bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Priority Management of Henle Trunk in Cranial-to-Caudal Approach for Laparoscopic Right Hemicolon Cancer Surgery
Authors: Yang Yao , Jiang Xiaohua , Zhou Zhuqing , Lu Bing , Zhu Zhe , Jiang Qixing , Ji Fang , Fu Chuangang
Published: April 2022

This study aimed to compare the short-term clinical efficacy between prior and traditional approach of Henle trunk in laparoscopic right hemicolectomy (LRH) for right colon cancer. A total of 161 patients underwent LRH for right colon cancer between June 2018 and December 2020 by the same group of physicians. The prior approach of Henle trunk (priority group) was used in 82 patients and traditional approach in 79 (traditional group). The demographics and clinicopathological characteristics were recorded and retrospectively analyzed. As compared to the traditional group, the mean blood loss reduced significantly [73.84 ± 17.31 mL vs. 83.42 ± 30.16 mL; P = 0.001], the operation time was markedly shorter [151.35 ± 6.75 min vs. 159.13 ± 18.85 min; P = 0.014], and the intraoperative vascular injury rate was significantly lower [6.1% (5/82). vs. 17.7% (14/79); P = 0.022]. There were no significant differences in the postoperative complications, first exhaust time, first defecation time, drainage time, postoperative hospital stay, quality evaluation of surgical specimens and pathological findings between two groups. Our study shows that the priority management of Henle trunk in the LRH for right colon cancer is a safe and feasible procedure with less blood loss, shorter operation time and lower intraoperative vascular injury rate.
Factors Influencing Antibiotic Prescribing Behavior and Understanding of Antimicrobial Resistance Among Veterinarians in Assam, India
Authors: Eltholth Mahmoud , Govindaraj Gurrappanaidu , Das Banani , Shanabhoga M. B. , Swamy H. M. , Thomas Abin , Cole Jennifer , Shome Bibek R. , Holmes Mark A. , Moran Dominic
Published: April 2022

This study investigates factors influencing veterinarians' antibiotic prescribing behaviors and their understanding of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). The study used a telephone survey of 50 veterinarians conducted in five districts in Assam state, India. The survey sought information on the most prevalent animal diseases, veterinarians' awareness of potential preventive measures, including factors determining antimicrobial prescribing; the types of antimicrobials used for different health conditions in different species, and possible options to reduce antimicrobial use (AMU). The majority (86%) of respondents worked for the government, 98% reported having no written policy for the use of veterinary health products, and 58% have no on-site diagnostic facilities. Ceftriaxone, Enrofloxacin, and Oxytetracycline were the antibiotics (ABX) most frequently prescribed, by 76, 68, and 54% of veterinarians, respectively. These ABX were prescribed mainly for respiratory health problems and mastitis in cattle, and gastrointestinal infections in buffaloes, sheep, goat, and pigs. Severity of clinical symptoms, economic status of the livestock owner, and withdrawal period for ABX were ranked as very important factors for giving ABX. Less than two thirds (64%) were aware of the government ban for Colistin and only 2% were aware of a national plan for AMR. This study highlighted that ABX prescription is mostly based on tentative diagnosis given the lack of diagnostic facilities in most veterinary clinics. There is a need to enhance veterinary healthcare and to improve communication between policy makers and field veterinarians and, importantly, a need to disseminate clear prescribing guidelines on prudent AMU.
Blood B Cell Depletion Reflects Immunosuppression Induced by Live-Attenuated Infectious Bursal Disease Vaccines
Authors: Courtillon Céline , Allée Chantal , Amelot Michel , Keita Alassane , Bougeard Stéphanie , Härtle Sonja , Rouby Jean-Claude , Eterradossi Nicolas , Soubies Sebastien Mathieu
Published: April 2022

Immunosuppression in poultry production is a recurrent problem worldwide, and one of the major viral immunosuppressive agents is Infectious Bursal Disease Virus (IBDV). IBDV infections are mostly controlled by using live-attenuated vaccines. Live-attenuated Infectious Bursal Disease (IBD) vaccine candidates are classified as “mild,” “intermediate,” “intermediate-plus” or “hot” based on their residual immunosuppressive properties. The immunosuppression protocol described by the European Pharmacopoeia (Ph. Eur.) uses a lethal Newcastle Disease Virus (NDV) infectious challenge to measure the interference of a given IBDV vaccine candidate on NDV vaccine immune response. A Ph. Eur.-derived protocol was thus implemented to quantify immunosuppression induced by one mild, two intermediate, and four intermediate-plus live-attenuated IBD vaccines as well as a pathogenic viral strain. This protocol confirmed the respective immunosuppressive properties of those vaccines and virus. In the search for a more ethical alternative to Ph. Eur.-based protocols, two strategies were explored. First, ex vivo viral replication of those vaccines and the pathogenic strain in stimulated chicken primary bursal cells was assessed. Replication levels were not strictly correlated to immunosuppression observed in vivo. Second, changes in blood leukocyte counts in chicks were monitored using a Ph. Eur. - type protocol prior to lethal NDV challenge. In case of intermediate-plus vaccines, the drop in B cells counts was more severe. Counting blood B cells may thus represent a highly quantitative, faster, and ethical strategy than NDV challenge to assess the immunosuppression induced in chickens by live-attenuated IBD vaccines.
Thermal Management System Optimization for a Parallel Hybrid Aircraft Considering Mission Fuel Burn
Authors: Adler Eytan J. , Brelje Benjamin J. , Martins Joaquim R. R. A.
Published: April 2022

