bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Bactericidal Activity of Larrea tridentata Hydroalcoholic Extract against Phytopathogenic Bacteria
Authors: Morales-Ubaldo Ana Lizet , Rivero-Perez Nallely , Avila-Ramos Fidel , Aquino-Torres Eliazar , Prieto-Méndez Judith , Hetta Helal F. , El-Saber Batiha Gaber , Zaragoza-Bastida Adrian
Published: May 2021

Due to the emergence of bacterial resistance in phytopathogenic microorganisms, it is necessary to search for new treatment alternatives for these pathogens. Natural extracts are a potential source of bioactive compounds that can act against such bacterial strains. The antibacterial activity of Larrea tridentata against bacteria with public health importance has been documented; however, few reports cover pathogens associated with the agricultural sector. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the antibacterial activity of Larrea tridentata hydroalcoholic extract (LTHE) and fractions against phytopathogenic bacteria. LTHE was obtained by the maceration technique and then subjected to bipartition using solvents of different polarities. Clavibacter michiganensis sbsp. michiganensis, Pseudomonas syringae, and Xanthomonas campestris strains were used, and their antibiotic sensitivity was determined. The minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimal bactericidal concentration (MBC) of LTHE and its fractions (aqueous: LTAq-F; organic: LTEtOAc-F) were determined. LTHE and its organic fraction showed bactericidal activity against the three bacteria, showing better activity against X. campestris, exhibiting an MIC of 0.39 mg/mL and an MBC of 0.78 mg/mL. The results show that LTHE and its organic fraction have bactericidal activity in vitro against Clavibacter michiganensis sbsp. michiganensis, Pseudomonas syringae, and Xanthomonas campestris.
Actinidia (Mini Kiwi) Fruit Quality in Relation to Summer Cutting
Authors: Figiel-Kroczyńska Monika , Ochmian Ireneusz , Lachowicz Sabina , Krupa-Małkiewicz Marcelina , Wróbel Jacek , Gamrat Renata
Published: May 2021

Recently, there has been a trend towards healthy food. Consumers are looking for products that have health-promoting properties in addition to their taste. Actinidia fruit, apart from being tasty, contains valuable macro and micronutrients, vitamins, polyphenols and pectins. Tested cultivar Sientiabrskaja belong to Actinidia arguta and cultivars Geneva, Issai and Ken’s Red to A. kolomitka. They well tolerate conditions of moderate climate with negative temperatures in winter. To improve fruit quality, an additional summer pruning of the plants was performed at the time of ripening. After the second additional cutting of Actinidia shoots, an increase in the content of N, P and K in fruit was observed. The additional pruning also had a beneficial effect on the change in fruit color. The fruits were darker, especially in the cultivars Geneva and Ken’s Red. This is related to the ripening of fruit and an increase in anthocyanin content. Additional summer pruning caused changes in the polyphenol content-the amount of phenolic acid and flavan-3 ols decreased, while the level of anthocyanins increased. The antioxidant capacity also increased as well as fruit size, dry matter, pectin and Soluble Solid Content (SSC) content. The acidity of the fruit also decreased which positively affects the taste of the fruit. The highest content of polyphenols and L-ascorbic acid was found in ‘Sientiabrskaja’ fruit; but the highest antioxidant activity (determined Free Radical Diphenylpicrylhydrazyl-DPPH•, ABTS•+ and Ferric Antioxidant Power-FRAP) was found in fruit with red skin coloring and anthocyanins-‘Issai’ and ‘Ken’s Red’.
Carbapenem-Resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae Associated with COVID-19
Authors: Dumitru Irina , Dumitrascu Mirela , Vlad Nicoleta , Cernat Roxana , Ilie-Serban Carmen , Hangan Aurelia , Slujitoru Raluca , Gherghina Aura , Mitroi-Maxim Corina , Curtali Licdan , Carp Dalia , Dumitrescu Anca , Mitan Romelia , Lesanu Rodica , Rugina Sorin
Published: May 2021

Infections with carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae are emerging as an important challenge in healthcare settings. Currently, carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (CRKP) are the species of CRE most commonly encountered in hospitals. CRKP is resistant to almost all available antimicrobial agents, and infections with CRKP have been associated with high rates of morbidity and mortality, particularly among persons with prolonged hospitalization exposed to invasive devices. We report nine patients hospitalized in an intensive care unit (ICU) with severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) who developed invasive infections due to carbapenemase-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae (CP-Kp), KPC and OXA-48, strains that have not been previously identified in our hospital. Despite ceftazidime/avibactam therapy, five patients died. Coinfections can contribute to a poor prognosis for patients with COVID-19, especially for high-risk populations such as elderly patients. Therefore, it is crucial to establish a rigorous program of antibiotic administration in intensive care units.
Citrate Mediated Europium-Based Detection of Oxytetracycline in Citrus Tissues
Authors: Hijaz Faraj , Nehela Yasser , Batuman Ozgur , Killiny Nabil
Published: May 2021

