bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Gut and respiratory tract microbiota in children younger than 12 months hospitalised for bronchiolitis compared with healthy children. Can we predict the severity and medium-term respiratory outcome?
Authors: Cabrera-Rubio Raul , Calvo Cristina , Alcolea Sonia , Bergia María , Atucha Jorge , Pozo Francisco , Casas Inmaculada , Arroyas María , Collado María Carmen , García-García María Luz
Published: November 2022

Background: Growing evidence indicates that infant microbiota has a potential key effect on bronchiolitis. However, little is known about the potential factors, such as the presence of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and viral coinfection, in both the gut and respiratory tract microbiota of children younger than 12 months hospitalised for bronchiolitis compared with children with no identified viruses and with healthy children.
Methods: This was a case control, multicentre, prospective study in 2 hospitals (Severo Ochoa University Hospital and La Paz University Hospital) that included 96 infants (57 cases and 39 controls). Gut (faeces) and respiratory (nasopharyngeal aspirate [NPA]) microbial profiles were analysed by 16S rRNA gene sequencing, and respiratory viruses were identified by targeted multiplex reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction assays. Clinical data of the acute episode, respiratory morbidity and follow-up during the first year after infection were recorded.
Results: Pairwise comparisons showed significant differences in gut (R2=0.0639, P=0.006) and NPA (R2=0.0803, P=0.006) microbiota between the cases and healthy controls. A significantly lower richness in the intestinal microbiota and an increase in the diversity of the respiratory microbiota (but with an increase in bacteria such as Haemophilus, Streptococcus and Neisseria) were observed in the infants with bronchiolitis, in those with the most severe symptoms and in those who subsequently developed recurrent wheezing episodes in the year after discharge. In NPA, the microbial richness differed significantly between the control group and the non-RSV bronchiolitis group (P=0.01) and between the control group and the RSV bronchiolitis group (P=0.001). In the gut, the richness differed significantly between the control group and the non-RSV group (P=0.01) and between the control group and the RSV bronchiolitis group (P=0.001), with higher diversity in the RSV group.
Conclusions: A distinct respiratory and intestinal microbiota pattern was observed in infants with bronchiolitis compared with healthy controls. The presence of RSV was a main factor as a catalyst for dysbiosis. Lower gut microbial richness and increased respiratory microbial diversity were observed in the infants with respiratory morbidity during follow-up.
Prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii in buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis) and cows (Bos taurus) at the Tabriz abattoir, Iran
Authors: Jabbari Javad , Hajipour Nasser , Hassanzadeh Parviz , Ketzisc Jennifer
Published: November 2022

Toxoplasma gondii is a widely prevalent zoonotic protozoan parasite in humans and warm-blooded animals worldwide. Humans usually become infected through consuming water or food contaminated with oocysts or by ingesting tissue cysts in undercooked meat. The aim of this study was to assess the presence of T. gondii in the meat of buffaloes and cows slaughtered in Tabriz slaughterhouse, Iran using PCR. Fifty grams of heart, thigh, diaphragm and tongue of 50 buffalo and 100 cows slaughtered at the Tabriz industrial slaughterhouse were randomly sampled and tested using a previously published PCR method. Of the 150 animal samples, T. gondii was detected in 10 (6.6%) including one buffalo (2%) and nine cows (9%). The rate of infection was the same for buffalo and cattle (P > 0.05). Also, there was no significant relationship between the rate of infection and age, sex or organs assessed (P > 0.05). Although the rate of infection of animals slaughtered in Tabriz slaughterhouse is low, the presence of T. gondii still poses a risk to human health. Therefore, appropriate and effective preventive measures should be taken to limit the transmission of this parasite to humans and the consumption of raw and undercooked meat should be discouraged.
Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography (OCTA) findings in a patient with acute traumatic choriocapillaropathy
Authors: Astaneh Mohamadreza Ansari , Hedayati Maryam , Shariati Mehrdad Motamed
Published: November 2022

Acute traumatic maculopathy included a spectrum of disorders following blunt ocular trauma, such as traumatic pigment epitheliopathy, commotio retina, and choroidal rupture. Our patient was a 47-year-old male who came to the emergency department due to blurred vision in his left eye for the past two weeks following blunt ocular trauma. His best-corrected visual acuity was 10/10 in the unaffected right eye (OD) and 7/10 in the left eye. In fundus examination, we found decreased foveal reflex and gray-white spots in a ring-like pattern at the parafovea and an area of pigmentary change below the superior arcade near the disc. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) demonstrated disruption of the Ellipsoid zone, and Optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) showed dark dot signals in choriocapillaris at the same site. As we showed in this article, traumatic choriocapillaropathy, which can be described as spots of flow disruption within choriocapillaris can occur without any injury to the retinal vasculature.
Pterostilbene upregulates MICA/B via the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway to enhance the capability of natural killer cells to kill cervical cancer cells
Authors: Li Zuoping , Zhang Jiaru , You Shiwan , Zhang Jing , Zhang Yuling , Akram Zubair , Sun Shiguo
Published: November 2022

