bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The T6SS-Dependent Effector Re78 of Rhizobium etli Mim1 Benefits Bacterial Competition
Authors: De Sousa Bruna Fernanda Silva , Domingo-Serrano Lucía , Salinero-Lanzarote Alvaro , Palacios José Manuel , Rey Luis
Published: May 2023

The genes of the type VI secretion system (T6SS) from Rhizobium etli Mim1 (ReMim1) that contain possible effectors can be divided into three modules. The mutants in them indicated that they are not required for effective nodulation with beans. To analyze T6SS expression, a putative promoter region between the tssA and tssH genes was fused in both orientations to a reporter gene. Both fusions are expressed more in free living than in symbiosis. When the module-specific genes were studied using RT-qPCR, a low expression was observed in free living and in symbiosis, which was clearly lower than the structural genes. The secretion of Re78 protein from the T6SS gene cluster was dependent on the presence of an active T6SS. Furthermore, the expression of Re78 and Re79 proteins in E. coli without the ReMim1 nanosyringe revealed that these proteins behave as a toxic effector/immunity protein pair (E/I). The harmful action of Re78, whose mechanism is still unknown, would take place in the periplasmic space of the target cell. The deletion of this ReMim1 E/I pair resulted in reduced competitiveness for bean nodule occupancy and in lower survival in the presence of the wild-type strain.
Optimization of Surface-Engineered Micropatterns on Bacterial Cellulose for Guided Scar-Free Skin Wound Healing
Authors: Liu Haiyan , Hu Yang , Wu Xiuping , Hu Rong , Liu Yingyu
Published: May 2023

Bacterial cellulose (BC) has been widely used in tissue engineering due to its unique spatial structure and suitable biological properties. In this study, a small biologically active Arginine-Glycine-Aspartic acid-Serine (RGDS) tetrapeptide was incorporated on the porous BC surface followed by a low-energy CO2 laser etching operation. As a result, different micropatterns were established on the BC surface with RGDS only anchored on the raised platform surface of the micropatterned BC (MPBC). Material characterization showed that all micropatterned structures exhibited platforms with a width of ~150 μm and grooves with a width of ~100 μm and a depth of ~300 μm, which displayed distinct hydrophilic and hydrophobic properties. The resulting RGDS-MPBC could hold the material integrity, as well as the microstructure morphology under a humid environment. In-vitro and in-vivo assays on cell migration, collagen deposition, and histological analysis revealed that micropatterns led to significant impacts on wound healing progress compared to the BC without surface-engineered micropatterns. Specifically, the basket-woven micropattern etched on the BC surface exhibited the optimal wound healing outcome with the presence of fewer macrophages and the least scar formation. This study further addresses the potential of adopting surface micropatterning strategies to promote skin wounds towards scar-free outcomes.
Molecular Research on Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS)
Authors: Daniele Simona , Chelucci Elisa , Scarfò Giorgia , Artini Paolo Giovanni
Published: May 2023

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is an endocrine systemic disorder with a prevalence of between 5% and 20% that commonly affects childbearing-aged women [...]
Zinc Finger E-Box Binding Homeobox Family: Non-Coding RNA and Epigenetic Regulation in Gliomas
Authors: Lenda Bartosz , Żebrowska-Nawrocka Marta , Turek Grzegorz , Balcerczak Ewa
Published: May 2023

Gliomas are the most common malignant brain tumours. Among them, glioblastoma (GBM) is a grade four tumour with a median survival of approximately 15 months and still limited treatment options. Although a classical epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) is not the case in glioma due to its non-epithelial origin, the EMT-like processes may contribute largely to the aggressive and highly infiltrative nature of these tumours, thus promoting invasive phenotype and intracranial metastasis. To date, many well-known EMT transcription factors (EMT-TFs) have been described with clear, biological functions in glioma progression. Among them, EMT-related families of molecules such as SNAI, TWIST and ZEB are widely cited, well-established oncogenes considering both epithelial and non-epithelial tumours. In this review, we aimed to summarise the current knowledge with a regard to functional experiments considering the impact of miRNA and lncRNA as well as other epigenetic modifications, with a main focus on ZEB1 and ZEB2 in gliomas. Although we explored various molecular interactions and pathophysiological processes, such as cancer stem cell phenotype, hypoxia-induced EMT, tumour microenvironment and TMZ-resistant tumour cells, there is still a pressing need to elucidate the molecular mechanisms by which EMT-TFs are regulated in gliomas, which will enable researchers to uncover novel therapeutic targets as well as improve patients’ diagnosis and prognostication.
Pharmacological Potential of 3-Benzazepines in NMDAR-Linked Pathophysiological Processes
Authors: Ritter Nadine , Disse Paul , Wünsch Bernhard , Seebohm Guiscard , Strutz-Seebohm Nathalie
Published: May 2023

