bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Analytical Calculation of Air-Gap Magnetic Field Distribution in IPMSMs with Mixed Eccentricity Accounting for Bridge Saturation
Authors: Sun Yu , Gu Lichen , Liu Peijin , Chen Jiangcheng , Cheng Donghong
Published: November 2022

This paper presents an analytical model for calculating the detailed air-gap magnetic field distribution in interior permanent magnet synchronous motors (IPMSMs) with mixed eccentricity. In order to improve the efficiency of model solving, a modeling strategy combining the equivalent magnetic circuit network method and the subdomain method was adopted. Specifically, the magnetic field distribution of the rotor was modeled by using the magnetic circuit analysis method, and the magnetic field distributions of the air-gap, slot opening and stator slot along the radial direction were modeled in different regions according to their structure ruler. Then, the influence of bridge saturation was considered. Moreover, based on the analysis of the air-gap geometric structure with mixed eccentricity, a detailed spatiotemporal analytical model of the air-gap magnetic field was established, which provides a more accurate description of the mixed eccentricity composed of static and dynamic rotor eccentricities of different severity. The analytical models were compared with the corresponding models established by the finite element method, which proved the accuracy and validity of the models established in this paper. Finally, some key features related to radial and tangential air-gap flux density were extracted, which can significantly reflect the characteristics of eccentricities. The main findings reported in this paper will be of benefit for developing methods for early identification and diagnosis of eccentricity faults in IPMSMs.
Model-Based Design of Induction Motor Control System in MATLAB
Authors: Krenicky Tibor , Nikitin Yury , Božek Pavol
Published: November 2022

A mathematical model of induction motor (IM) based on the second Kirchhoff’s law with Maxwell’s equation taken into account has been developed. A mathematical model of a three-phase induction motor with a short-circuited rotor in phase axes without taking into account the saturation of the magnetic circuit and the losses in steel has been elaborated. A nonlinear model of asynchronous motor in the state space in the rotating system (d-q) of coordinates synchronized with the stator flux and a simulation model of IM in MatLab/Simulink software, with the possibility of setting angular velocity of rotation and resistance torque, have also been developed. The model-oriented design of the control program is performed on the example of digital signal processors from Texas Instruments on the LAUNCHXL-F28379D board. This description of the dynamics provides a direct insight into the physical processes in IMs. The advantage of the considered mathematical description of electromechanical energy conversion processes in three-phase IM is that it uses instantaneous values of currents and voltages of stator and rotor winding phases as variables.
Enhancing Antifragile Performance of Manufacturing Systems through Predictive Maintenance
Authors: Chenaru Oana , Mocanu Stefan , Dobrescu Radu , Nicolae Maximilian
Published: November 2022

Antifragility was introduced as a term no later than 10 years ago. As presented by Taleb, antifragility means that a system becomes more resilient and more robust with every harmful and/or stressful action it is confronted with. This paper is based on a study which aimed to use the concept of antifragility during the design stage of a self-improving system. This way, it is expected to obtain a fast adaptive system capable of functioning at optimal parameters even when it works under adverse conditions or faces unforeseen changes in the environment. Assuming that an antifragile system not only maintains its robust behavior when faced with stressful and harmful events but even benefits from them to optimize its performance, the paper offers a detailed description of the features that must be ensured when designing a self-improving antifragile manufacturing system. By ensuring the property of antifragility, complex manufacturing systems are much safer to exploit under uncertain conditions, which brings major benefits to the process management. Starting from consecrated solutions such as preventive maintenance (PvM) and predictive maintenance (PdM) and using techniques of artificial intelligence, we present the concept of antifragile maintenance (AfM).
CPAM: Cross Patch Attention Module for Complex Texture Tile Block Defect Detection
Authors: Zhu Wenbo , Wang Quan , Luo Lufeng , Zhang Yunzhi , Lu Qinghua , Yeh Wei-Chang , Liang Jiancheng
Published: November 2022

Due to the little variation in defect points, tile block defect detection typically detects subtle defects in large-format images, allowing defective characteristics to be displayed regionally. Traditional convolutional neural network architectures that extract regional features take into account the connection between regional features simply, resulting in the presence of region-specific bias, which makes tile block defect detection still a challenging task. To address this challenge, this paper divides feature information into patches that can represent different regional features. Additionally, the relationship between different patches and tile block defects is studied; as a result, this paper proposes a new attention mechanism called the Cross Patch Attention Module (CPAM). Since the regional performance of patches is consistent with the tile block defect characteristics, CPAM can distinguish various regional features by patches. Then, in order to create reliable one-dimensional patch information, CPAM provides a method to connect patches linearly in two spatial directions. This takes into account the correlation of adjacent patches in various spatial directions. Finally, by extracting the regional characteristics of patches, CPAM can successfully assist the model in distinguishing the importance of different patches. The experimental results demonstrate that CPAM has excellent performance for tile block defect detection, and plugging CPAM into different end-to-end models can have a good gain effect, which can effectively and stably help the model to complete the task of tile block defect detection.
Efficient Weighted Ensemble Method for Predicting Peak-Period Postal Logistics Volume: A South Korean Case Study
Authors: Kim Eunhye , Amarbayasgalan Tsatsral , Jung Hoon
Published: November 2022

