bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Strategies for the Immobilization of Eversa® Transform 2.0 Lipase and Application for Phospholipid Synthesis
Authors: Facin Bruno , Quinto Ernestina , Valerio Alexsandra , Oliveira Débora , Oliveira Jose , Fernandez-Lorente Gloria
Published: October 2021

Eversa® Transform 2.0 lipase (ET2) is a recent lipase formulation derived from the Thermomyces lanuginosus lipase cultivated on Aspergillus oryzae and specially designed for biodiesel production. Since it has not been available for a long time, research on the efficiency of this enzyme in other applications remains unexplored. Moreover, even though it has been launched as a free enzyme, its immobilization may extend the scope of ET2 applications. This work explored ET2 immobilization on octadecyl methacrylate beads (IB-ADS-3) and proved the efficiency of the derivatives for esterification of glycerophosphocholine (GPC) with oleic acid in anhydrous systems. ET2 immobilized via interfacial activation on commercial hydrophobic support Immobead IB-ADS-3 showed maximum enzyme loading of 160 mg/g (enzyme/support) and great stability for GPC esterification under 30% butanone and solvent-free systems. For reusability, yields above 63% were achieved after six reaction cycles for GPC esterification. Considering the very high enzyme loading and the number of reuses achieved, these results suggest a potential application of this immobilized biocatalyst for esterification reactions in anhydrous media. This study is expected to encourage the exploration of other approaches for this enzyme, thereby opening up several new possibilities.
Proteinous Components of Neutrophil Extracellular Traps Are Arrested by the Cell Wall Proteins of Candida albicans during Fungal Infection, and Can Be Used in the Host Invasion
Authors: Karkowska-Kuleta Justyna , Smolarz Magdalena , Seweryn-Ozog Karolina , Satala Dorota , Zawrotniak Marcin , Wronowska Ewelina , Bochenska Oliwia , Kozik Andrzej , Nobbs Angela H. , Gogol Mariusz , Rapala-Kozik Maria
Published: October 2021

One of defense mechanisms of the human immune system to counteract infection by the opportunistic fungal pathogen Candida albicans is the recruitment of neutrophils to the site of invasion, and the subsequent production of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) that efficiently capture and kill the invader cells. In the current study, we demonstrate that within these structures composed of chromatin and proteins, the latter play a pivotal role in the entrapment of the fungal pathogen. The proteinous components of NETs, such as the granular enzymes elastase, myeloperoxidase and lactotransferrin, as well as histones and cathelicidin-derived peptide LL-37, are involved in contact with the surface of C. albicans cells. The fungal partners in these interactions are a typical adhesin of the agglutinin-like sequence protein family Als3, and several atypical surface-exposed proteins of cytoplasmic origin, including enolase, triosephosphate isomerase and phosphoglycerate mutase. Importantly, the adhesion of both the elastase itself and the mixture of proteins originating from NETs on the C. albicans cell surface considerably increased the pathogen potency of human epithelial cell destruction compared with fungal cells without human proteins attached. Such an implementation of adsorbed NET-derived proteins by invading C. albicans cells might alter the effectiveness of the fungal pathogen entrapment and affect the further host colonization.
Platelet Distribution Width Is Associated with P-Selectin Dependent Platelet Function: Results from the Moli-Family Cohort Study
Authors: Izzi Benedetta , Gialluisi Alessandro , Gianfagna Francesco , Orlandi Sabatino , De Curtis Amalia , Magnacca Sara , Costanzo Simona , Di Castelnuovo Augusto , Donati Maria Benedetta , de Gaetano Giovanni , Hoylaerts Marc F. , Cerletti Chiara , Iacoviello Licia ,   on behalf of the Moli-family Study Investigators
Published: October 2021

Defined as an index of platelet size heterogeneity, the platelet distribution width (PDW) is still a poorly characterized marker of platelet function in (sub)clinical disease. We presently validated PDW as a marker of P-selectin dependent platelet activation in the Moli-family cohort. Platelet-bound P-selectin and platelet/leukocyte mixed aggregates were measured by flow cytometry in freshly collected venous blood, both before and after in vitro platelet activation, and coagulation time was assessed in unstimulated and LPS- or TNFα-stimulated whole blood. Closure Times (CT) were measured in a Platelet Function Analyzer (PFA)-100. Multivariable linear mixed effect regression models (with age, sex and platelet count as fixed and family structure as random effect) revealed PDW to be negatively associated with platelet P-selectin, platelet/leukocyte aggregates and von Willebrand factor (VWF), and positively with PFA-100 CT, and LPS- and TNF-α-stimulated coagulation times. With the exception of VWF, all relationships were sex-independent. In contrast, no association was found between mean platelet volume (MPV) and these variables. PDW seems a simple, useful marker of ex vivo and in vitro P-selectin dependent platelet activation. Investigations of larger cohorts will define the usefulness of PDW as a risk predictor of thrombo-inflammatory conditions where activated platelets play a contributing role.
The Regulatory Activity of Noncoding RNAs in ILCs
Authors: Grimaldi Alessio , Pietropaolo Giuseppe , Stabile Helena , Kosta Andrea , Capuano Cristina , Gismondi Angela , Santoni Angela , Sciumè Giuseppe , Fionda Cinzia
Published: October 2021

