bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Comparison of Femoral Component Rotation between Robotic-Assisted vs. Soft-Tissue Tensor Total Knee Arthroplasty with Anatomic Implants
Authors: Maciąg Bartosz M. , Kordyaczny Tomasz , Maciąg Grzegorz J. , Łapiński Marcin , Jegierski Dawid , Świderek Jakub , Tsitko Hanna , Dorocińska Monika , Żarnovsky Krystian , Świercz Maciej , Stępiński Piotr , Adamska Olga , Stolarczyk Artur
Published: May 2023

Background and Objectives: Total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is the most effective treatment method for end-stage osteoarthritis. One of the most important aspects of this surgery is adequate implant positioning, as it guarantees the desired outcome of restoring limb biomechanics. Surgical technique is being continuously improved along with hardware development. There are two novel devices designed to help establish proper femoral component rotation: soft-tissue tensor and robotic–assisted TKA (RATKA). This study compared the femoral component rotation achieved with the use of three methods: RATKA, soft tissue tensioner and the conventional measured-resection technique, all of them utilizing anatomical design prosthesis components. Materials and Methods: A total of 139 patients diagnosed with end-stage osteoarthritis underwent total knee arthroplasty between December 2020 and June 2021. After the surgery, they were divided into three groups depending on procedure technique and implant type: Persona (Zimmer Biomet) + Fuzion Balancer, RATKA + Journey II BCS or conventional TKA + Persona/Journey. Postoperatively, a computed tomography examination was performed in order to measure femoral component rotation. All three groups were compared independently during statistical analysis. Fisher’s exact, Kruskal–Wallis and Dwass–Steel–Crichtlow–Fligner tests were used for particular calculations. Results: Statistically significant differences in femoral component rotation between groups were noticed. However, in terms of values other than 0° in external rotation, no significant variance was revealed. Conclusions: Additional total knee arthroplasty instruments seem to improve the outcomes of the surgery, providing better component positioning than in the conventional measured-resection technique based only on bone landmarks.
The Influences of Heat Treatment on the Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Rolled Ti2AlNb
Authors: Liu Tianze , Li Xuewen , Wei Boxin
Published: May 2023

In this study, the microstructural evolution, distribution, morphology, and change mechanism of an as-rolled Ti2AlNb alloy were quantitatively analyzed by X-ray diffraction and electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD). The results show that after solution treatment at 900 °C, the content of the O phase alloy decreased by 2%, which provided space for the nucleation of the α2 phase, the content of which increased by 2%. After aging treatment at 760 °C, large quantities of acicular O phase and α2 phase were precipitated in the B2 matrix, and the content of the α2 phase increased. As the aging temperature increased to 840 °C, the elongated α2 phases were connected to each other at a specific angle along the grain boundary, extending to the interior of the grain. The hardness reached its maximum value of 402 HV at 760 °C. This study deepened our understanding of the formation of the α2 phase in the microstructure of rolled Ti2AlNb alloy, and investigates the effect of α2 phase content on the hardness of the alloy in more depth.
Electrochemical Detection of Vibrio cholerae by Amine Functionalized Biocompatible Gadolinium Oxide Nanoparticles
Authors: Kumar Ashutosh , Sarkar Tamal , Kumar Robin , Panda Amulya K. , Solanki Pratima R.
Published: May 2023

Herein, we report the biocompatible amine-functionalized gadolinium oxide nanoparticles (Gd2O3 NPs) for the possibility of electrochemical detection of Vibrio cholerae (Vc) cells. The microwave irradiation process is applied to synthesize Gd2O3 NPs. The amine (NH2) functionalization is carried out via overnight stirring with 3(Aminopropyl)triethoxysilane (APTES) at 55 °C. The size of NPs amine functionalized APETS@Gd2O3 NPs are determined by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). APETS@Gd2O3 NPs are further electrophoretically deposited onto indium tin oxide (ITO) coated glass substrate to obtain working electrode surface. The monoclonal antibodies (anti-CT) specific to cholera toxin associated to Vc cells are covalently immobilized onto the above electrodes using EDC-NHS chemistry and further BSA is added to obtain the BSA/anti-CT/APETS@Gd2O3/ITO immunoelectrode. Further, this immunoelectrode shows the response for cells in CFU range from 3.125 × 106 to 30 × 106 and is very selective with sensitivity and LOD 5.07 mA CFUs mL cm−2 and 0.9375 × 106 CFU respectively. To establish a future potential for APTES@Gd2O3 NPs in field of biomedical applications and cytosensing, the effect of APTES@Gd2O3 NPs on mammalian cells is also observed using in vitro cytotoxicity assay and cell cycle analysis.
Simple Immunosensor Based on Carboxyl-Functionalized Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotubes @ Antimony-Doped Tin Oxide Composite Membrane for Aflatoxin B1 Detection
Authors: Chu Guanglei , Liu Zengning , Zhang Yanyan , Guo Yemin , Sun Xia , Li Ming
Published: May 2023

