bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Lifetime Dual Disorder Screening and Treatment Retention: A Pilot Cohort Study
Authors: Puértolas-Gracia Beatriz , Barbaglia María Gabriela , Gotsens Mercè , Parés-Badell Oleguer , Brugal María Teresa , Torrens Marta , Treviño Lara , Rodríguez-Díaz Concepción , Vázquez-Vázquez José María , Pascual Alicia , Coromina-Gimferrer Marcela , Jiménez-Dueñas Míriam , Oliva Israel , González Erick , Mestre Nicanor , Bartroli Montse
Published: June 2022

The coexistence of a substance use disorder and another mental disorder in the same individual has been called dual disorder or dual diagnosis. This study aimed to examine the prevalence of lifetime dual disorder in individuals with alcohol or cocaine use disorder and their retention in treatment. We conducted a pilot cohort study of individuals (n = 1356) with alcohol or cocaine use disorder admitted to treatment in the public outpatient services of Barcelona (Spain) from January 2015 to August 2017 (followed-up until February 2018). Descriptive statistics, Kaplan–Meier survival curves and a multivariable Cox regression model were estimated. The lifetime prevalence of screening positive for dual disorder was 74%. At 1 year of follow-up, >75% of the cohort remained in treatment. On multivariable analysis, the factors associated with treatment dropout were a positive screening for lifetime dual disorder (HR = 1.26; 95% CI = 1.00–1.60), alcohol use (HR = 1.35; 95% CI = 1.04–1.77), polysubstance use (alcohol or cocaine and cannabis use) (HR = 1.60; 95% CI = 1.03–2.49) and living alone (HR = 1.34; 95% CI = 1.04–1.72). Lifetime dual disorder is a prevalent issue among individuals with alcohol or cocaine use disorders and could influence their dropout from treatment in public outpatient drug dependence care centres, along with alcohol use, polysubstance use and social conditions, such as living alone. We need a large-scale study with prolonged follow-up to confirm these preliminary results.
Document Liveness Challenge Dataset (DLC-2021)
Authors: Polevoy Dmitry V. , Sigareva Irina V. , Ershova Daria M. , Arlazarov Vladimir V. , Nikolaev Dmitry P. , Ming Zuheng , Luqman Muhammad Muzzamil , Burie Jean-Christophe
Published: June 2022

Various government and commercial services, including, but not limited to, e-government, fintech, banking, and sharing economy services, widely use smartphones to simplify service access and user authorization. Many organizations involved in these areas use identity document analysis systems in order to improve user personal-data-input processes. The tasks of such systems are not only ID document data recognition and extraction but also fraud prevention by detecting document forgery or by checking whether the document is genuine. Modern systems of this kind are often expected to operate in unconstrained environments. A significant amount of research has been published on the topic of mobile ID document analysis, but the main difficulty for such research is the lack of public datasets due to the fact that the subject is protected by security requirements. In this paper, we present the DLC-2021 dataset, which consists of 1424 video clips captured in a wide range of real-world conditions, focused on tasks relating to ID document forensics. The novelty of the dataset is that it contains shots from video with color laminated mock ID documents, color unlaminated copies, grayscale unlaminated copies, and screen recaptures of the documents. The proposed dataset complies with the GDPR because it contains images of synthetic IDs with generated owner photos and artificial personal information. For the presented dataset, benchmark baselines are provided for tasks such as screen recapture detection and glare detection. The data presented are openly available in Zenodo.
Deep Learning-Based Automatic Detection of Ships: An Experimental Study Using Satellite Images
Authors: Patel Krishna , Bhatt Chintan , Mazzeo Pier Luigi
Published: June 2022

The remote sensing surveillance of maritime areas represents an essential task for both security and environmental reasons. Recently, learning strategies belonging to the field of machine learning (ML) have become a niche of interest for the community of remote sensing. Specifically, a major challenge is the automatic classification of ships from satellite imagery, which is needed for traffic surveillance systems, the protection of illegal fisheries, control systems of oil discharge, and the monitoring of sea pollution. Deep learning (DL) is a branch of ML that has emerged in the last few years as a result of advancements in digital technology and data availability. DL has shown capacity and efficacy in tackling difficult learning tasks that were previously intractable. Specifically, DL methods, such as convolutional neural networks (CNNs), have been reported to be efficient in image detection and recognition applications. In this paper, we focused on the development of an automatic ship detection (ASD) approach by using DL methods for assessing the Airbus ship dataset (composed of about 40 K satellite images). The paper explores and analyzes the distinct variations of the YOLO algorithm for the detection of ships from satellite images. A comparison of different versions of YOLO algorithms for ship detection, such as YOLOv3, YOLOv4, and YOLOv5, is presented, after training them on a personal computer with a large dataset of satellite images of the Airbus Ship Challenge and Shipsnet. The differences between the algorithms could be observed on the personal computer. We have confirmed that these algorithms can be used for effective ship detection from satellite images. The conclusion drawn from the conducted research is that the YOLOv5 object detection algorithm outperforms the other versions of the YOLO algorithm, i.e., YOLOv4 and YOLOv3 in terms accuracy of 99% for YOLOv5 compared to 98% and 97% respectively for YOLOv4 and YOLOv3.
Observational Analysis of the Formation Reasons and Evolution Law of Winter Counter-Wind Current in Jiazi Sea Area of Northeastern South China Sea
Authors: Chen Yizhan , Cao Yonggang , Liao Shizhi , Ma Yuan , Liu Yuqiang , Ouyang Yongzhong , Xiang Rong
Published: June 2022

