bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Systematic Identification of the Optimal Housekeeping Genes for Accurate Transcriptomic and Proteomic Profiling of Tissues following Complex Traumatic Injury
Authors: Dragon Andrea H. , Rowe Cassie J. , Rhodes Alisha M. , Pak Olivia L. , Davis Thomas A. , Ronzier Elsa
Published: February 2023

Trauma triggers critical molecular and cellular signaling cascades that drive biological outcomes and recovery. Variations in the gene expression of common endogenous reference housekeeping genes (HKGs) used in data normalization differ between tissue types and pathological states. Systematically, we investigated the gene stability of nine HKGs (Actb, B2m, Gapdh, Hprt1, Pgk1, Rplp0, Rplp2, Tbp, and Tfrc) from tissues prone to remote organ dysfunction (lung, liver, kidney, and muscle) following extremity trauma. Computational algorithms (geNorm, Normfinder, ΔCt, BestKeeper, RefFinder) were applied to estimate the expression stability of each HKG or combinations of them, within and between tissues, under both steady-state and systemic inflammatory conditions. Rplp2 was ranked as the most suitable in the healthy and injured lung, kidney, and skeletal muscle, whereas Rplp2 and either Hprt1 or Pgk1 were the most suitable in the healthy and injured liver, respectively. However, the geometric mean of the three most stable genes was deemed the most stable internal reference control. Actb and Tbp were the least stable in normal tissues, whereas Gapdh and Tbp were the least stable across all tissues post-trauma. Ct values correlated poorly with the translation from mRNA to protein. Our results provide a valuable resource for the accurate normalization of gene expression in trauma-related experiments.
Formation and Evolution of Soot in Ethylene Inverse Diffusion Flames in Ozone Atmosphere
Authors: Ying Yaoyao , Liu Dong
Published: February 2023

Ozone is a prospective additive for enhancing and controlling combustion under lean or very lean conditions, and reduces NOx and particulate matter emissions simultaneously. Typically, in studying the effects of ozone on combustion pollutants, the focus is on the final yield of pollutants, while its detailed effects on the soot formation process remain unknown. Here, the formation and evolution profiles of soot containing morphology and nanostructures in ethylene inverse diffusion flames with different ozone concentration additions were experimentally studied. The surface chemistry and oxidation reactivity of soot particles were also compared. The soot samples were collected by a combination of the thermophoretic sampling method and deposition sampling method. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy analysis, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and thermogravimetric analysis were applied to obtain the soot characteristics. The results showed that soot particles experienced inception, surface growth, and agglomeration in the ethylene inverse diffusion flame within a flame axial direction. The soot formation and agglomeration were slightly advanced since the ozone decomposition contributed to promoting the production of free radicals and active substances in the ozone added flames. The diameter of primary particles in the flame with ozone addition was larger. With the increase of ozone concentration, the content of soot surface oxygen increased and the ratio of sp2/sp3 decreased. Furthermore, the addition of ozone increased the volatile content of soot particles and improved soot oxidation reactivity.
Effect of Confinement and Coulomb Interactions on the Electronic Structure of the (111) LaAlO3/SrTiO3 Interface
Authors: Trama Mattia , Cataudella Vittorio , Perroni Carmine Antonio , Romeo Francesco , Citro Roberta
Published: February 2023

A tight binding supercell approach is used for the calculation of the electronic structure of the (111) LaAlO3/SrTiO3 interface. The confinement potential at the interface is evaluated solving a discrete Poisson equation by means of an iterative method. In addition to the effect of the confinement, local Hubbard electron–electron terms are included at the mean-field level within a fully self-consistent procedure. The calculation carefully describes how the two-dimensional electron gas arises from the quantum confinement of electrons near the interface due to the band bending potential. The resulting electronic sub-bands and Fermi surfaces show full agreement with the electronic structure determined by angle-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy experiments. In particular, we analyse how the effect of local Hubbard interactions change the density distribution over the layers from the interface to the bulk. Interestingly, the two-dimensional electron gas at the interface is not depleted by local Hubbard interactions which indeed induce an enhancement of the electron density between the first layers and the bulk.
Core–Shell Magnetic Nanoparticles
Authors: López-Ortega Alberto
Published: February 2023

The development of novel magnetic core–shell nanoparticles has become increasingly appealing in recent years [...]
Enhanced Photoluminescence of Crystalline Alq3 Micro-Rods Hybridized with Silver Nanowires
Authors: Kim Misuk , Kim Jiyoun , Ju Seongcheol , Kim Hyeonwoo , Jung Incheol , Jung Jong Hoon , Lee Gil Sun , Hong Young Ki , Park Dong Hyuk , Lee Kyu-Tae
Published: February 2023

An enhancement of the local electric field at the metal/dielectric interface of hybrid materials due to the localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) phenomenon plays a particularly important role in versatile research fields resulting in a distinct modification of the electrical, as well as optical, properties of the hybrid material. In this paper, we succeeded in visually confirming the LSPR phenomenon in the crystalline tris(8-hydroxyquinoline) aluminum (Alq3) micro-rod (MR) hybridized with silver (Ag) nanowire (NW) in the form of photoluminescence (PL) characteristics. Crystalline Alq3 MRs were prepared by a self-assembly method under the mixed solution of protic and aprotic polar solvents, which could be easily applied to fabricate hybrid Alq3/Ag structures. The hybridization between the crystalline Alq3 MRs and Ag NWs was confirmed by the component analysis of the selected area electronic diffraction attached to high-resolution transmission electron microscope. Nanoscale and solid state PL experiments on the hybrid Alq3/Ag structures using a lab-made laser confocal microscope exhibited a distinct enhancement of the PL intensity (approximately 26-fold), which also supported the LSPR effects between crystalline Alq3 MRs and Ag NWs.
Legume-Derived Bioactive Peptides in Type 2 Diabetes: Opportunities and Challenges
Authors: Hu Kanghong , Huang Huizhong , Li Hanluo , Wei Yanhong , Yao Chenguang
Published: February 2023

