Mutual Validation Research Articles

Thermodynamic properties of 1-naphthol: Mutual validation of experimental and computational results

Thermodynamic properties for 1-naphthol (Chemical Abstracts registry number [90-15-3]) in the ideal-gas state are reported based on both experimental and computational methods. Measured properties included the triple-point temperature, enthalpy of fusion, and heat capacities for the crystal and liquid phases by adiabatic calorimetry; vapor pressures by inclined-piston manometry and comparative ebulliometry; and the enthalpy of combustion of the crystal phase by oxygen bomb calorimetry. Critical properties were estimated. Entropies for the ideal-gas state were derived from the experimental studies for the temperature range 298.15⩽T/K⩽600, and independent statistical calculations were performed based on molecular geometry optimization and vibrational frequencies calculated at the B3LYP/6-31+G(d,p) level of theory. The mutual validation of the independent experimental and computed results is achieved with a scaling factor of 0.975 applied to the calculated vibrational frequencies. This same scaling factor was successfully applied in the analysis of results for other polycyclic molecules, as described in a series of recent articles by this research group. This article reports the first extension of this approach to a hydroxy-aromatic compound. All experimental results are compared with property values reported in the literature. Thermodynamic consistency between properties is used to show that several studies in the literature are erroneous. The enthalpy of combustion for 1-naphthol was also measured in this research, and excellent agreement is seen with several values already reported in the literature.

Indignation, Inspiration, and Interaction on the Internet: Emotion Work Online in the Anti-Human Trafficking Movement

Despite the absence of face-to-face interactions, the web offers digital activists a surprisingly rich setting for emotion work, facilitating evocative storytelling and offering easy and immediate opportunities to engage in symbolic action. This article uses data from interviews with activists to analyze how emotion work is done online, including personalizing statistics to generate moral shock and telling survivor stories to demonstrate efficacy and create hope for social change. Furthermore, it argues that the web, especially social media, facilitates interactions between activists, state actors, and end users that provide mutual affirmation and validation. A positive unintended emotional consequence of such interactions is that activists working in the field draw encouragement and motivation from users at home.

Chromium Speciation in Solid Waste Material and Eluates by X-Ray Absorption Spectroscopy and Ion Chromatography

The tremendous generation of solid waste material is a worldwide problem. Apart from avoidance of waste materials, their reuse is a main goal of modern waste management. Reuse of waste materials demands adequate risk assessment and reliable quantification methods considering the release potential of harmful compounds. In this context, due to its cancerogenity, hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)) is of high ecotoxicological, human toxicological and environmental relevance. In this contribution, we focus on the speciation of chromium in two representative solid waste materials (demolition waste material, DWM; municipal waste incineration product, MWIP) and eluates obtained after leaching. For chromium speciation, X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) and ion chromatography coupled with inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (IC/ICP-OES) were applied. It could be observed that in spite of relatively low contents of Cr(VI) in both solid materials (DWM: 16 ± 1 mg/kg, MWIP: 67 ± 5; aqua regia digestion), environmentally relevant concentrations of Cr(VI) were released from the materials as revealed by batch and column leaching experiments. In particular, threshold values for Cr(VI) of the German Federal Soil Protection and Contaminated Sites Ordinance were significantly exceeded. Application of XAS allowed both the determination of mobilizable Cr(VI) directly in the solid materials and in the alkaline eluates, even at concentrations below 500 µg/L. The results obtained were in agreement with data of leaching tests and with IC/ICP-OES measurements. IC/ICP-OES enabled a rapid, well-reproducible and sensitive quantification of Cr(VI) in the eluates in the lower µg/L range. The presented combination of independent analytical methods and mutual validation is highly powerful and is a valuable contribution for risk assessment of waste material. The principle of the approach can be used for the investigation of other solid materials and elements and their assessment.

