bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Diversity and Zoonotic Potential of Staphylococcus pseudintermedius in Humans and Pet Dogs in Trinidad and Tobago
Authors: Suepaul Sharianne , Stegger Marc , Boyen Filip , Georges Karla , Butaye Patrick
Published: August 2023

Staphylococcus pseudintermedius is an opportunistic pathogen that is frequently isolated from canines. It is of escalating interest because of its increasing antimicrobial resistance and zoonotic potential. Although many published articles are available that describe isolates obtained from diseased dogs and humans, this study focused on isolates obtained from healthy dogs and their owners who presented at clinics for routine veterinary care and utilized whole genome sequencing-based analyses for strain comparisons. A total of 25 humans and 27 canines were sampled at multiple sites, yielding 47 and 45 isolates, respectively. Whole genome sequence analysis was performed. We detected mostly new sequence types (STs) and a high diversity. Strains carried few antimicrobial resistance genes and plasmids, albeit three MRSP strains were found that belonged to two internationally distributed STs. The virulence content did not provide insights toward a tendency to colonization of humans but supported that there may be differences in the surface proteins between carrier strains and those causing pyoderma. We identified 13 cases in which humans were infected with strains from the dog they owned.
Drivers of Antibiotic Resistance Gene Abundance in an Urban River
Authors: Morina Joseph C. , Franklin Rima B.
Published: August 2023

In this study, we sought to profile the abundances and drivers of antibiotic resistance genes in an urban river impacted by combined sewage overflow (CSO) events. Water samples were collected weekly during the summer for two years; then, quantitative PCR was applied to determine the abundance of resistance genes associated with tetracycline, quinolones, and β-lactam antibiotics. In addition to sampling a CSO-impacted site near the city center, we also sampled a less urban site ~12 km upstream with no proximal sewage inputs. The tetracycline genes tetO and tetW were rarely found upstream, but were common at the CSO-impacted site, suggesting that the primary source was untreated sewage. In contrast, ampC was detected in all samples indicating a more consistent and diffuse source. The two other genes, qnrA and blaTEM, were present in only 40–50% of samples and showed more nuanced spatiotemporal patterns consistent with upstream agricultural inputs. The results of this study highlight the complex sources of ARGs in urban riverine ecosystems, and that interdisciplinary collaborations across diverse groups of stakeholders are necessary to combat the emerging threat of antibiotic resistance through anthropogenic pollution.
Analysis of the Influence of Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes on the Fluid–Structure Interaction Vibration Control in Bionic Hydraulic Pipelines
Authors: Quan Lingxiao , Gao Jing , Guo Changhong , Yao Jiacheng
Published: August 2023

In previous research, a bionic hydraulic pipeline (BHP) with a three-layer structure for absorbing pulsation was invented. This paper proposes to disperse single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) in the elastic layer material, namely silicone rubber (RTV), to enhance its ability to absorb pulsation. Firstly, the RTV-SWCNTs composite specimens with different SWCNT proportions are prepared and tested. It was found that the mechanical property is optimal when the volume content of the SWCNTs is 0.5 vol%. On this basis, BHPs with RTV-SWCNTs composite material as the elastic layer are fabricated to study the influence of the thickness and length of the elastic layer on the absorption flow pulsation. The results show that the addition of SWCNTs significantly improves the mechanical properties of silicone rubber and reduces the friction between the elastic material and oil, so that the BHP can absorb the pressure pulsation better. With the appropriate thickness and length of the elastic layer, the addition of SWCNTs can increase the pulsation suppression effect by 20%. Moreover, to analyze the influence of nanomaterials on pipeline friction, a comprehensive fourteen-equation model for describing the fluid–structure interaction (FSI) of the pipe conveying fluid considering friction coupling is established. And through numerical analysis and modal tests, the evaluation error for the modified dynamic model of the BHP is less than 5%, verifying the correctness of the proposed model and solution method.
Strength and Mechanism of Granite Residual Soil Strengthened by Microbial-Induced Calcite Precipitation Technology
Authors: Wang Rong , Li Huawei , Chen Zichuang , Liu Fang , Wei Muwang , Liu Feiyu , Wang Qian , Hu Changbin
Published: August 2023

High rainfall environmental conditions can easily cause erosion or collapse of the granite residual soil slope. However, traditional slope reinforcement methods have drawbacks such as poor landscape effect, high energy consumption of raw materials, and environmental pollution. This study studied the application of microbial-induced calcite precipitation (MICP) in the reinforcement of granite residual soil. The consolidation effect of various methods was investigated, and the influence of cementing liquid concentration and pH value on consolidation under optimal curing conditions was explored. The results showed that the bacteria concentration reached OD600 = 3.0 and urease activity was 31.64 mM/min, which positively impact the production of calcium carbonate and the stability of crystal morphology. In addition, the soaking method was found to have the most effective consolidation effect on the surface soil samples, with the lowest disintegration rate. On the other hand, the peristaltic pump grouting method is the most effective in strengthening depth. This method resulted in a 513.65% increase in unconfined compressive strength (UCS), a 297.98% increase in cohesion, and a 101.75% increase in internal friction angle. This study also found that after seven rounds of grouting, the highest UCS was achieved in consolidated soil samples with a 0.5 mol/L cementing solution concentration, reaching 1.602 MPa. The UCS of soil samples increases as the pH value of the cementing fluid increases within the range of 6–8. As the pH value reaches 8–9, the strength increases and stabilizes gradually. These research findings can serve as an experimental basis for strengthening granite residual soil slopes and a guide for improving microbial geotechnical strengthening methods.
Off-Axis Three-Mirror Optical System Designs: From Cooke’s Triplet to Remote Sensing and Surveying Instruments
Authors: Strojnik Marija , Bravo-Medina Beethoven , Beltran-Gonzalez Anuar , Wang Yaujen
Published: August 2023

