bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Activity of Free and Liposome-Encapsulated Essential Oil from Lavandula angustifolia against Persister-Derived Biofilm of Candida auris
Authors: de Alteriis Elisabetta , Maione Angela , Falanga Annarita , Bellavita Rosa , Galdiero Stefania , Albarano Luisa , Salvatore Maria Michela , Galdiero Emilia , Guida Marco
Published: December 2021

The high virulence of Candida auris, a pathogen fungus considered as a global threat for public health, is due to its peculiar traits such as its intrinsic resistance to conventional antifungals. Its biofilm lifestyle certainly promotes the prolonged survival of C. auris after disinfection or antifungal treatments. In this work, for the first time, we detected persister cells in a biofilm of C. auris in a microwell plate model, following caspofungin treatment. Furthermore, we showed how persisters can progressively develop a new biofilm in situ, mimicking the re-colonization of a surface which may be responsible for recalcitrant infections. Plant-derived compounds, such as essential oils, may represent a valid alternative to combat fungal infections. Here, Lavandula angustifolia essential oil, as free or encapsulated in liposomes, was used to eradicate primary and persister-derived biofilms of C. auris, confirming the great potential of alternative compounds against emergent fungal pathogens. As in other Candida species, the action of essential oils against C. auris involves ROS production and affects the expression of some biofilm-related genes.
Whole-Genome Sequencing Reveals Recent Transmission of Multidrug-Resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis CAS1-Kili Strains in Lusaka, Zambia
Authors: Chizimu Joseph Yamweka , Solo Eddie Samuneti , Bwalya Precious , Tanomsridachchai Wimonrat , Chambaro Herman , Shawa Misheck , Kapalamula Thoko Flav , Lungu Patrick , Fukushima Yukari , Mukonka Victor , Thapa Jeewan , Nakajima Chie , Suzuki Yasuhiko
Published: December 2021

Globally, tuberculosis (TB) is a major cause of death due to antimicrobial resistance. Mycobacterium tuberculosis CAS1-Kili strains that belong to lineage 3 (Central Asian Strain, CAS) were previously implicated in the spread of multidrug-resistant (MDR)-TB in Lusaka, Zambia. Thus, we investigated recent transmission of those strains by whole-genome sequencing (WGS) with Illumina MiSeq platform. Twelve MDR CAS1-Kili isolates clustered by traditional methods (MIRU-VNTR and spoligotyping) were used. A total of 92% (11/12) of isolates belonged to a cluster (≤12 SNPs) while 50% (6/12) were involved in recent transmission events, as they differed by ≤5 SNPs. All the isolates had KatG Ser315Thr (isoniazid resistance), EmbB Met306 substitutions (ethambutol resistance) and several kinds of rpoB mutations (rifampicin resistance). WGS also revealed compensatory mutations including a novel deletion in embA regulatory region (−35A > del). Several strains shared the same combinations of drug-resistance-associated mutations indicating transmission of MDR strains. Zambian strains belonged to the same clade as Tanzanian, Malawian and European strains, although most of those were pan-drug-susceptible. Hence, complimentary use of WGS to traditional epidemiological methods provides an in-depth insight on transmission and drug resistance patterns which can guide targeted control measures to stop the spread of MDR-TB.
Antibiotics and Liver Cirrhosis: What the Physicians Need to Know
Authors: Zoratti Caterina , Moretti Rita , Rebuzzi Lisa , Albergati Irma Valeria , Di Somma Antonietta , Decorti Giuliana , Di Bella Stefano , Crocè Lory Saveria , Giuffrè Mauro
Published: December 2021

The liver is the primary site of drug metabolism, which can be altered by a variety of diseases affecting the liver parenchyma, especially in patients with liver cirrhosis. The use of antibiotics in patients with cirrhosis is usually a matter of concern for physicians, given the lack of practical knowledge for drug choice and eventual dose adjustments in several clinical scenarios. The aim of the current narrative review is to report, as broadly as possible, basic, and practical knowledge that any physician should have when approaching a patient with liver cirrhosis and an ongoing infection to efficiently choose the best antibiotic therapy.
Severe Glutathione Deficiency, Oxidative Stress and Oxidant Damage in Adults Hospitalized with COVID-19: Implications for GlyNAC (Glycine and N-Acetylcysteine) Supplementation
Authors: Kumar Premranjan , Osahon Ob , Vides David B. , Hanania Nicola , Minard Charles G. , Sekhar Rajagopal V.
Published: December 2021

Humanity is battling a respiratory pandemic pneumonia named COVID-19 which has resulted in millions of hospitalizations and deaths. COVID-19 exacerbations occur in waves that continually challenge healthcare systems globally. Therefore, there is an urgent need to understand all mechanisms by which COVID-19 results in health deterioration to facilitate the development of protective strategies. Oxidative stress (OxS) is a harmful condition caused by excess reactive-oxygen species (ROS) and is normally neutralized by antioxidants among which Glutathione (GSH) is the most abundant. GSH deficiency results in amplified OxS due to compromised antioxidant defenses. Because little is known about GSH or OxS in COVID-19 infection, we measured GSH, TBARS (a marker of OxS) and F2-isoprostane (marker of oxidant damage) concentrations in 60 adult patients hospitalized with COVID-19. Compared to uninfected controls, COVID-19 patients of all age groups had severe GSH deficiency, increased OxS and elevated oxidant damage which worsened with advancing age. These defects were also present in younger age groups, where they do not normally occur. Because GlyNAC (combination of glycine and N-acetylcysteine) supplementation has been shown in clinical trials to rapidly improve GSH deficiency, OxS and oxidant damage, GlyNAC supplementation has implications for combating these defects in COVID-19 infected patients and warrants urgent investigation.
Human Milk Antioxidative Modifications in Mastitis: Further Beneficial Effects of Cranberry Supplementation
Authors: Valls-Bellés Victoria , Abad Cristina , Hernández-Aguilar María Teresa , Nacher Amalia , Guerrero Carlos , Baliño Pablo , Romero Francisco J. , Muriach María
Published: December 2021

