bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Statistical Dependence Framework Based on a Multivariate Normal Copula Function and Stochastic Differential Equations for Multivariate Data in Forestry
Authors: Krikštolaitis Ričardas , Mozgeris Gintautas , Petrauskas Edmundas , Rupšys Petras
Published: May 2023

Stochastic differential equations and Copula theories are important topics that have many advantages for applications in almost every discipline. Many studies in forestry collect longitudinal, multi-dimensional, and discrete data for which the amount of measurement of individual variables does not match. For example, during sampling experiments, the diameters of all trees, the heights of approximately 10% of the trees, and the tree crown base height and crown width for a significantly smaller number of trees are measured. In this study, for estimating five-dimensional dependencies, we used a normal copula approach, where the dynamics of individual tree variables (diameter, potentially available area, height, crown base height, and crown width) are described by a stochastic differential equation with mixed-effect parameters. The approximate maximum likelihood method was used to obtain parameter estimates of the presented stochastic differential equations, and the normal copula dependence parameters were estimated using the pseudo-maximum likelihood method. This study introduced the normalized multi-dimensional interaction information index based on differential entropy to capture dependencies between state variables. Using conditional copula-type probability density functions, the exact form equations defining the links among the diameter, potentially available area, height, crown base height, and crown width were derived. All results were implemented in the symbolic algebra system MAPLE.
A Unified Learning Approach for Malicious Domain Name Detection
Authors: Wagan Atif Ali , Li Qianmu , Zaland Zubair , Marjan Shah , Bozdar Dadan Khan , Hussain Aamir , Mirza Aamir Mehmood , Baryalai Mehmood
Published: May 2023

The DNS firewall plays an important role in network security. It is based on a list of known malicious domain names, and, based on these lists, the firewall blocks communication with these domain names. However, DNS firewalls can only block known malicious domain names, excluding communication with unknown malicious domain names. Prior research has found that machine learning techniques are effective for detecting unknown malicious domain names. However, those methods have limited capabilities to learn from both textual and numerical data. To solve this issue, we present a novel unified learning approach that uses both numerical and textual features of the domain name to classify whether a domain name pair is malicious or not. The experiments were conducted on a benchmark domain names dataset consisting of 90,000 domain names. The experimental results show that the proposed approach performs significantly better than the six comparative methods in terms of accuracy, precision, recall, and F1-Score.
Finding the Time-Period-Based Most Frequent Path from Trajectory–Topology
Authors: Ding Jianing , Jin Xin , Li Zhiheng
Published: May 2023

The Time-Period-Based Most Frequent Path (TPMFP) problem has been a hot topic in traffic studies for many years. The TPMFP problem involves finding the most frequent path between two locations by observing the travelling behaviors of drivers in a specific time period. However, the previous researchers over-simplify the road network, which results in the ignorance of transfer costs at intersections. To address this problem more elegantly, we built up an urban topology model consisting of Intersection Vertices and Connection Vertices. Specifically, we split the Intersection Vertices to eliminate the influence of transfer cost on finding TPMFP and generate Trajectory–Topology from GPS records data. In addition, we further leveraged the Footmark Graph method to find the TPMFP. Finally, we conducted extensive experiments using a real-world dataset containing over eight million GPS records. Compared to the current state-of-the-art method, our proposed approach can find more reasonable MFP in approximately 10% of cases during off-peak hours and 40% of cases during peak hours.
The Important Roles of Natural Killer Cells in Liver Fibrosis
Authors: Yang Ming , Vanderwert Ethan , Kimchi Eric T. , Staveley-O’Carroll Kevin F. , Li Guangfu
Published: May 2023

Liver fibrosis accompanies the development of various chronic liver diseases and promotes their progression. It is characterized by the abnormal accumulation of extracellular matrix proteins (ECM) and impaired ECM degradation. Activated hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) are the major cellular source of ECM-producing myofibroblasts. If liver fibrosis is uncontrolled, it may lead to cirrhosis and even liver cancer, primarily hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Natural killer (NK) cells are a key component of innate immunity and have miscellaneous roles in liver health and disease. Accumulating evidence shows that NK cells play dual roles in the development and progression of liver fibrosis, including profibrotic and anti-fibrotic functions. Regulating NK cells can suppress the activation of HSCs and improve their cytotoxicity against activated HSCs or myofibroblasts to reverse liver fibrosis. Cells such as regulatory T cells (Tregs) and molecules such as prostaglandin E receptor 3 (EP3) can regulate the cytotoxic function of NK cells. In addition, treatments such as alcohol dehydrogenase 3 (ADH3) inhibitors, microRNAs, natural killer group 2, member D (NKG2D) activators, and natural products can enhance NK cell function to inhibit liver fibrosis. In this review, we summarized the cellular and molecular factors that affect the interaction of NK cells with HSCs, as well as the treatments that regulate NK cell function against liver fibrosis. Despite a lot of information about NK cells and their interaction with HSCs, our current knowledge is still insufficient to explain the complex crosstalk between these cells and hepatocytes, liver sinusoidal endothelial cells, Kupffer cells, B cells, and T cells, as well as thrombocytes, regarding the development and progression of liver fibrosis.
Association of TP53 Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms with Prostate Cancer in a Racially Diverse Cohort of Men
Authors: Duncan Allison , Nousome Darryl , Ricks Randy , Kuo Huai-Ching , Ravindranath Lakshmi , Dobi Albert , Cullen Jennifer , Srivastava Shiv , Chesnut Gregory T. , Petrovics Gyorgy , Kohaar Indu
Published: May 2023

