bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Neuroprotective Effect of 4-Phenylbutyric Acid against Photo-Stress in the Retina
Authors: Guzmán Mendoza Naymel Alejandra , Homma Kohei , Osada Hideto , Toda Eriko , Ban Norimitsu , Nagai Norihiro , Negishi Kazuno , Tsubota Kazuo , Ozawa Yoko
Published: July 2021

Exposure to excessive visible light causes retinal degeneration and may influence the progression of retinal blinding diseases. However, there are currently no applied treatments. Here, we focused on endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, which can cause cellular degeneration and apoptosis in response to stress. We analyzed functional, histological, and molecular changes in the light-exposed retina and the effects of administering an ER-stress inhibitor, 4-phenylbutyric acid (4-PBA), in mice. We found that light-induced visual function impairment related to photoreceptor cell loss and outer segment degeneration were substantially suppressed by 4-PBA administration, following attenuated photoreceptor apoptosis. Induction of retinal ER stress soon after light exposure, represented by upregulation of the immunoglobulin heavy chain binding protein (BiP) and C/EBP-Homologous Protein (CHOP), were suppressed by 4-PBA. Concurrently, light-induced oxidative stress markers, Nuclear factor erythroid 2–related factor 2 (Nrf2) and Heme Oxygenase 1 (HO-1), and mitochondrial apoptotic markers, B-cell lymphoma 2 apoptosis regulator (Bcl-2)-associated death promoter (Bad), and Bcl-2-associated X protein (Bax), were suppressed by 4-PBA administration. Increased expression of glial fibrillary acidic protein denoted retinal neuroinflammation, and inflammatory cytokines were induced after light exposure; however, 4-PBA acted as an anti-inflammatory. Suppression of ER stress by 4-PBA may be a new therapeutic approach to suppress the progression of retinal neurodegeneration and protect visual function against photo-stress.
Determination of Bioactive Compounds in Sequential Extracts of Chia Leaf (Salvia hispanica L.) Using UHPLC-HRMS (Q-Orbitrap) and a Global Evaluation of Antioxidant In Vitro Capacity
Authors: Zúñiga-López María Carolina , Maturana Gabriela , Campmajó Guillem , Saurina Javier , Núñez Oscar
Published: July 2021

Consumers’ interest in foods that are nutritionally balanced and with health benefits has increased. The food industry is paying attention to the use of the ancestral seed Salvia hispanica L., commonly known as chia. At present, only chia seeds, which are a natural source of omega-3 and omega-6, fiber, proteins, and natural antioxidants, are commercialized. Although some studies reveal the presence of several bioactive compounds, such as polyphenols (e.g., vitexin, orientin, and some hydroxycinnamic acids) in chia leaf methanolic extracts, the chia plant is commonly used as fertilizer or treated as waste after harvest. Therefore, it can represent a by-product that could be considered a great source of bioactive compounds with unexplored potential in medicine and food industry applications. In this work, UHPLC-HRMS (Q-Orbitrap) was employed to tentatively identify and determine the bioactive compounds present in different leaf extracts of chia plants of black and white seed phenotype obtained with solvents of different polarity (ethanol, ethyl acetate, dichloromethane, and hexane) to address chia plant by-product revalorization. The chemical antioxidant capacity was also studied and correlated to the found bioactive compounds. In these experiments, black chia showed a higher antioxidant capacity than white chia in the ethanolic extracts. Moreover, experiments on cellular antioxidant activity were also performed with a predominance of the white chia extract. It is noted that the cellular antioxidant activity results make chia ethanolic extracts promising antioxidants.
Characterization of Prints Based on Microscale Image Analysis of Dot Patterns
Authors: Das Indrama , Bandyopadhyay Swati , Trémeau Alain
Published: July 2021

Identifying a print document (original) from a reprint document (copy or fake) can be a challenge. The analyse at microscopic scale of print documents shows random dot shapes which depend on the printing parameters as well as the printing device used. We can, therefore, draw the assumption that the dot shapes can be used as a fingerprint to differentiate a print from a reprint. In this paper, we explore several shape indexes that were not investigated until now to analyse at microscopic scale documents printed on aluminium foils using rotogravure printing process. This paper presents a statistical analysis which is based on a pattern recognition process defined by three steps. First, a new image processing pipeline is used to segment automatically disconnected dots. Next, new dot pattern features are used to characterize automatically dot patterns. Six types of dot patterns (including four types of doughnut patterns) are introduced. Lastly, a new statistical analysis method is used to characterize a printed sample from the set of dots printed on it. The experiments done demonstrate the relevance of the analytical method proposed. Results shows the potential of this method to identify a reprint from a print.
Superparamagnetic Fe/Au Nanoparticles and Their Feasibility for Magnetic Hyperthermia
Authors: Sanad Mohamed F. , Meneses-Brassea Bianca P. , Blazer Dawn S. , Pourmiri Shirin , Hadjipanayis George C. , El-Gendy Ahmed A.
Published: July 2021

