bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Physicochemical Characterization of a Cellulosic Film Modified with Two Room-Temperature Ionic Liquids
Authors: Yuso Maria del Valle Martinez de , Cuevas Ana Laura , Benavente Juana
Published: October 2022

Changes in the physicochemical characteristics of a regenerated cellulose (RC) film due to a surface modification with room-temperature ionic liquids (ILs) are determined. Two ILs (1-butyl-3-metylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate and tricaprylmethylammonium chloride) were selected, and film surface modification was performed by a dip-coating process (1 h) in the corresponding IL. The surface characterization of the RC/IL films was carried out by XPS at various take-off angles (from 15° to 75°), while the modification of mechanical properties was established by tensile analysis, obtaining a significant increase for the Young modulus of both RC/IL films when compared with the RC-support. Optical characteristics of the RC/IL films were determined by transmittance and reflectance measurements for wavelengths covering visible and near-infrared regions, while impedance spectroscopy (IS) measurements allow us to estimate the electrical changes in the RC/IL films. These results show the high transmittance of both RC/IL films (>90%) with slight differences depending on the IL in both optical regions, while the IS data analysis indicated a conductivity reduction and dielectric constant increase in the dielectric constant for both eco-friendly RC/IL films.
Effect of Nitrogen and Phosphorus Distribution in Overlying Water and Sediment of Major Rivers in Changchun City on Water Quality
Authors: Tang Xiaodan , Li Zhenghe , He Shan , Yang Binghan , Zhang Zeyu , Li Bing , Zhao Yuyan
Published: October 2022

To explore the existing characteristics of nitrogen and phosphorus in the main rivers of Changchun City, the overlying water and sediment were sampled and tested. The results showed that the spatial distribution of nitrogen and phosphorus contents in overlying water and sediment was diverse. In overlying water, nitrogen and phosphorus contents in the north and west of Changchun were high, while their contents in the south were low. In the sediment, their contents were high in the south and west and low in the north. The pollution of nitrogen and phosphorus was serious in most rivers. Xinkai River, Chuan Lake, and West Lake had the acutest pollution of ammonia, total nitrogen, and total phosphorus, and their contamination degree in Yongchun River was the lowest. In terms of time, with the government actively carrying out river management, the pollution control of ammonia and phosphorus has achieved remarkable results. The pollution of nitrogen and phosphorus was closely related to the quality of the water environment, and the phosphorus content in overlying water and sediment had the strongest correlation with other water quality parameters. Moreover, the change in chemical oxygen demand could be predicted by the partial least squares method on the basis of its high correlation with nitrogen and phosphorus in overlying water. This study provides a scientific reference for the investigation and treatment of nitrogen and phosphorus pollution in surface water of typical old industrial cities in China.
Industrial Wastewater as a Growth Medium for Microalgal Biomass for a Sustainable Circular Bioeconomy
Authors: Zabochnicka Magdalena
Published: October 2022

Since sources of clean water are limited, industrial wastewaters are available and utilization of biomass as a renewable energy source is increasing; therefore, wastewater could be used as a growth medium for the production of biomass. Such an approach is directly connected to the sustainable circular bioeconomy. The main aim of the present study was to evaluate the potential application of industrial wastewater for cultivation of C. vulgaris and S. armatus. This study was carried out in order to: (i) assess the influence of wastewater on the activity of microalgae; (ii) assess batch and repeated fed-batch culture cultivation techniques; and (iii) assess cultivation of microalgae in suspension and immobilized on alginate beads. It was demonstrated that microalgae can be cultivated in wastewater contaminated with inorganic and organic chemical compounds in autotrophic conditions, batch culture or repeated fed-batch culture, and also in the form of suspension as well as being immobilized on alginate beads. The growth rate of microalgae in samples with initial algal culture concentrations of 100 g/L was as follow: 2.3 ± 0.01 d−1–3.8 ± 0.03 d−1 for C. vulgaris and 2.2 ± 0.02 d−1–4.0 ± 0.06 d−1 for S. armatus. In samples with initial algal culture concentrations of 50 g/L the growth rate of microalgae (μ) was as follow: 1.2 ± 0.01 d−1–2.2 ± 0.02 d−1 for C. vulgaris and 1.3 ± 0.02 d−1–2.4 ± 0.05 d−1 for S. armatus. Cultivation of microalgae in industrial wastewater has more advantages than cultivation carried out in clean water due to lower costs and protection of natural resources.
Numerical Study of Geotextile-Reinforced Flexible Pavement Overlying Low-Strength Subgrade
Authors: Yin Zihong , Ndiema Kevin Maraka , Lekalpure Raymond Leiren , Kiptum Clement Kiprotich
Published: October 2022

Construction of low-volume flexible pavements on low-strength subgrade poses design, construction, and maintenance challenges. While researchers have generally acknowledged the potential for geosynthetics as reinforcement material, they mainly focused on permanent deformation. Therefore, this paper presents a numerical study of low-volume flexible pavement reinforced with geotextile material under static loading to determine the improvement due to reinforcement based on three criteria: rutting performance, geosynthetic placement location, and base course thickness reduction. Based on the Finite Element Method (FEM), three-dimensional modeling using Abaqus/CAE software was performed. From the study, a significant decrease in rutting of up to 25.2% for the unreinforced pavement system was attained with geotextile reinforcement at base–subgrade and AC–base interfaces. The deflection response behavior of the pavement system is affected by the elastic modulus of the geosynthetic material, placement location, and the number of reinforcement layers. As a result of reinforcement, a base course thickness reduction of up to 30% was achieved without sacrificing the pavement’s structural integrity.
Design of a 2 m Primary Mirror Assembly Considering Fatigue Characteristics
Authors: Xu Jiakun , Li Wei , Wang Kejun , Hao Qu , Lin Guanyu
Published: October 2022

