bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
From Soundwave to Soundscape: A Guide to Acoustic Research in Captive Animal Environments
Authors: Clark Fay E. , Dunn Jacob C.
Published: June 2022

Sound is a complex feature of all environments, but captive animals' soundscapes (acoustic scenes) have been studied far less than those of wild animals. Furthermore, research across farms, laboratories, pet shelters, and zoos tends to focus on just one aspect of environmental sound measurement: its pressure level or intensity (in decibels). We review the state of the art of captive animal acoustic research and contrast this to the wild, highlighting new opportunities for the former to learn from the latter. We begin with a primer on sound, aimed at captive researchers and animal caregivers with an interest (rather than specific expertise) in acoustics. Then, we summarize animal acoustic research broadly split into measuring sound from animals, or their environment. We guide readers from soundwave to soundscape and through the burgeoning field of conservation technology, which offers new methods to capture multiple features of complex, gestalt soundscapes. Our review ends with suggestions for future research, and a practical guide to sound measurement in captive environments.
Effect of Supplementing Dairy Goat Diets With Rapeseed Oil or Sunflower Oil on Performance, Milk Composition, Milk Fatty Acid Profile, and in vitro Fermentation Kinetics
Authors: Vargas-Bello-Pérez Einar , Pedersen Nanna Camilla , Khushvakov Jaloliddin , Ye Yongxin , Dhakal Rajan , Hansen Hanne H. , Ahrné Lilia , Khakimov Bekzod
Published: June 2022

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of supplementing dairy goat diets with rapeseed oil and sunflower oil on performance, milk composition, milk fatty acid profile, and in vitro fermentation kinetics. Nine Danish Landrace goats with 42 ± 5 days in milk were allocated to three treatment groups for 42 days. Animals received a basal diet, formulated with 85:15 forage:concentrate ratio, and the basal diet was supplemented with either rapeseed oil or sunflower oil at 4% of dry matter. Goat milk was sampled on days 14, 21, and 42. Milk composition was similar between treatments. From day 14 to day 42, milk yield increased (1.03 vs. 1.34 kg/d), while milk fat (2.72 vs. 1.82 g/d) and total solids (11.2 vs. 9.14 %) were reduced. Compared to control and rapeseed oil, sunflower decreased (P < 0.05) C4:0 (1.56, and 1.67 vs. 1.36 g/100 g) and both oils decreased (P < 0.05) C18:3n3 (0.60 vs. 0.20 and 0.10 g/100g). Rapeseed oil increased (P < 0.05) C18:2 cis9, trans11 compared to control and sunflower oil (0.37 vs. 0.13 and 0.19 g/100 g). Untargeted milk foodomics revealed slightly elevated (P < 0.05) gluconic acid and decreased hippuric acid (P < 0.05) in the milk of oil-fed goats compared to control. In vitro dry matter degradation (63.2 ± 0.02 %) was not affected by dietary treatments, while individual volatile fatty acid proportions, total volatile fatty acids (35.7 ± 2.44 mmol/l), CO2 (18.6 ± 1.15 mol), and CH4 (11.6 ± 1.16 mol) were not affected by dietary treatments. Sunflower oil and rapeseed oil decreased (P < 0.05) total gas production at 24 and 48 h compared with control. Overall, the use of sunflower oil or rapeseed oil at 4% DM inclusion did not compromise animal performance and milk composition.
Genomic Characteristics of a Chicken Infectious Anemia Virus in Contaminated Attenuated Vaccine
Authors: Chen Longfei , Su Qi , Li Yan , Wang Jinjin , Zhang Yawen , Chang Shuang , Wang Yixin , Zhao Peng
Published: June 2022

Chicken infectious anemia virus (CIAV) can be transmitted by contaminated live vaccines, and causes huge economic losses. This study evaluated the contamination status of CIAV in 24 batches of vaccines by recombinase-aided amplification assay (RAA), fluorescence quantitative PCR and dot blot assay, and then found a contaminated attenuated vaccine. The whole genome of the CIAV contaminant was then sequenced and named JS2020-PFV (Genbank accession number: MW234428, 2296bp). It showed 94.5 to 99.9% identities with reference strains and shared the closest evolution relationship with AB1K strain which was isolated from a chicken farm in Turkey. All of these suggested that the use of CIAV contaminated live vaccine may be one of the reason for its epidemic in poultry.
Attenuated HIV-1 Nef But Not Vpu Function in a Cohort of Rwandan Long-Term Survivors
Authors: Umviligihozo Gisele , Mann Jaclyn K. , Jin Steven W. , Mwimanzi Francis M. , Hsieh Hua-Shiuan A. , Sudderuddin Hanwei , Lee Guinevere Q. , Byakwaga Helen , Muzoora Conrad , Hunt Peter W. , Martin Jeff N. , Haberer Jessica E. , Karita Etienne , Allen Susan , Hunter Eric , Brumme Zabrina L. , Brockman Mark A.
Published: June 2022

