bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Dental Caries and Salivary Oxidative Stress: Global Scientific Research Landscape
Authors: de Sousa Né Yago Gecy , Lima Weslley Ferreira , Mendes Paulo Fernando Santos , Baia-da-Silva Daiane Claydes , Bittencourt Leonardo Oliveira , Nascimento Priscila Cunha , de Souza-Rodrigues Renata Duarte , Paranhos Luiz Renato , Martins-Júnior Paulo Antônio , Lima Rafael Rodrigues
Published: February 2023

This study aimed to analyze the research trends on salivary oxidative stress associated with dental caries and to perform bibliometric approaches for existing publications on this association. A search was performed using the Web of Science Core Collection, without any restriction of language or publication year. The number of periodicals with the most published articles in this theme, most published authors and keywords were mapped; other metrics were also evaluated such as the countries that have more research on the subject and the period in which there were more publications on the subject. During the knowledge mapping, the most frequent experimental designs were analyzed, type of saliva collection, stage of caries disease, evaluated oxidative parameters were retrieved and analyzed from each manuscript. Between the 43 selected articles, the Journal of Clinical Pediatric Dentistry was the periodical appearing the most with 4 published articles. The authors who published the most were Celec, P., Tothova, L., Hegde, A.M., Shetty, S., Antoniali, C., and Pessan, JP with three articles each, and a total of 180 keywords representing the evolution of the theme. India and Asia were found to be the country and continent with most publications, respectively. Most articles collected non-stimulated total saliva, with total antioxidant capacity being the parameter most often evaluated. The type of study that appeared the most was cross-sectional studies, and articles published in the period of 2017–2022 were the most frequent. Studies show that dental caries can be associated to the changes in salivary oxidative biochemistry with an increase in lipid peroxidation, a biomarker of oxidative damage, and an increase in antioxidant capacity in chronic caries, in response to cariogenic challenge. Some studies evidence the reduction of lipid peroxidation after treatment of the carious lesion. Our findings reveal worldwide research trends, as well as a clearer knowledge of the evolution and future scenarios of this issue, also showing the mechanisms associating dental caries with changes in salivary oxidative biochemical parameters are not clear.
Redox Imbalance as a Common Pathogenic Factor Linking Hearing Loss and Cognitive Decline
Authors: Paciello Fabiola , Ripoli Cristian , Fetoni Anna Rita , Grassi Claudio
Published: February 2023

Experimental and clinical data suggest a tight link between hearing and cognitive functions under both physiological and pathological conditions. Indeed, hearing perception requires high-level cognitive processes, and its alterations have been considered a risk factor for cognitive decline. Thus, identifying common pathogenic determinants of hearing loss and neurodegenerative disease is challenging. Here, we focused on redox status imbalance as a possible common pathological mechanism linking hearing and cognitive dysfunctions. Oxidative stress plays a critical role in cochlear damage occurring during aging, as well as in that induced by exogenous factors, including noise. At the same time, increased oxidative stress in medio-temporal brain regions, including the hippocampus, is a hallmark of neurodegenerative disorders like Alzheimer’s disease. As such, antioxidant therapy seems to be a promising approach to prevent and/or counteract both sensory and cognitive neurodegeneration. Here, we review experimental evidence suggesting that redox imbalance is a key pathogenetic factor underlying the association between sensorineural hearing loss and neurodegenerative diseases. A greater understanding of the pathophysiological mechanisms shared by these two diseased conditions will hopefully provide relevant information to develop innovative and effective therapeutic strategies.
Design and Experimental Research on Centralized Lubrication and Waste Oil Recovery System for Wind Turbines
Authors: Shangguan Linjian , Xu Yuming
Published: February 2023

Lubrication plays a key role in increasing availability of wind turbines, extending unit life and reducing operating costs. In view of the problems of valve core lag, grease hardening and difficulty in removing waste oil in a centralized lubrication system, an improved centralized lubrication system and waste oil recovery system were designed in this study. Discharge of waste grease in the bearing cavity was simulated under different vacuum conditions. It was shown that vacuum degree of bearing cavity is proportional to oil output speed of waste grease. Performance and fatigue reliability tests of the waste grease suction and drainer device test platform were conducted over 12,000 fatigue cycles. The results show that the vacuum degree error of the waste grease suction and drainer device before and after the test is less than 5%, and the power oil pressure, oil output pressure and oil output quantity of the test product are stable, indicating that the designed waste grease suction and drainer device has excellent sealing and reliability. The waste grease suction and drainer device can eliminate grease discharge resistance in the bearing cavity, facilitating discharge of waste oil and improving wind turbine operation efficiency.
Infusion of Some but Not All Types of Human Perinatal Stromal Cells Prevent Organ Fibrosis in a Humanized Graft versus Host Disease Murine Model
Authors: Coronado Ramon E. , Stavenschi Toth Elena , Somaraki-Cormier Maria , Krishnegowda Naveen , Dallo Shatha
Published: February 2023

