bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Two Cases of Holoprosencephalies
Authors: Sharif Md Mofazzal , Parvin Khaleda , Rahman Md Towhidur , Ullah Nayeem , Islam Saiful
Published: August 2017

Two pregnant women with around 33-34 weeks of gestation were reported to Gynaecology and Obstetrics OPD of North Bengal Medical College Hospital, Bangladesh for last trimester antenatal checkup. They were primigravida with around 23-25 years of ages without previous antenatal check up. Both of them had normal course of pregnancy. Ultrasounds of pregnancy profile were done. It was observed in first case that septum pellucidum was absent in brain with partially formed falx cerebri, interhemispheric fissure. Occipital horn was rudimentary and thalami and basal ganglia were partially separated. This case was diagnosed as a case of semi lobar holoprocencephaly. In another case, septum pellucidum, falx cerebri and interhemispheric fissure were absent. Ventricle was monoventricular in appearance and thalami were fused. This case was diagnosed as a case of alobar holoprosencephaly. The importances of these classical cases of alobar and semi lobar holoprosencephalies are to make aware the radiologists to the imaging manifestations of holoprosencephalies and come to early diagnosis. If these cases are being diagnosed at an early stage of pregnancy, medical termination of pregnancy can be performed and maternal psychological trauma of bearing a deformed fetus can be avoided.KYAMC Journal Vol. 8, No.-1, Jul 2017, Page 64-68
Orbital physics in transition metal compounds: new trends
Authors: Streltsov S V , Khomskii D I
Published: August 2017

The present review discusses different effects related to orbital degrees of freedom. Leaving aside such aspects as the superexchange mechanism of cooperative Jahn–Teller distortions and various properties of ‘Kugel–Khomskii’-like models, we mostly concentrate on other phenomena, which are the focus of modern condensed matter physics. After a general introduction, we start with a discussion of the concept of effective reduction of dimensionality due to orbital degrees of freedom and consider such phenomena as the orbitally driven Peierls effect and the formation of small clusters of ions in the vicinity of the Mott transition, which behave like ‘molecules’ embedded in a solid. The second large part is devoted to orbital-selective effects, such as the orbital-selective Mott transition and the suppression of magnetism due to the fact that the electrons on some orbitals start to form singlet molecular orbitals. At the end, the rapidly growing field of so-called ‘spin–orbit-dominated’ transition metal compounds is briefly reviewed, including such topics as the interplay between the spin–orbit coupling and the Jahn–Teller effect, the formation of the spin–orbit driven Mott and Peierls states, the role of orbital degrees of freedom in generating the Kitaev exchange coupling, and the singlet (excitonic) magnetism in 4d and 5d transition metal compounds.
Stem Cell-Like Properties of CK2β-down Regulated Mammary Cells
Authors: Duchemin-Pelletier Eve , Baulard Megghane , Spreux Elodie , Prioux Magali , Burute Mithila , Mograbi Baharia , Guyon Laurent , Théry Manuel , Cochet Claude , Filhol Odile
Published: August 2017

The ubiquitous protein kinase CK2 has been demonstrated to be overexpressed in a number of human tumours. This enzyme is composed of two catalytic α or α’ subunits and a dimer of β regulatory subunits whose expression levels are probably implicated in CK2 regulation. Several recent papers reported that unbalanced expression of CK2 subunits is sufficient to drive epithelial to mesenchymal transition, a process involved in cancer invasion and metastasis. Herein, through transcriptomic and miRNA analysis together with comparison of cellular properties between wild type and CK2β-knock-down MCF10A cells, we show that down-regulation of CK2β subunit in mammary epithelial cells induces the acquisition of stem cell-like properties associated with perturbed polarity, CD44high/CD24low antigenic phenotype and the ability to grow under anchorage-independent conditions. These data demonstrate that a CK2β level establishes a critical cell fate threshold in the control of epithelial cell plasticity. Thus, this regulatory subunit functions as a nodal protein to maintain an epithelial phenotype and its depletion drives breast cell stemness.
Recent Trends in Load Forecasting Technology for the Operation Optimization of Distributed Energy System
Authors: Su Pengwei , Tian Xue , Wang Yan , Deng Shuai , Zhao Jun , An Qingsong , Wang Yongzhen
Published: August 2017

The introduction of renewable resources into the distributed energy system has challenged the operation optimization of the distributed energy system. Integration of new technologies and diversified characteristics on the demand side has exerted a great influence on the distributed energy system. In this paper, by way of literature review, first, the topological structure and the mathematical expression of the distributed energy system were summarized, and the trend of enrichment and diversification and the new characteristics of the system were evaluated. Then, the load forecasting technology was reviewed and analyzed from two aspects, fundamental research and application research. Research methods of the distributed energy system under the new trend of energies were discussed, and the boundaries of the broadened distributed energy technology were explored.
Diurnal Changes in Distribution Characteristics of Salivary Cortisol and Immunoglobulin A Concentrations
Authors: Kobayashi Hiromitsu , Song Chorong , Ikei Harumi , Park Bum-Jin , Kagawa Takahide , Miyazaki Yoshifumi
Published: August 2017