The off-axis three-mirror optical system is derived from the classical Cooke triplet or a derivative of the inverse-telephoto lens. By properly arranging an internal reimaging mechanism or altering the location of the optical stop, one can create different versions of three-mirror optical systems. They include very compact configurations and wide field-of-view imagers. Insights into the optical design process, manufacturing, stray light management, and remote sensing applications are presented.
Elastodontic Therapy with Oral Bioactivator Devices: A Review
Authors: Macrì Monica , Ritrovato Luisa , Pisanelli Elena Lucia , Festa Felice
Published: August 2023

Scientific studies have shown that dysfunctional problems associated with dysmorphisms are the base of malocclusion. The position of the mouth and the head is a component of the general postural arrangement, so any head misalignment creates disharmonies and tensions among the neck muscles. Elastodontics is a treatment based on the use of removable elastomeric devices. These functional appliances are made of elastomeric material, acting tridimensionally on a neuromuscular system with orthopaedic and dental effects. Bioactivators have a vestibular and lingual flange with a free central area that permits them to position teeth without constraints. The flanges are linked by an occlusal plane that maintains the two skeletal bases and teeth in first-class normocclusion with propulsive and retropulsive effects on the maxilla and mandible. Elastomeric devices are generally well tolerated by patients requiring simple collaboration and management. This review aim is to describe the indications and limits of orthodontic therapy with elastomeric devices to provide an overview of elastodontics.
Nephrotoxicity Development of a Clinical Decision Support System Based on Tree-Based Machine Learning Methods to Detect Diagnostic Biomarkers from Genomic Data in Methotrexate-Induced Rats
Authors: Balikci Cicek Ipek , Colak Cemil , Yologlu Saim , Kucukakcali Zeynep , Ozhan Onural , Taslidere Elif , Danis Nefsun , Koc Ahmet , Parlakpinar Hakan , Akbulut Sami
Published: August 2023

Background: The purpose of this study was to carry out the bioinformatic analysis of lncRNA data obtained from the genomic analysis of kidney tissue samples taken from rats with nephrotoxicity induced by methotrexate (MTX) and from rats without pathology and modeling with the tree-based machine learning method. Another aim of the study was to identify potential biomarkers for the diagnosis of nephrotoxicity and to provide a better understanding of the nephrotoxicity formation process by providing the interpretability of the model with explainable artificial intelligence methods as a result of the modeling. Methods: To identify potential indicators of drug-induced nephrotoxicity, 20 female Wistar albino rats were separated into two groups: MTX-treated and the control. Kidney tissue samples were collected from the rats, and genomic, histological, and immunohistochemical analyses were performed. The dataset obtained as a result of genomic analysis was modeled with random forest (RF), a tree-based method. Modeling results were evaluated with sensitivity (Se), specificity (Sp), balanced accuracy (B-Acc), negative predictive value (Npv), accuracy (Acc), positive predictive value (Ppv), and F1-score performance metrics. The local interpretable model-agnostic annotations (LIME) method was used to determine the lncRNAs that could be biomarkers for nephrotoxicity by providing the interpretability of the RF model. Results: The outcomes of the histological and immunohistochemical analyses conducted in the study support the conclusion that MTX use caused kidney injury. According to the results of the bioinformatics analysis, 52 lncRNAs showed different expressions in the groups. As a result of modeling with RF for lncRNAs selected with Boruta variable selection, the B-Acc, Acc, Sp, Se, Npv, Ppv, and F1-score were 88.9%, 90%, 90.9%, 88.9%, 90.9%, 88.9%, and 88.9%, respectively. lncRNAs with id rnaXR_591534.3 rnaXR_005503408.1, rnaXR_005495645.1, rnaXR_001839007.2, rnaXR_005492056.1, and rna_XR_005492522.1. The lncRNAs with the highest variable importance values produced from RF modeling can be used as nephrotoxicity biomarker candidates. Furthermore, according to the LIME results, the high level of lncRNAs with id rnaXR_591534.3 and rnaXR_005503408.1 particularly increased the possibility of nephrotoxicity. Conclusions: With the possible biomarkers resulting from the analyses in this study, it can be ensured that the procedures for the diagnosis of drug-induced nephrotoxicity can be carried out easily, quickly, and effectively.
LightR: A Fault-Tolerant Wavelength-Routed Optical Networks-on-Chip Topology
Authors: Zheng Zhidan , Li Mengchu , Tseng Tsun-Ming , Schlichtmann Ulf
Published: August 2023

