bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Association Between Changes in the University Educational Setting and Peer Relationships: Effects in Students' Depressive Symptoms During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Conceição Virgínia , Rothes Inês , Gusmão Ricardo
Published: December 2021

Objective: Abrupt life changes imposed by the lockdown measures, with a direct impact on teaching methodology and social interactions, as well as sleeping patterns, harmed university students' mental health. This study aimed to analyze the relationship between satisfaction with online teaching, social interaction with depression, anxiety symptomatology, and to analyze the effects of the pandemic and the lockdown in mental care access.

Methods: The online survey collected demographic data, satisfaction with online teaching, and social interaction. We evaluated the depression and anxiety symptomatology using the 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire and the 7-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder, respectively. For the PHQ-9, we used the cut-off 15 for moderately severe depressive symptoms, whereas for GAD-7, we recurred to the cut-off 10 for moderately severe anxiety symptoms. This study used three data points: October 2019, June 2020, and March 2021.

Findings: The study included n = 366 participants from all university study fields, with a mean age of 21.71 (SD = 1.42) in the last survey, and 71.3% were women. Depressive symptoms increased significantly from October 2019 to June 2020, and the mean scores grew until March 2021. Anxiety symptoms also significantly increased from October 2019 to June 2020; however, from June 2020 to March 2021, there was a non-significant decrease in the proportion. Mean scores for satisfaction with online teaching were 38.23% in June 2020 and 34.25% in March 2021, a non-significant difference. Satisfaction with social interaction significantly decreased from 37.35% in 2020 to 24.41% in 2021. Participants with scores above the cut-off of moderately severe and severe depressive and anxiety symptoms showed significantly lower satisfaction with online teaching than students with lower depression and anxiety scores. Despite the significant increase in clinical symptomatology, help-seeking behaviors did not change accordingly, and more than 50% of the students with mild or severe depressive and anxiety symptomatology did not get treatment during the pandemic.

Conclusion: The findings of this study suggest that most students are dissatisfied with online teaching and the type of social interaction they were forced to adopt because of the pandemic. The severity of depressive and anxiety symptomatology significantly increased between October 2019 and March 2021, but help-seeking behaviors did not increase accordingly.
Liver Injury and Elevated Levels of Interleukins, Interleukin-2 Receptor, and Interleukin-6 Predict the Severity in Patients With COVID-19
Authors: Luo Kuan , Chen Yongfeng , Yang Junjie , Tao Quan , Luo Min
Published: December 2021

The novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has spread worldwide, and the WHO declared it a pandemic on March 11, 2020. Clinical characteristics and epidemiology features of patients infected with SARS-CoV-2 have been explored in the previous study. However, little is known about the combinative association of liver dysfunction and abnormal interleukins (ILs) in severe patients with COVID-19. This study was designed to estimate whether liver dysfunction and abnormal ILs could predict the severity of COVID-19. This study integrated liver function data and ILs data in patients with COVID-19 and found that liver injury and two ILs, interleukin-2 receptor (IL-2R) and interleukin-6 (IL-6), were closely related to the prognosis of patients with COVID-19. This study may give more exact information to clinicians about the prognosis of patients with COVID-19. In addition, this correlational study between liver disorder and ILs may provide a new vision to diagnosis and treatment in patients.
Survival-Span Method: How to Qualitatively Estimate Lifespan to Improve the Study of Aging, and not Disease, in Aging Studies
Authors: Adelöf Julia , Ross Jaime M. , Zetterberg Madeleine , Hernebring Malin
Published: December 2021

Lifespan analyses are important for advancing our understanding of the aging process. There are two major issues in performing lifespan studies: 1) late-stage animal lifespan analysis may include animals with non-terminal, yet advanced illnesses, which can pronounce indirect processes of aging rather than the aging process per se and 2) they often involves challenging welfare considerations. Herein, we present an option to the traditional way of performing lifespan studies by using a novel method that generates high-quality data and allows for the inclusion of excluded animals, even animals removed at early signs of disease. This Survival-span method is designed to be feasibly done with simple means by any researcher and strives to improve the quality of aging studies and increase animal welfare.
Robust Image-Based Streamflow Measurements for Real-Time Continuous Monitoring
Authors: Peña-Haro Salvador , Carrel Maxence , Lüthi Beat , Hansen Issa , Lukes Robert
Published: December 2021

The volumetric flow rate in rivers is essential to analyze hydrological processes and at the same time it is one of the most difficult variables to measure. Image based discharge measurements possess several advantages, one of them being that the sensor (camera) is not in contact with the water, it can be placed safe of floods, its mounting position is very flexible and there is no need of expensive structures/constructions. During the last years several image-based methods for measuring the surface velocity in rivers and canals have been proposed and successfully tested under different conditions. However, these methods have been used and configured to perform well under the particular conditions of a single recording or single site. The objective of this paper is to present a system which has reached a Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 9. The system is able to measure the volumetric flow under different conditions day and night and all year long, the system is able to perform in rivers or canals of different sizes and flow velocities and under different conditions of visibility. In addition, the system is capable of measuring the river stage optically without the need of a stage, but it can also integrate external level sensor. Important for a wide set of customers, the system must be able to interface with the various common signal input and output standards, such as 4–20 mAmp, modbus, SDI-12, ZRXP, and even with customer specific formats. Additionally, the developed technology can be implemented as an edge or as a cloud system. The cloud system only needs a camera with Internet connection to send videos to the cloud where they are processed, while the edge systems have a processing unit installed at the site where the processing is done. This paper presents the key aspects needed to move from prototype with TRL5-7 and lower toward the presented field proven system with a TRL 9.
The Pedicled Flap of Adductor Longus, a New Technique for Inguinal Reconstruction
Authors: Zhang Hong , Li Zhenfeng , Li Jianmin , Zhu Lei , Ibrahim Yakubu
Published: December 2021

