bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Remifentanil combined with dexmedetomidine on the analgesic effect of breast cancer patients undergoing modified radical mastectomy and the influence of perioperative T lymphocyte subsets
Authors: Zhang Yanjun , Jiang Wei , Luo Xi
Published: November 2022

Objective

To study the analgesic effect of breast cancer patients undergoing modified radical mastectomy (MRM) and the influence of perioperative T lymphocyte subsets by remifentanil combined with dexmedetomidine.

Methods

80 breast patients were divided into control group and research group based on the anesthesia protocol. Patients in control group was given remifentanil for anesthesia induction and maintenance, and patients in research group was given remifentanil and dexmedetomidine for anesthesia induction and maintenance. We compared the anesthesia time, operation time, surgical blood loss, postoperative wake-up time, extubation time, incidence of adverse reactions, VAS score and T lymphocyte subsets in peripheral blood in the two groups of patients.

Results

The baseline data including age, height, weight and BMI, ASA classification, stage of breast cancer, frequency of neoadjuvant therapy, and surgical characteristics including anesthesia time, operation time and bleeding volume all have no significant difference between two groups (P > 0.05). Compared to control group, the time of wake up and extubation in patients of research group were all significantly decreased (P < 0.05), and significantly decreased MBP and HR after loading dose of dexmedetomidine in research group (P < 0.05). The VAS scores of patients at 4, 8, 12, 16, 20 and 24 h after surgery in the research group are all significantly lower than those in the control group (P < 0.05). Before induction of anesthesia, there was no significant difference in the ratio of CD4+, CD8+ and CD4+/CD8+ T lymphocytes in peripheral blood between the two groups (P > 0.05). At 1 h during operation and 24 h after operation, the ratio of CD4+ and CD4+/CD8+ cells in the research group was significantly higher than these of the control group (P < 0.05), while the ratio of CD8+ cells was lower than that of the control group (P < 0.05).

Conclusion

For breast cancer patients undergoing MRM, the use of remifentanil combined with dexmedetomidine can enhance postoperative analgesia and reduce postoperative immunosuppression.
Predictive role of the neutrophil: lymphocyte ratio in acute kidney injury associated with off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting
Authors: Yu Ruiming , Song Han , Bi Yanwen , Meng Xiangbin
Published: November 2022

Objectives

This study aims to investigate whether the ratios of cell types in peripheral blood could be used as reliable predictors of off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG)-associated acute kidney injury (AKI).

Materials and methods

We retrospectively reviewed patients (n = 420) undergoing off-pump CABG from January 1, 2021 to January 1, 2022 in Qilu Hospital of Shandong University. We used logistic regression analysis to identify the potential predictors of off-pump CABG-associated AKI and construct a predictive model. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was used to evaluate the predictive ability of predictors and prediction models.

Results

The prevalence of AKI associated with off-pump CABG was 20.95%. Patients in the AKI group had significantly higher ratios of peripheral blood cells on postoperative day (POD)1 than patients in the non-AKI group (P < 0.01). The area under the ROC curve (AUC) of the neutrophil:lymphocyte ratio (NLR) on POD1 for predicting off-pump CABG-associated AKI was 0.780 and the cutoff value was 20.07. Patients with high NLR on POD1 had a poor short-term prognosis. The AUC of the predictive model constructed by logistic regression analysis was 0.882. The sensitivity was 68.2% and the specificity was 93.1%.

Conclusion

The NLR on POD1 was a reliable predictive biomarker of off-pump CABG-associated AKI. And we successfully construct a prediction model, which contribute to the early recognition and management of off-pump CABG-associated AKI.
FOXC2 as a prognostic marker and a potential molecular target in patients with human solid tumors
Authors: Zhang Long , He Yong , Tu Xiaohong , Wang Chao , Ding Xiaojun , Ye Rongqiang , Shi Jiayu , Xie Yuancai , Jiang Yufen , Deng Xiaohong
Published: November 2022

Background

Forkhead Box Protein C2 (FOXC2) belongs to the Forkhead/Wing-helix family. The regulatory role of this transcription factor in physiological function and carcinogenic activity has been proven in subsequent investigations. However, there is still scarcity of evidence on the relationship between FOXC2 expression and prognosis in human solid tumors. We conducted this meta-analysis to evaluate the role of FOXC2 as a prognosis factor and a possible target marker in human solid tumors.

Methods

PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and the Cochrane library database were all searched methodically. Eligible publications on FOXC2 in human solid tumors were gathered and reviewed. The effect sizes were calculated using pooled hazard ratios (HRs) or odds ratios (ORs) with the corresponding 95% confidence interval (CI). Statistical analysis was conducted with Stata SE12.0.

Results

This meta-analysis comprised 3,267 patients from 20 studies covering a variety of solid tumors. Increased FOXC2 expression was related to shorter overall survival (OS) (HR = 2.05, 95% CI: 1.73–2.42). High expression of FOXC2 is associated with lymph node metastases (OR = 3.33, 95% CI: 2.65–4.19), TNM stage (OR = 3.09, 95% CI: 2.00–4.78), and age (OR = 1.26, 95% CI: 1.06–1.50), according to the pooled ORs. However, no significant association was observed between the high expression of FOXC2 and sex, tumor size or tumor differentiation.

