bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Sigurd Leeder: A Forgotten Master?
Authors: Lidbury Clare
Published: May 2023

This article acknowledges Sigurd Leeder (1902–1981) as a key figure in the dance scene in Europe and Chile from the 1920s through to the 1970s. Through reference to articles, reviews, letters, interviews, notation scores, performances and seminal texts his work as a visual artist, movement notator, dancer, choreographer and teacher is fully explored, and the influences of Rudolf Laban and Kurt Jooss on Leeder's life and work are examined. It is concluded that while he was of some significance during his lifetime, little of Leeder's legacy now survives.
Austen’s Men, Immortality and Intertextuality
Authors: Ailwood Sarah
Published: May 2023

Jane Austen’s men are central to her immortality and enduring appeal in the twenty-first century. This article links the intertextual imagining and re-imagining of Austen’s men with her own textual practice in the Romantic Era. Drawing on emerging methodologies for identifying and interpreting literary influence in the Romantic Era, threads of influence are established between Austen and contemporary Romantic-Era novelists, including Jane West, Hannah More, Maria Edgeworth, Sydney Owenson and Jane Porter. Reading these novelists collectively reveals a shared authorial undertaking in interrogating and rewriting masculinity through fictional genres emerging in the Romantic Era.
Construindo uma Performance da Obra “Mutationen II für Violoncello und Tonband” de Claudio Santoro
Authors: Paixão Diego , Ferreras Juan Ignacio , Presgrave Fábio Soren
Published: May 2023

Este artigo tem como objetivo apresentar ao violoncelista um guia para a construção da obra “Mutationen II für Violoncelo und Tonband” (1969) de Claudio Santoro, tanto para a performance instrumental quanto para a gravação da parte eletroacústica. Originalmente escrita para execução com fita magnética, hoje o processo de montagem dos sons eletrônicos faz uso de ferramentas de gravação digital. Como produtos da pesquisa, temos o registro em vídeo da obra bem como a edição da partitura em português, pois anteriormente só existia o manuscrito em língua alemã. O trabalho auxilia o processo de aprendizado da peça por possíveis novos intérpretes, bem como a realização de performances públicas, difundindo assim a obra, que é uma das primeiras do repertório eletroacústico internacional escrito para violoncelo.
Short-term use of CGM in youth onset type 2 diabetes is associated with behavioral modifications
Authors: Manfredo Jacquelyn , Lin Tyger , Gupta Radhika , Abiola Kai , West Margaret , Busin Kelly , Tracey Julia , Brown Elizabeth A. , Magge Sheela N. , Wolf Risa M.
Published: May 2023

Background

Continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) is beneficial to glycemic control in youth with type 1 diabetes (T1D) and adults with type 2 diabetes (T2D); however, studies in youth with T2D are limited.

Objective

Determine if 10-day trial CGM use in youth with T2D improves glycemic control and behavioral modifications.

Methods

Youth with T2D > 3 months, on insulin, with no prior CGM use were enrolled. Staff placed CGM and provided education. Participants received 5-day and 10-day follow-up phone calls to review CGM data, behavioral modifications, and adjust insulin doses as needed. We compared 5-day to 10-day TIR, and baseline to 3-6 month HbA1c via paired t-test.

Results

Participants (n=41) had median age of 16.2 y, were 61% female, 81% NH Black, median diabetes duration of 0.8 y, and baseline HbA1c of 10.3%. A majority had household income<$50,000 (81%) and parental education level of HS or less (73%). Average 5-day TIR 49% was similar to 10-day TIR 51% (p=0.62). There was no change in HbA1c after 3-6 months (10.2% v 10.3%, p=0.89). Nineteen participants completed full 10-day CGM use; of those, 84% wanted a CGM long-term. Adolescents reported behavioral changes including increased blood sugar checks, increased insulin administration and overall improved diabetes management.

Conclusion

Although 10-day CGM use did not impact short-term or long-term glycemic control in youth with T2D, most participants reported behavioral changes and wanted to continue using CGM. Future studies with longer use of CGM may clarify the potential impact of CGM in youth with T2D.
Environmental stress and nanoplastics’ effects on Ciona robusta: regulation of immune/stress-related genes and induction of innate memory in pharynx and gut
Authors: Marino Rita , Melillo Daniela , Italiani Paola , Boraschi Diana
Published: May 2023

In addition to circulating haemocytes, the immune system of the solitary ascidian Ciona robusta relies on two organs, the pharynx and the gut, and encompasses a wide array of immune and stress-related genes. How the pharynx and the gut of C. robusta react and adapt to environmental stress was assessed upon short or long exposure to hypoxia/starvation in the absence or in the presence of polystyrene nanoplastics. We show that the immune response to stress is very different between the two organs, suggesting an organ-specific immune adaptation to the environmental changes. Notably, the presence of nanoplastics appears to alter the gene modulation induced by hypoxia/starvation in both organs, resulting in a partial increase in gene up-regulation in the pharynx and a less evident response to stress in the gut. We have also assessed whether the hypoxia/starvation stress could induce innate memory, measured as gene expression in response to a subsequent challenge with the bacterial agent LPS. Exposure to stress one week before challenge induced a substantial change in the response to LPS, with a general decrease of gene expression in the pharynx and a strong increase in the gut. Co-exposure with nanoplastics only partially modulated the stress-induced memory response to LPS, without substantially changing the stress-dependent gene expression profile in either organ. Overall, the presence of nanoplastics in the marine environment seems able to decrease the immune response of C. robusta to stressful conditions, hypothetically implying a reduced capacity to adapt to environmental changes, but only partially affects the stress-dependent induction of innate memory and subsequent responses to infectious challenges.
Pancreatic surgery in elderly patients: results of 329 consecutive patients during 10 years
Authors: Bozkurt Emre , Özoran Emre , Özata İbrahim Halil , Bilgiç Çağrı , Kaya Mesut , Tüfekçi Tutku , Tellioğlu Gürkan , Bilge Orhan
Published: May 2023

Introduction

There is a progressive shift from a younger population to an older population throughout the world. With the population age shift, surgeons will be more encountered with older patient profiles. We aim to determine age-related risk factors of pancreatic cancer surgery and the effect of patient age on outcomes after pancreatic surgery.

