bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Computational Investigation of the Stability of Di-p-Tolyl Disulfide “Hidden” and “Conventional” Polymorphs at High Pressures
Authors: Smirnova Valeriya Yu. , Iurchenkova Anna A. , Rychkov Denis A.
Published: August 2022

The investigation of molecular crystals at high pressure is a sought-after trend in crystallography, pharmaceutics, solid state chemistry, and materials sciences. The di-p-tolyl disulfide (CH3−C6H4−S−)2 system is a bright example of high-pressure polymorphism. It contains “conventional” solid–solid transition and a “hidden” form which may be obtained only from solution at elevated pressure. In this work, we apply force field and periodic DFT computational techniques to evaluate the thermodynamic stability of three di-p-tolyl disulfide polymorphs as a function of pressure. Theoretical pressures and driving forces for polymorphic transitions are defined, showing that the compressibility of the γ phase is the key point for higher stability at elevated pressures. Transition state energies are also estimated for α → β and α → γ transitions from thermodynamic characteristics of crystal structures, not exceeding 5 kJ/mol. The β → γ transition does not occur experimentally in the 0.0–2.8 GPa pressure range because transition state energy is greater than 18 kJ/mol. Relations between free Gibbs energy (in assumption of enthalpy) of phases α, β, and γ, as a function of pressure, are suggested to supplement and refine experimental data. A brief discussion of the computational techniques used for high-pressure phase transitions is provided.
High Neuroticism Is Related to More Overall Functional Problems and Lower Function Scores in Men Who Had Surgery for Non-Relapsing Prostate Cancer
Authors: Dahl Alv A. , Fosså Sophie D.
Published: August 2022

The personality trait of neuroticism is associated with adverse health outcomes after cancer treatment, but few studies concern men treated for prostate cancer. We examined men with high and low neuroticism treated with radical prostatectomy for curable prostate cancer without relapse. We compared overall problems and domain summary scores (DSSs) between these groups, and if high neuroticism at pre-treatment was a significant predictor of overall problems and DSSs at follow-up. A sample of 462 relapse-free Norwegian men self-rated neuroticism, overall problems, and DSSs by the EPIC-26 before surgery and at three years’ follow-up. Twenty-one percent of the sample had high neuroticism. Patients with high neuroticism reported significantly more overall problems and DSSs at pre-treatment. At follow-up, only overall bowel problems and urinary irritation/obstruction and bowel DSSs were different. High neuroticism was a significant predictor of overall bowel problems and bowel and irritation/obstruction DSSs at follow-up. High neuroticism at pre-treatment was significantly associated with a higher rate of overall problems both at pre-treatment and follow-up and had some significant predictions concerning bowel problems and urinary obstruction at follow-up. Screening for neuroticism at pre-treatment could identify patients in need of more counseling concerning later adverse health outcomes.
Real-World Testing Practices, Treatment Patterns and Clinical Outcomes in Patients from Central Eastern Europe with EGFR-Mutated Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: A Retrospective Chart Review Study (REFLECT)
Authors: Janžič Urška , Turnšek Nina , Dediu Mircea , Donev Ivan Shterev , Lupu Roxana , Teodorescu Gabriela , Ciuleanu Tudor E. , Pluzanski Adam
Published: August 2022

The targeted therapy with tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) against the epidermal growth factor receptor mutation (EGFRm) in advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) changed the treatment paradigm. REFLECT study (NCT04031898) explored EGFR/T790M testing and treatment patterns in EGFRm NSCLC patients receiving first- or second-generation (1G/2G) EGFR TKIs as front-line (1L) in eight countries. Pooled data from Central Eastern Europe (CEE) countries from this study (Bulgaria, Poland, Romania, Slovenia) are presented here. This physician-led chart review study was conducted in patients with confirmed-EGFRm NSCLC initiating 1L 1G/2G EGFR TKIs between 2015–2018. The CEE cohort included 389 patients receiving 1L erlotinib (37%), afatinib (34%), and gefitinib (29%). Overall, 320 (82%) patients discontinued 1L, and 298 (77%) progression events were registered. Median progression free survival on 1L TKIs was 14.0 (95% CI: 12.6–15.6) months. Median overall survival from 1L start was 26.6 (95% CI: 24.1–29.0) months. Attrition rate between 1L and next line was 30%. Among patients with 1L progression, 200 (67%) were tested for T790M and 58% were positive. This first CEE analysis of treatments and outcomes in EGFRm NSCLC patients highlights the importance of using the most efficacious therapies currently available in 1L to reduce attrition and improve patient outcomes.
Pore Water Chemical Variability and Its Effect on Phenological Production in Three Mangrove Species under Drought Conditions in Southeastern Mexico
Authors: Agraz-Hernández Claudia M. , Chan-Keb Carlos A. , Muñiz-Salazar Raquel , Pérez-Balan Román A. , Vanegas Gregorio Posada , Manzanilla Hector G. , Osti-Sáenz Juan , del Río Rodríguez Rodolfo
Published: August 2022

