bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Inhibitory Effect of Cold Atmospheric Plasma on Chronic Wound-Related Multispecies Biofilms
Authors: Oliveira Maria Alcionéia Carvalho de , Lima Gabriela de Morais Gouvêa , Nishime Thalita M. Castaldelli , Gontijo Aline Vidal Lacerda , Menezes Beatriz Rossi Canuto de , Caliari Marcelo Vidigal , Kostov Konstantin Georgiev , Koga-Ito Cristiane Yumi
Published: June 2021

The presence of microbial biofilms in the wounds affects negatively the healing process and can contribute to therapeutic failures. This study aimed to establish the effective parameters of cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) against wound-related multispecies and monospecies biofilms, and to evaluate the cytotoxicity and genotoxicity of the protocol. Monospecies and multispecies biofilms were formed by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Enterococcus faecalis. The monospecies biofilms were grown in 96 wells plates and multispecies biofilm were formed on collagen membranes. The biofilms were exposed to helium CAP for 1, 3, 5 and 7 min. In monospecies biofilms, the inhibitory effect was detected after 1 min of exposure for E. faecalis and after 3 min for MRSA. A reduction in P. aeruginosa biofilm’s viability was detected after 7 min of exposure. For the multispecies biofilms, the reduction in the overall viability was detected after 5 min of exposure to CAP. Additionally, cytotoxicity and genotoxicity were evaluated by MTT assay and static cytometry, respectively. CAP showed low cytotoxicity and no genotoxicity to mouse fibroblastic cell line (3T3). It could be concluded that He-CAP showed inhibitory effect on wound-related multispecies biofilms, with low cytotoxicity and genotoxicity to mammalian cells. These findings point out the potential application of CAP in wound care.
Spindle Thermal Error Prediction Based on LSTM Deep Learning for a CNC Machine Tool
Authors: Liu Yu-Chi , Li Kun-Ying , Tsai Yao-Cheng
Published: June 2021

In the precision processing industry, maintaining the accuracy of machine tools for an extensive period is crucial. Machining accuracy is affected by numerous factors, among which spindle thermal elongation caused by an increase in machine temperature is the most common. This paper proposed a key temperature point selection algorithm and thermal error estimation method for spindle displacement in a machine tool. First, highly correlated temperature points were clustered into groups, and the characteristics of small differences within groups and large differences between groups were realized. The optimal number of key temperature points was then determined using the elbow method. Meanwhile, the long short-term memory (LSTM) modeling method was proposed to establish the relationship between the spindle thermal error and changes of the key temperature points. The results show the largest root mean square errors (RMSEs) of the proposed LSTM model and the key temperature point selection algorithm were within 0.6 µm in the spindle thermal displacement experiments with different temperature changes. The results demonstrated that the combined methodology can provide improved accuracy and robustness in predicting the spindle thermal displacement.
Stability Study of Erythritol as Phase Change Material for Medium Temperature Thermal Applications
Authors: Alferez Luna Mayra Paulina , Neumann Hannah , Gschwander Stefan
Published: June 2021

Sugar alcohols belong to a promising category of organic phase change materials (PCM) because of their high latent heat and density compared to other PCM. However, some sugar alcohols have shown latent heat degradation when heated above their melting temperature. Most of the available studies report the structural changes of erythritol during cycling rather than its thermal stability at constant temperature. This study aimed to assess the effect of thermal treatment on erythritol thermal, chemical and physical properties, as well as to find means to enhance its thermal stability. Erythritol and its mixtures with antioxidant were heated and maintained at different temperatures above its melting point. Erythritol was analyzed before and after thermal treatment via Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy and differential scanning calorimetry. It was suggested that the degradation of latent heat follows a first order reaction. Mixtures of erythritol with antioxidant had a lower degradation rate compared to pure erythritol under air. Sample browning was observed along the heating treatment of mainly pure erythritol. Antioxidant was found to help to reduce erythritol degradation. No chemical composition changes were detected in samples under argon atmosphere and overall good thermal stability was found throughout the testing period.
The Anatomy, Features and Sex Correlations (Dimorphism) of Tubero–Palato–Pterygoid Region among Adult Population—Single Center Study Based on 3D Printed Models
Authors: Ihde Stefan , Pałka Łukasz , Jarząb Sławomir , Janeczek Maciej , Goździewska-Harłajczuk Karolina , Klećkowska-Nawrot Joanna , Janus Izabela , Dobrzyński Maciej , Karykowska Aleksandra
Published: June 2021

This study evaluates the differences in the dimension, symmetry, and anatomical characteristic of the tubero–palato–pterygoid region in adults using 3D printed models. The objective of this study was also estimation of how many tubero–pterygoid implants can be placed safely with enough distance between threads of implants. The investigation draws on 57 models of upper jaws, including the adjacent pterygoid process of the sphenoid bone from randomly selected cases. The consecutive measurements (lateral, medial, rostral, caudal, area, line-1 longitudinal, and line-2 transverse) on both sides of the body—right (R) and left (L)—were used for the purpose of this study. Among the group of 57 cases were 30 females (F) and 27 males (M). A strong correlation was identified between lateral and line-1 longitudinal across the sample group of both male and female cases (p ≤ 0.05; r ≥ 0.9). Moreover, a strong correlation was noted between medial and line-1 longitudinal in the whole group of cases and in the male group (p ≤ 0.05; r ≥ 0.9). Lateral and line-1 longitudinal demonstrated a weak positive relationship with the age of the female cases (p ≤ 0.05; 0.03 < r < 0.05). Medial and line-1 longitudinal showed a weak negative relationship with the age of the male cases (p ≤ 0.05; −0.05 < r < −0.03). The results of this study suggest that, in most cases, two such tubero–pterygoid implants may be placed, which is a good advantage for support of implant-based bridges.
Dynamical Downscaling in Seasonal Climate Forecasts: Comparison between RegCM- and WRF-Based Approaches
Authors: Sangelantoni Lorenzo , Ricchi Antonio , Ferretti Rossella , Redaelli Gianluca
Published: June 2021

