bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effects of Heat Stress on Bovine Oocytes and Early Embryonic Development—An Update
Authors: Miętkiewska Klaudia , Kordowitzki Pawel , Pareek Chandra S.
Published: December 2022

Heat stress is a major threat to cattle reproduction today. It has been shown that the effect of high temperature not only has a negative effect on the hormonal balance, but also directly affects the quality of oocytes, disrupting the function of mitochondria, fragmenting their DNA and changing their maternal transcription. Studies suggest that the induction of HSP70 may reduce the apoptosis of granular layer cells caused by heat stress. It has been shown that the changes at the transcriptome level caused by heat stress are consistent with 46.4% of blastocyst development disorders. Cows from calves exposed to thermal stress in utero have a lower milk yield in their lifetime, exhibit immunological disorders, have a lower birth weight and display a shorter lifespan related to the expedited aging. In order to protect cow reproduction, the effects of heat stress at the intracellular and molecular levels should be tracked step by step, and the impacts of the dysregulation of thermal homeostasis (i.e., hyperthermy) should be taken into account.
Structure and Bonding in Planar Hypercoordinate Carbon Compounds
Authors: Das Prasenjit , Chattaraj Pratim Kumar
Published: December 2022

The term hypercoordination refers to the extent of the coordination of an element by its normal value. In the hypercoordination sphere, the element can achieve planar and/or non-planar molecular shape. Hence, planar hypercoordinate carbon species violate two structural rules: (i) The highest coordination number of carbon is four and (ii) the tetrahedral orientation by the connected elements and/or groups. The unusual planar orientations are mostly stabilized by the electronic interactions of the central atom with the surrounding ligands. In this review article, we will talk about the current progress in the theoretical prediction of viable planar hypercoordinate carbon compounds. Primary knowledge of the planar hypercoordinate chemistry will lead to its forthcoming expansion. Experimental and theoretical interests in planar tetracoordinate carbon (ptC), planar pentacoordinate carbon (ppC), and planar hexacoordinate carbon (phC) are continued. The proposed electronic and mechanical strategies are helpful for the designing of the ptC compounds. Moreover, the 18-valence electron rule can guide the design of new ptC clusters computationally as well as experimentally. However, the counting of 18-valence electrons is not a requisite condition to contain a ptC in a cluster. Furthermore, this ptC idea is expanded to the probability of a greater coordination number of carbon in planar orientations. Unfortunately, until now, there are no such logical approaches to designing ppC, phC, or higher-coordinate carbon molecules/ions. There exist a few global minimum structures of phC clusters identified computationally, but none have been detected experimentally. All planar hypercoordinate carbon species in the global minima may be feasible in the gas phase.
Kullback–Leibler Importance Estimation Procedure to Improve Gas Quantification in an Electronic Nose
Authors: Piracoca Gordillo Daniel Alejandro , Cardenas Castellanos Maria Camila , Torres Barrera David Nicolás , Escobar Gomez Jaime Alberto , Nieto Sanchez Juan Felipe , Leon-Medina Jersson X.
Published: December 2022

An electronic nose sensor array can classify and quantify different types of gases; however, the sensor can alter its measurement capability over time. The main problem presented during the measurements of the sensors is related to the variation of the data acquired for long periods due to changes in the chemosensory response, thus affecting the correct functioning of the implemented measuring system. This research presents an approach to improve gas quantification through the implementation of machine learning regression techniques in an array of nose-type electronic sensors. The implemented methodology uses a domain adaptation approach with the Kullback–Leibler importance estimation procedure (KLIEP) to improve the performance of the gas quantification electronic nose array. This approach is validated using a three-year dataset measured by a 16-electronic-nose-sensor array. The R2 regression error obtained for each of the gases fits the resulting dataset’s measured values with good precision.
Effects of Integrative Autism Therapy on Multiple Physical, Sensory, Cognitive, and Social Integration Domains in Children and Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A 4-Week Follow-Up Study
Authors: Kim Yunhwan , Kim Mikyoung , Park Chanhee , You Joshua (Sung) H.
Published: December 2022

This study aimed to compare the effects of conventional autism therapy (CAT) and integrative autism therapy (IAT) in children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). A convenience sample of 24 children with ASD was recruited and underwent either CAT or IAT for 60 min/day, twice a week, for 20 sessions over 10 weeks. Outcome measures included the following: (1) physical domain (pediatric balance scale, PBS), (2) sensory domain (short sensory profile), (3) cognitive domains (functional independence measure, FIM; and childhood autism rating scale), and (4) social integration domain (Canadian occupational performance measure, COPM; short falls efficacy scale; and pediatrics quality of life questionnaire). Two-way repeated analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to determine the intervention-related changes in the four domains across the pre-test, post-test, and follow-up test at p < 0.05. ANOVA showed significant interaction effects on the PBS, FIM, and COPM (p < 0.05) variables. Moreover, time main effects (p < 0.05) were observed in all four domain variables, but no group main effect was noted. This study provides promising evidence that IAT is more effective than CAT for managing children and adolescents with ASD.
Identification of Candidate Genes Associated with Pulp Color by Transcriptomic Analysis of ‘Huaxiu’ Plum (Prunus salicina Lindl.) during Fruit-Ripening
Authors: Wang Gang , Weng Wenxin , Jia Zhanhui , Zhang Jiyu , Wang Tao , Xuan Jiping
Published: December 2022