Electrified aircraft propulsion enables new aircraft designs with fewer emissions. One challenge of electrified architectures is handling the electrical components’ waste heat. This is because batteries and other electrical components are sensitive to high temperatures and accumulate heat within their structure. In this work, we investigate using a thermoacoustic refrigerator to cool the battery of a parallel hybrid single-aisle commercial transport aircraft. This thermoacoustic refrigeration system is powered by waste heat from the turbofan engine core, whereas a conventional refrigerator consumes electricity from the battery or shaft power offtakes. Compared to a conventional vapor cycle refrigerator, the thermoacoustic refrigeration system results in greater mission fuel burn because of pressure losses attributable to the extraction of heat from the turbofan to drive the thermoacoustic refrigerator. Heat exchangers with very low pressure losses may render the thermoacoustic refrigeration system beneficial compared to conventional refrigeration in certain use cases, such as low-altitude missions.
Effects of Biodegradable Liquid Film on Cabernet Sauvignon (V. vinifera L.) Grape Quality
Authors: Han Xing , Yao Fei , Wang Ying , Duan Xinyao , Wang Zhilei , Li Yihan , Xue Tingting , Liu Xu , Wang Hua , Li Hua
Published: April 2022

Biodegradable liquid film (BLF) improves soil structure and increases plant freezing tolerance after spraying on the surface of soil and plant. In this study, the effects of BLF on grape composition and volatile compounds in Cabernet sauvignon (Vitis vinifera L.) grapes were determined by spraying BLF during the dormant periods over three years. The aim of the study was to evaluate the potential impact of BLF as an overwintering protection measure on grape fruit quality. In 2020 and 2021, BLF spraying increased reducing sugar content and 100-berry weight, decreased titratable acid content, and improved the maturity factor. Compared with the vines not sprayed with BLF, the content of total phenols and total anthocyanins in grape skins showed an increase over the three-year period, with the largest increases of 31.92% and 48.38%, respectively, and the content of total tannins and total flavan-3-ols increased in 2020 and 2021. BLF treatment also increased the total phenolic content in seeds for all three years, reaching a significant level in 2019, 16.38% higher than control treatment (CK). HPLC analysis showed that BLF treatment affected the content and composition of monomeric anthocyanins in grape skins, especially in 2021, BLF treatment significantly increased the content of nine monomeric anthocyanins, and the proportion of acetylated and coumaroylated anthocyanins. However, GC-MS analysis indicated that BLF had little effect on volatile compounds. These results suggest that BLF can be used as an overwintering protection measure in cold regions to promote the accumulation of sugars and polyphenolics, thereby improving overall grape quality.
A Study on Evaporation Calculations of Agricultural Reservoirs in Hyper-Arid Areas
Authors: Yin Changjun , Liu Yunfei , Gui Dongwei , Liu Yi , Lv Wengai
Published: April 2022

Free surface evaporation is an important process in regional water cycles and energy balance. The accurate calculation of free surface evaporation is of great significance for evaluating and managing water resources. In order to improve the accuracy of estimating reservoir evaporation in data-scarce arid regions, the applicability of the energy balance method was assessed to calculate water surface evaporation based on the evaporator and reservoir evaporation experiment. A correlation analysis was used to assess the major meteorological factors that affect water surface temperature to obtain the critical parameters of the machine learning models. The water surface temperature was simulated using five machine learning algorithms, and the accuracy of results was evaluated using the root mean square error (RMSE), correlation coefficient (r), mean absolute error (MAE), and Nash efficiency coefficient (NSE) between observed value and calculated value. The results showed that the correlation coefficient between the evaporation capacity of the evaporator, calculated using the energy balance method and the observed evaporation capacity, was 0.946, and the RMSE was 0.279. The r value between the calculated value of the reservoir evaporation capacity and the observed value was 0.889, and the RMSE was 0.241. The meteorological factors related to the change in water surface temperature were air temperature, air pressure, relative humidity, net radiation and wind speed. The correlation coefficients were 0.554, −0.548, −0.315, −0.227, and 0.141, respectively. The RMSE and MAE values of five models were: RF (0.464 and 0.336), LSSVM (0.468 and 0.340), LSTM (1.567 and 1.186), GA-BP (0.709 and 0.558), and CNN (1.113 and 0.962). In summary, the energy balance method could accurately calculate the evaporation of evaporators and reservoirs in hyper-arid areas. As an important calculation parameter, the water surface temperature is most affected by air temperature, and the RF algorithm was superior to the other algorithms in predicting water surface temperature, and it could be used to predict the missing data. The energy balance model and random forest algorithm can be used to accurately calculate and predict the evaporation from reservoirs in hyper-arid areas, so as to make the rational allocation of reservoir water resources.
Optimization of Strip Fertilization Planter for Straw Throwing and Paving
Authors: Shi Yinyan , Yu Hanwen , Jiang Ye , Wang Xiaochan , Chen Hongtao , Liu Hui
Published: April 2022