The design requirements of a 2 m mirror assembly installed on a large space optical remote sensor are investigated in this study. The mirror body and rigid connectors are designed using topology and size optimization methods. The initial design scheme of flexible supports is then proposed through an in-depth exploration of fatigue failure mechanism caused by impacts of size parameters, thermal–mechanical vibration, and surface abrasion. The comprehensive analysis mode of the flexible support structure is established with the help of finite element and fatigue analysis software programs. The designed mirror surface error under composited force is 5.6 nm, first natural vibration mode is 119.16 Hz, and fatigue life synthesizing thermal–mechanical vibration is about 21,790,000 cycles, thereby meeting the design requirements. The first natural vibration mode, acceleration response, and stress responses of sine and random vibration are verified with experiments, and the findings are compared with the theoretical analysis results. The analysis mode can successfully and significantly improve the reliability of the mirror assembly and help optimize the design of flexible supports.
A Review on Two-Phase Volumetric Expanders and Their Applications
Authors: Francesconi Marco , Briola Stefano , Antonelli Marco
Published: October 2022

The importance of volumetric expanders has been increasing in the last decades because several studies confirmed that they lead to improved energy savings, limit the environmental impact, and reduce the energy intensity of industrial and domestic applications. In particular, several applications of the two-phase volumetric expanders, in which the operating fluid consists of liquid and vapor phases, were recently proposed. Nevertheless, the contributions in the scientific literature related to the overview of the state-of-the-art aspects of this technology are rare. For this reason, the present work discussed the potentialities and drawbacks of the available typologies of volumetric expanders that process a two-phase pure working fluid by analyzing a summary of leading studies in this field to go beyond previous efforts in the literature. The analysis revealed that twin-screw machines represent the best candidates, while reciprocating piston devices seemed the least well-adapted because of their reduced tolerance to droplets and high friction losses. Flash evaporation appeared to have the most significant impact on the expander because it affects both inlet and expansion phases, thus, determining the shape of the indicated cycle and the isentropic efficiency.
Bridge Node Detection between Communities Based on GNN
Authors: Luo Hairu , Jia Peng , Zhou Anmin , Liu Yuying , He Ziheng
Published: October 2022

In a complex network, some nodes are relatively concentrated in topological structure, thus forming a relatively independent node group, which we call a community. Usually, there are multiple communities on a network, and these communities are interconnected and exchange information with each other. A node that plays an important role in the process of information exchange between communities is called an inter-community bridge node. Traditional methods of defining and detecting bridge nodes mostly quantify the bridging effect of nodes by collecting local structural information of nodes and defining index operations. However, on the one hand, it is often difficult to capture the deep topological information in complex networks based on a single indicator, resulting in inaccurate evaluation results; on the other hand, for networks without community structure, such methods may rely on community partitioning algorithms, which require significant computing power. In this paper, considering the multi-dimensional attributes and structural characteristics of nodes, a deep learning-based framework named BND is designed to quickly and accurately detect bridge nodes. Considering that the bridging function of nodes between communities is abstract and complex, and may be related to the multi-dimensional information of nodes, we construct an attribute graph on the basis of the original graph according to the features of the five dimensions of the node to meet our needs for extracting bridging-related attributes. In the deep learning model, we overlay graph neural network layers to process the input attribute graph and add fully connected layers to improve the final classification effect of the model. Graph neural network algorithms including GCN, GAT, and GraphSAGE are compatible with our proposed framework. To the best of our knowledge, our work is the first application of graph neural network techniques in the field of bridge node detection. Experiments show that our designed framework can effectively capture network topology information and accurately detect bridge nodes in the network. In the overall model effect evaluation results based on indicators such as Accuracy and F1 score, our proposed graph neural network model is generally better than baseline methods. In the best case, our model has an Accuracy of 0.9050 and an F1 score of 0.8728.
The Combined Impacts of ENSO and IOD on Global Seasonal Droughts
Authors: Yin Hao , Wu Zhiyong , Fowler Hayley J. , Blenkinsop Stephen , He Hai , Li Yuan
Published: October 2022

