bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Hybrid Approach for the Detection and Classification of Tomato Leaf Diseases
Authors: Altalak Maha , Uddin Mohammad Ammad , Alajmi Amal , Rizg Alwaseemah
Published: August 2022

In this paper, we proposed a hybrid deep learning approach for detecting and classifying tomato plant leaf diseases early. This hybrid system is a combination of a convolutional neural network (CNN), convolutional attention module (CBAM), and support vector machines (SVM). Initially, the proposed model can detect nine different tomato diseases but is not limited to this. The proposed system is tested using a database containing images of tomato leaves. The obtained results were very encouraging, giving us accuracy up to 97.2%, which can be improved with the improvement of learning processes. The proposed system is very efficient and lightweight, so the farmer can install it on any smart device having a digital camera and processing capabilities. With a bit of training, a farmer can detect any disease immediately, which will help him take timely pre-emptive action.
Oral-Systemic Health and Disorders: Latest Prospects on Oral Antisepsis
Authors: Di Spirito Federica
Published: August 2022

A growing body of evidence supports the inter-connections between oral dysbiosis [...]
Neuromarketing in the Digital Age: The Direct Relation between Facial Expressions and Website Design
Authors: González-Mena Guillermo , Del-Valle-Soto Carolina , Corona Violeta , Rodríguez Jafet
Published: August 2022

User experience (UX) is key in the immediate and future relationship between the client and business. Achieving a satisfying UX can only be achieved by understanding the wishes and user needs. The following study is carried out as an improvement tool for a Mexican coffee company. The objective is to achieve greater efficiency, attraction, and engagement on the part of the user. The main question is whether the new dynamic website design can directly increase the valence of user emotions compared to the static website design. To answer this question, 39 participants were exposed to the two different web page designs and elicited the following emotions using eye tracking and facial expression analysis (FEA) techniques: joy, anger, surprise, fear, contempt, disgust, sadness, neutral, positive, and negative. Through a Wilcoxon signed-rank test, the results showed a significant increase for the new dynamic design in the following emotions; joy, anger, surprise, disgust, fear and neutral. Thus, five of the seven basic emotions had a significant change that could lead to greater attraction and commitment on the part of the user and also influence, either consciously or unconsciously, their decision when interacting with the company.
A Modal Frequency Estimation Method of Non-Stationary Signal under Mass Time-Varying Condition Based on EMD Algorithm
Authors: Gao Lei , Li Xiaoke , Yao Yanchun , Wang Yucong , Yang Xuzhe , Zhao Xinyu , Geng Duanyang , Li Yang , Liu Li
Published: August 2022

A method to estimate modal frequency based on empirical mode decomposition (EMD) and ensemble empirical mode decomposition (EEMD) is proposed. This method can decrease the difficulties in identifying modal frequency of combine harvesters. First, we used 16 acceleration sensors installed at different test points to collect vibration signals of a corn combine harvester under operating conditions (mass time-varying conditions). Second, we calculated mean value, variance and root mean square (RMS) value of the vibration signals, and analyzed its stationarity of vibration signals. Third, the main frequencies of the 16 points were extracted using the EMD and EEMD methods. Finally, we considered modal frequencies identified by the SSI algorithm as standard, and calculated the fitting degrees of the EMD and EEMD methods. The results show that in different time periods (0~60 s and 60~120 s), the maximum differences of the mean value, variance and RMS value of signals were 0.8633, 171.1629 and 11.3767, and the vibration signal under the operating condition of field harvesting can be regarded as a typical non-stationary random vibration signal. The EMD method had more modal aliasing than EEMD, and when we obtained the fitting equations of EMD, EEMD and SSI methods, the value of the Euler distance between the EMD fitting equation and the SSI fitting equation was 446.7883, while that for EEMD and SSI was 417.2845. The vibration frequencies calculated by the EEMD method is closer to the modal frequencies identified by SSI algorithm. The proposed method provides a reference for modal frequency identification and vibration control in a complex working environment.
Improved Twin Delayed Deep Deterministic Policy Gradient Algorithm Based Real-Time Trajectory Planning for Parafoil under Complicated Constraints
Authors: Yu Jiaming , Sun Hao , Sun Junqing
Published: August 2022

A parafoil delivery system has usually been used in the fields of military and civilian airdrop supply and aircraft recovery in recent years. However, since the altitude of the unpowered parafoil is monotonically decreasing, it is limited by the initial flight altitude. Thus, combining the multiple constraints, such as the ground obstacle avoidance and flight time, it puts forward a more stringent standard for the real-time performance of trajectory planning of the parafoil delivery system. Thus, to enhance the real-time performance, we propose a new parafoil trajectory planning method based on an improved twin delayed deep deterministic policy gradient. In this method, by pre-evaluating the value of the action, a scale of noise will be dynamically selected for improving the globality and randomness, especially for the actions with a low value. Furthermore, not like the traditional numerical computation algorithm, by building the planning model in advance, the deep reinforcement learning method does not recalculate the optimal flight trajectory of the system when the parafoil delivery system is launched at different initial positions. In this condition, the trajectory planning method of deep reinforcement learning has greatly improved in real-time performance. Finally, several groups of simulation data show that the trajectory planning theory in this paper is feasible and correct. Compared with the traditional twin delayed deep deterministic policy gradient and deep deterministic policy gradient, the landing accuracy and success rate of the proposed method are improved greatly.
Influence of Phases of Coherence Functions on the Wind Field Simulation Using Spectral Representation Method
Authors: Zhao Ning , Li Xiaolong , Peng Liuliu , Xu Zhilong , Chen Xiaowei , Wang Xuewei
Published: August 2022

