bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Compound Heat Transfer Enhancement of Wavy Fin-and-Tube Heat Exchangers through Boundary Layer Restarting and Swirled Flow
Authors: Sadeghianjahromi Ali , Kheradmand Saeid , Nemati Hossain , Liaw Jane-Sunn , Wang Chi-Chuan
Published: July 2018

This study performs a 3D turbulent flow numerical simulation to improve heat transfer characteristics of wavy fin-and-tube heat exchangers. A compound design encompassing louver, flat, and vortex generator onto wavy fins can significantly enhance the heat transfer performance of wavy fin-and-tube heat exchangers. Replacement of wavy fins around tubes with flat fins is not effective as far as the reduction of thermal resistance is concerned, although an appreciable pressure drop reduction can be achieved. Adding two louvers with a width of 8 mm to the flat portion can reduce thermal resistance up to 6% in comparison with the reference wavy fin. Increasing the louver number and width can further decrease the thermal resistance. Also, it is found that the optimum louver angle is equal to the wavy angle for offering the lowest thermal resistance. Therefore, compound geometry with three louvers, a width of 12 mm, and the louver angle being equal to wavy angle with waffle height to be the same as fin pitch of the reference wavy fin has the most reduction in thermal resistance of 16% for a pumping power of 0.001 W. Adding punching longitudinal vortex generators on this compound geometry can further decrease thermal resistance up to 18%.
Voltage Stability of Low-Voltage Distribution Grid with High Penetration of Photovoltaic Power Units
Authors: Ghaffarianfar Majid , Hajizadeh Amin
Published: July 2018

Voltage stability analysis of power distribution systems with high photovoltaic (PV) penetration is a challenging problem due to the stochastic generation of a solar power system. Voltage stability is an important benchmark for defining PV’s penetration level in active distribution networks considering loading capacity. The massive integration of PV power units, the effect of distribution system characteristics, like high ratio of R/X, and the reported collapses in power networks come up in serious studies that investigate their impact and upcoming problems on distribution networks. Therefore, this paper proposes analytical voltage stability and it is implemented on IEEE 34 nodes radial distribution systems with 24.9 kV and 4.16 kV voltage levels. In this regard, in addition to given properties in stability and power loss analysis, a penetration coefficient for PVs is considered. Simulation results prove that the applied method can illustrate the positive and negative effects of PV in distribution networks.
The ‘Living Q’—An Interactive Method for Actor Engagement in Transnational Marine Spatial Planning
Authors: Ripken Malena , Keijser Xander , Klenke Thomas , Mayer Igor
Published: July 2018

The interaction of stakeholders is regarded key in modern environmental and spatial planning. Marine/maritime spatial planning (MSP) is an emerging marine policy domain, which is of great interest worldwide. MSP practices are characterized by diverse approaches and a lack of transnational cooperation. Actors with various backgrounds have to identify mismatches and synergies to jointly aim towards coherent and coordinated practices. The ‘Living Q’ is a communication method to make actors aware systematically about their viewpoints in an interactive, communicative and playful environment, while it draws on results of a proceeding ‘Q Methodology’ study. Results from ‘Living Q’ exercises with international expert’s groups from European Sea basins show that the method is capable to foster communication and interaction among actors participating in ‘Living Q’ exercises, while having the potential to generate added value to planning processes by actor interaction in a collaborative setting.
A Homogeneity Test for Comparing Gridded-Spatial-Point Patterns of Human Caused Fires
Authors: Alba-Fernández M. Virtudes , Ariza-López Francisco Javier
Published: July 2018

The statistical evaluation of the spatial similarity of human caused fire patterns is an important issue for wildland fire analysis. This paper proposes a method based on observed data and on a statistical tool (homogeneity test) that is based on non-explicit spatial distribution hypothesis for the human caused fire events. If a tessellation coming from a space filling curve is superimposed on the spatial point patterns, and a linearization mechanism applied, the statistical problem of testing the similarity between the spatial point patterns is equivalent to the one of testing the homogeneity between the two multinomial distributions obtained by modeling the proportions of cases on each cell of the tessellation. This way of comparing spatial point patterns is free of any hypothesis on any spatial point process. Because data are spatially over-dispersed, the existence of many cells of the grid without any count is a problem for classical statistical homogeneity tests. Our work overcomes this problem by applying specific test statistics based on the square Hellinger distance. Simulations and actual data are used in order to tune the process and to demonstrate the capabilities of the proposal. Results indicate that a new and robust method for comparing spatial point patterns of human caused fires is available.
Speaking “Green”: A Worldwide Survey on Collaboration among Stakeholders in Urban Park Design and Management
Authors: Ugolini Francesca , Sanesi Giovanni , Steidle Anna , Pearlmutter David
Published: July 2018

