bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Swin–UNet++: A Nested Swin Transformer Architecture for Location Identification and Morphology Segmentation of Dimples on 2.25Cr1Mo0.25V Fractured Surface
Authors: Liu Pan , Song Yan , Chai Mengyu , Han Zelin , Zhang Yu
Published: December 2021

The precise identification of micro-features on 2.25Cr1Mo0.25V steel is of great significance for understanding the mechanism of hydrogen embrittlement (HE) and evaluating the alloy’s properties of HE resistance. Presently, the convolution neural network (CNN) of deep learning is widely applied in the micro-features identification of alloy. However, with the development of the transformer in image recognition, the transformer-based neural network performs better on the learning of global and long-range semantic information than CNN and achieves higher prediction accuracy. In this work, a new transformer-based neural network model Swin–UNet++ was proposed. Specifically, the architecture of the decoder was redesigned to more precisely detect and identify the micro-feature with complex morphology (i.e., dimples) of 2.25Cr1Mo0.25V steel fracture surface. Swin–UNet++ and other segmentation models performed state-of-the-art (SOTA) were compared on the dimple dataset constructed in this work, which consists of 830 dimple scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images on 2.25Cr1Mo0.25V steel fracture surface. The segmentation results show Swin–UNet++ not only realizes the accurate identification of dimples but displays a much higher prediction accuracy and stronger robustness than Swin–Unet and UNet. Moreover, efforts from this work will also provide an important reference value to the identification of other micro-features with complex morphologies.
Impact of Carbon Particle Character on the Cement-Based Composite Electrical Resistivity
Authors: Černý Vít , Yakovlev Grigory , Drochytka Rostislav , Baránek Šimon , Mészárosová Lenka , Melichar Jindřich , Hermann Radek
Published: December 2021

Electroconductive cement-based composites are modern materials that are commonly used in many industries such as the construction industry, among others. For example, these materials can be used as sensors for monitoring changes in construction, grounding suspension, and resistance heating materials, etc. The aim of the research presented in this article is to monitor the impact of carbon particle character on cement-based electroconductive composites. Four types of graphite were analyzed. Natural and synthetic types of graphite, with different particle sizes and one with improved electrically conductive properties, were tested. For the analysis of the electrical conductivity of powder raw materials, a new methodology was developed based on the experience of working with these materials. Various types of graphite were tested in pure cement paste (80% cement, 20% graphite) as well as in a composite matrix, which consisted of cement (16.8%), a mixture of silica sand 0–4 mm (56.4%), graphite filler (20.0%) ground limestone (6.7%) and super plasticizers (0.1%). The resistivity and physical-mechanical properties of the composite material were determined. Furthermore, the resistivity of the test samples was measured with a gradual decrease in saturation. It may be concluded that graphite fillers featuring very fine particles and high specific surface are most suitable and most effective for creating electrically conductive silicate composites. The amount, shape and, in particular, the fineness of the graphite filler particles thus creates suitable conditions for the creation of an integrated internal electricity-conductive network. In the case of the use of a coarse type of graphite or purely non-conductive fillers, the presence of an electrolyte, for example, in the form of water, is necessary to achieve a low resistivity. Samples with fine types of graphite fillers achieved stable resistivity values when the sample humidity changed. The addition of graphite fillers caused a large decrease in the strength of the samples.
Polarized Neutron Diffraction: An Excellent Tool to Evidence the Magnetic Anisotropy—Structural Relationships in Molecules
Authors: Luneau Dominique , Gillon Béatrice
Published: December 2021

This publication reviews recent advances in polarized neutron diffraction (PND) studies of magnetic anisotropy in coordination compounds comprising d or f elements and having different nuclearities. All these studies illustrate the extent to which PND can provide precise and direct information on the relationship between molecular structure and the shape and axes of magnetic anisotropy of the individual metal sites. It makes this experimental technique (PND) an excellent tool to help in the design of molecular-based magnets and especially single-molecule magnets for which strong uniaxial magnetic anisotropy is required.
Attribute Service Performance Index Based on Poisson Process
Authors: Chen Kuen-Suan , Hsu Chang-Hsien , Hsu Ting-Hsin
Published: December 2021

The purpose of a shop enhancing customer satisfaction is to raise its total revenue as the rate of customer purchases in the shop increases. Some studies have pointed out that the amount of customer arrival at a shop is a Poisson process. A simple and easy-to-use evaluation index proposed for the Poisson process with the attribute characteristic will help various shops evaluate their business performance. In addition, developing an excellent and practical service performance evaluation method will be beneficial to the advancement of shop service quality as well as corporate image, thereby increasing the profitability and competitiveness of the shop. As the surroundings of the internet of things (IoT) are becoming gradually common and mature, various commercial data measurement and collection technologies are constantly being refined to form a huge amount of production data. Efficient data analysis and application can assist enterprises in making wise and efficient decisions within a short time. Thus, following the simple and easy-to-use principle, this paper proposes an attribute service performance index based on a Poisson process. Since the index had unknown parameters, this paper subsequently figured out the best estimator and used the central limit theorem to derive the confidence interval of the service efficiency index based on random samples. Then, we constructed the membership function based on the α-cuts of the triangular shaped fuzzy number. Finally, we came up with a fuzzy testing model based on the membership function to improve the accuracy of the test when the sample size is small in order to meet enterprises’ needs for quick responses as well as reducing the evaluation cost.
Norm Inflation for Benjamin–Bona–Mahony Equation in Fourier Amalgam and Wiener Amalgam Spaces with Negative Regularity
Authors: Bhimani Divyang G. , Haque Saikatul
Published: December 2021

