bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Ionizing Radiation Induced Removal of Ofloxacin, Abatement of Its Toxicity and Antibacterial Activity in Various Water Matrices
Authors: Wojnárovits László , Homlok Renáta , Kovács Krisztina , Bezsenyi Anikó , Takács Erzsébet
Published: June 2023

The fluoroquinolone-type antibiotic ofloxacin is regularly detected in wastewaters. In this work, its hydroxyl radical (•OH) induced degradation was studied at a concentration of 0.1 mmol dm−3 in three water matrices, pure water, tap water, and purified wastewater (collected from a wastewater treatment plant). •OH was produced by γ-irradiation under conditions when it had a high yield. The •OH dosage dependencies of chemical (COD) and biochemical (BOD) oxygen demands, total organic carbon (TOC) content, oxygen uptake rate (OUR), Microtox® toxicity, and antibacterial activity values were evaluated. •OH effectively oxidized and mineralized ofloxacin; both processes were observed even at the lowest •OH dosage, 0.14 mmol dm−3 (0.5 kGy absorbed dose). When 0.28 mmol dm−3 •OH was introduced into pure or tap water, the antibacterial activity vanished. In purified wastewater, a higher dosage (0.56 mmol dm−3) was required to achieve the same effect as in pure water, due to the organic molecules of the matrix that quenched the •OH radicals. The products did not have antibacterial activity and showed little toxicity toward the test organism Vibrio fischeri. •OH preferentially attacks the pharmacophore part, the 4-quinolone unit of ofloxacin. •OH-induced reactions can be safely applied to destroy the antimicrobial potency of fluoroquinolone-type antibiotics in purified wastewater matrices.
A Facility Layout Algorithm for Logistics Scenarios Driven by Transport Lines
Authors: Jiang Fulin , Li Lin , Tang Yiming , Zhang Hailong , Liu Xiaoping
Published: June 2023

The layout of facilities in a logistics scenario involves not only the working facilities responsible for processing materials but also the transport lines responsible for transporting materials. The traditional facility layout methods do not take into account the transportation facilities nor calculate the material handling cost by Manhattan distance, thus failing to fulfill the actual requirements of industrial logistics scenarios. In this paper, a facility layout algorithm framework MOSA-FD driven by transport lines is proposed. A multi-objective simulated annealing (MOSA) algorithm is designed for both material handling cost (MHC) and transport facility cost (TFC) objectives. Then, a force-directed (FD) algorithm is applied to correct the unreasonable solutions according to the material transport lines in the logistics workshop, and a better solution is quickly obtained. Finally, by comparing the results with those of other metaheuristic multi-objective algorithms, the acceleration of the force-directed algorithm in this layout problem is demonstrated in experimental instances of different scales, and our method, compared to the MOSA algorithm, can reach optimal ratios of 36% and 80%, respectively, on the multi-objective.
Foliar Applications of Calcium, Silicon and Their Combination: A Tool to Improve Grape Composition and Quality
Authors: Garde-Cerdán Teresa , González-Lázaro Miriam , Alonso-Ortiz de Urbina David , Sáenz de Urturi Itziar , Marín-San Román Sandra , Murillo-Peña Rebeca , Torres-Díaz Lesly L. , Pérez-Álvarez Eva P. , Fernández Victoria
Published: June 2023

Foliar nutrient sprays are broadly used in commercial agriculture. To date, the application of Ca and Si has been little explored in vineyard production but may lead to positive responses at various levels. Therefore, the aim of this work was to evaluate the effect of supplying single or combined calcium (Ca, 120 mM) and silicon (Si, 120 mM) sprays in Tempranillo grape composition. Foliar treatment with Ca + Si foliar enhanced all families of aromatic compounds, whereas single Ca and Si sprays induced lower effects. Regarding phenolic compounds, all foliar treatments led to minor effects. However, all three foliar Ca and Si treatments increased the total grape amino acid content. Consequently, the application of combined Ca and Si sprays to a vineyard is recommended as a tool for improving grape quality.
Social Media Opinion Analysis Model Based on Fusion of Text and Structural Features
Authors: Long Jie , Li Zihan , Xuan Qi , Fu Chenbo , Peng Songtao , Min Yong
Published: June 2023

The opinion recognition for comments in Internet media is a new task in text analysis. It takes comment statements as the research object, by learning the opinion tendency in the original text with annotation, and then performing opinion tendency recognition on the unannotated statements. However, due to the uncertainty of NLP (natural language processing) in short scenes and the complexity of Chinese text, existing methods have some limitations in accuracy and application scenarios. In this paper, we propose an opinion tendency recognition model HGAT (heterogeneous graph attention network) that integrates text vector and context structure methods to address the above problems. This method first trains a text vectorization model based on annotation text content, then constructs an isomorphic graph with annotation, news, and theme as its apex, and then optimizes the feature vectors of all nodes using an isomorphic graph neural network model with attention mechanism. In addition, this article collected 1,684,318 news items and 57,845,091 comments based on Toutiao, sifted through 511 of those stories and their corresponding 103,787 comments, and tested the impact of HGAT on this dataset. Experiments show that this method has stable improvement effect on different NLP methods, increasing accuracy by 2–10%, and provides a new perspective for opinion tendency recognition.
Study on the Compressive Stress–Strain Curve and Performance of Low-Slump Polypropylene Fiber Concrete after High Temperature
Authors: Li Bing , Zheng Wenbin , Zhang Yang
Published: June 2023

