bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Numerical Solution of Time Fractional Black–Scholes Model Based on Legendre Wavelet Neural Network with Extreme Learning Machine
Authors: Zhang Xiaoning , Yang Jianhui , Zhao Yuxin
Published: July 2022

In this paper, the Legendre wavelet neural network with extreme learning machine is proposed for the numerical solution of the time fractional Black–Scholes model. In this way, the operational matrix of the fractional derivative based on the two-dimensional Legendre wavelet is derived and employed to solve the European options pricing problem. This scheme converts this problem into the calculation of a set of algebraic equations. The Legendre wavelet neural network is constructed; meanwhile, the extreme learning machine algorithm is adopted to speed up the learning rate and avoid the over-fitting problem. In order to evaluate the performance of this scheme, a comparative study with the implicit differential method is constructed to validate its feasibility and effectiveness. Experimental results illustrate that this scheme offers a satisfactory numerical solution compared to the benchmark method.
Poly(N-isopropylacrylamide)-Based Hydrogels for Biomedical Applications: A Review of the State-of-the-Art
Authors: Ansari Mohammad Javed , Rajendran Rahul R. , Mohanto Sourav , Agarwal Unnati , Panda Kingshuk , Dhotre Kishore , Manne Ravi , Deepak A. , Zafar Ameeduzzafar , Yasir Mohd , Pramanik Sheersha
Published: July 2022

A prominent research topic in contemporary advanced functional materials science is the production of smart materials based on polymers that may independently adjust their physical and/or chemical characteristics when subjected to external stimuli. Smart hydrogels based on poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) demonstrate distinct thermoresponsive features close to a lower critical solution temperature (LCST) that enhance their capability in various biomedical applications such as drug delivery, tissue engineering, and wound dressings. Nevertheless, they have intrinsic shortcomings such as poor mechanical properties, limited loading capacity of actives, and poor biodegradability. Formulation of PNIPAM with diverse functional constituents to develop hydrogel composites is an efficient scheme to overcome these defects, which can significantly help for practicable application. This review reports on the latest developments in functional PNIPAM-based smart hydrogels for various biomedical applications. The first section describes the properties of PNIPAM-based hydrogels, followed by potential applications in diverse fields. Ultimately, this review summarizes the challenges and opportunities in this emerging area of research and development concerning this fascinating polymer-based system deep-rooted in chemistry and material science.
Similarity Search on Semantic Trajectories Using Text Processing
Authors: Ribeiro de Almeida Damião , de Souza Baptista Cláudio , de Andrade Fabio Gomes
Published: July 2022

The use of location-based sensors has increased exponentially. Tracking moving objects has become increasingly common, consolidating a new field of research that focuses on trajectory data management. Such trajectories may be semantically enriched using sensors and social media. This enables a detailed analysis of trajectory behavior patterns. One of the problems in this field is the search for a semantic trajectory database that is flexible and adaptable; flexibility in the sense of retrieving trajectories that are closest to the user’s query and not just based on exact matching. Adaptability refers to adjusting to different types of semantic trajectories. This article proposes a new approach for representing and querying semantic trajectories based on text-processing techniques. Furthermore, we describe a framework, called SETHE (SEmantic Trajectory HuntEr), that performs similarity queries on semantically enriched trajectory databases. SETHE can be adapted according to the aspect types posed in user queries. We also presented an evaluation of the proposed framework using a real dataset, and compare our results with those of state-of-the-art approaches.
Transcriptional Regulation and Protein Localization of Zip10, Zip13 and Zip14 Transporters of Freshwater Teleost Yellow Catfish Pelteobagrus fulvidraco Following Zn Exposure in a Heterologous HEK293T Model
Authors: Liu Sheng-Zan , Xu Yi-Chuang , Tan Xiao-Ying , Zhao Tao , Zhang Dian-Guang , Yang Hong , Luo Zhi
Published: July 2022

Zip family proteins are involved in the control of zinc (Zn) ion homeostasis. The present study cloned the promoters and investigated the transcription responses and protein subcellular localizations of three LIV-1 subfamily members (zip10, zip13, and zip14) from common freshwater teleost yellow catfish, Pelteobagrus fulvidraco, using in vitro cultured HEK293T model cells. The 2278 bp, 1917 bp, and 1989 bp sequences of zip10, zip13, and zip14 promoters, respectively, were subcloned into pGL3-Basic plasmid for promoter activity analysis. The pcDNA3.1 plasmid coding EGFP tagged pfZip10, pfZip13, and pfZip14 were generated for subsequent confocal microscope analysis. Several potential transcription factors’ binding sites were predicted within the promoters. In vitro promoter analysis in the HEK293T cells showed that high Zn administration significantly reduced the transcriptional activities of the zip10, zip13, and zip14 promoters. The −2017 bp/−2004 bp MRE in the zip10 promoter, the −360 bp/−345 bp MRE in the zip13 promoter, and the −1457 bp/−1442 bp MRE in the zip14 promoter were functional loci that were involved in the regulation of the three zips. The −606 bp/−594 bp KLF4 binding site in the zip13 promoter was a functional locus responsible for zinc-responsive regulation of zip13. The −1383 bp/−1375 bp STAT3 binding site in the zip14 promoter was a functional locus responsible for zinc-responsive regulation of zip14. Moreover, confocal microscope analysis indicated that zinc incubation significantly reduced the fluorescence intensity of pfZip10-EGFP and pfZip14-EGFP but had no significant influence on pfZip13-EGFP fluorescence intensity. Further investigation found that pfZip10 localizes on cell membranes, pfZip14 colocalized with both cell membranes and lysosome, and pfZip13 colocalized with intracellular ER and Golgi. Our research illustrated the transcription regulation of zip10, zip13, and zip14 from P. fulvidraco under zinc administration, which provided a reference value for the mechanisms involved in Zip-family-mediated control of zinc homeostasis in vertebrates.
Integrated DNA Copy Number and Expression Profiling Identifies IGF1R as a Prognostic Biomarker in Pediatric Osteosarcoma
Authors: Taylor Aaron M. , Sun Jiayi M. , Yu Alexander , Voicu Horatiu , Shen Jianhe , Barkauskas Donald A. , Triche Timothy J. , Gastier-Foster Julie M. , Man Tsz-Kwong , Lau Ching C.
Published: July 2022