To enhance the operation effect and working performance of our previously developed strip fertilization planter for broken straw back throwing and inter-row laying, and to improve the stability of straw crushing and consistency of straw mulching between rows (broken straw inter-row mulching), the key operation parameters of the planter were optimized in this study. On the basis of determining the transmission route and matching power consumption, the discrete element method was used to establish a mechanical model of straw particles using the EDEM software, which was then imported into the rigid–flexible coupled system of the ‘shredded straw-mechanism’. Quadratic regression orthogonal methods and rotation combination experiments were then designed to carry out a DEM virtual simulation and numerical simulation, and the optimal combination of operating parameters affecting planter working performance was obtained, which was also verified by field tests. The simulation test results showed that the smashing spindle speed (A) had the most significant influence on the coefficient of variation (Y1) of straw crushing, followed by the planter working forward speed (C). The conveying impeller speed (B) had the most significant influence on the coefficient of variation (Y2) of inter-row straw mulching, also followed by (C). The optimal combination of operating parameters after optimization were A = 2060.79 rpm, B = 206.25 rpm, and C = 0.95 m·s−1, and the optimal working performance of the planter was obtained as Y1 = 8.51% and Y2 = 10.34%. The evaluation index results corresponding to the field test were Y1 = 9.35% and Y2 = 10.97%, which met the technical requirements of the relevant operation machinery; the relative errors of the simulation test results were 9.87% and 9.63%, respectively, indicating the effectiveness of the virtual numerical simulation and the rationality of the optimized operation parameters. Our results provide a technical reference for realizing high-quality and smooth no-tillage seeding operations.
Zinc Supplementation Enhances Glutathione-Mediated Antioxidant Defense and Glyoxalase Systems to Conferring Salt Tolerance in Soybean (Glycine max L.)
Authors: Al-Zahrani Hassan S. , Nahar Kamrun , Alharby Hesham F. , Alsamadany Hameed , Hakeem Khalid Rehman , Hasanuzzaman Mirza
Published: April 2022

In this study, the role of zinc (Zn) in salt-affected soybean (Glycine max L.) was scrutinized by exposing plants to salt stress (150 mM NaCl) alone and in combination with exogenous Zn (priming and/or foliar spray with 1 mM ZnSO4.7H2O). Salt stress decreased plant growth and caused the destruction of chlorophyll and carotenoids. It also disrupted physiological processes and antioxidant defenses, resulting in an oxidative burst. The levels of the toxic metabolite methylglyoxal (MG) rose substantially under salinity. Salinity resulted in a high accumulation of Na+ and decreased K+ which decreased the K+/Na+ ratio. Zn supplementation decreased ion toxicity and improved ion homeostasis in soybean plants. Zn increased glutathione (GSH) levels, decreased glutathione disulfide levels, and increased their ratio in salt-treated soybean plants compared to salt-treated plants without Zn addition. Zn supplementation also upregulated the activities of the glutathione-dependent enzymes glutathione reductase, dehydroascorbate reductase, glutathione peroxidase, and glutathione S-transferase in salt-stressed plants. The enhanced GSH pool and increased activity of GSH-dependent enzymes decreased oxidative damage, as indicated by the reduced levels of H2O2 and malondialdehyde and lower electrolyte leakage. The increased GSH level and high activity of glyoxalase I and glyoxalase II conferred by Zn under salt stress helped to scavenge methylglyoxal. The restoration of photosynthetic pigment levels and increased proline accumulation, together with the recovery of leaf relative water content, were further signs of salt stress recovery and tolerance conferred by Zn supplementation. Our results showed that the antioxidant defense, glyoxalase system and some other physiological parameters were improved by Zn supplementation which contributed to mitigating the effects of salt stress in soybean.
Betalain Content and Morphological Characteristics of Table Beet Accessions: Their Interplay with Abiotic Factors
Authors: Sokolova Diana V. , Shvachko Natalia A. , Mikhailova Aleksandra S. , Popov Vitaliy S.
Published: April 2022

Table beet (Beta vulgaris L.) is a source of the natural red-colored food dye (E162), highly demanded for the broad spectrum of its biological activity. The relevance of this study is dictated by the lack of knowledge about the dynamics of changes in the crop’s betalain content during the growing season, which impedes identifying the optimal timing of harvesting in order to obtain the dye. This paper presents the results of research into betacyanins (BC) and betaxanthins (BX), separately in the peel and flesh of roots, in 15 differently colored table beet accessions from the collection of the N.I. Vavilov Institute (VIR). There was no statistically significant accumulation of betalains in beets during the growing season. The pigment’s significant fluctuations associated with abiotic environmental factors were shown. The ratio of BC/BX in red-colored accessions was measured: 2.65 in the peel and 2.9 in the flesh. Strong positive relationships were found between BC and BX in the peel (r = 0.97) and flesh (r = 0.79) of red-colored biotypes, which stably persisted throughout the growing season. The beetroot peel was more sensitive to temperature changes, in contrast to the flesh. The negative effect of a temperature increase on betalains in red-colored beetroots intensified on the second or third day. The pigment composition of the flesh was less susceptible to the negative impact of increased temperatures, but reacted negatively to rainfall, becoming more expressed on the second or third day. A conclusion was made about the morphotype with high betalain content. Recommended cultivars are mid-ripening, with rounded and medium-sized roots, a large number of narrow leaf blades, and short and thin petioles.
Towards Developing an Epidemic Monitoring and Warning System for Diseases and Pests of Hot Peppers in Guizhou, China
Authors: Liu Kaige , Mu Yumei , Chen Xiaohui , Ding Zhihuan , Song Min , Xing Dan , Li Ming
Published: April 2022

