bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Citrus Tree Canopy Segmentation of Orchard Spraying Robot Based on RGB-D Image and the Improved DeepLabv3+
Authors: Xue Xiuyun , Luo Qin , Bu Maofeng , Li Zhen , Lyu Shilei , Song Shuran
Published: August 2023

The accurate and rapid acquisition of fruit tree canopy parameters is fundamental for achieving precision operations in orchard robotics, including accurate spraying and precise fertilization. In response to the issue of inaccurate citrus tree canopy segmentation in complex orchard backgrounds, this paper proposes an improved DeepLabv3+ model for fruit tree canopy segmentation, facilitating canopy parameter calculation. The model takes the RGB-D (Red, Green, Blue, Depth) image segmented canopy foreground as input, introducing Dilated Spatial Convolution in Atrous Spatial Pyramid Pooling to reduce computational load and integrating Convolutional Block Attention Module and Coordinate Attention for enhanced edge feature extraction. MobileNetV3-Small is utilized as the backbone network, making the model suitable for embedded platforms. A citrus tree canopy image dataset was collected from two orchards in distinct regions. Data from Orchard A was divided into training, validation, and test set A, while data from Orchard B was designated as test set B, collectively employed for model training and testing. The model achieves a detection speed of 32.69 FPS on Jetson Xavier NX, which is six times faster than the traditional DeepLabv3+. On test set A, the mIoU is 95.62%, and on test set B, the mIoU is 92.29%, showing a 1.12% improvement over the traditional DeepLabv3+. These results demonstrate the outstanding performance of the improved DeepLabv3+ model in segmenting fruit tree canopies under different conditions, thus enabling precise spraying by orchard spraying robots.
Effect of Parity, Body Condition Score at Calving, and Milk Yield on the Metabolic Profile of Gyr Cows in the Transition Period
Authors: Breda José Carlos dos Santos , Facury Filho Elias Jorge , Flaiban Karina Keller da Costa , Lisboa Julio Augusto Naylor
Published: August 2023

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of parity, body condition score (BCS) at calving, and milk yield on the metabolic profile of Gyr (Zebu) cows. Healthy cows in late pregnancy were grouped according to parity (primiparous, biparous, and multiparous); to BCS scale at calving (high—HBCS and normal—NBCS); and to milk yield (high—HP and moderate—MP production). BCS was assessed, and blood samples were collected on −21, −7, 0, 7, 21, and 42 days relative to parturition. The concentrations of non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA), beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHB), cholesterol, glucose, total protein (TP), albumin, total calcium (Ca), phosphorus (P), and magnesium (Mg); and activities of aspartate aminotransferase and gamma-glutamyltransferase were measured. Data were analyzed by two-way repeated measures ANOVA. The frequencies of high lipomobilization, subclinical ketosis, subclinical hypocalcemia (SCH), and the occurrence of diseases during early lactation were established. Regardless of grouping, NEFA, BHB, and cholesterol increased during early lactation; glucose showed higher values at calving; TP and albumin were higher at 21 and 42 DIM; and Ca, P, and Mg were lower at calving. Parity had little effect on the metabolic profile, HBCS did not differ from NBCS cows, and HP did not differ from MP cows in most metabolites. High lipomobilization in early lactation and SCH at calving were the most common imbalances but were not related to postpartum diseases. High-yielding Gyr cows have a balanced metabolic profile during the transition period, with few biologically relevant effects of parity, BCS at parturition, or milk yielded.
Effects of Traditional Chinese Herbal Feed Additive on Production Performance, Egg Quality, Antioxidant Capacity, Immunity and Intestinal Health of Laying Hens
Authors: Liu Baiheng , Ma Ruyue , Yang Qinlin , Yang You , Fang Yuanjing , Sun Zhihong , Song Daijun
Published: August 2023

Chinese herbs have been used as feed additives in animal production. This study investigated the effects of a Chinese herbal feed-additive (TCM, which contained Elsholtzia ciliate, Atractylodes macrocephala, Punica granatum pericarpium, and Cyperus rotundus) on the production performance, egg quality, antioxidant capacity, immunity, and intestinal health of Roman laying hens. A total of 720 28-week-old hens were randomly allotted to three groups with six replicates of forty hens each. The groups were fed a basal diet (CON group), a basal diet with 50 mg/kg zinc bacitracin (ABX group), or a basal diet with 400 mg/kg TCM (TCM group) for 56 days. The results showed that the TCM group increased egg production, egg mass, albumen height, and Haugh unit compared with the CON group (p < 0.05). There were no significant differences in egg weight, feed intake, feed conversion rate, and eggshell strength among all three groups (p > 0.05). Compared with the CON group, the TCM group enhanced the activities of glutathione peroxidase, total antioxidant capacity, and superoxide dismutase in serum and liver, and reduced malondialdehyde content (p < 0.05). The TCM also increased the levels of interleukin-2, interferon-γ, immunoglobulin A, immunoglobulin M, and immunoglobulin G, and decreased the levels of interleukin-6 and interleukin-8 compared with the CON group (p < 0.05). Furthermore, the TCM group increased jejunal goblet cell density and decreased ileal crypt depth and lymphocyte density compared with the CON group (p < 0.05). The results of 16S rRNA demonstrated that the TCM can change the diversity and composition of intestinal microbiota. At the phylum level, the abundance of Bacteroides increased while that of Firmicutes decreased in the TCM group (p > 0.05). At the genus level, the abundance of Lactobacillus, Rikenellaceae_RC9_gut_group, and Phascolarctobacterium increased while that of Bacteroides and unclassified_o__Bacteroidales decreased in the TCM group (p > 0.05). The effects of ABX were weaker than those of the TCM. In conclusion, the TCM has positive effects on production performance and the intestinal health of hens.
Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Epidemiology of Antibiotic Resistance in an Intensive Care Unit (ICU): The Experience of a North-West Italian Center
Authors: Parisini Andrea , Boni Silvia , Vacca Elisabetta , Bobbio Nicoletta , Del Puente Filippo , Feasi Marcello , Prinapori Roberta , Lattuada Marco , Sartini Marina , Cristina Maria , Usiglio David , Pontali Emanuele
Published: August 2023

