bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Cerebrospinal Fluid Concentrations of Meropenem and Vancomycin in Ventriculitis Patients Obtained by TDM-Guided Continuous Infusion
Authors: Tiede Christoph , Chiriac Ute , Dubinski Daniel , Raimann Florian J. , Frey Otto R. , Röhr Anka C. , Wieduwilt Anna , Eibach Michael , Filmann Natalie , Senft Christian , Zacharowski Kai , Seifert Volker , Mersmann Jan
Published: November 2021

Effective antibiotic therapy of cerebral infections such as meningitis or ventriculitis is hindered by low penetration into the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Because continuous infusion of meropenem and vancomycin and routine therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) have been proposed to optimize antimicrobial exposure in ventriculitis patients, an individualized dosing strategy was implemented in our department. We present a retrospective analysis of meropenem and vancomycin concentrations in serum and CSF in the first nine ventriculitis patients treated with continuous infusion and TDM-guided dose optimization aiming at 20–30 mg/L. Median initial dosing was 8.8 g/24 h meropenem and 4.25 g/24 h vancomycin, respectively, resulting in median serum concentrations of 21.3 mg/L for meropenem and 24.5 mg/L for vancomycin and CSF concentrations of 3.4 mg/L for meropenem and 1.7 mg/L for vancomycin. Median CSF penetration was 15% for meropenem and 7% for vancomycin. With initial dosing, all but one patient achieved CSF concentrations above 1 mg/L. Dose adjustment according to TDM ensured sufficient CSF concentrations in all patients within 48 h of treatment. Given the limited penetration, continuous infusion of meropenem and vancomycin based on renal function and TDM-guided dose optimization appears a reasonable approach to attain sufficient CSF concentrations in ventriculitis patients.
Prescription of Aminoglycosides in 23 French Neonatal Intensive Care Units
Authors: Martin-Mons Séverine , Gouyon Béatrice , Lorrain Séverine , Abasse Soumeth , Alexandre Cénéric , Binson Guillaume , Brat Roselyne , Caeymaex Laurence , Couringa Yvan , Desbruyeres Cécile , Meglio Marine Dorsi-Di , Escourrou Guillaume , Flamein Florence , Flechelles Olivier , Girard Olivier , Kermorvant-Duchemin Elsa , Lapillonne Alexandre , Lafon Catherine , Di Maio Massimo , Mazeiras Gaël , Mourdie Julien , Moussy-Durandy Amélie , Pages Anne-Sophie , Ramful Duksha , Razafimahefa Hasinirina , Rosenthal Jean-Marc , Iacobelli Silvia , Gouyon Jean-Bernard
Published: November 2021

Background: Aminoglycosides are the most prescribed antibiotics in neonatal intensive care units (NICU). Reducing exposure to antibiotics in the NICU is highly desirable, particularly through benchmarking methods. Methods: Description of aminoglycosides prescriptions in 23 French NICU using the same computerized system over a 4-year period (2017–2020). A benchmarking program of antibiotics prescription was associated. Results: The population included 53,818 patients. Exposition rates to gentamicin and amikacin were 31.7% (n = 17,049) and 9.1% (n = 4894), respectively. Among neonates exposed to gentamicin, 90.4% of gentamicin and 77.6% of amikacin treatments were started within the 1st week of life. Among neonates exposed to amikacin, 77.6% started amikacin within the 1st week. The average daily dose of gentamicin at first prescription increased over the study period from 3.9 in 2017 to 4.4 mg/kg/d in 2020 (p < 0.0001). Conversely, the corresponding amikacin daily doses decreased from 13.0 in 2017 to 12.3 mg/kg/d in 2020 (p = 0.001). The time interval between the first 2 doses of gentamicin was mainly distributed in 3 values during the first week of life: 49.4% at 24 h, 26.4% at 36 h, and 22.9% at 48 h. At first amikacin prescription, the time interval was distributed in 4 categories: 48% at 24 h, 4.1% at 30 h, 8.5% at 36 h, and 37.1% at 48 h. As compared to literature guidelines, the rates of overdose and underdose in gentamicin (1.5% and 2.7%) and amikacin (0.3% and 1.0%). They significantly decreased for gentamicin over the study period. In multivariate analysis, the factors significantly associated with GENT overdose were the year of admission, prematurity, length of stay, and duration of the treatment. Conclusion: This prescription strategy ensured a low rate of overdose and underdose, and some benefits of the benchmarking program is suggested.
A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of the Effect of Statins on Glutathione Peroxidase, Superoxide Dismutase, and Catalase
Authors: Zinellu Angelo , Mangoni Arduino A.
Published: November 2021