Growing evidence indicates the involvement of a genetic component in prostate cancer (CaP) susceptibility and clinical severity. Studies have reported the role of germline mutations and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of TP53 as possible risk factors for cancer development. In this single institutional retrospective study, we identified common SNPs in the TP53 gene in AA and CA men and performed association analyses for functional TP53 SNPs with the clinico-pathological features of CaP. The SNP genotyping analysis of the final cohort of 308 men (212 AA; 95 CA) identified 74 SNPs in the TP53 region, with a minor allele frequency (MAF) of at least 1%. Two SNPs were non-synonymous in the exonic region of TP53: rs1800371 (Pro47Ser) and rs1042522 (Arg72Pro). The Pro47Ser variant had an MAF of 0.01 in AA but was not detected in CA. Arg72Pro was the most common SNP, with an MAF of 0.50 (0.41 in AA; 0.68 in CA). Arg72Pro was associated with a shorter time to biochemical recurrence (BCR) (p = 0.046; HR = 1.52). The study demonstrated ancestral differences in the allele frequencies of the TP53 Arg72Pro and Pro47Ser SNPs, providing a valuable framework for evaluating CaP disparities among AA and CA men.
Paraneoplastic Neurological Syndromes of the Central Nervous System: Pathophysiology, Diagnosis, and Treatment
Authors: Marsili Luca , Marcucci Samuel , LaPorta Joseph , Chirra Martina , Espay Alberto J. , Colosimo Carlo
Published: May 2023

Paraneoplastic neurological syndromes (PNS) include any symptomatic and non-metastatic neurological manifestations associated with a neoplasm. PNS associated with antibodies against intracellular antigens, known as “high-risk” antibodies, show frequent association with underlying cancer. PNS associated with antibodies against neural surface antigens, known as “intermediate- or low-risk” antibodies, are less frequently associated with cancer. In this narrative review, we will focus on PNS of the central nervous system (CNS). Clinicians should have a high index of suspicion with acute/subacute encephalopathies to achieve a prompt diagnosis and treatment. PNS of the CNS exhibit a range of overlapping “high-risk” clinical syndromes, including but not limited to latent and overt rapidly progressive cerebellar syndrome, opsoclonus-myoclonus-ataxia syndrome, paraneoplastic (and limbic) encephalitis/encephalomyelitis, and stiff-person spectrum disorders. Some of these phenotypes may also arise from recent anti-cancer treatments, namely immune-checkpoint inhibitors and CAR T-cell therapies, as a consequence of boosting of the immune system against cancer cells. Here, we highlight the clinical features of PNS of the CNS, their associated tumors and antibodies, and the diagnostic and therapeutic strategies. The potential and the advance of this review consists on a broad description on how the field of PNS of the CNS is constantly expanding with newly discovered antibodies and syndromes. Standardized diagnostic criteria and disease biomarkers are fundamental to quickly recognize PNS to allow prompt treatment initiation, thus improving the long-term outcome of these conditions.
Novel Sensitive Electrochemical Immunosensor Development for the Selective Detection of HopQ H. pylori Bacteria Biomarker
Authors: Jaradat Hussamaldeen , Al-Hamry Ammar , Ibbini Mohammed , Fourati Najla , Kanoun Olfa
Published: May 2023

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is a highly contagious pathogenic bacterium that can cause gastrointestinal ulcers and may gradually lead to gastric cancer. H. pylori expresses the outer membrane HopQ protein at the earliest stages of infection. Therefore, HopQ is a highly reliable candidate as a biomarker for H. pylori detection in saliva samples. In this work, an H. pylori immunosensor is based on detecting HopQ as an H. pylori biomarker in saliva. The immunosensor was developed by surface modification of screen-printed carbon electrodes (SPCE) with MWCNT-COOH decorated with gold nanoparticles (AuNP) followed by HopQ capture antibody grafting on SPCE/MWCNT/AuNP surface using EDC/S-NHS chemistry. The sensor performance was investigated utilizing various methods, such as cyclic voltammetry (CV), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), and scanning electron microscope (SEM) coupled with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). H. pylori detection performance in spiked saliva samples was evaluated by square wave voltammetry (SWV). The sensor is suitable for HopQ detection with excellent sensitivity and linearity in the 10 pg/mL–100 ng/mL range, with a 2.0 pg/mL limit of detection (LOD) and an 8.6 pg/mL limit of quantification (LOQ). The sensor was tested in saliva at 10 ng/mL, and recovery of 107.6% was obtained by SWV. From Hill’s model, the dissociation constant Kd for HopQ/HopQ antibody interaction is estimated to be 4.60 × 10−10 mg/mL. The fabricated platform shows high selectivity, good stability, reproducibility, and cost-effectiveness for H. pylori early detection due to the proper choice of biomarker, the nanocomposite material utilization to boost the SPCE electrical performance, and the intrinsic selectivity of the antibody–antigen approach. Additionally, we provide insight into possible future aspects that researchers are recommended to focus on.
Prevalence of Aggressive Behavior in Greek Elementary School Settings from Teachers’ Perspectives
Authors: Bourou Argyro , Papageorgiou Effie
Published: May 2023

