bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Public Preferences for Surgeon Gender in Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Analysis
Authors: Hakami Nasser A. , Al-Musawa Hafiz I. , Alharbi Ali I. , Marwahi Nawaf A. , Almutlaq Abdulaziz S. , Alghamdi Rayan A. , Alshammari Sadeem M. , Almalki Abdulaziz A. , Mojiri Mohammed E. , Mahzara Naif K. , Hakami Amro A. , Nemri Abdulrhman A.
Published: June 2024

Background: Gender equity in healthcare ensures equal access to services and resources for all individuals, regardless of gender. Studies show that patients’ gender influences their healthcare experiences and decisions, and societal gender preferences impact surgeon selection. Therefore, the objective of this study was to address the surgeons’ gender preferences among Saudi Arabia’s population. Methods: This study used a cross-sectional research design and survey methodology to gather data from a representative sample of adults aged 18 and older from the general population in Saudi Arabia. This study used SPSS version 26 for statistical data entry and analysis, employing descriptive and inferential statistics, frequency distributions, descriptive statistics, and multivariate analysis using multiple logistic regression for variables significantly associated with population gender in univariate analysis. Results: This study involved 2085 participants, with 51.2% aged 18–25, 18.4% aged 26–35, 16.7% aged 36–45, and 13.8% aged 45 and above. The majority were Saudi Arabian, with a majority holding a university degree. The majority worked in the healthcare sector, while the remaining 29.7% were unemployed. This study found that there were significant gender preferences among survey respondents for different types of surgical procedures. Male participants preferred male surgeons for routine non-emergency visits and sensitive obstetric, genital, sexual, and minor procedures (p < 0.001). Female participants, on the other hand, had no preference for emergency surgeries and major surgical procedures (p < 0.001). This study found that participants were more likely to prefer female surgeons for regular non-emergency visits to the surgery clinic (p < 0.001; aOR = 2.344). Additionally, participants had a high preference for female surgeons for sensitive cases (p < 0.001; aOR = 7.064) and minor surgical procedures (p < 0.001; aOR = 2.489). Conclusion: This study underscores the significance of cognizance and the incorporation of a patient’s gender preferences when selecting surgical procedures, thus fostering an environment that is more accommodating and focused on the patient.
What Self-Management Skills Do Turkish Caregivers Have in Caring for People with Dementia? Results of a Qualitative Survey
Authors: Yilmaz-Aslan Yüce , Annac Kübra , Aksakal Tugba , Yilmaz Hüriyet , Merz Sibille , Wahidie Diana , Razum Oliver , Brzoska Patrick , Tezcan-Güntekin Hürrem
Published: June 2024

Family caregivers can be overwhelmed by the care they provide within the family without external support. The development of self-management skills and the associated ability to actively and responsibly manage one’s own health or illness situation therefore plays a vital role in the home care of people living with dementia. As part of an individualized intervention for family caregivers of people of Turkish origin with dementia, existing self-management skills were examined through qualitative interviews to gain insight into health literacy and empowerment in caregiving and in interviewees’ own practices to maintain their health. Ten caregivers of Turkish origin who were responsible for family members living with dementia were interviewed using problem-centered interviews. We found that the target group has very heterogeneous self-management competencies, which are based, on the one hand, on existing supportive resources and, on the other hand, on diverse care-specific, psychosocial and life-world challenges in intrafamily care that have not been overcome. Self-management skills in family caregivers are influenced by a complex interplay of both available resources that support these skills and challenging caregiving situations. This dynamic combination of resources and challenges results in varying levels of self-management ability among family caregivers. Strengthening resources can help caregivers to meet the challenges resulting from caregiving and to expand their self-management competencies. There is great need for action in promoting self-management skills among Turkish caregivers of people living with dementia in home care. Interventions to promote self-management skills must take into account the individual resources of those affected as well as their social and cultural diversity.
Factors for Customers’ AI Use Readiness in Physical Retail Stores: The Interplay of Consumer Attitudes and Gender Differences
Authors: Kolar Nina , Milfelner Borut , Pisnik Aleksandra
Published: June 2024

In addressing the nuanced interplay between consumer attitudes and Artificial Intelligence (AI) use readiness in physical retail stores, the main objective of this study is to test the impacts of prior experience, as well as perceived risks with AI technologies, self-assessment of consumers’ ability to manage AI technologies, and the moderator role of gender in this relationship. Using a quantitative cross-sectional survey, data from 243 consumers familiar with AI technologies were analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM) methods to explore these dynamics in the context of physical retail stores. Additionally, the moderating impacts were tested after the invariance analysis across both gender groups. Key findings indicate that positive prior experience with AI technologies positively influences AI use readiness in physical retail stores, while perceived risks with AI technologies serve as a deterrent. Gender differences significantly moderate these effects, with perceived risks with AI technologies more negatively impacting women’s AI use readiness and self-assessment of the ability to manage AI technologies showing a stronger positive impact on men’s AI use readiness. The study concludes that retailers must consider these gender-specific perceptions and attitudes toward AI to develop more effective strategies for technology integration. Our research also highlights the need to address gender-specific barriers and biases when adopting AI technology.
An Overview of Methods to Enhance the Environmental Performance of Cement-Based Materials
Authors: Suarez-Riera Daniel , Restuccia Luciana , Falliano Devid , Ferro Giuseppe Andrea , Tuliani Jean-Marc , Pavese Matteo , Lavagna Luca
Published: June 2024