This study aims to investigate the effect of high temperature on the mechanical properties of low-slump polypropylene fiber (PPF) concrete, and tests the tensile and compressive properties of 204 groups of low-slump PPF concrete with eight different dosages and four different lengths at normal temperature and after high temperature. The results of the compressive test showed that PPF can significantly improve the mechanical properties of concrete after high temperature when the fiber content is small, and the compressive strength of low collapse polypropylene fiber concrete after high temperature showed a tendency to rise and then fall at the same temperature with an increase of the fiber admixture. When the fiber content was 0.5 kg/m3, the compressive strengths of 3 mm, 9 mm, 15 mm and 19 mm reached their maxima, which were 9.65%, 11.33%, 7.90% and 2.87% higher than that of ordinary concrete, respectively. With an increase in fiber length, the effect of PPF on the compressive strength of concrete is not obvious. PPF at high admixture further increases the pore and air content in concrete, which decreases the compactness of the concrete, thus leading to a decrease in the compressive strength of the concrete. When the temperature was 800 °C and the fiber admixture was 5.0 kg/m3, the compressive strength of PPF concrete with different lengths reduced by 17.83%, 17.27%, 22.59% and 23.92%, respectively, compared to normal concrete. In addition, according to the results, the optimal combinations of strength at room temperature and after high temperature were 3 mm fiber length and 1.0 kg/m3 dosing and 9 mm fiber length and 0.5 kg/m3 dosing, respectively, which increased the compressive and tensile strengths by 17.15% and 25.72% at room temperature and by at least 6% and 20% after high temperature, compared to the concrete without fiber dosing. Moreover, the stress–strain constitutive equations of PPF concrete at normal temperature and after high temperature were established, which can be used for finite element simulation and related mechanical analysis of PPF after high temperature.
Unlocking the Potential of Keyword Extraction: The Need for Access to High-Quality Datasets
Authors: Amur Zaira Hassan , Hooi Yew Kwang , Soomro Gul Muhammad , Bhanbhro Hina , Karyem Said , Sohu Najamudin
Published: June 2023

Keyword extraction is a critical task that enables various applications, including text classification, sentiment analysis, and information retrieval. However, the lack of a suitable dataset for semantic analysis of keyword extraction remains a serious problem that hinders progress in this field. Although some datasets exist for this task, they may not be representative, diverse, or of high quality, leading to suboptimal performance, inaccurate results, and reduced efficiency. To address this issue, we conducted a study to identify a suitable dataset for keyword extraction based on three key factors: dataset structure, complexity, and quality. The structure of a dataset should contain real-time data that is easily accessible and readable. The complexity should also reflect the diversity of sentences and their distribution in real-world scenarios. Finally, the quality of the dataset is a crucial factor in selecting a suitable dataset for keyword extraction. The quality depends on its accuracy, consistency, and completeness. The dataset should be annotated with high-quality labels that accurately reflect the keywords in the text. It should also be complete, with enough examples to accurately evaluate the performance of keyword extraction algorithms. Consistency in annotations is also essential, ensuring that the dataset is reliable and useful for further research.
Impact of Gaseous Pollutants Reduction on Fine Particulate Matter and Its Secondary Inorganic Aerosols in Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei Region
Authors: Wei Zhe , Mohamed Tahrin Norhaslinda
Published: June 2023

A reduction in gaseous pollutants is an important method for mitigating PM2.5 concentration in the atmosphere, and the reduction in SO2/NH3/NOx is beneficial to control secondary inorganic aerosols in PM2.5. In this study, the Weather Research and Forecasting model with Chemistry model (WRF-Chem) was applied to study the impact on the PM2.5 and its secondary inorganic aerosols using the scenario simulation method in the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei (BTH) region. The results showed that the BTH region is characterized by being NH3-rich and having a higher [NH4+]/[SO42−] ratio in southern BTH, with a ratio of more than 6.0. Source contribution to PM2.5 was highest in the 30%_SO2_40%_NH3_40%_NOx scenario, with a contribution ratio of 6.8%, followed by 3.8% contribution in the 30%_SO2_40%_NH3 scenario, and a 3.4% contribution in the 30%_SO2_60%_NH3_60%_NOx scenario. These results indicate that synergistic reduction measures may be suitable for controlling PM2.5 concentrations. A lower sensitivity factor, β value between PM2.5 and NH3 suggests that solely reducing NH3 emissions is not beneficial for the BTH region. However, this study indicates that the sensitivity of NO3− would improve significantly if NH3 emissions are reduced sharply. A slight reduction in NH3 was found to be beneficial for controlling NO3− in medium and small cities, while a significant decrease in NH3 would be more suitable for mega-cities. The study also observed that SO42− and its constituents continued to decrease with a consistent β value of approximately 0.14 in the 30%_SO2_%_NH3 scenario and between 10.5 and 12.8 in the 30%_SO2_%_NH3_%_NOx scenario. These findings suggest that a synergistic reduction in SO2-NH3-NOx emissions may be more effective in reducing PM2.5 concentrations and its secondary inorganic aerosols (SIAs). However, it is important to ensure that the reduction in NH3 and NOx exceeds 60% in low SO2 concentration conditions.
Estimating Precipitation Using LSTM-Based Raindrop Spectrum in Guizhou
Authors: Wang Fuzeng , Cao Yaxi , Wang Qiusong , Zhang Tong , Su Debin
Published: June 2023