Allogeneic transplant rejection represents a medical complication that leads to high morbidity and mortality rates. There are no treatments to effectively prevent fibrosis; however, there is great interest in evaluating the use of perinatal mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) and other MSCs to prevent fibrosis associated with chronic rejection. In this study, we isolated human perinatal stromal cells (PSCs) from amnion (AM-PSC), placental villi (PV-PSC), and umbilical cord (UC-PSC) tissues, demonstrating the phenotypic characteristics of MSCs as well as a >70% expression of the immunomodulatory markers CD273 and CD210. The administration of a single dose (250,000 cells) of each type of PSC in a humanized graft versus host disease (hGvHD) NSG® murine model delayed the progression of the disease as displayed by weight loss and GvHD scores ranging at various levels without affecting the hCD3+ population. However, only PV-PSCs demonstrated an increased survival rate of 50% at the end of the study. Furthermore, a histopathological evaluation showed that only PV-PSC cells could reduce human CD45+ cell infiltration and the fibrosis of the lungs and liver. These findings indicate that not all PSCs have similar therapeutic potential, and that PV-PSC as a cell therapeutic may have an advantage for targeting fibrosis related to allograft rejection.
TMPRSS2 Impacts Cytokine Expression in Murine Dendritic Cells
Authors: Gunne Sandra , Schwerdtner Marie , Henke Marina , Schneider Ann-Kathrin , Keutmann Lucas , Böttcher-Friebertshäuser Eva , Schiffmann Susanne
Published: February 2023

Background: The transmembrane protease serine 2 (TMPRSS2) proteolytically activates the envelope proteins of several viruses for viral entry via membrane fusion and is therefore an interesting and promising target for the development of broad-spectrum antivirals. However, the use of a host protein as a target may lead to potential side effects, especially on the immune system. We examined the effect of a genetic deletion of TMPRSS2 on dendritic cells. Methods: Bone marrow cells from wild-type (WT) and TMPRSS2-deficient mice (TMPRSS2−/−) were differentiated to plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs) and classical DCs (cDCs) and activated with various toll-like receptor (TLR) agonists. We analyzed the released cytokines and the mRNA expression of chemokine receptors, TLR7, TLR9, IRF7 and TCF4 stimulation. Results: In cDCs, the lack of TMPRSS2 led to an increase in IL12 and IFNγ in TLR7/8 agonist resiquimod or TLR 9 agonist ODN 1668-activated cells. Only IL-10 was reduced in TMPRSS2−/− cells in comparison to WT cells activated with ODN 1668. In resiquimod-activated pDCs, the lack of TMPRSS2 led to a decrease in IL-6, IL-10 and INFγ. ODN 1668 activation led to a reduction in IFNα. The effect on receptor expression in pDCs and cDCs was low. Conclusion: The effect of TMPRSS2 on pDCS and cDCs depends on the activated TLR, and TMPRSS2 seems to affect cytokine release differently in pDCs and cDCs. In cDCs, TMPRSS2 seems to suppress cytokine release, whereas in pDCS TMPRSS2 possibly mediates cytokine release.
Minimal Collagen-Binding Epitope of Glycoprotein VI in Human and Mouse Platelets
Authors: Han Chao , Ren Pengxuan , Mamtimin Medina , Kruk Linus , Sarukhanyan Edita , Li Chenyu , Anders Hans-Joachim , Dandekar Thomas , Krueger Irena , Elvers Margitta , Goebel Silvia , Adler Kristin , Münch Götz , Gudermann Thomas , Braun Attila , Mammadova-Bach Elmina
Published: February 2023

Glycoprotein VI (GPVI) is a platelet-specific receptor for collagen and fibrin, regulating important platelet functions such as platelet adhesion and thrombus growth. Although the blockade of GPVI function is widely recognized as a potent anti-thrombotic approach, there are limited studies focused on site-specific targeting of GPVI. Using computational modeling and bioinformatics, we analyzed collagen- and CRP-binding surfaces of GPVI monomers and dimers, and compared the interacting surfaces with other mammalian GPVI isoforms. We could predict a minimal collagen-binding epitope of GPVI dimer and designed an EA-20 antibody that recognizes a linear epitope of this surface. Using platelets and whole blood samples donated from wild-type and humanized GPVI transgenic mice and also humans, our experimental results show that the EA-20 antibody inhibits platelet adhesion and aggregation in response to collagen and CRP, but not to fibrin. The EA-20 antibody also prevents thrombus formation in whole blood, on the collagen-coated surface, in arterial flow conditions. We also show that EA-20 does not influence GPVI clustering or receptor shedding. Therefore, we propose that blockade of this minimal collagen-binding epitope of GPVI with the EA-20 antibody could represent a new anti-thrombotic approach by inhibiting specific interactions between GPVI and the collagen matrix.
Chair Size Design Based on User Height
Authors: Sydor Maciej , Hitka Miloš
Published: February 2023

