bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Comparison of Shear Wave Elastography and Dynamometer Test in Muscle Tissue Characterization for Potential Medical and Sport Application
Authors: Soldos Peter , Besenyi Zsuzsanna , Hideghéty Katalin , Pávics László , Hegedűs Ádám , Rácz Levente , Kopper Bence
Published: June 2021

Skeletal muscle status and its dynamic follow up are of particular importance in the management of several diseases where weight and muscle mass loss and, consequently, immobilization occurs, as in cancer and its treatment, as well as in neurodegenerative disorders. But immobilization is not the direct result of body and muscle mass loss, but rather the loss of the maximal tension capabilities of the skeletal muscle. Therefore, the development of a non-invasive and real-time method which can measure muscle tension capabilities in immobile patients is highly anticipated. Our aim was to introduce and evaluate a special ultrasound measurement technique to estimate a maximal muscle tension characteristic which can be used in medicine and also in sports diagnostics. Therefore, we determined the relationship between the results of shear wave elastography measurements and the dynamometric data of individuals. The measurements were concluded on the m. vastus lateralis. Twelve healthy elite athletes took part in our preliminary proof of principle study—five endurance (S) and seven strength (F) athletes showing unambiguously different muscle composition features, nine healthy subjects (H) without prior sports background, and four cancer patients in treatment for a stage 3 brain tumor (T). Results showed a high correlation between the maximal dynamometric isometric torque (Mmax) and mean elasticity value (E) for the non-athletes [(H + T), (r = 0.795)] and for the athletes [(S + F), (r = 0.79)]. For the athletes (S + F), the rate of tension development at contraction (RTDk) and E correlation was also determined (r = 0.84, p < 0.05). Our measurements showed significantly greater E values for the strength athletes with fast muscle fiber dominance than endurance athletes with slow muscle fiber dominance (p < 0.05). Our findings suggest that shear wave ultrasound elastography is a promising method for estimating maximal muscle tension and, also, the human skeletal muscle fiber ratio. These results warrant further investigations with a larger number of individuals, both in medicine and in sports science.
Breeding for Nutritional and Organoleptic Quality in Vegetable Crops: The Case of Tomato and Cauliflower
Authors: Natalini Alessandro , Acciarri Nazzareno , Cardi Teodoro
Published: June 2021

Due to novel and more demanding consumers’ requirements, breeding of vegetable crops confronts new challenges to improve the nutritional level and overall appearance of produce. Such objectives are not easy to achieve considering the complex genetic and physiological bases. Overtime, plant breeders relied on a number of technologies and methods to achieve ever changing targets. F1 hybrid seed production allowed the exploitation of heterosis and facilitated the combination of resistance and other useful genes in a uniform outperforming variety. Mutagenesis and tissue culture techniques permitted to induce novel variation, overcome crossing barriers, and speed up the achievement of true-breeding lines. Marker-assisted selection was one of the milestones in fastening selection, starting from the early ’90s in almost all seed companies. Only recently, however, are novel omics tools and genome editing being used as cutting-edge techniques to face old and new challenges in vegetable crops, with the potential to increase the qualitative value of crop cultivation and solve malnutrition in 10 billion people over the next 30 years. In this manuscript, the evolution of breeding approaches in vegetable crops for quality is reviewed, reporting case studies in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) and cauliflower (Brassica oleracea var. botrytis L.) as model systems for fleshy fruit and floral edible parts, respectively.
Abscisic Acid Priming Creates Alkaline Tolerance in Alfalfa Seedlings (Medicago sativa L.)
Authors: Wei Tian-Jiao , Wang Ming-Ming , Jin Yang-Yang , Zhang Guo-Hui , Liu Miao , Yang Hao-Yu , Jiang Chang-Jie , Liang Zheng-Wei
Published: June 2021

Soil alkalization triggers ion toxicity and osmotic and alkaline (high pH) stresses in plants, damaging their growth and productivity. Therefore, we investigated whether priming with abscisic acid (ABA) increases the tolerance of alfalfa seedlings to alkaline stress, and then examined the underlying molecular mechanisms. Alfalfa seedlings were pretreated with ABA (10 μM) for 16 h and then subjected to alkaline stress using a 15 mM Na2CO3 solution (pH 10.87). Compared with the control, ABA pretreatment significantly alleviated leaf damage and improved the fresh weight, water content, and survival rate of alfalfa seedlings under alkaline conditions. Abscisic acid pretreatment reduced accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), increased activities of the antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD) and peroxidase (POD), maintained higher ratios of K+/Na+, Ca2+/Na+, and Mg2+/Na+, and increased accumulation of proline. In addition, ABA upregulated the expression of genes involved in proline biosynthesis (P5CS) and the sequestration of Na+ in vacuoles (NHX1 and AVP) under alkaline conditions. Abscisic acid priming increased tolerance to alkaline stress by maintaining homeostasis of ROS and metal ions and upregulating osmoprotection and the expression of stress tolerance-related genes.
Physical–Chemical Properties, Droplet Size, and Efficacy of Dicamba Plus Glyphosate Tank Mixture Influenced by Adjuvants
Authors: Polli Estefania Gomiero , Alves Guilherme Sousa , de Oliveira Joao Victor , Kruger Greg Robert
Published: June 2021

