bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Microbial Community and Their Potential Functions after Natural Vegetation Restoration in Gullies of Farmland in Mollisols of Northeast China
Authors: Xiao Ziliang , Zhang Shaoliang , Yan Pengke , Huo Jiping , Aurangzeib Muhammad
Published: December 2022

Although huge numbers of gullies have been widely formed and have severely decreased the quality of farmlands in mollisols, it is still unclear how the microbial community distributes after natural vegetation restoration (NVR), which highly relates to the ecological functions in the farmland. In this study, both the microbial community and their potential ecological functions after NVR were reviewed, together with the environmental factors relating to microbial evolution which were detected in two gullies of mollisols situated on farmland in Northeast China. The main results showed that NVR improved the microbial diversity and complexity of the co-occurrence network in gullies, and promoted bacterial community composition to be similar between the gully and deposition area. Moreover, the soil organic matter (SOM) regulated the microbial diversity by balancing soil available phosphorus (AP), soil moisture (SM), and pH, thus stimulating the key bacterial biomarkers of gullies (Rhizobiales, Microtrichales, TRA3-20) and regulating the bacterial composition, as well as indirectly enriching the function of bacteria to perform denitrification, C fixation, and phosphorus transport in gullies. In addition, abundant Dicotyledons in gullies mainly regulate the fungal community composition, and increased fungal richness in 0–20 cm soil depth, but decreased bacteria richness in 0–20 cm soil depth. Our findings revealed the repair mechanism of NVR on soil bacterial and fungal communities, especially on bacterial functionality, which should be given further attention in nutrient cycling across eroding mollisols in gullies.
Translanguaging Practices of a Multiethnic and Multilingual Deaf Family in a Raciolinguistic World and Beyond
Authors: Lim Anna
Published: December 2022

In this autoethnography, I recount the translanguaging practices of my multiethnic and multigenerational signing deaf family in Manila, Philippines. I examine the impact of a multilingual upbringing on how family members function in various milieus, particularly in education. I discuss how language use throughout my childhood has impacted my experiences with languaging after immigrating to the United States as an adult. Interspersed in this personal narrative are traipses into historical and sociological observations about the Filipino community’s view of the deaf identity and how deaf Filipinos have been and are still being regarded. Finally, I explore the promulgation and implementation of the language policies in my motherland and assimilation efforts of immigrant parents on the translanguaging practices of the Filipino deaf here in the United States. I describe the ways in which home discourse practices affect the educational experiences of deaf Filipino immigrants in the U.S.
Psoriasis Management Challenges Regarding Difficult-to-Treat Areas: Therapeutic Decision and Effectiveness
Authors: Nicolescu Alin Codrut , Ionescu Marius-Anton , Constantin Maria Magdalena , Ancuta Ioan , Ionescu Sinziana , Niculet Elena , Tatu Alin Laurentiu , Zirpel Henner , Thaçi Diamant
Published: December 2022

Psoriasis is not optimally controlled in spite of newly developed treatments, possibly due to the difficulty of objectively quantifying the disease’s severity, considering the limitations of the clinical scores used in clinical practice. A major challenge addresses difficult-to-treat areas, especially in the absence of significant body surface involvement. It is controversial whether the severity evaluation of patients with several affected areas (having at least one difficult-to-treat area) should be done differently from current methods. Scores used for special areas (PSSI, NAPSI and ESIF) allow an accurate assessment of disease severity in difficult-to-treat areas, but the issue of whether to integrate these scores into PASI, BSA or DLQI remains. The review’s purpose resides in providing an overview of the main current issues in determining psoriasis severity in patients with psoriasis in difficult-to-treat areas and suggesting possible solutions for the optimal integration of the area assessment in current scores: severity can be either established according to the highest calculated score (PASI or PSSI or NAPSI or ESIF) or by adding a correction factor in the calculation of PASI for special areas.
Optimum Nitrogen Application Acclimatizes Root Morpho-Physiological Traits and Yield Potential in Rice under Subtropical Conditions
Authors: Kaysar Md. Salahuddin , Sarker Uttam Kumer , Monira Sirajam , Hossain Md. Alamgir , Somaddar Uzzal , Saha Gopal , Hossain S. S. Farhana , Mokarroma Nadira , Chaki Apurbo Kumar , Bhuiya Md. Sultan Uddin , Uddin Md. Romij
Published: December 2022

Nitrogen (N) is a highly essential macronutrient for plant root growth and grain yield (GY). To assess the relationship among N, root traits, and the yield of boro (dry season irrigated) rice, a pot experiment was performed in the Department of Agronomy, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh, Bangladesh, during the boro rice season of 2020–2021. Three boro rice varieties, namely BRRI dhan29, Hira-2, and Binadhan-10, were planted at four N doses: 0 kg ha−1 (N0), 70 kg ha−1 (N70), 140 kg ha−1 (N140), and 210 kg ha−1 (N210). The experiment was conducted following a completely randomized design with three replicates. The varieties were evaluated for root number (RN), root length (RL), root volume (RV), root porosity (RP), leaf area index (LAI), total dry matter (TDM), and yield. The results indicated that the Binadhan-10, Hira-2, and BRRI dhan29 varieties produced better root characteristics under at the N140 and N210 levels. A substantial positive association was noticed between the grain yield and the root traits, except for root porosity. Based on the root traits and growth dynamics, Binadhan-10 performed the best at the N140 level and produced the highest grain yield (26.96 g pot−1), followed by Hira-2 (26.35 g pot−1) and BRRI dhan29 (25.90 g pot−1).
Role of Intra-Parotid Lymph Node Metastasis in Primary Parotid Carcinoma
Authors: Terada Tetsuya , Kawata Ryo
Published: December 2022

