bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A comparative study of microRNAs in different stages of Eimeria tenella
Authors: Zhang Lei , Chen Linlin , Zhang Hongtao , Si Hongbin , Liu Xianyong , Suo Xun , Hu Dandan
Published: July 2022

Apicomplexan parasites have divergent biogenesis machinery for small RNA generation. Analysis has shown that parasites in Plasmodium and Cryptosporidium as well as many species in Leishmania or Trypanosoma do not have a complete machinery in small RNA biogenesis. Recently, the miRNA-generating system of Toxoplasma has been identified as plant/fungal-like and its miRNAome has been elucidated. However, the microRNA (miRNA) expression profiles and their potential regulatory functions in different stages of Eimeria tenella remain largely unknown. In this study, we characterized the RNA silencing machinery of E. tenella and investigated the miRNA population distribution at different life stages by high-throughput sequencing. We characterized the expression of miRNAs in the unsporulated oocyst, sporulated oocyst and schizogony stages, obtaining a total of 392 miRNAs. We identified 58 differentially expressed miRNAs between USO (unsporulated oocysts) and SO (sporulated oocysts) that were significantly enriched for their potential target genes in the regulation of gene expression and chromatin binding, suggesting an epigenetic modulation of sporulating by these miRNAs. In comparing miRNA expression at endogenous and exogenous developmental stages, twenty-four miRNAs were identified differently expressed. Those were mainly associated with the regulation of genes with protein kinase activity, suggesting control of protein phosphorylation. This is the first study about the evolution of miRNA biogenesis system and miRNA control of gene expression in Eimeria species. Our data may lead to functional insights into of the regulation of gene expression during parasite life cycle in apicomplexan parasites.
Aerodynamic Performance Uncertainty Analysis and Optimization of a Conventional Axisymmetric Vehicle Based on Parallel Polynomial Chaos Expansions
Authors: Peng Xun , Zhu Hao , Xu Dajun , Xiao Mingyang , Wang Weizong , Cai Guobiao
Published: July 2022

In this study, the aerodynamic uncertainty analysis and optimization of a conventional axisymmetric vehicle with an aerodynamic configuration were investigated. The prediction precision of the typical aerodynamic performance estimating methods, namely, engineering estimation and numerical simulation, was compared using the wind tunnel test data of the vehicle. Then, using a modified missile data compendium (DATCOM) software, a high-efficiency and high-precision method was developed, which was applied to analyze and characterize the aerodynamic parameters of the axisymmetric vehicle. To enhance the robustness and reliability of aerodynamic performance, an uncertainty-based design optimization (UDO) framework was established. The design space was scaled by parameter sensitivity analysis, and improved computational efficiency was achieved by developing parallel polynomial chaos expansions (PCEs). The optimized results show that the modified method exhibits high accuracy in predicting aerodynamic performance. For the same constraints, the results of the deterministic design optimization (DDO) showed that compared with the initial scheme, the probability of the controllability-to-stability ratio satisfying the constraint decreased from 98.8% to 72.4%, and this value increased to 99.9% in the case of UDO. Compared with the results of the initial scheme and DDO, UDO achieved a considerable reduction in mean values and standard deviation of aerodynamic performances, which can ensure a higher probability of constraints meeting the design requirements, thereby, realizing a reliable and robust design.
Spatial-Temporal Variability of Soil Organic Carbon Density and Its Related Factors in Fengqiu County of Yellow River Basin, China: A Model and GIS Technique Approach
Authors: Zhao Zhanhui , Zhang Congzhi , Yang Qiang , Gao Songfeng , Lu Chunyang , Zhang Jiabao
Published: July 2022

The accurate estimation of the soil organic carbon (SOC) sequestration rate is very important for studying farmland soil fertility and environmental effects. In this research, a typical fluvor-aquic soil area, Fengqiu county, located in the Yellow River basin of the Huang-Huai-Hai Plain of China, was chosen as a study area. The physicochemical properties of 70 soil samples collected from the surface layer (at a depth of 0–20 cm) in 2011 were analyzed, and related data about the sampling sites were also collected from the Second State Soil Survey of China (SSSSC), conducted in 1981. The results revealed that the SOC density (SOCD) in Fengqiu county increased greatly on a spatio-temporal scale. The average SOCD increased from 15.66 to 26.09 Mg ha−1, and the SOCD sequestration rate was more than 0.20 Mg C ha−1 year−1 in most regions. Few areas showed lost carbon in the past 30 years (1981–2011). In addition, the study suggested that all the areas present strong carbon sequestration potential in the coming decades from 2011, and the carbon sequestration potential was mainly between 32–40 Mg ha−1. Finally, the SOCD sequestration rate was not only affected by natural factors, such as soil type and pH, but also positively correlated with artificial soil management measures, such as fertilization and straw returning. Therefore, we concluded that the farmland in Fengqiu county showed significant carbon sequestration characteristics in the past 30 years (1981–2011). Considering that soil has a great potential for carbon sequestration in the future, the trend of carbon sequestration in farmland soil might continue for a period of time. Furthermore, the results of this study emphasized that strengthening soil scientific management may play a positive role in improving soil carbon sequestration.
Honey Bee Foraging Decisions Influenced by Pear Volatiles
Authors: Su Wenting , Ma Weihua , Zhang Qi , Hu Xiao , Ding Guiling , Jiang Yusuo , Huang Jiaxing
Published: July 2022