We consider the Benjamin–Bona–Mahony (BBM) equation of the form ut+ux+uux−uxxt=0,(x,t)∈M×R where M=T or R. We establish norm inflation (NI) with infinite loss of regularity at general initial data in Fourier amalgam and Wiener amalgam spaces with negative regularity. This strengthens several known NI results at zero initial data in Hs(T) established by Bona–Dai (2017) and the ill-posedness result established by Bona–Tzvetkov (2008) and Panthee (2011) in Hs(R). Our result is sharp with respect to the local well-posedness result of Banquet–Villamizar–Roa (2021) in modulation spaces Ms2,1(R) for s≥0.
Triterpene Glycosides from the Far Eastern Sea Cucumber Psolus chitonoides: Chemical Structures and Cytotoxicities of Chitonoidosides E1, F, G, and H
Authors: Silchenko Alexandra S. , Kalinovsky Anatoly I. , Avilov Sergey A. , Andrijaschenko Pelageya V. , Popov Roman S. , Chingizova Ekaterina A. , Kalinin Vladimir I. , Dmitrenok Pavel S.
Published: December 2021

Four new triterpene disulfated glycosides, chitonoidosides E1 (1), F (2), G (3), and H (4), were isolated from the Far-Eastern sea cucumber Psolus chitonoides and collected near Bering Island (Commander Islands) at depths of 100–150 m. Among them there are two hexaosides (1 and 3), differing from each other by the terminal (sixth) sugar residue, one pentaoside (4) and one tetraoside (2), characterized by a glycoside architecture of oligosaccharide chains with shortened bottom semi-chains, which is uncommon for sea cucumbers. Some additional distinctive structural features inherent in 1–4 were also found: the aglycone of a recently discovered new type, with 18(20)-ether bond and lacking a lactone in chitonoidoside G (3), glycoside 3-O-methylxylose residue in chitonoidoside E1 (1), which is rarely detected in sea cucumbers, and sulfated by uncommon position 4 terminal 3-O-methylglucose in chitonoidosides F (2) and H (4). The hemolytic activities of compounds 1–4 and chitonoidoside E against human erythrocytes and their cytotoxic action against the human cancer cell lines, adenocarcinoma HeLa, colorectal adenocarcinoma DLD-1, and monocytes THP-1, were studied. The glycoside with hexasaccharide chains (1, 3 and chitonoidoside E) were the most active against erythrocytes. A similar tendency was observed for the cytotoxicity against adenocarcinoma HeLa cells, but the demonstrated effects were moderate. The monocyte THP-1 cell line and erythrocytes were comparably sensitive to the action of the glycosides, but the activity of chitonoidosides E and E1 (1) significantly differed from that of 3 in relation to THP-1 cells. A tetraoside with a shortened bottom semi-chain, chitonoidoside F (2), displayed the weakest membranolytic effect in the series.
Dysautonomia Following Tetanus, Diphtheria, and Pertussis Vaccine (Tdap): The First Case of Extreme Cachexia Caused by Autoimmune/Inflammatory Syndrome Induced by Adjuvants (ASIA Syndrome) in a Human
Authors: Hen Or , David Paula , Shoenfeld Yehuda
Published: December 2021

Autoimmune/inflammatory Syndrome Induced by Adjuvants (ASIA; Shoenfeld’s syndrome) comprehends a group of autoimmune conditions that flourish in genetically predisposed individuals, following an external stimulus by the so-called adjuvants. Many adjuvants were described, such as vaccines, aluminum and other metals, silicone, tattoos, among others. Those conditions entail defined diseases, such as sarcoidosis and Sjogren’s syndrome, and generalized complex symptoms, for example, fatigue, sleep disturbance, orthostatic intolerance, and other dysautonomic manifestations. Those complaints were previously associated with autoantibodies against nervous system autonomic receptors, especially antibeta 1 adrenergic receptor antibodies, suggesting the autoimmune component of the condition. Here we report on a case of an 18-year-old woman who presented with extreme cachexia due to severe dysautonomia caused by the ASIA syndrome induced by the tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis vaccine (Tdap).
MOBP rs616147 Polymorphism and Risk of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis in a Greek Population: A Case-Control Study
Authors: Liampas Ioannis , Siokas Vasileios , Aloizou Athina-Maria , Bakirtzis Christos , Tsouris Zisis , Nousia Anastasia , Nasios Grigorios , Papadimitriou Dimitra , Liakos Panagiotis , Bogdanos Dimitrios P. , Hadjigeorgiou Georgios M. , Dardiotis Efthimios
Published: December 2021

