bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Review of Factors to Consider for Permanent Cordon Establishment and Maintenance
Authors: O’Brien Patrick , De Bei Roberta , Sosnowski Mark , Collins Cassandra
Published: September 2021

Decisions made during the establishment and reworking of permanent cordon arms may have long-term consequences on vineyard health and longevity. This review aims to summarise several of the important considerations that must be taken into account during cordon establishment and maintenance. Commonly practiced cordon training techniques such as wrapping developing arms tightly around the cordon wire may result in a constriction of the vascular system, becoming worse over time and disrupting the normal flow of water and nutrients. Studies have shown that other factors of cordon decline such as the onset of vascular diseases may be influenced by pre-existing stress conditions. Such conditions could be further exacerbated by water and heat stress events, an important consideration as these scenarios become more common under the influence of climate change. Vineyard sustainability may be improved by adopting cordon training techniques which promote long-term vitality and avoid a reduction in vine defence response and the costly, premature reworking of vines.
Effect of Genetically Diverse Pollen on Pollination, Pollen Tube Overgrow, Fruit Set and Morphology of Kiwiberry (Actinidia arguta)
Authors: Stasiak Agnieszka , Latocha Piotr , Bieniasz Monika
Published: September 2021

Successful pollination and fertilization are crucial processes for obtaining a high yield, especially for dioecious plants such as A. arguta. Determination of pollen tube growth on stigma and fruit development parameters, which were investigated in this study, can enable the evaluation of male–female compatibility—one of the factors of successful pollination. Pollen quality and grain size were analysed for two years on six male cultivars of A. arguta and one of A. chinensis var. deliciosa. Results showed high pollen quality, both with parameters above 80%. Pollen germination in vivo showed differences in pollen–stigma interactions. The highest positive interactions were observed for all female cultivar crosses with male ‘Nostino’ and ‘Rubi’ and the lowest one for A. chinensis var. deliciosa ‘Tomuri’. However, fruit set and average fruit weight were equally high in most of the combinations (fruit set above 75% for the majority of combinations). Some differences were noticed in the average seed number per fruit and weight. All tested male cultivars were able to fertilize tested female cultivars, but taking into account other characteristics such as pollen efficiency, some male cultivars seemed to be more proper for commercial orchards. Using A. chinensis var. deliciosa pollen seems to be unreasonable in tested conditions.
Artificial Intelligence and Cyber-Physical Systems: A Review and Perspectives for the Future in the Chemical Industry
Authors: Oliveira Luis M. C. , Dias Rafael , Rebello Carine M. , Martins Márcio A. F. , Rodrigues Alírio E. , Ribeiro Ana M. , Nogueira Idelfonso B. R.
Published: September 2021

Modern society is living in an age of paradigm changes. In part, these changes have been driven by new technologies, which provide high performance computing capabilities that enable the creation of complex Artificial Intelligence systems. Those developments are allowing the emergence of new Cyber Systems where the continuously generated data is utilized to build Artificial Intelligence models used to perform specialized tasks within the system. While, on one hand, the isolated application of the cyber systems is becoming widespread, on the other hand, their synchronical integration with other cyber systems to build a concise and cognitive structure that can interact deeply and autonomously with a physical system is still a completely open question, only addressed in some works from a philosophical point of view. From this standpoint, the AI can play an enabling role to allow the existence of these cognitive CPSs. This review provides a look at some of the aspects that will be crucial in the development of cyber-physical systems, focusing on the application of artificial intelligence to confer cognition to the system. Topics such as control and optimization architectures and digital twins are presented as components of the CPS. It also provides a conceptual overview of the impacts that the application of these technologies might have in the chemical industry, more specifically in the purification of methane.
Feeding Marine Polysaccharides to Alleviate the Negative Effects Associated with Weaning in Pigs
Authors: O’Doherty John V. , Venardou Brigkita , Rattigan Ruth , Sweeney Torres
Published: September 2021

In young pigs, the challenge of weaning frequently leads to dysbiosis. This predisposes pigs to intestinal infection such as post-weaning diarrhoea (PWD). Dietary interventions to reduce PWD have centred on dietary inclusion of antibiotic growth promoters (AGP) and antimicrobials in pig diets, or high concentrations of zinc oxide. These interventions are under scrutiny because of their role in promoting multidrug resistant bacteria and the accumulation of minerals in the environment. There are significant efforts being made to identify natural alternatives. Marine polysaccharides, such as laminarin and fucoidan from macroalgae and chitosan and chito-oligosaccharides from chitin, are an interesting group of marine dietary supplements, due to their prebiotic, antibacterial, anti-oxidant, and immunomodulatory activities. However, natural variability exists in the quantity, structure, and bioactivity of these polysaccharides between different macroalgae species and harvest seasons, while the wide range of available extraction methodologies and conditions results in further variation. This review will discuss the development of the gastrointestinal tract in the pig during the post-weaning period and how feeding marine polysaccharides in both the maternal and the post-weaned pig diet, can be used to alleviate the negative effects associated with weaning.
Best Farming Practices for the Welfare of Dairy Cows, Heifers and Calves
Authors: Ventura Giulia , Lorenzi Valentina , Mazza Francesca , Clemente Gianfilippo Alessio , Iacomino Claudia , Bertocchi Luigi , Fusi Francesca
Published: September 2021

