bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Adoption of Green Industrial Internet of Things to Improve Organizational Performance: The Role of Institutional Isomorphism and Green Innovation Practices
Authors: Xu Nan , Fan Xingyu , Hu Rui
Published: June 2022

Emerging technology developments and functions of the Internet of Things (IoT) in industrial systems are leading the development of the Industrial IoT (IIoT). Greener, i.e., cleaner environmental goals can be achieved by putting green IIoT (GIIoT) into practice. This research aims to explore the reasons for the adoption of GIIoT in organizational decision-making and to explore its impact on organizational performance. The proposed research model was tested by collecting data through a structured questionnaire. The findings suggest that institutional isomorphism has a positive impact on the adoption of GIIoT. Moreover, GIIoT is positively associated with green innovation (GI) practices (e.g., product, process, and management) that lead to organizational performance. The potential impact of various types of institutional isomorphism described in this study can help organizations better comprehend the institutional pressures they enforce and/or appease their stakeholders, especially as they adopt GIIoT, to manage production issues and potential compliance pressures in the process.
Measurement of Noradrenaline and Serotonin Metabolites With Internal Jugular Vein Sampling: An Indicator of Brain Monoamine Turnover in Depressive Illness and Panic Disorder
Authors: Esler Murray , Alvarenga Marlies , Barton David , Jennings Garry , Kaye David , Guo Ling , Schwarz Rosemary , Lambert Gavin
Published: June 2022

In research spanning three decades we have estimated brain monoamine turnover (approximately equating with synthesis rate) with sampling from the internal jugular veins and measurement of trans-cerebral plasma monoamine metabolite concentration gradients. Here we report indices of brain noradrenaline and serotonin turnover in patients with major depressive illness (MDD) and panic disorder (PD). Brain noradrenaline turnover was assessed from the combined flux into the internal jugular veins of the metabolites dihydroxyphenylglycol (DHPG) and 3-hydroxy-4-methoxyphenylglycol (MHPG), and brain serotonin turnover from the overflow of the primary metabolite, 5-hydroxyindole acetic acid (5HIAA). Comparison was made with matched healthy research participants. In both MD and PD the estimate of brain noradrenaline turnover provided by metabolite overflow was unremarkable. In contrast, in both patient groups the estimate of brain serotonin turnover provided by 5HIAA overflow was increased 3–4-fold (P < 0.01). This neurotransmitter abnormality was normalized in MDD and PD in clinical remission, during selective serotonin reuptake blocker (SSRI) dosing. We cannot be sure if the brain serotonergic abnormality we find in MDD and PD is causal or a correlate. Measurements in PD were not made during a panic attack. The increased estimated serotonin turnover here may possibly be a substrate for panic attacks; serotonergic raphe nuclei participate in anxiety responses in experimental animals. It is puzzling that the findings were identical in MDD and PD, although it may be pertinent that these psychiatric diagnoses are commonly comorbid. It is unlikely that activation of brain serotonergic neurons is driving the sympathetic nervous activation present, which contributes to cardiovascular risk, persistent sympathetic activation in MDD and episodic activation in PD during panic attacks. We have previously demonstrated that the mechanism of activation of human central sympathetic outflow in other contexts (hypertension, heart failure) is activation of noradrenergic brainstem neurons projecting to the hypothalamus and amygdala.
Prevalence and Related Factors of Anxiety Among University Teachers 1 Year After the COVID-19 Pandemic Outbreak in China: A Multicenter Study
Authors: Fu Wenning , Han Xiaotong , Liu Yifang , Zou Li , Wen Jing , Yan Shijiao , Lv Chuanzhu
Published: June 2022

Objectives

This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of anxiety among university teachers 1 year after the onset of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and provide empirical evidence of psychological intervention.

Methods

A multicenter study was conducted to examine the prevalence of anxiety among 10,302 teachers in 21 Chinese universities from February 12 to April 23, 2021. The generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item Scale (GAD-7) was used to assess symptoms of anxiety. Multivariate logistic regression models were used to analyze the relationship between potential influence and anxiety symptoms.

Results

The overall prevalence of anxiety was 40.0% 1 year after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, which was found to be higher in women than in men (41.32% vs. 38.22%; p < 0.0001). The multivariate logistic regression showed that being the female (OR = 1.207; 95%CI: 1.103–1.318), age ≥60 years (OR = 2.004; 95%CI: 1.128–3.560), being married (OR = 1.319; 95%CI: 1.150–1.513), and poor family economic status (OR = 1.580; 95%CI: 1.321–1.891) were significantly associated with anxiety. Participants with moderate, slight, or no impact of COVID-19 on life (OR for moderate, 0.557; 95%CI, 0.508–0.611; OR for slight/no, 0.377; 95%CI, 0.323–0.439) showed a reduced risk of anxiety compared to those who reported a significant effect.