The number of N-Methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) linked neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease and dementia is constantly increasing. This is partly due to demographic change and presents new challenges to societies. To date, there are no effective treatment options. Current medications are nonselective and can lead to unwanted side effects in patients. A promising therapeutic approach is the targeted inhibition of NMDARs in the brain. NMDARs containing different subunits and splice variants display different physiological properties and play a crucial role in learning and memory, as well as in inflammatory or injury processes. They become overactivated during the course of the disease, leading to nerve cell death. Until now, there has been a lack of understanding of the general functions of the receptor and the mechanism of inhibition, which need to be understood in order to develop inhibitors. Ideal compounds should be highly targeted and even splice-variant-selective. However, a potent and splice-variant-selective NMDAR-targeting drug has yet to be developed. Recently developed 3-benzazepines are promising inhibitors for further drug development. The NMDAR splice variants GluN1-1b-4b carry a 21-amino-acid-long, flexible exon 5. Exon 5 lowers the NMDAR’s sensitivity to allosteric modulators by probably acting as an NMDAR modulator itself. The role of exon 5 in NMDAR modulation is still poorly understood. In this review, we summarize the structure and pharmacological relevance of tetrahydro-3-benzazepines.
Abstinence from Escalation of Cocaine Intake Changes the microRNA Landscape in the Cortico-Accumbal Pathway
Authors: Kumaresan Vidhya , Lim Yolpanhchana , Juneja Poorva , Tipton Allison E. , de Guglielmo Giordano , Carrette Lieselot L. G. , Kallupi Marsida , Maturin Lisa , Liu Ying , George Olivier , Zhang Huiping
Published: May 2023

Cocaine administration alters the microRNA (miRNA) landscape in the cortico-accumbal pathway. These changes in miRNA can play a major role in the posttranscriptional regulation of gene expression during withdrawal. This study aimed to investigate the changes in microRNA expression in the cortico-accumbal pathway during acute withdrawal and protracted abstinence following escalated cocaine intake. Small RNA sequencing (sRNA-seq) was used to profile miRNA transcriptomic changes in the cortico-accumbal pathway [infralimbic- and prelimbic-prefrontal cortex (IL and PL) and nucleus accumbens (NAc)] of rats with extended access to cocaine self-administration followed by an 18-h withdrawal or a 4-week abstinence. An 18-h withdrawal led to differential expression (fold-change > 1.5 and p < 0.05) of 21 miRNAs in the IL, 18 miRNAs in the PL, and two miRNAs in the NAc. The mRNAs potentially targeted by these miRNAs were enriched in the following pathways: gap junctions, neurotrophin signaling, MAPK signaling, and cocaine addiction. Moreover, a 4-week abstinence led to differential expression (fold-change > 1.5 and p < 0.05) of 23 miRNAs in the IL, seven in the PL, and five miRNAs in the NAc. The mRNAs potentially targeted by these miRNAs were enriched in pathways including gap junctions, cocaine addiction, MAPK signaling, glutamatergic synapse, morphine addiction, and amphetamine addiction. Additionally, the expression levels of several miRNAs differentially expressed in either the IL or the NAc were significantly correlated with addiction behaviors. Our findings highlight the impact of acute and protracted abstinence from escalated cocaine intake on miRNA expression in the cortico-accumbal pathway, a key circuit in addiction, and suggest developing novel biomarkers and therapeutic approaches to prevent relapse by targeting abstinence-associated miRNAs and their regulated mRNAs.
An Efficient COVID-19 Mortality Risk Prediction Model Using Deep Synthetic Minority Oversampling Technique and Convolution Neural Networks
Authors: Soundrapandiyan Rajkumar , Manickam Adhiyaman , Akhloufi Moulay , Murthy Yarlagadda Vishnu Srinivasa , Sundaram Renuka Devi Meenakshi , Thirugnanasambandam Sivasubramanian
Published: May 2023

The COVID-19 virus has made a huge impact on people’s lives ever since the outbreak happened in December 2019. Unfortunately, the COVID-19 virus has not completely vanished from the world yet, and thus, global agitation is still increasing with mutations and variants of the same. Early diagnosis is the best way to decline the mortality risk associated with it. This urges the necessity of developing new computational approaches that can analyze a large dataset and predict the disease in time. Currently, automated virus diagnosis is a major area of research for accurate and timely predictions. Artificial intelligent (AI)-based techniques such as machine learning (ML) and deep learning (DL) can be deployed for this purpose. In this, compared to traditional machine learning techniques, deep Learning approaches show prominent results. Yet it still requires optimization in terms of complex space problems. To address this issue, the proposed method combines deep learning predictive models such as convolutional neural network (CNN), long short-term memory (LSTM), auto-encoder (AE), cross-validation (CV), and synthetic minority oversampling techniques (SMOTE). This method proposes six different combinations of deep learning forecasting models such as CV-CNN, CV-LSTM+CNN, IMG-CNN, AE+CV-CNN, SMOTE-CV-LSTM, and SMOTE-CV-CNN. The performance of each model is evaluated using various metrics on the standard dataset that is approved by The Montefiore Medical Center/Albert Einstein College of Medicine Institutional Review Board. The experimental results show that the SMOTE-CV-CNN model outperforms the other models by achieving an accuracy of 98.29%. Moreover, the proposed SMOTE-CV-CNN model has been compared to existing mortality risk prediction methods based on both machine learning (ML) and deep learning (DL), and has demonstrated superior accuracy. Based on the experimental analysis, it can be inferred that the proposed SMOTE-CV-CNN model has the ability to effectively predict mortality related to COVID-19.
A Europium Nanosphere-Based Time-Resolved Fluorescent Immunochromatographic Assay for the Rapid Screening of 4,4′-Dinitrocarbanilide: Aiming at Improving Strip Method Performance
Authors: Zou Ming , Yin Yongkang , Guo Liuchuan , Zhang Qidi , Li Jinyan , Zhang Hong , Song Qian , Li Zhaojie , Wang Li , Ao Xiang , Liang Xiao
Published: May 2023