Demand prediction for postal delivery services is useful for managing logistic operations optimally. Particularly for holiday periods, namely the Lunar New Year and Korean Thanksgiving Day (Chuseok) in South Korea, the logistics service increases sharply compared with the usual period, which makes it hard to provide reliable operation in mail centers. This study proposes a Multilayer Perceptron-based weighted ensemble method for predicting the accepted parcel volumes during special periods. The proposed method consists of two main phases: the first phase enriches the training dataset via synthetic samples using unsupervised learning; the second phase builds two Multilayer Perceptron models using internal and external factor-derived features for prediction. The final result is estimated by the weighted average predictions of these models. We conducted experiments on 25 Korean mail center datasets. The experimental study on the dataset provided by Korea Post shows better performance than other compared methods.
A Spectrophotometry Evaluation of Clear Aligners Transparency: Comparison of 3D-Printers and Thermoforming Disks in Different Combinations
Authors: Cremonini Francesca , Vianello Margherita , Bianchi Anna , Lombardo Luca
Published: November 2022

(1) Background: the aim of this study was to investigate the transmittance levels of aligners in relation to different thermoforming disks and printers after 14 days of in vitro aging. (2) Methods: the transmittance level of 18 aligners was investigated. Three printers were used to create the aligner: Carbon L1, Prodways LD20 and RapidShape D100+. Each printer produced 6 aligners: three were made of Zendura FLX material and three of Scheu Ca Pro+. Each sample was subjected to spectrophotometry analysis of its transmittance levels, for a total of 54 measurements at T0. Then, all samples were aged in vitro at a constant temperature in artificial saliva supplemented with food coloring for 14 days each. The spectrophotometry protocol was repeated, and the same 54 measurements were collected at T1 (after aging). The resulting data were analyzed and compared by means of ANOVA (p < 0.05). (3) Results: all tested aligners revealed lower transmittance values after aging. Scheu CA Pro+ aligners showed higher transparency at T0, but a significant worsening of its aesthetic at T1. On the other hand, Zendura FLX aligners presented slightly reduced transmittance levels before aging, which, however, remained more stable after 14 days, showing no significant difference. In the specific, aligners produced by Prodways LD20 printers showed better optical properties than the others, both at T0 and T1. (4) Conclusions: Differences in pre-and-post-aging optical properties of aligners are influenced by the manufacturing process. Both the thermoplastic disks and the printers, thanks to new technologies, played a positive role in the final transparency of the product, which improved in all values compared to previous studies.
Estimating the Radioactive Heat Production of a Granitic Rock in the University of A Coruña (Galicia, Northwest Spain) by Gamma-ray Spectrometry
Authors: Sanjurjo-Sánchez Jorge , Barrientos Rodríguez Victor , Arce Chamorro Carlos , Alves Carlos
Published: November 2022

Geothermal energy is a form of renewable energy with a long tradition in European countries, although it is scarcely used in Spain. One of the reasons for this is the poorly studied geothermal potential of the Spanish territory. In recent years, data published on terrestrial gamma radiation and the geochemistry of radioisotopes in rocks have suggested that the radiogenic heat production (RHP) in some areas of Spain is high. In this work, we assessed the RHP by analysing the U, Th, and K contents of the rocks underlying the most important campus of the University of A Coruña (northwest Spain), using in situ handheld gamma-ray spectrometry (GRS) and X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (XRF). Our results provide a good fit of the radioisotope contents and unexpectedly high RHP, compared with average data observed in similar rocks (granodiorite). These results reveal that GRS is a very reliable tool for studying the RHP of rock surfaces, and that geothermal energy can be used in the area (i.e., the studied campus, but also most of the city of A Coruña, as it is built on the same underlying rock) for central heating in buildings using ground-source heat pumps (GSHPs).
Conjugate Heat Transfer Analysis and Heat Dissipation Design of Nucleic Acid Detector Instrument
Authors: Lin Xiaohui , Cai Weihuang , Huang Shaolei , Zhu Sijie , Zhang Dongxu
Published: November 2022

Temperature affects both the stability of nucleic acid detectors and efficiency of DNA amplification. In this study, temperature and flow inside a nucleic acid detector were simulated and the results were used to design vents for the instrument casing. A test platform was constructed to collect experimental temperature data that were used for simulation validation. The experimental and simulation results showed that the temperature error was less than ±3 K. A total of two heat-dissipation schemes were designed based on the simulation and a new instrument casing was fabricated based on the scheme with the best results. Nucleic acid amplification was performed continuously for 120 min using a prototype with the new casing. The temperatures of the monitoring points were stable and the maximum temperature measured only 307.76 K (34.61 °C). Therefore, waste heat was effectively eliminated, which ensured safety of the electronic components and stability of the nucleic acid detection process.
Finite Element Analysis and Experimental Investigation of Tool Chatter in Ultra-Precision Diamond Micro-Milling Process
Authors: Zhang Haijun , Lu Shijin , Zhang Chunyu , Li Guo , Teng Fei , Zhang Junjie , Sun Tao
Published: November 2022

