bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
IKKβ Inhibition Attenuates Epithelial Mesenchymal Transition of Human Stem Cell-Derived Retinal Pigment Epithelium
Authors: Sripathi Srinivasa R. , Hu Ming-Wen , Turaga Ravi Chakra , Mikeasky Rebekah , Satyanarayana Ganesh , Cheng Jie , Duan Yukan , Maruotti Julien , Wahlin Karl J. , Berlinicke Cynthia A. , Qian Jiang , Esumi Noriko , Zack Donald J.
Published: April 2023

Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), which is well known for its role in embryonic development, malignant transformation, and tumor progression, has also been implicated in a variety of retinal diseases, including proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR), age-related macular degeneration (AMD), and diabetic retinopathy. EMT of the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE), although important in the pathogenesis of these retinal conditions, is not well understood at the molecular level. We and others have shown that a variety of molecules, including the co-treatment of human stem cell-derived RPE monolayer cultures with transforming growth factor beta (TGF–β) and the inflammatory cytokine tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF–α), can induce RPE–EMT; however, small molecule inhibitors of RPE–EMT have been less well studied. Here, we demonstrate that BAY651942, a small molecule inhibitor of nuclear factor kapa-B kinase subunit beta (IKKβ) that selectively targets NF-κB signaling, can modulate TGF–β/TNF–α-induced RPE–EMT. Next, we performed RNA-seq studies on BAY651942 treated hRPE monolayers to dissect altered biological pathways and signaling events. Further, we validated the effect of IKKβ inhibition on RPE–EMT-associated factors using a second IKKβ inhibitor, BMS345541, with RPE monolayers derived from an independent stem cell line. Our data highlights the fact that pharmacological inhibition of RPE–EMT restores RPE identity and may provide a promising approach for treating retinal diseases that involve RPE dedifferentiation and EMT.
Assessment of Five-Foot Plantar Morphological Pressure Points of Children with Cerebral Palsy Using or Not Dynamic Ankle Foot Orthosis
Authors: Guner Senem , Alsancak Serap , Güven Enver , Özgün Ali Koray
Published: April 2023

People with spastic cerebral palsy (CP) often experience a decline in gait function and flexion. The children’s posture and hip strategy, which leads to knee flexion, predisposes these children to increased contact area in the medial foot region. This study investigated the use of DAFO (dynamic ankle-foot orthosis) prescribed to patients with cerebral palsy (CP) to determine the plantar pressure distribution with orthosis use. Eight children with spastic CP (age 4–12 years) were classified as Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) levels I-II with a maximum spasticity level of 3 in their ankle muscles according to the Modified Ashworth Scale. We assessed the plantar distribution by using eight WalkinSense sensors in each trial and exported data from the proprietary software (WalkinSense version 0.96, Tomorrow Options Microelectronics, S.A.). The plantar pressure distribution was conducted under two conditions: only shoes and DAFO with shoes. The activation percentages for sensor number 1 under the 1st metatarsal and sensor number 4 under the lateral edge of the heel were significantly different under the DAFO condition. The 1-point sensor activation percentage significantly decreased, while the 4-point sensor activation percentage increased during DAFO walking. According to our study findings, there was an increase in pressure distribution in the lateral part of the foot during the stance phase in DAFO. DAFO improved the gait cycle and influenced the plantar foot pressure in children with mild cerebral palsy.
Two Cases of 6-Pyruvoyl Tetrahydropterin Synthase Deficiency: Case Report and Literature Review
Authors: Sur Lucia Maria , Mager Monica Alina , Bolunduţ Alexandru-Cristian , Trifa Adrian-Pavel , Anton-Păduraru Dana Teodora
Published: April 2023

6-pyruvoyl tetrahydropterin synthase deficiency (PTPSD) is a rare neurometabolic disease that can be diagnosed in newborn screening (NBS) and is part of the family of tetrahydrobiopterin deficiency disorders (BH4Ds). It is essential to diagnose and treat this disease early to prevent permanent neurological damage secondary to this neurotransmitter disorder. We present the first two cases of PTPSD in Romania that were genetically confirmed and treated late. Improving the diagnosis and monitoring procedures in Romania with correct metabolic management will prevent severe neurological impairment from PTPSD or other BH4Ds.
To Sample or to Specialise? Sport Participation Patterns of Youth Team Sport Male Players
Authors: Coutinho Patrícia , Ramos Ana , Afonso José , Bessa Cristiana , Ribeiro João , Davids Keith , Fonseca António M. , Mesquita Isabel
Published: April 2023

This study characterised the sport participation patterns of 546 male youth team sport players. A retrospective questionnaire was used to identify the sport starting age (general sports and main sport) and the quantity and type of sports undertaken during the early years of development. A mixed-ANOVA and Chi-square tests were implemented. All participants started involvement in sports at the same age (~5 years) and participated in the same number of sports during their early years (1 to 2 sports). However, football players started participating mainly in team games (football, futsal) and water polo players in CGS sports (swimming). Participants reported different ages for initial participation in: (i) main sport (football players started participating earlier, around 5–6 years), (ii) onset of specialisation (football players specialised earlier, around 7 or 8 years), (iii) types of sports engaged in (football players were involved in more team games and water polo in more CGS sports), and (iv) variations in weekly training hours (water polo reported more hours of training). This study provided empirical evidence for understanding the effects of different sporting pathways on long-term athlete development. Some key incongruities between contemporary knowledge and practice are acknowledged. Further investigations should be developed by examining the trajectories in different sports, countries, genders, and cultural contexts.
Silicon Radiation Detector Technologies: From Planar to 3D
Authors: Dalla Betta Gian-Franco , Ye Jixing
Published: April 2023

