bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Periodontal Health in Patients with Self-Ligating Brackets: A Systematic Review of Clinical Studies
Authors: Mester Alexandru , Onisor Florin , Mesaros Anca Stefania
Published: May 2022

Background and objectives: The aim of this systematic review with meta-analysis is to assess the available evidence from human clinical studies of using self-ligating brackets compared to conventional brackets in maintaining periodontal health. Materials and methods: The protocol details were registered in the PROSPERO database (CRD42022302689). This review was performed under the PRISMA guidelines. The electronic search was performed in PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science and grey literature databases, as well as manual searches to find relevant articles published until January 2022. The inclusion criteria consisted of human clinical studies which reported the use of fixed orthodontic treatment with self-ligating brackets (SLBs) or conventional brackets (CBs) in maintaining periodontal health. Results: A total of 453 studies were imported into the Covidence Platform from the databases. Of these, six articles met the inclusion criteria. For plaque index, statistical significance was achieved for SLBs compared to CBs (0.31 (95% CI (0.15 to 0.48), p = 0.0001). For gingival index, probing depth and bleeding on probing no statistical significance was achieved. None of the included studies assessed clinical attachment level. Conclusions: The present systematic review with meta-analysis was considered to provide relevant data on periodontal health during orthodontic treatment in patients with SLBs in comparison with patients wearing CBs. Our findings indicated that SLBs are not superior to CBs in terms of periodontal health.
Nanocomposite Hydrogel Produced from PEGDA and Laponite for Bone Regeneration
Authors: Magalhães Leila S. S. M. , Andrade Danielle B. , Bezerra Roosevelt D. S. , Morais Alan I. S. , Oliveira Francilio C. , Rizzo Márcia S. , Silva-Filho Edson C. , Lobo Anderson O.
Published: May 2022

Herein, a nanocomposite hydrogel was produced using laponite and polyethylene-glycol diacrylate (PEGDA), with or without Irgacure (IG), for application in bone tissue regeneration. The nanocomposites were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-Transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and thermal analysis (TG/DTG). The XRD results showed that the crystallographic structure of laponite was preserved in the nanocomposite hydrogels after the incorporation of PEGDA and IG. The FTIR results indicated that PEGDA polymer chains were entangled on laponite in hydrogels. The TG/DTG found that the presence of laponite (Lap) improved the thermal stability of nanocomposite hydrogel. The toxicity tests by Artemia salina indicated that the nanocomposite hydrogels were not toxic, because the amount of live nauplii was 80.0%. In addition, in vivo tests demonstrated that the hydrogels had the ability to regenerate bone in a bone defect model of the tibiae of osteopenic rats. For the nanocomposite hydrogel (PEGDA + Lap nanocomposites + UV light), the formation of intramembranous bone in the soft callus was more intense in 66.7% of the animals. Thus, the results presented in this study evidence that nanocomposite hydrogels obtained from laponite and PEGDA have the potential for use in bone regeneration.
Systems Biology in Fungal Research
Authors: Geddes-McAlister Jennifer
Published: May 2022

The beauty within biological systems can be uncovered using a variety of advanced technological platforms for in-depth profiling. Improvements in genome, transcriptome, proteome, and metabolome investigations, as well as data integration, are moving our understanding of diverse biological systems forward at a rapid rate. Combined with publicly available and customizable bioinformatics tools, we comprehensively profile biological changes under a plethora of circumstances. For fungal pathogens innovation is driven by our ability to explore mechanisms of antifungal resistance, reveal new relationships and interactions between a host and pathogen, improve our characterization of virulence determinants, and discover new antifungal targets. In this Special Issue dedicated to “Systems biology in fungal research”, we explore each of these factors and more, highlighting the multitude of avenues and strategies available to study fungal pathogens and how they impact our environment.
The Effect of Ca and Mg on the Microstructure and Tribological Properties of YPbSn10 Antifriction Alloy
Authors: Avram Vasile , Csaki Ioana , Mates Ileana , Stoica Nicolae Alexandru , Stoica Alina-Maria , Semenescu Augustin
Published: May 2022

An alloy YPbSn10 used for antifriction applications was synthetized in a furnace and the structure was improved by a microalloying technique. The elements chosen for microalloying were Ca 2%wt and Mg 2%wt. The microalloying technique proved to have good results in producing alloys with homogeneous composition, with a good distribution of the hard phase. The alloys were produced in a furnace and samples were collected and investigated. The structural properties were investigated using an SEM technique with EDS analyses and XRD to identify the compounds formed during alloying. The tribological properties were investigated to see the improvement obtained in this area. The results revealed a homogeneous composition for both samples, alloyed with Ca or with Mg, and the friction coefficient was reduced after the microalloying with almost 20%.
Review of the Effect of Surface Coating Modification on Magnesium Alloy Biocompatibility
Authors: Guo Xuan , Hu Yunpeng , Yuan Kezhen , Qiao Yang
Published: May 2022