Considering that the strip method is simple and convenient for users, a Europium nanosphere-based time-resolved fluorescent immunochromatographic assay (TRFICA) for the rapid screening of 4,4′-dinitrocarbanilide (DNC) was developed to improve the performance of strip assays. After optimization, TRFICA showed IC50, the limit of detection, and cut-off values of 0.4, 0.07, and 5.0 ng mL−1, respectively. No significant cross-reactivity (CR < 0.1%) with 15 DNC analogs was observed in the developed method. TRFICA was validated for DNC detection in spiked chicken homogenates, and recoveries ranged from 77.3% to 92.7%, with coefficients of variation of <14.9%. Moreover, the time needed for the detection procedure, including the sample pre-treatment, was less than 30 min for TRFICA, which had never been achieved before in other immunoassays. The newly developed strip test is a rapid, sensitive, quantitative, and cost-effective on-site screening technique for DNC analysis in chicken muscle.
Tolerability and Effectiveness of Cathodal Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation in Children with Refractory Epilepsy: A Case Series
Authors: Ghosh Soumya , Nagarajan Lakshmi
Published: May 2023

There are limited treatment options for drug-resistant epilepsy (DRE) in children. We performed a pilot study to investigate the tolerability and effectiveness of cathodal transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) in DRE. Twelve children with DRE of varied etiology underwent three to four daily sessions of cathodal tDCS. The seizure frequency at 2 weeks before and after tDCS was obtained from seizure diaries; clinic reviews at 3 and 6 months assessed any longer-term benefits or adverse effects. The spike wave index (SWI) was analyzed in the EEGs done immediately before and after tDCS on the first and last day of tDCS. One child remained seizure free for a year after tDCS. One child had reduced frequency of ICU admissions for status epilepticus for 2 weeks, likely due to reduced severity of seizures. In four children, an improvement in alertness and mood was reported for 2–4 weeks after tDCS. There was no benefit following tDCS in the other children. There were no unexpected or serious adverse effects in any child. Benefit was seen in two children, and the reasons for the lack of benefit in the other children need further study. It is likely that tDCS stimulus parameters will need to be tailored for different epilepsy syndromes and etiologies.
Flexural Fatigue Behavior of Glulam Beams Connected with Steel Splints and Bolts
Authors: Yang Lei , Chen Aijun , Zhou Jianhua , He Guojing , Wang Haolei , Li Cong
Published: May 2023

Glulam beams connected with steel splints and bolts (GBSBs) are subjected to cyclic reciprocating dynamic loads in practice, which eventually leads to damage accumulation and structure failure. In order to promote the development of GBSBs, an experimental study was carried out, and theoretical analysis of the fatigue behavior of GBSBs was conducted. Three static load test beams and six fatigue test beams were designed and fabricated, taking into account the different stress levels and fatigue limit loads. Theoretical analysis of the data, linear regression analysis, and electron microscopy analysis of the material were carried out. The test results show that the GBSBs have good fatigue properties and that fatigue damage mainly occurs near the loading point. As the number of load cycles increases, the mid-span deflection and strain of the beam increase by a significant amount, and linear degradation of the stiffness occurs. In addition, a linear regression analysis of the amplitude of the fatigue load and the fatigue life was carried out, resulting in a fatigue limit load of 0.5435 Fu.
Respiratory Syncytial Virus Matrix Protein Is Sufficient and Necessary to Remodel Host Mitochondria in Infection
Authors: Hu MengJie , Bogoyevitch Marie A. , Jans David A.
Published: May 2023

Although respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is the most common cause of respiratory infection in infants, immunosuppressed adults and the elderly worldwide, there is no licensed RSV vaccine or widely applicable antiviral therapeutics We previously reported a staged redistribution of mitochondria with compromised respiratory activities and increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation during RSV infection. Here, we show for the first time that the RSV matrix protein (M) is sufficient and necessary to induce these effects. Ectopically expressed M, but not other RSV proteins, was able to induce mitochondrial perinuclear clustering, inhibition of mitochondrial respiration, loss of mitochondrial membrane potential (Δψm), and enhanced generation of mitochondrial ROS (mtROS) in infection. Truncation and mutagenic analysis revealed that the central nucleic acid-binding domain of M is essential for the effects on host mitochondria, with arginine/lysine residues 170/172 being critically important. Recombinant RSV carrying the arginine/lysine mutations in M was unable to elicit effects on host mitochondria. Further, wild-type but not mutant RSV was found to inhibit the mRNA expression of genes encoding mitochondrial proteins, including Complex I subunits. Importantly, the RSV mutant was impaired in virus production, underlining the importance of M-dependent effects on mitochondria to RSV infection. Together, our results highlight M’s unique ability to remodel host cell mitochondria and its critical role in RSV infection, representing a novel, potential target for future anti-RSV strategies.
Rethinking Oncologic Treatment Strategies with Interleukin-2
Authors: Ko Brian , Takebe Naoko , Andrews Omozusi , Makena Monish Ram , Chen Alice P.
Published: May 2023