This paper presents a novel nano-material composite membrane for detecting aflatoxin B1 (AFB1). The membrane is based on carboxyl-functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs-COOH) @ antimony-doped tin oxide (ATO)-chitosan (CS). To prepare the immunosensor, MWCNTs-COOH were dissolved in the CS solution, but some MWCNTs-COOH formed aggregates due to the intertwining of carbon nanotubes, blocking some pores. ATO was added to the solution containing MWCNTs-COOH, and the gaps were filled by adsorbing hydroxide radicals to form a more uniform film. This greatly increased the specific surface area of the formed film, resulting in a nano-composite film that was modified on screen-printed electrodes (SPCEs). The immunosensor was then constructed by immobilizing anti-AFB1 antibodies (Ab) and bovine serum albumin (BSA) on an SPCE successively. The assembly process and effect of the immunosensor were characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), differential pulse voltammetry (DPV), and cyclic voltammetry (CV). Under optimized conditions, the prepared immunosensor exhibited a low detection limit of 0.033 ng/mL with a linear range of 1 × 10−3–1 × 103 ng/mL. The immunosensor demonstrated good selectivity, reproducibility, and stability. In summary, the results suggest that the MWCNTs-COOH@ATO-CS composite membrane can be used as an effective immunosensor for detecting AFB1.
The Application of Sulfur Influences Microbiome of Soybean Rhizosphere and Nutrient-Mobilizing Bacteria in Andosol
Authors: Damo Jean Louise Cocson , Shimizu Takashi , Sugiura Hinako , Yamamoto Saki , Agake Shin-ichiro , Anarna Julieta , Tanaka Haruo , Sugihara Soh , Okazaki Shin , Yokoyama Tadashi , Yasuda Michiko , Ohkama-Ohtsu Naoko
Published: May 2023

This study aimed to determine the effect of sulfur (S) application on a root-associated microbial community resulting in a rhizosphere microbiome with better nutrient mobilizing capacity. Soybean plants were cultivated with or without S application, the organic acids secreted from the roots were compared. High-throughput sequencing of 16S rRNA was used to analyze the effect of S on microbial community structure of the soybean rhizosphere. Several plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) isolated from the rhizosphere were identified that can be harnessed for crop productivity. The amount of malic acid secreted from the soybean roots was significantly induced by S application. According to the microbiota analysis, the relative abundance of Polaromonas, identified to have positive association with malic acid, and arylsulfatase-producing Pseudomonas, were increased in S-applied soil. Burkholderia sp. JSA5, obtained from S-applied soil, showed multiple nutrient-mobilizing traits among the isolates. In this study, S application affected the soybean rhizosphere bacterial community structure, suggesting the contribution of changing plant conditions such as in the increase in organic acid secretion. Not only the shift of the microbiota but also isolated strains from S-fertilized soil showed PGPB activity, as well as isolated bacteria that have the potential to be harnessed for crop productivity.
Modulatory Effects of A1 Milk, A2 Milk, Soy, and Egg Proteins on Gut Microbiota and Fermentation
Authors: Nuomin  , Baek Riyang , Tsuruta Takeshi , Nishino Naoki
Published: May 2023

Milk can be divided into A1 and A2 types according to β-casein variants, and there is a debate about whether A1 milk consumption exacerbates gut environments. This study examined the cecum microbiota and fermentation in mice fed A1 casein, A2 casein, mixed casein (commercial casein), soy protein isolate, and egg white. The cecum acetic acid concentration was higher, and the relative abundances of Muribaculaceae and Desulfovibrionaceae were greater in mice fed A1 versus A2 casein. The other parameters of cecum fermentation and microbiota composition were similar among the mice fed A1, A2, and mixed caseins. The differences were more distinctive among the three caseins, soy, and egg feedings. Chao 1 and Shannon indices of the cecum microbiota were lowered in egg white-fed mice, and the microbiota of mice fed milk, soy, and egg proteins were separately grouped by principal coordinate analysis. Mice fed the three caseins were characterized by a high abundance of Lactobacillaceae and Clostridiaceae, those fed soy were characterized by Corynebacteriaceae, Muribaculaceae, and Ruminococcaceae, and those fed egg white were characterized by Eggerthellaceae, Rikenellaceae, and Erysipelatoclostridiaceae. Thus, although several differences can arise between A1 and A2 caseins in terms of their modulatory effects on gut environments, the differences between milk, soy, and egg proteins can be more distinctive and are worth further consideration.
The Influence of the Side Chain Structure on the Photostability of Low Band Gap Polymers
Authors: Bölke Sven , Keller Tina , Trilling Florian , Forster Michael , Scherf Ullrich , Chassé Thomas , Peisert Heiko
Published: May 2023

Side chains play an important role in the photo-oxidation process of low band gap (LBG) polymers. For example, it has been shown that their photostability can be increased by the introduction of aromatic-oxy-alkyl links. We studied the photostability of prototypical LBG polymers with alkyl and oxyalkyl side chains during irradiation with white light (AM 1.5 conditions) in dry air using UV/vis and IR spectroscopy. Though its degradation kinetics were distinctly affected by the presence or absence of oxygen in the structure of the side chains, in particular cases, the stability was more affected by the presence of linear or branched side chains. Moreover, we showed that the exact position of the alkyl/oxyalkyl side chain at the polymer backbone could be crucial. Although minor effects of chemical modifications on the electronic parameters (ionization potential and gap) were observed, the molecular orientation, determined by polarization modulation-infrared reflection-absorption spectroscopy (PMIRRAS), could be affected. The aggregation and crystallinity of these polymers may distinctly affect their stability.
Bioactive Compounds and Sensory Analysis of Freeze-Dried Prickly Pear Fruits from an Inter-Andean Valley in Peru
Authors: Choque-Quispe David , Ligarda-Samanez Carlos A. , Huamán-Rosales Edith R. , Aguirre Landa John Peter , Agreda Cerna Henrry W. , Zamalloa-Puma Miluska M. , Álvarez-López Genaro Julio , Barboza-Palomino Gloria I. , Alzamora-Flores Humberto , Gamarra-Villanueva Wilfredo
Published: May 2023