Mangrove forests have proven to be resilient to most environmental change, surviving catastrophic climate events over time. Our study aimed to evaluate the chemical variability of pore water and its effect on phenological production in three mangrove species (Rhizophora mangle, Avicennia germinans, and Laguncularia racemosa) along the coast of the state of Campeche during a year of severe drought (2009) and a year of average precipitation (2010). Pore water salinity and redox potential were measured monthly in a mangrove forest in 2009 and 2010. Litterfall production and reproductive phenology was measured monthly. We determined the relationships among litterfall production, reproductive phenology, pore water chemistry and precipitation of three species between years. Precipitation, pore water salinity and redox potential significantly differed among years, seasons and sites, and also showed significant interaction between years and seasons (p < 0.05). Significant variation was observed in litterfall production, propagules, flowers, and leaf litter among sites (p < 0.05). A significant change was observed in propagules and flowers among years, and in total litterfall and leaf litter between seasons and species (p < 0.05). Under severe drought, salinity had the strongest effect on total litterfall and propagules in R. mangle, while A. germinans, had the strongest effect on propagule/flower precipitation. Both A. germinans and L. racemosa showed higher resilience than R. mangle at all sites under severe drought conditions. These findings can support activity allocation for mangrove conservation and restoration by providing the tolerance thresholds of the three species that dominate in the regional area of Campeche state. Likewise, this research provides knowledge to the Intergovernmental Experts Group on climate change about drought intensity and its magnitude of impact on mangrove productivity, reproduction and integrity.
Raman Spectroscopy as Spectral Tool for Assessing the Degree of Conversion after Curing of Two Resin-Based Materials Used in Restorative Dentistry
Authors: Gatin Eduard , Iordache Stefan-Marian , Matei Elena , Luculescu Catalin-Romeo , Iordache Ana-Maria , Grigorescu Cristiana , Ilici Roxana
Published: August 2022

(1) Background: The treatment of dental cavities and restoration of tooth shape requires specialized materials with specific clinical properties, including being easy to model, light-cured, having a natural color, reduced shrinkage, a hardness similar to hydroxyapatite, and no leakage. The dimensional stability of resin composite materials is affected by polymerization shrinkage, degree of conversion (number of π carbon bonds converted into σ ones), thermal contraction and expansion, and interactions with an aqueous environment. (2) Methods: The materials used in our investigation were two composite resins with similar polymer matrices, but different filler (micro/nano filler). To evaluate the properties of samples, we employed the pycnometer technique (pycnometer from Paul Marienfeld Gmbh, Lauda-Königshofen, Germany), RAMAN spectroscopy technique (MiniRam Equipment from B&W Tek Inc., Plainsboro Township, NJ, USA; 785 nm laser source), SEM and EDX (FEI Inspect S.). (3) Results: The size of the filler plays an important role in the polymerization: for the pycnometric results, the larger particle filler (Sample 1) seems to undergo a rapid polymerization during the 45 s curing, while the nanoparticle filer (Sample 2) needs additional curing time to fully polymerize. This is related to a much larger porosity, as proved by SEM images. The lower degree of conversion, as obtained by Raman spectroscopy, in the same geometry means that the same volume is probed for both samples, but Sample 1 is more porous, which means less amount of polymer is probed for Sample 1. (4) Conclusions: For the two composites, we obtained a degree of conversion of 59% for Sample 1 and 93% for Sample 2, after 45 s of curing.
Serious Game for VR Road Crossing in Special Needs Education
Authors: Tan Qi Peng , Huang Lihui , Xu Di , Cen Yigang , Cao Qi
Published: August 2022

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a developmental disability that can impair communication, social skills, living skills, and learning capabilities. Learning approaches usually differ between mainstream schools and special needs schools, to cater for the different learning processes of children with ASD. Besides the traditional classroom-based education, alternative technology and methods are explored for special needs education. One method is to train children with ASD using Virtual Reality (VR) technologies. Many prior works show the effectiveness of VR-based learning with varying degrees of success. Some children with ASD may face challenges to gain independent living skills. Their parents or guardians have to expend a significant amount of effort in taking care of children with ASD. It will be very helpful if they can have a learning opportunity to gain such living skills. In this research, we develop a VR serious game to train children with ASD one of the basic living skills for road crossing safely. The VR serious game operates on multiple types of platforms, with various user interaction inputs including the Microsoft Kinect sensor, keyboard, mouse, and touch screen. The game design and methodology will be described in this paper. Experiments have been conducted to evaluate the learning effectiveness of the road crossing game, with very positive results achieved in the quiz and survey questionnaire after the gameplay.
User-Generated Multimedia Content Impact on the Destination Choice: Five Dimensions of Consumer Experience
Authors: Gârdan Iuliana Petronela , Mauri Aurelio , Dumitru Ionel , Gârdan Daniel Adrian , Maican Silvia Ștefania , Moise Daniel
Published: August 2022

