bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Phytosynthesis of Silver Nanoparticle (AgNPs) Using Aqueous Leaf Extract of Knoxia sumatrensis (Retz.) DC. and Their Multi-Potent Biological Activity: An Eco-Friendly Approach
Authors: Loganathan Settu , Selvam Kuppusamy , Shivakumar Muthugounder Subaramanian , Senthil-Nathan Sengottayan , Vasantha-Srinivasan Prabhakaran , Gnana Prakash Dhakshinamoorthy , Karthi Sengodan , Al-Misned Fahad , Mahboob Shahid , Abdel-Megeed Ahmed , Ghaith Aml , Krutmuang Patcharin
Published: November 2022

Green synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) has gained greater interest among chemists and researchers in this current scenario. The present research investigates the larvicidal and anti-proliferation activity of AgNPs derived from Knoxia sumatrensis aqueous leaf extract (K. sumatrensis-ALE) as a potential capping and reducing candidate. The synthesized AgNPs were characterized through-UV-spectra absorption peak at 425 nm. The XRD and FT-IR studied displayed the crystalline nature and presence of functional groups in prepared samples. FE-SEM showed the hexagonal shape of NPs with the size of 7.73 to 32.84 nm. The synthesized AgNPs displayed superior antioxidant and anti-proliferative activity (IC50 53.29 µg/mL) of breast cancer cell line (MCF-7). Additionally, larvicidal activity against mosquito vector Culex quinquefasciatus larvae delivered (LC50-0.40, mg/L, and LC90-15.83) significant mortality rate post treatment with synthesized AgNPs. Overall, the present research illustrates that the synthesized AgNPs have high biological potential and present a perfect contender in the pharmacological and mosquitocidal arena.
Novel Uracil-Based Inhibitors of Acetylcholinesterase with Potency for Treating Memory Impairment in an Animal Model of Alzheimer’s Disease
Authors: Semenov Vyacheslav E. , Zueva Irina V. , Lushchekina Sofya V. , Suleimanov Eduard G. , Gubaidullina Liliya M. , Shulaeva Marina M. , Lenina Oksana A. , Petrov Konstantin A.
Published: November 2022

Novel derivatives based on 6-methyluracil and condensed uracil, 2,4-quinazoline-2,4-dione, were synthesized with terminal meta- and para-benzoate moieties in polymethylene chains at the N atoms of the pyrimidine ring. In the synthesized compounds, the polymethylene chains were varied from having tris- to hexamethylene chains and quaternary ammonium groups; varying substituents (ester, salt, acid) at benzene ring were introduced into the chains and benzoate moieties. In vivo biological experiments demonstrated the potency of these compounds in decreasing the number of β-amyloid plaques and their suitability for the treatment of memory impairment in a transgenic model of Alzheimer’s disease.
The Phytochemical Profile and Biological Activity of Malva neglecta Wallr. in Surgically Induced Endometriosis Model in Rats
Authors: Akkol Esra Küpeli , Karpuz Büşra , Türkcanoğlu Gizem , Coşgunçelebi Fatma Gül , Taştan Hakkı , Aschner Michael , Khatkar Anurag , Sobarzo-Sánchez Eduardo
Published: November 2022

Leaves and aerial parts of Malva neglecta Wallr. have been traditionally used in Anatolia for the treatment of pain, inflammation, hemorrhoids, renal stones, constipation, and infertility. This study investigated the effects of M. neglecta leaves in a rat endometriosis model. The dried plant material was extracted with n-hexane, ethyl acetate, and methanol, successively. Experimental endometriosis was surgically induced in six-week-old female, non-pregnant, Wistar albino rats by autotransplant of endometrial tissue to the abdominal wall. After twenty-eight days, rats were evaluated for a second laparotomy. Endometrial foci areas were assessed, and intraabdominal adhesions were scored. Rats were divided into five groups as control, n-hexane, ethyl acetate, methanol, and aqueous extracts, as well as reference. At the end of the treatment, all rats were sacrificed and endometriotic foci areas and intraabdominal adhesions were re-evaluated and compared with the previous findings. Moreover, peritoneal fluid was collected to detect tumor necrosis factor- α (TNF-α), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels, and cDNA synthesis, and a quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test was done. The phytochemical content of the most active extract was determined using High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC). Both endometrial volume and adhesion score decreased significantly in the group treated with methanol extract. In addition, significant decreases were observed in TNF-α, VEGF, and IL-6 levels in animals administered methanol extract. HPLC results showed that the activity caused by the methanol extract of M. neglecta was due to the polyphenols. Taken together, these novel findings indicate that M. neglecta may be a promising alternative for the treatment of endometriosis.
Immunomodulatory Activity of Punicalagin, Punicalin, and Ellagic Acid Differs from the Effect of Pomegranate Peel Extract
Authors: Čolić Miodrag , Mihajlović Dušan , Bekić Marina , Marković Milan , Dragišić Branka , Tomić Sergej , Miljuš Nataša , Šavikin Katarina , Škrbić Ranko
Published: November 2022