Urban parks can provide a range of valuable benefits, including essential ecosystem services. Their successful management is often in the hands of government agencies, who rely on interaction with other stakeholders for specialized knowledge. In order to examine the attitudes of different actors toward professional collaboration and to identify ways of improving the effectiveness of knowledge transfer, a global survey was conducted among the members of the World Urban Parks (WUP) association. The results show that representatives of public agencies, due to their lower level of up-to-date knowledge, have a pressing need for collaboration with private practitioners, academic researchers, and community advocates. Interactive, face-to-face learning is most valued, especially if it includes practical as well as theoretical information. Most respondents indicated that ‘personal contacts’ are more important than professional affiliation for the initiation of new collaborations, and for many, the possibilities for joint creativity are the most highly prioritized benefits. Obstacles to be addressed include ‘bureaucracy’ and a ‘divergence of interests or approaches among stakeholders’, indicating the need for a “common language”—i.e., “speaking green”—which may accommodate diverse priorities and concerns. In accomplishing this, a special role is seen for international professional associations that can help to build bridges between countries and professions.
Unravelling the Roles of Susceptibility Loci for Autoimmune Diseases in the Post-GWAS Era
Authors: Ye Jody , Gillespie Kathleen M. , Rodriguez Santiago
Published: July 2018

Although genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified several hundred loci associated with autoimmune diseases, their mechanistic insights are still poorly understood. The human genome is more complex than single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that are interrogated by GWAS arrays. Apart from SNPs, it also comprises genetic variations such as insertions-deletions, copy number variations, and somatic mosaicism. Although previous studies suggest that common copy number variations do not play a major role in autoimmune disease risk, it is possible that certain rare genetic variations with large effect sizes are relevant to autoimmunity. In addition, other layers of regulations such as gene-gene interactions, epigenetic-determinants, gene and environmental interactions also contribute to the heritability of autoimmune diseases. This review focuses on discussing why studying these elements may allow us to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the aetiology of complex autoimmune traits.
De Novo Transcriptome Assembly and Population Genetic Analyses for an Endangered Chinese Endemic Acer miaotaiense (Aceraceae)
Authors: Li Xiang , Li Meng , Hou Lu , Zhang Zhiyong , Pang Xiaoming , Li Yingyue
Published: July 2018

Acer miaotaiense (P. C. Tsoong) is a rare and highly endangered plant in China. Because of the lack of genomic information and the limited number of available molecular markers, there are insufficient tools to determine the genetic diversity of this species. Here, 93,305 unigenes were obtained by multiple assembled contigs with a transcriptome sequencing program. Furthermore, 12,819 expressed sequence tag-derived simple sequence repeat (EST-SSR) markers were generated, 300 were randomly selected and synthesized, 19 primer pairs were identified as highly polymorphic (average number of alleles (Na) = 8, expected heterozygosity (He) = 0.635, polymorphism information content (PIC) = 0.604) and were further used for population genetic analysis. All 261 samples were grouped into two genetic clusters by UPGMA, a principal component analyses and a STRUCTURE analyses. A moderate level of genetic differentiation (genetic differentiation index (Fst) = 0.059–0.116, gene flow = 1.904–3.993) among the populations and the major genetic variance (81.01%) within populations were revealed by the AMOVA. Based on the results, scientific conservation strategies should be established using in situ and ex situ conservation strategies. The study provides useful genetic information for the protection of precious wild resources and for further research on the origin and evolution of this endangered plant and its related species.
A Herpes Simplex Virus Thymidine Kinase-Induced Mouse Model of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Associated with Up-Regulated Immune-Inflammatory-Related Signals
Authors: Gong Zhijuan , Ma Qingwen , Wang Xujun , Cai Qin , Gong Xiuli , Genchev Georgi Z. , Lu Hui , Zeng Fanyi
Published: July 2018

Inflammation and fibrosis in human liver are often precursors to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), yet none of them is easily modeled in animals. We previously generated transgenic mice with hepatocyte-specific expressed herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase (HSV-tk). These mice would develop hepatitis with the administration of ganciclovir (GCV). However, our HSV-tk transgenic mice developed hepatitis and HCC tumor as early as six months of age even without GCV administration. We analyzed the transcriptome of the HSV-tk HCC tumor and hepatitis tissue using microarray analysis to investigate the possible causes of HCC. Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment analysis showed that the up-regulated genes in the HCC tissue mainly include the immune-inflammatory and cell cycle genes. The down-regulated genes in HCC tumors are mainly concentrated in the regions related to lipid metabolism. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) showed that immune-inflammatory-related signals in the HSV-tk mice are up-regulated compared to those in Notch mice. Our study suggests that the immune system and inflammation play an important role in HCC development in HSV-tk mice. Specifically, increased expression of immune-inflammatory-related genes is characteristic of HSV-tk mice and that inflammation-induced cell cycle activation maybe a precursory step to cancer. The HSV-tk mouse provides a suitable model for the study of the relationship between immune-inflammation and HCC, and their underlying mechanism for the development of therapeutic application in the future.
Flood Risk Mapping Using GIS and Multi-Criteria Analysis: A Greater Toronto Area Case Study
Authors: Rincón Daniela , Khan Usman T. , Armenakis Costas
Published: July 2018

