bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Evaluating the Influence of Different Recommended Dietary Levels of Cu and Zn on Finishing Pigs
Authors: Li Meijun , Tang Wei , Liao Peng , Li Yunhu
Published: January 2022

This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of dietary supplementation of different recommended levels of Cu and Zn on antioxidant capacity, tissue mineral status, minerals excretion, meat quality, digestive enzyme activity, and metal transporters in finishing pigs. A total of 120 pigs (with an average initial body weight (BW) of 70.0 ± 2.1 kg) were randomly divided into four treatments: (1) basal diet without added Cu or Zn (control), (2) basal diet+35 mg cupreous N-carbamylglutamate chelate (NCG-Cu) +150 mg zinc-methionine chelate (Zn-Met) (AC), (3) basal diet + 3.0 mg of NCG-Cu + 43 mg Zn-Met (CN), and (4) basal diet + 3.5 mg NCG-Cu + 50 mg Zn-Met (NRC100). Pig growth performance was not affected by the level of Cu or Zn. Among the four treatments, the AC treatment had the highest concentration (P < 0.05) of glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px). Pigs fed the AC diet had the highest (P < 0.05) liver Zn, fecal Cu, and fecal Zn among the four treatments. The protein levels of trypsin and aminopeptidase N (APN) in the intestinal mucosa showed their highest levels (P < 0.05) in the NRC100 and AC treatments. The mRNA levels of trypsinogen and APN were significantly up-regulated (P < 0.05) in the AC, CN, and NRC100 treatments compared with the control. The mRNA levels for the Zn transporter genes SLC30A1 (ZnT1) and SLC30A2 (ZnT2) were significantly up-regulated (P < 0.05) in the AC treatment, and the mRNA levels for SLC39A4 (ZIP4) and metallothionein 1 (MT) in the AC, CN, and NRC100 treatments were significantly up-regulated (P < 0.05) compared with the control. Meat quality were not affected (P > 0.05) by the different recommended levels of Cu and Zn. These results indicated that the supplemental Cu and Zn levels routinely used in AC diets in Chinese commercial feed enterprises should be reduced.
Effects of Nerve Growth Factor-β From Bull Seminal Plasma on Steroidogenesis and Angiogenic Markers of the Bovine Pre-ovulatory Follicle Wall Cell Culture
Authors: Stewart Jamie L. , Gao Liying , Flaws Jodi A. , Mercadante Vitor R. G. , Dias Nicholas W. , Canisso Igor F. , Lima Fabio S.
Published: January 2022

Nerve growth factor-β (NGF) is critical for ovulation in the mammalian ovary and is luteotrophic when administered systemically to camelids and cattle. This study aimed to assess the direct effects of purified bovine NGF on steroidogenesis and angiogenic markers in the bovine pre-ovulatory follicle. Holstein heifers (n = 2) were synchronized with a standard protocol, and heifers with a preovulatory follicle (≥ 12 mm) had the ovary containing the dominant follicle removed via colpotomy. Pre-ovulatory follicles were dissected into 24 pieces containing theca and granulosa cells that were randomly allocated into culture media supplemented with either purified bovine NGF (100 ng/mL) or untreated (control) for 72 h. The supernatant media was harvested for quantification of progesterone, testosterone, and estradiol concentrations, whereas explants were subjected to mRNA analyses to assess expression of steroidogenic and angiogenic markers. Treatment of follicle wall pieces with NGF upregulated gene expression of steroidogenic enzyme HDS17B (P = 0.04) and increased testosterone production (P < 0.01). However, NGF treatment did not alter production of progesterone (P = 0.81) or estradiol (P = 0.14). Consistently, gene expression of steroidogenic enzymes responsible for producing these hormones (STAR, CYP11A1, HSD3B, CYP17A1, CYP19A1) were unaffected by NGF treatment (P ≥ 0.31). Treatment with NGF downregulated gene expression of the angiogenic enzyme FGF2 (P = 0.02) but did not alter PGES (P = 0.63), VEGFA (P = 0.44), and ESR1 (P = 0.77). Collectively, these results demonstrate that NGF from seminal plasma may interact directly on the theca and granulosa cells of the bovine pre-ovulatory follicle to stimulate testosterone production, which may be secondary to theca cell proliferation. Additionally, decreased FGF2 expression in NGF-treated follicle wall cells suggests hastened onset of follicle wall cellular remodeling that occurs during early luteal development.
Effects of Water and Nitrogen on Grain Filling Characteristics, Canopy Microclimate with Chalkiness of Directly Seeded Rice
Authors: Sun Yongjian , Wu Yunxia , Sun Yuanyuan , Luo Yinghan , Guo Changchun , Li Bo , Li Feijie , Xing Mengwen , Yang Zhiyuan , Ma Jun
Published: January 2022

