bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Strategies for Coffee Leaf Rust Management in Organic Crop Systems
Authors: de Resende Mário L. V. , Pozza Edson A. , Reichel Tharyn , Botelho Deila M. S.
Published: September 2021

Coffee is a crop of great economic importance in many countries. The organic coffee crop stands out from other production systems by aiming to eliminate the use of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides. One of the most important limitations in the organic system is the management of diseases, especially coffee rust, which is considered the main disease of this crop. Coffee rust causes a production slump of up to 50%, significantly affecting the profitability of coffee growers. This work aims to review the integrated rust management in organic coffee crop in different producing countries. Regarding the disease management strategies, this review addresses the use of rust-resistant cultivars, cultural management, biological control, use of plant extracts, and chemical rust control by cupric fungicides. Considering the importance of the organic system, the increase in world coffee consumption, and the potential market for this kind of coffee, this review may help researchers and producers looking for alternative strategies to control rust in an organic coffee cultivation system.
Nutrition and Metabolism of Minerals in Fish
Authors: Lall Santosh P. , Kaushik Sadasivam J.
Published: September 2021

Aquatic animals have unique physiological mechanisms to absorb and retain minerals from their diets and water. Research and development in the area of mineral nutrition of farmed fish and crustaceans have been relatively slow and major gaps exist in the knowledge of trace element requirements, physiological functions and bioavailability from feed ingredients. Quantitative dietary requirements have been reported for three macroelements (calcium, phosphorus and magnesium) and six trace minerals (zinc, iron, copper, manganese, iodine and selenium) for selected fish species. Mineral deficiency signs in fish include reduced bone mineralization, anorexia, lens cataracts (zinc), skeletal deformities (phosphorus, magnesium, zinc), fin erosion (copper, zinc), nephrocalcinosis (magnesium deficiency, selenium toxicity), thyroid hyperplasia (iodine), muscular dystrophy (selenium) and hypochromic microcytic anemia (iron). An excessive intake of minerals from either diet or gill uptake causes toxicity and therefore a fine balance between mineral deficiency and toxicity is vital for aquatic organisms to maintain their homeostasis, either through increased absorption or excretion. Release of minerals from uneaten or undigested feed and from urinary excretion can cause eutrophication of natural waters, which requires additional consideration in feed formulation. The current knowledge in mineral nutrition of fish is briefly reviewed.
Polydatin Counteracts 5-Fluorouracil Resistance by Enhancing Apoptosis via Calcium Influx in Colon Cancer
Authors: Bae Hyocheol , Lee Woonghee , Song Jisoo , Hong Taeyeon , Kim Myung Hyun , Ham Jiyeon , Song Gwonhwa , Lim Whasun
Published: September 2021

Colon cancer is a disease with a high prevalence rate worldwide, and for its treatment, a 5-fluorouracil (5-FU)-based chemotherapeutic strategy is generally used. However, conventional anticancer agents have some limitations, including the development of drug resistance. Therefore, there has recently been a demand for the improvement of antitumor agents using natural products with low side effects and high efficacy. Polydatin is a natural active compound extracted from an annual plant, and widely known for its anticancer effects in diverse types of cancer. However, it is still not clearly understood how polydatin ameliorates several drawbacks of standard anticancer drugs by reinforcing the chemosensitivity against 5-FU, and neither are the intrinsic mechanisms behind this process. In this study, we examined how polydatin produces anticancer effects in two types of colon cancer, called HCT116 and HT-29 cells. Polydatin has the ability to repress the progression of colon cancer, and causes a modification of distribution in the cell cycle by a flow cytometry analysis. It also induces mitochondrial dysfunctions through oxidative stress and the loss of mitochondrial membrane potential. The present study investigated the apoptosis caused by the disturbance of calcium regulation and the expression levels of related proteins through flow cytometry and immunoblotting analysis. It was revealed that polydatin suppresses the signaling pathways of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and PI3K/AKT. In addition, it was shown that polydatin combined with 5-FU counteracts drug resistance in 5-FU-resistant cells. Therefore, this study suggests that polydatin has the potential to be developed as an innovative medicinal drug for the treatment of colon cancer.
Sundew-Inspired Adhesive Hydrogel Threads through Reversible Complexation of Polyphenol and Boronic Acid
Authors: Choi Jae Hyuk , Son Donghee , Shin Mikyung
Published: September 2021

Adhesive hydrogels have been utilized as tissue sealants, hemostatic agents, and wound dressings, with the aim of replacing conventional sutures. To prevent immune response and serious inflammation from those hydrogels after sealing, natural biocompatible polysaccharides are widely used as a component of the hydrogels. However, the weak mechanical strength, insufficient adhesiveness, and rapid dissociation of the hydrogels necessitates additional suturing at the wound site. In this study, we report on a solid polysaccharide thread reversibly crosslinked with boronic acid-polyphenol complexation and its adhesive gelation for complete tissue sealing without additional suturing. The polysaccharide adhesive suture threads demonstrated long-term stability, which is useful when used for skin wound suturing. Specifically, their robust adhesion property occurred as soon as the threads were soaked, attaining a swollen hydrogel state, dependent on the presence of body fluids after suturing. Moreover, the pH of the body fluids affects the viscoelasticity and adhesiveness of the hydrogels in order to ensure a tight sealing. Therefore, we expect that these pH-responsive adhesive threads would be promising for the development of on-demand functional suture materials.
Soybean Germination Response to Algae Extract and a Static Magnetic Field Treatment
Authors: Dziergowska Katarzyna , Lewandowska Sylwia , Mech Rafał , Pol Michał , Detyna Jerzy , Michalak Izabela
Published: September 2021

