bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
A combination of resveratrol and quercetin induces browning in white adipose tissue of rats fed an obesogenic diet
Authors: Arias Noemí , Picó Catalina , Teresa Macarulla M. , Oliver Paula , Miranda Jonatan , Palou Andreu , Portillo María P. 
Published: November 2016

ObjectiveTo analyze whether a combination of quercetin (Q) and resveratrol (RSV) would induce a white adipose tissue (WAT) browning effect.MethodsThirty‐six rats were fed an obesogenic diet and divided into four groups: control, treated with RSV (15 mg/kg body weight/day; RSV group), treated with Q (30 mg/kg body weight/day; Q group), or treated with both polyphenols (RSV + Q group).ResultsAfter 6 weeks, body and WAT weights were significantly reduced in the RSV + Q group. In perirenal WAT of the control, RSV, and Q groups, white unilocular adipocytes appeared in the majority of cells, while in the RSV + Q group numerous multilocular adipocytes with positive immunostaining for UCP1 were observed. The presence of UCP1 was confirmed by Western blot. This group also revealed increased mRNA levels of Cidea, Hocx9, Bmp4, Slc27a1, Pat2, Atgl, and Atp5d. Interscapular brown adipose tissue weight showed no differences between groups, but the Cidea mRNA level was increased in the RSV group, the Cox‐2 mRNA level in the RSV + Q group, and UCP1 protein expression in the RSV and the RSV + Q groups.ConclusionsThis study demonstrated that the RSV + Q combination produces a brown‐like remodeling effect in perirenal WAT, as well as increased UCP1 protein expression in interscapular brown adipose tissue.
Robust singular optimization for linear time varying systems by integral high‐order sliding mode
Authors: Jiménez‐Lizárraga Manuel , Ibarra Efraín 
Published: November 2016

SummaryThis paper presents an approach to solve a singular quadratic optimization problem for linear time varying systems based on the so‐called integral high‐order sliding mode control. The plant which is time varying is affected for some bounded disturbances, and the criterion to minimize is degenerated, in the sense that the weighting matrix can possess any rank. It is shown the natural connection between the order of singularity of the time varying quadratic criterion, which is connected to the rank of the cost matrix and the order of the sliding mode. An integral high‐order sliding mode is proposed to control the behavior of the transit phase before arriving toward the corresponding higher order singular time varying optimal manifold in prescribed time. The transformation to the phase‐variable form for the Linear Time Variant Systems (LTVS) becomes the key step to solve the problem, and the proposed solution provides the insensitivity of trajectory w.r.t. matched bounded uncertainties. Such a design is applied to a probe landing problem to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Suppressed erythropoietin expression in a nitrofen‐induced congenital diaphragmatic hernia
Authors: Takayasu Hajime , Hagiwara Koki , Masumoto Kouji 
Published: November 2016

SummaryBackgroundErythropoietin (EPO), an essential stimulator of erythropoiesis produced by the fetal liver, is important both in vascular remodeling and modulation of the endothelial response in the pulmonary vasculature. In addition, EPO guides alveolar development, along with retinoic acid (RA). EPO is a direct target of RA, and the retinoid pathway is altered in the nitrofen‐induced congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) model. In the present study, we tested the hypothesis that the synthesis of EPO is suppressed in a rat model of CDH.Materials and MethodsPregnant rats were treated with either nitrofen or vehicle on gestational day 9 (D9). Fetuses were sacrificed on D19 and D21 and divided into control and CDH groups. Immunohistochemistry and quantitative real‐time polymerase chain reaction (RT‐PCR) were performed to determine the expression of EPO in the fetal liver and kidney. We also estimated the expression of EPO receptor in the fetal lung.ResultsThe relative EPO mRNA expression in the liver on D19 and in the kidney on D21 were significantly lower in the CDH group than in the controls (P = 0.0008 and P = 0.0064, respectively). In addition, the results of immunohistochemistry supported the findings from the RT‐PCR analysis. No significant changes were noted in the expression pattern or EPO receptor levels in the fetal lungs of the CDH group compared to the controls.ConclusionsOur results reveal the suppressed EPO synthesis in the CDH fetus, which may contribute to the pathogenesis of lung hypoplasia and modification of pulmonary vasculature in the CDH rat model. Pediatr Pulmonol. 2017;52:606–615. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Synthesis and Characterization of Novel Stabilizers for Nitrocellulose‐Based Propellants
Authors: Krumlinde Patrik , Ek Stefan , Tunestål Erik , Hafstrand Anders 
Published: November 2016

