bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Experiential Learning Interventions and Healthy Eating Outcomes in Children: A Systematic Literature Review
Authors: Varman Sumantla D. , Cliff Dylan P. , Jones Rachel A. , Hammersley Megan L. , Zhang Zhiguang , Charlton Karen , Kelly Bridget
Published: October 2021

Experiential learning is the process where learners create meaning from direct experience. This systematic review aimed to examine the effects of experiential learning activities on dietary outcomes (knowledge, attitudes, behaviors) in children. Four databases: Education Research Complete, Scopus, Web of Science and PsychINFO were searched from database inception to 2020. Eligible studies included children 0–12 years, assessed effect of experiential learning on outcomes of interest compared to non-experiential learning and were open to any setting. The quality of studies was assessed using the revised Cochrane risk of bias tool by two independent reviewers and effect size was calculated on each outcome. Nineteen studies were conducted in primary school, six in pre-school and one in an outside-of-school setting and used nine types of experiential learning strategies. Cooking, taste-testing, games, role-playing, and gardening were effective in improving nutrition outcomes in primary school children. Sensory evaluation, games, creative arts, and storybooks were effective for preschool children. Multiple strategies involving parents, and short/intense strategies are useful for intervention success. Experiential learning is a useful strategy to improve children’s knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors towards healthy eating. Fewer studies in pre-school and outside of school settings and high risk of bias may limit the generalizability and strength of the findings.
Histone Demethylase KDM7A Contributes to the Development of Hepatic Steatosis by Targeting Diacylglycerol Acyltransferase 2
Authors: Kim Ji-Hyun , Nagappan Arulkumar , Jung Dae , Suh Nanjoo , Jung Myeong
Published: October 2021

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common chronic liver disease. While the development of NAFLD is correlated with aberrant histone methylation, modifiers of histone methylation involved in this event remain poorly understood. Here, we studied the functional role of the histone demethylase KDM7A in the development of hepatic steatosis. KDM7A overexpression in AML12 cells upregulated diacylglycerol acyltransferase 2 (DGAT2) expression and resulted in increased intracellular triglyceride (TG) accumulation. Conversely, KDM7A knockdown reduced DGAT2 expression and TG accumulation, and significantly reversed free fatty acids-induced TG accumulation. Additionally, adenovirus-mediated overexpression of KDM7A in mice resulted in hepatic steatosis, which was accompanied by increased expression of hepatic DGAT2. Furthermore, KDM7A overexpression decreased the enrichment of di-methylation of histone H3 lysine 9 (H3K9me2) and H3 lysine 27 (H3K27me2) on the promoter of DGAT2. Taken together, these results indicate that KDM7A overexpression induces hepatic steatosis through upregulation of DGAT2 by erasing H3K9me2 and H3K27me2 on the promoter.
Role of PI3K-AKT-mTOR Pathway as a Pro-Survival Signaling and Resistance-Mediating Mechanism to Therapy of Prostate Cancer
Authors: Pungsrinont Thanakorn , Kallenbach Julia , Baniahmad Aria
Published: October 2021

Androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) and androgen receptor (AR)-targeted therapy are the gold standard options for treating prostate cancer (PCa). These are initially effective, as localized and the early stage of metastatic disease are androgen- and castration-sensitive. The tumor strongly relies on systemic/circulating androgens for activating AR signaling to stimulate growth and progression. However, after a certain point, the tumor will eventually develop a resistant stage, where ADT and AR antagonists are no longer effective. Mechanistically, it seems that the tumor becomes more aggressive through adaptive responses, relies more on alternative activated pathways, and is less dependent on AR signaling. This includes hyperactivation of PI3K-AKT-mTOR pathway, which is a central signal that regulates cell pro-survival/anti-apoptotic pathways, thus, compensating the blockade of AR signaling. The PI3K-AKT-mTOR pathway is well-documented for its crosstalk between genomic and non-genomic AR signaling, as well as other signaling cascades. Such a reciprocal feedback loop makes it more complicated to target individual factor/signaling for treating PCa. Here, we highlight the role of PI3K-AKT-mTOR signaling as a resistance mechanism for PCa therapy and illustrate the transition of prostate tumor from AR signaling-dependent to PI3K-AKT-mTOR pathway-dependent. Moreover, therapeutic strategies with inhibitors targeting the PI3K-AKT-mTOR signal used in clinic and ongoing clinical trials are discussed.
The Effect of the Osmotically Active Compound Concentration Difference on the Passive Water and Proton Fluxes across a Lipid Bilayer
Authors: Przybyło Magdalena , Drabik Dominik , Doskocz Joanna , Iglič Aleš , Langner Marek
Published: October 2021

The molecular details of the passive water flux across the hydrophobic membrane interior are still a matter of debate. One of the postulated mechanisms is the spontaneous, water-filled pore opening, which facilitates the hydrophilic connection between aqueous phases separated by the membrane. In the paper, we provide experimental evidence showing that the spontaneous lipid pore formation correlates with the membrane mechanics; hence, it depends on the composition of the lipid bilayer and the concentration of the osmotically active compound. Using liposomes as an experimental membrane model, osmotically induced water efflux was measured with the stopped-flow technique. Shapes of kinetic curves obtained at low osmotic pressure differences are interpreted in terms of two events: the lipid pore opening and water flow across the aqueous channel. The biological significance of the dependence of the lipid pore formation on the concentration difference of an osmotically active compound was illustrated by the demonstration that osmotically driven water flow can be accompanied by the dissipation of the pH gradient. The application of the Helfrich model to describe the probability of lipid pore opening was validated by demonstrating that the probability of pore opening correlates with the membrane bending rigidity. The correlation was determined by experimentally derived bending rigidity coefficients and probabilities of lipid pores opening.
Atorvastatin Ester Regulates Lipid Metabolism in Hyperlipidemia Rats via the PPAR-signaling Pathway and HMGCR Expression in the Liver
Authors: Hu Nan , Chen Chunyun , Wang Jinhui , Huang Jian , Yao Dahong , Li Chunli
Published: October 2021

