bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Type‐2 Diabetes, Pancreatic Amylin, and Neuronal Metabolic Remodeling in Alzheimer's Disease
Authors: Leibold Noah , Bain James R. , Despa Florin 
Published: January 2023

AbstractType‐2 diabetes raises the risk for Alzheimer's disease (AD)‐type dementia and the conversion from mild cognitive impairment to dementia, yet mechanisms connecting type‐2 diabetes to AD remain largely unknown. Amylin, a pancreatic β‐cell hormone co‐secreted with insulin, participates in the central regulation of satiation, but also forms pancreatic amyloid in persons with type‐2 diabetes and synergistically interacts with brain amyloid β (Aβ) pathology, in both sporadic and familial Alzheimer's disease (AD). Growing evidence from studies of tumor growth, together with early observations in skeletal muscle, indicates amylin as a potential trigger of cellular metabolic reprogramming. Because the blood, cerebrospinal fluid, and brain parenchyma in humans with AD have increased concentrations of amylin, amylin‐mediated pathological processes in the brain may involve neuronal metabolic remodeling. This review summarizes recent progress in understanding the link between prediabetic hypersecretion of amylin and risk of neuronal metabolic remodeling and AD and suggests nutritional and medical effects of food constituents that might prevent and/or ameliorate amylin‐mediated neuronal metabolic remodeling.
A Synbiotic Ameliorates Con A‐Induced Autoimmune Hepatitis in Mice through Modulation of Gut Microbiota and Immune Imbalance
Authors: Liu Qingqing , Yang Hao , Kang Xing , Tian Haixia , Kang Yongbo , Li Lin , Yang Xiaodan , Liu Haixia , Ren Peng , Kuang Xiaoyu , Tong Mingwei , Fan Weiping 
Published: January 2023

ScopeChanges in the intestinal flora are related to autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) development. The aim of this study is to investigate the synergistic effects of probiotics and prebiotics on liver injury induced by concanavalin A (Con A).Methods and resultsC57BL/6 mice are fed probiotics (Pro), prebiotics (Pre), synbiotic (Syn) for 7 days and then Con A is injected via tail veins to induce AIH. Additionally, methylprednisolone (MP) is gavaged 0.5 h after the Con A injection. It is found that both Pro, Pre, Syn, and MP decrease the levels of serum transaminase, liver F4/80+ macrophage cells, and hepatocellular apoptosis. Pro, Pre, and Syn decrease proinflammatory cytokines, elevate levels of anti‐inflammatory as well as restored immune imbalance in AIH. Besides, Pro, Pre, and Syn not only reshape the perturbed gut microbiota, but also maintain intestinal barrier integrity, block the activation of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)/TLR4/NF‐κB pathway in the liver. Interestingly, the effects of Syn are superior to Pro or Pre alone in Con A‐induced acute liver injury.ConclusionsSyn obviously facilitates AIH remission. The combined use of Pro and Pre is effective in improving Pro and Pre efficacy and can be an important tool for preventing and adjuvant treating patients for AIH.
Effect of the Emulsifier Used in Dunaliella salina‐Based Nanoemulsions Formulation on the β‐Carotene Absorption and Metabolism in Rats
Authors: Teixé‐Roig Júlia , Oms‐Oliu Gemma , Odriozola‐Serrano Isabel , Martín‐Belloso Olga 
Published: January 2023

ScopeMicroalgae such as Dunaliella salina are a potential sustainable source of natural β‐carotene due to their fast growth and high adaptability to environmental conditions. This work aims to evaluate the effect of the incorporation of β‐carotene from this alga into different emulsifier‐type nanoemulsions (soybean lecithin [SBL], whey protein isolate [WPI], sodium caseinate [SDC]) on its absorption, metabolization, and biodistribution in rats.Methods and resultsNanoemulsions formulated with different emulsifiers at 8% concentration are obtained by five cycles of microfluidization at 130 mPa, then expose to an in vitro digestion or orally administer to rats. Feeding rats with nanoemulsions improves β‐carotene uptake compared to control suspension, especially using SDC and WPI as emulsifiers. A greater presence of β‐carotene and retinol in the intestine, plasma, and liver is observed, being the liver the tissue that shows the highest accumulation. This fact can be a consequence of the smaller droplets that protein‐nanoemulsions present compared to that with SBL in the intestine of rats, which promote faster digestibility and higher β‐carotene bioaccessibility (35%–50% more) according to the in vitro observations.ConclusionsNanoemulsions, especially those formulated with protein emulsifiers, are effective systems for increasing β‐carotene absorption, as well as retinol concentration in different rat tissues.
Are Phosphatidylcholine and Lysophosphatidylcholine Body Levels Potentially Reliable Biomarkers in Obesity? A Review of Human Studies
Authors: Bellot Paula Emília Nunes Ribeiro , Moia Melissa Nunes , Reis Bruna Zavarize , Pedrosa Lucia Fatima Campos , Tasic Ljubica , Barbosa Fernando , Sena‐Evangelista Karine Cavalcanti Maurício 
Published: January 2023

