bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Alcohol-Related Physical Abuse of Children in the Slums of Kampala, Uganda
Authors: Swahn Monica , Culbreth Rachel , Staton Catherine , Self-Brown Shannon , Kasirye Rogers
Published: September 2017

This study examines the patterns of alcohol-related physical abuse and alcohol use and related behaviors among children living in the slums of Kampala, Uganda. The study is based on a cross-sectional survey, conducted in spring 2014, of service-seeking children ages 12 to 18 years (n = 1134) attending Uganda Youth Development Link drop-in centers for vulnerable children in the slums. Descriptive statistics, chi-squares, and bivariate and multivariable logistic regression analyses were conducted to determine patterns of children’s alcohol-related behaviors, based on alcohol-related physical abuse and neglect. Nearly 34% of children (n = 380) reported experiencing physical abuse, and 12.4% (n = 140) reported experiencing alcohol-related physical abuse. Alcohol-related neglect was reported among 19.6% (n = 212) of the children. Past year alcohol use was significantly more prevalent among children who reported experiencing alcohol-related neglect ( χ 2 = 79.18, df = 1, p < 0.0001) and alcohol-related physical abuse ( χ 2 = 62.02, df = 1, p < 0.0001). Reporting physical abuse was also associated with parental alcohol use (OR: 1.85; 95% CI: 1.38, 2.48) and parental partner violence (OR: 5.51; 95% CI: 4.09, 7.43), after adjusting for other variables in the model. Given the high levels of alcohol-related abuse and neglect reported in this population, both primary and secondary prevention initiatives are needed to improve parenting strategies and to reduce alcohol-related harm. Similarly, strategies to reduce and delay alcohol use among these vulnerable children are also needed.
Worsening Inequalities in Child Injury Deaths in the WHO European Region
Authors: Sethi Dinesh , Aldridge Emogene , Rakovac Ivo , Makhija Akash
Published: September 2017

This article compares the mortality data for injuries in children aged 0–14 years in the World Health Organization WHO European region as estimated by the WHO Global Health Estimates for 2000 and 2015. While the region has seen a decline in child mortality due to injuries over the years, inequality persists between the low- and middle-income countries and high-income countries in the region. The gap in child mortality due to unintentional injuries has widened over the years between these two socioeconomic regions, particularly in terms of road injuries. In contrast, mortality rate ratios due to intentional injuries have narrowed between 2000 and 2015. The low- and middle-income countries need to scale up their efforts in injury prevention by adopting stricter regulations and higher safety practices to narrow the East-West gap in unintentional injuries.
Molecular Mechanisms and Pathways as Targets for Cancer Prevention and Progression with Dietary Compounds
Authors: Nosrati Nagisa , Bakovic Marica , Paliyath Gopinadhan
Published: September 2017

A unique feature of bioactive food ingredients is their broad antioxidant function. Antioxidants having a wide spectrum of chemical structure and activity beyond basic nutrition; display different health benefits by the prevention and progression of chronic diseases. Functional food components are capable of enhancing the natural antioxidant defense system by scavenging reactive oxygen and nitrogen species, protecting and repairing DNA damage, as well as modulating the signal transduction pathways and gene expression. Major pathways affected by bioactive food ingredients include the pro-inflammatory pathways regulated by nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB), as well as those associated with cytokines and chemokines. The present review summarizes the importance of plant bioactives and their roles in the regulation of inflammatory pathways. Bioactives influence several physiological processes such as gene expression, cell cycle regulation, cell proliferation, cell migration, etc., resulting in cancer prevention. Cancer initiation is associated with changes in metabolic pathways such as glucose metabolism, and the effect of bioactives in normalizing this process has been provided. Initiation and progression of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) which increase the chances of developing of colorectal cancers can be downregulated by plant bioactives. Several aspects of the potential roles of microRNAs and epigenetic modifications in the development of cancers have also been presented.
Neuron–Glia Crosstalk and Neuropathic Pain: Involvement in the Modulation of Motor Activity in the Orofacial Region
Authors: Hossain Mohammad , Unno Shumpei , Ando Hiroshi , Masuda Yuji , Kitagawa Junichi
Published: September 2017

Neuropathic orofacial pain (NOP) is a debilitating condition. Although the pathophysiology remains unclear, accumulating evidence suggests the involvement of multiple mechanisms in the development of neuropathic pain. Recently, glial cells have been shown to play a key pathogenetic role. Nerve injury leads to an immune response near the site of injury. Satellite glial cells are activated in the peripheral ganglia. Various neural and immune mediators, released at the central terminals of primary afferents, lead to the sensitization of postsynaptic neurons and the activation of glia. The activated glia, in turn, release pro-inflammatory factors, further sensitizing the neurons, and resulting in central sensitization. Recently, we observed the involvement of glia in the alteration of orofacial motor activity in NOP. Microglia and astroglia were activated in the trigeminal sensory and motor nuclei, in parallel with altered motor functions and a decreased pain threshold. A microglial blocker attenuated the reduction in pain threshold, reduced the number of activated microglia, and restored motor activity. We also found an involvement of the astroglial glutamate–glutamine shuttle in the trigeminal motor nucleus in the alteration of the jaw reflex. Neuron–glia crosstalk thus plays an important role in the development of pain and altered motor activity in NOP.
The Phosphoproteomic Response of Rice Seedlings to Cadmium Stress
Authors: Zhong Min , Li Sanfeng , Huang Fenglin , Qiu Jiehua , Zhang Jian , Sheng Zhonghua , Tang Shaoqing , Wei Xiangjin , Hu Peisong
Published: September 2017