The present study examines the separate and synergistic effects of macroalgal extract and static magnetic field (SMF) on the germination of soybean seeds (Glycine max (L.) Merrill), cv. Abelina, seedling growth, chlorophyll, and carotenoids content in leaves. Algal extract was produced from freshwater green macroalga (Cladophora glomerata) using ultrasound-assisted extraction. The germination tests were conducted in two stages. Firstly, different concentrations of extracts, 20%, 40%, 60%, 80%, and 100%, were applied to a paper substrate. The best results (taking into account germination percentage, seedlings length and weight, and pigments content in leaves) were observed for 20% and 80% extracts. At the same stage, germination of seeds exposed to SMF (exposure times for 3 and 12 min and magnetic inductions of 250 and 500 mT) was studied. The best developed seedlings were determined for the group treated at 3 min with a magnetic induction of 250 mT. In the final step, the simultaneous effects of 20% and 80% algal extracts and treatment with 3 min at 250 mT SMF were tested. Taking into account all the parameters, the simultaneous use of 20% extract and 3 min of 250 mT magnetic induction is recommended.
16.3 W Peak-Power Pulsed All-Diode Laser Based Multi-Wavelength Master-Oscillator Power-Amplifier System at 964 nm
Authors: Vu Thi Nghiem , Tien Tran Quoc , Sumpf Bernd , Klehr Andreas , Fricke Jörg , Wenzel Hans , Tränkle Günther
Published: September 2021

An all-diode laser-based master oscillator power amplifier (MOPA) configuration for the generation of ns-pulses with high peak power, stable wavelength and small spectral line width is presented. The MOPA emits alternating at two wavelengths in the spectral range between 964 nm and 968 nm, suitable for the detection of water vapor by absorption spectroscopy. The monolithic master oscillator (MO) consists of two slightly detuned distributed feedback laser branches, whose emission is combined in a Y-coupler. The two emission wavelengths can be adjusted by varying the current or temperature to an absorption line and to a non-absorbing region. The power amplifier (PA) consists of a ridge-waveguide (RW) section and a tapered section, monolithically integrated within one chip. The RW section of the PA acts as an optical gate and converts the continuous wave input beam emitted by the MO into a sequence of short optical pulses, which are subsequently amplified by the tapered section to boost the output power. For a pulse width of 8 ns, a peak power of 16.3 W and a side mode suppression ratio of more than 37 dB are achieved at a repetition rate of 25 kHz. The measured spectral width of 10 pm, i.e., 0.1 cm−1, is limited by the resolution of the optical spectrum analyzer. The generated pulses emitting alternating at two wavelengths can be utilized in a differential absorption light detection and ranging system.
Semi-Automated Procedure to Estimate Nonlinear Kinematic Hardening Model to Simulate the Nonlinear Dynamic Properties of Soil and Rock
Authors: Ngo Van-Linh , Lee Changho , Lee Eun-haeng , Kim Jae-Min
Published: September 2021

The strain-dependent nonlinear properties of ground materials, such as shear modulus degradation (G/Gmax) and damping, are of significant importance in seismic-related analyses. However, the ABAQUS program lacks a comprehensive procedure to estimate parameters for a built-in model. In this study, a nonlinear kinematic hardening (NKH) model with three back-stress values was used, which allows better fitting to the backbone curves compared to the simplified nonlinear kinematic hardening (SNKH) model previously proposed. Instead of modeling in ABAQUS, a semi-automated procedure was implemented in MATLAB, which can predict shear stress–shear strain hysteretic loops, to find the fitting parameters to the target G/Gmax and/or damping curves. The procedure was applied for three soil and two rock samples, and the results indicate a good match between model and target backbone curves, which proves the application of the procedure and the NKH model in simulating the nonlinear properties of ground materials.
The Human Performance Impact on OEE in the Adoption of New Production Technologies
Authors: Di Luozzo Sebastiano , Pop Georgiana Ramona , Schiraldi Massimiliano Maria
Published: September 2021

The initial adoption phase of new production technologies is the period between the first production run or technology reconfiguration and the achievement of a stable target output. This time frame is generally characterized by productivity unsteadiness, quality performance variability, and unexpected machine failures together with increasing production volumes due to the process setup and instability, which inevitably affects production output. In this context, human performance represents an additional source of variability and process instability that is dependent on the workers’ productivity, learning curve and related training activities. Hence, to effectively assess the ramp-up phase of new production technologies, an appropriate evaluation of human performance is required. This paper proposes a comprehensive framework and criteria to perform a consistent assessment of the initial adoption phase of new production technologies by introducing two OEE measurement methodologies that distinguish between human performance, process configuration and technical features of the production technology. The proposed framework is then applied to and validated by a case study concerning the introduction of a semi-automatic packaging machine in a primary multinational company in the logistics industry. This case study shows the difference between the two OEE measures, along with the values interpretation and useful insights for achieving a stable production output.
Numerical and Experimental Study on Suppression Effect of Acoustic Black Hole on Vibration Transmission of Refrigerator Compressor
Authors: Du Xiaofei , Fu Qidi , Zhang Jianrun , Zong Chaoyong
Published: September 2021