Osteosarcoma is a primary malignant bone tumor arising from bone-forming mesenchymal cells in children and adolescents. Despite efforts to understand the biology of the disease and identify novel therapeutics, the survival of osteosarcoma patients remains dismal. We have concurrently profiled the copy number and gene expression of 226 osteosarcoma samples as part of the Strategic Partnering to Evaluate Cancer Signatures (SPECS) initiative. Our results demonstrate the heterogeneous landscape of osteosarcoma in younger populations by showing the presence of genome-wide copy number abnormalities occurring both recurrently among samples and in a high frequency. Insulin growth factor receptor 1 (IGF1R) is a receptor tyrosine kinase which binds IGF1 and IGF2 to activate downstream pathways involved in cell apoptosis and proliferation. We identify prevalent amplification of IGF1R corresponding with increased gene expression in patients with poor survival outcomes. Our results substantiate previously tenuously associated copy number abnormalities identified in smaller datasets (13q34+, 20p13+, 4q35-, 20q13.33-), and indicate the significance of high fibroblast growth factor receptor 2 (FGFR2) expression in distinguishing patients with poor prognosis. FGFR2 is involved in cellular proliferation processes such as division, growth and angiogenesis. In summary, our findings demonstrate the prognostic significance of several genes associated with osteosarcoma pathogenesis.
Atopic Dermatitis and Food Allergy: A Complex Interplay What We Know and What We Would Like to Learn
Authors: Papapostolou Niki , Xepapadaki Paraskevi , Gregoriou Stamatis , Makris Michael
Published: July 2022

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic inflammatory skin disorder characterized by intense pruritus, eczematous lesions, and relapsing course. It presents with great clinical heterogeneity, while underlying pathogenetic mechanisms involve a complex interplay between a dysfunctional skin barrier, immune dysregulation, microbiome dysbiosis, genetic and environmental factors. All these interactions are shaping the landscape of AD endotypes and phenotypes. In the “era of allergy epidemic”, the role of food allergy (FA) in the prevention and management of AD is a recently explored “era”. Increasing evidence supports that AD predisposes to FA and not vice versa, while food allergens are presumed as one of the triggers of AD exacerbations. AD management should focus on skin care combined with topical and/or systemic treatments; however, in the presence of suspected food allergy, a thorough allergy evaluation should be performed. Food-elimination diets in food-allergic cases may have a beneficial effect on AD morbidity; however, prolonged, unnecessary diets are highly discouraged since they can lead to loss of tolerance and potentially increase the risk of IgE-mediated food allergy. Preventive AD strategies with the use of topical emollients and anti-inflammatory agents as well as early introduction of food allergens in high-risk infants seem promising in managing and preventing food allergy in AD patients. The current review aims to overview data on the complex AD/FA relationship and provide the most recent developments on whether food allergy interventions change the AD course and vice versa.
Hematocrit Self-Testing in Patients with Polycythemia Vera and Other Hematological Conditions: Assessing the Accuracy of the StatStrip Xpress® 2 LAC/Hb/Hct Device and User Opinion about the Device in Real-World Clinical Practice
Authors: Rovó Alicia , Baierlein-Leimbach Claudia , Medri Cesare , Chanias Ioannis , Errass Loreen , Fehr Theresa , Triemer Therese , McCarthy-Pontier Daphne B. , Lehmann Thomas
Published: July 2022

