bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Prognostic Efficacy of Complete Blood Count Indices for Assessing the Presence and the Progression of Myxomatous Mitral Valve Disease in Dogs
Authors: Jung Min-Jung , Kim Jung-Hyun
Published: September 2023

This study investigated the complete blood count (CBC) indices, including neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), monocyte-to-lymphocyte ratio (MLR), and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) in dogs with myxomatous mitral valve disease (MMVD) and analyzed their correlation with conventional biomarkers, as well as the effect of CBC indices on survival time in dogs with MMVD. Medical records of 75 healthy controls and 249 dogs with MMVD from March 2015 to October 2022 were analyzed. The NLR, MLR, and PLR were calculated by dividing the absolute counts of the CBC parameters. Dogs with MMVD had significantly higher NLR, MLR, and PLR than healthy dogs (all p < 0.0001), especially those in the symptomatic MMVD group with pulmonary edema (p < 0.0001, p = 0.0002, and p = 0.0387, respectively). The NLR and MLR were significantly correlated with N-terminal pro-B type natriuretic peptide levels (both p < 0.0001). The CBC indices showed potential as biomarkers for detecting the presence of MMVD (all p < 0.0001) and severity of MMVD (p < 0.0001, p < 0.0001, and p = 0.006, respectively) using receiver operating characteristic curve analysis. The negative effects of increased NLR, MLR, and PLR on survival were confirmed using Kaplan–Meier curve analysis. In conclusion, NLR, MLR, and PLR could be cost-effective and readily available potential diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers for MMVD in dogs.
Evaluation of Antimicrobial Resistance Profiles of Bacteria Isolated from Biofilm in Meat Processing Units
Authors: Ban-Cucerzan Alexandra , Morar Adriana , Tîrziu Emil , Imre Kálmán
Published: September 2023

The aim of this study was to assess the hygiene of pork, beef, and poultry carcasses and to determine the phenotypic antibiotic susceptibility of the bacteria embedded in the biofilm formed on the carcasses kept in cooling chambers for at least three days. The level of hygiene was assessed by determining the total aerobic colony count (TACC) and the Enterobacteriaceae level in different sampling points of the carcasses, along with the detection of E. coli and Pseudomonas spp. embedded in the biofilm. Furthermore, the E. coli and Pseudomonas spp. isolates were tested for antimicrobial resistance profiles. A total of 130 samples collected from pork, beef, and poultry from processing units were analyzed to determine the total aerobic colony count as well as to measure the level of Enterobacteriaceae found on the carcasses. The antimicrobial susceptibility of 44 Escherichia coli and eight Pseudomonas spp. strains isolated from the carcasses were assessed using the Vitek 2 system using two different cards. Overall, the regulatory limits for the TACC were exceeded in 7.6% of the samples, and 65% of the samples exceeded the regulatory limits for Enterobacteriaceae levels. The antimicrobial susceptibility tests of the E. coli isolates analyzed with the AST-GN27 card revealed the highest resistance to be that towards ampicillin (76.1%), followed by cefazolin (71.4%), amoxicillin/clavulanic acid (61.9%), nitrofurantoin (52.3%), cefoxitin (47.6%), tetracycline (38.1%), piperacillin, norfloxacin (19%), trimethoprim–sulfamethoxazole (11.9%), cefotaxime (9.5%), ceftazidime, cefazolin, amikacin, gentamicin, and ciprofloxacin (4.7%). However, all of the isolates were sensitive to piperacillin-tazobactam and imipenem. Thirty-two (61.5%; 95% CI 47.9–73.5) out of fifty-two isolates exhibited multidrug resistance, resulting in the expression of 10 resistance profiles. The findings of this study highlight serious hygienic and sanitary deficiencies within the meat processing units and demonstrate that the resulting meat can harbor Multidrug-resistant Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas spp., both of which pose a serious public health risk. However, further research with a larger number of samples is required to reach thorough results.
PGC-1α Agonist Rescues Doxorubicin-Induced Cardiomyopathy by Mitigating the Oxidative Stress and Necroptosis
Authors: Shipra  , Tembhre Manoj Kumar , Hote Milind Padmakar , Bhari Neetu , Lakshmy Ramakrishnan , Kumaran S. Senthil
Published: September 2023