Salivary cortisol and secretory immunoglobulin A (S-IgA) are important biomarkers for environmental and public health research. The present study investigated the diurnal variations of these salivary biomarkers, with a focus on the change of distribution characteristics (i.e., skewness and kurtosis) of the concentrations. The participants in this study were 113 healthy young males. Salivary samples were collected in the morning (6:30–7:30 a.m.) and afternoon (1:00–4:00 p.m.). The skewness and kurtosis of salivary cortisol concentrations in afternoon samples (skewness = 1.06, kurtosis = 4.78) were significantly higher than those in morning samples (skewness = 0.49, kurtosis = 2.80). The differences in skewness and kurtosis of S-IgA concentrations were non-significant; however, the standard deviation and interquartile ranges for afternoon S-IgA concentrations were significantly smaller than those for morning S-IgA concentrations. Logarithmic transformation improved the distribution of afternoon cortisol values, making it an almost normal distribution, but the transformation showed no improvement in the distribution of morning cortisol or S-IgA values. The present study explored diurnal changes in the distribution characteristics of salivary cortisol and S-IgA. Consideration of a possible diurnal change in the distribution characteristics is needed when we compare the difference in these salivary biomarkers between different times of day.
Thyroid Cancer Incidence around the Belgian Nuclear Sites, 2000–2014
Authors: Demoury Claire , De Smedt Tom , De Schutter Harlinde , Sonck Michel , Van Damme Nancy , Bollaerts Kaatje , Molenberghs Geert , Van Bladel Lodewijk , Van Nieuwenhuyse An
Published: August 2017

The present study investigates whether there is an excess incidence of thyroid cancer among people living in the vicinity of the nuclear sites in Belgium. Adjusted Rate Ratios were obtained from Poisson regressions for proximity areas of varying sizes. In addition, focused hypothesis tests and generalized additive models were performed to test the hypothesis of a gradient in thyroid cancer incidence with increasing levels of surrogate exposures. Residential proximity to the nuclear site, prevailing dominant winds frequency from the site, and simulated radioactive discharges were used as surrogate exposures. No excess incidence of thyroid cancer was observed around the nuclear power plants of Doel or Tihange. In contrast, increases in thyroid cancer incidence were found around the nuclear sites of Mol-Dessel and Fleurus; risk ratios were borderline not significant. For Mol-Dessel, there was evidence for a gradient in thyroid cancer incidence with increased proximity, prevailing winds, and simulated radioactive discharges. For Fleurus, a gradient was observed with increasing prevailing winds and, to a lesser extent, with increasing simulated radioactive discharges. This study strengthens earlier findings and suggests increased incidences in thyroid cancer around two of the four Belgian nuclear sites. Further analyses will be performed at a more detailed geographical level.
How Economic Analysis Can Contribute to Understanding the Links between Housing and Health
Authors: Chapman Ralph , Preval Nicholas , Howden-Chapman Philippa
Published: August 2017

An economic analysis of housing’s linkages to health can assist policy makers and researchers to make better decisions about which housing interventions and policies are the most cost-beneficial. The challenge is to include cobenefits. The adoption in 2015 of the UN Sustainable Development Goals underscores the importance of understanding how policies interact, and the merit of comprehensively evaluating cobenefits. We explain our approach to the empirical assessment of such cobenefits in the housing and health context, and consider lessons from empirical economic appraisals of the impact of housing on health outcomes. Critical assumptions relating to cobenefits are explicitly examined. A key finding is that when wider policy outcome measures are included, such as mental health impacts and carbon emission reductions, it is important that effects of assumptions on outcomes are considered. Another is that differing values underlie appraisal, for example, the weight given to future generations through the discount rate. Cost-benefit analyses (CBAs) can better facilitate meaningful debate when they are based on explicit assumptions about values. In short, the insights drawn from an economic framework for housing-and-health studies are valuable, but nonetheless contingent. Given that housing interventions typically have both health and other cobenefits, and incorporate social value judgements, it is important to take a broad view but be explicit about how such interventions are assessed.
Health-Promoting Effects of Thymus herba-barona, Thymus pseudolanuginosus, and Thymus caespititius Decoctions
Authors: Afonso Andrea , Pereira Olívia , Neto Rodrigo , Silva Artur , Cardoso Susana
Published: August 2017

Thymus herba-barona, Thymus pseudolanuginosus, and Thymus caespititius decoctions were screened for their phenolic constituents, along with their potential antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antibacterial activities. The total phenolic compounds in the extracts of the three plants ranged from 236.0 ± 26.6 mgGAE/g (T. caespititus) to 293.0 ± 30.5 mgGAE/g of extract (T. pseudolanuginosus), being particularly rich in caffeic acid derivatives, namely rosmarinic acid and its structural isomers, as well as flavones, such as luteolin-O-glucuronide. The T. pseudolanuginosus extract presented the best DPPH radical scavenging ability (EC50 = 10.9 ± 0.7 µg/mL), a high reducing power (EC50 = 32.2 ± 8.2 µg/mL), and effectively inhibited the oxidation of β-carotene (EC50 = 2.4 ± 0.2 µg/mL). The extracts also showed NO● scavenging activity close to that of ascorbic acid, and thus might be useful as anti-inflammatory agents. In addition, they exhibited antibacterial activity against gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria. Staphylococcus aureus strains were the most sensitive bacteria to thyme extracts, with minimum inhibitory concentration and minimum bactericidal concentration values in the range of 0.6–3.5 mg/mL. Overall, this work is an important contribution for the phytochemical characterization and the potential antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial activities of these three Thymus species, which have been poorly explored.
Biofilm Producing Salmonella Typhi: Chronic Colonization and Development of Gallbladder Cancer
Authors: Di Domenico Enea Gino , Cavallo Ilaria , Pontone Martina , Toma Luigi , Ensoli Fabrizio
Published: August 2017