Introduction: Reconstruction surgeries of the inguinal area pose a challenge for oncological and orthopedic surgeons, especially after radical local resection (RLR), radical inguinal lymph node dissection (RILND), or both. Although numerous surgical procedures have been reported, there is no report about a pedicle adductor longus flap method. The aim of this work is to show our experience about inguinal reconstruction with pedicled adductor longus flap and associated outcomes.

Patients and Methods: A retrospective study of 16 patients with localized inguinal region interventions and reconstructed by adductor longus flap from March 2016 to July 2020. Patients' average age was 60.0 years (range = 38–79 years) and had postoperative follow-up of 10 months (ranging 2–19 months). All patients had unilateral inguinal region involvement—seven cases on the left and nine cases on the right. The patients' clinical course, operative course, and postoperative follow-up data were evaluated.

Results: All 16 patients recovered well post-operatively and did not require any re-intervention. Four patients experienced negligible discomfort around the groin area. Five patients experienced a minor strength deficit in thigh adduction compared with that of preoperative strength in the same or contralateral leg. The aforementioned complications resolved during the postoperative course and had no functional impact on their activity of daily living. All adductor longus flaps survived, completely filled the inguinal dead space, and wounds healed uneventfully within 3 weeks except for three patients who suffered delayed wound healing for more than 4 weeks. Other common complications such as infection, seroma, or wound dehiscence were not encountered in this series.

Conclusion: The adductor longus flap is a reliable alternative method for inguinal region reconstruction following radical local resection (RLR), radical inguinal lymph node dissection (RILND), or both.
The Future of Neurotoxicology: A Neuroelectrophysiological Viewpoint
Authors: Herr David W.
Published: December 2021

Neuroelectrophysiology is an old science, dating to the 18th century when electrical activity in nerves was discovered. Such discoveries have led to a variety of neurophysiological techniques, ranging from basic neuroscience to clinical applications. These clinical applications allow assessment of complex neurological functions such as (but not limited to) sensory perception (vision, hearing, somatosensory function), and muscle function. The ability to use similar techniques in both humans and animal models increases the ability to perform mechanistic research to investigate neurological problems. Good animal to human homology of many neurophysiological systems facilitates interpretation of data to provide cause-effect linkages to epidemiological findings. Mechanistic cellular research to screen for toxicity often includes gaps between cellular and whole animal/person neurophysiological changes, preventing understanding of the complete function of the nervous system. Building Adverse Outcome Pathways (AOPs) will allow us to begin to identify brain regions, timelines, neurotransmitters, etc. that may be Key Events (KE) in the Adverse Outcomes (AO). This requires an integrated strategy, from in vitro to in vivo (and hypothesis generation, testing, revision). Scientists need to determine intermediate levels of nervous system organization that are related to an AO and work both upstream and downstream using mechanistic approaches. Possibly more than any other organ, the brain will require networks of pathways/AOPs to allow sufficient predictive accuracy. Advancements in neurobiological techniques should be incorporated into these AOP-base neurotoxicological assessments, including interactions between many regions of the brain simultaneously. Coupled with advancements in optogenetic manipulation, complex functions of the nervous system (such as acquisition, attention, sensory perception, etc.) can be examined in real time. The integration of neurophysiological changes with changes in gene/protein expression can begin to provide the mechanistic underpinnings for biological changes. Establishment of linkages between changes in cellular physiology and those at the level of the AO will allow construction of biological pathways (AOPs) and allow development of higher throughput assays to test for changes to critical physiological circuits. To allow mechanistic/predictive toxicology of the nervous system to be protective of human populations, neuroelectrophysiology has a critical role in our future.
Collimation and Exposure Parameter Influence Image Quality and Potential Radiation Dose to the Eye Lens of Personnel in Computed Radiography of the Canine Pelvis
Authors: Bisgaard Malene , McEvoy Fintan J. , Nielsen Dorte Hald , Allberg Clara , Müller Anna V. , Timm Signe , Meyer Signe N. , Johansen Line Marie , Pedersen Stine , Precht Helle
Published: December 2021

Introduction: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of collimation on image quality and radiation dose to the eye lenses of the personnel involved in computed radiography of the canine pelvis.

Materials and Methods: A retrospective study of canine pelvic radiographs (N = 54) was undertaken to evaluate the relationship between image quality and the degree of field the collimation used. This was followed by a prospective cadaver study (N = 18) that assessed the effects on image quality and on scattered radiation dose of different collimation field areas and exposure parameters. All radiographs were analyzed for image quality using a Visual Grading Analysis (VGA) with three observers. Finally, the potential scattered radiation dose to the eye lens of personnel restraining a dog for pelvic radiographs was measured.