Mastitis is the inflammation of one or several mammal lobes which can be accompanied by a mammary gland infection, and is the leading cause of undesired early weaning in humans. However, little information exists regarding the changes that this disease may induce in the biochemical composition of human milk, especially in terms of oxidative status. Given that newborns are subject to a significant increase in total ROS burden in their transition to neonatal life and that their antioxidant defense system is not completely developed, the aim of this study was to evaluate antioxidant defense (glutathione peroxidase (GPx), reduced glutathione (GSH), total polyphenol content (TPP), and total antioxidant capacity (TAC)) in milk samples from mothers suffering from mastitis and controls. We also measured the oxidative damage to lipids (malondyaldehyde (MDA)) and proteins (carbonyl group content (CGC)) in these samples. Finally, we tested whether dietary supplementation with cranberries (a product rich in antioxidants) in these breastfeeding mothers during 21 days could improve the oxidative status of milk. GPx activity, TPP, and TAC were increased in milk samples from mastitis-affected women, providing a protective mechanism to the newborn drinking mastitis milk. MDA concentrations were diminished in the mastitis group, confirming this proposal. Some oxidative damage might occur in the mammary gland since the CGC was increased in mastitis milk. Cranberries supplementation seems to strengthen the antioxidant system, further improving the antioxidative state of milk.
Hydrogen Peroxide and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: From Biochemistry to Pathophysiology
Authors: Sanghai Nitesh , Tranmer Geoffrey K.
Published: December 2021

Free radicals are unstable chemical reactive species produced during Redox dyshomeostasis (RDH) inside living cells and are implicated in the pathogenesis of various neurodegenerative diseases. One of the most complicated and life-threatening motor neurodegenerative diseases (MND) is amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) because of the poor understanding of its pathophysiology and absence of an effective treatment for its cure. During the last 25 years, researchers around the globe have focused their interest on copper/zinc superoxide dismutase (Cu/Zn SOD, SOD1) protein after the landmark discovery of mutant SOD1 (mSOD1) gene as a risk factor for ALS. Substantial evidence suggests that toxic gain of function due to redox disturbance caused by reactive oxygen species (ROS) changes the biophysical properties of native SOD1 protein thus, instigating its fibrillization and misfolding. These abnormal misfolding aggregates or inclusions of SOD1 play a role in the pathogenesis of both forms of ALS, i.e., Sporadic ALS (sALS) and familial ALS (fALS). However, what leads to a decrease in the stability and misfolding of SOD1 is still in question and our scientific knowledge is scarce. A large number of studies have been conducted in this area to explore the biochemical mechanistic pathway of SOD1 aggregation. Several studies, over the past two decades, have shown that the SOD1-catalyzed biochemical reaction product hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) at a pathological concentration act as a substrate to trigger the misfolding trajectories and toxicity of SOD1 in the pathogenesis of ALS. These toxic aggregates of SOD1 also cause aberrant localization of TAR-DNA binding protein 43 (TDP-43), which is characteristic of neuronal cytoplasmic inclusions (NCI) found in ALS. Here in this review, we present the evidence implicating the pivotal role of H2O2 in modulating the toxicity of SOD1 in the pathophysiology of the incurable and highly complex disease ALS. Also, highlighting the role of H2O2 in ALS, we believe will encourage scientists to target pathological concentrations of H2O2 thereby halting the misfolding of SOD1.
Cis-9, Trans-11 CLA Alleviates Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Depression of Fatty Acid Synthesis by Inhibiting Oxidative Stress and Autophagy in Bovine Mammary Epithelial Cells
Authors: Ma Nana , Wei Guozhen , Zhang Hongzhu , Dai Hongyu , Roy Animesh Chandra , Shi Xiaoli , Chang Guangjun , Shen Xiangzhen
Published: December 2021

Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is the dominating endotoxin of Gram-negative bacteria, which can cause mastitis. Bovine mammary epithelial cells (BMECs), as major components of the mammary gland, usually suffer LPS challenge. Cis-9, trans-11 conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) has been reported to have anti-inflammatory characteristics, while its anti-oxidative ability to maintain cellular homeostasis in BMECs under LPS challenge is limited. Therefore, we studied whether cis-9, trans-11 CLA can restore the disturbance of cellular homeostasis indicated by the redox status and autophagy level caused by LPS and have an effect on cellular function- milk fat metabolism. For oxidative stress, LPS challenge promoted the formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) and decreased the concentration of glutathione. Anti-oxidative signaling regulated by transcription factor nuclear factor, erythroid 2 like 2 (Nrf2) was also depressed by LPS at the mRNA and protein level. However, cis-9, trans-11 CLA pretreatment downregulated the formation of ROS and TBARS and upregulated the expression of antioxidative enzymes. As a part of innate immunity, autophagy was also motivated by LPS challenge, while CLA decreased the autophagy level. LPS and H2O2 inhibited milk fat synthesis-related transcription factor sterol regulatory element binding protein (SREBP1), peroxisome proliferator activated receptor gamma (PPARG) and their downstream enzymes. Furthermore, 50 uM cis-9, trans-11 CLA promoted the mRNA and protein abundance of milk fat synthesis-related genes and lipid droplet formation in BMECs. In conclusion, LPS challenge disturbed the cellular homeostasis and depressed milk fat synthesis in BMECs; while cis-9, trans-11 CLA alleviated oxidative stress and decreased autophagy level, thus promoting milk fat synthesis, which offers a natural therapeutic strategy for mastitis.
(−)-Methyl-Oleocanthal, a New Oleocanthal Metabolite Reduces LPS-Induced Inflammatory and Oxidative Response: Molecular Signaling Pathways and Histones Epigenetic Modulation
Authors: Montoya Tatiana , Alarcón-de-la-Lastra Catalina , Castejón María Luisa , Ortega-Vidal Juan , Altarejos Joaquín , Sánchez-Hidalgo Marina
Published: December 2021

The antioxidant and anti-inflammatory responses of (−)-methyl-oleocanthal (met-OLE), a new metabolite of the extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) phenolic oleocanthal (OLE), were explored in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced murine peritoneal macrophages. Possible signaling pathways and epigenetic modulation of histones were studied. Met-OLE inhibited LPS-induced intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) and nitrite (NO) production and decreased the overexpression of the pro-inflammatory enzymes COX-2, mPGES-1 and iNOS in murine macrophages. In addition, met-OLE was able to significantly decrease the activation of p38, JNK, and ERK mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) and blocked canonical and non-canonical inflammasome signaling pathways. On the contrary, met-OLE upregulated haem oxigenase 1 (HO-1) and nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2)-like 2 (Nrf-2) expression in treated cells. Finally, met-OLE pretreated spleen cells counteracted LPS induction, preventing H3K18 acetylation or H3K9 and H3K27 demethylation. Overall, these results provide novel mechanistic insights into the beneficial effects of met-OLE regarding the regulation of the immune–inflammatory response through epigenetic changes in histone markers. This revealing evidence suggests that the methylated metabolite of OLE may contribute significantly to the beneficial effects that are associated with the secoiridoid-related compound and the usual consumption of EVOO.
A Large-Scale Multiple Genome Comparison of Acidophilic Archaea (pH ≤ 5.0) Extends Our Understanding of Oxidative Stress Responses in Polyextreme Environments
Authors: Neira Gonzalo , Vergara Eva , Cortez Diego , Holmes David S.
Published: December 2021

Acidophilic archaea thrive in anaerobic and aerobic low pH environments (pH < 5) rich in dissolved heavy metals that exacerbate stress caused by the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) such as hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), hydroxyl radical (·OH) and superoxide (O2−). ROS react with lipids, proteins and nucleic acids causing oxidative stress and damage that can lead to cell death. Herein, genes and mechanisms potentially involved in ROS mitigation are predicted in over 200 genomes of acidophilic archaea with sequenced genomes. These organisms are often be subjected to simultaneous multiple stresses such as high temperature, high salinity, low pH and high heavy metal loads. Some of the topics addressed include: (1) the phylogenomic distribution of these genes and what this can tell us about the evolution of these mechanisms in acidophilic archaea; (2) key differences in genes and mechanisms used by acidophilic versus non-acidophilic archaea and between acidophilic archaea and acidophilic bacteria and (3) how comparative genomic analysis predicts novel genes or pathways involved in oxidative stress responses in archaea and likely horizontal gene transfer (HGT) events.
Gut Microbiota-Derived PGF2α Fights against Radiation-Induced Lung Toxicity through the MAPK/NF-κB Pathway
Authors: Chen Zhi-Yuan , Xiao Hui-Wen , Dong Jia-Li , Li Yuan , Wang Bin , Fan Sai-Jun , Cui Ming
Published: December 2021

Radiation pneumonia is a common and intractable side effect associated with radiotherapy for chest cancer and involves oxidative stress damage and inflammation, prematurely halting the remedy and reducing the life quality of patients. However, the therapeutic options for the complication have yielded disappointing results in clinical application. Here, we report an effective avenue for fighting against radiation pneumonia. Faecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) reduced radiation pneumonia, scavenged oxidative stress and improved lung function in mouse models. Local chest irradiation shifted the gut bacterial taxonomic proportions, which were preserved by FMT. The level of gut microbiota-derived PGF2α decreased following irradiation but increased after FMT. Experimental mice with PGF2α replenishment, via an oral route, exhibited accumulated PGF2α in faecal pellets, peripheral blood and lung tissues, resulting in the attenuation of inflammatory status of the lung and amelioration of lung respiratory function following local chest irradiation. PGF2α activated the FP/MAPK/NF-κB axis to promote cell proliferation and inhibit apoptosis with radiation challenge; silencing MAPK attenuated the protective effect of PGF2α on radiation-challenged lung cells. Together, our findings pave the way for the clinical treatment of radiotherapy-associated complications and underpin PGF2α as a gut microbiota-produced metabolite.
Effect of Moderate-Intensity Endurance Exercise on Inflammatory Cytokines in Leukocytes of Dogs
Authors: Lee Hae Sung , Oh Hyun Ju , Ra Kihae , Kim Jong-Hee
Published: December 2021