Background and Objectives: To date, only one study has investigated the association between the rs616147 polymorphism of the Myelin-associated Oligodendrocyte Basic Protein (MOBP) locus and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). Materials and Methods: A case-control study was performed. Patients with definite sporadic ALS were prospectively and consecutively recruited from the inpatient and outpatient clinics of the Neurology Department of the General University Hospital of Larissa, Central Greece. Community based, age and sex matched healthy individuals with a free personal and family history constituted the control group. Results: A total of 155 patients with definite sporadic ALS and an equal number of healthy controls were genotyped. The power of our sample size was slightly above 80% and MOBP rs616147 was determined to be in Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium among healthy participants (p = 1.00). According to the univariate analysis, there was no significant relationship between rs616147 and ALS [log-additive OR = 0.85 (0.61, 1.19), over-dominant OR = 0.73 (0.46, 1.15), recessive OR = 1.02 (0.50, 2.09), dominant OR = 0.74 (0.47, 1.16), co-dominant OR1 = 0.71 (0.44, 1.14) and co-dominant OR2 = 0.88 (0.42, 1.84). Additionally, the effect of rs616147 on the age of ALS onset was determined insignificant using both unadjusted and adjusted (sex, site of onset) cox-proportional models. Finally, rs616147 was not related to the site of ALS onset. Conclusions: Our study is the first to report the absence of an association between MOBP rs616147 and ALS among individuals of Greek ancestry. Additional, larger nationwide and multi-ethnic studies are warranted to shed light on the connection between rs616147 and ALS.
Software Architecture Modeling of AUTOSAR-Based Multi-Core Mixed-Critical Electric Powertrain Controller
Authors: Sundharam Sakthivel Manikandan , Iyenghar Padma , Pulvermueller Elke
Published: December 2021

In this paper, we present a transition journey of automotive software architecture design from using legacy approaches and toolchains to employing new modeling capabilities in the recent releases of Matlab/Simulink (M/S). We present the seamless approach that we have employed for the software architecture modeling of a mixed-critical electric powertrain controller which runs on a multi-core hardware platform. With our approach, we can achieve bidirectional traceability along with a powerful authoring process, implement a detailed model-based software architecture design of AUTOSAR system including a detailed data dictionary, and carry out umpteen number of proof-of-concept studies, what-if scenario simulations and performance tuning of safety software. In this context, we discuss an industrial case study employing valuable lessons learned, our experience reports providing novel insights and best practices followed.
Biological Response Profiling Reveals the Functional Differences of Main Alkaloids in Rhizoma Coptidis
Authors: Xie Lan , Feng Shanshan , Zhang Xiaoling , Zhao Wenlong , Feng Juan , Ma Chengmei , Wang Ruijun , Song Weifang , Cheng Jing
Published: December 2021

Rhizoma Coptidis (RC) is a widely used traditional Chinese medicine. Although modern research has found that some alkaloids from RC are the pharmacologically active constituents, the differences in their biological effects are not completely clear. This study analyzed the differences in the typical alkaloids in RC at a systematic level and provided comprehensive information on the pharmaceutical mechanisms of the different alkaloids. The ethanol RC extract (RCE) was characterized using HPLC assay. HepG2, 3T3-L1, and RAW264.7 cells were used to detect the cytotoxicity of alkaloids. Transcriptome analyses were performed to elucidate the cellular pathways affected by RCE and alkaloids. HPLC analysis revealed that the typical alkaloids of RCE were berberine, coptisine, and palmatine. Coptisine and berberine displayed a stronger inhibitory effect on cell proliferation than palmatine. The overlapping ratios of differentially expressed genes between RCE and berberine, coptisine, and palmatine were 70.8%, 52.6%, and 42.1%, respectively. Pathway clustering analysis indicated that berberine and coptisine possessed a certain similarity to RCE, and both compounds affected the cell cycle pathway; moreover, some pathways were uniquely enriched by berberine or coptisine. Berberine and coptisine had different regulatory effects on genes involved in lipid metabolism. These results provide comprehensive information on the pharmaceutical mechanisms of the different RC alkaloids and insights into their better combinatory use for the treatment of diseases.
A Report on Multi-Target Anti-Inflammatory Properties of Phytoconstituents from Monochoria hastata (Family: Pontederiaceae)
Authors: Haq Md Mazedul , Chowdhury Md Arifur Rahman , Tayara Hilal , Abdelbaky Ibrahim , Islam Md Shariful , Chong Kil To , Jeong Sangyun
Published: December 2021

This study aims to investigate the potential analgesic properties of the crude extract of Monochoria hastata (MH) leaves using in vivo experiments and in silico analysis. The extract, in a dose-dependent manner, exhibited a moderate analgesic property (~54% pain inhibition in acetic acid-induced writhing test), which is significant (** p < 0.001) as compared to the control group. The complex inflammatory mechanism involves diverse pathways and they are inter-connected. Therefore, multiple inflammatory modulator proteins were selected as the target for in silico analysis. Computational analysis suggests that all the selected targets had different degrees of interaction with the phytochemicals from the extract. Rutin (RU), protocatechuic acid (PA), vanillic acid (VA), and ferulic acid (FA) could regulate multiple targets with a robust efficiency. None of the compounds showed selectivity to Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2). However, regulation of COX and lipoxygenase (LOX) cascade by PA can reduce non-steroidal analgesic drugs (NSAIDs)-related side effects, including asthma. RU showed robust regulation of cytokine-mediated pathways like RAS/MAPK and PI3K/NF-kB by inhibition of EGFR and IKBα (IKK), which may prevent multi-organ failure due to cytokine storm in several microbial infections, for example, SARS-CoV-2. Further investigation, using in vivo and in vitro experiments, can be conducted to develop multi-target anti-inflammatory drugs using the isolated compounds from the extract.
Enhancement of Antibiotic Activity by 1,8-Naphthyridine Derivatives against Multi-Resistant Bacterial Strains
Authors: Araújo-Neto José B. de , Silva Maria M. C. da , Oliveira-Tintino Cícera D. de M. , Begnini Iêda M. , Rebelo Ricardo A. , Silva Luiz E. da , Mireski Sandro L. , Nasato Michele C. , Krautler Maria I. L. , Ribeiro-Filho Jaime , Siyadatpanah Abolghasem , Wilairatana Polrat , Coutinho Henrique D. M. , Tintino Saulo R.
Published: December 2021