Statins may exert protective effects against oxidative stress by upregulating specific antioxidant mechanisms. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of the effect of statins on three key antioxidant enzymes: glutathione peroxidase (GPx), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase. The electronic databases PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus were searched from inception to July 2021. The risk of bias was assessed with the Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal Checklist and certainty of evidence was assessed using the GRADE framework. In 15 studies, reporting 17 treatment arms in 773 patients (mean age 53 years, 54% males), statins significantly increased the concentrations of both GPx (standardized mean difference, SMD = 0.80, 95% confidence interval, CI 0.13 to 1.46, p = 0.018; high certainty of evidence) and SOD (SMD = 1.54, 95% CI 0.71 to 2.36, p < 0.001; high certainty of evidence), but not catalase (SMD = −0.16, 95% CI −0.51 to 0.20, p = 0.394; very low certainty of evidence). The pooled SMD values were not altered in sensitivity analysis. There was no publication bias. In conclusion, statin treatment significantly increases the circulating concentrations of GPx and SOD, suggesting an antioxidant effect of these agents (PROSPERO registration number: CRD42021271589).
Structural and Biochemical Characterization of Thioredoxin-2 from Deinococcus radiodurans
Authors: Kim Min-Kyu , Zhao Lei , Jeong Soyoung , Zhang Jing , Jung Jong-Hyun , Seo Ho Seong , Choi Jong-il , Lim Sangyong
Published: November 2021

Thioredoxin (Trx), a ubiquitous protein showing disulfide reductase activity, plays critical roles in cellular redox control and oxidative stress response. Trx is a member of the Trx system, comprising Trx, Trx reductase (TrxR), and a cognate reductant (generally reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate, NADPH). Bacterial Trx1 contains only the Trx-fold domain, in which the active site CXXC motif that is critical for the disulfide reduction activity is located. Bacterial Trx2 contains an N-terminal extension, which forms a zinc-finger domain, including two additional CXXC motifs. The multi-stress resistant bacterium Deinococcus radiodurans encodes both Trx1 (DrTrx1) and Trx2 (DrTrx2), which act as members of the enzymatic antioxidant systems. In this study, we constructed Δdrtrx1 and Δdrtrx2 mutants and examined their survival rates under H2O2 treated conditions. Both drtrx1 and drtrx2 genes were induced following H2O2 treatment, and the Δdrtrx1 and Δdrtrx2 mutants showed a decrease in resistance toward H2O2, compared to the wild-type. Native DrTrx1 and DrTrx2 clearly displayed insulin and DTNB reduction activity, whereas mutant DrTrx1 and DrTrx2, which harbors the substitution of conserved cysteine to serine in its active site CXXC motif, showed almost no reduction activity. Mutations in the zinc binding cysteines did not fully eliminate the reduction activities of DrTrx2. Furthermore, we solved the crystal structure of full-length DrTrx2 at 1.96 Å resolution. The N-terminal zinc-finger domain of Trx2 is thought to be involved in Trx-target interaction and, from our DrTrx2 structure, the orientation of the zinc-finger domain of DrTrx2 and its interdomain interaction, between the Trx-fold domain and the zinc-finger domain, is clearly distinguished from those of the other Trx2 structures.
Chemical Constituents, In Vitro Antioxidant Activity and In Silico Study on NADPH Oxidase of Allium sativum L. (Garlic) Essential Oil
Authors: Herrera-Calderon Oscar , Chacaltana-Ramos Luz Josefina , Huayanca-Gutiérrez Irma Carmen , Algarni Majed A. , Alqarni Mohammed , Batiha Gaber El-Saber
Published: November 2021

Allium sativum L., also known as garlic, is a perennial plant widely used as a spice and also considered a medicinal herb since antiquity. The aim of this study was to determine by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) the chemical profile fingerprint of the essential oil (EO) of one accession of Peruvian A. sativum (garlic), to evaluate its antioxidant activity and an in- silico study on NADPH oxidase activity of the volatile phytoconstituents. The antioxidant activity was tested using DPPH and β-carotene assays. An in-silico study was carried out on NADPH oxidase (PDB ID: 2CDU), as was ADMET prediction. The results indicated that diallyl trisulfide (44.21%) is the major component of the EO, followed by diallyl disulfide (22.08%), allyl methyl trisulfide (9.72%), 2-vinyl-4H-1,3-dithiine (4.78%), and α-bisabolol (3.32%). Furthermore, the EO showed antioxidant activity against DPPH radical (IC50 = 124.60 ± 2.3 µg/mL) and β-carotene bleaching (IC50 = 328.51 ± 2.0). The best docking score on NADPH oxidase corresponds to α-bisabolol (ΔG = −10.62 kcal/mol), followed by 5-methyl-1,2,3,4-tetrathiane (ΔG = −9.33 kcal/mol). Additionally, the volatile components could be linked to the observed antioxidant activity, leading to potential inhibitors of NADPH oxidase.
The Emerging Scenario of the Gut–Brain Axis: The Therapeutic Actions of the New Actor Kefir against Neurodegenerative Diseases
Authors: Pereira Thiago M. C. , Côco Larissa Z. , Ton Alyne M. M. , Meyrelles Silvana S. , Campos-Toimil Manuel , Campagnaro Bianca P. , Vasquez Elisardo C.
Published: November 2021

