bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Cranioplasty: A Multidisciplinary Approach
Authors: Mee H. , Anwar F. , Timofeev I. , Owens N. , Grieve K. , Whiting G. , Alexander K. , Kendrick K. , Helmy A. , Hutchinson P. , Kolias A.
Published: May 2022

Decompressive craniectomy (DC) is an operation where a large section of the skull is removed to accommodate brain swelling. Patients who survive will usually require subsequent reconstruction of the skull using either their own bone or an artificial prosthesis, known as cranioplasty. Cranioplasty restores skull integrity but can also improve neurological function. Standard care following DC consists of the performance of cranioplasty several months later as historically, there was a concern that earlier cranioplasty may increase the risk of infection. However, recent systematic reviews have challenged this and have demonstrated that an early cranioplasty (within three months after DC) may enhance neurological recovery. However, patients are often transferred to a rehabilitation unit following their acute index admission and before their cranioplasty. A better understanding of the pathophysiological effects of cranioplasty and the relationship of timing and complications would enable more focused patient tailored rehabilitation programs, thus maximizing the benefit following cranioplasty. This may maximise recovery potential, possibly resulting in improved functional and cognitive gains, enhancement of quality of life and potentially reducing longer-term care needs. This narrative review aims to update multi-disciplinary team regarding cranioplasty, including its history, pathophysiological consequences on recovery, complications, and important clinical considerations both in the acute and rehabilitation settings.
Predictive Factors for Surgical Intervention in Neonates with Necrotizing Enterocolitis: A Retrospective Study
Authors: Yu Lei , Liu Chao , Du Qingjing , Ma Lishuang
Published: May 2022

Background

The current indications based on the clinicopathological parameters for predicting the need for surgery in neonatal necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) are still limited. This study retrospectively analyzes the characteristics of neonatal NEC and aims to identify the risk factors for surgical intervention in NEC.

Methods

Data of the NEC cases from 2015 to 2019 were collected from our institution and divided into two groups: surgical group (n = 41) and conservative treatment group (n = 143). Clinical, physical, and laboratory measures were analyzed by univariate analysis and multivariate logistic regression. The diagnostic values and receiver operative characteristic (ROC) curve were used for the assessment.

Results

Univariate analysis identified significant differences between the surgical group and the conservative group in a series of clinical, physical, and laboratory measures (all p < 0.05). The results of multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that procalcitonin (adjusted OR: 167.1, 95% CI, 3.585–7,788.758, p = 0.009) and gestational age (adjusted OR: 0.85, 95% CI, 0.77–0.94, p = 0.001) were independent surgical indications for NEC. The results from ROC curve and diagnosis values demonstrated that procalcitonin [the area under the curve (AUC) = 0.864], CRP (AUC = 0.783) and fibrinogen (AUC = 0.720) had good predictive performance for surgical NEC.

Conclusions

The level of procalcitonin and gestational age were found to be independent surgical indications for neonates with NEC.
Experimental Neospora caninum Infection in Pregnant Cattle: Different Outcomes Between Inoculation With Tachyzoites and Oocysts
Authors: Gondim Luís F. Pita , McAllister Milton M.
Published: May 2022

Neospora caninumis a globally distributed abortifacient protozoan of cattle. Experimental infections withN. caninumin cattle have provided valuable information on host-parasite interaction and immunopathogenesis. Experimental infection of pregnant cows has been reported in about 20 articles, with most studies using cultured parasite tachyzoites as the inoculum. Only three experimental studies have been conducted in pregnant cows using the parasite's oocysts which are shed by dogs, in large part because transmission experiments using oocysts take more time and are more complex and expensive than experiments using tachyzoites. In this minireview, we discuss differences betweenN. caninumtachyzoites and oocysts as inocula for experimental infection of pregnant cows, as well as the route animals are inoculated.
Construction of Life-Cycle Simulation Framework of Chronic Diseases and Their Comorbidities Based on Population Cohort
Authors: Sun Peixia , Lao Shengxiong , Du Dongyang , Peng Jiqiang , Yang Xu
Published: May 2022

Life-cycle population follow-up data collection is time-consuming and often takes decades. General cohort data studies collect short-to-medium-term data from populations of different age groups. The purpose of constructing a life-cycle simulation method is to find an efficient and reliable way to achieve the way to characterize life-cycle disease metastasis from these short-to-medium-term data. In this paper, we have presented our effort at construction of a full lifetime population cohort simulation framework. The design aim is to generate a comprehensive understanding of the disease transition for full lifetime when we only have short-or-medium term population cohort data. We have conducted several groups of experiments to show the effectiveness of our method.
Research on the Effect of Conservation Tillage Mode on the Suppression of Near-Surface Dust in Farmland
Authors: Chen Guibin , Wang Qingjie , Li Hongwen , He Jin , Lu Caiyun , Gong Shaojun , Xu Dijuan , Cao Xinpeng
Published: May 2022

