bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Sphingolipid Levels and Signaling via Resveratrol and Antioxidant Actions in Cardiometabolic Risk and Disease
Authors: Gaggini Melania , Fenizia Simona , Vassalle Cristina
Published: May 2023

Resveratrol (RSV) is a phenolic compound with strong antioxidant activity, which is generally associated with the beneficial effects of wine on human health. All resveratrol-mediated benefits exerted on different systems and pathophysiological conditions are possible through resveratrol’s interactions with different biological targets, along with its involvement in several key cellular pathways affecting cardiometabolic (CM) health. With regard to its role in oxidative stress, RSV exerts its antioxidant activity not only as a free radical scavenger but also by increasing the activity of antioxidant enzymes and regulating redox genes, nitric oxide bioavailability and mitochondrial function. Moreover, several studies have demonstrated that some RSV effects are mediated by changes in sphingolipids, a class of biolipids involved in a number of cellular functions (e.g., apoptosis, cell proliferation, oxidative stress and inflammation) that have attracted interest as emerging critical determinants of CM risk and disease. Accordingly, this review aimed to discuss the available data regarding the effects of RSV on sphingolipid metabolism and signaling in CM risk and disease, focusing on oxidative stress/inflammatory-related aspects, and the clinical implications of this relationship.
Measurement of Air Layer Thickness under Multi-Angle Incidence Conditions Based on Ultrasonic Resonance Reflection Theory for Flange Fasteners
Authors: Shang Fei , Sun Bo , Zhang Honghui
Published: May 2023

During the servicing of flange fasteners, the sealing gasket and the flange cover interface are prone to separation and air contamination due to factors such as stress, corrosion, and vibration. In the detection process, there are two main issues: firstly, the conventional ultrasonic measurement methods based on the theory of acoustic elasticity are not applicable due to the small thickness of the air layer; secondly, the use of conventional vertical incidence detection methods is difficult to ensure due to the influence of the actual structure. To address these issues, this paper first establishes a mathematical model of ultrasonic resonance reflection, and then calculates the corresponding relationship between the air layer thickness and the resonance frequency under vertical incidence conditions. However, this model is difficult to use to calculate the resonance frequency under different incidence angles. To meet the requirements of different working conditions, a finite element simulation model is further established. By comparing the calculation results of the two models under vertical incidence, the reliability of the established finite element model is verified. The reflection and transmission pressure acoustic field distribution under different incidence angles and air layer thicknesses is simulated, and the function relationship between the incidence angle, air layer thickness, and the corresponding first-order resonance frequency is derived. This enables the measurement of the air layer thickness at any incidence angle, providing technical and theoretical support for practical industrial applications.
Design of a Cargo-Carrying Analysis System for Mountain Orchard Transporters Based on RGB-D Data
Authors: Li Zhen , Zhou Yuehuai , Zhao Chonghai , Guo Yuanhang , Lyu Shilei , Chen Jiayu , Wen Wei , Huang Ying
Published: May 2023

To create a digital unmanned orchard with automation of “picking, load and transportation” in the hills and mountains, it is vital to determine a cargo-carrying situation and monitor the real-time transport conditions. In this paper, a cargo-carrying analysis system based on RGB-D data was developed, taking citrus transportation as the scenario. First, the improved YOLOv7-tiny object detection algorithm was used to classify and obtain 2D coordinate information on the carried cargo, and a region of interest (ROI) was obtained from the coordinate information for cargo height measurement. Second, 3D information was driven by 2D detection results using fewer computing resources. A depth map was used to calculate the height values in the ROI using a height measurement model based on spatial geometry, which obtained the load volume of the carried cargo. The experimental results showed that the improved YOLOv7 model had an accuracy of 89.8% and an average detection time of 63 ms for a single frame on the edge-computing device. Within a horizontal distance of 1.8 m from the depth camera, the error of the height measurement model was ±3 cm, and the total inference time of the overall method was 75 ms. The system lays a technical foundation for generating efficient operation paths and intelligently scheduling transport equipment, which promote the intelligent and sustainable development of mountainous agriculture.
Experiment on Noise Reduction of a Wavy Cylinder with a Large Spanwise Wavelength and Large Aspect Ratio in Aeroacoustic Wind Tunnels
Authors: Xiao Chunhua , Tong Fan
Published: May 2023

Current research shows that the wavy shape can play an important role in drag reduction. Meanwhile, it also has the potential of noise reduction. In the present study, a kind of wavy shape of periodic cosine profile with a large spanwise wavelength and large aspect ratio was applied to the circular cylinder model. The experiments on the influence of various aspect ratios (ratio of wave wavelength to amplitude) on the far-field noise of the wavy cylinder were carried out in a 0.55 m × 0.4 m aeroacoustic wind tunnel. It is shown that the maximum decrease of the far-field SPL (Sound Pressure Level) between the wavy cylinder and baseline cylinder exceeded 37 dB within the frequency between 200 Hz and 1000 Hz. The noise reduction effect of the wavy cylinder will become better along with the increasing aspect ratio. However, there exists a critical aspect ratio near λ/a = 30. If the aspect ratio continues increasing, the noise reduction effect of the wavy cylinder will decrease instead of increasing. Finally, the computational fluid dynamics method is applied to reveal the noise reduction mechanism of this kind of wavy cylinder with a large spanwise wavelength and large aspect ratio. It is found that the periodic shedding vortex is disturbed and tends to be banded instead of showing alternate oscillation. The turbulence intensity and velocity fluctuation around the wavy cylinder will be also reduced. According to the vortex and sound theory, these changes are beneficial to the noise reduction. The large spanwise wavelength and large aspect ratio play a significant role in controlling the shedding vortex variation and adjusting the local flow field around the crest and trough of the wavy cylinder, which is the key factor to change the flow field and reduce the flow-noise of the wavy cylinder.
Design and Analysis of the Composite Stability Control of the Reflective Optoelectronic Platform
Authors: He Keyan , Huang Junxun , Hong Huajie , Yan Xiangda
Published: May 2023

