bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Novel Adaptive Fractional Differential Active Contour Image Segmentation Method
Authors: Zhang Yanzhu , Yang Lijun , Li Yan
Published: October 2022

When the image is affected by strong noise and uneven intensity, the traditional active contour models often cannot obtain accurate results. In this paper, a novel adaptive fractional differential active contour image segmentation method is proposed to solve the above problem. At first, in order to extract more texture parts of the image, an adaptively fractional order matrix is constructed according to the gradient information of the image, varying the fractional order of each pixel. Then, the traditional edge-stopping function in the regularization term is susceptible to noise, and a new fractional-order edge-stopping function is designed to improve noise resistance. In this paper, a fitting term based on adaptive fractional differentiation is introduced to solve the problem of improper selection of the initial contour position leading to inaccurate segmentation results so that the initial contour position can be selected arbitrarily. Finally, the experimental results show that the proposed method can effectively improve the segmentation accuracy of noise images and weak-edge images and can arbitrarily select the position selection of the initial contour.
Prevalence of Anxiety and Depression during the COVID-19 Pandemic in a Sample of Houston-Based Middle Eastern and North African Residents
Authors: Zeidat Sarah , Fatima Bilqees , Yazdanfard Sahar , Atrooz Fatin , Majd Zahra , Abughosh Susan , Salim Samina
Published: October 2022

The COVID-19 pandemic has contributed to anxiety and depression in many communities across the United States. Here, we have focused on a sample of Houston-based Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) residents and assessed the prevalence of anxiety and depression in this community. The 7-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder and the 9-item Patient Health Questionnaires were used to identify the prevalence and severity of anxiety and depression, respectively. A sociodemographic, general health, and COVID-19 survey was used for a multivariable logistic regression model to determine predictors of anxiety and depression. The outcome of interest was “minimal/mild” versus “moderate/severe” anxiety and depression. A total of 368 participants completed the survey, with 24.73% reporting “moderate/severe” anxiety and 31.79% reporting “moderate/severe” depression. Male participants were less likely (OR = 0.29, 95% CI = 0.12, 0.75) to have “moderate/severe” anxiety compared to females. Respondents with self-reported depression were more likely (OR = 3.41, 95% CI = 1.33, 8.83) to have “moderate/severe” depression. Participants who reported having “Excellent/Good knowledge” about the prevention of COVID-19 spread were less likely (OR = 0.37, 95% CI = 0.15, 0.93) to have “moderate/severe” depression, and less likely (OR = 0.22, 95% CI = 0.07, 0.64) to have “moderate/severe” anxiety, compared to those who had “average/poor/terrible” knowledge. Identified predictors may be critical for designing culturally sensitive interventions to improve the healthcare of MENA Americans.
Nursing Home-Sensitive Hospitalizations and the Relevance of Telemedicine: A Scoping Review
Authors: Valk-Draad Maria Paula , Bohnet-Joschko Sabine
Published: October 2022

The aging of society is increasing the number of hospitalizations of nursing home residents. Telemedicine might help reduce the frequency of these potentially risk-associated hospitalizations. This scoping review looked for evidence of a change in the rate of hospitalization and, if mentioned, any cost savings and/or staff acceptance of the use of telemedicine in a nursing home setting. To identify available evidence, the electronic databases PubMed, Livivo, EBSCO and JSTOR were searched (without time or regional constraints) for comparative primary research studies on this topic in peer-reviewed journals. A total of 1127 articles were retrieved and 923 titles and abstracts were screened, with 16 studies published between 2001 and 2022 being included. Telemedicine consultation reduced the hospitalization of nursing home residents in 14/16 and care costs in 8/11 articles. Staff satisfaction was mentioned positively in five studies. Most studies used telemedicine involving medical diagnostic technologies (10), (electronic) health records (9), specialists (9) and specialized nursing staff (11). Few studies had a higher level of evidence: only one randomized clinical trial was included. There is the need for high credibility studies, using guidelines on protocol and reporting, to better understand the hindering and facilitating factors of telemedicine provision in the healthcare of nursing home residents.
Food, Energy, and Water Nexus at Household Level: Do Sustainable Household Consumption Practices Promote Cleaner Environment?
Authors: Shahbaz Pomi , ul Haq Shamsheer , Abbas Azhar , Samie Abdus , Boz Ismet , Bagadeem Salim , Yu Ziyue , Li Zhihui
Published: October 2022

Governments around the globe are trying to find sustainable solutions for lessening pressure on natural resources and reducing carbon emissions. Daily household consumption of food, energy, and water has an impact on stocks of natural resources, environmental quality, and climate change. Households have significant potential for increasing conservation actions for efficient use of natural resources and greenhouse gas emissions. Households could contribute to a clean and healthy environment by adopting sustainable household practices through lower per capita consumption and carbon emissions. This study explored the role of different sustainable household consumption practices in promoting a clean environment as well as the factors affecting the adoption of these practices in Pakistan. Factor analysis and an ordered probit model were used to analyze the data from 1424 participants chosen through a multistage random sampling technique. The factor analysis identified 35 sustainable household practices for sustainable consumption. These 35 practices were grouped into the underlying factors of “Food” (14 items), “Energy” (12 items), and “Water” (9 items). The results from the econometric model showed a significant relationship between gender, education, residential area, family size, and income and the adoption of sustainable household consumption practices. Statistically, higher levels of reported sustainable consumption practices were apparent among females, households living in urban areas, more educated people, individuals of large family sizes, and more affluent households. Therefore, public policies for taking care of the environment need to put households at the center while at the same time promoting mass uptake of sustainable consumption practices related to food, energy, and water. In addition, the sector-specific policies also need to be augmented through focus on household-level consumption and production dynamics for achieving the UN’s SDGs.
Feasibility of Biochar Derived from Sewage Sludge to Promote Sustainable Agriculture and Mitigate GHG Emissions—A Review
Authors: Ghorbani Mohammad , Konvalina Petr , Walkiewicz Anna , Neugschwandtner Reinhard W. , Kopecký Marek , Zamanian Kazem , Chen Wei-Hsin , Bucur Daniel
Published: October 2022