Salmonella enterica subspecies enterica serovar Typhi is the aetiological agent of typhoid or enteric fever. In a subset of individuals, S. Typhi colonizes the gallbladder causing an asymptomatic chronic infection. Nonetheless, these asymptomatic carriers provide a reservoir for further spreading of the disease. Epidemiological studies performed in regions where S. Typhi is endemic, revealed that the majority of chronically infected carriers also harbour gallstones, which in turn, have been indicated as a primary predisposing factor for the onset of gallbladder cancer (GC). It is now well recognised, that S. Typhi produces a typhoid toxin with a carcinogenic potential, that induces DNA damage and cell cycle alterations in intoxicated cells. In addition, biofilm production by S. Typhi may represent a key factor for the promotion of a persistent infection in the gallbladder, thus sustaining a chronic local inflammatory response and exposing the epithelium to repeated damage caused by carcinogenic toxins. This review aims to highlight the putative connection between the chronic colonization by highly pathogenic strains of S. Typhi capable of combining biofilm and toxin production and the onset of GC. Considering the high risk of GC associated with the asymptomatic carrier status, the rapid identification and profiling of biofilm production by S. Typhi strains would be key for effective therapeutic management and cancer prevention.
Arabic Handwritten Alphanumeric Character Recognition Using Very Deep Neural Network
Authors: Mudhsh MohammedAli , Almodfer Rolla
Published: August 2017

The traditional algorithms for recognizing handwritten alphanumeric characters are dependent on hand-designed features. In recent days, deep learning techniques have brought about new breakthrough technology for pattern recognition applications, especially for handwritten recognition. However, deeper networks are needed to deliver state-of-the-art results in this area. In this paper, inspired by the success of the very deep state-of-the-art VGGNet, we propose Alphanumeric VGG net for Arabic handwritten alphanumeric character recognition. Alphanumeric VGG net is constructed by thirteen convolutional layers, two max-pooling layers, and three fully-connected layers. The proposed model is fast and reliable, which improves the classification performance. Besides, this model has also reduced the overall complexity of VGGNet. We evaluated our approach on two benchmarking databases. We have achieved very promising results, with a validation accuracy of 99.66% for the ADBase database and 97.32% for the HACDB database.
HPLC-HRMS Quantification of the Ichthyotoxin Karmitoxin from Karlodinium armiger
Authors: Andersen Aaron , De Medeiros Lívia , Binzer Sofie , Rasmussen Silas , Hansen Per , Nielsen Kristian , Jørgensen Kevin , Larsen Thomas
Published: August 2017

Being able to quantify ichthyotoxic metabolites from microalgae allows for the determination of ecologically-relevant concentrations that can be simulated in laboratory experiments, as well as to investigate bioaccumulation and degradation. Here, the ichthyotoxin karmitoxin, produced by Karlodinium armiger, was quantified in laboratory-grown cultures using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) coupled to electrospray ionisation high-resolution time-of-flight mass spectrometry (HRMS). Prior to the quantification of karmitoxin, a standard of karmitoxin was purified from K. armiger cultures (80 L). The standard was quantified by fluorescent derivatisation using Waters AccQ-Fluor reagent and derivatised fumonisin B1 and fumonisin B2 as standards, as each contain a primary amine. Various sample preparation methods for whole culture samples were assessed, including six different solid phase extraction substrates. During analysis of culture samples, MS source conditions were monitored with chloramphenicol and valinomycin as external standards over prolonged injection sequences (>12 h) and karmitoxin concentrations were determined using the response factor of a closely eluting iturin A2 internal standard. Using this method the limit of quantification was 0.11 μg·mL−1, and the limit of detection was found to be 0.03 μg·mL−1. Matrix effects were determined with the use of K. armiger cultures grown with 13C-labelled bicarbonate as the primary carbon source.
In Situ Atomic Force Microscopy Studies on Nucleation and Self-Assembly of Biogenic and Bio-Inspired Materials
Authors: Zeng Cheng , Vitale-Sullivan Caitlin , Ma Xiang
Published: August 2017

Through billions of years of evolution, nature has been able to create highly sophisticated and ordered structures in living systems, including cells, cellular components and viruses. The formation of these structures involves nucleation and self-assembly, which are fundamental physical processes associated with the formation of any ordered structure. It is important to understand how biogenic materials self-assemble into functional and highly ordered structures in order to determine the mechanisms of biological systems, as well as design and produce new classes of materials which are inspired by nature but equipped with better physiochemical properties for our purposes. An ideal tool for the study of nucleation and self-assembly is in situ atomic force microscopy (AFM), which has been widely used in this field and further developed for different applications in recent years. The main aim of this work is to review the latest contributions that have been reported on studies of nucleation and self-assembly of biogenic and bio-inspired materials using in situ AFM. We will address this topic by introducing the background of AFM, and discussing recent in situ AFM studies on nucleation and self-assembly of soft biogenic, soft bioinspired and hard materials.
Preparation and Characterization of Novel Cationic Chitosan Derivatives Bearing Quaternary Ammonium and Phosphonium Salts and Assessment of Their Antifungal Properties
Authors: Tan Wenqiang , Li Qing , Dong Fang , Chen Qiuhong , Guo Zhanyong
Published: August 2017