Ultra-precision milling with an aerostatic high-speed spindle and a single-crystal diamond micro-tool is promising for the fabrication of miniaturized complex parts. While tool chatter occurring in milling processes has a substantial effect on the machined surface formation, a fundamental understanding of the tool chatter behavior in ultra-precision milling is essentially required for achieving an ultra-high surface finish. In this paper, through a combination of finite element simulations and experimental validations, the machining mechanisms of the ultra-precision diamond micro-milling of a copper workpiece are revealed, in which the tool chatter behavior and its correlation with the machined surface morphology are emphatically studied. Specifically, the correlation between the tool chatter and the transient depth of cut is analytical established. Subsequently, we first establish a finite element model of diamond micro-milling with the consideration of milling tool deformation and material removal to reveal the tool chatter behavior during the milling process. Furthermore, a corresponding micro-milling experiment is also conducted to validate the simulation results in terms of the milling force, chip profile and morphology of machined surfaces. Finally, the effect of spindle speed on the milling process in particular tool chatter is investigated by FE simulations, through which a linear relationship between the spindle speed and microscopic roughness Rz of a machined surface is obtained. The research findings provide a theoretical basis for understanding the origination of tool chatter in the diamond micro-milling process, as well as the rational selection of machining parameters for suppressing the tool chatter.
A Named Entity and Relationship Extraction Method from Trouble-Shooting Documents in Korean
Authors: Jeong Minkyu , Suh Hyowon , Lee Heejung , Lee Jae Hyun
Published: November 2022

In enterprises operating large-scale equipment, such as plants, maintenance workers must quickly and accurately find and understand the information in the equipment maintenance documents to perform maintenance tasks effectively. If the equipment maintenance documents include sentences with semantically ambiguous expressions, it will interfere with the maintenance knowledge search, and it may affect the maintenance performance of engineers. In order to solve these problems, text-based research of maintenance documents have been done to extract the key information or knowledge from these documents. Previous studies focused on finding the technical terminologies or calculating the similarity of documents using named entity recognition approaches. This paper proposes a method to extract knowledge of not only the technical terminologies but also their relations. The proposed method uses a rule-based approach that can be applied to the results of a named entity recognition approach and a dependency parsing approach. The named entity recognition approach found technical terms and the dependency parsing approach provided sentence structure information, so that the proposed method showed that a set of rules can extract maintenance knowledge, including entities and their relations. Trouble-shooting documents in the field were used as an experiment to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method, and the experiment showed the possibility of practical use of the proposed method.
Effect of Different Surface Treatments on the Surface Roughness and Gloss of Resin-Modified CAD/CAM Ceramics
Authors: Alhassan Mona , Maawadh Ahmed , Labban Nawaf , Alnafaiy Sarah M. , Alotaibi Hanan N. , BinMahfooz Abdulelah M.
Published: November 2022

The purpose of this in vitro study is to compare the roughness and gloss of four resin-modified CAD/CAM ceramics after different surface treatments. Forty-eight specimens (1.20 × 12 mm2) were prepared from Lava Ultimate (LU), Vita Enamic (VE), Cerasmart (CS), and Crystal Ultra (CU) CAD/CAM ceramics. The prepared specimens were polished with silicon carbide paper before being roughened with a 30 µm grit diamond bur. Each material was allocated into four groups: control (no treatment), Luster Meisinger polishing (MP), Optiglaze (OG), or Meisinger polishing, followed by a final polishing with Shofu Direct Dia Paste (MP+PP). The roughness and gloss were measured after the surface treatment using a profilometer and gloss meter, respectively. Scanning electron microscopy micrographs were obtained to analyze the surface characteristics. Statistical analysis was performed using a multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA), one-way ANOVA, and Dunnett’s post hoc test (α = 0.05). The surface treatments significantly affected the surface roughness and gloss of the tested materials (p < 0.05). All the tested resin-modified CAD/CAM ceramics demonstrated a lower surface roughness and higher gloss after glazing using OG, followed by MP+PP and MP. The highest and lowest Ra were presented by the control VE (0.63 ± 0.23 µm) and glazed LU specimens (0.04 ± 0.01 µm), respectively. The highest and lowest GU were presented by the glazed LU (90.48 ± 4.69 GU) and the control VE specimens (23.32 ± 2.41 GU), respectively. After clinical adjustment, finishing, and polishing, the restoration is essential to obtain a restorative surface with lower roughness and the highest gloss. Surface glazing using Optiglaze exhibited the smoothest and glossiest surface of all the tested resin-modified ceramics.
Experimental and Numerical Testing of Heat Pump Evaporator
Authors: Santa Robert , Bošnjaković Mladen , Čikić Ante
Published: November 2022

When designing a heat pump evaporator, it is necessary to use correlations that ensure small deviations of the designed and realized process parameters for specific input data. The aim of the work is to propose a suitable mathematical model for the physical process in the tubular evaporator of the heat pump. The applicability of the proposed mathematical model in the design of the heat pump was evaluated by comparing the results obtained from the experimental tests of the tubular evaporator of the heat pump with the numerical results obtained from the application of the proposed mathematical model. For the experimental tests, a tubular evaporator was made and 10 measuring points were set up, where the process parameters were measured (temperature and pressure drop of the working media R134a and water). Theoretical results were obtained by dividing the evaporator into control volumes and solving the corresponding system of equations of the proposed mathematical model using the Runge-Kutta and Adams Moulton predictor-corrector method. As an independent parameter, the water temperature at the inlet to the evaporator was varied in the range of 10 °C to 18 °C. The test results show that the largest deviation of the calculated and measured water temperature is +0.41 °C to −0.58 °C, while the refrigerant temperature is +0.43 °C to + 0.52 °C. The largest deviation of the evaporator thermal capacity based on the calculations and experimental tests is +9.39% to −6.31%. Based on the obtained results, it is possible to recommend the use of the proposed mathematical model for the design of the tubular evaporator of a heat pump.
Implementation of Cone Beam Computed Tomography, Digital Sculpting and Three-Dimensional Printing in Facial Epithesis—A Technical Note
Authors: Egelhoff Katarzyna , Idzi Piotr , Bargiel Jakub , Wyszyńska-Pawelec Grażyna , Zapała Jan , Gontarz Michał
Published: November 2022

