bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Triantennary GalNAc-Functionalized Multi-Responsive Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticles for Drug Delivery Targeted at Asialoglycoprotein Receptor
Authors: Cordeiro Rosemeyre , Carvalho Ana , Durães Luísa , Faneca Henrique
Published: June 2022

In recent years, mesoporous silica particles have been revealed as promising drug delivery systems combining high drug loading capacity, excellent biocompatibility, and easy and affordable synthetic and post-synthetic procedures. In fact, the straightforward functionalization approaches of these particles allow their conjugation with targeting moieties in order to surpass one of the major challenges in drug administration, the absence of targeting ability of free drugs that reduces their therapeutic efficacy and causes undesired side effects. In this context, the main goal of this work was to develop a new targeted mesoporous silica nanoparticle formulation with the capability to specifically and efficiently deliver an anticancer drug to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells. To this purpose, and as proof of concept, we developed redox-responsive mesoporous silica nanoparticles functionalized with the targeting ligand triantennary N-acetylgalactosamine (GalNAc) cluster, which has high affinity to asialoglycoprotein receptors overexpressed in HCC cells, and loaded them with epirubicin, an anthracycline drug. The produced nanocarrier exhibits suitable physicochemical properties for drug delivery, high drug loading capacity, high biocompatibility, and targeting ability to HCC cells, revealing its biopharmaceutical potential as a targeted drug carrier for therapeutic applications in liver diseases.
Genome-Wide Identification of Long Noncoding RNA and Their Potential Interactors in ISWI Mutants
Authors: Zhang Ludan , Zhang Shuai , Wang Ruixue , Sun Lin
Published: June 2022

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been identified as key regulators of gene expression and participate in many vital physiological processes. Chromatin remodeling, being an important epigenetic modification, has been identified in many biological activities as well. However, the regulatory mechanism of lncRNA in chromatin remodeling remains unclear. In order to characterize the genome-wide lncRNA expression and their potential interacting factors during this process in Drosophila, we investigated the expression pattern of lncRNAs and mRNAs based on the transcriptome analyses and found significant differences between lncRNAs and mRNAs. Then, we performed TSA-FISH experiments of candidate lncRNAs and their potential interactors that have different functions in Drosophila embryos to determine their expression pattern. In addition, we also analyzed the expression of transposable elements (TEs) and their interactors to explore their expression in ISWI mutants. Our results provide a new perspective for understanding the possible regulatory mechanism of lncRNAs and TEs as well as their targets in chromatin remodeling.
A Multifunctional and Fast-Response Lysosome-Targetable Fluorescent Probe for Monitoring pH and Isoxaflutole
Authors: Yang Liu , Liu Yan , Yue Mingli , Li Ping , Liu Yulong , Ye Fei , Fu Ying
Published: June 2022

A new chemosensor, namely N-(2-morpholinoethyl)acetamide-4-morpholine-1,8-naphthimide (MMN), was designed and synthesized through an amidation reaction. MMN was fabricated as a multifunctional fluorescent probe for monitoring pH and isoxaflutole. MMN exhibited excellent stability in MeCN/H2O (v/v, 9/1), with an obvious “off–on” fluorescence response toward pH changes due to intramolecular charge transfer (ICT), where the linear response ranges of MMN in the weakly acidic system were from 4.2 to 5.0 and from 5.0 to 6.0 with apparent pKa = 4.62 ± 0.02 and 5.43 ± 0.02. Based on morpholine as the lysosome targetable unit, MMN could selectively locate lysosomes in live cells. MMN also successfully detected the presence of H+ in test papers. Finally, MMN could specifically recognize isoxaflutole at a detection limit of 0.88 μM. A possible sensing mechanism was identified based on density function theory calculations. These results indicate that MMN could be a superior potential chemosensor for detecting pH and isoxaflutole selectively and sensitively and could be used in real sample detection.
Multimodal Fake News Detection
Authors: Segura-Bedmar Isabel , Alonso-Bartolome Santiago
Published: June 2022

Over the last few years, there has been an unprecedented proliferation of fake news. As a consequence, we are more susceptible to the pernicious impact that misinformation and disinformation spreading can have on different segments of our society. Thus, the development of tools for the automatic detection of fake news plays an important role in the prevention of its negative effects. Most attempts to detect and classify false content focus only on using textual information. Multimodal approaches are less frequent and they typically classify news either as true or fake. In this work, we perform a fine-grained classification of fake news on the Fakeddit dataset, using both unimodal and multimodal approaches. Our experiments show that the multimodal approach based on a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) architecture combining text and image data achieves the best results, with an accuracy of 87%. Some fake news categories, such as Manipulated content, Satire, or False connection, strongly benefit from the use of images. Using images also improves the results of the other categories but with less impact. Regarding the unimodal approaches using only text, Bidirectional Encoder Representations from Transformers (BERT) is the best model, with an accuracy of 78%. Exploiting both text and image data significantly improves the performance of fake news detection.
Clonal Hematopoiesis and the Risk of Hematologic Malignancies after Curative Therapies for Sickle Cell Disease
Authors: Gondek Lukasz , Sheehan Vivien , Fitzhugh Courtney
Published: June 2022