The change in raindrop spectrum characteristics is an important factor affecting the accuracy of estimations of precipitation. The in-depth study of raindrop spectrum characteristics is of great interest for understanding precipitation process and improving quantitative radar precipitation estimation. In this paper, the raindrop size distributions at Longli (57913), Puding (57808) and Luodian (57916) stations in Guizhou were analyzed from the perspective of precipitation microphysical characteristics. The results showed that the raindrop size distribution was different among different regions. The correlation coefficients of the mass-weighted average diameter for the rain intensities at these three stations were 46.89%, 49.51%, and 47.03%, respectively, which were slightly lower than the normal correlation coefficients of the average volume diameter for the rain intensities: 67.80%, 71.28%, and 71.46%, respectively. Based on the data from the Guiyang weather radar, raindrop spectrometer, and automatic rain gauge, the dynamic Z-I relationship method and the LSTM neural network method were used to estimate precipitation. The correlation coefficients of the dynamic Z-I relationship method and the LSTM neural network method at the three stations studied were 0.8432, 0.7763, and 0.8658 and 0.8745, 0.9125, and 0.8676, respectively. Regarding the process of stratiform cloud precipitation, the correlation coefficients of the dynamic Z-I relationship method and LSTM neural network method at the three stations were 0.6933, 0.0902, and 0.1409 and 0.7114, 0.4984, and 0.4902, respectively. In the estimation of cumulative precipitation for 45 days from 1 July to 16 August 2020, the relative errors of the neural network estimation at the three stations were −4.25%, −11.35%, and −8.68% and the relative errors of the dynamic Z-I relationship estimation were −2.68%, −7.41%, and −21.23%, respectively. The final relative error of the neural network was slightly worse than that of the dynamic Z-I relationship in the cumulative precipitation estimations of Longli station and Puding station, but the overall correlation coefficients of the LSTM neural network method were better than those of the dynamic Z-I relationship method.
A New Progressive EOFs Quality Control Method for Surface Pressure Data Based on the Barometric Height and Biweight Average Correction
Authors: Liu Peiting , Xu Zhifang , Gong Jiandong , Chen Wei
Published: June 2023

When assimilating surface pressure data in synoptic-scale models, we find the utilization rate of surface pressure data in zones with complex terrains is not high. Therefore, it is particularly important and urgent to carry out quality control of surface pressure data. Numerical weather prediction model analysis and forecasting provide essential data that can be compared with surface observations. The main adverse effects on surface pressure quality control include elevation differences between the model terrain and the observation stations and continuous outliers with the same characteristics in the initiation stage of quality control. Therefore, we propose a progressive empirical orthogonal function (EOF) with simulated observation (EOFs) combining barometric height correction (BHC) and biweight average correction (BAC) methods for the quality control of surface pressure data in this study. From the quality control results of the surface pressure data in regions with complex topography in China during June–August 2013, it was found that the BHC method could effectively reduce the deviations caused by elevation differences between the model terrain and the observation stations, and the BAC method could obviously reduce systematic deviations due to physical processes and the parameterization schemes of the models. The BHC-BAC method integrated the advantages of both methods and had the best correction effect. When continuous outliers with the same characteristics occurred in the initiation stage of quality control, the progressive EOF method might unreasonably eliminate observations. However, the progressive EOFs method could effectively solve this problem and had better performance in data quality control. The progressive EOFs quality control method with the combined BHC-BAC method could obviously reject outliers. The observation increment (deviations between observations and background field) after quality control by the progressive EOFs method was the closest to normal distribution, satisfying the Gaussian distribution assumption of data assimilation.
Spatial Analysis of Heavy Metal Pollution in Road-Deposited Sediments Based on the Traffic Intensity of a Megacity
Authors: Goya-Heredia Angélica Vanessa , Zafra-Mejía Carlos Alfonso , Rondón-Quintana Hugo Alexander
Published: June 2023

Population growth has led to the intensification of average daily traffic (ADT), highlighting vehicles as one of the major sources of heavy metal (HM) pollution in cities. The objective of this paper is to conduct a spatial analysis of the HM pollution associated with road-deposited sediments (RDSs), based on the ADT observed in the main roads of a Latin American megacity (Bogotá, Colombia). The following risk indices were considered: Geoaccumulation Index (Igeo), Integrated Pollution Index (IPI), Ecological Risk Index (ERI), Comprehensive Potential Ecological Risk Index (CERI), Hazard Index (HI), and Carcinogenic Risk Index (CRI). The findings confirm that a size fraction < 250 μm is the most suitable for studying the risk of HMs in the RDS from the indices considered. The best HMs indicative of the relationship with ADT are Ni, Cu, and Pb. The Pb is the HM of most attention, and Cr gains positions for its toxicity level during the evaluation of ecological, non-carcinogenic, and carcinogenic risks, respectively. Finally, the linear regression models developed between ADT and each of the risk indices considered have a better fit (R2 > 0.910) compared to the linear regression models developed between ADT and HM concentrations (R2 > 0.322).
Measurement of the Tensor-Analyzing Power Component T20 for Incoherent Negative Pion Photoproduction on a Deuteron
Authors: Kuzmenko Anna , Gauzshtein Vyacheslav , Darwish Eed , Fix Alexander , Kuzin Matvey , Levchuk Michael , Loginov Alexey , Nikolenko Dmitriy , Rachek Igor , Shestakov Yuriy , Toporkov Dmitriy , Yurchenko Arseniy , Vasilishin Bogdan , Zevakov Sergey
Published: June 2023