The concept of animal welfare (AW) has many meanings. Traditionally, AW has been considered as freedom from disease and suffering. Nowadays, growing attention goes to the concept of “positive animal welfare” (PAW), which can be interpreted within the concept of quality of life (QoL), thinking about a “balance of positives over negatives” and a “life worth living”. In this vision, where the QoL represents a continuum between positives and negatives, the Italian National Reference Centre for Animal Welfare (CReNBA), within the Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell’Emilia Romagna (IZSLER), has developed a welfare assessment protocol for dairy cows, heifers, and calves in loose housing systems, including both animal-based and non-animal-based indicators, in which not only hazards but also benefits are identified. This protocol is part of an integrated monitoring system called “ClassyFarm”, belonging to the Italian Ministry of Health and developed by IZSLER. The aim of this paper is to extrapolate from the mentioned protocol, a list of 38 best farming practices (on managerial and equipment factors) for ensuring a high level of welfare in dairy cattle. All stakeholders (veterinarians, farmers, competent authorities, consumers, etc.) can benefit of these best practices as a guide or toolbox to ensure a life worth living for these animals.
A Combined Phenotypic-Genotypic Predictive Algorithm for In Vitro Detection of Bicarbonate: β-Lactam Sensitization among Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)
Authors: Ersoy Selvi C. , Rose Warren E. , Patel Robin , Proctor Richard A. , Chambers Henry F. , Harrison Ewan M. , Pak Youngju , Bayer Arnold S.
Published: September 2021

Antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) is routinely used to establish predictive antibiotic resistance metrics to guide the treatment of bacterial pathogens. Recently, a novel phenotype termed “bicarbonate (NaHCO3)-responsiveness” was identified in a relatively high frequency of clinical MRSA strains, wherein isolates demonstrate in vitro “susceptibility” to standard β-lactams (oxacillin [OXA]; cefazolin [CFZ]) in the presence of NaHCO3, and in vivo susceptibility to these β-lactams in experimental endocarditis models. We investigated whether a targeted phenotypic-genotypic screening of MRSA could rule in or rule out NaHCO3 susceptibility upfront. We studied 30 well-characterized clinical MRSA bloodstream isolates, including 15 MIC-susceptible to CFZ and OXA in NaHCO3-supplemented Mueller–Hinton Broth (MHB); and 15 MIC-resistant to both β-lactams in this media. Using a two-tiered strategy, isolates were first screened by standard disk diffusion for susceptibility to a combination of amoxicillin-clavulanate [AMC]. Isolates then underwent genomic sequence typing: MLST (clonal complex [CC]); agr; SCCmec; and mecA promoter and coding region. The combination of AMC disk susceptibility testing plus mecA and spa genotyping was able to predict MRSA strains that were more or less likely to be NaHCO3-responsive in vitro, with a high degree of sensitivity and specificity. Validation of this screening algorithm was performed in six strains from the overall cohort using an ex vivo model of endocarditis. This ex vivo model recapitulated the in vitro predictions of NaHCO3-responsiveness vs. nonresponsiveness above in five of the six strains.
Comparative Transcriptome Analysis of the Expression of Antioxidant and Immunity Genes in the Spleen of a Cyanidin 3-O-Glucoside-Treated Alzheimer’s Mouse Model
Authors: Jaiswal Varun , Park Miey , Lee Hae-Jeung
Published: September 2021

Cyanidin 3-O-glucoside (C3G) is a well-known antioxidant found as a dietary anthocyanin in different fruits and vegetables. It has protective and therapeutic effects on various diseases. It can reduce neuronal death from amyloid-beta (Aβ)-induced toxicity and promote the inhibition of Aβ fibrillization. Antioxidant and immune modulation might play a critical role in the properties of C3G against Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and other diseases. However, limited studies have been performed on the mechanism involved in the effect of C3G through transcriptome analysis. Thus, the objective of this study was to perform comparative transcriptome analysis of the spleen to determine gene expression profiles of wild-type mice (C57BL/6J Jms), an Alzheimer’s mouse model (APPswe/PS1dE9 mice), and a C3G-treated Alzheimer’s mouse model. Differentially expressed antioxidant, immune-related, and AD pathways genes were identified in the treated group. The validation of gene expression data via RT-PCR studies further supported the current findings. Six important antioxidant genes (S100a8, S100a9, Prdx2, Hp, Mpst, and Prxl2a) and a high number of immune-related genes were found to be upregulated in the treatment groups, suggesting the possible antioxidant and immunomodulatory mechanisms of C3G, respectively. Further studies are strongly recommended to elucidate the precise role of these essential genes and optimize the therapeutic function of C3G in AD and other disease conditions.
Teneligliptin Exerts Antinociceptive Effects in Rat Model of Partial Sciatic Nerve Transection Induced Neuropathic Pain
Authors: Kuthati Yaswanth , Rao Vaikar Navakanth , Busa Prabhakar , Wong Chih-Shung
Published: September 2021

