bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Educational, Emotional, and Social Impact of the Emergency State of COVID-19 on Romanian University Students
Authors: Gavriluță Cristina , Dalban Costel Marian , Ioan Beatrice Gabriela
Published: March 2022

Background and Objectives: The COVID-19 pandemic has had a global impact at the social, economic, cultural, and political levels. Education is one of the areas that experienced a sudden change during the COVID-19 pandemic that affected both students and teachers worldwide. Thus, the aim of our research was to analyze the educational, emotional, and social impact of the period of the emergency state (16 March 2020–15 May 2020) imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic on Romanian university students. Materials and Methods: We conducted a questionnaire-based survey among Romanian university students at the national level. Results: Our study showed that students accepted online education only as a form of compromise in relation to the epidemiological situation. However, they were affected by the diminished contact with the university and their colleagues and the lack of a regular routine. Emotionally, the participants experienced feelings of loneliness, panic, fear, aggressiveness, and intolerance due to the lack of cultural activities, the struggle with the usual routine, and the restriction of communication and movement. Socially, the relationships with friends and university colleagues were affected; many students returned home to their parents, who supported them during the lockdown. As a general finding, our study describes a social category that felt the full effects of isolation during the emergency state but still managed to cope with the situation by mobilizing a number of specific resources: family, intellectual and cultural concerns, and faith. Conclusions: The emergency state imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic has been a special experience in the lives of Romanian students. Its dramatism was tempered well by an effective support mechanism provided by social ties, intellectual formation, and a certain religiosity. This has produced good resilience among students, but also in the communities they belong to.
Methodological Considerations in Development of UV Imaging for Characterization of Intra-Tumoral Injectables Using cAMP as a Model Substance
Authors: Bock Frederik , Bøtker Johan Peter , Larsen Susan Weng , Lu Xujin , Østergaard Jesper
Published: March 2022

A UV imaging release-testing setup comprising an agarose gel as a model for tumorous tissue was developed. The setup was optimized with respect to agarose concentration (0.5% (w/v)), injection procedure, and temperature control. A repeatable injection protocol was established allowing injection into cavities with well-defined geometries. The effective resolution of the SDi2 UV imaging system is 30–80 µm. The linear range of the imaging system is less than that of typical spectrophotometers. Consequently, non-linear cAMP calibration curves were applied for quantification at 280 nm. The degree of deviation from Beer’s law was affected by the background absorbance of the gel matrix. MATLAB scripts provided hitherto missing flexibility with respect to definition and utilization of quantification zones, contour lines facilitating visualization, and automated, continuous data analysis. Various release patterns were observed for an aqueous solution and in situ forming Pluronic F127 hydrogel and PLGA implants containing cAMP as a model for STING ligands. The UV imaging and MATLAB data analysis setup constituted a significant technical development in terms of visualizing behavior for injectable formulations intended for intra-tumoral delivery, and, thereby, a step toward establishment of a bio-predictive in vitro release-testing method.
Ligandability Assessment of Human Glutathione Transferase M1-1 Using Pesticides as Chemical Probes
Authors: Bodourian Charoutioun S. , Poudel Nirmal , Papageorgiou Anastassios C. , Antoniadi Mariana , Georgakis Nikolaos D. , Abe Hiroshi , Labrou Nikolaos E.
Published: March 2022

Glutathione transferases (GSTs; EC 2.5.1.18) form a group of multifunctional enzymes that are involved in phase II of the cellular detoxification mechanism and are associated with increased susceptibility to cancer development and resistance to anticancer drugs. The present study aims to evaluate the ligandability of the human GSTM1-1 isoenzyme (hGSTM1-1) using a broad range of structurally diverse pesticides as probes. The results revealed that hGSTM1-1, compared to other classes of GSTs, displays limited ligandability and ligand-binding promiscuity, as revealed by kinetic inhibition studies. Among all tested pesticides, the carbamate insecticide pirimicarb was identified as the strongest inhibitor towards hGSTM1-1. Kinetic inhibition analysis showed that pirimicarb behaved as a mixed-type inhibitor toward glutathione (GSH) and 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene (CDNB). To shine a light on the restricted hGSTM1-1 ligand-binding promiscuity, the ligand-free crystal structure of hGSTM1-1 was determined by X-ray crystallography at 1.59 Å-resolution. Comparative analysis of ligand-free structure with the available ligand-bound structures allowed for the study of the enzyme’s plasticity and the induced-fit mechanism operated by hGSTM1-1. The results revealed important structural features of the H-site that contribute to xenobiotic-ligand binding and specificity. It was concluded that hGSTM1-1 interacts preferentially with one-ring aromatic compounds that bind at a discrete site which partially overlaps with the xenobiotic substrate binding site (H-site). The results of the study form a basis for the rational design of new drugs targeting hGSTM1-1.
Bio-Based Materials for Packaging
Authors: Porta Raffaele , Sabbah Mohammed , Di Pierro Prospero
Published: March 2022

Plastic pollution is currently one of the most pressing environmental problems, especially in countries with a low recycling rate that is mainly due to the insufficient collection of plastic waste [...]
Efficient Formation of Size-Selected Clusters upon Pickup of Dopants into Multiply Charged Helium Droplets
Authors: Kollotzek Siegfried , Lushchikova Olga V. , Tiefenthaler Lukas , Zappa Fabio , Scheier Paul
Published: March 2022