Silicon radiation detectors, a special type of microelectronic sensor which plays a crucial role in many applications, are reviewed in this paper, focusing on fabrication aspects. After addressing the basic concepts and the main requirements, the evolution of detector technologies is discussed, which has been mainly driven by the ever-increasing demands for frontier scientific experiments.
Identification of Potential Therapeutic Targets on the Level of DNA/mRNAs, Proteins and Metabolites: A Systematic Mapping Review of Scientific Texts’ Fragments from Open Targets
Authors: Pogodin Pavel V. , Kiseleva Olga I. , Ilgisonis Ekaterina V.
Published: April 2023

Database records contain useful information, which is readily available, but, unfortunately, limited compared to the source (publications). Our study reviewed the text fragments supporting the association between the biological macromolecules and diseases from Open Targets to map them on the biological level of study (DNA/RNA, proteins, metabolites). We screened records using a dictionary containing terms related to the selected levels of study, reviewed 600 hits manually and used machine learning to classify 31,260 text fragments. Our results indicate that association studies between diseases and macromolecules conducted on the level of DNA and RNA prevail, followed by the studies on the level of proteins and metabolites. We conclude that there is a clear need to translate the knowledge from the DNA/RNA level to the evidence on the level of proteins and metabolites. Since genes and their transcripts rarely act in the cell by themselves, more direct evidence may be of greater value for basic and applied research.
Elicitation of Inhibitory Effects for AGE-Induced Oxidative Stress in Rotator Cuff-Derived Cells by Apocynin
Authors: Furukawa Takahiro , Kurosawa Takashi , Mifune Yutaka , Inui Atsuyuki , Nishimoto Hanako , Ueda Yasuhiro , Kataoka Takeshi , Yamaura Kohei , Mukohara Shintaro , Yoshikawa Tomoya , Shinohara Issei , Kato Tatsuo , Tanaka Shuya , Kusunose Masaya , Hoshino Yuichi , Matsushita Takehiko , Kuroda Ryosuke
Published: April 2023

Advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) play a critical supportive role during musculoskeletal disorders via glycosylation and oxidative stress. Though apocynin, identified as a potent and selective inhibitor of NADPH oxidase, has been reported to be involved in pathogen-induced reactive oxygen species (ROS), its role in age-related rotator cuff degeneration has not been well clarified. Therefore, this study aims to evaluate the in vitro effects of apocynin on human rotator cuff-derived cells. Twelve patients with rotator cuff tears (RCTs) participated in the study. Supraspinatus tendons from patients with RCTs were collected and cultured. After the preparation of RC-derived cells, they were divided into four groups (control group, control + apocynin group, AGEs group, AGEs + apocynin group), and gene marker expression, cell viability, and intracellular ROS production were evaluated. The gene expression of NOX, IL-6, and the receptor for AGEs (RAGE) was significantly decreased by apocynin. We also examined the effect of apocynin in vitro. The results showed that ROS induction and increasing apoptotic cells after treatment of AGEs were significantly decreased, and cell viability increased considerably. These results suggest that apocynin can effectively reduce AGE-induced oxidative stress by inhibiting NOX activation. Thus, apocynin is a potential prodrug in preventing degenerative changes of the rotor cuff.
Deletion of the Circadian Clock Gene Per2 in the Whole Body, but Not in Neurons or Astroglia, Affects Sleep in Response to Sleep Deprivation
Authors: Wendrich Katrin S. , Azimi Hamid , Ripperger Jürgen A. , Ravussin Yann , Rainer Gregor , Albrecht Urs
Published: April 2023

The sleep–wake cycle is a highly regulated behavior in which a circadian clock times sleep and waking, whereas a homeostatic process controls sleep need. Both the clock and the sleep homeostat interact, but to what extent they influence each other is not understood. There is evidence that clock genes, in particular Period2 (Per2), might be implicated in the sleep homeostatic process. Sleep regulation depends also on the proper functioning of neurons and astroglial cells, two cell-types in the brain that are metabolically dependent on each other. In order to investigate clock-driven contributions to sleep regulation we non-invasively measured sleep of mice that lack the Per2 gene either in astroglia, neurons, or all body cells. We observed that mice lacking Per2 in all body cells (Per2Brdm and TPer2 animals) display earlier onset of sleep after sleep deprivation (SD), whereas neuronal and astroglial Per2 knock-out animals (NPer2 and GPer2, respectively) were normal in that respect. It appears that systemic (whole body) Per2 expression is important for physiological sleep architecture expressed by number and length of sleep bouts, whereas neuronal and astroglial Per2 weakly impacts night-time sleep amount. Our results suggest that Per2 contributes to the timing of the regulatory homeostatic sleep response by delaying sleep onset after SD and attenuating the early night rebound response.
Biobased Anti-Adhesive Marine Coatings from Polyhydroxyalkanoates and Polysaccharides
Authors: Faÿ Fabienne , Champion Marie , Guennec Alexandra , Moppert Xavier , Simon-Colin Christelle , Elie Mathieu
Published: April 2023