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is associated with severe morbidity and early mortality. Two large population studies found an increased risk for leukemia in individuals with SCD. Notably, while the relative risk of leukemia development is high, the absolute risk is low in individuals with SCD who do not receive cell-based therapies. However, the risk of leukemia in SCD is high after graft rejection and with gene therapy. Clonal hematopoiesis (CH) is a well-recognized premalignant condition in the general population and in patients after high-dose myelotoxic therapies. Recent studies suggest that CH may be more common in SCD than in the general population, outside the cell-based therapy setting. Here, we review risk factors for CH and progression to leukemia in SCD. We surmise why patients with SCD are at an increased risk for CH and why leukemia incidence is unexpectedly high after graft rejection and gene therapy for SCD. Currently, we are unable to reliably assess genetic risk factors for leukemia development after curative therapies for SCD. Given our current knowledge, we recommend counseling patients about leukemia risk and discussing the importance of an individualized benefit/risk assessment that incorporates leukemia risk in patients undergoing curative therapies for SCD.
Galactose-Deficient IgA1 as a Candidate Urinary Marker of IgA Nephropathy
Authors: Fukao Yusuke , Suzuki Hitoshi , Kim Jin Sug , Jeong Kyung Hwan , Makita Yuko , Kano Toshiki , Nihei Yoshihito , Nakayama Maiko , Lee Mingfeng , Kato Rina , Chang Jer-Ming , Lee Sang Ho , Suzuki Yusuke
Published: June 2022

In patients with IgA nephropathy (IgAN), circulatory IgA1 and IgA1 in the mesangial deposits contain galactose-deficient IgA1 (Gd-IgA1). Some of the Gd-IgA1 from the glomerular deposits is excreted in the urine and thus urinary Gd-IgA1 may represent a disease-specific marker. We recruited 338 Japanese biopsy-proven IgAN patients and 120 patients with other renal diseases (disease controls). Urine samples collected at the time of renal biopsy were used to measure Gd-IgA1 levels using a specific monoclonal antibody (KM55 mAb). Urinary Gd-IgA1 levels were significantly higher in patients with IgAN than in disease controls. Moreover, urinary Gd-IgA1 was significantly correlated with the severity of the histopathological parameters in IgAN patients. Next, we validated the use of urinary Gd-IgA1 levels in the other Asian cohorts. In the Korean cohort, urinary Gd-IgA1 levels were also higher in patients with IgAN than in disease controls. Even in Japanese patients with IgAN and trace proteinuria (less than 0.3 g/gCr), urinary Gd-IgA1 was detected. Thus, urinary Gd-IgA1 may be an early disease-specific biomarker useful for determining the disease activity of IgAN.
The Many Faces of Head and Neck Surgery in 2022 and Looking Ahead!
Authors: Locatello Luca Giovanni , Gallo Oreste
Published: June 2022

Head and neck (HN) cancer, which mainly presents in the form of squamous cell carcinoma, was the seventh most common cancer worldwide in 2018, with approximately 890,000 new cases and 450,000 deaths [...]
Health-Screening-Based Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and Its Effect on Cardiovascular Disease Risk
Authors: Lee Sang-Jun , Yoon Sung-Soo , Lee Myeong-Hoon , Kim Hye-Jun , Lim Yohwan , Park Hyewon , Park Sun Jae , Jeong Seogsong , Han Hyun-Wook
Published: June 2022

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is considered a major cause of death worldwide, and various studies have been conducted for its early diagnosis. Our work developed a scoring system by predicting and validating COPD and performed predictive model implementations. Participants who underwent a health screening between 2017 and 2020 were extracted from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) database. COPD individuals were defined as aged 40 years or older with prebronchodilator forced expiratory volume in 1 s/forced vital capacity (FEV1/FVC < 0.7). The logistic regression model was performed, and the C-index was used for variable selection. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves with area under the curve (AUC) values were generated for evaluation. Age, sex, waist circumference and diastolic blood pressure were used to predict COPD and to develop a COPD score based on a multivariable model. A simplified model for COPD was validated with an AUC value of 0.780 from the ROC curves. In addition, we evaluated the association of the derived score with cardiovascular disease (CVD). COPD scores showed significant performance in COPD prediction. The developed score also showed a good effect on the diagnostic ability for CVD risk. In the future, studies comparing the diagnostic accuracy of the derived scores with standard diagnostic tests are needed.
Association between Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs Use and the Risk of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Nationwide Retrospective Cohort Study
Authors: Lin Ming-Hsun , Wu Wen-Tung , Chen Yong-Chen , Lu Chieh-Hua , Su Sheng-Chiang , Kuo Feng-Chih , Chou Yu-Ching , Sun Chien-An
Published: June 2022