AbstractPropellants containing nitrocellulose (NC) continuously decompose. The decomposition products released in the process increase the rate of the decomposition and a self‐accelerating behavior is obtained. To prevent the autocatalysis, stabilizers are added to NC/NG‐based propellants. The action of the stabilizers is to trap the nitrous decomposition products and form stable compounds, which prevent or delay further decomposition. The most common stabilizers are aniline derivatives, which can form potentially toxic and/or carcinogenic nitrosamine derivatives during prolonged storage in propellants. This work is the joint effort between the Swedish Defence Research Agency (FOI) and Eurenco Bofors (EuB) to find new stabilizers without any amine moiety to avoid nitrosamine formation, which has resulted in a new class of stabilizers with plasticizing properties. The paper describes the concept of this class of plasticizing stabilizers, the synthesis of these compounds and characterization of their performance as stabilizers. The most promising stabilizer was found to be bis(2,6‐dimethoxyphenyl)triethyleneglycol (Stab‐5). Kilogram scale production of this substance at FOI allowed evaluation of its stabilizing effect in real propellants and its effect on the burning rate in a double‐base rocket motor at EuB. Accelerated ageing of a double‐base propellant stabilized with Stab‐5 was applied in order to identify the compounds that were obtained in the reaction between the stabilizer and the decomposition products.
Response of Bed Sediments on the Grade‐Control Structure Management of a Small Piedmont Stream
Authors: Galia T. , Škarpich V. 
Published: November 2016

AbstractThe grain sizes of 53 small lateral and mid‐channel deposits were evaluated on the 2.7 km long channel‐reach of a headwater piedmont stream that has been affected by check‐dams and bed sills constructions (ca. 14 constructions per km), riprap bank stabilisations and the removal of instream wood. Such interventions have led to the loss of natural vertically oscillating bedforms, and pool‐riffles have been replaced by plane beds. The evaluated sediment deposits were divided based on their positions relative to grade‐control structures on downstream, intermediate and upstream types. The individual types of deposits produced different downstream trends in the grain sizes that reflected their positions with respect to the grade‐control structures (GCSs). The downstream deposits generally produced slow downstream coarsening, which may point to the increased efficiency of the energy dissipation of the GCSs under a gradual downstream decrease in the channel slopes. However, they were generally not coarser than the other two types. The upstream deposits did not indicate any notable downstream grain‐size trend. Despite the significant downstream decrease in the channel slopes and related bankfull shear stresses at the positions of the intermediate deposits and the lack of a lateral sediment supply in the studied longitudinal profile, the sediment calibre of the deposits did not produce any systematic downstream fining. Thus, the observed grain sizes most likely pointed to the selective scouring of the fine sediments, which was caused by the presence of the GCSs and their effects on the decreasing sediment connectivity. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Assessment of the Economic, Social and Environmental Dimensions of the Indicators for Sustainable Development
Authors: Strezov Vladimir , Evans Annette , Evans Tim J. 
Published: November 2016

