bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Effects of Methane Storage Capacity Using Upgraded Activated Carbon by KOH
Authors: Park Jung Eun , Lee Gi Bbum , Hwang Sang Youp , Kim Ji Hyun , Hong Bum Ui , Kim Ho , Kim Seokhwi
Published: September 2018

In this study, a feasible experiment on adsorbed natural gas (ANG) was performed using activated carbons (ACs) with high surface areas. Upgraded ACs were prepared using chemical activation with potassium hydroxide, and were then applied as adsorbents for methane (CH4) storage. This study had three principal objectives: (i) upgrade ACs with high surface areas; (ii) evaluate the factors regulating CH4 adsorption capacity; and (iii) assess discharge conditions for the delivery of CH4. The results showed that upgraded ACs with surface areas of 3052 m2/g had the highest CH4 storage capacity (0.32 g-CH4/g-ACs at 3.5 MPa), which was over two times higher than the surface area and storage capacity of low-grade ACs (surface area = 1152 m2/g, 0.10 g-CH4/g-ACs). Among the factors such as surface area, packing density, and heat of adsorption in the ANG system, the heat of adsorption played an important role in controlling CH4 adsorption. The released heat also affected the CH4 storage and enhanced available applications. During the discharge of gas from the ANG system, the residual amount of CH4 increased as the temperature decreased. The amount of delivered gas was confirmed using different evacuation flow rates at 0.4 MPa, and the highest efficiency of delivery was 98% at 0.1 L/min. The results of this research strongly suggested that the heat of adsorption should be controlled by both recharging and discharging processes to prevent rapid temperature change in the adsorbent bed.
On GPU Implementation of the Island Model Genetic Algorithm for Solving the Unequal Area Facility Layout Problem
Authors: Sun Xue , Lai Lien-Fu , Chou Ping , Chen Liang-Rui , Wu Chao-Chin
Published: September 2018

Facility layout problem (FLP) is one of the hottest research areas in industrial engineering. A good facility layout can achieve efficient production management, improve production efficiency, and create high economic values. Because FLP is an NP-hard problem, meaning it is impossible to find the optimal solution when problem becomes sufficiently large, various evolutionary algorithms (EAs) have been proposed to find a sub-optimal solution within a reasonable time interval. Recently, a genetic algorithm (GA) was proposed for unequal area FLP (UA-FLP), where the areas of facilities are not identical. More precisely, the GA is an island model based, which is called IMGA. Since EAs are still very time consuming, many efforts have been devoted to how to parallelize various EAs including IMGA. In recent work, Steffen and Dietmar proposed how to parallelize island models of EAs. However, their parallelization approaches are preliminary because they focused mainly on comparing the performances between different parallel architectures. In addition, they used one mathematical function to model the problem. To further investigate on how to parallelize the IMGA by GPU, in this paper we propose multiple parallel algorithms, for each individual step in the IMGA when solving the industrial engineering problem, UA-FLP, and conduct experiments to compare their performances. After integrating better algorithms for all steps into the IMGA, our GPU implementation outperforms the CPU counterpart and the best speedup can be as high as 84.
Molecular Dynamics Simulation of Protein Biosurfactants
Authors: Cheung David L. , Samantray Suman
Published: September 2018

Surfaces and interfaces are ubiquitous in nature and are involved in many biological processes. Due to this, natural organisms have evolved a number of methods to control interfacial and surface properties. Many of these methods involve the use of specialised protein biosurfactants, which due to the competing demands of high surface activity, biocompatibility, and low solution aggregation may take structures that differ from the traditional head–tail structure of small molecule surfactants. As well as their biological functions, these proteins have also attracted interest for industrial applications, in areas including food technology, surface modification, and drug delivery. To understand the biological functions and technological applications of protein biosurfactants, it is necessary to have a molecular level description of their behaviour, in particular at surfaces and interfaces, for which molecular simulation is well suited to investigate. In this review, we will give an overview of simulation studies of a number of examples of protein biosurfactants (hydrophobins, surfactin, and ranaspumin). We will also outline some of the key challenges and future directions for molecular simulation in the investigation of protein biosurfactants and how this can help guide future developments.
Divergence, Convergence and Phenotypic Diversity of Neotropical Frugivorous Bats
Authors: Murillo-García Oscar E. , De la vega Maria E.
Published: September 2018

Knowing how adaptation shapes morphological evolution is fundamental to understanding the processes that promote biological diversity. However, there is a lack of empirical evidence on the effects of adaptive radiations on phenotypic diversity, which is related to processes that promote phenotypic divergence and convergence. We applied comparative methods to identify shifts in adaptive peaks and to detect divergence and convergence in skull morphology of frugivorous bats (Phyllostomidae: Stenodermatinae and Carollinae), an ecologically diverse group with strong association between skull morphology, feeding performance and diet that suggests adaptive diversification through morphological innovation. We found divergence and convergence for skull morphology. Fifteen peak shifts were found for jaws, which result in four convergent and four divergent regimes. For skull, nine peak shifts were detected that result in three convergent and three divergent regimes. Furthermore, convergence was significant and strong for skull morphology since distantly related organisms converged to the same adaptive optima. Results suggest that convergence indicates the effect of restriction on phenotypes to keep the advantages provided by the skull phenotype that played a central role in the evolution of strict frugivory in phyllostomids. We conclude that convergence has limited phenotypic diversity of functional traits related to feeding in phyllostomid frugivores.
How Christian Universities Respond to Extremism
Authors: Bowie Robert A. , Revell Lynn
Published: September 2018

