bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Metal and Metal Oxide Nanomaterials for Fighting Planktonic Bacteria and Biofilms: A Review Emphasizing on Mechanistic Aspects
Authors: Sun Caixia , Wang Xiaobai , Dai Jianjun , Ju Yanmin
Published: September 2022

The misuse and mismanagement of antibiotics have made the treatment of bacterial infections a challenge. This challenge is magnified when bacteria form biofilms, which can increase bacterial resistance up to 1000 times. It is desirable to develop anti-infective materials with antibacterial activity and no resistance to drugs. With the rapid development of nanotechnology, anti-infective strategies based on metal and metal oxide nanomaterials have been widely used in antibacterial and antibiofilm treatments. Here, this review expounds on the state-of-the-art applications of metal and metal oxide nanomaterials in bacterial infective diseases. A specific attention is given to the antibacterial mechanisms of metal and metal oxide nanomaterials, including disrupting cell membranes, damaging proteins, and nucleic acid. Moreover, a practical antibiofilm mechanism employing these metal and metal oxide nanomaterials is also introduced based on the composition of biofilm, including extracellular polymeric substance, quorum sensing, and bacteria. Finally, current challenges and future perspectives of metal and metal oxide nanomaterials in the anti-infective field are presented to facilitate their development and use.
Magnetic Separation of Oxoacid of Boron from Salt-Lake Brine by Synergistically Enhanced Boron Adsorbents of Glucose-Functionalized SiO2 and Graphene
Authors: Luo Qinglong , Wang Xueying , Dong Mingzhe , Huang Xueli , Wu Zhijian , Li Jun
Published: September 2022

The adsorption separation and extraction of low-concentration boron from salt-lake brine have great significance. Magnetic separation avoids the problem of adsorbent granulation and improves the usage efficiency. The silicon-based adsorbents have attracted interest due to their superior acid and alkali resistance, in which polyhydroxy graphene enhances the adsorption of boron ions. Herein different boron adsorbents, derived by magnetic separation, were developed and characterized by SEM, TEM, XPS, VSM, FT-IR, and XRD analysis. The adsorption-desorption performance of boron adsorbents with different compositions was evaluated. The isotherms and kinetics parameters of the boron extraction were evaluated based on adsorption-desorption tests. The graphene-based magnetic adsorbent (Go-Fe3O4@SiO2@mSiO2-Glu) registered a high boron adsorption capacity of 23.90 mg/g at pH = 9 in the boron solution and 24.84 mg/g for East Taigener salt-lake brine. The Na+, Mg2+, Ca2+, and Cl− ions have little interference with the boron adsorption. The adsorbents exhibit magnetic separation performance and good cycle life. The results showed that acid-alkali desorption solution has little effect on the adsorbents, and the composite of graphene enhances the adsorption of boron ions. The adsorbents developed in this study are promising to recover boron from low-concentration boron-containing salt-lake brines.
Synthetic Non-Coding RNA for Suppressing mTOR Translation to Prevent Renal Fibrosis Related to Autophagy in UUO Mouse Model
Authors: Kim Young-Ah , Gu Hyemin , Gwon Mi-Gyeong , An Hyun-Jin , Bae Seongjae , Leem Jaechan , Jung Hyun Jin , Park Kwan-Kyu , Lee Sun-Jae
Published: September 2022

The global burden of chronic kidney disease is increasing, and the majority of these diseases are progressive. Special site-targeted drugs are emerging as alternatives to traditional drugs. Oligonucleotides (ODNs) have been proposed as effective therapeutic tools in specific molecular target therapies for several diseases. We designed ring-type non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), also called mTOR ODNs to suppress mammalian target rapamycin (mTOR) translation. mTOR signaling is associated with excessive cell proliferation and fibrogenesis. In this study, we examined the effects of mTOR suppression on chronic renal injury. To explore the regulation of fibrosis and inflammation in unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO)-induced injury, we injected synthesized ODNs via the tail vein of mice. The expression of inflammatory-related markers (interleukin-1β, tumor necrosis factor-α), and that of fibrosis (α-smooth muscle actin, fibronectin), was decreased by synthetic ODNs. Additionally, ODN administration inhibited the expression of autophagy-related markers, microtubule-associated protein light chain 3, Beclin1, and autophagy-related gene 5-12. We confirmed that ring-type ODNs inhibited fibrosis, inflammation, and autophagy in a UUO mouse model. These results suggest that mTOR may be involved in the regulation of autophagy and fibrosis and that regulating mTOR signaling may be a therapeutic strategy against chronic renal injury.
The Cytotoxic Effect of Isolated Cannabinoid Extracts on Polypoid Colorectal Tissue
Authors: Ben-Ami Shor Dana , Hochman Ilan , Gluck Nathan , Shibolet Oren , Scapa Erez
Published: September 2022

