bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Ameliorating Effects of TRIM67 against Intestinal Inflammation and Barrier Dysfunction Induced by High Fat Diet in Obese Mice
Authors: Luo Qihui , Jahangir Asad , He Junbo , Huang Chao , Xia Yu , Jia Lanlan , Wei Xiaoli , Pan Ting , Du Yanni , Mu Bin , Gong Huan , Liu Wentao , Ur-Rehman Saif , Pan Kangcheng , Chen Zhengli
Published: July 2022

Tripartite Motif 67 (TRIM67) is an important member of TRIM family proteins, which participates in different cellular processes including immune response, proliferation, differentiation, carcinogenesis, and apoptosis. In recent years, a high fat diet (HFD) has remained one of the main causes of different metabolic diseases and increases in intestinal permeability as well as inducing intestinal inflammation. The current study investigated the protective effects of TRIM67 in the ileum and colon of obese mice. 4-week-old wild-type (WT) C57BL/6N mice and TRIM67 knockout (KO) C57BL/6N mice were selected and randomly divided into four sub-groups, which were fed with control diet (CTR) or HFD for 14 weeks. Samples were collected at the age of 18 weeks for analysis. To construct an in vitro obesity model, over-expressed IPEC-J2 cells (porcine intestinal cells) with Myc-TRIM67 were stimulated with palmitic acid (PA), and its effects on the expression level of TRM67, inflammatory cytokines, and barrier function were evaluated. The KO mice showed pathological lesions in the ileum and colon and this effect was more obvious in KO mice fed with HFD. In addition, KO mice fed with a HFD or CTR diet had increased intestinal inflammation, intestinal permeability, and oxidative stress compared to that WT mice fed with these diets, respectively. Moreover, IPEC-J2 cells were transfected with TRIM67 plasmid to perform the same experiments after stimulation with PA, and the results were found consistent with the in vivo evaluations. Taken together, our study proved for the first time that HFD and TRIM67 KO mice have synergistic damaging effects on the intestine, while TRIM67 plays an important protective role in HFD-induced intestinal damage.
Anticancer Activity of Amantadine and Evaluation of Its Interactions with Selected Cytostatics in Relation to Human Melanoma Cells
Authors: Krasowska Danuta , Gerkowicz Agnieszka , Wróblewska-Łuczka Paula , Grabarska Aneta , Załuska-Ogryzek Katarzyna , Krasowska Dorota , Łuszczki Jarogniew J.
Published: July 2022

Patients with Parkinson’s disease are prone to a higher incidence of melanoma. Amantadine (an anti-Parkinson drug) possesses the antiproliferative potential that can be favorable when combined with other chemotherapeutics. Cisplatin (CDDP) and mitoxantrone (MTO) are drugs used in melanoma chemotherapy, but they have many side effects. (1) Clinical observations revealed a high incidence of malignant melanoma in patients with Parkinson’s disease. Amantadine as an anti-Parkinson drug alleviates symptoms of Parkinson’s disease and theoretically, it should have anti-melanoma properties. (2) To characterize the interaction profile for combinations of amantadine with CDDP and MTO in four human melanoma cell lines (A375, SK-MEL 28, FM55P and FM55M2), type I isobolographic analysis was used in the MTT test. (3) Amantadine produces the anti-proliferative effects in various melanoma cell lines. Flow cytometry analysis indicated that amantadine induced apoptosis and G1/S phase cell cycle arrest. Western blotting analysis showed that amantadine markedly decreased cyclin-D1 protein levels and increased p21 levels. Additionally, amantadine significantly increased the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio. The combined application of amantadine with CDDP at the fixed-ratio of 1:1 exerted an additive interaction in the four studied cell lines in the MTT test. In contrast, the combination of amantadine with MTO (ratio of 1:1) produced synergistic interaction in the FM55M2 cell line in the MTT (* p < 0.05). The combination of amantadine with MTO was also additive in the remaining tested cell lines (A375, FM55P and SK-MEL28) in the MTT test. (4) Amantadine combined with MTO exerted the most desirable synergistic interaction, as assessed isobolographically. Additionally, the exposure of melanoma cell lines to amantadine in combination with CDDP or MTO augmented the induction of apoptosis mediated by amantadine alone.
Discovery of Long Non-Coding RNA MALAT1 Amplification in Precancerous Colorectal Lesions
Authors: Siskova Anna , Kral Jan , Drabova Jana , Cervena Klara , Tomasova Kristyna , Jungwirth Jiri , Hucl Tomas , Kohout Pavel , Summerova Sandra , Vodickova Ludmila , Vodicka Pavel , Vymetalkova Veronika
Published: July 2022

A colorectal adenoma, an aberrantly growing tissue, arises from the intestinal epithelium and is considered as precursor of colorectal cancer (CRC). In this study, we investigated structural and numerical chromosomal aberrations in adenomas, hypothesizing that chromosomal instability (CIN) occurs early in adenomas. We applied array comparative genomic hybridization (aCGH) to fresh frozen colorectal adenomas and their adjacent mucosa from 16 patients who underwent colonoscopy examination. In our study, histologically similar colorectal adenomas showed wide variability in chromosomal instability. Based on the obtained results, we further stratified patients into four distinct groups. The first group showed the gain of MALAT1 and TALAM1, long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs). The second group involved patients with numerous microdeletions. The third group consisted of patients with a disrupted karyotype. The fourth group of patients did not show any CIN in adenomas. Overall, we identified frequent losses in genes, such as TSC2, COL1A1, NOTCH1, MIR4673, and GNAS, and gene gain containing MALAT1 and TALAM1. Since long non-coding RNA MALAT1 is associated with cancer cell metastasis and migration, its gene amplification represents an important event for adenoma development.
The Patterning and Proportion of Charged Residues in the Arginine-Rich Mixed-Charge Domain Determine the Membrane-Less Organelle Targeted by the Protein
Authors: Miyagi Tamami , Yamazaki Rio , Ueda Koji , Narumi Satoshi , Hayamizu Yuhei , Uji-i Hiroshi , Kuroda Masahiko , Kanekura Kohsuke
Published: July 2022