Prickly pear fruits are seasonal and have shades ranging from pale green to deep purple. Their pigments are associated with bioactive compounds, being sensitive to thermal transformation processes for their conservation. The objective of this research was to evaluate the bioactive compounds and the sensory analysis of freeze-dried prickly pear fruits from an inter-Andean valley in Peru. The prickly pear fruits of the morada, anaranjada, and blanca ecotypes came from an inter-Andean valley in Peru at 2972 m altitude. The sliced fruits were freeze-dried at −40 °C and 0.25 mTorr, and the total polyphenol content (TPC), vitamin C, and antioxidant activity (AA) were determined, as well as the color L* a* b*, color index (CI*), FTIR spectra, and mineral content. In the same way, sensory analysis of preferences with nine scales was applied. It was observed that in the freeze-dried fruits, TPC, AA, and vitamin C increased significantly (p-value < 0.05), and their corresponding functional groups increased in intensity in their corresponding FTIR spectra; furthermore, trace elements such as Cu, Fe, Se, Zn, Si, and Mn were identified. On the other hand, freeze-drying provided deeper colors to the fruits, which most panelists said they “very much liked” during the sensory analysis, although the texture was not very well accepted, with most panelists reporting being “indifferent” towards it. The freeze-drying technique allows the bioactive and sensory attributes of prickly pear fruits from inter-Andean valleys to be preserved, making it a potential fruit for export and conservation due to its seasonality.
High-Throughput Computational Screening of Two-Dimensional Covalent Organic Frameworks (2D COFs) for Capturing Radon in Moist Air
Authors: Zeng Hongyan , Geng Xiaomin , Zhang Shitong , Zhou Bo , Liu Shengtang , Yang Zaixing
Published: May 2023

Radon (Rn) and its decay products are the primary sources of natural ionizing radiation exposure for the public, posing significant health risks, including being a leading cause of lung cancer. Porous material-based adsorbents offer a feasible and efficient solution for controlling Rn concentrations in various scenes to achieve safe levels. However, due to competitive adsorption between Rn and water, finding candidates with a higher affinity and capacity for capturing Rn in humid air remains a significant challenge. Here, we conducted high-throughput computational screening of 8641 two-dimensional covalent organic frameworks (2D COFs) in moist air using grand canonical Monte Carlo simulations. We identified the top five candidates and revealed the structure–performance relationship. Our findings suggest that a well-defined cavity with an approximate spherical inner space, with a diameter matching that of Rn, is the structural basis for a proper Rn capturing site. This is because the excellent steric match between the cavity and Rn maximizes their van der Waals dispersion interactions. Additionally, the significant polarization electrostatic potential surface of the cavity can regulate the adsorption energy of water and ultimately impact Rn selectivity. Our study offers a potential route for Rn management using 2D COFs in moist air and provides a scientific basis for further experimentation.
The Influence of Relative Reinforcing Value of Food, Sensitization, Energy Intake and Diet Quality on zBMI Change over Two Years in Adolescents: A Longitudinal Cohort Study
Authors: Temple Jennifer L. , Mansouri Tegan , Andrade Ana Letícia Pereira , Ziegler Amanda M.
Published: May 2023

The relative reinforcing value (RRV) of food and sensitization are associated with zBMI and zBMI change over time, but the mechanisms underlying these relationships is unknown. The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that greater RRV and sensitization to HED food is associated with lower diet quality and greater energy intake at baseline and again at 24 months and that these relationships result in greater zBMI gain. The RRV of HED and LED food and dietary intake were measured at baseline and again after 24 months in a cohort of 202 boys and girls of 12–14 years old. The baseline RRV of HED food was associated with lower diet quality and lower energy intake at 24 months. zBMI gain was positively associated with the baseline energy intake but not baseline RRV of HED food or diet quality. However, diet quality moderated the relationship between baseline energy intake and zBMI change, with no difference in zBMI change as a function of energy intake when diet quality was high but significant and opposite relationships with energy intake when diet quality was low. This study suggests that high diet quality can reduce the negative impact of greater energy intake on zBMI change in adolescents.
Advances in Nutrition in Pediatric Gastroenterology
Authors: Krishnan Usha , Day Andrew S.
Published: May 2023

Chronic conditions affecting the gastrointestinal (GI) tract commonly impact nutrition adversely [...]
Comparative Genomic Analysis and Species Delimitation: A Case for Two Species in the Zoonotic Cestode Dipylidium caninum
Authors: Jesudoss Chelladurai Jeba R. J. , Abraham Aloysius , Quintana Theresa A. , Ritchie Deb , Smith Vicki
Published: May 2023