The present study aims to estimate the prevalence of bullying in Greek elementary schools and to study the risk factors that lead to bullying episodes. A structured questionnaire was given to 221 teachers of elementary schools and 71 kindergarten teachers from urban and rural Greek schools. They were asked to note the forms and the frequency of aggressive behaviors that they had witnessed during the school years 2020–2021 and 2021–2022, as well as the sociodemographic characteristics of the aggressive children involved. Statistical analyses of the data were conducted, and the obtained results show that specific forms of aggression are significantly correlated with gender and low academic performance. In addition, there is no form of aggressive behavior that is associated with the perpetrator’s age, nationality or family status. Further, the results of the factor analysis revealed four dominant factors in the aggressive behavior observed by teachers. The forms of bullying and the prevailing factors of aggressive behavior that dominate in Greek school settings are reported in the present study. Furthermore, a novel evaluation tool for teachers could potentially be developed based on the results of the present study.
Identification of Desired Qualifications for Construction Safety Personnel in the United States
Authors: Karakhan Ali Amer , Al-Bayati Ahmed Jalil
Published: May 2023

Construction is a hazardous industry with a high number of injuries. Prior research found that many industry injuries can be prevented by implementing an effective safety plan if prepared and maintained by qualified safety personnel. However, there are no specific guidelines on how to select qualified construction safety personnel and what criteria should be used to select an individual for a safety position in the United States (US) construction industry. To fill this gap in knowledge, the study goal was to identify the desired qualifications of safety personnel in the US construction industry. To achieve the study goal, the Delphi technique was used as the main methodology for determining the desired qualifications for construction safety personnel. As a result, a panel of 15 subject-matter experts was selected, and 4 rounds of surveys were carried out. The findings of the study led to the identification of the desired qualifications for three construction safety positions (safety entry, safety professional, and safety manager). The present study contributes to the body of theoretical knowledge on construction safety and presents practical guidelines to assist industry stakeholders select qualified safety personnel for their projects. The selection of qualified safety personnel is expected to improve workplace safety performance and positively reflect on other project outcomes. Construction stakeholders should pay attention to three key aspects (namely, education, experience, and certification) when determining the qualifications for a safety leadership position and take into consideration the type of position intended to be filled. This study fills the gap in knowledge by identifying the desired qualifications and criteria on how to select safety personnel in the US construction industry.
Make TOD More Bicycling-Friendly: An Extended Node-Place Model Incorporating a Cycling Accessibility Index
Authors: Zhang Mengyuan , Lee Jinwoo (Brian)
Published: May 2023

Building cities more sustainably through transit-oriented development (TOD) has become a principal planning concept in recent decades. The node-place model serves as an important tool for determining the TOD typology, combining the consideration of the station with the transport network in which it is located. A number of studies have proposed the addition of new indicators to the original node-place model. However, the importance of bicycling as a mode of transport to access the transport mode, and within the vicinity of TODs, has been overlooked in the literature. In this paper, two bicycling-related indicators are added to the extended node-place model using Burwood Station in Sydney, Australia, as a case study. The results of the analysis show that the introduction of bicycle accessibility-related factors significantly impacts the TOD typology, and particularly the design index of the extended node-place model. This result implies that only considering pedestrian-related indicators may cause certain deviations in terms of the modelling result. The study highlights the significance of considering bicycling infrastructure in TOD planning to promote the use of active travel and sustainable transport behaviour.
Senolytic Flavonoids Enhance Type-I and Type-II Cell Death in Human Radioresistant Colon Cancer Cells through AMPK/MAPK Pathway
Authors: Russo Maria , Moccia Stefania , Luongo Diomira , Russo Gian Luigi
Published: May 2023

Resistance to cancer therapies remains a clinical challenge and an unsolved problem. In a previous study, we characterized a new colon cancer cell line, namely HT500, derived from human HT29 cells and resistant to clinically relevant levels of ionizing radiation (IR). Here, we explored the effects of two natural flavonoids, quercetin (Q) and fisetin (F), well-known senolytic agents that inhibit genotoxic stress by selectively removing senescent cells. We hypothesized that the biochemical mechanisms responsible for the radiosensitising effects of these natural senolytics could intercept multiple biochemical pathways of signal transduction correlated to cell death resistance. Radioresistant HT500 cells modulate autophagic flux differently than HT29 cells and secrete pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-8), commonly associated with senescence-related secretory phenotypes (SASP). Q and F inhibit PI3K/AKT and ERK pathways, which promote p16INK4 stability and resistance to apoptosis, but they also activate AMPK and ULK kinases in response to autophagic stress at an early stage. In summary, the combination of natural senolytics and IR activates two forms of cell death: apoptosis correlated to the inhibition of ERKs and lethal autophagy dependent on AMPK kinase. Our study confirms that senescence and autophagy partially overlap, share common modulatory pathways, and reveal how senolytic flavonoids can play an important role in these processes.
A Novel ZnO/Co3O4 Nanoparticle for Enhanced Photocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution under Visible Light Irradiation
Authors: Tien Tsung-Mo , Chen Edward L.
Published: May 2023

