bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Neurodegenerative Diseases: From Dysproteostasis, Altered Calcium Signalosome to Selective Neuronal Vulnerability to AAV-Mediated Gene Therapy
Authors: Quach Tam T. , Stratton Harrison J. , Khanna Rajesh , Mackey-Alfonso Sabrina , Deems Nicolas , Honnorat Jérome , Meyer Kathrin , Duchemin Anne-Marie
Published: November 2022

Despite intense research into the multifaceted etiology of neurodegenerative diseases (ND), they remain incurable. Here we provide a brief overview of several major ND and explore novel therapeutic approaches. Although the cause (s) of ND are not fully understood, the accumulation of misfolded/aggregated proteins in the brain is a common pathological feature. This aggregation may initiate disruption of Ca++ signaling, which is an early pathological event leading to altered dendritic structure, neuronal dysfunction, and cell death. Presently, ND gene therapies remain unidimensional, elusive, and limited to modifying one pathological feature while ignoring others. Considering the complexity of signaling cascades in ND, we discuss emerging therapeutic concepts and suggest that deciphering the molecular mechanisms involved in dendritic pathology may broaden the phenotypic spectrum of ND treatment. An innovative multiplexed gene transfer strategy that employs silencing and/or over-expressing multiple effectors could preserve vulnerable neurons before they are lost. Such therapeutic approaches may extend brain health span and ameliorate burdensome chronic disease states.
A Novel Furocoumarin Derivative, 5-((diethylamino)me-13 thyl)-3-phenyl-7H-furo [3,2-g] chromen-7-one Upregulates Melanin Synthesis via the Activation of cAMP/PKA and MAPKs Signal Pathway: In Vitro and In Vivo Study
Authors: Zang Deng , Niu Chao , Lu Xueying , Aisa Haji Akber
Published: November 2022

Psoralen, a major furocoumarin component of the Fructus Psoralen (FP), in combination with ultraviolet radiation, cures abnormal pigmentation disorder. In a previous study, we synthesized a series of linear furocoumarins with different substituents, out of which 5-((diethylamino)methyl)-3-phenyl-7H-furo [3,2-g] chromen-7-one (encoded as 5D3PC) showed better pigmenting effect than others in B16 cells. In this study, we examined the mechanism underlying the melanogenic effect of 5D3PC both in vivo and in vitro. To examine the pigmentation effect, the B16 and human melanocyte cell lines, PIG1 and PIG3V melanocytes were incubated with 5D3PC. In animal experiments, C57BL/6 mice received 5% hydroquinone and were administrated with 5D3PC for 30 days. 5D3PC upregulated the melanin synthesis and tyrosinase in B16 cell, PIG1 and PIG3V. The expression level of tyrosinase (TYR), tyrosinase-related protein-1 (TRP-1) and tyrosinase-related protein-2 (TRP-2), microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF), cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP), phosphorylation of cAMP-responsive element binding protein (p-CREB), phosphorylation of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), c- phosphorylation of Jun N-terminal kinase (p-JNK) was significantly higher in 5D3PC-treated B16 cells. The oral administration of 5D3PC attenuated the depigmentation of the C57BL/6 vitiligo mice model by increasing the numbers of melanin-containing hair follicles, melanogenic protein, and melanogenesis-relative genes expression in skin tissues.
Topical Delivery of Hedgehog Inhibitors: Current Status and Perspectives
Authors: Pedersen Kristian Kåber , Høyer-Hansen Maria Helena , Litman Thomas , Hædersdal Merete , Olesen Uffe Høgh
Published: November 2022

Systemic treatment with hedgehog inhibitors (HHis) is available to treat basal cell carcinomas but their utility is limited by adverse effects. Topical delivery methods may reduce adverse effects, but successful topical treatment depends on sufficient skin uptake, biological response, and time in tumor tissue. The aim of this review was to evaluate the current status of topical HHi delivery for BCCs and discuss barriers for translating systemic HHis into topical treatments. A literature search identified 16 preclinical studies and 7 clinical trials on the topical delivery of 12 HHis that have been clinically tested on BCCs. Preclinical studies on drug uptake demonstrated that novel formulations, and delivery- and pre-treatment techniques enhanced topical HHi delivery. Murine studies showed that the topical delivery of sonidegib, itraconazole, vitamin D₃ and CUR-61414 led to biological responses and tumor remission. In clinical trials, only topical patidegib and sonidegib led to at least a partial response in 26/86 BCCs and 30/34 patients, respectively. However, histological clearance was not observed in the samples analyzed. In conclusion, the incomplete clinical response could be due to poor HHi uptake, biodistribution or biological response over time. Novel topical delivery techniques may improve HHi delivery, but additional research on cutaneous pharmacokinetics and biological response is needed.
The Impacts of Iron Overload and Ferroptosis on Intestinal Mucosal Homeostasis and Inflammation
Authors: Huo Caiyun , Li Guiping , Hu Yanxin , Sun Huiling
Published: November 2022

