bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Antiangiogenic Phytochemicals Constituent of Diet as Promising Candidates for Chemoprevention of Cancer
Authors: Marrero Ana Dácil , Quesada Ana R. , Martínez-Poveda Beatriz , Medina Miguel Ángel
Published: February 2022

Despite the extensive knowledge on cancer nature acquired over the last years, the high incidence of this disease evidences a need for new approaches that complement the clinical intervention of tumors. Interestingly, many types of cancer are closely related to dietary habits associated with the Western lifestyle, such as low fruit and vegetable intake. Recent advances around the old-conceived term of chemoprevention highlight the important role of phytochemicals as good candidates for the prevention or treatment of cancer. The potential to inhibit angiogenesis exhibited by many natural compounds constituent of plant foods makes them especially interesting for their use as chemopreventive agents. Here, we review the antitumoral potential, with a focus on the antiangiogenic effects, of phenolic and polyphenolic compounds, such as quercetin or myricetin; terpenoids, such as ursolic acid or kahweol; and anthraquinones from Aloe vera, in different in vitro and in vivo assays, and the available clinical data. Although clinical trials have failed to assess the preventive role of many of these compounds, encouraging preclinical data support the efficacy of phytochemicals constituent of diet in the prevention and treatment of cancer, but a deeper understanding of their mechanisms of action and better designed clinical trials are urgently needed.
From Climate Conditions to the Numerical Slope Stability Analysis of Surface Coal Mines
Authors: Theocharis Alexandros I. , Zevgolis Ioannis E. , Deliveris Alexandros V. , Karametou Rania , Koukouzas Nikolaos C.
Published: February 2022

A new perspective is presented for evaluating the slope stability of coal and lignite mines due to rainfall. The case of Greek lignite mining areas is employed to illustrate the methodology. Initially, past climatic records of rainfall are documented and analyzed; rainfall intensity varies from light (0.8 mm/h) to heavy (up to 9 mm/h). Few extreme phenomena are documented, with the maximum intensity being 17 mm/h. Furthermore, climatic projections of future trends are performed with open-access tools to anticipate possible deviations from the baseline conditions. Although the mean temperature is expected to increase, projections show that the past rainfall range is not expected to change. Finally, the effect of rainfall infiltration on the stability of a typical open-pit lignite mining slope is investigated by finite element analysis. The precipitation range defined by the environmental analysis is used. The SF is practically constant for the lower rainfall intensities (0.8–2.2 mm/h). For the higher intensities of 6.4 mm/h, 9 mm/h, and 17 mm/h, the SF decrease is almost the same (from 2.08 to 1.9), with reduction rates of 8.3%, 8.9%, and 9.3%, respectively. The effect of the critical geotechnical properties—groundwater table depth, unsaturated zone properties, and soil permeability—is also examined for a complete evaluation.
How to Improve the Acceptance of Autonomous Driving Technology: Effective Elements Identified on the Basis of the Kano Model
Authors: Shin Jong-Gyu , Heo In-Seok , Yae Jin-Hae , Kim Sang-Ho
Published: February 2022

Innovative sociotechnical change is forthcoming because of autonomous driving; however, only a few studies have focused on the acceptance of this technology, which is not up to social expectation. In this study, we present and validate a research framework on the basis of the Kano model to identify the effective acceptance elements for autonomous driving technology. By collecting and analyzing the survey data of 187 people, it was confirmed that the elements of acceptance for autonomous driving technology can be classified according to the Kano attributes. This means that these acceptance elements should be resolved with priority in order to secure the acceptance. Legal policies and ethical guidelines are identified as top priorities for ensuring the acceptance of autonomous driving. Traffic congestion, situational awareness, malfunction prevention, and fatigue/stress relief must be addressed as utmost priorities. The framework and results from this study can be used to establish efficient strategies for developing autonomous driving technologies according to the user requirement levels.
Turning Waste into A Resource: Isolation and Characterization of High-Quality Collagen and Oils from Atlantic Bluefin Tuna Discards
Authors: Cutajar Neil , Lia Frederick , Deidun Alan , Galdies Johann , Arizza Vincenzo , Zammit Mangion Marion
Published: February 2022

At the behest of the Green Deal, circular economy concepts are currently being widely promoted, not least within the aquaculture sector. The current study aims to demonstrate the technical feasibility of extracting collagen and fish oils from waste Atlantic bluefin tuna biomass originating from the Maltese aquaculture industry. For collagen, a three-stage methodology, consisting of pre-treatment, extraction, and retrieval, was applied to biomass originating from bone, skin, muscle, and internal organs (offal) in order to extract both acid-soluble collagen (ASC) and pepsin-soluble collagen (PSC). The chemical identity of the extracted collagen was confirmed through the conduction of hydroxyproline and SDS-PAGE tests as well as through FTIR, whilst the extracted collagen was also tested for its microbiological and heavy metal profiles. The collagen yield was found to be highest for skin tissue and for PSC-based protocols and is comparable to the yield cited in the literature for other tuna species. Oils were extracted through low temperature, high temperature, and enzymatic means. The fatty acid profile of the extracted oils was assessed using GC-FID; this indicated high proportions of EPA and DHA. Yield indicated that the enzymatic extraction of oil is most effective. High heat and the presence of iron-containing muscle starting material promote oxidation and rancidity. Further effort into the optimization of both collagen and lipid extraction protocols must be invested, with a special focus on the production of high-value fractions that are much closer to the quality required for human use/consumption.
Dynamic Characteristics of Unsteady Aerodynamic Pressure on an Enclosed Housing for Sound Emission Alleviation Caused by a Passing High-Speed Train
Authors: Jing Haiquan , Ji Xiaoyu , He Xuhui , Zhang Shifeng , Zhou Jichao , Zhang Haiyu
Published: February 2022