Optical networks-on-chip (NoCs) have emerged as a next-generation solution to overcome the limitations of electrical NoCs. In particular, wavelength-routed optical networks-on-chip (WRONoCs) are well known for their high bandwidth and ultra-low signal delay. Despite these advantages, WRONoCs are challenged by reliability concerns, because the main components in WRONoCs, i.e., microring resonators (MRRs), are susceptible to fabrication inaccuracies. When an MRR along a signal path is defective, the signal transmitted on that path will fail to reach its designated destination, which leads to transmission errors and data loss. In this work, we propose a fault-tolerant WRONoC topology, LightR, which provides two independent signal paths for each master–slave pair to tolerate defective MRRs. Moreover, we minimize the MRR usage to enhance the reliability of the WRONoCs. The experimental results show that LightR is able to provide a higher reliability with a modest MRR usage, insertion loss, and crosstalk noise. As the fault rate or the network size grows, the advantages of LightR in terms of the fault tolerance become even more significant. For example, when considering the 3% fault rate of MRRs and a 64-master × 64-slave network, LightR decreases the number of error signals by 85–90% compared to the typical state-of-the-art WRONoC topologies.
Fortification of Olive Oil with Herbs and Waste By-Products towards Sustainable Development: Total Antioxidant Capacity, Phenolic Content, and In Vitro Predicted Bioavailability
Authors: Kaloteraki Chrysoula , Bousdouni Panoraia , Almpounioti Kalliopi , Ouzaid Camille , Papagianni Olga , Sfikti Fotini , Dimitsa Elina , Tsami Dimitra , Sarivasilleiou Anastasia Grammatiki , Karantonis Haralabos C. , Skalkos Dimitrios , Kandyliari Aikaterini , Koutelidakis Antonios E.
Published: August 2023

Nowadays, there is a high demand in many industrial countries for healthy foods and sustainable products and so to explore innovative food technologies, such as fortification with bioactive compounds such as antioxidants and polyphenols, that may be sourced from herbs or by-products. This study’s objective was to explore the fortification of refined olive oils with natural bioactive compounds such as the herbs rosemary (Rosmarinus officinallis, L.), basil (Ocimum basillicum, L.), sage (Salvia officinalis, L.), lemon balm (Melissa oficinallis, L.), St. John’s wort (Hypericum perforatum, L.), pink savory (Satureja thymbra, L.), dittany (Origanum dictamnus, L.), and by-products such as pomace from olives, olive leaves (Olea europaea, L.), orange peel (Citrus aurantium, L.), lemon peel (Citrus limon, L.), pomegranate peel (Punica granatum, L.), and mandarin peel (Citrus reticulata). The fortification of the refined olive oils was performed with the use of different methodologies such as conventional maceration (CM), incubation shaking maceration (ISM), and ultrasound-assisted maceration (UAM). Folin–Ciocalteau (FOLIN) and Ferric-Reducing Antioxidant Power (FRAP) assays were used to measure their total phenolic content and antioxidant capacity. All methods demonstrated that the temperature, sample concentration, and time of maceration are considered of high importance in the fortification of refined olive oil. In vitro digestion process showed the bioavailability of the antioxidant and phenolic compounds in the fortified olive oil that ranged from 4.84% to 53.11%. Furthermore, the refined olive oils fortified with pomace, basil, St. John’s wort, and pomegranate peel presented the highest antioxidant and phenolic predicted bioavailability indices during the in vitro process compared to the control refined olive oil. Finally, fortification with natural herbs or by-products can be considered an innovative method for the enhancement of the nutritional value of refined olive oils.
Enhancing Molten Sulfur Filtration during Sulfuric Acid Manufacturing for Phosphate Fertilizer Production in Morocco with Cellulose-Based Filter Aids
Authors: Essakhraoui Meriem , Nyassi Abdelhamid , Boukhair Aziz , Bellefqih Hajar , Haneklaus Nils , Mazouz Hamid , Bilal Essaid
Published: August 2023

The filtration of liquid sulfur is a key operation in the production of sulfuric acid that is used for phosphate fertilizer production in Morocco and elsewhere. The purpose of the filtration process is to remove solid impurities from liquid sulfur, which could clog the sulfur burner spray nozzles, leading to the reduction of the lifetime of the sulfuric acid production unit. The standard life cycle operation for sulfuric acid units is 24 months, while due to clogging, this lifetime can be reduced to less than 18 months, which is obviously a tremendous economic disadvantage. In the liquid sulfur filtration process, a precoat made of diatomaceous earth is usually used. In this work, the performance of a standard diatomaceous earth filter aid was compared to the performance of two commercial, inexpensive, cellulose-based filter aids, namely, FILTER-900 and FILTER-1100, which are distinguished by their respective Dalton numbers (900 Da and 1100 Da). The experiments were realized using an industrial sulfur filtration device, and the results indicated that all three of the filter aids yielded similar performance in terms of the impurity content in the filtered liquid sulfur. The cellulose-based filter aids did, however, show a lower specific filter-aid consumption, accompanied by an increase in operating cycle times from 24 to 72 h. In addition, the use of the cellulose-based filters allowed for the relatively easy removal of the filter cake without damaging the filter cloths (which is often an issue with the diatomaceous earth filter aids). It was further noticed that the filtered liquid sulfur obtained using the cellulose-based filter aids remained uncontaminated by silicate, which is one of the main elements that can result in clogging of the sulfur spray nozzles. The first experimental data presented here are therefore promising, and further industrial tests as well as economic analysis for using cellulose-based filter aids in industrial sulfuric acid production are encouraged.
Future Climate Prediction Based on Support Vector Machine Optimization in Tianjin, China
Authors: Wang Yang , Wang Xijun , Li Xiaoling , Liu Wei , Yang Yi
Published: August 2023