This article proposes a complex approach to the phenomenon known in the literature as the consumption of user-generated multimedia content (UGMC) in the context of the effects generated by the pandemic on the consumption of tourist services. Thus, it analyzes the ways in which the creation and consumption of multimedia content affect the flow experience and the ways in which consumption experiences related to tourist services are transferred to other consumers. The pandemic crisis has fundamentally affected the ways in which consumers interact online with different types of multimedia content. In particular, consumers of travel services have developed behaviors that promote the transfer of trust in safe tourist destinations based on connecting to various forms of multimedia content (pictures, videos, blog posts, etc.) created and distributed online by other consumers who share their own positive consumer experiences. Based on a sample of 673 respondents, we validate a theoretical model that confirms the influence of the different dimensions of the consumption experience of tourist destinations (sensory, emotional, cognitive, conative, and relational). The influence is exerted at the level of the flow experience and exploratory behavior—the experience lived as a combination of elements, of which the emotional dimension is among the strongest, due to the anxiety caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Preparation and Charge Transfer at Sb2Se3/1L-MoS2 Heterojunction
Authors: Wang Yiren , Su Weitao , Chen Fei , Lu Hong-Wei
Published: August 2022

Owing to the strong optical absorption of Sb2Se3, building heterojunctions (HJs) by using thin-layer Sb2Se3 and other two-dimensional (2D) materials is critical to the design and applications of ultrathin optoelectronic devices. However, the preparation of HJs using Sb2Se3 and other transition metal dichalcogenide (TMDC) thin layers is still challenging. Herein, a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method was used to prepare monolayer MoS2(1L-MoS2) and Sb2Se3 thin layers. A dry transfer method was subsequently used to build their HJs. Individual PL spectra and PL mapping results obtained at the HJs indicate a charge injection from 1L-MoS2 into Sb2Se3 flake, which was further confirmed by contact potential difference (CPD) results obtained by using Kelvin probe force microscopy (KPFM). Further measurements indicate a type-Ⅰ band alignment with a band offset finally determined to be 157 meV. The obtained results of Sb2Se3/1L-MoS2 HJs will benefit the rational design of novel ultrathin optoelectronic devices based on novel 2D absorber layers working in visible light.
Enhanced Prediction Performance of Reservoir Computing Based on Mutually Delay-Coupled Semiconductor Lasers via Parameter Mismatch
Authors: Cai Deyu , Yang Yigong , Zhou Pei , Li Nianqiang
Published: August 2022

As an efficient information processing method, reservoir computing (RC) is essential to artificial neural networks (ANNs). Via the Santa Fe time series prediction task, we numerically investigated the effect of the mismatch of some critical parameters on the prediction performance of the RC based on two mutually delay-coupled semiconductor lasers (SLs) with optical injection. The results show that better prediction performance can be realized by setting appropriate parameter mismatch scenarios. Especially for the situation with large prediction errors encountered in the RC with identical laser parameters, a suitable parameter mismatch setting can achieve computing performance improvement of an order of magnitude. Our research is instructive for the hardware implementation of laser-based RC, where the parameter mismatch is unavoidable.
Phase Transition of Total Variation Based on Approximate Message Passing Algorithm
Authors: Cheng Xiang , Lei Hong
Published: August 2022

In compressed sensing (CS), one seeks to down-sample some high-dimensional signals and recover them accurately by exploiting the sparsity of the signals. However, the traditional sparsity assumption cannot be directly satisfied in most practical applications. Fortunately, many signals-of-interest do at least exhibit a low-complexity representation with respect to a certain transformation. Particularly, total variation (TV) minimization is a notable example when the transformation operator is a difference matrix. Presently, many theoretical properties of total variation have not been completely explored, e.g., how to estimate the precise location of phase transitions and their rigorous understanding is still in its infancy. So far, the performance and robustness of the existing algorithm for phase transition prediction of TV model are not satisfactory. In this paper, we design a new approximate message passing algorithm to solve the above problems, called total variation vector approximate message passing (TV-VAMP) algorithm. To be specific, we first consider the problem from the Bayesian perspective, and formulate it as an optimization problem. Then, the vector factor graph for the TV model is constructed based on the formulized problem. Finally, the TV-VAMP algorithm is derived according to the idea of probabilistic inference in machine learning. Compared with the existing algorithm, our algorithm can be applied to a wider range of measurements distributions, including the non-zero-mean Gaussian distribution measurements matrix and ill-conditioned measurements matrix. Furthermore, in experiments with various settings, including different measurement distribution matrices, signal gradient sparsity, and measurement times, the proposed algorithm can almost reach the target mean squared error (−60 dB) with fewer iterations and better fit the empirical phase transition curve.
Ultra-Lean Premixed Turbulent Combustion: Challenges of RANS Modelling
Authors: Sforza Lorenzo , Abdelwahid Suliman , Lucchini Tommaso , Onorati Angelo
Published: August 2022