Based on the observational data of wind, current, and sea surface temperature in the Jiazi sea area of the northeastern South China Sea in 2018 and the satellite remote sensing data of sea surface temperature in the northern South China Sea, this paper explores the formation reasons and evolution law of winter counter-wind currents in the Jiazi sea area of the northeastern South China Sea. The results show that: (1) The counter-wind current in the Jiazi sea occurs only in certain time periods instead of the entire winter; (2) When the eastern component of wind stress weakens, the eastern component of seafloor friction also weakens to some extent. A high-frequency northeast current often occurs in the bottom layer of the sea area, indicating that the formation of winter counter-wind current in the Jiazi sea area is a result of the concerted action of wind stress, the baroclinic effect, and geostrophic effect; (3) When the counter-wind current is formed, there is a low temperature water mass in the northwest of Jiazi and a high-temperature water mass in the southeast. The baroclinic effect causes the sea water to flow to the shore and produce a westward flow on the shore, and northeastward counter-wind current occurs on convergent sea water on the shore due to the baroclinic effect and geostrophic effect (Ekman effect). Therefore, two different current systems are formed in the northeastern South China Sea in winter with 116° E as the boundary. The appearance of cold water masses in the northwest of 116° E sea area and warm water masses in the southeast of the South China Sea is the key to the formation of both the two different current systems with 116° E as the boundary and the winter counter-wind flow; (4) The formation and disappearance of the counter-wind current can be divided into four stages: in the first stage, the northeast monsoon gradually relaxes to become the southeast wind, forming the northwest current; in the second stage, the warm water masses on the west side of the Luzon Strait flow to the coastal waters due to the northwest current, forming a significant onshore pressure gradient force; in the third stage, a high-temperature seawater convergence zone is formed in the Jiazi sea area, forming southwest and northeast pressure gradient forces, and the northwest coastal current forms a counter-wind current under the combined action of pressure gradient force and geostrophic effect; in the fourth stage, the northeast monsoon intensifies and the counter-wind current weakens gradually until it disappears, and the sea water flows to the southwest again.
A Special Phenotype of Aconidial Aspergillus niger SH2 and Its Mechanism of Formation via CRISPRi
Authors: Yu Le-Yi , Li Lin-Xiang , Yao Lin-Lin , Zheng Jun-Wei , Wang Bin , Pan Li
Published: June 2022

The complex morphological structure of Aspergillus niger influences its production of proteins, metabolites, etc., making the genetic manipulation and clonal purification of this species increasingly difficult, especially in aconidial Aspergillus niger. In this study, we found that N-acetyl-D-glucosamine (GlcNAc) could induce the formation of spore-like propagules in the aconidial Aspergillus niger SH2 strain. The spore-like propagules possessed life activities such as drug resistance, genetic transformation, and germination. Transcriptomic analysis indicated that the spore-like propagules were resting conidia entering dormancy and becoming more tolerant to environmental stresses. The Dac1 gene and the metabolic pathway of GlcNAc converted to glycolysis are related to the formation of the spore-like propagules, as evidenced by the CRISPRi system, qPCR, and semi-quantitative RT-PCR. Moreover, a method based on the CRISPR-Cas9 tool to rapidly recycle screening tags and recover genes was suitable for Aspergillus niger SH2. To sum up, this suggests that the spore-like propagules are resting conidia and the mechanism of their formation is the metabolic pathway of GlcNAc converted to glycolysis, particularly the Dac1 gene. This study can improve our understanding of the critical factors involved in mechanisms of phenotypic change and provides a good model for researching phenotypic change in filamentous fungi.
Soil Chemical Properties, Metabolome, and Metabarcoding Give the New Insights into the Soil Transforming Process of Fairy Ring Fungi Leucocalocybe mongolica
Authors: Duan Mingzheng , Lu Meiling , Lu Jia , Yang Wenjing , Li Bo , Ma Li , Wang Lingqiang
Published: June 2022

A unique ecological landscape distributed in the Mongolian Plateau, called fairy rings, caused by the growth of the fungus Leucocalocybe mongolica (LM) in the soil could promote plant growth without fertilization. Therefore, this landscape can alleviate fertilizer use and has excellent value for agricultural production. The previous studies only investigated several parameters of the fairy rings, such as soil microbial diversity and some soil chemical properties, thus conclusions based on the studies on fairy rings lack comprehension. Therefore, the present study systematically investigated the chemical properties, metabolome, and metabarcoding of LM-transformed soil. We analyzed fairy ring soils from DARK (FR) and OUT (CK) zone correlated growth promotion with ten soil chemical properties, including N, nitrate-N, inorganic-P, cellulose, available boron, available sulfur, Fe, Mn, Zn, and Cu, which were identified as important markers to screen fairy ring landscapes. Metabolomics showed that the accumulation of 17 carbohydrate-dominated metabolites was closely associated with plant growth promotion. Finally, metabarcoding detected fungi as the main components affecting soil conversion. Among the various fungi at the family level, Lasiosphaeriaceae, unidentified_Auriculariales_sp, and Herpotrichiellaceae were markers to screen fairy ring. Our study is novel and systematically reveals the fairy ring soil ecology and lists the key factors promoting plant growth. These findings lay a theoretical foundation for developing the fairy ring landscape in an agricultural system.
Chitin Synthase Genes Are Differentially Required for Growth, Stress Response, and Virulence in Verticillium dahliae
Authors: Qin Jun , Zhao Peichen , Ye Ziqin , Sun Lifan , Hu Xiaoping , Zhang Jie
Published: June 2022