AbstractPhosphatidylcholines (PCs) are the major components of biological membranes in animals and are a class of phospholipids that incorporate choline as a headgroup. Lysophosphatidylcholines (LPCs) are a class of lipid biomolecules derived from the cleavage of PCs, and are the main components of oxidized low‐density lipoproteins (oxLDLs) that are involved in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. Since obesity is associated with a state of chronic low‐grade inflammation, one can anticipate that the lipidomic profile changes in this context and both PCs and LPCs are gaining attention as hypothetically reliable biomarkers of obesity. Thus, a literature search is performed on PubMed, Latin American and Caribbean Health Science Literature (LILACS), and Excerpta Medica DataBASE (Embase) to obtain the findings of population studies to clarify this hypothesis. The search strategy resulted in a total of 2403 reports and 21 studies were included according to the eligibility criteria. Controversial data on the associations of PCs and LPCs with body mass index (BMI) and body fat parameters have been identified. There is an inverse relationship between BMI and most species of PCs, and a majority of studies exhibited negative associations between BMI and LPCs. Other findings regarding the differences between PCs and LPCs in obesity are presented, and the associated uncertainties are discussed in detail.
Synthesis design of quad‐band bandpass filter with mixed frequency transformation method
Authors: Wu Yi , Ma Kaixue , Wang Yongqiang 
Published: January 2023

AbstractThis paper presents an analysis method to design quad‐band bandpass filters (BPFs) based on the mixed frequency transformation method. The frequency mapping technique is employed to obtain the design parameters by defining the frequency ranges of each passband. By using the proposed approach, the resonant angular frequencies and susceptance slope parameters can be obtained analytically. To validate our theory, a third‐order Chebyshev BPF and a fourth‐order elliptic BPF with different bandwidths are successfully synthesized. Moreover, a second‐order test BPF with a Chebyshev approximation and 20 dB passband return loss is synthesized, designed, fabricated, and measured. The measured insertion losses are 1.82, 2.01, 3.12, and 2.51 dB for each passband and measured return losses are better than 15.2 dB for all passbands. The measured results verify the designed BPF and also confirm the theoretical prediction.
Radiofrequency safety of high permittivity pads in MRI—Impact of insulation material
Authors: Brink Wyger M. , Remis Rob F. , Webb Andrew G. 
Published: January 2023

PurposeHigh permittivity dielectric pads are known to be effective for tailoring the RF field and improving image quality in high field MRI. Despite a number of studies reporting benign specific absorption rate (SAR) effects, their “universal” safety remains an open concern. In this work, we evaluate the impact of the insulation material in between the pad and the body, using both RF simulations as well as phantom experiments.MethodsA 3T configuration with high permittivity material was simulated and characterized experimentally in terms of B1+ fields and RF power absorption, both with and without electrical insulation in between the high permittivity material and the sample. Different insulation conditions were compared, and electromagnetic analyses on the induced current density were performed to elucidate the effect.ResultsIncreases in RF heating of up to 49% were observed experimentally in a tissue‐mimicking phantom after removing the material insulation. The B1+ magnitude and RF transceive phase were not affected. Simulations indicated that an insulation thickness of 0.5–2 mm should be accounted for in numerical models in order to ensure reliable results.ConclusionA reliable RF safety assessment of high permittivity dielectric pads requires accounting for the insulating properties of the plastic encasing. Ignoring the electrical insulation can lead to erroneous results with substantial increases in local SAR at the interface. Conversely, the material insulation does not need to be modeled to predict the B1+ effects during the design of the pad geometry.
High‐resolution motion‐ and phase‐corrected functional MRI at 7 T using shuttered multishot echo‐planar imaging
Authors: Sengupta Saikat , Berman Avery , Polimeni Jonathan R. , Setsompop Kawin , Grissom William A. 
Published: January 2023

