bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Parallel Tiled Code for Computing General Linear Recurrence Equations
Authors: Bielecki Włodzimierz , Błaszyński Piotr
Published: August 2021

In this article, we present a technique that allows us to generate parallel tiled code to calculate general linear recursion equations (GLRE). That code deals with multidimensional data and it is computing-intensive. We demonstrate that data dependencies available in an original code computing GLREs do not allow us to generate any parallel code because there is only one solution to the time partition constraints built for that program. We show how to transform the original code to another one that exposes dependencies such that there are two linear distinct solutions to the time partition restrictions derived from these dependencies. This allows us to generate parallel 2D tiled code computing GLREs. The wavefront technique is used to achieve parallelism, and the generated code conforms to the OpenMP C/C++ standard. The experiments that we conducted with the resulting parallel 2D tiled code show that this code is much more efficient than the original serial code computing GLREs. Code performance improvement is achieved by allowing parallelism and better locality of the target code.
Adaptive Unsaturated Bistable Stochastic Resonance Multi-Frequency Signals Detection Based on Preprocessing
Authors: Cui Lin , Yang Junan , Wang Lunwen , Liu Hui
Published: August 2021

Stochastic resonance (SR) has been widely used for extracting single-frequency weak periodic signals. For multi-frequency weak signals, empirical mode decomposition (EMD) can adaptively decompose the complex signal, but this method also suffers from mode mixing, which affects the accuracy of detection. SR can convert part of the noise energy into signal energy, which compensates for the defects of EMD. According to the advantages of SR and EMD, we constructed a multi-frequency signals detection method using adaptive unsaturated bistable SR based on EMD (EMD-AUBSR). In this study, we avoid the inherent saturation of SR by reconstructing the potential function and improve the multi-frequency signals detection ability by adding the preprocessing element. For strong background noise, the experimental results show that this proposed can effectively detect multi-frequency weak signals and decrease signal aliasing, whereas EMD alone cannot.
Multi-Level Deep Learning Model for Potato Leaf Disease Recognition
Authors: Rashid Javed , Khan Imran , Ali Ghulam , Almotiri Sultan H. , AlGhamdi Mohammed A. , Masood Khalid
Published: August 2021

Potato leaf disease detection in an early stage is challenging because of variations in crop species, crop diseases symptoms and environmental factors. These factors make it difficult to detect potato leaf diseases in the early stage. Various machine learning techniques have been developed to detect potato leaf diseases. However, the existing methods cannot detect crop species and crop diseases in general because these models are trained and tested on images of plant leaves of a specific region. In this research, a multi-level deep learning model for potato leaf disease recognition has developed. At the first level, it extracts the potato leaves from the potato plant image using the YOLOv5 image segmentation technique. At the second level, a novel deep learning technique has been developed using a convolutional neural network to detect the early blight and late blight potato diseases from potato leaf images. The proposed potato leaf disease detection model was trained and tested on a potato leaf disease dataset. The potato leaf disease dataset contains 4062 images collected from the Central Punjab region of Pakistan. The proposed deep learning technique achieved 99.75% accuracy on the potato leaf disease dataset. The performance of the proposed techniques was also evaluated on the PlantVillage dataset. The proposed technique is also compared with the state-of-the-art models and achieved significantly concerning the accuracy and computational cost.
Impact of 1.0 mg/Day Dienogest Treatment on Bone Metabolism Markers in Young Women with Dysmenorrhea
Authors: Ota Ikuko , Ota Yoshiaki , Taniguchi Fuminori
Published: August 2021

A low dose of dienogest (DNG) 1 mg/day is useful for treating dysmenorrhea in young women. However, the effect of DNG on bone turnover during bone growth and formation, rather than at maturity, is currently unknown even at low doses. We investigated change in bone turnover after 3 months of DNG 1 mg/day. This retrospective cohort study included young women aged 10–24 years with dysmenorrhea and irregular menstruation. Gonadotropins and the bone metabolism markers TRACP-5b and BAP were compared before and at 3 months after administration of DNG 1 mg/day. There were no significant changes in TRACP-5b (before, 455.6 ± 323.6 mU/dL; 3 months after, 462.1 ± 346.1 mU/dL), BAP (before, 24.7 ± 19.0 μg/L; 3 months after, 25.2 ± 22.3 μg/L), or the TRACP-5b/BAP ratio (before, 22.1 ± 7.0; 3 months after, 21.5 ± 6.3). Administration of DNG 1 mg/day had no significant effect on bone turnover after 3 months during the bone-growth phase in young women.
Analysis of Factors Affecting Creep of Wood–Plastic Composites
Authors: Feng Li , Xie Weiren
Published: August 2021

Wood–plastic composite (WPC) materials are mainly used as flooring in buildings or as structural load-bearing plates, and will undergo creep deformation during use, resulting in structural failure and safety problems. Therefore, this work adopted the orthogonal test method to carry out creep tests on wood–plastic composites. We used the range method and variance analysis method to process the creep data and analyze the influence of the load, temperature, and relative humidity on the creep strain in specimens of wood–plastic composites. The results showed that the creep strain of the WPC specimens changed significantly with a change in the load stress, while a change in relative humidity had no significant effect on the creep strain. When the relative humidity was increased from 55% to 65%, the creep strain increased by 0.03%, but when the temperature was increased from 30 °C to 35 °C, there was no significant difference in the creep strain. However, when the temperature was increased from 30 °C to 40 °C and from 35 °C to 40 °C, a significant difference in the creep strain of the WPC specimens was observed.
An Investigation of the Duration of Load of Structural Timber and the Clear Wood
Authors: Wu Qiongyao , Huo Liangliang , Zhu Enchun , Niu Shuang , Wang Huajie
Published: August 2021

