bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Comparing Human Activity Recognition Models Based on Complexity and Resource Usage
Authors: Angerbauer Simon , Palmanshofer Alexander , Selinger Stephan , Kurz Marc
Published: September 2021

Human Activity Recognition (HAR) is a field with many contrasting application domains, from medical applications to ambient assisted living and sports applications. With ever-changing use cases and devices also comes a need for newer and better HAR approaches. Machine learning has long been one of the predominant techniques to recognize activities from extracted features. With the advent of deep learning techniques that push state of the art results in many different domains like natural language processing or computer vision, researchers have also started to build deep neural nets for HAR. With this increase in complexity, there also comes a necessity to compare the newer approaches to the previous state of the art algorithms. Not everything that is new is also better. Therefore, this paper aims to compare typical machine learning models like a Random Forest (RF) or a Support Vector Machine (SVM) to two commonly used deep neural net architectures, Convolutional Neural Nets (CNNs) and Recurrent Neural Nets (RNNs). Not only in regards to performance but also in regards to the complexity of the models. We measure complexity as the memory consumption, the mean prediction time and the number of trainable parameters of the models. To achieve comparable results, the models are all tested on the same publicly available dataset, the UCI HAR Smartphone dataset. With this combination of prediction performance and model complexity, we look for the models achieving the best possible performance/complexity tradeoff and therefore being the most favourable to be used in an application. According to our findings, the best model for a strictly memory limited use case is the Random Forest with an F1-Score of 88.34%, memory consumption of only 0.1 MB and mean prediction time of 0.22 ms. The overall best model in terms of complexity and performance is the SVM with a linear kernel with an F1-Score of 95.62%, memory consumption of 2 MB and a mean prediction time of 0.47 ms. The two deep neural nets are on par in terms of performance, but their increased complexity makes them less favourable to be used.
Antibacterial Efficacy of Some Medicinal Plants on Multidrug Resistance Bacteria and Their Toxicity on Eukaryotic Cells
Authors: Bataineh Sereen M. B. , Tarazi Yaser H. , Ahmad Wafá A.
Published: September 2021

The aim of this study was to evaluate the in vitro antimicrobial activity of medicinal methanolic plant extracts against multidrug-resistant bacteria to determine the cytotoxicity of these extracts on eukaryotic cells, and to confirm their efficacy against Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in experimental animals. The effects of the methanol extract of sixty folk plants were investigated on; MRSA, Extended Spectrum Beta-Lactamase E. coli and MDR Pseudomonas aeruginosa by disc diffusion and MIC assay. Cytotoxicity was determined using MTT and hemolysis of human erythrocytes. Three plant extracts with the highest antimicrobial activities were tested using a challenge experiment on mice. Systemic infection was performed by intraperitoneal inoculation of (5 × 106 CFU/mL) of MRSA isolate. Then mice received 300 mg/kg body weight of the plant extracts daily for seven days. The efficacy of plant extracts was evaluated by general health, mortality rate, gross lesion, and histopathology study of inoculated mice. Only ten plants showed activities against different MDR bacteria with inhibitory zones ranging from (8 to 22 mm) in diameter. Of the ten medicinal plant extracts, Camellia sinensis and Aloysia citrodora showed the highest activities against MRSA and MSSA isolates, with MIC value ranging from 0.5 to 1.5 mg/ml, followed by Hibiscus sabdariffa, Thymus vulgaris, and Glycyrrhiza glabra. Furthermore, the extract of the effective plants showed low toxicity against Vero and fibroblasts cell lines, along with inhibitory activities to erythrocytes membrane disruption. The in vivo study demonstrated that Camellia sinensis showed significant activity against MRSA infections in mice. The results validate that these plants are effective and safe antibacterial agents against multidrug-resistance bacteria, and have the potential to be utilized as an alternative to antibiotics for the treatment of bacterial infections.
A Method of Enhancing Rapidly-Exploring Random Tree Robot Path Planning Using Midpoint Interpolation
Authors: Kang Jin-Gu , Choi Yong-Sik , Jung Jin-Woo
Published: September 2021

It is difficult to guarantee optimality using the sampling-based rapidly-exploring random tree (RRT) method. To solve the problem, this paper proposes the post triangular processing of the midpoint interpolation method to minimize the planning time and shorten the path length of the sampling-based algorithm. The proposed method makes a path that is closer to the optimal path and somewhat solves the sharp path problem through the interpolation process. Experiments were conducted to verify the performance of the proposed method. Applying the method proposed in this paper to the RRT algorithm increases the efficiency of optimization by minimizing the planning time.
The Shock Response Prediction of Spacecraft Structure Based on Hybrid FE-SEA Method
Authors: Wang Xiong , Liu Wei , Li Xiao , Sun Yi
Published: September 2021

