bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Isolation, Characterization, and Identification of Zinc-Solubilizing Bacteria (ZSB) from Wetland Rice Fields in Peninsular Malaysia
Authors: Othman Nur Maizatul Idayu , Othman Radziah , Zuan Ali Tan Kee , Shamsuddin Aida Soraya , Zaman Nur Badriyah Kamarul , Sari Norazlina Abu , Panhwar Qurban Ali
Published: November 2022

Micronutrients, such as zinc (Zn), are essential for the growth and development of a wide range of crops. To overcome Zn deficiency in the soil, Zn-solubilizing bacteria (ZSB) have recently been employed. In the present study, samples from the rice fields in the state of Selangor, Malaysia, were collected to isolate, characterize, and identify the ZSB. A total of 88 strains were isolated, and only 9 strains were able to solubilize the insoluble Zn on zinc oxide (ZnO)-, zinc carbonate (ZnCO3)-, and zinc phosphate (Zn3(PO4)2)-amended Tris-minimal media agar and broth assays. The highest Zn solubilization (20.99%) was measured for the TM23 isolate when exposed to Zn3(PO4)2-modified media culture, whereas ZnCO3 showed the lowest (3.35%) Zn solubilization by ZSB. In addition, nine isolated ZSB also exhibited plant-growth-promoting (PGP) traits, including nitrogen fixation ability, siderophore production, indole acetic acid production (35.28–65.48 mL−1), phosphate solubilization (27.69–77.38%), enzyme hydrolysis, and production of organic acids. Most of the isolated strains (88) were Gram-negative, except for TM54, which was Gram-positive. The four potential ZSB isolates based on 16RS rDNA sequence analysis were identified as Serratia sp. and Acinetobacter sp. Hence, this study’s findings suggest that these isolates could be prospective candidates to overcome Zn deficiencies and reduce the consumption of chemical fertilizers in agricultural areas.
The Relationship between Land Transfer and Agricultural Green Production: A Collaborative Test Based on Theory and Data
Authors: Zang Dungang , Yang Sen , Li Fanghua
Published: November 2022

Under the background of tighter resource and environmental constraints, whether and how land transfer can promote the green development of agriculture has become a realistic question that needs to be answered urgently. This paper analyzes the internal mechanism between land transfer and agricultural green production by using property rights theory and sustainable development theory. Taking the data of the “investigation on household energy consumption and green agricultural development” in Sichuan Province in 2022 as a sample, it empirically analyzes the impact of land transfer on agricultural green production by using OLS and 2SLS models. The results show that: (1) land inflow significantly improves the level of agricultural green production, with a unit impact of 22.3%; (2) whereas land outflow will inhibit agricultural green production, with a unit impact of 5.46%; (3) the family’s long-term agricultural labor, social capital, migrant experience, non-agricultural income, and household clean energy use have a promoting effect on agricultural green production; (4) age, education level, health level and agricultural subsidies inhibit agricultural green production; (5) the heterogeneity analysis found that the inflow of land would significantly promote the level of green agricultural production of farmers who have environmental awareness, have been village cadres, have purchased agricultural insurance, and have not suffered from agricultural disasters; (6) agricultural training, farmers’ digital literacy, and agricultural related loans have a positive and strengthened regulatory role in the impact of land transfer on agricultural green production. Based on this, this paper gets policy enlightenment from the government, market, and farmers.
Potential Impact of Future Climates on Rice Production in Ecuador Determined Using Kobayashi’s ‘Very Simple Model’
Authors: Portalanza Diego , Horgan Finbarr G. , Pohlmann Valeria , Vianna Cuadra Santiago , Torres-Ulloa Malena , Alava Eduardo , Ferraz Simone , Durigon Angelica
Published: November 2022

Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is the main staple food of more than 50% of the world’s population. However, global production may need to increase by more than 70% before 2050 to meet global food requirements despite increasing challenges due to environmental degradation, a changing climate, and extreme weather events. Rice production in Ecuador, mainly concentrated in lowland tropical plains, declined in recent years. In this paper, we aim to calibrate and validate Kobayashi’s ‘Very Simple Model’ (VSM) and, using downscaled corrected climate data, to quantify the potential impact of climate change on rice yields for Ecuador’s two main rice-growing provinces. The negative impact is expected to be highest (up to −67%; 2946 tons) under the Representative Concentration Pathway (RCP) 8.5, with a lower impact under RCP 2.6 (−36%; 1650 tons) yield reduction in the Guayas province. A positive impact on yield is predicted for Los Ríos Province (up to 9%; 161 tons) under RCP 8.5. These different impacts indicate the utility of fine-scale analyses using simple models to make predictions that are relevant to regional production scenarios. Our prediction of possible changes in rice productivity can help policymakers define a variety of requirements to meet the demands of a changing climate.
Using Image Analysis and Regression Modeling to Develop a Diagnostic Tool for Peanut Foliar Symptoms
Authors: Renfroe-Becton Hope , Kirk Kendall R. , Anco Daniel J.
Published: November 2022