Today, magnetic hyperthermia constitutes a complementary way to cancer treatment. This article reports a promising aspect of magnetic hyperthermia addressing superparamagnetic and highly Fe/Au core-shell nanoparticles. Those nanoparticles were prepared using a wet chemical approach at room temperature. We found that the as-synthesized core shells assembled with spherical morphology, including face-centered-cubic Fe cores coated and Au shells. The high-resolution transmission microscope images (HRTEM) revealed the formation of Fe/Au core/shell nanoparticles. The magnetic properties of the samples showed hysteresis loops with coercivity (HC) close to zero, revealing superparamagnetic-like behavior at room temperature. The saturation magnetization (MS) has the value of 165 emu/g for the as-synthesized sample with a Fe:Au ratio of 2:1. We also studied the feasibility of those core-shell particles for magnetic hyperthermia using different frequencies and different applied alternating magnetic fields. The Fe/Au core-shell nanoparticles achieved a specific absorption rate of 50 W/g under applied alternating magnetic field with amplitude 400 Oe and 304 kHz frequency. Based on our findings, the samples can be used as a promising candidate for magnetic hyperthermia for cancer therapy.
Fabrication of Nanoporous Al by Vapor-Phase Dealloying: Morphology Features, Mechanical Properties and Model Predictions
Authors: Pinna Andrea , Pia Giorgio , Casula Maria Francesca , Delogu Francesco , Sogne Elisa , Falqui Andrea , Pilia Luca
Published: July 2021

The physical and chemical properties shown by nanoporous metals, related to their unique structure, make them very promising for application in several fields. Recently, vapor-phase dealloying has been reported as a method for the preparation of several non-noble nanoporous metals, alternatively to dealloying in aqueous solutions. Using this approach, we have successfully fabricated nanoporous Al starting from an Al20Zn80 nanocomposite obtained by ball milling. The nanocomposite was annealed at 550 °C under high-vacuum conditions, and the difference in the vapor pressures allowed the selective removal of Zn by vapor-phase dealloying. The morphology of the resulting nanoporous material was analyzed by Scanning Electron Microscopy showing pores from few to thousands of nm; moreover, the nanoporous 3D structure was observed through Serial Block Face-Scanning Electron Microscopy. A specific surface area as high as 73 m2 g−1 was estimated by N2 physisorption measurements. In addition, a fractal model able to well reproduce the morphology of nanoporous Al was built. This model has been used for predicting mechanical properties which are in good agreement with experimental data obtained by nanoindentation.
Simple HPLC-PDA Analysis to Determine Illegal Synthetic Dyes in Herbal Medicines
Authors: Ko Kyung-Yuk , Choi Eun-Young , Jeong Se-Hee , Kim Sohwa , Lee Choon-Kil , Lee Chulhyun , Cho Sooyeul
Published: July 2021

Various synthetic dyes are artificially added to herbal medicines for the purpose of visual attraction. In order to monitor the illegal usage of synthetic dyes in herbal medication, a rapid and straightforward analysis method to determine synthetic dyes is required. The study aimed to develop and validate a high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis to determine ten synthetic dyes in Hawthorn fruit, Cornus fruit, and Schisandra fruit. Ten synthetic dyes such as Tartrazine, Sunset yellow, Metanil yellow, Auramine O, Amaranth, Orange II, Acid red 73, Amaranth, New Coccine, Azorubine, and Erythrosine B, were extracted using 50 mM ammonium acetate in 70% MeOH; then separated by gradient elution with a mobile phase consisting of acetonitrile and 50 mM ammonium acetate in distilled water using a photodiode array detector (PDA) at 428 nm or 500 nm. In addition, this study established the LC-MS/MS method to confirm the existence of synthetic dyes in the positive sample solution. The HPLC analysis had good linearity (r2 > 0.999). The recoveries of this method ranged from 74.6~132.1%, and the relative standard deviation (RSD) values were less than 6.9%. Most of the samples fulfilled the acceptance criteria of the AOAC guideline. This study demonstrates that the HPLC analysis can be applied to determine ten synthetic dyes in herbal medication.
In Vitro Evaluation of the Antibacterial and Antioxidant Activities of Extracts of Gracilaria gracilis with a View into Its Potential Use as an Additive in Fish Feed
Authors: Afonso Clélia , Correia Ana Patrícia , Freitas Marta V. , Mouga Teresa , Baptista Teresa
Published: July 2021

Fish in aquaculture systems are subject to several stressors that inhibit the immune response and potentiate the development of disease and increased mortality. The inclusion of additives in the fish diet, namely seaweeds or their extracts, that are natural sources of bioactive compounds can be an important tool for promoting the health and well-being of these animals. The present study aims at the development of sustainable and effective methodologies for the extraction of bioactive compounds of the red seaweed Gracilaria gracilis, exploring its antibacterial and antioxidant potential and considering its potential use as an additive for functional fish feeds. The yield of the extraction methods was evaluated upon the use of sequential solid–liquid extraction techniques with ethanol and water as solvents, different extraction temperatures (room temperature: 40 °C and 70 °C), and extraction time. The results demonstrated that the adoption extraction times of 30 min at 40 °C provided higher yields. We also evaluated the antioxidant capacity and the antibacterial properties of the obtained extracts against different strains that cause fish diseases by disk diffusion and broth microdilution methods. The antioxidant activity was determined by the DPPH reducing capacity method and quantification of total polyphenols content (TPC). With these results, we can establish extraction procedures that allow the future use of G. gracilis extracts, with antibacterial and antioxidant effects in a safe and effective way.
Detection and Model of Thermal Traces Left after Aggressive Behavior of Laboratory Rodents
Authors: Mazur-Milecka Magdalena , Ruminski Jacek , Glac Wojciech , Glowacka Natalia
Published: July 2021