Climate is closely related to human life, food security and ecosystems. Forecasting future climate provides important information for agricultural production, water resources management and so on. In this paper, historical climate data from 1962–2001 was used at three sites in Tianjin Baodi, Tianjin and Tanggu districts as baseline and the model parameters were calibrated by the Long Ashton Research Station Weather Generator (LARS-WG). 2m-temperatures in 2011–2020 were verified under two scenarios, representative concentration pathway (RCP) 4.5 and RCP8.5 in different atmospheric circulation models with optimal minimum 2m-temperatures at the three sites. From 2031–2050, Tianjin will be using more moderate minimum 2m-temperatures in future simulations. Support vector machines (SVM) were used to optimize the simulated data to obtain more accurate future maximum and minimum 2m-temperatures for the three sites. The results showed that the determinant coefficient of LARS-WG simulation was 0.8 and SVM optimized determinant coefficient was 0.9 which greatly improved the prediction accuracy. The minimum and maximum future 2m-temperatures optimized under European Community Earth System Model (EC-EARTH) were relatively low and the same future 2m-temperatures optimized under Hadley Centre Global Environment Model Earth System (Had-GEM2-ES4) were high especially in the RCP8.5 scenario which simulated 2051–2070 climate. The SVM optimization showed that the maximum and minimum 2m-temperatures were in general agreement with the original simulation values.
Machine-Learning-Based Lithosphere-Atmosphere-Ionosphere Coupling Associated with Mw > 6 Earthquakes in America
Authors: Shah Munawar , Shahzad Rasim , Jamjareegulgarn Punyawi , Ghaffar Bushra , Oliveira-Júnior José Francisco de , Hassan Ahmed M. , Ghamry Nivin A.
Published: August 2023

The identification of atmospheric and ionospheric variations through multiple remote sensing and global navigation satellite systems (GNSSs) has contributed substantially to the development of the lithosphere-atmosphere-ionosphere coupling (LAIC) phenomenon over earthquake (EQ) epicenters. This study presents an approach for investigating the Petrolia EQ (Mw 6.2; dated 20 December 2021) and the Monte Cristo Range EQ (Mw 6.5; dated 15 May 2020) through several parameters to observe the precursory signals of various natures. These parameters include Land Surface Temperature (LST), Air Temperature (AT), Relative Humidity (RH), Air Pressure (AP), Outgoing Longwave Radiations (OLRs), and vertical Total Electron Content (TEC), and these are used to contribute to the development of LAIC in the temporal window of 30 days before and 15 days after the main shock. We observed a sharp increase in the LST in both the daytime and nighttime of the Petrolia EQ, but only an enhancement in the daytime LST for the Monte Cristo Range EQ within 3–7 days before the main shock. Similarly, a negative peak was observed in RH along with an increment in the OLR 5–7 days prior to both impending EQs. Furthermore, the Monte Cristo Range EQ also exhibited synchronized ionospheric variation with other atmospheric parameters, but no such co-located and synchronized anomalies were observed for the Petrolia EQ. We also applied machine learning (ML) methods to confirm these abrupt variations as anomalies to further aid certain efforts in the development of the LAIC in order to forecast EQs in the future. The ML methods also make prominent the variation in the different data.
Combined Effects of Land Use/Cover Change and Climate Change on Runoff in the Jinghe River Basin, China
Authors: Liu Yu , Guan Zilong , Huang Tingting , Wang Chenchao , Guan Ronghao , Ma Xiaoyi
Published: August 2023

In the context of global warming and intensified human activities, the quantitative assessment of the combined effects of land use/cover change (LUCC) and climate change on the hydrological cycle is crucial. This study was based on the simulation results of future climate and LUCC in the Jinghe River Basin (JRB) using the GFDL–ESM2M and CA–Markov combined with the SWAT models to simulate the runoff changes under different scenarios. The results revealed that the future annual precipitation and average temperature in the JRB are on the increase, and the future LUCC changes are mainly reflected in the increase in forest and urban lands and decrease in farmlands. Changes in runoff in the JRB are dominated by precipitation, and the frequency of extreme events increases with the increase in the concentration of CO2 emissions. Under four climate scenarios, the contribution of future climate change to runoff changes in the JRB is −8.06%, −27.30%, −8.12%, and +1.10%, respectively, whereas the influence of future LUCC changes is smaller, ranging from 1.14–1.64%. In response to the future risk of increasing water-resources stress in the JRB, the results of this study can provide a scientific basis for ecological protection and water-resources management and development.
Assessing the Macroeconomic Consequences of External Financial Upheavals on China: A Caution of a Silicon Valley Bank’s Collapse
Authors: Wang Jingnan , He Yugang
Published: August 2023