The wave passage effect is a measure of the wave passage delay due to the apparent velocity of waves, which is one of spatially varying properties of multivariate random processes. The phase of coherence function reflects the wave passage effect of wind fields. In the wind field, simulation by the spectral representation method, the classical phase formula, is not rigorous. This may affect the accuracy of simulation results and even cause incorrect simulations. In this study, the influences of the phase on stationary and nonstationary wind field simulations are researched and discussed in detail. Two schemes containing the classical phase formula and the separated phase scheme are compared in four types of wind field simulation. The qualitative analysis based on theoretical correlation function formula is first made to study the influence of the phase. Then, four numerical examples are utilized to quantitatively study the magnitude of the influence on the sample time history and correlation function of the simulated wind field. Results show that the classical phase formula will result in considerable simulation error for all four types of wind fields because it cannot completely represent the phase angle of a complex number.
Explainability of Predictive Process Monitoring Results: Can You See My Data Issues?
Authors: Elkhawaga Ghada , Abu-Elkheir Mervat , Reichert Manfred
Published: August 2022

Predictive process monitoring (PPM) has been discussed as a use case of process mining for several years. PPM enables foreseeing the future of an ongoing business process by predicting, for example, relevant information on the way in which running processes terminate or on related process performance indicators. A large share of PPM approaches adopt Machine Learning (ML), taking advantage of the accuracy and precision of ML models. Consequently, PPM inherits the challenges of traditional ML approaches. One of these challenges concerns the need to gain user trust in the generated predictions. This issue is addressed by explainable artificial intelligence (XAI). However, in addition to ML characteristics, the choices made and the techniques applied in the context of PPM influence the resulting explanations. This necessitates the availability of a study on the effects of different choices made in the context of a PPM task on the explainability of the generated predictions. In order to address this gap, we systemically investigate the effects of different PPM settings on the data fed into an ML model and subsequently into the employed XAI method. We study how differences between the resulting explanations indicate several issues in the underlying data. Example of these issues include collinearity and high dimensionality of the input data. We construct a framework for performing a series of experiments to examine different choices of PPM dimensions (i.e., event logs, preprocessing configurations, and ML models), integrating XAI as a fundamental component. In addition to agreements, the experiments highlight several inconsistencies between data characteristics and important predictors used by the ML model on one hand, and explanations of predictions of the investigated ML model on the other.
Fluid Dynamics in a Continuous Pump-Mixer
Authors: Wirz Dominic , Gründken Simon , Friebel Anne , Rave Kevin , Hermes Mario , Skoda Romuald , von Harbou Erik , Bart Hans-Jörg
Published: August 2022

The fluid dynamic (flow rates) and hydrodynamic behavior (local droplet size distributions and local holdup) of a continuous DN300 pump-mixer were investigated using water as the continuous phase and paraffin oil as the dispersed phase. The influence of the impeller speed (N = 375 to 425 rpm), the feed phase ratio (φF = 10 to 30 vol.-%), and the flow rate (V˙tot ≈ 0.5 to 2.3 L/min) were investigated by measuring the pumping height, local holdup of the disperse phase, and the droplet size distribution (DSD). The latter one was measured at three different vessel positions using an image-based telecentric shadowgraphic technique. The droplet diameters were extracted from the acquired images using a neural network. The Sauter mean diameters were calculated from the DSD and correlated with an extended model based on Doulah (1975), considering the impeller speed, the feed phase ratio, and additionally the flow rate. The new correlation can describe an extensive database containing 155 experiments of the fluid and hydrodynamic within a 15% error range.
Stress Analysis of 2D-FG Rectangular Plates with Multi-Gene Genetic Programming
Authors: Demirbas Munise Didem , Çakır Didem , Ozturk Celal , Arslan Sibel
Published: August 2022

Functionally Graded Materials (FGMs) are designed for use in high-temperature applications. Since the mass production of FGM has not yet been made, the determination of its thermo-mechanical limits depends on the compositional gradient exponent value. In this study, an efficient working model is created for the thermal stress problem of the 2D-FG plate using Multi-gene Genetic Programming (MGGP). In our MGGP model in this study, data sets obtained from the numerical analysis results of the thermal stress problem are used, and formulas that give equivalent stress levels as output data, with the input data being the compositional gradient exponent, are obtained. For the current problem, efficient models that reduce CPU processing time are obtained by using the MGGP method.
A Brief Review on Gender Identification with Electrocardiography Data
Authors: Bastos Eduarda Sofia , Duarte Rui Pedro , Marinho Francisco Alexandre , Rudenko Roman , Denysyuk Hanna Vitaliyivna , Gonçalves Norberto Jorge , Zdravevski Eftim , Albuquerque Carlos , Garcia Nuno M. , Pires Ivan Miguel
Published: August 2022