The acoustic black hole (ABH) structures have the potential to achieve structural vibration suppression and noise reduction through the effect of the ABH on the concentration and manipulation of flexural waves. In this paper, a new solution is proposed to embed 2-D ABHs on the support plate to suppress the transmission of compressor vibration to the refrigerator body. The vibration and acoustic measurement experiment of the compressor, the support plate and the refrigerator body, and the coherence analysis of the vibration signals and acoustic signal are carried out to determine the influence of the compressor vibration on the vibration of the refrigerator body and the radiation sound of the back wall. The concentration and manipulation effects of 2-D ABH on flexural waves are verified by numerical simulation of flexural wave propagation in the time domain. FEM models of the original support plate and the damping ABH support plate are established to investigate the comprehensive effect of the 2-D ABHs and the damping layers on the vibration characteristics of the support plate through vibration modal and dynamic response analysis. Numerical simulation results show that the 2-D damping ABHs can suppress the vibrations generated by the compressor at specific frequencies in the middle and high-frequency bands from being transmitted to the refrigerator body through the support plate.
Acute Effects of Verbal Encouragement and Listening to Preferred Music on Maximal Repeated Change-of-Direction Performance in Adolescent Elite Basketball Players—Preliminary Report
Authors: Hammami Raouf , Nebigh Ammar , Selmi Mohamed Amine , Rebai Haithem , Versic Sime , Drid Patrik , Jezdimirovic Tatjana , Sekulic Damir
Published: September 2021

Verbal encouragement (VE) and listening to preferred music (PM) are considered effective ergogenic methods in strength and conditioning, but studies examining the effectiveness of these two methods simultaneously are lacking. This study analyzed the influence of PM and VE on repeated change-of-direction performance (R-CoD) in elite young basketball players. On alternate days, 18 elite young basketball players (17.2 ± 0.61 years; 189.8 ± 7 cm; 71.6 ± 6.7 kg; body fat: 12.3 ± 2.5%) were assessed on R-CoD under three randomized conditions: team-selected PM, VE, and control condition. Total time (TT), peak time (PT), and fatigue index were registered and compared across conditions. Significant differences across conditions were evidenced for TT and PT (F-test = 6.96 and 4.15, p < 0.05; large effect size), with better results in VE and PM than in the control condition and no significant differences between VE and PM. No correlations were evidenced between changes that occurred as a result of VE and those which occurred as a result of PM, indicating individual responsiveness of the players to VE and PM. The results evidenced positive acute effects of VE and PM on R-CoD performance, indicating the usefulness of these training methods in the conditioning of youth basketball players. Future studies should evaluate the applicability of VE and PM in the training of other conditioning capacities and the individual responsiveness of players toward VE and PM.
Unravelling the Anisotropic Behavior of Nickel—Wires Prepared through External Magnetic Field Assisted Hydrazine Reduction Method
Authors: Kim Min-Soo , Shin Min-Ji , Kumar Akshay , Kumari Kavita , Huh Seok-Hwan , Koo Bon-Heun
Published: September 2021

Ni wires, prepared through a hydrazine reduction, were exposed to external magnetic fields of different geometrical shape and configuration during the synthesis denoted as Ni-Non-Magnetic, Ni-Double, Ni-Single, Ni-Ring. Their effect on the wire morphology, magnetization and magnetic anisotropy was then investigated via various characterization techniques viz. X-ray diffraction (XRD), high-resolution field emission scanning electron microscopy (HR-FESEM), and vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM). The polycrystalline single phase of the Ni-wires with face centered cubic symmetry was confirmed through the analysis of XRD patterns. Analysis of HR-FESEM images revealed that the Ni-particles were aligned in form of wire-like morphology. The Ni-single sample formed the wires with minimum diameter compared to the parent sample. The magnetization measurements performed at 300 K and 50 K demonstrated the ferromagnetic behavior of all the samples. The room temperature saturation magnetization (MS) and anisotropy constant (K) of the Ni-wires were reduced upon providing the external field during synthesis. However, the low temperature (50 K) magnetization behavior was rather opposing, indicating enhanced values of MS and K. Among all, Ni-ring sample showed maximum anisotropy with a value of 3.84 × 104 erg/cm3 at 50 K. The ambiguous nature of the anisotropic constant and saturation magnetization ascribed partly to the variation in diameters of Ni-wires and to the intermittent spin-spin exchange interactions of unaligned/partially aligned particles during the synthesis. Briefly, in the present study, it was established that the morphology and magnetic anisotropy of the Ni-wires could be tailored through the external magnetic field assisted synthesis method.
Elastic Slow Dynamics in Polycrystalline Metal Alloys
Authors: Kober Jan , Kruisova Alena , Scalerandi Marco
Published: September 2021

Elastic slow dynamics, consisting in a reversible softening of materials when an external strain is applied, was experimentally observed in polycrystalline metals and presents analogies with the same phenomenon more widely observed in consolidated granular media. Since the effect is extremely small in metals, precise experimental techniques are needed. Reliable measurement of relative velocity variations of the order of 10−7 is crucial to perform the analysis. In addition, the grain structure and the nature of grain boundaries in metals is very different from that in rocks or concrete. Therefore, linking relaxation elastic effects to the microstructure is needed to understand the physical origin of slow dynamics in metals. Here, interpreting the relaxation phenomenon as a multirelaxation process, we show that it is sensitive to the spatial scale at the microstructural level, up to the point of allowing the identification of the existence of features at different spatial scales, particularly distinguishing damage from microstructural inhomogeneities.
Action Classification for Partially Occluded Silhouettes by Means of Shape and Action Descriptors
Authors: Gościewska Katarzyna , Frejlichowski Dariusz
Published: September 2021