Due to environmental regulations, antifouling marine coatings must be gradually replaced by biocide-free coatings. Marine organisms weakly adhere to fouling release coatings, presenting a low surface free energy and a high elasticity, so they can be readily removed by the sheer force of water. Currently, these materials are mainly composed of petrochemical polymers, such as silicone or fluoropolymers, with hydrophilic polymers as additives. However, following the ever-increasing environmental concerns, the research on new, alternative, eco-friendly coatings is oriented towards the use of biobased polymers from renewable resources. Two main families have been studied: polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) and polysaccharides. PHAs are produced by bacteria in stressful conditions, while polysaccharides are extracted from plants, animals, or micro-organisms such as bacteria, in which case they are called exopolysaccharides (EPS). Since the use of these polymers is a non-toxic approach to controlling fouling colonization, this review provides an overview of these biobased polymers for their applications in new anti-adhesive marine coatings.
Enhanced Stability of Solution-Processed Indium–Zinc–Tin–Oxide Transistors by Tantalum Cation Doping
Authors: Xu Haiyang , Li Pingping , Chen Zihui , Yang Bing , Wei Bin , Fu Chaoying , Ding Xingwei , Zhang Jianhua
Published: April 2023

Highly stable metal oxide thin film transistors (TFTs) are required in high-resolution displays and sensors. Here, we adopt a tantalum cation (Ta5+) doping method to improve the stability of zinc–tin–oxide (ZnSnO) TFTs. The results show that Ta5+-doped TaZnSnO TFT with 1 mol% concentration exhibits excellent stability. Compared with the undoped device, the oxygen vacancy defects of TaZnSnO thin films reduce from 38.05% to 18.70%, and the threshold voltage shift (ΔVth) reduces from 2.36 to 0.71 V under positive bias stress. We attribute the improved stability to the effective suppression of the oxygen vacancy defects, which is confirmed by the XPS results. In addition, we also prepared TaInZnSnO TFT devices with 1 mol% Ta5+ doping concentration. Compared with the 1 mol% Ta5+-doped TaZnSnO TFTs, the μ increases two-fold from 0.12 to 0.24 cm2/Vs, and the Vth decreases from 2.29 to 0.76 V in 1 mol% Ta5+-doped TaInZnSnO TFT with an In:Zn:Sn ratio of 4:4:3, while the device remains highly stable with a ΔVth of only 0.90 V. The injection of Ta5+ provides a novel strategy for the enhancement of the stability in ZnSnO-based TFTs.
Influence of Different Contact Conditions on Friction Properties of AISI 430 Steel Sheet with Deep Drawing Quality
Authors: Luiz Valmir Dias , Santos Anderson Júnior dos , Câmara Marcelo Araújo , Rodrigues Paulo César de Matos
Published: April 2023

This article aims to investigate the influence of different contact conditions on the friction properties of an Nb-stabilized AISI 430 ferritic stainless-steel sheet with deep drawing quality. Three tribological tests were performed: pin-on-disk, bending under tension, and strip-tension test. Moreover, counter samples of a hard metal (WC-12%Co) with surface finishes of 0.27 and 0.54 μm were used in the friction tests under dry and lubricated conditions. The influence of the texture and relative elongation of the strip on formability also were investigated. A comparative analysis of the results revealed that the coefficients of friction, wear, lubricant efficiency, and hardness measured below the wear surface indicated a strong dependence on surface roughness and the friction test type. The coefficients of friction obtained from the pin-on-disk test were higher than those obtained from the formability tests. In addition, the coefficient of friction increased with increasing relative elongation during the formability tests; it was higher in the bending-under-tension test than in the strip-tension test, mainly owing to the increasing strip surface roughness. The contact pressure during the formability tests was non-uniform during strip sliding under the tool. According to our results, for each friction condition in a specific area of the forming die, there is a value of the coefficient of friction, depending on the kinematic conditions. Therefore, the results can be used as input data to define design guidelines, improve productivity, and improve product quality from this steel sheet.
Effect of Passenger Physical Characteristics in the Uptake of Combustion Products during a Railway Tunnel Evacuation Due to a Fire Accident
Authors: Zisis Thomas , Vasilopoulos Konstantinos , Sarris Ioannis
Published: April 2023

The current study examines how different types of passengers (elders, travelers with luggage, travelers without luggage, and mixed population) affect the evacuation process in railway tunnels after a fire accident based on Fractional Effective Dose (FED) index values. A 20 MW diesel pool fire in an immobilized train located inside a straight, rectangular railroad tunnel that is ventilated by a longitudinal jet fan ventilation system is the scenario under consideration. Two fire scenarios were examined, one with and one without ventilation, combined with four evacuation scenarios. The numerical simulation of the fire and the evacuation process is conducted with the Fire Dynamics Simulator and Evacuation code (FDS + Evac) which is a Large Eddy Simulator (LES) for low-Mach thermally driven flows. The results (evacuation times, walking speeds, and mean and max FED values) are compared for each passenger type. It is found that during the evacuation from a railway tunnel fire accident, the most affected population are the elderly because of their lower movement speed, and travelers with luggage because of their increased dimensions. It is also shown that a non-homogenous population has increased uptake of combustion products and longer evacuation times than a homogenous population with similar geometrical characteristics.
Correction: Orun et al. Stabilizing DNA–Protein Co-Crystals via Intra-Crystal Chemical Ligation of the DNA. Crystals 2022, 12, 49
Authors: Orun Abigail R. , Dmytriw Sara , Vajapayajula Ananya , Snow Christopher D.
Published: April 2023

