bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Evolution of Recrystallized Grain and Texture of Cold-Drawn Pure Mg Wire and Their Effect on Mechanical Properties
Authors: Meng Jiao , Sun Liuxia , Zhang Yue , Xue Feng , Chu Chenglin , Bai Jing
Published: January 2020

Static recrystallization plays a key role in the fabrication of thin Mg wires as well as the mechanical properties of the final wires. The effect of annealing parameters on the evolution of the microstructures, textures and mechanical properties of cold-drawn pure Mg wire was studied by means of optical microscopy (OM), electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD), a tensile test and a hardness test. This study shows that the mechanical properties of as-annealed pure thin Mg wire is affected not only by the average grain size, but also the uniformity of the recrystallization grains, including the uniformity of grain size and crystal orientation distribution (more random texture component). With increasing annealing temperature and time, the uniformity of recrystallization grain size first improved and then declined after obvious grain growth. At the same time, the randomness of the basal texture component declined with the development of recrystallization. Annealing at 300 °C for 30 min caused the most uniform grain size and orientation distribution in the microstructures, thus contributing to the best plasticity among all experimental wires. It is reasonable to conclude that more uniform and regular recrystallized grains and a more randomly distributed crystal orientation would be benefit for the mechanical properties of Mg wires.
Effect of Residual CaSO4 in Clinker on Properties of High Belite Sulfoaluminate Cement Based on Solid Wastes
Authors: Su Dunlei , Li Qiuyi , Guo Yuanxin , Yue Gongbing , Wang Liang
Published: January 2020

The high belite sulfoaluminate cement (HBSAC) containing CaSO4, and without CaSO4, based on solid wastes were successfully prepared from petroleum coke desulfurization slag (PCDS), fly ash (FA), carbide slag (CS), and bauxite (BX). The mineral composition of clinkers after different calcination history were investigated by X-ray fluorescence (XRF), X-ray diffraction (XRD)/Quantitative X-ray diffraction (QXRD), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), so as to determine the calcination temperatures. The difference between residual CaSO4 and dihydrate gypsum (DG) and the optimal content of residual CaSO4 were discussed by studying the properties of HBSAC. The results revealed that the residual CaSO4 in clinker could replace DG to participate in hydration, and showed some advantages in strength and early hydration heat, but meanwhile increased the water requirement of normal consistency and hydration heat at 72 h, and prolonged the setting time. With the increase of residual CaSO4 content in clinker, the lower limit temperature of clinker formation gradually increased, and the crystal size of clinker minerals became finer and the boundary between crystals became more blurred. However, the optimal calcination temperature (1300 °C) of HBSAC clinker did not change. Considering the effect of residual CaSO4 content on the water requirement of normal consistency, setting time, hydration heat, strength, and hydration products, the optimal design content of residual CaSO4 in HBSAC clinker based on solid wastes, such as PCDS and FA, was 15%.
Dual and Multi-Emission Hybrid Micelles Realized through Coordination-Driven Self-Assembly
Authors: Zheng Youxiong , Tang Yan , Yu Jianwei , Xie Lan , Dong Huiyou , Deng Rongsheng , Jia Fuhua , Liu Bingxin , Gao Li , Duan Junyuan
Published: January 2020

Building novel functional nanomaterials with a polymer is one of the most dynamic research fields at present. Here, three amphiphilic block copolymers of 8-hydroxyquinoline derivative motifs (MQ) with excellent coordination function were synthesized by Reversible Addition-Fragmentation Chain Transfer Polymerization (RAFT) polymerization. The coordination micelles were prepared through the self-assembly process, which the MQ motifs were dispersed in the hydrophobic polystyrene (PSt) blocks and hydrophilic Poly(N-isopropylacrylamide (PNIPAM)) blocks, respectively. The dual-emission micelles including the intrinsic red light emission of quantum dots (QDs) and the coordination green light emission of Zn2+-MQ complexes were built by introducing the CdSe/ZnS and CdTe/ZnS QDs in the core and shell precisely in the coordination micelles through the coordination-driven self-assembly process. Furthermore, based on the principle of three primary colors that produce white light emission, vinyl carbazole units (Polyvinyl Carbazole, PVK) with blue light emission were introduced into the hydrophilic PNIPAM blocks to construct the white light micelles that possess special multi-emission properties in which the intrinsic red light emission of QDs, the coordination green light of Zn2+-MQ complexes, and the blue light emission of PVK were synergized. The dual and multi-emission hybrid micelles have great application prospects in ratiometric fluorescent probes and biomarkers.
Cloaking In-Plane Elastic Waves with Swiss Rolls
Authors: Achaoui Younes , Diatta André , Kadic Muamer , Guenneau Sébastien
Published: January 2020