A novel pulse shortcut strategy for simulating nano-second pulse electrochemical micro-machining

Nano-second pulse electrochemical micro-machining is essentially employed in high precision metal processing applications. Simulation wise, such a process involves heavy time-accurate calculations necessary to obtain the confined anodic current density distribution, crucial for the machining copy accuracy. A new alternative simulation method is presented, entitled the Pulse Shortcut Strategy (PSS), that avoids the entire time-accurate procedure and significantly reduces the computational effort and runtime. The PSS relies on calculating a current density Correction Factor (CF) that is based on the local electrolyte resistance, the interface polarization and double layer (DL) properties in combination with the nano-second pulse characteristics. The same confining effect is achieved by simulating a computationally cheap stationary current density distribution and altering it locally through the space-dependent CF. When the system has constant electrolyte resistivity, constant DL capacitance and linear polarization, the CF calculation reacts in full agreement with the time-accurate simulation results for any pulse on-time/off-time combination. The PSS accuracy is compared with full time-accurate simulations and represents a mutual validation method between the two. These results offer promising perspectives for the simulation of nano-second pulse electrochemical micro-machining, making it more attractive from a practical point of view once the general interest in the technology emerges. The approach can be generalized to other pulsating electrochemical systems.

Serial crystallography using synchrotron radiation - novel strategies for microcrystallography

Protein crystallography continues to be one of the most frequently used techniques to obtain structural information of biomacromolecules to atomic resolution. Since protein crystals of delicate target systems are often limited in size, one of the main goals in the design of modern beamlines is the construction of highly intense X-ray beams with small focal size to obtain high resolution diffraction images of microcrystals. However, this development has led to the situation, that the full intensity of the beam can destroy a protein crystal within fractions of a second. Therefore often only a small number of diffraction patterns can be obtained from one single crystal. Here we describe the adaptation of the serial crystallography approach, which has first been developed at X-ray Free-Electron Lasers (Chapman et al. 2011) to the usage of a microfocus synchrotron beamline, using a standard cryogenic loop for sample delivery. We proved this concept with in vivo grown cathepsinB microcrystals (TbCatB, Koopmann et al. 2012, Redecke et al. 2013) (average of 9 μm3), a medically and pharmaceutically relevant protein, involved in the life cycle of T. brucei. In these experiments it was possible to show that serial crystallography enables the utilization and outcome of the above described bottlenecks and features of modern 3rd generation synchrotron microfocus beamlines. Our strategy exploits the combination of a micron-sized X-ray beam, high precision diffractometry and shutterless data acquisition with a pixel-array detector. By combining the data of 80 TbCatB crystals, it was possible to assemble a dataset to 3.0 Å resolution. The data allow the refinement of a structural model that is consistent with that previously obtained using FEL radiation, providing mutual validation.

Hepatic Fibrosis: Prospective Comparison of MR Elastography and US Shear-Wave Elastography for Evaluation

To compare magnetic resonance (MR) elastography and ultrasonographic shear-wave elastography ( SWE shear-wave elastography ) for the staging of hepatic fibrosis ( HF hepatic fibrosis ) in the same individuals. This prospective study was approved by the institutional review board, and informed consent was obtained from all patients. The technical success of and reliable liver stiffness ( LS liver stiffness ) measurement rates at MR elastography and SWE shear-wave elastography were compared in 129 patients who underwent both examinations. For mutual validation, LS liver stiffness values measured at both examinations were correlated by using Pearson correlation. The diagnostic performance of the two techniques for the assessment of substantial HF hepatic fibrosis (stage ≥ F2) was compared by using nonparametric receiver operating characteristic analysis. The technical success rates of MR elastography and SWE shear-wave elastography were 95.35% (123 of 129) and 97.67% (126 of 129), respectively (P = .51). MR elastography provided significantly more reliable LS liver stiffness measurements than did SWE shear-wave elastography (95.35% [123 of 129] vs 75.2% [97 of 129], P < .001). The two examinations showed moderate correlation (r = 0.724). In patients with HF hepatic fibrosis stages of F3 or lower, the two examinations showed moderate-to-strong correlation (r = 0.683 in normal livers, 0.754 in livers with stage F0 or F1 HF hepatic fibrosis , and 0.90 in livers with stage F2 or F3 HF hepatic fibrosis ; P < .001); however, they did not show significant correlation for stage F4 HF hepatic fibrosis (r = 0.30, P = .31). MR elastography and SWE shear-wave elastography showed similar diagnostic capability in depicting HF hepatic fibrosis of stage F2 or greater (P = .98) when LS liver stiffness measurements were reliably performed. MR elastography and SWE shear-wave elastography showed moderate correlation and similar diagnostic performance in the diagnosis of HF hepatic fibrosis of stage F2 or greater; however, MR elastography yielded more reliable LS liver stiffness measurements than did SWE shear-wave elastography .