Sewage sludge (SS) has been connected to a variety of global environmental problems. Assessing the risk of various disposal techniques can be quite useful in recommending appropriate management. The preparation of sewage sludge biochar (SSB) and its impacts on soil characteristics, plant health, nutrient leaching, and greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) are critically reviewed in this study. Comparing the features of SSB obtained at various pyrolysis temperatures revealed changes in its elemental content. Lower hydrogen/carbon ratios in SSB generated at higher pyrolysis temperatures point to the existence of more aromatic carbon molecules. Additionally, the preparation of SSB has an increased ash content, a lower yield, and a higher surface area as a result of the rise in pyrolysis temperature. The worldwide potential of SS output and CO2-equivalent emissions in 2050 were predicted as factors of global population and common disposal management in order to create a futuristic strategy and cope with the quantity of abundant global SS. According to estimations, the worldwide SS output and associated CO2-eq emissions were around 115 million tons dry solid (Mt DS) and 14,139 teragrams (Tg), respectively, in 2020. This quantity will rise to about 138 Mt DS sewage sludge and 16985 Tg CO2-eq emissions in 2050, a 20% increase. In this regard, developing and populous countries may support economic growth by utilizing low-cost methods for producing biochar and employing it in local agriculture. To completely comprehend the benefits and drawbacks of SSB as a soil supplement, further study on long-term field applications of SSB is required.
Meanings and Experiences of End-of-Life Patients and Their Family Caregivers in Hospital-to-Home Transitions: A Constructivist Grounded Theory Study
Authors: Prado Eleandro , Marcon Sonia , Kalinke Luciana , da Silva Marcelle , Barreto Mayckel , Takemoto Angelica , Birolim Marcela , Laranjeira Carlos
Published: October 2022

This study explored the meanings and experiences of patients with terminal chronic diseases and their caregivers, who face the imminence of death in the home environment after hospital discharge. The qualitative study used constructivist grounded theory. The participants were individuals with a terminal chronic illness, discharged to home, and their family caregivers. Data were gathered from in-depth interviews and field notes, and a comparative analysis was conducted to identify categories and codes, according to Charmaz’s theory. The sample consisted of 21 participants. Three inter-related data categories emerged: “Floating between acceptance and resistance: Perceiving the proximity of death”, “Analysing the end from other perspectives: it is in the encounter with death that life is understood” and “Accepting the path: between the love of letting go and the love of wanting to stay”. The categories translate the reconstruction of those facing end-of-life occurring in the home environment. It is amid the imminence of death that life gains intensity and talking about the finitude of life configures an opportunity to see life from other perspectives. Giving voice to individuals facing the mishaps of a terminal illness fosters the path to a comfortable death. For health professionals, it is an opportunity to provide structured and humanized care with an ethical attitude, in defence of human dignity.
Mixture Risk Assessment of Complex Real-Life Mixtures—The PANORAMIX Project
Authors: Escher Beate I. , Lamoree Marja , Antignac Jean-Philippe , Scholze Martin , Herzler Matthias , Hamers Timo , Jensen Tina Kold , Audebert Marc , Busquet Francois , Maier Dieter , Oelgeschläger Michael , Valente Maria João , Boye Henriette , Schmeisser Sebastian , Dervilly Gaud , Piumatti Matteo , Motteau Soléne , König Maria , Renko Kostja , Margalef Maria , Cariou Ronan , Ma Yanying , Treschow Andreas Frederik , Kortenkamp Andreas , Vinggaard Anne Marie
Published: October 2022

Humans are involuntarily exposed to hundreds of chemicals that either contaminate our environment and food or are added intentionally to our daily products. These complex mixtures of chemicals may pose a risk to human health. One of the goals of the European Union’s Green Deal and zero-pollution ambition for a toxic-free environment is to tackle the existent gaps in chemical mixture risk assessment by providing scientific grounds that support the implementation of adequate regulatory measures within the EU. We suggest dealing with this challenge by: (1) characterising ‘real-life’ chemical mixtures and determining to what extent they are transferred from the environment to humans via food and water, and from the mother to the foetus; (2) establishing a high-throughput whole-mixture-based in vitro strategy for screening of real-life complex mixtures of organic chemicals extracted from humans using integrated chemical profiling (suspect screening) together with effect-directed analysis; (3) evaluating which human blood levels of chemical mixtures might be of concern for children’s development; and (4) developing a web-based, ready-to-use interface that integrates hazard and exposure data to enable component-based mixture risk estimation. These concepts form the basis of the Green Deal project PANORAMIX, whose ultimate goal is to progress mixture risk assessment of chemicals.
Crystal Design and Photoactivity of TiO2 Nanorod Template Decorated with Nanostructured Bi2S3 Visible Light Sensitizer
Authors: Liang Yuan-Chang , You Shao-Yu , Chen Bo-Yue
Published: October 2022