Innate lymphoid cells (ILCs) are innate lymphocytes playing essential functions in protection against microbial infections and participate in both homeostatic and pathological contexts, including tissue remodeling, cancer, and inflammatory disorders. A number of lineage-defining transcription factors concurs to establish transcriptional networks which determine the identity and the activity of the distinct ILC subsets. However, the contribution of other regulatory molecules in controlling ILC development and function is also recently emerging. In this regard, noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) represent key elements of the complex regulatory network of ILC biology and host protection. ncRNAs mostly lack protein-coding potential, but they are endowed with a relevant regulatory activity in immune and nonimmune cells because of their ability to control chromatin structure, RNA stability, and/or protein synthesis. Herein, we summarize recent studies describing how distinct types of ncRNAs, mainly microRNAs, long ncRNAs, and circular RNAs, act in the context of ILC biology. In particular, we comment on how ncRNAs can exert key effects in ILCs by controlling gene expression in a cell- or state-specific manner and how this tunes distinct functional outputs in ILCs.
BCEPS: A Web Server to Predict Linear B Cell Epitopes with Enhanced Immunogenicity and Cross-Reactivity
Authors: Ras-Carmona Alvaro , Pelaez-Prestel Hector F. , Lafuente Esther M. , Reche Pedro A.
Published: October 2021

Prediction of linear B cell epitopes is of interest for the production of antigen-specific antibodies and the design of peptide-based vaccines. Here, we present BCEPS, a web server for predicting linear B cell epitopes tailored to select epitopes that are immunogenic and capable of inducing cross-reactive antibodies with native antigens. BCEPS implements various machine learning models trained on a dataset including 555 linearized conformational B cell epitopes that were mined from antibody–antigen protein structures. The best performing model, based on a support vector machine, reached an accuracy of 75.38% ± 5.02. In an independent dataset consisting of B cell epitopes retrieved from the Immune Epitope Database (IEDB), this model achieved an accuracy of 67.05%. In BCEPS, predicted epitopes can be ranked according to properties such as flexibility, accessibility and hydrophilicity, and with regard to immunogenicity, as judged by their predicted presentation by MHC II molecules. BCEPS also detects if predicted epitopes are located in ectodomains of membrane proteins and if they possess N-glycosylation sites hindering antibody recognition. Finally, we exemplified the use of BCEPS in the SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein, showing that it can identify B cell epitopes targeted by neutralizing antibodies.
KYNA/Ahr Signaling Suppresses Neural Stem Cell Plasticity and Neurogenesis in Adult Zebrafish Model of Alzheimer’s Disease
Authors: Siddiqui Tohid , Bhattarai Prabesh , Popova Stanislava , Cosacak Mehmet Ilyas , Sariya Sanjeev , Zhang Yixin , Mayeux Richard , Tosto Giuseppe , Kizil Caghan
Published: October 2021

Neurogenesis decreases in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) patients, suggesting that restoring the normal neurogenic response could be a disease modifying intervention. To study the mechanisms of pathology-induced neuro-regeneration in vertebrate brains, zebrafish is an excellent model due to its extensive neural regeneration capacity. Here, we report that Kynurenic acid (KYNA), a metabolite of the amino acid tryptophan, negatively regulates neural stem cell (NSC) plasticity in adult zebrafish brain through its receptor, aryl hydrocarbon receptor 2 (Ahr2). The production of KYNA is suppressed after amyloid-toxicity through reduction of the levels of Kynurenine amino transferase 2 (KAT2), the key enzyme producing KYNA. NSC proliferation is enhanced by an antagonist for Ahr2 and is reduced with Ahr2 agonists or KYNA. A subset of Ahr2-expressing zebrafish NSCs do not express other regulatory receptors such as il4r or ngfra, indicating that ahr2-positive NSCs constitute a new subset of neural progenitors that are responsive to amyloid-toxicity. By performing transcriptome-wide association studies (TWAS) in three late onset Alzheimer disease (LOAD) brain autopsy cohorts, we also found that several genes that are components of KYNA metabolism or AHR signaling are differentially expressed in LOAD, suggesting a strong link between KYNA/Ahr2 signaling axis to neurogenesis in LOAD.
Pediatric Encephalopathy: Clinical, Biochemical and Cellular Insights into the Role of Gln52 of GNAO1 and GNAI1 for the Dominant Disease
Authors: Solis Gonzalo P. , Kozhanova Tatyana V. , Koval Alexey , Zhilina Svetlana S. , Mescheryakova Tatyana I. , Abramov Aleksandr A. , Ishmuratov Evgeny V. , Bolshakova Ekaterina S. , Osipova Karina V. , Ayvazyan Sergey O. , Lebon Sébastien , Kanivets Ilya V. , Pyankov Denis V. , Troccaz Sabina , Silachev Denis N. , Zavadenko Nikolay N. , Prityko Andrey G. , Katanaev Vladimir L.
Published: October 2021

