bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Algorithms for Detecting Cattle Diseases at Early Stages and for Making Diagnoses and Related Recommendations
Authors: Pavkin Dmitry Yu. , Dorokhov Alexei S. , Vladimirov Fedor E. , Dovlatov Igor M. , Lyalin Konstantin S.
Published: November 2021

Analytical and theoretical studies were conducted in working cattle facilities in order to identify infectious, parasitic, and nervous diseases in large horned cattle. Our analytical study was based on the analysis of available scientific research papers. The theoretical research was based on processing the measurement results with existing hardware and software. Both environmental and physiological parameters were obtained from five farms for at least 30 days. The studied cows were divided into two groups. One group consisted of 37 dairy cows of the Holstein breed aged 2–3 years having no clinical signs of disease. All cows in this group were fed the same diet, kept in the same conditions, and had the same lactation period (from 3 to 5 months). Their average weight was 517 (±2.03) kg. For inclusion into the second group, we selected 23 dairy cows with parameters similar to those of the cows in the first group but with some clinical signs of diseases such as encephalomyelitis, infectious enteritis, and hypodermatosis. The data obtained from the animals in the first group were considered as the parameters’ standardized boundary values for the estimation of a cow’s conditions, i.e., as the norm (the setpoint). As for the data obtained for the second group, they were considered to be deviations from the threshold values of the parameters (deviations from the setpoint, which required a pre-planned action). The analysis was carried out using the program code implemented in the software package “Matlab R2019b”. We analyzed the correlations between the cows’ rumen temperature and pH, their locomotive activity, and environmental parameters such as air temperature and relative humidity in the cowsheds. We then constructed graphs of inter-correlating functions. As a result of the study, for the first time, algorithms were compiled enabling the detection of infectious, parasitic, and nervous diseases.
Drug Release Kinetics of DOX-Loaded Graphene-Based Nanocarriers for Ovarian and Breast Cancer Therapeutics
Authors: Taylor Katherine , Tabish Tanveer A. , Narayan Roger J.
Published: November 2021

Cancer remains one of the leading causes of death worldwide despite extensive efforts at developing curative treatments. Chemotherapy, one of the most common forms of treatment, lacks specificity and can induce collateral damages to healthy surrounding tissues/cells and elicit off-target toxic side effects. The carbon-based nanomaterial graphene, can load aromatic drugs with high efficiency, has good biocompatibility, and can be easily functionalised with targeting ligands, antibodies, and biomolecules to increase the accuracy of targeting specific areas; graphene has therefore been explored as a nanocarrier for classical chemotherapy drugs. In this work, seventeen publications that report the release of doxorubicin (DOX) from 2D graphene-based nanohybrids (graphene oxide and reduced graphene oxide) for the treatment of breast and ovarian cancers have been identified based on a range of inclusion and exclusion criteria. To aid in the clinical translation of proof-of-concept studies, this work identifies the pre-clinical experimental protocols and analyses the release kinetics of these publications. Fifteen of the papers utilised a change in pH as the stimulus for drug release, and two utilised either near infrared (NIR) or ultrasound as the stimulus. The extracted drug release data from these publications were fit to four known kinetic models. It was found that the majority of these data best fit the Weibull kinetic model. The agreement between the kinetic data in previously published literature provides a predictable estimation of DOX release from graphene-based nanocarriers. This study demonstrates the potential conjugation of graphene and DOX in drug delivery applications, and this knowledge can help improve to the design and formulation of future graphene-based nanocarriers. In addition, the use of further experimental testing and the standardisation of experimental protocols will be beneficial for future work. The incorporation of computational modelling prior to pre-clinical testing will also aid in the development of controlled and sustained DOX release systems that offer efficient and efficacious results.
Effects of Strong Ground Motion with Identical Response Spectra and Different Duration on Pile Support Mechanism and Seismic Resistance of Spherical Gas Holders on Soft Ground
Authors: Kobayashi Mio , Noda Toshihiro , Nakai Kentaro , Takaine Toshihiro , Asaoka Akira
Published: November 2021

Safety measures are required for spherical gas holders to prevent them from malfunctioning even after a large earthquake. In this study, considering the strong nonlinearity of the ground and damage to the pile during an earthquake, a three-dimensional seismic response analysis of the holder–pile–ground interaction system was conducted for an actual gas holder on the soft ground consisting of alternating layers of sand and clay. In the analysis, the seismic response of the structure to strong ground motions of different durations with the same acceleration response spectrum was verified. The results show that the piles were relatively effective in controlling the settlement when the duration of the earthquake motion was long. This is because the axial force acting on the pile increased due to the redistribution of the holder load caused by the lowering of the effective confining pressure of the sand and clay layers during the earthquake, which increased the bearing capacity of the pile. In contrast, when the duration of the seismic motion was short, the piles had little effect on the reduction in the settlement because the maximum acceleration was higher than that in the former case, and the piles immediately lost their support function.
Assessment the Visual Clarity of the Projector in Classroom and Innovative Asymmetric Distribution LED Tube Applications
Authors: Liu Chun-Hsi , Hsiao Chun-Yu , Gu Jyh-Cherng , Liu Kuan-Yi , Chang Chih-Hung , Lee Chen-En , Yan Shu-Fen
Published: November 2021