Materials and methods

A retrospective review was conducted with data obtained from consecutive 329 patients whose pancreatic surgery was performed by a single senior surgeon between January 2011 and December 2020. Patients were divided into three groups based on age: patients younger than 65 years old, between 65 and 74 years old, and older than 74 years old. Demographics and postoperative outcomes of the patients were evaluated and compared between these age groups.

Results

The distribution of a total of 329 patients into the groups was 168 patients (51.06%) in Group 1 (age <65 years old), 93 patients (28.26%) in Group 2 (age ≥65 and <75 years old), and 68 patients (20.66%) in Group 3 (age ≥75 years old). The overall postoperative complications were statistically significantly higher in Group 3 than in Group 1 and Group 2 (p = 0.013). The comprehensive complication index of the patients in each group was 23.1 ± 6.8, 20.4 ± 8.1, and 20.5 + 6.9, respectively (p = 0.33). Fisher’s exact test indicated a significant difference in morbidity in patients with ASA 3–4 (p = 0.023). In-hospital or 90-day mortality was observed in two patients (0.62%), one from Group 2 and one from Group 3. The 3-year survival rates for each group were 65.4%, 58.8%, and 56.8%, respectively (p = 0.038).

Conclusion

Our data demonstrate that comorbidity, ASA score, and the possibility of achieving a curative resection do have significantly more impact than age alone.
The intervention effect of Aitongxiao prescription on primary liver cancer rats was evaluated based on high-throughput miRNA sequencing and bioinformatics analysis
Authors: Xu Lijing , Cheng Jinlai , Li Zhuoxian , Wen Xiaoyu , Sun Yuhao , Xia Meng , Leng Jing
Published: May 2023

Liver cancer is a common malignant tumor known for its difficult treatment and poor prognosis. As a traditional Chinese medicine prescription, Aitongxiao prescription (ATXP) has been used in clinical treatment of primary liver cancer (PLC) for more than ten years, and its therapeutic effect is obvious and has been verified over time. However, the mechanism of ATXP in treating PLC has not been fully elucidated. This study aimed to detect the liver-protective effect of ATXP on a PLC rat model and explore its potential mechanism from the perspective of plasma extracellular vesicle miRNAs. Fifty SPF male SD rats were randomly selected, with six rats as the control group, and the remaining rats were injected with DEN to establish a primary liver cancer model. The model rats were randomly divided into the model group and the ATXP group. After 4 weeks of intervention, the liver-protective effect of ATXP was evaluated using plasma biochemical indicators and histopathological methods. Plasma extracellular vesicles were isolated and extracted, and identified by transmission electron microscopy, nanoparticle tracking analysis, and western blot. Significant differentially expressed miRNAs in extracellular vesicles were screened by Illumina sequencing to explore the therapeutic targets of ATXP and conduct functional analysis. The results showed that ATXP significantly reduced plasma liver function in PLC rats and alleviated liver pathological damage. In addition, plasma extracellular vesicles were isolated and identified. According to the results of GO and KEGG analysis, they were related to multiple biological processes and covered multiple signaling pathways (PI3K-Akt and MAPK signaling pathways, etc.). The interaction between miR-199a-3p and MAP3K4 was determined by bioinformatics methods and dual-luciferase reporter gene detection, confirming that MAP3K4 is the target gene of miR-199a-3p. In conclusion, ATXP protects the liver from DEN-induced PLC, which may be related to the regulation of plasma extracellular vesicle miR-199a-3p. This study further reveals the mechanism of ATXP in treating liver cancer and provides a theoretical basis for subsequent research.
Clinical and genetic characteristics in pancreatic cancer from Chinese patients revealed by whole exome sequencing
Authors: He Yonggang , Huang Wen , Tang Yichen , Li Yuming , Peng Xuehui , Li Jing , Wu Jing , You Nan , Li Ling , Liu Chuang , Zheng Lu , Huang Xiaobing
Published: May 2023

Background

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is one of the most fatal malignancies worldwide, mostly as a result of the absence of early detection and specific treatment solutions. Consequently, identifying mutational profiles and molecular biomarkers is essential for increasing the viability of precision therapy for pancreatic cancer.

Methods

We collected blood and tumor tissue samples from 47 Chinese pancreatic cancer patients and used whole-exome sequencing (WES) to evaluate the genetic landscape.