Properties of clusters often depend critically on the exact number of atomic or molecular building blocks, however, most methods of cluster formation lead to a broad, size distribution and cluster intensity anomalies that are often designated as magic numbers. Here we present a novel approach of breeding size-selected clusters via pickup of dopants into multiply charged helium nanodroplets. The size and charge state of the initially undoped droplets and the vapor pressure of the dopant in the pickup region, determines the size of the dopant cluster ions that are extracted from the host droplets, via evaporation of the helium matrix in a collision cell filled with room temperature helium or via surface collisions. Size distributions of the selected dopant cluster ions are determined utilizing a high-resolution time of flight mass spectrometer. The comparison of the experimental data, with simulations taking into consideration the pickup probability into a shrinking He droplet due to evaporation during the pickup process, provides a simple explanation for the emergence of size distributions that are narrower than Poisson.
In Vivo and In Vitro Cartilage Differentiation from Embryonic Epicardial Progenitor Cells
Authors: Palmquist-Gomes Paul , Marín-Sedeño Ernesto , Ruiz-Villalba Adrián , Rico-Llanos Gustavo Adolfo , Pérez-Pomares José María , Guadix Juan Antonio
Published: March 2022

The presence of cartilage tissue in the embryonic and adult hearts of different vertebrate species is a well-recorded fact. However, while the embryonic neural crest has been historically considered as the main source of cardiac cartilage, recently reported results on the wide connective potential of epicardial lineage cells suggest they could also differentiate into chondrocytes. In this work, we describe the formation of cardiac cartilage clusters from proepicardial cells, both in vivo and in vitro. Our findings report, for the first time, cartilage formation from epicardial progenitor cells, and strongly support the concept of proepicardial cells as multipotent connective progenitors. These results are relevant to our understanding of cardiac cell complexity and the responses of cardiac connective tissues to pathologic stimuli.
Pirfenidone Sensitizes NCI-H460 Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Cells to Paclitaxel and to a Combination of Paclitaxel with Carboplatin
Authors: Branco Helena , Oliveira Júlio , Antunes Catarina , Santos Lúcio L. , Vasconcelos Maria Helena , Xavier Cristina P. R.
Published: March 2022

Pirfenidone, an antifibrotic drug, has antitumor potential against different types of cancers. Our work explored whether pirfenidone sensitizes non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cell lines to chemotherapeutic treatments. The cytotoxic effect of paclitaxel in combination with pirfenidone against three NSCLC cell lines (A549, NCI-H322 and NCI-H460) was evaluated using the sulforhodamine B assay. The effects of this combination on cell viability (trypan blue exclusion assay), proliferation (BrdU incorporation assay), cell cycle (flow cytometry following PI staining) and cell death (Annexin V-FITC detection assay and Western blot) were analyzed on the most sensitive cell line (NCI-H460). The cytotoxic effect of this drug combination was also evaluated against two non-tumorigenic cell lines (MCF-10A and MCF-12A). Finally, the ability of pirfenidone to sensitize NCI-H460 cells to a combination of paclitaxel plus carboplatin was assessed. The results demonstrated that pirfenidone sensitized NCI-H460 cells to paclitaxel treatment, reducing cell growth, viability and proliferation, inducing alterations in the cell cycle profile and causing an increase in the % of cell death. Remarkably, this combination did not increase cytotoxicity in non-tumorigenic cells. Importantly, pirfenidone also sensitized NCI-H460 cells to paclitaxel plus carboplatin. This work highlights the possibility of repurposing pirfenidone in combination with chemotherapy for the treatment of NSCLC.
Antiviral Effects of Animal Toxins: Is There a Way to Drugs?
Authors: Utkin Yuri , Siniavin Andrei , Kasheverov Igor , Tsetlin Victor
Published: March 2022

Viruses infect all types of organisms, causing viral diseases, which are very common in humans. Since viruses use the metabolic pathways of their host cells to replicate, they are difficult to eradicate without affecting the cells. The most effective measures against viral infections are vaccinations and antiviral drugs, which selectively inhibit the viral replication cycle. Both methods have disadvantages, which requires the development of new approaches to the treatment of viral diseases. In the study of animal venoms, it was found that, in addition to toxicity, venoms exhibit other types of biological activity, including an antiviral one, the first mention of which dates back to middle of the last century, but detailed studies of their antiviral activity have been conducted over the past 15 years. The COVID-19 pandemic has reinforced these studies and several compounds with antiviral activity have been identified in venoms. Some of them are very active and can be considered as the basis for antiviral drugs. This review discusses recent antiviral studies, the found compounds with high antiviral activity, and the possible mechanisms of their action. The prospects for using the animal venom components to create antiviral drugs, and the expected problems and possible solutions are also considered.
Plant-Derived Nanoscale-Encapsulated Antioxidants for Oral and Topical Uses: A Brief Review
Authors: Kim Seong-Hyeon , Lee Young-Chul
Published: March 2022

