bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Tips and Tricks to Improve Ergonomics, Efficacy, Versatility, and Overcome Limitations of Micro Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy
Authors: Biligere Sarvajit , Heng Chin-Tiong , Cracco Cecilia , Mangat Reshma , Ong Chloe Shu-Hui , Thandapani Karthik , Inoue Takaaki , Sarica Kemal , Sabnis Ravindra B. , Desai Mahesh , Scoffone Cesare , Gauhar Vineet
Published: May 2021

Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy (PCNL) has evolved over the decades from Standard to Mini to Ultramini PCNL to Micro-perc, with miniaturisation being the dominant theme and supine approach gaining momentum world over.

Aim: In literature, miniaturised PCNL with microperc needle access system has raised concerns of intrarenal pressure and has some limitations with its success for larger stones. Our tips and tricks explain how to overcome these pitfalls by utilising the full construct of the needle system to its maximum potential. These will in turn help make the procedure versatile, precise, ergonomical, and enhance a surgeon's experience with improved outcomes for patients especially in large renal stones.

Materials and Methods: We describe the limitations of microperc needle access as stated in literature and proposals by the co-authors using microperc for miniaturised access on how to overcome the same.

Results: A simplified table describing the limitations and tips and tricks on overcoming these is provided for quick reference.

Conclusion: As Technological advancements and techniques for miniaturised access in urolithiasis improve, we believe our suggestions will help surgeons overcome the quoted limitations of microperc needle access for miniaturised PCNL, making this a versatile, safe and efficacious technique even in large and complex stones. A multi centre trial will be the best way to validate the suggestions proposed in this article.
Carp Edema Virus Infection Is Associated With Severe Metabolic Disturbance in Fish
Authors: Pikula Jiri , Pojezdal Lubomir , Papezikova Ivana , Minarova Hana , Mikulikova Ivana , Bandouchova Hana , Blahova Jana , Bednarska Małgorzata , Mares Jan , Palikova Miroslava
Published: May 2021

Significant mortalities associated with emerging viral diseases are challenging the economy of common carp aquaculture. As such, there is an increased need to disentangle how infected fish cope with progressive disease pathology and lose the ability for homeostatic maintenance of key physiological parameters. A natural carp edema virus (CEV) infection outbreak at a carp fish farm provided an opportunity to examine diseased and healthy carp in the same storage pond, thereby contributing to our better understanding of CEV disease pathophysiology. The disease status of fish was determined using PCR-based virus identification combined with analysis of gill pathology. Compared with healthy control carp, the blood chemistry profile of CEV-infected fish revealed major disruptions in electrolyte and acid-base balance (i.e., hyponatraemia, hypochloraemia, hyperphosphatemia, elevated pH, base excess, and anion gap and decreased partial dissolved carbon dioxide). In addition, we recorded hyperproteinaemia, hyperalbuminaemia, hypotonic dehydration, endogenous hyperammonaemia, and decreased lactate along with increased creatinine, alkaline phosphatase, alanine aminotransferase, and aspartate aminotransferase. Red blood cell associated hematology variables were also elevated. The multivariate pattern of responses for blood chemistry variables (driven by sodium, pH, partial dissolved carbon dioxide, ammonia, and albumin in the principal component analysis) clearly discriminated between CEV-infected and control carp. To conclude, we show that CEV infection in carp exerts complex adverse effects and results in severe metabolic disturbance due to the impaired gill respiratory and excretory functioning.
Planning of Aircraft Fleet Maintenance Teams
Authors: Pereira Duarte P. , Gomes Isaias L. R. , Melicio Rui , Mendes Victor M. F.
Published: May 2021

This paper addresses a support information system for the planning of aircraft maintenance teams, assisting maintenance managers in delivering an aircraft on time. The developed planning of aircraft maintenance teams is a computer application based on a mathematical programming problem written as a minimization one. The initial decision variables are positive integer variables specifying the allocation of available technicians by skills to maintenance teams. The objective function is a nonlinear function balancing the time spent and costs incurred with aircraft fleet maintenance. The data involve technicians’ skills, hours of work to perform maintenance tasks, costs related to facilities, and the aircraft downtime cost. The realism of this planning entails random possibilities associated with maintenance workload data, and the inference by a procedure of Monte Carlo simulation provides a proper set of workloads, instead of going through all the possibilities. The based formalization is a nonlinear integer programming problem, converted into an equivalent pure linear integer programming problem, using a transformation from initial positive integer variables to Boolean ones. A case study addresses the use of this support information system to plan a team for aircraft maintenance of three lines under the uncertainty of workloads, and a discussion of results shows the serviceableness of the proposed support information system.
GKS and UGKS for High-Speed Flows
Authors: Zhu Yajun , Zhong Chengwen , Xu Kun
Published: May 2021

