bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Foreign Body Reaction to Implanted Biomaterials and Its Impact in Nerve Neuroprosthetics
Authors: Carnicer-Lombarte Alejandro , Chen Shao-Tuan , Malliaras George G. , Barone Damiano G.
Published: April 2021

The implantation of any foreign material into the body leads to the development of an inflammatory and fibrotic process—the foreign body reaction (FBR). Upon implantation into a tissue, cells of the immune system become attracted to the foreign material and attempt to degrade it. If this degradation fails, fibroblasts envelop the material and form a physical barrier to isolate it from the rest of the body. Long-term implantation of medical devices faces a great challenge presented by FBR, as the cellular response disrupts the interface between implant and its target tissue. This is particularly true for nerve neuroprosthetic implants—devices implanted into nerves to address conditions such as sensory loss, muscle paralysis, chronic pain, and epilepsy. Nerve neuroprosthetics rely on tight interfacing between nerve tissue and electrodes to detect the tiny electrical signals carried by axons, and/or electrically stimulate small subsets of axons within a nerve. Moreover, as advances in microfabrication drive the field to increasingly miniaturized nerve implants, the need for a stable, intimate implant-tissue interface is likely to quickly become a limiting factor for the development of new neuroprosthetic implant technologies. Here, we provide an overview of the material-cell interactions leading to the development of FBR. We review current nerve neuroprosthetic technologies (cuff, penetrating, and regenerative interfaces) and how long-term function of these is limited by FBR. Finally, we discuss how material properties (such as stiffness and size), pharmacological therapies, or use of biodegradable materials may be exploited to minimize FBR to nerve neuroprosthetic implants and improve their long-term stability.
Analysis of Swarm Satellite Magnetic Field Data Before the 2016 Ecuador (Mw = 7.8) Earthquake Based on Non-negative Matrix Factorization
Authors: Zhu Kaiguang , Fan Mengxuan , He Xiaodan , Marchetti Dedalo , Li Kaiyan , Yu Zining , Chi Chengquan , Sun Huihui , Cheng Yuqi
Published: April 2021

In this paper, based on non-negative matrix factorization (NMF), we analyzed the ionosphere magnetic field data of the Swarm Alpha satellite before the 2016 (Mw = 7. 8) Ecuador earthquake (April 16, 0.35°N, 79.93°W), including the whole data collected under quiet and disturbed geomagnetic conditions. The data from each track were decomposed into basis features and their corresponding weights. We found that the energy and entropy of one of the weight components were more concentrated inside the earthquake-sensitive area, which meant that this weight component was more likely to reflect the activity inside the earthquake-sensitive area. We focused on this weight component and used five times the root mean square (RMS) to extract the anomalies. We found that for this weight component, the cumulative number of tracks, which had anomalies inside the earthquake-sensitive area, showed accelerated growth before the Ecuador earthquake and recovered to linear growth after the earthquake. To verify that the accelerated cumulative anomaly was possibly associated with the earthquake, we excluded the influence of the geomagnetic activity and plasma bubble. Through the random earthquake study and low-seismicity period study, we found that the accelerated cumulative anomaly was not obtained by chance. Moreover, we observed that the cumulative Benioff strain S, which reflected the lithosphere activity, had acceleration behavior similar to the accelerated cumulative anomaly of the ionosphere magnetic field, which suggested that the anomaly that we obtained was possibly associated with the Ecuador earthquake and could be described by one of the Lithosphere–Atmosphere–Ionosphere Coupling (LAIC) models.
Construction of Three-Dimensional Conductive Graphitic Architecture by Highly Efficient Electrochemical Exfoliation
Authors: Huang Yang , Xu Xiao , Wang Ying , Zhu Wenyou , Zhuang Wenchang , Song Ming
Published: April 2021

Graphene has long been envisioned as a promising material in areas, such as energy storage, electromagnetic shielding, and electrochemical sensor. However, the fabrication of graphene is complicated, time-consuming, and hazardous to environment, and thus can hardly realize industrialization. Although the exfoliation of graphite through electrochemical method was believed as an efficient and green approach, the intense current and non-protective action usually lead to the total destruction of the integralgraphitic electrode. In this work, the graphite foil was well-exfoliated into few-layered graphene with proper electrolyte compositions and electrochemical technique. Moreover, the original three-dimensional (3D) integrity of graphite foil can be maintained with the assistance of space-confined exfoliation strategy. The exfoliation process was systematically investigated in terms of electrolyte, applied potential, cation, and anion. The optimized sample exhibited an almost 8.0-folds of increment of double-layer capacitance in comparison with the pristine graphite foil. Eventually, the chemical simulations were employed to elaborate the mechanisms of advanced exfoliation. The space-confined exfoliation reported here is promising for scalable fabrication of 3D graphene materials.
Effects of the Relatedness of Neighbours on Floral Colour
Authors: Torices Rubén , DeSoto Lucía , Narbona Eduardo , Gómez José María , Pannell John Richard
Published: April 2021

