bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A preliminary clinical report of transvaginal natural orifice transluminal endoscopic Sacrospinous Ligament Fixation in the treatment of moderate and severe pelvic organ prolapse
Authors: Qin Zhenyue , Dong Zhiyong , Tang Huimin , Zhang Shoufeng , Wang Huihui , Bao Mingyue , Wei Weiwei , Shi Ruxia , Chen Jiming , Xia Bairong
Published: July 2022

Objective

To study the efficacy and safety of transvaginal natural orifice transluminal endoscopic Sacrospinous Ligament Fixation in the treatment of moderate and severe pelvic organ prolapse.

Design

Patients were selected into this study on a voluntary basis to evaluate the short-term efficacy of this surgery by comparing the OP-Q scores before the operation, three months after the operation, and six months after the operation.

Setting and Patients

Evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety by a retrospective analysis of the clinical data of the 18 patients with POP-Q grade III–IV pelvic organ prolapse treated by the Department of Gynecology of Nanjing Medical University Affiliated Changzhou No.2 People's Hospital from April 2020 to November 2020, and their post-operation follow-ups.

Interventions

Patients with postoperative follow-ups found no obvious relapse without intervention measures.

Measurements and Main Results

The transvaginal natural orifice transluminal endoscopic Sacrospinous Ligament Fixation was performed successfully, and the anterior and posterior walls of vagina and/or trans-vaginal hysterectomy were repaired as appropriate. Except the total vaginal length (TVL), the P values of numerical analysis for all points before, three months after, and six months after the operation were all <0.05, being statistically significant.

Conclusion

This method is effective in the treatment of moderate and severe pelvic organ prolapse with few complications, but more cases and longer-term follow-up data are needed to determine the long-term effect of this procedure. For the selection of puncture sites, more anatomical data are needed to get more accurate result.
Role of metastasectomy in the management of renal cell carcinoma
Authors: Mikhail Mark , Chua Kevin J. , Khizir Labeeqa , Tabakin Alexandra , Singer Eric A.
Published: July 2022

Treatment of metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) has evolved with the development of a variety of systemic agents; however, these therapies alone rarely lead to a complete response. Complete consolidative surgery with surgical metastasectomy has been associated with improved survival outcomes in well-selected patients in previous reports. No randomized control trial exists to determine the effectiveness of metastasectomy. Therefore, reviewing observational studies is important to best determine which patients are most appropriate for metastasectomy for mRCC and if such treatment continues to be effective with the development of new systemic therapies such as immunotherapy. In this narrative review, we discuss the indications for metastasectomies, outcomes, factors associated with improved survival, and special considerations such as location of metastasis, number of metastases, synchronous metastases, and use of systemic therapy. Additionally, alternative treatment options and trials involving metastasectomy will be reviewed.
Ten-years outcome analysis in patients with clinically localized prostate cancer treated by radical prostatectomy or external beam radiation therapy
Authors: Li Shu-Wen , Chiu Allen W. , Huang Andy C. , Lai Yu-Wei , Leu Jyh-Der , Hsiao Yi-Chun , Chen Shiou-Sheng , Hsueh Thomas Y.
Published: July 2022

Purpose

Since there was no consensus on treatment options for localized prostate cancer, we performed a retrospective study to compare the long-term survival benefit of radiotherapy (RT) versus laparoscopic radical prostatectomy (LRP) in Taiwan.

Methods

218 patients with clinically localized prostate cancer treated between 2008 and 2017 (64 with LRP and 154 with RT) were enrolled in this study. The outcomes of RT and LRP were assessed after patients were stratified according to Gleason score, stage, and risk group. Crude survival, prostate cancer-specific survival, and metastasis-free survival were evaluated using the log-rank test.

Results

The 5-year crude survival rate was 93.3% in the LRP group and 59.3% in the RT group. A significant survival benefit was found in the LRP group compared with the RT group (p = 0.004). Furthermore, significant differences were found in disease-specific survival (93.3% vs. 64.7%, p = 0.022) and metastasis-free survival (48% vs. 40.2%, p = 0.045) between the LRP and RT groups.

Conclusions

Men with localized prostate cancer treated initially with LRP had a lower risk of prostate cancer-specific death and metastases compared with those treated with RT.
Prospective evaluation of complications associated with orthosis and prosthesis use in canine patients
Authors: Rosen Sydney , Duerr Felix Michael , Elam Lindsay Hochman
Published: July 2022

Introduction

The use of orthoses and prostheses is expanding in veterinary medicine. However, research evaluating the efficacy and complications of these devices in veterinary patients is limited. The primary objective of this study was to prospectively determine the complications and outcomes associated with custom orthosis and prosthesis use in the canine patient.

Materials and Methods

This was a prospective, clinical trial that followed patients for 12 months following device fitting. Owner-perceived complications, clinical metrology instruments, and objective gait analysis were used as outcome measures at various time points. The patients were grouped into the following four major categories: Patients with a carpal orthosis, patients with a stifle orthosis, patients with a tarsal orthosis, and patients with a prosthetic device.