In this study, TiO2-Bi2S3 composites with various morphologies were synthesized through hydrothermal vulcanization with sputtering deposited Bi2O3 sacrificial layer method on the TiO2 nanorod templates. The morphologies of decorated Bi2S3 nanostructures on the TiO2 nanorod templates are controlled by the duration of hydrothermal vulcanization treatment. The Bi2S3 crystals in lumpy filament, nanowire, and nanorod feature were decorated on the TiO2 nanorod template after 1, 3, and 5 h hydrothermal vulcanization, respectively. Comparatively, TiO2-Bi2S3 composites with Bi2S3 nanowires exhibit the best photocurrent density, the lowest interfacial resistance value and the highest photodegradation efficiency towards Rhodamine B solution. The possible Z-scheme photoinduced charge separation mechanism and suitable morphology of Bi2S3 nanowires might account for the high photoactivity of TiO2 nanorod-Bi2S3 nanowire composites.
Identification of Glu-D1 Alleles and Novel Marker–Trait Associations for Flour Quality and Grain Yield Traits under Heat-Stress Environments in Wheat Lines Derived from Diverse Accessions of Aegilops tauschii
Authors: Mohamed Ikram Elsadig Suliman , Kamal Nasrein Mohamed , Mustafa Hala Mohamed , Abdalla Modather Galal Abdeldaim , Elhashimi Ashraf. M. A. , Gorafi Yasir Serag Alnor , Tahir Izzat Sidahmed Ali , Tsujimoto Hisashi , Tanaka Hiroyuki
Published: October 2022

Heat stress during grain filling is considered one of the major abiotic factors influencing wheat grain yield and quality in arid and semi-arid regions. We studied the effect of heat stress on flour quality and grain yield at moderate and continuous heat stress under natural field conditions using 147 lines of wheat multiple synthetic derivatives (MSD) containing Aegilops tauschii introgressions. The study aimed to identify the marker–trait associations (MTAs) for the quality traits and grain yield under heat-stress conditions and identify stress-resilient germplasm-combining traits for good flour quality and grain yield. The MSD lines showed considerable genetic variation for quality traits and grain yield under heat-stress conditions; some lines performed better than the recurrent parent, Norin 61. We identified two MSD lines that consistently maintained relative performance (RP) values above 100% for grain yield and dough strength. We found the presence of three high-molecular-weight glutenin subunits (HMW-GSs) at the Glu-D1 locus derived from Ae. tauschii, which were associated with stable dough strength across the four environments used in this study. These HMW-GSs could be potentially useful in applications for future improvements of end-use quality traits targeting wheat under severe heat stress. A total of 19,155 high-quality SNP markers were used for the genome-wide association analysis and 251 MTAs were identified, most of them on the D genome, confirming the power of the MSD panel as a platform for mining and exploring the genes of Ae. tauschii. We identified the MTAs for dough strength under heat stress, which simultaneously control grain yield and relative performance for dough strength under heat-stress/optimum conditions. This study proved that Ae. tauschii is an inexhaustible resource for genetic mining, and the identified lines and pleiotropic MTAs reported in this study are considered a good resource for the development of resilient wheat cultivars that combine both good flour quality and grain yield under stress conditions using marker-assisted selection.
Lung Tumor Cells with Different Tn Antigen Expression Present Distinctive Immunomodulatory Properties
Authors: Costa Valeria da , Mariño Karina V. , Rodríguez-Zraquia Santiago A. , Festari María Florencia , Lores Pablo , Costa Monique , Landeira Mercedes , Rabinovich Gabriel A. , van Vliet Sandra J. , Freire Teresa
Published: October 2022

Lung cancer is the first leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the world. Aberrant glycosylation in lung tumors leads to the expression of tumor-associated carbohydrate structures, such as the Tn antigen, consisting of N-acetyl-galactosamine (GalNAc) linked to a serine or threonine residue in proteins (α-GalNAc-O-Ser/Thr). The Tn antigen can be recognized by the Macrophage Galactose/GalNAc lectin (MGL), which mediates various immune regulatory and tolerogenic functions, mainly by reprogramming the maturation of function of dendritic cells (DCs). In this work, we generated two different Tn-expressing variants from the Lewis-type lung murine cancer cell line LL/2, which showed different alterations in the O-glycosylation pathways that influenced the interaction with mouse MGL2 and the immunomodulatory properties of DCs. Thus, the identification of the biological programs triggered by Tn+ cancer cells might contribute to an improved understanding of the molecular mechanisms elicited by MGL-dependent immune regulatory circuits.
Methionine γ-Lyase-Daidzein in Combination with S-Propyl-L-cysteine Sulfoxide as a Targeted Prodrug Enzyme System for Malignant Solid Tumor Xenografts
Authors: Abo Qoura Louay , Morozova Elena , Kulikova Vitalia , Karshieva Saida , Sokolova Darina , Koval Vasiliy , Revtovich Svetlana , Demidkina Tatyana , Pokrovsky Vadim S.
Published: October 2022