Heterotrimeric G proteins are immediate transducers of G protein-coupled receptors—the biggest receptor family in metazoans—and play innumerate functions in health and disease. A set of de novo point mutations in GNAO1 and GNAI1, the genes encoding the α-subunits (Gαo and Gαi1, respectively) of the heterotrimeric G proteins, have been described to cause pediatric encephalopathies represented by epileptic seizures, movement disorders, developmental delay, intellectual disability, and signs of neurodegeneration. Among such mutations, the Gln52Pro substitutions have been previously identified in GNAO1 and GNAI1. Here, we describe the case of an infant with another mutation in the same site, Gln52Arg. The patient manifested epileptic and movement disorders and a developmental delay, at the onset of 1.5 weeks after birth. We have analyzed biochemical and cellular properties of the three types of dominant pathogenic mutants in the Gln52 position described so far: Gαo[Gln52Pro], Gαi1[Gln52Pro], and the novel Gαo[Gln52Arg]. At the biochemical level, the three mutant proteins are deficient in binding and hydrolyzing GTP, which is the fundamental function of the healthy G proteins. At the cellular level, the mutants are defective in the interaction with partner proteins recognizing either the GDP-loaded or the GTP-loaded forms of Gαo. Further, of the two intracellular sites of Gαo localization, plasma membrane and Golgi, the former is strongly reduced for the mutant proteins. We conclude that the point mutations at Gln52 inactivate the Gαo and Gαi1 proteins leading to aberrant intracellular localization and partner protein interactions. These features likely lie at the core of the molecular etiology of pediatric encephalopathies associated with the codon 52 mutations in GNAO1/GNAI1.
Origin and Isoform Specific Functions of Exchange Proteins Directly Activated by cAMP: A Phylogenetic Analysis
Authors: Ni Zhuofu , Cheng Xiaodong
Published: October 2021

Exchange proteins directly activated by cAMP (EPAC1 and EPAC2) are one of the several families of cellular effectors of the prototypical second messenger cAMP. To understand the origin and molecular evolution of EPAC proteins, we performed a comprehensive phylogenetic analysis of EPAC1 and EPAC2. Our study demonstrates that unlike its cousin PKA, EPAC proteins are only present in multicellular Metazoa. Within the EPAC family, EPAC1 is only associated with chordates, while EPAC2 spans the entire animal kingdom. Despite a much more contemporary origin, EPAC1 proteins show much more sequence diversity among species, suggesting that EPAC1 has undergone more selection and evolved faster than EPAC2. Phylogenetic analyses of the individual cAMP binding domain (CBD) and guanine nucleotide exchange (GEF) domain of EPACs, two most conserved regions between the two isoforms, further reveal that EPAC1 and EPAC2 are closely clustered together within both the larger cyclic nucleotide receptor and RAPGEF families. These results support the notion that EPAC1 and EPAC2 share a common ancestor resulting from a fusion between the CBD of PKA and the GEF from RAPGEF1. On the other hand, the two terminal extremities and the RAS-association (RA) domains show the most sequence diversity between the two isoforms. Sequence diversities within these regions contribute significantly to the isoform-specific functions of EPACs. Importantly, unique isoform-specific sequence motifs within the RA domain have been identified.
TWIK-1 BAC-GFP Transgenic Mice, an Animal Model for TWIK-1 Expression
Authors: Kwon Osung , Yang Hayoung , Kim Seung-Chan , Kim Juhyun , Sim Jaewon , Lee Jiyoun , Hwang Eun-Mi , Shim Sungbo , Park Jae-Yong
Published: October 2021

TWIK-1 is the first identified member of the two-pore domain potassium (K2P) channels that are involved in neuronal excitability and astrocytic passive conductance in the brain. Despite the physiological roles of TWIK-1, there is still a lack of information on the basic expression patterns of TWIK-1 proteins in the brain. Here, using a modified bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC), we generated a transgenic mouse (Tg mouse) line expressing green fluorescent protein (GFP) under the control of the TWIK-1 promoter (TWIK-1 BAC-GFP Tg mice). We confirmed that nearly all GFP-producing cells co-expressed endogenous TWIK-1 in the brain of TWIK-1 BAC-GFP Tg mice. GFP signals were highly expressed in various brain areas, including the dentate gyrus (DG), lateral entorhinal cortex (LEC), and cerebellum (Cb). In addition, we found that GFP signals were highly expressed in immature granule cells in the DG. Finally, our TWIK-1 BAC-GFP Tg mice mimic the upregulation of TWIK-1 mRNA expression in the hippocampus following the injection of kainic acid (KA). Our data clearly showed that TWIK-1 BAC-GFP Tg mice are a useful animal model for studying the mechanisms regulating TWIK-1 gene expression and the physiological roles of TWIK-1 channels in the brain.
Restoring the Cell Cycle and Proliferation Competence in Terminally Differentiated Skeletal Muscle Myotubes
Authors: Pajalunga Deborah , Crescenzi Marco
Published: October 2021

Terminal differentiation is an ill-defined, insufficiently characterized, nonproliferation state. Although it has been classically deemed irreversible, it is now clear that at least several terminally differentiated (TD) cell types can be brought back into the cell cycle. We are striving to uncover the molecular bases of terminal differentiation, whose fundamental understanding is a goal in itself. In addition, the field has sought to acquire the ability to make TD cells proliferate. Attaining this end would probe the very molecular mechanisms we are trying to understand. Equally important, it would be invaluable in regenerative medicine, for tissues depending on TD cells and devoid of significant self-repair capabilities. The skeletal muscle has long been used as a model system to investigate the molecular foundations of terminal differentiation. Here, we summarize more than 50 years of studies in this field.
Gene Expression Analysis with No Sequence Data: Study on Reeves’s Muntjac (Muntiacus reevesi)
Authors: Flaga Jadwiga , Przybyło Marcin , Górka Paweł
Published: October 2021