In the context of an increasingly interconnected global economy, deciphering the complex ripple effects of external financial disruptions on national economies is a task of utmost significance. This article dives deep into the intricate repercussions of such disturbances on the macroeconomic dynamics of China using the example of the potential insolvency of a Silicon Valley bank. Grounded in empirical scrutiny, we leverage data spanning from Q1 2000 to Q1 2022 and the analytical utility of the impulse response function to illuminate our findings. We find that external financial tumult triggers a global recession, adversely impacting China’s export-driven economy while simultaneously unsettling aggregate output, employment levels, and wage stability. Simultaneously, these disruptions induce variability in consumption tendencies, investment trajectories, and import volumes and inject instability into interest rate paradigms. We also acknowledge the potential for currency depreciation and bank insolvency incidents to induce inflationary stresses, primarily by escalating the costs of imports. However, these inflationary tendencies may be offset by the concomitant economic slowdown and diminished demand inherent to global recessions. Importantly, the tightening of global credit conditions, coupled with existing financial ambiguities, may obstruct investment initiatives, curtail imports, and exert influence on both risk-free and lending interest rates. Our investigation also probes into the response of the Chinese government’s monetary policy to these external financial shocks. Despite the vital role of monetary policy in alleviating the impacts of these shocks, the potential secondary effects on China’s domestic economy warrant attention. Our study underscores the imperative of proper policy design rooted in a profound understanding of the intricate economic interdependencies for effective management and mitigation of the potentially detrimental consequences of such financial upheavals on China’s macroeconomic resilience within the tapestry of a tightly knit global financial ecosystem.
Phase Portraits of Families VII and VIII of the Quadratic Systems
Authors: Cairó Laurent , Llibre Jaume
Published: August 2023

The quadratic polynomial differential systems in a plane are the easiest nonlinear differential systems. They have been studied intensively due to their nonlinearity and the large number of applications. These systems can be classified into ten classes. Here, we provide all topologically different phase portraits in the Poincaré disc of two of these classes.
Omega Ideals in Omega Rings and Systems of Linear Equations over Omega Fields
Authors: Jimenez Jorge , Serrano María Luisa , Šešelja Branimir , Tepavčević Andreja
Published: August 2023

Omega rings (Ω-rings) (and other related structures) are lattice-valued structures (with Ω being the codomain lattice) defined on crisp algebras of the same type, with lattice-valued equality replacing the classical one. In this paper, Ω-ideals are introduced, and natural connections with Ω-congruences and homomorphisms are established. As an application, a framework of approximate solutions of systems of linear equations over Ω-fields is developed.
Predicting the Price of Bitcoin Using Sentiment-Enriched Time Series Forecasting
Authors: Frohmann Markus , Karner Manuel , Khudoyan Said , Wagner Robert , Schedl Markus
Published: August 2023

Recently, various methods to predict the future price of financial assets have emerged. One promising approach is to combine the historic price with sentiment scores derived via sentiment analysis techniques. In this article, we focus on predicting the future price of Bitcoin, which is currently the most popular cryptocurrency. More precisely, we propose a hybrid approach, combining time series forecasting and sentiment prediction from microblogs, to predict the intraday price of Bitcoin. Moreover, in addition to standard sentiment analysis methods, we are the first to employ a fine-tuned BERT model for this task. We also introduce a novel weighting scheme in which the weight of the sentiment of each tweet depends on the number of its creator’s followers. For evaluation, we consider periods with strongly varying ranges of Bitcoin prices. This enables us to assess the models w.r.t. robustness and generalization to varied market conditions. Our experiments demonstrate that BERT-based sentiment analysis and the proposed weighting scheme improve upon previous methods. Specifically, our hybrid models that use linear regression as the underlying forecasting algorithm perform best in terms of the mean absolute error (MAE of 2.67) and root mean squared error (RMSE of 3.28). However, more complicated models, particularly long short-term memory networks and temporal convolutional networks, tend to have generalization and overfitting issues, resulting in considerably higher MAE and RMSE scores.
Learning Causal Biological Networks with Parallel Ant Colony Optimization Algorithm
Authors: Zhai Jihao , Ji Junzhong , Liu Jinduo
Published: August 2023

A wealth of causal relationships exists in biological systems, both causal brain networks and causal protein signaling networks are very classical causal biological networks (CBNs). Learning CBNs from biological signal data reliably is a critical problem today. However, most of the existing methods are not excellent enough in terms of accuracy and time performance, and tend to fall into local optima because they do not take full advantage of global information. In this paper, we propose a parallel ant colony optimization algorithm to learn causal biological networks from biological signal data, called PACO. Specifically, PACO first maps the construction of CBNs to ants, then searches for CBNs in parallel by simulating multiple groups of ants foraging, and finally obtains the optimal CBN through pheromone fusion and CBNs fusion between different ant colonies. Extensive experimental results on simulation data sets as well as two real-world data sets, the fMRI signal data set and the Single-cell data set, show that PACO can accurately and efficiently learn CBNs from biological signal data.
Efficient Decellularization of the Full-Thickness Rat-Derived Abdominal Wall to Produce Acellular Biologic Scaffolds for Tissue Reconstruction: Promising Evidence Acquired from In Vitro Results
Authors: Skepastianos George , Mallis Panagiotis , Kostopoulos Epameinondas , Michalopoulos Efstathios , Skepastianos Vasileios , Palazi Chrysoula , Pannuto Lucia , Tsourouflis Gerasimos
Published: August 2023