We propose a design of cylindrical cloak for coupled in-plane shear waves consisting of concentric layers of sub-wavelength resonant stress-free inclusions shaped as Swiss rolls. The scaling factor between inclusions’ sizes is according to Pendry’s transform. Unlike the hitherto known situations, the present geometric transform starts from a Willis medium and further assumes that displacement fields u in original medium and u ′ in transformed medium remain unaffected ( u ′ = u ). This breaks the minor symmetries of the rank-4 and rank-3 tensors in the Willis equation that describe the transformed effective medium. We achieve some cloaking for a shear polarized source at specific, resonant sub-wavelength, frequencies, when it is located in close proximity to a clamped obstacle surrounded by the structured cloak. The structured medium approximating the effective medium allows for strong Willis coupling, notwithstanding potential chiral elastic effects, and thus mitigates roles of Willis and Cosserat media in the achieved elastodynamic cloaking.
Octominin: A Novel Synthetic Anticandidal Peptide Derived from Defense Protein of Octopus minor
Authors: Nikapitiya Chamilani , Dananjaya S.H.S. , Chandrarathna H.P.S.U. , De Zoysa Mahanama , Whang Ilson
Published: January 2020

The rapid emergence of multidrug-resistant pathogens makes an urgent need for discovering novel antimicrobial agents as alternatives to conventional antibiotics. Towards this end, we designed and synthesized a synthetic peptide of 23 amino acids (AAs) (1GWLIRGAIHAGKAIHGLIHRRRH23) from a defense protein 3 cDNA sequence of Octopus minor. The sequence of the peptide, which was named Octominin, had characteristic features of known antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) such as a positive charge (+5), high hydrophobic residue ratio (43%), and 1.86 kcal/mol of Boman index. Octominin was predicted to have an alpha-helix secondary structure. The synthesized Octominin was 2625.2 Da with 92.5% purity. The peptide showed a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum fungicidal concentration (MFC) of 50 and 200 μg/mL, respectively, against Candida albicans. Field emission scanning electron microscopy observation confirmed that Octominin caused ultrastructural cell wall deformities in C. albicans. In addition, propidium iodide penetrated the Octominin-treated C. albicans cells, further demonstrating loss of cell membrane integrity that caused cell death at both MIC and MFC. Octominin treatment increased the production of intracellular reactive oxygen species and decreased cell viability in a concentration dependent manner. Cytotoxicity assays revealed no significant influence of Octominin on the viability of human embryonic kidney 293T cell line, with over 95% live cells in the Octominin-treated group observed up to 100 µg/mL. Moreover, we confirmed the antifungal action of Octominin in vivo using a zebrafish experimental infection model. Overall, our results demonstrate the Octominin is a lead compound for further studies, which exerts its effects by inducing cell wall damage, causing loss of cell membrane integrity, and elevating oxidative stress.
Petromurin C Induces Protective Autophagy and Apoptosis in FLT3-ITD-Positive AML: Synergy with Gilteritinib
Authors: Ha You Na , Song Sungmi , Orlikova-Boyer Barbora , Cerella Claudia , Christov Christo , Kijjoa Anake , Diederich Marc
Published: January 2020

Treatment of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) remains inefficient due to drug resistance and relapse, particularly in patients with FMS-like tyrosine kinase 3 (FLT3)-internal tandem duplication (ITD). Marine-derived natural products have recently been used for drug development against AML. We show in this study that petromurin C, which was isolated from the culture extract of the marine-derived fungus Aspergillus candidus KUFA0062, isolated from the marine sponge Epipolasis sp., induces early autophagy followed by apoptotic cell death via activation of the intrinsic cell death pathway concomitant with mitochondrial stress and downregulation of Mcl-1 in FLT3-ITD mutated MV4-11 cells. Moreover, petromurin C synergized with the clinically-used FLT3 inhibitor gilteritinib at sub-toxic concentrations. Altogether, our results provide preliminary indications that petromurin C provides anti-leukemic effects alone or in combination with gilteritinib.
Tunable Aryl Imidazolium Recyclable Ionic Liquid with Dual Brønsted–Lewis Acid as Green Catalyst for Friedel–Crafts Acylation and Thioesterification
Authors: Lin Yi-Jyun , Wu Yao-Peng , Thul Mayur , Hung Ming-Wei , Chou Shih-Huan , Chen Wen-Tin , Lin Wesley , Lin Michelle , Reddy Daggula Mallikarjuna , Wu Hsin-Ru , Ho Wen-Yueh , Luo Shun-Yuan
Published: January 2020

Unique tunable aryl imidazolium ionic liquids successfully catalyzed Friedel–Crafts acylation and thioesterification in sealed tubes. These reactions can form a C−C bond and a C−S bond with high atom economy. Ionic liquids exhibited high activity and catalyzed essential reactions with good to excellent yields while retaining their catalytic activities for recycling.
High-Throughput Screening Identifies Two Novel Small Molecule Enhancers of Recombinant Protein Expression
Authors: Chang Jiasong , Chen Xiaoxu , Wang Ruolin , Shi Run , Wang Xiaogang , Lu Wei , Ma Sanyuan , Xia Qingyou
Published: January 2020

As a primary strategy for production of biological drugs, recombinant proteins produced by transient transfection of mammalian cells are essential for both basic research and industrial production. Here, we established a high-throughput screening platform for improving the expression levels of recombinant proteins. In total, 10,011 small molecule compounds were screened through our platform. After two rounds of screening, we identified two compounds, Apicidin and M-344, that significantly enhanced recombinant protein expression. Both of the selected compounds were histone deacetylase inhibitors, suggesting that the two small molecules increased the expression levels of recombinant proteins by promoting histone acetylation. Moreover, both molecules showed low cytotoxicity. Therefore, our findings suggest that these small molecules may have wide applications in the future.
Pesticide Residues and Health Risk Assessment in Tomatoes and Lettuces from Farms of Metropolitan Region Chile
Authors: Elgueta Sebastian , Valenzuela Marcela , Fuentes Marcela , Meza Pablo , Manzur Juan Pablo , Liu Shaofeng , Zhao Guoqing , Correa Arturo
Published: January 2020