In recent years, ZnO/Co3O4 nanoparticles (NPs) have been reflected as typical of the most promising photocatalysts utilized in the field of photocatalysis for potentially solving energy shortages and environmental remediation. In this work, a novel ZnO/Co3O4 NP photocatalyst was fabricated and utilized for photocatalytic hydrogen evolution with visible light activity. ZnO/Co3O4 NPs display an improved photocatalytic hydrogen production rate of 3963 μmol/g through a five-hour test under visible light activity. This is much better than their single components. Hence, bare ZnO NPs loaded with 20 wt% Co3O4 NPs present optimum efficiency of hydrogen evolution (793.2 μmol/g/h) with 10 vol% triethanolamine (TEOA), which is 11.8 times that of pristine ZnO NPs. An achievable mechanism for improved photocatalysis is endowed in terms of the composite that promotes the operative separation rate of charge carriers that are produced by visible light irradiation. This study yields a potential process for the future, proposing economical, high-function nanocomposites for hydrogen evolution with visible light activity.
Assessment of Agricultural Residue to Produce Activated Carbon-Supported Nickel Catalysts and Hydrogen Rich Gas
Authors: Hosseinzaei Behnam , Hadianfard Mohammad Jafar , Esmaeilzadeh Feridun , Recio-Ruiz María del Carmen , Ruiz-Rosas Ramiro , Rosas Juana M. , Rodríguez-Mirasol José , Cordero Tomás
Published: May 2023

The aim of this study was to synthesize chemically activated carbons from different agricultural residues, i.e., pistachio shell (PS), bitter orange peel (OP), and saffron petal (SP), and subsequently to use them as supports for loading a Ni catalyst. Supercritical water gasification of bio-oil was applied to investigate the catalytic performance of the resulting catalysts. The physicochemical properties of the activated carbon (ACs) and the catalysts (Ni/ACs) were characterized with BET, XRD, XPS, TEM, and TPD. The adsorption results showed that the ACs developed considerable pore structures, containing both micro- and mesopores, which was validated by the well-distributed active phases on the supports in the TEM images. Furthermore, it was found that the BET of AC(PS) was 1410 m2/g, which was higher than that of AC(OP) (1085 m2/g) and AC(SP) (900 m2/g). The results obtained from XRD mainly indicated the presence of the nickel phosphides phases, which was confirmed with the XPS and TPD analyses. The catalytic tests showed that by raising the process temperature, the total amount of gas and hydrogen increased. Furthermore, Ni/AC(PS) showed a superior catalytic activity. The highest total gas amount (i.e., 7.87 mmol/g bio-oil), together with 37.2 vol.% H2, was achieved using Ni/AC(PS) with a 1:10:100 catalyst:bio-oil weight ratio and a mass ratio of 1:10 (bio-oil/water) at T = 550 °C.
A Simple and Effective Protocol for the Pechmann Reaction to Obtain 4-Methylcoumarin Derivatives Using a High-Speed Mixer Ball Mill Process
Authors: Becerra-Anaya Silvia J. , Merchán Arenas Diego R. , Kouznetsov Vladimir V.
Published: May 2023

We hereby report a simple and efficient method for the preparation of 4-methylcoumarins series, including Coumarin 120 (7-amino-4-methylcoumarin) from phenols (or naphthols) and ethyl acetoacetate in the presence of 3 mol% InCl3. Coumarins were obtained in good yields (52–92%) through Pechmann condensation, under a rapid and environmentally friendly protocol using a high-speed ball mill mixer at room temperature, with short reaction times, under solvent-free conditions.
Chemists Focus on Probes, Biologists on Cells—But Who Talks about Probe-Cell Interactions? A Critical Account of the Suboptimal Reporting of Novel Fluorescent Imaging Probes, Using Lipid Droplet Stains as a Case Study
Authors: Horobin Richard W.
Published: May 2023

Many current reports in the scientific literature describe novel fluorescent probes intended to provide information on various structures or properties of live cells by using microscopic imaging. Unfortunately, many such reports fail to provide key information regarding the staining process. It is often the case that neither the necessary minimum technical detail (probe concentration, solvent and cosolute, temperature and time of staining, and details of post-staining washes) nor a discussion of the proposed staining mechanism are provided. Such omissions make it unnecessarily difficult for biomedical end-users to try out reported novel probes in their own laboratories. The validity of these criticisms is explored and demonstrated by a detailed analysis of 75 non-cherry-picked articles describing novel fluorescent probes for the detection of lipid droplets in live cells. This dataset also suggests that papers from journals with high journal impact factors or from better-known research groups are no more likely to provide better protocol information or discussion of the mechanism than papers from less prestigious sources. Comments on possible reasons for this suboptimal reporting are offered. The use of a suitable information/feature checklist, following best practice in many leading chemical and biological journals, is suggested as a mechanism for ameliorating this situation, with a draft checklist being provided.
Impact of Climate Change on the Stability of the Miacher Slope, Upper Hunza, Gilgit Baltistan, Pakistan
Authors: Rashid Mehboob ur , Ahmed Waqas , Islam Ihtisham , Petrounias Petros , Giannakopoulou Panagiota P. , Koukouzas Nikolaos
Published: May 2023