High-dose recombinant human IL-2 (rhIL-2, aldesleukin) emerged as an important treatment option for selected patients with metastatic melanoma and metastatic renal cell carcinoma, producing durable and long-lasting antitumor responses in a small fraction of patients and heralding the potential of cancer immunotherapy. However, the adoption of high-dose rhIL-2 has been restricted by its severe treatment-related adverse event (TRAE) profile, which necessitates highly experienced clinical providers familiar with rhIL-2 administration and readily accessible critical care medicine support. Given the comparatively wide-ranging successes of immune checkpoint inhibitors and chimeric antigen receptor T cell therapies, there have been concerted efforts to significantly improve the efficacy and toxicities of IL-2-based immunotherapeutic approaches. In this review, we highlight novel drug development strategies, including biochemical modifications and engineered IL-2 variants, to expand the narrow therapeutic window of IL-2 by leveraging downstream activation of the IL-2 receptor to selectively expand anti-tumor CD8-positive T cells and natural killer cells. These modified IL-2 cytokines improve single-agent activity in solid tumor malignancies beyond the established United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) indications of metastatic melanoma and renal cell carcinoma, and may also be safer in rational combinations with established treatment modalities, including anti-PD-(L)1 and anti-CTLA-4 immunotherapy, chemotherapies, and targeted therapy approaches.
Extracellular Vesicle-Packaged miR-195-5p Sensitizes Melanoma to Targeted Therapy with Kinase Inhibitors
Authors: Santos Nathalia L. , Bustos Silvina O. , Reis Patricia P. , Chammas Roger , Andrade Luciana N. S.
Published: May 2023

Management of advanced melanoma remains challenging, with most BRAF (B-Raf proto-oncogene, serine/threonine kinase)-mutated metastatic patients relapsing within a few months upon MAPK inhibitors treatment. Modulation of tumor-derived extracellular vesicle (EVs) cargo with enrichment of antitumoral molecules is a promising strategy to impair tumor progression and increase treatment response. Herein, we report that restored expression of miR-195-5p, down-regulated in melanoma favoring drug resistance, increases the release of EVs enriched in the tumor suppressor miRNAs, miR-195-5p, miR-152-3p, and miR-202-3p. Incorporating these EVs by bystander tumor cells resulted in decreased proliferation and viability, accompanied by a reduction in CCND1 and YAP1 mRNA levels. Upon treatment with MAPK inhibitors, miR-195 EVs significantly decreased BCL2-L1 protein levels and increased cell death ratio and treatment efficacy. Additionally, EVs exogenously loaded with miR-195-5p by electroporation reduced tumor volume in vivo and impaired engraftment and growth of xenografts implanted with melanoma cells exposed to MAPK inhibitors. Our study shows that miR-195-5p antitumoral activity can be spread to bystander cells through EVs, improving melanoma response to targeted therapy and revealing a promising EV-based strategy to increase clinical response in patients harboring BRAF mutations.
Role of Macroautophagy in Mammalian Male Reproductive Physiology
Authors: Kirat Doaa , Alahwany Ahmed Mohamed , Arisha Ahmed Hamed , Abdelkhalek Adel , Miyasho Taku
Published: May 2023

Physiologically, autophagy is an evolutionarily conserved and self-degradative process in cells. Autophagy carries out normal physiological roles throughout mammalian life. Accumulating evidence shows autophagy as a mechanism for cellular growth, development, differentiation, survival, and homeostasis. In male reproductive systems, normal spermatogenesis and steroidogenesis need a balance between degradation and energy supply to preserve cellular metabolic homeostasis. The main process of autophagy includes the formation and maturation of the phagophore, autophagosome, and autolysosome. Autophagy is controlled by a group of autophagy-related genes that form the core machinery of autophagy. Three types of autophagy mechanisms have been discovered in mammalian cells: macroautophagy, microautophagy, and chaperone-mediated autophagy. Autophagy is classified as non-selective or selective. Non-selective macroautophagy randomly engulfs the cytoplasmic components in autophagosomes that are degraded by lysosomal enzymes. While selective macroautophagy precisely identifies and degrades a specific element, current findings have shown the novel functional roles of autophagy in male reproduction. It has been recognized that dysfunction in the autophagy process can be associated with male infertility. Overall, this review provides an overview of the cellular and molecular basics of autophagy and summarizes the latest findings on the key role of autophagy in mammalian male reproductive physiology.
An Integrated Approach to the Hydrothermal Carbonization of Sewage Sludge: Simulation, Modeling, and Life Cycle Assessment
Authors: Bacci di Capaci Riccardo , Tasca Andrea Luca , Gori Riccardo , Vitolo Sandra , Puccini Monica , Pannocchia Gabriele
Published: May 2023