Cardiac diseases have increased over the years; thus, it is essential to predict their possible signs. Accurate prediction efficiently treats the patient’s medical history before the attack occurs. Sensors available in commonly used devices may strive for the proper and early identification of various cardiac diseases. The primary purpose of this review is to analyze studies related to gender discretization based on data from different sensors including electrocardiography and echocardiography. The analyzed studies were published between 2010 and 2022 in various scientific databases, including PubMed Central, Springer, ACM, IEEE Xplore, MDPI, and Elsevier, based on the analysis of different cardiovascular diseases. It was possible to verify that most of the analyzed studies measured similar parameters as traditional methods including the QRS complex and other waves that characterize the various individuals.
Study on Characteristics Optimization of Combustion and Fuel Injection of Marine Diesel Engine
Authors: Wang Guixin , Yu Wenbin , Yu Zining , Li Xiaobo
Published: August 2022

The emission requirements of diesel engines are becoming increasingly strict and reducing emissions has become the key technology. In view of this development trend, the influence law of fuel injection on emission is studied in this paper. Numerical studies were performed to analyze the structural parameters of fuel injection system on combustion and emission characteristics of marine diesel engines. The numerical modelling was validated based on single-cylinder diesel engine tests and fuel injection tests. After investigating the single structural parameters on the fuel injection characteristics, the orthogonal method was used to design the double-parameter structural optimization scheme of the fuel injection system. There are 22 optimized cases selected to further investigate using the CFD method by visualizing scalar distributions in cylinder, which was helpful to explain the reason of pollutant formation. Comprehensively comparing the performance of each fuel injection system’s structural optimization scheme, moderate reduction of the discharge valve chamber volume and high-pressure tubing diameter would increase injection mass, along with faster injection rate and boosted injection pressure, leading to reduced Sauter mean diameter (SMD). Considering pollutant emission characteristics as well as economic and power concerns, case D6 with spray angle enlarging 5° showed best performance. Compared with the original condition, there was no NO deterioration and large reduction of soot emission by 65.4%, along with fuel consumption being lowered by 2.18% and more indicated power, by 2.21%. Therefore, reasonable optimization of spray angle can improve power, economy and emission performance simultaneously.
Characteristics and Source Analysis of PM1 in a Typical Steel-Industry City, Southwest China
Authors: Shi Huibin , Cheng Xin , Wang Jinjin , Li Zijing , Huang Yi
Published: August 2022

Mining activities have led to severe air pollution problems while they make great contributions to economic construction. Therefore, as a typical steel-industry city in southwest China, Panzhihua, its air pollution has received extensive attention. The characteristics of PM1 in different functional areas of Panzhihua from 2018 to 2019, and the changes of its microstructure and potentially toxic elements (PTEs) and the sources of PM1 were analyzed. The results showed that the mass concentrations of PM1 in the heavy pollution area of Nongnongping (NNP) and the complex industrial pollution area of Hemenkou (HMK) were 12.12–145.30 μg/m3 and 14.38–67.02 μg/m3, respectively. Seasonal PM1 mass concentrations in the two functional areas could be arranged in the following order: winter > autumn > spring > summer. The main particle types in PM1 were fly ash, soot, sulphate particles, aluminosilicate particles and metal particles. Potential sources of PM1 in Panzhihua included coal burning, biomass combustion, automobile exhaust and mining activities. At the same time, the average concentrations of PTEs at NNP were also higher than those at HMK because of smelting activities. Enrichment factor analysis showed that most of the PTEs came from human sources. The results could provide theoretical guidance for environmental management.
Neighborhood Structures and Continuities via Cubic Sets
Authors: Lee Jeong-Gon , Şenel Güzide , Baek Jong-Il , Han Sang Hyeon , Hur Kul
Published: August 2022

Cubic sets are a very useful generalization of fuzzy sets where one is allowed to extend the output through a subinterval of [0, 1] and a number from [0, 1]. In this article, we first highlight some of the claims made in the previous article about cubic sets. Then, the concept of semi-coincidence in cubic sets, cubic neighborhood system according to cubic topology, and cubic bases and subbases are introduced. This article deals with a cubic closure and a cubic interior and how to obtain their various properties. In addition, cubic compact spaces and their properties are defined and a useful example is given. We mainly focus on the concept of cubic continuities and deepen our research by finding its characterization. One of the most important discoveries of this paper is determining that there is a cubic product topology induced by the projection mappings, and discovering sufficient conditions for the projection mappings to be cubic open.
Bioinformatic Analysis and In Vitro and In Vivo Experiments Reveal That Fibrillarin Participates in the Promotion of Lung Metastasis in Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Authors: Luo Weixin , Lin Shusheng , Huang Yipei , Zhu Ke , Zhang Fapeng , Lin Junlong , Qin Yufei , Zhou Ziyu , Wu Wenrui , Liu Chao
Published: August 2022

Lung metastasis, the most frequent metastatic pattern in hepatocellular carcinoma, is an important contributor to poor prognosis. However, the mechanisms responsible for lung metastasis in hepatocellular carcinoma remain unknown. Aiming to explore these mechanisms, weighted gene coexpression network analysis (WGCNA) was firstly used to find hub genes related to lung metastasis. Then, we obtained 67 genes related to lung metastasis in hepatocellular carcinoma which were mainly related to ribosomal pathways and functions, and a protein interaction network analysis identified that fibrillarin (FBL) might be an important hub gene. Furthermore, we found that FBL is highly expressed in hepatocellular carcinoma and that its high expression increases the rate of lung metastasis and indicates a poor prognosis. Knockdown of FBL could significantly reduce proliferation and stemness as well as inhibiting the migration and invasion of hepatocellular carcinoma cells. Moreover, we found that FBL might be involved in the regulation of MYC and E2F pathways in hepatocellular carcinoma. Finally, we demonstrated that the knockdown of FBL could suppress hepatocellular carcinoma cell growth in vivo. In conclusion, ribosome-biogenesis-related proteins, especially Fibrillarin, play important roles in lung metastasis from hepatocellular carcinoma.
The First Comprehensive Biodiversity Study of Culturable Fungal Communities Inhabiting Cryoconite Holes in the Werenskiold Glacier on Spitsbergen (Svalbard Archipelago, Arctic)
Authors: Borzęcka Justyna , Suchodolski Jakub , Dudek Bartłomiej , Matyaszczyk Lena , Spychała Klaudyna , Ogórek Rafał
Published: August 2022