The reproductive success of plants depends both on their phenotype and the local neighbourhood in which they grow. Animal-pollinated plants may benefit from increased visitation when surrounded by attractive conspecific individuals, via a “magnet effect.” Group attractiveness is thus potentially a public good that can be exploited by individuals, with selfish exploitation predicted to depend on genetic relatedness within the group. Petal colour is a potentially costly trait involved in floral signalling and advertising to pollinators. Here, we assessed whether petal colour was plastically sensitive to the relatedness of neighbours in the annual herbMoricandia moricandioides, which produces purple petals through anthocyanin pigment accumulation. We also tested whether petal colour intensity was related to nectar volume and sugar content in a context-dependent manner. Although both petal colour and petal anthocyanin concentration did not significantly vary with the neighbourhood configuration, plants growing with kin made a significantly higher investment in petal anthocyanin pigments as a result of the greater number and larger size of their flowers. Moreover the genetic relatedness of neighbours significantly modified the relationship between floral signalling and reward quantity: while focal plants growing with non-kin showed a positive relationship between petal colour and nectar production, plants growing with kin showed a positive relationship between number of flowers and nectar volume, and sugar content. The observed plastic response to group relatedness might have important effects on pollinator behaviour and visitation, with direct and indirect effects on plant reproductive success and mating patterns, at least in those plant species with patchy and genetically structured populations.
Nanogenomics and Artificial Intelligence: A Dynamic Duo for the Fight Against Breast Cancer
Authors: Al-Sowayan Batla S. , Al-Shareeda Alaa T.
Published: April 2021

Application software is utilized to aid in the diagnosis of breast cancer. Yet, recent advances in artificial intelligence (AI) are addressing challenges related to the detection, classification, and monitoring of different types of tumors. AI can apply deep learning algorithms to perform automated analysis on mammographic or histologic examinations. Large volume of data generated by digitalized mammogram or whole-slide images can be interoperated through advanced machine learning. This enables fast evaluation of every tissue patch on an image, resulting in a quicker more sensitivity, and more reproducible diagnoses compared to human performance. On the other hand, cancer cell-exosomes which are extracellular vesicles released by cancer cells into the blood circulation, are being explored as cancer biomarker. Recent studies on cancer-exosome-content revealed that the encapsulated miRNA and other biomolecules are indicative of tumor sub-type, possible metastasis and prognosis. Thus, theoretically, through nanogenomicas, a profile of each breast tumor sub-type, estrogen receptor status, and potential metastasis site can be constructed. Then, a laboratory instrument, fitted with an AI program, can be used to diagnose suspected patients by matching their sera miRNA and biomolecules composition with the available template profiles. In this paper, we discuss the advantages of establishing a nanogenomics-AI-based breast cancer diagnostic approach, compared to the gold standard radiology or histology based approaches that are currently being adapted to AI. Also, we discuss the advantages of building the diagnostic and prognostic biomolecular profiles for breast cancers based on the exosome encapsulated content, rather than the free circulating miRNA and other biomolecules.
Management and Quality Control of Large Neuroimaging Datasets: Developments From the Barcelonaβeta Brain Research Center
Authors: Huguet Jordi , Falcon Carles , Fusté David , Girona Sergi , Vicente David , Molinuevo José Luis , Gispert Juan Domingo , Operto Grégory ,   for the ALFA Study
Published: April 2021

Recent decades have witnessed an increasing number of large to very large imaging studies, prominently in the field of neurodegenerative diseases. The datasets collected during these studies form essential resources for the research aiming at new biomarkers. Collecting, hosting, managing, processing, or reviewing those datasets is typically achieved through a local neuroinformatics infrastructure. In particular for organizations with their own imaging equipment, setting up such a system is still a hard task, and relying on cloud-based solutions, albeit promising, is not always possible. This paper proposes a practical model guided by core principles including user involvement, lightweight footprint, modularity, reusability, and facilitated data sharing. This model is based on the experience from an 8-year-old research center managing cohort research programs on Alzheimer’s disease. Such a model gave rise to an ecosystem of tools aiming at improved quality control through seamless automatic processes combined with a variety of code libraries, command line tools, graphical user interfaces, and instant messaging applets. The present ecosystem was shaped around XNAT and is composed of independently reusable modules that are freely available on GitLab/GitHub. This paradigm is scalable to the general community of researchers working with large neuroimaging datasets.
Increased Oxidative Stress in the Prefrontal Cortex as a Shared Feature of Depressive- and PTSD-Like Syndromes: Effects of a Standardized Herbal Antioxidant
Authors: de Munter Johannes , Pavlov Dmitrii , Gorlova Anna , Sicker Michael , Proshin Andrey , Kalueff Allan V. , Svistunov Andrey , Kiselev Daniel , Nedorubov Andrey , Morozov Sergey , Umriukhin Aleksei , Lesch Klaus-Peter , Strekalova Tatyana , Schroeter Careen A.
Published: April 2021