Intestinal homeostasis is maintained through the interplay of the intestinal mucosa, local and systemic immune factors, and the microbial content of the gut. Iron is a trace mineral in most organisms, including humans, which is essential for growth, systemic metabolism and immune response. Paradoxically, excessive iron intake and/or high iron status can be detrimental to iron metabolism in the intestine and lead to iron overload and ferroptosis-programmed cell death mediated by iron-dependent lipid peroxidation within cell membranes, which contributes to several intestinal diseases. In this review, we comprehensively review recent findings on the impacts of iron overload and ferroptosis on intestinal mucosal homeostasis and inflammation and then present the progress of iron overload and ferroptosis-targeting therapy in intestinal diseases. Understanding the involved mechanisms can provide a new understanding of intestinal disease pathogenesis and facilitate advanced preventive and therapeutic strategies for intestinal dysfunction and diseases.
Biomechanical Forces Determine Fibroid Stem Cell Transformation and the Receptivity Status of the Endometrium: A Critical Appraisal
Authors: Celik Onder , Celik Nilufer , Gungor Nur Dokuzeylul , Celik Sudenaz , Arslan Liya , Morciano Andrea , Tinelli Andrea
Published: November 2022

Myometrium cells are an important reproductive niche in which cyclic mechanical forces of a pico-newton range are produced continuously at millisecond and second intervals. Overproduction and/or underproduction of micro-forces, due to point or epigenetic mutation, aberrant methylation, and abnormal response to hypoxia, may lead to the transformation of fibroid stem cells into fibroid-initiating stem cells. Fibroids are tumors with a high modulus of stiffness disturbing the critical homeostasis of the myometrium and they may cause unfavorable and strong mechanical forces. Micro-mechanical forces and soluble-chemical signals play a critical role in transcriptional and translational processes’ maintenance, by regulating communication between the cell nucleus and its organelles. Signals coming from the external environment can stimulate cells in the format of both soluble biochemical signals and mechanical ones. The shape of the cell and the plasma membrane have a significant character in sensing electro-chemical signals, through specialized receptors and generating responses, accordingly. In order for mechanical signals to be perceived by the cell, they must be converted into biological stimuli, through a process called mechanotransduction. Transmission of fibroid-derived mechanical signals to the endometrium and their effects on receptivity modulators are mediated through a pathway known as solid-state signaling. It is not sufficiently clear which type of receptors and mechanical signals impair endometrial receptivity. However, it is known that biomechanical signals reaching the endometrium affect epithelial sodium channels, lysophosphatidic acid receptors or Rho GTPases, leading to conformational changes in endometrial proteins. Translational changes in receptivity modulators may disrupt the selectivity and receptivity functions of the endometrium, resulting in failed implantation or early pregnancy loss. By hypermethylation of the receptivity genes, micro-forces can also negatively affect decidualization and implantation. The purpose of this narrative review is to summarize the state of the art of the biomechanical forces which can determine fibroid stem cell transformation and, thus, affect the receptivity status of the endometrium with regard to fertilization and pregnancy.
Comparative Analysis of Alternative Splicing in Two Contrasting Apple Cultivars Defense against Alternaria alternata Apple Pathotype Infection
Authors: Zhou Tingting , He Youlei , Zeng Xianqi , Cai Binhua , Qu Shenchun , Wang Sanhong
Published: November 2022

Alternaria blotch disease, caused by the Alternaria alternata apple pathotype (A. alternata AP), is one of the most serious fungal diseases in apples. Alternative splicing (AS), one of the pivotal post-transcriptional regulatory mechanisms, plays essential roles in various disease resistance responses. Here, we performed RNA-Seq for two apple cultivars (resistant cultivar ‘Jonathan’ (J) and susceptible cultivar ‘Starking Delicious’ (SD)) infected by A. alternata AP to further investigate their AS divergence. In total, 1454, 1780, 1367 and 1698 specifically regulated differential alternative splicing (DAS) events were detected in J36, J72, SD36 and SD72 groups, respectively. Retained intron (RI) was the dominant AS pattern. Conformably, 642, 764, 585 and 742 uniquely regulated differentially spliced genes (DSGs) were found during A. alternata AP infection. Comparative analysis of AS genes in differential splicing and expression levels suggested that only a small proportion of DSGs overlapped with differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Gene ontology (GO) enrichment analysis demonstrated that the DSGs were significantly enriched at multiple levels of gene expression regulation. Briefly, the specific AS was triggered in apple defense against A. alternata AP. Therefore, this study facilitates our understanding on the roles of AS regulation in response to A. alternata AP infection in apples.
Seasonal Variability in Present-Day Coccolithophore Fluxes in Deep Eastern Mediterranean Sea: A Multi-Year Study (2015–2017) of Coccolithophore Export in SE Ionian Sea at 4300 m Depth
Authors: Hayat Sikandar , Skampa Elisavet , Gogou Alexandra , Stavrakakis Spyros , Parinos Constantine , Triantaphyllou Maria
Published: November 2022