The purpose of the present study is to assess the large-scale signal modulation produced by two dynamically downscaled Seasonal Forecasting Systems (SFSs) and investigate if additional predictive skill can be achieved, compared to the driving global-scale Climate Forecast System (CFS). The two downscaled SFSs are evaluated and compared in terms of physical values and anomaly interannual variability. Downscaled SFSs consist of two two-step dynamical downscaled ensembles of NCEP-CFSv2 re-forecasts. In the first step, the CFS field is downscaled from 100 km to 60 km over Southern Europe (D01). The second downscaling, driven by the corresponding D01, is performed at 12 km over Central Italy (D02). Downscaling is performed using two different Regional Climate Models (RCMs): RegCM v.4 and WRF 3.9.1.1. SFS skills are assessed over a period of 21 winter seasons (1982–2002), by means of deterministic and probabilistic approach and with a metric specifically designed to isolate downscaling signal over different percentiles of distribution. Considering the temperature fields and both deterministic and probabilistic metrics, regional-scale SFSs consistently improve the original CFS Seasonal Anomaly Signal (SAS). For the precipitation, the added value of downscaled SFSs is mainly limited to the topography driven refinement of precipitation field, whereas the SAS is mainly “inherited” by the driving CFS. The regional-scale SFSs do not seem to benefit from the second downscaling (D01 to D02) in terms of SAS improvement. Finally, WRF and RegCM show substantial differences in both SAS and climatologically averaged fields, highlighting a different impact of the common SST driving field.
Subseasonal Forecasts of the Northern Queensland Floods of February 2019: Causes and Forecast Evaluation
Authors: Tsai Wayne Yuan-Huai , Lu Mong-Ming , Sui Chung-Hsiung , Cho Yin-Min
Published: June 2021

During the austral summer 2018/19, devastating floods occurred over northeast Australia that killed approximately 625,000 head of cattle and inundated over 3000 homes in Townsville. In this paper, the disastrous event was identified as a record-breaking subseasonal peak rainfall event (SPRE). The SPRE was mainly induced by an anomalously strong monsoon depression that was modulated by the convective phases of an MJO and an equatorial Rossby (ER) wave. The ER wave originated from an active equatorial deep convection associated with the El Niño warm sea surface temperatures near the dateline over the central Pacific. Based on the S2S Project Database, we analyzed the extended-range forecast skill of the SPRE from two different perspectives, the monsoon depression represented by an 850-hPa wind shear index and the 15-day accumulated precipitation characterized by the percentile rank (PR) and the ratio to the three-month seasonal (DJF) totals. The results of four S2S models of this study suggest that the monsoon depression can maintain the same level of skill as the short-range (3 days) forecast up to 8–10 days. For precipitation parameters, the conclusions are similar to the monsoon depression. For the 2019 northern Queensland SPRE, the model forecast was, in general, worse than the expectation derived from the hindcast analysis. The clear modulation of the ER wave that enhanced the SPRE monsoon depression circulation and precipitation is suspected as the main cause for the lower forecast skill. The analysis procedure proposed in this study can be applied to analyze the SPREs and their associated large-scale drivers in other regions.
Circadian Blood Pressure Rhythm in Cardiovascular and Renal Health and Disease
Authors: Zhang Jiayang , Sun Ruoyu , Jiang Tingting , Yang Guangrui , Chen Lihong
Published: June 2021

Blood pressure (BP) follows a circadian rhythm, it increases on waking in the morning and decreases during sleeping at night. Disruption of the circadian BP rhythm has been reported to be associated with worsened cardiovascular and renal outcomes, however the underlying molecular mechanisms are still not clear. In this review, we briefly summarized the current understanding of the circadian BP regulation and provided therapeutic overview of the relationship between circadian BP rhythm and cardiovascular and renal health and disease.
4,6′-Anhydrooxysporidinone from Fusarium lateritium SSF2 Induces Autophagic and Apoptosis Cell Death in MCF-7 Breast Cancer Cells
Authors: Lee Dahae , Shim Sanghee , Kang Kisung
Published: June 2021

Previous studies have reported that 4,6′-Anhydrooxysporidinone (SSF2-2), isolated from Fusarium lateritium SSF2, has neuroprotective effects on the HT-22 hippocampal neuronal cell line. However, the anti-cancer effect of SSF2-2 remains unclear. Here, we examined the viability of MCF-7 human breast cancer cells treated with SSF2-2 or left untreated using a cell viability assay kit. The underlying molecular mechanism was further investigated by Western blotting and immunocytochemistry studies. The results demonstrated that SSF2-2 inhibited the viability of MCF-7 cells. Treatment with SSF2-2 increased the levels of cleaved caspase-9, cleaved caspase-7, poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP), and LC3B. Additionally, SSF2-2 significantly increased the conversion of LC3-I to LC3II and LC3-positive puncta in MCF-7 cells.
Integrated Multi-Class Classification and Prediction of GPCR Allosteric Modulators by Machine Learning Intelligence
Authors: Hou Tianling , Bian Yuemin , McGuire Terence , Xie Xiang-Qun
Published: June 2021