Previous studies have revealed that global droughts are significantly affected by different types of El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) events. However, quantifying the temporal and spatial characteristics of global droughts, particularly those occurring during combined ENSO and Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) events, is still largely unexplored. This study adopts the severity-area-duration (SAD) method to identify large-scale drought events and the Liang-Kleeman Information Flow (LKIF) to demonstrate the cause-and-effect relationship between the Nino3.4/Nino3/Nino4/Dipole Mode Index (DMI) and the global gridded three-month standardized precipitation index (SPI3) during 1951–2020. The five main achievements are as follows: (1) the intensity and coverage of droughts reach a peak in the developing and mature phases of El Niño, while La Niña most influences drought in its mature and decaying phases. (2) Compared with Eastern Pacific (EP) El Niño, the impacts of Central Pacific (CP) El Niño on global drought are more extensive and complex, especially in Africa and South America. (3) The areal extent and intensity of drought are greater in most land areas during the summer and autumn of the combined events. (4) The spatial variabilities in dryness and wetness on land are greater during combined CP El Niño and pIOD events, significantly in China and South America. (5) The quantified causalities from LKIF reveal the driving mechanism of ENSO/IOD on SPI3, supporting the findings above. These results lead to the potential for improving seasonal drought prediction, which is further discussed.
Comparison of Particle Sizers and Counters with Soot-like, Salt, and Silver Particles
Authors: Giechaskiel Barouch , Melas Anastasios
Published: October 2022

Vehicle emission regulations in Europe and many Asian countries include a particle number limit. The number concentration is measured, typically, with condensation particle counters (CPCs). For research purposes, the size distributions provide useful information. Scanning mobility particle sizers (SMPSs) accurately provide the size distribution but are not suitable for transient aerosol. Engine (fast) exhaust particle sizers (EEPSs) cover this gap, but with less accuracy. Fast size distribution instruments are commonly used in the research and development of engines. In the last few years, instrument algorithms have been improved, but studies assessing the improvements are limited, in particular in their lower size range, around 10–20 nm, and for soot-like aerosol. In this paper, we compared the three instruments using salt, silver, diffusion flame soot (CAST), and spark discharge graphite particles. Moreover, vehicle exhaust number concentration measurements with EEPSs over a seven-year period were presented. In terms of particle concentration, EEPS overestimated, on average, 25% compared to CPC, in agreement with previous studies. Its accuracy for mean particle size determination was better than 5 nm compared to SMPS. The agreement between the instruments was satisfactory but the uncertainty increased at low concentrations and larger particle sizes, showing that there is still room for further improvements. Experimental challenges, such as low concentration levels of modern vehicles, losses in the diluters, use of photometric mode by the CPCs, and the material impact, are also discussed.
Chromosome-Level Assembly of Male Opsariichthys bidens Genome Provides Insights into the Regulation of the GnRH Signaling Pathway and Genome Evolution
Authors: Liu Dong , Gui Lang , Zhu Yefei , Xu Cong , Zhou Wenzong , Li Mingyou
Published: October 2022

The hook snout carp Opsariichthys bidens is an important farmed fish in East Asia that shows sexual dimorphism in growth, with males growing faster and larger than females. To understand these complex traits and improve molecular breeding, chromosome-level genome assembly of male O. bidens was performed using Illumina, Nanopore, and Hi-C sequencing. The 992.9 Mb genome sequences with a contig N50 of 5.2 Mb were anchored to 38 chromosomes corresponding to male karyotypes. Of 30,922 functionally annotated genes, 97.5% of BUSCO genes were completely detected. Genome evolution analysis showed that the expanded and contracted gene families in the male O. bidens genome were enriched in 76 KEGG pathways, and 78 expanded genes were involved in the GnRH signaling pathway that regulates the synthesis and secretion of luteinizing hormone and glycoprotein hormones, further acting on male growth by inducing growth hormone. Compared to the released female O. bidens genome, the number of annotated genes in males was much higher (23,992). The male chromosome LG06 exhibited over 97% identity with the female GH14/GH38. Male-specific genes were identified for LG06, where structural variation, including deletions and insertions, occurred at a lower rate, suggesting a centric fusion of acrocentric chromosomes GH14 and GH38. The genome-synteny analysis uncovered significant inter-chromosome conservation between male O. bidens and grass carp, the former originating from ancestral chromosome breakage to increase the chromosome number. Our results provide a valuable genetic resource for studying the regulation of sexual dimorphism, sex-determining mechanisms, and molecular-guided breeding of O. bidens.
Neurobiological Signatures of Auditory False Perception and Phantom Perception as a Consequence of Sensory Prediction Errors
Authors: Ahn Min-Hee , Alsabbagh Nour , Lee Hyo-Jeong , Kim Hyung-Jong , Jung Myung-Hun , Hong Sung-Kwang
Published: October 2022

In this study, we hypothesized that top-down sensory prediction error due to peripheral hearing loss might influence sensorimotor integration using the efference copy (EC) signals as functional connections between auditory and motor brain areas. Using neurophysiological methods, we demonstrated that the auditory responses to self-generated sound were not suppressed in a group of patients with tinnitus accompanied by significant hearing impairment and in a schizophrenia group. However, the response was attenuated in a group with tinnitus accompanied by mild hearing impairment, similar to a healthy control group. The bias of attentional networks to self-generated sound was also observed in the subjects with tinnitus with significant hearing impairment compared to those with mild hearing impairment and healthy subjects, but it did not reach the notable disintegration found in those in the schizophrenia group. Even though the present study had significant constraints in that we did not include hearing loss subjects without tinnitus, these results might suggest that auditory deafferentation (hearing loss) may influence sensorimotor integration process using EC signals. However, the impaired sensorimotor integration in subjects with tinnitus with significant hearing impairment may have resulted from aberrant auditory signals due to sensory loss, not fundamental deficits in the reafference system, as the auditory attention network to self-generated sound is relatively well preserved in these subjects.
Serratiopeptidase: An integrated View of Multifaceted Therapeutic Enzyme
Authors: Nair Sreelakshmi R. , C Subathra Devi.
Published: October 2022