Crop wilt disease caused by Verticillium dahliae usually leads to serious yield loss. Chitin, an important component of most fungal cell walls, functions to maintain the rigidity of cell walls and septa. Chitin synthesis mainly relies on the activity of chitin synthase (CHS). Eight CHS genes have been predicted in V. dahliae. In this study, we characterized the functions of these genes in terms of growth, stress responses, penetration, and virulence. Results showed that VdCHS5 is important for conidia germination and resistance to hyperosmotic stress. Conidial production is significantly decreased in Vdchs1, Vdchs4, and Vdchs8 mutants. VdCHS1, VdCHS2, VdCHS4, VdCHS6, VdCHS7, and VdCHS8 genes are important for cell wall integrity, while all mutants are important for cell membrane integrity. All of the VdCHS genes, except for VdCHS3, are required for the full pathogenicity of V. dahliae to Arabidopsis thaliana and cotton plants. The in vitro and in vivo penetration of Vdchs1, Vdchs4, Vdchs6, and Vdchs7 mutants was impaired, while that of the other mutants was normal. Overall, our results indicate that the VdCHS genes exert diverse functions to regulate the growth and development, conidial germination, conidial production, stress response, penetration, and virulence in V. dahliae.
Exploring Employment Spatial Structure Based on Mobile Phone Signaling Data: The Case of Shenzhen, China
Authors: Lai Yani , Lv Zhen , Chen Chunmei , Liu Quan
Published: June 2022

Debate on the shift from a monocentric to polycentric urban structure has been extensive. Polycentricity generally refers to the co-existence of several centers in a city. Existing studies regarding China have mainly focused on the morphological characteristics of urban centers, but few recent studies have focused on functional dimensions of urban centers. Emerging big data sources provide new opportunities to explore the morphological and functional perspectives of urban spatial structure. This study uses mobile phone signaling data and develops a new methodology to measure urban centers’ functional centrality. The study area focuses on Shenzhen City, which has rapidly transformed from a village into a metropolitan city in the past few decades. As the first economic special zone in China, Shenzhen has adopted a polycentric urban plan since the beginning of the urbanization process. This study explores the spatial employment structure of the city from the morphological and function dimensions. Based on the findings, this study discusses the role of urban planning in forming an urban spatial structure and provides implications for future planning.
Future Role of Exotic Tree Species in Hungarian Built Heritage Environments
Authors: Sárospataki Máté , Szabó Patrícia , Fekete Albert
Published: June 2022

Although some exotic tree species, new to the country at the time, had already been introduced at the turn of the 18th and 19th century in the Hungarian landscape gardens, using foreign tree species in the space composition became widely popular only from the second half of the 19th century. This research focused on determining the date of appearance and compositional role of exotic trees in Hungarian landscape gardens. We can still find aged exotic woody taxa which determine the historical spatial structure in numerous landscape gardens nowadays. The nationwide distribution of these species, and their location within the gardens, can be an important addition to the questions of the revitalization of historical gardens, the more so because they may be indicative of the climate adaptability and, therefore, resilience of built heritage environments. An experimental approach to the introduction and use of new exotic tree species in historic gardens where this approach can be proven to have existed is also discussed as an opportunity to use these gardens in search of new foreign taxa to adapt to climate change.
Which Color Channel Is Better for Diagnosing Retinal Diseases Automatically in Color Fundus Photographs?
Authors: Biswas Sangeeta , Khan Md. Iqbal Aziz , Hossain Md. Tanvir , Biswas Angkan , Nakai Takayoshi , Rohdin Johan
Published: June 2022

Color fundus photographs are the most common type of image used for automatic diagnosis of retinal diseases and abnormalities. As all color photographs, these images contain information about three primary colors, i.e., red, green, and blue, in three separate color channels. This work aims to understand the impact of each channel in the automatic diagnosis of retinal diseases and abnormalities. To this end, the existing works are surveyed extensively to explore which color channel is used most commonly for automatically detecting four leading causes of blindness and one retinal abnormality along with segmenting three retinal landmarks. From this survey, it is clear that all channels together are typically used for neural network-based systems, whereas for non-neural network-based systems, the green channel is most commonly used. However, from the previous works, no conclusion can be drawn regarding the importance of the different channels. Therefore, systematic experiments are conducted to analyse this. A well-known U-shaped deep neural network (U-Net) is used to investigate which color channel is best for segmenting one retinal abnormality and three retinal landmarks.
Steel Plate Surface Defect Detection Based on Dataset Enhancement and Lightweight Convolution Neural Network
Authors: Yang Luya , Huang Xinbo , Ren Yucheng , Huang Yanchen
Published: June 2022

