bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Phase‐shift Perfluoropentane Nanoemulsions Enhance Pulsed High‐intensity Focused Ultrasound Ablation in an Isolated Perfused Liver System and Their Potential Value for Cancer Therapy
Authors: Zhao Lu‐Yan , Chao Xu , Yang Bing‐She , Wang Guo‐Guan , Zou Jian‐Zhong , Wu Feng
Published: March 2021

Purpose

To investigate whether phase‐shift perfluoropetane (PFP) nanoemulsions can enhance pulsed high‐intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) ablation.

Methods

PFP was encapsulated by poly(lactic‐co‐glycolic acid) (PLGA) to form a nanometer‐sized droplet (PLGA‐PFP), which was added to an isolated perfused liver system. Meanwhile, phosphate‐buffered saline (PBS) was used as a control. The perfused liver was exposed to HIFU (150 W, t = 3/5/10 s) at various duty cycles (DCs). The ultrasound images, cavitation emissions, and temperature were recorded. Rabbits with subcutaneous VX2 tumors were exposed to HIFU (150 W) at various DCs with or without PLGA‐PFP. After ablation, necrosis volume and energy efficiency factor were calculated. Pathologic characteristics were observed.

Results

Compared to the PBS control, PLGA‐PFP nanoemulsions markedly enhanced HIFU‐induced necrosis volume in both perfused livers and subcutaneous VX2 tumor‐bearing rabbits (P <.05). Inertial cavitation was much stronger in the pulsed‐HIFU exposure at 10% than that in the continuous‐wave HIFU exposure (P <.01). Peak temperature at 100% DC was significantly higher than that at 10% (P <.05). Compared to 100% DC HIFU exposure, the mean necrosis volume induced by 10 s exposure at 50% DC was significantly larger (P <.005) but lower at 10% DC in the isolated perfused livers (P <.05). In addition, the mean necrosis volume in subcutaneous VX2 tumor‐bearing rabbits was significantly increased after HIFU exposure at 10% DC when compared to those at 100% DC (P <.05). Histopathologic analysis showed liquefaction necrosis in pulsed HIFU.

Conclusion

PLGA‐PFP nanoemulsions can enhance HIFU ablation in the isolated perfused livers and promote tumor ablation in the subcutaneous xenograft rabbit model. Appropriate pulsed HIFU exposure may increase the necrosis volume and reduce total ultrasound energy required for HIFU ablation.
5‐(Chloromethyl)furfural production from glucose: A pioneer kinetic model development exploring the mechanism
Authors: Antonyraj Churchil A. , Chennattussery Amal J. , Haridas Ajit
Published: March 2021

Conversion of glucose to 5‐(chloromethyl)furfural (CMF) is one of the well‐known high yield unit processes in lignocellulosic biomass valorization. A kinetic modeling study was not reported for the reaction, owing to the complexity in quantification of CMF. Herein we have successfully developed a rapid, sensitive, and specific HPLC method (reverse phase) to quantify the generated CMF (range: 10–650 μg/mL) in a dichloroethane solvent. The Box–Behnken design of experiment method employed for the statistical optimization. A kinetic model was developed based on the homogeneous first‐order kinetic model, and the results are in good agreement with the experiment data. The formation of CMF, 5‐(hydroxymethyl)furfural, formic acid, levulinic acid, and humins from glucose and HCl were modeled using a serial parallel reaction mechanism. The apparent activation energy (Ea) for glucose decomposition and CMF formation is 99 and 31 kJ/mol.
Analyzing hospital medical efficiency of administration and medical treatment in China
Authors: He Xian‐Hui , Chiu Yung‐ho , Chang Tzu‐Han , Lu Liang‐Chun , Chiu Shih‐Yung
Published: March 2021

Previous studies have mostly focused on the operation management efficiency of medical institutions, but the efficiency levels of treatment and medical personnel are rarely considered simultaneously. Therefore, this paper uses the Modified Undesirable Meta‐two‐stage Dynamic data envelopment analysis (DEA) model to evaluate the efficiency of the administration and the treatment stage of 31 provincial medical and health institutions in China. The research results are as follows: (1) the group average efficiency of the high GDP region is better than the low GDP region after dynamic intertemporal impacts, and (2) most of region's administration stage efficiency is superior to the treatment stage efficiency.
Recessive multiple epiphyseal dysplasia and Stargardt disease in two sisters
Authors: Gatticchi Leonardo , Vešelényiová Dominika , Miertus Jan , Enrico Maltese Paolo , Manara Elena , Costantini Alisia , Benedetti Sabrina , Ďurovčíková Darina , Krajcovic Juraj , Bertelli Matteo
Published: March 2021

Background

The rapid spread of genome‐wide next‐generation sequencing in the molecular diagnosis of rare genetic disorders has produced increasing evidence of multilocus genomic variations in cases with a previously well‐characterized molecular diagnosis. Here, we describe two patients with a rare combination of skeletal abnormalities and retinal dystrophy caused by variants in the SLC26A2 and ABCA4 genes, respectively, in a family with parental consanguinity.

Methods

Next‐generation sequencing and Sanger sequencing were performed to obtain a molecular diagnosis for the retinal and skeletal phenotypes, respectively.