Oxytetracycline (OTC) and streptomycin have been used for the control of several plant diseases and were recently permitted for the control of citrus greening disease, Huanglongbing. Consequently, sensitive and reliable methods are highly needed for the detection of OTC in citrus tissues. Herein, we studied the replacement of cetyltrimethylammonium chloride (CTAC) by citrate (Cit) as a sensitizing agent for the analysis of OTC in citrus tissues using the recently established europium (Eu) method. In addition, we determined the optimal conditions for the formation of the Eu-OTC-Cit ternary complex in tris buffer. Our results showed that the plant matrix significantly decreased the fluorescence intensity of the Eu-OTC-Cit complex even after the replacement of CTAC. Our investigations showed that phenols such as gallic acid degrade slowly at high pH and their degradation was enhanced in the presence of the (Eu+3) cation. To reduce the plant matrix interference, the sample extract was cleaned using solid-phase extraction (SPE). The OTC recoveries from spiked healthy and Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus (CLas)-infected trees were 91.4 ± 7.8% and 82.4 ± 3.9%, respectively. We also used the citrate method to determine the level of OTC in trunk-injected trees. The level of OTC as measured using the Eu-OTC-Cit complex (117.5 ± 20.3 µg g−1 fresh weight “FWT”) was similar to that measured using Eu-OTC-CTAC complex (97.5 ± 14 µg g−1 FWT). In addition, we were able to visualize the OTC in citrus leaf extract, under ultraviolet light (400 nm), after it was cleaned with the SPE. Our study showed that the citrate can be successfully used to replace the harmful CTAC surfactant, which could also react with phenols.
Phenothiazinium Photosensitizers Associated with Silver Nanoparticles in Enhancement of Antimicrobial Photodynamic Therapy
Authors: Rigotto Caruso Glaucia , Tonani Ludmilla , Marcato Priscyla Daniely , von Zeska Kress Marcia Regina
Published: May 2021

Antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (APDT) and silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are known as promising alternatives for the control of microorganisms. This study aims to evaluate the antifungal activity of APDT, particularly by using the association of low concentrations of phenothiazinium photosensitizers (PS) methylene blue (MB), new methylene blue N (NMBN), and new methylene blue N Zinc (NMBN-Zn) in association with biosynthesized AgNPs. The AgNPs were characterized by UV-Vis spectrophotometry, transmission electron microscopy, and the dynamic light scattering method. The minimum inhibitory concentration of compounds in APDT against Candida albicans and Fusarium keratoplasticum was obtained and the Fractional Inhibitory Concentration Index determined the antifungal effect. The toxicity of compounds and associations in APDT were evaluated in Galleria mellonella. The AgNPs presented a surface plasmon band peak at 420 nm, hydrodynamic diameter of 86.72 nm, and zeta potential of −28.6 mV. AgNPs-PS showed a wider and displaced plasmon band peak due to PS ligands on the surface and decreased zeta potential. AgNPs-NMBN and AgNPs-NMBN-Zn associations presented synergistic effect in APDT with 15 J cm−2 against both fungi and did not show toxicity to G. mellonella. Hence, the enhancement of antifungal activity with low concentrations of compounds and absence of toxicity makes APDT with AgNPs-PS a promising therapeutic alternative for fungal infections.
Graphene Oxide Normal (GO + Mn2+) and Ultrapure: Short-Term Impact on Selected Antioxidant Stress Markers and Cytokines in NHDF and A549 Cell Lines
Authors: Stygar Dominika , Pogorzelska Aleksandra , Chełmecka Elżbieta , Skrzep-Poloczek Bronisława , Bażanów Barbara , Gębarowski Tomasz , Jochem Jerzy , Henych Jiří
Published: May 2021

Since biological applications and toxicity of graphene-based materials are structure dependent, studying their interactions with the biological systems is very timely and important. We studied short-term (1, 24, and 48 h) effects of ultrapure (GO) and Mn2+-contaminated (GOS) graphene oxide on normal human dermal fibroblasts (NHDF) and adenocarcinomic human alveolar basal epithelial cells (A549) using selected oxidative stress markers and cytokines: glutathione reductase (GR) and catalase (CAT) activity, total antioxidative capacity (TAC), and malondialdehyde (MDA) concentration, levels of vascular endothelial growing factor (VEGF), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), platelet-derived growth factor-BB (PDGF-BB), and eotaxin. GOS induced higher levels of oxidative stress, measured with CAT activity, TAC, and MDA concentration than GO in both cell lines when compared to control cells. GR activity decreased in time in NHDF cells but increased in A549 cells. The levels of cytokines were related to the exposure time and graphene oxide type in both analyzed cell lines and their levels comparably increased over time. We observed higher TNF-α levels in NHDF and higher levels of VEGF and eotaxin in the A549 cell line. Both types of cells showed similar susceptibility to GO and GOS. We concluded that the short-time exposure to GOS induced the stronger response of oxidative stress markers without collapsing the antioxidative systems of analysed cells. Increased levels of inflammatory cytokines after GO and GOS exposure were similar both in NHDF and A549 cells.
Imaging NAD(H) Redox Alterations in Cryopreserved Alveolar Macrophages from Ozone-Exposed Mice and the Impact of Nutrient Starvation during Long Lag Times
Authors: Xu He N. , Floros Joanna , Li Lin Z. , Amatya Shaili
Published: May 2021