The main challenge of improving spark ignition (SI) engines to achieve ever increasing thermal efficiencies and near-zero pollutant emissions today concerns developing turbulent combustion under homogeneous ultra-lean premixed mixtures (HULP). This continuous shift of the lean operation limit entails questions on the applicability limits of the combustion models used to date for SI engine design and optimization. In this work, an assessment of flamelet-based models, widely used in RANS SI engines simulations of premixed turbulent combustion, is carried out using an open-source 3D-CFD platform to clarify the applicability limits on HULP mixtures. Two different consolidated approaches are selected: the Coherent Flame Model (CFM) and the Flame Area Model (FAM). Both methodologies are embedded by the authors into the same numerical structure and compared against measurements over a simplified and controlled flame configuration, which is representative of engine-like conditions. The experimental steady-state flame of type “A” of the Darmstadt Turbulent Stratified Flame (TSF) burner is selected for the assessment. This configuration is characterized by flame measurements over a strong shear and mixing layer between the central high-speed CH4-air jet and the surrounding slow air co-flow, hence, it represents an interesting controlled condition to study turbulent HULP mixtures. A comparison between computed results and experimental data on trends of mean flow velocity, turbulence, temperature and mixture stratification was carried out. This enabled us to assess that the investigated flamelet-based combustion models failed in providing accurate and reliable results when the flame approaches turbulent HULP mixture conditions, demonstrating the urgency to develop models able to fill this gap.
Electricity Demand Forecasting with Use of Artificial Intelligence: The Case of Gokceada Island
Authors: Saglam Mustafa , Spataru Catalina , Karaman Omer Ali
Published: August 2022

This study reviews a selection of approaches that have used Artificial Neural Networks (ANN), Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO), and Multi Linear Regression (MLR) to forecast electricity demand for Gokceada Island. Artificial Neural Networks, Particle Swarm Optimization, and Linear Regression methods are frequently used in the literature. Imports, exports, car numbers, and tourist-passenger numbers are used as based on input values from 2014 to 2020 for Gokceada Island, and the electricity energy demands up to 2040 are estimated as an output value. The results obtained were analyzed using statistical error metrics such as R2, MSE, RMSE, and MAE. The confidence interval analysis of the methods was performed. The correlation matrix is used to show the relationship between the actual value and method outputs and the relationship between independent and dependent variables. It was observed that ANN yields the highest confidence interval of 95% among the method utilized, and the statistical error metrics have the highest correlation for ANN methods between electricity demand output and actual data.
Localization Method and Finite Element Modelling of the Mid-Point Anchor of High-Speed Railway Distributed in Long Straight Line with Large Slope
Authors: Wang Xiuhua , Yang Kun , Min Yongzhi , Wang Yongliang
Published: August 2022

In order to ensure the safe and reliable operation of a high-speed railway, the precise positioning of the mid-point anchor in the catenary is very important. In view of the two problems in the calculation of the mid-point anchor position of the catenary in a long ramp section, the calculation accuracy is low, and the calculation of the central anchor clamp position is lacking. In this study, the predetermined location of the mid-point anchor is chosen based on the mid-point anchor location principle and the line condition, and the range of the allowable error of the mid-point anchor setting is determined according to the predetermined position of the mid-point anchor. Secondly, by considering the impact of the line ramp and using the measured span length, the tension difference of the clue in the direction of the line is calculated. Then, the theoretical location of the mid-point anchor clamp is determined using the downhill component and the tension difference. Finally, the theoretical position of the clamp is corrected according to the setting of the dropper to obtain the corrected position of the clamp. An FEM (finite element method) of the catenary is established in ANSYS software to calculate the height difference between the messenger cable and the contact wire at the point of the mid-point anchor setting, and then the length of the mid-point anchor rope is obtained. Through the calculation of actual case data, the maximum value of the relative error of the location of the mid-point anchor obtained by this proposed method is very small compared with the actual position, which verifies the effectiveness of this method.
Advances in Microbial Fuel Cell Technologies
Authors: Cydzik-Kwiatkowska Agnieszka , Nosek Dawid
Published: August 2022

Michael Potter pioneered microbial fuel cell (MFC) technology in 1911 [...]
Machine Learning in Solar Plants Inspection Automation
Authors: Starzyński Jacek , Zawadzki Paweł , Harańczyk Dariusz
Published: August 2022

The emergence of large photovoltaic farms poses a new challenge for quick and economic diagnostics of such installations. This article presents this issue starting from a quantitative analysis of the impact of panel defects, faulty installation, and lack of farm maintenance on electricity production. We propose a low-cost and efficient method for photovoltaic (PV) plant quality surveillance that combines technologies such as an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), thermal imaging, and machine learning so that systematic inspection of a PV farm can be performed frequently. Most emphasis is placed on using deep neural networks to analyze thermographic images. We show how the use of the YOLO network makes it possible to develop a tool that performs the analysis of the image material already during the flyby.
Real-Time Peak Valley Pricing Based Multi-Objective Optimal Scheduling of a Virtual Power Plant Considering Renewable Resources
Authors: Pandey Anubhav Kumar , Jadoun Vinay Kumar , Sabhahit Jayalakshmi N.
Published: August 2022