New results for the T20-component of the tensor-analyzing power of the incoherent negative pion photoproduction are presented. The experiment was performed for the electron beam energy of 800 MeV at the VEPP-3 storage ring in 2021. To extract the T20-component, we used asymmetry with respect to the change in the sign of the tensor polarization of the deuteron target. Identification of the reaction events was carried out by the detection of two protons in coincidence. Experimental data were compared with the results of statistical simulation, considering the interaction between the NN and πN subsystems in the final state of the reaction.
Scattering of X-ray Ultrashort Laser Pulses on Bound Electrons in Dense Plasma
Authors: Khramov Egor Sergeevich , Astapenko Valery Alexandrovich
Published: June 2023

We considered the resonance scattering of ultrashort laser pulses (USLP) on the bound electrons of hydrogen-like ions in a dense plasma. A process description was proposed in terms of full scattering probability during the time of pulse action. Dense plasma’s effect was demonstrated at the resonance scattering cross-section spectrum, and the probability dependence on USLP carrier frequency and duration was obtained for the cases of isolated ions and ions in a dense plasma.
Study on the Nonlinear Dynamics of the (3+1)-Dimensional Jimbo-Miwa Equation in Plasma Physics
Authors: Xu Peng , Zhang Bing-Qi , Huang Huan , Wang Kang-Jia
Published: June 2023

The Jimbo-Miwa equation (JME) that describes certain interesting (3+1)-dimensional waves in plasma physics is studied in this work. The Hirota bilinear equation is developed via the Cole-Hopf transform. Then, the symbolic computation, together with the ansatz function schemes, are utilized to seek exact solutions. Some new solutions, such as the multi-wave complexiton solution (MWCS), multi-wave solution (MWS) and periodic lump solution (PLS), are successfully constructed. Additionally, different types of travelling wave solutions (TWS), including the dark, bright-dark and singular periodic wave solutions, are disclosed by employing the sub-equation method. Finally, the physical characteristics and interaction behaviors of the extracted solutions are depicted graphically by assigning appropriate parameters. The obtained outcomes in this paper are more general and newer. Additionally, they reveal that the used methods are concise, direct, and can be employed to study other partial differential equations (PDEs) in physics.
An Efficient Non-Standard Numerical Scheme Coupled with a Compact Finite Difference Method to Solve the One-Dimensional Burgers’ Equation
Authors: Kaur Komalpreet , Singh Gurjinder
Published: June 2023

This article proposes a family of non-standard methods coupled with compact finite differences to numerically integrate the non-linear Burgers’ equation. Firstly, a family of non-standard methods is derived to deal with a system of ordinary differential equations (ODEs) arising from the semi-discretization of initial-boundary value partial differential equations (PDEs). Further, a method of this family is considered as a special case and coupled with a fourth-order compact finite difference resulting in a combined numerical scheme to solve initial-boundary value PDEs. The combined scheme has first-order accuracy in time and fourth-order accuracy in space. Some basic characteristics of the scheme are analysed and a section concerning the numerical experiments is presented demonstrating the good performance of the combined numerical scheme.
The Investigation of Dynamical Behavior of Benjamin–Bona–Mahony–Burger Equation with Different Differential Operators Using Two Analytical Approaches
Authors: Wang Xiaoming , Ansar Rimsha , Abbas Muhammad , Abdullah Farah Aini , Abualnaja Khadijah M.
Published: June 2023

The dynamic behavior variation of the Benjamin–Bona–Mahony–Burger (BBM-Burger) equation has been investigated in this paper. The modified auxiliary equation method (MAEM) and Ricatti–Bernoulli (RB) sub-ODE method, two of the most reliable and useful analytical approaches, are used to construct soliton solutions for the proposed model. We demonstrate some of the extracted solutions using definitions of the β-derivative, conformable derivative (CD), and M-truncated derivatives (M-TD) to understand their dynamic behavior. The hyperbolic and trigonometric functions are used to derive the analytical solutions for the given model. As a consequence, dark, bell-shaped, anti-bell, M-shaped, W-shaped, kink soliton, and solitary wave soliton solutions are obtained. We observe the fractional parameter impact of the derivatives on physical phenomena. The BBM-Burger equation is functional in describing the propagation of long unidirectional waves in many nonlinear diffusive systems. The 2D and 3D graphs have been presented to confirm the behavior of analytical wave solutions.
New Applications of Faber Polynomials and q-Fractional Calculus for a New Subclass of m-Fold Symmetric bi-Close-to-Convex Functions
Authors: Khan Mohammad Faisal , Al-Shaikh Suha B. , Abubaker Ahmad A. , Matarneh Khaled
Published: June 2023

Using the concepts of q-fractional calculus operator theory, we first define a (λ,q)-differintegral operator, and we then use m-fold symmetric functions to discover a new family of bi-close-to-convex functions. First, we estimate the general Taylor–Maclaurin coefficient bounds for a newly established class using the Faber polynomial expansion method. In addition, the Faber polynomial method is used to examine the Fekete–Szegö problem and the unpredictable behavior of the initial coefficient bounds of the functions that belong to the newly established class of m-fold symmetric bi-close-to-convex functions. Our key results are both novel and consistent with prior research, so we highlight a few of their important corollaries for a comparison.
Using Micro-Electrode-Array Recordings and Retinal Disease Models to Elucidate Visual Functions: Simultaneous Recording of Local Electroretinograms and Ganglion Cell Action Potentials Reveals the Origin of Retinal Oscillatory Potentials
Authors: Haq Wadood , Zrenner Eberhart , Ueffing Marius , Paquet-Durand François
Published: June 2023