Prosthetic rehabilitation has hardly changed since the 1970s, and it is a time-consuming process that requires great skill and precision. This article presents the workflow related to the prosthetic reconstruction of patients with extensive maxillofacial defects using digital technologies such as cone beam computed tomography (CBCT), Zbrush software and three-dimensional (3D) printing. The use of CBCT captures a 3D image of a patient’s face in a few seconds, thus shortening the time to prepare an impression and increasing the patient’s comfort. Zbrush digital sculpting software enables one to quickly and efficiently design a prosthetic restoration. Printing a trial version for a try-on, as well as designing and printing pre-cast forms, improves workflow and eliminates the chances of an error. As shown in the example of a patient after a nasal resection, CBCT, digital sculpting, and 3D printing accelerate and improve the workflow of an anaplastologist when designing the epithesis. New technologies reduce costs and save time, while helping to overcome the technical obstacles that limit access to a facial prosthesis.
Prediction of Pollutant Emissions in Various Cases in Road Transport
Authors: Zimakowska-Laskowska Magdalena , Laskowski Piotr , Wojs Marcin K. , Orliński Piotr
Published: November 2022

The road transport sector is a key source of carbon dioxide and air pollutants. Mathematical modeling is frequently used to assess the sector’s contribution to the total national emissions budget (inventory). The present article focuses on studying the impacts of the fuel used (LPG, CNG, gasoline, diesel, and biofuel), the Euro standard, and the structure of vehicles on CO2, NOX, and PM2.5 emissions. This paper presents the results of mathematical simulations of the influence of the fuel type and Euro standards on pollutant emissions. Two scenarios were considered in terms of the effect on CO2, NOX, and PM2.5 emissions: one focused on changing the current fleet and introducing Euro 6/VI vehicles, and the second scenario focused on cities adding low-pollution zones (only Euro 6 vehicles and PHEVs, HEVs, and BEVs entering the city). The results of the simulations showed that Euro 6/IV vehicles emit significantly less PM2.5 and NOX, and biofuels can substantially contribute to reducing emissions.
On the Relative Impact of Optimizers on Convolutional Neural Networks with Varying Depth and Width for Image Classification
Authors: Dogo Eustace M. , Afolabi Oluwatobi J. , Twala Bhekisipho
Published: November 2022

The continued increase in computing resources is one key factor that is allowing deep learning researchers to scale, design and train new and complex convolutional neural network (CNN) architectures in terms of varying width, depth, or both width and depth to improve performance for a variety of problems. The contributions of this study include an uncovering of how different optimization algorithms impact CNN architectural setups with variations in width, depth, and both width/depth. Specifically in this study, three different CNN architectural setups in combination with nine different optimization algorithms—namely SGD vanilla, with momentum, and with Nesterov momentum, RMSProp, ADAM, ADAGrad, ADADelta, ADAMax, and NADAM—are trained and evaluated using three publicly available benchmark image classification datasets. Through extensive experimentation, we analyze the output predictions of the different optimizers with the CNN architectures using accuracy, convergence speed, and loss function as performance metrics. Findings based on the overall results obtained across the three image classification datasets show that ADAM and NADAM achieved superior performances with wider and deeper/wider setups, respectively, while ADADelta was the worst performer, especially with the deeper CNN architectural setup.
CALIPSO Observations of Sand and Dust Storms and Comparisons of Source Types near Kuwait City
Authors: Omar Ali H. , Tackett Jason , Al-Dousari Ali
Published: November 2022

The Lidar on the Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observations (CALIPSO) mission, makes robust measurements of dust and has generated a record that is significant both seasonally and interannually. We exploit this record to determine the properties of dust emanating from different source types during sand and dust storms (SDS). We use the relevant browsed images to describe the characteristics of the SDS layers qualitatively and the average properties quantitatively. In particular, we examine dust optical depths, dust layer frequencies, and layer heights during three sandstorms. The data are screened by using standard CALIPSO quality-assurance flags, cloud aerosol discrimination (CAD) scores, overlying features, and layer properties. To evaluate the effects of the SDS origin, phenomena such as morphology, vertical extent, and size of the dust layers, we compare probability distribution functions of the layer integrated volume depolarization ratios, geometric depths, and integrated attenuated color ratios as a function of source type. This study includes 17 individual dust storm cases observed near the city of Kuwait from three categories of sources: single source, combined sources, and unspecified sources. The strongest dust storms occurred in the summer months. The dust layers reached the highest altitudes for the combined cases. The layer top altitudes were approximately 3 km for the SDS from unspecified and single sources whereas the layer top altitudes averaged 4.1 km for the SDS from combined sources. Particles from single and combined sources recorded depolarization ratios of 0.22 and 0.23, respectively, whereas the depolarization ratios of SDS particles from unspecified sources were noticeably lower at 0.17. SDS from single sources resulted in the highest average AOD (0.66) whereas the SDS from combined sources and unspecified sources resulted in AODs of 0.41 and 0.28, respectively. Winter dust layers were disorganized, especially at night when the boundary layer was weak. The most well-organized layers close to the ground were observed in the daytime during the summer months.
Fast and Slow Laser-Stimulated Degradation of Mn-Doped Li4Ti5O12
Authors: Nikiforov Aleksey A. , K. Kuznetsov Dmitrii , Nasara Ralph N. , Govindarajan Kaviarasan , Lin Shih-kang , Pelegov Dmitry V.
Published: November 2022