Diabetes mellitus is a complex disorder characterized by insufficient insulin production or insulin resistance, which results in a lifelong dependence on glucose-lowering drugs for almost all patients. During the fight with diabetes, researchers are always thinking about what characteristics the ideal hypoglycemic drugs should have. From the point of view of the drugs, they should maintain effective control of blood sugar, have a very low risk of hypoglycemia, not increase or decrease body weight, improve β-cell function, and delay disease progression. Recently, the advent of oral peptide drugs, such as semaglutide, brings exciting hope to patients with chronic diabetes. Legumes, as an excellent source of protein, peptides, and phytochemicals, have played significant roles in human health throughout human history. Some legume-derived peptides with encouraging anti-diabetic potential have been gradually reported over the last two decades. Their hypoglycemic mechanisms have also been clarified at some classic diabetes treatment targets, such as the insulin receptor signaling pathway or other related pathways involved in the progress of diabetes, and key enzymes including α-amylase, α-glucosidase, and dipeptidyl peptidase-IV (DPP-4). This review summarizes the anti-diabetic activities and mechanisms of peptides from legumes and discusses the prospects of these peptide-based drugs in type 2 diabetes (T2D) management.
Mid-Luteal Progesterone Is Inversely Associated with Premenstrual Food Cravings
Authors: Hamidovic Ajna , Soumare Fatimata , Naveed Aamina , Davis John
Published: February 2023

It is not clear whether progesterone and estradiol associate with premenstrual food cravings, which significantly contribute to cardiometabolic adverse effects associated with obesity. We sought to investigate this question in the present study based on the prior literature showing a protective effect of progesterone on drug craving and extensive neurobiological overlaps between food and drug cravings. We enrolled 37 non-illicit drug- or medication-using women in the study to provide daily ratings of premenstrual food cravings and other symptoms across two-three menstrual cycles, based on which we classified them as premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) or control participants. In addition, the participants provided blood samples at eight clinic visits across the menstrual cycle. We aligned their mid-luteal progesterone and estradiol using a validated method which relies upon the peak serum luteinizing hormone and analyzed estradiol and progesterone using ultraperformance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry. Hierarchical modeling, adjusted for BMI, showed a significant inverse effect of progesterone (p = 0.038) but no effect of estradiol on premenstrual food cravings. The association was not unique to PMDD or control participants. Results of research to date in humans and rodents showing that progesterone has dampening effects on the salience of the reinforcer translate to premenstrual food cravings.
A Sarcopenia Index Derived from Malnutrition Parameters in Elderly Haemodialysis Patients
Authors: Sánchez-Tocino M. L. , Mas-Fontao S. , Gracia-Iguacel C. , Pereira M. , González-Ibarguren I. , Ortiz A. , Arenas M. D. , Parra E. González
Published: February 2023

(1) Background: Persons with chronic kidney disease may have sarcopenia characterized by the loss of muscle mass and loss of muscle strength. However, EWGSOP2 criteria to diagnose sarcopenia are technically challenging, especially in elderly persons on hemodialysis. Sarcopenia may be associated with malnutrition. We aimed at defining a sarcopenia index derived from malnutrition parameters for use in elderly haemodialysis patients. (2) Methods: A retrospective study of 60 patients aged 75 to 95 years treated with chronic hemodialysis was conducted. Anthropometric and analytical variables, EWGSOP2 sarcopenia criteria and other nutrition-related variables were collected. Binomial logistic regressions were used to define the combination of anthropometric and nutritional parameters that best predict moderate or severe sarcopenia according to EWGSOP2, and performance for moderate and severe sarcopenia was assessed by the area under the curve (AUC) of receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. (3) Results: The combination of loss of strength, loss of muscle mass and low physical performance correlated with malnutrition. We developed regression-equation-related nutrition criteria that predicted moderate sarcopenia (elderly hemodialysis sarcopenia index-moderate, EHSI-M) and severe sarcopenia (EHSI-S) diagnosed according to EWGSOP2 with an AUC of 0.80 and 0.866, respectively. (4) Conclusions: There is a close relationship between nutrition and sarcopenia. The EHSI may identify EWGSOP2-diagnosed sarcopenia from easily accessible anthropometric and nutritional parameters.
Maternal Pre-Pregnancy Nutritional Status and Infant Birth Weight in Relation to 0–2 Year-Growth Trajectory and Adiposity in Term Chinese Newborns with Appropriate Birth Weight-for-Gestational Age
Authors: Ouyang Fengxiu , Wang Xiaobin , Wells Jonathan C. , Wang Xia , Shen Lixiao , Zhang Jun
Published: February 2023