Magnesium alloy, as an absorbable and implantable biomaterial, has been greatly developed in the application field of biomaterials in recent years due to its excellent biocompatibility and biomechanics. However, due to the poor corrosion resistance of magnesium alloy in the physiological environment, the degradation rate will be unbalanced, which seriously affects the clinical use. There are two main ways to improve the corrosion resistance of magnesium alloy: one is by adding alloying elements, the other is by surface modification technology. Compared with adding alloy elements, the surface coating modification has the following advantages: (1) The surface coating modification is carried out without changing the matrix elements of magnesium alloy, avoiding the introduction of other elements; (2) The corrosion resistance of magnesium alloy can be improved by relatively simple physical, chemical, or electrochemical improvement. From the perspective of corrosion resistance and biocompatibility of biomedical magnesium alloy materials, this paper summarizes the application and characteristics of six different surface coating modifications in the biomedical magnesium alloy field, including chemical conversion method, micro-arc oxidation method, sol-gel method, electrophoretic deposition, hydrothermal method, and thermal spraying method. In the last section, it looks forward to the development prospect of surface coating modification and points out that preparing modified coatings on the implant surface combined with various modification post-treatment technologies is the main direction to improve biocompatibility and realize clinical functionalization.
Fabrication of TiO2 ̶ KH550 ̶ PEG Super-Hydrophilic Coating on Glass Surface without UV/Plasma Treatment for Self-Cleaning and Anti-Fogging Applications
Authors: Hossain Muhammad Nobi , Lee Sung-Jun , Kim Chang-Lae
Published: May 2022

In this study, we have developed a self-cleaning transparent coating on a glass substrate by dip coating a TiO2 ̶ KH550 ̶ PEG mixed solution with super-hydrophilicity and good antifogging properties. The fabrication of the thin-film-coated glass is a one-step solution blending method that is performed by depositing only one layer of modified TiO2 nanoparticles at room temperature. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were used to determine the structure and morphology of the nanoparticles and the thin-film-coated glass. The surface functional groups were investigated using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), and the optical properties of the glass coating were measured using a UV/Vis spectrometer. The results revealed that the KH-500-modified TiO2 film coating was in an anatase crystalline form. The hydrophilicity of the coated and uncoated glass substrates was observed by measuring their water contact angle (WCA) using a contact angle instrument. The maximum transparency of the coated glass measured in the visible region (380–780 nm) was approximately 70%, and it possessed excellent super-hydrophilic properties (WCA ~0°) at an annealing temperature of 350 °C without further need of UV or plasma treatment. These results demonstrate the super-hydrophilic coated glass surface has potential for use in self-cleaning and anti-fogging applications.
Peeling of Flexible Laminates—Determination of Interlayer Adhesion of Backsheet Laminates Used for Photovoltaic Modules
Authors: Oreski Gernot , Pinter Gerald
Published: May 2022

Delamination is one of the most critical failure modes of a PV module during service lifetime. Delamination within a backsheet primarily imposes a safety risk, but may also accelerate various other PV module degradation modes. The main aim of this paper is to present a peel test set-up, which is more practical in sample preparation and execution than the width-tapered cantilever beam test and overcomes some issues of standard peel tests like the influence of sample geometry and energy dissipation through deformation on the peel test results. The best results with respect to accuracy and effort were achieved by using a 180° peel geometry where an additional adhesive tape is applied to the peel arm in order to avoid plastic deformation or breakage. The additional support of the adhesive tape leads to comparable peel strength values without any influence of the plastic deformation behavior of the peel arms with different thickness.
Influence of Annealing Treatment on Microstructure and Properties of Ni-Rich NiTi Alloy Coating Prepared by Laser Cladding
Authors: Feng Yuqiang , Gao Ziyi , Hu Zhengfei
Published: May 2022

NiTi alloys are widely known for their shape memory effect and super-elasticity. In this study, the laser cladding method was applied to prepare Ni-rich NiTi alloy coatings on 316L stainless steel substrate. The microstructure, phase composition, element distribution and phase transformation behavior of the coatings were investigated in as-fabricated and annealing-treated states. The results indicated that the recrystallized microstructure obtained and the content of Ni3Ti and Ti2Ni phases increased significantly with a rising annealing temperature. Annealing treatment also induced a decrease in the phase-transition enthalpy and a rise in the transformation temperature, even though no obvious martensite transformation was observed. This was suppressed due to the Fe element diffused from the substrate and was probably retarded by the mounting metallic compounds formed during annealing as well. The mechanical properties have also improved obviously; coatings annealed under 850 °C exhibited the highest microhardness of 839 HV, and the wear resistance of the coatings after annealing was enhanced with an 11% average wear mass loss reduction.
Sub-Fiber Scale Precision Dicing of Aramid Fiber-Reinforced Plastic Composites
Authors: Wen Quan , Hu Jintao , Yuan Zewei
Published: May 2022