General principles derived from anatomical studies of human body sizes should be applied to chair designs. Chairs can be designed for a specific user or a particular group of users. Universal chairs for public spaces should be comfortable for the largest possible group of users and should not be adjustable, such as office chairs. However, the fundamental problem is that the anthropometric data available in the literature either come from many years ago and are out of date or do not provide a complete set of all the dimensional parameters of a sitting human body position. This article proposes a way to design chair dimensions solely based on the height range of the intended chair users. For this purpose, based on literature data, the main structural dimensions of the chair were assigned to the appropriate anthropometric body measurements. Furthermore, calculated average body proportions for the adult population overcome the incompleteness, outdated and burdensome access to anthropometric data and link the main chair design dimensions to one easily accessible anthropometric parameter: human height. This is achieved by seven equations describing the dimensional relations between the chair’s essential design dimensions and human height or even a height range. The result of the study is a method of determining the optimal functional dimensions of a chair for a chosen range of sizes of its future users based only on users’ height range. Limitations of the presented method: the calculated body proportions are correct only for people with a standard body proportion characteristic of adults, i.e., they exclude children and adolescents up to 20 years of age, seniors, and people with a body mass index exceeding 30.
Bionic Path Planning Fusing Episodic Memory Based on RatSLAM
Authors: Yu Shumei , Xu Haidong , Wu Chong , Jiang Xin , Sun Rongchuan , Sun Lining
Published: February 2023

Inspired by rodents’ ability to navigate freely in a given space, bionavigation systems provide alternatives to traditional probabilistic solutions. This paper proposed a bionic path planning method based on RatSLAM to provide a novel viewpoint for robots to make a more flexible and intelligent navigation scheme. A neural network fusing historic episodic memory was proposed to improve the connectivity of the episodic cognitive map. It is biomimetically important to generate an episodic cognitive map and establish a one-to-one correspondence between the events generated by episodic memory and the visual template of RatSLAM. The episodic cognitive map can be improved by imitating the rodents’ behavior of memory fusion to produce better path planning results. The experimental results of different scenarios illustrate that the proposed method identified the connectivity between way points, optimized the result of path planning, and improved the flexibility of the system.
Lighting Up the Heritage Sciences: The Past and Future of Laser-Induced Fluorescence Spectroscopy in the Field of Cultural Goods
Authors: Ghervase Luminița , Cortea Ioana Maria
Published: February 2023

With the rapid scientific and technological changes that occur every day, a new kind of necessity, real-time, rapid, and accurate detection methods, preferably also non- or minimally invasive and non-destructive, has emerged. One such method is laser-induced fluorescence spectroscopy (LIF), applied in various fields of activity in recent decades, ranging from industry and biochemistry to medicine and even heritage sciences. Fluorescence-based spectroscopic methods have all of the above-mentioned characteristics, and their functionality has been proven in many studies. Yet, they have not known great success as other molecular techniques. This paper is a short synthesis of the role of the laser-induced fluorescence spectroscopy technique in heritage sciences, the main applications in this field, along with its advantages and limitations. The article focuses on the most common types of lasers used, the merging of two or more methods into hybrid techniques, the enhancement of the analytical capabilities of LIF and post-processing methods, and also explores some future development possibilities of LIF.
Pretreated Screen-Printed Carbon Electrode and Cu Nanoparticles for Creatinine Detection in Artificial Saliva
Authors: Domínguez-Aragón Angelica , Conejo-Dávila Alain Salvador , Zaragoza-Contreras Erasto Armando , Dominguez Rocio Berenice
Published: February 2023

Creatinine is the final metabolic product of creatine in muscles and a widely accepted biomarker for chronic kidney disease. In this work, we present a non-enzymatic sensor based on an electrochemical pretreated screen-printed carbon electrode (PTSPCE) with electrodeposited Cu nanoparticles (CuNPs). To function in a PoC format, the prepared PTSPCE/CuNPs non-enzymatic sensors were used as disposable elements in a portable potentiostat. The pretreatment using mild anodic and cathodic potentials in PBS resulted in an increased electroactive surface area and improved conductivity, confirmed by cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance. Moreover, the detection through the CuNPs–creatinine interaction showed an enhanced performance in the PTSPCE surface compared to the bare electrode. The optimized PTSPCE/CuNPs sensor showed a linear working range from 10 to 160 μM (R2 = 0.995), a sensitivity of 0.2582 μA·μM−1 and an LOD of 0.1 μM. The sensor analytical parameters covered the requirements of creatinine detection in biofluids such as blood and saliva, with a low interference of common biomarkers such as urea, glucose, and uric acid. When evaluated in Fusayama/Meyer artificial saliva, the PTSPCE/CuNPs showed an average recovery rate of 116%. According to the observed results, the non-enzymatic PTSPCE/CuNPs sensor can potentially operate as a creatinine early screening system in PoC format.
Effect of Remineralizing Agents on Shear Bond Strength of Orthodontic Brackets—In Vitro Study
Authors: Muntean Alexandrina , Dârgău Cristina-Maria , Pacurar Mariana , Neagoe Simina , Delean Ada Gabriela
Published: February 2023