Results

Our results showed the most frequently somatic alteration genes were KRAS (74.5%), TP53(51.1%), SMAD4 (17%), ARID1A (12.8%), CDKN2A (12.8%), TENM4 (10.6%), TTN (8.5%), RNF43(8.5%), FLG (8.5%) and GAS6 (6.4%) in Chinese PDAC patients. We also found that three deleterious germline mutations (ATM c.4852C>T/p. R1618*, WRN c.1105C>T/p. R369*, PALB2 c.2760dupA/p. Q921Tfs*7) and two novel fusions (BRCA1-RPRML, MIR943 (intergenic)-FGFR3). When compared to the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database, there is a greater mutation frequency of TENM4 (10.6% vs. 1.6%, p = 0.01), GAS6(6.4% vs. 0.5%, p = 0.035), MMP17(6.4% vs. 0.5%, p = 0.035), ITM2B (6.4% vs. 0.5%, p = 0.035) and USP7 (6.4% vs. 0.5%, p= 0.035) as well as a reduced mutation frequency of SMAD4 (17.0% vs. 31.5%, p = 0.075) and CDKN2A (12.8% vs. 47.3%, p < 0.001) were observed in the Chinese cohort. Among the 41 individuals examined for programmed cell death ligand 1(PD-L1) expression, 15 (36.6%) had positive PD-L1 expression. The median tumor mutational burden (TMB) was found to be 12muts (range, 0124). The TMB index was higher in patients with mutant-type KRAS MUT/TP53 MUT (p < 0.001), CDKN2A (p = 0.547), or SMAD4 (p = 0.064) compared to patients with wild-type KRAS/TP53, CDKN2A, or SMAD4.

Conclusions

We exhibited real-world genetic traits and new alterations in Chinese individuals with cancer of the pancreas, which might have interesting implications for future individualized therapy and medication development.
No evidence for tactile entrainment of attention
Authors: Pomper Ulrich
Published: May 2023

Temporal patterns in our environment provide a rich source of information, to which endogenous neural processes linked to perception and attention can synchronize. This phenomenon, known as entrainment, has so far been studied predominately in the visual and auditory domains. It is currently unknown whether sensory phase-entrainment generalizes to the tactile modality, e.g., for the perception of surface patterns or when reading braille. Here, we address this open question via a behavioral experiment with preregistered experimental and analysis protocols. Twenty healthy participants were presented, on each trial, with 2 s of either rhythmic or arrhythmic 10 Hz tactile stimuli. Their task was to detect a subsequent tactile target either in-phase or out-of-phase with the rhythmic entrainment. Contrary to our hypothesis, we observed no evidence for sensory entrainment in response times, sensitivity or response bias. In line with several other recently reported null findings, our data suggest that behaviorally relevant sensory phase-entrainment might require very specific stimulus parameters, and may not generalize to the tactile domain.
Algorithm for Approximate Solving of a Nonlinear Boundary Value Problem for Generalized Proportional Caputo Fractional Differential Equations
Authors: Golev Angel , Hristova Snezhana , Rahnev Asen
Published: May 2023

In this paper an algorithm for approximate solving of a boundary value problem for a nonlinear differential equation with a special type of fractional derivative is suggested. This derivative is called a generalized proportional Caputo fractional derivative. The new algorithm is based on the application of the monotone-iterative technique combined with the method of lower and upper solutions. In connection with this, initially, the linear fractional differential equation with a boundary condition is studied, and its explicit solution is obtained. An appropriate integral fractional operator for the nonlinear problem is constructed and it is used to define the mild solutions, upper mild solutions and lower mild solutions of the given problem. Based on this integral operator we suggest a scheme for obtaining two monotone sequences of successive approximations. Both sequences consist of lower mild solutions and lower upper solutions of the studied problem, respectively. The monotonic uniform convergence of both sequences to mild solutions is proved. The algorithm is computerized and applied to a particular example to illustrate the theoretical investigations.
Real-Time Interval Type-2 Fuzzy Control of an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle with Flexible Cable-Connected Payload
Authors: Candan Fethi , Dik Omer Faruk , Kumbasar Tufan , Mahfouf Mahdi , Mihaylova Lyudmila
Published: May 2023

This study presents the design and real-time applications of an Interval Type-2 Fuzzy PID (IT2-FPID) control system on an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) with a flexible cable-connected payload in comparison to the PID and Type-1 Fuzzy PID (T1-FPID) counterparts. The IT2-FPID control has significant stability, disturbance rejection, and response time advantages. To prove and show these advantages, the DJI Tello, a commercial UAV, is used with a flexible cable-connected payload to test the robustness of PID, T1-FPID, and IT2-FPID controllers. First, the optimal coefficients of the compared controllers are found using the Big Bang–Big Crunch algorithm via the nonlinear UAV model without the payload. Second, once optimised, the controllers are tested using several scenarios, including disturbing the payload and the coverage path planning area to examine their robustness. Third, the controller performance results are evaluated according to reference achievement and point-based tracking under disturbances. Finally, the superiority of the IT2-FPID controller is shown via simulations and real-time experiments with a better overshoot, a faster settling time, and good properties of disturbance rejection compared with the PID and the T1-FPID controllers.
Design and Experiment of Lightweight Dual-Mode Automatic Variable-Rate Fertilization Device and Control System
Authors: Bai Qiuwei , Luo Hongpin , Fu Xinglan , Zhang Xin , Li Guanglin
Published: May 2023