Background: The electroretinogram (ERG) is an essential diagnostic tool for visual function, both in clinical and research settings. Here, we establish an advanced in vitro approach to assess cell-type-specific ERG signal components. Methods: Retinal explant cultures, maintained under entirely controlled conditions, were derived from wild-type mice and rd10 rod- and cpfl1 cone-degeneration mouse models. Local micro-ERG (µERG) and simultaneous ganglion cell (GC) recordings were obtained from the retinal explants using multi-electrode arrays. Band-pass filtering was employed to distinguish photoreceptor, bipolar cell, amacrine cell (AC), and GC responses. Results: Scotopic and photopic stimulation discriminated between rod and cone responses in wild-type and mutant retina. The 25 kHz sampling rate allowed the visualization of oscillatory potentials (OPs) in extraordinary detail, revealing temporal correlations between OPs and GC responses. Pharmacological isolation of different retinal circuits found that OPs are generated by inner retinal AC electrical synapses. Importantly, this AC activity helped synchronise GC activity. Conclusion: Our µERG protocol simultaneously records the light-dependent activities of the first-, second-, and third-order neurons within the native neuronal circuitry, providing unprecedented insights into retinal physiology and pathophysiology. This method now also enables complete in vitro retinal function testing of therapeutic interventions, providing critical guidance for later in vivo investigations.
Deciphering Plant-Insect-Microorganism Signals for Sustainable Crop Production
Authors: Thomas Gareth , Rusman Quint , Morrison William R. , Magalhães Diego M. , Dowell Jordan A. , Ngumbi Esther , Osei-Owusu Jonathan , Kansman Jessica , Gaffke Alexander , Pagadala Damodaram Kamala Jayanthi , Kim Seong Jong , Tabanca Nurhayat
Published: June 2023

Agricultural crop productivity relies on the application of chemical pesticides to reduce pest and pathogen damage. However, chemical pesticides also pose a range of ecological, environmental and economic penalties. This includes the development of pesticide resistance by insect pests and pathogens, rendering pesticides less effective. Alternative sustainable crop protection tools should therefore be considered. Semiochemicals are signalling molecules produced by organisms, including plants, microbes, and animals, which cause behavioural or developmental changes in receiving organisms. Manipulating semiochemicals could provide a more sustainable approach to the management of insect pests and pathogens across crops. Here, we review the role of semiochemicals in the interaction between plants, insects and microbes, including examples of how they have been applied to agricultural systems. We highlight future research priorities to be considered for semiochemicals to be credible alternatives to the application of chemical pesticides.
Efflux Pump-Binding 4(3-Aminocyclobutyl)Pyrimidin-2-Amines Are Colloidal Aggregators
Authors: Szal Tania , Chauhan Shweta Singh , Lewe Philipp , Rachad Fatima-Zahra , Madre Marina , Paunina Laura , Witt Susanne , Parthasarathi Ramakrishnan , Windshügel Björn
Published: June 2023

Efflux pumps are a relevant factor in antimicrobial resistance. In E. coli, the tripartite efflux pump AcrAB-TolC removes a chemically diverse set of antibiotics from the bacterium. Therefore, small molecules interfering with efflux pump function are considered adjuvants for improving antimicrobial therapies. Several compounds targeting the periplasmic adapter protein AcrA and the efflux pump AcrB have been identified to act synergistically with different antibiotics. Among those, several 4(3-aminocyclobutyl)pyrimidin-2-amines have been shown to bind to both proteins. In this study, we intended to identify analogs of these substances with improved binding affinity to AcrA using virtual screening followed by experimental validation. While we succeeded in identifying several compounds showing a synergistic effect with erythromycin on E. coli, biophysical studies suggested that 4(3-aminocyclobutyl)pyrimidin-2-amines form colloidal aggregates that do not bind specifically to AcrA. Therefore, these substances are not suited for further development. Our study emphasizes the importance of implementing additional control experiments to identify aggregators among bioactive compounds.
The Way to Malignant Transformation: Can Epigenetic Alterations Be Used to Diagnose Early-Stage Head and Neck Cancer?
Authors: Lai Ting-Yu , Ko Ying-Chieh , Chen Yu-Lian , Lin Su-Fang
Published: June 2023

Identifying and treating tumors early is the key to secondary prevention in cancer control. At present, prevention of oral cancer is still challenging because the molecular drivers responsible for malignant transformation of the 11 clinically defined oral potentially malignant disorders are still unknown. In this review, we focused on studies that elucidate the epigenetic alterations demarcating malignant and nonmalignant epigenomes and prioritized findings from clinical samples. Head and neck included, the genomes of many cancer types are largely hypomethylated and accompanied by focal hypermethylation on certain specific regions. We revisited prior studies that demonstrated that sufficient uptake of folate, the primary dietary methyl donor, is associated with oral cancer reduction. As epigenetically driven phenotypic plasticity, a newly recognized hallmark of cancer, has been linked to tumor initiation, cell fate determination, and drug resistance, we discussed prior findings that might be associated with this hallmark, including gene clusters (11q13.3, 19q13.43, 20q11.2, 22q11-13) with great potential for oral cancer biomarkers, and successful examples in screening early-stage nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Although one-size-fits-all approaches have been shown to be ineffective in most cancer therapies, the rapid development of epigenome sequencing methods raises the possibility that this nonmutagenic approach may be an exception. Only time will tell.
Risk Factors of Ixekizumab-Induced Injection Site Reactions in Patients with Psoriatic Diseases: Report from a Single Medical Center
Authors: Chiu I-Heng , Tsai Tsen-Fang
Published: June 2023

