bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Pharmacokinetics of Medetomidine Administered Subcutaneously during Isoflurane Anaesthesia in Sprague-Dawley Rats
Authors: Kint Leila T. , Seewoo Bhedita J. , Hyndman Timothy H. , Clarke Michael W. , Edwards Scott H. , Rodger Jennifer , Feindel Kirk W. , Musk Gabrielle C.
Published: June 2020

Anaesthetic protocols involving the combined use of a sedative agent, medetomidine, and an anaesthetic agent, isoflurane, are increasingly being used in functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies of the rodent brain. Despite the popularity of this combination, a standardised protocol for the combined use of medetomidine and isoflurane has not been established, resulting in inconsistencies in the reported use of these drugs. This study investigated the pharmacokinetic detail required to standardise the use of medetomidine and isoflurane in rat brain fMRI studies. Using mass spectrometry, serum concentrations of medetomidine were determined in Sprague-Dawley rats during medetomidine and isoflurane anaesthesia. The serum concentration of medetomidine for administration with 0.5% (vapouriser setting) isoflurane was found to be 14.4 ng/mL (±3.0 ng/mL). The data suggests that a steady state serum concentration of medetomidine when administered with 0.5% (vapouriser setting) isoflurane can be achieved with an initial subcutaneous (SC) dose of 0.12 mg/kg of medetomidine followed by a 0.08 mg/kg/h SC infusion of medetomidine. Consideration of these results for future studies will facilitate standardisation of medetomidine and isoflurane anaesthetic protocols during fMRI data acquisition.
Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus: Risk for General Infection and Endocarditis Among Athletes
Authors: Brancaccio Mariarita , Mennitti Cristina , Laneri Sonia , Franco Adelaide , De Biasi Margherita G. , Cesaro Arturo , Fimiani Fabio , Moscarella Elisabetta , Gragnano Felice , Mazzaccara Cristina , Limongelli Giuseppe , Frisso Giulia , Lombardo Barbara , Pagliuca Chiara , Colicchio Roberta , Salvatore Paola , Calabrò Paolo , Pero Raffaela , Scudiero Olga
Published: June 2020

The first studies on Staphylococcus aureus (SA) infections in athletes were conducted in the 1980s, and examined athletes that perform in close physical contact, with particular attention to damaged or infected skin. Recent studies have used molecular epidemiology to shed light on the transmission of SA in professional athletes. These studies have shown that contact between athletes is prolonged and constant, and that these factors influence the appearance of infections caused by SA. These results support the need to use sanitary measures designed to prevent the appearance of SA infections. The factors triggering the establishment of SA within professional sports groups are the nasal colonization of SA, contact between athletes and sweating. Hence, there is a need to use the most modern molecular typing methods to evaluate the appearance of cutaneous SA disease. This review aims to summarize both the current SA infections known in athletes and the diagnostic methods employed for recognition, pointing to possible preventive strategies and the factors that can act as a springboard for the appearance of SA and subsequent transmission between athletes.
In Vitro Toxicity, Antioxidant, Anti-Inflammatory, and Antidiabetic Potential of Sphaerostephanos unitus (L.) Holttum
Authors: Johnson Marimuthu Alias Antonisamy , Madona C. Xavier , Almeida Ray S. , Martins Natália , Coutinho Henrique D. M.
Published: June 2020

Pteridophytes have been widely used in several systems of medicine. Several reports have increasingly assessed their bioactive effects, but for Sphaerostephanos unitus (L.) Holttum, only its antibacterial potential has been assessed. In this sense, the present study was carried out to reveal the phytochemical profile and to determine the toxicity, antioxidant, antidiabetic, and anti-inflammatory potential of S. unitus. Brine shrimp lethality, 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity, phosphomolybdenum assay, superoxide radical scavenging activity, 2,2-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) assay (ABTS), and in vitro α-amylase inhibitory and membrane stabilization assays were applied. S. unitus extract toxicity showed variable mortality percentages, with LC50 values ranging from 4 to 30 mg/mL. DPPH radical scavenging effects of S. unitus extracts were as follows: methanol > acetone > petroleum ether > chloroform. S. unitus acetone extract displayed the strongest phosphomolybdenum reduction (10 ± 2 mg Ascorbic Acid Equivalent/g). The studied extracts also revealed efficient, superoxide scavenging effects in a dose-dependent manner. In S. unitus, the highest ABTS radical scavenging rate was observed in the chloroform extract (3000 ± 40 µmol/g). The S. unitus anti-inflammatory effect was as follows: petroleum ether > chloroform > methanol > acetone. In S. unitus extract, the highest percentage of α-amylase activity (80%) was observed for the petroleum ether extract (25 µg/mL). Faced with these findings, further studies should be performed to isolate and identify the S. unitus compounds responsible for their antioxidant, antidiabetic and anti-inflammatory effects.
Stilbenoids: A Natural Arsenal against Bacterial Pathogens
Authors: Mattio Luce Micaela , Catinella Giorgia , Dallavalle Sabrina , Pinto Andrea
Published: June 2020

