bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
OncomiR miR-182-5p Enhances Radiosensitivity by Inhibiting the Radiation-Induced Antioxidant Effect through SESN2 in Head and Neck Cancer
Authors: Lin Min-Ying , Chang Yu-Chan , Wang Shan-Ying , Yang Muh-Hwa , Chang Chih-Hsien , Hsiao Michael , Kitsis Richard N. , Lee Yi-Jang
Published: November 2021

Radiotherapy is routinely used for the treatment of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). However, the therapeutic efficacy is usually reduced by acquired radioresistance and locoregional recurrence. In this study, The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) analysis showed that radiotherapy upregulated the miR-182/96/183 cluster and that miR-182 was the most significantly upregulated. Overexpression of miR-182-5p enhanced the radiosensitivity of HNSCC cells by increasing intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, suggesting that expression of the miR-182 family is beneficial for radiotherapy. By intersecting the gene targeting results from three microRNA target prediction databases, we noticed that sestrin2 (SESN2), a molecule resistant to oxidative stress, was involved in 91 genes predicted in all three databases to be directly recognized by miR-182-5p. Knockdown of SESN2 enhanced radiation-induced ROS and cytotoxicity in HNSCC cells. In addition, the radiation-induced expression of SESN2 was repressed by overexpression of miR-182-5p. Reciprocal expression of the miR-182-5p and SESN2 genes was also analyzed in the TCGA database, and a high expression of miR-182-5p combined with a low expression of SESN2 was associated with a better survival rate in patients receiving radiotherapy. Taken together, the current data suggest that miR-182-5p may regulate radiation-induced antioxidant effects and mediate the efficacy of radiotherapy.
Chalcone-Derived Nrf2 Activator Protects Cognitive Function via Maintaining Neuronal Redox Status
Authors: Cui Yuting , Xiong Yue , Li Hua , Zeng Mengqi , Wang Yan , Li Yuan , Zou Xuan , Lv Weiqiang , Gao Jing , Cao Ruijun , Meng Lingjie , Long Jiangang , Liu Jiankang , Feng Zhihui
Published: November 2021

NF-E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), the key transcription regulator of phase II enzymes, has been considered beneficial for neuronal protection. We previously designed a novel chalcone analog, 1-(2,3,4-trimethoxyphenyl)-2-(3,4,5-trimethoxyphenyl)-acrylketone (Tak), that could specifically activate Nrf2 in vitro. Here, we report that Tak confers significant hippocampal neuronal protection both in vitro and in vivo. Treatment with Tak has no significant toxicity on cultured neuronal cells. Instead, Tak increases cellular ATP production by increasing mitochondrial function and decreases the levels of reactive oxygen species by activating Nrf2-mediated phase II enzyme expression. Tak pretreatment prevents glutamate-induced excitotoxic neuronal death accompanied by suppressed mitochondrial respiration, increased superoxide production, and activation of apoptosis. Further investigation indicates that the protective effect of Tak is mediated by the Akt signaling pathway. Meanwhile, Tak administration in mice can sufficiently abrogate scopolamine-induced cognitive impairment via decreasing hippocampal oxidative stress. In addition, consistent benefits are also observed in an energy stress mouse model under a high-fat diet, as the administration of Tak remarkably increases Akt signaling-mediated antioxidative enzyme expression and prevents hippocampal neuronal apoptosis without significant effect on the mouse metabolic status. Overall, our study demonstrates that Tak protects cognitive function by Akt-mediated Nrf2 activation to maintain redox status both vivo and in vitro, suggesting that Tak is a promising pharmacological candidate for the treatment of oxidative neuronal diseases.
Characteristics of the Vertical and Horizontal Response Spectra of Earthquakes in the Jeju Island Region
Authors: Kim Jun-Kyoung , Wee Soung-Hoon , Yoo Seong-Hwa , Kim Kwang-Hee
Published: November 2021

In this study, we evaluated the response spectra of 24 earthquake series, which includes 15 from the Kumamoto earthquake series and 9 from the Pohang earthquake series, and explored the effects of earthquake magnitude on the resonance frequencies of structures and buildings. Furthermore, the observations of this study were compared with the design response spectra, Regulatory Guide 1.60 (The United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission, 1973) for Korean nuclear power plants, and with the Korean Building Code (MOLIT, 2016, hereinafter referred to as KBC 2016) for general structures and buildings. The response spectra, after normalization with reference to the peak ground acceleration (PGA), were derived using a total of 423 horizontal and vertical accelerations. It was observed that the shapes of the horizontal and vertical response spectra were strongly dependent on the magnitude of the earthquake and the resonance frequency. Given the strong dependence of the response on the magnitude, it is suggested to consider magnitude > ML ~ 6.0 when establishing design response spectra. Compared to inland areas, a fairly higher amplitude of response at significantly lower frequency ranges could be attributed to the local geological environment of Jeju Island, which was formed by a surface volcano eruption and the distribution of unconsolidated Pleistocene marine sediments in the Jeju area. It is necessary to study the characteristic influence of layers with low shear wave velocity distributed in the Jeju region on seismic responses more rigorously while considering the frequency band and amplitudes at the surface of Jeju. The resonance frequencies of general low-rise and mid-rise buildings by the brief formula and those by design response spectra both suggested by KBC 2016 were overlapped, and these indicated that the seismic hazard could be much higher on general buildings in the Jeju region than in inland areas. Lastly, it is necessary to make the design standard criteria for Reg. Guide 1.60 and KBC 2016 more conservative in the lower frequency range of higher than 0.6 Hz and 2.0–6.0 Hz, respectively, which is significantly lower than those of the inland area, and to establish improved design response spectra with site-specific seismic design standards by referencing large amounts of qualitative data from the region around the Korean Peninsula.
A Novel and Robust Hybrid Blockchain and Steganography Scheme
Authors: Takaoğlu Mustafa , Özyavaş Adem , Ajlouni Naim , Alshahrani Ali , Alkasasbeh Basil
Published: November 2021