Background: Our recent study has shown that pomegranate peel extract (PEx) showed significant immunomodulatory activity, which might be caused by ellagitannins. The aim of this work was to test the hypothesis that ellagitannin components act synergistically in the modulation of cytokine production. Methods: Human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from healthy donors were stimulated with phytohemagglutinin and treated with different concentrations of PEx or punicalagin (PG), punicalin (PN), and ellagic acid (EA), alone or with their combinations. Cytotoxicity, cell proliferation, and cytokine production were determined. Results: Non-cytotoxic concentrations of all compounds significantly inhibited cell proliferation. IC50 values (μg/mL) were: EA (7.56), PG (38.52), PEx (49.05), and PN (69.95). PEx and all ellagitannins inhibited the levels of TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-8, dose-dependently, and their combinations acted synergistically. PEx and all ellagitannins inhibited Th1 and Th17 responses, whereas the lower concentrations of PEx stimulated the production of IL-10, a Treg cytokine, as did lower concentrations of EA. However, neither component of ellagitannins increased Th2 response, as was observed with PEx. Conclusions: The combination of PG, PN, and EA potentiated the anti-inflammatory response without any significant synergistic down-modulatory effect on T-cell cytokines. The increased production of IL-10 observed with PEx could be attributable to EA, but the examined ellagitannins are not associated with the stimulatory effect of PEx on Th2 response.
A Critical Overview of ASP and Future Perspectives of NASP in EOR of Hydrocarbon Reservoirs: Potential Application, Prospects, Challenges and Governing Mechanisms
Authors: Sarbast Rasan , Salih Namam , Préat Alain
Published: November 2022

Oil production from depleted reservoirs in EOR (Enhanced Oil Recovery) techniques has significantly increased due to its huge demands in industrial energy sectors. Chemical EOR is one of the best approaches to extract the trapped oil. However, there are gaps to be addressed and studied well for quality and cost consideration in EOR techniques. Therefore, this paper addresses for the first time a systematic overview from alkaline surfactant polymer ((ASP)) and future perspectives of nano-alkaline surfactant polymer ((NASP)), its synergy effects on oil recovery improvement, and the main screening criteria for these chemicals. The previous findings have demonstrated that the optimum salinity, choosing the best concentration, using effective nano-surfactant, polymer and alkaline type, is guaranteed an ultra-low IFT (Interfacial Tension). Core flood results proved that the maximum oil is recovered by conjugating nanoparticles with conventional chemical EOR methods (surfactant, alkaline and polymer). This work adds a new insight and suggests new recommendation into the EOR application since, for the first time, it explores the role and effect of nanotechnology in a hybrid with ASP. The study illustrates detailed experimental design of using NASP and presents an optimum micro-model setup for future design of NASP flow distribution in the porous media. The presence of nano along with other chemicals increases the capillary number as well as the stability of chemicals in the solution and strengthens the effective mechanisms on the EOR.
Assessment of the Nutritional Status and Quality of Life in Chronic Kidney Disease and Kidney Transplant Patients: A Comparative Analysis
Authors: Pawlaczyk Weronika , Rogowski Lukasz , Kowalska Joanna , Stefańska Małgorzata , Gołębiowski Tomasz , Mazanowska Oktawia , Gerall Claire , Krajewska Magdalena , Kusztal Mariusz , Dziubek Wioletta
Published: November 2022

Background: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) can significantly influence a patient’s nutritional status, leading to malnutrition. Malnutrition is associated with an increase in morbidity and hospital admissions, as well as a decrease in functional status. All these factors impact emotional, physical, and psychosocial health, leading to a lower quality of life (QOL). The aim of the study was to assess the nutritional status and QOL in patients with CKD compared to patients after kidney transplantation and determine what factors influence nutritional status and QOL in this patient population. Methods: The study included 167 patients: 39 pre-dialysis patients—group 1; 65 dialysis patients—group 2; 63 kidney transplant patients—group 3. Patients completed the Kidney Disease Quality of Life questionnaire (KDQoL) and the Mini Nutritional Assessment questionnaire (MNA). Results: A comparative analysis of the QOL of patients in the three study groups showed no statistically significant differences in the overall KDQoL scores. Factors that affected quality of life included the designated group, determined by disease status, MNA score, patient age, and WHR. Nearly 1/3 of patients from groups 2 and 3 were at risk of malnutrition. Conclusions: A systematic assessment of nutritional status and monitoring of QOL should be integrated into the standard management guidelines for CKD patients.
Biomedical Indicators of Patients with Non-Puerperal Mastitis: A Retrospective Study
Authors: Shi Liang , Wu Jing , Hu Yue , Zhang Xu , Li Zhi , Xi Pei-Wen , Wei Ji-Fu , Ding Qiang
Published: November 2022