In this study, DOL of structural timber and the clear wood and DOL of modulus of elasticity of wood were investigated. The dimension lumber of Spruce-Pine-Fir of Grade No. 2 and Grade No. 3 and the small clear specimens of the same species of the dimension lumber were used to conduct the short-term and the long-term bending test. The short-term strength distributions of the dimension lumber and the small clear specimens were obtained. The long-term tests were conducted under constant environmental conditions for 18 months. The sample matching technique was used to estimate the short-term strength of the specimens that underwent long-term tests. It was found out that there is virtually no difference in DOL between different grades or quality of lumber and no difference between structural timber and clear wood, and DOL obtained from the test of this study is more in agreement with Wood’s curve. A threshold stress ratio of about 0.55, loaded above which the wood began to experience strength loss, was revealed from the test. Making use of the threshold ratio concept, the DOL of wood can be obtained not only from failed specimens under load in the process of the long-term loading, but also from the ramp loading test of the specimens that survived the long-term test. Sustained load also poses DOL on the modulus of elasticity of wood, though to less degree than DOL of strength of wood.
Merging of Horizontally and Vertically Separated Small-Scale Buoyant Flames
Authors: Fletcher Thomas H. , Haycock Denver , Tollefsen Seth , Lignell David O.
Published: August 2021

The purpose of this study was to investigate the merging behavior of small-scale buoyant flames that might be representative of flames from a leaf in a shrub. Zirconia felt pads soaked in n-heptane were suspended on thin rods and spaced both horizontally and vertically. Time-dependent video images from flames from two-pad and three-pad configurations were analyzed to determine merging probability, combined flame characteristics (height, area, and width), and changes in burn time. Correlations of these combined flame characteristics were developed based on horizontal and vertical spacing between the pads. Merging probability correlated with an exponential function that was quadratic in horizontal and/or vertical spacing. Flame heights corrected for vertical inter-pad spacing showed a maximum increase of 50% over single flame heights, and were correlated with an exponential decay function. Flame areas increased by a maximum of 34%, but on average were relatively constant. Corrected flame widths for the merged flames increased by as much as 55% in some configurations, but decreased by up to 73% in other configurations. Burn times for upper pads decreased when there was no horizontal spacing. The limited flame growth observed in these non-overlapping configurations in the horizontal dimension imply that overlapping configurations seem to be necessary for significant flame growth.
Risk Assessment of Industrial Fires for Surrounding Vulnerable Facilities Using a Multi-Criteria Decision Support Approach and GIS
Authors: Alkış Saadet , Aksoy Ercüment , Akpınar Kudret
Published: August 2021

The fires encountered in the buildings and facilities of industrial areas make up quite a small proportion of all fire cases. However, in terms of the heat release rate, size of the burned area, damage, and impact zone, such fires have a large impact as compared to other fire cases. All fires have risk in terms of propagation. However, since fires in industrial structures and plants have rather high levels, qualitatively and quantitatively, compared to residential fires and other types of fires, it should be regarded as necessary to research them extensively. In this study, fires that have broken out in various places around Turkey, such as in factories, cold storage plants, and manufacturing facilities, were investigated. We aimed to determine the level of risk of the occurrence of these fires in the environment. A large amount of detailed information gathered about these fires was analyzed. This information includes data about the causes of the fires, deformation data of various materials, data on technical problems, data on financial damage levels, and data on fire patterns. We found 40 of these fire cases in total, and the case data were used to calculate the risk scores with the Geographic Information System (GIS), Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP), and Inverse Distance Weight (IDW) methods. For each fire case, places sensitive to damage and losses were assessed according to six main criteria. Buffer analysis maps were generated for the 40 fire cases, and the cases were ordered based on their overall risk scores. In this ordering, fire case number 21 was found in the riskiest region, and fire cases 32, 17, and 31 were found in the low-risk region. Fire case number 21 occurred in a factory used for manufacturing fabric. This factory works with high volumes of acrylic, polyester, and other raw materials. In addition, there are some structures in very close proximity. It was observed that fire cases could be well differentiated depending on the selected criteria in the model applied.
Pressure Stabilization Strategies for a LES Filtering Reduced Order Model
Authors: Girfoglio Michele , Quaini Annalisa , Rozza Gianluigi
Published: August 2021

We present a stabilized POD–Galerkin reduced order method (ROM) for a Leray model. For the implementation of the model, we combine a two-step algorithm called Evolve-Filter (EF) with a computationally efficient finite volume method. In both steps of the EF algorithm, velocity and pressure fields are approximated using different POD basis and coefficients. To achieve pressure stabilization, we consider and compare two strategies: the pressure Poisson equation and the supremizer enrichment of the velocity space. We show that the evolve and filtered velocity spaces have to be enriched with the supremizer solutions related to both evolve and filter pressure fields in order to obtain stable and accurate solutions with the supremizer enrichment method. We test our ROM approach on a 2D unsteady flow past a cylinder at Reynolds number 0≤Re≤100. We find that both stabilization strategies produce comparable errors in the reconstruction of the lift and drag coefficients, with the pressure Poisson equation method being more computationally efficient.
Relationship between Syringe Flow Measurements and Viscosity of Nectar-Thick Beverages for Dysphagia Management
Authors: Jeong Yulim , Lim Woobin , Yoo Byoungseung
Published: August 2021

