bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Molecular Modelling of Polychlorinated Dibenzo-p-Dioxins Non-Covalent Interactions with β and γ-Cyclodextrins
Authors: Ghetu Maria-Cristina , Virgolici Marian , Tirsoaga Alina , Stanculescu Ioana
Published: August 2023

Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDD) are persistent organic pollutants which result as byproducts in industrial or combustion processes and induce toxicity in both wildlife and humans. In this study, all seven PCDD, tetrachlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (TCDD), pentachlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (P5CDD), hexachlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (H6CDD), heptachlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (H7CDD), and octachlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (OCDD) were studied in interaction with two cyclodextrins, β-CD and γ-CD, resulting in a total of 40 host–guest complexes. The flexibility of the cyclodextrins was given by the number of glucose units, and the placement of the chlorine groups on the dioxins structure accounted for the different complex formed. Various geometries of interaction obtained by guided docking were studied, and the complexation and binding energy were calculated in the frame of MM+ and OPLS force fields. The results show that the recognition of the PCDD pollutants by the CD may be possible through the formation of PCDD:CD inclusion complexes. This recognition is based on the formation of Coulombic interactions between the chlorine atom of the PCDD and the primary and secondary hydroxyl groups of the CD and van der Waals interaction of the CD hydrophobic cavity with PCDD aromatic structures. Both MM+ and OPLS calculus resulted in close values for the complexation and binding energies. Molecular mechanics calculations offer a proper insight into the molecular recognition process between the PCDD compounds and CD molecules, proved by a good description of the C-H···O bonds formed between the guest and host molecules. It was shown for the first time that CD may efficiently trap PCCDs, opening the way for their tremendous potential use in environmental remediation.
Comprehensive Analysis of the Pectate Lyase Gene Family and the Role of FaPL1 in Strawberry Softening
Authors: Lin Yuanxiu , He Hao , Wen Yanling , Cao Shuaipeng , Wang Zisen , Sun Ziqing , Zhang Yunting , Wang Yan , He Wen , Li Mengyao , Chen Qing , Zhang Yong , Luo Ya , Wang Xiaorong , Tang Haoru
Published: August 2023

Fruit softening is a crucial factor that controls shelf life and commercial value. Pectate lyase (PL) has a major role in strawberry fruit softening. However, the PL gene family in strawberry has not been comprehensively analyzed. In this study, 65 FaPL genes were identified in the octoploid strawberry genome. Subcellular localization prediction indicated that FaPLs are mostly localized to the extracellular and cytoplasmic spaces. Duplication event analysis suggested that FaPL gene family expansion is mainly driven by whole genome or segmental duplication. The FaPL family members were classified into six groups according to the phylogenetic analysis. Among them, FaPL1, 3, 5, 20, 25, 42, and 57 had gradually increased expressions during strawberry fruit development and ripening and higher expression levels in the fruits with less firmness than that in firmer fruit. This result suggested that these members are involved in strawberry softening. Furthermore, overexpression of FaPL1 significantly reduced the fruit firmness, ascorbic acid (AsA), and malondialdehyde (MDA) content but obviously increased the anthocyanins, soluble proteins, and titratable acidity (TA), while it had no apparent effects on flavonoids, phenolics, and soluble sugar content. These findings provide basic information on the FaPL gene family for further functional research and indicate that FaPL1 plays a vital role in strawberry fruit softening.
Mesenchymal Stem Cells: A Hope or a Hype?
Authors: Abdelrazik Heba
Published: August 2023

Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSC) represent a captivating field of research attempting to address the vast variety of disease burdens, which at present lack efficient treatment [...]
Structures of the Insecticidal Toxin Complex Subunit XptA2 Highlight Roles for Flexible Domains
Authors: Martin Cole L. , Chester David W. , Radka Christopher D. , Pan Lurong , Yang Zhengrong , Hart Rachel C. , Binshtein Elad M. , Wang Zhao , Nagy Lisa , DeLucas Lawrence J. , Aller Stephen G.
Published: August 2023

The Toxin Complex (Tc) superfamily consists of toxin translocases that contribute to the targeting, delivery, and cytotoxicity of certain pathogenic Gram-negative bacteria. Membrane receptor targeting is driven by the A-subunit (TcA), which comprises IgG-like receptor binding domains (RBDs) at the surface. To better understand XptA2, an insect specific TcA secreted by the symbiont X. nematophilus from the intestine of entomopathogenic nematodes, we determined structures by X-ray crystallography and cryo-EM. Contrary to a previous report, XptA2 is pentameric. RBD-B exhibits an indentation from crystal packing that indicates loose association with the shell and a hotspot for possible receptor binding or a trigger for conformational dynamics. A two-fragment XptA2 lacking an intact linker achieved the folded pre-pore state like wild type (wt), revealing no requirement of the linker for protein folding. The linker is disordered in all structures, and we propose it plays a role in dynamics downstream of the initial pre-pore state.
Analyzing Sentiments Regarding ChatGPT Using Novel BERT: A Machine Learning Approach
Authors: R Sudheesh , Mujahid Muhammad , Rustam Furqan , Shafique Rahman , Chunduri Venkata , Villar Mónica Gracia , Ballester Julién Brito , Diez Isabel de la Torre , Ashraf Imran
Published: August 2023