Despite scientific progress, the gene sequences for many species not commonly used in research have not yet been analyzed. This makes it difficult to carry out molecular studies on such animals, as the sequence of genes is the basic information used in many techniques. In this study, we attempt to design primers for a real-time PCR analysis, basing on a comparative analysis of selected gene sequences of species related to Reeves’s muntjac (Muntiacus reevesi) and by identifying highly conservative regions. Results of PCR products sequencing and their alignment with the GenBank collection show that all selected primers gave products highly similar (> 90%) to the intended target (among compared species), which led us to the conclusion that our primers may be used for further analyses of gene expression.
Estimating Smart Wi-Fi Thermostat-Enabled Thermal Comfort Control Savings for Any Residence
Authors: Alhamayani Abdulelah D. , Sun Qiancheng , Hallinan Kevin P.
Published: October 2021

Nowadays, most indoor cooling control strategies are based solely on the dry-bulb temperature, which is not close to a guarantee of thermal comfort of occupants. Prior research has shown cooling energy savings from use of a thermal comfort control methodology ranging from 10 to 85%. The present research advances prior research to enable thermal comfort control in residential buildings using a smart Wi-Fi thermostat. “Fanger’s Predicted Mean Vote model” is used to define thermal comfort. A machine learning model leveraging historical smart Wi-Fi thermostat data and outdoor temperature is trained to predict indoor temperature. A Long Short-Term-Memory neural network algorithm is employed for this purpose. The model considers solar heat input estimations to a residence as input features. The results show that this approach yields a substantially improved ability to accurately model and predict indoor temperature. Secondly, it enables a more accurate estimation of potential savings from thermal comfort control. Cooling energy savings ranging from 33 to 47% are estimated based upon real data for variable energy effectiveness and solar exposed residences.
Research on Laser Cladding Co-Based Alloy on the Surface of Vermicular Graphite Cast Iron
Authors: Sun Fuzhen , Cai Keqian , Li Xiaoxu , Pang Ming
Published: October 2021

To further improve the hardness of the laser cladding layer on the surface of the vermicular graphite cast iron, the structural parameters of the laser cladding Co-base were designed and optimized, and the properties of the clad layer were evaluated using optical microscopy (OM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy spectroscopy (EDS), X-ray diffractometer (XRD), electrochemical workstation, and friction wear equipment. The results show that the average hardness of the molten layer of Ni and Co-based composite cladding layer is 504 HV0.5, which is 0.64 times that of the Co-based cladding layer due to the combined factors of Ni-Cr-Fe equivalent to the dilution of the Ni-based cladding layer to the Co-based cladding layer. Due to the potential difference of the Ni, Cr, and Co elements on the surface of the cladding layer, the self-corrosion potential of the Ni and Co-based composite cladding layer is 1.08 times that of the Co-based cladding layer, and the self-corrosion current density is 0.51 times. Laser cladding Co-based cladding layer has high corrosion resistance. Under the influence of plastic deformation and oxidative wear of the cladding layer of the Ni and Co-based composite cladding layer, the wear amount of the cladding layer of the Ni and Co-based composite cladding layer is less.
Computational Modeling of Hybrid Sisko Nanofluid Flow over a Porous Radially Heated Shrinking/Stretching Disc
Authors: Khan Umair , Zaib Aurang , Ishak Anuar , Al-Mubaddel Fahad S. , Bakar Sakhinah Abu , Alotaibi Hammad , Aljohani Hassan M.
Published: October 2021

The present study reveals the behavior of shear-thickening and shear-thinning fluids in magnetohydrodynamic flow comprising the significant impact of a hybrid nanofluid over a porous radially shrinking/stretching disc. The features of physical properties of water-based Ag/TiO2 hybrid nanofluid are examined. The leading flow problem is formulated initially in the requisite form of PDEs (partial differential equations) and then altered into a system of dimensionless ODEs (ordinary differential equations) by employing suitable variables. The renovated dimensionless ODEs are numerically resolved using the package of boundary value problem of fourth-order (bvp4c) available in the MATLAB software. The non-uniqueness of the results for the various pertaining parameters is discussed. There is a significant enhancement in the rate of heat transfer, approximately 13.2%, when the impact of suction governs about 10% in the boundary layer. Therefore, the heat transport rate and the thermal conductivity are greater for the new type of hybrid nanofluid compared with ordinary fluid. The bifurcation of the solutions takes place in the problem only for the shrinking case. Moreover, the sketches show that the nanoparticle volume fractions and the magnetic field delay the separation of the boundarylayer.
Effects of Specimen Size and Welded Joints on the Very High Cycle Fatigue Properties of Compressor Blade Steel KMN-I
Authors: Wang Pengfei , Wang Weiqiang , Zhang Ming , Zhou Qiwen , Gao Zengliang
Published: October 2021

