bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Stabilization of the c-Myc Protein via the Modulation of Threonine 58 and Serine 62 Phosphorylation by the Disulfiram/Copper Complex in Oral Cancer Cells
Authors: Chen Gunng-Shinng , Chen Ssu-Yu , Liu Shu-Ting , Hsieh Cheng-Chih , Lee Shiao-Pieng , Huang Shih-Ming
Published: August 2022

MYC has a short half-life that is tightly regulated through phosphorylation and proteasomal degradation. Many studies have claimed that treatment with disulfiram (DSF) with or without copper ions can cause cancer cell death in a reactive oxygen species (ROS)-dependent manner in cancer cells. Our previous study showed that the levels of c-Myc protein and the phosphorylation of threonine 58 (T58) and serine 62 (S62) increased in DSF-Cu-complex-treated oral epidermoid carcinoma Meng-1 (OECM-1) cells. These abovementioned patterns were suppressed by pretreatment with an ROS scavenger, N-acetyl cysteine. The overexpression of c-Myc failed to induce hypoxia-inducible factor 1α protein expression, which was stabilized by the DSF-Cu complex. In this study, we further examined the regulatory mechanism behind the induction of the c-Myc of the DSF-Cu complex in an OECM-1 cell compared with a Smulow–Glickman (SG) human normal gingival epithelial cell. Our data showed that the downregulation of c-Myc truncated nick and p62 and the induction of the ratio of H3P/H3 and p-ERK/ERK might not be involved in the increase in the amount of c-Myc via the DSF/copper complexes in OECM-1 cells. Combined with the inhibitors for various signaling pathways and cycloheximde treatment, the increase in the amount of c-Myc with the DSF/copper complexes might be mediated through the increase in the stabilities of c-Myc (T58) and c-Myc (S62) proteins in OECM-1 cells. In SG cells, only the c-Myc (T58) protein was stabilized by the DSF-Cu (I and II) complexes. Hence, our findings could provide novel regulatory insights into the phosphorylation-dependent stability of c-Myc in DSF/copper-complex-treated oral squamous cell carcinoma.
Glymphatic System a Window on TBI Pathophysiology: A Systematic Review
Authors: Ferrara Michela , Bertozzi Giuseppe , Volonnino Gianpietro , Di Fazio Nicola , Frati Paola , Cipolloni Luigi , La Russa Raffaele , Fineschi Vittorio
Published: August 2022

Background: In recent years, the attention of the scientific world has focused on a clearance system of brain waste metabolites, called the glymphatic system, based on its similarity to the lymphatic system in peripheral tissue and the relevant role of the AQP4 glial channels and described for the first time in 2012. Consequently, numerous studies focused on its role in organ damage in cases of neuropathologies, including TBI. Methods: To evaluate the role that the glymphatic system has in the pathogenesis of TBI, on 23 March 2022, a systematic review of the literature according to PRISMA guidelines was carried out using the SCOPUS and Medline (via PubMed) databases, resulting in 12 articles after the selection process. Discussion and conclusion: The present review demonstrated that an alteration of AQP4 is associated with the accumulation of substances S100b, GFAP, and NSE, known markers of TBI in the forensic field. In addition, the alteration of the functionality of AQP4 favors edema, which, as already described, constitutes alterations of secondary brain injuries. Moreover, specific areas of the brain were demonstrated to be prone to alterations of the glymphatic pathway, suggesting their involvement in post-TBI damage. Therefore, further studies are mandatory. In this regard, a study protocol on cadavers is also proposed, based on the analyzed evidence.
Phytic Acid-Iron/Laponite Coatings for Enhanced Flame Retardancy, Antidripping and Mechanical Properties of Flexible Polyurethane Foam
Authors: Jiang Qi , Li Ping , Liu Yun , Zhu Ping
Published: August 2022

The use of flexible polyurethane foam (FPUF) is severely limited due to its flammability and dripping, which can easily cause major fire hazards. Therefore, choosing an appropriate flame retardant to solve this problem is an urgent need. A coating was prepared on the FPUF surface by dipping with phytic acid (PA), Fe2(SO4)3·xH2O, and laponite (LAP). The influence of PA-Fe/LAP coating on FPUF flame-retardant performance was explored by thermal stability, flame retardancy, combustion behavior, and smoke density analysis. FPUF/PA-Fe/LAP has a good performance in the small fire test, which can pass the UL-94 V-0 rating and the limiting oxygen index reaches 24.5%. Meanwhile, the peak heat release rate values and maximum smoke density of FPUF/PA-Fe/LAP are reduced by 38.7% and 38.5% compared with those of neat FPUF. After applying PA-Fe/LAP coating, the value of fire growth rate index decreases from 10.5 kW/(m2·s) to 5.1 kW/(m2·s), dramatically reducing the fire risk. Encouragingly, the effect of PA-Fe/LAP coating on cyclic compression and permanent deformation is small, which is close to that of neat FPUF. This work provides an effective strategy for making a flame-retardant FPUF with antidripping and keeping mechanical properties.
Importance of Coagulation Factors as Critical Components of Premature Cardiovascular Disease in Familial Hypercholesterolemia
Authors: Ravnskov Uffe , de Lorgeril Michel , Kendrick Malcolm , Diamond David M.
Published: August 2022

