bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Adaptive Control of Streetlights Using Deep Learning for the Optimization of Energy Consumption during Late Hours
Authors: Asif Muhammad , Shams Sarmad , Hussain Samreen , Bhatti Jawad Ali , Rashid Munaf , Zeeshan-ul-Haque Muhammad
Published: August 2022

This paper presents an adaptive control scheme for streetlights by optimizing the energy consumed using deep learning during late hours at night. A city’s infrastructure is not complete without a proper lightening system for streets and roads. The streetlight systems often consume up to 50% of the electricity utilized by the city. Due to this reason, it has a huge financial impact on the electricity generation of the city. Furthermore, continuous luminosity of the streetlights contributes to the environmental pollution as well. Economists and ecologists around the globe are working hard to reduce the global impact of continued utilization of streetlights at night. In regard to a developing country which is already struggling to produce enough electrical energy to fulfill its industry requirements, proposing a system to lessen the load of the energy utilization by the streetlights should be beneficial. Therefore, an innovative and novel energy efficient streetlight control system is presented based on embedded video processing. The proposed system uses deep learning for the optimization of energy consumption during the later hours. Conventional street lighting systems consume enormous amounts of electricity, even when there is no need for the light, i.e., during off-peak hours and late at night when there is reduced or no traffic on the roads. The proposed system was designed, and implemented and tested at two different sites in Karachi, Pakistan. The system is capable of detecting vehicles and pedestrians and is able to track their movements. The YOLOv5 deep-learning based algorithm was trained according to the local requirements and implemented on the NVIDIA standalone multimedia processing unit “Jetson Nano”. The output of the YOLOv5 is then used to control the intensity of the streetlights through intensity control unit. This intensity control unit also considers the area, object and time for the switching of streetlights. The experimental results are promising, and the proposed system significantly reduces the energy consumption of streetlights.
A Period-Based Neural Network Algorithm for Predicting Building Energy Consumption of District Heating
Authors: Xie Zhengchao , Wang Xiao , Zheng Lijun , Chang Hao , Wang Fei
Published: August 2022

Northern China is vigorously promoting cogeneration and clean heating technologies. The accurate prediction of building energy consumption is the basis for heating regulation. In this paper, the daily, weekly, and annual periods of building energy consumption are determined by Fourier transformation. Accordingly, a period-based neural network (PBNN) is proposed to predict building energy consumption. The main innovation of PBNN is the introduction of a new data structure, which is a time-discontinuous sliding window. The sliding window consists of the past 24 h, 24 h for the same period last week, and 24 h for the same period the previous year. When predicting the building energy consumption for the next 1 h, 12 h, and 24 h, the prediction errors of the PBNN are 2.30%, 3.47%, and 3.66% lower than those of the traditional sliding window PBNN (TSW-PBNN), respectively. The training time of PBNN is approximately half that of TSW-PBNN. The time-discontinuous sliding window reduces the energy consumption prediction error and neural network model training time.
Drunkard Adaptive Walking Chaos Wolf Pack Algorithm in Parameter Identification of Photovoltaic Module Model
Authors: Wu Husheng , Peng Qiang , Shi Meimei , Xing Lining , Cheng Shi
Published: August 2022

The rapid and accurate identification of photovoltaic (PV) model parameters is of great significance in solving practical engineering problems such as PV power prediction, maximum power point tracking and battery failure model recognition. Aiming at the shortcomings of low accuracy and poor reliability and being easy to fall into local optimization when standard intelligent optimization algorithms identify PV model parameters, a novel drunken adaptive walking chaotic wolf swarm algorithm is proposed, which is named DCWPA for short. The DCWPA uses the chaotic map sequence to initialize the population, thus to improve the diversity of the initial population. It adopts the walking direction mechanism based on the drunk walking model and the adaptive walking step size to increase the randomness of walking, enhance the individual’s ability to explore and develop and improve the ability of algorithm optimization. It also designs the judgment conditions for half siege in order to accelerate the convergence of the algorithm and improve the speed of the algorithm. In the iterative process, according to the change of the optimal solution, the Hamming Distance is used to judge the similarity of individuals in the population, and the individuals in the population are constantly updated to avoid the algorithm from stopping evolution prematurely due to falling into local optimization. This paper firstly analyzes the time complexity of the algorithm, and then selects eight standard test functions (Benchmark) with different characteristics to verify the performance of the DCWPA algorithm for continuous optimization, and finally the improved algorithm is applied for parameter identification of PV models. The experiments show that the DCWPA has higher identification accuracy than other algorithms, and the results are more consistent with the measured data. Thus, the effectiveness and superiority of the improved algorithm in identifying solar cell parameters are verified, and the identification effect of the improved algorithm on solar cell parameters under different illumination is shown. This research provides a new idea and method for parameter identification of a PV module model.
Flexible Short-Term Electricity Certificates—An Analysis of Trading Strategies on the Continuous Intraday Market
Authors: Baule Rainer , Naumann Michael
Published: August 2022