G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are the largest and most diverse group of cell surface receptors that respond to various extracellular signals. The allosteric modulation of GPCRs has emerged in recent years as a promising approach for developing target-selective therapies. Moreover, the discovery of new GPCR allosteric modulators can greatly benefit the further understanding of GPCR cell signaling mechanisms. It is critical but also challenging to make an accurate distinction of modulators for different GPCR groups in an efficient and effective manner. In this study, we focus on an 11-class classification task with 10 GPCR subtype classes and a random compounds class. We used a dataset containing 34,434 compounds with allosteric modulators collected from classical GPCR families A, B, and C, as well as random drug-like compounds. Six types of machine learning models, including support vector machine, naïve Bayes, decision tree, random forest, logistic regression, and multilayer perceptron, were trained using different combinations of features including molecular descriptors, Atom-pair fingerprints, MACCS fingerprints, and ECFP6 fingerprints. The performances of trained machine learning models with different feature combinations were closely investigated and discussed. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first work on the multi-class classification of GPCR allosteric modulators. We believe that the classification models developed in this study can be used as simple and accurate tools for the discovery and development of GPCR allosteric modulators.
HK2 Mediated Glycolytic Metabolism in Mouse Photoreceptors Is Not Required to Cause Late Stage Age-Related Macular Degeneration-Like Pathologies
Authors: Cheng Shun-Yun , Malachi Anneliese , Cipi Joris , Ma Shan , Brush Richard S. , Agbaga Martin-Paul , Punzo Claudio
Published: June 2021

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a multifactorial disease of unclear etiology. We previously proposed that metabolic adaptations in photoreceptors (PRs) play a role in disease progression. We mimicked these metabolic adaptations in mouse PRs through deletion of the tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) protein TSC1. Here, we confirm our previous findings by deletion of the other complex protein, namely TSC2, in rod photoreceptors. Similar to deletion of Tsc1, mice with deletion of Tsc2 in rods develop AMD-like pathologies, including accumulation of apolipoproteins, migration of microglia, geographic atrophy, and neovascular pathologies. Subtle differences between the two mouse models, such as a significant increase in microglia activation with loss of Tsc2, were seen as well. To investigate the role of altered glucose metabolism in disease pathogenesis, we generated mice with simulation deletions of Tsc2 and hexokinase-2 (Hk2) in rods. Although retinal lactate levels returned to normal in mice with Tsc2-Hk2 deletion, AMD-like pathologies still developed. The data suggest that the metabolic adaptations in PRs that cause AMD-like pathologies are independent of HK2-mediated aerobic glycolysis.
Mechanical Stimulation Modulates Osteocyte Regulation of Cancer Cell Phenotype
Authors: Verbruggen Stefaan W. , Thompson Clare L. , Duffy Michael P. , Lunetto Sophia , Nolan Joanne , Pearce Oliver M. T. , Jacobs Christopher R. , Knight Martin M.
Published: June 2021

Breast and prostate cancers preferentially metastasise to bone tissue, with metastatic lesions forming in the skeletons of most patients. On arriving in bone tissue, disseminated tumour cells enter a mechanical microenvironment that is substantially different to that of the primary tumour and is largely regulated by bone cells. Osteocytes, the most ubiquitous bone cell type, orchestrate healthy bone remodelling in response to physical exercise. However, the effects of mechanical loading of osteocytes on cancer cell behaviour is still poorly understood. The aim of this study was to characterise the effects of osteocyte mechanical stimulation on the behaviour of breast and prostate cancer cells. To replicate an osteocyte-controlled environment, this study treated breast (MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7) and prostate (PC-3 and LNCaP) cancer cell lines with conditioned media from MLO-Y4 osteocyte-like cells exposed to mechanical stimulation in the form of fluid shear stress. We found that osteocyte paracrine signalling acted to inhibit metastatic breast and prostate tumour growth, characterised by reduced proliferation and invasion and increased migration. In breast cancer cells, these effects were largely reversed by mechanical stimulation of osteocytes. In contrast, conditioned media from mechanically stimulated osteocytes had no effect on prostate cancer cells. To further investigate these interactions, we developed a microfluidic organ-chip model using the Emulate platform. This new organ-chip model enabled analysis of cancer cell migration, proliferation and invasion in the presence of mechanical stimulation of osteocytes by fluid shear stress, resulting in increased invasion of breast and prostate cancer cells. These findings demonstrate the importance of osteocytes and mechanical loading in regulating cancer cell behaviour and the need to incorporate these factors into predictive in vitro models of bone metastasis.
A Comprehensive Review on Solitary Fibrous Tumor: New Insights for New Horizons
Authors: Martin-Broto Javier , Mondaza-Hernandez Jose L. , Moura David S. , Hindi Nadia
Published: June 2021