Background: Non-puerperal mastitis (NPM), a recurrent chronic inflammation of non-lactating breast, often proves tremendous difficulty in treatment, and it may give rise to its complicated symptoms and unclear etiology. Furthermore, the clinical morbidity rate of NPM has been increasing in recent years. Methods: Overall, 284 patients diagnosed with NPM were consecutively recruited as cases in this study, and patients with benign breast disease (n = 1128) were enrolled as control. The clinical, biomedical, and pathological indicators were analyzed. Univariate and multivariate logistic analysis were used to distinguish risks between NPM and benign breast mass patients. Furthermore, according to the pathological characteristics, the patients of NPM were classified into two subgroups: mammary duct ectasia (MDE) and granulomatous lobular mastitis (GLM). The differences of biomedical indicators between MDE and GLM groups were also analyzed. Results: Compared with benign breast mass group, the level of high-density lipoprotein (HDL-C) significantly decreased, while lipoprotein(a) (Lp(a)) and blood glucose (GLU) both increased in NPM group. According to univariate and multivariate logistic analysis, the onset age and HDL-C were generally decreased, while Lp(a) and GLU were increased in NPM group. The onset age, HDL-C, Lp(a), and GLU were modeled to distinguish NPM and benign breast mass. Significant differences were also observed between MDE and GLM patients in biomedical indicators, such as lipoprotein(a) (Lp(a)), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), creatine kinase (CK), total cholesterol (TC), and so on. Conclusions: Our results indicated for the first time that biomarkers were associated with NPM. The biomedical indicators involved in lipid metabolism might be important factors in the development and treatment of NPM. In addition, MDE and GLM are two diseases with different inflammatory states of NPM. These findings would be helpful for a better understanding of NPM and give us some insights to develop new diagnostic and therapeutic strategies.
Dietary and Nutritional Support in Gastrointestinal Diseases of the Upper Gastrointestinal Tract (I): Esophagus
Authors: Montoro-Huguet Miguel A.
Published: November 2022

The esophagus is the centerpiece of the digestive system of individuals and plays an essential role in transporting swallowed nutrients to the stomach. Diseases of the esophagus can alter this mechanism either by causing anatomical damage that obstructs the lumen of the organ (e.g., peptic, or eosinophilic stricture) or by generating severe motility disorders that impair the progression of the alimentary bolus (e.g., severe dysphagia of neurological origin or achalasia). In all cases, nutrient assimilation may be compromised. In some cases (e.g., ingestion of corrosive agents), a hypercatabolic state is generated, which increases resting energy expenditure. This manuscript reviews current clinical guidelines on the dietary and nutritional management of esophageal disorders such as severe oropharyngeal dysphagia, achalasia, eosinophilic esophagitis, lesions by caustics, and gastroesophageal reflux disease and its complications (Barrett’s esophagus and adenocarcinoma). The importance of nutritional support in improving outcomes is also highlighted.
Effects on Serum Inflammatory Cytokines of Cholecalciferol Supplementation in Healthy Subjects with Vitamin D Deficiency
Authors: Fassio Angelo , Gatti Davide , Rossini Maurizio , Bertelle Davide , Bixio Riccardo , Viapiana Ombretta , Milleri Stefano , Benini Camilla , Pistillo Francesca , Zanetti Giulia , Adami Giovanni
Published: November 2022

The effects of different cholecalciferol supplementation regimens on serum inflammatory cytokines in healthy subjects with vitamin D deficiency are still lacking. This is a single-center, open-label, randomized, parallel group study involving healthy subjects deficient in vitamin D (baseline 25OHD < 20 ng/mL) receiving oral cholecalciferol with three different dosing regimens: Group A: 10,000 IU/day for 8 weeks followed by 1000 IU/day for 4 weeks; Group B: 50,000 IU/week for 12 weeks and Group C: 100,000 IU every other week for 12 weeks. IL-17A, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-23 and TNFα were measured at baseline and at week 4, 8, 12, and 16. 75 healthy subjects were enrolled (58.7% female), with an average age of 34.1 ± 10.2 years. No statistical differences were observed among groups at baseline for either IL-6, IL-17A, IL-23, IL-8 or IL-10 at any time point; TNFα was indetectable. Concerning the whole sample, the time trend analysis showed a statistically significant linear trend for decreasing values over the treatment period for IL-6 (p = 0.016) and IL-17A (p = 0.006), while no significant time trends were observed for the other teste cytokines. No significant differences were found in the serum concentrations of the tested cytokines between week 12 and week 16. In young healthy individuals deficient in vitamin D, cholecalciferol administration showed a decrease in the serum IL-6 and IL-17A concentrations, without marked differences using the three regimens.
Intergenerationality Programs—Between Children and Older Adults—For Portuguese Population: A Scoping Review
Authors: Carvalho Maria Inês , Póvoa Maria João , Neves Mariana , Bernardo Joana , Loureiro Ricardo , Bernardes Rafael A. , Almeida Inês F. , Santana Elaine , Silva Rosa
Published: November 2022

The aging process is characterized by diverse and complex changes in the individual’s various dimensions, requiring continuous adaptation. In this sense, this transition can be faced from an active aging standpoint through strategies such as intergenerationality programs/projects, resulting in an active social participation and valorization that is so important to life in society. This review aimed to map existing programs/projects to promote interaction between children and older adults in Portugal to understand the extent and type of evidence available. A scoping review was developed guided by the JBI methodology and using PRISMA-ScR. The studies included six programs/projects promoting intergenerationality identified in Portugal, focusing their actions on promoting active aging and preventing problems associated with aging. The evaluated dimensions along the implementation of these programs were in the cognitive, motor, emotional and communicational domains, including parameters such as self-esteem, self-confidence, self-worth, well-being, loneliness and depression. These programs/projects present themselves as potential senior mental health promoters. However, other dimensions have been evaluated during these programs’/projects’ applications.
Insights into HPLC-MS/MS Analysis, Antioxidant and Cytotoxic Activity of Astragalus fruticosus against Different Types of Cancer Cell Lines
Authors: Dekinash Mohamed Fayez , Okda Tarek M. , Elmahallawy Ehab Kotb , El-Fiky Fathy Kandil , Omran Gamal Abd El Hay , Svajdlenka Emil , Dahran Naief , El-Khadragy Manal F. , Al-Megrin Wafa A. , El Naggar El Moataz Bellah Ali
Published: November 2022