The gas-kinetic scheme (GKS) and the unified gas-kinetic scheme (UGKS) are numerical methods based on the gas-kinetic theory, which have been widely used in the numerical simulations of high-speed and non-equilibrium flows. Both methods employ a multiscale flux function constructed from the integral solutions of kinetic equations to describe the local evolution process of particles’ free transport and collision. The accumulating effect of particles’ collision during transport process within a time step is used in the construction of the schemes, and the intrinsic simulating flow physics in the schemes depends on the ratio of the particle collision time and the time step, i.e., the so-called cell’s Knudsen number. With the initial distribution function reconstructed from the Chapman–Enskog expansion, the GKS can recover the Navier–Stokes solutions in the continuum regime at a small Knudsen number, and gain multi-dimensional properties by taking into account both normal and tangential flow variations in the flux function. By employing a discrete velocity distribution function, the UGKS can capture highly non-equilibrium physics, and is capable of simulating continuum and rarefied flow in all Knudsen number regimes. For high-speed non-equilibrium flow simulation, the real gas effects should be considered, and the computational efficiency and robustness of the schemes are the great challenges. Therefore, many efforts have been made to improve the validity and reliability of the GKS and UGKS in both the physical modeling and numerical techniques. In this paper, we give a review of the development of the GKS and UGKS in the past decades, such as physical modeling of a diatomic gas with molecular rotation and vibration at high temperature, plasma physics, computational techniques including implicit and multigrid acceleration, memory reduction methods, and wave–particle adaptation.
A Motor-Driven and Computer Vision-Based Intelligent E-Trap for Monitoring Citrus Flies
Authors: Huang Renjie , Yao Tingshan , Zhan Cheng , Zhang Geng , Zheng Yongqiang
Published: May 2021

Citrus flies are important quarantine pests in citrus plantations. Electronic traps (e-traps) based on computer vision are the most popular types of equipment for monitoring them. However, most current e-traps are inefficient and unreliable due to requiring manual operations and lack of reliable detection and identification algorithms of citrus fly images. To address these problems, this paper presents a monitoring scheme based on automatic e-traps and novel recognition algorithms. In this scheme, the prototype of an automatic motor-driven e-trap is firstly designed based on a yellow sticky trap. A motor autocontrol algorithm based on Local Binary Pattern (LBP) image analysis is proposed to automatically replace attractants in the e-trap for long-acting work. Furthermore, for efficient and reliable statistics of captured citrus flies, based on the differences between two successive sampling images of the e-trap, a simple and effective detection algorithm is presented to continuously detect the newly captured citrus flies from the collected images of the e-trap. Moreover, a Multi-Attention and Multi-Part convolutional neural Network (MAMPNet) is proposed to exploit discriminative local features of citrus fly images to recognize the citrus flies in the images. Finally, extensive simulation experiments validate the feasibility and efficiency of the designed e-trap prototype and its autocontrol algorithm, as well as the reliability and effectiveness of the proposed detection and recognition algorithms for citrus flies.
Crop Diversification for Improved Weed Management: A Review
Authors: Sharma Gourav , Shrestha Swati , Kunwar Sudip , Tseng Te-Ming
Published: May 2021

Weeds are among the major constraints to any crop production system, reducing productivity and profitability. Herbicides are among the most effective methods to control weeds, and reliance on herbicides for weed control has increased significantly with the advent of herbicide-resistant crops. Unfortunately, over-reliance on herbicides leads to environmental-health issues and herbicide-resistant weeds, causing human health and ecological concerns. Crop diversification can help manage weeds sustainably in major crop production systems. It acts as an organizing principle under which technological innovations and ecological insights can be combined to manage weeds sustainably. Diversified cropping can be defined as the conscious inclusion of functional biodiversity at temporal and/or spatial levels to improve the productivity and stability of ecosystem services. Crop diversification helps to reduce weed density by negatively impacting weed seed germination and weed growth. Additionally, diversified farming systems are more resilient to climate change than monoculture systems and provide better crop yield. However, there are a few challenges to adopting a diversified cropping system, ranging from technology innovations, government policies, farm-level decisions, climate change, and market conditions. In this review, we discuss how crop diversification supports sustainable weed management, the challenges associated with it, and the future of weed management with respect to the diversification concept.
Evaluating the Impacts of Smallholder Farmer’s Participation in Modern Agricultural Value Chain Tactics for Facilitating Poverty Alleviation—A Case Study of Kiwifruit Industry in Shaanxi, China
Authors: Wang Hongyu , Wang Xiaolei , Sarkar Apurbo , Qian Lu
Published: May 2021