In the era of aiming toward reaching a sustainable ecosystem, the primary focus is to curb the emissions generated by non-conventional resources. One way to achieve this goal is to find an alternative to traditional power plants (TPP) by integrating various distributed energy resources (DERs) via a Virtual Power Plant (VPP) in modern power systems. Apart from reducing emissions, a VPP enhances the monetary benefits to all its participants, including the DER owners, participants, and utility personnel. In this paper, the multi-objective optimal scheduling of the VPP problem considering multiple renewable energy resources has been solved using the multi-objective black widow optimization (MOBWO) algorithm. Renewable resources consist of solar PV modules, wind turbines, fuel cells, electric loads, heat-only units, and CHP units. The weighting factor method was adopted to handle the multi-objective optimal scheduling (MOOS) problem by simultaneously maximizing profit and minimizing emission while satisfying the related constraints. In this research, a peak valley power pricing strategy is introduced and the optimal scheduling of the VPP is attained by performing a multi-objective scheduling strategy (MOSS), which is day-ahead (on an hourly basis) and 15-min based (for a one-day profile), to observe the behavior of the anticipated system with a better constraint handling method. This algorithm is capable of dealing with a complex problem in a reduced computational time, ensuring the attainment of the considered objective functions. The numerical results obtained by the MOBWO algorithm after 100 independent trials were compared with the latest published work showing the effectiveness and suitability of the developed system.
Tree Cover Improved the Species Diversity of Understory Spontaneous Herbs in a Small City
Authors: Ren Yimin , Guo Min , Yin Fangyuan , Zhang Ming-Juan , Wei Jiaxing
Published: August 2022

A large number of trees have been planted in built-up areas to improve the urban environment, but the effects of tree cover on spontaneous understory herbs are not yet well understood. This study surveyed spontaneous herbs in two kinds of habitats (habitats with and without tree cover) in the built-up area of the small city Junlian in Sichuan Province, China. A total of 222 species of spontaneous herbaceous plants in 180 genera of 71 families were recorded, including a vulnerable species and six species endemic to China. Although the overall species richness values were similar in the two kinds of habitat, the average species richness per quadrat of all plants, perennials, plants with the dwarf growth form, and animal-dispersed plants was significantly higher in the habitats with tree cover than in those without tree cover. The overall species association was significantly positive in the habitats with tree cover (VR = 1.51, p < 0.05) and neural (VR = 0.86) in the habitats without tree cover. Among the top 25 frequently recorded species in each kind of habitat, the species association of plants with the same trait combination type differed greatly in the two kinds of habitats. For the species association between annuals, only 13.33% of species pairs were significantly associated in the habitats with tree cover, while 22.22% of the species pairs were significantly negatively associated in the habitats without tree cover. For the species association between plants with tall growth forms, the proportion of significant positive associations in the habitats with tree cover was approximately twice than in the habitats without tree cover. For the species association between plants with the dwarf growth form, the proportion of negative associations in the habitats without tree cover was approximately twice that in the habitats with tree cover. Species with the same dispersal mode generally had a very low proportion of negative interspecific associations or a high proportion of positive interspecific associations in habitats unfavorable to their establishment. Our findings suggest that tree cover can improve the species richness of the spontaneous herbaceous species beneath them and profoundly influence interspecific coexistence relationships in a built-up area.
Site Quality Classification Models of Cunninghamia Lanceolata Plantations Using Rough Set and Random Forest West of Zhejiang Province, China
Authors: Dong Chen , Chen Yuling , Lou Xiongwei , Min Zhiqiang , Bao Jieyong
Published: August 2022

The site quality evaluation of plantations has consistently been the focus in matching tree species with sites. This paper studied the site quality of Chinese fir (Cunninghamia lanceolata) plantations in Lin’an District, Zhejiang Province, China. The site quality model was constructed using the algebraic difference approach (ADA) to classify the site quality grades. The rough set algorithm was used to screen out the key site factors affecting the site rank of Chinese fir plantations. Site quality classification models based on random forest were established, and the importance of key site factors was evaluated. The results are as follows. The random forest model based on the rough set algorithm had small scale and low complexity, and the training and testing accuracies of the model were 92.47% and 78.46%, respectively, which were better than the model without attribute reduction. The most important factors affecting Chinese fir growth in the study area were the slope aspect, slope grade, and canopy closure. The least important factors were the humus layer thickness, soil layer thickness, naturalness, and stand origin. The attribute reduction method proposed in this study overcame the subjectivity of traditional site factor selection, and the site quality classification model constructed improved the model accuracy and reduced the complexity of the algorithm. The methods used in this study can be extended to other tree species to provide a basis for matching tree species with sites and to improve the level of forest management in the future.
MiR-107 Regulates Adipocyte Differentiation and Adipogenesis by Targeting Apolipoprotein C-2 (APOC2) in Bovine
Authors: Wei Xuefeng , Zhao Xue , Shan Xinyue , Zhu Yunchang , Wang Shuzhe , Chen Hong , Li Hui , Ma Yun
Published: August 2022