Automation of complex social behavior analysis of experimental animals would allow for faster, more accurate and reliable research results in many biological, pharmacological, and medical fields. However, there are behaviors that are not only difficult to detect for the computer, but also for the human observer. Here, we present an analysis of the method for identifying aggressive behavior in thermal images by detecting traces of saliva left on the animals’ fur after a bite, nape attack, or grooming. We have checked the detection capabilities using simulations of social test conditions inspired by real observations and measurements. Detection of simulated traces different in size and temperature on single original frame revealed the dependence of the parameters of commonly used corner detectors (R score, ranking) on the parameters of the traces. We have also simulated temperature of saliva changes in time and proved that the detection time does not affect the correctness of the approximation of the observed process. Furthermore, tracking the dynamics of temperature changes of these traces allows to conclude about the exact moment of the aggressive action. In conclusion, the proposed algorithm together with thermal imaging provides additional data necessary to automate the analysis of social behavior in rodents.
Regression Approach to a Novel Lateral Flatness Leveling System for Smart Manufacturing
Authors: Tsai Sung-Yu , Chang Jen-Yuan
Published: July 2021

Sheet metal coils are widely used in the steel, automotive, and electronics industries. Many of these coils are processed through metal stamping or laser cutting to form different types of shapes. Sheet metal coil leveling is an essential procedure before any metal forming process. In practice, this leveling procedure is now executed by operators and primarily relies on their experience, resulting in many trials and errors before settling on the correct machine parameters. In smart manufacturing, it is required to digitize the machine’s parameters to achieve such a leveling process. Although smart manufacturing has been adopted in the manufacturing industry in recent years, it has not been implemented in steel leveling. In this paper, a novel leveling method for flatness leveling is proposed and validated with data collected by flatness sensors for measuring each roll adjustment position, which is later processed through the multi-regression method. The regression results and experienced machine operator results are compared. From this research, not only can the experience of the machine operators be digitized, but the results also indicate the feasibility of the proposed method to offer more efficient and accurate machine settings for metal leveling operations.
A Measurement-Based Message-Level Timing Prediction Approach for Data-Dependent SDFGs on Tile-Based Heterogeneous MPSoCs
Authors: Stemmer Ralf , Vu Hai-Dang , Le Nours Sébastien , Grüttner Kim , Pillement Sébastien , Nebel Wolfgang
Published: July 2021

Fast yet accurate performance and timing prediction of complex parallel data flow applications on multi-processor systems remains a very difficult discipline. The reason for it comes from the complexity of the data flow applications w.r.t. data dependent execution paths and the hardware platform with shared resources, like buses and memories. This combination may lead to complex timing interferences that are difficult to express in pure analytical or classical simulation-based approaches. In this work, we propose the combination of timing measurement and statistical simulation models for probabilistic timing and performance prediction of Synchronous Data Flow (SDF) applications on MPSoCs with shared memories. We exploit the separation of computation and communication in our SDF model of computation to set-up simulation-based performance prediction models following different abstraction approaches. We especially propose a message-level communication model driven by a data-dependent probabilistic execution phase timing model. We compare our work against measurement on two case-studies from the computer vision domain: a Sobel filter and a JPEG decoder. We show that the accuracy and execution time of our modeling and evaluation framework outperforms existing approaches and is suitable for a fast yet accurate design space exploration.
Data-Driven Analyses of Low Salinity Waterflooding in Carbonates
Authors: Salimova Rashida , Pourafshary Peyman , Wang Lei
Published: July 2021

Low salinity water (LSW) injection is a promising Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) technique that has the potential to improve oil recovery and has been studied by many researchers. LSW flooding in carbonates has been widely evaluated by coreflooding tests in prior studies. A closer look at the literature on LSW in carbonates indicates a number of gaps and shortcomings. It is difficult to understand the exact relationship between different controlling parameters and the LSW effect in carbonates. The active mechanisms involved in oil recovery improvement are still uncertain and more analyses are required. To predict LSW performance and study the mechanisms of oil displacement, data collected from available experimental studies on LSW injection in carbonates were analyzed using data analysis approaches. We used linear regression to study the linear relationships between single parameters and the incremental recovery factor (RF). Correlations between rock, oil, and brine properties and tertiary RF were weak and negligible. Subsequently, we analyzed the effect of oil/brine parameters on LSW performance using multivariable linear regression. Relatively strong linear correlations were found for a combination of oil/brine parameters and RF. We also studied the nonlinear relationships between parameters by applying machine learning (ML) nonlinear models, such as artificial neural network (ANN), support vector machine (SVM), and decision tree (DT). These models showed better data fitting results compared to linear regression. Among the applied ML models, DT provided the best correlation for oil/brine parameters, as ANN and SVM overfitted the testing data. Finally, different mechanisms involved in the LSW effect were analyzed based on the changes in the effluent PDIs concentration, interfacial tension, pH, zeta potential, and pressure drop.
Life Cycle Assessment of Different Waste Lubrication Oil Management Options in Serbia
Authors: Duđak Ljubica , Milisavljević Stevan , Jocanović Mitar , Kiss Ferenc , Šević Dragoljub , Karanović Velibor , Orošnjak Marko
Published: July 2021