Background: Although the link between non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and tramadol and symptomatic hypoglycemia has been documented, there is a limited understanding of the associations of NSAIDs and tramadol with the risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). This study was established to evaluate the association between the clinical use of NSAIDs and the risk of T2DM. Patients and methods: A historical cohort study was conducted using the National Health Insurance Research Database in Taiwan dated from 2000 to 2013. Patients who received NSAIDs for at least 3 prescription orders and without co-treatment of tramadol in the exposure period (from 2000 to 2005) were considered as the exposed cohort (n = 3047). In comparison, patients who received tramadol for at least 3 prescription orders and without concomitant use of NSAIDs in the exposure period were considered as the comparison cohort (n = 9141). The primary outcome was the occurrence of T2DM. Multivariable hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) derived from the Cox proportional hazard models were applied to determine the association between NSAIDs use and the risk of T2DM. Results: In the average follow-up period of 9.56 years, there were 159 newly diagnosed T2DM, with an incidence rate of 56.96 per 10,000 person years in the exposed cohort. Comparatively, there were 1737 incident T2DM cases, with an incidence rate of 161.23 per 10,000 person years in the comparison cohort. Compared to the comparison cohort, the NSAIDs cohort showed a significantly reduced risk of T2DM with an adjusted HR of 0.31 (95% CI, 0.26–0.36). Conclusions: Our cohort study provides longitudinal evidence that the use of NSAIDs was associated with a reduced risk of T2DM.
Effect of Third and Fourth mRNA-Based Booster Vaccinations on SARS-CoV-2 Neutralizing Antibody Titer Formation, Risk Factors for Non-Response, and Outcome after SARS-CoV-2 Omicron Breakthrough Infections in Patients on Chronic Hemodialysis: A Prospective Multicenter Cohort Study
Authors: Tillmann Frank-Peter , Figiel Lars , Ricken Johannes , Still Hermann , Korte Christoph , Plaßmann Grete , Harth Ana , Jörres Achim , von Landenberg Philipp
Published: June 2022

The aim of this study is to determine the effect of repeated vaccinations on neutralizing SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibody titers, evaluate risk factors for immunological non-response, and to report breakthrough infections in chronic hemodialysis patients. Methods: A prospective, multi-center cohort study in 163 chronic hemodialysis patients was conducted. Antibody titers were measured three months after second, third, and fourth (10 pts) booster vaccinations. SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibody titers in BAU/mL and % inhibition were divided into three categories (<216, 216–433, >433 and <33, 33–66, and >66%). Somers’s test, paired t-test, and univariable and multivariable logistic regression analysis were applied to evaluate differences in antibody levels and search for risk factors for vaccination failure defined as neutralizing titers <50% and/or need for repeated booster vaccinations. Furthermore, we report on a case series to describe characteristics of patients after four vaccinations (n = 10) and breakthrough infections (n = 20). Results: Third dose boosters resulted in higher proportions of patients with neutralizing antibody levels >66% as compared to after the second dose (64.7% after second dose vs. 88.9% after third dose, p = 0.003), as well as in a respective increase in neutralizing titer levels in % from 68 ± 33% to 89 ± 24 (p < 0.001). The proportion of patients with IgG-titers below 216 BAU/mL decreased from 38.6 to 10.5% (p ≤ 0.001). Age (p = 0.004, OR 1.066, 95% CI 1.020–1.114) and presence of immunosuppressive medications (p = 0.002, OR 8.267, 95% CI 2.206–30.975) were identified as major risk factors for vaccination failure. Repeated booster vaccinations ≥4 times were effective in 8 out of 10 former low-responders (80%) without any side effects or safety concerns. Breakthrough infections showed a clinically mild course but were associated with prolonged viral shedding on PCR-testing ranging 7–29 (mean 13) days. Conclusions: Third and fourth mRNA-based booster vaccinations resulted in higher and longer lasting SARS-CoV-2 antibody levels as compared to after two dosages. The presence of immunosuppressive medication and repeat vaccinations are major potentially modifiable measures to increase antibody levels in non-or low-responders. Breakthrough infections with SARS-CoV-2 Omicron were associated with prolonged viral shedding but clinically mild disease courses.
Methylprednisolone Plus Low-Dose Methotrexate for Bullous Pemphigoid—A Single Center Retrospective Analysis
Authors: Gravani Agoritsa , Gaitanis Georgios , Spyridonos Panagiota , Alexis Ioannis , Tigas Stelios , Bassukas Ioannis D.
Published: June 2022

Monomodal systemic glucocorticoids remain the mainstay of treatment for bullous pemphigoid (BP). In this retrospective, single-arm study, we evaluated the feasibility (efficacy and tolerability) of the combination of methylprednisolone and low-dose (up to 12.5 mg/week) methotrexate (MP + MTX) for BP. At week 12, 53/55 (96.4%) patients initiated on MP + MTX during a five-year period (potential follow up time: ≥4 years) remained on treatment. At this time-point, BP remission was achieved in all compliant patients (including n = 24 cases of dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors-associated BP; 12-week remission rate: 100% [95% CI: 91.9–100.0%]; mean time to remission: 29.5 days, SEM: 2.3 days) at a mean cumulative MP dose to disease control of 678.4 mg (SEM = 49.4 mg). Eight patients relapsed during follow up (10.81 [95% CI: 5.16–21.72] relapses/100 person years, py), and seven manifested a severe adverse event (6.80 [95% CI: 3.00–14.28] severe adverse events/100 py); however, 73.4% (±7.9%) had suffered neither a relapse nor a SAE at the three-years follow up. Continuing low dose MP intake (≤8 mg/day) beyond week 12 in combination with MTX minimized the risk of a feasibility limiting event (p = 0.013). Conclusively, the combination of methylprednisolone with methotrexate is a promising, safe, and efficient modality for BP patients, which enables rapid glucocorticoid tapering.
Landslide Susceptibility Model Using Artificial Neural Network (ANN) Approach in Langat River Basin, Selangor, Malaysia
Authors: Selamat Siti Norsakinah , Majid Nuriah Abd , Taha Mohd Raihan , Osman Ashraf
Published: June 2022

