bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Optimal Design of a Parallel Manipulator for Aliquoting of Biomaterials Considering Workspace and Singularity Zones
Authors: Malyshev Dmitry , Rybak Larisa , Carbone Giuseppe , Semenenko Tatyana , Nozdracheva Anna
Published: February 2022

This article presents the concept of a robotic system for aliquoting of biomaterial, consisting of a serial manipulator in combination with a parallel Delta-like robot. The paper describes a mathematical formulation for approximating the geometric constraints of the parallel robot as a set of solutions to a system of nonlinear inequalities. The analysis of the workspace is carried out, taking into account singularity zones, using a method based on the analysis of the Jacobian matrix of the mechanism and the interference of links. An optimal design procedure is proposed for the dimensional synthesis based on a criterion for maximizing the volume of the workspace, taking into account the ambiguity of the solution of the inverse kinematics. Simulation results are reported and discussed to propose a suitable design solution.
A Review of Emerging Tear Proteomics Research on the Ocular Surface in Ocular Allergy
Authors: Aydin Esrin , Dhar Poshmaal , Gokhale Moneisha , Chong Luke , Azizoglu Serap , Suphioglu Cenk
Published: February 2022

Ocular allergy is an immunoglobulin E-mediated Type I hypersensitivity reaction localised to the ocular surface and surrounding tissues. Primary signs and symptoms of ocular allergy include itching, redness, irritation and inflammation. Eye-rubbing caused by itching has been shown to alter ocular surface protein concentrations in conditions linked to ocular allergy such as keratoconus. In keratoconus, the cornea begins to thin and sag over time, leading to progressive vision loss and blindness in severe conditions. Due to the high incidence of ocular allergy sufferers rubbing their eyes in response to symptoms of itching, the protein landscape of the ocular surface may be significantly altered. Differential protein expression caused by long-term inflammation and eye-rubbing may lead to subsequent changes in ocular surface structure and function over time. This review aims to summarise and explore the findings of current ocular allergy proteome research conducted using techniques such as gel electrophoresis, mass spectrometry and lab-on-a-chip proteomics. Proteins of interest for this review include differentially expressed immunoglobulins, mucins, functional proteins, enzymes and proteins with previously uncharacterised roles in ocular allergy. Additionally, potential applications of this research are addressed in terms of diagnostics, drug development and future research prospects.
Integrating Cytogenetics and Population Genomics: Allopatry and Neo-Sex Chromosomes May Have Shaped the Genetic Divergence in the Erythrinus erythrinus Species Complex (Teleostei, Characiformes)
Authors: Souza Fernando H. S. de , Sassi Francisco de M. C. , Ferreira Pedro H. N. , Bertollo Luiz A. C. , Ezaz Tariq , Liehr Thomas , Perez Manolo F. , Cioffi Marcelo B.
Published: February 2022

Diversity found in Neotropical freshwater fish is remarkable. It can even hinder a proper delimitation of many species, with the wolf fish Erythrinus erythrinus (Teleostei, Characiformes) being a notable example. This nominal species shows remarkable intra-specific variation, with extensive karyotype diversity found among populations in terms of different diploid chromosome numbers (2n), karyotype compositions and sex chromosome systems. Here, we analyzed three distinct populations (one of them cytogenetically investigated for the first time) that differed in terms of their chromosomal features (termed karyomorphs) and by the presence or absence of heteromorphic sex chromosomes. We combined cytogenetics with genomic approaches to investigate how the evolution of multiple sex chromosomes together with allopatry is linked to genetic diversity and speciation. The results indicated the presence of high genetic differentiation among populations both from cytogenetic and genomic aspects, with long-distance allopatry potentially being the main agent of genetic divergence. One population showed a neo-X1X2Y sexual chromosome system and we hypothesize that this system is associated with enhanced inter-population genetic differentiation which could have potentially accelerated speciation compared to the effect of allopatry alone.
Reversal of G-Quadruplexes’ Role in Translation Control When Present in the Context of an IRES
Authors: Hoque Mohammed Enamul , Mahendran Thulasi , Basu Soumitra
Published: February 2022

G-quadruplexes (GQs) are secondary nucleic acid structures that play regulatory roles in various cellular processes. G-quadruplex-forming sequences present within the 5′ UTR of mRNAs can function not only as repressors of translation but also as elements required for optimum function. Based upon previous reports, the majority of the 5′ UTR GQ structures inhibit translation, presumably by blocking the ribosome scanning process that is essential for detection of the initiation codon. However, there are certain mRNAs containing GQs that have been identified as positive regulators of translation, as they are needed for translation initiation. While most cellular mRNAs utilize the 5′ cap structure to undergo cap-dependent translation initiation, many rely on cap-independent translation under certain conditions in which the cap-dependent initiation mechanism is not viable or slowed down, for example, during development, under stress and in many diseases. Cap-independent translation mainly occurs via Internal Ribosomal Entry Sites (IRESs) that are located in the 5′ UTR of mRNAs and are equipped with structural features that can recruit the ribosome or other factors to initiate translation without the need for a 5′ cap. In this review, we will focus only on the role of RNA GQs present in the 5′ UTR of mRNAs, where they play a critical role in translation initiation, and discuss the potential mechanism of this phenomenon, which is yet to be fully delineated.
REASSURED Multiplex Diagnostics: A Critical Review and Forecast
Authors: Otoo Jonas A. , Schlappi Travis S.
Published: February 2022