Plants from the genus Astragalus are gaining attention for their pharmacological importance. However, the information available regarding the HPLC–MS/MS chemical profile of A. fruticosus is inadequate. In this study, we performed HPLC–MS/MS analysis using electrospray ionization (ESI) and atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (APCI). We tentatively identified 11 compounds in the A. fruticosus methanolic extract, including five flavonoidal and six saponin glycosides. The extract showed moderate antioxidant activity with 21.05% reduction in DPPH UV absorption. The preliminary cytotoxic screening against seven human cancer cell lines using 100 μg/mL extract showed prominent cytotoxic potential against colorectal cancer HCT–116 with 3.368% cell viability. It also showed moderate cytotoxic potential against prostate (DU–145), ovarian (SKOV–3) and lung (A–549) cancer cell lines with cell viability of 14.25%, 16.02% and 27.24%, respectively. The IC50 of the total extract against HCT–116 and DU–145 cell lines were 7.81 μg/mL and 40.79 μg/mL, respectively. The observed cytotoxicity of the total methanolic extract from the leaves against colorectal cancer might facilitate future investigations on cytotoxic agent(s) for disease management.
Pembrolizumab and Chemotherapy Combination Prolonged Progression-Free Survival in Patients with NSCLC with High PD-L1 Expression and Low Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio
Authors: Tsai Jeng-Shiuan , Wei Sheng-Huan , Chen Chian-Wei , Yang Szu-Chun , Tseng Yau-Lin , Su Po-Lan , Lin Chien-Chung , Su Wu-Chou
Published: November 2022

The use of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) has provided overall survival (OS) benefits in patients with treatment-naïve advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) without targetable driver mutations. However, studies comparing ICIs monotherapy with combination therapy either with chemotherapy or radiotherapy in programmed death-ligand 1 high expressors remain limited. This study aimed to retrospectively compare the treatment efficacy of the therapies by studying 47 patients with treatment-naïve advanced NSCLC who received ICI monotherapy (n = 28) or combination therapy either with chemotherapy or radiotherapy (n = 19). Progression-free survival (PFS) and OS were estimated using the Kaplan–Meier method and compared using log–rank tests. It was observed that patients who received combination therapy had a better PFS than monotherapy, but no such significant benefit was observed in OS. The difference in PFS was higher in the subgroup of patients with low neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) than in the high-NLR patient subgroup. This study suggests that pembrolizumab in combination with chemotherapy or radiotherapy could provide a significant benefit in PFS, especially in patients with treatment-naïve advanced NSCLC with low NLR. Furthermore, our study also demonstrates the potential use of NLR as a biomarker for prediction of treatment outcomes in patients with advanced NSCLC receiving combination therapy.
Acute Kidney Injury in a Cohort of Critical Illness Patients Exposed to Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs
Authors: Oliveros Henry , Buitrago Giancarlo
Published: November 2022

To determine whether non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAIDs) exposure prior to intensive care unit (ICU) admission affects the development of acute kidney injury (AKI) with renal replacement therapy (RRT). An administrative database is used to establish a cohort of patients who were admitted to the ICU. The exposure to NSAIDs that the patients had before admission to the ICU is determined. Demographic variables, comorbidities, AKI diagnoses requiring RRT, and pneumonia during the ICU stay are also measured. Multivariate logistic regression and inverse probability weighting (IPW) are used to calculate risks of exposure to NSAIDs for patients with AKI requiring RRT. In total, 96,235 patients were admitted to the ICU, of which 16,068 (16.7%) were exposed to NSAIDs. The incidence of AKI with RRT was 2.71% for being exposed to NSAIDs versus 2.24% for those not exposed (p < 0.001). For the outcome of AKI, the odds ratio weighted with IPW was 1.28 (95% CI: 1.15–1.43), and for the outcome of pneumonia as a negative control, the odds ratio was 1.07 (95% CI: 0.98–1.17). The impact of prior exposure to NSAIDs over critically ill patients in the development of AKI is calculated as 8 patients per 1000 exposures. The negative control with the same sources of bias did not show an association with NSAID exposure.
An Exploratory Study of the Safety and Efficacy of a Trigonella foenum-graecum Seed Extract in Early Glucose Dysregulation: A Double-Blind Randomized Placebo-Controlled Trial
Authors: Pickering Emily , Steels Elizabeth , Rao Amanda , Steadman Kathryn J.
Published: November 2022