Given the increase in flood events in recent years, accurate flood risk assessment is an important component of flood mitigation in urban areas. This research aims to develop updated and accurate flood risk maps in the Don River Watershed within the Great Toronto Area (GTA). The risk maps use geographical information systems (GIS) and multi-criteria analysis along with the application of Analytical Hierarchy Process methods to define and quantify the optimal selection of weights for the criteria that contribute to flood risk. The flood hazard maps were generated for four scenarios, each with different criteria (S1, S2, S3, and S4). The base case scenario (S1) is the most accurate, since it takes into account the floodplain map developed by the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority. It also considers distance to streams (DS), height above nearest drainage (HAND), slope (S), and the Curve Number (CN). S2 only considers DS, HAND, and CN, whereas S3 considers effective precipitation (EP), DS, HAND, and S. Lastly, S4 considers total precipitation (TP), DS, HAND, S, and CN. In addition to the flood hazard, the social and economic vulnerability was included to determine the total flood vulnerability in the watershed under three scenarios; the first one giving a higher importance to the social vulnerability, the second one giving equal importance to both social and economic vulnerability, and the third one giving more importance to the economic vulnerability. The results for each of the four flood scenarios show that the flood risk generated for S2 is the most similar to the base case (S1), followed by S3 and S4. The inclusion of social and economic vulnerability highlights the impacts of floods that are typically ignored in practice. It will allow watershed managers to make more informed decisions for flood mitigation and protection. The most important outcome of this research is that by only using the digital elevation model, the census data, the streams, land use, and soil type layers, it is possible to obtain a reliable flood risk map (S2) using a simplified method as compared to more complex flood risk methods that use hydraulic and hydrological models to generate flood hazard maps (as was the case for S1).
Standardized Indoor Air Quality Assessments as a Tool to Prepare Heritage Guardians for Changing Preservation Conditions due to Climate Change
Authors: Anaf Willemien , Leyva Pernia Diana , Schalm Olivier
Published: July 2018

Climate change will affect the preservation conditions of our cultural heritage. Therefore, well-considered mitigation actions should be implemented to safeguard our heritage for future generations. Environmental monitoring is essential to follow up the change in preservation conditions and to evaluate the effectiveness of performed mitigation actions. To support heritage guardians in the processing and evaluation of monitored data, an indoor air quality (IAQ) index for heritage applications is introduced. The index is calculated for each measured point in time and is visualized in a user-friendly and intuitive way. The current paper describes the backbone of the IAQ-calculating algorithm. The algorithm is subsequently applied on a case study in which a mitigation action is implemented in a church.
Genomics and Epigenetics of Malignant Mesothelioma
Authors: Sage Adam P. , Martinez Victor D. , Minatel Brenda C. , Pewarchuk Michelle E. , Marshall Erin A. , MacAulay Gavin M. , Hubaux Roland , Pearson Dustin D. , Goodarzi Aaron A. , Dellaire Graham , Lam Wan L.
Published: July 2018

Malignant mesothelioma is an aggressive and lethal asbestos-related disease. Diagnosis of malignant mesothelioma is particularly challenging and is further complicated by the lack of disease subtype-specific markers. As a result, it is especially difficult to distinguish malignant mesothelioma from benign reactive mesothelial proliferations or reactive fibrosis. Additionally, mesothelioma diagnoses can be confounded by other anatomically related tumors that can invade the pleural or peritoneal cavities, collectively resulting in delayed diagnoses and greatly affecting patient management. High-throughput analyses have uncovered key genomic and epigenomic alterations driving malignant mesothelioma. These molecular features have the potential to better our understanding of malignant mesothelioma biology as well as to improve disease diagnosis and patient prognosis. Genomic approaches have been instrumental in identifying molecular events frequently occurring in mesothelioma. As such, we review the discoveries made using high-throughput technologies, including novel insights obtained from the analysis of the non-coding transcriptome, and the clinical potential of these genetic and epigenetic findings in mesothelioma. Furthermore, we aim to highlight the potential of these technologies in the future clinical applications of the novel molecular features in malignant mesothelioma.
Modeling Land Use Changes and their Impacts on Non-Point Source Pollution in a Southeast China Coastal Watershed
Authors: Zhang Xin , Zhou Lin , Liu Yuqi
Published: July 2018

Changes in landscape patterns in a river basin play a crucial role in the change on load of non-point source pollution. The spatial distribution of various land use types affects the transmission of non-point source pollutants on the basis of source-sink theory in landscape ecology. Jiulong River basin in southeast of China was selected as the study area in this paper. Aiming to analyze the correlation between changing landscape patterns and load of non-point source pollution in this area, traditional landscape metrics and the improved location-weighted landscape contrast index based on the minimum hydrological response unit (HRULCI) were applied in this study, in combination with remote sensing and geographic information system (GIS) technique. The results of the landscape metrics showed the enhanced fragmentation extent and the decreasing polymerization degree of the overall landscape in the watershed. High values of HRULCI were concentrated in cultivated land, while low HRULCI values mostly appeared in forestland, indicating that cultivated land substantially enhanced non-point source pollution, while forestland inhibited the pollution process.
Does SuperPark Make Children Less Sedentary? How Visiting a Commercial Indoor Activity Park Affects 7 to 12 Years Old Children’s Daily Sitting and Physical Activity Time
Authors: Pesola Arto J. , Melin Martti , Vanhala Anssi , Gao Ying , Finni Taija
Published: July 2018

