bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Predictions of Preterm Birth from Early Pregnancy Characteristics: Born in Guangzhou Cohort Study
Authors: He Jian-Rong , Ramakrishnan Rema , Lai Yu-Mian , Li Wei-Dong , Zhao Xuan , Hu Yan , Chen Nian-Nian , Hu Fang , Lu Jin-Hua , Wei Xue-Ling , Yuan Ming-Yang , Shen Song-Ying , Qiu Lan , Chen Qiao-Zhu , Hu Cui-Yue , Cheng Kar , Mol Ben , Xia Hui-Min , Qiu Xiu
Published: July 2018

Preterm birth (PTB, <37 weeks) is the leading cause of death in children <5 years of age. Early risk prediction for PTB would enable early monitoring and intervention. However, such prediction models have been rarely reported, especially in low- and middle-income areas. We used data on a number of easily accessible predictors during early pregnancy from 9044 women in Born in Guangzhou Cohort Study, China to generate prediction models for overall PTB and spontaneous, iatrogenic, late (34–36 weeks), and early (<34 weeks) PTB. Models were constructed using the Cox proportional hazard model, and their performance was evaluated by Harrell’s c and D statistics and calibration plot. We further performed a systematic review to identify published models and validated them in our population. Our new prediction models had moderate discrimination, with Harrell’s c statistics ranging from 0.60–0.66 for overall and subtypes of PTB. Significant predictors included maternal age, height, history of preterm delivery, amount of vaginal bleeding, folic acid intake before pregnancy, and passive smoking during pregnancy. Calibration plots showed good fit for all models except for early PTB. We validated three published models, all of which were from studies conducted in high-income countries; the area under receiver operating characteristic for these models ranged from 0.50 to 0.56. Based on early pregnancy characteristics, our models have moderate predictive ability for PTB. Future studies should consider inclusion of laboratory markers for the prediction of PTB.
Calcium Charge and Release of Conventional Glass-Ionomer Cement Containing Nanoporous Silica
Authors: Nakamura Koichi , Abe Shigeaki , Minamikawa Hajime , Yawaka Yasutaka
Published: July 2018

The aim of this study was to evaluate calcium charge and release of conventional glass-ionomer cement (GIC) containing nanoporous silica (NPS). Experimental specimens were divided into two groups: the control (GIC containing no NPS) and GIC-NPS (GIC containing 10 wt % NPS). The specimens were immersed in calcium chloride solutions of 5 wt % calcium concentration for 24 h at 37 °C, whereupon the calcium ion release of the specimens was measured. The calcium ion release behavior of GIC-NPS after immersion in the calcium solution was significantly greater than that of the control. Scanning electron microscopy and electron-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy results indicated that calcium penetrated inside the GIC-NPS specimen, while the calcium was primarily localized on the surface of the control specimen. It was demonstrated that NPS markedly improved the calcium charge and release property of GIC.
Influence of Activator Na2O Concentration on Residual Strengths of Alkali-Activated Slag Mortar upon Exposure to Elevated Temperatures
Authors: Tran Tai Thanh , Kwon Hyug-Moon
Published: July 2018

The mechanical strength variation of ambient cured Alkali-activated mortar (AAS) upon exposure to elevated temperatures from 200 to 1200 °C was studied in this article. Slag was activated by the combination of sodium silicate liquid (Na2SiO3) and sodium hydroxide (NaOH) with different Na2O concentrations of 4%, 6%, 8%, and 10% by slag weight. Mechanical properties comprising compressive strength, flexural strength, and tensile strength before and after exposure were measured. Thermogravimetric analysis (Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and Derivative thermogravimetric (DTG)), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) were also used for strength alteration explanation. The results indicated that Na2O concentration influence on strength variation of AAS mortar was observed clearly at temperature range from ambient temperature to 200 °C. The melting alteration of AAS mortar after exposed to 1200 °C was highly dependent on concentrations of Na2O.
Structural Relaxation of Lix(Ni0.874Co0.090Al0.036)O2 after Lithium Extraction down to x = 0.12
Authors: Kang Jian , Takai Shigeomi , Yabutsuka Takeshi , Yao Takeshi
Published: July 2018

A structural relaxation study has been carried out on Lix(Ni0.874Co0.090Al0.036)O2 after the electrochemical lithium was extraction down to x = 0.12. These relaxation analyses have been carried out using X-ray diffraction coupled with the Rietveld analysis, assuming two phases (H2 and H3) and co-existence with R3¯m symmetry. The mole fraction of the H3 phase seemed not to vary largely during the relaxation time. As for the lattice constants, both H2 and H3 phases gradually increased the a-axis with the relaxation time. On the other hand, H2 and H3 phases increased and decreased the c-axis, respectively. The results are compared with that of previously reported Ni-rich NCA.
Phycochemical Constituents and Biological Activities of Fucus spp.
Authors: Catarino Marcelo D. , Silva Artur M. S. , Cardoso Susana M.
Published: July 2018