Major depression (MD) and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) share common brain mechanisms and treatment strategies. Nowadays, the dramatically developing COVID-19 situation unavoidably results in stress, psychological trauma, and high incidence of MD and PTSD. Hence, the importance of the development of new treatments for these disorders cannot be overstated. Herbal medicine appears to be an effective and safe treatment with fewer side effects than classic pharmaca and that is affordable in low-income countries. Currently, oxidative stress and neuroinflammation attract increasing attention as important mechanisms of MD and PTSD. We investigated the effects of a standardized herbal cocktail (SHC), an extract of clove, bell pepper, basil, pomegranate, nettle, and other plants, that was designed as an antioxidant treatment in mouse models of MD and PTSD. In the MD model of “emotional” ultrasound stress (US), mice were subjected to ultrasound frequencies of 16–20 kHz, mimicking rodent sounds of anxiety/despair and “neutral” frequencies of 25–45 kHz, for three weeks and concomitantly treated with SHC. US-exposed mice showed elevated concentrations of oxidative stress markers malondialdehyde and protein carbonyl, increased gene and protein expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines interleukin (IL)-1β and IL-6 and other molecular changes in the prefrontal cortex as well as weight loss, helplessness, anxiety-like behavior, and neophobia that were ameliorated by the SHC treatment. In the PTSD model of the modified forced swim test (modFST), in which a 2-day swim is followed by an additional swim on day 5, mice were pretreated with SHC for 16 days. Increases in the floating behavior and oxidative stress markers malondialdehyde and protein carbonyl in the prefrontal cortex of modFST-mice were prevented by the administration of SHC. Chromatography mass spectrometry revealed bioactive constituents of SHC, including D-ribofuranose, beta-D-lactose, malic, glyceric, and citric acids that can modulate oxidative stress, immunity, and gut and microbiome functions and, thus, are likely to be active antistress elements underlying the beneficial effects of SHC. Significant correlations of malondialdehyde concentration in the prefrontal cortex with altered measures of behavioral despair and anxiety-like behavior suggest that the accumulation of oxidative stress markers are a common biological feature of MD and PTSD that can be equally effectively targeted therapeutically with antioxidant therapy, such as the SHC investigated here.
Preclinical Evaluation of Carfilzomib for Infant KMT2A-Rearranged Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia
Authors: Cheung Laurence C. , de Kraa Rebecca , Oommen Joyce , Chua Grace-Alyssa , Singh Sajla , Hughes Anastasia M. , Ferrari Emanuela , Ford Jette , Chiu Sung K. , Stam Ronald W. , Kees Ursula R. , Malinge Sébastien , Kotecha Rishi S.
Published: April 2021

Background

Infants withKMT2A-rearranged B-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) have poor outcomes. There is an urgent need to identify novel agents to improve survival. Proteasome inhibition has emerged as a promising therapeutic strategy for several hematological malignancies. The aim of this study was to determine the preclinical efficacy of the selective proteasome inhibitor carfilzomib, for infants withKMT2A-rearranged ALL.

Methods

Eight infant ALL cell lines were extensively characterized for immunophenotypic and cytogenetic features.In vitrocytotoxicity to carfilzomib was assessed using a modified Alamar Blue assay with cells in logarithmic growth. The Bliss Independence model was applied to determine synergy between carfilzomib and the nine conventional chemotherapeutic agents used to treat infants with ALL. Established xenograft models were used to identify the maximal tolerated dose of carfilzomib and determinein vivoefficacy.

Results

Carfilzomib demonstrated low IC50concentrations within the nanomolar range (6.0–15.8 nm) across the panel of cell lines. Combination drug testing indicatedin vitrosynergy between carfilzomib and several conventional chemotherapeutic agents including vincristine, daunorubicin, dexamethasone, L-asparaginase, and 4-hydroperoxycyclophosphamide.In vivoassessment did not lead to a survival advantage for either carfilzomib monotherapy, when used to treat both low or high disease burden, or for carfilzomib in combination with multi-agent induction chemotherapy comprising of vincristine, dexamethasone, and L-asparaginase.

Conclusions

Our study highlights thatin vitroefficacy does not necessarily translate to benefitin vivoand emphasizes the importance ofin vivovalidation prior to suggesting an agent for clinical use. Whilst proteasome inhibitors have an important role to play in several hematological malignancies, our findings guard against prioritization of carfilzomib for treatment ofKMT2A-rearranged infant ALL in the clinical setting.
Modeling Approach to Optimizing Dose Regimen of Vancomycin for Chinese Pediatric Patients with Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections
Authors: Shen Kai , Fan Yaxin , Yang Minjie , Chen Yuancheng , Tao Jinhao , Lu Guoping , Zhang Hong , Huang Qiwei , Zhang Jing
Published: April 2021

The aim of this study was to establish the population pharmacokinetics (PK) model of Vancomycin for Chinese pediatric patients which can extrapolate to whole age periods by bridging the published adult population PK model and the established pediatric population PK model. The final consolidated population PK model was used to explore the correlation of pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics (PK/PD) indices and efficacy of vancomycin and to provide evidence for the optimized regimen of vancomycin in Chinese pediatric patients with Gram-positive bacterial infection. 108 pediatric patients with Gram-positive infections from 2 pediatric hospitals in China in the first period of the prospective multi-center vancomycin clinical observational study were enrolled to establish the population PK model. A one-compartment population PK model was established and validated. The correlation between vancomycin PK/PD indices [trough concentration (Cmin), peak concentration (Cmax), 0–24 h area under the curve (AUC0–24) and the area under the curve to minimum inhibitory concentration ratio (AUC0–24/MIC)] and the overall clinical outcomes (clinical efficacy and microbiological efficacy) in Chinese pediatric patients were evaluated. There is no significant correlation between PK/PD indices and clinical efficacy or microbiological efficacy. Considering the high clinical effective rate (>90%) and median AUC0–24/MIC values of 200–300, Chinese pediatric patients with Gram-positive bacterial infection may be suitable for lower AUC0–24/MIC target value compared to the target value of 400–600 recommended by IDSA guideline. Different optimal dose regimen of vancomycin for Chinese pediatric patients should be considered. Further evaluation in more prospective studies will be needed.
MBOVPG45_0375 Encodes an IgG-Binding Protein and MBOVPG45_0376 Encodes an IgG-Cleaving Protein in Mycoplasma bovis
Authors: Zhao Haoran , Zhang Yunke , Wang Zhanhui , Liu Mengyao , Wang Pengpeng , Wu Wenxue , Peng Chen
Published: April 2021