The purpose of this study was to determine the anticancer effect of dipropyl thiosulfinate produced in situ by the pharmacological pair: (1) conjugated with daidzein C115H methionine γ-lyase (EC 4.4.1.11, C115H MGL-Dz) and (2) the substrate, S-propyl-L-cysteine sulfoxide (propiin) against various solid tumor types in vitro and in vivo. The MTT test was used to calculate IC50 values for HT29, COLO205 and HCT116 (colon cancer); Panc1 and MIA-PaCa2 (pancreatic cancer); and 22Rv1, DU-145 and PC3 (prostate cancer). The most promising effect for colon cancer cells in vitro was observed in HT29 (IC50 = 6.9 µM). The IC50 values for MIA-PaCa2 and Panc1 were 3.4 and 3.8 µM, respectively. Among prostate cancer cells, 22Rv1 was the most sensitive (IC50 = 5.4 µM). In vivo antitumor activity of the pharmacological pair was studied in HT29, SW620, Panc1, MIA-PaCa2 and 22Rv1 subcutaneous xenografts in BALB/c nude mice. The application of C115H MGL-Dz /propiin demonstrated a significant reduction in the tumor volume of Panc1 (TGI 67%; p = 0.004), MIA-PaCa2 (TGI 50%; p = 0.011), HT29 (TGI 51%; p = 0.04) and 22Rv1 (TGI 70%; p = 0.043) xenografts. The results suggest that the combination of C115H MGL-Dz/propiin is able to suppress tumor growth in vitro and in vivo and the use of this pharmacological pair can be considered as a new strategy for the treatment of solid tumors.
Occurrence of Capnophilic Lactic Fermentation in the Hyperthermophilic Anaerobic Bacterium Thermotoga sp. Strain RQ7
Authors: Esercizio Nunzia , Lanzilli Mariamichela , Landi Simone , Caso Lucio , Xu Zhaohui , Nuzzo Genoveffa , Gallo Carmela , Manzo Emiliano , Esposito Sergio , Fontana Angelo , d’Ippolito Giuliana
Published: October 2022

Capnophilic lactic fermentation (CLF) is an anaplerotic pathway exclusively identified in the anaerobic hyperthermophilic bacterium Thermotoga neapolitana, a member of the order Thermotogales. The CO2-activated pathway enables non-competitive synthesis of hydrogen and L-lactic acid at high yields, making it an economically attractive process for bioenergy production. In this work, we discovered and characterized CLF in Thermotoga sp. strain RQ7, a naturally competent strain, opening a new avenue for molecular investigation of the pathway. Evaluation of the fermentation products and expression analyses of key CLF-genes by RT-PCR revealed similar CLF-phenotypes between T. neapolitana and T. sp. strain RQ7, which were absent in the non-CLF-performing strain T. maritima. Key CLF enzymes, such as PFOR, HYD, LDH, RNF, and NFN, are up-regulated in the two CLF strains. Another important finding is the up-regulation of V-ATPase, which couples ATP hydrolysis to proton transport across the membranes, in the two CLF-performing strains. The fact that V-ATPase is absent in T. maritima suggested that this enzyme plays a key role in maintaining the necessary proton gradient to support high demand of reducing equivalents for simultaneous hydrogen and lactic acid synthesis in CLF.
Erythropoietin Receptor (EPOR) Signaling in the Osteoclast Lineage Contributes to EPO-Induced Bone Loss in Mice
Authors: Awida Zamzam , Hiram-Bab Sahar , Bachar Almog , Saed Hussam , Zyc Dan , Gorodov Anton , Ben-Califa Nathalie , Omari Sewar , Omar Jana , Younis Liana , Iden Jennifer Ana , Graniewitz Visacovsky Liad , Gluzman Ida , Liron Tamar , Raphael-Mizrahi Bitya , Kolomansky Albert , Rauner Martina , Wielockx Ben , Gabet Yankel , Neumann Drorit
Published: October 2022

Erythropoietin (EPO) is a pleiotropic cytokine that classically drives erythropoiesis but can also induce bone loss by decreasing bone formation and increasing resorption. Deletion of the EPO receptor (EPOR) on osteoblasts or B cells partially mitigates the skeletal effects of EPO, thereby implicating a contribution by EPOR on other cell lineages. This study was designed to define the role of monocyte EPOR in EPO-mediated bone loss, by using two mouse lines with conditional deletion of EPOR in the monocytic lineage. Low-dose EPO attenuated the reduction in bone volume (BV/TV) in Cx3cr1Cre EPORf/f female mice (27.05%) compared to controls (39.26%), but the difference was not statistically significant. To validate these findings, we increased the EPO dose in LysMCre model mice, a model more commonly used to target preosteoclasts. There was a significant reduction in both the increase in the proportion of bone marrow preosteoclasts (CD115+) observed following high-dose EPO administration and the resulting bone loss in LysMCre EPORf/f female mice (44.46% reduction in BV/TV) as compared to controls (77.28%), without interference with the erythropoietic activity. Our data suggest that EPOR in the monocytic lineage is at least partially responsible for driving the effect of EPO on bone mass.
Intron-Dependent or Independent Pseudouridylation of Precursor tRNA Containing Atypical Introns in Cyanidioschyzon merolae
Authors: Nagato Yasuha , Tomikawa Chie , Yamaji Hideyuki , Soma Akiko , Takai Kazuyuki
Published: October 2022

Eukaryotic precursor tRNAs (pre-tRNAs) often have an intron between positions 37 and 38 of the anticodon loop. However, atypical introns are found in some eukaryotes and archaea. In an early-diverged red alga Cyanidioschyzon merolae, the tRNAIle(UAU) gene contains three intron coding regions, located in the D-, anticodon, and T-arms. In this study, we focused on the relationship between the intron removal and formation of pseudouridine (Ψ), one of the most universally modified nucleosides. It had been reported that yeast Pus1 is a multiple-site-specific enzyme that synthesizes Ψ34 and Ψ36 in tRNAIle(UAU) in an intron-dependent manner. Unexpectedly, our biochemical experiments showed that the C. merolae ortholog of Pus1 pseudouridylated an intronless tRNAIle(UAU) and that the modification position was determined to be 55 which is the target of Pus4 but not Pus1 in yeast. Furthermore, unlike yeast Pus1, cmPus1 mediates Ψ modification at positions 34, 36, and/or 55 only in some specific intron-containing pre-tRNAIle(UAU) variants. cmPus4 was confirmed to be a single-site-specific enzyme that only converts U55 to Ψ, in a similar manner to yeast Pus4. cmPus4 did not catalyze the pseudouridine formation in pre-tRNAs containing an intron in the T-arm.
CD44V3, an Alternatively Spliced Form of CD44, Promotes Pancreatic Cancer Progression
Authors: Zhu Hanzhang , Zhou Weijiang , Wan Yafeng , Lu Jun , Ge Ke , Jia Changku
Published: October 2022