This study aimed to investigate the effect of a treadmill exercise on hematological and serum biochemical parameters and the expression of immune-related cytokine genes in leukocytes. For the experiment, six healthy adult dogs were divided into exercise and control groups. The exercise group performed an endurance exercise three times a week for four weeks. Blood samples were collected before exercise, two weeks after exercise, and post-exercise, and hematological and serum biochemical analysis and cytokine gene analysis were conducted. In the exercise group, white blood cell count (WBC), aspartate aminotransferase, serum alkaline phosphatase, and glucose levels were significantly decreased, but there was no change in the control group. The mRNA expression of TNF-α, IFN-γ, IL-1β, and IL-4 was significantly decreased in the exercise group compared to the control group. There was no difference in IL-6, IL-8, and IL-10 mRNA expression between groups. The results in the current study demonstrate that short-term moderate-intensity endurance exercise alters WBC levels and mRNA cytokine expression in leukocytes and may have a meaningful effect on immune health in dogs.
Smart Warehouses: Rationale, Challenges and Solution Directions
Authors: van Geest Maarten , Tekinerdogan Bedir , Catal Cagatay
Published: December 2021

Smart warehouses aim to increase the overall service quality, productivity, and efficiency of the warehouse while minimizing costs and failures. In recent years, several studies have proposed and discussed different types of smart warehouses, identified key challenges, and proposed several solution directions for coping with these challenges. The objective of this article is to identify, evaluate, and synthesize the relevant studies discussing the design of smart warehouses and the transition to these new types of warehouses. We applied a systematic literature review (SLR) protocol to select primary studies. The SLR resulted in the identification of the domains in which smart warehouses are applied, key motivations for adopting smart warehouses, current distinctive characteristics of smart warehouses, currently adopted technologies for realizing smart warehouses, and challenges and strategies for transitioning to smart warehouses. To the best of our knowledge, no SLR paper has been published yet on smart warehouses, and therefore, this is timely research as organizations are nowadays transitioning to smart warehouses.
Design, Development and Use of a Digital Badges System in Higher Education
Authors: Sousa-Vieira María-Estrella , Ferrero-Castro David , López-Ardao José-Carlos
Published: December 2021

Badges are non fungible tokens used to document or certify achievements in academics or in any other domain. Besides their utility as proof of achievement, badges are of interest in higher education as pure incentives to push the students and learners in general toward pursuing well-defined goals and skills. In this respect, badges can be naturally incorporated into digital learning platforms also as part of informal learning activities, and stimulate participation, merit, and visibility for the students. However, the level of engagement of learners into these learning activities depends crucially on how the system of badges and rewards has been designed and on how it is applied, if it is to be used effectively. In this paper, we report on the design and implementation of a smart badges system, and an example of its use inside a gamification methodology for informal learning in a master level course, and discuss the benefits and the observed gains in learning performance that can be obtained.
Estimation of Acoustic Source Positioning Error Determined by One-Dimensional Linear Location Technique
Authors: Marchenkov Artem , Vasiliev Igor , Chernov Dmitriy , Zhgut Daria , Moskovskaya Daria , Mishchenko Ivan , Kulikova Ekaterina
Published: December 2021

The one-dimensional (1D) linear location technique has been considered as one of the methods for determining the position of acoustic emission (AE) sources in metallic objects. However, this approach does not take into account the heterogeneity of materials and that leads to poor accuracy of AE sources localization. To estimate the positioning error of the linear location technique which is typically used to determine the AE source location a new approach based on the combination of experimental and simulation methods is proposed. This approach for error estimation contains a finite element model construction of the AE signals localization. The model consists of transmitting and receiving transducers mounted on the test object, the frequency response of which selected close to the characteristics of acoustic emission transducers applied in the preliminary experiments. The application of the approach in current research showed that a reduced positioning error on a flat steel plate reaches 15%. The proposed technique can be used to optimize the number of preliminary tests required to calculate the reduced error of the 1D linear location technique applied for the AE sources localization during the inspection of the structure.
Field Test for a Base Isolation Structure on Condition of Horizontal and Initial Displacement
Authors: Wu Ying-Xiong , Dong Xin-Jun , Lin You-Qin , Cheng Hao-De
Published: December 2021

There are a few isolated structures that have been subjected to seismic testing. An isolated structure is incapable of tracking, adjusting, and controlling its dynamic characteristics. As a result, field evaluations of solitary structures’ dynamic characteristics are important. The horizontal initial displacement of a base isolation kindergarten made of 46 isolation bearings is 75 mm. The method for creating the horizontal initial displacement condition is illustrated, as are the primary test findings. Horizontal initial displacement is accomplished with the assistance of a reaction wall, rods, and hydraulic pump system. To begin, we removed the building using hydraulic jacks to produce horizontal displacement of the isolation layer and then attached rods to support the building. The rods were then shot and unloaded, causing the building to shake freely, and its dynamic response and other parameters were tested. The results indicate that the natural vibration period of an isolated structure is much greater than the natural vibration period of a seismic structure. The isolation layer’s hysteretic curve as completely filled; upon unloading, the isolation layer as promptly reset; the dynamic response control effect of each was visible, but the top floor’s acceleration was magnified by approximately 1.27 times.
Solid Fraction Determination at the Rigidity Point by Advanced Thermal Analysis
Authors: Villanueva Ester , Vicario Iban , Sánchez Jon Mikel , Albizuri Joseba , Montero Jessica
Published: December 2021