Microbial products have been used for the treatment of different diseases for many centuries. The serratiopeptidase enzyme provides a new hope for COVID-19-infected patients. Nowadays, anti-inflammatory drugs are easy to obtain at minimal expenditure from microbial sources. Serratia sp. is identified as one of the most efficient bacteria produced from serratiopeptidase. Screening for new and efficient bacterial strains from different sources has been of interest in recent years. Serratiopeptidase remains the most well-known anti-inflammatory drug of choice. Serratiopeptidase is a cheaper and safer anti-inflammatory drug alternative to NSAIDs. The multifaceted properties of serratiopeptidase may lead towards arthritis, diabetes, cancer and thrombolytic treatments. Existing serratiopeptidase treatments in combination with antibiotics are popular in the treatment of postoperative swelling. Although an exclusive number of serratiopeptidase-producing strains have been derived, there is an urge for new recombinant strains to enhance the production of the enzyme. This review explores the properties of serratiopeptidase, different therapeutic aspects, industrial production, and various analytical techniques used in enzyme recovery. In addition, the review highlights the therapeutic and clinical aspects of the serratiopeptidase enzyme to combat COVID-19-induced respiratory syndrome.
IL-10 and IL-17 as Progression Markers of Syphilis in People Living with HIV: A Systematic Review
Authors: Hernández-Pliego Adriana , Vergara-Ortega Dayana Nicté , Herrera-Ortíz Antonia , Toledano-Jaimes Cairo , Esquivel-Guadarrama Fernando R. , Sánchez-Alemán Miguel Ángel
Published: October 2022

Much is known about the natural history of syphilis; however, less is known about the immune response against it, and even less is known about people living with HIV (PLWH). Due to the lack of an animal model to study host-pathogen interactions, it remains unclear how the host eliminates the bacteria. Here, we attempt to elucidate the immune response against infection by summarizing all the reported data in a systematic review. We found that only seven papers included PLWH, and they did not accurately describe the immune response against Treponema pallidum since only lymphopenia was reported upon coinfection. On the other hand, at least sixteen papers described the host-pathogen interaction in individual cell populations. Using this information, we established the kinetics of the immune response against syphilis and hypothesized how CD4+ T cells, such as Th17 and T rex cells, worsen the progression of the disease in PLWH through their hallmark cytokines, IL-10 and IL-17, and how these two cytokines may play important roles as biomarkers.
A Systematic Review of miRNA and cfDNA as Potential Biomarkers for Liquid Biopsy in Myocarditis and Inflammatory Dilated Cardiomyopathy
Authors: Lewandowski Piotr , Goławski Marcin , Baron Maciej , Reichman-Warmusz Edyta , Wojnicz Romuald
Published: October 2022

Myocarditis and inflammatory dilated cardiomyopathy are cardiac diseases leading to heart failure. Liquid biopsy is a concept of replacing traditional biopsy with specialized blood tests. The study aim was to summarize and assess the usefulness of microRNAs and circulating free DNA as biomarkers of myocardial inflammation. For this systematic review, we searched Scopus, Embase, Web of Science, and PubMed. All studies measuring microRNAs in serum/plasma/cardiac tissue or circulating free DNA during myocarditis and non-ischemic dilated cardiomyopathy in humans in which healthy subjects or another cardiac disease served as a comparator were included. Data were extracted and miRNAs were screened and assessed using a scale created in-house. Then, highly graded miRNAs were assessed for usability as liquid biopsy biomarkers. Of 1185 records identified, 56 were eligible and 187 miRNAs were found. We did not identify any studies measuring circulating free DNA. In total, 24 of the screened miRNAs were included in the final assessment, 3 of which were selected as the best and 3 as potential candidates. We were not able to assess the risk of bias and the final inclusion decision was made by consensus. Serum levels of three miRNAs—miR-Chr8:96, miR-155, and miR-206—are the best candidates for myocardial inflammation liquid biopsy panel. Further studies are necessary to prove their role, specificity, and sensitivity.
GIRK Channels as Candidate Targets for the Treatment of Substance Use Disorders
Authors: Kotajima-Murakami Hiroko , Ide Soichiro , Ikeda Kazutaka
Published: October 2022

Substance use disorders (SUDs) are chronic, lifelong disorders that have serious consequences. Repeated substance use alters brain function. G-protein-activated inwardly rectifying potassium (GIRK) channels are expressed widely in the brain, including the reward system, and regulate neuronal excitability. Functional GIRK channels are identified as heterotetramers of GIRK subunits (GIRK1–4). The GIRK1, GIRK2, and GIRK3 subunits are mainly expressed in rodent brain regions, and various addictive substances act on the brain through GIRK channels. Studies with animals (knockout and missense mutation animals) and humans have demonstrated the involvement of GIRK channels in the effects of addictive substances. Additionally, GIRK channel blockers affect behavioral responses to addictive substances. Thus, GIRK channels play a key role in SUDs, and GIRK channel modulators may be candidate medications. Ifenprodil is a GIRK channel blocker that does not have serious side effects. Two clinical trials were conducted to investigate the effects of ifenprodil in patients with alcohol or methamphetamine use disorder. Although the number of participants was relatively low, evidence of its safety and efficacy was found. The present review discusses the potential of GIRK channel modulators as possible medications for addiction. Therapeutic agents that target GIRK channels may be promising for the treatment of SUDs.
Mechanical Properties of Polymethyl Methacrylate as Denture Base Material: Heat-Polymerized vs. 3D-Printed—Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of In Vitro Studies
Authors: Lourinho Cláudia , Salgado Helena , Correia André , Fonseca Patrícia
Published: October 2022