Peanut foliar diseases and disorders can be difficult to rapidly diagnose with little experience because some abiotic and biotic symptoms present similar symptoms. Developing algorithms for automated identification of peanut foliar diseases and disorders could potentially provide a quick, affordable, and easy method for diagnosing peanut symptoms. To examine this, images of peanut leaves were captured from various angles, distances, and lighting conditions using various cameras. Color space data from all images was subsequently extracted and subjected to logistic regression. Separate algorithms were developed for each symptom to include healthy, hopperburn, late leaf spot, Provost injury, tomato spotted wilt, paraquat injury, or surfactant injury. The majority of these symptoms are not included within currently available disease identification mobile apps. All of the algorithms developed for peanut foliar diagnostics were ≥ 86% accurate. These diagnostic algorithms have the potential to be a valuable tool for growers if made available via a web-accessible platform, which is the next step of this work.
Features of the Hydrosulfate Method for Processing Alumina-Containing Raw Materials in a Closed Reagent Cycle
Authors: Khamizov Ruslan Kh. , Zaitsev Victor A. , Gruzdeva Alexandra N.
Published: November 2022

The decrease in the availability of high-quality bauxites makes the processing of high-silica raw materials inevitable, and in this regard, it is necessary to develop acid–salt methods suitable for these ores. The purpose of the work was to study various stages of the hydrosulfate method for processing alumina-containing raw materials on the example of nepheline concentrate in order to investigate the possibilities of their improvement. A. The distribution of various macro- and meso-components of leaching between phases at the stage of isolation of ammonium alum depending on sulfate concentration were experimentally and theoretically studied. It was shown that, with an increase in the total concentration of sulfate in the equilibrium mother liquor, the concentration of main impurity components, including iron, in a solid phase decreases significantly. To obtain relatively pure alum, it was recommended to use ammonium hydrosulfate with a concentration of at least 4 mol/L. B. Different embodiments for further purification of alum were explored. It was found that the use of the recrystallization process in the presence of small additions of sodium thiosulfate reduces the content of iron impurities in alum by almost an order of magnitude. C. A method for isolating purer final product was demonstrated. Isolation of ammonium aluminum carbonate hydroxide (ASACH), as a precursor of high-purity alumina, using ammonium bicarbonate is currently the most promising method in the hydrosulfate technology. In combination with the process of recrystallization, the preparation of AACH makes it possible to eliminate the need for expensive methods of selective sorption or extraction for deep purification of aqueous solutions of alum.
CRSAtt: By Capturing Relational Span and Using Attention for Relation Classification
Authors: Shao Cong , Li Min , Li Gang , Zhou Mingle , Han Delong
Published: November 2022

Relation classification is an important fundamental task in information extraction, and convolutional neural networks have been commonly applied to relation classification with good results. In recent years, due to the proposed pre-training model BERT, the use of which as a feature extraction architecture has become more and more popular, convolutional neural networks have gradually withdrawn from the stage of NLP, and the relation classification/extraction model based on pre-training BERT has achieved state-of-the-art results. However, none of these methods consider how to accurately capture the semantic features of the relationships between entities to reduce the number of noisy words in a sentence that are not helpful for relation classification. Moreover, these methods do not have a systematic prediction structure to fully utilize the extracted features for the relational classification task. To address these problems, a SpanBert-based relation classification model is proposed in this paper. Compared with existing Bert-based architectures, the model is able to understand the semantic information of the relationships between entities more accurately, and it can fully utilize the extracted features to represent the degree of dependency of a pair of entities with each type of relationship. In this paper, we design a feature fusion method called “SRS” (Strengthen Relational Semantics) and an attention-based prediction structure. Compared with existing methods, the feature fusion method proposed in this paper can reduce the noise interference of irrelevant words when extracting relational semantics, and the prediction structure proposed in this paper can make full use of semantic features for relational classification. We achieved advanced results on the SemEval-2010 Task 8 and the KBP37 relational dataset.
An Automatic Geometric Registration Method for Multi Temporal 3D Models
Authors: Shang Haixing , Ju Guanghong , Li Guilin , Li Zufeng , Ren Chaofeng
Published: November 2022

The application research of ground change detection based on multi-temporal 3D models is attracting more and more attention. However, the conventional methods of using UAV GPS-supported bundle adjustment or measuring ground control points before each data collection are not only economically costly, but also have insufficient geometric accuracy. In this paper, an automatic geometric-registration method for multi-temporal 3D models is proposed. First, feature points are extracted from the highest resolution texture image of the 3D model, and their corresponding spatial location information is obtained based on the triangular mesh of the 3D model, which is then converted into 3D spatial-feature points. Second, the transformation model parameters of the 3D model to be registered relative to the base 3D model are estimated by the spatial-feature points with the outliers removed, and all the vertex positions of the model to be registered are updated to the coordinate system of the base 3D model. The experimental results show that the position measurement error of the ground object is less than 0.01 m for the multi-temporal 3D models obtained by the method of this paper. Since the method does not require the measurement of a large number of ground control points for each data acquisition, its application to long-period, high-precision ground monitoring projects has great economic and geometric accuracy advantages.
Clinical Application and Biomechanics of Various Lingual Retractors with Temporary Skeletal Anchorage Devices: A Narrative Review
Authors: Choi Jin-Young , Kim Kyung-A , Lee Jhong , Lee Ye-Seul , Chung Kyu-Rhim , Park Ki-Ho
Published: November 2022

