bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Lithium-Ion Battery State of Health Estimation with Multi-Feature Collaborative Analysis and Deep Learning Method
Authors: Yang Xianbin , Ma Bin , Xie Haicheng , Wang Wentao , Zou Bosong , Liang Fengwei , Hua Xiao , Liu Xinhua , Chen Siyan
Published: February 2023

The accurate estimation of the battery state of health (SOH) is crucial for the dependability and safety of battery management systems (BMS). The generality of existing SOH estimation methods is limited as they tend to primarily consider information from single-source features. Therefore, a novel method for integrating multi-feature collaborative analysis with deep learning-based approaches is proposed in this research. First, several battery degradation features are obtained through differential thermal voltammetry (DTV) analysis, singular value decomposition (SVD), incremental capacity analysis (ICA), and terminal voltage characteristic (TVC) analysis. The features highly related to SOH are selected as inputs for the deep learning model based on the results of a Pearson correlation analysis. The SOH estimation is achieved by developing a deep learning framework cored by long short-term memory (LSTM) neural network (NN), which integrates multi-source features as an input. A suggested method is validated using NASA and Oxford Battery Degradation datasets. The results demonstrate that the presented model provides great SOH estimation accuracy and generality, where the maximum root mean square error (RMSE) is less than 1%. Based on a cloud computing platform, the proposed method can be applied to provide a real-time prediction of battery health, with the potential to enhance battery full lifespan management.
An Improved Link Prediction Approach for Directed Complex Networks Using Stochastic Block Modeling
Authors: Nair Lekshmi S. , Jayaraman Swaminathan , Krishna Nagam Sai Pavan
Published: February 2023

Link prediction finds the future or the missing links in a social–biological complex network such as a friendship network, citation network, or protein network. Current methods to link prediction follow the network properties, such as the node’s centrality, the number of edges, or the weights of the edges, among many others. As the properties of the networks vary, the link prediction methods also vary. These methods are inaccurate since they exploit limited information. This work presents a link prediction method based on the stochastic block model. The novelty of our approach is the three-step process to find the most-influential nodes using the m-PageRank metric, forming blocks using the global clustering coefficient and, finally, predicting the most-optimized links using maximum likelihood estimation. Through the experimental analysis of social, ecological, and biological datasets, we proved that the proposed model outperforms the existing state-of-the-art approaches to link prediction.
Comprehensive Pan-Cancer Analysis of KIF18A as a Marker for Prognosis and Immunity
Authors: Liu Ting , Yang Kun , Chen Jiamin , Qi Liming , Zhou Xingang , Wang Peng
Published: February 2023

KIF18A belongs to the Kinesin family, which participates in the occurrence and progression of tumors. However, few pan-cancer analyses have been performed on KIF18A to date. We used multiple public databases such as TIMER, The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), Genotype-Tissue Expression (GTEx), and Human Protein Atlas (HPA) to explore KIF18A mRNA expression in 33 tumors. We performed immunohistochemistry on liver cancer and pancreatic cancer tissues and corresponding normal tissues to examine the expression of KIF18A protein. Univariate Cox regression and Kaplan–Meier survival analysis were applied to detect the effect of KIF18A on overall survival (OS), disease-specific survival (DSS), and progression-free interval (PFI) of patients with these tumors. Subsequently, we explored KIF18A gene alterations in different tumor tissues using cBioPortal. The relationship between KIF18A and clinical characteristics, tumor microenvironment (TME), immune regulatory genes, immune checkpoints, tumor mutational burden (TMB), microsatellite instability (MSI), mismatch repairs (MMRs), DNA methylation, RNA methylation, and drug sensitivity was applied for further study using the R language. Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) was utilized to explore the molecular mechanism of KIF18A. Bioinformatic analysis and immunohistochemical experiments confirmed that KIF18A was up-regulated in 27 tumors and was correlated with the T stage, N stage, pathological stage, histological grade, and Ki-67 index in many cancers. The overexpression of KIF18A had poor OS, DSS, and PFI in adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC), kidney renal clear cell carcinoma (KIRC), kidney renal papillary cell carcinoma (KIRP), brain lower-grade glioma (LGG), liver cancer (LIHC), lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD), and pancreatic cancer (PAAD). Univariate and multivariate regression analysis confirmed KIF18A as an independent prognostic factor for LIHC and PAAD. The mutation frequency of KIF18A is the highest in endometrial cancer. KIF18A expression levels were positively associated with immunocyte infiltration, immune regulatory genes, immune checkpoints, TMB, MSI, MMRs, DNA methylation, RNA methylation, and drug sensitivity in certain cancers. In addition, we discovered that KIF18A participated in the cell cycle at the single-cell level and GSEA analysis for most cancers. These findings suggested that KIF18A could be regarded as a latent prognostic marker and a new target for cancer immunological therapy.
EVI2B Is a Prognostic Biomarker and Is Correlated with Monocyte and Macrophage Infiltration in Osteosarcoma Based on an Integrative Analysis
Authors: Dai Zhenlin , Liu Zheqi , Yang Rong , Cao Wei , Ji Tong
Published: February 2023