Urbanization and demographic growth have led to increased global energy consumption in recent years. Furthermore, construction products and materials industries have contributed significantly to this increase in fossil fuel use, due to their significant energy requirements, and consequent environmental impact, during the extraction and processing of raw materials. To address this environmental problem, architectural design and civil engineering are trying to implement strategies that enable the use of high-performance materials while minimizing the usage of energy-intensive or toxic and dangerous building materials. These efforts also aim to make buildings less energy-consuming during their useful life. Using waste materials, such as Construction and Demolition Waste (CdW), is one of the most promising approaches to address this issue. In recent years, the European Union (EU) has supported recovery strategies focused on using CdW, as they account for more than 30% of the total waste production in the EU. In this regard, reuse techniques—such as incorporating concrete fragments and bricks as road floor fillers—have been the subject of targeted scientific research. This review will outline various strategies for producing green cement and concrete, particularly emphasizing the reuse of Construction and Demolition Waste (CdW).
Pheromone-Based Mating Disruption of Conogethes punctiferalis (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) in Chestnut Orchards
Authors: Kim Junheon , Jung Seongchae , Kim Young Un
Published: June 2024

Chestnuts (Castanea crenata Siebold and Zucc.) are one of the major agroforestry products in Korea, and Conogethes punctiferalis is a major pest of the chestnut fruit. Pheromone-based mating disruption (MD) has emerged as a promising eco-friendly approach to reduce population levels and ultimately mitigate fruit damage. Field trials were conducted over two years (2022–2023) in two commercial chestnut orchards in Central Korea that were infested with C. punctiferalis. Compared with the control treatment, the MD treatment effectively reduced the number of male C. punctiferalis captured in the MD treatment plots. Male catch inhibition (MCI) rates ranged from 70.5% to 82.7% in 2022 and from 87.8% to 95.1% in 2023. The MD efficacy (%) was calculated based on the total number of chestnut fruits collected and the number of fruits damaged by C. punctiferalis. In 2022, the MD efficacy of the single-dosage treatment (TS, 50 g/ha) was 63.9% in Orchard A and 73.6% in Orchard B. In 2023, the MD efficacies of the double-dosage treatment (TD, 100 g/ha) and the two-application treatment (TT, 50 g/ha in June and August) were 60.2% and 77.9% in Orchard A and 50.9% and 64.8% in Orchard B, respectively. This study confirms the efficacy of pheromone-based MD in reducing the C. punctiferalis numbers in chestnut orchards and damage to chestnut fruits.
Adaptive Distributed Heterogeneous Formation Control for UAV-USVs with Input Quantization
Authors: Ning Jun , Huang Yuyang , Liu Zihan , Li Wei , Yue Xingwang
Published: June 2024

This paper investigates the cooperative formation trajectory tracking problem for heterogeneous unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) and multiple unmanned surface vessel (USV) systems with input quantization performance. Firstly, at the kinematic level, a distributed guidance law based on an extended state observer (ESO) is designed to compensate for the unknown speed of neighbor agents for expected trajectory tracking, and subsequently at the dynamic level, an ESO is utilized to estimate model uncertainties and environmental disturbances. Following that, a linear analytic model is employed to depict the input quantization process, and the corresponding adaptive quantization controller is designed without necessitating prior information on quantization parameters. Based on the input-to-state stability, the stability of the proposed control structure is proved, and all the signals in the closed-loop system are ultimately bounded. Finally, a simulation study is provided to show the efficacy of the proposed strategy.
Amphiatlantic Dolphins’ Prey: Indicators of Speciation, Trophic Competition and Global Warming? A Review
Authors: Olaya-Ponzone Liliana , Ruíz Rocío Espada , Domínguez Daniel Patón , García-Gómez José Carlos
Published: June 2024

A review of the prey of three amphiatlantic dolphin species, Tursiops truncatus, Stenella coeruleoalba and Delphinus delphis, is carried out. The main objective of this work is to review the feeding of these species in the Atlantic in order to assess the degrees of trophic competition and speciation pressure. A total of 103 fish families, 22 cephalopod families and 19 crustacean families have been counted, from which the species identified to the genus level only included seventy-one fish, twenty cephalopods and five crustaceans, and the total species identified included three-hundred-one fish, fifty cephalopods and twenty-six crustaceans. The most consumed prey were fish, followed by cephalopods and crustaceans. The exclusive prey consumed by each of the three dolphin species, as well as those shared by all or at least two of them, have also been counted. T. truncatus is the most general; however, the western Atlantic populations exhibit high dietary specialization compared to the eastern Atlantic populations, reflecting strong speciation pressure on both sides of the Atlantic. D. delphis and S. coeruleoalba, despite their amphiatlantism, have hardly been studied in the western Atlantic, except for a few references in the southern hemisphere, so the fundamental differences between the two species and their comparison with T. truncatus have been established with records from the eastern Atlantic. All three dolphin species have been observed to be expanding, especially D. delphis. This northward expansion and that of their prey is discussed.
Method in Selecting Vehicles for Interventions and Surveillance of Navigation Safety at Sea
Authors: Vukić Luka , Vidov Joško , Karin Ivan
Published: June 2024