The escalating emergence of resistant bacterial strains is one of the most important threats to human health. With the increasing incidence of multi-drugs infections, there is an urgent need to restock our antibiotic arsenal. Natural products are an invaluable source of inspiration in drug design and development. One of the most widely distributed groups of natural products in the plant kingdom is represented by stilbenoids. Stilbenoids are synthesised by plants as means of protection against pathogens, whereby the potential antimicrobial activity of this class of natural compounds has attracted great interest in the last years. The purpose of this review is to provide an overview of recent achievements in the study of stilbenoids as antimicrobial agents, with particular emphasis on the sources, chemical structures, and the mechanism of action of the most promising natural compounds. Attention has been paid to the main structure modifications on the stilbenoid core that have expanded the antimicrobial activity with respect to the parent natural compounds, opening the possibility of their further development. The collected results highlight the therapeutic versatility of natural and synthetic resveratrol derivatives and provide a prospective insight into their potential development as antimicrobial agents.
Antibiotic Stewardship in Staphylococcus aureus Bloodstream Infection Treatment—Analysis Based on 29,747 Patients from One Hospital
Authors: Ziółkowski Grzegorz , Pawłowska Iwona , Jachowicz Estera , Stasiowski Michał
Published: June 2020

Some of the most serious healthcare-associated infections (HAI) are highly deadly bloodstream infections (BSIs) caused by Staphylococcus aureus. The aim of the study was to analyse compliance of treatment practice with clinical guidelines in patients with S. aureus BSIs. The study was conducted at the Sosnowiec Hospital, Poland in 2019. During the study, 29,747 patients were hospitalized and 41 S. aureus BSIs (only HAIs) episodes were observed. According to local clinical practice guidelines, each case of BSI required blood cultures, echocardiography and control culture after the implementation of the targeted therapy. Incidence rate of S. aureus BSI was 0.8/1000 admissions; the greatest department admission rates were in the ICU (19.3/1000 admissions) and in the Nephrology Department (8.7/1000 admissions). Only 2 patients were treated following the protocol (4.8%); the most common errors were the use of an inappropriate drug or incorrect duration of antibiotic treatment. No patient underwent echocardiography, and control cultures were performed in 70% of cases. The case fatality rate was 7.3%. A satisfactorily low case fatality rate was found despite the poor antibiotic stewardship. Lack of discipline concerning antibiotic use can strongly impact the observed high drug resistance in HAIs and high Clostridioides difficile incidence rate in the studied hospital.
Alkaloids from Marine Fungi: Promising Antimicrobials
Authors: Willems Thomas , De Mol Maarten L. , De Bruycker Aleksandar , De Maeseneire Sofie L. , Soetaert Wim K.
Published: June 2020

Resistance of pathogenic microorganisms against antimicrobials is a major threat to contemporary human society. It necessitates a perpetual influx of novel antimicrobial compounds. More specifically, Gram− pathogens emerged as the most exigent danger. In our continuing quest to search for novel antimicrobial molecules, alkaloids from marine fungi show great promise. However, current reports of such newly discovered alkaloids are often limited to cytotoxicity studies and, moreover, neglect to discuss the enigma of their biosynthesis. Yet, the latter is often a prerequisite to make them available through sufficiently efficient processes. This review aims to summarize novel alkaloids with promising antimicrobial properties discovered in the past five years and produced by marine fungi. Several discovery strategies are summarized, and knowledge gaps in biochemical production routes are identified. Finally, links between the structure of the newly discovered molecules and their activity are proposed. Since 2015, a total of 35 new antimicrobial alkaloids from marine fungi were identified, of which 22 showed an antibacterial activity against Gram− microorganisms. Eight of them can be classified as narrow-spectrum Gram− antibiotics. Despite this promising ratio of novel alkaloids active against Gram− microorganisms, the number of newly discovered antimicrobial alkaloids is low, due to the narrow spectrum of discovery protocols that are used and the fact that antimicrobial properties of newly discovered alkaloids are barely characterized. Alternatives are proposed in this review. In conclusion, this review summarizes novel findings on antimicrobial alkaloids from marine fungi, shows their potential as promising therapeutic candidates, and hints on how to further improve this potential.
Identification of Chemical Profiles and Biological Properties of Rhizophora racemosa G. Mey. Extracts Obtained by Different Methods and Solvents
Authors: Chiavaroli Annalisa , Sinan Koaudio Ibrahime , Zengin Gokhan , Mahomoodally Mohamad Fawzi , Bibi Sadeer Nabeelah , Etienne Ouattara Katinan , Cziáky Zoltán , Jekő József , Glamočlija Jasmina , Soković Marina , Recinella Lucia , Brunetti Luigi , Leone Sheila , Abdallah Hassan H. , Angelini Paola , Angeles Flores Giancarlo , Venanzoni Roberto , Menghini Luigi , Orlando Giustino , Ferrante Claudio
Published: June 2020