This paper presents an action recognition approach based on shape and action descriptors that is aimed at the classification of physical exercises under partial occlusion. Regular physical activity in adults can be seen as a form of non-communicable diseases prevention, and may be aided by digital solutions that encourages individuals to increase their activity level. The application scenario includes workouts in front of the camera, where either the lower or upper part of the camera’s field of view is occluded. The proposed approach uses various features extracted from sequences of binary silhouettes, namely centroid trajectory, shape descriptors based on the Minimum Bounding Rectangle, action representation based on the Fourier transform and leave-one-out cross-validation for classification. Several experiments combining various parameters and shape features are performed. Despite the presence of occlusion, it was possible to obtain about 90% accuracy for several action classes, with the use of elongation values observed over time and centroid trajectory.
Flux–Profile Relationships in the Stable Boundary Layer—A Critical Discussion
Authors: Casasanta Giampietro , Sozzi Roberto , Petenko Igor , Argentini Stefania
Published: September 2021

Flux–profile relationships are crucial for parametrizing surface fluxes of momentum and heat, that are of central relevance for applications such as climate modelling and weather forecast. Nevertheless, their functional forms are still under discussion, and a generally accepted formulation does not exist yet. We reviewed the four main formulations proposed in the literature so far and assessed how they affect the theoretical behaviour of the kinematic heat flux (H0) and the temperature scale (T*) in the stable boundary layer, as well as their consequences on the existence of critical values for both the gradient and the flux Richardson numbers. None of them turned out to be fully consistent with the literature published so far, with two of them leading to very unreliable expressions for both H0 and T*. All considered, a convincing description of flux–profile relationships still needs to be found and seems to represents a considerable challenge.
Adoption of Promising Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graceum L.) Genotypes for Yield and Quality Characteristics in the Semiarid Climate of Turkey
Authors: Güzel Yunus , Özyazıcı Gülen
Published: September 2021

This study was conducted for two seasons from 2018 to 2020 to determine fenugreek genotypes yield and quality characteristics under semiarid climatic conditions. Fenugreek genotypes viz., Adana, Afghanistan, Gaziantep, Iraq, Kahramanmaraş, Kayseri, Mardin, Şanlıurfa with varieties of Berkem and Gürarslan were used as plant material in the research. Field trials were conducted with four replications according to the randomized complete block design. The results revealed that the time to emergence varied from 16.0 to 19.9 days, 50% flowering from 160.9 to 170.4 days, and the vegetation period from 202.0 to 209.3 days. According to the results of two years of research, plant height varied from 64.60 to 78.70 cm, first pod height from 25.26 to 41.76 cm, pod width from 2.91 to 3.29 mm, pod length from 10.07 to 12.60 cm, number of pods per plant from 12.00 to 18.73, number of seeds per pod from 12.55 to 15.55, biological yield from 5.12 to 7.62 t/ha−1, seed yield from 0.91 to 1.38 t/ha−1, harvest index from 17.91 to 24.35%, thousand-seed weight from 13.87 to 17.45 g, fatty oil content from 5.18 to 9.16%, fatty oil yield from 49.3 to 111.6 kg ha−1, and the trigonelline ratio varied from 0.71 to 1.32%. Statistically significant differences (p ≤ 0.05) were observed for the pod width, while highly significant differences (p ≤ 0.01) were observed for all other parameters. According to the research results, Mardin, Kayseri, and Adana genotypes were statistically in the same group with Berkem cultivar in terms of seed yield. A higher fatty oil content was obtained in the Afghanistan genotype (9.16%) than in the Berkem cultivar (8.11%). Gaziantep, Mardin, Şanlıurfa, and Kayseri genotypes contained higher trigonellin than the Berkem and Gürarslan varieties. The obtained information was the result of the Mardin, Kayseri, Adana, Gaziantep, and Afghanistan genotypes that can be used in breeding studies.
Impact of Ensemble-Variational Data Assimilation in Heavy Rain Forecast over Brazilian Northeast
Authors: Gonçalves Nobre João Pedro , Vendrasco Éder Paulo , Bastarz Carlos Frederico
Published: September 2021