On average, approximately 22 thousand tons of new lubrication oil were marketed annually in Serbia in the period 2015–2019. Less than 20% of the waste lubrication oil (WLO) generated was treated, whereas the remainder was mostly uncollected or improperly disposed of. The purpose of this study is to examine different WLO management scenarios that could be implemented in Serbia in the future and to quantify their potential environmental benefits. Different WLO treatment processes (namely the re-refining of used oil for base oil recovery, the use of WLO as a substitute to fossil fuels in cement kilns, and the combustion of WLO in waste incinerators with energy recovery) were evaluated using the life cycle assessment (LCA) and ReCiPe 2016 impact assessment methods. The LCA results obtained indicate that no single WLO treatment process consistently exerts diminished environmental impacts according to all the impact categories considered. From a human health perspective, the incineration of WLO in waste incinerators was found more favourable than the other treatment processes considered, whereas the combustion in cement kilns was the most favourable approach with regard to ecosystem protection. In terms of fossil fuel savings, re-refining technologies performed slightly better than the other processes considered. This can be accounted for by significant amounts of marketable co-products generated in the re-refining process, which can be used as a substitute to fossil-based primary products. Furthermore, a total of four possible WLO management scenarios were developed on the basis of the annual quantities of untreated WLO and a mix of treatment options. The results obtained indicate that up to 22,100 t CO2 equivalent and 34,300 t oil equivalent could be saved annually in Serbia provided the most favourable WLO management scenario is considered.
Identification of a Human-Structure Interaction Model on an Ultra-Lightweight FRP Footbridge
Authors: Gallegos-Calderón Christian , Naranjo-Pérez Javier , Díaz Iván M. , Goicolea José M.
Published: July 2021

Due to the high strength-to-weight ratio of fibre reinforced polymers (FRPs), human-induced vibration problematic remains as a subject to be fully comprehended in order to extend the use of composites in Bridge Engineering. Thus, this paper studies an ultra-lightweight FRP footbridge, which presents excessive vertical vibrations when the fourth harmonic of a walking pedestrian is synchronised with the structure’s fundamental frequency. Focusing on the vertical bending mode, at 7.66 Hz, the bridge dynamic behaviour was assessed under the action of a single pedestrian crossing the facility at a step frequency of 1.9 Hz. As an over prediction of the footbridge response was computed using a moving force (MF) model available in a design guideline, a mass-spring-damper-actuator (MSDA) system was adopted to depict a walker. Hence, Human-Structure Interaction (HSI) phenomenon was considered. Employing the experimental results, parameters of the MSDA system were identified, leading to a HSI model that considers the first fourth harmonics of a walking human. Additionally, a parametric analysis was carried out, determining that the damping ratio of the human body and the load factor associated to the fourth harmonic are the most relevant parameters on the estimation of the response. The identified HSI model may be used as a first approximation to accurately predict the dynamic response of ultra-lightweight composite structures and should be extended to account for crowd-induced loads.
Modified Contrast-Detail Phantom for Determination of the CT Scanners Abilities for Low-Contrast Detection
Authors: Geso Moshi , Alghamdi Salem Saeed , Tajaldeen Abdulrahman , Aljondi Rowa , Alghamdi Hind , Zailae Ali , Mattar Essam H. , Tamam Nissren , Aljehani Abdullah , Omer Hiba , Sulieman Abdelmoneim
Published: July 2021

Computerised tomography (CT) continues to be a corner stone medical and radiologic imaging modalities in radiology and radiotherapy departments. Its importance lies in its efficiency in low contrast detectability (LCD). The assessment of such capabilities requires rigorous image quality analysis using special designed phantoms with different densities as well as variation in atomic mass numbers (A) of the material. Absence of such ranges of densities and atomic mass numbers, limits the dynamic range of assessment. An example is Catphan phantom which represents only three subject contrast levels 0.3, 0.5 and 1 per cent. This project aims to present a phantom with extended range of available subject contrast to include very low-level values and to increase its dynamic scale. With this design, a relatively large number of different contrast objects (holes) can be presented for imaging by a CT scanner to assess its LCD ability. We shall thus introduce another LCD phantom to complement the existing ones, such as Catphan. The cylindrical phantom is constructed using Poly (methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), with craters (holes) having dimensions that gradually increase from 1.0 to 12.5 mm penetrated in configuration that extend from the centre to the corner. Each line of the drilled holes in the phantom is filled with contrast material of specific concentrations. As opposed to the phantom of low detail contrast used in planar imaging, the iodine (contrast material) in this phantom replaces the depth of the phantom holes. The iodine could be reduced to 0.2 l milli-Molar (mM) and can be varied for the next line of holes by a small increment depending on the required level of contrast detectability assessment required.
Interaction Mode of the Novel Monobactam AIC499 Targeting Penicillin Binding Protein 3 of Gram-Negative Bacteria
Authors: Freischem Stefan , Grimm Immanuel , López-Pérez Arancha , Willbold Dieter , Klenke Burkhard , Vuong Cuong , Dingley Andrew J. , Weiergräber Oliver H.
Published: July 2021

Novel antimicrobial strategies are urgently required because of the rising threat of multi drug resistant bacterial strains and the infections caused by them. Among the available target structures, the so-called penicillin binding proteins are of particular interest, owing to their good accessibility in the periplasmic space, and the lack of homologous proteins in humans, reducing the risk of side effects of potential drugs. In this report, we focus on the interaction of the innovative β-lactam antibiotic AIC499 with penicillin binding protein 3 (PBP3) from Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. This recently developed monobactam displays broad antimicrobial activity, against Gram-negative strains, and improved resistance to most classes of β-lactamases. By analyzing crystal structures of the respective complexes, we were able to explore the binding mode of AIC499 to its target proteins. In addition, the apo structures determined for PBP3, from P. aeruginosa and the catalytic transpeptidase domain of the E. coli orthologue, provide new insights into the dynamics of these proteins and the impact of drug binding.
Oligodendrocytes and Microglia: Key Players in Myelin Development, Damage and Repair
Authors: Kalafatakis Ilias , Karagogeos Domna
Published: July 2021