Natural killer (NK) cells are the main effector of the innate immune response of cells undergoing a malignant transformation in cancer microenvironment. NK cells recognize their targets through a complex array of activating and inhibitory receptors, which regulate the intensity of the effector response against individual target cells. However, many studies have shown that the shortage of the major histocompatibility complex class I chain-related proteins A and B(MICA/B) on the surface of cancer cells can evade the recognition of immune cells and produce resistance to NK cell killing. Through consulting the database and molecular docking, it was found that pterostilbene (PTS;3,5-dimethoxy-40-hydroxystilbene) in blueberry extract may inhibit PI3K/AKT signaling pathway and up-regulate the expression of the MICA/B in cervical cancer. MTT assay, flow cytometry, colony formation assay and viability/cytotoxicity assay evaluated the effects of PTS on cervical cancer cell proliferation and apoptosis. The results of western blot and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) further confirmed that PTS could regulate the cytolytic activity of NK cells to cancer cells by up-regulating the expression of MICA/B, and modulate the anti-cancer immune response in cervical cancer.
An intelligent detection method for plasmodium based on self-supervised learning and attention mechanism
Authors: Fu Min , Wu Kai , Li Yuxuan , Luo Linkai , Huang Wei , Zhang Qi
Published: November 2022

Background： Malaria is still a serious life-threatening disease caused by plasmodium parasites. Microscopy is a widely used method for malaria diagnosis. However, it is relied heavily on the skills and experience of inspectors. There are many misdiagnoses in the areas with low medical level or few cases due to the lack of skilled inspectors.
Methods： In recent years, CNN models has gained many successful applications in image classification. Unlike the objects in the ImageNet, the image of plasmodium only has a tiny defect area with a large amount of information. In addition, the dataset is extremely unbalanced in which the number of positive samples is much less than the number of negative samples. In this paper, we propose a classification network by combining attention mechanism and ResNeSt for plasmodium detection and use self-supervised learning to pre-train the network. First, the positive samples are used to pre-train the network. Then, attention modules are used to highlight feature area. To support current and future research, we also construct a plasmodium dataset with Plasmodium falciparum, Plasmodium vivax, Plasmodium ovale, and Plasmodium malaria and non-Plasmodium.
Results： The experiments show that our model obtains an excellent performance where the test accuracy, the sensitivity, and the specificity are 97.8%, 96.5%, 98.9%, respectively.
Conclusion： The AI classification method proposed in this paper can effectively assist clinicians in the diagnosis and provide a basis for the automatic detection of malaria parasites in the future.
Associations between the serum triglyceride-glucose index and pericoronary adipose tissue attenuation and plaque features using dual-layer spectral detector computed tomography: a cross- sectional study
Authors: Ma Yue , Zhen Yanhua , Wang Min , Gao Lingfeng , Dang Yuxue , Shang Jin , Chen Xujiao , Ma Shaowei , Zhou Ke , Feng Kai , Xin Yang , Hou Yang , Guo Chuanji
Published: November 2022

Background: The triglyceride-glucose (TyG) index is an independent predictor of coronary artery disease (CAD). However, the relationships between the TyG index, pericoronary adipose tissue (PCAT), and atherosclerotic plaque characteristics remain unclear. Therefore, this study investigated these associations.
Methods: We retrospectively collected data on patients with chest pain who underwent coronary computed tomography angiography using spectral detector computed tomography at our institution from June 2021 to December 2021. The patients were grouped based on their TyG index levels: T1 (low), T2 (medium), and T3 (high). Each patient was assessed for total plaque volume, plaque load, maximum stenosis, the plaque component volume proportion, high-risk plaques, and plaque characteristics (including low attenuation plaques, positive remodeling, a napkin ring sign, and spot calcification). PCAT quantification was performed on the proximal right coronary artery using the fat attenuation index (FAI) measured from a conventional multicolor computed tomography image (FAI120kVp), a spectral virtual single-energy image (FAI40keV), and the slope of the spectral HU curve (λHU).
Results: We enrolled 201 patients. The proportion of patients with maximum plaque stenosis, positive remodeling, low-density plaques, and high-risk plaques increased as the TyG index level increased. Moreover, the FAI40keV and λHU significantly differed among the three groups, and we identified good positive correlations between FAI40keV and λHU and the TyG index (r = 0.319, P <0.01 and r = 0.325, P <0.01, respectively). FAI120kVp did not differ among the groups. FAI40keV had the highest area under the curve, with an optimal cutoff value of −130.5 HU for predicting a TyG index value of ≥ 9.13. The multivariable linear regression analysis demonstrated that FAI40keV and λHU were independently positively related to a high TyG index level (standardized regression coefficients: 0.117 [P <0.001] and 0.134 [P <0.001], respectively).
Conclusions: Patients with chest pain and a higher TyG index level were more likely to have severe stenosis and high-risk plaques. Moreover, FAI40keV and λHU had good correlations with the serum TyG index, which may noninvasively reflect PCAT inflammation under insulin resistance. These results may help explain the mechanisms related to plaque progression and instability in patients with insulin resistance.
Impact of essential oils on the seed quality and the seed-borne pathogens of Althea officinalis
Authors: Terzić Dragan , Tabaković Marijenka , Oro Violeta , Poštić Dobrivoj , Štrbanović Ratibot , Stanisavljević Rade
Published: November 2022