For almost a century, familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) has been considered a serious disease, causing atherosclerosis, cardiovascular disease, and ischemic stroke. Closely related to this is the widespread acceptance that its cause is greatly increased low-density-lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C). However, numerous observations and experiments in this field are in conflict with Bradford Hill’s criteria for causality. For instance, those with FH demonstrate no association between LDL-C and the degree of atherosclerosis; coronary artery calcium (CAC) shows no or an inverse association with LDL-C, and on average, the life span of those with FH is about the same as the surrounding population. Furthermore, no controlled, randomized cholesterol-lowering trial restricted to those with FH has demonstrated a positive outcome. On the other hand, a number of studies suggest that increased thrombogenic factors—either procoagulant or those that lead to high platelet reactivity—may be the primary risk factors in FH. Those individuals who die prematurely have either higher lipoprotein (a) (Lp(a)), higher factor VIII and/or higher fibrinogen compared with those with a normal lifespan, whereas their LDL-C does not differ. Conclusions: Many observational and experimental studies have demonstrated that high LDL-C cannot be the cause of premature cardiovascular mortality among people with FH. The number who die early is also much smaller than expected. Apparently, some individuals with FH may have inherited other, more important risk factors than a high LDL-C. In accordance with this, our review has shown that increased coagulation factors are the commonest cause, but there may be other ones as well.
New Insights into Boron Essentiality in Humans and Animals
Authors: Biţă Andrei , Scorei Ion Romulus , Bălşeanu Tudor Adrian , Ciocîlteu Maria Viorica , Bejenaru Cornelia , Radu Antonia , Bejenaru Ludovic Everard , Rău Gabriela , Mogoşanu George Dan , Neamţu Johny , Benner Steven A.
Published: August 2022

Boron (B) is considered a prebiotic chemical element with a role in both the origin and evolution of life, as well as an essential micronutrient for some bacteria, plants, fungi, and algae. B has beneficial effects on the biological functions of humans and animals, such as reproduction, growth, calcium metabolism, bone formation, energy metabolism, immunity, and brain function. Naturally organic B (NOB) species may become promising novel prebiotic candidates. NOB-containing compounds have been shown to be essential for the symbiosis between organisms from different kingdoms. New insights into the key role of NOB species in the symbiosis between human/animal hosts and their microbiota will influence the use of natural B-based colon-targeting nutraceuticals. The mechanism of action (MoA) of NOB species is related to the B signaling molecule (autoinducer-2-borate (AI-2B)) as well as the fortification of the colonic mucus gel layer with NOB species from B-rich prebiotic diets. Both the microbiota and the colonic mucus gel layer can become NOB targets. This paper reviews the evidence supporting the essentiality of the NOB species in the symbiosis between the microbiota and the human/animal hosts, with the stated aim of highlighting the MoA and targets of these species.
Looking into the Eyes—In Vitro Models for Ocular Research
Authors: Lieto Krystyna , Skopek Rafał , Lewicka Aneta , Stelmasiak Marta , Klimaszewska Emilia , Zelent Arthur , Szymański Łukasz , Lewicki Sławomir
Published: August 2022

Animal research undoubtedly provides scientists with virtually unlimited data but inflicts pain and suffering on animals. Currently, legislators and scientists alike are promoting alternative in vitro approaches allowing for an accurate evaluation of processes occurring in the body without animal sacrifice. Historically, one of the most infamous animal tests is the Draize test, mainly performed on rabbits. Even though this test was considered the gold standard for around 50 years, the Draize test fails to mimic human response mainly due to human and rabbit eye physiological differences. Therefore, many alternative assays were developed to evaluate ocular toxicity and drug effectiveness accurately. Here we review recent achievements in tissue engineering of in vitro 2D, 2.5D, 3D, organoid and organ-on-chip ocular models, as well as in vivo and ex vivo models in terms of their advantages and limitations.
Tryptophan: Its Metabolism along the Kynurenine, Serotonin, and Indole Pathway in Malignant Melanoma
Authors: Hubková Beáta , Valko-Rokytovská Marcela , Čižmárová Beáta , Zábavníková Marianna , Mareková Mária , Birková Anna
Published: August 2022

(1) Background: Tryptophan metabolism is known to be one of the important mechanisms used by cancer to evade immune surveillance. Altered tryptophan metabolism was studied in patients with pigmented malignant melanoma confirmed histologically by the anatomic stage grouping for cutaneous melanoma using clinical staging on the basis of the Breslow thickness of the melanoma, the degree of spread to regional lymph nodes, and by the presence of distant metastasis. (2) Methods: Urinary tryptophan metabolites were detected by RP-HPLC method. (3) Results: In the present work, we provided evidence of altered metabolism of all tryptophan pathways in melanoma patients. (4) Conclusions: Knowledge of the shifted serotonin pathway toward DHICA formation and kynurenine pathway shifted toward NAD+ production could serve in the early detection of the disease and the initiation of early treatment of malignant melanoma.
Anti-Inflammatory Effects of 1,25(OH)2D/Calcitriol in T Cell Immunity: Does Sex Make a Difference?
Authors: Peruzzu Daniela , Dupuis Maria Luisa , Pierdominici Marina , Fecchi Katia , Gagliardi Maria Cristina , Ortona Elena , Pagano Maria Teresa
Published: August 2022