Oligodendrocytes, the myelin-making cells of the CNS, regulate the complex process of myelination under physiological and pathological conditions, significantly aided by other glial cell types such as microglia, the brain-resident, macrophage-like innate immune cells. In this review, we summarize how oligodendrocytes orchestrate myelination, and especially myelin repair after damage, and present novel aspects of oligodendroglial functions. We emphasize the contribution of microglia in the generation and regeneration of myelin by discussing their beneficial and detrimental roles, especially in remyelination, underlining the cellular and molecular components involved. Finally, we present recent findings towards human stem cell-derived preclinical models for the study of microglia in human pathologies and on the role of microbiome on glial cell functions.
VEGF Maintains Maternal Vascular Space Homeostasis in the Mouse Placenta through Modulation of Trophoblast Giant Cell Functions
Authors: Fan Xiujun , Muruganandan Shanmugam , Shallie Philemon D , Dhal Sabita , Petitt Matthew , Nayak Nihar R
Published: July 2021

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is an angiogenic growth factor that acts primarily on endothelial cells, but numerous studies suggest that VEGF also acts on non-endothelial cells, including trophoblast cells. Inhibition of VEGF signaling by excess production of the endogenous soluble VEGF receptor sFlt1 in trophoblast cells has been implicated in several pregnancy complications. Our previous studies and other reports have shown that VEGF directly regulates placental vascular development and functions and that excess VEGF production adversely affects placental vascular development. Trophoblast giant cells (TGCs) line the maternal side of the placental vasculature in mice and function like endothelial cells. In this study, we specifically examined the effect of excess VEGF signaling on TGC development associated with defective placental vascular development using two mouse models an endometrial VEGF overexpression model and a placenta-specific sFlt1 knockdown model. Placentas of endometrial VEGF-overexpressing dams at embryonic days (E) 11.5 and 14.5 showed dramatic enlargement of the venous maternal spaces in junctional zones. The size and number of the parietal TGCs that line these venous spaces in the placenta were also significantly increased. Although junctional zone venous blood spaces from control and VEGF-overexpressing dams were not markedly different in size at E17.5, the number and size of P-TGCs were both significantly increased in the placentas from VEGF-overexpressing dams. In sFlt1 knockdown placentas, however, there was a significant increase in the size of the sinusoidal TGC-lined, alkaline phosphatase-positive maternal blood spaces in the labyrinth. These results suggest that VEGF signaling plays an important role in maintaining the homeostasis of the maternal vascular space in the mouse placenta through modulation of TGC development and differentiation, similar to the effect of VEGF on endothelial cells in other vascular beds.
The Alopecia Areata Phenotype Is Induced by the Water Avoidance Stress Test In cchcr1-Deficient Mice
Authors: Zhao Qiaofeng , Koyama Satoshi , Yoshihara Nagisa , Takagi Atsushi , Komiyama Etsuko , Wada Akino , Oka Akira , Ikeda Shigaku
Published: July 2021

We recently discovered a nonsynonymous variant in the coiled-coil alpha-helical rod protein 1 (CCHCR1) gene within the alopecia areata (AA) risk haplotype. We also reported that the engineered mice with this risk allele exhibited. To investigate more about the involvement of the CCHCR1 gene in AA pathogenesis, we developed an AA model using C57BL/6N cchcr1 gene knockout mice. In this study, mice (6–8 weeks) were divided into two groups: cchcr1−/− mice and wild-type (WT) littermates. Both groups were subjected to a water avoidance stress (WAS) test. Eight weeks after the WAS test, 25% of cchcr1−/− mice exhibited non-inflammatory foci of alopecia on the dorsal skin. On the other hand, none of wild-type littermates cause hair loss. The foci resembled human AA in terms of gross morphology, trichoscopic findings and histological findings. Additionally, gene expression microarray analysis of cchcr1−/− mice revealed abnormalities of hair related genes compared to the control. Our results strongly suggest that CCHCR1 is associated with AA pathogenesis and that cchcr1−/− mice are a good model for investigating AA.
Simplified Approach for Seismic Performance Assessment of Dry-Joint Masonry Arch Bridges
Authors: Demirel Ismail , Aldemir Alper
Published: July 2021

The seismic performance assessment of dry-joint masonry arches is challenging because of their unique structural characteristics. Widely used assessment methods developed for frame-type structures require the use of a material-dependent section response. In contrast, the response of a dry-joint arch is not dependent on the material capacity but characterized by the sustainment of stability, primarily depending on rigid body rotation or sliding motion at the interfaces between the adjacent voussoirs. A hybrid methodology, combining a simple finite element micro model with principles of limit analysis method, is proposed in this work for the seismic performance assessment of these structures. The nonlinearity is concentrated at interfaces of the model by means of shear and compression-only axial springs. Kinematic conditions yielding a possible collapse mechanism were traced at every step of the time history analysis by checking the failure of individual interfaces. The procedure is applied to an ancient dry-joint Roman arch bridge in close proximity to the North Anatolian fault subject to significant seismic risk. Along with the performance of the system in its current state, the effects of retrofitting measures were investigated in the scope of this study.
Comment on Hopkins et al. Value of the Lung Immune Prognostic Index in Patients with Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Initiating First-Line Atezolizumab Combination Therapy: Subgroup Analysis of the IMPOWER150 Trial. Cancers 2021, 13, 1176
Authors: Auclin Edouard , Mezquita Laura , Besse Benjamin
Published: July 2021