Purified cannabinoids have been shown to prevent proliferation and induce apoptosis in colorectal carcinoma cell lines. To assess the cytotoxic effect of cannabinoid extracts and purified cannabinoids on both colorectal polyps and normal colonic cells, as well as their synergistic interaction. Various blends were tested to identify the optimal synergistic effect. Methods: Biopsies from polyps and healthy colonic tissue were obtained from 22 patients undergoing colonic polypectomies. The toxicity of a variety of cannabinoid extracts and purified cannabinoids at different concentrations was evaluated. The synergistic effect of cannabinoids was calculated based on the cells’ survival. Isolated cannabinoids illustrated different toxic effects on the viability of cells derived from colorectal polyps. THC-d8 and THC-d9 were the most toxic and exhibited persistent toxicity in all the polyps tested. CBD was more toxic to polypoid cells in comparison to normal colonic cells at a concentration of 15 µM. The combinations of the cannabinoids CBDV, THCV, CBDVA, CBCA, and CBGA exhibited a synergistic inhibitory effect on the viability of cells derived from colon polyps of patients. Isolated cannabinoid compounds interacted synergistically against colonic polyps, and some also possessed a differential toxic effect on polyp and adjacent colonic tissue, suggesting possible future therapeutic value.
Calcium-Based Antimicrobial Peptide Compounds Attenuate DNFB-Induced Atopic Dermatitis-Like Skin Lesions via Th-Cells in BALB/c Mice
Authors: Liu Qingfeng , Li Mengmeng , Wang Na , He Chun , Jiang Xian , Li Jingyi
Published: September 2022

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic and recurrent inflammatory skin disease, characterized by severe itching and recurrent skin lesions. We hypothesized that a novel treatment involving calcium-based antimicrobial peptide compounds (CAPCS), a combination of natural calcium extracted from marine shellfish, and a variety of antimicrobial peptides, may be beneficial for AD. We established a dinitrofluorobenzene (DNFB)-induced AD model in BALB/c mice to test our hypothesis. We observed mouse behavior and conducted histopathological and immunohistochemical analyses on skin lesions before and after CAPCS treatment. We also characterized the changes in the levels of cytokines, inflammatory mediators, and Toll-like receptors (TLRs) in plasma and skin lesions. The results showed that (i) topical application of CAPCS ameliorated AD-like skin lesions and reduced scratching behavior in BALB/c mice; (ii) CAPCS suppressed infiltration of inflammatory cells and inhibited the expression of inflammatory cytokines in AD-like skin lesions; (iii) CAPCS reduced plasma levels of inflammatory cytokines; and (iv) CAPCS inhibited TLR2 and TLR4 protein expression in skin lesions. Topical application of CAPCS exhibits a therapeutic effect on AD by inhibiting inflammatory immune responses via recruiting helper T cells and engaging the TLR2 and TLR4 signaling pathways. Therefore, CAPCS may be useful for the treatment of AD.
Antimicrobial Photodynamic Effect of Cross-Kingdom Microorganisms with Toluidine Blue O and Potassium Iodide
Authors: Li Yijun , Du Jingyun , Huang Shan , Wang Shaofeng , Wang Yanhuang , Lei Lishan , Zhang Chengfei , Huang Xiaojing
Published: September 2022

Streptococcus mutans (S. mutans) and Candida albicans (C. albicans) are prominent microbes associated with rapid and aggressive caries. In the present study, we investigated the antimicrobial efficacy, cytotoxicity, and mechanism of toluidine blue O (TBO)-mediated antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (aPDT) and potassium iodide (KI). The dependence of KI concentration, TBO concentration and light dose on the antimicrobial effect of aPDT plus KI was determined. The cytotoxicity of TBO-mediated aPDT plus KI was analyzed by cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assay. A singlet oxygen (1O2) probe test, time-resolved 1O2 detection, and a 1O2 quencher experiment were performed to evaluate the role of 1O2 during aPDT plus KI. The generation of iodine and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) were analyzed by an iodine starch test and Amplex red assay. The anti-biofilm effect of TBO-mediated aPDT plus KI was also evaluated by counting forming unit (CFU) assay. KI could potentiate TBO-mediated aPDT against S. mutans and C. albicans in planktonic and biofilm states, which was safe for human dental pulp cells. 1O2 measurement showed that KI could quench 1O2 signals, implicating that 1O2 may act as a principal mediator to oxidize excess iodide ions to form iodine and H2O2. KI could highly potentiate TBO-mediated aPDT in eradicating S. mutans and C. albicans due to the synergistic effect of molecular iodine and H2O2.
Effect of Nickel Ions on the Physiological and Transcriptional Responses to Carbon and Nitrogen Metabolism in Tomato Roots under Low Nitrogen Levels
Authors: Zhang Kun , Li Shuhao , Xu Yang , Zhou Yuqi , Ran Shengxiang , Zhao Huanhuan , Huang Weiqun , Xu Ru , Zhong Fenglin
Published: September 2022

Nickel (Ni) is an essential trace element for plant growth and a component of the plant body that has many different functions in plants. Although it has been confirmed that nickel ions (Ni2+) havea certain regulatory effect on nitrogen (N) metabolism, there are not enough data to prove whether exogenous Ni2+ can increase the carbon (C) and N metabolism in the roots of tomato seedlingsunder low-nitrogen (LN) conditions. Therefore, through the present experiment, we revealed the key mechanism of Ni2+-mediated tomato root tolerance to LN levels. Tomato plants were cultured at two different N levels (7.66 and 0.383 mmol L−1) and two different Ni2+ levels (0 and 0.1 mg L−1 NiSO4 6H2O) under hydroponic conditions. After nine days, we collected roots for physiological, biochemical, and transcriptome sequencing analyses and found that the activities of N assimilation-related enzymes decreased at LN levels. In contrast, Ni2+ significantly increased the activities of N assimilation-related enzymes and increased the contents of nitrate (NO3−), ammonium (NH4+), and total amino acids. Through root transcriptomic analysis, 3738 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified. DEGs related to C and N metabolism were downregulated after LN application. However, after Ni2+ treatment, PK, PDHB, GAPDH, NR, NiR, GS, GOGAT, and other DEGs related to C and N metabolism were significantly upregulated. In conclusion, our results suggest that Ni2+ can regulate the C and N metabolism pathways in tomato roots to alleviate the impact of LN levels.
SP1 and NFY Regulate the Expression of PNPT1, a Gene Encoding a Mitochondrial Protein Involved in Cancer
Authors: Ventura Ignacio , Revert Fernando , Revert-Ros Francisco , Gómez-Tatay Lucía , Prieto-Ruiz Jesús A. , Hernández-Andreu José Miguel
Published: September 2022