Several plant-based nanoscale-encapsulated antioxidant compounds (rutin, myricetin, β-carotene, fisetin, lycopene, quercetin, genkwanin, lutein, resveratrol, eucalyptol, kaempferol, glabridin, pinene, and whole-plant bio-active compounds) are briefly introduced in this paper, along with their characteristics. Antioxidants’ bioavailability has become one of the main research topics in bio-nanomedicine. Two low patient compliance drug delivery pathways (namely, the oral and topical delivery routes), are described in detail in this paper, for nanoscale colloidal systems and gel formulations. Both routes and/or formulations seek to improve bioavailability and maximize the drug agents’ efficiency. Some well-known compounds have been robustly studied, but many remain elusive. The objective of this review is to discuss recent studies and advantages of nanoscale formulations of plant-derived antioxidant compounds.
Treatment with Angiotensin-(1-7) Prevents Development of Oral Papilloma Induced in K-ras Transgenic Mice
Authors: Schere-Levy Carolina , Suberbordes Melisa , Ferri Darío M. , Ayre Marina , Gattelli Albana , Kordon Edith C. , Raimondi Ana R. , Walther Thomas
Published: March 2022

Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma (OSCC) is the most common malignant cancer affecting the oral cavity. It is characterized by high morbidity and very few therapeutic options. Angiotensin (Ang)-(1-7) is a biologically active heptapeptide, generated predominantly from AngII (Ang-(1-8)) by the enzymatic activity of angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE 2). Previous studies have shown that Ang-(1-7) counterbalances AngII pro-tumorigenic actions in different pathophysiological settings, exhibiting antiproliferative and anti-angiogenic properties in cancer cells. However, the prevailing effects of Ang-(1-7) in the oral epithelium have not been established in vivo. Here, we used an inducible oral-specific mouse model, where the expression of a tamoxifen-inducible Cre recombinase (CreERtam), which is under the control of the cytokeratin 14 promoter (K14-CreERtam), induces the expression of the K-ras oncogenic variant KrasG12D (LSLK-rasG12D). These mice develop highly proliferative squamous papilloma in the oral cavity and hyperplasia exclusively in oral mucosa within one month after tamoxifen treatment. Ang-(1-7) treated mice showed a reduced papilloma development accompanied by a significant reduction in cell proliferation and a decrease in pS6 positivity, the most downstream target of the PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling route in oral papilloma. These results suggest that Ang-(1-7) may be a novel therapeutic target for OSCC.
Neglected Facts on Mycobacterium Avium Subspecies Paratuberculosis and Type 1 Diabetes
Authors: Ozana Veronika , Hruska Karel , Sechi Leonardo A.
Published: March 2022

Civilization factors are responsible for the increasing of human exposure to mycobacteria from environment, water, and food during the last few decades. Urbanization, lifestyle changes and new technologies in the animal and plant industry are involved in frequent contact of people with mycobacteria. Type 1 diabetes is a multifactorial polygenic disease; its origin is conditioned by the mutual interaction of genetic and other factors. The environmental factors and certain pathogenetic pathways are shared by some immune mediated chronic inflammatory and autoimmune diseases, which are associated with triggers originating mainly from Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis, an intestinal pathogen which persists in the environment. Type 1 diabetes and some other chronic inflammatory diseases thus pose the global health problem which could be mitigated by measures aimed to decrease the human exposure to this neglected zoonotic mycobacterium.
The Metabolic Impact of Two Different Parenteral Nutrition Lipid Emulsions in Children after Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation: A Lipidomics Investigation
Authors: Rangel-Huerta Oscar Daniel , de la Torre-Aguilar María José , Mesa María Dolores , Flores-Rojas Katherine , Pérez-Navero Juan Luis , Baena-Gómez María Auxiliadora , Gil Angel , Gil-Campos Mercedes
Published: March 2022

Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) involves the infusion of either bone marrow or blood cells preceded by toxic chemotherapy. However, there is little knowledge about the clinical benefits of parenteral nutrition (PN) in patients receiving high-dose chemotherapy during HSCT. We investigated the lipidomic profile of plasma and the targeted fatty acid profiles of plasma and erythrocytes in children after HSCT using PN with either a fish oil-based lipid emulsion or a classic soybean oil emulsion. An untargeted liquid chromatography high-resolution mass spectrometry platform connected with a novel in silico annotation algorithm was utilized to determine the most relevant chemical subclasses affected. In addition, we explored the interrelation between the lipidomics profile in plasma, the targeted fatty acid profile in plasma and erythrocytes, several biomarkers of inflammation, and antioxidant defense using an innovative data integration analysis based on Latent Components. We observed that the fish oil-based lipid emulsion had an impact in several lipid subclasses, mainly glycerophosphocholines (PC), glycerophosphoserines (PS), glycerophosphoethanolamines (PE), oxidized PE (O-PE), 1-alkyl,2-acyl PS, lysophosphatidylethanolamines (LPE), oxidized PS (O-PS) and dicarboxylic acids. In contrast, the classic soybean oil emulsion did not. Several connections across the different blocks of data were found and aid in interpreting the impact of the lipid emulsions on metabolic health.
Gases in Sepsis: Novel Mediators and Therapeutic Targets
Authors: Zhu Zhixing , Chambers Stephen , Zeng Yiming , Bhatia Madhav
Published: March 2022