Atorvastatin ester (Ate) is a structural trim of atorvastatin that can regulate hyperlipidemia. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the lipid-lowering effect of Ate. Male Sprague Dawley (SD) rats were fed a high-fat diet for seven months and used as a hyperlipidemia model. The lipid level and liver function of the hyperlipidemia rats were studied by the levels of TG, TC, LDL, HDL, ALT, and AST in serum after intragastric administration with different doses of Ate. HE staining was used to observe the pathological changes of the rat liver and gastrocnemius muscle. The lipid deposits in the liver of rats were observed by staining with ORO. The genes in the rat liver were sequenced by RNA-sequencing. The results of the RNA-sequencing were further examined by qRT-PCR and western blotting. Biochemical test results indicated that Ate could obviously improve the metabolic disorder and reduce both the ALT and AST levels in serum of the hyperlipidemia rats. Pathological results showed that Ate could improve HFD-induced lipid deposition and had no muscle toxicity. The RNA-sequencing results suggested that Ate affected liver lipid metabolism and cholesterol, metabolism in the hyperlipidemia-model rats may vary via the PPAR-signaling pathway. The western blotting and qRT-PCR results demonstrated the Ate-regulated lipid metabolism in the hyperlipidemia model through the PPAR-signaling pathway and HMGCR expression. In brief, Ate can significantly regulate the blood lipid level of the model rats, which may be achieved by regulating the PPAR-signaling pathway and HMGCR gene expression.
Contribution of Metabolomics to Multiple Sclerosis Diagnosis, Prognosis and Treatment
Authors: Rispoli Marianna Gabriella , Valentinuzzi Silvia , De Luca Giovanna , Del Boccio Piero , Federici Luca , Di Ioia Maria , Digiovanni Anna , Grasso Eleonora Agata , Pozzilli Valeria , Villani Alessandro , Chiarelli Antonio Maria , Onofrj Marco , Wise Richard G. , Pieragostino Damiana , Tomassini Valentina
Published: October 2021

Metabolomics-based technologies map in vivo biochemical changes that may be used as early indicators of pathological abnormalities prior to the development of clinical symptoms in neurological conditions. Metabolomics may also reveal biochemical pathways implicated in tissue dysfunction and damage and thus assist in the development of novel targeted therapeutics for neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration. Metabolomics holds promise as a non-invasive, high-throughput and cost-effective tool for early diagnosis, follow-up and monitoring of treatment response in multiple sclerosis (MS), in combination with clinical and imaging measures. In this review, we offer evidence in support of the potential of metabolomics as a biomarker and drug discovery tool in MS. We also use pathway analysis of metabolites that are described as potential biomarkers in the literature of MS biofluids to identify the most promising molecules and upstream regulators, and show novel, still unexplored metabolic pathways, whose investigation may open novel avenues of research.
Light Induced Regulation Pathway of Anthocyanin Biosynthesis in Plants
Authors: Ma Yanyun , Ma Xu , Gao Xiang , Wu Weilin , Zhou Bo
Published: October 2021

Anthocyanins are natural pigments with antioxidant effects that exist in various fruits and vegetables. The accumulation of anthocyanins is induced by environmental signals and regulated by transcription factors in plants. Numerous evidence has indicated that among the environmental factors, light is one of the most signal regulatory factors involved in the anthocyanin biosynthesis pathway. However, the signal transduction of light and molecular regulation of anthocyanin synthesis remains to be explored. Here, we focus on the research progress of signal transduction factors for positive and negative regulation in light-dependent and light-independent anthocyanin biosynthesis. In particular, we will discuss light-induced regulatory pathways and related specific regulators of anthocyanin biosynthesis in plants. In addition, an integrated regulatory network of anthocyanin biosynthesis controlled by transcription factors is discussed based on the significant progress.
Hypoxia Tolerant Species: The Wisdom of Nature Translated into Targets for Stroke Therapy
Authors: del Río Carmen , Montaner Joan
Published: October 2021

Human neurons rapidly die after ischemia and current therapies for stroke management are limited to restoration of blood flow to prevent further brain damage. Thrombolytics and mechanical thrombectomy are the available reperfusion treatments, but most of the patients remain untreated. Neuroprotective therapies focused on treating the pathogenic cascade of the disease have widely failed. However, many animal species demonstrate that neurons can survive the lack of oxygen for extended periods of time. Here, we reviewed the physiological and molecular pathways inherent to tolerant species that have been described to contribute to hypoxia tolerance. Among them, Foxo3 and Eif5A were reported to mediate anoxic survival in Drosophila and Caenorhabditis elegans, respectively, and those results were confirmed in experimental models of stroke. In humans however, the multiple mechanisms involved in brain cell death after a stroke causes translation difficulties to arise making necessary a timely and coordinated control of the pathological changes. We propose here that, if we were able to plagiarize such natural hypoxia tolerance through drugs combined in a pharmacological cocktail it would open new therapeutic opportunities for stroke and likely, for other hypoxic conditions.
BolTLP1, a Thaumatin-like Protein Gene, Confers Tolerance to Salt and Drought Stresses in Broccoli (Brassica oleracea L. var. Italica)
Authors: He Lixia , Li Lihong , Zhu Yinxia , Pan Yu , Zhang Xiuwen , Han Xue , Li Muzi , Chen Chengbin , Li Hui , Wang Chunguo
Published: October 2021