Results: The retrospective study showed a slightly better (statistically non-significant) VGA score for the radiographs with optimal collimation. Spatial and contrast resolution and image sharpness showed the greatest improvement in response to minimizing the collimation field. The prospective study showed slightly better VGA scores (improved image quality) with the optimal collimation. Increasing the exposure factors especially the tube current and exposure time (mAs) resulted in improved low contrast resolution and less noise in the radiographs. The potential eye lens radiation dose increased by 14, 28, and 40% [default exposures, increased the tube peak potential (kVp), increased mAs, respectively] as a result of reduced collimation (increased beam size).

Conclusion: The degree of collimation has no statistically significant on image quality in canine pelvic radiology for the range of collimation used but does have an impact on potential radiation dose to personnel in the x-ray room. With regard to radiation safety, increases in kVp are associated with less potential scatter radiation exposure compared to comparable increases in mAs.
Hemp Seed Cake as a Novel Ingredient for Dog's Diet
Authors: Vastolo Alessandro , Iliano Sergio , Laperuta Flaviana , Pennacchio Saverio , Pompameo Marina , Cutrignelli Monica Isabella
Published: December 2021

In the last few years, the popularity of industrial hemp and its products is increased. From a nutritional point of view, hemp and its products are rich in protein, polyunsaturated fatty acids, vitamins, and useful minerals. Nowadays, the European Commission authorizes the use of hempseed and hempseed oil co-products in animal nutrition. This study is aimed to evaluate the use of hempseed cake in dogs' nutrition, comparing the effect of the supplementation of two lipid sources: swine tallow (T-diet) and hempseed cake (H-diet). A double-blind nutritional trial was performed at a municipal kennel located in Naples. Eight crossbreed neutered dogs recognized in good health were recruited and divided into two homogeneous groups (T- vs. H-group). Both diets were analyzed for chemical composition and fatty acid profile. Blood count and biochemical profile were evaluated at recruitment (T0) and the end of the trial (T30). Oleic, palmitic, and stearic acids were the most representative fatty acids in both diets; however, the H-diet contains more than double concentration of linoleic and α-linoleic acids compared to the T-diet (p < 0.01). The H-diet has shown significantly (p < 0.01) higher peroxidation index as the only negative aspect, which could compromise its shelf-life. After 30 days of administration, the H-group has shown a significant (p < 0.01 and p < 0.05) reduction of liver and renal markers [aspartate transferase (AST), alanine transaminase (ALT), and creatinine] and cholesterol, due to the healthier fatty acid profile. Hempseed cake seems a suggestable source of polyunsaturated fatty acids for dogs considering these preliminary results.
Low Incubation Temperature During Late Incubation and Early Feeding Affect Broiler Resilience to Necrotic Enteritis in Later Life
Authors: Wijnen Hendrikus J. , van der Pol Carla W. , van Roovert-Reijrink Inge A. M. , De Smet Joren , Lammers Aart , Kemp Bas , van den Brand Henry , Molenaar Roos
Published: December 2021

Resilient animals can cope with environmental disturbances in life with minimal loss of function. Resilience can be enhanced by optimizing early-life conditions. In poultry, eggshell temperature (EST) during incubation and early feeding are two early-life conditions that are found to alter neonatal chick quality as well as immune response in later life. However, whether these early-life conditions affect disease resilience of chickens at later ages has never been studied yet. Hence, we studied the effects of EST [(37.8°C (control) or 36.7°C (lower)] during late incubation (≥embryonic days 17–19.5) and feeding strategy after hatch [immediately (early feeding) or 51–54 h delayed (delayed feeding)] on later-life broiler resilience in a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement. At hatch, 960 broilers of both sexes from a 54-week-old Ross breeder flock were equally divided over 32 pens (eight replicate pens per treatment combination) and grown for 6 weeks. Necrotic enteritis was induced by a single inoculation of Eimeria spp. at d 21 and repeated Clostridium perfringens inoculation (3×/d) during d 21–25. Mortality and body weight (BW) gain were measured daily during d 21–35 as indicators of resilience. Additionally, disease morbidity was assessed (gut lesions, dysbacteriosis, shedding of oocysts, footpad dermatitis, and natural antibody levels in blood). Results showed a lack of interaction between EST and feeding strategy for the vast majority of the variables. A lower EST resulted in lower BW gain at d 5 and 8 post Eimeria inoculation (P = 0.02) and more Eimeria maxima oocysts in feces at d 8 post Eimeria inoculation compared to control EST (P < 0.01). Early feeding tended to lower mortality compared to delayed feeding (P = 0.06), but BW gain was not affected by feeding strategy. Morbidity characteristics were hardly affected by EST or feeding strategy. In conclusion, a few indications were found that a lower EST during late incubation as well as delayed feeding after hatch may each impair later-life resilience to necrotic enteritis. However, these findings were not manifested consistently in all parameters that were measured, and conclusions are drawn with some restraint.
Multiparameter Optimization Framework of Cyberphysical Systems: A Case Study on Energy Saving of the Automotive Engine
Authors: Sun Youding , Zhu Zhongpan , Du Aimin , Chen Xinwen
Published: December 2021