Sepsis, a potentially lethal condition resulting from failure to control the initial infection, is associated with a dysregulated host defense response to pathogens and their toxins. Sepsis remains a leading cause of morbidity, mortality and disability worldwide. The pathophysiology of sepsis is very complicated and is not yet fully understood. Worse still, the development of effective therapeutic agents is still an unmet need and a great challenge. Gases, including nitric oxide (NO), carbon monoxide (CO) and hydrogen sulfide (H2S), are small-molecule biological mediators that are endogenously produced, mainly by enzyme-catalyzed reactions. Accumulating evidence suggests that these gaseous mediators are widely involved in the pathophysiology of sepsis. Many sepsis-associated alterations, such as the elimination of invasive pathogens, the resolution of disorganized inflammation and the preservation of the function of multiple organs and systems, are shaped by them. Increasing attention has been paid to developing therapeutic approaches targeting these molecules for sepsis/septic shock, taking advantage of the multiple actions played by NO, CO and H2S. Several preliminary studies have identified promising therapeutic strategies for gaseous-mediator-based treatments for sepsis. In this review article, we summarize the state-of-the-art knowledge on the pathophysiology of sepsis; the metabolism and physiological function of NO, CO and H2S; the crosstalk among these gaseous mediators; and their crucial effects on the development and progression of sepsis. In addition, we also briefly discuss the prospect of developing therapeutic interventions targeting these gaseous mediators for sepsis.
Evaluation of Public Services Considering the Expectations of Users—A Systematic Literature Review
Authors: Menezes Vítor G. de , Pedrosa Glauco V. , Silva Marcos P. P. da , Figueiredo Rejane M. da C.
Published: March 2022

Evaluating public services has become an important task in order to direct actions that may positively affect with the quality of the service provided by governments. To undertake an effective evaluation, it is necessary to analyze data and information on the impact of the services. A wide range of studies have been proposed to measure how an organization delivers its services according to the expectations of the stakeholders. This paper investigates approaches for evaluating public services from the perspective of users. The goal is to identify and describe evaluation-based models, as well as the instruments and tools employed in the service evaluation process. A systematic literature review was conducted to search and analyze studies published in the last 15 years. From the analysis of 31 studies, we identified four main dimensions regarding service evaluation: quality, success and acceptance of information systems, user satisfaction, and user experience. This work contributes to the identification of models, dimensions, instruments, and tools to evaluate public services from the perspective of users. The results of this work can be used as a guide to the Public Administration in the construction of effective models to evaluate their public services and to guarantee quality standards that meet the expectations of the users.
A Smart Building Fire and Gas Leakage Alert System with Edge Computing and NG112 Emergency Call Capabilities
Authors: Maltezos Evangelos , Petousakis Konstantinos , Dadoukis Aris , Karagiannidis Lazaros , Ouzounoglou Eleftherios , Krommyda Maria , Hadjipavlis George , Amditis Angelos
Published: March 2022

Nowadays, the transformations of cities into smart cities is a crucial factor in improving the living conditions of the inhabitants as well as addressing emergency situations under the concept of public safety and property loss. In this context, many sensing systems have been designed and developed that provide fire detection and gas leakage alerts. On the other hand, new technologies such edge computing have gained significant attention in recent years. Moreover, the development of recent intelligent applications in IoT aims to integrate several types of systems with automated next-generation emergency calls in case of a serious accident. Currently, there is a lack of studies that combine all the aforementioned technologies. The proposed smart building sensor system, SB112, combines a small-size multisensor-based (temperature, humidity, smoke, flame, CO, LPG, and CNG) scheme with an open-source edge computing framework and automated Next Generation (NG) 112 emergency call functionality. It involves crucial actors such as IoT devices, a Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP), the middleware of a smart city platform, and relevant operators in an end-to-end manner for real-world scenarios. To verify the utility and functionality of the proposed system, a representative end-to-end experiment was performed, publishing raw measurements from sensors as well as a fire alert in real time and with low latency (average latency of 32 ms) to the middleware of a smart city platform. Once the fire was detected, a fully automatic NG112 emergency call to a PSAP was performed. The proposed methodology highlights the potential of the SΒ112 system for exploitation by decision-makers or city authorities.
Double-Layer Mobile Edge Computing-Enabled Power Line Inspection in Smart Grid Networks
Authors: Liu Shimin , Zhang Xinhe , Xiao Hailong , Li Ziqi , Zhang Heli
Published: March 2022

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have the advantages of flexibility, low cost, and good communication channel gain. In recent years, the inspection of power grid systems supported by UAVs has been widely used. However, due to the constraint of wireless channels and UAVs, it is impossible to transmit video content to the surveillance center. To solve this problem, in this study, a new mobile edge computing (MEC) technology-enabled power line inspection scheme for smart grid networks was designed. Within this scheme, a double-layer MEC architecture is proposed. In the upper-level layer, several UAVs installed with MEC equipment can locally process inspection videos with higher propriety. At the same time, the remaining tasks with lower priority are performed by the terrestrial base stations. In addition, a cost minimization problem is proposed and solved by the alternating optimization algorithm. The simulation results show that the proposed algorithm can significantly reduce the energy consumption of the system.
Resistance to Crayfish Plague: Assessing the Response of Native Iberian Populations of the White-Clawed Freshwater Crayfish
Authors: Martínez-Ríos María , Lapesa-Lázaro Sara , Larumbe-Arricibita Jokin , Alonso-Gutiérrez Fernando , Galindo-Parrila Francisco Javier , Martín-Torrijos Laura , Diéguez-Uribeondo Javier
Published: March 2022