The lingual retractor is an appliance with esthetic advantages and biomechanical superiority in the retraction of anterior teeth, when used in combination with temporary skeletal anchorage devices (TSADs). These appliances can address the patients’ chief complaint during the early stages of bialveolar protrusion treatment. This narrative review presents the clinical applications and biomechanics of various lingual retractors with TSADs.This review includes all research and case reports related to various lingual retractors such as the C-lingual retractor (CLR), double J retractor (DJR), and antero-posterior lingual retractor (APLR). Anterior torque and vertical control can be achieved with all three types of lingual retractors by changing the length of the lever arms and the position of the TSADs. Torquing springs in DJR are designed to slide along palatal mini-implants or to apply intermaxillary elastics to counteract retroclination of the incisors during space closure. APLR allows three-dimensional control of the anterior tooth movement with anterior lever arms, guide bars, posterior tubes, and position of TSADs. Various lingual retractors with TSADs are effectively proper anterior torque and vertical control.
Self-Heating of Annealed Ti/Al/Ni/Au Contacts to Two-Dimensional Electron Gas in AlGaN/GaN Heterostructures
Authors: Šermukšnis Emilis , Jorudas Justinas , Šimukovič Artūr , Kovalevskij Vitalij , Kašalynas Irmantas
Published: November 2022

In this work, we investigated the self-heating effects of annealed Ti/Al/Ni/Au ohmic contacts and two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) in AlGaN/GaN heterostructures under strong electric field by using the short pulse current–voltage and microwave noise measurement techniques. The experimental results demonstrated that the self-heating phenomena in ohmic contacts with the increase of current may dominate over the electrical performances of 2DEG channel. Moreover, the excess noise temperature of contact resistance was found to be more than four times higher than that of 2DEG channel at the same high current density values. The results reveal the importance of self-heating of the ohmic contacts on the device performance under short-duration (only 100 ns) and low-duty-cycle (only 10−5) pulse regime.
Fault Diagnosis Algorithm of Beam Pumping Unit Based on Transfer Learning and DenseNet Model
Authors: Wu Yu , Feng Ziming , Liang Jing , Liu Qichen , Sun Deqing
Published: November 2022

The difficulty of collecting fault data samples is one of the application problems of the deep learning method in fault diagnosis of mechanical production; the second is that when the depth of the learning network increases, the network accuracy is saturated or even decreased. Therefore, based on the deep learning algorithm and the DenseNet model, this paper establishes a fault diagnosis model for the beam pumping unit through the transfer learning method. The model uses the global pooling layer as the classifier. The model is used to classify and test various working conditions such as wax deposition, pump leakage, insufficient liquid supply, and pump leakage in oil wells. The results show that the model can obtain a classification model with high accuracy by learning a limited number of sample data; in the case of uneven data samples, the model can also basically complete the task classification task accurately. Through the evaluation of the test set, the model has an average accuracy of more than 95% in identifying various working conditions.
The Electronic Switch of Windings of a Standard BLDC Motor
Authors: Carev Vadim , Roháč Jan , Tkachenko Sergey , Alloyarov Konstantin
Published: November 2022

Nowadays, one of the most promising areas in the motor industry is the production of BLDC motors, which are used in a wide range of applications and products—from power tools to electrical vehicles. The windings of BLDC motors are connected according to the Delta or Star circuits. However, such circuits (Delta or Star) do not allow dynamically changing the parameters of the BLDC motor during operation and thus reducing the overall motor efficiency. This paper deals with and proposes an electronic switch of the BLDC motor windings, which brings an advantage in having a capability of dynamically switching the windings during operation and thus increasing the efficiency of the BLDC motor performance.
SwitchFuzz: Switch Short-Term Goals in Directed Grey-Box Fuzzing
Authors: He Ziheng , Jia Peng , Fang Yong , Liu Yuying , Luo Hairu
Published: November 2022

In recent years, fuzzing has become a powerful tool for security researchers to uncover security vulnerabilities. It is used to discover software vulnerabilities by continuously generating malformed inputs to trigger bugs. Directed grey-box fuzzing has also been widely used in the verification of patch testing and in vulnerability reproduction. For directed grey-box fuzzing, the core problem is to make test cases reach the target and trigger vulnerabilities faster. Selecting seeds that are closer to the target site to be mutated first is an effective method. For this purpose, the DGF calculates the distance between the execution path and the target site by a specific algorithm. However, as time elapses in the execution process, the seeds covering a larger amount of basic blocks may be overlooked due to their long distances. At the same time, directed fuzzing often ignores the impact of coverage on test efficiency, resulting in a local optimum problem without accumulating enough valuable test cases. In this paper, we analyze and discuss these problems and propose SwitchFuzz, a fuzzer that can switch short-term goals during execution. SwitchFuzz keeps shortening the distance of test cases to reach the target point when it performs well and prioritizes reaching the target point. When positive feedback is not achieved over a period of time, SwitchFuzz tries to explore more possibilities. We compared the efficiency of SwitchFuzz with that of AFLGO in setting single target and multiple targets for crash recurrence in our experiments, respectively. The results show that SwitchFuzz produces a significant improvement over AFLGO in both the speed and the probability of triggering a specified crash. SwitchFuzz can discover more edges than AFLGO in the same amount of time and can generate seeds with smaller distances.
Limonin Derivatives via Hydrogenation: Structural Identification and Anti-Inflammatory Activity Evaluation
Authors: Yang Jingguo , Hu Yuhong , Chang Kuan
Published: November 2022