Over the last years, the detection of pesticide residues in the official food surveillance programs of Chile has been increased, mainly in fresh vegetables such as tomatoes and lettuces. The Metropolitana Region of Chile presents the highest detections in the country. The lack of evaluations of toxicological risks in human health have increased uncertainty of the potential effects of pesticides exposures in the Chilean population. This research aims to determinate health risks assessment of pesticide residues associated to tomatoes and lettuces produced in Metropolitana Region. The findings of this study reveal that tomatoes and lettuces cultivated in the MR show more than 50% of samples with one or multiple pesticides residues. From the total samples, 16% were over the Chilean Maximum Residue Levels (MRLs). The main pesticides detected in tomatoes and lettuces were methamidophos, methomyl, difenoconazole, cyprodinil and boscalid. The results obtained using the official data of the Ministry of Health of Chile (MINSAL) compared to the World Health Organization (WHO), describe relevant risks through the Estimated Daily Intakes (EDI), Hazard Quotients (HQ) and Hazard Index (HI) for the Chilean population due to high concentrations of methamidophos, methomyl and cyprodinil. More restrictions for the use of methamidophos, methomyl, difenoconazole, cyprodinil and boscalid and effective control programs should be implemented in order to mitigate the impacts on the Chilean population.
Continuous Flow Photochemistry for the Preparation of Bioactive Molecules
Authors: Di Filippo Mara , Bracken Cormac , Baumann Marcus
Published: January 2020

The last decade has witnessed a remarkable development towards improved and new photochemical transformations in response to greener and more sustainable chemical synthesis needs. Additionally, the availability of modern continuous flow reactors has enabled widespread applications in view of more streamlined and custom designed flow processes. In this focused review article, we wish to evaluate the standing of the field of continuous flow photochemistry with a specific emphasis on the generation of bioactive entities, including natural products, drugs and their precursors. To this end we highlight key developments in this field that have contributed to the progress achieved to date. Dedicated sections present the variety of suitable reactor designs and set-ups available; a short discussion on the relevance of greener and more sustainable approaches; and selected key applications in the area of bioactive structures. A final section outlines remaining challenges and areas that will benefit from further developments in this fast-moving area. It is hoped that this report provides a valuable update on this important field of synthetic chemistry which may fuel developments in the future.
Design of Disruptors of the Hsp90–Cdc37 Interface
Authors: D’Annessa Ilda , Hurwitz Naama , Pirota Valentina , Beretta Giovanni Luca , Tinelli Stella , Woodford Mark , Freccero Mauro , Mollapour Mehdi , Zaffaroni Nadia , Wolfson Haim , Colombo Giorgio
Published: January 2020

The molecular chaperone Hsp90 is a ubiquitous ATPase-directed protein responsible for the activation and structural stabilization of a large clientele of proteins. As such, Hsp90 has emerged as a suitable candidate for the treatment of a diverse set of diseases, such as cancer and neurodegeneration. The inhibition of the chaperone through ATP-competitive inhibitors, however, was shown to lead to undesirable side effects. One strategy to alleviate this problem is the development of molecules that are able to disrupt specific protein–protein interactions, thus modulating the activity of Hsp90 only in the particular cellular pathway that needs to be targeted. Here, we exploit novel computational and theoretical approaches to design a set of peptides that are able to bind Hsp90 and compete for its interaction with the co-chaperone Cdc37, which is found to be responsible for the promotion of cancer cell proliferation. In spite of their capability to disrupt the Hsp90–Cdc37 interaction, no important cytotoxicity was observed in human cancer cells exposed to designed compounds. These findings imply the need for further optimization of the compounds, which may lead to new ways of interfering with the Hsp90 mechanisms that are important for tumour growth.
α- and β-Substituted Metal-Free Phthalocyanines: Synthesis, Photophysical and Electrochemical Properties
Authors: Pekbelgin Karaoğlu Hande , Kalkan Burat Ayfer
Published: January 2020

Two novel phthalonitrile derivatives, bearing two hexyloxy groups and a benzodioxin (or a naphthodioxin) annulated ring, along with their corresponding metal-free phthalocyanines (H2Pc) were prepared. FT-IR, mass, electronic absorption, 1H NMR, and 13C NMR spectroscopy were employed for the characterization of all compounds. The effect of hexadeca substituents on the photophysical properties of metal-free Pcs was investigated. Photophysical properties of H2Pc were studied in tetrahydrofuran (THF). Fluorescent quantum yields of phthalocyanines (Pcs) were calculated and compared with the unsubstituted phthalocyanine. 1,4-Benzoquinone effectively quenched the fluorescence of these compounds in THF. Cyclic and square wave voltammetry methods were applied to metal-free phthalocyanines and Pc-centered oxidation and reduction processes were obtained.
Experimental and Theoretical Approaches of New Nematogenic Chair Architectures of Supramolecular H-Bonded Liquid Crystals
Authors: Alhaddad O. A. , Ahmed H. A. , Hagar M.
Published: January 2020