Dicamba plus glyphosate tank mixture have been largely adopted for postemergence weed control after the development of dicamba-tolerant crops. Ammonium sulfate is commonly used as water conditioner (WC) to increase glyphosate efficacy, but its use is restricted for dicamba herbicides. The use of non-AMS water conditioner and other adjuvants could be a way to optimize efficacy of this tank mixture while mitigating herbicide off-target movement. The objective of this study was to determine the physical–chemical properties and droplet size distribution of dicamba and glyphosate solutions with and without non-AMS WC alone and tank mixed with other adjuvants and evaluate the response of weed species to these solutions under greenhouse and field conditions. The adjuvants mostly increased density and viscosity and decreased contact angle and surface tension of herbicide solutions. In presence of WC, except for the adjuvants containing drift reducing agent, Dv0.5 decreased with the addition of adjuvants. Under greenhouse conditions, biomass reduction increased up to 47 and 33 percentage points for velvetleaf and c. waterhemp when adjuvants were added to solutions without WC, respectively. No increase in control of horseweed and Palmer amaranth was observed with the use of adjuvants under field conditions.
Towards Food Justice – The Global-Economic Material Balance Analysis of Hunger, Food Security and Waste
Authors: Tóth Gergely , Zachár János
Published: June 2021

Sustainable development has become a central and key goal for humanity (1 UN: Millenium Development Goals, 2 SDGs). There is no scientific or political consensus, however, about the root cause of unsustainability, so an effective cure is impossible. Nevertheless, unlimited inequality among nations and individuals, extreme poverty, and hunger are always among the most significant problems. It is also often claimed that the world’s current food production would be sufficient to feed all 7.7 billion people on Earth (see Appendix A 1) with a better (more even, ‘just’) distribution. Others use food hunger and poverty data to support claims for increased food production and agricultural output. In this paper we examine the first claim with real data, but from a theoretical perspective: is it true, theoretically, that if all of the produced and wasted food were made available to feed the extremely poor and hungry, we could reach zero hunger-related deaths? We will use food waste, hunger-related (+thirst) death, obesity, and calorie consumption data from the “happy” and “unhappy” parts of the Earth. The cause of food waste is dissonant in different economic systems, so its macro- and microeconomic approach is also completely different in different countries. The relationship between obesity, hunger, and food waste has not yet been explored in a structured framework; data are available but scattered. In this paper we propose a unified framework of comparable data as a first step in mapping the biggest missing, or at least wobbling circle of modern bio-economy: global food supply. Thinking globally is a first step toward progress development in food justice and a solution to UN sustainable development goals (SDG 2, 1, 3, and 10).
Effect of Clay, Soil Organic Matter, and Soil pH on Initial and Residual Weed Control with Flumioxazin
Authors: Glaspie Calvin F. , Jones Eric A. L. , Penner Donald , Pawlak John A. , Everman Wesley J.
Published: June 2021

Greenhouse studies were conducted to evaluate the effects of soil organic matter content and soil pH on initial and residual weed control with flumioxazin by planting selected weed species in various lab-made and field soils. Initial control was determined by planting weed seeds into various lab-made and field soils treated with flumioxazin (71 g ha−1). Seeds of Echinochloa crus-galli (barnyard grass), Setaria faberi (giant foxtail), Amaranthus retroflexus (redroot pigweed), and Abutilon theophrasti (velvetleaf) were incorporated into the top 1.3 cm of each soil at a density of 100 seeds per pot, respectively. Emerged plants were counted and removed in both treated and non-treated pots two weeks after planting and each following week for six weeks. Flumioxazin control was evaluated by calculating percent emergence of weeds in treated soils compared to the emergence of weeds in non-treated soils. Clay content was not found to affect initial flumioxazin control of any tested weed species. Control of A. theophrasti, E. crus-galli, and S. faberi was reduced as soil organic matter content increased. The control of A. retroflexus was not affected by organic matter. Soil pH below 6 reduced flumioxazin control of A. theophrasti, and S. faberi but did not affect the control of A. retroflexus and E. crus-galli. Flumioxazin residual control was determined by planting selected weed species in various lab-made and field soils 0, 2, 4, 6, and 8 weeks after treatment. Eight weeks after treatment, flumioxazin gave 0% control of A. theophrasti and S. faberi in all soils tested. Control of A. retroflexus and Chenopodium album (common lambsquarters) was 100% for the duration of the experiment, except when soil organic matter content was greater than 3% or the soil pH 7. Eight weeks after treatment, 0% control was only observed for common A. retroflexus and C. album in organic soil (soil organic matter > 80%) or when soil pH was above 7. Control of A. theophrasti and S. faberi decreased as soil organic matter content and soil pH increased. Similar results were observed when comparing lab-made soils to field soils; however, differences in control were observed between lab-made organic matter soils and field organic matter soils. Results indicate that flumioxazin can provide control ranging from 75–100% for two to six weeks on common weed species.
Transcriptomic Analysis of Short-Term Salt-Stress Response in Mega Hybrid Rice Seedlings
Authors: Jahan Noushin , Lv Yang , Song Mengqiu , Zhang Yu , Shang Lianguang , Lu Ying , Ye Guoyou , Qian Qian , Gao Zhenyu , Guo Longbiao
Published: June 2021