Hypovitaminosis D is involved in various inflammatory, infectious and autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and multiple sclerosis. Moreover, the active form of vitamin D, calcitriol, has been shown to modulate the immune response, playing an anti-inflammatory effect. However little is known about the mechanisms underlying this anti-inflammatory effect and the potential sex differences of calcitriol immune regulation. Hence, the aim of this study was to investigate whether calcitriol could act differently in modulating T cell immunity of age-matched male and female healthy donors. We analyzed the effects of calcitriol in T lymphocytes from healthy women and men on the expression levels of the vitamin D receptor (VDR) and pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokine production. We showed that a treatment with calcitriol induced a significant increase in the VDR expression levels of activated T lymphocytes from male and female healthy subjects. Moreover, we found that calcitriol significantly reduced the expression level of pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-17, INF-γ and TNF-α in the T lymphocytes of both sexes. Notably, we observed that calcitriol induced a significant increase in the expression level of anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 only in the T lymphocytes from female healthy donors. In conclusion, our study provides new insights regarding the sex-specific anti-inflammatory role of calcitriol in T cell immunity.
Allelic Variations in the Human Genes TMPRSS2 and CCR5, and the Resistance to Viral Infection by SARS-CoV-2
Authors: Vitello Girolamo Aurelio , Federico Concetta , Bruno Francesca , Vinci Mirella , Musumeci Antonino , Ragalmuto Alda , Sturiale Valentina , Brancato Desiree , Calì Francesco , Saccone Salvatore
Published: August 2022

During the first wave of COVID-19 infection in Italy, the number of cases and the mortality rates were among the highest compared to the rest of Europe and the world. Several studies demonstrated a severe clinical course of COVID-19 associated with old age, comorbidities, and male gender. However, there are cases of virus infection resistance in subjects living in close contact with infected subjects. Thus, to explain the predisposition to virus infection and to COVID-19 disease progression, we must consider, in addition to the genetic variability of the virus and other environmental or comorbidity conditions, the allelic variants of specific human genes, directly or indirectly related to the life cycle of the virus. Here, we analyzed three human genetic polymorphisms belonging to the TMPRSS2 and CCR5 genes in a sample population from Sicily (Italy) to investigate possible correlations with the resistance to viral infection and/or to COVID-19 disease progression as recently described in other human populations. Our results did not show any correlations of the rs35074065, rs12329760, and rs333 polymorphisms with SARS-CoV-2 infection or with COVID-19 disease severity. Further studies on other human genetic polymorphisms should be performed to identify the major human determinants of SARS-CoV-2 viral resistance.
Isolation and Molecular Identification of Serratia Strains Producing Chitinases, Glucanases, Cellulases, and Prodigiosin and Determination of Their Antifungal Effect against Colletotrichum siamense and Alternaria alternata In Vitro and on Mango Fruit
Authors: Trejo-López J. Alexander , Rangel-Vargas Esmeralda , Gómez-Aldapa Carlos A. , Villagómez-Ibarra José R. , Falfán-Cortes Reyna N. , Acevedo-Sandoval Otilio A. , Castro-Rosas Javier
Published: August 2022

Microorganisms represent a viable option for the control of phytopathogens. From the surface of healthy mangoes, different bacteria were isolated. For all isolated bacterial strains, we determined their antimicrobial activity against a fungal strain that caused anthracnose in mangoes and against Alternaria alternata, both in the culture medium and directly on mangoes. The bacterial strains with the highest antifungal activity were identified by sequencing the 16s rRNA gene. Two species of Serratia were identified: marcescens and nematodiphila. Finally, the chitinolytic, glucanolytic, and cellulolytic activity and prodigiosin production of bacteria with antifungal activity was determined. Five fungal strains were isolated from mangoes with anthracnose. Only one strain was responsible for anthracnose in mangoes. This fungal strain was identified as Colletotrichum siamense. Against C. siamense and A. alternata in vitro and in mango selected strains of Serratia showed antifungal activity. Finally, the Serratia strains produced chitinases, glucanases, cellulases and prodigiosin, and the two S. marcescens strains did not produce hemolysins. The three Serratia strains isolated in this study can potentially be used in the biological control of anthracnose caused by C. siamense and A. alternata on mango.
e-Health in Vascular Diseases: Integrating Digital Innovation in Everyday Clinical Practice
Authors: Lareyre Fabien , Behrendt Christian-Alexander , Raffort Juliette
Published: August 2022

Healthcare systems are confronted with major challenges [...]
Farmland Rental: The Impacts of Household Demographics and Livelihood Strategies in China
Authors: Zhou Shuai , Chi Guangqing
Published: August 2022