Membrane-less organelles (MLOs) are formed by biomolecular liquid–liquid phase separation (LLPS). Proteins with charged low-complexity domains (LCDs) are prone to phase separation and localize to MLOs, but the mechanism underlying the distributions of such proteins to specific MLOs remains poorly understood. Recently, proteins with Arg-enriched mixed-charge domains (R-MCDs), primarily composed of R and Asp (D), were found to accumulate in nuclear speckles via LLPS. However, the process by which R-MCDs selectively incorporate into nuclear speckles is unknown. Here, we demonstrate that the patterning of charged amino acids and net charge determines the targeting of specific MLOs, including nuclear speckles and the nucleolus, by proteins. The redistribution of R and D residues from an alternately sequenced pattern to uneven blocky sequences caused a shift in R-MCD distribution from nuclear speckles to the nucleolus. In addition, the incorporation of basic residues in the R-MCDs promoted their localization to the MLOs and their apparent accumulation in the nucleolus. The R-MCD peptide with alternating amino acids did not undergo LLPS, whereas the blocky R-MCD peptide underwent LLPS with affinity to RNA, acidic poly-Glu, and the acidic nucleolar protein nucleophosmin, suggesting that the clustering of R residues helps avoid their neutralization by D residues and eventually induces R-MCD migration to the nucleolus. Therefore, the distribution of proteins to nuclear speckles requires the proximal positioning of D and R for the mutual neutralization of their charges.
Differences in Charge Distribution in Leishmania tarentolae Leishmanolysin Result in a Reduced Enzymatic Activity
Authors: Ennes-Vidal Vítor , Antunes Deborah , Poláková Ester , Yurchenko Vyacheslav , Oliveira Simone S. C. , Faria da Mota Fabio , Guimaraes Ana Carolina R. , Caffarena Ernesto R. , S. Santos André L. , Branquinha Marta H. , d’Avila-Levy Claudia M.
Published: July 2022

Leishmania tarentolae is a non-pathogenic trypanosomatid isolated from lizards widely used for heterologous protein expression and extensively studied to understand the pathogenic mechanisms of leishmaniasis. The repertoire of leishmanolysin genes was reported to be expanded in L. tarentolae genome, but no proteolytic activity was detected. Here, we analyzed L. tarentolae leishmanolysin proteins from the genome to the structural levels and evaluated the enzymatic activity of the wild-type and overexpressing mutants of leishmanolysin. A total of 61 leishmanolysin sequences were retrieved from the L. tarentolae genome. Five of them were selected for phylogenetic analysis, and for three of them, we built 3D models based on the crystallographic structure of L. major ortholog. Molecular dynamics simulations of these models disclosed a less negative electrostatic potential compared to the template. Subsequently, L. major LmjF.10.0460 and L. tarentolae LtaP10.0650 leishmanolysins were cloned in a pLEXSY expression system into L. tarentolae. Proteins from the wild-type and the overexpressing parasites were submitted to enzymatic analysis. Our results revealed that L. tarentolae leishmanolysins harbor a weak enzymatic activity about three times less abundant than L. major leishmanolysin. Our findings strongly suggest that the less negative electrostatic potential of L. tarentolae leishmanolysin can be the reason for the reduced proteolytic activity detected in this parasite.
JmjC Family of Histone Demethylases Form Nuclear Condensates
Authors: Vicioso-Mantis Marta , Aguirre Samuel , Martínez-Balbás Marian A.
Published: July 2022

The Jumonji-C (JmjC) family of lysine demethylases (KDMs) (JMJC-KDMs) plays an essential role in controlling gene expression and chromatin structure. In most cases, their function has been attributed to the demethylase activity. However, accumulating evidence demonstrates that these proteins play roles distinct from histone demethylation. This raises the possibility that they might share domains that contribute to their functional outcome. Here, we show that the JMJC-KDMs contain low-complexity domains and intrinsically disordered regions (IDR), which in some cases reached 70% of the protein. Our data revealed that plant homeodomain finger protein (PHF2), KDM2A, and KDM4B cluster by phase separation. Moreover, our molecular analysis implies that PHF2 IDR contributes to transcription regulation. These data suggest that clustering via phase separation is a common feature that JMJC-KDMs utilize to facilitate their functional responses. Our study uncovers a novel potential function for the JMJC-KDM family that sheds light on the mechanisms to achieve the competent concentration of molecules in time and space within the cell nucleus.
Toward Trust-Based Recommender Systems for Open Data: A Literature Review
Authors: Li Chenhao , Zhang Jiyin , Kale Amruta , Que Xiang , Salati Sanaz , Ma Xiaogang
Published: July 2022