The environmental damage caused by cadmium (Cd) pollution is of increasing concern in China. While the overall plant response to Cd has been investigated in some depth, the contribution (if any) of protein phosphorylation to the detoxification of Cd and the expression of tolerance is uncertain. Here, the molecular basis of the plant response has been explored in hydroponically raised rice seedlings exposed to 10 μΜ and 100 μΜ Cd2+ stress. An analysis of the seedlings’ quantitative phosphoproteome identified 2454 phosphosites, associated with 1244 proteins. A total of 482 of these proteins became differentially phosphorylated as a result of exposure to Cd stress; the number of proteins affected in this way was six times greater in the 100 μΜ Cd2+ treatment than in the 10 μΜ treatment. A functional analysis of the differentially phosphorylated proteins implied that a significant number was involved in signaling, in stress tolerance and in the neutralization of reactive oxygen species, while there was also a marked representation of transcription factors.
The Potential for Gut Organoid Derived Interstitial Cells of Cajal in Replacement Therapy
Authors: Zhou Jerry , O’Connor Michael , Ho Vincent
Published: September 2017

Effective digestion requires propagation of food along the entire length of the gastrointestinal tract. This process involves coordinated waves of peristalsis produced by enteric neural cell types, including different categories of interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC). Impaired food transport along the gastrointestinal tract, either too fast or too slow, causes a range of gut motility disorders that affect millions of people worldwide. Notably, loss of ICC has been shown to affect gut motility. Patients that suffer from gut motility disorders regularly experience diarrhoea and/or constipation, insomnia, anxiety, attention lapses, irritability, dizziness, and headaches that greatly affect both physical and mental health. Limited treatment options are available for these patients, due to the scarcity of human gut tissue for research and transplantation. Recent advances in stem cell technology suggest that large amounts of rudimentary, yet functional, human gut tissue can be generated in vitro for research applications. Intriguingly, these stem cell-derived gut organoids appear to contain functional ICC, although their frequency and functional properties are yet to be fully characterised. By reviewing methods of gut organoid generation, together with what is known of the molecular and functional characteristics of ICC, this article highlights short- and long-term goals that need to be overcome in order to develop ICC-based therapies for gut motility disorders.
Anatomy and Physiology of Knee Stability
Authors: Abulhasan Jawad , Grey Michael
Published: September 2017

Knee instability has been the focus of large number of studies over the last decade; however, a high incidence rate of injury still exists. The aim of this short report is to examine knee joint anatomy and physiology with respect to knee stability. Knee joint stability requires the integration of a complex set of anatomical structures and physiological mechanism. Compromising any of these structures leads to destabilisation and increased risk of injuries. This review highlights the structure and soft tissue of the knee that contribute to its stability and function. This introduction is part of the Journal of Functional Morphology and Kinesiology’s Special Issue “The Knee: Structure, Function and Rehabilitation”.
Fungal Strategies to Evade the Host Immune Recognition
Authors: Hernández-Chávez Marco , Pérez-García Luis , Niño-Vega Gustavo , Mora-Montes Héctor
Published: September 2017

The recognition of fungal cells by the host immune system is key during the establishment of a protective anti-fungal response. Even though the immune system has evolved a vast number of processes to control these organisms, they have developed strategies to fight back, avoiding the proper recognition by immune components and thus interfering with the host protective mechanisms. Therefore, the strategies to evade the immune system are as important as the virulence factors and attributes that damage the host tissues and cells. Here, we performed a thorough revision of the main fungal tactics to escape from the host immunosurveillance processes. These include the composition and organization of the cell wall, the fungal capsule, the formation of titan cells, biofilms, and asteroid bodies; the ability to undergo dimorphism; and the escape from nutritional immunity, extracellular traps, phagocytosis, and the action of humoral immune effectors.
Energy Efficient Hardware and Improved Cluster-Tree Topology for Lifetime Prolongation in ZigBee Sensor Networks
Authors: Ouadou Mourad , Zytoune Ouadoudi , El Hillali Yassin , Menhaj-Rivenq Atika , Aboutajdine Driss
Published: September 2017

In wireless sensor networks, building energy-efficient systems is one of the major challenges. In such networks, nodes are usually supplied by low power and small batteries. Many factors are involved in the energy consumption, and this issue may be considered as a cross-layer problem, from the hardware architecture to the application layer. This paper aims at presenting a hybrid solution for sensor networks based on two main aspects. The first one is the hardware architecture, where we present a prototype of a sensor node we designed. This node proved its efficiency in terms of energy consumption. The second aspect is related to the topology construction and presents a new topology control algorithm based on graph computing. Thus, our system consists of a real indoor application for temperature and humidity monitoring, applicable to home automation or industrial monitoring. We performed the experiments using a set of sensor nodes deployed over a building and proved the efficiency of the system in terms of energy consumption, network lifetime and data delivery.
New 1-(ethyl-ethanoate-yl)-5,5’-diisopropyl-3,3’-bipyrazole
Authors: Bouabdallah Ibrahim , Zidane Ismail , Touzani Rachid , Ramdani Abdelkrim , Jalbout Abraham F. , Trzaskowski B.
Published: September 2017

