bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Recognition of Manual Welding Positions from Depth Hole Image Remotely Sensed by RGB-D Camera
Authors: Kim Jun-Hyeon , Nam Jong-Ho
Published: November 2021

The proportion of welding work in total man-hours required for shipbuilding processes has been perceived to be significant, and welding man-hours are greatly affected by working posture. Continuous research has been conducted to identify the posture in welding by utilizing the relationship between man-hours and working posture. However, the results that reflect the effect of the welding posture on man-hours are not available. Although studies on posture recognition based on depth image analysis are being positively reviewed, welding operation has difficulties in image interpretation because an external obstacle caused by arcs exists. Therefore, any obstacle element must be removed in advance. This study proposes a method to acquire work postures using a low-cost RGB-D camera and recognize the welding position through image analysis. It removes obstacles that appear as depth holes in the depth image and restores the removed part to the desired state. The welder’s body joints are extracted, and a convolution neural network is used to determine the corresponding welding position. The restored image showed significantly improved recognition accuracy. The proposed method acquires, analyzes, and automates the recognition of welding positions in real-time. It can be applied to all areas where image interpretation is difficult due to obstacles.
Hydrates for Cold Storage: Formation Characteristics, Stability, and Promoters
Authors: Chen Huan , Han Bingyue , Lang Chen , Wen Min , Fan Baitao , Liu Zheyuan
Published: November 2021

The potential of hydrates formed from R141b (CH3CCl2F), trimethylolethane (TME), and tetra-n-butylammonium bromide/tetra-n-butylammonium chloride (TBAB/TBAC) to be used as working substances for cold storage was investigated to provide a solution for unbalanced energy grids. In this study, the characteristics of hydrate formation, crystal morphology of hydrates, and the stability of hydrate in cyclic formation under 0.1 MPa and at 5 °C were carried out. It found that the ice had a positive effect on the hydrate formation under same conditions. Upon the addition of the ice cube, the induction time of R141b, TME, and TBAB/TBAC hydrates decreased markedly, and significantly high formation rates were obtained. Under magnetic stirring, the rate at which TBAB/TBAC formed hydrates was significantly lower than that when ice was used. In microscopic experiments, it was observed that the TBAB/TBAC mixture formed hydrates with more nucleation sites and compact structures, which may increase the hydrate formation rate. In the multiple cycle formation of TBAB/TBAC hydrates, the induction time gradually decreased with the increasing number of formation cycles and finally stabilized, which indicated the potential of the TBAB/TBAC hydrates for application in cold storage owing to their good durability and short process time for heat absorption and release.
Environmentally Relevant Concentrations of Triclosan Induce Cyto-Genotoxicity and Biochemical Alterations in the Hatchlings of Labeo rohita
Authors: Sharma Sunil , Iqbal Dar Owias , Andotra Megha , Sharma Simran , Kaur Arvinder , Faggio Caterina
Published: November 2021

Xenobiotic Triclosan (TCS) is of great concern because of its existence in a variety of personal, household and healthcare products and continuous discharge in water worldwide. Excessive use of TCS-containing sanitizers and antiseptic products during the COVID-19 pandemic further increased its content in aquatic ecosystems. The present study deals with the cyto-genotoxic effects and biochemical alterations in the hatchlings of Labeo rohita on exposure to environmentally relevant concentrations of TCS. Three-days-old hatchlings were exposed to tap water, acetone (solvent control) and 4 environmentally relevant concentrations (6.3, 12.6, 25.2 and 60 µg/L) of TCS for 14 days and kept for a recovery period of 10 days. The significant concentration-dependent decline in cell viability but increase in micronucleated cells, nucleo-cellular abnormalities (NCAs) and DNA damage parameters like tail length, tail moment, olive tail moment and percent of tail DNA after exposure persisted till the end of recovery period. Glucose, triglycerides, cholesterol, total protein, albumin, total bilirubin, uric acid and urea (except for an increase at 60 µg/L) showed significant (p ≤ 0.05) concentration-dependent decrease after 14 days of exposure. The same trend (except for triglycerides, albumin and total bilirubin) continued till 10 days post exposure. In comparison to control, transaminases (alanine and aspartate aminotransferases) increased (p ≤ 0.05) after exposure as well as the recovery period, while a decline in alkaline phosphatase after exposure was followed by a significant increase during the recovery period. The results show that the environmentally relevant concentrations of TCS cause deleterious effects on the hatchlings of L. rohita.
Resistance and Consumption Reduction Mechanism of Bionic Vibration and Verification of Field Subsoiling Experiment
Authors: Zhou Deyi , Hou Pengfei , Xin Yuelin , Wu Baoguang , Tong Jin , Yu Haiye , Qi Jiangtao , Zhang Jinsong , Zhang Qiang
Published: November 2021