Adipogenesis is a complex and precisely orchestrated process mediated by a series of adipogenic regulatory factors. Recent studies have highlighted the importance of microRNAs (miRNAs) in diverse biological processes, most specifically in regulating cell differentiation and proliferation. However, the mechanisms of miRNAs in adipogenesis are largely unknown. In this study, we found that miR-107 expression was higher in bovine adipose tissue than that in other tissues, and there was a downregulation trend during adipocyte differentiation. To explore the function of miR-107 in adipocyte differentiation, agomiR-107 and antiagomiR-107 were transfected into bovine adipocytes, respectively. Oil Red O staining, CCK-8, EdU assays, RT-qPCR, and Western blotting were performed, and the results showed that overexpressed miR-107 significantly suppressed fat deposition and adipocyte differentiation, while knockdown of miR-107 promoted fat deposition and adipocytes differentiation. In addition, through bioinformatics analysis, luciferase reporter assays, RT-qPCR, and Western blotting, we identified apolipoprotein 2 (APOC2) as a target of miR-107. Transfection of siRNA-APOC2 into adipocytes led to suppression in adipocyte differentiation and proliferation, suggesting a positive role of APOC2 in bovine lipogenesis. In summary, our findings suggested that miR-107 regulates bovine adipocyte differentiation and lipogenesis by directly targeting APOC2, and these results. These theoretical and experimental basis for future clarification of the regulation mechanism of adipocyte differentiation and lipogenesis. Moreover, for the highly conserved among different species, miR-107 may be a potential molecular target to be used for the treatment of lipid-related diseases in the future.
Successful Treatment of Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemia Concomitant with Proliferation of Epstein-Barr Virus in a Post-Heart Transplant Patient
Authors: Castillo Dan Ran , Sheth Parthiv , Nishino Kevin , Stevens Wesley Tait , Nguyen Anthony , Romagnolo Alberto , Mirshahidi Hamid
Published: August 2022

Autoimmune hemolytic anemia (AIHA) is a rare complication following heart transplantation and has been attributed to several etiologies including infections, immunosuppressive medications, and post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorders. We report a 23-year-old male presenting 22 years after heart transplantation with severe AIHA. Laboratory findings were notable for positive IgG autoantibody against RBCs and high titer Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) viremia. Shortly after the first unit of irradiated RBC transfusion and high dose steroids, the patient developed acute dyspnea and hypoxia requiring intubation. Further workup demonstrated that the patient had Methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) pneumonia (PNA) and bacteremia, requiring antibiotics. Patient was subsequently treated with high-dose steroids, IVIG, as well as rituximab. Following treatment, the patient was successfully extubated and eventually showed complete resolution of the anemia. This case is novel as it represents AIHA likely secondary to EBV viremia in a post-cardiac transplant patient complicated by a severe transfusion reaction. In this circumstance, rituximab in conjunction with standard of care remains an effective treatment of choice.
Factors Related to COVID-19-Preventive Behaviors among Flight Attendants
Authors: Fang Chia-Yi , Hu Chia-Jung , Hu Yih-Jin
Published: August 2022

The health and safety of airline employees have been important issues during the 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. The exposure of flight attendants to passengers with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection without protective equipment is known to cause in-flight transmission and the worldwide spread of the virus. However, very few studies have focused on flight attendants’ COVID-19-preventive behaviors and related factors. This cross-sectional study was performed to investigate relationships between COVID-19-preventive behaviors and relevant factors in a convenience sample of flight attendants. In total, 261 flight attendants working for two international airlines were recruited. A self-developed questionnaire was used to assess participants’ COVID-19 information-seeking behavior, perceived susceptibility, severity, self-efficacy, and preventive behaviors. Analysis of variance and Pearson’s correlation analysis were performed to analyze COVID-19 preventive behaviors according to socio-demographic and COVID-19-related factors. Multiple regression analysis was used to predict the flight attendants’ COVID-19-preventive behaviors. The factors that primarily influenced participants’ COVID-19-preventive behaviors were gender (women; β = 0.17, p < 0.001), information-seeking behavior (β = 0.39, p < 0.000), perceived severity (β = 0.130, p < 0.05), and self-efficacy (β = 0.17, p < 0.05). These factors explained 30.6% of the variance in COVID-19-preventive behaviors among flight attendants. Identification of the preventive behaviors performed by this population is important, as it aids the development of strategies to enhance such behaviors, thereby reducing the in-flight spread of COVID-19.
Refugee Camps as Torturing Environments—An Analysis of the Conditions in the Moria Reception Center (Greece) Based on the Torturing Environment Scale
Authors: Pérez-Sales Pau , Galán-Santamarina Andrea , Zunzunegui María Victoria , López-Martin Sara
Published: August 2022