Neuropathic pain (NP), is a chronic pain resulting from nerve injury, with limited treatment options. Teneligliptin (TEN) is a dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitor (DPP-4i) approved to treat type 2 diabetes. DPP-4is prevent the degradation of the incretin hormone glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) and prolong its circulation. Apart from glycemic control, GLP-1 is known to have antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory effects. Herein, we investigated the antinociceptive properties of TEN on acute pain, and partial sciatic nerve transection (PSNT)-induced NP in Wistar rats. Seven days post PSNT, allodynia and hyperalgesia were confirmed as NP, and intrathecal (i.t) catheters were implanted and connected to an osmotic pump for the vehicle (1 μL/h) or TEN (5 μg/1 μL/h) or TEN (5 μg) + GLP-1R antagonist Exendin-3 (9–39) amide (EXE) 0.1 μg/1 μL/h infusion. The tail-flick response, mechanical allodynia, and thermal hyperalgesia were measured for 7 more days. On day 14, the dorsal horn was harvested and used for Western blotting and immunofluorescence assays. The results showed that TEN had mild antinociceptive effects against acute pain but remarkable analgesic effects against NP. Furthermore, co-infusion of GLP-1R antagonist EXE with TEN partially reversed allodynia but not tail-flick latency. Immunofluorescence examination of the spinal cord revealed that TEN decreased the immunoreactivity of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP). Taken together, our findings suggest that TEN is efficient in attenuation of PSNT-induced NP. Hence, the pleiotropic effects of TEN open a new avenue for NP management.
Resveratrol as an Adjunctive Therapy for Excessive Oxidative Stress in Aging COVID-19 Patients
Authors: Liao Min-Tser , Wu Chia-Chao , Wu Shu-Fang Vivienne , Lee Mei-Chen , Hu Wan-Chung , Tsai Kuo-Wang , Yang Chung-Hsiang , Lu Chien-Lin , Chiu Sheng-Kang , Lu Kuo-Cheng
Published: September 2021

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic continues to burden healthcare systems worldwide. COVID-19 symptoms are highly heterogeneous, and the patient may be asymptomatic or may present with mild to severe or fatal symptoms. Factors, such as age, sex, and comorbidities, are key determinants of illness severity and progression. Aging is accompanied by multiple deficiencies in interferon production by dendritic cells or macrophages in response to viral infections, resulting in dysregulation of inflammatory immune responses and excess oxidative stress. Age-related dysregulation of immune function may cause a more obvious pathophysiological response to SARS-CoV-2 infection in elderly patients and may accelerate the risk of biological aging, even after recovery. For more favorable treatment outcomes, inhibiting viral replication and dampening inflammatory and oxidative responses before induction of an overt cytokine storm is crucial. Resveratrol is a potent antioxidant with antiviral activity. Herein, we describe the reasons for impaired interferon production, owing to aging, and the impact of aging on innate and adaptive immune responses to infection, which leads to inflammation distress and immunosuppression, thereby causing fulminant disease. Additionally, the molecular mechanism by which resveratrol could reverse a state of excessive basal inflammatory and oxidative stress and low antiviral immunity is discussed.
Antioxidants Present in Reproductive Tract Fluids and Their Relevance for Fertility
Authors: Ribeiro João C. , Braga Patrícia C. , Martins Ana D. , Silva Branca M. , Alves Marco G. , Oliveira Pedro F.
Published: September 2021

Nowadays, infertility is classified as a disease of the reproductive system. Although it does not compromise the life of the individual, it can have detrimental effects on the physiological and psychological health of the couple. Male fertility evaluation is mainly focused on the analysis of sperm parameters. However, the ejaculated fluid is also composed of seminal plasma, and the study of this fluid can provide crucial information to help in the assessment of male fertility status. Total antioxidant capacity of the seminal plasma has been positively correlated with the fertility of men. Moreover, evidence highlights to a similar importance as that of female reproductive tract fluid antioxidant capabilities and female fertility. Herein, we describe the functions of seminal plasma and female reproductive tract fluids, as well as their main antioxidant components and their relationships with fertility outcomes. Additionally, this review contains the most up to date information regarding the mechanisms of the interaction between the male and the female reproductive fluids and the importance of proper antioxidant capacity for fertilization.
Study on Microstructure, Mechanical Properties and Erosion Characteristics of Al-Si Alloy Manufactured by Continuous Casting Direct Rolling Process
Authors: Huang Bo-Chin , Chang Kai-Chieh , Hung Fei-Yi
Published: September 2021

Al-Si alloys exhibit promising wear resistance, thus being mainly employed to weld Al alloy parts and processed into components of equipment. During the new continuous casting direct rolling (CCDR) process, the raw material gradually cools and solidifies, simultaneously plastically deformed. Hence, the materials manufactured through the CCDR process presented an unparalleled microstructure. The experimental results indicated that the strength of the CCDR Al-Si alloy can be increased through cold rolling. A two-stage heat treatment (solid solution and aging treatment) was introduced to improve the ductility and satisfy the industrial application. Furthermore, the erosion wear characteristics and fracture mechanism of the CCDR Al-Si alloy dominated by the ductility were confirmed. Both cold rolling specimens (FR) and those with heat treatment (FRH) showed greater wear resistance than as-manufactured (F). The FR specimens exhibited greater wear resistance owing to a higher Al matrix strength at a lower impact angle; on the other hand, at a higher impact angle, the FRH specimens with a softer Al matrix presented better wear resistance due to the formation of a lip structure to reduce material removal. The TEM results confirmed that the nanoscale grains formation was induced in the erosion-affected region and affected the Si concentration. Conclusively, the heat-treated CCDR Al-Si alloy possessed excellent erosion resistance and workability, which can serve as a reference processed as wear-resistant mechanical parts.
An Attentive Fourier-Augmented Image-Captioning Transformer
Authors: Osolo Raymond Ian , Yang Zhan , Long Jun
Published: September 2021