Employing the optical redox imaging technique, we previously identified a significant redox shift of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD and the reduced form NADH) in freshly isolated alveolar macrophages (AM) from ozone-exposed mice. The goal here was twofold: (a) to determine the NAD(H) redox shift in cryopreserved AM isolated from ozone-exposed mice and (b) to investigate whether there is a difference in the redox status between cryopreserved and freshly isolated AM. We found: (i) AM from ozone-exposed mice were in a more oxidized redox state compared to that from filtered air (FA)-exposed mice, consistent with the results obtained from freshly isolated mouse AM; (ii) under FA exposure, there was no significant NAD(H) redox difference between fresh AM that had been placed on ice for 2.5 h and cryopreserved AM; however, under ozone exposure, fresh AM were more oxidized than cryopreserved AM; (iii) via the use of nutrient starvation and replenishment and H2O2-induced oxidative stress of an AM cell line, we showed that this redox difference between cryopreserved and freshly isolated AM is likely the result of the double “hit”, i.e., the ozone-induced oxidative stress plus nutrient starvation that prevented freshly isolated AM from a full recovery after being on ice for a prolonged time period. The cryopreservation technique we developed eliminates/minimizes the effects of oxidative stress and nutrient starvation on cells. This method can be adopted to preserve lung macrophages from animal models or clinical patients for further investigations.
A Multi-Objective Optimization of 2D Materials Modified Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR) Based Sensors: An NSGA II Approach
Authors: Varasteanu Pericle , Kusko Mihaela
Published: May 2021

Modifying the structure of surface plasmon resonance based sensors by adding 2D materials has been proven to considerably enhance the sensor’s sensitivity in comparison to a traditional three layer configuration. Moreover, a thin semiconductor film placed on top of the metallic layer and stacked together with 2D materials enhances even more sensitivity, but at the cost of worsening the plasmonic couplic strength at resonance (minimum level of reflectivity) and broadening the response. With each supplementary layer added, the complexity of optimizing the performance increases due to the extended parameter space of the sensor. This study focused on overcoming these difficulties in the design process of sensors by employing a multi-objective genetic algorithm (NSGA II) alongside a transfer matrix method (TMM) and, at the same time, optimizing the sensitivity to full width at half maximum (FWHM), and the reflectivity level at a resonance for a four layer sensor structure. Firstly, the thin semiconductor’s refractive index was optimized to obtain the maximum achievable sensitivity with a narrow FWHM and a reflectivity level at a resonance of almost zero. Secondly, it was shown that refractive indices of barium titanate (BaTiO3) and silicon (Si) are the closest to the optimal indices for the silver—graphene/WS2 and MoS2 modified structures, respectively. Sensitivities up to 302 deg/RIU were achieved by Ag–BaTIO3–graphene/WS2 configurations with an FWHM smaller than 8 deg and a reflectivity level less than 0.5% at resonance.
Migration of Sulfur and Nitrogen in the Pyrolysis Products of Waste and Contaminated Plastics
Authors: Ścierski Waldemar
Published: May 2021

The most advantageous way of managing plastics, according to circular economy assumptions, is recycling, i.e., reusing them. There are three types of plastics recycling: mechanical, chemical and energy recycling. The products of the pyrolysis process can be used for both chemical and energy recycling. Possibilities of further use of pyrolysis products depend on their physicochemical parameters. Getting to know these parameters was the aim of the research, some of which are presented in this article. The paper presents the research position for conducting the pyrolysis process and discusses the results of research on pyrolysis products of waste plastics. The process was conducted to obtain the temperature of 425 °C in the pyrolytic chamber. Such a value was chosen on the basis of my own previous research and literature analysis. The focus was on the migration of sulfur and nitrogen, as in some processes these substances may pose a certain problem. Studies have shown high possibilities of migration of these elements in products of pyrolysis process. It has been shown that the migration of sulfur is similar in the case of homogeneous and mixed waste plastics—it immobilizes mainly in pyrolytic oil. Different results were obtained for nitrogen. For homogeneous plastics, nitrogen immobilizes mainly in char and oil, whereas for mixed plastics, nitrogen immobilizes in pyrolytic gas.
Relationships between Muscle Architecture and Performance in Division I Male Italian Field Hockey Players
Authors: Bartolomei Sandro , Nigro Federico , Ciacci Simone , Malagoli Lanzoni Ivan , Treno Filippo , Cortesi Matteo
Published: May 2021

Muscle architecture has been proposed as one of the most important determinants of muscle strength and power performance. The purpose of the present investigation was to correlate the muscle architecture with power, agility and maximal strength in Italian division I Field Hockey (FH) players. Twenty players (age = 25.4 ± 5.2 y; body mass = 78.5 ± 9.0 kg; body height = 179.6 ± 7.8 cm) were assessed for body composition, agility, sprint and maximal isometric force in squat (ISQ). The pro-agility test (PRO) and 30-m sprint (SPRINT) were used for agility and speed assessments, respectively. In addition, the pennation angle (PA), fascicle length (FL) and muscle thickness (MT) of the vastus lateralis were assessed via B-mode ultrasound. Large positive correlations were found between PRO and both PA and MT (r = 0.62; p = 0.006 and r = 0.51; p = 0.032, respectively). Moreover, SPRINT was positively correlated with PA and negatively correlated with FL (r = 0.50, p = 0.046; and r = −0.50; p = 0.034, respectively). Large positive correlations were also detected between body fat and both PRO and SPRINT (r = 0.58; p = 0.012 and r = 0.61; p = 0.009, respectively), indicating detrimental effects of the body fat on specific performances. The present findings showed the existence of large relationships between the muscle architecture of the vastus lateralis and physical characteristics related to elite performance in FH. Low PA and long FL of the vastus lateralis appear important parameters for agility and sprint performances.
Legacy of Past Mining Activity Affecting the Present Distribution of Dissolved and Particulate Mercury and Methylmercury in an Estuarine Environment (Nalón River, Northern Spain)
Authors: Pavoni Elena , García-Ordiales Efren , Covelli Stefano , Cienfuegos Pablo , Roqueñí Nieves
Published: May 2021