The plum (Prunus salicina Lindl.) is one of the traditional and economically important stone fruit trees in China. Anthocyanins are important pigments in plums. However, little is known about the molecular mechanisms underlying anthocyanin accumulation in plum fruits, which has hindered research on the molecular mechanism of its utilization. Our research shows that the chlorophyll content was gradually decreased and the contents of anthocyanin and flavonoid increased during the coloring process of the pulp in ‘Huaxiu’ plums (P. salicina). Then, the RNA-Seq technique was used to analyze the transcriptome of pulp color changes with three different stages (yellow, orange, and red) in the ‘Huaxiu’ plum (P. salicina). A total of 57,119 unigenes with a mean length of 953 bp were generated, and 61.6% of them were annotated to public databases. The Gene Ontology (GO) database assigned 21,438 unigenes with biological process, cellular components, and molecular function. In addition, 32,146 unigenes were clustered into 25 categories for functional classification by the COG database, and 7595 unigenes were mapped to 128 KEGG pathways by the KEGG pathway database. Of these, 1095 (YS-versus-OS), 4947 (YS-versus-RS), and 3414 (OS-versus-RS) genes were significantly expressed differentially between two coloration stages. The GO and KEGG pathway enrichment analysis revealed that 20 and 1 differentially expressed genes (DEG) are involved in flavonoid biosynthesis and anthocyanin biosynthesis, respectively. Finally, we mainly identified three structural genes as candidate genes. The transcriptome information in this study provide a basis for further studies of pulp colors in plum and contribute to our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying anthocyanin biosynthesis in pulp.
Does the Nano Character and Type of Nano Silver Coating Affect Its Influence on Calcareous Soil Enzymes Activity?
Authors: Bazoobandi Ahmad , Fotovat Amir , Halajnia Akram , Philippe Allan
Published: December 2022

Numerous applications of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs), as well as the toxic effects of these particles on soil organisms and microorganisms, raise the question of how reasonable the entry of these nanoparticles into the environment is. Studying the behavior of these nanoparticles with soil organisms and also their effect on soil microorganisms may be the first step to finding out the answer. Structural and form differences in these nanoparticles for use in different conditions can change their behavior. The surface of these nanoparticles is covered with diverse coatings with differing surface charges affecting their fate in soil environments. Naturally, studying this aspect is essential to better understand how these particles impact the environment. In the present study, urease and dehydrogenase enzymes were used as soil health indicators to evaluate the effect of AgNPs and silver nitrate (AgNO3). In order to investigate the effect of surface charge, concentration, and exposure time, three concentration levels (5, 25, 125 mg/kg soil), three different types of charged coatings (citrate (Cit), polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) and polyethyleneimine (PEI)) were added to the soil as a treatment and the activities of dehydrogenase (as an indicator of overall microbial activity) and urease (indicator of nitrogen cycle) were measured at three times (1 h, 1 day and 90 days) after soil contamination. The results showed that with increasing the concentration of AgNO3 and AgNPs, the amount of dehydrogenase and urease activity decreased significantly. In the case of urease enzyme, nanoparticles with PEI coating (positive charge) had the greatest effect on reducing activity. In the case of dehydrogenase the opposite was true, and nanoparticles with Cit coating (negative charged) showed a greater inhibitory effect. With increasing incubation time, the amount of enzymatic activity of both types of enzymes showed less decrease, so that the greatest decrease in activity was in the first hour, then in the first day, and finally in 90 days. By comparing silver nitrate and nanoparticles it was found that the effect of AgNPs on enzymatic activity was greater than silver nitrate.
Geometric Tuning for Enhanced Moisture-Driven Electricity Generation Enabled by Graphene-Oxide Flakes
Authors: Anagnostou Katerina , Veisakis George , Kalogerakis Ioannis , Viskadouros George , Rogdakis Konstantinos , Kymakis Emmanuel
Published: December 2022

In this work, we formulate water-based graphene oxide (GO) inks to fabricate moisture energy generators (MEGs) while a two-fold geometric tuning is proposed to encourage enhanced performance. Two GO-based structures with distinctly different thicknesses were prepared as the moisture absorbing layer: a GO-pellet (GOP) and a thinner GO-film (GOF). The effect of electrical contacts’ configuration on the MEG’s output voltage (Vo) was evaluated as a second geometric tunning approach by varying the surface area of the contacts and their orientation with respect to the GO plane, i.e., horizontal or vertical. GOF-based devices that employed a horizontal contacts’ configuration demonstrated champion Vo values (~350 mV) and the fastest response to humidity (3 min required to reach maximum Vo when the relative humidity, or RH, was increased). In GOP devices with horizontal point-like contacts, Vo is inversely related to the contacts’ distance, with a maximum Vo of ~205 mV achieved at a ~1 mm contacts’ distance. GOP-based MEGs with point-like contacts placed vertically to the GO-plane yielded a higher Vo value (~285 mV), while the humidity response time was 15 min. Replacing these contacts with large area electrodes in GOP devices resulted in devices with a slower response to humidity (~30 min) due to a smaller exposed GO surface area. These geometric tuning techniques allowed for the investigation of the optimum device configuration towards efficient moisture-based energy generation with a fast response.
Anticariogenic Sanative Effect of Aluminum Gallium Arsenide Crystals on Hydroxyapatite Crystals
Authors: Sharma Sonali , Hegde Mithra N. , Ramesh Sindhu
Published: December 2022