Sewage sludge management at wastewater treatment plants is becoming a more and more challenging task. Here, an innovative integrated modeling approach is developed to investigate the optimization of a municipal wastewater treatment plant (MWWTP) by the inclusion of hydrothermal carbonization (HTC). To this aim, two alternative plant layouts have been considered: (i) a conventional activated sludge-based treatment plant, i.e., based on thickening, stabilization, conditioning, and dewatering; (ii) additional hydrothermal carbonization and integrated treatment of the spent liquor in the sludge line. An Italian MWWTP has been selected as a case study, and three different scenarios have been implemented in the process simulation software World Wide Engine for Simulation Training and Automation (WEST) by considering the effect of the different digestion times in the aerobic reactor. Then, according to the Design of Experiment (DoE) methodology applied both on simulated and experimental data, and by the use of a Python code, the desired models have been developed and compared. Finally, a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) study has been carried out to estimate the impacts on human health, ecosystems, and resources. The integration of HTC corresponds to the generation of a valuable product (the hydrochar), whereas the conventional layout is associated with high disposal costs of the sewage sludge. According to LCA results, a sludge age of 40 days is recommended due to the lowest impacts estimated, both with and without a HTC section. This has been ascribed mainly to the electricity demand of the sludge line, which increases with the excess sludge flow rate, i.e., as the sludge age decreases.
Auditory Screening in Newborns after Maternal SARS-CoV-2 Infection: An Overview
Authors: Fancello Virginia , Fancello Giuseppe , Genovese Elisabetta , Pelucchi Stefano , Palma Silvia , Bianchini Chiara , Ciorba Andrea
Published: May 2023

Background and aim: Several viruses have previously been reported to be responsible for congenital hearing loss; therefore, since the beginning of the SARS-CoV-2 infection pandemic, various reports have investigated a possible link. The aim of this review is to assess the possible link between maternal COVID-19 infection and congenital hearing loss. Methods: This systematic review was performed using PRISMA criteria, searching Medline and Embase databases from March 2020 to February 2023. A total of 924 candidate papers were identified; however, considering the specific selection criteria, only nine were selected for additional analysis. Results: The overall number of children born from mothers infected with COVID-19 during pregnancy identified through this review was 1687. The confirmed cases of hearing loss were 0.7% (12/1688); a description of its nature (sensorineural vs. conductive) is missing in the selected studies, and the follow-up period is variable across the analyzed papers. Surprisingly, a large proportion of false positives were recorded at the first stage of screening, which resulted normal at the re-test. Conclusions: Currently, a correlation between congenital hearing loss and SARS-CoV-2 infection cannot be definitively established. Further studies are desirable to provide additional evidence on this topic.
Nutritional Status and Poverty Condition Are Associated with Depression in Preschoolers
Authors: Jiménez-Ceballos Betsabé , Martínez-Herrera Erick , Ocharan-Hernández María Esther , Guerra-Araiza Christian , Farfán García Eunice D. , Muñoz-Ramírez Uriel Emiliano , Fuentes-Venado Claudia Erika , Pinto-Almazán Rodolfo
Published: May 2023

Consensus has been reached that symptoms of depression can begin as early as preschool. Nevertheless, only few studies have associated environmental (malnutrition) and social factors (poverty condition, access to health systems, etc.) to the onset of depression in preschoolers. The aim of this study was to explore possible associations between malnutrition (underweight, overweight/obesity), poverty status (home quality, overcrowding), access to healthcare systems and the presence of depressive symptoms in the preschoolers of a semi-rural community. In total, 695 children between 3 and 6 years from the municipality of Chiconcuac, Mexico were evaluated for symptoms of depression with the Preschool Depression Scale for Teachers (ESDM 3-6). Additionally, they were assessed for nutritional status and divided into three groups (low weight, normal weight, overweight/obesity), and their parents were asked to fill out a social demographic questionnaire. Malnutrition status OR = 2.702, 95% CI [1.771–4.145]; UW OR = 4.768, 95% CI [2.570–8.795] and OW/OB OR = 1.959, 95% CI [1.175–3.324]; poverty condition per se OR = 1.779, 95% CI [0.9911–2.630]; housing quality OR = 2.020, 95% CI [0.9606–2.659] and overcrowding = 1.619, 95% CI [0.8989–4.433] were associated to a greater risk for children to show depressive symptoms (DS). Access to healthcare was negatively related with the risk of presenting DS (OR = 0.660, 95% CI [0.3130 to 1.360]). Social and environmental factors such as malnutrition, home quality and overcrowding may increase the risk of presenting DS as soon as in preschool.
Research and Development on Cold-Sprayed MAX Phase Coatings
Authors: Zhang Weiwei , Li Shibo , Zhang Xuejin , Chen Xu
Published: May 2023

Cold spraying is an attractive solid-state processing technique in which micron-sized solid particles are accelerated towards a substrate at high velocities and relatively low temperatures to produce a coating through deformation and bonding mechanisms. Metal, ceramic, and polymer powders can be deposited to form functional coatings via cold spraying. MAX phase coatings deposited via cold spraying exhibit several advantages over thermal spraying, avoiding tensile residual stresses, oxidation, undesirable chemical reactions and phase decomposition. This paper presents a review of recent progress on the cold-sprayed MAX phase coatings. Factors influencing the formation of coatings are summarized and discussions on the corresponding bonding mechanisms are provided. Current limitations and future investigations in cold-sprayed MAX coatings are also listed to facilitate the industrial application of MAX phase coatings.
Application of GNS3 to Study the Security of Data Exchange between Power Electronic Devices and Control Center
Authors: Nedyalkov Ivan
Published: May 2023