Salinity is a major abiotic stressor that leads to productivity losses in rice (Oryza sativa L.). In this study, transcriptome profiling and heterosis-related genes were analyzed by ribonucleic acid sequencing (RNA-Seq) in seedlings of a mega rice hybrid, Liang-You-Pei-Jiu (LYP9), and its two parents 93–11 and Pei-ai64s (PA64s), under control and two different salinity levels, where we found 8292, 8037, and 631 salt-induced differentially expressed genes (DEGs), respectively. Heterosis-related DEGs were obtained higher after 14 days of salt treatment than after 7 days. There were 631 and 4237 salt-induced DEGs related to heterosis under 7-day and 14-day salt stresses, respectively. Gene functional classification showed the expression of genes involved in photosynthesis activity after 7-day stress treatment, and in metabolic and catabolic activity after 14 days. In addition, we correlated the concurrence of an expression of DEGs for the bHLH transcription factor and a shoot length/salinity-related quantitative trait locus qSL7 that we fine-mapped previously, providing a confirmed case of heterosis-related genes. This experiment reveals the transcriptomic divergence of the rice F1 hybrid and its parental lines under control and salt stress state, and enlightens about the significant molecular mechanisms developed over time in response to salt stress.
Prevalence of BRD-Related Viral Pathogens in the Upper Respiratory Tract of Swiss Veal Calves
Authors: Studer Eveline , Schönecker Lutz , Meylan Mireille , Stucki Dimitri , Dijkman Ronald , Holwerda Melle , Glaus Anna , Becker Jens
Published: June 2021

The prevention of bovine respiratory disease is important, as it may lead to impaired welfare, economic losses, and considerable antimicrobial use, which can be associated with antimicrobial resistance. The aim of this study was to describe the prevalence of respiratory viruses and to identify risk factors for their occurrence. A convenience sample of 764 deep nasopharyngeal swab samples from veal calves was screened by PCR for bovine respiratory syncytial virus (BRSV), bovine parainfluenza-3 virus (BPI3V), bovine coronavirus (BCoV), influenza D virus (IDV), and influenza C virus (ICV). The following prevalence rates were observed: BRSV, 2.1%; BPI3V, 3.3%; BCoV, 53.5%; IDV, 4.1%; ICV, 0%. Logistic mixed regression models were built for BCoV to explore associations with calf management and housing. Positive swab samples were more frequent in younger calves than older calves (>100 days; p < 0.001). The probability of detecting BCoV increased with increasing group size in young calves. Findings from this study suggested that young calves should be fattened in small groups to limit the risk of occurrence of BCoV, although an extended spectrum of risk factors for viral associated respiratory disorders such as nutritional aspects should be considered in future studies.
A Review of the Effects and Production of Spore-Forming Probiotics for Poultry
Authors: Popov Igor V. , Algburi Ammar , Prazdnova Evgeniya V. , Mazanko Maria S. , Elisashvili Vladimir , Bren Anzhelica B. , Chistyakov Vladimir A. , Tkacheva Elizaveta V. , Trukhachev Vladimir I. , Donnik Irina M. , Ivanov Yuri A. , Rudoy Dmitry , Ermakov Alexey M. , Weeks Richard M. , Chikindas Michael L.
Published: June 2021

One of the main problems in the poultry industry is the search for a viable replacement for antibiotic growth promoters. This issue requires a “one health” approach because the uncontrolled use of antibiotics in poultry can lead to the development of antimicrobial resistance, which is a concern not only in animals, but for humans as well. One of the promising ways to overcome this challenge is found in probiotics due to their wide range of features and mechanisms of action for health promotion. Moreover, spore-forming probiotics are suitable for use in the poultry industry because of their unique ability, encapsulation, granting them protection from the harshest conditions and resulting in improved availability for hosts’ organisms. This review summarizes the information on gastrointestinal tract microbiota of poultry and their interaction with commensal and probiotic spore-forming bacteria. One of the most important topics of this review is the absence of uniformity in spore-forming probiotic trials in poultry. In our opinion, this problem can be solved by the creation of standards and checklists for these kinds of trials such as those used for pre-clinical and clinical trials in human medicine. Last but not least, this review covers problems and challenges related to spore-forming probiotic manufacturing.
Genetic Parameters Estimation of Milking Traits in Polish Holstein-Friesians Based on Automatic Milking System Data
Authors: Aerts Joanna , Piwczyński Dariusz , Ghiasi Heydar , Sitkowska Beata , Kolenda Magdalena , Önder Hasan
Published: June 2021

The automatic milking system (AMS) provides a large amount of information characterizing the course of each milking cow, which is not available in the conventional system. The aim of our study was to estimate heritability and genetic correlations for milk yield (MY), milking frequency (MF), and speed (MS) for 1713 Polish Holstein-Friesian primiparous cows milked in barns with an AMS. Daily heritability indicators estimated using second-order Legendre polynomials and Random Regression Models showed high variation during lactation, ranging 0.131–0.345 for MY, 0.153–0.322 for MF, and 0.336–0.493 for MS. The rates of genetic correlation between traits ranged: 0.561–0.929 for MY-MF, (−0.255)−0.090 for MF-MS, (−0.174)−0.020 for MY-MS. It is possible to carry out effective selection for milking speed, which provides an opportunity to increase the number of cows per milking robot, and thus increase the profitability of production in the herd. The results proved that selection for milk yield and daily milking frequency is also feasible. The research showed a high, positive genetic correlation between milking frequency and milk yield, which allows us to conclude that preferring breeding cows with a natural tendency to frequent visits to the milking robot should indirectly improve the genetic basis of milking.
Antimicrobial Resistance in Nosocomial Isolates of Gram-Negative Bacteria: Public Health Implications in the Latvian Context
Authors: Jain Nityanand , Jansone Inese , Obidenova Tatjana , Simanis Raimonds , Meisters Jānis , Straupmane Dagnija , Reinis Aigars
Published: June 2021