Dental caries is a progressive disease with varying phases of demineralization and remineralization, and the scope of reversing the carious lesion is increased if it is diagnosed before there is surface cavitation. Preventive management strategies are directed towards making the enamel more resistant towards acid dissolution. The caries preventive protocol has always been fluoride-centric. Repeated application of fluoride gives rise to acquired fluoride resistance strains of Streptococci mutans which can be transient or permanent. The need of the hour is an effective remineralizing protocol which is one which brings about a change in enamel crystal and makes it more resistant to the acidic challenges of the oral cavity. The authors have devised a protocol in which irradiation with aluminum gallium arsenide crystals LASER can bring about a sanative change in crystal and lead to greater acid resistance of the enamel crystal and thus potentiate the remineralization of non-cavitated lesions. The concept of aluminum gallium arsenide–assisted caries inhibition and the proposed hypothesis of the mechanism of action is discussed.
Access to Neoadjuvant Pertuzumab for HER2 Positive Breast Cancer in Canada: A Dilemma Increasingly Difficult to Explain
Authors: Rayson Daniel , Gandhi Sonal , Joy Anil A. , Brezden-Masley Christine , Gelmon Karen A. , Sehdev Sandeep , Cescon David , Chia Stephen
Published: December 2022

The addition of pertuzumab to neoadjuvant trastuzumab and chemotherapy for women with early-stage, high-risk, HER2+ breast cancer has been observed to lead to higher pathologic complete response rates (pCR), and improved event-free survival compared to trastuzumab and chemotherapy alone. Based on available data, neoadjuvant pertuzumab is recommended by ESMO, ASCO, and NICE as well as by a Canadian Consensus Guideline Group. We discuss the implications for Canadian patients with HER2+ early breast cancer due to a second and final negative funding decision by the Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health (CADTH) related to neoadjuvant pertuzumab. This decision will have adverse impacts for up to 1 in 6 women receiving neoadjuvant therapy for high-risk HER2+ breast cancer, due to suboptimal pCR rates and higher risks of invasive breast cancer recurrent events, resulting in the need for more toxic adjuvant therapy.
Blockchain for Patient Safety: Use Cases, Opportunities and Open Challenges
Authors: Marbouh Dounia , Simsekler Mecit Can Emre , Salah Khaled , Jayaraman Raja , Ellahham Samer
Published: December 2022

Medical errors are recognized as major threats to patient safety worldwide. Lack of streamlined communication and an inability to share and exchange data are among the contributory factors affecting patient safety. To address these challenges, blockchain can be utilized to ensure a secure, transparent and decentralized data exchange among stakeholders. In this study, we discuss six use cases that can benefit from blockchain to gain operational effectiveness and efficiency in the patient safety context. The role of stakeholders, system requirements, opportunities and challenges are discussed in each use case in detail. Connecting stakeholders and data in complex healthcare systems, blockchain has the potential to provide an accountable and collaborative milieu for the delivery of safe care. By reviewing the potential of blockchain in six use cases, we suggest that blockchain provides several benefits, such as an immutable and transparent structure and decentralized architecture, which may help transform health care and enhance patient safety. While blockchain offers remarkable opportunities, it also presents open challenges in the form of trust, privacy, scalability and governance. Future research may benefit from including additional use cases and developing smart contracts to present a more comprehensive view on potential contributions and challenges to explore the feasibility of blockchain-based solutions in the patient safety context.
Mathematical Analysis and Motion Capture System Utilization Method for Standardization Evaluation of Tracking Objectivity of 6-DOF Arm Structure for Rehabilitation Training Exercise Therapy Robot
Authors: Seol Jaehwang , Yoon Kicheol , Kim Kwang Gi
Published: December 2022

A treatment method for suppressing shoulder pain by reducing the secretion of neurotransmitters in the brain is being studied in compliance with domestic and international standards. A robot is being developed to assist physical therapists in shoulder rehabilitation exercise treatment. The robot used for rehabilitation therapy enables the training of patients to perform rehabilitation exercises repeatedly. However, the biomechanical movement (or motion) of the shoulder joint should be accurately designed to enhance efficiency using a shoulder rehabilitation robot. Furthermore, safely treating patients by accurately evaluating biomechanical movements in compliance with domestic and international standards is a major task. Therefore, an in-depth analysis of shoulder movement is essential for understanding the mechanism of shoulder rehabilitation using robots. This paper proposes a method for analyzing shoulder movements. The rotation angle and range of motion (ROM) of the shoulder joint are measured by attaching a marker to the body and analyzing the inverse kinematics. The first motion is abduction and adduction, and the second is external and internal rotation. The location information of the marker is transmitted to an application software through an infrared camera. For the analysis using an inverse kinematics solution, five males and five females participated in the motion capture experiment. The subjects did not have any disability, and abduction and adduction were repeated 10 times. As a result, ROM of the abduction and adduction were 148° with males and 138.7° in females. Moreover, ROM of the external and internal rotation were 111.2° with males and 106° in females. Because this study enables tracking of the center coordinates of the joint suitably through a motion capture system, inverse kinematics can be accurately calculated. Additionally, a mathematical inverse kinematics equation will utilize follow-up study for designing an upper rehabilitations robot. The proposed method is assessed to be able to contribute to the definition of domestic and international standardization of rehabilitation robots and motion capture for objective evaluation.
Hamlet-Pattern-Based Automated COVID-19 and Influenza Detection Model Using Protein Sequences
Authors: Erten Mehmet , Acharya Madhav R. , Kamath Aditya P. , Sampathila Niranjana , Bairy G. Muralidhar , Aydemir Emrah , Barua Prabal Datta , Baygin Mehmet , Tuncer Ilknur , Dogan Sengul , Tuncer Turker
Published: December 2022