Seaweeds are known to be a good supply of key nutrients including carbohydrates, protein, minerals, polyunsaturated lipids, as well as several other health-promoting compounds capable of acting on a wide spectrum of disorders and/or diseases. While these marine macroalgae are deeply rooted in the East Asian culture and dietary habits, their major application in Western countries has been in the phycocolloid industry. This scenario has however been gradually changing, since seaweed consumption is becoming more common worldwide. Among the numerous edible seaweeds, members of the genus Fucus have a high nutritional value and are considered good sources of dietary fibers and minerals, especially iodine. Additionally, their wealth of bioactive compounds such as fucoidan, phlorotannins, fucoxanthin and others make them strong candidates for multiple therapeutic applications (e.g., antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-tumor, anti-obesity, anti-coagulant, anti-diabetes and others). This review presents an overview of the nutritional and phytochemical composition of Fucus spp., and their claimed biological activities, as well as the beneficial effects associated to their consumption. Furthermore, the use of Fucus seaweeds and/or their components as functional ingredients for formulation of novel and enhanced foods is also discussed.
Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) and Fertilization: A Mini Review
Authors: Zacharis Konstantinos , Messini Christina I. , Anifandis George , Koukoulis George , Satra Maria , Daponte Alexandros
Published: July 2018

Human papilloma virus (HPV) is one of the most prevalent viral sexually transmitted diseases. The ability of HPV to induce malignancy in the anogenital tract and stomato-pharyngeal cavity is well documented. Moreover, HPV infection may also affect reproductive health and fertility. Although, the impact of HPV on female fertility has not been thoroughly studied it has been found also to have an impact on semen parameters. Relative information can be obtained from studies investigating the relationship between HPV and pregnancy success. Furthermore, there is an ongoing debate whether HPV alters the efficacy of assisted reproductive technologies. An association between HPV and assisted reproductive technologies (ART) programs has been reported. Nevertheless, due to conflicting data and the small number of existing studies further research is required. It remains to be clarified whether HPV detection and genotyping could be included in the diagnostic procedures in couples undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF)/intrauterine insemination (IUI) treatments. Vaccination of both genders against HPV can reduce the prevalence of HPV infection and eliminate its implications on human fertility. The aim of the present mini-review is to reiterate the association between HPV and human fertility through a systematic literature review.
Formation Analysis of Edge Cracks of 33MnCrTiB Fork Steel
Authors: Zhao Shuo , Ge Yangyang , Ma Liang , Yan Tao , Lyu Jingcai , Li Zushu
Published: July 2018

A 33MnCrTiB is a high-strength low alloy steel used for a forklift truck. This study investigates the root causes of the edge cracks in 33MnCrTiB steel produced by a steel manufacturer. After sampling, inspecting and analyzing the 33MnCrTiB flat steel with edge cracks taken from the plant, it was found that the crack and porosity contain similar residues to the deoxidation products and continuous casting mold flux. It can be concluded that the edge surface cracking in the flat steel are mainly caused by the non-deformable inclusions in steel, slag sticking and surface cracks on the original billet. At the same time, the further expansion of cracks is closely related to the serious decarburization during the heating treatment in the billet heating process, and the improper rolling deformation system during the rolling process.
Adenosine Triphosphate Measurement in Deep Sea Using a Microfluidic Device
Authors: Fukuba Tatsuhiro , Noguchi Takuroh , Okamura Kei , Fujii Teruo
Published: July 2018

Total ATP (adenosine triphosphate) concentration is a useful biochemical parameter for detecting microbial biomass or biogeochemical activity anomalies in the natural environment. In this study, we describe the development and evaluation of a new version of in situ ATP analyzer improved for the continuous and quantitative determination of ATP in submarine environments. We integrated a transparent microfluidic device containing a microchannel for cell lysis and a channel for the bioluminescence L–L (luciferin–luciferase) assay with a miniature pumping unit and a photometry module for the measurement of the bioluminescence intensity. A heater and a temperature sensor were also included in the system to maintain an optimal temperature for the L–L reaction. In this study, the analyzer was evaluated in deep sea environments, reaching a depth of 200 m using a remotely operated underwater vehicle. We show that the ATP analyzer successfully operated in the deep-sea environment and accurately quantified total ATP within the concentration lower than 5 × 10−11 M.
Microchannels Fabrication in Alumina Ceramic Using Direct Nd:YAG Laser Writing
Authors: Mohammed Muneer Khan , Umer Usama , Rehman Ateekh Ur , Al-Ahmari Abdulrahman M. , El-Tamimi Abdulaziz M.
Published: July 2018

Ceramic microchannels have important applications in different microscale systems like microreactors, microfluidic devices and microchemical systems. However, ceramics are considered difficult to manufacture owing to their wear and heat resistance capabilities. In this study, microchannels are developed in alumina ceramic using direct Nd:YAG laser writing. The laser beam with a characteristic pulse width of 10 µs and a beam spot diameter of 30 µm is used to make 200 µm width microchannels with different depths. The effects of laser beam intensity and pulse overlaps on dimensional accuracy and material removal rate have been investigated using different scanning patterns. It is found that beam intensity has a major influence on dimensional accuracy and material removal rate. Optimum parameter settings are found using grey relational grade analysis. It is concluded that low intensity and low to medium pulse overlap should be used for better dimensional accuracy. This study facilitates further understanding of laser material interaction for different process parameters and presents optimum laser process parameters for the fabrication of microchannel in alumina ceramic.
Extrusion-Based 3D Printing of Microfluidic Devices for Chemical and Biomedical Applications: A Topical Review
Authors: Pranzo Daniela , Larizza Piero , Filippini Daniel , Percoco Gianluca
Published: July 2018