Multiparameter optimization of complex electromechanical systems in a physical space is a challenging task. CPS (Cyberphysical system) technology can speed up the solution of the problem based on data interaction and collaborative optimization of physical space and cyberspace. This paper proposed a general multiparameter optimization framework by combining physical process simulation and clustering genetic algorithm for the CPS application. The utility of this approach is demonstrated in the instance of automobile engine energy-saving in this paper. A 1.8-L turbocharged GDI (gasoline direct injection) engine model was established and calibrated according to the test data and physical entity. A joint simulation program combining CGA (Clustering Genetic Algorithm) with the GDI engine simulation model was set up for the engine multiparameter optimization and performance prediction in cyberspace; then, the influential mechanism of multiple factors on engine energy-saving optimization was analyzed at 2000 RPM (Revolutions Per Minute) working condition. A multiparameter optimization with clustering genetic algorithm was introduced for multiparameter optimization among physical and digital data. The trade-off between fuel efficiency, dynamic performance, and knock risk was discussed. The results demonstrated the effectiveness of the proposed method and that it can contribute to develop a novel automotive engine control strategy in the future.
A Four Stage Image Processing Algorithm for Detecting and Counting of Bagworm, Metisa plana Walker (Lepidoptera: Psychidae)
Authors: Ahmad Mohd Najib , Shariff Abdul Rashid Mohamed , Aris Ishak , Abdul Halin Izhal
Published: December 2021

The bagworm is a vicious leaf eating insect pest that threatens the oil palm plantations in Malaysia. The economic impact from defoliation of approximately 10% to 13% due to bagworm attack might cause about 33% to 40% yield loss over 2 years. Due to this, monitoring and detecting of bagworm populations in oil palm plantations is required as the preliminary steps to ensure proper planning of control actions in these areas. Hence, the development of an image processing algorithm for detection and counting of Metisa plana Walker, a species of Malaysia’s local bagworm, using image segmentation has been researched and completed. The color and shape features from the segmented images for real time object detection showed an average detection accuracy of 40% and 34%, at 30 cm and 50 cm camera distance, respectively. After some improvements on training dataset and marking detected bagworm with bounding box, a deep learning algorithm with Faster Regional Convolutional Neural Network (Faster R-CNN) algorithm was applied leading to the percentage of the detection accuracy increased up to 100% at a camera distance of 30 cm in close conditions. The proposed solution is also designed to distinguish between the living and dead larvae of the bagworms using motion detection which resulted in approximately 73–100% accuracy at a camera distance of 30 cm in the close conditions. Through false color analysis, distinct differences in the pixel count based on the slope was observed for dead and live pupae at 630 nm and 940 nm, with the slopes recorded at 0.38 and 0.28, respectively. The higher pixel count and slope correlated with the dead pupae while the lower pixel count and slope, represented the living pupae.
Regional Differences in Control Operations during the 2019–2021 Desert Locust Upsurge
Authors: Retkute Renata , Hinton Rebekah G. K. , Cressman Keith , Gilligan Christopher A.
Published: December 2021

The desert locust remains a major threat to global food security. Control operations are a crucial tool to manage crisis; this research investigated the nature of control operations conducted between 2019–2021. Historical data on desert locust and control operations were obtained from the survey reports at the FAO Locust Hub and analysed with respect to survey reports, land cover types, cropland/rangeland extent and crop productivity data. We found that 16.1% of the grid cells with locust presence and 14.9% of the grid cells with control operations had a proportion of rangeland higher than 0.75; while 13.3% of the grid cells with locust presence and 13.2% of the grid cells with control operations had a proportion of croplands higher than 0.75, highlighting that locust presence and control operations were reported in both rangeland and cropland. Control operations continue to be used both to reduce overall locust numbers and to protect crops. Furthermore, through identifying which crops were most at risk, our analyses indicate that wheat production was under the highest strain during periods of increased locust infestations.
Phosphorus Restriction in Brooding Stage Has Continuous Effects on Growth Performance and Early Laying Performance of Layers
Authors: Li Lan , Zhang Xiaoyi , Zhao Lihong , Zhang Jianyun , Ji Cheng , Ma Qiugang
Published: December 2021