Serial crystallography onin vivogrown microcrystals using synchrotron radiation

Crystal structure determinations of biological macromolecules are limited by the availability of sufficiently sized crystals and by the fact that crystal quality deteriorates during data collection owing to radiation damage. Exploiting a micrometre-sized X-ray beam, high-precision diffractometry and shutterless data acquisition with a pixel-array detector, a strategy for collecting data from many micrometre-sized crystals presented to an X-ray beam in a vitrified suspension is demonstrated. By combining diffraction data from 80 Trypanosoma brucei procathepsin B crystals with an average volume of 9 µm(3), a complete data set to 3.0 Å resolution has been assembled. The data allowed the refinement of a structural model that is consistent with that previously obtained using free-electron laser radiation, providing mutual validation. Further improvements of the serial synchrotron crystallography technique and its combination with serial femtosecond crystallography are discussed that may allow the determination of high-resolution structures of micrometre-sized crystals.

The construction of success in anti-corruption activity in Georgia

This article examines anti-corruption activities in Georgia after the Rose Revolution of November 2003 under the administration of Mikheil Saakashvili. It aims to analyse the existence of different assessments on the country's success in fighting corruption and applies an interpretive framework to study these assessments as “narratives” that reveal the diverging or converging interests of anti-corruption actors in sustaining a common narrative on the country's reforms. The article examines how the two main anti-corruption actors – the Georgian government and international organisations – frame their activities into two different representations of success and seek a mutual validation on them. It aims to identify the factors underlying a (non)-convergence of these actors into a common representation or an “official transcript” of their activities. The case study of the adoption of a national anti-corruption strategy in Georgia in 2005 reveals the difficulty of these two actors to validate their representations and to sustain a coherent image. Certain inherent contradictions in the relations between donor organisations and transition or developing countries, in particular in the juxtaposition of the two notions of a “transfer of external knowledge” and “local ownership/political will”, are viewed as the main factors behind this problem of validation.

Mutual validation of muffler performance evaluation methods using field measurements and finite element analysis

The design of large industrial mufflers poses a problem to many companies involved in their fabrication. Most of the design and evaluation theory has been developed using one dimensional acoustics. However, it is well known that in large ducts, the one dimensional propagation assumption breaks down at much lower frequencies. The three dimensional propagation of acoustic waves in complex geometries is a very difficult problem to solve analytically. For this reason, numerical methods are employed. In this study, a finite element analysis (FEA) program is validated using field measurements. Three well known muffler performance criteria and three different large sized mufflers are considered. The three performance metrics are noise reduction (NR), insertion loss (IL), and transmission loss (TL). During the study, sufficient agreement for validation of the performance evaluation methods was found. A method for reconciling idealistic FEA simulations and in situ measurements by accounting for significantly high ambient noise is developed.