Lithium titanate (Li4Ti5O12) is a commercial anode material used for high-power and long-lifespan lithium batteries. The key drawback of this material is its low electronic conductivity. Although doping is commonly used to solve this problem, the introduction of dopants also diminished lattice stability. In this work, we studied fast and slow laser-induced degradation processes of single Mn-doped lithium titanate particles and proposed a physicochemical model of their degradation mechanism. We suppose that the preferable route of LTO alteration is the formation of amorphous phases rather than crystalline decomposition products. Our results may be useful for not only developing a nondestructive characterization tool utilizing Raman spectroscopy but also for understanding other degradation processes, including thermal alteration and structural changes caused by the intercalation/deintercalation cycles of lithium ions.
Glucose-Dependent Insulin Secretion from β Cell Spheroids Is Enhanced by Embedding into Softer Alginate Hydrogels Functionalised with RGD Peptide
Authors: Amin Md Lutful , Deng Kylie , Tran Hien A. , Singh Reena , Rnjak-Kovacina Jelena , Thorn Peter
Published: November 2022

Type 1 diabetes results from the loss of pancreatic β cells, reduced insulin secretion and dysregulated blood glucose levels. Replacement of these lost β cells with stem cell-derived β cells, and protecting these cells within macro-device implants is a promising approach to restore glucose homeostasis. However, to achieve this goal of restoration of glucose balance requires work to optimise β cell function within implants. We know that native β cell function is enhanced by cell–cell and cell–extracellular matrix interactions within the islets of Langerhans. Reproducing these interactions in 2D, such as culture on matrix proteins, does enhance insulin secretion. However, the impact of matrix proteins on the 3D organoids that would be in implants has not been widely studied. Here, we use native β cells that are dispersed from islets and reaggregated into small spheroids. We show these β cell spheroids have enhanced glucose-dependent insulin secretion when embedded into softer alginate hydrogels conjugated with RGD peptide (a common motif in extracellular matrix proteins). Embedding into alginate–RGD causes activation of integrin responses and repositioning of liprin, a protein that controls insulin secretion. We conclude that insulin secretion from β cell spheroids can be enhanced through manipulation of the surrounding environment.
Cryolipolysis on More than One Body Area Increases Lipid Peroxidation without Changing Lipid Profile and Inflammatory Markers
Authors: Costa Antônio Daniel Saraiva da , Oliveira Amanda Suellenn da Silva Santos , Brito Ana Karolinne da Silva , Lopes Lays Arnaud Rosal , Primo Maísa Guimarães Silva , Sales Ana Lina de Carvalho Cunha , Santos Marcos Antônio Pereira dos , Barros Nara Vanessa dos Anjos , Moura-Filho Oséas Florêncio de , Silva Jaynara Keylla Moreira da , Moura Edwiges Ita de Miranda , Lucarini Massimo , Durazzo Alessandra , Arcanjo Daniel Dias Rufino , Martins Maria do Carmo de Carvalho e
Published: November 2022

In the present study, the effects of cryolipolysis on one and multiple body areas, assessing body composition, lipid profile and peroxidation and inflammatory markers were investigated. Twenty-four women aged between 20 and 59 years were randomly assigned to three groups: (1) control, (2) cryolipolysis on the abdomen and (3) cryolipolysis on the abdomen + flanks. Anthropometric measurements, bioimpedance and ultrasound were performed, as well serum lipid profile, lipid peroxidation markers (malondialdehyde and myeloperoxidase) and inflammatory markers (C-reactive protein and Interleukin-1β) were determined. In addition, food consumption and physical activity level were evaluated. Data were obtained at 0, 10 and 30 days (t0, t10 and t30) after cryolipolysis. Cryolipolysis did not change anthropometric measurements, body composition or lipid profile. Interestingly, the abdomen + flanks group had significantly increased plasma myeloperoxidase activity at t0, t10 and t30, and increased malondialdehyde levels at t0 and t10 when compared to the other groups. Furthermore, there were no differences between macronutrient intake and total energy value, physical activity level, malondialdehyde and interleukin-1β at t30. Cryolipolysis did not change body composition, lipid profile or inflammatory markers investigated. On the other hand, when used on the abdomen and flanks, it produced an increase in lipid peroxidation markers, malondialdehyde and myeloperoxidase.
High-Risk Human Papillomavirus Infection in Lung Cancer: Mechanisms and Perspectives
Authors: Osorio Julio C. , Candia-Escobar Felipe , Corvalán Alejandro H. , Calaf Gloria M. , Aguayo Francisco
Published: November 2022