The most important price for short-term electricity trading in Germany is the day-ahead auction price, which is provided by EPEX SPOT. Basically, short-term fluctuating electricity prices allow cost-optimized production planning by shifting electricity-intensive processes to times of favorable electricity prices. However, the day-ahead price as the outcome of an auction is not directly tradeable afterwards. We propose short-term flexible electricity certificates that pass on the day-ahead auction prices plus a premium for the supplier, enabling users to plan electricity consumption based on realized day-ahead auction prices. We analyze the supplier’s problem of delivering electricity based on such certificates. The supplier can adjust the required electricity volume after the close of the day-ahead auction on the continuous intraday market. We analyze the price fluctuations in this market in relation to the day-ahead price and propose different trading strategies. Using the order book history of EPEX SPOT, we analyze the trading success and risk of these strategies. Furthermore, we investigate to what extent trading success can be explained by changes in market conditions, and, in particular, we identify renewable forecast errors as a driver.
Ergothioneine Production by Submerged Fermentation of a Medicinal Mushroom Panus conchatus
Authors: Zhu Min , Han Yiwen , Hu Xuechao , Gong Changbin , Ren Lujing
Published: August 2022

Ergothioneine is a natural and safe antioxidant that plays an important role in anti-aging and the prevention of various diseases. This study aimed to report on a kind of medicinal mushroom of Panus conchatus with great potential for the bioproduction of ergothioneine. The effect of different nutritional and environmental conditions on the growth of Panus conchatus and ergothioneine production were investigated. Molasses and soy peptone were found to promote cell growth of Panus conchatus and enhance ergothioneine accumulation. Adding precursors of histidine, methionine and cysteine could increase ergothioneine production and the highest ergothioneine concentration of 148.79 mg/L was obtained. Finally, the extraction and purification processes were also established to obtain the crude ergothioneine extract for further antioxidant property evaluation. The ergothioneine from Panus conchatus showed high antioxidant activity with good stability in a lower pH environment. This study provided a new strain and process for the bioproduction of ergothioneine.
Cork, a Natural Choice to Wine?
Authors: Azevedo Joana , Lopes Paulo , Mateus Nuno , de Freitas Victor
Published: August 2022

This review presents the most recent data on the state-of-the-art of the main compounds present in cork, their interaction with wine, and the impact that natural stoppers may have on wines’ physical-chemical and sensory properties. According to the recent scientific literature, the chemical composition of cork and the scientific relevance of the compounds extract from cork to wine over time are reviewed. Furthermore, the effect of cork compounds transfer into wines during post-bottling is also discussed, as well as their impact on the organoleptic (colour and taste) of wines. This knowledge is essential for the decision-making process undertaken by wine producers to select the stopper most suitable for their wines. In addition, sustainability is also a topic addressed since it is a natural product that generates some waste as well as the way in which this industry is adapting to the closure of the waste cycle.
Formal Verification of Fractional-Order PID Control Systems Using Higher-Order Logic
Authors: Zhao Chunna , Jiang Murong , Huang Yaqun
Published: August 2022

Fractional-order PID control is a landmark in the development of fractional-order control theory. It can improve the control precision and accuracy of systems and achieve more robust control results. As a theorem-proving formal verification method, it can be applied to an arbitrary system represented by a mathematical model. It is the ideal verification method because it is not subject to limits on state numbers. This paper presents the higher-order logic (HOL) formal verification and modeling of fractional-order PID controller systems. Firstly, a fractional-order PID controller was designed. The accuracy of fractional-order PID control can be supported by simulation, comparing integral-order PID controls. Secondly, the superior property of fractional-order PID control is validated via higher-order logic theorem proofs. An important basic property, the relationship between fractional-order differential calculus and integral-order differential calculus, was analyzed via a higher-order logic theorem proof. Then, the relations between the fractional-order PID controller and integral-order PID controller were verified based on the fractional-order Grünwald–Letnikov definition for higher-order logic theorem proofs. Formalization models of the fractional-order PID controller and the fractional-order closed-loop control system were established. Finally, the stability of the fractional-order control systems was verified based on established formal models and theorems. The results show that the fractional-order PID controllers can be conducive to the control performance of control systems, and the higher-order logic formal verification method can ensure the reliability and security of fractional-order control systems.
Research on Fractal Evolution Characteristics and Safe Mining Technology of Overburden Fissures under Gully Water Body
Authors: Miao Kaijun , Tu Shihao , Tu Hongsheng , Liu Xun , Li Wenlong , Zhao Hongbin , Tang Long , Ma Jieyang , Li Yan
Published: August 2022