Crayfish plague, caused by the oomycete pathogen Aphanomyces astaci, is one of the most devastating of the emerging infectious diseases. This disease is responsible for the decline of native European and Asian freshwater crayfish populations. Over the last few decades, some European crayfish populations were reported to display partial to total resistance to the disease. The immune response in these cases was similar to that exhibited by the natural carriers of the pathogen, North American freshwater crayfish, e.g., weak-to-strong melanization of colonizing hyphae. We tested the degree of resistance displayed by 29 native Iberian populations of Austropotamobius pallipes that were challenged by zoospores of the pathogen. We measured the following parameters: (i) mean survival time, (ii) cumulative mortality, and (iii) immune response, and found that the total cumulative mortality of all the challenged populations was 100%. The integration of the results from these parameters did not allow us to find differences in resistance towards A. astaci among the northern and central populations of the Iberian Peninsula. However, in the southern populations, we could identify four distinct population responses based on an evaluation of a GLM analysis. In the first case, the similar response could be explained by the effect of a pathogen strain with a lower-than-expected virulence, and/or an actual increase in resistance. In the Southern populations, these differences appear to be the consequence of either whole population or individual resistance. Individuals that survived for a longer period than the others showed a stronger immune response, i.e., presence of partially or fully melanized hyphae, which is similar to that of North American crayfish species. This might be the consequence of different mechanisms of resistance or/and tolerance towards A. astaci.
Characteristics and Outcomes of Patients with Invasive Pulmonary Aspergillosis and Respiratory Tract Aspergillus Colonization from a Tertiary University Hospital in Thailand
Authors: Soontrapa Pannathat , Chongtrakool Piriyaporn , Chayakulkeeree Methee
Published: March 2022

Positive culture for Aspergillus spp. from respiratory specimens needs to be interpreted together with relevant clinical conditions/settings to differentiate invasive infection from colonization. In this study, we aimed to investigate the association between positive culture for Aspergillus spp. from respiratory specimens and the presence of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis. Hospitalized patients with positive culture for Aspergillus spp. from any respiratory sample were retrospectively recruited. Patients were classified into two groups: those with invasive pulmonary aspergillosis and those with non-invasive aspergillosis/colonization. Two hundred and forty-one patients (48.1% male; mean age: 59.8 ± 14.5 years) were included. The most common Aspergillus spp. was A. fumigatus (21.0%). The most common underlying condition was chronic lung disease (23.7%), followed by solid tumor (22.4%). Myeloproliferative disease (aOR: 69.2, 95% CI: 2.4–1991.9), neutropenia ≥ 10 days (aOR: 31.8; 95% CI: 1.10–920.53), and corticosteroid treatment (aOR: 42.8, 95% CI: 6.5–281.3) were independent predictors of the invasive form. Chronic lung disease was independently inversely related to invasive form (OR: 0.04; 95% CI: 0.003–0.49). Serum galactomannan was positive in 69.2% of patients with invasive aspergillosis (OR: 25.9, 95% CI: 5.2–127.8). All inappropriately treated patients with invasive form died. In conclusion, positive culture for Aspergillus spp. from respiratory specimens with coexisting myeloproliferative disease, neutropenia ≥ 10 days, corticosteroid treatment, or positive serum galactomannan is highly suggestive of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis.
Antifungal Effect of Copper Nanoparticles against Fusarium kuroshium, an Obligate Symbiont of Euwallacea kuroshio Ambrosia Beetle
Authors: Ibarra-Laclette Enrique , Blaz Jazmín , Pérez-Torres Claudia-Anahí , Villafán Emanuel , Lamelas Araceli , Rosas-Saito Greta , Ibarra-Juárez Luis Arturo , García-Ávila Clemente de Jesús , Martínez-Enriquez Arturo Isaías , Pariona Nicolaza
Published: March 2022

Copper nanoparticles (Cu-NPs) have shown great antifungal activity against phytopathogenic fungi, making them a promising and affordable alternative to conventional fungicides. In this study, we evaluated the antifungal activity of Cu-NPs against Fusarium kuroshium, the causal agent of Fusarium dieback, and this might be the first study to do so. The Cu-NPs (at different concentrations) inhibited more than 80% of F. kuroshium growth and were even more efficient than a commercial fungicide used as a positive control (cupric hydroxide). Electron microscopy studies revealed dramatic damage caused by Cu-NPs, mainly in the hyphae surface and in the characteristic form of macroconidia. This damage was visible only 3 days post inoculation with used treatments. At a molecular level, the RNA-seq study suggested that this growth inhibition and colony morphology changes are a result of a reduced ergosterol biosynthesis caused by free cytosolic copper ions. Furthermore, transcriptional responses also revealed that the low- and high-affinity copper transporter modulation and the endosomal sorting complex required for transport (ESCRT) are only a few of the distinct detoxification mechanisms that, in its conjunction, F. kuroshium uses to counteract the toxicity caused by the reduced copper ion.
MgO–ZrO2 Ceramic Composites for Silicomanganese Production
Authors: Gómez-Rodríguez Cristian , García-Quiñonez Linda Viviana , Aguilar-Martínez Josué Amilcar , Castillo-Rodríguez Guadalupe Alan , Rodríguez-Castellanos Edén Amaral , López-Perales Jesús Fernando , Mendivil-Palma María Isabel , Verdeja Luis Felipe , Fernández-González Daniel
Published: March 2022