Many vision–language models that output natural language, such as image-captioning models, usually use image features merely for grounding the captions and most of the good performance of the model can be attributed to the language model, which does all the heavy lifting, a phenomenon that has persisted even with the emergence of transformer-based architectures as the preferred base architecture of recent state-of-the-art vision–language models. In this paper, we make the images matter more by using fast Fourier transforms to further breakdown the input features and extract more of their intrinsic salient information, resulting in more detailed yet concise captions. This is achieved by performing a 1D Fourier transformation on the image features first in the hidden dimension and then in the sequence dimension. These extracted features alongside the region proposal image features result in a richer image representation that can then be queried to produce the associated captions, which showcase a deeper understanding of image–object–location relationships than similar models. Extensive experiments performed on the MSCOCO dataset demonstrate a CIDER-D, BLEU-1, and BLEU-4 score of 130, 80.5, and 39, respectively, on the MSCOCO benchmark dataset.
Modeling Snow Depth and Snow Water Equivalent Distribution and Variation Characteristics in the Irtysh River Basin, China
Authors: Gao Liming , Zhang Lele , Shen Yongping , Zhang Yaonan , Ai Minghao , Zhang Wei
Published: September 2021

Accurate simulation of snow cover process is of great significance to the study of climate change and the water cycle. In our study, the China Meteorological Forcing Dataset (CMFD) and ERA-Interim were used as driving data to simulate the dynamic changes in snow depth and snow water equivalent (SWE) in the Irtysh River Basin from 2000 to 2018 using the Noah-MP land surface model, and the simulation results were compared with the gridded dataset of snow depth at Chinese meteorological stations (GDSD), the long-term series of daily snow depth dataset in China (LSD), and China’s daily snow depth and snow water equivalent products (CSS). Before the simulation, we compared the combinations of four parameterizations schemes of Noah-MP model at the Kuwei site. The results show that the rainfall and snowfall (SNF) scheme mainly affects the snow accumulation process, while the surface layer drag coefficient (SFC), snow/soil temperature time (STC), and snow surface albedo (ALB) schemes mainly affect the melting process. The effect of STC on the simulation results was much higher than the other three schemes; when STC uses a fully implicit scheme, the error of simulated snow depth and snow water equivalent is much greater than that of a semi-implicit scheme. At the basin scale, the accuracy of snow depth modeled by using CMFD and ERA-Interim is higher than LSD and CSS snow depth based on microwave remote sensing. In years with high snow cover, LSD and CSS snow depth data are seriously underestimated. According to the results of model simulation, it is concluded that the snow depth and snow water equivalent in the north of the basin are higher than those in the south. The average snow depth, snow water equivalent, snow days, and the start time of snow accumulation (STSA) in the basin did not change significantly during the study period, but the end time of snow melting was significantly advanced.
Association between Anthropometric Variables, Sex, and Visual Biofeedback in Dynamic Postural Control Assessed on a Computerized Wobble Board
Authors: De Maio Marianna , Cortis Cristina , Iannaccone Alice , da Silva Rubens A. , Fusco Andrea
Published: September 2021

Anthropometrics and sex influence balance performances, and visual information can change anthropometrics’ relation and the postural sway. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of anthropometric characteristics, sex, and visual biofeedback and/or their interaction on a computerized wobble board. Twenty-seven (14 females, 13 males) young adults performed three 30-s double leg stance trials on a wobble board during two conditions: with visual and without visual biofeedback. Visual biofeedback improved (p = 0.010) balance on a wobble board with respect to the condition without visual biofeedback. Regardless of sex, no differences between conditions were found (p = 0.088). When investigating the effect of anthropometrics variables, sex, and their interactions on conditions, a significant main effect of the lower limb/height ratio, sex, and their interaction on the condition without visual biofeedback was found (p = 0.0008; R2 = 0.57). For the visual biofeedback condition, significant effects for sex and body mass (p = 0.0012; R2 = 0.43) and sex and whole-body moment of inertia (p = 0.0030; R2 = 0.39) were found. Results from the present study showed (1) visual biofeedback improved wobble board balance performance; (2) a significant main effect of lower limb/height ratio, sex, and their interaction on the wobble board performances without visual biofeedback emerged; (3) significant effects were found for sex and body mass and sex and moment of inertia in the visual biofeedback condition. Findings from the present study could have an impact on training and evaluations protocols, especially when several populations such as children, athletes, older adults and people with balance disorders are involved.
Effect of Coptischinensis, Glycyrrhiza uralensis, and Fermented Glycine max Extract as Proactive Therapy for Atopic Dermatitis
Authors: Park Beom-Chan , Ahn Sang-Hyun , Yang In-Jun , Kim Ki-Bong
Published: September 2021