Pancreatic cancer is one of the most lethal malignant tumors. However, the molecular mechanisms responsible for its progression are little known. This study aimed to understand the regulatory role of CD44V3 in pancreatic cancer. A Kaplan–Meier analysis was performed to reveal the correlation between CD44/CD44V3 expression and the prognosis of pancreatic cancer patients. CD44V3 and U2AF1 were knocked down using shRNAs. The proliferation, migration, invasion, and stemness of two pancreatic cell lines, BxPC-3 and AsPC-1, were examined. The expression of CD44V3, cancer-associated markers, and the activation of AKT signaling were detected by qRT-PCR and Western blot. Both CD44 and CD44V3 expression levels were associated with a poor prognosis in pancreatic cancer patients. Interestingly, the expression of CD44V3, instead of CD44, was greatly increased in tumor tissues. CD44V3 knockdown inhibited the proliferation, migration, invasion, and stemness of cancer cells. CD44V3 splicing was regulated by U2AF1 and downregulation of U2AF1 enhanced CD44V3 expression, which promoted pancreatic cancer progression. CD44V3 is an important cancer-promoting factor, which may serve as a potential candidate for pancreatic cancer intervention.
Jatrorrhizine Improves Endothelial Function in Diabetes and Obesity through Suppression of Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress
Authors: Zhou Yan , Wang Yuehan , Vong Chi Teng , Zhu Yanyan , Xu Baojun , Ruan Cheng-Chao , Wang Yitao , Cheang Wai San
Published: October 2022

Jatrorrhizine (JAT) is one of the major bioactive protoberberine alkaloids found in rhizoma coptidis, which has hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic potential. This study aimed to evaluate the vasoprotective effects of JAT in diabetes and obesity and the underlying mechanism involved. Mouse aortas, carotid arteries and human umbilical cord vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were treated with risk factors (high glucose or tunicamycin) with and without JAT ex vivo and in vitro. Furthermore, aortas were obtained from mice with chronic treatment: (1) control; (2) diet-induced obese (DIO) mice fed a high-fat diet (45% kcal% fat) for 15 weeks; and (3) DIO mice orally administered JAT at 50 mg/kg/day for the last 5 weeks. High glucose or endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress inducer tunicamycin impaired acetylcholine-induced endothelium-dependent relaxations (EDRs) in mouse aortas, induced oxidative stress in carotid arteries and HUVECs, downregulated phosphorylations of Akt at Ser473 and eNOS at Ser1177 and enhanced ER stress in mouse aortas and HUVECs, and these impairments were reversed by cotreatment with JAT. JAT increased NO release in high-glucose-treated mouse aortas and HUVECs. In addition, chronic JAT treatment restored endothelial function with EDRs comparable to the control, increased Akt/eNOS phosphorylation, and attenuated ER stress and oxidative stress in aortas from DIO mice. Blood pressure, glucose sensitivity, fatty liver and its morphological change, as well as plasma levels of aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and plasma lipid profile, were also normalized by JAT treatment. Collectively, our data may be the first to reveal the vasoprotective effect of JAT that ameliorates endothelial dysfunction in diabetes and obesity through enhancement of the Akt/eNOS pathway and NO bioavailability, as well as suppression of ER stress and oxidative stress.
Neutrophil N1 and N2 Subsets and Their Possible Association with Periodontitis: A Scoping Review
Authors: Sansores-España Luis Daniel , Melgar-Rodríguez Samanta , Vernal Rolando , Carrillo-Ávila Bertha Arelly , Martínez-Aguilar Víctor Manuel , Díaz-Zúñiga Jaime
Published: October 2022

Periodontitis is a chronic non-communicable disease caused by dysbiotic changes that affect the subgingival microbiota. During periodontitis, neutrophils play a central role in the initial recognition of bacteria, and their number increases with the appearance of the first signs of periodontal inflammation. Recent evidence has led to the proposition that neutrophils can also functionally polarize, determining selective activity patterns related to different diseases. Two well-defined neutrophil phenotypes have been described, the pro-inflammatory N1 subset and the suppressor N2 subset. To date, it has not been established whether these different neutrophil subtypes play a role in the pathogenesis of periodontitis. Thus, this scoping review aimed to determine whether there was evidence to suggest that the neutrophils present in periodontal tissues can be associated with certain phenotypes. The research question, population, concept, and context sought to identify original articles, in humans, that detected the presence of neutrophils in the periodontal tissues of people affected by periodontitis. Based on the search strategy, we found 3658 studies. After removing the papers with abstracts not related to the outcome measures and eligibility criteria, 16 articles were included for qualitative analysis. Several studies identified the presence of different neutrophil subsets, specifically, the naive, pro- and para-inflammatory, hyper-reactive and hyper-active, and high- and low-responder phenotypes. The existing evidence demonstrates the presence of pro-inflammatory, hyper-reactive and high-responder neutrophils in periodontal tissues affected with periodontitis. There is no evidence demonstrating the presence of the N1 or N2 phenotypes in periodontal tissues during periodontitis. However, the existence of pro-inflammatory phenotypes, which increase NETosis and degranulation, and increase the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines, could be suggestive of the N1 phenotypes.
Crilin: A Semi-Homogeneous Calorimeter for a Future Muon Collider
Authors: Ceravolo Sergio , Colao Francesco , Curatolo Camilla , Di Meco Elisa , Diociaiuti Eleonora , Lucchesi Donatella , Paesani Daniele , Pastrone Nadia , Pezzullo Gianantonio , Saputi Alessandro , Sarra Ivano , Sestini Lorenzo , Tagnani Diego
Published: October 2022