This study proposed a design method for forced-vibration subsoiling to reduce resistance and consumption. The vibration digging parameters of the Antlion larvae were obtained by high-speed camera, and a forced-vibration subsoiling shovel handle and six different shovel tips were designed by the non-smooth resistance-reducing surface design method. The resistance-reducing and consumption-reducing effects were verified in the field subsoiling experiment. The results showed that the resistance of subsoiling gradually decreased with the vibration frequency increasing. This vibration subsoiling method could not only reduce resistance but also reduce the total energy consumption, the resistance reduction rate reached 14.2–21.2%, and the total energy consumption was reduced by 11.2–16.5%. It could achieve the comprehensive subsoiling effect and create the soil conditions with the combination of loose and firmness. The non-smooth surface contributed to the reduction in resistance, and the forward speed had a more negligible effect on the resistance of subsoiling. The results had demonstrated that the combination of high-frequency vibration and non-smooth surfaces helped to reduce the cohesion of the soil, reduce the angle of internal friction in the soil, destroy the water film layer on the contact surface between the soil-touching components and the soil, change the soil flow state, and reduce the adhesion of the interface layer. The design method in this study could not only be applied to the design of vibration resistance reduction in the subsoiler but also had significance for the design of the other soil-contacting components.
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles Rescue System Design and Traffic Model Planning
Authors: Zhao Haoran , Yang Wenjie , Zhu Huibin
Published: November 2021

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) are widely used in disaster relief and road exploration in recent years. This paper mainly studied the emergency response of UAVs after disasters. The UAV response system is mainly suitable for the distribution of necessities and road exploration after geological disasters and tsunamis in coastal areas. By analyzing the problem and making reasonable assumptions, the optimization model was established with the traffic planning theory, and MATLAB software was used to program and solve the problem. An optimal scheduling scheme was presented to solve these problems. The normalization method was used to select a highly capable UAV. Taking the minimum volume of idle space buffer material as the objective function and taking into account the constraints, such as payload of unmanned aerial vehicle, a single objective programming model was established. The results are as follows: Each International Standards Organization (ISO) cargo container has five UAVs B, one UAV C, one UAV F and one UAV H. It provides 188 days of relief requirements with ISO cargo containers’ space utilization of 71.4%. The research shows that the UAV response system has the functions of necessities distribution and road exploration after disasters, and can be used to deal with the emergency response after disasters in coastal areas, and has a wide range of applicability.
Skull Thickness Calculation Using Thermal Analysis and Finite Elements
Authors: Calisan Mucahit , Talu Muhammed Fatih , Pimenov Danil Yurievich , Giasin Khaled
Published: November 2021

In this study, the skull bone thicknesses of 150 patients ranging in age from 0 to 72 years were calculated using a novel approach (thermal analysis), and thickness changes were analyzed. Unlike conventional thickness calculation approaches (Beam Propagation, Hildebrand), a novel heat transfer-based approach was developed. Firstly, solid 3D objects with different thicknesses were modeled, and thermal analyses were performed on these models. To better understand the heat transfer of 3D object models, finite element models (FEM) of the human head have been reported in the literature. The FEM can more accurately model the complex geometry of a 3D human head model. Then, thermal analysis was performed on human skulls using the same methods. Thus, the skull bone thicknesses at different ages and in different genders from region to region were determined. The skull model was transferred to ANSYS, and it was meshed using different mapping parameters. The heat transfer results were determined by applying different heat values to the inner and outer surfaces of the skull mesh structure. Thus, the average thicknesses of skull regions belonging to a certain age group were obtained. With this developed method, it was observed that the temperature value applied to the skull was proportional to the thickness value. The average thickness of skull bones for men (frontal: 7.8 mm; parietal: 9.6 mm; occipital: 10.1 mm; temporal: 6 mm) and women (frontal: 8.6 mm; parietal: 10.1 mm; occipital: 10 mm; temporal: 6 mm) are given. The difference (10%) between men and women appears to be statistically significant only for frontal bone thickness. Thanks to the developed method, bone thickness information at any desired point on the skull can be obtained numerically. Therefore, the proposed method can be used to help pre-operative planning of surgical procedures.
Biomechanical Evaluation of the Lumbar Spine by Using a New Interspinous Process Device: A Finite Element Analysis
Authors: Wei Hung-Wen , Chuang Shao-Ming , Chen Chen-Sheng
Published: November 2021

Minimally invasive decompression is generally employed for treating lumbar spinal stenosis; however, it results in weakened spinal stability. To augment spinal stability, a new interspinous process device (NIPD) was developed in this study. The biomechanical features of the NIPD were evaluated in this study. Three finite-element (FE) models of the entire lumbar spine were implemented to perform biomechanical analysis: the intact, defect (DEF), and NIPD models. The DEF model was considered for lumbar spines with bilateral laminotomies and partial discectomy at L3–L4. Range of motion (ROM), disc stress, and facet joint contact force were evaluated in flexion, extension, torsion, and lateral bending in the three FE models. The results indicated that ROM in the extension increased by 23% in the DEF model but decreased by 23% in the NIPD model. In the NIPD model, the cephalic adjacent disc stress in flexion and extension was within 5%, and negligible changes were noted in the facet joint contact force for torsion and lateral bending. Thus, the NIPD offers superior spinal stability and causes only a minor change in cephalic adjacent disc stress in flexion and extension during the bilateral laminotomy and partial discectomy of the lumbar spine. However, the NIPD has a minor influence on the ROM and facet joint force for lateral bending and torsion.
Nonuniform Deformation of Cell Structures Owing to Plastic Stress Wave Propagation
Authors: Tateyama Kohei , Yamada Hiroyuki
Published: November 2021

