bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Influence of Shoe Characteristics on the Development of Valgus Foot in Children
Authors: Medina-Alcantara Miguel , Morales-Asencio Jose Miguel , Jimenez-Cebrian Ana María , Paez-Moguer Joaquin , Cervera-Marin Jose Antonio , Gijon-Nogueron Gabriel , Ortega-Avila Ana Belen
Published: January 2019

For thousands of years, shoes have been worn to protect the feet from injury, and the proper choice and use of footwear are directly relevant to foot health, especially that of children. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between shoe-related factors (type and frequency of use) and the prevalence of valgus foot in children. This analytical cross-sectional observational study was carried out on a population of children in the first, second or third year of primary education, to analyzing the frequency and type of shoes worn, and to determining the presence or not of valgus foot. The sample consisted of 132 children (of 642 potential subjects), with an average age of 7.53 years (Standard Deviation (SD) 0.80), which was composed of 61 boys (46.2%) and 71 girls (53.8%). The overall prevalence of valgus foot was 45.5% (n = 60). The use of boots 2–5 days a week was significantly associated, in both sexes, with a lower prevalence of valgus in the left foot (30.5%, p = 0.009). The use of boots could be associated with a lower presence of valgus, depending on the frequency of wear.
Probiotic Lactobacillus spp. Act Against Helicobacter pylori-induced Inflammation
Authors: Chen Yi-Hsing , Tsai Wan-Hua , Wu Hui-Yu , Chen Chun-Ya , Yeh Wen-Ling , Chen Ya-Hui , Hsu Hui-Ying , Chen Wei-Wei , Chen Yu-Wen , Chang Wen-Wei , Lin Tzu-Lung , Lai Hsin-Chih , Lin Yu-Hsin , Lai Chih-Ho
Published: January 2019

The bacterial species, Helicobacter pylori, is associated with several gastrointestinal diseases, and poses serious health threats owing to its resistance to antibiotics. Lactobacillus spp., on the other hand, possess probiotic activities that have beneficial effects in humans. However, the mechanisms by which Lactobacillus spp. harbor favorable functions and act against H. pylori infection remain to be explored. The aim of this study was to investigate the ability of bacterial strains, Lactobacillus rhamnosus and Lactobacillus acidophilus, termed GMNL-74 and GMNL-185, respectively, to inhibit H. pylori growth and inflammation. Our results showed that GMNL-74 and GMNL-185 possess potent antimicrobial activity against multidrug resistant (MDR)-H. pylori. In addition, an in vitro cell-based model revealed that the inhibition of H. pylori adhesion and invasion of gastric epithelial cells and interleukin-8 production were significantly decreased by treatment with both the Lactobacillus strains. In vivo studies demonstrated that colonization of H. pylori and induced inflammation in the mouse stomach were also alleviated by these Lactobacillus strains. Furthermore, the abundance of beneficial gut bacteria, including Bifidobacterium spp. and Akkermansia muciniphilia, were significantly increased in H. pylori-infected mice treated with GMNL-74 and GMNL-185. These results demonstrate that Lactobacillus spp. ameliorate H. pylori-induced inflammation and supports beneficial gut specific bacteria that act against H. pylori infection.
Colorectal Cancer Biomarkers in the Era of Personalized Medicine
Authors: Patel Jai N. , Fong Mei Ka , Jagosky Megan
Published: January 2019

The 5-year survival probability for patients with metastatic colorectal cancer has not drastically changed over the last several years, nor has the backbone chemotherapy in first-line disease. Nevertheless, newer targeted therapies and immunotherapies have been approved primarily in the refractory setting, which appears to benefit a small proportion of patients. Until recently, rat sarcoma (RAS) mutations remained the only genomic biomarker to assist with therapy selection in metastatic colorectal cancer. Next generation sequencing has unveiled many more potentially powerful predictive genomic markers of therapy response. Importantly, there are also clinical and physiologic predictive or prognostic biomarkers, such as tumor sidedness. Variations in germline pharmacogenomic biomarkers have demonstrated usefulness in determining response or risk of toxicity, which can be critical in defining dose intensity. This review outlines such biomarkers and summarizes their clinical implications on the treatment of colorectal cancer. It is critical that clinicians understand which biomarkers are clinically validated for use in practice and how to act on such test results.
Biocompatibility of Plasma-Treated Polymeric Implants
Authors: Recek Nina
Published: January 2019

Cardiovascular diseases are one of the main causes of mortality in the modern world. Scientist all around the world are trying to improve medical treatment, but the success of the treatment significantly depends on the stage of disease progression. In the last phase of disease, the treatment is possible only by implantation of artificial graft. Most commonly used materials for artificial grafts are polymer materials. Despite different industrial procedures for graft fabrication, their properties are still not optimal. Grafts with small diameters (<6 mm) are the most problematic, because the platelets are more likely to re-adhere. This causes thrombus formation. Recent findings indicate that platelet adhesion is primarily influenced by blood plasma proteins that adsorb to the surface immediately after contact of a synthetic material with blood. Fibrinogen is a key blood protein responsible for the mechanisms of activation, adhesion and aggregation of platelets. Plasma treatment is considered as one of the promising methods for improving hemocompatibility of synthetic materials. Another method is endothelialization of materials with Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial cells, thus forming a uniform layer of endothelial cells on the surface. Extensive literature review led to the conclusion that in this area, despite numerous studies there are no available standardized methods for testing the hemocompatibility of biomaterials. In this review paper, the most promising methods to gain biocompatibility of synthetic materials are reported; several hypotheses to explain the improvement in hemocompatibility of plasma treated polymer surfaces are proposed.
Evaluation of Grain Boundary Network and Improvement of Intergranular Cracking Resistance in 316L Stainless Steel after Grain Boundary Engineering
Authors: Liu Tingguang , Xia Shuang , Bai Qin , Zhou Bangxin , Lu Yonghao , Shoji Tetsuo
Published: January 2019