Especially in recent years, the study of landslide phenomena is considered as very important because of the effects of climate change. The aim of this paper is to examine the stability of the slope located in Miacher Nagar village along the Hunza River (HR), using the Limit Equilibrium Method (LEM). The Miacher slope rises to a height of 900 m from the foot of the Hunza River and has a base angle of 50 degrees. Meta-sediments and quaternary recent glaciated deposits make up the majority of the slope’s composition. The slope movement of Miacher was first triggered in 1995, and was further triggered in 2010 and 2013. The slope was geologically, geomorphologically, geotechnically and geochemically investigated as well as modeled by Slope/w to determine the safety factor. Soil samples were analyzed for their geotechnical, geological and geomorphological properties. The Limit Equilibrium Method (LEM) was employed in this study to analyze the Factor of Safety (FOS) of the slope, based on assumptions of the Morgenstern and Price, Ordinary, Janbu and Bishop Methods, using the Slope/w software. Various factors, including pore water pressure, unit weight, cohesion, angle of internal friction and overburden, were examined by analyzing different scenarios. The findings showed that an increase in cohesion and angle of internal friction resulted in an increase in FOS, whereas an increase in unit weight and overburden caused a decrease in FOS. The influence of pore water pressure was positive to a certain extent, but a further increase led to a significant reduction in FOS. The results showed that the Miacher slope is currently stable, as all FOS values were greater than one, based on the existing strength parameters and simulated results obtained using Slope/w.
Hot-Corrosion Behavior of Gd2O3–Yb2O3 Co-Doped YSZ Thermal Barrier Coatings in the Presence of V2O5 Molten Salt
Authors: Li Yang , She Yajuan , Liao Kai
Published: May 2023

In this study, thermal barrier coatings (TBC) consisting of 3.5 mol% Yb2O3-stabilized ZrO2 co-doped with 1 mol% Gd2O3 and 1 mol% Yb2O3 (referred to as GdYb-YSZ) were fabricated by means of air plasma spraying. The as-fabricated coatings exhibited a metastable tetragonal (t′) structure. The hot-corrosion behavior of the GdYb–YSZ TBCs was investigated at 700, 800, 900, and 1000 °C for 10 h in the presence of V2O5 molten salt. During the corrosion tests, the t′ phase transformed into a monoclinic (m) phase; nevertheless, it was still detected on the corroded surfaces. The amount of t′ phase decreased with increasing corrosion temperature. The corrosion products formed on the GdYb-YSZ TBCs in V2O5 comprised Yb, Gd-doped YVO4, and m-ZrO2, irrespective of the temperature of corrosion. However, higher temperatures changed the morphologies of the Yb- and Gd-doped YVO4 corrosion products. The GdYb–YSZ TBCs exhibited improved corrosion resistance to V2O5 molten salt when compared to YSZ TBCs, and the related mechanism is discussed in detail in this paper.
Mechanical Properties and Wear Resistance of CrSiN Coating Fabricated by Magnetron Sputtering on W18Cr4V Steel
Authors: Cui Changqing , Yang Chunyan
Published: May 2023

To increase the service life of tool materials and further meet the demands of modern high-speed machining, a Si-doping CrN coating consisting of Si3N4 amorphous and CrN nanocrystalline was fabricated on top of W18Cr4V high-speed steel. The effect of coating thickness on its structure and properties was investigated by means of X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), transmission electron microscope (TEM), scratch test, nano-indenter, and friction–abrasion tester. The thickness of the coating was modulated by the deposition time. The results show that the coating consists of a CrN phase distributed into an amorphous Si3N4 matrix. As the thickness increased, the surface defects decreased, and the residual compressive stress, hardness, and elastic modulus as well as the H/E and H3/E2 factors increased, improving the wear resistance significantly. The adhesion between coating and substrate increased first and then decreased, and it reached the maximum when the coating thickness was 1.9 μm (deposition 60 min). Moreover, the effect of toughness on wear resistance and the wear mechanisms is discussed.
The Effect of Cysteine Peptide Ingestion on Skin Brightness, a Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Parallel-Group Human Clinical Trial
Authors: Uchida Yoshiaki , Kaneda Tomomi , Ono Mio , Matsuoka Masao , Nakamura Utano , Ishida Akiko , Yamasaki Yoshimitsu , Takeo Hiroki , Sakurai Takanobu
Published: May 2023

Glutathione (GSH) is present in almost all human cells and has a beneficial effect on human skin brightness. Cysteinylglycine (Cys-Gly) and γ-glutamylcysteine (γ-Glu-Cys) are GSH synthesis components. In this study, we defined glutathione (GSH), cysteinylglycine (Cys-Gly), and γ-glutamylcysteine (γ-Glu-Cys) as cysteine peptide and performed a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study to investigate the effects of orally administered cysteine peptide on human skin brightness using a CM-26d portable spectrophotometer in healthy males and females aged between 20 and 65 years old. Eligible participants were randomly allocated into three groups (cysteine peptide 45 mg: n = 16, 90 mg: n = 15, and placebo: n = 16). Each subject ingested six tablets every day for 12 weeks, and skin brightness was measured at 0, 4, 8, and 12 weeks. As a result, the 45 mg group exhibited arm brightening in a time-dependent manner, and a significant difference was observed compared to the placebo at week 12 (p = 0.028). Moreover, no serious adverse events and changes related to 270 mg study food were observed in the safety trial. Here, we suggest that cysteine peptide is a promising and safe compound for human skin brightness.
LACT+: Practical Post-Quantum Scalable Confidential Transactions
Authors: Alupotha Jayamine , Boyen Xavier , McKague Matthew
Published: May 2023