Plant thaumatin-like proteins (TLPs) play pleiotropic roles in defending against biotic and abiotic stresses. However, the functions of TLPs in broccoli, which is one of the major vegetables among the B. oleracea varieties, remain largely unknown. In the present study, bolTLP1 was identified in broccoli, and displayed remarkably inducible expression patterns by abiotic stress. The ectopic overexpression of bolTLP1 conferred increased tolerance to high salt and drought conditions in Arabidopsis. Similarly, bolTLP1-overexpressing broccoli transgenic lines significantly improved tolerance to salt and drought stresses. These results demonstrated that bolTLP1 positively regulates drought and salt tolerance. Transcriptome data displayed that bolTLP1 may function by regulating phytohormone (ABA, ethylene and auxin)-mediated signaling pathways, hydrolase and oxidoreductase activity, sulfur compound synthesis, and the differential expression of histone variants. Further studies confirmed that RESPONSE TO DESICCATION 2 (RD2), RESPONSIVE TO DEHYDRATION 22 (RD22), VASCULAR PLANT ONE-ZINC FINGER 2 (VOZ2), SM-LIKE 1B (LSM1B) and MALATE DEHYDROGENASE (MDH) physically interacted with bolTLP1, which implied that bolTLP1 could directly interact with these proteins to confer abiotic stress tolerance in broccoli. These findings provide new insights into the function and regulation of bolTLP1, and suggest potential applications for bolTLP1 in breeding broccoli and other crops with increased tolerance to salt and drought stresses.
MiR-106b-5p: A Master Regulator of Potential Biomarkers for Breast Cancer Aggressiveness and Prognosis
Authors: Farré Paula Lucía , Duca Rocío Belén , Massillo Cintia , Dalton Guillermo Nicolás , Graña Karen Daniela , Gardner Kevin , Lacunza Ezequiel , De Siervi Adriana
Published: October 2021

Breast cancer (BCa) is the leading cause of death by cancer in women worldwide. This disease is mainly stratified in four subtypes according to the presence of specific receptors, which is important for BCa aggressiveness, progression and prognosis. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNAs that have the capability to modulate several genes. Our aim was to identify a miRNA signature deregulated in preclinical and clinical BCa models for potential biomarker discovery that would be useful for BCa diagnosis and/or prognosis. We identified hsa-miR-21-5p and miR-106b-5p as up-regulated and hsa-miR-205-5p and miR-143-3p as down-regulated in BCa compared to normal breast or normal adjacent (NAT) tissues. We established 51 shared target genes between hsa-miR-21-5p and miR-106b-5p, which negatively correlated with the miRNA expression. Furthermore, we assessed the pathways in which these genes were involved and selected 12 that were associated with cancer and metabolism. Additionally, GAB1, GNG12, HBP1, MEF2A, PAFAH1B1, PPP1R3B, RPS6KA3 and SESN1 were downregulated in BCa compared to NAT. Interestingly, hsa-miR-106b-5p was up-regulated, while GAB1, GNG12, HBP1 and SESN1 were downregulated in aggressive subtypes. Finally, patients with high levels of hsa-miR-106b-5 and low levels of the abovementioned genes had worse relapse free survival and worse overall survival, except for GAB1.
Expanding the Level of Technological Readiness for a Low-Cost Vertical Hydroponic System
Authors: Borrero Juan D.
Published: October 2021

Climate and social changes are deeply affecting current agro-food systems. Unsustainable agricultural practices and the low profitability of small farmers are challenging the agricultural development of rural areas. This study aims to develop a novel, modular and low-cost vertical hydroponic farm system through reviews of the patented literature, research literature and variants of commercial products. After a detailed conceptualization process, a prototype was fabricated and tested at my university to validate its technology readiness level (TRL). The outcomes supported the usability and performance of the present utility model but highlighted several changes that are necessary before it can pass to the next TRL. This study shows that the prototype has the potential to not only solve food sovereignty but also to benefit society by advancing the innovations in food production and improving quality of life.
BECA: A Blockchain-Based Edge Computing Architecture for Internet of Things Systems
Authors: Ajayi Oluwashina Joseph , Rafferty Joseph , Santos Jose , Garcia-Constantino Matias , Cui Zhan
Published: October 2021

The scale of Internet of Things (IoT) systems has expanded in recent times and, in tandem with this, IoT solutions have developed symbiotic relationships with technologies, such as edge Computing. IoT has leveraged edge computing capabilities to improve the capabilities of IoT solutions, such as facilitating quick data retrieval, low latency response, and advanced computation, among others. However, in contrast with the benefits offered by edge computing capabilities, there are several detractors, such as centralized data storage, data ownership, privacy, data auditability, and security, which concern the IoT community. This study leveraged blockchain’s inherent capabilities, including distributed storage system, non-repudiation, privacy, security, and immutability, to provide a novel, advanced edge computing architecture for IoT systems. Specifically, this blockchain-based edge computing architecture addressed centralized data storage, data auditability, privacy, data ownership, and security. Following implementation, the performance of this solution was evaluated to quantify performance in terms of response time and resource utilization. The results show the viability of the proposed and implemented architecture, characterized by improved privacy, device data ownership, security, and data auditability while implementing decentralized storage.
A Security and Privacy Scoring System for Contact Tracing Apps
Authors: Krehling Leah , Essex Aleksander
Published: October 2021