Commercial cold beverages thickened with a xanthan gum (XG)-based food thickener were examined at different thickness levels by using the simple, cost-effective syringe flow test (SFT) developed by the International Dysphagia Diet Standardization Initiative (IDDSI). We prepared cold thickened beverage (CTB) samples with different thickener concentrations and measured them by extrapolating the viscosity range (51–350 mPa·s) for nectar-like consistency. CTBs were also measured via the line-spread test (LST), and the flow distance value (cm) by LST and the volume remaining (mL) in the syringe by SFT was correlated with the apparent viscosity (ηa,50). Plots comparing ηa,50 with SFT or LST values showed good exponential relationships between the measurements. The SFT showed a better relationship (R2 = 0.928) than LST (R2 = 0.825), indicating that the former can predict the viscosity better in the range for nectar-like consistency. In particular, the SFT showed a significant difference (R2 = 0.964) compared to the LST (R2 = 0.709) for thickened protein-based beverages. These results suggest that the SFT using the IDDSI methodology is a more suitable instrument than the LST for accurately evaluating the viscosity of XG-based CTBs with nectar-like consistency.
Effect of Vertical and Horizontal Sample Orientations on Uniformity of Microwave Heating Produced by Magnetron and Solid-State Generators
Authors: Taghian Dinani Somayeh , Jenn Alina , Kulozik Ulrich
Published: August 2021

In this study, the effect of different horizontal and vertical orientations of a model sample (cuboid gellan gel samples containing Maillard reactants) on microwave heat processing was investigated in the solid-state and magnetron microwave systems. To achieve this target, seven orientations inside both microwave cavities were defined. Two of the investigated sample orientations were in a vertical position with and without turntable rotation, and five in a horizontal position. Furthermore, samples at horizontal orientations were put at an angle position without turntable rotation. To analyze the microwave heating patterns, infrared (IR) pictures and photographs of the gellan gel samples were taken after processing to document IR-based thermal and Maillard color changes, respectively. Three main factors for improvement of the heating homogeneity were identified: first, processing samples in the solid-state microwave system; second, position variation of the sample by turntable activated; and third, horizontal orientation. In addition, it was observed that placing the gellan gel samples in a vertical position in the magnetron microwave system resulted in considerably more absorbed power and a more uniform microwave heat processing compared to other horizontal orientations in this system. This indicated a non-uniform microwave field distribution. The results of this study can also confirm the importance of designing suitable food packaging: a vertical shape for more microwave energy absorbance and thus, more energy efficiency, and a horizontal shape for more uniform microwave heat processing.
Rice Compounds with Impact on Diabetes Control
Authors: Pereira Cristiana , Lourenço Vanda M. , Menezes Regina , Brites Carla
Published: August 2021

Rice is one of the most cultivated and consumed cereals worldwide. It is composed of starch, which is an important source of diet energy, hypoallergenic proteins, and other bioactive compounds with known nutritional functionalities. Noteworthy is that the rice bran (outer layer of rice grains), a side-stream product of the rice milling process, has a higher content of bioactive compounds than white rice (polished rice grains). Bran functional ingredients such as γ-oryzanol, phytic acid, ferulic acid, γ-aminobutyric acid, tocopherols, and tocotrienols (vitamin E) have been linked to several health benefits. In this study, we reviewed the effects of rice glycemic index, macronutrients, and bioactive compounds on the pathological mechanisms associated with diabetes, identifying the rice compounds potentially exerting protective activities towards disease control. The effects of starch, proteins, and bran bioactive compounds for diabetic control were reviewed and provide important insights about the nutritional quality of rice-based foods.
Anti-Inflammatory Action of Dietary Wild Olive (Acebuche) Oil in the Retina of Hypertensive Mice
Authors: Santana-Garrido Álvaro , Reyes-Goya Claudia , Milla-Navarro Santiago , de la Villa Pedro , André Helder , Vázquez Carmen M. , Mate Alfonso
Published: August 2021

Inflammation plays a crucial role in the course of eye diseases, including many vascular retinopathies. Although olive oil is known to have beneficial effects against inflammatory processes, there is no information available on the anti-inflammatory potential of the wild olive tree (namely, acebuche (ACE) for the primitive Spanish lineages). Here we investigate the anti-inflammatory effects of ACE oil in the retina of a mouse model of arterial hypertension, which was experimentally induced by administration of L-NAME (NG-nitro-L-arginine-methyl-ester). The animals were fed supplements of ACE oil or extra virgin olive oil (EVOO, for comparative purposes). Retinal function was assessed by electroretinography (ERG), and different inflammation-related parameters were measured in the retina and choroid. Besides significant prevention of retinal dysfunction shown in ERG recordings, ACE oil-enriched diet upregulated the expression of the anti-inflammatory markers PPARγ, PPARα and IL-10, while reducing that of major proinflammatory biomarkers, IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α and COX-2. This is the first report to highlight the anti-inflammatory properties of an ACE oil-enriched diet against hypertension-related retinal damage. Noteworthy, dietary supplementation with ACE oil yielded better results compared to a reference EVOO.
A New Insight into the Bactericidal Mechanism of 405 nm Blue Light-Emitting-Diode against Dairy Sourced Cronobacter sakazakii
Authors: Wu Shuyan , Subharat Pornchanok , Brightwell Gale
Published: August 2021