The fact that millions of people worldwide suffer from Alzheimer’s disease (AD) or Parkinson’s disease (PD), the two most prevalent neurodegenerative diseases (NDs), has been a permanent challenge to science. New tools were developed over the past two decades and were immediately incorporated into routines in many laboratories, but the most valuable scientific contribution was the “waking up” of the gut microbiota. Disturbances in the gut microbiota, such as an imbalance in the beneficial/pathogenic effects and a decrease in diversity, can result in the passage of undesired chemicals and cells to the systemic circulation. Recently, the potential effect of probiotics on restoring/preserving the microbiota was also evaluated regarding important metabolite and vitamin production, pathogen exclusion, immune system maturation, and intestinal mucosal barrier integrity. Therefore, the focus of the present review is to discuss the available data and conclude what has been accomplished over the past two decades. This perspective fosters program development of the next steps that are necessary to obtain confirmation through clinical trials on the magnitude of the effects of kefir in large samples.
Garlic (Allium sativum L.) Bioactives and Its Role in Alleviating Oral Pathologies
Authors: Sasi Minnu , Kumar Sandeep , Kumar Manoj , Thapa Sandhya , Prajapati Uma , Tak Yamini , Changan Sushil , Saurabh Vivek , Kumari Shweta , Kumar Ashok , Hasan Muzaffar , Chandran Deepak , Radha  , Bangar Sneh Punia , Dhumal Sangram , Senapathy Marisennayya , Thiyagarajan Anitha , Alhariri Ahmad , Dey Abhijit , Singh Surinder , Prakash Suraj , Pandiselvam Ravi , Mekhemar Mohamed
Published: November 2021

Garlic (Allium sativa L.) is a bulbous flowering plant belongs to the family of Amaryllidaceae and is a predominant horticultural crop originating from central Asia. Garlic and its products are chiefly used for culinary and therapeutic purposes in many countries. Bulbs of raw garlic have been investigated for their role in oral health, which are ascribed to a myriad of biologically active compounds such as alliin, allicin, methiin, S-allylcysteine (SAC), diallyl sulfide (DAS), S-ally-mercapto cysteine (SAMC), diallyl disulphide (DADS), diallyl trisulfide (DATS) and methyl allyl disulphide. A systematic review was conducted following the PRISMA statement. Scopus, PubMed, Clinicaltrials.gov, and Science direct databases were searched between 12 April 2021 to 4 September 2021. A total of 148 studies were included and the qualitative synthesis phytochemical profile of GE, biological activities, therapeutic applications of garlic extract (GE) in oral health care system, and its mechanism of action in curing various oral pathologies have been discussed. Furthermore, the safety of incorporation of GE as food supplements is also critically discussed. To conclude, GE could conceivably make a treatment recourse for patients suffering from diverse oral diseases.
Antioxidant-Rich Natural Raw Materials in the Prevention and Treatment of Selected Oral Cavity and Periodontal Diseases
Authors: Pytko-Polończyk Jolanta , Stawarz-Janeczek Magdalena , Kryczyk-Poprawa Agata , Muszyńska Bożena
Published: November 2021

Antioxidant-rich natural raw materials have been used for thousands of years in traditional medicine. In the past decade, there has been increasing interest in naturotherapy, which is a practice of using products with a natural origin. Natural products can be effective in the treatment and prevention of oral and dental diseases, among others. Such raw materials used in dentistry are characterized by antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antiviral, antiedematous, astringent, anticoagulant, dehydrating, vitaminizing, and—above all—regenerative properties. Reports have shown that a relationship exists between oral diseases and the qualitative and quantitative composition of the microbiota colonizing the oral cavity. This review aimed to analyze the studies focusing on the microbiome colonizing the oral cavity in the context of using natural raw materials especially herbs, plant extracts, and isolated biologically active compounds as agents in the prevention and treatment of oral and periodontal diseases such as dental caries as well as mucosal changes associated with salivary secretion disorder. The present work discusses selected plant ingredients exhibiting an antioxidant activity with potential for the treatment of selected oral cavity and periodontal diseases.
Deep Learning Approaches to Colorectal Cancer Diagnosis: A Review
Authors: Tamang Lakpa Dorje , Kim Byung Wook
Published: November 2021

Unprecedented breakthroughs in the development of graphical processing systems have led to great potential for deep learning (DL) algorithms in analyzing visual anatomy from high-resolution medical images. Recently, in digital pathology, the use of DL technologies has drawn a substantial amount of attention for use in the effective diagnosis of various cancer types, especially colorectal cancer (CRC), which is regarded as one of the dominant causes of cancer-related deaths worldwide. This review provides an in-depth perspective on recently published research articles on DL-based CRC diagnosis and prognosis. Overall, we provide a retrospective synopsis of simple image-processing-based and machine learning (ML)-based computer-aided diagnosis (CAD) systems, followed by a comprehensive appraisal of use cases with different types of state-of-the-art DL algorithms for detecting malignancies. We first list multiple standardized and publicly available CRC datasets from two imaging types: colonoscopy and histopathology. Secondly, we categorize the studies based on the different types of CRC detected (tumor tissue, microsatellite instability, and polyps), and we assess the data preprocessing steps and the adopted DL architectures before presenting the optimum diagnostic results. CRC diagnosis with DL algorithms is still in the preclinical phase, and therefore, we point out some open issues and provide some insights into the practicability and development of robust diagnostic systems in future health care and oncology.
A Multidisciplinary Approach for Improving Resource Efficiency in the Indian Surimi Supply Chain
Authors: Thakur Maitri , Cowan Emily , Widell Kristina Norne , Mozuraityte Revilija , Slizyte Rasa
Published: November 2021