Mycoplasma bovis is a significant bacterial pathogen which is able to persist in cattle and cause chronic diseases. This phenomenon may relate to M. bovis evading the immune system of the host. Immunoglobulin-binding proteins are widely distributed in a variety of pathogenic bacteria, including some Mycoplasma species. These proteins are considered to help the bacteria evade the immune response of the host. Here we found M. bovis strain PG45 can bind to IgG from several animals. MBOVPG45_0375 encodes a putative membrane protein, has strong amino acid sequence similarity with Immunoglobulin G-binding protein in Mycoplasma mycoides subsp. capri. Hence, we constructed recombinant MBOVPG45_0375 (r0375) in the Escherichia coli expression system and demonstrated that r0375 can bind to IgG non-immunologically rather than specific binding similar to interaction of antigen and antibody. Moreover, r0375 can bind to the Fab fragment of IgG. Also, the binding of r0375 and IgG inhibits the formation of antigen-antibody union. Furthermore, MBOVPG45_0376 encodes an IgG-cleaving protein of M. bovis strain PG45. Nevertheless, r0375 binding to IgG is required for the cleavage activity of recombinant 0376 (r0376). The activity of r0376 is also affected by incubation time and temperature. In addition, we found both MBOVPG45_0375 and MBOVPG45_0376 are membrane proteins of M. bovis strain PG45. These results about MBOVPG45_0375 as an IgG-binding protein and MBOVPG45_0376 as an IgG-cleaving protein offer a new insight into the interaction between M. bovis and its host.
Insights Into Extracellular Vesicle/Exosome and miRNA Mediated Bi-Directional Communication During Porcine Pregnancy
Authors: Bidarimath Mallikarjun , Lingegowda Harshavardhan , Miller Jessica E. , Koti Madhuri , Tayade Chandrakant
Published: April 2021

Spontaneous fetal loss is one of the most important challenges that commercial pig industry is still facing in North America. Research over the decade provided significant insights into some of the associated mechanisms including uterine capacity, placental efficiency, deficits in vasculature, and immune-inflammatory alterations at the maternal-fetal interface. Pigs have unique epitheliochorial placentation where maternal and fetal layers lay in opposition without any invasion. This has provided researchers opportunities to accurately tease out some of the mechanisms associated with maternal-fetal interface adaptations to the constantly evolving needs of a developing conceptus. Another unique feature of porcine pregnancy is the conceptus derived recruitment of immune cells during the window of conceptus attachment. These immune cells in turn participate in pregnancy associated vascular changes and contribute toward tolerance to the semi-allogeneic fetus. However, the precise mechanism of how maternal-fetal cells communicate during the critical times in gestation is not fully understood. Recently, it has been established that bi-directional communication between fetal trophoblasts and maternal cells/tissues is mediated by extracellular vesicles (EVs) including exosomes. These EVs are detected in a variety of tissues and body fluids and their role has been described in modulating several physiological and pathological processes including vascularization, immune-modulation, and homeostasis. Recent literature also suggests that these EVs (exosomes) carry cargo (nucleic acids, protein, and lipids) as unique signatures associated with some of the pregnancy associated pathologies. In this review, we provide overview of important mechanisms in porcine pregnancy success and failure and summarize current knowledge about the unique cargo containing biomolecules in EVs. We also discuss how EVs (including exosomes) transfer their contents into other cells and regulate important biological pathways critical for pregnancy success.
Intravenous Fluid Administration and the Coagulation System
Authors: Boyd Corrin J. , Brainard Benjamin M. , Smart Lisa
Published: April 2021

Intravenous fluid administration in veterinary patients can alter coagulation function by several mechanisms. Both crystalloid and colloid fluids cause hemodilution, reducing platelet count and plasma coagulation protein concentrations. Hemodilution is associated with a hypercoagulable effect at low dilutions and a hypocoagulable effect at higher dilutions. Composition of crystalloid fluids likely has a minor effect, primarily dependent on fluid ion composition. Hypertonic crystalloids may also cause hypocoagulability. Colloids, both synthetic and natural, can cause hypocoagulability by several mechanisms beyond the effects of hemodilution. These include impaired platelet function, decreased plasma coagulation factor activity, impaired fibrin formation and crosslinking, and accelerated fibrinolysis. The vast majority of the veterinary literature investigates the hypocoagulable effects of hydroxyethyl starch–containing fluids usingin vitro, experimental, and clinical studies. However, results are inconsistent, likely due to the varying doses and physicochemical properties of the specific fluid products across studies. In addition, some evidence exists for hypocoagulable effects of gelatin and albumin solutions. There is also evidence that these colloids increase the risk of clinical bleeding in people. Limitations of the veterinary evidence for the hypocoagulable effects of colloid fluids include a predominance ofin vitrostudies andin vivostudies using healthy subjects, which exclude the interaction of the effects of illness. Therefore, clinical relevance of these effects, especially for low-molecular-weight hydroxyethyl starch, is unknown. Firm recommendations about the most appropriate fluid to use in clinical scenarios cannot be made, although it is prudent to limit the dose of synthetic colloid in at-risk patients. Clinicians should closely monitor relevant coagulation assays and for evidence of hemorrhage in at-risk patients receiving any type of fluid therapy, especially in large volumes.
The Impact of Political Instability on Sustainable Rangeland Management: A Study of Borana Rangeland, Southern Ethiopia
Authors: Fenetahun Yeneayehu , You Yuan , Xu Xinwen , Nzabarinda Vincent , Wang Yongdong
Published: April 2021