(1) Background: Limited evidence exists addressing the action of antimicrobial visible light against Cronobacter sakazakii. Here, we investigated the antimicrobial effects of blue-LED (light emitting diode) at 405 nm against two persistent dairy environment sourced strains of C. sakazakii (ES191 and AGRFS2961). (2) Methods: Beside of investigating cell survival by counts, the phenotypic characteristics of the strains were compared with a reference strain (BAA894) by evaluating the metabolic rate, cell membrane permeability, and ROS level. (3) Results: The two environment isolates (ES191 and AGRFS2961) were more metabolic active and ES191 showed dramatic permeability change of the outer membrane. Notably, we detected varied impacts of different ROS scavengers (catalase > thiourea > superoxide dismutase) during light application, suggesting that hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), the reducing target of catalase, has a key role during blue light inactivation. This finding was further strengthened, following the observation that the combined effect of external H2O2 (sublethal concentration) and 405 nm LED, achieved an additional 2–4 log CFU reduction for both stationary phase and biofilm cells. (4) Conclusions: H2O2 could be used in combination with blue light to enhance bactericidal efficacy and form the basis of a new hurdle technology for controlling C. sakazakii in dairy processing plants.
Management of Listeria monocytogenes on Surfaces via Relative Air Humidity: Key Role of Cell Envelope
Authors: Zoz Fiona , Guyot Stéphane , Grandvalet Cosette , Ragon Mélanie , Lesniewska Eric , Dupont Sébastien , Firmesse Olivier , Carpentier Brigitte , Beney Laurent
Published: August 2021

Although relative air humidity (RH) strongly influences microbial survival, its use for fighting surface pathogens in the food industry has been inadequately considered. We asked whether RH control could destroy Listeria monocytogenes EGDe by envelope damage. The impact of dehydration in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) at 75%, 68%, 43% and 11% RH on the bacterial envelope was investigated using flow cytometry and atomic force microscopy. Changes after rehydration in the protein secondary structure and peptidoglycan were investigated by infrared spectroscopy. Complementary cultivability measurements were performed by running dehydration–rehydration with combinations of NaCl (3–0.01%), distilled water, city water and PBS. The main results show that cell membrane permeability and cell envelope were greatly altered during dehydration in PBS at 68% RH followed by rapid rehydration. This damage led cells to recover only 67% of their initial volume after rehydration. Moreover, the most efficient way to destroy cells was dehydration and rehydration in city water. Our study indicates that rehydration of dried, sullied foods on surfaces may improve current cleaning procedures in the food industry.
Lactic Acid Bacteria Isolated from Fermented Doughs in Spain Produce Dextrans and Riboflavin
Authors: Llamas-Arriba María Goretti , Hernández-Alcántara Annel M. , Mohedano Mari Luz , Chiva Rosana , Celador-Lera Lorena , Velázquez Encarnación , Prieto Alicia , Dueñas María Teresa , Tamame Mercedes , López Paloma
Published: August 2021

Many lactic acid bacteria (LAB) produce metabolites with applications in the food industry, such as dextran-type exopolysaccharides (EPS) and riboflavin (vitamin B2). Here, 72 bacteria were isolated from sourdoughs made by Spanish bread-makers. In the presence of sucrose, colonies of 22 isolates showed a ropy phenotype, and NMR analysis of their EPS supported that 21 of them were dextran producers. These isolates were identified by their random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) patterns and their rrs and pheS gene sequences as LAB belonging to four species (Weissella cibaria, Leuconostoc citreum, Leuconostoc falkenbergense and Leuconostoc mesenteroides). Six selected strains from the Leuconostoc (3) and Weissella (3) genera grew in the absence of riboflavin and synthesized vitamin B2. The EPS produced by these strains were characterized as dextrans by physicochemical analysis, and the L. citreum polymer showed an unusually high degree of branching. Quantification of the riboflavin and the EPS productions showed that the W. cibaria strains produce the highest levels (585–685 μg/and 6.5–7.4 g/L, respectively). Therefore, these new LAB strains would be good candidates for the development of fermented foods bio-fortified with both dextrans and riboflavin. Moreover, this is the first report of riboflavin and dextran production by L. falkenbergense.
Effects of the Mixture of Xylooligosaccharides and Egg White Protein on the Physicochemical Properties, Conformation, and Gel-Forming Ability of Culter alburnus Myofibrillar Protein during Multiple Freeze–Thaw Cycles
Authors: Zhang Zhongli , Xiong Zhouyi , Walayat Noman , Lorenzo Jose M. , Nawaz Asad , Xiong Hanguo
Published: August 2021