To improve image object detection and tracking, researchers have been exploring methods to enhance the stability and precision of optoelectronic platforms’ line of sight (LOS). The innovation of stability mechanisms is the key driver of this breakthrough. This study presents a composite stability control system for reflective optoelectronic platforms using the integral composite stability principle. A platform kinematic model was established based on multi-body kinematic theory, and a composite stable control strategy was designed. The strategy includes coarse stability design and fine stability design based on residual error feed-forward correction. The performance of the control strategy was analyzed in terms of dynamics, current loop control effects, and loop structure. The proposed control strategy was simulated and experimentally verified for fixed-frequency angular velocity disturbance and translational disturbance. The stability accuracy index of the system was significantly improved after compensation, with improvement of more than 75 times for fixed-frequency angular velocity disturbance and more than 37% for translational disturbance. Comparative experimental results with traditional stable methods show that the proposed composite stable control strategy can significantly improve the system stability, with stability accuracy index improvement of one to two orders of magnitude in micro-radian units compared to traditional algorithms.
Static Video Summarization Using Video Coding Features with Frame-Level Temporal Subsampling and Deep Learning
Authors: Issa Obada , Shanableh Tamer
Published: May 2023

There is an abundance of digital video content due to the cloud’s phenomenal growth and security footage; it is therefore essential to summarize these videos in data centers. This paper offers innovative approaches to the problem of key frame extraction for the purpose of video summarization. Our approach includes the extraction of feature variables from the bit streams of coded videos, followed by optional stepwise regression for dimensionality reduction. Once the features are extracted and their dimensionality is reduced, we apply innovative frame-level temporal subsampling techniques, followed by training and testing using deep learning architectures. The frame-level temporal subsampling techniques are based on cosine similarity and the PCA projections of feature vectors. We create three different learning architectures by utilizing LSTM networks, 1D-CNN networks, and random forests. The four most popular video summarization datasets, namely, TVSum, SumMe, OVP, and VSUMM, are used to evaluate the accuracy of the proposed solutions. This includes the precision, recall, F-score measures, and computational time. It is shown that the proposed solutions, when trained and tested on all subjective user summaries, achieved F-scores of 0.79, 0.74, 0.88, and 0.81, respectively, for the aforementioned datasets, showing clear improvements over prior studies.
Environment Perception with Chameleon-Inspired Active Vision Based on Shifty Behavior for WMRs
Authors: Xu Yan , Liu Cuihong , Cui Hongguang , Song Yuqiu , Yue Xiang , Feng Longlong , Wu Liyan
Published: May 2023

To improve the environment perception ability of wheeled mobile robots (WMRs), the visual behavior mechanism of the negative-correlation motion of chameleons is introduced into the binocular vision system of WMRs, and a shifty-behavior-based environment perception model with chameleon-inspired active vision for WMRs is established, where vision–motor coordination is achieved. First, a target search sub-model with chameleon-inspired binocular negative-correlation motion is built. The relationship between the rotation angles of two cameras and the neck and the camera’s field of view (FOV), overlapping angle, region of interest, etc., is analyzed to highlight the binocular negative-correlation motion compared with binocular synchronous motion. The search efficiency of the negative-correlation motion is doubled compared with binocular synchronous motion, and the search range is also greatly improved. Second, the FOV model of chameleon-inspired vision perception based on a shifty-behavior mode is set up. According to the different functional requirements of target searching and tracking stages, the shift of the robot visual behavior is analyzed from two aspects, measuring range and accuracy. Finally, a chameleon-inspired active-vision-based environment perception strategy for mobile robots is constructed based on the shifty-behavior mode, and experimental verification is deployed, which achieves the reproduction of the visual behavior of chameleons in the vision system of mobile robots with satisfactory results.
The Impact of Water Availability on the Discriminative Status of Nitrogen (N) in Sugar Beet and Celery Using Hyperspectral Imaging Methods
Authors: Siłuch Marcin , Siedliska Anna , Bartmiński Piotr , Kociuba Waldemar , Baranowski Piotr , Krzyszczak Jaromir
Published: May 2023