The synergy between dentistry and informatics has allowed the emergence of new technologies, specifically 3D printing, which has led to the development of new materials. The aim of this research was to compare the mechanical properties of dental base resins for 3D printing with conventional ones. This systematic review was developed using the PRISMA guidelines, and the electronic literature search was performed with the PubMed/MEDLINE, Web of Science—MEDLINE and EMBASE databases, until 30 April 2022. Two researchers selected the studies independently, and thus eight articles were found eligible for analysis. A meta-analysis was developed to estimate flexural strength. The Cohen’s kappa corresponding to this review was 1.00, and the risk assessment was considered low for the included studies. The 3D printing resin presented lower values of flexural strength and hardness compared with the heat-cured resin. Regarding impact strength, a lower value was recorded for the heat-cured resin compared with the 3D printing resin. Three-dimensional printing resins are viable materials for making prosthetic bases but need further clinical research.
Feasibility of Self-Performed Lung Ultrasound with Remote Teleguidance for Monitoring at Home COVID-19 Patients
Authors: Pivetta Emanuele , Ravetti Anna , Paglietta Giulia , Cara Irene , Buggè Federico , Scozzari Gitana , Maule Milena M. , Morello Fulvio , Locatelli Stefania , Lupia Enrico
Published: October 2022

During the COVID-19 pandemic, use of telemedicine with the aim of reducing the rate of viral transmission increased. This proof-of-concept observational study was planned to test the feasibility of a home-based lung ultrasound (LUS) follow-up performed by patients with mild COVID-19 infection on themselves. We enrolled patients presenting to the emergency department with SARS-CoV-2 infection without signs of pneumonia and indication to discharge. Each patient received a brief training on how to perform LUS and a handheld ultrasound probe. Then, patients were contacted on a daily basis, and LUS images were acquired by the patients themselves under “teleguidance” by the investigator. Twenty-one patients were enrolled with a median age of 44 years. All evaluations were of sufficient quality for a follow up. Probability of a better LUS quality was related to higher degree (odds ratio, OR, 1.42, 95% CI 0.5–3.99) and a lower quality to evaluation time (from 0.71, 95% CI 0.55–0.92 for less than 7 min, to 0.52, 95% CI 0.38–0.7, between 7 and 10 min, and to 0.29, 95% CI 0.2–0.43, for evaluations longer than 10 min). No effect related to gender or age was detected. LUS performed by patients and remotely overseen by expert providers seems to be a feasible and reliable telemedicine tool.
The Impact of Sleep on Face Recognition Memory: A Scoping Review
Authors: Santos Isabel M. , Silva André , Bem-Haja Pedro , Rosa Catarina , Cerri Luíza , Queiroz Diâner F. , Barroso Talles , Alves Miguel F. , Silva Carlos F.
Published: October 2022

Sleep has a major impact on a variety of human biological and cognitive functions. In particular, its impact on memory has attracted extensive research and has been amply demonstrated. However, it is still unclear whether sleep, or lack thereof, affects the ability to recognize faces. To clarify this, we conducted a scoping review on studies that included a face recognition memory task and any kind of sleep manipulation in adults without any sleep pathology. A systematic search and synthesis of peer-reviewed journal articles identified through the electronic databases Scopus, Web of Science, EBSCO, and PubMed was performed. A final sample of 18 articles, corresponding to 19 studies, met the eligibility criteria. The results of 13 articles suggested that sleep benefited face recognition ability, whereas two articles indicated a detrimental effect of sleep on performance, and four articles found no significant effects. This review highlights the high methodological variability between studies, in terms of sleep manipulation, retention interval, tasks used to probe face recognition, and other variables. In sum, although around one third of the studies show a beneficial effect of sleep on memory for faces, we suggest that future research should invest in replicating these findings with a stricter control of potentially confounding variables to allow stronger conclusions to be drawn.
Coupled Effect of Granite Sand and Calcium Lignosulphonate on the Strength Behavior of Cohesive Soil
Authors: Amulya Gudla , Moghal Arif Ali Baig , Basha B. Munwar , Almajed Abdullah
Published: October 2022

This paper assesses the significance of stabilizing clay soil with calcium lignosulphonate (CLS) and granite sand (GS). Unconfined compressive strength (qc) and hydraulic conductivity (K) are taken as performance indicators and the effect of varying dosages of GS (30%, 40%, and 50%) and CLS (0.5%, 1%, 1.5%, and 2%) at different curing periods on qc and K are examined. The best fit regression equations have been proposed to relate qc and K of untreated clay soil and stabilized clay using GS and CLS. The proposed nonlinear regression equations provide details of experimental data and aid in estimating qc and K very efficiently and reliably for targeted geotechnical applications from a sustainable perspective.
CSMD1 Shows Complex Patterns of Somatic Copy Number Alterations and Expressions of mRNAs and Target Micro RNAs in Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Authors: Hu Nan , Wang Chaoyu , Zhang Tongwu , Su Hua , Liu Huaitian , Yang Howard H. , Giffen Carol , Hu Ying , Taylor Philip R. , Goldstein Alisa M.
Published: October 2022