HIV-1 accessory proteins Nef and Vpu enhance viral pathogenesis through partially overlapping immune evasion activities. Attenuated Nef or Vpu functions have been reported in individuals who display slower disease progression, but few studies have assessed the relative impact of these proteins in non-B HIV-1 subtypes or examined paired proteins from the same individuals. Here, we examined the sequence and function of matched Nef and Vpu clones isolated from 29 long-term survivors (LTS) from Rwanda living with HIV-1 subtype A and compared our results to those of 104 Nef and 62 Vpu clones isolated from individuals living with chronic untreated HIV-1 subtype A from the same geographic area. Nef and vpu coding regions were amplified from plasma HIV RNA and cloned. The function of one intact, phylogenetically-validated Nef and Vpu clone per individual was then quantified by flow cytometry following transient expression in an immortalized CD4+ T-cell line. We measured the ability of each Nef clone to downregulate CD4 and HLA class I, and of each Vpu clone to downregulate CD4 and Tetherin, from the cell surface. Results were normalized to reference clones (Nef-SF2 and Vpu-NL4.3). We observed that Nef-mediated CD4 and HLA downregulation functions were lower in LTS compared to the control cohort (Mann-Whitney p=0.03 and p<0.0001, respectively). Moreover, we found a positive correlation between Nef-mediated CD4 downregulation function and plasma viral load in LTS and controls (Spearman ρ= 0.59, p=0.03 and ρ=0.30, p=0.005, respectively). In contrast, Vpu-mediated functions were similar between groups and did not correlate with clinical markers. Further analyses identified polymorphisms at Nef codon 184 and Vpu codons 60-62 that were associated with function, which were confirmed through mutagenesis. Overall, our results support attenuated function of Nef, but not Vpu, as a contributor to slower disease progression in this cohort of long-term survivors with HIV-1 subtype A.
Polyjet és SLA 3D nyomtatók összehasonlító vizsgálata
Authors: Suta Márton József , Béresová Mónika , Csámer Loránd , Csík Attila , Hegedűs Csaba
Published: June 2022

Célkitűzés: Két különböző rapid prototyping (gyors prototípusgyártás) módszerrel készített modellek bemutatása és összehasonlítása.Anyag és módszer: Háromdimenziós grafikai programmal (Blender, Blender Foundation) létrehoztunk egy 10 × 10 × 2 mm-es próbatestet, majd kinyomtattuk Formlabs Form 2 (Formlabs Inc.) SLA nyomtatóval fotopolimerizációs műgyantából és Stratasys Objet 30 Orthodesk (Stratasys GmbH) Polyjet nyomtatóval akrilátból. A nyomtatást követően az utókezelést a gyártó utasításai szerint végeztük el, majd a mintákat különböző fizikai, optikai és képalkotó diagnosztikai módszerekkel vizsgáltuk.Eredmények: Eredményeink azt mutatták, hogy a két különböző technológia eltérő morfológiai képet és paramétereket eredményez. A digitális referenciamodell és a VeroGlaze MED 620 és a Dental SG anyagok x és y értéke között szignifikáns különbség volt (P < 0,001).Következtetések: A jelenleg rendelkezésre álló rapid prototyping módszerek a mért paraméterek mellett korlátozásokkal alkalmasak fogászati felhasználásra.
Multi-Residue Determination of 244 Chemical Contaminants in Chicken Eggs by Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry after Effective Lipid Clean-Up
Authors: Zhang Lin , Jia Qi , Liao Guangqin , Qian Yongzhong , Qiu Jing
Published: June 2022

In this study, we aimed to establish a multi-residue analytical method for the simultaneous detection of chemical contaminants in eggs. Using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), we developed an analytical method that can separate 244 compounds (including β-agonists (25), imidazole and benzimidazoles (31), sulfonamides (22), antihistamines (10), β-lactam (5), insecticides (7), quinolones (24), non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (13), and steroidal hormones (38)) within 30 min. A new enhanced matrix removal-lipid (EMR-Lipid) material was used as a purified sorbent in the QuEChERS clean-up method. Excellent linearity (r > 0.9905) was achieved. Additionally, recoveries ranged between 51.33% and 118.28%, with repeatability (RSDr) and reproducibility (RSDwR) in the range of 1.01–14.22% and 1.08–14.96%, respectively. In all of the compounds, low limits of quantification (LOQs) ≤ 5 μg kg−1 were found. Meanwhile, the detection limit (CCα) and detection capability (CCβ) were 1.88–40.60 μg kg−1 and 2.85–407.19 μg kg−1, respectively. In conclusion, the evaluated method was shown to provide reliable screening, quantification, and identification of 244 multi-class chemicals in eggs and was successfully applied in real samples.
Profiling the Diversity of Sweet Pepper ‘Peperone Cornetto di Pontecorvo’ PDO (Capsicum annuum) through Multi-Phenomic Approaches and Sequencing-Based Genotyping
Authors: Tripodi Pasquale , D’Alessandro Rosa , Festa Giovanna , Taviani Paola , Rea Roberto
Published: June 2022

