A novel artificial bee colony based clustering algorithm for categorical data

Funding: This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) under Grant Nos. (21127010, 61202309, http://www.nsfc.gov.cn/), China Postdoctoral Science Foundation under Grant No. 2013M530956 (http://res.chinapostdoctor.org.cn), the UK Economic & Social Research Council (ESRC): award reference: ES/M001628/1 (http://www.esrc.ac.uk/), Science and Technology Development Plan of Jilin province under Grant No. 20140520068JH (http://www.jlkjt.gov.cn), Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities under No. 14QNJJ028 (http://www.nenu.edu.cn), the open project program of Key Laboratory of Symbolic Computation andKnowledge Engineering of Ministry of Education, Jilin University under Grant No. 93K172014K07 (http://www.jlu.edu.cn). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Identification of urinary and feces metabolites of Rhizoma Paridis saponins in rats based on ultra high performance liquid chromatography/time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC/Q-TOF/MS)

An ultra-performance liquid chromatography/time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC/QTOF/MS) method was established to analyze the saponins in Rhizoma Paridis saponins (RPS) and the constituents in urinary and feces samples. As we know, the constituents of traditional Chinese medicines are very complex and pre-clinical research including metabolism, excretion and pharmacokinetics of herbal medicine components are of great importance in understanding their biological effects and safety. Therefore, deduction of the metabolic and excretive processes of RPS are necessary. As a result, twenty-two original saponins were detected in RPS-treated urinary and feces. Four excreta were observed in rat feces. Therefore, most original saponins and little deglycosylated saponins have been excreted in the rat urine and feces.Colegio de Farmacéuticos de la Provincia de Buenos Aire

Cultivation of Artificial Algal Crust and Its Effect on Soil Improvement in Sandy Area

Algae are the pioneer species of biological soil crusts. Cyanobacteria, microschwannophyta and pseudocladophyta can form fixed quicksand algae crusts on the surface of sand surface. Through artificial culture, soil crusts can be formed in a short time. The development and succession of algeal-sand crust promoted the enrichment of nutrients in the sand surface layer, and created conditions for the reproduction of micro-soil organisms and the colonization of herbaceous plants, thus promoting the desert ecosystem to enter a virtuous cycle. This chapter will focus on the cultivation process of artificial soil crust and its effect on soil improvement (soil organic matter and nitrogen) in sandy areas. In conclusion, the application of algal solution can rapidly form algal crusts, and according to the research results, the formation of algal crusts can significantly improve the chemical and biological properties of soil

Steroid saponins and other constituents from the rhizome of Trillium tschonoskii Maxim and their cytotoxic activity

Fourteen compounds were isolated from the rhizome of Trillium tschonoskii Maxim. By spectroscopic analysis, these compounds were established as Gracillin (1), Paris saponins V (2), Paris saponins VI (3), Paris saponins H (4), Paris saponins VII (5), (25R)-17α-hydroxy-5-en-3-O-a-L-arabinofuranosyl-(1→2)-β-Dglucopyranoside (6), (25R)-26-[β-D-glucopyanosyl]-17α,22β-dihydroxy-5-en-3-O-a-L-rhamnopyranosyl- (1→2)-β-D-glucopyranoside (7), Kaempferol-3-O-β-D-rutinoside (8), Quercetin (9), Quercetin-3-O-β-D-galactoside (10), Daucosterol (11), Stigmasterol-3-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (12), 3, 5-Di-O-caffeoyl quinic acid (13), and n-Hexadecanoic acid (14). By GC-MS analysis of the CH2Cl2 extract from Trillium tschonoskii Maxim, twenty compouns were identified, representing 91 % of the area. The cytotoxicity of compounds 1-14 on mouse A549 cells were evaluated.Colegio de Farmacéuticos de la Provincia de Buenos Aire

Identification of urinary and feces metabolites of Rhizoma Paridis saponins in rats based on ultra high performance liquid chromatography/time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC/Q-TOF/MS)

An ultra-performance liquid chromatography/time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC/QTOF/MS) method was established to analyze the saponins in Rhizoma Paridis saponins (RPS) and the constituents in urinary and feces samples. As we know, the constituents of traditional Chinese medicines are very complex and pre-clinical research including metabolism, excretion and pharmacokinetics of herbal medicine components are of great importance in understanding their biological effects and safety. Therefore, deduction of the metabolic and excretive processes of RPS are necessary. As a result, twenty-two original saponins were detected in RPS-treated urinary and feces. Four excreta were observed in rat feces. Therefore, most original saponins and little deglycosylated saponins have been excreted in the rat urine and feces.Colegio de Farmacéuticos de la Provincia de Buenos Aire

Steroid saponins and other constituents from the rhizome of Trillium tschonoskii Maxim and their cytotoxic activity