Chatbots are AI-powered programs designed to replicate human conversation. They are capable of performing a wide range of tasks, including answering questions, offering directions, controlling smart home thermostats, and playing music, among other functions. ChatGPT is a popular AI-based chatbot that generates meaningful responses to queries, aiding people in learning. While some individuals support ChatGPT, others view it as a disruptive tool in the field of education. Discussions about this tool can be found across different social media platforms. Analyzing the sentiment of such social media data, which comprises people’s opinions, is crucial for assessing public sentiment regarding the success and shortcomings of such tools. This study performs a sentiment analysis and topic modeling on ChatGPT-based tweets. ChatGPT-based tweets are the author’s extracted tweets from Twitter using ChatGPT hashtags, where users share their reviews and opinions about ChatGPT, providing a reference to the thoughts expressed by users in their tweets. The Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA) approach is employed to identify the most frequently discussed topics in relation to ChatGPT tweets. For the sentiment analysis, a deep transformer-based Bidirectional Encoder Representations from Transformers (BERT) model with three dense layers of neural networks is proposed. Additionally, machine and deep learning models with fine-tuned parameters are utilized for a comparative analysis. Experimental results demonstrate the superior performance of the proposed BERT model, achieving an accuracy of 96.49%.
Reactivity of Open-Shell Metallofullerene Anions: Synthesis, Crystal Structures, and Electrochemical Properties of Benzylated Gd@C2v-C82
Authors: Zhou Xinyi , Yao Yang-Rong , Hu Yajing , Yang Le , Yang Shaoting , Zhang Yilu , Zhang Qianyan , Peng Ping , Jin Peng , Li Fang-Fang
Published: August 2023

The reactivity of the open-shell Gd@C2v-C82 with different charge states towards benzyl bromide was investigated. [Gd@C2v-C82]3− exhibited enhanced activity relative to Gd@C2v-C82 and [Gd@C2v-C82]−. The structural characterizations, including MALDI-TOF MS, UV-vis-NIR, and single crystal X-ray diffraction, indicate the formation of isomeric benzyl monoadducts of Gd@C2v-C82. All three monoadducts contain 1:1 mirror-symmetric enantiomers. Additionally, the addition of the benzyl group and its specific position result in distinct electrochemical behavior of the products compared to the parent Gd@C2v-C82. Theoretical studies demonstrate that only [Gd@C2v-C82]3− has a HOMO energy level that matches well with the LUMO energy level of the PhCH2 radical, providing a rationalization for the observed significantly different reactivity.
Synthesis, X-ray Structure, and Hirshfeld Analysis of [Ag(3-amino-5,6-dimethyl-1,2,4-triazine)(NO3)]n: A Potent Anticancer and Antimicrobial Agent
Authors: El-Naggar Mostafa A. , Abu-Youssef Morsy A. M. , Haukka Matti , Barakat Assem , Sharaf Mona M. , Soliman Saied M.
Published: August 2023

The [Ag(3ADMT)(NO3)]n complex was synthesized by the self-assembly of 3-amino-5,6-dimethyl-1,2,4-triazine (3ADMT) and AgNO3. Its molecular structure was analyzed utilizing FTIR spectra, elemental analysis, and single crystal X-ray diffraction (SC-XRD). There is one crystallographically independent Ag atom, which is tetra-coordinated by two nitrogen atoms from two 3ADMT and two oxygen atoms from two nitrate anions where all ligand groups are acting as connectors between the Ag1 sites. The geometry around the Ag(I) center is a distorted tetrahedron with a AgN2O2 coordination sphere augmented by strong argentophilic interactions between Ag atoms, which assist the aggregation of the complex units in a wavy-like and coplanar pattern to form a one-dimensional polymeric chain. The O...H (37.2%) and N...H (18.8%) intermolecular interactions contributed significantly to the molecular packing based on Hirshfeld surface analysis. The [Ag(3ADMT)(NO3)]n complex demonstrates promising cytotoxicity against lung (IC50 = 2.96 ± 0.31 μg/mL) and breast (IC50 = 1.97 ± 0.18 μg/mL) carcinoma. This remarkable cytotoxicity exceeds those of 3ADMT, AgNO3, and the anticancer medication cis-platin towards the tested cancer cell lines. In addition, the complex has a wide-spectrum antimicrobial action where the high antibacterial potency of the [Ag(3ADMT)(NO3)]n complex against P. vulgaris (MIC = 6.1 µg/mL) and B. subtilis (MIC = 17.2 µg/mL) could be comparable to the commonly used drug Gentamycin (MIC = 4.8 µg/mL). These results confirm that the components of the [Ag(3ADMT)(NO3)]n complex work together synergistically, forming a powerful multifunctional agent that could be exploited as an effective antimicrobial and anticancer agent.
Influence of Chemical Pretreatment on the Mechanical, Chemical, and Interfacial Properties of 3D-Printed, Rice-Husk-Fiber-Reinforced Composites
Authors: Surendran Athira Nair , Malayil Sreesha , Satyavolu Jagannadh , Kate Kunal
Published: August 2023