In the production and manufacturing industry, factors such as rolling equipment and processes may cause various defects on the surface of the steel plate, which greatly affect the performance and subsequent machining accuracy. Therefore, it is essential to identify defects in time and improve the quality of production. An intelligent detection system was constructed, and some improved algorithms such as dataset enhancement, annotation and lightweight convolution neural network are proposed in this paper. (1) Compared with the original YOLOV5 (You Only Look Once), the precision is 0.924, and the inference time is 29.8 ms, which is 13.8 ms faster than the original model. Additionally, the parameters and calculations are also far less than YOLOV5. (2) Ablation experiments were designed to verify the effectiveness of the proposed algorithms. The overall accuracy was improved by 0.062; meanwhile, the inference time was reduced by 21.7 ms. (3) Compared with other detection models, although RetinaNet has the highest accuracy, it takes the longest time. The overall performance of the proposed method is better than other methods. This research can better meet the requirements of the industry for precision and real-time performance. It can also provide ideas for industrial detection and lay the foundation for industrial automation.
Parameterization of a Novel Nonlinear Estimator for Uncertain SISO Systems with Noise Scenario
Authors: Azar Ahmad , Abdul-Majeed Farah , Majdi Hasan , Hameed Ibrahim , Kamal Nashwa , Jawad Anwar , Abbas Ali , Abdul-Adheem Wameedh , Ibraheem Ibraheem
Published: June 2022

Dynamic observers are commonly used in feedback loops to estimate the system’s states from available control inputs and measured outputs. The presence of measurement noise degrades the performance of the observer and consequently degrades the performance of the controlled system. This paper presents a novel nonlinear higher-order extended state observer (NHOESO) for efficient state and disturbance estimation in presence of measurement noise for nonlinear single-input–single-output systems. The proposed nonlinear function allows a fast reconstruction of the system’s states and is robust against uncertainties and measurement noise. An analytical parameterization technique is proposed to parameterize the coefficients of the proposed nonlinear higher-order extended state observer in the case of measurement noise in the output signal. Several scenarios are simulated to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed observer.
An Imperfect Repair Model with Delayed Repair under Replacement and Repair Thresholds
Authors: Sun Mingjuan , Dong Qinglai , Gao Zihan
Published: June 2022

Based on the extended geometric process, a repair replacement model of a degradation system is studied, in which the delayed repair time depends on the working time after the last repair. Replacement and repair thresholds describe when the system will be replaced and when the system can be repaired, respectively. Two kinds of replacement policies are studied. One policy is jointly determined by the moment of the Nth failure and the first hitting time of the working time after the last repair for the replacement threshold, and the system is replaced, whichever occurs first; the other is the special case of the first policy, and the system is replaced when the working time after the last repair first hits the replacement threshold. The exact expressions of the long-run average cost rate are obtained. The optimal policies exist and can be ascertained by numerical methods. Finally, numerical examples are presented to demonstrate the application of the results obtained in the paper.
A Verified Implementation of the DPLL Algorithm in Dafny
Authors: Andrici Cezar-Constantin , Ciobâcă Ștefan
Published: June 2022

We present a DPLL SAT solver, which we call TrueSAT, developed in the verification-enabled programming language Dafny. We have fully verified the functional correctness of our solver by constructing machine-checked proofs of its soundness, completeness, and termination. We present a benchmark of the execution time of TrueSAT and we show that it is competitive against an equivalent DPLL solver implemented in C++, although it is still slower than state-of-the-art CDCL solvers. Our solver serves as a significant case study of a machine-verified software system. The benchmark also shows that auto-active verification is a promising approach to increasing trust in SAT solvers, because it combines execution speed with a high degree of trustworthiness.
Sustainable Organic Farming, Food Safety and Pest Management: An Evolutionary Game Analysis
Authors: Zhang Hong , Georgescu Paul
Published: June 2022

There is an increasing realization that industrial, large-scale agriculture can negatively impact both food quality and the environment, and that alternatives should be thoroughly considered. Consisting of various participants with distinct and often competing interests, organic food chains have a dynamic structure. We consider an evolutionary game theory model for the dynamics of an organic supply chain with farmers, their customers and the government as the main stakeholders. After describing stakeholder strategies and constructing appropriate payoff matrices for the interactions between farmers and customers and between farmers and the government, respectively, sufficient conditions for the stability of the equilibria for the associated replicator equations were found. Those conditions were then interpreted in practical terms, the corresponding possible outcomes being determined and numerically illustrated. It was seen that a sustainable shift from a conventional strategy to an organic one requires the efforts of all involved stakeholders. As far as the evolutionary interaction between farmers and customers is concerned, it was seen that the purchasing power and the organic awareness of customers are of the utmost importance for the establishment and diffusion of organic strategies in the supply chain. Furthermore, a situation in which the preferences of farmers and consumers for an organic (or conventional) strategy change periodically may occur. Regarding the evolutionary interaction between farmers and the government, strong support for organic farmers is needed at first, and then the consumption habits and environmental awareness of the consumers can be cultivated. This promotes the establishment, development and enrichment of an organic supply chain which, at a certain point, can persist even without governmental subsidies.
Effect of Cr2O3 on Physicochemical Properties of CaO-SiO2-FetO Slags during BOF Smelting Process of Chromium-Bearing Iron
Authors: Li Shannan , Li Jianli , Yu Yue , Zhu Hangyu
Published: June 2022