Mangrove forests exemplify a multifaceted ecosystem since they do not only play a crucial ecological role but also possess medicinal properties. Methanolic, ethyl acetate and aqueous leaf and bark extracts were prepared using homogenizer-assisted extraction (HAE), infusion and maceration (with and without stirring). The different extracts were screened for phytochemical profiling and antioxidant capacities in terms of radical scavenging (DPPH, ABTS), reducing potential (CUPRAC, FRAP), total antioxidant capacity and chelating power. Additionally, R. racemosa was evaluated for its anti-diabetic (α-amylase, α-glucosidase), anti-tyrosinase and anti-cholinesterase (AChE, BChE) activities. Additionally, antimycotic and antibacterial effects were investigated against Eescherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella typhimurium, Listeria monocytogenes, Enterobacter cloacae, Bacillus cereus, Micrococcus luteus, Staphylococcus aureus, Aspergillus fumigatus, Aspergillus niger, Trichoderma viride, Penicillium funiculosum, Penicillium ochrochloron and Penicillium verrucosum. Finally, based on phytochemical fingerprint, in silico studies, including bioinformatics, network pharmacology and docking approaches were conducted to predict the putative targets, namely tyrosinase, lanosterol-14-α-demethylase and E. coli DNA gyrase, underlying the observed bio-pharmacological and microbiological effects. The methanolic leave and bark extracts (prepared by both HAE and maceration) abounded with phenolics, flavonoids, phenolic acids and flavonols. Results displayed that both methanolic leaf and bark extracts (prepared by HAE) exhibited the highest radical scavenging, reducing potential and total antioxidant capacity. Furthermore, our findings showed that the highest enzymatic inhibitory activity recorded was with the tyrosinase enzyme. In this context, bioinformatics analysis predicted putative interactions between tyrosinase and multiple secondary metabolites including apigenin, luteolin, vitexin, isovitexin, procyanidin B, quercetin and methoxy-trihydroxyflavone. The same compounds were also docked against lanosterol-14α-demethylase and E. Coli DNA gyrase, yielding affinities in the submicromolar–micromolar range that further support the observed anti-microbial effects exerted by the extracts. In conclusion, extracts of R. racemosa may be considered as novel sources of phytoanti-oxidants and enzyme inhibitors that can be exploited as future first-line pharmacophores.
Mid-Infrared Laser Spectroscopy Detection and Quantification of Explosives in Soils Using Multivariate Analysis and Artificial Intelligence
Authors: Pacheco-Londoño Leonardo C. , Warren Eric , Galán-Freyle Nataly J. , Villarreal-González Reynaldo , Aparicio-Bolaño Joaquín A. , Ospina-Castro María L. , Shih Wei-Chuan , Hernández-Rivera Samuel P.
Published: June 2020

A tunable quantum cascade laser (QCL) spectrometer was used to develop methods for detecting and quantifying high explosives (HE) in soil based on multivariate analysis (MVA) and artificial intelligence (AI). For quantification, mixes of 2,4-dinitrotoluene (DNT) of concentrations from 0% to 20% w/w with soil samples were investigated. Three types of soils, bentonite, synthetic soil, and natural soil, were used. A partial least squares (PLS) regression model was generated for predicting DNT concentrations. To increase the selectivity, the model was trained and evaluated using additional analytes as interferences, including other HEs such as pentaerythritol tetranitrate (PETN), trinitrotoluene (TNT), cyclotrimethylenetrinitramine (RDX), and non-explosives such as benzoic acid and ibuprofen. For the detection experiments, mixes of different explosives with soils were used to implement two AI strategies. In the first strategy, the spectra of the samples were compared with spectra of soils stored in a database to identify the most similar soils based on QCL spectroscopy. Next, a preprocessing based on classical least squares (Pre-CLS) was applied to the spectra of soils selected from the database. The parameter obtained based on the sum of the weights of Pre-CLS was used to generate a simple binary discrimination model for distinguishing between contaminated and uncontaminated soils, achieving an accuracy of 0.877. In the second AI strategy, the same parameter was added to a principal component matrix obtained from spectral data of samples and used to generate multi-classification models based on different machine learning algorithms. A random forest model worked best with 0.996 accuracy and allowing to distinguish between soils contaminated with DNT, TNT, or RDX and uncontaminated soils.
Time of Your Hate: The Challenge of Time in Hate Speech Detection on Social Media
Authors: Florio Komal , Basile Valerio , Polignano Marco , Basile Pierpaolo , Patti Viviana
Published: June 2020

The availability of large annotated corpora from social media and the development of powerful classification approaches have contributed in an unprecedented way to tackle the challenge of monitoring users’ opinions and sentiments in online social platforms across time. Such linguistic data are strongly affected by events and topic discourse, and this aspect is crucial when detecting phenomena such as hate speech, especially from a diachronic perspective. We address this challenge by focusing on a real case study: the “Contro l’odio” platform for monitoring hate speech against immigrants in the Italian Twittersphere. We explored the temporal robustness of a BERT model for Italian (AlBERTo), the current benchmark on non-diachronic detection settings. We tested different training strategies to evaluate how the classification performance is affected by adding more data temporally distant from the test set and hence potentially different in terms of topic and language use. Our analysis points out the limits that a supervised classification model encounters on data that are heavily influenced by events. Our results show how AlBERTo is highly sensitive to the temporal distance of the fine-tuning set. However, with an adequate time window, the performance increases, while requiring less annotated data than a traditional classifier.
Cognitive Similarity-Based Collaborative Filtering Recommendation System
Authors: Nguyen Luong Vuong , Hong Min-Sung , Jung Jason J. , Sohn Bong-Soo
Published: June 2020