The sweet pepper (Capsicum annuum) ‘Peperone Cornetto di Pontecorvo’ is a prominent local variety at risk of genetic erosion cultivated in the Latium region (Italy). This horn-shaped landrace is recognized for its high digestibility due to the thinness of the skin and has been granted the Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) mark since 2010. Nowadays, different accessions are claimed as ‘Peperone Cornetto di Pontecorvo’ and no assay has been conducted to determine authenticity. In this study, 14 ‘Peperone Cornetto di Pontecorvo’ accessions and 7 similar horn-type peppers were investigated for their morpho-agronomic performance and chemical composition. Digital fruit imaging was implemented as a tool to pinpoint with high accuracy the morphometric parameters of berries. In total, 52 traits were scored. The multivariate analysis revealed different clusters that separated ‘Peperone Cornetto di Pontecorvo’ from similar types. The weight and size of fruits, as well as the content of soluble solids, were the most discriminating factors among the cultivars studied. Genomic fingerprinting was performed using ddRAD sequencing, yielding a total of a total of 120 million raw sequences and 2196 high-quality SNPs. Both Bayesian and hierarchical clustering analyses confirmed the existence of two different (K = 2) sub-populations separating ‘Peperone Cornetto di Pontecorvo’ accessions from similar types, thus highlighting a high membership (qi > 0.97) coefficient for accessions cultivated in the Pontecorvo area (Frosinone district). In addition, a direct relationship was found between the genetic diversity of cultivars and their geographical provenance, providing hints on the breeding history of local varieties in diverse rural areas. Genomic markers are revealed as a valuable tool to establish the uniqueness and distinctness of this local variety. This information will be very helpful for recovery, enhancement, and protection from possible imitations.
Fat Deposition and Fat Effects on Meat Quality—A Review
Authors: Schumacher Madison , DelCurto-Wyffels Hannah , Thomson Jennifer , Boles Jane
Published: June 2022

Growth is frequently described as weight gain over time. Researchers have used this information in equations to predict carcass composition and estimate fat deposition. Diet, species, breed, and gender all influence fat deposition. Alterations in diets result in changes in fat deposition as well as the fatty acid profile of meat. Additionally, the amount and composition of the fat can affect lipid stability and flavor development upon cooking. Fat functions not only as a storage of energy and contributor of flavor compounds, but also participates in signaling that affects many aspects of the physiological functions of the animal. Transcription factors that are upregulated in response to excess energy to be stored are an important avenue of research to improve the understanding of fat deposition and thus, the efficiency of production. Additionally, further study of the inflammation associated with increased fat depots may lead to a better understanding of finishing animals, production efficiency, and overall health.
Protective Effects of Emodin on Oxidized Fish Oil-Induced Metabolic Disorder and Oxidative Stress through Notch-Nrf2 Crosstalk in the Liver of Teleost Megalobrama amblycephala
Authors: Song Changyou , Liu Bo , Li Hongxia , Tang Yongkai , Ge Xianping , Liu Bo , Xu Pao
Published: June 2022

Dietary oxidized lipids are key perpetrator to accumulate excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS) that induce oxidative stress for animals. Immoderate oxidative stress dysregulates cell fate, perturbs cellular homeostasis, thereby interrupts metabolism and normal growth. Therefore, a 12-week feeding trial with fish oil (FO, control group), oxidized fish oil (OF), and emodin-supplemented (OF+E) diets was conducted to evaluate the therapeutic mechanism of emodin on metabolic and oxidative resistance in Megalobrama amblycephala liver. Morphologically, emodin remits oxidized fish oil-induced cellular constituents damage, evidenced by lipid droplets enlargement and accumulation, mitochondria rupture, and nucleus aggregation, which were functionally related to oxidative stress, metabolism, and cell fate determination. Consecutively, glucose, lipid, and amino acid metabolism were retained under emodin stimulation. Specifically, fatty acid metabolic genes optimized fatty acid utilization and metabolism, featured as total saturated fatty acids (SFA), monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA), and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) alternation. Physiologically, inflammation, autophagy, apoptosis, as well as antioxidant capacity were alleviated by emodin. Interactively, fatty acid metabolism was correlated with antioxidant capacity; while the crosstalk and dynamic equilibrium between apoptosis and autophagy determine the cell fate under oxidative stress amelioration. Synergistically, Nrf2 and Notch signaling were active to antioxidant defense. In particular, oxidative stress blocked the crosstalk between Notch and Nrf2 signaling, while emodin rescued Notch-Nrf2 interaction to ameliorate oxidative stress. In conclusion, these results suggest that elevated ROS levels by oxidative stress activates Notch and Nrf2 signaling but intercepts Notch-Nrf2 crosstalk to stimulate cell fate and antioxidant program; dietary emodin alleviates oxidative stress and returns overall ROS levels to a moderate state to maintain homeostatic balance. The crosstalk between Notch and Nrf2 signaling might be the potential therapeutic target for emodin to ameliorate oxidative stress and metabolic disorder in M. amblycephala liver.
Accuracy Improvement of a Miniature Laser Diode Interferometer by Compensating Nonlinear Errors and Active Stabilizing Laser Diode Wavelengths
Authors: Cai Yindi , Liu Yang , Li Chang , Wen Zhixiang
Published: June 2022

A miniature laser diode interferometer (MLDI), which can be embedded in precision machines or measurement equipment as an on-line measurement sensor, is designed. A compact laser diode (LD) is adopted as the laser source of the MLDI. The measurement accuracy of the MLDI is affected by the nonlinear errors induced by the installation errors and manufacturing errors of the optical elements and the stability and accuracy of the LD wavelength. An arithmetic is applied to eliminate the nonlinear errors, and an error sensitivity analysis is conducted to enhance the understanding of which error components are more important or influence the measurement accuracy of the MLDI. An active wavelength stabilizer based on a compact laser wavelength meter is proposed to improve the stability of the LD wavelength. A group of experiments are carried out to verify the effectiveness of the proposed methods and the capabilities of the MLDI.
Single Image Super-Resolution Method Based on an Improved Adversarial Generation Network
Authors: Wang Qiang , Zhou Hongbin , Li Guangyuan , Guo Jiansheng
Published: June 2022