This study focuses on the effect of the mixture (XO/EW) of xylooligosaccharides (XO) and egg white protein (EW) on the physicochemical properties, conformation, and gel-forming ability of Culter alburnus myofibrillar proteins (MP) during multiple freeze–thaw (FT) cycles. In our methodology, MP samples added with EW, XO, or XO/EW mixture (1%, v/v) are prepared, and after multiple FT cycles, the XO or XO/EW-treated samples show significant (p < 0.05) inhibition on the decrease of sulfhydryl content and the increase of carbonyl content of MP. Compared with EW, XO or XO/EW could delay the increase of surface hydrophobicity and the decline of secondary and tertiary structural properties of MP, indicating that XO or XO/EW could more effectively increase the stability of MP conformation. Meanwhile, XO/EW could more effectively reduce the decrease of gel strength and gel water holding capacity, and the increase in the T2 relaxation time of MP gel, confirming that XO/EW could substantially improve the MP gel-forming ability. Analysis of intermolecular interaction force proves that, compared with EW, XO/EW could reduce the content decrease of ionic and hydrogen bonds in MP gel. Overall, XO/EW could improve the stability of MP functional properties over multiple FT cycles. This study provides a new perspective for the potential commercial application of EW as a low-calorie cryoprotectant in aquatic products.
Acrylamide Exposure from Common Culinary Preparations in Spain, in Household, Catering and Industrial Settings
Authors: González-Mulero Lucía , Mesías Marta , Morales Francisco J. , Delgado-Andrade Cristina
Published: August 2021

In 2019, the European Commission recommended monitoring the presence of acrylamide in certain foods not included in Regulation 2158/2017, to consider other sources of exposure to the contaminant. In the present study, eleven groups of processed foods commonly consumed in Spain were classified, according to their food matrix, into potato-based food, cereal-based food and food based on cereal mixed with meat, fish or vegetables. Samples were collected from three different settings: household, catering services and industrial origin, to evaluate the influence of the food preparation site on acrylamide formation. The highest concentrations of acrylamide were observed in chips (French fries), especially those prepared at home. Although at lower levels, all the other foods also contained significant concentrations of acrylamide, confirming the need to control its content in foods not included in the EU regulation. Industrially processed foods made a lower contribution to acrylamide exposure, probably due to the more stringent controls exercised on culinary processes in this context. The higher levels recorded for households and catering services highlight the need for greater awareness of culinary processes and for measures to be adopted in these settings to limit the formation of acrylamide in food preparation.
Clinical Application of Antibacterial Hydrogel and Coating in Orthopaedic and Traumatology Surgery
Authors: De Meo Daniele , Ceccarelli Giancarlo , Iaiani Giancarlo , Lo Torto Federico , Ribuffo Diego , Persiani Pietro , Villani Ciro
Published: August 2021

Implant related infection is one of the most frequent complications in orthopaedic and trauma surgery. Local antibiotic treatment strategies are becoming part of the prevention and treatment methodology for this fearful complication. To date, there are two coatings available on the market, both with a polylactic acid base. Current evidence supports the use of these types of coatings in the prophylaxis of periprosthetic infections and fracture-related infections. However, their therapeutic use has been less investigated. The purpose of this article is to summarise recent evidence relating to the clinical application of antibacterial hydrogels and coatings in orthopaedic and traumatology surgery and indicating which future applications may benefit from it.
High Preservation Potential Volcaniclastic Sedimentation in the Serravallian Sequence of the Amantea Basin (Coastal Chain, North-Western Calabria)
Authors: Chiara Benedetta Cannata , Rosanna De Rosa , Paola Donato , Consuele Morrone , Francesco Muto
Published: August 2021

Evidence of volcaniclastic sedimentation occurs in the first depositional sequence of the sedimentary succession of the Amantea Basin. Volcaniclastic deposits are intercalated in the upper part of a sandstone formation and these show a maximum thickness of about 8 m. The Amantea Basin is a Neogene depozone located along the Tyrrhenian margin of Calabria whose onset started during the Upper Serravallian. The source volcano to these materials had to have been located within or near to the marine basin in order to supply it with significant amounts of pyroclastic fragments emplaced by either pyroclastic fall/or flows during one or more explosive eruptions. The marine environment of volcaniclastic flows made up of pyroclastic fragments mixed with minor siliciclastic and carbonate material. The textural and structural features of the deposits and the composition of the volcanic glass fragments indicate an origin from a sub-aerial coeval explosive eruption, with initial sedimentation in a shallow marine environment, mixing with non-volcanic materials, reworking and final re-sedimentation into the basin. The age of the volcaniclastic/sedimentary sequence makes these deposits a marker for the geodynamic evolution of the area, and the lack of such horizons in the other coeval peri-Tyrrhenian basins allows us to consider the Amantea Basin as a confined elongated coastal basin area, whose tectonostratigraphic architecture denotes a structural partitioning of the eastern nascent Tyrrhenian Basin.
Detection of COVID-19 Patients from CT Scan and Chest X-ray Data Using Modified MobileNetV2 and LIME
Authors: Ahsan Md Manjurul , Nazim Redwan , Siddique Zahed , Huebner Pedro
Published: August 2021