Political instability (PI) occurs between governments and other political elites either at the local, regional, and/or national levels. Planning, implementing, and monitoring of sustainable rangeland management strategies have a significant impact on the political environment of an area. In this study, the term PI implies an unsafe and unstable exercise of political power, and is a major obstacle to the implementation of sustainable rangeland management. The main purpose of this research was to provide empirical and theoretical knowledge by testing hypotheses about the impact of PI on the implementation of sustainable practice of rangeland management. Using in-depth interviews, this study conducted both structured and unstructured group discussions with 300 representative households of local pastoralists and others who were considered the key stakeholders in the sustainable activities of rangeland management. Results indicated that the local communities are significantly susceptible to the economic, environmental, and socio-cultural effects of sustainable management of rangeland due to PI. Furthermore, the impact of PI on the economic, environmental, and socio-cultural aspects of rangelands indicators was evaluated. The findings also proved that the satisfaction of pastoralists with rangeland productivity and function was significantly affected, and prevented pastoralists from participating in rangeland management practice.
The Effect of Salicylic Acid on the Performances of Salt Stressed Strawberry Plants, Enzymes Activity, and Salt Tolerance Index
Authors: Roshdy Alaa El-Den , Alebidi Abdullah , Almutairi Khalid , Al-Obeed Rashid , Elsabagh Ahmed
Published: April 2021

The influence of salicylic acid (SA) on growth, yield, fruits’ quality and enzymes’ activities was monitored in strawberry plants cv. Camarosa grown under salinity stress via two pot experiments in two successive years of 2018 and 2019. The examined concentrations of SA were 30, 60, and 90 ppm, which foliary applied in addition to control (sprayed with water), while the used levels of salinity were 20, and 40 mM as NaCl as irrigation application in addition to control (without salinity). The results showed a significant effect of salinity at 40 mM where the mean values of shoot fresh and dry weights, chlorophyll, leaves’ NPK, yield plant−1, yield ha−1, and fruits’ ascorbic acid were significantly decreased. However, the 40 mM salinity resulted in a significant increase in leaves’ content of Na and proline as well as catalase (CAT) and peroxidase (POD) enzymes’ activity and the fruits’ TSS and acidity. The application with 90 ppm SA was found to be the most significant positive treatment for all of the studied characters except the Na leaves’ content. Regarding tolerance index percentages (STI%), the high values of CAT, POD, and proline referred to the ability to use them as indicators for strawberry salinity response in other physiological and plant breeding studies. The findings of this study suggest that the 90 ppm SA foliar application can ameliorate the negative effect of salinity on the growth of strawberry cv. Camarosa.
Denture-Soaking Solution Containing Piper betle Extract-Loaded Polymeric Micelles; Inhibition of Candida albicans, Clinical Study, and Effects on Denture Base Resin
Authors: Okonogi Siriporn , Phumat Pimpak , Khongkhunthian Sakornrat , Suttiat Kullapop , Chaijareenont Pisaisit
Published: April 2021

Candida albicans is a common overgrowth in people wearing dentures. Long-term use of antifungal chemicals carries a risk of toxic side effects. This study focused on the edible Piper betle extract because of its safety. The broth dilution method was applied for antifungal determination of the ethyl acetate fractionated extract (fEA) and fEA-loaded polymeric micelles (PMF). The PMF was prepared by thin-film hydration using poloxamer 407 as a polymer base. The results found that the weight ratio of fEA to polymer is the main factor to obtain PMF system as a clear solution, nanoparticle sizes, narrow size distribution, negative zeta potential, and high entrapment efficiency. The activity of PMF against C. albicans is significantly higher than fEA alone, with a minimum fungicidal concentration of 1.5 mg/mL. PMF from 1:3 ratio of fEA to polymer is used to develop a denture-soaking solution contained 1.5 mg fEA/mL (PMFS). A clinical study on dentures of 15 volunteers demonstrated an 86.1 ± 9.2% reduction of C. albicans after soaking the dentures in PMFS daily for 14 days. Interestingly, PMFS did not change the hardness and roughness of the denture base resins. The developed PMFS may serve as a potential natural denture-soaking solution against candidiasis in denture wearers.
Antibiotic Susceptibility of Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus pneumoniae Isolates from the Nasopharynx of Febrile Children under 5 Years in Nanoro, Burkina Faso
Authors: Bonko Massa dit Achille , Lompo Palpouguini , Tahita Marc Christian , Kiemde Francois , Karama Ibrahima , Somé Athanase M. , Mens Petra F. , Menting Sandra , Tinto Halidou , D. F. H. Schallig Henk
Published: April 2021