An improved method based on the Hybrid Finite Element-Statistical Energy Analysis (FE-SEA) method and quasi-steady state theory is proposed to predict the response of spacecraft structure during the process of pyrotechnics separation. Firstly, the amplitude–frequency value of shock load is obtained by using time-frequency conversion technology. Then, according to the frequency response characteristics of each part of the spacecraft structure, a more accurate hybrid FE-SEA model is established. The piecewise loading method is used to predict the response of the hybrid model. Finally, the time domain response results are reconstructed, and the shock response spectrum (SRS) is calculated. Based on the test system of simulating pyroshock, the shock experiment of spacecraft structure is conducted. The high frequency and high velocity character of pyroshock could be effectively simulated, and an accurate shock force function could be obtained through the experiment. This indicates that the numerical results are in line with the ones of the experiment. The SRS obtained from experiments and calculations have similar trends and amplitudes. This conclusion verifies the rationality and sufficient accuracy of the novel method in this paper. The novel method presented in this paper greatly improves the computational efficiency. At the same time, it provides theoretical guidance for shock response prediction of spacecraft structure by steady-state methods.
Building a Reputation Attack Detector for Effective Trust Evaluation in a Cloud Services Environment
Authors: Alshammari Salah T. , Alsubhi Khalid
Published: September 2021

Cloud computing is a widely used technology that has changed the way people and organizations store and access information. This technology is versatile, and extensive amounts of data can be stored in the cloud. Businesses can access various services over the cloud without having to install applications. However, cloud computing services are provided over a public domain, which means that both trusted and non-trusted users can access the services. Although there are a number of advantages to cloud computing services, especially for business owners, various challenges are posed in terms of the privacy and security of information and online services. A threat that is widely faced in the cloud environment is the on/off attack, in which entities exhibit proper behavior for a given time period to develop a positive reputation and gather trust, after which they exhibit deception. Another threat often faced by trust management services is a collusion attack, which is also known as collusive malicious feedback behavior. This is carried out when a group of people work together to make false recommendations with the intention of damaging the reputation of another party, which is referred to as a slandering attack, or to enhance their own reputation, which is referred to as a self-promoting attack. In this paper, a viable solution is provided with the given trust model for preventing these attacks. This method works by providing effective security to cloud services by identifying malicious and inappropriate behaviors through the application of trust algorithms that can identify on/off attacks and collusion attacks by applying different security criteria. Finally, the results show that the proposed trust model system can provide high security by decreasing security risk and improving the quality of decisions of data owners and cloud operators.
Influence of Bending Vibration on the Vertical Vibration Behaviour of Railway Vehicles Carbody
Authors: Dumitriu Mădălina , Dihoru Ioana Izabela
Published: September 2021

The topic of reducing structural vibrations in the case of flexible carbodies of railway vehicles has been intensively studied, but it is still an active research topic thanks to the importance of the perspective of improving the ride comfort. However, no study has been identified in the specialty literature to feature the contribution of the vibration structural modes upon the vibration behaviour of the railway vehicle carbody. The structural vibration modes of the flexible carbodies are particularly complex; however, the first vertical bending mode holds great significance in terms of the ride comfort. This paper analyses the influence of the first vertical bending mode on the vibration behaviour in three reference points of the railway vehicle carbody in correlation with the carbody flexibility, the vehicle velocity and the suspension damping. This study relies on comparisons between the results of the numerical simulations obtained for a ‘flexible carbody’ type model of the vehicle and the ones obtained for a ‘rigid carbody’ type model. The first part of this study analyses the characteristics of the vertical vibrations behaviour of the flexible carbody based on the dynamic response of the vehicle and expressed as the acceleration power spectral density. In the second part, the influence of the vertical bending on the vertical vibrations level of the carbody is analysed using the root mean square of the vertical acceleration.
Development of Predictive Equations for Thermal Conductivity of Compost Bedding
Authors: Damasceno Flávio A. , Taraba Joseph L. , Day George B. , Black Randi A. , Bewley Jeffrey M. , Fernandes Tales J. , Oliveira Carlos E. A. , Andrade Rafaella R. , Barbari Matteo , Ferraz Patrícia F. P. , Leso Lorenzo
Published: September 2021

Among animal facilities, compost-bedded pack (CBP) barns have attracted a lot of attention from milk producers and the scientific community. Systematic investigation of the main thermal properties utilizing sawdust in CBP barns is of environmental and economic relevance. In this paper, the aim was to (a) develop predictive equations for the thermal conductivity (k) of compost bedding as a function of moisture content (MC), the degree of compaction (DCo), and particle size (PS); and (b) investigate the links between k and depth within bedding material. Samples of compost bedding materials were collected from 42 commercial CBP barns distributed throughout Kentucky (USA). From these predictive equations, it was possible to understand how the MC, DCo, and PS of the bedding materials may influence the behavior of k. These results are very useful for solving obstacles to simulate and predict the variable outcomes of the compost bedding materials process in CBP barns, allowing for its optimization, consequently reducing the time and energy spent on their optimization and allowing for simulation and assessment of compost bedding process modifications. The results of the current study may have important implications in the design and management of bedded pack barns.
Optimal Design of a Six-Phase Permanent-Magnet-Assisted Synchronous Reluctance Motor to Convert into Three Phases for Fault-Tolerant Improvement in a Traction System
Authors: Hyun Daeil , Yun Donghan , Baek Jeihoon
Published: September 2021

