bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Impact of Mitral Regurgitation Recurrence on Mitral Valve Repair for Secondary Ischemic Mitral Regurgitation
Authors: Salsano Antonio , Nenna Antonio , Molinari Nicolas , Avtaar Singh Sanjeet Singh , Spadaccio Cristiano , Santini Francesco , Chello Massimo , Fiore Antonio , Nappi Francesco
Published: March 2023

Objectives. The current guidelines still do not include specific recommendations on the use of subvalvular repair (SV-r) for treatment of ischemic mitral regurgitation (IMR). Therefore, the objective of our study was to evaluate the clinical impact of mitral regurgitation (MR) recurrence and ventricular remodeling on long-term outcomes after SV-r combined with restrictive annuloplasty (RA-r). Methods. We performed a subanalysis of the papillary muscle approximation trial, studying 96 patients with severe IMR and coronary artery disease undergoing restrictive annuloplasty alongside subvalvular repair (SV-r + RA-r group) or restrictive annuloplasty alone (RA-r group). We analyzed treatment failure differences, the influence of residual MR, left ventricular remodeling, and clinical outcomes. The primary endpoint was treatment failure (composite of death; reoperation; or recurrence of moderate, moderate-to-severe, or severe MR) within 5 years of follow-up after the procedure. Results. A total of 45 patients showed failure of the treatment within 5 years, of which 16 patients underwent SV-r + RA-r (35.6%) and 29 underwent RA-r (64.4%, p = 0.006). Patients with significant residual MR presented with a higher rate of all-cause mortality at 5 years compared with trivial MR (HR 9.09, 95% CI 2.08–33.33, p = 0.003). MR progression occurred earlier in the RA-r group, as 20 patients in the RA-r group vs. 6 in SV-r + RA-r group had a significant MR 2 years after surgery (p = 0.002). Conclusions. RA-r remains a surgical mitral repair technique with an increased risk of failure and mortality at 5 years compared with SV-r. The rates of recurrent MR are higher, and recurrence occurs earlier, with RA-r alone compared to SV-r. The addition of the subvalvular repair increases the durability of the repair, thus extending all of the benefits of preventing MR recurrence.
Deconstructing Multiorgan Sarcoidosis
Authors: Judson Marc A.
Published: March 2023

Sarcoidosis is a multisystem granulomatous disease of unknown cause [...]
Long-Term Survival Rate of ATOMS Implant for Male Stress Urinary Incontinence and Management of Late Complications
Authors: Giammò Alessandro , Ammirati Enrico
Published: March 2023

Background: stress urinary incontinence (SUI) still represents a major drawback of prostate surgery. The aim of this study is to evaluate long term efficacy, safety and survival of ATOMS system implant in a single center. Methods: we retrospectively included al consecutive patients treated with ATOMS implant for SUI from October 2014 to July 2019. Patients received anamnesis, urodynamic evaluation, pre- and postoperative 24 h pad test and count. Patients were considered “continent” when dry or when wearing a security pad (social continence). Results: we treated99 patientswith median age 77.98 years (IQR 72.7–82.52). Most of the patients had undergone radical prostatectomy. Median follow-up was 62.9 months (IQR 47.5–75.9). At last follow-up 74 (74.7%) patients reported continence.We had 21 early (<30 days) postoperative complications, all Clavien-Dindo (CD) grade 1: [11 temporary perineal pain, 4 urinary retention, 3 scrotal edema, 2 superficial wound dehiscence, 1 dysuria]. We had late postoperative complications in 28 patients 7 port dislocations requiring surgical repositioning (CD 3a), 6 device removals (CD 3a) due to port erosion (2), inefficacy (2), cushion leakage (1), mesh detachment (1), perineal pain (5), 2 cases of port extrusion solved with port removal leaving the device in place (CD 3a), 2 superficial wound dehiscence (CD 1), 2 UTI (CD 1), 1 scrotal edema (CD 1), 1 cushion deflate (CD 1), 1 dysuria (CD 1), 1 perineal pain (CD 1). The survival of the device was 97% at 12 months, 93% at 24 months, 91% at 36 months, 90% at 48 months and 87.9% at 60 months. Conclusions: This study demonstrates the good safety and efficacy of ATOMS implant for the treatment of SUI.
Transoral Robotic Surgery for Head and Neck Cancer: Advances and Residual Knowledge Gaps
Authors: Mella Mariam H. , Chabrillac Emilien , Dupret-Bories Agnès , Mirallie Mathilde , Vergez Sébastien
Published: March 2023

Minimally invasive surgery is a growing field in surgical oncology. After acquiring its first Food and Drug Administration approval in 2009 for T1–T2 malignancies of the oral cavity, oropharynx, and larynx, transoral robotic surgery (TORS) has gained popularity thanks to its wristed instruments and magnified three-dimensional view, enhancing surgical comfort in remote-access areas. Its indications are expanding in the treatment of head and neck cancer, i.e., resection of tumors of the larynx, hypopharynx, or parapharyngeal space. However, this expansion must remain cautious and based on high-level evidence, in order to guarantee safety and oncological outcomes which are comparable to conventional approaches. This narrative review assesses the current role of TORS in head and neck cancer from an evidence-based perspective, and then identifies what knowledge gaps remain to be addressed.
Implications of Vascularized Composite Allotransplantation in Plastic Surgery on Legal Medicine
Authors: Haug Valentin , Panayi Adriana , Knoedler Samuel , Foroutanjazi Sina , Kauke-Navarro Martin , Fischer Sebastian , Hundeshagen Gabriel , Diehm Yannick , Kneser Ulrich , Pomahac Bohdan
Published: March 2023