Results

Forty-three patients were included in the study. Thirty-nine out of 43 patients (91%) experienced at least one complication, with 7/7 (100%) prosthesis patients experiencing at least one complication. At least one skin complication was reported for the following patient groups during the first 3 months of use: 8/14 (58%) stifle orthoses, 9/10 (90%) carpal orthoses, 6/10 (60%) tarsal orthoses, and 4/7 (58%) prostheses. Patient non-acceptance of the device was identified in 2/15 (14%) stifle orthoses, 1/10 (10%) tarsal orthoses, and 4/7 (55%) prostheses. One out of 15 (7%) stifle orthoses, 4/10 (40%) carpal orthoses, 4/10 (40%) tarsal orthoses, and 1/7 (15%) prostheses experienced mechanical device problems necessitating repair. The majority of patients with carpal and stifle orthoses showed improvement on objective gait analysis in percent body weight distribution of the affected limb between baseline and the most recent follow-up without the device donned: 83% (n = 6) of patients with carpal orthoses, 100% (n = 11) of patients with stifle orthoses. None of the patients with tarsal orthoses showed a similar improvement (0%; n = 4).

Discussion and conclusion

Three major complications associated with canine orthosis and prosthesis use were identified in this study as follows: Skin complications (abrasions, loss of hair, and sores), mechanical device problems, and patient non-acceptance of the device. Owners should be notified of these potential complications prior to pursuing orthoses or prostheses as a potential treatment option. Although clinical improvement was noted in the majority of patients with stifle and carpal pathology, given the lack of a control group, it is unknown how much of this improvement can be attributed to the orthoses.
Exploring why animal health practices are (not) adopted among smallholders in low and middle-income countries: a realist framework and scoping review protocol
Authors: Hidano Arata , Holt Hannah , Durrance-Bagale Anna , Tak Mehroosh , Rudge James W.
Published: July 2022

Background

Improving livestock health is considered critical to address poverty, malnutrition and food insecurity in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Modifications of livestock management practices is also increasingly recognized as an important strategy to mitigate global threats such as climate change and novel disease emergence. Smallholders are, however, under various constraints which prohibit them from altering health practices for livestock and little is known about how the adoption of these practices may be promoted. The proposed scoping review aims to systematically map evidence around “what practices are (not) adopted by smallholders under what circumstances, how and why?.”

Method and analysis

We conducted initial scoping searches to broadly define types of animal health practices relevant for smallholders in LMICs and formulated search terms. A scoping review protocol was designed and registered. A systematic literature search will be conducted using electronic databases including CAB Abstract, Scopus, MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Web of Science Core Collection. Gray literature will be searched from AGRIS and Standards for Supporting Agricultural Livelihoods in Emergencies. Articles in English, pertaining to the animal health practices considered highly relevant will be considered eligible for inclusion. Articles will be screened at two stages by two independent reviewers; screening of titles, abstracts, and keywords, followed by full-article screening. The first reviewer will review 100% of the articles at both stages. The second reviewer will review a random sample of 20% of the articles at both stages. Any disagreements will be resolved using inputs from the third reviewer. A thematic analysis will be conducted to catalog contexts and mechanisms for adoption and discussed under a realist framework.

Discussion

Understanding of the mechanisms underlying the adoption of animal health practices by livestock smallholders in LMICs is crucial for successful implementation of interventions including those which are based on a One Health approach. This review will identify the extent of this knowledge across disciplines and inform future research priorities for the design of effective and feasible interventions which can contribute toward Sustainable Development Goal 2.

Registration

This protocol is registered within the Open Science Framework (https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/FUQAX).
Ultrasonographic and endoscopic guidance in diagnosis of Helicobacter gastritis presenting as a mass lesion in a dog: A case report
Authors: Gomes Thomas , Harmon Cecelia , Nappier Michael
Published: July 2022

This case documents a previously undescribed presentation of Helicobacter spp. gastritis. An 8-year-old female spayed golden retriever with chronic vomiting was found to have a cluster of multiple, round, well-defined, hypoechoic foci of varying sizes surrounded by gas within the lumen of the stomach on ultrasonographic examination. Further endoscopic examination revealed multiple raised mass-like lesions in the fundus on endoscopic examination. Histopathological findings were consistent with Helicobacter spp. infection. The dog was treated with both amoxicillin 400 mg and clarithromycin 180 mg BID for 21 days and omeprazole 20 mg SID for 34 days. After the treatment, the vomiting and fundic lesions were resolved on ultrasonographic examination. This case represents a novel gross morphologic presentation for Helicobacter spp. gastritis that responded to appropriate therapy and highlights how early intervention with advanced imaging can aid in diagnosis and treatment.
Mapping sheep to human brain: The need for a sheep brain atlas
Authors: Banstola Ashik , Reynolds John N. J.
Published: July 2022