In cell structures, unlike in dense bodies, nonuniform deformation occurs from the impact end, even at velocities in the order of tens to hundreds of meters per second. In this study, we experimentally examine the nonuniform deformation mechanism of cell structures. They prepared two kinds of specimens: nickel foam (Ni foam) and silicone-rubber-filled nickel foam (Ni/silicone foam). As a dynamic and impact test method (compression velocity of 20 m/s or more), we used a dynamic and impact load-measuring apparatus with opposite load cells to evaluate the loads on both ends of the specimen in one test. At compression velocities of 20 m/s or less, no nonuniform deformations were observed in the Ni foam and the Ni/silicone foam, and the loads on the impact and the fixed ends achieved force equilibrium. The Ni foam showed no change with an increasing strain rate, and the Ni/silicone foam showed a strong strain rate dependence of the flow stress. At a compression velocity of approximately 26 m/s, the loads differed at the two ends of the Ni/silicone foam, and we observed nonuniform deformation from the impact end. The results of the visualization of the load and deformation behavior obtained from both ends of the specimen revealed that the velocity of the plastic stress wave and the length of the specimens are important for nonuniform deformation.
Microscopic Fungi in Big Cities: Biodiversity, Source, and Relation to Pollution by Potentially Toxic Metals
Authors: Korneykova Maria V. , Soshina Anastasia S. , Novikov Andrey I. , Ivashchenko Kristina V. , Sazonova Olesya I. , Slukovskaya Marina V. , Shirokaya Anna A. , Vasenev Viacheslav I. , Vetrova Anna A. , Gavrichkova Olga
Published: November 2021

For the first time, a mycological analysis of outdoor urban environment (air, leaves, sealed surfaces) was carried in the cities of subarctic (Murmansk) and temperate (Moscow) climatic zones. The chemical composition of dust deposited on leaves of dominant tree species was taken as an indicator of the air quality. Assessment of the complex impact of factors (climate zone, type of substrate, anthropogenic load) on the quantitative and qualitative parameters of mycobiome was performed. Compared to Moscow, Murmansk was characterized by an increased number and concentrations of pollutants in the deposited dust. The number of culturable airborne fungi in Murmansk was substantially lower than in Moscow. Half of the species belonged to the opportunistic in both cities. Most dangerous opportunistic fungi were absent in the air of recreational zones but present on leaves surface and in road dust in all assessed zones of the cities. Dust chemical composition affected the diversity of fungi species. While the relationship of biological parameters with concentration of potentially toxic metals was generally negative, Cd increased the fraction of opportunistic fungi in road dust. The study revealed an importance of substrate in determining the sensitivity of outdoor mycobiome to pollution and highlighted its biological characteristics sensitive to climate.
Optimization of Disassembly Strategies for Electric Vehicle Batteries
Authors: Baazouzi Sabri , Rist Felix Paul , Weeber Max , Birke Kai Peter
Published: November 2021

Various studies show that electrification, integrated into a circular economy, is crucial to reach sustainable mobility solutions. In this context, the circular use of electric vehicle batteries (EVBs) is particularly relevant because of the resource intensity during manufacturing. After reaching the end-of-life phase, EVBs can be subjected to various circular economy strategies, all of which require the previous disassembly. Today, disassembly is carried out manually and represents a bottleneck process. At the same time, extremely high return volumes have been forecast for the next few years, and manual disassembly is associated with safety risks. That is why automated disassembly is identified as being a key enabler of highly efficient circularity. However, several challenges need to be addressed to ensure secure, economic, and ecological disassembly processes. One of these is ensuring that optimal disassembly strategies are determined, considering the uncertainties during disassembly. This paper introduces our design for an adaptive disassembly planner with an integrated disassembly strategy optimizer. Furthermore, we present our optimization method for obtaining optimal disassembly strategies as a combination of three decisions: (1) the optimal disassembly sequence, (2) the optimal disassembly depth, and (3) the optimal circular economy strategy at the component level. Finally, we apply the proposed method to derive optimal disassembly strategies for one selected battery system for two condition scenarios. The results show that the optimization of disassembly strategies must also be used as a tool in the design phase of battery systems to boost the disassembly automation and thus contribute to achieving profitable circular economy solutions for EVBs.
Predictive Monitoring of Shake Flask Cultures with Online Estimated Growth Models
Authors: Pretzner Barbara , Maschke Rüdiger W. , Haiderer Claudia , John Gernot T. , Herwig Christoph , Sykacek Peter
Published: November 2021