In order to explore the beneficial effects of conservation tillage (straw burial, stubble + straw mulching, straw mulching) compared with traditional tillage on suppressing farmland dust and the law on farmland wind erosion, PM2.5 and PM10, in this study, according to the distribution characteristics of farmland dust particles “from large to small” and “from bottom to top”, the self-designed dust collector and farmland dust online monitoring system were used to analyze the amount of wind and dust, PM2.5 and PM10, near the surface of farmland. A comparative study on the dust emission of farmland from conservation tillage and traditional tillage is conducted in two dimensions. The mobile wind tunnels are used to simulate and verify the release of PM2.5 and PM10 near the surface of farmland. Among them, the monitoring of farmland wind erosion shows that compared with traditional farming, the wind erosion of straw burial, stubble + straw mulching, and straw mulching decreased by 29.37%, 40.73%, and 36.61%, respectively, and 90~250 μm large-size sand particles are reduced by 37.2%, 74.7%, and 31.6%, respectively. The monitoring results of PM2.5 and PM10 near the surface of the farmland showed that the stubble + straw mulching model is compared with the traditional farming farmland. The reductions were 42.5% and 40.8%, significantly higher than the straw burial and straw mulching modes. The multiple linear regression analysis of the monitoring data showed that the PM2.5 and PM10 release concentrations near the surface of farmland had the highest correlation with wind speed, followed by soil moisture and temperature. Wind tunnel test verification shows that the following three protective tillage modes: straw burial, straw mulching, and stubble + straw mulching, have apparent inhibitory effects on PM2.5 and PM10 released on farmland compared with traditional tillage modes. In 1~8 m/s interval, the release concentration of PM2.5 in the modes of straw burial, stubble + straw mulching, and straw mulching decreased by 15.34~41.17%, 32.05~48.56%, and 28.85~42.40%, and the PM10 release concentration decreased by 19.44~36.47%, 35.90~52.00%, and 25.83~50.63%, respectively, which are consistent with the monitoring results of PM2.5 and PM10 near the surface of farmland. The research results show that the beneficial effects of each model on farmland dust suppression are stubble + straw mulching > straw mulching > straw burial. The study is intended to provide theoretical support for promoting conservation tillage and the return of high-quality straw mulch to the field in Beijing.
Review of Material Parameter Calibration Method
Authors: Fang Weiquan , Wang Xinzhong , Han Dianlei , Chen Xuegeng
Published: May 2022

The discrete element method and simulation analysis of the interaction between granular materials and implements provide a convenient and effective method for the optimal design of farming machinery. However, the parameter differences between different materials make discrete element simulation impossible to carry out directly. It is necessary to obtain the specific material parameters and contact parameters through parameter calibration of the simulation object, so as to make the simulation results more reliable. Parameter calibration mainly includes intrinsic parameter measurement, contact model selection, contact parameter selection, and parameter calibration. The test methods of the calibration test include the Plackett–Burman test and other methods of screening parameters with significant influence, and then selecting the optimal parameters through the climbing test, response surface analysis method, etc., and finally carrying out the regression analysis. This paper will describe the existing parameter measurement methods and parameter calibration methods and provide a reference for the scholars who study parameter calibration to carry out parameter calibration.
Seed Coating with Triflumezopyrim Induces the Rice Plant’s Defense and Inhibits the Brown Planthopper’s Feeding Behavior
Authors: Xi Chanyuan , Ahmad Sheraz , Yu Julong , Zhang Jieyu , Chen Yu , Zhang Guo , Zhu Haowen , Ge Linquan , Yu Xiangyang , Shu Zhaolin
Published: May 2022

Triflumezopyrim (TFM), a novel mesoionic insecticide, has been effective in controlling sucking insect pests such as the brown planthopper (BPH). However, the mechanism of TFM as a seed coating agent in paddy fields remains unclear. Here, we investigate the seed germination rates (>80%) and seedling emergence rates (>85%) of rice treated with TFM at 0, 22.5, 45.0, 67.5, and 90.0 g a.i. ha−1 with no significant effect on germination rates. In addition, the low TFM residue concentration (0.04 mg. kg−1) is maintained in the rice stem. Meanwhile, the TFM seeds’ treatments lead to increased oxalic acid, flavonoids, total phenol, callose contents, and elevated C/N ratio in rice plants at 60 and 90 days after sowing (DAS). The electrical penetration graph (EPG) results indicate that TFM as a seed coating treatment prolongs the non-probing period and inhibits phloem sap ingestion at 90 DAS. Furthermore, the mechanically transplanted rice treated with TFM provides long-term prevention against the BPH infestation. This study demonstrates that seeds treated with TFM play a vital role in controlling the BPH population up to >90%. These results provide a novel valuable control strategy for BPH in the rice fields.
Changes in Photosynthetic Characteristics of Paeonia suffruticosa under High Temperature Stress
Authors: Ji Wen , Luo Haiyan , Song Yuqin , Hong Erman , Li Zhijun , Lin Bangyu , Fan Chenwei , Wang Huasen , Song Xinzhang , Jin Songheng , Chen Xia , Zhu Xiangtao
Published: May 2022

This study explored the changes in the photosynthetic characteristics of the Fengdan peony under high-temperature stress to provide a reference for understanding the tolerance of peony plants under heat stress. In this study, the effects of high-temperature stress (40 °C) on the photosynthetic characteristics of the Fengdan leaves were studied. At 25 °C, the net photosynthetic rate (Pn), stomatal conductance (Gs), and transpiration rate (Tr) of the leaves decreased gradually with the increase in heat stress time, and intercellular CO2 concentration (Ci) decreased first and then increased. High-temperature stress reduced the light energy absorption (ABS/RC) and capture (TRO/RC), light energy for electron transport (ETO/RC), and heat dissipation (DIO/RC) per unit leaf area. The maximum photochemical efficiency (FV/FM), leaf photochemical performance index (PIabs), the probability that captured excitons can transfer electrons to other electron acceptors in the electron transport chain beyond QA (ψO), and the quantum yield for electron transport (φEo), decreased gradually. The results showed that high temperatures damaged the photosynthetic capacity of the peony leaves and destroyed the photosynthetic apparatus of leaves. This study provides a reference for understanding the photosynthetic characteristics and tolerance of peony plants under heat stress.
Three-Dimensional Simulation of the Temperature Distribution in a Commercial Broiler House
Authors: Ferraz Patrícia Ferreira Ponciano , Andrade Ednilton Tavares de , Vilas Boas Regina Batista , Rezende Renan Pereira , Yanagi Junior Tadayuki , Barbari Matteo
Published: May 2022