This study evaluated the effects of phosphorus restriction in the brooding stage and subsequent recovery on growth performance, tibia development and early laying performance of layers. 360 one-day-old hens were randomly divided into 4 groups with 6 replicates and 15 chicks per replicate. Chicks were fed diets containing 0.13% (L), 0.29% (M), 0.45% (N), 0.59% (H) non-phytate phosphorus (nPP) from 1 to 8 weeks of age. From 9 to 20 weeks of age, the L and N group were divided into two groups fed normal level phosphorus (n, 0.39% nPP) and high-level phosphorus (h, 0.45% nPP) separately, then all the birds were fed a normal diet (0.39% nPP) from 21 to 26 weeks of age. Four treatments were tested: Ln, Lh, Nn, and Nh. The lower body weight, average daily feed intake, tibia length and daily tibial increment were observed in the L group (p < 0.05) and the ratio of feed to gain was significantly increased in the L group at 8 weeks of age (p < 0.05). In addition, the fresh and degreased tibia weight, bone ash, Ca content in the tibia and P content in the ash and tibia were significantly decreased in the L group at 8 weeks of age (p < 0.05). After compensatory processes, there was no significant difference in tibia characters; however, body weight in the Ln group was significantly lower than in the Nn group (p < 0.05) and was significantly lower in the Lh group than the Nn group (p < 0.01) and Nh group (p < 0.05). In addition, the laying rate and average daily egg mass in the Lh group were lower than Nn and Nh (p < 0.05). In conclusion, severe dietary phosphorus restriction impaired growth performance and bone mineralization in the brooding stage. Subsequent phosphorus supplementation could not alleviate this adverse effect on body weight, which continued to affect egg production. These findings give a foundation and new perspective on a low phosphorus feeding strategy in layer production.
The Effect of L-Glutamine on Basal Albumen and Yolk Indices, and Albumen Amino Acids Composition
Authors: Tomaszewska Ewa , Arczewska-Włosek Anna , Burmańczuk Artur , Pyz-Łukasik Renata , Donaldson Janine , Muszyński Siemowit , Świątkiewicz Sylwester
Published: December 2021

The current study tested the hypothesis that 1.0% dietary inclusion of L-glutamine (Gln), an non-essential amino acid that influences protein synthesis, can improve internal egg quality, including amino acids profile. Thirty-week-old Bovans Brown laying hens in their middle laying period were assigned to one of the two experimental groups (12 replicate cages, 2 hens/cage) with Gln in the form of alpha-ketoglutarate (10 g/kg) or without Gln inclusion. The experimental period lasted for 30 wks, from the 31st to the 60th week of age of hens, when eggs were collected and selected egg quality indices were determined. Gln supplementation had no effect on albumen and egg yolk share, albumen and yolk basal indices and composition, including yolk cholesterol content. However, Gln decreased the lipid content of the egg albumen (p < 0.001), and influenced albumen amino acid profile, increasing content of asparagine (p < 0.05), phenylalanine (p < 0.05), proline (p < 0.001), tryptophan (p < 0.01), and tyrosine (p < 0.05). In conclusion, the study shows a potential role of Gln supplementation for enhancing nutritional values of eggs by lower lipid content and higher amino acid profile.
Exploration of the Structure–Function Relationships of a Novel Frog Skin Secretion-Derived Bioactive Peptide, t-DPH1, through Use of Rational Design, Cationicity Enhancement and In Vitro Studies
Authors: Qin Haixin , Fang Hantian , Chen Xiaoling , Wang Lei , Ma Chengbang , Xi Xinping , Chen Tianbao , Shaw Chris , Zhou Mei
Published: December 2021

Amphibian skin-derived antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) have attracted increasing attention from scientists because of their excellent bioactivity and low drug resistance. In addition to being the alternative choice of antibiotics or anticancer agents, natural AMPs can also be modified as templates to optimise their bioactivities further. Here, a novel dermaseptin peptide, t-DPH1, with extensive antimicrobial activity and antiproliferative activity, was isolated from the skin secretion of Phyllomedusa hypochondrialis through ‘shotgun’ cloning. A series of cationicity-enhanced analogues of t-DPH1 were designed to further improve its bioactivities and explore the charge threshold of enhancing the bioactivity of t-DPH1. The present data suggest that improving the net charge can enhance the bioactivities to some extent. However, when the charge exceeds a specific limit, the bioactivities decrease or remain the same. When the net charge achieves the limit, improving the hydrophobicity makes no sense to enhance bioactivity. For t-DPH1, the upper limit of the net charge was +7. All the designed cationicity-enhanced analogues produced no drug resistance in the Gram-negative bacterium, Escherichia coli. These findings provide creative insights into the role of natural drug discovery in providing templates for structural modification for activity enhancement.
Potential Therapeutic Targets for Combination Antibody Therapy against Pseudomonas aeruginosa Infections
Authors: Proctor Luke L. , Ward Whitney L. , Roggy Conner S. , Koontz Alexandra G. , Clark Katie M. , Quinn Alyssa P. , Schroeder Meredith , Brooks Amanda E. , Small James M. , Towne Francina D. , Brooks Benjamin D.
Published: December 2021

Despite advances in antimicrobial therapy and even the advent of some effective vaccines, Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) remains a significant cause of infectious disease, primarily due to antibiotic resistance. Although P. aeruginosa is commonly treatable with readily available therapeutics, these therapies are not always efficacious, particularly for certain classes of patients (e.g., cystic fibrosis (CF)) and for drug-resistant strains. Multi-drug resistant P. aeruginosa infections are listed on both the CDC’s and WHO’s list of serious worldwide threats. This increasing emergence of drug resistance and prevalence of P. aeruginosa highlights the need to identify new therapeutic strategies. Combinations of monoclonal antibodies against different targets and epitopes have demonstrated synergistic efficacy with each other as well as in combination with antimicrobial agents typically used to treat these infections. Such a strategy has reduced the ability of infectious agents to develop resistance. This manuscript details the development of potential therapeutic targets for polyclonal antibody therapies to combat the emergence of multidrug-resistant P. aeruginosa infections. In particular, potential drug targets for combinational immunotherapy against P. aeruginosa are identified to combat current and future drug resistance.
Streptococcus sputorum, a Novel Member of Streptococcus with Multidrug Resistance, Exhibits Cytotoxicity
Authors: Wang Chao , Zeng Yuan , Wei Mengyu , Cui Lanqing , Song Yuqin , Zhang Gang , Li Yun , Feng Jie
Published: December 2021