Ixekizumab (Taltz®) is a humanized anti-IL-17A monoclonal antibody approved for the treatment of various inflammatory diseases including psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. Despite the favorable efficacy and safety, ixekizumab is also known for its high incidence of injection site reactions (ISRs), ranging from 6% to 55% in different studies according to different definitions and studied population. However, specific risk factors for ixekizumab-induced injection site reactions in patients with psoriatic diseases had not been well studied. In this retrospective study, we found that overweight or obesity might be a protective predictor for the occurrence of ixekizumab-induced ISRs in patients with psoriatic disease. Meanwhile, having a positive family history of psoriasis might be a potential risk factor. Last but not least, patients with diarrhea following ixekizumab injection were associated with a higher risk of developing ISRs. Future high-quality studies with larger samples are warranted to verify the relationship.
Efficacy of Immune Checkpoint Blockade and Biomarkers of Response in Lymphoma: A Narrative Review
Authors: Perdikis-Prati Sarah , Sheikh Semira , Bouroumeau Antonin , Lang Noémie
Published: June 2023

Immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) has revolutionized the prognosis of several advanced-stage solid tumors. However, its success has been far more limited in hematological malignancies and is mostly restricted to classical Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL) and primary mediastinal B cell lymphoma (PMBCL). In patients with non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), response to PD-1/PD-L1 ICB monotherapy has been relatively limited, although some subtypes are more sensitive than others. Numerous predictive biomarkers have been investigated in solid malignancies, such as PD-L1 expression, tumor mutational burden (TMB) and microsatellite instability (MSI), among others. This review aims to appraise the current knowledge on PD-1/PD-L1 ICB efficacy in lymphoma when used either as monotherapy or combined with other agents, and describes potential biomarkers of response in this specific setting.
Experimental Data on the Role of Melatonin in the Pathogenesis of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease
Authors: Terziev Dimitar , Terzieva Dora
Published: June 2023

Despite the increasing prevalence of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) worldwide, its complex pathogenesis remains incompletely understood. The currently stated hypotheses cannot fully clarify the interrelationships between individual pathogenetic mechanisms of the disease. No appropriate health strategies have been developed for treating NAFLD. NAFLD is characterized by an accumulation of triglycerides in hepatic cells (steatosis), with the advanced form known as nonalcoholic steatohepatitis. In the latter, superimposed inflammation can lead to fibrosis. There are scientific data on NAFLD’s association with components of metabolic syndrome. Hormonal factors are thought to play a role in the development of metabolic syndrome. Endogenous melatonin, an indoleamine hormone synthesized by the pineal gland mainly at night, is a powerful chronobiotic that probably regulates metabolic processes and has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and genomic effects. Extrapineal melatonin has been found in various tissues and organs, including the liver, pancreas, and gastrointestinal tract, where it likely maintains cellular homeostasis. Melatonin exerts its effects on NAFLD at the cellular, subcellular, and molecular levels, affecting numerous signaling pathways. In this review article, we discuss the experimental scientific data accumulated on the involvement of melatonin in the intimate processes of the pathogenesis of NAFLD.
Checkpoint Inhibitors in Acute Myeloid Leukemia
Authors: Damiani Daniela , Tiribelli Mario
Published: June 2023

The prognosis of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) remains unsatisfactory. Among the reasons for the poor response to therapy and high incidence of relapse, there is tumor cell immune escape, as AML blasts can negatively influence various components of the immune system, mostly weakening T-cells. Since leukemic cells can dysregulate immune checkpoints (ICs), receptor-based signal transductors that lead to the negative regulation of T-cells and, eventually, to immune surveillance escape, the inhibition of ICs is a promising therapeutic strategy and has led to the development of so-called immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). ICIs, in combination with conventional chemotherapy, hypomethylating agents or targeted therapies, are being increasingly tested in cases of AML, but the results reported are often conflicting. Here, we review the main issues concerning the immune system in AML, the main pathways leading to immune escape and the results obtained from clinical trials of ICIs, alone or in combination, in newly diagnosed or relapsed/refractory AML.
Current State and Prospectives for Proton Boron Capture Therapy
Authors: Tran Nhan Hau , Shtam Tatiana , Marchenko Yaroslav Yu , Konevega Andrey L. , Lebedev Dmitry
Published: June 2023

The development of new methods increasing the biological effectiveness of proton therapy (PT) is of high interest in radiation oncology. The use of binary technologies, in which the damaging effect of proton radiation is further enhanced by the selective accumulation of the radiosensitizer in the target tissue, can significantly increase the effectiveness of radiation therapy. To increase the absorbed dose in a tumor target, proton boron capture therapy (PBCT) was proposed based on the reaction of proton capture on the 11B isotope with the formation of three α-particles. This review summarizes data on theoretical and experimental studies on the effectiveness and prospects of proton boron capture therapy.
Evaluation of Bone Regenerative Capacity in Rabbit Femoral Defect Using Thermally Disinfected Bone Human Femoral Head Combined with Platelet-Rich Plasma, Recombinant Human Bone Morphogenetic Protein 2, and Zoledronic Acid
Authors: Saginova Dina , Tashmetov Elyarbek , Kamyshanskiy Yevgeniy , Tuleubayev Berik , Rimashevskiy Denis
Published: June 2023