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is one of the most serious threats in modern medicine which requires the constant monitoring of emerging trends amongst clinical isolates. However, very limited surveillance data is available in the Latvian context. In the present study, we conducted a retrospective analysis of microbiological data from one of the largest public multispecialty hospitals in Latvia from 2017 to 2020. AMR trends for 19 gram-negative bacterial (GNB) genera were investigated. During the study period, 11,437 isolates were analyzed with Escherichia spp. (34.71%), Klebsiella spp. (19.22%) and Acinetobacter spp. (10.05%) being the most isolated. Carbapenems like Meropenem and Ertapenem were the most effective against GNBs (3% and 5.4% resistance rates, respectively) while high resistance rates (>50%) were noted against both Ampicillin and Amoxicillin/Clavulanic acid. Enterobacter spp. and Klebsiella spp. showed a significant increase in resistance rate against Ertapenem (p = 0.000) and Trimethoprim-Sulfamethoxazole (p = 0.000), respectively. A decrease in the prevalence of Extended-Spectrum Beta-Lactamase positive (ESBL+) Enterobacterales was noted. Despite the lower prescription levels of the penicillin group antimicrobials than the European average (as reported in ESAC-Net Surveillance reports), GNBs showed high average resistant rates, indicating the role of ESBL+ isolates in driving the resistance rates. Constant and careful vigilance along with proper infection control measures are required to track the emerging trends in AMR in GNBs.
Revealing Antibiotic Tolerance of the Mycobacterium smegmatis Xanthine/Uracil Permease Mutant Using Microfluidics and Single-Cell Analysis
Authors: Elitas Meltem , Dhar Neeraj , McKinney John D.
Published: June 2021

To reveal rare phenotypes in bacterial populations, conventional microbiology tools should be advanced to generate rapid, quantitative, accurate, and high-throughput data. The main drawbacks of widely used traditional methods for antibiotic studies include low sampling rate and averaging data for population measurements. To overcome these limitations, microfluidic-microscopy systems have great promise to produce quantitative single-cell data with high sampling rates. Using Mycobacterium smegmatis cells, we applied both conventional assays and a microfluidic-microscopy method to reveal the antibiotic tolerance mechanisms of wild-type and msm2570::Tn mutant cells. Our results revealed that the enhanced antibiotic tolerance mechanism of the msm2570::Tn mutant was due to the low number of lysed cells during the antibiotic exposure compared to wild-type cells. This is the first study to characterize the antibiotic tolerance phenotype of the msm2570::Tn mutant, which has a transposon insertion in the msm2570 gene—encoding a putative xanthine/uracil permease, which functions in the uptake of nitrogen compounds during nitrogen limitation. The experimental results indicate that the msm2570::Tn mutant can be further interrogated to reveal antibiotic killing mechanisms, in particular, antibiotics that target cell wall integrity.
Salvigenin, a Trimethoxylated Flavone from Achillea Wilhelmsii C. Koch, Exerts Combined Lipid-Lowering and Mitochondrial Stimulatory Effects
Authors: Serino Elena , Chahardoli Azam , Badolati Nadia , Sirignano Carmina , Jalilian Fereshteh , Mojarrab Mahdi , Farhangi Zahra , Rigano Daniela , Stornaiuolo Mariano , Shokoohinia Yalda , Taglialatela-Scafati Orazio
Published: June 2021

Phytochemical analysis of the Iranian plant Achillea wilhelmsii led to the isolation of 17 pure secondary metabolites belonging to the classes of sesquiterpenoids and phenolics. Two of these compounds, named wilhemsin (7) and wilhelmsolide (9), are new sesquiterpenoids, and the first shows undescribed structural features. Their structures were elucidated through extensive spectroscopic analysis, mainly based on 1D and 2D NMR, and chemical derivatization. Starting from plant traditional use and previous reports on the activity of the plant extracts, all the pure compounds were evaluated on endpoints related to the treatment of metabolic syndrome. The sesquiterpene hanphyllin (8) showed a selective cholesterol-lowering activity (−12.7% at 30 µM), santoflavone (13) stimulated glucose uptake via the GLUT transporter (+16.2% at 30 µM), while the trimethoxylated flavone salvigenin (14) showed a dual activity in decreasing lipid levels (−22.5% palmitic acid biosynthesis at 30 µM) and stimulating mitochondrial functionality (+15.4% at 30 µM). This study further confirms that, in addition to the antioxidants vitexin, isovitexin, and isoschaftoside, A. wilhelmsii extracts contain molecules that can act at different levels on the metabolic syndrome symptoms.
Hidrox® and Chronic Cystitis: Biochemical Evaluation of Inflammation, Oxidative Stress, and Pain
Authors: D’Amico Ramona , Trovato Salinaro Angela , Cordaro Marika , Fusco Roberta , Impellizzeri Daniela , Interdonato Livia , Scuto Maria , Ontario Maria Laura , Crea Roberto , Siracusa Rosalba , Cuzzocrea Salvatore , Di Paola Rosanna , Calabrese Vittorio
Published: June 2021

