bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Prognostic Value of Platelet-to-Lymphocyte Ratio in Non-Muscle Invasive Bladder Cancer Patients: Intravesical Bacillus Calmette-Guerin Treatment After Transurethral Resection of Bladder Tumor
Authors: Wu Ruicheng , Li Dengxiong , Zhang Facai , Bai Yunjin , Wang Xiaoming , Han Ping
Published: May 2022

The objective of this study was to investigate the platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) in patients who underwent intravesical treatment for non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC). A total of 197 patients who underwent intravesical Bacillus Calmette-Guerin treatment after transurethral resection of bladder (TURB) were included. We divided the patients into different groups according to the treatment stage before and during induction treatment as Group 1 and Group 2, and set the change value of PLR as the Group 3. The cutoff values of PLR were determined through receiver operation characteristics curves analysis. we found a significant difference in recurrence-free survival (RFS) and progression-free survival (PFS) between patients with high serum PLR and those with low serum PLR in Group 1, as well as Group 2. Cox multivariate analysis revealed that tumor number ≥3, high grade, and history of carcinoma in situ (CIS) were significant factors predicting RFS and PFS. The PLR values before and during induction therapy could be used as predictors for the progression and recurrence of NMIBC patients receiving BCG immunotherapy. the PLR values after induction therapy have a stronger predictive power.
Enhanced Healing Activity of Manuka Honey and Nitrofurazone Composite in Full-Thickness Burn Wounds in the Rabbit Model
Authors: Kulyar Muhammad Fakhar-e-Alam , Ashfaq Khurram , Aqib Amjad Islam , Duan Kun , Asif Muhammad , Bhutta Zeeshan Ahmad , Shoaib Muhammad , Shabbir Samina , Nawaz Shah , Naseer Muhammad Aamir , Sarwar Iqra , Akhtar Muhammad , Chaudhry Ayesha Safdar , Hussain Riaz , Hussain Hafiz Iftikhar , Wu Yi , Li Kun
Published: May 2022

Burns cause many significant changes in metabolism and inflammatory reactions, leading to poor regeneration in animals and humans. A list of medicines to treat burns is available in the market. But due to the high cost of these medicines, these are unaffordable, especially for farmers of middle-class families of Africa and Asia. Therefore, a low-cost complementary treatment has always been a topic of many researchers, and there is a dire need of time for the welfare of animals to save them. The current study was planned to scrutinize the therapeutic effects of Manuka honey and Nitrofurazone ointments on full-thickness burn wounds in the rabbit model. The healing efficacy was performed through wound contraction rate, hematological analysis, the thickness of dermis and epidermis, and collagen content percentage. Histopathology was performed after taking biopsy samples at the end of the research. Based on statistical analysis using wound healing time (days, D), the combination (MO + NT) resulted in a shorter period (27 D ± 1) than the average healing time of controlled (36 ± 2), Manuka ointment (31.33 D ± 1.52), and Nitrofurazone ointment (32 ± 1). A significant decrease in the count of red blood cell (RBC), mean corpuscular volume (MCV), and mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH) in all treatments was noticed mainly in MO + NT. Furthermore, burns induced a significant difference (p < 0.05) in the white blood cells (WBCs) count levels in the MO-treated group. While the level of platelets (PLTs) was not significantly different from the healthy control group. Histopathological assessment (epithelialization, fibrosis, and angiogenesis) of skin showed burn healing to be better in MO and MO + NT groups. In conclusion, the composite of Manuka honey with Nitrofurazone led to the faster recovery than other treatments.
The Prospects of Non-EEG Seizure Detection Devices in Dogs
Authors: Bongers Jos , Gutierrez-Quintana Rodrigo , Stalin Catherine Elizabeth
Published: May 2022

The unpredictable nature of seizures is challenging for caregivers of epileptic dogs, which calls the need for other management strategies such as seizure detection devices. Seizure detection devices are systems that rely on non-electroencephalographic (non-EEG) ictal changes, designed to detect seizures. The aim for its use in dogs would be to provide owners with a more complete history of their dog's seizures and to help install prompt (and potentially life-saving) intervention. Although seizure detection via wearable intracranial EEG recordings is associated with a higher sensitivity in humans, there is robust evidence for reliable detection of generalized tonic-clonic seizures (GTCS) using non-EEG devices. Promising non-EEG changes described in epileptic humans, include heart rate variability (HRV), accelerometry (ACM), electrodermal activity (EDA), and electromyography (EMG). Their sensitivity and false detection rate to detect seizures vary, however direct comparison of studies is nearly impossible, as there are many differences in study design and standards for testing. A way to improve sensitivity and decrease false-positive alarms is to combine the different parameters thereby profiting from the strengths of each one. Given the challenges of using EEG in veterinary clinical practice, non-EEG ictal changes could be a promising alternative to monitor seizures more objectively. This review summarizes various seizure detection devices described in the human literature, discusses their potential use and limitations in veterinary medicine and describes what is currently known in the veterinary literature.
Yield Responses of Grain Sorghum and Cowpea in Binary and Sole Cultures under No-Tillage Conditions in Limpopo Province
Authors: Mogale Tlou E. , Ayisi Kingsley K. , Munjonji Lawrence , Kifle Yehenew G.
Published: May 2022

