bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
An Evaluation of the Collagen Fragments Related to Fibrogenesis and Fibrolysis in Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis
Authors: Luo Yi , Oseini Abdul , Gagnon Robert , Charles Edgar D. , Sidik Kurex , Vincent Robert , Collen Rebeca , Idowu Michael , Contos Melissa J. , Mirshahi Faridoddin , Daita Kalyani , Asgharpour Amon , Siddiqui Mohammed S. , Jarai Gabor , Rosen Glenn , Christian Rose , Sanyal Arun J.
Published: August 2018

Fibrosis, resulted from the imbalance of fibrogenesis and fibrolysis, is a key readout of disease progression in nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and reflects mortality risk. Non-invasive biomarkers capable of diagnosing fibrosis stages and monitoring fibrosis changes in NASH patients are urgently needed. This study is to evaluate collagen formation and degradation biomarkers, reflective of fibrogenesis or fibrolysis, in patients with biopsy proven NASH. Collagen formation biomarker PRO-C3 and PRO-C6 levels were significantly higher in patients with advanced fibrosis stage 3–4 than those with fibrosis stage 0–2. Elevated PRO-C3 levels were also associated with severe lobular inflammation and ballooning, but not with steatosis. Multivariate logistic regression analysis identified PRO-C3 and PRO-C6 to be independently related to fibrosis stage. PRO-C3 showed similar performance to identify patients with advanced fibrosis in discovery and validation cohorts. Furthermore, in a longitudinal study cohort with paired biopsies, mean PRO-C3 increased with worsening of fibrosis and decreased with fibrosis improvement. The results suggest that PRO-C3 may be a potentially useful biomarker in identifying patients with advanced fibrosis and active fibrogenesis, as well as in assessing changes in fibrosis over time. It is worthy of further evaluation to confirm its diagnostic value and clinical utility.
A 2′FY-RNA Motif Defines an Aptamer for Ebolavirus Secreted Protein
Authors: Shubham Shambhavi , Hoinka Jan , Banerjee Soma , Swanson Emma , Dillard Jacob A. , Lennemann Nicholas J. , Przytycka Teresa M. , Maury Wendy , Nilsen-Hamilton Marit
Published: August 2018

With properties such as stability to long-term storage and amenability to repetitive use, nucleic acid aptamers are compatible with many sensing/transducing platforms intended for use in remote locations. Sensors with these properties are important for quickly identifying ebolavirus outbreaks, which frequently start in locations that lack sophisticated equipment. Soluble glycoprotein (sGP), an excellent biomarker for ebolaviruses, is produced from the same gene as the ebolavirus glycoprotein GP1,2 that decorates the surface of the viral particle and is secreted in abundance into the blood stream even during the early stages of infection. Here, we report the selection and properties of a 2′fluoro pyrimidine (2′FY)-modified RNA aptamer, 39SGP1A, that specifically binds sGP. We demonstrate by computational and biochemical analysis that the recognition motif of 39SGP1A is a novel polypyrimidine-rich sequence. Replacement of -F by -OH in the 2′ position of the ribose resulted in complete loss of affinity for sGP. The protein motif to which the aptamer binds requires an intact sGP dimer and binds to an epitope conserved between Ebola virus (EBOV) and Sudan virus (SUDV) sGP, the most divergent Ebolavirus species. This identifies 39SGP1A as an excellent option for integration on a sensor platform to detect ebolavirus infections.
Genome-wide Association Analysis of Eye Movement Dysfunction in Schizophrenia
Authors: Kikuchi Masataka , Miura Kenichiro , Morita Kentaro , Yamamori Hidenaga , Fujimoto Michiko , Ikeda Masashi , Yasuda Yuka , Nakaya Akihiro , Hashimoto Ryota
Published: August 2018

Eye movements are considered endophenotypes of schizophrenia. However, the genetic factors underlying eye movement are largely unknown. In this study, we explored the susceptibility loci for four eye movement scores: the scanpath length during the free viewing test (SPL), the horizontal position gain during the fast Lissajous paradigm of the smooth pursuit test (HPG), the duration of fixations during the far distractor paradigm of the fixation stability test (DF) and the integrated eye movement score of those three scores (EMS). We found 16 SNPs relevant to the HPG that were located in 3 genomic regions (1q21.3, 7p12.1 and 20q13.12) in the patient group; however, these SNPs were intronic or intergenic SNPs. To determine whether these SNPs occur in functional non-coding regions (i.e., enhancer or promoter regions), we examined the chromatin status on the basis of publicly available epigenomic data from 127 tissues or cell lines. This analysis suggested that the SNPs on 1q21.3 and 20q13.12 are in enhancer or promoter regions. Moreover, we performed an analysis of expression quantitative trait loci (eQTL) in human brain tissues using a public database. Finally, we identified significant eQTL effects for all of the SNPs at 1q21.3 and 20q13.12 in particular brain regions.
Zero-shot fMRI decoding with three-dimensional registration based on diffusion tensor imaging
Authors: Fuchigami Takuya , Shikauchi Yumi , Nakae Ken , Shikauchi Manabu , Ogawa Takeshi , Ishii Shin
Published: August 2018