The aim of this paper was to analyze, using computational fluid dynamics (CFD), a heating system in a commercial broiler house. Data were collected in a broiler house located in the western mesoregion of Minas Gerais, Brazil. The data were collected at 10 a.m. on the seventh day of chicks’ life in 16 points inside the house. A tetrahedral mesh was adopted for the simulation, and testing of the mesh yielded a geometry of 485,691 nodes. The proposed model was developed in a permanent state condition to simulate the temperature air inside the broiler house, and all other input variables were considered constant. The applied CFD technique resulted in satisfactory fitting of the air temperature variable along the broiler facility as a function of the input data. The results indicated that the model predicted the environmental conditions inside the broiler house very accurately. The mean error of the CFD model was 1.49%, indicating that the model is effective and therefore that it can be used in other applications. The results showed that the heating system provided favorable thermoneutral conditions for chicks in the biggest part of the broiler house. However, there were some areas with air temperature above and below the thermoneutral zone
Prey-Base Does Not Influence Breeding Success in Eagle Owls (Bubo bubo) in Judea, Israel
Authors: Hadad Ezra , Charter Motti , Kosicki Jakub Z. , Yosef Reuven
Published: May 2022

The diet and breeding success of Eagle Owls (Bubo bubo) have been suggested to vary at different latitudes. However, it is still unclear whether and how these relationships exist at lower latitudes outside of Europe. We therefore studied the diet and breeding success of Eagle Owls during four breeding seasons at 14 nests in the Judea region, Israel. Of a total of 9461 prey items were identified; mammals (N = 6896, 35 species; 72.89%, biomass 62.3%) and birds (N = 2255, 55 species, 23.83%; biomass 36.0%) predominated the prey-base. We found that the gradient of diversity of the mammalian prey decreased from west to east; and avian prey increased from east to west. The index of species diversity, H’ for all prey, had no relationship with breeding success. The prey-base of the Eagle Owls helped identify the changes in geographic distributions of several species. Marbled polecat (Vormela peregusna), especially threatened, appear to be relatively abundant, as are brown rats (Ratttus norvegicus) which were previously considered to be restricted to the coastal regions. In addition to Egyptian fruit bats (Rousettus aegyptiacus), the Eagle Owls also preyed on nine different species of insectivorous bats, several of which appear to have enlarged their geographic distribution within Israel. The Eagle Owl’s diet emphasizes its generalist foraging habits, but pairs may be species-specific specialists. This adaptation is especially important in a fast-developing and congested country like Israel, because a generalist hunting strategy probably allows the species to subsist in the region.
Effect of Minimum Milking Interval on Traffic and Milk Production of Cows Milked by a Pasture Based Automatic Milking System
Authors: Lessire Françoise , Hornick Jean-Luc , Dufrasne Isabelle
Published: May 2022

In dairy farms automatic milking systems and grazing, traffic to the robot is the cornerstone of profitability as higher milking frequency enhances milk yield. In this study, we investigated whether shortening the minimum milking interval (MMI), i.e., the required time between two milkings for an animal to get access to the milking unit, coupled with high concentrate allocation, could increase the daily milking frequency (MF, milking/cow/day) and consequently the milk yield of grazing cows. Two groups of cows (n = 19 and n = 20) belonging to the same herd were discriminated based on concentrate supply (high vs. low: 4 vs. 2 kg/cow/day) and then further divided on the basis of MMI (4 h vs. 6 h) so that four groups were formed (HC4 h–HC6 h–LC4 h and finally LC6 h). Higher concentrate allocation induced a rise in milk yield (MY, kg/cow/day) and allowed to stabilize it in periods of grass shortage but did not influence milking frequency, while shorter MMI (4 h) was correlated with higher MF without effect on MY. A combination of both strategies (4 h and high concentrate) improved the traffic globally to the robot. This result was linked to a reduction of refused milking and, therefore, the decrease in returns to the robot. This strategy could be advised to maximize the system’s efficiency during periods of high milk sales. When the economic conditions do not favour the increase in concentrate supply, short MMI could facilitate the traffic and increase the efficiency of returns.
Light Availability Affects the Symbiosis of Sponge Specific Cyanobacteria and the Common Blue Aquarium Sponge (Lendenfeldia chondrodes)
Authors: Curdt Franziska , Schupp Peter J. , Rohde Sven
Published: May 2022