A brain atlas is essential for understanding the anatomical relationship between neuroanatomical structures. Standard stereotaxic coordinates and reference systems have been developed for humans, non-human primates and small laboratory animals to contribute to translational neuroscience research. Despite similar neuroanatomical and neurofunctional features between the sheep and human brain, little is known of the sheep brain stereotaxy, and a detailed sheep atlas is scarce. Here, we briefly discuss the value of using sheep in neurological research and the paucity of literature concerning the coordinates system during neurosurgical approaches. Recent advancements such as computerized tomography, positron emission tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, functional magnetic resonance imaging and diffusion tensor imaging are used for targeting and localizing the coordinates and brain areas in humans. Still, their application in sheep is rare due to the lack of a 3D stereotaxic sheep atlas by which to map sheep brain structures to its human counterparts. More recently, a T1- and T2-weighted high-resolution MRI 3D stereotaxic atlas of the sheep brain has been generated, however, the journey to create a sheep brain atlas by which to map directly to the human brain is still uncharted. Therefore, developing a detailed sheep brain atlas is valuable for the future to facilitate the use of sheep as a large animal experimental non-primate model for translational neurological research.
Transcriptome Sequencing and Analysis of Genes Related to Sucrose Metabolism and Transporter of Paeonia ostii Seed with Sucrose Treatment
Authors: Sun Jing , Cheng Qian , Liu Mi , Lei Hao , Tao Jun
Published: July 2022

Tree peony (Paeonia ostii) is an important ornamental plant with high oil and medical values and is widely distributed in China. In order to explore the effects of sucrose treatment on the growth of the P. ostii seeds and identify key genes involved in sucrose metabolism and transport during the early development of the P. ostii seeds, the comparative transcriptome sequencing of the P. ostii seed coats and endosperms at 50 days after flowering (DAF) with and without sucrose supply were conducted using Illumina HiSeq platform. A total of 97,976 unigenes were obtained and annotated with seven public function protein databases. There were 22,779, 22,632, 16,700, and 36,233 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) identified in the four comparisons, respectively. A total of 77 DEGs associated with the sucrose metabolism and transporter were identified in this study. Among them, sucrose transporter protein (SUT) and sweet sugar transporter (SWEET) were predicted to participate in sucrose transport from seed coat to embryo, and invertase (INV) was identified to be involved in sucrose degradation. In addition, sucrose synthase (SUS) and sucrose phosphate synthase (SPS) related to sucrose synthesis were highly expressed in seeds with sucrose supply. Finally, nine differentially expressed genes were selected randomly to analyze their expression levels using qRT-PCR, which were consistent with the transcriptome sequencing results. Above all, these results and analyses provide valuable gene resources and directions for further studying the effects of sucrose supply on the molecular mechanism of the sucrose metabolism and transporter during the development of P. ostii seeds.
Recognition and Changes Analysis of Complex Planting Patterns Based Time Series Landsat and Sentinel-2 Images in Jianghan Plain, China
Authors: Zhang Zijing , Hua Li , Wei Qi , Li Jialin , Wang Jianxun
Published: July 2022

Accurate and timely information on crop planting patterns is crucial for research on sustainable agriculture, regional resources, and food security. However, existing spatial datasets have few high-precision and wide-range planting pattern maps. The production may be limited by the unbalanced spatiotemporal resolution, insufficient massive field sample data, low local computer processing speed, and other factors. To overcome these limitations, we proposed semi-automatic expansion and spatiotemporal migration strategies for sample points and performed a pixel-and-phenology-based random forest algorithm on the Google Earth Engine platform to generate crop planting pattern maps at high spatiotemporal resolution by integrating Landsat-8 and Sentinel-2 time series image data. In this study, we report planting pattern maps for 2017–2021 at a 10-m spatial resolution of the Jianghan Plain, including six crops and nine planting patterns, with an overall accuracy of 84–94% and a kappa coefficient of 0.80–0.93. The spatiotemporal distribution is driven by multiple factors, such as subjectivity and social economy. This research indicates that the proposed approach is effective for mapping large-scale planting patterns and can be readily applied to other regions.
Investigating Stability Parameters for Agronomic and Quality Traits of Durum Wheat Grown under Mediterranean Conditions
Authors: Kyratzis Angelos C. , Pallides Andreas , Katsiotis Andreas
Published: July 2022

Durum wheat in the Mediterranean grows under rainfed conditions, where unpredictable climatic conditions result in substantial variation in grain yield and quality. Climate change intensifies Genotype × Environment interactions and urges breeders to escalate their efforts to breed cultivars combining high performance and stability. The current study aimed to appraise the relations between twelve stability parameters derived by different statistical models for yield, yield-related and quality traits of durum wheat grown under Mediterranean conditions. Stability parameters were estimated in two experiments of twenty and sixteen cultivars, respectively. The parameters were categorized into three groups. Group A included Additive Main Effect and Multiplicative Interaction (AMMI)-derived parameters (ASV and AWAI), Wrickle’s ecovalence (Wi), Shukla’s stability variance (σ2), and the nonparametric parameters Si(1) and Si(2). Group B included regression parameters (bi, Bi_A), Coefficient of Variance (CV), and Superiority measure (Pi). Group C encompassed deviation from regression parameters (s2di-DJi) when the heterogeneity of the slope was significant. Correlations between stability parameters for different traits and the between stability parameters and the traits per se were modest. Stability parameters of Group B had higher repeatability for grain yield. The results of the present study contribute to the adjustment of durum wheat breeding strategies.
Measuring Fluorescence as a Means to Evaluate the Physiological Reaction to Growth Retardant Applied to Manage Turf
Authors: Martyniak Danuta , Prokopiuk Kamil , Żurek Grzegorz , Rybka Krystyna
Published: July 2022