Background: When a patient receives a transplant—be it classically an organ or bone marrow or, more recently, composite allotransplantations of the limb or face—it can result in artificial chimerism. Such chimerism raises considerations in forensic medicine, a field that relies on the collection and identification of biological samples from crime scenes. Beyond this chimerism, composite allotransplantations create further challenges. Methods: After screening the literature and press releases, we provide a brief history and summary of some of the technologies used in forensic identification, explaining their advantages and pitfalls in the light of transplantation and cautioning against misidentifying those who evade justice by taking advantage of such considerations. Results: With face transplantation, patients can receive the skin, hair, salivary glands, teeth, and oral and nasal mucosa of their donors, components which hold great importance in forensic science. Modern technologies such as computer-assisted facial recognition, although gradually becoming more accurate over time, also face new challenges in this post-transplantation era as facial recognition software can be misled by surgical alterations of the face or face transplantation. With limb transplantation, there is an impact on fingerprint identification. Conclusions: Both surgical transplantation techniques and forensic technologies have seen incomprehensibly great innovation in the past century. Given the growing rate of successful composite transplantation in the USA and worldwide, it is now important for law enforcement agents to be aware of the new possibility of having two sets of genetic material, hair, saliva, fingerprints, or even facial recognition data for the same individual.
Total Water Level Mitigation Related to Fringing Reef and Upperbeach Vegetation Status at a Hurricane Exposed Coast
Authors: Laigre Thibault , Balouin Yann , Villarroel-Lamb Deborah , Lerma Alexandre Nicolae , Valentini Nico , Moisan Manuel , De La Torre Ywenn
Published: March 2023

Increasing evidence suggests that coastal ecosystems provide significant protection against coastal flooding. However, these ecosystems are highly impacted by local human activities and climate change, which has resulted in reducing their extent and can limit their role in flooding mitigation. Most studies dealing with the coastal protection offered by ecosystems focus on a single ecosystem and, also seldom assess potential differences in protection with changes in status of the ecosystem. Therefore, based on a Xbeach Non-hydrostatic numerical modeling approach, we quantified the coastal inundation response to different combinations of ecosystems’ health statuses. A combination of a fringing reef environment associated with a vegetated beach was chosen as this pattern is typical of many low-lying areas of the Caribbean and tropical areas in general. Our results, (1) highlight the potential of capitalizing on the combined impacts of multiple ecosystems on coastal protection, (2) alert to the consequences of further destruction of these ecosystems, (3) demonstrate the predominant role of vegetation with an increased sea-level rise and (4) provide strategies to limit the deleterious effects of present-day and future reef degradation.
Salt Reduction Using a Smartphone Application Based on an Artificial Intelligence System for Dietary Assessment in Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease: A Single-Center Retrospective Cohort Study
Authors: Yanai Akane , Uchiyama Kiyotaka , Suganuma Shinya
Published: March 2023

This study evaluated the clinical usefulness of an artificial intelligence-powered smartphone application in reducing the daily salt intake of patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). This study included 35 patients with CKD who were classified into app users (i.e., 13 outpatients who used the app for 3 months and whose salt intake was evaluated before and after using the app) and app nonusers (i.e., 22 outpatients not using the application; their salt intake was similarly evaluated). The primary outcome was estimated as salt intake after 3 months of using the application and at a 6-month follow-up. Linear mixed model analysis revealed that app users had a significant decrease in estimated salt intake after 3 months (−2.12 g/day; 95% CI, −4.05 to −0.19; p = 0.03) compared with app nonusers but not after 6 months (−0.96 g/day; 95% CI, −3.13 to 1.20; p = 0.38). App users showed a significant decrease in body mass index at 3 months (−0.42 kg/m2 [95% CI, −0.78 to −0.049; p = 0.03]) and 6 months (−0.65 kg/m2 [95% CI, −1.06 to −0.24; p = 0.002]). The application promoted short-term reduction in salt intake. These results provide a strong rationale for future trials.
Teacher Trainees’ Perspectives on Remote Instruction for Multilingual Learners of English
Authors: Hoppin Kandace M. , Knollman Gregory , Rice Doran Patricia , Hong Huili
Published: March 2023

The COVID-19 pandemic prompted a shift to virtual learning across many countries and school systems. It is worthwhile to examine the specific ways in which this shift is significant to teacher trainees preparing to work with multilingual learners (MLs). Considering the perspectives of teacher trainees preparing to teach MLs offers an opportunity to identify the questions and concerns that they are likely to have upon graduation. Examining these perspectives can also help to identify ways that teacher trainees can use virtual and remote teaching approaches more constructively. This paper presents findings from a qualitative study of an educator preparation program focused on preparing trainees in content areas along with English to Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL), with a focus on the perspectives of teacher trainees who worked with MLs through virtual and remote modalities during the COVID-19 pandemic. The paper draws on data from an analysis of nine teacher trainees’ response journals and course assignments, and includes themes identified from the teacher trainees’ perceptions of virtual learning for MLs. The findings from the analysis revealed that teacher trainees emphasized the importance of establishing meaningful professional relationships in the virtual setting with their MLs, especially as a way to facilitate effective instruction and online classroom management. Participants also spoke about the importance of developing culturally responsive and sensitive instruction, and stressed the importance of engaging students and families in appropriate, linguistically accessible ways. Implications for future virtual instruction as well as teacher preparation are also discussed.
Antifouling Potential of Ethyl Acetate Extract of Marine Bacteria Pseudomonas aeruginosa Strain RLimb
Authors: Rawi Nurul Najihah , Ramzi Mujahidah Mohd , Rahman Nor Izzati Abd , Ariffin Fazilah , Saidin Jasnizat , Bhubalan Kesaven , Mazlan Noor Wini , Zin Nor Atikah Mohd , Siong Julius Yong Fu , Bakar Kamariah , Azemi Ahmad Khusairi , Ismail Noraznawati
Published: March 2023