Background: Human Cub and Sushi Multiple Domains 1 (CSMD1) is a novel candidate tumor-suppressor gene that codes for multiple domains, including complement regulatory and adhesion proteins, and has recently been shown to have alterations in multiple cancers. We investigated CSMD1 in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) by performing an integrated analysis on somatic copy number alterations (CNAs), including copy-number gain or loss, allelic imbalance (AI), loss of heterozygosity (LOH), and the expressions of mRNA and its target miRNAs on specimens from the same patients with ESCC. Results: (i) Two-thirds of ESCC patients had all three types of alterations studied—somatic DNA alterations in 70%, and abnormal expressions of CSMD1 RNA in 69% and in target miRNAs in 66%; patterns among these alterations were complex. (ii) In total, 97% of 888 CSMD1 SNPs studied showed somatic DNA alterations, with most located near exons 4–11, 24–25, 39–40, 55–56, and 69–70. (iii) In total, 68% of SNPs with a CNA were correlated with expression of CSMD1. (iv) A total of 33 correlations between non-coding SNPs and expression of CSMD1 target miRs were found. Conclusions: Our results indicate that the CSMD1 gene may play a role in ESCC through complex patterns of DNA alterations and RNA and miRNA expressions. Alterations in some somatic SNPs in non-coding regions of CSMD1 appear to influence expression of this gene and its target miRNAs.
The Tumor Microenvironment of Medulloblastoma: An Intricate Multicellular Network with Therapeutic Potential
Authors: van Bree Niek F. H. N. , Wilhelm Margareta
Published: October 2022

Medulloblastoma (MB) is a heterogeneous disease in which survival is highly affected by the underlying subgroup-specific characteristics. Although the current treatment modalities have increased the overall survival rates of MB up to 70–80%, MB remains a major cause of cancer-related mortality among children. This indicates that novel therapeutic approaches against MB are needed. New promising treatment options comprise the targeting of cells and components of the tumor microenvironment (TME). The TME of MB consists of an intricate multicellular network of tumor cells, progenitor cells, astrocytes, neurons, supporting stromal cells, microglia, immune cells, extracellular matrix components, and vasculature systems. In this review, we will discuss all the different components of the MB TME and their role in MB initiation, progression, metastasis, and relapse. Additionally, we briefly introduce the effect that age plays on the TME of brain malignancies and discuss the MB subgroup-specific differences in TME components and how all of these variations could affect the progression of MB. Finally, we highlight the TME-directed treatments, in which we will focus on therapies that are being evaluated in clinical trials.
Alcohol as a Non-UV Social-Environmental Risk Factor for Melanoma
Authors: Yamauchi Takeshi , Shangraw Sarah , Zhai Zili , Ravindran Menon Dinoop , Batta Nisha , Dellavalle Robert P. , Fujita Mayumi
Published: October 2022

Although cancer mortality has declined among the general population, the incidence of melanoma continues to rise. While identifying high-risk cohorts with genetic risk factors improves public health initiatives and clinical care management, recognizing modifiable risk factors such as social-environmental risk factors would also affect the methods of patient outreach and education. One major modifiable social-environmental risk factor associated with melanoma is ultraviolet (UV) radiation. However, not all forms of melanoma are correlated with sun exposure or occur in sun-exposed areas. Additionally, UV exposure is rarely associated with tumor progression. Another social-environmental factor, pregnancy, does not explain the sharply increased incidence of melanoma. Recent studies have demonstrated that alcohol consumption is positively linked with an increased risk of cancers, including melanoma. This perspective review paper summarizes epidemiological data correlating melanoma incidence with alcohol consumption, describes the biochemical mechanisms of ethanol metabolism, and discusses how ethanol and ethanol metabolites contribute to human cancer, including melanoma.
Application of CRISPR for In Vivo Mouse Cancer Studies
Authors: Thomsen Martin K.
Published: October 2022

Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) are widely used in cancer research to edit specific genes and study their functions. This applies both to in vitro and in vivo studies where CRISPR technology has accelerated the generation of specific loss- or gain-of-function mutations. This review focuses on CRISPR for generating in vivo models of cancer by editing somatic cells in specific organs. The delivery of CRISPR/Cas to designated tissues and specific cell compartments is discussed with a focus on different methods and their advantages. One advantage of CRISPR/Cas is the possibility to target multiple genes simultaneously in the same cell and therefore generate complex mutation profiles. This complexity challenges the interpretation of results and different methods to analyze the samples discussed herein. CRISPR-induced tumors are also different from classical tumors in pre-clinical models. Especially the clonal evolution of CRISPR-induced tumors adds new insight into cancer biology. Finally, the review discusses future perspectives for CRISPR technology in pre-clinical models with a focus on in vivo screening, CRISPR activation/inhibition, and the development of prime/ base-editing for the introduction of specific gene editing.
Measurement Accuracy and Repeatability of RECIST-Defined Pulmonary Lesions and Lymph Nodes in Ultra-Low-Dose CT Based on Deep Learning Image Reconstruction
Authors: Zhao Keke , Jiang Beibei , Zhang Shuai , Zhang Lu , Zhang Lin , Feng Yan , Li Jianying , Zhang Yaping , Xie Xueqian
Published: October 2022