Cardiomyopathy (particularly dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM)) significantly contributes to development and progression of heart failure (HF), and inflammatory factors further deteriorate the symptoms. Morphological and functional defects of the heart in doxorubicin (DOX)-induced cardiomyopathy (cardiotoxicity) are similar to those of DCM. We used anagonist of PGC-1α (PPAR (peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma)-γ coactivator-1α) that is considered as the ‘master regulator’ of mitochondrial biogenesis with an aim to rescue the DOX-induced deleterious effects on the heart. Forty male C57BL/6J mice (8 weeks old) were divided in four groups, Control, DOX, ZLN005, and ZLN005 + DOX (n = 10 each group). The DOX-induced (10 mg/kg, single dose) cardiomyopathy mimics a DCM-like phenotype with marked morphologic alteration in cardiac tissue and functional derangements. Significant increased staining was observed for Masson Trichrome/Picrosirius red and α-Smooth Muscle Actinin (α-SMA) that indicated enhanced fibrosis in the DOX group compared to the control that was attenuated by (peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma (PPAR-γ) coactivator) (PGC)-1α (alpha) agonist (four doses of 2.5 mg/kg/dose; cumulative dose = 10 mg/kg). Similarly, elevated expression of necroptosis markers along with enhanced oxidative stress in the DOX group were alleviated by PGC-1α agonist. These data collectively suggested the potent therapeutic efficacy of PGC-1α agonist in mitigating the deleterious effects of DOX-induced cardiomyopathy, and it may be targeted in developing the future therapeutics for the management of DCM/HF.
Non-Enzymatic Formation of N-acetylated Amino Acid Conjugates in Urine
Authors: Jacobs Jano , van Sittert Cornelia Gertina Catharina Elizabeth , Mienie Lodewyk Japie , Dercksen Marli , Opperman Monique , Vorster Barend Christiaan
Published: September 2023

Unknown N-acylated amino acid (N-AAA) conjugates have been detected in maple syrup urine disease (MSUD) and other inborn errors of metabolism (IEMs). This study aimed to elucidate the mechanism behind the formation of urinary N-AAA conjugates. Liquid–liquid extraction was employed to determine the enantiomeric composition of N-AAA conjugates, followed by liberation of conjugated amino acids through acid hydrolysis. Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) was used to separate amino acid enantiomers. In vitro experiments were conducted to test the non-enzymatic formation of N-AAA conjugates from 2-keto acids and ammonia, with molecular modelling used to assess possible reaction mechanisms. Adequate amounts of N-AAA conjugates were obtained via organic acid extraction without concurrent extraction of native amino acids, and hydrolysis was complete without significant racemisation. GC–MS analysis successfully distinguished amino acid enantiomers, with some limitations observed for L-isoleucine and D-alloisoleucine. Furthermore, investigation of racemic N-AAA conjugates from an MSUD case confirmed its non-enzymatic origin. These findings highlight the value of employing chiral strategy and molecular modelling to investigate the origin of unknown constituents in biological samples. Additionally, these conjugates warrant further investigation as potential factors contributing to MSUD and other IEMs.
Sex-Related Variations in the Brain Motor-Network Connectivity at Rest during Puberty
Authors: Pacheco-Blas Lucero , González-González Gabriela , Ortega-Aguilar Alicia
Published: September 2023

The development of functional neuroimaging technologies has resulted in a flood of mathematical models that investigate functional brain connections in health and disease. Motor network activity in the resting state and its response to puberty remains to be investigated. Variations between sexes in puberty may appear not just in brain regions involved in sexual and emotional activities, but also in cognitive and motor abilities that are active even when the individual is resting. The aim of this study was to investigate the interactions of the motor subnetwork in the resting state of healthy males and females aged 12 and 16. This study used the OpenNeuro Dataset ds004169:1.0.7, Queensland Twin IMaging. The MRI signals were preprocessed to get adjacency matrices from the sensory/somatomotor and cerebellar networks in the Power atlas. Network topology was analyzed using the centrality measures of strength, hubness, and leverage. The strength of the nodes increases with age in both sex groups. Both sexes had right hemisphere dominance in the cerebellar-mouth subnetwork and left dominance in the cerebellar-hand subnetwork. Eleven leverage centrality regions were common to all groups, the most relevant were the Precuneus, the cingulum postcentral and the supplementary motor area. In both sexes, hubs at age 12 were detected only in the right hemisphere. This dominance was reduced at age 16. Understanding connectivity changes in the brain during rest may enable the identification of neurophysiological mechanisms of cognitive and behavioral development that may contribute to long-term psychological well-being in adolescents.
Minimalized Erlangen Correction Method by Hümmer (MEK) Compared with Conventional and Minimally Invasive Correction Methods for Pectus Excavatum Single Center Experience
Authors: Denzinger Markus , Reis Wolfertstetter Patricia , Sossau Daniel , Hümmer Hans Peter , Knorr Christian
Published: September 2023

Pectus excavatum (funnel chest) is the most common chest wall deformity in childhood and adolescence with a prevalence in the literature ranging from 1 in 3400 to 1 in 1000. In addition to conservative therapy with a suction cup and physiotherapy to improve posture, fitness, and muscle strength, there are several different surgical techniques, many of which have been improved over time. In evaluating the Minimalized Erlangen Correction Method (MEK), the main purpose of this retrospective analysis is to present the results and to compare them with reports on the Minimally Invasive Repair of Pectus Excavatum (MIRPE) technique, especially regarding long-term patient satisfaction, and with other open surgical methods in terms of operative trauma, as well as flexibility in its application, risk of complications, and patient safety.
Attention Block Based on Binary Pooling
Authors: Chen Chang , Zhang Huaixiang
Published: September 2023