To a solution of 5,5’-diisopropyl-3,3’-bipyrazole 1 [1] (218 mg, 1 mmol) in DMSO (1 ml) was added solid potassium tert-butoxide (112 mg, 1 mmol) followed by addition of ethyle chloroacetate (123 mg, 1 mmol) in DMSO (1 ml) through a syringe[...]
A Simulation of Low and High Cycle Fatigue Failure Effects for Metal Matrix Composites Based on Innovative J2-Flow Elastoplasticity Model
Authors: Wang Zhaoling , Xiao Heng
Published: September 2017

New elastoplastic J 2 -flow constitutive equations at finite deformations are proposed for the purpose of simulating the fatigue failure behavior for metal matrix composites. A new, direct approach is established in a two-fold sense of unification. Namely, both low and high cycle fatigue failure effects of metal matrix composites may be simultaneously simulated for various cases of the weight percentage of reinforcing particles. Novel results are presented in four respects. First, both the yield condition and the loading–unloading conditions in a usual sense need not be involved but may be automatically incorporated into inherent features of the proposed constitutive equations; second, low-to-high cycle fatigue failure effects may be directly represented by a simple condition for asymptotic loss of the material strength, without involving any additional damage-like variables; third, both high and low cycle fatigue failure effects need not be separately treated but may be automatically derived as model predictions with a unified criterion for critical failure states, without assuming any ad hoc failure criteria; and, finally, explicit expressions for each incorporated model parameter changing with the weight percentage of reinforcing particles may be obtainable directly from appropriate test data. Numerical examples are presented for medium-to-high cycle fatigue failure effects and for complicated duplex effects from low to high cycle fatigue failure effects. Simulation results are in good agreement with experimental data.
Toughening of Epoxy Adhesives by Combined Interaction of Carbon Nanotubes and Silsesquioxanes
Authors: Barra Giuseppina , Vertuccio Luigi , Vietri Umberto , Naddeo Carlo , Hadavinia Homayoun , Guadagno Liberata
Published: September 2017

The extensive use of adhesives in many structural applications in the transport industry and particularly in the aeronautic field is due to numerous advantages of bonded joints. However, still many researchers are working to enhance the mechanical properties and rheological performance of adhesives by using nanoadditives. In this study the effect of the addition of Multi-Wall Carbon Nanotubes (MWCNTs) with Polyhedral Oligomeric Silsesquioxane (POSS) compounds, either Glycidyl Oligomeric Silsesquioxanes (GPOSS) or DodecaPhenyl Oligomeric Silsesquioxanes (DPHPOSS) to Tetraglycidyl Methylene Dianiline (TGMDA) epoxy formulation, was investigated. The formulations contain neither a tougher matrix such as elastomers nor other additives typically used to provide a closer match in the coefficient of thermal expansion in order to discriminate only the effect of the addition of the above-mentioned components. Bonded aluminium single lap joints were made using both untreated and Chromic Acid Anodisation (CAA)-treated aluminium alloy T2024 adherends. The effects of the different chemical functionalities of POSS compounds, as well as the synergistic effect between the MWCNT and POSS combination on adhesion strength, were evaluated by viscosity measurement, tensile tests, Dynamic Mechanical Analysis (DMA), single lap joint shear strength tests, and morphological investigation. The best performance in the Lap Shear Strength (LSS) of the manufactured joints has been found for treated adherends bonded with epoxy adhesive containing MWCNTs and GPOSS. Carbon nanotubes have been found to play a very effective bridging function across the fracture surface of the bonded joints.
Brown Algae Padina sanctae-crucis Børgesen: A Potential Nutraceutical
Authors: Nogueira Raquel , Tomaz Anna , Pessoa Déborah , Xavier Aline , Pita João , Sobral Marianna , Pontes Marcela , Pessôa Hilzeth , Diniz Margareth , Miranda George , Vieira Maria , Marques Marcia , Souza Maria , Cunha Emídio
Published: September 2017

Padina sanctae-crucis Børgesen is distributed worldwide in tropical and subtropical seas; belongs to the Dictyotaceae family, and has proven to be an exceptional source of biologically active compounds. Four compounds were isolated and identified, namely: dolastane diterpene new for the genus Padina; phaeophytin and hidroxy-phaeophytin new for the family Dictyotaceae, and; mannitol first described in this species. Saturated fatty acids as compared to the percentages of unsaturated fatty acids were shown to be present in greater abundance. Palmitic and linolenic acid were the main saturated and unsaturated acids, respectively. Cytotoxic and antioxidant activities were evaluated using human erythrocytes. In vivo evaluations of acute toxicity and genotoxicity were performed in mice. Methanolic extract of P. sanctae-crucis presented antioxidant activity and did not induce cytotoxicity, genotoxicity or acute toxicity. Since Padina sanctae-crucis is already used as food, has essential fatty acids for the nutrition of mammals, does not present toxicity and has antioxidant activity, it can be considered as a potential nutraceutical.
Hypopigmenting Effects of Brown Algae-Derived Phytochemicals: A Review on Molecular Mechanisms
Authors: Azam Mohammed , Choi Jinkyung , Lee Min-Sup , Kim Hyeung-Rak
Published: September 2017