Market-based initiatives like agriculture value chain (AVC) are becoming progressively pervasive to support smallholder rural farmers and assist them in entering larger market interventions and providing a pathway of enhancing their socioeconomic well-being. Moreover, it may also foster staggering effects towards the post-era poverty alleviation in rural areas and possessed a significant theoretical and practical influence for modern agricultural development. The prime objective of the study is to explore the effects of smallholder farmers’ participation in the agricultural value chain for availing rural development and poverty alleviation. Specifically, we have crafted the assessment employing pre-production (improved fertilizers usage), in-production (modern preservation technology), and post-production (supply chain) participation and interventions of smallholder farmers. The empirical data has been collected from a micro survey dataset of 623 kiwifruit farmers from July to September in Shaanxi, China. We have employed propensity score matching (PSM), probit, and OLS models to explore the multidimensional poverty reduction impact and heterogeneity of farmers’ participation in the agricultural value chain. The results show that the total number of poor farmers who have experienced one-dimensional and two-dimensional poverty is relatively high (66.3%). We also find that farmers’ participation in agricultural value chain activities has a significant poverty reduction effect. The multidimensional poverty level of farmers using improved fertilizer, organizational acquisition, and using storage technology (compared with non-participating farmers) decreased by 30.1%, 46.5%, and 25.0%, respectively. The multidimensional poverty reduction degree of male farmers using improved fertilizer and participating in the organizational acquisition is greater than that of women. The multidimensional poverty reduction degree of female farmers using storage and fresh-keeping technology has a greater impact than the males using storage and improved storage technology. Government should widely promote the value chain in the form of pre-harvest, production, and post-harvest technology. The public–private partnership should also be strengthened for availing innovative technologies and infrastructure development.
The Influence of Grain Legume and Tillage Strategies on CO2 and N2O Gas Exchange under Varied Environmental Conditions
Authors: Hansen Emilie Marie Øst , Hauggaard-Nielsen Henrik , Justes Eric , Ambus Per , Mikkelsen Teis Nørgaard
Published: May 2021

By this in vitro study addressing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from soil-plant mesocosms, we suggest a method to investigate the joint effects of environmental conditions, growth of plants, and agricultural soil management. Soils from two long-term agricultural trials in France were placed in climate chambers. The rotation trial was with or without grain legumes, and the tillage trial used plowing or reduced tillage. Environmental conditions consisted of two contrasting temperature regimes combined with ambient (400 ppm) or high (700 ppm) CO2 concentrations in climate chambers. The plant growth went from seeding to vegetative growth. Carbon dioxide gas exchange measurements were conducted in both soil types for a period representing initial plant growth. The CO2 exchange was influenced by the growing plants increasing the mesocosm respiration and gross ecosystem production. The environmental settings had no noticeable impact on the CO2 exchange in the soils from the legume trial. The CO2 exchange from the tillage trial soils exhibited variations induced by the environmental conditions depending on the tillage treatment. The N2O emission measurements in the legume trial soils showed little variability based on rotation, however, in soils with legumes, indications that higher temperatures will lead to more N2O emission were seen.
Discrete Element Modelling of Soil Compaction of a Press-Wheel
Authors: Acquah Kobby , Chen Ying
Published: May 2021

Press-wheels are wheels designed to compact the soil above seeds in the “seed cover” region. Soil compaction, produced by the press-wheels of seeders, affects seedling emergence and early plant growth. The Discrete Element Method (DEM) was used to model the amount of soil compaction from a press-wheel with varying down forces. The model was used to predict sinkage and rolling resistance of the press-wheel. The model results were validated with data from soil bin tests of the press-wheel in a sandy loam soil under varying soil moisture content levels (low, medium, and high). The sinkage results from the soil bin tests were 27.7, 26.7, and 25.2 mm for the low, medium, and high soil moisture content levels, respectively. The corresponding rolling resistances obtained from the tests were 104.4, 89.9, and 113.6 N. The press-wheel model adequately predicted the sinkage and rolling resistance for each soil moisture content level with overall Relative Mean Errors (RME) ranging from 13 to 23%. Additional simulation results show that average peak soil stresses across the three soil moisture contents at a depth of 0.12 m were 22,466.7, 8700.0, and 6900.0 Pa for vertical, horizontal, and lateral directions, respectively. The results enhance the understanding of the dynamics of the soil–press-wheel interaction and provided useful information for seeder press-wheel design.
Cycling Phosphorus and Nitrogen through Cropping Systems in an Intensive Dairy Production Region
Authors: Leytem April B. , Williams Paula , Zuidema Shan , Martinez Audrey , Chong Yen Leng , Vincent Alyssa , Vincent Aaron , Cronan Daniel , Kliskey Andrew , Wulfhorst J. D. , Alessa Lilian , Bjorneberg David
Published: May 2021

As pressure on the dairy industry to reduce its environmental impact increases, efficient recycling of manure nutrients through local cropping systems becomes crucial. The aim of this study was to calculate annual nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) budgets in six counties located in the Magic Valley, Idaho and estimate what distance manure would need to be transported to be in balance with crop nutrient demand given current dairy cattle populations and cropping systems. Our analysis suggests that crop N needs will not be met solely by manure, and synthetic fertilizer will need to be applied. However, to balance P with crop production, manure would need to be transported a minimum of 12.9 km from dairies and would have to replace synthetic fertilizer P on 91% of regional cropland. Education of producers and technical specialists would be necessary to improve the management of manure use in regional cropping systems. Technical solutions such as alternative diets for cattle and nutrient capture from manure streams will also likely be necessary to bring regional P into balance to protect environmental quality and improve the sustainability of the regional dairy industry.
Alpha-Lipoic Acid as a Nutritive Supplement for Humans and Animals: An Overview of Its Use in Dog Food
Authors: Anthony Reshma M. , MacLeay Jennifer M. , Gross Kathy L.
Published: May 2021