Background: This was an exploratory study to assess the safety and efficacy of a specialized Trigonella foenum-graceum L. seed extract for supporting healthy blood glucose metabolism in a pre-diabetic cohort. Methods: Fifty-four participants were randomised to receive 500 mg/day of T. foenum-graecum seed extract or matching placebo daily for 12 weeks. Fasting blood glucose (FBG), post-prandial glucose (PPBG), HbA1c, fasting insulin (FI), post-prandial insulin (PPI) and C-peptide were assessed at baseline, week 6 and week 12. Lipid levels, liver enzymes and C-reactive protein (CRP), along with safety markers and tolerability were also assessed at baseline and week 12. Results: By week 12 there was a significant difference in FBG (p < 0.001), PPBG (p = 0.007) and triglycerides (p = 0.030) between treatment groups, with no changes in HbA1c (p = 0.41), FI (p = 0.12), PPI (p = 0.50) or C-peptide (p = 0.80). There was no difference in total cholesterol (p = 0.99), high-density lipoprotein (p = 0.35), low density lipoprotein (p = 0.60) or CRP (p = 0.79). There was no change in safety markers and the treatment was well tolerated. Conclusions: The results of the study indicated that T. foenum-graecum seed extract may influence blood glucose metabolism and larger studies are warranted to evaluate efficacy and potential mechanisms of action.
Analgesic and Anti-Inflammatory Properties of Ethanolic Extract of Piper vicosanum Leaves
Authors: Junior Armando Jorge , Lencina Joyce dos Santos , Santos Elisangela dos , da Silva Mota Jonas , Cuman Roberto Kenji Nakamura , Konkiewitz Elisabete Castelon , Kassuya Cândida Aparecida Leite , Silva-Filho Saulo Euclides
Published: November 2022

Nonclinical trials are important to validate the efficacy and safety of medicinal plants. Scientific toxicological studies with Piper vicosanum Yuncker have showed its safety; however, no studies have indicated the analgesic or antiarthritic potential of the ethanolic extract of P. vicosanum leaves (EEPV). The objective of the present work was to evaluate the antiarthritic and antinociceptive effects of EEPV in experimental mouse models. The oral administration of EEPV (100, 300, and 700 mg/kg) and dexamethasone (1 mg/kg) were performed in carrageenan-induced pleurisy, in formalin and acetic-acid-induced nociception, and in zymosan-induced articular inflammation models in Swiss mice. The EEPV (300 mg/kg) was tested in zymosan-articular inflammation, the complete Freund’s adjuvant (CFA) inflammatory model, and in in situ intravitreal microscopy analysis of rolling and adhesion events of leukocytes in the mesenteric microcirculation in mice. EEPV significantly inhibited: (i) nociceptive response at phase 1 and 2, and also in the cold response in the formalin model; (ii) abdominal contortion induced by acetic acid; (iii) mechanical hyperalgesia after 4 and 6 h, knee edema after 6 h, and leukocyte migration in articular inflammation induced by zymosan. All doses of EEPV reduced the leukocyte migration to the inflamed pleural cavity and knee edema 4 h after the zymosan knee injection. The treatment with the EEPV significantly inhibited the CFA-induced edema, mechanical and cold hyperalgesia, and NAG and MPO. The EEPV also significantly inhibited carrageenan-induced leukocyte rolling and adhesion. The present study revealed, for the first time, the antiarthritic and antinociceptive effects of the EEPV.
Preservation of Dinoflagellate Cysts in Different Oxygen Regimes: Differences in Cyst Survival between Oxic and Anoxic Natural Environments
Authors: Persson Agneta , Smith Barry C.
Published: November 2022

This quantitative dinoflagellate cyst study reveals an enormous difference in survival rates in oxygenated versus anoxic sediments. Replicate samples of concentrated natural dinoflagellate cysts with the same initial species composition (1.4 × 104 resting cysts·cm−3 sediment, 61% filled with live-appearing contents) were placed in bags of 20 µm plankton screen. Replicate bags containing 10.0 cm−3 concentrated cyst samples were placed on the seafloor in different environments in Long Island Sound, USA (anoxic and oxygenated), as well as refrigerated in test tubes in the laboratory. Three sets of 15 bags were placed in each environment. Once every year for four consecutive years, three bags were recovered from each set, and the contents were analyzed by cyst counting and germination experiments. An enormous difference in preservation potential between samples in oxygenated versus anoxic environments was revealed. The number of dinoflagellate cysts decreased abruptly within the first year in the oxygen-rich environment; living cysts became very rare (only 5% remained) and also empty walls of cysts disappeared (20% of total cysts remained). In anoxic sediment samples, living cysts also decreased significantly with time, but less quickly. After 1 year, 35% of the living cysts in the anoxic environment and 70% of the living cysts refrigerated in test tubes remained intact. After 4 years, 21% of the cysts with contents in the anoxic environment remained, and 31% in test tubes. The empty cyst walls remained intact for a longer time under anoxic conditions, especially of species known to fossilize well. Germination experiments showed that cysts with live-appearing contents were likely alive, because species with identifiable live-appearing cysts were also identified as vegetative cells in corresponding slurry cultures. The cyst assemblage was dominated by Protoperidinaceae, Dipolopsalidaceae, and Gonyaulacaceae. Of special interest is the ichthyotoxic Margalefodinium polykrikoides, the bloom-forming Peridinium quinquecorne, which has an undescribed resting cyst, and a previously undescribed Krypoperidinium species. The results show greater preservation of dinoflagellate cysts in “dead-zone sea bottoms” and may also provide an answer to the question of the absence of cyst beds in an area despite observed sedimentation of dense blooms.
One-Pot Terpolymerization of Macrolactones with Limonene Oxide and Phtalic Anhydride to Produce di-Block Semi-Aromatic Polyesters
Authors: D’Auria Ilaria , D’Aniello Sara , Viscusi Gianluca , Lamberti Elena , Gorrasi Giuliana , Mazzeo Mina , Pappalardo Daniela
Published: November 2022