We describe the genomic and phenotypic characteristics of a novel member of Streptococcus with multidrug resistance (MDR) isolated from hospital samples. Strains SP218 and SP219 were identified as a novel Streptococcus, S. sputorum, using whole-genome sequencing and biochemical tests. Average nucleotide identity values of strains SP218 and SP219 with S. pseudopneumoniae IS7493 and S. pneumoniae ST556 were 94.3% and 93.3%, respectively. Genome-to-genome distance values of strains SP218 and SP219 with S. pseudopneumoniae IS7493 and S. pneumoniae ST556 were 56.70% (54–59.5%) and 56.40% (52.8–59.9%), respectively. The biochemical test results distinguished these strains from S. pseudopneumoniae and S. pneumoniae, particularly hydrolysis of equine urate and utilization of ribose to produce acid. These isolates were resistant to six major classes of antibiotics, which correlated with horizontal gene transfer and mutation. Notably, strain SP219 exhibited cytotoxicity against human lung epithelial cell line A549. Our results indicate the pathogenic potential of S. sputorum, and provide valuable insights into mitis group of streptococci.
Synergistic Effect of 3′,4′-Dihidroxifenilglicol and Hydroxytyrosol on Oxidative and Nitrosative Stress and Some Cardiovascular Biomarkers in an Experimental Model of Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus
Authors: De La Cruz Cortés José Pedro , Vallejo-Carmona Leticia , Arrebola María Monsalud , Martín-Aurioles Esther , Rodriguez-Pérez María Dolores , Ortega-Hombrados Laura , Verdugo Cristina , Fernández-Prior María África , Bermúdez-Oria Alejandra , González-Correa José Antonio
Published: December 2021

The objective of this study was to assess a possible synergistic effect of two extra-virgin olive oil polyphenols, 3,4,-dyhydroxyphenylglycol (DHPG) and hydroxytyrosol (HT), in an experimental model of type 1 diabetes. Seven groups of animals were studied: (1) Nondiabetic rats (NDR), (2) 2-month-old diabetic rats (DR), (3) DR treated with 5 mg/kg/day p.o. HT, (4) DR treated with 0.5 mg/kg/day p.o. DHPG, (5) DR treated with 1 mg/kg/day p.o. DHPG, (6) DR treated with HT + DHPG (0.5), (7) DR treated with HT + DHPG (1). Oxidative stress variables (lipid peroxidation, glutathione, total antioxidant activity, 8-isoprostanes, 8-hydroxy-2-deoxyguanosine, and oxidized LDL), nitrosative stress (3-nitrotyrosine), and some cardiovascular biomarkers (platelet aggregation, thromboxane B2, prostacyclin, myeloperoxidase, and vascular cell adhesion protein 1 (VCAM-1)) were analyzed. The diabetic animals showed an imbalance in all of the analyzed variables. HT exerted an antioxidant and downregulatory effect on prothrombotic biomarkers while reducing the fall of prostacyclin. DHPG presented a similar, but quantitatively lower, profile. HT plus DHPG showed a synergistic effect in the reduction of oxidative and nitrosative stress, platelet aggregation, production of prostacyclin, myeloperoxidase, and VCAM-1. This synergism could be important for the development of functional oils enriched in these two polyphenols in the proportion used in this study.
The Impact of Medium Chain and Polyunsaturated ω-3-Fatty Acids on Amyloid-β Deposition, Oxidative Stress and Metabolic Dysfunction Associated with Alzheimer’s Disease
Authors: Mett Janine
Published: December 2021

Alzheimer’s disease (AD), the most common cause of dementia in the elderly population, is closely linked to a dysregulated cerebral lipid homeostasis and particular changes in brain fatty acid (FA) composition. The abnormal extracellular accumulation and deposition of the peptide amyloid-β (Aβ) is considered as an early toxic event in AD pathogenesis, which initiates a series of events leading to neuronal dysfunction and death. These include the induction of neuroinflammation and oxidative stress, the disruption of calcium homeostasis and membrane integrity, an impairment of cerebral energy metabolism, as well as synaptic and mitochondrial dysfunction. Dietary medium chain fatty acids (MCFAs) and polyunsaturated ω-3-fatty acids (ω-3-PUFAs) seem to be valuable for disease modification. Both classes of FAs have neuronal health-promoting and cognition-enhancing properties and might be of benefit for patients suffering from mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and AD. This review summarizes the current knowledge about the molecular mechanisms by which MCFAs and ω-3-PUFAs reduce the cerebral Aβ deposition, improve brain energy metabolism, and lessen oxidative stress levels.
A Systematic Review of the Effects of Football Playing on Changes in Serum Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Level
Authors: Gutiérrez-Vargas Randall , Ugalde-Ramírez Alexis , Rico-González Markel , Pino-Ortega José , González-Hernández Juan , Rojas-Valverde Daniel
Published: December 2021