Cryoconite holes on glacier surfaces are a source of cold-adapted microorganisms, but little is known about their fungal inhabitants. Here, we provide the first report of distinctive fungal communities in cryoconite holes in the Werenskiold Glacier on Spitsbergen (Svalbard Archipelago, Arctic). Due to a combination of two incubation temperatures (7 °C and 24 ± 0.5 °C) and two media during isolation (PDA, YPG), as well as classical and molecular identification approaches, we were able to identify 23 different fungi (21 species and 2 unassigned species). Most of the fungi cultured from cryoconite sediment were ascomycetous filamentous micromycetes. However, four representatives of macromycetes were also identified (Bjerkandera adusta, Holwaya mucida, Orbiliaceae sp., and Trametes versicolor). Some of the described fungi possess biotechnological potential (Aspergillus pseudoglaucus, A. sydowii, Penicillium expansum, P. velutinum, B. adusta, and T. versicolor), thus, we propose the Arctic region as a source of new strains for industrial applications. In addition, two phytopathogenic representatives were present (P. sumatraense, Botrytis cinerea), as well as one potentially harmful to humans (Cladosporium cladosporioides). To the best of our knowledge, we are the first to report the occurrence of A. pseudoglaucus, C. allicinum, C. ramotenellum, P. sumatraense, P. velutinum, P. cumulodentata, B. adusta, and T. versicolor in polar regions. In all likelihood, two unassigned fungus species (Orbiliaceae and Dothideomycetes spp.) might also be newly described in such environments. Additionally, due to experimenting with 10 sampling sites located at different latitudes, we were able to conclude that the number of fungal spores decreases as one moves down the glacier. Considering the prevalence and endangerment of glacial environments worldwide, such findings suggest their potential as reservoirs of fungal diversity, which should not be overlooked.
HOXA Amplification Defines a Genetically Distinct Subset of Angiosarcomas
Authors: Xie Hongbo M. , Bernt Kathrin M.
Published: August 2022

Angiosarcoma is a rare, devastating malignancy with few curative options for disseminated disease. We analyzed a recently published genomic data set of 48 angiosarcomas and noticed recurrent amplifications of HOXA-cluster genes in 33% of patients. HOXA genes are master regulators of embryonic vascular development and adult neovascularization, which provides a molecular rationale to suspect that amplified HOXA genes act as oncogenes in angiosarcoma. HOXA amplifications typically affected multiple pro-angiogenic HOXA genes and co-occurred with amplifications of CD36 and KDR, whereas the overall mutation rate in these tumors was relatively low. HOXA amplifications were found most commonly in angiosarcomas located in the breast and were rare in angiosarcomas arising in sun-exposed areas on the head, neck, face and scalp. Our data suggest that HOXA-amplified angiosarcoma is a distinct molecular subgroup. Efforts to develop therapies targeting oncogenic HOX gene expression in AML and other sarcomas may have relevance for HOXA-amplified angiosarcoma.
Age-Related Decline in Vascular Responses to Phenylephrine Is Associated with Reduced Levels of HSP70
Authors: de Oliveira Amanda A. , Mendoza Valentina O. , Priviero Fernanda , Webb R. Clinton , Nunes Kenia P.
Published: August 2022

Aging impairs the expression of HSP70, an emergent player in vascular biology. However, it is unknown if age-related alterations in HSP70 are linked to a decline in arterial function. In this study, we test the hypothesis that the contributions of HSP70 to vascular contraction are diminished in middle-aged animals. We determined the basal levels of HSP70 in the aorta of young and middle-aged Sprague Dawley male rats using Western blotting. Functional studies were performed in a wire myograph system. Force development in response to phenylephrine was assessed in the presence or absence of extracellular calcium (Ca2+), and in aortic rings treated or non-treated with an HSP70 inhibitor. Fluorescent probes were used to evaluate vascular oxidative stress and nitric oxide levels. We report that middle-aged rats have significantly lower levels of HSP70. Blockade of HSP70 attenuated vascular phasic and tonic contraction in isolated aortas. It appears that a functional HSP70 is required for proper Ca2+ handling as inhibition of this protein led to reduced force–displacement in response to Ca2+ dynamics. Furthermore, middle-aged aortic rings exposed to the HSP70 inhibitor display higher reactive oxygen species levels without changes in nitric oxide. In summary, we show that middle-aged animals have lower levels of HSP70 in aortas, which associates with an age-related decline in vascular responses to α-1 adrenergic stimulation.
Effect of Hyperthyroidism Treatments on Heart Rate Variability: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Brusseau Valentin , Tauveron Igor , Bagheri Reza , Ugbolue Ukadike Chris , Magnon Valentin , Bouillon-Minois Jean-Baptiste , Navel Valentin , Dutheil Frederic
Published: August 2022