Biofouling is defined as the excessive colonization process of epibiotic organisms, ranging from microfoulers to macrofoulers, on any submerged surface in water. Previous research has attempted to explore the antifouling activity of bacterial isolates due to the biofouling problems occurring worldwide. One solution is to inhibit the early stage of fouling using secondary metabolites produced by marine bacteria. This study aims to determine the antifouling activities of the marine microorganism P. aeruginosa and to characterize the bacteria isolated as a potential anti-biofouling agent. The bacterial isolate was cultured and isolated on a media culture. The bacteria culture extract was extracted using ethyl acetate and concentrated prior to the bioassay method. It was screened for antibacterial activities against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, such as Bacillus cereus, Streptococcus uberis, Pseudomonas sp., and Vibrio parahaemolyticus, using the disk diffusion technique. The extract was investigated to verify its bioactivity in the prevention of biofilm formation following the crystal violet assay and aquarium test. The results indicated the inhibition of activity through biofilm formation, with the highest percentage at 83% of biofilm inhibition at a concentration of 0.1563 mg/mL. The bacterial isolate at a concentration of 5% showed the highest reduction in bacteria colonies in the aquarium test (161.8 × 103 CFU/mL compared to 722.5 × 103 CFU/mL for the blank sample). The bacterial isolate was characterized through phenotypic and genotypic tests for species identification. It was identified as a Gram-stain-negative, aerobic, and long-rod-shaped bacteria, designated as RLimb. Based on the 16S rDNA gene sequencing analysis, RLimb was identified as Pseudomonas aeruginosa (accession number: OP522351), exhibiting a similarity of 100% to the described neighbor P. aeruginosa strain DSM 50071. These results indicated that these isolated bacteria can potentially be used as a substitute for toxic antifoulants to prevent the formation of microfoulers.
Infectious Microorganisms Seen as Etiologic Agents in Parkinson’s Disease
Authors: Zorina Stuparu Alina , Jurja Sanda , Mehedinti Mihaela , Stoica Ana-Maria , Chita Dana Simona , Floris Stuparu Alexandru , Axelerad Any
Published: March 2023

Infections represent a possible risk factor for parkinsonism and Parkinson’s disease (PD) based on information from epidemiology and fundamental science. The risk is unclear for the majority of agents. Moreover, the latency between infection and PD seems to be very varied and often lengthy. In this review, the evidence supporting the potential involvement of infectious microorganisms in the development of Parkinson’s disease is examined. Consequently, it is crucial to determine the cause and give additional treatment accordingly. Infection is an intriguing suggestion regarding the cause of Parkinson’s disease. These findings demonstrate that persistent infection with viral and bacterial microorganisms might be a cause of Parkinson’s disease. As an initiating factor, infection may generate a spectrum of gut microbiota dysbiosis, engagement of glial tissues, neuroinflammation, and alpha-synuclein accumulation, all of which may trigger and worsen the onset in Parkinson’s disease also contribute to its progression. Still uncertain is the primary etiology of PD with infection. The possible pathophysiology of PD infection remains a matter of debate. Furthermore, additional study is required to determine if PD patients develop the disease due to infectious microorganisms or solely since they are more sensitive to infectious causes.
Antimicrobial and Antioxidant Properties of Chemically Analyzed Essential Oil of Artemisia annua L. (Asteraceae) Native to Mediterranean Area
Authors: Chebbac Khalid , Benziane Ouaritini Zineb , El Moussaoui Abdelfattah , Chalkha Mohammed , Lafraxo Soufyane , Bin Jardan Yousef A. , Nafidi Hiba-Allah , Bourhia Mohammed , Guemmouh Raja
Published: March 2023

Artemisia annua (AA) is an aromatic plant belonging to the Asteraceae family, which has long been known for its several medicinal virtues. In addition, essential oils (EOs) extracted from AA have a wide range of therapeutic properties. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the phytochemical composition, anti-microbial, and anti-oxidant properties of Artemisia annua essential oil (EOAA). EO was extracted, and its chemical constituents were ascertained by the use of GC-MS analysis. EOAA shows remarkable antioxidant capacities of DPPH free radical scavenging with an IC50 value of 29 ± 5.3 μg/mL and ferric reducing antioxidant power with an EC50 value of 9.21 ± 0.3 µg/mL, and it also has a good total antioxidant capacity of 911.59 ± 115.71 milligrams of ascorbic acid equivalence per gram of EO (mg AAE/g EO). Moreover, the in vitro antimicrobial screening results indicate that EOAA has shown promising antibacterial activity, especially against the Escherichia coli strain, and it also shows significant antifungal activity against Fusarium oxysporum and Candida albicans yeasts. Taken together, our findings highlight the importance of EOAA as a source of strong antioxidant and antimicrobial agents, which could be used as an alternative form to control free radicals and combat drug-resistant microbes.
Compressive Strength of Corrugated Paperboard Packages with Low and High Cutout Rates: Numerical Modelling and Experimental Validation
Authors: Fehér Lajos , Mrówczyński Damian , Pidl Renáta , Böröcz Péter
Published: March 2023