Image classification has become highly significant in the field of computer vision due to its wide array of applications. In recent years, Convolutional Neural Networks (CNN) have emerged as potent tools for addressing this task. Attention mechanisms offer an effective approach to enhance the accuracy of image classification. Despite Global Average Pooling (GAP) being a crucial component of traditional attention mechanisms, it only computes the average of spatial elements in each channel, failing to capture the complete range of feature information, resulting in fewer and less expressive features. To address this limitation, we propose a novel pooling operation named “Binary Pooling” and integrate it into the attention block. Binary pooling combines both GAP and Global Max Pooling (GMP), obtaining a more comprehensive feature vector by extracting average and maximum values, thereby enriching the diversity of extracted image features. Furthermore, to further enhance the extraction of image features, dilation operations and pointwise convolutions are applied on the channel-wise. The proposed attention block is simple yet highly effective. Upon integration into ResNet18/50 models, it leads to accuracy improvements of 2.02%/0.63% on ImageNet.
Composite Panel Damage Classification Based on Guided Waves and Machine Learning: An Experimental Approach
Authors: Perfetto Donato , Rezazadeh Nima , Aversano Antonio , De Luca Alessandro , Lamanna Giuseppe
Published: September 2023

Ultrasonic guided waves (UGW) are widely used in structural health monitoring (SHM) systems due to the sensitivity of their propagation mechanisms to local material changes, i.e., those induced by damage. Post-processing of the signals gathered by piezoelectric sensors, typically used for both the excitation and the sensing of UGW, is a fundamental step to extract all the peculiar features that can be related to both damage location and severity. This research probes the efficacy of machine learning (ML) models in discerning damage location (R-Classification) and size (S-Classification). Seven supervised ML classifiers were examined: Ensemble-Subspace K-Nearest Neighbors (KNN), Ensemble-Bagged Trees, KNN-Fine, Ensemble-Boosted Trees, Support Vector Machine (SVM), Linear Discriminant, and SVM-Quadratic. The experimental dataset comprised measurements from varied reversible damage configurations on a composite panel, represented by wooden cuboids of single and three different sizes. Signal noise was minimized by performing a low-pass filter, and sequence forward selection-aided feature selection. The optimized ensemble classifier proved to be the most precise for R-Classification (95.83% accuracy), while Ensemble-Subspace KNN excelled in S-Classification (98.1% accuracy). This method offers accurate, efficient damage diagnosis and classification in composite structures, promising potential applications in aerospace, automotive, and civil engineering sectors.
Stability Improvement of the Immersed Boundary–Lattice Boltzmann Coupling Scheme by Semi-Implicit Weighting of External Force
Authors: Zhang Chunze , Li Tao , Hou Ji , Zhou Qin , Meng Wanwan , Ma Qian , Peng Peiyi
Published: September 2023

The immersed boundary–lattice Boltzmann (IB-LB) coupling scheme is known as an efficient scheme for fluid–structure interactions (FSIs). However, the conventional IB-LB schemes suffer from instability because they involve a high-Reynolds-number flow or a larger stiffness structure. An averagely weighted iteration approach is presented to improve the stability restriction in this paper. This new approach, which improves the stability by mitigating the high-frequency fluctuations, is implemented by iteratively calculating the external force, and averagely weighting the force obtained at every iterative step. Five cases are simulated to verify the accuracy and effectiveness of the present approach. Under the premise of maintaining the accuracy of the conventional IB-LB method, the implementation of the present approach can significantly enhance the numerical stability. Compared with the conventional IB-LB method, the present approach can significantly expand the material parameter range for simulation; in particular, this approach qualitatively improves the upper limit of the bending rigidity coefficient by approximately 8000 times. To use the outstanding stability of the present approach, the IB inertia force can be directly incorporated into the simulation. In addition, under the low-viscosity condition, the present approach can effectively simulate the large-deformation FSI problem.
A Reconstruction Method for Ionospheric foF2 Spatial Mapping over Australia
Authors: Liu Yiran , Yu Qiao , Shi Yafei , Yang Cheng , Wang Jian
Published: September 2023

To improve the accuracy of predicting the ionospheric critical frequency of the F2 layer (foF2), a reconstruction method for the spatial map of the ionospheric foF2 based on modified geomagnetic dip coordinates is proposed. Based on the strong correlation between the ionospheric foF2 and geomagnetic coordinates, the variation function of ionospheric distance is built. In the end, the spatial map of the ionospheric foF2 is predicted by solving the Kriging equation. The results show that the regional characteristics of the ionospheric foF2 analyzed by the proposed method are consistent with the observations. Compared with the reconstructed value of foF2 using traditional geographic coordinates, the root-mean-square error (RMSE) in high solar activity years decreased by 0.43 MHz, and the relative RMSE decreased by 5.48%; The RMSE decreased by 0.35 MHz during low solar activity which is 5.99% lower to relative RMSE. The research results provide support for high-frequency communication frequency selection.
Analysis and Research on the Differences in Observed Data of Sand–Dust Weather between China and Mongolia
Authors: You Yuan , An Linchang , Li Siteng , Zhang Bihui , Zhang Jianzhong
Published: September 2023