This paper presents the effects of the physiological reaction of the main cool-season grass species used for turf in a temperate climate: perennial ryegrass, Kentucky bluegrass, and tall fescue, on a twice-a-year trinexapac-ethyl (TE) application in late spring and early autumn, seasons of rapid turf growth. The fully established turf plots in the split-plot system of three replicates, with three cultivars/species, were treated by TE (1.5 and 4.5 g/100 m2). The 4.5 g/100 m2 was harmful to Kentucky bluegrass. The perennial ryegrass responded by dose-dependent growth inhibition; 30–60% in spring and 25–40% in autumn for lower and higher doses, respectively. Tall fescue responded by 50% growth inhibition independently of concentration and season. Plant physiological responses, visualized as graphs of fluorescence data, revealed the stress of Kentucky bluegrass upon high TE dose. Based on principal component analysis (PCA) analysis, three groups were distinguished: perennial ryegrass varieties from high and low TE treatments and Kentucky bluegrass varieties from high TE. TE-dependent growth reduction with no significant quality decrease benefits the environment by reducing carbon footprint machine operations (mowing). Utilizing fluorescence measurement may help to manage turf physiology.
Genetic Variation in Responses to Salt Stress in Tunisian Populations of Medicago ciliaris
Authors: Aloui Meriem , Mahjoub Asma , Cheikh Najah Ben , Ludidi Ndiko , Abdelly Chedly , Badri Mounawer
Published: July 2022

Soil salinity is one of the most serious environmental factors affecting crop productivity around the world. We used a morpho-physiological approach to investigate the salt responses of four Tunisian natural populations of Medicago ciliaris. Forty-six lines of M. ciliaris were grown under a control treatment and 100 mM NaCl. We measured 11 quantitative traits of shoot and root growth during harvest. An analysis of variance showed that the variations in salt response can be explained by the effects of the population, line, treatment, and interactions between the population and treatment and the line and treatment. Most of the measured traits showed significant differences between the studied populations under the control treatment and salt stress. High to moderate broad-sense heritabilities (H2) were noted for most of the parameters under the control treatment and salt stress, implying that salt tolerance is highly heritable. Most correlations between the measured traits under the two treatments were positive, of which the strongest correlations were recorded between characteristics related to development. The 46 studied lines formed three groups in both conditions, while their genetic structure was dependent on the treatment factor. The results from this study can provide a basis for identifying and breeding salt-tolerant lines of M. ciliaris.
Linking Powder Properties, Printing Parameters, Post-Processing Methods, and Fatigue Properties in Additive Manufacturing of AlSi10Mg
Authors: Pal Ritam , Basak Amrita
Published: July 2022

Additive manufacturing (AM) of metals can be broadly accomplished via two defined technologies: powder bed fusion and directed energy deposition. During AM fabrication, the melted feedstock material experiences fast thermal cycling due to the layer-by-layer deposition process resulting in microstructures and properties that are drastically different from the traditionally manufactured parts. For AM to become a viable process for fabricating critical components made of high-performance structural alloys, such as AlSi10Mg, a comprehensive understanding is required toward developing the process-structure-property relationships prevalent in AM. AlSi10Mg, with its good castability, strength, hardness, and dynamic properties, is typically used to fabricate structural components that are required to withstand high loads. This alloy has been consolidated predominantly by the laser powder bed fusion (L-PBF) method and several critical mechanical properties, such as fatigue, have been reported to date. This article, first, summarizes the as-deposited and heat-treated microstructures of AlSi10Mg specimens fabricated by L-PBF. Then, the article discusses the linkages among the feedstock properties, printing parameters, specimen geometry, post-processing techniques, and fatigue properties. This discussion is followed by a section on the fatigue life prediction of AlSi10Mg specimens using computational modeling. Finally, the article identifies critical research gaps and pinpoints future research opportunities.
Oxytetracycline Persistence in Uterine Secretion after Intrauterine Administration in Cows with Metritis
Authors: Mileva Rositsa , Karadaev Manol , Fasulkov Ivan , Rusenova Nikolina , Vasilev Nasko , Milanova Aneliya
Published: July 2022

Puerperal metritis in cows is often treated with antibacterial drugs. The prudent use of antibiotics in farm animals requires state-of-the-art knowledge of their pharmacokinetics and data from sensitivity tests of pathogenic bacteria. Changes in oxytetracycline levels in the uterine secretion over time after intrauterine administration in cows with metritis were evaluated in relation to the sensitivity of pathogenic bacterial isolates. Oxytetracycline levels in plasma, milk and uterine secretion were determined via LC–MS/MS analysis. Pathogenic bacteria were isolated and their sensitivity to oxytetracycline was determined. The concentrations of oxytetracycline in the uterine secretion were 433.79 (39.17–1668.76) µg·mL−1 six hours after the third application at a dose of 8 mg/kg and 84.33 (1.58–467.55) µg·mL−1 96 h after the last treatment. These levels were higher than the minimum inhibitory concentrations—namely, between 4 and 64 µg·mL−1—against pathogenic isolates Trueperella pyogenes, Streptococcus intermedius, Escherichia coli and Bacillus pumilis. Higher concentrations over time were measured in milk rather than in plasma, indicating the need to monitor the withdrawal time for milk. The intrauterine infusion of oxytetracycline for three consecutive days resulted in the successful treatment of metritis in terms alleviating inflammation and restoring the estrus cycle in cows.
The Replacement of Ground Corn with Sugar Beet in the Diet of Pasture-Fed Lactating Dairy Cows and Its Effect on Productive Performance and Rumen Metabolism
Authors: Keim Juan Pablo , Mora Jonattan , Ojeda Sebastián , Saldías Bernardita , Bedenk Ulrike
Published: July 2022