Solitary fibrous tumor (SFT) is a rare mesenchymal, ubiquitous tumor, with an incidence of 1 new case/million people/year. In the 2020 WHO classification, risk stratification models were recommended as a better tool to determine prognosis in SFT, to the detriment of “typical” or “malignant” classic terms. The risk for metastasis is up to 35–45%, or even greater, in series with a longer follow-up. Over the last few decades, advances in immunohistochemistry and molecular diagnostics identified STAT6 nuclear protein expression and the NAB2–STAT6 fusion gene as more precise tools for SFT diagnosis. Recent evidence taken from retrospective series and from two prospective phase II clinical trials showed that antiangiogenics are active and their sequential use from first line should be considered, except for dedifferentiated SFT for which chemotherapy is the best option. Since the fusion transcript driver’s first description in 2013, new insights have been brought on key molecular events in SFT. This comprehensive review mainly focuses on the superior efficacy of antiangiogenics over chemotherapeutic agents in SFT, provides the current knowledge of key molecules that could co-drive the SFT behavior, and suggests new target candidates that deserve to be explored in preclinical and clinical research in SFT.
Different Strategies for Photosynthetic Regulation under Fluctuating Light in Two Sympatric Paphiopedilum Species
Authors: Feng Jing-Qiu , Huang Wei , Wang Ji-Hua , Zhang Shi-Bao
Published: June 2021

Fluctuating light can cause selective photoinhibition of photosystem I (PSI) in angiosperms. Cyclic electron flow (CEF) around PSI and electron flux from water via the electron transport chain to oxygen (the water-water cycle) play important roles in coping with fluctuating light in angiosperms. However, it is unclear whether plant species in the same genus employ the same strategy to cope with fluctuating light. To answer this question, we measured P700 redox kinetics and chlorophyll fluorescence under fluctuating light in two Paphiopedilum (P.) Pftzer (Orchidaceae) species, P. dianthum and P. micranthum. After transition from dark to high light, P. dianthum displayed a rapid re-oxidation of P700, while P. micranthum displayed an over-reduction of P700. Furthermore, the rapid re-oxidation of P700 in P. dianthum was not observed when measured under anaerobic conditions. These results indicated that photo-reduction of O2 mediated by the water-water cycle was functional in P. dianthum but not in P. micranthum. Within the first few seconds after an abrupt transition from low to high light, PSI was highly oxidized in P. dianthum but was highly reduced in P. micranthum, indicating that the different responses of PSI to fluctuating light between P. micranthum and P. dianthum was attributed to the water-water cycle. In P. micranthum, the lack of the water-water cycle was partially compensated for by an enhancement of CEF. Taken together, P. dianthum and P. micranthum employed different strategies to cope with the abrupt change of light intensity, indicating the diversity of strategies for photosynthetic acclimation to fluctuating light in these two closely related orchid species.
Murder on the Ovarian Express: A Tale of Non-Autonomous Cell Death in the Drosophila Ovary
Authors: Lebo Diane Patricia Vig , McCall Kimberly
Published: June 2021

Throughout oogenesis, Drosophila egg chambers traverse the fine line between survival and death. After surviving the ten early and middle stages of oogenesis, egg chambers drastically change their size and structure to produce fully developed oocytes. The development of an oocyte comes at a cost, the price is the lives of the oocyte’s 15 siblings, the nurse cells. These nurse cells do not die of their own accord. Their death is dependent upon their neighbors—the stretch follicle cells. Stretch follicle cells are nonprofessional phagocytes that spend the final stages of oogenesis surrounding the nurse cells and subsequently forcing the nurse cells to give up everything for the sake of the oocyte. In this review, we provide an overview of cell death in the ovary, with a focus on recent findings concerning this phagocyte-dependent non-autonomous cell death.
Rad52 Oligomeric N-Terminal Domain Stabilizes Rad51 Nucleoprotein Filaments and Contributes to Their Protection against Srs2
Authors: Ma Emilie , Maloisel Laurent , Le Falher Léa , Guérois Raphaël , Coïc Eric
Published: June 2021

Homologous recombination (HR) depends on the formation of a nucleoprotein filament of the recombinase Rad51 to scan the genome and invade the homologous sequence used as a template for DNA repair synthesis. Therefore, HR is highly accurate and crucial for genome stability. Rad51 filament formation is controlled by positive and negative factors. In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the mediator protein Rad52 catalyzes Rad51 filament formation and stabilizes them, mostly by counteracting the disruptive activity of the translocase Srs2. Srs2 activity is essential to avoid the formation of toxic Rad51 filaments, as revealed by Srs2-deficient cells. We previously reported that Rad52 SUMOylation or mutations disrupting the Rad52–Rad51 interaction suppress Rad51 filament toxicity because they disengage Rad52 from Rad51 filaments and reduce their stability. Here, we found that mutations in Rad52 N-terminal domain also suppress the DNA damage sensitivity of Srs2-deficient cells. Structural studies showed that these mutations affect the Rad52 oligomeric ring structure. Overall, in vivo and in vitro analyzes of these mutants indicate that Rad52 ring structure is important for protecting Rad51 filaments from Srs2, but can increase Rad51 filament stability and toxicity in Srs2-deficient cells. This stabilization function is distinct from Rad52 mediator and annealing activities.
Role of Sialyl-O-Acetyltransferase CASD1 on GD2 Ganglioside O-Acetylation in Breast Cancer Cells
Authors: Cavdarli Sumeyye , Schröter Larissa , Albers Malena , Baumann Anna-Maria , Vicogne Dorothée , Le Doussal Jean-Marc , Mühlenhoff Martina , Delannoy Philippe , Groux-Degroote Sophie
Published: June 2021