Calorimeters, as other detectors, have to face the increasing performance demands of the new energy frontier experiments. For a future Muon Collider the main challenge is given by the Beam Induced Background that may pose limitations to the physics performance. However, it is possible to reduce the BIB impact by exploiting some of its characteristics by ensuring high granularity, excellent timing, longitudinal segmentation and good energy resolution. The proposed design, the Crilin calorimeter, is an alternative semi-homogeneous ECAL barrel for the Muon Collider based on Lead Fluoride Crystals (PbF2) with a surface-mount UV-extended Silicon Photomultipliers (SiPMs) readout with an optimized design for a future Muon Collider.
In Situ Formation of Nanoparticles on Carbon Nanofiber Surface Using Ceramic Intercalating Agents
Authors: Burnstine-Townley Alex A. , Afrin Sajia , Li Sip Yuen Yee , Fox David , Zhai Lei
Published: October 2022

Nickel silicide nanoparticles were prepared in situ on carbon nanofibers through pyrolysis of electrospun fibers containing poly(acrylonitrile) (PAN, carbon fiber precursor), silazane (SiCN ceramic precursor), and nickel chloride (nickel source). SiCN ceramics produced in carbon nanofibers during the pyrolysis expanded the graphitic interlayer spacing and facilitated the diffusion of metal atoms to the fiber surfaces, leading to the formation of nickel silicide nanoparticles at a reduced temperature. In addition, nickel silicide nanoparticles catalyzed an in situ formation of carbon nanotubes, with carbon sourced from the decomposition of silazane. The method introduces a simple route to produce carbon supported metal nanoparticles for catalysis and energy storage applications.
A Review of the Intelligent Optimization and Decision in Plastic Forming
Authors: Tang Xuefeng , Wang Zhizhou , Deng Lei , Wang Xinyun , Long Jinchuan , Jiang Xin , Jin Junsong , Xia Juchen
Published: October 2022

The plastic forming process involves many influencing factors and has some inevitable disturbance factors, rendering the multi-objective collaborative optimization difficult. With the rapid development of big data and artificial intelligence (AI) technology, intelligent process optimization has become one of the critical technologies for plastic forming. This paper elaborated on the research progress on the intelligent optimization of plastic forming and the data-driven process planning and decision-making system in plastic forming process optimization. The development trend in intelligent optimization of the plastic forming process was researched. This review showed that the intelligent optimization algorithm has great potential in controlling forming quality, microstructure, and performance in plastic forming. It is a general trend to develop an intelligent optimization model of the plastic forming process with high integration, versatility, and high performance. Future research will take the data-driven expert system and digital twin system as the carrier, integrate the optimization algorithm and model, and realize the multi-scale, high-precision, high-efficiency, and real-time optimization of the plastic forming process.
Comparative Analysis of Lead Removal from Liquid Copper by ICF and CCF Refining Technologies
Authors: Blacha Leszek , Smalcerz Albert , Wecki Bartosz , Labaj Jerzy , Desisa Debela Geneti , Jodkowski Maciej
Published: October 2022

Innovative technologies require the use of materials that meet increasingly high requirements; one such requirement is the purity of metals. In the case of copper, this translates into a parameter related to electrical conductivity. Traditional metal refining technologies have some limitations that can be eliminated through the use of modern melting aggregates. Such solutions include vacuum induction furnaces, comprising an induction furnace with a cold crucible. As part of this work, the possibilities of refining copper and lead alloys were investigated. In addition, the research was carried out with the use of two induction vacuum aggregates, allowing us to compare their effectiveness. The tests were carried out in a pressure range of 10–1000 Pa and at temperatures of 1273–1473 K. The results obtained made it possible to determine the mass transport coefficient of lead from an alloy with copper, and to determine the share of resistance in individual stages of the process. For experiments conducted inside an induction crucible furnace, lowering the working pressure inside the furnace chamber from 1000 to 10 Pa while increasing the temperature from 1323 to 1473 K was accompanied by a drop in the lead concentration inside the alloy of 69 to 96%, compared to its initial mass. For experiments conducted inside a cold crucible furnace, approximate values of lead removal appeared for lower temperatures (1273 to 1323 K), confirming that the analyzed process happens faster in this aggregate.
Cenosphere-Based Zeolite Precursors of Lutetium Encapsulated Aluminosilicate Microspheres for Application in Brachytherapy
Authors: Vereshchagina Tatiana , Kutikhina Ekaterina , Vereshchagin Sergei , Buyko Olga , Anshits Alexander
Published: October 2022