This paper provides a new approach that improves collaborative filtering results in recommendation systems. In particular, we aim to ensure the reliability of the data set collected which is to collect the cognition about the item similarity from the users. Hence, in this work, we collect the cognitive similarity of the user about similar movies. Besides, we introduce a three-layered architecture that consists of the network between the items (item layer), the network between the cognitive similarity of users (cognition layer) and the network between users occurring in their cognitive similarity (user layer). For instance, the similarity in the cognitive network can be extracted from a similarity measure on the item network. In order to evaluate our method, we conducted experiments in the movie domain. In addition, for better performance evaluation, we use the F-measure that is a combination of two criteria P r e c i s i o n and R e c a l l . Compared with the Pearson Correlation, our method more accurate and achieves improvement over the baseline 11.1% in the best case. The result shows that our method achieved consistent improvement of 1.8% to 3.2% for various neighborhood sizes in MAE calculation, and from 2.0% to 4.1% in RMSE calculation. This indicates that our method improves recommendation performance.
Measurement System for Finger Skin Displacement on a Textured Surface Using Index Matching
Authors: Kaneko Seitaro , Kajimoto Hiroyuki
Published: June 2020

Understanding the relationship between the displacement of the skin when tracing a textured object and the resulting subjective sensations is essential in designing tactile displays. Previous studies observed skin displacement using flat glass plates or uneven surfaces that do not optically interfere with finger surface observations. In contrast, no direct method for observing skin surface displacement on a texture exists. We propose a system that enables observation of the interaction between a textured surface and the skin of the finger using an index-matching technique. In the proposed system, a texture plate is immersed in oil having the same refractive index as the plate, and measurements are made when the interface is nearly optically transparent. Further, printed markers are attached to the skin of the finger, and their movements analyzed using an image-processing algorithm. The system enables spatial measurement of the skin shear and the vibration of the contact area. Evaluation experiments conducted on a 1D textured surface having a pitch of 0.6 mm verify the feasibility of the proposed system. Optical misalignment simulation results indicate that the system is slightly less accurate than type-I mechanoreceptors but can measure skin deformation on a texture and also observe it spatially and temporally.
Recent Advances in Lithiophilic Porous Framework toward Dendrite-Free Lithium Metal Anode
Authors: Pathak Rajesh , Zhou Yue , Qiao Qiquan
Published: June 2020

Rechargeable lithium metal anode (LMA) based batteries have attracted great attention as next-generation high-energy-density storage systems to fuel the extensive practical applications in portable electronics and electric vehicles. However, the formation of unstable solid-electrolyte- interphase (SEI) and growth of lithium dendrite during plating/stripping cycles stimulate safety concern, poor coulombic efficiency (CE), and short lifespan of the lithium metal batteries (LMBs). To address these issues, the rational design of micro/nanostructured Li hosts are widely adopted in LMBs. The high surface area of the interconnected conductive framework can homogenize the Li-ion flux distribution, lower the effective current density, and provides sufficient space for Li accommodation. However, the poor lithiophilicity of the micro/nanostructure host cannot govern the initial lithium nucleation, which leads to the non-uniform/dendritic Li deposition and unstable SEI formation. As a result, the nucleation overpotential and voltage hysteresis increases, which eventually leads to poor battery cycling performance. Thus, it is imperative to decorate a micro/nanostructured Li host with lithiophilic coatings or seeds for serving as a homogeneous nucleation site to guide the uniform lithium deposition. In this review, we summarize research progress on porous metal and non-metal based lithiophilic micro/nanostructured Li hosts. We present the synthesis, structural properties, and the significance of lithiophilic decorated micro/nanostructured Li host in the LMBs. Finally, the perspectives and critical challenges needed to address for the further improvement of LMBs are concluded.
A Review on Wind Turbine Deterministic Power Curve Models
Authors: Villanueva Daniel , Feijóo Andrés
Published: June 2020

Over the last decades, wind energy has been arising as one of the most promising sources for the future of energy supply, and this trend should be reinforced in the future due to the foreseeable environmental and climatological catastrophe. Therefore, all technologies and issues regarding its development are relevant. Among them, research on wind turbine power curve modeling is of importance for stakeholders and researchers because it allows them to easily obtain information about the amount of power and energy that can be captured from the primary resource, i.e., the wind. The task can be simplified by means of the use of wind turbine power curve models, and many researchers have been presenting their contributions on the topic in parallel with such a development. In this paper, a review on the formulation of wind turbine deterministic power curve models is presented.
Special Issue on Nano-Modified Asphalt Binders and Mixtures to Enhance Pavement Performance
Authors: Picado-Santos Luís , Crucho João
Published: June 2020

This Special Issue is dedicated to the use of nanomaterials for the modification of asphalt binders to support the analysis of the relevant properties and to determine if the modification indicated a more efficient use of asphalt mixtures’ fabrication or their modification in the context of asphalt mixtures’ fabrication and the improvement (or lack thereof) of these last ones to constitute effective asphalt pavement layers [...]
Biofabrication of Chitosan-Based Nanomedicines and Its Potential Use for Translational Ophthalmic Applications
Authors: Vichare Riddhi , Garner Inyoung , Paulson Ryan J. , Tzekov Radouil , Sahiner Nurettin , Panguluri Siva K. , Mohapatra Subhra , Mohapatra Shyam S. , Ayyala Ramesh , Sneed Kevin B. , Biswal Manas R.
Published: June 2020