Osteosarcoma (OS) is the most common malignant bone tumor. However, treatment strategies have not changed over the past 30 years. The relationship between OS and the immune microenvironment may provide a basis for the establishment of novel therapeutic targets. In this study, a large-scale gene expression dataset (GSE42352) was used to identify key genes in OS. A Target-OS dataset from the Cancer Genome Atlas was used as a validation set. Ecotropic viral integration site 2B (EVI2B) was significantly upregulated in OS tumor samples. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified between samples with high and low EVI2B expression in both the test and validation cohorts. The top three functions of DEGs determined by a gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) were chemokine signaling, cytokine–cytokine receptor interaction, and Human T-cell leukemia virus 1 infection. A prognostic prediction model including EVI2B, DOCK2, and CD33 was constructed by a Cox regression analysis. This model indicated that EVI2B is an independent protective prognostic marker in OS. An analysis of immune infiltration further showed that high EVI2B expression levels were correlated with high levels of macrophage infiltration. Protein expression data derived from the Human Protein Atlas suggested EVI2B to be highly expressed in monocytes. Finally, we validated the elevated expression of EVI2B in OS cell lines and OS tissue samples; these results were consistent with those of the analyses of the GSE42352 and Target-OS datasets. Our integrative bioinformatics analysis and experimental results provide clear evidence for the prognostic value of EVI2B in OS and its close relationship with monocyte and macrophage infiltration.
Comparative Modeling and Analysis of Extremophilic D-Ala-D-Ala Carboxypeptidases
Authors: Diessner Elizabeth M. , Takahashi Gemma R. , Martin Rachel W. , Butts Carter T.
Published: February 2023

Understanding the molecular adaptations of organisms to extreme environments requires a comparative analysis of protein structure, function, and dynamics across species found in different environmental conditions. Computational studies can be particularly useful in this pursuit, allowing exploratory studies of large numbers of proteins under different thermal and chemical conditions that would be infeasible to carry out experimentally. Here, we perform such a study of the MEROPS family S11, S12, and S13 proteases from psychophilic, mesophilic, and thermophilic bacteria. Using a combination of protein structure prediction, atomistic molecular dynamics, and trajectory analysis, we examine both conserved features and trends across thermal groups. Our findings suggest a number of hypotheses for experimental investigation.
miRNA-Induced Downregulation of IPMK in Macrophages Mediates Lipopolysaccharide-Triggered TLR4 Signaling
Authors: Lee Haein , Kim Eunha , Kim Seyun
Published: February 2023

Inositol polyphosphate multikinase (IPMK) is a pleiotropic enzyme responsible for the production of inositol polyphosphates and phosphoinositide. IPMK in macrophages was identified as a key factor for the full activation of the Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) signaling pathway and inflammation by directly interacting with tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated factor 6 (TRAF6). Here, dynamic changes of IPMK levels in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated macrophages and their functional significance were investigated. Both the mRNA and protein levels of IPMK were acutely decreased in mouse and human macrophages when cells were stimulated with LPS for between 1 and 6 h. Analysis of the 3’ untranslated region (UTR) of mouse IPMK mRNA revealed a highly conserved binding site for miR-181c. Transfection of miR-181c mimics into RAW 264.7 macrophages led to decreased IPMK 3’UTR-luciferase reporter activity and lowered endogenous IPMK levels. When the genomic deletion of a 33-bp fragment containing a putative miR-181c-binding site was introduced within the IPMK 3’UTR of RAW 264.7 macrophages (264.7Δ3′UTR), LPS-triggered downregulation of IPMK levels was prevented. LPS treatment in 264.7Δ3′UTR macrophages decreased TLR4-induced signaling and the expression of proinflammatory cytokines. In response to LPS stimulation, K63-linked ubiquitination of TRAF6 was impaired in 264.7Δ3′UTR macrophages, suggesting an action of IPMK in the suppression of TRAF6 activation. Therefore, our findings reveal that LPS-mediated suppression of IPMK regulates the full activation of TLR4 signaling and inflammation in macrophages.
Effects of Smokeless Tobacco on Color Stability and Surface Roughness of 3D-Printed, CAD/CAM-Milled, and Conventional Denture Base Materials: An In Vitro Study
Authors: Mugri Maryam H. , Jain Saurabh , Sayed Mohammed E. , Halawi Amjad Hussain Asiri , Hamzi Safa Ahmed Ibrahim , Aljohani Raniya Abdulaziz Saad , Madkhali Zainab Mousa Ali , Khalid Asaad , Jokhadar Hossam F. , Almarzouki Mai , Alhumaidan Ghaida A. , Alshahrani Ahid Amer , Alqahtani Saeed M. , Alqahtani Nasser M. , Lunkad Honey
Published: February 2023