SARS-CoV-2 and Influenza-A can present similar symptoms. Computer-aided diagnosis can help facilitate screening for the two conditions, and may be especially relevant and useful in the current COVID-19 pandemic because seasonal Influenza-A infection can still occur. We have developed a novel text-based classification model for discriminating between the two conditions using protein sequences of varying lengths. We downloaded viral protein sequences of SARS-CoV-2 and Influenza-A with varying lengths (all 100 or greater) from the NCBI database and randomly selected 16,901 SARS-CoV-2 and 19,523 Influenza-A sequences to form a two-class study dataset. We used a new feature extraction function based on a unique pattern, HamletPat, generated from the text of Shakespeare’s Hamlet, and a signum function to extract local binary pattern-like bits from overlapping fixed-length (27) blocks of the protein sequences. The bits were converted to decimal map signals from which histograms were extracted and concatenated to form a final feature vector of length 1280. The iterative Chi-square function selected the 340 most discriminative features to feed to an SVM with a Gaussian kernel for classification. The model attained 99.92% and 99.87% classification accuracy rates using hold-out (75:25 split ratio) and five-fold cross-validations, respectively. The excellent performance of the lightweight, handcrafted HamletPat-based classification model suggests that it can be a valuable tool for screening protein sequences to discriminate between SARS-CoV-2 and Influenza-A infections.
Brown Adipose Tissue Biodistribution and Correlations Particularities in Parathyroid Pathology Personalized Diagnosis
Authors: Jalloul Wael , Moscalu Mihaela , Grierosu Irena , Ionescu Teodor , Stolniceanu Cati Raluca , Gutu Mihai , Ghizdovat Vlad , Mocanu Veronica , Azoicai Doina , Iliescu Radu , Moscalu Roxana , Stefanescu Cipriana
Published: December 2022

Brown adipose tissue (BAT) participates in the regulation of whole-body metabolism by producing a variety of adipokines. This study investigates into the BAT pattern and the clinical aspects of overweight and obese (OOB) vs. non-obese (NO) hyperparathyroidism (HPT) patients with the aim of assessing the impact of BAT and obesity on HPT. Parathyroid scans performed on 441 HPT patients between 2015 and 2020 were retrospectively analyzed in order to select the images with active BAT. Based on their BMI, the patients with active BAT were divided into OOB vs. NO. The results showed that BAT was present in cervical and supraclavicular regions, with a single localization especially among NO vs. multiple sites among OOB. The (total counts/pixels)BAT/(total counts/pixels)non-BAT ratio in the right cervical localization showed a significant difference between the groups with higher values in OOB. BMI, PTH, FT4, vitamin D, magnesium, creatinine, and urea had significant correlations with BAT ratios. The predictive values showed that right cervical ratios higher than 1.52 and right supraclavicular ratios lower than 1.15 indicated an increased probability of being OOB. The significant correlations between BAT activation in OOB vs. NO and HPT clinical parameters could be useful for developing potential treatments based on this tissue.
Right Ventricular Strain by Magnetic Resonance Feature Tracking Is Largely Afterload-Dependent and Does Not Reflect Contractility: Validation by Combined Volumetry and Invasive Pressure Tracings
Authors: Rolf Andreas , Keller Till , Wolter Jan Sebastian , Kriechbaum Steffen , Weferling Maren , Guth Stefan , Wiedenroth Christoph , Mayer Eckhard , Hamm Christian W. , Fischer-Rasokat Ulrich , Treiber Julia
Published: December 2022

Cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) is currently the gold standard for evaluating right ventricular (RV) function, which is critical in patients with pulmonary hypertension. CMR feature-tracking (FT) strain analysis has emerged as a technique to detect subtle changes. However, the dependence of RV strain on load is still a matter of debate. The aim of this study was to measure the afterload dependence of RV strain and to correlate it with surrogate markers of contractility in a cohort of patients with chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) under two different loading conditions before and after pulmonary endarterectomy (PEA). Between 2009 and 2022, 496 patients with 601 CMR examinations were retrospectively identified from our CTEPH cohort, and the results of 194 examinations with right heart catheterization within 24 h were available. The CMR FT strain (longitudinal (GLS) and circumferential (GCS)) was computed on steady-state free precession (SSFP) cine CMR sequences. The effective pulmonary arterial elastance (Ea) and RV chamber elastance (Ees) were approximated by dividing mean pulmonary arterial pressure by the indexed stroke volume or end-systolic volume, respectively. GLS and GCS correlated significantly with Ea and Ees/Ea in the overall cohort and individually before and after PEA. There was no general correlation with Ees; however, under high afterload, before PEA, Ees correlated significantly. The results show that RV GLS and GCS are highly afterload-dependent and reflect ventriculoarterial coupling. Ees was significantly correlated with strain only under high loading conditions, which probably reflects contractile adaptation to pulsatile load rather than contractility in general.
Potential Role of Seven Proteomics Tissue Biomarkers for Diagnosis and Prognosis of Prostate Cancer in Urine
Authors: Vujicic Ivo , Rusevski Aleksandar , Stankov Oliver , Popov Zivko , Dimovski Aleksandar , Davalieva Katarina
Published: December 2022

As the currently available tests for the clinical management of prostate cancer (PCa) are still far from providing precise diagnosis and risk stratification, the identification of new molecular marker(s) remains a pertinent clinical need. Candidate PCa biomarkers from the published proteomic comparative studies of prostate tissue (2002–2020) were collected and systematically evaluated. AZGP1, MDH2, FABP5, ENO1, GSTP1, GSTM2, and EZR were chosen for further evaluation in the urine of 85 PCa patients and controls using ELISA. Statistically significant differences in protein levels between PCa and BPH showed FABP5 (p = 0.019) and ENO1 (p = 0.015). A biomarker panel based on the combination of FABP5, ENO1, and PSA provided the highest accuracy (AUC = 0.795) for PCa detection. The combination of FABP5, EZR, AZGP1, and MDH2 showed AUC = 0.889 in PCa prognosis, with 85.29% of the samples correctly classified into low and high Gleason score (GS) groups. The addition of PSA to the panel slightly increased the AUC to 0.914. AZGP1, FABP5, and EZR showed significant correlation with GS, stage, and percentage of positive biopsy cores. Although validation using larger patient cohorts will be necessary to establish the credibility of the proposed biomarker panels in a clinical context, this study opens a way for the further testing of more high-quality proteomics biomarkers, which could ultimately add value to the clinical management of PCa.
Evaluating the Effectiveness of Pharmacological Strategies and Further Measures for Pain Relief during Hysterosonosalpingography: A Systematic Review
Authors: Riva Arianna , Vitagliano Amerigo , Noventa Marco , Buzzaccarini Giovanni , Damiani Gianluca Raffaello , Vimercati Antonella , Morano Danila , Taliento Cristina , Greco Pantaleo , Cicinelli Ettore , Scutiero Gennaro
Published: December 2022

This systematic review aims to evaluate the effectiveness of pharmacological and non-pharmacological strategies for pain relief in women during contrast-enhanced ultrasound for the assessment of tubal patency and uterine disease, compared with placebo or no intervention. In December 2021, we searched the electronic databases (Pubmed, Embase, Sciencedirect, the Cochrane library and Clinicaltrials.gov) without date restriction: We identified 10 randomized control trials (RCTs) (2098 women) eligible for this systematic review, after applying our inclusion and exclusion criteria. Among these, five studies compared the use of painkillers with the placebo, two studies compared different catheter positions in the cervix or in the uterine cavity, and two others considered different temperatures of the contrast medium, as a method to reduce pain. Topical lidocaine applied before the procedure may be associated with effective pain relief during hysterosonography, though the quality of this evidence is low. New echogenic contrast agents and their temperature at 37 °C ensure a less painful procedure. There is insufficient evidence to draw conclusions on the efficacy of other analgesics or strategies.
The Challenge to Link Biology, Chemistry, and Physics: Results of a Longitudinal Study on Self-Rated Content Knowledge
Authors: Handtke Kevin , Bögeholz Susanne
Published: December 2022

Interdisciplinary science teaching in (lower) secondary education can lead to out-of-field teaching in countries with a discipline-specific teacher education. For example, the discipline-specific teacher education in Germany does not fit the current demands of interdisciplinary science teaching, especially in comprehensive schools. Self-rated content knowledge (srCK)—a specific part of academic self-concept—of (prospective) teachers is important in the context of motivational orientations and due to the reciprocal relation of academic self-concept and performance. Previous research did not focus on the long-term development of core idea-based srCK regarding secondary education. Thus, we surveyed 271 (prospective) teachers of biology, chemistry, and physics three times (2019–2021). In addition, we surveyed seven chemistry and physics pre-service teachers participating in a biology content knowledge (CK) course. Taking into account measurement invariance, we used structural equation modeling and latent change models. The srCK of biology, chemistry, and physics showed a high relative and absolute stability. We did not find any correlation between srCK of biology and chemistry. SrCK of chemistry and physics always showed a small positive correlation. SrCK of biology and physics always had a strong negative correlation. Supporting these results, studying physics had a negative effect on the srCK of biology, and studying chemistry had a positive effect on the srCK of physics. Additionally, studying the subject of the srCK in question always had a strong positive effect. Though srCK seems to be time-stable, a biology CK course for pre-service chemistry and physics teachers showed strong positive changes in their srCK of biology. Thus, training in an unstudied subject could help to cope with the undesired time-stability of srCK. In addition, the strong negative correlation between the srCK of biology and of physics needs to be addressed in teacher education.
Development of Manipulator Digital Twin Experimental Platform Based on RCP
Authors: Dong Zhe , Han Xiaoyao , Shi Yuntao , Zhai Weifeng , Luo Song
Published: December 2022