China’s agricultural facilities are developing rapidly and are mainly operated through household contracting. Due to a lack of suitable variable-rate fertilization devices, manual and blind fertilization still widely exists, resulting in fertilizer waste and environmental pollution. Meanwhile, existing fertilization devices cannot simultaneously meet the needs of different fertilization methods for crop cultivation, increasing the cost of mechanized fertilization. This study developed a lightweight dual-mode automatic variable-rate fertilization device and control system for strip fertilization and spreading fertilization. The least squares method was used to analyze the amount of fertilizer discharged per second at different volumes and rotational speeds of the fertilization device. The quadratic polynomial model fits well, with determination coefficients greater than 0.99. The automatic variable strip fertilization and spreading fertilization control models were established. Experiments with strip fertilization and spreading fertilization were carried out. The results of strip fertilization experiments show that the maximum relative error (Re) for granular nitrogen fertilizer (NF) was 6.81%, compound fertilizer (CF) was 6.2%, organic compound fertilizer (OCF) was 6.83%, and the maximum coefficient of variation (Cv) of uniformity was 8.91%. The results of spreading fertilization experiments show that the maximum Re of granular NF was 7.31%, granular CF was 6.76%, granular OCF was 7.43%, the Cv of lateral uniformity was 9.88%, and the Cv of total uniformity was 14.17%. The developed fertilization device and control system can meet the needs of different fertilization amounts, types, and methods for facility crop cultivation at different stages. This study’s results can provide a theoretical basis and technical support for designing and optimizing multifunctional precision variable-rate fertilization devices and control systems.
Investigating the Potassium Fertilization Effect on Morphological and Agrophysiological Indicators of Durum Wheat under Mediterranean Rain-Fed Conditions
Authors: Messaoudi Amina , Labdelli Fatiha , Rebouh Nazih , Djerbaoui Malika , Kucher Dmitry , Hadjout Salah , Ouaret Walid , Zakharova Olga , Latati Mourad
Published: May 2023

It is well known that balanced and optimal mineral fertilization (i.e., nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium) can increase yield and improve wheat quality. However, there is little scientific knowledge on the specific effect of potassium (K) fertilization on the morphological and qualitative characteristics of rainfed durum wheat under Mediterranean conditions, especially in the context of Algerian agriculture. Therefore, the main objective of this study is to provide crucial information on this important type of durum wheat mineral nutrition for farmers and researchers working in similar areas. The field study was conducted in the Northern Algerian region of Mitidja during the 2020/2021 and 2021/2022 growing seasons. The effect of K fertilization was evaluated within five contrasted rates of K: 0 kg k2O ha−1, 100 kg k2O ha−1, 200 kg k2O ha−1, 300 kg k2O ha−1, and 400 kg k2O ha−1, which were applied on one of the most commonly cultivated cultivars of durum wheat (Simeto). Results showed that increasing potassium levels had a positive and significant impact only on grain yield, spike length, spike neck, and dry matter. Hence, the highest grain yield of durum wheat (2.58 t ha−1) was demonstrated under low K application (100 kg k2O ha−1). This rate leads to an increase in grain yield by more than 0.6 t ha−1, as compared to the unfertilized control. Moreover, the thousand-grain weight of durum wheat was significantly increased by 4.11 g and 1.96 g, respectively, under low and moderate (200 kg k2O ha−1) K-fertilization, as compared to the control. In terms of grain yield quality, low K application provides an increase of 1.21% in protein content as compared to that measured under the control treatment. The major finding confirmed that both growth and yield indicators of durum wheat were globally optimized under low K application. Based on grain yield and evaluated agronomic traits, this research revealed that an applied K rate of 100 kg k2O ha−1 is recommended as the most effective dose to maximize durum wheat yield and quality under Algerian sub-humid conditions.
Mitigating the Impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Crop Farming: A Nanotechnological Approach
Authors: Akinhanmi Fadekemi O. , Ayanda Opeyemi I. , Ahuekwe Eze F. , Dedeke Gabriel A.
Published: May 2023

COVID-19 is a highly infectious respiratory disease that resulted in a global pandemic that has affected every stage and sector of life. Although it is mainly seen as a health issue, its impacts and ripple effects also resonated in the education, technology, agriculture, and research fields, creating socio-economic disruptions across the globe. In a bid to curb the wide spread of the disease, diverse sudden restriction measures were adopted, which had implications on food security and food availability via supply shortages and agricultural disruptions. Scientific studies such as those regarding nanotechnological developments, which had been underway for improving food quality and crop improvement, were also slowed down due to the complexities of the pandemic and global restrictions. Nanotechnology is a developing and promising field for further development of crop productivity by enhancing the proficiency of agricultural resources, thereby increasing food yield and food security. The application of nanotechnology crop farming involves the use of nano-scale materials that can be formulated into nano-emulsion, nano-capsule, nano-fertilizer, nano-pesticide, and nano-biosensor applications for improved agricultural productivity. In as much as the challenges of nanotoxicity could raise health and environmental concerns, advances in the biosynthesis of nanomaterials potentially allay such fears and concerns. Furthermore, these ideas will help in bridging the gap created by the pandemic on food availability, food security, and agriculture. This review focuses on the implications of the COVID-19 pandemic on nanotechnological applications for improved crop productivity and nanotechnological mitigation strategies on the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, risk assessment, and regulatory issues surrounding nano-crop farming, and this study provides an insight into future research directions for nanotechnological improvements in crop farming and the sustainable development of nano-enabled agriculture.
Morphological, Molecular and Genomic Identification and Characterisation of Monilinia fructicola in Prunus persica from Portugal
Authors: Baltazar Elsa , Rodrigues Sara , Ares Aitana , Camelo Alexandra , Brandão Inês , Espirito Santo Christophe , Trovão João , Garcia Eva , Costa Joana
Published: May 2023