Selecting a vehicle to monitor navigational safety is an important goal, especially in search and rescue operations. It depends on the criteria set and the type of equipment in use. The study aimed to select the optimal vehicle according to the optimal criterion. In the decision-making, the AHP method was used to analyze and rank the selection criteria and vehicle types. As the most important criterion, the results point to reliability in different weather conditions and the SAR vessel as the first choice for interventions and monitoring navigational safety in Croatia. In the selection process, the AHP methodology pointed directly to the significant inconsistency of the expert group and indirectly to the need for more careful selection of members, additional training, and a broader selection of criteria and equipment.
A Self-Adaptive Compression Method for Ship Trajectories without Threshold Setting
Authors: Zhang Lihua , Zhou Yinfei , Tang Lulu , Jia Shuaidong , Dai Zeyuan
Published: June 2024

Addressing the shortcomings of existing ship trajectory compression methods that rely on the empirical setting of a fixed threshold and face challenges in controlling the spatial similarity before and after compression, this paper proposes a self-adaptive compression method for ship trajectories that does not require threshold setting. Initially, a hierarchical and sequential tree structure based on the trajectory characteristics is constructed to determine the importance of a ship’s trajectory points. Subsequently, the dynamic time warping (DTW) operator is introduced to assess the spatial similarity of the trajectory before and after compression, exploring the laws governing similarity variations in the step changes during the compression process from lower to higher levels of the hierarchical and sequential sequence. Finally, the trajectory point that causes the largest step change in similarity within the hierarchical and sequential sequence is identified, and points at lower levels than this point are discarded, thus achieving the objective of self-adaptive adjustment of the level of compression. Our case study results demonstrate that, compared with existing ship trajectory compression methods based on empirically set thresholds, the proposed method has the following advantages: (1) it does not require presetting a fixed threshold and adaptively determines the degree of compression by identifying the trajectory point that leads to the largest step change in similarity, and (2) under the condition of a similar data compression rate, the DTW calculation value is reduced by approximately 25%, significantly enhancing the similarity of the trajectory before and after compression.
Computational Fluid Dynamics Investigation of the Spacing of the Aerodynamic Characteristics for Multiple Wingsails on Ships
Authors: Wang Hongming , Li Chen , Zuo Caibao , Yuan Junfu , Wu Binxin
Published: June 2024

Wind energy, as an inexhaustible energy source, has become a focal point in the development of new energy for ships. Sail-assisted technology, which leverages wind power, has been successfully applied to ship propulsion. The propulsion performance of sail-assisted ships is affected by the interference characteristics among multiple wingsails. To investigate interference characteristics, an arrangement scheme involving two-element wingsails and considering the relative wind direction angle was established. To obtain the inter-stage interference characteristics of wingsails, the Reynolds average N-S equation was used in the numerical simulation conducted under steady operating conditions. The results indicate that, at the relative wind angles of 30°, 90°, and 120°, the minimum horizontal spacing in a single row arrangement scheme is 1.5c. However, at relative wind angles of 90° and 120°, inter-stage interference may induce stall conditions in the wingsails. In a double-row arrangement scheme, the wake of the upstream wingsail interferes with the flow of the downstream sail at relative wind angles of 90°. An optimal propulsion performance is achieved with a horizontal spacing of 4c and a longitudinal spacing of 10c. Moreover, the interference performance of the two-element wingsails can be enhanced through a horizontal offset arrangement. This study provides a reference for the arrangement of wingsails on ships.
Numerical and Experimental Analysis of Lifting Forces of Fin Stabilizers with Fin–Hull Interaction
Authors: Fan Qidong , Yu Long , Wang Xuefeng
Published: June 2024

A fin stabilizer is one of the most effective and frequently used anti-roll devices for maintaining a ship’s operational safety and passengers’ comfort. However, the discrepancy between theoretical hydrofoil-based predictions and the actual dynamic lift force of fin stabilizers due to fin–hull interactions requires more research attention. This study investigates the effect of fin stabilizers on mitigating roll motion through the performance of extensive computational fluid dynamic (CFD) simulations over a range of fin angles and ship speeds. Model tests were carried out to validate the drag and motion results obtained from numerical analyses. The results show that fin stabilizers significantly reduce the roll motion, with the lift coefficient values influenced by the Reynolds number, leading to differences between the theoretical and Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) calculations. At a high Froude number (Fr), the actual fin lift is about half of the theoretical value. These findings highlight the requirement of selecting an adequate fin area at the predominant ship speeds and ensuring an effective anti-roll effect with fin–hull interaction. This study provides a significant reference for ship design, as well as stabilization system control and optimization.
Bridging Discoveries and Treatments: The New Landscape of Breast Cancer Research
Authors: Hu Taobo , Wang Lei , Autelli Riccardo , Long Mengping
Published: June 2024

Welcome to our Special Issue, “Advances in Breast Cancer Research and Treatment” of Life, where we have embarked on a comprehensive exploration of groundbreaking studies that advance our understanding and management of breast cancer [...]
Cardiac Computed Tomography Identification of the Septal Vein—A Small Retrospective Study
Authors: Chon Min Ku , Choo Ki Seok , Kim June Hong
Published: June 2024