Background: Functional restoration of abdominal wall defects represents one of the fundamental challenges of reconstructive surgery. Synthetic grafts or crosslinked animal-derived biological grafts are characterized by significant adverse reactions, which are mostly observed after their implantation. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of the decellularization protocol to produce a completely acellular full-thickness abdominal wall scaffold. Methods: Full-thickness abdominal wall samples were harvested from Wistar rats and submitted to a three-cycle decellularization process. Histological, biochemical, and DNA quantification analyses were applied to evaluate the effect of the decellularization protocol. Mechanical testing and immunogenicity assessment were also performed. Results: Histological, biochemical, and DNA analysis results showed efficient decellularization of the abdominal wall samples after the third cycle. Decellularized abdominal wall scaffolds were characterized by good biochemical and mechanical properties. Conclusion: The data presented herein confirm the effective production of a rat-derived full-thickness abdominal wall scaffold. Expanding this approach will allow the exploitation of the capacity of the proposed decellularization protocol in producing acellular abdominal wall scaffolds from larger animal models or human cadaveric donors. In this way, the utility of biological scaffolds with preserved in vivo remodeling properties may be one step closer to its application in clinical studies.
Aggregation-Inhibiting scFv-Based Therapies Protect Mice against AAV1/2-Induced A53T-α-Synuclein Overexpression
Authors: Schlichtmann Benjamin W. , Palanisamy Bharathi N. , Malovic Emir , Nethi Susheel K. , Padhi Piyush , Hepker Monica , Wurtz Joseph , John Manohar , Ban Bhupal , Anantharam Vellareddy , Kanthasamy Anumantha G. , Narasimhan Balaji , Mallapragada Surya K.
Published: August 2023

To date, there is no cure for Parkinson’s disease (PD). There is a pressing need for anti-neurodegenerative therapeutics that can slow or halt PD progression by targeting underlying disease mechanisms. Specifically, preventing the build-up of alpha-synuclein (αSyn) and its aggregated and mutated forms is a key therapeutic target. In this study, an adeno-associated viral vector loaded with the A53T gene mutation was used to induce rapid αSyn-associated PD pathogenesis in C57BL/6 mice. We tested the ability of a novel therapeutic, a single chain fragment variable (scFv) antibody with specificity only for pathologic forms of αSyn, to protect against αSyn-induced neurodegeneration, after unilateral viral vector injection in the substantia nigra. Additionally, polyanhydride nanoparticles, which provide sustained release of therapeutics with dose-sparing properties, were used as a delivery platform for the scFv. Through bi-weekly behavioral assessments and across multiple post-mortem immunochemical analyses, we found that the scFv-based therapies allowed the mice to recover motor activity and reduce overall αSyn expression in the substantia nigra. In summary, these novel scFv-based therapies, which are specific exclusively for pathological aggregates of αSyn, show early promise in blocking PD progression in a surrogate mouse PD model.
New Series of Zaxinone Mimics (MiZax) for Fundamental and Applied Research
Authors: Jamil Muhammad , Lin Pei-Yu , Berqdar Lamis , Wang Jian You , Takahashi Ikuo , Ota Tsuyoshi , Alhammad Noor , Chen Guan-Ting Erica , Asami Tadao , Al-Babili Salim
Published: August 2023

The apocarotenoid zaxinone is a recently discovered regulatory metabolite required for proper rice growth and development. In addition, zaxinone and its two mimics (MiZax3 and MiZax5) were shown to have a remarkable growth-promoting activity on crops and a capability to reduce infestation by the root parasitic plant Striga through decreasing strigolactone (SL) production, suggesting their potential for application in agriculture and horticulture. In the present study, we developed a new series of MiZax via structural modification of the two potent zaxinone mimics (MiZax3 and MiZax5) and evaluated their effect on plant growth and Striga infestation. In general, the structural modifications to MiZax3 and MiZax5 did not additionally improve their overall performance but caused an increase in certain activities. In conclusion, MiZax5 and especially MiZax3 remain the likely most efficient zaxinone mimics for controlling Striga infestation.
Current Landscape and Future Direction of PD-1/PD-L1 Checkpoint Inhibitors in Cancer Treatment
Authors: Serratì Simona , Margheri Francesca
Published: August 2023

Immune checkpoints are involved in controlling the activation or inhibition of the immune response and are associated with receptors on the immune cell surface [...]
Effective Upgrading of Levulinic Acid into Hexyl Levulinate Using AlCl3·6H2O as a Catalyst
Authors: D’Ambrosio Valeria , Pastore Carlo
Published: August 2023

AlCl3·6H2O was used as a catalyst in the esterification reaction of levulinic acid with 1-hexanol for producing hexyl levulinate, a compound that finds applications in several industrial sectors and represents an excellent candidate to be used in diesel fuel blends. A kinetic and thermodynamic study of the esterification reaction was performed, considering four different temperatures (338, 348, 358, and 368 K), an acid: alcohol: catalyst 1:1:0.01 molar ratio, and a reaction time of 72 h. An optimization study was then carried out, evaluating the effect of alcohol and catalyst amounts, and, in the best reaction conditions (acid:alcohol:catalyst 1:2:0.1), a very high levulinic acid conversion (92.5%) was achieved. By using AlCl3·6H2O, alongside the high reaction yield, the product purification was also simplified, being such a catalyst able to trap most of the water in a different phase than hexyl levulinate, and, furthermore, it was found to be completely recoverable and reusable for several reaction cycles, without losing its catalytic effectiveness. The use of AlCl3·6H2O, therefore, represents a promising effective green route for obtaining hexyl levulinate.
Stem Cell Scaffolds for the Treatment of Spinal Cord Injury—A Review
Authors: Hey Grace , Willman Matthew , Patel Aashay , Goutnik Michael , Willman Jonathan , Lucke-Wold Brandon
Published: August 2023

Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a profoundly debilitating yet common central nervous system condition resulting in significant morbidity and mortality rates. Major causes of SCI encompass traumatic incidences such as motor vehicle accidents, falls, and sports injuries. Present treatment strategies for SCI aim to improve and enhance neurologic functionality. The ability for neural stem cells (NSCs) to differentiate into diverse neural and glial cell precursors has stimulated the investigation of stem cell scaffolds as potential therapeutics for SCI. Various scaffolding modalities including composite materials, natural polymers, synthetic polymers, and hydrogels have been explored. However, most trials remain largely in the preclinical stage, emphasizing the need to further develop and refine these treatment strategies before clinical implementation. In this review, we delve into the physiological processes that underpin NSC differentiation, including substrates and signaling pathways required for axonal regrowth post-injury, and provide an overview of current and emerging stem cell scaffolding platforms for SCI.
Colitis Is Associated with Loss of the Histidine Phosphatase LHPP and Upregulation of Histidine Phosphorylation in Intestinal Epithelial Cells
Authors: Linder Markus , Liko Dritan , Kancherla Venkatesh , Piscuoglio Salvatore , Hall Michael N.
Published: August 2023

Protein histidine phosphorylation (pHis) is a posttranslational modification involved in cell cycle regulation, ion channel activity and phagocytosis. Using novel monoclonal antibodies to detect pHis, we previously reported that the loss of the histidine phosphatase LHPP (phospholysine phosphohistidine inorganic pyrophosphate phosphatase) results in elevated pHis levels in hepatocellular carcinoma. Here, we show that intestinal inflammation correlates with the loss of LHPP in dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-treated mice and in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients. Increased histidine phosphorylation was observed in intestinal epithelial cells (IECs), as determined by pHis immunofluorescence staining of colon samples from a colitis mouse model. However, the ablation of Lhpp did not cause increased pHis or promote intestinal inflammation under physiological conditions or after DSS treatment. Our observations suggest that increased histidine phosphorylation plays a role in colitis, but the loss of LHPP is not sufficient to increase pHis or to cause inflammation in the intestine.
A Pharmacovigilance Study on the Safety of Axicabtagene Ciloleucel Based on Spontaneous Reports from the EudraVigilance Database
Authors: Rafaniello Concetta , Liguori Valerio , Zinzi Alessia , Gaio Mario , Falco Angela , Di Costanzo Luigi , Gargano Francesca , Trimarco Valentina , Cataldi Mauro , Capuano Annalisa
Published: August 2023

During pre-approval clinical trials, the safety of axi-cel, a second-generation CAR-T-cell therapy directed against CD19, which dramatically improved the prognosis of intractable B-cell lymphomas, has been investigated only in about 400 patients. Therefore, additional information on this issue is urgently needed. In the present paper, we evaluated the 2905 ICSRs with axi-cel as the suspected drug that had been uploaded in the EudraVigilance database from 1 January 2018 to 31 December 2022. About 80% of the reported adverse events were serious, and about 20% of them did not fully resolve or caused death. The adverse events most-frequently reported were Nervous system disorders (25.6%) and, among them, immune-effector-cell-associated neurotoxicity syndrome, followed by Immune system disorders (23.1%), General disorders and administration site conditions (12.0%), Blood and lymphatic system disorders (7.2%), and Infections and infestations (5.8%). Disproportionality analysis showed that the frequency of reported adverse events related to the nervous system was higher with axi-cel than with the other approved CAR-T-cells, except brexu-cel. In conclusion, real-world pharmacovigilance data showed that nervous system and immune system disorders are the adverse events most reported in axi-cel-related ICSRs and suggest that axi-cel could be more neurotoxic than other CAR-T-cells.
Phenotypic Profiling of Immune Cells and Their Mediators in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
Authors: Sampath Meghashree , Bade Geetanjali , Guleria Randeep , Mohan Anant , Sen Sudip , Dey Devanjan , Talwar Anjana
Published: August 2023

Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is an inflammatory disorder and has been proposed to have an imbalance between pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory factors. Methods: This study was conducted on 41 participants {18 COPD patients (smokers, COPD S (n = 9); reformed smokers, COPD RS (n = 9)) and 23 controls (non-smokers, CNS (n = 14); smokers, CS (n = 9))}. Flow cytometry was used to identify circulatory immune cells and correlated with serum cytokines. Results: On comparison, significantly lower frequency of CD3+ T cells were observed in COPD S as compared to CNS (p < 0.01) and CS (p < 0.01); CD4+ T cells were lower in COPD S (p < 0.05), COPD RS (p < 0.05) and CNS (p < 0.01) as compared to CS. CD8+ T cells were elevated in COPD S as compared to CS (p < 0.05). Lower frequency of cDCs were observed in COPD S as compared to CS (p < 0.05) and COPD RS as compared to CNS (p < 0.01) and CS (p < 0.01). Lower frequency of pDCs were observed in COPD RS as compared to COPD S (p < 0.05), CNS (p < 0.05) and CS (p < 0.01). Lower frequency of Tregs was observed in COPD S as compared to CNS (p < 0.05) and CS (p < 0.05). Conclusions: Characteristic changes observed indicate a significant impact of immune cells in the progression of the disease.
Prognostic Value of Plasma Biomarkers S100B and Osteopontin in Pediatric TBI: A Prospective Analysis Evaluating Acute and 6-Month Outcomes after Mild to Severe TBI
Authors: Blackwell Laura S. , Wali Bushra , Xiang Yijin , Alawieh Ali , Sayeed Iqbal , Reisner Andrew
Published: August 2023