We read, with great interest, the recently published article by Hopkins et al. [...]
Selective Oxidation of Cinnamyl Alcohol to Cinnamaldehyde over Functionalized Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotubes Supported Silver-Cobalt Nanoparticles
Authors: Iqbal Zahoor , Khan Muhammad Sufaid , Khattak Rozina , Iqbal Tausif , Zekker Ivar , Zahoor Muhammad , Hetta Helal F. , El-Saber Batiha Gaber , Alshammari Eida M.
Published: July 2021

The selective oxidation of alcohols to aldehydes has attracted a lot of attention because of its potential use in agrochemicals, fragrances, and fine chemicals. However, due to homogenous catalysis, low yield, low selectivity, and hazardous oxidants, traditional approaches have lost their efficiency. The co-precipitation method was used to synthesize the silver-cobalt bimetallic catalyst supported on functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotubes (Ag-Co/S). Brunauer Emmet Teller (BET), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) were used to characterize the catalyst. For the oxidation of cinnamyl alcohol (CA) with O2 as an oxidant, the catalyst’s selectivity and activity were investigated. The impacts of several parameters on catalyst’s selectivity and activity, such as time, temperature, solvents, catalyst dosage, and stirring speed, were comprehensively studied. The results revealed that in the presence of Ag-Co/S as a catalyst, O2 could be employed as an effective oxidant for the catalytic oxidation of cinnamyl alcohol to cinnamaldehyde (CD) with 99% selectivity and 90% conversion. In terms of cost effectiveness, catalytic activity, selectivity, and recyclability, Ag-Co/S outperforms the competition. As a result, under the green chemistry methodology, it can be utilized as an effective catalyst for the conversion of CA to CD.
Plasma-Catalytic Process of Hydrogen Production from Mixture of Methanol and Water
Authors: Ulejczyk Bogdan , Nogal Łukasz , Jóźwik Paweł , Młotek Michał , Krawczyk Krzysztof
Published: July 2021

In the present work the process of hydrogen production was conducted in the plasma-catalytic reactor, the substrates were first treated with plasma and then introduced into the catalyst bed. Plasma was produced by a spark discharge. The discharge power ranged from 15 to 46 W. The catalyst was metallic nickel supported on Al2O3. The catalyst was active from a temperature of 400 °C. The substrate flow rate was 1 mol/h of water and 1 mol/h of methanol. The process generated H2, CO, CO2 and CH4. The gas which formed the greatest amount was H2. Its concentration in the gas was ~60%. The conversion of methanol and the production of hydrogen in the plasma-catalytic reactor were higher than in the plasma and catalytic reactors. The synergy effect of the interaction of two environments, i.e., plasma and the catalyst, was observed. The highest hydrogen production was 1.38 mol/h and the highest methanol conversion was 64%. The increased in the discharge power resulted in increasing methanol conversion and hydrogen production.
Enhanced SO2 Absorption Capacity of Sodium Citrate Using Sodium Humate
Authors: Sun Zhiguo , Zhou Yue , Jia Shichao , Wang Yaru , Jiang Dazhan , Zhang Li
Published: July 2021

A novel method of improving the SO2 absorption performance of sodium citrate (Ci-Na) using sodium humate (HA–Na) as an additive was put forward. The influence of different Ci-Na concentration, inlet SO2 concentration and gas flow rate on desulfurization performance were studied. The synergistic mechanism of SO2 absorption by HA–Na and Ci-Na was also analyzed. The consequence shows that the efficiency of SO2 absorption by Ci-Na is above 90% and the desulfurization time added with the Ci-Na concentration rising from 0.01 to 0.1 mol/L. Both the desulfurization efficiency and time may increase with the adding of HA–Na quality in Ci-Na solution. Due to adding HA–Na, the desulfurization efficiency of Ci-Na increased from 90% to 99% and the desulfurization time increased from 40 to 55 min. Under the optimum conditions, the desulfurization time of Ci-Na can exceed 70 min because of adding HA–Na, which is nearly doubled. The growth of inlet SO2 concentration has little effect on the desulfurization efficiency. The SO2 adsorption efficiency decreases with the increase of inlet flow gas. The presence of O2 improves the SO2 removal efficiency and prolongs the desulfurization time. Therefore, HA–Na plays a key role during SO2 absorption and can dramatically enhance the SO2 adsorption performance of Ci-Na solution.
Mild Oxidation of Organosulfur Compounds with H2O2 over Metal-Containing Microporous and Mesoporous Catalysts
Authors: Hulea Vasile , Dumitriu Emil , Fajula François
Published: July 2021