Bacterial symbionts in marine sponges play a decisive role in the biological and ecological functioning of their hosts. Although this topic has been the focus of numerous studies, data from experiments under controlled conditions are rare. To analyze the ongoing metabolic processes, we investigated the symbiosis of the sponge specific cyanobacterium Synechococcus spongiarum and its sponge host Lendenfeldia chondrodes under varying light conditions in a defined aquarium setting for 68 days. Sponge clonal pieces were kept at four different light intensities, ranging from no light to higher intensities that were assumed to trigger light stress. Growth as a measure of host performance and photosynthetic yield as a proxy of symbiont photosynthetic activity were measured throughout the experiment. The lack of light prevented sponge growth and induced the expulsion of all cyanobacteria and related pigments by the end of the experiment. Higher light conditions allowed rapid sponge growth and high cyanobacteria densities. In addition, photosynthetically active radiation above a certain level triggered an increase in cyanobacteria’s lutein levels, a UV absorbing protein, thus protecting itself and the host’s cells from UV radiation damage. Thus, L. chondrodes seems to benefit strongly from hosting the cyanbacterium S. spongiarum and the relationship should be considered obligatory mutualistic.
Grapevine Xylem Sap Is a Potent Elicitor of Antibiotic Production in Streptomyces spp.
Authors: Santamaría Ramón I. , Martínez-Carrasco Ana , Martín Jesús , Tormo José R. , Pérez-Victoria Ignacio , González Ignacio , Genilloud Olga , Reyes Fernando , Díaz Margarita
Published: May 2022

Streptomyces bacteria produce a wide number of antibiotics and antitumor compounds that have attracted the attention of pharmaceutical and biotech companies. In this study, we provide evidence showing that the xylem sap from grapevines has a positive effect on the production of different antibiotics by several Streptomyces species, including S. ambofaciens ATCC 23877 and S. argillaceus ATCC 12596 among others. The production of several already known compounds was induced: actinomycin D, chromomycin A3, fungichromin B, mithramycin A, etc., and four compounds with molecular formulas not included in the Dictionary of Natural Products (DNP v28.2) were also produced. The molecules present in the xylem sap that acts as elicitors were smaller than 3 kDa and soluble in water and insoluble in ether, ethyl acetate, or methanol. A combination of potassium citrate and di-D-fructose dianhydrides (related to levanbiose or inulobiose) seemed to be the main effectors identified from the active fraction. However, the level of induction obtained in the presence of these compounds mix was weaker and delayed with respect to the one got when using the whole xylem sap or the 3 kDa sap fraction, suggesting that another, not identified, elicitor must be also implied in this induction.
Mechanism of Cadmium Exposure Induced Hepatotoxicity in the Mud Crab (Scylla paramamosain): Activation of Oxidative Stress and Nrf2 Signaling Pathway
Authors: Cheng Changhong , Ma Hongling , Liu Guangxin , Fan Sigang , Guo Zhixun
Published: May 2022

Cadmium, one of the most toxic heavy metals, can cause severe oxidative damage to aquatic animals. However, the mechanism whereby the mud crabs respond to cadmium exposure remains unclear. This study investigated the effects of cadmium exposure on oxidative stress and histopathology changes and evaluated the role of the Nrf2 signaling pathway in regulating responses to cadmium-induced hepatotoxicity were investigated in mud crabs. Mud crabs were exposed to 0, 0.01, 0.05, and 0.125 mg/L cadmium for 21 d. The present results indicated that cadmium exposure increased hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) production, lipid peroxidation and tissue damage, but decreased the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT), and caused lipid peroxidation and tissue damage. The results of an integrated biomarker index analysis suggested that the toxicity of cadmium was positively related to cadmium concentration. The expression levels of the Nrf2 signaling pathway (Nrf2, metallothionein, and cytochrome P450 enzymes) were up-regulated after cadmium exposure. Silencing of Nrf2 in vivo decreased antioxidant gene (SOD, CAT, and glutathione S-transferase) expression, suggesting that Nrf2 can regulate antioxidant genes. Knocking down Nrf2 in vivo also significantly decreased the activity of SOD and CAT after cadmium exposure. Moreover, silencing of Nrf2 in vivo enhanced H2O2 production and the mortality rates of mud crabs after cadmium exposure. The present study indicated that cadmium exposure induced hepatotoxicity in the mud crab by increasing H2O2 content, which decreased the antioxidant capacity, leading to cell injury. In addition, the Nrf2 is activated to bound with antioxidant response element, initiating the expression of antioxidant enzyme genes during cadmium induced hepatotoxicity in the mud crabs.
Large-Size Subunit Catalases Are Chimeric Proteins: A H2O2 Selecting Domain with Catalase Activity Fused to a Hsp31-Derived Domain Conferring Protein Stability and Chaperone Activity
Authors: Hansberg Wilhelm , Nava-Ramírez Teresa , Rangel-Silva Pablo , Díaz-Vilchis Adelaida , Mendoza-Oliva Aydé
Published: May 2022

Bacterial and fungal large-size subunit catalases (LSCs) are like small-size subunit catalases (SSCs) but have an additional C-terminal domain (CT). The catalytic domain is conserved at both primary sequence and structural levels and its amino acid composition is optimized to select H2O2 over water. The CT is structurally conserved, has an amino acid composition similar to very stable proteins, confers high stability to LSCs, and has independent molecular chaperone activity. While heat and denaturing agents increased Neurospora crassa catalase-1 (CAT-1) activity, a CAT-1 version lacking the CT (C63) was no longer activated by these agents. The addition of catalase-3 (CAT-3) CT to the CAT-1 or CAT-3 catalase domains prevented their heat denaturation in vitro. Protein structural alignments indicated CT similarity with members of the DJ-1/PfpI superfamily and the CT dimers present in LSCs constitute a new type of symmetric dimer within this superfamily. However, only the bacterial Hsp31 proteins show sequence similarity to the bacterial and fungal catalase mobile coil (MC) and are phylogenetically related to MC_CT sequences. LSCs might have originated by fusion of SSC and Hsp31 encoding genes during early bacterial diversification, conferring at the same time great stability and molecular chaperone activity to the novel catalases.
Feed Restriction Alleviates Chronic Thermal Stress-Induced Liver Oxidation and Damages via Reducing Lipid Accumulation in Channel Catfish (Ictalurus punctatus)
Authors: Lu Qisheng , Gong Yulong , Xi Longwei , Liu Yulong , Xu Wenjie , Liu Haokun , Jin Junyan , Zhang Zhimin , Yang Yunxia , Zhu Xiaoming , Xie Shouqi , Han Dong
Published: May 2022