Conclusions

Symptoms of anxiety were found in about two-fifths of Chinese university teachers 1 year after the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Our findings suggest that the government should improve the dynamic tracking of mental health and adopt long-term intervention strategies.
The BDNF-TrkB Pathway Acts Through Nucleus Accumbens D2 Expressing Neurons to Mediate Stress Susceptible Outcomes
Authors: Pagliusi Marco , Franco Daniela , Cole Shannon , Morais-Silva Gessynger , Chandra Ramesh , Fox Megan E. , Iñiguez Sergio D. , Sartori Cesar R. , Lobo Mary Kay
Published: June 2022

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) has a critical role in stress response including neuropsychiatric disorders that are precipitated by stress, such as major depressive disorder (MDD). BDNF acts through its full-length BDNF receptor tyrosine kinase B (TrkB) to trigger a pro-plasticity effect. In contrast, the truncated isoform of the BDNF receptor (TrkB.t1) triggers an anti-plasticity effect. In stress outcomes, BDNF acting in the hippocampus has a stress resilience effect, and, inversely, in the nucleus accumbens (NAc), BDNF acts as a stress susceptible molecule. It is unknown if BDNF-TrkB acts on a specific NAc projection neuron, i.e., medium spiny neuron (MSN or spiny projection neuron), a subtype in stress outcomes. To determine this, we performed chronic social or vicarious witness defeat stress (CSDS or CWDS) in mice expressing TrkB.t1 in dopamine receptor 1 or 2 containing MSNs (D1- or D2-MSNs). Our results showed that TrkB.t1 overexpression in NAc D2-MSNs prevented the CSDS-induced social avoidance or other stress susceptible behaviors in male and female mice. We further showed that this overexpression in D2-MSNs blocked stress susceptible behavior induced by intra-NAc BDNF infusion. In contrast, our results demonstrate that overexpression of TrkB.t1 on NAc D1-MSNs facilitates the SDS susceptible behaviors. Our study provides enhanced details into the NAc cell subtype role of BDNF-TrkB signaling in stress outcomes.
Breast Cancer Survival in Eastern Region of Ghana
Authors: Ssentongo Paddy , Oh John S. , Amponsah-Manu Forster , Wong William , Candela Xavier , Acharya Yubraj , Ssentongo Anna E. , Dodge Daleela G.
Published: June 2022

Objective

Five-year overall survival rate of breast cancer in low-income countries (LICs) is significantly lower than in high-resource countries. This study explored clinical and pathological factors influencing mortality in the Eastern region of Ghana.

Methods

We performed a retrospective medical chart review for patients undergoing surgery and chemotherapy for breast cancer at a regional hospital in Ghana from January 2014 to January 2017. Descriptive and survival analysis was done.

Results

One hundred and twenty-nine patients were included in the study. The median age at presentation was 51 years. Sixty percent of patients presented with poorly differential histological grade III. The most common histological type was invasive ductal carcinoma (83%). Based on stage assessment using only tumor size and lymph node status, 60% presented at stage 3. Only 25% were tested for hormone receptor proteins and HER2 status. Of these, 57% had triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). The 3-year overall survival rate was only 52%.

Conclusion

The cumulative 3-year survival was 52%. Despite success in reducing cancer mortality in northern Africa, survival in sub-Saharan Africa remains poor. A significantly higher percentage of GIII and TNBC is found in breast cancers seen in Ghana. When combined with limited capacity for accurate diagnosis, cancer subtype analysis, adequate therapy, and follow-up, late-stage presentation leads to poor outcomes. Future studies should emphasize the identification of barriers to care and opportunities for cost-effective and sustainable improvements in diagnosing and treating breast cancer in LICs.
Mexican Scientist Diaspora in North America: A Perspective on Collaborations With México
Authors: Gómez-Flores Paulina , Morales-Salgado Vicente , Maza Angélica , Villarreal Aline , Lara-Jacobo Linda R. , Jiménez-Córdova Mónica Ivette , Jiménez-Alvarez Daniel , Hernández-Mondragón Alma Cristal
Published: June 2022

Scientific diasporas from developing countries represent an opportunity to strengthen international collaborations. These collaborations build upon the desire of members of the diasporas to establish scientific, academic, technological, and cultural exchange networks with the communities in their country of origin. While Mexico has a significant number of scientists residing abroad, particularly in North America, and most of them are committed to aid in the country's development, institutional coordination has not harnessed its benefits. In this work, we present an analysis of initiatives carried out by Mexican scientists, members of the diaspora, studying or working in the United States of America and Canada. The study is based on a set of interviews with members of this diaspora. We asked scientists about the conditions that enabled or obstructed their initiatives back in Mexico, and we discussed the role of these factors for capacity building. We also provide general recommendations to enhance contributions to the advancement of science in the country.
Morphometric Analysis on Vanniyar Basin in Dharmapuri, Southern India, Using Geo-Spatial Techniques
Authors: Suresh S. , Krishnan P.
Published: June 2022

The Vanniyar basin is located in Dharmapuri district, South India, and is severely affected by climate change. Due to changing climatic conditions and resulting poor precipitation characteristics, this district has received less rainfall over the last three decades (Dharmapuri District Statistical Hand book 2020). The objective of this investigative study is to utilize morphometric techniques and analyze their properties using GIS and image processing techniques. The linear, aerial, and relief morphometric aspects of the Vanniyar basin are analyzed. From the preliminary investigation, the study area occupies the Archean group of rocks. The drainage pattern of the Vanniyar basin is sub-dendritic to dendritic and classified into fifth-order drainage basins. The mean drainage density of the Vanniyar basin is 1.95 km/km2, which indicates that the basin has very permeable soil with intermediate drainage and low to moderate relief. The circularity ratio value reveals that the basin is circular with high to moderate relief and a structurally controlled drainage system. The elongation ratio value reveals that the basin is characterized by high susceptibility to erosion and sediment load. The stream length ratio between the streams of different orders of the Vanniyar basin shows a change in each sub-basin, indicating late youth stage of geomorphic development. From these research studies, farmers in the Vanniyar basin, river Cauvery may now comprehend their drainage basin’s geohydrological characteristics.
Estimating the Direct Disability-Adjusted Life Years Associated With SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) in the Republic of Ireland: The First Full Year
Authors: Moran Declan Patrick , Pires Sara Monteiro , Wyper Grant M. A. , Devleesschauwer Brecht , Cuschieri Sarah , Kabir Zubair
Published: June 2022