A fractal realizes the quantitative characterization of complex and disordered mining fracture networks, and it is of great significance to grasp the fractal characteristics of rock movement law to guide mine production. To prevent the water-conducting fracture (WF) under the gullies from conducting the surface water body, and to realize the purpose of safe production and surface water body protection. The evolution of overburden fissures in the working face with shallow buried gulley landform and thick bedrock conditions is studied. The development height of water-conducting fracture (DHWF) is theoretically analyzed. The evolution characteristics of overlying fissures with different mining heights were observed by similarity simulation, and the observation results were analyzed by fractal theory. The results show that the main factor that determines the height of WF is mining height. The working face is mined at different mining heights, and the corresponding indexes such as the height of the WF, the area of the caving zone and the fractal dimension are related to engineering phenomena. In particular, the appearance and disappearance of the separation space correspond to the fractal dimension fluctuation phase. The safe mining technology under a gully water body, which mainly reduces mining height, is adopted, and the fissures of the working face are not connected to the surface water body after mining.
Cost-Effective Synthesis of Bacterial Cellulose and Its Applications in the Food and Environmental Sectors
Authors: Kamal Tahseen , Ul-Islam Mazhar , Fatima Atiya , Ullah Muhammad Wajid , Manan Sehrish
Published: August 2022

Bacterial cellulose (BC), also termed bio-cellulose, has been recognized as a biomaterial of vital importance, thanks to its impressive structural features, diverse synthesis routes, high thermomechanical properties, and its ability to combine with multiple additives to form composites for a wide range of applications in diversified areas. Its purity, nontoxicity, and better physico-mechanical features than plant cellulose (PC) make it a better choice for biological applications. However, a major issue with the use of BC instead of PC for various applications is its high production costs, mainly caused by the use of expensive components in the chemically defined media, such as Hestrin–Schramm (HS) medium. Furthermore, the low yield of BC-producing bacteria indirectly accounts for the high cost of BC-based products. Over the last couple of decades, extensive efforts have been devoted to the exploration of low-cost carbon sources for BC production, besides identifying efficient bacterial strains as well as developing engineered strains, developing advanced reactors, and optimizing the culturing conditions for the high yield and productivity of BC, with the aim to minimize its production cost. Considering the applications, BC has attracted attention in highly diversified areas, such as medical, pharmaceutics, textile, cosmetics, food, environmental, and industrial sectors. This review is focused on overviewing the cost-effective synthesis routes for BC production, along with its noteworthy applications in the food and environmental sectors. We have made a comprehensive review of recent papers regarding the cost-effective production and applications of BC in the food and environmental sectors. This review provides the basic knowledge and understanding for cost-effective and scaleup of BC production by discussing the techno-economic analysis of BC production, BC market, and commercialization of BC products. It explores BC applications as food additives as its functionalization to minimize different environmental hazards, such as air contaminants and water pollutants.
Changes in the Genetic Structure of Lithuania’s Wild Boar (Sus scrofa) Population Following the Outbreak of African Swine Fever
Authors: Griciuvienė Loreta , Janeliūnas Žygimantas , Pilevičienė Simona , Jurgelevičius Vaclovas , Paulauskas Algimantas
Published: August 2022

The emergence of African swine fever (ASF) in Lithuania and its subsequent persistence has led to a decline in the population of wild boar (Sus scrofa). ASF has been spreading in Lithuania since its introduction, therefore it is important to understand any genetic impact of ASF outbreaks on wild boar populations. The aim of this study was to assess how the propensity for an outbreak has shaped genetic variation in the wild boar population. A total of 491 wild boar samples were collected and genotyped using 16 STR markers. Allele richness varied between 15 and 51, and all SSR loci revealed a significant deviation from the Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium. Fixation indices indicated a significant reduction in heterozygosity within and between subpopulations. PCoA and STRUCTURE analysis demonstrated genetic differences between the western region which had had no outbreaks (restricted zone I) and the region with ASF infection (restricted zones II and III). It is concluded that environmental factors may play a particular role in shaping the regional gene flow and influence the genetic structure of the wild boar population in the region with ASF outbreaks.
The Geosites of the Sacred Rock of Acropolis (UNESCO World Heritage, Athens, Greece): Cultural and Geological Heritage Integrated
Authors: Drinia Hara , Tripolitsiotou Fani , Cheila Theodora , Zafeiropoulos George
Published: August 2022

Athens, the capital of Greece, is notable for its distinctive environment. Numerous archaeological and historical monuments contribute to the city’s cultural wealth. These cultural monuments should include geological monuments, which are part of Athens’ natural heritage. The Acropolis of Athens is one of the world’s most recognizable and admired monuments, renowned for its archaeological, historical, and touristic significance. The Acropolis Rock is also a spectacular geological heritage monument. This article is about the Acropolis monuments, which are of great geological interest in addition to their cultural value. In recognizing each monument’s unique geological features and quantitatively evaluating them, in terms of educational, touristic, cultural, and accessibility value, we document their special value in geoeducation and geotourism, not only for the public, but also for the scientific community. The potential for exploiting these geosites, in terms of geotourism, is very high and important not only for strengthening the local economy, but also for raising visitor awareness of environmental, geological, and geoconservation issues. However, the lack of understanding of geological heritage in relation to cultural heritage is underlined. The need for strategic educational planning and integration of geo-environmental education into school practice is evident.
Quality Control of Drinking Water in the City of Ilave, Region of Puno, Peru
Authors: Ferro Pompeyo , Rossel-Bernedo Luis Jhordan , Ferró-Gonzáles Ana Lucia , Vaz-Moreira Ivone
Published: August 2022