This paper proposes the use of the GNS3 IP network modeling platform to study/verify whether the exchanged information between power electronic devices and a control center (Monitoring and Control Centre) is secure. For the purpose of this work, a power distribution unit (PDU) and a UPS (Uninterruptable Power Supply) that are used by internet service providers are studied. Capsa Free network analyzer and Wireshark network protocol analyzer were used as supporting tools. A working model of an IP network in GNS3 has been created through which this research has been carried out. In addition to checking whether the exchanged information is secure, a characterization of the generated traffic has been made, showing results for the generated traffic and which ports generate the most traffic. These carried-outstudies show that the exchanged information is not secure. As a way to secure the exchanged information, the use of VPN (Virtual Private Network) technology is proposed; thanks to a VPN, the exchange of information is secure. The obtained results confirm this and validate the applicability of GNS3 to test/study whether data exchange between power electronic devices and a control center is secure.
Use of Stabilised Amine Nitrogen (SAN) Reduces Required Nitrogen Input and Increases Yield of Onions (Allium cepa L.)
Authors: Dodgson Jolyon , Weston Anna , Marks David
Published: May 2023

Nitrogen is the main nutrient required by plants for growth. The production of onions (Allium cepa) results in low nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) as nitrogen is applied when it is not required by the plant; resulting in loss to the environment. This work assessed the ability of stabilised amine nitrogen (SAN) to increase the NUE and yield of onion. In a glasshouse, two onion cultivars (F1 Hybound (pelleted) and Ramrod) were grown and fertilised with 150 kg N ha−1 as urea applied to the soil or 2.7 kg N ha−1 as SAN applied foliarly at the three, four and five leaf stages. The survival percentage, number of leaves, height, weight, bulb diameter and stem diameter were recorded. For both cultivars, the survival percentage was increased with the SAN, with the increase being significant for Ramrod. While for all other parameters, SAN resulted in significant increases for both cultivars. In field plot trails, applications of 150 kg N ha−1 were compared to applications of 7.56 kg N ha−1 as SAN, which gave statistically similar yields and increased the NUE. This work shows that considerably reduced N as SAN was a significant improvement over the traditional 150 kg N ha−1 for onion production. Commercial application of this work would significantly improve the profitability of onion production due to reduced purchase of N and increased yield.
Structural Characterization and Molecular Docking Screening of Most Potent 1,2,4-Triazine Sulfonamide Derivatives as Anti-Cancer Agents
Authors: Mutahir Sadaf , Khan Muhammad Asim , Naglah Ahmed M. , Al-Omar Mohamed A. , Almehizia Abdulrahman A. , Huwaimel Bader , Abouzied Amr S. , Alharbi Amirah Senaitan , Refat Moamen S.
Published: May 2023

One of the biggest problems facing contemporary medicine is cancer. New approaches to therapy are required due to the difficult and prolonged treatment, the numerous adverse properties of the medications employed, and the developing confrontation of neoplastic cells to treatment. Ten 1,2,4-triazine sulfonamide derivatives (1–10) were chosen for the first time in the current work, and their chemical structures were examined by DFT studies. The in silico flexible docking analysis of the chosen receptors involved in cancer development and metastasis (3RHK, 5GTY, 6PL2, and 7JXH) revealed that the selected compounds are the most promising. The binding affinity of compounds 10, 2, 6, and 4 is much better than the standard drug, Erlotinib, whereas compounds 9, 3, 1, and 7 showed better affinities as compared to standard drugs Neratinib and Tepotinib in the case of 3RHK receptor. The binding affinity against the 5GTY receptor of compounds 10, 5, and 3 is much better than the standard drug Tepotinib, and compounds 7, 6, 2, 4, 1, 8, and 9 showed better than Erlonitib and Neratinib. The binding affinity against the 6PL2 receptor of compounds 8, 3, 5, 4, 9, and 1 is much better than the standard drug Tepotinib. Compounds 10, 6, 7, and 2 were better than Erlotinib and Neratinib. All selected drugs showed better binding affinities than the standard anti-cancer drug Neratinib in the case of the 7JXH receptor, whereas compounds 2, 10, 5, 9, and 8 are better than Erlotinib. In silico ADME experiments supported the identified compounds’ drug similarity. According to the MEP calculations, compounds 3 through 10 can interact non-covalently. The interactions might take the form of σ- and π-hole interactions. Softest compound 4 has the smallest energy gap, with an E-gap value of 3.25 Ev. Compound 4 has the largest energy gap at 3.41 eV. Compound 5 superior electron donor has the highest HOMO energy (6.5470 eV for HOMO). Compound 2 has the lowest LUMO energy, which suggests that it would be the best electron acceptor (ELUMO = 5.766364 eV).
Deep Learning Denoising Improves and Homogenizes Patient [18F]FDG PET Image Quality in Digital PET/CT
Authors: Weyts Kathleen , Quak Elske , Licaj Idlir , Ciappuccini Renaud , Lasnon Charline , Corroyer-Dulmont Aurélien , Foucras Gauthier , Bardet Stéphane , Jaudet Cyril
Published: May 2023