One of the most widespread additive manufacturing (AM) technologies is fused deposition modelling (FDM), also known as fused filament fabrication (FFF) or extrusion-based AM. The main reasons for its success are low costs, very simple machine structure, and a wide variety of available materials. However, one of the main limitations of the process is its accuracy and finishing. In spite of this, FDM is finding more and more applications, including in the world of micro-components. In this world, one of the most interesting topics is represented by microfluidic reactors for chemical and biomedical applications. The present review focusses on this research topic from a process point of view, describing at first the platforms and materials and then deepening the most relevant applications.
Design and Fabrication of a Microfluidic Viscometer Based on Electrofluidic Circuits
Authors: Tzeng Bo-Bi , Sun Yung-Shin
Published: July 2018

This paper reports a microfluidic viscometer based on electrofluidic circuits for measuring viscosities of liquid samples. The developed micro-device consists of a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) layer for electrofluidic circuits, a thin PDMS membrane, another PDMS layer for sample pretreatment, and a glass substrate. As the sample flows inside the microfluidic channel, its viscosity causes flow resistance and a pressure drop along this channel. This pressure drop, in turn, generates a hydraulic pressure which deforms the PDMS membrane, causing changes in the cross-sectional area and the electrical resistance of the electrofluidic resistor. This small resistance change is then measured via the electrofluidic Wheatstone bridge to relate the measured voltage difference to the fluidic viscosity. The performance of this viscometer was first tested by flowing nitrogen gas with controllable pressures into the device. The relationship between measured voltage difference and input gas pressure was analyzed to be linear in the pressure range of 0–15 psi. Another test using pure water indicated good linearity between measured voltage difference and flow rate in the rate range of 20–100 μL/min. Viscosities of glycerol/water solutions with volume/volume (v/v) concentrations ranging from 0 to 30% were measured, and these values were close to those obtained using commercially available viscometers. In addition, the sample-pretreatment layer can be used to mix and/or dilute liquid samples to desired concentrations. Therefore, this microfluidic device has potential for measurements of fluidic viscosity in a fast, accurate, and high-throughput manner.
Sulfide Breccias from the Semenov-3 Hydrothermal Field, Mid-Atlantic Ridge: Authigenic Mineral Formation and Trace Element Pattern
Authors: Melekestseva Irina , Maslennikov Valery V. , Safina Nataliya P. , Nimis Paolo , Maslennikova Svetlana , Beltenev Victor , Rozhdestvenskaya Irina , Danyushevsky Leonid , Large Ross , Artemyev Dmitry , Kotlyarov Vasily , Toffolo Luca
Published: July 2018

The aim of this paper is the investigation of the role of diagenesis in the transformation of clastic sulfide sediments such as sulfide breccias from the Semenov-3 hydrothermal field (Mid-Atlantic Ridge). The breccias are composed of marcasite–pyrite clasts enclosed in a barite–sulfide–quartz matrix. Primary hydrothermal sulfides occur as colloform, fine-crystalline, porous and radial marcasite–pyrite clasts with inclusions or individual clasts of chalcopyrite, sphalerite, pyrrhotite, bornite, barite and rock-forming minerals. Diagenetic processes are responsible for the formation of more diverse authigenic mineralization including framboidal, ovoidal and nodular pyrite, coarse-crystalline pyrite and marcasite, anhedral and reniform chalcopyrite, inclusions of HgS phase and pyrrhotite–sphalerite–chalcopyrite aggregates in coarse-crystalline pyrite, zoned bornite–chalcopyrite grains, specular and globular hematite, tabular barite and quartz. The early diagenetic ovoid pyrite is enriched in most trace elements in contrast to late diagenetic varieties. Authigenic lower-temperature chalcopyrite is depleted in trace elements relative to high-temperature hydrothermal ones. Trace elements have different modes of occurrence: Se is hosted in pyrite and chalcopyrite; Tl is related to sphalerite and galena nanoinclusions; Au is associated with galena; As in pyrite is lattice-bound, whereas in chalcopyrite it is related to tetrahedrite–tennantite nanoinclusions; Cd in pyrite is hosted in sphalerite inclusions; Cd in chalcopyrite forms its own mineral; Co and Ni are hosted in chalcopyrite.
Ultrasensitive (Co)polymers Based on Poly(methacrylamide) Structure with Fining-Tunable pH Responsive Value
Authors: Fan Haiming , Li Po , Li Wei , Li Hui , Huang Xiaonan
Published: July 2018

Novel pH responsive copolymers with tertiary amine groups were prepared by free radical polymerization with 2-(dialkylamino)ethyl methacrylate monomers. These polymers were pH sensitive with the ability to be responsively fine-tuned in aqueous solution, which was proven through titration, transmittance measurements, and proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. The polymers were soluble in water at low pH values, induced by electrostatic repulsion between amine groups, and aggregated above their pKa value due to the hydrophobic effect of the alkyls. The pH responsive values were precisely tuned from 7.4 to 4.8 by increasing the hydrophobic monomer ratio. Our work provides a novel approach for the development of ultrasensitive pH-responsive polymers for application in biomedical materials.
Neuroprotective Effects of Mitochondria-Targeted Plastoquinone in a Rat Model of Neonatal Hypoxic–Ischemic Brain Injury
Authors: Silachev Denis N. , Plotnikov Egor Y. , Pevzner Irina B. , Zorova Ljubava D. , Balakireva Anastasia V. , Gulyaev Mikhail V. , Pirogov Yury A. , Skulachev Vladimir P. , Zorov Dmitry B.
Published: July 2018