In the publication [...]
The Effect of Vanadium on Modified Z-Phase Characteristics in Austenitic Steels
Authors: Vodárek Vlastimil , Holešinský Jan , Kuboň Zdeněk , Palupčíková Renáta , Hradečný Kryštof , Váňová Petra , Hlinka Josef
Published: April 2023

In austenitic steels, the tetragonal Z-phase (NbCrN) has frequently been credited with beneficial strengthening effects during dislocation creep. In the modified Z-phase, niobium is partially substituted by vanadium. The basic objective of this contribution is a detailed characterization of the modified Z-phase in vanadium bearing austenitic AISI 316LN+Nb+V and HR3C steels. Experimental activities were focused on crystallography, thermodynamic and dimensional stability, kinetics of precipitation (TTP diagram) and solvus temperature of the modified Z-phase in the steels examined. Thermodynamic modelling was used for prediction of stable minor phases and solvus temperature of the modified Z-phase. Kinetics of precipitation of the (Nb,V)CrN phase in the AISI 316LN+Nb+V steel was experimentally investigated in the temperature interval of 550–1250 °C. The kinetics of precipitation of the modified Z-phase in austenitic matrix was fast. Results of diffraction studies on particles of the modified Z-phase confirmed the existence of the tetragonal unit cell already after short-term annealing. The solvus temperature of the modified Z-phase in austenitic steels was determined to be lower than that for the NbCrN phase. The decrease in the solvus temperature is dependent on the vanadium content in austenitic steels. Both thermodynamic calculations and experimental results proved that the thermodynamical stability of the modified Z-phase in austenite was high. More data are needed for evaluation of long-term dimensional stability of the (Nb,V)CrN phase in austenitic steels at temperatures for their engineering applications.
Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts and Extracellular Matrix: Therapeutical Strategies for Modulating the Cholangiocarcinoma Microenvironment
Authors: Minini Mirko , Fouassier Laura
Published: April 2023

During the last decade, immunotherapy has radically changed perspectives on anti-tumor treatments. However, solid tumor treatment by immunotherapy has not met expectations. Indeed, poor clinical response to treatment has highlighted the need to understand and avoid immunotherapy resistance. Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is the second cause of hepatic cancer-related deaths because of drug inefficacy and chemo-resistance in a majority of patients. Thus, intense research is ongoing to better understand the mechanisms involved in the chemo-resistance processes. The tumor microenvironment (TME) may be involved in tumor therapy resistance by limiting drug access. Indeed, cells such as cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) alter TME by producing in excess an aberrant extracellular matrix (ECM). Interestingly, CAFs are the dominant stromal component in CCA that secrete large amounts of stiff ECM. Stiff ECM could contribute to immune exclusion by limiting anti-tumor T-cells drop-in. Herein, we summarize features, functions, and interactions among CAFs, tumor-associated ECM, and immune cells in TME. Moreover, we discuss the strategies targeting CAFs and the remodeling of the ECM to improve immunotherapy and drug therapies.
Spatiotemporal Changes in the Watershed Ecosystem Services Supply and Demand Relationships in the Eastern Margin of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau
Authors: Zhu Yuehua , Wang Yixu , Hou Zongdong , Shi Jing , Gong Jie
Published: April 2023

Clarifying the spatiotemporal changes in the supply and demand relationship of ecosystem services (ESs) is essential for optimizing ESs management. However, several studies have reported the ESs supply and demand risk in complex mountainous areas. In this study, we quantitatively analyzed the spatiotemporal variation in ESs supply, demand, and their trade-off and synergy, including water yield, soil conservation, and food provision in the Bailongjiang watershed (BLJW) in western China. The results showed that the total supply and demand of water-yield and soil-conservation services rose with a surplus from 2002 to 2018, except for food provision. A high value characterizes the water-yield and soil-conservation supply in the south, but there are low values in the east BLJW. The spatial distribution of water and food supply–demand featured a high demand in the subareas with population aggregation. Soil-conservation demand is high in the northwest and south of Wudu. The dominant spatial matching type of supply and demand in water yield was a high supply with a low demand. Soil conservation was associated with a low supply and low demand, and food provision with a high supply and increased demand. A synergy existed between water yield and soil conservation. Trade-offs existed between water yield, food provision, and soil conservation. The spatial distribution of trade-off intensity showed distinctive patterns. The supply–demand ratio of WY and SC decreased with the increasing trade-off intensity. This study comprehensively considers ES and supply–demand conflicts, thus providing a new perspective and approach for enhancing ecosystem services and high-quality regional development.
Effect of Antiparasitic Management of Cattle on the Diversity and Functional Structure of Dung Beetle (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) Assemblages in the Colombian Caribbean
Authors: Tovar Hernando L. , Correa César M. A. , Lumaret Jean-Pierre , López-Bedoya Pablo A. , Navarro Blas , Tovar Valentina , Noriega Jorge Ari
Published: April 2023