Given the constant pressure to increase patient throughput while respecting radiation protection, global body PET image quality (IQ) is not satisfactory in all patients. We first studied the association between IQ and other variables, in particular body habitus, on a digital PET/CT. Second, to improve and homogenize IQ, we evaluated a deep learning PET denoising solution (Subtle PETTM) using convolutional neural networks. We analysed retrospectively in 113 patients visual IQ (by a 5-point Likert score in two readers) and semi-quantitative IQ (by the coefficient of variation in the liver, CVliv) as well as lesion detection and quantification in native and denoised PET. In native PET, visual and semi-quantitative IQ were lower in patients with larger body habitus (p < 0.0001 for both) and in men vs. women (p ≤ 0.03 for CVliv). After PET denoising, visual IQ scores increased and became more homogeneous between patients (4.8 ± 0.3 in denoised vs. 3.6 ± 0.6 in native PET; p < 0.0001). CVliv were lower in denoised PET than in native PET, 6.9 ± 0.9% vs. 12.2 ± 1.6%; p < 0.0001. The slope calculated by linear regression of CVliv according to weight was significantly lower in denoised than in native PET (p = 0.0002), demonstrating more uniform CVliv. Lesion concordance rate between both PET series was 369/371 (99.5%), with two lesions exclusively detected in native PET. SUVmax and SUVpeak of up to the five most intense native PET lesions per patient were lower in denoised PET (p < 0.001), with an average relative bias of −7.7% and −2.8%, respectively. DL-based PET denoising by Subtle PETTM allowed [18F]FDG PET global image quality to be improved and homogenized, while maintaining satisfactory lesion detection and quantification. DL-based denoising may render body habitus adaptive PET protocols unnecessary, and pave the way for the improvement and homogenization of PET modalities.
Application of a Novel One-Side Cell Quartz Crystal Microbalance Immunosensor in the Determination of Alpha-Fetoprotein from Human Serum
Authors: Chen Yan , Shi Huashan , Mu Bo
Published: May 2023

The rapid and accurate detection of alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) levels is of great significance for the diagnosis and later treatment evaluation of liver cancer. In this study, a novel integrated quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) immunosensor based on the design to contact liquids on one side only was developed for the label-free detection of AFP. Anti-AFP mouse monoclonal antibodies were immobilized onto the upper electrode surface of the pre-treatment crystals using the staphylococcus aureus protein A. The AFP antigens in human serum were captured by specific surface-coated antibodies, and testing was carried out by monitoring the corresponding changes in frequency. The concentration range of the antigen detected was 13–760 ng/mL. The frequency characteristics of the process of antibody immobilization were investigated in detail, and high reproducibility of AFP antibody immobilization was achieved (standard deviation (SD) = 2.2 Hz). The developed QCM measurement system demonstrated a short test time (only 30 min), good reproducibility (the biological activity can still maintain more than 90% of the first test till it is reused five times), and accuracy as good as the one achieved with the radioimmunoassay (the maximum relative deviation = 4.8%). The designed QCM test system can easily and quickly detect AFP concentrations up to 760 ng/mL, indicating that the developed QCM assay is likely to lead to an alternative approach in large-scale screening for liver cancer in the near future.
Drone High-Rise Aerial Delivery with Vertical Grid Screening
Authors: Seth Avishkar , James Alice , Kuantama Endrowednes , Mukhopadhyay Subhas , Han Richard
Published: May 2023

Delivery drones typically perform delivery by suspending the parcel vertically or landing the drone to drop off the package. However, because of the constrained landing area and the requirement for precise navigation, delivering items to customers who reside in multi-story apartment complexes poses a unique challenge. This research paper proposes a novel drone delivery system for multi-story apartment buildings with balconies that employ two methods for Vertical Grid Screening (VGS), i.e., Grid Screening (GS) and Square Screening (SS), to detect unique markers to identify the precise balcony that needs to receive the product. The developed drone has a frame size of 295 mm and is equipped with a stereo camera and a ranging sensor. The research paper also explores the scanning and trajectory methods required for autonomous flight to accurately approach the marker location. The proposed machine learning system is trained on a YOLOv5 model for image recognition of the marker, and four different models and batch sizes are compared. The 32-batch size with a 960 × 1280 resolution model provides an average of 0.97 confidence for an extended range. This system is tested outdoors and shows an accuracy of 95% for a planned trajectory with 398 ms detection time as a solution for last-mile delivery in urban areas.
Robust Cooperative Control of UAV Swarms for Dual-Camp Divergent Tracking of a Heterogeneous Target
Authors: Jiang Bing , Qin Kaiyu , Li Tong , Lin Boxian , Shi Mengji
Published: May 2023

Agents are used to exhibit swarm intelligence in the sense of convergence, while divergence is equivalently common in nature and useful in complex applications for multi-UAV systems. This paper proposes a robust target-tracking control algorithm, where UAV swarms are partitioned by a signed graph to perform opposite movements along or against the trajectory of the target. Uncertainties take place in both the fractional-order model of the target and the double-integrator dynamics of the UAVs. To tackle the challenge induced by the bipartite behavior and unknown components in the multi-UAV systems, the article comes up with a backstepping cascade controller and a new method for uncertainty estimation-compensation via a combined approach based on a neural network (NN) and an Uncertainty and Disturbance Estimator (UDE). Steered by the controller, UAVs in a structurally balanced network will display symmetry of their paths, pursuing or away from the target with respect to the origin. Theoretical derivation and numerical simulations have evidenced that the tracking errors converge to zero. Compared with the traditional NN method to solve such problems, this method is proposed for the first time, which can effectively improve the precision of cooperative target tracking and reduce the chattering phenomena of the controller.
DAAM-YOLOV5: A Helmet Detection Algorithm Combined with Dynamic Anchor Box and Attention Mechanism
Authors: Tai Weipeng , Wang Zhenzhen , Li Wei , Cheng Jianfei , Hong Xudong
Published: May 2023