Contribution of in situ geophysical methods for the definition of the São Sebastião crater model (Azores)

Abstract The area located inside the Sao Sebastiao volcanic crater, at the southeast end of Terceira Island (Azores), is characterized by an important amplification of ground motion with respect to the surrounding area, as clearly demonstrated by the spatial distribution of the damage that occurred during the Terceira earthquake (the strongest earthquake felt in the Island during the recent decades — 01/01/1980 — M = 7.2). Geological and geophysical studies have been conducted, to characterize the volcanic crater and understand the different site effects that occurred in the village of Sao Sebastiao. The complexity of the subsurface geology, with intercalations of compact basalt and soft pyroclastic deposits, is associated to extreme vertical and lateral velocity contrasts, and poses a serious challenge to different geophysical characterization methods. The available qualitative model did not allow a complete understanding of the site effects. A new seismic campaign has been designed and acquired, and a single, geologically consistent geophysical model has been generated integrating the existing and new data. The new campaign included two cross-line P-wave seismic refraction profiles, four short SH-wave seismic reflection profiles, and seven multichannel surface wave acquisitions. The integration and joint interpretation of geophysical and geological data allowed mutual validation and confirmation of data processing steps. In particular, the use of refraction, reflection and surface wave techniques allowed facing the complexity of a geology that can pose different challenges to all the methods when used individually: velocity inversions, limited reflectivity, and lateral variations. It is shown how the integration of seismic data from different methods, in the framework of a geological model, allowed the geometrical and dynamic characterization of the site. Correlation with further borehole information, then allowed the definition of a subsoil model for the crater, providing information that allowed a better understanding of the earthquake site effects in the Sao Sebastiao village. The new near-surface geological model includes a lava layer within the soft infill materials of the crater. This new model matches closely with the damage distribution map, and explains the spatial variation of building stock performance in the 1980 earthquake.

Adénome corticotrope et grossesse (à propos d’un cas)

The area located inside the São Sebastião volcanic crater, at the southeast end of Terceira Island (Azores), is characterized by an important amplification of ground motion with respect to the surrounding area, as clearly demonstrated by the spatial distribution of the damage that occurred during the Terceira earthquake (the strongest earthquake felt in the Island during the recent decades — 01/01/1980 — M = 7.2). Geological and geophysical studies have been conducted, to characterize the volcanic crater and understand the different site effects that occurred in the village of São Sebastião. The complexity of the subsurface geology, with intercalations of compact basalt and soft pyroclastic deposits, is associated to extreme vertical and lateral velocity contrasts, and poses a serious challenge to different geophysical characterization methods. The available qualitative model did not allow a complete understanding of the site effects. A new seismic campaign has been designed and acquired, and a single, geologically consistent geophysical model has been generated integrating the existing and new data. The new campaign included two cross-line P-wave seismic refraction profiles, four short SH-wave seismic reflection profiles, and seven multichannel surface wave acquisitions. The integration and joint interpretation of geophysical and geological data allowed mutual validation and confirmation of data processing steps. In particular, the use of refraction, reflection and surface wave techniques allowed facing the complexity of a geology that can pose different challenges to all the methods when used individually: velocity inversions, limited reflectivity, and lateral variations. It is shown how the integration of seismic data from different methods, in the framework of a geological model, allowed the geometrical and dynamic characterization of the site. Correlation with further borehole information, then allowed the definition of a subsoil model for the crater, providing information that allowed a better understanding of the earthquake site effects in the São Sebastião village. The new near-surface geological model includes a lava layer within the soft infill materials of the crater. This new model matches closely with the damage distribution map, and explains the spatial variation of building stock performance in the 1980 earthquake.

A distributed privacy-preserving regularization network committee machine of isolated Peer classifiers for P2P data mining

For distributed data mining in peer-to-peer systems this work describes a completely asynchronous, scalable and privacy-preserving committee machine. Regularization neural networks are used for all the Peer classifiers and the combiner committee in an embedded architecture. The proposed method builds the committee machine using the large amounts of training data distributed over the peers, without moving the data, and with little centralized coordination. At the end of the training phase no Peer will know anything else besides its own local data. This privacy-preserving obligation is a challenging problem for trainable combiners but is crucial in real world applications. Only classifiers are transmitted to other peers to validate their data and send back average accuracy rates in a classical asynchronous peer-to-peer execution cycle. Here the validation set for one classifier becomes the training set of the other and vice versa. From this entirely distributed and privacy-preserving mutual validation a coarse-grained asymmetric mutual validation matrix can be formed to map all Peer members. We demonstrate here that it is possible to exploit this matrix to efficiently train another regularization network as the combiner committee machine.