This research article explores how two English universities with Anglican foundations responded to UK government requirements to counter radicalization on campus. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with student union representatives, senior staff in the universities responsible for implementing the legal requirements and also those with special responsibility for religion. Christian foundation education institutions are required to implement government policy in response to visible radical and religious extremism. The UK higher education context is post-Christian (with lower levels of religious adherence) and post-secular (with greater plurality and greater prominence of controversial religious-related issues). It presents challenges for Christian university identity when meeting the complex concerns about dangers to students, university independence and free speech, and common values and public accountability. The research found that key to universities being able to respond effectively to the challenge of legal compliance and student welfare, was staff expertise in religion, but they have doubts about their capacity to respond effectively, and both staff and student have fears about this policy.
Performance Evaluation of a Semi-Dual-Active-Bridge with PPWM Plus SPS Control
Authors: Lu Ming , Li Xiaodong
Published: September 2018

In this paper, a semi-dual-active-bridge (S-DAB) DC/DC converter with primary pulse-width modulation plus secondary phase-shifted (PPWM + SPS) control for boost conversion is analyzed in detail. Under the new control scheme, all effective operation modes are identified at first. Then, the working principle, switching behaviour, and operation range in each mode are discussed. Compared with conventional secondary phase-shifted control, PPWM + SPS control with two controllable phase-shift angles can extend the zero-voltage switching (ZVS) range and enhance control flexibility. In addition, an effective control route is also given that can make the converter achieve at the global minimum root-mean-square (RMS) current across the whole power range and avoid the voltage ringing on the transformer secondary-side at a light load. Finally, a 200 W prototype circuit is built and tested to verify correctness and effectiveness of theoretical results.
EE-TCAM: An Energy-Efficient SRAM-Based TCAM on FPGA
Authors: Ullah Inayat , Ullah Zahid , Lee Jeong-A
Published: September 2018

Ternary content-addressable memories (TCAMs) are used to design high-speed search engines. TCAM is implemented on application-specific integrated circuit (native TCAMs) and field-programmable gate array (FPGA) (static random-access memory (SRAM)-based TCAMs) platforms but both have the drawback of high power consumption. This paper presents a pre-classifier-based architecture for an energy-efficient SRAM-based TCAM. The first classification stage divides the TCAM table into several sub-tables of balanced size. The second SRAM-based implementation stage maps each of the resultant TCAM sub-tables to a separate row of configured SRAM blocks in the architecture. The proposed architecture selectively activates at most one row of SRAM blocks for each incoming TCAM word. Compared with the existing SRAM-based TCAM designs on FPGAs, the proposed design consumes significantly reduced energy as it activates a part of SRAM memory used for lookup rather than the entire SRAM memory as in the previous schemes. We implemented the proposed approach sample designs of size 512 × 36 on Xilinx Virtex-6 FPGA. The experimental results showed that the proposed design achieved at least three times lower power consumption per performance than other SRAM-based TCAM architectures.
Decentralized Power Management for Electrical Power Systems in More Electric Aircrafts
Authors: Kim Myungchin , Lee Sung Gu , Bae Sungwoo
Published: September 2018

In order to implement reliable and flexible power management among energy sources, a decentralized power management approach for electrical power systems (EPSs) in the more electric aircraft (MEA) is studied. Considering the increased use of electrical power for various functions, the performance of MEA would be determined by the design and operation of the EPS. By using a virtual impedance that includes both a resistive term and an inductive term, autonomous power sharing is realized. Because of the frequency dependence in the virtual impedance, different power sharing ratios between steady state and transient state can be considered. Not only the operation of various power sources is coordinated without supervision of a centralized controller, but also the operation profile of each source can be adjusted to meet output characteristics of each source. To demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach, a series of simulations that consider various virtual impedance configurations were conducted. The proposed approach contributes to a higher level of operational flexibility, while enabling reliable and cost-effective management of MEAs.
Exploring the Electro-Thermal Parameters of Reliable Power Modules: Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor Junction and Case Temperature
Authors: Liu Bo-Ying , Wang Gao-Sheng , Tseng Ming-Lang , Wu Kuo-Jui , Li Zhi-Gang
Published: September 2018