The finite element method is a widely used numerical method to analyze structures in virtual space. This method can be used in the packaging industry to determine the mechanical properties of corrugated boxes. This study aims to create and validate a numerical model to predict the compression force of corrugated cardboard boxes by considering the influence of different cutout configurations of sidewalls. The types of investigated boxes are the following: the width and height of the boxes are 300 mm in each case and the length dimension of the boxes varied from 200 mm to 600 mm with a 100 mm increment. The cutout rates were 0%, 4%, 16%, 36%, and 64% with respect to the total surface area of sidewalls of the boxes. For the finite element analysis, a homogenized linear elastic orthotropic material model with Hill plasticity was used. The results of linear regressions show very good estimations to the numerical and experimental box compression test (BCT) values in each tested box group. Therefore, the numerical model can give a good prediction for the BCT force values from 0% cutout to 64% cutout rates. The accuracy of the numerical model decreases a little when the cutout rates are high. Based on the results, this paper presents a numerical model that can be used in the packaging design to estimate the compression strength of corrugated cardboard boxes.
A Novel Approach to Quantifying the Failure Modes of Concrete-Epoxy Interface
Authors: Ishaq Abubakar Sodiq , Jang Yoonju , An Donghyeok , Jeong Yoseok , Youn Ilro
Published: March 2023

The failure or debonding of CEIs (Concrete-Epoxy Interfaces) in Fiber-Reinforced Polymer concrete (FRP) systems occurs in one or a combination of three modes: CC (Cohesive failure in Concrete), CE (Cohesive failure in Epoxy), and IF (Interfacial Failure). These failure modes are usually identified, and their relationships are established by human intuition, which is prone to subjectivity. This study proposes a novel method based on image processing techniques to analyze CEI fracture surfaces and evaluate their failure modes. The failure modes of CEI fracture surfaces of specimens from a 3PB (Three-Point Bending) experiment were assessed using an HVS, CIE L*a*b*, YCbCr, or RGB color space image segmentation-based image processing technique on the preprocessed images of the CEI failure sides. A manual approach was adopted to validate the accuracy of the proposed method. Comparing the failure mode (CE) obtained using the manual and the proposed methodology, an RMSE (Root Means Square Error) of 0.19, 0.10, 0.23, and 0.26 was obtained for HVS, CIE L*a*b*, YCbCr, or RGB color space, respectively. The epoxy area selected with CIE L*a*b* color space produced the most accurate evaluation of the failure modes. This study provides an accurate method of quantifying the failure modes of CEI fracture surfaces. The methodology proposed in this study is recommended for forensic investigations to understand better the possible causes of failure in externally bounded fiber-reinforced polymers.
EEG-Based Emotion Recognition via Knowledge-Integrated Interpretable Method
Authors: Zhang Ying , Cui Chen , Zhong Shenghua
Published: March 2023

Despite achieving success in many domains, deep learning models remain mostly black boxes, especially in electroencephalogram (EEG)-related tasks. Meanwhile, understanding the reasons behind model predictions is quite crucial in assessing trust and performance promotion in EEG-related tasks. In this work, we explore the use of representative interpretable models to analyze the learning behavior of convolutional neural networks (CNN) in EEG-based emotion recognition. According to the interpretable analysis, we find that similar features captured by our model and state-of-the-art model are consistent with previous brain science findings. Next, we propose a new model by integrating brain science knowledge with the interpretability analysis results in the learning process. Our knowledge-integrated model achieves better recognition accuracy on standard EEG-based recognition datasets.
The Convergence Rates of Large Volatility Matrix Estimator Based on Noise, Jumps, and Asynchronization
Authors: Guo Erlin , Li Cuixia , Tang Fengqin
Published: March 2023

At the turn of the 21st century, the wide availability of high-frequency data aroused an increasing demand for better modeling and statistical inference. A challenging problem in statistics and econometrics is the estimation problem of the integrated volatility matrix based on high-frequency data. The existing estimators work well for diffusion processes with micro-structural noise and may get worse when jumps are considered. This paper proposes a novel estimation in the presence of jumps, micro-structural noise, and asynchronization. First, we adopt sub-sampling to synchronize the high-frequency data. Then, we use a two-time scale to realize co-volatility to handle noise. Finally, we employ the threshold parameters to remove the effect of jumps and sparsity in two steps. Both the minimax bound and the convergence rate are discussed in the paper. The estimation procedures of the heavy-tailed data will be solved in the future.
Dynamic Modeling for Metro Passenger Flows on Congested Transfer Routes
Authors: Mu Weiyan , Wang Xin , Li Chunya , Xiong Shifeng
Published: March 2023

With the rapid development of urbanization, the metro becomes more and more important for people’s travel in big cities. To quantitatively describe metro passenger flows on congested transfer routes, this paper introduces a dynamic model based on automated data from the automatic fare collection (AFC) and automatic vehicle location (AVL) systems. An expectation maximization (EM) algorithm is proposed to compute the maximum likelihood estimates of unknown parameters in our model. Our model can yield a systematic analysis of one-transfer passenger flows on both population and individual aspects. Important characteristics, including transfer time, boarding probabilities, walking time, passenger-to-train assignment probabilities, and total travel time, can be inferred using only the AFC and AVL data. We provide a case study on the Beijing metro. Detailed analysis results based on our model are given. We also present a cross-validation method to validate our model with real data.
Multi-Method Diagnosis of Histopathological Images for Early Detection of Breast Cancer Based on Hybrid and Deep Learning
Authors: Al-Jabbar Mohammed , Alshahrani Mohammed , Senan Ebrahim Mohammed , Ahmed Ibrahim Abdulrab
Published: March 2023