The search for new antibacterial agents has become urgent due to the exponential growth of bacterial resistance to antibiotics. Nitrogen-containing heterocycles such as 1,8-naphthyridine derivatives have been shown to have excellent antimicrobial properties. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the antibacterial and antibiotic-modulating activities of 1,8-naphthyridine derivatives against multi-resistant bacterial strains. The broth microdilution method was used to determine the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of the following compounds: 7-acetamido-1,8-naphthyridin-4(1H)-one and 3-trifluoromethyl-N-(5-chloro-1,8-naphthyridin-2-yl)-benzenesulfonamide. The antibiotic-modulating activity was analyzed using subinhibitory concentrations (MIC/8) of these compounds in combination with norfloxacin, ofloxacin, and lomefloxacin. Multi-resistant strains of Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Staphylococcus aureus were used in both tests. Although the compounds had no direct antibacterial activity (MIC ≥ 1.024 µg/mL), they could decrease the MIC of these fluoroquinolones, indicating synergism was obtained from the association of the compounds. These results suggest the existence of a structure–activity relationship in this group of compounds with regard to the modulation of antibiotic activity. Therefore, we conclude that 1,8-naphthyridine derivatives potentiate the activity of fluoroquinolone antibiotics against multi-resistant bacterial strains, and thereby interesting candidates for the development of drugs against bacterial infections caused by multidrug resistant strains.
Natural and Synthetic Halogenated Amino Acids—Structural and Bioactive Features in Antimicrobial Peptides and Peptidomimetics
Authors: Mardirossian Mario , Rubini Marina , Adamo Mauro F. A. , Scocchi Marco , Saviano Michele , Tossi Alessandro , Gennaro Renato , Caporale Andrea
Published: December 2021

The 3D structure and surface characteristics of proteins and peptides are crucial for interactions with receptors or ligands and can be modified to some extent to modulate their biological roles and pharmacological activities. The introduction of halogen atoms on the side-chains of amino acids is a powerful tool for effecting this type of tuning, influencing both the physico-chemical and structural properties of the modified polypeptides, helping to first dissect and then rationally modify features that affect their mode of action. This review provides examples of the influence of different types of halogenation in amino acids that replace native residues in proteins and peptides. Examples of synthetic strategies for obtaining halogenated amino acids are also provided, focusing on some representative compounds and their biological effects. The role of halogenation in native and designed antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) and their mimetics is then discussed. These are in the spotlight for the development of new antimicrobial drugs to counter the rise of antibiotic-resistant pathogens. AMPs represent an interesting model to study the role that natural halogenation has on their mode of action and also to understand how artificially halogenated residues can be used to rationally modify and optimize AMPs for pharmaceutical purposes.
Anticancer Properties of Eugenol: A Review
Authors: Zari Ali T. , Zari Talal A. , Hakeem Khalid Rehman
Published: December 2021

Conventional cancer treatments have shown several unfavourable adverse effects, as well as an increase in anticancer drug resistance, which worsens the impending cancer therapy. Thus, the emphasis is currently en route for natural products. There is currently great interest in the natural bioactive components from medicinal plants possessing anticancer characteristics. For example, clove (Syzygium aromaticum L.) (Family Myrtaceae) is a highly prized spice that has been historically utilized as a food preservative and for diverse medical uses. It is reckoned amongst the valued sources of phenolics. It is indigenous to Indonesia but currently is cultivated in various places of the world. Among diverse active components, eugenol, the principal active component of S. aromaticum, has optimistic properties comprising antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer actions. Eugenol (4-allyl-2-methoxyphenol) is a musky oil that is mainly obtained from clove. It has long been utilized all over the world as a result of its broad properties like antioxidant, anticancer, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial activities. Eugenol continues to pique investigators’ interest because of its multidirectional activities, which suggests it could be used in medications to treat different ailments. Anticancer effects of eugenol are accomplished by various mechanisms like inducing cell death, cell cycle arrest, inhibition of migration, metastasis, and angiogenesis on several cancer cell lines. Besides, eugenol might be utilized as an adjunct remedy for patients who are treated with conventional chemotherapy. This combination leads to a boosted effectiveness with decreased toxicity. The present review focuses on the anticancer properties of eugenol to treat several cancer types and their possible mechanisms.
Cerium Oxide Nanoparticles: Synthesis and Characterization for Biosafe Applications
Authors: Tumkur Prathima Prabhu , Gunasekaran Nithin Krisshna , Lamani Babu R. , Nazario Bayon Nicole , Prabhakaran Krishnan , Hall Joseph C. , Ramesh Govindarajan T.
Published: December 2021