The paper aims to explore the relationship between the vertical plane luminance on projection screens and human visual clarity in the classroom or meeting room. While controlling the lighting environment conditions of the classroom to create different luminous distributions and luminance on the projection screen, a survey is conducted to understand students’ visual experience about screen clarity during the field experiment. The luminance of each picture on the projection screen is measured under the specified lighting conditions of luminaires in the classroom, and the relationship is formulated between the average luminance on the projection screen and the visual satisfaction based on clarity of experience. This will be useful for further studying the acceptable threshold of luminance distribution in the classroom to provide a better visual clarity and lighting quality of projection screens while teaching. In this study, the measurement and performance evaluation on a projection screen were carried out at a classroom in the National Taiwan University of Science and Technology (NTUST). By using an image luminance meter and analyzing the research results, we propose an improvement strategy for asymmetric luminous distribution design of LED light tube and light switch control mechanism of luminaires to resolve the inadequate luminance of the vertical projection screen area to improve the lighting quality and visual clarity of the projection screen while teaching with the least cost.
CO2 Capture by Reduced Graphene Oxide Monoliths with Incorporated CeO2 Grafted with Functionalized Polymer Brushes
Authors: Politakos Nikolaos , Serrano Cantador Luis , Cecilia Juan Antonio , Barbarin Iranzu , Tomovska Radmila
Published: November 2021

The monolithic materials of reduced graphene oxide (rGO) can be used successfully in CO2 adsorption. Here, the incorporation of CeO2 particles with and without polymer brushes grafted from the particles showed that the structural properties could be changed, affecting the adsorption of CO2. Polymer brushes of (1) poly(acrylic acid) (PAA), (2) poly(vinyl caprolactam) (PVCL) and (3) poly[(2-(methacryloyloxy)ethyl) trimethylammonium chloride] (PMETAC) were grafted from CeO2 via reversible addition−fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization. The preparation of monoliths of rGO with different modified CeO2 particles led to different thermal properties (TGA), structural changes (BET isotherms) and CO2 adsorption. The responsive character of the CeO2@polymer was proven by the DLS and UV results. The responsive character of the particles incorporated into the rGO monolith affected not only the adsorption capacity but also the microstructure and values of the surface volume of the pores of the monolith. Monoliths with porosity values for better adsorption were affected by the responsive character of the polymer.
A Study of Variable Cell Spacings to the Heat Transfer Efficiency of Air-Cooling Battery Thermal Management System
Authors: Zhao Gang , Wang Xiaolin , Negnevitsky Michael
Published: November 2021

The air-cooling battery thermal management system has been widely adopted as the thermal management device for power accumulators on electric vehicles nowadays. To improve the system heat transfer coefficient with the minimum rise in cost, this study modified conventional rectangular cell arrangements for 21,700 cylindrical cell battery packs with two approaches: 1. increase the vertical spacings; 2. convert constant vertical spacings to gradient vertical spacings. The results show that smaller vertical spacings are beneficial to the overall cooling performances of the constant vertical spacings designs at almost all flow rates. The gradient vertical spacing design with larger spacing could deliver better temperature uniformity, while the one with smaller spacings could suppress the maximum temperature more efficiently at higher flow rates. However, the total battery pack volume of Design 7 (the largest gradient vertical spacing design) is 7.5% larger than the conventional design.
Physical Properties of Modern Reciprocal Endodontic Systems and Fatigue Failure Testing in Simulated Clinical Conditions
Authors: Jusku Alexandr , Tomáštík Jan , Václavek Lukáš , Jirásek Petr , Harvan Ľuboš , Holík Pavel , Čtvrtlík Radim
Published: November 2021

Instrument fracture ranks among the most crucial complications during the endodontic treatment of a tooth. In order to better understand the practical limits of the instrument, the relation between the cyclic fatigue resistance and physical properties such as hardness, modulus of elasticity, creep and surface roughness were explored. Cyclic fatigue testing in an artificial root canal at intracanal temperature, nanoindentation and 3D microscopy were used for evaluation of four commonly used thermomechanically treated NiTi endodontic instruments (Unicone Plus 6/025, Unicone 6/025, Reciproc Blue R25 and WaveOne Gold Primary). Cyclic fatigue results were analyzed using the Kruskal–Wallis, Mann–Whitney and Bonferroni corrections. The wear resistance of Unicone 6/025 instruments was significantly lower compared to all other instruments (p < 0.05). WaveOne Gold Primary was significantly less resistant than Unicone Plus 6/025 and Reciproc Blue R25, while the difference between Reciproc Blue R25 and Unicone Plus 6/025 was insignificant (p > 0.05). These results are in correlation with measurements of local mechanical properties (hardness, elastic modulus and their ratios H/E and H3/E2). Even though surface roughness, area of cross-section and shape of instruments are important factors affecting instruments behavior, thermal processing appears to be the most important.
Comparative Test on the Bond Damage of Steel and GFRP Bars Reinforcing Soft Rock Slopes
Authors: He Xinrong , Li Guowei , Kabba Bakarr Sidi , Wu Jiantao , Yu Wei
Published: November 2021