The O-acetylated form of GD2, almost exclusively expressed in cancerous tissues, is considered to be a promising therapeutic target for neuroectoderm-derived tumors, especially for breast cancer. Our recent data have shown that 9-O-acetylated GD2 (9-OAcGD2) is the major O-acetylated ganglioside species in breast cancer cells. In 2015, Baumann et al. proposed that Cas 1 domain containing 1 (CASD1), which is the only known human sialyl-O-acetyltransferase, plays a role in GD3 O-acetylation. However, the mechanisms of ganglioside O-acetylation remain poorly understood. The aim of this study was to determine the involvement of CASD1 in GD2 O-acetylation in breast cancer. The role of CASD1 in OAcGD2 synthesis was first demonstrated using wild type CHO and CHOΔCasd1 cells as cellular models. Overexpression using plasmid transfection and siRNA strategies was used to modulate CASD1 expression in SUM159PT breast cancer cell line. Our results showed that OAcGD2 expression was reduced in SUM159PT that was transiently depleted for CASD1 expression. Additionally, OAcGD2 expression was increased in SUM159PT cells transiently overexpressing CASD1. The modulation of CASD1 expression using transient transfection strategies provided interesting insights into the role of CASD1 in OAcGD2 and OAcGD3 biosynthesis, and it highlights the importance of further studies on O-acetylation mechanisms.
iPSC Preparation and Epigenetic Memory: Does the Tissue Origin Matter?
Authors: Scesa Giuseppe , Adami Raffaella , Bottai Daniele
Published: June 2021

The production of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) represent a breakthrough in regenerative medicine, providing new opportunities for understanding basic molecular mechanisms of human development and molecular aspects of degenerative diseases. In contrast to human embryonic stem cells (ESCs), iPSCs do not raise any ethical concerns regarding the onset of human personhood. Still, they present some technical issues related to immune rejection after transplantation and potential tumorigenicity, indicating that more steps forward must be completed to use iPSCs as a viable tool for in vivo tissue regeneration. On the other hand, cell source origin may be pivotal to iPSC generation since residual epigenetic memory could influence the iPSC phenotype and transplantation outcome. In this paper, we first review the impact of reprogramming methods and the choice of the tissue of origin on the epigenetic memory of the iPSCs or their differentiated cells. Next, we describe the importance of induction methods to determine the reprogramming efficiency and avoid integration in the host genome that could alter gene expression. Finally, we compare the significance of the tissue of origin and the inter-individual genetic variation modification that has been lightly evaluated so far, but which significantly impacts reprogramming.
Neurogenic and Neuroprotective Potential of Stem/Stromal Cells Derived from Adipose Tissue
Authors: Figiel-Dabrowska Anna , Radoszkiewicz Klaudia , Rybkowska Paulina , Krzesniak Natalia Ewa , Sulejczak Dorota , Sarnowska Anna
Published: June 2021

Currently, the number of stem-cell based experimental therapies in neurological injuries and neurodegenerative disorders has been massively increasing. Despite the fact that we still have not obtained strong evidence of mesenchymal stem/stromal cells’ neurogenic effectiveness in vivo, research may need to focus on more appropriate sources that result in more therapeutically promising cell populations. In this study, we used dedifferentiated fat cells (DFAT) that are proven to demonstrate more pluripotent abilities in comparison with standard adipose stromal cells (ASCs). We used the ceiling culture method to establish DFAT cells and to optimize culture conditions with the use of a physioxic environment (5% O2). We also performed neural differentiation tests and assessed the neurogenic and neuroprotective capability of both DFAT cells and ASCs. Our results show that DFAT cells may have a better ability to differentiate into oligodendrocytes, astrocytes, and neuron-like cells, both in culture supplemented with N21 and in co-culture with oxygen–glucose-deprived (OGD) hippocampal organotypic slice culture (OHC) in comparison with ASCs. Results also show that DFAT cells have a different secretory profile than ASCs after contact with injured tissue. In conclusion, DFAT cells constitute a distinct subpopulation and may be an alternative source in cell therapy for the treatment of nervous system disorders.
Oro-Dental Health and Primary Nephrotic Syndrome among Vietnamese Children
Authors: Luong Hang Minh , Nguyen Tra Thu , Tran Huy-Thinh , Tran Phung Thi , Nguyen Phuong-Nga , Nguyen Huong Thu , Nguyen Duc Minh , Duc Hanh Tran Thi , Tong Son Minh
Published: June 2021

Primary nephrotic syndrome (PNS) is common in children, affecting the soft and hard tissues of the oral cavity. This study aimed to investigate the percentage of dental caries, gingivitis, hypertrophic gingivitis, and developmental defects of enamel (DDE) in children with PNS. The association of PNS with these diseases and oral care behavior was also assessed. A total of 407 children with PNS and 407 age- and gender-matched controls were recruited. PNS was diagnosed based on blood and urinary tests. The Simplified Oral Hygiene Index (OHI-S), the Gingival Index (GI), the Gingival Overgrowth Index (GOI), the Decayed, Missing, and Filled Teeth Index (dmft/DMFT), and DDE were collected. The PNS patients showed significantly higher scores of OHI-S, GI, and dmft, and higher proportions of dental caries and DDE than those of the controls (p < 0.001). It is necessary to establish a periodic dental protocol for PNS patients to improve their oral health status.
Influence of Low Energy Density Laser Re-Melting on the Properties of Cold Sprayed FeCoCrMoBCY Amorphous Alloy Coatings
Authors: Han Chao , Ma Li , Sui Xudong , Ma Bojiang , Huang Guosheng
Published: June 2021