Caloric restriction is known to suppress oxidative stress in organ systems. However, whether caloric/feed restriction alleviates chronic thermal stress in aquatic animals remains unknown. Here, we set up three feeding rations: 3% BW (3% body weight/day), 2.5% BW (restricted feeding, 2.5% body weight/day) and 2% BW (high restricted feeding, 2% body weight/day), to investigate the effects and mechanism of feed restriction on improving chronic heat-induced (27 to 31 °C) liver peroxidation and damages in channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus). The results showed that, compared to 3% BW, both 2.5% BW and 2% BW significantly reduced the liver expressions of hsc70, hsp70 and hsp90, but only 2.5% BW did not reduce the growth performance of channel catfish. The 2.5% BW and 2% BW also reduced the lipid deposition (TG) and improved the antioxidant capacity (CAT, SOD, GSH and T-AOC) in the liver of channel catfish. The heat-induced stress response (plasma glucose, cortisol and NO) and peroxidation (ROS and MDA) were also suppressed by either 2.5% BW or 2% BW. Moreover, 2.5% BW or 2% BW overtly alleviated liver inflammation and damages by reducing endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress (BIP and Calnexin) and cell apoptosis (BAX, Caspase 3 and Caspase 9) in the liver of channel catfish. In conclusion, 2.5% body weight/day is recommended to improve the antioxidant capacity and liver health of channel catfish during the summer season, as it alleviates liver peroxidation and damages via suppressing lipid accumulation under chronic thermal stress.
Transcriptional Profiling of Hippocampus Identifies Network Alterations in Alzheimer’s Disease
Authors: Quarato Veronica , D’Antona Salvatore , Battista Petronilla , Zupo Roberta , Sardone Rodolfo , Castiglioni Isabella , Porro Danilo , Frasca Marco , Cava Claudia
Published: May 2022

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disease characterized by rapid brain cell degeneration affecting different areas of the brain. Hippocampus is one of the earliest involved brain regions in the disease. Modern technologies based on high-throughput data have identified transcriptional profiling of several neurological diseases, including AD, for a better comprehension of genetic mechanisms of the disease. In this study, we investigated differentially expressed genes (DEGs) from six Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) datasets of hippocampus of AD patients. The identified DEGs were submitted to Weighted correlation network analysis (WGCNA) and ClueGo to explore genes with a higher degree centrality and to comprehend their biological role. Subsequently, MCODE was used to identify subnetworks of interconnected DEGs. Our study found 40 down-regulated genes and 36 up-regulated genes as consensus DEGs. Analysis of the co-expression network revealed ACOT7, ATP8A2, CDC42, GAD1, GOT1, INA, NCALD, and WWTR1 to be genes with a higher degree centrality. ClueGO revealed the pathways that were mainly enriched, such as clathrin coat assembly, synaptic vesicle endocytosis, and DNA damage response signal transduction by p53 class mediator. In addition, we found a subnetwork of 12 interconnected genes (AMPH, CA10, CALY, NEFL, SNAP25, SNAP91, SNCB, STMN2, SV2B, SYN2, SYT1, and SYT13). Only CA10 and CALY are targets of known drugs while the others could be potential novel drug targets.
Effects of Biochar Production Methods and Biomass Types on Lead Removal from Aqueous Solution
Authors: Granados Paola , Mireles Sergio , Pereira Engil , Cheng Chu-Lin , Kang James Jihoon
Published: May 2022

Biochar has proven its potential in removing heavy metal ions from water. The objective of this study was to evaluate locally obtained biomass feedstocks for biochar production and their efficiency as a sorbent for aqueous lead (Pb2+) removal. The biomass feedstocks consisted of avocado seed, avocado peel, grapefruit peel, and brown seaweed, which represent agricultural and marine biomasses. The biochar materials were produced in two different methods: (1) a laboratory tube furnace at 300 °C and (2) a Do-It-Yourself (DIY) biochar maker, “BioCharlie Log”. The biochars were characterized for selected physicochemical properties, and batch adsorption tests with 10 mg Pb2+ L−1 were conducted. All biochars exhibited >90% Pb2+ removal with the avocado seed and grapefruit peel biochars being the most effective (99%) from the tube-furnace-produced biochars. BioCharlie-produced-biochars showed similar Pb2+ removal (90–97%) with brown seaweed and avocado seed biochars being the most effective (97%). Land-based biochars showed a higher carbon content (>53%) than the brown seaweed biochar (28%), which showed the highest ash content (68%). Our results suggested that oxygen-containing surface functional groups in land-based biochar and mineral (ash) fraction in marine-based biochar play a key role in Pb2+ removal.
Analysis on Flow and Temperature Field of High-Power Magnetorheological Fluid Transmission Device
Authors: Wu Xiangfan , Guo Yangyang , Tian Zuzhi , Xie Fangwei , Ji Jinjie , Li Haopeng
Published: May 2022