With the world population set to approach an estimated 9 billion by 2050, against a background of finite natural resources, we need renewable biological resources for securing healthy food and animal feed to meet the nutritional requirements of the growing population. In this paper, key findings from ReValue Eranet project financed by Norway, India, and Spain are presented. The project aims to contribute to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) target on food losses reduction, by developing innovative technologies for the surimi industry, namely reducing losses by improved cold chain management and efficient conversion of rest raw materials (RRM) and wash water into value-added protein and oil ingredients for food and feed applications. A multidisciplinary research approach was applied with expertise from supply chain management, life cycle assessment, biotechnology, energy, and process engineering to propose several solutions for improving the overall resource efficiency of the surimi supply chains in India. This paper presents a synthesis of proposed solutions from ReValue project and potential contribution towards SDGs as well as market exploitation strategies.
Nonlinear Optimal Position Control with Observer for Position Tracking of Surfaced Mounded Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motors
Authors: Ha Dong Hyun , Kim Raeyoung
Published: November 2021

Previous control methods were designed based on cascade structure and consist of position and current controllers for permanent magnet-synchronous motors (PMSMs). Thus, the structures of the previous methods are necessarily complex although the stability is guaranteed. Thus, the gain tuning is difficult to obtain for the desired control performance for the PMSMs. To overcome this problem, this paper proposes a nonlinear optimal position control method with an observer to improve the position tracking performance of PMSMs. The proposed method consists of a desired state generator, controller, and nonlinear observer. The desired states and inputs are derived using the PMSM model. Then, the state feedback controller is designed based on the whole tracking error dynamics including both mechanical and electrical dynamics. The nonlinear observer is designed to estimate the velocity and load torque. The closed-loop stability is proven using the input-to-state stability. The proposed method is not designed based on the cascade structure. Furthermore, the control and observer gains are chosen using an optimal control method to obtain the desired performance for the PMSMs. This approach simplifies the design process such that the control algorithm is suitable for real-time control. The performance of the proposed method is validated via simulations and experiments.
Graph Theory-Based Characterization and Classification of Household Photovoltaics
Authors: Ceresuela Jesús M. , Chemisana Daniel , López Nacho
Published: November 2021

With the clear goal of improving photovoltaic (PV) technology performance towards nearly-zero energy buildings, a graph theory-based model that characterizes photovoltaic panel structures is developed. An algorithm to obtain all possible configurations of a given number of PV panels is presented and the results are exposed for structures using 3 to 7 panels. Two different classifications of all obtained structures are carried out: the first one regarding the maximum power they can produce and the second according to their capability to produce energy under a given probability that the solar panels will fail. Finally, both classifications are considered simultaneously through the expected value of power production. This creates structures that are, at the same time, reliable and efficient in terms of production. The parallel associations turn out to be optimal, but some other less expected configurations prove to be rated high.
Lagrangian Data Assimilation for Improving Model Estimates of Velocity Fields and Residual Currents in a Tidal Estuary
Authors: Mardani Neda , Khanarmuei Mohammadreza , Suara Kabir , Brown Richard , McCallum Adrian , Sidle Roy C.
Published: November 2021

Numerical models are associated with uncertainties that can be reduced through data assimilation (DA). Lower costs have driven a recent tendency to use Lagrangian instruments such as drifters and floats to obtain information about water bodies. However, difficulties emerge in their assimilation, since Lagrangian data are set out in a moving frame of reference and are not compatible with the fixed grid locations used in models to predict flow variables. We applied a pseudo-Lagrangian approach using OpenDA, an open-source DA tool to assimilate Lagrangian drifter data into an estuarine hydrodynamic model. Despite inherent challenges with using drifter datasets, the work showed that low-cost, low-resolution drifters can provide a relatively higher improvement over the Eulerian dataset due to the larger area coverage of the drifter. We showed that the assimilation of Lagrangian data obtained from GPS-tracked drifters in a tidal channel for a few hours can significantly improve modelled velocity fields (up to 30% herein). A 40% improvement in residual current direction was obtained when assimilating both Lagrangian and Eulerian data. We conclude that the best results are achieved when both Lagrangian and Eulerian datasets are assimilated into the hydrodynamic model.
Bioactivity Potential of Industrial Sunflower Meal Ethanol-Wash Solute Obtained as Waste from Protein Isolation Process
Authors: Ivanova Petya , Ivanov Ivan G. , Tumbarski Yulian , Kalaydzhiev Hristo , Dincheva Ivayla N. , Chalova Vesela I.
Published: November 2021

Industrial sunflower meal is rich in secondary metabolites, which negatively influence the quality and functional properties of respective protein isolates. To reduce their quantity, sunflower meal was subjected to a four-step treatment with 75% aqueous ethanol solution. The ethanol-wash liquids were collected, concentrated, and freeze-dried to prepare powdery sunflower meal ethanol-wash solute (SEWS). Otherwise considered waste from the main process of protein isolation, the SWES was turned into a novel product containing macrocomponents, microelements, and bioactive compounds. It was found to be rich in carbohydrates (62.14%), lipids (7.73%), and bioactive compounds such as phenols (16.38%) and flavonoids (4.41%). Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC–MS) analyzes revealed prevalence of sucrose (14.01%), linoleic acid (12.10%), and chlorogenic acid (85.41%) based on total ion current (TIC) of polar, nonpolar, and phenolic compounds, respectively. The SEWS was found to be rich in microelements with iron (259.02 mg/kg) and copper (109.36 mg/kg) being the highest amounts. The product contained 0.10 mg/kg selenium. Scavenging of 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radicals increased with the increase in SEWS concentrations and reached 52.3% and 69% for 0.05% SEWS when dissolved in water and 70% ethanol, respectively. The highest hydroxyl radical scavenging activity (52.4%) was achieved at 0.1% SEWS. For all studied concentrations (0.005% to 0.1%), the SEWS exhibited a higher inhibition capacity than mannitol, which was used as a positive control. The SEWS demonstrated inhibiting properties against Gram (+) Curtobacterium flaccumfaciens PM-YT and Fusarium moniliforme ATCC 38932 fungus. The obtained results outline the SEWS as a natural product with bioactive properties that might be useful in the agriculture, food, and nutraceutical industries.
Protein Binding of a Novel Platinum-Based Anticancer Agent BP-C1 Containing a Lignin-Derived Polymeric Ligand
Authors: Fedoros Elena , Pigarev Sergey , Ivanenko Natalya , Westbury Megan , Solovyev Nikolay
Published: November 2021