Blood based traumatic brain injury (TBI) biomarkers offer additional diagnostic, therapeutic, and prognostic utility. While adult studies are robust, the pediatric population is less well studied. We sought to determine whether plasma osteopontin (OPN) and S100B alone or in combination predict mortality, head Computed tomography (CT) findings, as well as 6-month functional outcomes after TBI in children. This is a prospective, observational study between March 2017 and June 2021 at a tertiary pediatric hospital. The sample included children with a diagnosed head injury of any severity admitted to the Emergency Department. Control patients sustained trauma-related injuries and no known head trauma. Serial blood samples were collected at admission, as well as at 24, 48, and 72 h. Patient demographics, acute clinical symptoms, head CT, and 6-month follow-up using the Glasgow outcome scale, extended for pediatrics (GOSE-Peds), were also obtained. The cohort included 460 children (ages 0 to 21 years) and reflected the race and sex distribution of the population served. Linear mixed effect models and logistic regressions were utilized to evaluate the trajectory of biomarkers over time and predictors of dichotomous outcomes. Both OPN and S100B correlated with injury severity based on GCS. S100B and OPN showed lower AUC values (0.59) in predicting positive head CT. S100B had the largest AUC (0.87) in predicting mortality, as well as 6-month outcomes (0.85). The combination of the two biomarkers did not add meaningfully to the model. Our findings continue to support the utility of OPN as a marker of injury severity in this population. Our findings also show the importance of S100B in predicting mortality and 6-month functional outcomes. Continued work is needed to examine the influence of age-dependent neurodevelopment on TBI biomarker profiles in children.
A Machine Learning Pipeline for Cancer Detection on Microarray Data: The Role of Feature Discretization and Feature Selection
Authors: Nogueira Adara , Ferreira Artur , Figueiredo Mário
Published: August 2023

Early disease detection using microarray data is vital for prompt and efficient treatment. However, the intricate nature of these data and the ongoing need for more precise interpretation techniques make it a persistently active research field. Numerous gene expression datasets are publicly available, containing microarray data that reflect the activation status of thousands of genes in patients who may have a specific disease. These datasets encompass a vast number of genes, resulting in high-dimensional feature vectors that present significant challenges for human analysis. Consequently, pinpointing the genes frequently associated with a particular disease becomes a crucial task. In this paper, we present a method capable of determining the frequency with which a gene (feature) is selected for the classification of a specific disease, by incorporating feature discretization and selection techniques into a machine learning pipeline. The experimental results demonstrate high accuracy and a low false negative rate, while significantly reducing the data’s dimensionality in the process. The resulting subsets of genes are manageable for clinical experts, enabling them to verify the presence of a given disease.
Clinical and Demographic Attributes of Patients with Diabetes Associated with the Utilization of Telemedicine in an Urban Medically Underserved Population Area
Authors: Ward Lisa Ariellah , Shah Gulzar H. , Waterfield Kristie C.
Published: August 2023

Marginalized populations often experience health disparities due to the significant obstacles to care associated with social, economic, and environmental inequities. When compared with advantaged social groups, these populations frequently experience increased risks, poorer health outcomes, and reduced quality of life (QoL). This research examines the clinical and demographic characteristics—age, gender, and race—related to patients with varying stages of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), comparing the utilization of telemedicine (TM) with traditional healthcare face-to-face (F2F) appointments in an urban medically underserved population area (UMUPA). A logistic regression model, was used to analyze retrospective electronic patient health records (EHRs) from 1 January 2019 to 30 June 2021 of 265 patients with T2DM who had 3357 healthcare appointments. The overall percentage of healthcare provider appointments using TM was 46.7%, in comparison with 53.3% traditional F2F visits. Compared to patients with prediabetes, those with uncontrolled diabetes were more likely to utilize the TM mode of care rather than the traditional F2F mode (adjusted odds ratio (AoR), 1.33; confidence interval (CI), 1.07 to 1.64) after controlling for the other covariates in the model. Compared to patients in the age group 20–49 years, those in the age groups 50–64 years and ≥65 years had significantly lower odds (AoR, 0.78; CI, 0.65 to 0.94 and AoR, 0.71; CI, 0.58 to 0.88, respectively) of utilization of TM than the traditional F2F mode of care. White patients had significantly higher odds of using telemedicine rather than the traditional F2F mode (AoR, 1.25; CI, 1.07 to 1.47) when compared to the Black patients. Gender differences did not exist in the care utilization mode. As healthcare and public health continue to strive for health equity by eliminating health disparities within marginalized populations, it is essential that the mode of care for patients, such as those with T2DM, must evolve and adapt to the needs and resources of the patients. Multisectoral partners have the opportunity to employ a systems thinking approach to improve the technological elements related to the global health disparities crisis. An essential goal is to to create a user-friendly interface that prioritizes easy navigation, affordability, and accessiblity for populations in medically underserved regions to improve overall population health outcomes.