The diagnosis of infectious diseases is ineffective when the diagnostic test does not meet one or more of the necessary standards of affordability, accessibility, and accuracy. The World Health Organization further clarifies these standards with a set of criteria that has the acronym ASSURED (Affordable, Sensitive, Specific, User-friendly, Rapid and robust, Equipment-free and Deliverable to end-users). The advancement of the digital age has led to a revision of the ASSURED criteria to REASSURED: Real-time connectivity, Ease of specimen collection, Affordable, Sensitive, Specific, User-friendly, Rapid and robust, Equipment-free or simple, and Deliverable to end-users. Many diagnostic tests have been developed that aim to satisfy the REASSURED criteria; however, most of them only detect a single target. With the progression of syndromic infections, coinfections and the current antimicrobial resistance challenges, the need for multiplexed diagnostics is now more important than ever. This review summarizes current diagnostic technologies for multiplexed detection and forecasts which methods have promise for detecting multiple targets and meeting all REASSURED criteria.
A gbXML Reconstruction Workflow and Tool Development to Improve the Geometric Interoperability between BIM and BEM
Authors: Yang Yikun , Pan Yiqun , Zeng Fei , Lin Ziran , Li Chenyu
Published: February 2022

The BIM-based building energy simulation plays an important role in sustainable design on the track of achieving the net-zero carbon building stock by 2050. However, the issues on BIM-BEM interoperability make the design process inefficient and less automatic. The insufficient semantic information may lead to results inaccurate while the error-prone geometry will terminate the simulation engine. Defective models and authoring tools lagging behind the standard often cause failures in creating a clean geometry that is acceptable to the simulation engine. This project aims to develop a workflow that helps with the documentation of a lightweight geometry in gbXML format. The implemented workflow bypasses the modeling inaccuracies and irrelevant details by reconstructing the model based on extrusions on patched floor plans. Compared with other gbXML files exported by BIM authoring tools, the resulting gbXML is more lightweight with airtight space boundaries. The gbXML has been further tested against EnergyPlus to demonstrate its capability in aiding a seamless geometry exchange between BIM and BEM.
Unusual Case of Masseter Muscle Hypertrophy in Adolescence—Case Report and Literature Overview
Authors: Ţarcă Elena , Cojocaru Elena , Luca Alina Costina , Trandafir Laura Mihaela , Roşu Solange Tamara , Munteanu Valentin , Țarcă Viorel , Budacu Cristian Constantin , Costea Claudia Florida
Published: February 2022

Unilateral hypertrophy of the masseter muscle is a very rare pathological entity in children. Its etiology is uncertain and it requires a high degree of suspicion, as it must be differentiated from other conditions of the masseter area. As there are few pathological studies to elucidate this condition, we report a rare case of unilateral masseter muscle hypertrophy in a 16-year-old female patient with gradual onset of a painless swelling in the posterior left cheek which caused facial asymmetry with repercussions on the patient’s self-image. The diagnosis of unilateral masseter muscle hypertrophy was suggested by clinical examination, ultrasound scanning, and nuclear magnetic resonance, and was confirmed by histologic examination two years later when the patient returned for the surgical correction. The pathological findings report showed fragments of skeletal muscle with hypertrophic fibers associated with normal-sized muscle fibers in both longitudinal and transverse sections. The postoperative evaluation was favorable as both the adolescent and her family were satisfied with her look on the 14th day, 1st year, and 3rd year follow-ups. In conclusion, unilateral masseter muscle hypertrophy in adolescence is a sensitive problem due to the psychological implications of facial appearance. Definite diagnosis and treatment of the hypertrophied muscle is the ideal solution.
New Intraoperative Imaging Tools and Image-Guided Surgery in Gastric Cancer Surgery
Authors: Knospe Luise , Gockel Ines , Jansen-Winkeln Boris , Thieme René , Niebisch Stefan , Moulla Yusef , Stelzner Sigmar , Lyros Orestis , Diana Michele , Marescaux Jacques , Chalopin Claire , Köhler Hannes , Pfahl Annekatrin , Maktabi Marianne , Park Ji-Hyeon , Yang Han-Kwang
Published: February 2022

Innovations and new advancements in intraoperative real-time imaging have gained significant importance in the field of gastric cancer surgery in the recent past. Currently, the most promising procedures include indocyanine green fluorescence imaging (ICG-FI) and hyperspectral imaging or multispectral imaging (HSI, MSI). ICG-FI is utilized in a broad range of clinical applications, e.g., assessment of perfusion or lymphatic drainage, and additional implementations are currently investigated. HSI is still in the experimental phase and its value and clinical relevance require further evaluation, but initial studies have shown a successful application in perfusion assessment, and prospects concerning non-invasive tissue and tumor classification are promising. The application of machine learning and artificial intelligence technologies might enable an automatic evaluation of the acquired image data in the future. Both methods facilitate the accurate visualization of tissue characteristics that are initially indistinguishable for the human eye. By aiding surgeons in optimizing the surgical procedure, image-guided surgery can contribute to the oncologic safety and reduction of complications in gastric cancer surgery and recent advances hold promise for the application of HSI in intraoperative tissue diagnostics.
Evolution of Diagnostic Methods for Helicobacter pylori Infections: From Traditional Tests to High Technology, Advanced Sensitivity and Discrimination Tools
Authors: Cardos Alexandra Ioana , Maghiar Adriana , Zaha Dana Carmen , Pop Ovidiu , Fritea Luminita , Miere (Groza) Florina , Cavalu Simona
Published: February 2022