Orthodontic treatment can be effective only with the proper adhesion strength of the bonded elements on the teeth. The aim of the study was to analyze the influence of different remineralization products on the brackets (Evolve Low Profile Brackets 0.022 Roth prescription (DB Orthodontics Ltd., Silsden, England) shear bond strength (SBS)). In all, 40 teeth were investigated for this study; n = 30 demineralized (immersed in 0.1% citric acid for 30 min, twice a day, for 20 consecutive days) and n = 10 immersed only in artificial saliva. After the demineralization process, remineralization agents were applied to each group (n = 10): Group I: Elmex Sensitive professional® toothpaste (CP, Gaba GmbH, Witten, Germany) and GC MI Paste Plus® (GC, Leuven, Belgium), Group II: Elmex Sensitive professional® toothpaste (CP, Gaba GmbH, Germany) and GC Tooth Mousse® (Leuven, Belgium), Group III: Elmex Sensitive professional® toothpaste (CP, Gaba GmbH, Germany). For the teeth in control group C, Elmex Sensitive professional® toothpaste was used. SBS tests were performed by means of an advanced materials-testing machine that generated maximum load and tensile strength values. The data obtained underwent statistical analysis (ANOVA and Tuckey test) with a statistical threshold of p < 0.05. The SBS values were higher for group II (14.20 MPa) and I (10.36 MPa) and lower for group III (4.25 MPa) and C (4.11 MPa), with statistically significant differences between groups I and II when compared with groups III and C (p < 0.05). In conclusion, GC Tooth Mousse® and MI-Paste Plus® have no adverse effect on brackets SBS and are recommended to be used for enamel remineralization during orthodontic treatment.
Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Strain in Beta Thalassemia Major Correlates with Cardiac Iron Overload
Authors: Ansah Deidra , Husain Nazia , Ruh Alexander , Berhane Haben , Smith Anthony , Thompson Alexis , De Freitas Andrew , Rigsby Cynthia K. , Robinson Joshua D.
Published: February 2023

Background: Beta thalassemia major (Beta-TM) is an inherited condition which presents at around two years of life. Patients with Beta-;TM may develop cardiac iron toxicity secondary to transfusion dependence. Cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) T2*, a technique designed to quantify myocardial iron deposition, is a driving component of disease management. A decreased T2* value represents increasing cardiac iron overload. The clinical manifestation is a decline in ejection fraction (EF). However, there may be early subclinical changes in cardiac function that are not detected by changes in EF. CMR-derived strain assesses myocardial dysfunction prior to decline in EF. Our primary aim was to assess the correlation between CMR strain and T2* in the Beta-TM population. Methods: Circumferential and longitudinal strain was analyzed. Pearson’s correlation was calculated for T2* values and strain in the Beta-TM population. Results: We identified 49 patients and 18 controls. Patients with severe disease (low T2*) were found to have decreased global circumferential strain (GCS) in comparison to other T2* groups. A correlation was identified between GCS and T2* (r = 0.5; p < 0.01). Conclusion: CMR-derived strain can be a clinically useful tool to predict early myocardial dysfunction in Beta-TM.
Atopic Dermatitis and Water: Is There an Optimum Water Intake Level for Improving Atopic Skin?
Authors: Douladiris Nikolaos , Vakirlis Efstratios , Vassilopoulou Emilia
Published: February 2023

Water is a vital nutrient with innumerable functions for every living cell. The functions of human skin include protection against dehydration of the body. Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic pruritic inflammatory skin disease that presents with dry skin, erythematous and eczematous lesions, and lichenification. This paper discusses the question of whether extra water intake in children with AD affects skin hydration and the skin barrier function. Among the methods used to treat dry skin, topical leave-on products are the first-line treatment, intended to improve hydration and the skin barrier function. The effectiveness of adequate water intake as a measure to treat dry skin is still under debate. Normal skin hydration increases with dietary water intake, particularly in those with prior lower water consumption. Skin dryness in AD is instrumental to the itch and inflammation cycle, contributing to barrier impairment and aggravating disease severity and flares. Certain emollients provide significant hydration to AD skin, with relief of dryness and reduction in barrier impairment, disease severity, and flares. Further investigations are needed to evaluate the optimum water intake levels in children with AD, as important questions remain unanswered, namely, does oral hydration provide relief of skin dryness and reduce barrier impairment, disease severity, and flares; is there any additional benefit from using mineral or thermal spring water; or is there a need to specifically study the fluid/water intake in children with AD and food allergy (FA) restrictions?
Utility of Fetal Echocardiography with Acute Maternal Hyperoxygenation Testing in Assessment of Complex Congenital Heart Defects
Authors: Patel Sheetal R. , Madan Nitin , Jone Pei-Ni , Donofrio Mary T.
Published: February 2023

Fetal echocardiography is an excellent tool for accurately assessing the anatomy and physiology of most congenital heart defects (CHDs). Knowledge gathered from a thorough initial fetal echocardiogram and serial assessment assists with appropriate perinatal care planning, resulting in improved postnatal outcomes. However, fetal echocardiography alone provides limited information about the status of the pulmonary vasculature, which can be abnormal in certain complex CHDs with obstructed pulmonary venous flow (hypoplastic left heart syndrome with restrictive atrial septum) or excessive pulmonary artery flow (d-transposition of the great arteries, usually with a restrictive ductus arteriosus). Fetuses with these CHDs are at high risk of developing severe hemodynamic instability with the immediate transition from prenatal to postnatal circulatory physiology at the time of birth. Adjunctive use of acute maternal hyperoxygenation (MH) testing in such cases can help determine pulmonary vascular reactivity in prenatal life and better predict the likelihood of postnatal compromise and the need for emergent intervention. This comprehensive review discusses the findings of studies describing acute MH testing in a diverse spectrum of CHDs and congenital diagnoses with pulmonary hypoplasia. We review historical perspectives, safety profile, commonly used clinical protocols, limitations, and future directions of acute MH testing. We also provide practical tips on setting up MH testing in a fetal echocardiography laboratory.
The Influence of Light and Physical Activity on the Timing and Duration of Sleep: Insights from a Natural Model of Dance Training in Shifts
Authors: Estevan Ignacio , Coirolo Natalia , Tassino Bettina , Silva Ana
Published: February 2023