In Portugal, the Cova da Beira region is well-known for the production of Prunus spp. and is considered the main peach production area in the country. In the spring of 2021 and 2022, field surveys in peach and nectarine orchards showed symptoms of decline such as cankers, gummosis, dry branches, abortion of flowers, mummified fruits and the partial or total death of some plants. Brown rot is caused by three species of the genus Monilinia, M. fructigena, M. laxa and M. fructicola, the last is an OEPP/EPPO A2 quarantine organism on peach trees. Brown rot disease had previously been described in the Cova da Beira region, however, the recent high mortality and severity of symptoms raised doubts as to the species involved. Symptomatic plant material was collected from thirteen orchards and used for fungal isolation and molecular detection according to the OEPP/EPPO standard. M. fructicola was confirmed morphologically and molecularly in two orchards, and molecularly (duplex real-time PCR) detected in two others. Whole genome sequencing using Oxford Nanopore MinION was also carried out to confirm the identification. Pathogenicity tests were performed on peach, nectarine and sweet cherry fruit according to Koch’s postulates. Based on all the results obtained, we report the first detection of M. fructicola in P. persica in Portugal.
Supplementation with Antimicrobial Peptides or a Tannic Acid Can Effectively Replace the Pharmacological Effects of Zinc Oxide in the Early Stages of Weaning Piglets
Authors: Tan Limin , Xi Yuyue , Zhou Chengyu , Xu Yetong , Pang Jiaman , Peng Xie , Tang Zhiru , Sun Weizhong , Sun Zhihong
Published: May 2023

Zinc oxide (ZnO) harms the environment and can potentially increase the number of drug-resistant bacteria. Therefore, there is an urgent need to find safe and effective alternatives to improve gut health and reduce the incidence of diarrhea in weaned piglets. This study conducted an antibacterial test of ZnO, antibacterial peptides (AMPs), and tannic acid (TA) in vitro. Thirty piglets were randomly allotted to one of the following three dietary treatments: ZnO (2000 mg/kg ZnO diet), AMPs (700 mg/kg AMPs diet), and TA (1000 mg/kg TA diet). The results showed that the minimum inhibitory concentrations of ZnO and TA against Escherichia coli and Salmonella were lower than those of AMPs, and the minimum inhibitory concentrations of ZnO, AMPs, and TA against Staphylococcus aureus were the same. Compared to ZnO, AMPs increased the digestibility of dry, organic matter and the crude fat. Additionally, TA significantly (p < 0.05) increased the digestibility of dry and organic matter. On experimental day 14, the plasma interleukin-6 (IL-6) content of piglets supplemented with AMPs and TA was increased significantly (p < 0.05). On experimental day 28, alanine aminotransferase activity in the plasma of weaned piglets in the ZnO and TA groups was significantly (p < 0.05) higher than in piglets in the AMPs group. The levels of plasma IL-6 and immunoglobulin M (IgM) were significantly higher (p < 0.05) in the ZnO and AMPs groups than in the TA group. On experimental days 14 and 28, no significant differences were observed in the antioxidant capacity among the three experimental groups. Intestinal microbial diversity analysis showed that the Chao1 and ACE indices of piglets in the AMPs group were significantly higher (p < 0.05) than those in the ZnO and TA groups. At the genus level, the relative abundance of Treponema_2 was higher in the feces of piglets fed a diet supplemented with TA than in those fed diet supplemented with ZnO (p < 0.05). The relative abundance of Lachnospiraceae was higher in the feces of piglets fed a diet supplemented with AMPs than in those fed diet supplemented with ZnO or TA. Overall, AMPs and TA could be added to feed as substitutes for ZnO to reduce diarrhea, improve nutrient digestibility and immunity, and increase the abundance of beneficial intestinal bacteria in weaned piglets.
Millimeter-Wave High-Gain Dual-Polarized Flat Luneburg Lens Antenna with Reflection Cancellation
Authors: Zhang Yan , Luo Yinsen , Ji Ran
Published: May 2023

Because of its good beam coverage and beam scanning abilities, the Luneburg lens (LL) is a promising multibeam antenna for the fifth-generation (5G) wireless communications. However, the conventional LL has a spherical formfactor, exhibiting a large volume, large weight, and curvature surface, all of which limit the adoption of an LL in practice. To alleviate the problem, a flat LL is proposed, with transformation optics to convert the conventional spherical structure into a flat one. However, a high permittivity distribution is usually required in a transformed flat LL, causing of server reflections, which further degenerates the performance of the LL in terms of both gain and efficiency. In this article, a millimeter-wave dual-polarized flat Luneburg lens antenna (FLLA) is proposed following the transformation of optics, and implemented using multilayer PCBs, where a reflection cancellation method is introduced to optimize the multilayer structure to improve its gain and efficiency. The designed FLLA is exemplified in the Ka-band and fed using a dual-polarized patch antenna. The measured results show that the designed FLLA has an impedance bandwidth (|S11| ≤ −10 dB) of 27.5–32.6 GHz, a gain of 16.8–18.8 dBi over the operating band, and a beam scanning range up to ±25°/±24° with a gain loss of 1.72 dB/1.7 dB in either E- or H-plane, respectively.
Development and Evaluation of Deep Learning-Based Reconstruction Using Preclinical 7T Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Authors: Tsuji Naoki , Kobayashi Takuma , Ueda Junpei , Saito Shigeyoshi
Published: May 2023