Coal fly ash hollow aluminosilicate microspheres (cenospheres) of stabilized composition (glass phase—95.4; (SiO2/Al2O3)glass—3.1; (Si/Al)at. = 2.6) were used to fabricate lutetium-176 encapsulated aluminosilicate microspheres as precursors of radiolabeled microspheres applied for selective irradiation of tumors. To incorporate Lu3+ ions into cenosphere’s aluminosilicate material, the following strategy was realized: (i) chemical modification of cenosphere globules by conversion of aluminosilicate glass into zeolites preserving a spherical form of cenospheres; (ii) loading of zeolitized microspheres with Lu3+ by means of ion exchange 3Na+ ↔ Lu3+; (iii) Lu3+ encapsulation in an aluminosilicate matrix by solid-phase transformation of the Lu3+ loaded microspheres under thermal treatment at 1273–1473 K. Two types of zeolitized products, such as NaX (FAU) and NaP1 (GIS) bearing microspheres having the specific surface area of 204 and 33 m2/g, accordingly, were prepared and their Lu3+ sorption abilities were studied. As revealed, the Lu3+ sorption capacities of the zeolitized products are about 130 and 70 mg/g Lu3+ for NaX and NaP1 microspheres, respectively. It was found that the long-time heating of the Lu3+-loaded zeolite precursors at 1273 K in a fixed bed resulted in the crystallization of monoclinic Lu2Si2O7 in both zeolite systems, which is a major component of crystalline constituents of the calcined microspheres. The fast heating–cooling cycle at 1473 K in a moving bed resulted in the amorphization of zeolite components in both precursors and softening glass crystalline matter of the NaX-bearing precursor with preserving its spherical form and partial elimination of surface open pores. The NaX-bearing microspheres, compared to NaP1-based precursor, are characterized by uneven Lu distribution over the zeolite-derived layer. The precursor based on gismondin-type zeolite provides a near-uniform Lu distribution and acceptable Lu content (up to 15 mol.% Lu2O3) in the solid phase.
Piezoelectric Nanogenerator Based on Electrospinning PVDF/Cellulose Acetate Composite Membranes for Energy Harvesting
Authors: Li Yuanyuan , Hu Qing , Zhang Rui , Ma Wenmei , Pan Siwei , Zhao Yaohong , Wang Qing , Fang Pengfei
Published: October 2022

The organic piezoelectric polymer polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) has attracted extensive research because of its excellent flexibility and mechanical energy-harvesting properties. Here, the electrospinning technique was taken to fabricate synthesized fiber membranes of a PVDF/cellulose acetate (CA) composite. The obtained PVDF/CA electrospun fiber membranes (EFMs) were employed to prepare a flexible nanogenerator. XRD and FTIR spectroscopy revealed the enhancement of piezoelectric behavior due to an increase in β-phase in PVDF/CA EFMs compared with cast films. The PVDF/CA fibers (mass ratio of PVDF to CA = 9:1) showed an output voltage of 7.5 V and a short-circuit current of 2.1 μA under mechanical stress of 2 N and frequency of 1 Hz, which were 2.5 and two times greater than those of the pure PVDF fibers, respectively. By charging a 4.7 µF capacitor for 15 min with the voltage generated by the PVDF/CA EFMs, nine LED lamps could be lit. The work provides an effective approach to enhancing the piezoelectric effects of PVDF for low-power electronic loading of macromolecule polymers.
Elastic Properties of Jute Fiber Reinforced Polymer Composites with Different Hierarchical Structures
Authors: Prasanthi Phani , Kondapalli Sivaji Babu , Morampudi Niranjan Kumar Sita Rama , Vallabhaneni Venkata Venu Madhav , Saxena Kuldeep Kumar , Mohammed Kahtan Adnan , Linul Emanoil , Prakash Chander , Buddhi Dharam
Published: October 2022

A two-stage micromechanics technique is used to predict the elastic modulus, as well as the major and minor Poisson’s ratio of unidirectional natural fiber (NF) reinforced composites. The actual NF microstructure consists of cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin, lumen, etc., and these constituents and their contributions are neglected in classical models while quantifying their mechanical properties. The present paper addresses the effect of the real microstructure of the natural jute fiber (JF) by applying a micromechanics approach with the Finite Element Method. Six different hierarchically micro-structured JFs are considered to quantify the JF elastic properties in the first level of homogenization. Later, the JF reinforced polypropylene matrix properties are investigated in the second stage by adopting a homogenization approach. Taking into account the different hierarchical structures (HS), the fiber direction modulus (E1), transverse modulus (E2 and E3), in-plane and out-of-plane shear modulus (G12 and G23), and major (ν12, ν13) and minor (ν23, ν21) Poisson’s ratios are estimated for JF and JF reinforced polypropylene composites. The predicted elastic modulus from micromechanics models is validated against the analytical results and experimental predictions. From the present work, it is observed that the HS of NF needs to be considered while addressing the elastic properties of the NF-reinforced composite for their effective design, particularly at a higher volume fraction of NF.
Predicting Soil Nitrogen Availability for Maize Production in Brazil
Authors: Braos Lucas Boscov , Carlos Roberta Souto , Kuhnen Fernando , Ferreira Manoel Evaristo , Mulvaney Richard Lesley , Khan Saeed Ahmad , Cruz Mara Cristina Pessôa da
Published: October 2022