AbstractNine different indices for measuring sustainable development, comprising Change in Wealth Index (CWI), Ecological Footprint (EF), Environmental Performance Index (EPI), Environmental Sustainability Index (ESI), Genuine Savings Index (GSI), Global Well‐Being Index (GWI), Happy Planet Index (HPI), Human Development Index (HDI) and Sustainable Society Index (SSI) were selected in this study. The indices were analysed for their ability to measure the economic, environmental and social dimensions of sustainable development. Only two indices (SSI and GSI) considered all three dimensions of sustainable development, while the remaining measured either the socio‐economic, socio‐environmental or just economic and environmental dimensions. A normalized average sustainability index (NASI) was proposed in this study, calculated as an average index of all nine. Switzerland, Norway and Sweden were the countries with the highest, while Burundi, Sierra Leone and Niger were the countries with the lowest NASI scores. The deviation of each index compared with NASI was determined, resulting in GWI followed by HDI having the lowest deviation from the average rankings. The publication contribution of the scientific literature towards the three dimensions of sustainable development for each individual index was further analysed and discussed, identifying public health as one of the potential overarching indicators for sustainable development. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment
Re‐conceptualizing the Science of Sustainability: A Dynamical Systems Approach to Understanding the Nexus of Conflict, Development and the Environment
Authors: Fisher Joshua , Rucki Kristen 
Published: November 2016

AbstractThe concept of sustainability has come to permeate many spheres of governance, decision‐making and scientific inquiry. Although current academic conceptualizations of sustainability often acknowledge the conflicts inherent in the pursuit of sustainable development, the present discourse does not explicitly include the concepts of peace and conflict. This omission has been in error, as the pursuits of sustainable environmental governance and sustainable human development are themselves efforts to manage and resolve conflict. Thus, this article advocates for an expanded framework of sustainability that operates at the nexus of conflict, environment and development by exploring current mainstream conceptualizations of sustainability and illustrating the direct connections between sustainability and the fields of peace studies and conflict resolution. It goes on to discuss the utility of applying a complex systems approach to the expanded conceptualization of sustainability, including aspects of both coupled systems and dynamical systems theory, in order to provide an analytical framework for studying mechanisms that enable sustainable development by dealing explicitly with conflicting needs and interests among actors in social–ecological systems. Copyright © 2016 The Authors Sustainable Development published by ERP Environment and John Wiley & Sons Ltd
Message mapping and reverse mapping in elliptic curve cryptosystem
Authors: Sengupta Aritro , Ray Utpal Kumar 
Published: November 2016

AbstractElliptic curve cryptography is used as a public‐key cryptosystem for encryption and decryption in such a way that if one has to encrypt a message, then they attempt to map the message to some distinct point on the elliptic curve by modifying the message using a mapping algorithm. Although the arithmetic involved in elliptic curve cryptography is computationally less complex than other cryptographic algorithms, but conversion of simple messages to points on the elliptic curve has always been challenging. In this paper, we discuss the different schemes of message mapping in elliptic curve cryptosystem, the flaws of each method, and how vulnerable they are to cryptanalysis. We also derive the guidelines of a good message mapping scheme in elliptic curve cryptosystem. In the later part of this paper, we will discuss about a new mapping scheme that is resistible to frequency analysis and other forms of cryptanalysis. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Das Karlsruhe Tritium Neutrino Experiment
Authors: Fränkle Florian , Wolf Joachim 
Published: November 2016

AbstractDie Masse des Neutrinos ist eine der großen offenen Fragen in der Teilchenphysik, Astrophysik und Kosmologie. Das KArlsruhe TRItium Neutrino (KATRIN) Experiment hat es sich zum Ziel gesetzt die Neutrinomasse mit einer Sensitivität von 200 meV/c2 zu bestimmen. Dies entspricht einer Verbesserung um den Faktor 10 verglichen zu den Vorgängerexperimenten. Um diese Verbesserung zu erreichen, muss das KATRIN Experiment eine Vielzahl an technischen Herausforderungen aus unterschiedlichen Bereichen bewältigen, unter anderem der Hochspannungstechnik, Kryotechnik oder Vakuumtechnik. In der Vakuumtechnik ist der Betrieb eines Spektrometers mit einem Volumen von 1240 m3 in einem Druckbereich von 10−11 mbar als besondere Herausforderung zu erwähnen.
Control of the gas laser output power
Authors: Chernigovskiy V. V. , Kostrin D. K. , Martsinukov S. A. , Lisenkov A. A. 
Published: November 2016