Alpha-lipoic acid (a-LA) is used as a nutritive additive in dog food. Therefore, we performed a systematic review of studies published to date in PubMed, Google Scholar, Cochrane Library and MedlinePlus involving alpha-lipoic acid supplementation, which included human clinical trials as well as animal studies, to evaluate its utility as a supplement in foods for healthy, adult dogs. While an upper limit of alpha-lipoic acid intake in humans has not been conclusively determined, the levels for oral intake of a-LA have been better defined in animals, and distinct differences based on species have been described. The maximum tolerated oral dose of a-LA in dogs has been reported as 126 mg/kg body weight and the LD50 as 400 to 500 mg/kg body weight. The antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and neuro-protective benefits of alpha-lipoic acid in dogs were observed at concentrations much lower than the maximum tolerated dose or proposed LD50. At concentrations of 2.7–4.94 mg/kg body weight/day, alpha-lipoic acid is well tolerated and posed no health risks to dogs while providing improved antioxidant capacity. This review thereby supports the utility of alpha-lipoic acid as an effective nutritive additive in dog food.
Caprine Arthritis Encephalitis Virus Disease Modelling Review
Authors: Brotto Rebuli Karina , Giacobini Mario , Bertolotti Luigi
Published: May 2021

Mathematical modelling is used in disease studies to assess the economical impacts of diseases, as well as to better understand the epidemiological dynamics of the biological and environmental factors that are associated with disease spreading. For an incurable disease such as Caprine Arthritis Encephalitis (CAE), this knowledge is extremely valuable. However, the application of modelling techniques to CAE disease studies has not been significantly explored in the literature. The purpose of the present work was to review the published studies, highlighting their scope, strengths and limitations, as well to provide ideas for future modelling approaches for studying CAE disease. The reviewed studies were divided into the following two major themes: Mathematical epidemiological modelling and statistical modelling. Regarding the epidemiological modelling studies, two groups of models have been addressed in the literature: With and without the sexual transmission component. Regarding the statistical modelling studies, the reviewed articles varied on modelling assumptions and goals. These studies modelled the dairy production, the CAE risk factors and the hypothesis of CAE being a risk factor for other diseases. Finally, the present work concludes with further suggestions for modelling studies on CAE.
Getting It Straight: Accommodating Rectilinear Behavior in Captive Snakes—A Review of Recommendations and Their Evidence Base
Authors: Warwick Clifford , Grant Rachel , Steedman Catrina , Howell Tiffani J. , Arena Phillip C. , Lambiris Angelo J. L. , Nash Ann-Elizabeth , Jessop Mike , Pilny Anthony , Amarello Melissa , Gorzula Steve , Spain Marisa , Walton Adrian , Nicholas Emma , Mancera Karen , Whitehead Martin , Martínez-Silvestre Albert , Cadenas Vanessa , Whittaker Alexandra , Wilson Alix
Published: May 2021

Snakes are sentient animals and should be subject to the accepted general welfare principles of other species. However, they are also the only vertebrates commonly housed in conditions that prevent them from adopting rectilinear behavior (ability to fully stretch out). To assess the evidence bases for historical and current guidance on snake spatial considerations, we conducted a literature search and review regarding recommendations consistent with or specifying ≥1 × and <1 × snake length enclosure size. We identified 65 publications referring to snake enclosure sizes, which were separated into three categories: peer-reviewed literature (article or chapter appearing in a peer-reviewed journal or book, n = 31), grey literature (government or other report or scientific letter, n = 18), and opaque literature (non-scientifically indexed reports, care sheets, articles, husbandry books, website or other information for which originating source is not based on scientific evidence or where scientific evidence was not provided, n = 16). We found that recommendations suggesting enclosure sizes shorter than the snakes were based entirely on decades-old ‘rule of thumb’ practices that were unsupported by scientific evidence. In contrast, recommendations suggesting enclosure sizes that allowed snakes to fully stretch utilized scientific evidence and considerations of animal welfare. Providing snakes with enclosures that enable them to fully stretch does not suggest that so doing allows adequate space for all necessary normal and important considerations. However, such enclosures are vital to allow for a limited number of essential welfare-associated behaviors, of which rectilinear posturing is one, making them absolute minimum facilities even for short-term housing.
Xanthones Active against Multidrug Resistance and Virulence Mechanisms of Bacteria
Authors: Durães Fernando , Resende Diana I. S. P. , Palmeira Andreia , Szemerédi Nikoletta , Pinto Madalena M. M. , Spengler Gabriella , Sousa Emília
Published: May 2021

The emergence of multidrug and extensively drug-resistant pathogenic bacteria able to resist to the action of a wide range of antibiotics is becoming a growing problem for public health. The search for new compounds with the potential to help in the reversion of bacterial resistance plays an important role in current medicinal chemistry research. Under this scope, bacterial efflux pumps are responsible for the efflux of antimicrobials, and their inhibition could reverse resistance. In this study, the multidrug resistance reversing activity of a series of xanthones was investigated. Firstly, docking studies were performed in the AcrAB-TolC efflux pump and in a homology model of the NorA pump. Then, the effects of twenty xanthone derivatives on bacterial growth were evaluated in Staphylococcus aureus 272123 and in the acrA gene-inactivated mutant Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium SL1344 (SE03). Their efflux pump inhibitory properties were assessed using real-time fluorimetry. Assays concerning the activity of these compounds towards the inhibition of biofilm formation and quorum sensing have also been performed. Results showed that a halogenated phenylmethanamine xanthone derivative displayed an interesting profile, as far as efflux pump inhibition and biofilm formation were concerned. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of xanthones as potential efflux pump inhibitors.
Antibiotic Prescriptions among China Ambulatory Care Visits of Pregnant Women: A Nationwide Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Zhao Houyu , Zhang Mei , Bian Jiaming , Zhan Siyan
Published: May 2021