Application of the Gibbs Equation to the Adsorption of Nonionic Surfactants and Polymers at the Air–Water Interface: Comparison with Surface Excesses Determined Directly using Neutron Reflectivity

Four recent papers by Menger et al. have questioned methods of analysis of surface tension (ST) data that use the Gibbs equation to obtain the surface excess (Γ) of a surfactant at the air-water interface. There have been two responses which challenge the assertions of Menger et al. and a response from Menger et al. We use directly determined values of Γ from a range of neutron reflectometry (NR) data to examine some of the issues that are relevant to these seven papers. We show that there is excellent agreement between NR measurements and careful ST analyses for a wide range of nonionic adsorbents, including surfactants and polymers. The reason it is possible to obtain good agreement near the critical micelle concentration (CMC) is that nonionic surfactants generally seem to saturate the surface before the CMC is reached and this makes it relatively easy to determine the limiting slope (and hence Γ) of the ST-log(concentration) plot at the CMC. Furthermore, there is also generally good agreement between ST and NR over the whole range of concentrations below the CMC until depletion effects become important. Depletion effects are shown to become important at higher concentrations than expected, which brings them into the range of many experiments, including techniques other than ST and NR. This is illustrated with new measurements on the biosurfactant surfactin. The agreement between ST and NR outside the depletion range can be regarded as a mutual validation of the two methods, especially as it is demonstrated independently of any model adsorption isotherms. In the normal experimental situation NR is less vulnerable to depletion than ST and we show how NR and a single ST measurement can be used to determine the hitherto undetermined CMC of the nonionic surfactant C18E12, which is found to be 1.3 × 10(-6) M.

Research and Development of High-speed Laser Scanning Galvanometer System

This study developed and controlled laser scanning mechanism and circuit design, in order to reduce the vibratory magnitude resulted from high-speed operation. The principle of mechanism design is that the output end mirror can swing within ± 3° when the laser scanning mechanism is in operation, the accuracy value is ± 0.2°. The static simulation and dynamic measurement were carried out for mutual validation. The vibration generated in the operation of machine causes dynamic unbalance, influencing the stability of machine. In order to overcome and improve the dynamic unbalance generated when the mechanism is in motion, different solutions were proposed, such as changing the output end mass, to add elastic material in or to change constant speed control of input end motor to variable speed control.