Background: The advancement of medical interventions towards minimally invasive procedures highlights the crucial role of precise pre-procedural evaluation, particularly in catheter-based treatments for heart and cardiovascular conditions. This study investigates innovative techniques such as mitral loop cerclage (MLC) and transcatheter intramyocardial radiofrequency ablation (TIRA), emphasizing the importance of preprocedural cardiac CT scans for accurate anatomical guidance in these emerging therapies. Purpose: The objective of this study was to assess the cardiac cycle through examination of the proximal septal vein (ps) for mitral loop cerclage and the distal septal vein (ds) for transcatheter intramyocardial radiofrequency ablation. Materials and Methods: Forty patients (mean age 59.4 ± 14.7 years) undergoing third-generation dual-source computed tomography (DSCT) for chest pain evaluation were enrolled. CT scans, utilizing dual-energy CT (DECT) with iopamidol and saline, encompassed the carina to the heart base. A noise-optimized linear blended image was reconstructed at 10% intervals throughout the cardiac cycle, and the presence of ps and ds in each phase was noted by two radiologists. Results: This study identified ps in 62.5% and ds in 72.5% of patients, with both present in 45% of cases. The observation of septal veins occurred more frequently in the sequence of 70, 60, 40, 80, 30, 20, and 10% for ps, and 60, 70, 40, 80, 30, 90, 20, and 10% for ds, respectively. Conclusions: DECT in cardiac imaging is instrumental in assessing septal vein frequency. The 70% phase is optimal for MLC, while the 60% phase is preferred for TIRA.
Spatially-Periodic Solutions for Evolution Anisotropic Variable-Coefficient Navier–Stokes Equations: I. Weak Solution Existence
Authors: Mikhailov Sergey E.
Published: June 2024

We consider evolution (non-stationary) spatially-periodic solutions to the n-dimensional non-linear Navier–Stokes equations of anisotropic fluids with the viscosity coefficient tensor variable in spatial coordinates and time and satisfying the relaxed ellipticity condition. Employing the Galerkin algorithm with the basis constituted by the eigenfunctions of the periodic Bessel-potential operator, we prove the existence of a global weak solution.
Variational Online Learning Correlation Filter for Visual Tracking
Authors: Wang Zhongyang , Liu Feng , Deng Lizhen
Published: June 2024

Recently, discriminative correlation filters (DCF) have been successfully applied for visual tracking. However, traditional DCF trackers tend to separately solve boundary effect and temporal degradation problems in the tracking process. In this paper, a variational online learning correlation filter (VOLCF) is proposed for visual tracking to improve the robustness and accuracy of the tracking process. Unlike previous methods, which use only first-order temporal constraints, this approach leads to overfitting and filter degradation. First, beyond the standard filter training requirement, our proposed VOLCF method introduces a model confidence term, which leverages the temporal information of adjacent frames during filter training. Second, to ensure the consistency of the temporal and spatial characteristics of the video sequence, the model introduces Kullback–Leibler (KL) divergence to obtain the second-order information of the filter. In contrast to traditional target tracking models that rely solely on first-order feature information, this approach facilitates the acquisition of a generalized connection between the previous and current filters. As a result, it incorporates joint-regulated filter updating. Through quantitative and qualitative analyses of the experiment, it proves that the VOLCF model has excellent tracking performance.
A Novel Online Hydrological Data Quality Control Approach Based on Adaptive Differential Evolution
Authors: Zhao Qun , Cui Shicheng , Zhu Yuelong , Li Rui , Zhou Xudong
Published: June 2024

The quality of hydrological data has a significant impact on hydrological models, where stable and anomaly-free hydrological time series typically yield more valuable patterns. In this paper, we conduct data analysis and propose an online hydrological data quality control method based on an adaptive differential evolution algorithm according to the characteristics of hydrological data. Taking into account the characteristics of continuity, periodicity, and seasonality, we develop a Periodic Temporal Long Short-Term Memory (PT-LSTM) predictive control model. Building upon the real-time nature of the data, we apply the Adaptive Differential Evolution algorithm to optimize PT-LSTM, creating an Online Composite Predictive Control Model (OCPT-LSTM) that provides confidence intervals and recommended values for control and replacement. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed data quality control method effectively manages data quality; detects data anomalies; provides suggested values; reduces reliance on manual intervention; provides a solid data foundation for hydrological data analysis work; and helps hydrological personnel in water resource scheduling, flood control, and other related tasks. Meanwhile, the proposed method can also be applied to the analysis of time series data in other industries.
Effect of Copper and Nickel Content on the Corrosion Mechanisms in Ferritic Matrix Gray Cast Irons under Simulated Marine Environments
Authors: Bruna Hector , Allende-Seco Rodrigo , Artigas Alfredo , Monsalve Alberto , Sánchez Christian
Published: June 2024