Background: Antibiotic use in pregnant women at the national level has rarely been reported in China. Objectives: We aimed to investigate antibiotic prescriptions during pregnancy in ambulatory care settings in China. Methods: Data of 4,574,961 ambulatory care visits of pregnant women from October 2014 to April 2018 were analyzed. Percentages of Antibiotic prescriptions by different subgroups and various diagnosis categories and proportions of inappropriate antibiotic prescriptions for different subgroups were estimated. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) pregnancy categories were used to describe the antibiotic prescription patterns. The 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated using the Clopper––Pearson method or Goodman method. Results: Among the 4,574,961 outpatient visits during pregnancy, 2.0% (92,514 visits; 95% CI, 2.0–2.0%) were prescribed at least one antibiotic. The percentage of antibiotic prescriptions for pregnant women aged >40 years was 4.9% (95% CI, 4.7–5.0%), whereas that for pregnant women aged 26–30 years was 1.5% (95% CI, 1.4–1.5%). In addition, percentages of antibiotic prescriptions varied among different trimesters of pregnancy, which were 5.4% (95% CI, 5.3–5.4%) for the visits in the first trimester of pregnancy and 0.5% (95% CI, 0.4–0.5%) in the third trimester of pregnancy. Furthermore, the percentages of antibiotic prescriptions substantially varied among different diagnosis categories and nearly three-quarters of antibiotic prescriptions had no clear indications and thus might be inappropriate. In total, 130,308 individual antibiotics were prescribed; among these, 60.4% (95% CI, 60.0–60.8%) belonged to FDA category B, 2.7% (95% CI, 2.1–3.5%) were classified as FDA category D and 16.8% (95% CI, 16.2–17.4%) were not assigned any FDA pregnancy category. Conclusions: Antibiotic prescriptions in ambulatory care during pregnancy were not highly prevalent in mainland China. However, a substantial proportion of antibiotics might have been prescribed without adequate indications. Antibiotics whose fetal safety has not been sufficiently illustrated were widely used in pregnant women.
An Antisense yycF RNA Modulates Biofilm Organization of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus and Pathogenicity in a Rat Model of Osteomyelitis
Authors: Wu Shizhou , Liu Yunjie , Lei Lei , Zhang Hui
Published: May 2021

Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) is one of most common opportunistic pathogens and is attributed to several human infections. The increasing incidence of methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) is a serious clinical threat for osteomyelitis crisis. The YycFG two-component system of S. aureus regulates genes associated with biofilm formation. To investigate the potential role of an antisense yycF RNA in the regulation of transcription levels of yycF and associated effects on biofilm formation and pathogenicity, antisense yycF (ASyycF) RNA was detected by RT-PCR and 5′ RACE assays. ASyycF overexpression mutants were constructed, and the biofilm biomass was determined by crystal violet microtiter assay and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Quantitative RT-PCR and Western blotting analyses were used to detect whether ASyycF overexpression inhibited the transcription and translation of biofilm-related genes. Then, a rat tibial infective model was used to evaluate the pathogenicity of ASyycF overexpression in vivo. ASyycF transcription led to reductions in YycF production and biofilm formation. Overexpression of ASyycF inhibited the transcription and translation of biofilm-related genes. The sensitivity to vancomycin was improved in ASyycF-overexpressing MRSA. Furthermore, ASyycF inhibited MRSA invasion in a rat tibial infection model. From this study, the expression of the YycF protein was found to be inversely correlated with different levels of ASyycF transcription. The biofilm biomass and pathogenicity decreased in the ASyycF-overexpressing mutant. Thus, the current evidence may support ASyycF as a supplementary strategy for managing S. aureus and MRSA infections.
MicroRNAs and Oxidative Stress: An Intriguing Crosstalk to Be Exploited in the Management of Type 2 Diabetes
Authors: Vezza Teresa , de Marañón Aranzazu M. , Canet Francisco , Díaz-Pozo Pedro , Marti Miguel , D’Ocon Pilar , Apostolova Nadezda , Rocha Milagros , Víctor Víctor M.
Published: May 2021