Objectives: Burden of Disease frameworks facilitate estimation of the health impact of diseases to be translated into a single measure, such as the Disability-Adjusted-Life-Year (DALY).

Methods: DALYs were calculated as the sum of Years of Life Lost (YLL) and Years Lived with Disability (YLD) directly associated with COVID-19 in the Republic of Ireland (RoI) from 01 March 2020, to 28 February 2021. Life expectancy is based on the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) Study life tables for 2019.

Results: There were 220,273 confirmed cases with a total of 4,500 deaths as a direct result of COVID-19. DALYs were estimated to be 51,622.8 (95% Uncertainty Intervals [UI] 50,721.7, 52,435.8). Overall, YLL contributed to 98.5% of the DALYs. Of total symptomatic cases, 6.5% required hospitalisation and of those hospitalised 10.8% required intensive care unit treatment. COVID-19 was likely to be the second highest cause of death over our study’s duration.

Conclusion: Estimating the burden of a disease at national level is useful for comparing its impact with other diseases in the population and across populations. This work sets out to standardise a COVID-19 BoD methodology framework for the RoI and comparable nations in the EU.
Development of Multiple-Heading-Date mtl Haploid Inducer Lines in Rice
Authors: Wang Jian , Cao Yuexuan , Wang Kejian , Liu Chaolei
Published: June 2022

In vivo doubled haploid (DH) production based on crossing heterozygous germplasm with mtl haploid inducer lines promises to transform modern rice (Oryza sativa) breeding. However, this technology is limited, as haploid inducers and pollen acceptors have asynchronous heading dates. To address this obstacle, we developed a panel of multiple-heading-date mtl haploid inducer lines that produce pollen for more than 35 days. We edited the MTL gene in a hybrid rice with the CRISPR-Cas9 system. We then selected transgene-free homozygous mutants in the T1 generation and reproduced to T4 generation by single-seed descent method. We obtained 547 mtl haploid inducers with diverse heading dates (from 73 to 110 days) and selected 16 lines comprising a core population with continuous flowering. The seed-setting rate and haploid induction rate (HIR) of the core panel were 4.0–12.7% and 2.8–12.0%, respectively. Thus, our strategy of using multiple-heading-date mtl haploid inducers could accelerate the use of in vivo DH technology in rice breeding.
Changes in the Composition of Flavonols and Organic Acids during Ripening for Three cv. Sauvignon Blanc Clones Grown in a Cool-Climate Valley
Authors: Peirano-Bolelli Pierina , Heller-Fuenzalida Florencia , Cuneo Italo F. , Peña-Neira Álvaro , Cáceres-Mella Alejandro
Published: June 2022

The influence of the geographical location and clone type on the contents of flavonols and organic acids of Sauvignon blanc grapes over the ripening process was investigated. The assay was carried out on three commercial clones of cv. Sauvignon blanc (Clone 242, Clone 107, and Clone 1-Davis) grown in two zones (referred to as low and high zones) in Casablanca Valley, Chile. The low zone is closer to the Pacific Ocean (i.e., 20 km away) than the high zone (which is 37 km away). Clear differences in the contents of total phenols, flavonols and organic acids of the grapes were observed during ripening. All the clones grown in the low zone exhibited a higher titratable acidity than those grown in the high zone. An analysis of the flavonol contents of the grape skins showed differences among clones associated with the geographical zone of cultivation. There was no difference in the tartaric acid concentration among clone types; however, a higher tartaric acid concentration was found in clones grown in the low zone than those grown in the high zone for all clone types. Similar results were found for the malic acid concentration. A discriminant analysis showed that the chemical analysis for the contents of total phenols, flavonols and organic acids influenced the classification based on the clone type. The results showed that grapes of different qualities can be grown in two geographical subunits into the larger area of Casablanca Valley.
Enhanced Photocatalytic Degradation of Tetracycline and Oxytetracycline Antibiotics by BiVO4 Photocatalyst under Visible Light and Solar Light Irradiation
Authors: Hemavibool Khuanjit , Sansenya Theepakorn , Nanan Suwat
Published: June 2022