The difference in meteorological factors (such as weather phenomena, wind speed, and visibility) of sand–dust weather between China and Mongolia from 2011 to 2021 was analyzed using meteorological observational data and international exchange of meteorological observation data. Additionally, consistency analysis was performed by integrating satellite retrieval products with meteorological observation data. The results showed that the average annual frequency of sand–dust weather in Mongolia was significantly higher than that in China. In China, the sand–dust weather was mainly characterized by floating dust or blowing dust, while in Mongolia, it was primarily characterized by blowing dust or a sand and dust storm. The average annual wind speed and visibility during sand–dust weather in Mongolia were relatively higher than those in China. Based on the dust grade standard of China, when the floating dust occurred in Mongolia, there were cases with wind speed > level 3 and visibility > 10 km; when the blowing dust or sand and dust storm occurred in Mongolia, there were cases with wind speed ≤ level 3 and visibility > 10 km. In China, the sand–dust weather mainly occurred in the spring, while the sand-dust weather occurred frequently throughout the year in Mongolia. The number of days with dust lasting for 2 days or more in Mongolia exceeded that of China, and Mongolia had a significant impact on the sand–dust weather in China. According to the ground observation data and satellite retrieve products during the dust events, all dust events that significantly affected China and Mongolia during the same period from 2021 to 2022 were classified into three categories; among them, the proportion of types of large-scale sand–dust weather phenomena observed by both satellite and ground observation stations was significantly higher (6 times). By integrating ground observation data and satellite retrieval products and following the dust grade standard of China, the consistent correction of sand–dust weather phenomena was carried out. This laid the foundation for the future development of international dust grade standards and provided technological support for improved dust forecasting services in the Asian region.
GhERF.B4-15D: A Member of ERF Subfamily B4 Group Positively Regulates the Resistance against Verticillium dahliae in Upland Cotton
Authors: Wang Panpan , Zhao Yanpeng , Wu Na , Azhar Muhammad Tehseen , Hou Yuxia , Shang Haihong
Published: September 2023

Verticillium wilt is a fungal disease in upland cotton and exerts a significant effect on growth and potential productivity. This disease is mainly caused by V. dahliae Kleb. Ethylene response factor (ERF) is one of the superfamilies of transcription factors that is involved in the development and environmental adaption of crops. A total of 30 ERF.B4 group members were detected in upland cotton and divided into 6 subgroups. Gene structures, conserved motifs, and domain analysis revealed that members in each subgroup are highly conserved. Further, the 30 GhERF.B4 group members were distributed on 18 chromosomes, and 36 gene synteny relationships were found among them. GhERF.B4 genes were ubiquitously expressed in various tissues and developmental stages of cotton. Amongst them, GhERF.B4-15D was predominantly expressed in roots, and its expression was induced by V. dahliae infection. In addition, GhERF.B4-15D responded to methyl jasmonate (MeJA), methyl salicylate (MeSA), and ethylene (ET) phytohormones. It was also found that the V. dahliae resistance was enhanced due to overexpression of GhERF.B4-15D in Arabidopsis thaliana. On the contrary, interference of GhERF.B4-15D by virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) technology decreased the V. dahliae resistance level in upland cotton. The subcellular localization experiment showed that GhERF.B4-15D was located in the nucleus. Yeast two-hybrid (Y2H) and luciferase complementation (LUC) approaches demonstrated that GhERF.B4-15D interacted with GhDREB1B. Additionally, the V. dahliae resistance was significantly decreased in GhDREB1B knockdowns. Our results showed that GhERF.B4-15D plays a role during V. dahliae infection in cotton.
LFVB-BioSLAM: A Bionic SLAM System with a Light-Weight LiDAR Front End and a Bio-Inspired Visual Back End
Authors: Gao Ruilan , Wan Zeyu , Guo Sitong , Jiang Changjian , Zhang Yu
Published: September 2023

Simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) is one of the crucial techniques applied in autonomous robot navigation. The majority of present popular SLAM algorithms are built within probabilistic optimization frameworks, achieving high accuracy performance at the expense of high power consumption and latency. In contrast to robots, animals are born with the capability to efficiently and robustly navigate in nature, and bionic SLAM algorithms have received increasing attention recently. Current bionic SLAM algorithms, including RatSLAM, with relatively low accuracy and robustness, tend to fail in certain challenging environments. In order to design a bionic SLAM system with a novel framework and relatively high practicality, and to facilitate the development of bionic SLAM research, in this paper we present LFVB-BioSLAM, a bionic SLAM system with a light-weight LiDAR-based front end and a bio-inspired vision-based back end. We adopt a range flow-based LiDAR odometry as the front end of the SLAM system, providing the odometry estimation for the back end, and we propose a biologically-inspired back end processing algorithm based on the monocular RGB camera, performing loop closure detection and path integration. Our method is verified through real-world experiments, and the results show that LFVB-BioSLAM outperforms RatSLAM, a vision-based bionic SLAM algorithm, and RF2O, a laser-based horizontal planar odometry algorithm, in terms of accuracy and robustness.
Landmark Distance Impacts the Overshadowing Effect in Spatial Learning Using a Virtual Water Maze Task with Healthy Adults
Authors: Deery Róisín , Commins Seán
Published: September 2023