Super-Resolution (SR) techniques for image restoration have recently been gaining attention due to their excellent performance. For powerful learning abilities, Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs) have been proven to have achieved great success. In this paper, we propose an Enhanced Generative Adversarial Network (EGAN) for improving its effects for a real-time Super-Resolution task. The main content of this paper are as follows: (1) We adopted the Laplacian pyramid framework as a pre-trained module, which is beneficial for providing multiscale features for our input. (2) At each feature block, a convolutional skip-connections network, which may contain some latent information, was significant for the generative model to reconstruct a plausible-looking image. (3) Considering that the edge details usually play an important role in image generation, a perceptual loss function was defined to train and seek the optimal parameters. Quantitative and qualitative evaluations were demonstrated so that our algorithm not only took full advantage of the Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) to improve the image quality, but also performed better than other algorithms in speed and performance for real-time Super-Resolution tasks.
Economic Analysis and Optimal Control Strategy of Micro Gas-Turbine with Batteries and Water Tank: German Case Study
Authors: Cirigliano Daniele , Grimm Felix , Kutne Peter , Aigner Manfred
Published: June 2022

Currently, Micro Gas Turbines (MGTs) are widely used in small buildings, such as offices, hospitals, or households, in which electricity and thermal energy are needed. Their reliability, flexibility, and compactness allow these devices to operate in different regimes to fulfill the power demand. The opportunity to operate at partial-load is deeply investigated in this paper. To cope with the fast, unpredictable demand of energy, thermal storage and batteries are most commonly installed. The potential of these two components for the operating cost is also investigated in this paper in order to provide guidelines on their sizing. Moreover, the thermal and electrical energy demands depend on different factors such as building size, weather, day of the week, and location, all modeled in this work; the possibility to buy and feed electricity into the grid adds a further variable to the economic analysis. All these factors were considered in this study and led to the creation of an optimization algorithm, which was able to determine the optimal operating profile of the system for every single scenario. The operational optimization of a micro gas turbine, the MTT Enertwin, is presented. Data from experimental measurements were implemented in the algorithm in order to characterize the system performance. Concerning the input power demands, data for Germany according to the norm VDI 4655 were considered; hence, the results are formally limited to this region. However, considerations of batteries and thermal storage were broadly valid; also, the results can be of international interest in countries with a similar climate and habits. With this study, it is shown that the optimal operational strategy is in the vast majority of cases the full-load, with savings up to 20% with respect to partial-load. Furthermore, batteries between 1.5 and 2 kWh constitute the best compromise between installation costs and savings; the investment can be generally paid off in less than 3 years. Finally, a threshold of 400 L for thermal storage was identified.
Advances in Vibroacoustics and Aeroacustics of Marine, Aerospace and Automotive Systems
Authors: Citarella Roberto , Federico Luigi , Giannella Venanzio
Published: June 2022

The purpose of this Special Issue was to highlight the latest enhancements in vibroacoustics and aeroacustics of marine, aerospace, and automotive systems [...]
Adaptive Model Output Following Control for a Networked Thermostat
Authors: Li Hongjun , Jin Yingrui , Liu Ping , Yu Jun , Zhao Ran , Yue Xuebin , Wen Shengjun
Published: June 2022

The model of a networked temperature control system is easily affected by its surrounding environment. Because of that, it is hard to identify an accurate model. This paper proposes an adaptive model output following control based on system identification for a networked thermostat system. First, the time-varying system model is built via some thermal laws, whose parameters are identified based on the least-squares method (LSM). The time delay is transferred to deterministic by setting the data buffer. The system stability is ensured by a feedback controller. Meanwhile, an adaptive model output following controller with a command generator tracker (CGT) is designed to adjust the forward control input based on system identification. Finally, the effectiveness of the proposed method is illustrated by simulation and experimental results.
Statistical Characterization of Stress Concentrations along Butt Joint Weld Seams Using Deep Neural Networks
Authors: Braun Moritz , Neuhäusler Josef , Denk Martin , Renken Finn , Kellner Leon , Schubnell Jan , Jung Matthias , Rother Klemens , Ehlers Sören
Published: June 2022

In order to ensure high weld qualities and structural integrity of engineering structures, it is crucial to detect areas of high stress concentrations along weld seams. Traditional inspection methods rely on visual inspection and manual weld geometry measurements. Recent advances in the field of automated measurement techniques allow virtually unrestricted numbers of inspections by laser measurements of weld profiles; however, in order to compare weld qualities of different welding processes and manufacturers, a deeper understanding of statistical distributions of stress concentrations along weld seams is required. Hence, this study presents an approach to statistically characterize different types of butt joint weld seams. For this purpose, an artificial neural network is created from 945 finite element simulations to determine stress concentration factors at butt joints. Besides higher quality of predictions compared to empirical estimation functions, the new approach can directly be applied to all types welded structures, including arc- and laser-welded butt joints, and coupled with all types of 3D-measurement devices. Furthermore, sheet thickness ranging from 1 mm to 100 mm can be assessed.
Expanded S-Curve Model of Relationship between Domestic Water Usage and Economic Development: A Case Study of Typical Countries
Authors: Guo Xiaoqian , Wang Anjian , Liu Guwang , Du Boyu
Published: June 2022