Due to its excellent physicochemical properties, cerium oxide (CeO2) has attracted much attention in recent years. CeO2 nanomaterials (nanoceria) are widely being used, which has resulted in them getting released to the environment, and exposure to humans (mostly via inhalation) is a major concern. In the present study, CeO2 nanoparticles were synthesized by hydroxide-mediated method and were further characterized by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM), Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDX), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), and X-ray Diffraction Spectroscopy (XRD). Human lung epithelial (Beas-2B) cells were used to assess the cytotoxicity and biocompatibility activity of CeO2 nanoparticles. 3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-Diphenyltetrazolium Bromide (MTT) and Live/Dead assays were performed to determine the cytotoxicity and biocompatibility of CeO2 nanoparticles. Generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) by cerium oxide nanoparticles was assessed by ROS assay. MTT assay and Live/Dead assays showed no significant induction of cell death even at higher concentrations (100 μg per 100 μL) upon exposure to Beas-2B cells. ROS assay revealed that CeO2 nanoparticles did not induce ROS that contribute to the oxidative stress and inflammation leading to various disease conditions. Thus, CeO2 nanoparticles could be used in various applications including biosensors, cancer therapy, catalytic converters, sunscreen, and drug delivery.
Trypsin Genes Are Regulated through the miRNA Bantam and Associated with Drug Sensitivity in the Sea Louse Caligus rogercresseyi
Authors: Núñez-Acuña Gustavo , Valenzuela-Muñoz Valentina , Carrera-Naipil Crisleri , Sáez-Vera Constanza , Benavente Bárbara P. , Valenzuela-Miranda Diego , Gallardo-Escárate Cristian
Published: December 2021

The role of trypsin genes in pharmacological sensitivity has been described in numerous arthropod species, including the sea louse Caligus rogercresseyi. This ectoparasite species is mainly controlled by xenobiotic drugs in Atlantic salmon farming. However, the post-transcriptional regulation of trypsin genes and the molecular components involved in drug response remain unclear. In particular, the miRNA bantam family has previously been associated with drug response in arthropods and is also found in C. rogercresseyi, showing a high diversity of isomiRs. This study aimed to uncover molecular interactions among trypsin genes and bantam miRNAs in the sea louse C. rogercresseyi in response to delousing drugs. Herein, putative mRNA/miRNA sequences were identified and localized in the C. rogercresseyi genome through genome mapping and blast analyses. Expression analyses were obtained from the mRNA transcriptome and small-RNA libraries from groups with differential sensitivity to three drugs used as anti-sea lice agents: azamethiphos, deltamethrin, and cypermethrin. The validation was conducted by qPCR analyses and luciferase assay of selected bantam and trypsin genes identified from in silico transcript prediction. A total of 60 trypsin genes were identified in the C. rogercresseyi genome, and 39 bantam miRNAs were differentially expressed in response to drug exposure. Notably, expression analyses and correlation among values obtained from trypsin and bantam revealed an opposite trend and potential binding sites with significant ΔG values. The luciferase assay showed a reduction of around 50% in the expression levels of the trypsin 2-like gene, which could imply that this gene is a potential target for bantam. The role of trypsin genes and bantam miRNAs in the pharmacological sensitivity of sea lice and the use of miRNAs as potential markers in these parasites are discussed in this study.
A Comprehensive Review of Hass Avocado Clinical Trials, Observational Studies, and Biological Mechanisms
Authors: Dreher Mark L. , Cheng Feon W. , Ford Nikki A.
Published: December 2021

This first comprehensive review of fresh Hass avocados includes 19 clinical trials, five observational studies, and biological mechanisms. We identified four primary avocado health effects: (1) reducing cardiovascular disease risk in healthy overweight or obese adults with dyslipidemia by lowering non-HDL-C profiles, triglycerides, LDL oxidation, small atherogenic LDL particles and promoting postprandial vascular endothelial health for better peripheral blood flow; (2) lowering the risk of being overweight or obese, supporting weight loss, and reducing visceral fat tissue in overweight or obese women; (3) improving cognitive function in older normal-weight adults and in young to middle age overweight or obese adults especially in frontal cortex executive function; and (4) stimulating improved colonic microbiota health in overweight or obese adults by promoting healthier microflora and fecal metabolites. We also identified a unique combination of four Hass avocado nutritional features that appear to be primarily responsible for these health effects: (1) a 6 to 1 unsaturated (rich in oleic acid) to saturated fat ratio similar to olive oil; (2) a source of multifunctional prebiotic and viscous fiber; (3) a relatively low energy density of 1.6 kcal/g (79% of edible Hass avocado weight consists of water and fiber with a creamy, smooth texture); and (4) its oleic acid and water emulsion increases carotenoid absorption from low-fat fruits and vegetables (e.g., salsa or salad) when consumed with avocados. They are also a good source of micronutrients and polyphenols, and are very low in sodium and available carbohydrates supporting secondary health and wellness benefits. Hass avocado health effects are best demonstrated when consumed in a healthy dietary plan such as the Mediterranean diet. More extensive and longer clinical trials are needed to further enhance our understanding of the Hass avocado’s health effects.
Enhancement of the Anti-Angiogenic Effects of Delphinidin When Encapsulated within Small Extracellular Vesicles
Authors: Barkallah Merwan , Nzoughet-Kouassi Judith , Simard Gilles , Thoulouze Loric , Marze Sébastien , Ropers Marie-Hélène , Andriantsitohaina Ramaroson
Published: December 2021