Fe-based amorphous alloys (FAA) have excellent anti-corrosion and anti-abrasive comprehensive performances. However, sprayed thin FAA coatings with high porosity cannot provide efficient protection, or even accelerate the corrosion rate of the substrate due to galvanic corrosion. Laser re-melting densifying is usually used to improve the anti-corrosion performance of sprayed coatings. There are two disadvantages of the common laser re-melting method, including crystallization and residual stress. In the present paper, a low density energy laser re-melting method was used to improve the performance of cold spraying (CS) FeCoCrMoBCY FAA coating on 40Cr substrate. The results show that the CS FAA coatings were crystallized partially during the melting process. The hardness of the coating is improved at the melting zone after laser re-melting, which improves the anti-abrasive performance. Potentiodynamic test results show that laser re-melting can decrease the corrosion rate, but the salt spray test indicates that low energy density re-melting cannot eliminate penetrated diffusion passage. Further optimization should be conducted to improve the anticorrosion performance for this method.
Surface Morphological and Chemical Features of Anticorrosion ZrO2–TiO2 Coatings: Impact of Zirconium Precursor
Authors: Stambolova Irina , Stoyanova Daniela , Shipochka Maria , Boshkova Nelly , Eliyas Alexander , Simeonova Silviya , Grozev Nikolay , Boshkov Nikolai
Published: June 2021

Dense, highly textured, hydrophobic ZrO2-TiO2 (1:1) coatings with amorphous structure were prepared using the sol-gel method. Both organic and inorganic zirconium precursor salts were used. The present study dealt with the investigation of their protective ability in a selected model corrosive medium with chloride ions as corrosion activators. The coatings showed good anticorrosion performance during the test, which was demonstrated both by the weight loss method and potentiodynamic polarization curves. The samples were characterized by means of X-ray diffraction (XRD), Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM), contact angle measurements, Infrared spectroscopy (IRS), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Differential Thermal analysis (DTA-TG) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). It was established that the extent of influence of some factors, like treatment temperature (Ttr) and type of zirconium precursor, was different. The PD curves of samples treated at 400 °C (A4 and B4, respectively) demonstrated an increased effect of the precursor in comparison to Ttr, since the application of organic Zr salt led to deterioration of the anodic passivation zones. Contrary to this, the coatings obtained from both the organic and inorganic Zr precursor salts with Ttr = 500 °C had similar corrosion efficiency, i.e., the influence of the precursor was minimized. All investigated coatings had no visible corrosion damage. It seems that some complex structural and surface parameters, such as amorphous dense structure, surface smoothness, hydrophobicity and the surface chemical composition (low hydroxyl groups content), were responsible for the increased anticorrosion properties of the composite films.
A Multi-Technique Approach to Evaluate the Surface Properties of Heat-Treated Chestnut Wood Finished with a Water-Based Coating
Authors: Pelosi Claudia , Rubino Gianluca , Capobianco Giuseppe , Lanteri Luca , Agresti Giorgia , Bonifazi Giuseppe , Serranti Silvia , Picchio Rodolfo , Lo Monaco Angela
Published: June 2021

The aim of the present work is to investigate the surface properties and the effect of a water-based coating on chestnut wood (Castanea sativa Mill.), both untreated and thermally treated. Chestnut is very common throughout the Mediterranean region and its wood is widely used as timber, especially in Central Italy, to build window fixtures and doors which have to be decay-resistant, even in historical buildings. Traditional techniques have been used in combination with Hyperspectral Imaging which had never been used before to examine thermally treated wood. Specifically, colour, roughness, micro-hardness, wear and contact angle measurements have been performed on untreated and thermally treated chestnut wood, covered by a commercial water-based coating named Idrolinfo. Hyperspectral analysis has been demonstrated to be appropriate to discriminate the heat treatment and the presence of the water-based product. The applied techniques showed that the best performances are obtained with the 170 °C heat treatment. The water-based coating demonstrated its validity when applied to untreated and heat-treated wood at 140 °C and 170 °C. The main findings showed that chestnut wood increased or maintained its properties if treated at those temperatures without undergoing a major colour change, acquiring good hydrophobicity, both if uncoated or treated with the water-based coating.
Improved Equilibrium Optimization Algorithm Using Elite Opposition-Based Learning and New Local Search Strategy for Feature Selection in Medical Datasets
Authors: Elgamal Zenab Mohamed , Yasin Norizan Mohd , Sabri Aznul Qalid Md , Sihwail Rami , Tubishat Mohammad , Jarrah Hazim
Published: June 2021