Conclusion

Increased expression of FOXC2 is associated with unfavored OS, lymph node metastases, TNM stage, and age. FOXC2 is a promising prognostic marker and a novel target marker in human solid tumors.
Case report: Presumptive subcutaneous malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor with intracranial invasion and osteolysis in the posterior fossa of a dog
Authors: Hidari Kyosuke , Nakamoto Yuya , Sakurai Keiichi , Sakurai Yoko , Nibe Kazumi , Nakamoto Miwa
Published: November 2022

A 13-year-old castrated male Toy Poodle presented with an acute vestibular disorder. Magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography revealed a large oval space-occupying mass with skull destruction located from the subcutaneous tissue to the posterior fossa region. Histopathologically, the mass was a bundled growth of spindle-shaped mesenchymal tumor cells between the myofibrillar and collagen bundles. The cells were moderately irregular in size and had eosinophilic stained cytoplasm. The cells were highly atypical and had rare mitotic figures. Neoplastic cells were immunoreactive for S100, GFAP, Olig-2, SOX10 and immunonegative for NF, E-cadherin, and Claudin-1. Collective findings were presumptive with a diagnosis of malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor.
Establishment of Potassium Reference Values Using Bayesian Models in Grapevines
Authors: Tassinari Adriele , Santos Eduardo Maciel Haitzmann dos , Stefanello Lincon Oliveira , Vitto Beatriz Baticini , Siqueira Gustavo Nogara de , Schwalbert Raí Augusto , Ceretta Carlos Alberto , Schwalbert Raissa , Tiecher Tadeu Luis , Ciotta Marlise Nara , Hindersmann Jacson , Oliveira Filipe Nunes de , Baldi Elena , Toselli Moreno , Brunetto Gustavo
Published: November 2022

Critical levels (CL) of available potassium (K) in soils and leaves and maximum technical efficiency (MTE) doses are relevant information to define the best K fertilization strategies. The aim of this study was to determine reference values of K in leaves and soil, using Bayesian analysis, in order to maximize grape yield and must quality of ‘Chardonnay’ and ‘Pinot Noir’ grown in a subtropical climate. The vines were subjected to applications of 0, 20, 40, 60 and 80 kg K2O ha−1 year−1. The CL and MTE doses of K, in leaves and soils, were determined using Bayesian hierarchical models. The range of probability of the occurrence of CL in leaves was 15.8 to 18.9 g K kg−1 in ‘Chardonnay’ and 16.8 to 19.1 g K kg−1 in ‘Pinot Noir’ at flowering. Moreover, the range was 15.3 to 18.1 g K kg−1 in ‘Chardonnay’ and 16.1 to 18.2 g K kg−1 in ‘Pinot Noir’ at veraison. In the soil, the CL of available K for ‘Chardonnay’ was 27.4 mg K kg−1 and for ‘Pinot Noir’ it was 23.2 mg K kg−1. The increase of K in leaves and soil increased the TSS, while the TTA decreased in both cultivars after sufficiency rate. The MTE was estimated in ‘Pinot Noir’. The proposition of CL and/or MTE doses of K can help increase the efficiency of K fertilization in vineyards.
Effects of Surface Mulching on the Growth and Water Consumption of Maize
Authors: Wang Xiangxiang , Cheng Zhilong , Cheng Xin , Wang Quanjiu
Published: November 2022

This study provides understandings of the effect of mulching on the growth, development, and water consumption of dry maize. Parameters including soil temperature, soil water-filled pore space (WFPS), water storage capacity, water consumption, grain yield, water-use efficiency, and biomass yields were followed and analyzed by applying straw mulching (SM), gravel mulching (GM), and plastic film mulching (FM). The results show that the soil temperature (0–20 cm) throughout the whole observation period (2011–2013) was significantly increased by applying GM and FM, while SM reduced the soil temperature. SM increased the WFPS, while FM and GM showed no significant effect. SM and FM increased the soil water storage and water-use efficiency in the early stages of maize growth (from sowing to vegetative growth) compared with using GM. With the progress of time, fewer differences between all treatments were observed. Water consumption of the three treatments was in the order of SM < FM < GM, indicating that SM was the most effective in preventing water evaporation. The resulting yields of corn also varied. Compared with the control, FM significantly increased the yields by 1.7, 0.5, and 2.2 ton/ha in the tested three years, respectively. In contrast, GM showed no significant difference in the three years, and SM showed no significant difference in 2011 and 2012 but increased the yield by 2.2 ton/ha in 2013. FM is shown to be an effective method for increasing the yields of corn for the studied region, GM is not recommended, and SM is the most effective in improving the water availability in the soil, while its effect on corn yields needs to be further explored.
The Effect of Vermicompost and Earthworms (Eisenia fetida) Application on Phytomass and Macroelement Concentration and Tetanic Ratio in Carrot
Authors: Kováčik Peter , Šimanský Vladimír , Smoleń Sylwester , Neupauer Jakub , Olšovská Katarína
Published: November 2022