For understanding the improvement of intergranular stress corrosion cracking (IGSCC) propagation in grain boundary engineering (GBE)-processed metals exposed to a simulated pressurized water reactor (PWR) environment, characteristics of the grain boundary network of 316L stainless steel before and after GBE were investigated and compared, including proportions both in length and in number of ∑3n boundaries, sizes, and topology of grain clusters (or twin-related domains), and connectivity of random boundaries. The term through-view random boundary path (TRBP) was proposed to evaluate the random boundary connectivity. A TRBP is a chain of end-to-end connected crack-susceptible boundaries that passes through the entire mapped microstructure. The work provides the following key findings: (I) the length fraction of ∑3n boundaries was increased to approximately 75% after GBE, but the number fraction was only approximately 50%; (II) a connected non-twin boundary network still existed in the GBE sample due to the formation of grain clusters; (III) the GBE sample exhibited a higher resistance to IGSCC; and (IV) as the twin boundary fraction increased, the number of TRBPs decreased and the normalized length of the minimum TRBP increased monotonically, leading to a higher resistance to IGSCC.
High-Density Cobalt Nanoparticles Encapsulated with Nitrogen-Doped Carbon Nanoshells as a Bifunctional Catalyst for Rechargeable Zinc-Air Battery
Authors: Liang Shuqi , Liang Ce
Published: January 2019

High efficient electrocatalytic activity and strong stability to both oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and oxygen evolution (OER) are very critical to rechargeable Zn-air battery and other renewable energy technologies. As a class of promising catalysts, the nanocoposites of transition metal nanoparticles that are encapsulated with nitrogen-doped carbon nanoshells are considered as promising substitutes to expensive precious metal based catalysts. In this work, we demonstrate the successful preparation of high-density cobalt nanoparticles encapsulated in very thin N-doped carbon nanoshells by the pyrolysis of solid state cyclen-Co-dicyandiamide complex. The morphologies and properties of products can be conveniently tuned by adjusting the pyrolysis temperature. Owing to the synergetic effect of hybrid nanostructure, the optimized Co@N-C-800 sample possesses outstanding bifunctional activity for both ORR and OER in alkaline electrolyte. Meanwhile, the corresponding rechargeable zinc-air battery that is based on Co@N-C-800 air cathode also has excellent current density, low charge-discharge voltage gap, high power density, and strong cycle stability, making it a suitable alternative to take the place of precious metal catalysts for practical utilization.
Size-Dependent Phase Transformation during Gas Atomization Process of Cu–Sn Alloy Powders
Authors: Pan Hao , Ji Hongjun , Liang Meng , Zhou Junbo , Li Mingyu
Published: January 2019

For binary element atomization, it is essential to investigate the phase transformation from liquid to solid as a functions of the droplet sizes, as well as the reaction competitiveness, during gas atomizing solidification of their nuclei. In the present work, a series of phase transformations of undercooled Cu (60.9 wt.%)/Sn droplets were analyzed when atomized by pressure gas. The results indicated that the microstructures of the obtained powders and their morphologies were highly relevant to the droplet size. According to the phase characteristics analyzed by the microstructural observations in combination with the transient nucleation theory, powders with sizes from 10 to 100 μm were divided into three categories, exhibiting lotus-leaf, island, and stripe morphologies. The competitive formation of Cu6Sn5 or Cu3Sn was also controlled by the droplet sizes, and a diameter of approximately 45 μm was identified as the threshold size. After heat treatment at 300 °C for 4 h, the powders consisted of a single η’ Cu6Sn5 phase. The obtained Cu6Sn5 phase powders can be used in the field of high-temperature applications as intermetallic balls for integrated chip interconnects.
The Influence of A Mo Addition on the Interfacial Morphologies and Corrosion Resistances of Novel Fe-Cr-B Alloys Immersed in Molten Aluminum
Authors: Ling Zicheng , Chen Weiping , Xu Weiye , Zhang Xianman , Lu Tiwen , Liu Jian
Published: January 2019

The influence of a Mo addition on the interfacial morphologies and corrosion resistances of novel Fe-Cr-B alloys in molten aluminum at 750 °C was systematically investigated using scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffractometer, electron probe microanalysis, and transmission electron microscopy. The results indicated that Mo could not only strengthen the matrix but also facilitate the formation of borides. Furthermore, the microstructures of Mo-rich M2B boride changed from a local eutectic net-like structure to a typical coarse dendritic structure and a blocky hypereutectic structure with increasing Mo addition. This was true of the blocky Mo-rich M2B boride, rod-like Cr-rich M2B boride and the corrosion products, which had a synergistic effect on retarding of the diffusion of molten aluminum. Notably, the corrosion resistance of the Fe-Cr-B-Mo alloy, with an 8.3 wt.% Mo addition, was 3.8 times higher than that of H13 steel.
Exact Solution for the Heat Transfer of Two Immiscible PTT Fluids Flowing in Concentric Layers through a Pipe
Authors: Siddiqui Abdul Majeed , Zeb Muhammad , Haroon Tahira , Azim Qurat-ul-Ain
Published: January 2019