The synthesis of novel block copolymers, namely poly(limonene-phthalate)-block-poly(pentadecalactone) and poly(limonene-phthalate)-block-poly(pentadecalactone) is here described. To achieve this synthesis, a bimetallic aluminum based complex (1) was used as catalyst in the combination of two distinct processes: the ring-opening polymerization (ROP) of macrolactones such as ω-pentadecalactone (PDL) and ω-6-hexadecenlactone (HDL) and the ring-opening copolymerization (ROCOP) of limonene oxide (LO) and phthalic anhydride (PA). The synthesis of di-block polyesters was performed in a one-pot procedure, where the semi-aromatic polyester block was firstly formed by ROCOP of LO and PA, followed by the polyethylene like portion produced by ROP of macrolactones (PDL or HDL). The obtained di-block semiaromatic polyesters were characterized by NMR and GPC. The structural organization was analyzed through XRD. Thermal properties were evaluated using differential thermal analysis (DSC) and thermogravimetric measurements (TGA) either in air or in nitrogen atmosphere.
Fricke Topological Qubits
Authors: Planat Michel , Chester David , Amaral Marcelo M. , Irwin Klee
Published: November 2022

We recently proposed that topological quantum computing might be based on SL(2,C) representations of the fundamental group π1(S3\K) for the complement of a link K in the three-sphere. The restriction to links whose associated SL(2,C) character variety V contains a Fricke surface κd=xyz−x2−y2−z2+d is desirable due to the connection of Fricke spaces to elementary topology. Taking K as the Hopf link L2a1, one of the three arithmetic two-bridge links (the Whitehead link 512, the Berge link 622 or the double-eight link 632) or the link 732, the V for those links contains the reducible component κ4, the so-called Cayley cubic. In addition, the V for the latter two links contains the irreducible component κ3, or κ2, respectively. Taking ρ to be a representation with character κd (d<4), with |x|,|y|,|z|≤2, then ρ(π1) fixes a unique point in the hyperbolic space H3 and is a conjugate to a SU(2) representation (a qubit). Even though details on the physical implementation remain open, more generally, we show that topological quantum computing may be developed from the point of view of three-bridge links, the topology of the four-punctured sphere and Painlevé VI equation. The 0-surgery on the three circles of the Borromean rings L6a4 is taken as an example.
Generating Daily Land Surface Temperature Downscaling Data Based on Sentinel-3 Images
Authors: Wang Zhoujin , Sui Lichun , Zhang Shiqi
Published: November 2022

The land surface temperature (LST) images obtained by thermal infrared remote sensing sensors are of great significance for numerous fields of research. However, the low spatial resolution is a drawback of LST images. Downscaling is an effective way to solve this problem. The traditional downscaling methods, however, have various drawbacks, including their low temporal and spectral resolutions, difficult processes, numerous errors, and single downscaling factor. They also rely on two or more separate satellite platforms. These drawbacks can be partially compensated for by the Sentinel-3 satellite’s ability to acquire LST and multispectral images simultaneously. This paper proposes a downscaling model based on Sentinel-3 satellite and ASTER GDEM images—D-DisTrad—and compares the effects of the D-DisTrad model with DisTrad model and TsHARP model over four sites and four seasons. The mean bias (MB) range of the D-DisTrad model is −0.001–0.017 K, the mean absolute error (MAE) range is 0.103–0.891 K, and the root mean square error (RMSE) range is 0.220–1.235 K. The Pearson correlation coefficient (PCC) and R2 ranges are 0.938–0.994 and 0.889–0.989, respectively. The D-DisTrad model has the smallest error, the highest correlation, and the best visual effect, and can eliminate some “mosaic” effects in the original image. This paper shows that the D-DisTrad model can improve the spatial resolution and visual effects of LST images while maintaining high temporal resolution, and discusses the influence of the terrain and land cover on LST data.
E-MPSPNet: Ice–Water SAR Scene Segmentation Based on Multi-Scale Semantic Features and Edge Supervision
Authors: Song Wei , Li Hongtao , He Qi , Gao Guoping , Liotta Antonio
Published: November 2022

Distinguishing sea ice and water is crucial for safe navigation and carrying out offshore activities in ice zones. However, due to the complexity and dynamics of the ice–water boundary, it is difficult for many deep learning-based segmentation algorithms to achieve accurate ice–water segmentation in synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images. In this paper, we propose an ice–water SAR segmentation network, E-MPSPNet, which can provide effective ice–water segmentation by fusing semantic features and edge information. The E-MPSPNet introduces a multi-scale attention mechanism to better fuse the ice–water semantic features and designs an edge supervision module (ESM) to learn ice–water edge features. The ESM not only provides ice–water edge prediction but also imposes constraints on the semantic feature extraction to better express the edge information. We also design a loss function that focuses on both ice–water edges and semantic segmentations of ice and water for overall network optimization. With the AI4Arctic/ASIP Sea Ice Dataset as the benchmark, experimental results show our E-MPSPNet achieves the best performance compared with other commonly used segmentation models, reaching 94.2% for accuracy, 93.0% for F-score, and 89.2% for MIoU. Moreover, our E-MPSPNet shows a relatively smaller model size and faster processing speed. The application of the E-MPSPNet for processing a SAR scene demonstrates its potential for operational use in drawing near real-time navigation charts of sea ice.
Multi-Polarisation C-Band SAR Imagery to Estimate the Recent Dynamics of the d’Iberville Glacier
Authors: Zahriban Hesari Mozhgan , Buono Andrea , Nunziata Ferdinando , Aulicino Giuseppe , Migliaccio Maurizio
Published: November 2022