The region of Puno, in Peru, is described as a region with some health conditions that may be associated with the water quality, such as a high index of anemia or cases of acute diarrhea in children. This study aimed at monitoring the drinking water quality of the city of Ilave, in Peru, and determining possible correlations between physical-chemical and microbiological parameters, and the water distribution conditions, such as the period of water availability. Physical-chemical parameters (turbidity, residual chlorine, temperature, conductivity, and pH), microbiological parameters (presence of coliforms), and heavy metals (Zn, Mn, Ni, Fe, and Cu) were determined. All the parameters quantified were within the maximum permissible limits according to Peruvian regulations, except for residual chlorine, which was, for all the treated water samples, below the recommended value of 0.5 mg/L. Coliforms that should be absent from drinking water were detected in all the household samples. These results demonstrate the need for the inclusion of additional steps of re-chlorination along the distribution system to guarantee the maintenance of residual levels of chlorine that assure the microbiological quality of water. The quality of the drinking water was not observed to correlate with the period of water availability.
The Usability of ICTs in People with Visual Disabilities: A Challenge in Spain
Authors: Fuentes Fiorella , Moreno Antonia , Díez Fernando
Published: August 2022

The use of ICTs provides autonomy, equity, and social inclusion to people with visual disabilities. The National Organization of the Spanish Blind (ONCE) offers its 70,462 legally-blind people the necessary resources for the usability of ICTs. Still, most individuals with visual disabilities do not have a similar support system. This research aims to expose and make visible the importance and need for ICTs usage in this group. The qualitative approach has allowed the modeling of a contextualized inductive process through two heterogeneous discussion groups: eight individuals with legal blindness and six with moderate visual impairment, as well as three in-depth interviews with experts in typhlotechnology, accessibility, and low vision. The following has been verified: there is a lot of misinformation among people with visual disabilities outside the coverage of ONCE; accessibility is still not a priority for companies and institutions when creating and developing products and services with Design for All; the need for more professionals to advise and train users with blindness and low vision is clear. In Spain, there are almost a million visually-impaired people not affiliated with ONCE, for whom access to technical aids and digital literacy is a priority problem in which the Government should intervene.
Network and Exploratory Factorial Analysis of the Depression Clinical Evaluation Test
Authors: Guillot-Valdés María , Guillén-Riquelme Alejandro , Sierra Juan Carlos , Buela-Casal Gualberto
Published: August 2022

Depression is a highly prevalent disorder with a wide range of symptomatology. Existing instruments for its assessment have only a few items for each factor. The Depression Clinical Evaluation Test (DCET) has been created to cover all depression symptoms at different times (month, year, and always) with several items for each facet. The content validity of this instrument has been judged by experts and, in this paper, we analyse its factorial structure and make a network analysis of it. The test (196 items) was administered to 602 adults without psychological disorders (Mage = 24.7, SD = 8.38, 72% women) both online and on paper. A network was estimated for each time point, using the absolute minimum selection and shrinkage operator. From the factor analysis, 12 factors were established for month, 11 for year, and 10 for always, leaving 94 items. The network analysis showed that the facets of depressive mood, anhedonia, and thoughts of Death, are central to all the estimated networks. The DCET is proposed as a valid and reliable multifactorial instrument to detect the variability of depressive symptoms in adults, guaranteeing its diagnostic usefulness.
Factors Affecting Mothers’ Adherence to Home Exercise Programs Designed for Their Children with Cerebral Palsy
Authors: Alwhaibi Reem M. , Omer Asma B. , Khan Ruqaiyah
Published: August 2022

Cerebral palsy is a common motor disorder that results in long-term impairment. The purpose of this study was to find out what factors influence Saudi mothers’ compliance with their Children with Cerebral Palsy (C-CP) Home Exercise Program (HEP). A self-administered online questionnaire was used to perform this qualitative research study on a group of 113 mothers who had children with CP. The study included mothers with children from birth to 12 years old who had received a HEP prescription from a physiotherapist. The measuring instrument tool was a questionnaire with two sections: demographic characteristics and a questionnaire about the parents’ adherence to the HEP. The questionnaire utilized in this study was subjected to a reliability analysis, and the derived Cronbach’s alpha was found to be 0.814 for the questionnaire (which had 17 phrases). These results imply that the questionnaire is reliable. A total of 113 responses were received, with 4 incomplete responses being eliminated. The majority of mothers (66.1%) did not follow the HEP, according to the findings of this survey. The demographics of the mothers revealed that 20–25-year-old mothers were more adherent than the other age groups. The findings of this study demonstrated that the physical therapist’s treatment of the mother influenced exercise compliance.
Enhancing the Retail Food Environment Index (RFEI) with Neighborhood Commuting Patterns: A Hybrid Human−Environment Measure
Authors: Glover Bailey , Mao Liang , Hu Yujie , Zhang Jiawen
Published: August 2022