There is a rapid increase in the demand for natural hypopigmenting agents from marine sources for cosmeceutical and pharmaceutical applications. Currently, marine macroalgae are considered as a safe and effective source of diverse bioactive compounds. Many research groups are exploring marine macroalgae to discover and characterize novel compounds for cosmeceutical, nutraceutical, and pharmaceutical applications. Many types of bioactive secondary metabolites from marine algae, including phlorotannins, sulfated polysaccharides, carotenoids, and meroterpenoids, have already been documented for their potential applications in the pharmaceutical industry. Among these metabolites, phlorotannins from brown algae have been widely screened for their pharmaceutical and hypopigmenting effects. Unfortunately, the majority of these articles did not have detailed investigations on molecular targets, which is critical to fulfilling the criteria for their cosmeceutical and pharmaceutical use. Very recently, a few meroterpenoids have been discovered from Sargassum sp., with the examination of their anti-melanogenic properties and mechanisms. Despite the scarcity of in vivo and clinical investigations of molecular mechanistic events of marine algae-derived hypopigmenting agents, identifying the therapeutic targets and their validation in humans has been a major challenge for future studies. In this review, we focused on available data representing molecular mechanisms underlying hypopigmenting properties of potential marine brown alga-derived compounds.
Chemical Composition, Enantiomeric Distribution, and Antifungal Activity of the Oleoresin Essential Oil of Protium amazonicum from Ecuador
Authors: Satyal Prabodh , Powers Chelsea , Parducci V. Rafael , McFeeters Robert , Setzer William
Published: September 2017

Background: Protium species (Burseraceae) have been used in the treatment of various diseases and conditions such as ulcers and wounds. Methods: The essential oil from the oleoresin of Protium amazonicum was obtained by hydrodistillation and analyzed by GC-MS, GC-FID, and chiral GC-MS. P. amazonicum oleoresin oil was screened for antifungal activity against Candida albicans, Aspergillus niger, and Cryptococcus neoformans. Results: A total of 54 components representing 99.6% of the composition were identified in the oil. The essential oil was dominated by δ-3-carene (47.9%) with lesser quantities of other monoterpenoids α-pinene (4.0%), p-cymene (4.1%), limonene (5.1%), α-terpineol (5.5%) and p-cymen-8-ol (4.8%). Chiral GC-MS revealed most of the monoterpenoids to have a majority of levo enantiomers present with the exceptions of limonene and α-terpineol, which showed a dextro majority. P. amazonicum oleoresin oil showed promising activity against Cryptococcus neoformans, with MIC = 156 μg/mL. Conclusions: This account is the first reporting of both the chemical composition and enantiomeric distribution of the oleoresin essential oil of P. amazonicum from Ecuador. The oil was dominated by (−)-δ-3-carene, and this compound, along with other monoterpenoids, likely accounts for the observed antifungal activity of the oil.
Healthcare Cost and Utilization before and after Diagnosis of Pseudomonas aeruginosa among Patients with Non-Cystic Fibrosis Bronchiectasis in the U.S.
Authors: Blanchette Christopher , Noone Joshua , Stone Glenda , Zacherle Emily , Patel Ripsi , Howden Reuben , Mapel Douglas
Published: September 2017

Non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis (NCFBE) is a rare, chronic lung disease characterized by bronchial inflammation and permanent airway dilation. Chronic infections with P. aeruginosa have been linked to higher morbidity and mortality. To understand the impact of P. aeruginosa in NCFBE on health care costs and burden, we assessed healthcare costs and utilization before and after P. aeruginosa diagnosis. Using data from 2007 to 2013 PharMetrics Plus administrative claims, we included patients with ≥2 claims for bronchiectasis and >1 claim for P. aeruginosa; then excluded those with a claim for cystic fibrosis. Patients were indexed at first claim for P. aeruginosa and were required to have >12 months before and after the index P. aeruginosa. The mean differences in utilization and costs were assessed using paired Student’s t-tests for statistical significance. Mean total healthcare costs per patient were $36,213 pre-P. aeruginosa diagnosis versus $67,764 post-P. aeruginosa, an increase of 87% (p < 0.0001). Inpatient costs represented the largest proportion of total healthcare costs post-P. aeruginosa (54%) with an increase of four hospitalizations per patient (p < 0.0001). NCFBE patients with evidence of P. aeruginosa incur substantially greater healthcare costs and utilization after P. aeruginosa diagnosis. Future research should explore methods of earlier identification of NCFBE patients with P. aeruginosa, as this may lead to fewer severe exacerbations, thereby resulting in a reduction in hospitalizations and healthcare costs.
Environmental Compatibility of Lightweight Aggregates from Mine Tailings and Industrial Byproducts
Authors: Ju Won , Shin Doyun , Park Hyunsik , Nam Kyoungphile
Published: September 2017