PurposeTo achieve high‐resolution multishot echo‐planar imaging (EPI) for functional MRI (fMRI) with reduced sensitivity to in‐plane motion and between‐shot phase variations.MethodsTwo‐dimensional radiofrequency pulses were incorporated in a multishot EPI sequence at 7T which selectively excited a set of in‐plane bands (shutters) in the phase encoding direction, which moved between shots to cover the entire slice. A phase‐ and motion‐corrected reconstruction was implemented for the acquisition. Brain imaging experiments were performed with instructed motion to evaluate image quality for conventional multishot and shuttered EPI. Temporal stability was assessed in three subjects by quantifying temporal SNR (tSNR) and artifact levels, and fMRI activation experiments using visual stimulation were performed to assess the strength and distribution of activation, using both conventional multishot and shuttered EPI.ResultsIn the instructed motion experiment, ghosting was lower in shuttered EPI images without or with corrections and image quality metrics were improved with motion correction. tSNR was improved by phase correction in both conventional multishot and shuttered EPI and the acquisitions had similar tSNR without and with phase correction. However, while phase correction was necessary to maximize tSNR in conventional multishot EPI, it also increased intermittent ghosting, but did not increase intermittent ghosting in shuttered EPI. Phase correction increased activation strength in both conventional multishot and shuttered EPI, but caused increased spurious activation outside the brain and in frontal brain regions in conventional multishot EPI.ConclusionShuttered EPI supports multishot segmented EPI acquisitions with lower sensitivity to artifacts from motion for high‐resolution fMRI.
Probabilistic partition of unity networks for high‐dimensional regression problems
Authors: Fan Tiffany , Trask Nathaniel , D'Elia Marta , Darve Eric 
Published: January 2023

AbstractWe explore the probabilistic partition of unity network (PPOU‐Net) model in the context of high‐dimensional regression problems and propose a general framework focusing on adaptive dimensionality reduction. With the proposed framework, the target function is approximated by a mixture of experts model on a low‐dimensional manifold, where each cluster is associated with a fixed‐degree polynomial. We present a training strategy that leverages the expectation maximization (EM) algorithm. During the training, we alternate between (i) applying gradient descent to update the DNN coefficients; and (ii) using closed‐form formulae derived from the EM algorithm to update the mixture of experts model parameters. Under the probabilistic formulation, step (ii) admits the form of embarrassingly paralleliazable weighted least‐squares solves. The PPOU‐Nets consistently outperform the baseline fully‐connected neural networks of comparable sizes in numerical experiments of various data dimensions. We also explore the proposed model in applications of quantum computing, where the PPOU‐Nets act as surrogate models for cost landscapes associated with variational quantum circuits.
Distance minimizing based data‐driven computational method for the finite deformation of hyperelastic materials
Authors: Zheng Zhangcheng , Zhang Zijian , Ye Hongfei , Zhang Hongwu , Zheng Yonggang 
Published: January 2023

AbstractThe distance minimizing based data‐driven solvers are developed for the finite deformation analysis of three‐dimensional (3D) compressible and nearly incompressible hyperelastic materials in this work. The data‐driven solvers bypass the construction of a constitutive equation for the hyperelastic materials by considering a dataset of Green‐Lagrange strain‐second Piola–Kirchhoff stress pairs. They recast the boundary‐value problems into the distance minimization problems with basic kinematical and mechanical constraints. Moreover, the deviatoric/volumetric split of stress and the additional incompressible constraint are further introduced into the solver for the nearly incompressible hyperelastic materials. Several representative three‐dimensional examples are presented and the results demonstrate the good capability and robustness of the proposed data‐driven solvers.
Micro computed tomography and histological examination of a pathological lesion (healed fracture) in a horse tooth from the medieval site of Crkveno Brdo, Serbia
Authors: Marković Nemanja , Rothschild Bruce , Špehar Perica , Pendić Jugoslav , Stevanović Oliver , Staszyk Carsten 
Published: January 2023

