bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Extrachromosomal Circular DNA: Category, Biogenesis, Recognition, and Functions
Authors: Cao Xiukai , Wang Shan , Ge Ling , Zhang Weibo , Huang Jinlin , Sun Wei
Published: September 2021

Extrachromosomal circular DNA (eccDNA), existing as double-stranded circular DNA, is derived and free from chromosomes. It is common in eukaryotes but has a strong heterogeneity in count, length, and origin. It has been demonstrated that eccDNA could function in telomere and rDNA maintenance, aging, drug resistance, tumorigenesis, and phenotypic variations of plants and animals. Here we review the current knowledge about eccDNA in category, biogenesis, recognition, and functions. We also provide perspectives on the potential implications of eccDNA in life science.
Effect of the Initial Time of Providing Oat Hay on Performance, Health, Behavior and Rumen Fermentation in Holstein Female Calves
Authors: Chen Tianyu , Xiao Jianxin , Li Tingting , Ma Jing , Alugongo Gibson Maswayi , Khan Muhammad Zahoor , Liu Shuai , Wang Wei , Wang Yajing , Li Shengli , Cao Zhijun
Published: September 2021

For determining the appropriate time of feeding hay, 210 healthy Holstein calves at day two were randomly divided into three groups: basic diet (calf starter) without hay (CON), and the inclusion of oat hay from the second week (H2) or fourth week (H4) with basic diet. Calves were weaned on day 56 and raised until day 70. Calf starter intake and fecal scores were recorded daily. The body weight, body size, and rumen fluid samples were collected every two weeks before and once a week after weaning. Compared to the basic diet group, the calves that were receiving oat hay from the second week had the highest starter intake (1086.1 g vs. 925.6 g; p < 0.05), body weight (68.4 kg vs. 63.0 kg; p < 0.01) and average daily gain (0.84 kg/d vs. 0.73 kg/d; p < 0.01) throughout the trial period. Compared to H4, calves received oat hay from the second week reduced the frequency (1.48% vs. 3.57%; p < 0.05) and duration of diarrhea (0.21 days vs. 0.50 days; p < 0.05) during post-weaning. Compared to the CON calves, the inclusion of oat hay from the second week increased the ruminal pH (6.38 vs. 6.19; p < 0.01) during the entire trial and increased the acetate (49.07% vs. 44.44%; p < 0.05) during post-weaning. Compared to the basic diet group, calves in H2 treatment spent more time in rumination (275.2 min/day vs. 133.3 min/day; p < 0.01) but less time in abnormal behaviors (80.5 min/day vs. 207.0 min/day; p < 0.01). In conclusion, calves supplemented with oat hay had an improved growth rate and rumen environment compared to calves fed calf starter only.
Smart Farm Irrigation: Model Predictive Control for Economic Optimal Irrigation in Agriculture
Authors: Cáceres Gabriela , Millán Pablo , Pereira Mario , Lozano David
Published: September 2021

The growth of the global population, together with climate change and water scarcity, has made the shift towards efficient and sustainable agriculture increasingly important. Undoubtedly, the recent development of low-cost IoT-based sensors and actuators offers great opportunities in this direction since these devices can be easily deployed to implement advanced monitoring and irrigation control techniques at a farm scale, saving energy and water and decreasing costs. This paper proposes an economic and periodic predictive controller taking advantage of the irrigation periodicity. The goal of the controller is to find an irrigation technique that optimizes water and energy consumption while ensuring adequate levels of soil moisture for crops, achieving the maximum crop yield. For this purpose, the developed predictive controller makes use of soil moisture data at different depths, and it formulates a constrained optimization problem that considers energy and water costs, crop transpiration, and an accurate dynamical nonlinear model of the water dynamics in the soil, reflecting the reality. This controller strategy is compared with a classical irrigation strategy adopted by a human expert in a specific case study, demonstrating that it is possible to obtain significant reductions in water and energy consumption without compromising crop yields.
The Impact of Information on Attitudes toward Sustainable Wildlife Utilization and Management: A Survey of the Chinese Public
Authors: Song Zhifan , Wang Qiang , Miao Zhen , Conrad Kirsten , Zhang Wei , Zhou Xuehong , MacMillan Douglas C.
Published: September 2021