Chitosan is an abundant and renewable polysaccharide, its derivatives exhibit attractive bioactivities and the wide applications in various biomedical fields. In this paper, two novel cationic chitosan derivatives modified with quaternary phosphonium salts were successfully synthesized via trimethylation, chloride acetylation, and quaternization with tricyclohexylphosphine and triphenylphosphine. The structures and properties of synthesized products in the reactions were characterized by FTIR spectroscopy, 1H-NMR, 31P-NMR, elemental and thermogravimetric analysis. The antifungal activities of chitosan derivatives against four kinds of phytopathogens, including Phomopsis asparagi, Watermelon fusarium, Colletotrichum lagenarium, and Fusarium oxysporum were tested using the radial growth assay in vitro. The results revealed that the synthesized cationic chitosan derivatives showed significantly improved antifungal efficiency compared to chitosan. It was reasonably suggested that quaternary phosphonium groups enabled the obviously stronger antifungal activity of the synthesized chitosans. Especially, the triphenylphosphonium-functionalized chitosan derivative inhibited the growth of Phomopsis asparagi most effectively, with inhibitory indices of about 80% at 0.5 mg/mL. Moreover, the data demonstrated that the substituted groups with stronger electron-withdrawing ability relatively possessed greater antifungal activity. The results suggest the possibility that cationic chitosan derivatives bearing quaternary phosphonium salts could be effectively employed as novel antifungal biomaterials for application in the field of agriculture.
Identification of a Quality Marker (Q-Marker) of Danhong Injection by the Zebrafish Thrombosis Model
Authors: Qi Yuqing , Zhao Xiaoping , Liu Hao , Wang Yimin , Zhao Chao , Zhao Tao , Zhao Buchang , Wang Yi
Published: August 2017

Quality-marker (Q-marker) is an emerging concept to ensure the quality and batch-to-batch consistency of Chinese medicine (CM). However, significant difficulties remain in the identification of Q-markers due to the unclear relationship between complex chemical compositions and the pharmacological efficacy of CM. In the present study, we proposed a novel strategy to identify the potential Q-marker of danhong injection (DHI) by an in vivo zebrafish thrombosis model. The anti-thrombotic effects of DHI and its major constituents were evaluated by the zebrafish model of arachidonic acid (AA)-induced thrombosis. The results indicated that DHI can attenuate tail venous thrombus and recover the decrease of heart red blood cell (RBC) intensity in a dose-dependent manner. The result that DHI prevented the formulation of thrombosis in zebrafish was also validated in the zebrafish thrombosis model with green fluorescence protein (GFP)-labeled hemoglobin. The major components of DHI, namely danshen (DS) and honghua (HH), as well as the major chemical constituents of DHI, also exerted anti-thrombotic effects, among which rosmarinic acid (RA) and p-coumaric acid (pCA) showed moderate anti-thrombotic effects. This is the first time that pCA from HH has been found as an active compound exerting an anti-thrombotic effect in a dose-dependent manner, whose IC50 value is approximately 147 μg/mL. By analyzing 10 batches of normal DHI samples and five abnormal samples by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), we found the contents of pCA and RA can be positively correlated to the anti-thrombotic effect of DHI, suggesting that pCA and RA could be potential Q-markers of DHI to ensure batch-to-batch consistency. Our findings illustrated that discovering major active compounds from CM by in vivo pharmacological models can be a useful approach to identifying Q-markers of CM, and in vivo pharmacological models can be a potential tool to evaluate batch-to-batch consistency of CMs.
Andrographolide Suppresses MV4-11 Cell Proliferation through the Inhibition of FLT3 Signaling, Fatty Acid Synthesis and Cellular Iron Uptake
Authors: Chen Xiao , Zhang Jianbin , Yuan Lixia , Lay Yifei , Wong Yin , Lim Teck , Ong Chye , Lin Qingsong , Wang Jigang , Hua Zichun
Published: August 2017

Background: Andrographolide (ADR), the main active component of Andrographis paniculata, displays anticancer activity in various cancer cell lines, among which leukemia cell lines exhibit the highest sensitivity to ADR. In particular, ADR was also reported to have reduced drug resistance in multidrug resistant cell lines. However, the mechanism of action (MOA) of ADR’s anticancer and anti-drug-resistance activities remain elusive. Methods: In this study, we used the MV4-11 cell line, a FLT3 positive acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cell line that displays multidrug resistance, as our experimental system. We first evaluated the effect of ADR on MV4-11 cell proliferation. Then, a quantitative proteomics approach was applied to identify differentially expressed proteins in ADR-treated MV4-11 cells. Finally, cellular processes and signal pathways affected by ADR in MV4-11 cell were predicted with proteomic analysis and validated with in vitro assays. Results: ADR inhibits MV4-11 cell proliferation in a dose- and time-dependent manner. With a proteomic approach, we discovered that ADR inhibited fatty acid synthesis, cellular iron uptake and FLT3 signaling pathway in MV4-11 cells. Conclusions: ADR inhibits MV4-11 cell proliferation through inhibition of fatty acid synthesis, iron uptake and protein synthesis. Furthermore, ADR reduces drug resistance by blocking FLT3 signaling.
Molecular Cloning and Characterization of Carotenoid Pathway Genes and Carotenoid Content in Ixeris dentata var. albiflora
Authors: Reddy Chinreddy Subramanyam , Lee Sang-Hoon , Yoon Jeong Su , Kim Jae Kwang , Lee Sang Won , Hur Mok , Koo Sung Cheol , Meilan Jin , Lee Woo Moon , Jang Jae Ki , Hur Yoonkang , Park Sang Un , Kim and Yeon Bok
Published: August 2017