Drug delivery to the anterior and posterior segment of eye remains a challenge. Nanoparticle-mediated drug delivery has indicated some promise. The presented review aims to summarize recent advancements in chitosan-based nanotherapies for ocular drug delivery and the challenges encountered during the process. Significant research using chitosan, a cationic linear polymer, is being conducted for ocular drug delivery. A vast number of publications exploit the mucoadhesive properties of the polymer, which arise due to interactions between the amino acids of chitosan and the sialic acid residues in mucous. The high degree of crosslinking in chitosan nanoparticles facilitates a dramatic increase in ocular drug retention of the desired drug, which subsequently helps in ocular penetration and improving the bioavailability of the drugs. A noted decrease in the initial burst of the drug is the basis for developing sustained drug release formulation using biodegradable and biocompatible chitosan polymer. In vitro as well as in vivo studies have indicated enhancement in the uptake, accumulation, and removal of chitosan nanoparticles from the site of delivery. In summary, chitosan- or modified-chitosan-based nanoparticles are being widely tested as drug carriers for treatment of bacterial and viral infections, glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration, and diabetic retinopathy.
Thermal Buckling and Free Vibration Analysis of Functionally Graded Plate Resting on an Elastic Foundation According to High Order Shear Deformation Theory Based on New Shape Function
Authors: Radaković Aleksandar , Čukanović Dragan , Bogdanović Gordana , Blagojević Milan , Stojanović Blaža , Dragović Danilo , Manić Nazim
Published: June 2020

Functionally graded square and rectangular plates of different thicknesses placed on the elastic foundation modeled according to the Winkler-Pasternak theory have been studied. The thermal and mechanical characteristics, apart from Poisson’s ratio, are considered to continuously differ through the thickness of the studied material as stated in a power-law distribution. A mathematical model of functionally graded plate which include interaction with elastic foundation is defined. The equilibrium and stability equations are derived using high order shear deformation theory that comprises various kinds of shape function and the von Karman nonlinearity. A new analytically integrable shape function has been introduced. Hamilton’s principle has been applied with the purpose of acquiring the equations of motion. An analytical method for identifying both natural frequencies and critical buckling temperature for cases of linear and nonlinear temperature change through the plate thickness has been established. In order to verify the derived theoretical results on numerical examples, an original program code has been implemented within software MATLAB. Critical buckling temperature and natural frequencies findings are shown below. Previous scientific research and papers confirms that presented both the theoretical formulation and the numerical results are accurate. The comparison has been made between newly established findings based on introduced shape function and the old findings that include 13 different shape functions available in previously published articles. The final part of the research provides analysis and conclusions related to the impact of the power-law index, foundation stiffness, and temperature gradient on critical buckling temperature and natural frequencies of the functionally graded plates.
Enhanced Sensitivity of Microring Resonator-Based Sensors Using the Finite Difference Time Domain Method to Detect Glucose Levels for Diabetes Monitoring
Authors: Hasanah Lilik , Nugroho Harbi Setyo , Wulandari Chandra , Mulyanti Budi , Berhanuddin Dilla Duryha , Haron Mohamad Hazwan , Menon P. Susthitha , Md Zain Ahmad Rifqi , Hamidah Ida , Khairurrijal Khairurrijal , Mamat Rizalman
Published: June 2020

The properties of light and its interaction with biological analytes have made it possible to design sophisticated and reliable optical-based biomedical sensors. In this paper, we report the simulation, design, and fabrication of microring resonator (MRR)-based sensors for the detection of diabetic glucose levels. Electron Beam Lithography (EBL) with 1:1 hydrogen silsesquioxane (HSQ) negative tone resist were used to fabricate MRR on a Silicon-on-Insulator (SOI) platform. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) was then used to characterize the morphology of the MRR device. The full-width at half-maximum (FWHM) and quality factors of MRR were obtained by using a tunable laser source (TLS) and optical spectrum analyzer (OSA). In this paper, the three-dimensional Finite Difference Time Domain (3D FDTD) approach has been used to simulate the proposed design. The simulation results show an accurate approximation with the experimental results. Next, the sensitivity of MRR-based sensors to detect glucose levels is obtained. The sensitivity value for glucose level detection in the range 0% to 18% is 69.44 nm/RIU. This proved that our MRR design has a great potential as a sensor to detect diabetic glucose levels.
Analysis of Lower Hand Wrist Flexion and Twist of the Mallet Head in a Croquet Shot
Authors: Clarke Jenny
Published: June 2020

This study investigated the relationship between wrist flexion and the dynamics of the swing of a croquet mallet. Twenty-seven subjects participated in a study which used 3D motion capture equipment along with high-speed and high-definition video to determine if there is a correlation between the lateral twist of a croquet player’s swing and the flexion of the wrist during that swing. The study found a significant correlation between the amount of flexion of the wrist from the start of the stroke to the top of the backswing and the twist of the mallet head at the top of the backswing (r = 0.330; p < 0.01). The methodology and findings are relevant to all sports where minimising wrist flexion is favourable for improving the consistency of stroke-making (e.g., golf putting, darts and snooker). Additionally, reducing wrist motion in stroke-making may reduce the incidence of wrist pain and injury in croquet. This second point provides further encouragement for attempting to reduce the amount of wrist flexion during croquet swings.
Effectiveness of Positive and Negative Ions for Elite Japanese Swimmers’ Physical Training: Subjective and Biological Emotional Evaluations
Authors: Hagiwara Goichi , Mankyu Hirotoshi , Tsunokawa Takaaki , Matsumoto Masaru , Funamori Hirokazu
Published: June 2020