In the exploration of new energy sources and the search for a path to sustainable development the reliable operation of wind turbines is of great importance to the stability of power systems. To ensure the stable and reliable operation of the Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor (IGBT) power module, in this work the influence of changes with aging of different electro-thermal parameters on the junction temperature and the case temperature was studied. Firstly, power thermal cycling tests were performed on the IGBT power module, and the I-V characteristic curve, switching loss and transient thermal impedance are recorded every 1000 power cycles, and then the electrical parameters (saturation voltage drop and switching loss) and the thermal parameters (junction-to-case thermal resistance) of the IGBT are obtained under different aging states. The obtained electro-thermal parameters are substituted into the established electro-thermal coupling model to obtain the junction temperature and the case temperature under different aging states. The degrees of influence of these electro-thermal parameters on the junction temperature and case temperature under different aging states are analyzed by the single variable method. The results show that the changes of the electro-thermal parameters under different aging states affects the junction temperature and the case temperature as follows: (1) Compared with other parameters, the transient thermal impedance has the greatest influence on the junction temperature, which is 60.1%. (2) Compared with other parameters, the switching loss has the greatest influence on the case temperature, which is 79.8%. The result provides a novel method for the junction temperature calculation model and lays a foundation for evaluating the aging state by using the case temperature, which has important theoretical and practical significance for the stable operation of power electronic systems.
Optimal Scheduling of Microgrid with Distributed Power Based on Water Cycle Algorithm
Authors: Yang Xiaohui , Long Jiating , Liu Peiyun , Zhang Xiaolong , Liu Xiaoping
Published: September 2018

Microgrid, taking advantage of distributed power generation technology, plays an important role in maximizing the utilization of renewable energy. Based on the problems of the energy crisis, environmental contamination and the high operating cost of the microgrid, the microgrid model can effectively ease energy pressure. We can dispatch the output of each part in the microgrid to obtain the optimal economy. Since many traditional optimization algorithms have limitations of local optimization, multiple iterations, and slow convergence speed, this paper proposes a method that applies the Water Cycle Algorithm (WCA) to optimize the dispatch of the microgrid to minimize the operating cost. The mathematical model of each distributed power is established. The interactive power between the microgrid and large grid is also considered. The lowest generation cost considering environmental benefits is taken as the objective function. Water cycle algorithm is implemented to obtain the optimal solution under various constraints. Some optimization algorithms such as Genetic Algorithm (GA), Interior Search Algorithm (ISA), and Differential Search Algorithm (DSA) were used for results evaluation. By comparing the results obtained from four different algorithms, a case study shows the WCA possesses the advancements of better convergence performance, faster calculation and higher precision compared to the other algorithms. The results demonstrate that the WCA applied to determine the optimal scheduling of the microgrid can achieve a better result than some other algorithms with an acceptable accuracy and efficiency.
Energy Saving of Composite Agglomeration Process (CAP) by Optimized Distribution of Pelletized Feed
Authors: Li Guanghui , Liu Chen , Yu Zhengwei , Rao Mingjun , Zhong Qiang , Zhang Yuanbo , Jiang Tao
Published: September 2018

The composite agglomeration process (CAP) aims at sintering a pelletized feed and a matrix feed together to produce a high-quality burden for a blast furnace. The pelletized feed is balled from fine iron concentrate or refractory iron-bearing resources, while the matrix feed is granulated from iron ore fines, fuels, fluxes and so on. Through mathematical calculation, heat accumulation regularity and heat-homogenizing of the sinter bed are acquired in CAP when pelletized feed is uniformly distributed. Then they are studied in the composite agglomeration process with optimized pelletized feed distribution, which is a novel and perfect sinter bed structure. Results show that large heat input gaps exist in the sinter bed under condition of even sinter mixture distribution, and it is very difficult to realize bed heat-homogenization by directly varying the solid fuel dosage among each layer. An optimized pelletized feed distribution realizes more heat in the upper layer together with heat-homogenization of the middle-lower layer when the proportions of pellets increase first in the middle-upper layer and then decrease in the middle-lower layer of the sinter bed. Under these circumstances, the sinter bed has much better available accumulation ratios with a maximum value of 78.29%, and possesses a greater total heat input of 6754.27 MJ when the coke breeze remains at the original dosage. To make full use of the available heat accumulation and adjust the pellet distribution, a good energy saving effect is obtained because the coke breeze mass declines by 13.91 kg/t-sinter. The current gross heat inputs of each unit are reduced remarkably, leading to a total heat input decrease of 25.95%. In pot tests of CAP, the differences of thermal parameters in whole bed are obviously reduced with the optimized pelletized feed distribution, which contributes to sinter homogeneity and energy savings.
Prevention of Potential Hazards Associated with Marine Gas Hydrate Exploitation: A Review
Authors: Wang Fangtian , Zhao Bin , Li Gang
Published: September 2018

Marine gas hydrates (MGHs), which have great potential for exploitation and utilization, account for around 99% of all global natural gas hydrate resources under current prospecting technique. However, there are several potential hazards associated with their production and development. These are classified into four categories by this paper: marine geohazards, greenhouse gas emissions, marine ecological hazards, and marine engineering hazards. In order to prevent these risks from occurring, the concept of “lifecycle management of hazards prevention” during the development and production from MGHs is proposed and divided into three stages: preparation, production control, and post-production protection. Of these stages, economic evaluation of the resource is the foundation; gas production methods are the key; with monitoring, assessment, and early warning as the guarantee. A production test in the Shenhu area of the South China Sea shows that MGH exploration and development can be planned using the “three-steps” methodology: commercializing and developing research ideas in the short term, maintaining economic levels of production in the medium term, and forming a global forum to discuss effective MGH development in the long term. When increasing MGH development is combined with the lifecycle management of hazards prevention system, and technological innovations are combined with global cooperation to solve the risks associated with MGH development, then safe access to a new source of clean energy may be obtained.
Documentary Photography from the German Democratic Republic as a Substitute Public
Authors: Pfautsch Anne
Published: September 2018