The reversibility of HRV abnormalities in hyperthyroidism remains contradictory. The design of this study involves conducting a systematic review and meta-analysis on the effect of antithyroid treatments on HRV in hyperthyroidism. PubMed, Cochrane, Embase, and Google Scholar were searched until 4 April 2022. Multiple reviewers selected articles reporting HRV parameters in treated and untreated hyperthyroidism. Independent data extraction by multiple observers was stratified by degree of hyperthyroidism for each HRV parameter: RR intervals, SDNN (standard deviation of RR intervals), RMSSD (square root of the mean difference of successive RR intervals), pNN50 (percentage of RR intervals with >50 ms of variation), total power (TP), LFnu (low-frequency normalized unit) and HFnu (high-frequency), VLF (very low-frequency), and LF/HF ratio. We included 11 studies for a total of 471 treated hyperthyroid patients, 495 untreated hyperthyroid patients, and 781 healthy controls. After treatment, there was an increase in RR, SDNN, RMSSD, pNN50, TP, HFnu, and VLF and a decrease in LFnu and LF/HF ratio (p < 0.01). Overt hyperthyroidism showed similar results, in contrast to subclinical hyperthyroidism. Compared with controls, some HRV parameter abnormalities persist in treated hyperthyroid patients (p < 0.05) with lower SDNN, LFnu, and higher HFnu, without significant difference in other parameters. We showed a partial reversibility of HRV abnormalities following treatment of overt hyperthyroidism. The improvement in HRV may translate the clinical cardiovascular benefits of treatments in hyperthyroidism and may help to follow the evolution of the cardiovascular morbidity.
Immunomodulatory Role of Neuropeptides in the Cornea
Authors: Puri Sudan , Kenyon Brendan M. , Hamrah Pedram
Published: August 2022

The transparency of the cornea along with its dense sensory innervation and resident leukocyte populations make it an ideal tissue to study interactions between the nervous and immune systems. The cornea is the most densely innervated tissue of the body and possesses both immune and vascular privilege, in part due to its unique repertoire of resident immune cells. Corneal nerves produce various neuropeptides that have a wide range of functions on immune cells. As research in this area expands, further insights are made into the role of neuropeptides and their immunomodulatory functions in the healthy and diseased cornea. Much remains to be known regarding the details of neuropeptide signaling and how it contributes to pathophysiology, which is likely due to complex interactions among neuropeptides, receptor isoform-specific signaling events, and the inflammatory microenvironment in disease. However, progress in this area has led to an increase in studies that have begun modulating neuropeptide activity for the treatment of corneal diseases with promising results, necessitating the need for a comprehensive review of the literature. This review focuses on the role of neuropeptides in maintaining the homeostasis of the ocular surface, alterations in disease settings, and the possible therapeutic potential of targeting these systems.
Relationships between Airway Remodeling and Clinical Characteristics in COPD Patients
Authors: Higham Andrew , Dungwa Josiah , Jackson Natalie , Singh Dave
Published: August 2022

Background: Airway remodeling is a cardinal feature of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) pathology. However, inconsistent findings have been reported regarding the nature of proximal airway remodeling in COPD. This is likely due to the heterogeneity of COPD. This study investigated the histopathological features of airway remodeling in bronchial biopsies of COPD patients compared to smoking controls (S). We tested the hypothesis that histopathological features in bronchial biopsies relate to clinical characteristics in COPD patients, focusing on smoking status, symptom burden, lung function, exacerbation risk and inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) use. Methods: We recruited 24 COPD patients and 10 S. We focused on reticular basement membrane thickness (RBM), surface immunoglobulin A (IgA) expression, goblet cell numbers (periodic acid-Schiff [PAS]+), sub-mucosal remodeling markers including collagen 4, 6 and laminin expression, and inflammatory cell counts (CD45+). Results: RBM thickness was increased in frequent exacerbators, IgA expression was reduced in COPD patients with worse lung function, and goblet cell numbers were increased in COPD patients compared to S but with no difference between the COPD subgroups. Collagen 4 expression was associated with higher symptom burden and worse quality of life. Sub-mucosal inflammatory cell counts were increased in COPD non-inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) users compared to ICS users and S. Conclusion: We observed relationships between the histopathological features of airway remodeling and clinical characteristics in COPD patients. Our data highlight the influence of clinical heterogeneity on diverse patterns of airway remodeling in COPD patients.
FBG-Based Soft System for Assisted Epidural Anesthesia: Design Optimization and Clinical Assessment
Authors: De Tommasi Francesca , Romano Chiara , Lo Presti Daniela , Massaroni Carlo , Carassiti Massimiliano , Schena Emiliano
Published: August 2022

Fiber Bragg grating sensors (FBGs) are considered a valid sensing solution for a variety of medical applications. The last decade witnessed the exploitation of these sensors in applications ranging from minimally invasive surgery to biomechanics and monitoring physiological parameters. Recently, preliminary studies investigated the potential impact of FBGs in the management of epidural procedures by detecting when the needle reaches the epidural space with the loss of resistance (LOR) technique. In this article, we propose a soft and flexible FBG-based system capable of detecting the LOR, we optimized the solution by considering different designs and materials, and we assessed the feasibility of the optimized soft sensor (SS) in clinical settings. The proposed SS addresses some of the open challenges in the use of a sensing solution during epidural punctures: it has high sensitivity, it is non-invasive, the sensing element does not need to be inserted within the needle, and the clinician can follow the standard clinical practice. Our analysis highlights how the material and the design impact the system response, and thus its performance in this scenario. We also demonstrated the system’s feasibility of detecting the LOR during epidural procedures.
Evaluating the Impact of External Support on Green Building Construction Cost: A Hybrid Mathematical and Machine Learning Prediction Approach
Authors: Alshboul Odey , Shehadeh Ali , Almasabha Ghassan , Mamlook Rabia Emhamed Al , Almuflih Ali Saeed
Published: August 2022