Simplicity renders shake flasks ideal for strain selection and substrate optimization in biotechnology. Uncertainty during initial experiments may, however, cause adverse growth conditions and mislead conclusions. Using growth models for online predictions of future biomass (BM) and the arrival of critical events like low dissolved oxygen (DO) levels or when to harvest is hence important to optimize protocols. Established knowledge that unfavorable metabolites of growing microorganisms interfere with the substrate suggests that growth dynamics and, as a consequence, the growth model parameters may vary in the course of an experiment. Predictive monitoring of shake flask cultures will therefore benefit from estimating growth model parameters in an online and adaptive manner. This paper evaluates a newly developed particle filter (PF) which is specifically tailored to the requirements of biotechnological shake flask experiments. By combining stationary accuracy with fast adaptation to change the proposed PF estimates time-varying growth model parameters from iteratively measured BM and DO sensor signals in an optimal manner. Such proposition of inferring time varying parameters of Gompertz and Logistic growth models is to our best knowledge novel and here for the first time assessed for predictive monitoring of Escherichia coli (E. coli) shake flask experiments. Assessments that mimic real-time predictions of BM and DO levels under previously untested growth conditions demonstrate the efficacy of the approach. After allowing for an initialization phase where the PF learns appropriate model parameters, we obtain accurate predictions of future BM and DO levels and important temporal characteristics like when to harvest. Statically parameterized growth models that represent the dynamics of a specific setting will in general provide poor characterizations of the dynamics when we change strain or substrate. The proposed approach is thus an important innovation for scientists working on strain characterization and substrate optimization as providing accurate forecasts will improve reproducibility and efficiency in early-stage bioprocess development.
Bioprinting Scaffolds for Vascular Tissues and Tissue Vascularization
Authors: Hauser Peter Viktor , Chang Hsiao-Min , Nishikawa Masaki , Kimura Hiroshi , Yanagawa Norimoto , Hamon Morgan
Published: November 2021

In recent years, tissue engineering has achieved significant advancements towards the repair of damaged tissues. Until this day, the vascularization of engineered tissues remains a challenge to the development of large-scale artificial tissue. Recent breakthroughs in biomaterials and three-dimensional (3D) printing have made it possible to manipulate two or more biomaterials with complementary mechanical and/or biological properties to create hybrid scaffolds that imitate natural tissues. Hydrogels have become essential biomaterials due to their tissue-like physical properties and their ability to include living cells and/or biological molecules. Furthermore, 3D printing, such as dispensing-based bioprinting, has progressed to the point where it can now be utilized to construct hybrid scaffolds with intricate structures. Current bioprinting approaches are still challenged by the need for the necessary biomimetic nano-resolution in combination with bioactive spatiotemporal signals. Moreover, the intricacies of multi-material bioprinting and hydrogel synthesis also pose a challenge to the construction of hybrid scaffolds. This manuscript presents a brief review of scaffold bioprinting to create vascularized tissues, covering the key features of vascular systems, scaffold-based bioprinting methods, and the materials and cell sources used. We will also present examples and discuss current limitations and potential future directions of the technology.
Serum Level of Vitamin D Is Associated with Severity of Coronary Atherosclerosis in Postmenopausal Women
Authors: Dziedzic Ewelina Anna , Smyk Wiktor , Sowińska Izabela , Dąbrowski Marek , Jankowski Piotr
Published: November 2021

Background: Postmenopausal women experience rapid progression of coronary artery disease. Vitamin D deficiency appears to be a modifiable risk factor for cardiovascular diseases. This study aimed to analyze the impact of 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 (25(OH)D) level on the severity of coronary atherosclerosis and its potential cardioprotective effect in postmenopausal women. Material and Methods: The study prospectively recruited 351 women in postmenopausal age undergoing coronary angiography. The severity of coronary atherosclerosis was assessed using the Coronary Artery Surgery Study Score (CASSS). A level of 25(OH)D was measured with electrochemiluminescence. Results: Women with more severe coronary atherosclerosis have significantly lower 25(OH)D serum level (p = 0.0001). Vitamin D (β = −0.02; p = 0.016), hypertension (β = 0.44; p = 0.025), age (β = 0.02; p = 0.003), and history of MI (β = 0.63; p < 0.0001), were shown as CASSS determinants. Age, hyperlipidemia, and history of MI were found to determine the level of vitamin D (all p < 0.05). Women with a three-vessel disease hospitalized due to ACS, with a history of MI, hyperlipidemia and hypertension presented the lowest vitamin D level. Conclusions: Our study showed that lower serum 25(OH)D in postmenopausal women is associated with more significant stenosis in the coronary arteries. Therefore, we suggest considering low vitamin D level as a potential risk factor for coronary artery disease.
Multi-Class Parrot Image Classification Including Subspecies with Similar Appearance
Authors: Jang Woohyuk , Lee Eui Chul
Published: November 2021

Owing to climate change and human indiscriminate development, the population of endangered species has been decreasing. To protect endangered species, many countries worldwide have adopted the CITES treaty to prevent the extinction of endangered plants and animals. Moreover, research has been conducted using diverse approaches, particularly deep learning-based animal and plant image recognition methods. In this paper, we propose an automated image classification method for 11 endangered parrot species included in CITES. The 11 species include subspecies that are very similar in appearance. Data images were collected from the Internet and built in cooperation with Seoul Grand Park Zoo to build an indigenous database. The dataset for deep learning training consisted of 70% training set, 15% validation set, and 15% test set. In addition, a data augmentation technique was applied to reduce the data collection limit and prevent overfitting. The performance of various backbone CNN architectures (i.e., VGGNet, ResNet, and DenseNet) were compared using the SSD model. The experiment derived the test set image performance for the training model, and the results show that the DenseNet18 had the best performance with an mAP of approximately 96.6% and an inference time of 0.38 s.
Novel Algicides against Bloom-Forming Cyanobacteria from Allelochemicals: Design, Synthesis, Bioassay, and 3D-QSAR Study
Authors: Luo Yin , Yang Yushun , Hou Wenguang , Fu Jie
Published: November 2021