The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic caused an increase in intensive care unit (ICU) hospitalizations with a rise in morbidity and mortality; nevertheless, there is still little evidence on the impact of the pandemic on antibiotic resistance in ICUs. This is a retrospective, monocentric epidemiological study. The aim of the study was to describe and analyze the impact of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic on ICU bacterial resistance patterns. All bacteria isolated from all patients admitted to the E.O. Galliera ICU from January 2018 to December 2022 were included. Antibiotic resistance (AR) profiles were evaluated. A total of 1021 microorganisms were identified, of which 221 (12.47%) had a resistance pattern (resistant organisms; ROs). In this time, there were 1679 patients with a total of 12,030 hospitalization days. The majority of microorganisms were Gram-negative (79.66% in 2018, 77.29% in 2019, 61.83% in 2020, 62.56% in 2021, and 60.75% in 2022), but an increase in Gram-positive microorganisms was observed (20.34 to 39.25% between 2018 and 2022). The prevalence of AR was 19.44% in 2018, 11.54% in 2019, 38.04% in 2020, 34.15% in 2021, and 39.29% in 2022 for Gram-positive microorganisms and 19.86% in 2018, 13.56% in 2019, 18.12% in 2020, 12.41% in 2021, and 12.31% in 2012 for Gram-negative microorganisms. The incidence of ROs showed a COVID-19-related increase in 2020–2021, followed by a lowering trend since 2021, and a new increase in 2022. Possible explanations are antibiotic overtreatment and a decrease in containment measures. An interesting finding was the cumulative lowering trend of carbapenem-resistant K. pneumoniae and P. aeruginosa, probably due to different patient features.
Whole-Genome Sequencing and Molecular Analysis of Ceftazidime–Avibactam-Resistant KPC-Producing Klebsiella pneumoniae from Intestinal Colonization in Elderly Patients
Authors: Errico Giulia , Del Grosso Maria , Pagnotta Michela , Marra Manuela , Carollo Maria , Cerquetti Marina , Fogato Elena , Cesana Elisabetta , Gentiloni Silverj Flaminia , Zabzuni Dorjan , Rossini Angelo , Pantosti Annalisa , Tinelli Marco , Monaco Monica , Giufrè Maria
Published: August 2023

Ceftazidime–avibactam (CAZ-AVI) is an active antibiotic combination of a β-lactam–β-lactamase inhibitor against carbapenemase-producing Enterobacterales. Reports of resistance to CAZ-AVI other than metallo-β-lactamases have increased in recent years. The aim of this study was to analyze KPC-Klebsiella pneumoniae (KP) isolates resistant to CAZ-AVI from the intestinal carriage of hospitalized elderly patients in Italy, in February 2018–January 2020. Characterization of CAZ-AVI-resistant KP isolates, including MLST, resistome, virulome and plasmid content, was performed by WGS analysis. Out of six CAZ-AVI-resistant KP isolates, three belonged to ST101 and three to ST512; two isolates produced KPC-3 (both ST512), four had mutated KPC-3 (KPC-31, in ST101 and ST512, and KPC-46, both ST101). All CAZ-AVI-resistant KP isolates were multidrug-resistant and carried several resistance genes. The yersiniabactin ybt9 gene cluster was present in all ST101 isolates, while, in ST512 isolates, no virulence genes were detected. Several plasmids were detected: IncF was present in all isolates, as well as IncR and Col440 in ST101 and IncX3 in ST512 isolates. In conclusion, it is important to monitor the circulation of K. pneumoniae resistant to CAZ-AVI to prevent the spread of clones causing difficult-to-treat infections. The presence of mutated KPC-3 in high-risk K. pneumoniae clones resistant to CAZ-AVI in hospitalized patients deserves attention.
Laser Biostimulation Induces Wound Healing-Promoter β2-Defensin Expression in Human Keratinocytes via Oxidative Stress
Authors: Migliario Mario , Yerra Preetham , Gino Sarah , Sabbatini Maurizio , Renò Filippo
Published: August 2023