Data security and data hiding have been studied throughout history. Studies show that steganography and encryption methods are used together to hide data and avoid detection. Large amounts of data hidden in the cover multimedia distort the image, which can be detected in visual and histogram analysis. The proposed method will solve two major drawbacks of the current methods: the limitation imposed on the size of the data to be hidden in the cover multimedia and low resistance to steganalysis after stego-operation. In the proposed method, plaintext data are divided into fixed-sized bits whose corresponding matching bits’ indices in the cover multimedia are accumulated. Thus, the hidden data are composed of the indices in the cover multimedia, causing no change in it, thus enabling considerable amounts of plaintext to be hidden. The proposed method also has high resistance to known steganalysis methods because it does not cause any distortion to the cover multimedia. The test results show that the performance of the proposed method outperforms similar conventional stenographic techniques. The proposed Ozyavas–Takaoglu–Ajlouni (OTA) method relieves the limitation on the size of the hidden data, and hidden data is undetectable by steganalysis because it is no longer embedded in the cover multimedia.
A Design of a Solar Fermentation System on Chicken Manure by Fuzzy Logic Temperature Control
Authors: Su Jin-Jhu , Huang Hsi-Chuan , Chen Yi-Ching , Shih Ming-Yao
Published: November 2021

Traditional chicken manure fermentation is mostly natural composting or exposure, which is not only time consuming but also susceptible to weather, resulting in uncontrollable quality and environmental pollution. This research aims to build a smart solar chicken manure fermentation system to control the conditions of chicken manure fermentation effectively, improve quality, and solve the problems of environmental pollution. Hot water produced by solar energy is the heat source for the main system of fermentation, and a backup supplemental heat source by gas heater is applied. The mechanism of drive, agitation, ventilation and drying as well as temperature conditions are controlled by the Arduino’s control core. Fuzzy logic is applied to maintain the optimal temperature, so that the system decomposes the bacteria optimally and reduces the consumed time for fermentation. The chicken manure humidity can be decreased from 70% to 30%, and the effective control system temperature is between 40 and 42 °C, while the pH value is changed from 8.7 to 7.4. The sample analysis of the fermentation also shows that there was 13.12% more organic matter in the chicken manure that added the decomposing bacteria than which did not contain the decomposing bacteria.
Neural Identification of a Temperature Field in the Storing Phase of Thermal Energy in Rock Bed Thermal Storage
Authors: Mueller Wojciech , Koszela Krzysztof , Kujawa Sebastian
Published: November 2021

Thermal energy stored within a rock bed thermal storage system, which is mostly used in agriculture, can be identified during the storage phase using mathematical models based on heat transfer, which concerns batteries running in a vertical setting. However, this requires the conversion of differential equations into algebraic equations, as well as knowledge about the initial and boundary conditions. Furthermore, a lack of information or incomplete information about the initial conditions makes it difficult or impossible to evaluate the volume of stored energy, or can cause significant errors during evaluation. Such situations occur in systems equipped with a rock battery, in which solar collectors act as source of energy. Considering the above, as well as the lack of a model for batteries in a vertical setting, we identified the need for research into the storage phase of rock bed thermal storage systems, working in a horizontal setting, and generating MLP-type neural models. Among these models, MLP 4-7-1 turned out to be the best both in terms of the values of regression statistics and possibilities of generalization. According to the authors, artificial neural models depicting temperature changeability in storage phase will be helpful in the development of a new methodology that can predict the heat volume in rock bed thermal storage systems.
Framework for Developing an Information Technology Maturity Model for Smart City Services in Emerging Economies: (FSCE2)
Authors: Nieto Bernal Wilson , García Espitaleta Keryn Lorena
Published: November 2021

The goal of this research is to design a framework to develop an information technology (IT) maturity model to guide the planning, design, and implementation of smart city services. The objectives of the proposed model are to define qualitatively and measure quantitatively the maturity levels for the IT dimensions used by smart cities (IT governance, IT services, data management and infrastructure), and to develop an implementation model that is practical and contextualized to the needs of any territory that wants to create or improve smart city services. The proposed framework consists of three components: a conceptual model of smart city services, IT dimensions and indicators, and IT maturity levels. The framework was validated by applying it to a case study for the evaluation of the IT maturity levels for the city of Cereté, Colombia.
Modified Infinite-Time State-Dependent Riccati Equation Method for Nonlinear Affine Systems: Quadrotor Control
Authors: Stępień Sławomir , Superczyńska Paulina
Published: November 2021