The widespread dissemination of information related to wildlife utilization in new online media and traditional media undoubtedly impacts societal conservation concepts and attitudes, thus triggering public discussions on the relationship between conservation and utilization. A study on how public attitudes and concepts are affected by the related information on wildlife utilization is helpful to implement the scientific wildlife conservation and management strategies, and to propose targeted measures to optimize the information environment. We designed the questionnaire to investigate the public’s awareness and agreement with related information on wildlife utilization so as to measure how information with different dissemination channels, source types, and content orientation influenced the public’s concept of wildlife conservation and utilization. The questionnaire was distributed in seven major geographical regions throughout China. Out of a total of 1645 questionnaires that were collected, 1294 questionnaires were valid, with an effective rate of 78.7%. Results show that respondents had the greatest awareness of information on preventing unsustainable and illegal utilization, and the lowest awareness of information on promoting unsustainable utilization, and that awareness of information that against utilization was higher than that of information which supported sustainable utilization. At the same time, respondents showed the greatest agreement for information on preventing unsustainable utilization and the lowest agreement for information on promoting unsustainable utilization; also, their agreement with information that against utilization was higher than that for information which supported sustainable use. Respondents had a high level of awareness of information on wildlife related to COVID-19 provided by experts. Gender, age, the level of development of the city in which they live, education, vegetarianism, and religious beliefs all affected respondents’ agreement with related information on wildlife utilization. This research suggests that the publicity and education of scientific conservation methods should be emphasized in the future conservation education. In addition, scholars in the field of wildlife research should assume the role of ‘influencer’ and give full play to the scientific guidance of public opinion.
Mitochondrial Bioenergetics of Extramammary Tissues in Lactating Dairy Cattle
Authors: Favorit Victoria , Hood Wendy R. , Kavazis Andreas N. , Villamediana Patricia , Yap Kang Nian , Parry Hailey A. , Skibiel Amy L.
Published: September 2021

Lactation is physiologically demanding, requiring increased nutrient and energy use. Mammary and extramammary tissues undergo metabolic changes for lactation. Although it has long been recognized that mitochondria play a critical role in lactation, the mitochondrial adaptations for milk synthesis in supporting tissues, such as liver and skeletal muscle are relatively understudied. In this study, we assessed the mitochondrial function in these tissues across lactation in dairy cattle. Tissue biopsies were taken at 8 ± 2 d (early, n = 11), 75 ± 4 d (peak, n = 11) and 199 ± 6 d (late, n = 11) in milk. Early lactation biopsies were harvested from one group of cows and the peak and late biopsies from a second cohort. Milk yield (MY) was recorded at each milking and milk samples were collected for composition analysis. Mitochondrial efficiency was quantified as the respiratory control ratio (RCR), comparing maximal to resting respiration rates. Liver complex II RCR was positively associated with MY. Liver ROS emission increased across lactation whereas liver antioxidant activity was similar across lactation. No change was detected in skeletal muscle RCR or ROS emission, but muscle GPx activity decreased across lactation and muscle SOD was negatively associated with MY. Muscle oxidative damage was elevated at early and late lactation. Across lactation, genes involved in mitochondrial biogenesis were upregulated in the liver. Our results indicate that during lactation, liver mitochondrial biogenesis and efficiency are increased, which is associated with greater milk yield. In contrast, the mitochondrial efficiency in skeletal muscle remains consistent across lactation, but undergoes oxidative damage, which is associated with reduced antioxidant activity.
Epidemiology and Cost of Peste des Petits Ruminants (PPR) Eradication in Small Ruminants in the United Arab Emirates—Disease Spread and Control Strategies Simulations
Authors: Fathelrahman Eihab M. , Reeves Aaron , Mohamed Meera S. , Ali Yassir M. Eltahir , El Awad Adil I. , Bensalah Oum-Keltoum , Abdalla Afra A.
Published: September 2021

Peste des petits ruminants (PPR) is an important infectious viral disease of domestic small ruminants that threatens the food security and sustainable livelihood of farmers across Middle East, Africa, and Asia. The objective of this research is to analyze the disease’s spread and its impacts on direct government costs through conducting three simulations of different control strategies to reduce and quickly eradicate PPR from the United Arab Emirates in the near future. A Modified Animal Disease Spread Model was developed in this study to suit the conditions of the United Arab Emirates. The initial scenario represents when mass vaccination is ceased, and moderate movement restrictions are applied. The second scenario is based on mass vaccination and stamping out the disease, whereas the third simulation scenario assumes mass and ring vaccination when needed, very strict movement control, and stamping out. This study found that the third scenario is the most effective in controlling and eradicating PPR from the UAE. The outbreak duration in days was reduced by 57% and the number of infected animals by 77% when compared to the other scenarios. These results are valuable to the country’s animal health decision-makers and the government’s efforts to report to the World Animal Health Organization (OIE) regarding the progress made towards declaration of the disease’s eradication. They are also useful to other concerned entities in other Middle Eastern, North African, and Asian countries where the disease is spreading.
Effect of a Corset on the Gait of Healthy Beagle Dogs
Authors: Itoi Takamasa , Kawata Shuji , Fukuda Yoshiyuki , Maejima Saori
Published: September 2021