This study investigated a method for improving the quality of images with a low number of excitations (NEXs) based on deep learning using T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the heads of normal Wistar rats to achieve higher image quality and a shorter acquisition time. A 7T MRI was used to acquire T2-weighted images of the whole brain with NEXs = 2, 4, 8, and 12. As a preprocessing step, non-rigid registration of the acquired low NEX images (NEXs = 2, 4, 8) and NEXs = 12 images was performed. A residual dense network (RDN) was used for training. A low NEX image was used as the input to the RDN, and the NEX12 image was used as the correct image. For quantitative evaluation, we measured the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), peak SNR, and structural similarity index measure of the original image and the image obtained by RDN. The NEX2 results are presented as an example. The SNR of the cortex was 10.4 for NEX2, whereas the SNR of the image reconstructed with RDN for NEX2 was 32.1. (The SNR NEX12 was 19.6) In addition, the PSNR in NEX2 was significantly increased to 35.4 ± 2.0 compared to the input image and to 37.6 ± 2.9 compared to the reconstructed image (p = 0.05). The SSIM in NEX2 was 0.78 ± 0.05 compared to the input image and 0.91 ± 0.05 compared to the reconstructed image (p = 0.0003). Furthermore, NEX2 succeeded in reducing the shooting time by 83%. Therefore, in preclinical 7T MRI, supervised learning between the NEXs using RDNs can potentially improve the image quality of low NEX images and shorten the acquisition time.
A Wireless Sensor System for Diabetic Retinopathy Grading Using MobileViT-Plus and ResNet-Based Hybrid Deep Learning Framework
Authors: Wan Zhijiang , Wan Jiachen , Cheng Wangxinjun , Yu Junqi , Yan Yiqun , Tan Hai , Wu Jianhua
Published: May 2023

Traditional fundus image-based diabetic retinopathy (DR) grading depends on the examiner’s experience, requiring manual annotations on the fundus image and also being time-consuming. Wireless sensor networks (WSNs) combined with artificial intelligence (AI) technology can provide automatic decision-making for DR grading application. However, the diagnostic accuracy of the AI model is one of challenges that limited the effectiveness of the WSNs-aided DR grading application. Regarding this issue, we propose a WSN architecture and a parallel deep learning framework (HybridLG) for actualizing automatic DR grading and achieving a fundus image-based deep learning model with superior classification performance, respectively. In particular, the framework constructs a convolutional neural network (CNN) backbone and a Transformer backbone in a parallel manner. A novel lightweight deep learning model named MobileViT-Plus is proposed to implement the Transformer backbone of the HybridLG, and a model training strategy inspired by an ensemble learning strategy is designed to improve the model generalization ability. Experimental results demonstrate the state-of-the-art performance of the proposed HybridLG framework, obtaining excellent performance in grading diabetic retinopathy with strong generalization performance. Our work is significant for guiding the studies of WSNs-aided DR grading and providing evidence for supporting the efficacy of the AI technology in DR grading applications.
Editorial for the Special Issue, “Research on the Antioxidant, Antibacterial, and Anti-Drug Properties of Plant Ingredients”
Authors: Jianu Călin , Pop Georgeta
Published: May 2023

The increased consumer demand for safe foods has led to the development of new preservation techniques (e [...]
Magnetocaloric Properties and Critical Behaviour of the Sm2Ni17 Compound
Authors: Horcheni Jihed , Nouri Kamal , Jaballah Hamdi , Bessais Lotfi , Dhahri Essebti , Jemmali Mosbah
Published: May 2023

This paper presents a detailed study in the critical region around the Curie temperature to determine the universality class of the Sm2Ni17 intermetallic compound. The magnetocaloric effect has been studied on the basis of experimental measurements of magnetization. Maxwell’s relation and a phenomenological model are employed to find the change in magnetic entropy. The compound Sm2Ni17 presents a variation in entropy with a moderate maximum and a wide range of operating temperatures. Numerous approaches have been used to explore the spontaneous magnetization behaviour and inverse of the susceptibility, including the modified Arrott technique, the Kouvel–Fisher approach, and the fitting of the critical isotherm. The scaling hypothesis has been used to confirm the validity and interdependence of the critical exponents associated with these phenomena.
A Systematic Review on Lithium-Ion Battery Disassembly Processes for Efficient Recycling
Authors: Wu Shubiao , Kaden Nicolaj , Dröder Klaus
Published: May 2023

Recycling plays a crucial role in achieving a sustainable production chain for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), as it reduces the demand for primary mineral resources and mitigates environmental pollution caused by improper disposal. Disassembly of the LIBs is typically the preliminary step preceding chemical recovery operations, facilitating early separation of components consisting of different materials. Despite that extensive research has been conducted on the chemical processes involved in the recycling of LIBs, systematic studies on disassembly processes in the recycling process are relatively scarce. In this research, a systematic review was conducted on the publications from major databases, such as Scopus, SpringerLink, and others, to explore the current state of disassembly processes in LIBs’ recycling. The results emphasize disassembly as a crucial process for achieving a high material separation rate and ensuring a high degree of purity of the recycled active material. Moreover, automated disassembly can significantly raise productivity and reduce disassembly costs. Thus, it improves disassembly efficiency and increases economic as well as environmental benefits. Most researchers have focused on disassembly at the pack or module level. Investigation into extending the disassembly depth from cell to individual components is limited, particularly in automated approaches. Therefore, further research is highly recommended to explore the feasibility and potential of novel automated disassembly procedures at the cell level. This can contribute to improving the efficiency and sustainability of the recycling process for LIBs.
Sensory Profile of Monferace Wine: An ‘Old-Style’ Vinification Approach for Grignolino, a Red Indigenous Italian Variety
Authors: Carla Cravero Maria , Bonello Federica , Asproudi Andriani , Gianotti Silvia , Ronco Mario , Petrozziello Maurizio
Published: May 2023