This paper discusses artistic documentary photography from the German Democratic Republic (GDR) from the mid-1970s until the fall of the Berlin Wall, and suggests that it functioned as a substitute public–Ersatzöffentlichkeit–in society. This concept of a substitute public sphere sometimes termed a counter-public sphere, relates to GDR literature that, in retrospect, has been allocated this role. On the whole, in critical discourse certain texts have been recognised as being distinct from GDR propaganda which sought to deliver alternative readings in their coded texts. I propose that photography, despite having had a different status to literature in the GDR, adopted similar traits and also functioned as part of a substitute public sphere. These photographers aimed to expose the existing gap between the propagandised and actual life under socialism. They embedded a moral and critical position in their photographs to comment on society and to incite debate. However, it was necessary for these debates to occur in the private sphere, so that artists and their audience would avoid state persecution. In this paper, I review Harald Hauswald’s series Everyday Life (1976–1990) to demonstrate how photographs enabled substitute discourses in visual ways. Hauswald is a representative of artistic documentary photography and although he was never published in the official GDR media, he was the first East German photographer to publish in renowned West German and European media outlets, such as GEO magazine and ZEITmagazin, before the reunification. In 1990, he founded the ‘Ostkreuz–Agency of Photographers’ with six other East German documentary photographers.
Translation and Validation of the Korean Version of the Revised Health Care System Distrust Scale (HCSD-K) in Korean American Women
Authors: Hong Hye Chong , Min Ari
Published: September 2018

Background: Trust in the healthcare system is a major contributor for racial disparities in health and health care. We aimed to formally translate and cross-culturally adapt the Korean version of the Revised Health Care System Distrust (HCSD-K) scale with a sample of Korean American women and examine the psychometric properties of the HCSD-K scale. Methods: Ten Korean American women participated in the cognitive interview. A self-administered questionnaire was completed by 196 Korean American women aged 50–74 years. Instrument adaptation was performed using committee-based translation and cognitive interviewing. Construct validity, convergent validity, and internal consistency were examined to evaluate the psychometric properties of the HCSD-K scale. Results: The translated instrument was found to be semantically sound. A confirmatory factor analysis revealed a two-factor structure with an excellent fit. Convergent validity was supported by correlations between the HCSD-K scale and both the Perceived Discrimination in Health Care and Trust in Physician scales. Cronbach’s alpha for the total HCSD-K was 0.83. Conclusion: The nine-item HCSD-K scale demonstrated satisfactory reliability and validity. It is an appropriate instrument for measuring healthcare system distrust in Korean American women. Further study is needed to confirm the study results in a gender-mixed Korean population.
Seasonal Allergies and Psychiatric Disorders in the United States
Authors: Oh Hans , Koyanagi Ai , DeVylder Jordan E. , Stickley Andrew
Published: September 2018

Seasonal allergies have been associated with mental health problems, though the evidence is still emergent, particularly in the United States. We analyzed data from the National Comorbidity Survey Replication and the National Latino and Asian American Survey (years 2001–2003). Multivariable logistic regression models were used to examine the relations between lifetime allergies and lifetime psychiatric disorders (each disorder in a separate model), adjusting for socio-demographic variables (including region of residence) and tobacco use. Analyses were also stratified to test for effect modification by race and sex. A history of seasonal allergies was associated with greater odds of mood disorders, anxiety disorders, and eating disorders, but not alcohol or substance use disorders, after adjusting for socio-demographic characteristics and tobacco use. The associations between seasonal allergies and mood disorders, substance use disorders, and alcohol use disorders were particularly strong for Latino Americans. The association between seasonal allergies and eating disorders was stronger for men than women. Seasonal allergies are a risk factor for psychiatric disorders. Individuals complaining of seasonal allergies should be screened for early signs of mental health problems and referred to specialized services accordingly.
Assessment of Bacterial Accumulation and Environmental Factors in Sentinel Oysters and Estuarine Water Quality from the Phang Nga Estuary Area in Thailand
Authors: Jeamsripong Saharuetai , Chuanchuen Rungtip , Atwill Edward R.
Published: September 2018