This research aimed to assess the effect of bone allograft combined with platelet-rich plasma (PRP), recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-2 (rhBMP-2), and zoledronic acid (Zol) on bone formation. A total of 96 rabbits were used, and femoral bone defects (5 mm) were created. The rabbits were divided into four groups: (1) bone allograft with PRP (AG + PRP), (2) bone allograft with rhBMP-2 5 μg (AG + BMP-2), (3) bone allograft with Zol 5 μg (AG + Zol), and (4) bone allograft (AG). A histopathological examination was performed to evaluate bone defect healing after 14, 30, and 60 days. The new bone formation and neovascularization inside the bone allograft was significantly greater in the AG + PRP group compared to AG and AG + Zol groups after 14 and 30 days (p < 0.001). The use of bone allograft with rhBMP-2 induced higher bone formation compared to AG and AG + Zol groups on days 14 and 30 (p < 0.001), but excessive osteoclast activity was observed on day 60. The local co-administration of Zol with a heat-treated allograft inhibits allograft resorption as well as new bone formation at all periods. In conclusion, this study demonstrated that PRP and rhBMP-2, combined with a Marburg bone allograft, can significantly promote bone formation in the early stage of bone defect healing.
Learning the Biochemical Basis of Axonal Guidance: Using Caenorhabditis elegans as a Model
Authors: Teixeira-Castro Andreia , Sousa João Carlos , Vieira Cármen , Pereira-Sousa Joana , Vilasboas-Campos Daniela , Marques Fernanda , Pinto-do-Ó Perpétua , Maciel Patrícia
Published: June 2023

Aim: Experimental models are a powerful aid in visualizing molecular phenomena. This work reports how the worm Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) can be effectively explored for students to learn how molecular cues dramatically condition axonal guidance and define nervous system structure and behavior at the organism level. Summary of work: A loosely oriented observational activity preceded detailed discussions on molecules implied in axonal migration. C. elegans mutants were used to introduce second-year medical students to the deleterious effects of gene malfunctioning in neuron response to extracellular biochemical cues and to establish links between molecular function, nervous system structure, and animal behavior. Students observed C. elegans cultures and associated animal behavior alterations with the lack of function of specific axon guidance molecules (the soluble cue netrin/UNC-6 or two receptors, DCC/UNC-40 and UNC-5H). Microscopical observations of these strains, in combination with pan-neuronal GFP expression, allowed optimal visualization of severely affected neurons. Once the list of mutated genes in each strain was displayed, students could also relate abnormal patterns in axon migration/ventral and dorsal nerve cord neuron formation in C. elegans with mutated molecular components homologous to those in humans. Summary of results: Students rated the importance and effectiveness of the activity very highly. Ninety-three percent found it helpful to grasp human axonal migration, and all students were surprised with the power of the model in helping to visualize the phenomenon.
Diffuse, Adult-Onset Nesidioblastosis/Non-Insulinoma Pancreatogenous Hypoglycemia Syndrome (NIPHS): Review of the Literature of a Rare Cause of Hyperinsulinemic Hypoglycemia
Authors: Dieterle Martin Philipp , Husari Ayman , Prozmann Sophie Nicole , Wiethoff Hendrik , Stenzinger Albrecht , Röhrich Manuel , Pfeiffer Uwe , Kießling Wolfgang Rüdiger , Engel Helena , Sourij Harald , Steinberg Thorsten , Tomakidi Pascal , Kopf Stefan , Szendroedi Julia
Published: June 2023

Differential diagnosis of hypoglycemia in the non-diabetic adult patient is complex and comprises various diseases, including endogenous hyperinsulinism caused by functional β-cell disorders. The latter is also designated as nesidioblastosis or non-insulinoma pancreatogenous hypoglycemia syndrome (NIPHS). Clinically, this rare disease presents with unspecific adrenergic and neuroglycopenic symptoms and is, therefore, often overlooked. A combination of careful clinical assessment, oral glucose tolerance testing, 72 h fasting, sectional and functional imaging, and invasive insulin measurements can lead to the correct diagnosis. Due to a lack of a pathophysiological understanding of the condition, conservative treatment options are limited and mostly ineffective. Therefore, nearly all patients currently undergo surgical resection of parts or the entire pancreas. Consequently, apart from faster diagnosis, more elaborate and less invasive treatment options are needed to relieve the patients from the dangerous and devastating symptoms. Based on a case of a 23-year-old man presenting with this disease in our department, we performed an extensive review of the medical literature dealing with this condition and herein presented a comprehensive discussion of this interesting disease, including all aspects from epidemiology to therapy.
MSF-Net: A Lightweight Multi-Scale Feature Fusion Network for Skin Lesion Segmentation
Authors: Shao Dangguo , Ren Lifan , Ma Lei
Published: June 2023