Dipylidium caninum (Linnaeus, 1758) is a common zoonotic cestode of dogs and cats worldwide. Previous studies have demonstrated the existence of largely host-associated canine and feline genotypes based on infection studies, differences at the 28S rDNA gene, and complete mitochondrial genomes. There have been no comparative genome-wide studies. Here, we sequenced the genomes of a dog and cat isolate of Dipylidium caninum from the United States using the Illumina platform at mean coverage depths of 45× and 26× and conducted comparative analyses with the reference draft genome. Complete mitochondrial genomes were used to confirm the genotypes of the isolates. Genomes of D. caninum canine and feline genotypes generated in this study, had an average identity of 98% and 89%, respectively, when compared to the reference genome. SNPs were 20 times higher in the feline isolate. Comparison and species delimitation using universally conserved orthologs and protein-coding mitochondrial genes revealed that the canine and feline isolates are different species. Data from this study build a base for future integrative taxonomy. Further genomic studies from geographically diverse populations are necessary to understand implications for taxonomy, epidemiology, veterinary clinical medicine, and anthelmintic resistance.
The Role of Parasitoid Wasps, Ixodiphagus spp. (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae), in Tick Control
Authors: Ramos Rafael Antonio Nascimento , de Macedo Lucia Oliveira , Bezerra-Santos Marcos Antônio , de Carvalho Gílcia Aparecida , Verocai Guilherme Gomes , Otranto Domenico
Published: May 2023

Species of Ixodiphagus (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae) are parasitoid wasps whose immature forms develop inside ixodid and argasid ticks (Acari: Ixodida). Following oviposition by adult female wasps into the idiosoma of ticks, larvae hatch and start feeding on their internal contents, eventually emerging as adult wasps from the body of the dead ticks. Species of Ixodiphagus have been reported as parasitoids of 21 species of ticks distributed across 7 genera. There are at least ten species described in the genus, with Ixodiphagus hookeri being the most studied as an agent for biological control of ticks. Although attempts of tick control by means of this parasitoid largely failed, in a small-scale study 150,000 specimens of I. hookeri were released over a 1-year period in a pasture where a small cattle population was kept, resulting in an overall reduction in the number of Amblyomma variegatum ticks per animal. This review discusses current scientific information about Ixodiphagus spp., focusing on the role of this parasitoid in the control of ticks. The interactions between these wasps and the ticks’ population are also discussed, focusing on the many biological and logistical challenges, with limitations of this control method for reducing tick populations under natural conditions.
Emergence and Spread of Enterobacterales with Multiple Carbapenemases after COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Bedenić Branka , Luxner Josefa , Car Haris , Sardelić Sanda , Bogdan Maja , Varda-Brkić Dijana , Šuto Sandra , Grisold Andrea , Beader Nataša , Zarfel Gernot
Published: May 2023

Resistance to carbapenems in Enterobacterales has become a matter of the highest concern in the last decade. Recently, Enterobacterales harboring multiple carbapenemases were detected in three hospital centers in Croatia and in the outpatient setting, posing a serious therapeutic challenge for clinicians. In this study, we analyzed eight Klebsiella pneumoniae and two Enterobacter cloacae complex isolates with multiple carbapenemases, with regard to antibiotic susceptibility, β-lactamase production and plasmid content. The isolates demonstrated uniform resistance to amoxicillin/clavulanate, piperacillin/tazobactam, cefuroxime, ceftazidime, cefotaxime, ceftriaxone and ertapenem. Among novel β-lactam/inhibitor combinations, ceftazidime/avibactam exhibited moderate activity, with 50% of isolates susceptible. All isolates demonstrated resistance to imipenem/cilastatin/relebactam, and all but one to ceftolozane/tazobactam. Four isolates exhibited a multidrug-resistant phenotype (MDR), whereas six were allocated to an extensively drug-resistant phenotype (XDR). OKNV detected three combinations of carbapenemases: OXA-48+NDM (five isolates), OXA-48+VIM (three isolates) and OXA-48+KPC (two isolates). Inter-array testing identified a wide variety of resistance genes for β-lactam antibiotics: blaCTX-M-15, blaTEM, blaSHV, blaOXA-1, blaOXA-2, blaOXA-9, aminoglycosides: aac6, aad, rmt, arm and aph, fluoroquinolones: qnrA, qnrB and qnrS, sulphonamides: sul1 and sul2 and trimethoprim: dfrA5, dfrA7, dfrA14, dfrA17 and dfrA19. mcr genes were reported for the first time in Croatia. This study demonstrated the ability of K. pneumoniae and E. cloacae to acquire various resistance determinants under the selection pressure of antibiotics widely used during the COVID-19 pandemic. The novel inter-array method showed good correlation with OKNV and PCR, although some discrepancies were found.
Lipid Emulsion to Treat Acute Poisonings: Mechanisms of Action, Indications, and Controversies
Authors: Jaffal Karim , Chevillard Lucie , Mégarbane Bruno
Published: May 2023