The parotid gland contains intra-glandular lymph nodes, the distribution of which is crucial for understanding the pathogenesis of intra-parotid lymph node metastases of parotid carcinoma and other head and neck carcinomas. Positive intra-parotid lymph node metastasis predicts the risk of positive cervical nodal metastasis. It is important to establish whether prophylactic neck dissection, including intra-parotid lymph nodes, contributes to treatment outcomes. The presence or absence of intra-parotid lymph nodes or metastasis-positive lymph nodes warrants further study. A preoperative diagnosis by imaging and fine-needle aspiration cytology of intra-parotid lymph nodes is difficult. Although intraoperative frozen section biopsy is performed during surgery, it is challenging to identify intra-parotid lymph nodes. The number of lymph nodes was the largest (47%) in the lower half of the superficial lobe, with 35% of nodes being concentrated in the inferior part of the cervicofacial branch, i.e., the lower pole of the parotid gland. Therefore, superficial parotidectomy and lower pole lobectomy need to be performed in cases in which a malignant tumor localizes to the superficial lobe or a lower pole. When intra-parotid lymph node metastases are detected during surgery, selective neck dissection (at least levels II and III) needs to be simultaneously performed.
Chemical Composition of Volatile Extracts from Black Raspberries, Blueberries, and Blackberries and Their Antiproliferative Effect on A549 Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer Cells
Authors: Gu Inah , Brownmiller Cindi , Howard Luke , Lee Sun-Ok
Published: December 2022

Berry volatiles are responsible for the berry aroma but there is limited information available on the health-promoting activities of berry volatiles. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the chemical composition of volatile extracts from black raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries and investigate their antiproliferative effect and apoptotic mechanisms on A549 lung cancer cells. The chemical composition of three berry volatile extracts (BVEs) was identified by using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Cells were treated with different dilutions of three BVEs for 48 h and determined for cell proliferation and apoptosis. Total volatiles in BVEs were 1.6–3.2 mg/L. Two-fold diluted BVEs significantly inhibited cell proliferation after 48 h, inducing apoptosis (p < 0.05). Blackberry volatile extract significantly reduced the inactive form of apoptotic proteins, including poly adenosine diphosphate-ribose polymerase (PARP), procaspase-9, and procaspase-3 compared to the control (p < 0.05). Blueberry volatile extract showed higher apoptotic cell death (p < 0.05) with a slightly higher cell population in G0/G1 phase than other berries. These results showed that volatile extracts from three berries have the antiproliferative effect on human lung adenocarcinoma cells partially via apoptosis, suggesting that volatiles from three berries may have potential anti-cancer activity through apoptosis in lung cancer.
Effect of Vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 on Long COVID-19: A Narrative Review
Authors: Tofarides Andreas G. , Christaki Eirini , Milionis Haralampos , Nikolopoulos Georgios K.
Published: December 2022

Vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 have saved millions of lives and played an important role in containing the COVID-19 pandemic. Vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 is also associated with reduced disease severity and, perhaps, with COVID-19 symptom burden. In this narrative review, we present, in a clinically relevant question-and-answer manner, the evidence regarding the association between vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 and long COVID-19. We discuss how the mechanism of action of vaccines could interplay with the pathophysiology of post-COVID-19 condition. Furthermore, we describe how specific factors, such as the number of vaccine doses and the type of SARS-CoV-2 variants, may affect post-COVID-19 condition. We also discuss the role of timing for vaccination in relation to the onset of long COVID-19 symptoms, as it seems to affect the frequency and severity of the condition. Additionally, we describe the potential modifying effect of age, as well as the association of type and level of immune response with long COVID-19. We also describe how system-specific long COVID-19 sequelae, namely neurocognitive-psychologic symptoms and cardiovascular pathology, could be altered by vaccination. Last, we address the question of whether seasonal influenza vaccination has a meaningful impact on the frequency of long COVID-19.
Metformin Acutely Mitigates Oxidative Stress in Human Atrial Tissue: A Pilot Study in Overweight Non-Diabetic Cardiac Patients
Authors: Lascu Ana , Ionică Loredana-Nicoleta , Merce Adrian-Petru , Dănilă Maria-Daniela , Petrescu Lucian , Sturza Adrian , Muntean Danina-Mirela , Streian Caius Glad
Published: December 2022

Metformin, the first-line drug in type 2 diabetes mellitus, elicits cardiovascular protection also in obese patients via pleiotropic effects, among which the anti-oxidant is one of the most investigated. The aim of the present study was to assess whether metformin can acutely mitigate oxidative stress in atrial tissue harvested from overweight non-diabetic patients. Right atrial appendage samples were harvested during open-heart surgery and used for the evaluation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) production by means of confocal microscopy (superoxide anion) and spectrophotometry (hydrogen peroxide). Experiments were performed after acute incubation with metformin (10 µM) in the presence vs. absence of angiotensin II (AII, 100 nM), lipopolysaccharide (LPS, 1 μg/mL), and high glucose (Gluc, 400 mg/dL). Stimulation with AII, LPS, and high Gluc increased ROS production. The magnitude of oxidative stress correlated with several echocardiographic parameters. Metformin applied in the lowest therapeutic concentration (10 µM) was able to decrease ROS generation in stimulated but also non-stimulated atrial samples. In conclusion, in a pilot group of overweight non-diabetic cardiac patients, acute incubation with metformin at a clinically relevant dose alleviated oxidative stress both in basal conditions and conditions that mimicked the activation of the renin–angiotensin–aldosterone system, acute inflammation, and uncontrolled hyperglycemia.
The Effects of Interval Uncertainties on Dynamic Characteristics of a Rotor System Supported by Oil-Film Bearings
Authors: Ma Jiaojiao , Fu Chao , Zheng Zhaoli , Lu Kuan , Yang Yongfeng
Published: December 2022