The prognosis for intervertebral disc disease (IVDD), a common neurologic disease in dogs, varies, with some cases requiring long-term rehabilitation. Corsets are used as part of the physical rehabilitation of dogs, and one of these, the Anifull Dog’s Corset Pro, is manufactured and sold by Daiya Industry Co., Ltd. This corset is used to relieve pain caused by spinal cord and vertebral diseases, and to prevent neurological conditions from worsening, by limiting spinal movement. However, the effect of the Anifull Dog’s Corset Pro on gait has not yet been clarified. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate the effects of this corset on the gait of dogs using kinematic and kinetic analyses. Five healthy beagle dogs wearing corsets were trotted, kinematic and kinetic parameters were measured using motion capture and force plates, and the results were compared to those obtained when the dogs were not wearing a corset. The range of motion of the angle formed by the 13th thoracic vertebra and the 7th lumbar vertebra at the apex of the 7th cervical vertebra was significantly reduced in the corset-wearing dogs. Thus, the Anifull Dog’s Corset Pro may improve trunk stability without affecting gait.
SNPs in Sheep: Characterization of Lithuanian Sheep Populations
Authors: Sveistiene Ruta , Tapio Miika
Published: September 2021

In Lithuania, there are two recognised native sheep breeds: old native Lithuanian Coarsewooled and Lithuanian Blackface. In addition, in 2005, primitive Heidschnucke-type Skudde sheep were imported to Lithuania and were argued to possibly represent a lost Lithuanian sheep type. The aim of the study was to investigate the genetic variation in the two Lithuanian native sheep breeds, compare them with the imported Skudde sheep and establish the historical patterns of admixture and the genetic relatedness of Lithuanian sheep to British, Central European and Nordic sheep breeds included in the SheepHapMap study. In total, 72 individuals, representing two Lithuanian native and imported Skudde sheep breeds, were genotyped using a Neogen 12K Illumina Infinium chip. The population analysis was carried out by model-based clustering, principal component analysis and neighbour net analysis, and showed similar patterns for the Lithuanian sheep populations. Lithuanian Coarsewooled and Skudde in Lithuania have unique divergence and possibly some shared ancestry, while the Lithuanian Blackface conforms to a modern synthetic breed. The study clearly showed that the Coarsewooled and the Skudde breeds are distinct from each other. Historical data strongly suggest that the Coarsewooled breed represents a local breed, while the Skudde origin is less directly linked to the geographical area of modern-day Lithuania. Within the modern-day Lithuanian context, the Lithuanian Coarsewooled sheep is very important historical sheep type for conservation.
The Internet: Friend or Foe of Antibiotic Resistance? Results of a Cross-Sectional Study among Italian University Students
Authors: Licata Francesca , Angelillo Silvia , Oliverio Alessandra , Bianco Aida
Published: September 2021

The study aims were to investigate knowledge and attitudes towards antibiotics and antibiotic resistance (ABR), and to assess the extent of practices regarding antibiotic consumption and Internet use among university students in Southern Italy. Data were collected through an anonymous online questionnaire from 1 April to 14 April 2021. The eligibility criteria for the study were: (i) age between 18 and 30 years and (ii) registered as an undergraduate student at the university. Among the 1051 sampled students, only 7.4% gave the correct answer to all 7 knowledge statements about antibiotics and ABR. The main determinants of knowledge were being younger and attending to medical or life sciences majors. Almost two-thirds took an antibiotic in the previous 12 months and 24.6% reported having self-medicated with antibiotics. More than half of the sample used the Internet to seek information about antibiotics and/or ABR, and it was the strongest predictor of self-medication with antibiotics. The study findings highlighted gaps in knowledge, considerable antibiotic consumption, sometimes without prescription, together with an extensive Internet use to seek health-related information. To facilitate the health-promoting use of the Internet in conjunction with health care providers, we could make young adults aware of the rational use of antibiotics.
Chronic Stress and Oxidative Stress as Common Factors of the Pathogenesis of Depression and Alzheimer’s Disease: The Role of Antioxidants in Prevention and Treatment
Authors: Juszczyk Gabriela , Mikulska Joanna , Kasperek Kamila , Pietrzak Diana , Mrozek Weronika , Herbet Mariola
Published: September 2021

There is a growing body of scientific research showing the link between depression and dementia in Alzheimer’s disease (AD). The chronic stress contributes to the formation of oxidative stress in the parts of the brain involved in the development of depression and AD. The scientific literature reports the significant role of antioxidants, which are highly effective in treating these diseases. In this review, we have summarized the relationship between chronic stress, oxidative stress, and the changes in the brain they cause occurring in the brain. Among all the compounds showing antioxidant properties, the most promising results in AD treatment were observed for Vitamin E, coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10), melatonin, polyphenols, curcumin, and selenium. In case of depression treatment, the greatest potential was observed in curcumin, zinc, selenium, vitamin E, and saffron.
Modeling Musculoskeletal Dynamics during Gait: Evaluating the Best Personalization Strategy through Model Anatomical Consistency
Authors: Conconi Michele , Montefiori Erica , Sancisi Nicola , Mazzà Claudia
Published: September 2021