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) acquisitions include a great deal of individual variability. This individuality often generates obstacles to the efficient use of databanks from multiple subjects. Although recent studies have suggested that inter-regional connectivity reflects individuality, conventional three-dimensional (3D) registration methods that calibrate inter-subject variability are based on anatomical information about the gray matter shape (e.g., T1-weighted). Here, we present a new registration method focusing more on the white matter structure, which is directly related to the connectivity in the brain, and apply it to subject-transfer brain decoding. Our registration method based on diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) transferred functional maps of each individual to a common anatomical space, where a decoding analysis of multi-voxel patterns was performed. The decoder trained on functional maps from other individuals in the common space showed a transfer decoding accuracy comparable to that of an individual decoder trained on single-subject functional maps. The DTI-based registration allowed more precise transformation of gray matter boundaries than a well-established T1-based method. These results suggest that the DTI-based registration is a promising tool for standardization of the brain functions, and moreover, will allow us to perform ‘zero-shot’ learning of decoders which is profitable in brain machine interface scenes.
Phospholipidome of endothelial cells shows a different adaptation response upon oxidative, glycative and lipoxidative stress
Authors: Colombo Simone , Melo Tânia , Martínez-López Marta , Carrasco M. Jesús , Domingues M. Rosário , Pérez-Sala Dolores , Domingues Pedro
Published: August 2018

Endothelial dysfunction has been widely associated with oxidative stress, glucotoxicity and lipotoxicity and underlies the development of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), atherosclerosis and diabetes. In such pathological conditions, lipids are emerging as mediators of signalling pathways evoking key cellular responses as expression of proinflammatory genes, proliferation and apoptosis. Hence, the assessment of lipid profiles in endothelial cells (EC) can provide valuable information on the molecular alterations underlying CVDs, atherosclerosis and diabetes. We performed a lipidomic approach based on hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (HILIC-MS/MS) for the analysis of the phospholipidome of bovine aortic EC (BAEC) exposed to oxidative (H2O2), glycative (glucose), or lipoxidative (4-hydroxynonenal, HNE) stress. The phospholipid (PL) profile was evaluated for the classes PC, PE, PS, PG, PI, SM, LPC and CL. H2O2 induced a more acute adaptation of the PL profile than glucose or HNE. Unsaturated PL molecular species were up-regulated after 24 h incubation with H2O2, while an opposite trend was observed in glucose- and HNE-treated cells. This study compared, for the first time, the adaptation of the phospholipidome of BAEC upon different induced biochemical stresses. Although further biological studies will be necessary, our results unveil specific lipid signatures in response to characteristic types of stress.
Olea europaea small RNA with functional homology to human miR34a in cross-kingdom interaction of anti-tumoral response
Authors: Minutolo Antonella , Potestà Marina , Gismondi Angelo , Pirrò Stefano , Cirilli Marco , Gattabria Fabiano , Galgani Andrea , Sessa Libera , Mattei Maurizio , Canini Antonella , Muleo Rosario , Colizzi Vittorio , Montesano Carla
Published: August 2018

Functional foods include compounds with nutritional and health properties. The human diet could play a stronger role in cancer prevention. Only a few studies have described the presence of plant small RNA, in humans who were fed with plant foods, which demonstrated the ability of these molecules to modulate consumer’s genes and evidenced the existence of a plant-animal regulation. Through in silico prediction, Olea europaea small RNAs (sRs), which had been previously reported as miRNAs, were identified, each with functional homology to hsa-miR34a. According to this initial funding, we investigated the ability of oeu-sRs to regulate tumorigenesis in human cells. The transfection of these synthetic oeu-sRs reduced the protein expression of hsa-miR34a mRNA targets, increased apoptosis and decreased proliferation in different tumor cells; by contrast, no effect was observed in PBMCs from healthy donors. The introduction of oeu-small RNA in hsa-miR34a-deficient tumor cells restores its function, whereas cells with normal expression of endogenous hsa-miR34a remained unaffected. The natural oeu-small RNAs that were extracted from O. europaea drupes induce the same effects as synthetic sRs. Careful research on the small RNA sequences executed for mapping and annotation in the genome of O. europaea var. Sylvestris and var. Farga led to the hypothesis that RNA fragments with functional homology to human miRNAs could be generated from the degradation of regions of RNA transcripts. These results indicate the possibility of developing novel natural non-toxic drugs that contain active plant-derived tumor-suppressing small RNA with functional homology to hsa-miRNAs and that can support antineoplastic strategies.
Multicilin and activated E2f4 induce multiciliated cell differentiation in primary fibroblasts
Authors: Kim Seongjae , Ma Lina , Shokhirev Maxim N. , Quigley Ian , Kintner Chris
Published: August 2018