In recent decades, there has been a rising global trend of farmland rental. Previous studies have explored the impacts of individual and household sociodemographics on farmland rental, but a holistic understanding of farmland rental in association with households’ demographics and livelihood strategies has not been achieved. Using data from the China Family Panel Studies 2012–2016, we investigated the association of farmland rental with household demographics and livelihood strategies in rural China. The results suggest that farmers in rural China tend to keep a balance between landholding and household needs, a finding that not only supports the labor–consumer balance theory, but also extends its application to a capitalized and increasingly mobile society. Larger and/or married-couple households were less likely to rent out their farmland, and the household decision-maker’s education level was positively associated with the probability of renting out farmland. The household decision-maker’s age was negatively associated with farmland rental up to age 34, after which it has a positive effect, demonstrating a non-linear, U-shaped relationship. Livelihood strategies, including non-farm employment and migration, were positively associated with farmland rental, whereas agricultural income showed a negative effect. This study extends the understanding of factors influencing farmland rental in areas where increasing migration could reshape farmland disposal, a common scenario in contemporary China and many developing countries.
Restorative Justice, Youth Violence, and Policing: A Review of the Evidence
Authors: Hobson Jonathan , Twyman-Ghoshal Anamika , Banwell-Moore Rebecca , Ash Daniel P
Published: August 2022

Restorative justice seeks to bring those that have created harm together with those that have been harmed, and often stands in contrast to retributive and punitive approaches to justice that centre the state in the responses to crime and harm. Restorative justice approaches are becoming increasingly integrated into parts of the criminal justice system, and this paper examines the evidence for such applications in the context of youth violence and policing. The evidence is built on work conducted for the Metropolitan Police Service, the UKs largest police force with over 30,000 officers serving 8 million people in and around London. It does this through a Rapid Evidence Assessment, which utilises the search and sifting principles of systematic reviews on a more limited basis, tailored to the needs of a specific audience, and conducted within a limited timescale. The results of the assessment are broken down into three areas: benefits, challenges, and deployment considerations. The studies identified through the assessment suggest that restorative justice and restorative practice can form an important part of an overall strategy to help reduce both incidents of youth violence as well as the longer-term impacts of that violence when it has taken place. We conclude that in the context of violence and young people, effective restorative justice police practice should embrace a whole-system approach that incorporates multi-agency working and consistently engages with young people at risk of becoming violent offenders or victims.
Isogenic Japonica Rice Koshihikari Integrated with Late Flowering Gene Hd16 and Semidwarfing Gene sd1 to Prevent High Temperature Maturation and Lodging by Typhoon
Authors: Tomita Motonori , Tokuyama Ryotaro
Published: August 2022

We developed semidwarf and late-maturing isogenics of Koshihikari to stabilize high yield and avoid high temperature maturation. Whole-genome analysis (WGS) was conducted to examine the transitional changes in the entire genome, the size of DNA fragments integrated with the target gene, and genes accompanying the target gene owing to the progress of backcrossing. In both Koshihikari Hd16 (BC7F4) and Koshihikari sd1Hd16 (BC8F2), an SNP from adenine to guanine was detected in Hd16 at 32,996,608 bp on chromosome 3, which is known to be a causative mutation of Hd16 in Nipponbare. In Koshihikari sd1Hd16 (BC8F2), an SNP from thymine to guanine was detected in sd1 at 38,267,510 bp on chromosome 1. From BC7 to BC8, the size of the DNA fragment integrated with Hd16 decreased by 5871 bp. Koshihikari sd1Hd16 flowered 12.1 days later than Koshishikari or Koshihikari sd1 did and was 14.2 cm (15%) shorter than Koshihikari. The yield in Koshishikari sd1Hd16 (63.2 kg/a) was 7.0% higher than that of Koshihikari. This is a new germplasm designed to avoid heat damage at ripening during high-temperature summer periods by late maturation owing to Hd16 as well as to avoid lodging by autumn typhoons by semidwarfness owing to sd1.
Improving Polypropylene Matrix Composites Reinforced with Aligned Hemp Fibre Mats Using High Fibre Contents
Authors: Sunny Tom , Pickering Kim L.
Published: August 2022

The main goal of this study was to improve the mechanical performance of polypropylene (PP) matrix composites through high hemp fibre content. In order to achieve high fibre content, the possibilities of different polymer sheet thicknesses and stacking arrangements were investigated. It was found that decreasing the overall thickness of fibre mats between two polymer sheets within the stacking arrangements of composites and so decreasing the distance the polymer needs to travel improved the fibre wetting and therefore improved the tensile properties. The strongest composite produced had a fibre content of about 60 wt%. At this fibre content, tensile strength and Young’s modulus of the composites were found to be 3.0 and 6.9 times, respectively, higher than the control samples (polymer only samples), while figures for flexural strength and flexural modulus were 3.4 and 3.6, respectively.
Impact of Ceramic Material and Preparation Design on Marginal Fit of Endocrown Restorations
Authors: Soliman Mai , Alzahrani Ghadeer , Alabdualataif Foton , Eldwakhly Elzahraa , Alsamady Sahar , Aldegheishem Alhanoof , Abdelhafeez Manal M.
Published: August 2022