Lung cancer is a very prevalent and heterogeneous group of malignancies, and most of them are etiologically associated with tobacco smoking. However, viral infections have been detected in lung carcinomas, with high-risk human papillomaviruses (HR-HPVs) being among them. The role of HR-HPVs in lung cancer has been considered to be controversial. This issue is due to the highly variable presence of this virus in lung carcinomas worldwide, and the low viral load frequently that is detected. In this review, we address the epidemiological and mechanistic findings regarding the role of HR-HPVs in lung cancer. Some mechanisms of HR-HPV-mediated lung carcinogenesis have been proposed, including (i) HPV works as an independent carcinogen in non-smoker subjects; (ii) HPV cooperates with carcinogenic compounds present in tobacco smoke; (iii) HPV promotes initial alterations being after cleared by the immune system through a “hit and run” mechanism. Additional research is warranted to clarify the role of HPV in lung cancer.
Bioaccumulation of Trace Elements from Aqueous Solutions by Selected Terrestrial Moss Species
Authors: Świsłowski Paweł , Nowak Arkadiusz , Wacławek Stanisław , Silvestri Daniele , Rajfur Małgorzata
Published: November 2022

The interrelationship between metal concentrations in mosses and their surroundings prompts research toward examining their accumulation properties, as it is particularly important for their usage in biomonitoring studies that use mosses. In this study, the kinetics of elemental sorption in three moss species (Pleurozium schreberi, Dicranum polysetum, and Sphagnum fallax) were investigated under laboratory conditions. Sorption from metal salt solutions was carried out under static conditions with decreasing elemental concentration. Functional groups responsible for binding metal cations to the internal structures of the mosses were also identified. It was shown that the equilibrium state was reached after about 60 min. Under the conditions of the experiment, in the first 10 min of the process, about 70.4–95.3% of metal ions were sorbed from the solution into the moss gametophytes by P. schreberi (57.1–89.0% by D. polysetum and 54.1–84.5% by S. fallax) with respect to the concentration of this analyte accumulated in the mosses at equilibrium. It can be assumed that the exposure of mosses with little contamination by heavy metals in an urbanized area under active biomonitoring will cause an increase in the concentration of these analytes in proportion to their concentration in atmospheric aerosols. In the case of P. schreberi and D. polysetum, the O-H/N-H band was enormously affected by the adsorption process. On the other hand, FTIR (Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy) analysis of S. fallax after adsorption showed slight changes for most of the bands analyzed. Based on this study, it can be concluded that mosses can be used as, for example, a biomonitor in monitoring of urban ecosystems, but also in the phytoremediation of surface waters.
Dual Role of ACBD6 in the Acylation Remodeling of Lipids and Proteins
Authors: Soupene Eric , Kuypers Frans A.
Published: November 2022

The transfer of acyl chains to proteins and lipids from acyl-CoA donor molecules is achieved by the actions of diverse enzymes and proteins, including the acyl-CoA binding domain-containing protein ACBD6. N-myristoyl-transferase (NMT) enzymes catalyze the covalent attachment of a 14-carbon acyl chain from the relatively rare myristoyl-CoA to the N-terminal glycine residue of myr-proteins. The interaction of the ankyrin-repeat domain of ACBD6 with NMT produces an active enzymatic complex for the use of myristoyl-CoA protected from competitive inhibition by acyl donor competitors. The absence of the ACBD6/NMT complex in ACBD6.KO cells increased the sensitivity of the cells to competitors and significantly reduced myristoylation of proteins. Protein palmitoylation was not altered in those cells. The specific defect in myristoyl-transferase activity of the ACBD6.KO cells provided further evidence of the essential functional role of the interaction of ACBD6 with the NMT enzymes. Acyl-CoAs bound to the acyl-CoA binding domain of ACBD6 are acyl donors for the lysophospholipid acyl-transferase enzymes (LPLAT), which acylate single acyl-chain lipids, such as the bioactive molecules LPA and LPC. Whereas the formation of acyl-CoAs was not altered in ACBD6.KO cells, lipid acylation processes were significantly reduced. The defect in PC formation from LPC by the LPCAT enzymes resulted in reduced lipid droplets content. The diversity of the processes affected by ACBD6 highlight its dual function as a carrier and a regulator of acyl-CoA dependent reactions. The unique role of ACBD6 represents an essential common feature of (acyl-CoA)-dependent modification pathways controlling the lipid and protein composition of human cell membranes.
Advances in the Preparation of Nanofiber Dressings by Electrospinning for Promoting Diabetic Wound Healing
Authors: Liu Yukang , Li Chaofei , Feng Zhangbin , Han Biao , Yu Deng-Guang , Wang Ke
Published: November 2022

Chronic diabetic wounds are one of the main complications of diabetes, manifested by persistent inflammation, decreased epithelialization motility, and impaired wound healing. This will not only lead to the repeated hospitalization of patients, but also bear expensive hospitalization costs. In severe cases, it can lead to amputation, sepsis or death. Electrospun nanofibers membranes have the characteristics of high porosity, high specific surface area, and easy functionalization of structure, so they can be used as a safe and effective platform in the treatment of diabetic wounds and have great application potential. This article briefly reviewed the pathogenesis of chronic diabetic wounds and the types of dressings commonly used, and then reviewed the development of electrospinning technology in recent years and the advantages of electrospun nanofibers in the treatment of diabetic wounds. Finally, the reports of different types of nanofiber dressings on diabetic wounds are summarized, and the method of using multi-drug combination therapy in diabetic wounds is emphasized, which provides new ideas for the effective treatment of diabetic wounds.
Secretory Leucoprotease Inhibitor (SLPI) Promotes Survival during Acute Pseudomonas aeruginosa Infection by Suppression of Inflammation Rather Than Microbial Killing
Authors: Osbourn Megan , Rodgers Aoife M. , Dubois Alice V. , Small Donna M. , Humphries Fiachra , Delagic Nezira , Moynagh Paul N. , Weldon Sinéad , Taggart Clifford C. , Ingram Rebecca J.
Published: November 2022