Landslides are a natural hazard that can endanger human life and cause severe environmental damage. A landslide susceptibility map is essential for planning, managing, and preventing landslides occurrences to minimize losses. A variety of techniques are employed to map landslide susceptibility; however, their capability differs depending on the studies. The aim of the research is to produce a landslide susceptibility map for the Langat River Basin in Selangor, Malaysia, using an Artificial Neural Network (ANN). A landslide inventory map contained a total of 140 landslide locations which were randomly separated into training and testing with ratio 70:30. Nine landslide conditioning factors were selected as model input, including: elevation, slope, aspect, curvature, Topographic Wetness Index (TWI), distance to road, distance to river, lithology, and rainfall. The area under the curve (AUC) and several statistical measures of analyses (sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value) were used to validate the landslide predictive model. The ANN predictive model was considered and achieved very good results on validation assessment, with an AUC value of 0.940 for both training and testing datasets. This study found rainfall to be the most crucial factor affecting landslide occurrence in the Langat River Basin, with a 0.248 weight index, followed by distance to road (0.200) and elevation (0.136). The results showed that the most susceptible area is located in the north-east of the Langat River Basin. This map might be useful for development planning and management to prevent landslide occurrences in Langat River Basin.
The Follow-Up and Review Mechanisms of the Global Compacts: What Room Is There for Human Mobility in the Context of Disasters and Climate Change?
Authors: Yildiz Aylin
Published: June 2022

Human mobility in the context of disasters and climate change (HMDCC) is a complex problem, which is planetary in scope and intergenerational in its impact. From the mid-seventeenth century’s little ice age to the rising sea levels due to climate change, people have been driven to move by environmental factors for a long time. Yet, an international treaty regime that addresses the protection needs of persons mobile due to environmental factors has never been created. Against this backdrop, the Global Compacts were negotiated to reflect a “sophisticated” understanding of HMDCC, and their adoption enables cooperation on a wide range of policies and laws to this effect. Examining the implementation of the Global Compacts with respect to the commitments relating to HMDCC, this article finds that States and non-State actors have cooperated to address data gaps and to incorporate mobility considerations into national frameworks on climate change and disaster management. However, States must implement all dimensions of their commitments relating to HMDCC, especially with regards to the facilitation of migration as an adaptation strategy to disasters and climate change, in order to build a comprehensive approach.
Unveiling a Novel Source of Resistance to Bacterial Blight in Medicinal Wild Rice, Oryza officinalis
Authors: Chen Ling , Yin Fuyou , Zhang Dunyu , Xiao Suqin , Zhong Qiaofang , Wang Bo , Ke Xue , Ji Zhiyuan , Wang Lingxian , Zhang Yun , Jiang Cong , Liu Li , Li Jinlu , Lu Yuanda , Yu Tengqiong , Cheng Zaiquan
Published: June 2022

Bacterial blight (BB) caused by Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae (Xoo) is among the oldest known bacterial diseases found for rice in Asia. It is the most serious bacterial disease in many rice growing regions of the world. A total of 47 resistance (R) genes (Xa1 to Xa47) have been identified. Nonetheless, these R genes could possibly be defeated to lose their qualitative nature and express intermediate phenotypes. The identification of sources of novel genetic loci regulating host plant resistance is crucial to develop an efficient control strategy. Wild ancestors of cultivated rice are a natural genetic resource contain a large number of excellent genes. Medicinal wild rice (Oryza officinalis) belongs to the CC genome and is a well-known wild rice in south China. In this study, O. officinalis was crossed with cultivated rice HY-8 and their hybrids were screened for BB resistance genes deployed through natural selection in wild rice germplasm. The molecular markers linked to R genes for BB were used to screen the genomic regions in wild parents and their recombinants. The gene coding and promoter regions of major R genes were inconsistently found in O. officinalis and its progenies. Oryza officinalis showed resistance to all thirty inoculated Xoo strains with non-availability of various known R genes. The results indicated the presence of novel genomic regions for BB resistance in O. officinalis. The present study not only provides a reference to investigate medicinal rice for R gene(s) identification against BB but also identified it as a new breeding material for BB resistance.
Microalgae Peptide-Stabilized Gold Nanoparticles as a Versatile Material for Biomedical Applications
Authors: Torres-Díaz Marielys , Abreu-Takemura Caren , Díaz-Vázquez Liz M.
Published: June 2022

Microalgae peptides have many medical and industrial applications due to their functional properties. However, the rapid degradation of peptides not naturally present in biological samples represents a challenge. A strategy to increase microalgae peptide stability in biological samples is to use carriers to protect the active peptide and regulate its release. This study explores the use of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) as carriers of the Chlorella microalgae peptide (VECYGPNRPQF). The potential of these peptide biomolecules as stabilizing agents to improve the colloidal stability of AuNPs in physiological environments is also discussed. Spectroscopic (UV-VIS, DLS) and Microscopic (TEM) analyses confirmed that the employed modification method produced spherical AuNPs by an average 15 nm diameter. Successful peptide capping of AuNPs was confirmed with TEM images and FTIR spectroscopy. The stability of the microalgae peptide increased when immobilized into the AuNPs surface, as confirmed by the observed thermal shifts in DSC and high zeta-potential values in the colloidal solution. By optimizing the synthesis of AuNPs and tracking the conferred chemical properties as AuNPs were modified with the peptide via various alternative methods, the synthesis of an effective peptide-based coating system for AuNPs and drug carriers was achieved. The microalgae peptide AuNPs showed lower ecotoxicity and better viability than the regular AuNPs.
Mechanism of Glucose Water as a Neural Injection: A Perspective on Neuroinflammation
Authors: Wu Yung-Tsan , Chen Yen-Po , Lam King Hei Stanley , Reeves Kenneth Dean , Lin Jui-An , Kuo Cheng-Yi
Published: June 2022