Rapid diagnosis and treatment application in the early stages of H. pylori infection plays an important part in inhibiting the transmission of this infection as this bacterium is involved in various gastric pathologies such as gastritis, gastro-duodenal ulcer, and even gastric neoplasia. This review is devoted to a quick overview of conventional and advanced detection techniques successfully applied to the detection of H. pylori in the context of a compelling need to upgrade the standards of the diagnostic methods which are currently being used. Selecting the best diagnostic method implies evaluating different features, the use of one or another test depending on accessibility, laboratories equipment, and the clinical conditions of patients. This paper aims to expose the diagnosis methods for H. pylori that are currently available, highlighting their assets and limitations. The perspectives and the advantages of nanotechnology along with the concept of nano(bio)sensors and the development of lab-on-chip devices as advanced tools for H. pylori detection, differentiation, and discrimination is also presented, by emphasizing multiple advantages: simple, fast, cost-effective, portable, miniaturized, small volume of samples required, highly sensitive, and selective. It is generally accepted that the development of intelligent sensors will completely revolutionize the acquisition procedure and medical decision in the framework of smart healthcare monitoring systems.
Robust Estimation and Forecasting of Climate Change Using Score-Driven Ice-Age Models
Authors: Blazsek Szabolcs , Escribano Alvaro
Published: February 2022

We use data on the following climate variables for the period of the last 798 thousand years: global ice volume (Icet), atmospheric carbon dioxide level (CO2,t), and Antarctic land surface temperature (Tempt). Those variables are cyclical and are driven by the following strongly exogenous orbital variables: eccentricity of the Earth’s orbit, obliquity, and precession of the equinox. We introduce score-driven ice-age models which use robust filters of the conditional mean and variance, generalizing the updating mechanism and solving the misspecification of a recent climate–econometric model (benchmark ice-age model). The score-driven models control for omitted exogenous variables and extreme events, using more general dynamic structures and heteroskedasticity. We find that the score-driven models improve the performance of the benchmark ice-age model. We provide out-of-sample forecasts of the climate variables for the last 100 thousand years. We show that during the last 10–15 thousand years of the forecasting period, for which humanity influenced the Earth’s climate, (i) the forecasts of Icet are above the observed Icet, (ii) the forecasts of CO2,t level are below the observed CO2,t, and (iii) the forecasts of Tempt are below the observed Tempt. The forecasts for the benchmark ice-age model are reinforced by the score-driven models.
A Low-Cost Smart Digital Mixer System Based on Speech Recognition
Authors: Lai Shin-Chi , Hung Ying-Hsiu , Zhu Yi-Chang , Wang Szu-Ting , Sheu Ming-Hwa , Juang Wen-Ho
Published: February 2022

When a band is performing at a public occasion, certain sound effects are expected to be added to enliven the atmosphere. To achieve this effect, microphones and instruments are all connected to an audio mixer, then the expected audio output will be played through the speakers. However, sound engineers always spend plenty of time tuning the mixer until the satisfied results are obtained. This paper presents a smart digital mixer system that integrates touch control, speech control, and commonly used functions on an Android mobile platform to improve the mobility of audio mixer while tuning. The proposed system adopts a digital signal processor (DSP) as the core of the hardware architecture. The application provides a UI interface on an Android mobile phone in order to achieve the functions of speech recognition and touch control. The control commands will be transmitted to DSP via Bluetooth 5.0, self-defined Bluetooth packet format (SBPF), and data transfer controller (DTC). The main contribution of this work is to propose multiple functions of a mixer system with a convenient and interactive user interface. The experimental results show the average accuracy of all respondents reached 92.3%. Moreover, the proposed system has the advantage of having a low-cost hardware circuit design, and provides high flexibility of setting for the audio mixer system according to the user’s preference.
Deep Learning Models for Predicting Epileptic Seizures Using iEEG Signals
Authors: Ouichka Omaima , Echtioui Amira , Hamam Habib
Published: February 2022

Epilepsy is a chronic neurological disease characterized by a large electrical explosion that is excessive and uncontrolled, as defined by the world health organization. It is an anomaly that affects people of all ages. An electroencephalogram (EEG) of the brain activity is a widely known method designed as a reference dedicated to study epileptic seizures and to record the changes in brain electrical activity. Therefore, the prediction and early detection of epilepsy is necessary to provide timely preventive interventions that allow patients to be relieved from the harmful consequences of epileptic seizures. Despite decades of research, the prediction of these seizures with accuracy remains an unresolved problem. In this article, we have proposed five deep learning models on intracranial electroencephalogram (iEEG) datasets with the aim of automatically predicting epileptic seizures. The proposed models are based on the Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) model, the fusion of the two CNNs (2-CNN), the fusion of the three CNNs (3-CNN), the fusion of the four CNNs (4-CNN), and transfer learning with ResNet50. The experimental results show that our proposed methods based on 3-CNN and 4-CNN gave the best values. They both achieve an accuracy value of 95%. Finally, our proposed methods are compared with previous studies, which confirm that seizure prediction performance was significantly improved.
Blind Modulation Format Identification Based on Principal Component Analysis and Singular Value Decomposition
Authors: Jiang Jinkun , Zhang Qi , Xin Xiangjun , Gao Ran , Wang Xishuo , Tian Feng , Tian Qinghua , Liu Bingchun , Wang Yongjun
Published: February 2022