The transformation of forests into agricultural and livestock systems negatively affects the ecological dynamics and the ecosystem services provided by different groups of insects, including dung beetles, which stand out for their importance in recycling livestock dung. Since the 1980s, farmers in different regions of the world have been using Ivermectin to control parasites that affect cattle. The main route of elimination of this molecule and its metabolites is through manure, which affects the richness, abundance, and biomass of dung beetles when they use dung from treated animals. To quantify this effect, we carried out an experimental design in the field in the Colombian Caribbean, where nine cattle farms were evaluated, of which three were taken for each of the different cattle management practices most used in the region: (i) Ivermectin not applied, (ii) two doses of Ivermectin at 1% applied per year and (iii) two doses of Ivermectin at 3.15% applied per year. To assess the richness, abundance, biomass, and functional groups of dung beetles, during the dry and wet seasons, 30 pitfall traps were baited on each farm with fresh cattle manure with the same management doses described above. A total of 25,441 individuals belonging to 19 genera and 30 species were collected. The richness, abundance, and biomass of beetle assemblages decreased along the gradient represented by management without using Ivermectin and management where Ivermectin was used. Paracoprid beetles were the functional group that was most negatively affected in cattle farms with Ivermectin use. In cattle farms where Ivermectin was not used, there was a greater diversity and higher functional structure of dung beetle assemblages than in those where this veterinary medicinal product was used. Using Ivermectin generates short- and long-term effects on the richness, abundance, biomass, and functional groups of dung beetles in livestock systems in the Colombian Caribbean. Therefore, we suggest using integrated treatment management to prevent the recycling fauna from being affected.
Saproxylic Beetle Community in the Expansion Site of a Megaproject and in the Surrounding Area in the Western Italian Alps
Authors: Piccini Irene , Bellone Davide , Di Pietro Viviana , Berretti Roberta , Cristiano Luca , Caprio Enrico , Biscaccianti Alessandro Bruno , Bonelli Simona
Published: April 2023

Beetles are one of the most diverse and often highly specialized groups among saproxylic organisms and play a key role in forest dynamics. To develop conservation plans in forests threatened by human activities, such as construction sites, it is crucial to identify key parameters characterizing forest structure in turn influencing saproxylic beetle diversity and abundance. Here, we investigate the difference in forest structure parameters and their cascading effect on saproxylic beetle communities between a forest site affected by the construction site expansion of the Turin–Lyon High-Speed Railway Line and a nearby second forest site. Our study showed differences in forest structure parameters between the two sites, in particular in the overall volume and diameter of coarse woody debris and in standing dead tree abundance. Even saproxylic beetle community structure was different between the two sites and this difference was linked to the different abundance and species richness of standing dead trees. Our findings provide information for the development of a local conservation plan for the saproxylic beetle community within forest habitats. Increasing the volume of deadwood and enriching tree diversity can locally sustain abundant and diverse communities and, eventually, support those species that are threatened by the building site expansion.
Therapeutic Perspectives of Metal Nanoformulations
Authors: Islam Tawhida , Rahaman Md. Mizanur , Mia Md. Nayem , Ara Iffat , Islam Md. Tariqul , Alam Riaz Thoufiqul , Araújo Ana C. J. , de Lima Silva João Marcos Ferreira , de Lacerda Bruna Caroline Gonçalves Vasconcelos , de Andrade Edlane Martins , Khan Muhammad Ali , Coutinho Henrique D. M. , Husain Zakir , Islam Muhammad Torequl
Published: April 2023

In recent decades, acceptance of nanoparticles (NPs) in therapeutic applications has increased because of their outstanding physicochemical features. By overcoming the drawbacks of conventional therapy, the utilization of metal NPs, metal-oxide, or metal supported nanomaterials have shown to have significant therapeutic applications in medicine. This is proved by a lot of clinical and laboratory investigations that show improved treatment outcomes, site-specific drug delivery, and fewer side effects compared to traditional medicine. The metal NPs interaction with living cells (animal and plant) showed many ways to develop therapeutic models with the NPs. Despite all of the advancements that science has achieved, there is still a need to find out their performance for long-term use to solve modern challenges. In this regard, the present documentation reviews some potential metals, including silver (Ag), gold (Au), zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), and nickel (Ni) NPs, as therapeutic agents in various areas such as anticancer, antimicrobial, antidiabetic, and applicable for the treatment of many other diseases. Depending on the outstanding ongoing research and practical trials, metal-based NPs can be considered the hope of prospective modern therapeutic areas.
Acute Ileal Diverticulitis: Computed Tomography and Ultrasound Findings
Authors: Kwon Lyo Min , Lee Kwanseop , Kim Min-Jeong , Lee In Jae , Kim Gab Chul
Published: April 2023