At the Nalón River estuary (Asturias, Northern Spain), the occurrence of Hg is due to historical mining activity which has resulted in environmental issues of great concern. Although several studies have investigated the sediment compartment regarding Hg contamination, no information is currently available on the fate of Hg and MeHg in the water column. Considering different hydrodynamic/seasonal conditions, water samples were collected along the estuary to evaluate Hg and MeHg distribution and partitioning behaviour between solid and aqueous phases. The complementary effect of the river discharge and tidal currents contributed to the prevalence of the dissolved (4.02 ± 1.33 ng L−1) or particulate (8.37 ± 4.20 ng L−1) Hg under different conditions of discharge in summer and autumn, respectively. Conversely, particulate MeHg prevailed when the river flow was low, especially at the estuary mouth (25.8 ± 19.1 pg L−1) and most likely due to the resuspension of fine particles promoted by a stronger tidal current. In comparison with the total Hg concentration, extremely low amounts of dissolved and particulate MeHg were observed, and strong interactions between MeHg and organic carbon highlighted a negligible risk of increased mobility and potential bioaccumulation of MeHg.
Integrated Bimodal Fitting for Unilateral CI Users with Residual Contralateral Hearing
Authors: Auletta Gennaro , Franzè Annamaria , Laria Carla , Piccolo Carmine , Papa Carmine , Riccardi Pasquale , Pisani Davide , Sarnelli Angelo , Del Vecchio Valeria , Malesci Rita , Marciano Elio
Published: May 2021

Background: The aim of this study was to compare, in users of bimodal cochlear implants, the performance obtained using their own hearing aids (adjusted with the standard NAL-NL1 fitting formula) with the performance using the Phonak Naìda Link Ultra Power hearing aid adjusted with both NAL-NL1 and a new bimodal system (Adaptive Phonak Digital Bimodal (APDB)) developed by Advanced Bionics and Phonak Corporations. Methods: Eleven bimodal users (Naìda CI Q70 + contralateral hearing aid) were enrolled in our study. The users’ own hearing aids were replaced with the Phonak Naìda Link Ultra Power and fitted following the new formula. Speech intelligibility was assessed in quiet and noisy conditions, and comparisons were made with the results obtained with the users’ previous hearing aids and with the Naída Link hearing aids fitted with the NAL-NL1 generic prescription formula. Results: Using Phonak Naìda Link Ultra Power hearing aids with the Adaptive Phonak Digital Bimodal fitting formula, performance was significantly better than that with the users’ own rehabilitation systems, especially in challenging hearing situations for all analyzed subjects. Conclusions: Speech intelligibility tests in quiet settings did not reveal a significant difference in performance between the new fitting formula and NAL-NL1 fittings (using the Naída Link hearing aids), whereas the performance difference between the two fittings was very significant in noisy test conditions.
The Effect of Artificial Media and Temperature on the Growth and Development of the Honey Bee Brood Pathogen Ascosphaera apis
Authors: Mráz Petr , Hýbl Marian , Kopecký Marek , Bohatá Andrea , Konopická Jana , Hoštičková Irena , Konvalina Petr , Šipoš Jan , Rost Michael , Čurn Vladislav
Published: May 2021

Ascosphaera apis is a causative agent of chalkbrood, which is one of the most widespread honey bee diseases. In our experiments, the influence of several artificial media and cultivation under different temperatures was evaluated. Concretely, the radial growth of separated mating types was measured, reproductive structures in a Neubauer hemocytometer chamber were counted simultaneously, and the morphometry of spore cysts and spore balls was assessed. The complex set of experiments determined suitable cultivation conditions. A specific pattern between reproductive structure size and temperature was found. The optimal temperature for both mating types was 30 °C. SDA and YGPSA media are suitable for fast mycelial growth. Moreover, the effect of bee brood on fungus growth and development in vitro was investigated by modification of culture medium. The newly modified medium PDA-BB4 was most effective for the production of the reproductive structures. The result suggests that honey bee brood provides necessary nutrients for proper fungus development during in vitro cultivation. As there is no registered therapeutic agent against chalkbrood in most countries, including the European Union, the assessment of A. apis growth and development in different conditions could help to understand fungus pathogenesis and thus control chalkbrood disease.
The Role of PARP Inhibitors in the Treatment of Prostate Cancer: Recent Advances in Clinical Trials
Authors: Xia Mingyue , Guo Zhigang , Hu Zhigang
Published: May 2021