A six-phase motor with a high degree of freedom can be converted into a three-phase motor in order to be used in a traction system. In addition, when phase-change technology is applied, it is possible to establish an efficient control strategy tailored to the driving environment of the EVs. Therefore, in this paper, a down-scaled 3 kW permanent-magnet-assisted synchronous motor (PMa-SynRM) capable of phase switching was designed, and its driving states in controlled fault modes were analyzed through experiments. The PMa-SynRM selected for this study was a machine that had good fault-tolerance capabilities and was less expensive than an IPMSM with the same performance; it was designed using the lumped-parameter method (LPM) having a fast calculating speed and a genetic algorithm. In addition, the effectiveness of the optimal design was verified by comparing the analytical results of the FEM and the LPM. Lastly, a phase switching experiment was conducted to analyze the steady-state and transient-state characteristics, and the results are presented.
Analysis of Chemical Composition Characteristics and Source of PM2.5 under Different Pollution Degrees in Autumn and Winter of Liaocheng, China
Authors: Zhang Jingqiao , Wang Han , Yan Li , Ding Wenwen , Liu Ruize , Wang Hongliang , Wang Shulan
Published: September 2021

Analysis of chemical composition characteristics of PM2.5 under different pollution degrees can reveal the changes of pollution sources. In order to make clear the evolution process of PM2.5 compositions in autumn and winter, PM2.5 samples were continuously collected and analyzed at Liaocheng city, China. The collected samples were classified as clean days (CLD), mild-moderate pollution days (MMD) and severe-serious pollution days (SSD). It was concluded that with the increase of pollution degrees, the concentrations of water-soluble ions and carbon components increased significantly, while elements only increased slightly. In addition, as the pollution degrees increased, the percentage of NO3−, SO42− and NH4+ increased significantly, from 23.0% in CLD to 49.0% in SSD, while the percentage of other components decreased, especially crust material. The PMF analyzed results showed that secondary transformation (36.7%), combustion sources (20.4%), secondary organic aerosols (SOA) (11.7%), vehicle sources (11%), dust (10.5%) and industrial processes (9.7%) were the main sources of PM2.5 during autumn and winter in Liaocheng. The contribution of secondary transformation reached 57% at the SSD level, which indicated that it was the main reason for the increase of PM2.5 concentrations. The air mass mainly came from five paths to Liaocheng. The secondary transformation contribution of the air mass with short transmission distance was higher, while the contribution of the dust was higher from the long distance.
Nature-Based Resilience: A Multi-Type Evaluation of Productive Green Infrastructure in Agricultural Settings in Ontario, Canada
Authors: Anderson Vidya , Gough William A.
Published: September 2021

Nature-based solutions such as green infrastructure present an opportunity to reduce air pollutant concentrations and greenhouse gas emissions. This paper presents new findings from a controlled field study in Ontario, Canada, evaluating the impact of productive applications of green infrastructure on air pollution and carbon dioxide concentrations across different agricultural morphologies compared to other non-productive applications. This study demonstrates that productive green infrastructure applications are as beneficial as non-productive applications in reducing ozone, nitrogen dioxide, and carbon dioxide concentrations. Nature-based solutions present an opportunity to build climate resilience into agricultural systems through supply-side mitigation and adaptation. The implementation of productive green infrastructure could be a viable agricultural practice to address multiple climate change impacts.
Monophosphoryl Lipid A and Poly I:C Combination Adjuvant Promoted Ovalbumin-Specific Cell Mediated Immunity in Mice Model
Authors: Ahn So Yeon , Le Chau Thuy Tien , Ko Eun-Ju
Published: September 2021

Induction of antigen-specific cell-mediated immunity (CMI), as well as humoral immunity, is critical for successful vaccination against various type of pathogens. Toll-like receptor (TLR) agonists have been developed as adjuvants to promote vaccine efficacy and induce appropriate immune responses. Monophosphoryl lipid A (MPL); a TLR4 agonist, and Poly I:C; a TLR3 agonist, are known as a strong immuno-stimulator which induce Th1 response. Many studies proved and compared the efficacy of each adjuvant, but no study has investigated the combination of them. Using ovalbumin protein antigen, MPL+Poly I:C combination induced more effective antigen-specific CMI response than single adjuvants. Production of inflammatory cytokines, recruitment of innate immune cells and antigen-specific CD4/CD8 memory T cell at the immunized site had been significantly enhanced by MPL+Poly I:C combination. Moreover, MPL+Poly I:C combination enhanced ovalbumin-specific serum IgG, IgG1, and IgG2c production and proliferative function of CD4 and CD8 T cells after in vitro ovalbumin peptide stimulation. Taken together, these data suggest that the combination of MPL and Poly I:C has a potency as a CMI-inducing vaccine adjuvant with synergistically increased effects.
TNF-α Increases IP-10 Expression in MCF-7 Breast Cancer Cells via Activation of the JNK/c-Jun Pathways
Authors: Kochumon Shihab , Al-Sayyar Amnah , Jacob Texy , Hasan Amal , Al-Mulla Fahd , Sindhu Sardar , Ahmad Rasheed
Published: September 2021