From the perspective of teaching and researching, we developed a manipulator digital twin experiment platform (named the remote experience platform, REP) based on a rapid control prototype (RCP). The platform consisted of a controlled target, a real-time controller, rapid prototype configuration software, and supervisory control software. The controlled target was a 6-DOF manipulator, divided into a physical entity and its digital twin. The 3D model and mathematical model of the manipulator were constructed as an experimental entity in a digital space. The whole system provided flexible and intuitive experimental scenes without the restraints of time and place. Based on RCP technology, students can design various complex control strategies using simulation tools such as Matlab/Simulink, then convert the graphical model into executable code to be performed in target hardware. The framework and development methods of the proposed system are elaborated in this paper. An example is demonstrated, including invocation of algorithms, one-click code generation and compilation, real-time verification and online parameter adjustment, and more. The feasibility and practicability of the system are verified through the PID control experiment of the manipulator.
A Wireless Data Transfer by Using a Patch Antenna for Biomedical Applications
Authors: Byun Gyung-Su
Published: December 2022

In this paper, a 20 GHz wireless data transfer (WDT) interface for implantable applications is proposed. The proposed WDT utilizes a small-form factor off-chip antenna to transfer data through a human body. By using the implantable antenna, the biomedical WDT system occupies a smaller chip size, which is suitable for future biomedical applications. The proposed WDT system with a small-form factor patch antenna and near-threshold VCO operates at 20 GHz, has a data rate of 1.8 Gb/s and consumes only a low power of 5.4 pJ/b.
Real-Time Human Authentication System Based on Iris Recognition
Authors: Hafeez Huma , Zafar Muhammad Naeem , Abbas Ch Asad , Elahi Hassan , Ali Muhammad Osama
Published: December 2022

Biometrics deals with the recognition of humans based on their unique physical characteristics. It can be based on face identification, iris, fingerprint and DNA. In this paper, we have considered the iris as a source of biometric verification as it is the unique part of eye which can never be altered, and it remains the same throughout the life of an individual. We have proposed the improved iris recognition system including image registration as a main step as well as the edge detection method for feature extraction. The PCA-based method is also proposed as an independent iris recognition method based on a similarity score. Experiments conducted using our own developed database demonstrate that the first proposed system reduced the computation time to 6.56 sec, and it improved the accuracy to 99.73, while the PCA-based method has less accuracy than this system does.
Lentilactobacillus buchneri Preactivation Affects the Mitigation of Methane Emission in Corn Silage Treated with or without Urea
Authors: Bağcık Caner , Koç Fisun , Erten Kadir , Esen Selim , Palangi Valiollah , Lackner Maximilian
Published: December 2022

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of different forms of Lentilactobacillus buchneri on the in vitro methane production, fermentation characteristics, nutritional quality, and aerobic stability of corn silage treated with or without urea. The following treatments were applied prior to ensiling: (1) no urea treatment and LB; (2) no urea treatment+freeze dried LB; (3) no urea treatment+preactivated LB; (4) with urea treatment+no LB; (5) with urea treatment+freeze dried LB; (6) with urea treatment+preactivated. LB was applied at a rate of 3 × 108 cfu/kg on a fresh basis, while urea was applied at a rate of 1% on the basis of dry matter. Data measured at different time points were analyzed according to a completely randomized design, with a 2 × 3 × 5 factorial arrangement of treatments, while the others were analyzed with a 2 × 3 factorial arrangement. Preactivated LB was more effective than freeze-dried LB in reducing silage pH, ammonia nitrogen, cell-wall components, yeast count, and carbon dioxide production, as well as increasing lactic acid and residual water-soluble carbohydrate and aerobic stability (p < 0.0001). A significant reduction in the methane ratio was observed after 24 h and 48 h incubation with preactivated forms of LB (p < 0.001). The results indicated that preactivated LB combined with urea improved fermentation characteristics, nutritional quality, and aerobic stability and reduced the methane ratio of corn silages.
First Report of Potentially Pathogenic Klebsiella pneumoniae from Serotype K2 in Mollusk Tegillarca granosa and Genetic Diversity of Klebsiella pneumoniae in 14 Species of Edible Aquatic Animals
Authors: Xu Yingwei , Ni Ling , Guan Huiqiong , Chen Dailing , Qin Si , Chen Lanming
Published: December 2022