This article investigated the influence of copper (Cu) and nickel (Ni) on atmospheric corrosion in gray cast iron under simulated marine conditions. The goal was to compare the effect of Cu and Ni addition in castings with weathering steels. Selected alloys were cast, cut, prepared, and heat-treated for microstructure homogenization. Accelerated corrosion tests were conducted using a salt spray chamber. Corroded samples were analyzed for corrosion thickness and deposits using scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and electrochemical techniques. The results indicate that alloying elements significantly affect corrosion processes. In the long-term, Cu had a greater impact on the corrosion mechanisms than Ni. Both Cu and Ni exhibited similar effects on the corrosion mechanisms in gray cast iron and weathering steels. In the initial and final stages, the behavior was comparable to that of weathering steels, but in the intermediate stage, it differed from the literature, suggesting the presence of an additional mechanism between these stages.
Impact of Prophylactic Antibiotic Use in Ornamental Fish Tanks on Microbial Communities and Pathogen Selection in Carriage Water in Hong Kong Retail Shops
Authors: Au-Yeung Chun , Lam Kit-Ling , Choi Man-Hay , Chan Ka-Wai , Cheung Yu-Sum , Tsui Yat-Lai , Mo Wing-Yin
Published: June 2024

Antibiotics are routinely added to ornamental fish tanks for treating bacterial infection or as a prophylactic measure. However, the overuse or subtherapeutical application of antibiotics could potentially facilitate the selection of antibiotic resistance in bacteria, yet no studies have investigated antibiotic use in the retail ornamental fish sector and its impact on microbial communities. The present study analyzed the concentrations of twenty antibiotics in the carriage water (which also originates from fish tanks in retail shops) collected monthly from ten local ornamental fish shops over a duration of three months. The antibiotic concentrations were correlated with the sequenced microbial community composition, and the risk of resistance selection in bacteria was assessed. Results revealed that the detected concentrations of tetracyclines were the highest among samples, followed by fluoroquinolones and macrolides. The concentrations of oxytetracycline (44.3 to 2,262,064.2 ng L−1) detected across three months demonstrated a high risk for resistance selection at most of the sampled shops. Zoonotic pathogens (species of Rhodococcus, Legionella, and Citrobacter) were positively correlated with the concentrations of oxytetracycline, tetracycline, chlortetracycline, and enrofloxacin. This suggests that antibiotic use in retail shops may increase the likelihood of selecting for zoonotic pathogens. These findings shed light on the potential for ornamental fish retail shops to create a favorable environment for the selection of pathogens with antibiotics, thereby highlighting the urgent need for enhanced antibiotic stewardship within the industry.
In Silico Exploration of CD200 as a Therapeutic Target for COVID-19
Authors: Perovic Vladimir , Glisic Sanja , Veljkovic Milena , Paessler Slobodan , Veljkovic Veljko
Published: June 2024

SARS-CoV-2, the pathogen causing COVID-19, continues to pose a significant threat to public health and has had major economic implications. Developing safe and effective vaccines and therapies offers a path forward for overcoming the COVID-19 pandemic. The presented study, performed by using the informational spectrum method (ISM), representing an electronic biology-based tool for analysis of protein–protein interactions, identified the highly conserved region of spike protein (SP) from SARS-CoV-2 virus, which is essential for recognition and targeting between the virus and its protein interactors on the target cells. This domain is suggested as a promising target for the drug therapy and vaccines, which could be effective against all currently circulating variants of SARS-CoV-2 viruses. The analysis of the virus/host interaction, performed by the ISM, also revealed OX-2 membrane glycoprotein (CD200) as a possible interactor of SP, which could serve as a novel therapeutic target for COVID-19 disease.
Characterization of Two Glycoside Hydrolases of Family GH13 and GH57, Present in a Polysaccharide Utilization Locus (PUL) of Pontibacter sp. SGAir0037
Authors: Bax Hilda Hubertha Maria , Jurak Edita
Published: June 2024

Glycogen, an α-glucan polymer serving as an energy storage compound in microorganisms, is synthesized through distinct pathways (GlgC-GlgA or GlgE pathway). Both pathways involve multiple enzymes, with a shared glycogen branching enzyme (GBE). GBEs play a pivotal role in establishing α-1,6-linkages within the glycogen structure. GBEs are also used for starch modification. Understanding how these enzymes work is interesting for both glycogen synthesis in microorganisms, as well as novel applications for starch modification. This study focuses on a putative enzyme GH13_9 GBE (PoGBE13), present in a polysaccharide utilization locus (PUL) of Pontibacter sp. SGAir0037, and related to the GlgE glycogen synthesis pathway. While the PUL of Pontibacter sp. SGAir0037 contains glycogen-degrading enzymes, the branching enzyme (PoGBE13) was also found due to genetic closeness. Characterization revealed that PoGBE13 functions as a typical branching enzyme, exhibiting a relatively high branching over non-branching (hydrolysis and α-1,4-transferase activity) ratio on linear maltooctadecaose (3.0 ± 0.4). Besides the GH13_9 GBE, a GH57 (PoGH57) enzyme was selected for characterization from the same PUL due to its undefined function. The combined action of both GH13 and GH57 enzymes suggested 4-α-glucanotransferase activity for PoGH57. The characterization of these unique enzymes related to a GlgE glycogen synthesis pathway provides a more profound understanding of their interactions and synergistic roles in glycogen synthesis and are potential enzymes for use in starch modification processes. Due to the structural similarity between glycogen and starch, PoGBE13 can potentially be used for starch modification with different applications, for example, in functional food ingredients.
Anti-Inflammatory, Wound Healing, and Anti-Diabetic Effects of Pure Active Compounds Present in the Ryudai Gold Variety of Curcuma longa
Authors: Islam Md Zahorul , Akter Jesmin , Hossain Md Amzad , Islam Md Shafiqul , Islam Purba , Goswami Chayon , Nguyen Ha Thi Thanh , Miyamoto Atsushi
Published: June 2024