Tobacco consumption in its different forms can affect the optical and surface properties of dental materials that are used in the oral cavity. Thus, the present study was conducted to evaluate the effects of two commercially available smokeless tobacco products on the color stability and surface roughness of denture base resins that were fabricated using three different techniques (CAD/CAM milling, 3D printing, and conventional heat polymerization). A total of 126 denture base resin specimens were fabricated using the three different manufacturing techniques (n = 42 each). Specimens from each group were further subdivided into three subgroups (n = 14 each) and immersed in three different immersion media (a khaini suspension, a tabbaq suspension, and artificial saliva). The differences in color and surface roughness were assessed according to data that were collected and statistically analyzed using SPSS version 24.0. The tabbaq smokeless tobacco was found to cause greatest changes in color and surface roughness; the effect was observed to be highest in the 3D-printed specimens followed by the conventional heat-polymerized and CAD/CAM milled specimens. The mean changes in color and surface roughness were the highest for the tabbaq smokeless tobacco followed by the khaini smokeless tobacco and the artificial saliva. Statistically significant (p-value < 0.05) differences were observed among all techniques and suspensions. We concluded that the mean changes in color and surface roughness were significantly higher for the 3D-printed dentures compared to the conventional heat-polymerized and CAD/CAM-milled dentures. Thus, the results of the present study strengthened the concept that tobacco in any form can lead to changes in the color and surface roughness of denture base materials.
Pharmacological Management of Obesity in Patients with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome
Authors: Kourtidou Christodoula , Tziomalos Konstantinos
Published: February 2023

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common endocrine disorder in women of reproductive age. A substantial proportion of patients with PCOS are either overweight or obese, and excess body weight aggravates the hormonal, reproductive and metabolic manifestations of PCOS. In recent years, several studies evaluated the role of various pharmacological agents in the management of obesity in this population. Most reports assessed glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists and showed a substantial reduction in body weight. More limited data suggest that sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors and phosphodiesterase-4 inhibitors might also be effective in the management of obesity in these patients. In the present review, we discuss the current evidence on the safety and efficacy of these agents in overweight and obese patients with PCOS.
Biomimetic Action of Zinc Hydroxyapatite on Remineralization of Enamel and Dentin: A Review
Authors: Butera Andrea , Maiorani Carolina , Gallo Simone , Pascadopoli Maurizio , Quintini Martina , Lelli Marco , Tarterini Fabrizio , Foltran Ismaela , Scribante Andrea
Published: February 2023

Biomimetic zinc–carbonate hydroxyapatite technology was developed to realize materials that mimic the natural hydroxyapatite of enamel and dentin and possess good activity in terms of affinity to adhere to these biological tissues. The chemical and physical characteristics of this active ingredient allows the hydroxyapatite itself to be particularly similar to dental hydroxyapatite, enhancing the bond between biomimetic hydroxyapatite and dental hydroxyapatite. The aim of this review is to assess the efficacy of this technology in terms of benefits for enamel and dentin and reduction of dental hypersensitivity. Materials and methods: A literature search (Pubmed/MEDLINE and Scopus) of articles from 2003 to 2023 was conducted to analyze studies focused on the use of zinc-hydroxyapatite products. Duplicates were eliminated from the 5065 articles found, leaving 2076 articles. Of these, 30 articles were analyzed based on the use of products with zinc–carbonate hydroxyapatite in these studies. Results: 30 articles were included. Most of the studies showed benefits in terms of remineralization and prevention of enamel demineralization in terms of occlusion of the dentinal tubules and reduction of dentinal hypersensitivity. Conclusion: Oral care products such as toothpaste and mouthwash with biomimetic zinc–carbonate hydroxyapatite were shown to provide benefits according to the aims of this review.
Recent Advances in Microfluidics-Based Electrochemical Sensors for Foodborne Pathogen Detection
Authors: Kulkarni Madhusudan B. , Ayachit Narasimha H. , Aminabhavi Tejraj M.
Published: February 2023

Using pathogen-infected food that can be unhygienic can result in severe diseases and an increase in mortality rate among humans. This may arise as a serious emergency problem if not appropriately restricted at this point of time. Thus, food science researchers are concerned with precaution, prevention, perception, and immunity to pathogenic bacteria. Expensive, elongated assessment time and the need for skilled personnel are some of the shortcomings of the existing conventional methods. Developing and investigating a rapid, low-cost, handy, miniature, and effective detection technology for pathogens is indispensable. In recent times, there has been a significant scope of interest for microfluidics-based three-electrode potentiostat sensing platforms, which have been extensively used for sustainable food safety exploration because of their progressively high selectivity and sensitivity. Meticulously, scholars have made noteworthy revolutions in signal enrichment tactics, measurable devices, and portable tools, which can be used as an allusion to food safety investigation. Additionally, a device for this purpose must incorporate simplistic working conditions, automation, and miniaturization. In order to meet the critical needs of food safety for on-site detection of pathogens, point-of-care testing (POCT) has to be introduced and integrated with microfluidic technology and electrochemical biosensors. This review critically discusses the recent literature, classification, difficulties, applications, and future directions of microfluidics-based electrochemical sensors for screening and detecting foodborne pathogens.
Diboronic-Acid-Based Electrochemical Sensor for Enzyme-Free Selective and Sensitive Glucose Detection
Authors: Kim Joong-Hyun , Choi Hongsik , Park Chul-Soon , Yim Heung-Seop , Kim Dongguk , Lee Sungmin , Lee Yeonkeong
Published: February 2023