In order to determine how to reduce the chalkiness of rice grains through irrigation modes and nitrogen (N) fertilizer management. The experiment was designed using three irrigation modes (flooding (W1), dry–wet alternating (W2), and dry alternating (W3)), three N application strategies (under 150 kg ha−1, the application ratio of base:tiller:panicle fertilizer (30%:50%:20% (N1), 30%:30%:40% (N2), and 30%:10%:60% (N3)), and zero N as the control (N0) in 2019 and 2020. The results revealed that water–nitrogen interactions had a significant or extremely significant effect on the chalkiness characteristics of the superior and inferior grains. Compared with W1 and W3 treatments, W2 coupled with the N1 application strategy can further optimize grain filling characteristics and canopy microclimate parameters, thereby reducing grain chalkiness. Correlation analysis revealed that increasing grain filling parameters (Gmax or Gmean) and mean grain filling rates (MGRs) during the mid-filling stage in superior grains of the primary branches and inferior grains of the secondary branches, which were important factors in water–nitrogen interaction effects, could further reduce chalkiness. Improving the canopy microclimate (daily average temperature difference and daily average light intensity difference) during the early-filling stage for inferior grains and the mid-filling stage for superior grains could be another important method to reduce chalkiness.
General Applicability of High-Resolution Continuum-Source Graphite Furnace Molecular Absorption Spectrometry to the Quantification of Oligopeptides Using the Example of Glutathione
Authors: Baecker Daniel , Guenther Sebastian
Published: January 2022

This communication introduces the first-time application of high-resolution continuum-source molecular absorption spectrometry (HR CS MAS) for the quantification of a peptide. The graphite furnace technique was employed and the tripeptide glutathione (GSH) served as a model compound. Based on measuring sulfur in terms of carbon monosulfide (CS), a method was elaborated to analyze aqueous solutions of GSH. The most prominent wavelength of the CS molecule occurred at 258.0560 nm and was adduced for monitoring. The methodological development covered the optimization of the pyrolysis and vaporization temperatures. These were found optimally to be 250 °C and 2250 °C, respectively. Moreover, the effect of modifiers (zirconium, calcium, magnesium, palladium) on the absorption signals was investigated. The best results were obtained after permanent coating of the graphite tube with zirconium (total amount of 400 μg) and adding a combination of palladium (10 µL, 10 g L−1) and calcium (2 µL, 1 g L−1) as a chemical modifier to the probes (10 µL). Aqueous standard samples of GSH were used for the calibration. It showed a linear range of 2.5–100 µg mL−1 sulfur contained in GSH with a correlation coefficient R2 > 0.997. The developed method exhibited a limit of detection (LOD) and quantification (LOQ) of 2.1 µg mL−1 and 4.3 µg mL−1 sulfur, respectively. The characteristic mass accounted for 5.9 ng sulfur. The method confirmed the general suitability of MAS for the analysis of an oligopeptide. Thus, this study serves as groundwork for further development in order to extend the application of classical atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS).
Lying, Feeding and Activity Preference of Weaned Piglets for LED-Illuminated vs. Dark Pen Compartments
Authors: Götz Sven , Raoult Camille M. C. , Reiter Klaus , Wensch-Dorendorf Monika , von Borell Eberhard
Published: January 2022

Little is known on the effect of light on pig behaviour. The choice behaviour of weaned piglets kept under two different light-emitting diode (LED) illuminance levels was investigated: 32 piglets (in two batches) were housed in a preference test room composed of two identical double pen units. One side of the pen unit was permanently illuminated with 600 lux, while the other was darkened to almost 0 lux (~0 lx); by using a passageway, piglets could move between the two sides. The “lying”, “eating” and “activity” behaviours were evaluated during three days in the first, third and fifth experimental week based on video recordings and a 5-min time sampling method. At first, piglets preferred to stay in the 600 lux illuminated compartments. Then, this preference decreased for the “eating” and “activity” behaviours and reversed for the “lying” behaviour, with the darkened compartments being preferred. The results also show that pen soiling was higher under 600 lux, but feed consumption was not affected by the illuminance. Since pigs choose between the two illuminance levels to perform specific behaviours, illuminance could be used to divide the pens into functional areas and, thus, help in meeting pigs’ behavioural needs.
Part I of Finnish Agility Dog Survey: Training and Management of Competition-Level Agility Dogs
Authors: Inkilä Leena , Hyytiäinen Heli K. , Hielm-Björkman Anna , Junnila Jouni , Bergh Anna , Boström Anna
Published: January 2022

Knowledge regarding training, competition, and management routines of agility dogs is lacking. Through a retrospective online questionnaire, Finnish owners and handlers of 745 competition-level agility dogs provided information on training routines and management of these dogs during one year free of agility-related injuries. Competition routines were collected from the national competition results database. Most dogs trained agility 1–2 times a week, with a median active training time of 18 min a week. Dogs competed in a median of 2.1 runs per month at a speed of 4.3 m/s. Common field surfaces were different types of artificial turfs and dirt surface. Warm-up and cool-down were established routines, and 62% of dogs received regular musculoskeletal care. Moreover, 77% of dogs underwent conditioning exercises, but their frequency was often low. Additionally, dogs were walked for a median of 1.5 h daily. Pearson’s chi-squared and Kruskal–Wallis tests were used to evaluate the association between a dog’s competition level and training and competition variables. A dog’s competition level was associated with competition (p < 0.001) and training frequency (p < 0.001); dogs at higher levels compete more but train less than dogs at lower levels. This study provides information on training, competition, and management routines of competing agility dogs.
An In Vitro Evaluation of Denture Cleansing Regimens against a Polymicrobial Denture Biofilm Model
Authors: Brown Jason L. , Young Tracy , McKloud Emily , Butcher Mark C. , Bradshaw David , Pratten Jonathan R. , Ramage Gordon
Published: January 2022