Breast cancer (BC) is a type of cancer suffered by adult females worldwide. A late diagnosis of BC leads to death, so early diagnosis is essential for saving lives. There are many methods of diagnosing BC, including surgical open biopsy (SOB), which however constitutes an intense workload for pathologists to follow SOB and additionally takes a long time. Therefore, artificial intelligence systems can help by accurately diagnosing BC earlier; it is a tool that can assist doctors in making sound diagnostic decisions. In this study, two proposed approaches were applied, each with two systems, to diagnose BC in a dataset with magnification factors (MF): 40×, 100×, 200×, and 400×. The first proposed method is a hybrid technology between CNN (AlexNet and GoogLeNet) models that extracts features and classify them using the support vector machine (SVM). Thus, all BC datasets were diagnosed using AlexNet + SVM and GoogLeNet + SVM. The second proposed method diagnoses all BC datasets by ANN based on combining CNN features with handcrafted features extracted using the fuzzy color histogram (FCH), local binary pattern (LBP), and gray level co-occurrence matrix (GLCM), which collectively is called fusion features. Finally, the fusion features were fed into an artificial neural network (ANN) for classification. This method has proven its superior ability to diagnose histopathological images (HI) of BC accurately. The ANN algorithm based on fusion features achieved results of 100% for all metrics with the 400× dataset.
Remarks on Some Growth Functions
Authors: Otera Daniele Ettore
Published: March 2023

In this note, we will focus on the relationships between the growth rates of several functions that describe the topological shape at infinity of discrete groups. In particular, we will consider, in detail, the notion of the rate of vanishing of the simple connectivity at infinity for some geometric classes of finitely presented groups.
Performance Analysis of Long Short-Term Memory Predictive Neural Networks on Time Series Data
Authors: Bolboacă Roland , Haller Piroska
Published: March 2023

Long short-term memory neural networks have been proposed as a means of creating accurate models from large time series data originating from various fields. These models can further be utilized for prediction, control, or anomaly-detection algorithms. However, finding the optimal hyperparameters to maximize different performance criteria remains a challenge for both novice and experienced users. Hyperparameter optimization algorithms can often be a resource-intensive and time-consuming task, particularly when the impact of the hyperparameters on the performance of the neural network is not comprehended or known. Teacher forcing denotes a procedure that involves feeding the ground truth output from the previous time-step as input to the current time-step during training, while during testing feeding back the predicted values. This paper presents a comprehensive examination of the impact of hyperparameters on long short-term neural networks, with and without teacher forcing, on prediction performance. The study includes testing long short-term memory neural networks, with two variations of teacher forcing, in two prediction modes, using two configurations (i.e., multi-input single-output and multi-input multi-output) on a well-known chemical process simulation dataset. Furthermore, this paper demonstrates the applicability of a long short-term memory neural network with a modified teacher forcing approach in a process state monitoring system. Over 100,000 experiments were conducted with varying hyperparameters and in multiple neural network operation modes, revealing the direct impact of each tested hyperparameter on the training and testing procedures.
Water-Soluble Saccharina latissima Polysaccharides and Relation of Their Structural Characteristics with In Vitro Immunostimulatory and Hypocholesterolemic Activities
Authors: Moreira Ana S. P. , Gaspar Diana , Ferreira Sónia S. , Correia Alexandra , Vilanova Manuel , Perrineau Marie-Mathilde , Kerrison Philip D. , Gachon Claire M. M. , Domingues Maria Rosário , Coimbra Manuel A. , Coreta-Gomes Filipe M. , Nunes Cláudia
Published: March 2023

Brown macroalgae are an important source of polysaccharides, mainly fucose-containing sulphated polysaccharides (FCSPs), associated with several biological activities. However, the structural diversity and structure–function relationships for their bioactivities are still undisclosed. Thus, the aim of this work was to characterize the chemical structure of water-soluble Saccharina latissima polysaccharides and evaluate their immunostimulatory and hypocholesterolemic activities, helping to pinpoint a structure–activity relationship. Alginate, laminarans (F1, neutral glucose-rich polysaccharides), and two fractions (F2 and F3) of FCSPs (negatively charged) were studied. Whereas F2 is rich in uronic acids (45 mol%) and fucose (29 mol%), F3 is rich in fucose (59 mol%) and galactose (21 mol%). These two fractions of FCSPs showed immunostimulatory activity on B lymphocytes, which could be associated with the presence of sulphate groups. Only F2 exhibited a significant effect in reductions in in vitro cholesterol’s bioaccessibility attributed to the sequestration of bile salts. Therefore, S. latissima FCSPs were shown to have potential as immunostimulatory and hypocholesterolemic functional ingredients, where their content in uronic acids and sulphation seem to be relevant for the bioactive and healthy properties.
Internalization of the Western Standard of Beauty and Body Satisfaction: Evaluation Utilizing COPS and SATAQ-3 Questionnaires among Girls with Scoliosis
Authors: Glowacki Jakub , Latuszewska Joanna , Skowron Natalia , Misterska Ewa
Published: March 2023