This study characterized microbiological and chemical contamination of oyster meat and estuarine water in Phang Nga, Thailand. Pooled oyster meats (n = 144), estuarine waters (n = 96) and environmental parameters were collected from March, 2016 to February, 2017, and assessed for levels of total coliforms (TC), fecal coliforms (FC), Escherichia coli (EC), and Vibrio parahaemolyticus (VP), presence of Salmonella and Shigella and levels of heavy metals (Mn, Pb and Cd). The prevalence of TC, FC and EC were in 99.3%, 94.4% and 93.1% of oyster meat and 94.8%, 79.2%, and 78.1% of water, respectively. The average VP levels was 8.5 × 107 most probable number (MPN)/g oyster. Prevalence of Shigella and Salmonella in the pooled oysters were 7.6% and 30.6%, respectively. The dominant Salmonella serovars were Paratyphi B followed by Seremban, and Kentucky. In contrast, the prevalence of Shigella were 27.1%, but Salmonella was not detected in estuarine water. Factors statistically associated with EC accumulation in oyster were level of FC, 7-day average precipitation, temperature, relative humidity, and presence of Salmonella in the sample. The optimal cutoff value of EC to predict Salmonella in oyster was 420 MPN/g. Results indicate this area has relatively safe levels of heavy metals, whereas bacterial contamination was very high for oysters.
Influences of the Shadow Inventory on a Landslide Susceptibility Model
Authors: Liu Cheng-Chien , Luo Wei , Chung Hsiao-Wei , Yin Hsiao-Yuan , Yan Ke-Wei
Published: September 2018

A landslide inventory serves as the basis for assessing landslide susceptibility, hazard, and risk. It is generally prepared from optical imagery acquired from spaceborne or airborne platforms, in which shadows are inevitably found in mountainous areas. The influences of shadow inventory on a landslide susceptibility model (LSM), however, have not been investigated systematically. This paper employs both the shadow and landslide inventories prepared from eleven Formosat-2 annual images from the I-Lan area in Taiwan acquired from 2005 to 2016, using a semiautomatic expert system. A standard LSM based on the geometric mean of multivariables was used to evaluate the possible errors incurred by neglecting the shadow inventory. The results show that the LSM performance was significantly improved by 49.21% for the top 1% of the most highly susceptible area and that the performance decreased gradually by 15.25% for the top 10% most highly susceptible areas and 9.71% for the top 20% most highly susceptible areas. Excluding the shadow inventory from the calculation of landslide susceptibility index reveals the real contribution of each factor. They are crucial in optimizing the coefficients of a nondeterministic geometric mean LSM, as well as in deriving the threshold of a landslide hazard early warning system.
Vitamin D: Effect on Haematopoiesis and Immune System and Clinical Applications
Authors: Medrano Mayte , Carrillo-Cruz Estrella , Montero Isabel , Perez-Simon Jose A
Published: September 2018

Vitamin D is a steroid-like hormone which acts by binding to vitamin D receptor (VDR). It plays a main role in the calcium homeostasis and metabolism. In addition, vitamin D display other important effects called “non-classical actions.” Among them, vitamin D regulates immune cells function and hematopoietic cells differentiation and proliferation. Based on these effects, it is currently being evaluated for the treatment of hematologic malignancies. In addition, vitamin D levels have been correlated with patients’ outcome after allogeneic stem cell transplantation, where it might regulate immune response and, accordingly, might influence the risk of graft-versus-host disease. Here, we present recent advances regarding its clinical applications both in the treatment of hematologic malignancies and in the transplant setting.
Integrative Histologic and Bioinformatics Analysis of BIRC5/Survivin Expression in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Authors: Troiano Giuseppe , Guida Agostino , Aquino Gabriella , Botti Gerardo , Losito Nunzia Simona , Papagerakis Silvana , Pedicillo Maria Carmela , Ionna Franco , Longo Francesco , Cantile Monica , Pennella Antonio , Lo Russo Lucio , Di Gioia Giovanni , Mariggiò Maria Addolorata , Lo Muzio Lorenzo , Pannone Giuseppe
Published: September 2018

Survivin is a well-known protein involved in the inhibition of apoptosis in many different cancer types. The aim of this study was to perform an integrated bioinformatic and histologic analysis in order to study the expression and prognostic role of Survivin and its related gene BIRC5 in oral cancer. Publicly available databases were accessed via Gene Expression Omnibus and Oncomine, in addition raw data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) were also obtained in order to analyze the rate of gene mutation, expression and methylation in patients with oral squamous cells carcinoma (OSCC). Immunohistochemistry (IHC) was also performed in order to evaluate the nuclear and cytoplasmic expression of Survivin and their correlation with cell proliferation in samples from OSCC patients. Results of this study revealed that Survivin is rarely mutated in OSCC samples and upregulated when compared to non-cancerous tissue. A negative correlation between the methylation of the island cg25986496 and BIRC5 mRNA expression was detected from TCGA data. IHC staining revealed that cytoplasmic (and not nuclear) expression of Survivin is associated with poor overall survival in OSCC patients, while the nuclear expression correlates with higher proliferation rate. In addition, data from TCGA database revealed that BIRC5 gene expression is an independent prognostic factor for OSCC patients.
MC1R: Front and Center in the Bright Side of Dark Eumelanin and DNA Repair
Authors: Swope Viki B. , Abdel-Malek Zalfa A.
Published: September 2018