A diboronic acid anthracene-based fluorescent system for detecting blood glucose could be used for 180 days. However, there has not yet been a boronic acid immobilized electrode to selectively detect glucose in a signal-increased way. Considering malfunctions of sensors at high sugar levels, the electrochemical signal should be increased proportionally to the glucose concentration. Therefore, we synthesized a new diboronic acid derivative and fabricated the derivative-immobilized electrodes for the selective detection of glucose. We performed cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy with an Fe(CN)63−/4− redox pair for detecting glucose in the range of 0–500 mg/dL. The analysis revealed increased electron-transfer kinetics such as increased peak current and decreased semicircle radius of Nyquist plots as the glucose concentration increased. The cyclic voltammetry and impedance spectroscopy showed that the linear detection range of glucose was 40 to 500 mg/dL with limits of detection of 31.2 mg/dL and 21.5 mg/dL, respectively. We applied the fabricated electrode to detect glucose in artificial sweat and obtained 90% of the performance of the electrodes in PBS. Cyclic voltammetry measurements of other sugars such as galactose, fructose, and mannitol also showed linear increased peak currents proportional to the concentrations of the tested sugars. However, the slopes of the sugars were lower than that of glucose, indicating selectivity for glucose. These results proved the newly synthesized diboronic acid is a promising synthetic receptor for developing a long-term usable electrochemical sensor system.
Double Blast Wave Primary Effect on Synaptic, Glymphatic, Myelin, Neuronal and Neurovascular Markers
Authors: Iacono Diego , Murphy Erin K. , Stimpson Cheryl D. , Leonessa Fabio , Perl Daniel P.
Published: February 2023

Explosive blasts are associated with neurological consequences as a result of blast waves impact on the brain. Yet, the neuropathologic and molecular consequences due to blast waves vs. blunt-TBI are not fully understood. An explosive-driven blast-generating system was used to reproduce blast wave exposure and examine pathological and molecular changes generated by primary wave effects of blast exposure. We assessed if pre- and post-synaptic (synaptophysin, PSD-95, spinophilin, GAP-43), neuronal (NF-L), glymphatic (LYVE1, podoplanin), myelin (MBP), neurovascular (AQP4, S100β, PDGF) and genomic (DNA polymerase-β, RNA polymerase II) markers could be altered across different brain regions of double blast vs. sham animals. Twelve male rats exposed to two consecutive blasts were compared to 12 control/sham rats. Western blot, ELISA, and immunofluorescence analyses were performed across the frontal cortex, hippocampus, cerebellum, and brainstem. The results showed altered levels of AQP4, S100β, DNA-polymerase-β, PDGF, synaptophysin and PSD-95 in double blast vs. sham animals in most of the examined regions. These data indicate that blast-generated changes are preferentially associated with neurovascular, glymphatic, and DNA repair markers, especially in the brainstem. Moreover, these changes were not accompanied by behavioral changes and corroborate the hypothesis for which an asymptomatic altered status is caused by repeated blast exposures.
Beneficial Effects of Rosmarinic Acid In Vitro and In Vivo Models of Epileptiform Activity Induced by Pilocarpine
Authors: Neuberger Bruna , Mello Fernanda Kulinski , Mallmann Michele Pereira , da Costa Sobral Karine Gabriela , Fighera Michele Rechia , Royes Luiz Fernando Freire , Furian Ana Flávia , Sampaio Tuane Bazanella , Oliveira Mauro Schneider
Published: February 2023

Epilepsy is characterized by a predisposition to generate recurrent and spontaneous seizures; it affects millions of people worldwide. Status epilepticus (SE) is a severe type of seizure. In this context, screening potential treatments is very important. In the present study, we evaluated the beneficial effects of rosmarinic acid (RA) in pilocarpine-induced in vitro and in vivo models of epileptiform activity. Using an in vitro model in combined entorhinal cortex–hippocampal from Wistar rats we evaluated the effects of RA (10 µg/mL) on the lactate release and a glucose fluorescent analogue, 2-(N-(7-nitrobenz-2-oxa-1,3-diazol-4-yl)amino)-2-deoxyglucose (2-NDBG), after incubation in high potassium aCSF supplemented or not with pilocarpine. In the in vivo model, SE was induced in male C57BL/6 mice by pilocarpine. At 1, 24, and 48 h after the end of SE mice were treated with RA (30 mg/kg/v.o.). We evaluated the neuromotor impairment by neuroscore tests and protein carbonyl levels in the cerebral cortex. In both in vitro models, RA was able to decrease the stimulated lactate release, while no effect on 2-NBDG uptake was found. RA has beneficial effects in models of epileptiform activity in vivo and in vitro. We found that RA treatment attenuated SE-induced neuromotor impairment at the 48 h timepoint. Moreover, post-SE treatment with RA decreased levels of protein carbonyls in the cerebral cortex of mice when compared to their vehicle-treated counterparts. Importantly, RA was effective in a model of SE which is relevant for the human condition. The present data add to the literature on the biological effects of RA, which could be a good candidate for add-on therapy in epilepsy.
Effects of Mood on Psychophysiological Detection of Concealed Information and the Relation to Self-Assessed Lying Ability
Authors: Elaad Eitan , Zvi Liza
Published: February 2023