Being born with appropriate weight-for-gestational age (AGA, ~80% of newborns) is often considered as low risk for future obesity. This study examined differential growth trajectories in the first two years by considering pre- and peri-natal factors among term-born AGA infants. We prospectively investigated 647 AGA infants and their mothers enrolled during 2012–2013 in Shanghai, China, and obtained repeated anthropometric measures at ages 42 days, 3, 6, 9, and 18 months from postnatal care records, and onsite measurements at age 1 and 2 years (skinfold thickness, mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC)). Birthweight was classified into sex-and gestational age-specific tertiles. Among mothers, 16.3% were overweight/obese (OWO), and 46.2% had excessive gestational weight gain (GWG). The combination of maternal prepregnancy OWO and high birthweight tertile identified a subset of AGA infants with 4.1 mm higher skinfold thickness (95% CI 2.2–5.9), 1.3 cm higher MUAC (0.8–1.7), and 0.89 units higher weight-for-length z-score (0.54, 1.24) at 2 years of age with adjustment for covariates. Excessive GWG was associated with higher child adiposity measures at 2 years of age. AGA infants manifested differential growth trajectories by the combination of maternal OWO and higher birthweight, suggesting that additional attention is needed for those “at increased risk” of OWO in early intervention.
Recent Advances in Life History Transition with Nematode-Trapping Fungus Arthrobotrys oligospora and Its Application in Sustainable Agriculture
Authors: Wang Da , Ma Nan , Rao Wanqin , Zhang Ying
Published: February 2023

Parasitic nematodes cause great annual loss in the agricultural industry globally. Arthrobotrys oligospora is the most prevalent and common nematode-trapping fungus (NTF) in the environment and the candidate for the control of plant- and animal-parasitic nematodes. A. oligospora is also the first recognized and intensively studied NTF species. This review highlights the recent research advances of A. oligospora as a model to study the biological signals of the switch from saprophytism to predation and their sophisticated mechanisms for interacting with their invertebrate hosts, which is of vital importance for improving the engineering of this species as an effective biocontrol fungus. The application of A. oligospora in industry and agriculture, especially as biological control agents for sustainable purposes, was summarized, and we discussed the increasing role of A. oligospora in studying its sexual morph and genetic transformation in complementing biological control research.
Exploring the Antitubercular Activity of Anthranilic Acid Derivatives: From MabA (FabG1) Inhibition to Intrabacterial Acidification
Authors: Faïon Léo , Djaout Kamel , Pintiala Catalin , Piveteau Catherine , Leroux Florence , Biela Alexandre , Slupek Stéphanie , Antoine Rudy , Záhorszká Monika , Cantrelle Francois-Xavier , Hanoulle Xavier , Korduláková Jana , Deprez Benoit , Willand Nicolas , Baulard Alain R. , Flipo Marion
Published: February 2023

Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the pathogen that causes tuberculosis, is responsible for the death of 1.5 million people each year and the number of bacteria resistant to the standard regimen is constantly increasing. This highlights the need to discover molecules that act on new M. tuberculosis targets. Mycolic acids, which are very long-chain fatty acids essential for M. tuberculosis viability, are synthesized by two types of fatty acid synthase (FAS) systems. MabA (FabG1) is an essential enzyme belonging to the FAS-II cycle. We have recently reported the discovery of anthranilic acids as MabA inhibitors. Here, the structure–activity relationships around the anthranilic acid core, the binding of a fluorinated analog to MabA by NMR experiments, the physico-chemical properties and the antimycobacterial activity of these inhibitors were explored. Further investigation of the mechanism of action in bacterio showed that these compounds affect other targets than MabA in mycobacterial cells and that their antituberculous activity is due to the carboxylic acid moiety which induces intrabacterial acidification.
TLR4/Inflammasomes Cross-Talk and Pyroptosis Contribute to N-Acetyl Cysteine and Chlorogenic Acid Protection against Cisplatin-Induced Nephrotoxicity
Authors: Badr Amira M. , Al-Kharashi Layla A. , Attia Hala , Alshehri Samiyah , Alajami Hanaa N. , Ali Rehab A. , Mahran Yasmen F.
Published: February 2023

Background: Cisplatin (Cp) is an antineoplastic agent with a dose-limiting nephrotoxicity. Cp-induced nephrotoxicity is characterized by the interplay of oxidative stress, inflammation, and apoptosis. Toll-4 receptors (TLR4) and NLPR3 inflammasome are pattern-recognition receptors responsible for activating inflammatory responses and are assigned to play a significant role with gasdermin (GSDMD) in acute kidney injuries. N-acetylcysteine (NAC) and chlorogenic acid (CGA) have documented nephroprotective effects by suppressing oxidative and inflammatory pathways. Therefore, the current study aimed to investigate the contribution of the upregulation of TLR4/inflammasomes/gasdermin signaling to Cp-induced nephrotoxicity and their modulation by NAC or CGA. Methods: A single injection of Cp (7 mg/kg, i.p.) was given to Wistar rats. Rats received either NAC (250 mg/kg, p.o.) and/or CGA (20 mg/kg, p.o.) one week before and after the Cp injection. Results: Cp-induced acute nephrotoxicity was evident by the increased blood urea nitrogen and serum creatinine and histopathological insults. Additionally, nephrotoxicity was associated with increased lipid peroxidation, reduced antioxidants, and elevated levels of inflammatory markers (NF-κB and TNF-α) in the kidney tissues. Moreover, Cp upregulated both TLR4/NLPR3/interleukin-1beta (IL-1β) and caspase-1/GSDMD-signaling pathways, accompanied by an increased Bax/BCL-2 ratio, indicating an inflammatory-mediated apoptosis. Both NAC and/or CGA significantly corrected these changes. Conclusions: This study emphasizes that inhibition of TLR4/NLPR3/IL-1β/GSDMD might be a novel mechanism of the nephroprotective effects of NAC or CGA against Cp-induced nephrotoxicity in rats.
Valorization of Punica granatum L. Leaves Extracts as a Source of Bioactive Molecules
Authors: Marcelino Sandra , Mandim Filipa , Taofiq Oludemi , Pires Tânia C. S. P. , Finimundy Tiane C. , Prieto Miguel A. , Barros Lillian
Published: February 2023