This paper presents modeling and infinite-time suboptimal control of a quadcopter device using the state-dependent Riccati equation (SDRE) method. It establishes a solution to the control problem using SDRE and proposes a new procedure for solving the problem. As a new contribution, the paper proposes a modified SDRE-based suboptimal control technique for affine nonlinear systems. The method uses a pseudolinearization of the closed-loop system employing Moore–Penrose pseudoinverse. Then, the algebraic Riccati equation (ARE), related to the feedback compensator gain, is reduced to state-independent form, and the solution can be computed only once in the whole control process. The ARE equation is applied to the problem reported in this study that provides general formulation and stability analysis. The effectiveness of the proposed control technique is demonstrated through the use of simulation results for a quadrotor device.
A Validation Method for EPID In Vivo Dosimetry Algorithms
Authors: Esposito Marco , Marrazzo Livia , Vanzi Eleonora , Russo Serenella , Pallotta Stefania , Talamonti Cinzia
Published: November 2021

The aim of this study was to develop and apply an evaluation method for assessing the accuracy of a novel 3D EPID back-projection algorithm for in vivo dosimetry. The novel algorithm of Dosimetry Check (DC) 5.8 was evaluated. A slab phantom homogeneously filled, or with air and bone inserts, was used for fluence reconstruction of different squared fields. VMAT plans in different anatomical sites were delivered on an anthropomorphic phantom. Dose distributions were measured with radiochromic films. The 2D Gamma Agreement Index (GAI) between the DC and the film dose distributions (3%, 3 mm) was computed for assessing the accuracy of the algorithm. GAIs between films and TPS and between DC and TPS were also computed. The fluence reconstruction accuracy was within 2% for all squared fields in the three slabs’ configurations. The GAI between the DC and the film was 92.7% in the prostate, 92.9% in the lung, 96.6% in the head and the neck, and 94.6% in the brain. An evaluation method for assessing the accuracy of a novel EPID algorithm was developed. The DC algorithm was shown to be able to accurately reconstruct doses in all anatomic sites, including the lung. The methodology described in the present study can be applied to any EPID back-projection in vivo algorithm.
The Influences of Local Glacitectonic Disturbance on Overconsolidated Clays for Upland Slope Stability Conditions: A Case Study
Authors: Kiełbasiński Kamil , Dobak Paweł , Kaczmarek Łukasz , Kowalczyk Sebastian
Published: November 2021

Reliability of equilibrium state evaluation about settlement slopes in the context of natural and human-made hazards is a complex issue. The geological structure of the vicinity of the upland slope in the urban environment of Warsaw is characterised by a significant spatial diversification of the layers. This is especially due to the glacitectonics in the Mio-Pliocene clays, which are located shallowly under the sandy tills’ formations. With substantial variability in the clay roof surface, point recognition by drilling is often insufficient. The use of electrical resistivity imaging (ERI) in the quasi-3D variant provides accurate images of the real ground conditions, which is crucial in optimal geotechnical design. In forecasting the behaviour of the slope, it is necessary to quantify the impact of spatially differentiated systems of disturbed layers on changes in the safety factor (SF), which corresponds to the observed landslide activity of the Warsaw Slope. This study concerns numerous calculation model analyses of the optional clay position in the context of slope stability conditions. A wide range of soil properties variability was taken into account, resulting from both lithogenesis and subsequent processes disintegrating the original soil structure. Regarding the geological conditions of the slip surface, the use of classical computational methods and numerical modelling (FEM) was considered for comparative purposes. The results indicated that local changes in equilibrium conditions were affected by the different morphology of the clay roof surface of the slope and the alternation in strength characteristics on the slip surfaces. The findings of the study contribute to sustainable spatial planning of near-slope regions.
A Brief Review on Micro-Implants and Their Use in Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopaedics
Authors: Bucur Sorana-Maria , Vaida Luminița Ligia , Olteanu Cristian Doru , Checchi Vittorio
Published: November 2021

The aim of this study was to review the literature and evaluate the failure rates and factors that affect the stability and success of temporary anchorage devices (TADs) used as orthodontic anchorage. Data was collected from electronic databases: MEDLINE database and Google Scholar. Four combinations of term were used as keywords: “micro-implant”, “mini-implant”, “mini-screw”, and “orthodontics”. The following selection criteria were used to select appropriate articles: articles on implants and screws used as orthodontic anchorage, published in English, with both prospective and retrospective clinical and experimental investigations. The search provided 209 abstracts about TADs used as anchorage. After reading and applying the selection criteria, 66 articles were included in the study. The data obtained were divided into two topics: which factors affected TAD success rate and to what degree and in how many articles they were quoted. Clinical factors were divided into three main groups: patient-related, implant related, and management-related factors. Although all articles included in this meta-analysis reported success rates of greater than 80 percent, the factors determining success rates were inconsistent between the studies analyzed and this made conclusions difficult.
Late Developed Unusual Nasal Involvement of Postoperative Maxillary Cyst Following Maxillary Sinus Augmentation: A Case Report
Authors: Park Won-Bae , Lim Hyun-Chang
Published: November 2021