A “confidential monetary value” carries information about the real monetary value but does not disclose it. Post-quantum private blockchains with confidential monetary values—large-sized blockchains with large verification times—have the least scalability because they need to save and verify more information than those with “plain-text monetary values”. High scalability is an essential security requirement for decentralized blockchain payment systems because the more honest peers who can afford to verify the blockchain copies are, the higher the security. We propose a quantum-safe transaction protocol for confidential monetary blockchains, LACT+ (Lattice-based Aggregable Confidential Transactions), which is more scalable than previous post-quantum confidential blockchains, i.e., many input/output transactions with logarithmic sized complexity.
MMP-13, VEGF, and Disease Activity in a Cohort of Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients
Authors: Boldeanu Mihail Virgil , Boldeanu Lidia , Cristea Oana Mariana , Ciobanu Dana Alexandra , Poenariu Sabin Ioan , Dijmărescu Anda Lorena , Bărbulescu Andreea Lili , Pădureanu Vlad , Sas Teodor Nicuşor , Dinescu Ștefan Cristian , Vreju Florentin Ananu , Popoviciu Horațiu Valeriu , Ionescu Răzvan Adrian
Published: May 2023

Identifying certain serum biomarkers associated with the degree of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) activity can provide us with a more accurate view of the evolution, prognosis, and future quality of life for these patients. Our aim was to analyze the presence and clinical use of matrix metalloproteinase-13 (MMP-13), along with vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and well-known cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and interleukin 6 (IL-6) for patients with RA. We also wanted to identify the possible correlations between MMP-13 and these serological markers, as well as their relationship with disease activity indices, quality of life, and ultrasonographic evaluation. For this purpose, we analyzed serum samples of 34 RA patients and 12 controls. In order to assess serum concentrations for MMP-13, VEGF, TNF-α, and IL-6, we used the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) technique. Our results concluded that higher levels of MMP-13, VEGF, TNF-α, and IL-6 were present in the serum of RA patients compared to controls, with statistical significance. We furthermore identified moderately positive correlations between VEGF, MMP-13, and disease activity indices, as well as with the ultrasound findings. We also observed that VEGF had the best accuracy (97.80%), for differentiating patients with moderate disease activity. According to the data obtained in our study, that although MMP-13, TNF-α and C-reactive protein (CRP) have the same sensitivity (55.56%), MMP-13 has a better specificity (86.67%) in the diagnosis of patients with DAS28(4v) CRP values corresponding to moderate disease activity. Thus, MMP-13 can be used as a biomarker that can differentiate patients with moderate or low disease activity. VEGF and MMP-13 can be used as additional parameters, along with TNF-α and IL-6, that can provide the clinician a better picture of the inflammatory process, disease activity, and structural damage in patients with RA. Our data can certainly constitute a start point for future research and extended studies with multicenter involvement, to support the selection of individualized and accurate therapeutic management strategies for our patients.
The Role of Single Positive Cultures in Presumed Aseptic Total Hip and Knee Revision Surgery—A Systematic Review of the Literature
Authors: Schwarze Jan , Moellenbeck Burkhard , Gosheger Georg , Puetzler Jan , Deventer Niklas , Kalisch Tobias , Schneider Kristian Nikolaus , Klingebiel Sebastian , Theil Christoph
Published: May 2023

(1) Background: Prior to revision hip (THA) or knee arthroplasty (TKA), periprosthetic low-grade infection (PJI) should be ruled out. Despite advances in preoperative diagnosis, unsuspected positive cultures (UPCs) may occur in initially planned aseptic revisions. Particularly, single UPCs pose a diagnostic and therapeutic dilemma, as their impact on outcome is unclear and recommendations are heterogeneous. This review investigates the frequency of single UPCs and their impact on implant survivorship. (2) Methods: In July 2022, a comprehensive literature search was performed using PubMed and Cochrane Library search. In total, 197 articles were screened. Seven retrospective studies with a total of 5821 cases were able to be included in this review. (3) Results: Based on the cases included, UPCs were found in 794/5821 cases (14%). In 530/794 cases (67%), the majority of the UPCs were single positive. The most commonly isolated pathogens were coagulase negative Staphylococci and Cutibacterium acnes. Five of seven studies reported no influence on revision- or infection-free survival following a single positive culture. In two studies, single UPCs following THA revision were correlated with subsequent re-revision for PJI. (4) Conclusions: Single UPCs of a non-virulent pathogen following presumed aseptic TKA revision may be interpreted as contaminants. A single UPC following THA revision may be a risk factor for subsequent PJI. The role of systemic antibiotic treatment remains unclear, but it should be considered if other risk factors for PJI are present.
Liver Transplant in Patients with Hepatocarcinoma: Imaging Guidelines and Future Perspectives Using Artificial Intelligence
Authors: Pomohaci Mihai , Grasu Mugur , Dumitru Radu , Toma Mihai , Lupescu Ioana
Published: May 2023