The entrapment of peripheral nerves is associated with chronic neuroinflammation and neuropathic pain, and perineural injection therapy with glucose is emerging as an effective treatment for peripheral entrapment neuropathy. However, the mechanism underlying the pharmacological effect of glucose on nerves remains unclear. One of the hypothesized mechanisms is that glucose reduces neurogenic inflammation. Therefore, we investigated the effects of high glucose concentrations on cytokine-induced neuroinflammation in vitro. Human SH-SY5Y neuronal cells were challenged with 10 ng/mL TNF-α for 16 h and subsequently treated with different glucose concentrations (0–25 mM) for 24 h. Cell viability was evaluated using the diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay, and proinflammatory cytokine levels were assessed using ELISA and quantitative PCR. In addition, mRNA levels of NF-κB and cyclooxygenase-2 were analyzed using quantitative PCR. Exposure to 10 ng/mL TNF-α resulted in decreased viability of SH-SY5Y cells and significant upregulation of IL-6, IL-1β, NF-κB, and cyclooxygenase-2. Subsequent exposure to high glucose levels (25 mM) markedly reduced the upregulation of IL-6, IL-1β, cyclooxygenase-2, and NF-κB, and restored the functional metabolism of SH-SY5Y cells, compared with that of the normal glucose control. Our findings suggest that high glucose concentrations can mitigate TNF-α-induced NF-κB activation, upregulation of proinflammatory cytokines, and metabolic dysfunction.
The Coevolution of Biomolecules and Prebiotic Information Systems in the Origin of Life: A Visualization Model for Assembling the First Gene
Authors: Chatterjee Sankar , Yadav Surya
Published: June 2022

Prebiotic information systems exist in three forms: analog, hybrid, and digital. The Analog Information System (AIS), manifested early in abiogenesis, was expressed in the chiral selection, nucleotide formation, self-assembly, polymerization, encapsulation of polymers, and division of protocells. It created noncoding RNAs by polymerizing nucleotides that gave rise to the Hybrid Information System (HIS). The HIS employed different species of noncoding RNAs, such as ribozymes, pre-tRNA and tRNA, ribosomes, and functional enzymes, including bridge peptides, pre-aaRS, and aaRS (aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase). Some of these hybrid components build the translation machinery step-by-step. The HIS ushered in the Digital Information System (DIS), where tRNA molecules become molecular architects for designing mRNAs step-by-step, employing their two distinct genetic codes. First, they created codons of mRNA by the base pair interaction (anticodon–codon mapping). Secondly, each charged tRNA transferred its amino acid information to the corresponding codon (codon–amino acid mapping), facilitated by an aaRS enzyme. With the advent of encoded mRNA molecules, the first genes emerged before DNA. With the genetic memory residing in the digital sequences of mRNA, a mapping mechanism was developed between each codon and its cognate amino acid. As more and more codons ‘remembered’ their respective amino acids, this mapping system developed the genetic code in their memory bank. We compared three kinds of biological information systems with similar types of human-made computer systems.
Discussion of Stick-Slip Dynamics of 2DOF Sliding Systems Based on Dynamic Vibration Absorbers Analysis
Authors: Maegawa Satoru , Liu Xiaoxu , Itoigawa Fumihiro
Published: June 2022

In this study, we discussed the occurrence condition stick-slip model based on a 2DOF system, in which a 1DOF system model commonly used in stick-slip analysis was attached on an elastic foundation. Specifically, the effects of the mass, stiffness, and damping coefficient of the elastic foundation on the occurrence and non-occurrence of stick-slip were investigated. It was found that when the elastic foundation parameters were determined based on the optimal parameter tuning method of the dynamic vibration absorber (DVA) theory, the range of stick-slip occurrences reduced compared to the sliding system without the elastic foundation.
The Effect of the Pre-Existing VC on the Evolution of Precipitate and Mechanical Properties in the H13 Steel
Authors: Shi Kefei , Zhao Fei , Liu Yuan , Yin Sheng , Yang Ronggui
Published: June 2022

To further improve the mechanical properties of H13 steel at room and high temperatures, its precipitates were regulated based on the Thermo-Calc results. Scanning electron microscope (SEM), electron backscattering diffraction (EBSD), transmission electron microscope (TEM), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) Rietveld refinement were used to study the effect of the intercritical annealing on the microstructure and mechanical properties of H13 steel. The results show that the intercritical annealing at 850~95 °C increased the VC volume fraction from 2.23 to 3.03~3.48%. Increasing the VC volume fraction could inhibit the M7C3 precipitation from 10.01 to 6.63~5.72% during tempering. A large amount of VC also promoted the M23C6 precipitation during tempering at higher dislocation densities. The intercortical annealing simultaneously increased the elongation of H13 steel. An excellent combination (room temperature: ultimate tensile strength (UTS) of 898 MPa and total elongation (TEL) of 19.35%, 650 °C: UTS of 439 MPa, and TEL of 27.80%) could be obtained when intercritical annealing is performed at 900 °C. Meanwhile, after aging at 650 °C for 128 h, the room temperature UTS and TEL decreased by only 31 MPa and 0.52%, respectively.
Design and Optimization of a BAW Microphone Sensor
Authors: Guo Huihui , Li Jianbo , Liu Tingting , Feng Mingqiang , Gao Yang
Published: June 2022