As optical networks evolve towards flexibility and heterogeneity, various modulation formats are used to match different bandwidth requirements and channel conditions. For correct reception and efficient compensation, modulation format identification (MFI) becomes a critical issue. Thus, a novel blind MFI method based on principal component analysis (PCA) and singular value decomposition (SVD) is proposed. Based on square operation and PCA, the influence of phase rotation is removed, which avoids phase rotation-related discussions and training. By performing SVD on the density matrix about constellation, a denoise method is implemented and the quality of the constellation is improved. In the subsequent processing, the denoised density matrix is used as the feature of the support vector machine (SVM), and the identification of seven modulation formats such as BPSK, QPSK, 8PSK, 8QAM, 16QAM, 32QAM and 64QAM is realized. The results show that lower OSNR values are required for the 100% accurate identification of all modulation formats to be achieved, which are 5 dB, 7 dB, 8 dB, 11 dB, 14 dB, 14 dB and 15 dB. Moreover, the proposed method still retains the advantage, even when the number of samples decrease, which is beneficial for low-complexity implementation.
IoT-Enabled Vehicle Speed Monitoring System
Authors: Khan Shafi Ullah , Alam Noor , Jan Sana Ullah , Koo In Soo
Published: February 2022

Millions of people lose their lives each year worldwide due to traffic law violations, specifically, over speeding. The existing systems fail to report most of such violations due to their respective flaws. For instance, speed guns work in isolation and cannot measure speed of all vehicles on roads at all spatial points. They can only detect the speed of the vehicle the line of sight of the camera. A solution is to deploy a huge number of speed guns at different locations on the road to detect and report vehicles that are over speeding. However, this solution is not feasible because it demands a large amount of equipment and computational resources to process such a big amount of data. In this paper, a speed detection framework is developed to detect vehicles’ speeds with only two speed guns, which can report speed even when the vehicle is not within the camera’s line of sight. The system is specifically designed for an irregular traffic scenario such as that of Pakistan, where it is inconvenient to install conventional systems. The idea is to calculate the average speed of vehicles traveling in a specific region, for instance, between two spatial points. A low-cost Raspberry Pi (RPi) module and an ordinary camera are deployed to detect the registration numbers on vehicle license plates. This hardware presents a more stable system since it is powered by a low consumption Raspberry Pi that can operate for hours without crashing or malfunctioning. More specifically, the entrance and exit locations and the time taken to get from one point to another are recorded. An automatic alert to traffic authorities is generated when a driver is over speeding. A detailed explanation of the hardware prototype and the algorithms is given, along with the setup configurations of the hardware prototype, the website, and the mobile device applications.
A Hybrid Non-Linear Unsteady Vortex Lattice-Vortex Particle Method for Rotor Blades Aerodynamic Simulations
Authors: Proulx-Cabana Vincent , Nguyen Minh Tuan , Prothin Sebastien , Michon Guilhem , Laurendeau Eric
Published: February 2022

This study presents a hybrid non-linear unsteady vortex lattice method-vortex particle method (NL UVLM-VPM) to investigate the aerodynamics of rotor blades hovering in and out of ground effect. The method is of interest for the fast aerodynamic prediction of helicopter and smaller rotor blades. UVLM models the vorticity along the rotor blades and near field wakes with panels that are then converted into their equivalent vortex particle representations. The standard Vreman subgrid scale model is incorporated in the context of a large eddy simulation for mesh-free VPM to stabilize the wake development via particle strength exchange (PSE). The computation of the pairwise interactions in the VPM are accelerated using the fast-multipole method. Non-linear UVLM is achieved with a low computational cost viscous-inviscid alpha coupling algorithm through a stripwise 2D Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) or empirical database. The aerodynamics of the scaled S76 rotor blades in and out of ground effect from the hover prediction workshop is investigated with the proposed algorithm. The results are validated with experimental data and various high-fidelity codes.
The Change in the Structure and Functionality of Ferritin during the Production of Pea Seed Milk
Authors: Xing Yilin , Ma Jiaqi , Yao Qimeng , Chen Xuemin , Zang Jiachen , Zhao Guanghua
Published: February 2022