Poly (adenosine diphosphate-ribose) polymerase inhibitors (PARPis) belong to a class of targeted drugs developed for the treatment of homologous recombination repair (HRR)-defective tumors. Preclinical and limited clinical data suggest that PARP inhibition is effective against prostate cancer (PC) in patients with HRR-deficient tumors and that PARPis can improve the mortality rate of PC in patients with BRCA1/2 mutations through a synthetic lethality. Olaparib has been approved by the FDA for advanced ovarian and breast cancer with BRCA mutations, and as a maintenance therapy for ovarian cancer after platinum chemotherapy. PARPis are also a new and emerging clinical treatment for metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). Although PARPis have shown great efficacy, their widespread use is restricted by various factors, including drug resistance and the limited population who benefit from treatment. It is necessary to study the combination of PARPis and other therapeutic agents such as anti-hormone drugs, USP7 inhibitors, BET inhibitors, and immunotherapy. This article reviews the mechanism of PARP inhibition in the treatment of PC, the progress of clinical research, the mechanisms of drug resistance, and the strategies of combination treatments.
The Pentose Phosphate Pathway in Yeasts–More Than a Poor Cousin of Glycolysis
Authors: Bertels Laura-Katharina , Fernández Murillo Lucía , Heinisch Jürgen J.
Published: May 2021

The pentose phosphate pathway (PPP) is a route that can work in parallel to glycolysis in glucose degradation in most living cells. It has a unidirectional oxidative part with glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase as a key enzyme generating NADPH, and a non-oxidative part involving the reversible transketolase and transaldolase reactions, which interchange PPP metabolites with glycolysis. While the oxidative branch is vital to cope with oxidative stress, the non-oxidative branch provides precursors for the synthesis of nucleic, fatty and aromatic amino acids. For glucose catabolism in the baker’s yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, where its components were first discovered and extensively studied, the PPP plays only a minor role. In contrast, PPP and glycolysis contribute almost equally to glucose degradation in other yeasts. We here summarize the data available for the PPP enzymes focusing on S. cerevisiae and Kluyveromyces lactis, and describe the phenotypes of gene deletions and the benefits of their overproduction and modification. Reference to other yeasts and to the importance of the PPP in their biotechnological and medical applications is briefly being included. We propose future studies on the PPP in K. lactis to be of special interest for basic science and as a host for the expression of human disease genes.
The Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate and Its Relation to Cell Shape and Rigidity of Red Blood Cells from Chorea-Acanthocytosis Patients in an Off-Label Treatment with Dasatinib
Authors: Rabe Antonia , Kihm Alexander , Darras Alexis , Peikert Kevin , Simionato Greta , Dasanna Anil Kumar , Glaß Hannes , Geisel Jürgen , Quint Stephan , Danek Adrian , Wagner Christian , Fedosov Dmitry A. , Hermann Andreas , Kaestner Lars
Published: May 2021

Background: Chorea-acanthocytosis (ChAc) is a rare hereditary neurodegenerative disease with deformed red blood cells (RBCs), so-called acanthocytes, as a typical marker of the disease. Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) was recently proposed as a diagnostic biomarker. To date, there is no treatment option for affected patients, but promising therapy candidates, such as dasatinib, a Lyn-kinase inhibitor, have been identified. Methods: RBCs of two ChAc patients during and after dasatinib treatment were characterized by the ESR, clinical hematology parameters and the 3D shape classification in stasis based on an artificial neural network. Furthermore, mathematical modeling was performed to understand the contribution of cell morphology and cell rigidity to the ESR. Microfluidic measurements were used to compare the RBC rigidity between ChAc patients and healthy controls. Results: The mechano-morphological characterization of RBCs from two ChAc patients in an off-label treatment with dasatinib revealed differences in the ESR and the acanthocyte count during and after the treatment period, which could not directly be related to each other. Clinical hematology parameters were in the normal range. Mathematical modeling indicated that RBC rigidity is more important for delayed ESR than cell shape. Microfluidic experiments confirmed a higher rigidity in the normocytes of ChAc patients compared to healthy controls. Conclusions: The results increase our understanding of the role of acanthocytes and their associated properties in the ESR, but the data are too sparse to answer the question of whether the ESR is a suitable biomarker for treatment success, whereas a correlation between hematological and neuronal phenotype is still subject to verification.
The Relationship between the Strength Characteristics of Cerebral Aneurysm Walls with Their Status and Laser-Induced Fluorescence Data
Authors: Tsibulskaya Elena , Lipovka Anna , Chupakhin Alexandr , Dubovoy Andrey , Parshin Daniil , Maslov Nikolay
Published: May 2021

Background: Cerebral aneurysms (CA) are a widespread vascular disease affecting 50 per 1000 population. The study of the influence of histological, morphological and hemodynamic factors on the status of the aneurysm has been the subject of many works. However, an accurate and generally accepted relationship has not yet been identified. Methods: In our work, the results of mechanical and spectroscopic measurements are considered. Total investigated 14 patients and 36 their samples of CA tissue. Results: The excitation–emission matrix of each specimen was evaluated, after which the strength characteristics of the samples were investigated. Conclusions: It has been shown that there is a statistically significant difference in the size of the peaks of two components, which characterizes the status of the aneurysms. In addition, a linear regression model has been built that describes the correlation of the magnitude of the ultimate strain and stress with the magnitude of the peaks of one of the components. The results of this study will serve as a basis for the non-invasive determination of the strength characteristics of the cerebral tissue aneurysms and determination of their status.
Advanced Signal-Amplification Strategies for Paper-Based Analytical Devices: A Comprehensive Review
Authors: Hoang Thi Xoan , Phan Le Minh Tu , Vo Thuy Anh Thu , Cho Sungbo
Published: May 2021