Cue competition is a key element of many associative theories of learning. Overshadowing, an important aspect of cue competition, is a phenomenon in which learning about a cue is reduced when it is accompanied by a second cue. Overshadowing has been observed across many domains, but there has been limited investigation of overshadowing in human spatial learning. This experiment explored overshadowing using two landmarks/cues (at different distances to the goal) in a virtual water maze task with young, healthy adult participants. Experiment 1 initially examined whether the cues used were equally salient. Results indicated that both gained equal control over performance. In experiment 2, overshadowing was examined using the two cues from experiment 1. Results indicated that overshadowing occurred during spatial learning and that the near cue controlled searching significantly more than the far cue. Furthermore, the far cue appeared to have been completely ignored, suggesting that learning strategies requiring the least amount of effort were employed by participants. Evidence supporting an associative account of human spatial navigation and the influence of proximal cues was discussed.
Assessment of Photocatalytic Nano-TiO2 Mortars’ Behavior When Exposed to Simulated Indoor Conditions of Glazed Buildings
Authors: Casarin Roberta Picanço , Bersch Jéssica Deise , Maia Joana , Masuero Angela Borges , Dal Molin Denise Carpena Coitinho
Published: September 2023

The application of nano-TiO2 as a photocatalytic agent in buildings’ internal surfaces has recently attracted attention to mitigate microorganism growth, soiling, and contamination in indoor environments. This work aimed at comparing the Rhodamine B (RhB) dye degradation efficiency of three different mortar compositions subjected to simulated internal radiation, in which nano-TiO2 (10 wt% of binder mass) was dispersed by ultrasonic and mechanical methods. Mortar specimens were produced with white Portland cement, hydrated lime, sand, and water in different volume proportions of 1:1:6 (cement:lime:sand), 1:3 (cement:sand), and 1:4 (cement:sand). The first stage of the research evaluated samples exposed to the natural outdoor environment and proved the efficiency of specimens’ photoactivity when covered by a glass layer. The second and principal phase of the study simulated indoor conditions in glazed buildings through artificial weathering in which the composition of 1:1:6 was mechanically dispersed and exhibited the highest global color change (ΔE) values for RhB staining. The main finding of the study was that the mortars exposed to simulated indoor conditions presented high ΔE grades, classified as easily perceived by the human eye. This demonstrates the photocatalytic efficiency in an internal building environment that receives radiation through a glass surface.
Utilisation of Machine Learning Techniques to Model Creep Behaviour of Low-Carbon Concretes
Authors: Bouras Yanni , Li Le
Published: September 2023

Low-carbon concrete mixes that incorporate high volumes of fly ash and slag as cement replacements are becoming increasingly more common as part of efforts to decarbonise the construction industry. Though environmental benefits are offered, concretes containing supplementary cementitious materials exhibit different creep behaviour when compared to conventional concrete. Creep can significantly impact long-term structural behaviour and influence the overall serviceability and durability of concrete structures. This paper develops a creep compliance prediction model using supervised machine learning techniques for concretes containing fly ash and slag as cement substitutes. Gaussian process regression (GPR), artificial neural networks (ANN), random forest regression (RFR) and decision tree regression (DTR) models were all considered. The dataset for model training was developed by mining relevant data from the Infrastructure Technology Institute of Northwestern University’s comprehensive creep dataset in addition to extracting data from the literature. Holdout validation was adopted with the data partitioned into training (70%) and validation (30%) sets. Based on statistical indicators, all machine learning models can accurately model creep compliance with the RFR and GPR found to be the best-performing models. The sensitivity of the GPR model’s performance to training repetitions, input variable selection and validation methodology was assessed, with the results indicating small variability. The importance of the selected input variables was analysed using the Shapley additive explanation. It was found that time was the most significant parameter, with loading age, compressive strength, elastic modulus, volume-to-surface ratio and relative humidity also showing high importance. Fly ash and silica fume content featured the least influence on creep prediction. Furthermore, the predictions of the trained models were compared to experimental data, which showed that the GPR, RFR and ANN models can accurately reflect creep behaviour and that the DTR model does not give accurate predictions.
Evaluation of Ultra-High-Performance Concrete Columns at High Temperatures after 180 Days of Curing
Authors: Christ Roberto , Lerner Lucas Rafael , Ehrenbring Hinoel Z. , Pacheco Fernanda , Bolina Fabricio L. , Poleto Giovana , Gil Augusto Masiero , Tutikian Bernardo F.
Published: September 2023