Klebsiella pneumoniae can cause serious pneumonitis in humans. The bacterium is also the common causative agent of hospital-acquired multidrug-resistant (MDR) infections. Here we for the first time reported the genetic diversity of K. pneumoniae strains in 14 species of edible aquatic animals sampled in the summer of 2018 and 2019 in Shanghai, China. Virulence-related genes were present in the K. pneumoniae strains (n = 94), including the entB (98.9%), mrkD (85.1%), fimH (50.0%), and ybtA (14.9%) strains. Resistance to sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim was the most prevalent (52.1%), followed by chloramphenicol (31.9%), and tetracycline (27.7%), among the strains, wherein 34.0% had MDR phenotypes. Meanwhile, most strains were tolerant to heavy metals Cu2+ (96.8%), Cr3+ (96.8%), Zn2+ (91.5%), Pb2+ (89.4%), and Hg2+ (81.9%). Remarkably, a higher abundance of the bacterium was found in bottom-dwelling aquatic animals, among which mollusk Tegillarca granosa contained K. pneumoniae 8-2-5-4 isolate from serotype K2 (ST-2026). Genome features of the potentially pathogenic isolate were characterized. The enterobacterial repetitive intergenic consensus polymerase chain reaction (ERIC-PCR)–based genome fingerprinting classified the 94 K. pneumoniae strains into 76 ERIC genotypes with 63 singletons, demonstrating considerable genetic diversity in the strains. The findings of this study fill the gap in the risk assessment of K. pneumoniae in edible aquatic animals.
Can Soybean Cultivars with Larger Seed Size Produce More Protein, Lipids, and Seed Yield? A Meta-Analysis
Authors: Xu Cailong , Wu Tingting , Yuan Shan , Sun Shi , Han Tianfu , Song Wenwen , Wu Cunxiang
Published: December 2022

Increasing soybean production and ensuring greater access to soybean protein and lipids is critical for global food security and human health. Seed size (i.e., seed weight) is one of the most important agronomic traits of soybean, which not only determines the seed yield, but can also affect the yield of protein and lipids. In China, farmers favor soybean cultivars with large seeds, which they believe produce more protein and lipids; however, experimental evidence supporting this belief is lacking. Therefore, we conducted field experiments from 2017 to 2020 at 35 locations across the Huang-Huai-Hai region (HHH) of China with 64 soybean cultivars. The seed yield, seed protein content, and seed lipids content of soybean, and their relationship with seed size were investigated. The highest seed yield (i.e., seed weight per unit area) was 2996.5 kg ha−1 in the north of HHH. However, the highest seed protein content was found in the south of HHH (42.5%) for the higher temperature, which was significantly higher than that of the middle (41.7%) and north of HHH (40.2%). In contrast, the highest seed lipids content was 20.7% in the north of HHH. Temperature, which had a path coefficient on seed yield of 0.519, can promote soybean seed yield. The correlation analysis indicated that the selection of the large seed size cultivar did not increase seed yield, and even led to a reduction of seed yield under high-yield environmental conditions. The seed protein content of soybean was not increased in the cultivars with large seed sizes. In addition, under different levels of seed lipids content (<20.30% or >20.30%), a significantly negative relationship was found between seed lipids content and hundred seed weight. Therefore, it is recommended that farmers choose to plant cultivars with smaller soybean seed sizes, so as to ensure high and stable soybean seed yield and obtain more vegetable protein and lipids per unit area.
Supplementation with Sunflower/Fish Oil-Containing Concentrates in a Grass-Based Beef Production System: Influence on Fatty Acid Composition, Gene Expression, Lipid and Colour Stability and Sensory Characteristics of Longissimus Muscle
Authors: Moloney Aidan , McGettrick Shane , Dunne Peter , Shingfield Kevin , Richardson Robert , Monahan Frank , Mulligan Finbar , Ryan Marion , Sweeney Torres
Published: December 2022

Beef contains an array of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) isomers for which positive effects have been reported in animal models of human disease. The objectives were to develop a CLA-enriched beef production system and to assess its quality. Sixty Spring-born heifers were housed in Autumn and offered unwilted grass silage and a barley/soyabean concentrate or wilted grass silage and a concentrate containing sunflower oil and fish oil. In May, both groups were offered either pasture for 22 weeks, restricted pasture and sunflower oil and fish oil for 22 weeks, or pasture for 11 weeks and restricted pasture and sunflower oil and fish oil for the final 11 weeks. The predominant CLA isomer in beef was cis9, trans11 representing on average, 80% total CLA. The modified winter diet followed by supplementation for 22 weeks resulted in beef that had a CLA concentration that was higher, at a comparable intramuscular fatty acid concentration, than previously reported. The lipid and colour stability (over 10 days in modified atmosphere packaging) and sensory characteristics were generally not negatively affected. There were minor effects on the expression of candidate genes involved in lipid metabolism. Consumption of this beef would make a substantial contribution to the quantity of CLA suggested to have a positive effect on consumer health.
Bacterial Cellulose Nanofibril-Based Pickering Emulsions: Recent Trends and Applications in the Food Industry
Authors: Zhang Xingzhong , Wang Dan , Liu Shilin , Tang Jie
Published: December 2022