Soft rock slopes were anchored with traditional steel bars and new Glass Fibre Reinforced Polymer (GFRP) bars. The difference in the anchorage performance of the two kinds of anchorage elements in soft rock and expansive soil was studied by an in-situ test. The results show that cyclic load can aggravate the bond damage of the interface between grouting body and both kinds of bars used in soft rock. Compared with the number of cyclic loads applied, the previous maximum load is the main factor that influences the bond damage of the anchorage bar. Under constant loading, the interface bond behaviour of GFRP bar is better than the steel bar. Because of the small difference in elastic modulus between the GFRP bar and the grouting body, the interface bond around the GFRP bar can invoke more resistance of the grouting body efficiently which demonstrates its more effective anchorage performance than the steel bar under the same conditions. The anchorage structure of steel bar in soft rock can generate larger interfacial relative displacement with increasing load than the GFRP bar in the anchorage section, even though the elastic modulus of steel is much larger than GFRP. In the expansive soil, the anchorage structure deformations of steel and GFRP bars are almost the same because of the weaker bond at the interface of the grouting body and the surrounding soil than that of the bar interface. Under the ultimate loading of the anchorage structure in soft rock, the steel bar with 450 MPa which is less than its ultimate strength shows the failure of the bar body pulling-out, and the GFRP bar with 508 MPa which is larger than its ultimate strength shows the failure of the bar body by fracture. The steel bar anchorage structure in soft rock is destroyed at the interface around the grouting body. The results show that the GFRP bar performs more efficiently than the steel bar.
Enhanced DQN Framework for Selecting Actions and Updating Replay Memory Considering Massive Non-Executable Actions
Authors: Gu Bonwoo , Sung Yunsick
Published: November 2021

A Deep-Q-Network (DQN) controls a virtual agent as the level of a player using only screenshots as inputs. Replay memory selects a limited number of experience replays according to an arbitrary batch size and updates them using the associated Q-function. Hence, relatively fewer experience replays of different states are utilized when the number of states is fixed and the state of the randomly selected transitions becomes identical or similar. The DQN may not be applicable in some environments where it is necessary to perform the learning process using more experience replays than is required by the limited batch size. In addition, because it is unknown whether each action can be executed, a problem of an increasing amount of repetitive learning occurs as more non-executable actions are selected. In this study, an enhanced DQN framework is proposed to resolve the batch size problem and reduce the learning time of a DQN in an environment with numerous non-executable actions. In the proposed framework, non-executable actions are filtered to reduce the number of selectable actions to identify the optimal action for the current state. The proposed method was validated in Gomoku, a strategy board game, in which the application of a traditional DQN would be difficult.
Experimental Study of Interference Effects of a High-Rise Building on the Snow Load on a Low-Rise Building with a Flat Roof
Authors: Zhang Qingwen , Zhang Yu , Yin Ziang , Zhang Guolong , Mo Huamei , Fan Feng
Published: November 2021

To explore the interference effects of a high-rise building on the snow load on a low-rise building with a flat roof, a series of wind tunnel tests were carried out with fine silica sand as a substitute for snow particles. The effects of the height of the interfering building and the distance between buildings on the snow distribution of the target building under three different wind directions were studied. The snow depth on the target building roof and the mass of particles blown off from the target building were measured during the wind tunnel tests, and the results showed that the snow distribution of the target building roof tends to be uniform when the interfering building is located upstream of the target building due to the shelter effect. When the interfering building is on the side of the target building, the snow distribution of the target building tends to be more uneven, because the interfering building increases the friction velocity on the target building roof near the interfering building. However, when the interfering building is located downstream of the target building, there will be an amplification effect of snow accumulation, and the snow distribution on the target building roof is nearly the same as that of the isolated condition. Under each wind direction, the interference effect of the snow load increases with the increase of the building height and the decrease of the building spacing. Therefore, the influence of the surrounding buildings on the snow distribution of the building roof cannot be ignored and should be considered in the structure design.
The Negative Poisson’s Ratio Ship Base Design and Vibration Isolation Performance Analysis
Authors: Pan Kun , Ding Jieyu , Zhang Wei , Zhao Shengdong
Published: November 2021

This paper mainly studies the vibration isolation of negative Poisson’s ratio structure in the honeycomb base of ships. Based on the structure of the negative Poisson’s ratio structure, different laying methods and different cell structure are used to construct the honeycomb base with the re-entrant hexagonal cell, the mathematical expression of Poisson’s ratio of a single re-entrant hexagonal cell structure is obtained through theoretical analysis. The negative Poisson ratio and relative density could be got by changing the angle and side thickness of the cell structure. Based on the different energy band of the re-entrant hexagonal cell structure, the different negative Poisson’s ratio re-entrant hexagonal honeycomb base was got, the energy band and the frequency response curve of the ship base are analyzed by COMSOL software. The energy band diagram and the frequency response of the structure are obtained to analyze the vibration isolation performance of the honeycomb base. By comparing the experimental results, the following conclusions can be gotten: (1) Compared with the traditional base, the negative Poisson’s ratio base has better vibration isolation effect on external excitation; (2) Different laying method and Poisson ratios can get different isolation effect. The combined base structure can provide better isolation effect to the external excitation in a larger frequency band; (3) By adding different mass blocks to the inner or peripheral angles of the basic re-entrant hexagonal cell, the vibration isolation performance of the structure can be changed to better.
Role of Restored Underwater Images in Underwater Imaging Applications
Authors: Raihan A Jarina , Abas Pg , De Silva Liyanage
Published: November 2021