Ultra-high-performance concrete (UHPC) is a material that has high compactness, low porosity, and high mechanical strength, with especially high tensile strength. Due to these characteristics, the behavior of the material when exposed to high temperatures is debatable. The high amount of fibers in the mixture, which makes UHPC present a high tensile strength, is seen as one of the arguments for the good performance of the material when exposed to high temperatures. The objective of this study was to evaluate the behaviors of ultra-high-performance concrete columns with hybrid steel and polypropylene fibers and no loose reinforcements when subjected to elevated temperatures after 180 days of curing. The exposure of concrete with a low age, less than 90 days, to high temperatures results in greater damage to the concrete due to spalling, and because of this, this study sought to evaluate the UHPC with a higher age. Two columns were manufactured with a cross-section of 250 mm × 250 mm and a height of 2800 mm. A heating regime followed the heating curve of standard ISO 834-1. The physical characteristics of the samples were evaluated during and after exposure to high temperatures with measurements of the decreases in the cross-section and surface aspect. Effects on the compressive strength, modulus of elasticity, and apparent density were evaluated with cylindrical test bodies of 100 mm in diameter and 200 mm in height. These samples were cured for 180 days, subjected to the same heating regime, and evaluated after cooling. The results showed an increase in the compressive strength with an increasing temperature up to a factor of 30% at a temperature of 400 °C. The modulus of elasticity and apparent density decreased gradually as the temperature increased, with maximum decreases of 29% and 6%, respectively. Throughout heating, audible cracks were heard from the columns because of spalling. The spalling frequency peaked at an oven temperature of 600 °C, and testing was suspended at 78 min after the complete rupture of a column section. On average, 46.5% of the column cross-sections suffered from spalling.
Research on the Influence of Nonmorphological Elements’ Cognition on Architectural Design Education in Universities: Third Year Architecture Core Studio in Special Topics “Urban Village Renovation Design”
Authors: Qiu Zhi , Wang Su , Chen Xiang , Xiang Xingwei , Chen Qingqing , Kong Junqiao
Published: September 2023

This study focuses on the topic of “Urban Village Renovation Design” under the complex and diversified social needs in the third year of the architecture undergraduate program at Zhejiang University, China. Based on the theory and method of “situational teaching,” this study proposes a teaching framework integrating the investigation and cognition of nonmorphological elements, such as historical background, economic structure, social structure, public service, and human needs. The study aims to reveal the analysis and response of site investigation and architectural programming to social needs in the realistic context, and take nonmorphological elements as one of the important factors to promote the rationality and authenticity of architectural design, standardize the teaching process in the form of the teaching framework, and realize the teaching goal of solving social needs by design. Qualitative analyses are used to evaluate whether the proposed teaching framework achieves the expected teaching effects according to Bloom’s Taxonomy. We then use the Kirkpatrick model to quantitatively evaluate the specific effects of the framework, and the differences in the positive effects of nonmorphological elements on teaching are explored. In addition, regression analysis is used to discuss ways of obtaining nonmorphological elements. The results show that the teaching framework is a feasible method to improve students’ understanding of social problems and implement reasonable architectural programming that integrates nonmorphological elements in the architectural design course. To some extent, this teaching framework addresses the neglect of nonmorphological elements in traditional Chinese architectural design teaching, and forms an experience-based teaching methodology that can be used to guide architectural design teaching on other topics. This study is helpful in exploring the value and potential of nonmorphological elements in architectural design and provides a reference for college teachers engaged in architectural programming and design teaching.
Mechanical Properties of Dahurian Larch Wood under Cyclic Loading: Experiments and Constitutive Model
Authors: Zhang Lipeng , Xie Qifang , Han Yonggang , Wang Yingjin , Wu Yajie
Published: September 2023

This article presents a study on the mechanical properties and constitutive model of Dahurian larch wood under parallel-to-grain (ParG) and perpendicular-to-grain (PerG) cyclic loading. A total of twenty-four dog-bone specimens were designed and prepared. Failure modes, stress–strain curves, elastic moduli under monotonic loading, and unloading/reloading moduli under cyclic loading were analyzed. Results indicated that the tensile and compressive envelope curves of wood under cyclic loading are similar to the monotonic stress–strain curves. The unloading and reverse reloading stiffness of wood are significantly degraded in both material directions. Furthermore, a constitutive model that is capable of considering the degradation of cyclic compression unloading stiffness and the change in reverse compression (tension) stiffness after tension (compression) unloading was proposed. A comprehensive comparison with test results was conducted, and they are in good agreement. Thus, the correctness of the proposed constitutive model is verified.
To Achieve Goal Alignment by Inter-Organizational Incentives: A Case Study of a Hydropower Project
Authors: Wang Yunhong , Hu Senchang , Lee Hyun Woo , Tang Wenzhe , Shen Wenxin , Qiang Maoshan
Published: September 2023

Although the use of incentives has been widely recognized as an effective project management tool, its application still needs specific exploration. Existing research on incentives mainly focuses on intra-organizational incentives, lacking systematic research with empirical evidence from the perspective of the inter-organizational level. To fill this research gap, this study conducted an in-depth investigation into the application and impacts of inter-organizational incentives by studying a typical case of a hydropower project. In this case, a series of innovative inter-organizational incentives, involving a multiple contractual incentive scheme concerning schedule, quality, safety, as well as environmental performance, is applied. Using a mixed methodology that included a document review, a questionnaire survey, and interviews, this case study revealed that inter-organizational incentives could effectively help promote goal alignment, stimulate cooperative inter-organizational relationships, and improve project performance. This research developed a novel classification of inter-organizational incentives and emphasized the importance of non-contractual and informal incentives, which were ignored in previous research. The results further highlight that while incentivized organizations generally value incentives according to their monetary intensity, their prioritization of goals is determined by various factors. Therefore, to achieve project goal alignment, the optimization of incentive schemes should comprehensively consider a variety of influencing factors rather than merely focusing on monetary intensity. These findings will help both academic researchers and industrial practitioners design and execute effective inter-organizational incentives for superior project performance, especially for those projects that pursue high sustainable performance with safety and environmental performance included.
Radiomics: The New Promise for Differentiating Progression, Recurrence, Pseudoprogression, and Radionecrosis in Glioma and Glioblastoma Multiforme
Authors: Alizadeh Mohammadreza , Broomand Lomer Nima , Azami Mobin , Khalafi Mohammad , Shobeiri Parnian , Arab Bafrani Melika , Sotoudeh Houman
Published: September 2023