Biodetoxification using intravenous lipid emulsion (ILE) in acute poisoning is of growing interest. As well as for local anesthetics, ILE is currently used to reverse toxicity caused by a broad-spectrum of lipophilic drugs. Both pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic mechanisms have been postulated to explain its possible benefits, mainly combining a scavenging effect called “lipid sink” and cardiotonic activity. Additional mechanisms based on ILE-attributed vasoactive and cytoprotective properties are still under investigation. Here, we present a narrative review on lipid resuscitation, focusing on the recent literature with advances in understanding ILE-attributed mechanisms of action and evaluating the evidence supporting ILE administration that enabled the international recommendations. Many practical aspects are still controversial, including the optimal dose, the optimal administration timing, and the optimal duration of infusion for clinical efficacy, as well as the threshold dose for adverse effects. Present evidence supports the use of ILE as first-line therapy to reverse local anesthetic-related systemic toxicity and as adjunct therapy in lipophilic non-local anesthetic drug overdoses refractory to well-established antidotes and supportive care. However, the level of evidence is low to very low, as for most other commonly used antidotes. Our review presents the internationally accepted recommendations according to the clinical poisoning scenario and provides the precautions of use to optimize the expected efficacy of ILE and limit the inconveniences of its futile administration. Based on their absorptive properties, the next generation of scavenging agents is additionally presented. Although emerging research shows great potential, several challenges need to be overcome before parenteral detoxifying agents could be considered as an established treatment for severe poisonings.
Plasmid DNA Prime/Protein Boost Vaccination against Campylobacter jejuni in Broilers: Impact of Vaccine Candidates on Immune Responses and Gut Microbiota
Authors: Gloanec Noémie , Guyard-Nicodème Muriel , Brunetti Raphaël , Quesne Ségolène , Keita Alassane , Chemaly Marianne , Dory Daniel
Published: May 2023

Campylobacter infections, traced to poultry products, are major bacterial foodborne zoonoses, and vaccination is a potential solution to reduce these infections. In a previous experimental trial using a plasmid DNA prime/recombinant protein boost vaccine regimen, two vaccine candidates (YP437 and YP9817) induced a partially protective immune response against Campylobacter in broilers, and an impact of the protein batch on vaccine efficacy was suspected. This new study was designed to evaluate different batches of the previously studied recombinant proteins (called YP437A, YP437P and YP9817P) and to enhance the immune responses and gut microbiota studies after a C. jejuni challenge. Throughout the 42-day trial in broilers, caecal Campylobacter load, specific antibodies in serum and bile, the relative expression of cytokines and β-defensins, and caecal microbiota were assessed. Despite there being no significant reduction in Campylobacter in the caecum of vaccinated groups, specific antibodies were detected in serum and bile, particularly for YP437A and YP9817P, whereas the production of cytokines and β-defensins was not significant. The immune responses differed according to the batch. A slight change in microbiota was demonstrated in response to vaccination against Campylobacter. The vaccine composition and/or regimen must be further optimised.
Multilayered Polyurethane/Poly(vinyl alcohol) Nanofibrous Mats for Local Topotecan Delivery as a Potential Retinoblastoma Treatment
Authors: Hobzova Radka , Sirc Jakub , Shrestha Kusum , Mudrova Barbora , Bosakova Zuzana , Slouf Miroslav , Munzarova Marcela , Hrabeta Jan , Feglarova Tereza , Cocarta Ana-Irina
Published: May 2023

Local chemotherapy using polymer drug delivery systems has the potential to treat some cancers, including intraocular retinoblastoma, which is difficult to treat with systemically delivered drugs. Well-designed carriers can provide the required drug concentration at the target site over a prolonged time, reduce the overall drug dose needed, and suppress severe side effects. Herein, nanofibrous carriers of the anticancer agent topotecan (TPT) with a multilayered structure composed of a TPT-loaded inner layer of poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) and outer covering layers of polyurethane (PUR) are proposed. Scanning electron microscopy showed homogeneous incorporation of TPT into the PVA nanofibers. HPLC-FLD proved the good loading efficiency of TPT (≥85%) with a content of the pharmacologically active lactone TPT of more than 97%. In vitro release experiments demonstrated that the PUR cover layers effectively reduced the initial burst release of hydrophilic TPT. In a 3-round experiment with human retinoblastoma cells (Y-79), TPT showed prolonged release from the sandwich-structured nanofibers compared with that from a PVA monolayer, with significantly enhanced cytotoxic effects as a result of an increase in the PUR layer thickness. The presented PUR-PVA/TPT-PUR nanofibers appear to be promising carriers of active TPT lactone that could be useful for local cancer therapy.
A Versatile Brij-Linker for One-Step Preparation of Targeted Nanoparticles
Authors: Anzengruber Maria , Nepustil Lisa Marie , Kurtaj Fatlinda , Tahir Ammar , Skoll Katharina , Sami Haider , Wirth Michael , Gabor Franz
Published: May 2023

Background: Most frequently the functionalization of nanoparticles is hampered by time-consuming, sometimes harsh conjugation and purification procedures causing premature drug release and/or degradation. A strategy to circumvent multi-step protocols is to synthesize building blocks with different functionalities and to use mixtures thereof for nanoparticle preparation in one step. Methods: BrijS20 was converted into an amine derivative via a carbamate linkage. The Brij-amine readily reacts with pre-activated carboxyl-containing ligands such as folic acid. The structures of the building blocks were confirmed by different spectroscopic methods and their utility was assessed by one-step preparation and characterization of nanoparticles applying PLGA as a matrix polymer. Results: Nanoparticles were about 200 nm in diameter independent of the composition. Experiments with human folate expressing single cells and monolayer revealed that the nanoparticle building block Brij mediates a “stealth” effect and the Brij-amine-folate a “targeting” effect. As compared to plain nanoparticles, the stealth effect decreased the cell interaction by 13%, but the targeting effect increased the cell interaction by 45% in the monolayer. Moreover, the targeting ligand density and thus the cell association of the nanoparticles is easily fine-tuned by selection of the initial ratio of the building blocks. Conclusions: This strategy might be a first step towards the one-step preparation of nanoparticles with tailored functionalities. Relying on a non-ionic surfactant is a versatile approach as it might be extended to other hydrophobic matrix polymers and promising targeting ligands from the biotech pipeline.
Performance Analysis of Automatic Hidden Ligthpaths in Multi-Layer Networks
Authors: Biernacka Edyta , Domżał  Jerzy
Published: May 2023