Aramid fiber-reinforced plastic (AFRP) composites are widely used in aerospace, rail transit, marine and military industries, due to their high specific strength, high impact resistance, fatigue resistance and excellent designable properties. In order to meet different application requirements, cutting processes need to be carried out, such as window opening, edge cutting and slit cutting. However, the characteristics of high tensile strength and toughness, low interlaminar strength, non-uniformity and anisotropy make AFRP composites a difficult-to-machine material. They are prone to produce rough cutting surfaces and cutting damages including burr, wire drawing, delamination, resin burn, material flanging, etc. To solve this problem, the ultra-thin diamond dicing blade was used for high-speed cutting of AFRP composites in sub-fiber scale in this research. The influence of process parameters on cutting force, cutting temperature, maximum spindle current, tool wear and cutting surface quality were investigated by establishing the cutting force model, L16(45) orthogonal experiment, single factor experiment, range analysis and variance analysis. The theoretical and experimental results show that cutting AFRP composites with ultra-thin diamond dicing blade can obtain smooth surfaces without common cutting damages. When the cutting speed is 91.11 m/s (spindle speed n = 30,000 r/min), the cutting depth is 0.2 mm and the feed speed is 5 mm/s, the surface roughness Ra can be as low as 32 nm, which realize the precision cutting of AFRP composites.
Operator & Fractional Order Based Nonlinear Robust Control for a Spiral Counter-Flow Heat Exchanger with Uncertainties and Disturbances
Authors: Dong Guanqiang , Deng Mingcong
Published: May 2022

This paper studies operator and fractional order nonlinear robust control for a spiral counter-flow heat exchanger with uncertainties and disturbances. First, preliminary concepts are presented concerning fractional order derivative and calculus, fractional order operator theory. Then, the problem statement about nonlinear fractional order derivative equation with uncertainties is described. Third, the design of an operator fractional order controller and fractional order PID controller and determination of several related parameters is described. Simulations were performed to verify tracking and anti-disturbance performance by comparison to different control cases; verification is described and concluding remarks provided.
Two-Stage Multi-Scale Fault Diagnosis Method for Rolling Bearings with Imbalanced Data
Authors: Zheng Minglei , Chang Qi , Man Junfeng , Liu Yi , Shen Yiping
Published: May 2022

Intelligent bearing fault diagnosis is a necessary approach to ensure the stable operation of rotating machinery. However, it is usually difficult to collect fault data under actual working conditions, leading to a serious imbalance in training datasets, thus reducing the effectiveness of data-driven diagnostic methods. During the stage of data augmentation, a multi-scale progressive generative adversarial network (MS-PGAN) is used to learn the distribution mapping relationship from normal samples to fault samples with transfer learning, which stably generates fault samples at different scales for dataset augmentation through progressive adversarial training. During the stage of fault diagnosis, the MACNN-BiLSTM method is proposed, based on a multi-scale attention fusion mechanism that can adaptively fuse the local frequency features and global timing features extracted from the input signals of multiple scales to achieve fault diagnosis. Using the UConn and CWRU datasets, the proposed method achieves higher fault diagnosis accuracy than is achieved by several comparative methods on data augmentation and fault diagnosis. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method can stably generate high-quality spectrum signals and extract multi-scale features, with better classification accuracy, robustness, and generalization.
A Generalized Ising-like Model for Spin Crossover Nanoparticles
Authors: Cazelles Catherine , Linares Jorge , Dahoo Pierre-Richard , Boukheddaden Kamel
Published: May 2022

Cooperative spin crossover (SCO) materials exhibit first-order phase transitions in the solid state, between the high-spin (HS) and low-spin (LS) states. Elastic long-range interactions are the basic mechanism for this particular behavior and are described well by the Ising-like model, which allows the reproduction of most of the experimental results in the literature. Until now, this model has been applied with an interaction parameter between the molecules, which is considered to be independent of the states. In this contribution, we extend the Ising-like model to include interaction energy that depends on the spin states and apply it to study SCO nanoparticles. Our research shows that following this new hypothesis, the equilibrium temperature shifts toward higher values.
Enhancement: SiamFC Tracker Algorithm Performance Based on Convolutional Hyperparameters Optimization and Low Pass Filter
Authors: Kanza Rogeany , Zhao Yu , Huang Zhilin , Huang Chenyu , Li Zhuoming
Published: May 2022

Over the past few decades, convolutional neural networks (CNNs) have achieved outstanding results in addressing a broad scope of computer vision problems. Despite these improvements, fully convolutional Siamese neural networks (FCSNN) still hardly adapt to complex scenes, such as appearance change, scale change, similar objects interference, etc. The present study focuses on an enhanced FCSNN based on convolutional block hyperparameters optimization, a new activation function (ModReLU) and Gaussian low pass filter. The optimization of hyperparameters is an important task, as it has a crucial ascendancy on the tracking process performance, especially when it comes to the initialization of weights and bias. They have to work efficiently with the following activation function layer. Inadequate initialization can result in vanishing or exploding gradients. In the first method, we propose an optimization strategy for initializing weights and bias in the convolutional block to ameliorate the learning of features so that each neuron learns as much as possible. Next, the activation function normalizes the output. We implement the convolutional block hyperparameters optimization by setting the convolutional weights initialization to constant, the bias initialization to zero and the Leaky ReLU activation function at the output. In the second method, we propose a new activation, ModReLU, in the activation layer of CNN. Additionally, we also introduce a Gaussian low pass filter to minimize image noise and improve the structures of images at distinct scales. Moreover, we add a pixel-domain-based color adjustment implementation to enhance the capacity of the proposed strategies. The proposed implementations handle better rotation, moving, occlusion and appearance change problems and improve tracking speed. Our experimental results clearly show a significant improvement in the overall performance compared to the original SiamFC tracker. The first proposed technique of this work surpasses the original fully convolutional Siamese networks (SiamFC) on the VOT 2016 dataset with an increase of 15.42% in precision, 16.79% in AUPC and 15.93% in IOU compared to the original SiamFC. Our second proposed technique also reveals remarkable advances over the original SiamFC with 18.07% precision increment, 17.01% AUPC improvement and an increase of 15.87% in IOU. We evaluate our methods on the Visual Object Tracking (VOT) Challenge 2016 dataset, and they both outperform the original SiamFC tracker performance and many other top performers.
Fractional Dynamics with Depreciation and Obsolescence: Equations with Prabhakar Fractional Derivatives
Authors: Tarasov Vasily E.
Published: May 2022