Guizhou province is the largest area of hot pepper cultivation and processing in China. However, diseases and pests are major bottlenecks for the sustainable development of the industry. This study proposes a solution that combines intelligent monitoring equipment, a prediction model and decision support system for hot peppers, including a demonstration of the solution in Guizhou province. We scouted hot pepper diseases and pests in Zunyi city, and deployed weather stations and automatic pathogens and pest monitoring equipment. A prediction model was developed to forecast powdery mildew and anthracnose based on long short-term memory, with accuracy of 0.74 and 0.68, respectively. Using big data analysis and an app for pest outbreaks as the front desks, we developed an epidemic monitoring and warning system for hot peppers in Guizhou. The results could effectively serve grass-roots managers, increase productivity, reduce production costs and overall have a high demonstration effect. This concept could be extended to other crops to accelerate the process of agricultural modernization in China.
Phage–Antibiotic Therapy as a Promising Strategy to Combat Multidrug-Resistant Infections and to Enhance Antimicrobial Efficiency
Authors: Liu Chengxi , Hong Qixuan , Chang Rachel Yoon Kyung , Kwok Philip Chi Lip , Chan Hak-Kim
Published: April 2022

Infections caused by multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria have highlighted the importance of the development of new antimicrobial agents. While bacteriophages (phages) are widely studied as alternative agents to antibiotics, combined treatments using phages and antibiotics have exhibited Phage–Antibiotic Synergy (PAS), in which antibiotics promote phage replication and extraordinary antimicrobial efficacy with reduced development of bacterial resistance. This review paper on the current progress of phage–antibiotic therapy includes aspects of the mechanisms of PAS and the therapeutic performance of PAS in combating multidrug-resistant bacterial infections. The choice of phages and antibiotics, the administration time and sequence, and the concentrations of the two agents impact the bacterial inhibitory effects to different extents.
Clostridioides difficile Toxin B PCR Cycle Threshold as a Predictor of Toxin Testing in Stool Specimens from Hospitalized Adults
Authors: Lee Sean , Nanda Neha , Yamaguchi Kenichiro , Lee Yelim , She Rosemary C.
Published: April 2022

Rapid, accurate detection of Clostridioides difficile toxin may potentially be predicted by toxin B PCR cycle threshold (tcdB Ct). We investigated the validity of this approach in an inpatient adult population. Patients who tested positive by C. difficile PCR (Cepheid GeneXpert) from December 2016 to October 2020 (n = 368) at a tertiary medical center were included. All stool samples were further tested by rapid glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH)/toxin B EIA and cell cytotoxin neutralization assay (CCNA). Receiver operating characteristic curves were analyzed. The area under the curve for tcdB Ct predicting toxin result by EIA was 0.795 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.747–0.843) and by CCNA was 0.771 (95% CI 0.720–0.822). The Youden Ct cutoff for CCNA was ≤27.8 cycles (sensitivity 65.0%, specificity 77.2%). For specimens with Ct ≤ 25.0 cycles (n = 115), CCNA toxin was positive in >90%. The negative predictive value of tcdB Ct for CCNA was no greater than 80% regardless of cutoff chosen. In summary, very low Ct values (≤25.0) could have limited value as a rapid indicator of positive toxin status by CCNA in our patient population. A broad distribution of Ct values for toxin-negative and toxin-positive specimens precluded more robust prediction. Additional data are needed before broader application of Ct values from qualitatively designed assays to clinical laboratory reporting.
The 30-Day Economic Burden of Newly Diagnosed Complicated Urinary Tract Infections in Medicare Fee-for-Service Patients Who Resided in the Community
Authors: Lodise Thomas P. , Nowak Michael , Rodriguez Mauricio
Published: April 2022

Introduction: Scant data are available on the 30-day financial burden associated with incident complicated urinary tract infections (cUTIs) in a cohort of predominately elderly patients. This study sought to examine total and cUTI-related 30-day Medicare spending (MS), a proxy for healthcare costs, among Medicare fee-for-service (FFS) beneficiaries who resided in the community with newly diagnosed cUTIs. Methods: A retrospective multicenter cohort study of adult beneficiaries in the Medicare FFS database with a cUTI between 2017 and 2018 was performed. Patients were included if they were enrolled in Medicare FFS and Medicare Part D from 2016 to 2019, had a cUTI first diagnosis in 2017–2018, no evidence of any UTI diagnoses in 2016, and residence in the community between 2016 and 2018. Results: During the study period, 723,324 cases occurred in Medicare beneficiaries who met the study criteria. Overall and cUTI-related 30-day MS were $7.6 and $4.5 billion, respectively. The average overall and cUTI-related 30-day MS per beneficiary were $10,527 and $6181, respectively. The major driver of cUTI-related 30-day MS was acute care hospitalizations ($3.2 billion) and the average overall and cUTI-related 30-day MS per hospitalizations were $16,431 and $15,438, respectively. Conclusion: Overall 30-day MS for Medicare FSS patients who resided in the community with incident cUTIs was substantial, with cUTI-related MS accounting for 59%. As the major driver of cUTI-related 30-day MS was acute care hospitalizations, healthcare systems should develop well-defined criteria for hospital admissions that aim to avert hospitalizations in clinically stable patients and expedite the transition of patients to the outpatient setting to complete their care.
Challenges in Quantifying 8-OHdG and 8-Isoprostane in Exhaled Breath Condensate
Authors: Hemmendinger Maud , Sauvain Jean-Jacques , Hopf Nancy B. , Suárez Guillaume , Guseva Canu Irina
Published: April 2022