Commercial indoor activity parks provide children with a variety of entertaining physical activities. This study examined whether visiting SuperPark affects total daily sitting and physical activity time. The participants (8 girls and 7 boys, aged 10.3 ± 1.9 years, height 144.5 ± 11.8 cm, body mass index (BMI) 19.3 ± 3.0 kg/m2) wore a thigh-worn accelerometer during a normal week and were provided free tickets to visit SuperPark on at least one day. On average, the children spent 3.3 ± 1.2 h in SuperPark. During the visits the children had 0.9 h less sitting (0.7 ± 0.3 h, p = 0.000) and 0.9 h more moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA; 1.4 ± 0.6 h, p = 0.002) as compared to the reference periods on days without a SuperPark visit (1.6 ± 0.3 h sitting and 0.5 ± 0.4 h MVPA). During the days when visiting SuperPark, sitting time decreased 1.0 h (5.8 ± 0.9 h, p = 0.008) and MVPA increased 0.8 h (3.0 ± 1.0 h, p = 0.017) as compared to the reference days (6.8 ± 1.1 h sitting and 2.2 ± 0.8 h MVPA). The effects were more pronounced during weekdays than weekends. The children spent more than three hours in SuperPark on one visit, of which almost a half was MVPA. During the whole day, one hour of sitting was replaced with MVPA, suggesting that visiting SuperPark has the potential to improve health. Whether children continue visiting SuperPark and gain health benefits merits investigation.
Assessing Heat-Related Mortality Risks among Rural Populations: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Epidemiological Evidence
Authors: Odame Emmanuel A. , Li Ying , Zheng Shimin , Vaidyanathan Ambarish , Silver Ken
Published: July 2018

Most epidemiological studies of high temperature effects on mortality have focused on urban settings, while heat-related health risks in rural areas remain underexplored. To date there has been no meta-analysis of epidemiologic literature concerning heat-related mortality in rural settings. This study aims to systematically review the current literature for assessing heat-related mortality risk among rural populations. We conducted a comprehensive literature search using PubMed, Web of Science, and Google Scholar to identify articles published up to April 2018. Key selection criteria included study location, health endpoints, and study design. Fourteen studies conducted in rural areas in seven countries on four continents met the selection criteria, and eleven were included in the meta-analysis. Using the random effects model, the pooled estimates of relative risks (RRs) for all-cause and cardiovascular mortality were 1.030 (95% CI: 1.013, 1.048) and 1.111 (95% CI: 1.045, 1.181) per 1 °C increase in daily mean temperature, respectively. We found excess risks in rural settings not to be smaller than risks in urban settings. Our results suggest that rural populations, like urban populations, are also vulnerable to heat-related mortality. Further evaluation of heat-related mortality among rural populations is warranted to develop public health interventions in rural communities.
Household Preparedness and Preferred Communication Channels in Public Health Emergencies: A Cross-Sectional Survey of Residents in an Asian Developed Urban City
Authors: Tam Greta , Huang Zhe , Chan Emily Ying Yang
Published: July 2018

Disaster awareness and household preparedness are crucial for reducing the negative effects of a disaster. This study aims to examine the citizens’ preparedness level in the event of a general disaster or outbreak of infectious disease and to identify suitable channels for community disease surveillance and risk communication. We used a stratified random design to conduct a digit-dialed telephone survey in Hong Kong during February 2014. Level of disaster preparedness was examined according to the possession of disaster kit items. Associations between socio-demographic factors and good household preparedness were assessed using multiple logistic regression models. Preferences for infectious disease surveillance were collected and analyzed. There were 1020 respondents. Over half of the respondents (59.2%) had good household preparedness. After adjustment, female respondents, having higher education and higher household income were significantly associated with good household preparedness. Television and telephone were the preferred channels to obtain and report infectious disease information, respectively. In conclusion, general and specific infectious-disease household preparedness levels in Hong Kong were generally good. Tailored preparedness programs targeted to specific communities are necessary for those lacking preparedness. Risk communication and public health surveillance should be conducted through television and telephone, respectively.
A Comparative Study of Three Non-Geostatistical Methods for Optimising Digital Elevation Model Interpolation
Authors: Salekin Serajis , Burgess Jack H. , Morgenroth Justin , Mason Euan G. , Meason Dean F.
Published: July 2018