Rotating systems equipped with oil-film bearings are critical and common in many industrial machines. There are various non-random uncertainties in such fluid-lubricated dynamic systems. It is important to quantify the effects of uncertainties without adequate statistical information on the dynamics of rotor-bearing systems. In this paper, a rotor system with oil-film bearings at both ends is investigated considering many interval uncertainties. The rotating system is modeled in a deterministic sense. The Chebyshev interval method is used to track the propagation of different uncertainties. Deviations in the steady state responses, time history, and shaft orbits are calculated and comparatively discussed. Influence patterns of different interval parameters and dispersions in various dynamics are presented in detail. It is found that there can be global and local impacts as well as cumulative effects caused by multi-source uncertainties. The findings of the present study could be helpful for a more insightful dynamic analysis of rotor-bearing systems as well as their optimal design and maintenance.
Effect of Nano Ceramic Coating on Color Perceptibility and Acceptability of Polymethylmethacrylate: In Vitro and Clinical Study
Authors: Chee Laura Koo Min , Bishal Arghya Kamal , Bhatia Harshdeep Singh , Wee Alvin G. , Takoudis Christos , Sukotjo Cortino , Yuan Judy Chia-Chun
Published: December 2022

The effect of a novel nano-ceramic coating (TiO2) using an atomic layer deposition (ALD) technique on the surface of polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) material was investigated. The patients’ and clinicians’ perception and acceptance of the PMMA color with TiO2 coating were also examined. In vitro color measurement was performed on thirty specimens (light, original, and dark pink) before and after TiO2 coating. Patients’ and clinicians’ perception and acceptance of color changes on PMMA were measured and compared. Descriptive and analytic statistics were analyzed (a = 0.05). TiO2 films were successfully deposited on the PMMA specimen by the ALD technique. Color changes after TiO2 coating were observed on all three PMMA shades, significantly higher than the established 50:50% perceptibility threshold, but below the established 50:50% acceptability threshold. The percentage of patients that perceived a color difference after TiO2 coating were 83.3%, 63.9%, and 77.8% for light, original, and dark pink, respectively. The percentages of clinicians that were satisfied with the color difference were 96.4%, 80%, and 69.2% for light, original, and dark pink, respectively. Color changes after TiO2 coating were observed, but below the acceptable threshold. The clinical survey demonstrated that a color difference was perceived but was clinically acceptable. In general, laypeople have lower perception and higher acceptance of changes in PMMA color than clinicians.
Multi-Objective Optimization of the Geometry of a Non-Pneumatic Tire for Three-Dimensional Stiffness Adaptation
Authors: Liu Xiaoyu , Xu Ting , Zhu Liangliang , Gao Fei
Published: December 2022

Non-pneumatic tires (NPTs) have been widely used for their advantages of no run-flat, no need for air maintenance, and unique stiffness characteristics. This study focuses on the design of a spoke of a Fibonacci spiral non-pneumatic tire (FS-NPT) based on its properties of three-dimensional stiffness. Finite element (FE) models, parametric studies, designs of experiments (DOEs), and sensitivity analyses are conducted to study the effect on the three-dimensional stiffness considering three design variables: (a) the thickness of the spokes, (b) the radius of the first Fibonacci spiral of the spoke, and (c) the width of the spokes of the FS-NPT. The results show that variation in all three design parameters had no considerable effect on the lateral stiffness. The results from the DOE are used to create a response surface model (RSM) for the multi-objective function (minimal SSD) and a constraint on the weight of the FS-NPT. The analytical RSM functions are optimized for minimizing the SSD subjected to the given constraint. The results indicate that all three design variables of the spoke had a significant effect on the vertical stiffness. The spoke radius had no potential effect on the longitudinal stiffness of the NPT. Hence, the three-dimensional stiffness of the FS-NPT has a certain independent design. This work demonstrates the advantages of non-pneumatic tires, especially FS-NPTs, in three-dimensional stiffness decoupling. This study guides the industrial production of flexible-spoke bionic NPTs by providing a very simple spoke structure. The optimization results show that FS-NPTs have a large stiffness design range. The different stiffness targets can be achieved by adjusting different combinations of the design variables, and the tire mass does not increase significantly.
Wind Turbine Blade Defect Detection Based on Acoustic Features and Small Sample Size
Authors: Zhu Yuefan , Liu Xiaoying , Li Shen , Wan Yanbin , Cai Qiaoqiao
Published: December 2022