Type 2 diabetes is a chronic disease widespread throughout the world, with significant human, social, and economic costs. Its multifactorial etiology leads to persistent hyperglycemia, impaired carbohydrate and fat metabolism, chronic inflammation, and defects in insulin secretion or insulin action, or both. Emerging evidence reveals that oxidative stress has a critical role in the development of type 2 diabetes. Overproduction of reactive oxygen species can promote an imbalance between the production and neutralization of antioxidant defence systems, thus favoring lipid accumulation, cellular stress, and the activation of cytosolic signaling pathways, and inducing β-cell dysfunction, insulin resistance, and tissue inflammation. Over the last few years, microRNAs (miRNAs) have attracted growing attention as important mediators of diverse aspects of oxidative stress. These small endogenous non-coding RNAs of 19–24 nucleotides act as negative regulators of gene expression, including the modulation of redox signaling pathways. The present review aims to provide an overview of the current knowledge concerning the molecular crosstalk that takes place between oxidative stress and microRNAs in the physiopathology of type 2 diabetes, with a special emphasis on its potential as a therapeutic target.
The Efficacy of Antioxidant Oral Supplements on the Progression of COVID-19 in Non-Critically Ill Patients: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Abulmeaty Mahmoud M. A. , Aljuraiban Ghadeer S. , Shaikh Sumaya M. , ALEid Naif E. , Mazrou Lulwa R. Al , Turjoman Abdullah A. , Aldosari Mona S. , Razak Suhail , El-Sayed Mervat M. , Areabi Tahani M. , Alsalafi Rokia M. , Al-Helio Yasser S. , Almutairy Abdulrhman B. , Molla Haneen N.
Published: May 2021

Modulation of cytokine production using immunonutrition is a relatively novel concept to improve outcomes among patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection and is now hypothesized to help manage COVID-19, however, clinical evidence is lacking. This prospective, double-blinded, randomized parallel-controlled interventional clinical trial investigated the effect of antioxidant supplements on inflammatory cytokines and disease progression in non-critically ill patients. A total of 87 hospitalized COVID-19 patients were randomized using computer-generated-randomization into the supplement group (n = 18) and the placebo group (n = 16) for 10 days. Baseline and final nutritional screening via nutrition risk screening (NRS-2002) and subjective global assessment (SGA), as well as the recording of anthropometric, clinical, biochemical, and functional parameters, were done. Serum ferritin level, cytokine storm parameters such as interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), monocyte chemoattractant protein 1(MCP-1), C-reactive protein, total leukocyte count, lymphocytic count, and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio were measured. Anthropometric and clinical parameters showed nonsignificant differences between groups. The hematology profile showed improvement in lymphocyte count in the supplement group. However, levels of alkaline phosphatase, IL-6, TNF-α, and MCP-1 were significantly lower in the supplement group. In conclusion, antioxidant oral supplementation significantly reduced the cytokine storm and led to partial improvements in clinical parameters among patients with non-critical COVID-19.
Haplopine Ameliorates 2,4-Dinitrochlorobenzene-Induced Atopic Dermatitis-Like Skin Lesions in Mice and TNF-α/IFN-γ-Induced Inflammation in Human Keratinocyte
Authors: Kim Tae-Young , Kim Ye Jin , Jegal Jonghwan , Jo Beom-Geun , Choi Han-Seok , Yang Min Hye
Published: May 2021

This study aimed to investigate the anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anti-atopic dermatitis (AD) effects of haplopine, which is one of the active components in D. dasycarpus. Haplopine (12.5 and 25 μM) inhibited the mRNA expressions of inflammatory cytokines IL-6, TSLP, GM-CSF, and G-CSF and the protein expressions of IL-6 and GM-CSF in TNF-α/INF-γ-stimulated HaCaT cells. In H2O2-induced Jukat T cells, haplopine (25 and 50 μM) suppressed the productions of proinflammatory cytokines (IL-4, IL-13, and COX-2) and increased the mRNA and protein expressions of oxidative stress defense enzymes (SOD, CAT, and HO-1) in a concentration-dependent manner. In vivo, haplopine significantly attenuated the development of AD symptoms in 2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene (DNCB)-stimulated Balb/c mice, as evidenced by reduced clinical dermatitis scores, skin thickness measurements, mast cell infiltration, and serum IgE concentrations. These findings demonstrate that haplopine should be considered a novel anti-atopic agent with the potential to treat AD.
Mechanized Grape Harvest Efficiency
Authors: Jobbágy Ján , Dočkalík Martin , Krištof Koloman , Burg Patrik
Published: May 2021

Due to the low number of employees and the time limit in the field of grape harvesting, we focused in the presented article on evaluating the effectiveness of the deployment of an outboard grape harvester within the conditions of Slovak viticulture. The vineyards are in the Nitra wine-growing region on the southwestern slopes behind the Pivnica Radošina company, Piešťany district, in a total area of 33 ha. The object of the research was a PELLENC 8090 Selective Process trailed grape harvester aggregated with a SAME Frutteto3 100 tractor. The mechanized harvesting was tested in the vineyards of Pivnica Radošina s. r. on three selected varieties (Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc, and Tramin Red) for two years. Entry conditions, technical parameters of the equipment, and weather conditions were monitored for all varieties. Data were analyzed with STATISTICA statistical software. As part of the research, post-harvest losses due to mechanized harvesting were monitored. The average losses for all examined varieties reached the value of 2.17% in 2018, and the value of 2.25% in 2017. A significant output was the efficiency of the deployment of the set for mechanized grape harvesting, where in 2018 a minimum value of 146.3 ha was set (the average cost of grapes was 500 Euro·t−1). A significant part of the cost was fixed items, as a two-year tractor and a trailed collector (for 2017) were used for mechanized harvesting. The difference compared to previous research was the deployment of a completely new set during a two-year period on varieties that have not yet been evaluated. The economic efficiency over two years was elaborated in detail, which highlighted the benefits of multi-annual use. In terms of examining losses, differences were shown not only between varieties, but also between years, and these data were statistically verified. The paper evaluates the dependence of the use of mechanized harvesting on changes in the purchase price of grapes (increasing it also exponentially increases the required area) and on changing the hourly wage of an employee (increasing it degressively reduces the required area). From the results it can be said that statistically and economically significant outputs were achieved for the deployment of machine collection.
Investigating Issues and Needs of Dyslexic Students at University: Proof of Concept of an Artificial Intelligence and Virtual Reality-Based Supporting Platform and Preliminary Results
Authors: Zingoni Andrea , Taborri Juri , Panetti Valentina , Bonechi Simone , Aparicio-Martínez Pilar , Pinzi Sara , Calabrò Giuseppe
Published: May 2021