The innate immune system is the first line of defense of the body composed of anatomical barriers, such as skin and mucosa, as well as effector cells, antimicrobial peptides, soluble mediators, and cell receptors able to detect and destroy viruses and bacteria and to sense trauma and wounds to initiate repair. The human β-defensins belong to a family of antimicrobial small cationic peptides produced by epithelial cells, and show immunomodulatory and pro-healing activities. Laser biostimulation is a therapy widely used to contrast microbial infection and to accelerate wound healing through biological mechanisms that include the creation of oxidative stress. In this paper, we explored laser biostimulation’s ability to modulate the production of two β-defensins, hBD-1 and hBD-2, in human keratinocytes and whether this modulation was, at least in part, oxidative-stress-dependent. Human spontaneously immortalized keratinocytes (HaCaT) were stimulated using laser irradiation at a 980 nm wavelength, setting the power output to 1 W (649.35 mW/cm2) in the continuous mode. Cells were irradiated for 0 (negative control), 5, 10, 25 and 50 s, corresponding to an energy stimulation of 0, 5, 10, 25 and 50 J. Positive control cells were treated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS, 200 ng/mL). After 6 and 24 h of treatment, the cell conditioned medium was collected and analyzed via ELISA assay for the production of hBD-1 and hBD-2. In another set of experiments, HaCaT were pre-incubated for 45 min with antioxidant drugs—vitamin C (Vit. C, 100 µM), sodium azide (NaN3, 1 mM); ω-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME, 10 mM) and sodium pyruvate (NaPyr, 100 µM)—and then biostimulated for 0 or 50 s. After 6 h, the conditioned medium was collected and used for the ELISA analysis. The hBD-1 and hBD-2 production by HaCaT was significantly increased by single laser biostimulation after 6 h in an energy-dependent fashion compared to basal levels, and both reached production levels induced by LPS. After 24 h, only hBD-2 production induced by laser biostimulation was further increased, while the basal and stimulated hBD-1 levels were comparable. Pre-incubation with antioxidative drugs was able to completely abrogate the laser-induced production of both hBD-1 and hBD-2 after 6 h, with the exception of hBD-1 production in samples stimulated after NaN3 pre-incubation. A single laser biostimulation induced the oxidative-stress-dependent production of both hBD-1 and hBD-2 in human keratinocytes. In particular, the pro-healing hBD-2 level was almost three times higher than the baseline level and lasted for 24 h. These findings increase our knowledge about the positive effects of laser biostimulation on wound healing.
Sulfated Polysaccharide from Caulerpa racemosa Attenuates the Obesity-Induced Cardiometabolic Syndrome via Regulating the PRMT1-DDAH-ADMA with mTOR-SIRT1-AMPK Pathways and Gut Microbiota Modulation
Authors: Mayulu Nelly , Gunawan William Ben , Park Moon Nyeo , Chung Sanghyun , Suh Jin Young , Song Hangyul , Kusuma Rio Jati , Taslim Nurpudji Astuti , Kurniawan Rudy , Kartawidjajaputra Felicia , Nurkolis Fahrul , Kim Bonglee
Published: August 2023

Our investigation intended to analyze the effects of sulfated polysaccharides from Caulerpa racemosa (SPCr) in attenuating obesity-induced cardiometabolic syndrome via regulating the protein arginine N-methyltransferase 1-asymmetric dimethylarginine-dimethylarginine dimethylamino-hydrolase (PRMT1-DDAH-ADMA) with the mammalian target of rapamycin-Sirtuin 1–5′ AMP-activated protein kinase (mTOR-SIRT1-AMPK) pathways and gut microbiota modulation. This is a follow-up study that used SPs from previous in vitro studies, consisting of 2,3-di-O-methyl-1,4,5-tri-O-acetylarabinitol, 2,3,4,6-tetra-O-methyl-D-mannopyranose, and type B ulvanobiuronicacid 3-sulfate. A total of forty rats were randomly divided into four treatment groups: Group A received a standard diet; Group B was provided with a diet enriched in cholesterol and fat (CFED); and Groups C and D were given the CFED along with ad libitum water, and daily oral supplementation of 65 or 130 mg/kg of body weight (BW) of SPCr, respectively. Group D showed the lowest low-density lipoprotein, triglyceride, total cholesterol, and blood glucose levels, and the highest HDL level compared to the other groups in this study. These results in the group fed high-dose SPCr demonstrated a significant effect compared to the group fed low-dose SPCr (p < 0.0001), as well as in total cholesterol and blood glucose (p < 0.05). Supplementation with SPCr was also observed to have an upregulation effect on peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator (PGC)-1alpha, interleukin 10, Sirtuin 1, DDAH-II, superoxide dismutase (SOD) cardio, and AMPK, which was also followed by a downregulation of PRMT-1, TNF-α, 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase inhibitor, and mTOR. Interestingly, gut microbiota modulation was also observed; feeding the rats with a cholesterol-enriched diet shifted the gut microbiota composition toward the Firmicutes level, lowered the Bacteroidetes level, and increased the Firmicutes level. A dose of 130 mg/kg BW of SPCr is the recommended dose, and investigation still needs to be continued in clinical trials with humans to see its efficacy at an advanced level.
Shearing Characteristics of Mortar–Rock Binary Medium Interfaces with Different Roughness
Authors: Zhao Yanlin , Zhang Minzhen , Tang Wenyu , Chen Yifan
Published: August 2023

This study focuses on the crucial role of the shear characteristics of the mortar–rock interface (MRI) in geotechnical engineering. These properties largely determine the effectiveness of engineering reinforcement measures such as anchoring and grouting. The mechanical and deformation properties of the MRI with different roughness characteristics will be investigated. To achieve this, an indoor direct shear test was conducted on the mortar–rock binary medium (MRBM). The interface was numerically modeled from the test data using finite difference fractional value software. Direct shear simulation of the MRI by changing the normal stress (σn) and the sawtooth angle (α) was carried out. The results showed that as the normal stress and sawtooth angle increased, the shear stiffness of the MRI also increased. The shear stiffness was found to have a linear relationship with both the normal stress and the sawtooth angle. The peak shear displacement was identified as an indirect indicator of the shear failure mode of the binary medium interface (BMI). Quantitative relationships between the shear strength (τ), cohesion (c), angle of internal friction (ϕ), residual shear strength (τr), residual angle of internal friction (ϕr ), and degradation rate of the shear strength of the BMI were established based on the two influencing factors. Additionally, the study investigates how the sawtooth angle and the normal stress affect the variation in the normal displacement during direct shear testing of the MRBM. The findings revealed a correlation between the peak dilation angle of the BMI and the normal stress and sawtooth angle.
Automated Clinical Impression Generation for Medical Signal Data Searches
Authors: Lee Woonghee , Yang Jaewoo , Park Doyeong , Kim Younghoon
Published: August 2023