The efficient degradation of a toxic antibiotic from an aqueous solution is essential for environmental protection. Our research aimed to fabricate a bismuth vanadate (BiVO4) catalyst via a facile hydrothermal method. The prepared catalyst exhibited a monoclinic phase with a band gap energy of 2.33 eV, indicating the excellent visible-light-active properties of a semiconductor. The photocatalytic performance of the synthesized BiVO4 catalyst was studied by determining the removal of tetracycline (TC) and oxytetracycline (OTC) antibiotics. After 240 min, under sunlight conditions, a high performance of 72% and 83% degradation of TC and OTC, respectively, was achieved. The photocatalytic degradation of the antibiotics correlates well with a first-order reaction, with a high rate constant of 0.0102 min−1. Photogenerated electrons and holes played an important role in the removal of the pollutant. After photocatalytic study, the structural stability of the prepared bismuth vanadate photocatalyst was confirmed. The photocatalyst provided a promising performance even after five successive runs. The result indicates the excellent cycling ability of the sample. The present work demonstrates a promising route for the preparation of a BiVO4 catalyst for the complete removal of toxic antibiotics in aqueous solutions.
Insights in the Development and Uses of Alternatives to Antibiotic Growth Promoters in Poultry and Swine Production
Authors: Rahman Md , Fliss Ismail , Biron Eric
Published: June 2022

The overuse and misuse of antibiotics has contributed to the rise and spread of multidrug-resistant bacteria. To address this global public health threat, many countries have restricted the use of antibiotics as growth promoters and promoted the development of alternatives to antibiotics in human and veterinary medicine and animal farming. In food-animal production, acidifiers, bacteriophages, enzymes, phytochemicals, probiotics, prebiotics, and antimicrobial peptides have shown hallmarks as alternatives to antibiotics. This review reports the current state of these alternatives as growth-promoting factors for poultry and swine production and describes their mode of action. Recent findings on their usefulness and the factors that presently hinder their broader use in animal food production are identified by SWOT (strength, weakness, opportunity, and threat) analysis. The potential for resistance development as well as co- and cross-resistance with currently used antibiotics is also discussed. Using predetermined keywords, we searched specialized databases including Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar. Antibiotic resistance cannot be stopped, but its spreading can certainly be hindered or delayed with the development of more alternatives with innovative modes of action and a wise and careful use of antimicrobials in a One Health approach.
Privacy-Preserving Data Mining on Blockchain-Based WSNs
Authors: Hrovatin Niki , Tošić Aleksandar , Mrissa Michael , Kavšek Branko
Published: June 2022

Currently, the computational power present in the sensors forming a wireless sensor network (WSN) allows for implementing most of the data processing and analysis directly on the sensors in a decentralized way. This shift in paradigm introduces a shift in the privacy and security problems that need to be addressed. While a decentralized implementation avoids the single point of failure problem that typically applies to centralized approaches, it is subject to other threats, such as external monitoring, and new challenges, such as the complexity of providing decentralized implementations for data mining algorithms. In this paper, we present a solution for privacy-aware distributed data mining on wireless sensor networks. Our solution uses a permissioned blockchain to avoid a single point of failure in the system. Contracts are used to construct an onion-like structure encompassing the Hoeffding trees and a route. The onion-routed query conceals the network identity of the sensors from external adversaries, and obfuscates the actual computation to hide it from internally compromised nodes. We validate our solution on a use case related to an air quality-monitoring sensor network. We compare the quality of our model against traditional models to support the feasibility and viability of the solution.
Time Domain Damage Identification Approach of the Newly Hollow Floor Structure with TRMD
Authors: Mao Ling , Li Shujin , Yin Yayun , Zhang Zhou
Published: June 2022

A tuned rolling mass damper system (TRMD) is newly combined with structural hollow slabs to act as an ensemble passive damping device to mitigate structural responses. The main advantage of this controlled configuration lies in its capacity to maintain architectural integrity. To investigate damage identification of this controlled structure with TRMD, a time domain identification approach with sensitivity-based model updating is studied in this paper. The simplified model and motion equation of a controlled structure with TRMD are derived considering the interaction force between the main structure and the damper. Furthermore, the dynamic response and dynamic response derivatives with respect to elemental variations in the controlled structure are analyzed to identify damage by minimizing the response difference between the intact state and the damaged state in the sensitivity-based updating procedure. A numerical example for a six-story frame structure with a TRMD on the top is employed to verify that not only the structural dynamic responses are controlled effectively by the rolling ball damper subjected to the earthquake excitation, but also damage location and extent can be identified accurately by the proposed method even with measurement noise considered. The shaking table test of a single-story frame equipped with TRMD is additionally carried out to validate the accuracy of the proposed structural damage identification method in the laboratory.
Using a Deep Quantum Neural Network to Enhance the Fidelity of Quantum Convolutional Codes
Authors: Xiao Hanwei , Chen Xiaoguang , Xu Jin
Published: June 2022

The fidelity of quantum states is an important concept in quantum information. Improving quantum fidelity is very important for both quantum communication and quantum computation. In this paper, we use a quantum neural network (QNN) to enhance the fidelity of [6, 2, 2] quantum convolutional codes. Towards the circuit of quantum convolutional codes, the target quantum state |0⟩ or |1⟩ is turned into entangled quantum states, which can defend against quantum noise more effectively. As the quantum neural network works better for quantum states with low dimension, we divide the quantum circuits into two parts. Then we apply the quantum neural network to each part of the circuit. The results of the simulation show that the network performs well in enhancing the fidelity of the quantum states. Through the quantum neural network, the fidelity of the first part is enhanced from 95.2% to 99.99%, and the fidelity of the second part is enhanced from 93.88% to 94.57%.
Bond Characteristics of a Deformed Steel Bar Embedded in Donut-Type Voided Slab
Authors: Chung Joo-Hong , Jung Hyung-Suk , Choi Hyun-Ki
Published: June 2022