Results

Genetic testing revealed that the sisters were homozygous for the p.(Cys653Ser) variant in SLC26A2 and heterozygous for the missense p.(Pro68Leu) and splice donor c.6386+2C>G variants in ABCA4. Segregation analysis confirmed the carrier status of the parents.

Conclusion

Despite low frequency of occurrence, the detection of multilocus genomic variations in a single disease gene‐oriented approach can provide accurate diagnosis even in cases with high phenotypic complexity. A targeted sequencing approach can detect relationships between observed phenotypes and underlying genotypes, useful for clinical management.
PVP‐coated Gd‐grafted nanodiamonds as a novel and potentially safer contrast agent for in vivo MRI
Authors: Panich Alexander M. , Salti Moti , Prager Ofer , Swissa Evyatar , Kulvelis Yuri V. , Yudina Elena B. , Aleksenskii Alexander E. , Goren Shaul D. , Vul' Alexander Ya. , Shames Alexander I.
Published: March 2021

Purpose

Testing the potential use of saline suspension of polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP)‐coated gadolinium(Gd)‐grafted detonation nanodiamonds (DND) as a novel contrast agent in MRI.

Methods

Stable saline suspensions of highly purified de‐agglomerated Gd‐grafted DND particles coated by a PVP protective shell were prepared. T1 and T2 proton relaxivities of the suspensions with varying gadolinium concentration were measured at 8 Tesla. A series of ex vivo (phantom) and in vivo dynamic scans were obtained in 3 Tesla MRI using PVP‐coated Gd‐grafted DND and gadoterate meglumin in equal concentrations of gadolinium, and then T1‐weighted hyperintensity was compared.

Results

The proton relaxivities of PVP‐coated Gd‐grafted DND were found to be r1 = 15.9 ± 0.8 s−1 mM−1 and r2 = 262 ± 15 s−1 mM−1, respectively, which are somewhat less than those for uncoated Gd‐grafted DND but still high enough. Ex vivo MRI evaluation of PVP‐coated Gd‐grafted DND results with a dose‐dependent T1‐weighted hyperintensity with a significant advantage over the same for gadoterate meglumin. The same was found when the 2 contrast agents were tested in vivo.

Conclusion

The novel MRI contrast agent — saline suspensions of PVP‐coated Gd‐grafted DND — provides significantly higher signal intensities than the common tracer gadoterate meglumin, therefore increasing its potential for a safer use in clinics.
Preliminary demonstration of in vivo quasi‐steady‐state CEST postprocessing—Correction of saturation time and relaxation delay for robust quantification of tumor MT and APT effects
Authors: Zhang Xiao‐Yong , Zhai Yuting , Jin Ziyi , Li Cong , Sun Phillip Zhe , Wu Yin
Published: March 2021

Purpose

Chemical exchange saturation transfer (CEST) MRI is versatile for measuring the dilute labile protons and microenvironment properties. However, the use of insufficiently long RF saturation duration (Ts) and relaxation delay (Td) may underestimate the CEST measurement. This study proposed a quasi‐steady‐state (QUASS) CEST analysis for robust CEST quantification.

Methods

The CEST signal evolution was modeled as a function of the longitudinal relaxation rate during Td and spin‐lock relaxation rate during Ts, from which the QUASS‐CEST effect is derived. Numerical simulation and in vivo rat glioma MRI experiments were conducted at 11.7 T to compare the apparent and QUASS‐CEST results obtained under different Ts/Td of 2 seconds/2 seconds and 4 seconds/4 seconds. Magnetization transfer and amide proton transfer effects were resolved using a multipool Lorentzian fitting and evaluated in contralateral normal tissue and tumor regions.

Results

The simulation showed the dependence of the apparent CEST effect on Ts and Td, and such reliance was mitigated with the QUASS algorithm. Animal experiment results showed that the apparent magnetization transfer and amide proton transfer effects and their contrast between contralateral normal tissue and tumor regions increased substantially with Ts and Td. In comparison, the QUASS magnetization transfer and amide proton transfer effects and their difference between contralateral normal tissue and tumor exhibited little dependence on Ts and Td. In addition, the apparent magnetization transfer and amide proton transfer were significantly smaller than the corresponding QUASS indices (P < .05).

Conclusion

The QUASS‐CEST algorithm enables robust CEST quantification and offers a straightforward approach to standardize CEST experiments.
Parsimonious modeling of skeletal muscle perfusion: Connecting the stretched exponential and fractional Fickian diffusion
Authors: Reiter David A. , Adelnia Fatemeh , Cameron Donnie , Spencer Richard G. , Ferrucci Luigi
Published: March 2021

Purpose

To develop an anomalous (non‐Gaussian) diffusion model for characterizing skeletal muscle perfusion using multi‐b‐value DWI.

Theory and methods

Fick’s first law was extended for describing tissue perfusion as anomalous superdiffusion, which is non‐Gaussian diffusion exhibiting greater particle spread than that of the Gaussian case. This was accomplished using a space‐fractional derivative that gives rise to a power‐law relationship between mean squared displacement and time, and produces a stretched exponential signal decay as a function of b‐value. Numerical simulations were used to estimate parameter errors under in vivo conditions, and examine the effect of limited SNR and residual fat signal. Stretched exponential DWI parameters, α and , were measured in thigh muscles of 4 healthy volunteers at rest and following in‐magnet exercise. These parameters were related to a stable distribution of jump‐length probabilities and used to estimate microvascular volume fractions.