Melanin, the pigment produced by specialized cells, melanocytes, is responsible for skin and hair color. Skin pigmentation is an important protective mechanism against the DNA damaging and mutagenic effects of solar ultraviolet radiation (UV). It is acknowledged that exposure to UV is the main etiological environmental factor for all forms of skin cancer, including melanoma. DNA repair capacity is another major factor that determines the risk for skin cancer. Human melanocytes synthesize eumelanin, the dark brown form of melanin, as well as pheomelanin, which is reddish-yellow in color. The relative rates of eumelanin and pheomelanin synthesis by melanocytes determine skin color and the sensitivity of skin to the drastic effects of solar UV. Understanding the complex regulation of melanocyte function and how it responds to solar UV has a huge impact on developing novel photoprotective strategies to prevent skin cancer, particularly melanoma, the most fatal form, which originates from melanocytes. This review provides an overview of the known differences in the photoprotective effects of eumelanin versus pheomelanin, how these two forms of melanin are regulated genetically and biochemically, and their impact on the DNA damaging effects of UV exposure. Additionally, this review briefly discusses the role of paracrine factors, focusing on α-melanocortin (α-melanocyte stimulating hormone; α-MSH), in regulating melanogenesis and the response of melanocytes to UV, and describes a chemoprevention strategy based on targeting the melanocortin 1 receptor (MC1R) by analogs of its physiological agonist α-MSH.
Molecular Characterisation and Functions of Fis1 and PDCD6 Genes from Echinococcus granulosus
Authors: Wang Ning , Zhan Jiafei , Guo Cheng , Li Chunyan , Shen Nengxing , Gu Xiaobin , Xie Yue , Peng Xuerong , Yang Guangyou
Published: September 2018

Cystic echinococcosis, a parasitic zoonosis that causes significant economic losses and poses a threat to public health, is caused by larvae of the tapeworm Echinococcus granulosus. Infection causes infertile cysts in intermediate hosts that cannot produce protoscoleces (PSCs) or complete the life cycle. Herein, we cloned, expressed, and characterised mitochondrial fission protein 1 (Eg-Fis1) and programmed cell death protein 6 (Eg-PDCD6) from E. granulosus, and explored their functions related to infertile cysts. Eg-Fis1 and Eg-PDCD6 encode putative 157 and 174 residue proteins, respectively, and Western blotting indicated good reactogenicity for both. Eg-Fis1 and Eg-PDCD6 were ubiquitously distributed in all stages of E. granulosus. Furthermore, mRNAs of Eg-Fis1 and Eg-PDCD6 were upregulated following H2O2 treatment which induced apoptosis in PSCs. To investigate the regulation of apoptosis in response to oxidative stress, RNA interference (RNAi) and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick-end labelling (TUNEL) assays were performed. The apoptotic rate of the Eg-Fis1 RNAi group was significantly lower than non-interference group, but there was no such difference for Eg-PDCD6. In conclusion, Eg-Fis1 promotes apoptosis induced by oxidative stress, whereas Eg-PDCD6 does not appear to be a key regulator of apoptosis.
Unraveling the Molecular Determinants of Manual Therapy: An Approach to Integrative Therapeutics for the Treatment of Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/Myalgic Encephalomyelitis
Authors: Espejo José Andrés , García-Escudero María , Oltra Elisa
Published: September 2018

Application of protocols without parameter standardization and appropriate controls has led manual therapy (MT) and other physiotherapy-based approaches to controversial outcomes. Thus, there is an urgency to carefully define standard protocols that elevate physiotherapy treatments to rigorous scientific demands. One way in which this can be achieved is by studying gene expression and physiological changes that associate to particular, parameter-controlled, treatments in animal models, and translating this knowledge to properly designed, objective, quantitatively-monitored clinical trials (CTs). Here, we propose a molecular physiotherapy approach (MPTA) requiring multidisciplinary teams, to uncover the scientific reasons behind the numerous reports that historically attribute health benefits to MT-treatments. The review focuses on the identification of MT-induced physiological and molecular responses that could be used for the treatment of fibromyalgia (FM) and chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME). The systemic effects associated to mechanical-load responses are considered of particular relevance, as they suggest that defined, low-pain anatomic areas can be selected for MT treatment and yet yield overall benefits, an aspect that might result in it being essential to treat FM. Additionally, MT can provide muscle conditioning to sedentary patients without demanding strenuous physical effort, which is particularly detrimental for CFS/ME patients, placing MT as a real option for integrative medicine programs to improve FM and CFS/ME.
The Role of the Primary Cell Wall in Plant Morphogenesis
Authors: Lamport Derek T. A. , Tan Li , Held Michael , Kieliszewski Marcia J.
Published: September 2018

Morphogenesis remains a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma. It remains a formidable problem viewed from many different perspectives of morphology, genetics, and computational modelling. We propose a biochemical reductionist approach that shows how both internal and external physical forces contribute to plant morphogenesis via mechanical stress–strain transduction from the primary cell wall tethered to the plasma membrane by a specific arabinogalactan protein (AGP). The resulting stress vector, with direction defined by Hechtian adhesion sites, has a magnitude of a few piconewtons amplified by a hypothetical Hechtian growth oscillator. This paradigm shift involves stress-activated plasma membrane Ca2+ channels and auxin-activated H+-ATPase. The proton pump dissociates periplasmic AGP-glycomodules that bind Ca2+. Thus, as the immediate source of cytosolic Ca2+, an AGP-Ca2+ capacitor directs the vectorial exocytosis of cell wall precursors and auxin efflux (PIN) proteins. In toto, these components comprise the Hechtian oscillator and also the gravisensor. Thus, interdependent auxin and Ca2+ morphogen gradients account for the predominance of AGPs. The size and location of a cell surface AGP-Ca2+ capacitor is essential to differentiation and explains AGP correlation with all stages of morphogenetic patterning from embryogenesis to root and shoot. Finally, the evolutionary origins of the Hechtian oscillator in the unicellular Chlorophycean algae reflect the ubiquitous role of chemiosmotic proton pumps that preceded DNA at the dawn of life.
The Role of IL-33/ST2 Pathway in Tumorigenesis
Authors: Larsen Kristen M. , Minaya Maydelis Karla , Vaish Vivek , Peña Maria Marjorette O.
Published: September 2018