This article investigates the heat transfer flow of two layers of Phan-Thien-Tanner (PTT) fluids though a cylindrical pipe. The flow is assumed to be steady, incompressible, and stable and the fluid layers do not mix with each other. The fluid flow and heat transfer equations are modeled using the linear PTT fluid model. Exact solutions for the velocity, flow rates, temperature profiles, and stress distributions are obtained. It has also been shown that one can recover the Newtonian fluid results from the obtained results by putting the non-Newtonian parameters to zero. These results match with the corresponding results for Newtonian fluids already present in the literature. Graphical analysis of the behavior of the fluid velocities, temperatures, and stresses is also presented at the end. It is also shown that maximum velocity occurs in the inner fluid layer.
Pathway Analysis of Fucoidan Activity Using a Yeast Gene Deletion Library Screen
Authors: Corban Monika , Ambrose Mark , Pagnon Joanne , Stringer Damien , Karpiniec Sam , Park Ahyoung , Eri Raj , Fitton J Helen , Gueven Nuri
Published: January 2019

Fucoidan, the sulfated fucose-rich polysaccharide derived from brown macroalgae, was reported to display some anti-cancer effects in in vitro and in vivo models that included apoptosis and cell cycle arrest. The proposed mechanisms of action involve enhanced immune surveillance and direct pro-apoptotic effects via the activation of cell signaling pathways that remain largely uncharacterized. This study aimed to identify cellular pathways influenced by fucoidan using an unbiased genetic approach to generate additional insights into the anti-cancer effects of fucoidan. Drug–gene interactions of Undaria pinnatifida fucoidan were assessed by a systematic screen of the entire set of 4,733 halpoid Saccharomyces cerevsiae gene deletion strains. Some of the findings were confirmed using cell cycle analysis and DNA damage detection in non-immortalized human dermal fibroblasts and colon cancer cells. The yeast deletion library screen and subsequent pathway and interactome analysis identified global effects of fucoidan on a wide range of eukaryotic cellular processes, including RNA metabolism, protein synthesis, sorting, targeting and transport, carbohydrate metabolism, mitochondrial maintenance, cell cycle regulation, and DNA damage repair-related pathways. Fucoidan also reduced clonogenic survival, induced DNA damage and G1-arrest in colon cancer cells, while these effects were not observed in non-immortalized human fibroblasts. Our results demonstrate global effects of fucoidan in diverse cellular processes in eukaryotic cells and further our understanding about the inhibitory effect of Undaria pinnatifida fucoidan on the growth of human cancer cells.
Ultrafast Heating and Initial Microstructure Effect on Phase Transformation Evolution of a CrMo Steel
Authors: Papaefthymiou Spyros , Karamitros Vassilios , Bouzouni Marianthi
Published: January 2019

Main target of the present work is to elucidate the effect of both initial microstructure and heating rate on phase transformations that occur during ultrafast processing. For this purpose, two initial microstructures, a ferritic-pearlitic and a soft-annealed microstructure were considered. We applied different heating rates (10 °C/s, 200 °C/s, 300 °C/s) up to the peak austenitization temperature, θ ≅ 900 °C. The evolving microstructure is analysed via SEM and EBSD, whereas the carbide dissolution and austenite formation is simulated with Thermocalc® and DICTRA software. Data obtained in this research proves that, when the heating rate increases, the carbide dissolution rate is disseminated. Compared to a conventional heating rate, where the local chemical composition homogenizes as a result of diffusion, rapid reheating leads to intense segregation of the substitutional atoms at the cementite/austenite interface and turns diffusion to a sluggish process. This fact, combined to the infinitesimal time for diffusion, forms an inhomogeneous carbon distribution along the microstructure. This inhomogeneity is further enhanced by the presence of increased carbides’ size present in the initial microstructure. Due to rapid heating, these carbides cannot be decomposed since the diffusion distance of alloying elements increases and the diffusion of alloying elements is impeded during ultrafast heating, thus, remain undissolved at peak austenitization temperature. Their presence and effect in heterogeneous ferrite nucleation restrict austenite grain growth. Consequently, fine austenite grains in conjunction with their chemical heterogeneity lead to the coexistence of fine martensite, bainite laths and undissolved carbides in the final microstructure after quenching.
Hydrometallurgical Process for Zinc Recovery from C.Z.O. Generated by the Steelmaking Industry with Ammonia–Ammonium Chloride Solution
Authors: Yang Shenghai , Zhao Duoqiang , Jie Yafei , Tang Chaobo , He Jing , Chen Yongming
Published: January 2019

In this research, some experimental steps were investigated to recover zinc contained in crude zinc oxide (C.Z.O.). In the first stage, the C.Z.O. was treated in NH3–NH4Cl–H2O solution to dissolve the metals. The optimized leaching conditions in batch experiments were obtained: agitation speed 250 rpm, concentration of ammonia and ammonium chloride 2.5 mol/L and 5 mol/L, respectively, time 30min, temperature 40 °C, and L/S = 6 mL/g. The extraction percentage of zinc was over 81% under the optimized leaching conditions. The kinetic study indicates that zinc extraction from the C.Z.O particles was very rapid. In the second stage, the solution from the leaching process was purified by adding zinc dust to the solution. The Cu, Cd, Pb, Sb, and As could be reduced to levels of 0.03, 0.09, 0.87, 0.22, and 0.12 mg/L after the purification process. Finally, the electrowinning process was used to recover dissolved Zn from the final solution. The zinc content in the electrowon zinc was more than 99.99%.
Microbial Fermentation of Dietary Protein: An Important Factor in Diet–Microbe–Host Interaction
Authors: Diether Natalie E. , Willing Benjamin P.
Published: January 2019