The effects of specimen size and welded joints on the very high cycle fatigue properties of compressor blade steel KMN-I were studied by ultrasonic fatigue testing. It was found that the S-N curve of large specimens had a slow decline above 107 cycles, and fatigue failure still occurred in the very high cycle regime (>107 cycles), while the very high cycle fatigue characteristics of welded specimens was less obvious, and the fatigue limit was observed. Metallographic observation and SEM analysis were carried out on the fracture of the specimens. The results showed that surface fractures were mostly observed in the large specimens, and only a small number of cracks initiated from non-metallic inclusions above 107 cycles. The cracks of welded specimens initiated from the surface below 107 cycles and initiated from the internal matrix above 107 cycles. In addition, the formation mechanism of GBF (granular bright facet) was analyzed by the “dispersive decohesion of spherical carbide” theory, and the fatigue strength and fatigue life were predicted, which was consistent with the experimental results.
Study of Slip Effects in Reverse Roll Coating Process Using Non-Isothermal Couple Stress Fluid
Authors: Shahzad Hasan , Wang Xinhua , Hafeez Muhammad Bilal , Shah Zahir , Alshehri Ahmed Mohammed
Published: October 2021

The non-isothermal couple stress fluid inside a reverse roll coating geometry is considered. The slip condition is considered at the surfaces of the rolls. To develop the flow equations, the mathematical modelling is performed using conservation of momentum, mass, and energy. The LAT (lubrication approximation theory) is employed to simplify the equations. The closed form solution for velocity, temperature, and pressure gradient is obtained. While the pressure and flow rate are obtained numerically. The impact of involved parameters on important physical quantities such as temperature, pressure, and pressure gradient are elaborated through graphs and in tabular form. The pressure and pressure gradient decreases for variation of the couple stress parameter and velocity ratio parameter K. While the variation of the slip parameter increases the pressure and pressure gradient inside the flow geometry. Additionally, flow rate decreases for the variation of the slip parameter as fluid starts moving rapidly along the roller surface. The most important physical quantity which is responsible for maintaining the quality of the coating and thickness is flow rate. For variation of both the couple stress parameter and the slip parameter, the flow rate decreases compared to the Newtonian case, consequently the coating thickness decreases for the variation of the discussed parameter.
Well Rehabilitation via the Ultrasonic Method and Evaluation of Its Effectiveness from the Pumping Test
Authors: Kahuda Daniel , Pech Pavel , Ficaj Václav , Pechová Hana
Published: October 2021

The exploitation of groundwater reserves, especially for drinking purposes, is becoming increasingly important. This fact has created the need to maintain wells in the best possible functional condition. However, wells are subject to an ageing process during intensive use, which entails an increase in up-to-date resistances in the well itself and its immediate surroundings (the skin zone). This causes a decrease in the efficiency of the well (a decrease in the pumped quantity, a decrease in the specific yield, an increase of the drawdown in the well, and creation of the skin zone). The increased hydraulic gradient in the skin zone causes an increase in the inflow rate to the well, thereby inducing the movement of fine material towards the casing. This material can clog the well casing and injection ports, which is compounded by an increase in chemical and biological plugging of the skin zone. In cooperation with the company SONIC Technologies, GmbH. (Sailauf, Germany), an experimental ultrasonic technology-based well rehabilitation assembly was developed and successfully tested. This article describes the prototype development of the ultrasonic device, including its incorporation into the rehabilitation set and a demonstration of its pilot deployment in the MO-4 pumping well in Czech Republic with an evaluation of the rehabilitation effects using the authors’ software (Dtest_ULTRA). Based on visual inspection and the results of hydraulic and geophysical analysis, the high efficiency of the tested technology was demonstrated in virtually all monitored parameters, where an improvement in the range of 25–55% compared to the original condition was identified.
A Novel Multi-Modality Image Simultaneous Denoising and Fusion Method Based on Sparse Representation
Authors: Qi Guanqiu , Hu Gang , Mazur Neal , Liang Huahua , Haner Matthew
Published: October 2021

Multi-modality image fusion applied to improve image quality has drawn great attention from researchers in recent years. However, noise is actually generated in images captured by different types of imaging sensors, which can seriously affect the performance of multi-modality image fusion. As the fundamental method of noisy image fusion, source images are denoised first, and then the denoised images are fused. However, image denoising can decrease the sharpness of source images to affect the fusion performance. Additionally, denoising and fusion are processed in separate processing modes, which causes an increase in computation cost. To fuse noisy multi-modality image pairs accurately and efficiently, a multi-modality image simultaneous fusion and denoising method is proposed. In the proposed method, noisy source images are decomposed into cartoon and texture components. Cartoon-texture decomposition not only decomposes source images into detail and structure components for different image fusion schemes, but also isolates image noise from texture components. A Gaussian scale mixture (GSM) based sparse representation model is presented for the denoising and fusion of texture components. A spatial domain fusion rule is applied to cartoon components. The comparative experimental results confirm the proposed simultaneous image denoising and fusion method is superior to the state-of-the-art methods in terms of visual and quantitative evaluations.
Detection of Raspberry Ketone after Percutaneous Absorption of Rhododendrol-Containing Cosmetics and Its Mechanism of Formation
Authors: Gu Lihao , Fujisawa Akio , Maeda Kazuhisa
Published: October 2021