Wind power has become an important source of electricity for both production and domestic use. However, because wind turbines often operate in harsh environments, they are prone to cracks, blisters, and corrosion of the blade surface. If these defects cannot be repaired in time, the cracks evolve into larger fractures, which can lead to blade rupture. As such, in this study, we developed a remote non-contact online health monitoring and warning system for wind turbine blades based on acoustic features and artificial neural networks. Collecting a large number of wind turbine blade defect signals was challenging. To address this issue, we designed an acoustic detection method based on a small sample size. We employed the octave to extract defect information, and we used an artificial neural network based on model-agnostic meta-learning (MAML-ANN) for classification. We analyzed the influence of locations and compared the performance of MAML-ANN with that of traditional ANN. The experimental results showed that the accuracy of our method reached 94.1% when each class contained only 50 data; traditional ANN achieved an accuracy of only 85%. With MAML-ANN, the training is fast and the global optimal solution is automatic searched, and it can be expanded to situations with a large sample size.
Real-Time Prediction of Remaining Useful Life for Composite Laminates with Unknown Inputs and Varying Threshold
Authors: Guo Jianchao , Zhang Yongbo , Wang Junling
Published: December 2022

Prognostics and health management (PHM) has emerged as an essential approach for improving the safety, reliability, and maintainability of composite structures. However, an obstacle remains in its damage state estimation and lifetime prediction due to unknown inputs. Thus, a self-calibration Kalman-filter-based framework for residual life prediction is proposed, which involves unknown input items in the fatigue damage evolution model and employs health-monitoring data to estimate and compensate for them. Combined with the time-varying structural failure threshold, the remaining useful life (RUL) of composite laminates subjected to fatigue loading is predicted, providing a novel solution to the problem of unknown inputs in PHM. The simulation results demonstrate that the developed method can estimate the performance degradation state well, and its RUL prediction accuracy is within 5% with existing unknown inputs such as foreign impact damage.
View-Invariant Spatiotemporal Attentive Motion Planning and Control Network for Autonomous Vehicles
Authors: Ayalew Melese , Zhou Shijie , Memon Imran , Heyat Md Belal Bin , Akhtar Faijan , Zhang Xiaojuan
Published: December 2022

Autonomous driving vehicles (ADVs) are sleeping giant intelligent machines that perceive their environment and make driving decisions. Most existing ADSs are built as hand-engineered perception-planning-control pipelines. However, designing generalized handcrafted rules for autonomous driving in an urban environment is complex. An alternative approach is imitation learning (IL) from human driving demonstrations. However, most previous studies on IL for autonomous driving face several critical challenges: (1) poor generalization ability toward the unseen environment due to distribution shift problems such as changes in driving views and weather conditions; (2) lack of interpretability; and (3) mostly trained to learn the single driving task. To address these challenges, we propose a view-invariant spatiotemporal attentive planning and control network for autonomous vehicles. The proposed method first extracts spatiotemporal representations from images of a front and top driving view sequence through attentive Siamese 3DResNet. Then, the maximum mean discrepancy loss (MMD) is employed to minimize spatiotemporal discrepancies between these driving views and produce an invariant spatiotemporal representation, which reduces domain shift due to view change. Finally, the multitasking learning (MTL) method is employed to jointly train trajectory planning and high-level control tasks based on learned representations and previous motions. Results of extensive experimental evaluations on a large autonomous driving dataset with various weather/lighting conditions verified that the proposed method is effective for feasible motion planning and control in autonomous vehicles.
A New Cure Rate Model Based on Flory–Schulz Distribution: Application to the Cancer Data
Authors: Azimi Reza , Esmailian Mahdy , Gallardo Diego I. , Gómez Héctor J.
Published: December 2022

In this article a new flexible survival cure rate model is introduced by assuming that the number of competing causes of the event of interest follows the Flory–Schulz distribution and the competing causes follow the generalized truncated Nadarajah–Haghighi distribution. Parameter estimation for the proposed model is derived based on the maximum likelihood estimation method. A simulation study is performed to show the performance of the ML estimators. We discuss three real data applications related to real cancer data sets to assess the usefulness of the proposed model compared with some existing cure rate models for the sake of comparison.
Novel Orientation-Sensitive Spin Probes for Graphene Oxide Membranes Study
Authors: Chumakova Natalia A. , Kalai Tamas , Rebrikova Anastasiya T. , Sár Cecília , Kokorin Alexander I.
Published: December 2022

Spin probe EPR spectroscopy is currently the only method to quantitatively report on the orientational ordering of graphene oxide membranes. This technique is based on the analysis of EPR spectra of a membrane containing stable radicals sorbed on oxidized graphene planes. The efficiency of the method depends on the spin probe structure; therefore, it is important to find stable paramagnetic substances that are most sensitive to the alignment of graphene oxide membranes. In the present work, three novel stable nitroxide radicals containing aromatic fragments with two nitrogen atoms were tested as spin probes to study graphene oxide membranes. The spin-Hamiltonian parameters of the radicals in graphite oxide powder and orientational order parameters of the probes inside graphene oxide membrane were determined. The sensitivity of one of these radicals to membrane orientational ordering was found to be higher than for any of spin probes used previously. A likely reason for this higher sensitivity is the presence of heteroatoms which can facilitate interaction between paramagnetic molecules and oxygen-containing groups on the inner surface of the membrane. The new high-sensitivity spin probe may significantly increase the potential of EPR spectroscopy for studying the internal structure of graphene oxide membranes.
Pervaporation Polyurethane Membranes Based on Hyperbranched Organoboron Polyols
Authors: Davletbaeva Ilsiya M. , Sazonov Oleg O. , Dulmaev Sergey E. , Klinov Alexander V. , Fazlyev Azat R. , Davletbaev Ruslan S. , Efimov Sergey V. , Klochkov Vladimir V.
Published: December 2022