A pot experiment was conducted to determine the impact of water availability on the discriminatory status of nitrogen (N) in plants using hyperspectral imaging. Nitrogen deficiency causes a significant decrease in chlorophyll concentration in plant leaves regardless of water availability. Five different classification algorithms were used to discriminate between nitrogen concentrations in plants at different levels of water availability. Several statistical parameters, including kappa and overall classification accuracy for calibration and prediction, were used to determine the efficiency and accuracy of the models. The Random Forest model had the highest overall accuracy of over 81% for sugar beet and over 78% for celery. Additionally, characteristic electromagnetic wavelengths were identified in which reflectance correlated with nitrogen and water content in plants could be recorded. It was also noted that the spectral resolution between the N and High Water (HW)/Low Water (LW) treatments was lower in the short-wave infrared (SWIR) region than in the visible and near-infrared (VNIR) region.
Biodiversity Dynamics of Campylobacter Species in Chicken Tissues in Rural Households in Region Epirus, Greece
Authors: Dermatas Argyrios , Rozos Georgios , Voidarou Chrysoula (Chrysa) , Akrida-Demertzi Konstantoula , Demertzis Panagiotis
Published: May 2023

The Campylobacter species is considered as an emerging zoonotic threat to public health. C. jejuni and C. coli are the most studied species, yet a variety of other species of the same genus were found to be the causative agents of other diseases. Chicken meat has been described as an excellent vehicle for the transmission of some Campylobacter species but most of the relevant research has been conducted in urban populations and concerned meat of industrial-grade birds. To investigate the abundance and prevalence of the Campylobacter genus in rural free-grazing chicken, quantitative and qualitative methods at 37 and at 42 °C were employed. The possible correlation of the prevalence with certain epidemiological factors (size of the flock, presence of other poultry species, presence of small ruminants, feeding concentrates, or leftovers) has been also investigated. In total, 242–249 strains (depending on the method) belonging to the following 18 different Campylobacter species have been isolated: C. coli, C. rectus, C. hominis, C. helveticus, C. upsaliensis, C. jejuni, C. avium, C. fetus, C. hepaticus., C. lari, C. sputorum, C. mucosalis, C. gracilis, C. showae, C. hyointestinalis, C. concisus, C. cuniculorum, and C. ureolyticus. The size of the flock and the presence of small ruminants in the same household were the most influential factors affecting the prevalence of most species. Campylobacter species biodiversity can be attributed to environmental, zoonotic, or anthropogenic contamination. Rural populations should be educated about the importance of self-protection measures during their contact with their poultry and the necessity to cook sufficiently the meat.
Prediction and Analysis of Axial Stress of Piles for Piled Raft Due to Adjacent Tunneling Using Explainable AI
Authors: Oh Dong-Wook , Kong Suk-Min , Kim Su-Bin , Lee Yong-Joo
Published: May 2023

Tunneling, especially in urban areas, affects many structures on the ground, which directly influences the usability and stability of the structures. The settlement of and axial stress on the pile foundation are important factors that determine the behavioral characteristics of the pile foundation. Therefore, this study uses numerical analysis and machine learning to derive a prediction model of pile axial stress due to tunnel excavation adjacent to the piled raft. Numerical analysis data were utilized for machine learning purposes, and the effects of the input data on the prediction model were scrutinized. The numerical analysis revealed that the change in the pile axial stress resulting from tunnel excavation differed depending on the pile’s location, with the greatest axial stress reduction occurring in the center of the piled raft. Furthermore, the rate of reduction was higher in soils with lower relative densities. Several algorithms were employed to derive the prediction model, with tree-based algorithms displaying notable performance in predicting pile axial stress. Additionally, preprocessing the data with appropriate feature engineering techniques exhibited superior predictive power, and incorporating settlement data aided in enhancing the prediction model’s performance.
A Study of the Deformation Law of the Surrounding Rock of a Laminated Roadway Based on FLAC3D Secondary Development
Authors: Wang Tuo , Chang Jucai , Wang Hongda
Published: May 2023

To investigate and analyze the influence of different stress environments on the deformation and destabilization of the rocks surrounding laminated roadways under high stress, this study conducted numerical simulations of coal–rock combination under different circumferential pressures and of the surrounding rocks of highly stressed laminated roadways under different lateral pressure coefficients. In addition, a new custom constitutive structure model was constructed based on the Mohr–Coulomb criterion and realized in FLAC3D software by combining field working conditions. The model was then developed in FLAC3D software for a second time. The results show that the calculated results of the model in this study are in good agreement with the experimental results and the errors are small, while the calculated results of the Mohr–Coulomb model differ from the experimental values under two types of surrounding rock pressure. The deformation of the Mohr–Coulomb model is significantly smaller than that of the customized model, which verifies the reasonableness and superiority of the self-built model in combination with the field conditions. This provides theoretical and practical bases for the design and optimization of stratigraphic roadway support in underground coal mines.
A Computer-Aided Algorithm Combined with an Integrated Downhole Method to Improve Shear Wave Detection and Damping Ratio Assessment: Theory and Preliminary Results
Authors: Grelle Gerardo
Published: May 2023