This experiment evaluated the effects of various vermicompost amounts (0%, 10%, 20%, 25%, and 50%) of the total weight of the mixture of soil and vermicompost) and red worms (0, 10, and 20 individuals/pot) on carrot phytomass and macroelements concentration when applied to soil. Increasing the quantity of vermicompost (Vc) raised the weight of carrot roots and leaves. When we increased the dose of Vc, differences in phytomass growth were diminished gradually. Fifty percent of Vc in the soil did not have a negative impact on the formation of carrot roots and leaves. Vc increased the water content in roots and decreased it in leaves. Earthworms (EWs) in soil increased the weight of both carrot roots and leaves. The positive impact of EW on roots and leaves was higher when the vermicompost content in the soil was lower. EWs showed positive effects on the potassium concentration in whole carrot phytomass. Both EWs and Vc increased the value of the tetanic ratio in the carrot roots, which lowers their quality. EWs showed positive effects on the potassium concentration in whole carrot phytomass. Relationships found between K × Ca and Mg × S were antagonistic. Positive dependencies were detected between the carrot root yield and N, P, K concentration in both leaves and roots.
Farmers’ Knowledge and Acceptance of Microalgae in Almería Greenhouse Horticulture
Authors: Ruiz-Nieto Ángela , Gómez-Serrano Cintia , Acién Gabriel , Castro Antonio J.
Published: November 2022

Almería horticulture in SE Spain hosts the largest concentration of greenhouses in the world and faces important environmental sustainability challenges. Microalgae-derived applications are efficient nature-based solutions as they are used for wastewater regeneration or as biostimulants and biopesticides in agriculture. However, farmers’ knowledge and acceptance of microalgae-derived applications remain unknown, which is a major barrier to its commercialization. This study explores current farmers’ knowledge and acceptance of microalgae in Almería horticulture. Results revealed that there exists a significant lack of knowledge regarding the use of microalgae agricultural-based applications. Over sixty percent of farmers indicated that microalgae can have beneficial uses in agriculture, such as biostimulants or biofertilizers. However, although seventy percent of farmers expressed their willingness to use them, results also showed that only 32% of farmers using microalgae-derived applications have obtained satisfactory results. We call the urgent need for new communication strategies based on transdisciplinary approaches that increase farmers’ knowledge around the multiple microalgae-derived products and applications in agriculture.
Timing of Vertical Head, Withers and Pelvis Movements Relative to the Footfalls in Different Equine Gaits and Breeds
Authors: Rhodin Marie , Smit Ineke H. , Persson-Sjodin Emma , Pfau Thilo , Gunnarsson Vikingur , Björnsdóttir Sigridur , Zetterberg Ebba , Clayton Hilary M. , Hobbs Sarah J. , Serra Bragança Filipe , Hernlund Elin
Published: November 2022

Knowledge of vertical motion patterns of the axial body segments is a prerequisite for the development of algorithms used in automated detection of lameness. To date, the focus has been on the trot. This study investigates the temporal synchronization between vertical motion of the axial body segments with limb kinematic events in walk and trot across three popular types of sport horses (19 Warmbloods, 23 Iberians, 26 Icelandics) that are known to have different stride kinematics, and it presents novel data describing vertical motion of the axial body segments in tölting and pacing Icelandic horses. Inertial measurement unit sensors recorded limb kinematics, vertical motion of the axial body at all symmetrical gaits that the horse could perform (walk, trot, tölt, pace). Limb kinematics, vertical range of motion and lowest/highest positions of the head, withers and pelvis were calculated. For all gaits except walk and pace, lowest/highest positions of the pelvis and withers were found to be closely related temporally to midstance and start of suspension of the hind/fore quarter, respectively. There were differences in pelvic/withers range of motion between all breeds where the Icelandic horses showed the smallest motion, which may explain why lameness evaluation in this breed is challenging.
Identification of Potential miRNA–mRNA Regulatory Network Associated with Pig Growth Performance in the Pituitaries of Bama Minipigs and Landrace Pigs
Authors: Jiao Yingying , Hao Linlin , Xia Peijun , Cheng Yunyun , Song Jie , Chen Xi , Wang Zhaoguo , Ma Ze , Zheng Shuo , Chen Ting , Zhang Ying , Yu Hao
Published: November 2022

Pig growth performance is one of the criteria for judging pork production and is influenced by genotype and external environmental factors such as feeding conditions. The growth performance of miniature pigs, such as Bama minipigs, differs considerably from that of the larger body size pigs, such as Landrace pigs, and can be regarded as good models in pig growth studies. In this research, we identified differentially expressed genes in the pituitary gland of Bama minipigs and Landrace pigs. Through the pathway enrichment analysis, we screened the growth-related pathways and the genes enriched in the pathways and established the protein–protein interaction network. The RNAHybrid algorithm was used to predict the interaction between differentially expressed microRNAs and differentially expressed mRNAs. Four regulatory pathways (Y-82-ULK1/CDKN1A, miR-4334-5p-STAT3/PIK3R1/RPS6KA3/CAB39L, miR-4331-SCR/BCL2L1, and miR-133a-3p-BCL2L1) were identified via quantitative real-time PCR to detect the expression and correlation of candidate miRNAs and mRNAs. In conclusion, we revealed potential miRNA–mRNA regulatory networks associated with pig growth performance in the pituitary glands of Bama minipigs and Landrace pigs, which may help to elucidate the underlying molecular mechanisms of growth differences in pigs of different body sizes.
Age and Post-Prandial Variations on Selected Metabolites in Dairy Calves Fed Different Liquid Diets
Authors: Cezar Amanda Moelemberg , Dondé Sophia Cattleya , Tomaluski Cristiane Regina , da Silva Ana Paula , Toledo Ariany Faria de , Coelho Marina Gavanski , Virgínio Júnior Gercino Ferreira , Bittar Carla Maris Machado
Published: November 2022