Domestic water plays a growing role with the unprecedented economic development and rising urbanization. The lack of long-term evaluation of domestic water usage trends limits our understanding of the relationship between domestic water usage and economics. Here, we present a pragmatic approach to assess the long-term relationship between domestic water usage and economics through historical data of the last 100 years from 10 typical countries to establish an evaluation method for different economics. The relationship between domestic water usage and GDP per capita was described as an expanded S-curve model and the mathematical modeling was derived to simulate this relationship for four typical countries as case studies. The simulation results show that the expanded S-curve of different countries can be calibrated with three key points: takeoff point, turning point, and zero-growth point, and four transitional sections: slow growth, accelerated growth, decelerated growth, and zero/negative growth, corresponding to the same economic development level. In addition, other factors influencing domestic water usage are also discussed in this research, including urbanization, industrial structure, and technical progress. We hope to provide a case study of an expanded S-curve as a foundation for forecasting domestic water usage in different countries or in the same economy at different developmental stages.
Agreement of the Discrepancy Index Obtained Using Digital and Manual Techniques—A Comparative Study
Authors: Burgos-Arcega Nestor A. , Scougall-Vilchis Rogelio J. , Morales-Valenzuela Adriana A. , Hegazy-Hassan Wael , Lara-Carrillo Edith , Toral-Rizo Víctor H. , Velázquez-Enríquez Ulises , Salmerón-Valdés Elias N.
Published: June 2022

The discrepancy index evaluates the complexity of the initial orthodontic diagnosis. The objective is to compare whether there is a difference in the final discrepancy index score of the American Board of Orthodontics (ABO) when obtained using digital and manual techniques. Fifty-six initial orthodontic records in a digital and physical format were included (28 each) in 2022 at the Center for Research and Advanced Studies in Dentistry. For the digital measurements, iTero and TRIOS 3 intraoral scanners were used, along with Insignia software and cephalometric tracing with Dolphin Imaging software. Manual measurements were obtained in dental casts using the ruler indicated for the previously mentioned discrepancy index, in addition to conventional cephalometric tracing. Student’s t-test did not show statistically significant differences between the digital and manual techniques, with final discrepancy index scores of 24.61 (13.34) and 24.86 (14.14), respectively (p = 0.769). Cohen’s kappa index showed very good agreement between both categorical measurements (kappa value = 1.00, p = 0.001). The Bland–Altman method demonstrated a good agreement between continuous measurements obtained by both techniques with a bias of 0.2500 (superior limit of agreement =9.0092988, inferior limit of agreement = −8.5092988). Excellent agreement was observed in obtaining the discrepancy index through digital technique (Intraoral scanning and digital records) and manual technique (conventional records).
AMANDA: A Middleware for Automatic Migration between Different Database Paradigms
Authors: Queiroz Jordan S. , Falcão  Thiago A. , Furtado Phillip M. , Soares Fabrício L. , Souza Tafarel Brayan F. , Cleis Pedro Vitor V. P. , Santos Flavia S. , Giuntini Felipe T.
Published: June 2022

In a world rich in interconnected and complex data, the non-relational database paradigm can better handle large volumes of data at high speed with a scale-out architecture, which are two essential requirements for large industries and world-class applications. This article presents AMANDA, a flexible middleware for automatic migration between relational and non-relational databases based on a user-defined schema that offers support for multiple sources and target databases. We evaluate the performance of AMANDA by assessing the migration speed, query execution, query performance, and migration correctness, from two Relational Database Management Systems (RBMSs), i.e., Postgres and MySQL, to a non-relational database (NoSQL), i.e., DGpraph. The results show that AMANDA successfully migrates data 26 times faster than previous approaches, when considering Northwind. Regarding the IMDB database, it took 7 days to migrate 5.5 GB of data.
Antiviral RNAi Mechanisms to Arboviruses in Mosquitoes: microRNA Profile of Aedes aegypti and Culex quinquefasciatus from Grenada, West Indies
Authors: Ramos-Nino Maria E. , Anash Gregory , Fitzpatrick Daniel M. , Dragon Julie A. , Cheetham Sonia
Published: June 2022

Mosquito-borne arboviruses, such as dengue virus, West Nile virus, Zika virus and yellow fever virus, impose a tremendous cost on the health of populations around the world. As a result, much effort has gone into the study of the impact of these viruses on human infections. Comparatively less effort, however, has been made to study the way these viruses interact with mosquitoes themselves. As ingested arboviruses infect their midgut and subsequently other tissue, the mosquito mounts a multifaceted innate immune response. RNA interference, the central intracellular antiviral defense mechanism in mosquitoes and other invertebrates can be induced and modulated through outside triggers (small RNAs) and treatments (transgenesis or viral-vector delivery). Accordingly, modulation of this facet of the mosquito’s immune system would thereby suggest a practical strategy for vector control. However, this requires a detailed understanding of mosquitoes’ endogenous small RNAs and their effects on the mosquito and viral proliferation. This paper provides an up-to-date overview of the mosquito’s immune system along with novel data describing miRNA profiles for Aedes aegypti and Culex quinquefasiatus in Grenada, West Indies.
Recent Advances in the Application of Essential Oils as Potential Therapeutic Candidates for Candida-Related Infections
Authors: Tran Hoang N. H. , Udoh Stephanie , Russell Grace , Okeyoyin Oluwadamilola R. , Aftab Sofia , Rodriguez Isabela , Tabe Ebot S. , Adukwu Emmanuel C.
Published: June 2022