Climate change is severely disrupting ecosystem services and crop productivity, resulting in lower crop growth and yields. Studies have emphasized the importance of assessing conservation practices through crop modelling to improve cropland productivity. There is a lack of accurate information in the performance of conservation practices as well as data for improved crop modelling. No-tillage sorghum–cowpea intercrop experiments were established to assess the productivity of four sorghum cultivars and cowpea at two densities of 37,037 and 74,074 per plants and generate data for improved crop modelling. The leaf area index (LAI) varied in sorghum cultivars and cowpea densities during the two growing seasons. Cultivars Enforcer and NS5511 produced the highest grain yields of 4338 kg per ha and 2120 kg per ha, respectively, at Syferkuil. Ofcolaco’s Enforcer and Avenger were the highest yielding cultivars at Ofcolaco, with mean yields of 2625 kg per ha and 1191 kg per ha, respectively. At Syferkuil, cowpea yield was 93% and 77% more in sole compared to binary cultures during the growing seasons at Syferkuil. At Ofcolaco, sole yielded approximately 96% more grain than binary. The findings confirm that for the sorghum–cowpea intercrop to improve overall system productivity, cowpea density should be increased.
Characteristics of Initial Attachment and Biofilm Formation of Pseudomonas aeruginosa on Microplastic Surfaces
Authors: Ayush Purevdash Tsend , Ko Je-Hyeon , Oh Hyun-Suk
Published: May 2022

The toxic effect of microplastics on living organisms is emerging as a serious environmental issue nowadays. The biofilm formed on their surface by microorganisms can further increase the toxicity, but the mechanism of biofilm formation on microplastics is not yet fully understood because of the complexities of other factors. This study aimed to identify the factors with an important influence on biofilm formation on microplastic surfaces. The microtiter plate assay was used to evaluate the biofilms formed by Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1, a model microorganism, on four types of microplastics, including polyethylene, polystyrene, polypropylene, and polytetrafluoroethylene. The density of microplastics was found to be a key factor in determining the amount of biofilm formation because the density relative to water has a decisive effect on the behavior of microplastics. Biofilm formation on plastics with densities similar to that of water showed remarkable differences based on surface characteristics, whereas biofilm formation on plastics with a higher density was significantly influenced by particle movement in the experimental environment. Furthermore, biofilm formation was inhibited by adding a quorum quenching enzyme, suggesting that QS is critical in biofilm formation on microplastics. This study provides useful information on biofilm formation on microplastic surfaces.
Stress Intensity Factor and Shape Coefficient Correction of Non-Penetrating Three-Dimensional Crack for Brittle Ampoule Bottle with V-Shaped Notch
Authors: Yu Peng , Huang Xuefeng , Gong Youping , Li Shengji
Published: May 2022

The automatic opening of an ampoule bottle is key to making the operation of the sterility inspection automatic. During the automatic opening, the fracture characteristics on the neck of ampoule bottle need to be deeply understood to avoid the contamination of the samples by preventing the glass fragments from dropping into the ampoule bottle. This paper presents the calculation of fracture characteristic parameters, such as the coefficient K of the stress intensity factor (SIF) and the coefficient F of shape factor (shape coefficient), based on the finite element method (FEM) for a non-penetrating three-dimensional crack. Mechanical and mesh models were built for the special structure of an ampoule bottle with a V-shaped notch, and the influence of mesh size on the coefficient K was evaluated. The mathematical expressions of stress intensity factor and shape coefficient of three types of cracks were established. The results demonstrate that the crack ellipticity (a/c) and crack relative depth (a/t) have significant effects on the KI, KII, and KIII of the SIFs. The KI plays a dominant role, which follows a symmetrical distribution at the symmetrical position on both sides of the deepest crack point, whereas the KII and KIII can be negligible. The corrected shape coefficient FI decreases with increasing ellipticity a/c and increases with increasing relative depth a/t under the combined tensile stress and bending loads. The comparison to the literature shows the calculation of the corrected shape coefficient has a high accuracy based on the FEM, which will be applicable and reliable for non-penetrating three-dimensional cracks.
Scale-Invariant Localization of Electric Vehicle Charging Port via Semi-Global Matching of Binocular Images
Authors: Li Taoyong , Xia Chunlei , Yu Ming , Tang Panpan , Wei Wei , Zhang Dongmei
Published: May 2022

Automatic charging for electric vehicles has broad development prospects for meeting the personalized service experience of users while overcoming the inherent safety hazards. An identification and positioning approach suitable for engineering applications is the key to promoting automatic charging. In this paper, a low-cost, high-precision method to identify and position charging ports based on SIFT and SGBM is proposed. The feature extraction approach based on SIFT is adopted to produce the difference of Gaussian (DOG) for scale space construction, and the feature matching algorithm with nearest-neighbor search, which is a kind of machine learning, is utilized to yield the map set of matching points. In addition, the disparity calculation is conducted with a semi-global matching algorithm to obtain high-precision positioning results for the charging port. In order to verify the feasibility of the method, a complete identification and positioning experiment of charging port was carried out based on OpenCV and MATLAB.
Discussions on the Properties of Emulsion Prepared by Using an Amphoteric Chitosan as an Emulsifier
Authors: Chung Chin-Chun , Chen Hua-Wei , Wu Hung-Ta
Published: May 2022