Understanding the effect of thermal treatment on the physical and chemical properties of protein and its mechanisms has important theoretical implications in food science. Pea seed ferritin (PSF) is an iron storage protein naturally occurring in pea seeds, which represents a promising iron supplement. However, how thermal processing affects the structure and function of PSF remains unknown. In this work, during the production of pea seed milk, we investigated the effect of thermal treatments at boiling temperature for two different times (5 and 10 min), respectively, on the structure and function of PSF. The results demonstrated that thermal treatment resulted in a pronounced change in the primary, secondary, and tertiary structure, iron content, and iron oxidation activity of PSF. However, the shell-like structure of PSF can be kept during the processing of pea seed milk. Interestingly, upon thermal treatment, both thermal-treated samples exhibit larger higher iron absorption rate by Caco-2 than untreated PSF at the same protein concentration. Such an investigation provides a better understanding of the relationship between the structure and function of food protein, as affected by thermal treatment.
A Biosurfactant from Candida bombicola: Its Synthesis, Characterization, and its Application as a Food Emulsions
Authors: Pinto Maria Isabel Silveira , Campos Guerra Jenyffer Medeiros , Meira Hugo Morais , Sarubbo Leonie Asfora , de Luna Juliana Moura
Published: February 2022

The present study aimed to produce a biosurfactant from Candida yeast cultivated in a low-cost medium made of sugar-cane molasses (5%), frying oil waste (5%), and corn steep liquor (5%). Initially, the production at the flask-scale was investigated and then scaled up in bioreactors to 1.2, 3.0, and 50 L to simulate a real production scale. The products obtained an excellent reduction in surface tensions from 70 to 29 mN·m−1 in the flask-scale, comparable to 33 mN·m−1 in the 1.2-L reactor, to 31 mN·m−1 in the 3-L reactor, and to 30 mN·m−1 in the 50-L reactor. Regarding the yield, it was observed that the isolation by liquid-to-liquid extraction aided biosurfactant production up to 221.9 g·L−1 with a critical micellar concentration of 0.5%. The isolated biosurfactant did not exhibit an inhibitory effect on the germination of vegetable seeds and presented no significant acute toxicity in assays with Artemia salina and Allium cepa. Among the different formulations of mayonnaise-like sauces, the most stable formula was observed with the addition of the biosurfactant at a concentration of 0.5% and the greatest results were associated with the guar and carboxymethyl cellulose gums. Thus, the biosurfactant from C. bombicola represents a promising alternative as a food additive in emulsions.
Optimal Nitrate Supplementation in Phaeodactylum tricornutum Culture Medium Increases Biomass and Fucoxanthin Production
Authors: Afonso Clélia , Bragança Ana Rita , Rebelo Bárbara A. , Serra Tânia S. , Abranches Rita
Published: February 2022

Phaeodactylum tricornutum is a model diatom with numerous potential applications in the industry, including the production of high-value carotenoid pigments such as fucoxanthin. This compound is a potent antioxidant currently extracted mainly from brown macroalgae. Fucoxanthin exhibits several biological properties with well-known beneficial effects in the treatment and prevention of lifestyle-related diseases. P. tricornutum offers a valuable alternative to macroalgae for fucoxanthin production as it has a specific productivity that is 10-fold higher as compared with macroalgae. However, production processes still need to be optimised to become a cost-effective alternative. In this work, we investigated the optimal supplementation of nitrate in a cultivation medium that is currently used for P. tricornutum and how this nitrate concentration affects cell growth and fucoxanthin production. It has previously been shown that the addition of sodium nitrate increases productivity, but optimal conditions were not accurately determined. In this report, we observed that the continuous increase in nitrate concentration did not lead to an increase in biomass and fucoxanthin content, but there was rather a window of optimal values of nitrate that led to maximum growth and pigment production. These results are discussed considering both the scale up for industrial production and the profitability of the process, as well as the implications in the cell’s metabolism and effects in fucoxanthin production.
Inactivation of Polymicrobial Biofilms of Foodborne Pathogens Using Epsilon Poly-L-Lysin Conjugated Chitosan Nanoparticles
Authors: Bai Xingjian , Xu Luping , Singh Atul Kumar , Qiu Xiaoling , Liu Mai , Abuzeid Ahmed , El-Khateib Talaat , Bhunia Arun K.
Published: February 2022

A mixed culture (polymicrobial) biofilm provides a favorable environment for pathogens to persist in the food processing environment and to contaminate food products. Inactivation and eradication of such biofilms from food processing environments are achieved by using harsh disinfectants, but their toxicity and environmentally hostile characteristics are unsustainable. This study aims to use food-grade natural nanoparticulated antimicrobials to control mixed-culture biofilms. Chitosan, a natural broad-spectrum antimicrobial biopolymer (polysaccharide) from crustaceans, was derivatized to produce chitosan nanoparticles (ChNP) as a carrier for another broad-spectrum antimicrobial agent, ε-poly-L-lysine (PL), to synthesize ChNP-PL conjugate. The antimicrobial activity of ChNP and ChNP-PL was tested against mixed-culture biofilms. ChNP-PL (~100 nm) exhibited a synergistic antimicrobial and anti-biofilm effect against mono or mixed-culture biofilms of five foodborne pathogens, including Listeria monocytogenes, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis, Escherichia coli O157:H7, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. ChNP-PL treatment prevented biofilm formation by mono or mixed cultures of L. monocytogenes, P. aeruginosa, and E. coli O157:H7, and bacterial counts were either below the detection limit or caused 3.5–5 log reduction. ChNP-PL also inactivated preformed biofilms. In monoculture biofilm, ChNP-PL treatment reduced L. monocytogenes counts by 4.5 logs, S. Enteritidis by 2 logs, E. coli by 2 logs, and S. aureus by 0.5 logs, while ChNP-PL had no inhibitory effect on P. aeruginosa. In vitro mammalian cell-based cytotoxicity analysis confirmed ChNP-PL to have no deleterious effect on intestinal HCT-8 cell line. In conclusion, our results show ChNP-PL has strong potential to prevent the formation or inactivation of preformed polymicrobial biofilms of foodborne pathogens.
Aconitic Acid Recovery from Renewable Feedstock and Review of Chemical and Biological Applications
Authors: Bruni Gillian O. , Klasson K. Thomas
Published: February 2022