Background: The aim of this study is to investigate the impact of ceramic material and preparation design on the marginal fit of endocrown restorations. Methods: Forty endocrown restorations were CAD/CAM-fabricated for forty extracted maxillary first premolar teeth. Samples were divided into two groups (n = 20) according to the ceramic materials used: Celtra Duo and Vita Enamic. Each group was divided into two subgroups (n = 10) according to the preparation design: with no intraradicular extension and with 3 mm intraradicular extension. The marginal gap was examined using a digital microscope. Results: Celtra Duo without intraradicular extension recorded the least mean marginal gap (7.74 ± 1.55 µm), while Group Celtra Duo with 3 mm intraradicular extension recorded the highest mean marginal gap (29.54 ± 6.32 µm). Group Vita Enamic recorded a lesser marginal gap (18.03 ± 12.11 µm) than group CD (Celtra Duo) (18.64 ± 12.05 µm). There is a statistically non-significant difference between the two groups of materials (p = 0.873). There is a statistically significant difference between the two tested preparation designs (p < 0.001). Conclusion: All groups recorded a marginal gap within clinically accepted values. Material selection may influence the fitting of restorations. Intraradicular extension for endocrown restorations adversely affects the marginal fit, however, the marginal gap is still within the clinically accepted range.
Modulational Instability of Delocalized Modes in fcc Copper
Authors: Morkina Alina Y. , Bachurin Dmitry V. , Dmitriev Sergey V. , Semenov Aleksander S. , Korznikova Elena A.
Published: August 2022

Delocalized nonlinear vibrational modes (DNVMs) are exact solutions of the equations of motion, and therefore, DNVMs exist at any vibration amplitude and do not depend on interaction potentials. For the first time, modulation instability of four one-component three-dimensional DNVMs is studied in a single crystal of fcc copper with the use of methods of molecular dynamics. DNVMs frequencies, evolution of stresses, kinetic and potential energies, and heat capacity depending on the oscillation amplitudes are analyzed. It is found that all four DNVMs are characterized by a hard-type anharmonicity. Modulation instability of DNVMs results in a formation of chaotic discrete breathers (DBs) with frequency above the upper edge of the phonon spectrum of the crystal. The lifetime of chaotic DBs is found to be in the range of 30–100 ps. At low-oscillation frequencies, longer-lived DBs are formed. The growth of modulation instability leads to an increase in mechanical stresses and a decrease in the heat capacity of the crystal. The results obtained in this work enrich our understanding of the influence of the modulation instability of DNVMs on the properties of metals.
Intriguing Prospects of a Novel Magnetic Nanohybrid Material: Ferromagnetic FeRh Nanoparticles Grown on Nanodiamonds
Authors: Ziogas Panagiotis , Bourlinos Athanasios B. , Chatzopoulou Polyxeni , Dimitrakopulos George P. , Kehagias Thomas , Markou Anastasios , Douvalis Alexios P.
Published: August 2022

A novel endeavor based on the synthesis, characterization and study of a hybrid crystalline magnetic nanostructured material composed of bimetallic iron–rhodium nanoalloys, grown on nanodiamond nanotemplates, is reported in this study. The development of this hybrid magnetic nanomaterial is grounded in the combination of wet chemistry and thermal annealing under vacuum. In order to assess, evaluate and interpret the role and special properties of the nanodiamond supporting nanotemplates on the growth and properties of the bimetallic ferromagnetic Fe–Rh nanoparticles on their surfaces, unsupported free FeRh nanoparticles of the same nominal stoichiometry as for the hybrid sample were also synthesized. The characterization and study of the prepared samples with a range of specialized experimental techniques, including X-ray diffraction, transmission and scanning transmission electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray analysis, magnetization and magnetic susceptibility measurements and 57Fe Mössbauer spectroscopy, reveal that thermal annealing of the hybrid sample under specific conditions (vacuum, 700 °C, 30 min) leads to the formation of a rhodium-rich FeRh alloy nanostructured phase, with an average particle size of 4 nm and good dispersion on the surfaces of the nanodiamond nanotemplates and hard ferromagnetic characteristics at room temperature (coercivity of ~500 Oe). In contrast, thermal annealing of the unsupported free nanoparticle sample under the same conditions fails to deliver ferromagnetic characteristics to the FeRh nanostructured alloy phase, which shows only paramagnetic characteristics at room temperature and spin glass ordering at low temperatures. The ferromagnetic nanohybrids are proposed to be exploited in a variety of important technological applications, such as magnetic recording, magnetic resonance imaging contrast and magnetic hyperthermia agents.
Disturbance of Key Cellular Subproteomes upon Propofol Treatment Is Associated with Increased Permeability of the Blood-Brain Barrier
Authors: Längrich Timo , Bork Kaya , Horstkorte Rüdiger , Weber Veronika , Hofmann Britt , Fuszard Matt , Olzscha Heidi
Published: August 2022