Background

The production of medicinal plants depends on two major factors: the seed quality and the presence of seed-borne pathogens. The use of conventional plant protection products is not allowed in organic production, and therefore such production is highly risky. In an attempt to find an environmentally-safe solution and the equilibrium between the seed germination and the presence of fungal pathogens, the impact of essential oils of oregano, cinnamon, basil, caraway, mint, and lavender, at concentrations of 0.002 to 1% on Althea officinalis seeds aged one, two and three years, has been investigated.

Results

The treatment with lavender essential oil at the concentration of 0.02% was the most effective in three-year-old seeds. This treatment increased both seed germination and seedling growth by 13% and 24–35%, respectively. It also reduced the presence of seed-borne fungal pathogens in the range from 53 to 100%.

Concuclusions

The results indicate the benefits of certain essential oils in crop production. They may provide more sustainable and successful cultivation of marshmallow crops, especially in organic production.
Using multi-agent system to build a smart workshop for achieving self-organized production
Authors: Zhang Zequn , Tang Dunbing , Cai Qixiang
Published: November 2022

At present, the manufacturing control system is expected to be more flexible and agile. Simultaneously, using a multi-agent manufacturing system has been considered as a fundamental approach to solving the problems of dynamics and uncertainty in the part processing environment. However, the difficulty in deployment and lack of global performance guarantee measures limit the use of the multi-agent system in actual manufacturing sites. For these issues, this paper proposes a technology of an “agent computing node” to improve the realization of a multi-agent control system for smart workshops and achieve self-organized control of production. Moreover, a supervisor layer for performance monitoring and rules adjustment is proposed and investigated. During production, the self-organizing rules of agent computing nodes in heterarchical control architecture are optimized in real-time through this layer so that the agent computing nodes are guided to make decisions that are beneficial to global performance.
Sporulation ability of C. perfringens isolates from meat curries available in eating houses within Colombo city of Sri Lanka in multiple sporulation media
Authors: Perera Manosha Lakmali
Published: November 2022

Clostridium perfringensis a well-known foodborne pathogen across the globe. Sporulation is of utmost importance in the growth curve of this anaerobic bacterium to withstand extreme environmental conditions and deprivation of nutrients. Present study was conducted to sporulate 78 of C. perfringensisolates obtained from meat curries available in eating houses within Colombo City, Sri Lanka using three sporulation media namely: Modified Duncan and Strong (MDS), Sporulation Broth (SB) and Duncan and Strong (DS). Other components were more or less same in these sporulation media but the slowly fermentable carbohydrate source was different in each media. Raffinose (MDS) was superior to soluble starch (SB) and starch (DS) stimulating sporulation of meat isolates. Modified Duncan and Strong medium was the most efficient of the three sporulation media with total of 41 meat isolates were sporulated when compared with 28 and 26 in SB and DS respectively. Sporulation was higher for chicken isolates 33(70.2%) than for beef isolates 15(48.4%).There was a statistically significant difference in sporulation of C.perfringens isolates from both chicken and beef curry isolates, in MDS when compared with DS and SB individually as well as combinations MDS vs. DS and MDS vs. SB (p<0.05). This study highlights the importance of optimizing these three media and usage of additional media to sporulate non sporulate C. perfringensisolates.
On the characterisation of cohesive interfaces by the mode I strain energy release ratio
Authors: Linke Max , Lammering Rolf
Published: November 2022

For the evaluation of the double cantilever beam (DCB) test several approaches are applicable that can provide different results. This ambiguity can significantly affect numerical models which refer to experimentally obtained material parameters. In this work, different approaches for the test evaluation are presented. It is shown that equations derived from the beam theory give reasonable results and good agreement between experiments, numerical and analytical solutions. In this context, DCB tests of glass fibre reinforced polymer substrates with carbon nanotube enriched composites are conducted. A slight negative effect of the latter on the experimental results is found.
Differential effects of familial Alzheimer’s disease-causing mutations on amyloid precursor protein (APP) trafficking, proteolytic conversion, and synaptogenic activity
Authors: Schilling Sandra , Pradhan Ajay , Heesch Amelie , Helbig Andrea , Blennow Kaj , Koch Christian , Bertgen Lea , Koo Edward H , Brinkmalm Gunnar , Zetterberg Henrik , Kins Stefan , Eggert Simone
Published: November 2022