Turmeric (Curcuma longa) contains curcumin, demethoxycurcumin (DMC), and bisdemethoxycurcumin (BDMC). Nevertheless, curcumin is the most researched active ingredient for its numerous pharmacological effects. We investigated the impact of these curcuminoids found in Ryudai gold, an approved cultivar of Curcuma longa, on wound healing, inflammation, and diabetes. Sub-planter injections of carrageenan induced acute paw inflammation in rats. The wound-healing ability of 1% curcuminoids was examined by making a 6 mm round wound on the shaved dorsum of the mice with a biopsy punch. A single intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (50 mg/kg) was used to induce diabetes in mice. Curcuminoids at a dose rate of 100 mg/kg body weight were used with feed and as a gastric gavage to treat diabetes and inflammation in experimental animals. Paw thickness was measured at 1, 3, and 6 h following carrageenan injection. After three hours, mean paw volume was 58% in carrageenan-injected mice, which was 35%, 37%, and 31% in the curcumin, DMC, and BDMC groups, respectively. Histopathology of the paw tissue demonstrated severe infiltration of inflammatory cells and thickening of the dermis, which were remarkably improved by the curcuminoids. The wound-healing abilities were significantly higher in the curcumin- (95.0%), DMC- (93.17%), and BDMC-treated (89.0%) groups, in comparison to that of the control (65.09%) group at day nine. There were no significant differences in wound-healing activity among the groups treated with 1% curcuminoids throughout the study. Streptozotocin-induced diabetes was characterized by an increased blood glucose (552.2 mg/dL) and decreased body weight (31.2 g), compared to that of the control rats (145.6 mg/dL and 46.8 g blood glucose and body weight, respectively). It also caused an increase in serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT; 44.2 U/L) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST; 55.8 U/L) compared to that of the control group (18.6 U/L and 20.1 U/L, respectively). Histopathological examination of the liver showed that diabetes caused hepatic cellular necrosis, congestion of the central vein, and parenchymatous degeneration. However, all three curcuminoids significantly decreased blood glucose levels, ALT, and AST and improved the histopathological score of the liver. These results evidenced that not only curcumin but also DMC and BDMC have potent anti-inflammatory, wound healing, and anti-diabetic efficacy, and the Ryudai gold variety of turmeric could be used as a functional food supplement.
Effect of Chemical Composition of Metal–Organic Crosslinker on the Properties of Fracturing Fluid in High-Temperature Reservoir
Authors: Shi Shenglong , Sun Jinsheng , Mu Shanbo , Lv Kaihe , Liu Jingping , Bai Yingrui , Wang Jintang , Huang Xianbin , Jin Jiafeng , Li Jian
Published: June 2024

To investigate the effect of the chemical composition of a metal–organic crosslinker on the performances of fracturing fluid in high-temperature conditions, four zirconium (Zr) crosslinkers and one aluminum–zirconium (Al-Zr) crosslinker with a polyacrylamide were used. The crosslinkers possessed the same Zr concentration, but they differed in component amounts and the order of the addition of the crosslinker components, leading to different chemical compositions in the crosslinkers. The fracturing fluids prepared by different tested crosslinkers were compared in terms of properties of rheological behavior, sand-carrying ability, microstructure, and gel breaking characteristics. The results showed that the fracturing fluids prepared by zirconium lactic acid, ethanediamine, and sorbitol crosslinkers offered the slowest viscosity development and highest final viscosity compared to the zirconium lactic acid crosslinker and the zirconium lactic acid and ethanediamine crosslinker. The zirconium sorbitol, lactic acid, and ethanediamine crosslinker exhibited a faster crosslinking rate and a higher final viscosity than the zirconium lactic acid, ethanediamine, and sorbitol crosslinker; the crosslinker showed crosslinking density and crosslinking reactivity, resulting in more crosslinking sites and a higher strength in the fracturing fluid. The Al-Zr-based crosslinker possessed better properties in temperature and shear resistance, viscoelasticity, shear recovery, and sand-carrying ability than the Zr-based crosslinker due to the synergistic crosslinking effect of aluminum and zirconium ions. The tertiary release gelation mechanism of the Al-Zr-based fracturing fluid achieved a temperature resistance performance in the form of continuous crosslinking, avoiding the excessive crosslinking dehydration and reducing viscosity loss caused by early shear damage. These results indicated that the chemical compositions of metal–organic crosslinkers were important factors in determining the properties of fracturing fluids. Therefore, the appropriate type of crosslinker could save costs without adding the additional components required for high-temperature reservoirs.
New Challenges in Ocular Drug Delivery
Authors: Pignatello Rosario , Almeida Hugo , Santonocito Debora , Puglia Carmelo
Published: June 2024