The productivity of basic-oxygen-furnace (BOF) smelting process is directly affected by the slag-forming speed during the initial stage of converter. Therefore, it is essential to study the effect of different Cr2O3 content on the physicochemical properties of the primary slag in the smelting process of chromium-bearing semi-steel. In this work, Factsage8.1 software, X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) and a high-temperature melting point tester were used to study the effects of different Cr2O3 content on the melting temperature, solidification behavior, mineral composition, and other physicochemical properties of the CaO-SiO2-FetO system. The results showed that the melting temperature of slag samples increased from 1223 °C to 1354 °C as Cr2O3 increased from 0 wt% to 9.09 wt%. With the increase of Cr2O3, the content of CaFeSi2O6 decreased. Moreover, due to the addition of Cr2O3, the chromium-bearing spinel solid solution (Fe(Fe,Cr)2O4) began to form in the slag. Furthermore, Cr2O3 promoted the increase in the volume of free solid particles in the slag, resulting in an increase in slag viscosity. All in all, the increase of Cr2O3 content in the CaO-SiO2-FetO system will adversely affect the semi-steel steelmaking process.
Real-Time PCR for the Diagnosis of Acanthamoeba Genotype T4
Authors: Lamien-Meda Aline , Köhsler Martina , Walochnik Julia
Published: June 2022

Acanthamoeba spp. are ubiquitous and opportunistic free-living amoebae (FLA) that can cause Acanthamoeba keratitis and other infections in the human host. A quick and efficient diagnosis is often challenging. Our study aimed to establish a qPCR assay to detect and, at the same time, quantify the predominant Acanthamoeba genotype T4. DNA from clinical corneal scrapings and Acanthamoeba reference strains, including genotypes T3, T4, T5, T6, T10, T11, and T12, were used to develop the new T4 assay and it was compared to published protocols and one commercial kit for evaluation. The T4 assay showed no amplification with Acanthamoeba genotypes T3, T5, T6, T10, T11, and T12. The efficiencies ranged from 92.01 to 97.59% (R2 of 0.9768 to 0.9951). The calculated LOD range was 3.63 to 33.27 cells/µL. The protocol published by Qvarnstrom and colleagues was more sensitive compared to the other assays, and an overall good agreement was observed between the new T4 and the Qvarnstrom assays. We successfully developed and validated a genotype T4 assay that could be run in duplex with the Qvarnstrom assay to reliably and simultaneously diagnose Acanthamoeba genotype T4 and other genotypes from clinical samples.
Bound Electron Enhanced Radiosensitisation of Nimorazole upon Charge Transfer
Authors: Kumar Sarvesh , Ben Chouikha Islem , Kerkeni Boutheïna , García Gustavo , Limão-Vieira Paulo
Published: June 2022

This novel work reports nimorazole (NIMO) radiosensitizer reduction upon electron transfer in collisions with neutral potassium (K) atoms in the lab frame energy range of 10–400 eV. The negative ions formed in this energy range were time-of-flight mass analyzed and branching ratios were obtained. Assignment of different anions showed that more than 80% was due to the formation of the non-dissociated parent anion NIMO•− at 226 u and nitrogen dioxide anion NO2− at 46 u. The rich fragmentation pattern revealed that significant collision induced the decomposition of the 4-nitroimidazole ring, as well as other complex internal reactions within the temporary negative ion formed after electron transfer to neutral NIMO. Other fragment anions were only responsible for less than 20% of the total ion yield. Additional information on the electronic state spectroscopy of nimorazole was obtained by recording a K+ energy loss spectrum in the forward scattering direction (θ ≈ 0°), allowing us to determine the most accessible electronic states within the temporary negative ion. Quantum chemical calculations on the electronic structure of NIMO in the presence of a potassium atom were performed to help assign the most significant lowest unoccupied molecular orbitals participating in the collision process. Electron transfer was shown to be a relevant process for nimorazole radiosensitisation through efficient and prevalent non-dissociated parent anion formation.
Poly(Lactic Acid)-Based Graft Copolymers: Syntheses Strategies and Improvement of Properties for Biomedical and Environmentally Friendly Applications: A Review
Authors: Coudane Jean , Van Den Berghe Hélène , Mouton Julia , Garric Xavier , Nottelet Benjamin
Published: June 2022

As a potential replacement for petroleum-based plastics, biodegradable bio-based polymers such as poly(lactic acid) (PLA) have received much attention in recent years. PLA is a biodegradable polymer with major applications in packaging and medicine. Unfortunately, PLA is less flexible and has less impact resistance than petroleum-based plastics. To improve the mechanical properties of PLA, PLA-based blends are very often used, but the outcome does not meet expectations because of the non-compatibility of the polymer blends. From a chemical point of view, the use of graft copolymers as a compatibilizer with a PLA backbone bearing side chains is an interesting option for improving the compatibility of these blends, which remains challenging. This review article reports on the various graft copolymers based on a PLA backbone and their syntheses following two chemical strategies: the synthesis and polymerization of modified lactide or direct chemical post-polymerization modification of PLA. The main applications of these PLA graft copolymers in the environmental and biomedical fields are presented.
Synthesis and Characterization of Vanillin-Based π-Conjugated Polyazomethines and Their Oligomer Model Compounds
Authors: Giraud Lauriane , Grelier Stéphane , Grau Etienne , Garel Laurent , Hadziioannou Georges , Kauffmann Brice , Cloutet Éric , Cramail Henri , Brochon Cyril
Published: June 2022