Background and Objectives: Patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) more frequently present significant back-related body image disturbances compared with healthy controls. The study aimed to adapt two screening questionnaires: Sociocultural Attitudes Towards Appearance Questionnaire (SATAQ-3) and Cosmetic Procedure Screening Questionnaire (COPS), that could identify AIS patients, especially those threatened with body image disorders and might predict dissatisfaction with a desired-by-patients cosmetic result of treatment. Materials and Methods: In total, 34 AIS patients who undergo Cheneau brace treatment were asked to complete SATAQ-3 and COPS. Results: AIS patients presented a high level of internalization. Clinical and radiological factors that play a crucial role in the evaluation and decision process during brace treatment were not significantly associated with COPS and SATAQ-3 total scores. The SATAQ-3 total score and COPS results were also not related to sociodemographic parameters of the analyzed group. Conclusions: The presented study confirms the usefulness of the questionnaires, which aimed to isolate sociocultural risk factors of body image disorders in scoliosis patients as predictors of treatment dissatisfaction and worse compliance.
Marker Screw Utilization for Minimally Invasive Transforaminal Lumbar Interbody Fusion (MS-MIS TLIF): Promises and Advantages
Authors: Khashab Mohammed , Karami Moyassar , Alswat Muath , Elkhalifa Mohamed
Published: March 2023

Background and Objective: Minimally Invasive Transforaminal Lumbar Interbody Fusion (MIS-TLIF) has been investigated and shown excellent short- and long-term outcomes. In this paper, we describe a new MIS-TLIF technique and pedicle screw insertion using a marker screw as a guidance method. Moreover, we report perioperative, postoperative, and patient-related outcomes. In addition, this paper outlines major differences in radiation exposure, cost effectiveness and accuracy of Marker Screw Minimally Invasive Transforaminal Interbody Fusion (MS-MIS TLIF) compared to other techniques. We report our technique to share our knowledge and experience with the aim of achieving a better MIS-TLIF that would help both surgeons and patients. Materials and Methods: A prospective case series was conducted between October 2018 and February 2021. Patients undergoing MS-MIS TLIF with marker screws were consecutively included. The surgery did not exceed two levels. The patients’ medical records were reviewed, and the included patients were asked to complete two outcome-questionnaires before surgery and at the six-month visit. The surgical technique is described in this paper. Results: A total of 37 patients were recruited. The mean age was 57.35 ± 12.8 years, and more than half of the patients were females. The most common indications for surgery were degenerative disc disease and spondylolisthesis, with the typical level at L4–5. The operative time was 3.02 ± 0.83 h, while the estimated blood loss was 127.7 ± 71.1 mL. The average time for ambulation and hospitalization was 1 ± 1.1 and 2.84 ± 1.4 days, respectively. The patients described significant improvement in both questionnaires. No screw-related complications or screw revisions were needed up to two years of follow-up. Conclusions: The use of marker screws for pedicle screw placement through a minimally invasive fashion is shown to be a promising technique that can overcome many drawbacks, including cost, operative time, and radiation exposure. Performing MS-MIS TLIF can achieve a 360- degree fusion compared to percutaneous MIS-TLIF.
An Upper Bound Solution for Axisymmetric Extrusion and Drawing Considering a Generalized Yield Criterion
Authors: Alexandrov Sergei , Strashnov Stanislav , Li Yong
Published: March 2023

The yield criterion of many metallic materials differs from the von Mises yield criterion. However, the available upper bound solutions are almost all restricted to this criterion. The objective of the present paper was to derive an upper bound solution based on a generalized yield criterion for evaluating the extrusion and drawing force, assuming a conical die. The solution method differs from the conventional method used in conjunction with the von Mises yield criterion. The development of this method is necessary, since the work function is not readily expressed as an explicit function of strain rate invariants if the generalized yield criterion is adopted. The solution is illustrated using numerical examples, which show the effect of the yield criterion on the limit load.
Acinetobacter baumannii from Samples of Commercially Reared Turkeys: Genomic Relationships, Antimicrobial and Biocide Susceptibility
Authors: Schmitz Anna , Hanke Dennis , Lüschow Dörte , Schwarz Stefan , Higgins Paul G. , Feßler Andrea T.
Published: March 2023

Acinetobacter baumannii is especially known as a cause of nosocomial infections worldwide. It shows intrinsic and acquired resistances to numerous antimicrobial agents, which can render the treatment difficult. In contrast to the situation in human medicine, there are only few studies focusing on A. baumannii among livestock. In this study, we have examined 643 samples from turkeys reared for meat production, including 250 environmental and 393 diagnostic samples, for the presence of A. baumannii. In total, 99 isolates were identified, confirmed to species level via MALDI-TOF-MS and characterised with pulsed-field gel electrophoresis. Antimicrobial and biocide susceptibility was tested by broth microdilution methods. Based on the results, 26 representative isolates were selected and subjected to whole-genome sequencing (WGS). In general, A. baumannii was detected at a very low prevalence, except for a high prevalence of 79.7% in chick-box-papers (n = 118) of one-day-old turkey chicks. The distributions of the minimal inhibitory concentration values were unimodal for the four biocides and for most of the antimicrobial agents tested. WGS revealed 16 Pasteur and 18 Oxford sequence types, including new ones. Core genome MLST highlighted the diversity of most isolates. In conclusion, the isolates detected were highly diverse and still susceptible to many antimicrobial agents.
Strain Streptomyces sp. P-56 Produces Nonactin and Possesses Insecticidal, Acaricidal, Antimicrobial and Plant Growth-Promoting Traits
Authors: Boykova Irina , Yuzikhin Oleg , Novikova Irina , Ulianich Pavel , Eliseev Igor , Shaposhnikov Alexander , Yakimov Alexander , Belimov Andrey
Published: March 2023