Exhaled breath condensate (EBC) has attracted substantial interest in the last few years, enabling the assessment of airway inflammation with a non-invasive method. Concentrations of 8-Hydroxydesoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) and 8-isoprostane in EBC have been suggested as candidate biomarkers for lung diseases associated with inflammation and oxidative stress. EBC is a diluted biological matrix and consequently, requires highly sensitive chemical analytic methods (picomolar range) for biomarker quantification. We developed a new liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry method to quantify 8-OHdG and 8-isoprostane in EBC simultaneously. We applied this novel biomarker method in EBC obtained from 10 healthy subjects, 7 asthmatic subjects, and 9 subjects with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Both biomarkers were below the limit of detection (LOD) despite the good sensitivity of the chemical analytical method (LOD = 0.5 pg/mL for 8-OHdG; 1 pg/mL for 8-isoprostane). This lack of detection might result from factors affecting EBC collections. These findings are in line with methodological concerns already raised regarding the reliability of EBC collection for quantification of 8-OHdG and 8-isoprostane. Precaution is therefore needed when comparing literature results without considering methodological issues relative to EBC collection and analysis. Loss of analyte during EBC collection procedures still needs to be resolved before using these oxidative stress biomarkers in EBC.
Heracleum persicum Essential Oil Nanoemulsion: A Nanocarrier System for the Delivery of Promising Anticancer and Antioxidant Bioactive Agents
Authors: Bashlouei Shima Ghareh , Karimi Ehsan , Zareian Mohsen , Oskoueian Ehsan , Shakeri Majid
Published: April 2022

Essential oils are important compounds for the prevention and/or treatment of various diseases in which solubility and bio-accessibility can be improved by nanoemulsion systems. Heracleum persicum oil nanoemulsion (HAE-NE) was prepared and biological properties were investigated against human breast cancer cells and normal human fibroblasts foreskin. Particle size, zeta potential and poly dispersity index were 153 nm, −47.9 mV and 0.35, respectively. (E)anethole (57.9%), terpinolene (13.8%), ɣ-terpinene (8.1%), myrcene (6.8%), hexyl butyrate (5.2%), octyl butanoate (4.5%) and octyl acetate (3.7%) was detected in nanoemulsion. Proliferation of cancer cells at IC50 = 2.32 μg/mL was significantly (p < 0.05) inhibited, and cell migration occurred at 1.5 μL/mL. The HAE-NE at 1.5, 2.5 and 3.5 µg/concentration up-regulated caspase 3 and enhanced sub-G1 peak of cell cycle with nil cytotoxic effects in the liver, kidney and jejunum of mice. Villus height, villus width, crypt depth and goblet cells in mice group fed with 10 and 20 mg/kg body weight of HAE-NE improved. Cellular redox state in the liver indicated 10 and 20 mg/kg body weight of nanoemulsion significantly up-regulated the expression of SOD, CAT and GPx genes. Heracleum persicum oil nanoemulsion could be an eco-friendly nanotherapeutic option for pharmaceutical, cosmetological and food applications.
Identification of a Novel Inhibitor of TfR1 from Designed and Synthesized Muriceidine A Derivatives
Authors: Wu Yu , Ma Zongchen , Mai Xiaoyuan , Liu Xiaoling , Li Pinglin , Qi Xin , Li Guoqiang , Li Jing
Published: April 2022

The transferrin receptor 1 (TfR1) plays a key role in cellular iron uptake through its interaction with iron-bound Tf. TfR1 is often reported to be overexpressed in malignant cells, and this increase may be associated with poor prognosis in different types of cancer, which makes it an attractive target for antitumor therapy. The marine natural product Muriceidine A is a potent anticancer agent reported in our previous work. In this study, we designed and synthesized a series of Muriceidine A derivatives and described the systematic investigation into their cytotoxic activities against four tumor cells. Most of the derivatives showed stronger antitumor activity and we found that the introduction of electron-donating groups at position C-2 of unsaturated piperidine was beneficial to anticancer activity and unsaturated piperidine was responsible for the antiproliferative activity. Among these compounds, 12b (methyl at position C-2 of unsaturated piperidine) exhibited the strongest cytotoxicity against MDA-MB-231 cells. Further pharmacological research showed that 12b bound to Transferrin receptor 1 (TfR1) directly caused iron deprivation and ROS imbalance along with the degradations of several oncoproteins, especially FGFR1, through the proteasome pathway; thus, inducing cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells. Our findings indicate that 12b is a promising lead compound targeting TfR1 for triple negative breast cancer.
Anti-Inflammatory Effect of Resveratrol Derivatives via the Downregulation of Oxidative-Stress-Dependent and c-Src Transactivation EGFR Pathways on Rat Mesangial Cells
Authors: Lee I-Ta , Lin Horng-Chyuan , Huang Tse-Hung , Tseng Chi-Nan , Cheng Hao-Tsa , Huang Wen-Chung , Cheng Ching-Yi
Published: April 2022