Platinum (Pt) antineoplastic agents remain indispensable for the treatment of oncological disease. Pt-based drugs are mainly used in the therapy of ovarian cancer and non-small-cell lung carcinoma. A novel platinum-containing antineoplastic agent BP-C1 is a complex of diamminoplatinum with an oxygen-donor polymeric ligand of benzene-polycarboxylic acids, isolated from natural lignin. The aim of the study was to investigate ex vivo protein binding of BP-C1. Protein binding of BP-C1 was tested using equilibrium dialysis. Pooled blood plasma was used in the study. Control solutions contained the same dosages of BP-C1 in PBS (pH 7.2). Plasma and control solutions were submitted to equilibrium dialysis across a vertical 8 kDa cut-off membrane for 4 h at 37 °C under gentle shaking. Platinum was quantified in dialysis and retained fractions using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry after microwave digestion. The dialysis system was tested and validated; this showed no protein saturation with platinum. A medium degree of binding of platinum to macromolecular species of ca. 60% was observed. The study showed the maintenance of a high fraction of free BP-C1 in the bloodstream, facilitating its pharmacological activity.
Estimation of Live Load Distribution Factor for a PSC I Girder Bridge in an Ambient Vibration Test
Authors: Kim Sung-Wan , Yun Da-Woon , Park Dong-Uk , Chang Sung-Jin , Park Jae-Bong
Published: November 2021

Maintenance of bridges in use is essential and measuring the live load distribution factor (LLDF) of a bridge to examine bridge integrity and safety is important. A vehicle loading test has been used to measure the LLDF of a bridge. To carry this out on a bridge in use, traffic control is required because loading must be performed at designated positions using vehicles whose details are known. This makes it difficult to measure LLDF. This study proposed a method of estimating the LLDF of a bridge using the vertical displacement response caused by traveling vehicles under ambient vibration conditions in the absence of vehicle control. Since the displacement response measured from a bridge included both static and dynamic components, the static component required for the estimation of LLDF was extracted using empirical mode decomposition (EMD). The vehicle loading and ambient vibration tests were conducted to verify the validity of the proposed method. It was confirmed that the proposed method can effectively estimate the LLDF of a bridge if the vehicle type and driving lane on the bridge are identified in the ambient vibration test.
The Relations between Street Network Configuration and Travel Behavior in Pakistan; the Optimal Level of Street Connectivity for a More Active Mobility
Authors: Mehriar Melika , Masoumi Houshmand , Aslam Atif Bilal , Gillani Syed Mubasher , Suhail Tuba , Zulfiqar Ayesha
Published: November 2021

Urban sprawl is a particular pattern of the street network and land use. The relationship between street networks and sprawl has been discussed by urban scholars in developed and high-income countries. Nevertheless, there is a lack of research on the relationships between street connectivity and urban travel behavior, particularly among emerging markets. This paper aims to study correlations between urban mobility and street-length density as an indicator for assessing the compactness of an area by developing two hierarchical regression models and controlling for socioeconomic variables in two large Pakistani cities: Lahore and Rawalpindi. Moreover, this paper defines optimal cutoff values for street-length density and active transport. Finally, three chi-square tests were conducted to assess the differences between using different mode choices by people living in sprawled neighborhoods versus compact neighborhoods. Our findings confirm the use of different transport modes depending on the purpose of the trip (commuting or non-commuting), length of trip (within or outside the neighborhood), and starting point (sprawled neighborhood or compact area). We also find a positive correlation between street-length density around homes and commuting distance, the frequency of public transport use, and the use of private motor vehicles in commuting trips in the two cities. Street-length density around workplaces is correlated with commuting distance, the frequency of public transport use, and the use of private motor vehicles when socioeconomic variables (including age, daily activity, and monthly income) are controlled for in the two models. The behavior of Pakistani residents changes with a street-length density of 137 and 144.7 m/m2 for homes and workplaces, respectively, in terms of using active mobility.
Information Extraction and Named Entity Recognition Supported Social Media Sentiment Analysis during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Nemes László , Kiss Attila
Published: November 2021