The Polyribonucleotide nucleotidyltransferase 1 gene (PNPT1) encodes polynucleotide phosphorylase (PNPase), a 3′-5′ exoribonuclease involved in mitochondrial RNA degradation and surveillance and RNA import into the mitochondrion. Here, we have characterized the PNPT1 promoter by in silico analysis, luciferase reporter assays, electrophoretic mobility shift assays (EMSA), chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP), siRNA-based mRNA silencing and RT-qPCR. We show that the Specificity protein 1 (SP1) transcription factor and Nuclear transcription factor Y (NFY) bind the PNPT1 promoter, and have a relevant role regulating the promoter activity, PNPT1 expression, and mitochondrial activity. We also found in Kaplan–Meier survival curves that a high expression of either PNPase, SP1 or NFY subunit A (NFYA) is associated with a poor prognosis in liver cancer. In summary, our results show the relevance of SP1 and NFY in PNPT1 expression, and point to SP1/NFY and PNPase as possible targets in anti-cancer therapy.
Karyotype Analysis, Genomic and Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization (GISH and FISH) Reveal the Ploidy and Parental Origin of Chromosomes in Paeonia Itoh Hybrids
Authors: Cui Litao , Chen Tai , Zhao Xin , Wang Shunli , Ren Xiuxia , Xue Jingqi , Zhang Xiuxin
Published: September 2022

Itoh hybrids are intersectional hybrids in Paeonia L. with sect. Moutan and sect. Paeonia as paternal and maternal parents, respectively. Therefore, these hybrids have herbaceous stems with improved ornamental value introduced by the paternal parent. Although both of their parents are diploids, Itoh hybrids are triploids. Moreover, the parental origin of their chromosomes has not been extensively studied. This study systematically analyzed the genome size, ploidy, and karyotype of Itoh hybrids and compared them with their parental taxa. Although the monoploid genome size of Itoh hybrids was different, it was not significantly different from that of the parents. However, the size of varieties in the two parental taxa was significantly different from the wild species, probably due to genome rearrangements caused by artificial selection. Further karyotype analysis, correlation analysis, and hierarchical clustering could not identify the parental origin of chromosomes in Itoh hybrids. Verification through genomic and fluorescence in situ hybridization (GISH and FISH) suggested that for the three sets of chromosomes in Itoh hybrids, two were from the paternal parent, and one was from the maternal parent. One of the first two sets was from wild species, and the other from a cultivated variety. GISH could not label the chromosomes of cultivated peonies from the sect. Moutan, probably due to the huge and complex genomes compared with the wild species. Meanwhile, 5S rDNA-based FISH was first applied in Paeonia, which may be used for ploidy assessment. This work may give insights into the utilization of Itoh hybrid resources.
Improving Performance in Person Reidentification Using Adaptive Multiple Loss Baseline
Authors: Huang Zhongmiao , Wang Liejun , Li Yongming , Du Anyu , Jiang Shaochen
Published: September 2022

Currently, deep learning is the mainstream method to solve the problem of person reidentification. With the rapid development of neural networks in recent years, a number of neural network frameworks have emerged for it, so it is becoming more important to explore a simple and efficient baseline algorithm. In fact, the performance of the same module varies greatly in different positions of the network architecture. After exploring how modules can play a maximum role in the network and studying and summarizing existing algorithms, we designed an adaptive multiple loss baseline (AML) with a simple structure but powerful functions. In this network, we use an adaptive mining sample loss (AMS) and other modules, which can mine more information from input samples at the same time. Based on triplet loss, AMS loss can optimize the distance between the input sample and its positive and negative samples and protect structural information within the sample. During the experiment, we conducted several group tests and confirmed the high performance of AML baseline via the results. AML baseline has outstanding performance in three commonly used datasets. The two indicators of AML baseline on CUHK-03 are 25.7% and 26.8% higher than BagTricks.
Research on Factors Affecting SMEs’ Credit Risk Based on Blockchain-Driven Supply Chain Finance
Authors: Xiao Ping , Salleh Mad Ithnin bin , Cheng Jieling
Published: September 2022