In Taiwan, the root extract of Vitis thunbergii Sieb. et Zucc. (Vitaceae, VT) is rich in stilbenes, with resveratrol (Res) and its derivatives being the most abundant. Previously, we showed that the effect of Res derivatives against tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α)-stimulated inflammatory responses occurs via cPLA2/COX-2/PGE2 inhibition. This study compared and explored the underlying anti-inflammatory pharmacological mechanisms. Before stimulation with TNF-α, RMCs were treated with/without pharmacological inhibitors of specific protein kinases. The expression of inflammatory mediators was determined by Western blotting, gelatin zymography, real-time PCR, and luciferase assay. Cellular and mitochondrial ROS were measured by H2DHFDA or DHE and MitoSOX™ Red staining, respectively. The RNS level was indirectly measured by Griess reagent assay. Kinase activation and association were assayed by immunoprecipitation followed by Western blotting. TNF-α binding to TNFR recruited Rac1 and p47phox, thus activating the NAPDH oxidase-dependent MAPK and NF-κB pathways. The TNF-α-induced NF-κB activation via c-Src-driven ROS was independent from the EGFR signaling pathway. The anti-inflammatory effects of Res derivatives occurred via the inhibition of ROS derived from mitochondria and NADPH oxidase; RNS derived from iNOS; and the activation of the ERK1/2, JNK1/2, and NF-κB pathways. Overall, this study provides an understanding of the various activities of Res derivatives and their pharmacological mechanisms. In the future, the application of the active molecules of VT to health foods and medicine in Taiwan may increase.
Brown Algae-Derived Fucoidan Exerts Oxidative Stress-Dependent Antiproliferation on Oral Cancer Cells
Authors: Shiau Jun-Ping , Chuang Ya-Ting , Yang Kun-Han , Chang Fang-Rong , Sheu Jyh-Horng , Hou Ming-Feng , Jeng Jiiang-Huei , Tang Jen-Yang , Chang Hsueh-Wei
Published: April 2022

Fucoidan is a dietary brown algae-derived fucose-rich polysaccharide. However, the anticancer effects of fucoidan for oral cancer treatment remain unclear, particularly in terms of its preferential antiproliferation ability and oxidative-stress-associated responses. This study first evaluated the effects and mechanisms of the preferential antiproliferation of fucoidan between oral cancer and non-malignant oral cells (S–G). In a 48 h MTS assay, fucoidan showed higher antiproliferation in response to five types of oral cancer cells, but not S–G cells, demonstrating preferential antiproliferation of oral cancer cells. Oral cancer cells (Ca9-22 and CAL 27) showing high sensitivity to fucoidan were selected to explore the antiproliferation mechanism compared to S–G cells. Fucoidan showed subG1 accumulation and an annexin V increase in apoptosis, accompanied by caspase 8, 9, and 3 activations in oral cancer cells, but not in S–G cells. Fucoidan increased reactive oxygen species and mitochondrial superoxide levels and decreased cellular glutathione in oral cancer cells compared with S–G cells. These oxidative stress effects were attributed to the downregulation of antioxidant signaling genes (NRF2, TXN, and HMOX1) in oral cancer cells rather than S–G cells. Fucoidan showed DNA damage-inducible effects (γH2AX and 8-hydroxy-2-deoxyguanosine) in oral cancer cells but not in S–G cells. Accordingly, these preferential changes in oral cancer but not in non-malignant cells contribute to the preferential antiproliferation mechanism of fucoidan. Furthermore, these changes were reverted by pretreatment with the antioxidant N-acetylcysteine. Therefore, for the first time, this study provides a detailed understanding of the preferential antiproliferation effects and mechanisms of fucoidan in oral cancer cells.
Activation of Nrf2 in Mice Causes Early Microvascular Cyclooxygenase-Dependent Oxidative Stress and Enhanced Contractility
Authors: Wang Dan , Wang Cheng , Hao Xueqin , Carter Gabriela , Carter Rafaela , Welch William J. , Wilcox Christopher S.
Published: April 2022

Nuclear factor erythroid factor E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) transcribes antioxidant genes that reduce the blood pressure (BP), yet its activation with tert-butylhydroquinone (tBHQ) in mice infused with angiotensin II (Ang II) increased mean arterial pressure (MAP) over the first 4 days of the infusion. Since tBHQ enhanced cyclooxygenase (COX) 2 expression in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs), we tested the hypothesis that tBHQ administration during an ongoing Ang II infusion causes an early increase in microvascular COX-dependent reactive oxygen species (ROS) and contractility. Mesenteric microarteriolar contractility was assessed on a myograph, and ROS by RatioMaster™. Three days of oral tBHQ administration during the infusion of Ang II increased the mesenteric microarteriolar mRNA for p47phox, the endothelin type A receptor and thromboxane A2 synthase, and increased the excretion of 8-isoprostane F2α and the microarteriolar ROS and contractions to a thromboxane A2 (TxA2) agonist (U-46,619) and endothelin 1 (ET1). These were all prevented in Nrf2 knockout mice. Moreover, the increases in ROS and contractility were prevented in COX1 knockout mice with blockade of COX2 and by blockade of thromboxane prostanoid receptors (TPRs). In conclusion, the activation of Nrf2 over 3 days of Ang II infusion enhances microarteriolar ROS and contractility, which are dependent on COX1, COX2 and TPRs. Therefore, the blockade of these pathways may diminish the early adverse cardiovascular disease events that have been recorded during the initiation of Nrf2 therapy.
An Improved Point Clouds Model for Displacement Assessment of Slope Surface by Combining TLS and UAV Photogrammetry
Authors: Jia He , Zhu Guojin , Guo Lina , He Junyi , Liang Binjie , He Sunwen
Published: April 2022