Due to a lack of innovative valorization strategies, pomegranate processing generates a significant amount of residues with a negative environmental footprint. These by-products are a rich source of bioactive compounds with functional and medicinal benefits. This study reports the valorization of pomegranate leaves as a source of bioactive ingredients using maceration, ultrasound, and microwave-assisted extraction techniques. The phenolic composition of the leaf extracts was analyzed using an HPLC-DAD-ESI/MSn system. The extracts’ antioxidant, antimicrobial, cytotoxic, anti-inflammatory, and skin-beneficial properties were determined using validated in vitro methodologies. The results showed that gallic acid, (-)-epicatechin, and granatin B were the most abundant compounds in the three hydroethanolic extracts (between 0.95 and 1.45, 0.7 and 2.4, and 0.133 and 3.0 mg/g, respectively). The leaf extracts revealed broad-spectrum antimicrobial effects against clinical and food pathogens. They also presented antioxidant potential and cytotoxic effects against all tested cancer cell lines. In addition, tyrosinase activity was also verified. The tested concentrations (50–400 µg/mL) ensured a cellular viability higher than 70% in both keratinocyte and fibroblast skin cell lines. The obtained results indicate that the pomegranate leaves could be used as a low-cost source of value-added functional ingredients for potential nutraceutical and cosmeceutical applications.
Synthesis of Magnetic Iron Oxide-Incorporated Cellulose Composite Particles: An Investigation on Antioxidant Properties and Drug Delivery Applications
Authors: Naznin Arifa , Dhar Palash Kumar , Dutta Sagar Kumar , Chakrabarty Sumon , Karmakar Utpal Kumar , Kundu Pritam , Hossain Muhammad Sarwar , Barai Hasi Rani , Haque Md. Rezaul
Published: February 2023

In recent years, polymer-supported magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (MIO-NPs) have gained a lot of attention in biomedical and healthcare applications due to their unique magnetic properties, low toxicity, cost-effectiveness, biocompatibility, and biodegradability. In this study, waste tissue papers (WTP) and sugarcane bagasse (SCB) were utilized to prepare magnetic iron oxide (MIO)-incorporated WTP/MIO and SCB/MIO nanocomposite particles (NCPs) based on in situ co-precipitation methods, and they were characterized using advanced spectroscopic techniques. In addition, their anti-oxidant and drug-delivery properties were investigated. Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses revealed that the shapes of the MIO-NPs, SCB/MIO-NCPs, and WTP/MIO-NCPs were agglomerated and irregularly spherical with a crystallite size of 12.38 nm, 10.85 nm, and 11.47 nm, respectively. Vibrational sample magnetometry (VSM) analysis showed that both the NPs and the NCPs were paramagnetic. The free radical scavenging assay ascertained that the WTP/MIO-NCPs, SCB/MIO-NCPs, and MIO-NPs exhibited almost negligible antioxidant activity in comparison to ascorbic acid. The swelling capacities of the SCB/MIO-NCPs and WTP/MIO-NCPs were 155.0% and 159.5%, respectively, which were much higher than the swelling efficiencies of cellulose-SCB (58.3%) and cellulose-WTP (61.6%). The order of metronidazole drug loading after 3 days was: cellulose-SCB < cellulose-WTP < MIO-NPs < SCB/MIO-NCPs < WTP/MIO-NCPs, whereas the sequence of the drug-releasing rate after 240 min was: WTP/MIO-NCPs < SCB/MIO-NCPs < MIO-NPs < cellulose-WTP < cellulose-SCB. Overall, the results of this study showed that the incorporation of MIO-NPs in the cellulose matrix increased the swelling capacity, drug-loading capacity, and drug-releasing time. Therefore, cellulose/MIO-NCPs obtained from waste materials such as SCB and WTP can be used as a potential vehicle for medical applications, especially in a metronidazole drug delivery system.
A Novel Approach for the Fabrication of 3D-Printed Dental Membrane Scaffolds including Antimicrobial Pomegranate Extract
Authors: Karabulut Hatice , Ulag Songul , Dalbayrak Basak , Arisan Elif , Taskin Turgut , Guncu Mehmet , Aksu Burak , Valanezhad Alireza , Gunduz Oguzhan
Published: February 2023