Environmental, social, and behavioral variables influence sleep timing and duration. Using wrist-worn accelerometers, we recorded 31 dancers (age = 22.6 ± 3.5) for 17 days and who trained either in the morning (n = 15) or in the late evening (n = 16). We estimated the dancers’ daily sleep pattern: onset, end, and duration. In addition, their minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and mean light illuminance were also calculated daily and for the morning-shift and late-evening-shift time windows. On training days, the shifts involved differences in sleep timing, alarm-driven waking frequency, and the pattern of light exposure and MVPA duration. Sleep was strongly advanced when dancers trained in the morning and when alarms were used, while morning light had a low influence. Sleep was delayed when dancers were more exposed to light and displayed longer MVPA during the late evening. Sleep duration was strongly reduced on weekends and when alarms were used. A small reduction in sleep duration was also observed when morning illuminance was lower or when late evening MVPA was longer. Training in shifts influenced the timing of environmental and behavioral factors, which added up to shape dancers’ sleep timing and duration.
Mobile Application for Tomato Plant Leaf Disease Detection Using a Dense Convolutional Network Architecture
Authors: Yulita Intan Nurma , Amri Naufal Ariful , Hidayat Akik
Published: February 2023

In Indonesia, tomato is one of the horticultural products with the highest economic value. To maintain enhanced tomato plant production, it is necessary to monitor the growth of tomato plants, particularly the leaves. The quality and quantity of tomato plant production can be preserved with the aid of computer technology. It can identify diseases in tomato plant leaves. An algorithm for deep learning with a DenseNet architecture was implemented in this study. Multiple hyperparameter tests were conducted to determine the optimal model. Using two hidden layers, a DenseNet trainable layer on dense block 5, and a dropout rate of 0.4, the optimal model was constructed. The 10-fold cross-validation evaluation of the model yielded an accuracy value of 95.7 percent and an F1-score of 95.4 percent. To recognize tomato plant leaves, the model with the best assessment results was implemented in a mobile application.
Stochastic Modeling with Applications in Supply Chain Management and ICT Systems
Authors: Lazarova Meglena , Sapundzhi Fatima
Published: February 2023

Fast-growing technology and the development of IT services have yielded the idea of founding a new application of stochastic processes and their properties. We give a new connection between electronic process management and a relatively new stochastic process named the Non-central Polya-Aeppli process. This process is applied as a counting process in the mathematical construction of the given model, and it has been introduced as a counting process in electronic process management.
Design of a Recommender System with Safe Driving Mode Based on State-of-Function Estimation in Electric Vehicle Drivetrains with Battery/Supercapacitor Hybrid Energy Storage System
Authors: Naseri Farshid , Karimi Sepehr , Farjah Ebrahim , Setoodeh Peyman
Published: February 2023

The performance of electric vehicle (EV) drivetrains depends on the power capability of individual components, including the battery pack, motor drive, and electric motor. To ensure safety, maximum power must be limited by considering the constraint of the weakest component in the drivetrain. While there exists a large body of work that discusses state-of-power (SoP) estimation for individual components, there is no work that considers all the components’ limiting factors at once. Moreover, research on how to use these limits to adjust the performance at the system level has been rare. In this paper, the SoPs of the components are used to estimate the state-of-function (SoF) of the EV drivetrain. The SoF is defined as the maximum charge/discharge power that can be sourced and/or sunk by the drivetrain without violating the safety limits of its components. The component-level SoP estimations are fulfilled using several digital algorithms based on recursive least-squares (RLS) and Kalman filters (KFs), as well as by taking into account specific limiting conditions such as high driving altitude and ambient temperatures. An EV driven by a hybrid energy storage system based on a battery/supercapacitor, and a permanent-magnet synchronous motor is considered the use case. Based on the drivetrain SoF estimation, we propose two de-rating schemes to ensure that the drivetrain safety limits will be respected: adaptive cruise control and adaptive adjustment of pedal sensitivity. The de-rating schemes are introduced to a so-called recommender system that is implemented in MATLAB/STATEFLOW. The recommender system provides advisory feedback to the driver to switch to a different driving mode to ensure safety. The simulation results over a standard drive cycle using MATLAB/SIMULINK and STATEFLOW show the effectiveness of the proposed design at both component and system levels. The paper also proposes an implementation concept for the integration of the proposed recommender system into the advanced driver assistance system (ASAS).
Strategic Management of Bleeding Small Bowel Gastrointestinal Angiodysplasias (GIADs): A 12 Year Retrospective Review in a Veteran Population and Cost Comparison
Authors: Gutierrez Mario , Kesavan Chandrasekhar , Das Anjali , Jackson Christian S. , Strong Richard M.
Published: February 2023