Candidiasis (oral, vulvovaginal, or systemic bloodstream infections) are important human fungal infections associated with a high global prevalence in otherwise healthy adults but are also opportunistic infections in immunocompromised patients. With the recent discovery of the multidrug resistant—and often difficult to treat—Candida auris, as well as the rising costs associated with hospitalisations and the treatment of infections caused by Candida species, there is an urgent need to develop effective therapeutics against these pathogenic yeasts. Essential oils have been documented for many years as treatments for different ailments and are widely known and utilised in alternative and complementary therapies, including treating microbial infections. This review highlights knowledge from research on the effects of medicinal plants, and in particular, essential oils, as potential treatments against different Candida species. Studies have been evaluated that describe the experimental approaches used in investigating the anticandidal effects of essential oils (in vivo and in vitro), the established mode of action of the different compounds against different Candida species, the effect of a combination of essential oils with other compounds as potential therapies, and the evidence from clinical trial studies.
Iris Liveness Detection Using Multiple Deep Convolution Networks
Authors: Khade Smita , Gite Shilpa , Pradhan Biswajeet
Published: June 2022

In the recent decade, comprehensive research has been carried out in terms of promising biometrics modalities regarding humans’ physical features for person recognition. This work focuses on iris characteristics and traits for person identification and iris liveness detection. This study used five pre-trained networks, including VGG-16, Inceptionv3, Resnet50, Densenet121, and EfficientNetB7, to recognize iris liveness using transfer learning techniques. These models are compared using three state-of-the-art biometric databases: the LivDet-Iris 2015 dataset, IIITD contact dataset, and ND Iris3D 2020 dataset. Validation accuracy, loss, precision, recall, and f1-score, APCER (attack presentation classification error rate), NPCER (normal presentation classification error rate), and ACER (average classification error rate) were used to evaluate the performance of all pre-trained models. According to the observational data, these models have a considerable ability to transfer their experience to the field of iris recognition and to recognize the nanostructures within the iris region. Using the ND Iris 3D 2020 dataset, the EfficeintNetB7 model has achieved 99.97% identification accuracy. Experiments show that pre-trained models outperform other current iris biometrics variants.
A Histology-Guided Approach to the Management of Patients with Lupus Nephritis: Are We There Yet?
Authors: Obrișcă Bogdan , Vornicu Alexandra , Procop Alexandru , Herlea Vlad , Terinte-Balcan George , Gherghiceanu Mihaela , Ismail Gener
Published: June 2022

Renal involvement is a frequent complication of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). It occurs in up to two-thirds of patients, often early during the disease course, and is the most important predictor of the morbidity and mortality of SLE patients. Despite tremendous improvements in the approach of the lupus nephritis (LN) therapy, including the recent approval of two new disease-modifying therapies, up to 50% of patients do not obtain a renal response and up to 25% will eventually progress to end-stage renal disease (ESRD) within 10 years of diagnosis. Given the lack of correlation between clinical features and histological lesions, there is an increasing need for a histology-guided approach to the management of patients with LN. Apart from the initial diagnosis of type and severity of renal injury in SLE, the concept of a repeat kidney biopsy (either in a for-cause or a per-protocol scenario) has begun to gain increasing popularity in the nephrology community. Herein, we will provide a comprehensive overview of the most important areas of utility of the kidney biopsy in patients with LN.
Synergistic Antinociceptive Effects of Indomethacin–Pregabalin and Meloxicam–Pregabalin in Paclitaxel-Induced Neuropathic Pain
Authors: Ma Yurong , Liu Wenwen , Liang Lingzhi , Ye Jiaqi , Huang Chaonan , Zhuang Tao , Zhang Guisen
Published: June 2022

Neuropathic pain is often closely associated with nerve injury or inflammation, and the role of traditional nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs as adjuvants for treating chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathic pain remains unclear. In this study, the potential synergistic antinociceptive effects of indomethacin–pregabalin and meloxicam–pregabalin were evaluated in paclitaxel-induced neuropathic pain and carrageenan-induced inflammatory pain in rodents. Although indomethacin and meloxicam alone only slightly relieved mechanical allodynia in the above two models, isobolographic analysis showed that the combination of indomethacin or meloxicam with pregabalin produced significant synergistic antinociceptive effects for paclitaxel-induced neuropathic pain (IN-PGB, experimental ED25 = [4.41 (3.13–5.82)] mg/kg, theoretical ED25 = [8.50 (6.62–10.32)] mg/kg; MEL-PGB, experimental ED25 = [3.96 (2.62–5.46)] mg/kg, theoretical ED25 = [7.52 (5.73–9.39)] mg/kg). In addition, MEL-PGB dosed via intraplantar injection into the left paw, intragastric injection, or intraperitoneal injection reversed paclitaxel-induced allodynia, indicating that they may act at multiple sites in the neuroaxis and periphery. However, indomethacin–pregabalin and meloxicam–pregabalin exerted antagonistic antiallodynic interactions in carrageenan-induced inflammatory pain in rats. Taken together, coadministration of indomethacin or meloxicam with pregabalin may possess potential therapeutic advantages for treating chemotherapy-induced neuropathic pain.
Current Developments of N-Heterocyclic Carbene Au(I)/Au(III) Complexes toward Cancer Treatment
Authors: Tialiou Alexia , Chin Jiamin , Keppler Bernhard K. , Reithofer Michael R.
Published: June 2022