A typical emulsion contains oil and water phases, and these two phases can be combined by an emulsifier with both lipophilic and hydrophilic groups to form a mixture. If the component of water is more than oil, the mixture is termed as o/w emulsion. The water is called the continuous phase and the oil is called the dispersed phase. Oppositely, if the component of oil is more than water, the mixture is termed as w/o emulsion. The oil is called the continuous phase and the water is called the dispersed phase. Chitosan, which is biocompatible and non-toxic, was modified as an amphoteric emulsifier to replace sodium acrylates copolymer in the preparation of emulsions. Both sodium acrylates copolymer and the modified chitosan were used as emulsifiers, respectively, and the properties of moisturizing, transmittance, the number of bacteria, and emulsion stability were measured. The experimental results showed that the amount of amphoteric chitosan is less than that of sodium acrylate copolymer by 20% under a similar degree of emulsification. The measurement of spatial moisture showed the difference in equilibrium humidity was in the range of 2.05 to 2.20 gH2O/kg dry air, indicating that the moisture retention of the modified chitosan is better. In addition, the calculation of bacterial growth confirmed that the number of bacteria in the amphoteric chitosan emulsion and the sodium acrylate copolymer emulsion were 80 and 560, respectively. The emulsion stability was tested by the separation of oil and water phases in the diluted emulsion and by centrifugal accelerated sedimentation. The results showed that, for both emulsifiers, no separation of the oil and water phases occurred within one hour, and the stability of the modified chitosan emulsion was better. Therefore, the modified chitosan successfully substitutes sodium acrylates copolymer as an emulsifier in the preparation of emulsion.
Implicit Body Representation of the Hand Enlarged by Repetitive Peripheral Magnetic Stimulation within the Boundary of a Real Hand
Authors: Xia Yunxiang , Okazaki Tatsuma , Uemura Kenya , Izumi Shinichi
Published: May 2022

Deafferentation induced by local anesthesia causes a larger perceived area than the real area of the mouth, which, in the perspective of body representation, belongs to implicit body representation. In this study, we applied repetitive peripheral magnetic stimulation (rPMS) on the motor branch of the radial nerve of participants’ non-dominant-side forearm to induce extension movements of wrist and fingers. This intervention was supposed to increase proprioception to the brain and had an enlargement effect on implicit body representation of the hand in our hypothesis. A total of 39 participants were randomly allocated to the real rPMS group (n = 19) or the sham rPMS group (n = 20). Implicit representation of the hand was measured by a simplified paradigm based on the proposal of Longo and Haggard that depicted perceived locations of fingertips and metacarpophalangeal joints of participants’ occluded hand, in which they showed that implicit body representation of the hand was smaller than the real hand. We compare the main effect of real rPMS vs. sham rPMS and its interaction effect with time by setting four timepoints—before stimulation, right after stimulation, 10 min after stimulation and 20 min after stimulation—to demonstrate the possible short-lasting effect. Results showed that real rPMS had a short-lasting enlargement effect on implicit representation of the hand in general, which was significant especially on the ulnar side of fingers. What is more, the enlarged implicit body representation of the hand was still within the boundary of a real hand, which might indicate the identification role of a real body part.
Definition of Tinnitus
Authors: Messina Aldo , Corvaia Alessandro , Marino Chiara
Published: May 2022

Tinnitus is generally defined as the perception of sound in the absence of vibration of an external elastic body. If this definition appears useful to differentiate tinnitus from somatosounds, it is not suitable for distinguishing it from psychiatric hallucinations. Nor does this solution define a temporal limit of duration of the perception, which is important for distinguishing pathological tinnitus from those occasional noises that we all perceive from time to time. A complete definition appears necessary not only to achieve homogeneity in epidemiological studies but also to set up correct and personalized therapeutic schemes. An analogy with neuropsychiatric studies and, in particular, the concept of auditory hallucinosis are proposed by the authors to define tinnitus. According to the authors, tinnitus is auditory hallucinosis, and similarly, vertigo is spatial hallucinosis.
Secure Authentication and Key Agreement Protocol for Cloud-Assisted Industrial Internet of Things
Authors: Hu Huanhuan , Liao Longxia , Zhao Junhui
Published: May 2022

With the expansion of the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), real-time data collected by smart sensors deployed in factories are shared over open channels , which may cause unauthorized access of transmitted messages by adversaries, thus causing the problem of privacy leakage. User authentication is the first line of defense for security protection in the IIoT environment. In this paper, we propose a cloud—assisted authentication scheme based on Chebyshev polynomial encryption, in which only authorized users can access the sensing devices in the Internet of Things (IoT) to obtain real-time data. The scheme uses fuzzy extraction technology to verify biometric characteristics. There are three factors to verify the user’s login request: the smart card, password and the user’s personal biometrics. The commonly adopted formal security analysis, the ROR model, is applied to prove the semantic security of session key, and a detailed informal security analysis is performed to show that the proposed scheme can withstand multiple known attacks. Compared with other related user authentication schemes, the proposed scheme provides several extra functionality features, including offline sensor node registration, updating user passwords and biometrics, adding new sensor node deployment, user anonymity and untraceability. In addition, the cost of computation, communication and security is compared with similar schemes, and results show that our scheme has more security performance while the cost is acceptable.
FPGA-Based Reconfigurable Convolutional Neural Network Accelerator Using Sparse and Convolutional Optimization
Authors: Gowda Kavitha Malali Vishveshwarappa , Madhavan Sowmya , Rinaldi Stefano , Divakarachari Parameshachari Bidare , Atmakur Anitha
Published: May 2022