In recent years, the concept of “open data” has received increasing attention among data providers and publishers. For some data portals in public sectors, such as data.gov, the openness enables public oversight of governmental proceedings. For many other data portals, especially those in academia, open data has shown its potential for driving new scientific discoveries and creating opportunities for multidisciplinary collaboration. While the number of open data portals and the volume of shared data have increased significantly, most open data portals still use keywords and faceted models as their primary methods for data search and discovery. There should be opportunities to incorporate more intelligent functions to facilitate the data flow between data portals and end-users. To find more theoretical and empirical evidence for that proposition, in this paper, we conduct a systematic literature review of open data, social trust, and recommender systems to explain the fundamental concepts and illustrate the potential of using trust-based recommender systems for open data portals. We hope this literature review can benefit practitioners in the field of open data and facilitate the discussion of future work.
A Comprehensive Assessment of Human Factors in Cyber Security Compliance toward Enhancing the Security Practice of Healthcare Staff in Paperless Hospitals
Authors: Yeng Prosper Kandabongee , Fauzi Muhammad Ali , Yang Bian
Published: July 2022

Recent reports indicate that over 85% of data breaches are still caused by a human element, of which healthcare is one of the organizations that cyber criminals target. As healthcare IT infrastructure is characterized by a human element, this study comprehensively examined the effect of psycho-socio-cultural and work factors on security behavior in a typical hospital. A quantitative approach was adopted where we collected responses from 212 healthcare staff through an online questionnaire survey. A broad range of constructs was selected from psychological, social, cultural perception, and work factors based on earlier review work. These were related with some security practices to assess the information security (IS) knowledge, attitude and behavior gaps among healthcare staff in a comprehensive way. The study revealed that work emergency (WE) has a positive correlation with IS conscious care behavior (ISCCB) risk. Conscientiousness also had a positive correlation with ISCCB risk, but agreeableness was negatively correlated with information security knowledge (ISK) risk and information security attitude (ISA) risk. Based on these findings, intrinsic and extrinsic motivation methods combined with cutting-edge technologies can be explored to discourage IS risks behaviors while enhancing conscious care security practice.
Long-Term Outcomes after Catheter Ablation of Ventricular Tachycardia in Dilated vs. Ischemic Cardiomyopathy
Authors: Chakarov Ivaylo , Mueller Julian , Ene Elena , Berkovitz Arthur , Sonne Kai , Nentwich Karin , Schupp Tobias , Behnes Michael , Deneke Thomas
Published: July 2022

Ischemic (ICM) and dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) represent the two main underlying heart diseases in patients referred for catheter ablation of ventricular tachycardia (VT). While VT ablation in ischemic cardiomyopathy is relatively well-studied, data in patients with DCM are still scarce. The study aimed to compare the acute and long-term outcomes in patients with ICM and DCM who underwent VT ablation at a high-volume center. Consecutive patients who underwent VT ablation from April 2018 to April 2021 were included retrospectively. Patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy were compared to those with dilated cardiomyopathy. The primary endpoint was rate of VT recurrences, the secondary endpoints included overall mortality, rehospitalization because of cardiac condition (VT, acute heart failure, acute myocardial infarction, heart transplantation or implantation of left ventricular assisting device), and major adverse cardiac events (MACE) at long-term follow-up. A total of 225 patients admitted for first VT ablation were included. A total of 156 patients (69%) revealed ICM and 69 (31%) DCM. After a mean follow-up of 22 months, the primary endpoint of VT recurrence occurred significantly more often in the patients with dilated cardiomyopathy (ICM n = 47; 37% vs. DCM n = 34; 64%; p = 0.001). In regard to the secondary endpoint of overall mortality, there was no difference between the two patient cohorts (DCM n = 9; 15% vs. ICM n = 22; 16%; p = 0.677); the patients with DCM showed significantly higher rehospitalization rates due to cardiac conditions (75% vs. 59%; p = 0.038) and more frequent MACE (68% vs. 52%; p= 0.036). In a Cox regression model, electrical storm at admission was shown to be a predictor for VT recurrence after successful catheter ablation (HR = 1.942: 95% CI 1.237–3.050; p = 0.004), while the ablation of every induced VT morphology during the procedure (HR = 0.522; 95% CI = 0.307–0.885; p = 0.016) contributed to a positive long-term outcome. DCM is associated with a higher risk of VT recurrence after catheter ablation compared to ICM. Furthermore, patients with DCM are more frequent re-hospitalized in the majority of cases due the VT recurrence. There is no difference in the long-term mortality between the two cohorts.
Von Willebrand Factor and ADAMTS-13 Are Associated with the Severity of COVID-19 Disease
Authors: Dolgushina Nataliya , Gorodnova Elena , Beznoshenco Olga , Romanov Andrey , Menzhinskaya Irina , Krechetova Lyubov , Sukhikh Gennady
Published: July 2022