The synthesis of π-conjugated polymers via an environmentally friendly procedure is generally challenging. Herein, we describe the synthesis of divanillin-based polyazomethines, which are derived from a potentially bio-based monomer. The polymerization is performed in 5 min under microwave irradiation without any metallic catalyst, with water as the only by-product. The vanillin-based polyazomethines were characterized by SEC, TGA, and UV-Vis spectroscopy. Model compounds were designed and characterized by X-ray diffraction and UV-Vis spectroscopy. The structure/properties study of vanillin-based azomethines used as models allowed us to unequivocally confirm the E configuration and to highlight the cross-conjugated nature of divanillin-based polymers.
Essential Oils in Respiratory Mycosis: A Review
Authors: Zuzarte Mónica , Salgueiro Lígia
Published: June 2022

Respiratory mycosis is a major health concern, due to the expanding population of immunosuppressed and immunocompromised patients and the increasing resistance to conventional antifungals and their undesired side-effects, thus justifying the development of new therapeutic strategies. Plant metabolites, namely essential oils, represent promising preventive/therapeutic strategies due to their widely reported antifungal potential. However, regarding fungal infections of the respiratory tract, information is disperse and no updated compilation on current knowledge is available. Therefore, the present review aims to gather and systematize relevant information on the antifungal effects of several essential oils and volatile compounds against the main type of respiratory mycosis that impact health care systems. Particular attention is paid to Aspergillus fumigatus, the main pathogen involved in aspergillosis, Candida auris, currently emerging as a major pathogen in certain parts of the world, and Cryptococcus neoformans, one of the main pathogens involved in pulmonary cryptococcosis. Furthermore, the main mechanisms of action underlying essential oils’ antifungal effects and current limitations in clinical translation are presented. Overall, essential oils rich in phenolic compounds seem to be very effective but clinical translation requires more comprehensive in vivo studies and human trials to assess the efficacy and tolerability of these compounds in respiratory mycosis.
Conversion of Natural Narciclasine to Its C-1 and C-6 Derivatives and Their Antitumor Activity Evaluation: Some Unusual Chemistry of Narciclasine
Authors: Goulart Stollmaier Juana , Thomson Jared , Endoma-Arias Mary Ann , Simionescu Razvan , Vernaza Alexandra , Mesa-Diaz Nakya , Smith Mitchell , Du Liqin , Kornienko Alexander , Hudlicky Tomas
Published: June 2022

During the search for a general, efficient route toward the synthesis of C-1 analogues of narciclasine, natural narciclasine was protected and converted to its C-1 enol derivative using a novel semi-synthetic route. Attempted conversion of this material to its triflate in order to conduct cross-coupling at C-1 resulted in a triflate at C-6 that was successfully coupled with several functionalities. Four novel compounds were fully deprotected after seven steps and subjected to evaluation for cytotoxic activity against three cancer cell lines. Only one derivative showed moderate activity compared to that of narciclasine. Spectral and physical data are provided for all new compounds.
Production and Quality Control of [177Lu]Lu-PSMA-I&T: Development of an Investigational Medicinal Product Dossier for Clinical Trials
Authors: Di Iorio Valentina , Boschi Stefano , Cuni Cristina , Monti Manuela , Severi Stefano , Paganelli Giovanni , Masini Carla
Published: June 2022

Since prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed malignancy in men, the theranostic approach has become very attractive since the discovery of urea-based PSMA inhibitors. Different molecules have been synthesized starting from the Glu-urea-Lys scaffold as the pharmacophore and then optimizing the linker and the chelate to improve functional characteristics. This article aimed to highlight the quality aspects, which could have an impact on clinical practice, describing the development of an Investigational Medicinal Product Dossier (IMPD) for clinical trials with [177Lu]Lu-PSMA-I&T in prostate cancer and other solid tumors expressing PSMA. The results highlighted some important quality issues of the final preparation: radiolabeling of PSMA-I&T with lutetium-177 needs a considerably longer time compared with the radiolabeling of the well-known [177Lu]Lu-PSMA-617. When the final product was formulated in saline, the stability of [177Lu]Lu-PSMA-I&T was reduced by radiolysis, showing a decrease in radiochemical purity (<95% in 24 h). Different formulations of the final product with increasing concentrations of ascorbic acid have been tested to counteract radiolysis and extend stability. A solution of 20 mg/mL of ascorbic acid in saline prevents radiolysis and ensures stability over 30 h.
From a Molecule to a Drug: Chemical Features Enhancing Pharmacological Potential
Authors: Ribaudo Giovanni , Orian Laura
Published: June 2022

Health is a fundamental human right and is a global goal to which extensive research effort is devoted in all fields [...]
The Therapeutic Potential of Kaemferol and Other Naturally Occurring Polyphenols Might Be Modulated by Nrf2-ARE Signaling Pathway: Current Status and Future Direction
Authors: Hussain Yaseen , Khan Haroon , Alsharif Khalaf F. , Hayat Khan Amjad , Aschner Michael , Saso Luciano
Published: June 2022