Aconitic acid (propene-1,2,3-tricarboxylic acid) is the most prevalent 6-carbon organic acid that accumulates in sugarcane and sweet sorghum. As a top value-added chemical, aconitic acid may function as a chemical precursor or intermediate for high-value downstream industrial and biological applications. These downstream applications include use as a bio-based plasticizer, cross-linker, and the formation of valuable and multi-functional polyesters that have also been used in tissue engineering. Aconitic acid also plays various biological roles within cells as an intermediate in the tricarboxylic acid cycle and in conferring unique survival advantages to some plants as an antifeedant, antifungal, and means of storing fixed pools of carbon. Aconitic acid has also been reported as a fermentation inhibitor, anti-inflammatory, and a potential nematicide. Since aconitic acid can be sustainably sourced from renewable, inexpensive sources such as sugarcane, molasses, and sweet sorghum syrup, there is enormous potential to provide multiple streams of additional income to the sugar industry through downstream industrial and biological applications that we discuss in this review.
Whey Proteins-Fortified Milk with Adjusted Casein to Whey Proteins Ratio Improved Muscle Strength and Endurance Exercise Capacity without Lean Mass Accretion in Rats
Authors: Jeong Eun Woo , Park Gyu Ri , Kim Jiyun , Baek Youjin , Go Gwang-woong , Lee Hyeon Gyu
Published: February 2022

This study investigated the effects of the casein to whey proteins (CW) ratio in milk on body composition, muscle strength, and endurance exercise capacity in rats. Thirty rats were assigned into five groups, and each treatment was administered for eight weeks: (1) control (isocaloric lactose supplementation), (2) CW8:2 (regular milk), (3) CW6:4, (4) CW5:5, and (5) nitrogen-free (lactose). The milk concentration was converted from a human equivalent dose (400 mL/60 kg body weight/day). All the milk-administered groups showed significantly greater growth performance, including body weight and weight gain compared to the isocaloric lactose control (p < 0.05). However, different CW ratios in milk had no effect on growth performance. Additionally, body composition, i.e., lean body mass and adiposity, was not affected by the CW ratio. Interestingly, CW6:4 and CW5:5 had significantly higher plasma branched-chain amino acids concentrations than control and CW8:2 (p < 0.05). In addition, CW5:5 showed significantly increased grip strength by 12–24% and time to exhaustion by 8–62% compared to the other groups (p < 0.05), indicating that the higher whey proteins ratio improved physical performance. We concluded that whey proteins-fortified milk enhances muscle strength and endurance exercise capacity without altering lean mass in rats.
Factors Impacting the Choice of Seatbelt Use, Accounting for Complexity of Travelers’ Behaviors
Authors: Rezapour Mahdi , Ksaiabti Khaled
Published: February 2022

Wyoming has one of the highest fatality rates, and a significantly lower rate of seatbelt use in the United States. Thus, this study was conducted with the objective to investigate contributory factors to the choice of drivers’ seatbelt use. Various environmental factors and drivers’ characteristics were considered as it is expected that they account for unseen factors that impact drivers’ choice of buckling up. Although the mixed model has been used extensively for studying the impacts of seatbelt use on the severity of crashes, not many studies have been conducted regarding factors contributing to the choice of seatbelt use itself. In this study, the standard logit model is extended to the mixed model to account for heterogeneity across drivers’ observations. In addition, the standard mixed model was extended to incorporate the random parameters’ heterogeneity in taste based on the means of other observed variables. The results highlighted that moving from the standard logit model to the mixed model, considering heterogeneity in tastes, results in a gain in the model fit, and also an adjustment for the model’s parameters’ estimates. The findings indicated that some of factors impacting the choice of wearing seatbelt include gender, road classification, weather condition, vehicle types, time of driving, vehicle registration and day of the week. Those factors are mainly related to unobserved factors impacting the drivers’ behaviors. For instance, drivers with particular characteristics are expected to own particular vehicle types or drive their vehicles under a particular weather condition.
OH-Defects in Detrital Quartz Grains from the Julian Basin (NE Italy and Slovenia): A Fourier Transform Infrared Study
Authors: Bernardi Francesco , Skogby Henrik , Lenaz Davide
Published: February 2022