No consensus exists on how to model human articulations within MSK models for the analysis of gait dynamics. We propose a method to evaluate joint models and we apply it to three models with different levels of personalization. The method evaluates the joint model’s adherence to the MSK hypothesis of negligible joint work by quantifying ligament and cartilage deformations resulting from joint motion; to be anatomically consistent, these deformations should be minimum. The contrary would require considerable external work to move the joint, violating a strong working hypothesis and raising concerns about the credibility of the MSK outputs. Gait analysis and medical resonance imaging (MRI) from ten participants were combined to build lower limb subject-specific MSK models. MRI-reconstructed anatomy enabled three levels of personalization using different ankle joint models, in which motion corresponded to different ligament elongation and cartilage co-penetration. To estimate the impact of anatomical inconsistency in MSK outputs, joint internal forces resulting from tissue deformations were computed for each joint model and MSK simulations were performed ignoring or considering their contribution. The three models differed considerably for maximum ligament elongation and cartilage co-penetration (between 5.94 and 50.69% and between −0.53 and −5.36 mm, respectively). However, the model dynamic output from the gait simulations were similar. When accounting for the internal forces associated with tissue deformation, outputs changed considerably, the higher the personalization level the smaller the changes. Anatomical consistency provides a solid method to compare different joint models. Results suggest that consistency grows with personalization, which should be tailored according to the research question. A high level of anatomical consistency is recommended when individual specificity and the behavior of articular structures is under investigation.
Generating Mechanism of Catalytic Effect for Hydrogen Absorption/Desorption Reactions in NaAlH4–TiCl3
Authors: Ikeda Kazutaka , Fujisaki Fumika , Otomo Toshiya , Ohshita Hidetoshi , Honda Takashi , Kawamata Toru , Arima Hiroshi , Sugiyama Kazumasa , Abe Hitoshi , Kim Hyunjeong , Sakaki Kouji , Nakamura Yumiko , Machida Akihiko , Sato Toyoto , Takagi Shigeyuki , Orimo Shin-ichi
Published: September 2021

The hydrogen desorption and absorption reactions of the complex metal hydride NaAlH4 are disproportionation processes, and the kinetics can be improved by adding a few mol% of Ti compounds, although the catalytic mechanism, including the location and state of Ti, remains unknown. In this study, we aimed to reveal the generating mechanism of catalytic Al–Ti alloy in NaAlH4 with TiCl3 using quantum multiprobe techniques such as neutron diffraction (ND), synchrotron X-ray diffraction (XRD), anomalous X-ray scattering (AXS), and X-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS). Rietveld refinements of the ND and XRD, profiles before the first desorption of NaAlD(H)4–0.02TiCl3 showed that Al in NaAlD(H)4 was partially substituted by Ti. On the other hand, Ti was not present in NaAlH4, and Al–Ti nanoparticles were detected in the XRD profile after the first re-absorption. This was consistent with the AXS and XAFS results. It is suggested that the substitution promotes the formation of a highly dispersed nanosized Al–Ti alloy during the first desorption process and that the effectiveness of TiCl3 as an additive can be attributed to the dispersion of Ti.
Digital Transformation and Cybersecurity of Critical Infrastructures
Authors: Maglaras Leandros , Kantzavelou Ioanna , Ferrag Mohamed Amine
Published: September 2021

Critical infrastructures are vital assets for public safety, economic welfare, and the national security of nations [...]
Effects of Temperature on the FT NIR Raman Spectra of Fish Skin Collagen
Authors: Połomska Maria , Kubisz Leszek , Wolak Jacek , Hojan-Jezierska Dorota
Published: September 2021

The development of regenerative medicine turns attention toward native collagen as a biocompatible material. Particularly interesting is fish skin collagen, which is relatively easy to extract comparing mammalian tissues and free of some pathogens that are dangerous to humans. The paper presents results of IR Raman spectroscopy studies of silver carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix) skin collagen. As collagen properties result from its structure and conformation, both sensitive to temperature, FT NIR Raman spectroscopy is an excellent tool to characterize the molecular structure of fish skin collagen, particularly in temperature range typical for the manufacturing processes of biomedical products. Therefore, the Raman spectra were recorded in a temperature range of 300 to 403 K. The analysis of Raman spectra of prepared collagen films, particularly in the range of the bands related to amide I and amide III entities, showed a high content of α-helix and α-helix type molecular organization in fish skin collagen. Additionally, the secondary structure of the studied fish skin collagen is stable up to ~358 K. Heating to 403 K leads to irreversible changes in the molecular structure of fish skin collagen. It was found that the Raman spectrum of fish skin collagen preheated in this manner becomes similar to the spectrum of the collagen obtained from bovine Achilles tendon, whose secondary structure does not change up to 403 K.
A Research Framework of Mitigating Construction Accidents in High-Rise Building Projects via Integrating Building Information Modeling with Emerging Digital Technologies
Authors: Manzoor Bilal , Othman Idris , Pomares Juan Carlos , Chong Heap-Yih
Published: September 2021