Protein fermentation by gut microbiota contributes significantly to the metabolite pool in the large intestine and may contribute to host amino acid balance. However, we have a limited understanding of the role that proteolytic metabolites have, both in the gut and in systemic circulation. A review of recent studies paired with findings from previous culture-based experiments suggests an important role for microbial protein fermentation in altering the gut microbiota and generating a diverse range of bioactive molecules which exert wide-ranging host effects. These metabolic products have been shown to increase inflammatory response, tissue permeability, and colitis severity in the gut. They are also implicated in the development of metabolic disease, including obesity, diabetes, and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Specific products of proteolytic fermentation such as hydrogen sulfide, ammonia, and p-Cresol may also contribute to the development of colorectal cancer. These findings are in conflict with other studies showing that tryptophan metabolites may improve gut barrier function and attenuate severity in a multiple sclerosis model. Further research examining proteolytic fermentation in the gut may be key to our understanding of how microbial and host metabolism interact affecting health.
Castanopsis lamontii Water Extract Shows Potential in Suppressing Pathogens, Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Inflammation and Oxidative Stress-Induced Cell Injury
Authors: Gao Ying , Zhang Xinzhong , Yin Junfeng , Du Qizhen , Tu Youying , Shi John , Xu Yongquan
Published: January 2019

Castanopsis lamontii is traditionally used to prevent inflammatory diseases such as periodontitis and pharyngitis by residents in southwest China. However, little scientific evidence has been found to support this. In this research, the antibacterial activities of Castanopsis lamontii water extract (CLE) were assessed using the micro-dilution method. The anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities of CLE were investigated in RAW264.7 cells. Key bioactive compounds in CLE were also explored. Results showed that CLE was capable of inhibiting the periodontitis pathogen Porphyromonas gingivalis and the pharyngitis pathogen β-hemolytic Streptococcus. It suppressed lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammation in RAW 264.7 cells via inactivating the TLR4/NF-κB pathway. Besides, it reduced oxidative stress-induced cell injury via scavenging reactive oxygen species. Chemical composition analysis revealed that CLE was rich in epicatechin and procyanidin B2. Further studies confirmed that epicatechin predominantly contributed to the antibacterial activities of CLE, while procyanidin B2 was mainly responsible for the anti-inflammatory activities of CLE. Both compounds contributed to the antioxidant activities of CLE. Acute oral toxicity tests proved that CLE was practically non-toxic. These results provide experimental evidences of the health-beneficial effects of CLE and may help promote the application of CLE in the food and health industries.
Assessing Parameter Suitability for the Strength Evaluation of Intramolecular Resonance Assisted Hydrogen Bonding in o-Carbonyl Hydroquinones
Authors: Martínez-Cifuentes Maximiliano , Monroy-Cárdenas Matías , Millas-Vargas Juan Pablo , Weiss-López Boris E. , Araya-Maturana Ramiro
Published: January 2019

Intramolecular hydrogen bond (IMHB) interactions have attracted considerable attention due to their central role in molecular structure, chemical reactivity, and interactions of biologically active molecules. Precise correlations of the strength of IMHB’s with experimental parameters are a key goal in order to model compounds for drug discovery. In this work, we carry out an experimental (NMR) and theoretical (DFT) study of the IMHB in a series of structurally similar o-carbonyl hydroquinones. Geometrical parameters, as well as Natural Bond Orbital (NBO) and Quantum Theory of Atoms in Molecules (QTAIM) parameters for IMHB were compared with experimental NMR data. Three DFT functionals were employed to calculated theoretical parameters: B3LYP, M06-2X, and ωB97XD. O…H distance is the most suitable geometrical parameter to distinguish among similar IMHBs. Second order stabilization energies ΔEij(2) from NBO analysis and hydrogen bond energy (EHB) obtained from QTAIM analysis also properly distinguishes the order in strength of the studied IMHB. ΔEij(2) from NBO give values for the IMHB below 30 kcal/mol, while EHB from QTAIM analysis give values above 30 kcal/mol. In all cases, the calculated parameters using ωB97XD give the best correlations with experimental 1H-NMR chemical shifts for the IMHB, with R2 values around 0.89. Although the results show that these parameters correctly reflect the strength of the IMHB, when the weakest one is removed from the analysis, arguing experimental considerations, correlations improve significantly to values around 0.95 for R2.
Pharmacokinetics, Tissue Distribution, Plasma Protein Binding Studies of 10-Dehydroxyl-12-Demethoxy-Conophylline, a Novel Anti-Tumor Candidate, in Rats
Authors: Jiang Chengjun , Li Jie , Cai Xianghai , Li Nini , Guo Yan , Wang Dianlei
Published: January 2019