Kaempferol is a natural flavonoid, which has been widely investigated in the treatment of cancer, cardiovascular diseases, metabolic complications, and neurological disorders. Nrf2 (nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2) is a transcription factor involved in mediating carcinogenesis and other ailments, playing an important role in regulating oxidative stress. The activation of Nrf2 results in the expression of proteins and cytoprotective enzymes, which provide cellular protection against reactive oxygen species. Phytochemicals, either alone or in combination, have been used to modulate Nrf2 in cancer and other ailments. Among them, kaempferol has been recently explored for its anti-cancer and other anti-disease therapeutic efficacy, targeting Nrf2 modulation. In combating cancer, diabetic complications, metabolic disorders, and neurological disorders, kaempferol has been shown to regulate Nrf2 and reduce redox homeostasis. In this context, this review article highlights the current status of the therapeutic potential of kaempferol by targeting Nrf2 modulation in cancer, diabetic complications, neurological disorders, and cardiovascular disorders. In addition, we provide future perspectives on kaempferol targeting Nrf2 modulation as a potential therapeutic approach.
Strategies for the Biofunctionalization of Straining Flow Spinning Regenerated Bombyx mori Fibers
Authors: Lozano-Picazo Paloma , Castro-Domínguez Cristina , Bruno Augusto Luis , Baeza Alejandro , Martínez Adelia S. , López Patricia A. , Castro Ángela , Lakhal Yassmin , Montero Elena , Colchero Luis , González-Nieto Daniel , Rojo Francisco Javier , Panetsos Fivos , Ramos Milagros , Daza Rafael , Gañán-Calvo Alfonso M. , Elices Manuel , Guinea Gustavo Víctor , Pérez-Rigueiro José
Published: June 2022

High-performance regenerated silkworm (Bombyx mori) silk fibers can be produced efficiently through the straining flow spinning (SFS) technique. In addition to an enhanced biocompatibility that results from the removal of contaminants during the processing of the material, regenerated silk fibers may be functionalized conveniently by using a range of different strategies. In this work, the possibility of implementing various functionalization techniques is explored, including the production of fluorescent fibers that may be tracked when implanted, the combination of the fibers with enzymes to yield fibers with catalytic properties, and the functionalization of the fibers with cell-adhesion motifs to modulate the adherence of different cell lineages to the material. When considered globally, all these techniques are a strong indication not only of the high versatility offered by the functionalization of regenerated fibers in terms of the different chemistries that can be employed, but also on the wide range of applications that can be covered with these functionalized fibers.
Insights into the Allosteric Effect of SENP1 Q597A Mutation on the Hydrolytic Reaction of SUMO1 via an Integrated Computational Study
Authors: Ji Mingfei , Chai Zongtao , Chen Jie , Li Gang , Li Qiang , Li Miao , Ding Yelei , Lu Shaoyong , Ju Guanqun , Hou Jianquan
Published: June 2022

Small ubiquitin-related modifier (SUMO)-specific protease 1 (SENP1) is a cysteine protease that catalyzes the cleavage of the C-terminus of SUMO1 for the processing of SUMO precursors and deSUMOylation of target proteins. SENP1 is considered to be a promising target for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and prostate cancer. SENP1 Gln597 is located at the unstructured loop connecting the helices α4 to α5. The Q597A mutation of SENP1 allosterically disrupts the hydrolytic reaction of SUMO1 through an unknown mechanism. Here, extensive multiple replicates of microsecond molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, coupled with principal component analysis, dynamic cross-correlation analysis, community network analysis, and binding free energy calculations, were performed to elucidate the detailed mechanism. Our MD simulations showed that the Q597A mutation induced marked dynamic conformational changes in SENP1, especially in the unstructured loop connecting the helices α4 to α5 which the mutation site occupies. Moreover, the Q597A mutation caused conformational changes to catalytic Cys603 and His533 at the active site, which might impair the catalytic activity of SENP1 in processing SUMO1. Moreover, binding free energy calculations revealed that the Q597A mutation had a minor effect on the binding affinity of SUMO1 to SENP1. Together, these results may broaden our understanding of the allosteric modulation of the SENP1−SUMO1 complex.
Oxidative Cyclization of 5H-Chromeno[2,3-b]pyridines to Benzo[b]chromeno[4,3,2-de][1,6]naphthyridines, Their NMR Study and Computer Evaluation as Material for LED
Authors: Ryzhkova Yuliya E. , Ryzhkov Fedor V. , Fakhrutdinov Artem N. , Elinson Michail N.
Published: June 2022

Oxidative cyclization is one of the most significant reactions in organic synthesis. Naphthyridine derivatives are often used as luminescence materials in molecular recognition because of their rigid planar structure and as new drugs. Organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) have rapidly grown as one of the leading technologies for full-color display panels and eco-friendly lighting sources. In this work, we propose the synthesis of previously unknown benzo[b]chromeno[4,3,2-de][1,6]naphthyridines via intermolecular oxidative cyclization of 5-(2-hydroxy-6-oxocyclohexyl)-5H-chromeno[2,3-b]pyridines in formic acid. The investigation of the reaction mechanism using 1H-NMR monitoring made it possible to confirm the proposed mechanism of the transformation. The structure of synthesized benzo[b]chromeno[4,3,2-de][1,6]naphthyridines was confirmed by 2D-NMR spectroscopy. Such a rigid geometry of synthesized compounds is desired to minimize non-radiative energy losses in OLEDs. The quantum chemical calculations are also presented in the study.
Laser Ion Acceleration in a Near Critical Density Trap
Authors: Necas Ales , Tajima Toshiki , Mourou Gerard , Osvay Karoly
Published: June 2022