Ixeris dentata var. albiflora is considered as a potential therapeutic agent against mithridatism, calculous, indigestion, pneumonia, hepatitis, and tumors as well as good seasoned vegetable in Far East countries. Phytoene synthase (PSY), phytoene desaturase (PDS) ξ-carotene desaturase (ZDS), lycopene β-cyclase (LCYB), lycopene ε-cyclase (LCYE), ε-ring carotene hydroxylase (CHXB), and zeaxanthin epoxidase (ZDS) are vital enzymes in the carotenoid biosynthesis pathway. We have examined these seven genes from I. dentata that are participated in carotenoid biosynthesis utilizing an Illumina/Solexa HiSeq 2000 platform. In silico analysis of the seven deduced amino acid sequences were revealed its closest homology with other Asteracea plants. Further, we explored transcript levels and carotenoid accumulation in various organs of I. dentata using quantitative real time PCR and high-performance liquid chromatography, respectively. The highest transcript levels were noticed in the leaf for all the genes while minimal levels were noticed in the root. The maximal carotenoid accumulation was also detected in the leaf. We proposed that these genes expressions are associated with the accumulation of carotenoids. Our findings may suggest the fundamental clues to unravel the molecular insights of carotenoid biosynthesis in various organs of I. dentata.
A General Route for Growing Metal Sulfides onto Graphene Oxide and Exfoliated Graphite Oxide
Authors: Lopes Joana , Estrada Ana , Fateixa Sara , Ferro Marta , Trindade Tito
Published: August 2017

Graphene-based materials are elective materials for a number of technologies due to their unique properties. Also, semiconductor nanocrystals have been extensively explored due to their size-dependent properties that make them useful for several applications. By coupling both types of materials, new applications are envisaged that explore the synergistic properties in such hybrid nanostructures. This research reports a general wet chemistry method to prepare graphene oxide (GO) sheets decorated with nanophases of semiconductor metal sulfides. This method allows the in situ growth of metal sulfides onto GO by using metal dialkyldithiocarbamate complexes as single-molecule precursors. In particular, the role of GO as heterogeneous substrate for the growth of semiconductor nanocrystals was investigated by using Raman spectroscopic and imaging methods. The method was further extended to other graphene-based materials, which are easily prepared in a larger scale, such as exfoliated graphite oxide (EGO).
Thermal Conductivity of a Nanoscale Yttrium Iron Garnet Thin-Film Prepared by the Sol-Gel Process
Authors: Kim Yun
Published: August 2017

The thermal conductivity of a nanoscale yttrium iron garnet (Y3Fe5O12, YIG) thin-film prepared by a sol-gel method was evaluated using the ultrafast pump-probe technique in the present study. The thermoreflectance change on the surface of a 250 nm thick YIG film, induced by the irradiation of femtosecond laser pulses, was measured, and curve fitting of a numerical solution for the transient heat conduction equation to the experimental data was performed using the finite difference method in order to extract the thermal property. Results show that the film’s thermal conductivity is 22–83% higher than the properties of bulk YIG materials prepared by different fabrication techniques, reflecting the microstructural characteristics and quality of the film.
Elevation Extraction and Deformation Monitoring by Multitemporal InSAR of Lupu Bridge in Shanghai
Authors: Zhao Jingwen , Wu Jicang , Ding Xiaoli , Wang Mingzhou
Published: August 2017

Monitoring, assessing, and understanding the structural health of large infrastructures, such as buildings, bridges, dams, tunnels, and highways, is important for urban development and management, as the gradual deterioration of such structures may result in catastrophic structural failure leading to high personal and economic losses. With a higher spatial resolution and a shorter revisit period, interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) plays an increasing role in the deformation monitoring and height extraction of structures. As a focal point of the InSAR data processing chain, phase unwrapping has a direct impact on the accuracy of the results. In complex urban areas, large elevation differences between the top and bottom parts of a large structure combined with a long interferometric baseline can result in a serious phase-wrapping problem. Here, with no accurate digital surface model (DSM) available, we handle the large phase gradients of arcs in multitemporal InSAR processing using a long–short baseline iteration method. Specifically, groups of interferometric pairs with short baselines are processed to obtain the rough initial elevation estimations of the persistent scatterers (PSs). The baseline threshold is then loosened in subsequent iterations to improve the accuracy of the elevation estimates step by step. The LLL lattice reduction algorithm (by Lenstra, Lenstra, and Lovász) is applied in the InSAR phase unwrapping process to rapidly reduce the search radius, compress the search space, and improve the success rate in resolving the phase ambiguities. Once the elevations of the selected PSs are determined, they are used in the following two-dimensional phase regression involving both elevations and deformations. A case study of Lupu Bridge in Shanghai is carried out for the algorithm’s verification. The estimated PS elevations agree well (within 1 m) with the official Lupu Bridge model data, while the PS deformation time series confirms that the bridge exhibits some symmetric progressive deformation, at 4–7 mm per year on both arches and 4–9 mm per year on the bridge deck during the SAR image acquisition period.
New Kinds of (Ab)normal?: Public Pedagogies, Affect, and Youth Mental Health in the Digital Age
Authors: Fullagar Simone , Rich Emma , Francombe-Webb Jessica
Published: August 2017