Coagulopathy in COVID-19 patients is presumably based on systemic hypercoagulation with the inflammatory response. As a result of endothelial dysfunction, tissue factor and von Willebrand factor (vWF) are released into the blood stream, which leads to prothrombinase activation. The vWF/ADAMTS-13 ratio can be used for monitoring the severity of the disease. This observational prospective study included 141 patients with COVID-19. In patients with mild COVID-19 (group 1), the assessment was performed on the 3rd–7th day of illness (point 1) and 14–28 days after recovery (point 2). In patients with moderate (groups 2) and severe (group 3) COVID-19, the assessment was performed during hospitalization (point 1) and after 14 days (point 2). The vWF:RCo/ADAMTS-13:activity (point 1), vWF/ADAMTS-13 (point 2) and vWF:RCo/ADAMTS-13:activity (point 2) ratios were significantly higher in patients with moderate and severe COVID-19. Moreover, in these patients, both ratios increased after recovery (point 2), which is a negative prognostic factor of thrombotic complications. Thus, COVID-19 is characterized by a decrease in the concentration and activity of ADAMTS-13 metalloproteinase, especially in patients with the severe form of COVID-19. A decrease in ADAMTS-13 activity results in an increase in vWF concentration and activity so the ratio of vWF to ADAMTS-13 changes significantly.
Sorting of Odor Dilutions Is a Meaningful Addition to Assessments of Olfactory Function as Suggested by Machine-Learning-Based Analyses
Authors: Lötsch Jörn , Huster Anne , Hummel Thomas
Published: July 2022

Background: The categorization of individuals as normosmic, hyposmic, or anosmic from test results of odor threshold, discrimination, and identification may provide a limited view of the sense of smell. The purpose of this study was to expand the clinical diagnostic repertoire by including additional tests. Methods: A random cohort of n = 135 individuals (83 women and 52 men, aged 21 to 94 years) was tested for odor threshold, discrimination, and identification, plus a distance test, in which the odor of peanut butter is perceived, a sorting task of odor dilutions for phenylethyl alcohol and eugenol, a discrimination test for odorant enantiomers, a lateralization test with eucalyptol, a threshold assessment after 10 min of exposure to phenylethyl alcohol, and a questionnaire on the importance of olfaction. Unsupervised methods were used to detect structure in the olfaction-related data, followed by supervised feature selection methods from statistics and machine learning to identify relevant variables. Results: The structure in the olfaction-related data divided the cohort into two distinct clusters with n = 80 and 55 subjects. Odor threshold, discrimination, and identification did not play a relevant role for cluster assignment, which, on the other hand, depended on performance in the two odor dilution sorting tasks, from which cluster assignment was possible with a median 100-fold cross-validated balanced accuracy of 77–88%. Conclusions: The addition of an odor sorting task with the two proposed odor dilutions to the odor test battery expands the phenotype of olfaction and fits seamlessly into the sensory focus of standard test batteries.
Psoas Cross-Sectional Measurements Using Manual CT Segmentation before and after Endovascular Aortic Repair (EVAR)
Authors: Monti Caterina Beatrice , Righini Paolo , Bonanno Maria Chiara , Capra Davide , Mazzaccaro Daniela , Giannetta Matteo , Nicolino Gabriele Maria , Nano Giovanni , Sardanelli Francesco , Marrocco-Trischitta Massimiliano M. , Secchi Francesco
Published: July 2022

Sarcopenia has been associated with an increased incidence of adverse outcomes, including higher mortality, after endovascular aortic repair (EVAR). We aim to use computed tomography (CT) to quantify changes in total psoas muscles area (PMA) and psoas muscle density (PMD) after EVAR, and to evaluate the reproducibility of both measurements. PMA and PMD were assessed via manual segmentation of the psoas muscle on pre- and post-operative CT scans belonging to consecutive patients who underwent EVAR. Wilcoxon test was used to compare PMA and PMD before and after EVAR, and inter- and intra-reader agreements of both methods were evaluated through Bland–Altman analysis. A total of 50 patients, 42 of them males (84%), were included in the study. PMA changes from 1243 mm2 (1006–1445 mm2) to 1102 mm2 (IQR 937–1331 mm2), after EVAR (p < 0.001). PMD did not vary between pre-EVAR (33 HU, IQR 26.5–38.7 HU) and post-EVAR (32 HU, IQR 26–37 HU, p = 0.630). At inter-reader Bland–Altman analysis, PMA showed a bias of 64.0 mm2 and a coefficient of repeatability (CoR) of 359.2 mm2, whereas PMD showed a bias of −2.43 HU and a CoR of 6.19 HU. At intra-reader Bland–Altman analysis, PMA showed a bias of −81.1 mm2 and a CoR of 394.6 mm2, whereas PMD showed a bias of 1.41 HU and a CoR of 6.36 HU. In conclusion, PMA decreases after EVAR. A good intra and inter-reader reproducibility was observed for both PMA and PMD. We thus propose to use PMA during the follow-up of patients who underwent EVAR to monitor muscle depletion after surgery.
Addressing the Governance of Harmful Algal Bloom Impacts: A Case Study of the Scallop Fishery in the Eastern French Coasts of the English Channel
Authors: Pérez Agúndez José Antonio , Chenouf Sarra , Raux Pascal
Published: July 2022

Harmful Algal Blooms (HAB) are phenomena that result from alterations to ecosystems. Due to their potential toxicity, the level of danger depends on the species concerned, their frequency and intensity. They can cause impacts on biodiversity and on the anthropic activities that take place in maritime and coastal areas. Primary industries such as shellfish fisheries are mainly affected. To deal with this issue, the French administration has built a governance system based on two pillars. The first relies on a water quality monitoring system that assesses the risks of HAB contamination of coastal waters. The second is a regulatory system of production and commercial bans of seafood products from the impacted areas. This public action has two objectives. The first is human health-related and aims to protect consumers of seafood. The second is economic-based and aims to minimize the economic impacts associated with the commercial bans suffered by the businesses concerned. These two objectives may appear to be antagonistic. Using the case study of the French scallop fishery in the eastern Channel and based on an analysis of the commercial bans associated with HAB and associated potential economic impacts, this paper analyses the governance scheme dealing with HAB events in France. The authors highlight that this governance is not only a matter of applying administrative closures when toxicity thresholds are exceeded, but is a dynamic decision-making process involving experts and the Administration that attempts to balance acceptable health risks and economic impacts.
Numerical Investigation of the Ultimate Strength of D-Ring Devices and Deck Structures
Authors: Nam Woongshik , Park Sung-Ju , Kim Kookhyun
Published: July 2022