Denture stomatitis (DS) is an inflammatory disease resulting from a polymicrobial biofilm perturbation at the denture surface–palatal mucosa interface. Recommendations made by dental health care professionals often lack clarity for appropriate denture cleaning. This study investigated the efficacy of brushing with off-the-shelf denture cleanser (DC) tablets (Poligrip®) vs. two toothpastes (Colgate® and Crest®) in alleviating the viable microorganisms (bacteria and fungi) in an in vitro denture biofilm model. Biofilms were grown on poly(methyl)methacrylate (PMMA) discs, then treated daily for 7 days with mechanical disruption (brushing), plus Poligrip® DC, Colgate® or Crest® toothpastes. Weekly treatment with Poligrip® DC on day 7 only was compared to daily modalities. All treatment parameters were processed to determine viable colony forming units for bacteria and fungi using the Miles and Misra technique, and imaged by confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM). Brushing with daily DC therapy was the most effective treatment in reducing the viable biofilm over 7 days of treatment. Brushing only was ineffective in controlling the viable bioburden, which was confirmed by CLSM imaging. This data indicates that regular cleansing of PMMA with DC was best for polymicrobial biofilms.
The Trypanosoma brucei-Derived Ketoacids, Indole Pyruvate and Hydroxyphenylpyruvate, Induce HO-1 Expression and Suppress Inflammatory Responses in Human Dendritic Cells
Authors: Fitzgerald Hannah K. , O’Rourke Sinead A. , Desmond Eva , Neto Nuno G. B. , Monaghan Michael G. , Tosetto Miriam , Doherty Jayne , Ryan Elizabeth J. , Doherty Glen A. , Nolan Derek P. , Fletcher Jean M. , Dunne Aisling
Published: January 2022

The extracellular parasite and causative agent of African sleeping sickness Trypanosoma brucei (T. brucei) has evolved a number of strategies to avoid immune detection in the host. One recently described mechanism involves the conversion of host-derived amino acids to aromatic ketoacids, which are detected at relatively high concentrations in the bloodstream of infected individuals. These ketoacids have been shown to directly suppress inflammatory responses in murine immune cells, as well as acting as potent inducers of the stress response enzyme, heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1), which has proven anti-inflammatory properties. The aim of this study was to investigate the immunomodulatory properties of the T. brucei-derived ketoacids in primary human immune cells and further examine their potential as a therapy for inflammatory diseases. We report that the T. brucei-derived ketoacids, indole pyruvate (IP) and hydroxyphenylpyruvate (HPP), induce HO-1 expression through Nrf2 activation in human dendritic cells (DC). They also limit DC maturation and suppress the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines, which, in turn, leads to a reduced capacity to differentiate adaptive CD4+ T cells. Furthermore, the ketoacids are capable of modulating DC cellular metabolism and suppressing the inflammatory profile of cells isolated from patients with inflammatory bowel disease. This study therefore not only provides further evidence of the immune-evasion mechanisms employed by T. brucei, but also supports further exploration of this new class of HO-1 inducers as potential therapeutics for the treatment of inflammatory conditions.
Combined Treatment with Herbal Medicine and Drug Ameliorates Inflammation and Metabolic Abnormalities in the Liver of an Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Mouse Model
Authors: Park Hee Ra , Yang Eun Jin
Published: January 2022

To date, no effective drugs exist for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), although riluzole (RZ) and edaravone have been approved for treatment. We previously reported that Bojungikgi-tang (BJIGT) improved motor activity through anti-inflammatory effects in the muscle and spinal cord of hSOD1G93A mice. Therefore, whether combined treatment with BJIGT and RZ synergistically affects liver function in hSOD1G93A mice was investigated. Two-month-old male hSOD1G93A mice were treated with BJIGT (1 mg/g) and RZ (8 μg/g) administered orally for 5 weeks. Drug metabolism and liver function tests of serum and liver homogenates were conducted. mRNA expression levels of cytochrome P450 (CYP) isozymes, inflammatory cytokines, metabolic factors, and mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) subunits were examined using qPCR and Western blotting. Combined administration of BJIGT and RZ did not alter mRNA expression levels of drug-metabolism-related isozymes (CYP1A2 and CYP3A4) but significantly decreased the activity of liver-function-related enzymes (AST, ALT, ALP, and LDH). Increased expression of inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, TNF-α, and IL-6) and of intracellular stress-related proteins (Bax, AMPKα, JNK, and p38) was reduced by the combined treatment in hSOD1G93A mice compared to that in control mice. Combined administration reduced the mRNA expression of metabolism-related factors and the expression of OXPHOS subunits. Elevated ATP levels and mitochondrial-fusion-associated protein were decreased after co-administration. Co-administration of BJIGT and RZ did not cause liver damage or toxicity but rather restored liver function in hSOD1G93A mice. This suggests that this combination can be considered a candidate therapeutic agent for ALS.
A Review of Fabrication Technologies for Carbon Electrode-Based Micro-Supercapacitors
Authors: Vandeginste Veerle
Published: January 2022