The aim of this work is to determine the Solid Fraction (SF) at the rigidity point (FRP) by applying advanced thermal analysis techniques. The variation of the FRP value is important to explain the solidification behavior and the presence or absence of defects in aluminum alloys. As the final alloy composition plays a key role on obtained properties, the influence of major and minor alloying elements on FRP has been studied. A Taguchi design of experiments and a previously developed calculating method, based on the application of high rank derivatives has been employed to determinate first the rigidity point temperature (RPT) and after the corresponding FRP for AlSi10Mg alloys. A correlation factor of r2 of 0.81 was obtained for FRP calculation formula in function of the alloy composition.
Guava Disease Detection Using Deep Convolutional Neural Networks: A Case Study of Guava Plants
Authors: Mostafa Almetwally M. , Kumar Swarn Avinash , Meraj Talha , Rauf Hafiz Tayyab , Alnuaim Abeer Ali , Alkhayyal Maram Abdullah
Published: December 2021

Food production is a growing challenge with the increasing global population. To increase the yield of food production, we need to adopt new biotechnology-based fertilization techniques. Furthermore, we need to improve early prevention steps against plant disease. Guava is an essential fruit in Asian countries such as Pakistan, which is fourth in its production. Several pathological and fungal diseases attack guava plants. Furthermore, postharvest infections might result in significant output losses. A professional opinion is essential for disease analysis due to minor variances in various guava disease symptoms. Farmers’ poor usage of pesticides may result in financial losses due to incorrect diagnosis. Computer-vision-based monitoring is required with developing field guava plants. This research uses a deep convolutional neural network (DCNN)-based data enhancement using color-histogram equalization and the unsharp masking technique to identify different guava plant species. Nine angles from 360∘ were applied to increase the number of transformed plant images. These augmented data were then fed as input into state-of-the-art classification networks. The proposed method was first normalized and preprocessed. A locally collected guava disease dataset from Pakistan was used for the experimental evaluation. The proposed study uses five neural network structures, AlexNet, SqueezeNet, GoogLeNet, ResNet-50, and ResNet-101, to identify different guava plant species. The experimental results proved that ResNet-101 obtained the highest classification results, with 97.74% accuracy.
An Efficient Data-Balancing Cyber-Physical System Paradigm for Quality-of-Service (QoS) Provision over Fog Computing
Authors: Almiani Muder , Razaque Abdul , Alotaibi Bandar , Alotaibi Munif , Amanzholova Saule , Alotaibi Aziz
Published: December 2021

Cyber-physical systems (CPSs) have greatly contributed to many applications. A CPS is capable of integrating physical and computational capabilities to interact with individuals through various new modalities. However, there is a need for such a paradigm to focus on the human central nervous system to provide faster data access. This paper introduces the CPS paradigm that consists of CPS enabled human brain monitoring (CPS-HBM) and efficient data-balancing for CPS (EDB-CPS). The CPS-HBM provides architectural support to make an efficient and secure transfer and storage of the sensed data over fog cloud computing. The CPS-HBM consists of four components: physical domain and data processing (PDDP), brain sensor network (BSN), Service-oriented architecture (SOA), and data management domain (DMD). The EDB-CPS module aims to balance data flow for obtaining better throughput and lower hop-to-hop delay. The EDB-CPS accomplishes the goal by employing three processes: A node advertisement (NA), A node selection and recruitment (NSR), and optimal distance determination with mid-point (ODDMP). The processes of the EDB-CPS are performed on the PDDP of the CPS-HBM module. Thus, to determine the validity of EDB-CPS, the paradigm was programmed with C++ and implemented on a network simulator-3 (NS3). Finally, the performance of the proposed EDB-CPS was compared with state-of-the-art methods in terms of hop-to-hop delay and throughput. The proposed EDB-CPS produced better throughput between 443.2–445.2 KB/s and 0.05–0.078 ms hop-to-hop delay.
Dynamic Test and Analysis of the Structure of the Stadium Stand in Suzhou Industrial Park
Authors: Xie Wenbo , Liang Huiqi , Wei Peizi , Zhou Yang , Zhang Zhiqiang
Published: December 2021

The test object is the grandstand of the Suzhou Industrial Park Stadium. First, the structure was tested for dynamic characteristics, including natural frequency, mode test, and damping test. Then, the structure was subjected to a human-induced vibration response test. Lastly, the finite-element modeling of the structure was carried out, and the simulated and measured values were compared. The test results of the dynamic characteristics of the structure are consistent with the calculated values, and the finite-element modeling of the structure was accurate and reasonable. The natural frequency of structural modal test areas 1 and 2 met the 3 Hz limit vibration specified by JGJ/T 441-2019, and the second-order resonance frequency was still within the range of pedestrian load frequency, which may still cause comfort problems. Test results show that the presence of people increases the damping effect of the structure.
Reconstruction of Isolated Moving Objects by Motion-Induced Phase Shift Based on PSP
Authors: Wu Ke , Li Min , Lu Lei , Xi Jiangtao
Published: December 2021