In this study, a dental membrane scaffold was fabricated using a 3D printing technique, and the antimicrobial effect of pomegranate seed and peel extract were investigated. For the production of the dental membrane scaffold, a combination of polyvinyl alcohol, starch, and pomegranate seed and peel extracts was used. The aim of the scaffold was to cover the damaged area and aid in the healing process. This can be achieved due to the high antimicrobial and antioxidant content of pomegranate seed and peel extracts (PPE: PSE). Moreover, the addition of starch and PPE: PSE improved the biocompatibility of the scaffold, and their biocompatibility was tested using human gingival fibroblast (HGF) cells. The addition of PPE: PSE into the scaffolds resulted in a significant antimicrobial effect on S. aureus and E. faecalis bacteria. Moreover, different concentrations of starch (1%, 2%, 3% w/v) and pomegranate peel and seed extract (3%, 5%, 7%, 9%, and 11% PE v/v) were analyzed to obtain the ideal dental membrane structure. The optimum starch concentration was chosen as 2% w/v due to it giving the scaffold the highest mechanical tensile strength (23.8607 ± 4.0796 MPa). The pore sizes of each scaffold were studied by SEM analysis, and pore sizes were arranged between 155.86 and 280.96 μm without any plugging problems. Pomegranate seed and peel extracts were obtained by applying the standard extraction method. High-performance liquid chromatography was performed using the diode-array detection (HPLC-DAD) technique to analyze the phenolic content of the pomegranate seed and peel extracts. Two phenolic components of the pomegranate seed and peel extracts were investigated in the following amounts: fumaric acid (17.56 μg analyte/mg extract) and quinic acid (18.79 μg analyte/mg extract) in pomegranate seed extract and fumaric acid (26.95 μg analyte/mg extract) and quinic acid (33.79 μg analyte/mg extract) in pomegranate peel extract.
CDR3 Variants of the TXB2 Shuttle with Increased TfR1 Association Rate and Enhanced Brain Penetration
Authors: Stocki Pawel , Szary Jaroslaw , Demydchuk Mykhaylo , Northall Leandra , Rasmussen Charlotte L. M. , Logan Diana Bahu , Gauhar Aziz , Thei Laura , Coker Shu-Fen , Moos Torben , Walsh Frank S. , Rutkowski J. Lynn
Published: February 2023

Since the delivery of biologic drugs to the brain is greatly hampered by the existence of the blood–brain barrier (BBB), brain shuttles are being developed to enhance therapeutic efficacy. As we have previously shown, efficient and selective brain delivery was achieved with TXB2, a cross-species reactive, anti-TfR1 VNAR antibody. To further explore the limits of brain penetration, we conducted restricted randomization of the CDR3 loop, followed by phage display to identify improved TXB2 variants. The variants were screened for brain penetration in mice using a 25 nmol/kg (1.875 mg/kg) dose and a single 18 h timepoint. A higher kinetic association rate to TfR1 correlated with improved brain penetration in vivo. The most potent variant, TXB4, showed a 3.6-fold improvement over TXB2, which had on average 14-fold higher brain levels when compared to an isotype control. Like TXB2, TXB4 retained brain specificity with parenchymal penetration and no accumulation in other organs. When fused with a neurotensin (NT) payload, it led to a rapid drop in body temperature upon transport across the BBB. We also showed that fusion of TXB4 to four therapeutic antibodies (anti-CD20, anti-EGFRvIII, anti-PD-L1 and anti-BACE1) improved their brain exposure between 14- to 30-fold. In summary, we enhanced the potency of parental TXB2 brain shuttle and gained a critical mechanistic understanding of brain delivery mediated by the VNAR anti-TfR1 antibody.
Intranasal Polymeric and Lipid-Based Nanocarriers for CNS Drug Delivery
Authors: Maher Rebecca , Moreno-Borrallo Almudena , Jindal Dhruvi , Mai Binh T. , Ruiz-Hernandez Eduardo , Harkin Andrew
Published: February 2023

Nanomedicine is currently focused on the design and development of nanocarriers that enhance drug delivery to the brain to address unmet clinical needs for treating neuropsychiatric disorders and neurological diseases. Polymer and lipid-based drug carriers are advantageous for delivery to the central nervous system (CNS) due to their safety profiles, drug-loading capacity, and controlled-release properties. Polymer and lipid-based nanoparticles (NPs) are reported to penetrate the blood–brain barrier (BBB) and have been extensively assessed in in vitro and animal models of glioblastoma, epilepsy, and neurodegenerative disease. Since approval by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of intranasal esketamine for treatment of major depressive disorder, intranasal administration has emerged as an attractive route to bypass the BBB for drug delivery to the CNS. NPs can be specifically designed for intranasal administration by tailoring their size and coating with mucoadhesive agents or other moieties that promote transport across the nasal mucosa. In this review, unique characteristics of polymeric and lipid-based nanocarriers desirable for drug delivery to the brain are explored in addition to their potential for drug repurposing for the treatment of CNS disorders. Progress in intranasal drug delivery using polymeric and lipid-based nanostructures for the development of treatments of various neurological diseases are also described.
Leaf Functional Traits in Relation to Species Composition in an Arctic–Alpine Tundra Grassland
Authors: Hunt Lena , Lhotáková Zuzana , Neuwirthová Eva , Klem Karel , Oravec Michal , Kupková Lucie , Červená Lucie , Epstein Howard E. , Campbell Petya , Albrechtová Jana
Published: February 2023