Limonin is a natural compound which is rich in the fruit of various plants of the Rutaceae family and demonstrated to have a wide range of biological activities. In this work, seven limonin derivatives were successfully synthesized by hydrogenation of limonin, using different reducing agents (sodium cyanoborohydride, lithium aluminum hydride, and sodium borohydride). The chemical structure of the seven derivatives was characterized and identified by a series of techniques, including HR-ESI-MS, 1H-NMR, 13C-NMR, 2D-NMR, and IR. Among the seven limonin derivatives, six limonin derivatives were found to be new compounds which have not been previously reported. Then, the anti-inflammatory activities of the seven synthesized limonin derivatives, as well as the anti-inflammatory activities of eight known natural limonins, were evaluated and compared. Natural limonins, 30-O-Acetylhainangranatumin E and Xylogranatin A, presented significantly better anti-inflammatory activity. Xylogranatin A could inhibit LPS-induced RAW264.7 cell inflammatory factors, with a 90.0% inhibition ratio of TNF-α and 63.77% inhibition ratio of NO release in LPS-induced BV2 cells at 10 μM. Other natural limonins showed poor anti-inflammatory activity. In comparison, all the synthetic limonin derivatives showed decent anti-inflammatory activities, with the highest inhibition ratio of TNF-α of 37.8% and inhibition ratio of NO release of 12.5% in LPS-induced BV2 cells at 10 μM.
Evaluating the Impact of Vehicular Aerosol Emissions on Particulate Matter (PM2.5) Formation Using Modeling Study
Authors: Sánchez-Ccoyllo Odón R. , Llacza Alan , Ayma-Choque Elizabeth , Alonso Marcelo , Castesana Paula , Andrade Maria de Fatima
Published: November 2022

Automobile emissions in urban cities, such as Peru, are significant; however, there are no published studies of the effects of these emissions on PM2.5 (fine particulate matter) formation. This study aims to analyze the contributions of vehicle aerosol emissions to the surface mass concentration of PM2.5 in the Metropolitan Area of Lima and Callao (MALC), one of the most polluted cities in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) known to have high concentrations of PM2.5. In February 2018, we performed two numerical simulations (control and sensitivity) using the Weather Research and Forecasting model coupled with Chemistry (WRF-Chem). We considered both trace gasses and aerosol emissions from on-road traffic for the baseline simulation (hereinafter referred to as “control”); gasses without particulate emissions from vehicles were considered for the sensitivity simulation (hereinafter referred to as WithoutAerosol). For control, the model’s performance was evaluated using in situ on-ground PM2.5 observations. The results of the predicted PM2.5 concentration, temperature, and relative humidity at 2 m, with wind velocity at 10 m, indicated the accuracy of the model for the control scenario. The results for the WithoutAerosol scenario indicated that the contributions of vehicular trace gasses to secondary aerosols PM2.5 concentrations was 12.7%; aerosol emissions from road traffic contributed to the direct emissions of fine aerosol (31.7 ± 22.6 µg/m3).
Application of Symmetry-Adapted Atomic Amplitudes
Authors: Fritzsche Stephan
Published: November 2022

Following the work of Giulio Racah and others from the 1940s onward, the rotational symmetry of atoms and ions, e.g., the conservation of angular momentum, has been utilized in order to efficiently predict atomic behavior, from their level structure to the interaction with external fields, and up to the angular distribution and polarization of either emitted or scattered photons and electrons, while this rotational symmetry becomes apparent first of all in the block-diagonal structure of the Hamiltonian matrix, it also suggests a straight and consequent use of symmetry-adapted interaction amplitudes in expressing the observables of most atomic properties and processes. We here emphasize and discuss how atomic structure theory benefits from exploiting this symmetry, especially if open-shell atoms and ions in different charge states need to be combined with electrons in the continuum. By making use of symmetry-adapted amplitudes, a large number of excitation, ionization, recombination or even cascade processes can be formulated rather independently of the atomic shell structure and in a language close to the formal theory. The consequent use of these amplitudes in existing codes such as Grasp will therefore qualify them to deal with the recently emerging demands for developing general-purpose tools for atomic computations.
Newtic1 Is a Component of Globular Structures That Accumulate along the Marginal Band of Erythrocytes in the Limb Blastema of Adult Newt, Cynops pyrrhogaster
Authors: Chen Xutong , Ando Ryo , Casco-Robles Roman Martin , Casco-Robles Martin Miguel , Maruo Fumiaki , Obata Shuichi , Chiba Chikafumi
Published: November 2022