Background:
The amyloid precursor protein (APP), a synaptic adhesion molecule, is a key player in Alzheimer`s disease (AD) and the precursor of the Aβ peptide, which is generated by consecutive cleavages of β- and γ-secretases. Familial Alzheimer’s disease (FAD) describes a hereditary subgroup of AD that represents a low percentage of AD cases with an early onset of the disease. Different APP FAD mutations are thought to have qualitatively different effects on its proteolytic conversion. However, few studies have explored the pathogenic and putative physiological differences in more detail. Here, we compared different FAD mutations, located at the β- (Swedish), α- (Flemish, Arctic, Iowa) or γ-secretase (Iberian) cleavage sites.
Methods:
We examined heterologous expression of APP in WT and FAD mutants (Swedish, Flemish, Arctic, Iowa, Iberian) in non-neuronal cells and their impact on presynaptic differentiation in contacting axons of co-cultured neurons. To decipher the underlying molecular mechanism, we tested the subcellular localization, the endocytosis rate and the proteolytic processing in detail by immunoprecipitation–mass spectrometry.
Results:
Interestingly, we found that only the Iberian mutation showed altered synaptogenic function. Furthermore, the APP Iowa FAD mutant shows significantly decreased α-secretase processing which is in line with our results that APP carrying the Iowa mutation was significantly increased in early endosomes. However, most interestingly, immunoprecipitation–mass spectrometry analysis revealed that the amino acid substitutions of APP in FAD mutants have a decisive impact on their processing changes reflected in altered Aβ profiles. Importantly, N-terminally truncated Aβ peptides starting at position 5 were detected preferentially for APP Flemish, Arctic, and Iowa mutants containing amino acid substitutions around the α -secretase cleavage site. The strongest change in the ratio of Aβ40/Aβ42 was observed for the Iberian mutation while APP Swedish showed a substantial increase in Aβ1–17 peptides.
Conclusions:
Together, our data indicate that familial AD mutations located at the α-, β-, and γ-secretase cleavage sites show considerable differences in the underlying pathogenic mechanisms.
Combined microfoam sclerotherapy and miniphlebectomy as an optimal method of treating varicose vein tributaries after endovenous laser ablation
Authors: Danelyan B. A. , Manjikian H. P. , Adyrkhaev Z. A. , Sapelkin S. V. , Isaev A. M.
Published: November 2022

Introduction. The development of phlebology and mainstreaming of ultrasonic techniques has led to the emergence of microfoam sclerotherapy, which proved itself as a more effective technique. In the world literature, there are isolated publications that say about the effectiveness and safety of the microfoam sclerotherapy combined with mini-phlebectomy, but no specific studies comparing the combination treatment for the elimination of varicose syndrome with separate use of each of the techniques are described.

Aim. To increase the effectiveness of invasive treatment and to reduce the rate of complications in patients with varicose veins using a combination of microfoam sclerotherapy and mini-phlebectomy of tributaries after endovenous laser ablation.

Material and methods. Simple single- center, non-randomized, retrospective study was conducted at the A.K. Eramishantsev Moscow State Hospital. It included 52 patients with varicose veins (a total of 77  lower  limbs, 22 patients had bilateral disease), who had no previous invasive treatment for this disease. They underwent endovenous laser ablation of truncal vein combined with microfoam sclerotherapy and mini-phlebectomy of tributaries. Microfoam sclerotherapy was performed with 0.5–2.0% of polidocanol foam, and mini-phlebectomy per Varady technique. The patients had a postprocedural follow-up clinical examination and duplex ultrasound the day after the intervention, then at 1, 6, and 12 months.

Results. Endovenous laser ablation of truncal veins was acutely successful in all cases. No cases of great saphenous vein recanalization were detected in follow-up period. In the early postprocedural period, the combined microfoam sclerotherapy and miniphlebectomy also showed 100% success rate, however redo sclerotherapy was required in 4 (5.2%) cases for new varicose tributaries developed in late postprocedural period.

Conclusion. Combined microfoam sclerotherapy and mini-phlebectomy, as a method of treatment for various veins syndrome, can provide additional benefit such as reducing the volume of mini-phlebectomy and the resultant tissue damage, the varicosity recurrence rate, the number of subcutaneous hematomas and ecchymoses, the discomfort of the tumescent anesthesia, the risk of postprocedural varicose veins thrombosis and pigmentation rate.
Features of laser therapy of venous trophic ulcers of the lower extremities in outpatient surgery
Authors: Sergeev N. A. , Sergeev A. N. , Morozov A. M. , Belyak M. A.
Published: November 2022

Introduction. Trophic ulcers of venous etiology are a severe complication of chronic venous insufficiency of the lower extremities. At the same time, in most cases, ulcerative defects do not heal for a long time and are prone to recurrence, which leads to a significant deterioration in the quality of life of patients.

Aim. To clarify the features of the effect of low-intensity laser radiation to determine the optimal conditions for conservative treatment of venous ulcerative defects.