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of the Coptis chinensis, Glycyrrhiza uralensis, and fermented Glycine max (3Hb) extract on lipid barrier recovery and the alleviation of atopic dermatitis (AD). The 3Hb extract was administered to lipid barrier-eliminated mice (3HbT) for 5 days. Subsequently, the effect of the 3Hb extract on general skin features and the regulation of filaggrin, inflammatory response, Th2 differentiation, and the skin micro-environment for defense, was evaluated. In the 3HbT, filaggrin was effectively recovered. The clinical skin score was significantly lower in the 3HbT compared with control groups. In addition, significant decreases in pH and TEWL as well as in the levels of kallikrein 7, PAR-2, TSLP, IL-4, Fc ε receptor, and phosphate-NF-κB p65 were observed in the 3HbT, compared with the other control groups. Further, compared with control groups, the 3HbT showed a significant increase in those of claudin, cathelicidin, TLR, and NHE-1. Our results indicated that the 3Hb extract effectively recovered filaggrin. Through the recovery of filaggrin, inflammation and the Th2 differentiation process can be regulated, and microenvironments for defense can be recovered. Therefore, we confirmed the potential of the 3Hb extract for use in the proactive therapy of AD.
Influence of Roll Diameter on Material Deformation and Properties during Wire Flat Rolling
Authors: Hwang Joong-Ki , Kim Sung-Jin , Kim Kee-Joo
Published: September 2021

The influence of roll diameter on the strain distribution, shape change, contact pressure, and damage value of a workpiece was investigated during wire flat rolling to control the material properties of the flattened wire. The flattened wires fabricated by the four different rolls were compared using finite element analysis. The strain inhomogeneity of the flat-rolled wire increased with the roll diameter; thus, the macroscopic shear bands were strengthened as the roll diameter increased during wire flat rolling. The contact width and lateral spreading of the flattened wire increased with the roll diameter; therefore, the reduction in area decreased with the roll diameter. The contour of the normal contact pressure on the wire surface exhibited a similar pattern regardless of the roll diameter. The contact pressure showed higher values at the entry, edge, and exit zones in the contact area. The distribution of the damage value varied with the roll diameter. The free surface region tended to have the peak damage value during the process; however, the center region exhibited the maximum damage value with the roll diameter. From the perspective of the damage value, the optimum roll diameter was in existence during wire flat rolling. The underlying cause of the different strain distributions, shape changes, and damage values of the flat-rolled wire was the different contact lengths originating from the different roll diameters during wire flat rolling.
Failure in the Tension Zone around a Circular Tunnel Excavated in Saturated Porous Rock
Authors: Deangeli Chiara
Published: September 2021

Rock failure during tunnel excavation is still a matter of concern. The influence of groundwater is generally taken into account along discontinuities or in “soil-like” formations. However, brittle saturated porous rocks can be subject to undrained conditions during tunnel excavation. Negative effective stresses develop close to the tunnel boundary. This study aims at identifying a limit pore pressure in the rock around the tunnel, which induces failure in the tension zone. A discussion related to the strength parameters in the tension zone, with the Hoek and Brown criterion, is presented. A comparative analysis with different far-field stresses and rock properties indicates that the limit pore pressure decreases with the depth of the tunnel. The limit pore pressure is directly proportional to the uniaxial compressive strength and inversely proportional to the constant m. When the uniaxial compressive strength is close to the state of stress around the tunnel, the role of m reduces. Numerical models set up with FLAC indicate that the tension zone around the tunnel has a thickness of about 1 m. Due to uncertainties in the far-field stresses, hydro-mechanical behavior, and properties of the rock, the tension zone requires a careful investigation, in order to avoid stability problems.
Development of a Hybrid Artificial Neural Network-Particle Swarm Optimization Model for the Modelling of Traffic Flow of Vehicles at Signalized Road Intersections
Authors: Olayode Isaac Oyeyemi , Tartibu Lagouge Kwanda , Okwu Modestus O. , Ukaegbu Uchechi Faithful
Published: September 2021

The tremendous increase in vehicular navigation often witnessed daily has elicited constant and continuous traffic congestion at signalized road intersections. This study focuses on applying an artificial neural network trained by particle swarm optimization (ANN-PSO) to unravel the problem of traffic congestion. Traffic flow variables, such as the speed of vehicles on the road, number of different categories of vehicles, traffic density, time, and traffic volumes, were considered input and output variables for modelling traffic flow of non-autonomous vehicles at a signalized road intersection. Four hundred and thirty-four (434) traffic datasets, divided into thirteen (13) inputs and one (1) output, were obtained from seven roadsites connecting to the N1 Allandale interchange identified as the busiest road in Southern Africa. The results obtained from this research have shown a training and testing performance of 0.98356 and 0.98220. These results are indications of a significant positive correlation between the inputs and output variables. Optimal performance of the ANN-PSO model was achieved by tuning the number of neurons, accelerating factors, and swarm population sizes concurrently. The evidence from this research study suggests that the ANN-PSO model is an appropriate predictive model for the swift optimization of vehicular traffic flow at signalized road intersections. This research extends our knowledge of traffic flow modelling at a signalized road intersection using metaheuristics algorithms. The ANN-PSO model developed in this research will assist traffic engineers in designing traffic lights and creation of traffic rules at signalized road intersections.
The Impacts of Field Management on Soil and Tea Root Microbiomes
Authors: Lin Guan-Ying , Chen Bo-Jhen , Hu Chih-Yi , Lin Wei-Yi
Published: September 2021