Neonatal hypoxia–ischemia is one of the main causes of mortality and disability of newborns. To study the mechanisms of neonatal brain cell damage, we used a model of neonatal hypoxia–ischemia in seven-day-old rats, by annealing of the common carotid artery with subsequent hypoxia of 8% oxygen. We demonstrate that neonatal hypoxia–ischemia causes mitochondrial dysfunction associated with high production of reactive oxygen species, which leads to oxidative stress. Targeted delivery of antioxidants to the mitochondria can be an effective therapeutic approach to treat the deleterious effects of brain hypoxia–ischemia. We explored the neuroprotective properties of the mitochondria-targeted antioxidant SkQR1, which is the conjugate of a plant plastoquinone and a penetrating cation, rhodamine 19. Being introduced before or immediately after hypoxia–ischemia, SkQR1 affords neuroprotection as judged by the diminished brain damage and recovery of long-term neurological functions. Using vital sections of the brain, SkQR1 has been shown to reduce the development of oxidative stress. Thus, the mitochondrial-targeted antioxidant derived from plant plastoquinone can effectively protect the brain of newborns both in pre-ischemic and post-stroke conditions, making it a promising candidate for further clinical studies.
3D-Conformer of Tris[60]fullerenylated cis-Tris(diphenylamino-fluorene) as Photoswitchable Charge-Polarizer on GHz-Responsive Trilayered Core-Shell Dielectric Nanoparticles
Authors: Yin He , Wang Min , Yu Tzuyang , Tan Loon-Seng , Chiang Long Y.
Published: July 2018

Novel 3D-configurated stereoisomers cis-cup-tris[C60>(DPAF-C9)] and trans-chair-tris[C60>(DPAF-C9)] were designed and synthesized in good yields. The former, with three C60> cages per molecule facing at the same side of the geometrical molecular cup-shape, was proposed to provide excellent binding interaction forces at the gold surface of core-shell γ-FeOx@AuNP nanoparticles and to direct the subsequent formation of a fullerene cage array (defined as fullerosome). Upon photoactivation of the Au-layer and cis-cup-tris[C60>(DPAF-C9)] itself, the degree of photoinduced intramolecular e−-transfer from DPAF to a C60> moiety was found to be largely enhanced by the accumulated plasmonic resonance energy at the near-field surface. Distribution of resulting negative charges along the outer (C60>)-derived fullerosome shell layer of the trilayered NPs was correlated with the detected photoswitchable dielectric amplification phenomena using white LED light at 1.0 GHz.
Improvement of Performance, Stability and Continuity by Modified Size-Consistent Multipartitioning Quantum Mechanical/Molecular Mechanical Method
Authors: Watanabe Hiroshi C.
Published: July 2018

For condensed systems, the incorporation of quantum chemical solvent effects into molecular dynamics simulations has been a major concern. To this end, quantum mechanical/molecular mechanical (QM/MM) techniques are popular and powerful options to treat gigantic systems. However, they cannot be directly applied because of temporal and spatial discontinuity problems. To overcome these problems, in a previous study, we proposed a corrective QM/MM method, size-consistent multipartitioning (SCMP) QM/MM and successfully demonstrated that, using SCMP, it is possible to perform stable molecular dynamics simulations by effectively taking into account solvent quantum chemical effects. The SCMP method is characterized by two original features: size-consistency of a QM region among all QM/MM partitioning and partitioning update. However, in our previous study, the performance was not fully elicited compared to the theoretical upper bound and the optimal partitioning update protocol and parameters were not fully verified. To elicit the potential performance, in the present study, we simplified the theoretical framework and modified the partitioning protocol.
Sodium Copper Chlorophyllin Catalyzed Chemoselective Oxidation of Benzylic Alcohols and Diarylmethanes in Water
Authors: Liu Shi-juan , Zhang Miao , Lu Rong , Li Xiu-ying , Che Guang-bo
Published: July 2018

We report the highly efficient and chemoselective oxidation of benzylic alcohols catalyzed by sodium copper chlorophyllin in water, producing corresponding arylcarbonyl compounds. Importantly, the catalytic system exhibits a wide substrate scope and high functional group tolerance. Moreover, secondary alcohols and even diarylmethanes were smoothly oxidized to the desired aryl ketones with excellent yields.
Lignin-Derived Biomaterials for Drug Release and Tissue Engineering
Authors: Witzler Markus , Alzagameem Abla , Bergs Michel , Khaldi-Hansen Basma El , Klein Stephanie E. , Hielscher Dorothee , Kamm Birgit , Kreyenschmidt Judith , Tobiasch Edda , Schulze Margit
Published: July 2018