The problem of resource provisioning in multi-layer networks is an important issue. We discuss and analyze resource provisioning in terms of the visibility of optical resources for the virtual layer in a network. In this context, we propose the diversification of the optical spectrum in such a way that some resources are hidden for the virtual layer and used when needed. We introduce and investigate automatic hidden lightpaths to improve resource utilization in multi-layer networks. Our solution uses a software-defined networking concept to automatically set up and release hidden lightpaths, which are not visible at the network layer. We evaluate and analyze two main approaches to resource provisioning in terms of the blocking probability. Future research should focus on resource diversification and the usage of the hidden elastic optical spectrum in modern networks as a promising solution.
The Effect of Stereoregularity and Adding Irganox 1076 on the Physical Aging Behavior of Poly(1-trimetylsilyl-1-propyne)
Authors: Makrushin Vladimir , Kossov Anton , Polevaya Viktoriya , Levin Ivan , Bezgin Denis , Syrtsova Dariya , Matson Samira
Published: May 2023

The effect of the stereoregularity of poly(1-trimethylsilyl-1-propyne) [PTMSP] (cis-content from 50 to 90%) on physical aging was investigated by measurement of the gas permeability. Films from pure PTMSP as well as those with the addition of the antioxidant Irganox 1076 were exposed to the air. The permeability of pure PTMSP films increases with an increase in cis-stereoregularity and correlates with an increase in interchain distances (according to X-ray analysis). For pure PTMSP films, the most significant aging (up to 50% of permeability drop) was observed for polymers with mixed microstructure, and the slowest aging (10–30% of permeability drop) was observed for polymers with cis-regular structure. For PTMSP films with added Irganox 1076, some decrease in permeability with time is also observed. The addition of Irganox 1076 to PTMSP in mixed as well as cis-enriched configurations visibly slows down aging. In the case of cis-regular PTMSP with a slow aging rate, the introduction of an antioxidant does not provide any advantages. The high stability of cis-regular PTMSP demonstrates the possibility of obtaining more stable membrane materials with the highest equilibrium state of the polymer selective layer prepared by casting solution.
Towards the Effectiveness of 3D Printing on Tactile Content Creation for Visually Impaired Users
Authors: Barros Gutenberg , Correia Walter , Teixeira João Marcelo
Published: May 2023

We have conducted research on how tactile content is created for visually impaired individuals. From the data collected, an experiment was developed and applied. It investigated alternative materials to serve as a basis for the use of 3D printing to reduce production costs. It also evaluated the adherence of different values of width, height, and angles of the contour lines, as well as different geometric shapes and top/bottom fill patterns on these materials. The results show it is possible to use cellulose-based materials weighing between 120 g/m2 and 180 g/m2 to support the prints instead of making a base for the information, with gains up to 40 times in production time and up to 29 times in the consumption of materials if there is no need to fold the manufactured content. Based on visually impaired every-day activities such as locating and following a line (exploration), discerning different textures (tactile discrimination), identifying figures (picture comprehension), and locating copies of them (spatial comprehension), the ideal line widths for 3D printing adherence regarding tactile content creation were found to be between 0.8 mm and 1.2 mm, while 0.4 mm was the maximum height that did not compromise adherence. When bending the 3D printed material on the surface, we found that lines with angles between 0° and 20° from the bending direction could keep their adherence as well. The shapes must receive a small rounding at the corners and preferably align themselves with the mentioned angles. The top/bottom fill patterns did not affect adhesion. The infill can be used as a texture generator and should be adjusted to densities of 10% to 50%, or 10% to 90% when combined with other textures. In the first case, users were able to perceive differences in the tactile content whenever a single infill pattern was used. In the latter, combining two infill patterns leads to a more discriminating surface, resulting in a higher number of textures to be used in tactile content production (analogous to the number of colors used in an image for a person with no visual impairment).
Efficient Degradation of Chlortetracycline by Graphene Supported Cobalt Oxide Activated Peroxydisulfate: Performances and Mechanisms
Authors: Li Wei , Yao Bin , Zheng Yuguo , Zhang Guiqiang , Zhi Dan , Zhou Yaoyu
Published: May 2023