In reinforced concrete (RC) structures, bond behavior between concrete and deformed steel bar (rebar) has a great effect on the structural behavior of members including voided slabs. According to previous research, bond behavior of a rebar in voided slabs is different from that in general RC slabs by the concrete inner cover formed between rebar and void. However, the bond characteristics of rebar in voided slabs have not been clearly verified yet. This study investigated the bond characteristics of rebar in the donut-type voided slab. Like other voided slabs, the donut-type void-shaper make concrete inner cover formed between rebar and void, and some part of the donut-type voided slab has smaller inner cover thickness than 2.5 db. Furthermore, inner cover thickness changes along the longitudinal rebar due to the shape of void. These were expected to affect the bond behavior of rebar in the donut-type voided slab. In this study, pull-out tests were performed to find out the effect of bond condition by the region due to voids. To this end, the donut-type voided slab was divided into three regions according to the shape of void, such as ‘Insufficient region’, ‘Transition region’, and ‘Sufficient region’. Main variables were inner cover thickness, embedded length, and bond location, which is affected by void shape. Bond characteristics of rebar in the donut-type voided slab were evaluated through comparison of bond stress–slip relationship, maximum bond strength, and bond stress distribution of each region. Test results showed that the average bond stress was found to be 25~50% lower than that of the general RC slab in the region of the inner cover thickness of 2.5 db, which was not satisfied due to void, and the bond stress–slip relationship and the bond stress distribution of the donut-type voided slab was also different from that of the general RC slab according to the type of bond region and inner cover thickness. In addition, the calculation method of bond strength of rebar in donut-type voided slab was proposed, which indicated that the error range between the estimated value and the experimental value was within 5%.
A New Method of Ski Tracks Extraction Based on Laser Intensity Information
Authors: Wang Wenxin , Zhao Changming , Zhang Haiyang
Published: June 2022

At present, the mainstream laser point cloud classification algorithms are mainly based on the geometric information of the target. Nevertheless, if there is occlusion between the targets, the classification effect will be negatively affected. Compared with the above methods, a new method of ski tracks extraction using laser intensity information based on target reflection is presented in this paper. The method can complete the downsampling of the point cloud datasets of ski tracks under the condition that the information of the target edge is complete. Then, the clustering and extraction of ski tracks are effectively accomplished based on the smoothing threshold and curvature between adjacent point clouds. The experimental results show that, different from the traditional methods, the composite classification method based on the intensity information proposed in this paper can effectively extract ski tracks from the complex background. By comparing the proposed method to the Euclidean distance method, the clustering segmentation method, and the RANSAC method, the average extraction accuracy is increased by 16.9%, while the over extraction rate is reduced by 8.4% and the under extraction rate is reduced by 8.6%, allowing us to accurately extract the ski track point cloud of a ski resort.
Consolidated Amateur Radio Signal Reports as Indicators of Intense Sporadic E Layers
Authors: Deacon Chris , Mitchell Cathryn , Watson Robert
Published: June 2022

A case study is presented which demonstrates the value and validity of a novel approach to the use of consolidated amateur (‘ham’) radio reception reports as indicators of the presence of intense ionospheric sporadic E (Es). It is shown that the use of amateur data can provide an important supplement to other techniques, allowing the detection and tracking of Es where no suitable ionosonde or other measurements are available. The effectiveness of the approach is demonstrated by reference to ionosonde data, and the advantages and limitations of the technique are discussed.
Peptidomimetics Based on C-Terminus of Blm10 Stimulate Human 20S Proteasome Activity and Promote Degradation of Proteins
Authors: Cekała Katarzyna , Trepczyk Karolina , Sowik Daria , Karpowicz Przemysław , Giełdoń Artur , Witkowska Julia , Giżyńska Małgorzata , Jankowska Elżbieta , Wieczerzak Ewa
Published: June 2022

Degradation of misfolded, redundant and oxidatively damaged proteins constitutes one of the cellular processes which are influenced by the 20S proteasome. However, its activity is generally thought to decrease with age which leads to the gradual accumulation of abnormal proteins in cells and their subsequent aggregation. Therefore, increasing proteasomal degradation constitutes a promising strategy to delay the onset of various age-related diseases, including neurodegenerative disorders. In this study we designed and obtained a series of peptidomimetic stimulators of 20S comprising in their sequences the C-terminal fragment of Blm10 activator. Some of the compounds were capable of enhancing the degradation of natively unfolded and oxidatively damaged proteins, such as α-synuclein and enolase, whose applicability as proteasome substrates was evaluated by microscale thermophoresis (MST). Furthermore, they increased the ChT-L activity of the proteasome in HEK293T cell extracts. Our studies indicate that the 20S proteasome-mediated protein substrates hydrolysis may be selectively increased by peptide-based stimulators acting in an allosteric manner. These compounds, after further optimization, may have the potential to counteract proteasome impairment in patients suffering from age-related diseases.
Functionalization of 2D MoS2 Nanosheets with Various Metal and Metal Oxide Nanostructures: Their Properties and Application in Electrochemical Sensors
Authors: Mphuthi Ntsoaki , Sikhwivhilu Lucky , Ray Suprakas Sinha
Published: June 2022