Nowadays, the data flow architecture is considered as a general solution for the acceleration of a deep neural network (DNN) because of its higher parallelism. However, the conventional DNN accelerator offers only a restricted flexibility for diverse network models. In order to overcome this, a reconfigurable convolutional neural network (RCNN) accelerator, i.e., one of the DNN, is required to be developed over the field-programmable gate array (FPGA) platform. In this paper, the sparse optimization of weight (SOW) and convolutional optimization (CO) are proposed to improve the performances of the RCNN accelerator. The combination of SOW and CO is used to optimize the feature map and weight sizes of the RCNN accelerator; therefore, the hardware resources consumed by this RCNN are minimized in FPGA. The performances of RCNN-SOW-CO are analyzed by means of feature map size, weight size, sparseness of the input feature map (IFM), weight parameter proportion, block random access memory (BRAM), digital signal processing (DSP) elements, look-up tables (LUTs), slices, delay, power, and accuracy. An existing architectures OIDSCNN, LP-CNN, and DPR-NN are used to justify efficiency of the RCNN-SOW-CO. The LUT of RCNN-SOW-CO with Alexnet designed in the Zynq-7020 is 5150, which is less than the OIDSCNN and DPR-NN.
Fatty Acids Profile and Healthy Lipids Indices of Native Mexican Guajolote Meat Treated to Two Heat Treatments
Authors: Cigarroa-Vázquez Francisco A. , Granados-Rivera Lorenzo Danilo , Portillo-Salgado Rodrigo , Ventura-Ríos Joel , Esponda-Hernández William , Hernández-Marín José A. , Cruz-Tamayo Alvar A. , Bautista-Martinez Yuridia
Published: May 2022

Meat is a complex food with a structured nutritional composition that makes it an essential component of the human diet. In particular, the meat of native guajolote that is traditionally raised in natural conditions is an important dietary source of proteins of high biological value for the rural population of Mexico. The study aimed to evaluate fatty acids (FAs) profile and nutritional indices of breast and leg meat of native guajolote subjected to two heat treatments. For the study, a total of sixty muscle samples (30 breast meat and 30 leg meat) from adult male native guajolotes were used. The FA profile and nutritional indices were evaluated in raw meat (control) and meat subjected to two heat treatments (boiled and baked). The heat treatments, independently of the type of muscle, increased (p ≤ 0.05) the concentration of saturated (SFA) and monounsaturated FA (MUFA); in contrast, polyunsaturated FA (PUFA) decreased. Likewise, the dietary FA index, which has a negative hypercholesterolemic effect, and the atherogenic index increased in guajolote meat from the effect of the heat treatments, while the essential and undesirable hypercholesterolemic FA indices decreased. In conclusion, heat treatments increase the content of SFA and MUFAs in breast and leg meat of native guajolote. Boiling or baking the meat deteriorates PUFAs but increases the nutritional indices. The present investigation would provide valuable information for the guajolote meat product processing.
The Efficiency of Lemon Essential Oil-Based Nanoemulsions on the Inhibition of Phomopsis sp. and Reduction of Postharvest Decay of Kiwifruit
Authors: Meng Fan-Bing , Gou Zhen-Zhen , Li Yun-Cheng , Zou Long-Hua , Chen Wei-Jun , Liu Da-Yu
Published: May 2022

Essential oils (EOs) have excellent antibacterial activity and are generally recognized as safe (GRAS) for use in food preservatives. However, the application of EOs is limited because of their strong volatility and easily oxidized. Encapsulation of EOs into nanoemulsions could effectively prevent oxidative deterioration. In this study, lemon essential oil-based nanoemulsion (LEO/NE) was prepared by high-pressure homogenization. FT-IR and encapsulation efficiency analysis indicated that LEO was effectively encapsulated in the nanoemulsion. The results of zeta potential changes after 35 d storage indicated that LEO/NE exhibits good stability at room temperature. The effect of LEO/NE on the main soft rot pathogens of kiwifruit Phomopsis sp. was investigated, and the results showed that LEO/NE significantly inhibited spore germination and mycelia growth of Phomopsis sp. by promoting ROS accumulation, intracellular antioxidant enzyme activities, and cell apoptosis. The preservation experiment was carried out by inoculating Phomopsis sp. spores into fresh kiwifruit, and the LEO/NE effectively inhibited soft rot development in kiwifruit in a LEO dose dependent manner. LEO/NE with 1% LEO loading amount has a good effect on preventing postharvest decay of kiwifruit caused by Phomopsis sp.
Financial Applications on Fractional Lévy Stochastic Processes
Authors: Aljethi Reem Abdullah , Kılıçman Adem
Published: May 2022

In this present work, we perform a numerical analysis of the value of the European style options as well as a sensitivity analysis for the option price with respect to some parameters of the model when the underlying price process is driven by a fractional Lévy process. The option price is given by a deterministic representation by means of a real valued function satisfying some fractional PDE. The numerical scheme of the fractional PDE is obtained by means of a weighted and shifted Grunwald approximation.
Influence of Desaturation and Shrinkage on Evaporative Flux from Soils
Authors: Suchan Jared , Azam Shahid
Published: May 2022