Interstitial cystitis/painful bladder syndrome (IC/PBS) is a chronic bladder condition characterized by frequent urination, inflammation, oxidative stress, and pain. The aim of the study was to evaluate the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects of an oral administration of Hidrox® (10 mg/kg) in the bladder and spinal cord in a rodent model of IC/BPS. The chronic animal model of cystitis was induced by repeated intraperitoneal injections of cyclophosphamide (CYP) for five consecutive days. Treatment with Hidrox® began on the third day of the CYP injection and continued until the 10th day. CYP administration caused macroscopic and histological bladder changes, inflammatory infiltrates, increased mast cell numbers, oxidative stress, decreased expression of the tight endothelial junction (e.g., zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1) and occludin), and bladder pain. Treatment with Hidrox® was able to improve CYP-induced inflammation and oxidative stress via the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2)/heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1) pathway. It was also able to reduce bladder pain which was aggravated by the activation of neuroinflammation in the central nervous system. In particular, Hidrox® reduced the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), as well as the activation of astrocytes and microglia, consequently reducing mechanical allodynia. These results indicate that nutritional consumption of Hidrox® can be considered as a new therapeutic approach for human cystitis, increasing the conceivable potential of a significant improvement in the quality of life associated with a lowering of symptom intensity in patients with IC/BPS.
Investigating the Drought and Salinity Effect on the Redox Components of Sulla coronaria (L.) Medik
Authors: De Rossi Silvia , Di Marco Gabriele , Bruno Laura , Gismondi Angelo , Canini Antonella
Published: June 2021

For the Mediterranean region, climate models predict an acceleration of desertification processes, thus threatening agriculture. The present work aimed to investigate the effect of drought and salinity on Sulla coronaria (L.) Medik., a Mediterranean forage legume, for understanding plant defence systems activated by these stressors. In detail, we focused our attention on the variations on the plant redox status. Plants were subjected to suboptimal watering and irrigation with sodium chloride (NaCl) solutions. The same salt treatment was applied for in vitro tests on seedlings. Water content did not change after treatments. Salt negatively influenced seed germination and seedling development, but it did not affect photosynthesis parameters, contrary to what was observed in adult plants. Proline concentration increased in all samples, while abscisic acid level increased exclusively in seedlings. NaCl caused accumulation of superoxide anion in plants and seedlings and hydrogen peroxide only in seedlings; nevertheless, lipid peroxidation was not detected. Total phenolics, glutathione, expression level, and activity of antioxidant enzymes were assayed, revealing a complex antiradical molecular response, depending on the type of stress and development stage. Our results confirm Sulla as a drought- and salt-tolerant species and highlight its ability to counteract oxidative stress. This evidence suggests a key role for the redox components, as signal transduction messengers, in Sulla acclimation to desertification. Finally, plants and seedlings showed different acclimation capacity to salinity, revealing a greater genomic plasticity for seedlings.
Characterization of the Inducible and Slow-Releasing Hydrogen Sulfide and Persulfide Donor P*: Insights into Hydrogen Sulfide Signaling
Authors: Trummer Modesta , Galardon Erwan , Fischer Anita , Toegel Stefan , Mayer Bernd , Steiner Guenter , Kloesch Burkhard
Published: June 2021

Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is an important mediator of inflammatory processes. However, controversial findings also exist, and its underlying molecular mechanisms are largely unknown. Recently, the byproducts of H2S, per-/polysulfides, emerged as biological mediators themselves, highlighting the complex chemistry of H2S. In this study, we characterized the biological effects of P*, a slow-releasing H2S and persulfide donor. To differentiate between H2S and polysulfide-derived effects, we decomposed P* into polysulfides. P* was further compared to the commonly used fast-releasing H2S donor sodium hydrogen sulfide (NaHS). The effects on oxidative stress and interleukin-6 (IL-6) expression were assessed in ATDC5 cells using superoxide measurement, qPCR, ELISA, and Western blotting. The findings on IL-6 expression were corroborated in primary chondrocytes from osteoarthritis patients. In ATDC5 cells, P* not only induced the expression of the antioxidant enzyme heme oxygenase-1 via per-/polysulfides, but also induced activation of Akt and p38 MAPK. NaHS and P* significantly impaired menadione-induced superoxide production. P* reduced IL-6 levels in both ATDC5 cells and primary chondrocytes dependent on H2S release. Taken together, P* provides a valuable research tool for the investigation of H2S and per-/polysulfide signaling. These data demonstrate the importance of not only H2S, but also per-/polysulfides as bioactive signaling molecules with potent anti-inflammatory and, in particular, antioxidant properties.
Circulating Malondialdehyde Concentrations in Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA): A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis with Meta-Regression
Authors: Pau Maria Carmina , Zinellu Elisabetta , Fois Sara S. , Piras Barbara , Pintus Gianfranco , Carru Ciriaco , Mangoni Arduino A. , Fois Alessandro G. , Zinellu Angelo , Pirina Pietro
Published: June 2021