This study is the first attempt to understand the coccolith flux and its seasonal variability at the deepest part of the Mediterranean Sea. Samples were obtained from the deepest Mediterranean time-series sediment trap (4300 m) moored in the SE Ionian Sea (Nestor site) from January 2015 to November 2017. Throughout the study period, the coccolith fluxes displayed a seasonality signal with high values during the late winter–early spring convective mixing period (February to April) and low flux values during summer except for some solitary peaks in June. The maximum coccolith flux was observed in March 2015 while the minimum value was recorded in November 2017. Among the nineteen identified species of heterococcoliths, the dominant species in all the samples was Emiliania huxleyi reaching up to 79%, followed by Florisphaera profunda that comprised up to 33% of the total coccolith count. For the annual cycle of 2015, the average coccolith flux for the Nestor Site at a relatively shallower depth (2000 m) was comparable and for some time intervals was lower than the coccolith flux recorded in the present study at 4300 m, while coccolith flux peaks appeared simultaneously in both traps indicating a fast sinking rate. The higher E. huxleyi, F. profunda, Gladiolithus flabellatus, and Calciosolenia brasiliensis coccolith flux at 4300 m compared with their corresponding fluxes at 2000 m can be attributed to lateral advection, resuspension, and/or the influence of Eastern Mediterranean Deep Waters (EMDWs).
The Influence of Crest Width and Working States on Wave Transmission of Pile–Rock Breakwaters in the Coastal Mekong Delta
Authors: Nguyen Nguyet-Minh , Van Duong Do , Le Duy Tu , Pham Nhat Truong , Duc Dang Thanh , Tanim Ahad Hasan , Wright David , Thanh Phong Nguyen , Anh Duong Tran
Published: November 2022

The coastline of the Ca Mau and Kien Giang provinces in the Vietnamese Mekong Delta has been severely eroded in recent decades. Pile–Rock Breakwaters (PRBWs) are among the most widely adopted structures for controlling shoreline erosion in this region. These structures are effective for wave energy dissipation, stimulating sediment accumulation, and facilitating the restoration of mangrove forests. These breakwaters are generally considered to be the best-engineering practice; however, there is currently insufficient scientific evidence with regard to specific structural design aspects. This can lead to PRBW structures being compromised when deployed in the field. This study used a physical model of a PRBW in a laboratory to investigate several design parameters, including crest width and working states (i.e., submerged, transition, and emerged), and investigated their relationship with the wave transmission coefficient, wave reflection coefficient, and wave energy dissipation. To investigate these relationships further, empirical formulas were derived for PRBWs under different sea states and crest widths to aid the design process. The results showed that the PRBW width had a significant influence on the wave energy coefficients. The findings revealed that the crest width of the breakwater was inversely proportional to the wave transmission coefficient (Kt) under the emerged state. The crest width was also proportional to the wave reduction efficiency and wave energy dissipation in both working states (i.e., the submerged and emerged states). The front wave disturbance coefficient (Kf) was found to be proportional to the wave reflection coefficient, and the wave height in front of the structure was found to increase by up to 1.4 times in the emerged state. The wave reflection coefficient requires special consideration to reduce the toe erosion in the structure. Lastly, empirical equations including linear and non-linear formulas were compared with previous studies for different classes of breakwaters. These empirical equations will be useful for understanding the wave transmission efficiency of PRBWs. The findings of this study provide important guidance for PRBW design in the coastal area of the Mekong Delta.
Direct Evidence on Effect of Oxygen Dissolution on Thermal and Electrical Conductivity of AlN Ceramics Using Al Solid-State NMR Analysis
Authors: Kim Jaegyeom , Kim Jong-Young , Ahn Heewon , Jeong Mu Hyeok , Lee Eunsil , Cho Keonhee , Lee Sung-Min , Shim Wooyoung , Pee Jae-Hwan
Published: November 2022

Aluminum nitride, with its high thermal conductivity and insulating properties, is a promising candidate as a thermal dissipation material in optoelectronics and high-power logic devices. In this work, we have shown that the thermal conductivity and electrical resistivity of AlN ceramics are primarily governed by ionic defects created by oxygen dissolved in AlN grains, which are directly probed using 27Al NMR spectroscopy. We find that a 4-coordinated AlN3O defect (ON) in the AlN lattice is changed to intermediate AlNO3, and further to 6-coordinated AlO6 with decreasing oxygen concentration. As the aluminum vacancy (VAl) defect, which is detrimental to thermal conductivity, is removed, the overall thermal conductivity is improved from 120 to 160 W/mK because of the relatively minor effect of the AlO6 defect on thermal conductivity. With the same total oxygen content, as the AlN3O defect concentration decreases, thermal conductivity increases. The electrical resistivity of our AlN ceramics also increases with the removal of oxygen because the major ionic carrier is VAl. Our results show that to enhance the thermal conductivity and electrical resistivity of AlN ceramics, the dissolved oxygen in AlN grains should be removed first. This understanding of the local structure of Al-related defects enables us to design new thermal dissipation materials.
Analysis on Effects of Joint Spacing on the Performance of Jointed Plain Concrete Pavements Based on Long-Term Pavement Performance Database
Authors: Wang Jiaqing , Luo Xiaojuan , Huang Xin , Ye Yao , Ruan Sihan
Published: November 2022