In economics, depreciation functions (operator kernels) are certain decreasing functions, which are assumed to be equal to unity at zero. Usually, an exponential function is used as a depreciation function. However, exponential functions in operator kernels do not allow simultaneous consideration of memory effects and depreciation effects. In this paper, it is proposed to consider depreciation of a non-exponential type, and simultaneously take into account memory effects by using the Prabhakar fractional derivatives and integrals. Integro-differential operators with the Prabhakar (generalized Mittag-Leffler) function in the kernels are considered. The important distinguishing features of the Prabhakar function in operator kernels, which allow us to take into account non-exponential depreciation and fading memory in economics, are described. In this paper, equations with the following operators are considered: (a) the Prabhakar fractional integral, which contains the Prabhakar function as the kernels; (b) the Prabhakar fractional derivative of Riemann–Liouville type proposed by Kilbas, Saigo, and Saxena in 2004, which is left inverse for the Prabhakar fractional integral; and (c) the Prabhakar operator of Caputo type proposed by D’Ovidio and Polito, which is also called the regularized Prabhakar fractional derivative. The solutions of fractional differential equations with the Prabhakar operator and its special cases are suggested. The asymptotic behavior of these solutions is discussed.
Enhancement of Image Classification Using Transfer Learning and GAN-Based Synthetic Data Augmentation
Authors: Chatterjee Subhajit , Hazra Debapriya , Byun Yung-Cheol , Kim Yong-Woon
Published: May 2022

Plastic bottle recycling has a crucial role in environmental degradation and protection. Position and background should be the same to classify plastic bottles on a conveyor belt. The manual detection of plastic bottles is time consuming and leads to human error. Hence, the automatic classification of plastic bottles using deep learning techniques can assist with the more accurate results and reduce cost. To achieve a considerably good result using the DL model, we need a large volume of data to train. We propose a GAN-based model to generate synthetic images similar to the original. To improve the image synthesis quality with less training time and decrease the chances of mode collapse, we propose a modified lightweight-GAN model, which consists of a generator and a discriminator with an auto-encoding feature to capture essential parts of the input image and to encourage the generator to produce a wide range of real data. Then a newly designed weighted average ensemble model based on two pre-trained models, inceptionV3 and xception, to classify transparent plastic bottles obtains an improved classification accuracy of 99.06%.
An Optimal Investigation of Convective Fluid Flow Suspended by Carbon Nanotubes and Thermal Radiation Impact
Authors: Yu Dongmin , Wang Rijun
Published: May 2022

This study is focused towards analyzing the heat and flow movement among two stretching rotating disks inside water-based carbon nanotubes. The idea of thermal boundary conditions and heat convection is used and the system is expressed in partial differential equations. Using the similarity techniques, the model is successfully converted to a nonlinear ordinary differential equation. A familiar collocation method is used to simulate the outcomes of the governed system while the method is validated through a set of tables and assessed with existing literature. The physical aspects of the proposed model have been studied in detail and assisted via graphical diagrams against the variation of different parameters. It is found that the multiple-wall carbon nanotubes intensify the system quickly and improve the rate of heat transmission. It is also noted that the proposed method is in excellent in agreement with already published studies and can be extended for other physical problems. Moreover, when values of Re parameter increase, a drop is noted in the magnitude of radial velocity near the faces of the disks. It is very clear from the tabular comparison that collocation scheme is in good agreement with already published studies and homotopic solutions.
Recovery of Nutrients from Residual Streams Using Ion-Exchange Membranes: Current State, Bottlenecks, Fundamentals and Innovations
Authors: Pismenskaya Natalia , Tsygurina Kseniia , Nikonenko Victor
Published: May 2022

The review describes the place of membrane methods in solving the problem of the recovery and re-use of biogenic elements (nutrients), primarily trivalent nitrogen NIII and pentavalent phosphorus PV, to provide the sustainable development of mankind. Methods for the recovery of NH4+ − NH3 and phosphates from natural sources and waste products of humans and animals, as well as industrial streams, are classified. Particular attention is paid to the possibilities of using membrane processes for the transition to a circular economy in the field of nutrients. The possibilities of different methods, already developed or under development, are evaluated, primarily those that use ion-exchange membranes. Electromembrane methods take a special place including capacitive deionization and electrodialysis applied for recovery, separation, concentration, and reagent-free pH shift of solutions. This review is distinguished by the fact that it summarizes not only the successes, but also the “bottlenecks” of ion-exchange membrane-based processes. Modern views on the mechanisms of NH4+ − NH3 and phosphate transport in ion-exchange membranes in the presence and in the absence of an electric field are discussed. The innovations to enhance the performance of electromembrane separation processes for phosphate and ammonium recovery are considered.
From Iron to Copper: The Effect of Transition Metal Catalysts on the Hydrogen Storage Properties of Nanoconfined LiBH4 in a Graphene-Rich N-Doped Matrix
Authors: Martínez Alejandra A. , Gasnier Aurelien , Gennari Fabiana C.
Published: May 2022