This contribution introduces a computerized semi-automated procedure coupled with a dedicated algorithm to improve shear wave velocity assessment and the on-site elastic damping ratio estimation of ground materials. The standard equipment of the downhole method is integrated with a horizontal geophone (guardian) placed on the field surface. Mask tapering and band multi-filter functions improve first arrival, recognizing and isolating SH-wave trains to estimate damping ratio profiles. These are computed by treating signals using a frequency–time combined approach (frequency–time packets method). The signals are corrected to consider the different source pulse amplitude, the effects of the propagation path, and scattering. The damping ratio profile is statistically computed in terms of the local drift of trend on the amplitude ratio series that would otherwise have a normal distribution centered on zero. These profiles intercept the lithology changes in the test sites and meet the damping values stemming from previous field tests and the laboratory experimental tests available in the literature regarding materials such as the ones investigated here.
Deep Cellular Automata-Based Feature Extraction for Classification of the Breast Cancer Image
Authors: Tangsakul Surasak , Wongthanavasu Sartra
Published: May 2023

Feature extraction is an important step in classification. It directly results in an improvement of classification performance. Recent successes of convolutional neural networks (CNN) have revolutionized image classification in computer vision. The outstanding convolution layer of CNN performs feature extraction to obtain promising features from images. However, it faces the overfitting problem and computational complexity due to the complicated structure of the convolution layer and deep computation. Therefore, this research problem is challenging. This paper proposes a novel deep feature extraction method based on a cellular automata (CA) model for image classification. It is established on the basis of a deep learning approach and multilayer CA with two main processes. Firstly, in the feature extraction process, multilayer CA with rules are built as the deep feature extraction model based on CA theory. The model aims at extracting multilayer features, called feature matrices, from images. Then, these feature matrices are used to generate score matrices for the deep feature model trained by the CA rules. Secondly, in the decision process, the score matrices are flattened and fed into the fully connected layer of an artificial neural network (ANN) for classification. For performance evaluation, the proposed method is empirically tested on BreaKHis, a popular public breast cancer image dataset used in several promising and popular studies, in comparison with the state-of-the-art methods. The experimental results show that the proposed method achieves the better results up to 7.95% improvement on average when compared with the state-of-the-art methods.
Development of a Virtual Reality-Based System for Simulating Welding Processes
Authors: Tran Ngoc-Hien , Nguyen Van-Nghia , Bui Van-Hung
Published: May 2023

Arc welding processes, such as shielded metal arc welding (SMAW), metal inert gas (MIG), and tungsten inert gas (TIG), play an important role in industrial applications. To improve the efficiency of the exploitation of traditional welding systems, new technologies have been used. Virtual reality technology is one of them. The virtual reality (VR)-based welding system enables to increase the frequency of practice to help learners obtain welding experience to avoid errors that occur during actual welding processes. This paper presents a VR-based system for simulating three welding processes: SMAW, MIG, and TIG. The developed system includes hardware components and VR software installed on a computer. The change in the physical devices, such as moving the welding torch and the distance from the welding torch to the plates to generate the weld bead, will update in real time and appear on the virtual environment. The functionality of the developed system for simulating the welding processes, such as in the real welding environment, was tested successfully. For implementing the system, welding speed and the distance from the welding torch to the plates are important process parameters, which determine the weld size or the weld formation. In this research, the ranges of the welding speed are 70 ÷ 120 mm/min; 240 ÷ 460 mm/min; and 250 ÷ 450 mm/min for the SMAW, TIG, and MIG processes, respectively. These values were tested experimentally. The distance from the welding torch to the plates to display the weld joint is 1.5 ÷ 5 mm. Outside of this range, no weld joint is formed. The welding widths are 4.4 ÷ 12.9 mm, 7.1 ÷ 12.4 mm, and 7.4 ÷ 11.3 mm for the SMAW, TIG, and MIG processes, respectively.
A New Probability Distribution: Model, Theory and Analyzing the Recovery Time Data
Authors: Alshanbari Huda M. , Odhah Omalsad Hamood , Ahmad Zubair , Khan Faridoon , El-Bagoury Abd Al-Aziz Hosni
Published: May 2023

Probability models are frequently used in numerous healthcare, sports, and policy studies. These probability models use datasets to identify patterns, analyze lifetime scenarios, predict outcomes of interest, etc. Therefore, numerous probability models have been studied, introduced, and implemented. In this paper, we also propose a novel probability model for analyzing data in different sectors, particularly in biomedical and sports sciences. The probability model is called a new modified exponential-Weibull distribution. The heavy-tailed characteristics along with some other mathematical properties are derived. Furthermore, the estimators of the new modified exponential-Weibull are derived. A simulation study of the new modified exponential-Weibull model is also provided. To illustrate the new modified exponential-Weibull model, a practical dataset is analyzed. The dataset consists of seventy-eight observations and represents the recovery time after the injuries in different basketball matches.
Relational Contractions Involving Shifting Distance Functions with Applications to Boundary Value Problems
Authors: Algehyne Ebrahem Ateatullah , Areshi Mounirah , Khan Faizan Ahmad
Published: May 2023

This manuscript includes certain results on fixed points under a generalized contraction involving a pair of shifting distance functions in the framework of metric space endowed with a class of transitive relation. The results presented herein are illustrated by an example. Finally, we apply our result to compute a unique solution of certain first order boundary value problems.
Metabolically Healthy Obesity Is a Misnomer: Components of the Metabolic Syndrome Linearly Increase with BMI as a Function of Age and Gender
Authors: Marcus Yonit , Segev Elad , Shefer Gabi , Eilam David , Shenkerman Galina , Buch Assaf , Shenhar-Tsarfaty Shani , Zeltser David , Shapira Itzhak , Berliner Shlomo , Rogowski Ori
Published: May 2023