Cobalt oxide has good catalytic activity for peroxydisulfate (PDS) activation but poor stability and is vulnerable to inactivation because of agglomeration. In this work, the chlortetracycline (CTC) degradation by peroxydisulfate (PDS) catalysis using the reduced graphene oxide support cobalt oxide (Co3O4/rGO) composite catalyst was investigated. It was found that 86.3% of CTC was degraded within 120 min in the Co3O4/rGO-800/PDS system. The influences of catalyst dosage, PDS concentration, solution pH, and reaction temperature were systematically explored. The excellent removal performance of CTC could be attributed to the synergistic effect between adsorption and catalytic degradation. ≡Co2+ and surface functional groups played as active sites to catalyze PDS, and the circulation of ≡Co2+/≡Co3+ was achieved. Moreover, Co3O4/rGO-800 showed satisfactory reusability after three cycles. This research can provide useful information for the development of efficient PDS catalysts and facilitate insights into CTC degradation mechanism.
Investigating the Power of LSTM-Based Models in Solar Energy Forecasting
Authors: Jailani Nur Liyana Mohd , Dhanasegaran Jeeva Kumaran , Alkawsi Gamal , Alkahtani Ammar Ahmed , Phing Chen Chai , Baashar Yahia , Capretz Luiz Fernando , Al-Shetwi Ali Q. , Tiong Sieh Kiong
Published: May 2023

Solar is a significant renewable energy source. Solar energy can provide for the world’s energy needs while minimizing global warming from traditional sources. Forecasting the output of renewable energy has a considerable impact on decisions about the operation and management of power systems. It is crucial to accurately forecast the output of renewable energy sources in order to assure grid dependability and sustainability and to reduce the risk and expense of energy markets and systems. Recent advancements in long short-term memory (LSTM) have attracted researchers to the model, and its promising potential is reflected in the method’s richness and the growing number of papers about it. To facilitate further research and development in this area, this paper investigates LSTM models for forecasting solar energy by using time-series data. The paper is divided into two parts: (1) independent LSTM models and (2) hybrid models that incorporate LSTM as another type of technique. The Root mean square error (RMSE) and other error metrics are used as the representative evaluation metrics for comparing the accuracy of the selected methods. According to empirical studies, the two types of models (independent LSTM and hybrid) have distinct advantages and disadvantages depending on the scenario. For instance, LSTM outperforms the other standalone models, but hybrid models generally outperform standalone models despite their longer data training time requirement. The most notable discovery is the better suitability of LSTM as a predictive model to forecast the amount of solar radiation and photovoltaic power compared with other conventional machine learning methods.
Spatial Proteomics for the Molecular Characterization of Breast Cancer
Authors: Brožová Klára , Hantusch Brigitte , Kenner Lukas , Kratochwill Klaus
Published: May 2023

Breast cancer (BC) is a major global health issue, affecting a significant proportion of the female population and contributing to high rates of mortality. One of the primary challenges in the treatment of BC is the disease’s heterogeneity, which can lead to ineffective therapies and poor patient outcomes. Spatial proteomics, which involves the study of protein localization within cells, offers a promising approach for understanding the biological processes that contribute to cellular heterogeneity within BC tissue. To fully leverage the potential of spatial proteomics, it is critical to identify early diagnostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets, and to understand protein expression levels and modifications. The subcellular localization of proteins is a key factor in their physiological function, making the study of subcellular localization a major challenge in cell biology. Achieving high resolution at the cellular and subcellular level is essential for obtaining an accurate spatial distribution of proteins, which in turn can enable the application of proteomics in clinical research. In this review, we present a comparison of current methods of spatial proteomics in BC, including untargeted and targeted strategies. Untargeted strategies enable the detection and analysis of proteins and peptides without a predetermined molecular focus, whereas targeted strategies allow the investigation of a predefined set of proteins or peptides of interest, overcoming the limitations associated with the stochastic nature of untargeted proteomics. By directly comparing these methods, we aim to provide insights into their strengths and limitations and their potential applications in BC research.
A Machine Learning Approach for Mapping Chlorophyll Fluorescence at Inland Wetlands
Authors: Bartold Maciej , Kluczek Marcin
Published: May 2023

Wetlands are a critical component of the landscape for climate mitigation, adaptation, biodiversity, and human health and prosperity. Keeping an eye on wetland vegetation is crucial due to it playing a major role in the planet’s carbon cycle and ecosystem management. By measuring the chlorophyll fluorescence (ChF) emitted by plants, we can get a precise understanding of the current state and photosynthetic activity. In this study, we applied the Extreme Gradient Boost (XGBoost) algorithm to map ChF in the Biebrza Valley, which has a unique ecosystem in Europe for peatlands, as well as highly diversified flora and fauna. Our results revealed the advantages of using a set of classifiers derived from EO Sentinel-2 (S-2) satellite image mosaics to accurately map the spatio-temporal distribution of ChF in a terrestrial landscape. The validation proved that the XGBoost algorithm is quite accurate in estimating ChF with a good determination of 0.71 and least bias of 0.012. The precision of chlorophyll fluorescence measurements is reliant upon determining the optimal S-2 satellite overpass time, which is influenced by the developmental stage of the plants at various points during the growing season. Finally, the model performance results indicated that biophysical factors are characterized by greenness- and leaf-pigment-related spectral indices. However, utilizing vegetation indices based on extended periods of remote sensing data that better capture land phenology features can improve the accuracy of mapping chlorophyll fluorescence.
Compensated Attention Feature Fusion and Hierarchical Multiplication Decoder Network for RGB-D Salient Object Detection
Authors: Zeng Zhihong , Liu Haijun , Chen Fenglei , Tan Xiaoheng
Published: May 2023