하이브리드 데이터 통신 방식을 적용한 IEEE 1516.1-2000 표준의 구현

최근 국방 소프트웨어 산업은 다양한 무기체계 사업을 통해 모델링 및 시뮬레이션 기술을 적용한 시뮬레이션 시스템 개발을 늘리고 있으며, 특히 이기종 시뮬레이터 간 이식성 및 상호 연동성 확보를 위해서 분산 시뮬레이션 표준 프레임워크인 HLA(High Level Architecture)의 적용을 규정하고 있다. HLA는 분산 환경에서 시뮬레이터간 데이터 교환 및 순서화를 제공하기 위한 서비스를 정의하며, HLA 규칙, Federate 인터페이스 표준 그리고 객체 모델 템플릿의 주요 컴포넌트로 구성된다. RTI(Run-Time Infrastructure)는 Federate 인터페이스 표준을 구현한 소프트웨어로써 Federation 환경에 참여 중인 Federate들이 정보를 교환할 수 있도록 기능을 제공한다. RTI 기술은 워 게임, 가상 시뮬레이션, 훈련 및 무기체계 소프트웨어 연동과 같은 다양한 분야에서 사용되고 있다. 하지만 국내에서 개발된 사례가 없어 모두 외산 제품에 의존하고 있는 실정이다. 본 논문은 국내에서 개발된 IEEE1516.1-2000 표준의 RTI 구현을 소개한다. 특히, Federate 간 데이터 교환 성능을 높이기 위해서 서버-클라이언트 방식과 단대단 방식을 혼합한 하이브리드 데이터 통신 방식의 적용 방법을 기술하고, 상용 RTI와 데이터 처리율 및 네트워크 지연 시간의 비교를 통해 성능이 개선되었음을 보인다. Recently, software industry regarding national defense increases system development of distributed simulation system of M&S based to overcome limit of resource and expense. It is one of key technologies for offering of mutual validation among objects and reuse of objects which are discussed for developing these systems. RTI, implementation of HLA interface specification as software providing these technologies uses Federation Object Model for exchanging information with joined federates in the federation and each federate has a characteristic that is supposed to have identical FOM in the federation. This technology is a software which is to provide the core technology which was suggested by the United state's military M&S standard framework. Simulator, virtual simulation, and inter-connection between military weapons system S/W which executes on network which is M&S's core base technology, and it is a technology which also can be used for various inter-connection between S/W such as game and on-line phone. These days although RTI is used in military war game or tactical training unit field, there is none in Korea. Also, it is used in mobile-game, distribution game, net management, robot field, and other civilian field, but the number of examples are so small and informalized. Through this developing project, we developed the core technique and RTI software and provided performance of COTS level to improve communication algorithms.

Caring connections – Compassionate mutuality in organizational life

Organizational life is full of bigger and smaller situations in which one person offers some form of care for another. Although they can be significant for the well-being of both the careprovider and the carereceiver – and for the organizational atmosphere, these acts of caregiving have not received the research attention they would deserve. The aim of this article is to provide insight into the relational nature of these encounters through examining the everyday contacts between nurses and residents in a nursing home. Based on interviews and participant observation analyzed through grounded theory I argue that in caring situations both participants can choose to either be emotionally engaged or disengaged in the situation. This gives rise to four different types of caring situation: Instrumental caretaking, unmet call for caring, one-sided caregiving and caring connections. Focusing especially on the caring connections I argue that they are highly satisfactory for both participants and that in them the interpersonal dimension between the participants is flourishing. I see that they are composed of six elements: mutual validation, being present in the now-moment, opening up towards the other, establishing a shared space, heightened flow of affectivity, and acts of caregiving and displays of gratitude.

Can We Help Just by Good Intentions? A Meta-Analysis of Experiments on Distant Intention Effects

In recent years, several clinical trials have assessed effects of distant healing. The basic question raised by these studies is whether a positive distant intention can be related to some outcome in a target person. There is a specific simple experimental setup that tests such a basic assumption. The task is to focus attention and to indicate unwanted mind wandering by a button press while at the same time a second remote person is either supporting this performance or not according to a randomized schedule. A meta-analysis was conducted to assess the overall effect of this experimental approach. A systematic literature search yielded 11 eligible studies, with 576 single sessions and almost identical design, that were conducted on three different continents. Study parameters were extracted and combined with a random-effects model. The model yielded an overall effect size of d=0.11 (p=0.03). Furthermore, there was a significant difference of the frequency of button presses between studies conducted in Indonesia and the Western hemisphere (p<0.001). Two (2) similar experimental setups applying electrodermal activity as dependent variable meta-analyzed earlier showed almost identical effect sizes. This can be considered as mutual validation of the three data sets. The hypothesis of the positive effect of benevolent intentions is supported by the data presented. It is concluded that especially the intentional aspect common to all three different tasks may be responsible for these unorthodox findings. These finding may have implications for distant healing research and health care as well as for meditation performance.