Objectives: We aimed to examine the relationships between body mass index (BMI) and metabolic syndrome (MS) components as a function of age and gender across weight categories. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 19,328 subjects who participated in a health-screening program. We analyzed 14,093 apparently healthy subjects with a BMI ≥ 18.5 kg/m2 (ranging from 18.5 to 46 kg/m2). Results: At a BMI of 18.5 kg/m2, 16% of subjects had one or more MS components (MS ≥ 1). The number of MS components increased linearly with BMI. The most prevalent components for MS1-4 were hypertension (in men) and increased waist circumference (in women). Among 6391 non-obese subjects with MS = 0, there was a linear increase in blood pressure, glucose, and triglycerides, as well as a decline in high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, as BMI increased. In 2087 subjects with a BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2, a true normometabolic state (MS = 0) was observed in only 7.5%, declining to less than 1% at a BMI ≥ 36 kg/m2 (ATP criteria). Women were metabolically protected relative to men between the ages of 30 and 50 years. Conclusions: (A) MS components increase linearly with BMI from the lowest normal BMI and continue to increase with age and BMI; (B) metabolically healthy obesity is rare in subjects with a high BMI and declines with age; (C) hypertension is the most common component in men; and (D) in women, MS components are seen at older ages than in men for the same BMI. Metabolic health declines with age and BMI in nearly all subjects with obesity.
Induction of Hibernation and Changes in Physiological and Metabolic Indices in Pelodiscus sinensis
Authors: Lin Runlan , Wu Jiahao , You Ziyi , Xu Dongjie , Li Caiyan , Wang Wei , Qian Guoying
Published: May 2023

Pelodiscus sinensis (P. sinensis) is a commonly cultivated turtle species with a habit of hibernation. To study the changes in histone expression and methylation of P. sinensis during hibernation induction, a model was established by artificial induction. Physiological and metabolic indices were measured, and the expression and localization of histone (H1, H2A, H2B, H3, and H4) and methylation-related genes (ASH2L, KMT2A, KMT2E, KDM1A, KDM1B, and KDM5A) were measured by quantitative PCR, immunohistochemistry, and Western blot analysis. The results indicated that the metabolism, antioxidation index, and relative expression of histone methyltransferase were significantly decreased (p < 0.05), whereas the activity and expression of histone demethyltransferase were significantly increased (p < 0.05). Although our results showed significant changes in physiological and gene expression after hibernation induction, we could not confirm that P. sinensis entered deep hibernation. Therefore, for the state after cooling-induced hibernation, cold torpor might be a more accurate description. The results indicate that the P. sinensis can enter cold torpor through artificial induction, and the expression of histones may promote gene transcription. Unlike histones expressed under normal conditions, histone methylation may activate gene transcription during hibernation induction. Western blot analysis revealed that the ASH2L and KDM5A proteins were differentially expressed in the testis at different months (p < 0.05), which may perform a role in regulating gene transcription. The immunohistochemical localization of ASH2L and KDM5A in spermatogonia and spermatozoa suggests that ASH2L and KDM5A may perform a role in mitosis and meiosis. In conclusion, this study is the first to report changes in histone-related genes in reptiles, which provides insight for further studies on the physiological metabolism and histone methylation regulation of P. sinensis during the hibernation induction and hibernation period.
Whole Genome Analysis and Assessment of the Metabolic Potential of Gordonia rubripertincta Strain 112, a Degrader of Aromatic and Aliphatic Compounds
Authors: Frantsuzova Ekaterina , Bogun Alexander , Solomentsev Viktor , Vetrova Anna , Streletskii Rostislav , Solyanikova Inna , Delegan Yanina
Published: May 2023

The application of Gordonia strains in biotechnologies of environmental purification as degraders of pollutants of different chemical structures is an interesting research topic. The strain Gordonia rubripertincta 112 (IEGM112) is capable of utilizing diesel fuel, alkanes, and aromatic compounds. The aim of this work was to study the potential of G. rubripertincta 112 as a degrader of aromatic and aliphatic compounds and analyze its complete genome in comparison with other known G. rubripertincta strains. The genome had a total length of 5.28 Mb and contained 4861 genes in total, of which 4799 were coding sequences (CDS). The genome contained 62 RNA genes in total, of which 50 were tRNAs, three were ncRNAs, and nine were rRNAs. The strain bears plasmid elements with a total length of 189,570 nucleotides (plasmid p1517). The strain can utilize 10.79 ± 1.17% of hexadecane and 16.14 ± 0.16% of decane over 3 days of cultivation. In the genome of the strain, we have found metabolic pathways of alkane (cytochrome P450 hydroxylases) and catechol (ortho- and meta-pathways) degradation. These results will help us to further approach the fundamental study of the processes occurring in the strain cells and to enrich our knowledge of the catabolic capabilities of G. rubripertincta.
Glucose-Lowering Effects of Imeglimin and Its Possible Beneficial Effects on Diabetic Complications
Authors: Yanai Hidekatsu , Adachi Hiroki , Hakoshima Mariko , Katsuyama Hisayuki
Published: May 2023