The present study examined the effects of mood on physiological responses in the Concealed Information polygraph Test and the relation to self-assessed lying ability. One hundred and eight undergraduate students self-assessed their lie-telling ability, committed a mock theft, and were asked to conceal information related to the crime. Participants were then divided into three equal groups: two groups were asked to provide a detailed written account of either a happy or sad event in order to induce a happy or sad mood, while the third group served as a neutral group. Participants then underwent a polygraph test and were asked to try to avoid detection. An induced happy or sad mood tended to lower relative skin conductance responses to critical (crime related) items and enhance relative cardiovascular responses. Relative respiration responses to critical items obtained for the sad mood condition were more robust than the ones obtained for the happy mood condition. Under induced sad and happy moods, those who self-rated their lie-telling ability as high showed enhanced cardiovascular responsivity to critical items. These results were limited to the initial phase of the test. We discussed possible motivational explanations and implications for the Concealed Information polygraph test.
A Numerical Study on the Exergy Performance of a Hybrid Radiant Cooling System in an Office Building: Comparative Case Study and Analysis
Authors: Liu Jiying , Su Meng , Fu Nuodi , Kim Moon Keun
Published: February 2023

This research investigated the exergy enhancement performance of a hybrid radiant cooling system adapting to a hot and humid summer conditions through comparative case studies and analyses. This study suggested three cooling systems: a general all-air system (AAS), a conventional radiant cooling system (CRCS), and a hybrid radiant cooling system (HRCS). As a case study, an office building with cooling systems was examined in the summer season in four different cities: Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu, and Guangzhou, China. This study utilized the building energy performance simulation program to analyze the cooling loads of office space in a building with numerical approaches. The comparison analysis using the four different weather datasets showed simple and rational exergy efficiency and the overall impact ratio. According to the results, the ambient conditions, i.e., the surrounding temperature and the humidity ratio, significantly impacted the cooling systems’ exergy efficiency ratio. On the basis of the calculated energetic and exergetic performance, the HRCS had a higher exergy efficiency and a higher overall impact ratio. The HRCS system released an additional 20–30% of cooling output, and it could adapt well in extreme hot and humid weather conditions compared to the AAS and the CRCS system. The overall cooling impact ratio of the HRCS with an airbox convector was approximately 185% higher than that of the AAS and 8.5% higher than that of the CRCS. This study can provide the design references for the hybrid radiant cooling system and other cooling systems in hot and humid summer conditions.
Automated Semantic Segmentation of Indoor Point Clouds from Close-Range Images with Three-Dimensional Deep Learning
Authors: Hsieh Chia-Sheng , Ruan Xiang-Jie
Published: February 2023

The creation of building information models requires acquiring real building conditions. The generation of a three-dimensional (3D) model from 3D point clouds involves classification, outline extraction, and boundary regularization for semantic segmentation. The number of 3D point clouds generated using close-range images is smaller and tends to be unevenly distributed, which is not conducive to automated modeling processing. In this paper, we propose an efficient solution for the semantic segmentation of indoor point clouds from close-range images. A 3D deep learning framework that achieves better results is further proposed. A dynamic graph convolutional neural network (DGCNN) 3D deep learning method is used in this study. This method was selected to learn point cloud semantic features. Moreover, more efficient operations can be designed to build a module for extracting point cloud features such that the problem of inadequate beam and column classification can be resolved. First, DGCNN is applied to learn and classify the indoor point cloud into five categories: columns, beams, walls, floors, and ceilings. Then, the proposed semantic segmentation and modeling method is utilized to obtain the geometric parameters of each object to be integrated into building information modeling software. The experimental results show that the overall accuracy rates of the three experimental sections of Area_1 in the Stanford 3D semantic dataset test results are 86.9%, 97.4%, and 92.5%. The segmentation accuracy of corridor 2F in a civil engineering building is 94.2%. In comparing the length with the actual on-site measurement, the root mean square error is found to be ±0.03 m. The proposed method is demonstrated to be capable of automatic semantic segmentation from 3D point clouds with indoor close-range images.
Matrix Effects of Different Water Types on the Efficiency of Fumonisin B1 Removal by Photolysis and Photocatalysis Using Ternary- and Binary-Structured ZnO-Based Nanocrystallites
Authors: Jevtić Ivana , Jakšić Sandra , Šojić Merkulov Daniela , Bognár Szabolcs , Abramović Biljana , Ivetić Tamara
Published: February 2023

Several ternary- and binary-structured ZnO-based nanocrystallites (Zn2SnO4, Zn2TiO4, ZnO/SnO2, ZnO/TiO2) were synthesized by the solid-state method and first tested as photocatalysts in the removal of fumonisin B1 (FB1) under UV irradiation. The phase composition and nanocrystalline dimensions (50–80 nm) were confirmed by X-ray diffraction and Raman analyses. Similar preparation procedures applied in the case of binary structures resulted in their uniform morphology consisting of spherical particles ranging from 100 nm to 1 µm in size. However, higher synthesis temperatures of ternary oxides contributed to the growth of particles up to 10 µm. The optical energy bands of the examined photocatalysts were in the range of 3.08–3.36 eV. The efficiency of photocatalysis was compared with the efficiency of direct and indirect (sensitized by UV/H2O2 or UV/S2O82−) photolysis. The matrix effect of the different water types (Danube River, ground, and tap water) on the removal efficiency of FB1 was investigated by applying direct and indirect photolysis, as well as in the presence of the Zn2SnO4 photocatalyst. The effects of inorganic anions (Cl−, NO3−, HCO3− and SO42−), cations (Ca2+ and Mg2+), and humic acid were also investigated, since they were identified as a major species in tap, ground, and river water.
Research Progress of Copper-Based Bimetallic Electrocatalytic Reduction of CO2
Authors: Hong Xiaolei , Zhu Haiyan , Du Dianchen , Zhang Quanshen , Li Yawei
Published: February 2023