Mild catalytic oxidation of thioethers and thiophenes is an important reaction for the synthesis of molecules with pharmaceutical interest, as well as for the development of efficient processes able to remove sulfur-containing pollutants from fuels and wastewater. With respect to the green chemistry principles, hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) is the ideal oxidant and the Me-containing porous materials (Me = Ti, V, Mo, W, Zr) are among the best heterogeneous catalysts for these applications. The main classes of catalysts, including Me-microporous and mesoporous silicates, Me-layered double hydroxides, Me-metal–organic frameworks, are described in this review. The catalytic active species generated in the presence of H2O2, as well as the probable oxidation mechanisms, are also addressed. The reactivity of molecules in the sulfoxidation process and the role played by the solvents are explored.
Highly Efficient Visible Light Photodegradation of Cr(VI) Using Electrospun MWCNTs-Fe3O4@PES Nanofibers
Authors: Mohamed Alaa , Yousef Samy , Ali Shady , Sriubas Mantas , Varnagiris Sarunas , Tuckute Simona , Abdelnaby Mohammed Ali , Kamel Bahaa M.
Published: July 2021

The development of highly efficient photocatalysis has been prepared by two different methods for the photodegradation of Cr(VI) from an aqueous solution under visible light. The electrospun polyethersulfone (PES)/iron oxide (Fe3O4) and multi-wall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) composite nanofibers have been prepared using the electrospinning technique. The prepared materials were characterized by SEM and XRD analysis. The result reveals the successful fabrication of the composite nanofiber with uniformly and smooth nanofibers. The effect of numerous parameters were explored to investigate the effects of pH value, contact time, concentration of Cr(VI), and reusability. The MWCNTs-Fe3O4@PES composite nanofibers exhibited excellent photodegradation of Cr(VI) at pH 2 in 80 min. The photocatalysis materials are highly stable without significant reduction of the photocatalytic efficiency of Cr(VI) after five cycles. Therefore, due to its easy separation and reuse without loss of photocatalytic efficiency, the photocatalysis membrane has tremendous potential for the removal of heavy metals from aqueous solutions.
Indonesia-Based Study of the Clinical and Cost-Saving Benefits of Subcutaneous Allergen Immunotherapy for Children with Allergic Rhinitis in Private Practice
Authors: Endaryanto Anang , Nugraha Ricardo Adrian
Published: July 2021

Background: Until now, the cost of allergy treatment in the insured public health care system and the non-insured self-financing private health care system in Indonesia has not been well documented and published, as well as the cost of allergy treatment with subcutaneous immunotherapy. Objective: To evaluate the clinical and cost benefits of allergic rhinitis treatment in children with subcutaneous immunotherapy in a non-insured self-financing private health care system. Methods: A retrospective cohort study conducted from 2015 until 2020 that compared the clinical improvement and health care costs over 18 months in newly diagnosed AR children who received SCIT versus matched AR control subjects who did not receive SCIT, with each group consisting of 1098 subjects. Results: A decrease in sp-HDM-IgE level (kU/mL) from 20.5 + 8.75 kU/mL to 12.1 + 3.07 kU/mL was observed in the SCIT group. To reduce the symptom score of allergic rhinitis by 1.0 with SCIT, it costs IDR 21,753,062.7 per child, and for non-SCIT, it costs IDR 104,147,878.0 per child. Meanwhile, to reduce the medication score (MS) by 1.0 with SCIT, it costs IDR 17,024,138.8, while with non-SCIT, it costs IDR 104,147,878.0. Meanwhile, to lower combination symptoms and medication score (CSMS) by 1.0, with SCIT, it costs IDR 9,550,126.6, while with non-SCIT, it costs IDR 52,073,938.9. Conclusions: In conclusion, this first Indonesia-based study demonstrates substantial health care cost savings associated with SCIT for children with AR in an uninsured private health care system and provides strong evidence for the clinical benefits and cost-savings benefits of AR treatment in children.
Thermal Cycling Behavior of Air Plasma-Sprayed and Low-Pressure Plasma-Sprayed Environmental Barrier Coatings
Authors: Chen Dianying , Pegler Aaron , Dwivedi Gopal , De Wet Daniel , Dorfman Mitchell
Published: July 2021

Yb2Si2O7/Si environmental barrier coatings (EBCs) were produced by air plasma spray (APS) and low-pressure plasma spray (LPPS) processes. The phase composition, microstructure, and bonding strength of APS and LPPS EBCs were investigated. Thermal cycling tests were performed in air and in steam atmosphere respectively at 1316 °C for both APS and LPPS EBCs. There is no coating failure in air atmosphere for both APS and LPPS EBCs after 900 cycles. In contrast, APS EBCs have an average life of 576 cycles in a steam cycling test in 90% H2O + 10% air at 1316 °C while LPPS EBCs survived 1000 cycles without failure. The superior durability of the LPPS EBCs compared to APS EBCs in the same steam cycling environment is attributed to the significantly reduced thermally grown oxide (TGO) growth rate because of the denser and crack-free microstructure, higher bonding strength, and reduced coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) mismatch (less Yb2SiO5 phase) in the LPPS Yb2Si2O7/Si EBCs.
Evaluating of Red Blood Cell Distribution Width, Comorbidities and Electrocardiographic Ratios as Predictors of Prognosis in Patients with Pulmonary Hypertension
Authors: Baltazares-Lipp Mario E. , Aguilera-Velasco Alberto , Aquino-Gálvez Arnoldo , Velázquez-Cruz Rafael , Hernández-Zenteno Rafael J. , Alvarado-Vásquez Noé , Camarena Angel , Sierra-Vargas M. Patricia , Chávez-Pacheco Juan L. , Ruiz Víctor , Salinas-Lara Citlaltepetl , Tena-Suck Martha L. , Romero Yair , Torres-Espíndola Luz M. , Castillejos-López Manuel
Published: July 2021