The development of blockchain-driven supply chain finance aimed to solve the financing problems of SMEs. However, credit risk is expanded, and even transmitted to the whole supply chain, due to their connection, so that it becomes more difficult to effectively identify the credit risk of SMEs. The purpose of this paper was to examine the factors affecting SMEs’ credit risk in the mode of block-chain-driven supply chain finance. This research proposed an entropy weight method to construct independent variables and used logistic regression to examine whether the financing enterprises, core enterprises, assets position under financing, blockchain platform, and supply chain operation have significant impacts on credit risk. The panel data, originating from CSMAR on fifty-six quoted SMEs, included eight core enterprises and twenty-six blockchain enterprises, between 2016 and 2020. The results showed that the financing enterprises, core enterprises, asset position under fi-nance, blockchain platform, and supply chain operation have significant impacts on SMEs’ credit risk when the confidence level is 90%. The financial status of financing enterprises can reflect the credit status of SMEs. Core enterprises give credit guarantees to SMEs, and the business transactions between SMEs and core enterprises affect the credit risk through the asset position under financing. Meanwhile, blockchain platforms can solve the problem of the information asymmetry of the par-ticipating enterprises in supply chain operations. At the same time, the supply chain operation is also an important factor affecting the credit risk. This conclusion provides a reference for the ap-plication of blockchains in supply chains, to reduce the credit risk. At the same time, the selected indicators were more comprehensive, which provided a strong basis for the subsequent construc-tion of a credit risk assessment model using key factors.
Effect of Storage Technologies on Postharvest Insect Pest Control and Seed Germination in Mexican Maize Landraces
Authors: Odjo Sylvanus , Bongianino Nicolas , González Regalado Jessica , Cabrera Soto María Luisa , Palacios-Rojas Natalia , Burgueño Juan , Verhulst Nele
Published: September 2022

Smallholder farmers who grow maize landraces face important challenges to preserve their seed biodiversity from one season to another. This study was carried out in the central highlands of Mexico to compare the effectiveness of two seed storage practices—specifically, polypropylene woven bags (farmers’ conventional practice) vs. hermetic containers—for minimizing seed losses and maintaining germination. Four Mexican landraces were stored for three and six months. Data on moisture content and kernel damage were collected at the beginning and the end of the storage period. Pest-free samples collected were also analyzed for seed germination. Moisture content was below 13% overall and was not significantly affected by storage technology or storage time. Samples from the polypropylene woven bags suffered significant damage from Sitophilus zeamais and Prostephanus truncatus, with the percentages of insect damage and weight loss reaching 61.4% and 23.4%, respectively. Losses were minimal in seed stored in hermetic containers, with a maximum insect damage of 4.1% and weight loss of 2.2%. Overall, the germination rate of samples stored in these airtight containers was greater than 90%. This study provides additional evidence on the effectiveness of hermetic containers at maintaining Mexican landraces’ seed quantity and quality during storage in smallholder conditions in central Mexico.
Designing Energy-Efficient Approximate Multipliers
Authors: Perri Stefania , Spagnolo Fanny , Frustaci Fabio , Corsonello Pasquale
Published: September 2022

This paper proposes a novel approach suitable to design energy-efficient approximate multipliers using both ASIC and FPGAs. The new strategy harnesses specific encoding logics based on bit significance and computes the approximate product performing accurate sub-multiplications by applying an unconventional approach instead of using approximate computational modules implementing traditional static or dynamic bit-truncation approaches. The proposed platform-independent architecture exhibits an energy saving of up to 80% over the accurate counterparts and significantly better behavior in terms of accuracy loss with respect to competitor approximate architectures. When employed in 2D digital filters and edge detectors, the novel approximate multipliers lead to an energy consumption up to ~82% lower than the accurate counterparts, which is up to ~2 times higher than that obtained by state-of-the-art competitors.
Influence of Parental Health Locus of Control on Behavior, Self-Management and Metabolic Control, in Pediatric Patients with Type 1 Diabetes
Authors: Franceschi Roberto , Canale Marta , Piras Enrico Maria , Galvagni Lucia , Vivori Cinzia , Cauvin Vittoria , Soffiati Massimo , Maines Evelina
Published: September 2022

Background: Precision medicine in type 1 diabetes (T1D) treatment considers context and environmental data to subclassify patients. Parental Health Locus of Control PHLOC) could influence behavior, self-management, and metabolic control of children with T1D. Methods: No. 135 pediatric patients with T1D (No. 57 with HbA1c ≤ 7.0%, “optimal” group, and No. 78 with >7.0%, “sub-optimal” group) were enrolled in the study. History, anthropometric and diabetes management data were collected, as well as caregiver’s data about socioeconomic status (SES). The PHLOC scale questionnaire and a semi-structured interview were administered. Results: Access to technology was lower in the “sub-optimal” group and, in particular, in the ethnic minority subgroup, only 8% used them. In the “sub-optimal” group ethnic minority status was higher (24%), the caregiver had a lower SES and showed lower internal HLOC. Conclusions: New care models have to be implemented to ensure equity in diabetes care and precision treatment, particularly for ethnic minority groups, because SES and external PHLOC are still an important barrier to “optimal” diabetes control. In the “sub-optimal” group, we have to implement strategies aimed at increasing self-efficacy, while in the “optimal” one, a personalised approach should be considered to facilitate the shifting of responsibilities within the family, avoiding psychological distress.
Sports-Related Concussion Is a Personalized Issue—Evaluation of Medical Assessment and Subjective Feeling of the Athlete in a German Level 1 Trauma Center
Authors: Weber Johannes , Huber Lorenz , Frankewycz Borys , Krutsch Werner , Alt Volker , Szymski Dominik
Published: September 2022