Train speed is increasing due to the development of high-speed railway technology. However, high-speed trains generate more noise and discomfort for residents, enclosed housing for sound emission alleviation is needed to further reduce noise. Because these enclosed housings for sound emission alleviation restrain the air flow, strong and complicated aerodynamic pressures are generated inside the housing for sound emission alleviation when a train passes through at a high speed. This train-induced aerodynamic pressure, particularly its dynamic characteristics, is a key parameter in structural design. In the present study, the train-induced unsteady aerodynamic pressure in an enclosed housing for sound emission alleviation is simulated using the dynamic mesh method, and the dynamic characteristics of the aerodynamic pressure are investigated. The simulation results show that when the train is running in the enclosed housing for sound emission alleviation, the unsteady aerodynamic pressure is complicated and aperiodic, and after the train leaves the housing for sound emission alleviation, the aerodynamic pressure reverts to periodic decay curves. Two new terms, the duration of the extreme aerodynamic pressure and the pressure change rate, are proposed to evaluate the dynamic characteristics when the train passes through the barrier. The dominant frequency and decay rate are adopted to express the dynamic characteristics after the train exits. When the train runs in the enclosed housing for sound emission alleviation, the longest durations of the positive and negative extreme aerodynamic pressures are in the middle section, and the maximum change rate of aerodynamic pressure occurs at the entrance area. After the train exits the housing for sound emission alleviation, the pressure amplitude at the central region is always higher than those close to the entrance/exit. The dominant frequency of the aerodynamic pressure is identified and explained using wave propagation theory, the decay rate of the aerodynamic pressure at all sections is close.
Evaluation of the Effect of Passive Cooling Techniques on Thermal Comfort Using Test Cells in the Northern Region of Brazil
Authors: Marcolini Murilo , Almeida Ricardo M. S. F. , Barreira Eva
Published: February 2022

The high consumption of electricity in Palmas, Brazil is a direct consequence of the high temperatures identified throughout the year. Therefore, it is necessary to search for sustainable technologies that contribute to comfort through passive cooling, thus reducing the energy consumption. This work presents the results of an experimental campaign of 11 months, in which the effects of shading devices, the use of a low-emissivity reflective film, the implementation of natural ventilation and the application of reflective painting are evaluated, when applied individually and combined. The results show that when applied individually, natural cross ventilation was the most effective at night, while reflective painting showed better performance during the day. Regarding the combinations of techniques, the best combination occurred when reflective painting was used together with natural ventilation, and the result was a relevant improvement in the performance, ensuring high temperature reductions when compared to the control.
Jawbone Segmentation with Trabecular Bone Preservation from Cone Beam CT Images
Authors: Zhang Songze , Jiang Benxiang , Shi Hongjian
Published: February 2022

To segment jaw structures in both open and closed mouth states from cone beam CT images and to preserve the true structures of trabecular bones. Segmentation algorithms of the mandible and maxilla were designed based on their different structures. We detected edges in volume and segment edges of the mandible and maxilla whether the mouth of a patient was open or closed. The internal structures of the mandible and maxilla were preserved by a morphological method with different parameters, respectively. An axial plane corresponding to the bottom of the hard palate was identified so that the bone structures of the maxilla above this plane were removed. Finally, the mandibular surface was smoothed by a simple thresholding method, and the maxillary surface was optimized by a geodesic active contours method. The 3D jaw model was segmented automatically by our proposed procedure with high accuracy. The average dice coefficients of the mandible and maxilla were equal to 0.9709 and 0.9420, respectively. The proposed jaw segmentation algorithm is automatic and knowledge-driven. The segmented jaws truly demonstrate the cortical and trabecular bone structures. It may potentially assist doctors in diagnosis and surgical planning.
Improving Robot Perception Skills Using a Fast Image-Labelling Method with Minimal Human Intervention
Authors: Ricolfe-Viala Carlos , Blanes Carlos
Published: February 2022