Contact tracing applications have flooded the marketplace, as governments worldwide have been working to release apps for their citizens. These apps use a variety of protocols to perform contact tracing, resulting in widely differing security and privacy assurances. Governments and users have been left without a standard metric to weigh these protocols and compare their assurances to know which are more private and secure. Although there are many ways to approach a quantitative metric for privacy and security, one natural way is to draw on the methodology used by the well-known common vulnerability scoring system (CVSS). For privacy, we applied consensus principles for contract tracing as a basis for comparing their relative privacy practices. For security, we performed attack modeling to develop a rubric to compare the security of respective apps. Our analysis shows that centralized Bluetooth with added location functionality has low privacy and security, while non-streaming GPS scored high in security and medium in privacy. Based on our methodology, only two apps were given a high ranking of privacy: Canada’s Covid Alert and Germany’s Corona Warn-App. They both used the Google/Apple Notification Framework as the basis for their design. To achieve comparable privacy, we recommend that future projects follow their examples in the following ways: minimizing the amount of data they collect and holding it for the shortest possible length of time; only having features necessary for the app’s main function; and releasing design details so that users can make informed decisions.
Is Surface Metastability of Today’s Ceramic Bearings a Clinical Issue?
Authors: Porporati Alessandro Alan , Gremillard Laurent , Chevalier Jérôme , Pitto Rocco , Deluca Marco
Published: October 2021

Recent studies on zirconia-toughened alumina (ZTA) evidenced that in vivo aged implants display a much higher monoclinic zirconia content than expected from in vitro simulations by autoclaving. At the moment, there is no agreement on the source of this discrepancy: Some research groups ascribe it to the effect of mechanical impact shocks, which are generally not implemented in standard in vitro aging or hip walking simulators. Others invoke the effect of metal transfer, which should trigger an autocatalytic reaction in the body fluid environment, accelerating the kinetics of tetragonal-to-monoclinic transformation in vivo. Extrapolations of the aging kinetics from high (autoclave) to in vivo temperature are also often disputed. Last, Raman spectroscopy is by far the preferred method to quantify the amount of monoclinically transformed zirconia. There are, however, many sources of errors that may negatively affect Raman results, meaning that the final interpretation might be flawed. In this work, we applied Raman spectroscopy to determine the monoclinic content in as-received and in vitro aged ZTA hip joint implants, and in one long-term retrieval study. We calculated the monoclinic content with the most used equations in the literature and compared it with the results of X-ray diffraction obtained on a similar probe depth. Our results show, contrary to many previous studies, that the long-term surface stability of ZTA ceramics is preserved. This suggests that the Raman technique does not offer consistent and unique results for the analysis of surface degradation. Moreover, we discuss here that tetragonal-to-monoclinic transformation is also necessary to limit contact damage and wear stripe extension. Thus, the surface metastability of zirconia-containing ceramics may be a non-issue.
Thermally Assisted Machine Hammer Peening of Arc-Sprayed ZnAl-Based Corrosion Protective Coatings
Authors: Wirtz Andreas , Abdulgader Mohamed , Milz Michael P. , Tillmann Wolfgang , Walther Frank , Biermann Dirk
Published: October 2021

Structural elements of offshore facilities, e.g., offshore wind turbines, are subject to static and dynamic mechanical and environmental loads, for example, from wind, waves, and corrosive media. Protective coatings such as thermal sprayed ZnAl coatings are often used for protection, mainly against corrosive stresses. The Machine Hammer Peening (MHP) process is an innovative and promising technique for the post-treatment of ZnAl coating systems that helps reducing roughness and porosity and inducing compressive residual stresses. This should lead to an enhancement of the corrosion fatigue behavior. In this paper, the effect of a thermally assisted MHP process was investigated. The softening of the coating materials will have a direct effect on the densification, residual porosity and the distribution of cracks. The investigation results showed the influence of thermally assisted MHP on the surface properties, porosity, residual stresses, and hardness of the post-treated coatings. The best densification of the coating, i.e., the lowest porosity and roughness and the highest compressive residual stresses, were achieved at a process temperature of 300 °C. A further increase in temperature on the other hand caused a higher porosity and, in some cases, locally restricted melting of the coating and consequently poorer coating properties.
Modified VMAT Plans for Locally Advanced Centrally Located Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC)
Authors: Cheung Eva Y. W. , Kwong Virginia H. Y. , Chan Fandy Y. C. , Cheng Dominic Y. T. , Cheng Janice K. Y. , Yung Sapphire H. Y. , Chan Kiris T. K. , Cheung Kelly T. Y. , Cheung Tracy S. W. , Yiu Janna C. L.
Published: October 2021