Streptomycetes produce a huge variety of bioactive metabolites, including antibiotics, enzyme inhibitors, pesticides and herbicides, which offer promise for applications in agriculture as plant protection and plant growth-promoting products. The aim of this report was to characterize the biological activities of strain Streptomyces sp. P-56, previously isolated from soil as an insecticidal bacterium. The metabolic complex was obtained from liquid culture of Streptomyces sp. P-56 as dried ethanol extract (DEE) and possessed insecticidal activity against vetch aphid (Medoura viciae Buckt.), cotton aphid (Aphis gossypii Glov.), green peach aphid (Myzus persicae Sulz.), pea aphid (Acyrthosiphon pisum Harr.) and crescent-marked lily aphid (Neomyzus circumflexus Buckt.), as well as two-spotted spider mite (Tetranychus urticae). Insecticidal activity was associated with production of nonactin, which was purified and identified using HPLC-MS and crystallographic techniques. Strain Streptomyces sp. P-56 also showed antibacterial and antifungal activity against various phytopathogenic bacteria and fungi (mostly for Clavibacfer michiganense, Alternaria solani and Sclerotinia libertiana), and possessed a set of plant growth-promoting traits, such as auxin production, ACC deaminase and phosphate solubilization. The possibilities for using this strain as a biopesticide producer and/or biocontrol and a plant growth-promoting microorganism are discussed.
Estimation of Electrical Spectra of Irregular Embedded Samples
Authors: Wichmann Malte , Hördt Andreas
Published: March 2023

In order to interpret spectral induced polarization (SIP) data measured in the field for the purpose of mineral exploration, laboratory investigations are necessary that establish relationships between electrical parameters and mineral properties. For massive ores, and in particular for seafloor massive sulfides (SMSs), samples may be difficult to obtain, and it is often not desired to cut cylindrical plugs out of the available hand pieces. We suggest a method to obtain the electrical spectra of hand pieces from measurements on the samples embedded in a non-polarizing medium, in our case quartz sand. As such, destroying potentially precious samples is not necessary. The frequency-dependent phase spectrum of the sample is calculated by dividing the bulk spectrum with a so-called dilution factor, which is obtained from numerical simulation and has a real and constant value. We evaluate the method with a set of SMS samples where conventional cylindrical plugs are available. We can estimate the phase shift maximum of 73% of the samples with a deviation less than 50% from the reference. The estimation quality slightly decreases if the dilution factor is approximated by the volumetric share of the sample. We consider the performance acceptable if the general difficulty to obtain reproducible and representative laboratory measurements for massive sulfides is taken into account.
Combined Physicochemical and Energy Methods to Improve the Recovery of Rare Earth Elements from Eudialyte Concentrate
Authors: Chanturiya Valentine A. , Minenko Vladimir G. , Samusev Andrey L. , Ryazantseva Maria V. , Koporulina Elizaveta V.
Published: March 2023

The parameters for efficient nitric acid leaching were experimentally determined, which ensured the recoveries of Zr and REEs from eudialyte concentrate up to 87.0%–91.7% and 76.0%–81.1%, respectively. The possibility was shown of intensifying the leaching process through preliminary energy treatments to ensure the intensive breakdown of mineral complexes and grains; as a result, the recovery of Zr and REEs increased by more than 10%. A process was developed for the selective recovery of up to 91.5% of zirconium and up to 71.2% of REEs in the form of carbonate compounds from the pregnant solution of nitric acid leaching by chemical precipitation as well as up to 81.1% REEs and up to 91.7% zirconium on hypercrosslinked polystyrene sorbents.
The Influence of Static Pressure on Bubble Size and Contact Angle of Quartz: Mimicking What May Happen Inside a Hypothetical Flotation Column
Authors: Oliveira Alexandre , Junior José , Pinto Thiago , Filho Laurindo
Published: March 2023

This paper addresses the influence of hydrostatic pressure (Phyd) on bubble diameter (db) and contact angle (θ) of quartz in pure water versus collector solution (Flotigam® EDA, γLG = 57 mN/m) at 20 °C. The pressure range (0–300 kPa) applied against the bubbles’ walls mimics what may happen along the vertical axis of a hypothetical flotation column (HFC) that processes iron ore slurry via cationic reverse flotation of quartz. From the column’s bottom (Phyd≈ 300 kPa) to its top (Phyd≈ 0 kPa), a continuous relief of Phyd occurs steadily. Results indicate that a decrease of Phyd promotes a decrease of θ from 47° to 16° in pure water and from 61° to 42° in the presence of collector. Likewise, db increases approximately 60% from the column’s bottom to its top and, consequently promoting an increase in bubble ascending velocity (vb). Values of vb and db were used to assess the bubble Eötvos number (Eo) and the Weber number (We) aiming at characterizing bubble hydrodynamics. It was found that inertial forces dominate surface forces (We > 1) as db> 1.86 mm. This dominance constitutes a preliminary indication of a greater likelihood of coarse particles (diameter > 100 μm) detaching from bubbles. This situation is typically found in the upper parts of the HFC addressed in this paper.
Machine Learning to Predict the Adsorption Capacity of Microplastics
Authors: Astray Gonzalo , Soria-Lopez Anton , Barreiro Enrique , Mejuto Juan Carlos , Cid-Samamed Antonio
Published: March 2023