New four isomeric chair architectures of 1:1 H-bonded supramolecular complexes were prepared through intermolecular interactions between 4-(2-(pyridin-4-yl)diazenyl-(2-(or 3-)chlorophenyl) 4-alkoxybenzoates and 4-n-alkoxybenzoic acids. The H-bond formation of all complexes was confirmed by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Mesomorphic characterization was carried by DSC and polarized optical microscopy (POM). It was found that all prepared laterally chloro-substituted supramolecular complexes were nematogenic, and exhibited nematic phase and low melting temperature. The thermal stability of the nematic mesophase observed depends upon the location and spatial orientation of the lateral Cl− atom in as well as the length of terminal chains. Theoretical calculations were carried out within the paradigm of the density functional theory (DFT) in order to establish the molecular conformation for the formed complexes and estimate their thermal parameters. The results of the computational calculations revealed that the H-bonded complexes were in a chair form molecular geometry. Additionally, out of the acquired data, it was possible to designate the influence of the position and orientation of the lateral group as well as the alkoxy chain length on the stability of the nematic phase.
Free Radical Scavenging Activity of Carbonyl-Amine Adducts Formed in Soybean Oil Fortified with Phosphatidylethanolamine
Authors: Goritschnig Jana , Tadus Klaudia , König Jürgen , Pignitter Marc
Published: January 2020

Non-enzymatic browning reactions between lipid aldehydes and aminophospholipids might play an important role in the oxidative stability of cold-pressed vegetable oils. We, therefore, aimed to study the Maillard-type reaction between hexanal, a lipid oxidation product of linoleic acid, and phosphatidylethanolamine (PE (16:0/18:1)) at a ratio of 2:1 at conditions representative of the extraction of cold-pressed soybean oils (CPSBO) and determine the radical scavenging activity of the carbonyl-amine adducts with the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay. The reaction product, 2-pentyl-3,5-dibutyl-dihydropyridine, could be identified by means of LC-ESI-QTOF-MS/MS. The formation of this nitrogen-containing heterocycle significantly increased with time and temperature (p < 0.05). The products formed during the carbonyl-amine reaction between PE (16:0/18:1) and hexanal at 60 °C showed a radical scavenging activity of approximately 20% (p < 0.05). The fraction, containing 2-pentyl-3,5-dibutyl-dihydropyridine, contributed to, but was not solely responsible for, the radical scavenging activity (p < 0.05). Incubation of CPSBO fortified with PE (16:0/18:1) at 60 °C for 60 min had the strongest radical scavenging activity of 85.1 ± 0.62%. Besides 2-pentyl-3,5-dibutyl-dihydropyridine, other carbonyl-amine adducts might impact the radical scavenging activity of CPSBO as well. The oxidative stability of CPSBO might be increased by promoting the formation of carbonyl-amine reaction products, such as 2-pentyl-3,5-dibutyl-dihydropyridine.
Honey Volatiles as a Fingerprint for Botanical Origin—A Review on their Occurrence on Monofloral Honeys
Authors: Machado Alexandra M. , Miguel Maria Graça , Vilas-Boas Miguel , Figueiredo Ana Cristina
Published: January 2020

Honeys have specific organoleptic characteristics, with nutritional and health benefits, being highly appreciated by consumers, not only in food but also in the pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries. Honey composition varies between regions according to the surrounding flora, enabling its characterization by source or type. Monofloral honeys may reach higher market values than multifloral ones. Honey’s aroma is very specific, resulting from the combination of volatile compounds present in low concentrations. The authentication of honey’s complex matrix, according to its botanical and/or geographical origin, represents a challenge nowadays, due to the different sorts of adulteration that may occur, leading to the search for reliable marker compounds for the different monofloral honeys. The existing information on the volatiles of monofloral honeys is scarce and disperse. In this review, twenty monofloral honeys and honeydews, from acacia, buckwheat, chestnut, clover, cotton, dandelion, eucalyptus, fir tree, heather, lavender, lime tree, orange, pine, rape, raspberry, rhododendron, rosemary, strawberry tree, sunflower and thyme, were selected for volatile comparison purposes. Taking into consideration the country of origin, the technique of isolation and analysis, the five main volatiles from each of the honeys are compared. Whereas some compounds were found in several types of monofloral honey, and thus not considered good volatile markers, some monofloral honeys revealed characteristic volatile compounds independently of their provenance.
Natural Compounds and Their Structural Analogs in Regio- and Stereoselective Synthesis of New Families of Water-Soluble 2H,3H-[1,3]thia- and -Selenazolo[3,2-a]pyridin-4-ium Heterocycles by Annulation Reactions
Authors: Potapov Vladimir A. , Ishigeev Roman S. , Shkurchenko Irina V. , Zinchenko Sergey V. , Amosova Svetlana V.
Published: January 2020