Since their first discovery, N-heterocyclic carbenes have had a significant impact on organometallic chemistry. Due to their nature as strong σ-donor and π-acceptor ligands, they are exceptionally well suited to stabilize Au(I) and Au(III) complexes in biological environments. Over the last decade, the development of rationally designed NHCAu(I/III) complexes to specifically target DNA has led to a new “gold rush” in bioinorganic chemistry. This review aims to summarize the latest advances of NHCAu(I/III) complexes that are able to interact with DNA. Furthermore, the latest advancements on acyclic diamino carbene gold complexes with anticancer activity are presented as these typically overlooked NHC alternatives offer great additional design possibilities in the toolbox of carbene-stabilized gold complexes for targeted therapy.
Theophylline Induces Remyelination and Functional Recovery in a Mouse Model of Peripheral Neuropathy
Authors: Duman Mert , Jaggi Stephanie , Enz Lukas Simon , Jacob Claire , Schaeren-Wiemers Nicole
Published: June 2022

Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT) is a large group of inherited peripheral neuropathies that are primarily due to demyelination and/or axonal degeneration. CMT type 1A (CMT1A), which is caused by the duplication of the peripheral myelin protein 22 (PMP22) gene, is a demyelinating and the most frequent CMT subtype. Hypermyelination, demyelination, and secondary loss of large-caliber axons are hallmarks of CMT1A, and there is currently no cure and no efficient treatment to alleviate the symptoms of the disease. We previously showed that histone deacetylases 1 and 2 (HDAC1/2) are critical for Schwann cell developmental myelination and remyelination after a sciatic nerve crush lesion. We also demonstrated that a short-term treatment with Theophylline, which is a potent activator of HDAC2, enhances remyelination and functional recovery after a sciatic nerve crush lesion in mice. In the present study, we tested whether Theophylline treatment could also lead to (re)myelination in a PMP22-overexpressing mouse line (C22) modeling CMT1A. Indeed, we show here that a short-term treatment with Theophylline in C22 mice increases the percentage of myelinated large-caliber axons and the expression of the major peripheral myelin protein P0 and induces functional recovery. This pilot study suggests that Theophylline treatment could be beneficial to promote myelination and thereby prevent axonal degeneration and enhance functional recovery in CMT1A patients.
Phase II Trial of Sipuleucel-T and Stereotactic Ablative Body Radiation for Patients with Metastatic Castrate-Resistant Prostate Cancer
Authors: Hannan Raquibul , Dohopolski Michael J. , Pop Laurentiu M. , Mannala Samantha , Watumull Lori , Mathews Dana , Gao Ang , Garant Aurelie , Arriaga Yull E. , Bowman Isaac , Chung Jin-Sung , Wang Jing , Ariizumi Kiyoshi , Ahn Chul , Timmerman Robert , Courtney Kevin
Published: June 2022

(1) We hypothesized that adding concurrent stereotactic ablative radiotherapy (SAbR) would increase the time to progression in patients with metastatic castrate-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPCA) treated with sipuleucel-T. (2) Patients with a history of prostate cancer (PC), radiographic evidence of metastatic disease, and rising prostate-specific antigen (PSA) > 0.2 ng/dL on castrate testosterone levels were enrolled in this single-arm phase II clinical trial and treated with sipuleucel-T and SAbR. The primary endpoint was time to progression (TTP). Cellular and humoral responses were measured using ELISpot and Luminex multiplex assays, respectively. (3) Twenty patients with mCRPC were enrolled and treated with SAbR to 1–3 sites. Treatment was well tolerated with 51, 8, and 4 treatment-related grade 1, 2, and 3 toxicities, respectively, and no grade 4 or 5 adverse events. At a median follow-up of 15.5 months, the median TTP was 11.2 weeks (95% CI; 6.8–14.0 weeks). Median OS was 76.8 weeks (95% CI; 41.6–130.8 weeks). This regimen induced both humoral and cellular immune responses. Baseline M-MDSC levels were elevated in mCRPC patients compared to healthy donors (p = 0.004) and a decline in M-MDSC was associated with biochemical response (p = 0.044). Responders had lower baseline uric acid levels (p = 0.05). No clear correlation with radiographic response was observed. (4) While the regimen was safe, the PC-antigen-specific immune response induced by SAbR did not yield a synergistic clinical benefit for patients treated with sipuleucel-T compared to the historically reported outcomes.
Viability and Functionality of Neonatal Porcine Islet-like Cell Clusters Bioprinted in Alginate-Based Bioinks
Authors: Duin Sarah , Bhandarkar Shreya , Lehmann Susann , Kemter Elisabeth , Wolf Eckhard , Gelinsky Michael , Ludwig Barbara , Lode Anja
Published: June 2022

The transplantation of pancreatic islets can prevent severe long-term complications in diabetes mellitus type 1 patients. With respect to a shortage of donor organs, the transplantation of xenogeneic islets is highly attractive. To avoid rejection, islets can be encapsulated in immuno-protective hydrogel-macrocapsules, whereby 3D bioprinted structures with macropores allow for a high surface-to-volume ratio and reduced diffusion distances. In the present study, we applied 3D bioprinting to encapsulate the potentially clinically applicable neonatal porcine islet-like cell clusters (NICC) in alginate-methylcellulose. The material was additionally supplemented with bovine serum albumin or the human blood plasma derivatives platelet lysate and fresh frozen plasma. NICC were analysed for viability, proliferation, the presence of hormones, and the release of insulin in reaction to glucose stimulation. Bioprinted NICC are homogeneously distributed, remain morphologically intact, and show a comparable viability and proliferation to control NICC. The number of insulin-positive cells is comparable between the groups and over time. The amount of insulin release increases over time and is released in response to glucose stimulation over 4 weeks. In summary, we show the successful bioprinting of NICC and could demonstrate functionality over the long-term in vitro. Supplementation resulted in a trend for higher viability, but no additional benefit on functionality was observed.
Severe Hyperosmotic Stress Issues an ER Stress-Mediated “Death Sentence” in H9c2 Cells, with p38-MAPK and Autophagy “Coming to the Rescue”
Authors: Bourouti Konstantina-Eleni , Konstantaros Christos , Gaitanaki Catherine , Aggeli Ioanna-Katerina
Published: June 2022