IP-10 (also called CXCL10) plays a significant role in leukocyte homing to inflamed tissues, and increased IP-10 levels are associated with the pathologies of various inflammatory disorders, including type 2 diabetes, atherosclerosis, and cancer. TNF-α is a potent activator of immune cells and induces inflammatory cytokine expression in these cells. However, it is unclear whether TNF-α is able to induce IP-10 expression in MCF-7 breast cancer cells. We therefore determined IP-10 expression in TNF-α-treated MCF-7 cells and investigated the mechanism involved. Our data show that TNF-α induced/upregulated the IP-10 expression at both mRNA and protein levels in MCF-7 cells. Inhibition of JNK (SP600125) significantly suppressed the TNF-α-induced IP-10 in MCF-7 cells, while the inhibition of p38 MAPK (SB203580), MEK1/2 (U0126), and ERK1/2 (PD98059) had no significant effect. Furthermore, TNF-α-induced IP-10 expression was abolished in MCF-7 cells deficient in JNK. Similar results were obtained using MCF-7 cells deficient in c-Jun. Moreover, the JNK kinase inhibitor markedly reduced the TNF-α-induced JNK and c-Jun phosphorylation. The kinase activity of JNK induced by TNF-α stimulation of MCF-7 cells was significantly inhibited by SP600125. Altogether, our novel findings provide the evidence that TNF-α induces IP-10 expression in MCF-7 breast cancer cells via activation of the JNK/c-Jun signaling pathway.
Plasma Concentrations of Lysophosphatidic Acid and Autotaxin in Abstinent Patients with Alcohol Use Disorder and Comorbid Liver Disease
Authors: Flores-López María , García-Marchena Nuria , Pavon Francisco Javier , Lara Estrella , Porras-Perales Oscar , Araos Pedro , Requena-Ocaña Nerea , Torres-Galván Sandra , Mañas-Padilla M. Carmen , Rubio Gabriel , Suárez Juan , Santín Luis J. , Rodríguez de Fonseca Fernando , Castilla-Ortega Estela , García-Fernández María I. , Serrano Antonia
Published: September 2021

Lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) is an endogenous lysophospholipid and a bioactive lipid that is synthesized by the enzyme autotaxin (ATX). The ATX–LPA axis has been associated with cognitive dysfunction and inflammatory diseases, mainly in a range of nonalcoholic liver diseases. Recently, preclinical and clinical evidence has suggested a role of LPA signaling in alcohol use disorder (AUD) and AUD-related cognitive function. However, the ATX–LPA axis has not been sufficiently investigated in alcoholic liver diseases. An exploratory study was conducted in 136 participants, 66 abstinent patients with AUD seeking treatment for alcohol (alcohol group), and 70 healthy control subjects (control group). The alcohol group was divided according to the presence of comorbid liver diseases (i.e., fatty liver/steatosis, alcoholic steatohepatitis, or cirrhosis). All participants were clinically evaluated, and plasma concentrations of total LPA and ATX were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. Data were primarily analyzed using analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) while controlling for age, body mass index, and sex. Logistic regression models were created to assess the association of the ATX–LPA axis and AUD or liver disease. LPA and ATX were log10-transformed to fit the assumptions of parametric testing.The main results were as follows: total LPA and ATX concentrations were dysregulated in the alcohol group, and patients with AUD had significantly lower LPA (F(1,131) = 10.677, p = 0.001) and higher ATX (F(1,131) = 8.327, p = 0.005) concentrations than control subjects; patients with AUD and liver disease had significantly higher ATX concentrations (post hoc test, p < 0.05) than patients with AUD but not liver disease; significant correlations between AUD-related variables and concentrations of LPA and ATX were only found in the non-liver disease subgroup (the duration of alcohol abstinence with LPA and ATX (r = +0.33, p < 0.05); and the severity of AUD with ATX (rho = −0.33, p < 0.05)); and a logistic regression model with LPA, ATX, and AUD-related variables showed an excellent discriminative power (area under the curve (AUC) = 0.915, p < 0.001) for distinguishing patients with AUD and comorbid liver disease. In conclusion, our data show that the ATX–LPA axis is dysregulated in AUD and suggest this lipid signaling, in combination with relevant AUD-related variables, as a reliable biomarker of alcoholic liver diseases.
Computational Study of Potential Galectin-3 Inhibitors in the Treatment of COVID-19
Authors: Aminpour Maral , Cannariato Marco , Zucco Angelica , Di Gregorio Elisabetta , Israel Simone , Perioli Annalisa , Tucci Davide , Rossi Francesca , Pionato Sara , Marino Silvia , Deriu Marco A. , Velpula Kiran K. , Tuszynski Jack A.
Published: September 2021

Galectin-3 is a carbohydrate-binding protein and the most studied member of the galectin family. It regulates several functions throughout the body, among which are inflammation and post-injury remodelling. Recent studies have highlighted the similarity between Galectin-3′s carbohydrate recognition domain and the so-called “galectin fold” present on the N-terminal domain of the S1 sub-unit of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein. Sialic acids binding to the N-terminal domain of the Spike protein are known to be crucial for viral entry into humans, and the role of Galectin-3 as a mediator of lung fibrosis has long been the object of study since its levels have been found to be abnormally high in alveolar macrophages following lung injury. In this context, the discovery of a double inhibitor may both prevent viral entry and reduce post-infection pulmonary fibrosis. In this study, we use a database of 56 compounds, among which 37 have known experimental affinity with Galectin-3. We carry out virtual screening of this database with respect to Galectin-3 and Spike protein. Several ligands are found to exhibit promising binding affinity and interaction with the Spike protein’s N-terminal domain as well as with Galectin-3. This finding strongly suggests that existing Galectin-3 inhibitors possess dual-binding capabilities to disrupt Spike–ACE2 interactions. Herein we identify the most promising inhibitors of Galectin-3 and Spike proteins, of which five emerge as potential dual effective inhibitors. Our preliminary results warrant further in vitro and in vivo testing of these putative inhibitors against SARS-CoV-2 with the hope of being able to halt the spread of the virus in the future.
Correlation of Pulse Wave Transit Time with Pulmonary Artery Pressure in a Porcine Model of Pulmonary Hypertension
Authors: Mueller-Graf Fabian , Merz Jonas , Bandorf Tim , Albus Chiara Felicitas , Henkel Maike , Krukewitt Lisa , Kühn Volker , Reuter Susanne , Vollmar Brigitte , Pulletz Sven , Böhm Stephan H. , Reuter Daniel A. , Zitzmann Amelie
Published: September 2021