An assessment of evaporation losses from soils is critical for sustainable agriculture in semi-arid regions. The purpose of this research was to determine the effect of desaturation and shrinkage on evaporative flux from representative soils. Results indicated that the surface area did not change for silty sand (6% volume reduction) and substantially increased for lean clay (17% volume reduction). The evaporative flux for silty sand decreased from 31 to 25 mg/m2∙s in Stage II, remained constant during Stage III, and decreased to 11 mg/m2∙s in Stage IV. In contrast, the lean clay showed a longer Stage II (34 to 14 mg/m2∙s), a near constant Stage III, albeit a similar Stage IV (13 to 3 mg/m2∙s). The air entry and residual suction values were 1 kPa and 100 kPa for silty sand and 5 kPa and 1400 kPa for lean clay. In both soils, the total suction merged with the matric suction at Stage II–Stage III boundary. Furthermore, the shrinkage curve was J-shaped for silty sand with the only void ratio decrease in Stage II, whereas that for the lean clay showed a significant void ratio decrease in Stage II, marginal decrease in Stage III, and no decrease in Stage IV. Under high demand, the silty sand exhibited Stage III and Stage IV evaporation, whereas the lean clay also showed significant flux during Stage II. For the investigated range of water content, the total water loss under high demand was found to be 7 times that under low demand.
An Improved Ant Colony Algorithm for Urban Bus Network Optimization Based on Existing Bus Routes
Authors: Wei Yuanyuan , Jiang Nan , Li Ziwei , Zheng Dongdong , Chen Minjie , Zhang Miaomiao
Published: May 2022

Adding new lines on the basis of the existing public transport network is an important way to improve public transport operation networks and the quality of urban public transport service. Aiming at the problem that existing routes are rarely considered in the previous research on public transportation network planning, a public transportation network optimization method based on an ant colony optimization (ACO) algorithm coupled with the existing routes is proposed. First, the actual road network and existing bus lines were abstracted with a graph data structure, and the integration with origin–destination passenger flow data was completed. Second, according to the ACO algorithm, combined with the existing line structure constraints and ant transfer rules at adjacent nodes, new bus-line planning was realized. Finally, according to the change of direct passenger flow in the entire network, the optimal bus-line network optimization scheme was determined. In the process of node transfer calculation, the algorithm adopts the Softmax strategy to realize path diversity and increase the path search range, while avoiding premature convergence and falling into local optimization. Moreover, the elite ant strategy increases the pheromone release on the current optimal path and accelerates the convergence of the algorithm. Based on existing road network and bus lines, the algorithm carries out new line planning, which increases the rationality and practical feasibility of the new bus-line structure.
Functional RNA Dynamics Are Progressively Governed by RNA Destabilization during the Adaptation to Chronic Hypoxia
Authors: Bauer Rebekka , Meyer Sofie Patrizia , Kloss Karolina Anna , Guerrero Ruiz Vanesa Maria , Reuscher Samira , Zhou You , Fuhrmann Dominik Christian , Zarnack Kathi , Schmid Tobias , Brüne Bernhard
Published: May 2022

Previous studies towards reduced oxygen availability have mostly focused on changes in total mRNA expression, neglecting underlying transcriptional and post-transcriptional events. Therefore, we generated a comprehensive overview of hypoxia-induced changes in total mRNA expression, global de novo transcription, and mRNA stability in monocytic THP-1 cells. Since hypoxic episodes often persist for prolonged periods, we further compared the adaptation to acute and chronic hypoxia. While total mRNA changes correlated well with enhanced transcription during short-term hypoxia, mRNA destabilization gained importance under chronic conditions. Reduced mRNA stability not only added to a compensatory attenuation of immune responses, but also, most notably, to the reduction in nuclear-encoded mRNAs associated with various mitochondrial functions. These changes may prevent the futile production of new mitochondria under conditions where mitochondria cannot exert their full metabolic function and are indeed actively removed by mitophagy. The post-transcriptional mode of regulation might further allow for the rapid recovery of mitochondrial capacities upon reoxygenation. Our results provide a comprehensive resource of functional mRNA expression dynamics and underlying transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulatory principles during the adaptation to hypoxia. Furthermore, we uncover that RNA stability regulation controls mitochondrial functions in the context of hypoxia.
Durability and Compatibility of Lime-Based Mortars: The Effect of Aggregates
Authors: Santos Ana Rita , Veiga Maria do Rosário , Matias Luís , Santos Silva António , De Brito Jorge
Published: May 2022

In order to fully perform their functions and be durable, mortars for renders and plasters are requested to have a set of characteristics that can vary with the type of exposure to external environmental actions and the type of substrate. Generally, they need moderate strength, high deformability, some water protection capability, good adhesion to the substrate and compatibility with the pre-existent materials. The presence of water and its movement inside the pore structure of the mortars are among the most significant causes of degradation. Moreover, several authors consider that the main factors for durability and good performance of lime-based mortars are mostly related with the good quality of the binder and the use of adequate aggregates. This paper intends to study the effect of ageing on the properties and durability of air lime mortars, using aggregates of different mineralogy. For this purpose, different mortars compositions are exposed to an accelerated weathering test under defined conditions. The obtained characteristics are discussed and compared with the results obtained with the same mortars tested in laboratory conditions. The effects of the aggregate type on the durability of mortars seem to be linked to their effects on the mortars porous structure.
Two New Phoretic Species of Heterostigmatic Mites (Acari: Prostigmata: Neopygmephoridae and Scutacaridae) on Australian Hydrophilid Beetles (Coleoptera: Hydrophilidae)
Authors: Khadem-Safdarkhani Hamid , Hajiqanbar Hamidreza , Riegler Markus , Seeman Owen , Katlav Alihan
Published: May 2022