Two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenides (2D TMDs) have gained considerable attention due to their distinctive properties and broad range of possible applications. One of the most widely studied transition metal dichalcogenides is molybdenum disulfide (MoS2). The 2D MoS2 nanosheets have unique and complementary properties to those of graphene, rendering them ideal electrode materials that could potentially lead to significant benefits in many electrochemical applications. These properties include tunable bandgaps, large surface areas, relatively high electron mobilities, and good optical and catalytic characteristics. Although the use of 2D MoS2 nanosheets offers several advantages and excellent properties, surface functionalization of 2D MoS2 is a potential route for further enhancing their properties and adding extra functionalities to the surface of the fabricated sensor. The functionalization of the material with various metal and metal oxide nanostructures has a significant impact on its overall electrochemical performance, improving various sensing parameters, such as selectivity, sensitivity, and stability. In this review, different methods of preparing 2D-layered MoS2 nanomaterials, followed by different surface functionalization methods of these nanomaterials, are explored and discussed. Finally, the structure–properties relationship and electrochemical sensor applications over the last ten years are discussed. Emphasis is placed on the performance of 2D MoS2 with respect to the performance of electrochemical sensors, thereby giving new insights into this unique material and providing a foundation for researchers of different disciplines who are interested in advancing the development of MoS2-based sensors.
Magnetic Halloysite Nanotube-Based SERS Biosensor Enhanced with Au@Ag Core–Shell Nanotags for Bisphenol A Determination
Authors: Li Sen , He Defu , Li Shuning , Chen Ruipeng , Peng Yuan , Li Shuang , Han Dianpeng , Wang Yu , Qin Kang , Ren Shuyue , Chen Ping , Gao Zhixian
Published: June 2022

Bisphenol A (BPA) has emerged as a contaminant of concern because long-term exposure may affect the human endocrine system. Herein, a novel aptamer sensor based on magnetic separation and surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) is proposed for the extremely sensitive and specific detection of trace BPA. Moreover, the capture unit was prepared by immobilizing thiolated (SH)-BPA aptamer complementary DNA on AuNP-coated magnetic halloysite nanotubes (MNTs@AuNPs), and SH-BPA aptamer-modified Au@4-MBA@Ag core–shell SERS nanotags acted as signal units. By the complementary pairing of the BPA aptamer and the corresponding DNA, MNTs@AuNPs and Au@4-MBA@AgCS were linked together through hybridization-ligation, which acted as the SERS substrate. In the absence of BPA, the constructed aptamer sensor generated electromagnetic enhancement and plasmon coupling to improve the sensitivity of SERS substrates. Owing to the high affinity between BPA and the aptamer, the aptamer probe bound to BPA was separated from the capture unit by an externally-induced magnetic field. Thus, the Raman intensity of the MNTs@AuNP-Ag@AuCS core–satellite assemblies was negatively correlated with the BPA concentration. High sensitivity measurements of BPA might be performed by determining the decline in SERS signal strength together with concentration variations. The proposed aptasensor is a promising biosensing platform for BPA detection.
Predictive Factors Indicative of Hemithyroidectomy and Close Follow-Up versus Bilateral Total Thyroidectomy for Aggressive Variants of Papillary Thyroid Cancer
Authors: Lee In A , Moon Gilseong , Kang Seokmin , Lee Kang Hee , Lee Sun Min , Kim Jin Kyong , Lee Cho Rok , Kang Sang-Wook , Jeong Jong Ju , Nam Kee-Hyun , Chung Woong Youn
Published: June 2022

The diagnostic and treatment rates of early thyroid cancer have been increasing, including those of aggressive variants of papillary thyroid cancer (AVPTC). This study aimed to analyze the need for completion total thyroidectomy after lobectomy for clinically low-to-intermediate-risk AVPTC. Overall, 249 patients who underwent hemithyroidectomy (HT, n = 46) or bilateral total thyroidectomy (BTT, n = 203) for AVPTC between November 2005 and December 2019 at our single institution were examined. The average follow-up period was 14.9 years, with a recurrence rate of 4.3% and 10.8% in the HT and BTT groups, respectively. Multivariate Cox analysis revealed that palpable tumor on the neck during evaluation (HR, 2.7; 95% CI, 1.1–6.4; p = 0.025), clinical N1b (HR, 8.3; 95% CI, 1.1–63.4; p = 0.041), tumor size (cm) (HR, 1.3; 95% CI, 1.0–1.7; p = 0.036), gross extrathyroidal extension (HR, 3.1; 95% CI, 1.4–7.0; p = 0.007), and pathologic T3b (HR, 3.4; 95% CI, 1.0–11.4; p = 0.045) or T4a (HR, 6.0; 95% CI, 1.9–18.8; p = 0.002) were associated with an increased risk of recurrence. Incidentalomas identified during diagnosis had a significantly lower risk of recurrence (HR, 0.4; 95% CI, 0.2–0.9; p = 0.033). Close follow-up may be performed without completion total thyroidectomy for AVPTC found incidentally after HT.
HOPX: A Unique Homeodomain Protein in Development and Tumor Suppression
Authors: Caspa Gokulan Ravindran , Yap Lee Fah , Paterson Ian C.
Published: June 2022