Oxidative stress induced by nocturnal intermittent hypoxia plays a significant pathophysiological role in obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Malondialdehyde (MDA), one of the most commonly investigated markers of lipid peroxidation, might assist with the monitoring of oxidative balance in OSA. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the differences in circulating MDA concentrations between patients with OSA and non-OSA controls. A systematic search was conducted in the electronic databases Pubmed, Web of Science, Scopus and Google Scholar from inception to December 2020 by using the following terms: “malondialdehyde” or “MDA”; and “Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome”, “OSAS” or “OSA”. We identified 26 studies in 1223 OSA patients and 716 controls. The pooled MDA concentrations were significantly higher in patients with OSA (standardized mean difference (SMD) 1.43 μmol/L, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.03 to 1.83 μmol/L, p < 0.001). There was extreme heterogeneity between the studies (I2 = 92.3%, p < 0.001). In meta-regression analysis, the SMD was significantly associated with age, the assay type used and publication year. In our meta-analysis, MDA concentrations were significantly higher in OSA patients than in controls. This finding suggests that MDA, which is a marker of lipid peroxidation, is involved in the pathogenesis of OSA and provides insights for future studies investigating its potential clinical use.
Can Social Agents Efficiently Perform in Automated Negotiation?
Authors: Sanchez-Anguix Victor , Tunalı Okan , Aydoğan Reyhan , Julian Vicente
Published: June 2021

In the last few years, we witnessed a growing body of literature about automated negotiation. Mainly, negotiating agents are either purely self-driven by maximizing their utility function or by assuming a cooperative stance by all parties involved in the negotiation. We argue that, while optimizing one’s utility function is essential, agents in a society should not ignore the opponent’s utility in the final agreement to improve the agent’s long-term perspectives in the system. This article aims to show whether it is possible to design a social agent (i.e., one that aims to optimize both sides’ utility functions) while performing efficiently in an agent society. Accordingly, we propose a social agent supported by a portfolio of strategies, a novel tit-for-tat concession mechanism, and a frequency-based opponent modeling mechanism capable of adapting its behavior according to the opponent’s behavior and the state of the negotiation. The results show that the proposed social agent not only maximizes social metrics such as the distance to the Nash bargaining point or the Kalai point but also is shown to be a pure and mixed equilibrium strategy in some realistic agent societies.
Optimization of Fuzzy Logic Controller Used for a Differential Drive Wheeled Mobile Robot
Authors: Štefek Alexandr , Pham Van Thuan , Krivanek Vaclav , Pham Khac Lam
Published: June 2021

The energy-efficient motion control of a mobile robot fueled by batteries is an especially important and difficult problem, which needs to be continually addressed in order to prolong the robot’s independent operation time. Thus, in this article, a full optimization process for a fuzzy logic controller (FLC) is proposed. The optimization process employs a genetic algorithm (GA) to minimize the energy consumption of a differential drive wheeled mobile robot (DDWMR) and still ensure its other performances of the motion control. The earlier approaches mainly focused on energy reduction by planning the shortest path whereas this approach aims to optimize the controller for minimizing acceleration of the robot during point-to-point movement and thus minimize the energy consumption. The proposed optimized controller is based on fuzzy logic systems. At first, an FLC has been designed based on the experiment and as well as an experience to navigate the DDWMR to a known destination by following the given path. Next, a full optimization process by using the GA is operated to automatically generate the best parameters of all membership functions for the FLC. To evaluate its effectiveness, a set of other well-known controllers have been implemented in Google Colab® and Jupyter platforms in Python language to compare them with each other. The simulation results have shown that about 110% reduction of the energy consumption was achieved using the proposed method compared to the best of six alternative controllers. Also, this simulation program has been published as an open-source code for all readers who want to continue in the research.
What Is the Impact of a CAM Impingement on the Gait Cycle in Patients with Progressive Osteoarthritis of the Hip?
Authors: Franken Eike , Floerkemeier Thilo , Jakubowitz Eike , Derksen Alexander , Budde Stefan , Windhagen Henning , Wirries Nils
Published: June 2021

(1) Background: The femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) type cam leads to a conflict between the acetabular rim and a bony thickening of the femoral neck junction. While maximal excursions in flexion, adduction and internal rotation provoke pain, the aim of this study was to analyze if a cam morphology shows an impact on gait pattern. (2) Methods: Fifty-five patients with end-stage hip osteoarthritis performed gait analysis before hip replacement as well as three, six and 12 months postoperatively. Thirty-three (60%) of them presented an FAI type cam. An ANOVA was used to compare the hip angles in sagittal, frontal and transversal planes between patients with a FAI type cam (group “+cam”) and without (group “−cam”). (3) Results: Before surgery the patients of the +cam-group showed a tendency towards a reduced flexion and internal rotation at the heel strike (p > 0.05). Over time, the differences were adjusted by total hip arthroplasty. (4) Conclusions: We did not find any differences in the gait analysis of patients with a FAI type cam compared to patients without.
Hypoxic Exercise Training Elevates Erythrocyte Aggregation
Authors: Lin Chin-Li , Wang Jong-Shyan , Fu Tieh-Cheng , Hsu Chih-Chin , Huang Yu-Chieh
Published: June 2021

