bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Clonostachys rosea Promotes Root Growth in Tomato by Secreting Auxin Produced through the Tryptamine Pathway
Authors: Han Zhengyuan , Ghanizadeh Hossein , Zhang Haotian , Li Xinmao , Li Tiantian , Wang Qi , Liu Jiayin , Wang Aoxue
Published: November 2022

Clonostachys rosea (Link) Schroers is a filamentous fungus that has been widely used for biological control, biological fermentation, biodegradation and bioenergy. In this research, we investigated the impact of this fungus on root growth in tomato and the underlying mechanisms. The results showed that C. rosea can promote root growth in tomato, and tryptophan enhances its growth-promoting impacts. The results also showed that tryptophan increases the abundance of metabolites in C. rosea, with auxin (IAA) and auxin-related metabolites representing a majority of the highly abundant metabolites in the presence of tryptophan. It was noted that C. rosea could metabolize tryptophan into tryptamine (TRA) and indole-3-acetaldehyde (IAAId), and these two compounds are used by C. rosea to produce IAA through the tryptamine (TAM) pathway, which is one of the major pathways in tryptophan-dependent IAA biosynthesis. The IAA produced is used by C. rosea to promote root growth in tomato. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on IAA biosynthesis by C. rosea through the TAM pathway. More research is needed to understand the molecular mechanisms underlying IAA biosynthesis in C. rosea, as well as to examine the ability of this fungus to boost plant development in the field.
Fungal Virus, FgHV1-Encoded p20 Suppresses RNA Silencing through Single-Strand Small RNA Binding
Authors: Wang Shuangchao , Zhang Jingze , Nzabanita Clement , Zhang Mingming , Nie Jianhua , Guo Lihua
Published: November 2022

Fungal viruses are widespread in fungi infecting plants, insects and animals. High-throughput sequencing has rapidly led to the discovery of fungal viruses. However, the interactive exploration between fungi and viruses is relatively limited. RNA silencing is the fundamental antivirus pathway in fungi. Fusarium graminearum small RNA (sRNA) pattern was regulated by Fusarium graminearum hypovirus 1 (FgHV1) infection, indicating the activation of RNA silencing in virus defense. In this study, we focused on the function of an uncharacterized protein sized at 20 kD (p20) encoded by FgHV1. In the agro-infiltration assay, p20 was identified as a novel fungal RNA silencing suppressor. p20 can block systemic RNA silencing signals besides local RNA silencing suppression. We further elucidated the RNA silencing suppression mechanism of p20. The single-strand sRNA, instead of double-strand sRNA, can be incorporated by p20 in electrophoretic mobility shift assay. p20 binds sRNA originating from virus and non-virus sources in a non-sequence-specific manner. In addition, The F. graminearum 22 and 23-nt sRNA abundance and pathways related to RNA processing and redox regulation were regulated by p20. Our study revealed the first fungal virus-encoded RNA silencing suppressor with sRNA binding capability.
Cuticular Lipids as a First Barrier Defending Ixodid Ticks against Fungal Infection
Authors: Ribeiro-Silva Cárita S. , Muniz Elen R. , Lima Valesca H. , Bernardo Cíntia C. , Arruda Walquíria , Castro Rosane N. , Gôlo Patrícia S. , Angelo Isabele C. , Fernandes Éverton K. K.
Published: November 2022

The chemical composition of tick cuticles acts as a barrier to pathogens and may limit infection by entomopathogenic fungi. This study characterized the cuticular neutral lipids (NL) and hydrocarbons (HCs) of four ixodid ticks that are widely distributed in Brazil. HC extracts were analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and used to challenge Beauveria bassiana IP361 and Metarhizium robertsii IP146; the effect of cuticular extracts in fungal growth were evaluated by disk diffusion and conidial viability assays. In addition, conidial germination on the tick cuticle was evaluated by scanning electron microscopy, and NL from ticks treated with fungi were assessed by thin layer chromatography. Six HCs were exclusively identified in Amblyomma sculptum. Additionally, cuticle extracts from Dermacentor nitens and A. sculptum inhibited the growth of M. robertsii IP146 and reduced conidial germination of B. bassiana IP361 to 70% and 49%, respectively; the same extracts also produced cytotoxic effects, with conidial death above 30% and 60%. Electron micrographs showed a delayed germination of conidia incubated for 48 h or 72 h on D. nitens and A. sculptum. The lipid profile of A. sculptum treated with fungi was not significantly altered; triacylglycerol was not detected in the cuticle extracts of any other tick species. Finally, A. sculptum and D. nitens cuticles have lipid components that may limit the development of M. robertsii.
Soil Type Influences Novel “Milpa” Isolates of Trichoderma virens and Aspergillus tubingensis That Promote Solubilization, Mineralization, and Phytoabsorption of Phosphorus in Capsicum annuum L.
Authors: Zúñiga-Silgado Dorcas , Sánchez-Reyes Ayixon , Ortiz-Hernández María Laura , Otero Miranda , Balcázar-López Edgar , Valencia-Díaz Susana , Serrano Mario , Coleman Jeffrey J. , Sarmiento-López Luis , De-Bashan Luz E. , Folch-Mallol Jorge Luis
Published: November 2022