The construction of high-rise building projects is a dangerous vocation due to the uniqueness and nature of the activities, as well as the complexity of the working environment, yet safety issues remain crucial in the construction industry. Digital technologies, such as building information modeling (BIM), have been identified as valuable tools for increasing construction productivity, efficiency, and safety. This research aimed to mitigate the accident safety factors in high-rise building projects via integrating BIM with emerging digital technologies in the construction industry, such as photogrammetry, GPS, RFID, augmented reality, (AR), virtual reality (VR), and drone technology. Qualitative research was conceived in the ground theory approach. Forty-five online interviews with construction stakeholders and qualitative data analysis were carried out using the NVivo 11 software package. According to the findings, interviewees were more motivated to use photogrammetry and drone technologies in high-rise building projects in order to increase construction safety. Positive, negative, and neutral attitudes about BIM integration with emerging digital technologies were discovered. Furthermore, a research framework was developed by consolidating research findings that articulate the measures and future needs of BIM integration with other digital technologies to mitigate construction accidents in high-rise building projects. The framework also renders practical references for industry practitioners towards effective and safer construction.
Optimized Sensors Network and Dynamical Maps for Monitoring Traffic Noise in a Large Urban Zone
Authors: Benocci Roberto , Roman H. Eduardo , Zambon Giovanni
Published: September 2021

We review a Dynamap European Life project whose main scope was the design, commissioning, and actual implementation of “real-time” acoustic maps in a district of the city of Milan (District 9, or Z9, composed of about 2000 road stretches), by employing a small number of noise monitoring stations within the urban zone. Dynamap is based on the idea of finding suitable sets of roads displaying similar daily traffic noise behavior, so that one can group them together into single dynamical noise maps. The Dynamap sensor network has been built upon twenty-four monitoring stations, which have been permanently installed in appropriate locations within the pilot zone Z9, by associating four sensors to each one of the six group of roads considered. In order to decide which road stretches belong to a group, a non-acoustic parameter is used, which is obtained from a traffic flow model of the city, developed and tested over the years by the “Enviroment, Mobility and Territory Agency” of Milan (EMTA). The fundamental predictive equation of Dynamap, for the local equivalent noise level at a given site, can be built by using real-time data provided by the monitoring sensors. In addition, the corresponding contributions of six static traffic noise maps, associated with the six group of roads, are required. The static noise maps can be calculated from the Cadna noise model, based on EMTA road traffic data referred to the ‘rush-hour’ (8:00–9:00 a.m.), when the road traffic flow is maximum and the model most accurate. A further analysis of road traffic noise measurements, performed over the whole city of Milan, has provided a more accurate description of road traffic noise behavior by using a clustering approach. It is found that essentially just two mean cluster hourly noise profiles are sufficient to represent the noise profile at any site location within the zone. In order words, one can use the 24 monitoring stations data to estimate the local noise variations at a single site in real time. The different steps in the construction of the network are described in detail, and several validation tests are presented in support of the Dynamap performance, leading to an overall error of about 3 dB. The present work ends with a discussion of how to improve the design of the network further, based on the calculation of the cross-correlations between monitoring stations’ noise data.
Optimization of Water Pressure of a Distribution Network within the Water–Energy Nexus
Authors: Nasrollahi Hossein , Safaei Boroujeni Reza , Shirmohammadi Reza , Najafi Nobar Shima , Aslani Alireza , Amidpour Majid , Petrakopoulou Fontina
Published: September 2021