(1) Background: nasopharynx colonization by resistant Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus pneumoniae can lead to serious diseases. Emerging resistance to antibiotics commonly used to treat infections due to these pathogens poses a serious threat to the health system. The present study aimed to determine the antibiotic susceptibility of S. aureus and S. pneumoniae isolates from the febrile children’s nasopharynx under 5 years in Nanoro (Burkina Faso). (2) Methods: bacterial isolates were identified from nasopharyngeal swabs prospectively collected from 629 febrile children. Antibiotic susceptibility of S. aureus and S. pneumoniae isolates was assessed by Kirby–Bauer method and results were interpreted according to the Clinical and Laboratory Standard Institute guidelines. (3) Results: bacterial colonization was confirmed in 154 (24.5%) of children of whom 96.1% carried S. aureus, 3.2% had S. pneumoniae, and 0.6% carried both bacteria. S. aureus isolates showed alarming resistance to penicillin (96.0%) and S. pneumoniae was highly resistant to tetracycline (100%) and trimethoprim–sulfamethoxazole (83.3%), and moderately resistant to penicillin (50.0%). Furthermore, 4.0% of S. aureus identified were methicillin resistant. (4) Conclusion: this study showed concerning resistance rates to antibiotics to treat suspected bacterial respiratory tract infections. The work highlights the necessity to implement continuous antibiotic resistance surveillance.
Role of Natural Antioxidants on Neuroprotection and Neuroinflammation
Authors: Nuzzo Domenico
Published: April 2021

All cells continuously generate reactive oxygen species (ROS) through the respiratory chain during the energy metabolism process [...]
Abnormal Behavior Detection in Uncrowded Videos with Two-Stream 3D Convolutional Neural Networks
Authors: Mehmood Abid
Published: April 2021

The increasing demand for surveillance systems has resulted in an unprecedented rise in the volume of video data being generated daily. The volume and frequency of the generation of video streams make it both impractical as well as inefficient to manually monitor them to keep track of abnormal events as they occur infrequently. To alleviate these difficulties through intelligent surveillance systems, several vision-based methods have appeared in the literature to detect abnormal events or behaviors. In this area, convolutional neural networks (CNNs) have also been frequently applied due to their prevalence in the related domain of general action recognition and classification. Although the existing approaches have achieved high detection rates for specific abnormal behaviors, more inclusive methods are expected. This paper presents a CNN-based approach that efficiently detects and classifies if a video involves the abnormal human behaviors of falling, loitering, and violence within uncrowded scenes. The approach implements a two-stream architecture using two separate 3D CNNs to accept a video and an optical flow stream as input to enhance the prediction performance. After applying transfer learning, the model was trained on a specialized dataset corresponding to each abnormal behavior. The experiments have shown that the proposed approach can detect falling, loitering, and violence with an accuracy of up to 99%, 97%, and 98%, respectively. The model achieved state-of-the-art results and outperformed the existing approaches.
Surface Passivation of Crystalline Silicon Wafer Using H2S Gas
Authors: Lin Jian , Jee Hongsub , Yoo Jangwon , Yi Junsin , Jeong Chaehwan , Lee Jaehyeong
Published: April 2021

We report the effects of H2S passivation on the effective minority carrier lifetime of crystalline silicon (c-Si) wafers. c-Si wafers were thermally annealed under an H2S atmosphere at various temperatures. The initial minority carrier lifetime (6.97 μs) of a c-Si wafer without any passivation treatments was also measured for comparison. The highest minority carrier lifetime gain of 2030% was observed at an annealing temperature of 600 °C. The X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis revealed that S atoms were bonded to Si atoms after H2S annealing treatment. This indicates that the increase in minority carrier lifetime originating from the effect of sulfur passivation on the silicon wafer surface involves dangling bonds.
Smart Manufacturing Real-Time Analysis Based on Blockchain and Machine Learning Approaches
Authors: Shahbazi Zeinab , Byun Yung-Cheol
Published: April 2021

The growth of data production in the manufacturing industry causes the monitoring system to become an essential concept for decision-making and management. The recent powerful technologies, such as the Internet of Things (IoT), which is sensor-based, can process suitable ways to monitor the manufacturing process. The proposed system in this research is the integration of IoT, Machine Learning (ML), and for monitoring the manufacturing system. The environmental data are collected from IoT sensors, including temperature, humidity, gyroscope, and accelerometer. The data types generated from sensors are unstructured, massive, and real-time. Various big data techniques are applied to further process of the data. The hybrid prediction model used in this system uses the Random Forest classification technique to remove the sensor data outliers and donate fault detection through the manufacturing system. The proposed system was evaluated for automotive manufacturing in South Korea. The technique applied in this system is used to secure and improve the data trust to avoid real data changes with fake data and system transactions. The results section provides the effectiveness of the proposed system compared to other approaches. Moreover, the hybrid prediction model provides an acceptable fault prediction than other inputs. The expected process from the proposed method is to enhance decision-making and reduce the faults through the manufacturing process.
Allelopathic Interactions between Seeds of Portulaca oleracea L. and Crop Species
Authors: Rashidi Sakineh , Reza Yousefi Ali , Goicoechea Nieves , Pouryousef Majid , Moradi Parviz , Vitalini Sara , Iriti Marcello
Published: April 2021