AbstractThe paper considers the influence of a transverse magnetic field on the positive column of a glow discharge on the example of the gas discharge laser. The magnetic field was created using a developed system consisting of several electromagnets and an equalizing device for a greater uniformity of the field. It is shown that as a result of application of the magnetic system charged particles in the discharge gap are shifted to the walls of the discharge tube, which reduces the efficiency of the laser and decreases its output power. Thus, changing the current through the electromagnets the output power of the laser can be varied. The inertia of the impact of the magnetic field on the plasma in the discharge gap was of the order of one millisecond.
Nitridische und oxinitridische HPPMS‐Beschichtungen für den Einsatz in der Kunststoffverarbeitung (Teil 1)
Authors: Bobzin Kirsten , Grundmeier Guido , Brögelmann Tobias , de los Arcos Teresa , Wiesing Martin , Kruppe Nathan C. 
Published: November 2016

AbstractIn der Kunststoffverarbeitung zählen adhäsiver und abrasiver Verschleiß zu den Hauptschadensmechanismen. Für den Verschleißschutz und die Standzeiterhöhung der in der Verarbeitung eingesetzten Werkzeuge und zur Verbesserung der Produktqualität der hergestellten Kunststoffprodukte werden mittels physikalischer Gasphasenabscheidung (physical vapour deposition, PVD) hergestellte binäre oder ternäre Schichtsysteme auf Chrombasis wie CrN und (Cr,Al)N eingesetzt. Da die chemische Zusammensetzung eines Schichtsystems einen erheblichen Einfluss auf die sich ausbildende Reaktionsschicht an der Schichtoberfläche und somit auf die Benetzung des beschichteten Werkzeugs durch Kunststoffschmelze hat, war es das Ziel dieser Arbeit, durch eine Variation des Sauerstoffflusses im dcMS/HPPMS (direct current magnetron sputtering/high power pulse magnetron sputtering)‐Hybridprozess unterschiedliche Beschichtungen aus dem System Cr‐Al‐O‐N herzustellen. Neben einer nitridischen Beschichtung (Cr,Al)N wurden zwei quaternäre oxinitridische Schichtsysteme (Cr,Al)ON synthetisiert. In diesem Beitrag wird erläutert, welchen Einfluss eine Sauerstoffvariation im Beschichtungsprozess auf Schichteigenschaften sowie Verbundeigenschaften zum Kunststoffformenstahl nimmt. Im in der folgenden Ausgabe erscheinenden Beitrag werden darauf aufbauend anwendungsorientierte Systemeigenschaften der drei betrachteten Schichtsysteme gegenüber einer Polycarbonatschmelze untersucht.
Operation Start Times and Postoperative Morbidity from Liver Resection: A Propensity Score Matching Analysis
Authors: Lu Qiang , Shen Yuan , Zhang Jing , Ren Yi‐Fan , Dong Jian , Du Zhao‐Qing , Liu Xue‐Min , Wu Zheng , Lv Yi , Zhang Xu‐Feng 
Published: November 2016

AbstractBackgroundSurgeons are likely to get progressively fatigued and work less effectively during the course of a normal workday. We sought to examine the effects of surgery start times (morning vs. afternoon) and workload of the surgeons on morbidity of patients after partial liver resection (LR).MethodsA total of 155 pairs of the patients from 383 patients undergoing LR were generated by propensity score analysis (PSM) according to the start times of surgery: group M (morning surgery, 8 a.m.–1 p.m.) and group A (afternoon surgery, 1 p.m.–6 p.m.). Patients in group A were further divided depending on whether or not the surgeons had performed other surgeries earlier in the day and the exact duration of the other surgeries before the afternoon surgery (≤180 and >180 min). The incidence and severity of postoperative complications were compared between different groups.ResultsBy using PSM analysis, the patients in group M and group A were well matched in basic characteristics. The incidence and severity of the postoperative complications were similar between the two groups (all p > 0.05). Whether the surgeons had performed other surgeries prior to the afternoon surgery seemed not affecting the postoperative outcome (all p > 0.05). Moreover, the duration of other surgeries the surgeons had performed did not have significant influence on the outcome of patients undergoing afternoon surgery (all p > 0.05).ConclusionsSurgery start times and workload of surgeons during working time did not measurably affect short‐term outcomes of the patients. The negative findings might be a manifestation of professional judgment and self‐regulation of the experienced physicians.
Analysis of the functional muscle–bone unit of the forearm in patients with phenylketonuria by peripheral quantitative computed tomography
Authors: Choukair Daniela , Kneppo Carolin , Feneberg Reinhard , Schönau Eckhard , Lindner Martin , Kölker Stefan , Hoffmann Georg F. , Tönshoff Burkhard 
Published: November 2016