Pressure control in water distribution networks (WDNs) reduces leaks and bursting. Thus, it is regarded as a valuable solution to cut costs related to the operation and maintenance of WDNs and it is recommended for use in deteriorated water distribution pipes. However, growing consumer demand for satisfactory performance from faucets, combined with reduced water pressure from water supply companies, has resulted in an increased need for domestic water pressure booster systems (WPBSs) and has led to an increase in the energy demand. This misalignment of interests between water companies and energy consumers highlights the water–energy nexus perspective. This research aims to find a solution for optimizing the pressure of any WDN through the application of WPBSs to simultaneously minimize the cost associated with water leaks, repairs of burst pipes, and energy consumption. This methodology is applied to Baharestan city, where an optimum pressure of 47.6 mH2O is calculated. According to the sensitivity analysis of the inputs, the optimized pressure and cost are most sensitive to water loss and leakage exponent, respectively. Moreover, the hourly optimization of water pressure based on changes in demand and energy prices throughout the day is estimated to cut costs by 41%.
Consecutive Independence and Correlation Transform for Multimodal Data Fusion: Discovery of One-to-Many Associations in Structural and Functional Imaging Data
Authors: Jia Chunying , Akhonda Mohammad Abu Baker Siddique , Levin-Schwartz Yuri , Long Qunfang , Calhoun Vince D. , Adali Tülay
Published: September 2021

Brain signals can be measured using multiple imaging modalities, such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-based techniques. Different modalities convey distinct yet complementary information; thus, their joint analyses can provide valuable insight into how the brain functions in both healthy and diseased conditions. Data-driven approaches have proven most useful for multimodal fusion as they minimize assumptions imposed on the data, and there are a number of methods that have been developed to uncover relationships across modalities. However, none of these methods, to the best of our knowledge, can discover “one-to-many associations”, meaning one component from one modality is linked with more than one component from another modality. However, such “one-to-many associations” are likely to exist, since the same brain region can be involved in multiple neurological processes. Additionally, most existing data fusion methods require the signal subspace order to be identical for all modalities—a severe restriction for real-world data of different modalities. Here, we propose a new fusion technique—the consecutive independence and correlation transform (C-ICT) model—which successively performs independent component analysis and independent vector analysis and is uniquely flexible in terms of the number of datasets, signal subspace order, and the opportunity to find “one-to-many associations”. We apply C-ICT to fuse diffusion MRI, structural MRI, and functional MRI datasets collected from healthy controls (HCs) and patients with schizophrenia (SZs). We identify six interpretable triplets of components, each of which consists of three associated components from the three modalities. Besides, components from these triplets that show significant group differences between the HCs and SZs are identified, which could be seen as putative biomarkers in schizophrenia.
Anomaly-Based Intrusion Detection Systems in IoT Using Deep Learning: A Systematic Literature Review
Authors: Alsoufi Muaadh A. , Razak Shukor , Siraj Maheyzah Md , Nafea Ibtehal , Ghaleb Fuad A. , Saeed Faisal , Nasser Maged
Published: September 2021

The Internet of Things (IoT) concept has emerged to improve people’s lives by providing a wide range of smart and connected devices and applications in several domains, such as green IoT-based agriculture, smart farming, smart homes, smart transportation, smart health, smart grid, smart cities, and smart environment. However, IoT devices are at risk of cyber attacks. The use of deep learning techniques has been adequately adopted by researchers as a solution in securing the IoT environment. Deep learning has also successfully been implemented in various fields, proving its superiority in tackling intrusion detection attacks. Due to the limitation of signature-based detection for unknown attacks, the anomaly-based Intrusion Detection System (IDS) gains advantages to detect zero-day attacks. In this paper, a systematic literature review (SLR) is presented to analyze the existing published literature regarding anomaly-based intrusion detection, using deep learning techniques in securing IoT environments. Data from the published studies were retrieved from five databases (IEEE Xplore, Scopus, Web of Science, Science Direct, and MDPI). Out of 2116 identified records, 26 relevant studies were selected to answer the research questions. This review has explored seven deep learning techniques practiced in IoT security, and the results showed their effectiveness in dealing with security challenges in the IoT ecosystem. It is also found that supervised deep learning techniques offer better performance, compared to unsupervised and semi-supervised learning. This analysis provides an insight into how the use of data types and learning methods will affect the performance of deep learning techniques for further contribution to enhancing a novel model for anomaly intrusion detection and prediction.
An Enterprise Social Analytics Dashboard to Support Competence Valorization and Diversity Management
Authors: Di Tommaso Giorgia , Faralli Stefano , Gatti Mauro , Iannotta Michela , Stilo Giovanni , Velardi Paola
Published: September 2021