This article explores using biomass, namely rice husks, as a reinforcement material in thermoplastic copolyester (TPC) composites. Rice husks were subjected to three chemical pretreatments: single-stage sulfuric acid hydrolysis, first-stage sulfuric acid hydrolysis followed by a second-stage methanesulfonic acid (MSA) treatment, and first-stage sulfuric acid hydrolysis followed by a second-stage sodium hydroxide alkali treatment. We studied the effects of these treatments on the rheological, thermal, interfacial, and mechanical properties of composites. The fibers were mixed with polymers at high shear rates and temperatures, and 3D-printed filaments were produced using a desktop 3D printer. The printed parts were analyzed using tensile tests, torque and viscosity measurements, and thermogravimetric analysis to obtain their mechanical, rheological, and thermal properties. SEM imaging was performed to understand the fiber–polymer interface and how it affects the other properties. The results showed that first-stage sulfuric acid hydrolysis followed by a second-stage pretreatment of the fibers with MSA showed better fiber–polymer adhesion and a 20.4% increase in stress at 5% strain, a 30% increase in stress at 50% strain, and a 22.6% increase in the elastic modulus as compared to untreated rice husk composites. These findings indicate that readily available and inexpensive rice husks have significant potential for use in natural fiber-reinforced composites when pretreated using dilute sulfuric acid followed by methane sulfonic acid hydrolysis.
Experimental and Numerical Analysis of Axial Behavior of Triaxial Woven Fabric Confined Concrete Columns
Authors: Ghani Muhammad Usman , Sun Tingting , Zhang Honghua , Abraha Kahsay Gebresilassie , Ahmad Nauman , Ahmed Khalil , Saeed Rehan , Sadannavar Mohmadarslan Kutubuddin , Li Wei
Published: August 2023

Continuous efforts are being made to improve plain concrete compressive strength and ductility by applying carbon, glass fiber, or hybrid-reinforced epoxy resin composites. The investigation centers on analyzing the axial compressive strength and strain, compressive stress–strain behavior, failure morphology, and crack evolution of the reinforced cylinders. Besides the experiments, non-linear finite element analysis was performed using the finite element (FE) package ABAQUS 2021. The test results indicate that carbon fiber triaxial woven fabric (TWF-C) confinement result in the most significant improvement of 118% in compressive stress than the concrete specimens. On the other hand, glass fiber triaxial woven fabric (TWF-G) confinement shows the highest enhancement of 161% in ductility. The mechanical properties of the sample utilizing glass fiber as the weft yarn and carbon fiber as the warp yarn (TWF-GC2) exhibit superior improvements of 22% in compressive stress and 8% in axial strain compared to the sample using glass fiber as the warp yarn and carbon fiber as the weft yarn (TWF-CG2). Samples with glass fiber as weft yarn show gradual cracks during loading, while carbon fiber as weft yarn show instantaneous damage. The numerical finite element models accurately predict the experimental results of the tested specimens in this study. There were 1.2~3% and 5~10% discrepancies for compressive stress and axial strain, respectively, between experimental and FE results. Overall, the results suggest that Triaxial woven fabric confinement is a valuable technique to improve the strength and strain of concrete and that the type of fibers used could be tailored for appropriate performance characteristics.
Development of Coupled Numerical Model between Floating Caisson and Anti-Oscillation Tanks
Authors: Shirai Kaito , Nakamura Tomoaki , Cho Yong-Hwan , Mizutani Norimi , Kurahara Yoshinosuke , Takeda Masahide
Published: August 2023

Floating caissons can oscillate owing to ocean waves when towed to an installation site. To reduce these oscillations, free-surface anti-oscillation tanks mounted on floating caissons have been proposed. However, no coupled numerical model exists between the motion of the floating caisson and fluid flow in the tanks based on computational fluid dynamics (CFD). In this study, a coupled model is developed and compared to existing physical experiments for validation. In the coupled model, the vertical and rotational motion of the floating caisson are computed as a rigid body, and the motion of the free water in the tank is computed using a CFD model. Numerical results show the predictive capability of the coupled model in terms of the rotational motion (pitch) of the floating caisson within ±20% of experimental data, regardless of the absence or presence of water in the tank. The numerical results also show that the fluid flow with complex air–water interface motion in the tank can be analyzed in detail using the coupled model. This suggests that the coupled model developed in this study is a useful tool for quantitatively assessing the effectiveness of an anti-oscillation tank for reducing the pitch of a floating caisson.
Hydraulic-Pump Fault-Diagnosis Method Based on Mean Spectrogram Bar Graph of Voiceprint and ResNet-50 Model Transfer
Authors: Zhang Peiyao , Jiang Wanlu , Zheng Yunfei , Zhang Shuqing , Zhang Sheng , Liu Siyuan
Published: August 2023

The vibration signal of a pump is often used for analysis in the study of hydraulic-pump fault diagnosis methods. In this study, for the analysis, sound signals were used, which can be used to acquire data in a non-contact manner to expand the use scenarios of hydraulic-pump fault-diagnosis methods. First, the original data are denoised using complete ensemble empirical mode decomposition with adaptive noise and the minimum redundancy maximum relevance algorithm. Second, the noise-reduced data are plotted as mean spectrogram bar graphs, and the datasets are divided. Third, the training set graphs are input into the ResNet-50 network to train the base model for fault diagnosis. Fourth, all the layers of the base model are frozen, except for the fully connected and softmax layers, and the support set graphs are used to train the base model through transfer learning. Finally, a fault diagnosis model is obtained. The model is tested using data from two test pumps, resulting in accuracies of 86.1% and 90.8% and providing evidence for the effectiveness of the proposed method for diagnosing faults in hydraulic plunger pumps.
A Novel Wave Energy Equivalence Based Lumping Block Method for Efficiently Predicting the Fatigue Damage of Mooring Lines
Authors: Guo Yuanzhi , Wang Shuqing , Guo Haiyan , Song Xiancang
Published: August 2023