Robot perception skills contribute to natural interfaces that enhance human–robot interactions. This can be notably improved by using convolutional neural networks. To train a convolutional neural network, the labelling process is the crucial first stage, in which image objects are marked with rectangles or masks. There are many image-labelling tools, but all require human interaction to achieve good results. Manual image labelling with rectangles or masks is labor-intensive and unappealing work, which can take months to complete, making the labelling task tedious and lengthy. This paper proposes a fast method to create labelled images with minimal human intervention, which is tested with a robot perception task. Images of objects taken with specific backgrounds are quickly and accurately labelled with rectangles or masks. In a second step, detected objects can be synthesized with different backgrounds to improve the training capabilities of the image set. Experimental results show the effectiveness of this method with an example of human–robot interaction using hand fingers. This labelling method generates a database to train convolutional networks to detect hand fingers easily with minimal labelling work. This labelling method can be applied to new image sets or used to add new samples to existing labelled image sets of any application. This proposed method improves the labelling process noticeably and reduces the time required to start the training process of a convolutional neural network model.
Bringing CT Scanners to the Skies: Design of a CT Scanner for an Air Mobile Stroke Unit
Authors: Kwok Jun Sheng , Fox Kate , Bil Cees , Langenberg Francesca , Balabanski Anna H. , Dos Santos Angela , Bivard Andrew , Gardiner Fergus , Bladin Christopher , Parsons Mark , Zhao Henry , Coote Skye , Levi Christopher , De Aizpurua Henry , Campbell Bruce , Davis Stephen M. , Donnan Geoffrey A. , Easton Damien , Pang Toh Yen
Published: February 2022

Stroke is the second most common cause of death and remains a persistent health challenge globally. Due to its highly time-sensitive nature, earlier stroke treatments should be enforced for improved patient outcome. The mobile stroke unit (MSU) was conceptualized and implemented to deliver the diagnosis and treatment to a stroke patient in the ultra-early time window (<1 h) in the pre-hospital setting and has shown to be clinically effective. However, due to geographical challenges, most rural communities are still unable to receive timely stroke intervention, as access to specialized stroke facilities for optimal stroke treatment poses a challenge. Therefore, the aircraft counterpart (Air-MSU) of the conventional road MSU offers a plausible solution to this shortcoming by expanding the catchment area for regional locations in Australia. The implementation of Air-MSU is currently hindered by several technical limitations, where current commercially available CT scanners are still oversized and too heavy to be integrated into a conventional helicopter emergency medical service (HEMS). In collaboration with the Australian Stroke Alliance and Melbourne Brain Centre, this article aims to explore the possibilities and methodologies in reducing the weight and, effectively, the size of an existing CT scanner, such that it can be retrofitted into the proposed search and rescue helicopter—Agusta Westland AW189. The result will be Australia’s first-ever customized CT scanner structure designed to fit in a search-and-rescue helicopter used for Air-MSU.
Limit Carrying Capacity Calculation of Two-Way Slabs with Three Simply Supported Edges and One Clamped Edge under Fire
Authors: Zhu Sanfan , Dong Yuli , Ye Sengui , Zhang Dashan , Duan Jintao
Published: February 2022

Fire-resistance experiments were conducted on two full-scale two-way reinforced concrete slabs with three simply supported edges and one clamped edge. This paper presents the design of the furnace, specimens and clamped-end device, the test plan, and the measuring contents and methods. The cracking and failure characteristics of the tested two-way reinforced concrete slabs were introduced. The temperature field distribution of the concrete and steel in the direction of the section thickness, out-of-plane deflections, in-plane deflections, and angle of the slab edges of the two-way concrete slab under fire conditions were analyzed. Cracks form on the slab surface, which is shaped similar to the bottom of a shallow bowl, with two transverse cracks in the mid-area of the medially clamped side and intensively annular diagonal cracks on the corner side. There were several main transverse cracks in the central area of the slab surface. The results indicate that there was a significant decrease in frequency under fire conditions. Relations between the frequency and the central vertical deflection of the two slabs were analyzed by the regression method. This research generates valuable test data that can be used to validate the numerical models developed by fellow researchers in the field of structural fire engineering. Based on the plate balance method and energy method, calculation formula of the limit carrying capacity calculation formula of reinforced concrete two-way slabs with four different boundaries under fire are given, which are simply supported on three sides and clamped on one side. The influence of membrane effect under large deflection is considered in the formula, and the calculated results are in good agreement with the experimental results.
Thermo-Mechanical Analysis and Design Update of the Top Cap Region of the DEMO Water-Cooled Lithium Lead Central Outboard Blanket Segment
Authors: Bongiovì Gaetano , Giambrone Salvatore , Catanzaro Ilenia , Di Maio Pietro Alessandro , Arena Pietro
Published: February 2022

Within the framework of the EUROfusion research and development activities, the Water-Cooled Lithium Lead (WCLL) Breeding Blanket (BB) is one of the two candidates to be chosen as the driver blanket for the European DEMO nuclear fusion reactor. Hence, an intense research work is currently ongoing throughout the EU to develop a robust conceptual design able to fulfil the design requirements selected at the end of the DEMO pre-conceptual design phase. In this work, the thermo-mechanical analysis and the design update of the top cap (TC) region of the DEMO WCLL Central Out-board Blanket (COB) segment is presented. The scope of the work is to find a design solution of the WCLL COB TC region able to fulfil the design requirements, prescribed by the reference RCC-MRx code, under the selected nominal and accidental steady state loading scenarios. The activity herein presented moved from the WCLL COB reference design, purposely modified in compliance with the adopted thermal and mechanical requirements in order to attain a robust TC region geometric layout. In the end, a geometric configuration called “TC region-mod++” was determined, foreseeing a TC able to safely withstand both nominal and accidental loads. Nevertheless, some criticalities still hold in the internal stiffening plates and, therefore, further and finer analysis are necessary to fully match the goal. In any case, it was also found that the proposed approach for the design update is promising and worthy to be further pursued. The work was performed following a theoretical–numerical approach based on the finite element method (FEM) and adopting the quoted Ansys commercial FEM code.
Evolution of System Embedded Optical Interconnect in Sub-Top-of-Rack Data Center Systems
Authors: Pitwon Richard , Reddy Anil , Jain Aditya , Gomez Kevin , Schulz Sebastian A. , O’Faolain Liam , Wang Kai , Miller Allen , Davies Vivienne
Published: February 2022