Postoperative maxillary cyst (POMC) is a benign expansive cystic lesion of the maxilla generally related to invasive maxillary surgeries or trauma. POMC can also develop after maxillary sinus augmentation (MSA), but many dentists are not well-aware of such complication of MSA. A 56-year-old male patient had undergone bilateral MSA. After 18 years, the patient reported painless swelling on the left palate. On the panoramic radiographs, no specific findings were found, but a large unilocular lesion was detected at the medial side of the previous augmentation of the left maxillary sinus on cone-beam computed tomographic examination. The lesion expanded medially and downward to destruct the medial wall of the maxillary sinus and palatal bone. Medial expansion of the lesion also reached the nasal septum and inferior meatus. Due to the extent and the location, the lesion was hard to manage using an intraoral surgical approach. The patient was then referred to an otolaryngologist in a university hospital. Endoscopic marsupialization was performed under general anesthesia. Previous augmentation and dental implants could be maintained during the marsupialization. The removed tissue sample revealed respiratory epithelium with inflammatory cell infiltration, confirming that the lesion was a postoperative maxillary cyst (POMC). There has been no recurrence of POMC to date. POMC is a rare postoperative complication of maxillary sinus augmentation, but clinicians should be aware of the possibility of POMC and the necessity of regular radiological monitoring.
A Review of the T-Stub Components for the Analysis of Bolted Moment Joints
Authors: Berrospi Aquino Giovani Jesus , Gómez Amador Ana María , Alencastre Miranda Jorge Hernan , Jiménez de Cisneros Fonfría Juan José
Published: November 2021

The analytical method for the calculation of the properties of a bolted joint established by the structural Eurocodes proposes the T-stub as a component for the characterization of the tension and compression zones in moment joints. In this article, a review of the state of the art on the T-stub component is developed, where the works developed since it was initially defined, and from the perspectives of formulation, experimentation and numerical simulation are summarized and discussed. Additionally, possible future lines of work are proposed.
Short-Facelift Approach in Temporal Artery Biopsy: Is It Safe?
Authors: Faenza Mario , Piccolo Giuseppina , Funaro Mariano , Grella Roberto , Pantano Ilenia , Ciccia Francesco
Published: November 2021

Giant cell arteritis (GCA) is a quite common panarteritis of the elderly that affects medium- and large-size arteries. Despite the increasing role of imaging with advancing technology, the gold standard for the diagnosis of GCA is still the temporal artery biopsy. A described complication of superficial temporal artery biopsy (STAB), for which incidence is not clear, is the accidental damage of the frontal branch of the facial nerve. In this paper, we described the short-scar facelift surgical approach for STAB on 23 consecutive patients who underwent unilateral superficial temporal artery biopsy for GCA suspicion. We collected data in terms of postoperative complications, biopsy specimen length, biopsy result and cosmetic appearance of the scar. In our experience, this surgical approach combines the advantage of avoiding incisions within the dangerous anatomical area, minimizing the risk of facial nerve damage, with an acceptable complication rate and a good final aesthetic result which avoids visible scarring.
Zoning Control Technology of Gob-Side Roadway Driving with Small Coal Pillar Facing Mining in a Special Isolated Island Working Face: A Case Study
Authors: Han Changliang , Yang Houqiang , Zhang Nong , Deng Rijian , Guo Yuxin
Published: November 2021

The gob-side roadway in an isolated island working face is a typical representative of a strong mining roadway, which seriously restricts the efficient and safe production of underground coal mines. With the engineering background of the main transportation roadway 1513 (MTR 1513) of the Xinyi Coal Mine, this paper introduces the engineering case of gob-side roadway driving with small coal-pillar facing mining in an isolated island working face under the alternate mining of wide and narrow working faces. Through comprehensive research methods, we studied zoning disturbance deformation characteristics and stress evolution law of gob-side roadway driving under face mining. Based on the characteristics of zoning disturbance, MTR 1513 is divided into three zones, which are the heading face mining zone, the mining influenced zone, and the mining stability zone. A collaborative control technology using pressure relief and anchoring is proposed, and the differentiated control method is formed for the three zones. For the heading face mining zone, the control method of anchoring first and then pressure relief is adopted; for the mining influenced zone, the control idea of synchronous coordination of pressure relief and anchorage is adopted; for the mining stability zone, the control method of anchoring without pressure relief is adopted. Engineering practices show that the disturbance influence distance of working face 1511 on MTR 1513 changes from 110 m advanced to 175 m delay. At this time, the surrounding rock deformation is effectively controlled, which verified the rationality of the division and the feasibility of three zoning control technology. The research results can provide reference for gob-side roadway driving with small coal pillar facing mining in a special isolated island working face.
Monomode Optical Waveguide Achieved by Lattice Damage in Yttria-Stabilized Zirconia Crystal Induced from Energetic Oxygen Irradiation
Authors: Ming Xianbing , Wang Zekun , Zhang Yi
Published: November 2021