The Capsicum genus has significant economic importance since it is cultivated and consumed worldwide for its flavor and pungent properties. In 2021, Mexico produced 3.3 billion tons on 45,000 hectares which yielded USD 2 billion in exports to the USA, Canada, Japan, etc. Soil type has a dramatic effect on phosphorus (P) availability for plants due to its ion retention. In a previous study, novel fungal isolates were shown to solubilize and mineralize P in different kinds of soils with different P retention capacities. The aim of this work was to study the effects of the mineralogy of different kinds of “milpa” soils on the germination, biomass production, and P absorption of chili plants (Capsicum annuum). The germination percentage, the germination speed index, and the mean germination time were significantly increased in the plants treated with dual inoculation. Foliar phosphorus, growth variables, and plant biomass of chili plants grown in a greenhouse were enhanced in different soil types and with different inocula. Correlation studies suggested that the most significant performance in the foliar P concentration and in the growth response of plants was achieved in Vertisol with dual inoculation of 7 × 106 mL−1 spores per chili plant, suggesting this would be an appropriate approach to enhance chili cultivation depending on the soil type. This study stresses the importance of careful analysis of the effect of the soil type in the plant–microbe interactions.
Non-Mammalian Eukaryotic Expression Systems Yeast and Fungi in the Production of Biologics
Authors: Garvey Mary
Published: November 2022

Biologics have become an important area of medical research generating therapeutics essential for the treatment of many disease states. Biologics are defined as biologically active compounds manufactured by living cells or through biological processes termed bioprocessing. Compared to small molecules which are chemically synthesised they are relatively complex and therapeutically specific molecules. Biologics include hormones, vaccines, blood products, monoclonal antibodies, recombinant therapeutic proteins, enzymes, gene and cellular therapies amongst others. For biologic production prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells (mammalian and non-mammalian) are used as expression systems. Eukaryotic expression systems offer many advantages over prokaryotic based systems. The manufacture of high-quality proteins for human clinical use via recombinant technologies has been achieved in yeast and filamentous fungal systems. Advances in bioprocessing such as genetic engineering, bioreactor design, continuous processing, and quality by design has allowed for increased productivity and higher yield in in these non-mammalian eukaryotic systems with protein translation similar to mammalian systems. The application of eukaryotic expressions systems for the manufacture of biologics of therapeutic importance are described herein.
Personalized Medicine for Classical Anesthesia Drugs and Cancer Progression
Authors: Costa Bárbara , Mourão Joana , Vale Nuno
Published: November 2022

In this review, we aim to discuss the use and effect of five different drugs used in the induction of anesthesia in cancer patients. Propofol, fentanyl, rocuronium, sugammadex, and dexamethasone are commonly used to induce anesthesia and prevent pain during surgery. Currently, the mechanisms of these drugs to induce the state of anesthesia are not yet fully understood, despite their use being considered safe. An association between anesthetic agents and cancer progression has been determined; therefore, it is essential to recognize the effects of all agents during cancer treatment and to evaluate whether the treatment provided to the patients could be more precise. We also highlight the use of in silico tools to review drug interaction effects and safety, as well as the efficacy of the treatment used according to different subgroups of patients.
Variations in the Frequencies of Polymorphisms in the CYP450s Genes in Eight Major Ethnicities of Iran: A Review of the Human Data
Authors: Neyshaburinezhad Navid , Ghasim Hengameh , Rouini Mohammadreza , Daali Youssef , Ardakani Yalda H.
Published: November 2022

Genetic polymorphisms in cytochrome P450 genes can cause variation in metabolism. Thus, single nucleotide variants significantly impact drug pharmacokinetics, toxicity factors, and efficacy and safety of medicines. The distribution of CYP450 alleles varies drastically across ethnicities, with significant implications for personalized medicine and the healthcare system. We combined whole-genome and exome sequencing data to provide a review of CYP450 allele polymorphisms with clinical importance. Data were collected from 800 unrelated Iranians (100 subjects from 8 major ethnicities of Iran), more than 32,000 unrelated Europeans (other than Caucasian), and four Middle Eastern countries. We analyzed the frequencies and similarities of 17 CYP450 frequent alleles related to nine important CYP450 isoenzymes and homozygous and heterozygous genotypes based on these alleles in eight major Iranian ethnics by integrating these data with population-specific linkage information and compared these datasets with mentioned populations.
Transarterial Embolization for Active Gastrointestinal Bleeding: Predictors of Early Mortality and Early Rebleeding
Authors: Extrat Chloé , Grange Sylvain , Mayaud Alexandre , Villeneuve Loïc , Chevalier Clément , Williet Nicolas , Le Roy Bertrand , Boutet Claire , Grange Rémi
Published: November 2022