For the non-invasive assessment of pulmonary artery pressure (PAP), surrogates like pulse wave transit time (PWTT) have been proposed. The aim of this study was to invasively validate for which kind of PAP (systolic, mean, or diastolic) PWTT is the best surrogate parameter. To assess both PWTT and PAP in six healthy pigs, two pulmonary artery Mikro-Tip™ catheters were inserted into the pulmonary vasculature at a fixed distance: one in the pulmonary artery trunk, and a second one in a distal segment of the pulmonary artery. PAP was raised using the thromboxane A2 analogue U46619 (TXA) and by hypoxic vasoconstriction. There was a negative linear correlation between PWTT and systolic PAP (r = 0.742), mean PAP (r = 0.712) and diastolic PAP (r = 0.609) under TXA. During hypoxic vasoconstriction, the correlation coefficients for systolic, mean, and diastolic PAP were consistently higher than for TXA-induced pulmonary hypertension (r = 0.809, 0.778 and 0.734, respectively). Estimation of sPAP, mPAP, and dPAP using PWTT is feasible, nevertheless slightly better correlation coefficients were detected for sPAP compared to dPAP. In this study we establish the physiological basis for future methods to obtain PAP by non-invasively measured PWTT.
Detection of the Complete ECG Waveform with Woven Textile Electrodes
Authors: Arquilla Katya , Devendorf Laura , Webb Andrea K. , Anderson Allison P.
Published: September 2021

Wearable physiological monitoring systems are becoming increasingly prevalent in the push toward autonomous health monitoring and offer new modalities for playful and purposeful interaction within human computer interaction (HCI). Sensing systems that can be integrated into garments and, therefore, daily activities offer promising pathways toward ubiquitous integration. The electrocardiogram (ECG) signal is commonly monitored in healthcare and is increasingly utilized as a method of determining emotional and psychological state; however, the complete ECG waveform with the P, Q, R, S, and T peaks is not commonly used, due to the challenges associated with collecting the full waveform with wearable systems. We present woven textile electrodes as an option for garment-integrated ECG monitoring systems that are capable of capturing the complete ECG waveform. In this work, we present the changes in the peak detection performance caused by different sizes, patterns, and thread types with data from 10 human participants. These testing results provide empirically-derived guidelines for future woven textile electrodes, present a path forward for assessing design decisions, and highlight the importance of testing novel wearable sensor systems with more than a single individual.
CD18 Antibody Application Blocks Unwanted Off-Target T Cell Activation Caused by Bispecific Antibodies
Authors: Kauer Joseph , Vogt Fabian , Hagelstein Ilona , Hörner Sebastian , Märklin Melanie , Maurer Stefanie , Salih Helmut R. , Jung Gundram , Zekri Latifa
Published: September 2021

T cell-recruiting bispecific antibodies (bsAbs) are successfully used for the treatment of cancer. However, effective treatment with bsAbs is so far hampered by severe side effects, i.e., potentially life-threatening cytokine release syndrome. Off-target T cell activation due to binding of bispecific CD3 antibodies to T cells in the absence of target cells may contribute to excessive cytokine release. We report here, in an in vitro setting, that off-target T cell activation is induced by bsAbs with high CD3 binding affinity and increased by endothelial- or lymphoid cells that act as stimulating bystander cells. Blocking antibodies directed against the adhesion molecules CD18/CD54 or CD2/CD58 markedly reduced this type of off-target T cell activation. CD18 blockade—in contrast to CD2—did not affect the therapeutic activity of various bsAbs. Since CD18 antibodies have been shown to be safely applicable in patients, blockade of this integrin holds promise as a potential target for the prevention of unwanted off-target T cell activation and allows the application of truly effective bsAb doses.
Copy Number Changes and Allele Distribution Patterns of Chromosome 21 in B Cell Precursor Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia
Authors: Abbasi M. Reza , Nebral Karin , Haslinger Sabrina , Inthal Andrea , Zeitlhofer Petra , König Margit , Schinnerl Dagmar , Köhrer Stefan , Strehl Sabine , Panzer-Grümayer Renate , Mann Georg , Attarbaschi Andishe , Haas Oskar A.
Published: September 2021