Results

Numerical simulations showed low dispersion in parameter estimates within 1.5% and 1%, and bias errors within 3% and 10%, for α and , respectively. Superdiffusion was observed in resting muscle, and to a greater degree following exercise. Resting microvascular volume fraction was between 0.0067 and 0.0139 and increased between 2.2‐fold and 4.7‐fold following exercise.

Conclusions

This model captures superdiffusive molecular motions consistent with perfusion, using a parsimonious representation of the DWI signal, providing approximations of microvascular volume fraction comparable with histological estimates. This signal model demonstrates low parameter‐estimation errors, and therefore holds potential for a wide range of applications in skeletal muscle and elsewhere in the body.
A simplified nonlinear coupled Newmark displacement model with degrading yield acceleration for seismic slope stability analysis
Authors: Ji Jian , Wang Chen‐Wei , Cui Hong‐Zhi , Li Xiao‐Yu , Song Jian , Gao Yufeng
Published: March 2021

The use of Newmark permanent displacement to preliminarily evaluate the seismic performance of earth slopes has been well accepted in geotechnical community. Essentially, the seismic displacement would cause slope soil shear strength to reduce, thus causing the slope yield acceleration to degrade during the earthquake shaking. This phenomenon is known as degrading effect of yield acceleration, which has not been fully addressed in the literature. In this study, the degrading effect is investigated on the basis of various Newmark's displacement calculation frameworks for infinite slopes. Specifically, the flexible‐deformation‐recoverable soil columns as well as the nonlinear soil dynamic properties including the damping and shear modulus are taken into account to derive the coupled Newmark model. Detailed discussions are made to the possible influence of the degrading effect of yield acceleration in different schemes of Newmark displacement calculation frameworks. The parametric studies show that the seismic displacement calculated by the proposed method reaches peak value at small period ratio, and dramatically drops to zero when the period ratio increases. Furthermore, the possible influence of shear rate on soil shear strength is also discussed.
Semiconductor‐based nanocomposites for selective organic synthesis
Authors: Su Juan , Su Hui , Chen Jie‐Sheng , Li Xin‐Hao
Published: March 2021

Organic synthesis, as a kind of important chemical process closely related to the industry production, environment and energy of human society, is in urgent need of safe, clean, and environmentally benign reagents and routes to realize sustainable chemistry. In last decade, heterogeneous semiconductor nanomaterials catalyzed organic system has long been a promising technology for advanced chemicals manufacturing due to their advantages of durability, low‐pollution, and high‐scalability. To overcome the limitation posed by unsatisfied reactivity, compositing active components with semiconductor‐host that can endow highly interacted nanohybrids with enhancement of surface chemical properties has proved to be an indispensable technique for achieving high‐efficiency performance. This review summarizes recent progress on typical semiconductor‐based composites including traditional metal oxide, polymeric carbon nitride, N‐doped carbon and metal‐organic framework (MOFs) applied in organic synthesis. We focus on the compositing promotion mechanism based on semiconductor‐host composites and structure‐performance relationship in catalytic process. This review is anticipated to provide sparking inspiration for designing next‐generation heterogeneous nanocatalyts towards practical application.
Screening multi‐dimensional heterogeneous populations for infectious diseases under scarce testing resources, with application to COVID‐19
Authors: El Hajj Hussein , Bish Douglas R. , Bish Ebru K. , Aprahamian Hrayer
Published: March 2021

Testing provides essential information for managing infectious disease outbreaks, such as the COVID‐19 pandemic. When testing resources are scarce, an important managerial decision is who to test. This decision is compounded by the fact that potential testing subjects are heterogeneous in multiple dimensions that are important to consider, including their likelihood of being disease‐positive, and how much potential harm would be averted through testing and the subsequent interventions. To increase testing coverage, pooled testing can be utilized, but this comes at a cost of increased false‐negatives when the test is imperfect. Then, the decision problem is to partition the heterogeneous testing population into three mutually exclusive sets: those to be individually tested, those to be pool tested, and those not to be tested. Additionally, the subjects to be pool tested must be further partitioned into testing pools, potentially containing different numbers of subjects. The objectives include the minimization of harm (through detection and mitigation) or maximization of testing coverage. We develop data‐driven optimization models and algorithms to design pooled testing strategies, and show, via a COVID‐19 contact tracing case study, that the proposed testing strategies can substantially outperform the current practice used for COVID‐19 contact tracing (individually testing those contacts with symptoms). Our results demonstrate the substantial benefits of optimizing the testing design, while considering the multiple dimensions of population heterogeneity and the limited testing capacity.
Alzheimer's disease pathology is associated with earlier alterations to blood–brain barrier water permeability compared with healthy ageing in TgF344‐AD rats
Authors: Dickie Ben R. , Boutin Hervé , Parker Geoff J. M. , Parkes Laura M.
Published: March 2021