On the basis of aminoethers of boric acid (AEBA), polyurethane vapor-permeable and pervaporative membranes were obtained. AEBAs, the structure of which is modified by bulk adducts (EM) of diphenylol propane diglycidyl ether and ethanolamine, were studied. It turned out that AEBA exists in the form of clusters, and the use of EM as a result of partial destruction of associative interactions leads to a significant decrease in the size of AEBA-EM particles and their viscosity compared to unmodified AEBA. The introduction of EM into the composition of AEBA leads to a threefold increase in the vapor permeability of polyurethanes obtained on their basis. The observed effect is explained by the fact that a decrease in the size of clusters leads to loosening of their dense packing. Areas of clustering due to associative interactions of hydroxyl groups, together with the hydrophilic nature of polyoxyethylene glycol, create channels through which water molecules can penetrate. The increase in vapor permeability is accompanied by a multiple increase in the permeability coefficients in the pervaporative dehydration of isopropanol.
Influence of Corrosion-Induced Damage on Mechanical Integrity and Load-Bearing Capability of Cemented Carbides
Authors: Zheng Yafeng , Fargas Gemma , Armelin Elaine , Lavigne Olivier , Zhang Qunli , Yao Jianhua , Llanes Luis
Published: December 2022

Tungsten carbide based cemented carbides, often simply termed hardmetals, are established forefront materials for tools, structural components, and wear parts with stringent requirements. Several of the technological applications in which they are used include exposure to chemically aggressive media. Under these conditions, failure induced under applied load may be accelerated; and consequently, the service life may be decreased. Within this context, this work addresses the influence of corrosion-induced damage on the mechanical integrity and load-bearing capability of hardmetals at different length scales, i.e., from 100s nanometers to 1000s microns. Experimental data acquired by means of nanoindentation, pyramidal, and spherical indentation, as well as sliding contact (micro- and nanoscratch) techniques, are presented. The attained results allow for identifying guidelines for the microstructural design of these materials under combined consideration of corrosion and mechanical contact as service-like conditions. Discussion of the reported findings includes a critical analysis of corrosion effects on the evolution of microstructure-property-performance interrelations for the materials under consideration.
The Microstructure and Tensile Properties of New High-Manganese Low-Activation Austenitic Steel
Authors: Litovchenko Igor , Akkuzin Sergey , Polekhina Nadezhda , Almaeva Kseniya , Linnik Valeria , Kim Anna , Moskvichev Evgeny , Chernov Vyacheslav
Published: December 2022

Using X-ray diffraction, scanning and transmission electron microscopy, the microstructure of a new low-activation chromium-manganese austenitic steel with a high content of manganese and strong carbide-forming elements is studied. Its structure, dislocation character and particle composition are detailed. The processes taking place in the steel under cold-rolling deformation are described. It is shown that the mechanical properties of the new high-manganese steel revealed by testing at 20 and 650 °C are comparable with those of well-known analogs or exceed them. Relying on the structural studies, this is attributed to the dispersion and substructural strengthening. Better plastic properties of the steel are associated with the twinning-induced plasticity effect. It is shown that the steel fracture after tension at the test temperatures is mainly ductile dimple transcrystalline with the elements of ductile intercrystalline fracture (at 20 °C), while at 650 °C the signs of the latter disappear. The low-activation chromium-manganese austenitic steels characterized by increased austenite stability are thought to be promising structural materials for nuclear power engineering.
Profiling of Urinary Glucuronidated Bile Acids across Age Groups
Authors: Muto Yamato , Suzuki Mitsuyoshi , Kakiyama Genta , Sasaki Takahiro , Murai Tsuyoshi , Takei Hajime , Nittono Hiroshi
Published: December 2022

We investigated the age-dependent changes in urinary excretion of glucuronidated bile acids at the C-3 position. Bile acid 3-glucuronides accounted for 0.5% of urinary bile acids in neonates, and the proportion of bile acid 3-glucuronides plateaued at 1–3 years of age. The 3-glucuronides of secondary bile acids were first secreted at 3 months of age, the same time as the establishment of the gut bacterial flora in infants. A considerable portion of bile acid 3-glucuronides were present as non-amidated forms. Our results indicate dynamic hepatic enzyme activity in which the levels of uridine 5′-diphospho-glucuronosyltransferases (UGTs) differ by age group, with higher glucuronidation activity of UGTs towards nonamidated bile acids than amidated bile acids.
Role of Oxylipins in the Inflammatory-Related Diseases NAFLD, Obesity, and Type 2 Diabetes
Authors: Misheva Mariya , Johnson Jethro , McCullagh James
Published: December 2022

Oxygenated polyunsaturated fatty acids (oxylipins) are bioactive molecules established as important mediators during inflammation. Different classes of oxylipins have been found to have opposite effects, e.g., pro-inflammatory prostaglandins and anti-inflammatory resolvins. Production of the different classes of oxylipins occurs during distinct stages of development and resolution of inflammation. Chronic inflammation is involved in the progression of many pathophysiological conditions and diseases such as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, insulin resistance, diabetes, and obesity. Determining oxylipin profiles before, during, and after inflammatory-related diseases could provide clues to the onset, development, and prevention of detrimental conditions. This review focusses on recent developments in our understanding of the role of oxylipins in inflammatory disease, and outlines novel technological advancements and approaches to study their action.
Multiomic Mass Spectrometry Imaging to Advance Future Pathological Understanding of Ocular Disease
Authors: Millar Joshua , Ozaki Ema , Campbell Susan , Duckett Catherine , Doyle Sarah , Cole Laura M.
Published: December 2022