Academic, policy, and public concerns are intensifying around how to respond to increasing mental health problems amongst young people in OECD countries such as the UK and Australia. In this paper we make the case that public knowledge about mental health promotion, help-seeking, support and recovery can be understood as an enactment of public pedagogy—as knowledge practices and processes that are produced within and beyond formal spaces of learning. We explore the question of how new pedagogic modes of address are produced through digital technologies—social media, gamified therapies, e-mental health literacy, wearable technology—as they invite particular ways of knowing embodied distress as “mental illness or ill health.” The rapid growth of formal and informal pedagogical sites for learning about youth mental health raises questions about the affective arrangements that produce new kinds of (ab)normal in the digital era. Through a posthumanist perspective that connects critical mental health studies and public pedagogy, this paper offers an original contribution that theorises pedagogic sites within the cultural formation of public-personal knowledge about mental (ill) health.
Less Meat Initiatives at Ghent University: Assessing the Support among Students and How to Increase It
Authors: De Groeve Benjamin , Bleys Brent
Published: August 2017

In this study, we conducted a survey among Business Administration students at Ghent University to assess their support for six less meat initiatives (LMIs) to be implemented in student restaurants. We examined associations between the support and variables related to meat curtailment and additionally examined the effect of providing information about the climate impact of meat on the support for the LMIs. We find that the support is rather limited among the students we surveyed. Students have different appraisals of the different LMIs, which may be due to differences in intervention strength and types of meat curtailment. We found that higher environmental concern is associated with a higher support for all LMIs. Female students and students with lower meat consumption levels indicate a higher support for four of six LMIs. Simply providing information about the climate impact of meat had no remarkable effect on the support. More integrated approaches are recommended to inform students.
E-commerce Expenses and Financial Performance Of American Upper Midscale Hotels
Authors: Morosan Cristian , Hua Nan , Defranco Agnes
Published: August 2017

The US upper midscale hotels are increasingly dependent on information technologies and their corresponding business models to support their core business functions, especially their electronic commerce. Using data collected over 6 recent years from the same upper midscale US hotels
that reported e-commerce expenses, and data from a matching sample of hotels that did not report e-commerce expenses, this study investigated the relationship between e-commerce expenses and financial performance with the aid of the resource-based theory, in order to illustrate how several
types of marketing expenses such as e-commerce, loyalty, media/outdoor advertising, and total franchise expenses impact rooms revenues and gross operating profits. Among such antecedents, e-commerce expenses exhibit strong structural influences on the measures of financial performance. The
results illustrate the fundamental role of e-commerce expenses in shaping the financial performance of upper midscale hotels. Several important theoretical contributions for scholars and actionable managerial suggestions for hotel decision makers are provided.
α-Silicene as oxidation-resistant ultra-thin coating material
Authors: Kandemir Ali , Iyikanat Fadil , Bacaksiz Cihan , Sahin Hasan
Published: August 2017

By performing density functional theory (DFT)-based calculations, the performance of α-silicene as oxidation-resistant coating on Ag(111) surface is investigated. First of all, it is shown that the Ag(111) surface is quite reactive against O atoms and O2 molecules. It is known that when single-layer silicene is formed on the Ag(111) surface, the 3 × 3-reconstructed phase, α-silicene, is the ground state. Our investigation reveals that as a coating layer, α-silicene (i) strongly absorbs single O atoms and (ii) absorbs O2 molecules by breaking the strong O–O bond. (iii) Even the hollow sites, which are found to be most favorable penetration path for oxygens, serves as high-energy oxidation barrier, and (iv) α-silicene becomes more protective and less permeable in the presence of absorbed O atom. It appears that single-layer silicene is a quite promising material for ultra-thin oxidation-protective coating applications.
New Precision Orbits of Bright Double-lined Spectroscopic Binaries. X. HD 96511, HR 7578, and KZ Andromedae
Authors: Fekel Francis C. , Henry Gregory W. , Tomkin Jocelyn
Published: August 2017