The purpose of this study is to examine the subjective and objective arousal of elite swimmers during physical training under a positive and negative ion environment. The participants were 10 elite Japanese collegiate swimmers participating in the Fédération Internationale de Natation (FINA) Swimming World Cup (age: 20.80 ± 1.39, five males and five females). Each participant went through two experiments (they were subjected to both the positive and negative ion environment and the control environment) within a four-week interval. The training task was a High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) routine for the swimmers. The subjective arousal state was measured using a Two-Dimensional Mood Scale (TDMS). In addition, biological emotional evaluations in the form of an electroencephalogram (EEG) were conducted to assess the arousal state of the elite swimmers. The examination of the change in the arousal level at rest and during training demonstrated that both subjective and objective arousal levels were significantly higher in the positive and negative ion environment than in the control environment. In addition, the average training performance scores were also significantly higher in the positive and negative ion environment than in the control environment. This study posits that the positive and negative ion environment has a positive effect on sports training.
Analyzing Six Indices for Online Short-Term Voltage Stability Monitoring in Power Systems
Authors: Aslanian Milad , Hamedani-Golshan Mohammad Esmaeil , Haes Alhelou Hassan , Siano Pierluigi
Published: June 2020

In recent years, the importance of online monitoring short-term voltage stability has been considerably increased. Unstable cases due to response of fast dynamic loads such as induction motors to the serious disturbances can be avoided by online monitoring of voltage transients and activating fast and appropriate controls to encounter deep and prolonged voltage drop. In this paper, a set of indices based on the phasor measurement unit (PMU) measurements are introduced and compared for short-term voltage stability. To increase efficiency of the indices, a special algorithm for each index is proposed by using the investigation of the results of applying them to six disturbances’ scenarios simulated on the IEEE 39 bus system. The disturbance scenarios are representative of different cases of stable, unstable, and deep and prolonged voltage drop associated with short-term voltage transients. The performance of these indices are studied in terms of the time and accuracy required for determining the short-term voltage stability/instability cases. It is shown that the proposed method has better performance in comparison with other techniques that can be applied to power systems in reality.
Antioxidant-Based Medicinal Properties of Stingless Bee Products: Recent Progress and Future Directions
Authors: Al-Hatamleh Mohammad A. I. , Boer Jennifer C. , Wilson Kirsty L. , Plebanski Magdalena , Mohamud Rohimah , Mustafa Mohd Zulkifli
Published: June 2020

Stingless bees are a type of honey producers that commonly live in tropical countries. Their use for honey is being abandoned due to its limited production. However, the recent improvements in stingless bee honey production, particularly in South East Asia, have brought stingless bee products back into the picture. Although there are many stingless bee species that produce a wide spread of products, known since old eras in traditional medicine, the modern medical community is still missing more investigational studies on stingless bee products. Whereas comprehensive studies in the current era attest to the biological and medicinal properties of honeybee (Apis mellifera) products, the properties of stingless bee products are less known. This review highlights for the first time the medicinal benefits of stingless bee products (honey, propolis, pollen and cerumen), recent investigations and promising future directions. This review emphasizes the potential antioxidant properties of these products that in turn play a vital role in preventing and treating diseases associated with oxidative stress, microbial infections and inflammatory disorders. Summarizing all these data and insights in one manuscript may increase the commercial value of stingless bee products as a food ingredient. This review will also highlight the utility of stingless bee products in the context of medicinal and therapeutic properties, some of which are yet to be discovered.
Redox-Dependent Copper Ion Modulation of Amyloid-β (1-42) Aggregation In Vitro
Authors: Sasanian Nima , Bernson David , Horvath Istvan , Wittung-Stafshede Pernilla , Esbjörner Elin K.
Published: June 2020

Plaque deposits composed of amyloid-β (Aβ) fibrils are pathological hallmarks of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Although copper ion dyshomeostasis is apparent in AD brains and copper ions are found co-deposited with Aβ peptides in patients’ plaques, the molecular effects of copper ion interactions and redox-state dependence on Aβ aggregation remain elusive. By combining biophysical and theoretical approaches, we here show that Cu2+ (oxidized) and Cu+ (reduced) ions have opposite effects on the assembly kinetics of recombinant Aβ(1-42) into amyloid fibrils in vitro. Cu2+ inhibits both the unseeded and seeded aggregation of Aβ(1-42) at pH 8.0. Using mathematical models to fit the kinetic data, we find that Cu2+ prevents fibril elongation. The Cu2+-mediated inhibition of Aβ aggregation shows the largest effect around pH 6.0 but is lost at pH 5.0, which corresponds to the pH in lysosomes. In contrast to Cu2+, Cu+ ion binding mildly catalyzes the Aβ(1-42) aggregation via a mechanism that accelerates primary nucleation, possibly via the formation of Cu+-bridged Aβ(1-42) dimers. Taken together, our study emphasizes redox-dependent copper ion effects on Aβ(1-42) aggregation and thereby provides further knowledge of putative copper-dependent mechanisms resulting in AD.
Circulating miRNAs: A New Opportunity in Bone Fragility
Authors: Donati Simone , Ciuffi Simone , Palmini Gaia , Brandi Maria Luisa
Published: June 2020