Medical retrieval systems have become significantly important in clinical settings. However, commercial retrieval systems that heavily rely on term-based indexing face challenges when handling continuous medical data, such as electroencephalography data, primarily due to the high cost associated with utilizing neurologist analyses. With the increasing affordability of data recording systems, it becomes increasingly crucial to address these challenges. Traditional procedures for annotating, classifying, and interpreting medical data are costly, time consuming, and demand specialized knowledge. While cross-modal retrieval systems have been proposed to address these challenges, most concentrate on images and text, sidelining time-series medical data like electroencephalography data. As the interpretation of electroencephalography signals, which document brain activity, requires a neurologist’s expertise, this process is often the most expensive component. Therefore, a retrieval system capable of using text to identify relevant signals, eliminating the need for expert analysis, is desirable. Our research proposes a solution to facilitate the creation of indexing systems employing electroencephalography signals for report generation in situations where reports are pending a neurologist review. We introduce a method incorporating a convolutional-neural-network-based encoder from DeepSleepNet, which extracts features from electroencephalography signals, coupled with a transformer which learns the signal’s auto-correlation and the relationship between the signal and the corresponding report. Experimental evaluation using real-world data revealed our approach surpasses baseline methods. These findings suggest potential advancements in medical data retrieval and a decrease in reliance on expert knowledge for electroencephalography signal analysis. As such, our research represents a significant stride towards making electroencephalography data more comprehensible and utilizable in clinical environments.
IoT-Based Smart Surveillance System for High-Security Areas
Authors: Afreen Hina , Kashif Muhammad , Shaheen Qaisar , Alfaifi Yousef H. , Ayaz Muhammad
Published: August 2023

The world we live in today is becoming increasingly less tethered, with many applications depending on wireless signals to ensure safety and security. Proactive security measures can help prevent the loss of property due to actions such as larceny/theft and burglary. An IoT-based smart Surveillance System for High-Security Areas (SS-HSA) has been developed to address this issue effectively. This system utilizes a Gravity Microwave Sensor (GMS), which is highly effective due to its ability to penetrate nonmetallic obstructions. Combining GMS with Arduino UNO is a highly effective technique for detecting suspected objects behind walls. The GMS can also be integrated with the global system for mobile (GSM) communications, making it an IoT-based solution. The SS-HSA system utilizes machine learning AI algorithms operating at a GMS frequency to analyze and calculate accuracy, precision, F1-Scores, and Recall. After a thorough evaluation, it was determined that the Random Forest Classifier achieved an accuracy rate of 95%, while the Gradient Boost Classifier achieved an accuracy rate of 94%. The Naïve Bayes Classifier followed closely behind with a rate of 93%, while the K Nearest Neighbor and Support Vector Machine both achieved an accuracy rate of 96%. Finally, the Decision Tree algorithm outperformed the others in terms of accuracy, presenting a value of 97%. Furthermore, in the studied machine learning AI algorithms, it was observed that the Decision Tree was optimal for SS-HSA.
Analysis of the Insulation Characteristics of Hexafluorobutene (C4H2F6) Gas and Mixture with CO2/N2 as an Alternative to SF6 for Medium-Voltage Applications
Authors: Ahmed Rizwan , Rahman Rahisham Abd , Aldosary Adel S. , Al-Ramadan Baqer , Ullah Rahmat , Jamal Arshad
Published: August 2023

This paper investigates C4H2F6, a promising environmentally friendly insulating gas that possesses high dielectric strength and a low global warming potential. The study focuses on examining the insulation properties of C4H2F6 when combined with CO2/N2, aiming to assess its suitability as a substitute for SF6 in gas-insulated applications. Finite element analyses are performed to evaluate the field utilization factor and electric field distribution in the proposed mixture. The properties of liquefaction temperature were examined in this study to determine the optimal mixing ratio for applications that require a minimum working temperature. Extensive experimental investigations were carried out to assess the dielectric strength characteristics of the gas mixture in both uniform and quasi-uniform electric fields. It was found that pure HFO-1336mzz (E) exhibits a dielectric strength approximately 1.2–1.6 times higher than SF6. Experimental results have revealed that the insulation performance of a 30% HFO-1336mzz (E)/CO2 mixture closely resembles that of SF6, with a matching efficiency of up to 90% in a weakly uniform electric field. This remarkable performance can be attributed to a positive synergistic effect between HFO-1336mzz (E) and CO2, combined with the gas mixture’s excellent self-recoverability property. These experimental findings are further supported by finite element analysis, which confirms the observed results. The 30% HFO-1336mzz (E)/CO2 gas mixture at 0.15–0.20 MPa pressure and constant 0.6 mm air gap reveal superior insulation tolerance and less sensitivity to the electric field, confirming its promising medium-voltage engineering applications. The associated results of this research provide a critical reference for the engineering application of the alternating (AC) and direct current (DC) insulation characteristics of the HFO-1336mzz (E)/CO2 gas mixture.
Total Phenolic and Flavonoid Contents, and Preliminary Antioxidant, Xanthine Oxidase Inhibitory and Antibacterial Activities of Fruits of Lapsi (Choerospondias axillaris Roxb.), an Underutilized Wild Fruit of Nepal
Authors: Neupane Samikshya , Bajracharya Simran , Thada Sanju , Bakabal Anita , Khadka Ram Bahadur , Devkota Hari Prasad , Pandey Jitendra
Published: August 2023