In order to accelerate ions by a laser, we go back to the original and the fundamental idea of how longitudinal field structure generation can be carried out in an ionized media and how particles may be trapped by the created wakefield. The latter condition is characterized by the phase velocity of the longitudinal structure vph be equal to the particle trapping width vtr. Since the trapping width is inversely proportional to the square-root of the mass of the accelerated particles, this width is much shorter for ions than for electrons. Thus, our dictum for laser ion acceleration is to impose a near critical density trap to decelerate laser group velocity, vg and subsequently to generate longitudinal wakefield to be able to trap ions under the condition of vtr = vph. We demonstrate this concept by PIC simulation and find that this method is effective, and the efficiency of laser ion acceleration is enhanced by a couple of orders of magnitude toward unity.
Planar Waveguide-Based Fiber Spectrum Analyzer Mountable to Commercial Camera
Authors: Jiang Xinhong , Zhang Ziyang
Published: June 2022

We present the design of a planar spectrometer that separates the wavelength channels from an input fiber and focuses the spectral lines onto a camera without any free-space optical elements. The geometric arrangements of the waveguides to achieve different spectroscopic parameters are explained in detail, allowing adjustable focal lengths, high spectral resolution, and broad free spectral range. The optical chip is fabricated on a low-cost polymer platform as proof of concept. The optical spectrum of a multiwavelength laser is measured by the proposed device, and the result is in good agreement with a commercial optical spectrum analyzer. The large focal depth of the chip allows an optical assembly of much relaxed alignment accuracy. We demonstrate a tube design to encapsulate the chip fixed with the input fiber. The assembly is then mounted to a commercial camera with standard C-mount threading as a convenient fiber spectrum analyzer without customized detectors and circuits. Our design may provide a low-cost and versatile solution for the development of compact spectroscopic equipment.
Cladding-Pumped Er/Yb-Co-Doped Fiber Amplifier for Multi-Channel Operation
Authors: Zakis Kaspars , Olonkins Sergejs , Udalcovs Aleksejs , Lukosevics Ingars , Prigunovs Dmitrijs , Grube Jurgis , Bikse Liga , Supe Andis , Ozolins Oskars , Spolitis Sandis , Bobrovs Vjaceslavs
Published: June 2022

Cladding-pumped erbium (Er3+)/ytterbium (Yb3+)-co-doped fiber amplifiers are more advantageous at high output powers. However, this amplification technique also has potential in telecom-related applications. These types of amplifiers have complex properties, especially when considering gain profile and a pump conversion efficiency. Such metrics depend on the doped fiber profile, absorption/emission spectra, and the input signal power. In this context, we design, build and characterize an inhouse prototype of cladding-pumped Er3+/Yb3+-co-doped fiber amplifier (EYDFA). Our goal is to identify the EYDFA configuration (a co-doped fiber length, pump power, input signal power) suitable for signal amplification in a multichannel fiber-optic transmission system with a dense wavelength allocation across the C-band (1530–1565 nm). Our approach involves experimentally determining the Er3+/Yb3+-co-doped fiber’s parameters to be used in a simulation setup to decide on an initial EYDFA configuration before moving to a laboratory setup. An experimental EYDFA prototype is tested under different conditions using a 48-channel dense wavelength division multiplexing (DWDM, 100 GHz) system to evaluate the absolute gain and gain uniformity. The obtained results allow the cladding pump amplifier’s suitability for wideband signal amplification to be assessed. The developed prototype provides >21 dB of gain with a 12 dB ripple within 1534–1565 nm. Furthermore, we show that the gain profile can be partially flattened out by using longer EYDF spans. This enhances signal amplification in the upper C-band in exchange for a weaker amplification in the lower C-band, which can be marginally improved with higher pump powers.
Low Concentration of Aluminum-Stimulated Pollen Tube Growth of Apples (Malus domestica)
Authors: Zhang Chen , Xie Pengxue , Zhang Qing , Xing Yu , Cao Qingqin , Qin Ling , Fang Kefeng
Published: June 2022

Aluminum (Al) is an important element in soil constitution. Previous studies have shown that high concentration of Al affects the normal growth of crops, resulting in crop yield reduction and inferior quality. Nevertheless, Al has also been referred to as a beneficial element, especially when used at low concentrations, but the cytological mechanism is not clear. Influences of low concentration AlCl3 on the pollen tube growth of apple (Malus domestica) and its possible cytological mechanism were investigated in this study. The results showed that 20 μM AlCl3 promoted pollen germination and tube elongation; 20 μM AlCl3 enhanced Ca2+ influx but did not affect [Ca2+]c of the pollen tube tip; and 20 μM AlCl3 decreased acid pectins in pollen tubes but increased esterified pectins and arabinan pectins in pollen tubes. According to the information provided in this research, 20 μM AlCl3 stimulated growth of pollen tubes by enhancing Ca2+ influx and changing cell wall components.