hong Xiaobin , Lin Jinfan , Liu Yuan , Xu Weiying
Published: October 2018

Adhesive bonded structure damage of hidden frame glass curtain wall will cause falling glass, which threatens the security of people and property. Therefore, the damage detection of the adhesive bonded structure of glass curtain wall has great significance. In this paper, active thermal sensing technology for bonding structure damage detection was introduced. Firstly, the thermal wave propagation of bonded structure was analyzed. Second, the simulated annealing algorithm and TracePro simulation were utilized to design the heat source. Thirdly, the platform of active thermal sensing was built, and experiments were conducted. Finally, image fusion enhancement of Laplacian pyramid was utilized to the enhancement process of thermal images. The simulation results showed that the irradiance of the cross-optimization was more uniform, and the uniformity was 17.50% higher than the original design value. The experiments results showed that defects of different sizes and depths can be distinguished. The gray differences of the damages on the depth of 0 mm and 4 mm were 0.025 and 0.045, respectively. The thermal wave testing can detect damage intuitively and rapidly, which is significant for the future research of unmanned detection of bonding structure damage of hidden frame glass curtain wall.