AbstractThis paper aims to provide insight into the etiology and differential diagnosis of a rare severe pathological lesion in an isolated equine tooth from the medieval site of Crkveno Brdo. The site is located in the southern part of the Carpathian Basin, that is, in the northern part of present‐day Serbia near Senta, some 9 km south‐west of the town center in the vicinity of the village of Gornji Breg. The specimen presented in this study comes from the cultural layer dated to the period between the 14th and the 15th centuries. A healed oblique fracture was present in the right upper second premolar (106) of a horse (Equus caballus) 7–10 years of age. The specimen was subjected to an interdisciplinary approach, including identification of species and tooth type, and assessment of age at death, employing microcomputed tomography (microCT), and histopathology to differentially diagnose the pathological condition. The obtained results were additionally compared with findings in an apparently similar modern case of known etiology.
Polyaniline/aramid composite for carbon dioxide capture
Authors: Vostiňáková Monika , Lupínková Simona , Ryšánek Petr , Stejskal Jaroslav , Kolská Zdeňka 
Published: January 2023

AbstractA novel composite based on conducting polymer, polyaniline/aramid, was prepared with the aim of capturing carbon dioxide. Polyaniline was synthesized by the oxidative polymerization of aniline with ammonium peroxydisulfate and subsequently used for modification of the aramid surface. The prepared polyaniline/aramid composite was characterized using electrokinetic analysis, scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and nitrogen adsorption/desorption isotherms for determination of specific surface area and porosity and using carbon dioxide adsorption/desorption isotherms for determination of carbon dioxide capture. The capture capacity markedly increased from 22 cm3 g−1 for pristine aramid to 60 cm3 g−1 for the polyaniline/aramid composite. The results show that the new composite material could be used as an effective adsorbent of carbon dioxide and for applications based on its adsorption. The vision of advanced adsorbents with properties controlled by electric potential applied to conducting polymers is worth being considered. © 2023 Society of Industrial Chemistry.
A comparison of undisturbed soil cores with restructured columns using a new one‐step outflow model
Authors: Powelson David K. , Jacobson Astrid R. , Boettinger Janis L. 
Published: January 2023

AbstractUndisturbed soil cores may be best for studying field processes in the laboratory, but core variability can make them difficult to use. The goal of this study was to develop a method to make packed columns that have one‐step outflow curves similar to those of undisturbed cores. Undisturbed 15.2‐cm‐long cores and bulk soil were obtained from a sandy loam permanent pasture (Pasture) and a sandy clay loam uncultivated field (Springhill). Ordinary‐packed columns were made by compressing bulk soil to the average core bulk density, and layered columns were made by duplicating the average bulk densities of three core layers. Outflow was recorded from pressure head of −7.6 to −133 cm from newly packed columns and after drying to produce shrinkage cracks. A new outflow model that included initial water content (θi), final water content (θf), and time to reach 63.2% outflow (Τ) was fit to the data by adjusting a time exponent β (average r2 = 0.995). Column parameters were compared with cores by equivalence testing. Drying reduced θi and θf, possibly due to shrinkage cracks that increased drainable porosity. Columns of the Pasture soil had significantly greater Τ than natural cores, possibly due to lack of root‐formed pores in the columns. Overall, layered and dried columns were most similar to natural cores and less variable, and cumulative one‐step outflow curves from undisturbed cores and packed columns can be quantified with a simplified four‐parameter model. These methods and results may help make packed soil columns more representative of undisturbed soil.
TiO2‐epoxy nanocomposites coated steel: Surface morphology, spectroscopic, and photocatalytic characteristics
Authors: Ghodki Bhupendra M , Patel Ajay , Choudhary Poonam , Kalnar Yogesh B. , Narsaiah Kairam 
Published: January 2023