Fossil fuels are still the main source of energy in today’s society, so emissions of CO2 are inevitable, but when the CO2 level in the atmosphere is too high, many environmental problems will arise, such as the greenhouse effect, among others. Electrocatalytic reduction of CO2 is one of the most important methods that one can use to reduce the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere. This paper reviews bimetallic catalysts prepared on the basis of copper materials, such as Ag, Au, Zn and Ni. The effects of different ratios of metal atoms in the bimetallic catalysts on the selectivity of CO2RR were investigated and the effects of bimetallic catalysts on the CO2RR of different ligands were also analysed. Finally, this paper points out that the real reaction of CO2RR still needs to be studied and analysed, and the effect of the specific reaction environment on selectivity has not been thoroughly studied. This article also describes some of the problems encountered so far.
Lipid ROS- and Iron-Dependent Ferroptotic Cell Death in Unicellular Algae Chlamydomonas reinhardtii
Authors: Srinivasan Ramachandran , Han Hyo-Shim , Subramanian Parthiban , Mageswari Anbazhagan , Kim Seong-Hoon , Tirumani Srikanth , Maurya Vaibhav Kumar , Muthukaliannan Gothandam Kodiveri , Ramya Mohandass
Published: February 2023

The phenomenon of heat stress leading to ferroptosis-like cell death has recently been observed in bacteria as well as plant cells. Despite recent findings, the evidence of ferroptosis, an iron-dependent cell death remains unknown in microalgae. The present study aimed to investigate if heat shock could induce reactive oxygen species (ROS) and iron-dependent ferroptotic cell death in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii in comparison with RSL3-induced ferroptosis. After RSL3 and heat shock (50 °C) treatments with or without inhibitors, Chlamydomonas cells were evaluated for cell viability and the induction of ferroptotic biomarkers. Both the heat shock and RSL3 treatment were found to trigger ferroptotic cell death, with hallmarks of glutathione–ascorbic acid depletion, GPX5 downregulation, mitochondrial dysfunction, an increase in cytosolic calcium, ROS production, lipid peroxidation, and intracellular iron accumulation via heme oxygenase-1 activation (HO-1). Interestingly, the cells preincubated with ferroptosis inhibitors (ferrostatin-1 and ciclopirox) significantly reduced RSL3- and heat-induced cell death by preventing the accumulation of Fe2+ and lipid ROS. These findings reveal that ferroptotic cell death affects the iron homeostasis and lipid peroxidation metabolism of Chlamydomonas, indicating that cell death pathways are evolutionarily conserved among eukaryotes.
Effects of Taekwondo Training on Growth Factors in Normal Korean Children and Adolescents: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials
Authors: Jeong Guyeol , Jung Hongyong , So Wi-Young , Chun Buongo
Published: February 2023

The growth of children and adolescents is both an important health indicator and a major public health issue. Many recent studies have investigated the effects of taekwondo on growth factors, but no consensus has yet been reached. This meta-analysis aimed to determine the effects of taekwondo on the growth factors in children and adolescents (aged 8 to 16 years). Randomized controlled trials from PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, the Research Information Sharing Service, the Korea Citation Index, and the Korean-studies Information Service System were analyzed. The effect sizes (standardized mean differences, SMD) were calculated, the risk of bias and publication bias were assessed, and the effect size and subgroup analyses were pooled. We found that the taekwondo group had significantly higher levels of growth hormones (SMD 1.78, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.98–2.58, and p < 0.001) and insulin-like growth factors (SMD 1.76, 95% CI 0.60–2.92, and p < 0.001) than the control group. For height, a medium effect size was observed (SMD 0.62, 95% CI −0.56–1.80, and p = 0.300), but the between-group difference was not significant. Thus, taekwondo had significant positive effects on the secretion of growth hormones and insulin-like growth factors in Korean children and adolescents. A longitudinal follow-up is necessary to determine the effect on height. This suggests that taekwondo can be recommended as an appropriate physical exercise for maintaining normal growth in children and adolescents.
Reduction of the Plasma Uric Acid Level in Potassium Oxoate-Induced Hyperuricemic Rats by Heat-Concentrated Prunus mume Fruit Extract Containing Three Chlorogenic Acid Isomers
Authors: Wu Yi-Ching , Kuo Ping-Chung , Chen Wen-Ying , Tzen Jason T. C.
Published: February 2023