In this paper we review key technological milestones in system embedded optical interconnects in data centers that have been achieved between 2014 and 2020 on major European Union research and development projects. This includes the development of proprietary optically enabled data storage and switch systems and optically enabled data storage and compute subsystems. We report on four optically enabled data center system demonstrators: LightningValley, ThunderValley2, Pegasus and Aurora, which include advanced optical circuits based on polymer waveguides and fibers and proprietary electro-optical connectors. We also report on optically enabled subsystems including Ethernet-connected hard disk drives and microservers. Both are designed in the same pluggable carrier form factor and with embedded optical transceiver and connector interfaces, thus allowing, for the first time, both compute and storage nodes to be optically interchangeable and directly interconnectable over long distances. Finally, we present the Nexus platform, which allows different optically enabled data center test systems and subsystems to be interconnected and comparatively characterized within a data center test environment.
An Intelligent Radiomic Approach for Lung Cancer Screening
Authors: Torres Guillermo , Baeza Sonia , Sanchez Carles , Guasch Ignasi , Rosell Antoni , Gil Debora
Published: February 2022

The efficiency of lung cancer screening for reducing mortality is hindered by the high rate of false positives. Artificial intelligence applied to radiomics could help to early discard benign cases from the analysis of CT scans. The available amount of data and the fact that benign cases are a minority, constitutes a main challenge for the successful use of state of the art methods (like deep learning), which can be biased, over-fitted and lack of clinical reproducibility. We present an hybrid approach combining the potential of radiomic features to characterize nodules in CT scans and the generalization of the feed forward networks. In order to obtain maximal reproducibility with minimal training data, we propose an embedding of nodules based on the statistical significance of radiomic features for malignancy detection. This representation space of lesions is the input to a feed forward network, which architecture and hyperparameters are optimized using own-defined metrics of the diagnostic power of the whole system. Results of the best model on an independent set of patients achieve 100% of sensitivity and 83% of specificity (AUC = 0.94) for malignancy detection.
How to Prevent Aseptic Loosening in Cementless Arthroplasty: A Review
Authors: Apostu Dragos , Piciu Doina , Oltean-Dan Daniel , Cosma Dan , Lucaciu Ondine , Popa Catalin , Mester Alexandru , Benea Horea
Published: February 2022

Aseptic loosening is the main late postoperative complication of cementless total hip arthroplasties (THAs), leading to pain and functional impairment. This article aims to update the orthopedic surgeon on the various methods by which the aseptic loosening rate can be reduced. We performed a systematic review by searching the PubMed database for hip aseptic loosening. We included meta-analysis, randomized controlled trials, reviews, and systematic reviews in the last 10 years, which provided information on techniques that can prevent aseptic loosening in total hip arthroplasty. From a total of 3205 articles identified, 69 articles (2%) met the inclusion criteria, leading to a total of 36 recommendations. A lot of research has been conducted in terms of septic loosening in the last decade. Currently, we have various techniques by which we can reduce the rate of aseptic loosening. Nevertheless, further randomized clinical trials are needed to expand the recommendations for aseptic loosening prevention.
Predicting the Success of Internet Social Welfare Crowdfunding Based on Text Information
Authors: Chen Xi , Ding Hao , Fang Shaofen , Chen Wei
Published: February 2022

This study explored how the success of project crowdfunding can be predicted based on the texts of Internet social welfare crowdfunding projects. Through a calculation of the quantity of information and a mining of the sentimental value of the text, how the text information of the interconnected social welfare crowdfunding project affects the success of the project was studied. To this aim, a sentimental dictionary of Chinese Internet social welfare crowdfunding texts was constructed, and information entropy was used to calculate the quantity of information in the text. It was found that, compared with the information presented in the text, the fundraiser’s social network factors are key in improving the success of fundraising. The sentimental value of the text positively affects the success of fundraising, while the influence of the quantity of information is represented as an inverted, U-shaped relationship. The non-ideal R-squared indices reflected that the multiple linear regression models do not perform well regarding this prediction. Furthermore, this paper validated and analyzed the prediction efficiency of four machine-learning models, including a multiple regression model, a decision tree regression model, a random forest regression model, and an AdaBoost regression model, and the AdaBoost regressor showed the best efficiency, with an accuracy R2 of up to 97.7%. This study provides methods for the quantified processing of information contained in social welfare crowdfunding texts, as well as effective prediction on social welfare crowdfunding, and also seeks to raise the success rate of crowdfunding and thus features commercial and social value.
Elemental Profiles of Legumes and Seeds in View of Chemometric Approach
Authors: Grembecka Małgorzata , Szefer Piotr
Published: February 2022