In adult newts, when a limb is amputated, a mesenchymal cell mass called the blastema is formed on the stump, where blood vessels filled with premature erythrocytes, named polychromatic normoblasts (PcNobs), elongate. We previously demonstrated that PcNobs in the blastema express an orphan gene, Newtic1, and that they secrete growth factors such as BMP2 and TGFβ1 into the surrounding tissues. However, the relationship between Newtic1 expression and growth factor secretion was not clear since Newtic1 was thought to encode a membrane protein. In this study, we addressed this issue using morphological techniques and found that the Newtic1 protein is a component of globular structures that accumulate at the marginal band in the cytoplasm along the equator of PcNobs. Newtic1-positive (Newtic1(+)) globular structures along the equator were found only in PcNobs with a well-developed marginal band in the blastema. Newtic1(+) globular structures were associated with microtubules and potentially incorporated TGFβ1. Based on these observations, we propose a hypothesis that the Newtic1 protein localizes to the membrane of secretory vesicles that primarily carry TGFβ1 and binds to microtubules, thereby tethering secretory vesicles to microtubules and transporting them to the cell periphery as the marginal band develops.
Chitosan Micro-Membranes with Integrated Gold Nanoparticles as an LSPR-Based Sensing Platform
Authors: Meira Diana I. , Proença Manuela , Rebelo Rita , Barbosa Ana I. , Rodrigues Marco S. , Borges Joel , Vaz Filipe , Reis Rui L. , Correlo Vitor M.
Published: November 2022

Currently, there is an increasing need to develop highly sensitive plasmonic sensors able to provide good biocompatibility, flexibility, and optical stability to detect low levels of analytes in biological media. In this study, gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) were dispersed into chitosan membranes by spin coating. It has been demonstrated that these membranes are particularly stable and can be successfully employed as versatile plasmonic platforms for molecular sensing. The optical response of the chitosan/Au NPs interfaces and their capability to sense the medium’s refractive index (RI) changes, either in a liquid or gas media, were investigated by high-resolution localized surface plasmon resonance (HR-LSPR) spectroscopy, as a proof of concept for biosensing applications. The results revealed that the lowest polymer concentration (chitosan (0.5%)/Au-NPs membrane) presented the most suitable plasmonic response. An LSPR band redshift was observed as the RI of the surrounding media was incremented, resulting in a sensitivity value of 28 ± 1 nm/RIU. Furthermore, the plasmonic membrane showed an outstanding performance when tested in gaseous atmospheres, being capable of distinguishing inert gases with only a 10−5 RI unit difference. The potential of chitosan/Au-NPs membranes was confirmed for application in LSPR-based sensing applications, despite the fact that further materials optimization should be performed to enhance sensitivity.
Micro-/Nano-Structured Biodegradable Pressure Sensors for Biomedical Applications
Authors: Shin Yoo-Kyum , Shin Yujin , Lee Jung Woo , Seo Min-Ho
Published: November 2022

The interest in biodegradable pressure sensors in the biomedical field is growing because of their temporary existence in wearable and implantable applications without any biocompatibility issues. In contrast to the limited sensing performance and biocompatibility of initially developed biodegradable pressure sensors, device performances and functionalities have drastically improved owing to the recent developments in micro-/nano-technologies including device structures and materials. Thus, there is greater possibility of their use in diagnosis and healthcare applications. This review article summarizes the recent advances in micro-/nano-structured biodegradable pressure sensor devices. In particular, we focus on the considerable improvement in performance and functionality at the device-level that has been achieved by adapting the geometrical design parameters in the micro- and nano-meter range. First, the material choices and sensing mechanisms available for fabricating micro-/nano-structured biodegradable pressure sensor devices are discussed. Then, this is followed by a historical development in the biodegradable pressure sensors. In particular, we highlight not only the fabrication methods and performances of the sensor device, but also their biocompatibility. Finally, we intoduce the recent examples of the micro/nano-structured biodegradable pressure sensor for biomedical applications.
Novel Pumping Methods for Microfluidic Devices: A Comprehensive Review
Authors: Iakovlev Aleksei P. , Erofeev Alexander S. , Gorelkin Petr V.
Published: November 2022

This review is an account of methods that use various strategies to control microfluidic flow control with high accuracy. The reviewed systems are divided into two large groups based on the way they create flow: passive systems (non-mechanical systems) and active (mechanical) systems. Each group is presented by a number of device fabrications. We try to explain the main principles of operation, and we list advantages and disadvantages of the presented systems. Mechanical systems are considered in more detail, as they are currently an area of increased interest due to their unique precision flow control and “multitasking”. These systems are often applied as mini-laboratories, working autonomously without any additional operations, provided by humans, which is very important under complicated conditions. We also reviewed the integration of autonomous microfluidic systems with a smartphone or single-board computer when all data are retrieved and processed without using a personal computer. In addition, we discuss future trends and possible solutions for further development of this area of technology.
Boredom in the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Danckert James
Published: November 2022

The past two and half years have been witness to an extraordinary global pandemic with obvious and devastating health outcomes [...]
Synthesis and Electrocatalytic Activity of Bismuth Tungstate Bi2WO6 for Rhodamine B Electro-Oxidation
Authors: Ait Ahsaine Hassan , BaQais Amal , Arab Madjid , Bakiz Bahcine , Benlhachemi Abdeljalil
Published: November 2022