Secretory leucoprotease inhibitor (SLPI) has multifaceted functions, including inhibition of protease activity, antimicrobial functions, and anti-inflammatory properties. In this study, we show that SLPI plays a role in controlling pulmonary Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection. Mice lacking SLPI were highly susceptible to P. aeruginosa infection, however there was no difference in bacterial burden. Utilising a model of P. aeruginosa LPS-induced lung inflammation, human recombinant SLPI (hrSLPI) administered intraperitoneally suppressed the recruitment of inflammatory cells in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and resulted in reduced BALF and serum levels of inflammatory cytokines and chemokines. This anti-inflammatory effect of hrSLPI was similarly demonstrated in a systemic inflammation model induced by intraperitoneal injection of LPS from various bacteria or lipoteichoic acid, highlighting the broad anti-inflammatory properties of hrSLPI. Moreover, in bone-marrow-derived macrophages, hrSLPI reduced LPS-induced phosphorylation of p-IkB-α, p-IKK-α/β, p-P38, demonstrating that the anti-inflammatory effect of hrSLPI was due to the inhibition of the NFκB and MAPK pathways. In conclusion, administration of hrSLPI attenuates excessive inflammatory responses and is therefore, a promising strategy to target inflammatory diseases such as acute respiratory distress syndrome or sepsis and could potentially be used to augment antibiotic treatment.
Application of the Dynamical Network Biomarker Theory to Raman Spectra
Authors: Haruki Takayuki , Yonezawa Shota , Koizumi Keiichi , Yoshida Yasuhiko , Watanabe Tomonobu M. , Fujita Hideaki , Oshima Yusuke , Oku Makito , Taketani Akinori , Yamazaki Moe , Ichimura Taro , Kadowaki Makoto , Kitajima Isao , Saito Shigeru
Published: November 2022

The dynamical network biomarker (DNB) theory detects the early warning signals of state transitions utilizing fluctuations in and correlations between variables in complex systems. Although the DNB theory has been applied to gene expression in several diseases, destructive testing by microarrays is a critical issue. Therefore, other biological information obtained by non-destructive testing is desirable; one such piece of information is Raman spectra measured by Raman spectroscopy. Raman spectroscopy is a powerful tool in life sciences and many other fields that enable the label-free non-invasive imaging of live cells and tissues along with detailed molecular fingerprints. Naïve and activated T cells have recently been successfully distinguished from each other using Raman spectroscopy without labeling. In the present study, we applied the DNB theory to Raman spectra of T cell activation as a model case. The dataset consisted of Raman spectra of the T cell activation process observed at 0 (naïve T cells), 2, 6, 12, 24 and 48 h (fully activated T cells). In the DNB analysis, the F-test and hierarchical clustering were used to detect the transition state and identify DNB Raman shifts. We successfully detected the transition state at 6 h and related DNB Raman shifts during the T cell activation process. The present results suggest novel applications of the DNB theory to Raman spectra ranging from fundamental research on cellular mechanisms to clinical examinations.
Pyroptosis in Periprosthetic Osteolysis
Authors: Yin Jian , Yin Zhaoyang , Lai Peng , Liu Xinhui , Ma Jinzhong
Published: November 2022

Periprosthetic osteolysis (PPO) along with aseptic loosening (AL) caused by wear particles after artificial joint replacement is the key factor in surgical failure and subsequent revision surgery, however, the precise molecular mechanism underlying PPO remains unclear. Aseptic inflammation triggered by metal particles, resulting in the imbalance between bone formation by osteoblasts and bone resorption by osteoclasts may be the decisive factor. Pyroptosis is a new pro-inflammatory pattern of regulated cell death (RCD), mainly mediated by gasdermins (GSDMs) family, among which GSDMD is the best characterized. Recent evidence indicates that activation of NLRP3 inflammasomes and pyroptosis play a pivotal role in the pathological process of PPO. Here, we review the pathological process of PPO, the molecular mechanism of pyroptosis and the interventions to inhibit the inflammation and pyroptosis of different cells during the PPO. Conclusively, this review provides theoretical support for the search for new strategies and new targets for the treatment of PPO by inhibiting pyroptosis and inflammation.
Muscle-Specific Ablation of Glucose Transporter 1 (GLUT1) Does Not Impair Basal or Overload-Stimulated Skeletal Muscle Glucose Uptake
Authors: McMillin Shawna L. , Evans Parker L. , Taylor William M. , Weyrauch Luke A. , Sermersheim Tyler J. , Welc Steven S. , Heitmeier Monique R. , Hresko Richard C. , Hruz Paul W. , Koumanov Francoise , Holman Geoffrey D. , Abel E. Dale , Witczak Carol A.
Published: November 2022