Cyanobacteria bloom caused by water eutrophication has threatened human health and become a global environmental problem. To develop green algicides with strong specificity and high efficiency, three series of ester and amide derivatives from parent allelochemicals of caffeic acid (CA), cinnamic acid (CIA), and 3-hydroxyl-2-naphthoic acid (HNA) were designed and synthesized. Their inhibitory effects on the growth of five harmful cyanobacterial species, Microcystis aeruginosa (M. aeruginosa), Microcystis wesenbergii (M. wesenbergii), Microcystis flos-aquae (M. flos-aquae), Aphanizomenon flos-aquae (Ap. flos-aquae), and Anabaena flos-aquae (An. flos-aquae), were evaluated. The results revealed that CIA esters synthesized by cinnamic acid and fatty alcohols showed the best inhibition effect, with EC50 values ranging from 0.63 to >100 µM. Moreover, some CIA esters exhibited a good selectivity in inhibiting cyanobacteria. For example, the inhibitory activity of naphthalen-2-yl cinnamate was much stronger on Ap. flos-aquae (EC50 = 0.63 µM) than other species (EC50 > 10 µM). Three-dimensional quantitative structure–activity relationship (3D-QSAR) analysis was performed and the results showed that the steric hindrance of the compounds influenced the algicidal activity. Further mechanism study found that the inhibition of CIA esters on the growth of M. aeruginosa might be related to the accumulation of malondialdehyde (MDA).
Drought Tolerant Enterobacter sp./Leclercia adecarboxylata Secretes Indole-3-acetic Acid and Other Biomolecules and Enhances the Biological Attributes of Vigna radiata (L.) R. Wilczek in Water Deficit Conditions
Authors: Ahmed Bilal , Shahid Mohammad , Syed Asad , Rajput Vishnu D. , Elgorban Abdallah M. , Minkina Tatiana , Bahkali Ali H. , Lee Jintae
Published: November 2021

Drought or water stress is a limiting factor that hampers the growth and yield of edible crops. Drought-tolerant plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) can mitigate water stress in crops by synthesizing multiple bioactive molecules. Here, strain PAB19 recovered from rhizospheric soil was biochemically and molecularly characterized, and identified as Enterobacter sp./Leclercia adecarboxylata (MT672579.1). Strain PAB19 tolerated an exceptionally high level of drought (18% PEG-6000) and produced indole-3-acetic acid (176.2 ± 5.6 µg mL−1), ACC deaminase (56.6 ± 5.0 µg mL−1), salicylic acid (42.5 ± 3.0 µg mL−1), 2,3-dihydroxy benzoic acid (DHBA) (44.3 ± 2.3 µg mL−1), exopolysaccharide (204 ± 14.7 µg mL−1), alginate (82.3 ± 6.5 µg mL−1), and solubilized tricalcium phosphate (98.3 ± 3.5 µg mL−1), in the presence of 15% polyethylene glycol. Furthermore, strain PAB19 alleviated water stress and significantly (p ≤ 0.05) improved the overall growth and biochemical attributes of Vigna radiata (L.) R. Wilczek. For instance, at 2% PEG stress, PAB19 inoculation maximally increased germination, root dry biomass, leaf carotenoid content, nodule biomass, leghaemoglobin (LHb) content, leaf water potential (ΨL), membrane stability index (MSI), and pod yield by 10%, 7%, 14%, 38%, 9%, 17%, 11%, and 11%, respectively, over un-inoculated plants. Additionally, PAB19 inoculation reduced two stressor metabolites, proline and malondialdehyde, and antioxidant enzymes (POD, SOD, CAT, and GR) levels in V. radiata foliage in water stress conditions. Following inoculation of strain PAB19 with 15% PEG in soil, stomatal conductance, intercellular CO2 concentration, transpiration rate, water vapor deficit, intrinsic water use efficiency, and photosynthetic rate were significantly improved by 12%, 8%, 42%, 10%, 9% and 16%, respectively. Rhizospheric CFU counts of PAB19 were 2.33 and 2.11 log CFU g−1 after treatment with 15% PEG solution and 8.46 and 6.67 log CFU g−1 for untreated controls at 40 and 80 DAS, respectively. Conclusively, this study suggests the potential of Enterobacter sp./L. adecarboxylata PAB19 to alleviate water stress by improving the biological and biochemical features and of V. radiata under water-deficit conditions.
New Evidence of Renal and Cardiovascular Alterations Promoted by Bisphenol A
Authors: Moreno-Gómez-Toledano Rafael , Arenas María I. , Vélez-Vélez Esperanza , Saura Marta , Bosch Ricardo J.
Published: November 2021

Bisphenol A (BPA) is a phenolic compound that is widely used to synthesize plastics as a monomer or additive [...]
Anti-Obesity Effect of α-Cubebenol Isolated from Schisandra chinensis in 3T3-L1 Adipocytes
Authors: Lee Su Jin , Kim Ji Eun , Choi Yun Ju , Gong Jeong Eun , Jin You Jeong , Lee Da Woon , Choi Young Whan , Hwang Dae Youn
Published: November 2021