It has been found that both eugenol and isoeugenol derivatives reacted with 2-pyridinesulfenyl and 2-pyridineselenenyl halides in a regioselective mode affording products with opposite regiochemistry. Synthesis of new families of 2H,3H-[1,3]thia- and -selenazolo[3,2-a]pyridin-4-ium heterocycles has been developed by annulation reactions of 2-pyridinechalcogenyl halides with natural compounds (eugenol, isoeugenol, methyl eugenol, methyl isoeugenol, acetyl eugenol, trans-anethole) and their structural analogs. The influence of the substrate structure and the nature of halogen on the product yields are studied. The 2-pyridinesulfenyl and 2-pyridineselenenyl chlorides are more efficient reagents compared to corresponding bromides. The obtained condensed heterocycles are novel water-soluble functionalized compounds with promising biological activity.
The Business of DNA Nanotechnology: Commercialization of Origami and Other Technologies
Authors: Dunn Katherine E.
Published: January 2020

It is often argued that DNA nanotechnology has a multitude of possible applications. However, despite great advances in the understanding of the fundamental principles of the field, to date, there has been comparatively little commercial activity. Analysis of patent applications and company case studies suggests that this is now starting to change. The number of patent application filings is increasing, and new companies are being formed to exploit technologies based on nanoscale structures and devices made from DNA. There are parallels between the commercial developments in this field and those observed in other areas of innovation. Further commercialization is expected and new players will emerge.
Structural Study on Hypochlorous Acid-Mediated Chlorination of Betanin and Its Decarboxylated Derivatives from an Anti-Inflammatory Beta vulgaris L. Extract
Authors: Kumorkiewicz-Jamro Agnieszka , Starzak Karolina , Sutor Katarzyna , Nemzer Boris , Pietrzkowski Zbigniew , Popenda Łukasz , Wybraniec Sławomir
Published: January 2020

Hypochlorous acid (HOCl) produced by neutrophils is a part of the natural innate immune response system in the human body, but excessive levels of HOCl can ultimately be detrimental to health. Recent reports suggest that betacyanin plant pigments can act as potent scavengers of inflammatory factors and are notably effective against HOCl. In this contribution, chlorination mechanism and position of the electrophilic substitution in betacyanins was studied by high-resolution mass spectrometry and further structural analyses by NMR techniques, which completed the identification of the chlorinated betacyanins. For the study on the influence of the position of decarboxylation on the chlorination mechanism, a comparison of the chlorination position between betanin as well as 17-, and 2,17-decarboxylated betanins was performed. The structural study confirmed that the chlorination position in betanin occurs within the dihydropyridinic moiety at carbon C-18. Therefore, out of the aqueous free chlorine equilibrium species: HOCl, OCl−, Cl2, and Cl2O, the most potent chlorinating agents are HOCl and Cl2O postulated previously and the attack of the Cl⁺ ion on the carbon C-18 with a cyclic intermediate version is considered.
Solid-Phase Microextraction
Authors: Zacharis Constantinos K. , Tzanavaras Paraskevas D.
Published: January 2020

Undoubtedly, sample preparation is one of the most important steps in the analytical process [...]
Comparison of Volatiles in Different Jasmine Tea Grade Samples Using Electronic Nose and Automatic Thermal Desorption-Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry Followed by Multivariate Statistical Analysis
Authors: Wang Shuyan , Zhao Feng , Wu Wenxi , Wang Pengjie , Ye Naixing
Published: January 2020

Chinese jasmine tea is a type of flower-scented tea, which is produced by mixing green tea with the Jasminum sambac flower repeatedly. Both the total amount and composition of volatiles absorbed from the Jasminum sambac flower are mostly responsible for its sensory quality grade. This study aims to compare volatile organic compound (VOC) differences in authoritative jasmine tea grade samples. Automatic thermal desorption-gas-chromatography-mass spectrometry (ATD-GC-MS) and electronic nose (E-nose), followed by multivariate data analysis is conducted. Consequently, specific VOCs with a positive or negative correlation to the grades are screened out. Partial least squares-discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) and hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) show a satisfactory discriminant effect on rank. It is intriguing to find that the E-nose is good at distinguishing the grade difference caused by VOC concentrations but is deficient in identifying essential aromas that attribute to the unique characteristics of excellent grade jasmine tea.
Extraction and Physicochemical Characterization of Chitin Derived from the Asian Hornet, Vespa velutina Lepeletier 1836 (Hym.: Vespidae)
Authors: Feás Xesús , Vázquez-Tato M. Pilar , Seijas Julio A. , Pratima G. Nikalje Anna , Fraga-López Francisco
Published: January 2020

Fifteen years ago, at least one multimated female yellow-legged Asian hornet (Vespa velutina Lepeletier 1836) arrived in France, which gave rise to a pan-European invasion. In this study, the isolation and characterization of chitin (CHI) that was obtained from Vespa velutina (CHIVV) is described. In addition, an easy procedure is carried out to capture the raw insect, selectively and with high rates of success. The chitin contents of dry VV was observed to be 11.7%. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), solid-state NMR (ssNMR), elemental analysis (EA), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and thermogravimetric analysis (TG) characterized the physicochemical properties of CHIVV. The obtained CHIVV is close to pure (43.47% C, 6.94% H, and 6.85% N), and full acetylated with a value of 95.44%. Additionally, lifetime and kinetic parameters such as activation E and the frequency factor A using model-free and model-fitting methods, were determined. For CHIVV the solid state mechanism that follows the thermodegradation is of type F2 (random nucleation around two nuclei). The invasive Asian hornet is a promising alternative source of CHI, based on certain factors, such as the current and probable continued abundance of the quantity and quality of the product obtained.
The Impact of Different Powdered Mineral Materials on Selected Properties of Aerobic Granular Sludge
Authors: Czarnota Joanna , Masłoń Adam , Zdeb Monika , Łagód Grzegorz
Published: January 2020