(1) Background: Sugars have a potential to provide great amounts of fermentable energy in the rumen. Feeding fresh sugar beet (SB) to dairy cattle to replace a portion of the grain in the ration has not received sufficient attention. This study determined dry matter intake (DMI), feeding behavior, rumen fermentation and milk production responses when replacing corn grain with increasing levels of SB in pasture-fed lactating dairy cow diets. (2) Methods: A total of 12 early-lactation cows were used in a replicated (n = 4) 3 × 3 Latin square design. The control diet consisted of 21 kg dry matter (DM) composed of 6.3 kg DM green chopped perennial ryegrass, 7 kg DM grass silage, 2 kg DM of concentrate, 1 kg DM soybean meal and 4.5 kg DM of ground corn. The other treatments replaced 50% or 100% of the ground corn with SB roots. (3) Results: The replacement of ground corn with sugar beet reduced DMI and milk yield (p < 0.05), but it increased milk fat concentration (p = 0.045), reduced feeding costs and increased margin over feed costs (p < 0.01). Urinary nitrogen was linearly reduced with SB supplementation (p = 0.026). (4) Conclusions: Using SB roots as energetic supplement can be a suitable alternative to ground corn in pasture-fed lactating dairy cows.
Is It Possible to Eradicate Carbapenem-Resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (CRAB) from Endemic Hospitals?
Authors: Medioli Filippo , Bacca Erica , Faltoni Matteo , Burastero Giulia Jole , Volpi Sara , Menozzi Marianna , Orlando Gabriella , Bedini Andrea , Franceschini Erica , Mussini Cristina , Meschiari Marianna
Published: July 2022

Background: Despite the global efforts to antagonize carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (CRAB) spreading, it remains an emerging threat with a related mortality exceeding 40% among critically ill patients. The purpose of this review is to provide evidence concerning the best infection prevention and control (IPC) strategies to fight CRAB spreading in endemic hospitals. Methods: The study was a critical review of the literature aiming to evaluate all available studies reporting IPC measures to control CRAB in ICU and outside ICU in both epidemic and endemic settings in the past 10 years. Results: Among the 12 included studies, the majority consisted of research reports of outbreaks mostly occurred in ICUs. The reported mortality reached 50%. Wide variability was observed related to the frequency of application of recommended CRAB IPC measures among the studies: environmental disinfection (100%); contact precautions (83%); cohorting staff and patients (75%); genotyping (66%); daily chlorhexidine baths (58%); active rectal screening (50%); closing or stopping admissions to the ward (33%). Conclusions: Despite effective control of CRAB spreading during the outbreaks, the IPC measures reported were heterogeneous and highly dependent on the different setting as well as on the structural characteristics of the wards. Reinforced ‘search and destroy’ strategies both on the environment and on the patient, proved to be the most effective measures for permanently eliminating CRAB spreading.
A Comparative Study on Phytochemical Fingerprint of Two Diverse Phaseolus vulgarisvar. Tondino del Tavo and Cannellino Bio Extracts
Authors: Stefanucci Azzurra , Scioli Giuseppe , Marinaccio Lorenza , Zengin Gokhan , Locatelli Marcello , Tartaglia Angela , Della Valle Alice , Cichelli Angelo , Novellino Ettore , Pieretti Stefano , Mollica Adriano
Published: July 2022

Common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) represents one of the most famous foods with antiobesity activity showing a significant efficacy against fat accumulation, insulin resistance and dyslipidaemia. In this work, two Italian varieties of common bean, i.e., Tondino del Tavo and Cannellino Bio, from the centre of Italy were studied to characterise their phenolic profile by HPLC-PDA in relation to different fractions after a straightforward extraction procedure. Antioxidant property and enzymatic inhibition power were also evaluated in order to delineate a possible biological profile. Results show a considerable phenolic content (0.79 and 1.1 µg/mg of 3-hydroxybenzoic acid for hexane extract of Tondino del Tavo and Cannellino Bio, respectively; 0.30 µg/mg p-coumaric acid for n-hexane extract of Tondino del Tavo) for both varieties, and a strong antioxidant activity according to the major phenolic concentration of the extracts. The anti-inflammatory activity of the decoction extracts was also investigated through a zymosan-induced edema formation assay, revealing a moderate ability for both of them. These preliminary data prompt us to further explore the nutrient components of these two varieties in the future.
Doxorubicin Induces Bone Loss by Increasing Autophagy through a Mitochondrial ROS/TRPML1/TFEB Axis in Osteoclasts
Authors: Park Hyun-Jung , Yoon Sun-Young , Park Jung-Nam , Suh Jae-Hee , Choi Hye-Seon
Published: July 2022