Allelopathy is described as the interference to plant growth resulting from chemical interactions among plants and other organisms mediated through the release of bioactive secondary metabolites. Since only a few studies have been reported about the role of seed allelopathy, an experiment was designed to evaluate the interactions among seeds of Portulaca oleracea L. and the crop species common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.), onion (Allium cepa L.), sugar beet (Beta vulgaris L.), broad bean (Vicia faba L.), and pea (Pisum sativum L.) on seed and seedling growth parameters. The results indicated that P. oleracea seeds had a negative effect on the germination of P. vulgaris and A. cepa. Conversely, germination of P. oleracea in the presence of P. vulgaris, A. cepa, and B. vulgaris seeds was strongly reduced with a higher inhibitory effect found for the seeds of A. cepa. The highest negative effect on root and shoot length was observed in P. vulgaris. Seedling vigor of all crop species decreased in the presence of P. oleracea. Our results suggest that seeds of P. vulgaris, A. cepa, and B. vulgaris exhibited high allelopathic effects against seeds of P. oleracea and can be used as potential bio-herbicides in future screening programs.
Assessment of Structural Dynamic Response and Vehicle-Track Interaction of Precast Slab Track Systems
Authors: Vu Linh , Jang Dong-Doo , Kang Yun-Suk
Published: April 2021

Recently, precast slab tracks have been used widely in railway applications, especially in conventional urban railway lines. These types of tracks are rapidly constructed and limit interruptions to train operation. However, the problems of dynamic stability when the trains run on the discontinuous type of tracks must be seriously considered. This paper focuses on analyzing the train-track interaction in two types of tracks under the dynamic load by using the numerical analysis program (APATSI) to evaluate the structural response as well as the running safety to precisely understand the load transfer efficiency of precast slab track systems.
The Impact of the Ca2+-Independent Phospholipase A2β (iPLA2β) on Immune Cells
Authors: White Tayleur D. , Almutairi Abdulaziz , Tusing Ying Gai , Lei Xiaoyong , Ramanadham Sasanka
Published: April 2021

The Ca2+-independent phospholipase A2β (iPLA2β) is a member of the PLA2 family that has been proposed to have roles in multiple biological processes including membrane remodeling, cell proliferation, bone formation, male fertility, cell death, and signaling. Such involvement has led to the identification of iPLA2β activation in several diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular abnormalities, glaucoma, periodontitis, neurological disorders, diabetes, and other metabolic disorders. More recently, there has been heightened interest in the role that iPLA2β plays in promoting inflammation. Recognizing the potential contribution of iPLA2β in the development of autoimmune diseases, we review this issue in the context of an iPLA2β link with macrophages and T-cells.
A Comprehensive Review of Cholinesterase Modeling and Simulation
Authors: De Boer Danna , Nguyen Nguyet , Mao Jia , Moore Jessica , Sorin Eric J.
Published: April 2021

The present article reviews published efforts to study acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase structure and function using computer-based modeling and simulation techniques. Structures and models of both enzymes from various organisms, including rays, mice, and humans, are discussed to highlight key structural similarities in the active site gorges of the two enzymes, such as flexibility, binding site location, and function, as well as differences, such as gorge volume and binding site residue composition. Catalytic studies are also described, with an emphasis on the mechanism of acetylcholine hydrolysis by each enzyme and novel mutants that increase catalytic efficiency. The inhibitory activities of myriad compounds have been computationally assessed, primarily through Monte Carlo-based docking calculations and molecular dynamics simulations. Pharmaceutical compounds examined herein include FDA-approved therapeutics and their derivatives, as well as several other prescription drug derivatives. Cholinesterase interactions with both narcotics and organophosphate compounds are discussed, with the latter focusing primarily on molecular recognition studies of potential therapeutic value and on improving our understanding of the reactivation of cholinesterases that are bound to toxins. This review also explores the inhibitory properties of several other organic and biological moieties, as well as advancements in virtual screening methodologies with respect to these enzymes.
Heme-Mediated Activation of the Nrf2/HO-1 Axis Attenuates Calcification of Valve Interstitial Cells
Authors: Balogh Enikő , Chowdhury Arpan , Ababneh Haneen , Csiki Dávid Máté , Tóth Andrea , Jeney Viktória
Published: April 2021

Calcific aortic valve stenosis (CAVS) is a heart disease characterized by the progressive fibro-calcific remodeling of the aortic valves, an actively regulated process with the involvement of the reactive oxygen species-mediated differentiation of valvular interstitial cells (VICs) into osteoblast-like cells. Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) regulates the expression of a variety of antioxidant genes, and plays a protective role in valve calcification. Heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), an Nrf2-target gene, is upregulated in human calcified aortic valves. Therefore, we investigated the effect of Nrf2/HO-1 axis in VIC calcification. We induced osteogenic differentiation of human VICs with elevated phosphate and calcium-containing osteogenic medium (OM) in the presence of heme. Heme inhibited Ca deposition and OM-induced increase in alkaline phosphatase and osteocalcin (OCN) expression. Heme induced Nrf2 and HO-1 expression in VICs. Heme lost its anti-calcification potential when we blocked transcriptional activity Nrf2 or enzyme activity of HO-1. The heme catabolism products bilirubin, carbon monoxide, and iron, and also ferritin inhibited OM-induced Ca deposition and OCN expression in VICs. This study suggests that heme-mediated activation of the Nrf2/HO-1 pathway inhibits the calcification of VICs. The anti-calcification effect of heme is attributed to the end products of HO-1-catalyzed heme degradation and ferritin.
Targeting of the Essential acpP, ftsZ, and rne Genes in Carbapenem-Resistant Acinetobacter baumannii by Antisense PNA Precision Antibacterials
Authors: Nejad Alireza Japoni , Shahrokhi Nader , Nielsen Peter E.
Published: April 2021