As a fundamental feature of green building cost forecasting, external support is crucial. However, minimal research efforts have been directed to developing practical models for determining the impact of external public and private support on green construction projects’ costs. To fill the gap, the current research aims to develop a mathematical model to explore the balance of supply and demand under deflationary conditions for external green construction support and the accompanying spending adjustment processes. The most current datasets from 3578 green projects across Northern America were collected, pre-processed, analyzed, post-processed, and evaluated via cutting-edge machine learning (ML) techniques to retrieve the deep parameters affecting the green construction cost prediction process. According to the findings, public and private investments in green construction are projected to decrease the cost of green buildings. Furthermore, the impact of public and private investment on green construction cost reduction during deflationary periods is more significant than its influence during inflation. As a result, decision-makers may utilize the suggested model to monitor and evaluate the yearly optimal external investment in green building construction.
Preneoplastic Lesions in Surgical Specimens Do Not Worsen the Prognosis of Patients Who Underwent Surgery for Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma: Post-Hoc Analysis of the PRODIGE 24-CCTG PA 6 Trial
Authors: Legrand Théo , Salleron Julia , Conroy Thierry , Marchal Frédéric , Thomas Jacques , Monard Laure , Biagi James Jim , Lambert Aurélien
Published: August 2022

Objective: The prognosis of pancreatic cancer after curative surgery is burdened by frequent recurrence. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of dysplasia in the surgical specimen on disease-free survival (DFS). Methods: A post-hoc analysis of the phase III PRODIGE 24-CCTG PA 6 trial was performed. From April 2012 to October 2016, 493 patients were included in the primary study. Assessment for dysplasia in the surgical specimens was secondarily performed. Dysplasia was defined based on presence and grade of three most common pre-malignant lesions (intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm (IPMN), mucinous cystic neoplasm (MCN) and pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasia (PanIN). The primary endpoint was DFS validated through multivariate analysis. Results: Two hundred twenty-six patients (45.9%) had a preneoplastic lesion. PanIN lesions were found in 193 patients (39.2%), including 100 high-grade lesions (20.6%); 43 patients had IPMN lesions (8.7%), including high-grade lesions in 32 (6.5%). Three MCN were described (0.6%). In bivariate analysis, the presence of dysplasia was not associated with poorer DFS (HR = 0.82, 95% CI [0.66; 1.03]). In multivariate analysis, risk factors for poorer DFS were poorly differentiated/undifferentiated tumor, N1 status, R1 surgical margins and perineural invasion. Conclusions: The presence of dysplasia in the surgical specimen after pancreatic cancer surgery does not worsen DFS.
Cancer Stem Cells in Tumor Microenvironment of Adenocarcinoma of the Stomach, Colon, and Rectum
Authors: Islas Jose Francisco , Quiroz-Reyes Adriana G. , Delgado-Gonzalez Paulina , Franco-Villarreal Hector , Delgado-Gallegos Juan Luis , Garza-Treviño Elsa N. , Gonzalez-Villarreal Carlos A.
Published: August 2022

Gastrointestinal adenocarcinomas are one of the world’s deadliest cancers. Cancer stem cells and the tissue microenvironment are highly regulated by cell and molecular mechanisms. Cancer stem cells are essential for maintenance and progression and are associated with resistance to conventional treatments. This article reviews the current knowledge of the role of the microenvironment during the primary establishment of gastrointestinal adenocarcinomas in the stomach, colon, and rectum and its relationship with cancer stem cells. We also describe novel developments in cancer therapeutics, such as targeted therapy, and discuss the advantages and disadvantages of different treatments for improving gastrointestinal cancer prognosis.
Tumor Antigenicity and a Pre-Existing Adaptive Immune Response in Advanced BRAF Mutant Colorectal Cancers
Authors: Bolzacchini Elena , Libera Laura , Church Sarah E. , Sahnane Nora , Bombelli Raffaella , Digiacomo Nunzio , Giordano Monica , Petracco Guido , Sessa Fausto , Capella Carlo , Furlan Daniela
Published: August 2022

The main hypothesis of this study is that gene expression profiles (GEPs) integrating both tumor antigenicity and a pre-existing adaptive immune response can be used to generate distinct immune-related signatures of BRAF mutant colorectal cancers (BRAF-CRCs) to identify actionable biomarkers predicting response to immunotherapy. GEPs of 89 immunotherapy-naïve BRAF-CRCs were generated using the Pan-Cancer IO 360 gene expression panel and the NanoString nCounter platform and were correlated with microsatellite instability (MSI) status and with CD8+ tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) content. Hot/inflamed profiles were found in 52% of all cases, and high scores of Tumor Inflammation Signature were observed in 42% of the metastatic BRAF-CRCs. A subset of MSI tumors showed a cold profile. Antigen Processing Machinery (APM) signature was not differentially expressed in MSI tumors compared with MSS cases. By contrast, the APM signature was significantly upregulated in CD8+ BRAF-CRCs versus CD8− tumors. Our study demonstrates that a significant fraction of BRAF-CRCs may be a candidate for immunotherapy and that the simultaneous analysis of MSI status and CD8+ TIL content increases accuracy in identifying patients who can potentially benefit from immune checkpoint inhibitors. GEPs may be very useful in expanding the spectrum of patients with BRAF-CRCs who can benefit from immune checkpoint blockade.
Bifunctional Co3O4/ZSM-5 Mesoporous Catalysts for Biodiesel Production via Esterification of Unsaturated Omega-9 Oleic Acid
Authors: Núñez Francisco , Chen Lifang , Wang Jin An , Flores Sergio Ordin , Salmones José , Arellano Ulises , Noreña Luis Enrique , Tzompantzi Francisco
Published: August 2022