Background. European countries apply a policy of deterrence of migrants in territorial and extraterritorial border areas. The authors apply the model of torturing environments, which has been already applied to other contexts where persons are deprived of liberty, to the situation of the reception center of Moria, on the island of Lesvos (Greece). Methods. A cross-sectional study was conducted in the months of April and June of 2020. Personal interviews were conducted with 160 people (80 men, 80 women) from Afghan, Syrian, Somalian, and Congo backgrounds. The authors applied the Torturing Environmental Scale, which measures interpersonal violence, emotional distress, and legal safeguards. Results. The findings confirm the inhumane living conditions for the people sheltered in Moria, documenting the severe suffering of the population due to elements linked to basic human functions (hunger, thirst, hygiene, overcrowding, temperature, etc.), actions that produce fear and distress, actions that produce helplessness and hopelessness, actions that cause physical pain, attacks on sexual integrity, and attacks on identity and the need to belong. Some of the data suggest that the purposive and intentionality elements of the definition of cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment were also met. Conclusions. According to the conceptual model of torturing environments, the Moria reception camp constitutes a space of systematic ill treatment that vulnerated the European legal standards related to torture (Article 3 of the Human Rights Convention). The idea of torturing environments provides a valuable avenue to assess human rights violations in collective spaces and could constitute a useful tool in forensic and litigation processes.
Do Perceptions about Palliative Care Affect Emergency Decisions of Health Personnel for Patients with Advanced Dementia?
Authors: Erel Meira , Marcus Esther-Lee , Heyman Samuel N. , DeKeyser Ganz Freda
Published: August 2022

Decision analysis regarding emergency medical treatment in patients with advanced dementia has seldom been investigated. We aimed to examine the preferred medical treatment in emergency situations for patients with advanced dementia and its association with perceptions of palliative care. We conducted a survey of 159 physicians and 156 nurses from medical and surgical wards in two tertiary hospitals. The questionnaire included two case scenarios of patients with advanced dementia presenting gastrointestinal bleeding (scenario I) or pneumonia (scenario II) with a list of possible interventions and 11 items probing perceptions towards palliative care. Low burden interventions such as laboratory tests and intravenous administration of antibiotics/blood were preferred. Palliative measures such as analgesia/sedation were chosen by about half of the participants and invasive intervention by 41.6% (gastroscopy in scenario I) and 37.1% (intubation/mechanical ventilation in scenario II). Medical ward staff had a more palliative approach than surgical ward staff in scenario I, and senior staff had a more palliative approach than junior staff in scenario II. Most participants (90.4%) agreed that palliative care was appropriate for patients with advanced dementia. Stress in caring for patients with advanced dementia was reported by 24.5% of participants; 33.1% admitted fear of lawsuit, 33.8% were concerned about senior-level responses, and 69.7% were apprehensive of family members’ reaction to palliative care. Perceptions of health care workers towards palliative care were associated with preferred treatment choice for patients with advanced dementia, mainly in scenario II. Attitudes and apprehensions regarding palliative care in these situations may explain the gap between positive attitudes towards palliative care and the chosen treatment approach. Acquainting emergency care practitioners with the benefits of palliative care may impact their decisions when treating this population.
Stem Cell Models for Breast and Colon Cancer: Experimental Approach for Drug Discovery
Authors: Telang Nitin T.
Published: August 2022

The progression of the early stages of female breast and colon cancer to metastatic disease represents a major cause of mortality in women. Multi-drug chemotherapy and/or pathway selective targeted therapy are notable for their off-target effects and are associated with spontaneous and/or acquired chemotherapy resistance and the emergence of premalignant chemo-resistant cancer-initiating stem cells. The stem cell populations are responsible for the evolution of therapy-resistant metastatic disease. These limitations emphasize an unmet need to develop reliable drug-resistant cancer stem cell models as novel experimental approaches for therapeutic alternatives in drug discovery platforms. Drug-resistant stem cell models for breast and colon cancer subtypes exhibit progressive growth in the presence of cytotoxic chemo-endocrine therapeutics. The resistant cells exhibit upregulated expressions of stem cell-selective cellular and molecular markers. Dietary phytochemicals, nutritional herbs and their constituent bioactive compounds have documented growth inhibitory efficacy for cancer stem cells. The mechanistic leads for the stem cell-targeted efficacy of naturally occurring agents validates the present experimental approaches for new drug discovery as therapeutic alternatives for therapy-resistant breast and colon cancer. The present review provides a systematic discussion of published evidence on (i) conventional/targeted therapy for breast and colon cancer, (ii) cellular and molecular characterization of stem cell models and (iii) validation of the stem cell models as an experimental approach for novel drug discovery of therapeutic alternatives for therapy-resistant cancers.
Shockwaves Increase In Vitro Resilience of Rhizopus oryzae Biofilm under Amphotericin B Treatment
Authors: Slezak Cyrill , Anderson Karaleen , Hillock Tyson , Miller Mariel , Dungel Peter , Kopp Olga , Sterflinger Katja , Slezak Paul
Published: August 2022