An accurate prediction of the ultimate strength of lashing devices and deck structures is important to ensure the safety of the crews and carrying ships. In this study, finite element analysis using ABAQUS/implicit was performed to investigate the ultimate strength of D-ring devices subjected to various external loads. The resistance of deck plates to which the D-ring devices were clamped was also analyzed numerically, considering the effects of the plate thickness and corrosion wastage. The resultant force-displacement relationship of the devices and the deck plate was investigated from the simulations and the threshold was determined by means of the tangent interaction method. The numerical results were compared with the Cargo Stowage and Securing Code proposed by the International Marine Organization and the results showed that the code predicts conservative ultimate strength of the D-ring devices in most cases. The deck plate with a thickness of 6 mm should have a local stiffener to increase structural strength whereas corrosion wastage has negligible effect on the deck strength. The numerical analysis verified the feasibility of predicting the ultimate strength of D-ring devices and deck structures. Nevertheless, the need for further experimental study is acknowledged to validate the feasibility of the numerical results.
Horizontal Distribution Characteristics and Environmental Factors of Shrubland Species Diversity in Hainan Island, China
Authors: Yang Mengmeng , Wei Simin , Mwangi Brian N. , Liu Shizhong , Huang Jianqiang , Li Yuelin
Published: July 2022

Tropical forests play a vital role in preserving world biodiversity and supporting ecological services. Moreover, the spatial distribution of species diversity and its causes are one of the core issues in community ecology. Therefore, the aim of this study was to explore the horizontal distribution characteristics of shrub community diversity in the tropical region of Hainan and reveal the relationship between species diversity and environmental factors under anthropogenic disturbances. Based on a survey of 39 shrubland plots, we evaluated shrub community diversity by calculating Hill number and Pielou evenness index. Regression analysis was employed to determine the horizontal distribution pattern, and Pearson correlation and redundancy analysis were applied to reveal the relationship between species diversity and environmental factors. The results reveal that species richness increased from west to east and the horizontal distribution of shrubland species diversity in Hainan was largely determined by rainfall and edaphic factors and not by topographic factors. Rainfall factors were the most influential. Although there was a significant human disturbance in Hainan shrublands, environmental factors were still influencing the distribution of these shrublands, and there was a lower shrub diversity in areas with poor moisture conditions, which should be studied more. Our results are of great significance to the study of tropical vegetation and regional biodiversity conservation.
Antibacterial Activity of Antibiotic-Releasing Polydopamine-Coated Nephrite Composites for Application in Drug-Eluting Contact Lens
Authors: Kang Min-Seung , Moon Kyung-Jin , Lee Ji-Eun , Jeong Young-IL
Published: July 2022

The aim of this study is to prepare ciprofloxacin (CIP) or levofloxacin (LEVO)-incorporated and polydopamine (PDA)-coated nephrite composites for application in drug-eluting contact lenses. PDA was coated onto the surface of nephrite to improve antibacterial activity and to payload antibiotics. CIP or LEVO was incorporated into the PDA layer on the surface of nephrite. Furthermore, CIP-incorporated/PDA-coated nephrite composites were embedded into the contact lenses. PDA-coated nephrite composites showed dull and smooth surfaces according to the dopamine concentration while nephrite itself has sharp surface morphology. CIP- or LEVO-loaded/PDA-coated nephrite composites also have dull and smooth surface properties. Nano and/or sub-micron clusters were observed in field emission-scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) observation, indicating that PDA nanoparticles were accumulated and coated onto the surface of nephrite. Furthermore, CIP- or LEVO-incorporated/PDA-coated nephrite composites showed the sustained release of CIP or LEVO in vitro and these properties contributed to the enhanced antibacterial activity of composites compared to nephrite or PDA-coated nephrite composites. CIP-incorporated/PDA-coated nephrite composites were embedded in the contact lenses and then, in an antibacterial study, they showed higher bactericidal effect against Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) compared to nephrite itself or PDA-coated nephrite composites. We suggest that CIP- or LEVO-loaded/PDA-coated nephrite composite-embedded contact lenses are a promising candidate for therapeutic application.
A Reinforcement Learning Control in Hot Stamping for Cycle Time Optimization
Authors: Nievas Nuria , Pagès-Bernaus Adela , Bonada Francesc , Echeverria Lluís , Abio Albert , Lange Danillo , Pujante Jaume
Published: July 2022

Hot stamping is a hot metal forming technology increasingly in demand that produces ultra-high strength parts with complex shapes. A major concern in these systems is how to shorten production times to improve production Key Performance Indicators. In this work, we present a Reinforcement Learning approach that can obtain an optimal behavior strategy for dynamically managing the cycle time in hot stamping to optimize manufacturing production while maintaining the quality of the final product. Results are compared with the business-as-usual cycle time control approach and the optimal solution obtained by the execution of a dynamic programming algorithm. Reinforcement Learning control outperforms the business-as-usual behavior by reducing the cycle time and the total batch time in non-stable temperature phases.
Promotion Effect of Carboxymethyl Chitosan on Dental Caries via Intrafibrillar Mineralization of Collagen and Dentin Remineralization
Authors: Zhang Qi , Guo Jiaxin , Huang Zihua , Mai Sui
Published: July 2022