A lightweight aggregate was produced by sintering the mixture of gold mine tailings, red mud, and limestone at 1150 °C. The physical (i.e., skid resistance, abrasion resistance, and bond strength) and environmental (i.e., leachability) feasibility of this aggregate was assessed to consider its potential use as a construction material for bicycle lanes. The skid resistance (British pendulum number of 71) and bond strength (1.5 N·mm−2) of the aggregate were found to be appropriate for this use. However, the abrasion loss value of the aggregate was found to be 290 mg, which exceeds the limit of Korean Standard KS F 281 (200 mg). Heavy metals were found to not leach from the aggregate in various leaching tests. These include Korean (Korea Standard Method for Solid Waste), American (Toxic Characteristic Leaching Procedure (TCLP), Synthetic Precipitation Leaching Procedure (SPLP)), and European (BS EN 12457-1) leaching tests, despite the raw materials containing significant amounts of Pb, As, and F. However, leachate extracted from the aggregate exhibited an aquatic toxicity to Daphnia magna of 13.94 TU24hr and 14.25 TU48hr, most likely due to a high pH and Ca concentration originating from the free CaO present in the aggregate. The data suggests that the physical properties of the reconstructed aggregate are appropriate for use in bicycle lane construction, however the dissolution of Ca and the pH level of the leachate need to be controlled to protect aquatic ecosystems.
Fatigue Damage
Authors: Berto Filippo
Published: September 2017

Prevention of unexpected failures is a fundamental design objective in any engineering structure or system subjected to fatigue.[...]
EyeAR: Refocusable Augmented Reality Content through Eye Measurements
Authors: Rompapas Damien , Rovira Aitor , Plopski Alexander , Sandor Christian , Taketomi Takafumi , Yamamoto Goshiro , Kato Hirokazu , Ikeda Sei
Published: September 2017

Augmented Reality (AR) superimposes computer graphics (CG) onto a user’s view of the real world. A key quality problem in this field is to achieve coherence between reality and CG when the user’s eyes refocus or change pupil size. We designed and evaluated a display that improves coherence by measuring the user’s eye state and continuously adapting CG accordingly. Our tabletop prototype emulates an Optical See-Through Head-Mounted Display, a common AR display device. In our evaluation, participants observed three pillars at different depths. We then challenged them to identify a virtual pillar among the three while freely refocusing their eyes. Results show that our design significantly improved realism. Compared to Light Field Displays, our design aims to simplify display-optics while providing similar quality. We could only partially achieve this goal. We discuss the lessons we learned and how we plan to overcome the remaining challenges. The experimental protocol from our evaluation is useful for display developers as it can be used to measure the coherence of a display.
Tuning the Electronic Conductivity in Hydrothermally Grown Rutile TiO2 Nanowires: Effect of Heat Treatment in Different Environments
Authors: Folger Alena , Kalb Julian , Schmidt-Mende Lukas , Scheu Christina
Published: September 2017

Hydrothermally grown rutile TiO2 nanowires are intrinsically full of lattice defects, especially oxygen vacancies. These vacancies have a significant influence on the structural and electronic properties of the nanowires. In this study, we report a post-growth heat treatment in different environments that allows control of the distribution of these defects inside the nanowire, and thus gives direct access to tuning of the properties of rutile TiO2 nanowires. A detailed transmission electron microscopy study is used to analyze the structural changes inside the nanowires which are correlated to the measured optical and electrical properties. The highly defective as-grown nanowire arrays have a white appearance and show typical semiconducting properties with n-type conductivity, which is related to the high density of oxygen vacancies. Heat treatment in air atmosphere leads to a vacancy condensation and results in nanowires which possess insulating properties, whereas heat treatment in N2 atmosphere leads to nanowire arrays that appear black and show almost metal-like conductivity. We link this high conductivity to a TiO2−x shell which forms during the annealing process due to the slightly reducing N2 environment.
Structural Distortion in MnO2 Nanosheets and Its Suppression by Cobalt Substitution
Authors: Suzuki Shinya , Miyayama Masaru
Published: September 2017

Co–Mn oxide nanosheets with the chemical composition H0.23Co0.23Mn0.77O2 (C23M77NS) and MnO2 nanosheets (M100NS) were prepared by exfoliation of layer-structured oxides via chemical processing in an aqueous medium. The optical properties of C23M77NS and M100NS were compared using UV-Vis spectroscopy, and the valence states of Mn and Co and local structures around them were examined using X-ray absorption spectroscopy. M100NS with an average Mn valence of 3.6 exhibits large structural distortion, whereas C23M77NS with an average Mn valence of 4.0 does not exhibit structural distortion. Spontaneous oxidization of Mn occurs during ion-exchange and/or exfoliation into nanosheets. These results have originated the hypothesis that structural distortion determines the valence state of Mn in compounds with CdI2-type-structured MnO2 layers.
Relative Validity and Reproducibility of a Food Frequency Questionnaire for Assessing Dietary Intakes in a Multi-Ethnic Asian Population Using 24-h Dietary Recalls and Biomarkers
Authors: Whitton Clare , Ho Jolene , Tay Zoey , Rebello Salome , Lu Yonghai , Ong Choon , Van Dam Rob
Published: September 2017