The interactions between plants and pollinators are complex. Flower volatiles as special olfactory cues could influence the foraging choices of pollinators. Here, we conducted bioassays to evaluate the role of flower volatiles on the attraction of honey bees (native Apis cerana and exotic Apis mellifera) to pears (native Pyrus bretschneideri and exotic Pyrus communis). Chemical and electrophysiological approaches were used to determine flower volatiles and evaluate the antennal responses of honey bees to volatiles from pear flowers. Bioassays demonstrated that flower volatiles were crucial for the attraction of honey bees to pear flowers; honey bees preferred to forage on P. communis flowers (p > 0.05), with approximately 64.37 ± 0.02% (A. mellifera) and 62.10 ± 0.02% (A. cerana) foraging on P. communis. Flowers of P. communis and P. bretschneideri yielded 27 and 31 compounds, respectively, with 17 of them being common. Honey bee antennae responded to 16 chemicals, including 5 contained in both pear species: 1-nonanol, linalool, methyl 2-hydroxy-3-methylpentanoate, methyl L-isoleucinate, and α-farnesene. In addition, there were 8 electrophysiologically active compounds in P. bretschneideri: methyl L-valine ester, benzaldehyde, 6-methyl-5-hepten-2-one, isophorone, 2-methyl octane, longicyclene, longifolene, and caryophyllene; and 3 electrophysiologically active compounds in P. communis: β-ocimene, 4-oxoisophorone and lilac alcohol D. In conclusion, our study demonstrated the significant impact of pear flower volatiles on honey bee foraging choices. This knowledge provides a basis for the selection of honey bees for pear pollination and lays a foundation for further study of the chemical communication of pear attractiveness to honey bees.
The Estimation of the Long-Term Agricultural Output with a Robust Machine Learning Prediction Model
Authors: Kuan Chin-Hung , Leu Yungho , Lin Wen-Shin , Lee Chien-Pang
Published: July 2022

Recently, annual agricultural data have been highly volatile as a result of climate change and national economic trends. Therefore, such data might not be enough to develop good agricultural policies for stabilizing agricultural output. A good agricultural output prediction model to assist agricultural policymaking has thus become essential. However, the highly volatile data would affect the prediction model’s performance. For this reason, this study proposes a marriage in honey bees optimization/support vector regression (MBO/SVR) model to minimize the effects of highly volatile data (outliers) and enhance prediction accuracy. We verified the performance of the MBO/SVR model by using the annual total agricultural output collected from the official Agricultural Statistics Yearbook of the Council of Agriculture, Taiwan. Taiwan’s annual total agricultural output integrates agricultural, livestock and poultry, fishery, and forest products. The results indicated that the MBO/SVR model had a lower mean absolute percentage error (MAPE), root mean square percentage error (RMSPE), and relative root mean squared error (r-RMSE) than those of the models it was compared to. Furthermore, the MBO/SVR model predicted long-term agricultural output more accurately and achieved higher directional symmetry (DS) than the other models. Accordingly, the MBO/SVR model is a robust, high-prediction-accuracy model for predicting long-term agricultural output to assist agricultural policymaking.
Consequences of Ignoring Dependent Error Components and Heterogeneity in a Stochastic Frontier Model: An Application to Rice Producers in Northern Thailand
Authors: Li Kexin , Liu Jianxu , Xue Yuting , Rahman Sanzidur , Sriboonchitta Songsak
Published: July 2022

The traditional Stochastic Frontier Model (SFM) suffers from a very restrictive assumption of independence of its error components and also limited ability to address heterogeneity (inefficiency effects) satisfactorily, thereby leading to potential biases in the estimation of model parameters, identification of inefficiency effect variables influencing efficiency and, ultimately, efficiency scores. This paper aims to investigate the consequences of ignoring any dependency in error components and heterogeneity in the stochastic frontier model, and proposes a copula-based SFM with heterogeneity to resolve such weaknesses based on a simulation study to prove its superiority over the traditional SFM, followed by an empirical application on a sample of rice producers from northern Thailand. We demonstrate that the proposed model, i.e., copula-based SFM with dependent error components and heterogeneity, is unbiased and robust. The simulation experiments show that the traditional SFM can cause biases in parameter estimation and severe overestimation of technical efficiency. The traditional SFM with heterogeneity also has similar consequences. However, just ignoring heterogeneity does not have a great impact on parameter estimation and technical efficiency compared to the consequence of ignoring dependency in error components. The empirical application of the proposed model results show that land, labor and material inputs are all significant drivers of rice production in our copula-based SFM with dependent error components and heterogeneity, whereas in the traditional SFM model only the land variable seems to be a significant driver of rice production. The mean technical efficiency (MTE) score was also overestimated by two points in the traditional SFM, i.e., MTE = 0.88 versus 0.86. Finally, results of the copula-based SFM with dependent error components and heterogeneity reveals that both subsistence pressure and the use of hired labor are significantly associated with technical inefficiency, whereas the traditional SFM could identify the effect of hired labor use only. Therefore, caution is necessary when interpreting results from the conventional SFM as the results may be biased, incomplete and/or inadequate.
Evaluating the Expediency of Smartphone Applications for Indian Farmers and Other Stakeholders
Authors: Sivakumar Soundharya , Bijoshkumar Gowryparvathy , Rajasekharan Athulya , Panicker Vaishnavi , Paramasivam Sivaraj , Manivasagam V. S. , Manalil Sudheesh
Published: July 2022