From an extensive number of newly acquired radial velocities we determine the orbital elements for three late-type dwarf systems, HD 96511, HR 7578, and KZ And. The orbital periods are 18.89737 ± 0.00002, 46.81610 ± 0.00006, and 3.0329113 ± 0.0000005 days, respectively, and all three systems are eccentric, although KZ And is just barely so. We have detected lines of the secondary of HD 96511 for the first time. The orbital dimensions (a
1 sin i and a
2 sin i) and minimum masses (m
1 sin3
i and m
2 sin3
i) of the binary components all have accuracies of 0.2% or better. Extensive photometry of the chromospherically active binary HR 7578 confirms a rather long rotation period of 16.446 ± 0.002 days and that the K3 V components do not eclipse. We have estimated the basic properties of the stars in the three systems and compared those results with evolutionary tracks. The results for KZ And that we computed with the revised Hipparcos parallax of van Leeuwen produce inconsistencies. That parallax appears to be too large, and so, instead, we used the original Hipparcos parallax of the common proper motion primary, which improves the results, although some problems remain.
Activity and Kinematics of White Dwarf-M Dwarf Binaries from the SUPERBLINK Proper Motion Survey*
Authors: Skinner Julie N. , Morgan Dylan P. , West Andrew A. , Lépine Sébastien , Thorstensen John R.
Published: August 2017

We present an activity and kinematic analysis of high proper motion white dwarf-M dwarf binaries (WD+dMs) found in the SUPERBLINK survey, 178 of which are new identifications. To identify WD+dMs, we developed a UV–optical–IR color criterion and conducted a spectroscopic survey to confirm each candidate binary. For the newly identified systems, we fit the two components using model white dwarf spectra and M dwarf template spectra to determine physical parameters. We use Hα chromospheric emission to examine the magnetic activity of the M dwarf in each system, and investigate how its activity is affected by the presence of a white dwarf companion. We find that the fraction of WD+dM binaries with active M dwarfs is significantly higher than their single M dwarf counterparts at early and mid-spectral types. We corroborate previous studies that find high activity fractions at both close and intermediate separations. At more distant separations, the binary fraction appears to approach the activity fraction for single M dwarfs. Using derived radial velocities and the proper motions, we calculate 3D space velocities for the WD+dMs in SUPERBLINK. For the entire SUPERBLINK WD+dMs, we find a large vertical velocity dispersion, indicating a dynamically hotter population compared to high proper motion samples of single M dwarfs. We compare the kinematics for systems with active M dwarfs and those with inactive M dwarfs, and find signatures of asymmetric drift in the inactive sample, indicating that they are drawn from an older population.
Absolute-magnitude Calibration for W UMa-type Systems Based on Gaia Data*
Authors: Mateo Nicole M. , Rucinski Slavek M.
Published: August 2017

Tycho-Gaia Astrometric Solution (TGAS) parallax data are used to determine absolute magnitudes M

V
for 318 W UMa-type (EW) contact binary stars. A very steep (slope ≃ −9), single-parameter (

), linear calibration can be used to predict M

V
to about 0.1–0.3 mag over the whole range of accessible orbital period,

days. A similar calibration for the most common systems with

days predicts M

V
values to about 0.06–0.16 mag. For orbital period values both shorter and longer than the central range, the period dependence is respectively steeper and shallower, i.e., the binaries are fainter in M

V
than predicted by the whole-range linear law. The steepness of the relation for short-period systems implies important consequences for the detectability of the faintest binaries, defining the short-period cut-off of the period distribution. Although the scatter around the linear

-fit is fairly large (0.2–0.4 mag), the current data do not support the inclusion of a

color term in the calibration.
Millimeter Spectral Indices and Dust Trapping By Planets in Brown Dwarf Disks
Authors: Pinilla P. , Quiroga-Nuñez L. H. , Benisty M. , Natta A. , Ricci L. , Henning Th. , van der Plas G. , Birnstiel T. , Testi L. , Ward-Duong K.
Published: August 2017

Disks around brown dwarfs (BDs) are excellent laboratories to study the first steps of planet formation in cold and low-mass disk conditions. The radial-drift velocities of dust particles in BD disks higher than in disks around more massive stars. Therefore, BD disks are expected to be more depleted in millimeter-sized grains compared to disks around T Tauri or Herbig Ae/Be stars. However, recent millimeter observations of BD disks revealed low millimeter spectral indices, indicating the presence of large grains in these disks and challenging models of dust evolution. We present 3 mm photometric observations carried out with the IRAM/Plateau de Bure Interferometer (PdBI) of three BD disks in the Taurus star-forming region, which have been observed with ALMA at 0.89 mm. The disks were not resolved and only one was detected with enough confidence (∼3.5σ) with PdBI. Based on these observations, we obtain the values and lower limits of the spectral index and find low values (α
mm ≲ 3.0). We compare these observations in the context of particle trapping by an embedded planet, a promising mechanism to explain the observational signatures in more massive and warmer disks. We find, however, that this model cannot reproduce the current millimeter observations for BD disks, and multiple-strong pressure bumps globally distributed in the disk remain as a favorable scenario to explain observations. Alternative possibilities are that the gas masses in the BD disk are very low (∼2 × 10−3
M
Jup) such that the millimeter grains are decoupled and do not drift, or fast growth of fluffy aggregates.
X-Ray Spectral Analyses of AGNs from the 7Ms Chandra Deep Field-South Survey: The Distribution, Variability, and Evolutions of AGN Obscuration
Authors: Liu 刘 Teng 腾 , Tozzi Paolo , Wang 王俊 Jun-Xian 贤 , Brandt William N. , Vignali Cristian , Xue 薛永 Yongquan 泉 , Schneider Donald P. , Comastri Andrea , Yang Guang , Bauer Franz E. , Paolillo Maurizio , Luo Bin , Gilli Roberto , Wang Q. Daniel , Giavalisco Mauro , Ji Zhiyuan , Alexander David M , Mainieri Vincenzo , Shemmer Ohad , Koekemoer Anton , Risaliti Guido
Published: August 2017