Aiming to solve the problem of high-power magnetorheological fluid transmission heat dissipation, a new type of magnetorheological fluid drive disk is designed. The characteristics of the flow field and temperature field of high power MR fluid transmission devices are analyzed. Meanwhile, the influence of factors, such as rotating speed, inlet velocity, inlet position, diameter and number of magnetic columns, on the flow field are also investigated. Furthermore, the distribution characteristics of the ultimate slip power and the transient temperature field are obtained. The experimental platform of an MR fluid transmission device was established, and the torque transfer performance and heat dissipation performance were tested. The experimental results show that the device has good heat dissipation performance and can transfer high-power torque.
One-Class LSTM Network for Anomalous Network Traffic Detection
Authors: Li Yanmiao , Xu Yingying , Cao Yankun , Hou Jiangang , Wang Chun , Guo Wei , Li Xin , Xin Yang , Liu Zhi , Cui Lizhen
Published: May 2022

Artificial intelligence-assisted security is an important field of research in relation to information security. One of the most important tasks is to distinguish between normal and abnormal network traffic (such as malicious or sudden traffic). Traffic data are usually extremely unbalanced, and this seriously hinders the detection of outliers. Therefore, the identification of outliers in unbalanced datasets has become a key issue. To help solve this challenge, there is increasing interest in focusing on one-class classification methods that train models based on the samples of a single given class. In this paper, long short-term memory (LSTM) is introduced into one-class classification, and one-class LSTM (OC-LSTM) is proposed based on the traditional one-class support vector machine (OC-SVM). In contrast with other hybrid deep learning methods based on auto-encoders, the proposed method is an end-to-end training network that uses a loss function such as the OC-SVM optimization objective for model training. A comprehensive experiment on three large complex network traffic datasets showed that this method is superior to the traditional shallow method and the most advanced deep method. Furthermore, the proposed method can provide an effective reference for anomaly detection research in the field of network security, especially for the application of one-class classification.
An Intelligent Nonlinear Control Method for the Multistage Electromechanical Servo System
Authors: Lian Yunxiao , Zhou Yong , Zhang Jianxin , Ma Shangjun , Wu Shuai
Published: May 2022

In order to meet the requirements of servo systems, including sensitive and rapid adjustment, high control and motion accuracy, and strong working adaptability, in special application fields, such as high thrust and long travel, an adaptive inversion control method is proposed for the lateral force and other nonlinear factors of multistage electromechanical servo system (MEMSS). The position tracking controller of permanent magnet synchronous motor (PMSM), based on an improved adaptive inversion method, was designed and its stability was analyzed, and the Luenberger load torque observer model of PMSM was established. The EMESS simulation model of an adaptive inversion controller was built using the Simulink platform, and the motor multibody dynamics model was established in ADAMS software. Through the joint simulation of Simulink and ADAMS software, the results of EMESS under adaptive inversion controller and traditional PID controller were compared, and the feasibility and reliability of the designed adaptive inversion controller were verified. Finally, the designed controller was tested based on the experimental platform. The experimental results show that the adaptive inversion controller designed in this paper has better robustness and stability than the traditional PID controller.
Modeling Preferences through Personality and Satisfaction to Guide the Decision Making of a Virtual Agent
Authors: Castro-Rivera Jorge , Morales-Rodríguez María Lucila , Rangel-Valdez Nelson , Gómez-Santillán Claudia , Aguilera-Vázquez Luciano
Published: May 2022

Satisfaction is relevant for decision makers (DM, Decision Makers). Satisfaction is the feeling produced in individuals by executing actions to satisfy their needs, for example, the payment of debts, jobs, or academic achievements, and the acquisition of goods or services. In the satisfaction literature, some theories model the satisfaction of individuals from job and customer approaches. However, considering personality elements to influence satisfaction and define preferences in strategies that optimize decision making provides the unique characteristics of a DM. These characteristics favor the scope of solutions closer to the satisfaction expectation. Satisfaction theories do not include specific elements of personality and preferences, so integrating these elements will offer more efficient decisions in computable models. In this work, a model of satisfaction with personality characteristics that influence the preferences of a DM is proposed. The proposed model is integrated into a preference-based optimizer that improves the decision-making process of a Virtual Decision Maker (VDM) in an optimization context. The optimization context addressed in this work is the product selection process within a food product shopping problem. An experimental design is proposed that compares two configurations that represent the cognitive part of an agent’s decision process to validate the operation of the proposed model in the context of optimization: (1) satisfaction, personality, and preferences, and (2) personality and preferences. The results show that considering satisfaction and personality in combination with preferences provides solutions closer to the interests of an individual, reflecting a more realistic behavior. Furthermore, this work demonstrates that it is possible to create a configurable model that allows adapting to different aptitudes and reflecting them in a computable model.
Some Upper Bounds for RKHS Approximation by Bessel Functions
Authors: Tian Mingdang , Sheng Baohuai , Wang Shuhua
Published: May 2022