The aim of this study was to evaluate the age and post-prandial variations in selected metabolite concentration that may indicate a shift in metabolism, from pre- to functional ruminant, according to the liquid diet fed to dairy calves. Sixteen newborn Holstein calves were included in the study in a randomized complete block experimental design. The calves were individually housed and fed 6 L/d with whole milk (WM) or milk replacer (MR). Blood samples were collected weekly at 0 h (before feeding), 1 h, 2 h, 4 h, and 8 h after morning feeding to evaluate glucose, β-hydroxybutyrate (BHB), fructosamine, total protein, and albumin. Calves fed WM had higher performance (p < 0.01) than did calves fed MR. The different liquid diets did not affect the average concentrations of plasma glucose. However, BHB was higher for WM-fed calves (p < 0.01). The concentration of plasma glucose reached the highest concentration at 1 and 4 hours after feeding WM or MR, respectively. Thus, these would be the most appropriate sampling times to study the glycemic status of calves according to the liquid diet fed. Fructosamine did not prove to be an informative metabolite to understand the shift in metabolism, as a function of rumen development, due to a small reduction as a function of age and a sampling time effect.
Glycine Alleviated Intestinal Injury by Inhibiting Ferroptosis in Piglets Challenged with Diquat
Authors: Xu Xiao , Wei Yu , Hua Hongwei , Zhu Huiling , Xiao Kan , Zhao Jiangchao , Liu Yulan
Published: November 2022

The purpose of this research was to examine the impact of glycine on intestinal injury caused by oxidative stress in piglets. A 2 × 2 factorial experiment with diets (basic diet vs. 1% glycine diet) and oxidative stress (saline vs. diquat) was conducted on 32 weanling piglets. On day 21, all piglets received an injection of either saline or diquat. After 7 days, all pigs were slaughtered and intestinal samples were collected. Dietary glycine supplementation improved intestinal mucosal morphology, increased the activities of disaccharidases and enhanced intestinal mucosal antioxidant capacity, while regulating the expression of ferroptosis mediators in the piglets under oxidative stress. These findings suggested that dietary glycine supplementation improved the morphology and function of the intestinal mucosa, which was involved in regulating antioxidant capacity and ferroptosis.
Bactericidal and Anti-Biofilm Activity of the FtsZ Inhibitor C109 against Acinetobacter baumannii
Authors: Scoffone Viola Camilla , Irudal Samuele , AbuAlshaar Aseel , Piazza Aurora , Trespidi Gabriele , Barbieri Giulia , Makarov Vadim , Migliavacca Roberta , De Rossi Edda , Buroni Silvia
Published: November 2022

In the last few years, Acinetobacter baumannii has ranked as a number one priority due to its Multi Drug Resistant phenotype. The different metabolic states, such as the one adopted when growing as biofilm, help the bacterium to resist a wide variety of compounds, placing the discovery of new molecules able to counteract this pathogen as a topic of utmost importance. In this context, bacterial cell division machinery and the conserved protein FtsZ are considered very interesting cellular targets. The benzothiadiazole compound C109 is able to inhibit bacterial growth and to block FtsZ GTPase and polymerization activities in Burkholderia cenocepacia, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Staphylococcus aureus. In this work, the activity of C109 was tested against a panel of antibiotic sensitive and resistant A. baumannii strains. Its ability to inhibit biofilm formation was explored, together with its activity against the A. baumannii FtsZ purified protein. Our results indicated that C109 has good MIC values against A. baumannii clinical isolates. Moreover, its antibiofilm activity makes it an interesting alternative treatment, effective against diverse metabolic states. Finally, its activity was confirmed against A. baumannii FtsZ.
The Effect of Dalbavancin in Moderate to Severe Hidradenitis Suppurativa
Authors: Molinelli Elisa , Sapigni Claudia , D’Agostino Giovanni Marco , Brisigotti Valerio , Rizzetto Giulio , Bobyr Ivan , Cirioni Oscar , Giacometti Andrea , Brescini Lucia , Mazzanti Sara , Offidani Annamaria , Simonetti Oriana
Published: November 2022

Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a chronic inflammatory skin disease characterized by painful nodules, abscesses, and fistulas, localized to the areas of the folds where apocrine glands are present: the armpits, groin, inframammary region, and genital or perineal region. The management is still challenging, and it includes mainly systemic antibiotics, immunosuppressors, and biologic agents. Antibiotics are frequently used in the management of HS for their anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, and antimicrobial properties, but no data have been reported regarding the use of dalbavancin in HS. The aim of our practice was to evaluate efficacy, flare, and disease-free survival after dalbavancin therapy in a selected population with HS. We report the experience of the Ancona Dermatology Clinic in treating HS flare-ups with dalbavancin and its rationale for use. Our observation shows that the use of dalbavancin is an effective and well-tolerated treatment for the management of Hurley stage II-III HS; currently, dalbavancin should be considered as a supportive therapy for selected patients.
Dexmedetomidine Attenuates Apoptosis and Neurological Deficits by Modulating Neuronal NADPH Oxidase 2-Derived Oxidative Stress in Neonates Following Hypoxic Brain Injury
Authors: Chen Xiaohui , Chen Dongtai , Chen Pinzhong , Chen Andi , Deng Jianhui , Wei Jianjie , Zeng Weian , Zheng Xiaochun
Published: November 2022