Osteoporosis, one of the leading causes of bone fractures, is characterized by low bone mass and structural deterioration of bone tissue, which are associated with a consequent increase in bone fragility and predisposition to fracture. Current screening tools are limited in estimating the proper assessment of fracture risk, highlighting the need to discover novel more suitable biomarkers. Genetic and environmental factors are both implicated in this disease. Increasing evidence suggests that epigenetics and, in particular, miRNAs, may represent a link between these factors and an increase of fracture risk. miRNAs are a class of small noncoding RNAs that negatively regulate gene expression. In the last decade, several miRNAs have been associated with the development of osteoporosis and bone fracture risk, opening up new possibilities in precision medicine. Recently, these molecules have been identified in several biological fluids, and the possible existence of a circulating miRNA (c-miRNA) signature years before the fracture occurrence is suggested. The aim of this review is to provide an overview of the c-miRNAs suggested as promising biomarkers for osteoporosis up until now, which could be helpful for early diagnosis and monitoring of treatment response, as well as fracture risk assessment, in osteoporotic patients.
8-Hydroxyquinoline-2-Carboxylic Acid as Possible Molybdophore: A Multi-Technique Approach to Define Its Chemical Speciation, Coordination and Sequestering Ability in Aqueous Solution
Authors: Arena Katia , Brancato Giuseppe , Cacciola Francesco , Crea Francesco , Cataldo Salvatore , De Stefano Concetta , Gama Sofia , Lando Gabriele , Milea Demetrio , Mondello Luigi , Pettignano Alberto , Plass Winfried , Sammartano Silvio
Published: June 2020

8-hydroxyquinoline-2-carboxylic acid (8-HQA) has been found in high concentrations (0.5–5.0 mmol·dm−3) in the gut of Noctuid larvae (and in a few other lepidopterans), in which it is proposed to act as a siderophore. Since it is known that many natural siderophores are also involved in the uptake and metabolism of other essential elements than iron, this study reports some results on the investigation of 8-HQA interactions with molybdate (MoO42−, i.e., the main molybdenum form in aqueous environments), in order to understand the possible role of this ligand as molybdophore. A multi-technique approach has been adopted, in order to derive a comprehensive set of information necessary to assess the chemical speciation of the 8-HQA/MoO42− system, as well as the coordination behavior and the sequestering ability of 8-HQA towards molybdate. Chemical speciation studies have been performed in KCl(aq) at I = 0.2 mol·dm−3 and T = 298.15 K by ISE-H+ (glass electrode) potentiometric and UV/Vis spectrophotometric titrations. CV (Cyclic Voltammetry), DP-ASV (Differential Pulse-Anodic Stripping Voltammetry), ESI-MS experiments and quantum mechanical calculations have been also performed to derive information about the nature and possible structure of species formed. These results are also compared with those reported for the 8-HQA/Fe3+ system in terms of chemical speciation and sequestering ability of 8-HQA.
Child Wantedness and Low Weight at Birth: Differential Parental Investment among Roma
Authors: Čvorović Jelena
Published: June 2020

Studies investigating child wantedness, birthweight and parental care are limited. This study assessed relationships of child wantedness, low birthweight and differential parental investment in a poor population of Serbian Roma. Data from the Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey round 5 for Roma settlements were used to account for the association between child wantedness and birthweight, and three measures of parental investment: breastfeeding practices, immunization of children and quality of mother–child interaction. The sample included 584 children aged 0–24 months. The child variables were gender, birth order, birthweight (low birthweight at <2500 g and normal birthweight at >2500 g) and whether the child was wanted, while maternal independent variables included age, literacy and household wealth. The results show that unwanted children were at greater risk of having low birthweight. After controlling for birthweight, child wantedness emerged as a predictor of breastfeeding practices and immunization status: Roma mothers biased their investment toward children who were wanted. The quality of mother–child interaction varied with the mother’s household wealth. Given the high rates of infant and child mortality among Roma, investments in children’s health should be prioritized within the family, where maternal bias in parental investment may contribute to their children’s health disparities.
Fine-Tuning of Sequence Specificity by Near Attack Conformations in Enzyme-Catalyzed Peptide Hydrolysis
Authors: Sadiq S. Kashif
Published: June 2020