This study aimed to evaluate and compare the physical, chemical and biological properties of aerobic granular sludge from reactors with the addition of different powdered mineral materials. These properties have a significant impact on the efficiency of systems in which the biomass in granular form is used. Four identical granular sequencing batch reactors (GSBRs) were adopted for the research performed on a laboratory scale (R1—control reactor; R2, R3 and R4—with materials, PK, PG and PL respectively). The results indicate that the addition of powdered mineral materials improved the properties of biomass in reactors. The SVI5/SVI30 ratio values were significantly lower in the reactors with added materials (approx. 1.3 ± 0.3). The mean values of the sludge volume index at 30 min were the lowest in the R2 (39.8 ± 8.6 mL/g) and R4 (32.8 ± 10.7 mL/g) reactors. The settling velocity of biomass was the highest in the R2 reactor (15.4 ± 6.1 m/h). In the early days of the study, the highest extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) content was found in the biomass from the reactors to which the materials with higher Ca and Mg content were added (380.18–598.30 mg/g MLVSS). The rate of specific oxygen uptake (SOUR) by biomass indicated an insufficient biomass content in the R1 reactor—to 7.85 mg O2/(g MLVSS∙h)—while in the reactors with materials, the SOUR values were at the higher levels.
Effect of Potassium Concentration on Triplex Stability under Molecular Crowding Conditions
Authors: Teng Ye , Tateishi-Karimata Hisae , Ohyama Tatsuya , Sugimoto Naoki
Published: January 2020

The properties of non-canonical DNA structures, like G-quadruplexes and triplexes, change under cell-mimicking molecular crowding conditions relative to dilute aqueous solutions. The analysis of environmental effects on their stability is crucial since they play important roles in gene expression and regulation. In this study, three intramolecular and intermolecular triplex-forming sequences of different C+*G-C triplet content (*: Hoogsteen base pair; - : Watson–Crick base pair) were designed and their stability measured in the absence and presence of a crowding agent with different K+ concentrations. In dilute solution, the stability of the triplexes was reduced by decreasing the concentration of KCl. This reduction became smaller as the number of C+*G-C triplets increased. Under molecular crowding conditions, Watson–Crick base pairs and Hoogsteen base pairs were destabilized and stabilized, respectively. Interestingly, with lower KCl concentrations (≤1 M), the destabilization of the triplexes due to reduction of KCl concentration was significantly smaller than in dilute solutions. In addition, the C+*G-C content had greater influence on triplex stability under molecular crowding conditions. Our work provides quantitative information about the effects of K+ concentration on triplex stability under molecular crowding conditions and should further our understanding of the function and regulation of triplexes in bioprocesses.
The Challenge of Modulating Heparan Sulfate Turnover by Multitarget Heparin Derivatives
Authors: Veraldi Noemi , Zouggari Nawel , de Agostini Ariane
Published: January 2020

This review comes as a part of the special issue “Emerging frontiers in GAGs and mimetics”. Our interest is in the manipulation of heparan sulfate (HS) turnover by employing HS mimetics/heparin derivatives that exert pleiotropic effects and are interesting for interfering at multiple levels with pathways in which HS is implicated. Due to the important role of heparanase in HS post-biosynthetic modification and catabolism, we focus on the possibility to target heparanase, at both extracellular and intracellular levels, a strategy that can be applied to many conditions, from inflammation to cancer and neurodegeneration.
PPARα-Dependent Modulation by Metformin of the Expression of OCT-2 and MATE-1 in the Kidney of Mice
Authors: Arruda Adriano Cleis , Perilhão Mauro Sérgio , Santos Warley Almeida , Gregnani Marcos Fernandes , Budu Alexandre , Neto José Cesar Rosa , Estrela Gabriel Rufino , Araujo Ronaldo Carvalho
Published: January 2020

Metformin is the first-line drug for type 2 diabetes mellitus control. It is established that this drug traffics through OCT-2 and MATE-1 transporters in kidney tubular cells and is excreted in its unaltered form in the urine. Hereby, we provide evidence that points towards the metformin-dependent upregulation of OCT-2 and MATE-1 in the kidney via the transcription factor proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPARα). Treatment of wild type mice with metformin led to the upregulation of the expression of OCT-2 and MATE-1 by 34% and 157%, respectively. An analysis in a kidney tubular cell line revealed that metformin upregulated PPARα and OCT-2 expression by 37% and 299% respectively. MK-886, a PPARα antagonist, abrogated the OCT-2 upregulation by metformin and reduced MATE-1 expression. Conversely, gemfibrozil, an agonist of PPARα, elicited the increase of PPARα, OCT-2, and MATE-1 expression by 115%, 144%, and 376%, respectively. PPARα knockout mice failed to upregulate both the expression of OCT-2 and MATE-1 in the kidney upon metformin treatment, supporting the PPARα-dependent metformin upregulation of the transporters in this organ. Taken together, our data sheds light on the metformin-induced mechanism of transporter modulation in the kidney, via PPARα, and this effect may have implications for drug safety and efficacy.
Gelatin Hydrolysate Hybrid Nanoparticles as Soft Edible Pickering Stabilizers for Oil-In-Water Emulsions
Authors: Du Zhongyao , Wang Pengjie
Published: January 2020