Mitochondrial dysfunction is a prominent pathological feature of type 2 diabetes, which contributes to β-cell mass reduction and insulin resistance. Imeglimin is a novel oral hypoglycemic agent with a unique mechanism of action targeting mitochondrial bioenergetics. Imeglimin reduces reactive oxygen species production, improves mitochondrial function and integrity, and also improves the structure and function of endoplasmic reticulum (ER), changes which enhance glucose-stimulated insulin secretion and inhibit the apoptosis of β-cells, leading to β-cell mass preservation. Further, imeglimin inhibits hepatic glucose production and ameliorates insulin sensitivity. Clinical trials into the effects of imeglimin monotherapy and combination therapy exhibited an excellent hypoglycemic efficacy and safety profile in type 2 diabetic patients. Mitochondrial impairment is closely associated with endothelial dysfunction, which is a very early event in atherosclerosis. Imeglimin improved endothelial dysfunction in patients with type 2 diabetes via both glycemic control-dependent and -independent mechanisms. In experimental animals, imeglimin improved cardiac and kidney function via an improvement in mitochondrial and ER function or/and an improvement in endothelial function. Furthermore, imeglimin reduced ischemia-induced brain damage. In addition to glucose-lowering effects, imeglimin can be a useful therapeutic option for diabetic complications in type 2 diabetic patients.
Fatty Acid Profiles of Some Siberian Bryophytes and Prospects of Their Use in Chemotaxonomy
Authors: Filippova Irina P. , Makhutova Olesia N. , Guseynova Valeriya E. , Gladyshev Michail I.
Published: May 2023

The composition of fatty acids (FAs) in gametophyte samples of 20 Siberian bryophyte species from four orders of mosses and four orders of liverworts collected in relatively cold months (April and/or October) was examined. FA profiles were obtained using gas chromatography. Thirty-seven FAs were found, from 12:0 to 26:0; they included mono-, polyunsaturated (PUFAs) and rare FAs, such as 22:5n–3 and two acetylenic FAs, 6a,9,12–18:3 and 6a,9,12,15–18:4 (dicranin). Acetylenic FAs were found in all examined species of the Bryales and Dicranales orders, dicranin being the predominant FA. The role of particular PUFAs in mosses and liverworts is discussed. Multivariate discriminant analysis (MDA) was performed to determine whether FAs can be used in the chemotaxonomy of bryophytes. Based on the MDA results, FA composition is related to the taxonomic status of species. Thus, several individual FAs were identified as chemotaxonomic markers at the level of bryophyte orders. These were 18:3n–3; 18:4n–3; 6a,9,12–18:3; 6a,9,12,15–18:4; 20:4n–3 and EPA in mosses and 16:3n–3; 16:2n–6; 18:2n–6; 18:3n–3 and EPA in liverworts. These findings indicate that further research into bryophyte FA profiles can shed light on phylogenetic relationships within this group of plants and the evolution of their metabolic pathways.
Investigating the Effect of Cigarette Smoking on Serum Uric Acid Levels in Multiple Sclerosis Patients: A Cross Sectional Study
Authors: Alrouji Mohammed , Manouchehrinia Ali , Aram Jehan , Alotaibi Abdulmajeed , Alhajlah Sharif , Almuhanna Yasir , Alomeir Othman , Shamsi Anas , Gran Bruno , Constantinescu Cris S.
Published: May 2023

Objectives: The present study is aimed at determining the effect of cigarette smoking (CS) on serum uric acid (UA) levels quantitatively before and after smoking cessation among people with MS (pwMS). Additionally, a possible correlation between UA levels and both disability progression and disease severity was also investigated. A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted using the Nottingham University Hospitals MS Clinics database. It involves 127 people with definite MS recorded when reporting the latest smoking status and the clinical diagnosis. All necessary demographics and clinical characteristics were collected. We found that smoker pwMS had significantly lower serum UA levels than non-smoker pwMS (p-value = 0.0475), and this reduction was recovered after smoking cessation (p-value = 0.0216). However, the levels of disability or disease severity were not correlated with the levels of serum UA in current smoker pwMS, measured by the expanded disability status scale (EDSS; r = −0.24; p-value = 0.38), multiple sclerosis impact scale 29 (MSIS-29; r = 0.01; p-value = 0.97) and MS severity score (MSSS; r = −0.16; p-value = 0.58), respectively. Our result suggests that the reduction in UA levels is more likely a consequence of oxidative stress triggered by many risk factors, including CS, and could be considered a potential indicator of smoking cessation. In addition, the absence of a correlation between UA levels and disease severity and disability suggests that UA is not an optimal biomarker for disease severity and disability prediction among current smoker, ex-smoker or non-smoker pwMS.
Erectile Dysfunction: Treatments, Advances and New Therapeutic Strategies
Authors: Argiolas Antonio , Argiolas Francesco Mario , Argiolas Giacomo , Melis Maria Rosaria
Published: May 2023