The very fast evolution in wearable electronics drives the need for energy storage micro-devices, which have to be flexible. Micro-supercapacitors are of high interest because of their high power density, long cycle lifetime and fast charge and discharge. Recent developments on micro-supercapacitors focus on improving the energy density, overall electrochemical performance, and mechanical properties. In this review, the different types of micro-supercapacitors and configurations are briefly introduced. Then, the advances in carbon electrode materials are presented, including activated carbon, carbon nanotubes, graphene, onion-like carbon, and carbide-derived carbon. The different types of electrolytes used in studies on micro-supercapacitors are also treated, including aqueous, organic, ionic liquid, solid-state, and quasi-solid-state electrolytes. Furthermore, the latest developments in fabrication techniques for micro-supercapacitors, such as different deposition, coating, etching, and printing technologies, are discussed in this review on carbon electrode-based micro-supercapacitors.
Hydrogenated Graphene Based Organic Thin Film Transistor Sensor for Detection of Chloride Ions as Corrosion Precursors
Authors: Chakik Mounia , Bebe Siziwe , Prakash Ravi
Published: January 2022

Corrosion monitoring and management has been at the center of structural health monitoring protocols due to its damaging effects on metallic structures. Current corrosion prevention and management programs often fail to include environmental factors such as Cl− ions and surface wetness. Early detection of these environmental factors can prevent the onset of corrosion and reduce repair and maintenance-related expenses. There is growing interest in creating solution-processed thin film environmental sensors with high sensitivity to corrosion precursors, low-cost fabrication, and small footprint, rendering them viable candidates for investigation as potential corrosion sensors that could be easily integrated into existing structures and screen printed or patterned directly into surface coatings. In this work, we have implemented C60-based n-type organic thin film transistors (OTFTs) with functionalized graphene oxide for humidity sensing and functionalized graphene nanoparticles for Cl− ion detection, using low-cost solution processing techniques. The reduced graphene oxide (rGO)-coated OTFT humidity sensor is designed for the qualitative estimation of surface moisture levels and high levels of humidity, and it exhibits a relative responsivity for dry to surface wetness transition of 122.6% to surface wetness, within a response time of 20 ms. We furthermore implemented an in-house synthesized hydrogenated graphene coating in conjunction with a second OTFT architecture for Cl− ions sensing which yielded a sensitivity of 4%/ppm to ultrafine ionic concentrations, over an order of magnitude lower than the range identified to cause corrosion in aircraft structures.
Approach to Automated Visual Inspection of Objects Based on Artificial Intelligence
Authors: Kuric Ivan , Klarák Jaromír , Bulej Vladimír , Sága Milan , Kandera Matej , Hajdučík Adrián , Tucki Karol
Published: January 2022

The article discusses the possibility of object detector usage in field of automated visual inspection for objects with specific parameters, specifically various types of defects occurring on the surface of a car tire. Due to the insufficient amount of input data, as well as the need to speed up the development process, the Transfer Learning principle was applied in a designed system. In this approach, the already pre-trained convolutional neural network AlexNet was used, subsequently modified in its last three layers, and again trained on a smaller sample of our own data. The detector used in the designed camera inspection system with the above architecture allowed us to achieve the accuracy and versatility needed to detect elements (defects) whose shape, dimensions and location change with each occurrence. The design of a test facility with the application of a 12-megapixel monochrome camera over the rotational table is briefly described, whose task is to ensure optimal conditions during the scanning process. The evaluation of the proposed control system with the quantification of the recognition capabilities in the individual defects is described at the end of the study. The implementation and verification of such an approach together with the proposed methodology of the visual inspection process of car tires to obtain better classification results for six different defect classes can be considered as the main novel feature of the presented research. Subsequent testing of the designed system on a selected batch of sample images (containing all six types of possible defect) proved the functionality of the entire system while the highest values of successful defect detection certainty were achieved from 85.15% to 99.34%.
The Topical Effect of rhGDF-5 Embedded in a Collagen–Gelatin Scaffold for Accelerated Wound Healing
Authors: Eisler Wiebke , Held Manuel , Rahmanian-Schwarz Afshin , Schiefer Jennifer , Rahmanian Shahab , Daigeler Adrien , Baur Jan-Ole
Published: January 2022

The application of exogenous growth factors such as the recombinant human growth and differentiation factor 5 (rhGDF-5) represents a major research topic with great potential for the treatment of complex wounds. In a randomized, controlled minipig study, the topical effect of rhGDF-5 on full-thickness skin defects was evaluated. A total of 60 deep dermal wounds were either treated with rhGDF-5 embedded in an innovative collagen scaffold or another commonly used collagen matrix or left untreated. Wound healing was analyzed by planimetric analysis to determine wound closure over time. After 21 days, the areas of the initial wounds were excised, and the newly formed tissue was examined histologically. In comparison to untreated wounds, all examined matrices accelerated dermal wound healing. The largest acceleration of wound healing was seen with the high-dose rhGDF-5-treated wounds, which, compared to the untreated wounds, accelerated wound healing by 2.58 days, improved the neoepidermal thickness by 32.40 µm, and increased the epidermal cell density by 44.88 cells. The innovative collagen scaffold delivered rhGDF-5 adequately, served as a template to guide proliferating and restructuring cells, and accelerated wound healing. Thus, this composite product offers a novel tool for developing effective wound dressings in regenerative medicine.
Anodic Alumina Membranes: From Electrochemical Growth to Use as Template for Fabrication of Nanostructured Electrodes
Authors: Patella Bernardo , Piazza Salvatore , Sunseri Carmelo , Inguanta Rosalinda
Published: January 2022