The Retail Food Environment Index (RFEI) and its variants have been widely used in public health to measure people’s accessibility to healthy food. These indices are purely environmental as they only concern the geographic distribution of food retailers, but fail to include human factors, such as demographics, socio-economy, and mobility, which also shape the food environment. The exclusion of human factors limits the explanatory power of RFEIs in identifying neighborhoods of the greatest concern. In this study, we first proposed a hybrid approach to integrate human and environmental factors into the RFEI. We then demonstrated this approach by incorporating neighborhood commuting patterns into a traditional RFEI: we devised a multi-origin RFEI (MO_RFEI) that allows people to access food from both homes and workplaces, and further an enhanced RFEI (eRFEI) that allows people to access food with different transportation modes. We compared the traditional and proposed RFEIs in a case study of Florida, USA, and found that the eRFEI identified fewer and more clustered underserved populations, allowing policymakers to intervene more effectively. The eRFEI depicts more realistic human shopping behaviors and better represents the food environment. Our study enriches the literature by offering a new and generic approach for assimilating a neighborhood context into food environment measures.
The Relevance of Internal Working Models of Self and Others for Equine-Assisted Psychodynamic Psychotherapy
Authors: Kovács Géza , van Dijke Annemiek , Leontjevas Roeslan , Enders-Slegers Marie-José
Published: August 2022

Attachment characteristics play a key role in mental health and in understanding mental disorders. The aim of this study was to gain insight into the role the attachment characteristics can play in treatment effects in adult patients with intrapsychic and interpersonal problems who underwent Equine-assisted Short-term Psychodynamic Psychotherapy (ESTPP). In the first part of the study, we compared the effects of ESTPP to treatment-as-usual from a previous dataset regarding psychological dysfunction. For this, an explorative experimental non-randomized pre-treatment and 1-year post-treatment design was used. A mixed model revealed a significant decline in psychological dysfunction for both conditions, with no significant difference between the two. In the second part of the study, we examined the course of ESTPP effects over the period of 1 year when controlled for attachment styles and, subsequently, for internal working models of self and others. To this end, measurements were taken at baseline, 2 months waiting time, one-week intensive module, 6 months, and one year after the start of the treatment. Mixed models accounted for repeated measures showed significant improvements in psychological dysfunction, remoralization, and depression for ESTPP patients over time. The study implies that models of self and others may be used to predict the course of effects, which is relevant in determining what works for whom. In particularly, duration and intensity of therapy and a focus on the Model of Self seem relevant for shaping a more personalized treatment. ESTPP seems beneficial for patients with low pre-treatment attachment security.
Moderated Role of Social Support in the Relationship between Job Strain, Burnout, and Organizational Commitment among Operating Room Nurses: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Li Na , Zhang Lichuan , Li Xuejing , Lu Qian
Published: August 2022

Unique environment, coupled with overload, low job control, and high risk might put operating room (OR) nurses in a state of high job strain, which might have negative influences on burnout and organizational commitment. Based on the Job Demand-Control-Support model and previous studies, we hypothesized that the relationship between job strain (determined by job demand and control) and organizational commitment could be mediated by burnout (emotional exhaustion and depersonalization), the effect of job strain on burnout and organizational commitment could be moderated by social support. To verify the hypothesis, a quantitative cross-sectional survey was conducted, 509 OR nurses from 30 tertiary hospitals in Beijing were recruited. Multiple-group path analysis was used to test the moderated role of social support. Propensity score matching was applied to match job strain in different groups. Our research found that in the low social support group, job strain was not related to organizational commitment, while in the high social support group, depersonalization was not related to organizational commitment. Furthermore, nurses in the low social support group were more likely to have depersonalization under job strain compared to the high social support group. Social support should be provided to alleviate the negative impact of job strain.
HBIM Meta-Modelling: 50 (and More) Shades of Grey
Authors: Attenni Martina , Bianchini Carlo , Griffo Marika , Senatore Luca James
Published: August 2022

The paper aims at investigating modelling strategies in HBIM context to identify at what extent the final use of the model might affects, or should affect, the modelling approach itself. Moreover, the discussion wants to shed light on the possibility of connecting in just one digital environment several instances connected to the building. These aims will be discussed presenting and evaluating two different modelling approaches: the “black box” modelling and the “white box” model-ling. The two terms are partially borrowed from computer science to explain two types of testing. The “black box” testing is performed without any preliminary knowledge about the system functionality and internal components; on the contrary, the “white box” testing, implies a full knowledge of the system. These two approaches will be compared to two ways of conceiving a building information model. In conclusion, the paper will investigate the possibility to integrate in just one model, the grey box model, the two ones previously discussed.
Role of Citrullinated Collagen in Autoimmune Arthritis
Authors: Myers Linda K. , Ouyang Ying-Xin , Patel Jay R. , Odens Herman H. , Woo-Rasberry Virginia , Park Jeoungeun , Yi Ae-Kyung , Rosloniec Edward F. , Brand David D. , Stuart John M. , Kang Andrew H.
Published: August 2022