A reproducing kernel Hilbert space (RKHS) approximation problem arising from learning theory is investigated. Some K-functionals and moduli of smoothness with respect to RKHSs are defined with Fourier–Bessel series and Fourier–Bessel transforms, respectively. Their equivalent relation is shown, with which the upper bound estimate for the best RKHS approximation is provided. The convergence rate is bounded with the defined modulus of smoothness, which shows that the RKHS approximation can attain the same approximation ability as that of the Fourier–Bessel series and Fourier–Bessel transform. In particular, it is shown that for a RKHS produced by the Bessel operator, the convergence rate sums up to the bound of a corresponding convolution operator approximation. The investigations show some new applications of Bessel functions. The results obtained can be used to bound the approximation error in learning theory.
Self-Assembled Hydrogel Microparticle-Based Tooth-Germ Organoids
Authors: Kilic Bektas Cemile , Zhang Weibo , Mao Yong , Wu Xiaohuan , Kohn Joachim , Yelick Pamela C.
Published: May 2022

Here, we describe the characterization of tooth-germ organoids, three-dimensional (3D) constructs cultured in vitro with the potential to develop into living teeth. To date, the methods used to successfully create tooth organoids capable of forming functional teeth have been quite limited. Recently, hydrogel microparticles (HMP) have demonstrated utility in tissue repair and regeneration based on their useful characteristics, including their scaffolding ability, effective cell and drug delivery, their ability to mimic the natural tissue extracellular matrix, and their injectability. These outstanding properties led us to investigate the utility of using HMPs (average diameter: 158 ± 32 µm) derived from methacrylated gelatin (GelMA) (degree of substitution: 100%) to create tooth organoids. The tooth organoids were created by seeding human dental pulp stem cells (hDPSCs) and porcine dental epithelial cells (pDE) onto the HMPs, which provided an extensive surface area for the cells to effectively attach and proliferate. Interestingly, the cell-seeded HMPs cultured on low-attachment tissue culture plates with gentle rocking self-assembled into organoids, within which the cells maintained their viability and morphology throughout the incubation period. The self-assembled organoids reached a volume of ~50 mm3 within two weeks of the in vitro tissue culture. The co-cultured hDPSC-HMP and pDE-HMP structures effectively attached to each other without any externally applied forces. The presence of polarized, differentiated dental cells in these composite tooth-bud organoids demonstrated the potential of self-assembled dental cell HMPs to form tooth-bud organoid-like structures for potential applications in tooth regeneration strategies.
Phenolics from Chrozophora oblongifolia Aerial Parts as Inhibitors of α-Glucosidases and Advanced Glycation End Products: In-Vitro Assessment, Molecular Docking and Dynamics Studies
Authors: Abdallah Hossam M. , Kashegari Albraa T. , Shalabi Akram A. , Darwish Khaled M. , El-Halawany Ali M. , Algandaby Mardi M. , Ibrahim Sabrin R. M. , Mohamed Gamal A. , Abdel-Naim Ashraf B. , Koshak Abdulrahman E. , Proksch Peter , Elhady Sameh S.
Published: May 2022

Modern life is associated with low physical activity that leads to the accumulation of fats, gaining more weight, and obesity. Accumulation of fat in the abdomen region contributes to diabetes via insulin resistance and hyperglycemia. Polyphenols are major plant constituents that exert antidiabetic activity through different mechanisms, including radicle scavenging activity, regulation of glucose uptake, and inhibition of fat and polysaccharide hydrolysis in addition to their inhibitory role regarding the formation of advanced glycation end products (AGEs). Chemical investigation of C. oblongifolia aerial parts resulted in the isolation of five major compounds: apeginin-7-O-β-D-glucoside (1), quercetin-3-O-β-D-glucuronic acid (2), quercetin-3-O-β-D-galacturonic acid (3), rutin (4), and 1,3,6-trigalloyl glucose (5). The isolated compounds were tested for their antioxidant and AGEs formation, α-glucosidase, and lipase inhibitory activities. Compound 5 revealed the highest antioxidant and AGEs inhibitory activity in bovine serum albumin (BSA)-methylglyoxal, BSA-fructose, and arginine-methylglyoxal models. Moreover, it exhibited a potent inhibitory profile on Saccharomyces cerevisiae α-glucosidases compared to the positive control, acarbose. Compound (5) further depicted promising binding affinity and stability towards the human intestinal maltase-glucoamylase α-glucosidases, which is a diabetes-related therapeutic target, through coupled molecular docking and dynamics studies. The obtained results encourage the usage of 1,3,6-trigalloyl glucose in the management of diabetes and its complications. However, detailed in-vivo studies for this compound should be performed.
Obesity Does Not Influence Delayed Gastric Emptying Following Pancreatoduodenectomy
Authors: Enderes Jana , Pillny Christiane , Matthaei Hanno , Manekeller Steffen , Kalff Jörg C. , Glowka Tim R.
Published: May 2022