Glioma and glioblastoma multiform (GBM) remain among the most debilitating and life-threatening brain tumors. Despite advances in diagnosing approaches, patient follow-up after treatment (surgery and chemoradiation) is still challenging for differentiation between tumor progression/recurrence, pseudoprogression, and radionecrosis. Radiomics emerges as a promising tool in initial diagnosis, grading, and survival prediction in patients with glioma and can help differentiate these post-treatment scenarios. Preliminary published studies are promising about the role of radiomics in post-treatment glioma/GBM. However, this field faces significant challenges, including a lack of evidence-based solid data, scattering publication, heterogeneity of studies, and small sample sizes. The present review explores radiomics’s capabilities in following patients with glioma/GBM status post-treatment and to differentiate tumor progression, recurrence, pseudoprogression, and radionecrosis.
Linking Adiposity to Interstitial Lung Disease: The Role of the Dysfunctional Adipocyte and Inflammation
Authors: Macklin Michael , Thompson Chelsea , Kawano-Dourado Leticia , Bauer Ventura Iazsmin , Weschenfelder Camila , Trostchansky Andrés , Marcadenti Aline , Tighe Robert M.
Published: September 2023

Adipose tissue has functions beyond its principal functions in energy storage, including endocrine and immune functions. When faced with a surplus of energy, the functions of adipose tissue expand by mechanisms that can be both adaptive and detrimental. These detrimental adipose tissue functions can alter normal hormonal signaling and promote local and systemic inflammation with wide-ranging consequences. Although the mechanisms by which adipose tissue triggers metabolic dysfunction and local inflammation have been well described, little is known about the relationship between adiposity and the pathogenesis of chronic lung conditions, such as interstitial lung disease (ILD). In this review, we detail the conditions and mechanisms by which adipose tissue becomes dysfunctional and relate this dysfunction to inflammatory changes observed in various forms of ILD. Finally, we review the existing basic and clinical science literature linking adiposity to ILD, highlighting the need for additional research on the mechanisms of adipocyte-mediated inflammation in ILD and its clinical implications.
The Dual Role of the Airway Epithelium in Asthma: Active Barrier and Regulator of Inflammation
Authors: Frey Andreas , Lunding Lars P. , Wegmann Michael
Published: September 2023

Chronic airway inflammation is the cornerstone on which bronchial asthma arises, and in turn, chronic inflammation arises from a complex interplay between environmental factors such as allergens and pathogens and immune cells as well as structural cells constituting the airway mucosa. Airway epithelial cells (AECs) are at the center of these processes. On the one hand, they represent the borderline separating the body from its environment in order to keep inner homeostasis. The airway epithelium forms a multi-tiered, self-cleaning barrier that involves an unstirred, discontinuous mucous layer, the dense and rigid mesh of the glycocalyx, and the cellular layer itself, consisting of multiple, densely interconnected cell types. On the other hand, the airway epithelium represents an immunologically highly active tissue once its barrier has been penetrated: AECs play a pivotal role in releasing protective immunoglobulin A. They express a broad spectrum of pattern recognition receptors, enabling them to react to environmental stressors that overcome the mucosal barrier. By releasing alarmins—proinflammatory and regulatory cytokines—AECs play an active role in the formation, strategic orientation, and control of the subsequent defense reaction. Consequently, the airway epithelium is of vital importance to chronic inflammatory diseases, such as asthma.
Diverse Roles of Protein Palmitoylation in Cancer Progression, Immunity, Stemness, and Beyond
Authors: Li Mingli , Zhang Leisi , Chen Chun-Wei
Published: September 2023

Protein S-palmitoylation, a type of post-translational modification, refers to the reversible process of attachment of a fatty acyl chain—a 16-carbon palmitate acid—to the specific cysteine residues on target proteins. By adding the lipid chain to proteins, it increases the hydrophobicity of proteins and modulates protein stability, interaction with effector proteins, subcellular localization, and membrane trafficking. Palmitoylation is catalyzed by a group of zinc finger DHHC-containing proteins (ZDHHCs), whereas depalmitoylation is catalyzed by a family of acyl-protein thioesterases. Increasing numbers of oncoproteins and tumor suppressors have been identified to be palmitoylated, and palmitoylation is essential for their functions. Understanding how palmitoylation influences the function of individual proteins, the physiological roles of palmitoylation, and how dysregulated palmitoylation leads to pathological consequences are important drivers of current research in this research field. Further, due to the critical roles in modifying functions of oncoproteins and tumor suppressors, targeting palmitoylation has been used as a candidate therapeutic strategy for cancer treatment. Here, based on recent literatures, we discuss the progress of investigating roles of palmitoylation in regulating cancer progression, immune responses against cancer, and cancer stem cell properties.
Role of Mitochondria in the Regulation of Effector Functions of Granulocytes
Authors: Vorobjeva Nina V. , Chelombitko Maria A. , Sud’ina Galina F. , Zinovkin Roman A. , Chernyak Boris V.
Published: September 2023