The assessment of diets in multi-ethnic cosmopolitan settings is challenging. A semi-quantitative 163-item food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) was developed for the adult Singapore population, and this study aimed to assess its reproducibility and relative validity against 24-h dietary recalls (24 h DR) and biomarkers. The FFQ was administered twice within a six-month interval in 161 adults (59 Chinese, 46 Malay, and 56 Indian). Fasting plasma, overnight urine, and 24 h DR were collected after one month and five months. Intra-class correlation coefficients between the two FFQ were above 0.70 for most foods and nutrients. The median correlation coefficient between energy-adjusted deattenuated FFQ and 24 h DR nutrient intakes was 0.40 for FFQ1 and 0.39 for FFQ2, highest for calcium and iron, and lowest for energy and carbohydrates. Significant associations were observed between urinary isoflavones and soy protein intake (r = 0.46), serum carotenoids and fruit and vegetable intake (r = 0.34), plasma eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid (EPA + DHA) and fish/seafood intake (r = 0.36), and plasma odd chain saturated fatty acids (SFA) and dairy fat intake (r = 0.25). Associations between plasma EPA + DHA and fish/seafood intake were consistent across ethnic groups (r = 0.28–0.49), while differences were observed for other associations. FFQ assessment of dietary intakes in modern cosmopolitan populations remains feasible for the purpose of ranking individuals’ dietary exposures in epidemiological studies.
Isocaloric Dietary Changes and Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in High Cardiometabolic Risk Individuals
Authors: Della Pepa Giuseppe , Vetrani Claudia , Lombardi Gianluca , Bozzetto Lutgarda , Annuzzi Giovanni , Rivellese Angela
Published: September 2017

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) incorporates an extensive spectrum of histologic liver abnormalities, varying from simple triglyceride accumulation in hepatocytes non-alcoholic fatty liver (NAFL) to non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), and it is the most frequent chronic liver disease in the industrialized world. Beyond liver related complications such as cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma, NAFLD is also an emerging risk factor for type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Currently, lifestyle intervention including strategies to reduce body weight and to increase regular physical activity represents the mainstay of NAFLD management. Total caloric intake plays a very important role in both the development and the treatment of NAFLD; however, apart from the caloric restriction alone, modifying the quality of the diet and modulating either the macro- or micronutrient composition can also markedly affect the clinical evolution of NAFLD, offering a more realistic and feasible treatment alternative. The aim of the present review is to summarize currently available evidence from randomized controlled trials on the effects of different nutrients including carbohydrates, lipids, protein and other dietary components, in isocaloric conditions, on NAFLD in people at high cardiometabolic risk. We also describe the plausible mechanisms by which different dietary components could modulate liver fat content.
Effects of Lateral and Terminal Chains of X-Shaped Bolapolyphiles with Oligo(phenylene ethynylene) Cores on Self-Assembly Behaviour. Part 1: Transition between Amphiphilic and Polyphilic Self-Assembly in the Bulk
Authors: Poppe Silvio , Poppe Marco , Ebert Helgard , Prehm Marko , Chen Changlong , Liu Feng , Werner Stefan , Bacia Kirsten , Tschierske Carsten
Published: September 2017

Polyphilic self-assembly leads to compartmentalization of space and development of complex structures in soft matter on different length scales, reaching from the morphologies of block copolymers to the liquid crystalline (LC) phases of small molecules. Whereas block copolymers are known to form membranes and interact with phospholipid bilayers, liquid crystals have been less investigated in this respect. Here, series of bolapolyphilic X-shaped molecules were synthesized and investigated with respect to the effect of molecular structural parameters on the formation of LC phases (part 1), and on domain formation in phospholipid bilayer membranes (part 2). The investigated bolapolyphiles are based on a rod-like π-conjugated oligo(phenylene ethynylene) (OPE) core with two glycerol groups being either directly attached or separated by additional ethylene oxide (EO) units to both ends. The X-shape is provided by two lateral alkyl chains attached at opposite sides of the OPE core, being either linear, branched, or semiperfluorinated. In this report, the focus is on the transition from polyphilic (triphilic or tetraphilic) to binary amphiphilic self-assembly. Polyphilic self-assembly, i.e., segregation of all three or four incorporated units into separate nano-compartments, leads to the formation of hexagonal columnar LC phases, representing triangular honeycombs. A continuous transition from the well-defined triangular honeycomb structures to simple hexagonal columnar phases, dominated by the arrangement of polar columns on a hexagonal lattice in a mixed continuum formed by the lipophilic chains and the OPE rods, i.e., to amphiphilic self-assembly, was observed by reducing the length and volume of the lateral alkyl chains. A similar transition was found upon increasing the length of the EO units involved in the polar groups. If the lateral alkyl chains are enlarged or replaced by semiperfluorinated chains, then the segregation of lateral chains and rod-like cores is retained, even for enlarged polar groups, i.e., the transition from polyphilic to amphiphilic self-assembly is suppressed.
Modeling Microbial Communities: A Call for Collaboration between Experimentalists and Theorists
Authors: Zaccaria Marco , Dedrick Sandra , Momeni Babak
Published: September 2017