Underwater images are extremely sensitive to distortion occurring in an aquatic underwater environment, with absorption, scattering, polarization, diffraction and low natural light penetration representing common problems caused by sea water. Because of these degradation of quality, effectiveness of the acquired images for underwater applications may be limited. An effective method of restoring underwater images has been demonstrated, by considering the wavelengths of red, blue, and green lights, attenuation and backscattering coefficients. The results from the underwater restoration method have been applied to various underwater applications; particularly, edge detection, Speeded Up Robust Feature detection, and image classification that uses machine learning. It has been shown that more edges and more SURF points can be detected as a result of using the method. Applying the method to restore underwater images in image classification tasks on underwater image datasets gives accuracy of up to 89% using a simple machine-learning algorithm. These results are significant as it demonstrates that the restoration method can be implemented on underwater system for various purposes.
Classification of the Circulation Patterns Related to Strong Dust Weather in China Using a Combination of the Lamb–Jenkinson and k-Means Clustering Methods
Authors: Yi Ziwei , Wang Yaqiang , Chen Wencong , Guo Bin , Zhang Bihui , Che Huizheng , Zhang Xiaoye
Published: November 2021

Sand and dust storms (SDSs) cause major disasters in northern China. They have serious impacts on human health, daily life, and industrial and agricultural production, in addition to threatening the regional ecological environment and social economy. Based on meteorological observational data and the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) ERA5 dataset for spring 2000–2021, we used the Lamb–Jenkinson circulation classification method to classify the three major areas influencing SDSs in northern China. We also used the k-means clustering method to classify the overall circulation pattern in northern China. Our results show that the circulation types favoring SDSs in the southern basin of Xinjiang are southwesterly winds (SW), cyclones (C), and anticyclones (A). The circulation types favoring SDSs in western Inner Mongolia and southern Mongolia are northwesterly winds (NW), northerly winds (N), cyclones (C), and anticyclones (A). The circulation types favoring SDSs in central Inner Mongolia are northwesterly winds (NW), northerly winds (N), southwesterly winds (SW), and anticyclones (A). The 500 hPa and surface circulation patterns in China can be divided into nine types. Among them, five dominant circulation patterns favor strong SDSs: a cold high-pressure region and cold front (T1), a Mongolian cyclone (T2), a mixed type of Mongolian cyclone and cold front (T3), a thermal depression and cold front (T5), and a cold front (T8). During 2000–2004, the T8 circulation pattern occurred most frequently as the main influencing circulation. From 2005 to 2010, the T3 and T8 circulation patterns dominated. Circulation patterns T1 and T3 dominated during 2011–2015 and 2016–2020, respectively. We analyzed the main circulation patterns for four SDS events occurring in 2021 by combining the Lamb–Jenkinson and k-means methods. The SDS events in 2021 were closest to the T3 circulation pattern and were mainly influenced by Mongolian cyclones and surface cold fronts. The main propagation paths were westerly and northwesterly.
Mortality Sensitivity of Cardiovascular, Cerebrovascular, and Respiratory Diseases to Warm Season Climate in Japanese Cities
Authors: Ohashi Yukitaka , Miyata Akari , Ihara Tomohiko
Published: November 2021

We investigated decadal (2010–2019) cardiovascular, cerebrovascular, and respiratory mortality sensitivity to annual warm temperatures in major Japanese cities: Sapporo, Tokyo (23 wards), and Osaka. The summer mortalities (June–August) increased with the monthly mean temperature for acute myocardial infarction, other acute ischemic heart diseases, cerebral infarction, and pneumonia in the three cities. Monthly mean temperatures were an indicator of these disease mortalities in Japan. However, similar responses were not found for cardiac arrhythmia and heart failure (excluding Sapporo), subarachnoid hemorrhage, and intracerebral hemorrhage. The decadal sensitivities and risk ratios between the maximum and minimum monthly mean temperatures were calculated using a linear regression model. In Sapporo, Tokyo, and Osaka, for example, the analyses of acute myocardial infarction showed summer positive responses of 0.19–0.25, 0.13–0.18, and 0.12–0.30, respectively, as the mortality rate (per 100,000 population) per 1 °C of monthly mean temperature, which estimated increased risks (between the coolest and hottest months) of 37–65% in Sapporo, 31–42% in Tokyo, and 35–39% in Osaka.
A Novel Method for Estimating the Intrinsic Magnetic Field Spectrum of Kinetic-Range Turbulence
Authors: Pitňa Alexander , Šafránková Jana , Němeček Zdeněk , Franci Luca , Pi Gilbert
Published: November 2021