Incipient wetness impregnation was employed to decorate two N-doped graphene-rich matrixes with iron, nickel, cobalt, and copper nanoparticles. The N-doped matrix was wetted with methanol solutions of the corresponding nitrates. After agitation and solvent evaporation, reduction at 800 °C over the carbon matrix promoted the formation of nanoparticles. The mass of the metal fraction was limited to 5 wt. % to determine if limited quantities of metallic nanoparticles catalyze the hydrogen capture/release of nanoconfined LiBH4. Isotherms of nitrogen adsorption afforded the textural characterization of the matrixes. Electronic microscopy displayed particles of definite size, evenly distributed on the matrixes, as confirmed by X-ray diffraction. The same techniques assessed the impact of LiBH4 50 vol. % impregnation on nanoparticle distribution and size. The hydrogen storage properties of these materials were evaluated by differential scanning calorimetry and two cycles of volumetric studies. X-ray diffraction allowed us to follow the evolution of the material after two cycles of hydrogen capture-release. We discuss if limited quantities of coordination metals can improve the hydrogen storage properties of nanoconfined LiBH4, and which critical parameters might restrain the synergies between nanoconfinement and the presence of metal catalysts.
Effect of Aucubin-Containing Eye Drops on Tear Hyposecretion and Lacrimal Gland Damage Induced by Urban Particulate Matter in Rats
Authors: Park Su-Bin , Jung Woo Kwon , Yu Hwa-Young , Kim Yong Hwan , Kim Junghyun
Published: May 2022

Exposure to particulate matter is a causative factor of dry eye disease. We aimed to investigate the beneficial effect of eye drops containing aucubin on dry eye disease induced by urban particulate matter (UPM). Dry eye was induced in male SD rats (6 weeks old) by topical exposure to UPM thrice a day for 5 d. Eye drops containing 0.1% aucubin or 0.5% aucubin were topically administered directly into the eye after UPM exposure for an additional 5 d. Tear secretion was evaluated using a phenol red thread tear test and corneal irregularity. The oxidative damage in the lacrimal gland was evaluated using TUNEL and immunohistochemical staining. The topical administration of aucubin significantly attenuated UPM-induced tear hyposecretion (control group: 9.25 ± 0.62 mm, UPM group: 4.55 ± 0.25 mm, 0.1% aucubin: 7.12 ± 0.58 mm, and 0.5% aucubin: 7.88 ± 0.75 mm) and corneal irregularity (control group: 0.00 ± 0.00, UPM group: 3.40 ± 0.29, 0.1% aucubin: 1.80 ± 0.27, and 0.5% aucubin: 1.15 ± 0.27). In addition, aucubin also reduced the UPM-induced apoptotic injury of lacrimal gland cells induced by oxidative stress through the increased expression of HMGB1 and RAGE. These findings indicate that the topical administration of aucubin eye drops showed a beneficial effect against UPM-induced abnormal ocular changes, such as tear hyposecretion and lacrimal gland damage. Therefore, our results reveal the pharmacological activities of aucubin in dry eye disease.
Improvement of Biological Effects of Root-Filling Materials for Primary Teeth by Incorporating Sodium Iodide
Authors: Choi Ji-Myung , Vu Huong Thu , Shin Seong-Jin , Ahn Jun-Yong , Kim You-Jin , Song Sol , Han Mi-Ran , Lee Jun-Haeng , Kim Jong-Soo , Knowles Jonathan C. , Lee Hae-Hyoung , Shin Ji-Sun , Kim Jong-Bin , Lee Jung-Hwan
Published: May 2022

Therapeutic iodoform (CHI3) is commonly used as a root-filling material for primary teeth; however, the side effects of iodoform-containing materials, including early root resorption, have been reported. To overcome this problem, a water-soluble iodide (NaI)-incorporated root-filling material was developed. Calcium hydroxide, silicone oil, and NaI were incorporated in different weight proportions (30:30:X), and the resulting material was denoted DX (D5~D30), indicating the NaI content. As a control, iodoform instead of NaI was incorporated at a ratio of 30:30:30, and the material was denoted I30. The physicochemical (flow, film thickness, radiopacity, viscosity, water absorption, solubility, and ion releases) and biological (cytotoxicity, TRAP, ARS, and analysis of osteoclastic markers) properties were determined. The amount of iodine, sodium, and calcium ion releases and the pH were higher in D30 than I30, and the highest level of unknown extracted molecules was detected in I30. In the cell viability test, all groups except 100% D30 showed no cytotoxicity. In the 50% nontoxic extract, D30 showed decreased osteoclast formation compared with I30. In summary, NaI-incorporated materials showed adequate physicochemical properties and low osteoclast formation compared to their iodoform-counterpart. Thus, NaI-incorporated materials may be used as a substitute for iodoform-counterparts in root-filling materials after further (pre)clinical investigation.
Synthesis and Characterization of Dihydrouracil Analogs Utilizing Biginelli Hybrids
Authors: Bukhari Syed Nasir Abbas , Ejaz Hasan , Elsherif Mervat A. , Janković Nenad
Published: May 2022