(1) Background: The anthocyanin delphinidin exhibits anti-angiogenic properties both in in vitro and in vivo angiogenesis models. However, in vivo delphinidin is poorly absorbed, thus its modest bioavailability and stability reduce its anti-angiogenic effects. The present work takes advantage of small extracellular vesicle (sEV) properties to enhance both the stability and efficacy of delphinidin. When encapsulated in sEVs, delphinidin inhibits the different stages of angiogenesis on human aortic endothelial cells (HAoECs). (2) Methods: sEVs from immature dendritic cells were produced and loaded with delphinidin. A method based on UHPLC-HRMS was implemented to assess delphinidin metabolites within sEVs. Proliferation assay, nitric oxide (NO) production and Matrigel assay were evaluated in HAoECs. (3) Results: Delphinidine, 3-O-β-rutinoside and Peonidin-3-galactoside were found both in delphinidin and delphinidin-loaded sEVs. sEV-loaded delphinidin increased the potency of free delphinidin 2-fold for endothelial proliferation, 10-fold for endothelial NO production and 100-fold for capillary-like formation. Thus, sEV-loaded delphinidin exerts effects on the different steps of angiogenesis. (4) Conclusions: sEVs may be considered as a promising approach to deliver delphinidin to target angiogenesis-related diseases, including cancer and pathologies associated with excess vascularization.
Simultaneous Tests of Theaflavin-3,3′-digallate as an Anti-Diabetic Drug in Human Hepatoma G2 Cells and Zebrafish (Danio rerio)
Authors: Zhou Hui , Wu Yuanyuan , Kim Eunhye , Pan Haibo , He Puming , Li Bo , Chen Yi Charlie , Tu Youying
Published: December 2021

Theaflavin-3,3′-digallate (TF3) is the most important theaflavin monomer in black tea. TF3 was proved to reduce blood glucose level in mice and rats. However, the elaborate anti-diabetic mechanism was not well elucidated. In this work, human hepatoma G2 (HepG2) cells and zebrafish (Danio rerio) were used simultaneously to reveal anti-diabetic effect of TF3. The results showed that TF3 could effectively rise glucose absorption capacity in insulin-resistant HepG2 cells and regulate glucose level in diabetic zebrafish. The hypoglycemic effect was mediated through down-regulating phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase and up-regulating glucokinase. More importantly, TF3 could significantly improve β cells regeneration in diabetic zebrafish at low concentrations (5 μg/mL and 10 μg/mL), which meant TF3 had a strong anti-diabetic effect. Obviously, this work provided the potential benefit of TF3 on hypoglycemic effect, regulating glucose metabolism enzymes, and protecting β cells. TF3 might be a promising agent for combating diabetes.
An Overview of Bioactive 1,3-Oxazole-Containing Alkaloids from Marine Organisms
Authors: Chen Jinyun , Lv Sunyan , Liu Jia , Yu Yanlei , Wang Hong , Zhang Huawei
Published: December 2021

1,3-Oxazole chemicals are a unique class of five-membered monocyclic heteroarenes, containing a nitrogen atom and an oxygen. These alkaloids have attracted extensive attention from medicinal chemists and pharmacologists owing to their diverse arrays of chemical structures and biological activities, and a series of 1,3-oxazole derivatives has been developed into therapeutic agents (e.g., almoxatone, befloxatone, cabotegravir, delpazolid, fenpipalone, haloxazolam, inavolisib). A growing amount of evidence indicates that marine organisms are one of important sources of 1,3-oxazole-containing alkaloids. To improve our knowledge regarding these marine-derived substances, as many as 285 compounds are summarized in this review, which, for the first time, highlights their sources, structural features and biological properties, as well as their biosynthesis and chemical synthesis. Perspective for the future discovery of new 1,3-oxazole compounds from marine organisms is also provided.
Avoidable Household Food Waste: Diagnosing the Links between Causes and Composition
Authors: Shaw Peter J.
Published: December 2021

Problems associated with the wastage of food intended for human consumption are well known and the discarding of edible but unconsumed food—avoidable food waste—is clearly undesirable. Interventions to reduce avoidable food waste need to be suitably informed: understanding the causes and consequences of avoidable food waste is instructive in this regard. One hitherto unexplored approach to understand better the causes of food waste is to elucidate associations between the composition of avoidable food waste and the reasons why it is generated. If such associations can be established, data relating to the composition of avoidable food waste can contribute evidence to underpin interventions intended to prevent or reduce avoidable food waste. The aim of this study was therefore to explore links between the causes of avoidable food waste and its composition, and thereby contribute to the development of management measures. Information relating the commonly reported causes of avoidable food waste and its composition (part-consumed, whole-unused and leftovers) was gathered via a series of participatory workshops involving university students. Outcomes of the workshops indicated that individual causes of avoidable food waste rarely lead exclusively to a single type of avoidable food waste, but some relationships were evident. Five of the 13 causal factors explored were considered to lead to all three types of avoidable food waste; a further five were considered to lead mainly to part-consumed and whole-unused food waste. Potential interventions to effect positive change are explored; the value of classifying avoidable food waste to guide interventions was evident, although approaches would need to be aligned with the observed composition of avoidable food waste and the method(s) of intervention considered. Applications of the approach and outcomes of this study are also considered in a policy context.
A Supplementary Module to Improve Accuracy of the Quality Assessment Band in Landsat Cloud Images
Authors: Cao Ruyin , Feng Yan , Chen Jin , Zhou Ji
Published: December 2021