The lumping block equivalent method (LBEM) is widely used to reduce the computational effort in the fatigue damage assessment of offshore structures, and the wave parameters of the representative sea states (RSSs) resulting from LBEM are of vital importance for the accurate prediction of offshore structures’ fatigue damage. In this study, a novel wave energy equivalence (WEE)-based LBEM is proposed to determine the wave parameters of the RSS accurately. The novelty of the proposed method is that a compact relationship between the input wave energy component and mooring lines’ fatigue damage is derived, and the modified statistical relationships between the wave parameters and spectral moments are provided by incorporating the effects of the peak enhancement factor of the input wave spectrum, the number of original sea states (OSSs) and the equivalence bandwidth of the OSSs. Based on the compact relationship, the wave energy component of the RSS can be determined from the wave energy component of the OSSs for each wave frequency from the viewpoint of the fatigue damage equivalence criterion. The wave energy distribution of the RSS can be accurately characterized with the wave energy distribution of the OSSs, and the spectral moments of the RSS can be calculated by its energy distribution directly, without any approximation. Moreover, the wave parameters of the RSS can be determined from the modified statistical relationships easily. The effectiveness of the proposed WEE LBEM is numerically investigated with a moored semi-submersible platform. Results show that the proposed WEE LBEM is robust, efficient and accurate within engineering expectations, and it outperforms the conventional LBEMs both in accuracy and robustness.
Medical Image Segmentation Using Automatic Optimized U-Net Architecture Based on Genetic Algorithm
Authors: Khouy Mohammed , Jabrane Younes , Ameur Mustapha , Hajjam El Hassani Amir
Published: August 2023

Image segmentation is a crucial aspect of clinical decision making in medicine, and as such, it has greatly enhanced the sustainability of medical care. Consequently, biomedical image segmentation has become a prominent research area in the field of computer vision. With the advent of deep learning, many manual design-based methods have been proposed and have shown promising results in achieving state-of-the-art performance in biomedical image segmentation. However, these methods often require significant expert knowledge and have an enormous number of parameters, necessitating substantial computational resources. Thus, this paper proposes a new approach called GA-UNet, which employs genetic algorithms to automatically design a U-shape convolution neural network with good performance while minimizing the complexity of its architecture-based parameters, thereby addressing the above challenges. The proposed GA-UNet is evaluated on three datasets: lung image segmentation, cell nuclei segmentation in microscope images (DSB 2018), and liver image segmentation. Interestingly, our experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method achieves competitive performance with a smaller architecture and fewer parameters than the original U-Net model. It achieves an accuracy of 98.78% for lung image segmentation, 95.96% for cell nuclei segmentation in microscope images (DSB 2018), and 98.58% for liver image segmentation by using merely 0.24%, 0.48%, and 0.67% of the number of parameters in the original U-Net architecture for the lung image segmentation dataset, the DSB 2018 dataset, and the liver image segmentation dataset, respectively. This reduction in complexity makes our proposed approach, GA-UNet, a more viable option for deployment in resource-limited environments or real-world implementations that demand more efficient and faster inference times.
The Relationship between Oral Health-Related Quality of Life and Body Mass Index in an Older Population from Southern Italy: The Salus in Apulia Study
Authors: Dibello Vittorio , Lobbezoo Frank , Sardone Rodolfo , Lozupone Madia , Castellana Fabio , Zupo Roberta , Pilotto Alberto , Daniele Antonio , Solfrizzi Vincenzo , Manfredini Daniele , Panza Francesco
Published: August 2023

Background: The assessment of oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) evaluated the impact of an individual’s oral health on the patient’s physical and psychosocial status. We evaluated the association between subjective OHRQoL, measured with the Oral Health Impact Profile-14 (OHIP-14) questionnaire, and unfavorable body mass index (BMI) (i.e., too high or too low) in a large population-based study on older adults from Southern Italy. Moreover, we assessed which of the seven OHIP-14 domains was the most strongly associated with an unfavorable BMI. Methods: We used data on a subpopulation of the Salus in Apulia Study, including 216 older adults. BMI < 18.4 kg/m2 and >30 kg/m2 were classified as unfavorable, while values between 18.5 and 30 kg/m2 were classified as ideal. Results: A higher OHIP-14 total score increased the risk of an unfavorable BMI (odds ratio (OR): 1.08, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.01–1.15). In the model adjusted for age, sex, education, hypertension, carbohydrate consumption, and alcohol consumption, this finding was confirmed with a higher OHIP-14 total score increasing the risk of an unfavorable BMI (OR: 1.10, 95% CI: 1.01–1.22), and higher age linked to a decreased risk of an unfavorable BMI (OR: 0.89, 95% CI: 0.82–0.97). In a random forest regression model, the most important predictive domains/sub-scales of OHIP-14 in the mean decrease in the Gini coefficient for unfavorable BMI were, in order of decreasing importance, physical pain, functional limitation, psychological discomfort, physical disability, social disability, psychological disability, and handicap. Conclusions: In older age, negative OHRQoL, particularly linked to the physical pain domain, increased the risk of being underweight or overweight and obesity.
Allograft Prosthesis Composite (APC) for Proximal Humeral Bone Loss: Outcomes and Perspectives
Authors: Gregori Pietro , Perricone Giovanni , Franceschetti Edoardo , Giurazza Giancarlo , Papalia Giuseppe Francesco , Zà Pierangelo , Papalia Rocco
Published: August 2023