Multiciliated cells (MCCs) are specialized epithelial cells that project hundreds of motile cilia. To form these cilia, MCCs differentiate by dramatically expanding centriole number, using assembly factors required for centriole duplication during the cell cycle and multiple, novel assembly sites, called the deuterosome. The small coiled-coil protein, Multicilin, acting in a complex with the E2F proteins can initiate multiciliated cell differentiation, but reportedly only in a limited range of epithelial progenitors. To examine the nature of this restricted activity, we analyzed Multicilin activity in primary mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs), a cell type distant from the epithelial lineages where MCCs normally arise. We show that Multicilin transcriptional activity is markedly attenuated in MEFs, where it induces only limited centriole expansion in a small fraction of cells. We further show that this transcriptional block is largely bypassed by expressing Multicilin along with a form of E2f4 where a generic activation domain from HSV1 VP16 (E2f4VP16) is fused to the carboxy terminus. MEFs respond to Multicilin and E2f4VP16 by undergoing massive centriole expansion via the deuterosome pathway, recapitulating a temporal sequence of organelle biogenesis that occurs in epithelial progenitors during MCC differentiation. These results suggest that the pattern of organelle biogenesis occurring in differentiating MCCs is largely determined by the transcriptional changes induced by Multicilin.
Evaluation of the diagnostic accuracy of Computer-Aided Detection of tuberculosis on Chest radiography among private sector patients in Pakistan
Authors: Zaidi Syed Mohammad Asad , Habib Shifa Salman , Van Ginneken Bram , Ferrand Rashida Abbas , Creswell Jacob , Khowaja Saira , Khan Aamir
Published: August 2018

The introduction of digital CXR with automated computer-aided interpretation, has given impetus to the role of CXR in TB screening, particularly in low resource, high-burden settings. The aim of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of CAD4TB as a screening tool, implemented in the private sector in Karachi, Pakistan. This study analyzed retrospective data from CAD4TB and Xpert MTB/RIF testing carried out at two private TB treatment and diagnostic centers in Karachi. Sensitivity, specificity, potential Xperts saved, were computed and the receiver operator characteristic curves were constructed for four different models of CAD4TB. A total of 6,845 individuals with presumptive TB were enrolled in the study, 15.2% of which had MTB + ve result on Xpert. A high sensitivity (range 65.8–97.3%) and NPV (range 93.1–98.4%) were recorded for CAD4TB. The Area under the ROC curve (AUC) for CAD4TB was 0.79. CAD4TB with patient demographics (age and gender) gave an AUC of 0.83. CAD4TB offered high diagnostic accuracy. In low resource settings, CAD4TB, as a triage tool could minimize use of Xpert. Using CAD4TB in combination with age and gender data enhanced the performance of the software. Variations in demographic information generate different individual risk probabilities for the same CAD4TB scores.
Alberta wildfire 2016: Apt contribution from anomalous planetary wave dynamics
Authors: Petoukhov Vladimir , Petri Stefan , Kornhuber Kai , Thonicke Kirsten , Coumou Dim , Schellnhuber Hans Joachim
Published: August 2018

In May-June 2016 the Canadian Province of Alberta suffered one of the most devastating wildfires in its history. Here we show that in mid-April to early May 2016 the large-scale circulation in the mid- and high troposphere of the middle and sub-polar latitudes of the northern hemisphere featured a persistent high-amplitude planetary wave structure dominated by the non-dimensional zonal wave number 4. The strongest anticyclonic wing of this structure was located over western Canada. In combination with a very strong El Niño event in winter 2015/2016 this favored highly anomalous, tinder-dry and high-temperature conditions at the surface in that area, entailing an increased fire hazard there. This critically contributed to the ignition of the Alberta Wildfire in May 2016, appearing to be the costliest disaster in Canadian history thus far.
Optically Graded Ultra Dark Absorber for Visible and Near-infrared Wavelength Range
Authors: Agnihotri Prabhat K. , Ghai Viney , Singh Harpreet
Published: August 2018

Near perfect absorbers find application in many areas including solar cells, energy harvesting and antireflection coatings for space applications. Here we report the use of optical gradation concept to fabricate a near perfect absorber on etched Si wafer. As a proof of concept, 99.4% absorption is achieved in the broad range of 300 nm to 2000 nm. Moreover, absorption capacity of optically graded surface remains higher than 99% up to beam incident angle of 50°. While carbon nanotubes (index ~1.1) are used as top layer, subsequent layers with increasing optical index across the thickness are chosen so as to satisfy zero reflection condition on multilayered assembly. Inward bending of incident beam and total internal reflection of reflected beam caused due to optical index gradient contributes to absorb the incident beam more efficiently. In addition, multiple scattering of incident beam due to the presence of multiscale feature size in graded assembly helps to absorb shorter as well as longer wavelengths of incident light. The graded assembly shows contact angle of 160° with roll-off angle equal to 5° implying that the graded absorber is not only super black but also superhydrophobic and self-cleaning in nature. The combination of properties shown by the super absorber makes it very attractive, especially for next generation solar cells to harness energy in the wavelength range of 1000 nm to 2000 nm.
Ectopic expression of mutated type 2C protein phosphatase OsABI-LIKE2 decreases abscisic acid sensitivity in Arabidopsis and rice
Authors: Endo Akira , Egawa Chika , Oohashi Mihoko , Meguro-Maoka Ayano , Shimosaka Etsuo , Sato Yutaka
Published: August 2018