Maintaining hematocrit (Hct) levels below 45% can reduce morbidity and mortality in patients with polycythemia vera (PV). A device that patients can use to self-monitor Hct levels could enable timely interventions if Hct levels increase above 45%, and could improve quality of life (QoL). This study evaluated the accuracy of the StatStrip Xpress® 2 LAC/Hb/Hct meter (Hb/Hct meter) when used by healthcare professionals (HCPs) or patients in clinical practice. Blood samples from 68 visits for 60 patients with PV or other hematological conditions were collected and analyzed by HCPs using a laboratory hematological analyzer, and by patients (self-test) and HCPs (professional test) using the Hb/Hct meter at two Swiss centers. Accuracy was assessed as the mean difference in readings between two users/methods (mdiff, 90% confidence interval; Spearman correlation [r]). The Hct values were similar between the professional test and analyzer (n = 66 comparisons, mdiff = 0.1% [−0.5 to 0.8]; r = 0.95, p < 0.001), the self-test and professional test (n = 62 comparisons, mdiff = −0.2% [−1.1 to 0.7]; r = 0.93, p < 0.001), and the self-test and analyzer (n = 63 comparisons, mdiff = 0.0% [−0.8 to 0.7]; r = 0.94, p < 0.001). The hemoglobin values across users/methods were also similar. Reporting their opinion on the Hb/Hct meter at visit 1, 100% of the patients found it easy to use, and 97% were willing to use it at home. Of the patients with PV, approximately 71% and 56%, respectively, stated that they would feel safer using a self-testing device, and that it would improve their QoL. These findings demonstrate the potential of the Hb/Hct meter for HCP and patient use in real-world settings.
A Multi-Disciplinary Team Approach to Genomic Testing for Drug-Resistant Epilepsy Patients—The GENIE Study
Authors: Vadlamudi Lata , Bennett Carmen Maree , Tom Melanie , Abdulrasool Ghusoon , Brion Kristian , Lundie Ben , Aung Hnin , Lau Chiyan , Rodgers Jonathan , Riney Kate , Gordon Louisa
Published: July 2022

Background. The genomic era has led to enormous progress in clinical care and a multi-disciplinary team (MDT) approach is imperative for integration of genomics into epilepsy patient care. Methods. The MDT approach involved patient selection, genomic testing choice, variant discussions and return of results. Genomics analysis included cytogenomic testing and whole exome sequencing (WES). Neurologist surveys were undertaken at baseline and after genomic testing to determine if genomic diagnoses would alter their management, and if there was a change in confidence in genomic testing and neurologist perceptions of the MDT approach. Results. The total diagnostic yield from all genomic testing was 17% (11/66), with four diagnoses from cytogenomic analyses. All chromosomal microarray (CMA) diagnoses were in patients seen by adult neurologists. Diagnostic yield for WES was 11% (7/62). The most common gene with pathogenic variants was DCX, reported in three patients, of which two were mosaic. The genomic diagnosis impacted management in 82% (9/11). There was increased confidence with integrating genomics into clinical care (Pearson chi square = 83, p = 0.004) and qualitative comments were highly supportive of the MDT approach. Conclusions. We demonstrated diagnostic yield from genomic testing, and the impact on management in a cohort with drug-resistant epilepsy. The MDT approach increased confidence in genomic testing and neurologists valued the input from this approach. The utility of CMA was demonstrated in epilepsy patients seen by adult neurologists as was the importance of considering mosaicism for previously undiagnosed patients.
Esophageal Mucosal Permeability as a Surrogate Measure of Cure in Eosinophilic Esophagitis
Authors: Chen Junji , Oshima Tadayuki , Huang Xinyi , Tomita Toshihiko , Fukui Hirokazu , Miwa Hiroto
Published: July 2022

This study aimed to evaluate the relationship of esophageal epithelial permeability with mast cell infiltration and IgG4 deposits as well as chemokine levels in eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) patients before and after treatment. Biopsies from controls and EoE patients before and after treatment were analyzed. Hematoxylin and eosin staining was used to show eosinophil infiltration. Paracellular permeability of the esophageal epithelium was assessed using surface biotinylation. Immunohistochemical staining was performed to examine mast cell infiltration and IgG4 deposits. Gene expression of chemokines was evaluated by qRT-PCR. Esophageal epithelial infiltration of mast cells, IgG4 deposits, and permeability were significantly increased in EoE patients. Levels of interleukin-13, calpain-14, and eotaxin-3 mRNAs were significantly upregulated, while filaggrin, serine peptidase inhibitor Kazal type 7 (SPINK7), and involucrin mRNAs were significantly downregulated in EoE patients. In patients achieving histologic remission diagnosed by eosinophil counts, a subset of EoE patients with unchanged permeability after treatment showed increases in mast cell infiltration, IgG4 deposits, and interleukin-13, calpain-14, filaggrin, and SPINK7 expression, with decreased eotaxin-3 and involucrin. Other EoE patients with decreased permeability displayed decreased eotaxin-3, involucrin, and mast cell infiltration, no IgG4 deposits, and increased IL-13, calpain-14, filaggrin, and SPINK7. Increased permeability of the esophagus in EoE patients without eosinophil infiltration after treatment was associated with mast cell infiltration and IgG4 deposits.
Underwater Electromagnetic Guidance Based on the Magnetic Dipole Model Applied in AUV Terminal Docking
Authors: Lin Ri , Zhao Yucheng , Li Dejun , Lin Mingwei , Yang Canjun
Published: July 2022

To address the poor effect of optical/visual guidance used in AUV terminal docking with strong background light and turbid water quality, an underwater electromagnetic guidance method based on the magnetic dipole model is proposed in this paper. According to the magnetic dipole model, the electromagnetic field of 1 kHz frequency generated by the coil in the range of terminal docking is the near field, where the position can be figured out through the amplitude and phase information of three orthogonal magnetic field intensity vectors. A triaxial-coil magnetometer with three orthogonal coils and a method for extracting the amplitude and phase information of the induced voltage are presented in this paper. According to Faraday’s law, the amplitude and phase information of the induced voltage of a triaxial-coil magnetometer replace the information of magnetic field intensity in relation to positioning. The underwater positioning results show that the average positioning error within 6 m can reach the centimeter level. Five underwater terminal docking tasks were carried out, and four of them were successfully completed, which verified the feasibility of the proposed method.
Netting Damage Detection for Marine Aquaculture Facilities Based on Improved Mask R-CNN
Authors: Zhang Ziliang , Gui Fukun , Qu Xiaoyu , Feng Dejun
Published: July 2022