Paper-based analytical devices (PADs) have emerged as a promising approach to point-of-care (POC) detection applications in biomedical and clinical diagnosis owing to their advantages, including cost-effectiveness, ease of use, and rapid responses as well as for being equipment-free, disposable, and user-friendly. However, the overall sensitivity of PADs still remains weak, posing a challenge for biosensing scientists exploiting them in clinical applications. This review comprehensively summarizes the current applicable potential of PADs, focusing on total signal-amplification strategies that have been applied widely in PADs involving colorimetry, luminescence, surface-enhanced Raman scattering, photoacoustic, photothermal, and photoelectrochemical methods as well as nucleic acid-mediated PAD modifications. The advances in signal-amplification strategies in terms of signal-enhancing principles, sensitivity, and time reactions are discussed in detail to provide an overview of these approaches to using PADs in biosensing applications. Furthermore, a comparison of these methods summarizes the potential for scientists to develop superior PADs. This review serves as a useful inside look at the current progress and prospective directions in using PADs for clinical diagnostics and provides a better source of reference for further investigations, as well as innovations, in the POC diagnostics field.
Photocatalytic Degradation of Sulfolane Using a LED-Based Photocatalytic Treatment System
Authors: Dharwadkar Sripriya , Yu Linlong , Achari Gopal
Published: May 2021

Sulfolane is an emerging industrial pollutant detected in the environments near many oil and gas plants in North America. So far, numerous advanced oxidation processes have been investigated to treat sulfolane in aqueous media. However, there is only a few papers that discuss the degradation of sulfolane using photocatalysis. In this study, photocatalytic degradation of sulfolane using titanium dioxide (TiO2) and reduced graphene oxide TiO2 composite (RGO-TiO2) in a light-emitting diode (LED) photoreactor was investigated. The impact of different waters (ultrapure water, tap water, and groundwater) and type of irradiation (UVA-LED and mercury lamp) on photocatalytic degradation of sulfolane were also studied. In addition, a reusability test was conducted for the photocatalyst to examine the degradation of sulfolane in three consecutive cycles with new batches of sulfolane-contaminated water. The results show that LED-based photocatalysis was effective in degrading sulfolane in waters even after three photocatalytic cycles. UVA-LEDs displayed more efficient use of photon energy when compared with the mercury lamps as they have a narrow emission spectrum coinciding with the absorption of TiO2. The combination of UVA-LED and TiO2 yielded better performance than UVA-LED and RGO-TiO2 for the degradation of sulfolane. Much lower sulfolane degradation rates were observed in tap water and groundwater than ultrapure water.
Atmospheric Pressure Tornado Plasma Jet of Polydopamine Coating on Graphite Felt for Improving Electrochemical Performance in Vanadium Redox Flow Batteries
Authors: Chen Song-Yu , Kuo Yu-Lin , Wang Yao-Ming , Hsu Wei-Mau , Chien Tzu-Hsuan , Lin Chiu-Feng , Kuo Cheng-Hsien , Okino Akitoshi , Chiang Tai-Chin
Published: May 2021

The intrinsic hydrophobicity of graphite felt (GF) is typically altered for the purpose of the surface wettability and providing active sites for the enhancement of electrochemical performance. In this work, commercial GF is used as the electrodes. The GF electrode with a coated-polydopamine catalyst is achieved to enhance the electrocatalytic activity of GF for the redox reaction of vanadium ions in vanadium redox flow battery (VRFB). Materials characteristics proved that a facile coating via atmospheric pressure plasma jet (APPJ) to alter the surface superhydrophilicity and to deposit polydopamine on GF for providing the more active sites is feasibly achieved. Due to the synergistic effects of the presence of more active sites on the superhydrophilic surface of modified electrodes, the electrochemical performance toward VO2+/VO2+ reaction was evidently improved. We believed that using the APPJ technique as a coating method for electrocatalyst preparation offers the oxygen-containing functional groups on the substrate surface on giving a hydrogen bonding with the grafted functional polymeric materials.
Strain Modified Constitutive Equation and Processing Maps of High Quality 20MnCr5(SH) Gear Steel
Authors: Yang Jingcheng , Wang Lizhong , Zheng Yingjun , Zhong Zhiping
Published: May 2021

In order to develop the high-temperature forging process of high-quality 20MnCr5(SH) gear steel, according to the physical characteristics of high-temperature hot deformation of 20MnCr5(SH), the single pass hot pressing test was carried out in the temperature range of 930–123 °C and the strain rate range of 0.002–2 s−1 by using a Gleeble-1500D thermal simulator. The stress-strain curve of 20MnCr5(SH) was analyzed and confirmed by microstructure analysis. The dynamic recrystallization occurred, and the constitutive equation of 20MnCr5(SH) high temperature flow stress was established. Considering that the traditional Arrhenius constitutive equation does not consider the effect of strain on the constitutive equation, a strain modified Arrhenius constitutive equation is proposed. The results show that the correlation is 0.9895 and the average relative error is 8.048%, which verifies the stress prediction ability of the strain modified constitutive equation. According to the dynamic material theory and instability criterion, the processing maps of 20MnCr5(SH) are obtained. It is therefore considered that 20MnCr5(SH) is most suitable for thermoplastic processing at strain rate of 0.05–1 s−1 and temperature of 1030–1100 °C.
Ab Initio Phase Diagram of Copper
Authors: Baty Samuel R. , Burakovsky Leonid , Errandonea Daniel
Published: May 2021