The clinical treatment of diseases affecting the eye globe, and specifically the retina and posterior eye segment, is often hindered by the physiological protection structures and mechanisms of the organ, as well as by the unsuitable physico-chemical features of the active molecules [...]
Nano-Delivery of Immunogenic Cell Death Inducers and Immune Checkpoint Blockade Agents: Single-Nanostructure Strategies for Enhancing Immunotherapy
Authors: Moon Yujeong , Cho Hanhee , Kim Kwangmeyung
Published: June 2024

Cancer immunotherapy has revolutionized oncology by harnessing the patient’s immune system to target and eliminate cancer cells. However, immune checkpoint blockades (ICBs) face limitations such as low response rates, particularly in immunologically ‘cold’ tumors. Enhancing tumor immunogenicity through immunogenic cell death (ICD) inducers and advanced drug delivery systems represents a promising solution. This review discusses the development and application of various nanocarriers, including polymeric nanoparticles, liposomes, peptide-based nanoparticles, and inorganic nanoparticles, designed to deliver ICD inducers and ICBs effectively. These nanocarriers improve therapeutic outcomes by converting cold tumors into hot tumors, thus enhancing immune responses and reducing systemic toxicity. By focusing on single-nanoparticle systems that co-deliver both ICD inducers and ICBs, this review highlights their potential in achieving higher drug concentrations at tumor sites, improving pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics, and facilitating clinical translation. Future research should aim to optimize these nanocarrier systems for better in vivo performance and clinical applications, ultimately advancing cancer immunotherapy.
Identification and Characterization of Critical Processing Parameters in the Fabrication of Double-Emulsion Poly(lactic-co-glycolic) Acid Microparticles
Authors: Bentley Elizabeth R. , Subick Stacia , Pezzillo Michael , Balmert Stephen C. , Herbert Aidan , Little Steven R.
Published: June 2024

In the past several decades, polymeric microparticles (MPs) have emerged as viable solutions to address the limitations of standard pharmaceuticals and their corresponding delivery methods. While there are many preclinical studies that utilize polymeric MPs as a delivery vehicle, there are limited FDA-approved products. One potential barrier to the clinical translation of these technologies is a lack of understanding with regard to the manufacturing process, hindering batch scale-up. To address this knowledge gap, we sought to first identify critical processing parameters in the manufacturing process of blank (no therapeutic drug) and protein-loaded double-emulsion poly(lactic-co-glycolic) acid MPs through a quality by design approach. We then utilized the design of experiments as a tool to systematically investigate the impact of these parameters on critical quality attributes (e.g., size, surface morphology, release kinetics, inner occlusion size, etc.) of blank and protein-loaded MPs. Our results elucidate that some of the most significant CPPs impacting many CQAs of double-emulsion MPs are those within the primary or single-emulsion process (e.g., inner aqueous phase volume, solvent volume, etc.) and their interactions. Furthermore, our results indicate that microparticle internal structure (e.g., inner occlusion size, interconnectivity, etc.) can heavily influence protein release kinetics from double-emulsion MPs, suggesting it is a crucial CQA to understand. Altogether, this study identifies several important considerations in the manufacturing and characterization of double-emulsion MPs, potentially enhancing their translation.
Decoding Clozapine-Induced Agranulocytosis: Unraveling Interactions and Mitigation Strategies
Authors: Alalawi Ali , Albalawi Enas , Aljohani Abdullah , Almutairi Abdullah , Alrehili Abdulraouf , Albalawi Areej , Aldhafiri Ahmed
Published: June 2024

Agranulocytosis represents a severe complication associated with the administration of clozapine. Clozapine is an antipsychotic medication that has demonstrated substantial efficacy in remediating refractory schizophrenia and various other psychiatric disorders. Nonetheless, it is crucial to monitor patients for neutropenia regularly during clozapine therapy. Therefore, this article aimed to delve into the prevalence of agranulocytosis during clozapine treatment by scrutinizing the extant literature to discern trends and correlations. This review endeavored to explore factors such as drug interactions, dose-related factors, duration of treatment, and genetic predispositions that could potentially influence the likelihood of patients developing agranulocytosis while undergoing clozapine therapy. Moreover, this review enunciates the ramifications of agranulocytosis on both patients and healthcare providers and meticulously evaluates the strategies to mitigate this risk and ensure optimal patient outcomes.
Metaphysical Explanation: An Empirical Investigation
Authors: Latham Andrew J. , Miller Kristie
Published: June 2024

The literature on metaphysical explanation contains three widely accepted assumptions. First, that the notion of metaphysical explanation with which philosophers are interested is a notion with which the folk are familiar: it is at least continuous with the folk notion. Second, that metaphysical explanations are propositions of a certain form that are true (or false), simpliciter. Third, that it is at least the case that mostly, if x metaphysically explains y, then y does not metaphysically explain x. On the basis of the empirical investigations that we pursued, we argue that at least two of these assumptions are false.
Design of Channel Drop Filters Based on Photonic Crystal with a Dielectric Column with Large Radius inside Ring Resonator
Authors: Zhang Ailing , Yang Xiangyu , Wang Junfeng
Published: June 2024