Sports-related concussions (SRC) have developed into a highly discussed topic in sports medicine over the last few years and demonstrate a severe issue in the personalized treatment of patients. This retrospective cohort study investigated 86 patients with sports-related concussions in a level 1 trauma center, relating to the mechanism, symptoms, medical history, acute therapy including first assessment and the return to sport. The research is based on medical records as well as questionnaires six months after hospitalization. Loss of consciousness for under 30 min (41.2%), headache (36.5%) and amnesia (29.4%) were the most frequent symptoms when presenting in the emergency room. During the hospitalization, mainly headache and vertigo were documented. Most concussions occurred after incidents in equitation and cycling sports; the most common mechanism was falling to the ground with a subsequent impact (59.3%). At the time of discharge from hospital, in 13.4% of all cases, concussion symptoms were still documented in medical records, in contrast to 39.5% of the concerned athletes who reported symptoms for longer than 24 h, and 41.0% who reported ongoing post-concussion symptoms after six months. Concussions are difficult-to-treat disorders with a challenging diagnostic process and many symptoms in various values and levels of persistence. Therefore, a patient-involving treatment with a complaint-dependent return to sport process should be applied to concerned athletes.
Editorial: Effects of Land Use on the Ecohydrology of River Basins in Accordance with Climate Change
Authors: Halecki Wiktor , Bedla Dawid , Ryczek Marek , Radecki-Pawlik Artur
Published: September 2022

A total of nine original publications and one concept paper are included in this Special Issue on water management and land use (Appendix A) [...]
On the Application of Artificial Neural Network for Classification of Incipient Faults in Dissolved Gas Analysis of Power Transformers
Authors: Thango Bonginkosi A.
Published: September 2022

Oil-submerged transformer is one of the inherent instruments in the South African power system. Transformer malfunction or impairment may interpose the operation of the electric power distribution and transmission system, coupled with liability for high overhaul costs. Hence, recognition of inchoate faults in an oil-submerged transformer is indispensable and it has turned into an intriguing subject of interest by utility owners and transformer manufacturers. This work proposes a hybrid implementation of a multi-layer artificial neural network (MLANN) and IEC 60599:2022 gas ratio method in identifying inchoate faults in mineral oil-based submerged transformers by employing the dissolved gas analysis (DGA) method. DGA is a staunch practice to discover inchoate faults as it furnishes comprehensive information in examining the transformer state. In current work, MLANN was established to pigeonhole seven fault types of transformer states predicated on the three International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) combustible gas ratios. The designs enmesh the development of numerous MLANN algorithms and picking networks with the optimum performance. The gas ratios are in accordance with the IEC 60599:2022 standard whilst an empirical databank comprised of 100 datasets was used in the training and testing activities. The designated MLANN design produces an overall correlation coefficient of 0.998 in the categorization of transformer state with reference to the combustible gas produced.
In-Depth Understanding of Ecklonia stolonifera Okamura: A Review of Its Bioactivities and Bioactive Compounds
Authors: Men Xiao , Han Xionggao , Lee Se-Jeong , Oh Geon , Jin Heegu , Oh Hyun-Ji , Kim Eunjin , Kim Jongwook , Lee Boo-Yong , Choi Sun-Il , Lee Ok-Hwan
Published: September 2022

Ecklonia stolonifera Okamura (ES) is mainly distributed in the coastal areas of the middle Pacific, around Korea and Japan, and has a long-standing edible value. It is rich in various compounds, such as polysaccharides, fatty acids, alginic acid, fucoxanthin, and phlorotannins, among which the polyphenol compound phlorotannins are the main active ingredients. Studies have shown that the extracts and active components of ES exhibit anti-cancer, antioxidant, anti-obesity, anti-diabetic, antibacterial, cardioprotective, immunomodulatory, and other pharmacological properties in vivo and in vitro. Although ES contains a variety of bioactive compounds, it is not widely known and has not been extensively studied. Based on its potential health benefits, it is expected to play an important role in improving the nutritional value of food both economically and medically. Therefore, ES needs to be better understood and developed so that it can be utilized in the development and application of marine medicines, functional foods, bioactive substances, and in many other fields. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the bioactivities and bioactive compounds of ES to promote in-depth research and a reference for the comprehensive utilization of ES in the future.
The Cyst of the Canal of Nuck: Anatomy, Diagnostic and Treatment of a Very Rare Diagnosis—A Case Report of an Adult Woman and Narrative Review of the Literature
Authors: Kohlhauser Michael , Pirsch Julian Vinzent , Maier Thorsten , Viertler Christian , Fegerl Roland
Published: September 2022

The cyst of the canal of Nuck is an extremely rare female hydrocele, usually occurring in children, but also in adult women. It is caused by pathology of the canal of Nuck, which is the female equivalent to the male processus vaginalis. Due to its rarity and the lack of awareness among physicians, the cyst of the canal of Nuck is a seldom-encountered entity in clinical practice and is commonly misdiagnosed. We report on a case of cyst of the canal of Nuck in a 42-year-old woman, who presented with a painful swelling at her right groin. In addition, we conducted a review of the current available literature. This review gives an overview of the anatomy, pathology, diagnostics, and treatment of the cyst of the canal of Nuck. The aim of this review is not only to give a survey, but also to raise awareness of the cyst of the canal of Nuck and serve as a reference for medical professionals.
Evidence for the Efficacy of a High Dose of Vitamin D on the Hyperinflammation State in Moderate-to-Severe COVID-19 Patients: A Randomized Clinical Trial
Authors: Sarhan Neven , Abou Warda Ahmed E. , Sarhan Rania M. , Boshra Marian S. , Mostafa-Hedeab Gomaa , ALruwaili Bashayer F. , Ibrahim Haytham Soliman Ghareeb , Schaalan Mona F. , Fathy Shaimaa
Published: September 2022