It is common to generate digital elevation models (DEMs) from aerial laser scanning (ALS) data. However, cost and lack of knowledge may preclude its use. In contrast, global navigation satellite systems (GNSS) are seldom used to collect and generate DEMs. These receivers have the potential to be considered as data sources for DEM interpolation, as they can be inexpensive, easy to use, and mobile. The data interpolation method and spatial resolution from this method needs to be optimised to create accurate DEMs. Moreover, the density of GNSS data is likely to affect DEM accuracy. This study investigates three different deterministic approaches, in combination with spatial resolution and data thinning, to determine their combined effects on DEM accuracy. Digital elevation models were interpolated, with resolutions ranging from 0.5 m to 10 m using natural neighbour (NaN), topo to raster (ANUDEM), and inverse distance weighted (IDW) methods. The GNSS data were thinned by 25% (0.389 points m−2), 50% (0.259 points m−2), and 75% (0.129 points m−2) and resulting DEMs were contrast against a DEM interpolated from unthinned data (0.519 points m−2). Digital elevation model accuracy was measured by root mean square error (RMSE) and mean absolute error (MAE). It was found that the highest resolution, 0.5 m, produced the lowest errors in resulting DEMs (RMSE = 0.428 m, MAE = 0.274 m). The ANUDEM method yielded the greatest DEM accuracy from a quantitative perspective (RMSE = 0.305 m and MAE = 0.197 m); however, NaN produced a more visually appealing surface. In all the assessments, IDW showed the lowest accuracy. Thinning the input data by 25% and even 50% had relatively little impact on DEM quality; however, accuracy decreased markedly at 75% thinning (0.129 points m−2). This study showed that, in a time where ALS is commonly used to generate DEMs, GNSS-surveyed data can be used to create accurate DEMs. This study confirmed the need for optimization to choose the appropriate interpolation method and spatial resolution in order to produce a reliable DEM.
Mesenchymal Stem Cell Expressing TRAIL as Targeted Therapy against Sensitised Tumour
Authors: Shaik Fakiruddin Kamal , Ghazalli Nadiah , Lim Moon Nian , Zakaria Zubaidah , Abdullah Syahril
Published: July 2018

Tapping into the ability of engineered mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) to mobilise into the tumour has expanded the scope of cancer treatment. Engineered MSCs expressing tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-related apoptosis inducing ligand (MSC-TRAIL) could serve as a platform for an efficient and targeted form of therapy. However, the presence of cancer stem cells (CSCs) that are resistant to TRAIL and apoptosis may represent a challenge for effective treatment. Nonetheless, with the discovery of small molecular inhibitors that could target CSCs and tumour signalling pathways, a higher efficacy of MSC-TRAIL mediated tumour inhibition can be achieved. This might pave the way for a more effective form of combined therapy, which leads to a better treatment outcome. In this review, we first discuss the tumour-homing capacity of MSCs, its effect in tumour tropism, the different approach behind genetically-engineered MSCs, and the efficacy and safety of each agent delivered by these MSCs. Then, we focus on how sensitisation of CSCs and tumours using small molecular inhibitors can increase the effect of these cells to either TRAIL or MSC-TRAIL mediated inhibition. In the conclusion, we address a few questions and safety concerns regarding the utilization of engineered MSCs for future treatment in patients.
Regulation of Energy Metabolism during Early B Lymphocyte Development
Authors: Urbanczyk Sophia , Stein Merle , Schuh Wolfgang , Jäck Hans-Martin , Mougiakakos Dimitrios , Mielenz Dirk
Published: July 2018

The most important feature of humoral immunity is the adaptation of the diversity of newly generated B cell receptors, that is, the antigen receptor repertoire, to the body’s own and foreign structures. This includes the transient propagation of B progenitor cells and B cells, which possess receptors that are positively selected via anabolic signalling pathways under highly competitive conditions. The metabolic regulation of early B-cell development thus has important consequences for the expansion of normal or malignant pre-B cell clones. In addition, cellular senescence programs based on the expression of B cell identity factors, such as Pax5, act to prevent excessive proliferation and cellular deviation. Here, we review the basic mechanisms underlying the regulation of glycolysis and oxidative phosphorylation during early B cell development in bone marrow. We focus on the regulation of glycolysis and mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation at the transition from non-transformed pro- to pre-B cells and discuss some ongoing issues. We introduce Swiprosin-2/EFhd1 as a potential regulator of glycolysis in pro-B cells that has also been linked to Ca2+-mediated mitoflashes. Mitoflashes are bioenergetic mitochondrial events that control mitochondrial metabolism and signalling in both healthy and disease states. We discuss how Ca2+ fluctuations in pro- and pre-B cells may translate into mitoflashes in early B cells and speculate about the consequences of these changes.
Early Hyperbaric Oxygen Treatment Attenuates Burn-Induced Neuroinflammation by Inhibiting the Galectin-3-Dependent Toll-Like Receptor-4 Pathway in a Rat Model
Authors: Wu Zong-Sheng , Lo Jing-Jou , Wu Sheng-Hua , Wang Chau-Zen , Chen Rong-Fu , Lee Su-Shin , Chai Chee-Yin , Huang Shu-Hung
Published: July 2018

Hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) treatment has been proven to decrease neuroinflammation in rats. This study aimed to determine the potential mechanism underlying the anti-inflammatory effects of HBO treatment on burn-induced neuroinflammation in rats. Thirty-six adult male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly assigned to the following six groups (n = 6 per group): (1) sham burn with sham HBO treatment; (2) sham burn with HBO treatment; (3) burn with one-week sham HBO treatment; (4) burn with two-week sham HBO treatment; (5) burn with one-week HBO treatment; and (6) burn with two-week HBO treatment. SD rats that received third-degree burn injury were used as a full-thickness burn injury model. Subsequently, we analyzed the expression of proteins involved in the galectin-3 (Gal-3)-dependent Toll-like receptor-4 (TLR-4) pathway through enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), immunohistochemistry (IHC) analysis, and Western blotting. A behavior test was also conducted, which revealed that HBO treatment significantly suppressed mechanical hypersensitivity in the burn with HBO treatment group compared to the burn with sham HBO treatment group (p < 0.05). ELISA results showed that tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) and interleukin 1 beta (IL-1β) levels in the dorsal horn of the spinal cord and the skin significantly decreased in the burn with HBO treatment group compared with the burn with sham HBO treatment group (p < 0.05). Western blotting results demonstrated that HBO treatment significantly reduced the expression of Gal-3 and TLR-4 in the dorsal horn of the spinal cord in the burn with HBO treatment group compared with the burn with sham HBO treatment group (p < 0.05). IHC analysis showed that the expression of Gal-3, TLR-4, CD68 and CD45 in the dorsal horn of the spinal cord was significantly lower in the burn with HBO treatment group than in the burn with sham HBO treatment group (p < 0.05), and the expression of CD68 and macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) in the right hind paw skin was significantly lower. The expression of vimentin and fibroblast growth factor in the right hind paw skin was significantly higher after HBO treatment (p < 0.05). This study proved that early HBO treatment relieves neuropathic pain, inhibits the Gal-3-dependent TLR-4 pathway, and suppresses microglia and macrophage activation in a rat model.
Expanding the Mutation Spectrum in ABCA4: Sixty Novel Disease Causing Variants and Their Associated Phenotype in a Large French Stargardt Cohort
Authors: Nassisi Marco , Mohand-Saïd Saddek , Dhaenens Claire-Marie , Boyard Fiona , Démontant Vanessa , Andrieu Camille , Antonio Aline , Condroyer Christel , Foussard Marine , Méjécase Cécile , Eandi Chiara , Sahel José-Alain , Zeitz Christina , Audo Isabelle
Published: July 2018

Here we report novel mutations in ABCA4 with the underlying phenotype in a large French cohort with autosomal recessive Stargardt disease. The DNA samples of 397 index subjects were analyzed in exons and flanking intronic regions of ABCA4 (NM_000350.2) by microarray analysis and direct Sanger sequencing. At the end of the screening, at least two likely pathogenic mutations were found in 302 patients (76.1%) while 95 remained unsolved: 40 (10.1%) with no variants identified, 52 (13.1%) with one heterozygous mutation, and 3 (0.7%) with at least one variant of uncertain significance (VUS). Sixty-three novel variants were identified in the cohort. Three of them were variants of uncertain significance. The other 60 mutations were classified as likely pathogenic or pathogenic, and were identified in 61 patients (15.4%). The majority of those were missense (55%) followed by frameshift and nonsense (30%), intronic (11.7%) variants, and in-frame deletions (3.3%). Only patients with variants never reported in literature were further analyzed herein. Recruited subjects underwent complete ophthalmic examination including best corrected visual acuity, kinetic and static perimetry, color vision test, full-field and multifocal electroretinography, color fundus photography, short-wavelength and near-infrared fundus autofluorescence imaging, and spectral domain optical coherence tomography. Clinical evaluation of each subject confirms the tendency that truncating mutations lead to a more severe phenotype with electroretinogram (ERG) impairment (p = 0.002) and an earlier age of onset (p = 0.037). Our study further expands the mutation spectrum in the exonic and flanking regions of ABCA4 underlying Stargardt disease.
A Review of the Preparation, Analysis and Biological Functions of Chitooligosaccharide
Authors: Liang Shuang , Sun Yaxuan , Dai Xueling
Published: July 2018

Chitooligosaccharide (COS), which is acknowledged for possessing multiple functions, is a kind of low-molecular-weight polymer prepared by degrading chitosan via enzymatic, chemical methods, etc. COS has comprehensive applications in various fields including food, agriculture, pharmacy, clinical therapy, and environmental industries. Besides having excellent properties such as biodegradability, biocompatibility, adsorptive abilities and non-toxicity like chitin and chitosan, COS has better solubility. In addition, COS has strong biological functions including anti-inflammatory, antitumor, immunomodulatory, neuroprotective effects, etc. The present paper has summarized the preparation methods, analytical techniques and biological functions to provide an overall understanding of the application of COS.
Injectable and Self-Healing Chitosan Hydrogel Based on Imine Bonds: Design and Therapeutic Applications
Authors: Xu Yanshuang , Li Yongsan , Chen Qiaomei , Fu Lihua , Tao Lei , Wei Yen
Published: July 2018