Determining the locations of proteins within the eye thought to be involved in ocular pathogenesis is important to determine how best to target them for therapeutic benefits. However, immunohistochemistry is limited by the availability and specificity of antibodies. Additionally, the perceived role of both essential and non-essential metals within ocular tissue has been at the forefront of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) pathology for decades, yet even key metals such as copper and zinc have yet to have their roles deconvoluted. Here, mass spectrometry imaging (MSI) is employed to identify and spatially characterize both proteomic and metallomic species within ocular tissue to advance the application of a multiomic imaging methodology for the investigation of ocular diseases.
Molecular Screening via Sanger Sequencing of the Genetic Variants in Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease Subjects in the Saudi Population: A Hospital-Based Study
Authors: Alsaif Faisal , Al-hamoudi Waleed , Alotaiby Maram , Alsadoon Amani , Almayouf Mohammed , Almadany Hadeel , Abuhaimed Jawahir , Ghufran Noman , Merajuddin Ahmed , Ali Khan Imran
Published: December 2022

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is one of the most common liver diseases, along with steatosis and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), and is associated with cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Candidate gene and genome-wide association studies have validated the relationships between NAFLD, NASH, PNPLA3, TM6SF2, and HFE. The present study utilized five polymorphisms in three genes: PNPLA3 (I148M and K434E) TM6SF2 (E167K), and HFE (H63D and C282Y), based on undocumented case–control studies in the Saudi Arabian population. A total of 95 patients with NAFLD and 78 non-NAFLD subjects were recruited. Genomic DNA was isolated, and polymerase chain reaction and Sanger sequencing were performed using specific primers for the I148M, K434E, E167K, H63D, and C282Y. NAFLD subjects were older when compared to controls and showed the significant association (p = 0.0001). Non-significant association was found between gender (p = 0.26). However, both weight and BMI were found to be associated. Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium analysis confirmed that H63D, I148M, and K434E polymorphisms were associated. Genotype analysis showed only K434E variant was associated with NAFLD and non-NAFLD (OR-2.16; 95% CI: 1.08–4.31; p = 0.02). However, other polymorphisms performed with NAFLD and NASH were not associated (p > 0.05), and similar analysis was found when ANOVA was performed (p > 0.05). In conclusion, we confirmed that K434E polymorphism showed a positive association in the Saudi population.
Supplementation of L-Ornithine Could Increase Sleep-like Behavior in the Mouse Pups
Authors: Takakura Mayumi , Nagamachi Satsuki , Nishigawa Takuma , Takahashi Yoshihiro , Furuse Mitsuhiro
Published: December 2022

Along the maternal–fetal–neonatal axis, one of the problems relating to the maternal–neonatal axis is infant sleep problems including nighttime crying. One possible solution could be to provide the newborn with sleep-promoting ingredients through breast milk or formula. So far, it has been reported that L-ornithine has a sleep-related effect. Therefore, we investigated the effect of dietary L-ornithine on maternal mouse plasma and milk L-ornithine levels in Experiment 1. In Experiment 2, a single dose of L-ornithine was applied to know the time-course changes in plasma, mammary gland and milk L-ornithine levels. Experiment 3 was conducted to confirm sleep behavior as well as changes in polyamine levels in milk. L-Ornithine levels in maternal plasma significantly increased by both dietary regimen and single oral administration in Experiments 1 and 2. Both L-ornithine treatments also increased its levels in milk, although not to a concentration as high as in plasma. In Experiment 3, the level of polyamines, which are metabolized from L-ornithine, did not significantly differ after L-ornithine administration. In sleep-like behavior observations, the average concentration of L-ornithine in milk did not increase the sleep-like behavior of mouse pups. However, more concentrated L-ornithine solutions can significantly increase sleep-like behavior. These results revealed that even if mothers ingested L-ornithine to increase L-ornithine levels in breast milk, it is difficult to promote sleep in newborns. Because it is difficult to raise L-ornithine in breast milk to sleep-inducing levels, L-ornithine added formula may partially improve infant sleep and has the potential for preventing infant sleep problems such as nighttime crying.
Thermoelectric Power-Factor of Ag-Doped TiO2 Thin Film
Authors: Usop Rohaida , Hasnan Megat Muhammad Ikhsan Megat , Mohamad Mahazani , Ahmad Mohd Khairul , Said Suhana Mohd , Salleh Faiz
Published: December 2022

The thermoelectric power-factor of two types of rutile-phased nanostructured-TiO2 thin films doped with Ag was investigated at room temperature, by measuring their Seebeck coefficient and electrical conductivity. The thin films, consisting of a nanorod structure (single layer) and nanorod and nanoflower structure (bilayer) of TiO2, with the addition of different wt.% of AgNO3 were synthesized on an F:SnO2-coated glass substrate. The evaluated thermoelectric power-factor was observed to increase with an increasing wt.% of AgNO3 for both structures, with the bilayer structure increasing three times more than the undoped bilayer-structure, with a value of 148 μWm–1K–2 at 0.15 wt.%. This enhancement was due to the increase in electrical conductivity, which compensated for the small changes in the Seebeck coefficient, which were likely due to the increase in carrier concentration. Consequently, an enhancement in the thermoelectric conversion-efficiency of TiO2 thin film may be observed by Ag doping, without influencing the layer structure and material phase.
Miniature Manipulator Design and Cartesian Control for Minimally Invasive Transluminal Endoscopic Surgery
Authors: Lei Yanqiang , Li Yibin , Zhang Xingyao , Zhang Gang , Du Fuxin
Published: December 2022