The rapid growth in biomedical datasets has generated high dimensionality features that negatively impact machine learning classifiers. In machine learning, feature selection (FS) is an essential process for selecting the most significant features and reducing redundant and irrelevant features. In this study, an equilibrium optimization algorithm (EOA) is used to minimize the selected features from high-dimensional medical datasets. EOA is a novel metaheuristic physics-based algorithm and newly proposed to deal with unimodal, multi-modal, and engineering problems. EOA is considered as one of the most powerful, fast, and best performing population-based optimization algorithms. However, EOA suffers from local optima and population diversity when dealing with high dimensionality features, such as in biomedical datasets. In order to overcome these limitations and adapt EOA to solve feature selection problems, a novel metaheuristic optimizer, the so-called improved equilibrium optimization algorithm (IEOA), is proposed. Two main improvements are included in the IEOA: The first improvement is applying elite opposite-based learning (EOBL) to improve population diversity. The second improvement is integrating three novel local search strategies to prevent it from becoming stuck in local optima. The local search strategies applied to enhance local search capabilities depend on three approaches: mutation search, mutation–neighborhood search, and a backup strategy. The IEOA has enhanced the population diversity, classification accuracy, and selected features, and increased the convergence speed rate. To evaluate the performance of IEOA, we conducted experiments on 21 biomedical benchmark datasets gathered from the UCI repository. Four standard metrics were used to test and evaluate IEOA’s performance: the number of selected features, classification accuracy, fitness value, and p-value statistical test. Moreover, the proposed IEOA was compared with the original EOA and other well-known optimization algorithms. Based on the experimental results, IEOA confirmed its better performance in comparison to the original EOA and the other optimization algorithms, for the majority of the used datasets.
Motivation, Stress and Impact of Online Teaching on Italian Teachers during COVID-19
Authors: Toto Giusi Antonia , Limone Pierpaolo
Published: June 2021

The use of digital technology as the only communication and relationship channel in work, school and social contexts is bringing out dynamics that are sometimes in contrast with each other. The purpose of this article is to investigate the impact of digital technology on teachers’ school practices in the context of COVID-19. This impact was studied in relation to the constructs of motivation, perceived stress, sense of self-efficacy and resistance to/acceptance of technologies. This study examined the role played by the massive and coercive use of digital technologies (and the relationship with innovation and change) in predicting motivation and perceived stress among teachers. To this end, the impact of digital technologies on motivation and perceived stress were explored in the sample. A questionnaire consisting of three scales was administered to 688 Italian school teachers of all educational levels (from childhood to upper-secondary school), who completed a socio-demographic section, a section on the scale of the impact of technology and distance learning, a perceived stress scale and items on motivation and professional development. Descriptive and inferential analyses were applied to the data. Key findings indicated that the impact of digital technologies during the pandemic negatively correlates with both perceived stress and motivation. Practical implications were suggested to help teachers develop functional coping styles to cope with technological changes in work and life contexts.
Visible Light-Induced Reactivity of Plasmonic Gold Nanoparticles Incorporated into TiO2 Matrix towards 2-Chloroethyl Ethyl Sulfide
Authors: Gordon Wesley , Balboa Alex , Giles Spencer , Epshteyn Albert , Ávalos-Ovando Oscar , Govorov Alexander , McEntee Monica , Baturina Olga
Published: June 2021

Inexpensive strategies for efficient decontamination of hazardous chemicals are required. In this study, the effect of visible light (λ > 400 nm) on the decomposition of 2-chloroethyl ethyl sulfide (2-CEES, a sulfur mustard (HD) simulant) on Au/TiO2 photocatalyst under anaerobic and aerobic conditions has been investigated in situ by diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier –transformed spectroscopy (DRIFTS). Under anaerobic conditions, 2-CEES partially desorbs from the Au/TiO2 surface likely due to the photothermal effect, induced by photo-excited plasmonic Au nanoparticles. In the aerobic experiment, no visible light effect is observed. We attribute this behavior to 2-CEES consumption by hydrolysis to 2-ethylthio ethanol in the dark, prior to visible light excitation. Oxygen activates water molecules in the dark, resulting in accelerated 2-CEES hydrolysis.
Correction: Yang, S.; Collings, P.J. The Genetic Algorithm: Using Biology to Compute Liquid Crystal Director Configurations. Crystals 2020, 10, 1041
Authors: Yang S. , Collings Peter J.
Published: June 2021

The authors wish to make the following correction to this paper [...]
Effect of Ultrafine Metakaolin on the Properties of Mortar and Concrete
Authors: Zhang Shengli , Zhou Yuqi , Sun Jianwei , Han Fanghui
Published: June 2021

This study investigated the influence of ultrafine metakaolin replacing cement as a cementitious material on the properties of concrete and mortar. Two substitution levels of ultrafine metakaolin (9% and 15% by mass) were chosen. The reference samples were plain cement concrete sample and silica fume concrete sample with the same metakaolin substitution rates and superplasticizer contents. The results indicate that simultaneously adding ultrafine metakaolin and a certain amount of polycarboxylate superplasticizer can effectively ensure the workability of concrete. Additionally, the effect of adding ultrafine metakaolin on the workability is better than that of adding silica fume. Adding ultrafine metakaolin or silica fume can effectively increase the compressive strength, splitting tensile strength, resistance to chloride ion penetration and freeze–thaw properties of concrete due to improved pore structure. The sulphate attack resistance of mortar can be improved more obviously by simultaneously adding ultrafine metakaolin and prolonging the initial moisture curing time.
Genome-Wide Identification and Characterization of Cysteine-Rich Receptor-Like Protein Kinase Genes in Tomato and Their Expression Profile in Response to Heat Stress
Authors: Liu Yahui , Feng Zhengxiang , Zhu Weimin , Liu Junzhong , Zhang Yingying
Published: June 2021