Grignolino is an autochthonous Italian red variety cultivated in Piedmont (north-west Italy), used in high percentages (90–100%) to produce three main different DOC wines, generally consumed young. The Monferace project was born of an idea of 12 winegrowers wanting to create a new “old style” Grignolino red wine and inspired by ancient winemaking techniques of this variety. Monferace wine is produced following a discipline which gives some guidelines but no indications on the vinification technique or on the variety of wood to be used. The percentage of Grignolino grapes should be 100% and the ageing of 40 months, 24 of which are spent in wooden barrels of differing volumes. The aim of this work is the definition of the sensory profile of Monferace wines during ageing. The sensory analysis on 10 Monferace wines (2019 vintage) was assessed after approximately 11 months of ageing in wood. A trained panel carried out the wine sensory descriptive analysis (sensory profile) with a methodology derived from ISO norms. The results showed that all the wines were characterized by 16 attributes: color (garnet red, orange highlights), odor (rose, violet, nutmeg, pepper, blackberries, cherries, jam/marmalade, dry herbaceous, boisé-oak wood) and taste (acidity, bitterness, astringency, structure (body) and taste–olfactory persistence). Some attributes were, quantitatively, not statistically different: acidity, bitterness, astringency. All the other attributes discriminated the wines with different intensities, and each wine had a specificity. These preliminary results demonstrated the cohesion of sensory attributes among the wines, with individual distinctions within each product, and indicated that Monferace is a very promising wine style for the Grignolino variety.
Serum Concentration of Growth Differentiation Factor 15 and Atherosclerosis among General Older Japanese Individuals with Normal Weight
Authors: Shimizu Yuji , Hayashida Naomi , Yamanashi Hirotomo , Noguchi Yuko , Kawashiri Shin-Ya , Takada Midori , Arima Kazuhiko , Nakamichi Seiko , Nagata Yasuhiro , Maeda Takahiro
Published: May 2023

Growth differentiation factor 15 (GDF-15), which modulates cellular energy balance, is reported to be positively associated with cardiovascular disease. However, there have been no reports about the association between serum GDF-15 concentration and atherosclerosis as evaluated by carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) among the general population. A cross-sectional study of 536 Japanese individuals aged 60 to 69 years was conducted. To avoid the influence of abnormal cellular energy balance, this study only included participants who had a normal body mass index (BMI) and normal thyroid hormone (free thyroxine and free triiodothyronine) levels. A significant positive association between serum GDF-15 concentration and atherosclerosis was observed. In the sex- and age-adjusted model (Model 1), the odds ratio (OR) (95% confidence interval (CI)) for the logarithmic value of GDF-15 and atherosclerosis was 2.62 (1.67, 5.87). This association remained after adjusting for thyroid function and renal function (Model 2) and further adjusting for known cardiovascular risk factors (Model 3). The corresponding values were 2.61 (1.15, 5.93) for Model 2 and 2.49 (1.08, 5.71) for Model 3, respectively. Serum GDF-15 concentrations could help us to estimate the risk of atherosclerosis by indicating the status of cellular energy balance, which is related to mitochondrial activity among comparative healthy older individuals.
Miniaturized Rapid Electrochemical Immunosensor Based on Screen Printed Carbon Electrodes for Mycobacterium tuberculosis Detection
Authors: Zouaghi Noura , Aziz Shahid , Shah Imran , Aamouche Ahmed , Jung Dong-won , Lakssir Brahim , Ressami El Mostafa
Published: May 2023

In 2019, over 21% of an estimated 10 million new tuberculosis (TB) patients were either not diagnosed at all or diagnosed without being reported to public health authorities. It is therefore critical to develop newer and more rapid and effective point-of-care diagnostic tools to combat the global TB epidemic. PCR-based diagnostic methods such as Xpert MTB/RIF are quicker than conventional techniques, but their applicability is restricted by the need for specialized laboratory equipment and the substantial cost of scaling-up in low- and middle-income countries where the burden of TB is high. Meanwhile, loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) amplifies nucleic acids under isothermal conditions with a high efficiency, helps in the early detection and identification of infectious diseases, and can be performed without the need for sophisticated thermocycling equipment. In the present study, the LAMP assay was integrated with screen-printed carbon electrodes and a commercial potentiostat for real time cyclic voltammetry analysis (named as the LAMP-Electrochemical (EC) assay). The LAMP-EC assay was found to be highly specific to TB-causing bacteria and capable of detecting even a single copy of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) IS6110 DNA sequence. Overall, the LAMP-EC test developed and evaluated in the present study shows promise to become a cost-effective tool for rapid and effective diagnosis of TB.
Dietary Intake of Flavonoids Associated with Sleep Problems: An Analysis of Data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2007–2010
Authors: Wang Lingman , Gui Jianxiong , Ding Ran , Yang Xiaoyue , Yang Jiaxin , Luo Hanyu , Huang Dishu , Han Ziyao , Jiang Li
Published: May 2023