Glucose transporter 1 (GLUT1) is believed to solely mediate basal (insulin-independent) glucose uptake in skeletal muscle; yet recent work has demonstrated that mechanical overload, a model of resistance exercise training, increases muscle GLUT1 levels. The primary objective of this study was to determine if GLUT1 is necessary for basal or overload-stimulated muscle glucose uptake. Muscle-specific GLUT1 knockout (mGLUT1KO) mice were generated and examined for changes in body weight, body composition, metabolism, systemic glucose regulation, muscle glucose transporters, and muscle [3H]-2-deoxyglucose uptake ± the GLUT1 inhibitor BAY-876. [3H]-hexose uptake ± BAY-876 was also examined in HEK293 cells-expressing GLUT1-6 or GLUT10. mGLUT1KO mice exhibited no impairments in body weight, lean mass, whole body metabolism, glucose tolerance, basal or overload-stimulated muscle glucose uptake. There was no compensation by the insulin-responsive GLUT4. In mGLUT1KO mouse muscles, overload stimulated higher expression of mechanosensitive GLUT6, but not GLUT3 or GLUT10. In control and mGLUT1KO mouse muscles, 0.05 µM BAY-876 impaired overload-stimulated, but not basal glucose uptake. In the GLUT-HEK293 cells, BAY-876 inhibited glucose uptake via GLUT1, GLUT3, GLUT4, GLUT6, and GLUT10. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that GLUT1 does not mediate basal muscle glucose uptake and suggest that a novel glucose transport mechanism mediates overload-stimulated glucose uptake.
Identification of Transcriptome Biomarkers for Severe COVID-19 with Machine Learning Methods
Authors: Li Xiaohong , Zhou Xianchao , Ding Shijian , Chen Lei , Feng Kaiyan , Li Hao , Huang Tao , Cai Yu-Dong
Published: November 2022

The rapid spread of COVID-19 has become a major concern for people’s lives and health all around the world. COVID-19 patients in various phases and severity require individualized treatment given that different patients may develop different symptoms. We employed machine learning methods to discover biomarkers that may accurately classify COVID-19 in various disease states and severities in this study. The blood gene expression profiles from 50 COVID-19 patients without intensive care, 50 COVID-19 patients with intensive care, 10 non-COVID-19 individuals without intensive care, and 16 non-COVID-19 individuals with intensive care were analyzed. Boruta was first used to remove irrelevant gene features in the expression profiles, and then, the minimum redundancy maximum relevance was applied to sort the remaining features. The generated feature-ranked list was fed into the incremental feature selection method to discover the essential genes and build powerful classifiers. The molecular mechanism of some biomarker genes was addressed using recent studies, and biological functions enriched by essential genes were examined. Our findings imply that genes including UBE2C, PCLAF, CDK1, CCNB1, MND1, APOBEC3G, TRAF3IP3, CD48, and GZMA play key roles in defining the different states and severity of COVID-19. Thus, a new point of reference is provided for understanding the disease’s etiology and facilitating a precise therapy.
Microbiome Shapes the T Cell Receptor Repertoire among CD4+CD8+ Thymocytes
Authors: Surman Sherri L. , Crawford Jeremy , Dash Pradyot , Tonkonogy Susan L. , Thomas Paul G. , Hurwitz Julia L.
Published: November 2022

The microbiome shapes the mature T cell receptor (TCR) repertoire and thereby influences pathogen control. To investigate microbiome influences on T cells at an earlier, immature stage, we compared single-cell TCR transcript sequences between CD4+CD8+ (double-positive) thymocytes from gnotobiotic [E. coli mono-associated (Ec)] and germ-free (GF) mice. Identical TCRβ transcripts (termed repeat, REP) were more often shared between cells of individual Ec mice compared to GF mice (Fishers Exact test, p < 0.0001). Among Ec REPs, a cluster of Vβ genes (Vβ12-1, 12-2, 13-1, and 13-2, termed 12-13) was well represented, whereas 12-13 sequences were not detected among GF REPs (Fishers Exact test, p = 0.046). Vα genes located in the distal region of the TCRα locus were more frequently expressed in Ec mice compared to GF mice, both among REPs and total sequences (Fishers Exact test, p = 0.009). Results illustrate how gut bacteria shape the TCR repertoire, not simply among mature T cells, but among immature CD4+CD8+ thymocytes.
Bare Eye Detection of Bacterial Enzymes of Pseudomonas aeruginosa with Polymer Modified Nanoporous Silicon Rugate Filters
Authors: Alhusaini Qasim , Scheld Walter Sebastian , Jia Zhiyuan , Das Dipankar , Afzal Faria , Müller Mareike , Schönherr Holger
Published: November 2022

The fabrication, characterization and application of a nanoporous Silicon Rugate Filter (pSiRF) loaded with an enzymatically degradable polymer is reported as a bare eye detection optical sensor for enzymes of pathogenic bacteria, which is devoid of any dyes. The nanopores of pSiRF were filled with poly(lactic acid) (PLA), which, upon enzymatic degradation, resulted in a change in the effective refractive index of the pSiRF film, leading to a readily discernible color change of the sensor. The shifts in the characteristic fringe patterns before and after the enzymatic reaction were analyzed quantitatively by Reflectometric Interference Spectroscopy (RIfS) to estimate the apparent kinetics and its dependence on enzyme concentration. A clear color change from green to blue was observed by the bare eye after PLA degradation by proteinase K. Moreover, the color change was further confirmed in measurements in bacterial suspensions of the pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PAO1) as well as in situ in the corresponding bacterial supernatants. This study highlights the potential of the approach in point of care bacteria detection.