Objectives: This study aimed to find the optimal radiotherapy VMAT plans, that achieved high conformity and homogeneity to the planned target volume (PTV), and minimize the dose to nearby organs at risk including the non-PTV lung, heart and oesophagus for patients with centrally located non-small Cell Lung Cancer. Methods: A total of 18 patients who were treated for stage III centrally located non-small Cell Lung Cancer were selected retrospectively for this study. Identical CT datasets, 4D CT and structure dataset were used for radiotherapy planning based on single-planar VMAT (SP-VMAT), dual-planar VMAT (DP-VMAT) and Hybrid VMAT (H-VMAT). For SP-VMAT, one full arc and two half arcs were created on single-plane with couch at 0°. For DP-VMAT, one full arc was created with couch at 0°, and two half arcs with couch rotation of 330° or 30°. For H-VMAT, anterior-posterior opposing fixed beam and two half arcs were planned at couch at 0°. Dose constraints were adhered to the RTOG0617. Dose volumetric parameters were collected for statistical analysis. Results: There were no significant differences for the PTV, HI, CI between the SP-VMAT, DP-VMAT and H-VMAT. For the non-PTV lungs, Dmean, V20, V10, V5, D1500 and D1000 were significantly lower (2.05 Gy, 6.47%, 15.89%, 11.66% 4.17 Gy and 5.47 Gy respectively) in H-VMAT than that of SP-VMAT (all p < 0.001). For the oesophagus, Dmax, Dmean, V30 and V18.8 of H-VMAT were 0.08 Gy, 1.73 Gy, 5.54% and 7.17% lower than that of the SP-VMAT plan. For the heart, Dmean, V34, V28, V20 and V10 of DP-VMAT were lower than that of SP-VMAT by 1.45 Gy, 0.65%, 1.74%, 4.8% and 7.11% respectively. Conclusion: The proposed H-VMAT showed more favourable plan quality than the SP-VMAT for centrally located stage III NSCLC, in particular for non-PTV lungs and the oesophagus. It will benefit patients, especially those who planned for immunotherapy (Durvalumab) after standard chemo-irradiation. The proposed DP-VMAT plan showed significant dose reduction to the heart when compared to the H-VMAT plan.
Examination of Physiological and Morphological Differences between Farm-Bred and Wild Black-Spotted Pond Frogs (Pelophylax nigromaculatus)
Authors: Park Jun-Kyu , Kim Jeong Bae , Do Yuno
Published: October 2021

Due to the decline in the population and the difficulty of in situ conservation, several anuran species are being reared in captivity. In this study, we identified physiological and morphological differences between farm-bred and wild frogs. Nine different serum components were used as indicators of osmotic pressure, homeostatic state, organ function, and nutritional status of farm-bred frogs and wild frogs, while radiographic techniques were used to visualize differences in bone mineral density and body composition ratio. Additionally, X-ray skeletal images were used for morphological analysis to estimate differences in locomotory performance between the two groups. Wild frogs harbor traits that aid in better locomotory performance than farm-bred frogs. They also have a relatively lower fat content ratio and higher calcium and phosphorus serum levels than farm-bred frogs, suggesting a difference in nutritional status. However, hepatic stress was higher in wild frogs than in farm-bred frogs. Veterinary clinical examinations allow for the identification of differences in nutritional and morphological conditions between farm-bred and wild frogs. Determining the health of animals can help improve their living conditions, eliminate conditions that can negatively affect them, and effectively manage them on farms, in zoos, and at ex situ conservation institutes.
Collaborative Optimization of CNN and GAN for Bearing Fault Diagnosis under Unbalanced Datasets
Authors: Ruan Diwang , Song Xinzhou , Gühmann Clemens , Yan Jianping
Published: October 2021

Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) has been widely used in bearing fault diagnosis in recent years, and many satisfying results have been reported. However, when the training dataset provided is unbalanced, such as the samples in some fault labels are very limited, the CNN’s performance reduces inevitably. To solve the dataset imbalance problem, a Generative Adversarial Network (GAN) has been preferably adopted for the data generation. In published research studies, GAN only focuses on the overall similarity of generated data to the original measurement. The similarity in the fault characteristics is ignored, which carries more information for the fault diagnosis. To bridge this gap, this paper proposes two modifications for the general GAN. Firstly, a CNN, together with a GAN, and two networks are optimized collaboratively. The GAN provides a more balanced dataset for the CNN, and the CNN outputs the fault diagnosis result as a correction term in the GAN generator’s loss function to improve the GAN’s performance. Secondly, the similarity of the envelope spectrum between the generated data and the original measurement is considered. The envelope spectrum error from the 1st to 5th order of the Fault Characteristic Frequencies (FCF) is taken as another correction in the GAN generator’s loss function. Experimental results show that the bearing fault samples generated by the optimized GAN contain more fault information than the samples produced by the general GAN. Furthermore, after the data augmentation for the unbalanced training sets, the CNN’s accuracy in the fault classification has been significantly improved.
Effect of Nickel as Stress Factor on Phenol Biodegradation by Stenotrophomonas maltophilia KB2
Authors: Gąszczak Agnieszka , Szczyrba Elżbieta , Szczotka Anna , Greń Izabela
Published: October 2021