Social media platforms are increasingly being used to communicate information, something which has only intensified during the pandemic. News portals and governments are also increasing attention to digital communications, announcements and response or reaction monitoring. Twitter, as one of the largest social networking sites, which has become even more important in the communication of information during the pandemic, provides space for a lot of different opinions and news, with many discussions as well. In this paper, we look at the sentiments of people and we use tweets to determine how people have related to COVID-19 over a given period of time. These sentiment analyses are augmented with information extraction and named entity recognition to get an even more comprehensive picture. The sentiment analysis is based on the ’Bidirectional encoder representations from transformers’ (BERT) model, which is the basic measurement model for the comparisons. We consider BERT as the baseline and compare the results with the RNN, NLTK and TextBlob sentiment analyses. The RNN results are significantly closer to the benchmark results given by BERT, both models are able to categorize all tweets without a single tweet fall into the neutral category. Then, via a deeper analysis of these results, we can get an even more concise picture of people’s emotional state in the given period of time. The data from these analyses further support the emotional categories, and provide a deeper understanding that can provide a solid starting point for other disciplines as well, such as linguistics or psychology. Thus, the sentiment analysis, supplemented with information extraction and named entity recognition analyses, can provide a supported and deeply explored picture of specific sentiment categories and user attitudes.
Efficient Estimate of Low-Frequency Words’ Embeddings Based on the Dictionary: A Case Study on Chinese
Authors: Liao Xianwen , Huang Yongzhong , Wei Changfu , Zhang Chenhao , Deng Yongqing , Yi Ke
Published: November 2021

Obtaining high-quality embeddings of out-of-vocabularies (OOVs) and low-frequency words is a challenge in natural language processing (NLP). To efficiently estimate the embeddings of OOVs and low-frequency words, we propose a new method that uses the dictionary to estimate the embeddings of OOVs and low-frequency words. More specifically, the explanatory note of an entry in dictionaries accurately describes the semantics of the corresponding word. Naturally, we adopt the sentence representation model to extract the semantics of the explanatory note and regard the semantics as the embedding of the corresponding word. We design a new sentence representation model to encode sentences to extract the semantics from the explanatory notes of entries more efficiently. Based on the assumption that the higher quality of word embeddings will lead to better performance, we design an extrinsic experiment to evaluate the quality of low-frequency words’ embeddings. The experimental results show that the embeddings of low-frequency words estimated by our proposed method have higher quality. In addition, both intrinsic and extrinsic experiments show that our proposed sentence representation model can represent the semantics of sentences well.
Pedobarography: A Review on Methods and Practical Use in Foot Disorders
Authors: Lorkowski Jacek , Gawronska Karolina , Pokorski Mieczyslaw
Published: November 2021

Pedobarographic examination is a non-invasive method that enables the quantitative and qualitative evaluation of plantar pressure distribution, notably the plantar pressure distribution, referring to the function of the entire musculoskeletal system. This is a scoping review that aims to update knowledge on the practical use of pedobarography in foot disorders. We also attempted to systematize the methodological principles of conducting the pedobarographic examination. We searched Medline/PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews for the articles on the methodology of pedobarography. The search encompassed clinical trials, randomized controlled trials, meta-analyses, and reviews published in English between January 1982 and February 2021. The literature distinguishes three different types of examinations: static, postural, and dynamic. The rationale for each is presented. The review pointedly shows the unique use of pedobarography for the quantitative and qualitative evaluations of the plantar pressure distribution. It also points to the need for enhancing the awareness among medical professionals of the method and advantages it provides for patient management. Shortcomings of the method are discussed of which the difficulty in establishing the cause-and-effect relationship of foot disorders is the most disturbing as it limits the comparative verification of results of different studies. There also appears a need for developing standardized algorithmic protocols and recommendations to seamlessly perform pedobarography in clinical settings, which would help make wider use of this valuable tool.
Controlled Release of Tazarotene from Magnetically Responsive Nanofiber Patch: Towards More Efficient Topical Therapy of Psoriasis
Authors: Andrýsková Natália , Sourivong Paul , Babincová Melánia , Šimaljaková Mária
Published: November 2021

Electrospun polycaprolactone nanofibers with embedded magnetic nanoparticles were developed for use in the topical delivery of antipsoriatic drugs. To test a hydrophobic drug, a tazarotene has been used, which is an efficient retinoid derivative. Such a smart hyperthermia nanofiber system with self-generated heat from the incorporated magnetic nanoparticles induced drug release in response to on–off switching of alternating magnetic fields for the delivery of tazarotene through the skin, as quantified using Franz cells. This highly efficient external field-controllable system with minimal skin irritation could create a new avenue for the topical therapy of psoriasis.
Potential Imaging Capability of Optical Coherence Tomography as Dental Optical Probe: A Mini-Review
Authors: Putra Ramadhan Hardani , Yoda Nobuhiro , Astuti Eha Renwi , Sasaki Keiichi
Published: November 2021