Background and Objectives: Vitamin D supplementation plays a key effect in lowering cytokine storms among COVID-19 patients by influencing the activity of the renin-angiotensin system and the production of the angiotensin-2 converting enzyme. The study was conducted to explore the effect of high-dose intramuscular vitamin D in hospitalized adults infected with moderate-to-severe SARS-CoV-2 in comparison with the standard of care in the COVID-19 protocol. Materials and Methods: Two groups of patients were compared in this prospective randomized controlled trial as the vitamin D was administered orally to group 1 (alfacalcidol 1 mcg/day) and intramuscularly to group 2 (cholecalciferol 200,000 IU). One hundred and sixteen participants were recruited in total, with fifty-eight patients in each group. Following the Egyptian Ministry of Health’s policy for COVID-19 management, all patients received the same treatment for a minimum of five days. Results: A significant difference was recorded in the length of hospital stay (8.6 versus 6.8 days), need for high oxygen or non-invasive mechanical ventilator (67% versus 33%), need for a mechanical ventilator (25% versus 75%), clinical improvement (45% versus 55%), the occurrence of sepsis (35% versus 65%), and in the monitored laboratory parameters in favor of high-dose vitamin D. Moreover, clinical improvement was significantly associated with the need for low/high oxygen, an invasive/non-invasive mechanical ventilator (MV/NIMV), and diabetes, while mortality was associated with the need for MV, ICU admission, atrial fibrillation, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma, and the occurrence of secondary infection. Conclusions: Our study showed that high-dose vitamin D was considered a promising treatment in the suppression of cytokine storms among COVID-19 patients and was associated with better clinical improvement and fewer adverse outcomes compared to low-dose vitamin D.
Highly Strong and Damage-Resistant Natural Rubber Membrane via Self-Assembly and Construction of Double Network
Authors: Wang Heliang , Meng Fanrong , Yi Mingyuan , Fang Lin , Wang Zhifen , Wang Shoujuan
Published: September 2022

Natural rubber latex (NRL) is commonly employed to manufacture medical protective appliances. However, the characteristics of weakness and fragility of NRL membranes limit their further application. To achieve excellent strength and damage-resistance of the rubber membrane, this work reported a facile core–shell structure construction strategy via self-assembly with modified sodium lignosulfonate (MSLS) and NRL to create a tough membrane. The double network can be formed after introducing polyamide epichlorohydrin resin (PAE) into the NRL membrane. Specifically, the first robust MSLS-PAE network can break in advance to dissipate applied energy, thereby achieving high fracture energy and tensile strength of ~111.51 kJ m−2 and ~37 MPa, respectively, which overtakes numerous soft materials. This work facilitates more studies on latex/lignin-based products with high performance and good stability for the functional application of biopolymer.
Interaction of Lipophilic Cytarabine Derivatives with Biomembrane Model at the Air/Water Interface
Authors: Berrio Escobar Jhon Fernando , Giordani Cristiano , Russo Stefano , Castelli Francesco , Sarpietro Maria Grazia
Published: September 2022

Cell membrane models are useful for obtaining molecular-level information on the interaction of biologically active molecules whose activity is believed to depend also on their effects on the membrane. Cytarabine was conjugated with fatty acids to improve the drug lipophilicity and the interaction with the biomembrane model. Cytarabine was conjugated with fatty acids of different lengths to form the trimyristoyl cytarabine and the tristearoyl cytarabine derivatives. Their interaction with biomembrane models constituted by dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine (DMPC) monolayers was studied by employing the Langmuir–Blodgett technique. DMPC/cytarabine, DMPC/trimyristoyl cytarabine and DMPC/tristearoyl cytarabine mixed monolayers at increasing molar fractions of the compound were prepared and placed on the subphase. The mean molecular area/surface pressure isotherms were recorded at 37 °C. Between the molecules of DMPC and those of cytarabine or prodrugs, repulsive forces act. However, these forces are very weak between DMPC and cytarabine and stronger between DMPC and the cytarabine derivatives, thus avoiding the expulsion of the compounds at higher surface pressure and modifying the stability of the mixed monolayer. The fatty acid moieties could then modulate the affinity of cytarabine for biomembranes.
Identification of Active Slip Mode and Calculation of Schmid Factors in Magnesium Alloy
Authors: Li Lichao , Kim Chunjoong , Kim Young-Min
Published: September 2022

Four types of slip systems (basal , prismatic , pyramidal , and pyramidal ) and two types of twinning (extension twinning {101–2} and contraction twinning {101–1}) could be identified in magnesium alloys using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD). In addition, the Schmid factors (SF) of these slip systems were systematically calculated on the basis of the Euler angle which was obtained in EBSD. The identification of slip systems and calculation of SF can help us to understand the contribution made by each type of slip in the plastic deformation of the material, which is important for understanding the deformation mechanism.
Influence of Nonmetallic Interstitials on the Phase Transformation between FCC and HCP Titanium: A Density Functional Theory Study
Authors: Yang Mengmeng , Hu Jianan , Cao Shuo , Feng Guang , Yang Yi , Liu Renci , Li Shujun , Zhao Fu , Feng Aihan , Hu Qingmiao , Huang Aijun , Wang Hao
Published: September 2022