A wind tunnel experiment is an important way and effective method to research the generation mechanism of aerodynamic noise and verify aerodynamic noise reduction technology. Acoustic measurement is an important part of wind tunnel experiments, and the microphone is the core device in an aerodynamic acoustic measurement system. Aiming at the problem of low sound pressure (several Pa) and the small measuring surface of an experimental model in a wind tunnel experiment, a microphone sensor head with high sensitivity and small volume, based on film bulk acoustic resonator (FBAR), is presented and optimized in this work. The FBARs used as a transducer are located at the edge of a diaphragm for sound pressure level detection. A multi-scale and multi-physical field coupling analysis model of the microphone is established. To improve the performance of the microphone, the structural design parameters of the FBAR and the diaphragm are optimized by simulation. The research results show that the microphone has a small size, good sensitivity, and linearity. The sensor head size is less than 1 mm × 1 mm, the sensitivity is about 400 Hz/Pa when the sensor worked at the first-order resonance frequency, and the linearity is better than 1%.
Tunable Color-Variable Solar Absorber Based on Phase Change Material Sb2Se3
Authors: Li Xin , Luo Mingyu , Jiang Xinpeng , Luo Shishang , Yang Junbo
Published: June 2022

In this paper, a dynamic color-variable solar absorber is designed based on the phase change material Sb2Se3. High absorption is maintained under both amorphous Sb2Se3 (aSb2Se3) and crystalline Sb2Se3 (cSb2Se3). Before and after the phase transition leading to the peak change, the structure shows a clear color contrast. Due to peak displacement, the color change is also evident for different crystalline fractions during the phase transition. Different incident angles irradiate the structure, which can also cause the structure to show rich color variations. The structure is insensitive to the polarization angle because of the high symmetry. At the same time, different geometric parameters enable different color displays, so the structure can have good application prospects.
Social Determinants of Obesity and Stunting among Brazilian Adolescents: A Multilevel Analysis
Authors: Vale Diôgo , Andrade Maria Eduarda da Costa , Dantas Natalie Marinho , Bezerra Ricardo Andrade , Lyra Clélia de Oliveira , Oliveira Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli da Costa
Published: June 2022

(1) Background: The purpose of this study was to identify the prevalence of obesity and stunting among Brazilian adolescents and its associations with social determinants of health (individual, family, and school), grounded on the necessity of investigating the determinants of nutritional problems within this population. (2) Methods: A population-based survey was administered to 16,556 adolescents assessed by the 2015 National School Health Survey. Multivariate models of obesity and stunting were estimated from Multilevel Poisson Regressions. (3) Results: The prevalence of obesity among Brazilian adolescents (10.0%; 95% CI: 9.4–10.6) was associated directly with indifference or dissatisfaction with body image, with eating breakfast four or fewer days a week, living with up to four people in the household, studying in private schools, and being from the South region, and was inversely associated with being female, 15 years old or older, with having the highest nutritional risk eating pattern, dining at fast-food restaurants, and eating while watching television or studying. The prevalence of stunting (2.3%; 95% CI: 2.0–2.8) was directly associated with the age of 15 years or older, and inversely associated with the lower number of residents living in the household, maternal education—decreasing gradient from literate to college level education, studying in urban schools, and being from the South and Central-West regions. (4) Conclusions: Obesity in adolescence presented behavioral determinants. Stunting and obesity have structural social determinants related, respectively, to worse and better socioeconomic position among Brazilian adolescents.
Associations of Vitamin B6 Intake and Plasma Pyridoxal 5′-Phosphate with Plasma Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids in US Older Adults: Findings from NHANES 2003–2004
Authors: Kim Hyojung , Enrione Evelyn B. , Narayanan Vijaya , Li Tan , Campa Adriana
Published: June 2022