Materials and methods. A randomized prospective clinical trial was performed in which 126 patients with chronic venous insufficiency were monitored. During the conservative treatment of 44 patients of the comparison group, phlebotropic drugs, compression therapy, wound coverings and ointment dressings were used in the conservative treatment of trophic ulcers. In 82 patients of the main group, lowintensity laser radiation was used along with the methods described above.

Results. Laser therapy in the complex treatment of venous trophic ulcers helps to reduce the number of microbial bodies vegetating on the surface of ulcerative defects, but does not significantly affect the sensitivity of microflora to antibacterial drugs. Low-intensity laser radiation certainly contributed to a significant and earlier increase in the number of neutrophils, monocytes and macrophages on the surface of trophic ulcers, as well as activation of phagocytic activity of cells.

Conclusion. Low-intensity laser radiation improves the results of conservative treatment of venous trophic ulcers, does not adversely affect the sensitivity of the isolated microflora to antibiotics and does not have a “direct” bactericidal effect.
Modern possibilities and prospects of conservative treatment of patients with peripheral arterial diseases
Authors: Katorkin S. E. , Krivoshchekov E. P. , Elshin E. B. , Kushnarchuk M. Y.
Published: November 2022

The most common clinical manifestation of peripheral arterial disease is intermittent claudication due to insufficient blood supply to the affected limb. The article summarizes and systematizes the latest achievements in the field of conservative treatment of patients with intermittent claudication. In accordance with the requirements of evidence-based medicine, an overview of modern promising trends in conservative therapy presented in the latest Russian and foreign consensus documents, is given. The basis of the complex treatment of patients with peripheral arterial diseases is: non-drug and drug treatment to relieve the symptoms of chronic ischemia, pharmacotherapy for the secondary prevention of cardiovascular complications, open or endovascular revascularization to increase the distance of painfree walking. With the development of atherosclerosis, disturbances in the peptide composition of the endothelium occur, which reduce the ability of the vascular wall to resist inflammation and the associated triggering of pathological processes. It has been experimentally proven that the use of a complex of peptides obtained from the vessels of healthy and young animals in this situation restores the endothelial function of the arteries, affecting the main links of pathogenesis. Decrease in oxidative stress, decrease in atherogenic and lipidemic action, normalization of vascular tone and blood coagulation parameters, increase in the microvascular bed – these are the mechanisms that justify the indication of peptides to patients with atherosclerosis obliterans. Angioprotector based on a complex of polypeptides isolated from blood vessels can become an important part of the treatment of patients with obliterating diseases of the arteries of the lower extremities, providing a complex pathogenetic effect. It is necessary to further study in multicenter clinical trials the duration of the therapeutic effect of a drug in a longer period after a course of treatment, its effect on long-term outcomes of the disease, the possibility of using repeated courses, in chronic obliterating diseases of the arteries of the lower extremities III-IV stages according to the Fontaine classification, as well as the use drug for the treatment of systemic atherosclerosis of various arterial basins.
Detection of weak joints and damages for beams using machine learning
Authors: Tufiși Cristian , Gillich Gilbert-Rainer , Lupu David , Aman Alexandra-Teodora
Published: November 2022

For maintaining the safe operation of structures, it is necessary to develop SHM methods that can detect not only the presence of cracks in the structure but also any alterations of its fastening conditions. The current paper presents a method for developing an Artificial Intelligent model that can detect if a beam is affected by transverse cracks and at the same time, by improper boundary conditions. To this aim, a cantilever steel beam is considered as the in the current study. The training data for the artificial neural network (ANN) is created using an original analytic method which allows calculating the natural frequency loss caused by the occurrence of transverse cracks even if the beam is improperly fastened. The intelligent model is trained by employing the MATLAB software and tested using data acquired from numerical simulations. The results show very high accuracy in determining the presence of transverse cracks, and the capability of detecting the presence and severity of improper clamping conditions.
Recycling technology of old cement concrete pavement in highways
Authors: Peng Xia
Published: November 2022

Through the practice of a highway pavement overhaul project, the feasibility of the old concrete pavement recycling scheme in terms of technology, economy and sustainable development is analyzed. The dynamic characteristics of concrete pavement were tested. The results show that crushing the old concrete panels into recycled aggregates and then re-use them not only eliminates the negative impact on the ecological environment caused by the land occupation of waste aggregates and needs to be disposed of, but also promotes the recycling of engineering waste and reduces the project cost. The pavement paved with recycled cement concrete can basically achieve the same dynamic performance as the pavement paved with conventional concrete.
The influence of the truss bar on the dynamic behavior of a Warren truss by changing the modulus of elasticity
Authors: Praisach Zeno-Iosif , Pîrșan Dan Alexandru
Published: November 2022

The paper presents the natural frequencies shift of a Warren truss with seven elements in the case that members of the structure are weakened by considering that the modulus of elasticity with a lower value. Taking into consideration that the slenderness ratio has a constant value and the transverse section of the truss bars is changed, the relative frequency shift for the first seven vibration mode were calculated by using the values obtained from numerical modal analysis. The conclusions reveal the fact from the dynamic behavior of the structure it can be obtained templates to identify the weakened truss bar of the structure.
Application of distance field-based algorithm to adjacent spline surfaces for composite structures boundary modeling
Authors: Fan Xiaojing
Published: November 2022