With our growing understanding of the impact of microbial communities, understanding how such communities function has become a priority. The influence of microbial communities is widespread. Human-associated microbiota impacts health, environmental microbes determine ecosystem sustainability, and microbe-driven industrial processes are expanding. This broad range of applications has led to a wide range of approaches to analyze and describe microbial communities. In particular, theoretical work based on mathematical modeling has been a steady source of inspiration for explaining and predicting microbial community processes. Here, we survey some of the modeling approaches used in different contexts. We promote classifying different approaches using a unified platform, and encourage cataloging the findings in a database. We believe that the synergy emerging from a coherent collection facilitates a better understanding of important processes that determine microbial community functions. We emphasize the importance of close collaboration between theoreticians and experimentalists in formulating, classifying, and improving models of microbial communities.
“My Conscience is Clear” (1 Cor 4:4). The Potential Relevance of Paul’s Understanding of Conscience for Today’s Fundamental Moral Theology
Authors: Machinek Marian
Published: September 2017

The objective of this paper is to examine the Pauline understanding of conscience, with the view of gaining an inspiration from it for the contemporary discussion on the foundations of the Christian ethics. The meaning Paul attaches to it depends on the context (mainly in Rom and 1 and 2 Cor), ranging from the personal to the communal one. Conscience holds the secrets of human hearts, evaluates concrete circumstances, and discerns right from wrong. It enjoys special relationship with the Holy Spirit, who gives it credibility. Paul’s teaching on conscience extends beyond the personal to the communal. One of the most important inspirations we can draw from him is the one concerning the proper relationship between various members of the ecclesia: those appointed to hold authority, and those supposed to submit to it. How should we balance the communal demands and personal freedom of every baptized member of the community? What is common and what is personal? Despite a multitude of cultural differences and real-life problems in the world of Saint Paul and our own, a careful lecture of his writings may stimulate our debates on the foundations of Christian ethics in a positive way and ensure that they do remain the theological ones.
Mapping and Attributing Normalized Difference Vegetation Index Trends for Nepal
Authors: Krakauer Nir , Lakhankar Tarendra , Anadón José
Published: September 2017

Global change affects vegetation cover and processes through multiple pathways. Long time series of surface land surface properties derived from satellite remote sensing give unique abilities to observe these changes, particularly in areas with complex topography and limited research infrastructure. Here, we focus on Nepal, a biodiversity hotspot where vegetation productivity is limited by moisture availability (dominated by a summer monsoon) at lower elevations and by temperature at high elevations. We analyze the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) from 1981 to 2015 semimonthly, at an 8 km spatial resolution. We use a random forest (RF) of regression trees to generate a statistical model of the NDVI as a function of elevation, land use, CO 2 level, temperature, and precipitation. We find that the NDVI increased over the studied period, particularly at low and middle elevations and during the fall (post-monsoon). We infer from the fitted RF model that the NDVI linear trend is primarily due to CO 2 level (or another environmental parameter that is changing quasi-linearly), and not primarily due to temperature or precipitation trends. On the other hand, interannual fluctuation in the NDVI is more correlated with temperature and precipitation. The RF accurately fits the available data and shows promise for estimating trends and testing hypotheses about their causes.
Assimilation of Typhoon Wind Field Retrieved from Scatterometer and SAR Based on the Huber Norm Quality Control
Authors: Duan Boheng , Zhang Weimin , Yang Xiaofeng , Dai Haijin , Yu Yi
Published: September 2017

Observations of sea surface wind field are critical for typhoon prediction. The scatterometer observation is one of the most important sources of sea surface winds, which provides both wind speed and wind direction information. However, the spatial resolution of scatterometer wind is low. Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) can provide a more detailed wind structure of the tropical cyclone. In addition, the cross-polarization observation of SAR can provide more detailed information of high speed wind (>25 m·s − 1 ) than the scatterometer. Nevertheless, due to the narrow swath of SAR, the number of retrieved sea surface wind data used in the data assimilation is limited, and another limitation of SAR wind observation is that it does not provide true wind direction information. In this paper, the joint assimilation of the Advanced Scatterometer (ASCAT) wind and Sentinel-1 SAR wind was investigated. Another limitation in the current operational typhoon prediction is the inefficient quality control (QC) method used in the data assimilation since a large number of high speed wind observations was rejected by the traditional Gaussian distribution QC. We introduce the Huber norm distribution quality control (QC) into the data assimilation successfully. A numerical simulation experiment of typhoon by Lionrock (2016) is conducted to test the proposed method. The experimental results showed that the new quality control scheme not only greatly increases the availability of wind data in the area of the typhoon center, but also improves the typhoon track prediction, as well as the intensity prediction. The joint assimilation of scatterometer and SAR winds does have a positive impact on the typhoon prediction.
A Rigorously-Weighted Spatiotemporal Fusion Model with Uncertainty Analysis
Authors: Wang Jing , Huang Bo
Published: September 2017