With valuable physicochemical properties, yttria-stabilized zirconia crystal has promising advantages in optical applications. In this paper, the waveguide effect is observed in yttria-stabilized zirconia crystal irradiated by energetic oxygen ions. The waveguide properties and the field intensity are analyzed using prism and end-face coupling method arrangements, and the results show that monomode is found in the near-surface region and the light beam can be well confined in the waveguide structure, which shows refractive index distribution of the barrier-wall and enhanced-well type. The lattice damage induced by irradiation is investigated by the Rutherford backscattering/channeling experiment and high-resolution X-ray diffraction techniques. The simulation results are in good agreement with the experimental data.
Detection of Bovine Mastitis in Raw Milk, Using a Low-Cost NIR Spectrometer and k-NN Algorithm
Authors: Ramirez-Morales Ivan , Aguilar Lenin , Fernandez-Blanco Enrique , Rivero Daniel , Perez Jhonny , Pazos Alejandro
Published: November 2021

Among the bovine diseases, mastitis causes high economic losses in the dairy production system. Nowadays, detection under field conditions is mainly performed by the California Mastitis Test, which is considered the de facto standard. However, this method presents with problems of slowness and the expensiveness of the chemical-reactive process, which is deeply dependent on an expert’s trained eye and, consequently, is highly imprecise. The aim of this work is to propose a new method for bovine mastitis detection under field conditions. The proposed method uses a low-cost, smartphone-connected NIR spectrometer which solves the aforementioned problems of slowness, expert dependency and disposability of the chemical methods. This method uses spectra in combination with two k-Nearest Neighbors models. The first model is used to detect the presence of mastitis while the second model classifies the positive cases into weak and strong. The resulting method was validated by using a leave-one-out technique where the ground truth was obtained by the California Mastitis Test. The detection model achieved an accuracy of 92.4%, while the one classifying the severity showed an accuracy of 95%.
Numerical Simulation of Rock Mass Structure Effect on Tunnel Smooth Blasting Quality: A Case Study
Authors: Wang Jianxiu , Cao Ansheng , Liu Jiaxing , Wang Huanran , Liu Xiaotian , Li Huboqiang , Sun Yuanwei , Long Yanxia , Wu Fan
Published: November 2021

Taking the Zigaojian tunnel, Hangzhou–Huangshan high-speed railway, China, as background, the rock mass structure effect on smooth blasting quality was studied. Four rock mass structures were determined on the basis of the information collected on the tunnel site. Smooth blasting finite element models were established using LS-DYNA. The accuracy of the numerical calculation model was verified by comparing the overbreak and underbreak between the numerical simulation and monitoring. Orthogonal numerical test was used to study the rock mass structure effect through single factor and main effect analysis methods. With the decrease in rock mass integrity, the smooth blasting overbreak of tunnels with massive integrity structure, massive structure, layered structure, and cataclastic structure increased. For massive integrity structure and cataclastic structure, the peripheral hole spacing should be emphatically considered. Meanwhile, in massive structure and layered structure, the included angle and spacing of structural planes had a great influence on the smooth blasting quality. The research results could provide a reference to improve the quality of similar tunnel smooth blasting.
A Hybrid Recommender System for HCI Design Pattern Recommendations
Authors: Braham Amani , Khemaja Maha , Buendía Félix , Gargouri Faiez
Published: November 2021

User interface design patterns are acknowledged as a standard solution to recurring design problems. The heterogeneity of existing design patterns makes the selection of relevant ones difficult. To tackle these concerns, the current work contributes in a twofold manner. The first contribution is the development of a recommender system for selecting the most relevant design patterns in the Human Computer Interaction (HCI) domain. This system introduces a hybrid approach that combines text-based and ontology-based techniques and is aimed at using semantic similarity along with ontology models to retrieve appropriate HCI design patterns. The second contribution addresses the validation of the proposed recommender system regarding the acceptance intention towards our system by assessing the perceived experience and the perceived accuracy. To this purpose, we conducted a user-centric evaluation experiment wherein participants were invited to fill pre-study and post-test questionnaires. The findings of the evaluation study revealed that the perceived experience of the proposed system’s quality and the accuracy of the recommended design patterns were assessed positively.
Microbial Fuel Cell United with Other Existing Technologies for Enhanced Power Generation and Efficient Wastewater Treatment
Authors: Patwardhan Sanchita Bipin , Savla Nishit , Pandit Soumya , Gupta Piyush Kumar , Mathuriya Abhilasha Singh , Lahiri Dibyajit , Jadhav Dipak A. , Rai Ashutosh Kumar , KanuPriya  , Ray Rina Rani , Singh Vandana , Kumar Vivek , Prasad Ram
Published: November 2021