The efficacy of α-cubebenol isolated from Schisandra chinensis has been studied in several diseases, including cecal ligation, puncture challenge-induced sepsis, and degranulation of neutrophils. To identify the novel functions of α-cubebenol on lipid metabolism, alterations on the regulation of lipogenesis, lipolysis, and inflammatory response were observed in 3T3-L1 adipocytes treated with α-cubebenol. Most lipogenic targets, including lipid accumulation, level of lipogenic transcription factors, and expression of lipogenic regulators, were suppressed in MDI (3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine, dexamethasone, and insulin)-stimulated 3T3-L1 adipocytes treated with α-cubebenol without significant cytotoxicity. In addition, similar inhibition effects were observed in the iNOS-induced COX-2 mediated pathway and NLRP3 inflammasome pathway of MDI-stimulated 3T3-L1 cells treated with α-cubebenol. Lipolytic targets, such as cAMP concentration, expression of adenylyl cyclase and PDE4, and their downstream signaling pathway, in MDI-stimulated 3T3-L1 cells were stimulated by the α-cubebenol treatment. The levels of transcription factors and related proteins for β-oxidation were significantly higher in the MDI + α-cubebenol treated group than in the MDI + Vehicle treated group. These results show that α-cubebenol has a novel role as a lipogenesis inhibitor, lipolysis and β-oxidation stimulator, and inflammasome suppressor in MDI-stimulated 3T3-L1 adipocytes.
Antiangiogenic Properties of Axitinib versus Sorafenib Following Sunitinib Resistance in Human Endothelial Cells—A View towards Second Line Renal Cell Carcinoma Treatment
Authors: Juengel Eva , Schnalke Pascal , Rutz Jochen , Maxeiner Sebastian , Chun Felix K.-H. , Blaheta Roman A.
Published: November 2021

Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) and immune checkpoint inhibitors predominate as first-line therapy options for renal cell carcinoma. When first-line TKI therapy fails due to resistance development, an optimal second-line therapy has not yet been established. The present investigation is directed towards comparing the anti-angiogenic properties of the TKIs, sorafenib and axitinib on human endothelial cells (HUVECs) with acquired resistance towards the TKI sunitinib. HUVECs were driven to resistance by continuously exposing them to sunitinib for six weeks. They were then switched to a 24 h or further six weeks treatment with sorafenib or axitinib. HUVEC growth, as well as angiogenesis (tube formation and scratch wound assay), were evaluated. Cell cycle proteins of the CDK-cyclin axis (CDK1 and 2, total and phosphorylated, cyclin A and B) and the mTOR pathway (AKT, total and phosphorylated) were also assessed. Axitinib (but not sorafenib) significantly suppressed growth of sunitinib-resistant HUVECs when they were exposed for six weeks. This axinitib-associated growth reduction was accompanied by a cell cycle block at the G0/G1-phase. Both axitinib and sorafenib reduced HUVEC tube length and prevented wound closure (sorafenib > axitinib) when applied to sunitinib-resistant HUVECs for six weeks. Protein analysis revealed diminished phosphorylation of CDK1, CDK2 and pAKT, accompanied by a suppression of cyclin A and B. Both drugs modulated CDK-cyclin and AKT-dependent signaling, associated either with both HUVEC growth and angiogenesis (axitinib) or angiogenesis alone (sorafenib). Axitinib and sorafenib may be equally applicable as second line treatment options, following sunitinib resistance.
Improvement of Cell Culture Methods for the Successful Generation of Human Keratinocyte Primary Cell Cultures Using EGF-Loaded Nanostructured Lipid Carriers
Authors: Chato-Astrain Jesús , Sánchez-Porras David , García-García Óscar Darío , Vairo Claudia , Villar-Vidal María , Villullas Silvia , Sánchez-Montesinos Indalecio , Campos Fernando , Garzón Ingrid , Alaminos Miguel
Published: November 2021

Human skin keratinocyte primary cultures can be established from skin biopsies with culture media containing epithelial growth factor (EGF). Although current methods are efficient, optimization is required to accelerate the procedure and obtain these cultures in less time. In the present study, we evaluated the effect of novel formulations based on EGF-loaded nanostructured lipid carriers (NLC). First, biosafety of NLC containing recombinant human EGF (NLC-rhEGF) was verified in immortalized skin keratinocytes and cornea epithelial cells, and in two epithelial cancer cell lines, by quantifying free DNA released to the culture medium. Then we established primary cell cultures of human skin keratinocytes with basal culture media (BM) and BM supplemented with NLC-rhEGF, liquid EGF (L-rhEGF), or NLC alone (NLC-blank). The results showed that cells isolated by enzymatic digestion and cultured with or without a feeder layer had a similar growth rate regardless of the medium used. However, the explant technique showed higher efficiency when NLC-rhEGF culture medium was used, compared to BM, L-rhEGF, or NLC-blank. Gene expression analysis showed that NLC-rhEGF was able to increase EGFR gene expression, along with that of other genes related to cytokeratins, cell–cell junctions, and keratinocyte maturation and differentiation. In summary, these results support the use of NLC-rhEGF to improve the efficiency of explant-based methods in the efficient generation of human keratinocyte primary cell cultures for tissue engineering use.
Machine Learning-Based Identification of Potentially Novel Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease Biomarkers
Authors: Shafiha Roshan , Bahcivanci Basak , Gkoutos Georgios V. , Acharjee Animesh
Published: November 2021