In the present work, two sets of the Co/ZSM-5 mesoporous catalysts with different acidity and Co loadings varying from 1 to 5 and 10 wt% were prepared using mesoporous ZSM-5-A (Si/Al = 50) and ZSM-5-B (Si/Al = 150) as support. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis showed that the Co3O4 phase was formed in the surface of catalysts and the reducibility of Co3O4 nanoparticles on the ZSM-5-B was greater in comparison with that on the ZSM-5-A solid. In situ FTIR of pyridine adsorption characterization confirmed that all of the Co/ZSM-5 catalysts contained both Lewis (L) and Brønsted (B) acid sites, with a relatively balanced B/L ratio ranging from 0.61 to 1.94. Therefore, the Si/Al molar ratio in ZSM-5 affected both the surface acidity and the cobalt oxide reducibility. In the esterification of unsaturated omega-9 oleic acid with methanol, under the optimal reaction conditions (temperature 160 °C, catalyst concentration 2 g/L, methanol/oleic acid molar ratio 30, and reaction time 180 min), the biodiesel selectivity reached 95.1% over the most active 10 wt% Co/ZSM-5-B catalyst. The higher esterification activity of the Co/ZSM-5-B catalysts can be correlated with the greater amount of B and L acid sites, the balanced B/L ratio, and the higher reducibility of Co3O4 nanoparticles. The oleic acid esterification reaction followed the bifunctional mechanism of combining metal function (dispersed Co3O4 with a greater reducibility) with the acidity function (both B and L acid sites with a relative balanced B/L ratio) on the catalysts, which may help in providing a deep understanding of the esterification pathways and benefiting the design of novel bifunctional catalysts for biofuel production.
Revealing the Synergetic Effects between Reactants in Oxidative Coupling of Methane on Stepped MgO(100) Catalyst
Authors: Sun Xiaoying , Liu Yue , Li Xinyu , Yu Zhan , Li Bo , Zhao Zhen
Published: August 2022

The oxidative coupling of methane (OCM) on MgO is often computationally explored via Mars-Krevelen (MvK) mechanism. However, the difficult desorption of CH3 radical at stepped MgO surface shadow the feasibility of mechanism. In this work, density functional theory calculations are performed to unravel the syngenetic effects between reactants which lead to a new Langmuir-Hinshelwood (L-H)-like mechanism. It was found that co-adsorption of reactants pave ways for CH3 radical formation with negligible desorption energy. The role of oxygen molecule is not only to oxidize reduced surface but also decrease the reactivity of Mg-O site which facile CH3 desorption. Electronic structure analysis indicated the distinct feature along pathway between MvK and L-H. The current work clearly indicated the importance of effective interactions between reactants and provided new insights on the reaction mechanism of OCM.
Roads to Stat3 Paved with Cadherins
Authors: Adan Hanad , Daniel Juliet , Raptis Leda
Published: August 2022

The engagement of cadherins, cell-to-cell adhesion proteins, triggers a dramatic increase in the levels and activity of the Rac/Cdc42 GTPases, through the inhibition of proteasomal degradation. This leads to an increase in transcription and secretion of IL6 family cytokines, activation of their common receptor, gp130, in an autocrine manner and phosphorylation of the signal transducer and activator of transcription-3 (Stat3) on tyrosine-705 by the Jak kinases. Stat3 subsequently dimerizes, migrates to the nucleus and activates the transcription of genes involved in cell division and survival. The Src oncogene also increases Rac levels, leading to secretion of IL6 family cytokines and gp130 activation, which triggers a Stat3-ptyr705 increase. Interestingly, at the same time, Src downregulates cadherins in a quantitative manner, while cadherins are required to preserve gp130 levels for IL6 family signalling. Therefore, a fine balance between Src527F/Rac/IL6 and Src527F/cadherin/gp130 levels is in existence, which is required for Stat3 activation. This further demonstrates the important role of cadherins in the activation of Stat3, through preservation of gp130 function. Conversely, the absence of cadherin engagement correlates with low Stat3 activity: In sparsely growing cells, both gp130 and Stat3-ptyr705 levels are very low, despite the fact that cSrc is active in the FAK (focal adhesion kinase)/cSrc complex, which further indicates that the engagement of cadherins is important for Stat3 activation, not just their presence. Furthermore, the caveolin-1 protein downregulates Stat3 through binding and sequestration of cadherins to the scaffolding domain of caveolin-1. We hypothesize that the cadherins/Rac/gp130 axis may be a conserved pathway to Stat3 activation in a number of systems. This fact could have significant implications in Stat3 biology, as well as in drug testing and development.
Effect of Ultra-Micronized Palmitoylethanolamide and Luteolin on Olfaction and Memory in Patients with Long COVID: Results of a Longitudinal Study
Authors: De Luca Pietro , Camaioni Angelo , Marra Pasquale , Salzano Giovanni , Carriere Giovanni , Ricciardi Luca , Pucci Resi , Montemurro Nicola , Brenner Michael J. , Di Stadio Arianna
Published: August 2022