Understanding plasma turbulence below the ion characteristic scales is one of the key open problems of solar wind physics. The bulk of our knowledge about the nature of the kinetic-scale fluctuations comes from the high-cadence measurements of the magnetic field. The spacecraft frame frequencies of the sub-ion scale fluctuations are frequently around the Nyquist frequencies of the magnetic field sampling rate. Thus, the resulting ‘measured’ time series may significantly differ from the ‘true’ ones. It follows that second-order moments (e.g., power spectral density, PSD) of the signal may also be highly affected in both their amplitude and their slope. In this paper, we focus on the estimation of the PSD slope for finitely sampled data and we unambiguously define a so-called local slope in the framework of Continuous Wavelet Transform. Employing Monte Carlo simulations, we derive an empirical formula that assesses the statistical error of the local slope estimation. We illustrate the theoretical results by analyzing measurements of the magnetic field instrument (MFI) on board the Wind spacecraft. Our analysis shows that the trace power spectra of magnetic field measurements of MFI can be modeled as the sum of PSD of an uncorrelated noise and an intrinsic signal. We show that the local slope strongly depends on the signal-to-noise (S/N) ratio, stressing that noise can significantly affect the slope even for S/N around 10. Furthermore, we show that the local slopes below the frequency corresponding to proton inertial length, 5≳kλpi>1, depend on the level of the magnetic field fluctuations in the inertial range (Pin), exhibiting a gradual flattening from about −11/3 for high Pin toward about −8/3 for low Pin.
Characteristics and Risk Assessment of 16 Metals in Street Dust Collected from a Highway in a Densely Populated Metropolitan Area of Vietnam
Authors: Nguyen Van-Truc , Duy Dat Nguyen , Vo Thi-Dieu-Hien , Nguyen Duy-Hieu , Nguyen Thanh-Binh , Nguyen Ly-Sy Phu , Nguyen Xuan Cuong , Dinh Viet-Cuong , Nguyen Thi-Hong-Hanh , Huynh Thi-Minh-Trang , Hoang Hong-Giang , Duong Thi-Giang Huong , Bui Manh-Ha , Bui Xuan-Thanh
Published: November 2021

The present study focused on investigating the contamination and risk assessment for 16 metals in street dust from Ha Noi highway, Ho Chi Minh City. The results indicated that the concentrations of metals (mg/kg) were found, in decreasing order, to be Ti (676.3 ± 155.4) > Zn (519.2 ± 318.9) > Mn (426.6 ±113.1) > Cu (144.7 ± 61.5) > Cr (81.4 ± 22.6) > Pb (52.2 ± 22.9) > V (35.5 ± 5.6) > Ni (30.9 ± 9.5) > Co (8.3 ± 1.2) > As (8.3 ± 2.5) > Sn (7.0 ± 3.6) > B (5.7 ± 0.9) > Mo (4.1 ± 1.7) > Sb (0.8 ± 0.3) > Cd (0.6 ± 0.2) > Se (0.4 ± 0.1). The geo-accumulation index (Igeo) showed moderate contamination levels for Pb, Cd, Cu, Sn, Mo, and Zn. The enrichment factor (EF) values revealed moderate levels for Cd, Cu, Mo, and Sn but moderate–severe levels for Zn. The pollution load index of the heavy metals was moderate. The potential ecological risk (207.43) showed a high potential. Notably, 40.7% and 33.5% of the ecological risks were contributed by Zn and Mn, respectively. These findings are expected to provide useful information to decision-makers about environmental quality control strategies.
The Impact of Air Pollution (PM2.5) on Atherogenesis in Modernizing Southern versus Northern China
Authors: Woo Kamsang , Lin Changqing , Yin Yuehui , Guo Dongshuang , Chook Ping , Kwok Timothy C. Y. , Celermajer David S.
Published: November 2021

To evaluate the impact of PM2.5 air pollution on atherogenic processes in modernizing Southern versus Northern China, we studied 1323 asymptomatic Chinese in Southern and Northern China in 1996–2007. PM2.5 exposure and metabolic syndrome (MS) were noted. Brachial flow-mediated dilation (endothelial function FMD) and carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) were measured by ultrasound. Although age and gender were similar, PM2.5 was higher in Northern China than in Southern China. The Northern Chinese were characterized by lower lipids, folate and vitamin B12, but higher age, blood pressures, MS and homocysteine (HC) (p = 0.0015). Brachial FMD was significantly lower and carotid IMT was significantly greater (0.68 ± 0.13) in Northern Chinese, compared with FMD and IMT (0.57 ± 0.13, p < 0.0001) in Southern Chinese. On multivariate regression, for the overall cohort, carotid IMT was significantly related to PM2.5, independent of location and traditional risk factors (Model R2 = 0.352, F = 27.1, p < 0.0001), while FMD was inversely related to gender, age, and northern location, but not to PM2.5. In Southern Chinese, brachial FMD was inversely correlated to PM2.5, independent of age, whereas carotid IMT was significantly related to PM2.5, independent of age and gender. In Northern Chinese, brachial FMD was inversely related to gender only, but not to PM2.5, while carotid IMT was related to traditional risk factors. Despite a higher PM2.5 pollution in Northern China, PM2.5 pollution was more significantly associated with atherogenic surrogates in Southern compared to Northern Chinese. This has potential implications for atherosclerosis prevention.
Aerosol Light Absorption at 1064 nm: Pollution Sources, Meteorological Parameters and Gas Pollutants in Qingdao Coastal Area, China
Authors: Chen Jie , Zhu Wenyue , Liu Qiang , Qian Xianmei , Li Xuebin , Zheng Jianjie , Yang Tao , Xu Qiuyi
Published: November 2021