The effects of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and ageing on blood–brain barrier (BBB) breakdown are investigated in TgF344‐AD and wild‐type rats aged 13, 18 and 21 months. Permeability surface area products of the BBB to water (PSw) and gadolinium‐based contrast agent (PSg) were measured in grey matter using multiflip angle multiecho dynamic contrast‐enhanced MRI. At 13 months of age, there was no significant difference in PSw between TgF344‐AD and wild‐types (p = 0.82). Between 13 and 18 months, PSw increased in TgF344‐AD rats (p = 0.027), but not in wild‐types (p = 0.99), leading to significantly higher PSw in TgF344‐AD rats at 18 months, as previously reported (p = 0.012). Between 18 and 21 months, PSw values increased in wild‐types (p = 0.050), but not in TgF344‐AD rats (p = 0.50). These results indicate that BBB water permeability is affected by both AD pathology and ageing, but that changes occur earlier in the presence of AD pathology. There were no significant genotype or ageing effects on PSg (p > 0.05). In conclusion, we detected increases in BBB water permeability with age in TgF344‐AD and wild‐type rats, and found that changes occurred at an earlier age in rats with AD pathology.
Synergistic influence of education and marriage on the risk for cognition loss among the older people in China
Authors: Sun Ning , Jia Rangcheng , Guo Chunyan , Sun Tongda , Dong Xiaoxin , Li Long , Yang Ping
Published: March 2021

Aim

The study aimed to prove that both rationality and emotion are indispensable for older people to maintain their ability to live independently during the twilight of their lives. The resilience of older people to dementia were investigated by considering the interactions between educational levels and marriage status.

Design

A quantitative study was conducted using questionnaires.

Methods

Four sociodemographic variables (age, sex, educational level and marital status) were collected from 1,177 older Chinese participants, whose mini‐mental state examination scores (MMSE scores) were measured.

Results

A lower educational level coupled with being widowed caused a greater risk for severe cognitive impairment (relative risk [RR] 1.48; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.20–1.82; p < .001) for high‐aged older participants (age range: ≥80) than for their low‐aged counterparts (age range: ≥60 and <80). In contrast, a higher educational level coupled with being married levelled this age‐related risk for cognitive loss (RR 0.91; 95% CI 0.65–1.27; p = .62).
Bone artifacts from Riwi Cave, south‐central Kimberley: Reappraisal of the timing and role of osseous artifacts in northern Australia
Authors: Langley Michelle C. , Balme Jane , O'Connor Sue
Published: March 2021

Here, we describe eight bone artifacts recovered from Pleistocene and Holocene contexts at Riwi, a cave site located in Mimbi country of the south‐central Kimberley. These artifacts reflect a range of activities occurring at the site—including the manufacture of plant‐fiber items, the processing of spinifex resin, and fish or bird hunting. As the oldest four artifacts were found within the Pleistocene deposit and therefore date to older than 35,000 cal. BP, these tools represent some of the most ancient bone technologies thus far identified in northern Australia. Such rare finds are helping to rewrite stories surrounding the innovation and use of osseous technologies on the Australian continent.
Nodal root diameter and node number in maize (Zea mays L.) interact to influence plant growth under nitrogen stress
Authors: Schneider Hannah M. , Yang Jennifer T. , Brown Kathleen M. , Lynch Jonathan P.
Published: March 2021

Under nitrogen limitation, plants increase resource allocation to root growth relative to shoot growth. The utility of various root architectural and anatomical phenotypes for nitrogen acquisition are not well understood. Nodal root number and root cross‐sectional area were evaluated in maize in field and greenhouse environments. Nodal root number and root cross‐sectional area were inversely correlated under both high and low nitrogen conditions. Attenuated emergence of root nodes, as opposed to differences in the number of axial roots per node, was associated with substantially reduced root number. Greater root cross‐sectional area was associated with a greater stele area and number of cortical cell files. Genotypes that produced few, thick nodal roots rather than many, thin nodal roots had deeper rooting and better shoot growth in low nitrogen environments. Fewer nodal roots offset the respiratory and nitrogen costs of thicker diameter roots, since total nodal root respiration and nitrogen content was similar for genotypes with many, thin and few, thick nodal roots. We propose that few, thick nodal roots may enable greater capture of deep soil nitrogen and improve plant performance under nitrogen stress. Synergistic interactions between an architectural and anatomical trait may be an important strategy for nitrogen acquisition. Understanding trait interactions among different root nodes has important implications in for improving crop nutrient uptake and stress tolerance.
Extension of a de novo TIM barrel with a rationally designed secondary structure element
Authors: Wiese Jonas Gregor , Shanmugaratnam Sooruban , Höcker Birte
Published: March 2021

The ability to construct novel enzymes is a major aim in de novo protein design. A popular enzyme fold for design attempts is the TIM barrel. This fold is a common topology for enzymes and can harbor many diverse reactions. The recent de novo design of a four‐fold symmetric TIM barrel provides a well understood minimal scaffold for potential enzyme designs. Here we explore opportunities to extend and diversify this scaffold by adding a short de novo helix on top of the barrel. Due to the size of the protein, we developed a design pipeline based on computational ab initio folding that solves a less complex sub‐problem focused around the helix and its vicinity and adapt it to the entire protein. We provide biochemical characterization and a high‐resolution X‐ray structure for one variant and compare it to our design model. The successful extension of this robust TIM‐barrel scaffold opens opportunities to diversify it towards more pocket like arrangements and as such can be considered a building block for future design of binding or catalytic sites.
The expression profile of platelet‐derived miRNA in coronary artery disease patients with clopidogrel resistance
Authors: Lin Shaoyi , Xu Xiaofeng , Hu Haochang , cheng Ji , Chen Ruoyu , Hu Yingchu , Chen Xiaomin
Published: March 2021