Background: The aim of this study was to determine predictive factors of early mortality and early rebleeding (≤30 days) following transarterial embolization (TAE) for treatment of acute gastrointestinal bleeding. Methods: All consecutive patients admitted for acute gastrointestinal bleeding to the interventional radiology department in a tertiary center between January 2012 and January 2022 were included. Exclusion criteria were patients: (1) aged < 18-year-old, (2) referred to the operation room without TAE, (3) treated for hemobilia, (4) with mesenteric hematoma, (5) lost to follow-up within 30 days after the procedure. We evaluated pre and per-procedure clinical data, biological data, outcomes, and complications. Results: Sixty-eight patients were included: 55 (80.9%) experienced upper gastrointestinal bleeding and 13 (19.1%) lower gastrointestinal bleeding. Median age was 69 (61–74) years. There were 49 (72%) males. Median hemoglobin was 7.25 (6.1–8.3) g/dL. There were 30 (50%) ulcers. Coils were used in 46 (67.6%) procedures. Early mortality was 15 (22.1%) and early rebleeding was 17 (25%). In multivariate analysis, hyperlactatemia (≥2 mmol/L) were predictive of early mortality (≤30 days). A high number of red blood cells units was associated with early rebleeding. Conclusion: This study identified some predictive factors of 30-day mortality and early rebleeding following TAE. This will assist in patient selection and may help improve the management of gastrointestinal bleeding.
The Mental Health of Young Return Migrants with Ancestral Roots in Their Destination Country: A Cross-Sectional Study Focusing on the Ethnic Identities of Japanese–Brazilian High School Students Living in Japan
Authors: Fukui Eriko , Uchino Takashi , Onozaka Masunari , Kawashimo Takashi , Iwai Momoko , Takubo Youji , Maruyama Akiko , Miura Sachio , Sekizaki Ryo , Mizuno Masafumi , Katagiri Naoyuki , Tsujino Naohisa , Nemoto Takahiro
Published: November 2022

Background: The number of young Japanese Brazilians, who are return migrants with Japanese ancestral roots, is increasing rapidly in Japan. However, the characteristics of their mental health and the relation between mental health and a complex ethnic identity remains unclear. Methods: This cross-sectional study compared 25 Japanese–Brazilian high school students with 62 Japanese high school students living in the same area. Research using self-report questionnaires on mental health, help-seeking behavior tendencies, and ethnic identity was conducted. The Japanese–Brazilian group was also divided into high and low ethnic identity groups, and their mental health conditions were compared. Results: The Japanese–Brazilian group had significantly poorer mental health conditions and lower ethnic identities than the Japanese group and were less likely to seek help from family members and close relatives. Among the Japanese Brazilians, those with low ethnic identity had significantly poorer mental health than those with high ethnic identity. Conclusions: Young Japanese Brazilians may face conflicts of ethnic identity that can disturb their mental health. To build an inclusive society, the establishment of community services to support mental health and to help return migrants develop their ethnic identity is essential.
Evaluation of the Prevalence of Barotrauma and Affecting Factors in Patients with COVID-19 during Follow-Up in the Intermediate Care Unit
Authors: Bahadir Ayse , Iliaz Sinem , Hursitoglu Mehmet , Unalan Gul , Yurt Sibel , Ozgul Mehmet Akif
Published: November 2022

It is known that pneumothorax (PX) and pneumomediastinum (PM) develop due to COVID-19 disease. The objective of our study was to determine the prevalence of PX/PM due to COVID-19 in the intermediate intensive care unit (IMCU) and to evaluate the factors causing barotrauma and also the clinical outcomes of these patients. A total of 283 non-intubated patients with COVID-19 pneumonia followed up in the IMCU in a 1-year period were included in the study. The patients were classified as group 1 (having barotrauma) and group 2 (without barotrauma). The rate of barotrauma was 8.1% (n = 23, group 1). PX developed on the right hemithorax in 12 (70.6%) patients. Group 1 had statistically significantly higher 28-day mortality rates compared with group 2 (p = 0.014). The eosinophil and d-dimer levels of the patients in group 1 were higher, while C-reactive protein (CRP), fibrinogen, and albumin levels were lower than Group 2 (p < 0.001, p = 0.017, p = 0.001, p < 0.001), and p < 0.001, respectively). The similar rates of NIMV administration in our study groups support that barotrauma is not the only mechanism in the development of PX/PM. The findings of high blood eosinophil count and low blood levels of CRP, albumin, and fibrinogen in the barotrauma group of our study might be a pathfinder for future studies.
When Does Pairs Trading Outperform Cross-Sectional Momentum?
Authors: Kwon Oh Kang , Satchell Stephen
Published: November 2022

In this paper, we analyze the relative performances of pairs trading and cross-sectional momentum (CSM) strategies by comparing their expected returns. It is shown that the Sharpe ratio and the autocorrelation in the spread between the asset returns are the key factors in determining the relative performances of the two strategies, and an analytic expression for the condition under which one strategy outperforms the other is obtained in terms of these factors. It is also shown that the pairs trading strategy outperforms the CSM strategy in the majority of practically relevant situations.
Energy Communities Overview: Managerial Policies, Economic Aspects, Technologies, and Models
Authors: Kyriakopoulos Grigorios L.
Published: November 2022