The COVID-19 global pandemic caused by the widespread transmission of the novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) has become one of modern history’s most challenging issues from a healthcare perspective. At its dawn, still without a vaccine, contagion containment strategies remained most effective in preventing the disease’s spread. Patient isolation has been primarily driven by the results of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing, but its initial reach was challenged by low availability and high cost, especially in developing countries. As a means of taking advantage of a preexisting infrastructure for respiratory disease diagnosis, researchers have proposed COVID-19 patient screening based on the results of Chest Computerized Tomography (CT) and Chest Radiographs (X-ray). When paired with artificial-intelligence- and deep-learning-based approaches for analysis, early studies have achieved a comparatively high accuracy in diagnosing the disease. Considering the opportunity to further explore these methods, we implement six different Deep Convolutional Neural Networks (Deep CNN) models—VGG16, MobileNetV2, InceptionResNetV2, ResNet50, ResNet101, and VGG19—and use a mixed dataset of CT and X-ray images to classify COVID-19 patients. Preliminary results showed that a modified MobileNetV2 model performs best with an accuracy of 95 ± 1.12% (AUC = 0.816). Notably, a high performance was also observed for the VGG16 model, outperforming several previously proposed models with an accuracy of 98.5 ± 1.19% on the X-ray dataset. Our findings are supported by recent works in the academic literature, which also uphold the higher performance of MobileNetV2 when X-ray, CT, and their mixed datasets are considered. Lastly, we further explain the process of feature extraction using Local Interpretable Model-Agnostic Explanations (LIME), which contributes to a better understanding of what features in CT/X-ray images characterize the onset of COVID-19.
Putting into Words the COVID-19 Lockdown Experience: Psychological Symptoms and the Referential Process
Authors: Mariani Rachele , Monaco Silvia , Di Trani Michela
Published: August 2021

The coronavirus pandemic is a unique collective event which has affected the physical and psychological health of all individuals. Restrictions imposed by governments to counteract this situation have represented risk factors for developing psychopathological symptoms. This study aims to explore the relationship between psychological symptoms and the referential process (RP). Forty-eight healthy participants (25 males, mean age = 39.3; SD = 16.6) completed a demographic questionnaire and the Symptom Checklist-90-Revised (SCL-90-R) through an online platform and wrote about their experience 3 weeks after the imposition of the lockdown. Different linguistic measures of the RP were applied to the narratives. The logical functions expressed through written narratives (The Italian Reflection Dictionary score, IREF) showed significant positive correlations with the SCL-90-R General Score Index (GSI) and different SCL-90-R subscales (depression, anxiety, obsessive-compulsiveness, interpersonal sensitivity, hostility, and paranoid ideation). On the contrary, the reorganization and reflection function related to emotional events (The Italian Weighted Reflection and Reorganization List score, IWRRL) showed significant negative correlations with the SCL-90-R’s GSI and different subscales (obsessive-compulsiveness, depression, anxiety). The results highlight the relationship between psychological symptoms and complex defense mechanisms based on the intellectualization of negative emotions and a positive strategy of reorganization based on emotional elaboration. These results suggest the importance of supporting collective elaborations of citizens in the context of the pandemic.
Configuration by Osmotic Eustress Agents of the Morphometric Characteristics and the Polyphenolic Content of Differently Pigmented Baby Lettuce Varieties in Two Successive Harvests
Authors: Corrado Giandomenico , Vitaglione Paola , Soteriou Georgios A. , Kyriacou Marios C. , Rouphael Youssef
Published: August 2021

Salinity eustress is one of the pre-harvest factors that can be used to improve the phytochemical profile and the quality attributes of horticultural species, and most of the studies are carried out using NaCl. In this work, we compared the effect of three mildly saline iso-osmotic nutrient solutions (NS) differing in the cation employed (either K, Na, or Ca) in baby lettuce cultivated in a floating system. Specifically, we analyzed the impact on key morphological traits and polyphenol composition in leaves in a completely randomized design experiment with the following experimental factors and levels: two differently pigmented lettuce varieties (green and full red), three NSs (20 mM KCl, 20 mM NaCl, 13.3 mM CaCl2, each with a final ionic concentration of 40 mM), and two successive harvests. The lettuce response to mild salinity was multifaceted and with a marked role for the cultivar factor and its interactions, as also indicated by multivariate analysis. The morphological response of baby lettuce to the saline solutions was predominantly affected by the osmolarity, and ion-specific alleviating or detrimental effects were not observed. The phytochemical analysis revealed significant interactions among all tested factors, with ion-specific differences over some of the detected phenolics. This is consistent with the high sensitivity of this class of bioactive compounds to environmental factors. This work indicated that certain combinations of the experimental factors tested can be exploited to improve the biochemical profile and possibly the nutraceutical quality of baby lettuce in a floating system.
Effect of Angiotensin II on Chondrocyte Degeneration and Protection via Differential Usage of Angiotensin II Receptors
Authors: Nishida Takashi , Akashi Sho , Takigawa Masaharu , Kubota Satoshi
Published: August 2021