Doxorubicin (DOX), a widely used chemotherapeutic agent, has been linked to an increased risk of bone damage in human patients and induces bone loss in mice. DOX induces autophagy, which contributes to bone homeostasis and excess autophagy in osteoclasts (OCs), resulting in bone loss. We hypothesized that DOX-induced bone loss is caused by the induction of autophagy in OCs. In vitro, DOX significantly increased the area of OCs and bone resorption activity, whereas it decreased OC number through apoptosis. DOX enhanced the level of LC3II and acidic vesicular organelles-containing cells in OCs, whereas an autophagy inhibitor, 3-methyladenine (3-MA), reversed these, indicating that enhanced autophagy was responsible for the effects of DOX. Increased mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (mROS) by DOX oxidized transient receptor potential mucolipin 1 (TRPML1) on the lysosomal membrane, which led to nuclear localization of transcription factor EB (TFEB), an autophagy-inducing transcription factor. In vivo, micro-computerized tomography analysis revealed that the injection of 3-MA reversed DOX-induced bone loss, and tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase staining showed that 3-MA reduced the area of OCs on the bone surface, which was enhanced upon DOX administration. Collectively, DOX-induced bone loss is at least partly attributable to autophagy upregulation in OCs via an mROS/TRPML1/TFEB axis.
Markers of Oxidative Stress in Obstetrics and Gynaecology—A Systematic Literature Review
Authors: Drejza Michalina Anna , Rylewicz Katarzyna , Majcherek Ewa , Gross-Tyrkin Katarzyna , Mizgier Małgorzata , Plagens-Rotman Katarzyna , Wójcik Małgorzata , Panecka-Mysza Katarzyna , Pisarska-Krawczyk Magdalena , Kędzia Witold , Jarząbek-Bielecka Grażyna
Published: July 2022

Oxidative stress has been implicated in many diseases, including reproductive and pregnancy disorders, from subfertility to maternal vascular disease or preterm labour. There is, however, discrepancy within the standardized markers of oxidative stress in obstetrics and gynaecology in clinical studies. This review aims to present the scope of markers used between 2012 and 2022 to describe oxidative stress with regard to reproduction, pregnancy, and pregnancy-related issues. Despite the abundance of evidence, there is no consensus on the set of standardised markers of oxidative stress which poses a challenge to achieve universal consensus in order to appropriately triangulate the results.
Glucose Oxidase and Catalase Activities in Honey Samples from the Southwestern Region of Saudi Arabia
Authors: Alshareef Rahaf Mohammed Hussein , Al-Farhan Badriah Saad , Mohammed Mohammed Elimam Ahamed
Published: July 2022

The activity of honey enzymes are affected by floral and geographical origins, climate conditions, honeybee species, health and nutrition. This article investigated the effect of floral and geographical origins on the activity of glucose oxidase (GOx) and catalase (CAT) enzymes in honey samples from the southwestern region of Saudi Arabia. Moreover, the moisture, total sugars, pH and conductivity were measured as quality parameters. The floral origin of the honey samples was determined microscopically while the quality parameters were measured according to the methods of international honey commission. The activity of the honey enzyme was determined following the instructions of the Megazyme International kits. The obtained results were statistically analyzed by the statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS, v.20). The GOx activity of the Acacia, Ziziphus and polyfloral honey samples of the Asir region were (5.19 ± 2.33 U/g), (4.01 ± 1.17 U/g) and (5.69 ± 1.67 U/g), respectively. The Acacia, Ziziphus and polyfloral honey samples from the Jazan region had GOx activities of (6.85 ± 0.47 U/g), (10.48 ± 9.22 U/g) and (5.31 ± 2.7 U/g), respectively. The geographical origin significantly affected the GOx activity of Ziziphus honey (p-value = 0.005) and the GOx activity of the Ziziphus honey was significantly more than that of the polyfloral honey of the Jazan region (p-value = 0.009). With regard to the CAT activity in Asir region honey samples, the mean values of the Acacia, Ziziphus and polyfloral honeys were (2.89 ± 1.08 U/g), (3.58 ± 1.59 U/g) and (2.84 ± 1.24 U/g), respectively. The mean values of the CAT activity in the Jazan honey samples were Acacia (4.35 ± 1.01 U/g), Ziziphus (3.94 ± 0.04 U/g) and polyfloral (3.43 ± 0.67 U/g). The geographical origin significantly affected the CAT activity in Acacia honey (p-value = 0.014). The geographical and floral origins had significant effects on the activity of the honey GOx and CAT enzymes.
Immediate Effect of Customized Foot Orthosis on Plantar Pressure and Contact Area in Patients with Symptomatic Hallux Valgus
Authors: Chen Hsin-Yu , Peng Hsien-Te , Chang Chin-Kang , Wang Fu-Ting , Yen Chia-Hao , Wang Tsung-Yang , Chuang Hsiang-Chun , Chiu Fang-Yao , Song Chen-Yi
Published: July 2022