This study focuses on the phenol biodegradation kinetics by Stenotrophomonas maltophilia KB2 in a nickel-contaminated medium. Initial tests proved that a nickel concentration of 33.3 mg·L−1 caused a cessation of bacterial growth. The experiments were conducted in a batch bioreactor in several series: without nickel, at constant nickel concentration and at varying metal concentrations (1.67–13.33 g·m−3). For a constant Ni2+ concentration (1.67 or 3.33 g·m−3), a comparable bacterial growth rate was obtained regardless of the initial phenol concentration (50–300 g·m−3). The dependence µ = f (S0) at constant Ni2+ concentration was very well described by the Monod equations. The created varying nickel concentrations experimental database was used to estimate the parameters of selected mathematical models, and the analysis included different methods of determining metal inhibition constant KIM. Each model showed a very good fit with the experimental data (R2 values were higher than 0.9). The best agreement (R2 = 0.995) was achieved using a modified Andrews equation, which considers the metal influence and substrate inhibition. Therefore, kinetic equation parameters were estimated: µmax = 1.584 h−1, KS = 185.367 g·m−3, KIS = 106.137 g·m−3, KIM = 1.249 g·m−3 and n = 1.0706.
Matrix Composite Coatings Deposited on AISI 4715 Steel by Powder Plasma-Transferred Arc Welding. Part 3. Comparison of the Brittle Fracture Resistance of Wear-Resistant Composite Layers Surfaced Using the PPTAW Method
Authors: Czupryński Artur , Żuk Marcin
Published: October 2021

This article is the last of a series of publications included in the MDPI special edition entitled “Innovative Technologies and Materials for the Production of Mechanical, Thermal and Corrosion Wear-Resistant Surface Layers and Coatings”. Powder plasma-transferred arc welding (PPTAW) was used to surface metal matrix composite (MMC) layers using a mixture of cobalt (Co3) and nickel (Ni3) alloy powders. These powders contained different proportions and types of hard reinforcing phases in the form of ceramic carbides (TiC and WC-W2C), titanium diboride (TiB2), and of tungsten-coated synthetic polycrystalline diamond (PD-W). The resistance of the composite layers to cracking under the influence of dynamic loading was determined using Charpy hammer impact tests. The results showed that the various interactions between the ceramic particles and the metal matrix significantly affected the formation process and porosity of the composite surfacing welds on the AISI 4715 low-alloy structural steel substrate. They also affected the distribution and proportion of reinforcing-phase particles in the matrix. The size, shape, and type of the ceramic reinforcement particles and the surfacing weld density significantly impacted the brittleness of the padded MMC layer. The fracture toughness increased upon decreasing the particle size of the hard reinforcing phase in the nickel alloy matrix and upon increasing the composite density. The calculated mean critical stress intensity factor KIc of the steel samples with deposited layers of cobalt alloy reinforced with TiC and PD-W particles was 4.3 MPa⋅m12 higher than that of the nickel alloy reinforced with TiC and WC-W2C particles.
The Effects of Forming CeFe2 on Phase Structure and Magnetic Properties in Ce-Rich Nd-Ce-Fe-B Permanent Magnetic Materials
Authors: Huang Min , Qiu Zhiqiang , Wang Fang , Luo Hubin , Yang Changping , Zhang Jian
Published: October 2021

The decomposition of the Nd-Ce-Fe-B phase to form CeFe2 has been usually believed to have an important positive effect on the magnetic properties of Nd-Ce-Fe-B permanent magnetic materials. In this work, a new decomposition process of the Nd-Ce-Fe-B phase on the formation of the CeFe2 phase was observed to play a negative role in its magnetic properties. It is demonstrated that the Nd-Ce-Fe-B phase decomposes into non-magnetic CeFe2, accompanied by the precipitation of Fe soft-phase. The kinks usually occurring in the demagnetization curves of Ce-rich Nd-Ce-Fe-B magnets have been determined to be related to the Fe soft-phase. Instead of using CeFe2 as a grain-boundary phase, another Ce-Cu boundary phase has been explored to efficiently improve the coercivity of Ce-rich Nd-Ce-Fe-B magnets, provided that the Ce-Cu boundary phase has an appropriate Ce to Cu ratio. The present results contribute to the mechanism comprehension and high-performance design of Nd-Ce-Fe-B permanent magnetic materials.
Concrete Strengthening by Introducing Polymer-Based Additives into the Cement Matrix—A Mini Review
Authors: Kujawa Weronika , Olewnik-Kruszkowska Ewa , Nowaczyk Jacek
Published: October 2021

The modern types of concrete are a mixture of aggregates, cement, water and optional additives and admixtures. In particular, polymer additives seem to be a promising type of component that can significantly change concrete and mortar properties. Currently, the most popular polymer additives include superplasticizers, latexes and redispersible powders. Moreover, in order to improve the properties of concrete-based composite admixtures, which enhance the resistance to cracking, polymer fibres and recycled polymers have been researched. All the types of polymeric materials mentioned above are broadly used in the construction industry. This work summarizes the current knowledge on the different types of popular polymeric additives. Moreover, it describes the correlation between the chemical structure of additives and the macro-behaviour of the obtained concrete.
New Waste-Based Composite Material for Construction Applications
Authors: Ailenei Eugen Constantin , Ionesi Savin Dorin , Dulgheriu Ionut , Loghin Maria Carmen , Isopescu Dorina Nicolina , Maxineasa Sebastian George , Baciu Ioana-Roxana
Published: October 2021