(1) Background: Allograft prosthetic composite (APC) represents one of the techniques used for reconstruction in large proximal humeral bone deficits. The present systematic review aimed at summarizing the state of the art of the technique and analyzing its outcomes. (2) Methods: The PRISMA guidelines were followed to perform this systematic review. A systematic electronic search was performed using PubMed (MEDLINE), EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library databases. All the studies analyzing the rates of allograft prosthesis composite were pooled, and the data were extracted and analyzed. (3) Results: A total of 10 studies were eligible for inclusion in this systematic review for a total of 239 patients. The rate of patient satisfaction with surgery was reported in 7 studies with a mean of 86.4% ± 13.64. The mean constant score was 45.7 ± 3.51, the mean ASES score was 63.58 ± 8.37, and the mean SST was 4.6 ± 1.04. The mean revision rate observed was 10.32% ± 3.63 and the mean implant survival was 83.66% ± 14.98. (4) Conclusions: Based on the currently available data, allograft prosthesis composite represents a valuable option for the reconstruction of proximal humeral deficits. All studies analyzed showed the favorable impact of this surgical technique on clinical outcomes and patient satisfaction.
miR-429 Suppresses Endometrial Cancer Progression and Drug Resistance via DDX53
Authors: Lee Kyung-Jun , Singh Nitya , Bizuneh Michael , Kim Nam-Hyeok , Kim Hyeong Su , Kim Youngmi , Lee Jae-Jun , Kim Jung Han , Kim Jiye , Jeong Soo Young , Cho Hye-Yon , Park Sung Taek
Published: August 2023

(1) Background: To examine miR-429-meditated DEAD (Asp-Glu-Ala-Asp) box polypeptide 53 (DDX53) function in endometrial cancer (EC). (2) Methods: DDX53 and miR-429 levels were measured using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and western blotting assays, cell invasion and migration using Transwell invasion and wound healing assays, and cell proliferation using colony-forming/proliferation assays. A murine xenograft model was also generated to examine miR-429 and DDX53 functions in vivo. (3) Results: DDX53 overexpression (OE) promoted key cancer phenotypes (proliferation, migration, and invasion) in EC, while in vivo, DDX53 OE hindered tumor growth in the murine xenograft model. Moreover, miR-429 was identified as a novel miRNA-targeting DDX53, which suppressed EC proliferation and invasion. (4) Conclusions: DDX53 and miR-429 regulatory mechanisms could provide novel molecular therapies for EC.
The Future of Insurance Intermediation in the Age of the Digital Platform Economy
Authors: Stricker Lukas , Wagner Joël , Zeier Röschmann Angela
Published: August 2023

Today most insurance is sold by over a million brokers and independent agents acting as intermediaries between the insurance companies and their customers. Digitalization and changing customer behavior have fostered the development of insurtech businesses, and, more recently, multi-sided platforms are emerging as new market forms for insurance intermediation. This paper aims to provide a better understanding of how the emergence of the platform economy, with a market dominated by multi-sided platforms, will potentially impact insurance intermediation in the future. Using inductive content analysis on the results of a systematic literature review of the body of research on insurance intermediation, we identify the key functional roles fulfilled by insurance intermediaries. Applying these roles to a literature review on multi-sided platforms allows us to compare how different market forms and players embody the functional roles of intermediaries. Our findings suggest that multi-sided platforms are better able to perform certain roles in terms of agility, scale and scope, and we discuss the future role of platforms in insurance intermediation.
Challenges in the Management of Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD): Towards a Compassionate Approach
Authors: Shea Sue , Lionis Christos , Kite Chris , Atkinson Lou , Lagojda Lukasz , Chaggar Surinderjeet S. , Kyrou Ioannis , Randeva Harpal S.
Published: August 2023

Representing a growing ‘silent epidemic’, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) affects around 25–30% of the general population. Alarmingly, NAFLD increases the risk of cardiovascular disease, both independently and through its strong associations with obesity, type 2 diabetes, and metabolic syndrome, whilst posing a substantial burden from an economic and health-related quality of life perspective. Moreover, growing evidence links NAFLD to common mental health disorders including depression, anxiety, and stress. In this context, recent clinical and research attention further focuses on potential additional problems faced by patients with NAFLD, such as perceived stigma, lack of awareness regarding the condition, and possible feelings of loneliness and isolation that might emerge from unmet support needs. To date, despite a wealth of literature on NAFLD, management of the condition remains challenging and not straightforward, with most cases in primary care being treated with lifestyle modification on top of any other comorbidity treatment. However, for many patients with NAFLD, weight loss is hard to accomplish and/or sustain (e.g., patients may lack the skills, confidence, and motivation required to adhere to dietary changes, and/or may have problems limiting opportunities for increased physical activity). Therefore, tailored interventions which are manageable from the perspective of the individual patient with NAFLD could glean greater results. Accordingly, although there is a lack of research exploring the potential benefits of person-centered and compassion-based approaches to the management of NAFLD, in the present review, we draw on evidence from methods utilized in the treatment of other chronic conditions in postulating the view that such approaches might prove beneficial in the future management of NAFLD.
The Morphology Dependent Interaction between Silver Nanoparticles and Bovine Serum Albumin
Authors: Zhang Jingyi , Fu Xianjun , Yan Changling , Wang Gongke
Published: August 2023