Foot orthotics are recommended for the treatment of hallux valgus. The effects of customized foot orthoses (FOs) designed with both medial longitudinal and transverse arch supports are poorly understood, however. This study aimed to investigate the immediate effect of customized FOs on the plantar pressure and contact area in patients with symptomatic hallux valgus. We recruited 18 patients with a mean hallux valgus angle of 27.3 ± 11.1°. Plantar pressure while walking with FOs or flat insoles (FIs) was monitored with a wireless in-shoe plantar pressure-sensing system. Peak pressure (PP), peak force (PF), pressure-time integral (PTI), force-time integral (FTI), and contact area with FOs and FIs were compared. The PF, PTI, and FTI of the midfoot were significantly higher (p < 0.05), and the PP and PTI of the rearfoot were significantly lower (p < 0.05) with the FOs than the FIs. The FOs significantly increased the contact area of the midfoot and rearfoot (p < 0.05) and reduced the contact area of the forefoot (p < 0.05). These results suggest that customized FOs redistribute plantar pressure and the contact area of the midfoot and rearfoot, improving the functional support of the midfoot for patients with hallux valgus.
Conversion of Argan Nutshells into Novel Porous Carbons in the Scope of Circular Economy: Adsorption Performance of Emerging Contaminants
Authors: Mokhati Asma , Benturki Oumessaâd , Benturki Asma , Fennouh Radia , Kecira Zoubida , Bernardo Maria , Matos Inês , Lapa Nuno , Ventura Márcia , Soares Olívia Salomé G. P. , Do Rego Ana M. Botelho , Fonseca Isabel
Published: July 2022

The present work proposes an experimental strategy to prepare argan nutshell-derived porous carbons using potassium hydroxide (KOH). Several experimental parameters of the activation process were evaluated (temperature, impregnation ratio, and activation time), and an optimized carbon (ACK) was obtained. The surface properties of the ACK sample were determined, and the porous carbon was applied as an adsorbent of diclofenac (DCF) and paroxetine (PARX). A commercial carbon (CC) was used as a benchmark. The ACK porous carbon presented a higher surface area and micropore volume (1624 m2 g−1 and 0.40 cm3 g−1, respectively) than CC carbon (1030 m2 g−1 and 0.30 cm3 g−1, respectively), but the maximum adsorption capacities of DCF (214–217 mg g−1) and PARX (260–275 mg g−1) were comparable among the two carbons. Besides π-π interactions, H-bonds with the electronegative atoms of the adsorbate molecules and the electropositive H of the oxygen functional groups were appointed as the most probable mechanisms for adsorption onto ACK porous carbon. The electrostatic attraction was also considered, particularly for DCF with CC carbon. The pore size might have also been critical, since CC carbon presented more supermicropores (0.7–2 nm), which are usually more favorable toward the adsorption of pharmaceutical molecules. The reusability of the ACK carbon was tested up to four cycles of adsorption–desorption by using ultrasonic washing with water. The results indicated that no more than one cycle of use of ACK should be performed.
Defect Shape Classification Using Transfer Learning in Deep Convolutional Neural Network on Magneto-Optical Nondestructive Inspection
Authors: Dharmawan I Dewa Made Oka , Lee Jinyi , Sim Sunbo
Published: July 2022

To implement a magneto-optic (MO) nondestructive inspection (MONDI) system for robot-based nondestructive inspections, quantitative evaluations of the presence, locations, shapes, and sizes of defects are required. This capability is essential for training autonomous nondestructive testing (NDT) devices to track material defects and evaluate their severity. This study aimed to support robotic assessment using the MONDI system by providing a deep learning algorithm to classify defect shapes from MO images. A dataset from 11 specimens with 72 magnetizer directions and 6 current variations was examined. A total of 4752 phenomena were captured using an MO sensor with a 0.6 mT magnetic field saturation and a 2 MP CMOS camera as the imager. A transfer learning method for a deep convolutional neural network (CNN) was adapted to classify defect shapes using five pretrained architectures. A multiclassifier technique using an ensemble and majority voting model was also trained to provide predictions for comparison. The ensemble model achieves the highest testing accuracy of 98.21% with an area under the curve (AUC) of 99.08% and a weighted F1 score of 0.982. The defect extraction dataset also indicates auspicious results by increasing the training time by up to 21%, which is beneficial for actual industrial inspections when considering fast and complex engineering systems.
FrameAugment: A Simple Data Augmentation Method for Encoder–Decoder Speech Recognition
Authors: Lim Seong-Su , Kwon Oh-Wook
Published: July 2022

As the architecture of deep learning-based speech recognizers has recently changed to the end-to-end style, increasing the effective amount of training data has become an important issue. To tackle this issue, various data augmentation techniques to create additional training data by transforming labeled data have been studied. We propose a method called FrameAugment to augment data by changing the speed of speech locally for selected sections, which is different from the conventional speed perturbation technique that changes the speed of speech uniformly for the entire utterance. To change the speed of the selected sections of speech, the number of frames for the randomly selected sections is adjusted through linear interpolation in the spectrogram domain. The proposed method is shown to achieve 6.8% better performance than the baseline in the WSJ database and 9.5% better than the baseline in the LibriSpeech database. It is also confirmed that the proposed method further improves speech recognition performance when it is combined with the previous data augmentation techniques.
Microstructural Variation and Evaluation of Formability According to High-Temperature Compression Conditions of AMS4928 Alloy
Authors: Lee Jae-Gwan , Jo Pyeong-Seok , Choi Chang-Yong , Park Hee-Sang , Lee Dong-Geun
Published: July 2022