Citrullination of proteins plays an important role in protein function and it has recently become clear that citrullinated proteins play a role in immune responses. In this study we examined how citrullinated collagen, an extracellular matrix protein, affects T-cell function during the development of autoimmune arthritis. Using an HLA-DR1 transgenic mouse model of rheumatoid arthritis, mice were treated intraperitoneally with either native type I collagen (CI), citrullinated CI (cit-CI), or phosphate buffered saline (PBS) prior to induction of autoimmune arthritis. While the mice given native CI had significantly less severe arthritis than controls administered PBS, mice receiving cit-CI had no decrease in the severity of autoimmune arthritis. Using Jurkat cells expressing the inhibitory receptor leukocyte-associated immunoglobulin-like receptor-1 (LAIR-1), Western blot analysis indicated that while CI and cit-CI bound to LAIR-1 with similar affinity, only CI induced phosphorylation of the LAIR ITIM tyrosines; cit-CI was ineffective. These data suggest that cit-CI acts as an antagonist of LAIR-1 signaling, and that the severity of autoimmune arthritis can effectively be altered by targeting T cells with citrullinated collagen.
Potential Application of Leelamine as a Novel Regulator of Chemokine-Induced Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition in Breast Cancer Cells
Authors: Jung Young Yun , Um Jae-Young , Sethi Gautam , Ahn Kwang Seok
Published: August 2022

CXCR7 and CXCR4 are G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) that can be stimulated by CXCL12 in various human cancers. CXCR7/4–CXCL12 binding can initiate activation of multiple pathways including JAK/STAT and manganese superoxide dismutase (MnSOD) signaling, and initiate epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) process. It is established that cancer cell invasion and migration are caused because of these events. In particular, the EMT process is an important process that can determine the prognosis for cancer. Since the antitumor effect of leelamine (LEE) has been reported in various previous studies, here, we have evaluated the influence of LEE on the CXCR7/4 signaling axis and EMT processes. We first found that LEE suppressed expression of CXCR7 and CXCR4 both at the protein and mRNA levels, and showed inhibitory effects on these chemokines even after stimulation by CXCL12 ligand. In addition, LEE also reduced the level of MnSOD and inhibited the EMT process to attenuate the invasion and migration of breast cancer cells. In addition, phosphorylation of the JAK/STAT pathway, which acts down-stream of these chemokines, was also abrogated by LEE. It was also confirmed that LEE can induce an imbalance of GSH/GSSG and increases ROS, thereby resulting in antitumor activity. Thus, we establish that targeting CXCR7/4 in breast cancer cells can not only inhibit the invasion and migration of cancer cells but also can affect JAK/STAT, EMT process, and production of ROS. Overall, the findings suggest that LEE can function as a novel agent affecting the breast cancer.
Atropine Is a Suppressor of Epithelial–Mesenchymal Transition (EMT) That Reduces Stemness in Drug-Resistant Breast Cancer Cells
Authors: Ahmed Emad A. , Alkuwayti Mayyadah A. , Ibrahim Hairul-Islam M.
Published: August 2022

Atropine (ATR) is extracted from a belladonna plant that belongs to a class of anticholinergic drugs and is therefore involved in the treatment of the overdose of cholinergic drugs or mushroom poisoning. It is a well-known blocker of muscarinic acetylcholine receptors (mAChRs) that are expressed in various tumor cells, including breast tumors from animal and human origin, but it has yet to be recommended as an anticancer drug. Our in silico docking analysis indicates that atropine has a roust virtual binding, with a stable binding energy, to two major signaling molecules involved in EMT regulation: E-cad and ZEB-2. For both, the gene and the protein expression level results show that atropine is an effective molecule in reducing epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) and colony formation induced by TGF-B or carboplatin in both the mesenchymal-like cell line MDA-MB-231 and the epithelial-like cell line T47D. We conclude that atropine as a potential suppressor of EMT could be co-administrated with other chemotherapeutic drugs to reduce stemness in drug-resistant breast tumor cells.
Prime Editing: An All-Rounder for Genome Editing
Authors: Lu Chenyu , Kuang Jingyu , Shao Tong , Xie Sisi , Li Ming , Zhu Lingyun , Zhu Lvyun
Published: August 2022

Prime editing (PE), as a “search-and-replace” genome editing technology, has shown the attractive potential of versatile genome editing ability, which is, in principle, currently superior to other well-established genome-editing technologies in the all-in-one operation scope. However, essential technological solutions of PE technology, such as the improvement of genome editing efficiency, the inhibition of potential off-targets and intended edits accounting for unexpected side-effects, and the development of effective delivery systems, are necessary to broaden its application. Since the advent of PE, many optimizations have been performed on PE systems to improve their performance, resulting in bright prospects for application in many fields. This review briefly discusses the development of PE technology, including its functional principle, noteworthy barriers restraining its application, current efforts in technical optimization, and its application directions and potential risks. This review may provide a concise and informative insight into the burgeoning field of PE, highlight the exciting prospects for this powerful tool, and provide clues for questions that may propel the field forward.
Evaluation of the Anti-Atopic Dermatitis Effects of α-Boswellic Acid on Tnf-α/Ifn-γ-Stimulated HaCat Cells and DNCB-Induced BALB/c Mice
Authors: Tsai Ya-Chu , Chang Hsun-Hao , Chou Sheng-Chieh , Chu Thomas W. , Hsu Yu-Jou , Hsiao Chien-Yu , Lo Yuan-Hsin , Wu Nan-Lin , Chang Der-Chen , Hung Chi-Feng
Published: August 2022