Abscisic acid (ABA) is a phytohormone that is necessary for stress adaptation. Recent studies have reported that attenuated levels of ABA improved grain yield and seedling growth under low temperature in cereals. To improve plant growth under low temperature, we attempted to generate ABA-insensitive transgenic rice by expressing a clade A type 2C protein phosphatase (OsPP2C), OsABIL2, with or without the mutation equivalent to the Arabidopsis abi1-1 mutation. A yeast two-hybrid assay revealed that the interaction between OsABIL2 and a putative rice ABA receptor, OsPYL1, was ABA-dependent, and the interaction was lost with amino acid substitution from glycine to aspartic acid at the 183rd amino acid of the OsABIL2 protein, corresponding to abi1-1 mutation. The constitutive expression of OsABIL2 or OsABIL2G183D in Arabidopsis or rice decreased ABA sensitivity to differing degrees. Moreover, the transgenic rice expressing OsABIL2G183D exhibited improved seedling growth under low temperature, although the transgenic lines showed unfavorable traits, such as viviparous germination and elongated internodes. These results indicated that the introduction of abi1-1 type dominant mutation was also effective in OsABIL2 at decreasing ABA sensitivity in plants, and the attenuation of ABA sensitivity could be an alternative parameter to improve rice performance under low temperatures.
Comparison of microbiomes of cold-water corals Primnoa pacifica and Primnoa resedaeformis, with possible link between microbiome composition and host genotype
Authors: Goldsmith Dawn B. , Kellogg Christina A. , Morrison Cheryl L. , Gray Michael A. , Stone Robert P. , Waller Rhian G. , Brooke Sandra D. , Ross Steve W.
Published: August 2018

Cold-water corals provide critical habitats for a multitude of marine species, but are understudied relative to tropical corals. Primnoa pacifica is a cold-water coral prevalent throughout Alaskan waters, while another species in the genus, Primnoa resedaeformis, is widely distributed in the Atlantic Ocean. This study examined the V4-V5 region of the 16S rRNA gene after amplifying and pyrosequencing bacterial DNA from samples of these species. Key differences between the two species’ microbiomes included a robust presence of bacteria belonging to the Chlamydiales order in most of the P. pacifica samples, whereas no more than 2% of any microbial community from P. resedaeformis comprised these bacteria. Microbiomes of P. resedaeformis exhibited higher diversity than those of P. pacifica, and the two species largely clustered separately in a principal coordinate analysis. Comparison of P. resedaeformis microbiomes from samples collected in two submarine canyons revealed a significant difference between locations. This finding mirrored significant genetic differences among the P. resedaeformis from the two canyons based upon population genetic analysis of microsatellite loci. This study presents the first report of microbiomes associated with these two coral species.
Transition metal doped Sb@SnO2 nanoparticles for photochemical and electrochemical oxidation of cysteine
Authors: Kim Yeonwoo , Yang Sena , Kang Yeji , Kim Byung-Kwon , Lee Hangil
Published: August 2018

Transition metal-doped SnO2 nanoparticles (TM-SnO2) were synthesized by applying a thermos-synthesis method, which first involved doping SnO2 with Sb and then with transition metals (TM = Cr, Mn, Fe, or Co) of various concentrations to enhance a catalytic effect of SnO2. The doped particles were then analyzed by using various surface analysis techniques such as transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning transmission X-ray microscopy (STXM), and high-resolution photoemission spectroscopy (HRPES). We evaluated the catalytic effects of these doped particles on the oxidation of L-cysteine (Cys) in aqueous solution by taking electrochemical measurements and on the photocatalytic oxidation of Cys by using HRPES under UV illumination. Through the spectral analysis, we found that the Cr- and Mn-doped SnO2 nanoparticles exhibit enhanced catalytic activities, which according to the various surface analyses were due to the effects of the sizes of the particles and electronegativity differences between the dopant metal and SnO2.
The utility of delta neutrophil index in differentiation of pulmonary tuberculosis from community acquired pneumonia
Authors: Jhun Byung Woo , Sim Yun Su , Shin Tae Rim , Kim Dong-Gyu
Published: August 2018

No data exist on the usefulness of the delta neutrophil index (DNI) to discriminate pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) from community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). We performed a retrospective cohort study involving patients with PTB (n = 62) and CAP (n = 215), and compared their initial DNI levels. The median DNI values were 0% (interquartile ranges [IQR] 0–0.2%) and 1.6% (IQR 0.7–2.9%) in PTB and CAP, respectively, which was significantly lower in PTB patients (P < 0.001). Sixty-nine percent of patients with PTB had DNI value of 0%; however, only 15% of patients with CAP had 0% DNI. The discriminatory power of the DNI for diagnosing PTB was high with 89% sensitivity and 67% specificity at a DNI cut-off ≤ 1.0% (area under the curve, 0.852). The diagnostic sensitivity and negative predictive value (NPV) for PTB were 89% (55/62) and 95% (145/152) at the DNI cut-off ≤ 1.0%, respectively, and in multivariate analyses after adjusting for other factors (smoking, no fever, upper lobe involvement), DNI ≤ 1.0% remained significant (odds ratio, 15.265; P < 0.001). We demonstrated that the DNI was lower in PTB compared with CAP, and an initially elevated DNI (>1.0%) may be useful to rule out the possibility of PTB due to its high NPV.
Absolute two-point quantification of proteins using dimethylated proteotypic peptides
Authors: Tran The Trung , Bollineni Ravi Chand , Koehler Christian Jeffrey , Thiede Bernd
Published: August 2018

For absolute quantification of target proteins by LC-MS, adding two versions of spike-in peptides can be used as a quality control against each other.
Magnetic-responsive switchable emulsions based on Fe3O4@SiO2–NH2 nanoparticles
Authors: Yang Hui , Hou Qingfeng , Wang Shujuan , Guo Donghong , Hu Guangxin , Xu Yuan , Tai Jing , Wu Xu , Yu Danfeng , Wang Jinben
Published: August 2018