Chromosome 21 is the most affected chromosome in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Many of its numerical and structural abnormalities define diagnostically and clinically important subgroups. To obtain an overview about their types and their approximate genetic subgroup-specific incidence and distribution, we performed cytogenetic, FISH and array analyses in a total of 578 ALL patients (including 26 with a constitutional trisomy 21). The latter is the preferred method to assess genome-wide large and fine-scale copy number abnormalities (CNA) together with their corresponding allele distribution patterns. We identified a total of 258 cases (49%) with chromosome 21-associated CNA, a number that is perhaps lower-than-expected because ETV6-RUNX1-positive cases (11%) were significantly underrepresented in this array-analyzed cohort. Our most interesting observations relate to hyperdiploid leukemias with tetra- and pentasomies of chromosome 21 that develop in constitutionally trisomic patients. Utilizing comparative short tandem repeat analyses, we were able to prove that switches in the array-derived allele patterns are in fact meiotic recombination sites, which only become evident in patients with inborn trisomies that result from a meiosis 1 error. The detailed analysis of such cases may eventually provide important clues about the respective maldistribution mechanisms and the operative relevance of chromosome 21-specific regions in hyperdiploid leukemias.
Synthesis of New Antibiotics Derivatives by the Photocatalytic Method: A Screening Research
Authors: Baran Wojciech , Masternak Ewa , Sapińska Dominika , Sobczak Andrzej , Adamek Ewa
Published: September 2021

The aim of our study was to assess the possibility of using the photocatalytic process conducted in the presence of TiO2 to obtain new stable derivatives of antibacterial drugs. The possibility of introducing hydroxyl, chlorine, or bromide groups into antibiotics molecules was investigated. The experiments were conducted in aqueous solutions in the presence of TiO2-P25 as a photocatalyst, Cl− and Br− ions, and antibiotics belonging to eight different chemical classes. All experiments were initiated by UVa radiation. The kinetics of photocatalytic reactions and their quantum yield were determined, and the stable products were identified. All of the antibiotics used in the experiments underwent a photocatalytic transformation, and the quantum yields were in the range from 0.63 to 22.3%. The presence of Br− or FeCl3 significantly increased the efficiency of the photocatalytic process performed in the presence of TiO2, although Br− ion also acted as an inhibitor. Potentially biologically active chlorine derivatives from Trimethoprim, Metronidazole, Chloramphenicol, and bromine derivatives from Trimethoprim, Amoxicillin were obtained under experimental conditions. The potentially inactive halogen derivatives of Sulfamethoxazole and hydroxyl derivatives described in the literature were also identified.
Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Dopaminergic Neurons from Familial Parkinson’s Disease Patients Display α-Synuclein Pathology and Abnormal Mitochondrial Morphology
Authors: Diao Xiaojun , Wang Fei , Becerra-Calixto Andrea , Soto Claudio , Mukherjee Abhisek
Published: September 2021

Accumulation of α-synuclein (α-syn) into Lewy bodies (LBs) and mitochondrial abnormalities are the two cardinal pathobiological features of Parkinson’s disease (PD), which are associated with the loss of dopaminergic neurons. Although α-syn accumulates in many different cellular and mouse models, these models generally lack LB features. Here, we generated midbrain dopaminergic (mDA) neuronal cultures from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) derived from familial PD (fPD) patients and healthy controls. We show that mDA neuronal cultures from fPD patients with A53T mutation and α-syn gene (SNCA) triplication display pathological α-syn deposits, which spatially and morphologically resemble LBs. Importantly, we did not find any apparent accumulation of pathological α-syn in mDA neuronal culture derived from a healthy donor. Furthermore, we show that there are morphological abnormalities in the mitochondrial network in mDA neuronal cultures from fPD patients. Consequently, these cells were more susceptible to mitochondrial damage compared with healthy donor-derived mDA neuronal cultures. Our results indicate that the iPSC-derived mDA neuronal culture platform can be used to investigate the spatiotemporal appearance of LBs, as well as their composition, architecture, and relationship with mitochondrial abnormalities.
Current Understanding of the Neutrophil Transcriptome in Health and Disease
Authors: Garratt Luke W.
Published: September 2021

Neutrophils are key cells of the innate immune system. It is now understood that this leukocyte population is diverse in both the basal composition and functional plasticity. Underlying this plasticity is a post-translational framework for rapidly achieving early activation states, but also a transcriptional capacity that is becoming increasingly recognized by immunologists. Growing interest in the contribution of neutrophils to health and disease has resulted in more efforts to describe their transcriptional activity. Whilst initial efforts focused predominantly on understanding the existing biology, investigations with advanced methods such as single cell RNA sequencing to understand interactions of the entire immune system are revealing higher flexibility in neutrophil transcription than previously thought possible and multiple transition states. It is now apparent that neutrophils utilise many forms of RNA in the regulation of their function. This review collates current knowledge on the nuclei structure and gene expression activity of human neutrophils across homeostasis and disease, before highlighting knowledge gaps that are research priority areas.
Mechanisms of Fibroblast Activation and Myocardial Fibrosis: Lessons Learned from FB-Specific Conditional Mouse Models
Authors: Umbarkar Prachi , Ejantkar Suma , Tousif Sultan , Lal Hind
Published: September 2021