TLS can quickly and accurately capture object surface coordinates. However, TLS point clouds cannot cover the entire surface of the target object, due to block of view and limitation of measurement condition. Thus, using it to monitor deformation of slope reduces the detection accuracy of slope surface deformation. To overcome the drawbacks, a method to improve TLS point clouds by UAV photogrammetric point clouds is proposed. The two kinds of point clouds are registered as the new multi-view point clouds by PCA and ICP. The locations of monitoring points are extracted based on HSL color space recognition method from the new multi-view point clouds to analyze the surface displacement. At present, the proposed method has applied in a highway slope in Yunnan Province, and complete point clouds were successfully constructed. A RTK survey was used to compare and verify the proposed method. The verification result demonstrate that the difference of displacement between two measurement methods is less than 10 mm. Comprehensive experiments demonstrate that the proposed method is reliable and meets the slope displacement monitoring standard.
MedicalForms: Integrated Management of Semantics for Electronic Health Record Systems and Research Platforms
Authors: Moreno-Conde Jesus , Salas-Fernandez Samuel , Moreno-Conde Alberto
Published: April 2022

(1) Background: Clinical information modeling tools are software instruments designed to support the definition of semantic structures able to be implemented in health information systems. Based on the analysis of existing tools, this research developed a tool that proposes new approaches to promoting clinician involvement and supporting information modeling processes through mechanisms that ensure governance, information consistency and consensus building. (2) Method: This research developed the MedicalForms system, which is based on the requirements identified in both a Delphi study about tool requirements and the ISO/TS 13972 specifications. (3) Results: This system allows the management of projects, information structures and implementable forms related to clinical documentation. Users can easily define clinical documents in collaboration with the rest of the professionals in their team by being able to reuse previously defined forms, terminologies and information structures. The system is able to export the defined forms as interoperable specifications or as several implementable form formats compatible with multiple open source EHR systems and research platforms. End user perception of this tool was evaluated through the Technology Acceptance Questionnaire with satisfactory results. Finally, the system was applied to develop 12 research registries and 2 clinical trial research forms, 3 mobile applications and 1 decision support system.
ROS-Based Unmanned Mobile Robot Platform for Agriculture
Authors: Baek Eu-Tteum , Im Dae-Yeong
Published: April 2022

While the demand for new high-tech technologies is rapidly increasing, difficulties are presented, such as aging and population decline in rural areas. In particular, autonomous mobile robots have been emerging in the agricultural field. Worldwide, huge investment is being made in the development of unmanned agricultural mobile robots; meanwhile with the development of robots, modern farms have high expectations of increased productivity. However, in the agricultural work environment, it is difficult to solve these problems with the existing mobile robot form, due to the difficulties of various environments. Typical problems are space constraints in the agricultural work environment, the high computational complexity of algorithms, and changes in the environment. To solve these problems, in this paper, we propose a method to design and operate a mobile robot platform that can be used in a greenhouse. We represent a robot type with two drive wheels along with four casters that can operate on path and rail. In addition, we propose a technology for a multi-AI deep learning system to operate a robot, an algorithm that can operate such a robot, and a VPN-based communication system for network and security. The proposed method is expected to increase productivity and reduce labor costs in the agricultural work environment.
Electroglottograph-Based Speech Emotion Recognition via Cross-Modal Distillation
Authors: Chen Lijiang , Ren Jie , Mao Xia , Zhao Qi
Published: April 2022

Speech emotion recognition (SER) is an important component of emotion computation and signal processing. Recently, many works have applied abundant acoustic features and complex model architectures to enhance the model’s performance, but these works sacrifice the portability of the model. To address this problem, we propose a model utilizing only the fundamental frequency from electroglottograph (EGG) signals. EGG signals are a sort of physiological signal that can directly reflect the movement of the vocal cord. Under the assumption that different acoustic features share similar representations in the internal emotional state, we propose cross-modal emotion distillation (CMED) to train the EGG-based SER model by transferring robust speech emotion representations from the log-Mel-spectrogram-based model. Utilizing the cross-modal emotion distillation, we achieve an increase of recognition accuracy from 58.98% to 66.80% on the S70 subset of the Chinese Dual-mode Emotional Speech Database (CDESD 7-classes) and 32.29% to 42.71% on the EMO-DB (7-classes) dataset, which shows that our proposed method achieves a comparable result with the human subjective experiment and realizes a trade-off between model complexity and performance.
Proton Conductivity of La2(Hf2−xLax)O7−x/2 “Stuffed” Pyrochlores
Authors: Shlyakhtina Anna V. , Lyskov Nikolay V. , Nikiforova Galina E. , Kasyanova Anna V. , Vorobieva Galina A. , Kolbanev Igor V. , Stolbov Dmitry N. , Medvedev Dmitry A.
Published: April 2022