Pathological erythrocyte aggregation reduces capillary perfusion and oxygen transfer to tissue, which is determined by the negative surface charge on the erythrocyte membrane (intrinsic aggregability) and fibrinogen–erythrocyte interaction (extrinsic factor). Exercise-induced oxidative stress is important for rheological adaptation to training but may also cause erythrocyte senescence. This study clarifies the effects of hypoxic exercise training on intrinsic/extrinsic factors of aggregation. In total, 60 healthy sedentary males were randomly assigned to either hypoxic (HE; FIO2 = 0.15) or normoxic exercise training (NE; FIO2 = 0.21) groups for 30 min·d−1, 5 d·wk−1 for 6 weeks at 60 % of the maximum work rate or to a control group (CTL). A hypoxia exercise test (HET, FIO2 = 0.12) was performed before and after the intervention. Erythrocyte aggregation was assessed by ektacytometry, and fibrinogen binding affinity and senescence biomarkers were assessed by flow cytometry. An acute 12% oxygen HET significantly enhanced erythrocyte global aggregation through intrinsic aggregability. Resting aggregation is promoted by both intrinsic aggregability and fibrinogen binding probability and force after HE, whereas NE is mainly associated with ameliorated fibrinogen–erythrocyte interactions. The HET still facilitated global aggregation after HE because of the augmented fibrinogen-related factors, even though the intrinsic factor was suppressed. Additionally, HE further increased reticulocyte counts while reducing the expression of CD47 and CD147. Resting aggregability is promoted by both intrinsic and extrinsic factors after HE, whereas NE is mainly associated with an ameliorated affinity for fibrinogen. Although an accelerated turnover rate was observed, HE further led to erythrocyte senescence.
Effect Evaluation of Forward Collision Warning System Using IoT Log and Virtual Driving Simulation Data
Authors: Kim Hyungkyu , Kim Byungkon , Jung Doyoung
Published: June 2021

Advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) are primarily known for their positive impact in improving the safety of drivers. Previous studies primarily analyzed the positive effects of ADAS with short-term experiments and accident data without considering the long-term changes in drivers’ safety perception. The human factor is the most dominant among factors that cause traffic accidents, and safety effect evaluation should be performed considering changes in human errors. To this end, this study classified the safety effect of ADAS-forward collision warning (FCW) on taxi drivers in Seoul into behavioral control and attitude change to perform analysis on respective factors. With regard to behavioral control, virtual driving simulation was used to analyze the reaction time of drivers and deceleration rate, and for attitude change, autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) time series analysis was employed to predict the long-term perception change of drivers. The analysis results indicated that, in terms of behavioral control, ADAS-FCW reduces the cognitive reaction time of drivers in risk situations on the road, similar to the findings in previous studies. However, in terms of attitude change, ADAS-FCW has the adverse long-term effect of increasing violations in maintaining safety distance in the case of nighttime-drivers under 60 years old. As can be seen from these results, new technologies in the road safety arena can have a short-term effect of improving safety with behavioral control but may have a negative impact in the long term. The results of this study are expected to provide a theoretical basis for reference in the safety evaluation of ADAS and traffic safety facilities.
Online Prognosis of Bimodal Crack Evolution for Fatigue Life Prediction of Composite Laminates Using Particle Filters
Authors: Pugalenthi Karkulali , Trung Duong Pham Luu , Doh Jaehyeok , Hussain Shaista , Jhon Mark Hyunpong , Raghavan Nagarajan
Published: June 2021

Composite materials are extensively used in aircraft structures, wherein they are subjected to cyclic loads and subsequently impact-induced damages. Progressive fatigue degradation can lead to catastrophic failure. This highlights the need for an efficient prognostic framework to predict crack propagation in the field of structural health monitoring (SHM) of composite structures to improve functional safety and reliability. However, achieving good accuracy in crack growth prediction is challenging due to uncertainties in the material properties, loading conditions, and environmental factors. This paper presents a particle-filter-based online prognostic framework for damage prognosis of composite laminates due to crack-induced delamination and fiber breakage. An optimized Paris law model is used to describe the damage propagation in glass-fiber-reinforced polymer (GFRP) laminates subject to low-velocity impacts. Our proposed methodology deduces the jump energy/inflection point online wherein the damage growth switches from rapid degradation to slow degradation. The prediction results obtained are compared with the conventional Paris law model to validate the need for an optimized bimodal crack growth propagation model. The root mean square error (RMSE) and remaining useful life (RUL) prediction errors are used as the prognostic metrics.
Personalized Augmented Reality Based Tourism System: Big Data and User Demographic Contexts
Authors: Rezaee Soheil , Sadeghi-Niaraki Abolghasem , Shakeri Maryam , Choi Soo-Mi
Published: June 2021

A lack of required data resources is one of the challenges of accepting the Augmented Reality (AR) to provide the right services to the users, whereas the amount of spatial information produced by people is increasing daily. This research aims to design a personalized AR that is based on a tourist system that retrieves the big data according to the users’ demographic contexts in order to enrich the AR data source in tourism. This research is conducted in two main steps. First, the type of the tourist attraction where the users interest is predicted according to the user demographic contexts, which include age, gender, and education level, by using a machine learning method. Second, the correct data for the user are extracted from the big data by considering time, distance, popularity, and the neighborhood of the tourist places, by using the VIKOR and SWAR decision making methods. By about 6%, the results show better performance of the decision tree by predicting the type of tourist attraction, when compared to the SVM method. In addition, the results of the user study of the system show the overall satisfaction of the participants in terms of the ease-of-use, which is about 55%, and in terms of the systems usefulness, about 56%.
The Bimodal Neutron and X-ray Imaging Driven by a Single Electron Linear Accelerator
Authors: Yu Yangyi , Zhang Ruiqin , Lu Lu , Yang Yigang
Published: June 2021