Smartphone application usage has increased exponentially over the past decade. The potentiality of smartphone applications as a tool for various decision-making processes is not fully explored, especially in the field of agriculture. This work systematically evaluates smartphone applications developed by research institutes and non-profit organizations and made available to Indian agriculture stakeholders, who have the world’s largest user base. The study analyzed 25 smartphone applications developed for the agriculture and allied sectors available to the Indian farming community. The usability, accessibility, frequency of updates, user ratings, and number of downloads of smartphone applications are systematically evaluated. Furthermore, this article assesses the divergence between existing smartphone applications and the needs of agricultural stakeholders. This research necessitates the importance of systematic evaluation of digital applications available to the end-users and offers guidelines to application developers, researchers, and policymakers on the potential shortcomings of prevailing smartphone applications and warrants features for future smartphone applications.
Patient and Caregiver Perceptions of Animal Assisted Activity in Orthodontics
Authors: Cass Katelyn , Bocklage Clare , Sulkowski Taylor , Graves Christina , Ghaltakhchyan Nare , Rapolla Allen , Jackson Tate , Divaris Kimon , Wiesen Chris , Strauman Timothy , Jacox Laura
Published: July 2022

Dental anxiety affects up to 21% of children and 80% of adults and is associated with lifelong dental avoidance. Animal assisted activity (AAA) is widely used to reduce anxiety and pain in medical settings and has promise in dentistry. The primary objective of this study was to evaluate caregiver and patient perceptions of canine AAA in orthodontics. A cross-sectional survey consisting of pre-tested and validated questions was conducted (n = 800) including orthodontic patients (n = 352 minors, n = 204 adults) and parents/caregivers (n = 244) attending university orthodontic clinics. In this study, AAA and dog therapy were not used or tested for dental anxiety management. More than a third of orthodontic patients (37%) had moderate or greater anxiety related to care. Participants believed that therapy animals would make dental experiences more enjoyable (75%) and reduce anxiety (82%). There was little to no concern expressed regarding cleanliness (83%), allergies (81%), and safety (89%) with a therapy animal in dental settings. Almost half of the participants would preferentially select an orthodontic office offering AAA. In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, we assessed whether perceptions of AAA changed before and after the shutdown of dental offices, with no significant differences. Across patients and caregivers, the responses support the use of AAA in orthodontic settings with minimal concerns.
Effects of Climate Change on the Habitat of the Leopard (Panthera pardus) in the Liupanshan National Nature Reserve of China
Authors: Zeng Jinyuan , Hu Jie , Shi Yurou , Li Yueqi , Guo Zhihong , Wang Shuanggui , Song Sen
Published: July 2022

Climate change affects animal populations by affecting their habitats. The leopard population has significantly decreased due to climate change and human disturbance. We studied the impact of climate change on leopard habitats using infrared camera technology in the Liupanshan National Nature Reserve of Jingyuan County, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, China, from July 2017 to October 2019. We captured 25 leopard distribution points over 47,460 camera working days. We used the MAXENT model to predict and analyze the habitat. We studied the leopard’s suitable habitat area and distribution area under different geographical scales in the reserve. Changes in habitat area of leopards under the rcp2.6, rcp4.5, and rcp8.5 climate models in Guyuan in 2050 were also studied. We conclude that the current main factors affecting suitable leopard habitat area were vegetation cover and human disturbance. The most critical factor affecting future suitable habitat area is rainfall. Under the three climate models, the habitat area of the leopard decreased gradually because of an increase in carbon dioxide concentration. Through the prediction of the leopard’s distribution area in the Liupanshan Nature Reserve, we evaluated the scientific nature of the reserve, which is helpful for the restoration and protection of the wild leopard population.
Tool Use in Horses
Authors: Krueger Konstanze , Trager Laureen , Farmer Kate , Byrne Richard
Published: July 2022

Tool use has not yet been confirmed in horses, mules or donkeys. As this subject is difficult to research with conventional methods, we used a crowdsourcing approach to gather data. We contacted equid owners and carers and asked them to report and video examples of “unusual” behaviour via a dedicated website. We also searched YouTube and Facebook for videos of equids showing tool use. From 635 reports, including 1014 behaviours, we found 20 cases of tool use, 13 of which were unambiguous in that it was clear that the behaviour was not trained, caused by reduced welfare, incidental or accidental. We then assessed (a) the effect of management conditions on tool use and (b) whether the animals used tools alone, or socially, involving other equids or humans. We found that management restrictions were associated with corresponding tool use in 12 of the 13 cases (p = 0.01), e.g., equids using sticks to scrape hay within reach when feed was restricted. Furthermore, 8 of the 13 cases involved other equids or humans, such as horses using brushes to groom others. The most frequent tool use was for foraging, with seven examples, tool use for social purposes was seen in four cases, and there was just one case of tool use for escape. There was just one case of tool use for comfort, and in this instance, there were no management restrictions. Equids therefore can develop tool use, especially when management conditions are restricted, but it is a rare occurrence.
Nematode Parasites of the European Pilchard, Sardina pilchardus (Walbaum, 1792): A Genuine Human Hazard?
Authors: Fuentes Màrius V. , Madrid Elena , Meliá Laia V. , Casañ Francisco , Sáez-Durán Sandra , Trelis María , Debenedetti Ángela L.
Published: July 2022