AbstractBone disease in patients with phenylketonuria (PKU) is incompletely characterized. We therefore analyzed, in a cross‐sectional study radius macroscopic bone architecture and forearm muscle size by peripheral quantitative computed tomography (pQCT) and muscle strength by hand dynamometry in a large cohort (n = 56) of adolescent and adult patients with PKU aged 26.0 ± 8.9 (range, 11.8–41.5) years. Data were compared with a reference population (n = 700) from the DONALD study using identical methodology. We observed a significant reduction of cortical thickness (z‐score −1.01 ± 0.79), Strength–Strain Index (SSI) (z‐score −0.81 ± 1.03), and total bone mineral density (BMD) of the distal radius (z‐score −1.05 ± 1.00). Mean muscle cross‐sectional area (z‐score −0.98 ± 1.19) and muscle grip force (z‐score −0.64 ± 1.26) were also significantly reduced, indicating an impaired muscular system as part of the clinical phenotype of PKU. SSI positively correlated (r = 0.53, P < 0.001) with the corresponding muscle cross‐sectional area in the reference population; however, the regression line slope in PKU patients was less steep (P < 0.001), indicating that bone strength is not adequately adapted to muscle force. In conclusion, the radial bone in PKU patients is characterized by reduced bone strength in relation to muscular force, decreased cortical thickness, and impaired total BMD at the metaphyseal site. These alterations indicate a mixed bone defect in PKU, both of which are due to primary alterations of bone metabolism and to secondary alterations in response to neuromuscular abnormalities.
Feeding ecology of the Sicilian pond turtleEmys trinacris(Testudines, Emydidae) influenced by seasons and invasive aliens species
Authors: Ottonello Dario , D'Angelo Stefania , Oneto Fabrizio , Malavasi Stefano , Zuffi Marco Alberto Luca 
Published: November 2016

AbstractFeeding ecology of a species is the result of its evolutionary history, biology, physiology and local constraints, such as prey availability, intra‐ and inter‐specific interactions and environmental characteristics. In this study we investigated the still unknown diet of the Sicilian pond turtle, with special emphasis to the relationships with recently introduced alien species in the “Lake Preola and Gorghi Tondi” Nature Reserve (Sicily, Italy). A total of 83 faecal samples were collected in three different periods.Emys trinacrisseems an opportunistic and generalist species. The main prey taxa were aquatic invertebrates, including the invasiveProcambarus clarkii, while non‐aquatic preys are found sporadically. Plant matter, mainly leaves and roots of aquatic forms, was also found in high frequency with a high occurrence of fruits and seeds in spring. We did not find a significant difference in diet composition within sex and age, while an evident divergence was found between periods and sites. In particular, we noticed a decrease in prey abundance and in food‐niche breadth from pre‐reproductive period to post‐reproductive period. Moreover a very clear difference was found between a site with allochthonous fishes and a site fish‐free, with a more abundant and wide diet spectrum in the last one, as a result of the increased availability of prey. We highlighted the importance to take any possible actions to avoid the spread of fishes in other basins and to study the indirect impact ofProcambarus clarkii, as possible vector of harmful trace element.