The study aimed to evaluate fourteen elements’ profiles of legumes and oilseeds, of various geographical origins, available on the Polish market. They were determined by flame atomic absorption spectrometry (F-AAS) and spectrophotometric method (phosphorus) in 90 analytical samples. In general, legumes were characterized with lower mean concentrations of Ca, Mg, Na, P, Zn, Cu, Fe, Mn, and Cr than oilseeds. However, the concentrations ranges within each group differed significantly (p < 0.05). Calcium content varied between 6.2 and 243.5 mg/100 g in legumes and 38.4 and 2003 mg/100 g in oilseeds. In the case of Fe, its concentration was between 1.99 mg/100 g and 10.5 mg/100 g in legumes, and 2.05 mg and 12.15 mg/100 g in seeds. All the samples were characterized with Pb concentration below the LOQ (30 µg/100 g). In the case of Cd, its presence (>LOQ, 9 µg/100 g) was confirmed in one sample of legumes (soybean) and five samples of seeds (poppy seeds, roasted linseeds, hulled wheat, linseed, and sunflower seeds). The detected Cd content in every sample, except for soybean and hulled wheat, exceeded the permissible European standards. According to Kruskal-Wallis test results, Mg, Na, K, P, Zn, Cu, Mn, Cr, and Cd content depended on the type of the analyzed product, while in the case of botanical provenance such relationship was recorded for most of the analyzed components, except for Fe, Cr, and Co. Factor and cluster analyses classified the analyzed samples in view of their botanical species and type based on their mineral composition.
Maintaining, Managing, and Tele-Monitoring a Nutritionally Adequate Mediterranean Gluten-Free Diet and Proper Lifestyle in Adult Patients
Authors: Scricciolo Alice , Bascuñán Karla A. , Araya Magdalena , Sanders David S. , Trott Nick , Elli Luca , Bardella Maria Teresa , Doneda Luisa , Lombardo Vincenza , Nandi Nicoletta , Vecchi Maurizio , Roncoroni Leda
Published: February 2022

The gluten-free diet (GFD) is a restrictive diet. In many cases, it must be permanent and strict, and it may be associated with both nutritional deficiencies and excesses, which can be prevented by following a healthy, natural Mediterranean GFD (Med-GFD). In this paper, we describe the importance of the Mediterranean diet, the correct intake of vitamins and minerals, and how they may play an important protective role against chronic or degenerative conditions. Herewith, we analyze different aspects that influence the ability to maintain a correct and balanced Med-GFD, which may contribute to the health status of patients, including a conscious use of gluten-free products to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Monitoring the Med-GFD remains a pivotal issue: to evaluate the presence of gluten peptides in urine, it could be important to introduce point-of-care testing, an efficient method for GFD self-monitoring (immunochromatographic technique), together with online nutritional questionnaires. Indeed, medical care via telemedicine can provide practical indications aimed at supporting patients and doctors. A natural Med-GFD can ensure the correct intake of nutrients and could be important for patients affected by gluten-related disorders, helping them to maintain a correct and healthy lifestyle.
A Study of Data Augmentation for ASR Robustness in Low Bit Rate Contact Center Recordings Including Packet Losses
Authors: Fernández-Gallego María Pilar , Toledano Doroteo T.
Published: February 2022

Client conversations in contact centers are nowadays routinely recorded for a number of reasons—in many cases, just because it is required by current legislation. However, even if not required, conversations between customers and agents can be a valuable source of information about clients or future clients, call center agents, markets trends, etc. Analyzing these recordings provides an excellent opportunity to be aware about the business and its possibilities. The current state of the art in Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR) allows this information to be effectively extracted and used. However, conversations are usually stored in highly compressed ways to save space and typically contain packet losses that produce short interruptions in the speech signal due to the common use of Voice-over-IP (VoIP) in these systems. These effects, and especially the last one, have a negative impact on ASR performance. This article presents an extensive study on the importance of these effects on modern ASR systems and the effectiveness of using several techniques of data augmentation to increase their robustness. In addition, ITU-T G.711, a well-known Packet Loss Concealment (PLC) method is applied in combination with data augmentation techniques to analyze ASR performance improvement on signals affected by packet losses.
Fixed Point Results on Partial Modular Metric Space
Authors: Das Dipankar , Narzary Santanu , Singh Yumnam Mahendra , Khan Mohammad Saeed , Sessa Salvatore
Published: February 2022

In the present paper, we refine the notion of the partial modular metric defined by Hosseinzadeh and Parvaneh to eliminate the occurrence of discrepancies in the non-zero self-distance and triangular inequality. In support of this, we discuss non-trivial examples. Finally, we prove a common fixed-point theorem for four self-mappings in partial modular metric space and an application to our result; the existence of a solution for a system of Volterra integral equations is discussed.
The Impact of an Overlaid Ripple Current on Battery Aging: The Development of the SiCWell Dataset
Authors: Goldammer Erik , Gentejohann Marius , Schlüter Michael , Weber Daniel , Wondrak Wolfgang , Dieckerhoff Sibylle , Gühmann Clemens , Kowal Julia
Published: February 2022