The relict arctic–alpine tundra provides a natural laboratory to study the potential impacts of climate change and anthropogenic disturbance on tundra vegetation. The Nardus stricta-dominated relict tundra grasslands in the Krkonoše Mountains have experienced shifting species dynamics over the past few decades. Changes in species cover of the four competing grasses—Nardus stricta, Calamagrostis villosa, Molinia caerulea, and Deschampsia cespitosa—were successfully detected using orthophotos. Leaf functional traits (anatomy/morphology, element accumulation, leaf pigments, and phenolic compound profiles), were examined in combination with in situ chlorophyll fluorescence in order to shed light on their respective spatial expansions and retreats. Our results suggest a diverse phenolic profile in combination with early leaf expansion and pigment accumulation has aided the expansion of C. villosa, while microhabitats may drive the expansion and decline of D. cespitosa in different areas of the grassland. N. stricta—the dominant species—is retreating, while M. caerulea did not demonstrate significant changes in territory between 2012 and 2018. We propose that the seasonal dynamics of pigment accumulation and canopy formation are important factors when assessing potential “spreader” species and recommend that phenology be taken into account when monitoring grass species using remote sensing.
Overexpression of the Phosphoserine Phosphatase-Encoding Gene (AtPSP1) Promotes Starch Accumulation in Lemna turionifera 5511 under Sulfur Deficiency
Authors: Wang Lei , Kuang Yingying , Zheng Siyu , Tong Yana , Zhu Yerong , Wang Yong
Published: February 2023

Duckweeds are well known for their high accumulation of starch under stress conditions, along with inhibited growth. The phosphorylation pathway of serine biosynthesis (PPSB) was reported as playing a vital role in linking the carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur metabolism in this plant. The overexpression of AtPSP1, the last key enzyme of the PPSB pathway in duckweed, was found to stimulate the accumulation of starch under sulfur-deficient conditions. The growth- and photosynthesis-related parameters were higher in the AtPSP1 transgenic plants than in the WT. The transcriptional analysis showed that the expression of several genes in starch synthesis, TCA, and sulfur absorption, transportation, and assimilation was significantly up- or downregulated. The study suggests that PSP engineering could improve starch accumulation in Lemna turionifera 5511 by coordinating the carbon metabolism and sulfur assimilation under sulfur-deficient conditions.
The First Evidence of Gibberellic Acid’s Ability to Modulate Target Species’ Sensitivity to Honeysuckle (Lonicera maackii) Allelochemicals
Authors: Barta Csengele Éva , Jenkins Brian Colby , Lindstrom Devon Shay , Zahnd Alyka Kay , Székely Gyöngyi
Published: February 2023

Invasive species employ competitive strategies such as releasing allelopathic chemicals into the environment that negatively impact native species. Decomposing Amur honeysuckle (Lonicera maackii) leaves leach various allelopathic phenolics into the soil, decreasing the vigor of several native species. Notable differences in the net negative impacts of L. maackii metabolites on target species were argued to depend on soil properties, the microbiome, the proximity to the allelochemical source, the allelochemical concentration, or environmental conditions. This study is the first to address the role of target species’ metabolic properties in determining their net sensitivity to allelopathic inhibition by L. maackii. Gibberellic acid (GA3) is a critical regulator of seed germination and early development. We hypothesized that GA3 levels might affect the target sensitivity to allelopathic inhibitors and evaluated differences in the response of a standard (control, Rbr), a GA3-overproducing (ein), and a GA3-deficient (ros) Brassica rapa variety to L. maackii allelochemicals. Our results demonstrate that high GA3 concentrations substantially alleviate the inhibitory effects of L. maackii allelochemicals. A better understanding of the importance of target species’ metabolic properties in their responses to allelochemicals will contribute to developing novel invasive species control and biodiversity conservation protocols and may contribute to applications in agriculture.
Study on Flocculation Behavior of Cr(VI) Using a Novel Chitosan Functionalized with Thiol Groups
Authors: Zhao Yuelong , Zhang Peng , Zhang Wei , Fan Yali
Published: February 2023

In this study, CTS-GSH was prepared by grafting thiol (–SH) groups onto chitosan (CTS), which was characterized through Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR) spectra, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Differential Thermal Analysis–Thermogravimetric Analysis (DTA-TG). The performance of CTS-GSH was evaluated by measuring Cr(VI) removal efficiency. The –SH group was successfully grafted onto CTS, forming a chemical composite, CTS-GSH, with a rough, porous and spatial network surface. All of the molecules tested in this study were efficient at removing Cr(VI) from the solution. The more CTS-GSH added, the more Cr(VI) removed. When a suitable dosage of CTS-GSH was added, Cr(VI) was almost completely removed. The acidic environment at pH 5–6 was beneficial for the removal of Cr(VI), and at pH 6, the maximum removal efficiency was achieved. Further experimentation showed that with 100.0 mg/L CTS-GSH for the disposal of 5.0 mg/L Cr(VI) solution, the removal rate of Cr(VI) reached 99.3% with a slow stirring time of 8.0 min and sedimentation time of 3 h; the presence of four common ions, including Mg2+, Ca2+, SO42− and CO32−, had an inhibitory effect on CTS-GSH’s ability to remove Cr(VI) from the aqueous solution, and more CTS-GSH was needed to reduce this inhibiting action. Overall, CTS-GSH exhibited good results in Cr(VI) removal, and thus has good potential for the further treatment of heavy metal wastewater.
Machine Learning for Detection of Macroalgal Blooms in the Mar Menor Coastal Lagoon Using Sentinel-2
Authors: Medina-López Encarni , Navarro Gabriel , Santos-Echeandía Juan , Bernárdez Patricia , Caballero Isabel
Published: February 2023