Herein, we have synthesized different BWO samples at different temperatures and evaluated their electrochemical oxidation of Rhodamine B dye in an aqueous medium. The prepared samples were characterized using X-ray diffraction combined with Rietveld refinements, scanning electron microscope coupled with energy dispersive elemental mapping, and thermogravimetric and differential thermal analyses. All the samples crystallize in the orthorhombic Pca21 structure. The crystallite size increased with temperature. The calculated surface areas from the XRD data ranged from 38 to 7 m2 g−1 for BWO-600 to BWO-900, respectively. The optimal BWO loadings on the GCE electrode were 5 × 10−8 mol cm−2 recording the best electrocatalytic efficiency for RhB electrodegradation in 15 min (100%) in 0.1 M of NaCl. The BWO-600 recorded the best activity compared to other BWO samples. The electrocatalytic activity was explained by the high surface area and small crystallite size compared to the other samples. The BWO-600 showed extended electrode reutilization for up to four cycles of reuse under the reported conditions.
A Study of the Degradation of LEV by Transparent PVA/NCD-TiO2 Nanocomposite Films with Enhanced Visible-Light Photocatalytic Activity
Authors: Jiang Anhua , Huang Xinwen , Zhang Geshan , Yang Wanquan
Published: November 2022

In recent years, antibiotics (such as levofloxacin (LEV)) have been detected widely in the environment. Semiconductor photocatalysis has been recognized as a promising technology for removing pollutants in the environment. In this work, nitrogen and carbon codoped titanium dioxide nano-catalyst (NCD-TiO2) was immobilized in polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) matrix to form PVA/NCD-TiO2 films through solution casting and thermal treatment, which exhibited good photocatalytic efficiency for LEV degradation. The results showed that about 42% LEV can be degraded after 2 h in the presence of PVA/NCD-TiO2 nanocomposite film (the weight ratio of NCD-TiO2 to PVA is 8% and thermal treatment is 120 °C) under visible light. Moreover, possible pathways of photocatalytic degradation of LEV according to the detected intermediates are proposed, which provide insight into the degradation mechanism of LEV by using PVA/NCD-TiO2 photocatalytic films. Finally, the synthesized PVA/NCD-TiO2 films exhibited excellent reusability and stability in photocatalysis. This work provides fundamental support for the design of a high-stability, excellent photocatalyst for practical application.
Enhancing an Oxidative “Trojan Horse” Action of Vitamin C with Arsenic Trioxide for Effective Suppression of KRAS-Mutant Cancers: A Promising Path at the Bedside
Authors: Burska Agata N. , Ilyassova Bayansulu , Dildabek Aruzhan , Khamijan Medina , Begimbetova Dinara , Molnár Ferdinand , Sarbassov Dos D.
Published: November 2022

The turn-on mutations of the KRAS gene, coding a small GTPase coupling growth factor signaling, are contributing to nearly 25% of all human cancers, leading to highly malignant tumors with poor outcomes. Targeting of oncogenic KRAS remains a most challenging task in oncology. Recently, the specific G12C mutant KRAS inhibitors have been developed but with a limited clinical outcome because they acquire drug resistance. Alternatively, exploiting a metabolic breach of KRAS-mutant cancer cells related to a glucose-dependent sensitivity to oxidative stress is becoming a promising indirect cancer targeting approach. Here, we discuss the use of a vitamin C (VC) acting in high dose as an oxidative “Trojan horse” agent for KRAS-mutant cancer cells that can be potentiated with another oxidizing drug arsenic trioxide (ATO) to obtain a potent and selective cytotoxic impact. Moreover, we outline the advantages of VC’s non-natural enantiomer, D-VC, because of its distinctive pharmacokinetics and lower toxicity. Thus, the D-VC and ATO combination shows a promising path to treat KRAS-mutant cancers in clinical settings.
Breast Cancer Cells Reprogram the Oncogenic lncRNAs/mRNAs Coexpression Networks in Three-Dimensional Microenvironment
Authors: Nuñez-Olvera Stephanie I. , Aguilar-Arnal Lorena , Cisneros-Villanueva Mireya , Hidalgo-Miranda Alfredo , Marchat Laurence A. , Salinas-Vera Yarely M. , Ramos-Payán Rosalio , Pérez-Plasencia Carlos , Carlos-Reyes Ángeles , Puente-Rivera Jonathan , López-Camarillo Cesar
Published: November 2022

Organotypic three-dimensional (3D) cell cultures more accurately mimic the characteristics of solid tumors in vivo in comparison with traditional two-dimensional (2D) monolayer cell models. Currently, studies on the regulation of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have not been explored in breast cancer cells cultured in 3D microenvironments. In the present research, we studied the expression and potential roles of lncRNAs in estrogen receptor-positive luminal B subtype BT-474 breast cancer cells grown over extracellular matrix proteins-enriched 3D cultures. Global expression profiling using DNA microarrays identifies 290 upregulated and 183 downregulated lncRNAs in 3D cultures relative to 2D condition. Using a co-expression analysis approach of lncRNAs and mRNAs pairs expressed in the same experimental conditions, we identify hundreds of regulatory axes modulating genes involved in cancer hallmarks, such as responses to estrogens, cell proliferation, hypoxia, apical junctions, and resistance to endocrine therapy. In addition, we identified 102 lncRNAs/mRNA correlations in 3D cultures, which were similar to those reported in TCGA datasets obtained from luminal B breast cancer patients. Interestingly, we also found a set of mRNAs transcripts co-expressed with LINC00847 and CTD-2566J3.1 lncRNAs, which were predictors of pathologic complete response and overall survival. Finally, both LINC00847 and CTD -2566J3.1 were co-expressed with essential genes for cancer genetic dependencies, such as FOXA1 y GINS2. Our experimental and predictive findings show that co-expressed lncRNAs/mRNAs pairs exhibit a high degree of similarity with those found in luminal B breast cancer patients, suggesting that they could be adequate pre-clinical tools to identify not only biomarkers related to endocrine therapy response and PCR, but to understand the biological behavior of cancer cells in 3D microenvironments.
Host Response of Human Epidermis to Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Biofilm Infection and Synthetic Antibiofilm Peptide Treatment
Authors: Wu Bing (Catherine) , Blimkie Travis M. , Haney Evan F. , Falsafi Reza , Akhoundsadegh Noushin , Hancock Robert E. W.
Published: November 2022