10-Dehydroxyl-12-demethoxy-conophylline is a natural anticancer candidate. The motivation of this study was to explore the pharmacokinetic profiles, tissue distribution, and plasma protein binding of 10-dehydroxyl-12-demethoxy-conophylline in Sprague Dawley rats. A rapid, sensitive, and specific ultra-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) system with a fluorescence (FLR) detection method was developed for the determination of 10-dehydroxyl-12-demethoxy-conophylline in different rat biological samples. After intravenous (i.v.) dosing of 10-dehydroxyl-12-demethoxy-conophylline at different levels (4, 8, and 12 mg/kg), the half-life t1/2α of intravenous administration was about 7 min and the t1/2β was about 68 min. The AUC0→∞ increased in a dose-proportional manner from 68.478 μg/L·min for 4 mg/kg to 305.616 mg/L·min for 12 mg/kg. After intragastrical (i.g.) dosing of 20 mg/kg, plasma levels of 10-dehydroxyl-12-demethoxy-conophylline peaked at about 90 min. 10-dehydroxyl-12-demethoxy-conophyllinea absolute oral bioavailability was only 15.79%. The pharmacokinetics process of the drug was fit to a two-room model. Following a single i.v. dose (8 mg/kg), 10-dehydroxyl-12-demethoxy-conophylline was detected in all examined tissues with the highest in kidney, liver, and lung. Equilibrium dialysis was used to evaluate plasma protein binding of 10-dehydroxyl-12-demethoxy-conophylline at three concentrations (1.00, 2.50, and 5.00 µg/mL). Results indicated a very high protein binding degree (over 80%), reducing substantially the free fraction of the compound.
Authentication of Apis cerana Honey and Apis mellifera Honey Based on Major Royal Jelly Protein 2 Gene
Authors: Zhang Yan-Zheng , Wang Shuai , Chen Yi-Fan , Wu Yu-Qi , Tian Jing , Si Juan-Juan , Zhang Cui-Ping , Zheng Huo-Qing , Hu Fu-Liang
Published: January 2019

In Asia, honey is mainly produced by Apis mellifera and Apis cerana. However, the price of A. cerana honey is usually much higher than A. mellifera honey. Seeing considerable profits, some dishonest companies and beekeepers mislabel A. mellifera honey as A. cerana honey or incorporate A. mellifera honey into A. cerana honey. In the present study, we developed methods to discriminate A. cerana honey from A. mellifera honey based on the MRJP2 (major royal jelly protein 2) gene. Two pairs of species-specific primers were designed. The amplification products of A. cerana and A. mellifera were 212 and 560 bp, respectively. As little as one percent incorporation of A. mellifera honey in the mixture can be detected by duplex PCR. Additionally, another method based on the melt curve analysis using the same primers was also developed, allowing a rapid discrimination of real-time PCR product of different species. Our study shows that the entomological authentication of honey samples can be identified by nuclear genes other than mitochondrial genes and this extends the possibility of gene selection in identification. The authentication system we proposed could be a useful tool for discriminating A. cerana honey from A. mellifera honey.
Investigation of the Phase Transition Mechanism in LiFePO4 Cathode Using In Situ Raman Spectroscopy and 2D Correlation Spectroscopy during Initial Cycle
Authors: Park Yeonju , Kim Soo , Jin Sila , Lee Sung , Noda Isao , Jung Young
Published: January 2019

The phase transition of the LiFePO4 and FePO4 in Li-ion cell during charging-discharging processes in the first and second cycles is elucidated by Raman spectroscopy in real time. In situ Raman spectroscopy showed the sudden phase transition between LiFePO4 and FePO4. Principal component analysis (PCA) results also indicated that the structural changes and electrochemical performance (charge-discharge curve) are correlated with each other. Phase transition between LiFePO4 and FePO4 principally appeared in the second charging process compared with that in the first charging process. 2D correlation spectra provided the phase transition mechanism of LiFePO4 cathode which occurred during the charging-discharging processes in the first and second cycles. PCA and 2D correlation spectroscopy are very helpful methods to understand in situ Raman spectra for the Li-ion battery.
How Does Diet Change with A Diagnosis of Diabetes? Protocol of the 3D Longitudinal Study
Authors: Burch Emily , Williams Lauren T. , Makepeace Harriet , Alston-Knox Clair , Ball Lauren
Published: January 2019

Diet quality influences glycemic control in people with type 2 diabetes (T2D), impacting their risk of complications. While there are many cross-sectional studies of diet and diabetes, there is little understanding of the extent to which people with T2D change their diet after diagnosis and of the factors that impact those changes. This paper describes the rationale for and design of the 3D longitudinal Study which aims to: (i) describe diet quality changes in the 12 months following T2D diagnosis, (ii) identify the demographic, physical and psychosocial predictors of sustained improvements in diet quality and glycemic control, and (iii) identify associations between glycemic control and diet quality in the 12 months following diagnosis. This cohort study will recruit adults registered with the Australian National Diabetes Services Scheme who have been recently diagnosed with T2D. Participants will be involved in five purposefully developed telephone surveys, conducted at 3 monthly intervals over a 12-month period. Diet quality will be determined using a 24-h dietary recall at each data collection point and the data will be scored using the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet-quality tool. This study is the first dedicated to observing how people newly diagnosed with T2D change their diet quality over time and the predictors of sustained improvements in diet and glycemic control.
Sodium and Potassium Intake, Knowledge Attitudes and Behaviour Towards Salt Consumption Amongst Adults in Podgorica, Montenegro
Authors: D’Elia Lanfranco , Brajović Mina , Klisic Aleksandra , Breda Joao , Jewell Jo , Cadjenović Vuk , Cappuccio Francesco P
Published: January 2019