The complex boundary modeling required for simulating composite materials was applied to a broad range of problems, including surface overlap and gap. A novel method for the simultaneous fitting of adjacent spline surfaces based on a distance field has been devised. The fitting method for spline surfaces was constructed using offline spline surface, facet simplification, and residual solid reconstruction. The distance field-based approach of simultaneous fitting of neighboring spline surfaces included producing a distance field for a spline surface and then applying that distance field to nearby spline surfaces. There would be junction and separation issues if neighboring spline surfaces were fitted individually. By simultaneously fitting the nearby spline surfaces with the aid of the equivalence surface of the distance field, it was feasible to avoid overlap and gap.
Genetic engineering – construction of a network of arbitrary dimension with periodic attractor
Authors: Samuilik Inna , Sadyrbaev Felix
Published: November 2022

It is shown, how to construct a system of ordinary differential equations of arbitrary order, which has the periodic attractor and models some genetic network of arbitrary size. The construction is carried out by combining of multiple systems of lower dimensions with known periodic attractors. In our example the six-dimensional system is constructed, using two identical three-dimensional systems, which have stable periodic solutions.
Vibration and instability of a fluid-conveying nanotube resting on elastic foundation subjected to a magnetic field
Authors: Li Ming , Zhou Junru , Deng Qian , Lv Liufei
Published: November 2022

Using the nonlocal Euler-Bernouli beam model, this paper is carried out to investigate the vibrations and instability of a single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT) conveying fluid subjected to a longitudinal magnetic field. The nanobeam with clamped-clamped boundary conditions lies on the Pasternak foundation. Hamilton’s principle is applied to derive the fluid-structure interaction (FSI) governing equation and the corresponding boundary conditions. In the solution part the differential transformation method (DTM) is used to solve the differential equations of motion. The influences of nonlocal parameter, longitudinal magnetic field, Pasternak foundation on the critical divergence velocity of the nanotubes is studied.
A study of the influence of rainfall datasets' spatial resolution on stream simulation in Chaliyar River Basin, India
Authors: Senan Silpa , Thomas Jobin , Vema Vamsi Krishna , Jainet P. J. , Nizar Sinan , Sivan Shyama , Sudheer K. P.
Published: November 2022

Rainfall is a vital input to model watershed hydrology, and the availability of numerous gridded and point-observed rainfall datasets poses a major challenge to the modellers to choose the appropriate data. This study compares three gridded rainfall datasets (i.e., 1° × 1°, 0.5° × 0.5°, and 0.25° × 0.25°) and point rainfall observations of the India Meteorological Department (IMD) on the simulation of streamflow of a river basin in the southern Western Ghats (India) using the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT). The results show that the different datasets lead to different optimal model parameter values and consequent water balance components, significantly in groundwater hydrology. The 0.5° × 0.5° and 0.25° × 0.25° datasets result in comparable SWAT model performances (NSE = 0.75 and 0.70, respectively), probably due to the similarity in the rain gauge network density employed for deriving the datasets and also due to the spatial discretization threshold used for sub-watershed delineation. However, the coarser resolution data (1° × 1°) results in poor performance (NSE = 0.21). The study suggests that the choice of rainfall data depends on the spatial resolution of the data and the spatial discretization threshold while compromising the computational requirement vis-à-vis simulation accuracy.
The challenges and treatment of abattoir effluents: a South African perspective
Authors: Moreroa Mabatho , Basitere Moses
Published: November 2022

South Africa's (SA's) water resources have been severely affected by the demand for meat products. The growing population has resulted in an increase in food production, increasing the number of abattoirs from 25 in 1988 to 420 in 2021. Organic matter is abundant in abattoir effluent, with chemical oxygen demand levels reaching 9,000 mg/L. To reach permissible discharge limits, various methods such as sequential bed reactor, granular sludge bed, membrane bioreactor, and membrane filtration have been adopted. However, some abattoirs do not meet municipal regulatory requirements. As a result, practical and cost-effective approaches such as biofilm reactors were developed to encourage abattoirs to employ water treatment technology. Bioreactor-based technologies have proven to be successful, with more than 90% efficiency. Fat, oil, and grease (FOG) are problematic in abattoir effluents as they emit odours, attract insects, and impair the biodegradability of wastewater. For this reason, hydrolysis using a novel agent (Eco-flush™) has shown to be an effective technique for decreasing FOG. During treatment, biogas produced by anaerobic degradation may be utilized as an energy source to alleviate SA's energy problem. This review aims to outline the challenges related to abattoir wastewater in SA and highlight the gaps associated with abattoir wastewater treatment.
Optimization of closed underflow mini-hydrocyclones for separating sand from well water by two indices of mass efficiency and cut diameter using the Taguchi method: a case study of Mashhad, Iran
Authors: Dehnavi Ali , Adelpour Naser
Published: November 2022