The great success of anodic alumina membranes is due to their morphological features coupled to both thermal and chemical stability. The electrochemical fabrication allows accurate control of the porous structure: in fact, the membrane morphological characteristics (pore length, pore diameter and cell density) can be controlled by adjusting the anodizing parameters (bath, temperature, voltage and time). This article deals with both the fabrication and use of anodic alumina membranes. In particular, we will show the specific role of the addition of aluminum ions to phosphoric acid-based anodizing solution in modifying the morphology of anodic alumina membranes. Anodic alumina membranes were obtained at −1 °C in aqueous solutions of 0.4 M H3PO4 added with different amounts of Al(OH)3. For sake of completeness, the formation of PAA in pure 0.4 M H3PO4 in otherwise identical conditions was also investigated. We found that the presence of Al(OH)3 in solution highly affects the morphology of the porous layer. In particular, at high Al(OH)3 concentration (close to saturation) more compact porous layers were formed with narrow pores separated by thick oxide. The increase in the electric charge from 20 to 160 C cm−2 also contributes to modifying the morphology of porous oxide. The obtained anodic alumina membranes were used as a template to fabricate a regular array of PdCo alloy nanowires that is a valid alternative to Pt for hydrogen evolution reaction. The PdCo alloy was obtained by electrodeposition and we found that the composition of the nanowires depends on the concentration of two metals in the deposition solution.
Boron Nitride Nanotubes for Curcumin Delivery as an Anticancer Drug: A DFT Investigation
Authors: Nafiu Suleiman , Apalangya Vitus Atanga , Yaya Abu , Sabi Edward Benjamin
Published: January 2022

The electrical properties and characteristics of the armchair boron nitride nanotube (BNNT) that interacts with the curcumin molecule as an anticancer drug were studied using ab initio calculations based on density functional theory (DFT). In this study, a (5,5) armchair BNNT was employed, and two different interactions were investigated, including the interaction of the curcumin molecule with the outer and inner surfaces of the BNNT. The adsorption of curcumin molecules on the investigated BNNT inside the surface is a more favorable process than adsorption on the outside surface, and the more persistent and stronger connection correlates with curcumin molecule adsorption in this case. Furthermore, analysis of the HOMO–LUMO gap after the adsorption process showed that the HOMO value increased marginally while the LUMO value decreased dramatically in the curcumin-BNNT complexes. As a result, the energy gaps between HOMO and LUMO (Eg) are narrowed, emphasizing the stronger intermolecular bonds. As a result, BNNTs can be employed as a drug carrier in biological systems to transport curcumin, an anticancer medication, and thereby improve its bioavailability.
Mitigation of Electro Magnetic Interference by Using C-Shaped Composite Cylindrical Device
Authors: Song Yu-Lin , Reddy Manoj Kumar , Wen Hung-Yung , Chang Luh-Maan
Published: January 2022

The extremely low-frequency (ELF) and its corresponding electromagnetic field influences the yield of CMOS processes in the foundry, especially for high-end equipment such as scanning electron microscopy (SEM) systems, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) systems, focused ion beam (FIB) systems, and electron beam lithography (E-Beam) systems. There are several techniques to mitigate electromagnetic interference (EMI), among which active shielding systems and passive shielding methods are widely used. An active shielding system is used to generate an internal electromagnetic field to reduce the detected external electromagnetic field in electric coils with the help of the current. Although the active shielding system reduces the EMI impact, it induces an internal electromagnetic field that could affect the function of nearby tools and/or high-performance probes. Therefore, in this study, we have used a C-shaped cylindrical device combined with an active shielding system and passive shielding techniques to reduce EMI for online monitoring and to overcome the aforementioned issues. In this study, the active shielding system was wrapped with a permalloy composite material (i.e., a composite of nickel and iron alloy) as a tubular device. A C-shaped opening was made on the tubular structure vertically or horizontally to guide the propagation of the electromagnetic field. This C-shaped cylindrical device further reduced electromagnetic noise up to −5.06 dB and redirected the electromagnetic field toward the opening direction on the cylindrical device. The results demonstrated a practical reduction of the electromagnetic field.
A Comparison of Hybrid and End-to-End ASR Systems for the IberSpeech-RTVE 2020 Speech-to-Text Transcription Challenge
Authors: Perero-Codosero Juan M. , Espinoza-Cuadros Fernando M. , Hernández-Gómez Luis A.
Published: January 2022