Background: Acute ileal diverticulitis is a rare disease mimicking acute appendicitis. Inaccurate diagnosis with a low prevalence and nonspecific symptoms leads to delayed or improper management. Methods: This retrospective study aimed to investigate the characteristic sonographic (US) and computed tomography (CT) findings with clinical features in seventeen patients with acute ileal diverticulitis diagnosed between March 2002 and August 2017. Results: The most common symptom was abdominal pain (82.3%, 14/17) localized to the right lower quadrant (RLQ) in 14 patients. The characteristic CT findings of acute ileal diverticulitis were ileal wall thickening (100%, 17/17), identification of inflamed diverticulum at the mesenteric side (94.1%, 16/17), and surrounding mesenteric fat infiltration (100%, 17/17). The typical US findings were outpouching diverticular sac connecting to the ileum (100%, 17/17), peridiverticular inflamed fat (100%, 17/17), ileal wall thickening with preserved layering pattern (94.1%, 16/17), and increased color flow to the diverticulum and surrounding inflamed fat on color Doppler imaging (100%, 17/17). The perforation group had a significantly longer hospital stay than non-perforation group (p = 0.002). In conclusion, acute ileal diverticulitis has characteristic CT and US findings that allow radiologists to accurately diagnose the disease.
Omphalocele and Cardiac Abnormalities—The Importance of the Association
Authors: Țarcă Elena , Al Namat Dina , Luca Alina Costina , Lupu Vasile Valeriu , Al Namat Razan , Lupu Ancuța , Bălănescu Laura , Bernic Jana , Butnariu Lăcrămioara Ionela , Moscalu Mihaela , Hînganu Marius Valeriu
Published: April 2023

Omphalocele is the most common ventral abdominal wall defect. Omphalocele is associated with other significant anomalies in up to 80% of cases, among which the cardiac ones are the most frequent. The aim of our paper is to highlight, through a review of the literature, the importance and frequency of association between the two malformations and what impact this association has on the management and evolution of patients with these pathologies. We reviewed the titles, the available abstracts, and the full texts of 244 papers from the last 23 years, from three medical databases, to extract data for our review. Due to the frequent association of the two malformations and the unfavorable effect of the major cardiac anomaly on the prognosis of the newborn, the electrocardiogram and echocardiography must be included in the first postnatal investigations. The timing of surgery for abdominal wall defect closure is mostly dictated by the cardiac defect severity, and usually the cardiac defect takes priority. After the cardiac defect is medically stabilized or surgically repaired, the omphalocele reduction and closure of the abdominal defect are performed in a more controlled setting, with improved outcomes. Compared to omphalocele patients without cardiac defects, children with this association are more likely to experience prolonged hospitalizations, neurologic, and cognitive impairments. Major cardiac abnormalities such as structural defects that require surgical treatment or result in developmental delay will significantly increase the death rate of patients with omphalocele. In conclusion, the prenatal diagnosis of omphalocele and early detection of other associated structural or chromosomal anomalies are of overwhelming importance, contributing to the establishment of antenatal and postnatal prognosis.
Butterfly Transforms for Efficient Representation of Spatially Variant Point Spread Functions in Bayesian Imaging
Authors: Eberle Vincent , Frank Philipp , Stadler Julia , Streit Silvan , Enßlin Torsten
Published: April 2023

Bayesian imaging algorithms are becoming increasingly important in, e.g., astronomy, medicine and biology. Given that many of these algorithms compute iterative solutions to high-dimensional inverse problems, the efficiency and accuracy of the instrument response representation are of high importance for the imaging process. For efficiency reasons, point spread functions, which make up a large fraction of the response functions of telescopes and microscopes, are usually assumed to be spatially invariant in a given field of view and can thus be represented by a convolution. For many instruments, this assumption does not hold and degrades the accuracy of the instrument representation. Here, we discuss the application of butterfly transforms, which are linear neural network structures whose sizes scale sub-quadratically with the number of data points. Butterfly transforms are efficient by design, since they are inspired by the structure of the Cooley–Tukey fast Fourier transform. In this work, we combine them in several ways into butterfly networks, compare the different architectures with respect to their performance and identify a representation that is suitable for the efficient representation of a synthetic spatially variant point spread function up to a 1% error. Furthermore, we show its application in a short synthetic example.
A Simple Approximation Method for the Fisher–Rao Distance between Multivariate Normal Distributions
Authors: Nielsen Frank
Published: April 2023

We present a simple method to approximate the Fisher–Rao distance between multivariate normal distributions based on discretizing curves joining normal distributions and approximating the Fisher–Rao distances between successive nearby normal distributions on the curves by the square roots of their Jeffreys divergences. We consider experimentally the linear interpolation curves in the ordinary, natural, and expectation parameterizations of the normal distributions, and compare these curves with a curve derived from the Calvo and Oller’s isometric embedding of the Fisher–Rao d-variate normal manifold into the cone of (d+1)×(d+1) symmetric positive–definite matrices. We report on our experiments and assess the quality of our approximation technique by comparing the numerical approximations with both lower and upper bounds. Finally, we present several information–geometric properties of Calvo and Oller’s isometric embedding.
A STEAM Experience in the Mathematics Classroom: The Role of a Science Cartoon
Authors: Marques Daniela , Neto Teresa B. , Guerra Cecília , Viseu Floriano , Aires Ana Paula , Mota Marina , Ravara Ascensão
Published: April 2023