The renin–angiotensin system (RAS) controls not only systemic functions, such as blood pressure, but also local tissue-specific events. Previous studies have shown that angiotensin II receptor type 1 (AT1R) and type 2 (AT2R), two RAS components, are expressed in chondrocytes. However, the angiotensin II (ANG II) effects exerted through these receptors on chondrocyte metabolism are not fully understood. In this study, we investigated the effects of ANG II and AT1R blockade on chondrocyte proliferation and differentiation. Firstly, we observed that ANG II significantly suppressed cell proliferation and glycosaminoglycan content in rat chondrocytic RCS cells. Additionally, ANG II decreased CCN2, which is an anabolic factor for chondrocytes, via increased MMP9. In Agtr1a-deficient RCS cells generated by the CRISPR-Cas9 system, Ccn2 and Aggrecan (Acan) expression increased. Losartan, an AT1R antagonist, blocked the ANG II-induced decrease in CCN2 production and Acan expression in RCS cells. These findings suggest that AT1R blockade reduces ANG II-induced chondrocyte degeneration. Interestingly, AT1R-positive cells, which were localized on the surface of the articular cartilage of 7-month-old mice expanded throughout the articular cartilage with aging. These findings suggest that ANG II regulates age-related cartilage degeneration through the ANG II–AT1R axis.
Joint Degeneration in a Mouse Model of Pseudoachondroplasia: ER Stress, Inflammation, and Block of Autophagy
Authors: Hecht Jacqueline T. , Veerisetty Alka C. , Hossain Mohammad G. , Patra Debabrata , Chiu Frankie , Coustry Francoise , Posey Karen L.
Published: August 2021

Pseudoachondroplasia (PSACH), a short limb skeletal dysplasia associated with premature joint degeneration, is caused by misfolding mutations in cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP). Here, we define mutant-COMP-induced stress mechanisms that occur in articular chondrocytes of MT-COMP mice, a murine model of PSACH. The accumulation of mutant-COMP in the ER occurred early in MT-COMP articular chondrocytes and stimulated inflammation (TNFα) at 4 weeks, and articular chondrocyte death increased at 8 weeks while ER stress through CHOP was elevated by 12 weeks. Importantly, blockage of autophagy (pS6), the major mechanism that clears the ER, sustained cellular stress in MT-COMP articular chondrocytes. Degeneration of MT-COMP articular cartilage was similar to that observed in PSACH and was associated with increased MMPs, a family of degradative enzymes. Moreover, chronic cellular stresses stimulated senescence. Senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP) may play a role in generating and propagating a pro-degradative environment in the MT-COMP murine joint. The loss of CHOP or resveratrol treatment from birth preserved joint health in MT-COMP mice. Taken together, these results indicate that ER stress/CHOP signaling and autophagy blockage are central to mutant-COMP joint degeneration, and MT-COMP mice joint health can be preserved by decreasing articular chondrocyte stress. Future joint sparing therapeutics for PSACH may include resveratrol.
First Year of TREC-Based National SCID Screening in Sweden
Authors: Göngrich Christina , Ekwall Olov , Sundin Mikael , Brodszki Nicholas , Fasth Anders , Marits Per , Dysting Sam , Jonsson Susanne , Barbaro Michela , Wedell Anna , von Döbeln Ulrika , Zetterström Rolf H.
Published: August 2021

Screening for severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) was introduced into the Swedish newborn screening program in August 2019 and here we report the results of the first year. T cell receptor excision circles (TRECs), kappa-deleting element excision circles (KRECs), and actin beta (ACTB) levels were quantitated by multiplex qPCR from dried blood spots (DBS) of 115,786 newborns and children up to two years of age, as an approximation of the number of recently formed T and B cells and sample quality, respectively. Based on low TREC levels, 73 children were referred for clinical assessment which led to the diagnosis of T cell lymphopenia in 21 children. Of these, three were diagnosed with SCID. The screening performance for SCID as the outcome was sensitivity 100%, specificity 99.94%, positive predictive value (PPV) 4.11%, and negative predictive value (NPV) 100%. For the outcome T cell lymphopenia, PPV was 28.77%, and specificity was 99.95%. Based on the first year of screening, the incidence of SCID in the Swedish population was estimated to be 1:38,500 newborns.
Decision-Making Strategy for the Treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis-Associated Interstitial Lung Disease (RA-ILD)
Authors: Yamakawa Hideaki , Ogura Takashi , Kameda Hideto , Kishaba Tomoo , Iwasawa Tae , Takemura Tamiko , Kuwano Kazuyoshi
Published: August 2021

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a common type of autoimmune arthritis. Patient clinical outcomes might be influenced by numerous respiratory diseases, but interstitial lung disease (ILD) is the most important comorbidity. RA-associated ILD (RA-ILD) is divided into acute/subacute and chronic forms. In the acute/subacute course, if the disease is severe as indicated by a diffuse alveolar damage pattern, high-dose corticosteroids combined with antimicrobial agents should be promptly initiated while considering the differential diagnoses, primarily acute exacerbation (AE) of RA-ILD, drug-induced pneumonitis, and Pneumocystis pneumonia. As initial therapeutic management in the chronic course, the RA itself should be stabilized without delay; thereafter, the activity of ILD itself can be stabilized, considering the safety of each anti-rheumatic drug. The formation of the usual interstitial pneumonia (UIP) pattern is the most important determinant because lung function can worsen more quickly with this pattern. However, because clinicians can fail to identify specific radiological patterns, it is important to determine whether each patient with RA-ILD has UIP-like lesions such as subpleural reticulation, traction bronchiectasis, and honeycombing especially progressively enlarged cysts. In patients with progressive RA-ILD and high risk for infection or AE of ILD in whom fibrosis is dominant, clinicians should consider starting an anti-fibrotic agent.
High Incidence of Inappropriate Alarms in Patients with Wearable Cardioverter-Defibrillators: Findings from the Swiss WCD Registry
Authors: Kovacs Boldizsar , Burri Haran , Buehler Andres , Reek Sven , Sticherling Christian , Schaer Beat , Linka Andre , Ammann Peter , Müller Andreas S. , Dzemali Omer , Kobza Richard , Schindler Matthias , Haegeli Laurent , Mayer Kurt , Eriksson Urs , Herrera-Siklody Claudia , Reichlin Tobias , Steffel Jan , Saguner Ardan M. , Duru Firat
Published: August 2021