Clopidogrel is widely used for antiplatelet therapy in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD), but clopidogrel resistance (CR) is relatively common in these patients. The goal of our study was to explore the platelet‐derived miRNA expression profile of CR in CAD patients. In this study, 66 CAD patients treated with dual antiplatelet therapy (clopidogrel 75 mg once daily plus aspirin 100 mg once daily) were included. According to inhibition of platelet aggregation (IPA), we divided these patients into CR group (IPA <30%) and control group (IPA ≥30%). The concentrations of clopidogrel and clopidogrel active metabolites in plasma were obtained using UHPLC‐Q‐Orbitrap HRMS method. The platelet‐derived miRNA expression profiles of these subjects were detected by high‐throughput sequencing and qRT‐PCR. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) were used for function prediction of differentially expressed miRNAs. Our results suggested no significant difference of clopidogrel and active metabolic derivative concentrations between CR group and control group. Correlation analysis showed no significant association between clopidogrel concentration and IPA; active metabolic derivative and IPA. In addition, 67 platelet‐derived miRNAs were differentially expressed between three CR and three control patients. After adjusting, eight miRNAs might be related to CR in CAD. In our validation cohort (30 CR patients and 30 control group), miRNA‐142‐3p and miRNA‐24‐3p expression levels were significantly upregulated, and miRNA‐411‐3p expression was significantly downregulated in the CR group. In conclusion, the miRNA‐142‐3p, miRNA‐24‐3p, and miRNA‐411‐3p might be potential markers for CR in CAD patients.
Scalability of Sulfur‐Based Ovonic Threshold Selectors for 3D Stackable Memory Applications
Authors: Jia Shujing , Li Huanglong , Liu Qi , Song Zhitang , Zhu Min
Published: March 2021

A two‐terminal selector is an essential element for high‐density 3D stackable memory arrays. Suppressing sneak current, the device also needs to provide extremely high current density to melt‐quench the storage layer in phase‐change memory (PCM). Recently, an ovonic threshold switching (OTS) selector based on amorphous GeS demonstrated a large current density, which seems to be promising for 3D stackable PCM application. Herein, the scalability of GeS OTS selectors is investigated as the device scales down from 200 to 60 nm. Interestingly, the ON/OFF current, threshold voltage, and switching speed hardly change as the device scales down, whereas the ON current density exponentially grows. A large current density, ≈35.4 MA cm−2, is achieved in 60 nm‐sized devices. The high current density endows the GeS selector with great potential for use in high‐density 3D stackable memory applications.
Chemical compositions, pharmacological activities, quality control studies of Erycibes plants, and the development of their substitutes
Authors: Peng Yu , Tao Hongxun , Yang Yuanyuan , Gao Yuanqing , Ren Hui , Hu Jing , Chen Zhiyong , Li Ye
Published: March 2021

Erycibes are members of the Convolvulaceae family, including more than 10 species worldwide that are distributed in tropical Asia. Some Erycibes species have long been used as traditional remedies for rheumatoid arthritis, fever, hepatitis, and liver injury in China and Thailand. A total of 152 compounds from Erycibes plants have been isolated and identified, categorized as flavonoids, coumarins, quinic acid derivatives, lignans, and alkaloids. Coumarins are the characteristic and active constituents of this species, including scopoletin and scopolin. Modern pharmacological studies have shown that the extracts and bioactive components of Erycibes plants exhibit several biological activities, including antiinflammatory, analgesic, hepatoprotective, anti‐gout, antitumor, antioxidation, and other therapeutic effects. However, in recent years, due to destructive exploitation and utilization, some Erycibes plants' natural resources have become rare or endangered. Developing substitutes is a strategy to alleviate the pressure on those endangered medicinal plant resources. To provide a scientific basis for the development and protection of those threatened Erycibes species, this review summarized the current status of the chemical compositions, pharmacological activities, quality control studies, and the development of substitutes for Erycibes plants. In particular, the rationale for use of Porana sinensis currently on the market is discussed.
A review on the protective effects of naringenin against natural and chemical toxic agents
Authors: Naraki Karim , Rezaee Ramin , Karimi Gholamreza
Published: March 2021

Naringenin (NRG), as a flavanone from flavonoids family, is widely found in grapefruit, lemon tomato, and Citrus fruits. NRG has shown strong anti‐inflammatory and antioxidant activities in body organs via mechanisms such as enhancement of glutathione S‐transferase (GST), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH‐Px), and catalase (CAT) activity, but reduction of serum levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and malondialdehyde (MDA). Furthermore, NRG anti‐apoptotic potential was indicated to be mediated by regulating B‐cell lymphoma (Bcl‐2), Bcl‐2‐associated X protein (Bax) and caspase3/9. Overall, these properties make NRG a highly fascinating compound with beneficial pharmacological effects. Based on the literature, NRG‐induced protective effects against toxicities produced by natural toxins, pharmaceuticals, heavy metals, and environmental chemicals, were mainly mediated via suppression of lipid peroxidation, oxidative stress (through boosting the antioxidant arsenal), and inflammatory factors (e.g., TNF‐α, interleukin [IL]‐6, IL‐10, and IL‐12), and activation of PI3K/Akt and MAPK survival signaling pathways. Despite considerable body of evidence on protective properties of NRG against a variety of toxic compounds, more well‐designed experimental studies and particularly, clinical trials are required before reaching a concrete conclusion. The present review discusses how NRG protects against the above‐noted toxic compounds.
Phytonutrient supplements and metabolic biomarkers of cardiovascular disease: An umbrella review of meta‐analyses of clinical trials
Authors: Hoang Tung , Kim Jeongseon
Published: March 2021