Choerospondias axillaris Roxb. (Anacardiaceae) is a deciduous tree, native to Nepal and the Himalayan region, that can reach a maximum height of 20 m. The study aimed to assess the total phenol, flavonoid, and carbohydrate content, and preliminary antioxidant potency, xanthine oxidase inhibition, and antibacterial properties of C. axillaris fruits extracts. Ethyl acetate, acetone, methanol, and water were used as extraction solvents. The quantitative analysis showed that the extracts had total polyphenols (68.28 μg to 154.91 μg gallic acid equivalent/mg extract), flavonoids (41.72 to 283.84 μg quercetin equivalent/mg extract), and carbohydrates contents (67.26 µg to 269.96 µg glucose equivalent/mg extract). The acetone extract exhibited the highest antioxidant activity (IC50: 15.72 µg/mL) and potent inhibition of xanthine oxidase (IC50: 20.80 µg/mL) among the extracts. The acetone extract exhibited the strongest antibacterial efficacy against Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus cereus with inhibition zones of 13.76 mm and 12.56 mm, respectively. It also had the lowest minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC: 0.78 mg/mL) and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC: 0.52 mg/mL) against S. aureus. In conclusion, the C. axillaris fruit extracts showed potent antioxidant, xanthine oxidase inhibitory, and antibacterial activities, suggesting their potential for pharmaceutical and nutraceutical applications. Further research should focus on the identification of active compounds and in vivo analysis of pharmacological activities.
Effect of Artificial Aging of Peel Adhesion of Self-Adhesive Tapes on Different Construction Surfaces
Authors: Dobilaitė Vaida , Jucienė Milda , Banionis Karolis , Kumžienė Jurga , Paukštys Valdas , Stonkuvienė Aurelija , Miškinis Kęstutis
Published: August 2023

It is important to develop research on sealing materials in order to find effective solutions to ensure the energy efficiency of buildings. The aim of this study is to investigate the peel adhesion of single-sided self-adhesive tapes to different construction surfaces and to determine the change in this characteristic due to climatic effects. Different construction tapes, mostly used externally in buildings, are glued to different substrates. The artificial aging of test samples was carried out, simulating the effects of moisture, heat, and cold; the intensity, duration, and sequence of the cyclic effects were determined, taking into account the statistical climatological data of the middle-latitude climate zone. The peel adhesion of the tapes was determined before and after different numbers of artificial aging cycles. The results show that the peel adhesion range is very wide, from 11 to 61 N/24 mm. In most cases, a lower-rated peeling adhesion was obtained by peeling the tape from plastered cement–sawdust board. The change in peel adhesion depends more on the surface to which the tape is glued than it does on the number of climatic exposure cycles selected for the test.
Heterogeneous Fenton Oxidation with Natural Clay for Textile Levafix Dark Blue Dye Removal from Aqueous Effluent
Authors: Nour Manasik M. , Tony Maha A. , Nabwey Hossam A.
Published: August 2023

The ever-increasing technological advancement and industrialization are leading to a massive discharge of hazardous waste into the aquatic environment, calling on scientists and researchers to introduce environmentally benign solutions. In this regard, the current work is based on introducing Fuller’s earth, which is regarded as an environmentally benign material, as an innovative Fenton oxidation technology to treat effluent loaded with Levafix Dark Blue dye. Initially, Fuller’s earth was chemically and thermally activated, then subjected to characterization using a field-emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM) augmented with an energy-dispersive X-ray analyzer (EDX) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR). This detailed the morphologies of the samples and the functional groups on the catalyst leading to the reaction with the dye. Fuller’s earth, augmented with hydrogen peroxide, was then introduced as a photo-Fenton oxidation system under UV illumination for dye oxidation. Moreover, a response surface mythological analysis was applied to optimize the most effective operational parameters. The experimental data revealed that the optimal Fuller’s earth dose corresponded to 1.02 mg/L using the optimal H2O2 of 818 mg/L at pH 3.0, and the removal efficiency reached 99%. Moreover, the thermodynamic parameters were investigated, and the data revealed the positive ∆G′ and negative ∆S′ values that reflect the non-spontaneous nature of oxidation at high temperatures. Additionally, the negative ∆H′ values suggest the occurrence of the endothermic oxidation reaction. Furthermore, the reaction followed the second-order kinetic model. Finally, the catalyst stability was investigated, and reasonable removal efficiency was attained (73%) after the successive use of Fuller’s earth reached six cyclic uses.
Anti-Obesity Potential of Sargassum horneri and Ulva australis Extracts: Study In Vitro and In Vivo
Authors: Lee Young-Hyeon , Kim Hye-Ran , Yeo Min-Ho , Kim Sung Chun , Hyun Ho-Bong , Ham Young-Min , Jung Yong-Hwan , Kim Hye-Sook , Chang Kyung-Soo
Published: August 2023