With several cardiovascular pathologies associated with osmotic perturbations, researchers are in pursuit of identifying the signaling sensors, mediators and effectors involved, aiming at formulating novel diagnostic and therapeutic strategies. In the present study, H9c2 cells were treated with 0.5 M sorbitol to elicit hyperosmotic stress. Immunoblotting as well as cell viability analyses revealed the simultaneous but independent triggering of multiple signaling pathways. In particular, our findings demonstrated the phosphorylation of eukaryotic translation initiation factor 2 (eIF2α) and upregulation of the immunoglobulin heavy-chain-binding protein (BiP) expression, indicating the onset of the Integrated Stress Response (IRS) and endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS), respectively. In addition, autophagy was also induced, evidenced by the enhancement of Beclin-1 protein expression and of AMP-dependent kinase (AMPK) and Raptor phosphorylation levels. The involvement of a Na+/H+ exchanger-1 (NHE-1) as well as NADPH oxidase (Nox) in 0.5 M sorbitol-induced eIF2α phosphorylation was also indicated. Of note, while inhibition of ERS partially alleviated the detrimental effect of 0.5 M sorbitol on H9c2 cellular viability, attenuation of p38-MAPK activity and late phase autophagy further mitigated it. Deciphering the mode of these pathways’ potential interactions and of their complications may contribute to the quest for effective clinical interventions against associated cardiovascular diseases.
Lung Fibrosis and Fibrosis in the Lungs: Is It All about Myofibroblasts?
Authors: Ortiz-Zapater Elena , Signes-Costa Jaime , Montero Paula , Roger Inés
Published: June 2022

In the lungs, fibrosis is a growing clinical problem that results in shortness of breath and can end up in respiratory failure. Even though the main fibrotic disease affecting the lung is idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), which affects the interstitial space, there are many fibrotic events that have high and dangerous consequences for the lungs. Asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), excessive allergies, clearance of infection or COVID-19, all are frequent diseases that show lung fibrosis. In this review, we describe the different kinds of fibrosis and analyse the main types of cells involved—myofibroblasts and other cells, like macrophages—and review the main fibrotic mechanisms. Finally, we analyse present treatments for fibrosis in the lungs and highlight potential targets for anti-fibrotic therapies.
Ferroptosis Inducer Improves the Efficacy of Oncolytic Virus-Mediated Cancer Immunotherapy
Authors: Liu Weilin , Chen Hongqi , Zhu Zhi , Liu Zuqiang , Ma Congrong , Lee Yong J. , Bartlett David L. , Guo Zong-Sheng
Published: June 2022

Ferroptosis is a type of programmed cell death dependent on iron and characterized by the accumulation of lipid peroxides. In this study, we explore the combination of a ferroptosis activator with an oncolytic vaccinia virus in tumor models. Erastin induced cell death in hepatoma, colon, and ovarian cancer cells, but not in melanoma cancer cells. Erastin, not the oncolytic vaccinia virus (OVV), induced the expression of key marker genes for ferroptosis in cancer cells. In hepatocellular carcinoma and colon cancer models, either erastin or OVV inhibited tumor growth, but a combination of the two yielded the best therapeutic effects, as indicated by inhibited tumor growth or regression and longer host survival. Immunological analyses indicate that erastin alone had little or no effect on systemic immunity or local immunity in the tumor. However, when combined with OV, erastin enhanced the number of activated dendritic cells and the activity of tumor-infiltrating T lymphocytes as indicated by an increase in IFN-γ+CD8+ and PD-1+CD8+ T cells. These results demonstrate that erastin can exert cytotoxicity on cancer cells via ferroptosis, but has little effect on immune activity by itself. However, when combined with an OVV, erastin promoted antitumoral immunity and efficacy by increasing the number of activated dendritic cells and promoting the activities of tumor specific CD8+ T cells in the tumor.
Bioimpedance Sensing of Implanted Stent Occlusions: Smart Stent
Authors: Rodríguez Antonio , Barroso Pablo , Olmo Alberto , Yúfera Alberto
Published: June 2022

Coronary artery disease is one of the most common diseases in developed countries and affects a large part of the population of developing countries. Preventing restenosis in patients with implanted stents is an important current medical problem. The purpose of this work is to analyse the viability of bioimpedance sensing to detect the formation of atheromatous plaque in an implantable stent. Simulations in COMSOL Multiphysics were performed to analyse the performance of the proposed bioimpedance sensing system, based on the Sheffield technique. Both non-pathological and pathological models (with atheromatous plaque), including the flow of blood were considered. Simulations with the non-pathological model showed a homogeneous distribution of the measured current intensity in the different electrodes, for every configuration. On the other hand, simulations with the pathological model showed a significant decrease of the measured current intensity in the electrodes close to the simulated atheromatous plaque. The presence of the atheromatous plaque can, therefore, be detected by the system with a simple algorithm, avoiding the full reconstruction of the image and the subsequent computational processing requirements.