Many heterostigmatic mites (Acari: Prostigmata: Heterostigmata) display a wide range of symbiotic interactions, from phoresy to parasitism, with a variety of insects. Australia is expected to harbour a rich diversity of heterostigmatic mites; however, its phoretic fauna and its host associations remain mainly unexplored. We conducted a short exploration of Australian insect-associated phoretic mites in summer 2020 and found two new phoretic heterostigmatic species on a semiaquatic hydrophilid beetle species, Coelostoma fabricii (Montrouzier, 1860) (Coleoptera: Hydrophilidae). Here, we describe these two new species, Allopygmephorus coelostomus sp. nov. (Neopygmephoridae) and Archidispus hydrophilus sp. nov. (Scutacaridae), which both belong to the superfamily Pygmephoroidea. Both species are distinct from their congeners, with a plesiomorphic character, bearing a median genital sclerite (mgs). Our study reports both genera for the first time from Australia.
Comparison of Postoperative Gastrointestinal Motility of Sugammadex and Neostigmine in Patients Undergoing Robotic Thyroidectomy: A Retrospective Study
Authors: Lee Min Jeong , Chun Duk-Hee , Kong Hee Jung , Shin Hye Jung , Yang Sunmo , Kim Na Young
Published: May 2022

Postoperative bowel dysfunction poses difficulty to patients during their recovery from surgery, and reversal agents may affect bowel function. This study aimed to investigate and compare the effects of sugammadex and a neostigmine/glycopyrrolate combination on postoperative bowel movement in patients undergoing robotic thyroidectomy. The electronic medical records of 122 patients, who underwent robotic thyroidectomy between March 2018 and December 2020, were retrospectively reviewed. Demographic, clinical, and laboratory findings and the first gas-passing time after surgery were assessed. The number of patients with a first gas emission time over 24 h was significantly higher in the neostigmine group than in the sugammadex group (p = 0.008). Multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that sugammadex was a prognostic factor for the first gas-passing time within 24 h (odds ratio = 4.60, 95% confidence interval 1.47–14.36, p = 0.005). Although postoperative bowel motility, based on the first gas emission time, was comparable, the number of patients with a first gas emission time within 24 h was significantly higher in the sugammadex group than in the neostigmine group. This shows that the use of sugammadex did not affect the delayed recovery of postoperative bowel motility after robotic thyroidectomy.
eIF2α Phosphorylation in Response to Nutritional Deficiency and Stressors in the Aquaculture Fish, Rachycentron canadum
Authors: Liu Chieh Lun , Dasi Erica A. , Watson Aaron M. , Place Allen R. , Jagus Rosemary
Published: May 2022

The present study investigates the response of the marine fish cobia, Rachycentron canadum, to stressors as measured by phosphorylation of the α-subunit of the translational initiation factor, eIF2. eIF2α is the target of phosphorylation by a family of kinases that respond to a range of physiological stressors. Phosphorylation of eIF2α inhibits overall protein synthesis, but also facilitates the reprogramming of gene expression to adapt to, and recover from, stress. The deduced coding sequence of cobia eIF2α has 94% identity to both zebrafish (Danio rerio) and human eIF2α sequences with identical phosphorylation and kinase docking sites. Here we use cobia larvae and a cobia cell line derived from muscle (Cm cells) to investigate the response of cobia eIF2α to various stressors. In Cm cells, phosphorylation of eIF2α is increased by nutrient deficiency and endoplasmic reticulum stress (ER stress), consistent with the activation of the eIF2 kinases, GCN2, and PERK. In cobia juveniles, diet and water temperature affect the phosphorylation state of eIF2α. We conclude that evaluation of eIF2α phosphorylation could function as an early marker to evaluate diet, environmental stressors, and disease in cobia and may be of particular use in optimizing conditions for rearing cobia larvae and juveniles.
Understanding Post-Privatisation Performance of Statutory Bodies Subject to Government Shareholding—A Suggested Theoretical Framework, for Malaysian Researchers
Authors: Sinnadurai Philip , Devi Susela
Published: May 2022

The purpose of this concept paper is to suggest a theoretical framework for understanding the post-privatisation performance of statutory bodies, subject to government shareholding. We identify a suitable model, from the analytical economics literature. We argue that this model is a manifestation of agency theory. Our proposed framework for using this theory is replete with examples from Malaysia. We conclude that in Malaysia, the principal determinant of whether government subsidisation enhances or erodes shareholder wealth is the level of government shareholding. We also predict that in Malaysia, the relation between shareholder wealth and government shareholding follows an “inverted U” shape. However, the turning is likely to vary, cross-sectionally and temporally. We believe that the framework presented within this paper can be used to understand empirical results reported by other Malaysian studies into the shareholder wealth effects arising from economic policies featuring close co-operation between the public and private sectors.
Research on the Measurement Method of Benchmark Price of Rental Housing
Authors: Xi Hao , Tang Lin , Feng Changchun
Published: May 2022