The European pilchard is one of the most frequently consumed fish species in Mediterranean countries, especially in Italy and Spain, and has been reported as the cause of at least eight human anisakidosis cases in Spain. With the aim to shed light on the potential human parasitosis risk posed by nematode larvae belonging to families Anisakidae or Raphidascarididae, a total of 350 sardines captured in the Atlantic Ocean (175 specimens) and the Mediterranean Sea (175 specimens), acquired in various Spanish nationwide supermarket chains, were helminthologically analyzed. The statistical analysis of some helminth parameters revealed a higher presence of nematodes belonging to the genus Hysterothylacium (prevalence 24.29%; mean abundance of 2.36), usually considered non-parasitic for humans (only three cases reported worldwide), when compared to nematodes of the genus Anisakis (5.71%; 0.16). The human anisakidosis risk after the consumption of raw or undercooked sardines and the role of Hysterothylacium, the most frequent nematode, is discussed, providing information to consumers. To avoid human infection by anisakid larval nematodes, the established preventive measures are confirmed and new ones are proposed, such as the consumption of sardines preferably caught in the Mediterranean and of small-sized specimens available, and the immediate evisceration after fishing.
Concentration-Dependent Activity of Pazufloxacin against Pseudomonas aeruginosa: An In Vivo Pharmacokinetic/Pharmacodynamic Study
Authors: Umezaki Yasuhiro , Matsumoto Kazuaki , Ikawa Kazuro , Yokoyama Yuta , Enoki Yuki , Shigemi Akari , Watanabe Erika , Nakamura Koyo , Ueno Keiichiro , Terazono Hideyuki , Morikawa Norifumi , Takeda Yasuo
Published: July 2022

The bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa is known to be associated with nosocomial infections around the world. Pazufloxacin, a potent DNA gyrase inhibitor, is known to be an effective drug candidate. However, it has not been clarified whether the pharmacokinetic (PK)/pharmacodynamic (PD) of pazufloxacin was effective against P. aeruginosa. Herein, we demonstrated that the PK/PD index of pazufloxacin against P. aeruginosa infection is used to optimize the dosing regiments. We constructed an in vivo infection model by infecting P. aeruginosa into the thigh of a mouse to determine the PD, and we measured the serum concentration of pazufloxacin to construct the PK model using high-performance liquid chromatography. The therapeutic efficacy of pazufloxacin was correlated with the ratio of the area under the free concentration time curve at 24 h to the minimum inhibitory concentration (fAUC24/MIC), and the maximum free concentration to the MIC (fCmax/MIC). Each contribution rate (R2) was 0.72 and 0.65, respectively, whereas the time at which the free drug concentration remained above the MIC (R2 = 0.28). The target value of pazufloxacin fAUC24/MIC for stasis was 46.1, for 1 log10 it was 63.8, and for 2 log10 it was 100.8. Moreover, fCmax/MIC for stasis was 5.5, for 1 log10 it was 7.1, and for 2 log10 it was 10.8. We demonstrated that the in vivo concentration-dependent activity of pazufloxacin was effective against the P. aeruginosa infection, and successfully made the PK/PD model sufficiently bactericidal. The PK/PD model will be beneficial in preventing the spread of nosocomial infections.
Halogenated Pyrrolopyrimidines with Low MIC on Staphylococcus aureus and Synergistic Effects with an Antimicrobial Peptide
Authors: Olsen Cecilie Elisabeth , Blindheim Fredrik Heen , Søgaard Caroline Krogh , Røst Lisa Marie , Singleton Amanda Holstad , Bergum Olaug Elisabeth Torheim , Bruheim Per , Otterlei Marit , Sundby Eirik , Hoff Bård Helge
Published: July 2022

Currently, there is a world-wide rise in antibiotic resistance causing burdens to individuals and public healthcare systems. At the same time drug development is lagging behind. Therefore, finding new ways of treating bacterial infections either by identifying new agents or combinations of drugs is of utmost importance. Additionally, if combination therapy is based on agents with different modes of action, resistance is less likely to develop. The synthesis of 21 fused pyrimidines and a structure-activity relationship study identified two 6-aryl-7H-pyrrolo [2,3-d] pyrimidin-4-amines with potent activity towards Staphylococcus aureus. The MIC-value was found to be highly dependent on a bromo or iodo substitution in the 4-benzylamine group and a hydroxyl in the meta or para position of the 6-aryl unit. The most active bromo and iodo derivatives had MIC of 8 mg/L. Interestingly, the most potent compounds experienced a four-fold lower MIC-value when they were combined with the antimicrobial peptide betatide giving MIC of 1–2 mg/L. The front runner bromo derivative also has a low activity towards 50 human kinases, including thymidylate monophosphate kinase, a putative antibacterial target.
Pharmacokinetic/Pharmacodynamic Modeling and Application in Antibacterial and Antifungal Pharmacotherapy: A Narrative Review
Authors: Pereira Laiz Campos , Fátima Marcelo Aguiar de , Santos Valdeene Vieira , Brandão Carolina Magalhães , Alves Izabel Almeida , Azeredo Francine Johansson
Published: July 2022

Pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics are areas in pharmacology related to different themes in the pharmaceutical sciences, including therapeutic drug monitoring and different stages of drug development. Although the knowledge of these disciplines is essential, they have historically been treated separately. While pharmacokinetics was limited to describing the time course of plasma concentrations after administering a drug-dose, pharmacodynamics describes the intensity of the response to these concentrations. In the last decades, the concept of pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic modeling (PK/PD) emerged, which seeks to establish mathematical models to describe the complete time course of the dose-response relationship. The integration of these two fields has had applications in optimizing dose regimens in treating antibacterial and antifungals. The anti-infective PK/PD models predict the relationship between different dosing regimens and their pharmacological activity. The reviewed studies show that PK/PD modeling is an essential and efficient tool for a better understanding of the pharmacological activity of antibacterial and antifungal agents.
Occurrence of Extended Spectrum Cephalosporin-, Carbapenem- and Colistin-Resistant Gram-Negative Bacteria in Fresh Vegetables, an Increasing Human Health Concern in Algeria
Authors: Chelaghma Widad , Loucif Lotfi , Bendjama Esma , Cherak Zineb , Bendahou Mourad , Rolain Jean-Marc
Published: July 2022

The aim of this study was to screen for extended spectrum cephalosporin-, carbapenem- and colistin-resistant Gram-negative bacteria in fresh vegetables in Batna, Algeria. A total of 400 samples of fresh vegetables were collected from different retail stores. Samples were immediately subjected to selective isolation, then the representative colonies were identified using matrix-assisted laser desorption ionisation time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF–MS). Phenotypic and genotypic analyses were carried out in terms of species identification and relative antibiotic resistance. Transferability of the carbapenemase and mcr-bearing plasmids was verified by conjugation. The clonal relationships of carbapenemase and mcr-positive Escherichia coli isolates were studied by multi-locus sequence typing (MLST). Sixty-seven isolates were characterised and were mostly isolated from green leafy vegetables, where the dominant species identified included Citrobacter freundii, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Enterobacter cloacae, Stenotrophomona maltophilia, E. coli and Citrobacter braakii. PCR and sequencing results showed that E. coli was the bacterial species presenting the highest antibiotic resistance level in parallel to blaTEM (n = 16) and blaCTX-M-15 (n = 11), which were the most detected genes. Moreover, five isolates carried carbapenemase genes, including the blaOXA-48 and/or blaVIM-4 genes. The mcr-1 gene was detected in two E. coli isolates. MLST analysis revealed three different E. coli sequence types: ST101 (n = 1), ST216 (n = 1) and ST2298 (n = 1). Conjugation assays confirmed the transferability of the blaOXA-48 and mcr-1 genes. In this study we report, for the first time, the detection of the blaOXA-48 gene in E. coli and C. braakii isolates and the blaVIM-4 gene in vegetables. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on the detection of mcr-1 genes from vegetables in Algeria.
Chemical Profiling, Antioxidant, and Antimicrobial Activity of Saudi Propolis Collected by Arabian Honey Bee (Apis mellifera jemenitica) Colonies
Authors: ALaerjani Wed Mohammed Ali , Khan Khalid Ali , Al-Shehri Badria M. , Ghramh Hamed A. , Hussain Ajaz , Mohammed Mohammed Elimam Ahamed , Imran Muhammad , Ahmad Irfan , Ahmad Saboor , Al-Awadi Abdulrhman S.
Published: July 2022

Propolis (bee glue) is a complex, phyto-based resinous material obtained from beehives. Its chemical and biological properties vary with respect to bee species, type of plants, geographical location, and climate of a particular area. This study was planned with the aim of determining the chemical composition and to investigate various properties (against oxidants and microbes) of different extracts of Saudi propolis collected from Arabian honey bee (Apis mellifera jemenitica) colonies headed by young queens. Chemical analysis of propolis extracts with different solvents, i.e., ethyl acetate (Eac), methanol (Met), butanol (BuT), and hexane (Hex) was done through colorimetry for the total phenolic content (TPC) and total flavonoid content (TFC) evaluation. For separation and extensive characterization of the Met extract, chromatography and 1H NMR were deployed. Six different microorganisms were selected to analyze the Saudi-propolis-based extract’s antimicrobial nature by measuring zones of inhibition (ZOI) and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC). Molecular docking was done by utilizing AutodDock, and sketching of ligands was performed through Marvin Chem Sketch (MCS), and the resultant data after 2D and 3D clean were stored in .mol format. The highest TFC (96.65 mg quercetin equivalents (QE)/g of propolis) and TPC (325 mg gallic acid equivalents (GAE)/g of propolis) were noted for Met. Six familiar compounds were isolated, and recognition was done with NMR. Met extract showed the greatest 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical (DPPH) free radical scavenging activity and Ferric Reducing Antioxidant Power (FRAP). Met showed max microbial activity against Staphylococcus aureus (ZOI = 18.67 mm, MIC = 0.625 mg/mL), whereas the minimum was observed in Hex against E. coli (ZOI = 6.33 mm, MIC = 2.50 mg/mL). Furthermore, the molecular docking process established the biological activity of separated compounds against HCK (Hematopoietic cell kinase) and Gyrase B of S. aureus. Moreover, the stability of protein–ligand complexes was further established through molecular dynamic simulation studies, which showed that the receptor–ligand complexes were quite stable. Results of this research will pave the way for further consolidated analysis of propolis obtained from Arabian honey bees (A. m. jemenitica).
Antioxidant-Loaded Mesoporous Silica—An Evaluation of the Physicochemical Properties
Authors: Szewczyk Adrian , Brzezińska-Rojek Joanna , Ośko Justyna , Majda Dorota , Prokopowicz Magdalena , Grembecka Małgorzata
Published: July 2022