Previous evidence suggests a potential dual impact of aging and vitamin B6 (B6) deficiency on polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) metabolism; gender may influence PUFA biosynthesis. Perturbation of PUFA compositions during B6 deficiency could be linked to age-related health outcomes. However, little is known about the interrelationships between vitamin B6, PUFA, and gender in the older population. Therefore, we investigated whether gender-specific associations of B6 intake and plasma pyridoxal 5’-phosphate (PLP) concentration, respectively, with plasma PUFA concentrations and ratios (eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), arachidonic acid (AA), EPA + DHA, EPA/AA, and (EPA + DHA)/AA) existed in older adults. We further examined the relationships of adequate B6 status (PLP ≥ 20 nmol/L) with high (above median) plasma PUFA relative to deficient B6 status. This cross-sectional study analyzed 461 participants aged ≥60 years from NHANES 2003–2004. Nutrient intakes were assessed using two 24-h recalls and supplement questionnaires. PLP and PUFA concentrations were measured. Multivariate linear regression assessed the association of B6 intake and PLP with PUFA; multivariate logistic regression evaluated the relationship of adequate B6 status with high plasma PUFA, adjusting for demographic, socioeconomic, and dietary factors; physical activity; smoking; alcohol; medication; and BMI. There were interactions between gender and B6 intake on EPA (P-interaction = 0.008) and AA (P-interaction = 0.004) only, whereas no interaction existed between gender and PLP on PUFA. PLP was directly associated with EPA (β = 0.181, P = 0.002), DHA (β = 0.109, P = 0.005), EPA + DHA (β = 0.14, P = 0.002), EPA/AA (β = 0.186, P = 0.004), and (EPA + DHA)/AA (β = 0.13, P = 0.026). The odds of having high plasma EPA (adjusted (a) OR: 2.03, P = 0.049) and EPA/AA (aOR: 3.83, P < 0.0001) were greater in those with adequate B6 status compared to those with deficient B6 status. In conclusion, in US older adults, a higher PLP level was associated with a greater level of EPA, DHA, EPA + DHA, EPA/AA, and (EPA + DHA)/AA. Adequate B6 status was associated with high EPA and EPA/AA status. These findings suggest that sufficient vitamin B6 status may positively influence PUFA metabolism in older adults.
Phytochemical Constitution, Anti-Inflammation, Anti-Androgen, and Hair Growth-Promoting Potential of Shallot (Allium ascalonicum L.) Extract
Authors: Ruksiriwanich Warintorn , Khantham Chiranan , Muangsanguan Anurak , Chittasupho Chuda , Rachtanapun Pornchai , Jantanasakulwong Kittisak , Phimolsiripol Yuthana , Sommano Sarana Rose , Sringarm Korawan , Ferrer Emilia , Barba Francisco J.
Published: June 2022

In Thai folklore wisdom, shallot (Allium ascalonicum L.) was applied as a traditional herbal medicine for hair growth promotion with no scientific evidence. Androgenetic alopecia (AGA) is a progressive hair loss caused by multiple factors, including androgen hormones, inflammation, and oxidative stress. Conventional medicines (finasteride, dutasteride, corticosteroids, and minoxidil) have been used with limited therapeutic efficacy and unpleasant side effects. In this study, we aimed to give the first estimation of bioactive compounds in shallot extract and evaluate the hair growth-promoting activities regarding anti-inflammatory and gene expression modulation involving androgen, Wnt/β-catenin, sonic hedgehog, and angiogenesis pathways. The results reveal that phenolic compounds (quercetin, rosmarinic, and p-coumaric acids) are the major constituents of the methanolic shallot extract. Compared with the lipopolysaccharide-stimulated control group (2.68 ± 0.13 µM), nitric oxide production was remarkably diminished by shallot extract (0.55 ± 0.06 µM). Shallot extract improves hair growth promotion activity, as reflected by the downregulation of the androgen gene expression (SRD5A1 and SRD5A2) and the upregulation of the genes associated with Wnt/β-catenin (CTNNB1), sonic hedgehog (SHH, SMO, and GIL1), and angiogenesis (VEGF) pathways. These findings disclose the new insights of shallot extract on hair growth promotions. Shallot extract could be further developed as nutraceutical, nutricosmetic, and cosmeceutical preparations for AGA treatment.
Biodeterioration of Microplastics: A Promising Step towards Plastics Waste Management
Authors: Tareen Aatikah , Saeed Saira , Iqbal Atia , Batool Rida , Jamil Nazia
Published: June 2022

Polyethylene and Polyester materials are resistant to degradation and a significant source of microplastics pollution, which is an emerging concern. In the present study, the potential of a dumped site bacterial community was evaluated. After primary screening, it was observed that 68.5% were linear low-density polyethylene, 33.3% were high-density, and 12.9% were Polyester degraders. Five strains were chosen for secondary screening, in which they were monitored by FTIR, SEM and weight loss degradation trials. Major results were observed for Alcaligenes faecalis (MK517568) and Bacillus cereus (MK517567), as they showed the highest degradation activity. Alcaligenes faecalis (MK517568) degrades LLDPE by 3.5%, HDPE by 5.8% and Polyester by 17.3%. Bacillus cereus (MK517567) is better tolerated at 30 °C and degrades Polyester by 29%. Changes in infrared spectra indicated degradation pathways of different strains depending on the types of plastics targeted. Through SEM analysis, groves, piths and holes were observed on the surface. These findings suggest that soil bacteria develop an effective mechanism for degradation of microplastics and beads that enables them to utilize plastics as a source of energy without the need for pre-treatments, which highlights the importance of these soil bacteria for the future of effective plastic waste management in a soil environment.
Johannine Ethics: An Exegetical-Theological Summary and a ‘Desiderative’ Extension of Mimesis
Authors: Hartog Paul Anthony
Published: June 2022