Recently, there has been an ongoing global debate on the issues of energy safety, energy autonomy, and energy alleviation policies in developed and developing countries. The energy communities can integrate distributed energy resources, especially among local energy systems, playing a decisive role to support people around the world in the transition process towards sustainable development and renewable energy sources (RES). The main research dimensions of such a manifold approach are environmental sustainability, the reduction of greenhouse gases (GHGs) emission, the ordinal exploitation of RES, the social awareness in actions towards global consumerism in an environmentally caring manner, the increase of energy efficiency, and the pollution relief caused by the expansion of urban/built environment worldwide. This review study focused on the roles and the ways of how “energy communities” (ECs) could support contemporary energy management and priorities to ensure energy safety, autonomy, and alleviation, regionally and globally. In this context, a systematic, last-decade publications of ECs was conducted and the retrieved documents were organized in alignment with the following four groups of literature overview. Group 1 covered the dimensions of technology and environment, being coupled with Group 2, covering the dimensions of socio-culture and anthropocentricity (mainly focusing on the built environment). A similar coupling of Group 3 and Group 4 was made, where Group 3 covered the legislative dimension of ECs and Group 4 covered the ECs devoted to Europe–European Union (EU), respectively. The emerging key literature aspects, the proposed measures, and the applied energy policies on ECs were also conveyed and discussed.
Simulating the Coupling of Rural Settlement Expansion and Population Growth in Deqing, Zhejiang Province, Based on MCCA Modeling
Authors: Zhao Zijuan , Fan Beilei , Zhou Qingbo , Xu Shihao
Published: November 2022

Analyzing the relationship between rural settlements and rural population change under different policy scenarios is key in the sustainable development of China’s urban and rural areas. We proposed a framework that comprised the mixed land use structure simulation (MCCA) model and the human–land coupling development model to assess the spatiotemporal dynamic changes in rural settlements and its’ coupling relationship with the rural population in the economically developed region of Deqing, Zhejiang Province. The results showed that rural settlements and urban land increased by 14.36 and 29.07 km2, respectively, over the last 20 years. The expansion of some rural settlements and urban land occurred at the cost of cropland occupation. Rural settlements showed an expansion trend from 2000 to 2020, increasing from 42.69 km2 in 2000 to 57.05 km2 in 2020. In 2035, under the natural development scenario, the cropland protection scenario, and the rural development scenario, rural settlements are projected to show an expansion trend and Wukang and Leidian are the key regions with rural settlement expansion. The distance to Hangzhou, nighttime light data, distance to rivers, and precipitation are important factors influencing the expansion of rural settlements. The coupling relationship between rural settlements and the rural population developed in a coordinated manner from 2000 to 2020. For 2035, under different scenarios, the coupling relationship between rural settlements and the rural population showed different trends. In the rural development scenario, the highest number of towns with coordinated development between rural settlements and the rural population is in Deqing, predominantly with Type I coupling. Overall, an important recommendation from this study is that the sustainable development of regional land use can be promoted by controlling the occupation of cropland for urban and rural construction, balancing rural settlement expansion and rural population growth, and formulating land use policies that are more suitable for rural development.
Density, Diversity, and Design: Evaluating the Equity of the Elderly Communities in Three Measures of the Built Environment
Authors: Gu Zongni , Luo Xiaolong , Chen Yanru , Liu Xiaoman , Xiao Chenrui , Liang Yifan
Published: November 2022

Building an aging-friendly city is necessary, considering the unprecedented demographic shift of the aging population. It is necessary to study the built environment conditions surrounding the elderly’s residential areas. This study examines the density, diversity, and design (3D) features around the two typical elderly communities, which are community-based care and the nursing home. Then, the equity analysis is conducted from the social and spatial perspective. We use the 3D framework to measure the built environment around elderly communities. The essential features of an aging-friendly community are used to assess the built environment around the elderly communities. Moreover, we analyze the social and spatial equity of the elderly communities from the facility level and the town level. From the facility level, the 3D features of the elderly communities and the whole communities are compared to identify the social disparity among groups. From the town level, the average values of the 3D features are aggregated to each town, and then the attribute values of the towns are compared to reveal the spatial gaps and spatial mismatch areas. Results found that the spatial distributions of the 3D features around elderly communities present the center-periphery patterns. This study also found that a social disparity exists between the elderly communities and the whole communities. Moreover, there is a spatial mismatch between the diversity of facilities, road connections, and the number of elderly. Towns located in the fringe area are with a high number of elderly, but with a low diversity and road connections. The findings of this study can help planners and decision-makers to optimize the living facilities for old people and inform the gap in planning an aging-friendly city.
The Triple Challenge: Food Security and Vulnerabilities of Fishing and Farming Households in Situations Characterized by Increasing Conflict, Climate Shock, and Environmental Degradation
Authors: Onyenekwe Chinasa , Okpara Uche , Opata Patience , Egyir Irene , Sarpong Daniel
Published: November 2022

As conflict, climate shocks, and land/water degradation—the “triple challenge”—continue to exert increasing pressure upon fishing and farming livelihoods in many developing countries, a need exists to better understand how differential vulnerabilities undermine or amplify food security outcomes. In this study, we investigate how vulnerability to the “triple challenge” affect food security using an in-depth case study approach that merges social statistics and quantitative data analysis. We frame vulnerability using a combination of sensitivity, exposure, and adaptive capacity, and operationalize food security using the FAO Food Insecurity Experience Scale (FIES), which is an experience-based measure capturing the food access dimension of food security. We draw on survey data from 252 fishing and 251 farming households in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria and quantify the different components of vulnerability, deriving specific livelihood-related vulnerability scores. By merging and analyzing differential food security variables and vulnerability scores using ordered logistic models, we find that vulnerability to the “triple challenge” increases the probability of being in a severe food insecure state, particularly for households with a high dependency ratio. Parallel to this finding, we note that access to social capital and opportunities for livelihood diversification could drive gains in income, enhancing the capacity of households to attain a food-secure status in the face of recurrent instabilities. This study advances vulnerability literacy in food-insecure contexts and reveals ways to support populations on the frontline of interacting conflict, climate, and environmental crises.
Has China’s Pilot Policy of Water Ecological Civilization City Construction Reduced Water Pollution Intensity?
Authors: Lyu Lianju , Kan Daxue , Yao Wenqing , Huang Weichiao
Published: November 2022