Pulmonary hypertension is a rare condition that impairs patients’ quality of life and life expectancy. The development of noninvasive instruments may help elucidate the prognosis of this cardiorespiratory disease. We aimed to evaluate the utility of routinely performed noninvasive test results as prognostic markers in patients with pulmonary hypertension. We enrolled 198 patients with mean pulmonary artery pressure >25 mmHg measured at cardiac catheterisation or echocardiographic pulmonary artery systolic pressure > 40 mmHg and tricuspid regurgitation Vmax >2.9 m/s, and clinical information regarding management and follow-up studies from the date of diagnosis. Multivariate analysis revealed that female sex [HR: 0.21, (95% CI: 0.07–0.64); p = 0.006], the presence of collagenopathies [HR: 8.63, (95% CI: 2.38–31.32); p = 0.001], an increased red blood cell distribution width [HR: 1.25, (95% CI: 1.04–1.49); p = 0.017] and an increased electrocardiographic P axis (P°)/T axis (T°) ratio [HR: 0.93, (95% CI: 0.88–0.98); p = 0.009] were severity-associated factors, while older age [HR: 1.57, (95% CI: 1.04–1.28); p = 0.006], an increased QRS axis (QRS°)/T° ratio [HR: 1.21, (95% CI: 1.09–1.34); p < 0.001], forced expiratory volume in 1 s [HR: 0.94, (95% CI: 0.91–0.98); p = 0.01] and haematocrit [HR: 0.93, (95% CI: 0.87–0.99); p = 0.04] were mortality-associated factors. Our results support the importance of red blood cell distribution width, electrocardiographic ratios and collagenopathies for assessing pulmonary hypertension prognosis.
Decrease in Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio during Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy as a Predictive and Prognostic Marker in Advanced Ovarian Cancer
Authors: Sanna Elisabetta , Tanca Luciana , Cherchi Cristina , Gramignano Giulia , Oppi Sara , Chiai Maria Gloria , Macciò Antonio , Madeddu Clelia
Published: July 2021

Since chronic inflammation is associated with ovarian cancer growth and progression, some clinical studies have assessed the association between the pre-treatment neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and the prognosis of ovarian cancer. The purpose of this study was to assess the dynamic behavior of the NLR during the course of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) in patients with high grade serous (HGS) advanced epithelial ovarian cancer and assess its correlation with clinical response, progression free survival (PFS) and changes in other inflammatory indexes. We performed a prospective observational study on 161 patients who underwent NACT at the Department of Gynecologic Oncology, ARNAS G. Brotzu, Cagliari, between 2009 and 2019. NLR was evaluated before starting and after three cycles of NACT. Based on response after three cycles of NACT, patients were divided into two groups: responsive and non-responsive. The primary endpoint was to assess the predictive role of NLR by comparing the responsive and non-responsive patients at baseline and after three cycles of NACT. Secondary endpoints were (a) to correlate NLR with other inflammation markers (CRP, fibrinogen, ferritin, IL-6), albumin, and modified Glasgow Prognostic Score (mGPS) with NLR at baseline and after NACT; (b) to assess the association between NLR and PFS. We found that the NLR value at baseline was not associated with response to NACT, while a decrease in NLR after three cycles was correlated with a better response to NACT. Also, values of CRP, IL-6, ferritin, and mGPS after three cycles of NACT (but not at baseline) were significantly associated with clinical response. Moreover, we found that patients with a low NLR value after 3 cycles of NACT, but not at baseline, had a significantly higher PFS than patients with high NLR after 3 cycles of NACT. In conclusion, NLR change during treatment could serve as a predictive marker of response to NACT in patients with HGS advanced ovarian cancer. This allows for the early identification of non-responsive patients who will need treatment remodeling.
Feasibility Study on Using Dynamic Contrast Enhanced MRI to Assess the Effect of Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitor Therapy within the STAR Trial of Metastatic Renal Cell Cancer
Authors: Zhong Jim , Palkhi Ebrahim , Buckley David L. , Collinson Fiona J. , Ralph Christy , Jagdev Satinder , Vasudev Naveen S. , Swain Jayne , Brown Janet E. , Wah Tze Min
Published: July 2021

Objective: To identify dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI) parameters predictive of early disease progression in patients with metastatic renal cell cancer (mRCC) treated with anti-angiogenic tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI). Methods: The study was linked to a phase II/III randomised control trial. Patients underwent DCE-MRI before, at 4- and 10-weeks after initiation of TKI. DCE-MRI parameters at each time-point were derived from a single-compartment tracer kinetic model, following semi-automated tumour segmentation by two independent readers. Primary endpoint was correlation of DCE-MRI parameters with disease progression at 6-months. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis and area under the curve (AUC) values were calculated for parameters associated with disease progression at 6 months. Inter-observer agreement was assessed using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). Results: 23 tumours in 14 patients were measurable. Three patients had disease progression at 6 months. The percentage (%) change in perfused tumour volume between baseline and 4-week DCE-MRI (p = 0.016), mean transfer constant Ktrans change (p = 0.038), and % change in extracellular volume (p = 0.009) between 4- and 10-week MRI, correlated with early disease progression (AUC 0.879 for each parameter). Inter-observer agreement was excellent for perfused tumour volume, Ktrans and extracellular volume (ICC: 0.928, 0.949, 0.910 respectively). Conclusions: Early measurement of DCE-MRI biomarkers of tumour perfusion at 4- and 10-weeks predicts disease progression at 6-months following TKI therapy in mRCC.