This paper describes an Enterprise Social Analytics Dashboard (ESAD) to support human capital management, competence valorization, diversity management, and early detection of potential problems within large, networked organizations. The system can be used by managers for career promotion, team building, and diversity management, as well as by company’s social analysts, to monitor social behaviors and information flow in the workplace. Toward this end, we defined a measure of informal leadership which draws on organization theory and on a computational model based on multiplex networks. This model, along with a social network analysis toolkit developed in the context of the present study, enabled the systematic empirical analysis of social behaviors in a three-year dataset of message threads exchanged within a large multinational enterprise, as a function of gender, time, roles, and discussed topics. The results of our empirical analysis demonstrate the power of social analytics in organizations as a tool for human capital management, competence valorization, and early detection of potential problems. Our study clearly shows that Enterprise Social Networks are a favorable environment to highlight women’s leadership qualities and intermediary abilities. The ESAD offers innovative features, such as a sociologically motivated leadership model based on multiplex networks, text mining, and text classification techniques, to extract relevant discussion topics.
Physiological and Immunological Status of Adult Honeybees (Apis mellifera) Fed Sugar Syrup Supplemented with Pentadecapeptide BPC 157
Authors: Tlak Gajger Ivana , Smodiš Škerl Maja Ivana , Šoštarić Petra , Šuran Jelena , Sikirić Predrag , Vlainić Josipa
Published: September 2021

Various factors contribute to a decline in diversity and number of bees. Here, an integrated approach in experimental BPC 157 therapy was implemented, combining laboratory-controlled and field study results. The aim of a study was to assess the effects of BPC 157 additional feeding of newly emerged worker honeybees on few biochemical and immunological parameters in hemolymph (glucose, trehalose, lipids, proteins, vitellogenin, glucose-oxidase (GOX)), and hypopharyngeal gland (HPG), in laboratory-controlled conditions. Additionally, to examine the physiological status of protein digestion, the enzymatic activity of leucine aminopeptidase (LAP) in the mid-guts of worker honeybees was analyzed. It was found that individual honeybees, in hoarding cages, following BPC 157 administration through carbohydrate food, showed positive physiological changes when compared to the control groups. Those results were complemented by strong and visible LAP activity, particularly noticeable in the apical parts of the epithelial cells in the mid-guts of young worker honeybees originated from treated hives, suggesting a link between alternative oral therapy with BPC 157 and honeybees’ immunity.
The Effect of Drug Heterogeneous Distributions within Core-Sheath Nanostructures on Its Sustained Release Profiles
Authors: Xu Haixia , Xu Xizi , Li Siyu , Song Wen-Liang , Yu Deng-Guang , Annie Bligh S. W.
Published: September 2021

The sustained release of a water-soluble drug is always a key and important issue in pharmaceutics. In this study, using cellulose acetate (CA) as a biomacromolecular matrix, core-sheath nanofibers were developed for providing a sustained release of a model drug—metformin hydrochloride (MET). The core–sheath nanofibers were fabricated using modified tri-axial electrospinning, in which a detachable homemade spinneret was explored. A process—nanostructure–performance relationship was demonstrated through a series of characterizations. The prepared nanofibers F2 could release 95% of the loaded MET through a time period of 23.4 h and had no initial burst effect. The successful sustained release performances of MET can be attributed to the following factors: (1) the reasonable application of insoluble CA as the filament-forming carrier, which determined that the drug was released through a diffusion manner; (2) the core–sheath nanostructure provided the possibility of both encapsulating the drug completely and realizing the heterogeneous distributions of MET in the nanofibers with a higher drug load core than the sheath; (3) the thickness of the sheath sections were able to be exploited for further manipulating a better drug extended release performance. The mechanisms for manipulating the drug sustained release behaviors are proposed. The present proof-of-concept protocols can pave a new way to develop many novel biomolecule-based nanostructures for extending the release of water-soluble drugs.
Recognition Interface of the Thrombin Binding Aptamer Requires Antiparallel Topology of the Quadruplex Core
Authors: Svetlova Julia , Sardushkin Makar , Kolganova Natalia , Timofeev Edward
Published: September 2021

Recent advances in G-quadruplex (GQ) studies have provided evidence for their important role in key biological processes (replication, transcription, genome stability, and epigenetics). These findings imply highly specific interactions between GQ structures and cellular proteins. The details of the interaction between GQs and cellular proteins remain unknown. It is now accepted that GQ loop elements play a major role in protein recognition. It remains unclear whether and to what extent the GQ core contributes to maintaining the recognition interface. In the current paper, we used the thrombin binding aptamer as a model to study the effect of modification in the quadruplex core on the ability of aptamer to interact with thrombin. We used alpha-2′-deoxyguanosine and 8-bromo-2′-deoxyguanosine to reconfigure the core or to affect syn–anti preferences of selected dG-residues. Our data suggest that core guanines not only support a particular type of GQ architecture, but also set structural parameters that make GQ protein recognition sensitive to quadruplex topology.
Alpha-Synuclein and the Endolysosomal System in Parkinson’s Disease: Guilty by Association
Authors: Teixeira Maxime , Sheta Razan , Idi Walid , Oueslati Abid
Published: September 2021