The Brazilian Northeast (BNE) is located in the tropical region of Brazil. It is bounded by the Atlantic Ocean, and its climate and vegetation are strongly affected by continental plateaus. The plateaus keep the humid air masses to the east and are responsible for the rain episodes, and at the west side the northeastern hinterland and dry air masses are observed. This work is a case study that aims to evaluate the impact of updating the model initial condition using the 3DEnVar (Three-Dimensional Ensemble Variational) system in heavy rain episodes associated with Mesoscale Convective Systems (MCS). The results were compared to 3DVar (Three-Dimensional Variational) and EnSRF (Ensemble Square Root Filter) systems and with no data assimilation. The study enclosed two MCS cases occurring on 14 and 24 January 2017. For that purpose, the RMS (Regional Modeling System) version 3.0.0, maintained by the Center for Weather Forecasting and Climate Studies (CPTEC), used two components: the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) mesoscale model and the GSI (Gridpoint Statistical Interpolation) data assimilation system. Currently, the RMS provides the WRF initial conditions by using 3DVar data assimilation methodology. The 3DVar uses a climatological covariance matrix to minimize model errors. In this work, the 3DEnVar updates the RMS climatological covariance matrix through the forecast members based on the errors of the day. This work evaluated the improvements in the detection and estimation of 24 h accumulated precipitation in MCS events. The statistic index RMSE (Root Mean Square Error) showed that the hybrid data assimilation system (3DEnVar) performed better in reproducing the precipitation in the MCS occurred on 14 January 2017. On 24 January 2017, the EnSRF was the best system for improving the WRF forecast. In general, the BIAS showed that the WRF initialized with different initial conditions overestimated the 24 h accumulated precipitation. Therefore, the viability of using a hybrid system may depend on the hybrid algorithm that can modify the weights attributed to the EnSRF and 3DVar matrix in the GSI over the assimilation cycles.
Feasibility of Reducing Electricity Consumption of Air Conditioning Equipment by Condenser Direct Evaporative Cooling Technology. Example of Case Study in Dubai
Authors: Borodinecs Anatolijs , Lebedeva Kristina , Prozuments Aleksejs , Brahmanis Arturs , Grekis Aldis , Zajecs Deniss , Zekunde Artis , Vatin Nikolai
Published: September 2021

The use of air conditioning technology is accompanied by an increase in electricity consumption, which is linked to an intensification of fossil fuel extraction. This in turn calls for developing cooling solutions of higher energy efficiency. The aim of this study is to examine energy consumption reduction of direct evaporative cooling technology for generating cool air in hot-dry climate regions. At the initial stage, already-installed air cooling equipment with a direct evaporative cooling system was studied for the creation of two regression models of electricity consumption representing the “on” and “off” sequences. Water consumption for system operation was taken into consideration. In the following stage, inlet water temperature dependence for pre-cooling purposes for the direct evaporative cooling system was studied. A mathematical model was developed and the subsequent calculations suggested that there is no need to pre-cool water before it enters the system and therefore consume additional energy. Practical application of this study is evaluated based on the case study in Dubai. The results of this study present significant energy saving potential for system operations of the direct evaporative cooling system of approximately 122 MWh per year. The return on investment for the equipment with direct evaporative cooling in case of an office building in Dubai featuring a hot desert climate is around 4.2 years. The purpose of this study is to examine the potential advantage of air cooling equipment with direct evaporative cooling technology compared to cooling equipment without this technology. The results provide the expediency of conducting further research in this area, in particular with regards to analyzing various materials for the adiabatic precooling pads, as well as the possibility of using a newly developed metal precooling pad.
Clinical Efficacy and Safety of Antiviral Drugs in the Extended Use against COVID-19: What We Know So Far
Authors: Hossain Md. , Jannat Tabassum , Brishty Shejuti , Roy Urmi , Mitra Saikat , Rafi Md. , Islam Md. , Nesa Mst. , Islam Md. , Emran Talha
Published: September 2021

Human beings around the globe have been suffering from a devastating novel pandemic and public health emergency, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), for more than one and a half years due to the deadly and highly pathogenic severe acute respiratory coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection worldwide. Notably, no effective treatment strategy has been approved for the complete recovery of COVID-19 patients, though several vaccines have been rolled out around the world upon emergency use authorization. After the emergence of the COVID-19 outbreak globally, plenty of clinical investigations commenced to screen the safety and efficacy of several previously approved drugs to be repurposed against the SARS-CoV-2 pathogen. This concise review aims at exploring the current status of the clinical efficacy and safety profile of several antiviral medications for the treatment of patients with COVID-19 and other respiratory complications caused by SARS-CoV-2 infection. The paper covers all kinds of human studies (January 2020 to June 2021) except case reports/series to highlight the clear conclusion based on the current clinical evidence. Among the promising repositioned antivirals, remdesivir has been recommended in critical conditions to mitigate the fatality rate and improve clinical conditions. In addition, boosting the immune system is believed to be beneficial in treating COVID-19 patients, so interferon type I might exert immunomodulation through its antiviral effects by stimulating interferon-stimulated gene (ISG). However, more extensive clinical studies covering all ethnic groups globally are warranted based on current data to better understand the clinical efficacy of the currently proposed repurposed drugs against COVID-19.
MIDESP: Mutual Information-Based Detection of Epistatic SNP Pairs for Qualitative and Quantitative Phenotypes
Authors: Heinrich Felix , Ramzan Faisal , Rajavel Abirami , Schmitt Armin Otto , Gültas Mehmet
Published: September 2021