Background: Consistent evidence suggests that exercise improves cognition and decision making, with preliminary evidence suggesting that brain-derived neurotrophic factors (BDNFs) may mediate these effects on high-intensity interval activities, such as in football playing. We conducted a systematic review of studies on football players or football task interventions that evaluated the causality of exercise or its relationship with changes in the basal BDNF level. Methods: The search was conducted in PubMed, SPORTDiscus, Cochrane, and FECYT (Web of Sciences, CCC, DIIDW, KJD, MEDLINE, RSCI, and SCIELO) according to the guidelines for performing systematic reviews in the sport sciences field. Results: From the 44 studies initially identified, seven studies were fully reviewed, and their outcome measures were extracted and analysed. In the scientific study of football, the studies published thus far have explored the relationship of serum BDNF levels and other cognitive function factors with the genetic expression of polymorphisms, the anthropometric and fitness conditions, the acute exercise effect of the match, and the typical actions of the match such as heading. Conclusions: The heterogeneity of designs and variables evaluated in studies related to BDNF exercise or interaction and football playing does not allow us to conclusively determine that there is a relationship with the cause or effect of genetic, anthropometric, or conditional factors that derive from an increase in BDNF due to actions during the playing of football.
The Influence of Track Structure Parameters on the Dynamic Response Sensitivity of Heavy Haul Train-LVT System
Authors: Zeng Zhi-Ping , Xiao Yan-Cai , Wang Wei-Dong , Huang Xu-Dong , Du Xiang-Gang , Liu Lan-Li , Victor Joseph Eleojo , Xie Zhong-Lin , Yuan Yu , Wang Jun-Dong
Published: December 2021

Background: In order to study the applicability of Low Vibration Track (LVT) in heavy-haul railway tunnels, this paper carried out research on the dynamic effects of LVT heavy-haul railway wheels and rails and provided a technical reference for the structural design of heavy-haul railway track structures. Methods: Based on system dynamics response sensitivity and vehicle-track coupling dynamics, the stability of the upper heavy-haul train, the track deformation tendency, and the dynamic response sensitivity of the vehicle-track system under the influence of random track irregularity and different track structure parameters were calculated, compared and analyzed. Results: Larger under-rail lateral and vertical structural stiffness can reduce the dynamic response of the rail system. The vertical and lateral stiffness under the block should be set within a reasonable range to achieve the purpose of reducing the dynamic response of the system, and beyond a certain range, the dynamic response of the rail system will increase significantly, which will affect the safety and stability of train operation. Conclusions: Considering the changes of track vehicle body stability coefficients, the change of deformation control coefficients, and the sensitivity indexes of dynamic performance coefficients to track structure stiffness change, the recommended values of the vertical stiffness under rail, the lateral stiffness under rail, the vertical stiffness under block, and the lateral stiffness under block are, respectively 160 kN/mm, 200 kN/mm, 100 kN/mm, and 200 kN/mm.
A Study on the Application of Laser Cleaning on the Weld of the Gas Fuel Supply Pipe for DF Engine
Authors: Kim Ji-Eon , Kim Pyung-Su , Lee Jong-Myoung , Choe Han-Seop , Kim Jong-Do
Published: December 2021

While producing gas fuel supply pipes for duel fuel (DF) engines, a welding process is essential. Accordingly, specimen management before and after welding is crucial to obtain highly reliable weldments. In this study, we developed an environmentally friendly laser cleaning technology to address a toxic work environment and environmental pollution problems caused by chemical cleaning technology utilized in post-welding treatment of gas fuel supply for DF engines. An experiment was conducted by implementing surface laser cleaning of the butt and fillet weldment specimens according to process parameters. Conditions of process parameters were identified for facilitating laser cleaning and used in prototype production. The prototypes were processed through laser and chemical cleaning, and the quality of the end products was compared. The results indicated that the proposed method satisfactorily cleans the prototype surface without generating a toxic work environment and environmental pollution problems. Moreover, the roughness of approximately 5 μm was achieved on the laser cleaned surface. This is considered to be able to increase the adhesion of the paint compared to the smooth chemical cleaned surface during the painting for anticorrosion of the product.
A Study of the Residual Strength of Reactive Powder-Based Geopolymer Concrete under Elevated Temperatures
Authors: Kannangara Thathsarani , Guerrieri Maurice , Fragomeni Sam , Joseph Paul
Published: December 2021