Erectile dysfunction (ED) is the inability to get and maintain an adequate penile erection for satisfactory sexual intercourse. Due to its negative impacts on men’s life quality and increase during aging (40% of men between 40 and 70 years), ED has always attracted researchers of different disciplines, from urology, andrology and neuropharmacology to regenerative medicine, and vascular and prosthesis implant surgery. Locally and/or centrally acting drugs are used to treat ED, e.g., phosphodiesterase 5 inhibitors (first in the list) given orally, and phentolamine, prostaglandin E1 and papaverine injected intracavernously. Preclinical data also show that dopamine D4 receptor agonists, oxytocin and α-MSH analogues may have a role in ED treatment. However, since pro-erectile drugs are given on demand and are not always efficacious, new strategies are being tested for long lasting cures of ED. These include regenerative therapies, e.g., stem cells, plasma-enriched platelets and extracorporeal shock wave treatments to cure damaged erectile tissues. Although fascinating, these therapies are laborious, expensive and not easily reproducible. This leaves old vacuum erection devices and penile prostheses as the only way to get an artificial erection and sexual intercourse with intractable ED, with penile prosthesis used only by accurately selected patients.
Beyond Reactive Inhibition: Unpacking the Multifaceted Nature of Motor Inhibition
Authors: Mirabella Giovanni
Published: May 2023

Inhibition is a pillar of cognitive control, i [...]
Machine Learning for Early Diagnosis of ATTRv Amyloidosis in Non-Endemic Areas: A Multicenter Study from Italy
Authors: Di Stefano Vincenzo , Prinzi Francesco , Luigetti Marco , Russo Massimo , Tozza Stefano , Alonge Paolo , Romano Angela , Sciarrone Maria Ausilia , Vitali Francesca , Mazzeo Anna , Gentile Luca , Palumbo Giovanni , Manganelli Fiore , Vitabile Salvatore , Brighina Filippo
Published: May 2023

Background: Hereditary transthyretin amyloidosis with polyneuropathy (ATTRv) is an adult-onset multisystemic disease, affecting the peripheral nerves, heart, gastrointestinal tract, eyes, and kidneys. Nowadays, several treatment options are available; thus, avoiding misdiagnosis is crucial to starting therapy in early disease stages. However, clinical diagnosis may be difficult, as the disease may present with unspecific symptoms and signs. We hypothesize that the diagnostic process may benefit from the use of machine learning (ML). Methods: 397 patients referring to neuromuscular clinics in 4 centers from the south of Italy with neuropathy and at least 1 more red flag, as well as undergoing genetic testing for ATTRv, were considered. Then, only probands were considered for analysis. Hence, a cohort of 184 patients, 93 with positive and 91 (age- and sex-matched) with negative genetics, was considered for the classification task. The XGBoost (XGB) algorithm was trained to classify positive and negative TTR mutation patients. The SHAP method was used as an explainable artificial intelligence algorithm to interpret the model findings. Results: diabetes, gender, unexplained weight loss, cardiomyopathy, bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS), ocular symptoms, autonomic symptoms, ataxia, renal dysfunction, lumbar canal stenosis, and history of autoimmunity were used for the model training. The XGB model showed an accuracy of 0.707 ± 0.101, a sensitivity of 0.712 ± 0.147, a specificity of 0.704 ± 0.150, and an AUC-ROC of 0.752 ± 0.107. Using the SHAP explanation, it was confirmed that unexplained weight loss, gastrointestinal symptoms, and cardiomyopathy showed a significant association with the genetic diagnosis of ATTRv, while bilateral CTS, diabetes, autoimmunity, and ocular and renal involvement were associated with a negative genetic test. Conclusions: Our data show that ML might potentially be a useful instrument to identify patients with neuropathy that should undergo genetic testing for ATTRv. Unexplained weight loss and cardiomyopathy are relevant red flags in ATTRv in the south of Italy. Further studies are needed to confirm these findings.
Item-Level Scores on the Boston Naming Test as an Independent Predictor of Perirhinal Volume in Individuals with Mild Cognitive Impairment
Authors: De Marco Matteo , Bocchetta Martina , Venneri Annalena ,   for the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative
Published: May 2023

We explored the methodological value of an item-level scoring procedure applied to the Boston Naming Test (BNT), and the extent to which this scoring approach predicts grey matter (GM) variability in regions that sustain semantic memory. Twenty-seven BNT items administered as part of the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative were scored according to their “sensorimotor interaction” (SMI) value. Quantitative scores (i.e., the count of correctly named items) and qualitative scores (i.e., the average of SMI scores for correctly named items) were used as independent predictors of neuroanatomical GM maps in two sub-cohorts of 197 healthy adults and 350 mild cognitive impairment (MCI) participants. Quantitative scores predicted clusters of temporal and mediotemporal GM in both sub-cohorts. After accounting for quantitative scores, the qualitative scores predicted mediotemporal GM clusters in the MCI sub-cohort; clusters extended to the anterior parahippocampal gyrus and encompassed the perirhinal cortex. This was confirmed by a significant yet modest association between qualitative scores and region-of-interest-informed perirhinal volumes extracted post hoc. Item-level scoring of BNT performance provides complementary information to standard quantitative scores. The concurrent use of quantitative and qualitative scores may help profile lexical–semantic access more precisely, and might help detect changes in semantic memory that are typical of early-stage Alzheimer’s disease.
Outcomes Associated with a Single Joystick-Operated Ride-on-Toy Navigation Training Incorporated into a Constraint-Induced Movement Therapy Program: A Pilot Feasibility Study
Authors: Srinivasan Sudha , Amonkar Nidhi , Kumavor Patrick , Morgan Kristin , Bubela Deborah
Published: May 2023