Biological applications of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) depend on the covalently attached or adsorbed proteins. A series of biological effects of AgNPs within cells are determined by the size, shape, aspect ratio, surface charge, and modifiers. Herein, the morphology dependent interaction between AgNPs and protein was investigated. AgNPs with three different morphologies, such as silver nanospheres, silver nanorods, and silver nanotriangles, were employed to investigate the morphological effect on the interaction with a model protein: bovine serum albumin (BSA). The adsorptive interactions between BSA and the AgNPs were probed by UV-Vis spectroscopy, fluorescence spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering (DLS), Fourier transform infrared spectrometry (FTIR), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and circular dichroism (CD) techniques. The results revealed that the particle size, shape, and dispersion of the three types of AgNPs markedly influence the interaction with BSA. Silver nanospheres and nanorods were capsulated by protein coronas, which led to slightly enlarged outer size. The silver nanotriangles evolved gradually into nanodisks in the presence of BSA. Fluorescence spectroscopy confirmed the static quenching the fluorescence emission of BSA by the three AgNPs. The FTIR and CD results suggested that the AgNPs with different morphologies had different effects on the secondary structure of BSA. The silver nanospheres and silver nanorods induced more pronounced structural changes than silver nanotriangles. These results suggest that the formation of a protein corona and the aggregation behaviors of AgNPs are markedly determined by their inherent morphologies.
Eddy Effect and Dynamic Response of High-Speed Solenoid Valve with Composite Iron Core
Authors: Liu Peng , Zhang Ruqin , Zhao Qing , Peng Shijian
Published: August 2023

To alleviate the Eddy effect of the high-speed solenoid valve (HSV) and improve its dynamic response speed, a novel HSV with a composite iron core is presented. The time-step finite element method is used to establish and verify the numerical simulation of HSV coupling multiple physical fields. Then, the Eddy effect and dynamic response characteristics of the conventional and composite HSVs are further compared and analyzed. The results showed that the Eddy current loss in the main pole was the largest for the conventional HSV, accounting for 72.5% and 64.4% in the actuation and release processes, respectively. It was found that the Eddy effect of the composite HSV was obviously weakened, and the total Eddy current losses in the actuation and release processes were reduced by 58.8% and 38.7%, respectively. Meanwhile, the actuation response time and release response time of the composite HSV were shortened by 15.6% and 18.5%, respectively. In addition, increasing the peak voltage further shortened the actuation response time of the composite HSV, but had no significant effect on the response time of the conventional HSV.
Gold Nanoparticles-Functionalized Cotton as Promising Flexible and Green Substrate for Impedometric VOC Detection
Authors: Casalinuovo Silvia , Caschera Daniela , Quaranta Simone , Genova Virgilio , Buzzin Alessio , Federici Fulvio , de Cesare Giampiero , Puglisi Donatella , Caputo Domenico
Published: August 2023

This work focuses on the possible application of gold nanoparticles on flexible cotton fabric as acetone- and ethanol-sensitive substrates by means of impedance measurements. Specifically, citrate- and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP)-functionalized gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) were synthesized using green and well-established procedures and deposited on cotton fabric. A complete structural and morphological characterization was conducted using UV–VIS and Fourier transform infrared (FT–IR) spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy (AFM), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). A detailed dielectric characterization of the blank substrate revealed interfacial polarization effects related to both Au NPs and their specific surface functionalization. For instance, by entirely coating the cotton fabric (i.e., by creating a more insulating matrix), PVP was found to increase the sample resistance, i.e., to decrease the electrical interconnection of Au NPs with respect to citrate functionalized sample. However, it was observed that citrate functionalization provided a uniform distribution of Au NPs, which reduced their spacing and, therefore, facilitated electron transport. Regarding the detection of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) measurements showed that hydrogen bonding and the resulting proton migration impedance are instrumental in distinguishing ethanol and acetone. Such findings can pave the way for the development of VOC sensors integrated into personal protective equipment and wearable telemedicine devices. This approach may be crucial for early disease diagnosis based on nanomaterials to attain low-cost/low-end and easy-to-use detectors of breath volatiles as disease markers.
Average and Local Effect of Thermal Fatigue on the Coefficients of the Thermal Expansion of a Complex Continuous Composite Fibre Used for Car Clutch Facing: A Multi-Technique Study
Authors: Flament Camille , Berthel Bruno , Salvia Michelle , Graton Olivier , Alix Isabelle
Published: August 2023

The clutch facing is a complex organic matrix composite in dry clutch systems. When the clutch engages, there is a sliding contact between the clutch facing and the mating surfaces, resulting in temperature increases of up to 300 °C. These thermal cycles activate several mechanisms that can have consequences on such material: cracking and, more generally, the ageing of the polymer. The thermomechanical properties of the material therefore evolve according to the number of thermal cycles. This study focused on investigating the local and average evolution of the coefficients of thermal expansion (CTE) of clutch facing as a function of thermal cycles. Several techniques were employed, including image stereocorrelation for determining the CTE, Dynamic Mechanical Analysis (DMA) tests for monitoring the ageing of the material and acoustic emission for highlighting the damage. The results showed that the average CTE decreased as a function of the temperature and the number of loading cycles, while locally, it increased in some areas and decreased in others. These differences appear to be the result of material heterogeneity (actual yarn tracing, etc.) and interaction between cracking and ageing mechanisms in the polymer matrix. Indeed, thermal cycling led to cracking and additional crosslinking, which is influenced by ageing conditions.
An Upper Bound Energy Formulation of Free-Chip Machining with Flat Chips and an Alternative Method of Determination of Cutting Forces without Using the Merchant’s Circle Diagram
Authors: Joardar Hillol , Das Nitai Sundar , Haldar Barun , Maity Kalipada , Abdulrahman Alsaleh Naser , Ataya Sabbah
Published: August 2023