Here, we aimed to elucidate the mechanism of rhododendrol (RD)-induced leukoderma. We investigated the skin permeability of RD in an aqueous solution and in different cosmetic formulations (lotion and emulsion) in an in vitro skin permeation study. The samples were analyzed using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), and an unknown substance appeared on the spectrum. For identification, we analyzed various possible substances, such as raspberry ketone (RK) and rhododendrol quinone, using HPLC and then compared the detected absorption spectra and further verified the matched components using liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry. The unknown substance was found to be RK. To clarify the mechanism of formation of RK, we conducted a 24-h skin permeation test on heat-treated skin. By quantifying the RK in the samples using HPLC, we observed that an enzyme in the skin seemed to be the cause of RK generation and that the components of the emulsion formulation could also be a cause. To investigate the enzyme, we reacted alcohol dehydrogenase with RD and observed that it was one of the converting enzymes. As RK has been reported to be a substance that causes leukoderma, the intraepidermal metabolism of RD to RK may be one of the mechanisms of susceptibility to leukoderma.
Time-Resolved Fluorescence Spectroscopy Study of Energy Transfer Dynamics in Phycobilisomes from Cyanobacteria Thermosynechococcus vulcanus NIES 2134 and Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803
Authors: Xie Mingyuan , Li Wenjun , Xiao Chao , Zhen Zhanghe , Ma Jianfei , Lin Hanzhi , Qin Song , Zhao Fuli
Published: October 2021

As the largest light-harvesting complex in cyanobacteria, phycobilisomes (PBSs) show high efficiency and a high rate of energy transfer, owing to an elegant antenna-like assembly. To understand the structural influence on the dynamic process of the energy transfer in PBSs, two cyanobacterium species Thermosynechococcus vulcanus NIES 2134 (T. 2134) and Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 (S. 6803) with different rod–core-linked assemblies were chosen for this study. The dynamic process of the energy transfer in both PBSs was investigated through time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy (TRFS) with a time resolution of sub-picosecond. Via the fluorescence decay curves deconvolution, the pathways and related rates of the excitation energy transfer (EET) were determined. Three time components, i.e., 10, 80, and 1250 ps, were identified in the EET in the PBSs of T. 2134 and three, i.e., 9, 115, and 1680 ps, in the EET in the PBSs of S. 6803. In addition, a comparison of the dynamic process of the energy transfer between the two cyanobacteria revealed how the PBS assembly affects the energy transfer in PBSs. The findings will provide insight into future time-resolved crystallography.
Measurement of the Quadratic Electro-Optic Coefficient of KTN Crystal with an Electro-Optic Modulation System in the Presence of Polar Nano-Regions
Authors: Yang Lie-Kun , Liu Bing , Qiao Pan-Yu , Yu Hua-Jian , Wang Xu-Ping , Li Jing , Yang Yu-Guo , Zhang Yuan-Yuan , Qiu Cheng-Cheng , Zhang Hua-Di
Published: October 2021

An electro-optic modulation system was adopted for measuring the quadratic electro-optic coefficient of KTN crystal. Theoretical analysis and experimental results verified the feasibility of this method. The quadratic electro-optic coefficient of a KTN crystal chip, which has a Curie temperature of 0 °C, was measured using this system in the temperature range of 2 °C to 18 °C (Tc = 0 °C). The influences of temperature, AC voltage and frequency on the quadratic electro-optic coefficient were discussed. It was found that the relaxation effect of PNRs (polar nano-regions) played an important role in the determination of the quadratic electro-optic coefficient of KTN crystal.
Influence of Supersaturation, Temperature and Rotational Speed on Induction Time of Calcium Sulfate Crystallization
Authors: Małysiak Agata , Orda Szymon , Drzazga Michał
Published: October 2021

Calcium sulfate is a very important product of precipitation reactions in various branches of industry. The most common applications include building materials, impression materials in dentistry, immobilizing casts and an inactive ingredient of tablet excipients. It is also used as a drying agent and color glaze. In this paper, influence of various conditions, i.e., substrates concentration (supersaturation), temperature and rotational speed on induction time was investigated. The range of investigated parameters was 0.15–0.35 M for concentration with step of 0.05 M, 298–323 K with step of 5 K for temperature, and 1.67–8.33 s−1 for rotational speed with change every 1.67 s−1. The experiments were performed using visual and turbidimetric methods. It was proven that increase in all three investigated parameters resulted in shorter induction time. The turbidimetric method was found to be more precise, but still insufficient for concentrations below 0.15 M. Moreover, as a result of data analysis, a simple method of induction time calculation was proposed when arbitrary measurements in various concentrations are known.
High-Speed and High-Power 940 nm Flip-Chip VCSEL Array for LiDAR Application
Authors: Hong Kuo-Bin , Huang Wei-Ta , Chung Hsin-Chan , Chang Guan-Hao , Yang Dong , Lu Zhi-Kuang , Chen Shou-Lung , Kuo Hao-Chung
Published: October 2021