To address the deterioration of the water ecological environment, China’s Ministry of Water Resources launched 105 pilot projects for the construction of water ecological civilized cities in two batches in 2013 and 2014. Based on panel data of 283 cities in China from 2008 to 2020, in this study, we investigate the impact of the pilot policy of water ecological civilization city construction on water pollution intensity using the difference-in-differences method. We found that water pollution intensity in the sample period exhibited a downward trend, decreasing most rapidly during the pilot construction period. Controlling for urbanization level, technological innovation, import and export trade, and foreign investment, our study results show that the pilot policy significantly reduced water pollution intensity. Mechanism analysis shows that the reduction effect was achieved through the channels of optimizing industrial structure, increasing sewage treatment, promoting water recycling, promoting technological progress, and speeding up water price reform. The results of this study also show that the policy effect in terms of reducing water pollution intensity is heterogenous across time, in addition to exhibiting regional heterogeneity owing to differences in levels of economic development, water resource endowment, and environmental regulation intensity. The research results also provide a reference for other countries similar to China to reduce water pollution intensity, address the deterioration of the water ecological environment, and improve the water ecological environment in the process of economic development.
Increased Circulating Soluble Junctional Adhesion Molecules in Systemic Sclerosis: Association with Peripheral Microvascular Impairment
Authors: Romano Eloisa , Rosa Irene , Fioretto Bianca Saveria , Matucci-Cerinic Marco , Manetti Mirko
Published: November 2022

Systemic sclerosis (SSc, scleroderma) is a severe disease characterized by peripheral microcirculation abnormalities manifesting with Raynaud’s phenomenon, nailfold videocapillaroscopic (NVC) changes, and even ischemic digital ulcers (DUs) that are often refractory to treatments. In the wake of previously described associations between the circulating levels of soluble junctional adhesion molecules (sJAMs) and SSc clinical features, here, we measured sJAM-A and sJAM-C levels by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in serum samples from a large case series of 110 SSc patients and 85 healthy controls, focusing on their possible association with peripheral vascular clinical features and their potential as biomarkers that are either diagnostic or mirror SSc-related microvasculopathy severity. Our data demonstrated that serum sJAM-A and sJAM-C are significantly increased in patients with SSc vs. healthy controls, especially in those featuring early/active NVC patterns and the presence of ischemic DUs. Moreover, circulating sJAM-C levels showed good diagnostic accuracy in discriminating between patients and controls, as assessed by receiver operator characteristics curve analysis. Finally, logistic regression revealed that, when comparing sJAM-A to sJAM-C, the latter might be better suited as a biomarker for SSc-related DUs. Our promising findings provide the necessary groundwork for longitudinal follow-up analyses of SSc patients aiming to assess whether circulating sJAM-C levels might be predictive for the development of new DUs, as well as DU recurrence and/or refractoriness to targeted therapies.
Blunted Microvascular Reactivity in Psoriasis Patients in the Absence of Cardiovascular Disease, as Assessed by Laser Speckle Contrast Imaging
Authors: Margouta Anastasia , Anyfanti Panagiota , Lazaridis Antonios , Nikolaidou Barbara , Mastrogiannis Konstantinos , Malliora Anastasia , Patsatsi Aikaterini , Triantafyllou Areti , Douma Stella , Doumas Michael , Gkaliagkousi Eugenia
Published: November 2022

Psoriasis is associated with accelerated rates of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Laser Speckle Contrast Imaging (LSCI) is a novel, non-interventional technique for the dynamic assessment of microvascular endothelial dysfunction, which represents an early precursor of CVD. We investigated whether skin microvascular reactivity is impaired in psoriasis and whether an association exists with large artery stiffening. Skin microvascular reactivity was assessed with LSCI combined with post-occlusive reactive hyperaemia protocol in psoriasis patients and controls in the absence of established CVD. Arterial stiffness and central hemodynamics were assessed throughout a whole 24 h period with the Mobil-O-Graph device. Most LSCI indices of microvascular reactivity were impaired in psoriasis patients (n = 90) compared to controls (n = 45) [baseline flux; occlusion flux; peak-to-baseline magnitude; baseline cutaneous vascular conductance (CVC); percentage increase in CVC, p < 0.001 for all comparisons]. In multivariate analysis, psoriatic disease predicted the above markers independently of classical CVD risk factors. Augmentation index, peripheral pulse pressure, and central systolic/diastolic blood pressure correlated with LSCI microvascular responses in the study population (n = 135). Pulse wave velocity significantly correlated with nearly all LSCI parameters, while the association with baseline flux was independent of CVD risk factors and psoriatic disease in multivariate analysis (beta = 0.096, p = 0.039). This study provides evidence of altered skin microvascular responses in psoriasis by use of LSCI, and interaction with macrovascular dysfunction, before the establishment of overt CVD. A non-interventional approach of skin microcirculation with LSCI might be used as an early indicator of vascular health in psoriasis.
In Vitro Evaluation of Zinc Oxide Tetrapods as a New Material Component for Glaucoma Implants
Authors: Sonntag Svenja Rebecca , Gniesmer Stefanie , Gapeeva Anna , Offermann Klaus Jakob , Adelung Rainer , Mishra Yogendra Kumar , Cojocaru Ala , Kaps Sören , Grisanti Swaantje , Grisanti Salvatore , Tura Aysegül
Published: November 2022