Background: Deep learning image reconstruction (DLIR) improves image quality. We aimed to compare the measured diameter of pulmonary lesions and lymph nodes between DLIR-based ultra-low-dose CT (ULDCT) and contrast-enhanced CT. Methods: The consecutive adult patients with noncontrast chest ULDCT (0.07–0.14 mSv) and contrast-enhanced CT (2.38 mSv) were prospectively enrolled. Patients with poor image quality and body mass index ≥ 30 kg/m2 were excluded. The diameter of pulmonary target lesions and lymph nodes defined by Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST) was measured. The measurement variability between ULDCT and enhanced CT was evaluated by Bland-Altman analysis. Results: The 141 enrolled patients (62 ± 12 years) had 89 RECIST-defined measurable pulmonary target lesions (including 30 malignant lesions, mainly adenocarcinomas) and 45 measurable mediastinal lymph nodes (12 malignant). The measurement variation of pulmonary lesions between high-strength DLIR (DLIR-H) images of ULDCT and contrast-enhanced CT was 2.2% (95% CI: 1.7% to 2.6%) and the variation of lymph nodes was 1.4% (1.0% to 1.9%). Conclusions: The measured diameters of pulmonary lesions and lymph nodes in DLIR-H images of ULDCT are highly close to those of contrast-enhanced CT. DLIR-based ULDCT may facilitate evaluating target lesions with greatly reduced radiation exposure in tumor evaluation and lung cancer screening.
Effects of Cu Species on Liquid-Phase Partial Oxidation of Methane with H2O2 over Cu-Fe/ZSM-5 Catalysts
Authors: Kim Min Sik , Yang Gun Sik , Park Eun Duck
Published: October 2022

In this study, a Cu-promoted Fe/ZSM-5 catalyst was examined to reveal the effects of Cu species in selective oxidation of methane into methane oxygenates using H2O2 in water. Cu/ZSM-5, Cu-Fe/ZSM-5, and Fe/ZSM-5 catalysts were prepared using wet impregnation, solid-state ion exchange, and ion-exchange methods. Various techniques, including nitrogen physisorption, temperature-programmed reduction with H2, UV-vis spectroscopy, and FT-IR spectroscopy after NO adsorption, were utilized to characterize the catalysts. The promotional effect of Cu on the Cu-Fe/ZSM-5 catalyst in terms of methanol selectivity was confirmed. The preparation method has a considerable influence on the catalyst performance, and the ion-exchange method is the most effective. However, leaching of the Cu species was observed during this reaction, which can affect the quantification of formic acid by 1H-NMR. The homogeneous Cu species increase hydrogen peroxide decomposition and CO2 selectivity, which is undesirable for this reaction.
Model Study of CNT-Based PEMFCs’ Electrocatalytic Layers
Authors: Mensharapov Ruslan M. , Ivanova Nataliya A. , Zasypkina Adelina A. , Spasov Dmitry D. , Sinyakov Matvey V. , Grigoriev Sergey A. , Fateev Vladimir N.
Published: October 2022

One of the most important problems in the development of proton-exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) is the selection of an efficient support material to serve as the electrocatalyst, which can ensure PEMFCs’ durability at low active metal loading, with minimal changes in the electrochemical surface and conductivity during long-term operations. Carbon nanostructures are now widely used in PEMFCs as such support materials, including carbon nanotubes (CNTs). In order to estimate the effect of the geometric parameters of a CNT-based support on the resulting size distribution of platinum nanoparticles for given synthesis conditions, in this work, we propose a semi-empirical model that assumes a random uniform distribution of platinum particles over the CNT surface. Based on the obtained distribution, the electrochemically active surface area (EASA) of the electrocatalyst is calculated and further used to evaluate the performance of the catalytic layer (CL) in the PEMFC. The applicability of the proposed model for calculating the parameters of CNT-based CLs and the output electrochemical characteristics of PEMFCs is shown.
Effect of the Support on Rhenium Carbide in the Hydrodeoxygenation of Guaiacol as Lignin-Derived Model Compound
Authors: Blanco Elodie , Dongil Ana Belén , Ghampson Isaac Tyrone , Escalona Néstor
Published: October 2022

The effect of support on the formation of rhenium carbide in the hydrodeoxygenation (HDO) of guaiacol as a lignin-derived compound was evaluated. Catalysts were prepared by incipient wetness impregnation, carburized at 650 °C under a mixture 25/75 of ethylene/hydrogen, and characterized by XRD, N2-physisorption, TPR, TPD of NH3 or isopropylamine (IPA), and XPS. The results have demonstrated that the support choice affects the carburization of rhenium. Indeed, over non-acidic support (e.g., SiO2), limited carburization of the metal was observed, while over ZrO2 and Al2O3, carburization of rhenium occurred, and different carbidic species were obtained depending on the surface and chemical identity of the support. The rhenium carbide species obtained over ZrO2 was the most active and selective toward benzene (22% at 98% of conversion).
Metabolomic Aspects of Conservative and Resistance-Related Elements of Response to Fusarium culmorum in the Grass Family
Authors: Piasecka Anna , Sawikowska Aneta , Witaszak Natalia , Waśkiewicz Agnieszka , Kańczurzewska Marta , Kaczmarek Joanna , Lalak-Kańczugowska Justyna
Published: October 2022