The reconstruction of moving objects based on phase shifting profilometry has attracted intensive interests. Most of the methods introduce the phase shift by projecting multiple fringe patterns, which is undesirable in moving object reconstruction as the errors caused by the motion will be intensified when the number of the fringe pattern is increased. This paper proposes the reconstruction of the isolated moving object by projecting two fringe patterns with different frequencies. The phase shift required by the phase shifting profilometry is generated by the object motion, and the model describing the motion-induced phase shift is presented. Then, the phase information in different frequencies is retrieved by analyzing the influence introduced by movement. Finally, the mismatch on the phase information between the two frequencies is compensated and the isolated moving object is reconstructed. Experiments are presented to verify the effectiveness of the proposed method.
Investigation of Deep Shaft-Surrounding Rock Support Technology Based on a Post-Peak Strain-Softening Model of Rock Mass
Authors: Zhang Jianjun , Wang Yang , Yao Baicong , Chen Dongxu , Sun Chuang , Jia Baoxin
Published: December 2021

To control the large deformation that occurs in deep shaft-surrounding rock, the post-peak strain-softening characteristics of deep jointed rock mass are discussed in detail. An equivalent post-peak strain-softening model of jointed rock mass is established based on continuum theory and the geological strength index surrounding rock grading system, and numerical simulations are performed using FLAC3D software. The convergence-constraint method is used to analyze the rock support structure interaction mechanism. A composiste support technique is proposed in combination with actual field breakage conditions. During the initial support stage, high-strength anchors are used to release the rock stress, and high-stiffness secondary support is provided by well rings and poured concrete. This support technology is applied in the accessory well of a coal mine in Niaoshan, Heilongjiang, China. The stability of the surrounding rock support structure is calculated and analyzed by comparing the ideal elastic-plastic model and equivalent jointed rock mass strain-softening model. The results show that a support structure designed based on the ideal elastic-plastic model cannot meet the stability requirements of the surrounding rock and that radial deformation of the surrounding rock reaches 300 mm. The support structure designed based on the equivalent joint strain-softening model has a convergence rate of surrounding rock deformation of less than 1 mm/d after 35 days of application. The surrounding rock deformation is finally controlled at 140 mm, indicating successful application of the support technology.
Study on Low-Frequency Abnormal Signal and Structural Characteristics of 2015 Azuoqi Ms5.8 Earthquake
Authors: Liang Shasha , Li Haibin
Published: December 2021

In this article, the phenomenon of low-frequency abnormal signals before earthquakes, which reflects the three elements of earthquakes and the beneath structure change information, is discussed. Based on the data recorded at the Shizuishan (SZS), Wuhai (WUH) and Dongshenmiao seismic stations around the epicenter of the Ms5.8 earthquake in Azuoqi, Inner Mongolia, in 2015, the low-frequency abnormal signal from the seismic waves before this earthquake is extracted. At the same time, the autocorrelation method is used to extract the reflected waves of the main interface from teleseismic events recorded by the seismic array in the epicenter area, and then the change information from the beneath structure is obtained. It is explained in time and space that the low-frequency abnormal signal before the main earthquake, extracted from the continuous waveform, is directly related to the change in the underground structure near the epicenter, and it can be determined that the wave propagation direction f the crustal stress before the earthquake is from south to north, and it continues to accumulate near the epicenter until the main earthquake occurs.
Copper(II)-MOF Containing Glutarate and 4,4′-Azopyridine and Its Antifungal Activity
Authors: Yang Sohyeon , Veerana Mayura , Yu Nannan , Ketya Wirinthip , Park Gyungsoon , Kim Sungjin , Kim Youngmee
Published: December 2021

Antifungal activities of MOFs (metal organic frameworks) have been demonstrated in studies, and improvement in efficiency of fungal inactivation is a critical issue in the application of MOFs. In this study, we employed 4,4′-azopyridine (AZPY) in the construction of MOF to improve its antifungal activity. Three-dimensional (3D) copper metal organic framework containing glutarate (Glu) and AZPY (Cu(AZPY)-MOF) was synthesized by a solvothermal reaction. Glutarates bridge Cu2 dinuclear units to form two-dimensional (2D) layers, and these layers are connected by AZPY to form a 3D framework. When spores of two fungi, Candida albicans and Aspergillus niger, were treated with Cu(AZPY)-MOF for one day, number of CFU (colony forming unit) was continuously reduced over treated MOF concentrations, and maximum 2.3 and 2.5 log10CFU reductions (approximately 99% reduction) were observed in C. albicans and A. niger, respectively. Small amounts of CuII ions and AZPY released from Cu(AZPY)-MOF were not critical for fungal inactivation. Our results indicate that the level of antifungal activity of Cu(AZPY)-MOF is greater than that of Cu-MOF without AZPY constructed in our previous study, and intercalation of AZPY is able to improve the antifungal activity of Cu(AZPY)-MOF.
Detecting Plasma Detachment in the Wendelstein 7-X Stellarator Using Machine Learning
Authors: Szűcs Máté , Szepesi Tamás , Biedermann Christoph , Cseh Gábor , Jakubowski Marcin , Kocsis Gábor , König Ralf , Krause Marco , Perseo Valeria , Puig Sitjes Aleix ,   The Team W7-X
Published: December 2021