Hepatocellular carcinoma is the most common primary malignant hepatic tumor and occurs most often in the setting of chronic liver disease. Liver transplantation is a curative treatment option and is an ideal solution because it solves the chronic underlying liver disorder while removing the malignant lesion. However, due to organ shortages, this treatment can only be applied to carefully selected patients according to clinical guidelines. Artificial intelligence is an emerging technology with multiple applications in medicine with a predilection for domains that work with medical imaging, like radiology. With the help of these technologies, laborious tasks can be automated, and new lesion imaging criteria can be developed based on pixel-level analysis. Our objectives are to review the developing AI applications that could be implemented to better stratify liver transplant candidates. The papers analysed applied AI for liver segmentation, evaluation of steatosis, sarcopenia assessment, lesion detection, segmentation, and characterization. A liver transplant is an optimal treatment for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma in the setting of chronic liver disease. Furthermore, AI could provide solutions for improving the management of liver transplant candidates to improve survival.
The Conditions Necessary for the Formation of Dissipative Structures in Tribo-Films on Friction Surfaces That Decrease the Wear Rate
Authors: Gershman Iosif S. , Fox-Rabinovich German , Gershman Eugeniy , Mironov Alexander E. , Endrino Jose Luis , Podrabinnik Pavel
Published: May 2023

Tribo-films form on surfaces as a result of friction and wear. The wear rate is dependent on the frictional processes, which develop within these tribo-films. Physical–chemical processes with negative entropy production enhance reduction in the wear rate. Such processes intensively develop once self-organization with dissipative structure formation is initiated. This process leads to significant wear rate reduction. Self-organization can only occur after the system loses thermodynamic stability. This article investigates the behavior of entropy production that results in the loss of thermodynamic stability in order to establish the prevalence of friction modes required for self-organization. Tribo-films with dissipative structures form on the friction surface as a consequence of a self-organization process, resulting in an overall wear rate reduction. It has been demonstrated that a tribo-system begins to lose its thermodynamic stability once it reaches the point of maximum entropy production during the running-in stage.
Towards Integrating Virtual Reality into Medical Curricula: A Single Center Student Survey
Authors: Mergen Marvin , Meyerheim Marcel , Graf Norbert
Published: May 2023

Digital learning plays an increasing role in medical education. Virtual Reality (VR) has a high potential for acquiring clinical competencies in a safe and immersive environment. With this survey, we assessed the level of acceptance and potential for VR in medical education among students. From January to April 2022, we provided an anonymous online survey at Saarland University. Besides demographic data, items covered previous VR experience, expectations of including VR in medical curricula, and estimated advantages and disadvantages. Additionally, ideas for VR scenarios could be submitted. Two hundred fifty-two medical students completed the survey. Of these, 54.4% were 21–25 years old, with 34.5% males, 50.4% being preclinical students, and 67.5% never had contact with VR. Males and preclinical students were more likely to be VR experienced. While almost all students approved the integration of VR into their curriculum, most use cases have been allocated to anatomy and surgery. Technical requirements and competencies were the main selected disadvantages. Most medical students can imagine VR being integrated into medical curricula. The implementation of immersive VR technology into medical curricula will allow students to train in practical, procedural, and soft skills repeatedly to acquire highly relevant clinical decision-making competencies with great benefit to public health.
An Efficient Adaptive Noise Removal Filter on Range Images for LiDAR Point Clouds
Authors: Le Minh-Hai , Cheng Ching-Hwa , Liu Don-Gey
Published: May 2023

Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) is a critical sensor for autonomous vehicle systems, providing high-resolution distance measurements in real-time. However, adverse weather conditions such as snow, rain, fog, and sun glare can affect LiDAR performance, requiring data preprocessing. This paper proposes a novel approach, the Adaptive Outlier Removal filter on range Image (AORI), which combines a projection image from LiDAR point clouds with an adaptive outlier removal filter to remove snow particles. Our research aims to analyze the characteristics of LiDAR and propose an image-based approach derived from LiDAR data that addresses the limitations of previous studies, particularly in improving the efficiency of nearest neighbor point search. Our proposed method achieves outstanding performance in both accuracy (>96%) and processing speed (0.26 s per frame) for autonomous driving systems under harsh weather from raw LiDAR point clouds in the Winter Adverse Driving dataset (WADS). Notably, AORI outperforms state-of-the-art filters by achieving a 6.6% higher F1 score and 0.7% higher accuracy. Although our method has a lower recall than state-of-the-art methods, it achieves a good balance between retaining object points and filter noise points from LiDAR, indicating its promise for snow removal in adverse weather conditions.
Model-Based Performance Optimization of Thermal Management System of Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell
Authors: Zhang Jiaming , Yan Fuwu , Du Changqing , Li Wenhao , Fang Hongzhang , Shen Jun
Published: May 2023