Reversible magnetic control of emulsification and demulsification behavior based on engineered Fe3O4@SiO2–NH2 nanoparticles.
Syntheses and structural understanding of a Ti–Ta alloy-based nanotubular oxide photocatalyst
Authors: Soares Thiago A. S. , Holanda Lilian C. , Galvão Rhauane A. , Gonçalves Renato V. , Bestetti Massiliano , Kinast Éder J. , Teixeira-Neto Érico , Teixeira-Neto Ângela A. , Khan Sherdil , Teixeira Sérgio R. , Almeida Luciano C. , Machado Giovanna
Published: August 2018

Ti–Ta mixed oxide freestanding nanotubes obtained by means of anodic oxidation of a homemade Ti–Ta (50–50 at%) alloy.
Organometallic MTCNQ films: a comparative study of CuTCNQ versus AgTCNQ
Authors: Capitán Maria J. , Alvarez Jesus , Yndurain Felix
Published: August 2018

We performed a systematic study of electron-acceptor molecules in two closely related organometallic solids, namely, CuTCNQ and AgTCNQ, proposing a model for the conductive switching behavior of these materials.
Total electron scattering cross sections from para-benzoquinone in the energy range 1–200 eV
Authors: Lozano A. I. , Oller J. C. , Jones D. B. , da Costa R. F. , Varella M. T. do N. , Bettega M. H. F. , Ferreira da Silva F. , Limão-Vieira P. , Lima M. A. P. , White R. D. , Brunger M. J. , Blanco F. , Muñoz A. , García G.
Published: August 2018

Total electron scattering cross sections, from para-benzoquinone, for impact energies ranging between 1 to 200 eV, have been obtained by measuring the attenuation of a linear electron beam under magnetic confinement conditions.
Structural effects on optoelectronic properties of halide perovskites
Authors: Chen Kun , Schünemann Stefan , Song Seulki , Tüysüz Harun
Published: August 2018

This review gives a perspective on different synthetic methodologies for the preparation of halide perovskites and highlights the structural effects on their optoelectronic properties.
Radicals in natural product synthesis
Authors: Romero Kevin J. , Galliher Matthew S. , Pratt Derek A. , Stephenson Corey R. J.
Published: August 2018

Free radical intermediates have intrigued chemists since their discovery, and an ever-increasing appreciation for their unique reactivity has resulted in the widespread utilization of these species for natural product synthesis.
Theoretical predictions of aromatic Be–O rings
Authors: Dutton Jason L. , Wilson David J. D.
Published: August 2018

We have carried out a theoretical investigation of benzene substituted with BeO to assess stability and aromatic properties (with 1–3 BeO units in a six-membered ring); C4H4BeO, C2H2Be2O2, and Be3O3.
Ruthenium carbonyl complexes with pyridine-alkoxide ligands: synthesis, characterization and catalytic application in dehydrogenative oxidation of alcohols
Authors: Hao Zhiqiang , Yan Xinlong , Liu Kang , Yue Xiaohui , Han Zhangang , Lin Jin
Published: August 2018

Dehydrogenative oxidation of secondary alcohols catalyzed by several new trinuclear ruthenium carbonyl complexes under mild conditions was proposed.
Improved electrical transport properties of an n-ZnO nanowire/p-diamond heterojunction
Authors: Sang Dandan , Wang Qingru , Wang Qinglin , Zhang Dong , Hu Haiquan , Wang Wenjun , Zhang Bingyuan , Fan Quli , Li Hongdong
Published: August 2018

A heterojunction of n-ZnO nanowire/p-diamond was fabricated and exhibits improved electrical transport properties, which offer a promising design for developing optoelectronic nanodevices working at the nano-scale and with severe environments.
Localized surface plasmon resonance enhanced photocatalysis: an experimental and theoretical mechanistic investigation
Authors: Lemos de Souza Michele , Pereira dos Santos Diego , Corio Paola
Published: August 2018

A theoretical (DDA simulation) and experimental (phenol degradation) study has shown the LSPR from Ag and Ag@SiO2 NPs to contribute to better TiO2 photocatalytic performances. Au NPs has shown very low contribution, due to its low energy LSPR.
Structure, rheology, and microrheology of wormlike micelles made of PB–PEO diblock copolymers
Authors: Tavera-Vázquez Antonio , Arenas-Gómez Brisa , Garza Cristina , Liu Yun , Castillo Rolando
Published: August 2018

The relation among the structure, rheology, and microrheology of non-Maxwellian wormlike micelles made of PB–PEO diblock copolymers.
Biodegradable nanoparticles bearing amine groups as a strategy to alter surface features, biological identity and accumulation in a lung metastasis model
Authors: Esposito Diletta , Conte Claudia , Dal Poggetto Giovanni , Russo Annapina , Barbieri Antonio , Ungaro Francesca , Arra Claudio , Russo Giulia , Laurienzo Paola , Quaglia Fabiana
Published: August 2018

A panel of PCL-based amine NPs is prepared, tested for stability in different biologically-relevant media and intravenously injected in a mice model of lung metastasis.
Chemical vapour deposition of chromium-doped tungsten disulphide thin films on glass and steel substrates from molecular precursors
Authors: Murtaza Ghulam , Venkateswaran Sai P. , Thomas Andrew G. , O'Brien Paul , Lewis David J.
Published: August 2018