The aim of this study was to fabricate edible gelatin enzymic digest (GED) based gel particles that can stabilize oil-in-water (O/W) microemulsions. The gel particles were generated by covalent crosslinking, with genipin, the individual protein molecules within tannic acid-induced gelatin hydrolysate (GED-TA) particles. The ability of the genipin-treated GED-TA (GP-GED-TA) to stabilize emulsions was evaluated by Turbiscan analysis and droplet-size changes. For comparison, gelatin hydrolysate (GE) and tannic acid-induced gelatin hydrolysate particles (GED-TA) were used as controls. The mean diameters of GED, GED-TA, and GP-GED-TA particles were 0.68 ± 0.1 nm, 66.2 ± 8.4 nm, and 66.9 ± 7.2 nm, respectively. Nanomechanic analysis using atomic force microscopy(AFM) indicated the average Young’s modulu of the GP-GED-TA particles was 760.8 ± 112.0 Mpa, indicating the GP-GED-TA were soft particles. The Turbiscan stability indexes (lower values indicate a more stable emulsion) of the emulsions stabilized with GED, GED-TA, and GP-GED-TA, after storage for three days, were 28.6 ± 1.5, 19.3 ± 4.8, and 4.4 ± 1.3, respectively. After one, or 60 days of storage, the volume-weighted mean diameters (D[4,3]) of oil droplets stabilized by GP-GED-TA were 1.19 ± 0.11 μm and 1.18 ± 0.1 µm, respectively. The D[4,3] of oil droplets stabilized by GED-TA, however, increased from 108.3 ± 5.1 μm to 164.3 ± 19.1 μm during the storage. Overall, the GP-GED-TA gel particles have considerable potential for stabilization of O/W emulsions in food products.
The Effect of Timing of Exercise and Eating on Postprandial Response in Adults: A Systematic Review
Authors: Aqeel Marah , Forster Anna , Richards Elizabeth , Hennessy Erin , McGowan Bethany , Bhadra Anindya , Guo Jiaqi , Gelfand Saul , Delp Edward , Eicher-Miller Heather
Published: January 2020

Type 2 diabetes is a major public health concern. Management of this condition has focused on behavior modification through diet and exercise interventions. A growing body of evidence has focused on temporality of dietary intake and exercise and potential effects on health. This review summarizes current literature that investigates the question “how does the timing of exercise relative to eating throughout the day effect postprandial response in adults?” Databases PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane Library, CINAHL, and SPORTDiscus were searched between March–May 2019. Experimental studies conducted in healthy adults (≥18 y) and those with type 2 diabetes were included. Full texts were examined by at least two independent reviewers. Seventeen studies with a total of 332 participants met the inclusion criteria. The primary finding supports that exercise performed post-meal regardless of time of day had a beneficial impact on postprandial glycemia. There was insufficient evidence regarding whether timing of exercise performed pre- vs. post-meal or vice versa in a day is related to improved postprandial glycemic response due to inherent differences between studies. Future studies focusing on the investigation of timing and occurrence of meal intake and exercise throughout the day are needed to inform whether there is, and what is, an optimal time for these behaviors regarding long-term health outcomes.
Color Transparency and Hadron Formation Effects in High-Energy Reactions on Nuclei
Authors: Larionov Alexei , Strikman Mark
Published: January 2020

An incoming or outgoing hadron in a hard collision with large momentum transfer gets squeezed in the transverse direction to its momentum. In the case of nuclear targets, this leads to the reduced interaction of such hadrons with surrounding nucleons which is known as color transparency (CT). The identification of CT in exclusive processes on nuclear targets is of significant interest not only by itself but also due to the fact that CT is a necessary condition for the applicability of factorization for the description of the corresponding elementary process. In this paper we discuss the semiexclusive processes A ( e , e ′ π + ) , A ( π − , l − l + ) and A ( γ , π − p ) . Since CT is closely related to hadron formation mechanism, the reduced interaction of ’pre-hadrons’ with nucleons is a common feature of generic high-energy inclusive processes on nuclear targets, such as hadron attenuation in deep inelastic scattering (DIS). We will discuss the novel way to study hadron formation via slow neutron production induced by a hard photon interaction with a nucleus. Finally, the opportunity to study hadron formation effects in heavy-ion collisions in the NICA regime will be considered.
Acknowledgement to Reviewers of Resources in 2019
Authors: Office Resources Editorial Office
Published: January 2020

The editorial team greatly appreciates the reviewers who have dedicated their considerable time and expertise to the journal’s rigorous editorial process over the past 12 months, regardless of whether the papers are finally published or not [...]
Distributed Ledger Technology for eHealth Identity Privacy: State of The Art and Future Perspective
Authors: Bouras Mohammed Amine , Lu Qinghua , Zhang Fan , Wan Yueliang , Zhang Tao , Ning Huansheng
Published: January 2020