The detachment regime has a high potential to play an important role in fusion devices on the road to a fusion power plant. Complete power detachment has been observed several times during the experimental campaigns of the Wendelstein 7-X (W7-X) stellarator. Automatic observation and signaling of such events could help scientists to better understand these phenomena. With the growing discharge times in fusion devices, machine learning models and algorithms are a powerful tool to process the increasing amount of data. We investigate several classical supervised machine learning models to detect complete power detachment in the images captured by the Event Detection Intelligent Camera System (EDICAM) at the W7-X at each given image frame. In the dedicated detached state the plasma is stable despite its reduced contact with the machine walls and the radiation belt stays close to the separatrix, without exhibiting significant heat load onto the divertor. To decrease computational time and resources needed we propose certain pixel intensity profiles (or intensity values along lines) as the input to these models. After finding the profile that describes the images best in terms of detachment, we choose the best performing machine learning algorithm. It achieves an F1 score of 0.9836 on the training dataset and 0.9335 on the test set. Furthermore, we investigate its predictions in other scenarios, such as plasmas with substantially decreased minor radius and several magnetic configurations.
Potential Contribution of Climate Conditions on COVID-19 Pandemic Transmission over West and North African Countries
Authors: Diouf Ibrahima , Sy Souleymane , Senghor Habib , Fall Papa , Diouf Diarra , Diakhaté Moussa , Thiaw Wassila M. , Gaye Amadou T.
Published: December 2021

COVID-19, caused by the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), is a very contagious disease that has killed many people worldwide. According to data from the World Health Organization (WHO), the spread of the disease appears to be slower in Africa. Although several studies have been published on the relationship between meteorological parameters and COVID-19 transmission, the effects of climate conditions on COVID-19 remain largely unexplored and without consensus. However, the transmission of COVID-19 and sensitivity to climate conditions are also not fully understood in Africa. Here, using available epidemiological data over 275 days (i.e., from 1 March to 30 November 2020) taken from the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control of the European Union database and daily data of surface air temperature specific humidity and water vapor from the National Center for Environmental Prediction (NCEP), this paper investigates the potential contribution of climate conditions on COVID-19 transmission over 16 selected countries throughout three climatic regions of Africa (i.e., Sahel, Maghreb, and Gulf of Guinea). The results highlight statistically significant inverse correlations between COVID-19 cases and temperature over the Maghreb and the Gulf of Guinea regions. In contrast, positive correlations are found over the Sahel area, especially in the central part, including Niger and Mali. Correlations with specific humidity and water vapor parameters display significant and positive values over the Sahelian and the Gulf of Guinea countries and negative values over the Maghreb countries. Then, the COVID-19 pandemic transmission is influenced differently across the three climatic regions: (i) cold and dry environmental conditions over the Maghreb; (ii) warm and humid conditions over the Sahel; and (iii) cold and humid conditions over the Gulf of Guinea. In addition, for all three climatic regions, even though the climate impact has been found to be significant, its effect appears to display a secondary role based on the explanatory power variance compared to non-climatic factors assumed to be dominated by socio-economic factors and early strong public health measures.
WRF Rainfall Modeling Post-Processing by Adaptive Parameterization of Raindrop Size Distribution: A Case Study on the United Kingdom
Authors: Yang Qiqi , Zhang Shuliang , Dai Qiang , Zhuang Hanchen
Published: December 2021

Raindrop size distribution (RSD) is a key parameter in the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model for rainfall estimation, with gamma distribution models commonly used to describe RSD under WRF microphysical parameterizations. The RSD model sets the shape parameter (μ) as a constant of gamma distribution in WRF double-moment bulk microphysics schemes. Here, we propose to improve the gamma RSD model with an adaptive value of μ based on the rainfall intensity and season, designed using a genetic algorithm (GA) and the linear least-squares method. The model can be described as a piecewise post-processing function that is constant when rainfall intensity is <1.5 mm/h and linear otherwise. Our numerical simulation uses the WRF driven by an ERA-interim dataset with three distinct double-moment bulk microphysical parameterizations, namely, the Morrison, WDM6, and Thompson aerosol-aware schemes for the period of 2013–2017 over the United Kingdom at a 5 km resolution. Observations were made using a disdrometer and 241 rain gauges, which were used for calibration and validation. The results show that the adaptive-μ model of the gamma distribution was more accurate than the gamma RSD model with a constant shape parameter, with the root-mean-square error decreasing by averages of 23.62%, 11.33%, and 22.21% for the Morrison, WDM6, and Thompson aerosol-aware schemes, respectively. This model improves the accuracy of WRF rainfall simulation by applying adaptive RSD parameterization and can be integrated into the simulation of WRF double-moment microphysics schemes. The physical mechanism of the RSD model remains to be determined to improve its performance in WRF bulk microphysics schemes.
Drought Assessment in São Francisco River Basin, Brazil: Characterization through SPI and Associated Anomalous Climate Patterns
Authors: Freitas Aline A. , Drumond Anita , Carvalho Vanessa S. B. , Reboita Michelle S. , Silva Benedito C. , Uvo Cintia B.
Published: December 2021