Hypoxic–ischemic brain injury is an important cause of neonatal neurological deficits. Our previous study demonstrated that dexmedetomidine (Dex) provided neuroprotection against neonatal hypoxic brain injury; however, the underlying mechanisms remain incompletely elucidated. Overactivation of NADPH oxidase 2 (NOX2) can cause neuronal apoptosis and neurological deficits. Hence, we aimed to investigate the role of neuronal NOX2 in Dex-mediated neuroprotection and to explore its potential mechanisms. Hypoxic injury was modeled in neonatal rodents in vivo and in cultured hippocampal neurons in vitro. Our results showed that pre- or post-treatment with Dex improved the neurological deficits and alleviated the hippocampal neuronal damage and apoptosis caused by neonatal hypoxia. In addition, Dex treatment significantly suppressed hypoxia-induced neuronal NOX2 activation; it also reduced oxidative stress, as evidenced by decreases in intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, malondialdehyde, and 8-hydroxy-2-deoxyguanosine, as well as increases in the antioxidant enzymatic activity of superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase in neonatal rat hippocampi and in hippocampal neurons. Lastly, the posthypoxicneuroprotective action of Dex was almost completely abolished in NOX2-deficient neonatal mice and NOX2-knockdown neurons. In conclusion, our data demonstrated that neuronal NOX2-mediated oxidative stress is involved in the neuroprotection that Dex provides against apoptosis and neurological deficits in neonates following hypoxia.
Anxiety, Insomnia, and Memory Impairment in Metabolic Syndrome Rats Are Alleviated by the Novel Functional Ingredients from Anacardium occidentale
Authors: Srichomphu Pratthana , Wattanathorn Jintanaporn , Thukham-mee Wipawee , Muchimapura Supaporn
Published: November 2022

Despite an increase in the coexistence of metabolic syndrome (MetS) and psychological disorders, together with their great impact on socio-economic burdens, no protective strategies that focus on these situations are available. Due to the role of oxidative stress in the pathophysiology of metabolic syndrome (MetS) and psychological disorders, we hypothesized that substances possessing antioxidant activity such as the novel functional ingredients from Anacardium occidentale (AO) could mitigate common psychological disorders in MetS rats. Male Wistar rats, weighing 200–250 g, were induced with MetS through a 12-week high-fat and high-cholesterol diet (HFHC). Then, they were given AO orally via a gastric gavage needle at doses of 1, 10 and 100 mg/kg BW for 14 days. Spatial memory, anxiety, depression, and sleep behaviors, together with changes in oxidative stress status and neurotransmitters, were assessed. All doses of AO significantly improved memory, anxiety, and sleep, together with the suppression of oxidative stress, AChE, and GABA-T in the cerebral cortex and hippocampus. These results suggest the protective effect of AO against anxiety, insomnia, and memory impairment that coexist with the MetS condition via an improvement in oxidative stress and the functions of the cholinergic and GABAergic systems. However, this benefit requires clinical confirmation.
Guava Leaf Essential Oil as a Potent Antioxidant and Anticancer Agent: Validated through Experimental and Computational Study
Authors: Mandal Ashok Kumar , Paudel Samrat , Pandey Anisha , Yadav Parasmani , Pathak Prateek , Grishina Maria , Jaremko Mariusz , Emwas Abdul-Hamid , Khalilullah Habibullah , Verma Amita
Published: November 2022

Several drugs now employed in cancer therapy were discovered as a result of anticancer drug research based on natural products. Here, we reported the in vitro antioxidant and anticancer activity followed by in silico anticancer and estrogen-like activity of Psidium guajava L. essential oil against ER-α receptors which lead to potential inhibitory action against breast cancer pathways. Methods: The bioactive compounds in guava essential oil were screened using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Similarly, the antioxidant properties of the extracted oil were evaluated using 2,2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl scavenging assay. Furthermore, the in vitro anticancer activity of guava oil was observed through the MTT assay and an in silico molecular docking experiment was also carried out to ensure that they fit into the estrogen receptors (ERs) and possess anticancer potential. Results: The GC–MS profile of the essential oil revealed the presence of 17 chemicals, with limonene (51.3%), eucalyptol (21.3%), caryophyllene oxide (6.2%), caryophyllene (5.6%), and nerolidol (4.5%) occupying more than one-third of the chromatographic spectrum zone. Guava leaves’ essential oil (EO) inhibited DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) radicals and exhibited concentration dependent free radical scavenging activity, acting as a potent antioxidant with an IC50 value of 29.3 ± 0.67 µg/mL. The outcome of the MTT assay showed that the extracted guava oil had nearly the same efficacy against breast and liver cancer cells at a low concentration (1 µg/mL), giving 98.3 ± 0.3% and 98.5 ± 0.4% cell viability against HepG2 at 1 µg/mL, respectively. When the concentration of essential oil was increased, it showed a small reduction in the percentage of viable cells. While conducting an in silico study of all the screened compounds, the potential for hydroxycaryophyllene, caryophyllene, caryophyllene oxide, humulene, terpineol, and calamenene to inhibit tumor growth was bolstered due to a resemblance to 4-hydroxytamoxifen, thereby implying that these compounds may act as selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs). The ADME analysis of the compounds indicated above revealed that they exhibit excellent drug likeness properties and follow the Lipinski rule of five. Conclusions: Consequently, they have a substantial anticancer therapeutic potential and can be used for novel drug discovery in the effort to minimize the global burden of breast cancer.
Facile Detection of Light-Controlled Radical Scavengers from Natural Products Using In Situ UV-LED NMR Spectroscopy
Authors: Park InWha , Park Goeun , Choi Yoojin , Jo Seung-Woo , Kwon Hak Cheol , Park Jin-Soo , Cha Jin Wook
Published: November 2022