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a chronic liver disease that presents a great challenge for treatment and prevention.. This study aims to implement a machine learning approach that employs such datasets to identify potential biomarker targets. We developed a pipeline to identify potential biomarkers for NAFLD that includes five major processes, namely, a pre-processing step, a feature selection and a generation of a random forest model and, finally, a downstream feature analysis and a provision of a potential biological interpretation. The pre-processing step includes data normalising and variable extraction accompanied by appropriate annotations. A feature selection based on a differential gene expression analysis is then conducted to identify significant features and then employ them to generate a random forest model whose performance is assessed based on a receiver operating characteristic curve. Next, the features are subjected to a downstream analysis, such as univariate analysis, a pathway enrichment analysis, a network analysis and a generation of correlation plots, boxplots and heatmaps. Once the results are obtained, the biological interpretation and the literature validation is conducted over the identified features and results. We applied this pipeline to transcriptomics and lipidomic datasets and concluded that the C4BPA gene could play a role in the development of NAFLD. The activation of the complement pathway, due to the downregulation of the C4BPA gene, leads to an increase in triglyceride content, which might further render the lipid metabolism. This approach identified the C4BPA gene, an inhibitor of the complement pathway, as a potential biomarker for the development of NAFLD.
LncRNAs LY86-AS1 and VIM-AS1 Distinguish Plasma Cell Leukemia Patients from Multiple Myeloma Patients
Authors: Bútová Romana , Vychytilová-Faltejsková Petra , Gregorová Jana , Radová Lenka , Almáši Martina , Bezděková Renata , Brožová Lucie , Jarkovský Jiří , Knechtová Zdeňka , Štork Martin , Pour Luděk , Ševčíková Sabina
Published: November 2021

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are functional RNAs longer than 200 nucleotides. Due to modern genomic techniques, the involvement of lncRNAs in tumorigenesis has been revealed; however, information concerning lncRNA interplay in multiple myeloma (MM) and plasma cell leukemia (PCL) is virtually absent. Herein, we aimed to identify the lncRNAs involved in MM to PCL progression. We investigated representative datasets of MM and PCL patients using next-generation sequencing. In total, 13 deregulated lncRNAs (p < 0.00025) were identified; four of them were chosen for further validation in an independent set of MM and PCL patients by RT-qPCR. The obtained results proved the significant downregulation of lymphocyte antigen antisense RNA 1 (LY86-AS1) and VIM antisense RNA 1 (VIM-AS1) in PCL compared to MM. Importantly, these two lncRNAs could be involved in the progression of MM into PCL; thus, they could serve as promising novel biomarkers of MM progression.
Dissecting the Role of Circular RNAs in Sarcomas with Emphasis on Osteosarcomas
Authors: Lakiotaki Eleftheria , Kanakoglou Dimitrios , Pampalou Andromachi , Karatrasoglou Eleni , Piperi Christina , Korkolopoulou Penelope
Published: November 2021

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are single-stranded RNAs generated from exons back-splicing from a single pre-mRNA, forming covalently closed loop structures which lack 5′-3′-polarity or polyadenylated tail. Ongoing research depicts that circRNAs play a pivotal role in tumorigenesis, tumor progression, metastatic potential and chemoresistance by regulating transcription, microRNA (miRNA) sponging, RNA-binding protein interactions, alternative splicing and to a lesser degree, protein coding. Sarcomas are rare malignant tumors stemming from mesenchymal cells. Due to their clinically insidious onset, they often present at advanced stage and their treatment may require aggressive chemotherapeutic or surgical options. This review is mainly focused on the regulatory functions of circRNAs on osteosarcoma progression and their potential role as biomarkers, an area which has prompted lately extensive research. The attributed oncogenic role of circRNAs on other mesenchymal tumors such as Kaposi Sarcoma (KS), Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) or Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors (GISTs) is also described. The involvement of circRNAs on sarcoma oncogenesis and relevant emerging diagnostic, prognostic and therapeutic applications are expected to gain more research interest in the future.
Combination of Porous Silk Fibroin Substrate and Gold Nanocracks as a Novel SERS Platform for a High-Sensitivity Biosensor
Authors: Choi Ji Hyeon , Choi Munsik , Kang Taeyoung , Ho Tien Son , Choi Seung Ho , Byun Kyung Min
Published: November 2021

Novel concepts for developing a surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) sensor based on biocompatible materials offer great potential in versatile applications, including wearable and in vivo monitoring of target analytes. Here, we report a highly sensitive SERS sensor consisting of a biocompatible silk fibroin substrate with a high porosity and gold nanocracks. Our silk-based SERS detection takes advantage of strong local field enhancement in the nanoscale crack regions induced by gold nanostructures evaporated on a porous silk substrate. The SERS performance of the proposed sensor is evaluated in terms of detection limit, sensitivity, and linearity. Compared to the performance of a counterpart SERS sensor with a thin gold film, SERS results using 4-ABT analytes present that a significant improvement in the detection limit and sensitivity by more than 4 times, and a good linearity and a wide dynamic range is achieved. More interestingly, overlap is integral, and a quantitative measure of the local field enhancement is highly consistent with the experimental SERS enhancement.
Prevalence and Clinical Characteristics of Lacunar Stroke: A Hospital-Based Study
Authors: Aldriweesh Mohammed A. , Alluhidan Waleed A. , Al Bdah Bayan A. , Alhasson Muath A. , Alsaif Sultan A. , Alajlani Abrar A. , Almutairi Faisal M. , Alskaini Mohammed A. , Alotaibi Naser , Al Khathaami Ali M.
Published: November 2021