Background: The data about obesity on postoperative outcome after pancreatoduodenectomy (PD) are inconsistent, specifically in relation to gastric motility and delayed gastric emptying (DGE). Methods: Two hundred and eleven patients were included in the study and patients were retrospectively analyzed in respect to pre-existing obesity (obese patients having a body mass index (BMI) ≥ 30 kg/m2 vs. non-obese patients having a BMI < 30 kg/m2, n = 34, 16% vs. n = 177, 84%) in relation to demographic factors, comorbidities, intraoperative characteristics, mortality and postoperative complications with special emphasis on DGE. Results: Obese patients were more likely to develop clinically relevant pancreatic fistula grade B/C (p = 0.008) and intraabdominal abscess formations (p = 0.017). However, clinically relevant DGE grade B/C did not differ (p = 0.231) and, specifically, first day of solid food intake (p = 0.195), duration of intraoperative administered nasogastric tube (NGT) (p = 0.708), rate of re-insertion of NGT (0.123), total length of NGT (p = 0.471) or the need for parenteral nutrition (p = 0.815) were equally distributed. Moreover, mortality (p = 1.000) did not differ between the two groups. Conclusions: Obese patients do not show a higher mortality rate and are not at higher risk to develop DGE. We thus show that in our study, PD is feasible in the obese patient in regard to postoperative outcome with special emphasis on DGE.
Remote Gait Analysis as a Proxy for Traditional Gait Laboratories: Utilizing Smartphones for Subject-Driven Gait Assessment across Differing Terrains
Authors: Kahlon Arjan , Sansare Ashwini , Behboodi Ahad
Published: May 2022

Gait analysis has applications in medical diagnosis, biometrics, and development of therapeutic rehabilitation interventions (such as orthotics, prosthetics, and exoskeletons). While offering accurate measurements, gait laboratories are expensive, not scalable, and not easily accessible. In a pandemic-afflicted world, where telemedicine is crucial, there is need for subject-driven data remote collection. This study proposed a remote and purely subject-driven procedure for reproducible and scalable collection of real-life gait data. To evaluate the feasibility of our proposed procedure, the spatiotemporal parameters of gait were compared across two real-life terrains using a smartphone application on a focus population of healthy middle-aged individuals. Previous research validated smartphone motion sensors as accurate instruments for gait analysis, but required highly supervised, controlled environments on smaller sample sizes, thereby limiting application in real-life gait analysis. To this end, a custom-designed mobile application was developed to record lower extremity angular velocities on 69 healthy middle-aged adults; factoring in a subject-driven data submission error rate (DSER) of 17.4%, there were 57 usable data sets for analysis. Comparisons of spatiotemporal gait parameters across primary outcome measures on grass versus asphalt revealed significant measurable increases in gait duration (stride time), valley depth (max swing phase), and peak-to-valley (max stance phase to max swing phase). These results demonstrated the feasibility of using smartphones for a remote and fully subject-driven gait data collection. Additionally, our data analysis showed that even in short trials, a physical environmental load has a substantial and measurable effect on the gait of the understudied middle-aged population.
Hot and Cold Cognitive Disturbances in Parkinson Patients Treated with DBS-STN: A Combined PET and Neuropsychological Study
Authors: Jørgensen Louise M. , Henriksen Tove , Mardosiene Skirmante , Wyon Ottilia , Keller Sune H. , Jespersen Bo , Knudsen Gitte M. , Stenbæk Dea S.
Published: May 2022

Patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD) often suffer from non-motor symptoms, which may be caused by serotonergic dysfunction. Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) in the subthalamic nucleus (STN) may also influence non-motor symptoms. The aim of this study is to investigate how the cerebral 5-HT system associates to disturbances in cognition and mood in PD patients with DBS-STN turned on and off. We used psychological tests and questionnaires to evaluate cognitive function and the effects on mood from turning DBS-STN off. We applied a novel PET neuroimaging methodology to evaluate the integrity of the cerebral serotonin system. We measured 5-HT1BR binding in 13 DBS-STN-treated PD patients, at baseline and after turning DBS off. Thirteen age-matched volunteers served as controls. The measures for cognition and mood were correlated to the 5-HT1BR availability in temporal limbic cortex. 5-HT1BR binding was proportional to working memory performance and inverse proportional to affective bias for face recognition. When DBS is turned off, patients feel less vigorous; the higher the limbic and temporal 5-HT1BR binding, the more they are affected by DBS being turned off. Our study suggests that cerebral 5-HTR binding is associated with non-motor symptoms, and that preservation of serotonergic functions may be predictive of DBS-STN effects.
Aggression in Adolescents: The Role of Mother-Child Attachment and Self-Esteem
Authors: Muarifah Alif , Mashar Riana , Hashim Intan Hashimah Mohd , Rofiah Nurul Hidayati , Oktaviani Fitriana
Published: May 2022

Every year, adolescents’ aggressive behavior in the world continues to increase, including in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. Teenagers’ aggressive behavior in Yogyakarta leads to criminal acts resulting in physical sacrifices and death. The aggressive behavior of teenagers is known as Klithih. It develops and continues to increase every year, causing public anxiety and concern. This study aimed to examine the role of mother–child attachment and self-esteem against aggression. Aggression, mother’s attachment, and self-esteem scales were deployed to collect data and were filled out by 730 high school students between 15 and 19 years old from twenty-three schools in five municipalities in Yogyakarta Province (M = 16.52, SD = 0.793, 310 male students and 420 female students). Descriptive statistics described research data by IBM SPSS 23 and structural equation modeling by AMOS v20 to test research hypotheses. The results of the study showed a good fit, indicating that self-esteem might enhance the effect of each mother’s attachment style on aggression. Our study showed that insecure attachment positively and significantly affected aggression and negatively and significantly affected self-esteem. Furthermore, it also revealed that anxious attachment positively and significantly influenced aggression and negatively and significantly influenced self-esteem. Lastly, our finding revealed that self-esteem negatively and significantly affected aggression. These findings suggested that better mother’s attachment and higher self-esteem in adolescents may lower the possibility of aggression, whereas insecure attachment, anxious attachment, and low self-esteem may increase the risk of aggression.