The São Francisco River Basin (SFRB) is one of the main watersheds in Brazil, standing out for generating energy and consumption, among other ecosystem services. Hence, it is important to identify hydrological drought events and the anomalous climate patterns associated with dry conditions. The Standard Precipitation Index (SPI) for 12 months was used to identify hydrological drought episodes over SFRB 1979 and 2020. For these episodes, the severity, duration, intensity, and peak were obtained, and SPI-1 was applied for the longest and most severe episode to identify months with wet and dry conditions within the rainy season (Nov–Mar). Anomalous atmospheric and oceanic patterns associated with this episode were also analyzed. The results revealed the longest and most severe hydrological drought episode over the basin occurred between 2012 and 2020. The episode over the Upper portion of the basin lasted 103 months. The results showed a deficit of monthly precipitation up to 250 mm in the southeast and northeast regions of the country during the anomalous dry months identified through SPI-1. The dry conditions observed during the rainy season of this episode were associated with an anomalous high-pressure system acting close to the coast of Southeast Brazil, hindering the formation of precipitating systems.
The Prognostic Significance of Neutrophil to Lymphocyte Ratio (NLR), Monocyte to Lymphocyte Ratio (MLR) and Platelet to Lymphocyte Ratio (PLR) on Long-Term Survival in Off-Pump Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting (OPCAB) Procedures
Authors: Urbanowicz Tomasz , Olasińska-Wiśniewska Anna , Michalak Michał , Rodzki Michał , Witkowska Anna , Straburzyńska-Migaj Ewa , Perek Bartłomiej , Jemielity Marek
Published: December 2021

Background: Cardiovascular diseases, apart from commonly known risk factors, are related to inflammation. There are several simple novel markers proposed to present the relation between inflammatory reactions activation and atherosclerotic changes. They are easily available from whole blood count and include neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR), monocyte to lymphocyte ratio (MLR), and platelets to lymphocyte ratio (PLR). The RDW results were excluded from the analysis. Method and results: The study based on retrospective single-centre analysis of 682 consecutive patients (131 (19%) females and 551 (81%) males) with median age of 66 years (60–71) who underwent off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting (OPCAB) procedure. During the median 5.3 +/− 1.9 years follow-up, there was a 87% cumulative survival rate. The laboratory parameters including preoperative MLR > 0.2 (HR 2.46, 95% CI 1.33–4.55, p = 0.004) and postoperative NLR > 3.5 (HR 1.75, 95% CI 1.09–2.79, p = 0.019) were found significant for long-term mortality prediction in multivariable analysis. Conclusion: Hematological indices NLR and MLR can be regarded as significant predictors of all-cause long-term mortality after OPCAB revascularization. Multivariable analysis revealed preoperative values of MLR > 0.2 and postoperative values of NLR > 3.5 as simple, reliable factors which may be applied into clinical practice for meticulous postoperative monitoring of patients in higher risk of worse prognosis.
Targeting the Ghrelin Receptor as a Novel Therapeutic Option for Epilepsy
Authors: Buckinx An , De Bundel Dimitri , Kooijman Ron , Smolders Ilse
Published: December 2021

Epilepsy is a neurological disease affecting more than 50 million individuals worldwide. Notwithstanding the availability of a broad array of antiseizure drugs (ASDs), 30% of patients suffer from pharmacoresistant epilepsy. This highlights the urgent need for novel therapeutic options, preferably with an emphasis on new targets, since “me too” drugs have been shown to be of no avail. One of the appealing novel targets for ASDs is the ghrelin receptor (ghrelin-R). In epilepsy patients, alterations in the plasma levels of its endogenous ligand, ghrelin, have been described, and various ghrelin-R ligands are anticonvulsant in preclinical seizure and epilepsy models. Up until now, the exact mechanism-of-action of ghrelin-R-mediated anticonvulsant effects has remained poorly understood and is further complicated by multiple downstream signaling pathways and the heteromerization properties of the receptor. This review compiles current knowledge, and discusses the potential mechanisms-of-action of the anticonvulsant effects mediated by the ghrelin-R.
A Comparative Study of Colour Effects on Cognitive Performance in Real-World and VR Environments
Authors: Xia Guobin , Henry Philip , Li Muzi , Queiroz Francisco , Westland Stephen , Yu Luwen
Published: December 2021

This research explores the influence of colour on cognitive performance and intellectual abilities (i.e., logical and lateral thinking abilities and people’s attention to detail) in a conventional laboratory setting and an approximately identical virtual reality (VR) environment. Comparative experiments using psychological methods were carried out in both settings to explore the impact of immersive colour experience. This work builds on earlier studies that suggest that the VR environment enhances user experiences, with results evidencing that a considered approach to colour design can trigger a positive impact on user engagement. The experiments further evaluated the positive effects of immersive colour stimuli in VR by evaluating participants’ logical and lateral thinking abilities, as well as their attention to detail. Their response time and error rate when completing each psychometric test were recorded with different hue backgrounds in both environments. The data collected from participants reveal the differential impacts of colour between the reality setting using standard colour imaging displays and in an approximately identical VR environment. Analysis of the psychometric tests shows the differential influence of colours on logical and lateral thinking abilities and people’s attention to detail between the physical environment and the VR environment. Our findings add to the data demonstrating that a well-designed immersive colour experience in VR can trigger positive user engagement and, as explored in this study, improve cognitive performance. This again positions immersive colour experience as an important design tool to be fully considered in the creation of effective VR research and applications.