Biological tissues can automatically repair themselves after damage. Examples include skin, muscle, soft tissue, etc. Inspired by these living tissues, numerous self-healing hydrogels have been developed recently. Chitosan-based self-healing hydrogels constructed via dynamic imine bonds have been widely studied due to their simple preparation, good biocompatibility, and automatic reparability under physiological conditions. In this mini-review, we highlighted chitosan-based self-healing hydrogels based on dynamic imine chemistry, and provided an overview of the preparation of these hydrogels and their bioapplications in cell therapy, tumor therapy, and wound healing.
Revisiting the Advances in Isolation, Characterization and Secretome of Adipose-Derived Stromal/Stem Cells
Authors: Dubey Navneet Kumar , Mishra Viraj Krishna , Dubey Rajni , Deng Yue-Hua , Tsai Feng-Chou , Deng Win-Ping
Published: July 2018

Adipose-derived stromal/stem cells (ASCs) seems to be a promising regenerative therapeutic agent due to the minimally invasive approach of their harvest and multi-lineage differentiation potential. The harvested adipose tissues are further digested to extract stromal vascular fraction (SVF), which is cultured, and the anchorage-dependent cells are isolated in order to characterize their stemness, surface markers, and multi-differentiation potential. The differentiation potential of ASCs is directed through manipulating culture medium composition with an introduction of growth factors to obtain the desired cell type. ASCs have been widely studied for its regenerative therapeutic solution to neurologic, skin, wound, muscle, bone, and other disorders. These therapeutic outcomes of ASCs are achieved possibly via autocrine and paracrine effects of their secretome comprising of cytokines, extracellular proteins and RNAs. Therefore, secretome-derivatives might offer huge advantages over cells through their synthesis and storage for long-term use. When considering the therapeutic significance and future prospects of ASCs, this review summarizes the recent developments made in harvesting, isolation, and characterization. Furthermore, this article also provides a deeper insight into secretome of ASCs mediating regenerative efficacy.
Time-Course of Metabolic and Proteomic Responses to Different Nitrate/Ammonium Availabilities in Roots and Leaves of Maize
Authors: Prinsi Bhakti , Espen Luca
Published: July 2018

The availability of nitrate and ammonium significantly affects plant growth. Co-provision of both nutrients is generally the best nutritional condition, due to metabolic interactions not yet fully elucidated. In this study, maize grown in hydroponics was exposed to different nitrogen (N) availabilities, consisting of nitrate, ammonium and co-provision. Roots and leaves were analyzed after 6, 30, and 54 h by biochemical evaluations and proteomics. The ammonium-fed plants showed the lowest biomass accumulation and the lowest ratio of inorganic to organic N content, suggesting a metabolic need to assimilate ammonium that was not evident in plants grown in co-provision. The N sources differently affected the root proteome, inducing changes in abundance of proteins involved in N and carbon (C) metabolisms, cell water homeostasis, and cell wall metabolism. Notable among these changes was that some root enzymes, such as asparagine synthetase, phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP) carboxylase, and formate dehydrogenase showed a relevant upsurge only under the sole ammonium nutrition. However, the leaf proteome appeared mainly influenced by total N availability, showing changes in the abundance of several proteins involved in photosynthesis and in energy metabolism. Overall, the study provides novel information about the biochemical determinants involved in plant adaptation to different N mineral forms.
Combinational Proanthocyanidins and Resveratrol Synergistically Inhibit Human Breast Cancer Cells and Impact Epigenetic–Mediating Machinery
Authors: Gao Yifeng , Tollefsbol Trygve O.
Published: July 2018

Breast cancer is the second most common cancer and the second leading cause of death from cancer among women in the United States (US). Cancer prevention and therapy through the use of phytochemicals that have epigenetic properties has gained considerable interest during the past few decades. Such dietary components include, but are not limited to, grape seed proanthocyanidins (GSPs) and resveratrol (Res), both of which are present in red wine. In this study, we report for the first time the synergistic effects of GSPs and Res on inhibiting MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 human breast cancer cells. Our results of 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assays and clonogenic assays indicate that treatments with the combinations of GSPs and Res synergistically decreased cell viability and posttreatment cell proliferation in both cell lines. Additional analyses show that treatments with GSPs and Res in combination synergistically induced apoptosis in MDA-MB-231 cells by upregulating Bax expression and down-regulating Bcl-2 expression. DNA methyltransferase (DNMT) activity and histone deacetylase (HDAC) activity were greatly reduced in MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 cells after treatments with GSPs and Res in combination. Collectively, our findings suggest that GSPs and Res synergistically inhibit human breast cancer cells through inducing apoptosis, as well as modulating DNA methylation and histone modifications.
Mechanisms Underlying Tumor Suppressive Properties of Melatonin
Authors: Bondy Stephen C. , Campbell Arezoo
Published: July 2018