Objective: To observe ultrastructural changes during the process of carboxymethyl chitosan (CMC)-mediated intrafibrillar mineralization, we evaluated the biomimetic remineralization potential of CMC in type-I collagen fibrils and membranes, and further explored the bond strength as well as the bond interfacial integrity of the biomimetic remineralized artificial caries-affected dentin (ACAD). Methods: A mineralized solution containing 200 μg/mL CMC was used to induce type-I collagen biomimetic remineralization in ACAD, while traditional mineralization without CMC was used as a control. The process and pattern of mineralization were investigated by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) as well as structured illumination microscopy (SIM). The Vickers hardness test was used to quantify the dentin hardness, while the microtensile bond strength (µTBS) test was used to assess the bond strength and durability. The bond interfacial integrity was evaluated by a confocal laser scanning microscope (CLSM). Results: TEM, SEM, and SIM images showed that CMC had a positive effect on stabilizing amorphous calcium phosphate (ACP) and promoting intrafibrillar mineralization, while extrafibrillar mineralization was formed without CMC. Furthermore, hardness evaluation and µTBS proved that CMC significantly increased dentin hardness and bond strength. CLSM indicated that CMC could create a significantly better bond interfacial integrity with less of a micro-gap in ACAD. Significance: CMC possessed the ability to promote intrafibrillar mineralization and remineralization in demineralized caries dentin lesions, as well as improve bond performance, which implied its potential in carious dentin demineralization or dentin hypersensitivity and possibly even as a possible material for indirect pulp-capping, to deal with deep caries. Highlights: CMC possessed the ability to induce intrafibrillar mineralization effectively; the bond strength and bond durability of demineralized caries dentin were improved via CMC-induced remineralization; the CMC-induced remineralization complex is a potential material for indirect pulp-capping, to deal with deep caries.
Comparison between Piezoelectric and Piezoresistive Wearable Gait Monitoring Techniques
Authors: Zhang Zhiyuan , Xu Zhenyu , Chen Wenbin , Gao Shuo
Published: July 2022

Insole plantar stress detection (PSD) techniques play an important role in gait monitoring. Among the various insole PSD methods, piezoelectric- and piezoresistive-based architectures are broadly used in medical scenes. Each year, a growing number of new research outcomes are reported. Hence, a deep understanding of these two kinds of insole PSD sensors and state-of-the-art work would strongly benefit the researchers in this highly interdisciplinary field. In this context, this review article is composed of the following aspects. First, the mechanisms of the two techniques and corresponding comparisons are explained and discussed. Second, advanced materials which could enhance the performance of current piezoelectric and piezoresistive insole prototypes are introduced. Third, suggestions for designing insole PSD prototypes/products for different diseases are offered. Last, the current challenge and potential future trends are provided.
Wear Characteristics of Mg Alloy AZ91 Reinforced with Oriented Short Carbon Fibers
Authors: Ataya Sabbah , El-Sayed Seleman Mohamed M. , Latief Fahamsyah H. , Ahmed Mohamed M. Z. , Hajlaoui Khalil , Soliman Ahmed M. , Alsaleh Naser A. , Habba Mohamed I. A.
Published: July 2022

Light-weight metal matrix composites, especially magnesium-based composites, have recently become more widespread for high-efficiency applications, including aerospace, automobile, defense, and telecommunication industries. The squeeze cast AZ91 base material (AZ91-BM) and its composites having 23 vol.% short carbon fibers were fabricated and investigated. The composite specimens were machined normal to the reinforced plane (Composite-N) and parallel to the reinforced plane (Composite-P). All the as-casted materials were subjected to different tests, such as hardness, compression, and wear testing, evaluating the mechanical properties. Dry wear tests were performed using a pin-on-disk machine at room temperature under different applied wear loads (1–5 N) and different sliding distances (0.4461×104–3.12×104 m). The microstructures and worn surfaces of the fabricated AZ91-BM and the two composite specimens were investigated using a scanning electron microscope (SEM) equipped with an energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) advanced analysis system. The wear debris was collected and investigated also under the SEM. The results showed significant improvement in hardness, compressive strength, and wear resistance of the composite specimens (Composite-N and Composite-P) over the AZ91-BM. The compressive strength and wear resistance are more fibers orientation sensitive than the hardness results. When the fiber orientation is parallel to the sliding direction (Composite-N), the weight loss is somewhat lower than that of the fiber orientation perpendicular to the sliding direction (Composite-P) at a constant wear load of 2 N and the sliding distances of 0.4461×104, 1.34×104 , and 2.23×104 m. In contrast, the weight loss of Composite-P is lower than Composite-N, especially at the highest sliding distance of 3.12×104 m due to the continuous feeding of graphite lubricant film and the higher compressive strength. Plastic deformation, oxidation, and abrasive wear are the dominant wear mechanisms of AZ91-BM; in contrast, abrasive and delamination wear are mainly the wear mechanisms of the two composites under the applied testing conditions.
Reverse Nonlinear Sparrow Search Algorithm Based on the Penalty Mechanism for Multi-Parameter Identification Model Method of an Electro-Hydraulic Servo System
Authors: Gao Bingwei , Shen Wei , Zhao Hongjian , Zhang Wei , Zheng Lintao
Published: July 2022