Background: The wearable cardioverter defibrillator (WCD) uses surface electrodes to detect arrhythmia before initiating a treatment sequence. However, it is also prone to inappropriate detection due to artefacts. Objective: The aim of this study is to assess the alarm burden in patients and its impact on clinical outcomes. Methods: Patients from the nationwide Swiss WCD Registry were included. Clinical characteristics and data were obtained from the WCDs. Arrhythmia recordings ≥30 s in length were analysed and categorized as VT/VF, atrial fibrillation (AF), supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) or artefact. Results: A total of 10653 device alarms were documented in 324 of 456 patients (71.1%) over a mean WCD wear-time of 2.0 ± 1.6 months. Episode duration was 30 s or more in 2996 alarms (28.2%). One hundred and eleven (3.7%) were VT/VF episodes. The remaining recordings were inappropriate detections (2736 (91%) due to artefacts; 117 (3.7%) AF; 48 (1.6%) SVT). Two-hundred and seven patients (45%) had three or more alarms per month. Obesity was significantly associated with three or more alarms per month (p = 0.01, 27.7% vs. 15.9%). High alarm burden was not associated with a lower average daily wear time (20.8 h vs. 20.7 h, p = 0.785) or a decreased implantable cardioverter defibrillator implantation rate after stopping WCD use (48% vs. 47.3%, p = 0.156). Conclusions: In patients using WCDs, alarms emitted by the device and impending inappropriate shocks were frequent and most commonly caused by artefacts. A high alarm burden was associated with obesity but did not lead to a decreased adherence.
Gender-Related Differences in Prodromal Multiple Sclerosis Characteristics: A 7-Year Observation Study
Authors: Perwieniec Jakub , Podwójcic Krzysztof , Maluchnik Michał , Szeląg Mateusz , Walkiewicz Dorota , Zakrzewski Michał , Droździkowska Amelia , Kamiński Bogumił , Zasybska Adriana , Wnuk Marcin , Słowik Agnieszka , Rejdak Konrad
Published: August 2021

Increasing evidence supports the observation that multiple sclerosis (MS) has a preclinical period, with various prodromal signs and symptoms more frequently represented in patients with confirmed MS many years later. Considering the apparent gender differences in the incidence and clinical course of MS, it remains unclear whether it could be reflected in prodromal symptom features. This study aimed to compare a broad spectrum of prodromal signs and symptoms between males and females in the 7-year period before the definite diagnosis of MS. Data came from the central register of the national payer of services, financed under the public healthcare system in Poland. They covered a 7-year period of patient health record claims, from 2009 to 2016. The following groups of symptoms were significant with women: musculoskeletal (p < 0.001), ophthalmic (p < 0.001), laryngological (p < 0.001), digestive system (p < 0.001), urinary tract (p < 0.001), mental (p < 0.001), cardiovascular (p < 0.001), complaints and headaches (p < 0.001). There was also a weak correlation with head injuries (p = 0.03) while dermatological and reproductive system complaints did not appear to be significant (p < 0.05). For males, the following groups of symptoms were significant: musculoskeletal (p < 0.001), ophthalmic (p < 0.001), laryngological (p = 0.007), cardiovascular system symptoms (p < 0.001), and headaches (p < 0.001). Interestingly, reproductive system problems were overrepresented in the male population (p = 0.008). There was no significant correlation with MS risk for dermatological, digestive, urinary, and mental complaints. Similarly, head injuries were not significant. Our results shed more light on well-known differences in the epidemiological and clinical characteristics between sexes in multiple sclerosis, and show differences in prodromal complaints before MS onset.
Key Chemokine Pathways in Atherosclerosis and Their Therapeutic Potential
Authors: Márquez Andrea Bonnin , van der Vorst Emiel P. C. , Maas Sanne L.
Published: August 2021

The search to improve therapies to prevent or treat cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) rages on, as CVDs remain a leading cause of death worldwide. Here, the main cause of CVDs, atherosclerosis, and its prevention, take center stage. Chemokines and their receptors have long been known to play an important role in the pathophysiological development of atherosclerosis. Their role extends from the initiation to the progression, and even the potential regression of atherosclerotic lesions. These important regulators in atherosclerosis are therefore an obvious target in the development of therapeutic strategies. A plethora of preclinical studies have assessed various possibilities for targeting chemokine signaling via various approaches, including competitive ligands and microRNAs, which have shown promising results in ameliorating atherosclerosis. Developments in the field also include detailed imaging with tracers that target specific chemokine receptors. Lastly, clinical trials revealed the potential of various therapies but still require further investigation before commencing clinical use. Although there is still a lot to be learned and investigated, it is clear that chemokines and their receptors present attractive yet extremely complex therapeutic targets. Therefore, this review will serve to provide a general overview of the connection between various chemokines and their receptors with atherosclerosis. The different developments, including mouse models and clinical trials that tackle this complex interplay will also be explored.