A multidisciplinary team collaborated on the development of a learning experience involving 10th grade students using a Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics (STEAM) approach. The experience was based on the development (conception, implementation, and evaluation) of a science cartoon that aimed to highlight different scientific and technological dimensions related to the diversity of marine worms (Phylo Annelida, class Polychaeta) present in the continental shelf off the coast of Aveiro, Portugal (NE Atlantic coast). The study was implemented in a Portuguese high school in the Aveiro region, involving 24 10th grade students, emphasizing a social context close to the students’ lives. All pedagogical interventions occurred in face-to-face sessions during the 2020/21 school year and were oriented by the following research question: What is the role of science cartoons in establishing STEAM connections for solving real-world problems presented to 10th grade students? Following a qualitative and interpretative research methodology, with a design-based research focus, data were collected through a questionnaire, observations, and students’ written records. The content analysis shows that most students learned new concepts related to STEAM areas. Evaluating the impact of the science cartoon reveals that it can be considered an innovative science communication resource due to its educational potential in stimulating a STEAM approach within the students’ learning process.
Evaluating a Smartphone App for University Students Who Self-Harm
Authors: Cliffe Bethany , Stallard Paul
Published: April 2023

Self-harm and other mental health difficulties are very common amongst university students, but students face numerous barriers in accessing professional support. Support offered via a smartphone app may help to overcome some of the barriers they face, while providing support that is acceptable and helpful. However, there is limited research on supportive apps for students who self-harm. This study aimed to evaluate a self-help app (BlueIce) for helping students manage their self-harm, mental wellbeing and coping ability. This was a pre-post study in which 80 participants completed baseline measures online and were sent a link to download BlueIce. Of these, 27 completed follow-up questionnaires six weeks later assessing anxiety, depression, self-harm, and coping self-efficacy/styles. At follow-up, participants also completed a questionnaire evaluating BlueIce. Self-harm urges and symptoms of anxiety and depression significantly decreased, and coping self-efficacy significantly increased. Around two thirds (64%) said that BlueIce had stopped them from harming themselves an average of 24 times. Feedback showed that BlueIce helped provide a distraction in difficult times and helped them to manage their emotions in a more adaptive way. Following the trial period, participants’ wellbeing had significantly improved, suggesting that BlueIce may be helpful for university students in managing their self-harm urges and general mental health.
Examination of the Transdiagnostic Role of Impulsivity in the Development of ADHD and ODD Symptoms in Primary and Secondary School Students
Authors: Barać Bruno , Vulić-Prtorić Anita
Published: April 2023

Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) exhibit high comorbidity and variability in terms of dominant comorbid factors across the lifespan. Given the high comorbidity between these disorders, the transdiagnostic factors that may underlie them and could be used to develop effective treatments are of great importance. The focus of this research was on the role of impulsivity as a transdiagnostic factor in the development of ADHD and ODD symptoms in primary and secondary school students. Data were collected from 1161 primary (5th to 8th grade) and secondary (1st to 4th grade) school students (624 females and 537 males). Two models were tested, one for primary and one for secondary school students. Both models propose a significant relationship between ADHD symptoms and ODD, with an emphasis on the relationship between impulsivity and angry/irritable mood. The model for secondary school students does not fit the data, while the model for primary school students fits the data but emphasises attention as the most important factor. These results can be explained by the context of developmental changes and the school environment, both of which influence the stability and intensity of ADHD symptoms.
Surface Defect Detection of Hot Rolled Steel Based on Attention Mechanism and Dilated Convolution for Industrial Robots
Authors: Yu Yuanfan , Chan Sixian , Tang Tinglong , Zhou Xiaolong , Yao Yuan , Zhang Hongkai
Published: April 2023

In the manufacturing process of industrial robots, the defect detection of raw materials includes two types of tasks, which makes the defect detection guarantee its accuracy. It also makes the defect detection task challenging in practical work. In analyzing the disadvantages of the existing defect detection task methods, such as low precision and low generalization ability, a detection method on the basis of attention mechanism and dilated convolution module is proposed. In order to effectively extract features, a two-stage detection framework is chosen by applying Resnet50 as the pre-training network of our model. With this foundation, the attention mechanism and dilated convolution are utilized. With the attention mechanism, the network can focus on the features of effective regions and suppress the invalid regions during detection. With dilated convolution, the receptive field of the model can be increased without increasing the calculation amount of the model. As a result, it can achieve a larger receptive field, which will obtain more dense data and improve the detection effect of small target defects. Finally, great experiments are conducted on the NEU-DET dataset. Compared with the baseline network, the proposed method in this paper achieves 81.79% mAP, which are better results.
A Three-Step Tapered Bit Period SAR ADC Using Area-Efficient Clock Generation
Authors: Kang Hyein , Lee Sewon , Lee Minjae
Published: April 2023