Renewable resources are gaining increasing interest as a source for environmentally benign biomaterials, such as drug encapsulation/release compounds, and scaffolds for tissue engineering in regenerative medicine. Being the second largest naturally abundant polymer, the interest in lignin valorization for biomedical utilization is rapidly growing. Depending on its resource and isolation procedure, lignin shows specific antioxidant and antimicrobial activity. Today, efforts in research and industry are directed toward lignin utilization as a renewable macromolecular building block for the preparation of polymeric drug encapsulation and scaffold materials. Within the last five years, remarkable progress has been made in isolation, functionalization and modification of lignin and lignin-derived compounds. However, the literature so far mainly focuses lignin-derived fuels, lubricants and resins. The purpose of this review is to summarize the current state of the art and to highlight the most important results in the field of lignin-based materials for potential use in biomedicine (reported in 2014–2018). Special focus is placed on lignin-derived nanomaterials for drug encapsulation and release as well as lignin hybrid materials used as scaffolds for guided bone regeneration in stem cell-based therapies.
Comparison of Nutrient Estimates Based on Food Volume versus Weight: Implications for Dietary Assessment Methods
Authors: Partridge Emma K. , Neuhouser Marian L. , Breymeyer Kara , Schenk Jeannette M.
Published: July 2018

Novel technology-based dietary assessment methods use volume estimates of foods to assess dietary intake. However, the nutrient content of standard databases is based on food weight. The goal of this study is to evaluate the accuracy of the United States Department of Agriculture National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference (USDA-SR) estimates of volume and the corresponding macronutrient content of the foods. The weights of 35 individual food volumes were measured (on trial) and compared to the USDA-SR-determined weight for the food volume. Macronutrient content corresponding to the trial weight and the USDA-SR weight for the food volume (USDA) were determined using the USDA-SR, and the differences were calculated. There were statistically significant differences between the USDA and trial weights for 80% of foods measured. Calorie estimates by USDA weight were significantly lower than that of trial weight for 54% of foods but were significantly greater for 26% of foods. Differences in macronutrient estimates by trial and USDA weight varied by food type. These findings suggest that nutrient databases based on food weight may not provide accurate estimates of dietary intake when assessed using food volumes. Further development of image-assisted dietary assessment methods which measure food volumes will necessitate evaluation of the accuracy of the processes used to convert weight to volume in nutrient databases.
Uric Acid and Cognitive Function in Older Individuals
Authors: Tana Claudio , Ticinesi Andrea , Prati Beatrice , Nouvenne Antonio , Meschi Tiziana
Published: July 2018

Hyperuricemia has been recognized as an independent cardiovascular risk factor in epidemiological studies. However, uric acid can also exert beneficial functions due to its antioxidant properties, which may be particularly relevant in the context of neurodegenerative diseases. In this paper, we critically revise the evidence on the relationship between serum uric acid levels and cognitive function in older individuals, focusing on the etiology of cognitive impairment (Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s dementia, and vascular dementia) and on the interactive connections between uric acid, dementia, and diet. Despite high heterogeneity in the existing studies, due to different characteristics of studied populations and methods of cognitive dysfunction assessment, we conclude that serum uric acid may modulate cognitive function in a different way according to the etiology of dementia. Current studies indeed demonstrate that uric acid may exert neuroprotective actions in Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s dementia, with hypouricemia representing a risk factor for a quicker disease progression and a possible marker of malnutrition. Conversely, high serum uric acid may negatively influence the disease course in vascular dementia. Further studies are needed to clarify the physio-pathological role of uric acid in different dementia types, and its clinical-prognostic significance.
Zinc and Sepsis
Authors: Alker Wiebke , Haase Hajo
Published: July 2018

Sepsis, defined as a “life-threatening organ dysfunction caused by a dysregulated host-response to infection” is a major health issue worldwide and still lacks a fully elucidated pathobiology and uniform diagnostic tests. The trace element zinc is known to be crucial to ensure an appropriate immune response. During sepsis a redistribution of zinc from serum into the liver has been observed and several studies imply a correlation between zinc and sepsis outcome. Therefore the alterations of zinc concentrations in different tissues might serve as one part of the host’s defense mechanism against pathogens during sepsis by diverse mechanisms. It has been suggested that zinc is involved in nutritional immunity, acts as a hepatoprotective agent, or a differentiation signal for innate immune cells, or supports the synthesis of acute phase proteins. Further knowledge about these events could help in the evaluation of how zinc could be optimally applied to improve treatment of septic patients. Moreover, the changes in zinc homeostasis are substantial and correlate with the severity of the disease, suggesting that zinc might also be useful as a diagnostic marker for evaluating the severity and predicting the outcome of sepsis.
Food Security of Adolescents in Selected Khat- and Coffee-Growing Areas in the Sidama Zone, Southern Ethiopia
Authors: Juju Denabo Billo , Sekiyama Makiko , Saito Osamu
Published: July 2018

Whilst pervasive food insecurity exists among adolescents in Ethiopia, the available information is scant and inconsistent. Therefore, the main objective of this cross-sectional study was to contribute to these gaps by assessing the food security of adolescents in the selected khat- and coffee-growing areas. We selected 234 (117 girls and 117 boys) adolescents aged 12–18 years via stratified random sampling. We measured the height and weight of the adolescents and asked about their food insecurity experiences. We assessed the prevalence of stunting and thinness using the WHO 2007 growth reference standards. Out of the total, 17 (7.3%) and 30 (12.8%) adolescents were stunted and thin, respectively. In addition, 89 (38.0%) adolescents reported food insecurity experiences and nine (3.8%) were overweight. A regression analyses showed that the stunting was associated with the age of the adolescents and maternal education. Thinness was associated with area, gender, and the number of meals. Food insecurity experiences were associated with health problems in the past 30 days. In general, adolescents from the khat-growing area have better food security than those from the coffee-growing area, and the same is true, gender-wise, for girls compared to boys. We recommend possible interventions primarily for adolescents in coffee-growing areas.
Sugar-Sweetened Soft Drinks and Fructose Consumption Are Associated with Hyperuricemia: Cross-Sectional Analysis from the Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Adult Health (ELSA-Brasil)
Authors: Siqueira Jordana Herzog , Mill José Geraldo , Velasquez-Melendez Gustavo , Moreira Alexandra Dias , Barreto Sandhi Maria , Benseñor Isabela Martins , Molina Maria del Carmen Bisi
Published: July 2018