Copper has been considered as a common pressure calibrant and equation of state (EOS) and shock wave (SW) standard, because of the abundance of its highly accurate EOS and SW data, and the assumption that Cu is a simple one-phase material that does not exhibit high pressure (P) or high temperature (T) polymorphism. However, in 2014, Bolesta and Fomin detected another solid phase in molecular dynamics simulations of the shock compression of Cu, and in 2017 published the phase diagram of Cu having two solid phases, the ambient face-centered cubic (fcc) and the high-PT body-centered cubic (bcc) ones. Very recently, bcc-Cu has been detected in SW experiments, and a more sophisticated phase diagram of Cu with the two solid phases was published by Smirnov. In this work, using a suite of ab initio quantum molecular dynamics (QMD) simulations based on the Z methodology, which combines both direct Z method for the simulation of melting curves and inverse Z method for the calculation of solid–solid phase boundaries, we refine the phase diagram of Smirnov. We calculate the melting curves of both fcc-Cu and bcc-Cu and obtain an equation for the fcc-bcc solid–solid phase transition boundary. We also obtain the thermal EOS of Cu, which is in agreement with experimental data and QMD simulations. We argue that, despite being a polymorphic rather than a simple one-phase material, copper remains a reliable pressure calibrant and EOS and SW standard.
A [68Ga]Ga-DOTANOC PET/CT Radiomic Model for Non-Invasive Prediction of Tumour Grade in Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumours
Authors: Bevilacqua Alessandro , Calabrò Diletta , Malavasi Silvia , Ricci Claudio , Casadei Riccardo , Campana Davide , Baiocco Serena , Fanti Stefano , Ambrosini Valentina
Published: May 2021

Predicting grade 1 (G1) and 2 (G2) primary pancreatic neuroendocrine tumour (panNET) is crucial to foresee panNET clinical behaviour. Fifty-one patients with G1-G2 primary panNET demonstrated by pre-surgical [68Ga]Ga-DOTANOC PET/CT and diagnostic conventional imaging were grouped according to the tumour grade assessment method: histology on the whole excised primary lesion (HS) or biopsy (BS). First-order and second-order radiomic features (RFs) were computed from SUV maps for the whole tumour volume on HS. The RFs showing the lowest p-values and the highest area under the curve (AUC) were selected. Three radiomic models were assessed: A (trained on HS, validated on BS), B (trained on BS, validated on HS), and C (using the cross-validation on the whole dataset). The second-order normalized homogeneity and entropy was the most effective RFs couple predicting G2 and G1. The best performance was achieved by model A (test AUC = 0.90, sensitivity = 0.88, specificity = 0.89), followed by model C (median test AUC = 0.87, sensitivity = 0.83, specificity = 0.82). Model B performed worse. Using HS to train a radiomic model leads to the best prediction, although a “hybrid” (HS+BS) population performs better than biopsy-only. The non-invasive prediction of panNET grading may be especially useful in lesions not amenable to biopsy while [68Ga]Ga-DOTANOC heterogeneity might recommend FDG PET/CT.
Association of Early Renal Dysfunction with Lipid Profile Parameters among Hypertensives in Kazakhstan
Authors: Nurtazina Alma , Kozhakhmetova Dana , Dautov Daulet , Khaidarova Nurzhanat , Chattu Vijay Kumar
Published: May 2021

Dyslipidemia plays an essential role in chronic kidney disease (CKD). The role of lipids and lipoproteins in the early pre-disease state of CKD in hypertensive patients is still unclear. The study aimed to evaluate the relationship between early renal dysfunction and lipid profile parameters among hypertensive patients in Kazakhstan. From April 2015 to December 2016, 800 Kazakh males and females with primary hypertension who met the inclusion criteria were included in this cross-sectional study. Data were collected on socio-demographics, lifestyle parameters, family history of cardiovascular disease, and hypertension. Additionally, Dietary Quality Score (DQS), anthropometric data, and blood pressure were recorded. Laboratory blood measurements included eGFR (estimated glomerular filtration rate), lipid profile parameters such as Apolipoprotein B, A1, HDL-C, LDL-C, and TG. We found a linear relationship between early renal dysfunction and LDL-C, Apolipoprotein B, and Apolipoprotein B/A1 ratio, which was in all cases negative and small (r = −0.27, −0.23 and −0.16, respectively). Apolipoprotein A1, HDL-C and TG have not revealed a linear relationship with GFR (r = −0.06, r = −0.06, and ρ = −0.045, respectively). The multicollinearity test restricted the linear model to Apolipoprotein B only. Further linear regression analysis confirmed an inverse significant linear association between eGFR and Apolipoprotein B. Age, DQS, and income appear to be positive confounding factors, significantly fitted the final model. ROC analysis had proven the predictive power of Apolipoprotein B in pre-CKD eGFR decline before and after adjustment for age, DQS and income (AUC = 0.62 and AUC = 0.77, respectively). For differentiating non-diabetic subjects with and without pre-CKD eGFR decrease, 1.05 g/L and 0.98 g/L are likely to be optimal cutoff points in males and females, respectively. These findings will help early prediction of renal dysfunction and contribute to a more accurate estimation of CVD risk.
Forecasting Energy Consumption of Wastewater Treatment Plants with a Transfer Learning Approach for Sustainable Cities
Authors: Oliveira Pedro , Fernandes Bruno , Analide Cesar , Novais Paulo
Published: May 2021