Nowadays, the world is experiencing an energy crisis due to extensive globalization and industrialization. Most of the sources of renewable energy are getting depleted, and thus, there is an urge to locate alternative routes to produce energy efficiently. Microbial fuel cell (MFC) is a favorable technology that utilizes electroactive microorganisms acting as a biocatalyst at the anode compartment converting organic matter present in sewage water for bioelectricity production and simultaneously treating wastewater. However, there are certain limitations with a typical stand-alone MFC for efficient energy recovery and its practical implementation, including low power output and high cost associated with treatment. There are various modifications carried out on MFC for eliminating the limitations of a stand-alone MFC. Examples of such modification include integration of microbial fuel cell with capacitive deionization technology, forward osmosis technology, anaerobic digester, and constructed wetland technology. This review describes various integrated MFC systems along with their potential application on an industrial scale for wastewater treatment, biofuel generation, and energy production. As a result, such integration of MFCs with existing systems is urgently needed to address the cost, fouling, durability, and sustainability-related issues of MFCs while also improving the grade of treatment received by effluent.
Impact of the Assimilation of Multi-Platform Observations on Heavy Rainfall Forecasts in Kong-Chi Basin, Thailand
Authors: Thodsan Thippawan , Wu Falin , Torsri Kritanai , Khampuenson Thakolpat , Yang Gongliu
Published: November 2021

Data assimilation with a Numerical Weather Prediction (NWP) model using an observation system in a regional area is becoming more prevalent for local weather forecasting activities to reduce the risk of disasters. In this study, we evaluated the predictive capabilities of multi-platform observation assimilation based on a WRFDA (Weather Research and Forecasting model data assimilation) system with 9 km grid spacing over the Kong-Chi basin (KCB), where tropical storms and heavy rainfall occur frequently. Data assimilation experiments were carried out with two assimilation schemes: (1) assimilating the combined multi-platform observations of PREPBUFR data from the National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) and Automatic Weather Stations (AWS) data from the National Hydroinformatics Data Center in Thailand, and (2) assimilating the AWS data only, which are referred to as DAALL and DAAWS, respectively. Assimilation experiments skill scores with lead times of 48 h and 72 h were evaluated by comparing their accumulated rainfall and mean temperatures every three hours in the AWS for heavy rainfall events that occurred on 28 July 2017 and 30 August 2019. The results show that the DAALL improved the statistical skill scores by improving the pattern and intensity of heavy rainfall events, and DAAWS also improved the model results of near-surface location forecasts. The accuracy of the two assimilations for 3 h of accumulated rainfall with a 5 mm threshold, was only above 70%, but the threat score was acceptable. Temperature observations and assimilation experiments fitted a significant correlation with a coefficient greater than 0.85, while the mean absolute errors, even at the 48 h lead times remained below 1.75 °C of the mean temperature. The variables of the AWS observations in real-time after combining them with the weather forecasting model were evaluated for unprecedented rain events in the KCB. The scores suggested that the assimilation of the multi-platform observations at the 48 h lead times has an impact on heavy rainfall prediction in terms of the threat score, compared to the assimilation of AWS data only. The reason for this could be that fewer observations of the AWS data affected the WRFDA model.
Evaluating Quantitative Precipitation Forecasts Using the 2.5 km CReSS Model for Typhoons in Taiwan: An Update through the 2015 Season
Authors: Wang Chung-Chieh , Chang Chih-Sheng , Wang Yi-Wen , Huang Chien-Chang , Wang Shih-Chieh , Chen Yi-Shin , Tsuboki Kazuhisa , Huang Shin-Yi , Chen Shin-Hau , Chuang Pi-Yu , Chiu Hsun
Published: November 2021

In this study, 24 h quantitative precipitation forecasts (QPFs) by a cloud-resolving model (with a grid spacing of 2.5 km) on days 1–3 for 29 typhoons in six seasons of 2010–2015 in Taiwan were examined using categorical scores and rain gauge data. The study represents an update from a previous study for 2010–2012, in order to produce more stable and robust statistics toward the high thresholds (typically with fewer sample points), which is our main focus of interest. This is important to better understand the model’s ability to predict such high-impact typhoon rainfall events. The overall threat scores (TS, defined as the fraction among all verification points that are correctly predicted to reach a given threshold to all points that are either observed or predicted to reach that threshold, or both) were 0.28 and 0.18 on day 1 (0–24 h) QPFs, 0.25 and 0.16 on day 2 (24–48 h) QPFs, and 0.15 and 0.08 on day 3 (48–72 h) QPFs at 350 mm and 500 mm, respectively, showing improvements over 5 km models. Moreover, as found previously, a strong dependence of higher TSs for larger rainfall events also existed, and the corresponding TSs at 350 and 500 mm for the top 5% of events were 0.39 and 0.25 on day 1, 0.38 and 0.21 on day 2, and 0.25 and 0.12 on day 3. Thus, for the top typhoon rainfall events that have the highest potential for hazards, the model exhibits an even higher ability for QPFs based on categorical scores. Furthermore, it is shown that the model has little tendency to overpredict or underpredict rainfall for all groups of events with different rainfall magnitude across all thresholds, except for some tendency to under-forecast for the largest event group on day 3. Some issues associated with categorical statistics to be aware of are also demonstrated and discussed.
Design and Analysis of a Biodegradable Polycaprolactone Flow Diverting Stent for Brain Aneurysms
Authors: Tidwell Kaitlyn , Harriet Seth , Barot Vishal , Bauer Andrew , Vaughan Melville B. , Hossan Mohammad R.
Published: November 2021