Background: Propofol is a short-acting anesthetic, which is often used for induction and maintenance of general anesthesia, sedation for mechanically ventilated adults and procedural sedation. Several side effects of propofol are known and a substantial number of patients suffer from post-operative delirium after propofol application. In this study, we analyzed the effect of propofol on the function and protein expression profile on a proteome-wide scale. Methods: We cultured human brain microvascular endothelial cells in absence and presence of propofol and analyzed the permeability of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) by fluorescein passage and protein abundance on a proteome-wide scale by mass spectrometry. Results: Propofol interfered with the function of the blood-brain barrier. This was not due to decreased adhesion of propofol-treated human brain microvascular endothelial cells. The proteomic analysis revealed that some key pathways in these cells were disturbed, such as oxygen metabolism, DNA damage recognition and response to stress. Conclusions: Propofol has strong effects on protein expression which could explain several side effects of propofol.
Methods of Wood Volume Determining and Its Implications for Forest Transport
Authors: Moskalik Tadeusz , Tymendorf Łukasz , van der Saar Jan , Trzciński Grzegorz
Published: August 2022

Proper measurements are extremely significant for the forest owner, the harvesting company, the hauler, the final buyer, and the wood processing company. The accuracy of round wood volume determination is of fundamental importance in planning and accounting for individual processes related to the wood trade. It is the basis for determining the maximum quantity in single load of wood that allows for using the permissible total gross vehicle weight. The determination of wood load in cubic meters does not allow unequivocally determining its weight, which often leads to overloading of vehicles. This paper presents a comparison of the photo-optical method for determining the volume of wood to be transported with the real measurement and determination of the weight of a load and the total gross vehicle weight (GVW) with the simultaneous application of conversion factors determining the weight of the load from the volume of wood. The measurement included 23 broadleaf round wood piles (193.73 m3) and 14 coniferous round wood piles (149.23 m3). The measurement error for broadleaf wood piles ranges from −47.67% to 63.16%, and from −43.31% to 24.72% for coniferous wood piles. Determination of the volume of a broadleaf wood pile using the iFOVEA method had an average error of 1.34%, while the Timbeter method had an average error of −1.83%. In the coniferous wood pile measurement, the error is −12.82% and 2.41%, respectively. Verification of the volume of the large-sized wood indicated on the delivery note (reference value) on the log sorting line (by laser scanning) showed larger volumes by 0.10 m3 to 2.54 m3, giving a percentage error of 0.35% and 8.62%, respectively. As a consequence of the application of such methods for determining the weight of wood loads, the transport truck sets are often significantly overloaded, which has a significant impact on the accelerated degradation of roads and safety in traffic and timber transportation.
Failure Detection in Quadcopter UAVs Using K-Means Clustering
Authors: Cabahug James , Eslamiat Hossein
Published: August 2022

We propose an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) failure detection system as the first step of a three-step autonomous emergency landing safety framework for UAVs. We showed the effectiveness and feasibility of using vibration data with the k-means clustering algorithm in detecting mid-flight UAV failures for that purpose. Specifically, we measured vibration signals for different faulty propeller cases during several test flights, utilizing a custom-made hardware system. After we made the vibration graphs and extracted the data, we investigated to determine the combination of acceleration and gyroscope parameters that results in the best accuracy of failure detection in quadcopter UAVs. Our investigations show that considering the gyroscope parameter in the vertical direction (gZ) along with the accelerometer parameter in the same direction (aZ) results in the highest accuracy of failure detection for the purpose of emergency landing of faulty UAVs, while ensuring a quick detection and timely engagement of the safety framework. Based on the parameter set (gZ-aZ), we then created scatter plots and confusion matrices, and applied the k-means clustering algorithm to the vibration dataset to classify the data into three health state clusters—normal, faulty, and failure. We confirm the effectiveness of the proposed system with flight experiments, in which we were able to detect faults and failures utilizing the aforementioned clusters in real time.
Fault Tolerance Structures in Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs): Survey, Classification, and Future Directions
Authors: Adday Ghaihab Hassan , Subramaniam Shamala K. , Zukarnain Zuriati Ahmad , Samian Normalia
Published: August 2022

The Industrial Revolution 4.0 (IR 4.0) has drastically impacted how the world operates. The Internet of Things (IoT), encompassed significantly by the Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs), is an important subsection component of the IR 4.0. WSNs are a good demonstration of an ambient intelligence vision, in which the environment becomes intelligent and aware of its surroundings. WSN has unique features which create its own distinct network attributes and is deployed widely for critical real-time applications that require stringent prerequisites when dealing with faults to ensure the avoidance and tolerance management of catastrophic outcomes. Thus, the respective underlying Fault Tolerance (FT) structure is a critical requirement that needs to be considered when designing any algorithm in WSNs. Moreover, with the exponential evolution of IoT systems, substantial enhancements of current FT mechanisms will ensure that the system constantly provides high network reliability and integrity. Fault tolerance structures contain three fundamental stages: error detection, error diagnosis, and error recovery. The emergence of analytics and the depth of harnessing it has led to the development of new fault-tolerant structures and strategies based on artificial intelligence and cloud-based. This survey provides an elaborate classification and analysis of fault tolerance structures and their essential components and categorizes errors from several perspectives. Subsequently, an extensive analysis of existing fault tolerance techniques based on eight constraints is presented. Many prior studies have provided classifications for fault tolerance systems. However, this research has enhanced these reviews by proposing an extensively enhanced categorization that depends on the new and additional metrics which include the number of sensor nodes engaged, the overall fault-tolerant approach performance, and the placement of the principal algorithm responsible for eliminating network errors. A new taxonomy of comparison that also extensively reviews previous surveys and state-of-the-art scientific articles based on different factors is discussed and provides the basis for the proposed open issues.
Whitening Technique Based on Gram–Schmidt Orthogonalization for Motor Imagery Classification of Brain–Computer Interface Applications
Authors: Choi Hojong , Park Junghun , Yang Yeon-Mo
Published: August 2022