The secular trend of hyperuricemia coincides with the substantial increase in the consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages. Our aim was to evaluate the association between the consumption of soft drinks, dietary fructose and unsweetened, non-processed fruit juices with hyperuricemia in a cross-sectional analysis of baseline data (2008–2010; n = 7173) of the Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Adult Health (ELSA-Brasil). The explanatory variables were the consumption of soft drinks, fruit juice, and fructose using a validated semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire. The outcomes were hyperuricemia and the uric acid concentration in serum. Regression models were tested, and a significance level of 5% was adopted. In men, the daily consumption of a portion of soft drink/day (250 mL) almost doubled the chance of hyperuricemia with a linear trend. In women, the consumption of ≥0.1 to <1.0 soft drink/day was associated with a higher chance of hyperuricemia, but there was no linear trend. High fructose consumption in men and moderate and high consumption in women were associated with hyperuricemia. All categories of soft drinks consumption were linearly associated with increased serum uric acid levels. Our findings suggest that the consumption of soft drinks and dietary fructose is positively associated with a higher chance of hyperuricemia and higher uric acid levels in Brazilian adults.
Effects of Vitamin K2 on the Expression of Genes Involved in Bile Acid Synthesis and Glucose Homeostasis in Mice with Humanized PXR
Authors: Sultana Halima , Watanabe Kimika , Rana Md Masud , Takashima Rie , Ohashi Ai , Komai Michio , Shirakawa Hitoshi
Published: July 2018

Pregnane X receptor (PXR) is a nuclear receptor activated by various compounds, including prescribed drugs and dietary ingredients. Ligand-specific activation of PXR alters drug metabolism and affects many other physiological conditions. Species-specific ligand preference is a considerable challenge for studies of PXR function. To increase translational value of the results of mouse studies, humanized mouse model expressing human PXR (hPXR) has been developed. Menaquinone-4 (MK-4), one of vitamin K2 analogs prescribed in osteoporosis, is a PXR ligand. We hypothesized that MK-4 could modulate the physiological conditions endogenously influenced by PXR, including those that have not been yet properly elucidated. In the present study, we investigated the effects of a single oral treatment with MK-4 on hepatic gene expression in wild-type and hPXR mice by using quantitative RT-PCR and DNA microarray. MK-4 administration altered mRNA levels of genes involved in drug metabolism (Abca3, Cyp2s1, Sult1b1), bile acid synthesis (Cyp7a1, Cyp8b1), and energy homeostasis (Aldoc, Slc2a5). Similar mRNA changes of CYP7A1 and CYP8B1 were observed in human hepatocarcinoma HepG2 cells treated with MK-4. These results suggest that MK-4 may modulate bile acid synthesis. To our knowledge, this is the first report showing the effect of MK-4 in hPXR mice.
The Impact of Epicatechin on Human Cognition: The Role of Cerebral Blood Flow
Authors: Haskell-Ramsay Crystal F. , Schmitt Jeroen , Actis-Goretta Lucas
Published: July 2018

Epicatechin is a monomeric flavanol found in food sources such as tea, apples, berries and cocoa. A number of large-scale epidemiological studies have demonstrated an association between the consumption of these foods and cognitive function, as well as improved blood flow. The aim of this review is to summarise the evidence from intervention studies to clarify the effect of epicatechin on cognition and to consider the role of increased cerebral blood flow as a mechanism for any effects. The effects of epicatechin as consumed in cocoa are, therefore, reviewed here as this represents the only dietary source where it is purported to be the major active component. Our main findings are that a) the positive modulation of tasks that involve memory, executive function and processing speed in older adults; b) the cognitive benefits are more often shown in studies containing more than 50 mg epicatechin/day; and c) all studies with a duration of 28 days or longer in populations >50 years old demonstrate a cognitive improvement. However, as highlighted by this review, it is not currently possible to attribute effects solely to epicatechin without consideration of synergies. In order to overcome this issue, further studies examining the cognitive effects of epicatechin in isolation are required. The role of cerebral blood flow also requires further investigation through simultaneous measurement alongside cognitive function.
Improved Hydrogen Separation Using Hybrid Membrane Composed of Nanodiamonds and P84 Copolyimide
Authors: Pulyalina Alexandra , Polotskaya Galina , Rostovtseva Valeriia , Pientka Zbynek , Toikka Alexander
Published: July 2018