Optical coherence tomography (OCT) has been emerging in the dental field as an alternative diagnostic imaging for “optical probes” owing to its micro-meter resolution and non-invasiveness. This review aims to answer the following question: what is the imaging capability of OCT to visualize the subgingival area? Online searches were performed on PubMed and SPIE digital library databases, followed by a manual screening of references listed in relevant studies. The feasibility and imaging performance of OCT to visualize the subgingival area, including the periodontal, peri-implant, and crown margins, are discussed. All of the literature reviewed in this study demonstrated that OCT has the ability to visualize periodontal, including hard and soft tissues, and peri-implant conditions with high resolution. Gingival sulcus depth, periodontal pocket, and calculus deposition can also be depicted. However, clinical evidence that support the imaging capability of OCT as a dental optical probe to visualize subgingival area is lacking. Limited availability, portability, and usability of OCT for clinical experiments in dentistry, particularly for the subgingival area, might be contributed to its limitations. Hence, further development of handheld OCT systems and controlled clinical trials are needed to confirm the imaging capability of OCT reported in this review.
Geopolymers Reinforced with Natural Fibers: A Comparison among Different Sources
Authors: Saccani Andrea , Molari Luisa , Totaro Grazia , Manzi Stefania
Published: November 2021

The performance of different natural fibers (hemp, kenaf and bamboo) used to formulate composites with an alkali-activated matrix based on metakaolin is evaluated. Short fibers were randomly dispersed up to about 3% of the binder weight, and the fresh and cured properties of the derived composites were determined. Up to the investigated fraction, it is still possible to obtain adequate workability without the supply of additional water or additives. Upon modification with fibers, the mechanical behavior changes from completely brittle to pseudoplastic with increased toughness. The flexural strength increases by up to 80% at the highest bamboo amount and up to 20% for kenaf. Hemp fibers have a negligible effect on flexural strength but strongly improve the materials’ toughness. Moreover, the addition of fibers does not change the manner in which the material interacts with moisture. Indeed, the water uptake of the modified samples was comparable to that of the unmodified samples, and the composites showed a decreased rate of water diffusion as the amount of fiber increased.
Garlic Extract: Inhibition of Biochemical and Biophysical Changes in Glycated HSA
Authors: Khan Mohd W. A. , Otaibi Ahmed A. , Alhumaid Arwa F. M. , Alsukaibi Abdulmohsen K. D. , Alshamari Asma K. , Alshammari Eida M. , Al-Zahrani Salma A. , Almudyani Ahmed Y. M. , Sherwani Subuhi
Published: November 2021

Glycation of various biomolecules contributes to structural changes and formation of several high molecular weight fluorescent and non-fluorescent, advanced glycation end products (AGEs). AGEs and glycation are involved in various health complications. Synthetic medicines, including metformin, have several adverse effects. Natural products and their derivatives are used in the treatment of various diseases due to their significant therapeutic qualities. Allium sativum (garlic) is used in traditional medicines because of its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-diabetic properties. This study aimed to determine the anti-glycating and AGEs inhibitory activities of garlic. Biochemical and biophysical analyses were performed for in vitro incubated human serum albumin (HSA) with 0.05 M of glucose for 1, 5, and 10 weeks. Anti-glycating and AGEs inhibitory effect of garlic was investigated in glycated samples. Increased biochemical and biophysical changes were observed in glycated HSA incubated for 10 weeks (G-HSA-10W) as compared to native HSA (N-HSA) as well as glycated HSA incubated for 1 (G-HSA-1W) and 5 weeks (G-HSA-5W). Garlic extract with a concentration of ≥6.25 µg/mL exhibited significant inhibition in biophysical and biochemical changes of G-HSA-10W. Our findings demonstrated that garlic extract has the ability to inhibit biochemical and biophysical changes in HSA that occurred due to glycation. Thus, garlic extract can be used against glycation and AGE-related health complications linked with chronic diseases in diabetic patients due to its broad therapeutic potential.
A Study on Estimating Land Value Distribution for the Talingchan District, Bangkok Using Points-of-Interest Data and Machine Learning Classification
Authors: Worachairungreung Morakot , Thanakunwutthirot Kunyaphat , Ninsawat Sarawut
Published: November 2021

Land is an essential factor in real estate developments, and each location has its unique characteristics. Land value is a vital cost of real estate developments. Higher land costs mean that project developers must create higher valued products to cover the higher land costs and to maintain a profit level from their developments. Land values vary according to surrounding factors, such as environment, social, and economic situations. Machine learning is a popular data estimation technique that enables a system to learn from sample data; however, there are few studies on its use for estimating land value distribution. Therefore, we aim to apply the technique of machine learning to estimate land value and to investigate the factors affecting the land value in the Talingchan district, Bangkok., we used land value level as the dependent variable, with other factors affecting land value levels as the independent variables. Ten points of interest were chosen from Google Places API. Then, three machine learning algorithms, namely CART, random forest, support vector machine, were applied. For this study, we selected 45,032 land parcels as the experimental data and randomly divided them into two groups. The first 70% of the land parcels was used to create the training area. The other 30% of the land parcels was used to create the testing area to verify the accuracy of the land value estimation from the applied machine learning techniques. The most accurate machine learning results were produced by random forest, which were then used to measure the factor importance. The academic group factor was school, and the commercial group factors were clothing store, pharmacy, convenience store, hawker stall, grocery store, automatic teller machine, supermarket, restaurant, and company.
Bioactive Compounds and Nanodelivery Perspectives for Treatment of Cardiovascular Diseases
Authors: Sindhu Rakesh K. , Goyal Annima , Algın Yapar Evren , Cavalu Simona
Published: November 2021