Interest has been growing with regard to the use of remote sensing data characterized by a fine spatial resolution and frequent coverage for the monitoring of land surface dynamics. However, current satellite sensors are fundamentally limited by a trade-off between their spatial and temporal resolutions. Spatiotemporal fusion thus provides a feasible solution to overcome this limitation, and many blending algorithms have been developed. Among them, the popular spatial and temporal adaptive reflectance fusion model (STARFM) is based on a weighted function; however, it uses an ad hoc approach to estimate the weights of surrounding similar pixels. Additionally, an uncertainty analysis of the predicted result is not provided in the STARFM or any other fusion algorithm. This paper proposes a rigorously-weighted spatiotemporal fusion model (RWSTFM) based on geostatistics to blend the surface reflectances of Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) and Landsat-5 Thematic Mapper (TM) imagery. The RWSTFM, which is based on ordinary kriging, derives the weights in terms of a fitted semivariance-distance relationship and calculates the estimation variance, which is a measure of the prediction uncertainty. The RWSTFM was tested using three datasets and compared with two commonly-used spatiotemporal reflectance fusion algorithms: the STARFM and the flexible spatiotemporal data fusion (FSDAF) method. The fusion results show that the proposed RWSTFM consistently outperformed the other algorithms both visually and quantitatively. Additionally, more than 70% of the squared error was accounted for by the estimation variance of the RWSTFM for all three of the datasets.
Sensitivity of Common Vegetation Indices to the Canopy Structure of Field Crops
Authors: Zou Xiaochen , Mõttus Matti
Published: September 2017

Leaf inclination angle distribution is an important canopy structure characteristic which directly impacts the fraction of the intercepted solar radiation. Together with the leaf area index (LAI) it determines the structure and fractional cover of a homogeneous crop canopy. Unfortunately, this key canopy parameter has usually been ignored when applying common multispectral vegetation indices to the mapping of LAI, although its impact is known from model simulations. Therefore, we measured leaf angles and determined their distribution (quantified using the leaf mean tilt angle, MTA) for six crop species with different structures growing on 162 plots with a broad range of LAI (1.1–5.0) and leaf chlorophyll content (26–94 μg cm−2). Next, we calculated six vegetation indices widely used for LAI monitoring—the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), the enhanced vegetation index (EVI), the two band enhanced vegetation index (EVI2), the modified triangular vegetation index (MTVI2), the optimized soil adjusted vegetation index (OSAVI) and the wide dynamic range vegetation index (WDRVI)—from airborne imaging spectroscopy data. We calculated the Spearman’s correlation coefficient R s , a non-parametric statistic chosen because of the non-normal distribution of canopy parameters. All studied indices depended on the LAI ( 0.50 ≤ R s ≤ 0.71 ) , but the dependence on the MTA was of similar magnitude ( − 0.83 ≤ R s ≤ − 0.53 ) with EVI, EVI2, OSAVI and MTVI2 depending more strongly on MTA than on LAI. All studied indices were good proxies ( 0.78 ≤ R s ≤ 0.88 ) for vegetation fractional cover (Fcover) which, for homogeneous crop canopies, is a nonlinear function of LAI and MTA. EVI2 and MTVI2 were the most strongly correlated with Fcover, although the difference to the other studied indices was small. This first study involving a large range of crop structures confirms the results from canopy reflectance simulations and emphasizes the necessity of leaf angle information for the successful mapping of LAI with Earth observation data.
Uncooled Thermal Camera Calibration and Optimization of the Photogrammetry Process for UAV Applications in Agriculture
Authors: Ribeiro-Gomes Krishna , Hernández-López David , Ortega José , Ballesteros Rocío , Poblete Tomás , Moreno Miguel
Published: September 2017

The acquisition, processing, and interpretation of thermal images from unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) is becoming a useful source of information for agronomic applications because of the higher temporal and spatial resolution of these products compared with those obtained from satellites. However, due to the low load capacity of the UAV they need to mount light, uncooled thermal cameras, where the microbolometer is not stabilized to a constant temperature. This makes the camera precision low for many applications. Additionally, the low contrast of the thermal images makes the photogrammetry process inaccurate, which result in large errors in the generation of orthoimages. In this research, we propose the use of new calibration algorithms, based on neural networks, which consider the sensor temperature and the digital response of the microbolometer as input data. In addition, we evaluate the use of the Wallis filter for improving the quality of the photogrammetry process using structure from motion software. With the proposed calibration algorithm, the measurement accuracy increased from 3.55 °C with the original camera configuration to 1.37 °C. The implementation of the Wallis filter increases the number of tie-point from 58,000 to 110,000 and decreases the total positing error from 7.1 m to 1.3 m.
A Compact Multiple Notched Ultra-Wide Band Antenna with an Analysis of the CSRR-TO-CSRR Coupling for Portable UWB Applications
Authors: Rahman MuhibUr , Ko Dong-Sik , Park Jung-Dong
Published: September 2017

We present a compact ultra-wideband (UWB) antenna integrated with sharp notches with a detailed analysis of the mutual coupling of the multiple notch resonators. By utilizing complementary split ring resonators (CSRR) on the radiating semi-circular patch, we achieve the sharp notch-filtering of various bands within the UWB band without increasing the antenna size. The notched frequency bands include WiMAX, INSAT, and lower and upper WLAN. In order to estimate the frequency shifts of the notch due to the coupling of the nearby CSRRs, an analysis of the coupling among the multiple notch resonators is carried out and we construct the lumped-circuit equivalent model. The time domain analysis of the proposed antenna is performed to show its validity on the UWB application. The measured frequency response of the input port corresponds quite well with the calculations and simulations. The radiation pattern of the implemented quad-notched UWB antenna is nearly omnidirectional in the passband.