A two-month sampling campaign was carried out from 1 November to 30 December 2019, to investigate the light absorption of aerosols at coastal sites in Qingdao. The average values and standard deviations of the absorption coefficient (OAC) at λ = 1064 nm during the measurement period were 18.52 ± 13.31 Mm−1. Combined with the backward trajectory model, the aerosol absorption coefficient and gas pollution concentration of six possible air mass trajectories were obtained and calculated. The maximum absorption coefficient of local air masses was approximately 20.4 Mm−1 and anthropogenic pollution originated from mainly local sources in the Jiaozhou area. In our measurements at this site, the results also showed that there was a positive correlation between relative humidity (RH) and aerosol absorption. Without considering other factors, the size of aerosol particles grew with the increasing of RH, which changed the nonlinear relationship between the size and the absorption cross section of aerosol particles subsequently. In addition, the correlations between gas pollutants and OAC were calculated. The atmospheric environment is complex in sea–land intersection areas, especially in coastal cities. Analysis of various aerosol sources, meteorological conditions, and gas precursors enhances the study of aerosol optical absorption.
Comparison of Seasonal foEs and fbEs Occurrence Rates Derived from Global Digisonde Measurements
Authors: Merriman Dawn K. , Nava Omar A. , Dao Eugene V. , Emmons Daniel J.
Published: November 2021

A global climatology of sporadic-E occurrence rates (ORs) based on ionosonde measurements is presented for the peak blanketing frequency, fbEs, and the ordinary mode peak frequency of the layer, foEs. ORs are calculated for a variety of sporadic-E frequency thresholds: no lower limit, 3, 5, and 7 MHz. Seasonal rates are calculated from 64 Digisonde sites during the period 2006–2020 using ionograms either manually or automatically scaled with ARTIST-5. Both foEs and fbEs ORs peak in the Northern Hemisphere during the boreal summer, with a decrease by roughly a factor of 2–3 in fbEs rates relative to foEs rates without a lower threshold on the sporadic-E intensity. This ratio of foEs to fbEs OR increases with increasing sporadic-E intensity, up to a factor of 5 for the 7 MHz threshold. An asymmetry is observed with the Southern Hemisphere peaks during the austral summer, with slightly lower rates compared with the Northern Hemisphere during the boreal summer. A drastic decrease in ORs is observed for the higher intensity thresholds, such that the fbEs occurrence rates for 7 MHz are nearly zero during most locations and seasons. These updated occurrence rates can be used for future statistical comparisons with GPS radio occultation-based sporadic-E occurrence rates.
Networks and Stories. Analyzing the Transmission of the Feminist Intangible Cultural Heritage on Twitter
Authors: Morales-i-Gras Jordi , Orbegozo-Terradillos Julen , Larrondo-Ureta Ainara , Peña-Fernández Simón
Published: November 2021

Internet social media is a key space in which the memorial resources of social movements, including the stories and knowledge of previous generations, are organised, disseminated, and reinterpreted. This is especially important for movements such as feminism, which places great emphasis on the transmission of an intangible cultural legacy between its different generations or waves, which are conformed through these cultural transmissions. In this sense, several authors have highlighted the importance of social media and hashtivism in shaping the fourth wave of feminism that has been taking place in recent years (e.g., #metoo). The aim of this article is to present to the scientific community a hybrid methodological proposal for the network and content analysis of audiences and their interactions on Twitter: we will do so by describing and evaluating the results of different research we have carried out in the field of feminist hashtivism. Structural analysis methods such as social network analysis have demonstrated their capacity to be applied to the analysis of social media interactions as a mixed methodology, that is, both quantitative and qualitative. This article shows the potential of a specific methodological process that combines inductive and inferential reasoning with hypothetico-deductive approaches. By applying the methodology developed in the case studies included in the article, it is shown that these two modes of reasoning work best when they are used together.
Circadian Gene PER2 Silencing Downregulates PPARG and SREBF1 and Suppresses Lipid Synthesis in Bovine Mammary Epithelial Cells
Authors: Jing Yujia , Chen Yifei , Wang Shan , Ouyang Jialiang , Hu Liangyu , Yang Qingyong , Wang Mengzhi , Zhang Bin , Loor Juan J.
Published: November 2021

PER2, a circadian clock gene, is associated with mammary gland development and lipid synthesis in rodents, partly via regulating peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARG). Whether such a type of molecular link existed in bovines was unclear. We hypothesized that PER2 was associated with lipid metabolism and regulated cell cycles and apoptosis in bovine mammary epithelial cells (BMECs). To test this hypothesis, BMECs isolated from three mid-lactation (average 110 d postpartum) cows were used. The transient transfection of small interfering RNA (siRNA) was used to inhibit PER2 transcription in primary BMECs. The silencing of PER2 led to lower concentrations of cellular lipid droplets and triacylglycerol along with the downregulation of lipogenic-related genes such as ACACA, FASN, LPIN1, and SCD, suggesting an overall inhibition of lipogenesis and desaturation. The downregulation of PPARG and SREBF1 in response to PER2 silencing underscored the importance of circadian clock signaling and the transcriptional regulation of lipogenesis. Although the proliferation of BMECs was not influenced by PER2 silencing, the number of cells in the G2/GM phase was upregulated. PER2 silencing did not affect cell apoptosis. Overall, the data provided evidence that PER2 participated in the coordination of mammary lipid metabolism and was potentially a component of the control of lipid droplets and TAG synthesis in ruminant mammary cells. The present data suggested that such an effect could occur through direct effects on transcriptional regulators.
The Deposition of a Lectin from Oreochromis niloticus on the Surface of Titanium Dioxide Nanotubes Improved the Cell Adhesion, Proliferation, and Osteogenic Activity of Osteoblast-like Cells
Authors: dos Anjos Keicyanne Fernanda Lessa , da Silva Cynarha Daysy Cardoso , de Souza Mary Angela Aranda , de Mattos Alessandra Batista , Coelho Luana Cassandra Breitenbach Barroso , Machado Giovanna , de Melo Janaina Viana , de Figueiredo Regina Celia Bressan Queiroz
Published: November 2021