The Mar Menor coastal lagoon in southeastern Spain has experienced a decline in water quality due to increased nutrient input, leading to the eutrophication of the lagoon and the occurrence of microalgal and macroalgal blooms. This study analyzes the macroalgal bloom that occurred in the lagoon during the spring-summer of 2022. A set of machine learning techniques are applied to Sentinel-2 satellite imagery in order to obtain indicators of the presence of macroalgae in specific locations within the lagoon. This is supported by in situ observations of the blooming process in different areas of the Mar Menor. Our methodology successfully identifies the macroalgal bloom locations (accuracies above 98%, and Matthew’s Correlation Coefficients above 78% in all cases), and provides a probabilistic approach to understand the likelihood of occurrence of this event in given pixels. The analysis also identifies the key parameters contributing to the classification of pixels as algae, which could be used to develop future algorithms for detecting macroalgal blooms. This information can be used by environmental managers to implement early warning and mitigation strategies to prevent water quality deterioration in the lagoon. The usefulness of satellite observations for ecological and crisis management at local and regional scales is also highlighted.
Metallogenic Prediction of Magnetite in the Pandian Area at the Northwest Margin of Luxi Uplift, China: Constraints of Wide-Field Electromagnetic Data
Authors: Liu Jianxin , Zhou Keke , Liu Hongda , Guo Rongwen , Zhu Yunqi , Zhang Zihao , Liu Rong
Published: February 2023

The Pandian deposit is a newly discovered contact metasomatic skarn magnetite deposit found in the Cainozoic super-thick overburden on the northwest margin of Luxi Uplift (LXU). Presently, the horizontal scale of the deposit delineated by the potential field (gravity and magnetic method) has shown giant potential for ore deposits, and mapping the ore-controlling structures in the vertical scale becomes a primary task for metallogenic prediction. In our study, the wide-field electromagnetic method (WFEM), with a strong anti-noise ability in recording electromagnetic signals on the surface at multiple frequencies, is applied to characterize the deep conductivity distribution of the Pandian area. Based on the inversion results from two parallel WFEM profiles, which consist of 105 sites and previous geological and geophysical results, the 2D geoelectric models are established. The low-resistivity regions (with a typical range of 25~32 Ω·m) in the electrical models are proven to be ore bodies of Pandian deposit, which are developed along the contact zone between Yanshanian intrusive rocks and Paleozoic Ordovician strata. The scattered bodies (typically >32 Ω·m) in Ordovician limestone strata are probably caused by intrusive diorite pluton closely related to magnetite mineralization. Due to contact metasomatism, bedded limestone near magnetite was metamorphosed into marble and accompanied by low-resistivity skarn alteration, with resistivity much different from its high-resistivity protolith. The inverted geoelectrical models visually reflect the spatial distribution features of intrusive rocks and lithologic alteration/fracture zones.
Leveraging Saliency in Single-Stage Multi-Label Concrete Defect Detection Using Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Imagery
Authors: Hebbache Loucif , Amirkhani Dariush , Allili Mohand Saïd , Hammouche Nadir , Lapointe Jean-François
Published: February 2023

Visual inspection of concrete structures using Unmanned Areal Vehicle (UAV) imagery is a challenging task due to the variability of defects’ size and appearance. This paper proposes a high-performance model for automatic and fast detection of bridge concrete defects using UAV-acquired images. Our method, coined the Saliency-based Multi-label Defect Detector (SMDD-Net), combines pyramidal feature extraction and attention through a one-stage concrete defect detection model. The attention module extracts local and global saliency features, which are scaled and integrated with the pyramidal feature extraction module of the network using the max-pooling, multiplication, and residual skip connections operations. This has the effect of enhancing the localisation of small and low-contrast defects, as well as the overall accuracy of detection in varying image acquisition ranges. Finally, a multi-label loss function detection is used to identify and localise overlapping defects. The experimental results on a standard dataset and real-world images demonstrated the performance of SMDD-Net with regard to state-of-the-art techniques. The accuracy and computational efficiency of SMDD-Net make it a suitable method for UAV-based bridge structure inspection.
In-Bed Posture Classification Using Deep Neural Network
Authors: Stern Lindsay , Roshan Fekr Atena
Published: February 2023

In-bed posture monitoring has become a prevalent area of research to help minimize the risk of pressure sore development and to increase sleep quality. This paper proposed 2D and 3D Convolutional Neural Networks, which are trained on images and videos of an open-access dataset consisting of 13 subjects’ body heat maps captured from a pressure mat in 17 positions, respectively. The main goal of this paper is to detect the three main body positions: supine, left, and right. We compare the use of image and video data through 2D and 3D models in our classification. Since the dataset was imbalanced, three strategies were evaluated, i.e., down sampling, over sampling, and class weights. The best 3D model achieved accuracies of 98.90 ± 1.05% and 97.80 ± 2.14% for 5-fold and leave-one-subject-out (LOSO) cross validations, respectively. To compare the 3D model with 2D, four pre-trained 2D models were evaluated, where the best-performing model was the ResNet-18 with accuracies of 99.97 ± 0.03% for 5-fold and 99.62 ± 0.37% for LOSO. The proposed 2D and 3D models provided promising results for in-bed posture recognition and can be used in the future to further distinguish postures into more detailed subclasses. The outcome of this study can be used to remind caregivers at hospitals and long-term care facilitiesto reposition their patients if they do not reposition themselves naturally to prevent pressure ulcers. In addition, the evaluation of body postures and movements during sleep can help caregivers understand sleep quality.
Fully Integrated Line Array Angular Displacement Sensing Chip
Authors: Fu Yunhao , Jiang Jiaqi , Zhao Zhuang , Zhao Zhongyuan , Chen Kaixin , Tao Min , Chang Yuchun , Lo Guoqiang , Song Junfeng
Published: February 2023