Background: Gastrointestinal angiodysplasias (GIADs), also known as gastrointestinal angioectasias, are dilated, abnormally thin-walled blood vessels that occur in the mucosa and submucosa throughout the gastrointestinal tract. As a common cause of small bowel bleeding, GIADs have a significant impact on patient’s morbidity and healthcare costs. Presently, somatostatin has been used widely to treat GIADs, but it is unclear if other therapies are as beneficial and cost-effective as somatostatin in managing GIADs. (2) Methods: A retrospective chart review was performed, which included subjects treated with Lanreotide, a somatostatin analog, and other therapies at the VA Loma Linda Healthcare System (VALLHCC) from January 2006 to December 2018. Patients who had symptomatic GIADs were detected by video capsule endoscopy (VCE), a device-assisted enteroscopy (DAE) or, in our case, push enteroscopy (PE) with an Endocuff. (3) Results: Three hundred twelve patients were diagnosed with GIADs. In this group of patients, 72 underwent ablation (endoscopic BICAP) with the addition of Lanreotide (SST), 63 underwent ablation therapy, eight were treated with SST only, 128 received iron replacement only, 25 received iron plus SST therapy, and 61 were observed with no therapy. Each group was followed via their hemoglobin (Hgb) level immediately thereafter, and Hgb levels were then obtained every 3 months for a 12-month period. After ablation therapy, 63 patients maintained stable Hgb levels over the course of the study, suggesting a significant therapeutic effect by controlling active bleeding. The 27 patients receiving ablation +SST therapy did not show improvements when compared to ablation only and the 128 patients who received iron therapy alone. (4) Conclusions: Importantly, 12 years of managing these patients has given us a cost- and time-sensitive strategy to maintain the patients’ Hgb levels and avoid hospital admissions for acute bleeding. Iron treatment alone is effective compared to SST treatment in recovering from GIADs. Eliminating SST treatment from therapeutic intervention would save $89,100–445,550 per patient, depending on the number of doses for private care patients and $14,286–28,772 for VA patients, respectively. A suggested therapy would be to perform DAE on actively bleeding patients, ablate the lesions using a coagulation method, and place the patient on iron. If that fails, gastroenterologists should repeat VCE and perform either PE with Endocuff or balloon enteroscopy (all DAEs).
Racial Disparities and Common Respiratory Infectious Diseases in Children of the United States: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Jones Elizabeth A. K. , Mitra Amal K. , Malone Shelia
Published: February 2023

Due to the lack of sufficient data on the relationship between racial disparities and the occurrence of infectious respiratory diseases in children, the aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis is to evaluate the presence of racial gaps in the occurrence of respiratory infectious diseases in children. This study follows the PRISMA flow guidelines for systematic reviews and the standards of meta-analysis for 20 quantitative studies conducted from 2016 to 2022 including 2,184,407 participants. As evidenced from the review, in the U.S., racial disparities are present among children, with Hispanic and Black children carrying the burden of infectious respiratory disease occurrence. Several factors are contributory to these outcomes among Hispanic and Black children, including higher rates of poverty; higher rates of chronic conditions, such as asthma and obesity; and seeking care outside of the home. However, vaccinations can be used to reduce the risk of infection among Black and Hispanic children. Whether a child is very young or a teen, racial disparities are present in occurrence rates of infectious respiratory diseases, with the burden resting among minorities. Therefore, it is important for parents to be aware of the risk of infectious diseases and to be aware of resources, such as vaccines.
New Miniature Narrow Band Microstrip Diplexer for Recent Wireless Communications
Authors: Al-Majdi Kadhum , Mezaal Yaqeen Sabah
Published: February 2023

Using Kappa substrate material, a compact microstrip diplexer is developed in this research with two separate channels based on the coupled junction and two bandpass filters functioning in independent frequency bands. Each filter comprises an input/output feed line and a number of resonators with different impedances. The diplexer’s frequency response was modeled and optimized using the Sonnet EM solver. At 2.84 and 4.08 GHz for TX/RX channels, the insertion loss is better than 1 dB for both channels, while the return loss values are 21.2 and 17 dB for transmit and receive filters, respectively. The microstrip diplexer has miniature dimensions of 24 mm × 18 mm with highly narrow bands and band isolation of more than 35 dB. The simulated scattering parameters are in agreement with the measured ones.
Overexpression of a Thermostable α-Amylase through Genome Integration in Bacillus subtilis
Authors: Yang Yifan , Fu Xiaoping , Zhao Xingya , Xu Jianyong , Liu Yihan , Zheng Hongchen , Bai Wenqin , Song Hui
Published: February 2023

A carbohydrate binding module 68 (CBM68) of pullulanase from Anoxybacillus sp. LM18-11 was used to enhance the secretory expression of a thermostable α-amylase (BLA702) in Bacillus subtilis, through an atypical secretion pathway. The extracellular activity of BLA702 guided by CBM68 was 1248 U/mL, which was 12.6 and 7.2 times higher than that of BLA702 guided by its original signal peptide and the endogenous signal peptide LipA, respectively. A single gene knockout strain library containing 51 genes encoding macromolecular transporters was constructed to detect the effect of each transporter on the secretory expression of CBM68-BLA702. The gene knockout strain 0127 increased the extracellular amylase activity by 2.5 times. On this basis, an engineered strain B. subtilis 0127 (AmyE::BLA702-NprB::CBM68-BLA702-PrsA) was constructed by integrating BLA702 and CBM68-BLA702 at the AmyE and NprB sites in the genome of B. subtilis 0127, respectively. The molecular chaperone PrsA was overexpressed, to reduce the inclusion body formation of the recombinant enzymes. The highest extracellular amylase activity produced by B. subtilis 0127 (AmyE::BLA702-NprB::CBM68-BLA702-PrsA) was 3745.7 U/mL, which was a little lower than that (3825.4 U/mL) of B. subtilis 0127 (pMAC68-BLA702), but showing a better stability of passage. This newly constructed strain has potential for the industrial production of BLA702.
Cleaner Fish in Aquaculture
Authors: Imsland Albert Kjartan Dagbjartarson
Published: February 2023