With the recent development of chemical analysis technology, attention has been placed on natural light-sensitive compounds that exhibit photoreactivity to expand the structural diversity of natural product chemistry. Photochemical reactions that proceed via a free radical mechanism could be used to modulate the radical-scavenging ability of natural products as well as involve structural change. As the health benefits of radicals are also presented, there is a need for a controllable radical scavenging method for topical and selective application. In this study, we developed a novel acquisition and processing method to identify light-controlled radical scavengers in plant extracts and evaluate their antioxidant activity under light irradiation based on in situ UV-LED NMR spectroscopy. Using the developed method, licochalcones A and B, in which the trans and cis isomers undergo reversible photoisomerization, were selectively identified from licorice root extract, and their light-induced free radical scavenging activity was confirmed.
Cascaded Reinforcement Learning Agents for Large Action Spaces in Autonomous Penetration Testing
Authors: Tran Khuong , Standen Maxwell , Kim Junae , Bowman David , Richer Toby , Akella Ashlesha , Lin Chin-Teng
Published: November 2022

Organised attacks on a computer system to test existing defences, i.e., penetration testing, have been used extensively to evaluate network security. However, penetration testing is a time-consuming process. Additionally, establishing a strategy that resembles a real cyber-attack typically requires in-depth knowledge of the cybersecurity domain. This paper presents a novel architecture, named deep cascaded reinforcement learning agents, or CRLA, that addresses large discrete action spaces in an autonomous penetration testing simulator, where the number of actions exponentially increases with the complexity of the designed cybersecurity network. Employing an algebraic action decomposition strategy, CRLA is shown to find the optimal attack policy in scenarios with large action spaces faster and more stably than a conventional deep Q-learning agent, which is commonly used as a method for applying artificial intelligence to autonomous penetration testing.
A Safety Assessment for Consumers of Water Using Logical Trees
Authors: Tchórzewska-Cieślak Barbara , Pietrucha-Urbanik Katarzyna , Rak Janusz , Papciak Dorota , Hlavínek Petr , Chmielowski Krzysztof
Published: November 2022

The lack of biochemical stability in drinking water increases the secondary contamination risk in water supply systems and hence represents a sanitary threat to consumers. The work presented here assesses the likelihood of such risk. The assessment is based on data obtained from one of the water treatment plants. The assessment of the bio-chemical instability risk combines both approaches: fault and event trees. Additional consideration was naturally given to the events that initiated the contamination at the outlet of the water treatment plant. It is concluded that if it is to protect the water-supply infrastructure representing a kind of critical infrastructure, a water-supply company needs to put more emphasis on the distribution of stable water in terms of its properties and composition, thus having no potentially corrosive properties. The assessment underlines the importance that water supply utilities should equally consider both the supplied water sanitary quality and the water supply service continuity.
RSVN: A RoBERTa Sentence Vector Normalization Scheme for Short Texts to Extract Semantic Information
Authors: Gao Lei , Zhang Lijuan , Zhang Lei , Huang Jie
Published: November 2022

With the explosive growth in short texts on the Web and an increasing number of Web corpora consisting of short texts, short texts are playing an important role in various Web applications. Entity linking is a crucial task in knowledge graphs and a key technology in the field of short texts that affects the accuracy of many downstream tasks in natural language processing. However, compared to long texts, the entity-linking task of Chinese short text is a challenging problem due to the serious colloquialism and insufficient contexts. Moreover, existing methods for entity linking in Chinese short text underutilize semantic information and ignore the interaction between label information and the original short text. In this paper, we propose a RoBERTa sentence vector normalization scheme for short texts to fully extract the semantic information. Firstly, the proposed model utilizes RoBERTa to fully capture contextual semantic information. Secondly, the anisotropy of RoBERTa’s output sentence vectors is revised by utilizing the standard Gaussian of flow model, which enables the sentence vectors to more precisely characterize the semantics. In addition, the interaction between label embedding and text embedding is employed to improve the NIL entity classification. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed model outperforms existing research results and mainstream deep learning methods for entity linking in two Chinese short text datasets.
Development of a Holographic Waveguide with Thermal Compensation for Augmented Reality Devices
Authors: Solomashenko Artem , Kuznetsov Alexei , Nikolaev Vladimir , Afanaseva Olga
Published: November 2022

In this research, studies were conducted on the possibility of providing thermal compensation of the information display device circuit based on a holographic waveguide when the wavelength of the radiation source ch as a result of changes in ambient temperature. A variant of implementing the waveguide structure in terms of the geometry of the diffraction gratings arrangement is proposed, its main parameters (grating period, thickness, refractive index) and the dependencies between them affecting the quality of the reproduced image are determined.
Skin Byproducts of Reinhardtius hippoglossoides (Greenland Halibut) as Ecosustainable Source of Marine Collagen
Authors: Martins Eva , Fernandes Rita , Alves Ana L. , Sousa Rita O. , Reis Rui L. , Silva Tiago H.
Published: November 2022