Flavonoids possess the latent ability to protect against sleep disorders. We examined the correlation between daily flavonoid intake and sleep duration, and sleep disorders. We enrolled 8216 participants aged ≥ 20 from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES, 2007–2010), carrying out a cross-sectional study. Flavonoid intake was collected by dietary intake interview recalls. Logistic regression was utilized to evaluate the association between flavonoid intake sleep duration, and sleep disorders. We used subgroup and interaction analysis to explore differences between subgroups. When adjusting covariates in model 2, anthocyanidins, flavan-3-ols, flavones, flavonols, and the sum of flavonoids were considerably related to insufficient sleep duration (odds ratio (OR) (95% confidence interval (CI)); 0.83 (0.72, 0.95); 0.91 (0.83, 0.98); 0.63 (0.41, 0.98); 0.78 (0.64, 0.94); 0.85 (0.76, 0.95), respectively); the converse association was observed between flavanones, and flavones and the risk of sleep disorders (OR (95% CI); 0.85 (0.77, 0.95); 0.61 (0.41, 0.90), respectively). In relation to insufficient sleep, there were statistically significant interactions between flavonoid consumption and race/ethnicity, and education level. In relation to insufficient sleep, there were statistically significant interactions between flavonoid consumption and working status. In this study, we found that certain flavonoids were linked to increased sleep duration and a lower risk of sleep problems. Our research indicated that flavonoids might be a preventive factor for sleep disorders.
Novel Investigational Agents and Pathways That May Influence the Future Management of Acute Myeloid Leukemia
Authors: Premnath Naveen , Madanat Yazan F.
Published: May 2023

Acute Myeloid leukemia (AML) is a clinically heterogeneous disease with a 5-year overall survival of 32% between 2012 to 2018. The above number severely dwindles with age and adverse risk of disease, presenting opportunities for new drug development and is an area of dire unmet need. Basic science and clinical investigators across the world have been working on many new and old molecule formulations and combination strategies to improve outcomes in this disease. In this review, we discuss select promising novel agents in various stages of clinical development for patients with AML.
NTRK Gene Fusions in Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer: Real-World Screening Data of 1068 Unselected Patients
Authors: Overbeck Tobias Raphael , Reiffert Annika , Schmitz Katja , Rittmeyer Achim , Körber Wolfgang , Hugo Sara , Schnalke Juliane , Lukat Laura , Hugo Tabea , Hinterthaner Marc , Reuter-Jessen Kirsten , Schildhaus Hans-Ulrich
Published: May 2023

(1) Background: The main objectives of our study are (i) to determine the prevalence of NTRK (neurotrophic tyrosine kinase) fusions in a routine diagnostic setting in NSCLC (non-small cell lung cancer) and (ii) to investigate the feasibility of screening approaches including immunohistochemistry (IHC) as a first-line test accompanied by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) and RNA-(ribonucleic acid-)based next-generation sequencing (RNA-NGS). (2) Methods: A total of 1068 unselected consecutive patients with NSCLC were screened in two scenarios, either with initial IHC followed by RNA-NGS (n = 973) or direct FISH testing (n = 95). (3) Results: One hundred and thirty-three patients (14.8%) were IHC positive; consecutive RNA-NGS testing revealed two patients (0.2%) with NTRK fusions (NTRK1-EPS15 (epidermal growth factor receptor pathway substrate 15) and NTRK1-SQSTM1 (sequestosome 1)). Positive RNA-NGS was confirmed by FISH, and NTRK-positive patients benefited from targeted treatment. All patients with direct FISH testing were negative. RNA-NGS- or FISH-positive results were mutually exclusive with alterations in EGFR (epidermal growth factor receptor), ALK (anaplastic lymphoma kinase), ROS1 (ROS proto-oncogene 1), BRAF (proto-oncogene B-Raf), RET (rearranged during transfection) or KRAS (kirsten rat sarcoma viral oncogene). Excluding patients with one of these alterations raised the prevalence of NTRK-fusion positivity among panTrk-(tropomyosin receptor kinase-) IHC positive samples to 30.5%. (4) Conclusions: NTRK fusion-positive lung cancers are exceedingly rare and account for less than 1% of patients in unselected all-comer populations. Both RNA-NGS and FISH are suitable to determine clinically relevant NTRK fusions in a real-world setting. We suggest including panTrk-IHC in a diagnostic workflow followed by RNA-NGS. Excluding patients with concurrent molecular alterations to EGFR/ALK/ROS1/BRAF/RET or KRAS might narrow the target population.
Extracellular Vesicles Released by Genetically Modified Macrophages Activate Autophagy and Produce Potent Neuroprotection in Mouse Model of Lysosomal Storage Disorder, Batten Disease
Authors: El-Hage Nazira , Haney Matthew J. , Zhao Yuling , Rodriguez Myosotys , Wu Zhanhong , Liu Mori , Swain Carson J. , Yuan Hong , Batrakova Elena V.
Published: May 2023

Over the recent decades, the use of extracellular vesicles (EVs) has attracted considerable attention. Herein, we report the development of a novel EV-based drug delivery system for the transport of the lysosomal enzyme tripeptidyl peptidase-1 (TPP1) to treat Batten disease (BD). Endogenous loading of macrophage-derived EVs was achieved through transfection of parent cells with TPP1-encoding pDNA. More than 20% ID/g was detected in the brain following a single intrathecal injection of EVs in a mouse model of BD, ceroid lipofuscinosis neuronal type 2 (CLN2) mice. Furthermore, the cumulative effect of EVs repetitive administrations in the brain was demonstrated. TPP1-loaded EVs (EV-TPP1) produced potent therapeutic effects, resulting in efficient elimination of lipofuscin aggregates in lysosomes, decreased inflammation, and improved neuronal survival in CLN2 mice. In terms of mechanism, EV-TPP1 treatments caused significant activation of the autophagy pathway, including altered expression of the autophagy-related proteins LC3 and P62, in the CLN2 mouse brain. We hypothesized that along with TPP1 delivery to the brain, EV-based formulations can enhance host cellular homeostasis, causing degradation of lipofuscin aggregates through the autophagy–lysosomal pathway. Overall, continued research into new and effective therapies for BD is crucial for improving the lives of those affected by this condition.