Homeobox genes are master regulators of morphogenesis and differentiation by acting at the top of genetic hierarchies and their deregulation is associated with a variety of human diseases. They usually contain a highly conserved sequence that codes for the homeodomain of the protein, a specialized motif with three α helices and an N-terminal arm that aids in DNA binding. However, one homeodomain protein, HOPX, is unique among its family members in that it lacks the capacity to bind DNA and instead functions by interacting with transcriptional regulators. HOPX plays crucial roles in organogenesis and is expressed in both embryonic and adult stem cells. Loss of HOPX expression is common in cancer, where it functions primarily as a tumor suppressor gene. In this review, we describe the function of HOPX in development and discuss its role in carcinogenesis.
Enzymatic Production of Lauroyl and Stearoyl Monoesters of d-Xylose, l-Arabinose, and d-Glucose as Potential Lignocellulosic-Derived Products, and Their Evaluation as Antimicrobial Agents
Authors: Giorgi Victoria , Botto Emiliana , Fontana Carolina , Della Mea Luca , Vaz Silvio , Menéndez Pilar , Rodríguez Paula
Published: June 2022

Forestry and agricultural industries constitute highly relevant economic activities globally. They generate large amounts of residues rich in lignocellulose that have the potential to be valorized and used in different industrial processes. Producing renewable fuels and high-value-added compounds from lignocellulosic biomass is a key aspect of sustainable strategies and is central to the biorefinery concept. In this study, the use of biomass-derived monosaccharides for the enzymatic synthesis of sugar fatty acid esters (SFAEs) with antimicrobial activity was investigated to valorize these agro-industrial residues. With the aim to evaluate if lignocellulosic monosaccharides could be substrates for the synthesis of SFAEs, d-xylose, l-arabinose, and d-glucose, lauroyl and stearoyl monoesters were synthetized by transesterification reactions catalyzed by Lipozyme RM IM as biocatalyst. The reactions were performed using commercial d-xylose, l-arabinose, and d-glucose separately as substrates, and a 74:13:13 mixture of these sugars. The proportion of monosaccharides in the latter mixture corresponds to the composition found in hemicellulose from sugarcane bagasse and switchgrass, as previously described in the literature. Products were characterized using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and showed that only the primary hydroxyl group of these monosaccharides is involved in the esterification reaction. Antimicrobial activity assay using several microorganisms showed that 5-O-lauroyl-d-xylofuranose and 5-O-lauroyl-l-arabinofuranose have the ability to inhibit the growth of Gram-positive bacteria separately and in the products mix. Furthermore, 5-O-lauroyl-l-arabinofuranose was the only product that exhibited activity against Candida albicans yeast, and the four tested filamentous fungi. These results suggest that sugar fatty acid esters obtained from sustainable and renewable resources and produced by green methods are promising antimicrobial agents.
Deep Learning Based Real-Time Semantic Segmentation of Cerebral Vessels and Cranial Nerves in Microvascular Decompression Scenes
Authors: Bai Ruifeng , Liu Xinrui , Jiang Shan , Sun Haijiang
Published: June 2022

Automatic extraction of cerebral vessels and cranial nerves has important clinical value in the treatment of trigeminal neuralgia (TGN) and hemifacial spasm (HFS). However, because of the great similarity between different cerebral vessels and between different cranial nerves, it is challenging to segment cerebral vessels and cranial nerves in real time on the basis of true-color microvascular decompression (MVD) images. In this paper, we propose a lightweight, fast semantic segmentation Microvascular Decompression Network (MVDNet) for MVD scenarios which achieves a good trade-off between segmentation accuracy and speed. Specifically, we designed a Light Asymmetric Bottleneck (LAB) module in the encoder to encode context features. A Feature Fusion Module (FFM) was introduced into the decoder to effectively combine high-level semantic features and underlying spatial details. The proposed network has no pretrained model, fewer parameters, and a fast inference speed. Specifically, MVDNet achieved 76.59% mIoU on the MVD test set, has 0.72 M parameters, and has a 137 FPS speed using a single GTX 2080Ti card.
A Summary of United States Research and Monitoring in Support of the Ross Sea Region Marine Protected Area
Authors: Brooks Cassandra M. , Ainley David G.
Published: June 2022

Due to the remarkable ecological value of the Ross Sea, the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) adopted a large-scale Ross Sea region marine protected area (RSRMPA) in 2016. Since then, many CCAMLR Members have conducted research and monitoring in the region. In 2021, the U.S. Ross Sea science community convened a workshop to collate, synthesize, and coordinate U.S. research and monitoring in the RSRMPA. Here we present workshop results, including an extensive synthesis of the peer-reviewed literature related to the region during the period 2010–early 2021. From the synthesis, several things stand out. First, the quantity and breadth of U.S. Ross Sea research compares to a National Science Foundation Long Term Ecological Research project, especially involving McMurdo Sound. These studies are foundational in assessing effectiveness of the RSRMPA. Second, climate change and fishing remain the two factors most critical to changing ecosystem structure and function in the region. Third, studies that integrate ecological processes with physical oceanographic change continue to be needed, especially in a directed and coordinated research program, in order to effectively separate climate from fishing to explain trends among designated indicator species.
A New Methodology to Assess Fallopian Tubes Microbiota and Its Impact on Female Fertility
Authors: Vitale Salvatore Giovanni , Carugno Jose , D’Alterio Maurizio Nicola , Mikuš Mislav , Patrizio Pasquale , Angioni Stefano
Published: June 2022