Heart failure (HF) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality across the world. Cardiac fibrosis is associated with HF progression. Fibrosis is characterized by the excessive accumulation of extracellular matrix components. This is a physiological response to tissue injury. However, uncontrolled fibrosis leads to adverse cardiac remodeling and contributes significantly to cardiac dysfunction. Fibroblasts (FBs) are the primary drivers of myocardial fibrosis. However, until recently, FBs were thought to play a secondary role in cardiac pathophysiology. This review article will present the evolving story of fibroblast biology and fibrosis in cardiac diseases, emphasizing their recent shift from a supporting to a leading role in our understanding of the pathogenesis of cardiac diseases. Indeed, this story only became possible because of the emergence of FB-specific mouse models. This study includes an update on the advancements in the generation of FB-specific mouse models. Regarding the underlying mechanisms of myocardial fibrosis, we will focus on the pathways that have been validated using FB-specific, in vivo mouse models. These pathways include the TGF-β/SMAD3, p38 MAPK, Wnt/β-Catenin, G-protein-coupled receptor kinase (GRK), and Hippo signaling. A better understanding of the mechanisms underlying fibroblast activation and fibrosis may provide a novel therapeutic target for the management of adverse fibrotic remodeling in the diseased heart.
A Comprehensive Review on Raman Spectroscopy Applications
Authors: Orlando Andrea , Franceschini Filippo , Muscas Cristian , Pidkova Solomiya , Bartoli Mattia , Rovere Massimo , Tagliaferro Alberto
Published: September 2021

Raman spectroscopy is a very powerful tool for material analysis, allowing for exploring the properties of a wide range of different materials. Since its discovery, Raman spectroscopy has been used to investigate several features of materials such carbonaceous and inorganic properties, providing useful information on their phases, functions, and defects. Furthermore, techniques such as surface and tip enhanced Raman spectroscopy have extended the field of application of Raman analysis to biological and analytical fields. Additionally, the robustness and versatility of Raman instrumentations represent a promising solution for performing on-field analysis for a wide range of materials. Recognizing the many hot applications of Raman spectroscopy, we herein overview the main and more recent applications for the investigation of a wide range of materials, such as carbonaceous and biological materials. We also provide a brief but exhaustive theoretical background of Raman spectroscopy, also providing deep insight into the analytical achievements.
Chemical Sensing Properties of BaF2-Modified hBN Flakes towards Detection of Volatile Organic Compounds
Authors: Matsoso Boitumelo J. , Garcia-Martinez Clara , Mongwe Thomas H. , Toury Bérangère , Serbena José P. M. , Journet Catherine
Published: September 2021

The application of BaF2-modified hBN flakes as rapid response and recovery as well as sensitive chemoresistive sensing device materials for detection of acetone and/or ethanol is presented in this study. Modification of the hBN flakes was achieved by using the modified polymer derived ceramics (PDCs) process through the use of 0–10 wt% BaF2 and 5 wt% Li3N. Upon exposure to individual acetone and ethanol vapours, room temperature sensing studies revealed high LoD values (−144–460 ppmacetone and −134–543 ppmethanol) with extremely compromised sensitivities of −0.042–0.72 × 10−2 ppm−1acetone and −0.045–0.19 × 10−2 ppm−1ethanol for the structurally improved 5–10 wt% BaF2-modified hBN flakes. Moreover, enhanced sensing for 0–2.5 wt% BaF2-modified hBN flakes, as shown by the low LoDs (−43–86 ppmacetone and −30–62 ppmethanol) and the high sensitivities (−1.8–2.1 × 10−2 ppm−1acetone and −1.5–1.6 × 10−2 ppm−1ethanol), was attributed to the presence of defects subsequently providing an abundance of adsorption sites. Overall, the study demonstrated the importance of structural properties of hBN flakes on their surface chemistry towards room temperature selective and sensitive detection of VOCs.
Effects of Cognitive Sensory Motor Training on Lower Extremity Muscle Strength and Balance in Post Stroke Patients: A Randomized Controlled Study
Authors: Kim Kyung-Hun , Jang Sang-Hun
Published: September 2021

Background: Sensory motor impairment, the most common neuromuscular condition in stroke patients, often contributes to muscle weakness and imbalance. Objective: The purpose of this research was to investigate the effects of cognitive sensory-motor training (CSMT) on the muscle strength and balance ability in post-stroke patients. Methods: Thirty-five participants after stroke were randomly assigned to the CSMT (n = 17) or control group (n = 18). All participants received 30 min of training each time, five times per week, for six weeks. Lower extremity muscle strength of tibialis anterior (LEMTA) was evaluated using a digital muscular dynamometer. The Medical Research Council (MRC) scale was used to evaluate muscle strengths of the hip joint, knee joint, and ankle joint. For balance ability test, the center of pressure (COP) movement distance and limited of stability (LOS) were measured using BioRescue. Results: LEMTA, MRC scale, balance ability were significantly more improved in the CSMT group than in the control group (p < 0.05). Conclusions: Our findings indicate that CSMT is beneficial and effective for improving muscle strength of the lower extremity and balance ability of post-stroke patients.
Protective Efficiency of ZrO2/Chitosan “Sandwich” Coatings on Galvanized Low-Carbon Steel
Authors: Stoyanova Daniela , Stambolova Irina , Shipochka Maria , Boshkova Nelly , Simeonova Silviya , Grozev Nikolay , Avdeev Georgi , Dimitrov Ognian , Boshkov Nikolai
Published: September 2021