Netting damage limits the safe development of marine aquaculture. In order to identify and locate damaged netting accurately, we propose a detection method using an improved Mask R-CNN. We create an image dataset of different kinds of damage from a mix of conditions and enhance it by data augmentation. We then introduce the Recursive Feature Pyramid (RFP) and Deformable Convolution Network (DCN) structures into the learning framework to optimize the basic backbone for a marine environment and build a feature map with both high-level semantic and low-level localization information of the network. This modification solves the problem of poor detection performance in damaged nets with small and irregular damage. Experimental results show that these changes improve the average precision of the model significantly, to 94.48%, which is 7.86% higher than the original method. The enhanced model performs rapidly, with a missing rate of about 7.12% and a detection period of 4.74 frames per second. Compared with traditional image processing methods, the proposed netting damage detection model is robust and better balances detection precision and speed. Our method provides an effective solution for detecting netting damage in marine aquaculture environments.
ZnO Nanoparticle-Mediated Seed Priming Induces Biochemical and Antioxidant Changes in Chickpea to Alleviate Fusarium Wilt
Authors: Farhana  , Munis Muhammad Farooq Hussain , Alamer Khalid H. , Althobaiti Ashwaq T. , Kamal Asif , Liaquat Fiza , Haroon Urooj , Ahmed Junaid , Chaudhary Hassan Javed , Attia Houneida
Published: July 2022

Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) is one of the main pulse crops of Pakistan. The yield of chickpea is affected by a variety of biotic and abiotic factors. Due to their environmentally friendly nature, different nanoparticles are being synthesized and applied to economically important crops. In the present study, Trichoderma harzianum has been used as a stabilizing and reducing agent for the mycosynthesis of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs). Before their application to control Fusarium wilt of chickpea, synthesized ZnO NPs were characterized. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis revealed the average size (13 nm) of ZnO NPs. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) indicated their spherical structure, and energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX) confirmed the oxide formation of ZnO NPs. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) described the size and shape of nanoparticles, and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy displayed the presence of reducing and stabilizing chemical compounds (alcohol, carboxylic acid, amines, and alkyl halide). Successfully characterized ZnO NPs exhibited significant mycelial growth inhibition of Fusarium oxysporum, in vitro. In a greenhouse pot experiment, the priming of chickpea seeds with ZnO NPs significantly increased the antioxidant activity of germinated plants and they displayed 90% less disease incidence than the control. Seed priming with ZnO NPs helped plants to accumulate higher quantities of sugars, phenol, total proteins, and superoxide dismutase (SOD) to create resistance against wilt pathogen. These nanofungicides were produced in powder form and they can easily be transferred and used in the field to control Fusarium wilt of chickpea.
Teaching English to Linguistically Diverse Students from Migration Backgrounds: From Deficit Perspectives to Pockets of Possibility
Authors: Erling Elizabeth J. , Foltz Anouschka , Siwik Felicitas , Brummer Michael
Published: July 2022

This article reports on an interview study with six secondary school LX English teachers working in a part of Austria where there is an above-average number of residents–and thus also students–who are multilingual and come from migration backgrounds. It attempts to extend research on deficit perspectives of multilingual learners from migration backgrounds to the area of LX English learning and to provide insights into a language learning context that is underrepresented in international applied linguistics research, which has tended to focus on elite language learning. The article explores teachers’ perceptions of teaching English in this context. We hypothesized that teachers would hold negative beliefs about their students’ multilingual backgrounds and practices. The typological analysis of teachers’ interview data revealed that teachers did hold some dominant deficit perspectives about their students’ multilingualism and language learning; however, it also suggests that teachers are taking on the rudiments of a translanguaging stance that values multilingual practice. The article thus closes by considering how possibility perspectives can be harnessed and extended to foster students’ multilingual and multicultural development, with particular regard to LX English language learning.
Preplay Negotiations with Unconditional Offers of Side Payments in Two-Player Strategic-Form Games: Towards Non-Cooperative Cooperation
Authors: Goranko Valentin
Published: July 2022

I consider strategic-form games with transferable utility extended with a phase of negotiations before the actual play of the game, where players can exchange a series of alternating (turn-based) unilaterally binding offers to each other for incentive payments of utilities after the play, conditional only on the recipients playing the strategy indicated in the offer. Every such offer transforms the game payoff matrix by accordingly transferring the offered amount from the offering player’s payoff to the recipient’s in all outcomes where the indicated strategy is played by the latter. That exchange of offers generates an unbounded-horizon, extensive-form preplay negotiations game, which is the focus of this study. In this paper, I study the case where the players assume that their opponents can terminate the preplay negotiations phase at any stage. Consequently, in their negotiation strategies, the players are guided by myopic rationality reasoning and aim at optimising each of their offers. The main results and findings include a concrete algorithmic procedure for computing players’ best offers in the preplay negotiations phase and using it to demonstrate that these negotiations can generally lead to substantial improvement of the payoffs for both players in the transformed game, but they do not always lead to optimal outcomes, as one might expect.
Learning to Utilize Curiosity: A New Approach of Automatic Curriculum Learning for Deep RL
Authors: Lin Zeyang , Lai Jun , Chen Xiliang , Cao Lei , Wang Jun
Published: July 2022