In addition to the common stable and metastable phases in titanium alloys, the face-centered cubic phase was recently observed under various conditions; however, its formation remains largely unclarified. In this work, the effect of nonmetallic interstitial atoms O, N, C and B on the formation of the face-centered cubic phase of titanium was investigated with the density functional theory. The results indicate that the occupancy of O, N, C and B on the octahedral interstitial sites reduces the energy gap between the hexagonal-close-packed (HCP) and face-centered cubic (FCC) phases, thus assisting the formation of FCC-Ti under elevated temperature or plastic deformation. Such a gap further decreases with the increase in the interstitial content, which is consistent with the experimental observation of FCC-Ti under high interstitial content. The relative stability of the interstitial-containing HCP-Ti and FCC-Ti was studied against the physical and chemical origins, e.g., the lattice distortion and the electronic bonding. Interstitial O, N, C and B also reduce the stacking fault energy, thus further benefiting the formation of FCC-Ti.
Effect of Titanium Based Alloys on Thermo-Mechanical Behavior in 3D Forging Simulation
Authors: Raj Mohan Kumar Anand , Madheswaran Balaji , Alrubaie Ali Jawad , Panchal Hitesh , Muthusamy Suresh , Jaber Mustafa Musa , Prakash Chander , Davim Joao Paulo , Saxena Kuldeep Kumar , Buddhi Dharam
Published: September 2022

Titanium has been one of the traditional metals used in the medical industry since 1940. This work modeled and simulated a hip-joint replacement implant using Creo 5.0 and DEFORM 3D (v11.0), respectively. Four titanium-based billets were modeled; out of four billets, three billets were coated with a specified thickness, and one was uncoated. Among the three coated billets, one billet was coated with a 500-micron and two billets coated with a 1000-micron thickness. At the end of the simulation, the coating materials formed patches on the surface of the forged parts. The coating material Ti-6Al-4V (high O2) produced excellent mechanical properties in contrast to the CP-Ti material, which displayed low mechanical properties and did not match the core property. Hence, it was suggested to provide a bulk coating of Ti-6Al-4V (high O2) on the billet to improve the physio-mechanical properties and biocompatibility. Four points were selected on the surface of the forged parts at different locations for identifying the property variations concerning forging time. Results found that coating thickness required more on the side surface of the billet material than on the upper and lower surfaces to enhance its properties.
Effect of Applied Tensile Stress on Hydrogen-Induced Delayed Fracture Mode of Fe-Ni-Cr Austenitic Alloy Weldment
Authors: Yan Yingjie , Zhang Yukun , Zhao Lixian , Chen Yongqing , Cao Rui , Wu Honghui , He Yang , Yan Yu , Qiao Lijie
Published: September 2022

Fe-Ni-Cr austenitic alloys are widely used in hydrogen environments as structural materials. Their weld normally shows higher hydrogen-embrittlement sensitivity than the base metal, endangering large-scale applications. Herein, by using electron microscopy and numerical calculations, the influence of applied load on the fracture mode of hydrogen-embrittled JBK-75 alloy weldment is revealed and correlated with a competition between hydrogen-prompted intergranular decohesion (HPID) and hydrogen-enhanced localized plasticity (HELP). Therefore, independent of the load levels, the weld featuring a lower strength and smaller grain sizes is always more vulnerable to hydrogen embrittlement than the base metal.
Influence of P Content on Microstructure and Texture Evolution of the Oxygen-Free Copper
Authors: Peng Xiaowen , Song Kexing , Zhou Yanjun , Huang Tao , Liu Haitao , Hua Yunxiao , Yang Jingzhao , Wang Guojie
Published: September 2022

The present work aims to systematically investigate the influence of P content on the microstructure and texture evolution of oxygen-free copper during intermediate annealing and final cold rolling. The microstructure and texture evolution were studied by electron backscattered diffraction and transmission electron microscopy. With the addition of P, the grains refined and a large fraction of low angle grain boundaries (LAGBs) emerged after intermediate annealing. The texture transformed from pure metal type for pure Cu to the α-fiber texture which included brass and Goss texture as P was added. The recrystallization temperature increased with the addition of P, and refined grains after the final cold rolling process. The addition of elemental P would reduce the stacking fault energy, and then influence the transformation of the deformation and recrystallization texture of the copper. Accompanied by the evolution of the deformation texture, the recrystallization cubic texture {001}<100> was suppressed and a strong {236}<385> brass recrystallization texture emerged with the addition of elemental P after the intermediate annealing and subsequent final cold rolling process.
Serum Metabolomics Profiling Reveals Metabolic Alterations Prior to a Diagnosis with Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer among Chinese Community Residents: A Prospective Nested Case-Control Study
Authors: Xiang Yu , Zhao Qi , Wu Yilin , Liu Xing , Zhu Junjie , Yu Yuting , Su Xuyan , Xu Kelin , Jiang Yonggen , Zhao Genming
Published: September 2022

The present high mortality of lung cancer in China stems mainly from the lack of feasible, non-invasive and early disease detection biomarkers. Serum metabolomics profiling to reveal metabolic alterations could expedite the disease detection process and suggest those patients who are harboring disease. Using a nested case-control design, we applied ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (LC-MS)-based serum metabolomics to reveal the metabolomic alterations and to indicate the presence of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) using serum samples collected prior to disease diagnoses. The studied serum samples were collected from 41 patients before a NSCLC diagnosis (within 3.0 y) and 38 matched the cancer-free controls from the prospective Shanghai Suburban Adult Cohort. The NSCLC patients markedly presented cellular metabolism alterations in serum samples collected prior to their disease diagnoses compared with the cancer-free controls. In total, we identified 18 significantly expressed metabolites whose relative abundance showed either an upward or a downward trend, with most of them being lipid and lipid-like molecules, organic acids, and nitrogen compounds. Choline metabolism in cancer, sphingolipid, and glycerophospholipid metabolism emerged as the significant metabolic disturbance of NSCLC. The metabolites involved in these biological processes may be the distinctive features associated with NSCLC prior to a diagnosis.
First Report on Comparative Essential Oil Profile of Stem and Leaves of Blepharispermum hirtum Oliver and Their Antidiabetic and Anticancer Effects
Authors: Shah Muddaser , Al-Housni Saif Khalfan , Khan Faizullah , Ullah Saeed , Al-Sabahi Jamal Nasser , Khan Ajmal , Al-Yahyaei Balqees Essa Mohammed , Al-Ruqaishi Houda , Rehman Najeeb Ur , Al-Harrasi Ahmed
Published: September 2022