Excess salt and inadequate potassium intakes are associated with high cardiovascular disease (CVD). In Montenegro, CVD is the leading cause of death and disability. There is no survey that has directly measured salt and potassium consumption in Montenegro. The aim is to estimate population salt and potassium intakes and explore knowledge, attitudes and behaviour (KAB), amongst the adult population of Podgorica. Random samples of adults were obtained from primary care centres. Participants attended a screening including demographic, anthropometric and physical measurements. Dietary salt and potassium intakes were assessed by 24 h urinary sodium (UNa) and potassium (UK) excretions. Creatinine was measured. KAB was collected by questionnaire. Six hundred and thirty-nine (285 men, 25–65 years) were included in the analysis (response rate 63%). Mean UNa was 186.5 (SD 90.3) mmoL/day, equivalent to 11.6 g of salt/day and potassium excretion 62.5 (26.2) mmoL/day, equivalent to 3.2 g/day. Only 7% of them had a salt intake below the World Health Organization (WHO) recommended target of 5 g/day and 13% ate enough potassium (>90 mmoL/day). The majority (86%) knew that high salt causes ill-health. However, only 44% thought it would be useful to reduce consumption. Salt consumption is high and potassium consumption is low, in men and women living in Podgorica.
Free Sugars Intake, Sources and Determinants of High Consumption among Australian 2-Year-Olds in the SMILE Cohort
Authors: Devenish Gemma , Golley Rebecca , Mukhtar Aqif , Begley Andrea , Ha Diep , Do Loc , Scott Jane A.
Published: January 2019

In the first 2 years of life, it is important to limit exposure to foods high in free sugars, in order to lay foundations for lifelong eating patterns associated with a reduced risk of chronic disease. Intake data at this age is limited, so compliance with recommendations is not known. This analysis describes free sugars intakes, food sources and determinants of high consumption among Australian children at 2 years of age. Free sugars intakes were estimated using a customized Food Frequency Questionnaire, and median usual free sugars intake at 2 years was 22.5 (Interquartile Range (IQR) 12.8–37.7) g/day, contributing a median 8% of the estimated energy requirement (EER). Based on the EER, most children (71.1%) exceeded the World Health Organization recommendation that <5% of energy should come from free sugars, with 38% of participants exceeding the <10% recommendation. Children from households with the greatest socioeconomic disadvantage were more likely to exceed the 10% recommendation (Prevalence Ratio (PR) 1.44, 95% Confidence Interval (95% CI) 1.13–1.84), and be in the top tertile for free sugars intake (PR 1.58, 95% CI 1.19–2.10) than the least disadvantaged. Main sources of free sugars were non-core foods, such as fruit juice, biscuits, cakes, desserts and confectionery; with yogurt and non-dairy milk alternatives the two notable exceptions. Improved efforts to reduce free sugars are needed from the introduction of solid food, with a particular focus on fruit juice and non-core foods.
Effectiveness of A Multifactorial Intervention in Increasing Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet among Patients with Diabetes Mellitus Type 2: A Controlled and Randomized Study (EMID Study)
Authors: Alonso-Domínguez Rosario , García-Ortiz Luis , Patino-Alonso Maria C. , Sánchez-Aguadero Natalia , Gómez-Marcos Manuel A. , Recio-Rodríguez José I.
Published: January 2019

The Mediterranean diet (MD) is recognized as one of the healthiest dietary patterns and has benefits such as improving glycaemic control among patients with type 2 diabetes (T2DM). Our aim is to assess the effectiveness of a multifactorial intervention to improve adherence to the MD, diet quality and biomedical parameters. The EMID study is a randomized and controlled clinical trial with two parallel groups and a 12-month follow-up period. The study included 204 subjects between 25–70 years with T2DM. The participants were randomized into intervention group (IG) and control group (CG). Both groups received brief advice about healthy eating and physical activity. The IG participants additionally took part in a food workshop, five walks and received a smartphone application for three months. The population studied had a mean age of 60.6 years. At the 3-month follow-up visit, there were improvements in adherence to the MD and diet quality of 2.2 and 2.5 points, compared to the baseline visit, respectively, in favour of the IG. This tendency of the improvement was maintained, in favour of the IG, at the 12-month follow-up visit. In conclusion, the multifactorial intervention performed could improve adherence to the MD and diet quality among patients with T2DM.
Vitamin K in Chronic Kidney Disease
Authors: Cozzolino Mario , Mangano Michela , Galassi Andrea , Ciceri Paola , Messa Piergiorgio , Nigwekar Sagar
Published: January 2019

Vitamin K is a composite term referring to a group of fat-soluble vitamins that function as a cofactor for the enzyme γ-glutamyl carboxylase (GGCX), which activates a number of vitamin K-dependent proteins (VKDPs) involved in haemostasis and vascular and bone health. Accumulating evidence demonstrates that chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients suffer from subclinical vitamin K deficiency, suggesting that this represents a population at risk for the biological consequences of poor vitamin K status. This deficiency might be caused by exhaustion of vitamin K due to its high requirements by vitamin K-dependent proteins to inhibit calcification.
Rare and Imported Infections: Are We Prepared?
Authors: Oligbu Godwin
Published: January 2019