Cloud contamination is a serious obstacle for the application of Landsat data. To popularize the applications of Landsat data, each Landsat image includes the corresponding Quality Assessment (QA) band, in which cloud and cloud shadow pixels have been flagged. However, previous studies suggested that Landsat QA band still needs to be modified to fulfill the requirement of Landsat data applications. In this study, we developed a Supplementary Module to improve the original QA band (called QA_SM). On one hand, QA_SM extracts spectral and geometrical features in the target Landsat cloud image from the original QA band. On the other, QA_SM incorporates the temporal change characteristics of clouds and cloud shadows between the target and reference images. We tested the new method at four local sites with different land covers and the Landsat-8 cloud cover validation dataset (“L8_Biome”). The experimental results show that QA_SM performs better than the original QA band and the multi-temporal method ATSA (Automatic Time-Series Analyses). QA_SM decreases omission errors of clouds and shadows in the original QA band effectively but meanwhile does not increase commission errors. Besides, the better performance of QA_SM is less affected by the selections of reference images because QA_SM considers the temporal change of land surface reflectance that is not caused by cloud contamination. By further designing a quantitative assessment experiment, we found that the QA band generated by QA_SM improves cloud-removal performance on Landsat cloud images, suggesting the benefits of the new method to advance the applications of Landsat data.
Detecting 2020 Coral Bleaching Event in the Northwest Hainan Island Using CoralTemp SST and Sentinel-2B MSI Imagery
Authors: Liu Bailu , Guan Lei , Chen Hong
Published: December 2021

In recent years, coral reef ecosystems have been affected by global climate change and human factors, resulting in frequent coral bleaching events. A severe coral bleaching event occurred in the northwest of Hainan Island, South China Sea, in 2020. In this study, we used the CoralTemp sea surface temperature (SST) and Sentinel-2B imagery to detect the coral bleaching event. From 31 May to 3 October, the average SST of the study area was 31.01 °C, which is higher than the local bleaching warning threshold value of 30.33 °C. In the difference images of 26 July and 4 September, a wide range of coral bleaching was found. According to the temporal variation in single band reflectance, the development process of bleaching is consistent with the changes in coral bleaching thermal alerts. The results show that the thermal stress level is an effective parameter for early warning of large-scale coral bleaching. High-resolution difference images can be used to detect the extent of coral bleaching. The combination of the two methods can provide better support for coral protection and research.
Mapping Flood Extent and Frequency from Sentinel-1 Imagery during the Extremely Warm Winter of 2020 in Boreal Floodplains and Forests
Authors: Sipelgas Liis , Aavaste Age , Uiboupin Rivo
Published: December 2021

The current study presents a methodology for water mapping from Sentinel-1 (S1) data and a flood extent analysis of the three largest floodplains in Estonia. The automatic processing scheme of S1 data was set up for the mapping of open-water flooding (OWF) and flooding under vegetation (FUV). The extremely mild winter of 2019/2020 resulted in several large floods at floodplains that were detected from S1 imagery with a maximal OWF extent up to 5000 ha and maximal FUV extent up to 4500 ha. A significant correlation (r2 > 0.6) between the OWF extent and the closest gauge data was obtained for inland riverbank floodplains. The outcome enabled us to define the water level at which the water exceeds the shoreline and flooding starts. However, for a coastal river delta floodplain, a lower correlation (r2 < 0.34) with gauge data was obtained, and the excess of river coastline could not be related to a certain water level. At inland riverbank floodplains, the extent of FUV was three times larger compared to that of OWF. The correlation between the water level and FUV was <0.51, indicating that the river water level at these test sites can be used as a proxy for forest floods. Relating conventional gauge data to S1 time series data contributes to flood risk mitigation.
Investigating the Correlation between Multisource Remote Sensing Data for Predicting Potential Spread of Ips typographus L. Spots in Healthy Trees
Authors: Abdollahnejad Azadeh , Panagiotidis Dimitrios , Surový Peter , Modlinger Roman
Published: December 2021

In the last decade, thousands of hectares of forests have been lost in the Czech Republic, primarily related to European spruce bark beetle (Ips typographus L.), while more than 50% of the remaining Czech forests are in great danger, thus posing severe threats to the resilience, stability, and functionality of those forests. The role of remote sensing in monitoring dynamic structural changes caused by pests is essential to understand and sustainably manage these forests. This study hypothesized a possible correlation between tree health status and multisource time series remote sensing data using different processed layers to predict the potential spread of attack by European spruce bark beetle in healthy trees. For this purpose, we used WorldView-2, Pléiades 1B, and SPOT-6 images for the period of April to September from 2018 to 2020; unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) imagery data were also collected for use as a reference data source. Our results revealed that spectral resolution is crucial for the early detection of infestation. We observed a significant difference in the reflectance of different health statuses, which can lead to the early detection of infestation as much as two years in advance. More specifically, several bands from two different satellites in 2018 perfectly predicted the health status classes from 2020. This method could be used to evaluate health status classes in the early stage of infestation over large forested areas, which would provide a better understanding of the current situation and information for decision making and planning for the future.
A Spatial-Enhanced LSE-SFIM Algorithm for Hyperspectral and Multispectral Images Fusion
Authors: Wang Yulei , Zhu Qingyu , Shi Yao , Song Meiping , Yu Chunyan
Published: December 2021