Helmet recognition algorithms based on deep learning aim to enable unmanned full-time detection and record violations such as failure to wear a helmet. However, in actual scenarios, weather and human factors can be complicated, which poses challenges for safety helmet detection. Camera shaking and head occlusion are common issues that can lead to inaccurate results and low availability. To address these practical problems, this paper proposes a novel helmet detection algorithm called DAAM-YOLOv5. The DAAM-YOLOv5 algorithm enriches the diversity of datasets under different weather conditions to improve the mAP of the model in corresponding scenarios by using Mosaic-9 data enhancement. Additionally, this paper introduces a novel dynamic anchor box mechanism, K-DAFS, into this algorithm and enhances the generation speed of the blocked target anchor boxes by using bidirectional feature fusion (BFF). Furthermore, by using an attention mechanism, this paper redistributes the weight of objects in a picture and appropriately reduces the model’s sensitivity to the edge information of occluded objects through pooling. This approach improves the model’s generalization ability, which aligns with practical application requirements. To evaluate the proposed algorithm, this paper adopts the region of interest (ROI) detection strategy and carries out experiments on specific, real datasets. Compared with traditional deep learning algorithms on the same datasets, our method effectively distinguishes helmet-wearing conditions even when head information is occluded and improves the detection speed of the model. Moreover, compared with the YOLOv5s algorithm, the proposed algorithm increases the mAP and FPS by 4.32% and 9 frames/s, respectively.
Resolution-Enhanced and Accurate Cascade Time-Reversal Operator Decomposition (C-DORT) Approach for Positioning Radiated Passive Intermodulation Sources
Authors: Guo Zheng , Cheng Zihan , Chen Lin , Zhao Deshuang
Published: May 2023

Attaining a high-resolution and accurate location for a radiated passive intermodulation source (R-PIMS) has been an increasingly interesting problem in modern multi-carrier wireless communication systems. For precisely positioning multiple closely spaced R-PIMSs, a novel imaging method called cascade decomposition of time-reversal operator (C-DORT) was developed. C-DORT constructs a new spectrum calculation by normalizing and multiplying the pseudo-spectrum at each sampled frequency together. The cascade process focuses the pseudo-spectrum at R-PIMS positions to form a highly brightened spectrum peak and to suppress the remained pseudo-spectrum to approximately zero, contributing to distinguishing the closely spaced R-PIMSs. The positioning performance of the positioning resolution, pseudo-spectrum width, positioning accuracy, and imaging robustness are analyzed by numerical simulations. Compared with the conventional central frequency decomposition of time-reversal operator (CF-DORT) and the time domain decomposition of time-reversal operator (TD-DORT) methods, the multiple R-PIMSs, spaced at a distance of diffraction limit, which is the spacing of 1/2 of a wavelength, are distinguished effectively in C-DORT. Additionally, the cross-range pseudo-spectrum full width at half maxima (CRPS-FWHM) is suppressed to the width of 1/4 of a wavelength by multiplication to improve the cross-range resolution in C-DORT. In addition, accurate positioning is obtained by providing the approximately zero positioning root mean square estimation (RMSE) at an SNR ranging from 0 dB to 10 dB. The results show that the proposed C-DORT improves the positioning accuracy and enhances the positioning resolution for locating an R-PIMS.
Communication-Free Interleaving Control of Parallel-Connected DC-DC Converters
Authors: Yang Hang , Fu Qing , Wang Benfei , Chen Yishan , Su Yixing
Published: May 2023

Parallel-connected converters are commonly used in applications such as DC microgrids. The presence of multiple converters allows for the use of the interleaving technique to minimize bus ripple. Most existing interleaving methods rely on communication lines, which are unsuitable for distributed scenarios. This paper presents a method that requires no communication line. The elimination of communication lines reduces the system’s complexity and cost while improving its reliability. We provide an analytical guarantee of stability and validate the control method using phasor simulation and an experimental prototype with three 24 V to 8 V DC-DC buck converters connected in parallel. Measurements show that the proposed method allows the parallel system to maintain an interleaved state in the face of load steps and converters plugged in and out.
Ultracompact SIRC-Based Self-Triplexing Antenna with High Isolation
Authors: Barik Rusan Kumar , Koziel Slawomir
Published: May 2023

An ultracompact self-triplexing antenna realized on a substrate-integrated rectangular cavity (SIRC) is discussed in this study. The proposed structure employs two L-shaped slots and an inverted U-shaped slot to radiate at three independent operating frequency bands. Three 50-ohm microstrip feed lines were used to excite the radiation in these slots. The operating frequency was individually tuned using the slot size. The slot placement and size were designed having in mind considering obtaining one or more frequency bands below the SIRC cutoff frequency, which had the advantage of enabling an ultracompact size. High port isolation was achieved by applying one of the ports orthogonally to the two remaining ones, which created a weak cross-coupling channel. A lumped-circuit model was created to examine the antenna operation. The presented design has been prototyped and experimentally validated with the measured operating frequencies of 1.92 GHz, 4.43 GHz, and 5.25 GHz for GSM, 5G, and WLAN applications, respectively. The port isolations are better than 32.4 dB according to both EM simulations and measurements. Meanwhile, the measured realized gain of the antenna is better than 4.3 dBi at all bands.