Membrane gas separation is a prospective technology for hydrogen separation from various refinery and petrochemical process streams. To improve efficiency of gas separation, a novel hybrid membrane consisting of nanodiamonds and P84 copolyimide is developed. The particularities of the hybrid membrane structure, physicochemical, and gas transport properties were studied by comparison with that of pure P84 membrane. The gas permeability of H2, CO2, and CH4 through the hybrid membrane is lower than through the unmodified membrane, whereas ideal selectivity in separation of H2/CO2, H2/CH4, and CO2/CH4 gas pairs is higher for the hybrid membrane. Correlation analysis of diffusion and solubility coefficients confirms the reliability of the gas permeability results. The position of P84/ND membrane is among the most selective membranes on the Robeson diagram for H2/CH4 gas pair.
Stimuli-Responsive Polypeptides for Biomedical Applications
Authors: Lee DaeYong , Rejinold N. Sanoj , Jeong Seong Dong , Kim Yeu-Chun
Published: July 2018

Stimuli-responsive polypeptides have gained attention because desirable bioactive properties can be easily imparted to them while keeping their biocompatibility and biodegradability intact. In this review, we summarize the most recent advances in various stimuli-responsive polypeptides (pH, reduction, oxidation, glucose, adenosine triphosphate (ATP), and enzyme) over the past five years. Various synthetic strategies exploited for advanced polypeptide-based materials are introduced, and their applicability in biomedical fields is discussed. The recent polypeptides imparted with new stimuli-responsiveness and their novel chemical and physical properties are explained in this review.
Persistent Citation of the Only Published Randomized Controlled Trial of Omega-3 Supplementation in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Six Years after Its Retraction
Authors: Fulton Ashley S , Coates Alison M , Williams Marie T , Howe Peter RC , Hill Alison M
Published: July 2018

The authors requested the following corrections to their paper[...]
Holy Mothers in the Vietnamese Diaspora: Refugees, Community, and Nation
Authors: Ninh Thien-Huong
Published: July 2018

Holy mothers, specifically the Vietnamese-looking Our Lady of Lavang and Caodai Mother Goddess, are the crucibles of faith for many Vietnamese Catholics and Caodaists. Based on ethnographic data collected in California, which has the largest overseas Vietnamese population, I argue that Vietnamese refugees and their US-reared descendants have been able to re-centralize their fragmented communities through the innovative adaptation of holy mother worship. In particular, Vietnamese Catholics in the US have transformed the European image of Our Lady of Lavang into a Vietnamese woman and exported it to the rest of the world. Meanwhile, Vietnamese American Caodaists have revived traditional religious rituals for the Caodai Mother Goddess which were repressed and prohibited for many years under communism in Vietnam. Through their shared devotion to holy mothers, these Vietnamese American faithful have also rebuilt relations with co-ethnic co-religionists living throughout the world. For both the Vietnamese Catholic and Caodai groups, holy mothers have emerged as emblems of their deterritorialized nation in the diaspora.
An Evaluation of Forest Health Insect and Disease Survey Data and Satellite-Based Remote Sensing Forest Change Detection Methods: Case Studies in the United States
Authors: Housman Ian W. , Chastain Robert A. , Finco Mark V.
Published: July 2018

The Operational Remote Sensing (ORS) program leverages Landsat and MODIS data to detect forest disturbances across the conterminous United States (CONUS). The ORS program was initiated in 2014 as a collaboration between the US Department of Agriculture Forest Service Geospatial Technology and Applications Center (GTAC) and the Forest Health Assessment and Applied Sciences Team (FHAAST). The goal of the ORS program is to supplement the Insect and Disease Survey (IDS) and MODIS Real-Time Forest Disturbance (RTFD) programs with imagery-derived forest disturbance data that can be used to augment traditional IDS data. We developed three algorithms and produced ORS forest change products using both Landsat and MODIS data. These were assessed over Southern New England and the Rio Grande National Forest. Reference data were acquired using TimeSync to conduct an independent accuracy assessment of IDS, RTFD, and ORS products. Overall accuracy for all products ranged from 71.63% to 92.55% in the Southern New England study area and 63.48% to 79.13% in the Rio Grande National Forest study area. While the accuracies attained from the assessed products are somewhat low, these results are similar to comparable studies. Although many ORS products met or exceeded the overall accuracy of IDS and RTFD products, the differences were largely statistically insignificant at the 95% confidence interval. This demonstrates the current implementation of ORS is sufficient to provide data to augment IDS data.
Diffuse Skylight as a Surrogate for Shadow Detection in High-Resolution Imagery Acquired Under Clear Sky Conditions
Authors: Cameron Mark , Kumar Lalit
Published: July 2018

An alternative technique for shadow detection and abundance is presented for high spatial resolution imagery acquired under clear sky conditions from airborne/spaceborne sensors. The method, termed Scattering Index (SI), uses Rayleigh scattering principles to create a diffuse skylight vector as a shadow reference. From linear algebra, the proportion of diffuse skylight in each image pixel provides a per pixel measure of shadow extent and abundance. We performed a comparative evaluation against two other methods, first valley detection thresholding (extent) and physics-based unmixing (extent and abundance). Overall accuracy and F-score measures are used to evaluate shadow extent on both Worldview-3 and ADS40 images captured over a common scene. Image subsets are selected to capture objects well documented as shadow detection anomalies, e.g., dark water bodies. Results showed improved accuracies and F-scores for shadow extent and qualitative evaluation of abundance show the method is invariant to scene and sensor characteristics. SI avoids shadow misclassifications by avoiding the use of pixel intensity and the associated limitations of binary thresholding. The method negates the need for complex sun-object-sensor corrections, it is simple to apply, and it is invariant to the exponential increase in scene complexity associated with higher-resolution imagery.
A Label-Free Fluorescent Assay for the Rapid and Sensitive Detection of Adenosine Deaminase Activity and Inhibition
Authors: Tang Xinxing , Wu Kefeng , Zhao Han , Chen Mingjian , Ma Changbei
Published: July 2018