Cancer is initiated by mutations in critical regulatory genes; however, its progression to malignancy is aided by non-neoplastic cells and molecules that create a permissive environment known as the tumor stroma or microenvironment (TME). Interleukin 33 (IL-33) is a dual function cytokine that also acts as a nuclear factor. IL-33 typically resides in the nucleus of the cells where it is expressed. However, upon tissue damage, necrosis, or injury, it is quickly released into extracellular space where it binds to its cognate receptor suppression of tumorigenicity 2 (ST2)L found on the membrane of target cells to potently activate a T Helper 2 (Th2) immune response, thus, it is classified as an alarmin. While its role in immunity and immune-related disorders has been extensively studied, its role in tumorigenesis is only beginning to be elucidated and has revealed opposing roles in tumor development. The IL-33/ST2 axis is emerging as a potent modulator of the TME. By recruiting a cohort of immune cells, it can remodel the TME to promote malignancy or impose tumor regression. Here, we review its multiple functions in various cancers to better understand its potential as a therapeutic target to block tumor progression or as adjuvant therapy to enhance the efficacy of anticancer immunotherapies.
Targeting Amyloid Aggregation: An Overview of Strategies and Mechanisms
Authors: Giorgetti Sofia , Greco Claudio , Tortora Paolo , Aprile Francesco Antonio
Published: September 2018

Amyloids result from the aggregation of a set of diverse proteins, due to either specific mutations or promoting intra- or extra-cellular conditions. Structurally, they are rich in intermolecular β-sheets and are the causative agents of several diseases, both neurodegenerative and systemic. It is believed that the most toxic species are small aggregates, referred to as oligomers, rather than the final fibrillar assemblies. Their mechanisms of toxicity are mostly mediated by aberrant interactions with the cell membranes, with resulting derangement of membrane-related functions. Much effort is being exerted in the search for natural antiamyloid agents, and/or in the development of synthetic molecules. Actually, it is well documented that the prevention of amyloid aggregation results in several cytoprotective effects. Here, we portray the state of the art in the field. Several natural compounds are effective antiamyloid agents, notably tetracyclines and polyphenols. They are generally non-specific, as documented by their partially overlapping mechanisms and the capability to interfere with the aggregation of several unrelated proteins. Among rationally designed molecules, we mention the prominent examples of β-breakers peptides, whole antibodies and fragments thereof, and the special case of drugs with contrasting transthyretin aggregation. In this framework, we stress the pivotal role of the computational approaches. When combined with biophysical methods, in several cases they have helped clarify in detail the protein/drug modes of interaction, which makes it plausible that more effective drugs will be developed in the future.
Widespread Expression of Hedgehog Pathway Components in a Large Panel of Human Tumor Cells and Inhibition of Tumor Growth by GANT61: Implications for Cancer Therapy
Authors: Réda Jiri , Vachtenheim Jiri , Vlčková Kateřina , Horák Pavel , Vachtenheim Jiri , Ondrušová Lubica
Published: September 2018

The sonic Hedgehog/GLI signaling pathway (HH) is critical for maintaining tissue polarity in development and contributes to tumor stemness. Transcription factors GLI1–3 are the downstream effectors of HH and activate oncogenic targets. To explore the completeness of the expression of HH components in tumor cells, we performed a screen for all HH proteins in a wide spectrum of 56 tumor cell lines of various origin using Western blot analysis. Generally, all HH proteins were expressed. Important factors GLI1 and GLI2 were always expressed, only exceptionally one of them was lowered, suggesting the functionality of HH in all tumors tested. We determined the effect of a GLI inhibitor GANT61 on proliferation in 16 chosen cell lines. More than half of tumor cells were sensitive to GANT61 to various extents. GANT61 killed the sensitive cells through apoptosis. The inhibition of reporter activity containing 12xGLI consensus sites by GANT61 and cyclopamine roughly correlated with cell proliferation influenced by GANT61. Our results recognize the sensitivity of tumor cell types to GANT61 in cell culture and support a critical role for GLI factors in tumor progression through restraining apoptosis. The use of GANT61 in combined targeted therapy of sensitive tumors, such as melanomas, seems to be immensely helpful.
MiRNA Dysregulation in Childhood Hematological Cancer
Authors: Carvalho de Oliveira Jaqueline , Molinari Roberto Gabriela , Baroni Mirella , Bezerra Salomão Karina , Alejandra Pezuk Julia , Sol Brassesco María
Published: September 2018