Acoustical biophysical therapies, including ultrasound, radial pressure waves, and shockwaves, have been shown to harbor both a destructive and regenerative potential depending on physical treatment parameters. Despite the clinical relevance of fungal biofilms, little work exits comparing the efficacy of these modalities on the destruction of fungal biofilms. This study evaluates the impact of acoustical low-frequency ultrasound, radial pressure waves, and shockwaves on the viability and proliferation of in vitro Rhizopus oryzae biofilm under Amphotericin B induced apoptosis. In addition, the impact of a fibrin substrate in comparison with a traditional polystyrene well-plate one is explored. We found consistent, mechanically promoted increased Amphotericin B efficacy when treating the biofilm in conjunction with low frequency ultrasound and radial pressure waves. In contrast, shockwave induced effects of mechanotransduction results in a stronger resilience of the biofilm, which was evident by a marked increase in cellular viability, and was not observed in the other types of acoustical pressure waves. Our findings suggest that fungal biofilms not only provide another model for mechanistical investigations of the regenerative properties of shockwave therapies, but warrant future investigations into the clinical viability of the therapy.
Fabrication, Characterization, and Antimicrobial Activity of Carvacrol-Loaded Zein Nanoparticles Using the pH-Driven Method
Authors: Zheng Huaming , Wang Jiangli , You Feng , Zhou Mingyu , Shi Shengwei
Published: August 2022

To reduce the application of synthetic additives in the field of food preservation, this study utilized carvacrol as an antibacterial agent, and zein and sodium caseinate as carriers, to prepare composite nanoparticles loaded with carvacrol by the pH-driven method. The composite nanoparticles of zein/sodium caseinate had an excellent encapsulation efficiency (77.96~82.19%) for carvacrol, and it had remarkable redispersibility. The results of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy showed that the formation of the composite nanoparticles mainly depended on the hydrogen bond and the hydrophobic zone force, and thermal gravimetric analysis showed that carvacrol was loaded successfully into nanoparticles, and loading efficiency reached 24.9%. Scanning electron microscopy showed that the composite nanoparticles were spherical, with a particle size range of 50~200 nm, and through the free radical scavenging method and the plate counting method to confirm the particle has stronger antioxidant and antibacterial properties, and with the composite nanoparticles with poly (vinyl alcohol) film applied to the preservation of banana together, it was found that PVA film containing 5 wt% CA-loaded composite NPs can significantly extend the storage period of banana. Therefore, when the composite nanoparticles were applied to food packaging, they could effectively inhibit food spoilage and lengthen the shelf life of food, which displays potential application prospects in the food industry.
Intermittent Hypoxia on the Attenuation of Induced Nasal Allergy and Allergic Asthma by MAPK Signaling Pathway Downregulation in a Mice Animal Model
Authors: Sultonov Doston , Kim Young Hyo , Park Hyelim , Kim Kyu-Sung
Published: August 2022

Intermittent hypoxia (IH) has been an issue of considerable research in recent years and triggers a bewildering array of both detrimental and beneficial effects in several physiological systems. However, the mechanisms leading to the effect are not yet clear. Consequently, we investigated the effects of IH on allergen-induced allergic asthma via the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway. Forty BALB/c mice were dived into four groups. We evaluated the influence of IH on the cell signaling system of the airway during the allergen-induced challenge in an animal model, especially through the MAPK (mitogen-activated protein kinase) pathway. The protein concentrations of p-ERK/ERK, p-JNK/JNK, p-p38/p38, and pMEK/MEK were significantly reduced in the allergen-induced+IH group, compared to the allergen-induced group (p-value < 0.05 as considered statistically significant). The number of eosinophils, neutrophils, macrophages, and lymphocytes in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and Dp (Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus)-specific IgG2a and interleukins 4, 5, 13, and 17 were significantly reduced in the Dp+IH group, compared to the Dp group. These findings suggest that the MAPK pathway might be associated with the beneficial effect of IH on the attenuation of allergic response in an allergen-induced mouse model.
Effect of Protein–Protein Interactions on Translational Diffusion of Spheroidal Proteins
Authors: Kusova Aleksandra M. , Sitnitsky Aleksandr E. , Uversky Vladimir N. , Zuev Yuriy F.
Published: August 2022

One of the commonly accepted approaches to estimate protein–protein interactions (PPI) in aqueous solutions is the analysis of their translational diffusion. The present review article observes a phenomenological approach to analyze PPI effects via concentration dependencies of self- and collective translational diffusion coefficient for several spheroidal proteins derived from the pulsed field gradient NMR (PFG NMR) and dynamic light scattering (DLS), respectively. These proteins are rigid globular α-chymotrypsin (ChTr) and human serum albumin (HSA), and partly disordered α-casein (α-CN) and β-lactoglobulin (β-Lg). The PPI analysis enabled us to reveal the dominance of intermolecular repulsion at low ionic strength of solution (0.003–0.01 M) for all studied proteins. The increase in the ionic strength to 0.1–1.0 M leads to the screening of protein charges, resulting in the decrease of the protein electrostatic potential. The increase of the van der Waals potential for ChTr and α-CN characterizes their propensity towards unstable weak attractive interactions. The decrease of van der Waals interactions for β-Lg is probably associated with the formation of stable oligomers by this protein. The PPI, estimated with the help of interaction potential and idealized spherical molecular geometry, are in good agreement with experimental data.