Polycrystalline thin films of chromium doped tungsten disulphide (WS2) have been deposited onto glass and steel substrates by Aerosol-Assisted Chemical Vapour Deposition (AACVD) at 450 °C.
Microwave-assisted synthesis of cyclen functional carbon dots to construct a ratiometric fluorescent probe for tetracycline detection
Authors: Shen Zhi , Zhang Cheng , Yu Xinling , Li Jian , Wang Zhenyang , Zhang Zhongping , Liu Bianhua
Published: August 2018

Fluorescent carbon dots were synthesized by microwave irradiation of cyclen and citric acid to construct a ratiometric probe for tetracycline detection.
An in vitro method for nephrotoxicity evaluation using HK-2 human kidney epithelial cells combined with biomarkers of nephrotoxicity
Authors: Qiu Xuan , Zhou Xiaobing , Miao Yufa , Li Bo
Published: August 2018

The HK-2 cell model based on clusterin, osteopontin, CysC and KIM-1 would allow the prediction of nephrotoxicity at early stages.
Streaming instability of multiple particle species in protoplanetary disks
Authors: Schaffer Noemi , Yang Chao-Chin , Johansen Anders
Published: August 2018

The radial drift and diffusion of dust particles in protoplanetary disks affect both the opacity and temperature of such disks, as well as the location and timing of planetesimal formation. In this paper, we present results of numerical simulations of particle-gas dynamics in protoplanetary disks that include dust grains with various size distributions. We have considered three scenarios in terms of particle size ranges, one where the Stokes number τs = 10−1−100, one where τs = 10−4−10−1, and finally one where τs = 10−3−100. Moreover, we considered both discrete and continuous distributions in particle size. In accordance with previous works we find in our multispecies simulations that different particle sizes interact via the gas and as a result their dynamics changes compared to the single-species case. The larger species trigger the streaming instability and create turbulence that drives the diffusion of the solid materials. We measured the radial equilibrium velocity of the system and find that the radial drift velocity of the large particles is reduced in the multispecies simulations and that the small particle species move on average outwards. We also varied the steepness of the size distribution, such that the exponent of the solid number density distribution, dN∕da ∝ a−q, is either q = 3 or q = 4. Overall, we find that the steepness of the size distribution and the discrete versus continuous approach have little impact on the results. The level of diffusion and drift rates are mainly dictated by the range of particle sizes. We measured the scale height of the particles and observe that small grains are stirred up well above the sedimented midplane layer where the large particles reside. Our measured diffusion and drift parameters can be used in coagulation models for planet formation as well as to understand relative mixing of the components of primitive meteorites (matrix, chondrules and CAIs) prior to inclusion in their parent bodies.
The impact of renovation plasters on desalting and drying of damp walls
Authors: Brachaczek Wacław
Published: August 2018

Renovation plasters have been used in the construction industry since the early 1970s. Although the benefits they offer are obvious, there were also critical opinions about the adverse effect of the plasters on the durability of the walls. The complaints mainly concerned the tendency of renovation plasters to accumulate water in the wall, which in the winter time resulted in peeling of the plasters. As a result, more and more often conservators began to refrain from applying renovation plasters in historic buildings in favour of lime plasters without the porosity-increasing additions. The article presents an analysis of the walls which can be encountered in the renovation practice. For selected buildings undergoing renovation, the moisture content of walls, their strength, microstructure and water sorption were determined. Renovation plasters, whose microstructure and properties matched the properties of the walls, were used for their renovation. Plasters with optimal microstructure enabled salt accumulation, crystallized salts did not lower their durability and did not lead to cracking or peeling.
The use of discriminant analysis methods for diagnosis of the causes of differences in the properties of resin mortar containing various fillers
Authors: Dębska Bernardeta
Published: August 2018

Resin mortars belong to the group of concrete-like construction composites. They are obtained by mixing a synthetic resin with a hardener and an appropriately selected aggregate. The latter component is usually as much as 90% of the composite mass and can largely shape the characteristics of the finished product. The fact that the type of filler used can significantly differentiate the values of physical and mechanical parameters of epoxy mortars is confirmed by the results of the exploratory data analysis method used in this article, which is discriminant analysis. This allows us to examine differences between groups of objects based on a set of selected independent variables (predictors). It is used to solve a wide range of classification and prediction problems. The core of discriminant analysis is a model presented in the form of a linear combination of independent variables, which allows classification of observations (e.g. test mortars) into one of the groups that are of interest to the researcher. In discriminant analysis one can distinguish the learning stage (model building), in which classification rules are created based on research results (training set) and the classification stage, i.e. the use of the model, e.g. for testing its prognostic accuracy.
On the possibilities of solar energy usage for heating single-family houses in Poland
Authors: Jędrzejuk Hanna
Published: August 2018

The paper presents an assessment of the possibility of using solar energy for heating a selected residential building. The influence of the thermal insulation standard of the outer casing and the air tightness of the building on technical solutions with conventional heat sources and a solar energy system was analysed. In Polish climate conditions, especially in November and December, the availability of solar energy is usually insufficient in relation to heating needs. Therefore, it is necessary to store heat when it is to be used for heating. Monthly and yearly periods of heat storage have been considered. The influence of the use of solar radiation energy on the change in the energy performance of the building and on the reduction of carbon dioxide emissions was determined. Characteristics of heating systems and devices [9] as well as generally available meteorological data [5] were used for energy calculations.
Assessment of the quality of the housing environment, taking into account selected climate conditions
Authors: Kobylarczyk Justyna
Published: August 2018