This paper describes a comparison between hybrid and end-to-end Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR) systems, which were evaluated on the IberSpeech-RTVE 2020 Speech-to-Text Transcription Challenge. Deep Neural Networks (DNNs) are becoming the most promising technology for ASR at present. In the last few years, traditional hybrid models have been evaluated and compared to other end-to-end ASR systems in terms of accuracy and efficiency. We contribute two different approaches: a hybrid ASR system based on a DNN-HMM and two state-of-the-art end-to-end ASR systems, based on Lattice-Free Maximum Mutual Information (LF-MMI). To address the high difficulty in the speech-to-text transcription of recordings with different speaking styles and acoustic conditions from TV studios to live recordings, data augmentation and Domain Adversarial Training (DAT) techniques were studied. Multi-condition data augmentation applied to our hybrid DNN-HMM demonstrated WER improvements in noisy scenarios (about 10% relatively). In contrast, the results obtained using an end-to-end PyChain-based ASR system were far from our expectations. Nevertheless, we found that when including DAT techniques, a relative WER improvement of 2.87% was obtained as compared to the PyChain-based system.
An Incremental Grey-Box Current Regression Model for Anomaly Detection of Resistance Mash Seam Welding in Steel Mills
Authors: De Paepe Dieter , Van Yperen-De Deyne Andy , Defever Jan , Van Hoecke Sofie
Published: January 2022

Annealing and galvanization production lines in steel mills run continuously to maximize production throughput. As a part of this process, individual steel coils are joined end-to-end using mash seam welding. Weld breaks result in a production loss of multiple days, so non-destructive, data-driven techniques are used to detect and replace poor quality welds in real-time. Statistical models are commonly used to address this problem as they use data readily available from the welding machine and require no specialized equipment. While successful in finding anomalies, these statistical models do not provide insight into the underlying process and are slow to adapt to changes in the machine’s or material’s behavior. We combine knowledge-based and data-driven techniques to create an incremental grey-box welding current prediction model for detecting anomalous welds, resulting in a powerful and interpretable model. In this work, we detail our approach and show evaluation results on industrial welding data collected over a period of 15 months containing behavioral shifts attributed to machine maintenance. Due to its incremental nature, our model resulted in two-thirds fewer rejected welds compared to statistical models, thus greatly reducing production overhead. Grey-box modeling can be applied to other welding features or domains and results in models that are more desirable for the industry.
Latent-Cause Extraction Model in Maritime Collision Accidents Using Text Analytics on Korean Maritime Accident Verdicts
Authors: Hwang Taemin , Youn Ik-Hyun
Published: January 2022

Maritime collision accidents occur frequently and result in huge damages. Complex collision accidents are especially associated with worse damages. Complex maritime collision accidents involve other types of accidents barring the main accident, such as fire, explosions, capsizes, sinking, and even casualties. When a maritime accident occurs, the maritime accident verdict covers the surveyed facts from the origin of the accident to the consequences. The survey usually reveals the primary cause of the accident; however, complex causes may remain latent. Therefore, this research aims to apply text analytics to maritime verdicts of collision accident cases to identify the latent causes in complex collision accidents. The proposed methods separated the collected corpus into the training dataset and the test dataset. The word propensity database was extracted from the training dataset and applied to sample verdicts of complex maritime collision accidents in the test dataset. The expected results of this research were words that appeared in only complex maritime accidents with a high propensity for additional categories and the relevant context that explains the latent causes that underlie the complexity of the maritime accident. The conclusion suggested that the latent causes derived should be provided to ships to help prevent future complex collision accidents.
An Interactive Scholarly Collaborative Network Based on Academic Relationships and Research Collaborations
Authors: Almuhanna Abrar A. , Yafooz Wael M. S. , Alsaeedi Abdullah
Published: January 2022

In this era of digital transformation, when the amount of scholarly literature is rapidly growing, hundreds of papers are published online daily with regard to different fields, especially in relation to academic subjects. Therefore, it difficult to find an expert/author to collaborate with from a specific research area. This is thought to be one of the most challenging activities in academia, and few people have considered authors’ multi-factors as an enhanced method to find potential collaborators or to identify the expert among them; consequently, this research aims to propose a novel model to improve the process of recommending authors. This is based on the authors’ similarity measurements by extracting their explicit and implicit topics of interest from their academic literature. The proposed model mainly consists of three factors: author-selected keywords, the extraction of a topic’s distribution from their publications, and their publication-based statistics. Furthermore, an enhanced approach for identifying expert authors by extracting evidence of expertise has been proposed based on the topic-modeling principle. Subsequently, an interactive network has been constructed that represents the predicted authors’ collaborative relationship, including the top-k potential collaborators for each individual. Three experiments have been conducted on the collected data; they demonstrated that the most influential factor for accurately recommending a collaborator was the topic’s distribution, which had an accuracy rate of 88.4%. Future work could involve building a heterogeneous co-collaboration network that includes both the authors with their affiliations and computing their similarities. In addition, the recommendations would be improved if potential and real collaborations were combined in a single network.
Comparison Uncertainty of Different Types of Membership Functions in T2FLS: Case of International Financial Market
Authors: Janková Zuzana , Rakovská Eva
Published: January 2022