The dangerous effects of oxidative stress can be alleviated by antioxidants—substances with the ability to prevent damage caused by reactive oxygen species. The adsorption of antioxidants onto nanocarriers is a well-known method that might protect them against rough environ-mental conditions. The aim of this study was to investigate the adsorption and desorption of gallic acid (GA), protocatechuic acid (PCA), chlorogenic acid (CGA), and 4-hydroxybenzoic acid (4-HBA) using commercially available mesoporous silica materials (MSMs), both parent (i.e., SBA-15 and MCM-41) and surface functionalized (i.e., SBA-NH2 and SBA-SH). The MSMs loaded with active compounds were characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDX), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermoporometry (TPM), and powder X-ray diffraction (XRD). High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC-CAD) was used to evaluate the performance of the adsorption and desorption processes. The antioxidant potential was investigated using the Folin–Ciocalteu (FC) spectrophotometric method. Among the studied MSMs, the highest adsorption of GA was observed for amine-modified SBA-15 mesoporous silica. The adsorption capacity of SBA-NH2 increased in the order of PCA, 4-HBA < GA < CGA. Different desorption effectiveness levels of the adsorbed compounds were observed with the antioxidant capacity preserved for all investigated compounds.
Korean Red Ginseng Ameliorates Allergic Asthma through Reduction of Lung Inflammation and Oxidation
Authors: Kim Jin-Hwa , Kim Jeong-Won , Kim Chang-Yeop , Jeong Ji-Soo , Lim Je-Oh , Ko Je-Won , Kim Tae-Won
Published: July 2022

Six-year-old red ginseng, which is processed from the whole ginseng root via steaming and drying, has been shown to have preventive effects such as antioxidative, anti-inflammatory, and immunomodulatory. In this study, we evaluated the therapeutic effects of Korean red ginseng (KRG) against ovalbumin (OVA)-induced allergic asthma and the underlying mechanisms involved. We injected 20 µg of OVA on days 0 and 14, and mice were challenged with aerosolized OVA via a nebulizer for 1 h on days 21, 22, and 23. KRG was administered at 100 and 300 mg/kg from days 18 to 23. The KRG-treated mice showed significant reductions in their airway hyperresponsiveness, production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), and the number of inflammatory cells compared with the OVA-treated mice. The levels of type 2 cytokines in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and expression of OVA-specific immunoglobulin E in the serum, which were elevated in the OVA group, were reduced in the KRG-treated groups. The pro-inflammatory factors, inducible nitric oxide synthase and nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells, were downregulated by the KRG administration in a dose-dependent manner. KRG effectively suppressed the inflammatory response by inhibiting ROS production. Our results suggest that KRG may have the potential to alleviate asthma.
Safety and Efficacy of Intratympanic Alpha-Lipoic Acid Injection in a Mouse Model of Noise-Induced Hearing Loss
Authors: Han Jae Sang , Kim Ye Lin , Yu Hyo Jeong , Park Jung Mee , Kim Yeonji , Park So Young , Park Shi Nae
Published: July 2022

Alpha-lipoic acid (ALA) is an antioxidant with oto-protective effects. In the present study, the safety and effectiveness of ALA therapy after noise-induced hearing loss was confirmed based on the administration method. The safety of intratympanic ALA (IT-ALA) was evaluated with oto-endoscopy and middle ear mucosa morphologic study. Perilymph ALA concentrations according to the administration routes were compared, and the efficacy of ALA was investigated through hearing tests and cochlear histological studies. The middle ear mucosa was swollen 1 week after IT-ALA but completely recovered within 3 weeks. ALA concentration in the perilymph was significantly higher in the IT-ALA group. Recovery of organ of Corti morphology and hearing levels were predominant in the IT-ALA group compared with the intraperitoneal injection group (IP-ALA) and showed similar rescue effects in the IT-dexamethasone group (IT-DEX). Interleukin-1 beta and nuclear factor-kappa B expression was significantly downregulated in the IT-ALA group. IT-ALA showed better cochlear recovery from acoustic trauma with higher inner ear penetration rate than IP-ALA. The rescue effect of IT-ALA after noise-induced hearing loss was similar to IT-DEX; however, the ALA and DEX mechanisms are different. IT-ALA appears to be another safe and effective treatment modality after acoustic trauma and comparable to IT-DEX.
Normal and Pathological NRF2 Signalling in the Central Nervous System
Authors: Heurtaux Tony , Bouvier David S. , Benani Alexandre , Helgueta Romero Sergio , Frauenknecht Katrin B. M. , Mittelbronn Michel , Sinkkonen Lasse
Published: July 2022

The nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (NRF2) was originally described as a master regulator of antioxidant cellular response, but in the time since, numerous important biological functions linked to cell survival, cellular detoxification, metabolism, autophagy, proteostasis, inflammation, immunity, and differentiation have been attributed to this pleiotropic transcription factor that regulates hundreds of genes. After 40 years of in-depth research and key discoveries, NRF2 is now at the center of a vast regulatory network, revealing NRF2 signalling as increasingly complex. It is widely recognized that reactive oxygen species (ROS) play a key role in human physiological and pathological processes such as ageing, obesity, diabetes, cancer, and neurodegenerative diseases. The high oxygen consumption associated with high levels of free iron and oxidizable unsaturated lipids make the brain particularly vulnerable to oxidative stress. A good stability of NRF2 activity is thus crucial to maintain the redox balance and therefore brain homeostasis. In this review, we have gathered recent data about the contribution of the NRF2 pathway in the healthy brain as well as during metabolic diseases, cancer, ageing, and ageing-related neurodegenerative diseases. We also discuss promising therapeutic strategies and the need for better understanding of cell-type-specific functions of NRF2 in these different fields.
A Novel Method for Fault Diagnosis of Bearings with Small and Imbalanced Data Based on Generative Adversarial Networks
Authors: Tong Qingbin , Lu Feiyu , Feng Ziwei , Wan Qingzhu , An Guoping , Cao Junci , Guo Tao
Published: July 2022

The data-driven intelligent fault diagnosis method of rolling bearings has strict requirements regarding the number and balance of fault samples. However, in practical engineering application scenarios, mechanical equipment is usually in a normal state, and small and imbalanced (S & I) fault samples are common, which seriously reduces the accuracy and stability of the fault diagnosis model. To solve this problem, an auxiliary classifier generative adversarial network with spectral normalization (ACGAN-SN) is proposed in this paper. First, a generation module based on a deconvolution layer is built to generate false data from Gaussian noise. Second, to enhance the training stability of the model, the data label information is used to make label constraints on the generated fake data under the basic GAN framework. Spectral normalization constraints are imposed on the output of each layer of the neural network of the discriminator to realize the Lipschitz continuity condition so as to avoid vanishing or exploding gradients. Finally, based on the generated data and the original S & I dataset, seven kinds of bearing fault datasets are made, and the prediction results of the Bi-directional Long Short-Term Memory (BiLSTM) model is verified. The results show that the data generated by ACGAN-SN can significantly promote the performance of the fault diagnosis model under the S & I fault samples.
Research on Interface Slip Characteristics of Heritage Composite Timber Columns under Inclined Deformation
Authors: Chang Peng , Feng Qiuge , Wu Nannan , Yang Na
Published: July 2022

In order to study the mechanical performance and friction slip mechanism of the interface of a composite timber column under inclined deformation, the unilateral contact mechanical model of an ancient composite timber column under inclined deformation is proposed in this paper. According to the limit of the inclination angle of slip point and the limit of the inclination angle of slip surface, the failure modes of the combination’s interface can be divided into three stages: the fully sticky stage, the partially sticky stage and the sliding stage. The theoretical results of the sliding displacement and shear stiffness of the combination’s interface under the effect of iron hoops were obtained by using the elastic mechanics method. Based on the shear sliding test of a composite timber column’s interface under the effect of iron hoops, the influences of different parameters on the shear sliding performance of the combination’s interface were investigated. The test results show that the number and the spacing of the iron hoops and the inclination angle of the interface are important factors affecting the shear strength of the combination’s interface. The shear strength of the interface increased with the increase in the number of iron hoops and the inclination angle of the interface. Since hoop spacing that is too large or too small cannot effectively improve the shear capacity of the interface, there is an optimal value for the hoop spacing.
Classification of Alzheimer’s Disease Using Dual-Phase 18F-Florbetaben Image with Rank-Based Feature Selection and Machine Learning
Authors: Shin Hyun-Ji , Yoon Hyemin , Kim Sangjin , Kang Do-Young
Published: July 2022

18F-florbetaben (FBB) positron emission tomography is a representative imaging test that observes amyloid deposition in the brain. Compared to delay-phase FBB (dFBB), early-phase FBB shows patterns related to glucose metabolism in 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose perfusion images. The purpose of this study is to prove that classification accuracy is higher when using dual-phase FBB (dual FBB) versus dFBB quantitative analysis by using machine learning and to find an optimal machine learning model suitable for dual FBB quantitative analysis data. The key features of our method are (1) a feature ranking method for each phase of FBB with a cross-validated F1 score and (2) a quantitative diagnostic model based on machine learning methods. We compared four classification models: support vector machine, naïve Bayes, logistic regression, and random forest (RF). In composite standardized uptake value ratio, RF achieved the best performance (F1: 78.06%) with dual FBB, which was 4.83% higher than the result with dFBB. In conclusion, regardless of the two quantitative analysis methods, using the dual FBB has a higher classification accuracy than using the dFBB. The RF model is the machine learning model that best classifies a dual FBB. The regions that have the greatest influence on the classification of dual FBB are the frontal and temporal lobes.
Cleaning of Phototrophic Biofilms in a Show Cave: The Case of Tesoro Cave, Spain
Authors: Jurado Valme , Hernandez-Marine Mariona , Rogerio-Candelera Miguel Angel , Ruano Francisco , Aguilar Clara , Aguilar Juan , Saiz-Jimenez Cesareo
Published: July 2022