A major challenge of today’s society is to make large urban centres more sustainable. Improving the energy efficiency of the various infrastructures that make up cities is one aspect being considered when improving their sustainability, with Wastewater Treatment Plants (WWTPs) being one of them. Consequently, this study aims to conceive, tune, and evaluate a set of candidate deep learning models with the goal being to forecast the energy consumption of a WWTP, following a recursive multi-step approach. Three distinct types of models were experimented, in particular, Long Short-Term Memory networks (LSTMs), Gated Recurrent Units (GRUs), and uni-dimensional Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs). Uni- and multi-variate settings were evaluated, as well as different methods for handling outliers. Promising forecasting results were obtained by CNN-based models, being this difference statistically significant when compared to LSTMs and GRUs, with the best model presenting an approximate overall error of 630 kWh when on a multi-variate setting. Finally, to overcome the problem of data scarcity in WWTPs, transfer learning processes were implemented, with promising results being achieved when using a pre-trained uni-variate CNN model, with the overall error reducing to 325 kWh.
Stator Fixed Deadbeat Predictive Torque and Flux Control of a PMSM Drive with Modulated Duty Cycle
Authors: Sandre Hernandez Omar , Cervantes-Rojas Jorge S. , Ordaz Oliver Jesus P. , Cuvas Castillo Carlos
Published: May 2021

Conventional deadbeat control strategies for permanent magnet synchronous machines (PMSMs) are commonly developed reference frames, however, coupling dynamics affect the performance drive, and rotational transformations are required for the synthesis of the final voltage vector (VV). To improve robustness against parameter variations and to directly synthesize the reference voltage vector, in this paper a deadbeat predictive torque and flux control for a PMSM is presented. The proposed controller is developed in the stationary reference frame (α−β). First, the reference VV is obtained from a predictive deadbeat controller. Then, the reference VV is applied to the power inverter by the combination of two voltage vectors. A duty cycle optimization is employed to calculate the required time for the application of each voltage vector. Experimental results based on an FPGA and a comparison of the conventional and the proposed deadbeat controller are presented to validate the proposed methodology.
National Carbon Accounting—Analyzing the Impact of Urbanization and Energy-Related Factors upon CO2 Emissions in Central–Eastern European Countries by Using Machine Learning Algorithms and Panel Data Analysis
Authors: Nuţă Florian Marcel , Nuţă Alina Cristina , Zamfir Cristina Gabriela , Petrea Stefan-Mihai , Munteanu Dan , Cristea Dragos Sebastian
Published: May 2021

The work at hand assesses several driving factors of carbon emissions in terms of urbanization and energy-related parameters on a panel of emerging European economies, between 1990 and 2015. The use of machine learning algorithms and panel data analysis offered the possibility to determine the importance of the input variables by applying three algorithms (Random forest, XGBoost, and AdaBoost) and then by modeling the urbanization and the impact of energy intensity on the carbon emissions. The empirical results confirm the relationship between urbanization and energy intensity on CO2 emissions. The findings emphasize that separate components of energy consumption affect carbon emissions and, therefore, a transition toward renewable sources for energy needs is desirable. The models from the current study confirm previous studies’ observations made for other countries and regions. Urbanization, as a process, has an influence on the carbon emissions more than the actual urban regions do, confirming that all the activities carried out as urbanization efforts are more harmful than the resulted urban area. It is proper to say that the urban areas tend to embrace modern, more green technologies but the road to achieve environmentally friendly urban areas is accompanied by less environmentally friendly industries (such as the cement industry) and a high consumption of nonrenewable energy.
Improvements in Energy Saving and Thermal Environment after Retrofitting with Interior Insulation in Intermittently Cooled Residences in Hot-Summer/Cold-Winter Zone of China: A Case Study in Chengdu
Authors: Ye Xin , Lu Jun , Zhang Tao , Wang Yupeng , Fukuda Hiroatsu
Published: May 2021

Space cooling is currently the fastest-growing end-user in buildings. The global warming trend combined with increased population and economic development will lead to accelerated growth in space cooling in the future, especially in China. The hot summer and cold winter (HSCW) zone is the most densely populated and economically developed region in China, but with the worst indoor thermal environment. Relatively few studies have been conducted on the actual measurements in the optimization of insulation design under typical intermittent cooling modes in this region. This case study was conducted in Chengdu—the two residences selected were identical in design, but the south bedroom of the case study residence had interior insulation (inside insulation on all opaque interior surfaces of a space) retrofitted in the bedroom area in 2017. In August 2019, a comparative on-site measurement was done to investigate the effect of the retrofit work under three typical intermittent cooling patterns in the real-life scenario. The experimental result shows that interior insulation provides a significant improvement in energy-saving and the indoor thermal environment. The average energy savings in daily cooling energy consumption of the south bedroom is 42.09%, with the maximum reaching 48.91%. In the bedroom with interior insulation retrofit, the indoor temperature is closer to the set temperature and the vertical temperature difference is smaller during the cooling period; when the air conditioner is off, the room remains a comfortable temperature for a slightly longer time.