An upper bound analysis of free-chip machining has been carried out, where the tool cutting and friction forces were determined from the deformation energy dissipated during the chip separation process. The method employed was based on the classical upper bound theorem, as formulated by Prager and Hodge, and Drucker, Prager, and Greenberg, and its modification by Collins, to deal with the metal forming processes involving coulomb friction. A straight shear plane and coulomb friction at the chip/tool interface were assumed and the energy required for cutting was calculated from a strain rate/velocity field that was constructed using the method proposed by Collins. Cutting forces, thrust forces, tool/chip contact lengths, and chip thickness ratios were determined for different tool rake angles and friction conditions. The theoretical results were also compared with some experimental results that are available in the published literature. The comparison between the two was not found to be satisfactory. This may be due to the non-unique nature of the machining process, as stated by Hill and demonstrated by other authors. The results calculated from the present method of ”energy balance” were also found to be in agreement with those obtained by Merchant using the principle of ”force balance”.
Investigation of the Hankel Determinant Sharp Bounds for a Specific Analytic Function Linked to a Cardioid-Shaped Domain
Authors: Al-Shbeil Isra , Faisal Muhammad Imran , Arif Muhammad , Abbas Muhammad , Alhefthi Reem K.
Published: August 2023

One of the challenging tasks in the study of function theory is how to obtain sharp estimates of coefficients that appear in the Taylor–Maclaurin series of analytic univalent functions, and for obtaining these bounds, researchers used the concepts of Carathéodory functions. Among these coefficient-related problems, the problem of the third-order Hankel determinant sharp bound is the most difficult one. The aim of the present study is to determine the sharp bound of the Hankel determinant of third order by using the methodology of the aforementioned Carathéodory function family. Further, we also study some other coefficient-related problems, such as the Fekete–Szegő inequality and the second-order Hankel determinant. We examine these results for the family of bounded turning functions linked with a cardioid-shaped domain.
On Some Classes of Harmonic Functions Associated with the Janowski Function
Authors: Ma Lina , Li Shuhai , Tang Huo
Published: August 2023

In this paper, we introduce some classes of univalent harmonic functions with respect to the symmetric conjugate points by means of subordination, the analytic parts of which are reciprocal starlike (or convex) functions. Further, we discuss the geometric properties of the classes, such as the integral expression, coefficient estimation, distortion theorem, Jacobian estimation, growth estimates, and covering theorem.
A Compared Study of Eicosapentaenoic Acid and Docosahexaenoic Acid in Improving Seizure-Induced Cognitive Deficiency in a Pentylenetetrazol-Kindling Young Mice Model
Authors: Yang Yueqi , Wang Xueyan , Chen Lu , Wang Shiben , Han Jun , Wang Zhengping , Wen Min
Published: August 2023

Epilepsy is a chronic neurological disorder that is more prevalent in children, and recurrent unprovoked seizures can lead to cognitive impairment. Numerous studies have reported the benefits of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) on neurodevelopment and cognitive ability, while comparatively less attention has been given to eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA). Additionally, little is known about the effects and mechanisms of DHA and EPA in relation to seizure-induced cognitive impairment in the young rodent model. Current research indicates that ferroptosis is involved in epilepsy and cognitive deficiency in children. Further investigation is warranted to determine whether EPA or DHA can mitigate seizure-induced cognitive deficits by inhibiting ferroptosis. Therefore, this study was conducted to compare the effects of DHA and EPA on seizure-induced cognitive deficiency and reveal the underlying mechanisms focused on ferroptosis in a pentylenetetrazol (PTZ)-kindling young mice model. Mice were fed a diet containing DHA-enriched ethyl esters or EPA-enriched ethyl esters for 21 days at the age of 3 weeks and treated with PTZ (35 mg/kg, i.p.) every other day 10 times. The findings indicated that both EPA and DHA exhibited ameliorative effects on seizure-induced cognitive impairment, with EPA demonstrating a superior efficacy. Further mechanism study revealed that supplementation of DHA and EPA significantly increased cerebral DHA and EPA levels, balanced neurotransmitters, and inhibited ferroptosis by modulating iron homeostasis and reducing lipid peroxide accumulation in the hippocampus through activating the Nrf2/Sirt3 signal pathway. Notably, EPA exhibited better an advantage in ameliorating iron dyshomeostasis compared to DHA, owing to its stronger upregulation of Sirt3. These results indicate that DHA and EPA can efficaciously alleviate seizure-induced cognitive deficiency by inhibiting ferroptosis in PTZ-kindled young mice.
Butanolides and Butenolides from a Marine-Derived Streptomyces sp. Exert Neuroprotective Activity through Activation of the TrkB Neurotrophin Receptor
Authors: Giaccio Paolo , Charou Despoina , Diakaki Dafni-Ioanna , Chita Anna , Gravanis Achille , Charalampopoulos Ioannis , Roussis Vassilios , Ioannou Efstathia
Published: August 2023