This article deals with the determination and comparison of different types of functions of the type-2 interval of fuzzy logic, using a case study on the international financial market. The model is demonstrated on the time series of the leading stock index DJIA of the US market. Type-2 Fuzzy Logic membership features are able to include additional uncertainty resulting from unclear, uncertain or inaccurate financial data that are selected as inputs to the model. Data on the financial situation of companies are prone to inaccuracies or incomplete information, which is why the type-2 fuzzy logic application is most suitable for this type of financial analysis. This paper is primarily focused on comparing and evaluating the performance of different types of type-2 fuzzy membership functions with integrated additional uncertainty. For this purpose, several model situations differing in shape and level or degree of uncertainty of membership functions are constructed. The results of this research show that type-2 fuzzy sets with dual membership functions is a suitable expert system for highly chaotic and unstable international stock markets and achieves higher accuracy with the integration of a certain level of uncertainty compared to type-1 fuzzy logic.
Vector-Valued Entire Functions of Several Variables: Some Local Properties
Authors: Bandura Andriy Ivanovych , Salo Tetyana Mykhailivna , Skaskiv Oleh Bohdanovych
Published: January 2022

The present paper is devoted to the properties of entire vector-valued functions of bounded L-index in join variables, where L:Cn→R+n is a positive continuous function. For vector-valued functions from this class we prove some propositions describing their local properties. In particular, these functions possess the property that maximum of norm for some partial derivative at a skeleton of polydisc does not exceed norm of the derivative at the center of polydisc multiplied by some constant. The converse proposition is also true if the described inequality is satisfied for derivative in each variable.
How Far Are We from the Completion of the Human Protein Interactome Reconstruction?
Authors: Dimitrakopoulos Georgios N. , Klapa Maria I. , Moschonas Nicholas K.
Published: January 2022

After more than fifteen years from the first high-throughput experiments for human protein–protein interaction (PPI) detection, we are still wondering how close the completion of the genome-scale human PPI network reconstruction is, what needs to be further explored and whether the biological insights gained from the holistic investigation of the current network are valid and useful. The unique structure of PICKLE, a meta-database of the human experimentally determined direct PPI network developed by our group, presently covering ~80% of the UniProtKB/Swiss-Prot reviewed human complete proteome, enables the evaluation of the interactome expansion by comparing the successive PICKLE releases since 2013. We observe a gradual overall increase of 39%, 182%, and 67% in protein nodes, PPIs, and supporting references, respectively. Our results indicate that, in recent years, (a) the PPI addition rate has decreased, (b) the new PPIs are largely determined by high-throughput experiments and mainly concern existing protein nodes and (c), as we had predicted earlier, most of the newly added protein nodes have a low degree. These observations, combined with a largely overlapping k-core between PICKLE releases and a network density increase, imply that an almost complete picture of a structurally defined network has been reached. The comparative unsupervised application of two clustering algorithms indicated that exploring the full interactome topology can reveal the protein neighborhoods involved in closely related biological processes as transcriptional regulation, cell signaling and multiprotein complexes such as the connexon complex associated with cancers. A well-reconstructed human protein interactome is a powerful tool in network biology and medicine research forming the basis for multi-omic and dynamic analyses.
Smart Bioinks for the Printing of Human Tissue Models
Authors: Maan Zeina , Masri Nadia Z. , Willerth Stephanie M.
Published: January 2022

3D bioprinting has tremendous potential to revolutionize the field of regenerative medicine by automating the process of tissue engineering. A significant number of new and advanced bioprinting technologies have been developed in recent years, enabling the generation of increasingly accurate models of human tissues both in the healthy and diseased state. Accordingly, this technology has generated a demand for smart bioinks that can enable the rapid and efficient generation of human bioprinted tissues that accurately recapitulate the properties of the same tissue found in vivo. Here, we define smart bioinks as those that provide controlled release of factors in response to stimuli or combine multiple materials to yield novel properties for the bioprinting of human tissues. This perspective piece reviews the existing literature and examines the potential for the incorporation of micro and nanotechnologies into bioinks to enhance their properties. It also discusses avenues for future work in this cutting-edge field.
Antioxidant Roles of SGLT2 Inhibitors in the Kidney
Authors: Llorens-Cebrià Carmen , Molina-Van den Bosch Mireia , Vergara Ander , Jacobs-Cachá Conxita , Soler Maria José
Published: January 2022

The reduction-oxidation (redox) system consists of the coupling and coordination of various electron gradients that are generated thanks to serial reduction-oxidation enzymatic reactions. These reactions happen in every cell and produce radical oxidants that can be mainly classified into reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reactive nitrogen species (RNS). ROS and RNS modulate cell-signaling pathways and cellular processes fundamental to normal cell function. However, overproduction of oxidative species can lead to oxidative stress (OS) that is pathological. Oxidative stress is a main contributor to diabetic kidney disease (DKD) onset. In the kidney, the proximal tubular cells require a high energy supply to reabsorb proteins, metabolites, ions, and water. In a diabetic milieu, glucose-induced toxicity promotes oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction, impairing tubular function. Increased glucose level in urine and ROS enhance the activity of sodium/glucose co-transporter type 2 (SGLT2), which in turn exacerbates OS. SGLT2 inhibitors have demonstrated clear cardiovascular benefits in DKD which may be in part ascribed to the generation of a beneficial equilibrium between oxidant and antioxidant mechanisms.
Fatty Acid Composition and Contents of Fish of Genus Salvelinus from Natural Ecosystems and Aquaculture
Authors: Gladyshev Michail I. , Makhrov Alexander A. , Baydarov Ilia V. , Safonova Stanislava S. , Golod Viktor M. , Alekseyev Sergey S. , Glushchenko Larisa A. , Rudchenko Anastasia E. , Karpov Vladimir A. , Sushchik Nadezhda N.
Published: January 2022