In our previous study we were able to show that zinc oxide (ZnO) tetrapods inhibit wound healing processes. Therefore, the aim of this study was to test the antiproliferative effect of two types of porous polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS)/ tetrapodal zinc oxide (ZnO-T) materials, as well as their usability for glaucoma implants. To find the best implant material, two different porous PDMS/ZnO-T materials were examined. One consisted of 3D interconnected PDMS coarse-pored foams with protruding ZnO-T particles; the other consisted of fine-pored 3D interconnected ZnO-T networks homogeneously coated by a thin PDMS film in the nanometer range. Fibroblast cell viability was investigated for both materials via MTT dye, and some implant material samples were further processed for electron microscopy. Both PDMS/ZnO-T materials showed reduced cell viability in the MTT staining. Furthermore, the electron microscopy revealed barely any fibroblasts growing on the implant materials. At the surface of the fine-pored implant material, however, fibroblasts could not be observed in the etched control samples without ZnO-T. It was found that post-processing of the material to the final stent diameter was highly challenging and that the fabrication method, therefore, had to be adapted. In conclusion, we were able to demonstrate the antiproliferative potential of the two different PDMS/ZnO-T materials. Furthermore, smaller pore size (in the range of tens of micrometers) in the implant material seems to be preferable.
Cervical Joint Position Sense and Its Correlations with Postural Stability in Subjects with Fibromyalgia Syndrome
Authors: Reddy Ravi Shankar , Tedla Jaya Shanker , Dixit Snehil , Raizah Abdullah , Al-Otaibi Mohammed Lafi , Gular Kumar , Ahmad Irshad , Sirajudeen Mohamed Sherif
Published: November 2022

Cervical joint position sense (JPS) and postural stability are vital to maintaining balance and preventing falls in fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS). Impaired cervical JPS may influence postural stability, and understanding the relationship between them can aid in formulating treatment strategies in individuals with FMS. This study aims to (1) assess cervical JPS and postural stability between FMS and control group and (2) determine the correlation between cervical JPS and postural stability in the FMS group. This cross-sectional study recruited 92 FMS patients (mean age: 51.52 ± 7.7 yrs.) and 92 healthy controls (mean age: 49.36 ± 6.9 yrs.). A cervical range of motion (CROM) unit was utilized to assess cervical JPS. The postural stability was assessed using an IsoFree force platform, and anterior-posterior (A/P) and medial-lateral (M/L) directions of sway and ellipse area were measured. Cervical JPS and postural stability tests were assessed and compared between FMS and control groups. Cervical JPS was significantly impaired in FMS compared to the control group (p < 0.001). The JPS errors in FMS group were larger in flexion (FMS = 5.5°, control = 2.4°), extension (FMS = 6.4°, control = 3.0°), and rotation in left (FMS = 5.4°, control = 2.2°) and right directions (FMS = 5.1°, control = 2.8°). FMS individuals demonstrated statistically significant impaired postural stability compared to control in both the dominant and non-dominant legs tested (p < 0.001). The cervical JPS test showed moderate to strong positive correlations with postural stability variables. Statistically significant correlations were observed in all the JPS directions tested with all the postural stability variables (A/P and M/L sway and ellipse area). The correlation coefficients ranged between r = 0.37 (moderate) to 0.75 (strong). Cervical JPS and postural stability are impaired in FMS individuals. A moderate to strong relationship existed between JPS and postural stability. Individuals with FMS who had a greater magnitude of cervical JPS errors exhibited more severe postural control deficits. Therefore, cervical JPS and postural stability tests should be incorporated into routine clinical practice when assessing or formulating treatment strategies for patients with FMS.
Prophylactic Treatment with Hydrogen Sulphide Can Prevent Renal Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury in L-NAME Induced Hypertensive Rats with Cisplatin-Induced Acute Renal Failure
Authors: Ahmad Ashfaq
Published: November 2022