A novel whitening technique for motor imagery (MI) classification is proposed to reduce the accuracy variance of brain–computer interfaces (BCIs). This method is intended to improve the electroencephalogram eigenface analysis performance for the MI classification of BCIs. In BCI classification, the variance of the accuracy among subjects is sensitive to the accuracy itself for superior classification results. Hence, with the help of Gram–Schmidt orthogonalization, we propose a BCI channel whitening (BCICW) scheme to minimize the variance among subjects. The newly proposed BCICW method improved the variance of the MI classification in real data. To validate and verify the proposed scheme, we performed an experiment on the BCI competition 3 dataset IIIa (D3D3a) and the BCI competition 4 dataset IIa (D4D2a) using the MATLAB simulation tool. The variance data when using the proposed BCICW method based on Gram–Schmidt orthogonalization was much lower (11.21) than that when using the EFA method (58.33) for D3D3a and decreased from (17.48) to (9.38) for D4D2a. Therefore, the proposed method could be effective for MI classification of BCI applications.
Speaker Adaptation on Articulation and Acoustics for Articulation-to-Speech Synthesis
Authors: Cao Beiming , Wisler Alan , Wang Jun
Published: August 2022

Silent speech interfaces (SSIs) convert non-audio bio-signals, such as articulatory movement, to speech. This technology has the potential to recover the speech ability of individuals who have lost their voice but can still articulate (e.g., laryngectomees). Articulation-to-speech (ATS) synthesis is an algorithm design of SSI that has the advantages of easy-implementation and low-latency, and therefore is becoming more popular. Current ATS studies focus on speaker-dependent (SD) models to avoid large variations of articulatory patterns and acoustic features across speakers. However, these designs are limited by the small data size from individual speakers. Speaker adaptation designs that include multiple speakers’ data have the potential to address the issue of limited data size from single speakers; however, few prior studies have investigated their performance in ATS. In this paper, we investigated speaker adaptation on both the input articulation and the output acoustic signals (with or without direct inclusion of data from test speakers) using the publicly available electromagnetic articulatory (EMA) dataset. We used Procrustes matching and voice conversion for articulation and voice adaptation, respectively. The performance of the ATS models was measured objectively by the mel-cepstral distortions (MCDs). The synthetic speech samples were generated and are provided in the supplementary material. The results demonstrated the improvement brought by both Procrustes matching and voice conversion on speaker-independent ATS. With the direct inclusion of target speaker data in the training process, the speaker-adaptive ATS achieved a comparable performance to speaker-dependent ATS. To our knowledge, this is the first study that has demonstrated that speaker-adaptive ATS can achieve a non-statistically different performance to speaker-dependent ATS.
IEEE P2668 Compatible Evaluation Strategy for Smart Battery Management Systems
Authors: Wang Hao , Tsang Kim Fung , Wu Chung Kit , Wei Yang , Liu Yucheng , Lai Chun Sing
Published: August 2022

In smart cities and smart industry, a Battery Management System (BMS) focuses on the intelligent supervision of the status (e.g., state of charge, temperature) of batteries (e.g., lithium battery, lead battery). Internet of Things (IoT) integration enhances the system’s intelligence and convenience, making it a Smart BMS (SBMS). However, this also raises concerns regarding evaluating the SBMS in the wireless context in which these systems are installed. Considering the battery application, in particular, the SBMS will depend on several wireless communication characteristics, such as mobility, latency, fading, etc., necessitating a tailored evaluation strategy. This study proposes an IEEE P2668-Compatible SBMS Evaluation Strategy (SBMS-ES) to overcome this issue. The SBMS-ES is based on the IEEE P2668 worldwide standard, which aims to assess IoT solutions’ maturity. It evaluates the characteristics of the wireless environment for SBMS while considering battery factors. The SBMS-ES scores the candidates under numerous scenarios with various characteristics. A final score between 0 and 5 is given to indicate the performance of the SBMS regarding the application demands. The disadvantages of the SBMS solution and the most desired candidate can be found with the evaluated score. SBMS-ES provides guidance to avoid potential risks and mitigates the issues posed by an inadequate or unsatisfactory SBMS solution. A case study is depicted for illustration.
Multi-Scale Safety Helmet Detection Based on RSSE-YOLOv3
Authors: Song Hongru
Published: August 2022