Fatty acids (FA) of muscle tissue of Salvelinus species and its forms, S. alpinus, S. boganidae, S. drjagini, and S. fontinalis, from six Russian lakes and two aquacultures, were analyzed. Considerable variations in FA compositions and contents were found, including contents of eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acids (EPA and DHA), which are important indicators of fish nutritive value for humans. As found, contents of EPA+DHA (mg·g−1 wet weight) in muscle tissue of Salvelinus species and forms varied more than tenfold. These differences were supposed to be primarily determined by phylogenetic factors, rather than ecological factors, including food. Two species, S. boganidae and S. drjagini, had the highest EPA+DHA contents in their biomass and thereby could be recommended as promising species for aquaculture to obtain production with especially high nutritive value. Basing on revealed differences in FA composition of wild and farmed fish, levels of 15-17-BFA (branched fatty acids), 18:2NMI (non-methylene interrupted), 20:2NMI, 20:4n-3, and 22:4n-3 fatty acids were recommended for verifying trade label information of fish products on shelves, as the biomarkers to differentiate wild and farmed charr.
Chemistry and Biochemistry Aspects of the 4-Hydroxy-2,3-trans-nonenal
Authors: Bilska-Wilkosz Anna , Iciek Małgorzata , Górny Magdalena
Published: January 2022

4-hydroxy-2,3-trans-nonenal (C9H16O2), also known as 4-hydroxy-2E-nonenal (C9H16O2; HNE) is an α,β-unsaturated hydroxyalkenal. HNE is a major aldehyde, formed in the peroxidation process of ω-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (ω-6 PUFAs), such as linoleic and arachidonic acid. HNE is not only harmful but also beneficial. In the 1980s, the HNE was regarded as a “toxic product of lipid peroxidation” and the “second toxic messenger of free radicals”. However, already at the beginning of the 21st century, HNE was perceived as a reliable marker of oxidative stress, growth modulating factor and signaling molecule. Many literature data also indicate that an elevated level of HNE in blood plasma and cells of the animal and human body is observed in the course of many diseases, including cancer. On the other hand, it is currently proven that cancer cells divert to apoptosis if they are exposed to supraphysiological levels of HNE in the cancer microenvironment. In this review, we briefly summarize the current knowledge about the biological properties of HNE.
The Role of the lncRNA MALAT1 in Neuroprotection against Hypoxic/Ischemic Injury
Authors: Wang Liping , Li Sijie , Stone Sara Saymuah , Liu Na , Gong Kerui , Ren Changhong , Sun Kai , Zhang Chunyang , Shao Guo
Published: January 2022

Hypoxic and ischemic brain injury can cause neurological disability and mortality, and has become a serious public health problem worldwide. Long-chain non-coding RNAs are involved in the regulation of many diseases. Metastasis-related lung adenocarcinoma transcript 1 (MALAT1) is a type of long non-coding RNA (lncRNA), known as long intergenic non-coding RNA (lincRNA), and is highly abundant in the nervous system. The enrichment of MALAT1 in the brain indicates that it may be associated with important functions in pathophysiological processes. Accordingly, the role of MALAT1 in neuronal cell hypoxic/ischemic injury has been gradually discovered over recent years. In this article, we summarize recent research regarding the neuroprotective molecular mechanism of MALAT1 and its regulation of pathophysiological processes of brain hypoxic/ischemic injury. MALAT1 may function as a regulator through interaction with proteins or RNAs to perform its role, and may therefore serve as a therapeutic target in cerebral hypoxia/ischemia.
Analysis of Biogas Component Production during Anaerobic Digestion of Sour Cabbage in Microaeration Conditions under Different pH Conditions
Authors: Sołowski Gaweł
Published: January 2022

Influences of following anaerobic digestion (AD) parameters like microaeration, pH, and VSS (Volatile Suspended Solid) using sour cabbage as substrate was checked in the publication. Results of fermentation of sour cabbage under the condition of small oxygen addition presented in this research can be classified as dark fermentation (DF—a special case of AD) or hydrogenotrophic anaerobic digestion. The investigations were carried out for two concentrations of 5 g VSS/L and 10 g VSS/L of sour cabbage at pH 6.0. The oxygen flow rates (OFR) for 5 g VSS/L were in the range of 0.53 to 3.3 mL/h for obtaining 2% to 8% of oxygen. At low pH and microaeration, ethylene production was observed at a level below 0.05% in biogas. The highest volume of hydrogen for 5 g VSS/L was obtained for flow rate 0.58 O2 mL/h, giving hydrogen concentration in biogas in the range of 0 to 20%. For VSS 5 g/L and oxygen flow rate 0.58 mL/h; 0.021 L of hydrogen was produced per gram of VSS. At VSS 10 g/L and oxygen flow rate 1.4 mL/h at pH 6.0, 0.03 L of hydrogen was generated per gram. Microaeration from 0.58 mL/h to 0.87 mL/h was propitious for hydrogen production at 5 g VSS/L of sour cabbage and 1.4 mL/h for 10 g VSS/L. Another relevant factor is the volatile suspended solid factor of a substrate. Optimal hydrogen production from sour cabbage was for VSS 89.32%.