Enhanced corrosion efficiency of low-carbon steel was achieved by newly developed hybrid multilayers, composed of low-carbon steel coated with an electrodeposited zinc sublayer (1 µm), a chitosan (CS) middle layer and ZrO2 coating by the sol–gel method (top-layer). The middle chitosan layer was obtained by dipping galvanized steel substrate in 3% tartatic acid water solution of medium molecular-weight chitosan, composed of β-(1–4)-linked D-glucosamine and N-acetyl-D-glucosamine with a deacetylation degree of about 75–85% (CS). The substrates were dipped into CS solution and withdrawn at a rate of 30 mm/min. One part of the samples with the CS layer was dried at room temperature for 2 weeks, and another part at 100 °C for 1 h, respectively. After CS deposition treatment, the substrates were dipped into an isopropanol sol of zirconium butoxide with small quantity of polyethylene glycol (PEG400). The dipping-drying cycles of the ZrO2 coatings were repeated three times. After the third cycle, the final structures were treated at 180 °C. The samples were denoted as T25, which consists of the CS middle layer, and dried at RT and T100 with the CS middle layer treated at 100 °C, respectively. The samples were characterized by means of differential thermal analysis (DTA-TG), XRD analyses, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). Hydrophobicity properties were evaluated by measuring the contact angle with a ramé-hart automated goniometer. Two electrochemical tests—potentiodynamic polarization technique (PD) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS)—have been used to determine the corrosion resistance and protective ability of the coatings in a 5% NaCl solution. The results obtained by both methods revealed that the applied “sandwich” multilayer systems demonstrate sacrificial character and will hopefully protect the steel substrate in corrosion medium containing chloride ions as corrosion activators. The newly obtained hybrid multilayer coating systems have dense structure and a hydrophobic nature. They demonstrated positive effects on the corrosion behavior at conditions of external polarization independent of their various characteristics: morphology, grain sizes, surface roughness and contact angle. They extend the service life of galvanized steel in a chloride-containing corrosion medium due to their amorphous structure, hydrophobic surface and the combination of the positive features of both the chitosan middle layer and the zirconia top layer.
Nanoengineered Graphene-Reinforced Coating for Leading Edge Protection of Wind Turbine Blades
Authors: Frost-Jensen Johansen Nicolai , Mishnaevsky Leon , Dashtkar Arash , Williams Neil A. , Fæster Søren , Silvello Alessio , Cano Irene Garcia , Hadavinia Homayoun
Published: September 2021

Possibilities of the development of new anti-erosion coatings for wind turbine blade surface protection on the basis of nanoengineered polymers are explored. Coatings with graphene and hybrid nanoreinforcements are tested for their anti-erosion performance, using the single point impact fatigue testing (SPIFT) methodology. It is demonstrated that graphene and hybrid (graphene/silica) reinforced polymer coatings can provide better erosion protection with lifetimes up to 13 times longer than non-reinforced polyurethanes. Thermal effects and energy dissipation during the repeated soft impacts on the blade surface are discussed.
Treatment Response Biomarkers in Asthma and COPD
Authors: Meteran Howraman , Sivapalan Pradeesh , Stæhr Jensen Jens-Ulrik
Published: September 2021

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma are two of the most common chronic diseases worldwide. Both diseases are heterogenous and complex, and despite their similarities, they differ in terms of pathophysiological and immunological mechanisms. Mounting evidence supports the presence of several phenotypes with various responses to treatment. A systematic and thorough assessment concerning the diagnosis of both asthma and COPD is crucial to the clinical management of the disease. The identification of different biomarkers can facilitate targeted treatment and monitoring. Thanks to the presence of numerous immunological studies, our understanding of asthma phenotypes and mechanisms of disease has increased markedly in the last decade, and several treatments with monoclonal antibodies are available. There are compelling data that link eosinophilia with an increased risk of COPD exacerbations but a greater treatment response and lower all-cause mortality. Eosinophilia can be considered as a treatable trait, and the initiation of inhaled corticosteroid in COPD patients with eosinophilia is supported in many studies. In spite of advances in our understanding of both asthma and COPD in terms pathophysiology, disease mechanisms, biomarkers, and response to treatment, many uncertainties in the management of obstructive airways exist.
Comparison of RGB and Multispectral Unmanned Aerial Vehicle for Monitoring Vegetation Coverage Changes on a Landslide Area
Authors: Furukawa Flavio , Laneng Lauretta Andrew , Ando Hiroaki , Yoshimura Nobuhiko , Kaneko Masami , Morimoto Junko
Published: September 2021

The development of UAV technologies offers practical methods to create landcover maps for monitoring and management of areas affected by natural disasters such as landslides. The present study aims at comparing the capability of two different types of UAV to deliver precise information, in order to characterize vegetation at landslide areas over a period of months. For the comparison, an RGB UAV and a Multispectral UAV were used to identify three different classes: vegetation, bare soil, and dead matter, from April to July 2021. The results showed high overall accuracy values (>95%) for the Multispectral UAV, as compared to the RGB UAV, which had lower overall accuracies. Although having lower overall accuracies, the vegetation class of the RGB UAV presented high producer’s and user’s accuracy over time, comparable to the Multispectral UAV results. Image quality played an important role in this study, where higher accuracy values were found on cloudy days. Both RGB and Multispectral UAVs presented similar patterns of vegetation, bare soil, and dead matter classes, where the increase in vegetation class was consistent with the decrease in bare soil and dead matter class. The present study suggests that the Multispectral UAV is more suitable in characterizing vegetation, bare soil, and dead matter classes on landslide areas while the RGB UAV can deliver reliable information for vegetation monitoring.