With the day–night temperature and moisture levels changing every day, expansion and shrinkage of concrete slabs is always occurring; therefore, joints provide extra room for concrete slab deformation. The joint spacing in jointed plain concrete pavement (JPCP) is continuously affecting long-term pavement behaviors. In this study, data from the Long-Term Pavement Performance (LTPP) program were analyzed, and the behaviors of JPCP with different joint spacings were compared to discover the joint spacing effects. Since LTPP has an enormous database, three representative sections located in different states were selected for analysis, where the variable factors such as temperature, moisture, and average annual daily truck traffic (AADTT) were almost the same between the three sections. Three different joint spacings, including 15 ft (4.5 m), 20 ft (6 m), and 25 ft (7.5 m), were compared based on the collected LTPP data. The involved long-term pavement performances, such as average transverse cracking (count), average JPCP faulting, international roughness index (IRI), and falling weight deflectometer (FWD) deflections were compared between JPCP with different joint spacings. Based on the comparative analysis, the JPCP constructed with a 15 ft joint spacing demonstrated the best long-term performance. It showed no transverse cracking, the lowest average JPCP faulting, the best IRI value, and the smallest FWD deflection during the entire in-service period. With proper joint spacing, the cost of road maintenance throughout the life cycle could be significantly reduced due to there being less distress. Therefore, it is recommended to optimize the joint spacing to about 15 ft in JPCP in future applications.
Ash and Slag Waste Processing in Self-Shielded Atmospheric DC Arc Discharge Plasma
Authors: Bolatova Zhanar , Pak Alexander , Larionov Kirill , Nikitin Dmitriy , Povalyaev Pavel , Ivashutenko Aleksander , Mamontov Gennady , Pestryakov Alexey
Published: November 2022

In this paper, we report the experimental results obtained in slag waste processing by direct current arc discharge initiated in ambient air. The method does not employ vacuum and gas equipment, therefore increasing the energy efficiency of processing. Plasma processing of coal slag was performed at different arc exposure times: 5, 10, 15, 20, and 25 s. The obtained materials contained a significant amount of graphite, which was removed through combustion. The micropowder based on silicon carbide and aluminum nitride was obtained and then sintered by spark plasma. The bulk ceramic samples based on silicon carbide with the hardness of ~10.4 GPa were finally fabricated.
Numerical Simulation of Copper-Aluminum Composite Plate Casting and Rolling Process and Composite Mechanism
Authors: Chang Qinghua , Gao Peikai , Zhang Junyi , Huo Yiqang , Zhang Zheng , Xie Jingpei
Published: November 2022

This paper uses ANSYS Workbench platform to simulate the casting and rolling composite process, taking the horizontal type casting and rolling machine as the research object, and conducts the numerical simulation study of copper-aluminum composite solid-liquid casting and rolling heat-flow coupling, mainly to study different walking speed, aluminum pouring temperature, casting and rolling zone length, heat transfer coefficient on the temperature field, liquid phase rate influence law, and use it as a theoretical guide for copper-aluminum solid-liquid casting. The experiments of copper-aluminum solid-liquid casting-rolling composite were carried out to optimize the process parameters and to verify the experiments, so as to prepare a well-bonded copper-aluminum composite plate. The composite mechanism in the preparation of copper-aluminum composite plate was analyzed, and it was clarified that the interfacial layer was formed through four stages: contact between copper and aluminum surfaces, contact surface activation, mutual diffusion of copper and aluminum atoms, and reaction diffusion.
Bioinformatic Analysis of the BCL-xL/BCL2L1 Interactome in Patients with Pancreatic Cancer
Authors: Magouliotis Dimitrios E. , Karamolegkou Anna P. , Zotos Prokopis-Andreas , Tatsios Evangelos , Samara Athina A. , Alexopoulou Dimitra , Koutsougianni Fani , Sakellaridis Nikos , Zacharoulis Dimitris , Dimas Konstantinos
Published: November 2022

Objectives: The aim of the present study was to analyze the differential gene expression of BCL-xL/BCL2L and the associated genetic, molecular, and biologic functions in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) by employing advanced bioinformatics to investigate potential candidate genes implicated in the pathogenesis of PDAC. Materials and Methods: Bioinformatic techniques were employed to build the gene network of BCL-xL, to assess the translational profile of BCL-xL in PDAC, assess its role in predicting PDAC, and investigate the associated biologic functions and the regulating miRNA families. Results: Microarray data extracted from one dataset was incorporated, including 130 samples (PDAC: 69; Control: 61). In addition, the expression level of BCL-xL was higher in PDAC compared to control samples (p < 0.001). Furthermore, BCL-xL demonstrated excellent discrimination (AUC: 0.83 [95% Confidence Intervals: 0.76, 0.90]; p < 0.001) and calibration (R squared: 0.31) traits for PDAC. A gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) demonstrated the molecular functions and miRNA families (hsa-miR-4804-5p, hsa-miR-4776-5p, hsa-miR-6770-3p, hsa-miR-3619-3p, and hsa-miR-7152-3p) related to BCL-xL. Conclusions: The current findings unveil the biological implications of BCL-xL in PDAC and the related molecular functions and miRNA families.
Advances in Metal Casting Technology: A Review of State of the Art, Challenges and Trends—Part I: Changing Markets, Changing Products
Authors: Lehmhus Dirk
Published: November 2022

Metal casting is among the oldest primary shaping processes known to humanity [...]
Nematicidal Metabolites from the Actinomycete Micromonospora sp. WH06
Authors: Ran Yuan , Zhang Yu , Wang Xin , Li Guohong
Published: November 2022