Titanium and its alloys are used as biomaterials for medical and dental applications, due to their mechanical and physical properties. Surface modifications of titanium with bioactive molecules can increase the osseointegration by improving the interface between the bone and implant. In this work, titanium dioxide nanotubes (TiO2NTs) were functionalized with a lectin from the plasma of the fish Oreochromis niloticus aiming to favor the adhesion and proliferation of osteoblast-like cells, improving its biocompatibility. The TiO2NTs were obtained by anodization of titanium and annealed at 400 °C for 3 h. The resulting TiO2NTs were characterized by high-resolution scanning electron microscopy. The successful incorporation of OniL on the surface of TiO2NTs, by spin coating, was demonstrated by cyclic voltammetry (CV), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIE), and attenuated total reflection-Fourier transform infrared spectrum (ATR-FTIR). Our results showed that TiO2NTs were successfully synthesized in a regular and well-distributed way. The modification of TiO2NTs with OniL favored adhesion, proliferation, and the osteogenic activity of osteoblast-like cells, suggesting its use to improve the quality and biocompatibility of titanium-based biomaterials.
Triple Isozyme Lactic Acid Dehydrogenase Inhibition in Fully Viable MDA-MB-231 Cells Induces Cytostatic Effects That Are Not Reversed by Exogenous Lactic Acid
Authors: Mazzio Elizabeth , Mack Nzinga , Badisa Ramesh B. , Soliman Karam F. A.
Published: November 2021

A number of aggressive human malignant tumors are characterized by an intensified glycolytic rate, over-expression of lactic acid dehydrogenase A (LDHA), and subsequent lactate accumulation, all of which contribute toward an acidic peri-cellular immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME). While recent focus has been directed at how to inhibit LDHA, it is now becoming clear that multiple isozymes of LDH must be simultaneously inhibited in order to fully suppress lactic acid and halt glycolysis. In this work we explore the biochemical and genomic consequences of an applied triple LDH isozyme inhibitor (A, B, and C) (GNE-140) in MDA-MB-231 triple-negative breast cancer cells (TNBC) cells. The findings confirm that GNE-140 does in fact, fully block the production of lactic acid, which also results in a block of glucose utilization and severe impedance of the glycolytic pathway. Without a fully functional glycolytic pathway, breast cancer cells continue to thrive, sustain viability, produce ample energy, and maintain mitochondrial potential (ΔΨM). The only observable negative consequence of GNE-140 in this work, was the attenuation of cell division, evident in both 2D and 3D cultures and occurring in fully viable cells. Of important note, the cytostatic effects were not reversed by the addition of exogenous (+) lactic acid. While the effects of GNE-140 on the whole transcriptome were mild (12 up-regulated differential expressed genes (DEGs); 77 down-regulated DEGs) out of the 48,226 evaluated, the down-regulated DEGS collectively centered around a loss of genes related to mitosis, cell cycle, GO/G1–G1/S transition, and DNA replication. These data were also observed with digital florescence cytometry and flow cytometry, both corroborating a G0/G1 phase blockage. In conclusion, the findings in this work suggest there is an unknown element linking LDH enzyme activity to cell cycle progression, and this factor is completely independent of lactic acid. The data also establish that complete inhibition of LDH in cancer cells is not a detriment to cell viability or basic production of energy.
Expression of Estrogen Receptor Alpha and Evaluation of Histological Degeneration Scores in Fibroblasts of Hypertrophied Ligamentum Flavum: A Qualitative Study
Authors: Westhoff Christina C. , Peterlein Christian-Dominik , Daniel Hanna , Paletta Juergen R. , Moll Roland , Ramaswamy Annette , Lakemeier Stefan
Published: November 2021

The most common spinal disorder in elderly is lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS), resulting partly from ligamentum flavum (LF) hypertrophy. Its pathophysiology is not completely understood. The present study wants to elucidate the role of estrogen receptor α (ER α) in fibroblasts of hypertrophied LF. LF samples of 38 patients with LSS were obtained during spinal decompression. Twelve LF samples from patients with disk herniation served as controls. Hematoxylin & Eosin (H&E) and Elastica stains and immunohistochemistry for ER α were performed. The proportions of fibrosis, loss and/or degeneration of elastic fibers and proliferation of collagen fibers were assessed according to the scores of Sairyo and Okuda. Group differences in the ER α and Sairyo and Okuda scores between patients and controls, male and female sex and absence and presence of additional orthopedic diagnoses were assessed with the Mann–Whitney U test. There was a tendency towards higher expression of ER α in LF fibroblasts in the hypertrophy group (p = 0.065). The Sairyo and Okuda scores were more severe for the hypertrophy group but, in general, not statistically relevant. There was no statistically relevant correlation between the expression of ER α and sex (p = 0.326). ER α expression was higher in patients with osteochondrosis but not statistically significant (p = 0.113). In patients with scoliosis, ER α expression was significantly lower (p = 0.044). LF hypertrophy may be accompanied by a higher expression of ER α in fibroblasts. No difference in ER α expression was observed regarding sex. Further studies are needed to clarify the biological and clinical significance of these findings.
Near-Infrared Fluorescence Imaging of Carotid Plaques in an Atherosclerotic Murine Model
Authors: Wu Xiaotian , Daniel Ulumben Amy , Long Steven , Katagiri Wataru , Wilks Moses Q. , Yuan Hushan , Cortese Brian , Yang Chengeng , Kashiwagi Satoshi , Choi Hak Soo , Normandin Marc D. , El Fakhri Georges , Zaman Raiyan T.
Published: November 2021