Background: Fusarium head blight (FHB) is a serious fungal disease affecting crop plants, causing substantial yield reductions and the production of mycotoxins in the infected grains. Achieving progress in the breeding of crops with increased resistance and maintaining a high yield is not possible without a thorough examination of the molecular basis of plant immunity responses. Methods: LC-MS-based metabolomics approaches powered by three-way ANOVA and the selec-tion of differentially accumulated metabolites (DAMs) were used for studying plant immunity. A correlation network and functional enrichment analysis were conducted on grains of barley and wheat genotypes that were resistant or susceptible to FHB, as well as on the model grass Brachypodium distachyon (Bd), as this is still poorly understood at the metabolomic level. Results: We selected common and genotype-specific DAMs in response to F. culmorum inoculation. The immunological reaction at the metabolomic level was strongly diversified between resistant and susceptible genotypes. DAMs that were common to all tested species from the porphyrin, flavonoid, and phenylpropanoid metabolic pathways were highly correlated, reflecting con-servativeness in the FHB response in the Poaceae family. Resistance-related DAMs belonged to different structural classes, including tryptophan-derived metabolites, pyrimidines, the amino acids proline and serine, as well as phenylpropanoids and flavonoids. The physiological re-sponse to F. culmorum of Bd was close to that of barley and wheat genotypes; however, metabo-lomic changes were strongly diversified. Conclusions: Combined targeted and untargeted metabolomics provides comprehensive knowledge about significant elements of plant immuni-ty that have the potential to be molecular biomarkers of enhanced resistance to FHB in the grass family. Thorough examination of the Bd metabolome in juxtaposition with diversified geno-types of barley and wheat facilitated its use as a model grass for plant–microbe interaction.
Reversible Colorimetric and Fluorescence Solid Sensors Based on Aryl Hydrazone Derivatives of 1,8-Naphthalimides for Caustic Media and Biogenic Amine Vapors
Authors: Pablos Jesús L. , Fernández-Alonso Sabela , Catalina Fernando , Corrales Teresa
Published: October 2022

Fluorescence and colorimetric solid sensors for caustic media and biogenic amine vapors have been prepared. For this purpose, several hydrazone derivatives of naphthalimides were synthesized and anchored to a photo-crosslinked membrane functionalized with acid chloride groups. The membranes were characterized using different techniques, and their thermal properties and swelling degree were determined. The new naphthalimides and the membranes were evaluated as sensors by determining the change in their spectroscopic properties of absorption and fluorescence with pH. The polymeric sensors exhibit improved stability and can be reused, as a consequence of their solid character and the reversibility of the process. Furthermore, membranes were evaluated as a sensor of trimethylamine vapors through their absorption and fluorescence bands, and the color change in the membrane showed that it could be used to detect basic media with the naked eye. Finally, membranes were packaged in Petri dishes at a controlled temperature with fresh fish bought in the local market. Then, the real chance of using the sensory materials was determined by analyzing the color change in samples.
Status of Fungicide Resistance and Physiological Characterization of Tebuconazole Resistance in Rhizocotonia solani in Sichuan Province, China
Authors: Gong Changwei , Liu Min , Liu Dan , Wang Qiulin , Hasnain Ali , Zhan Xiaoxu , Pu Jian , Liang Yueyang , Liu Xuemei , Wang Xuegui
Published: October 2022

The resistance prevalence of chemical fungicides has caused increasingly serious agro-ecological environmental problems. However, there are few previous reports about resistance to succinate dehydrogenase (SDHI) or sterol demethylation inhibitor (DMI) in Rhizoctonia solani, one of the main agro-diseases. In this study, the fungicide resistance of 122 R. solani isolates in Sichuan Province was monitored by the mycelial growth rate method. Results showed that all isolates were susceptible to hexaconazole and most isolates were susceptible to thifluzamide, except for the field isolate MSRS-2-7 due to a moderate resistance to thifluzamide (16.43-fold resistance ratio, RR), compared to the sensitivity baseline of thifluzamide (0.042 μg/mL EC50 values). On the contrary, many isolates showed moderate or high resistance to tebuconazole (10.59- to 60.78-fold RR), reaching EC50 values of 0.54~3.10 μg/mL, especially for a highly resistant isolate LZHJ-1-8 displaying moderate resistance to epoxiconazole (35.40-fold RR due to a 3.54 μg/mL EC50 value). The fitness determination found that the tebuconazole-resistant isolates showed higher fitness cost with these characteristics, including a lower growth rate, higher relative electric conductivity, an increased ability to tolerate tebuconazole, and high osmotic pressure. Four new mutations of cytochrome P450 sterol 14α-demethylase (CYP51), namely, S94A, N406S, H793R, and L750P, which is the target for DMI fungicides, was found in the tebuconazole-resistant isolates. Furthermore, the lowest binding energy with tebuconazole was also found in the LZHJ-1-8 isolate possessing all the mutations through analyses with Discovery Studio software. Therefore, these new mutation sites of CYP51 may be linked to the resistance against tebuconazole, and its application for controlling R. solani should be restricted in some areas.