For decades, cancer biology focused largely on the protein-encoding genes that have clear roles in tumor development or progression: cell-cycle control, apoptotic evasion, genome instability, drug resistance, or signaling pathways that stimulate growth, angiogenesis, or metastasis. MicroRNAs (miRNAs), however, represent one of the more abundant classes of cell modulators in multicellular organisms and largely contribute to regulating gene expression. Many of the ~2500 miRNAs discovered to date in humans regulate vital biological processes, and their aberrant expression results in pathological and malignant outcomes. In this review, we highlight what has been learned about the roles of miRNAs in some of the most common human pediatric leukemias and lymphomas, along with their value as diagnostic/prognostic factors.
Comparative In Vitro and In Silico Analysis of the Selectivity of Indirubin as a Human Ah Receptor Agonist
Authors: Faber Samantha C. , Soshilov Anatoly A. , Giani Tagliabue Sara , Bonati Laura , Denison Michael S.
Published: September 2018

The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) is a ligand-dependent transcription factor that modulates gene expression following its binding and activation by structurally diverse chemicals. Species differences in AhR functionality have been observed, with the mouse AhR (mAhR) and human AhR (hAhR) exhibiting significant differences in ligand binding, coactivator recruitment, gene expression and response. While the AhR agonist indirubin (IR) is a more potent activator of hAhR-dependent gene expression than the prototypical ligand 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD), it is a significantly less potent activator of the mAhR. DNA binding analysis confirmed the greater potency/efficacy of IR in stimulating transformation/DNA binding of the hAhR in vitro and domain-swapping experiments demonstrated that the enhanced response to IR was primarily due to the hAhR ligand binding domain (LBD). Site-directed mutagenesis and functional analysis studies revealed that mutation of H326 and A349 in the mAhR LBD to the corresponding residues in the hAhR LBD significantly increased the potency of IR. Since these mutations had no significant effect on ligand binding, these residues likely contribute to an enhanced efficiency of transformation/DNA binding by IR-bound hAhR. Molecular docking to mAhR LBD homology models further elucidated the different roles of the A375V mutation in TCDD and IR binding, as revealed by [3H]TCDD competitive binding results. These results demonstrate the differential binding of structurally diverse ligands within the LBD of a given AhR and confirm that amino acid differences within the LBD of AhRs contribute to significant species differences in ligand response.
Idiopathic Nephrotic Syndrome: Characteristics and Identification of Prognostic Factors
Authors: Dumas De La Roque Charlotte , Prezelin-Reydit Mathilde , Vermorel Agathe , Lepreux Sébastien , Deminière Colette , Combe Christian , Rigothier Claire
Published: September 2018

There are various histopathological forms of idiopathic nephrotic syndrome, including minimal change disease (MCD) and focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS). Whereas some relapse predictor factors have been identified in renal transplantation, the clinical future of idiopathic nephrotic syndrome in the native kidney remains uncertain. We designed a multicentric retrospective descriptive cohort study including all patients aged 15 years and over whose renal biopsy confirmed MCD or FSGS between January 2007 and December 2014. We studied 165 patients with idiopathic nephrotic syndrome; 97 with MCD and 68 with FSGS. In the MCD cohort, 91.7% of patients were treated with corticosteroids for a median total duration of 13 months. During 45 months of follow-up, 92.8% of patients achieved remission and 45.5% experienced relapse. In this cohort, 5% of patients experienced terminal kidney disease. With respect to FSGS patients, 51.5% were treated with corticosteroids for a median total duration of 15 months. During 66 months of follow-up, 73.5% of patients achieved remission and 20% experienced relapse. In this cohort, 26.5% of patients experienced terminal kidney disease. No statistical association was observed between clinical and biological initial presentation and relapse occurrence. This study describes the characteristics of a cohort of patients with the nephrotic idiopathic syndromes of MCD and FSGS from the time of renal biopsy and throughout follow-up.
An Uncertainty-Aware Visual System for Image Pre-Processing
Authors: Gillmann Christina , Arbelaez Pablo , Hernandez Jose Tiberio , Hagen Hans , Wischgoll Thomas
Published: September 2018

Due to image reconstruction process of all image capturing methods, image data is inherently affected by uncertainty. This is caused by the underlying image reconstruction model, that is not capable to map all physical properties in its entirety. In order to be aware of these effects, image uncertainty needs to be quantified and propagated along the entire image processing pipeline. In classical image processing methodologies, pre-processing algorithms do not consider this information. Therefore, this paper presents an uncertainty-aware image pre-processing paradigm, that is aware of the input image’s uncertainty and propagates it trough the entire pipeline. To accomplish this, we utilize rules for transformation and propagation of uncertainty to incorporate this additional information with a variety of operations. Resulting from this, we are able to adapt prominent image pre-processing algorithms such that they consider the input images uncertainty. Furthermore, we allow the composition of arbitrary image pre-processing pipelines and visually encode the accumulated uncertainty throughout this pipeline. The effectiveness of the demonstrated approach is shown by creating image pre-processing pipelines for a variety of real world datasets.