The design of new oxygen- and proton-conducting materials is of paramount importance for their possible utilization in solid oxide fuel cells. In the present work, La2(Hf2–xLax)O7–x/2 (x = 0, 0.1) ceramics were prepared using ball milling of oxide mixtures (La2O3 and HfO2) followed by high-temperature annealing at 1600 °C for 10 h in air. La2Hf2O7 ceramics exhibit an ordered pyrochlore-type structure, whereas La2(Hf1.9La0.1)O6.95 has a defect pyrochlore structure type with oxygen vacancies at the 48f positions. The oxygen ion and proton conductivity of La2(Hf1.9La0.1)O6.95 “stuffed” pyrochlore ceramics was investigated by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (two-probe AC) and four-probe DC measurements in a dry and a wet atmosphere (air and nitrogen). The use of two distinct conductivity measurement techniques ensured, for the first time, the collection of reliable data on the proton conductivity of the La2(Hf1.9La0.1)O6.95 “stuffed” hafnate pyrochlore. La2Hf2O7 was found to be a dielectric in the range 400–900 °C, whereas the La2(Hf1.9La0.1)O6.95 “stuffed” pyrochlore had both oxygen ion and proton conductivities in this temperature range. The proton conductivity level was found to be equal to ~8 × 10−5 S/cm at 700 °C. Clearly, the proton conductivity of the La2(Hf1.9La0.1)O6.95 “stuffed” hafnate pyrochlore is mainly due to the hydration of oxygen vacancies at 48f positions.
CLAP-PRE: Certificateless Autonomous Path Proxy Re-Encryption for Data Sharing in the Cloud
Authors: Ren Chengdong , Dong Xiaolei , Shen Jiachen , Cao Zhenfu , Zhou Yuanjian
Published: April 2022

In e-health systems, patients encrypt their personal health data for privacy purposes and upload them to the cloud. There exists a need for sharing patient health data with doctors for healing purposes in one’s own preferred order. To achieve this fine-gained access control to delegation paths, some researchers have designed a new proxy re-encryption (PRE) scheme called autonomous path proxy re-encryption (AP-PRE), where the delegator can control the whole delegation path in a multi-hop delegation process. In this paper, we introduce a certificateless autonomous path proxy re-encryption (CLAP-PRE) using multilinear maps, which holds both the properties (i.e., certificateless, autonomous path) of certificateless encryption and autonomous path proxy re-encryption. In the proposed scheme, (a) each user has two public keys (user’s identity and traditional public key) with corresponding private keys, and (b) each ciphertext is first re-encrypted from a public key encryption (PKE) scheme to an identity-based encryption (IBE) scheme and then transformed in the IBE scheme. Our scheme is an IND-CPA secure CLAP-PRE scheme under the k-multilinear decisional Diffie–Hellman (k-MDDH) assumption in the random oracle model.
Design of a Parallel Quadruped Robot Based on a Novel Intelligent Control System
Authors: Li Mingying , Liu Zhilei , Wang Manfu , Pang Guibing , Zhang Hui
Published: April 2022

In order to make a robot track a desired trajectory with high precision and steady gait, a novel intelligent controller was designed based on a new mechanical structure and optimized foot trajectory. Kinematics models in terms of the D-H method were established to analyze the relationship between the angle of the driving joint and the foot position. Inspired by a dog’s diagonal trot on a flat terrain, foot trajectory planning in the swing and support phases without impact were fulfilled based on the compound cycloid improved by the Bézier curve. Both the optimized cascade proportional–integral–derivative (PID) control system and improved fuzzy adaptive PID control system were applied to realize the stable operation of a quadruped robot, and their parameters were optimized by the sparrow search algorithm. The convergence speed and accuracy of the sparrow search algorithm were verified by comparing with the moth flame optimization algorithm and particle swarm optimization algorithm. Finally, a co-simulation with MATLAB and ADAMS was utilized to compare the effects of the two control systems. The results of both displacement and velocity exhibit that the movement of a quadruped bionic robot with fuzzy adaptive PID control systems optimized by the sparrow search algorithm possessed better accuracy and stability than cascade PID control systems. The motion process of the quadruped robot in the co-simulation process also demonstrates the effectiveness of the designed mechanical structure and control system.
A Novel PSO-Based Adaptive Filter Structure with Switching Selection Criteria for Active Noise Control
Authors: Pichardo Eduardo , Anides Esteban , Vazquez Angel , Vazquez Eduardo , Sánchez Juan C. , Pérez Héctor M. , Sánchez Gabriel , Avalos Juan G. , Sánchez Giovanny
Published: April 2022

In recent years, active noise control (ANC) systems have been widely used in advanced electronic appliances. Nowadays, several authors use gradient-optimization algorithms since they can be easily implemented in these devices. However, these algorithms need to estimate the secondary path in advance. As consequence, this factor can limit its use in real-ANC applications since the secondary path can undergo significant variations over time. To solve this problem, we propose an ANC system with switching filter selection based on particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithms. Specifically, we use two sets of populations of particles with different acceleration coefficients and inertia weights to create an advanced structure in which the first PSO algorithm guarantees a high convergence speed while the use of the second PSO algorithm allows to achieve a high-level noise reduction. The results demonstrate that the proposed algorithm exhibits better convergence properties compared with previously reported solutions.
Augmented Reality-Based Interface for Bimanual Robot Teleoperation
Authors: García Alberto , Solanes J. Ernesto , Muñoz Adolfo , Gracia Luis , Tornero Josep
Published: April 2022

Teleoperation of bimanual robots is being used to carry out complex tasks such as surgeries in medicine. Despite the technological advances, current interfaces are not natural to the users, who spend long periods of time in learning how to use these interfaces. In order to mitigate this issue, this work proposes a novel augmented reality-based interface for teleoperating bimanual robots. The proposed interface is more natural to the user and reduces the interface learning process. A full description of the proposed interface is detailed in the paper, whereas its effectiveness is shown experimentally using two industrial robot manipulators. Moreover, the drawbacks and limitations of the classic teleoperation interface using joysticks are analyzed in order to highlight the benefits of the proposed augmented reality-based interface approach.