Fast-switching semiconductors induce ripple currents on the high-voltage DC bus in the electric vehicle (EV). This paper describes the methods used in the project SiCWell and a new approach to investigate the influence of these overlaid ripples on the battery in EVs. The ripple current generated by the main inverter is demonstrated with a measurement obtained from an electric vehicle. A simulation model is presented which is based on an artificial reference DC bus, according to ISO 21498-2, and uses driving cycles in order to obtain current profiles relevant for battery cycling. A prototype of a battery cycling tester capable of high frequency and precise ripple current generation was developed and is used to cycle cells with superimposed ripple currents within an aging study. To investigate the impact of the frequency and the amplitude of the currents on the battery’s lifetime, these ripple parameters are varied between different test series. Cell parameters such as impedance and capacity are regularly characterized and the aging of the cells is compared to standard DC cycled reference cells. The aging study includes a total of 60 automotive-sized pouch cells. The evaluation of ripple currents and their impact on the battery can improve the state-of-health diagnosis and remaining-useful life prognosis. For the development and validation of such methods, the cycled cells are monitored with a measurement system that regularly measures current and voltage with a sampling rate of 2 MHz. The resulting dataset is suitable for the design of future ripple current aging studies as well as for the development and validation of aging models and methods for battery diagnosis.
Host-Specific Parasites Reveal the History and Biogeographical Contacts of Their Hosts: The Monogenea of Nearctic Cyprinoid Fishes
Authors: Šimková Andrea , Řehulková Eva , Choudhury Anindo , Seifertová Mária
Published: February 2022

Host-specific parasites exhibit close co-evolutionary associations with their hosts. In the case of fragmented/disjunct host distribution, host-specific parasites may reflect the biogeographical history of regions and/or the role played by contacts of hosts. The present study was focused on Dactylogyrus (Monogenea) species almost exclusively parasitizing cyprinoid fishes. We investigated the phylogenetic relationships between Dactylogyrus parasites of Nearctic cyprinoids (Leuciscidae) and Dactylogyrus parasites of Palearctic cyprinoids and used Dactylogyrus phylogeny to explore the biogeography of fish hosts in Europe and North America. Phylogenetic analyses revealed that two Nearctic clades of Dactylogyrus spp. have different origins. Historical contacts between European and North American leuciscids were accompanied by the host switching of Dactylogyrus species. In the Nearctic region, Dactylogyrus parasites also colonized non-leuciscid fishes. Dactylogyrus spp. of three Nearctic leuciscid clades were included in the phylogenetic reconstruction; only Dactylogyrus spp. of the Plagopterinae had a common origin. Dactylogyrus species did not reflect the phylogenetic relationships among leuciscid clades, suggesting that past co-diversification was overshadowed by colonization events mediated by paleogeographic and climatological changes and extensive drainage reorganization. Host-specific monogeneans serve as a supplementary tool to reveal the historical biogeographical contacts between freshwater fish from the North America and Europe and also contemporary contacts of leuciscids in North America.
The Effects of EMMPRIN/CD147 on Late Function and Histopathological Lesions of the Renal Graft
Authors: Nalewajska Magdalena , Opara-Bajerowicz Martyna , Safranow Krzysztof , Pawlik Andrzej , Ciechanowski Kazimierz , Kwiatkowski Sebastian , Kwiatkowska Ewa
Published: February 2022

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is associated with renal fibrosis, and develops with the participation of fibroblasts and myofibroblasts from epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT). In cancer research, the key role of the glycoprotein CD147/EMMPRIN (extracellular matrix metalloproteinase inducer) in EMT has been proven. In this study, we evaluate how serum CD147/EMMPRIN affects long-term renal graft function and renal biopsy specimen lesions. In total, 49 renal graft recipients who had a renal biopsy within the last 18 months were retrospectively reviewed. At their most recent appointments, their serum concentrations of CD147/EMMPRIN and renal function were assessed. The occurrence of delayed graft function (DGF), estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) at 1-year post-kidney transplantation (Tx) and the subsequent years of the follow-up period, and renal biopsy specimen lesions, mainly those related to renal fibrosis and tubular atrophy, were also evaluated. Results: CD147/EMMPRIN serum concentration correlated negatively with eGFR at the most recent appointment (ME 69 months) and with eGFR at 1 and 2 years after Tx (p < 0.05, R = −0.69, R = −0.39, and R = −0.40, respectively). CD147/EMMPRIN serum levels correlated positively with urine protein concentrations (p < 0.05, R = 0.73). A positive correlation was further found with the severity of renal biopsy specimen lesions such as interstitial fibrosis (CI), tubular atrophy (CT), double contours of the GBM (CG), mesangial matrix expansion (MM), and arteriolar hyalinosis (AH) (p < 0.05, R = 0.39, R = 0.29, R = 0.41, R = 0.32 and R = 0.40, respectively). Patients with a history of DGF had higher CD147/EMMPRIN serum concentrations (<0.05). Conclusions: CD147/EMMPRIN is linked to poorer long-term renal graft function. Additionally, a high serum concentration of CD147/EMMPRIN affects interstitial fibrosis tubular atrophy (IF/TA) lesions and proteinuria.
Role of Descending Serotonergic Fibers in the Development of Pathophysiology after Spinal Cord Injury (SCI): Contribution to Chronic Pain, Spasticity, and Autonomic Dysreflexia
Authors: Fauss Gizelle N. K. , Hudson Kelsey E. , Grau James W.
Published: February 2022