The flow diverting stent (FDS) has become a promising endovascular device for the treatment of aneurysms. This research presents a novel biodegradable and non-braided Polycaprolactone (PCL) FDS. The PCL FDS was designed and developed using an in-house fabrication unit and coated on two ends with BaSO4 for angiographic visibility. The mechanical flexibility and quality of FDS surfaces were examined with the UniVert testing machine, scanning electron microscope (SEM), and 3D profilometer. Human umbilical vein endothelial cell (HUVEC) adhesion, proliferation, and cell morphology studies on PCL FDS were performed. The cytotoxicity and NO production by HUVECs with PCL FDS were also conducted. The longitudinal tensile, radial, and bending flexibility were found to be 1.20 ± 0.19 N/mm, 0.56 ± 0.11 N/mm, and 0.34 ± 0.03 N/mm, respectively. The FDS was returned to the original shape and diameter after repeated compression and bending without compromising mechanical integrity. Results also showed that the proliferation and adhesion of HUVECs on the FDS surface increased over time compared to control without FDS. Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release and NO production showed that PCL FDS were non-toxic and satisfactory. Cell morphology studies showed that HUVECs were elongated to cover the FD surface and developed an endothelial monolayer. This study is a step forward toward the development and clinical use of biodegradable flow diverting stents for endovascular treatment of the aneurysm.
Pressure Perturbation Studies of Noncanonical Viral Nucleic Acid Structures
Authors: Somkuti Judit , Molnár Orsolya Réka , Grád Anna , Smeller László
Published: November 2021

G-quadruplexes are noncanonical structures formed by guanine-rich sequences of the genome. They are found in crucial loci of the human genome, they take part in the regulation of important processes like cell proliferation and cell death. Much less is known about the subjects of this work, the viral G-quadruplexes. We have chosen three potentially G-quadruplex-forming sequences of hepatitis B. We measured the stability and the thermodynamic parameters of these quadruplexes. We also investigated the potential stabilization of these G-quadruplexes by binding a special ligand that was originally developed for cancer therapy. Fluorescence and infrared spectroscopic measurements were performed over wide temperature and pressure ranges. Our experiments indicate the small unfolding volume change of all three oligos. We found a difference between the unfolding of the 2-quartet and the 3-quartet G-quadruplexes. All three G-quadruplexes were stabilized by TMPyP4, which is a cationic porphyrin developed for stabilizing the human telomere.
COVID-19 Detection Using Deep Learning Algorithm on Chest X-ray Images
Authors: Akter Shamima , Shamrat F. M. Javed Mehedi , Chakraborty Sovon , Karim Asif , Azam Sami
Published: November 2021

COVID-19, regarded as the deadliest virus of the 21st century, has claimed the lives of millions of people around the globe in less than two years. Since the virus initially affects the lungs of patients, X-ray imaging of the chest is helpful for effective diagnosis. Any method for automatic, reliable, and accurate screening of COVID-19 infection would be beneficial for rapid detection and reducing medical or healthcare professional exposure to the virus. In the past, Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) proved to be quite successful in the classification of medical images. In this study, an automatic deep learning classification method for detecting COVID-19 from chest X-ray images is suggested using a CNN. A dataset consisting of 3616 COVID-19 chest X-ray images and 10,192 healthy chest X-ray images was used. The original data were then augmented to increase the data sample to 26,000 COVID-19 and 26,000 healthy X-ray images. The dataset was enhanced using histogram equalization, spectrum, grays, cyan and normalized with NCLAHE before being applied to CNN models. Initially using the dataset, the symptoms of COVID-19 were detected by employing eleven existing CNN models; VGG16, VGG19, MobileNetV2, InceptionV3, NFNet, ResNet50, ResNet101, DenseNet, EfficientNetB7, AlexNet, and GoogLeNet. From the models, MobileNetV2 was selected for further modification to obtain a higher accuracy of COVID-19 detection. Performance evaluation of the models was demonstrated using a confusion matrix. It was observed that the modified MobileNetV2 model proposed in the study gave the highest accuracy of 98% in classifying COVID-19 and healthy chest X-rays among all the implemented CNN models. The second-best performance was achieved from the pre-trained MobileNetV2 with an accuracy of 97%, followed by VGG19 and ResNet101 with 95% accuracy for both the models. The study compares the compilation time of the models. The proposed model required the least compilation time with 2 h, 50 min and 21 s. Finally, the Wilcoxon signed-rank test was performed to test the statistical significance. The results suggest that the proposed method can efficiently identify the symptoms of infection from chest X-ray images better than existing methods.
Effects of the COVID-19 Lockdown on Body Composition and Bioelectrical Phase Angle in Serie A Soccer Players: A Comparison of Two Consecutive Seasons
Authors: Campa Francesco , Bongiovanni Tindaro , Trecroci Athos , Rossi Alessio , Greco Gianpiero , Pasta Giulio , Coratella Giuseppe
Published: November 2021