In this study, the Taguchi method was applied in order to design experiments and optimize the performance of mini-hydrocyclones by closed underflow for sand removal from well water. To optimize the hydrocyclones, two indices, mass removal efficiency and the cut diameter, were used. The first index analysis results showed that under the optimum conditions, the overall mass removal efficiency of solids will be up to 98.4%. An analysis of cut diameter data illustrated that under optimum conditions, the predicted cut diameter will be about 12.7 μm, while this diameter was estimated at about 16.3 μm under optimum mass removal efficiency conditions. The actual values of mass removal efficiency and cut diameter were determined at about 97.2 ± 1.1% and 14.5 ± 0.7 μm, respectively, for hydrocyclone manufacturing on the basis of mass removal optimum conditions. The use of the traditional estimation models such as Plitt, modified Plitt, Luz, and so on, which are applied for mining and mineral processing, illustrated that the estimated cut diameters were about 7.9, 8.4, 8.2, 0.45, and 2.33 μm, respectively. This estimation represented that these models are not suitable to predict the cut diameter of the hydrocyclone with closed underflow. Further investigation revealed that only the scale-increasing model could well predict a cut diameter of about 15.4 μm.
Improving the activities of the authorized economic operatorin the Eurasian economic union
Authors: Gevorkyan L. G.
Published: November 2022

Moscow, Russia

This article analyzes in detail the current state of the institution of an authorized economic operator (AEO) within the framework of the Eurasian Economic Union, taking into account the identified urgent problems of customs regulation in this area. The relevance of the research topic is to increase the role of authorized economic operators as a tool for liberalizing and simplifying customs procedures, as well as establishing cooperation between participants in foreign economic activity and customs authorities. At the same time, the existing relations in the field of functioning of the AEO institute in the Eurasian Economic Union have not yet reached their perfection, and therefore, the issue of the development of this institute within the Union is of particular importance. The purpose of the study is to develop measures to optimize the activities of the institute of an authorized economic operator in the EAEU. In this regard, the definition of the term “authorized economic operator” was given and the trends in the development of AEO in world practice were analyzed. In the course of the practical analysis, the foreign trade activities of the JSC Firm “August”, which has the status of an authorized economic operator with a certificate of the third type, were directly considered, and the main advantages received by the company within the framework of the AEO status were also identified. As a result, problematic aspects of customs regulation of AEO activities in the EAEU were identified, including in terms of the application of special simplifications, as well as ways to solve them were proposed and promising directions for further development of the institute were outlined.
Potential of Nanotechnology-based Formulations in Combating Pulmonary
Infectious Diseases: A Current Scenario
Authors: Mazumder Rupa , Patel Manisha , Mishra Rakhi , Kant  Kaushik Kamal
Published: November 2022

Background:

Pulmonary microbial infection is mainly caused by microbes like atypical bacteria,
viruses, and fungi, on both the upper and lower respiratory tracts. One of the demands of the present is the use
of nanotechnology-based treatments to fight various lung infections.

Aim:

The main aim of the study is to explore all pulmonary infectious diseases and to compare the advanced
and novel treatment approaches with the conventional methods which are available to treat infections.

Methods:

This work sheds light on pulmonary infectious diseases with their conventional and present treatment
approaches along with a focus on the advantageous roles of nano-based formulations. In the literature, it has
been reported that the respiratory system is the key target of various infectious diseases which gives rise to various
challenges in the treatment of pulmonary infections.

Results:

The present review article describes the global situation of pulmonary infections and the different
strategies which are available for their management, along with their limitations. The article also highlights the
advantages and different examples of nanoformulations currently combating the limitations of conventional
therapies.

Conclusion:

The content of the present article further reflects on the summary of recently published research
and review works on pulmonary infections, conventional methods of treatment with their limitations, and the
role of nano-based approaches to combat the existing infectious diseases which will jointly help the researchers
to produce effective drug formulations with desired pharmacological activities.
Galectin-3 is Associated with Heart Failure Incidence: A Meta-Analysis
Authors: Baccouche Basil M. , Mahmoud Mattia A. , Nief Corrine , Patel Karan , Natterson-Horowitz Barbara
Published: November 2022

Introduction:

Heart failure (HF) is a leading cause of death worldwide. The global
prevalence of heart failure is projected to increase rapidly in the coming decades, and significant
attention has turned to improving biomarker-based risk prediction of incident HF. This paper
aimed to qualitatively and quantitatively evaluate the evidence associating levels of galectin-3 with
the risk of incident HF.

Methods:

A review of PUBMED-indexed peer-reviewed literature was performed. Nine studies
met the inclusion criteria, and all nine had data eligible for conversion and pooling. A randomeffects
meta-analysis was performed using hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals from a minimally
adjusted model, a further adjusted model, and from subgroups within the further-adjusted
model.