A nematicidal actinomycete strain WH06 was isolated from soil samples and was identified using 16S rRNA as Micromonospora sp. Through medium screening and fermentation, 10 metabolites were isolated from the ethyl acetate extract of its fermentation broth using Sephadex LH-20 and silica gel column chromatography. These compounds were identified as N-acetyltyramine (1), N-acetyltryptamine (2), 1-methylhydantoin (3), benzenepropanoic acid (4), cyclo-(L-Pro-L-Tyr) (5), cyclo(L-Phe-Gly) (6), catechol (7), methyl (4-hydroxyphenyl)acetate (8), 3-hydroxybenzoic acid (9), and 4-hydroxybenzoic acid (10). In an in vitro assay against Meloidogyne incognita, a root-knot nematode, compounds 1, 4, 9, and 10 show nematicidal activity. Among them, benzenepropanoic acid (4) causes 99.02% mortality of nematode at 200 μg mL−1 after 72 h. Moreover, compound 4 also displays activity in inhibiting egg hatching of M. incognita. This suggests that Micromonospora sp. WH06 is a promising candidate for biocontrol of M. incognita.
Exploring Structural Diversity among Adhesion Devices Encoded by Lactococcal P335 Phages with AlphaFold2
Authors: Goulet Adeline , Mahony Jennifer , Cambillau Christian , van Sinderen Douwe
Published: November 2022

Bacteriophages, or phages, are the most abundant biological entities on Earth. They possess molecular nanodevices to package and store their genome, as well as to introduce it into the cytoplasm of their bacterial prey. Successful phage infection commences with specific recognition of, and adhesion to, a suitable host cell surface. Adhesion devices of siphophages infecting Gram-positive bacteria are very diverse and remain, for the majority, poorly understood. These assemblies often comprise long, flexible, and multi-domain proteins, which limit their structural analyses by experimental approaches. The protein structure prediction program AlphaFold2 is exquisitely adapted to unveil structural and functional details of such molecular machineries. Here, we present structure predictions of adhesion devices from siphophages belonging to the P335 group infecting Lactococcus spp., one of the most extensively applied lactic acid bacteria in dairy fermentations. The predictions of representative adhesion devices from types I-IV P335 phages illustrate their very diverse topology. Adhesion devices from types III and IV phages share a common topology with that of Skunavirus p2, with a receptor binding protein anchored to the virion by a distal tail protein loop. This suggests that they exhibit an activation mechanism similar to that of phage p2 prior to host binding.
Genomics of Klebsiella pneumoniae Species Complex Reveals the Circulation of High-Risk Multidrug-Resistant Pandemic Clones in Human, Animal, and Environmental Sources
Authors: Morgado Sergio , Fonseca Erica , Vicente Ana Carolina
Published: November 2022

The Klebsiella species present a remarkable genetic and ecological diversity, being ubiquitous in nature. In particular, the Klebsiella pneumoniae species complex (KpSC) has emerged as a major public health threat in the world, being an interesting model to assess the risk posed by strains recovered from animals and the environment to humans. We therefore performed a genomic surveillance analysis of the KpSC using every public genome in Brazil, aiming to show their local and global relationships, and the connectivity of antibiotic resistance and virulence considering human, animal, and environmental sources. The 390 genomes from distinct sources encompassed the K. pneumoniae, Klebsiella quasipneumoniae subsp. quasipneumoniae, Klebsiella quasipneumoniae subsp. similipneumoniae, Klebsiella variicola subsp. variicola, Klebsiella variicola subsp. tropica, and Klebsiella grimontii species and subspecies. K. pneumoniae harbored dozens of antibiotic resistance genes, while most of the genomes belong to the high-risk pandemic CC258 occurring in humans, animals, and the environment. In K. pneumoniae ST11, a high prevalence of the virulence determinants yersiniabactin, colibactin, and T6SS was revealed in association with multi-drug resistance (MDR), including carbapenem resistance. A diversity of resistance genes is carried by plasmids, some shared between strains from different STs, regions, and sources. Therefore, here were revealed some factors driving the success of KpSC as a pathogen.
Bridging the Gap in Malaria Parasite Resistance, Current Interventions, and the Way Forward from in Silico Perspective: A Review
Authors: Kumi Ransford Oduro , Oti Belinda , Abo-Dya Nader E. , Alahmdi Mohamed Issa , Soliman Mahmoud E. S.
Published: November 2022

The past decade has seen most antimalarial drugs lose their clinical potency stemming from parasite resistance. Despite immense efforts by researchers to mitigate this global scourge, a breakthrough is yet to be achieved, as most current malaria chemotherapies suffer the same fate. Though the etiology of parasite resistance is not well understood, the parasite’s complex life has been implicated. A drug-combination therapy with artemisinin as the central drug, artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT), is currently the preferred malaria chemotherapy in most endemic zones. The emerging concern of parasite resistance to artemisinin, however, has compromised this treatment paradigm. Membrane-bound Ca2+-transporting ATPase and endocytosis pathway protein, Kelch13, among others, are identified as drivers in plasmodium parasite resistance to artemisinin. To mitigate parasite resistance to current chemotherapy, computer-aided drug design (CADD) techniques have been employed in the discovery of novel drug targets and the development of small molecule inhibitors to provide an intriguing alternative for malaria treatment. The evolution of plasmepsins, a class of aspartyl acid proteases, has gained tremendous attention in drug discovery, especially the non-food vacuole. They are expressed at multi-stage of the parasite’s life cycle and involve in hepatocytes’ egress, invasion, and dissemination of the parasite within the human host, further highlighting their essentiality. In silico exploration of non-food vacuole plasmepsin, PMIX and PMX unearthed the dual enzymatic inhibitory mechanism of the WM382 and 49c, novel plasmepsin inhibitors presently spearheading the search for potent antimalarial. These inhibitors impose structural compactness on the protease, distorting the characteristic twist motion. Pharmacophore modeling and structure activity of these compounds led to the generation of hits with better affinity and inhibitory prowess towards PMIX and PMX. Despite these headways, the major obstacle in targeting PM is the structural homogeneity among its members and to human Cathepsin D. The incorporation of CADD techniques described in the study at early stages of drug discovery could help in selective inhibition to augment malaria chemotherapy.
Modeling Effect of Bubbles on Time-Dependent Radiation Transfer of Microalgae in a Photobioreactor for Carbon Dioxide Fixation
Authors: Fei Tianhao , Lin Li , Li Xingcan , Yang Jia-Yue , Zhao Junming , Liu Linhua
Published: November 2022