The world’s population is rapidly expanding [...]
Phytotoxic and Genotoxic Effects of Copper Nanoparticles in Coriander (Coriandrum sativum—Apiaceae)
Authors: AlQuraidi Alya O. , Mosa Kareem A. , Ramamoorthy Kalidoss
Published: January 2019

Engineered metal nanoparticles have been widely used in several applications that may lead to increased exposure to the environment. In this study, we assessed the phytotoxic effect of various concentrations of copper nanoparticles CuNP, (200, 400 and 800 mg/L) on coriander (Coriandrum sativum) plants grown hydroponically. C. sativum plants treated with CuNP demonstrated decreased biomass and root length in comparison to control untreated plants. Additionally, decreased levels of photosynthetic pigments (chlorophyll a and b) were also seen in C. sativum plants treated with CuNP, as well as damage to the C. sativum root plasma membrane as demonstrated by Evan’s blue dye and increased electrolyte leakage. Moreover, our results exhibited increased levels of H2O2 and MDA on C. Sativum plants treated with CuNP. X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) analysis confirmed that C. sativum treated with CuNP accumulated the latter in plant root tissues. Random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis confirmed the genotoxic effect of CuNP, which altered the C. sativum genome. This was shown by the different banding pattern of RAPD. Overall, our results exhibited that CuNP is toxic to C. sativum plants.
Femtosecond Optical Annealing Induced Polymer Melting and Formation of Solid Droplets
Authors: Yang Jinghui , Huang Cuiying , Zhang Xinping
Published: January 2019

Interaction between femtosecond laser pulses with polymeric thin films induced transient optical annealing of the polymer molecules. Melting of the polymer films took place during the transient annealing process, so that a solid-liquid-solid phase transition process was observed. Ultrafast cooling of the melting polymer produced solidified droplets. Microscopic and spectroscopic characterization revealed that the polymer molecules were rearranged with preferable H-aggregation to reach the lowest formation energy during the melting process. Intermolecular coupling was enhanced due to the modified molecular arrangement. This observation of melting of polymeric semiconductors due to the interaction with femtosecond light pulses is potentially important for better understanding laser-matter interactions and for exploring organic optoelectronic devices through special material processing.
Composite Aerogels of Carbon Nanocellulose Fibers and Mixed-Valent Manganese Oxides as Renewable Supercapacitor Electrodes
Authors: Guo Xiaoyu , Zhang Qi , Li Qing , Yu Haipeng , Liu Yixing
Published: January 2019

Bio-waste derived nanocelluloses show excellent mechanical flexibility and self-aggregated capability, which enable them to be good supporting substrates for the synthesis of electroactive materials. Herein, we present a facile route for fabricating composite aerogels consisting of carbonized nanocellulose fibers (CNF) and mixed-valent manganese oxide (MnOx), toward supercapacitor applications. Mixed solutions of nanocellulose and manganese acetate with different ratios were prepared and freeze-dried into hybrid aerogels. The hybrid aerogels were then transformed into CNF/MnOx composites by a calcination process. The CNF membranes served as porous carbon nano-reservoirs for MnOx and electrolyte. The CNF/MnOx composites also kept a 3D porous aerogel structure with hierarchical pores, which enabled stable transport of both electrolyte ions and electrons to the electrode surface, leading to low a charge-transfer impedance and good electrochemical kinetics. The CNF/MnOx-based symmetric supercapacitor showed a satisfied energy density and power density of 37.5 Wh kg−1 and 2.75 kW kg−1, respectively. All the above results demonstrate the feasibility of using sustainable nanocellulose as a nanoscale carbon substrate for the synthesis of hybrid composite electrodes toward renewable supercapacitor applications.
Glass Fiber-Reinforced Phenol Formaldehyde Resin-Based Electrical Insulating Composites Fabricated by Selective Laser Sintering
Authors: Li Zhaoqing , Zhou Wangbing , Yang Lei , Chen Peng , Yan Chunze , Cai Chao , Li Hua , Li Lee , Shi Yusheng
Published: January 2019

In this study, glass fiber (GF)/phenol formaldehyde resin (PF)/epoxy resin (EP) three-phase electrical insulating composites were fabricated by selective laser sintering (SLS) additive manufacturing technology and subsequent infiltration. In the three-phase composites, glass fibers modified by a silane coupling agent (KH-550) were used as reinforcements, phenol formaldehyde resin acted as the binder and matrix, and infiltrated epoxy resin was the filler. Mechanical and electrical properties such as tensile strength, bending strength, dielectric constant, electrical conductivity, and electric breakdown strength of the GF/PF/EP three-phase composite parts were investigated. The results indicated that after being infiltrated with EP, the bending strength and tensile strength of the GF/PF/EP composites increased by 30% and 42.8%, respectively. Moreover, the flexural strength and tensile strength of the GF/PF/EP composite increased with the increase of the glass fiber content. More importantly, the three-phase composites showed high electrical properties. Significant improvement in the dielectric constant, electric breakdown strength, and resistivity with the increase in the content of glass fiber was observed. This enables the prepared GF/PF/EP composites to form complex structural electrical insulation devices by SLS, which expands the materials and applications of additive manufacturing technology.
Multiscale Agent-Based and Hybrid Modeling of the Tumor Immune Microenvironment
Authors: Norton Kerri-Ann , Gong Chang , Jamalian Samira , Popel Aleksander S.
Published: January 2019