Biological control in fishes has been documented extensively and is a common form of symbiotic relationship between cleaners and fishes and shellfish globally, with the highest diversity in the tropics [...]
Spatio-Temporal Variations in the Potential Habitat Distribution of Pacific Sardine (Sardinops sagax) in the Northwest Pacific Ocean
Authors: Shi Yongchuang , Kang Bo , Fan Wei , Xu Lingling , Zhang Shengmao , Cui Xuesen , Dai Yang
Published: February 2023

Pacific sardine (Sardinops sagax) is a commercially important species and supports important fisheries in the Northwest Pacific Ocean (NPO). Understanding the habitat distribution patterns of Pacific sardine is of great significance for fishing ground prediction and stock management. In this study, both single-algorithm and ensemble distribution models were established through the Biomod2 package for Pacific sardine by combining the species occurrence data, sea surface temperature (SST), sea surface height (SSH), sea surface salinity (SSS) and chlorophyll-a concentration (Chla) in the NPO during the main fishing season (June–November) from 2015 to 2020. The results indicated that the key environmental variables affecting the habitat distribution of Pacific sardine were the SSH and SST. The suitable habitat area for Pacific sardine showed significant monthly changes: the suitable habitat range in June was larger than that in July and August, while the suitable habitat range gradually increased from September to November. Furthermore, the monthly geometric centers of habitat suitability index (HSI) for Pacific sardine presented a counterclockwise pattern, gradually moving to the northeast from June, and then turning back to the southwest from August. Compared with single-algorithm models, the ensemble model had higher evaluation metric values and better spatial correspondence between habitat prediction and occurrence records data, which indicated that the ensemble model can provide more accurate prediction and is a promising tool for potential habitat forecasting and resource management.
Evolutionary Conservation of Photophore Ultrastructure in Sharks: The Case of a Dalatiid Squalomorph
Authors: Duchatelet Laurent , Nuyt Charlotte , Puozzo Nathan , Mallefet Jérôme , Delroisse Jérôme
Published: February 2023

Bioluminescence is a common ecological trait among many marine organisms, including three shark families: Etmopteridae, Dalatiidae, and Somniosidae. The kitefin shark, Dalatias licha (Bonnaterre, 1788), from the Dalatiidae family is the largest known luminous vertebrate. This study compares the light organ ultrastructure of D. licha with that of Etmopterus spinax, the type species of Etmopteridae, to gain a deeper understanding of the light emission process and its evolutionary conservation within shark families. The ultrastructure of D. licha’s photophores and the morphological changes that occur after hormonal stimulation (via melatonin and α-MSH, which stimulate or inhibit the bioluminescence, respectively) were examined. The photophores consist of a spherical pigmented sheath surrounding a unique, regionalized light-emitting cell (photocyte). The photocyte’s basal area contains a specific area filled with granular inclusions that resemble the glowon-type microsources of E. spinax, suggesting that this area is the intracellular site of light emission. An acidophilic secretion, not present in Etmopteridae, is also observed within the granular area and may be involved in photogenesis. The ultrastructure analysis reveals no lens cells or reticular layer, unlike in Etmopteridae photophores, indicating a simpler organization in Dalatiidae photophores. Melatonin stimulation causes the removal of pigments from the photophore-associated melanophores and an increase in the granular inclusion diameter and coverage in the granular area, further showing that this last area is the potential site of light emission, while α-MSH stimulation causes the extension of the melanophore pigments and a decrease in the granular inclusion diameter and coverage. These results support the evolutive conservation of photophore functional organization across luminous etmopterid and dalatiid sharks.
Multilinear Regression Analysis between Local Bioimpedance Spectroscopy and Fish Morphological Parameters
Authors: Kerzérho Vincent , Azaïs Florence , Bernard Serge , Bonhommeau Sylvain , Brisset Blandine , De Knyff Laurent , Julien Mohan , Renovell Michel , Rouyer Tristan , Saraux Claire , Soulier Fabien
Published: February 2023