Tubal factor is an important contributor to female infertility, and the current diagnostic approaches cannot correctly identify many subtle causes of tubal dysfunction. While it is known that the most common cause of tubal factor infertility is pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), creating critical alterations of the tubal epithelium, little attention has been devoted to understanding the tubal modifications caused by the resident microbial population and their interaction with the surrounding tubal epithelium. Furthermore, most of these samples are obtained by traumatic procedures such as direct sampling during laparoscopy using a cytobrush. However, as in any other organ of the female genital tract, the microbiota environment of the fallopian tube plays an essential role in maintaining tubal functioning, counteracting the pathogenic effect of acquired microbes. Consequentially, to better analyze the tubal microbiota without causing anatomical and/or functional alteration of the fallopian tube and preserving fertility, the hysteroscopic approach might be the method of choice, guarantying maximal integrity of the uterine cavity and tubal lumen. Here we describe our plan for using atraumatic hysteroscopic sampling methods to investigate the correlation between tubal microbiota and female infertility.
Sonographic Evaluation of Muscle Echogenicity for the Detection of Intensive Care Unit-Acquired Weakness: A Pilot Single-Center Prospective Cohort Study
Authors: Klawitter Felix , Walter Uwe , Patejdl Robert , Endler Josefine , Reuter Daniel A. , Ehler Johannes
Published: June 2022

Qualitative assessment by the Heckmatt scale (HS) and quantitative greyscale analysis of muscle echogenicity were compared for their value in detecting intensive care unit-acquired weakness (ICU-AW). We performed muscle ultrasound (MUS) of eight skeletal muscles on day 3 and day 10 after ICU admission. We calculated the global mean greyscale score (MGS), the global mean z-score (MZS) and the global mean Heckmatt score (MHS). Longitudinal outcome was defined by the modified Rankin scale (mRS) and Barthel index (BI) after 100 days. In total, 652 ultrasound pictures from 38 critically ill patients (18 with and 20 without ICU-AW) and 10 controls were analyzed. Patients with ICU-AW had a higher MHS on day 10 compared to patients without ICU-AW (2.6 (0.4) vs. 2.2 (0.4), p = 0.006). The MHS was superior to ROC analysis (cut-off: 2.2, AUC: 0.79, p = 0.003, sensitivity 86%, specificity 60%) in detecting ICU-AW compared to MGS and MZS on day 10. The MHS correlated with the Medical Research Council sum score (MRC-SS) (r = −0.45, p = 0.004), the mRS (r = 0.45; p = 0.007) and BI (r = −0.38, p = 0.04) on day 100. Qualitative MUS analysis seems superior to quantitative greyscale analysis of muscle echogenicity for the detection of ICU-AW.
A Fluorescence-Based Competitive Antibody Binding Assay for Kynurenine, a Potential Biomarker of Kidney Transplant Failure
Authors: Borgolte Max , Quint Isabel , Kaiser Lars , Csuk René , Deigner Hans-Peter
Published: June 2022

Kynurenine is a tryptophan metabolite linked to several inflammatory processes including transplant failure, a significant challenge in transplant medicine. The detection of small molecules such as kynurenine, however, is often complex and time consuming. Herein, we report the successful synthesis of a fluorescently labelled kynurenine derivative, showing proper fluorescence and anti-kynurenine antibody binding behavior in a magnetic bead immunoassay (MIA). The fluorescent kynurenine–rhodamine B conjugate shows a KD-value of 5.9 µM as well as IC50 values of 4.0 µM in PBS and 10.2 µM in saliva. We thus introduce a rapid test for kynurenine as a potential biomarker for kidney transplant failure.
NeDSeM: Neutrosophy Domain-Based Segmentation Method for Malignant Melanoma Images
Authors: Bian Xiaofei , Pan Haiwei , Zhang Kejia , Chen Chunling , Liu Peng , Shi Kun
Published: June 2022

Skin lesion segmentation is the first and indispensable step of malignant melanoma recognition and diagnosis. At present, most of the existing skin lesions segmentation techniques often used traditional methods like optimum thresholding, etc., and deep learning methods like U-net, etc. However, the edges of skin lesions in malignant melanoma images are gradually changed in color, and this change is nonlinear. The existing methods can not effectively distinguish banded edges between lesion areas and healthy skin areas well. Aiming at the uncertainty and fuzziness of banded edges, the neutrosophic set theory is used in this paper which is better than fuzzy theory to deal with banded edge segmentation. Therefore, we proposed a neutrosophy domain-based segmentation method that contains six steps. Firstly, an image is converted into three channels and the pixel matrix of each channel is obtained. Secondly, the pixel matrixes are converted into Neutrosophic Set domain by using the neutrosophic set conversion method to express the uncertainty and fuzziness of banded edges of malignant melanoma images. Thirdly, a new Neutrosophic Entropy model is proposed to combine the three memberships according to some rules by using the transformations in the neutrosophic space to comprehensively express three memberships and highlight the banded edges of the images. Fourthly, the feature augment method is established by the difference of three components. Fifthly, the dilation is used on the neutrosophic entropy matrixes to fill in the noise region. Finally, the image that is represented by transformed matrix is segmented by the Hierarchical Gaussian Mixture Model clustering method to obtain the banded edge of the image. Qualitative and quantitative experiments are performed on malignant melanoma image dataset to evaluate the performance of the NeDSeM method. Compared with some state-of-the-art methods, our method has achieved good results in terms of performance and accuracy.