Bacterial biofilm infections associated with wounded skin are prevalent, recalcitrant, and in urgent need of treatments. Additionally, host responses in the skin to biofilm infections are not well understood. Here we employed a human organoid skin model to explore the transcriptomic changes of thermally-injured epidermis to methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) biofilm colonization. MRSA biofilm impaired skin barrier function, enhanced extracellular matrix remodelling, elicited inflammatory responses including IL-17, IL-12 family and IL-6 family interleukin signalling, and modulated skin metabolism. Synthetic antibiofilm peptide DJK-5 effectively diminished MRSA biofilm and associated skin inflammation in wounded human ex vivo skin. In the epidermis, DJK-5 shifted the overall skin transcriptome towards homeostasis including modulating the biofilm induced inflammatory response, promoting the skin DNA repair function, and downregulating MRSA invasion of thermally damaged skin. These data clarified the underlying immunopathogenesis of biofilm infections and revealed the intrinsic promise of synthetic peptides in reducing inflammation and biofilm infections.
Analysis of Homologous Regions of Small RNAs MIR397 and MIR408 Reveals the Conservation of Microsynteny among Rice Crop-Wild Relatives
Authors: Dash Prasanta K. , Gupta Payal , Pradhan Sharat Kumar , Shasany Ajit Kumar , Rai Rhitu
Published: November 2022

MIRNAs are small non-coding RNAs that play important roles in a wide range of biological processes in plant growth and development. MIR397 (involved in drought, low temperature, and nitrogen and copper (Cu) starvation) and MIR408 (differentially expressed in response to environmental stresses such as copper, light, mechanical stress, dehydration, cold, reactive oxygen species, and drought) belong to conserved MIRNA families that either negatively or positively regulate their target genes. In the present study, we identified the homologs of MIR397 and MIR408 in Oryza sativa and its six wild progenitors, three non-Oryza species, and one dicot species. We analyzed the 100 kb segments harboring MIRNA homologs from 11 genomes to obtain a comprehensive view of their community evolution around these loci in the farthest (distant) relatives of rice. Our study showed that mature MIR397 and MIR408 were highly conserved among all Oryza species. Comparative genomics analyses also revealed that the microsynteny of the 100 kb region surrounding MIRNAs was only conserved in Oryza spp.; disrupted in Sorghum, maize, and wheat; and completely lost in Arabidopsis. There were deletions, rearrangements, and translocations within the 100 kb segments in Oryza spp., but the overall microsynteny of the region was maintained. The phylogenetic analyses of the precursor regions of all MIRNAs under study revealed a bimodal clade of common origin. This comparative analysis of miRNA involved in abiotic stress tolerance in plants provides a powerful tool for future Oryza research. Crop wild relatives (CWRs) offer multiple traits with potential to decrease the amount of yield loss owing to biotic and abiotic stresses. Using a comparative genomics approach, the exploration of CWRs as a source of tolerance to these stresses by understanding their evolution can be further used to leverage their yield potential.
Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation in Refractory Crohn’s Disease: Should It Be Considered?
Authors: Reider Simon , Binder Lukas , Fürst Stefan , Hatzl Stefan , Blesl Andreas
Published: November 2022

Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is widely used in benign and malignant hematological diseases. During the last decade, HSCT, mainly autologous, also gained increasing attention in the treatment of refractory autoimmune diseases. Crohn’s disease (CD) is an inflammatory bowel disease leading to transmural inflammation potentially affecting all parts of the luminal gastrointestinal tract. Despite improving therapeutic options, including various biologics, some patients are refractory to all lines of available conservative therapy, leading to increased morbidity and reduced quality of life. Apart from surgery, HSCT might be a reasonable treatment alternative for refractory CD patients. This review aims to describe the current role of HSCT in CD and discusses the procedure, the correct patient selection, the clinical efficacy from initial remission to following relapse rates, and complications of this treatment.
Box–Behnken Design Optimizing Sugarcane Bagasse-Based Nitrogen-Doped Carbon Quantum Dots Preparation and Application in Ferric Ion Detection
Authors: Sun Shouxiang , Guo Shuai , Qin Qin , Liao Yexin , Li Mei , Du Fangkai
Published: November 2022