Due to the shielding of dense and small targets, real-time detection of whether construction workers are wearing safety helmets suffers from low detection accuracy and missed detection. In this paper, a new detection algorithm based on YOLOv3 is proposed. Firstly, the parallel network RepVGG Skip Squeeze Excitation (RSSE) module is used to replace the Res8 module in the original YOLOv3 network. The RSSE module consists of 3 × 3 convolutional fusion channels and SSE branches fused. The introduction of the R-SSE module increases the network width, reduces the network depth, and improves the network detection speed and accuracy. Secondly, to avoid gradient disappearance and improve feature reuse, the residual module Res2 is used to replace the CBL×5 modules. Finally, the resolution of the input image is improved, and the four-scale feature prediction is used instead of the three-scale feature prediction to further improve the efficiency of detecting small targets. This paper also introduces the complete joint crossover (CIOU) to improve the loss function and positioning accuracy. The experimental results show that, compared with the original YOLOv3 algorithm, the improved algorithm improves the precision (P) by 3.9%, the recall (R) by 5.2%, and the average precision (mAP) by 4.7%, which significantly improves the performance of the detection.
BENS−B5G: Blockchain-Enabled Network Slicing in 5G and Beyond-5G (B5G) Networks
Authors: Singh Saurabh , Babu C. Rajesh , Ramana Kadiyala , Ra In-Ho , Yoon Byungun
Published: August 2022

Fifth-generation (5G) technology is anticipated to allow a slew of novel applications across a variety of industries. The wireless communication of the 5G and Beyond-5G (B5G) networks will accommodate a wide variety of services and user expectations, including intense end-user connectivity, sub-1 ms delay, and a transmission rate of 100 Gbps. Network slicing is envisioned as an appropriate technique that can meet these disparate requirements. The intrinsic qualities of a blockchain, which has lately acquired prominence, mean that it is critical for the 5G network and B5G networks. In particular, the incorporation of blockchain technology into B5G enables the network to effectively monitor and control resource utilization and sharing. Using blockchain technology, a network-slicing architecture referred to as the Blockchain Consensus Framework is introduced that allows resource providers to dynamically contract resources, especially the radio access network (RAN) schedule, to guarantee that their end-to-end services are effortlessly executed. The core of our methodology is comprehensive service procurement, which offers the fine-grained adaptive allocation of resources through a blockchain-based consensus mechanism. Our objective is to have Primary User—Secondary User (PU—SU) interactions with a variety of services, while minimizing the operation and maintenance costs of the 5G service providers. A Blockchain-Enabled Network Slicing Model (BENS), which is a learning-based algorithm, is incorporated to handle the spectrum resource allocation in a sophisticate manner. The performance and inferences of the proposed work are analyzed in detail.
A 2 MS/s Full Bandwidth Hall System with Low Offset Enabled by Randomized Spinning
Authors: Riem Robbe , Raman Johan , Rombouts Pieter
Published: August 2022

In this paper, a Hall plate readout with a randomized four-phase spinning-current scheme is proposed. The goal is to remove the maximum number of offset components, including the offset associated with spike demodulation. The outcome is that only the smallest possible offset remains, corresponding to the residual offset of the Hall plate which cannot be distinguished from the Hall signal. An additional innovation is to operate various offset-reduction loops in spread-spectrum mode, allowing the removal of error components without notching out any in-band signals. The resulting approach delivers a very large notch-free bandwidth while simultaneously reducing the Hall plate residual offset, making it an enabler for high-bandwidth Hall-based current sensors. To demonstrate the proposed techniques, we have realized a mixed-mode experimental circuit, where the analog part is implemented in a custom integrated circuit, and the digital control system in an FPGA is connected to the analog chip. Measurement results feature a Hall readout system with a notch-free bandwidth up to 820 kHz and a 47 μTrms noise floor. The input-referred Hall plate offset, based on statistical measurements on 10 samples from a single wafer, is reduced from 130±22 μT to only 23±22 μT.
Infrared Thermography Smart Sensor for the Condition Monitoring of Gearbox and Bearings Faults in Induction Motors
Authors: Alvarado-Hernandez Alvaro Ivan , Zamudio-Ramirez Israel , Jaen-Cuellar Arturo Yosimar , Osornio-Rios Roque Alfredo , Donderis-Quiles Vicente , Antonino-Daviu Jose Alfonso
Published: August 2022

The monitoring of machine conditions is very important from the viewpoints of productivity, economic benefits, and maintenance. Several techniques have been proposed in which sensors are the key to providing relevant information to verify the system. Recently, the smart sensor concept is common, in which the sensors are integrated with a data processing unit executing dedicated algorithms used to generate meaningful information about the system in situ. Additionally, infrared thermography has gained relevance in monitoring processes, since the new infrared cameras have more resolution, smaller dimensions, reliability, functionality, and lower costs. These units were firstly used as secondary elements in the condition monitoring of machines, but thanks to modern techniques for data processing, the infrared sensors can be used to give a first, or even a direct, diagnosis in a nonintrusive way in industrial applications. Therefore, in this manuscript, the structure and development of an infrared-thermography-based smart sensor for diagnosing faults in the elements associated with induction motors, such as rolling bearings and the gearbox, is described. The smart sensor structure includes five main parts: an infrared primary sensor, a preprocessing module, an image processing module, classification of faults, and a user interface. The infrared primary sensor considers a low-cost micro thermal camera for acquiring the thermal images. The processing modules and the classification module implement the data processing algorithms into digital development boards, enabling smart system characteristics. Finally, the interface module allows the final users to require the smart sensor to perform processing actions and data visualization, with the additional feature that the diagnosis report can be provided by the system. The smart sensor is validated in a real experimental test bench, demonstrating its capabilities in different case studies.