To monitor polar regions is of paramount importance for climatological studies. Climate change due to anthropogenic activities is inducing global warming that, for example, has resulted in glacier melting. This has had a significant impact on sea levels and ocean circulation. In this study, the temporal trend of the marine-terminated d’Iberville glacier (Ellesmere Island, Canada) is analysed using C-band synthetic aperture radar satellite imagery collected by the Radarsat-2 and Sentinel-1 missions. The data set consists of a time series of 10 synthetic aperture radar data collected from 2010 to 2022 in dual-polarimetric imaging mode, where a horizontally polarised electromagnetic wave was transmitted. An automatic approach based on a global threshold constant false alarm rate method is applied to the single- and dual-polarisation features, namely the HH-polarised normalised radar cross-section and a combination of the HH- and HV-polarised scattering amplitudes, with the aim of extracting the ice front of the glacier and, therefore, estimating its behaviour over time. Independent collocated satellite optical imagery from the Sentinel-2 multi-spectral instrument is also considered, where available, to support the experimental outcomes. The experimental results show that (1) the HH-polarised normalised radar cross-section achieved better performance with respect to the dual-polarised feature, especially under the most challenging case of a sea-ice infested sea surface; (2) when the HH-polarised normalised radar cross-section was considered, the ice front extraction methodology provided a satisfactory accuracy, i.e., a root mean square error spanning from about 1.1 pixels to 3.4 pixels, depending on the sea-surface conditions; and (3) the d’Iberville glacier exhibited, during the study period, a significant retreat whose average surface velocity was 160 m per year, resulting in a net ice area loss of 2.2 km2 (0.18 km2 per year). These outcomes demonstrate that the d’Iberville glacier is behaving as most of the marine-terminated glaciers in the study area while experiencing a larger ice loss.
Gait Recognition by Combining the Long-Short-Term Attention Network and Personal Physiological Features
Authors: Hua Chunsheng , Pan Yingjie , Li Jia , Wang Zhibo
Published: November 2022

Although gait recognition has been greatly improved by efforts from many researchers in recent years, its performance is still unsatisfactory due to the lack of gait information under the real scenariowhere only one or two images may be used for recognition. In this paper, a new gait recognition framework is brought about which can combine the long-short-term attention modules on silhouette images over the whole sequence and the real human physiological information calculated by a monocular image. The contributions of this work include the following: (1) Fusing the global long-term attention (GLTA) and local short-term attention (LSTA) over the whole query sequence to improve the gait recognition accuracy, where both the short-term gait feature (from two or three frames) and long-term feature (from the whole sequence) are extracted; (2) presenting a method to calculate the real personal static and dynamic physiological features through a single monocular image; (3) by efficiently applying the human physiological information, a new physiological feature extraction (PFE) network is proposed to concatenate the physiological information with silhouette for gait recognition. Through the experiments between the CASIA-B and Multi-state Gait datasets, the effectiveness and efficiency of the proposed method are proven. Under three different walking conditions of the CASIA-B dataset, the mean accuracy of rank-1 in our method is up to 89.6%, and in the Multi-state Gait dataset, wearing different clothes, the mean accuracy of rank-1 in our method is 2.4% higher than the other works.
Sofigait—A Wireless Inertial Sensor-Based Gait Sonification System
Authors: Linnhoff Dagmar , Ploigt Roy , Mattes Klaus
Published: November 2022

In this study, a prototype of an inertial sensor-based gait sonification system was tested for the purpose of providing real-time gait feedback on the knee angle. The study consisted of two parts: (1) a comparison of the knee angle measurement to a marker-based 3D optical capturing system (Vicon, Oxford, UK) with N = 24 participants and (2) an evaluation four different sonification feedback versions in an accentuation × pitch (2 × 2) design on a sample of N = 28 participants. For the measurement system comparison, the RMSE was 7.6° ± 2.6° for the left and 6.9° ± 3.1° for the right side. Measurement agreement with bias up to −7.5° ± 6.2° (for maximum knee flexion) was indicated by the Bland–Altmann Method. The SPM revealed significant differences between both measurement systems for the area 45–90% (p < 0.001) (left) and the area between 45% and 80% (p = 0.007) (right). For the sonification perception, the variation of pitch had a significant effect on the perception of pleasantness of the sound. No effect was found for the accentuation of the swing or stance phase.
Analysis of the Threshold for Energy Consumption in Displacement of Random Sensors
Authors: Kapelko Rafał
Published: November 2022