Microalgae are considered one of the most efficient and environmentally friendly ways for carbon dioxide fixation. The bubbles play an important role in analyzing the radiation transfer in photobioreactors during microalgae growth. Herein, Chlorella sp. and Scenedesmus obliquus were cultured in the airlift flat plate photobioreactor and evaluated for the temporal evolution of radiation characteristics. A one-dimensional model of bubbles on time-dependent radiation transfer in a photobioreactor was proposed, and it was well verified with the experimental result. The results indicated that with the increase of bubble volume fraction or the decrease of bubble radius, the local irradiance increased at the illuminated surface of the microalgal culture and was attenuated more rapidly along with the radiation transfer. The average specific growth rate of microalgae decreases as bubble volume fraction increases or bubble radius decreases. The volume fraction of 0.003 and a radius of 3.5 mm are the optimal operating conditions in this study for microalgae growth and carbon dioxide fixation. The presented analysis would facilitate the design and optimization of the optical and aeration configurations of photobioreactors for carbon dioxide fixation.
TSC-1 Optical Payload Hyperspectral Imager Preliminary Design and Performance Estimation
Authors: Wanajaroen Weerapot , Buisset Christophe , Lépine Thierry , Chartsiriwattana Pearachad , Kosiyakul Merisa , Prasit Apirat , Saisutjarit Phongsatorn , Wannawichian Suwicha , Rujopakarn Wiphu , Poshyachinda Saran , Soonthornthum Boonrucksar
Published: November 2022

The Thai Space Consortium aims at building capacities in space technologies and industries with the objective to develop satellites in Thailand. In this framework, the first Earth Observation satellite that will be developed by this consortium is called TSC-1. This satellite comprises a hyperspectral imager orbiting in a Sun-Synchronous Low-Earth Orbit at the altitude equal to 630 km. The optical payload is specified to provide data cubes with a Ground Sample Distance equal to 30 m, a swath equal to 30 km, a spectral resolution equal to 10 nm over the spectral domain from 400 nm to 1000 nm with a Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR) higher than 100. Firstly, we present the trade-off performed to select the design of the Front Telescope and the Spectrometer. Secondly, we describe the payload design and present the image quality, Modulation Transfer Function and distortion. Next, we establish the tolerance budget to estimate the performance of the optical system including manufacturing errors, assembly errors and stability of the mechanical structure. After that, we calculate the instrument’s spatial and spectral response functions and the contamination of the adjacent pixels due to the straylight. Finally, we estimate radiometric performance in both nadir pointing mode and forward motion compensation mode.
A Combined mmWave Tracking and Classification Framework Using a Camera for Labeling and Supervised Learning
Authors: Pearce Andre , Zhang J. Andrew , Xu Richard
Published: November 2022

Millimeter wave (mmWave) radar poses prosperous opportunities surrounding multiple-object tracking and sensing as a unified system. One of the most challenging aspects of exploiting sensing opportunities with mmWave radar is the labeling of mmWave data so that, in turn, a respective model can be designed to achieve the desired tracking and sensing goals. The labeling of mmWave datasets usually involves a domain expert manually associating radar frames with key events of interest. This is a laborious means of labeling mmWave data. This paper presents a framework for training a mmWave radar with a camera as a means of labeling the data and supervising the radar model. The methodology presented in this paper is compared and assessed against existing frameworks that aim to achieve a similar goal. The practicality of the proposed framework is demonstrated through experimentation in varying environmental conditions. The proposed framework is applied to design a mmWave multi-object tracking system that is additionally capable of classifying individual human motion patterns, such as running, walking, and falling. The experimental findings demonstrate a reliably trained radar model that uses a camera for labeling and supervision that can consistently produce high classification accuracy across environments beyond those in which the model was trained against. The research presented in this paper provides a foundation for future research in unified tracking and sensing systems by alleviating the labeling and training challenges associated with designing a mmWave classification model.
Prototype Machine Learning Algorithms from Wearable Technology to Detect Tennis Stroke and Movement Actions
Authors: Perri Thomas , Reid Machar , Murphy Alistair , Howle Kieran , Duffield Rob
Published: November 2022