This paper presents a miniature manipulator under Cartesian control for minimally invasive transluminal endoscopic surgery. The manipulator had four degrees of freedom (DoFs) and a diameter of only 3.5 mm. The compact size of the manipulator allowed it to pass through the instrument channel of the endoscope, and its high dexterity allowed it to perform most of the operations in endoscopic surgery such as marking, grasping, hanging, etc. The implicit function relationship in the kinematics of the continuum manipulator was analyzed. By introducing the regression analysis method, the analytical form of the inverse kinematics was obtained. The distribution of singularities in the manipulator workspace was analyzed with emphasis. The presence of singularities made Cartesian mapping control between the primary side and secondary side impossible. By introducing the smoothing method of the joint trajectory, the discontinuity of the joint velocity at the singularity was avoided and the primary–secondary mapping under Cartesian control was realized. The trajectory-tracking experiment proved that the smoothness of the joint trajectory could make the manipulator smoothly pass through the singularity. The fixed-point marking experiment proved that the Cartesian control could improve the intuition of operation and the efficiency of task completion. Comprehensive performance experiments showed that the manipulator had enough dexterity to execute complex operations.
Design and Fabrication of an Integrated Hollow Concave Cilium MEMS Cardiac Sound Sensor
Authors: Wang Bo , Shi Pengcheng , Yang Yuhua , Cui Jiangong , Zhang Guojun , Wang Renxin , Zhang Wendong , He Changde , Li Yirui , Wang Shuotong
Published: December 2022

In light of a need for low-frequency, high sensitivity and broadband cardiac murmur signal detection, the present work puts forward an integrated MEMS-based heart sound sensor with a hollow concave ciliary micro-structure. The advantages of a hollow MEMS structure, in contrast to planar ciliated micro-structures, are that it reduces the ciliated mass and enhances the operating bandwidth. Meanwhile, the area of acoustic-wave reception is enlarged by the concave architecture, thereby enhancing the sensitivity at low frequencies. By rationally designing the acoustic encapsulation, the loss of heart acoustic distortion and weak cardiac murmurs is reduced. As demonstrated by experimentation, the proposed hollow MEMS structure cardiac sound sensor has a sensitivity of up to −206.9 dB at 200 Hz, showing 6.5 dB and 170 Hz increases in the sensitivity and operating bandwidth, respectively, in contrast to the planar ciliated MEMS sensor. The SNR of the sensor is 26.471 dB, showing good detectability for cardiac sounds.
The Prevalence of Aliarcobacter Species in the Fecal Microbiota of Farm Animals and Potential Effective Agents for Their Treatment: A Review of the Past Decade
Authors: Çelik Cansu , Pınar Orhan , Sipahi Nisa
Published: December 2022

There is an endless demand for livestock-originated food, so it is necessary to elucidate the hazard points for livestock breeding. Pathogens are one of the hazard points that threaten the biosecurity of farm-animal breeding and public health. As a potential foodborne pathogen, Aliarcobacter is a member of the intestinal microbiota of farm animals with and without diarrhea. Aliarcobacter spp. are capable of colonizing livestock intestines and are transmitted through the feces. Hence, they endanger slaughterhouses and milk products with fecal contamination. They also have other, rarer, vertical and horizontal transmission routes, including the offspring that abort in farm animals. Gastrointestinal symptoms and abort cases demonstrate potential financial losses to the industry. Viewed from this perspective, the global circulation of farm-animal products is a significant route for zoonotic agents, including Aliarcobacter. In the last decade, worldwide prevalence of Aliarcobacter in fecal samples has ranged from 0.8% in Italy to 100% in Turkey. Furthermore, antibiotic resistance is recognized as a new type of environmental pollutant and has become a hot topic in animal breeding and the food industry. Increasing antibiotic resistance has become a significant problem impacting productivity. The increase in antimicrobial resistance rates in Aliarcobacter is caused by the misuse of antimicrobial drugs in livestock animals, leading to the acquiring of resistance genes from other bacteria, as well as mutations in current resistance genes. The most resistant strains are A. butzleri, A. cryaerophilus, and A. skirrowii. This review analyzes recent findings from the past decade on the prevalence of Aliarcobacter in the intestinal microbiota and the current effective antibiotics against Aliarcobacter. The paper also highlights that A. cryaerophilus and A. skirrowii are found frequently in diarrheal feces, indicating that Aliarcobacter should be studied further in livestock diarrheal diseases. Moreover, Aliarcobacter-infected farm animals can be treated with only a limited number of antibiotics, such as enrofloxacin, doxycycline, oxytetracycline, and gentamicin.
Petrogenesis and Tectonic Implications of Late Carboniferous Intrusions in the Tuwu-Yandong Porphyry Cu Belt (NW China): Constraints from Geochronology, Geochemistry and Sr–Nd–Hf Isotopes
Authors: An Weicai , Xue Chunji , Zhao Yun , Li Chao , Xu Dengfeng , Chen Bo
Published: December 2022