Dihydrouracil presents a crucial intermediate in the catabolism of uracil. The vital importance of uracil and its nucleoside, uridine, encourages scientists to synthesize novel dihydrouracils. In this paper, we present an innovative, fast, and effective method for the synthesis of dihydrouracils. Hence, under mild conditions, 3-chloroperbenzoic acid was used to cleave the carbon–sulfur bond of the Biginelli hybrids 5,6-dihydropyrimidin-4(3H)-ones. This approach led to thirteen novel dihydrouracils synthesized in moderate-to-high yields (32–99%).
Novel Pyridinium Based Ionic Liquid Promoter for Aqueous Knoevenagel Condensation: Green and Efficient Synthesis of New Derivatives with Their Anticancer Evaluation
Authors: Nayl AbdElAziz A. , Arafa Wael A. A. , Ahmed Ismail M. , Abd-Elhamid Ahmed I. , El-Fakharany Esmail M. , Abdelgawad Mohamed A. , Gomha Sobhi M. , Ibrahim Hamada M. , Aly Ashraf A. , Bräse Stefan , Mourad Asmaa K.
Published: May 2022

Herein, a distinctive dihydroxy ionic liquid ([Py-2OH]OAc) was straightforwardly assembled from the sonication of pyridine with 2-chloropropane-1,3-diol by employing sodium acetate as an ion exchanger. The efficiency of the ([Py-2OH]OAc as a promoter for the sono-synthesis of a novel library of condensed products through DABCO-catalyzed Knoevenagel condensation process of adequate active cyclic methylenes and ninhydrin was next investigated using ultimate greener conditions. All of the reactions studied went cleanly and smoothly, and the resulting Knoevenagel condensation compounds were recovered in high yields without detecting the aldol intermediates in the end products. Compared to traditional strategies, the suggested approach has numerous advantages including mild reaction conditions with no by-products, eco-friendly solvent, outstanding performance in many green metrics, and usability in gram-scale synthesis. The reusability of the ionic liquid was also studied, with an overall retrieved yield of around 97% for seven consecutive runs without any substantial reduction in the performance. The novel obtained compounds were further assessed for their in vitro antitumor potential toward three human tumor cell lines: Colo-205 (colon cancer), MCF-7 (breast cancer), and A549 (lung cancer) by employing the MTT assay, and the findings were evaluated with the reference Doxorubicin. The results demonstrated that the majority of the developed products had potent activities at very low doses. Compounds comprising rhodanine (5) or chromane (12) moieties exhibited the most promising cytotoxic effects toward three cell lines, particularly rhodanine carboxylic acid derivative (5c), showing superior cytotoxic effects against the investigated cell lines compared to the reference drug. Furthermore, automated docking simulation studies were also performed to support the results obtained.
Poly(l-lactide-co-caprolactone-co-glycolide)-Based Nanoparticles as Delivery Platform: Effect of the Surfactants on Characteristics and Delivery Efficiency
Authors: Rebanda Magda M. , Bettini Simona , Blasi Laura , Gaballo Antonio , Ragusa Andrea , Quarta Alessandra , Piccirillo Clara
Published: May 2022

Polymeric nanoparticles made of the copolymer Poly(L-lactide-co-caprolactone-co-glycolide) were prepared using the solvent evaporation method. Two different surfactants, polyvinyl alcohol and dextran, and a mixture of the two were employed. The three types of nanoparticles were used as hosting carriers of two chemotherapeutic drugs, the hydrophilic doxorubicin and the hydrophobic SN-38. The morphostructural characterization showed similar features for the three types of nanoparticles, while the drug encapsulation efficiency indicated that the dextran-based systems are the most effective with both drugs. Cellular studies with breast cancer cells were performed to compare the delivery capability and the cytotoxicity profile of the three nanosystems. The results show that the unloaded nanoparticles are highly biocompatible at the administered concentrations and confirmed that dextran-coated nanoparticles are the most efficient vectors to release the two drugs, exerting cytotoxic activity. PVA, on the other hand, shows limited drug release in vitro, probably due to strong interactions with both drugs. Data also show the release is more efficient for doxorubicin than for SN-38; indeed, the doxorubicin IC50 value for the dextran-coated nanoparticles was about 35% lower than the free drug. This indicates that these nanocarriers are suitable candidates to deliver hydrophilic drugs while needing further modification to host hydrophobic molecules.
Direct Laser Patterning of CdTe QDs and Their Optical Properties Control through Laser Parameters
Authors: Antolini Francesco , Limosani Francesca , Carcione Rocco
Published: May 2022