This study evaluated the accuracy of tennis-specific stroke and movement event detection algorithms from a cervically mounted wearable sensor containing a triaxial accelerometer, gyroscope and magnetometer. Stroke and movement data from up to eight high-performance tennis players were captured in match-play and movement drills. Prototype algorithms classified stroke (i.e., forehand, backhand, serve) and movement (i.e., “Alert”, “Dynamic”, “Running”, “Low Intensity”) events. Manual coding evaluated stroke actions in three classes (i.e., forehand, backhand and serve), with additional descriptors of spin (e.g., slice). Movement data was classified according to the specific locomotion performed (e.g., lateral shuffling). The algorithm output for strokes were analysed against manual coding via absolute (n) and relative (%) error rates. Coded movements were grouped according to their frequency within the algorithm’s four movement classifications. Highest stroke accuracy was evident for serves (98%), followed by groundstrokes (94%). Backhand slice events showed 74% accuracy, while volleys remained mostly undetected (41–44%). Tennis-specific footwork patterns were predominantly grouped as “Dynamic” (63% of total events), alongside successful linear “Running” classifications (74% of running events). Concurrent stroke and movement data from wearable sensors allows detailed and long-term monitoring of tennis training for coaches and players. Improvements in movement classification sensitivity using tennis-specific language appear warranted.
IMU-Based Classification of Locomotion Modes, Transitions, and Gait Phases with Convolutional Recurrent Neural Networks
Authors: Marcos Mazon Daniel , Groefsema Marc , Schomaker Lambert R. B. , Carloni Raffaella
Published: November 2022

This paper focuses on the classification of seven locomotion modes (sitting, standing, level ground walking, ramp ascent and descent, stair ascent and descent), the transitions among these modes, and the gait phases within each mode, by only using data in the frequency domain from one or two inertial measurement units. Different deep neural network configurations are investigated and compared by combining convolutional and recurrent layers. The results show that a system composed of a convolutional neural network followed by a long short-term memory network is able to classify with a mean F1-score of 0.89 and 0.91 for ten healthy subjects, and of 0.92 and 0.95 for one osseointegrated transfemoral amputee subject (excluding the gait phases because they are not labeled in the data-set), using one and two inertial measurement units, respectively, with a 5-fold cross-validation. The promising results obtained in this study pave the way for using deep learning for the control of transfemoral prostheses with a minimum number of inertial measurement units.
Design of Fractional Order Odd-Harmonics Repetitive Controller for Discrete-Time Linear Systems with Experimental Validations
Authors: Kurniawan Edi , Prakosa Jalu A. , Wang Hai , Wijonarko Sensus , Maftukhah Tatik , Purwowibowo Purwowibowo , Septanto Harry , Pratiwi Enggar B. , Rustandi Dadang
Published: November 2022

This paper presents a simple and straightforward design of a discrete-time fractional-order odd-harmonics repetitive controller (RC). Unlike general RC designs, the proposed method utilizes an internal model with a half-period delay and a stabilizing controller with a fractional phase lead compensator. First, the odd-harmonics internal model representing odd-harmonics frequencies is constructed by using the information of the reference’s basis period and the preferred tracking bandwidth. Secondly, an optimization problem synthesized from the stability condition of the RC closed-loop system is solved to obtain the fractional phase lead compensator. Finally, the fractional term of the stabilizing controller is realized by using a causal and stable infinite impulse response (IIR) filter, where the filter coefficients are computed by applying the Thiran formula. Simulation and experimental validation on a servomotor system are conducted to verify the effectiveness of the proposed design.
Transformers for Urban Sound Classification—A Comprehensive Performance Evaluation
Authors: Nogueira Ana Filipa Rodrigues , Oliveira Hugo S. , Machado José J. M. , Tavares João Manuel R. S.
Published: November 2022

Many relevant sound events occur in urban scenarios, and robust classification models are required to identify abnormal and relevant events correctly. These models need to identify such events within valuable time, being effective and prompt. It is also essential to determine for how much time these events prevail. This article presents an extensive analysis developed to identify the best-performing model to successfully classify a broad set of sound events occurring in urban scenarios. Analysis and modelling of Transformer models were performed using available public datasets with different sets of sound classes. The Transformer models’ performance was compared to the one achieved by the baseline model and end-to-end convolutional models. Furthermore, the benefits of using pre-training from image and sound domains and data augmentation techniques were identified. Additionally, complementary methods that have been used to improve the models’ performance and good practices to obtain robust sound classification models were investigated. After an extensive evaluation, it was found that the most promising results were obtained by employing a Transformer model using a novel Adam optimizer with weight decay and transfer learning from the audio domain by reusing the weights from AudioSet, which led to an accuracy score of 89.8% for the UrbanSound8K dataset, 95.8% for the ESC-50 dataset, and 99% for the ESC-10 dataset, respectively.
Impact Assessment of the Ms7.0 Earthquake on Jiuzhaigou Valley from the Perspective of Vegetation Net Primary Productivity
Authors: Wang Chenyuan , Hu Xudong , Hu Kaiheng , Liu Shuang , Zhong Wei
Published: November 2022