Due to the importance of microbes in soil health and crop production, manipulation of microbiomes provides a new strategy for improving crop growth and agricultural ecosystems. Current understanding is limited regarding the responses of soil and crop endophytic microbiomes to field management and microbiome programming. In this study, we investigated soil and tea root bacterial communities under conventional and organic cropping systems using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. A significant difference in soil and root bacterial community structure was observed under different field managements, leading to 43% and 35% variance, respectively. We also identified field management-sensitive species both in soils and tea roots that have great potential as bioindicators for bacterial microbiome manipulation. Moreover, through functional profile predictions of microbiomes, xenobiotics degradation in soil bacterial communities is enriched in organic farms, suggesting that biodegradation capabilities are enhanced under organic cropping systems. Our results demonstrate the effects of field management on both soil and tea root bacterial microbiomes and provide new insights into the reprogramming of microbial structures.
Trends in the Airglow Temperatures in the MLT Region—Part 3: Ground-Based and SABER Measurements
Authors: Huang Tai-Yin , Vanyo Michael
Published: September 2021

Ground-based temperature measurements at Svalbard, Wuppertal, and Hohenpeissenberg were analyzed to obtain F10.7, Ap index, and Dst index trends. The trends were then compared to those obtained from Sounding of the Atmosphere using Broadband Emission Radiometry (SABER) temperature measurements at the same locations. Trend analysis was carried out for overlapped time periods, full range of available data, and the CO2-detrended full range of available data. The Svalbard meteor radar (SABER) temperature showed a weak (moderate) correlation with F10.7 and a moderate (weak) correlation with Ap and Dst indices. The trends in the Wuppertal OH* temperature compare well with the SABER temperature when a full range of data is used in the analysis. Both temperatures had a similar F10.7 trend with the same level of correlation coefficient. The F10.7 trend in the Hohenpeissenberg OH* temperature compared well with that obtained by SABER, but the former displayed a weak correlation. The Hohenpeissenberg data displayed a very weak correlation with Ap and Dst indices. Our study clearly shows that a longer dataset would better capture trends in temperature, as was evidenced by the results of Wuppertal data. The CO2-detrended temperatures overall showed slightly larger trend values with a slightly better correlation.
Compound Heterozygosity for OTOA Truncating Variant and Genomic Rearrangement Cause Autosomal Recessive Sensorineural Hearing Loss in an Italian Family
Authors: Ortore Rocco Pio , Leone Maria Pia , Palumbo Orazio , Petracca Antonio , Trecca Eleonora M. C. , D’Ecclesia Aurelio , Vigliaroli Ciro Lucio , Micale Lucia , Longo Francesco , Melchionda Salvatore , Castori Marco
Published: September 2021

Hearing loss (HL) affects 1–3 newborns per 1000 and, in industrialized countries, recognizes a genetic etiology in more than 80% of the congenital cases. Excluding GJB2 and GJB6, OTOA is one of the leading genes associated with autosomal recessive non-syndromic HL. Allelic heterogeneity linked to OTOA also includes genomic rearrangements facilitated by non-allelic homologous recombination with the neighboring OTOAP1 pseudogene. We present a couple of Italian siblings affected by moderate to severe sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) due to compound heterozygosity at the OTOA locus. Multigene panel next-generation sequencing identified the c.2223G>A, p.(Trp741*) variant transmitted from the unaffected mother. Assuming the existence of a second paternal deleterious variant which evaded detection at sequencing, genomic array analysis found a ~150 Kb microdeletion of paternal origin and spanning part of OTOA. Both deleterious alleles were identified for the first time. This study demonstrates the utility of an integrated approach to solve complex cases and allow appropriate management to affected individuals and at-risk relatives.
Power and Energy Rating Considerations in Integration of Flow Battery with Solar PV and Residential Load
Authors: Parmeshwarappa Purnima , Gundlapalli Ravendra , Jayanti Sreenivas
Published: September 2021

Integration of renewable energy sources such as solar photovoltaic (PV) generation with variable power demand systems like residential electricity consumption requires the use of a high efficiency electrical energy system such as a battery. In the present study, such integration has been studied using vanadium redox flow battery (VRFB) as the energy storage system with specific focus on the sizing of the power and energy storage capacities of the system components. Experiments have been carried out with a seven-day simulated solar insolation and residential load characteristics using a 1 kW VRFB stack and variable amounts of electrolyte volume. Several scenarios have been simulated using power and energy scale factors. Battery response, in terms of its power, state of charge and efficiency, has been monitored in each run. Results show that the stack power rating should be based on peak charging characteristics while the volume of electrolyte should be based on the expected daily energy discharge through the battery. The PV source itself should be sized at about 25% more energy rating than the average daily load. The ability to design a VRFB with a high power-to-energy ratio makes it particularly attractive for PV-load integration.
Amphiphilic and Perfluorinated Poly(3-Hydroxyalkanoate) Nanocapsules for 19F Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Authors: Le Gal Marion , Renard Estelle , Simon-Colin Christelle , Larrat Benoit , Langlois Valérie
Published: September 2021