Granulocytes (neutrophils, eosinophils, and basophils) are the most abundant circulating cells in the innate immune system. Circulating granulocytes, primarily neutrophils, can cross the endothelial barrier and activate various effector mechanisms to combat invasive pathogens. Eosinophils and basophils also play an important role in allergic reactions and antiparasitic defense. Granulocytes also regulate the immune response, wound healing, and tissue repair by releasing of various cytokines and lipid mediators. The effector mechanisms of granulocytes include the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), degranulation, phagocytosis, and the formation of DNA-containing extracellular traps. Although all granulocytes are primarily glycolytic and have only a small number of mitochondria, a growing body of evidence suggests that mitochondria are involved in all effector functions as well as in the production of cytokines and lipid mediators and in apoptosis. It has been shown that the production of mitochondrial ROS controls signaling pathways that mediate the activation of granulocytes by various stimuli. In this review, we will briefly discuss the data on the role of mitochondria in the regulation of effector and other functions of granulocytes.
Ubiquitin Ligase Nrdp1 Controls Autophagy-Associated Acrosome Biogenesis and Mitochondrial Arrangement during Spermiogenesis
Authors: Luo Zi-Yu , Jiang Tian-Xia , Zhang Tao , Xu Ping , Qiu Xiao-Bo
Published: September 2023

Autophagy is critical to acrosome biogenesis and mitochondrial quality control, but the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. The ubiquitin ligase Nrdp1/RNF41 promotes ubiquitination of the mitophagy-associated Parkin and interacts with the pro-autophagic protein SIP/CacyBP. Here, we report that global deletion of Nrdp1 leads to formation of the round-headed sperm and male infertility by disrupting autophagy. Quantitative proteome analyses demonstrated that the expression of many proteins associated with mitochondria, lysosomes, and acrosomes was dysregulated in either spermatids or sperm of the Nrdp1-deficient mice. Deletion of Nrdp1 increased the levels of Parkin but decreased the levels of SIP, the mitochondrial fission protein Drp1 and the mitochondrial protein Tim23 in sperm, accompanied by the inhibition of autophagy, the impairment of acrosome biogenesis and the disruption of mitochondrial arrangement in sperm. Thus, our results uncover an essential role of Nrdp1 in spermiogenesis and male fertility by promoting autophagy, providing important clues to cope with the related male reproductive diseases.
Model Organisms to Study Autophagy
Authors: Xiong Qiuhong , Eichinger Ludwig
Published: September 2023

Autophagy is the major lysosomal pathway for the clearance of proteins, organelles and microbes in eukaryotic cells. Therefore, autophagic dysfunction can lead to numerous human diseases, like cancer or neurodegeneration, and may facilitate infections by pathogens. However, despite tremendous advances in the understanding of autophagy over the past decades, the functions and regulations of autophagy-related proteins in canonical and non-canonical autophagy are still not fully resolved. The Special Issue “Model Organisms to Study Autophagy” organized by Cells includes six original articles and one review that show the latest achievements in autophagy research using different model organisms. The Special Issue summarizes and discusses different aspects of autophagy that open new avenues in understanding autophagy functions and mechanisms.
Modulation and Regulation of Canonical Transient Receptor Potential 3 (TRPC3) Channels
Authors: Cole Bethan A. , Becker Esther B. E.
Published: September 2023

Canonical transient receptor potential 3 (TRPC3) channel is a non-selective cation permeable channel that plays an essential role in calcium signalling. TRPC3 is highly expressed in the brain and also found in endocrine tissues and smooth muscle cells. The channel is activated directly by binding of diacylglycerol downstream of G-protein coupled receptor activation. In addition, TRPC3 is regulated by endogenous factors including Ca2+ ions, other endogenous lipids, and interacting proteins. The molecular and structural mechanisms underlying activation and regulation of TRPC3 are incompletely understood. Recently, several high-resolution cryogenic electron microscopy structures of TRPC3 and the closely related channel TRPC6 have been resolved in different functional states and in the presence of modulators, coupled with mutagenesis studies and electrophysiological characterisation. Here, we review the recent literature which has advanced our understanding of the complex mechanisms underlying modulation of TRPC3 by both endogenous and exogenous factors. TRPC3 plays an important role in Ca2+ homeostasis and entry into cells throughout the body, and both pathological variants and downstream dysregulation of TRPC3 channels have been associated with a number of diseases. As such, TRPC3 may be a valuable therapeutic target, and understanding its regulatory mechanisms will aid future development of pharmacological modulators of the channel.