For centuries, we have been observing the influence of nature on the conditions of human life, whose relationship with the natural environment has weakened during the period of changes brought about by the industrial revolution. However, the growing awareness of society about the dwindling resources of nature and the necessity to protect them resulted in the rediscovery of the importance of activities expressing concern for the state of the environment. It is consistent with the idea of sustainable development striving for rational management of natural resources. We also increasingly notice the possibility of using climatic factors to create optimal living conditions, taking into account, among other things, the relevant parameters of the objects. The article presents an analysis of climatic factors affecting the quality of the housing environment. These factors can be used in the pursuit of minimising energy consumption throughout the life cycle of buildings and for construction that utilises advanced technologies. Respecting the climate conditions in planning buildings of an appropriate scale, form and location is of great importance for shaping comfortable housing environments. It is planning that allows the symbiosis of architecture and the environment, which becomes a challenge of modern times.
Architecture and philosophy: The interdisciplinarity and coexistence of two worlds in the light of ethereality
Authors: Łucka Robert
Published: August 2018

At the beginning of the 20th century Marcel Duchamp stated that the art of the future would be growing out of philosophical roots. It seems impossible not to notice this fact in the contemporary world which surrounds mankind. However, the author of this article does not intend to analyse in depth details of manifestos of modernism or postmodernism. The article aims to signal the phenomenon of ethereal in architecture. The analysis of this phenomenon is based on the idea of the so called weak thought which functions in the world of philosophy and which was created by Constantin Noica and Ganni Vattimo. The mechanical transposition of terminology onto the world of architecture seems inadequate. The author of this article would not like to advocate the idea of weak architecture, let alone describe it. Therefore, he introduces the concept of ethereal architecture that contains the idea of inevitable ethereal as an integral part of existence. If someone does not succumb to delusion or wishful attitudes to reality, they will be able to notice the real sense and inner depth of everything that is weak and ethereal and that creates the immanent sphere of the surrounding world.
Experimental verification of shrinkage due to drying in concrete under varying humidity conditions in accordance with the Eurocode2 standard
Authors: Raczkiewicz Wioletta , Bacharz Magdalena
Published: August 2018

The concrete shrinkage depends on many factors. There are the concrete mixture, dimensions of the element and environment conditions, mainly humidity. All these factors can be imposed under laboratory conditions and controlled. In field conditions, however, a constant humidity is not possible to keep. The paper presents the impact of relative humidity changes on the values of shrinkage strains. The experimental results obtained on the specimens (with size 150x150x600 mm) were compared with the values calculated in accordance with the Eurocode 2 standard. The specimens were made with basalt aggregate without admixtures or additives. Two kinds of cement were used in preparing the specimens: Portland and blast-furnace slag cement. All specimens were treated in water for 10 days in the first days after demoulding and then subjected to testing. During the 56 days the temperature was 22 ± 2°C, while the humidity decreased proportionally from 91% to 47%. Strains were measured and the specimens were weighed to determine the mass loss. The experimental results were compared to the computational results. It should be concluded that they were not coherent in the case of ambient humidity exceeding 80% although it was accordance with the Eurocode 2 standard.
Modern design of light steel facades in normal and fire conditions
Authors: Rzeszut Katarzyna , Voronoi Andrii
Published: August 2018

In this paper, numerical analysis of bearing load capacity of steel facade cassettes with special perforation in various geometrical configurations was carried out. Particular attention was focused on the influence analysis of the blade inclination and perforation pattern on the structural behaviour. The mechanical response was tested using two separate types of numerical analysis. First contains the analysis under high temperature using coupled thermal-structural analysis according to the nominal temperature-time External curves. In this study nonlinear physical relationships are taken into account, thus influence of high temperature on material properties is assumed. In order to investigate the wind action influence on the cassettes with respect to different blade inclination, the static was provided. The scope of the study includes the preparation of advanced numerical 3D model of thin-walled steel cassettes K1 produced by “Blachy Pruszynski” company using shell finite elements (FE) in Abaqus program.
A quasi-box window concept to improve the thermal-insulation property of old windows - case study
Authors: Szyszka Jerzy , Starakiewicz Aleksander
Published: August 2018

The article presents the concept of improving the thermal insulation properties of a window thanks to the installation of an additional internal window. The resulting quasi-box window can be an alternative to the thermo-modernization of windows by replacing them. Measurements of the thermal parameters of the prototype and the unmodified window were made in an office space during its standard use. A quantitative and qualitative analysis of the compared solutions was made.
Characteristics of multi-annual variation of precipitation in areas particularly exposed to extreme phenomena. Part 1. The upper Vistula river basin
Authors: Twaróg Bernard
Published: August 2018

The study contains an analysis of precipitation, covering multiple profiles and based on the GPCC database that provides monthly mean values for the territory upper Vistula catchment. The analysis includes data for the period 1901-2010 with a spatial resolution of 0.5° × 0.5° of geographic longitude and latitude. The initial section of the analysis contains an assessment of GPCC data accuracy for the territory of Poland and the period 1961-1990. The following sections include a data analysis in monthly profiles and hydrological cycle profiles, taking into account hydrological summer and hydrological winter. A cluster analysis is also included, with drought and flood periods indicated. The periodical nature of precipitation is assessed and the trends in climate changes calculated.
DALY indicator as an assessment tool for indoor air quality impact on human health
Authors: Wysocka Monika
Published: August 2018