Specific learning disorders affect a significant portion of the population. A total of 80% of its instances are dyslexia, which causes significant difficulties in learning skills related to reading, memorizing and the exposition of concepts. Whereas great efforts have been made to diagnose dyslexia and to mitigate its effects at primary and secondary school, little has been done at the university level. This has resulted in a sensibly high rate of abandonment or even of failures to enroll. The VRAIlexia project was created to face this problem by creating and popularizing an innovative method of teaching that is inclusive for dyslexic students. The core of the project is BESPECIAL, a software platform based on artificial intelligence and virtual reality that is capable of understanding the main issues experienced by dyslexic students and to provide them with ad hoc digital support methodologies in order to ease the difficulties they face in their academic studies. The aim of this paper is to present the conceptual design of BESPECIAL, highlighting the role of each module that composes it and the potential of the whole platform to fulfil the aims of VRAIlexia. Preliminary results obtained from a sample of about 700 dyslexic students are also reported, which clearly show the main issues and needs that dyslexic students experience and these will be used as guidelines for the final implementation of BESPECIAL.
Processing of EMG Signals with High Impact of Power Line and Cardiac Interferences
Authors: Strzecha Krzysztof , Krakós Marek , Więcek Bogusław , Chudzik Piotr , Tatar Karol , Lisowski Grzegorz , Mosorov Volodymyr , Sankowski Dominik
Published: May 2021

This work deals with electromyography (EMG) signal processing for the diagnosis and therapy of different muscles. Because the correct muscle activity measurement of strongly noised EMG signals is the major hurdle in medical applications, a raw measured EMG signal should be cleaned of different factors like power network interference and ECG heartbeat. Unfortunately, there are no completed studies showing full multistage signal processing of EMG recordings. In this article, the authors propose an original algorithm to perform muscle activity measurements based on raw measurements. The effectiveness of the proposed algorithm for EMG signal measurement was validated by a portable EMG system developed as a part of the EU research project and EMG raw measurement sets. Examples of removing the parasitic interferences are presented for each stage of signal processing. Finally, it is shown that the proposed processing of EMG signals enables cleaning of the EMG signal with minimal loss of the diagnostic content.
Vision Based Dynamic Thermal Comfort Control Using Fuzzy Logic and Deep Learning
Authors: Al-Faris Mahmoud , Chiverton John , Ndzi David , Ahmed Ahmed Isam
Published: May 2021

A wide range of techniques exist to help control the thermal comfort of an occupant in indoor environments. A novel technique is presented here to adaptively estimate the occupant’s metabolic rate. This is performed by utilising occupant’s actions using computer vision system to identify the activity of an occupant. Recognized actions are then translated into metabolic rates. The widely used Predicted Mean Vote (PMV) thermal comfort index is computed using the adaptivey estimated metabolic rate value. The PMV is then used as an input to a fuzzy control system. The performance of the proposed system is evaluated using simulations of various activities. The integration of PMV thermal comfort index and action recognition system gives the opportunity to adaptively control occupant’s thermal comfort without the need to attach a sensor on an occupant all the time. The obtained results are compared with the results for the case of using one or two fixed metabolic rates. The included results appear to show improved performance, even in the presence of errors in the action recognition system.
Sustaining Rice Production through Biofertilization with N2-Fixing Cyanobacteria
Authors: Iniesta-Pallarés Macarena , Álvarez Consolación , Gordillo-Cantón Francisco M. , Ramírez-Moncayo Carmen , Alves-Martínez Pilar , Molina-Heredia Fernando P. , Mariscal Vicente
Published: May 2021