Neurodegenerative diseases are incurable and debilitating conditions, characterized by progressive loss and degeneration of vulnerable neuronal populations. Currently, there are no effective therapies available for the treatment of most neurodegenerative disorders. A panel of extracts exhibiting interesting chemical profiles among a high number of bacterial strains isolated from East Mediterranean marine sediments and macroorganisms were evaluated for their activity on TrkB-expressing cells. Among them, the actinobacterial strain Streptomyces sp. BI0788, exhibiting neuroprotective activity in vitro, was selected and cultivated in large-scale. The chemical analysis of its organic extract resulted in the isolation of four new butanolides (1, 4–6), along with two previously reported butanolides (2 and 3) and eight previously reported butenolides (7–14). Compounds 2–4 and 7–14 were evaluated for their neuroprotective effects on TrkB-expressing NIH-3T3 cells. Among them, metabolites 3, 4, 7, 10, 11, 13 and 14 exhibited significant protective activity on the aforementioned cells through the activation of TrkB, the high-affinity receptor for the Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF), which is well known to play a crucial role in neuronal cell survival and maintenance.
Lipidome of the Brown Macroalga Undaria pinnatifida: Influence of Season and Endophytic Infection
Authors: Chadova Ksenia , Velansky Peter
Published: August 2023

An analysis of the lipidome of the brown alga Undaria pinnatifida (Laminariales) was performed’ more than 900 molecular species were identified in 12 polar lipids and 1 neutral lipid using HPLC/MS-MS. The seasonal changes of U. pinnatifida lipidome were determined. It was shown that acclimatization to winter and spring was accompanied by an increase in the unsaturation of both polar and neutral lipids. In autumn and summer, on the contrary, the contents of more saturated molecular species of all lipid classes increased. Based on the data obtained, a scheme for the polar and neutral lipid synthesis in brown algae was proposed. In addition, the influence of infection with the brown filamentous endophyte Laminariocolax aecidioides (Ectocarpales) on U. pinnatifida lipidome was studied. It was found that infection has the most noticeable effect on the molecular species composition of triacylglycerides, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine, and phosphatidylhydroxyethylglycine of the host macrophyte. In infected samples of algae, changes in the composition of triacylglycerides were revealed both in areas with the presence of an endophyte and in adjacent intact tissues, which may indicate the occurrence of a secondary infection.
Ultrasonic-Assisted Extraction of Astaxanthin from Shrimp By-Products Using Vegetable Oils
Authors: Panagiotakopoulos Ioannis , Karantonis Haralabos C. , Kartelias Ioannis Geraris , Nasopoulou Constantina
Published: August 2023

Background: The use of conventional astaxanthin extraction methods, typically involving organic solvents, leads to a heightened environmental impact. The aim of this study was to explore the potential use of environmentally friendly extraction solvents, such as vegetable oils, for recovering the shrimp by-product astaxanthin. Methods: Ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) in vegetable oils, including olive oil (OO), sunflower oil (SO), and flaxseed oil (FO), was employed to extract astaxanthin. The astaxanthin antioxidant activity was evaluated using an ABTS assay, and a mixture of gum Arabic and soy lecithin was used to form coacervates to produce astaxanthin encapsulation. Results: A by-product–vegetable oil ratio of 1:60, extraction time of 210 min, 60% amplitude of the extraction process, and the use of OO as the extracting medium resulted in an astaxanthin yield of 235 ± 4.07 μg astaxanthin/g by-products. The astaxanthin encapsulation efficiency on day 0 and astaxanthin recovery on day 1 were recorded at 66.6 ± 2.7% and 94.4 ± 4.6%, respectively. Conclusions: The utilization of OO as an extraction solvent for astaxanthin from shrimp by-products in UAE represents a novel and promising approach to reducing the environmental impact of shrimp by-products. The effective astaxanthin encapsulation efficiency highlights its potential application in food industries.
Au-Bi-Te(-Cu) Mineralization in the Wawa Gold Corridor (Ontario, Canada): Implications for the Role of Bi-Rich Polymetallic Melts in Orogenic Au Systems
Authors: Wehrle Elliot A. , Samson Iain M. , Montreuil Jean-François , Kontak Daniel J.
Published: August 2023

The Wawa Gold Corridor, a series of Archean orogenic Au deposits in the Michipicoten greenstone belt, Canada, comprises two styles of Au mineralization: (1) syn-deformation gold associated with pyrite and arsenopyrite; and (2) late- to post-deformation gold associated with chalcopyrite and Bi-Te(-S) phases. Through petrographic and mineral–chemical analysis, it was determined that gold in the latter assemblages precipitated from Bi-rich polymetallic melts during hydrothermal overprinting of the earlier Au-As-S mineralization; this event was likely driven by the emplacement of Archean lamprophyres. The formation and evolution of these melts was governed by fluid–pyrite reaction interfaces, where the bulk composition of the melts was broadly controlled by the trace-element chemistry of the sulphide minerals in the local host rocks. This suggests that the melt-formation event involved mobilization of existing metal endowments related to early Au events, rather than addition of new Au, Bi, and Te. Thus, the deposition of high-grade Au by Bi-rich melts was dependent on pre-existing sulphide mineralization, both as a source of metals and as micro-environments that stabilized the melts. The paragenesis documented in the Wawa Gold Corridor (i.e., early hydrothermal Au-As-S mineralization and late melt-related Au-Bi-Te mineralization) has been previously recognized in numerous other orogenic and non-orogenic Au deposits. Herein, it is suggested that this apparent consistency in the timing of melt events across multiple systems probably reflects the physicochemical conditions (i.e., fO2-aH2S) of orogenic fluids being incompatible with molten Bi. Bi-rich polymetallic melts are hence unlikely to form primary Au mineralization in orogenic systems but can, however, have a significant impact on the ultimate deposit-scale distribution of Au via secondary mobilization and enrichment.