Nowadays, there is an extensive production and use of plastic materials for different industrial activities. These plastics, either from their primary production sources or through their own degradation processes, can contaminate ecosystems with micro- and nanoplastics. Once in the aquatic environment, these microplastics can be the basis for the adsorption of chemical pollutants, favoring that these chemical pollutants disperse more quickly in the environment and can affect living beings. Due to the lack of information on adsorption, three machine learning models (random forest, support vector machine, and artificial neural network) were developed to predict different microplastic/water partition coefficients (log Kd) using two different approximations (based on the number of input variables). The best-selected machine learning models present, in general, correlation coefficients above 0.92 in the query phase, which indicates that these types of models could be used for the rapid estimation of the absorption of organic contaminants on microplastics.
Heat Transfer in Nanostructured Materials
Authors: Lu Ming-Hui
Published: March 2023

Thermal manipulation has garnered considerable attention for its potential applications in diverse areas, including microelectronics, thermal logic devices, and thermoelectrics [...]
Immobilization of Dextranase Obtained from the Marine Cellulosimicrobium sp. Y1 on Nanoparticles: Nano-TiO2 Improving Hydrolysate Properties and Enhancing Reuse
Authors: Xu Yingying , Wang Huanyu , Lin Qianru , Miao Qingzhen , Liu Mingwang , Ni Hao , Zhang Lei , Lyu Mingsheng , Wang Shujun
Published: March 2023

Dextranase is widely used in sugar production, drug synthesis, material preparation, and biotechnology, among other fields. The immobilization of dextranase using nanomaterials in order to make it reusable, is a hot research topic. In this study, the immobilization of purified dextranase was performed using different nanomaterials. The best results were obtained when dextranase was immobilized on titanium dioxide (TiO2), and a particle size of 30 nm was achieved. The optimum immobilization conditions were pH 7.0, temperature 25 °C, time 1 h, and immobilization agent TiO2. The immobilized materials were characterized using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffractometry, and field emission gun scanning electron microscopy. The optimum temperature and pH of the immobilized dextranase were 30 °C and 7.5, respectively. The activity of the immobilized dextranase was >50% even after 7 times of reuse, and 58% of the enzyme was active even after 7 days of storage at 25 °C, indicating the reproducibility of the immobilized enzyme. The adsorption of dextranase by TiO2 nanoparticles exhibited secondary reaction kinetics. Compared with free dextranase, the hydrolysates of the immobilized dextranase were significantly different, and consisted mainly of isomaltotriose and isomaltotetraose. The highly polymerized isomaltotetraose levels could reach >78.69% of the product after 30 min of enzymatic digestion.
Aluminum Nitride Ultraviolet Light-Emitting Device Excited via Carbon Nanotube Field-Emission Electron Beam
Authors: Yu Yangcheng , Han Dong , Wei Haiyuan , Tang Ziying , Luo Lei , Hong Tianzeng , Shen Yan , Zheng Huying , Wang Yaqi , Wang Runchen , Zhu Hai , Deng Shaozhi
Published: March 2023

With the progress of wide bandgap semiconductors, compact solid-state light-emitting devices for the ultraviolet wavelength region are of considerable technological interest as alternatives to conventional ultraviolet lamps in recent years. Here, the potential of aluminum nitride (AlN) as an ultraviolet luminescent material was studied. An ultraviolet light-emitting device, equipped with a carbon nanotube (CNT) array as the field-emission excitation source and AlN thin film as cathodoluminescent material, was fabricated. In operation, square high-voltage pulses with a 100 Hz repetition frequency and a 10% duty ratio were applied to the anode. The output spectra reveal a dominant ultraviolet emission at 330 nm with a short-wavelength shoulder at 285 nm, which increases with the anode driving voltage. This work has explored the potential of AlN thin film as a cathodoluminescent material and provides a platform for investigating other ultrawide bandgap (UWBG) semiconductors. Furthermore, while using AlN thin film and a carbon nanotube array as electrodes, this ultraviolet cathodoluminescent device can be more compact and versatile than conventional lamps. It is anticipated to be useful in a variety of applications such as photochemistry, biotechnology and optoelectronics devices.
Photoluminescence Redistribution of InGaN Nanowires Induced by Plasmonic Silver Nanoparticles
Authors: Shugabaev Talgat , Gridchin Vladislav O. , Komarov Sergey D. , Kirilenko Demid A. , Kryzhanovskaya Natalia V. , Kotlyar Konstantin P. , Reznik Rodion R. , Girshova Yelizaveta I. , Nikolaev Valentin V. , Kaliteevski Michael A. , Cirlin George E.
Published: March 2023

Hybrid nanostructures based on InGaN nanowires with decorated plasmonic silver nanoparticles are investigated in the present study. It is shown that plasmonic nanoparticles induce the redistribution of room temperature photoluminescence between short-wavelength and long-wavelength peaks of InGaN nanowires. It is defined that short-wavelength maxima decreased by 20%, whereas the long-wavelength maxima increased by 19%. We attribute this phenomenon to the energy transfer and enhancement between the coalesced part of the NWs with 10–13% In content and the tips above with an In content of about 20–23%. A proposed Fröhlich resonance model for silver NPs surrounded by a medium with refractive index of 2.45 and spread 0.1 explains the enhancement effect, whereas the decreasing of the short-wavelength peak is associated with the diffusion of charge carriers between the coalesced part of the NWs and the tips above.