In recent years, reinforcement learning algorithms based on automatic curriculum learning have been increasingly applied to multi-agent system problems. However, in the sparse reward environment, the reinforcement learning agents get almost no feedback from the environment during the whole training process, which leads to a decrease in the convergence speed and learning efficiency of the curriculum reinforcement learning algorithm. Based on the automatic curriculum learning algorithm, this paper proposes a curriculum reinforcement learning method based on the curiosity model (CMCL). The method divides the curriculum sorting criteria into temporal-difference error and curiosity reward, uses the K-fold cross validation method to evaluate the difficulty priority of task samples, uses the Intrinsic Curiosity Module (ICM) to evaluate the curiosity priority of the task samples, and uses the curriculum factor to adjust the learning probability of the task samples. This study compares the CMCL algorithm with other baseline algorithms in cooperative-competitive environments, and the experimental simulation results show that the CMCL method can improve the training performance and robustness of multi-agent deep reinforcement learning algorithms.
HJ-Biplot as a Tool to Give an Extra Analytical Boost for the Latent Dirichlet Assignment (LDA) Model: With an Application to Digital News Analysis about COVID-19
Authors: Pilacuan-Bonete Luis , Galindo-Villardón Purificación , Delgado-Álvarez Francisco
Published: July 2022

This work objective is to generate an HJ-biplot representation for the content analysis obtained by latent Dirichlet assignment (LDA) of the headlines of three Spanish newspapers in their web versions referring to the topic of the pandemic caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus (COVID-19) with more than 500 million affected and almost six million deaths to date. The HJ-biplot is used to give an extra analytical boost to the model, it is an easy-to-interpret multivariate technique which does not require in-depth knowledge of statistics, allows capturing the relationship between the topics about the COVID-19 news and the three digital newspapers, and it compares them with LDAvis and heatmap representations, the HJ-biplot provides a better representation and visualization, allowing us to analyze the relationship between each newspaper analyzed (column markers represented by vectors) and the 14 topics obtained from the LDA model (row markers represented by points) represented in the plane with the greatest informative capacity. It is concluded that the newspapers El Mundo and 20 M present greater homogeneity between the topics published during the pandemic, while El País presents topics that are less related to the other two newspapers, highlighting topics such as t_12 (Government_Madrid) and t_13 (Government_millions).
New Glycosylated Secondary Metabolites from Marine-Derived Bacteria
Authors: Anh Cao , Kang Jong , Lee Hwa-Sun , Trinh Phan , Heo Chang-Su , Shin Hee
Published: July 2022

Three new glycosylated secondary metabolites, including a new indole alkaloid, pityriacitrin D (1), and two new trehalose lipids (2 and 3), together with three known compounds (4–6) were isolated from two marine-derived bacterial strains, Bacillus siamensis 168CLC-66.1 and Tsukamurella pseudospumae IV19-045. The structures of 1–3 were determined by extensive analysis and comparison of their spectroscopic data with literature values. The absolute configurations of sugar moieties were determined by chemical derivatization followed by LC-MS analysis. Cytotoxicity of 1–3 against six cancer cell lines was evaluated by SRB assay, and 1 showed moderate activity against all the tested cell lines with GI50 values ranging from 8.0 to 10.9 µM.
Small Intestinal Submucosa Biomimetic Periosteum Promotes Bone Regeneration
Authors: Su Yanlin , Ye Bing , Zeng Lian , Xiong Zekang , Sun Tingfang , Chen Kaifang , Ding Qiuyue , Su Weijie , Jing Xirui , Gao Qing , Huang Guixiong , Wan Yizhou , Yang Xu , Guo Xiaodong
Published: July 2022

Background: Critical bone defects are a significant problem in clinics. The periosteum plays a vital role in bone regeneration. A tissue-engineered periosteum (TEP) has received increasing attention as a novel strategy for bone defect repairs. Methods: In this experiment, a biomimetic periosteum was fabricated by using coaxial electrospinning technology with decellularized porcine small intestinal submucosa (SIS) as the shell and polycaprolactone (PCL) as the core. In vitro, the effects of the biomimetic periosteum on Schwann cells, vascular endothelial cells, and bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells were detected by a scratch test, an EdU, a tube-forming test, and an osteogenesis test. In vivo, we used HE staining to evaluate the effect of the biomimetic periosteum on bone regeneration. Results: In vitro experiments showed that the biomimetic periosteum could significantly promote the formation of angiogenesis, osteogenesis, and repaired Schwann cells (SCs). In vivo experiments showed that the biomimetic periosteum could promote the repair of bone defects. Conclusions: The biomimetic periosteum could simulate the structural function of the periosteum and promote bone repair. This strategy may provide a promising method for the clinical treatment of skull bone defects.
Selective Laser Melting of Free-Assembled Stainless Steel 316L Hinges: Optimization of Volumetric Laser Energy Density and Joint Clearance
Authors: Jiang Cho-Pei , Wibisono Alvian Toto , Wang Shun-Hsien , Pasang Tim , Ramezani Maziar
Published: July 2022