Show caves have different grades of colonization by phototrophic biofilms. They may receive a varied number of visits, from a few thousand to hundreds of thousands of visitors annually. Among them, Tesoro Cave, Rincon de la Victoria, Spain, showed severe anthropic alterations, including artificial lighting. The most noticeable effect of the lighting was the growth of a dense phototrophic community of cyanobacteria, algae and bryophytes on the speleothems, walls and ground. The biofilms were dominated by the cyanobacterium Phormidium sp., the chlorophyte Myrmecia israelensis, and the rhodophyte Cyanidium sp. In many cases, the biofilms also showed an abundance of the bryophyte Eucladium verticillatum. Other cyanobacteria observed in different biofilms along the cave were: Chroococcidiopsis sp., Synechocystis sp. and Nostoc cf. edaphicum, the green microalgae Pseudococcomyxa simplex, Chlorella sp. and the diatom Diadesmis contenta. Preliminary cleaning tests on selected areas showed the effectiveness of hydrogen peroxide and sodium hypochlorite. A physicochemical treatment involving the mechanical removal of the thickest layers of biofilms was followed by chemical treatments. In total, 94% of the surface was cleaned with hydrogen peroxide, with a subsequent treatment with sodium hypochlorite in only 1% of cases. The remaining 5% was cleaned with sodium hypochlorite in areas where the biofilms were entrapped into a calcite layer and in sandy surfaces with little physical compaction. The green biofilms from the entire cave were successfully cleaned.
Artificial Intelligence for Multimedia Signal Processing
Authors: Kim Byung-Gyu , Jun Dong-San
Published: July 2022

At the ImageNet Large Scale Visual Re-Conversion Challenge (ILSVRC), a 2012 global image recognition contest, the University of Toronto Supervision team led by Prof [...]
Weather Files for the Calibration of Building Energy Models
Authors: Gutiérrez González Vicente , Ramos Ruiz Germán , Du Hu , Sánchez-Ostiz Ana , Fernández Bandera Carlos
Published: July 2022

In the fight against climate change, energy modeling is a key tool used to analyze the performance of proposed energy conservation measures for buildings. Studies on the integration of photovoltaic energy in buildings must use calibrated building energy models, as only with them is the demand curve real, and the savings obtained at the self-consumption level, energy storage in the building, or feed into the grid are accurate. The adjustment process of a calibrated model depends on aspects inherent to the building properties (envelope parameters, internal loads, use schedules) as well as external to them (weather, ground properties, etc.). Naturally, the uncertainty of each is essential to obtaining good results. As for the meteorological data, it is preferable to use data from a weather station located in the building or its surroundings, although this is not always possible due to the cost of the initial investment and its maintenance. As a result, weather stations with public access to their data, such as those located at airports or specific locations in cities, are largely used to perform calibrations of building energy models, making it challenging to converge the simulated model with measured data. This research sheds light on how this obstacle can be overcome by using weather data provided by a third-party company, bridging the gap between reality and energy models. For this purpose, calibrations of the two buildings proposed in Annex 58 were performed with different weather configurations, using the mean absolute error (MAE) uncertainty index and Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient (rho) as comparative measures. An optimal and cost-effective solution was found as an alternative to an on-site weather station, based on the use of a single outdoor temperature sensor in combination with third-party weather data, achieving a robust and reliable building energy model.
Pressure Sensitivity of Buttock and Thigh as a Key Factor for Understanding of Sitting Comfort
Authors: Hirao Akinari , Naito Shimpei , Yamazaki Nobutoshi
Published: July 2022

In seating comfort research, it is known that the pressure should not exceed a certain threshold from the viewpoint of tissue compression and should be widely distributed. However, its ideal distribution is not defined in past research. It is also known that the comfortable pressure distribution is not always constant and has individual differences. It is assumed that this is due to the influence of individual differences in body shape, such as skeletal shape and flesh of the seated person, and individual differences in sitting posture, but the mechanism has not been clarified by analyses including these factors. From the above, it is considered that the comfortable pressure distribution cannot be explained only by the mechanical state. In this study, we focused on the pressure sensitivity of thighs and buttocks and performed an analysis assuming seating in an automobile seat. We determined the exponent of Steven’s power law for seat pressure by measuring local perceived pressure load that felt the same pressure feeling at the reference load point, and the sensitivity distribution of 29 participants were measured and classified them into 4 types. The comfortable pressure distribution of five participants was measured using the experimental seat and converted into a perceived pressure distribution using the sensitivity distribution. The results show measured pressure distribution is not the same as perceived. Analysis of the perceived pressure distribution suggests that the comfortable perceived pressure distribution is a uniform distribution that falls within a certain range for the minimum pressure.