Successful imaging of atherosclerosis, one of the leading global causes of death, is crucial for diagnosis and intervention. Near-infrared fluorescence (NIRF) imaging has been widely adopted along with multimodal/hybrid imaging systems for plaque detection. We evaluate two macrophage-targeting fluorescent tracers for NIRF imaging (TLR4-ZW800-1C and Feraheme-Alexa Fluor 750) in an atherosclerotic murine cohort, where the left carotid artery (LCA) is ligated to cause stenosis, and the right carotid artery (RCA) is used as a control. Imaging performed on dissected tissues revealed that both tracers had high uptake in the diseased vessel compared to the control, which was readily visible even at short exposure times. In addition, ZW800-1C’s renal clearance ability and Feraheme’s FDA approval puts these two tracers in line with other NIRF tracers such as ICG. Continued investigation with these tracers using intravascular NIRF imaging and larger animal models is warranted for clinical translation.
Are Uropathogenic Bacteria Living in Multispecies Biofilm Susceptible to Active Plant Ingredient—Asiatic Acid?
Authors: Sycz Zuzanna , Tichaczek-Goska Dorota , Jezierska-Domaradzka Anna , Wojnicz Dorota
Published: November 2021

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are a serious health problem in the human population due to their chronic and recurrent nature. Bacteria causing UTIs form multispecies biofilms being resistant to the activity of the conventionally used antibiotics. Therefore, compounds of plant origin are currently being searched for, which could constitute an alternative strategy to antibiotic therapy. Our study aimed to determine the activity of asiatic acid (AA) against biofilms formed by uropathogenic Escherichia coli, Enterobacter cloacae, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The influence of AA on the survival, biofilm mass formation by bacteria living in mono-, dual-, and triple-species consortia as well as the metabolic activity and bacterial cell morphology were determined. The spectrophotometric methods were used for biofilm mass synthesis and metabolic activity determination. The survival of bacteria was established using the serial dilution assay. The decrease in survival and a weakening of the ability to create biofilms, both single and multi-species, as well as changes in the morphology of bacterial cells were noticed. As AA works best against young biofilms, the use of AA-containing formulations, especially during the initial stages of infection, seems to be reasonable. However, there is a need for further research concerning AA especially regarding its antibacterial mechanisms of action.
Planar Boronic Graphene and Nitrogenized Graphene Heterostructure for Protein Stretch and Confinement
Authors: Su Xuchang , He Zhi , Meng Lijun , Liang Hong , Zhou Ruhong
Published: November 2021

Single-molecule techniques such as electron tunneling and atomic force microscopy have attracted growing interests in protein sequencing. For these methods, it is critical to refine and stabilize the protein sample to a “suitable mode” before applying a high-fidelity measurement. Here, we show that a planar heterostructure comprising boronic graphene (BC3) and nitrogenized graphene (C3N) sandwiched stripe (BC3/C3N/BC3) is capable of the effective stretching and confinement of three types of intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs), including amyloid-β (1–42), polyglutamine (Q42), and α-Synuclein (61–95). Our molecular dynamics simulations demonstrate that the protein molecules interact more strongly with the C3N stripe than the BC3 one, which leads to their capture, elongation, and confinement along the center C3N stripe of the heterostructure. The conformational fluctuations of IDPs are substantially reduced after being stretched. This design may serve as a platform for single-molecule protein analysis with reduced thermal noise.
The New Role of AMP-Activated Protein Kinase in Regulating Fat Metabolism and Energy Expenditure in Adipose Tissue
Authors: Wang Qun , Sun Jiayi , Liu Mengyu , Zhou Yaqi , Zhang Lei , Li Yanzhang
Published: November 2021

Obesity is characterized by excessive accumulation of fat in the body, which is triggered by a body energy intake larger than body energy consumption. Due to complications such as cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes (T2DM), obstructive pneumonia and arthritis, as well as high mortality, morbidity and economic cost, obesity has become a major health problem. The global prevalence of obesity, and its comorbidities is escalating at alarming rates, demanding the development of additional classes of therapeutics to reduce the burden of disease further. As a central energy sensor, the AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) has recently been elucidated to play a paramount role in fat synthesis and catabolism, especially in regulating the energy expenditure of brown/beige adipose tissue and the browning of white adipose tissue (WAT). This review discussed the role of AMPK in fat metabolism in adipose tissue, emphasizing its role in the energy expenditure of brown/beige adipose tissue and browning of WAT. A deeper understanding of the role of AMPK in regulating fat metabolism and energy expenditure can provide new insights into obesity research and treatment.