(Background and Objectives): Renal ischemia perfusion injury is one of the major issues in kidney transplant. The aim of the study was to investigate the hypothesis that prophylactic treatment—with a hydrogen sulphide donor to an acute renal failure case of hypertensive rats—can minimize the ischemia reperfusion injury of the kidney which is beneficial for kidney transplant. To check this hypothesis, the present study was designed to investigate the effect of chronic administration of a hydrogen sulphide (H2S) donor and sodium hydrosulfide (NaHS) on nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kB) and inter cellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) concentration in non-renal failure (NRF) and acute renal failure (ARF) rats in the ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) model of the kidney in both normotensive WKY and hypertensive rats (L-nitro arginine methyl ester (L-NAME-induced); (Materials and Methods): A total number of 48 Sprague-Dawley rats were recruited into eight groups each consisting of six animals. Each of these eight groups was used to measure systemic and renal parameters, H2S, antioxidant parameters in plasma, plasma concentration of NF-kB and ICAM-1 and renal cortical blood pressure. ARF was induced by single intraperitoneal (i.p.) cisplatin injection (5 mg/kg). Hypertension was induced by oral administration of L-NAME in drinking water for four weeks at 40 mg/kg/day. NaHS was administered (i.p) at 56 µmol/kg for five weeks while dL-propargylglycine (PAG), a H2S generation inhibitor, was administered as a single intra-peritoneal injection (50 mg/kg). An acute surgical experiment was performed for the induction of renal ischemia for 30 min by renal artery clamping followed by reperfusion for three hours; (Results): Chronic administration of NaHS attenuated the severity of ARF in both normotensive and hypertensive animals (L-NAME) along with lowering the blood pressure in hypertensive groups. NaHS improved the oxidative stress parameters such as total superoxide dismutase (T-SOD), glutathione (GSH) and reduced the malondialdehyde (MDA) concentration along with reduction of NF-kB and ICAM-1 following renal IRI; Conclusions: These findings demonstrate that H2S not only reduced the severity of cisplatin induced ARF but also reduced the severity of renal IRI by upregulating antioxidants along with decreased concentrations of NF-kB and ICAM-1 in normotensive and L-NAME induced hypertensive rats.
Coexistence of Moderate-to-Severe Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Inflammation Accelerates the Risk of Progression of Arterial Stiffness: A Prospective 6-Year Study
Authors: Kim Jinkwan , Yoon Dae Wui , Myoung Sungmin , Lee Seung Ku , Shin Chol
Published: November 2022

Both obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and inflammation have now been recognized as imposing substantial cardiometabolic risk. However, no prospective study has reported whether the coexistence of OSA and inflammation exacerbates the progressive arterial stiffening. Thus, the purpose of this study is to examine whether these conditions increase the risk of the progression of arterial stiffening. A total of 1945 participants were randomly selected for the study. Subjects with elevated inflammation were divided by high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) levels. A polysomnography and brachial–ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) were performed. The elevation of the baPWV was defined as the levels in the highest quartile of the baPWV. The percentage of the elevated baPWV and the change in the baPWV (ΔbaPWV) were higher in individuals with OSA and higher hsCRP levels. After adjusting for confounders, the participants with OSA and inflammation in the groups not treated with antihypertensive medication had a higher risk of an elevated ΔbaPWV in contrast to those with neither variable. Particularly, the alteration in the baPWV differed significantly based on the existence of moderate-to-severe OSA and inflammation at the 6-year follow-up. In combination, these conditions are associated with an accelerated risk of a future burden of the progression of the arterial stiffness, suggesting a potential important role in the increased risk of CVD.
Kinetics of Catalyst-Free and Position-Controlled Low-Pressure Chemical Vapor Deposition Growth of VO2 Nanowire Arrays on Nanoimprinted Si Substrates
Authors: Mutilin Sergey V. , Yakovkina Lyubov V. , Seleznev Vladimir A. , Prinz Victor Ya.
Published: November 2022

In the present article, the position-controlled and catalytic-free synthesis of vanadium dioxide (VO2) nanowires (NWs) grown by the chemical vapor deposition (CVD) on nanoimprinted silicon substrates in the form of nanopillar arrays was analyzed. The NW growth on silicon nanopillars with different cross-sectional areas was studied, and it has been shown that the NWs’ height decreases with an increase in their cross-sectional area. The X-ray diffraction technique, scanning electron microscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy showed the high quality of the grown VO2 NWs. A qualitative description of the growth rate of vertical NWs based on the material balance equation is given. The dependence of the growth rate of vertical and horizontal NWs on the precursor concentration in the gas phase and on the growth time was investigated. It was found that the height of vertical VO2 NWs along the [100] direction exhibited a linear dependence on time and increased with an increase in the precursor concentration. For horizontal VO2 NWs, the height along the direction [011] varied little with the growth time and precursor concentration. These results suggest that the high-aspect ratio vertical VO2 NWs formed due to different growth modes of their crystal faces forming the top of the growing VO2 crystals and their lateral crystal faces related to the difference between the free energies of these crystal faces and implemented experimental conditions. The results obtained permit a better insight into the growth of high-aspect ratio VO2 NWs and into the formation of large VO2 NW arrays with a controlled composition and properties.
Nitration of 2,6,8,12-Tetraacetyl-2,4,6,8,10,12-Hexaazaisowurtzitane Derivatives
Authors: Chikina Maya V. , Kulagina Daria A. , Sysolyatin Sergey V.
Published: November 2022

The nitration of novel bioactive derivatives of 2,6,8,12-tetraacetyl-2,4,6,8,10,12-hexaazaisowurtzitane in different nitrating systems was examined. The yield of CL-20, the known product from the nitration of hexaazaisowurtzitane compounds, was found to depend on the nature of substituents at the 4,1 positions and on the composition of the nitrating mixture.
Transient Response Sensitivity Analysis of Localized Nonlinear Structure Using Direct Differentiation Method
Authors: Cao Zhifu , Yao Jianyao , Jia Zichu , Liang Daosen
Published: November 2022