The interactions between SNPs result in a complex interplay with the phenotype, known as epistasis. The knowledge of epistasis is a crucial part of understanding genetic causes of complex traits. However, due to the enormous number of SNP pairs and their complex relationship to the phenotype, identification still remains a challenging problem. Many approaches for the detection of epistasis have been developed using mutual information (MI) as an association measure. However, these methods have mainly been restricted to case–control phenotypes and are therefore of limited applicability for quantitative traits. To overcome this limitation of MI-based methods, here, we present an MI-based novel algorithm, MIDESP, to detect epistasis between SNPs for qualitative as well as quantitative phenotypes. Moreover, by incorporating a dataset-dependent correction technique, we deal with the effect of background associations in a genotypic dataset to separate correct epistatic interaction signals from those of false positive interactions resulting from the effect of single SNP×phenotype associations. To demonstrate the effectiveness of MIDESP, we apply it on two real datasets with qualitative and quantitative phenotypes, respectively. Our results suggest that by eliminating the background associations, MIDESP can identify important genes, which play essential roles for bovine tuberculosis or the egg weight of chickens.
Multifactorial Evaluation of Atenolol, Caffeine, Carbamazepine and Ibuprofen on Raphidocelis subcapitata and Chlorella vulgaris
Authors: Procopio Zaniel S. D. , Roberts Joanne B. , Hunter Colin , Pahl Ole
Published: September 2021

Micropollutants in aquatic resources have raised global concerns regarding the conservation of ecosystems. Although they are usually found in the environment at trace concentrations to a maximum of several µg/L, it is still necessary to address the potential risks these pollutants may represent to organisms. A multifactor analysis was conducted using two algae as bioindicators. Four different pharmaceuticals were chosen based on their occurrence in domestic wastewaters and persistency after biological treatment processes ranging from 1/8th to four-fold representative environmental concentrations over 96 h exposure. The present multifactor analysis evaluated cell size, photosynthetic capacity and growth rate. These data were later combined into a simplified single entity: “the index effect”. The results obtained showed that, even at concentrations below the environmentally relevant concentrations (ERC), the pharmaceuticals’ residues (PRs), caused a cellular behavioural variation in both organisms. In addition, the algae cultures’ response to exposure to these stressors was generally dependent on the concentration over time. By examining four different PR over three different characteristics of two types of algal bioindicators, this work covers significant and specific responses on the algae exposure cycle. This is unique research since most studies do not consider multiple parameters in the assessment of the environment risk for bioindicators.
Exocytosis in Astrocytes
Authors: Mielnicka Aleksandra , Michaluk Piotr
Published: September 2021

Until recently, astrocytes were thought to be a part of a simple “brain glue” providing only a supporting role for neurons. However, the discoveries of the last two decades have proven astrocytes to be dynamic partners participating in brain metabolism and actively influencing communication between neurons. The means of astrocyte-neuron communication are diverse, although regulated exocytosis has received the most attention but also caused the most debate. Similar to most of eukaryotic cells, astrocytes have a complex range of vesicular organelles which can undergo exocytosis as well as intricate molecular mechanisms that regulate this process. In this review, we focus on the components needed for regulated exocytosis to occur and summarise the knowledge about experimental evidence showing its presence in astrocytes.
Further Findings Concerning Endothelial Damage in COVID-19 Patients
Authors: Gelzo Monica , Cacciapuoti Sara , Pinchera Biagio , De Rosa Annunziata , Cernera Gustavo , Scialò Filippo , Comegna Marika , Mormile Mauro , Fabbrocini Gabriella , Parrella Roberto , Corso Gaetano , Gentile Ivan , Castaldo Giuseppe
Published: September 2021

Systemic vascular damage with micro/macro-thrombosis is a typical feature of severe COVID-19. However, the pathogenesis of this damage and its predictive biomarkers remain poorly defined. For this reason, in this study, serum monocyte chemotactic protein (MCP)-2 and P- and E-selectin levels were analyzed in 204 patients with COVID-19. Serum MCP-2 and P-selectin were significantly higher in hospitalized patients compared with asymptomatic patients. Furthermore, MCP-2 increased with the WHO stage in hospitalized patients. After 1 week of hospitalization, MCP-2 levels were significantly reduced, while P-selectin increased in patients in WHO stage 3 and decreased in patients in WHO stages 5–7. Serum E-selectin was not significantly different between asymptomatic and hospitalized patients. The lower MCP-2 levels after 1 week suggest that endothelial damage triggered by monocytes occurs early in COVID-19 disease progression. MCP-2 may also predict COVID-19 severity. The increase in P-selectin levels, which further increased in mild patients and reduced in severe patients after 1 week of hospitalization, suggests that the inactive form of the protein produced by the cleavage of the active protein from the platelet membrane is present. This may be used to identify a subset of patients that would benefit from targeted therapies. The unchanged levels of E-selectin in these patients suggest that endothelial damage is less relevant.
Replacement of the Trabecular Meshwork Cells—A Way Ahead in IOP Control?
Authors: Fan Xiaochen , Bilir Emine K. , Kingston Olivia A. , Oldershaw Rachel A. , Kearns Victoria R. , Willoughby Colin E. , Sheridan Carl M.
Published: September 2021