Maize (Zea mays L.) is a crop widely cultivated in the state of São Paulo, and the sustainable management of nitrogen (N) nutrition is crucial to improving productivity and the environment, which calls for a reliable means of predicting potentially available soil N. A study was undertaken to evaluate and compare biological and chemical indices of potential N availability for a diverse set of 17 soils collected in the northwest region of São Paulo state. For this purpose, mineralization assays were performed at three distinct temperatures, and chemical assessments were carried out using the Illinois Soil Nitrogen Test (ISNT) and by fractionation of hydrolysable soil N. In addition, a greenhouse experiment was conducted to determine dry matter and N accumulation in the aboveground parts of maize plants. Potentially available N estimated by the incubation methods increased with increasing temperature and was strongly correlated with N uptake (r = 0.90). Hydrolysable N fractions varied widely among the soils studied and were more variable for amino sugar N than for other fractions. Potentially available N estimated by the ISNT was highly correlated with hydrolysable amino acid N and amino sugar N (r = 0.95–0.96) and also with plant dry matter accumulation (r = 0.82) and N uptake (r = 0.93). The ISNT has potential to improve fertilizer N recommendations for maize production in Brazil, provided that the test values are interpreted relative to an appropriate calibration database, planting density, and other factors affecting crop N requirement.
Impact of a Turbulent Ocean Surface on Laser Beam Propagation
Authors: Alharbi Omar , Kane Tim , Henderson Diane
Published: October 2022

The roughness of the ocean surface significantly impacts air-to-sea imaging, oceanographic monitoring, and optical communication. Most current and previous methods for addressing this roughness and its impact on optical propagation are either entirely statistical or theoretical, or are ‘mixed methods’ based on a combination of statistical models and parametric-based physical models. In this paper, we performed experiments in a 50-foot-wave tank on wind-generated waves, in which we varied the wind speed to measure how the surface waves affect the laser beam propagation and develop a geometrical optical model to measure and analyze the refraction angle and slope angle of the laser beam under various environmental conditions. The study results show that the laser beam deviations/distortions and laser beam footprint size are strongly related to wind speed and laser beam incidence angle.
Machine Learning Approach to Predict the Performance of a Stratified Thermal Energy Storage Tank at a District Cooling Plant Using Sensor Data
Authors: Soomro Afzal Ahmed , Mokhtar Ainul Akmar , Salilew Waleligne Molla , Abdul Karim Zainal Ambri , Abbasi Aijaz , Lashari Najeebullah , Jameel Syed Muslim
Published: October 2022

In the energy management of district cooling plants, the thermal energy storage tank is critical. As a result, it is essential to keep track of TES results. The performance of the TES has been measured using a variety of methodologies, both numerical and analytical. In this study, the performance of the TES tank in terms of thermocline thickness is predicted using an artificial neural network, support vector machine, and k-nearest neighbor, which has remained unexplored. One year of data was collected from a district cooling plant. Fourteen sensors were used to measure the temperature at different points. With engineering judgement, 263 rows of data were selected and used to develop the prediction models. A total of 70% of the data were used for training, whereas 30% were used for testing. K-fold cross-validation were used. Sensor temperature data was used as the model input, whereas thermocline thickness was used as the model output. The data were normalized, and in addition to this, moving average filter and median filter data smoothing techniques were applied while developing KNN and SVM prediction models to carry out a comparison. The hyperparameters for the three machine learning models were chosen at optimal condition, and the trial-and-error method was used to select the best hyperparameter value: based on this, the optimum architecture of ANN was 14-10-1, which gives the maximum R-Squared value, i.e., 0.9, and minimum mean square error. Finally, the prediction accuracy of three different techniques and results were compared, and the accuracy of ANN is 0.92%, SVM is 89%, and KNN is 96.3%, concluding that KNN has better performance than others.
Development of Low Hysteresis, Linear Weft-Knitted Strain Sensors for Smart Textile Applications
Authors: Bozali Beyza , Ghodrat Sepideh , Plaude Linda , van Dam Joris J. F. , Jansen Kaspar M. B.
Published: October 2022

In recent years, knitted strain sensors have been developed that aim to achieve reliable sensing and high wearability, but they are associated with difficulties due to high hysteresis and low gauge factor (GF) values. This study investigated the electromechanical performance of the weft-knitted strain sensors with a systematic approach to achieve reliable knitted sensors. For two elastic yarn types, six conductive yarns with different resistivities, the knitting density as well as the number of conductive courses were considered as variables in the study. We focused on the 1 × 1 rib structure and in the sensing areas co-knit the conductive and elastic yarns and observed that positioning the conductive yarns at the inside was crucial for obtaining sensors with low hysteresis values. We show that using this technique and varying the knitting density, linear sensors with a working range up to 40% with low hysteresis can be obtained. In addition, using this technique and varying the knitting density, linear sensors with a working range up to 40% strain, hysteresis values as low as 0.03, and GFs varying between 0 and 1.19 can be achieved.
A Video Summarization Model Based on Deep Reinforcement Learning with Long-Term Dependency
Authors: Wang Xu , Li Yujie , Wang Haoyu , Huang Longzhao , Ding Shuxue
Published: October 2022

Deep summarization models have succeeded in the video summarization field based on the development of gated recursive unit (GRU) and long and short-term memory (LSTM) technology. However, for some long videos, GRU and LSTM cannot effectively capture long-term dependencies. This paper proposes a deep summarization network with auxiliary summarization losses to address this problem. We introduce an unsupervised auxiliary summarization loss module with LSTM and a swish activation function to capture the long-term dependencies for video summarization, which can be easily integrated with various networks. The proposed model is an unsupervised framework for deep reinforcement learning that does not depend on any labels or user interactions. Additionally, we implement a reward function (R(S)) that jointly considers the consistency, diversity, and representativeness of generated summaries. Furthermore, the proposed model is lightweight and can be successfully deployed on mobile devices and enhance the experience of mobile users and reduce pressure on server operations. We conducted experiments on two benchmark datasets and the results demonstrate that our proposed unsupervised approach can obtain better summaries than existing video summarization methods. Furthermore, the proposed algorithm can generate higher F scores with a nearly 6.3% increase on the SumMe dataset and a 2.2% increase on the TVSum dataset compared to the DR-DSN model.