The present study compared changes in body composition during the COVID-19-associated lockdown with the same period of the following season in elite soccer players. Fifteen elite male soccer players (30.5 ± 3.6 years.) underwent a bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) before (end of February) and after (end of May) the lockdown, which occurred during the 2019/2020 season, and at the same period during the following competitive season in 2020/2021, when restrictions were lifted. Fat and muscle mass were estimated using predictive equations, while phase angle (PhA) and bioelectrical impedance vector analysis (BIVA) patterns were directly measured. After lockdown, fat mass remained unchanged (p > 0.05), while muscle mass (95%CI = −1.12/−0.64; ES = −2.04) and PhA (95%CI = 0.51/−0.24, ES = −1.56) decreased. A rightward displacement of the BIVA vector was also found (p < 0.001, ES = 1.50). After the same period during the regular season, FM% and muscle mass did not change (p > 0.05), while the PhA increased (95%CI = 0.01/0.22; ES = 0.63). A leftward vector displacement (p < 0.001, ES = 1.05) was also observed. The changes in muscle mass correlated with changes in PhA (“lockdown” season 2019/2020: ß = −1.128, p = 0.011; “regular” season 2020/21: ß = 1.963, p = 0.011). In conclusion, coaches and strength conditioners should monitor muscle mass in soccer players during detraining periods as this parameter appears to be mainly affected by changes in training plans.
Cell-Based Neuroprotection of Retinal Ganglion Cells in Animal Models of Optic Neuropathies
Authors: Hu Yue , Grodzki Lynn Michelle , Bartsch Susanne , Bartsch Udo
Published: November 2021

Retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) comprise a heterogenous group of projection neurons that transmit visual information from the retina to the brain. Progressive degeneration of these cells, as it occurs in inflammatory, ischemic, traumatic or glaucomatous optic neuropathies, results in visual deterioration and is among the leading causes of irreversible blindness. Treatment options for these diseases are limited. Neuroprotective approaches aim to slow down and eventually halt the loss of ganglion cells in these disorders. In this review, we have summarized preclinical studies that have evaluated the efficacy of cell-based neuroprotective treatment strategies to rescue retinal ganglion cells from cell death. Intraocular transplantations of diverse genetically nonmodified cell types or cells engineered to overexpress neurotrophic factors have been demonstrated to result in significant attenuation of ganglion cell loss in animal models of different optic neuropathies. Cell-based combinatorial neuroprotective approaches represent a potential strategy to further increase the survival rates of retinal ganglion cells. However, data about the long-term impact of the different cell-based treatment strategies on retinal ganglion cell survival and detailed analyses of potential adverse effects of a sustained intraocular delivery of neurotrophic factors on retina structure and function are limited, making it difficult to assess their therapeutic potential.
The Neuro-Protective Effects of the TSPO Ligands CB86 and CB204 on 6-OHDA-Induced PC12 Cell Death as an In Vitro Model for Parkinson’s Disease
Authors: Monga Sheelu , Denora Nunzio , Laquintana Valentino , Yashaev Rami , Weizman Abraham , Gavish Moshe
Published: November 2021

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder which is characterized by the degeneration of dopaminergic neurons in substantia nigra (SN). Oxidative stress or reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation was suggested to play a role in this specific type of neurodegeneration. Therapeutic options which can target and counteract ROS generation may be of benefit. TSPO ligands are known to counteract with neuro-inflammation, ROS generation, apoptosis, and necrosis. In the current study, we investigated an in vitro cellular PD model by the assessment of 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA, 80 µM)-induced PC12 neurotoxicity. Simultaneously to the exposure of the cells to 6-OHDA, we added the TSPO ligands CB86 and CB204 (25 µM each) and assessed the impact on several markers of cell death. The two ligands normalized significantly (57% and 52% respectively, from 44%; whereas the control was 68%) cell proliferation at different time points from 0–24 h. Additionally, we evaluated the effect of these two TSPO ligands on necrosis using propidium iodide (PI) staining and found that the ligands inhibited significantly the 6-OHDA-induced necrosis. As compared to control, the red count was increased up to 57-fold whereas CB86 and CB204 inhibited to 2.7-fold and 3.2-fold respectively. Necrosis was also analyzed by LDH assay which showed significant effect. Both assays demonstrated similar potent anti-necrotic effect of the two TSPO ligands. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation induced by 6-OHDA was also inhibited by the two TSPO ligand up to 1.3 and 1.5-fold respectively, as compared to 6-OHDA group. CB86 and CB204 inhibited also normalized the cell viability up to 1.8-fold after the exposure to 6-OHDA, as assessed by XTT assay. The two TSPO ligands also inhibited apoptosis significantly (1.3-fold for both) as assessed by apopxin green staining. In summary, it appears that the two TSPO ligands CB86 and CB204 can suppress cell death of PC12 induced by 6-OHDA. The results may be relevant to the use of these two TSPO ligands as therapeutic option neurodegenerative diseases like PD.