The fundamental problem of energy-efficient reallocation of mobile random sensors to provide full coverage without interference is addressed in this paper. We consider n mobile sensors with the identical sensing range placed randomly on the unit interval and on the unit square. The sensors move from their initial random positions to the final locations so that: (a) every point on the unit interval or on the unit square is within the range of a sensor; (b) each pair of sensors is at a Euclidean distance greater than or equal to s; (c) the energy consumption for the movement of the sensors to the final positions is minimized. As a cost measure for the energy in the movement of sensors, we consider a-total movement defined as the sum ∑i=1ndia, for some constant a>0, provided that the i-th sensor is displaced the distance di. The main contribution is summarized as follows: (1) if the sensors are placed on the unit interval, we explain the sharp increase around the sensing radius equal to 12n and the interference distance equal to 1n for the expected minimal a-total displacement; (2) if the sensors are placed on the unit square, we explain the sharp increase around the square sensing radius equal to 12n and the interference distance equal to 1n for the expected minimal a-total displacement. We designed and analysed three algorithms. The probabilistic analysis of our protocols is based on a novel mathematical theory of the Beta distribution.
An Enhanced User Authentication and Key Agreement Scheme for Wireless Sensor Networks Tailored for IoT
Authors: Tyagi Pooja , Kumari Saru , Alzahrani Bander A. , Gupta Anshay , Yang Ming-Hour
Published: November 2022

A security protocol for wireless transmission is essential to defend sensitive information from malicious enemies by providing a variety of facilities such as privacy of the user’s information, secure session key, associated authentication, and user-repeal facility when a person’s authorizations are suddenly disclosed. Singh et al. proposed an improved user authentication and key agreement system for wireless sensor networks (WSNs). Authors are sure that their protocol is secure from various attacks. Here, we find several security pitfalls in their scheme, such as an offline password-guessing attack, failure to protect the session key, and a man-in-the-middle attack. To remove the identified pitfalls found in Singh et al.’s scheme, we design an enhanced authentication scheme for WSNs tailored for IoT. We prove the reliability of our proposed protocol using the real or random (RoR) model. We also evaluate the proposed scheme with the associated schemes and show its superior efficacy as compared to its counterparts.
Monitoring and Identification of Road Construction Safety Factors via UAV
Authors: Zhu Chendong , Zhu Junqing , Bu Tianxiang , Gao Xiaofei
Published: November 2022

The safety of road construction is one of the most important concerns of construction managers for the following reasons: long-span construction operation, no fixed monitoring cameras, and huge impacts on existing traffic, while the managers still rely on manual inspection and a lack of image records. With the fast development of Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) and Artificial Intelligence (AI), monitoring safety concerns of road construction sites becomes easily accessible. This research aims to integrate UAVs and AI to establish a UAV-based road construction safety monitoring platform. In this study, road construction safety factors including constructors, construction vehicles, safety signs, and guardrails are defined and monitored to make up for the lack of image data at the road construction site. The main findings of this study include three aspects. First, the flight and photography schemes are proposed based on the UAV platform for information collection for road construction. Second, deep learning algorithms including YOLOv4 and DeepSORT are utilized to automatically detect and track safety factors. Third, a road construction dataset is established with 3594 images. The results show that the UAV-based monitoring platform can help managers with security inspection and recording images.
Insulator-Defect Detection Algorithm Based on Improved YOLOv7
Authors: Zheng Jianfeng , Wu Hang , Zhang Han , Wang Zhaoqi , Xu Weiyue
Published: November 2022

Existing detection methods face a huge challenge in identifying insulators with minor defects when targeting transmission line images with complex backgrounds. To ensure the safe operation of transmission lines, an improved YOLOv7 model is proposed to improve detection results. Firstly, the target boxes of the insulator dataset are clustered based on K-means++ to generate more suitable anchor boxes for detecting insulator-defect targets. Secondly, the Coordinate Attention (CoordAtt) module and HorBlock module are added to the network. Then, in the channel and spatial domains, the network can enhance the effective features of the feature-extraction process and weaken the ineffective features. Finally, the SCYLLA-IoU (SIoU) and focal loss functions are used to accelerate the convergence of the model and solve the imbalance of positive and negative samples. Furthermore, to optimize the overall performance of the model, the method of non-maximum suppression (NMS) is improved to reduce accidental deletion and false detection of defect targets. The experimental results show that the mean average precision of our model is 93.8%, higher than the Faster R-CNN model, the YOLOv7 model, and YOLOv5s model by 7.6%, 3.7%, and 4%, respectively. The proposed YOLOv7 model can effectively realize the accurate detection of small objects in complex backgrounds.
A Novel Paper-Based Reagentless Dual Functional Soil Test to Instantly Detect Phosphate Infield
Authors: Zeitoun Reem , Adamchuk Viacheslav , Biswas Asim
Published: November 2022

Soil tests for plant-available phosphorus (P) are suggested to provide offsite P analysis required to monitor P fertilizer application and reduce P losses to downstream water. However, procedural and cost limitations of current soil phosphate tests have restricted their widespread use and have made them accessible only in laboratories. This study proposes a novel paper-based reagentless electrochemical soil phosphate sensor to extract and detect soil phosphate using an inexpensive and simple approach. In this test, concentrated Mehlich-3 and molybdate ions were impregnated in filter paper, which served as the phosphate extraction and reaction zone, and was followed by electrochemical detection using cyclic voltammetry signals. Soil samples from 22 sampling sites were used to validate this method against inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP) soil phosphate tests. Regression and correlation analyses showed a significant relationship between phosphate determinations by ICP and the proposed method, delivering a correlation coefficient, r, of 0.98 and a correlation slope of 1.02. The proposed approach provided a fast, portable, low-cost, accessible, reliable, and single-step test to extract and detect phosphate simultaneously with minimum waste (0.5 mL per sample), which made phosphate characterization possible in the field.