A three-step tapered bit period asynchronous successive approximation register (SAR) analog-to-digital converter (ADC) is proposed to reduce the total DAC settling time by 47.7% compared to the non-tapered conversion time with less design overhead. Unlike conventional approaches, the SAR settling time analysis with both reference buffer output impedance and hardware overhead is first analyzed in each conversion step, which demonstrates that the three-step tapered bit period approach is the most time- and hardware efficient in our design. Additionally, area-efficient three-step clock generation is proposed by sharing resistors for delay generation, resulting in a small area increase of only 20.4% compared to the non-tapered clock generation. As a result, the proposed technique is used to reduce the reference buffer’s power and increase the sampling frequency. The maximum allowed output impedance of the reference buffer for SFDR > 92 dB becomes larger than that of the non-tapered design by 200 Ω, translated to a sampling frequency increase from 6 MHz to 8 MHz in our design. The proposed three-step tapered bit period using an area-efficient clock generator was designed in a 55 nm CMOS process. The clock generator occupies 0.00081 mm2 out of 1143 μm × 81 μm overall size. The power consumption of the 8 MS/s 12-bit SAR ADC with proposed clock generation is 128.91 μW when under 1 V supply.
A Review on the Preliminary Design of Axial and Radial Turbines for Small-Scale Organic Rankine Cycle
Authors: Wang Enhua , Peng Ningjian
Published: April 2023

Organic Rankine cycle (ORC) is an effective technology to harness low-grade energy. Turbine, as a key component of ORC, takes advantages of its high efficiency and compact size compared with other expanders. Currently, developing suitable turbines with a high performance and a low cost is one of the bottlenecks for wide applications of various ORCs. In this context, technical progress on radial inflow turbines (RITs), axial turbines (ATs), and radial outflow turbines (ROTs) is introduced, and loss models used in the preliminary design are compared, especially for small-scale ORCs. RIT is recommended for medium and small ORCs with an expansion pressure ratio of <10. The power outs and rotational speeds of the designed RITs spanned the ranges of 9.3–684 kW and 3000–114,000 r/min with an efficiency of 56.1–91.75%. In comparison, the power outputs and speeds of ATs were 3–2446 kW and 3000–91,800 r/min with an efficiency of 63–89.1%. AT is suitable for large-scale ORCs with a power output of greater than hundreds of kW. However, AT with impulse stages is feasible for small-scale ORCs when the pressure ratio is high, and the mass flow rate is small. The power outputs of the designed ROTs were relatively small, at 10–400 kW with a speed of 7200–42,700 r/min and an efficiency of 68.7–85%. For organic working fluids with a large expansion pressure ratio, ROT might be employed. Conventional mean-line models may neglect the effects of supersonic flow, which will be encountered in many ORC turbines. Therefore, adequate models for supersonic expansion loss and shock loss need to be added. Meanwhile, a proper multivariable optimization algorithm such as a gradient-based or stochastic search method should be selected. Finally, the challenges and potential research directions are discussed. The outcomes can provide some insights for the development of ORC turbines and the optimization of ORC systems.
Multi-Level Process Integration of Heat Pumps in Meat Processing
Authors: Klinac Elsa , Carson James Kenneth , Hoang Duy , Chen Qun , Cleland Donald John , Walmsley Timothy Gordon
Published: April 2023

Many countries across the globe are facing the challenge of replacing coal and natural gas-derived process heat with low-emission alternatives. In countries such as New Zealand, which have access to renewably generated electricity, industrial heat pumps offer great potential to reduce sitewide industrial carbon emissions. In this paper, a new Pinch-based Total Site Heat Integration (TSHI) method is proposed and used to explore and identify multi-level heat pump integration options at a meat processing site in New Zealand. This novel method improves upon standard methods that are currently used in industry and successfully identifies heat pump opportunities that might otherwise be missed by said standard methods. The results of the novel method application suggest that a Mechanical Vapour Recompression (MVR) system in the Rendering plant and a centralized air-source heat pump around the hot water ring main could reduce site emissions by over 50%. Future research will develop these preliminary results into a dynamic emissions reduction plan for the site, the novel methods for which will be transferrable to similar industrial sites.
High-Fidelity Modeling and Investigation on Blade Shape and Twist Angle Effects on the Efficiency of Small-Scale Wind Turbines
Authors: Yossri Widad , Ben Ayed Samah , Abdelkefi Abdessattar
Published: April 2023

A high-fidelity analysis is carried out in order to evaluate the effects of blade shape, airfoil cross-section. as well as twist angle distribution on the yielded torque and generated power of a horizontal axis Small-Scale Wind Turbine (SSWT). A computational modeling and an effective design for a small turbine with a blade length of 25 cm subject to a 4 m/s freestream velocity are presented, in which a segregated RANS solver is utilized. Four airfoil profiles are assessed, namely NACA0012, NACA0015, NACA4412, and NACA4415, and two blade shape configurations, rectangular and tapered, are evaluated. The flow around the rotating turbines is investigated along with blade stresses and performance output for each configuration. Subsequently, the impact of various linear and nonlinear twist distributions on SSWT efficiency is also examined. Results show that for the studied operating conditions corresponding to low-speed flows, the rectangular blade configuration outperforms the tapered blade shape from the generated torque and power perspectives, while the tapered shape configuration represents an attractive design choice from the yielded stresses point of view. Additionally, while the nonlinear twist configuration results in the best performance among the configurations studied, an SSWT blade design implementing a linear twist distribution can be highly competitive provided that a good slope is carefully selected.