Based on the direct differentiation method, sensitivity analysis of transient responses with respect to local nonlinearity is developed in this paper. Solutions of nonlinear equations and time-domain integration are combined to compute the response sensitivities, which consist of three steps: firstly, the nonlinear differential equations of motion are solved using Newton–Raphson iteration to obtain the transient response; secondly, the algebraic equations of the sensitivity are obtained by differentiating the incremental equation of motion with respect to nonlinear coefficients; thirdly, the nonlinear transient response sensitivities are determined using the Newmark-β integration in the interested time range. Three validation studies, including a Duffing oscillator, a nonlinear multiple-degrees-of-freedom (MDOF) system, and a cantilever beam with local nonlinearity, are adopted to illustrate the application of the proposed method. The comparisons among the finite difference method (FDM), the Poincaré method (PCM), the Lindstedt–Poincaré method (LPM), and the proposed method are conducted. The key factors, such as the parameter perturbation step size, the secular term, and the time step, are discussed to verify the accuracy and efficiency. Results show that parameter perturbation selection in the FDM sensitivity analysis is related to the nonlinear features depending on the initial condition; the consistency of the transient response sensitivity can be improved based on the accurate nonlinear response when a small time step is adopted in the proposed method.
Community Detection Fusing Graph Attention Network
Authors: Guo Ruiqiang , Zou Juan , Bai Qianqian , Wang Wei , Chang Xiaomeng
Published: November 2022

It has become a tendency to use a combination of autoencoders and graph neural networks for attribute graph clustering to solve the community detection problem. However, the existing methods do not consider the influence differences between node neighborhood information and high-order neighborhood information, and the fusion of structural and attribute features is insufficient. In order to make better use of structural information and attribute information, we propose a model named community detection fusing graph attention network (CDFG). Specifically, we firstly use an autoencoder to learn attribute features. Then the graph attention network not only calculates the influence weight of the neighborhood node on the target node but also adds the high-order neighborhood information to learn the structural features. After that, the two features are initially fused by the balance parameter. The feature fusion module extracts the hidden layer representation of the graph attention layer to calculate the self-correlation matrix, which is multiplied by the node representation obtained by the preliminary fusion to achieve secondary fusion. Finally, the self-supervision mechanism makes it face the community detection task. Experiments are conducted on six real datasets. Using four evaluation metrics, the CDFG model performs better on most datasets, especially for the networks with longer average paths and diameters and smaller clustering coefficients.
An Approach Based on Semantic Relationship Embeddings for Text Classification
Authors: Lezama-Sánchez Ana Laura , Tovar Vidal Mireya , Reyes-Ortiz José A.
Published: November 2022

Semantic relationships between words provide relevant information about the whole idea in the texts. Existing embedding representation models characterize each word as a vector of numbers with a fixed length. These models have been used in tasks involving text classification, such as recommendation and question–answer systems. However, the embedded information provided by semantic relationships has been neglected. Therefore, this paper proposes an approach that involves semantic relationships in embedding models for text classification, which is evaluated. Three embedding models based on semantic relations extracted from Wikipedia are presented and compared with existing word-based models. Our approach considers the following relationships: synonymy, hyponymy, and hyperonymy. They were considered since previous experiments have shown that they provide semantic knowledge. The relationships are extracted from Wikipedia using lexical-syntactic patterns identified in the literature. The extracted relationships are embedded as a vector: synonymy, hyponymy–hyperonymy, and a combination of all relationships. A Convolutional Neural Network using semantic relationship embeddings was trained for text classification. An evaluation was carried out for the proposed relationship embedding configurations and existing word-based models to compare them based on two corpora. The results were obtained with the metrics of precision, accuracy, recall, and F1-measure. The best results for the 20-Newsgroup corpus were obtained with the hyponymy–hyperonymy embeddings, achieving an accuracy of 0.79. For the Reuters corpus, F1-measure and recall of 0.87 were obtained using synonymy–hyponymy–hyperonymy.
Data-Driven Approach for Estimating Power and Fuel Consumption of Ship: A Case of Container Vessel
Authors: Uyanık Tayfun , Yalman Yunus , Kalenderli Özcan , Arslanoğlu Yasin , Terriche Yacine , Su Chun-Lien , Guerrero Josep M.
Published: November 2022

In recent years, shipborne emissions have become a growing environmental threat. The International Maritime Organization has implemented various rules and regulations to resolve this concern. The Ship Energy Efficiency Management Plan, Energy Efficiency Design Index, and Energy Efficiency Operational Indicator are examples of guidelines that increase energy efficiency and reduce shipborne emissions. The main engine shaft power (MESP) and fuel consumption (FC) are the critical components used in ship energy efficiency calculations. Errors in ship energy efficiency calculation methodologies are also caused by misinterpretation of these values. This study aims to predict the MESP and FC of a container ship with the help of data-driven methodologies utilizing actual voyage data to assist in the calculation process of the ship’s energy efficiency indexes appropriately. The algorithms’ prediction success was measured using the RMSE, MAE, and R2 error metrics. When the simulation results were analyzed, the Deep Neural Network and Bayes algorithms predicted MESP best with 0.000001 and 0.000002 RMSE, 0.000987 and 0.000991 MAE, and 0.999999 R2, respectively, while the Multiple-Linear Regression and Kernel Ridge algorithms estimated FC best with 0.000208 and 0.000216 RMSE, 0.001375 and 0.001471 MAE, and 0.999999 R2, respectively.