As the nervous system develops, nerve fibers from the brain form descending tracts that regulate the execution of motor behavior within the spinal cord, incoming sensory signals, and capacity to change (plasticity). How these fibers affect function depends upon the transmitter released, the receptor system engaged, and the pattern of neural innervation. The current review focuses upon the neurotransmitter serotonin (5-HT) and its capacity to dampen (inhibit) neural excitation. A brief review of key anatomical details, receptor types, and pharmacology is provided. The paper then considers how damage to descending serotonergic fibers contributes to pathophysiology after spinal cord injury (SCI). The loss of serotonergic fibers removes an inhibitory brake that enables plasticity and neural excitation. In this state, noxious stimulation can induce a form of over-excitation that sensitizes pain (nociceptive) circuits, a modification that can contribute to the development of chronic pain. Over time, the loss of serotonergic fibers allows prolonged motor drive (spasticity) to develop and removes a regulatory brake on autonomic function, which enables bouts of unregulated sympathetic activity (autonomic dysreflexia). Recent research has shown that the loss of descending serotonergic activity is accompanied by a shift in how the neurotransmitter GABA affects neural activity, reducing its inhibitory effect. Treatments that target the loss of inhibition could have therapeutic benefit.
ACAT2 Is a Novel Negative Regulator of Pig Intramuscular Preadipocytes Differentiation
Authors: Tian Ye , Zhao Yuelei , Yu Wensai , Melak Sherif , Niu Yingfang , Wei Wei , Zhang Lifan , Chen Jie
Published: February 2022

Intramuscular fat (IMF) is considered as the fat deposited between muscle fibers. The extracellular matrix microenvironment of adipose tissue is of critical importance for the differentiation, remodeling and function of adipocytes. Therefore, in this study we extracted the muscle tissue centrifugal fluid (MTF) of the longissimus dorsi of Erhualian pigs to mimic the microenvironment of intramuscular pre-adipocytes. MTF of pigs with low intramuscular fat level can inhibit pig intramuscular pre-adipocytes differentiation. Then, proteomics technology (iTRAQ) was used to analyze the MTF with different IMF content, and it was found that individuals with high IMF had low ACAT2 (Acyl-CoA: cholesterol acyltransferases 2) levels, while individuals with low IMF had high ACAT2 levels. Significant changes took place in the pathways involved in coenzyme A, which are closely related to fat and cholesterol metabolism. Therefore, we speculate that ACAT2, as an important element involved in cholesterol metabolism, may become a potential molecular marker for the mechanism of pig intramuscular preadipocytes differentiation. Overexpression of ACAT2 in pig intramuscular pre-adipocytes can inhibit their differentiation, while adding ACAT2 inhibitor avasimibe can rescue the process. Knockdown of srebp2 or ldlr, which are two key genes closely related to ACAT2 and cholesterol metabolism, can inhibit pig intramuscular pre-adipocytes differentiation. Overall, our results suggest that ACAT2 is a novel negative regulator of intramuscular adipocyte differentiation through regulation of pparγ, cebpα signaling and srebp2/ldlr signaling involved in cholesterol metabolism.
Changes in Serum N-Glycome for Risk Drinkers: A Comparison with Standard Markers for Alcohol Abuse in Men and Women
Authors: O’Flaherty Róisín , Simon Ádám , Alonso-Sampedro Manuela , Sánchez-Batán Sonia , Fernández-Merino Carmen , Gude Francisco , Saldova Radka , González-Quintela Arturo
Published: February 2022