Aiming at the multi-parameter identification problem of an electro-hydraulic servo system, a multi-parameter identification method based on a penalty mechanism reverse nonlinear sparrow search algorithm (PRN-SSA) is proposed, which transforms the identification problem of a non-linear system into an optimization problem in a high-dimensional parameter space. In the initial stage of the sparrow search algorithm (SSA), the population distribution is not uniform, and the optimization process is easily disturbed by the local optimal solution. First, adopting a reverse learning strategy increases the exploratory nature of individuals in a population, improves population diversity, and prevents premature maturity. Subsequently, a flexible strain mechanism is provided through the nonlinear convergence factor, adaptive weight factor, and golden sine and cosine factor. The introduction of a nonlinear factor fully balances the global search and local development abilities of the algorithm. Finally, a punishment processing mechanism is developed for vigilantes while retaining the population, providing a suitable search scheme for individuals beyond the boundary, and making full use of the value of each sparrow individual. The effectiveness of each improved strategy is verified through simulation experiments with 23 benchmark functions, and the improved algorithm exhibits better robustness. The results of the model parameter identification of the electro-hydraulic servo system show that the method has a high fitting accuracy between the identification model data and the experimental data, and the fitting degree of the identification model exceeds 97.54%, which further verifies the superiority of the improved algorithm and the effectiveness of the proposed identification strategy.
Forecasting Crude Oil Risk Using a Multivariate Multiscale Convolutional Neural Network Model
Authors: Zou Yingchao , He Kaijian
Published: July 2022

In light of the increasing level of correlation and dependence between the crude oil markets and the external influencing factors in the related financial markets, we propose a new multivariate empirical decomposition convolutional neural network model to incorporate the external influence of financial markets such as stock market and exchange market in a multiscale setting into the modeling of crude oil market risk movement. We propose a multivariate empirical model decomposition to analyze the finer details of interdependence among risk movement of different markets across different time horizons or scales. We also introduce the convolutional neural network to construct a new nonlinear ensemble algorithm to reduce the estimation bias and improve the forecasting accuracy. We used the major crude oil price data, stock market index, and the euro/United States dollar exchange rate data to evaluate the performance of the multivariate empirical model decomposition convolutional neural network model. The combination of both the multivariate empirical model decomposition and the convolutional neural network model in this paper has produced the risk forecasts with significantly improved risk forecasting accuracy.
The Spillover Effects of Chinese Shocks on the Belt and Road Initiative Economies: New Evidence Using Panel Vector Autoregression
Authors: Lee Sin Yee , Karim Zulkefly Abdul , Khalid Norlin , Zaidi Mohd Azlan Shah
Published: July 2022

This paper investigates the spillover effects of Chinese real and monetary sector shocks on the Belt Road Initiative (BRI) economies. The study adopted a panel vector autoregression (PVAR) estimation technique to analyse the dynamic propagation of Chinese shocks in the real sector (gross domestic product (GDP) and trade openness (OPEN)) and monetary sector (nominal interest rate (NIR)) for a sample of 50 BRI countries from 2000 to 2017. The main results revealed that Chinese income shocks positively spill over to all macroeconomic variables except BRI countries’ consumer price index (CPI). However, the Chinese trade openness shock only has a temporary positive spillover to BRI international trade and a temporary negative spillover on its monetary policy. In addition, the Chinese monetary policy shock has a negative spillover on GDP and a positive spillover on CPI in BRI economies. Chinese shocks, however, do not constitute a significant source of variation in any interest variable. As explained by the Chinese income shock, the BRI interest rate is the highest percentage of variable variation accumulated over time. Further, the highest variation of Chinese trade shock is BRI trade openness, and lastly, the highest variation of Chinese interest rate shock is CPI in BRI economies. The beggar-thy-neighbour effect may dominate the positive trade effect and is a negative impact of the Chinese shocks. Hence, BRI economies should alleviate the adverse shocks since the upcoming rapid growth from the Chinese has disturbed the BRI economies. Our results reveal the importance of Chinese development on BRI partners’ economies and the significance of Chinese shocks in real and monetary sectors in assisting policymakers in designing international and monetary policy for BRI economies.
Double Sources Queuing-Inventory System with Hybrid Replenishment Policy
Authors: Melikov Agassi , Mirzayev Ramil , Nair Sajeev S.
Published: July 2022

A hybrid replenishment policy in double sources queuing-inventory system is proposed. If the inventory level drops to the reorder point s, then a regular order of the fixed volume Q = S − s is generated to a slow and cheap source, where S denotes the maximum size of the system’s warehouse. If the inventory level falls below a certain threshold value r, where r < s, then the system instantly cancels the regular order and generates an emergency order to a fast and expensive source where the replenishment quantity should be able to bring the inventory level back to S at the replenishment epoch. In addition to consuming customers, the system also receives destructive customers that do not require inventory but destroy them. The stability condition for the system under study is found, steady-state probabilities are calculated, and formulas for finding performance measures are proposed. The problem of minimizing the total cost of the system under the proposed hybrid replenishment policy is solved by choosing the appropriate values of the order point and the threshold value.
Large-Scale Screening and Machine Learning for Metal–Organic Framework Membranes to Capture CO2 from Flue Gas
Authors: Situ Yizhen , Yuan Xueying , Bai Xiangning , Li Shuhua , Liang Hong , Zhu Xin , Wang Bangfen , Qiao Zhiwei
Published: July 2022