In this paper, we demonstrate the design and fabrication of a high-power, high-speed flip-chip vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL) for light detection and ranging (LiDAR) systems. The optoelectronic characteristics and modulation speeds of vertical and flip-chip VCSELs were investigated numerically and experimentally. The thermal transport properties of the two samples were also numerically investigated. The measured maximum output power, slope efficiency (SE) and power conversion efficiency (PCE) of a fabricated flip-chip VCSEL array operated at room-temperature were 6.2 W, 1.11 W/A and 46.1%, respectively. The measured L-I-V curves demonstrated that the flip-chip architecture offers better thermal characteristics than the conventional vertical structure, especially for high-temperature operation. The rise time of the flip-chip VCSEL array was 218.5 ps, and the architecture of the flip-chip VCSEL with tunnel junction was chosen to accommodate the application of long-range LiDAR. The calculated PCE of such a flip-chip VCSEL was further improved from 51% to 57.8%. The device design concept and forecasting laser characteristics are suitable for LiDAR systems.
The Curled Up Dimension in Quasicrystals
Authors: Fang Fang , Clawson Richard , Irwin Klee
Published: October 2021

Most quasicrystals can be generated by the cut-and-project method from higher dimensional parent lattices. In doing so they lose the periodic order their parent lattice possess, replaced with aperiodic order, due to the irrationality of the projection. However, perfect periodic order is discovered in the perpendicular space when gluing the cut window boundaries together to form a curved loop. In the case of a 1D quasicrystal projected from a 2D lattice, the irrationally sloped cut region is bounded by two parallel lines. When it is extrinsically curved into a cylinder, a line defect is found on the cylinder. Resolving this geometrical frustration removes the line defect to preserve helical paths on the cylinder. The degree of frustration is determined by the thickness of the cut window or the selected pitch of the helical paths. The frustration can be resolved by applying a shear strain to the cut-region before curving into a cylinder. This demonstrates that resolving the geometrical frustration of a topological change to a cut window can lead to preserved periodic order.
Timing Fluctuation Correction of A Femtosecond Regenerative Amplifier
Authors: Liu Keyang , Li Hongyang , Wang Xinliang , Liu Yanqi , Song Liwei , Leng Yuxin
Published: October 2021

We report on the long-term correction of a timing fluctuation between the femtosecond regenerative amplifier and the reference oscillator for the seed 100 PW laser system in the Station of Extreme Light (SEL). The timing fluctuation was characterized by a noncollinear balanced optical cross-correlator that maps the time difference to the sum frequency intensity of the amplifier and oscillator laser pulses. A feedback loop was employed to correct the timing jitter by adjusting the time delay line in the amplifier beam path. The timing fluctuation was reduced to 1.26 fs root-mean-square from hundreds of fs over 10 hours. Benefitting from excellent performance and long-term stability, this timing jitter correction scheme, as a component of optical synchronization in the 100 PW laser facility, will be integrated into SEL.
A Principal Components Analysis-Based Method for the Detection of Cannabis Plants Using Representation Data by Remote Sensing
Authors: Gambardella Carmine , Parente Rosaria , Ciambrone Alessandro , Casbarra Marialaura
Published: October 2021

Integrating the representation of the territory, through airborne remote sensing activities with hyperspectral and visible sensors, and managing complex data through dimensionality reduction for the identification of cannabis plantations, in Albania, is the focus of the research proposed by the multidisciplinary group of the Benecon University Consortium. In this study, principal components analysis (PCA) was used to remove redundant spectral information from multiband datasets. This makes it easier to identify the most prevalent spectral characteristics in most bands and those that are specific to only a few bands. The survey and airborne monitoring by hyperspectral sensors is carried out with an Itres CASI 1500 sensor owned by Benecon, characterized by a spectral range of 380–1050 nm and 288 configurable channels. The spectral configuration adopted for the research was developed specifically to maximize the spectral separability of cannabis. The ground resolution of the georeferenced cartographic data varies according to the flight planning, inserted in the aerial platform of an Italian Guardia di Finanza’s aircraft, in relation to the orography of the sites under investigation. The geodatabase, wherein the processing of hyperspectral and visible images converge, contains ancillary data such as digital aeronautical maps, digital terrain models, color orthophoto, topographic data and in any case a significant amount of data so that they can be processed synergistically. The goal is to create maps and predictive scenarios, through the application of the spectral angle mapper algorithm, of the cannabis plantations scattered throughout the area. The protocol consists of comparing the spectral data acquired with the CASI1500 airborne sensor and the spectral signature of the cannabis leaves that have been acquired in the laboratory with ASD Fieldspec PRO FR spectrometers. These scientific studies have demonstrated how it is possible to achieve ex ante control of the evolution of the phenomenon itself for monitoring the cultivation of cannabis plantations.
Spontaneous Bladder Rupture after Normal Vaginal Delivery: Description of a Rare Complication and Systematic Review of the Literature
Authors: Stabile Guglielmo , Cracco Francesco , De Santo Davide , Zinicola Giulia , Romano Federico , De Manzini Nicolò , Scomersi Serena , Ricci Giuseppe
Published: October 2021