The global demand for fiber-based products is continuously increasing. The increased consumption and fast fashion current in the global clothing market generate a significant quantity of pre-and post-production waste that ends up in landfills and incinerators. The present study aims to obtain a new waste-based composite material panel for construction applications with improved mechanical properties that can replace traditional wood-based oriented strand boards (OSB). The new composite material is formed by using textile wastes as a reinforcement structure and a combination of bi-oriented polypropylene films (BOPP) waste, polypropylene non-woven materials (TNT) waste and virgin polypropylene fibers (PP) as a matrix. The mechanical properties of waste-based composite materials are modeled using the Taguchi method based on orthogonal arrays to maximize the composite characteristics’ mechanical properties. Experimental data validated the theoretical results obtained.
Laminarin, a Major Polysaccharide in Stramenopiles
Authors: Chen Jichen , Yang Jianchao , Du Hong , Aslam Muhmmad , Wang Wanna , Chen Weizhou , Li Tangcheng , Liu Zhengyi , Liu Xiaojuan
Published: October 2021

During the processes of primary and secondary endosymbiosis, different microalgae evolved to synthesis different storage polysaccharides. In stramenopiles, the main storage polysaccharides are β-1,3-glucan, or laminarin, in vacuoles. Currently, laminarin is gaining considerable attention due to its application in the food, cosmetic and pharmaceuticals industries, and also its importance in global biogeochemical cycles (especially in the ocean carbon cycle). In this review, the structures, composition, contents, and bioactivity of laminarin were summarized in different algae. It was shown that the general features of laminarin are species-dependence. Furthermore, the proposed biosynthesis and catabolism pathways of laminarin, functions of key genes, and diel regulation of laminarin were also depicted and comprehensively discussed for the first time. However, the complete pathways, functions of genes, and diel regulatory mechanisms of laminarin require more biomolecular studies. This review provides more useful information and identifies the knowledge gap regarding the future studies of laminarin and its applications.
The Influence of SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic in the Diagnosis and Treatment of Cervical Dysplasia
Authors: Istrate-Ofițeru Anca-Maria , Berbecaru Elena-Iuliana-Anamaria , Ruican Dan , Nagy Rodica Daniela , Rămescu Cătălina , Roșu Gabriela-Camelia , Iovan Larisa , Dîră Laurențiu Mihai , Zorilă George-Lucian , Țieranu Maria-Loredana , Iliescu Dominic-Gabriel
Published: October 2021

Background and objectives. The risk of developing invasive cancer increased during the COVID-19 pandemic, especially in Romania, where the incidence of this disease is high due to limited medical education and broad screening. This study’s objective is to analyze the number of patients admitted with different types of cervical dysplasia and the treatment applied for the lesions during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic compared to the same period for the year before the pandemic. Materials and methods: This is a retrospective study that took place in the Obstetrics and Gynecology Clinics I/II (OG I/II) of the Emergency County Hospital of Craiova during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic (SP) (15.03.2020–14.03.2021) and in the 12 months before (non-pandemic period) (NPP) (15.03.2019–14.03.2020). The study includes 396 patients with pathological PAP smear results. All the patients included in this study were clinically examined and with colposcopy. The patients with Low-Grade Dysplasia were managed in a conservatory manner and reevaluated after six months. The patients with High-Grade Dysplasia were admitted for an excisional biopsy of the lesion. The excised fragments were sent to the Pathological Anatomy Laboratory for a histopathological examination. Results: This study reveals a decrease of more than half in the number of patients admitted with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) lesions during the pandemic compared to the same period of the year before. The number of biopsies and excisional procedures has been decreasing by more than a factor of three during the pandemic period compared to the year before. Conclusion: During the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, we found that the patients’ admission rate, diagnosis, and treatment was almost four times lower. As hospital restrictions were not dictated for cancer/precancer management during SP, we may assume that the differences were due to the fear of becoming infected with SARS-CoV-2 due to hospitalization. In the context of poor screening performance and high cervical cancer incidence, the influence of the SP may result in a further increase of severe cases related to this condition.
Lemierre’s Syndrome: Case Presentation of a Rare and Possibly Life-Threatening Condition
Authors: Giubelan Lucian , Dragonu Livia , Pădureanu Vlad , Neacșu Alexandru , Mănescu Mirela , Stoian Andreea Cristina , Dumitrescu Florentina
Published: October 2021

Lemierre’s syndrome is, presently, a very rare condition, but a life-threatening one. The syndrome was first described in 1936 by Andre Lemierre and comprises an oropharyngeal infection (most commonly associated with anaerobic bacteria Fusobacterium necrophorum), internal jugular vein thrombophlebitis and, possibly, secondary septic metastasis (common sites are lungs or brain). We describe such a rare case diagnosed at our Infectious Diseases Department in September 2019.
The Prevalence of Erectile Dysfunction and Its Association with Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Patients after Myocardial Infarction
Authors: Rinkūnienė Egidija , Gimžauskaitė Silvija , Badarienė Jolita , Dženkevičiūtė Vilma , Kovaitė Milda , Čypienė Alma
Published: October 2021