Gout is a common rheumatic disease, resulting from hyperuricemia. Prunus mume fruit extract, after being heat-concentrated named mei extract, was empirically found to reduce the risk of gout. While neochlorogenic acid was found as the predominant phenolic compound in the fresh juice of Prunus mume, neochlorogenic acid, chlorogenic acid, and cryptogenic acid were detected as the major phenolic compounds in the mei extract. In vitro testing showed that all the three chlorogenic acid isomers exhibited comparable inhibitory activities on xanthine oxidase. The hypouricemic effects of the mei extract were evaluated in potassium oxonate-induced hyperuricemic rats. Oral administrations of the mei extract significantly reduced the plasma uric acid level in hyperuricemic rats, but did not elevate the urinary uric acid level. The results provide in vivo evidence for the anti-hyperuricemic effects of mei extract for the first time, rationalize its therapeutic usage for the treatment of hyperuricemia and gout, and propose chlorogenic acid isomers as the active ingredients. Mei extract seems to be a potential natural functional food product.
Influence of Anharmonic and Frustration Effects on Josephson Phase Qubit Characteristics
Authors: Askerzade Iman N.
Published: February 2023

This study is devoted to the investigation of the Josephson phase qubit spectrum considering the anharmonic current-phase relation of the junction. The change in energy difference in the spectrum of phase qubits based on single-band/multiband Josephson junctions is also analyzed. It was shown that the presence of the anharmonic term in the current-phase relation and frustration effects in the junction electrodes leads to changing effective plasma frequencies in the different cases and results in an energy spectrum.
Finger-Floor Distance Is Not a Valid Parameter for the Assessment of Lumbar Mobility
Authors: Becker Luis , Schömig Friederike , Cordes Lea Marie-Sophie , Duda Georg N. , Pumberger Matthias , Schmidt Hendrik
Published: February 2023

Low back pain (LBP) could be associated with a reduced lumbar mobility. For the evaluation of lumbar flexibility, parameters such as finger-floor distance (FFD) are historically established. However, the extent of the correlation of FFD to lumbar flexibility or other involved joint kinematics such as pelvic motion, as well as the influence of LBP, is not yet known. We conducted a prospective cross-sectional observation study with 523 participants included (167 with LBP > 12 weeks, 356 asymptomatic). LBP-participants were matched for sex, age, height, and body-mass-index with an asymptomatic control cohort, resulting in two cohorts with 120 participants each. The FFD in maximal trunk flexion was measured. The Epionics-SPINE measurement-system was used to evaluate the pelvic and lumbar Range-of-Flexion (RoF), and the correlation of FFD to pelvic- and lumbar-RoF was evaluated. In an asymptomatic sub-cohort of 12 participants, we examined the individual correlation of FFD to pelvic- and lumbar-RoF under gradual trunk flexion. Participants with LBP showed a significantly reduced pelvic-RoF (p < 0.001) and lumbar-RoF (p < 0.001) as well as an increased FFD (p < 0.001) compared to the asymptomatic control cohort. Asymptomatic participants exhibited a weak correlation of FFD to pelvic-RoF and lumbar-RoF (r < 0.500). LBP patients revealed a moderate correlation of FFD to pelvic-RoF (male: p < 0.001, r = −0.653, female: p < 0.001, r = −0.649) and sex-dependent to lumbar-RoF (male: p < 0.001, r = −0.604, female: p = 0.012, r = −0.256). In the sub-cohort of 12 participants, gradual trunk flexion showed a strong correlation of FFD to pelvic-RoF (p < 0.001, r = −0.895) but a moderate correlation to lumbar-RoF (p < 0.001, r = −0.602). The differences in FFD in an individual patient, assuming consistent hip function, may be attributed partially to the differences in lumbar flexibility. However, the absolute values of FFD do not qualify as a measure for lumbar mobility. Rather, using validated non-invasive measurement devices should be considered.
Sex Disparities of the Sacroiliac Joint: Focus on Joint Anatomy and Imaging Appearance
Authors: Ulas Sevtap Tugce , Diekhoff Torsten , Ziegeler Katharina
Published: February 2023

The sacroiliac joint (SIJ) is an anatomically complex joint which, as a functional unit with the pelvis and spine, is of decisive biomechanical importance for the human body. It is also a commonly overlooked source of lower back pain. Like the entire bony pelvis, the SIJ exhibits major sexual dimorphisms; thus, the sex-dependent evaluation of this joint is becoming increasingly important in clinical practice, both anatomically with joint shape variations and biomechanical differences as well as in terms of image appearance. The influence of the SIJ shape, which differs in women and men, is crucial for the different biomechanical joint properties. These differences are important in the development of joint diseases at the SIJ, which shows a specific difference between the sexes. This article aims to provide an overview of sex disparities of the SIJ regarding different anatomical and imaging appearances to further understand the insights into the interplay of sex differences and SIJ disease.
Special Vehicle Detection from UAV Perspective via YOLO-GNS Based Deep Learning Network
Authors: Qiu Zifeng , Bai Huihui , Chen Taoyi
Published: February 2023