Phytonutrients exert several pharmacological effects on humans. In this study, we performed an umbrella review of the association of phytonutrient supplements (PNSs) with biomarkers of cardiovascular disease. Relevant published systematic reviews and meta‐analyses of clinical trials were identified by searching PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library until July 4, 2020. Weighted mean differences (WMDs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for summarized effects and I2 statistics of heterogeneity were extracted from individual studies or reanalyzed using a random‐effects model. Of the 50 included studies, pooled effects of PNSs on blood pressure, lipid profiles, and glycemic control were reported in 16, 25, and 14 articles, respectively. The findings appeared to be highly heterogeneous among individual trials of included systematic reviews and meta‐analyses. Ginger (WMD = −6.36 mmHg, 95% CI = −11.27, −1.46) and Hibiscus sabdariffa (WMD = −7.58 mmHg, 95% CI = −9.69, −5.46) were associated with lowered systolic blood pressure, whereas Aloe vera, Nigella sativa, and spirulina were associated with beneficial effects on both lipid profiles and glycemic control. In summary, this umbrella review has provided up‐to‐date evidence for the effect of PNSs on biomarkers related to hypertension, dyslipidemia, and diabetes. The results must be interpreted with caution due to potential heterogeneity.
Interindividual immunogenic variants: Susceptibility to coronavirus, respiratory syncytial virus and influenza virus
Authors: Darbeheshti Farzaneh , Mahdiannasser Mojdeh , Uhal Bruce D , Ogino Shuji , Gupta Sudhir , Rezaei Nima
Published: March 2021

The coronavirus disease (Covid‐19) pandemic is the most serious event of the year 2020, causing considerable global morbidity and mortality. The goal of this review is to provide a comprehensive summary of reported associations between inter‐individual immunogenic variants and disease susceptibility or symptoms caused by the coronavirus strains severe acute respiratory syndrome‐associated coronavirus, severe acute respiratory syndrome‐associated coronavirus‐2, and two of the main respiratory viruses, respiratory syncytial virus and influenza virus. The results suggest that the genetic background of the host could affect the levels of proinflammatory and anti‐inflammatory cytokines and might modulate the progression of Covid‐19 in affected patients. Notably, genetic variations in innate immune components such as toll‐like receptors and mannose‐binding lectin 2 play critical roles in the ability of the immune system to recognize coronavirus and initiate an early immune response to clear the virus and prevent the development of severe symptoms. This review provides promising clues related to the potential benefits of using immunotherapy and immune modulation for respiratory infectious disease treatment in a personalized manner.
New reliableH∞filter design for singular Markovian jump time‐delay systems with sensor failures
Authors: Chen Wenbin , Gao Fang , Liu Guobao , Xu Shengyuan , Zhang Zhengqiang
Published: March 2021

The issue of the reliable exponentialH∞filtering (HF) is revisited for singular Markovian jump time‐delay systems (SMJTSs) accompanied by sensor failures and interval time‐varying delays. By a new mode‐dependent Lyapunov–Krasovskii functional (LKF) containing three augmented nonintegral terms, some mean‐square exponentially admissible (MSEA) conditions satisfying anH∞performance are derived subject to state decomposition method. On this basis, a novel reliable filter design approach is first proposed for SMJTSs by means of the idea of the state decomposition and recombining. And the filter parameters we want can be obtained. Worth noting that the results presented are not only related to interval time‐varying delay and sensor failure but also to interval delay‐change‐rate. Meanwhile, the sufficient conditions established have less conservatism and lower computational complexity in comparison with the existing results. The effectiveness and superiority of the proposed methods are verified by two numerical examples derived from some existing papers.
The impact of customer ties and industry segment maturity on business model adaptation in an emerging industry
Authors: Denoo Lien , Yli‐Renko Helena , Clarysse Bart
Published: March 2021

Research Summary

Why do some young firms change their business models while others do not? Why do some firms make small changes, while others make more substantial changes? And does industry context matter? Drawing on organizational learning theory and utilizing a unique database tracking 187 young firms through the first decade of the mobile health industry, we examine the role of customers in young firms' business model adaptation. We find a positive impact of customer portfolio breadth (capturing the number and diversity of customers) on both the likelihood and degree of business model change. Importantly, industry segment maturity moderates this relation: customer effects are strongest in the earliest, most uncertain stages. Our study provides a rare view into how a new industry and its young ventures co‐evolve.