Boswellic acids, triterpenoids derived from the genus Boswellia (Burseraceae), are known for their anti-inflammatory and anti-tumor efficacy. Atopic dermatitis is a chronic, non-infectious inflammatory skin disease. However, the effects of α-boswellic acid on atopic dermatitis have not been studied. Therefore, in this study we examined the expression level of pro-inflammatory cytokines, histopathological analysis, and physiological data from BALB/c mice with atopic-like dermatitis induced by 2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene and TNF-α/IFN-γ-stimulated HaCaT cells to better understand the agent’s anti-atopic dermatitis efficacy. First, we found that α-boswellic reduced the epidermal thickening, mast cell numbers, and dermal infiltration of 2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene-induced atopic-like dermatitis in BALB/c mice. Furthermore, we also found that α-boswellic acid can restore transepidermal water loss and skin reddening in mice. In human keratinocytes inflamed by TNF-α/IFN-γ, α-boswellic acid inhibited MAP kinase activation and showed a reduction in NF-κB nuclear translocation. Finally, α-boswellic acid can reduce the expression level of cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6, and IL-8) following the stimulation of TNF-α/IFN-γ in HaCaT cells. Taken together, our study suggests that α-boswellic acids are a potential component for the development of anti-atopic dermatitis drugs.
Preliminary Characterization of the Epigenetic Modulation in the Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells during Chondrogenic Process
Authors: Miceli Marco , Maruotti Giuseppe Maria , Sarno Laura , Carbone Luigi , Guida Maurizio , Pelagalli Alessandra
Published: August 2022

Regenerative medicine represents a growing hot topic in biomedical sciences, aiming at setting out novel therapeutic strategies to repair or regenerate damaged tissues and organs. For this perspective, human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) play a key role in tissue regeneration, having the potential to differentiate into many cell types, including chondrocytes. Accordingly, in the last few years, researchers have focused on several in vitro strategies to optimize hMSC differentiation protocols, including those relying on epigenetic manipulations that, in turn, lead to the modulation of gene expression patterns. Therefore, in the present study, we investigated the role of the class II histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor, MC1568, in the hMSCs-derived chondrogenesis. The hMSCs we used for this work were the hMSCs obtained from the amniotic fluid, given their greater differentiation capacity. Our preliminary data documented that MC1568 drove both the improvement and acceleration of hMSCs chondrogenic differentiation in vitro, since the differentiation process in MC1568-treated cells took place in about seven days, much less than that normally observed, namely 21 days. Collectively, these preliminary data might shed light on the validity of such a new differentiative protocol, in order to better assess the potential role of the epigenetic modulation in the process of the hypertrophic cartilage formation, which represents the starting point for endochondral ossification.
Secondary Metabolites with Biomedical Applications from Plants of the Sarraceniaceae Family
Authors: Miclea Ileana
Published: August 2022

Carnivorous plants have fascinated researchers and hobbyists for centuries because of their mode of nutrition which is unlike that of other plants. They are able to produce bioactive compounds used to attract, capture and digest prey but also as a defense mechanism against microorganisms and free radicals. The main purpose of this review is to provide an overview of the secondary metabolites with significant biological activity found in the Sarraceniaceae family. The review also underlines the necessity of future studies for the biochemical characterization of the less investigated species. Darlingtonia, Heliamphora and Sarracenia plants are rich in compounds with potential pharmaceutical and medical uses. These belong to several classes such as flavonoids, with flavonol glycosides being the most abundant, monoterpenes, triterpenes, sesquiterpenes, fatty acids, alkaloids and others. Some of them are well characterized in terms of chemical properties and biological activity and have widespread commercial applications. The review also discusses biological activity of whole extracts and commercially available products derived from Sarraceniaceae plants. In conclusion, this review underscores that Sarraceniaceae species contain numerous substances with the potential to advance health. Future perspectives should focus on the discovery of new molecules and increasing the production of known compounds using biotechnological methods.
Influence of Bone Morphology on In Vivo Tibio-Femoral Kinematics in Healthy Knees during Gait Activities
Authors: Hodel Sandro , Postolka Barbara , Flury Andreas , Schütz Pascal , Taylor William R. , Vlachopoulos Lazaros , Fucentese Sandro F.
Published: August 2022