The deterioration of the refractory lining represents a significant problem for the smooth operation in the ferroalloys industry, particularly in the production of silicomanganese, due to the periodic requirements of substitution of the damaged refractory. Within this context, magnesia refractories are commonly employed in the critical zones of the furnaces used in silicomanganese production since the slag involved in the process has a basic character. The behavior of MgO–ZrO2 ceramic composites with different ZrO2 nanoparticles (0, 1, 3, and 5 wt.%) contents in the presence of silicomanganese slags is proposed in this manuscript. XPS, XRD and SEM–EDX were used to evaluate the properties of the ceramic composite against the silicomanganese slag. The static corrosion test was used to evaluate the corrosion of the refractory. Results suggest that corrosion is controlled by the change in slag viscosity due to the reaction between CaZrO3 and the melted slag. Besides, ZrO2 nanoparticles located at both triple points and grain boundaries act as a barrier for the slag advance within the refractory. The utilization of MgO refractories with ZrO2 nanoparticles can extend the life of furnaces used to produce silicomanganese.
Revisiting the Effect of Pyrolysis Temperature and Type of Activation on the Performance of Carbon Electrodes in an Electrochemical Capacitor
Authors: Chavhan Madhav P. , Slovak Vaclav , Zelenkova Gabriela , Dominko Damir
Published: March 2022

Hierarchical porous carbons are known to enhance the electrochemical features of electrodes in electrochemical capacitors. However, the contribution of surface oxygen and the resulting functionalities and wettability, along with the role of electrical conductivity and degree of amorphous or crystalline nature in the micro-mesoporous carbons, are not yet clear. This article considers the effect of carbonisation temperature (500–900 °C) and the type of activation (CO2, KOH) on the properties mentioned above in case of carbon xerogels (CXs) to understand the resulting electrochemical performances. Depending on the carbonisation temperature, CX materials differ in micropore surface area (722–1078 m2 g−1) while retaining a mesopore surface area ~300 m2 g−1, oxygen content (3–15%, surface oxygen 0–7%), surface functionalities, electrical conductivity (7 × 10−6–8 S m−1), and degree of amorphous or crystalline nature. Based on the results, electrochemical performances depend primarily on electrical conductivity, followed by surface oxygen content and meso-micropore connectivity. The way of activation using a varied extent of CO2 exposure and KOH concentrations played differently in CX in terms of pore connectivity from meso- to micropores and their contributions and degree of oxidation, and resulted in different electrochemical behaviours. Such performances of activated CXs depend solely on micro-mesopore features.
Simulation and Optimization of Connection-Strength Performance of Axial Extrusion Joint
Authors: Wu Jianguo , Zhai Jingyu , Yan Yangyang , Lin Hongwei , Chen Siquan , Luo Jianping
Published: March 2022

Axial extrusion-connection technology is one of the important connection technologies for hydraulic piping systems, with high sealing performance and mechanical strength. In this paper, the finite-element-modeling method is used to simulate the experimental process of the connection strength of the axial extrusion joint. The generation mechanism and calculation method of the connection strength are analyzed. To optimize the joint strength, orthogonal testing and grey correlation analysis are used to analyze the influencing factors of joint strength. The key factors affecting joint strength are obtained as the friction coefficient μ1, μ2 between joint components and the groove angle θ1 of the fittings body. The back-propagation (BP) neural-network algorithm is used to establish the connection-strength model of the joint and the genetic algorithm is used to optimize it. The optimal connection strength is 8.237 kN and the optimal combination of influencing factors is 0.2, 0.4 and 76.8°. Compared with the prediction results of the neural-network genetic algorithm, the relative error of the finite-element results is 3.9%, indicating that the method has high accuracy. The results show that the extrusion-based joining process offers significant advantages in the manufacture of high-strength titanium tubular joints.
Experimental Study on High-Temperature Damage Repair of Concrete by Soybean Urease Induced Carbonate Precipitation
Authors: Wei Hong , Fan Yanan , Sun Lei , Du Hongxiu , Liang Renwang
Published: March 2022

In this study, the effects of soybean-urease-induced carbonate precipitation on a high-temperature damage repair of concrete were explored. C50 concrete specimens were exposed to high temperatures from 300 to 600 °C, then cooled to an ambient temperature and repaired by two different methods. The influences of the damage temperature and repair methods on surface film thickness, average infrared temperature increase, water absorption, and compressive strength were investigated. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images were carried out to further study the mechanism involved. The results revealed that the white sediments on the surface of the repaired specimens were calcium carbonate (CaCO3) and calcium oxalate (CaC2O4). The surface film thickness reached up to 1.94 mm after repair. The average infrared temperature increase in the repaired specimens at different damage temperatures was averagely reduced by about 80% compared with that before the repair. It showed more obvious repair effects at higher temperatures in water absorption and compressive strength tests; the compressive strength of repaired specimens was 194% higher than that before repairs at 600 °C. A negative pressure method was found to be more effective than an immersion method. This study revealed the utilization of SICP on repairing high-temperature damage of concrete is feasible theoretically.
Clinical and Radiographic Outcomes of Zirconia Dental Implants—A Clinical Case Series Study
Authors: Gargallo-Albiol Jordi , Böhm Karl , Wang Hom-Lay
Published: March 2022