The catalytic role of near attack conformations (NACs), molecular states that lie on the pathway between the ground state (GS) and transition state (TS) of a chemical reaction, is not understood completely. Using a computational approach that combines Bürgi–Dunitz theory with all-atom molecular dynamics simulations, the role of NACs in catalyzing the first stages of HIV-1 protease peptide hydrolysis was previously investigated using a substrate that represents the recognized SP1-NC cleavage site of the HIV-1 Gag polyprotein. NACs were found to confer no catalytic effect over the uncatalyzed reaction there ( Δ Δ G N ‡ ∼ 0 kcal/mol). Here, using the same approach, the role of NACs across multiple substrates that each represent a further recognized cleavage site is investigated. Overall rate enhancement varies by | Δ Δ G ‡ | ∼ 12–15 kcal/mol across this set, and although NACs contribute a small and approximately constant barrier to the uncatalyzed reaction (< Δ G N ‡ u > = 4.3 ± 0.3 kcal/mol), they are found to contribute little significant catalytic effect ( | Δ Δ G N ‡ | ∼ 0–2 kcal/mol). Furthermore, no correlation is exhibited between NAC contributions and the overall energy barrier ( R 2 = 0.01). However, these small differences in catalyzed NAC contributions enable rates to match those required for the kinetic order of processing. Therefore, NACs may offer an alternative and subtle mode compared to non-NAC contributions for fine-tuning reaction rates during complex evolutionary sequence selection processes—in this case across cleavable polyproteins whose constituents exhibit multiple functions during the virus life-cycle.
Microwave-Assisted Catalytic Fast Pyrolysis of Biomass for Hydrocarbon Production with Physically Mixed MCM-41 and ZSM-5
Authors: Xue Zeyu , Zhong Zhaoping , Zhang Bo
Published: June 2020

To delve into the law of hydrocarbon production in microwave-assisted catalytic fast pyrolysis (MACFP) of corn straw, physical mixed Mesoporous Crystalline Material-41 (MCM-41) and Zeolite Socony Mobile-5 (ZSM-5) catalyst prototypes were exploited in this study. Besides, the effects exerted by temperature of reaction and MCM-41/ZSM-5 mass ratio were explored. As revealed from the results, carbon outputs of hydrocarbons rose initially as the temperature of MACFP rose and reached the maximal data at 550 °C; subsequently, it declined as reaction temperature rose. Moreover, the MCM-41/ZSM-5 mass ratio of 1:2 was second-to-none for hydrocarbon formation in the course of biomass MACFP. It was reported that adding MCM-41 can hinder coke formation on ZSM-5. Furthermore, MCM-41/ZSM-5 mixture exhibited more significant catalytic activity than ZSM-5/MCM-41 composite, demonstrating that hydrocarbon producing process can be stimulated by a simple physical MCM-41 and ZSM-5 catalysts mixture instead of synthesizing complex hierarchically-structured ZSM-5/MCM-41 composite.
Targeting Nuclear NOTCH2 by Gliotoxin Recovers a Tumor-Suppressor NOTCH3 Activity in CLL
Authors: Hubmann Rainer , Schnabl Susanne , Araghi Mohammad , Schmidl Christian , Rendeiro André F. , Hilgarth Martin , Demirtas Dita , Ali Farghaly , Staber Philipp B. , Valent Peter , Zielinski Christoph , Jäger Ulrich , Shehata Medhat
Published: June 2020

NOTCH signaling represents a promising therapeutic target in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). We compared the anti-neoplastic effects of the nuclear NOTCH2 inhibitor gliotoxin and the pan-NOTCH γ-secretase inhibitor RO4929097 in primary CLL cells with special emphasis on the individual roles of the different NOTCH receptors. Gliotoxin rapidly induced apoptosis in all CLL cases tested, whereas RO4929097 exerted a variable and delayed effect on CLL cell viability. Gliotoxin-induced apoptosis was associated with inhibition of the NOTCH2/FCER2 (CD23) axis together with concomitant upregulation of the NOTCH3/NR4A1 axis. In contrast, RO4929097 downregulated the NOTCH3/NR4A1 axis and counteracted the spontaneous and gliotoxin-induced apoptosis. On the cell surface, NOTCH3 and CD23 expression were mutually exclusive, suggesting that downregulation of NOTCH2 signaling is a prerequisite for NOTCH3 expression in CLL cells. ATAC-seq confirmed that gliotoxin targeted the canonical NOTCH signaling, as indicated by the loss of chromatin accessibility at the potential NOTCH/CSL site containing the gene regulatory elements. This was accompanied by a gain in accessibility at the NR4A1, NFκB, and ATF3 motifs close to the genes involved in B-cell activation, differentiation, and apoptosis. In summary, these data show that gliotoxin recovers a non-canonical tumor-suppressing NOTCH3 activity, indicating that nuclear NOTCH2 inhibitors might be beneficial compared to pan-NOTCH inhibitors in the treatment of CLL.
Hepatitis B Virus Entry into Cells
Authors: Herrscher Charline , Roingeard Philippe , Blanchard Emmanuelle
Published: June 2020

Hepatitis B virus (HBV), an enveloped partially double-stranded DNA virus, is a widespread human pathogen responsible for more than 250 million chronic infections worldwide. Current therapeutic strategies cannot eradicate HBV due to the persistence of the viral genome in a special DNA structure (covalently closed circular DNA, cccDNA). The identification of sodium taurocholate co-transporting polypeptide (NTCP) as an entry receptor for both HBV and its satellite virus hepatitis delta virus (HDV) has led to great advances in our understanding of the life cycle of HBV, including the early steps of infection in particular. However, the mechanisms of HBV internalization and the host factors involved in this uptake remain unclear. Improvements in our understanding of HBV entry would facilitate the design of new therapeutic approaches targeting this stage and preventing the de novo infection of naïve hepatocytes. In this review, we provide an overview of current knowledge about the process of HBV internalization into cells.