The quality of indoor environment is an extremely important issue, because people spend large parts of the day inside buildings. The quality of the indoor environment is largely dependent on the quality of indoor air. The parameters of the air we breathe affect our health and comfort of room use. Currently, when energy efficiency is a priority, it is difficult to maintain comfort and conditions appropriate for human health. The artificial environment in a room and related inadequate air quality cause many diseases, such as asthma, lung diseases, cardiovascular diseases, as well as poor well-being and reduced productivity. The Disability Adjusted Life Years (DALY) indicator means “loss of life corrected by disability” and is widely used by the World Health Organization to measure a disease burden on the population and identify the causes of a disease. The aim of the article is to present the structure of the DALY indicator and its suitability to assess the impact of indoor air quality on human health. The most frequent diseases caused by low quality of internal air were analysed based on statistical data. In addition, the possibilities of ventilation solutions have been presented, leading to the improvement of air quality in indoor environment.
Analysis of indoor air quality in a naturally ventilated church
Authors: Wysocka Monika
Published: August 2018

The quality of air in sacral buildings is an important factor that affects users. Church buildings are characterized by a specific microclimate, because they accommodate many people in short periods of time, which results in rapid changes in air quality. Sacral buildings usually only have natural ventilation through doors, return air inlets and window leaks, which can cause uneven distribution of fresh air. The aim of this article is to analyze the results of research on the basic parameters of air quality: carbon dioxide, relative humidity and air temperature in the church. The analysis carried out on research results allowed to state that the measured parameters of air quality - the concentration of carbon dioxide and the level of relative humidity significantly exceeded the standards recommendations. High level of air humidity was recorded at 75%. In the analyzed sacral building there is the need to improve air quality in terms of carbon dioxide and relative humidity. Ways of improving air quality, such as installation of mechanical ventilation, will help prevent damage to structures and equipment, and improve comfort of people in the church.
Use Cases of the ESO Telescope Bibliography
Authors: Grothkopf Uta , Meakins Silvia , Bordelon Dominic
Published: August 2018

ESO’s mission is to enable front-line research in astrophysics by operating and maintaining and a wide range of world-class telescopes and state-of-the-art instruments. Various key performance indicators are used to understand whether ESO is achieving these ambitious goals. In order to assist the ESO Management, the Library builds and maintains the Telescope Bibliography (telbib). telbib provides insights into the performance of ESO’s facilities and helps to understand publishing trends among the user community. This paper will highlight some use cases and recently added enhancements.
Managing Institutional Bibliographies using the ADS API: A new workflow using Google Sheets
Authors: Damon James , Henneken Edwin , Accomazzi Alberto
Published: August 2018

Curating institutional bibliographies with the ADS web interface is currently a manual process that scales with the number of search terms. Long author lists and institutions with multiple sub-organizations or name variations increase the workload. Review work is monotonous and can take significant time depending on the size of the institution and the frequency of reviews. Consequently, bibliographies generated in this way are costly and may suffer from human error. We propose a semi-automated workflow that uses an iterative approach to discovery with ADS’s new search engine and a recently developed Google Sheets add on. First, affiliation strings from a user created spreadsheet are searched with the ADS API and for each result the matched affiliation and the paired author are retrieved. Next, each author name string is searched and items where that author is paired with an empty affiliation field are retrieved. The results from both queries are then compiled into output sheets with pertinent information for manual review. Finally, the selected items can be added to an ADS library from the Google Sheets interface. The tool can also use previously rejected affiliation strings to flag false positives in subsequent queries. Curators do not need to have extensive technical skills in order to use the workflow and they can help improve the ADS by opting to share ORCIDs, author synonyms, and affiliation synonyms.
Bibliographical references: From publishers to SIMBAD
Authors: Delacour Thomas , Lesteven Soizick , Landais Gilles , Eisele Aline , Neuville Magali , Son Evelyne , Vonflie Philippe
Published: August 2018

The SIMBAD astronomical database hosted by the CDS provides basic data, cross-identifications, bibliography and measurements for astronomical objects outside the solar system.

The CDS receives the bibliographic meta-data of the articles published in the main astronomical journals directly from the publishers. How we receive the data and their format vary from one publisher to the next. These data are first extracted and stored in files with a standardised format. Then, to avoid errors or misprints, we perform different tests on these data:

- Author names are compared to a reference list maintained at CDS, and the keywords are compared with the AAS list

- Astronomical objects are verified by checking their name in the SIMBAD database

- A completion test checks that all of articles of a journal volume are present

The next step identifies whether an astronomical object appears inside a title, a keyword or an abstract, and if so, we add a link to the object in SIMBAD. Once all of the verifications and corrections have been made we add the meta-data into SIMBAD. We also add other information such as the number of different astronomical objects studied in the paper, the presence tables and their links to VizieR, any new acronyms, as well as some comments. New developments are in progress to automatically extract the data from the tables in the articles (that have not been processed by, or provided to VizieR) . In addition, each night automatic checks are executed to list the new data and to test the coherence of these data in SIMBAD.