Current agricultural productivity depends on an exogenous nutrient supply to crops. This is of special relevance in cereal production, a fundamental part of the trophic chain that plays a vital role in the human diet. However, our agricultural practices entail highly detrimental side-effects from an environmental point of view. Long-term nitrogen fertilization in croplands results in degradation of soil, water, and air quality, producing eutrophication and subsequently contributing to global warming. In accordance with this, there is a biotechnological interest in using nitrogen-fixing microorganisms to enhance crop growth without adding chemically synthesized nitrogen fertilizers. This is particularly beneficial in paddy fields, where about 60% of the synthetic fertilizer that has been applied is dissolved in the water and washed away. In these agricultural systems, N2-fixing cyanobacteria show a promising biotechnological potential as biofertilizers, improving soil fertility while reducing the environmental impact of the agricultural practice. In the current study, Andalusian paddy fields have been explored to isolate N2-fixing cyanobacteria. These endogenous microorganisms have been subsequently re-introduced in a field trial in order to enhance rice production. Our results provide valuable insights regarding the use of an alternative natural source of nitrogen for rice production.
Periodontal Decontamination Induced by Light and Not by Heat: Comparison between Oxygen High Level Laser Therapy (OHLLT) and LANAP
Authors: Caccianiga Gianluigi , Rey Gerard , Baldoni Marco , Caccianiga Paolo , Baldoni Alessandro , Ceraulo Saverio
Published: May 2021

In periodontology, lasers have been suggested for the nonsurgical treatment of chronic periodontitis. Many wavelengths were tested, but unfortunately, most parts were not efficient. An Nd:YAG laser was applied in a specific protocol named the laser-assisted new attachment procedure (LANAP). LANAP seems to facilitate the refurbishment of new tissues from supporting structures of the periodontium, wherein the unhealthy surface of the roots exhibits pristine attachments in human beings. Photodynamic therapy (PDT) was investigated too. The aim of our study is to show the effects of oxygen high-level laser therapy (OHLLT) in removing all bacterial deposits on the root or implant surface by means of mechanical instrumentation and laser irradiation compared to LANAP and to nonsurgical debridement of periodontal pockets. At 7 days post-treatment, a real-time PCR test had similar results on the OHLLT and LANAP groups. After 9 months, all periodontal pockets were treated successfully, not showing significant differences in the clinical results between OHLLT and LANAP and with a decrease in the plaque index, bleeding on probing and probing depth compared with the nonsurgical debridement group.
Expressing Robot Personality through Talking Body Language
Authors: Zabala Unai , Rodriguez Igor , Martínez-Otzeta José María , Lazkano Elena
Published: May 2021

Social robots must master the nuances of human communication as a mean to convey an effective message and generate trust. It is well-known that non-verbal cues are very important in human interactions, and therefore a social robot should produce a body language coherent with its discourse. In this work, we report on a system that endows a humanoid robot with the ability to adapt its body language according to the sentiment of its speech. A combination of talking beat gestures with emotional cues such as eye lightings, body posture of voice intonation and volume permits a rich variety of behaviors. The developed approach is not purely reactive, and it easily allows to assign a kind of personality to the robot. We present several videos with the robot in two different scenarios, and showing discrete and histrionic personalities.
The Role of Proteasome Inhibitors in Multiple Myeloma Bone Disease and Bone Metastasis: Effects on Osteoblasts and Osteocytes
Authors: Toscani Denise , Craviotto Luisa , Giuliani Nicola
Published: May 2021

The alterations of bone remodeling are typical of multiple myeloma (MM) patients where the uncoupled and unbalanced bone remodeling caused the onset of osteolytic lesions. Moreover, bone metastasis occurs in the majority of patients with breast and prostate cancer. Skeletal-related events negatively impact on quality of life by increasing the vulnerability to fractures. Several bone-targeting treatments have been developed to control bone pain and pathological fractures, including bisphosphonates and Denosumab. Nevertheless, these agents act by inhibiting osteoclast activity but do not improve bone formation. Proteasome inhibitors (PIs) have shown bone anabolic effects and encouraging results in stimulating osteoblast differentiation and bone healing. Among these, the first-in-class bortezomib and the second-generation PIs, carfilzomib, and ixazomib regulate the bone remodeling process by controlling the degradation of several bone proteins. PIs have been recently proven to also be efficacious in blocking MM-induced osteocyte death providing new possible therapeutic use in the management of bone loss. PIs have significant side effects that limit their use as bone anabolic strategy. Multiple alternative approaches have been made. The conjugation of PIs with bisphosphonates, which can target them to bone, showed good results in terms of bone anabolic activity. However, the clinical implications of these effects require further investigations.
Significance of Bernoulli Integral Terms for the Solar Wind Protons at 1 au
Authors: Nicolaou Georgios , Livadiotis George , Desai Mihir I.
Published: May 2021

The Bernoulli integral describes the energy conservation of a fluid along specific streamlines. The integral is the sum of individual terms that contain the plasma density, speed, temperature, and magnetic field. Typical solar wind analyses use the fluctuations of the Bernoulli integral as a criterion to identify different plasma streamlines from single spacecraft observations. However, the accurate calculation of the Bernoulli integral requires accurately determining the plasma polytropic index from the analysis of density and temperature observations. To avoid this complexity, we can simplify the calculations by keeping only the dominant terms of the integral. Here, we analyze proton plasma and magnetic field observations obtained by the Wind spacecraft at 1 au, during 1995. We calculate the Bernoulli integral terms and quantify their significance by comparing them with each other. We discuss potential simplifications of the calculations in the context of determining solar wind proton thermodynamics using single spacecraft observations.