China’s rental housing market has just started to develop in recent years. It is relatively imperfect and lacks a clear reference for the pricing of rents, which is not fully transparent. A study on the rent formation mechanism of rental housing has policy implications for the construction of a guiding price for the rental housing market and the establishment of a reference basis for the pricing of subsidized housing. Referring to the definition of a benchmark land price, we use data from Beijing to innovatively introduce the concept of benchmark rent. Based on hedonic price theory and the driving factors of benchmark rent, a system of indicators is constructed to explore the mechanism of influencing factors at meso and micro levels on the benchmark rent of market-based rental housing. After LaGrange and robustness tests, it is found that the spatial error model (SEM) is more suitable for benchmark rent determination. We conclude that benchmark rents are affected by spatial relationships caused by spatial heterogeneity and dependency, and that there is significant spatial variation in the factors affecting market-based rental housing benchmark rents. The determination of the benchmark rent can be used as a guiding signal for the market, as a clear signal expectation for the market, government, and tenants.
Managing of Migraine in the Workplaces: Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices of Italian Occupational Physicians
Authors: Riccò Matteo , Ferraro Pietro , Camisa Vincenzo , Di Palma Pasquale , Minutolo Giuseppa , Ranzieri Silvia , Zaffina Salvatore , Baldassarre Antonio , Restivo Vincenzo
Published: May 2022

Background and Objectives: Migraine is a debilitating disorder, whose incidence peak in the age group of 30–39 years overlaps with the peak of employment years, potentially representing a significant issue for occupational physicians (OP). The present study was performed in order to characterize their knowledge, attitudes and practices on migraine in the workplaces. Materials and Methods: A convenience sample of 242 Italian OP (mean age 47.8 ± 8.8 years, males 67.4%) participated in an internet-based survey by completing a structured questionnaire. Results: Adequate general knowledge of migraine was found in the majority of participants. Migraine was identified as a common and severe disorder by the majority of respondents (54.0% and 60.0%). Overall, 61.2% of participants acknowledged migraine as difficult to manage in the workplace, a status that made it more likely for OP understanding its potential frequency (Odds Ratio [OR] 3.672, 95% confidence interval [95%CI] 1.526–8.831), or reported previous managing of complicated cases requiring conditional fitness to work judgement (OR 4.761, 95%CI 1.781–2.726). Moreover, professionals with a qualification in occupational medicine (OR 20.326, 95%CI 2.642–156.358), acknowledging the difficult managing of migraine in the workplaces (OR 2.715, 95%CI 1.034–7.128) and having received any request of medical surveillance for migraine (OR 22.878, 95%CI 4.816–108.683), were more likely to recommend specific requirements for migraineur workers. Conclusions: Migraine was recognized as a common disorder, but also as a challenging clinical problem for OP. Participating OP exhibited a substantial understanding of migraine and its triggers, but residual false beliefs and common misunderstanding may impair the proper management of this disorder, requiring improved and specifically targeted interventions.
Antibiotic Resistance in Campylobacter spp. Isolated from Broiler Chicken Meat and Human Patients in Estonia
Authors: Tedersoo Triin , Roasto Mati , Mäesaar Mihkel , Häkkinen Liidia , Kisand Veljo , Ivanova Marina , Valli Marikki Heidi , Meremäe Kadrin
Published: May 2022

Poultry meat is considered the most important source of Campylobacter spp. Because of rising antimicrobial resistance in Campylobacter spp., this study investigated the antimicrobial resistance of Campylobacter isolates from fresh broiler chicken meat originating from the Baltic countries sold in Estonian retail settings. Additionally, human clinical isolates obtained from patients with Campylobacter enteritis in Estonia were analysed. The aim of this study was to investigate the susceptibility of Campylobacter spp. to nalidixic acid, ciprofloxacin, tetracycline, streptomycin, erythromycin and gentamicin. The broth microdilution method with the EUCAMP2 panel was used for MIC determination and antimicrobial mechanisms were analysed using WGS data. A total of 46 Campylobacter strains were analysed, of which 26 (42.6%) originated from Lithuanian, 16 (26.2%) from Latvian, and 4 (6.6%) from Estonian fresh broiler chicken meat. In addition, 15 (24.6%) Campylobacter strains of patients with campylobacteriosis were tested. The antimicrobial resistance patterns of Campylobacter spp. isolated from fresh broiler chicken meat samples of Estonian, Latvian and Lithuanian origin collected in Estonian retail, and from patients with Campylobacter enteric infections, were determined. A total of 46 (75%) of the isolates tested were C. jejuni and 15 (25%) were C. coli. Campylobacter resistance was highest to nalidixic acid (90.2% of strains) and ciprofloxacin (90.2%), followed by tetracycline (57.4%), streptomycin (42.6%) and erythromycin (6.6%). All strains were sensitive to gentamicin. Additionally, antimicrobial resistance genes and point mutations were detected in 27 C. jejuni and 8 C. coli isolates previously assigned as resistant with the phenotypic method. A high antibiotic resistance of Campylobacter spp. in Lithuanian- and Latvian-origin broiler chicken meat and Estonian clinical isolates was found. Similar antibiotic resistance patterns were found for broiler chicken meat and human Campylobacter isolates.
Design, Synthesis, Bioactivity Evaluation, Crystal Structures, and In Silico Studies of New α-Amino Amide Derivatives as Potential Histone Deacetylase 6 Inhibitors
Authors: Xu Yangrong , Tang Hangjun , Xu Yijie , Guo Jialin , Zhao Xu , Meng Qingguo , Xiao Junhai
Published: May 2022