The purpose of this clinical series was to evaluate the clinical and radiographic outcomes of 20 zirconia dental implants, with a minimum follow-up of two years. Patients with at least one zirconia dental implant were included, with a mean follow-up of 34.05 months. The patient complaints such as pain and foreign body sensation, as well as clinical parameters including peri-implant infections with suppuration, implant mobility, gingival index (GI), modified plaque index (mPI), modified sulcus bleeding index (mBI), probing depth (PD) and radiological distance between the implant shoulder to the closest mesial and distal bone-to-implant contact (BIC), were assessed. All zirconia implants were successfully integrated without any pain or foreign body sensation. No mobility was detected in any of the 20 implants. Clinical examination revealed a mean PD of 2.56 mm and a radiological mean distance between the implant shoulder and the initial site of visible bone-to-implant contact (BIC) of 1.44 mm. In addition, GI, mPI and mBI indicated minimal to no inflammation. Results obtained from this series suggest that one-piece zirconia dental implants achieve good clinical and radiographic outcomes over a mean follow-up of 34 months and may be deemed a good option in patients with favorable bone conditions.
Distribution Characteristics of Sub-Surface Cracks in Fused Quartz Ground with Different Worn Wheels
Authors: Zhao Bingyao , Wang Yonghao , Yan Ying , Wang Kai , Zhou Ping
Published: March 2022

The crack distribution characteristics in grinding damage have a significant impact on subsequent polishing efficiency and part strength. Grinding tests were carried out on fused quartz using grinding wheels with different wear states. The results showed that the cracks produced by sharp abrasive grits were mainly near chevron cracks and had no preferred direction. However, the blunt abrasive grits produced near partial cone cracks had a preferred direction. At a depth of 96.7 μm from the surface, the amount of cracks in the range of 50°~90° with an inclination angle between the crack and the cutting direction could reach 88.9%. The statistical results showed that the depth and total length of cracks produced by sharp grits were larger than those produced by blunt grits (the maximum crack depth difference was about 40 μm). Therefore, it was concluded that sharp abrasive grits were not conducive to damage control. The findings of this research enhance our understanding of the formation mechanism of grinding damage.
Effectiveness of Concrete Reinforcement with Recycled Tyre Steel Fibres
Authors: Michalik Agnieszka , Chyliński Filip , Bobrowicz Jan , Pichór Waldemar
Published: March 2022

The role of searching for industrial waste management solutions in construction is key for environmental protection. Research in recent years has focused on solutions aimed at reducing the carbon footprint. This paper presents the results of tests conducted on concrete reinforced with treated recycled tyre steel fibres (RTSFs) compared to the same amount of manufactured steel fibres (MSFs). The effectiveness of concrete reinforcement with RTSFs was analysed using the fracture mechanics parameters of cementitious composites. Rheological tests, residual flexural tensile strength tests, work of fracture measurements, toughness indices, examinations of the fibre distribution in the concrete, and SEM observations of the concrete fractures with fibres were performed. Determining the work of fracture and toughness indices was an innovative aspect of this paper. As the amount of RTSFs increased, a decrease in the consistency was observed, although the distribution of fibres in the concrete was uniform, as proven by the results of computer tomography tests. Concrete reinforced with RTSFs that is purified and refined during the recycling process might have better properties than concrete reinforced with the same amount of MSFs. The application of RTSFs in construction has environmental and economic benefits in addition to the strengthening of cementitious composites.
First-Principles Study of Electronic Properties of Substitutionally Doped Monolayer SnP3
Authors: Zhang Ningxia , Li Xiaodan , Ruan Shihao , Chen Xiong , Li Shenghao , Hu Taotao
Published: March 2022

SnP3 has a great prospect in electronic and thermoelectric device applications due to its moderate band gap, high carrier mobility, absorption coefficients, and dynamical and chemical stability. Doping in two-dimensional semiconductors is likely to display various anomalous behaviors when compared to doping in bulk semiconductors due to the significant electron confinement effect. By introducing foreign atoms from group III to VI, we can successfully modify the electronic properties of two-dimensional SnP3. The interaction mechanism between the dopants and atoms nearby is also different from the type of doped atom. Both Sn7BP24 and Sn7NP24 systems are indirect bandgap semiconductors, while the Sn7AlP24, Sn7GaP24, Sn7PP24, and Sn7AsP24 systems are metallic due to the contribution of doped atoms intersecting the Fermi level. For all substitutionally doped 2D SnP3 systems considered here, all metallic systems are nonmagnetic states. In addition, monolayer Sn7XP24 and Sn8P23Y may have long-range and local magnetic moments, respectively, because of the degree of hybridization between the dopant and its adjacent atoms. The results complement theoretical knowledge and reveal prospective applications of SnP3-based electrical nanodevices for the future.
Investigation of the Mechanical Properties of Friction Drilling with 6082-T6 Aluminium Alloy
Authors: Wu Hao , Porter Mark , Ward Richard , Quinn Justin , McGarrigle Cormac , McFadden Shaun
Published: March 2022