Direct laser patterning is a potential and powerful technique to localize nanomaterials within a host matrix. The main goal of this study is to demonstrate that by tuning some parameters of a laser source, like power and laser pulse frequency, it is possible to modify and tune the optical properties of the generated quantum dots (QDs) within a host matrix of a specific chemical composition. The study is realized by using cadmium telluride (CdTe) QD precursors, embedded in polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) host matrix, as starting materials. The patterning of the CdTe QDs is carried out by using a UV nanosecond laser source at 355. Fluorescence microscopy and photoluminescence spectroscopy, associated with transmission electron microscopy, indicate that it is possible to obtain desired patterns of QDs emitting from green to red of the visible spectrum, due to the formed CdTe QDs. Preliminary highlights of the CdTe QDs’ formation mechanism are given in terms of laser power and laser pulse frequency (repetition rate).
Combinatorial Cu-Ni Alloy Thin-Film Catalysts for Layer Number Control in Chemical Vapor-Deposited Graphene
Authors: Khanna Sumeer R. , Stanford Michael G. , Vlassiouk Ivan V. , Rack Philip D.
Published: May 2022

We synthesized a combinatorial library of CuxNi1−x alloy thin films via co-sputtering from Cu and Ni targets to catalyze graphene chemical vapor deposition. The alloy morphology, composition, and microstructure were characterized via scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDS), and X-ray diffraction (XRD), respectively. Subsequently, the CuxNi1−x alloy thin films were used to grow graphene in a CH4-Ar-H2 ambient at atmospheric pressure. The underlying rationale is to adjust the CuxNi1−x composition to control the graphene. Energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDS) analysis revealed that a continuous gradient of CuxNi1−x (25 at. % < x < 83 at.%) was initially achieved across the 100 mm diameter substrate (~0.9%/mm composition gradient). The XRD spectra confirmed a solid solution was realized and the face-centered cubic lattice parameter varied from ~3.52 to 3.58 A˙, consistent with the measured composition gradient, assuming Vegard’s law. Optical microscopy and Raman analysis of the graphene layers suggest single layer growth occurs with x > 69 at.%, bilayer growth dominates from 48 at.% < x < 69 at.%, and multilayer (≥3) growth occurs for x < 48 at.%, where x is the Cu concentration. Finally, a large area of bi-layer graphene was grown via a CuxNi1−x catalyst with optimized catalyst composition and growth temperature.
Personalized Nutrition in the Management of Female Infertility: New Insights on Chronic Low-Grade Inflammation
Authors: Fabozzi Gemma , Verdone Giulia , Allori Mariachiara , Cimadomo Danilo , Tatone Carla , Stuppia Liborio , Franzago Marica , Ubaldi Nicolò , Vaiarelli Alberto , Ubaldi Filippo Maria , Rienzi Laura , Gennarelli Gianluca
Published: May 2022

Increasing evidence on the significance of nutrition in reproduction is emerging from both animal and human studies, suggesting a mutual association between nutrition and female fertility. Different “fertile” dietary patterns have been studied; however, in humans, conflicting results or weak correlations are often reported, probably because of the individual variations in genome, proteome, metabolome, and microbiome and the extent of exposure to different environmental conditions. In this scenario, “precision nutrition”, namely personalized dietary patterns based on deep phenotyping and on metabolomics, microbiome, and nutrigenetics of each case, might be more efficient for infertile patients than applying a generic nutritional approach. In this review, we report on new insights into the nutritional management of infertile patients, discussing the main nutrigenetic, nutrigenomic, and microbiomic aspects that should be investigated to achieve effective personalized nutritional interventions. Specifically, we will focus on the management of low-grade chronic inflammation, which is associated with several infertility-related diseases.
Cost–Benefit and Cost–Utility Analyses to Demonstrate the Potential Value-for-Money of Supermarket Shelf Tags Promoting Healthier Packaged Products in Australia
Authors: Ananthapavan Jaithri , Sacks Gary , Orellana Liliana , Marshall Josephine , Robinson Ella , Moodie Marj , Blake Miranda , Brown Amy , Carter Rob , Cameron Adrian J.
Published: May 2022

The supermarket environment impacts the healthiness of food purchased and consumed. Shelf tags that alert customers to healthier packaged products can improve the healthiness of overall purchases. This study assessed the potential value-for-money of implementing a three-year shelf tag intervention across all major supermarket chains in Australia. Cost–benefit analyses (CBA) and cost–utility analyses (CUA) were conducted based on results of a 12-week non-randomised controlled trial of a shelf tag intervention in seven Australian supermarkets. The change in energy density of all packaged foods purchased during the trial was used to estimate population-level changes in mean daily energy intake. A multi-state, multiple-cohort Markov model estimated the subsequent obesity-related health and healthcare cost outcomes over the lifetime of the 2019 Australian population. The CBA and CUA took societal and healthcare sector perspectives, respectively. The intervention was estimated to produce a mean reduction in population body weight of 1.09 kg. The net present value of the intervention was approximately AUD 17 billion (B). Over 98% of the intervention costs were borne by supermarkets. CUA findings were consistent with the CBA—the intervention was dominant, producing both health benefits and cost-savings. Shelf tags are likely to offer excellent value-for-money from societal and healthcare sector perspectives.
Carbohydrate Maldigestion and Intolerance
Authors: Fernández-Bañares Fernando
Published: May 2022