Multi-modal feature fusion and effectively exploiting high-level semantic information are critical in salient object detection (SOD). However, the depth maps complementing RGB image fusion strategies cannot supply effective semantic information when the object is not salient in the depth maps. Furthermore, most existing (UNet-based) methods cannot fully exploit high-level abstract features to guide low-level features in a coarse-to-fine fashion. In this paper, we propose a compensated attention feature fusion and hierarchical multiplication decoder network (CAF-HMNet) for RGB-D SOD. Specifically, we first propose a compensated attention feature fusion module to fuse multi-modal features based on the complementarity between depth and RGB features. Then, we propose a hierarchical multiplication decoder to refine the multi-level features from top down. Additionally, a contour-aware module is applied to enhance object contour. Experimental results show that our model achieves satisfactory performance on five challenging SOD datasets, including NJU2K, NLPR, STERE, DES, and SIP, which verifies the effectiveness of the proposed CAF-HMNet.
A Real Time Method for Distinguishing COVID-19 Utilizing 2D-CNN and Transfer Learning
Authors: Sultana Abida , Nahiduzzaman Md. , Bakchy Sagor Chandro , Shahriar Saleh Mohammed , Peyal Hasibul Islam , Chowdhury Muhammad E. H. , Khandakar Amith , Arselene Ayari Mohamed , Ahsan Mominul , Haider Julfikar
Published: May 2023

Rapid identification of COVID-19 can assist in making decisions for effective treatment and epidemic prevention. The PCR-based test is expert-dependent, is time-consuming, and has limited sensitivity. By inspecting Chest R-ray (CXR) images, COVID-19, pneumonia, and other lung infections can be detected in real time. The current, state-of-the-art literature suggests that deep learning (DL) is highly advantageous in automatic disease classification utilizing the CXR images. The goal of this study is to develop models by employing DL models for identifying COVID-19 and other lung disorders more efficiently. For this study, a dataset of 18,564 CXR images with seven disease categories was created from multiple publicly available sources. Four DL architectures including the proposed CNN model and pretrained VGG-16, VGG-19, and Inception-v3 models were applied to identify healthy and six lung diseases (fibrosis, lung opacity, viral pneumonia, bacterial pneumonia, COVID-19, and tuberculosis). Accuracy, precision, recall, f1 score, area under the curve (AUC), and testing time were used to evaluate the performance of these four models. The results demonstrated that the proposed CNN model outperformed all other DL models employed for a seven-class classification with an accuracy of 93.15% and average values for precision, recall, f1-score, and AUC of 0.9343, 0.9443, 0.9386, and 0.9939. The CNN model equally performed well when other multiclass classifications including normal and COVID-19 as the common classes were considered, yielding accuracy values of 98%, 97.49%, 97.81%, 96%, and 96.75% for two, three, four, five, and six classes, respectively. The proposed model can also identify COVID-19 with shorter training and testing times compared to other transfer learning models.
Design and Implementation of a Framework for Smart Home Automation Based on Cellular IoT, MQTT, and Serverless Functions
Authors: Esposito Marco , Belli Alberto , Palma Lorenzo , Pierleoni Paola
Published: May 2023

Smart objects and home automation tools are becoming increasingly popular, and the number of smart devices that each dedicated application has to manage is increasing accordingly. The emergence of technologies such as serverless computing and dedicated machine-to-machine communication protocols represents a valuable opportunity to facilitate management of smart objects and replicability of new solutions. The aim of this paper is to propose a framework for home automation applications that can be applied to control and monitor any appliance or object in a smart home environment. The proposed framework makes use of a dedicated messages-exchange protocol based on MQTT and cloud-deployed serverless functions. Furthermore, a vocal command interface is implemented to let users control the smart object with vocal interactions, greatly increasing the accessibility and intuitiveness of the proposed solution. A smart object, namely a smart kitchen fan extractor system, was developed, prototyped, and tested to illustrate the viability of the proposed solution. The smart object is equipped with a narrowband IoT (NB-IoT) module to send and receive commands to and from the cloud. In order to evaluate the performance of the proposed solution, the suitability of NB-IoT for the transmission of MQTT messages was evaluated. The results show how NB-IoT has an acceptable latency performance despite some minimal packet loss.
Computationally Efficient Continuous-Time Model Predictive Control of a 2-DOF Helicopter via B-Spline Parameterization
Authors: Rohaľ-Ilkiv Boris , Gulan Martin , Minarčík Peter
Published: May 2023

This paper investigates one way to reduce the computational burden of continuous-time model predictive control (MPC) laws by representing the input/output signals and related models using B-spline functions. Such an approximation allows to implement the resulting feedback control law more efficiently, requiring less online computational effort. As a result, the proposed controller formulates the control signals as continuous polynomial spline functions. All constraints assumed over the prediction horizon are then expressed as constraints acting on the B-splines control polygon vertices. The performance of the proposed theoretical framework has been demonstrated with several real-time experiments using the well-known 2-DOF laboratory helicopter setup. The aim of the presented experiments was to track given step-like reference trajectories for pitch and yaw angles under notable parameter uncertainties. In order to suppress the influence of uncertainties, the control algorithm is implemented in an adaptive mode, equipped with the recursive least squares (RLS) estimation of model parameters and with the adaptation of stabilizing terminal set and terminal cost calculations. Thanks to the presented framework, it is possible to significantly reduce the computational burden, measured by the number of decision variables and input constrains, indicating the potential of the proposed concept for real-time applications, even when using embedded control hardware.