Selective laser melting technology is one of the metal additive manufacturing technologies that can convert metal powder to complex parts without the assembly process. This study aims to optimize the volumetric laser energy density for printing 3D metal objects with hinges geometry. The material is stainless steel 316L powder. The volumetric laser energy densities ranging from 4.1 J/mm3 to 119.1 J/mm3 are applied to fabricate 3D free-assembled hinges with various clearances of 0.38 mm, 0.39 mm, 0.40 mm, and 0.41 mm and investigate the relationship between volumetric laser energy density and clearance. A multibody model, consisting of nine segments with eight hinges, is proposed to be printed with the optimized volumetric laser energy density. The optical microscope and the hardness test are performed to observe the porosity and hardness property of the SLMed object. The result shows that laser energy densities between 105.5 J/mm3 and 119.1 J/mm3 can produce the high densification of SLMed objects with a porosity defect of 0.24% to 0.20% and hardness in the range of 207 HV to 215 HV. The optimization of laser energy densities is in the range of 105.5 J/mm3 to 119.1 J/mm3, which can be used to fabricate the movable hinges with a minimum clearance size of 0.41 mm. The proposed dinosaur object is printed successfully and all joints are rotatable.
Optimizing Metallographic Etchants for Ancient Gold and Silver Materials
Authors: Liu Shengyu , Gong Zisang , Lu Haizi , Zhang Wei , Ma Yanru , Yang Xiaolin , Xie Zhenda , Hu Gang , Hu Dongbo
Published: July 2022

In recent years, with the excavation of an increasing amount of gold and silver artifacts, there has been an urgent need to optimize the formulations and methods of metallographic etching. Herein, a kinetic control study is performed to investigate the mechanisms leading to poor results when etching ancient gold materials with aqua regia, i.e., when secondary AgCl impurities form during the etching of the sample surface. To this end, a concentrated ammonia and sodium thiosulfate solution is used to dissolve AgCl impurities and obtain high-quality metallographic images of ancient gold materials using a coordination reaction to generate stable free-state coordination ions from Ag+. On this basis, a ferric chloride + sodium thiosulfate method is proposed to optimize the formulation of the etchant for ancient silver materials. The formulation is efficient, safe and easy to handle, and solves the problems of the easy failure of the commonly used etchant of ammonia + hydrogen peroxide and the complicated preparation process of acidified potassium dichromate while maintaining the long-term stability of the etched Ag–Cu alloy samples.
A Comprehensive View of Microbial Communities in the Laundering Cycle Suggests a Preventive Effect of Soil Bacteria on Malodour Formation
Authors: Zinn Marc-Kevin , Flemming Hans-Curt , Bockmühl Dirk
Published: July 2022

Microorganisms are an important factor in the wash-and-use cycle of textiles since they can cause unwanted aesthetic effects, such as malodour formation, and even pose health risks. In this regard, a comprehensive view of the microbial communities in washing machines and consideration of the microbial contamination of used textiles is needed to understand the formation of malodour and evaluate the infection risk related to laundering. So far, neither the compositions of washing machine biofilms leading to the formation of or protection against malodour have been investigated intensively, nor have microbial communities on used towels been analysed after normal use. Our results link the qualitative and quantitative analysis of microbial communities in washing machines and on used towels with the occurrence of malodour and thus not only allow for a better risk evaluation but also suggest bacterial colonizers of washing machines that might prevent malodour formation. It was shown that soil bacteria such as Rhizobium, Agrobacterium, Bosea, and Microbacterium in particular are found in non-odourous machines, and that Rhizobium species are able to prevent malodour formation in an in vitro model.
Polyphenols from the Peels of Punica granatum L. and Their Bioactivity of Suppressing Lipopolysaccharide-Stimulated Inflammatory Cytokines and Mediators in RAW 264.7 Cells via Activating p38 MAPK and NF-κB Signaling Pathways
Authors: Li Hui-Min , Kouye Ongher , Yang Ding-Shan , Zhang Ya-Qi , Ruan Jing-Ya , Han Li-Feng , Zhang Yi , Wang Tao
Published: July 2022

Punica granatum L. (Punicaceae) is a popular fruit all over the world. Owning to its enriched polyphenols, P. granatum has been widely used in treating inflammation-related diseases, such as cardiovascular diseases and cancer. Twenty polyphenols, containing nine unreported ones, named punicagranins A–I (1–9), along with eleven known isolates (10–20), were obtained from the peels. Their detailed structures were elucidated based on UV, IR, NMR, MS, optical rotation, ECD analyses and chemical evidence. The potential anti-inflammatory activities of all polyphenols were examined on a lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammatory macrophages model, which indicated that enhancing nitric oxide (NO) production in response to inflammation stimulated in RAW 264.7 cells was controlled by compounds 1, 3, 5–8, 10, 11, 14 and 16–20 in a concentration-dependent manner. The investigation of structure–activity relationships for tannins 6–8 and 12–20 suggested that HHDP, flavogallonyl and/or gallagyl were key groups for NO production inhibitory activity. Western blotting indicated that compounds 6–8 could down-regulate the phosphorylation levels of proteins p38 MAPK, IKKα/β, IκBα and NF-κB p65 as well as inhibit the levels of inflammation-related cytokines and mediators, such as IL-6, TNF-α, iNOS and COX-2, at the concentration of 30 μM. In conclusion, polyphenols are proposed to be the potential anti-inflammatory active ingredients in P. granatum peels, and their molecular mechanism is likely related to the regulation of the p38 MAPK and NF-κB signaling pathways.
Structural Insights into the Role of β3 nAChR Subunit in the Activation of Nicotinic Receptors
Authors: Giastas Petros , Papakyriakou Athanasios , Tsafaras George , Tzartos Socrates J. , Zouridakis Marios
Published: July 2022