Collagen is a ubiquitous protein present in the extracellular matrix of all major metazoan animals, with approximately 28 different human collagen types described in the literature, each with unique physicochemical properties. Collagens found broad application in the cosmeceutical, pharmaceutical, and biomedical fields and can be isolated from environmentally sustainable sources such as marine byproducts, which are abundant in the fish processing industry and are highly appealing low-cost sources. In this study, marine collagen was isolated from the skins of Greenland halibut (Reinhardtius hippoglossoides), an unexplored byproduct from fish processing plants, using three different collagen extraction methods, due to the use of distinct salting-out methods using a solution of 2.6 M NaCl + 0.05 M Tris-HCl pH = 7.5, (method I); a combination of 0.7 M NaCl followed by a solution of 2.3 M NaCl + 0.05 M Tris-HCl pH = 7.5 (method II); and one method using only 0.9 M NaCl (method III), yielding COLRp_I, COLRp_II, and COLRp_III collagens. These extracted type I collagens were produced with a yield of around 2 and 4% and characterized regarding the physicochemical properties, considering possible biotechnological applications. This work evidenced that the typical triple helix structure conformation was preserved in all extraction methods, but influenced the thermal behavior, intrinsic morphology, and moisture capacity of the collagens, with interest for biotechnological application, as the incorporation as an ingredient in cosmetic formulation. Furthermore, the use of collagen isolated from skin byproducts represents a high economic value with decreasing collagen cost for industrial purposes and is also an environmentally sustainable source for industrial uses.
Impact of the Power-Dependent Beam Diameter during Electron Beam Additive Manufacturing: A Case Study with γ-TiAl
Authors: Reith Marcel , Breuning Christoph , Franke Martin , Körner Carolin
Published: November 2022

The development of process parameters for electron beam powder bed fusion (PBF-EB) is usually made with simple geometries and uniform scan lengths. The transfer to complex parts with various scan lengths can be achieved by adapting beam parameters such as beam power and scan speed. Under ideal conditions, this adaption results in a constant energy input into the powder bed despite of the local scan length. However, numerous PBF-EB machines show deviations from the ideal situation because the beam diameter is subject to significant changes if the beam power is changed. This study aims to demonstrate typical scaling issues when applying process parameters to scan lengths up to 45 mm using a fourth generation γ-TiAl alloy. Line energy, area energy, return time, and lateral velocity are kept constant during the additive manufacturing process by adjusting beam power and beam velocity to various scan lengths. Samples produced in this way are examined by light microscopy regarding lateral melt pool extension, melt pool depth, porosity, and microstructure. The process-induced aluminum evaporation is measured by electron probe microanalysis. The experiments reveal undesired changes in melt pool geometry, gas porosity, and aluminum evaporation by increasing the beam power. In detail, beam widening is identified as the reason for the change in melt pool dimensions and microstructure. This finding is supported by numerical calculations from a semi-analytic heat conduction model. This study demonstrates that in-depth knowledge of the electron beam diameter is required to thoroughly control the PBF-EB process, especially when scaling process parameters from simply shaped geometries to complex parts with various scan lengths.
Graph-Based Multi-Label Classification for WiFi Network Traffic Analysis
Authors: Granato Giuseppe , Martino Alessio , Baiocchi Andrea , Rizzi Antonello
Published: November 2022

Network traffic analysis, and specifically anomaly and attack detection, call for sophisticated tools relying on a large number of features. Mathematical modeling is extremely difficult, given the ample variety of traffic patterns and the subtle and varied ways that malicious activity can be carried out in a network. We address this problem by exploiting data-driven modeling and computational intelligence techniques. Sequences of packets captured on the communication medium are considered, along with multi-label metadata. Graph-based modeling of the data are introduced, thus resorting to the powerful GRALG approach based on feature information granulation, identification of a representative alphabet, embedding and genetic optimization. The obtained classifier is evaluated both under accuracy and complexity for two different supervised problems and compared with state-of-the-art algorithms. We show that the proposed preprocessing strategy is able to describe higher level relations between data instances in the input domain, thus allowing the algorithms to suitably reconstruct the structure of the input domain itself. Furthermore, the considered Granular Computing approach is able to extract knowledge on multiple semantic levels, thus effectively describing anomalies as subgraphs-based symbols of the whole network graph, in a specific time interval. Interesting performances can thus be achieved in identifying network traffic patterns, in spite of the complexity of the considered traffic classes.
Modified Uncertainty Error Aware Estimation Model for Tracking the Path of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
Authors: Fu Rui , Al-Absi Mohammed Abdulhakim , Lee Young-Sil , Al-Absi Ahmed Abdulhakim , Lee Hoon Jae
Published: November 2022

Recently, with the advancement of technology, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have had a significant impact on our daily lives. UAVs have gained critical importance due to their potential threat. In this study, the problem of UAV tracks were investigated. The first study deals with a particle filter (PF) and a diffusion map with a Kalman filter (DMK). From the experimental analysis, it is found that both PF and DMK are very suitable for drone tracking because the trajectories of drones are highly uncertain in highly dynamic and noisy environments. To address this problem, we introduce a Kalman filter (KFUEA) for drone tracking based on uncertainty and error. The KFUEA uses regularized least squares (RLS) to minimize measurement errors and provides an appropriate balance between confidence in previous estimates and future measurements. The experiment was conducted to evaluate the performance of KFUEA compared to PF and DMK, taking into account the high uncertainty and noisy UAV tracking environment. The KFUEA algorithm achieved an excellent result in the root mean square error (RMSE) compared to the non-parametric filtering algorithms PF and DMK.
An Approach of Path Optimization Algorithm for 3D Concrete Printing Based on Graph Theory
Authors: Ma Zongfang , Wan Weipeng , Song Lin , Liu Chao , Liu Huawei , Wu Yiwen
Published: November 2022