At this moment, many special vehicles are engaged in illegal activities such as illegal mining, oil and gas theft, the destruction of green spaces, and illegal construction, which have serious negative impacts on the environment and the economy. The illegal activities of these special vehicles are becoming more and more rampant because of the limited number of inspectors and the high cost required for surveillance. The development of drone remote sensing is playing an important role in allowing efficient and intelligent monitoring of special vehicles. Due to limited onboard computing resources, special vehicle object detection still faces challenges in practical applications. In order to achieve the balance between detection accuracy and computational cost, we propose a novel algorithm named YOLO-GNS for special vehicle detection from the UAV perspective. Firstly, the Single Stage Headless (SSH) context structure is introduced to improve the feature extraction and facilitate the detection of small or obscured objects. Meanwhile, the computational cost of the algorithm is reduced in view of GhostNet by replacing the complex convolution with a linear transform by simple operation. To illustrate the performance of the algorithm, thousands of images are dedicated to sculpting in a variety of scenes and weather, each with a UAV view of special vehicles. Quantitative and comparative experiments have also been performed. Compared to other derivatives, the algorithm shows a 4.4% increase in average detection accuracy and a 1.6 increase in detection frame rate. These improvements are considered to be useful for UAV applications, especially for special vehicle detection in a variety of scenarios.
A Systematic Literature Review (SLR) on Autonomous Path Planning of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
Authors: ul Husnain Anees , Mokhtar Norrima , Mohamed Shah Noraisyah , Dahari Mahidzal , Iwahashi Masahiro
Published: February 2023

UAVs have been contributing substantially to multi-disciplinary research and around 70% of the articles have been published in just about the last five years, with an exponential increase. Primarily, while exploring the literature from the scientific databases for various aspects within the autonomous UAV path planning, such as type and configuration of UAVs, the complexity of their environments or workspaces, choices of path generating algorithms, nature of solutions and efficacy of the generated paths, necessitates an increased number of search keywords as a prerequisite. However, the addition of more and more keywords might as well curtail some conducive and worthwhile search results in the same pursuit. This article presents a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) for 20 useful parameters, organized into six distinct categories that researchers and industry practitioners usually consider. In this work, Web of Science (WOS) was selected to search the primary studies based on three keywords: “Autonomous” + “Path Planning” + “UAV” and following the exclusion and inclusion criteria defined within the SLR methodology, 90 primary studies were considered. Through literature synthesis, a unique perspective to see through the literature is established in terms of characteristic research sectors for UAVs. Moreover, open research challenges from recent studies and state-of-the-art contributions to address them were highlighted. It was also discovered that the autonomy of UAVs and the extent of their mission complexities go hand-in-hand, and the benchmark to define a fully autonomous UAV is an arbitral goal yet to be achieved. To further this quest, the study cites two key models to measure a drone’s autonomy and offers a novel complexity matrix to measure the extent of a drone’s autonomy. Additionally, since preliminary-level researchers often look for technical means to assess their ideas, the technologies used in academic research are also tabulated with references.
Disclosure of Spousal Death to Patients with Dementia: Attitude and Actual Behavior of Care Managers
Authors: Kato Hisashi , Nakazawa Eisuke , Mori Katsumi , Akabayashi Akira
Published: February 2023

As the number of dementia patients increases, there is a need to protect patients’ right to know. However, in reality, there are cases in Japan where spouses’ deaths are concealed from patients. We conducted a questionnaire survey of care managers (CMs) to obtain their attitude and actual behavior regarding the disclosure of a spouse’s death to patients with dementia. A self-administered, anonymous questionnaire survey was implemented at academic meetings attended by CMs from March to December 2019, inquiring about experiences with spousal deaths of patients with dementia, disclosure rates, behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia, and depression. Over 80% had experienced the spousal death of a patient with dementia; the percentage of CMs who had implemented the disclosures varied widely. About 18% had experienced worsening behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD), and 26% had worsening depression as a result of the disclosure. About 83% of respondents were positive about disclosure, but about 44% did so less than 50% of the time. This study is the first to reveal the current state of CMs’ policies and behaviors regarding the disclosure of spousal death to patients with dementia in Japan. Family members’ wishes and the possibility of BPSD put a relatively large number of caregivers in a dilemma regarding disclosure.
Shellfish as Biosensors in Online Monitoring of Aquatic Ecosystems: A Review of Russian Studies
Authors: Dvoretsky Alexander G. , Dvoretsky Vladimir G.
Published: February 2023

The use of biological objects in monitoring the state of the environment and the changes caused by the impact of environmental pollution on marine and fresh waters is a promising tool due to a lower cost in comparison to traditional monitoring and the ability to receive immediate information about the ecosystem status. In this review, we summarize the biological information about shellfish biomonitors and the results of studies focused on the development and use of the bioindicator species in early warning systems in Russia. Since the mid-1980s, Russian specialists have developed online biomonitoring systems; as in the rest of world, there are two main approaches that are currently applied to study the physiological status of potential biosensor shellfish species and to monitor freshwater and marine systems: valvometry (registration of gaping activity in bivalve mollusks) and photoplethysmography (registration of cardiac activity in mollusks and crustaceans). Valve movement responses to stressors such as abnormal conditions and pollutants include the closure of shell valves for a long period, decrease in the average distance between valves, rapid shell opening, and higher closing frequency. Cardiac activity reactions of shellfish to stress factors include rapid increases in heart rate and stress index, higher variability in heart rate than under normal conditions, and longer periods required for heart rate recovery after stress. The most common bioindicators used to monitor environmental disturbances in marine ecosystems are blue mussels, Iceland scallops, and red king crabs in cold-water habitats and Black Sea mussels in warmer waters as well as freshwater mussels and crayfish in fresh waters.