Nanoparticles have recently emerged as valuable tools in biomedical imaging techniques. Here PEGylated and fluorinated nanocapsules based on poly(3-hydroxyalkanoate) containing a liquid core of perfluorooctyl bromide PFOB were formulated by an emulsion-evaporation process as potential 19F MRI imaging agents. Unsaturated poly(hydroxyalkanoate), PHAU, was produced by marine bacteria using coprah oil and undecenoic acid as substrates. PHA-g-(F; PEG) was prepared by two successive controlled thiol-ene reactions from PHAU with firstly three fluorinated thiols having from 3 up to 17 fluorine atoms and secondly with PEG-SH. The resulting PHA-g-(F; PEG)-based PFOB nanocapsules, with a diameter close to 250–300 nm, are shown to be visible in 19F MRI with an acquisition time of 15 min. The results showed that PFOB-nanocapsules based on PHA-g-(F; PEG) have the potential to be used as novel contrast agents for 19F MRI.
Multiscale Entropy Analysis of Heart Rate Variability in Neonatal Patients with and without Seizures
Authors: Frassineti Lorenzo , Lanatà Antonio , Olmi Benedetta , Manfredi Claudia
Published: September 2021

The complex physiological dynamics of neonatal seizures make their detection challenging. A timely diagnosis and treatment, especially in intensive care units, are essential for a better prognosis and the mitigation of possible adverse effects on the newborn’s neurodevelopment. In the literature, several electroencephalographic (EEG) studies have been proposed for a parametric characterization of seizures or their detection by artificial intelligence techniques. At the same time, other sources than EEG, such as electrocardiography, have been investigated to evaluate the possible impact of neonatal seizures on the cardio-regulatory system. Heart rate variability (HRV) analysis is attracting great interest as a valuable tool in newborns applications, especially where EEG technologies are not easily available. This study investigated whether multiscale HRV entropy indexes could detect abnormal heart rate dynamics in newborns with seizures, especially during ictal events. Furthermore, entropy measures were analyzed to discriminate between newborns with seizures and seizure-free ones. A cohort of 52 patients (33 with seizures) from the Helsinki University Hospital public dataset has been evaluated. Multiscale sample and fuzzy entropy showed significant differences between the two groups (p-value < 0.05, Bonferroni multiple-comparison post hoc correction). Moreover, interictal activity showed significant differences between seizure and seizure-free patients (Mann-Whitney Test: p-value < 0.05). Therefore, our findings suggest that HRV multiscale entropy analysis could be a valuable pre-screening tool for the timely detection of seizure events in newborns.
Implications of Endothelial Cell-Mediated Dysfunctions in Vasomotor Tone Regulation
Authors: Mangana Carolina , Lorigo Margarida , Cairrao Elisa
Published: September 2021

Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) constitute the major cause of death worldwide and show a higher prevalence in the adult population. The human umbilical cord consistsof two arteries and one vein, both composed of three tunics. The tunica intima, lined with endothelial cells, regulates vascular tone through the production/release of vasoregulatory substances. These substances can be vasoactive factors released by endothelial cells (ECs) that cause vasodilation (NO, PGI2, EDHF, and Bradykinin) or vasoconstriction (ET1, TXA2, and Ang II) depending on the cell type (ECs or SMC) that reacts to the stimulus. Vascular studies using ECs are important for the analysis of cardiovascular diseases since endothelial dysfunction is an important CVD risk factor. In this paper, we will address the morphological characteristics of the human umbilical cord and its component vessels. the constitution of the vascular endothelium, and the evolution of human umbilical cord-derived endothelial cells when isolated. Moreover, the role played by the endothelium in the vasomotor tone regulation, and how it may be associated with the existence of CVD, were discussed.
OXA-48 Carbapenemase-Encoding Transferable Plasmids of Klebsiella pneumoniae Recovered from Egyptian Patients Suffering from Complicated Urinary Tract Infections
Authors: Elshamy Ann A. , Saleh Sarra E. , Alshahrani Mohammad Y. , Aboshanab Khaled M. , Aboulwafa Mohammad M. , Hassouna Nadia A.
Published: September 2021

Gram-negative bacteria are common causes of urinary tract infections (UTIs). Such pathogens can acquire genes encoding multiple mechanisms of antimicrobial resistance, including carbapenem resistance. The aim of this study was to detect the carbapenemase-producing ability of some Gram-negative bacterial isolates from urine specimens of patients suffering from complicated UTIs at two vital tertiary care hospitals in Cairo, Egypt; to determine the prevalence of carbapenemase genes among plasmid-bearing isolates; and explore the possibility of horizontal gene transfer to other bacterial species. The collected isolates were subjected to antimicrobial susceptibility testing, phenotypic analysis of carbapenemase production, and molecular detection of plasmid-borne carbapenemase genes, then the extracted plasmids were transformed into competent E. coli DH5α. A total of 256 Gram-negative bacterial clinical isolates were collected, 65 (25.4%) isolates showed carbapenem resistance of which 36 (55.4%) were carbapenemase-producers, and of these 31 (47.7%) harbored plasmids. The extracted plasmids were used as templates for PCR amplification of blaKPC, blaNDM, blaVIM, blaOXA-48, and blaIMP carbapenemase genes. The blaOXA-48 gene was detected in 24 (77.4%) of the tested isolates while blaVIM gene was detected in 8 (25.8%), both blaKPC and blaNDM genes were co-present in 1 (3.2%) isolate. Plasmids carrying the blaOXA-48 gene from 4 K. pneumoniae clinical isolates were successfully transformed into competent E. coli DH5α. The transformants were carbapenemase-producers and acquired resistance to some of the tested antimicrobial agents as compared to untransformed E. coli DH5α. The study concluded that the rate of carbapenem resistance among Gram-negative bacterial uropathogens in Cairo, Egypt is relatively high and can be transferred horizontally to other bacterial host(s).
Binding Constants of Clinical Drugs and Other Organic Ligands with Human and Mammalian Serum Albumins
Authors: Sedov Igor , Nikiforova Alena , Khaibrakhmanova Diliara
Published: September 2021