To combat global warming, as an energy-saving technology, membrane separation can be applied to capture CO2 from flue gas. Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) with characteristics like high porosity have great potential as membrane materials for gas mixture separation. In this work, through a combination of grand canonical Monte Carlo and molecular dynamics simulations, the permeability of three gases (CO2, N2, and O2) was calculated and estimated in 6013 computation–ready experimental MOF membranes (CoRE–MOFMs). Then, the relationship between structural descriptors and permeance performance, and the importance of available permeance area to permeance performance of gas molecules with smaller kinetic diameters were found by univariate analysis. Furthermore, comparing the prediction accuracy of seven classification machine learning algorithms, XGBoost was selected to analyze the order of importance of six structural descriptors to permeance performance, through which the conclusion of the univariate analysis was demonstrated one more time. Finally, seven promising CoRE-MOFMs were selected, and their structural characteristics were analyzed. This work provides explicit directions and powerful guidelines to experimenters to accelerate the research on membrane separation for the purification of flue gas.
Effect of Flow Rate on the Corrosion Behavior of P110 Steel in High-Ca2+ and High-Cl− Environment
Authors: Zhang Ya-Ni , Zhang Shao-Gang , Luo Jin-Heng , Long Yan , Ji Nan , Fan Bing , Wang Si-Min
Published: July 2022

With the exploitation of oil and gas resources, the water environment of high-Ca2+ and high-Cl− stratum puts forward high safety requirements for tubular columns. This paper simulates the underground environment by using high-temperature and high-pressure autoclaves, combines electrochemical research results, and analyzes the effect of flow rate on the corrosion behavior of P110 steel in a water environment of 7.5 g/L Ca2+ + 128 g/L Cl− simulated stratum. The research results show that the presence of Ca2+ promotes the acidification of the solution and accelerates the dissolution of P110 steel. With the increased flow rate of the fluid, the corrosion rate of P110 steel increases, but the increasing trend slows down gradually. At the same time, the flow rate decreases the probability of corrosive pitting on P110 steel. The decreasing is closely related the peeling of earlier CaCO3 precipitation by the fluid.
Simple Growth–Metabolism Relations Are Revealed by Conserved Patterns of Heat Flow from Cultured Microorganisms
Authors: Fahmy Karim
Published: July 2022

Quantitative analyses of cell replication address the connection between metabolism and growth. Various growth models approximate time-dependent cell numbers in culture media, but physiological implications of the parametrizations are vague. In contrast, isothermal microcalorimetry (IMC) measures with unprecedented sensitivity the heat (enthalpy) release via chemical turnover in metabolizing cells. Hence, the metabolic activity can be studied independently of modeling the time-dependence of cell numbers. Unexpectedly, IMC traces of various origins exhibit conserved patterns when expressed in the enthalpy domain rather than the time domain, as exemplified by cultures of Lactococcus lactis (prokaryote), Trypanosoma congolese (protozoan) and non-growing Brassica napus (plant) cells. The data comply extraordinarily well with a dynamic Langmuir adsorption reaction model of nutrient uptake and catalytic turnover generalized here to the non-constancy of catalytic capacity. Formal relations to Michaelis–Menten kinetics and common analytical growth models are briefly discussed. The proposed formalism reproduces the “life span” of cultured microorganisms from exponential growth to metabolic decline by a succession of distinct metabolic phases following remarkably simple nutrient–metabolism relations. The analysis enables the development of advanced enzyme network models of unbalanced growth and has fundamental consequences for the derivation of toxicity measures and the transferability of metabolic activity data between laboratories.
Efficiency of Combining Strains Ag87 (Bacillus megaterium) and Ag94 (Lysinibacillus sp.) as Phosphate Solubilizers and Growth Promoters in Maize
Authors: Massucato Luana Rainieri , Almeida Suelen Regina de Araújo , Silva Mayara Barbosa , Mosela Mirela , Zeffa Douglas Mariani , Nogueira Alison Fernando , de Lima Filho Renato Barros , Mian Silas , Higashi Allan Yukio , Teixeira Gustavo Manoel , Shimizu Gabriel Danilo , Giacomin Renata Mussoi , Fendrich Ricardo Cancio , Faria Marcos Ventura , Scapim Carlos Alberto , Gonçalves Leandro Simões Azeredo
Published: July 2022

Increasing phosphorus (P) use efficiency in agricultural systems is urgent and essential to significantly reduce the global demand for this nutrient. Applying phosphate-solubilizing and plant growth-promoting bacteria in the rhizosphere represents a strategy worthy of attention. In this context, the present work aimed to select and validate bacterial strains capable of solubilizing phosphorous and promoting maize growth, aiming to develop a microbial inoculant to be used in Brazilian agriculture. Bacterial strains from the maize rhizosphere were evaluated based on their ability to solubilize phosphate and produce indole acetic acid. Based on these characteristics, 24 strains were selected to be further evaluated under laboratory, greenhouse, and field conditions. Among the selected strains, four (I04, I12, I13, and I17) showed a high potential to increase maize root growth and shoot P content. Strains I13 (Ag87) and I17 (Ag94) were identified by genomic sequencing as Bacillus megaterium and Lysinibacillus sp., respectively. These strains presented superior yield increments relative to the control treatment with 30% P. In addition, combining Ag87 and Ag94 resulted in even higher yield gains, indicating a synergistic effect that could be harnessed in a commercial inoculant for Brazilian agriculture.