A Critical Review of Published Data on the Gas Temperature and the Electron Density in the Electrolyte Cathode Atmospheric Glow Discharges

Electrolyte Cathode Discharge (ELCAD) spectrometry, a novel sensitive multielement direct analytical method for metal traces in aqueous solutions, was introduced in 1993 as a new sensing principle. Since then several works have tried to develop an operational mechanism for this exotic atmospheric glow plasma technique, however these attempts cannot be combined into a valid model description. In this review we summarize the conceptual and technical problems we found in this upcoming research field of direct sensors. The TG gas temperature and the ne electron density values published up to now for ELCAD are very confusing. These data were evaluated by three conditions. The first is the gas composition of the ELCAD plasma, since TG was determined from the emitted intensity of the N2 and OH bands. Secondly, since the ELCAD is an atmospheric glow discharge, thus, the obtained TG has to be close to the Te electron temperature. This can be used for the mutual validation of the received temperature data. Thirdly, as a consequence of the second condition, the values of TG and ne have to agree with the Engel-Brown approximation of the Saha-equation related to weakly ionized glow discharge plasmas. Application of non-adequate experimental methods and theoretical treatment leads to unreliable descriptions which cannot be used to optimize the detector performance.

Thermodynamic properties of 9-fluorenone: Mutual validation of experimental and computational results

Measurements leading to the calculation of thermodynamic properties for 9-fluorenone (IUPAC name 9H-fluoren-9-one and Chemical Abstracts registry number [486-25-9]) in the ideal-gas state are reported. Experimental methods were adiabatic heat-capacity calorimetry, inclined-piston manometry, comparative ebulliometry, and combustion calorimetry. Critical properties were estimated. Molar entropies for the ideal-gas state were derived from the experimental studies at selected temperatures T between T=298.15K and T=600K, and independent statistical calculations were performed based on molecular geometry optimization and vibrational frequencies calculated at the B3LYP/6−31+G(d,p) level of theory. Values derived with the independent methods are shown to be in excellent accord with a scaling factor of 0.975 applied to the calculated frequencies. This same scaling factor was successfully applied in the analysis of results for other polycyclic molecules, as described in recent articles by this research group. All experimental results are compared with property values reported in the literature. Thermodynamic consistency between properties is used to show that several studies in the literature are erroneous.

Introducing the nutrition &amp; metabolism section of journal of translational medicine

Nutrition experts, as well as specialists of different pathologies, are disclosing an ever increasing interest for protocols devoted to the welfare of patients and to prevention of nutrition related diseases. In fact, it is extensively acknowledged that nutrition plays a primary role in those complex diseases most widespread in the western countries like cardiovascular disease [1], cancer [2], Alzheimer's disease [3], diabetes [4], nephrolithiasis [5] etc. that account for over 60% of deaths world-wide. Even in our country, Italy, and in other South Europe's countries, until now protected by the Mediterranean diet, which in 2010 was awarded by UNESCO the human heritage status, the next generation will be the first with a life expectancy lower than of their parents, principally due to unhealthy eating habits and the obesity epidemic. To counteract this trend, in the last decade attention has been focused on the human nutrition field, with significant research topics being new molecules contrasting cholesterol accumulation in the arterial walls or capable of diminishing visceral fat [6], the role of bacterial microflora [7], the production of functional foods, studies on antioxidant properties of vitamins and polyphenols, etc. Moreover, beside knowledge acquired with traditional investigation techniques, the field of human nutrition can now avail itself of the new omics techniques that could give a significant contribute to mapping the interactions between genetics, nutrition and health [8]. In the area of Translational Medicine, we believe that the field of nutrition ought to be taken into greater account, as an interaction and mutual validation agency between basic and applied research, in order to generate advanced applications for diagnosis and therapy and to develop at the same time new instruments of investigation. We here propose a new section devoted to the rapid publication of research papers on all aspects of nutrition with applications in medicine and biotechnology. This section welcomes contributions that employ traditional clinical, metabolic and epidemiologic methods, but is also open to molecular and cell biology research applied to animal and human nutrition. Topics include: diet interactions in chronic diseases, gene-environment interactions, genes and cell metabolism, protein and aminoacid metabolism, lipid metabolism and diseases, carbohydrate metabolism and diseases, micronutrients and functional foods. Other topics relevant to nutrition will be appreciated as well.