Glaucoma is one of the leading causes of vision loss worldwide, characterised with irreversible optic nerve damage and progressive vision loss. Primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) is a subset of glaucoma, characterised by normal anterior chamber angle and raised intraocular pressure (IOP). Reducing IOP is the main modifiable factor in the treatment of POAG, and the trabecular meshwork (TM) is the primary site of aqueous humour outflow (AH) and the resistance to outflow. The structure and the composition of the TM are key to its function in regulating AH outflow. Dysfunction and loss of the TM cells found in the natural ageing process and more so in POAG can cause abnormal extracellular matrix (ECM) accumulation, increased TM stiffness, and increased IOP. Therefore, repair or regeneration of TM’s structure and function is considered as a potential treatment for POAG. Cell transplantation is an attractive option to repopulate the TM cells in POAG, but to develop a cell replacement approach, various challenges are still to be addressed. The choice of cell replacement covers autologous or allogenic approaches, which led to investigations into TM progenitor cells, induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), and mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) as potential stem cell source candidates. However, the potential plasticity and the lack of definitive cell markers for the progenitor and the TM cell population compound the biological challenge. Morphological and differential gene expression of TM cells located within different regions of the TM may give rise to different cell replacement or regenerative approaches. As such, this review describes the different approaches taken to date investigating different cell sources and their differing cell isolation and differentiation methodologies. In addition, we highlighted how these approaches were evaluated in different animal and ex vivo model systems and the potential of these methods in future POAG treatment.
Guillain–Barré Syndrome in COVID-19—The Potential Role of NCAM-1 and Immunotherapy
Authors: Laudanski Krzysztof , Yakhkind Aleksandra , Restrepo Mariana , Draham Lindsay , Lang Adam
Published: September 2021

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) interacts with the nervous system directly and indirectly by affecting the activation of the immune system. Guillain–Barré syndrome (GBS) is triggered by an inappropriate immune system activation that overlaps with the neurotoxic mechanism of an invading pathogen. Here, we discuss the complexity of an abnormal immune system response leading to the generation of autoimmunity in the setting of acute viral infection. A 67-year-old male patient with COVID-19 developed a sensory motor acute polyneuropathy with respiratory failure. Several serum inflammatory and neurodegeneration markers were collected during hospital days 1, 3, 8, and 67 and compared to healthy individuals. Neural cell adhesion molecule 1 (NCAM-1) and neurofilament light chain (NfL) values were highly variable when compared to healthy individuals, but not to the reference COVID-19 group. We focused our attention on NCAM-1 as a possible target for antibodies directed at COVID-19 in silico.
Impulsive and Omission Errors: Potential Temporal Processing Endophenotypes in ADHD
Authors: Acosta-López Johan E. , Suárez Isabel , Pineda David A. , Cervantes-Henríquez Martha L. , Martínez-Banfi Martha L. , Lozano-Gutiérrez Semiramis G. , Ahmad Mostapha , Pineda-Alhucema Wilmar , Noguera-Machacón Luz M. , Hoz Moisés De La , Mejía-Segura Elsy , Jiménez-Figueroa Giomar , Sánchez-Rojas Manuel , Mastronardi Claudio A. , Arcos-Burgos Mauricio , Vélez Jorge I. , Puentes-Rozo Pedro J.
Published: September 2021

Temporal processing (TP) is associated with functions such as perception, verbal skills, temporal perspective, and future planning, and is intercorrelated with working memory, attention, and inhibitory control, which are highly impaired in individuals with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Here we evaluate TP measures as potential endophenotypes in Caribbean families ascertained from probands affected by ADHD. A total of 232 individuals were recruited and clinically evaluated using an extensive battery of neuropsychological tasks and reaction time (RT)-based task paradigms. Further, the heritability (genetic variance underpinning phenotype) was estimated as a measure of the genetics apportionment. A predictive framework for ADHD diagnosis was derived using these tasks. We found that individuals with ADHD differed from controls in neuropsychological tasks assessing mental control, visual-verbal memory, verbal fluency, verbal, and semantic fluency. In addition, TP measures such as RT, errors, and variability were also affected in individuals with ADHD. Moreover, we determined that only omission and commission errors had significant heritability. In conclusion, we have disentangled omission and commission errors as possible TP endophenotypes in ADHD, which can be suitable to assess the neurobiological and genetic basis of ADHD. A predictive model using these endophenotypes led to remarkable sensitivity, specificity, precision and classification rate for ADHD diagnosis, and may be a useful tool for patients’ diagnosis, follow-up, and longitudinal assessment in the clinical setting.
Quality Control after Intracochlear Intralabyrinthine Schwannoma Resection and Cochlear Implantation
Authors: Sudhoff Holger , Scholtz Lars Uwe , Gehl Hans Björn , Todt Ingo
Published: September 2021

Background: The combination of intralabyrinthine schwannoma (ILS) removal and cochlear implantation is the standard of care after surgical resection for audiological rehabilitation. Intracochlear ILS is not only the most frequent tumor in this group of schwannomas, but it is also, to some degree, surgically the most challenging because of its position behind the modiolus. Recent developments in the knowledge of implant position, implant magnet choice, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) sequences make an MRI follow-up after surgical removal possible. Thus far, no results are known about the surgical success and residual rate of these kind of tumors. The aim of the present study was to perform an early MRI follow-up for the evaluation of residual or recurrent intracochlear ILS after surgical removal and cochlear implantation. Methods: In a retrospective study, we evaluated seven patients after an intracochlear ILS removal and single-stage cochlear implantation with a mean period of 13.4 months post surgery with a 3T T1 GAD 2 mm sequence for a residual ILS. Patients were operated on using an individualized technique concept. Results: In six out of seven cases, 3 T T1 GAD 2 mm MRI follow-up showed no residual or recurrent tumor. In one case, a T1 signal indicated a tumor of the upper inner auditory canal (IAC) at the MRI follow up. Conclusion: MRI follow-up as a quality control tool after ILS removal and cochlear implantation is highly important to exclude residual tumors. Long-term MRI evaluation results are needed and can be obtained under consideration of implant position, implant magnet, and MRI sequence choice. A preoperative MRI slice thickness less than 2 mm can be recommended to visualize possible modiolar and IAC expansion.
Discordance of PD-L1 Expression at the Protein and RNA Levels in Early Breast Cancer
Authors: Zerdes Ioannis , Karafousia Vaia , Mezheyeuski Artur , Stogiannitsi Maria , Kuiper Raoul , Moreno Ruiz Pablo , Rassidakis George , Bergh Jonas , Hatschek Thomas , Foukakis Theodoros , Matikas Alexios
Published: September 2021