Both X-ray imaging and neutron imaging are essential methods in non-destructive testing. In this work, a bimodal imaging method combining neutron and X-ray imaging is introduced. The experiment is based on a small electron accelerator-based photoneutron source that can simultaneously generate the following two kinds of radiations: X-ray and neutron. This identification method utilizes the attenuation difference of the two rays’ incidence on the same material to determine the material’s properties based on dual-imaging fusion. It can enhance the identification of the materials from single ray imaging and has the potential for widespread use in on-site, non-destructive testing where metallic materials and non-metallic materials are mixed.
Study of Immediate Implants Placed in Mandibular Alveolar Bone Reconstructed with Screw-Guided Bone Regeneration Technique: A 24-Months Follow-Up
Authors: Török Bianca , Török Roland , Dohan Ehrenfest David M. , Agop-Forna Doriana , Dascălu Cristina , Forna Norina Consuela
Published: June 2021

Aim: Study aimed to test whether implants inserted in posterior mandible sites augmented with screw-guided bone regeneration (S-GBR) technique differ from implants placed in non-grafted sites regarding the success and survival rate. Materials and Methods: 20 edentulous patients (mean age 59.45 ± 15.220) were divided in a test group (S-GBR) (immediate implants placed simultaneously with grafting procedures) and control group (implants placed in naturally healed sites). Primary outcomes (implants success; implants survival) and secondary outcomes (clinical parameters of soft tissues: mPI; mGI; probing depth; keratinized mucosa; marginal-bone-level) were evaluated at 24-months follow-up. Results: Plaque levels were higher (p = 0.046) in S-GBR group (0.97 ± 0.882 mm) when compared with control (0.66 ± 0.695 mm). Keratinized mucosa width was higher in S-GBR group (4.13 ± 1.033 mm) than control (3.34 ± 0.821 mm) (p = 0.000) Probing depth (PD) width was higher in S-GBR group (3.50 ± 1.372 mm) than control (2.56 ± 1.332 mm) (p = 0.000). mGI was higher among implants placed in S-GBR group (0.90 ± 1.020 mm) than control (0.56 ± 0.794 mm) (p = 0.061). The difference between the average bone loss (MBL) for implants placed in grafted sites (Group S-GBR: 2.20 ± 1.867 mm) and for those placed in naturally healed sites (Group B: 1.09 ± 1.678 mm) was statistically significant (p = 0.000). The overall implant success rate after 24-month follow-up was 76.7% in S-GBR group and 90.6% in control group (p = 0.001). The survival rate after 24-month follow-up was 86.7% in S-GBR group and 93.8% in control group (p = 0.182). The reconstruction of the alveolar bone using S-GBR technique and immediate implant placement is a valid guided bone regeneration strategy for mandibular alveolar bone with severe horizontal resorption. The choice of S-GBR technique should be based on specific indications as implants placed in grafted sites recorded worse marginal success rate, survival rate and bone resorption than those placed in non-grafted sites.
Processed Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi Extract Alleviates LPS-Induced Inflammatory and Oxidative Stress through a Crosstalk between NF-κB and KEAP1/NRF2 Signaling in Macrophage Cells
Authors: Ali Akhtar , Kim En Hyung , Lee Jong-Hyun , Leem Kang-Hyun , Seong Shin , Kim Wonnam
Published: June 2021

Prolonged inflammation results in chronic diseases that can be associated with a range of factors. Medicinal plants and herbs provide synergistic benefits based on the interaction of multiple phytochemicals. The dried root of Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi and its compounds possess anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidative, and anticancer effects. Processing is a traditional method to achieve clinical benefits by improving therapeutic efficacy and lowering toxicity. In this study, we investigated the anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant effect of processed Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi extract (PSGE) against lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulated RAW 264.7 cells. Data using Griess assay and ELISA showed that PSGE decreased nitric oxide and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) levels against LPS. PSGE treatment up-regulated 15-hydroxyprostaglandin dehydrogenase (PGDH), while cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 and microsomal prostaglandin E synthase (mPGES)-1 expression did not change. Interestingly, PGE2 inhibition was regulated by prostaglandin catabolic enzyme 15-PGDH rather than COX-2/mPGES-1, enzymes essential for PGE2 synthesis. Additionally, PSGE-suppressed LPS-induced IL-6 and TNF-α production through NF-κB signaling. NF-κB release from an inactive complex was inhibited by HO-1 which blocked IκBα phosphorylation. The ROS levels lowered by PSGE were measured with the H2DCFDA probe. PSGE activated NRF2 signaling and increased antioxidant Hmox1, Nqo1, and Txn1 gene expression, while reducing KEAP1 expression. In addition, pharmacological inhibition of HO-1 confirmed that the antioxidant enzyme induction by PSGE was responsible for ROS reduction. In conclusion, PSGE demonstrated anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant effects due to NRF2/HO-1-mediated NF-κB and ROS inhibition.
Use Learnable Knowledge Graph in Dialogue System for Visually Impaired Macro Navigation
Authors: Chen Ching-Han , Shiu Ming-Fang , Chen Shu-Hui
Published: June 2021

Dialogue in natural language is the most important communication method for the visually impaired. Therefore, the dialogue system is the main subsystem in the visually impaired navigation system. The purpose of the dialogue system is to understand the user’s intention, gradually establish context through multiple conversations, and finally provide an accurate destination for the navigation system. We use the knowledge graph as the basis of reasoning in the dialogue system, and then update the knowledge graph so that the system gradually conforms to the user’s background. Based on the experience of using the knowledge graph in the navigation system of the visually impaired, we expect that the same framework can be applied to more fields in order to improve the practicality of natural language dialogue in human–computer interaction.