We present a detailed spectral analysis of the brightest active galactic nuclei (AGNs) identified in the 7Ms Chandra Deep Field-South (CDF-S) survey over a time span of 16 years. Using a model of an intrinsically absorbed power-law plus reflection, with possible soft excess and narrow Fe Kα line, we perform a systematic X-ray spectral analysis, both on the total 7Ms exposure and in four different periods with lengths of 2–21 months. With this approach, we not only present the power-law slopes, column densities

, observed fluxes, and absorption-corrected 2–10 keV luminosities L

X
for our sample of AGNs, but also identify significant spectral variabilities among them on timescales of years. We find that the

variabilities can be ascribed to two different types of mechanisms, either flux-driven or flux-independent. We also find that the correlation between the narrow Fe line EW and

can be well explained by the continuum suppression with increasing

. Accounting for the sample incompleteness and bias, we measure the intrinsic distribution of

for the CDF-S AGN population and present reselected subsamples that are complete with respect to

. The

-complete subsamples enable us to decouple the dependences of

on L

X
and on redshift. Combining our data with those from C-COSMOS, we confirm the anticorrelation between the average

and L

X
of AGN, and find a significant increase of the AGN-obscured fraction with redshift at any luminosity. The obscured fraction can be described as

.
Butyrate modulating effects on pro-inflammatory pathways in human intestinal epithelial cells
Authors: Elce A. , Amato F. , Zarrilli F. , Calignano A. , Troncone R. , Castaldo G. , Canani R.B.
Published: August 2017

Butyrate acts as energy source for intestinal epithelial cells and as key mediator of several immune processes, modulating gene expression mainly through histone deacetylation inhibition. Thanks to these effects, butyrate has been proposed for the treatment of many intestinal diseases. Aim of this study was to investigate the effect of butyrate on the expression of a large series of target genes encoding proteins involved in pro-inflammatory pathways. We performed quantitative real-time-PCR analysis of the expression of 86 genes encoding proteins bearing to pro-inflammatory pathways, before and after butyrate exposure, in primary epithelial cells derived from human small intestine and colon. Butyrate significantly down-regulated the expression of genes involved in inflammatory response, among which nuclear factor kappa beta, interferon-gamma, Toll like 2 receptor and tumour necrosis factor-alpha. Further confirmations of these data, including studies at protein level, would support the use of butyrate as effective therapeutic strategy in intestinal inflammatory disorders.
Lactococcus lactis and Lactobacillus salivarius differently modulate early immunological response of Wistar rats co-administered with Listeria monocytogenes
Authors: Lukic J. , Jancic I. , Mirkovic N. , Bufan B. , Djokic J. , Milenkovic M. , Begovic J. , Strahinic I. , Lozo J.
Published: August 2017

In the light of the increasing resistance of bacterial pathogens to antibiotics, one of the main global strategies in applied science is development of alternative treatments, which would be safe both for the host and from the environmental perspective. Accordingly, the aim of this study was to test whether two lactic acid bacteria (LAB) strains, Lactococcus lactis BGBU1-4 and Lactobacillus salivarius BGHO1, could be applied as safe supplements for Listeria infection. Two major research objectives were set: to compare the effects of BGBU1-4 and BGHO1 on early immune response in gut tissue of Wistar rats co-administered with Listeria monocytogenes ATCC19111 and next, to test how this applies to their usage as therapeutics in acute ATCC19111 infection. Intestinal villi (IV), Peyer’s patches (PP) and mesenteric lymph nodes (MLN) were used for the analysis. The results showed that BGHO1 increased the mRNA expression of innate immune markers CD14, interleukin (IL)-1β and tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α in PP and IV, and, in parallel, caused a decrease of listeriolysin O (LLO) mRNA expression in same tissues. In MLN of BGHO1 treated rats, LLO expression was increased, along with an increase of the expression of OX-62 mRNA and CD69, pointing to the activation of adaptive immunity. On the other hand, in BGBU1-4 treated rats, there was no reduction of LLO mRNA expression and no induction of innate immunity markers in intestinal tissue. Additionally, CD14 and IL-1β, as well as LLO, but not OX-62 mRNA and CD69 expression, were elevated in MLN of BGBU1-4 treated rats. However, when applied therapeutically, both, BGBU1-4 and BGHO1, lowered Listeria count in spleens of infected rats. Our results not only reveal the potential of LAB to ameliorate Listeria infections, but suggest different immunological effects of two different LAB strains, both of which could be effective in Listeria elimination.
The diversity of aquatic insects used as human food
Authors: Macadam C.R. , Stockan J.A.
Published: August 2017

This paper assesses the diversity of aquatic insects and insects with aquatic larvae used as human food. Over 250 species have been used as food in 48 countries around the world. Coleoptera comprises the largest number of species utilised, followed by Odonata and Hemiptera. All life stages are eaten but primarily larvae and adults. Currently, economic valuation is largely limited to Southeast Asia, although there is considerable potential to expand this. A few species includingLethocerus indicus (Lepeletier and Serville, 1825) have been negatively impacted due to exploitation as a food item coupled with other environmental pressures.