We aimed to assess if the discrepant prognostic information between Programmed Death Ligand 1 (PD-L1) protein versus mRNA expression in early breast cancer (BC) could be attributed to heterogeneity in its expression. PD-L1 protein and mRNA expression in BC tissue microarrays from two clinical patient cohorts were evaluated (105 patients; cohort 1: untreated; cohort 2: neoadjuvant chemotherapy-treated). Immunohistochemistry (IHC) with SP142, SP263 was performed. PD-L1 mRNA was evaluated using bulk gene expression and RNA-FISH RNAscope®, the latter scored in a semi-quantitative manner and combined with immunofluorescence (IF) staining for the simultaneous detection of PD-L1 protein expression. PD-L1 expression was assessed in cores as a whole and in two regions of interest (ROI) from the same core. The cell origin of PD-L1 expression was evaluated using multiplex fluorescent IHC. IHC PD-L1 expression between SP142 and SP263 was concordant in 86.7% of cores (p < 0.001). PD-L1 IF/IHC was weakly correlated with spatial mRNA expression (concordance 54.6–71.2%). PD-L1 was mostly expressed by lymphocytes intra-tumorally, while its stromal expression was mostly observed in macrophages. Our results demonstrate only moderate concordance between the various methods of assessing PD-L1 expression at the protein and mRNA levels, which may be attributed to both analytical performance and spatial heterogeneity.
Beneficial Effects of Resveratrol in Mouse Gastrocnemius: A Hint to Muscle Phenotype and Proteolysis
Authors: Mañas-García Laura , Denhard Charlotte , Mateu Javier , Duran Xavier , Gea Joaquim , Barreiro Esther
Published: September 2021

We hypothesized that the phenolic compound resveratrol mitigates muscle protein degradation and loss and improves muscle fiber cross-sectional area (CSA) in gastrocnemius of mice exposed to unloading (7dI). In gastrocnemius of mice (female C57BL/6J, 10 weeks) exposed to a seven-day period of hindlimb immobilization with/without resveratrol treatment, markers of muscle proteolysis (tyrosine release, systemic troponin-I), atrophy signaling pathways, and muscle phenotypic features and function were analyzed. In gastrocnemius of unloaded mice treated with resveratrol, body and muscle weight and function were attenuated, whereas muscle proteolysis (tyrosine release), proteolytic and apoptotic markers, atrophy signaling pathways, and myofiber CSA significantly improved. Resveratrol treatment of mice exposed to a seven-day period of unloading prevented body and muscle weight and limb strength loss, while an improvement in muscle proteolysis, proteolytic markers, atrophy signaling pathways, apoptosis, and muscle fiber CSA was observed in the gastrocnemius muscle. These findings may have potential therapeutic implications in the management of disuse muscle atrophy in clinical settings.
Erratum: Yaragani et al. Structural, Magnetic and Gas Sensing Activity of Pure and Cr Doped In2O3 Thin Films Grown by Pulsed Laser Deposition. Coatings 2021, 11, 588
Authors: Yaragani Veeraswamy , Kamatam Hari Prasad , Deva Arun Kumar Karuppiah , Mele Paolo , Christy Arulanandam Jegatha , Gunavathy Kugalur Venkidusamy , Alomairy Sultan , Al-Buriahi Mohammed Sultan
Published: September 2021

The authors wish to make the following changes to their published paper [...]
Acceleration of Plasma Nitriding at 550 °C with Rare Earth on the Surface of 38CrMoAl Steel
Authors: Liu Dongjing , You Yuan , Yan Mufu , Chen Hongtao , Li Rui , Hong Lin , Han Tingjie
Published: September 2021

In order to explore the effect of the addition of rare earth (RE) to a steel microstructure and the consequent performance of a nitrided layer, plasma nitriding was carried out on 38CrMoAl steel in an atmosphere of NH3 at 550 °C for 4, 8, and 12 h. The modified layers were characterized using an optical microscope (OM), a microhardness tester, X-ray diffraction (XRD), a scanning electron microscope (SEM), a transmission electron microscope (TEM), and an electrochemical workstation. After 12 h of nitriding without RE, the modified layer thickness was 355.90 μm, the weight gain was 3.75 mg/cm2, and the surface hardness was 882.5 HV0.05. After 12 h of RE nitriding, the thickness of the modified layer was 390.8 μm, the weight gain was 3.87 mg/cm2, and the surface hardness was 1027 HV0.05. Compared with nitriding without RE, the ε-Fe2-3N diffraction peak was enhanced in the RE nitriding layer. After 12 h of RE nitriding, La, LaFeO3, and a trace amount of Fe2O3 appeared. The corrosion rate of the modified layer was at its lowest (15.089 × 10−2 mm/a), as was the current density (1.282 × 10−5 A/cm2); therefore, the corrosion resistance improved.