The β3 subunit of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) participates in heteropentameric assemblies with some α and other β neuronal subunits forming a plethora of various subtypes, differing in their electrophysiological and pharmacological properties. While β3 has for several years been considered an accessory subunit without direct participation in the formation of functional binding sites, recent electrophysiology data have disputed this notion and indicated the presence of a functional (+) side on the extracellular domain (ECD) of β3. In this study, we present the 2.4 Å resolution crystal structure of the monomeric β3 ECD, which revealed rather distinctive loop C features as compared to those of α nAChR subunits, leading to intramolecular stereochemical hindrance of the binding site cavity. Vigorous molecular dynamics simulations in the context of full length pentameric β3-containing nAChRs, while not excluding the possibility of a β3 (+) binding site, demonstrate that this site cannot efficiently accommodate the agonist nicotine. From the structural perspective, our results endorse the accessory rather than functional role of the β3 nAChR subunit, in accordance with earlier functional studies on β3-containing nAChRs.
Assembly, Annotation, and Comparative Whole Genome Sequence of Fusarium verticillioides Isolated from Stored Maize Grains
Authors: Navale Vishwambar D. , Sawant Amol M. , Gowda Varun U. , Vamkudoth Koteswara Rao
Published: July 2022

Fusarium verticillioides is a plant pathogenic fungus affecting a wide range of crops worldwide due to its toxigenic properties. F. verticillioides BIONCL4 strain was isolated from stored maize grain samples in India, and produces high amount of fumonisin B1 (FB1). We report a comparative genomic analysis of F. verticillioides, covering the basic genome information, secretome, and proteins involved in host–pathogen interactions and mycotoxin biosynthesis. Whole-genome sequencing (WGS) was performed using the Illumina platform with an assembly size of 42.91 Mb, GC content of 48.24%, and 98.50% coverage with the reference genome (GCA000149555). It encodes 15,053 proteins, including 2058 secretory proteins, 676 classical secretory proteins, and 569 virulence and pathogenicity-related proteins. There were also 1447 genes linked to carbohydrate active enzymes (CaZymes) and 167 genes related to mycotoxin production. Furthermore, F. verticillioides genome comparison revealed information about the species’ evolutionary history. The overall study helps in disease prevention and management of mycotoxins to ensure food safety.
Survival of Campylobacter jejuni Co-Cultured with Salmonella spp. in Aerobic Conditions
Authors: Anis Nagham , Bonifait Laetitia , Quesne Ségolène , Baugé Louise , Yassine Wissam , Guyard-Nicodème Muriel , Chemaly Marianne
Published: July 2022

Campylobacter and Salmonella are responsible for the two major foodborne zoonotic diseases in Europe; poultry is the main infection source. Campylobacter cannot grow under aerobic conditions, but can show aerobic survival when co-cultured with other microorganisms; however, its interaction with Salmonella has not been studied yet. In this study, these two bacteria were co-cultured under controlled aerobic conditions. Different concentrations and strains of C. jejuni were incubated with or without different Salmonella serotypes (10 CFU) at 37 °C for 16 h. C. jejuni did not grow after incubation with or without Salmonella. The survival of C. jejuni was observed only for the highest initial concentration of 6 log CFU/mL with or without Salmonella. However, its survival was significantly higher when co-cultured with Salmonella. No survival was observed at lower concentrations. C. jejuni survival was positively affected by the presence of Salmonella but depended on the Salmonella serotype, the C. jejuni strain and the initial concentration. On the other hand, the Salmonella enumerations were not affected by C. jejuni. Our results suggest potential interactions between Salmonella and C. jejuni that require further investigations for a clearer understanding of their behavior in natural habitats.
Changes in Cell Biology under the Influence of Low-Level Laser Therapy
Authors: Rola Piotr , Włodarczak Szymon , Lesiak Maciej , Doroszko Adrian , Włodarczak Adrian
Published: July 2022

Low-level laser therapy (LLLT) has become an important part of the therapeutic process in various diseases. However, despite the broad use of LLLT in everyday clinical practice, the full impact of LLLT on cell life processes has not been fully understood. This paper presents the current state of knowledge concerning the mechanisms of action of LLLT on cells. A better understanding of the molecular processes occurring within the cell after laser irradiation may result in introducing numerous novel clinical applications of LLLT and potentially increases the safety profile of this therapy.
Anticancer Potential and Other Pharmacological Properties of Prunus armeniaca L.: An Updated Overview
Authors: Kitic Dusanka , Miladinovic Bojana , Randjelovic Milica , Szopa Agnieszka , Sharifi-Rad Javad , Calina Daniela , Seidel Veronique
Published: July 2022