Results:

The minimally-adjusted model provided an HR of 1.97 (95% CI 1.74-2.23) when comparing
the top quartile of log-gal-3 to the bottom quartile. The further-adjusted model provided an HR
of 1.32 (95% CI 1.21-1.44) for the same comparison. The positive, significant association was conserved
during sensitivity analysis.

Conclusion:

There is a significant positive association between circulating galectin-3 and the risk
of incident heart failure. Given the complex mechanistic relationship between galectin-3 and cardiovascular
pathophysiology, further investigation is recommended for the possible implementation
of galectin-3 into clinical risk prediction models.
Sobre as formas de tratamento no Português em Angola o caso de você
Authors: Pires Queneth
Published: November 2022

e starting point for this study is the observation that, by generalizing its use in the Angolan context, the treatment form you will acquire, as is registered in the diatopic and diastratic varieties of PE, distinct semantic values, pragmatic and discursively determined. It is because of the context (formal, informal) and the relationship (vertical, horizontal) that you registers considerable rates of occurrence in Angola, including in contexts in which, according to the standard norm, such use is discouraged. Data were obtained by applying a questionnaire with twenty questions, all simulating real communication situations. The questionnaire was distributed and filled out online by 115 participants of different educational levels, provinces of residence, age group and sex. From the data analysis, which follows an eminently qualitative approach, it was possible to identify different types of use of you: you of intimacy, you of intimacy-affection, you of respect-affection, you of superiority, you of inferiority, you of detachment; you interpolate, you derogatory. The discursive context, the type of expressive act, of praise or criticism, formal or informal, the relationship between the interlocutors, of power, solidarity, or proxemics, are determining variables for the association of one of those semantic values to you. The conclusion is the following: when a positive semantic value is associated with you, it occurs in an expressive speech act of praise and the pronominal treatment presents percentage data (very) close to the data related to the nominal treatment; when, on the contrary, it occurs in expressive acts of criticism, it reveals itself to be considerably threatening from the negative face, which is reflected in the reduction of its use, translated into (very) low percentage rates, compared to percentage rates related to nominal treatment. Therefore, the less used the youwill be, the more threatening it is to the negative face of the addressee.
Biocatalyzed Hydrolysis of Residual Oils and Proteins from Flax and Camelina Oilseed Press Cakes Using Lipase and Protease
Authors: Piccolo Oreste , Parodi Elisabetta , Petri Antonella
Published: November 2022

In this study, a PoC (Proof of Concept) of a possible biomass valorization of flax and camelina oilseed press cakes was presented. Biocatalyzed hydrolysis of residual oils and proteins extracted from these wastes was studied. The biotransformation of oils was performed using commercial immobilized lipases, including Amano PS, Amano AK, and Candida Antarctica Lipase B (CALB). Acylglycerols were partially or fully hydrolyzed using Amano PS and AK. Triglycerides were not hydrolyzed by CALB, which behaved differently. Enzymatic hydrolysis of the proteins extracted from these cakes was performed using commercial proteases, including Amano Protease P and Amano Protease M. This was the first study to quantify the amino acids in the reaction products. The results were also compared to the hydrolysates obtained using 6 M HCl. Some differences were observed in the amino acid profiles depending on the enzyme used and the protein sample.
Finding Positives Amidst the Negatives: A Thematic Analysis of the Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Canadians 55+
Authors: Beringer Robert , Gill Paneet , Gutman Gloria , de Vries Brian
Published: November 2022

Disasters such as the COVID-19 pandemic exact a toll on vulnerable populations in terms of morbidity and mortality, but they also provide opportunities for personal growth and development and demonstration of personal and collective resiliency. This inductive thematic analysis explores self-perceived negative and positive impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on 2994 Canadians aged 55+. Data derive from response to two open-ended questions included in a national online survey (View Survey (sfu.ca)) conducted between August-October 2020. Respondents were recruited using Facebook, and a widespread email campaign to organizations serving older adults. 4260 of the 6573 coded comments (66%) addressed negative impacts of COVID-19. Fewer but still a considerable number (n = 2313) addressed positive impacts. The negative comments had a mean of 24.5 words per response (SD = 31.7, range: 1-560), while the positive comments had a mean of 21.3 words (SD = 27, range: 1-448). Five overarching themes characterized negative impacts of the virus in the lives of these older adults: disruption in daily life and plans; disruption in social relations; impact on health and wellness; healthcare and caregiving; and views on the pandemic. An additional five themes identified positive impacts: personal development; relationships; simpler life; benefits in work and finance; and introvert’s dream. Gender differences are consistent with expectations based on gender roles and activities: men were more likely to mention disrupted daily lives in particular as related to work, women were more likely to mention disrupted social relations, while health was mentioned to a comparable extent by both men and women. The negative themes illuminate the deep impact and disruption caused by the pandemic. The positive themes highlight adaptability and successful coping strategies which may be useful in the development of recovery plans and programming to help mitigate the negative effects of future pandemics.