Current research highlights the use of natural products or phytochemicals as drugs and functional additives to treat obesity with few side effects. Sargassum horneri (SH) and Ulva australis (UA) are marine waste resources on Jeju Island, Republic of Korea. In this study, we analyzed their antioxidant and anti-obesity efficacies to confirm their potential as functional additives. We prepared SH and UA extracts using 80% ethanol and observed that free radical scavenging activity and total phenol content were high in SH extracts, and total flavonoid content was elevated in UA extracts. Additionally, 3T3-L1 cells were treated with SH and UA extracts, and the ability of the extracts to inhibit adipocyte differentiation was examined using Oil Red O staining and analysis of neutral fat content. We confirmed that the mRNA expression of the C/EBPα, PPARγ, and SREBP1c genes that act on adipocyte differentiation, and of FAS, a fatty acid synthase, was suppressed. Experiments in a mouse model of obesity showed that 12-week administration of a high-fat diet with 1% extract added to drinking water resulted in lower weight gain compared to the high-fat diet alone. These results suggest that SH and UA extracts have antioxidant properties and are effective in obesity prevention. Therefore, the two marine waste resources are potential functional additive candidates for preventing obesity.
Improving Structured Grid-Based Sparse Matrix-Vector Multiplication and Gauss–Seidel Iteration on GPDSP
Authors: Wang Yang , Liu Jie , Zhu Xiaoxiong , Zhang Qingyang , Li Shengguo , Wang Qinglin
Published: August 2023

Structured grid-based sparse matrix-vector multiplication and Gauss–Seidel iterations are very important kernel functions in scientific and engineering computations, both of which are memory intensive and bandwidth-limited. GPDSP is a general purpose digital signal processor, which is a very significant embedded processor that has been introduced into high-performance computing. In this paper, we designed various optimization methods, which included a blocking method to improve data locality and increase memory access efficiency, a multicolor reordering method to develop Gauss–Seidel fine-grained parallelism, a data partitioning method designed for GPDSP memory structures, and a double buffering method to overlap computation and access memory on structured grid-based SpMV and Gauss–Seidel iterations for GPDSP. At last, we combined the above optimization methods to design a multicore vectorization algorithm. We tested the matrices generated with structured grids of different sizes on the GPDSP platform and obtained speedups of up to 41× and 47× compared to the unoptimized SpMV and Gauss–Seidel iterations, with maximum bandwidth efficiencies of 72% and 81%, respectively. The experiment results show that our algorithms could fully utilize the external memory bandwidth. We also implemented the commonly used mixed precision algorithm on the GPDSP and obtained speedups of 1.60× and 1.45× for the SpMV and Gauss–Seidel iterations, respectively.
Improved Lightweight Convolutional Neural Network for Finger Vein Recognition System
Authors: Hsia Chih-Hsien , Ke Liang-Ying , Chen Sheng-Tao
Published: August 2023

Computer vision (CV) technology and convolutional neural networks (CNNs) demonstrate superior feature extraction capabilities in the field of bioengineering. However, during the capturing process of finger-vein images, translation can cause a decline in the accuracy rate of the model, making it challenging to apply CNNs to real-time and highly accurate finger-vein recognition in various real-world environments. Moreover, despite CNNs’ high accuracy, CNNs require many parameters, and existing research has confirmed their lack of shift-invariant features. Based on these considerations, this study introduces an improved lightweight convolutional neural network (ILCNN) for finger vein recognition. The proposed model incorporates a diverse branch block (DBB), adaptive polyphase sampling (APS), and coordinate attention mechanism (CoAM) with the aim of improving the model’s performance in accurately identifying finger vein features. To evaluate the effectiveness of the model in finger vein recognition, we employed the finger-vein by university sains malaysia (FV-USM) and PLUSVein dorsal-palmar finger-vein (PLUSVein-FV3) public database for analysis and comparative evaluation with recent research methodologies. The experimental results indicate that the finger vein recognition model proposed in this study achieves an impressive recognition accuracy rate of 99.82% and 95.90% on the FV-USM and PLUSVein-FV3 public databases, respectively, while utilizing just 1.23 million parameters. Moreover, compared to the finger vein recognition approaches proposed in previous studies, the ILCNN introduced in this work demonstrated superior performance.
Robust Control of Repeated Drug Administration with Variable Doses Based on Uncertain Mathematical Model
Authors: Vitková Zuzana , Dodek Martin , Miklovičová Eva , Pavlovičová Jarmila , Babinec Andrej , Vitko Anton
Published: August 2023

The aim of this paper was to design a repeated drug administration strategy to reach and maintain the requested drug concentration in the body. Conservative designs require an exact knowledge of pharmacokinetic parameters, which is considered an unrealistic demand. The problem is usually resolved using the trial-and-error open-loop approach; yet, this can be considered insufficient due to the parametric uncertainties as the dosing strategy may induce an undesired behavior of the drug concentrations. Therefore, the presented approach is rather based on the paradigms of system and control theory. An algorithm was designed that computes the required doses to be administered based on the blood samples. Since repeated drug dosing is essentially a discrete time process, the entire design considers the discrete time domain. We have also presented the idea of applying this methodology for the stabilization of an unstable model, for instance, a model of tumor growth. The simulation experiments demonstrated that all variants of the proposed control algorithm can reach and maintain the desired drug concentration robustly, i.e., despite the presence of parametric uncertainties, in a way that is superior to that of the traditional open-loop approach. It was shown that the closed-loop control with the integral controller and stabilizing state feedback is robust against large parametric uncertainties.
Metabolic Reprogramming toward Aerobic Glycolysis and the Gut Microbiota Involved in the Brain Amyloid Pathology
Authors: Murai Toshiyuki , Matsuda Satoru
Published: August 2023