Photonic crystal channel drop filters (CDFs) play a vital role in optical communication owing to their ability to drop the desired channel. However, it remains challenging to achieve high-efficiency CDFs. Here, we demonstrate a highly efficient three-channel CDF with both high transmission and high quality (Q) factor based on a novel ring resonator that is in the middle of two waveguides. A dielectric column with a large radius replaces the homogeneously distributed dielectric columns inside the ring cavity to modulate the coupling ratio with a straight waveguide, thereby enhancing the transmission and Q factor. The transmission and Q factor of the single-cavity filter are 99.7% and 12,798.4, respectively. The mean value of the three-channel filter based on the basic unit can reach up to 94.6% and 10,617, respectively, and a crosstalk between −30.16 and −50.61 dB is obtained. The proposed CDFs provide efficient filter capability, which reveals great potential in integrated optoelectronics and optical communication.
Experimental Investigations and Optimum Performance Evaluation of Wire-EDM Characteristics of Aluminium 6061-Magnesite Composites
Authors: Saminathan Matheshwaran , Ayyappan Solaiyappan , Periyasamy Sivanandi , Sivakumar Mahalingam
Published: June 2024

It is essential to determine the most suitable machining method for magnesite-reinforced Aluminium 6061 composites, which possess excellent mechanical properties, especially notable tensile strength and hardness. The composites were produced using a stir-casting technique, incorporating reinforcements of lightly-calcined magnesite, dead burnt magnesite, and waste magnesite in weight fractions of 2.5%, 5%, and 7.5% within an aluminium 6061 matrix. Wire electrical discharge machining was employed to investigate the machining characteristics of these composites, using controllable process parameters such as cutting speed, pulse-on and pulse-off times, and the weight fraction of magnesites. Two performance indicators such as surface roughness and material removal rate were tested for various parameter combinations by central composite design. To comprehend the impact of the study parameters, contour charts were drawn. MRR increases at a high cutting speed of 2 mm/min when the pulse-on time changes from 120 μs to 125 μs. SR increases when the pulse-on times above 120 μs at all cutting speeds. High cutting speeds make high MRR irrespective of the weight fractions of reinforcement. High pulse-on times make the material melt more, which increases the material removal rate. Because specimen surface material erodes quickly and forms microcracks, high pulse-on time also results in high surface roughness. To optimize the WEDM machining conditions for each composite, hybrid SSO-DF and DFO-DF optimizers were developed by combining the desirability function with Salp-swarm optimization and Dragonfly optimization algorithms. The cutting speed of 2 mm/min and the pulse-on time of 114 μs produce the best performances on the composites.
BA-Optimized Variable Domain Fuzzy PID Control Algorithm for Water and Fertilizer Ratio Control System in Cotton Field
Authors: Guo Zhenhua , Zhu Fenglei , Zhao Peng , Chen Huanmei
Published: June 2024

Due to the time-varying, hysteresis and nonlinear characteristics of fertilizer concentration control in the water–fertilizer ratio control system, common control algorithms such as PID and fuzzy PID cannot obtain the expected control effect. In order to accurately control the cotton field water–fertilizer ratio regulation system drip irrigation process of the water–fertilizer ratio that will be controlled within a reasonable range, it is needed to design a bat-optimized variable-domain fuzzy PID water–fertilizer ratio control strategy, through the use of bat algorithm to find out the optimal expansion factor and the best domain of the current conditions, and then according to the changes in working conditions to automatically adjust the fuzzy control of the domain, through the control of the valve openings to change the fertilizer pump back to the amount of water. Realize the fast and precise control of fertilizer concentration in the water–fertilizer ratio control system. Comparative tests were conducted to verify the traditional PID, fuzzy PID, variable domain fuzzy PID and bat-optimized variable-domain fuzzy PID control algorithms. The results show that: if the water–fertilizer ratio is adjusted to 50:1 from the startup, the adjustment time required to reach the target water–fertilizer ratio under the bat-optimized variable-domain fuzzy PID control is 15.29 s, and the maximum overshooting amount is 16.28%, which is a smaller adjustment time and overshooting amount; if the water–fertilizer ratio is adjusted to 40:1 from 50:1, the advantages of bat-optimized variable-domain fuzzy PID are more obvious, with the best balance of response speed, overshooting amount and optimal control effect. In terms of response speed, overshooting amount and regulation time, the optimal balance is achieved, showing the optimal control effect. It is proved that the performance of the water–fertilizer ratio regulation system in cotton field under bat-optimized variable-domain fuzzy PID control designed in this paper can meet the actual production requirements, and these findings can help to develop precise irrigation technology for cotton cultivation under drip irrigation conditions.
A Target Localization Algorithm for a Single-Frequency Doppler Radar Based on an Improved Subtractive Average Optimizer
Authors: Jiang Yaxuan , Ding Yipeng
Published: June 2024

A doppler radar holds promising prospects in the field of indoor target localization. However, traditional Doppler radar systems suffer from high power consumption, large size, and noticeable radio frequency interference issues when transmitting carriers of different frequencies. Therefore, an ISABO-based (improved subtraction-average-based optimizer) target localization algorithm for a single-frequency Doppler radar is proposed in this paper. Firstly, a mathematical model for target localization is established according to the spatial geometric relationships during the target movement and the Doppler frequency-shift information in the single-frequency echo signal. Then, the optimization function is constructed with the target motion error as the optimization goal. Finally, an improved subtraction-average-based optimizer algorithm is proposed to solve the optimal parameters and realize the target positioning. The experimental results show that the proposed method can achieve centimeter-level localization accuracy with a cost-effective system structure.