This review summarizes dietary carbohydrate intolerance conditions and recent advances on the possible role of carbohydrate maldigestion and dietary outcomes in patients with functional bowel disease. When malabsorbed carbohydrates reach the colon, they are fermented by colonic bacteria, with the production of short-chain fatty acids and gas lowering colonic pH. The appearance of diarrhoea or symptoms of flatulence depends in part on the balance between the production and elimination of these fermentation products. Different studies have shown that there are no differences in the frequency of sugar malabsorption between patients with irritable bowel disease (IBS) and healthy controls; however, the severity of symptoms after a sugar challenge is higher in patients than in controls. A diet low in ‘Fermentable, Oligo-Di- and Monosaccharides and Polyols’ (FODMAPs) is an effective treatment for global symptoms and abdominal pain in IBS, but its implementation should be supervised by a trained dietitian. A ‘bottom-up’ approach to the low-FODMAP diet has been suggested to avoid an alteration of gut microbiota and nutritional status. Two approaches have been suggested in this regard: starting with only certain subgroups of the low-FODMAP diet based on dietary history or with a gluten-free diet.
Iron Supplementation at the Crossroads of Nutrition and Gut Microbiota: The State of the Art
Authors: Puga Ana M. , Samaniego-Vaesken María de Lourdes , Montero-Bravo Ana , Ruperto Mar , Partearroyo Teresa , Varela-Moreiras Gregorio
Published: May 2022

Gut microbiota has received significant attention owing to its decisive role in human health and disease. Diet exerts a significant influence on the variety and number of bacteria residing in the intestinal epithelium. On the other hand, as iron is a key micronutrient for blood formation and oxygen supply, its deficiency is highly prevalent worldwide. In fact, it is the most common cause of anemia and thus, iron supplementation is widespread. However, there is concern due to some potential risks linked to iron supplementation. Therefore, we have reviewed the available evidence of the effects that iron supplementation exerts on the gut microbiota as well as its potential benefits and risks. The compiled information suggests that iron supplementation is potentially harmful for gut microbiota. Therefore, it should be performed with caution, and by principle, recommended only to individuals with proven iron deficiency or iron-deficiency anemia to avoid potential adverse effects. In any case, large and long-term population studies are urgently needed to confirm or refute these results, mainly focused on vulnerable populations.
Dietary Patterns and Metabolic Disorders in Polish Adults with Multiple Sclerosis
Authors: Suliga Edyta , Brola Waldemar , Sobaś Kamila , Cieśla Elżbieta , Jasińska Elżbieta , Gołuch Katarzyna , Głuszek Stanisław
Published: May 2022

Diet plays a major role in the aetiopathogenesis of many neurological diseases and may exacerbate their symptoms by inducing the occurrence of metabolic disorders. The results of research on the role of diet in the course of multiple sclerosis (MS) are ambiguous, and there is still no consensus concerning dietary recommendations for patients with MS. The aim of this study was to analyse the dietary patterns (DPs) of patients with MS and to assess the relationships between these DPs and the metabolic disorders. The study participants were comprised of 330 patients aged 41.9 ± 10.8 years. A survey questionnaire was used to collect data related to diet, lifestyle and health. The DPs were identified using a principal component analysis (PCA). Three DPs were identified: Traditional Polish, Prudent and Fast Food & Convenience Food. An analysis of the odds ratios adjusted for age, gender, smoking and education showed that a patient’s adherence to the Traditional Polish and the Fast Food & Convenience Food DPs increased the likelihood of abdominal obesity and low HDL-cholesterol concentration. Conversely, adherence to the Prudent DP was not significantly associated with any metabolic disorder. The results of this study confirmed that an unhealthy diet in patients with MS is connected with the presence of some metabolic risk factors. There is also an urgent need to educate patients with MS on healthy eating, because the appropriate modifications to their diet may improve their metabolic profile and clinical outcomes.
Acute, Severe Hepatitis of Unknown Origin: Should We Really Be Afraid of Another Obscure Enemy of Our Children?
Authors: Aricò Maurizio , Caselli Désirée
Published: May 2022

On 31 March 2022, Public Health Scotland was alerted to five children aged 3–5 years, presenting to the Glasgow children’s hospital with severe hepatitis of unknown etiology within a 3-week period [...]
Metallic Engineered Nanomaterials and Ocular Toxicity: A Current Perspective
Authors: Cosert Krista M. , Kim Soohyun , Jalilian Iman , Chang Maggie , Gates Brooke L. , Pinkerton Kent E. , Van Winkle Laura S. , Raghunathan Vijay Krishna , Leonard Brian C. , Thomasy Sara M.
Published: May 2022

The ocular surface, comprised of the transparent cornea, conjunctiva, and protective tear film, forms a protective barrier defending deeper structures of the eye from particulate matter and mechanical trauma. This barrier is routinely exposed to a multitude of naturally occurring and engineered nanomaterials (ENM). Metallic ENMs are particularly ubiquitous in commercial products with a high risk of ocular exposure, such as cosmetics and sunscreens. Additionally, there are several therapeutic uses for metallic ENMs owing to their attractive magnetic, antimicrobial, and functionalization properties. The increasing commercial and therapeutic applications of metallic ENMs come with a high risk of ocular exposure with poorly understood consequences to the health of the eye. While the toxicity of metallic ENMs exposure has been rigorously studied in other tissues and organs, further studies are necessary to understand the potential for adverse effects and inform product usage for individuals whose ocular health may be compromised by injury, disease, or surgical intervention. This review provides an update of current literature on the ocular toxicity of metallic ENMs in vitro and in vivo, as well as the risks and benefits of therapeutic applications of metallic ENMs in ophthalmology.