In this study, we investigated whether treatment with palmitoylethanolamide and luteolin (PEA-LUT) leads to improvement in the quantitative or qualitative measures of olfactory dysfunction or relief from mental clouding in patients affected by long COVID. Patients with long COVID olfactory dysfunction were allocated to different groups based on the presence (“previously treated”) or absence (“naïve”) of prior exposure to olfactory training. Patients were then randomized to receive PEA-LUT alone or in combination with olfactory training. Olfactory function and memory were assessed at monthly intervals using self-report measures and quantitative thresholds. A total of 69 patients (43 women, 26 men) with an age average of 40.6 + 10.5 were recruited. PEA-LUT therapy was associated with a significant improvement in validated odor identification scores at the baseline versus each subsequent month; assessment at 3 months showed an average improvement of 10.7 + 2.6, CI 95%: 6–14 (p < 0.0001). The overall prevalence of parosmia was 79.7% (55 patients), with a significant improvement from the baseline to 3 months (p < 0.0001), namely in 31 patients from the Naïve 1 group (72%), 15 from the Naïve 2 group (93.7%), and 9 from the remaining group (90%). Overall, mental clouding was detected in 37.7% (26 subjects) of the cases, with a reduction in severity from the baseline to three months (p = 0.02), namely in 15 patients from the Naïve 1 group (34.8%), 7 from the Naïve 2 group (43.7%), and 4 from the remaining group (40%). Conclusions. In patients with long COVID and chronic olfactory loss, a regimen including oral PEA-LUT and olfactory training ameliorated olfactory dysfunction and memory. Further investigations are necessary to discern biomarkers, mechanisms, and long-term outcomes.
Association between Sleep Quality and Depression Symptoms in Chinese College Students during the COVID-19 Lockdown Period
Authors: Bi Cunjian , Lin Hongniu , Zhang Jie , Zhao Zhimin
Published: August 2022

Background: The outbreak of COVID-19 has seriously threatened the health of people around the world. To prevent the spread of the epidemic, Chinese universities have implemented closed management of campuses. The implementation of restrictive measures has gradually caused changes in the quality of sleep and the psychological state of college students. In addition, college students are faced with the dual pressure of employment and study, and the psychological pressure is huge. Therefore, it is necessary to investigate sleep and depressive symptoms among college students. Methods: Using the method of stratified cluster sampling, 6695 college students were selected from three universities in Jiangxi, Anhui, and Xinjiang provinces from April to May 2022. The Chinese version of the Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI) and the self-rating depression scale (SDS) were used for the survey. Hierarchical logistic regression analysis was used to analyze the relationship between the PSQI and the SDS. Results: Overall, during the outbreak of COVID-19, 69.0% of males and 73.5% of females had poor sleep quality among Chinese college students and the detection rate of depressive symptoms was 43.6% for males and 47.8% for females, respectively. Taking students with good sleep quality as references, after controlling for covariates, hierarchical logistic regression shows that Chinese college students with poor sleep quality have a higher OR value (OR = 12.0, 95%CI: 10.2~14.1, p < 0.001), especially in males (OR = 43.8, 95%CI:30.2~63.6, p < 0.001). For both males and females, the OR value of college students with the following characteristics was higher: rural college students (males, OR = 50.32, 95%CI: 32.50–77.93; females, OR = 8.03, 95%CI: 6.45–9.99), overweight college students (males, OR = 62.17, 95%CI: 19.47–198.53; females, OR = 16.67, 95%CI: 6.48–42.88), and college students drinking sugar-sweetened beverages (males, OR = 59.00, 95%CI: 36.96–94.18; females, OR = 8.16, 95%CI: 6.63–10.05) (p < 0.001). Conclusions: Poor sleep quality is associated with depressive symptoms among Chinese college students, especially college males. Our research suggests that it is necessary to consider the improvement of sleep quality and depressive symptoms among college students during the COVID-19 epidemic.
Molecular Aspects of MicroRNAs and Phytohormonal Signaling in Response to Drought Stress: A Review
Authors: Ahmad Hafiz Muhammad , Wang Xiukang , Ijaz Munazza , Mahmood-Ur-Rahman  , Oranab Sadaf , Ali Muhammad Amjad , Fiaz Sajid
Published: August 2022

Phytohormones play an essential role in plant growth and development in response to environmental stresses. However, plant hormones require a complex signaling network combined with other signaling pathways to perform their proper functions. Thus, multiple phytohormonal signaling pathways are a prerequisite for understanding plant defense mechanism against stressful conditions. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are master regulators of eukaryotic gene expression and are also influenced by a wide range of plant development events by suppressing their target genes. In recent decades, the mechanisms of phytohormone biosynthesis, signaling, pathways of miRNA biosynthesis and regulation were profoundly characterized. Recent findings have shown that miRNAs and plant hormones are integrated with the regulation of environmental stress. miRNAs target several components of phytohormone pathways, and plant hormones also regulate the expression of miRNAs or their target genes inversely. In this article, recent developments related to molecular linkages between miRNAs and phytohormones were reviewed, focusing on drought stress.