In this paper, a method of 3D concrete printing is used to find the optimal path of the nozzle running path. We propose a path optimization algorithm based on graph theory to solve two key problems in 3D concrete printing. The partitioning algorithm based on graph theory was adopted to improve the forming quality of concrete components, and ant colony algorithm was used to reduce printing time. The method was evaluated with 3D concrete printing experiments after introducing the process of implementing the partition algorithm and ant colony algorithm. The experiment results show a significant reduction in the idle strokes and the nozzle head-up times of the running path planned by the method in this paper. This has a direct impact on shortening the printing time and improving the forming quality. Compared with the other three conventional algorithms, the idle strokes of the nozzle planned by the method in this paper are reduced by 18.94%, 37.88%, and 66.67%, and the nozzle head-up times are reduced by 1.59%, 2.15%, and 8.69%. It provides a practical reference for the path optimization of 3D concrete printing.
Dark State Magnetometer Based on Enhanced Acousto-Optics Modulator
Authors: Khalid Dastan
Published: November 2022

We report on detailed experimental setup and the results of an enhanced acousto-optics modulator (AOM) setup for observation of a dark state magnetometer. A Λ-type dark state based on D1 line of 87Rb:F=2→F′=1 Zeeman sub-levels with neon (Ne) buffer gas was created using a single laser and a scanning acousto-optics modulator. The technical challenges in using this method and how to overcome these difficulties are discussed, and we report on the observation of a dark state resonance with linewidth of 168 Hz and a detectable magnetic field of 9 nT. This method offers many advantages, including the creation of mutually coherent beams outside an external cavity diode laser (ECDL), where the beams are equally affected by external perturbations to the ECDL. Only factors related to the AOM dictates the difference between the two beams.
Distribution Characteristics and Source Apportionment of Winter Carbonaceous Aerosols in a Rural Area in Shandong, China
Authors: Zou Changwei , Wang Jiayi , Hu Kuanyun , Li Jianlong , Yu Chenglong , Zhu Fangxu , Huang Hong
Published: November 2022

PM2.5 samples were collected for 15 consecutive days in a rural area in Shandong from January to February 2022. The carbon components and water-soluble ions in PM2.5 were measured, and the distribution characteristics and sources of the carbonaceous aerosols were analysed. It was found that the concentrations of PM2.5 in the region were high in winter (55.79–236.11 μg/m³). Organic carbon (OC) and elemental carbon (EC) accounted for 11.61% and 4.57% of PM2.5, respectively. The average concentrations of OC (19.01 μg/m³) and EC (7.49 μg/m³) in PM2.5 were high. The mean value of secondary organic carbon (SOC), estimated by the minimum R squared (MRS) method, was 14.76 μg/m3, accounting for a high proportion of OC (79.41%). Four OC fractions (OC1, OC2, OC3, and OC4) were significantly correlated with SOC, indicating that the OC components contained a large amount of SOC. OC3, OC4, EC1, and OC2 dominated (accounting for 80% of TC) among the eight carbon fractions. Water-soluble organic carbon (WSOC, 12.82 μg/m³) and methanol-soluble organic carbon (MSOC) (16.28 μg/m³) accounted for 67.47% and 84.99% of OC, respectively, indicating that SOC accounted for a high proportion of OC. The proportion of eight water-soluble ions in PM2.5 was 47.48%. NH4+ can neutralise most of the SO42− and NO3−, forming (NH4)2SO4 and NH4NO3, while Cl− mainly exists in the form of KCl and MgCl2. The ratios of some typical components showed that PM2.5 was not only affected by local combustion sources, but also by mobile sources. The cluster analysis results of the backward trajectory model showed that primary and secondary sources in Shandong Province had a great impact on PM2.5 (64%). The analysis results of the positive matrix factorisation (PMF) model showed that the sources of PM2.5 in the region included mobile sources, primary combustion sources, secondary sources, and dust sources, among which secondary sources contributed the most (60.46%).
Hybrid Deep Learning Algorithm for Forecasting SARS-CoV-2 Daily Infections and Death Cases
Authors: Alqahtani Fehaid , Abotaleb Mostafa , Kadi Ammar , Makarovskikh Tatiana , Potoroko Irina , Alakkari Khder , Badr Amr
Published: November 2022

The prediction of new cases of infection is crucial for authorities to get ready for early handling of the virus spread. Methodology Analysis and forecasting of epidemic patterns in new SARS-CoV-2 positive patients are presented in this research using a hybrid deep learning algorithm. The hybrid deep learning method is employed for improving the parameters of long short-term memory (LSTM). To evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed methodology, a dataset was collected based on the recorded cases in the Russian Federation and Chelyabinsk region between 22 January 2020 and 23 August 2022. In addition, five regression models were included in the conducted experiments to show the effectiveness and superiority of the proposed approach. The achieved results show that the proposed approach could reduce the mean square error (RMSE), relative root mean square error (RRMSE), mean absolute error (MAE), coefficient of determination (R Square), coefficient of correlation (R), and mean bias error (MBE) when compared with the five base models. The achieved results confirm the effectiveness, superiority, and significance of the proposed approach in predicting the infection cases of SARS-CoV-2.