Managerial Summary

Customers have been viewed as critical in a start‐up venture's search for an initial business model, but their role in young firms' business model adaptation has not been examined. In this study, we show that a young firm's customer portfolio breadth is an important driver of business model change, especially at the earliest, most uncertain stages of an industry. Our results highlight the value of customers as sources of knowledge in emerging industries, and suggest that when making decisions about establishing and fostering customer ties, entrepreneurs should consider the number and diversity of those ties in the context of the maturity of the young firm's industry segment.
An autonomous model for self‐optimizing virtual machine selection by learning automata in cloud environment
Authors: Najafizadegan Negin , Nazemi Eslam , Khajehvand Vahid
Published: March 2021

In recent years, cloud computing has become more popular because of advancements in virtualization technology. By increasing the number of servers in cloud computing environment, cloud data centers have expanded and consumed much energy. Virtual machine consolidation is a solution for energy management in cloud environment. On the other hand, by increasing resource utilization in virtual machine consolidation, service level agreement assurance is difficult to obtain. Two main challenges in virtual machine consolidation are timely detection of overloaded servers and proper immigrant virtual machine selection from detected servers. In this paper, a new model is proposed based on MAPE‐k loop for autonomous virtual machine selection. The presented model uses a proposed ensemble prediction algorithm in the analysis phase. Also, in the planning phase, a new multi‐heuristics algorithm with flexible weights using learning automata is proposed. The effectiveness of the proposed model is evaluated by CloudSim simulator under real workload as compared with well‐known algorithms in this domain. The experimental results indicate that, the proposed approach has averagely improved the balance between service level agreement violations, energy and migration counts by 47.39% compared to other methods.
Cybersecurity protection on in‐vehicle networks for distributed automotive cyber‐physical systems: State‐of‐the‐art and future challenges
Authors: Xie Yong , Zhou Yu , Xu Jing , Zhou Jian , Chen Xiaobai , Xiao Fu
Published: March 2021

The ever‐evolving trip mode of human being leads the automobiles moving toward connected, autonomous, sharing, and electrified vehicles rapidly. But the connection introduces new cybersecurity problems on in‐vehicle networks, which poses great challenges for safety guarantee of distributed automotive cyber‐physical systems. This article first analyzes the cybersecurity vulnerabilities and defines the security requirements for in‐vehicle networks, and then introduces the architecture evolution of in‐vehicle network. Based on the definition on architecture of in‐vehicle networks, this article defines a security protection framework for it. And then, it surveys the state‐of‐the‐art works for availability protection, integrity protection, and confidentiality protection of in‐vehicle networks, respectively, and detailed analysis and comparisons are given about the proposed cybersecurity protection mechanisms. Finally, it summarizes the future challenges for cybersecurity protection of in‐vehicle networks, and proposes possible solutions for these challenges.
A systematic gray literature review: The technologies and concerns of microservice application programming interfaces
Authors: Chen Fangwei , Zhang Li , Lian Xiaoli
Published: March 2021

The microservice application programming interface (API) becomes a growing concern in the IT industry, as a result of the increasing usage of microservice architecture style. There exist many successful practices among companies, communities, and so on. In contrast, the related academic research is still at an early stage, where lacks an overview of technologies for the design, implementation and operation of microservice APIs, as well as a general picture of concerns. In this article, we try to fill this gap by eliciting the technologies and concerns on microservice APIs and establishing a microservice API description model, with the intention of aiding researchers to gain an overview of this field and find possible research directions, and helping practitioners to better understand microservice APIs and be aware of the existing approaches for daily work. Twelve academic papers and 38 gray literatures are selected and analyzed following the systematic literature review approach. Besides, we give our observations from this study. For researchers, our findings show the most cared concerns of practitioners, and our description model can be used as a reference for new theories, experiments, and future research dimensions. For practitioners, our study can be used as a guideline for microservices experimentation and a starting point for practice.
Multifactor experimental investigation of the mechanical performance of a shape memory alloy‐based self‐centering‐energy‐dissipation device
Authors: Li Ran , Shu Ganping , Li Haiyun
Published: March 2021

An innovative self‐centering‐energy‐dissipation device (SCED) based on a superelastic shape memory alloy (SMA) is developed. This device exhibits asymmetric, flag‐shaped hysteretic behavior and tension–compression symmetry property. The symmetry is attributed to the tension‐only state of the SMA wires in the device during the loading process. The working principle of the device is described, and a theoretical model describing the mechanical properties of the device is proposed. Uniaxial tension–compression cyclic loading tests are carried out to investigate the influence of the section area of the SMA wire, the loading amplitude, and the loading rate on the mechanical performance, including the yield strength, maximum strength, austenite stiffness, martensite stiffness, energy dissipation, and efficiency ratio. Expressions of the correction factors and mechanical performance considering multiple factors are also suggested.
Back to the future: A refined single‐user photostation for massively scaling herbarium digitization
Authors: Davis Charles C. , Kennedy Jonathan A. , Grassa Christopher J.
Published: March 2021

The digitization of herbarium collections is greatly transforming plant biodiversity science, yet most herbarium data remain inaccessible. Here, we present a novel, single‐user photostation and associated workflow for efficiently mobilizing herbarium specimens. Our apparatus represents a significant improvement to existing technology and is scalable to a variety of digitization tasks from small to massive collections.
Dissecting nematode resistance regions in soybean revealed pleiotropic effect of soybean cyst and reniform nematode resistance genes
Authors: Usovsky Mariola , Lakhssassi Naoufal , Patil Gunvant B. , Vuong Tri D. , Piya Sarbottam , Hewezi Tarek , Robbins Robert T. , Stupar Robert M. , Meksem Khalid , Nguyen Henry T.
Published: March 2021