Friction drilling is a non-conventional hole-making process suitable for thin-section, ductile metals. During friction drilling, heat is generated due to tool rotation and the resulting flow of metal creates a bushing on the exit side of the hole. The bushing offers a longer engagement length for any subsequent thread making process. The threaded holes in this study were created by friction drilling and thread forming in 6082-T6 aluminium alloy. Four scenarios of the threaded holes were created with four levels of rotation rates of friction drilling processes (2000 rpm to 4000 rpm) and the mechanical properties of the threaded holes were compared. It was shown that 3000–3500 rpm is the optimum range of the rotation rate that achieved the higher load-bearing capacities (i.e., resistance to thread stripping) of 5.0–5.5 kN. In addition, the regions close to the thread surfaces in all scenarios were found to have experienced localised hardening to a hardness from 113 HV to around 125 HV.
Effects of Shot Peening and Cavitation Peening on Properties of Surface Layer of Metallic Materials—A Short Review
Authors: Świetlicki Aleksander , Szala Mirosław , Walczak Mariusz
Published: March 2022

Shot peening is a dynamically developing surface treatment used to improve the surface properties modified by tool, impact, microblasting, or shot action. This paper reviews the basic information regarding shot peening methods. The peening processes and effects of the shot peening and cavitation peening treatments on the surface layer properties of metallic components are analysed. Moreover, the effects of peening on the operational performance of metallic materials are summarized. Shot peening is generally applied to reduce the surface roughness, increase the hardness, and densify the surface layer microstructure, which leads to work hardening effects. In addition, the residual compressive stresses introduced into the material have a beneficial effect on the performance of the surface layer. Therefore, peening can be beneficial for metallic structures prone to fatigue, corrosion, and wear. Recently, cavitation peening has been increasingly developed. This review paper suggests that most research on cavitation peening omits the treatment of additively manufactured metallic materials. Furthermore, no published studies combine shot peening and cavitation peening in one hybrid process, which could synthesize the benefits of both peening processes. Moreover, there is a need to investigate the effects of peening, especially cavitation peening and hybrid peening, on the anti-wear and corrosion performance of additively manufactured metallic materials. Therefore, the literature gap leading to the scope of future work is also included.
Role of Biomarkers for the Diagnosis of Prion Diseases: A Narrative Review
Authors: Altuna Miren , Ruiz Iñigo , Zelaya María Victoria , Mendioroz Maite
Published: March 2022

Prion diseases are progressive and irreversible neurodegenerative disorders with a low incidence (1.5–2 cases per million per year). Genetic (10–15%), acquired (anecdotal) and sporadic (85%) forms of the disease have been described. The clinical spectrum of prion diseases is very varied, although the most common symptoms are rapidly progressive dementia, cerebellar ataxia and myoclonus. Mean life expectancy from the onset of symptoms is 6 months. There are currently diagnostic criteria based on clinical phenotype, as well as neuroimaging biomarkers (magnetic resonance imaging), neurophysiological tests (electroencephalogram and polysomnogram), and cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers (14-3-3 protein and real-time quaking-induced conversion (RT-QuIC)). The sensitivity and specificity of some of these tests (electroencephalogram and 14-3-3 protein) is under debate and the applicability of other tests, such as RT-QuIC, is not universal. However, the usefulness of these biomarkers beyond the most frequent prion disease, sporadic Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease, remains unclear. Therefore, research is being carried out on new, more efficient cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers (total tau, ratio total tau/phosphorylated tau and neurofilament light chain) and potential blood biomarkers (neurofilament light chain, among others) to try to universalize access to early diagnosis in the case of prion diseases.
Prognostic Value of Intraoperative Blood Transfusion in Patients with Adenocarcinoma of the Esophagogastric Junction
Authors: Nakajima Kei , Tokunaga Masanori , Okuno Keisuke , Saito Katsumasa , Fujiwara Naoto , Sato Yuya , Hoshino Akihiro , Matsuyama Takatoshi , Kinugasa Yusuke
Published: March 2022

Background and objectives: Adenocarcinoma of the esophagogastric junction (AEG) has a complicated surgical anatomy, due to which it sometimes induces excessive intraoperative blood loss that necessitates intraoperative blood transfusion (BTF). However, few reports have focused on the impact of BTF on the survival outcomes of patients with AEG. We aimed to evaluate the impact of BTF on AEG prognosis. Materials andMethods: We included 63 patients who underwent surgical resection for AEG at our hospital between January 2010 and September 2020. Clinicopathological characteristics and survival outcomes were compared between patients with (n = 12) and without (n = 51) BTF. Multivariate analysis was performed to identify the independent prognostic factors for overall survival. Results: None of the patients who underwent minimally invasive surgery received BTF. Patients who received BTF had a significantly worse 5-year survival rate than those who did not (67.8% vs. 28.3%, p = 0.001). BTF was an independent risk factor for overall survival (hazard ratio: 3.90, 95% confidence interval 1.30–11.7), even after patients who underwent minimally invasive surgery were excluded. Conclusions: BTF adversely affected the survival outcomes of patients with AEG who underwent curative surgery. To avoid BTF, surgeons should strive to minimize intraoperative bleeding.