Prunus armeniaca L. (Rosaceae)-syn. Amygdalus armeniaca (L.) Dumort., Armeniaca armeniaca (L.) Huth, Armeniaca vulgaris Lam is commonly known as the apricot tree. The plant is thought to originate from the northern, north-western, and north-eastern provinces of China, although some data show that it may also come from Korea or Japan. The apricot fruit is used medicinally to treat a variety of ailments, including use as an antipyretic, antiseptic, anti-inflammatory, emetic, and ophthalmic remedy. The Chinese and Korean pharmacopeias describe the apricot seed as an herbal medicinal product. Various parts of the apricot plant are used worldwide for their anticancer properties, either as a primary remedy in traditional medicine or as a complementary or alternative medicine. The purpose of this review was to provide comprehensive and up-to-date information on ethnobotanical data, bioactive phytochemicals, anticancer potential, pharmacological applications, and toxicology of the genus Prunus armeniaca, thus providing new perspectives on future research directions. Included data were obtained from online databases such as PubMed/Medline, Google Scholar, Science direct, and Wiley Online Library. Multiple anticancer mechanisms have been identified in in vitro and in vivo studies, the most important mechanisms being apoptosis, antiproliferation, and cytotoxicity. The anticancer properties are probably mediated by the contained bioactive compounds, which can activate various anticancer mechanisms and signaling pathways such as tumor suppressor proteins that reduce the proliferation of tumor cells. Other pharmacological properties resulting from the analysis of experimental studies include neuroprotective, cardioprotective, antioxidant, immunostimulatory, antihyperlipidemic, antibacterial, and antifungal effects. In addition, data were provided on the toxicity of amygdalin, a compound found in apricot kernel seeds, which limits the long-term use of complementary/alternative products derived from P. armeniaca. This updated review showed that bioactive compounds derived from P. armeniaca are promising compounds for future research due to their important pharmacological properties, especially anticancer. A detailed analysis of the chemical structure of these compounds and their cytotoxicity should be carried out in future research. In addition, translational pharmacological studies are required for the correct determination of pharmacologically active doses in humans.
A Novel Exponential-Weighted Method of the Antlion Optimization Algorithm for Improving the Convergence Rate
Authors: Chen Szu-Chou , Huang Wen-Chen , Hsueh Ming-Hsien , Pan Chieh-Yu , Chang Chih-Hao
Published: July 2022

The antlion optimization algorithm (ALO) is one of the most effective algorithms to solve combinatorial optimization problems, but it has some disadvantages, such as a long runtime. As a result, this problem impedes decision makers. In addition, due to the nature of the problem, the speed of convergence is a critical factor. As the size of the problem dimension grows, the convergence speed of the optimizer becomes increasingly significant. Many modified versions of the ALO have been developed in the past. Nevertheless, there are only a few research articles that discuss better boundary strategies that can increase the diversity of ants walking around an antlion to accelerate convergence. A novel exponential-weighted antlion optimization algorithm (EALO) is proposed in this paper to address slow convergence rates. The algorithm uses exponential functions and a random number in the interval 0, 1 to increase the diversity of the ant’s random walks. It has been demonstrated that by optimizing twelve classical objective functions of benchmark functions, the novel method has a higher convergence rate than the ALO. This is because it has the most powerful search capability and speed. In addition, the proposed method has also been compared to other existing methods, and it has obtained superior experimental results relative to compared methods. Therefore, the proposed EALO method deserves consideration as a possible optimization tool for solving combinatorial optimization problems, due to its highly competitive results.
Application of Dehydrated Amniotic Membrane Allografts in Advanced Diabetic Foot Ulceration: Case Report and Review of Literature
Authors: Becker Catherine , Regulski Matthew , Martin Scott , Barrett Tyler
Published: July 2022

The management of diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) presents challenges to even the most experienced wound-care providers. Because of the chronic, non-healing nature of many DFUs, advances in the treatment and care of this disease process are particularly relevant. This case study aims to report the efficacy of the application of dehydrated amniotic membrane allograft (DAMA) to a diabetic foot ulcer. The patient in this study is a 44-year-old male who presented with an aggressive infection on his right foot, which resulted in an open wound of 18-month duration. This patient received weekly applications of dual-layer DAMA over seven weeks. Upon examination at the initial application, the wound was classified as a Wagner grade 3 with necrosis of the underlying muscle. Upon inspection at the final visit, the wound was closed entirely. The results that were shown include improvements in the size, depth, edges, necrotic tissue amount, and epithelization of the wound. This case study demonstrates that the application of DAMA has the potential to augment the body’s natural DFU healing response; however, future nonrandomized and randomized controlled trials are needed to establish its efficacy further.
Machine Learning for Intelligent-Reflecting-Surface-Based Wireless Communication towards 6G: A Review
Authors: Sejan Mohammad Abrar Shakil , Rahman Md Habibur , Shin Beom-Sik , Oh Ji-Hye , You Young-Hwan , Song Hyoung-Kyu
Published: July 2022

An intelligent reflecting surface (IRS) is a programmable device that can be used to control electromagnetic waves propagation by changing the electric and magnetic properties of its surface. Therefore, IRS is considered a smart technology for the sixth generation (6G) of communication networks. In addition, machine learning (ML) techniques are now widely adopted in wireless communication as the computation power of devices has increased. As it is an emerging topic, we provide a comprehensive overview of the state-of-the-art on ML, especially on deep learning (DL)-based IRS-enhanced communication. We focus on their operating principles, channel estimation (CE), and the applications of machine learning to IRS-enhanced wireless networks. In addition, we systematically survey existing designs for IRS-enhanced wireless networks. Furthermore, we identify major issues and research opportunities associated with the integration of IRS and other emerging technologies for applications to next-generation wireless communication.