An improved understanding of the relationships between bone morphology and in vivo tibio-femoral kinematics potentially enhances functional outcomes in patients with knee disorders. The aim of this study was to quantify the influence of femoral and tibial bony morphology on tibio-femoral kinematics throughout complete gait cycles in healthy subjects. Twenty-six volunteers underwent clinical examination, radiographic assessment, and dynamic video-fluoroscopy during level walking, downhill walking, and stair descent. Femoral computer-tomography (CT) measurements included medial condylar (MC) and lateral condylar (LC) width, MC and LC flexion circle, and lateral femoral condyle index (LFCI). Tibial CT measurements included both medial (MTP) and lateral tibial plateau (LTP) slopes, depths, lengths, and widths. The influence of bony morphology on tibial internal/external rotation and anteroposterior (AP)-translation of the lateral and medial compartments were analyzed in a multiple regression model. An increase in tibial internal/external rotation could be demonstrated with decreasing MC width β: −0.30 (95% CI: −0.58 to −0.03) (p = 0.03) during the loaded stance phase of level walking. An increased lateral AP-translation occurred with both a smaller LC flexion circle β: −0.16 (95% CI: −0.28 to −0.05) (p = 0.007) and a deeper MTP β: 0.90 (95% CI: 0.23 to 1.56) (p = 0.01) during the loaded stance phase of level walking. The identified relationship between in vivo tibio-femoral kinematics and bone morphology supports a customized approach and individual assessment of these factors in patients with knee disorders and potentially enhances functional outcomes in anterior cruciate ligament injuries and total knee arthroplasty.
Uneven Meibomian Gland Dropout in Patients with Meibomian Gland Dysfunction and Demodex Infestation
Authors: Yu Xinxin , Fu Yana , Lian Hengli , Wang Dandan , Zhang Zuhui , Dai Qi
Published: August 2022

The purpose of this study was to compare the differences between uneven meibomian gland (MG) atrophy with and without Demodex infestation based on the index of uneven atrophy score (UAS). In this retrospective cohort study, 158 subjects were recruited, including 66 subjects in the Demodex-positive MGD group, 49 subjects in the Demodex-negative MGD group, and 43 subjects as normal control. No significant difference was verified in OSDI, TMH, TBUT, CFS, lid margin score, and meibograde (all p > 0.05) between the Demodex-positive MGD group and the Demodex-negative MGD group. The UAS index of the upper eyelid or both eyelids was significantly higher in the Demodex-positive group in comparison with the normal control group and Demodex-negative group and the difference was statistically significant between the three groups. The UAS was significantly positive correlation with OSDI (r = 0.209, p < 0.05), lid margin score (r = 0.287, p < 0.001), and meibograde (r = 0.356, p < 0.001), which has a significant negative correlation with TBUT (r = −0.248, p < 0.05). Thus, Demodex infestation can cause uneven MG atrophy and we propose a novel index of UAS, which is used to evaluate uneven atrophy of MGs and as a morphological index of Demodex infestation.
Current and Future Perspectives in the Diagnosis and Management of Helicobacter pylori Infection
Authors: Shatila Malek , Thomas Anusha Shirwaikar
Published: August 2022

Helicobacter pylori (Hp) is a prevalent organism infecting almost half the global population. It is a significant concern, given its associated risk of gastric cancer, which is the third leading cause of cancer death globally. Infection can be asymptomatic or present with dyspeptic symptoms. It may also present with alarm symptoms in the case of progression to cancer. Diagnosis can be achieved non-invasively (breath tests, stool studies, or serology) or invasively (rapid urease test, biopsy, or culture). Treatment involves acid suppression and regimens containing several antibiotics and is guided by resistance rates. Eradication is essential, as it lowers the risk of complications and progression to cancer. Follow-up after eradication is similarly important, as the risk of cancer progression remains. There have been many recent advances in both diagnosis and treatment of Hp. In particular, biosensors may be effective diagnostic tools, and nanotechnology, vaccines, and potassium-competitive acid blockers may prove effective in enhancing eradication rates.
Cancer Metabolism and Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury: Two Sides of the Same Coin
Authors: Nemeth Denise , Baldini Enke , Sorrenti Salvatore , D’Andrea Vito , Bellini Maria
Published: August 2022

Cancer cells are characterized by the reprogramming of certain cell metabolisms via activation of definite pathways and regulation of gene signaling. Ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) is characterized by tissue damage and death following a lack of perfusion and oxygenation. It is most commonly seen in the setting of organ transplantation. Interestingly, the microenvironments seen in cancer and ischemic tissues are quite similar, especially due to the hypoxic state that occurs in both. As a consequence, there is genetic signaling involved in response to IRI that has common pathways with cancer. Some of these changes are seen across the board with many cancer cells and are known as Hallmarks of Cancer, among which are aerobic glycolysis and the induction of angiogenesis. This literature review aims to compare the metabolic pathways that are altered in cancer tissues and in normal tissues subjected to IRI in order to find common adaptive processes and to identify key pathways that could represent a therapeutic target in both pathologies. By increasing our understanding of this relationship, clinical correlations can be made and applied practically to improve outcomes of transplanted organs, given the known association with acute rejection, delayed graft function, and poor graft survival. The following metabolic pathways are discussed in our review, both in the setting of cancer and IRI: apoptosis, glycolysis, and angiogenesis. The role of the immune system in both pathologies as well as mitochondrial function and the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) are reviewed.