Ti-6Al-4V alloys are used in various industrial fields such as aircraft parts due to its excellent specific strength and mechanical properties. A high-temperature forming technology has been applied because it is difficult to process complex shapes. During the high-temperature forming process, the microstructure changes significantly due to temperature, strain rate, reduction ratio, and other process variables, and mechanical properties of high-temperature molded products are changed accordingly. Therefore, in this study, a high-temperature compression test was performed on AMS4928, which is one of Ti-6Al-4V alloys used as a material for aircraft parts, and the severe plastic deformation and dead zone were confirmed in connection with the processing map. The changes in microstructure were comparatively analyzed. In addition, it was confirmed that there was a difference in formability due to grain refinement by dynamic recrystallization, and optimal high-temperature forming conditions were derived by linking and analyzing the formability and microstructural factors.
Research on Key Technologies of the Non-Bracket Construction Method for an Annular Cable Supported Grid Structure
Authors: Huang Lifan , Ruan Yangjie , Luo Bin , Ding Mingmin , Gu Hao
Published: July 2022

A cable strut structure uses a tension cable net as the main load-bearing system, which can allow full play of the high-strength material characteristics of the cables, greatly reduce the burden on the lower supporting system, and increase the span in an economic and effective manner. The annular cable supported grid structure is a new type of cable strut structure, which uses rigid grids to replace the flexible cables at the top chord of the spoke cable truss to meet the requirements of laying a heavy rigid roof. In this paper, first the structural mechanical characteristics of the annular cable supported grid structure are introduced, showing that the structural characteristics derived from the cable truss are the basis of non-bracket construction, while the presence of the upper grid results in difficulties with structure installation configuration control. Second, considering the characteristics of the cable supported grid structure and the difficulties in construction, the non-bracket construction method for annular cable supported grid structure with the commonly used nonlinear dynamic finite element method (NDFEM) in construction simulations is proposed. Finally, a numerical example is given and analyzed to verify the accuracy and feasibility of this method. The results indicate that the non-bracket construction technology proposed in this paper is suitable for the construction of a cable supported grid structure, and has the advantages of convenient prestress flow control, no need for brackets, simple and economical construction equipment, flexible arrangement of construction period, safe and reliable construction, and high construction accuracy.
Design and Implementation of the Remote Operation and Maintenance Platform for the Combine Harvester
Authors: Bai Shenghe , Yuan Yanwei , Niu Kang , Zhou Liming , Zhao Bo , Wei Liguo , Liu Lijing , Liu Yangchun , Pang Zaixi , Wang Fengzhu , Li Zhuoli , Zhang Weipeng
Published: July 2022

To meet the needs of remotely operating and maintaining combine harvesters in view of the problems of extensive operation, inefficient operation and maintenance, and backward management of combine harvesters, a remote operation and maintenance platform for the combine harvester has been designed. The platform mainly includes modules, such as data monitoring, fault prediction, fault diagnosis, and comprehensive operation maintenance. Among them, the data-monitoring module obtains the monitoring data of the vehicle terminal. It actively transmits to the remote operation and maintenance platform to remotely monitor the operation data or status of the combine harvester system. The fault prediction module builds a fault prediction model based on the fault features and data provided by all previous stages. It predicts and evaluates the actual operation of each component of the combine harvester in the foreseeable future, Based on the fault diagnosis model, the fault diagnosis module evaluates and classifies the current abnormal state of the combine harvester. The comprehensive operation and maintenance module formulates the corresponding maintenance and repair strategies according to the output results of the fault diagnosis and prediction. Through functional field testing of the platform, the results showed that the platform could perform real-time monitoring, fault prediction, fault diagnosis, and comprehensive operation maintenance for the operation information of the combine harvester. It helped to improve the intelligent operation level, management quality and operation, and maintenance efficiency of the combine harvester.
A Deterministic Methodology to Calibrate Pressure-Independent Anisotropic Yield Criteria in Plane Strain Tension Using Finite-Element Analysis
Authors: Abedini A. , Narayanan A. , Butcher C.
Published: July 2022

The yield strength of materials under plane strain deformation is often not characterized experimentally due to difficulties that arise in interpreting the results of plane strain tensile tests. The strain and stress fields in the gauge region of these tests are inhomogeneous, making it challenging to extract the constitutive response from experimental measurements. Consequently, the plane strain yield stress is instead predicted using phenomenological plasticity models calibrated using uniaxial and biaxial tension data. To remove this uncertainty, a simple finite-element based inverse technique is proposed to determine the arc of the associated yield locus from uniaxial-to-plane strain tension using a constrained form of Vegter’s anisotropic yield criterion to analyze a notch tensile test. The inverse problem is formulated under associated deviatoric plasticity and constrained such that only a single parameter, the major principal yield stress under plane strain deformation, needs to be identified from the finite-element simulations. The methodology was applied to two different automotive steel grades, an ultra-high strength DP1180 and a DC04 mild steel. The predictive accuracy of the constitutive models was then evaluated using an alternate notch geometry that provides an intermediate stress state between uniaxial and plane strain tension. By performing notch tensile tests in three sheet orientations, three arcs of the yield surface were obtained and employed to calibrate the widely used Yld2000 yield function. The study shows that for DP1180, the normalized plane strain yield stress was in the range of 1.10 to 1.14 whereas for DDQ steel, the normalized plane strain yield stress was notably stronger, with values ranging from 1.22 to 1.27, depending on the orientation. The proposed methodology allows for a wealth of anisotropic plasticity data to be obtained from simple notch tests while ensuring the plane strain state is accurately characterized, since it governs localization and fracture in many forming operations.