As a promising new power source, the proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) has attracted extensive attention. The PEMFC engine produces a large amount of waste heat during operation. The excessive temperature will reduce the efficiency and lifespan of PEMFC engine and even cause irreversible damage if not taken away in time. The thermal management system of the PEMFC plays a critical role in efficiency optimization, longevity and operational safety. To solve the problem of high heat production in the operation of the PEMFC, two approaches are proposed to improve the heat dissipation performance of the radiators in thermal management systems. Three kinds of nanofluids with excellent electrical and thermal conductivity–Al2O3, SiO2 and ZnO– are employed as the cooling medium. The radiator parameters are optimized to improve the heat transfer capability. A typical 1D thermal management system and an isotropic 3D porous medium model replacing the wavy fin are constructed to reveal the effects of the nanofluid and the parameters of the radiator performance and the thermal management system. The results show that all three kinds of nanofluids can effectively improve the heat transfer capacity of the coolant, among which the comprehensive performance of the Al2O3 nanofluid is best. When the mass flow rate is 0.04 kg/s and the concentration is 0.5 vol%, the amount of heat transfer of the Al2O3 nanofluid increases by 12.7% when compared with pure water. Under the same conditions, it can reduce the frontal area of the radiator by 12%. For the radiator, appropriate reduction of the fin pitch and wavy length and increase of wave amplitude can effectively improve the spread of heat. The use of fin parameters with higher heat dissipation power results in lower coolant temperatures at the inlet and outlet of the stack. The performance of the radiator is predicted by the two model-based approaches described above which provide a reliable theoretical basis for the optimization of the thermal management system and the matching of the components.
The Effect of an Electric Field on the Sliding Friction of the Silicone Rubber against Selected Metals in Motor Base Oils
Authors: Głogowski Marek , Smykowski Daniel , Pietrowicz Sławomir
Published: May 2023

The effects of applying external electric fields on the coefficient of friction of a selected elastomer during mechanical interaction with steel and copper surface oil (counter samples) immersed in a pin-on-disc setup were studied and investigated. The synthetic base oils used were PAG 68 and PAO 6. The elastomer selected for the study is commonly used in the manufacture of rotary lip seals. During the investigations, the viscosity of the oils tested was also experimentally determined in the temperature range of between 286 K and 393 K. It was found that the external electric field had a significant effect on the friction coefficient, depending on the type of base oil, the angular velocity of the load force, and the counterpart. It was observed that for both oils tested, the coefficient of friction values decreased by about 30% when an external DC electric field was applied. In addition, a simple numerical model of the friction interface was proposed and studied. The experimental results were complemented by molecular simulations to determine the interaction between the lubricant molecule and the metal surface. Furthermore, molecular models of the metal surface and lubricant molecules were simulated using ReaxFF and COMPASS force fields to determine adsorption energies.
Grid-Connected Phase-Locked Loop Technology Based on a Cascade Second-Order IIR Filter
Authors: Ke Shanwen , Li Yuren
Published: May 2023

The moving average filter-based phase-locked loop (MAF-PLL) can obtain grid synchronization signals accurately under adverse grid conditions with a large amount of harmonics due to the high filtering capability of the MAF. However, MAF-PLL cannot achieve a fast dynamic response in the case of frequency drift, phase angle steps, and unbalanced voltage sag. MAF is essentially an FIR filter, and its filtering performance is hard to be adjusted. To address this issue, this paper proposes an alternative to MAF consisting of a set of cascading second-order IIR filters (CIIRF). Based on MAF, CIIRF introduces multiple zeros and poles from the zero–pole replacement perspective, and by changing the position of the poles, the filter performance can be adjusted. To improve the anti-interference ability of PLL based on CIIRF (CIIRF-PLL) in the presence of grid frequency drift, a frequency-adaptive scheme is also proposed. Simulation and experimental results show that CIIRF-PLL can accurately track the grid voltage phase in the case of frequency steps, phase angle jumps, harmonics injection, and unbalanced voltage sag and has good steady-state and dynamic performance.
Biogas Production from Arthrospira platensis Biomass
Authors: Hawrot-Paw Małgorzata , Koniuszy Adam , Ratomski Patryk , Sąsiadek Magdalena , Gawlik Andrzej
Published: May 2023

Biogas production by fermentation is a relatively low-cost and simple method for the transformation of a substrate into an energy carrier with a wide range of possible applications. The aim of this study was to determine the potential of Arthrospira platensis biomass as a source of bioenergy produced during anaerobic digestion (AD). The studies were carried out on a fractional-technical scale. Biogas yield and composition were analyzed as a function of the amount of biomass subjected to anaerobic digestion, the substrate dosing frequency in the digester and the use of biomass pre-hydrolysis in the mixing compartment. The energy efficiency of the process was also compared for each sample. In addition, a biomass conversion power index was developed and determined. It was found that A. platensis biomass had significant energy potential, and the amount of biogas obtained and its calorific value changed depending on the applied treatments. The maximum cumulative biogas production was 505 L kg−1 volatile solids (VS), while the maximum average methane (CH4) content was 67.32%. A two-fold increase in the organic loading rate from 1 g VS·L−1 volatile solids (VS) to 2 g VS·L−1 had a positive effect on methane concentration. The highest energy efficiency of the AD process was obtained for 2 g VS·L−1, with a single feedstock input into the digester, in a single-stage process (2/s/-), while the highest conversion power ratio was for a feedstock of 1 g VS·L−1, under the same process conditions (1/s/-). Moreover, the energy efficiency of the microalgae fermentation process obtained in the study is higher compared to conventional substrates used in biogas plants. This energy analysis can support the selection of cogeneration power engines in a biogas plant and help to determine the potential output of the biogas plant, especially with varying energy and heat demand.