In order to assess the impact of the Ms7.0 Jiuzhaigou earthquake that occurred on 8 August 2017 on vegetation, the Carnegie-Ames-Stanford Approach (CASA) model was adopted to estimate the vegetation net primary productivity (NPP) of Jiuzhaigou Valley, one of the World Heritage Sites, in July, August and September from 2015 to 2019. Then the characteristics of the impact of different earthquake-induced geohazards on vegetation were discussed, and a vulnerability-resilience assessment system concerning the seismic intensity was proposed. The results show that the NPPmax and NPPmean values in Jiuzhaigou Valley first decreased and then increased and were 151.5–261.9 gC/m2 and 54.6–116.3 gC/m2, respectively. The NPP value of more than 70% area was 90–150 gC/m2 in July. In August, the NPPmean values decreased, and the areas with lower values became larger; the NPPmean values of most areas affected by geohazards were 60–150 gC/m2. During the earthquake, the NPPmean values of areas hit by geohazards sharply declined by 27.2% (landslide), 22.4% (debris flow) and 15.7% (collapse) compared with those in the same month in 2016. Vegetation in debris flow zones showed a stronger recovery, with a maximum NPP value increase of about 23.0% in September 2017. The vegetation gradually recovered after the earthquake, as indicated by the uptrend of the NPP values in the corresponding period in 2018 and 2019. In general, the reduction magnitude of NPP values decreased year by year in comparison to that in 2015 and 2016, and the decrease slowed down after the earthquake. The vulnerability and resilience index corresponding to the three seismic intensity ranges were 0.470–0.669 and 0.642–0.693, respectively, and those of Jiuzhaigou Valley were 0.473 and 0.671, respectively. The impact coefficient defined to represent the impact of the earthquake on NPP was 0.146–0.213. This paper provides a theoretical reference and guidance for the impact assessment of earthquakes on the ecosystem.
Removal of Dye from Aquatic Environments: State-of-the-Art and Future Perspectives
Authors: Mojiri Amin
Published: November 2022

Surface water sources play a vital role in numerous aspects of societal demand, including as sources of drinking water and water used for agricultural and industrial purposes [...]
Establishing and Integrating a Female Genital Schistosomiasis Control Programme into the Existing Health Care System
Authors: Nemungadi Takalani Girly , Furumele Tsakani Ernica , Gugerty Mary Kay , Djirmay Amadou Garba , Naidoo Saloshni , Kjetland Eyrun Flörecke
Published: November 2022

Female genital schistosomiasis (FGS) is a complication of Schistosoma haematobium infection, and imposes a health burden whose magnitude is not fully explored. It is estimated that up to 56 million women in sub-Saharan Africa have FGS, and almost 20 million more cases will occur in the next decade unless infected girls are treated. Schistosomiasis is reported throughout the year in South Africa in areas known to be endemic, but there is no control programme. We analyze five actions for both a better understanding of the burden of FGS and reducing its prevalence in Africa, namely: (1) schistosomiasis prevention by establishing a formal control programme and increasing access to treatment, (2) introducing FGS screening, (3) providing knowledge to health care workers and communities, (4) vector control, and (5) water, sanitation, and hygiene. Schistosomiasis is focal in South Africa, with most localities moderately affected (prevalence between 10% and 50%), and some pockets that are high risk (more than 50% prevalence). However, in order to progress towards elimination, the five actions are yet to be implemented in addition to the current (and only) control strategy of case-by-case treatment. The main challenge that South Africa faces is a lack of access to WHO-accredited donated medication for mass drug administration. The establishment of a formal and funded programme would address these issues and begin the implementation of the recommended actions.
Estrutura eletrônica, espectroscopia e dinâmica quase-clássica de sistemas moleculares: um estudo teórico
Authors:   , Silva Ramon Sousa da
Published: November 2022

Neste trabalho, cálculos de estrutura eletrônica foram realizados visando investigar espécies formadas de [Li,N,O,S]. Através deste estudo, foi possível identificar que o acoplamento spin-órbita possui papel fundamental nos espectros moleculares dos diátomos N2, NO e LiO. Em particular, usamos os resultados obtidos para o radical NO a fim de examinar a técnica de aprisionamento por spin. Esta técnica tem por finalidade detectar radicais livres com de curtos tempos de vida em sistemas biológicos. Uma proposta de construção de superfície de energia potencial para a espécie LiS2 é discutida utilizando como base os resultados para a diatômica LiS. Para o N2, nossas predições indicam um novo sistema de bandas nunca antes observado. Além do mais, considerando a metodologia das trajetórias quase-clássicas, analisou-se a formação do mínimo de Van der Waals ArSO2 gerado a partir de colisões entre o átomo de argônio e o dióxido de enxofre.
O Terreiro além-muros, floresta adentro: deslocamentos e adaptações de Terreiros, o caso do Parque Ecológico dos Orixás
Authors:   , Oliveira Elza Aparecida de
Published: November 2022

A presente tese busca se debruçar sobre a relação entre religião e espaço dentro do universo religioso do Candomblé. Levando em consideração que esses espaços são múltiplos e revestidos de densidades religiosas variadas, podem ser os próprios terreiros (intramuros/fixos) ou espaços fora deles (extramuros/fluxos). Para tal fim, levando em consideração que o Candomblé é uma religião fruto da diáspora africana, se faz necessário entender e descrever como o Candomblé construiu seu espaço enquanto território no novo continente e como ele se transfigura em espaço mítico, religioso, histórico, ancestral e de resistência. Também será descrito a própria história do Candomblé enquanto religião reminiscente do culto aos Orixás, cultuada em África e que recebe no Brasil contornos próprios. Trataremos desde seus primeiros movimentos como calundu (séc. XVII), culto privado ainda dentro das senzalas, até sua estruturação e ampliação quando se torna culto público (séc. XIX) migrando para as cidades (centros e periferias). A partir disso, esta tese analisa os trânsitos, deslocamentos e adaptações do Candomblé, para novos espaços de culto, a exemplo o Parque Ecológico dos Orixás (PEO) em Magé, no Rio de Janeiro. Espaço que surge como uma reação institucional frente aos entraves e cerceamentos, na tentativa de resolver demandas por espaços de expressão tão urgente para os Terreiros na contemporaneidade.