The angular displacement sensor is a digital angular displacement measurement device that integrates optics, mechanics, and electronics. It has important applications in communication, servo control, aerospace, and other fields. Although conventional angular displacement sensors can achieve extremely high measurement accuracy and resolution, they cannot be integrated because complex signal processing circuitry is required at the photoelectric receiver, which limits their suitability for robotics and automotive applications. The design of a fully integrated line array angular displacement-sensing chip is presented for the first time using a combination of pseudo-random and incremental code channel designs. Based on the charge redistribution principle, a fully differential 12-bit, 1 MSPS sampling rate successive approximation analog-to-digital converter (SAR ADC) is designed for quantization and subdivision of the incremental code channel output signal. The design is verified with a 0.35 μm CMOS process and the area of the overall system is 3.5 × 1.8 mm2. The fully integrated design of the detector array and readout circuit is realized for the angular displacement sensing.
Detection of Occluded Small Commodities Based on Feature Enhancement under Super-Resolution
Authors: Dong Haonan , Xie Kai , Xie An , Wen Chang , He Jianbiao , Zhang Wei , Yi Dajiang , Yang Sheng
Published: February 2023

As small commodity features are often few in number and easily occluded by hands, the overall detection accuracy is low, and small commodity detection is still a great challenge. Therefore, in this study, a new algorithm for occlusion detection is proposed. Firstly, a super-resolution algorithm with an outline feature extraction module is used to process the input video frames to restore high-frequency details, such as the contours and textures of the commodities. Next, residual dense networks are used for feature extraction, and the network is guided to extract commodity feature information under the effects of an attention mechanism. As small commodity features are easily ignored by the network, a new local adaptive feature enhancement module is designed to enhance the regional commodity features in the shallow feature map to enhance the expression of the small commodity feature information. Finally, a small commodity detection box is generated through the regional regression network to complete the small commodity detection task. Compared to RetinaNet, the F1-score improved by 2.6%, and the mean average precision improved by 2.45%. The experimental results reveal that the proposed method can effectively enhance the expressions of the salient features of small commodities and further improve the detection accuracy for small commodities.
Sensors and Communications for the Social Good
Authors: Palazzi Claudio , Gaggi Ombretta , Manzoni Pietro
Published: February 2023

This topical collection focuses on applying sensors and communications technologies for social good [...]
Two-Dimensional Barrage Jamming against SAR Using a Frequency Diverse Array Jammer
Authors: Zhang Jingke , Zeng Yonghu , Qi Zongfeng , Wang Liandong , Wang Ya , Shen Xujian
Published: February 2023

Due to the modulation of tiny frequency offset on the array elements, a frequency diverse array (FDA) jammer can generate multiple range-dimension point false targets, and many deception jamming methods against SAR using an FDA jammer have been studied. However, the potential of the FDA jammer to generate barrage jamming has rarely been reported. In this paper, a barrage jamming method against SAR using an FDA jammer is proposed. To achieve two-dimensional (2-D) barrage effect, the stepped frequency offset of FDA is introduced to generate range-dimensional barrage patches, and the micro-motion modulation is employed to increase the extent of barrage patches along the azimuth direction. Mathematical derivations and simulation results demonstrate the validity of the proposed method in generating flexible and controllable barrage jamming.
A Method for Detecting the Vacuum Degree of Vacuum Glass Based on Digital Holography
Authors: Li Ting , Song Qinghe , He Guangjun , Xia Haiting , Li Haoxiang , Gui Jinbin , Dang Haining
Published: February 2023

The vacuum degree is the key parameter reflecting the quality and performance of vacuum glass. This investigation proposed a novel method, based on digital holography, to detect the vacuum degree of vacuum glass. The detection system was composed of an optical pressure sensor, a Mach–Zehnder interferometer and software. The results showed that the deformation of monocrystalline silicon film in an optical pressure sensor could respond to the attenuation of the vacuum degree of vacuum glass. Using 239 groups of experimental data, pressure differences were shown to have a good linear relationship with the optical pressure sensor’s deformations; pressure differences were linearly fitted to obtain the numerical relationship between pressure difference and deformation and to calculate the vacuum degree of the vacuum glass. Measuring the vacuum degree of vacuum glass under three different conditions proved that the digital holographic detection system could measure the vacuum degree of vacuum glass quickly and accurately. The optical pressure sensor’s deformation measuring range was less than 4.5 μm, the measuring range of the corresponding pressure difference was less than 2600 pa, and the measuring accuracy’s order of magnitude was 10 pa. This method has potential market applications.
Recent Applications of Carbon Nanotubes for Separation and Enrichment of Lead Ions
Authors: Pyrzynska Krystyna
Published: February 2023

Lead is one of the most toxic heavy metals released into the environment through industrial sources. Its direct determination is often a problem due to the presence of relatively complex matrices as well as low content. Thus, the additional separation and preconcentration steps are necessary in the analytical procedures. Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) continue to attract significant interest for these purposes as they exhibit a high specific surface area, exceptional porosities, and numerous adsorption sites. The modified CNTs with active groups, reagents, or materials have been widely explored using more mutual interactions that can significantly improve their sorption capacity and selectivity. This paper summarizes the recent developments from 2017 in the application of carbon nanotubes for the separation of Pb(II) and its enrichment/removal from the matrix components. Attention is given to oxidized CNTs, their modification with complexing compounds, functionalization with metal oxides and polymers, new nanocomposites, and carbon nanotube membranes.