During plant growth, development and stress adaption, receptor-like protein kinases (RLKs) are essential components in perceiving and integrating extracellular stimuli and transmitting the signals to activate the downstream signaling pathways. Cysteine-rich receptor-like protein kinases (CRKs) are a large subfamily of RLKs and their roles in modulating plant disease resistance are well elucidated. However, the roles of CRKs in plant abiotic stress responses, especially heat stress, are largely unknown. In this study, 35 SlCRK genes were identified in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) based on the multiple sequence alignment and phylogenetic relationships. SlCRK genes are tandemly distributed on seven chromosomes and have similar exon–intron organization and common conserved motifs. Various phytohormone responsive, stress responsive cis-regulatory elements and heat shock elements are predicted in the promoter regions of SlCRK genes. Transcriptome analysis of tomato fruits under heat stress revealed that most SlCRK genes were downregulated upon heat treatment. GO enrichment analyses of genes that were co-expressed with SlCRK members have identified various stress responses related and proteasomal protein catabolic process related genes, which may be involved in heat stress signaling. Overall, our results provide valuable information for further research on the roles of SlCRKs in response to abiotic stress, especially heat stress.
The Role of CX3CL1 and ADAM17 in Pathogenesis of Diffuse Parenchymal Lung Diseases
Authors: Urban Jan , Suchankova Magda , Ganovska Martina , Leksa Vladimir , Sandor Frantisek , Tedlova Eva , Konig Brian , Bucova Maria
Published: June 2021

Fractalkine (CX3CL1) is a unique chemokine that functions as a chemoattractant for effector cytotoxic lymphocytes and macrophages expressing fractalkine receptor CX3CR1. CX3CL1 exists in two forms—a soluble and a membrane-bound form. The soluble CX3CL1 is released from cell membranes by proteolysis by the TNF-α-converting enzyme/disintegrin-like metalloproteinase 17 (TACE/ADAM17) and ADAM10. In this study, we evaluated the diagnostic relevance and potential roles of CX3CL1 and ADAM17 in the pathogenesis of diffuse parenchymal lung diseases (DPLDs) in the human population. The concentration of CX3CL1 and ADAM17 was measured by the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) test in bronchoalveolar lavage fluids of patients suffering from different DPLDs. The concentration of CX3CL1 was significantly higher in patients suffering from idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and hypersensitivity pneumonitis patients compared to the control group. A significantly higher concentration of CX3CL1 was measured in fibrotic DPLDs compared to non-fibrotic DLPD patients. We found a positive correlation of CX3CL1 levels with the number of CD8+ T cells, and a negative correlation with CD4+ T cells in BALF and diffusion capacity for carbon monoxide. The concentration of ADAM17 was significantly lower in the IPF group compared to the other DPLD groups. We noticed a significantly higher CX3CL1/ADAM17 ratio in the IPF group compared to the other DPLD groups. We suggest that CX3CL1 has a distinctive role in the pathogenesis of DPLDs. The level of CX3CL1 strongly correlates with the severity of lung parenchyma impairment. The results suggest that high values of CX3CL1/ADAM17 could be diagnostic markers for IPF.
State of Health Prediction of Power Connectors by Analyzing the Degradation Trajectory of the Electrical Resistance
Authors: Martínez Jimmy , Riba Jordi-Roger , Moreno-Eguilaz Manuel
Published: June 2021

Estimating the remaining useful life (RUL) or the state of health (SoH) of electrical components such as power connectors is still a challenging and complex task. Power connectors play a critical role in medium- and high-voltage power networks, their failure leading to important consequences such as power outages, unscheduled downtimes, safety hazards or important economic losses. Online condition monitoring strategies allow developing improved predictive maintenance plans. Due to the development of low-cost sensors and electronic communication systems compatible with Internet of Things (IoT) applications, several methods for online and offline SoH determination of diverse power devices are emerging. This paper presents, analyzes and compares the performance of three simple and effective methods for online determination of the SoH of power connectors with low computational requirements. The proposed approaches are based on monitoring the evolution of the connectors’ electrical resistance, which defines the degradation trajectory because the electrical resistance is a reliable indicator or signature of the SoH of the connectors. The methods analyzed in this paper are validated by means of experimental ageing tests emulating real degradation conditions. Laboratory results prove the suitability and feasibility of the proposed approach, which could be applied to other power products and apparatus.
Monolingual and Cross-Lingual Intent Detection without Training Data in Target Languages
Authors: Kapočiūtė-Dzikienė Jurgita , Salimbajevs Askars , Skadiņš Raivis
Published: June 2021

Due to recent DNN advancements, many NLP problems can be effectively solved using transformer-based models and supervised data. Unfortunately, such data is not available in some languages. This research is based on assumptions that (1) training data can be obtained by the machine translating it from another language; (2) there are cross-lingual solutions that work without the training data in the target language. Consequently, in this research, we use the English dataset and solve the intent detection problem for five target languages (German, French, Lithuanian, Latvian, and Portuguese). When seeking the most accurate solutions, we investigate BERT-based word and sentence transformers together with eager learning classifiers (CNN, BERT fine-tuning, FFNN) and lazy learning approach (Cosine similarity as the memory-based method). We offer and evaluate several strategies to overcome the data scarcity problem with machine translation, cross-lingual models, and a combination of the previous two. The experimental investigation revealed the robustness of sentence transformers under various cross-lingual conditions. The accuracy equal to ~0.842 is achieved with the English dataset with completely monolingual models is considered our top-line. However, cross-lingual approaches demonstrate similar accuracy levels reaching ~0.831, ~0.829, ~0.853, ~0.831, and ~0.813 on German, French, Lithuanian, Latvian, and Portuguese languages.