Electronic healthcare (eHealth) identity management (IdM) is a pivotal feature in the eHealth system. Distributed ledger technology (DLT) is an emerging technology that can achieve agreements of transactional data states in a decentralized way. Building identity management systems using Blockchain can enable patients to fully control their own identity and provide increased confidence in data immutability and availability. This paper presents the state of the art of decentralized identity management using Blockchain and highlights the possible opportunities for adopting the decentralized identity management approaches for future health identity systems. First, we summarize eHealth identity management scenarios. Furthermore, we investigate the existing decentralized identity management solutions and present decentralized identity models. In addition, we discuss the current decentralized identity projects and identify new challenges based on the existing solutions and the limitations when applying it to healthcare as a particular use case.
Survey on Wireless Technology Trade-Offs for the Industrial Internet of Things
Authors: Seferagić Amina , Famaey Jeroen , De Poorter Eli , Hoebeke Jeroen
Published: January 2020

Aside from vast deployment cost reduction, Industrial Wireless Sensor and Actuator Networks (IWSAN) introduce a new level of industrial connectivity. Wireless connection of sensors and actuators in industrial environments not only enables wireless monitoring and actuation, it also enables coordination of production stages, connecting mobile robots and autonomous transport vehicles, as well as localization and tracking of assets. All these opportunities already inspired the development of many wireless technologies in an effort to fully enable Industry 4.0. However, different technologies significantly differ in performance and capabilities, none being capable of supporting all industrial use cases. When designing a network solution, one must be aware of the capabilities and the trade-offs that prospective technologies have. This paper evaluates the technologies potentially suitable for IWSAN solutions covering an entire industrial site with limited infrastructure cost and discusses their trade-offs in an effort to provide information for choosing the most suitable technology for the use case of interest. The comparative discussion presented in this paper aims to enable engineers to choose the most suitable wireless technology for their specific IWSAN deployment.
Field Deployable Method for Gold Detection Using Gold Pre-Concentration on Functionalized Surfaces
Authors: Zuber Agnieszka , Bachhuka Akash , Tassios Steven , Tiddy Caroline , Vasilev Krasimir , Ebendorff-Heidepriem Heike
Published: January 2020

Gold in a rock is usually associated with other elements, forms nuggets, or is hosted within the crystal lattice of a mineral (e.g., pyrite) and is often heterogeneously distributed and trapped inside the rock matrix even after crushing. Gold can be liberated from these rock matrices by chemical leaching, but then their concentration becomes too low for detection by a portable method due to the dilution effect of the leaching process. In this paper, we present a proof-of-concept method for gold pre-concentration to enable the detection of gold in rock at low levels using a portable technique. Two coating methods, plasma polymerization (PP) and wet chemistry (WC), were utilized to generate surface coatings, which were then compared for their effectiveness in binding gold ions. Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) was used as a portable technique for the detection of immobilized gold on these modified surfaces. The detection limit for pure gold ions in solution incubated on PP and WC coatings was determined to be as low as 80 ppb. To demonstrate the real-life capability of the method, it was tested for rock sample leachates bearing 300–500 ppb gold.
Photolithography Fabricated Spacer Arrays Offering Mechanical Strengthening and Oil Motion Control in Electrowetting Displays
Authors: Dou Yingying , Chen Lin , Li Hui , Tang Biao , Henzen Alex , Zhou Guofu
Published: January 2020

Introducing spacers into pixelated electrowetting displays (EWDs) normally gives mechanical strengthening, while bringing undesired disturbance of water/oil interfacial dynamics. Hence, spacer array is a key pixel structure needs careful consideration in the design and fabrication of electrowetting displays. Here, we propose a spacer array, which is designed standing on the junction of adjacent pixel walls, fabricated by photolithography. The spacer array provides mechanical strength enhancement and reliable oil motion controllability. By optimizing the spacer distribution density, the EWD device may achieve 28% increase in open ratio (white area fraction) and withstand 60 N/mm2 pressure. This design of spacer array reasonably solves the contradiction between mechanical strength enhancement and optoelectronic performance in EWDs, providing potential applications in oil–water two-phase microfluidic devices.
Classification of Dried Strawberry by the Analysis of the Acoustic Sound with Artificial Neural Networks
Authors: Przybył Krzysztof , Duda Adamina , Koszela Krzysztof , Stangierski Jerzy , Polarczyk Mariusz , Gierz Łukasz
Published: January 2020

In this paper, the authors used an acoustic wave acting as a disturbance (acoustic vibration), which travelled in all directions on the whole surface of a dried strawberry fruit in its specified area. The area of space in which the acoustic wave occurs is defined as the acoustic field. When the vibrating surface—for example, the surface of the belt—becomes the source, then one can observe the travelling of surface waves. For any shape of the surface of the dried strawberry fruit, the signal of travelling waves takes the form that is imposed by this irregular surface. The aim of this work was to research the effectiveness of recognizing the two trials in the process of convection drying on the basis of the acoustic signal backed up by neural networks. The input variables determined descriptors such as frequency (Hz) and the level of luminosity (dB). During the research, the degree of crispiness relative to the degree of maturity was compared. The results showed that the optimal neural model in respect of the lowest value of the root mean square turned out to be the Multi-Layer Perceptron network with the technique of dropping single fruits into water (data included in the learning data set Z2). The results confirm that the choice of method can have an influence on the effectives of recognizing dried strawberry fruits, and also this can be a basis for creating an effective and fast analysis tool which is capable of analyzing the degree of ripeness of fruits including their crispness in the industrial process of drying fruits.