Background and aim: Glycomic alterations serve as biomarker tools for different diseases. The present study aims to evaluate the diagnostic capability of serum N-glycosylation to identify alcohol risk drinking in comparison with standard markers. Methods: We included 1516 adult individuals (age range 18–91 years; 55.3% women), randomly selected from a general population. A total of 143 (21.0%) men and 50 (5.9%) women were classified as risk drinkers after quantification of daily alcohol consumption and the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT). Hydrophilic interaction ultra-performance liquid chromatography (HILIC-UPLC) was used for the quantification of 46 serum N-glycan peaks. Serum gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT), carbohydrate-deficient transferrin (CDT), and red blood cell mean corpuscular volume (MCV) were measured by standard clinical laboratory methods. Results: Variations in serum N-glycome associated risk drinking were more prominent in men compared to women. A unique combination of N-glycan peaks selected by the selbal algorithm shows good discrimination between risk-drinkers and non-risk drinkers for men and women. Receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curves show accuracy for the diagnosis of risk drinking, which is comparable to that of the golden standards, GGT, MCV and CDT markers for men and women. Additionally, the inclusion of N-glycan peaks improves the diagnostic accuracy of the standard markers, although it remains relatively low, due to low sensitivity. For men, the area under the ROC curve using N-glycome data is 0.75, 0.76, and 0.77 when combined with GGT, MCV, and CDT, respectively. In women, the areas were 0.76, 0.73, and 0.73, respectively. Conclusion: Risk drinking is associated with significant variations in the serum N-glycome, which highlights its potential diagnostic utility.
Respiratory and Peripheral Muscle Weakness and Body Composition Abnormalities in Non-Cystic Fibrosis Bronchiectasis Patients: Gender Differences
Authors: Wang Xuejie , Balaña-Corberó Ana , Martínez-Llorens Juana , Qin Liyun , Xia Yingchen , Zha Jianhua , Maiques José María , Barreiro Esther
Published: February 2022

As demonstrated in COPD, bronchiectasis patients may experience respiratory and peripheral muscle dysfunction. We hypothesized that respiratory and peripheral (upper and lower limbs) muscle function and nutritional status may be more significantly altered in female than in males for identical age and disease severity. In mild-to-moderate bronchiectasis patients (n = 150, 114 females) and 37 controls (n = 37, 21 females), radiological extension, maximal inspiratory and expiratory pressures (MIP and MEP), sniff nasal inspiratory pressure (SNIP), hand grip and quadriceps muscle strengths, body composition, and blood analytical biomarkers were explored. Compared to the controls, in all bronchiectasis patients (males and females), BMI, fat-free mass index (FFMI), fat tissue, upper and lower limb muscle strength, and respiratory muscle strength significantly declined, and FFMI, fat tissue, and quadriceps muscle function were significantly lower in female than male patients. In patients with mild-to-moderate bronchiectasis, respiratory and peripheral muscle function is significantly impaired and only partly related to lung disease status. Quadriceps muscle strength was particularly weakened in the female patients and was negatively associated with their exercise tolerance. Muscle weakness should be therapeutically targeted in bronchiectasis patients. Body composition and peripheral muscle function determination should be part of the comprehensive clinical assessment of these patients.
Somatostatin-Mediated Regulation of Retinoic Acid-Induced Differentiation of SH-SY5Y Cells: Neurotransmitters Phenotype Characterization
Authors: Singh Sneha , Somvanshi Rishi K. , Kumar Ujendra
Published: February 2022

During brain development, neurite formation plays a critical role in neuronal communication and cognitive function. In the present study, we compared developmental changes in the expression of crucial markers that govern the functional activity of neurons, including somatostatin (SST), choline acetyltransferase (ChAT), tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), brain nitric oxide synthase (bNOS), gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD-65) and synaptic vesicle protein synaptophysin (SYP) in non-differentiated and retinoic acid (RA)-induced differentiated SH-SY5Y cells. We further determined the role of SST in regulating subcellular distribution and expression of neurotransmitters. Our results indicate that SST potentiates RA-induced differentiation of SH-SY5Y cells and involves regulating the subcellular distribution and expression of neurotransmitter markers and synaptophysin translocation to neurites in a time-dependent manner, anticipating the therapeutic implication of SST in neurodegeneration.
Comparison of Neutralizing Antibody Responses at 6 Months Post Vaccination with BNT162b2 and AZD1222
Authors: Terpos Evangelos , Karalis Vangelis , Ntanasis-Stathopoulos Ioannis , Evangelakou Zoi , Gavriatopoulou Maria , Manola Maria S. , Malandrakis Panagiotis , Gianniou Despoina D. , Kastritis Efstathios , Trougakos Ioannis P. , Dimopoulos Meletios A.
Published: February 2022

Along with their level of protection against COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2-specific antibodies decline over time following vaccination with BNT162b2. However, relevant data on AZD1222 are scarce. In this context, the aim of this study was to compare SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibody (NAb) levels at one, three and six months after second vaccination with the BNT162b2 mRNA vaccine and the ChAdOx1 (AZD1222) viral vector vaccine (NCT04743388). The measurements were performed with the GenScript’s cPassTM SARS-CoV-2 NAbs Detection Kit (GenScript, Inc.; Piscataway, NJ, USA). Overall, data from 282 individuals were included (BNT162b2 n = 83, AZD1222 n = 199). Both vaccines induced strong NAbs responses at 1 month following vaccination. Interestingly, NAb activity seemed superior with BNT162b2 compared with AZD1222. A gradual decline in NAbs titers was evident at 3 and 6 months post vaccination with both vaccines. However, the superiority of NAb response with BNT162b2 over AZD1222 remained consistent at all time points examined. Furthermore, the elimination rate of the NAb titer was higher throughout during the study period for those vaccinated with AZD1222 compared with BNT162b2. Age, gender, body mass index or comorbidities did not have a significant impact on NAbs levels over time. Our results may inform public health policies regarding the timing of booster COVID-19 vaccine shots.