Sugarcane bagasse is an abundant biomass waste and a promising carbon source for preparing carbon-based materials such as carbon quantum dots (CQDs). Low quantum yield is a major problem for sugarcane bagasse-based carbon quantum dots. Heteroatom-doped modification is an efficient approach to improve the quantum yield. A facile hydrothermal carbonization method was applied to synthesize the nitrogen-doped carbon quantum dot N-CQDs using urea as the nitrogen source. The synthetic procedure was determined by the single-factor experiments and the response surface methodology (RSM) based on Box–Behnken design (BBD). The optical properties of optimized N-CQD-13 were more excellent than those of undoped CQD. Higher quantum yields (both absolute and relative) were observed in N-CQD-13. Additionally, N-CQD-13 exhibited high stability for long-time storage and excellent pH tolerance in aqueous solutions. N-CQD-13 were applied to detect Fe3+ in aqueous solutions with a low detection limit of 0.44 μM. The fluorescence lifetime decay of the N-CQD-13 solutions untreated and treated with Fe3+ indicated the probable involvement of a dynamic fluorescence-quenching mechanism. Thus, this work explored a reliable method for the high-quality utilization of bagasse.
Repurposing HIV Protease Inhibitors Atazanavir and Darunavir as Antifungal Treatments against Candida albicans Infections: An In Vitro and In Vivo Study
Authors: Fenley Juliana de C. , de Barros Patrícia P. , Carmo Paulo H. F. do , Garcia Maíra T. , Rossoni Rodnei D. , Junqueira Juliana C.
Published: November 2022

Candida albicans is the chief etiological agent of candidiasis, a mycosis prevalent in individuals with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). In recent years, the introduction of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) protease inhibitors (HIV-PI) has reduced the prevalence of candidiasis in these patients. Seeking new therapeutic strategies based on the perspective of drug repositioning, we evaluated the effects of two second-generation HIV-PIs, atazanavir (ATV) and darunavir (DRV), on virulence factors of C. albicans and experimental candidiasis. For this, clinical strains of C. albicans were subjected to in vitro and in vivo treatments with ATV or DRV. As a result, ATV and DRV exhibited antifungal activity against fungal cells at 512 μg/mL, reduced the viability and biomass of biofilms, and inhibited filamentation of C. albicans. In addition, these HIV-PIs downregulated the expression of SAP2 and BRC1 genes of C. albicans. In an in vivo study, prophylactic use of ATV and DRV prolonged the survival rate of Galleria mellonella larvae infected with C. albicans. Therefore, ATV and DRV showed activity against C. albicans by reducing cell growth, biofilm formation, filamentation, and expression of virulence genes. Furthermore, ATV and DRV decreased experimental candidiasis, suggesting the repurposing of HIV-PIs as antifungal treatments for C. albicans infections.
Electrophoretic Deposition and Corrosion Resistance of TiB2-Chitosan Coating on 6Cr13 Martensitic Stainless Steel
Authors: Song Xin , Hu Yong , Qi Huiping , Yan Zhijie
Published: November 2022

In this paper, TiB2-Chitosan coating was successfully fabricated on the surface of 6Cr13 martensitic stainless steel by electrophoretic deposition. The effects of different deposition voltage and deposition time on the coating morphology were investigated. The adhesion strength of the coating was characterized by Rockwell indentation, and it was proved that the adhesion strength of the coating was within HF1 degree. The corrosion resistance of coatings with different immersion time was studied by electrochemical test. The result shows that the 40 V/60 s sample has optimal comprehensive performance, and the TiB2-Chitosan coating can significantly improve the corrosion resistance of the substrate. The corrosion resistance of the coating decreases with the prolongation of the immersion time.
Impact of Adjunct Testosterone on Cancer-Related Fatigue: An Ancillary Analysis from a Controlled Randomized Trial
Authors: McGovern Kristen A. , Durham William J. , Wright Traver J. , Dillon E. Lichar , Randolph Kathleen M. , Danesi Christopher P. , Urban Randall J. , Sheffield-Moore Melinda
Published: November 2022

Many cancer patients undergoing treatment experience cancer-related fatigue (CRF). Inflammatory markers are correlated with CRF but are not routinely targeted for treatment. We previously demonstrated in an NIH-funded placebo-controlled, double-blind, randomized clinical trial (NCT00878995, closed to follow-up) that seven weekly injections of 100 mg adjunct testosterone preserved lean body mass in cancer patients undergoing standard-of-care treatment in a hospital setting. Because testosterone therapy can reduce circulating proinflammatory cytokines, we conducted an ancillary analysis to determine if this testosterone treatment reduced inflammatory burden and improved CRF symptoms and health-related quality of life. Randomization was computer-generated and managed by the pharmacy, which dispensed testosterone and placebo in opaque syringes to the administering study personnel. A total of 24 patients were randomized (14 placebo, 10 testosterone), and 21 were included in the primary analysis (11 placebo, 10 testosterone). Testosterone therapy did not ameliorate CRF symptoms (placebo to testosterone difference in predicted mean multidimensional fatigue symptom inventory scores: −5.6, 95% CI: −24.6 to 13.3), improve inflammatory markers, or preserve health-related quality of life and functional measures of performance in late-stage cancer patients.