In this study, we analyzed up to 80 detrital quartz grains from four lithic greywackes along the stratigraphic column of the Julian Basin, a synorogenic basin in the southeastern Alps between Italy and Slovenia. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy of detrital quartz was used to investigate the sample set with interest to its OH-defect speciation and content of each associated substitution. According to several recent studies, OH-defects in quartz are correlated to petrogenetic conditions of the source material and can be used as a provenance tool. The aim of this study is to compare results based on this method with previous studies that used other methods, to better constrain the palaeogeographical reconstruction of sedimentary fluxes. Detrital quartz within the samples of the basin shows different patterns of OH-defects and water content, indicating substantial petrogenetic differences between the sediment source rocks. For the oldest analyzed sample (ca. 66 Ma), the distribution of OH-defects suggests a mixed source between igneous and non-igneous rocks, with a predominance of metamorphic material supply. Another sample (56 Ma) reveals a great variability of OH-defects and water content, indicating that the magmatic component dominates over the metamorphic component. The distribution of OH-defects in the samples at the top of the sequence (52–53 Ma) suggests an almost solely metamorphic source. These results are in line with previous studies based on heavy minerals and geochemistry.
Frequency of Renal Function Parameter Abnormalities in Patients with Psoriatic Arthritis and Rheumatoid Arthritis: Real-World Evidence from Clinical Practice
Authors: Atzeni Fabiola , Muto Pietro , Rodríguez-Carrio Javier , Masala Ignazio Francesco
Published: February 2022

Objective: Patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA) or rheumatoid arthritis (RA) commonly develop renal dysfunction due to either systemic inflammation or drug-related nephrotoxicity. This study compared renal function parameters in patients with PsA versus those with RA and examined the impact of clinical remission or disease relapse on renal function. Methods: This single-center retrospective study was conducted at the University Hospital of Messina, Italy. Adult patients (aged ≥18 years) with PsA or RA who attended the rheumatology clinic within the past 6 months were identified from electronic medical records. Results: In total, 45 patients with PsA (n = 23) or RA (n = 22) were included. The mean (standard deviation) age was 55.6 (15.9) years, and 78% of participants were female. Patient age, renal function, and medical history were generally similar between the two disease groups, although significantly more RA patients were smokers, and more PsA patients had comorbid hypertension. The prevalence of estimated glomerular filtration rate [eGFR] ≤90 mL/min/1.73 m2 at 1, 6, and 12 months of treatment ranged from 38.5% to 58.3% in the PsA group and from 45.5% to 54.5% in the RA group and did not significantly differ between disease groups. Clinical remission did not appear to affect renal function parameters in either disease group; however, relapse was associated with significantly higher serum creatinine levels in PsA patients at the same timepoint. Conclusion: In this study, patients with PsA and RA had a similar prevalence of renal function parameter abnormalities over 12 months of treatment. Disease relapse may impact renal function in patients with PsA.
Genotoxic Properties of Polystyrene (PS) Microspheres in the Filter-Feeder Mollusk Mytilus trossulus (Gould, 1850)
Authors: Chelomin Victor Pavlovich , Mazur Andrey Alexandrovich , Slobodskova Valentina Vladimirovna , Kukla Sergey Petrovich , Dovzhenko Nadezda Vladimirovna
Published: February 2022

Microplastic pollution of the aquatic environment is one of the most serious environmental problems today. The potential environmental risks of such particles have become growing concerns in recent years, as direct or indirect exposure to these particles leads to adverse effects on marine organisms. In this study, we investigated the potential risk of polystyrene (PS) microspheres on the genome integrity of cells of different tissues (gills and digestive gland) of the filter-feeder mollusk Mytilus trossulus, using a comet assay. With the help of the comet assay, we estimated the level of genome destruction in the cells of two different mussel tissues after short-term exposure to polystyrene. It was discovered that, despite their chemical inertness, PS microspheres that are 0.9 µm in diameter, at a concentration of 106 particles/L, exhibit genotoxic properties, which are expressed as a two-fold increase in the level of cell DNA damage of the mussel’s digestive gland. It is noted that, after exposure to PS, about half of the mussel’s digestive gland cells experienced damage in 25–35% of their DNA. In addition, the proportion of cells with significant DNA damage (50%) was about 5%. Given the unique role of the genome, DNA damage in these cells may be the earliest stage in the development of biochemical events that lead to toxic effects. These findings provide a basis for studying specific biomarkers of microplastic contamination.
Echocardiography Monitoring during Anthracycline Administration in Hodgkin and Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma: The Tei Index Evaluation
Authors: Puzzovivo Agata , Fioretti Agnese , Minoia Carla , Villoni Roberta , Carbonara Santa , Graziano Giusi , Pavone Fabio , Guarini Attilio , Oliva Stefano
Published: February 2022

Anthracyclines are widely employed in lymphoma’s chemotherapy and has been shown to induce heart failure. Echocardiographic parameters of left ventricular (LV) systolic function are usually used to monitor the cardiac side effects during and after anthracyclines treatment. The measurement of theTei index could anticipate the onset of LV dysfunction. The aim of this study was to evaluate the performance of the delta Tei index for the early detection of cardiac toxicity in a prospective population of anthracycline-treated lymphoma patients. Our preliminary data suggest that the Tei index may predict the risk for cardiotoxicity in this subset of patients earlier than LV ejection fraction alteration.
Absence of an Association between Macular Degeneration and Young-Onset Dementia
Authors: Kuang Tung-Mei Tammy , Xirasagar Sudha , Lee Wei-Yun , Cheng Yen-Fu , Kuo Nai-Wen , Lin Herng-Ching
Published: February 2022