Lacunar stroke (LS) is responsible for one-quarter of the overall number of ischemic strokes with long-term complications and carries health and economic issues for patients and health care systems. Therefore, we aimed to investigate lacunar versus non-lacunar strokes in a tertiary academic center. From February 2016 to July 2019, all patients admitted to the stroke unit were retrospectively reviewed. We included LS patients and compared them to other TOAST subtypes. Hemorrhagic stroke and conditions mimicking stroke were excluded. Regression analysis was done to determine LS predictors and outcomes. A 35.5% rate of LS among 989 ischemic stroke patients was found. Most patients (71.9%) were males. Lower National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) scores at admission and negative history for cardiac diseases were predictors for LS in our population. At discharge, LS patients had low NIHSS scores and shorter hospitalization periods compared to non-LS patients. In conclusion, LS was prevalent among ischemic stroke patients in our cohort. Future studies are highly needed with long follow-up intervals to identify the stroke recurrence, complications, and outcomes.
Neural Mechanisms of Prism Adaptation in Healthy Adults and Individuals with Spatial Neglect after Unilateral Stroke: A Review of fMRI Studies
Authors: Boukrina Olga , Chen Peii
Published: November 2021

Functional disability due to spatial neglect hinders recovery in up to 30% of stroke survivors. Prism adaptation treatment (PAT) may alleviate the disabling consequences of spatial neglect, but we do not yet know why some individuals show much better outcomes following PAT than others. The goal of this scoping review and meta-analysis was to investigate the neural mechanisms underlying prism adaptation (PA). We conducted both quantitative and qualitative analyses across fMRI studies investigating brain activity before, during, and after PA, in healthy individuals and patients with right or left brain damage (RBD or LBD) due to stroke. In healthy adults, PA was linked with activity in posterior parietal and cerebellar clusters, reduced bilateral parieto-frontal connectivity, and increased fronto-limbic and sensorimotor network connectivity. In contrast, RBD individuals with spatial neglect relied on different circuits, including an activity cluster in the intact left occipital cortex. This finding is consistent with a shift in hemispheric dominance in spatial processing to the left hemisphere. However, more studies are needed to clarify the contribution of lesion location and load on the circuits involved in PA after unilateral brain damage. Future studies are also needed to clarify the relationship of decreasing resting state functional connectivity (rsFC) to visuomotor function.
Effective Connectivity during an Avoidance-Based Pavlovian-to-Instrumental Transfer Task
Authors: Petrie Daniel J. , Chow Sy-Miin , Geier Charles F.
Published: November 2021

Pavlovian-to-instrumental transfer (PIT) refers to a phenomenon whereby a classically conditioned stimulus (CS) impacts the motivational salience of instrumental behavior. We examined behavioral response patterns and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) based effective connectivity during an avoidance-based PIT task. Eleven participants (8 females; Mage = 28.2, SD = 2.8, range = 25–32 years) completed the task. Effective connectivity between a priori brain regions engaged during the task was determined using hemodynamic response function group iterative multiple model estimation (HRF-GIMME). Participants exhibited behavior that was suggestive of specific PIT, a CS previously associated with a reinforcing outcome increased instrumental responding directed at the same outcome. We did not find evidence for general PIT; a CS did not significantly increase instrumental responding towards a different but related outcome. Using HRF-GIMME, we recovered effective connectivity maps among corticostriatal circuits engaged during the task. Group-level paths revealed directional effects from left putamen to right insula and from right putamen to right cingulate. Importantly, a direct effect of specific PIT stimuli on blood–oxygen-level-dependent (BOLD) activity in the left putamen was found. Results provide initial evidence of effective connectivity in key brain regions in an avoidance-based PIT task network. This study adds to the literature studying PIT effects in humans and employing GIMME models to understand how psychological phenomena are supported in the brain.
Variations of Brain Functional Connectivity in Alcohol-Preferring and Non-Preferring Rats with Consecutive Alcohol Training or Acute Alcohol Administration
Authors: Liu Yue , Nie Binbin , Liu Taotao , Zheng Ning , Liu Zeyuan , Shan Baoci , Jiang Lihong , Manyande Anne , Li Xihai , Xu Fuqiang , Wang Jie
Published: November 2021

Alcohol addiction is regarded as a series of dynamic changes to neural circuitries. A comparison of the global network during different stages of alcohol addiction could provide an efficient way to understand the neurobiological basis of addiction. Two animal models (P-rats screened from an alcohol preference family, and NP-rats screened from an alcohol non-preference family) were trained for alcohol preference with a two-bottle free choice method for 4 weeks. To examine the changes in the neural response to alcohol during the development of alcohol preference and acute stimulation, different trials were studied with resting-state fMRI methods during different periods of alcohol preference. The correlation coefficients of 28 regions in the whole brain were calculated, and the results were compared for alcohol preference related to the genetic background/training association. The variety of coherence patterns was highly related to the state and development of alcohol preference. We observed significant special brain connectivity changes during alcohol preference in P-rats. The comparison between the P- and NP-rats highlighted the role of genetic background in alcohol preference. The results of this study support the alterations of the neural network connection during the formation of alcohol preference and confirm that alcohol preference is highly related to the genetic background. This study could provide an effective approach for understanding the neurobiological basis of alcohol addiction.