Bioactive compounds are comprised of small quantities of extra nutritional constituents providing both health benefits and enhanced nutritional value, based on their ability to modulate one or more metabolic processes. Plant-based diets are being thoroughly researched for their cardiovascular properties and effectiveness against cancer. Flavonoids, phytoestrogens, phenolic compounds, and carotenoids are some of the bioactive compounds that aim to work in prevention and treating the cardiovascular disease in a systemic manner, including hypertension, atherosclerosis, and heart failure. Their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties are the most important characteristics that make them favorable candidates for CVDs treatment. However, their low water solubility and stability results in low bioavailability, limited accessibility, and poor absorption. The oral delivery of bioactive compounds is constrained due to physiological barriers such as the pH, mucus layer, gastrointestinal enzymes, epithelium, etc. The present review aims to revise the main bioactive compounds with a significant role in CVDs in terms of preventive, diagnostic, and treatment measures. The advantages of nanoformulations and novel multifunctional nanomaterials development are described in order to overcome multiple obstacles, including the physiological ones, by summarizing the most recent preclinical data and clinical trials reported in the literature. Nanotechnologies will open a new window in the area of CVDs with the opportunity to achieve effective treatment, better prognosis, and less adverse effects on non-target tissues.
A Multi-Site Evaluation of Winter Hardiness in Indigenous Alfalfa Cultivars in Northern China
Authors: Xu Lijun , Liu Qian , Nie Yingying , Li Feng , Yang Guixia , Tao Ya , Lv Shijie , Wu Xinjia , Ye Liming
Published: November 2021

Integration of perennial grass species into the current food production systems, especially in the agropastoral regions worldwide, may produce multiple benefits including, among others, a more stable productivity and a smaller eco-environmental footprint. However, one of the fundamental challenges facing the large-scale adoption of such grass species is their ability to withstand the vagaries of winter in these regions. Here, we present a comprehensive evaluation of the winter hardiness of 50 indigenous Chinese cultivars of alfalfa, a high-quality leguminous perennial grass, in comparison with six introduced U.S. cultivars in a multi-site field experiment in northern China. Our results reveal that indigenous cultivars have stronger winter hardiness than introduced cultivars. Cultivars native in the north performed better than southern cultivars, suggesting that suitability evaluation is an unavoidable step proceeding any regional implementations. Our results also show that the metric we used to assess alfalfa’s winter hardiness, the average score index (ASI), produced more consistent results than another more-widely used metric of winter survival rate (WSR). These findings offer a systematic field evidence that supports regional cropping system adjustment and production system betterment to ensure food security under climate change in the region and beyond.
Hot Spots in the Weak Detonation Problem and Special Relativity
Authors: Kichenassamy Satyanad
Published: November 2021

Problem statement: The initiation of a detonation in an explosive gaseous mixture in the high activation energy regime, in three space dimensions, typically leads to the formation of a singularity at one point, the “hot spot”. It would be suitable to have a description of the physical quantities in a full neighborhood of the hot spot. Results of this paper: (1) To achieve this, it is necessary to replace the blow-up time, or time when the hot spot first occurs, by the blow-up surface in four dimensions, which is the set of all hot spots for a class of observers related to one another by a Lorentz transformation. (2) A local general solution of the nonlinear system of PDE modeling fluid flow and chemistry, with a given blow-up surface, is obtained by the method of Fuchsian reduction. Advantages of this solution: (i) Earlier approximate solutions are contained in it, but the domain of validity of the present solution is larger; (ii) it provides a signature for this type of ignition mechanism; (iii) quantities that remain bounded at the hot spot may be determined, so that, in principle, this model may be tested against measurements; (iv) solutions with any number of hot spots may be constructed. The impact on numerical computation is also discussed.
Effect of 12 Weeks Core Training on Core Muscle Performance in Rhythmic Gymnastics
Authors: Esteban-García Paula , Jiménez-Díaz José Fernando , Abián-Vicén Javier , Bravo-Sánchez Alfredo , Rubio-Arias Jacobo Á.
Published: November 2021

Background: Rhythmic gymnastics performance is characterized by technical elements involving flexibility, aerobic capacity and strength. Increased core strength in rhythmic gymnastics could lead to improved sporting performance. Objective: The aim of this study was to analyze the effect of 12 weeks of core muscle training on core muscle performance in rhythmic gymnasts. Methods: A randomized controlled study involving 24 rhythmic gymnastics was conducted. Participants were randomly assigned to a control group (CG; n = 12; age 13.50 ± 3.17 years) or a training group (TG; n = 12; age 14.41 ± 2.35 years). Body composition, isometric strength of trunk, core endurance and core muscle electromyographic activity were measured (EMG) after 12 weeks of core training. Independent sample t-tests were carried out to compare baseline values between groups. A two-way repeated-measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) (time × group) was applied. Results: The TG improved body composition, trunk lean mass (mean differences MD = −0.31; p = 0.040), lean mass (MD = 0.43; p = 0.037) and bone mass (MD = −0.06; p < 0.001) after training. Core training increased isometric strength of trunk, flexion test (MD = −21.53; p = 0.019) and extension test (MD = 22.7; p = 0.049), as well as the prone bridge core endurance test (MD = −11.27; p = 0.040). The EMG values also increased in the TG in prone bridge for front trunk (MD = −58.58; p = 0.026). Conclusions: Core strength training leads to improvements in body composition, as well as improvements in trunk strength and increases in muscle electromyographic activity. These improvements could therefore improve performance during competitive rhythmic gymnastics exercises.