Reniform nematode (RN, Rotylenchulus reniformis Linford & Oliveira) has emerged as one of the most important plant parasitic nematodes of soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.]. Planting resistant varieties is the most effective strategy for nematode management. The objective of this study was to identify quantitative trait loci (QTL) for RN resistance in an exotic soybean line, PI 438489B, using two linkage maps constructed from the Universal Soybean Linkage Panel (USLP 1.0) and next‐generation whole‐genome resequencing (WGRS) technology. Two QTL controlling RN resistance were identified—the soybean cyst nematode (SCN, Heterodera glycines) resistance gene GmSNAP18 at the rhg1 locus and its paralog GmSNAP11. Strong association between resistant phenotype and haplotypes of the GmSNAP11 and GmSNAP18 was observed. The results indicated that GmSNAP11 possibly could have epistatic effect on GmSNAP18, or vice versa, with the presence of a significant correlation in RN resistance of rhg1‐a GmSNAP18 vs. rhg1‐b GmSNAP18. Most importantly, our preliminary data suggested that GmSNAP18 and GmSNAP11 proteins physically interact in planta, suggesting that they belong to the same pathway for resistance. Unlike GmSNAP18, no indication of GmSNAP11 copy number variation was found. Moreover, gene‐based single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers were developed for rapid detection of RN or SCN resistance at these loci. Our analysis substantiates synergic interaction between GmSNAP11 and GmSNAP18 genes and confirms their roles in RN as well as SCN resistance. These results could contribute to a better understanding of evolution and subfunctionalization of genes conferring resistance to multiple nematode species and provide a framework for further investigations.
Ameliorative effect of L‐carnitine on chronic lead‐induced reproductive toxicity in male rats
Authors: Abdel‐Emam Rania A. , Ahmed Esraa A.
Published: March 2021

Lead toxicity is one of the causative agents of male infertility that raised concern from environmental contamination worldwide. L‐carnitine, a biologically active amino acid, present in high concentration in the reproductive organs such as the epididymis, is involved in sperm maturation. The possible protective effect of L‐carnitine in experimentally lead‐induced male reproductive toxicity in rats was evaluated in this study. Thirty adult male Wistar rats were divided into three groups. Group 1: the negative control group was treated with normal saline; Group 2: exposed to 50 mg/kg lead acetate (2% solution in saline); and Group 3: treated with lead acetate 50 mg/kg (2% solution in saline) + L‐carnitine 100 mg/kg. At the end of the experimental period, body and testicular weights were determined, blood samples were withdrawn for hormonal assays of FSH, LH and testosterone. Sperm parameters as sperm count, morphology, viability and motility were measured. Testicular tissue homogenates were prepared for enzymatic assays and for measuring oxidative stress parameters. Lead significantly increased both oxidative stress and the concentration of lactate dehydrogenase‐C in the testicular tissues with a decrease in sperm count, motility and viability. Lead acetate treatment, induced alteration in sperms with normal morphology together with reductions in the serum FSH, LH, testosterone, body and testicular weights. The concentration of 17β‐hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase was significantly reduced. Co‐administration of L‐carnitine significantly reduced testicular oxidative stress, improved sperm parameters, elevated serum FSH, LH and testosterone with an insignificant reduction in the testicular weight. The concentrations of 17β‐hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase and lactate dehydrogenase‐C were significantly improved by L‐carnitine. The overall results indicate that L‐carnitine is expected to improve the lead acetate‐induced male reproductive toxicity.
A comprehensive management model to maximize the benefits of agriculture drainage water reuse
Authors: Helal Esam , Shaban Mohamed , Abd El‐Karim Ehab , Ellayen Ashraf
Published: March 2021

Water scarcity in Egypt is an escalating challenge due to the ever‐increasing water demands and limited resources. Economically, agricultural drainage water reuse (ADWR) in irrigation is an essential option to cope with freshwater shortage. However, it requires environmentally sound management to minimize possible risks on irrigated soils and human health. Consequently, this research aims at assessing and managing the reuse process by developing a statistically based quality control model capable to investigate the observed and expected capability of the process. Additionally, complementary corrective actions and the decision models were proposed when the reuse processes operate in violation of the standards. These models were tested and validated using data collected from the year 2015 to 2019 at the Delengat pump station in the Western Nile Delta region, which mixes the Delengat drain water with the El‐Hager irrigation canal. After raising the awareness amongst the farmers and providing them adequate sanitation services, it was inferred that the ADWR process could provide safe drainage water to be mixed with fresh water. Based on the performed simulations, both models proved to be systematic, quantitative, suitable for computers, and helpful in making informed decisions concerning the sustainability of the reuse process under future water uncertainty.

Practitioner points

In Egypt, drainage water reuse is an essential option to cope freshwater shortage.

A statistically based quality control model was developed to investigate the capability of the agriculture drainage water reuse process.

Additionally, complementary corrective actions and decision models were proposed when the reuse processes operate in violation of the standards.

Both the models proved helpful in making informed decisions concerning the sustainability of the reuse process under the future water uncertainty.