A dataset containing the experimental values of the equilibrium binding constants of clinical drugs, and some other organic ligands with human and mammalian (predominantly bovine) serum albumins, is assembled. The affinity of drugs to albumin governs their pharmacokinetic properties, related to permeability through physiological barriers and distribution within the organism. The dataset contains 1755 records gathered from 346 original literature sources describing the albumin affinity of 324 different substances. The data were extracted from both articles and existing protein-binding databases applied strict data selection rules in order to exclude the values influenced by the third-party compounds. The dataset provides the details on the experimental conditions of the measurements, such as temperature; protein and ligand concentrations; buffer pH, composition and concentration; and the method and model used for the binding constant calculations. Analysis of the data reveals discrepancies between the values from different studies, as well as the significant influence of the measurement method. Averaging the values from multiple independent measurements from the dataset may help to determine the reliable values of the binding constants. The dataset can be used as the reference dataset for the development of predictive models to calculate binding constants, and as the choice for the experimental setup in the future albumin-binding studies.
Is mHealth a Useful Tool for Self-Assessment and Rehabilitation of People with Multiple Sclerosis? A Systematic Review
Authors: Bonnechère Bruno , Rintala Aki , Spooren Annemie , Lamers Ilse , Feys Peter
Published: September 2021

The development of mobile technology and mobile Internet offers new possibilities in rehabilitation and clinical assessment in a longitudinal perspective for multiple sclerosis management. However, because the mobile health applications (mHealth) have only been developed recently, the level of evidence supporting the use of mHealth in people with multiple sclerosis (pwMS) is currently unclear. Therefore, this review aims to list and describe the different mHealth available for rehabilitation and self-assessment of pwMS and to define the level of evidence supporting these interventions for functioning problems categorized within the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF). In total, 36 studies, performed with 22 different mHealth, were included in this review, 30 about rehabilitation and six for self-assessment, representing 3091 patients. For rehabilitation, most of the studies were focusing on cognitive function and fatigue. Concerning the efficacy, we found a small but significant effect of the use of mHealth for cognitive training (Standardized Mean Difference (SMD) = 0.28 [0.12; 0.45]) and moderate effect for fatigue (SMD = 0.61 [0.47; 0.76]). mHealth is a promising tool in pwMS but more studies are needed to validate these solutions in the other ICF categories. More replications studies are also needed as most of the mHealth have only been assessed in one single study.
Evidence for a Behaviourally Measurable Perseverance Trait in Humans
Authors: Määttänen Ilmari , Makkonen Emilia , Jokela Markus , Närväinen Johanna , Väliaho Julius , Seppälä Vilja , Kylmälä Julia , Henttonen Pentti
Published: September 2021

The aim was to create and study a possible behavioural measure for trait(s) in humans that reflect the ability and motivation to continue an unpleasant behaviour, i.e., behavioural perseverance or persistence (BP). We utilised six different tasks with 54 subjects to measure the possible BP trait(s): cold pressor task, hand grip endurance task, impossible anagram task, impossible verbal reasoning task, thread and needle task, and boring video task. The task performances formed two BP factors. Together, the two-factor solution is responsible for the common variance constituting 37.3% of the total variance in the performances i.e., performance times. Excluding the impossible anagram task, the performance in any given task was better explained by performances in the other tasks (i.e., “trait”, η2 range = 0.131–0.253) than by the rank order variable (“depletion”, i.e., getting tired from the previous tasks, η2 range = 0–0.096).
Unraveling How Tumor-Derived Galectins Contribute to Anti-Cancer Immunity Failure
Authors: Laderach Diego José , Compagno Daniel
Published: September 2021

Current data indicates that anti-tumor T cell-mediated immunity correlates with a better prognosis in cancer patients. However, it has widely been demonstrated that tumor cells negatively manage immune attack by activating several immune-suppressive mechanisms. It is, therefore, essential to fully understand how lymphocytes are activated in a tumor microenvironment and, above all, how to prevent these cells from becoming dysfunctional. Tumors produce galectins-1, -3, -7, -8, and -9 as one of the major molecular mechanisms to evade immune control of tumor development. These galectins impact different steps in the establishment of the anti-tumor immune responses. Here, we carry out a critical dissection on the mechanisms through which tumor-derived galectins can influence the production and the functionality of anti-tumor T lymphocytes. This knowledge may help us design more effective immunotherapies to treat human cancers.