Repeated fish handling may cause stress, which biases experiments and so affects the results. In order to reduce this, the present study investigates the benefit of using bioimpedance analysis to estimate morphological parameters. Bioimpedance analysis is a non-lethal and integrative electrical measurement that can be used to estimate several kinds of physiological parameters and is used in medicine and ecological studies. In particular, bioimpedance can monitor the individual growth of fish, which is a prerequisite for most biological and ecological studies, as body size is one of the best predictors for numerous life history traits and ecological parameters. After a short review on the use of bioimpedance measurement in medicine and ecology, we illustrate the potential of bioimpedance spectroscopy, as opposed to single frequency measurement, for experimental studies on fish. Using a monolithic four-contact electrode and a cost-effective portable system, we conducted bioimpedance spectroscopy on 159 sardines. The association between the length, weight, and electrical parameters obtained at different frequencies from the bioimpedance spectroscopy was investigated. Our results show that accounting for more than one frequency substantially improves the prediction of length and weight. We conclude that bioimpedance could potentially be a powerful tool for monitoring fish growth in ecological studies.
Continuum Models for Bulk Viscosity and Relaxation in Polyatomic Gases
Authors: Kustova Elena , Mekhonoshina Mariia , Bechina Anna , Lagutin Semen , Voroshilova Yulia
Published: February 2023

Bulk viscosity and acoustic wave propagation in polyatomic gases and their mixtures are studied in the frame of one-temperature and multi-temperature continuum models developed using the generalized Chapman–Enskog method. Governing equations and constitutive relations for both models are written, and the dispersion equations are derived. In the vibrationally nonequilibrium multi-component gas mixture, wave attenuation mechanisms include viscosity, thermal conductivity, bulk viscosity, diffusion, thermal diffusion, and vibrational relaxation; in the proposed approach these mechanisms are fully coupled contrarily to commonly used models based on the separation of classical Stokes–Kirchhoff attenuation and relaxation. Contributions of rotational and vibrational modes to the bulk viscosity coefficient are evaluated. In the one-temperature approach, artificial separation of rotational and vibrational modes causes great overestimation of bulk viscosity whereas using the effective internal energy relaxation time yields good agreement with experimental data and molecular-dynamic simulations. In the multi-temperature approach, the bulk viscosity is specified only by rotational modes. The developed two-temperature model provides excellent agreement of theoretical and experimental attenuation coefficients in polyatomic gases; both the location and the value of its maximum are predicted correctly. One-temperature dispersion relations do not reproduce the non-monotonic behavior of the attenuation coefficient; large bulk viscosity improves its accuracy only in the very limited frequency range. It is emphasized that implementing large bulk viscosity in the one-temperature Navier–Stokes–Fourier equations may lead to unphysical results.
Motion of a Light Free Sphere and Liquid in a Rotating Vertical Cylinder of Finite Length
Authors: Kozlov Victor , Zvyagintseva Ekaterina , Kudymova Ekaterina , Romanetz Vlada
Published: February 2023

The paper is devoted to an experimental study of the fluid motion excited by a light spherical body floating along the axis of a rotating vertical cylinder. The experiments are performed with fast rotation. The high-speed video recording examines the behavior of the body depending on the rotation rate and liquid viscosity. PIV-method is used to investigate the velocity fields of liquid. In the cavity frame, the body excites the motion liquid in the form of a Taylor–Proudman column, the diameter of which is consistent with the body diameter. In the upper column, the liquid performs a retrograde differential rotation, and in the lower, a prograde one. Outside the columns, the differential rotation is practically absent. It is found that the intensity of the retrograde azimuthal motion in the frontal column increases as the body goes up, while the intensity of the prograde rotation in the rear column decreases. As a result, the free body simultaneously with motion along the axis performs differential rotation: in the lower part of the cavity it is prograde, while in the upper one it is retrograde. The intensity of the body differential rotation varies with the longitudinal coordinate linearly and decreases with the dimensionless rotation velocity.
Total Phenolic Content and Antioxidant Activity of In Vitro Digested Hemp-Based Products
Authors: Lanzoni Davide , Skřivanová Eva , Rebucci Raffaella , Crotti Antonio , Baldi Antonella , Marchetti Luca , Giromini Carlotta
Published: February 2023

The growth of the world population has prompted research to investigate new food/feed alternatives. Hemp-based products can be considered excellent candidates. Hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) is an environmentally sustainable plant widespread worldwide. Following the reintroduction of its cultivation, hemp is attracting interest, especially in the food/feed industry. To date, scientific research has mainly focused on its nutritional aspect. Therefore, the aim of the work was also to investigate the functional profile (total phenolic content (TPC) and antioxidant activity (Ferric- reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) and 2′-azinobis-(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS)) of hemp-based products (hempseeds (HSs), flowers, and HS protein extract), following methanol extraction and in vitro digestion, to study the behaviour of the molecules involved. The results show an interesting nutritional value, even when compared to matrices used in the food/feed industry, such as soy and flaxseeds. The functional profile revealed a very interesting TPC following methanol extraction for HSs, flowers, and HS protein extract, respectively, (550.3 ± 28.27; 2982.8 ± 167.78; and 568.9 ± 34.18 mg Tannic Acid Equivalent (TAE)/100 g). This trend was also confirmed for FRAP (50.9 ± 4.30; 123.6 ± 8.08; and 29.73 ± 1.32 mg Ascorbic Acid Equivalent (AAE)/100 g), recording values similar/higher than soy protein extract and flaxseeds (17.4 ± 1.55; and 10.4 ± 0.44 mg AAE/100 g). The results were also maintained following physiological digestion. These results, although promising, need further investigation, confirming what has been observed with different antioxidant activity assays and identifying individual molecules involved in functional pathways. This information will be necessary to gain a better understanding of the functional characteristics of these matrices for use in food/feed formulations.