If we consider the Johannine literature to have primarily espoused an exemplary (rather than an imperatival) ethical paradigm, our understanding of its moral teaching becomes much richer. The Gospel of John does not provide a moral grammar primarily by conveying a set of commands or prohibitions, but through conformity to a moral example (Jesus Christ himself). More specifically, this paper initially approaches the issue by surveying the uses of the imperative in the Gospel of John, the appearances of ὀφείλειν and καθώς, related moral themes, the descriptions of the two Johannine commandments, and the statements of John 13:14–15. The essay then focuses particularly upon the recent work of Cornelis Bennema on the imitative or “mimetic” ethics of John. Bennema has emphasized the “cognitive mimesis” and “performative mimesis” of Johannine ethics, engendered and enabled by the Paraclete. Finally, through an exposition of John 8 and other relevant texts, this essay contributes to the conversation by adding “desiderative mimesis” to Bennema’s proposed framework. As one’s identity (who I am) is transformed, one’s desiderative inclinations (what I desire) are renewed, resulting in changed behavior (how I act).
Mapping Onshore CH4 Seeps in Western Siberian Floodplains Using Convolutional Neural Network
Authors: Terentieva Irina , Filippov Ilya , Sabrekov Aleksandr , Glagolev Mikhail
Published: June 2022

Onshore seeps are recognized as strong sources of methane (CH4), the second most important greenhouse gas. Seeps actively emitting CH4 were recently found in floodplains of West Siberian rivers. Despite the origin of CH4 in these seeps is not fully understood, they can make substantial contribution in regional greenhouse gas emission. We used high-resolution satellite Sentinel-2 imagery to estimate seep areas at a regional scale. Convolutional neural network based on U-Net architecture was implemented to overcome difficulties with seep recognition. Ground-based field investigations and unmanned aerial vehicle footage were coupled to provide reliable training dataset. The seep areas were estimated at 2885 km2 or 1.5% of the studied region; most seep areas were found within the Ob’ river floodplain. The overall accuracy of the final map reached 86.1%. Our study demonstrates that seeps are widespread throughout the region and provides a basis to estimate seep CH4 flux in entire Western Siberia.
Dimensionality Reduction and Prediction of Impedance Data of Biointerface
Authors: Ismaiel Ebrahim , Zátonyi Anita , Fekete Zoltán
Published: June 2022

Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) is the golden tool for many emerging biomedical applications that describes the behavior, stability, and long-term durability of physical interfaces in a specific range of frequency. Impedance measurements of any biointerface during in vivo and clinical applications could be used for assessing long-term biopotential measurements and diagnostic purposes. In this paper, a novel approach to predicting impedance behavior is presented and consists of a dimensional reduction procedure by converting EIS data over many days of an experiment into a one-dimensional sequence of values using a novel formula called day factor (DF) and then using a long short-term memory (LSTM) network to predict the future behavior of the DF. Three neural interfaces of different material compositions with long-term in vitro aging tests were used to validate the proposed approach. The results showed good accuracy in predicting the quantitative change in the impedance behavior (i.e., higher than 75%), in addition to good prediction of the similarity between the actual and the predicted DF signals, which expresses the impedance fluctuations among soaking days. The DF approach showed a lower computational time and algorithmic complexity compared with principal component analysis (PCA) and provided the ability to involve or emphasize several important frequencies or impedance range in a more flexible way.
Agrobot Lala—An Autonomous Robotic System for Real-Time, In-Field Soil Sampling, and Analysis of Nitrates
Authors: Kitić Goran , Krklješ Damir , Panić Marko , Petes Csaba , Birgermajer Slobodan , Crnojević Vladimir
Published: June 2022

This paper presents an autonomous robotic system, an unmanned ground vehicle (UGV), for in-field soil sampling and analysis of nitrates. Compared to standard methods of soil analysis it has several advantages: each sample is individually analyzed compared to average sample analysis in standard methods; each sample is georeferenced, providing a map for precision base fertilizing; the process is fully autonomous; samples are analyzed in real-time, approximately 30 min per sample; and lightweight for less soil compaction. The robotic system has several modules: commercial robotic platform, anchoring module, sampling module, sample preparation module, sample analysis module, and communication module. The system is augmented with an in-house developed cloud-based platform. This platform uses satellite images, and an artificial intelligence (AI) proprietary algorithm to divide the target field into representative zones for sampling, thus, reducing and optimizing the number and locations of the samples. Based on this, a task is created for the robot to automatically sample at those locations. The user is provided with an in-house developed smartphone app enabling overview and monitoring of the task, changing the positions, removing and adding of the sampling points. The results of the measurements are uploaded to the cloud for further analysis and the creation of prescription maps for variable rate base fertilization.
Multispectral Facial Recognition in the Wild
Authors: Martins Pedro , Silva José Silvestre , Bernardino Alexandre
Published: June 2022

This work proposes a multi-spectral face recognition system in an uncontrolled environment, aiming to identify or authenticate identities (people) through their facial images. Face recognition systems in uncontrolled environments have shown impressive performance improvements over recent decades. However, most are limited to the use of a single spectral band in the visible spectrum. The use of multi-spectral images makes it possible to collect information that is not obtainable in the visible spectrum when certain occlusions exist (e.g., fog or plastic materials) and in low- or no-light environments. The proposed work uses the scores obtained by face recognition systems in different spectral bands to make a joint final decision in identification. The evaluation of different methods for each of the components of a face recognition system allowed the most suitable ones for a multi-spectral face recognition system in an uncontrolled environment to be selected. The experimental results, expressed in Rank-1 scores, were 99.5% and 99.6% in the TUFTS multi-spectral database with pose variation and expression variation, respectively, and 100.0% in the CASIA NIR-VIS 2.0 database, indicating that the use of multi-spectral images in an uncontrolled environment is advantageous when compared with the use of single spectral band images.