The current research was designed to explore the Blepharispermum hirtum Oliver (Asteraceae) stem and leaves essential oil (EO) composition extracted through hydro-distillation using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis for the first time. The EOs of the stem and leaves of B. hirtum were comparatively studied for the in vitro antidiabetic and anticancer potential using in vitro α-glucosidase and an MTT inhibition assay, respectively. In both of the tested samples, the same number of fifty-eight compounds were identified and contributed 93.88% and 89.07% of the total oil composition in the EOs of the stem and leaves of B. hirtum correspondingly. However, camphene was observed as a major compound (23.63%) in the stem EO, followed by β-selinene (5.33%) and β-elemene (4.66%) and laevo-β-pinene (4.38%). While in the EO of the leaves, the dominant compound was found to be 24-norursa-3,12-diene (9.08%), followed by β-eudesmol (7.81%), β-selinene (7.26%), thunbergol (5.84%), and caryophyllene oxide (5.62%). Significant antidiabetic potential was observed with an IC50 of 2.10 ± 0.57 µg/mL by the stem compared to the EO of the leaves of B. hirtum, having an IC50 of 4.30 ± 1.56 µg/mL when equated with acarbose (IC50 = 377.71 ± 1.34 µg/mL). Furthermore, the EOs offered considerable cytotoxic capabilities for MDA-MB-231. However, the EO of the leaves presented an IC50 = 88.4 ± 0.5 μg/mL compared to the EO of the stem of B. hirtum against the triple-negative breast cancer (MDA-MB-231) cell lines with an IC50 = 123.6 ± 0.8 μg/mL. However, the EOs were also treated with the human breast epithelial (MCF-10A) cell line, and from the results, it has been concluded that these oils did not produce much harm to the normal cell lines. Hence, the present research proved that the EOs of B. hirtum might be used to cure diabetes mellitus and human breast cancer. Moreover, further studies are considered to be necessary to isolate the responsible bioactive constituents to devise drugs for the observed activities.
Comparison of Hepatic Metabolite Profiles between Infant and Adult Male Mice Using 1H-NMR-Based Untargeted Metabolomics
Authors: Kwon Doyoung , Lee Wonho , Kim Sou Hyun , Jung Young-Suk
Published: September 2022

Although age-related characteristics of hepatic metabolism are reported, those in infants are not fully understood. In the present study, we performed untargeted metabolomic profiling of the livers of infant (3-week-old) and adult (9-week-old) male ICR mice using 1H-NMR spectroscopy and compared 35 abundant hepatic metabolite concentrations between the two groups. The liver/body weight ratio did not differ between the two groups; however, serum glucose, blood urea nitrogen, total cholesterol, and triglyceride concentrations were lower in infants than in adults. Hepatic carbohydrate metabolites (glucose, maltose, and mannose) were higher, whereas amino acids (glutamine, leucine, methionine, phenylalanine, tyrosine, and valine) were lower in infant mice than in adult mice. The concentrations of ascorbate, betaine, sarcosine, and ethanolamine were higher, whereas those of taurine, inosine, and O-phosphocholine were lower in infant mice than in adult mice. The differences in liver metabolites between the two groups could be due to differences in their developmental stages and dietary sources (breast milk for infants and laboratory chow for adults). The above results provide insights into the hepatic metabolism in infants; however, the exact implications of the findings require further investigation.
The Roof Safety under Large Mining Height Working Face: A Numerical and Theoretical Study
Authors: Wo Xiaofang , Li Guichen , Li Jinghua , Yang Sen , Lu Zhongcheng , Hao Haoran , Sun Yuantian
Published: September 2022

As an important technology of thick coal seam mining, fully mechanized mining with a large mining height has high mining efficiency. In order to study the roof safety control of large mining height working face, the 122106 working face of Caojiatan coal mine is taken as the engineering background. The numerical simulation method is used to analyze the control ability of roof subsidence when the support strength is 1.2 MPa, 1.4 MPa, 1.6 MPa, 1.8 MPa, 2.0 MPa, and 2.2 MPa. The results show that the support strength of hydraulic support is negatively correlated with roof subsidence. Through theoretical analysis of the mechanical model of the support and surrounding rock under the filling condition, it is shown that the height of the gap between the filling body and roof is the main influencing factor of roof subsidence: the smaller the height of the gap between the filling body and roof, the better the control effect on the roof. Through numerical simulation, the roof subsidence and surface subsidence under different filling rates are analyzed. The results show that when the filling rate increases to 80% the control of roof subsidence achieves better results. Taking production safety and economic benefits into consideration, when the reasonable support strength of the working face is determined to be 2.0 MPa and the filling rate is 80%, the safety control of the working face roof can be ensured.