Nanocomposite coatings on metal surfaces provide unique material characteristics that play a strategic role in improving overall product/process quality. Thus, nanocomposite finds applications in different sectors such as petroleum, automobile, electrical and electronics, chemical, medical, metallurgy, food packaging, and air purification. This study focused on the fabrication of TiO2‐epoxy nanocomposites for coating on steel sheet and analyzing their properties. The nanocomposites were prepared at 2%, 4%, and 8% (w/w) TiO2 particle loading content. Different coated sheets were analyzed for surface morphology, spectroscopic, and photocatalytic characteristics. Field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM) images showed uniform particle distribution of TiO2 in the epoxy matrix at a lower concentration. Besides, TiO2 nanoparticle cluster sizes ranged from 79.6 to 172 nm, 79.5 to 237 nm, and 122 to 164 nm for the samples of 2%, 4%, and 8% TiO2 content, respectively. The Ti weight percent significantly increased from 1.69% to 7.34% with the rise in the level of TiO2 filler in the TiO2‐epoxy matrix, whereas O content varies from 22.07% to 26.02%. A characteristic absorption peak of TiO2 at nearly 700 cm−1 in all the Fourier‐transform infrared (FTIR) spectra of samples was detected. Degradation of methylene blue (MB) in the photocatalytic (UV‐C + TiO2) process was significantly higher than photolysis (UV‐C) in a photoreactor. The degradation rate of MB increased with treatment time and TiO2 loading content in the samples. Besides, after 1 h of treatment, maximal degradation of MB was 1.58% for photolysis whereas 1.96%, 2.63%, and 3.51% for the coated sheet of 2%, 4%, and 8% TiO2, respectively. Overall, the superior quality of steel sheets was obtained when coated with TiO2‐epoxy nanocomposites.
Scalable, Highly Pure, and Diameter‐Sorted Boron Nitride Nanotube by Aqueous Polymer Two‐Phase Extraction
Authors: Ko Jaehyoung , Kim Daeun , Sim Giho , Moon Se Youn , Lee Sang Seok , Jang Se Gyu , Ahn Seokhoon , Im Sung Gap , Joo Yongho 
Published: January 2023

AbstractBoron nitride nanotube (BNNT) has attracted recent attention owing to its exceptional material properties; yet, practical implementation in real‐life applications has been elusive, mainly due to the purity issues associated with its large‐scale synthesis. Although different purification methods have been discussed so far, there lacks a scalable solution method in the community. In this work, a simple, high‐throughput, and scalable purification of BNNT is reported via modification of an established sorting technique, aqueous polymer two‐phase extraction. A complete partition mapping of the boron nitride species is established, which enables the segregation of the highly pure BNNT with a major impurity removal efficiency of > 98%. A successful scaling up of the process is illustrated and provides solid evidence of its diameter sorting behavior. Last, towards its macroscopic assemblies, a liquid crystal of the purified BNNT is demonstrated. The effort toward large‐scale solution purification of BNNT is believed to contribute significantly to the macroscopic realization of its exceptional properties in the near future.
Seismic vulnerability assessment of reinforced concrete bridge piers with corroded bars
Authors: De Domenico Dario , Messina Davide , Recupero Antonino 
Published: January 2023

AbstractReinforced concrete (RC) structures located in aggressive environment, for example, RC bridge piers close to the sea and experiencing chloride attacks, may be exposed to an increased seismic vulnerability. This requires practical yet effective safety assessment strategies aimed to determine the seismic behavior by incorporating corrosion deterioration phenomena. An easy‐to‐use phenomenological model is here developed to describe the seismic behavior of corroded RC elements based on a fiber hinge formulation wherein the corrosion‐induced mechanical degradation of concrete and steel is implemented through appropriate constitutive laws at the fiber level. The developed fiber hinge formulation is first validated against experimental cyclic tests of corroded RC columns from the literature. Then, the proposed approach is used for the seismic vulnerability assessment of the Zappulla multi‐span viaduct (southern Italy), whose RC bridge piers (with a box‐shaped, two‐cell hollow rectangular cross section) are exposed to carbonation and chloride‐induced corrosion. A comprehensive in‐situ testing campaign is conducted for the mechanical characterization of the materials in the RC piers. Corrosion potential mapping, carbonation tests and tensile tests on corroded bars extracted from RC piers are critically interpreted to calibrate the constitutive laws of the fiber‐hinge model. Motivated by experimental findings, numerical seismic analyses (including linear dynamic, nonlinear static and nonlinear dynamic analyses) are performed under two different corrosion scenarios to quantify the impact of corrosion on the resulting seismic vulnerability conditions of bridge piers with corroded bars. The proposed approach is characterized by low computational cost and lends itself to large‐scale seismic vulnerability assessment of other existing RC bridges placed in corrosive environment.