Fourteen compounds were isolated from the rhizome of Trillium tschonoskii Maxim. By spectroscopic analysis, these compounds were established as Gracillin (1), Paris saponins V (2), Paris saponins VI (3), Paris saponins H (4), Paris saponins VII (5), (25R)-17α-hydroxy-5-en-3-O-a-L-arabinofuranosyl-(1→2)-β-Dglucopyranoside (6), (25R)-26-[β-D-glucopyanosyl]-17α,22β-dihydroxy-5-en-3-O-a-L-rhamnopyranosyl- (1→2)-β-D-glucopyranoside (7), Kaempferol-3-O-β-D-rutinoside (8), Quercetin (9), Quercetin-3-O-β-D-galactoside (10), Daucosterol (11), Stigmasterol-3-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (12), 3, 5-Di-O-caffeoyl quinic acid (13), and n-Hexadecanoic acid (14). By GC-MS analysis of the CH2Cl2 extract from Trillium tschonoskii Maxim, twenty compouns were identified, representing 91 % of the area. The cytotoxicity of compounds 1-14 on mouse A549 cells were evaluated.Colegio de Farmacéuticos de la Provincia de Buenos Aire

Fasting plasma glucose is an independent predictor for severity of H1N1 pneumonia

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The pandemic influenza A (H1N1) virus emerged during 2009 and has spread worldwide. This virus can cause injuries to the lungs, liver, and heart. However, data regarding whether this influenza virus can affect pancreatic islets are limited. We investigated the effects of influenza A (H1N1) pneumonia on fasting plasma glucose (FPG) and islet function, and evaluated possible correlations between biochemical test results and the severity of H1N1 pneumonia.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We performed a retrospective analysis of patients either diagnosed with or suspected of having H1N1 pneumonia who were admitted to our hospital in 2009. Possible associations between FPG levels and H1N1 virus infection were assessed by logistic regression. Correlation and regression analyses were used to assess relationships between FPG and biochemical test results. Associations between admission days and significant data were assessed by single factor linear regression. To evaluate effects of H1N1 on pancreatic β-cell function, results of a resistance index (homa-IR), insulin function index (homa-β), and insulin sensitivity index (IAI) were compared between a H1N1 group and a non-H1N1 group by t-tests.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>FPG was significantly positively associated with H1N1 virus infection (OR = 1.377, 95%CI: 1.062-1.786; p = 0.016). FPG was significantly correlated with AST (r = 0.215; p = 0.039), LDH (r = 0.400; p = 0.000), BUN (r = 0.28; p = 0.005), and arterial Oxygen Saturation (SaO₂; r = -0.416; p = 0.000) in the H1N1 group. H1N1 patients who were hypoxemic (SaO₂<93%) had higher FPG levels than those who were not hypoxic (9.82 ± 4.14 vs. 6.64 ± 1.78; p < 0.05). FPG was negatively correlated with SaO₂in the H1N1 group with hypoxia (SaO₂<93; r = -0.497; p = 0.041). SaO₂levels in patients with high FPG levels (≥7 mmol/L) were significantly lower than those of H1N1 patients with low FPG levels (<5.6 mmol/L). There were no significant differences in homa-IR, homa-β, or IAI between the H1N1 and non-H1N1 groups after adjusting for age, sex, and BMI.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>FPG on admission could be an independent predictor for the severity of H1N1 pneumonia. Elevated FPG induced by H1N1 pneumonia is not a result of direct damage to pancreatic β-cells, but arises from various factors' combinations caused by H1N1 virus infection.</p

Safety Management in Sea Reclamation Construction: A Case Study of Sanya Airport, China

Urbanization has increased the burden on land resources. Artificial island construction has been proven as an effective method for addressing these land resource problems; however, few studies have been conducted on the safety of sea reclamation construction. This paper proposes a systemic approach to the complete safety management process in sea reclamation engineering, including safety system design, analysis, control, and assessment, using the Sanya Sea Reclamation Airport, Hainan Province, China, as a case study. A total of 145 steel cylinders must be vibrated and sunk into the seafloor to create a 9 km quay wall. Owing to their large size, the steel cylinders have been divided into different segments, and an assembly jig is employed to ensure a safe production process. Considering the hazardous working environment in sea reclamation construction, a numerical analysis is conducted to investigate the safe repertory of these steel cylinders and verify the reliability of the selected scheme for their transportation. Finally, control measures are adopted to ensure a safe vibration and sinking procedure for the steel cylinders. The proposed approach could be used to provide safety management guidelines for artificial island engineering and construction

Evaluation of the Biological Activity of Glucosinolates and Their Enzymolysis Products Obtained from <i>Lepidium meyenii</i> Walp. (Maca)

Glucosinolates (GLS) were extracted and purified from Lepidium meyenii (Maca) root. Purified GLS were analyzed without desulfation by UPLC–ESI–MS. Glucosinolates were decomposed into benzyl isothiocyanate (BITC) by thioglucosidase. DPPH radical scavenging activity, ABTS radical scavenging activity, and reducing power were used to evaluate antioxidant activity of Maca crude extract (MCE), total GLS, and BITC. Maca crude extract showed the highest antioxidant activity among them, and BITC showed no antioxidant activity at concentrations less than 10 mg/mL. Cytotoxicity on five human cancer cell lines and the inhibition rate of NO production were used to evaluate the activity of anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory of total GLS and BITC. The inhibition rate of NO production of 50 μg/mL BITC can reach 99.26% and the cell viability of 100 μg/mL BITC on five tumor cell lines is less than 3%. The results show that BITC may be used as a promising anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory drug