Adenosine deaminase (ADA), able to catalyze the irreversible deamination of adenosine into inosine, can be found in almost all tissues and plays an important role in several diseases. In this work, we developed a label-free fluorescence method for the detection of adenosine deaminase activity and inhibition. In the presence of ADA, ATP has been shown to be hydrolyzed. The ATP aptamer was shown to form a G-quadruplex/thioflavin T (ThT) complex with ThT and exhibited an obvious fluorescence signal. However, the ATP aptamer could bind with ATP and exhibited a low fluorescence signal because of the absence of ADA. This assay showed high sensitivity to ADA with a detection limit of 1 U/L based on an SNR of 3 and got a good linear relationship within the range of 1–100 U/L with R2 = 0.9909. The LOD is lower than ADA cutoff value (4 U/L) in the clinical requirement and more sensitive than most of the reported methods. This technique exhibited high selectivity for ADA against hoGG I, UDG, RNase H and λexo. Moreover, this strategy was successfully applied for assaying the inhibition of ADA using erythro-9-(2-hydroxy-3-nonyl) adenine (EHNA) and, as such, demonstrated great potential for the future use in the diagnosis of ADA-relevant diseases, particularly in advanced drug development.
Oscillation Suppression in the Sense Mode of a High-Q MEMS Gyroscope Using a Simplified Closed-Loop Control Method
Authors: Shen Qiang , Wang Xinpeng , Wu Yixuan , Xie Jianbing
Published: July 2018

The oscillation of the sense mode of the micro-machined Coriolis vibratory gyroscope (MCVG) with high quality factor (Q) is analyzed in this study and the corresponding force feedback control scheme is presented to suppress this oscillation. The controller consists of integrator and some filters, instead of the common but complicated demodulation and remodulation modules. Compared with using no oscillation suppression scheme, the proposed simplified oscillation suppression control scheme can achieve an improvement of the sense mode of the MCVG. The inband spectrum ripple of the angular rate output are improved from 51.4 dB to 4.23 × 10−4 dB. Correspondingly, these two performance parameters are improved by 370.4 and 186.2 times, which are higher than two orders of magnitude, respectively. Bias stability is improved from 9.72 deg/h to 2.5 deg/h. Test results prove that the proposed control scheme is effective in suppressing the oscillation.
QoS-Driven Adaptive Trust Service Coordination in the Industrial Internet of Things
Authors: Qi Jin , Wang Zian , Xu Bin , Wu Mengfei , Gao Zian , Sun Yanfei
Published: July 2018

The adaptive coordination of trust services can provide highly dependable and personalized solutions for industrial requirements in the service-oriented industrial internet of things (IIoT) architecture to achieve efficient utilization of service resources. Although great progress has been made, trust service coordination still faces challenging problems such as trustless industry service, poor coordination, and quality of service (QoS) personalized demand. In this paper, we propose a QoS-driven and adaptive trust service coordination method to implement Pareto-efficient allocation of limited industrial service resources in the background of the IIoT. First, we established a Pareto-effective and adaptive industrial IoT trust service coordination model and introduced a blockchain-based adaptive trust evaluation mechanism to achieve trust evaluation of industrial services. Then, taking advantage of a large and complex search space for solution efficiency, we introduced and compared multi-objective gray-wolf algorithms with the particle swarm optimization (PSO) and dragonfly algorithms. The experimental results showed that by judging and blacklisting malicious raters quickly and accurately, our model can efficiently realize self-adaptive, personalized, and intelligent trust service coordination under the given constraints, improving not only the response time, but also the success rate in coordination.
Supercritical Fluid Chromatography as a Technique to Fractionate High-Valued Compounds from Lipids
Authors: Montañés Fernando , Tallon Stephen
Published: July 2018

Natural products are in high demand these days due to rising awareness among consumers. Healthy diets, especially those in emerging markets, growth in populations with nutritional deficiencies, and supporting government regulations provide high growth opportunities for these compounds. However, extraction of high-valued compounds from natural sources is not an easy task. Natural products are complex matrices, with relevant compounds present in small amounts and often mixed with other compounds of similar structures. Most of the applications are related to the pharmaceutical sector, but interest in food and natural products is growing fast. Lipid and carbohydrate extracts are examples of starting materials employed to purify these relevant compounds. At the same time supercritical fluid chromatography (SFC) is an emerging technique for preparative separation due to (1) use of supercritical fluids, commonly carbon dioxide, giving a large reduction in use of organic solvents; and (2) new hardware has been made commercially available recently that makes SFC a viable option. SFC fulfills high demands with respect to selectivity, versatility and sensibility. Fractionation or purification by SFC of high-valued compounds from natural sources is an interesting option, the relevance of which will increase in the future. This paper is a survey of trends and applications of SFC in the field of natural products purification.