The Tuwu-Yandong porphyry Cu belt is located on the southern margin of the Dananhu island arc in eastern Tianshan, constituting the largest Cu metallogenic belt in Northwest China. Two episodes (~334 Ma and ~317 Ma) of porphyry Cu-Mo mineralization in the belt have been recognized, associated with Early and Late Carboniferous felsic intrusions, respectively. The Carboniferous intrusions, therefore, provide a unique opportunity to investigate tectono-magmatic-metallogenic evolution of the belt. New LA–ICP–MS zircon U–Pb dating indicates that the mineralization-related and post-mineralization intrusions (granodiorite porphyry, gabbro, and granite porphyry) were formed at 321.8 ± 3.1 Ma, 313.5 ± 1.2 Ma, and 309.8 ± 2.5 Ma, respectively. The zircon trace element shows that the granodiorite porphyry (Ce4+/Ce3+ ratios, avg. 129, median = 112, n = 15) was likely derived from a more oxidized (and hydrous) magma source than that of the gabbro (Ce4+/Ce3+ ratios, avg. 74, median = 40, n = 15) and granite porphyry (Ce4+/Ce3+ ratios, avg. 100, median = 91, n = 15), being favorable for porphyry copper mineralization. The granodiorite porphyry shows an adakitic affinity (e.g., high Sr/Y ratios and low Y contents) and has high εNd(t) (6.4–6.7), εHf(t) (11.4–14.3), and Mg# values (47.4–58.1) and low (87Sr/86Sr)i (0.703804–0.703953), suggesting that the melt was derived from partial melting of a subducted oceanic slab followed by mantle peridotite interaction. The gabbro exhibits higher Al2O3 (16.5–17.4 wt.%), Cr (107–172 ppm), and Ni (37–77 ppm) contents and εNd(t) (6.6–7.2), εHf(t) (11.6–15.9), and Mg # (53.3–59.9) values, while it has lower (87Sr/86Sr)i values (0.703681–0.703882) than the granodiorite porphyry, indicating a depleted mantle source. The granite porphyry exhibits an affinity with non-fractionated I-type granites and possesses higher SiO2 (71.1–72.0 wt.%) contents, lower but positive εNd(t) (4.8–5.2), εHf(t) (10.3–13.0), and Mg # (38.7–41.0) values, and higher (87Sr/86Sr)i (0.704544–0.704998) than the granodiorite porphyry and gabbro, together with young Nd and Hf model ages, suggesting that the parental magmas originated from the partial melting of a juvenile lower crust. The enrichment in LREEs and LILEs (e.g., Ba, U, K and Sr) and depletion in HFSEs (e.g., Nb, Ta, and Ti) indicate that these intrusive rocks formed in the subduction zone. With the integration of previous studies, it can be inferred that the northward flat subduction of the Kangguer ocean slab at ca. 335–315 Ma caused the formation of the adakites and associated porphyry Cu mineralization in the Tuwu-Yandong belt. After the prolonged flat subduction, slab rollback may have occurred at ca. 314–310 Ma, followed by a “quiet period” before the final closure of the ancient Tianshan Ocean along the Kangguer Fault in this belt.
Fusion of Multispectral Remote-Sensing Data through GIS-Based Overlay Method for Revealing Potential Areas of Hydrothermal Mineral Resources
Authors: Alarifi Saad S. , Abdelkareem Mohamed , Abdalla Fathy , Abdelsadek Ismail S. , Gahlan Hisham , Al-Saleh Ahmad. M. , Alotaibi Mislat
Published: December 2022

Revealing prospective locations of hydrothermal alteration zones (HAZs) is an important technique for mineral prospecting. In this study, we used multiple criteria inferred from Landsat-8 OLI, Sentinel-2, and ASTER data using a GIS-based weighted overlay multi-criteria decision analysis approach to build a model for the delineating of hydrothermal mineral deposits in the Khnaiguiyah district, Saudi Arabia. The utilized algorithms revealed argillic, phyllic, and propylitic alteration characteristics. The HAZs map resulted in the identification of six zones based on their mineralization potential, providing a basis for potential hydrothermal mineral deposit assessment exploration, which was created by the fusion of mineral bands indicators designated very low, low, moderate, good, very good, and excellent and covers 31.36, 28.22, 20.49, 10.99, 6.35, and 2.59%. Based on their potential for hydrothermal mineral potentiality, the discovered zones match gossans related to sulfide mineral alteration zones, as demonstrated by previous studies.
Speciation of Tellurium(VI) in Aqueous Solutions: Identification of Trinuclear Tellurates by 17O, 123Te, and 125Te NMR Spectroscopy
Authors: Medvedev Alexander G. , Savelyev Oleg Yu. , Krut’ko Dmitry P. , Mikhaylov Alexey A. , Lev Ovadia , Prikhodchenko Petr V.
Published: December 2022

Tellurates have attracted the attention of researchers over the past decade due to their properties and as less toxic forms of tellurium derivatives. However, the speciation of Te(VI) in aqueous solutions has not been comprehensively studied. We present a study of the equilibrium speciation of tellurates in aqueous solutions at a wide pH range, 2.5–15 by 17O, 123Te, and 125Te NMR spectroscopy. The coexistence of monomeric, dimeric, and trimeric oxidotellurate species in chemical equilibrium at a wide pH range has been shown. NMR spectroscopy, DFT computations, and single-crystal X-ray diffraction studies confirmed the formation and coexistence of trimeric tellurate anions with linear and triangular structures. Two cesium tellurates, Cs2[Te4O8(OH)10] and Cs2[Te2O4(OH)6], were isolated from the solution at pH 5.5 and 9.2, respectively, and studied by single-crystal X-ray diffractometry, revealing dimeric and tetrameric tellurate anions in corresponding crystal structures.