Hydroxamate, as a zinc-binding group (ZBG), prevails in the design of histone deacetylase 6(HDAC6) inhibitors due to its remarkable zinc-chelating capability. However, hydroxamate-associated genotoxicity and mutagenicity have limited the widespread application of corresponding HDAC6 inhibitors in the treatment of human diseases. To avoid such side effects, researchers are searching for novel ZBGs that may be used for the synthesis of HDAC6 inhibitors. In this study, a series of stereoisomeric compounds were designed and synthesized to discover non-hydroxamate HDAC6 inhibitors using α-amino amide as zinc-ion-chelating groups, along with a pair of enantiomeric isomers with inverted L-shaped vertical structure as cap structures. The anti-proliferative activities were determined against HL-60, Hela, and RPMI 8226 cells, and 7a and its stereoisomer 13a exhibited excellent activities against Hela cells with IC50 = 0.31 µM and IC50 = 5.19 µM, respectively. Interestingly, there is a significant difference between the two stereoisomers. Moreover, an evaluation of cytotoxicity toward human normal liver cells HL-7702 indicated its safety for normal cells. X-ray single crystal diffraction was employed to increase insights into molecule structure and activities. It was found that the carbonyl of the amide bond is on the different side from the amino and pyridine nitrogen atoms. To identify possible protein targets to clarify the mechanism of action and biological activity of 7a, a small-scale virtual screen using reverse docking for HDAC isoforms (1–10) was performed and the results showed that HDAC6 was the best receptor for 7a, suggesting that HDAC6 may be a potential target for 7a. The interaction pattern analysis showed that the α-amino amide moiety of 7a coordinated with the zinc ion of HDAC6 in a bidentate chelate manner, which is similar to the chelation pattern of hydroxamic acid. Finally, the molecular dynamics simulation approaches were used to assess the docked complex’s conformational stability. In this work, we identified 7a as a potential HDAC6 inhibitor and provide some references for the discovery of non-hydroxamic acid HDAC6 inhibitors.
Cyanide Biodegradation by Trichoderma harzianum and Cyanide Hydratase Network Analysis
Authors: Malmir Narges , Zamani Mohammadreza , Motallebi Mostafa , Fard Najaf Allahyari , Mekuto Lukhanyo
Published: May 2022

Cyanide is a poisonous and dangerous chemical that binds to metals in metalloenzymes, especially cytochrome C oxidase and, thus, interferes with their functionalities. Different pathways and enzymes are involved during cyanide biodegradation, and cyanide hydratase is one of the enzymes that is involved in such a process. In this study, cyanide resistance and cyanide degradation were studied using 24 fungal strains in order to find the strain with the best capacity for cyanide bioremediation. To confirm the capacity of the tested strains, cyano-bioremediation and the presence of the gene that is responsible for the cyanide detoxification was assessed. From the tested organisms, Trichoderma harzianum (T. harzianum) had a significant capability to resist and degrade cyanide at a 15 mM concentration, where it achieved an efficiency of 75% in 7 days. The gene network analysis of enzymes that are involved in cyanide degradation revealed the involvement of cyanide hydratase, dipeptidase, carbon–nitrogen hydrolase-like protein, and ATP adenylyltransferase. This study revealed that T. harzianum was more efficient in degrading cyanide than the other tested fungal organisms, and molecular analysis confirmed the experimental observations.
Correction: Kumar et al. The Global Emergence of Human Babesiosis. Pathogens 2021, 10, 1447
Authors: Kumar Abhinav , O’Bryan Jane , Krause Peter J.
Published: May 2022

There were two factual errors in the original publication of our manuscript [...]
Plant-Derived Smoke Solution Alleviates Cellular Oxidative Stress Caused by Arsenic and Mercury by Modulating the Cellular Antioxidative Defense System in Wheat
Authors: Ibrahim Muhammad , Nawaz Sadam , Iqbal Khalid , Rehman Shafiq , Ullah Riaz , Nawaz Ghazala , Almeer Rafa , Sayed Amany A. , Peluso Ilaria
Published: May 2022

Heavy metal stress is a significant factor in diminishing crop yield. Plant-derived smoke (PDS) has been used as a growth promoter and abiotic stress alleviator for the last two decades. Although the roles of PDS have been determined in various plants, its role in ameliorating heavy metal stress in wheat has not been reported so far. Therefore, the present work was conducted to investigate the effect of smoke solution extracted from a wild lemongrass Cymbopogon jwarancusa (C. jwarncusa) on physiological and biochemical features of wheat under arsenic (As) and mercury (Hg) stress. The results showed that higher concentrations of As and Hg pose inhibitory effects on wheat seed germination and seedling growth, including shoot/root length and shoot/root fresh weight. Photosynthetic pigments, such as chlorophyll a and b and carotenoids, were significantly decreased under As and Hg stress. Importantly, the levels of H2O2, lipid peroxidation, and TBARS were increased in wheat seedlings. The activity of antioxidant enzymes, such as CAT, was decreased by As and Hg stress, while the levels of SOD, POD, and APX antioxidant enzymes were increased in root and shoot. Interestingly, the application of PDS (2000 ppm), individually or in combination with either As or Hg stress, enhanced wheat seed germination rate, shoot/root length, and shoot/root fresh weight. However, the levels of H2O2, lipid peroxidation, and TBARS were decreased. Similarly, the levels of SOD, POD, and APX were decreased by PDS under As and Hg stress, while the level of CAT was enhanced by PDS under As and Hg stress. Interestingly, the levels of chlorophyll a and b, and total carotenoids were increased with the application of PDS under As and Hg stress. It is concluded that PDS has the capability to alleviate the phytotoxic effects of As and Hg stress in wheat by modulating the antioxidative defense system and could be an economical solution to reduce the heavy metal stress in crops.