Segmentation of skin lesion images facilitates the early diagnosis of melanoma. However, this remains a challenging task due to the diversity of target scales, irregular segmentation shapes, low contrast, and blurred boundaries of dermatological graphics. This paper proposes a multi-scale feature fusion network (MSF-Net) based on comprehensive attention convolutional neural network (CA-Net). We introduce the spatial attention mechanism in the convolution block through the residual connection to focus on the key regions. Meanwhile, Multi-scale Dilated Convolution Modules (MDC) and Multi-scale Feature Fusion Modules (MFF) are introduced to extract context information across scales and adaptively adjust the receptive field size of the feature map. We conducted many experiments on the public data set ISIC2018 to verify the validity of MSF-Net. The ablation experiment demonstrated the effectiveness of our three modules. The comparison experiment with the existing advanced network confirms that MSF-Net can achieve better segmentation under fewer parameters.
Design, Modeling, and Control of an Aurelia-Inspired Robot Based on SMA Artificial Muscles
Authors: Yang Yihan , Chu Chenzhong , Jin Hu , Hu Qiqiang , Xu Min , Dong Erbao
Published: June 2023

This paper presented a flexible and easily fabricated untethered underwater robot inspired by Aurelia, which is named “Au-robot”. The Au-robot is actuated by six radial fins made of shape memory alloy (SMA) artificial muscle modules, which can realize pulse jet propulsion motion. The thrust model of the Au-robot’s underwater motion is developed and analyzed. To achieve a multimodal and smooth swimming transition for the Au-robot, a control method integrating a central pattern generator (CPG) and an adaptive regulation (AR) heating strategy is provided. The experimental results demonstrate that the Au-robot, with good bionic properties in structure and movement mode, can achieve a smooth transition from low-frequency swimming to high-frequency swimming with an average maximum instantaneous velocity of 12.61 cm/s. It shows that a robot designed and fabricated with artificial muscle can imitate biological structures and movement traits more realistically and has better motor performance.
A Review of Epidermal Flexible Pressure Sensing Arrays
Authors: Nan Xueli , Xu Zhikuan , Cao Xinxin , Hao Jinjin , Wang Xin , Duan Qikai , Wu Guirong , Hu Liangwei , Zhao Yunlong , Yang Zekun , Gao Libo
Published: June 2023

In recent years, flexible pressure sensing arrays applied in medical monitoring, human-machine interaction, and the Internet of Things have received a lot of attention for their excellent performance. Epidermal sensing arrays can enable the sensing of physiological information, pressure, and other information such as haptics, providing new avenues for the development of wearable devices. This paper reviews the recent research progress on epidermal flexible pressure sensing arrays. Firstly, the fantastic performance materials currently used to prepare flexible pressure sensing arrays are outlined in terms of substrate layer, electrode layer, and sensitive layer. In addition, the general fabrication processes of the materials are summarized, including three-dimensional (3D) printing, screen printing, and laser engraving. Subsequently, the electrode layer structures and sensitive layer microstructures used to further improve the performance design of sensing arrays are discussed based on the limitations of the materials. Furthermore, we present recent advances in the application of fantastic-performance epidermal flexible pressure sensing arrays and their integration with back-end circuits. Finally, the potential challenges and development prospects of flexible pressure sensing arrays are discussed in a comprehensive manner.
The Optimization of a Label-Free Electrochemical DNA Biosensor for Detection of Sus scrofa mtDNA as Food Adulterations
Authors: Hartati Yeni Wahyuni , Irkham Irkham , Sumiati Iis , Wyantuti Santhy , Gaffar Shabarni , Zakiyyah Salma Nur , Zein Muhammad Ihda H. L. , Ozsoz Mehmet
Published: June 2023

Fast, sensitive, and easy-to-use methods for detecting DNA related to food adulteration, health, religious, and commercial purposes are evolving. In this research, a label-free electrochemical DNA biosensor method was developed for the detection of pork in processed meat samples. Gold electrodeposited screen-printed carbon electrodes (SPCEs) were used and characterized using SEM and cyclic voltammetry. A biotinylated probe DNA sequence of the Cyt b S. scrofa gene mtDNA used as a sensing element containing guanine substituted by inosine bases. The detection of probe-target DNA hybridization on the streptavidin-modified gold SPCE surface was carried out by the peak guanine oxidation of the target using differential pulse voltammetry (DPV). The optimum experimental conditions of data processing using the Box–Behnken design were obtained after 90 min of streptavidin incubation time, at the DNA probe concentration of 1.0 µg/mL, and after 5 min of probe-target DNA hybridization. The detection limit was 0.135 µg/mL, with a linearity range of 0.5–1.5 µg/mL. The resulting current response indicated that this detection method was selective against 5% pork DNA in a mixture of meat samples. This electrochemical biosensor method can be developed into a portable point-of-care detection method for the presence of pork or food adulterations.
A Novel Fluorescent Probe for the Detection of Hydrogen Peroxide
Authors: Wang Kangkang , Yao Tingting , Xue Jiayu , Guo Yanqiu , Xu Xiaowei
Published: June 2023

Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) is one of the important reactive oxygen species (ROS), which is closely related to many pathological and physiological processes in living organisms. Excessive H2O2 can lead to cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and other diseases, so it is necessary to detect H2O2 in living cells. Since this work designed a novel fluorescent probe to detect the concentration of H2O2, the H2O2 reaction group arylboric acid was attached to the fluorescein 3-Acetyl-7-hydroxycoumarin as a specific recognition group for the selective detection of hydrogen peroxide. The experimental results show that the probe can effectively detect H2O2 with high selectivity and measure cellular ROS levels. Therefore, this novel fluorescent probe provides a potential monitoring tool for a variety of diseases caused by H2O2 excess.