Objective: To identify the possible causes of spontaneous bladder rupture after normal vaginal delivery and to propose a diagnostic and therapeutic algorithm. Material and Methods: MEDLINE (PubMed), Web of Science and Scopus databases were searched up to August 2020. Manuscripts considered were published from 1990 and only English articles were included. The research strategy adopted included the following terms: (bladder rupture) AND (spontaneous) AND (delivery). 103 studies were identified. Duplicates were found through an independent manual screening. Subsequently, two authors independently screened the full text of articles and excluded those not pertinent to the topic. Discrepancies were resolved by consensus. Finally, thirteen studies were included. Results: PRISMA guidelines were followed. For each study, fetal weight, catheterization during labor, parity, maternal age, occurrence time, previous abdominal or pelvic surgery, symptoms complained of, diagnostic methods, and treatment were considered. Median age was 26.0 (range 20–34 years); median presentation time was 3.0 days after delivery (range 1–20 days); and median newborn weight was 3227.0 g (range 2685–3600 g). Catheterization during labor was reported only in four of the thirteen cases (30.8%) identified. The symptoms most frequently complained of were abdominal pain and distension, fever, oliguria, haematuria and vomiting. Instrumental diagnosis was performed using X-rays in five cases and computerized tomography in six cases. Ultrasound was chosen in five cases as a first diagnostic tool. In two cases, cystography was performed. Treatment was always laparotomic repair of the visceral defect. Conclusion: Abdominal pain, increased creatinine and other signs of kidney failure on blood tests should lead to suspicion of this complication. Cystourethrography is regarded as a procedure of choice, but a first ultrasound approach is recommended. The main factor for the therapeutic choice is the intraperitoneal or extraperitoneal rupture of the bladder. Classical management for intraperitoneal rupture of the bladder is surgical repair and urinary rest.
Fine-Tuning Convolutional Neural Networks for COVID-19 Detection from Chest X-ray Images
Authors: Zhao Wentao , Jiang Wei , Qiu Xinguo
Published: October 2021

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to ravage the world, the use of chest X-ray (CXR) images as a complementary screening strategy to reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) testing continues to grow owing to its routine clinical application to respiratory diseases. We performed extensive convolutional neural network (CNN) fine-tuning experiments and identified that models pretrained on larger out-of-domain datasets show an improved performance. This suggests that a priori knowledge of models from out-of-field training should also apply to X-ray images. With appropriate hyperparameters selection, we found that higher resolution images carry more clinical information, and the use of mixup in training improved the performance of the model. The experimental showed that our proposed transfer learning present state-of-the-art results. Furthermore, we evaluated the performance of our model with a small amount of downstream training data and found that the model still performed well in COVID-19 identification. We also explored the mechanism of model detection using a gradient-weighted class activation mapping (Grad-CAM) method for CXR imaging to interpret the detection of radiology images. The results helped us understand how the model detects COVID-19, which can be used to discover new visual features and assist radiologists in screening.
“We Respect Them, and They Respect Us”: The Value of Interpersonal Relationships in Enhancing Student Engagement
Authors: Banks Joanne , Smyth Emer
Published: October 2021

Attempts to understand the patterns behind student disengagement and early school leaving have traditionally focussed on early school leavers’ individual characteristics. More recently, however, studies have begun to focus on the extent to which early school leaving is shaped by school-level factors, and in particular the central role of teachers and pedagogy, in (dis)engaging students. Studies have consistently shown how negative teacher–student relations can dominate the lives of young people, leading to poor attendance and behavioural issues which often culminate in them disengaging, leaving or being expelled from school. Furthermore, there is a growing interest in the role of pedagogical strategies in enhancing teacher–student relations, increasing student engagement and bringing about more socially just systems of education. Using in-depth qualitative interviews with staff working in a school engagement programme aimed at preventing early school leaving (the School Completion Programme) and young people who have left school early and who are now participating in an alternative education setting in Ireland as well as staff in those settings (the National Youthreach Programme), this paper provides a unique comparison of two approaches to learner engagement. Findings highlight the centrality of caring and respectful relationships between teachers and students across the two programmes. This paper suggests that aspects of the ‘productive pedagogies’ framework are being used to overcome barriers by placing equal emphasis on student wellbeing and formal learning. However, both programmes operate outside ‘mainstream’ education, with little scope for integration with the mainstream system. This paper concludes that at the micro level, the programmes are effective in re-engaging young people with education but argues that this has little impact at a broader level, where mainstream school practices impacting on student disengagement and early school leaving remain unchanged.
How Higher Education Institutions Are Driving to Digital Transformation: A Case Study
Authors: Teixeira Andreia Filipa , Gonçalves Maria José Angélico , Taylor Maria de Lourdes Machado
Published: October 2021

In recent years, the rapid development of technological innovation has transformed the business world. Digital transformation improves the economic positioning of companies, contributing to society and the environment, but beyond technological evolution, it also brings social and cultural changes. With the new trends, companies saw the need to train people with digital skills and higher education institutions (HEIs) were forced to change their teaching methods to keep up with the new demands of the labour market. In this context, it is intended to identify the influence that HEIs play in the digital development of regions, in this case, the influence of Public Polytechnic Institutes of Porto in the development of the Metropolitan Area of Porto. The methodology adopted to answer the objectives of this study and research questions formulated, was an exploratory study, using semi-structured interviews and questionnaires. The results obtained allowed us to verify the positive influence of HEIs in the digital development of the Metropolitan Area of Porto. As well as identify the motivations that lead companies to participate in digital transformation initiatives, identify the skills needed to meet the demands of the labour market and identify the efforts made by HEIs to keep up with the digital evolution of society.