Background and Objectives: This study estimates the prevalence and severity of erectile dysfunction and its association with cardiovascular risk factors in patients after a myocardial infarction. Materials and Methods: This study included men aged 35–80 years, diagnosed with myocardial infarction and examined in the Department of Preventive Cardiology of Vilnius University Hospital Santaros Klinikos between 2016 and 2020. Anthropometric characteristics, blood pressure, lipid profile, blood glucose levels and prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors were evaluated. The International Index of Erectile Function-5 was used to assess patients’ erectile function. Results: A total of 171 patients were analysed. The mean age was 57.6 ± 8.8 years. Of the patients, 42.1, 25.1 and 11.7% had three, four and five established cardiovascular risk factors, respectively. Of the patients, 100% were diagnosed with dyslipidaemia, 90.0%—arterial hypertension, 14.6%—diabetes, 23.3%—smoking, 43.7%—positive familial history and 54.5%—insufficient physical activity. The overall prevalence of erectile dysfunction was 62%. It was scored mild in 37.4%, mild-to-moderate—15.2%, moderate—5.3% and severe in 4.1% of the patients. The mean age was significantly different between severity groups (p < 0.001). The study demonstrated a negative correlation between age and total score of the questionnaire (r = −0.308, p < 0.001). Arterial hypertension was more frequent in the patients with erectile dysfunction (p = 0.02). Other cardiovascular risk factors were distributed similarly. Conclusions: Erectile dysfunction is common in patients after a myocardial infarction and its severity is age dependent. The prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors is high, with arterial hypertension significantly more frequent in patients with erectile dysfunction.
Epidemiology of Football-Related Sudden Cardiac Death in Turkey
Authors: Işın Ali , Turgut Adnan , Peden Amy E.
Published: October 2021

Background and Objectives: Sudden cardiac death (SCD), particular among elite footballers, has attracted much attention in recent times. However, limited information exists on football-related SCD in Turkey. Autopsy-based studies of sports-related sudden deaths in Turkey are rare and often have small sample sizes. To address this, this study aimed to determine the population-based incidence and profile of football-related SCD nationally in Turkey. Materials and Methods: Due to a lack of national data on this issue, football-related SCD (non-elite competitive or recreational football) between 1 January 2011, and 31 December 2019 were identified by dual, independent identification and screening of online media reports. Deaths were explored by sex, age group, season, and phase of exercise. Descriptive statistics were utilised. Age-specific mortality rates and proportional mortality rates were calculated. Results: In total, 118 football-related SCD were identified, a crude mortality rate of 0.41 per 100,000 population. All fatalities were males and the mean age was 35.5 years ± 10.4. Those aged 40–49 years recorded the highest mortality rate (0.67/100,000), three times the risk of those aged 50–59 years (RR = 3.1; 95%CI:1.5–6.4). Those aged 30–39 recorded the highest age-specific proportional mortality rate (0.86/1000 deaths). The highest risk occurred while playing football (n = 97; 82.2%), with another 15% of deaths (n = 18) occurring within 1 h of play. Almost all fatalities (n = 113; 95.8%) occurred during participation in recreational football. Conclusions: This study has identified football-related SCD most commonly occurs during recreational football among males aged 30–49 years. It is recommended males of this age participating in recreational football be encouraged to seek pre-participation heart health checks. Given the value of automated external defibrillators (AEDs) in responding to out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, future research should explore the feasibility and effectiveness of AEDs in preventing football-related SCD in Turkey including training of first responders in cardiopulmonary resuscitation and AED use.
Carbapenem Resistance among Marine Bacteria—An Emerging Threat to the Global Health Sector
Authors: Dewi Dewa A.P. Rasmika , Thomas Torsten , Ahmad Mokhtar Ana Masara , Mat Nanyan Noreen Suliani , Zulfigar Siti Balqis , Salikin Nor Hawani
Published: October 2021

The emergence of antibiotic resistance among pathogenic microorganisms is a major issue for global public health, as it results in acute or chronic infections, debilitating diseases, and mortality. Of particular concern is the rapid and common spread of carbapenem resistance in healthcare settings. Carbapenems are a class of critical antibiotics reserved for treatment against multidrug-resistant microorganisms, and resistance to this antibiotic may result in limited treatment against infections. In addition to in clinical facilities, carbapenem resistance has also been identified in aquatic niches, including marine environments. Various carbapenem-resistant genes (CRGs) have been detected in different marine settings, with the majority of the genes incorporated in mobile genetic elements, i.e., transposons or plasmids, which may contribute to efficient genetic transfer. This review highlights the potential of the marine environment as a reservoir for carbapenem resistance and provides a general overview of CRG transmission among marine microbes.
Predicting the Role of the Human Gut Microbiome in Constipation Using Machine-Learning Methods: A Meta-Analysis
Authors: Chen Yutao , Wu Tong , Lu Wenwei , Yuan Weiwei , Pan Mingluo , Lee Yuan-Kun , Zhao Jianxin , Zhang Hao , Chen Wei , Zhu Jinlin , Wang Hongchao
Published: October 2021

(1) Background: Constipation is a common condition that affects the health and the quality of life of patients. Recent studies have suggested that the gut microbiome is associated with constipation, but these studies were mainly focused on a single research cohort. Thus, we aimed to construct a classification model based on fecal bacterial and identify the potential gut microbes’ biomarkers. (2) Methods: We collected 3056 fecal amplicon sequence data from five research cohorts. The data were subjected to a series of analyses, including alpha- and beta-diversity analyses, phylogenetic profiling analyses, and systematic machine learning to obtain a comprehensive understanding of the association between constipation and the gut microbiome. (3) Results: The alpha diversity of the bacterial community composition was higher in patients with constipation. Beta diversity analysis evidenced significant partitions between the two groups on the base of gut microbiota composition. Further, machine learning based on feature selection was performed to evaluate the utility of the gut microbiome as the potential biomarker for constipation. The Gradient Boosted Regression Trees after chi2 feature selection was the best model, exhibiting a validation performance of 70.7%. (4) Conclusions: We constructed an accurate constipation discriminant model and identified 15 key genera, including Serratia, Dorea, and Aeromonas, as possible biomarkers for constipation.