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is characterized by the formation of senile plaques consisting of fibrillated amyloid-β (Aβ), dystrophic neurites, and the neurofibrillary tangles of tau. The oligomers/fibrillar Aβ damages the neurons or initiates an intracellular signaling cascade for neuronal cell death leading to Aβ toxicity. The Aβ is a 4 kDa molecular weight peptide originating from the C-terminal region of the amyloid precursor protein via proteolytic cleavage. Apart from the typical AD hallmarks, certain deficits in metabolic alterations have been identified. This study describes the emerging features of AD from the aspect of metabolic reprogramming in the main pathway of carbohydrate metabolism in the human brain. Particularly, the neurons in patients with AD favor glycolysis despite a normal mitochondrial function indicating a Warburg-like effect. In addition, certain dietary patterns are well known for their properties in preventing AD. Among those, a ketogenic diet may substantially improve the symptoms of AD. An effective therapeutic method for the treatment, mitigation, and prevention of AD has not yet been established. Therefore, the researchers pursue the development and establishment of novel therapies effective in suppressing AD symptoms and the elucidation of their underlying protective mechanisms against neurodegeneration aiming for AD therapy in the near future.
The First Report of the Acrotretoid Brachiopod Hadrotreta from the Tsinghsutung Formation Cambrian (Series 2, Stage 4), Guizhou, South China
Authors: Wei Buqing , Wang Yuan , Yang Xinglian , Wu Weiyi
Published: August 2023

Hadrotreta is a worldwide acrotretoid brachiopod reported from the Cambrian Series 2 to Miaolingian. Here, a number of well-preserved fossils of Hadrotreta, identified as Hadrotreta cf. H. timchristiorum, were found in the Protoryctocephalus arcticus Zone of the Tsinghsutung Formation of Cambrian Series 2, Stage 4 in Jianhe, Guizhou, south China. This is the first report of Hadrotreta in China, which enriches its global palaeogeographical distribution. Hadrotreta is very similar to acrotretoids such as Kostjubella, Vandalotreta, Linnarssonia, and Eohadrotreta. It differs from them with its well-developed ventral boss-like apical process, apical pits, and dorsal median sulcus. In view of the palaeogeography of Hadrotreta, this genus was mainly distributed in low-latitude regions. Hadrotreta was only found in south China and Laurentia during the Cambrian Age 4, then expanded its distribution to other regions such as Siberia, Baltica, the Kazakh Terranes, the Far East, and Gondwana Pange during the Miaolingian Epoch. Hadrotreta seems to have shifted from deeper water to shallow-water environments during the period from the Cambrian Series 2 to the Miaolingian.
The Relevance of Time in Biological Scaling
Authors: Glazier Douglas S.
Published: August 2023

Various phenotypic traits relate to the size of a living system in regular but often disproportionate (allometric) ways. These “biological scaling” relationships have been studied by biologists for over a century, but their causes remain hotly debated. Here, I focus on the patterns and possible causes of the body-mass scaling of the rates/durations of various biological processes and life-history events, i.e., the “pace of life”. Many biologists have regarded the rate of metabolism or energy use as the master driver of the “pace of life” and its scaling with body size. Although this “energy perspective” has provided valuable insight, here I argue that a “time perspective” may be equally or even more important. I evaluate various major ways that time may be relevant in biological scaling, including as (1) an independent “fourth dimension” in biological dimensional analyses, (2) a universal “biological clock” that synchronizes various biological rates/durations, (3) a scaling method that uses various biological time periods (allochrony) as scaling metrics, rather than various measures of physical size (allometry), as traditionally performed, (4) an ultimate body-size-related constraint on the rates/timing of biological processes/events that is set by the inevitability of death, and (5) a geological “deep time” approach for viewing the evolution of biological scaling patterns. Although previously proposed universal four-dimensional space-time and “biological clock” views of biological scaling are problematic, novel approaches using allochronic analyses and time perspectives based on size-related rates of individual mortality and species origination/extinction may provide new valuable insights.
Preparation of Fibrinogen-Depleted Human Platelet Lysate to Support Heparin-Free Expansion of Umbilical Cord-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells
Authors: Kee Li Ting , Lee Yi Ting , Ng Chiew Yong , Hassan Muhammad Najib Fathi , Ng Min Hwei , Mahmood Zalina , Abdul Aziz Suria , Law Jia Xian
Published: August 2023

Human platelet lysate (hPL) has high levels of fibrinogen and coagulation factors, which can lead to gel and precipitate formation during storage and cell culture. Heparin derived from animals is commonly added to minimize these risks, but cannot completely eliminate them. Thus, this study proposes an alternative method to prepare fibrinogen-depleted hPL (Fd-hPL) that supports heparin-free expansion of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). hPL was added to heparin to prepare heparin-hPL (H-hPL), whilst Fd-hPL was prepared by adding calcium salt to hPL to remove the fibrin clot. The concentrations of calcium, fibrinogen, and growth factors in H-hPL and Fd-hPL were compared. The effects of H-hPL and Fd-hPL on umbilical cord-derived MSCs (UC-MSCs) were assessed. The results showed that Fd-hPL possessed a significantly higher calcium concentration and a lower fibrinogen level than H-hPL. The concentrations of BDNF, TGF-β1, and PDGF-BB showed no significant difference between H-hPL and Fd-hPL, but Fd-hPL had a lower VEGF concentration. Fd-hPL retained the characteristics of UC-MSCs, as it did not affect the cell viability, proliferation, multilineage differentiation potential, or surface marker expression. In conclusion, Fd-hPL effectively supported the in vitro expansion of MSCs without compromising their characteristics, positioning it as a potential substitute for FBS in MSC culture.
Motility Subpopulations with Distinct Motility Characteristics Using Swim-Up-Selected Sperm Cells from Norwegian Red Bulls: Effects of Freezing–Thawing and Between-Bull Variation
Authors: Alm-Kristiansen Anne Hege
Published: August 2023