The Pickering emulsion stabilized by food-grade colloidal particles has developed rapidly in recent decades and attracts extensive attention for potential applications in the food industry. Bacterial cellulose nanofibrils (BCNFs), as green and sustainable colloidal nanoparticles derived from bacterial cellulose, have various advantages for Pickering emulsion stabilization and applications due to their unique properties, such as good amphiphilicity, a nanoscale fibrous network, a high aspect ratio, low toxicity, excellent biocompatibility, and sustainability. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the recent advances in the Pickering emulsion stabilized by BCNF particles, including the classification, preparation method, and physicochemical properties of diverse BCNF-based particles as Pickering stabilizers, as well as surface modifications with other substances to improve their emulsifying performance and functionality. Additionally, this paper highlights the stabilization mechanisms and provides potential food applications of BCNF-based Pickering emulsions, such as nutrient encapsulation and delivery, edible coatings and films, fat substitutes, etc. Furthermore, the safety issues and future challenges for the development and food-related applications of BCNFs-based Pickering emulsions are also outlined. This work will provide new insights and more ideas on the development and application of nanofibril-based Pickering emulsions for researchers.
Modified Highland Barley Regulates Lipid Metabolism and Liver Injury in High Fat and Cholesterol Diet ICR Mice
Authors: Zhou Jinfeng , Wu Leiyan
Published: December 2022

Highland barley (Hordeum vulgare L. HB) has been demonstrated to have a series of dietotherapy values, including being low fat, low sugar, high fiber, and especially high in β-glucan. Long-term consumption could reduce the incidence of chronic diseases and metabolic syndromes. In this study, the regulating effect of modified highland barley (MHB) products, namely microwave fluidized HB, extruded and puffed HB, and ultrafine pulverized HB on lipid metabolism and liver injury in mice fed a high fat and cholesterol diet (HFCD) was investigated using microbiota diversity gene sequencing and untargeted metabolomics. A total of six groups of mice were supplemented with a normal diet or an HFCD, with or without MHB, and the experimental period lasted 10 weeks. The obtained results demonstrated that MHB supplementation could effectively reverse the increase in body weight gain and adipose tissue accumulation caused by an HFCD (p < 0.05). Moreover, serum biochemical parameters showed that MHB supplementation significantly decreased total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels, while increasing high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) levels. The results of hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) assays showed that MHB supplementation could significantly improve the liver injury and adipose tissue accumulation. In addition, 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing showed that MHB supplementation increased the bacteroidetes/firmicutes ratio and the abundance Lactobacillus abundance, while also decreasing the Proteobacteria abundance, which are bacteria closely associated with the hyperlipidemia caused by HFCD. LC-MS metabolomics indicated that MHB supplementation significantly enhanced the levels of Deoxycholic acid, Myclobutanil, 3-Epiecdysone, 3,4-Dihydroxybenzeneacetic acid, and so on. In addition, MHB supplementation promoted activation of the Arachidonic acid metabolism pathways, the expression of ABC transporters, bile secretion, primary bile acid biosynthesis, and so on. Above all, this study showed the potential capacity of MHB to relieve hyperlipidemia and provides a reference for developing a new dietary intervention supplement to ameliorate hyperlipidemia.
Persistence of Second and Third-Line Biologics in Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Multi-Centre Cohort Study
Authors: Hanrahan Timothy P. , Chan Robbie , Tassone Daniel , Ding Nik S. , Basnayake Chamara , Schulberg Julien , Vasudevan Abhinav , Kamm Michael , De Gregorio Michael , van Langenberg Daniel R. , Niewiadomski Ola
Published: December 2022

Background: Despite proven efficacy of biologics in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), many exhibit primary non-response or secondary loss of response and switch to subsequent biologic(s). Here, we identified early predictors of second- and/or third-line biologic persistence in IBD, in a real-world cohort of patients. Methods: A retrospective multicentre cohort study was conducted on patients receiving second- and/or third-line biologics for IBD from 2005–2021. Cox regression was applied to identify factors predictive of longer cumulative biologic persistence prior to treatment failure. Results: Of 179 patients who received ≥2 biologics, 159 (88.8%) received an anti-tumour necrosis factor (anti-TNF) first-line. There was a significantly increased likelihood of longer treatment persistence in recipients who received an anti-TNF first, versus those that received a non-anti-TNF agent first (p < 0.01). A diagnosis of CD (OR 7.1, 95% CI [2.3–21.7], p < 0.01), and endoscopic remission achieved on the first biologic (OR 10.4 [1.3–79.9], p = 0.03) were positive predictors of longer biologic persistence, whilst advancing age at IBD diagnosis (OR 0.97 [0.94–0.99], p = 0.04) and primary non-response to initial biologic (OR 0.3 [0.1–0.7], p < 0.01) were inversely associated with biologic persistence. Conclusions: These real-world data demonstrate multiple, simple to identify factors that offer the potential for early objectively assessed response to first-line biologic to predict future biologic persistence.
Anti-Bourgeois Media in the Japanese Proletarian Literary Movement
Authors: Wada Takashi
Published: December 2022

The Marxist and socialist ideas that spread throughout the world following the Russian Revolution of 1917 were also influential in bringing about changes in art and culture. Proletarian literature, which flourished in Japan in the 1920s and 1930s, was one such example. However, due to Japan’s particular historical circumstances, Japanese proletarian literature was in an ambivalent position between revolutionary literature by left-wing intellectuals and proletarian literature by and for the proletarian class in the pure sense. This article examines the chaos and friction implied by the term “proletarian” from three perspectives: the relationship between proletarian media and bourgeois media, the media distribution system, and the boundary between writers and readers. Through this examination, it clarifies that the approaches of Japanese proletarian media, while imitating bourgeois media to some extent, were unique in their potential to transform the boundary between writers and readers.