There is considerable evidence that melatonin may be of use in the prevention and treatment of cancer. This manuscript will review some of the human, animal and cellular studies that provide evidence that melatonin has oncostatic properties. Confirmation that melatonin mitigates pathogenesis of cancer will be described from both direct study of its effects on carcinogenesis, and from indirect findings implicating disruption of the circadian cycle. A distinction is made between the role of melatonin in preventing the initiation of the tumorigenic pathway and the ability of melatonin to retard the progression of cancer. Melatonin appears to slow down the rate of advancement of established tumors and there is evidence that it constitutes a valuable complement to standard pharmacological and radiation treatment modalities. There are instances of the beneficial outcomes in cancer treatment which utilize a range of hormones and vitamins, melatonin being among the constituents of the mix. While these complex blends are empirically promising, they are only briefly mentioned here in view of the confounding influence of a multiplicity of agents studied simultaneously. The last section of this review examines the molecular mechanisms that potentially underlie the oncostatic effects of melatonin. Alterations in gene expression following activation of various transcription factors, are likely to be an important mediating event. These changes in gene activity not only relate to cancer but also to the aging process which underlies the onset of most tumors. In addition, epigenetic events such as modulation of histone acetylation and DNA methylation patterns throughout the lifespan of organisms need to be considered. The antioxidant and immunoregulatory roles of melatonin may also contribute to its cancer modulatory properties. Naturally, these mechanisms overlap and interact extensively. Nevertheless, in the interest of clarity and ease of reading, each is discussed as a separate topic section. The report ends with some general conclusions concerning the clinical value of melatonin which has been rather overlooked and understudied.
First Steps towards Data-Driven Adversarial Deduplication
Authors: Paredes Jose N. , Simari Gerardo I. , Martinez Maria Vanina , Falappa Marcelo A.
Published: July 2018

In traditional databases, the entity resolution problem (which is also known as deduplication) refers to the task of mapping multiple manifestations of virtual objects to their corresponding real-world entities. When addressing this problem, in both theory and practice, it is widely assumed that such sets of virtual objects appear as the result of clerical errors, transliterations, missing or updated attributes, abbreviations, and so forth. In this paper, we address this problem under the assumption that this situation is caused by malicious actors operating in domains in which they do not wish to be identified, such as hacker forums and markets in which the participants are motivated to remain semi-anonymous (though they wish to keep their true identities secret, they find it useful for customers to identify their products and services). We are therefore in the presence of a different, and even more challenging, problem that we refer to as adversarial deduplication. In this paper, we study this problem via examples that arise from real-world data on malicious hacker forums and markets arising from collaborations with a cyber threat intelligence company focusing on understanding this kind of behavior. We argue that it is very difficult—if not impossible—to find ground truth data on which to build solutions to this problem, and develop a set of preliminary experiments based on training machine learning classifiers that leverage text analysis to detect potential cases of duplicate entities. Our results are encouraging as a first step towards building tools that human analysts can use to enhance their capabilities towards fighting cyber threats.
The Singularity May Be Near
Authors: Yampolskiy Roman V.
Published: July 2018

Toby Walsh in “The Singularity May Never Be Near” gives six arguments to support his point of view that technological singularity may happen, but that it is unlikely. In this paper, we provide analysis of each one of his arguments and arrive at similar conclusions, but with more weight given to the “likely to happen” prediction.
The Supply and Demand Mechanism of Electric Power Retailers and Cellular Networks Based on Matching Theory
Authors: Kong Yinghui , Huang Wenchan , Li Baogang
Published: July 2018

With the rapid increase of wireless network traffic, the energy consumption of mobile network operators (MNOs) continues to increase, and the electricity bill has become an important part of the operating expenses of MNOs. The power grid as the power supplier of cellular networks is also developing rapidly. In this paper, we design two levels of bilateral matching algorithm to solve the energy management of micro-grid connected cellular networks. There are multiple retailers (sellers) and clusters (buyers) in our system model, which determine the transaction price and trading energy respectively and have a certain influence on the balance of energy supply and demand. Retailers make more profits by adjusting the price of electricity in matching algorithm M-1, depending on the energy they capture and the level of storage. At the same time, clusters adjust the electricity consumption through matching algorithm M-2 and power allocation on the basis of ensuring the quality of users’ service. Finally, the performance of the proposed scheme is evaluated by changing various parameters in the simulation.
Assessing Discrepancies between Official Economic Statistics and Land Use through a Field Inventory System
Authors: Gruijthuijsen Wesley , Steenberghen Thérèse , Vanneste Dominique , Zaman Jan , Pennincx Inge , De Mulder Sophie , Vermoesen Koen , Horemans Eline
Published: July 2018

To limit additional (net) land take for economic activities, the reality of space use needs to be properly understood. This was assessed by comparing the spatial patterns obtained from a field inventory with those from existing data for five case areas in Flanders (Belgium). Each case area is a transect from a high-density urban area to a suburban neighborhood or even a semi-rural zone. The statistics on these areas, based on official data, mostly derived from tax returns, social security contributions, and on commercial retail data, were checked with field observations. The location of economic activities and the patterns of space use vary in different settlement environments, resulting in the identification of typical characteristics for eight location environment types. While in, for example, core shopping centers a strong convergence can be noticed between existing statistics and the field inventory (71% of companies and 93% of parcels are detected on the field), in residential areas (21% of companies and 17% of parcels are detected on the field) the convergence is very limited. In other words, in some environments, (the combination of) data and statistics give a good understanding of the space use while, in other environments, gaps with realities in the field are obvious. Therefore, a field inventory system can enrich the picture and present another reality to complement both existing statistics and other land-use data methods such as remote sensing and web data extraction.