Discrete subpopulations of motile sperm cells have been found for several species and are implicated to be important for sperm functionality. The aim of this present study was to examine the motile subpopulations in swim-up-selected bull spermatozoa and the relationship between subpopulations in fresh and frozen–thawed sperm cells. In experiment 1, swim-up (SWUP)-selected and non-selected (control) sperm cells were analyzed using a Computer-Assisted Sperm Analyzer (CASA). In experiment 2, the semen from nine bulls was cryopreserved and analyzed using CASA both before and after freezing and after incubation at physiological temperatures. The SWUP population had a higher proportion of total motility, progressivity, and velocity compared to the control (p < 0.05). Likewise, both incubation over time and cryopreservation affected motility and motility parameters (p < 0.05). The population of rapid progressive (RapidP) sperm cells dominated the SWUP fraction and was higher than in the control samples (p < 0.05). Furthermore, RapidP was also the main part of fresh semen, but decreased significantly over time during incubation and due to cryopreservation. In conclusion, RapidP was the main population in SWUP-selected spermatozoa and seems to be an important subpopulation contributing to the differences between treatments and in response to the freezing of sperm cells.
Del1 Is a Growth Factor for Skeletal Progenitor Cells in the Fracture Callus
Authors: Sun Yuxi , Boyko Tatiana , Marecic Owen , Struck Danielle , Mann Randall K. , Andrew Tom W. , Lopez Michael , Tong Xinming , Goodman Stuart B. , Yang Fan , Longaker Michael T. , Chan Charles K. F. , Yang George P.
Published: August 2023

Failure to properly form bone or integrate surgical implants can lead to morbidity and additional surgical interventions in a significant proportion of orthopedic surgeries. While the role of skeletal stem cells (SSCs) in bone formation and repair is well-established, very little is known about the factors that regulate the downstream Bone, Cartilage, Stromal, Progenitors (BCSPs). BCSPs, as transit amplifying progenitor cells, undergo multiple mitotic divisions to expand the pool of lineage committed progenitors allowing stem cells to preserve their self-renewal and stemness. Del1 is a protein widely expressed in the skeletal system, but its deletion led to minimal phenotype changes in the uninjured mouse. In this paper, we demonstrate that Del1 is a key regulator of BCSP expansion following injury. In Del1 knockout mice, there is a significant reduction in the number of BCSPs which leads to a smaller callus and decreased bone formation compared with wildtype (WT) littermates. Del1 serves to promote BCSP proliferation and prevent apoptosis in vivo and in vitro. Moreover, exogenous Del1 promotes proliferation of aged human BCSPs. Our results highlight the potential of Del1 as a therapeutic target for improving bone formation and implant success. Del1 injections may improve the success of orthopedic surgeries and fracture healing by enhancing the proliferation and survival of BCSPs, which are crucial for generating new bone tissue during the process of bone formation and repair.
Mutual Effect Modification between Insulin Resistance and Endothelial Dysfunction in Predicting Incident Heart Failure in Hypertensives
Authors: Perticone Maria , Maio Raffaele , Gigliotti Simona , Shehaj Ermal , Toscani Alfredo Francesco , Capomolla Antonella , Fabiani Ginevra , Sciacqua Angela , Perticone Francesco
Published: August 2023

Insulin resistance and endothelial dysfunction are associated with heart failure (HF). Our objective was to investigate whether endothelial dysfunction and insulin resistance are independent predictors of incident HF and if a possible interaction exists between them. We enrolled 705 white never-treated hypertensives. Endothelium-dependent vasodilation was investigated by intra-arterial infusion of acetylcholine. During the follow-up [median: 117 months (range: 31–211)], we documented 223 new cases of HF (3.3 events/100 patient-years). We stratified the study population into progressors and non-progressors; progressors showed an older age and a higher prevalence of females, as well as higher mean values of baseline glucose, insulin, homeostasis model assessment (HOMA), creatinine, and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), whereas the estimated glomerular filtration rate (e-GFR) and endothelium-dependent vasodilation were lower. In the multiple Cox regression analysis, serum hs-CRP (HR = 1.362, (95% CI = 1.208–1.536), HOMA (HR = 1.293, 95% CI = 1.142–1.465), maximal acetylcholine (Ach)-stimulated forearm blood flow (FBF) (100% increment, HR = 0.807, 95% CI = 0.697–0.934), and e-GFR (10 mL/min/1.73 m2 increment, HR = 0.552, 95% CI = 0.483–0.603) maintained an independent association with incident HF. HOMA and endothelial dysfunction interact between them in a competitive manner (HR = 6.548, 95% CI = 4.034–10.629), also showing a mutual effect modification. Our findings demonstrate that both endothelial dysfunction and HOMA are independent and strong predictors of incident HF in hypertensives, these two risk factors interact between them with a competitive mechanism.