Infections by carbapenem-resistant A. baumannii (CRAB), a widespread nosocomial pathogen, are becoming increasingly difficult to prevent and treat. Therefore, there is an urgent need for discovery of novel antibiotics against CRAB. Programmable, precision antisense antibiotics, e.g., based on the nucleic acid mimic PNA (peptide nucleic acid) have shown promise in this respect in the form of PNA-BPP (bacteria penetrating peptide) conjugates targeting essential bacterial genes. In the present study, we designed and synthesized a series of PNA-BPPs targeting the translation initiation region of the ftsZ, acpP, or rne gene of CRAB strains. The antimicrobial activity of the compounds and effects on gene expression level was compared to that of analogous mismatch PNA controls. Three antisense conjugates (KFF)3K-eg1-(acpP)PNA (5639), (KFF)3K-eg1-(ftsZ)PNA (5612), and (KFF)3-K-eg1-(rne)PNA (5656) exhibited complete growth inhibition against several CRAB strains at 1–2, 2–8, and 2 µM, respectively, and the compounds were bactericidal at 1–2× MIC. The bactericidal effect was correlated to reduction of target gene mRNA level using RT-qPCR, and the compounds showed no bacterial membrane disruption activity at 1–2× MIC. PNA5612 was tested against a series of 12 CRAB isolates and all were sensitive at 2–8 µM. In addition, the conjugates exhibited no cellular toxicity in the HepG2 cell line (up to 20 μM) and did not shown significant antibacterial activity against other Gram negatives (E. coli, P. aeruginosa). These results provide a starting point for discovery of antisense precision designer antibiotics for specific treatment of CRAB infections.
The Most Common Vitamin D Receptor Polymorphisms (ApaI,FokI, TaqI, BsmI, and BglI) in Children with Dental Caries: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Sadeghi Masoud , Golshah Amin , Godiny Mostafa , Sharifi Roohollah , Khavid Atefeh , Nikkerdar Nafiseh , Tadakamadla Santosh Kumar
Published: April 2021

Vitamin D participates in the calcification of enamel and dentin and the appropriate immune responses to oral microbial infections. We aimed to assess the association between the most common vitamin D receptor (VDR) polymorphisms (ApaI,FokI, TaqI, BsmI, and BglI) and the risk of dental caries in children. Methods: PubMed/MEDLINE, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and Scopus databases were comprehensively searched until 19 January 2021. Meta-analysis with odds ratios as the effect estimate along with 95% confidence intervals and subgroup analysis were conducted using Review Manager 5.3 software. Publication bias and sensitivity analyses were conducted by Comprehensive Meta-Analysis, version 2.0 software. Results: Seventy-eight studies were retrieved from the databases, with nine studies included in the final analysis. Based on five genetic models, there was no association between ApaI (rs7975232), TaqI (rs731236), BsmI (rs1544410), FokI (rs2228570), and BglI (rs739837) polymorphisms and susceptibility to dental caries, except for the FokI (rs10735810) polymorphism. Conclusion: Among the VDR polymorphisms considered, an association was found between the FokI (rs10735810) polymorphism and the risk of dental caries, with a protective role of the f allele and ff genotype.
Geometric Change Detection in Digital Twins
Authors: Sundby Tiril , Graham Julia Maria , Rasheed Adil , Tabib Mandar , San Omer
Published: April 2021

Digital twins are meant to bridge the gap between real-world physical systems and virtual representations. Both stand-alone and descriptive digital twins incorporate 3D geometric models, which are the physical representations of objects in the digital replica. Digital twin applications are required to rapidly update internal parameters with the evolution of their physical counterpart. Due to an essential need for having high-quality geometric models for accurate physical representations, the storage and bandwidth requirements for storing 3D model information can quickly exceed the available storage and bandwidth capacity. In this work, we demonstrate a novel approach to geometric change detection in a digital twin context. We address the issue through a combined solution of dynamic mode decomposition (DMD) for motion detection, YOLOv5 for object detection, and 3D machine learning for pose estimation. DMD is applied for background subtraction, enabling detection of moving foreground objects in real-time. The video frames containing detected motion are extracted and used as input to the change detection network. The object detection algorithm YOLOv5 is applied to extract the bounding boxes of detected objects in the video frames. Furthermore, we estimate the rotational pose of each object in a 3D pose estimation network. A series of convolutional neural networks (CNNs) conducts feature extraction from images and 3D model shapes. Then, the network outputs the camera orientation’s estimated Euler angles concerning the object in the input image. By only storing data associated with a detected change in pose, we minimize necessary storage and bandwidth requirements while still recreating the 3D scene on demand. Our assessment of the new geometric detection framework shows that the proposed methodology could represent a viable tool in emerging digital twin applications.