A few population-based studies have reported an association between prior age-related macular degeneration and senile dementia. No study has explored a possible link between prior macular degeneration and young-onset dementia (YOD). This case–control study aimed to evaluate the association of YOD with prior macular degeneration diagnosed in the 5-year period before their index date. Data for this retrospective observational study were retrieved from Taiwan’s National Health Insurance (NHI) dataset. A total of 36,577 patients with newly diagnosed YOD from January 2010 to December 2017 were identified as the study cohort, assigning their diagnosis date as their index date. Comparison patients were identified by propensity score-matching (three per case, n = 109,731 controls) from the remaining NHI beneficiaries of the period, their index date being the date of their first ambulatory care claim in the year of diagnosis of their matched YOD case. Chi-square test revealed no significant difference in the prevalence of prior macular degeneration between cases and controls (1.1% vs. 1.0%, p = 0.111). Conditional logistic regression analysis also showed an unadjusted odds ratio (OR) for prior macular degeneration of 1.098 among cases relative to controls (95% CI: 0.9797–1.232). Adjusted analysis confirmed that YOD was not associated with prior macular degeneration, adjusted odds ratio 1.098 (95% CI = 0.979–1.232). We conclude that patients with macular degeneration are not at increased risk for YOD.
The Impact of Corporate Governance on the Financial Performance of the Banking Sector in the MENA (Middle Eastern and North African) Region: An Immunity Test of Banks for COVID-19
Authors: El-Chaarani Hani , Abraham Rebecca , Skaf Yahya
Published: February 2022

The purpose of this paper is to measure the impact of internal and external corporate governance mechanisms on the financial performance of banks in the under-researched Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) region during the COVID-19 pandemic period. Bank annual reports, the Orbis Bank Focus database, and World Bank reports were used to collect both financial and non-financial information on the banking sector, followed by fixed effects regressions and two-stage least squares. Results showed that the corporate governance measures of presence of independent members on the board of directors, high ownership concentration, lack of political pressure on board members, and strong legal protection, had positive effects on bank financial performance. Corporate governance mechanisms, such as performance-based compensation, the presence of women on boards, moderate size of the board, and anti-takeover mechanisms had no significant impact on bank performance during the crisis period. An effective internal and external corporate governance mechanism could improve the financial performance of banks in MENA countries in times of pandemics and crises.
Evaluation and Improvement of Cultivated Land Leisure Service Function Based on Multisource Spatial Data
Authors: Yang Yiming , Wang Xiuli , Wang Jian , Geng Yiwei , Chen Weiqiang , Wu Qun , Guan Xiaoke
Published: February 2022

The leisure service function is an important component of the derivative function and non-market function of cultivated land. Therefore, exploring the strength of the cultivated land leisure service function with the help of spatial information technology is significant in guiding the proper utilization and protection of cultivated land resources. This paper constructed an evaluation system based on the three dimensions of ecological landscape, social activities, and economic performance, explored the spatial difference of the cultivated land leisure service function in Yuanyang County, the major grain-producing area along the Yellow River through spatial weighted overlay, classified the hot spots of leisure services and presented suggestions for improvement. Results show the following: (1) the landscape resources in the northern part are relatively monotonous, while those in the southern part are rich and evenly distributed. Spatial accessibility presents a distribution of “one core with multiple subcores”. The distribution of leisure service supply capacity is characterized by “multiple cores and multiple circles.” (2) The hot spots of the cultivated land leisure service function are the Urban Agricultural Central Area and the Ecological Agriculture Core Area in the middle of the county, and the Suburban Agritourism Development Area, the Yellow River Agritourism Transitional Area, and the Leisure Agriculture Connection Area on the periphery of the county. (3) The agricultural landscape should be fully protected and utilized in the Urban Agricultural Central Area. The spatial accessibility and regional reputation of the Ecological Agriculture Core Area need to be improved. The landscape diversity and landscape quality should be improved in the Suburban Agritourism Development Area. The Yellow River Agritourism Transitional Area needs to overcome the loss of tourists. The Leisure Agriculture Connection Area should increase the number of leisure and tourism facilities.
Resveratrol and Reproductive Health
Authors: Novakovic Radmila , Rajkovic Jovana , Gostimirovic Milos , Gojkovic-Bukarica Ljiljana , Radunovic Nebojsa
Published: February 2022

Resveratrol (RSV), a plant-derived polyphenol, demonstrates broad-spectrum health benefits, including anti-proliferative, anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic, anti-ischemic and antioxidant effects. The aim of this review is to give an important heads-up regarding the influence of RSV as a phytoestrogen, RSV effects on most common pregnancy-related complications, as well as its impact on the embryogenesis, spermatogenesis, and women’s reproductive health. Considering the important implications of RSV on human reproductive health, this overview could provide a groundwork, encouraging more detailed research at the clinical level.
Optimality and Duality for DC Programming with DC Inequality and DC Equality Constraints
Authors: Xu Yingrang , Li Shengjie
Published: February 2022

In this paper, a class of nondifferentiable DC programming with DC inequality and DC equality constraints are considered. Firstly, in terms of this special nondifferentiable DC constraint system, an appropriate relaxed constant rank constraint qualification is proposed and used to deduce one necessary optimality condition. Then, by adopting the convexification technique, another necessary optimality condition is obtained. Further, combined with the conjugate theory, the zero duality gap properties between the pairs of Wolfe and Mond-Weir type primal-dual problems are characterized, respectively.