Our research aims to evaluate the utility of joystick-operated ride-on-toys (ROTs) as therapeutic adjuncts to improve upper extremity (UE) function in children with hemiplegic cerebral palsy (HCP). This study assessed changes in affected UE use and function following a three-week ROT navigation training incorporated into an existing constraint-induced movement therapy (CIMT) camp in 11 children (3–14 years old) with HCP. We report changes in scores on the standardized Shriners Hospital Upper Extremity Evaluation (SHUEE) from pretest-to-posttest and changes from early-to-late sessions in percent time spent by the affected arm in: (a) “moderate-to-vigorous activity”, “light activity” and “no activity” bouts based on accelerometer data and (b) “independent”, “assisted”, and “no activity” bouts based on video data. We also explored relationships between standardized measures and training-specific measures of affected UE activity. We found small-to-medium improvements in the SHUEE scores. Between 90 and 100% of children also showed medium-to-large improvements in affected UE activity from early-to-late sessions using accelerometers and small improvements via video-based assessments. Exploratory analyses suggested trends for relationships between pretest-posttest and training-specific objective and subjective measures of arm use and function. Our pilot data suggest that single joystick-operated ROTs may serve as motivating, child-friendly tools that can augment conventional therapies such as CIMT to boost treatment dosing, promote affected UE movement practice during real-world navigation tasks, and ultimately improve functional outcomes in children with HCP.
Analyzing the Relationship between Supervisors and Post-Graduates Based on Differential Game Theory
Authors: Liu Fangfang , Fan Ning , Zhu Jiangjun , Li Chaoping , Xie Shaobo
Published: May 2023

A healthy relationship between supervisors and postgraduates is critical for their academic achievements and personal development. This paper quantitatively discusses such a relationship from the viewpoint of differential game theory. First, a mathematic model was established to describe the evolutionary dynamics of the academic level of the supervisor-postgraduate community, which is related to the two parties’ positive and negative efforts. Then, the objective function aimed at maximizing the individual and total benefit of the community was constructed. After that, the differential game relationships in the non-cooperative, cooperative and Stackelberg scenarios were formulated and solved. A comparison of the three game scenarios showed that the optimal academic level and total benefit of the community were 22% higher in the cooperative scenario than in the non-cooperative and Stackelberg game scenarios. Moreover, the influence of model parameters on the game results was analyzed. The results indicate that, for the supervisor-led Stackelberg game, when the sharing cost ratio is increased to a specific level, the supervisor’s optimal benefit will not be further improved.
Determinants of Fertility Intentions of the Women in Bosnia and Herzegovina—An Example from the Semberija Region
Authors: Golub Rada , Ivkov-Dzigurski Andjelija , Simeunović Vlado
Published: May 2023

The aim of this paper was to analyze the socio-demographic determinants of fertility in Bosnia and Herzegovina that affect the number of live births in Semberija. The paper focuses on work and educational statuses, economic crisis and unemployment, and other relevant factors that affect desired family sizes and lead to negative demographic trends. The relevant data were collected through a survey questionnaire filled by a verified sample of 1000 women in their reproductive period (aged 15–49). In order to evaluate the role of each research variable in predicting fertility intentions, the arithmetic mean, frequency of responses in percentage, Pearson’s coefficient, and a logistic regression model were used to explore the related factors of fertility behaviors among women in this population. The results showed that employment status, poor housing conditions, and financial support from the state statistically significantly impact future birth trends. Those socio-demographic factors affect desired family sizes and have proven essential to future fertile behavior.
On the Technological Acceptance of Moodle by Higher Education Faculty—A Nationwide Study Based on UTAUT2
Authors: García-Murillo Gabriel , Novoa-Hernández Pavel , Serrano Rodríguez Rocío
Published: May 2023

Moodle is an open-source learning management system that is widely used today, especially in higher education settings. Although its technological acceptance by undergraduate students has been extensively studied in the past, very little is known about its acceptance by university professors. In particular, as far as we know, the literature contains no previous experiences related to South American teachers. This paper aims to bridge this gap by quantifying and analyzing the drivers of Moodle’s technological acceptance among Ecuadorian academic staff. Considering the responses of 538 teachers and taking a modified UTAUT2 model as a theoretical basis, we found that Ecuadorian teachers have high levels of acceptance of Moodle, regardless of their age, gender, ethnicity, or discipline. However, this acceptance is significantly higher in teachers with high levels of education and with considerable previous experience with e-learning systems. The main determinants of this acceptance are attitude strength, effort expectancy, performance expectancy, and facilitating conditions. We found no moderating effects in relation to the age, gender, or previous experience of the participants (including second- and third-order interactions derived from these variables). We conclude that, albeit moderately (e.g., adjusted R2=0.588), the model tested confirms the predictive power of the part of UTAUT2 that was inherited from UTAUT.