This paper reports on studies relating to the unstressed residual compressive strengths of geopolymer pastes that are heated up to 800 °C, behavior of reactive powder concrete before and after exposure to elevated temperatures and thermal behavior of novel reactive powder geopolymer-based concretes. For this purpose, 10 geopolymer pastes and three reactive powder concrete mixtures were tested for residual strengths. Gladstone fly ash was used as the primary binder for both geopolymer pastes and reactive powder geopolymer concretes. In addition, four novel reactive powder geopolymer concrete mixes were prepared with zero cement utilization. While reactive powder concretes achieved the highest seven-day compressive strengths of approximately 140 MPa, very poor thermal behavior was observed, with explosive spalling occurring at a temperature of ca. 360 °C. The reactive powder geopolymer concretes, on the other hand, displayed relatively high thermal properties with no thermal cracking at 400 °C, or visible signs of spalling and very mild cracking in one case at 800 °C. In terms of the strength of reactive powder geopolymer concrete, a maximum compressive strength of approximately 76 MPa and residual strengths of approximately 61 MPa and 51 MPa at 400 °C and 800 °C, respectively, were observed.
Predicting Academic Performance Using an Efficient Model Based on Fusion of Classifiers
Authors: Siddique Ansar , Jan Asiya , Majeed Fiaz , Qahmash Adel Ibrahim , Quadri Noorulhasan Naveed , Wahab Mohammad Osman Abdul
Published: December 2021

In the past few years, educational data mining (EDM) has attracted the attention of researchers to enhance the quality of education. Predicting student academic performance is crucial to improving the value of education. Some research studies have been conducted which mainly focused on prediction of students’ performance at higher education. However, research related to performance prediction at the secondary level is scarce, whereas the secondary level tends to be a benchmark to describe students’ learning progress at further educational levels. Students’ failure or poor grades at lower secondary negatively impact them at the higher secondary level. Therefore, early prediction of performance is vital to keep students on a progressive track. This research intended to determine the critical factors that affect the performance of students at the secondary level and to build an efficient classification model through the fusion of single and ensemble-based classifiers for the prediction of academic performance. Firstly, three single classifiers including a Multilayer Perceptron (MLP), J48, and PART were observed along with three well-established ensemble algorithms encompassing Bagging (BAG), MultiBoost (MB), and Voting (VT) independently. To further enhance the performance of the abovementioned classifiers, nine other models were developed by the fusion of single and ensemble-based classifiers. The evaluation results showed that MultiBoost with MLP outperformed the others by achieving 98.7% accuracy, 98.6% precision, recall, and F-score. The study implies that the proposed model could be useful in identifying the academic performance of secondary level students at an early stage to improve the learning outcomes.
A Multi-Tool Analysis to Assess the Effectiveness of Passive Ice Protection Materials to Assist Rotorcraft Manual De-Icing
Authors: Brassard Jean-Denis , Posteraro Dany , Sobhani Sarah , Ruggi Marco , Momen Gelareh
Published: December 2021

Search and rescue missions using rotorcrafts need to be reliable all year long, even in winter conditions. In some cases of deployment prior to take off, the crew may need to manually remove accumulated contaminant from the critical surfaces using tools at their disposal. However, icy contaminant may be hard to remove since the rotorcrafts critical surfaces could be cooler than the environment, thus promoting adhesion. Currently, there exists several passive ice protection materials that could reduce the ice adhesion strength and assist the manual de-icing. The aim of this paper is to propose a detailed comparative procedure to assess the ability of materials to assist the manual de-icing of rotorcrafts. The proposed procedure consists of the characterization of materials using several laboratory tests in order to determine their characteristics pertaining to wettability, their icephobic behavior, and finally their assessment under a multi-tool analysis to evaluate if they can assist. The multi-tool analysis uses different mechanical tools, which are currently used during normal operation, to execute a gradual de-icing procedure, which begins with the softest to the hardest tool using a constant number of passes or strokes, under different types of simulated precipitation. Five different materials were used to evaluate the proposed procedure: Aluminum (used as a reference), two silicone-based coatings (Nusil and SurfEllent), an epoxy-based coating (Wearlon), and finally a commercial ski wax (Swix). All of the tested materials could assist the manual de-icing, within a certain limit, when compared to the bare aluminum. However, SurfEllent was the material that obtained the best overall results. This procedure could be easily adapted to different fields of application and could be used as a development tool for the optimization and the assessment of new materials aimed to reduce ice adhesion.
A Review of the Plantar Pressure Distribution Effects from Insole Materials and at Different Walking Speeds
Authors: Haris Fahni , Liau Ben-Yi , Jan Yih-Kuen , Akbari Veit Babak Hamun , Primanda Yanuar , Lin Kuan-Han , Lung Chi-Wen
Published: December 2021

Among people with diabetes mellitus (DM), the two common strategies for decreasing peak plantar pressure (PPP) to reduce diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) risks are to modify walking speeds and to change insole materials. This study reviewed the PPP reduction based on various walking speeds and insole materials. The articles were retrieved from four major scientific databases and manual search. We identified 1585 articles, of which 27 articles were selected for full-text analysis. We found that in faster walking speeds, the forefoot PPP was higher (308 kPa) than midfoot (150 kPa) and rearfoot (251 kPa) PPP. The appropriate walking speed for reducing the forefoot PPP was about 6 km/h for non-DM and 4 km/h for DM people. The forefoot PPP in DM people was 185% higher than that of non-DM people. Ethylene–vinyl acetate (EVA) insole material was the most popular material used by experts (26%) in the forefoot and reduced 37% of PPP. In conclusion, the suitable walking speed for DM was slower than for non-DM people, and EVA was the most common insole material used to decrease the PPP under the forefoot. The clinicians might recommend DM people to walk at 4 km/h and wear EVA insole material to minimize the DFUs.