Multiscale systems biology and systems pharmacology are powerful methodologies that are playing increasingly important roles in understanding the fundamental mechanisms of biological phenomena and in clinical applications. In this review, we summarize the state of the art in the applications of agent-based models (ABM) and hybrid modeling to the tumor immune microenvironment and cancer immune response, including immunotherapy. Heterogeneity is a hallmark of cancer; tumor heterogeneity at the molecular, cellular, and tissue scales is a major determinant of metastasis, drug resistance, and low response rate to molecular targeted therapies and immunotherapies. Agent-based modeling is an effective methodology to obtain and understand quantitative characteristics of these processes and to propose clinical solutions aimed at overcoming the current obstacles in cancer treatment. We review models focusing on intra-tumor heterogeneity, particularly on interactions between cancer cells and stromal cells, including immune cells, the role of tumor-associated vasculature in the immune response, immune-related tumor mechanobiology, and cancer immunotherapy. We discuss the role of digital pathology in parameterizing and validating spatial computational models and potential applications to therapeutics.
A Novel FPGA-Based Architecture for Fast Automatic Target Detection in Hyperspectral Images
Authors: Lei Jie , Wu Lingyun , Li Yunsong , Xie Weiying , Chang Chein-I , Zhang Jintao , Huang Biying
Published: January 2019

Onboard target detection of hyperspectral imagery (HSI), considered as a significant remote sensing application, has gained increasing attention in the latest years. It usually requires processing huge volumes of HSI data in real-time under constraints of low computational complexity and high detection accuracy. Automatic target generation process based on an orthogonal subspace projector (ATGP-OSP) is a well-known automatic target detection algorithm, which is widely used owing to its competitive performance. However, ATGP-OSP has an issue to be deployed onboard in real-time target detection due to its iteratively calculating the inversion of growing matrices and increasing matrix multiplications. To resolve this dilemma, we propose a novel fast implementation of ATGP (Fast-ATGP) while maintaining target detection accuracy of ATGP-OSP. Fast-ATGP takes advantage of simple regular matrix add/multiply operations instead of increasingly complicated matrix inversions to update growing orthogonal projection operator matrices. Furthermore, the updated orthogonal projection operator matrix is replaced by a normalized vector to perform the inner-product operations with each pixel for finding a target per iteration. With these two major optimizations, the computational complexity of ATGP-OSP is substantially reduced. What is more, an FPGA-based implementation of the proposed Fast-ATGP using high-level synthesis (HLS) is developed. Specifically, an efficient architecture containing a bunch of pipelines being executed in parallel is further designed and evaluated on a Xilinx XC7VX690T FPGA. The experimental results demonstrate that our proposed FPGA-based Fast-ATGP is able to automatically detect multiple targets on a commonly used dataset (AVIRIS Cuprite Data) at a high-speed rate of 200 MHz with a significant speedup of nearly 34.3 times that of ATGP-OSP, while retaining nearly the same high detection accuracy.
Enabling Virtual AAA Management in SDN-Based IoT Networks †
Authors: Molina Zarca Alejandro , Garcia-Carrillo Dan , Bernal Bernabe Jorge , Ortiz Jordi , Marin-Perez Rafael , Skarmeta Antonio
Published: January 2019

The increase of Software Defined Networks (SDN) and Network Function Virtualization (NFV) technologies is bringing many security management benefits that can be exploited at the edge of Internet of Things (IoT) networks to deal with cyber-threats. In this sense, this paper presents and evaluates a novel policy-based and cyber-situational awareness security framework for continuous and dynamic management of Authentication, Authorization, Accounting (AAA) as well as Channel Protection virtual security functions in IoT networks enabled with SDN/NFV. The virtual AAA, including network authenticators, are deployed as VNF (Virtual Network Function) dynamically at the edge, in order to enable scalable device’s bootstrapping and managing the access control of IoT devices to the network. In addition, our solution allows distributing dynamically the necessary crypto-keys for IoT Machine to Machine (M2M) communications and deploy virtual Channel-protection proxys as VNFs, with the aim of establishing secure tunnels among IoT devices and services, according to the contextual decisions inferred by the cognitive framework. The solution has been implemented and evaluated, demonstrating its feasibility to manage dynamically AAA and channel protection in SDN/NFV-enabled IoT scenarios.
Genetic Optimization of Energy- and Failure-Aware Continuous Production Scheduling in Pasta Manufacturing
Authors: Shen Ke , De Pessemier Toon , Gong Xu , Martens Luc , Joseph Wout
Published: January 2019

Energy and failure are separately managed in scheduling problems despite the commonalities between these optimization problems. In this paper, an energy- and failure-aware continuous production scheduling problem (EFACPS) at the unit process level is investigated, starting from the construction of a centralized combinatorial optimization model combining energy saving and failure reduction. Traditional deterministic scheduling methods are difficult to rapidly acquire an optimal or near-optimal schedule in the face of frequent machine failures. An improved genetic algorithm (IGA) using a customized microbial genetic evolution strategy is proposed to solve the EFACPS problem. The IGA is integrated with three features: Memory search, problem-based randomization, and result evaluation. Based on real production cases from Soubry N.V., a large pasta manufacturer in Belgium, Monte Carlo simulations (MCS) are carried out to compare the performance of IGA with a conventional genetic algorithm (CGA) and a baseline random choice algorithm (RCA). Simulation results demonstrate a good performance of IGA and the feasibility to apply it to EFACPS problems. Large-scale experiments are further conducted to validate the effectiveness of IGA.