The fusion of a hyperspectral image (HSI) and multispectral image (MSI) can significantly improve the ability of ground target recognition and identification. The quality of spatial information and the fidelity of spectral information are normally contradictory. However, these two properties are non-negligible indicators for multi-source remote-sensing images fusion. The smoothing filter-based intensity modulation (SFIM) method is a simple yet effective model for image fusion, which can improve the spatial texture details of the image well, and maintain the spectral characteristics of the image significantly. However, traditional SFIM has a poor effect for edge information sharpening, leading to a bad overall fusion result. In order to obtain better spatial information, a spatial filter-based improved LSE-SFIM algorithm is proposed in this paper. Firstly, the least square estimation (LSE) algorithm is combined with SFIM, which can effectively improve the spatial information quality of the fused image. At the same time, in order to better maintain the spatial information, four spatial filters (mean, median, nearest and bilinear) are used for the simulated MSI image to extract fine spatial information. Six quality indexes are used to compare the performance of different algorithms, and the experimental results demonstrate that the LSE-SFIM based on bilinear (LES-SFIM-B) performs significantly better than the traditional SFIM algorithm and other spatially enhanced LSE-SFIM algorithms proposed in this paper. Furthermore, LSE-SFIM-B could also obtain similar performance compared with three state-of-the-art HSI-MSI fusion algorithms (CNMF, HySure, and FUSE), while the computing time is much shorter.
Adaptive Feature Weighted Fusion Nested U-Net with Discrete Wavelet Transform for Change Detection of High-Resolution Remote Sensing Images
Authors: Wang Congcong , Sun Wenbin , Fan Deqin , Liu Xiaoding , Zhang Zhi
Published: December 2021

The characteristics of a wide variety of scales about objects and complex texture features of high-resolution remote sensing images make deep learning-based change detection methods the mainstream method. However, existing deep learning methods have problems with spatial information loss and insufficient feature representation, resulting in unsatisfactory effects of small objects detection and boundary positioning in high-resolution remote sensing images change detection. To address the problems, a network architecture based on 2-dimensional discrete wavelet transform and adaptive feature weighted fusion is proposed. The proposed network takes Siamese network and Nested U-Net as the backbone; 2-dimensional discrete wavelet transform is used to replace the pooling layer; and the inverse transform is used to replace the upsampling to realize image reconstruction, reduce the loss of spatial information, and fully retain the original image information. In this way, the proposed network can accurately detect changed objects of different scales and reconstruct change maps with clear boundaries. Furthermore, different feature fusion methods of different stages are proposed to fully integrate multi-scale and multi-level features and improve the comprehensive representation ability of features, so as to achieve a more refined change detection effect while reducing pseudo-changes. To verify the effectiveness and advancement of the proposed method, it is compared with seven state-of-the-art methods on two datasets of Lebedev and SenseTime from the three aspects of quantitative analysis, qualitative analysis, and efficiency analysis, and the effectiveness of proposed modules is validated by an ablation study. The results of quantitative analysis and efficiency analysis show that, under the premise of taking into account the operation efficiency, our method can improve the recall while ensuring the detection precision, and realize the improvement of the overall detection performance. Specifically, it shows an average improvement of 37.9% and 12.35% on recall, and 34.76% and 11.88% on F1 with the Lebedev and SenseTime datasets, respectively, compared to other methods. The qualitative analysis shows that our method has better performance on small objects detection and boundary positioning than other methods, and a more refined change map can be obtained.
A Non-Invasive Millimetre-Wave Radar Sensor for Automated Behavioural Tracking in Precision Farming—Application to Sheep Husbandry
Authors: Dore Alexandre , Pasquaretta Cristian , Henry Dominique , Ricard Edmond , Bompa Jean-François , Bonneau Mathieu , Boissy Alain , Hazard Dominique , Lihoreau Mathieu , Aubert Hervé
Published: December 2021

The automated quantification of the behaviour of freely moving animals is increasingly needed in applied ethology. State-of-the-art approaches often require tags to identify animals, high computational power for data collection and processing, and are sensitive to environmental conditions, which limits their large-scale utilization, for instance in genetic selection programs of animal breeding. Here we introduce a new automated tracking system based on millimetre-wave radars for real time robust and high precision monitoring of untagged animals. In contrast to conventional video tracking systems, radar tracking requires low processing power, is independent on light variations and has more accurate estimations of animal positions due to a lower misdetection rate. To validate our approach, we monitored the movements of 58 sheep in a standard indoor behavioural test used for assessing social motivation. We derived new estimators from the radar data that can be used to improve the behavioural phenotyping of the sheep. We then showed how radars can be used for movement tracking at larger spatial scales, in the field, by adjusting operating frequency and radiated electromagnetic power. Millimetre-wave radars thus hold considerable promises precision farming through high-throughput recording of the behaviour of untagged animals in different types of environments.