Abnormal accumulation of the protein α- synuclein (α-syn) into proteinaceous inclusions called Lewy bodies (LB) is the neuropathological hallmark of Parkinson’s disease (PD) and related disorders. Interestingly, a growing body of evidence suggests that LB are also composed of other cellular components such as cellular membrane fragments and vesicular structures, suggesting that dysfunction of the endolysosomal system might also play a role in LB formation and neuronal degeneration. Yet the link between α-syn aggregation and the endolysosomal system disruption is not fully elucidated. In this review, we discuss the potential interaction between α-syn and the endolysosomal system and its impact on PD pathogenesis. We propose that the accumulation of monomeric and aggregated α-syn disrupt vesicles trafficking, docking, and recycling, leading to the impairment of the endolysosomal system, notably the autophagy-lysosomal degradation pathway. Reciprocally, PD-linked mutations in key endosomal/lysosomal machinery genes (LRRK2, GBA, ATP13A2) also contribute to increasing α-syn aggregation and LB formation. Altogether, these observations suggest a potential synergistic role of α-syn and the endolysosomal system in PD pathogenesis and represent a viable target for the development of disease-modifying treatment for PD and related disorders.
Safety and Tolerability of the Adeno-Associated Virus Vector, AAV6.2FF, Expressing a Monoclonal Antibody in Murine and Ovine Animal Models
Authors: Rghei Amira D. , van Lieshout Laura P. , McLeod Benjamin M. , Pei Yanlong , Lopes Jordyn A. , Zielinska Nicole , Baracuhy Enzo M. , Stevens Brenna A. Y. , Thomas Sylvia P. , Yates Jacob G. E. , Warner Bryce M. , Kobasa Darwyn , Fausther-Bovendo Hugues , Kobinger Gary P. , Karimi Khalil , Thompson Brad , Bridle Byram W. , Susta Leonardo , Wootton Sarah K.
Published: September 2021

Adeno-associated virus (AAV) vector mediated expression of therapeutic monoclonal antibodies is an alternative strategy to traditional vaccination to generate immunity in immunosuppressed or immunosenescent individuals. In this study, we vectorized a human monoclonal antibody (31C2) directed against the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 and determined the safety profile of this AAV vector in mice and sheep as a large animal model. In both studies, plasma biochemical parameters and hematology were comparable to untreated controls. Except for mild myositis at the site of injection, none of the major organs revealed any signs of toxicity. AAV-mediated human IgG expression increased steadily throughout the 28-day study in sheep, resulting in peak concentrations of 21.4–46.7 µg/ mL, demonstrating practical scale up from rodent to large animal models. This alternative approach to immunity is worth further exploration after this demonstration of safety, tolerability, and scalability in a large animal model.
An Analytical Method Based on Electrochemical Sensor for the Assessment of Insect Infestation in Flour
Authors: Fu Li , Zhu Jiangwei , Karimi-Maleh Hassan
Published: September 2021

Uric acid is an important indicator of the insect infestation assessment in flour. In this work, we propose a method for uric acid detection based on voltammetry. This technique is particularly considered for the physicochemical properties of flour and contains a simple pretreatment process to rapidly achieve extraction and adsorption of uric acid in flour. To achieve specific recognition of uric acid, graphene and poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) were used for the adsorption and concentration of uric acid in flour. The adsorbed mixture was immobilized on the surface of a screen-printed electrode for highly sensitive detection of the uric acid. The results showed that electrocatalytic oxidation of uric acid could be achieved after adsorption by graphene and PEDOT. This electrocatalytic reaction allows its oxidation peak to be distinguished from those of other substances that commonly possess electrochemical activity. This voltammetry-based detection method is a portable and disposable analytical method. Because it is simple to operate, requires no professional training, and is inexpensive, it is a field analysis method that can be promoted.
Comprehensive Evaluation of Factors Affecting Tremor Relapse after MRgFUS Thalamotomy: A Case-Control Study
Authors: Bruno Federico , Catalucci Alessia , Arrigoni Francesco , Gagliardi Alessio , Campanozzi Elena , Corridore Antonella , Tommasino Emanuele , Pagliei Valeria , Pertici Leonardo , Palumbo Pierpaolo , Sucapane Patrizia , Cerone Davide , Pistoia Francesca , Di Cesare Ernesto , Barile Antonio , Ricci Alessandro , Marini Carmine , Splendiani Alessandra , Masciocchi Carlo
Published: September 2021

Objective: To identify possible relevant factors contributing to tremor relapse after MRgFUS thalamotomy in patients with essential tremor (ET) and Parkinson’s disease (PD). Methods: We identified patients with tremor relapse from a series of 79 treatments in a single institution. The demographic and clinical characteristics of the study group patients were compared to those of patients who did not relapse in the same follow-up period. Imaging and procedural factors were compared using a control group matched for clinical and demographic characteristics. Results: Concerning clinical and demographic characteristics, we did not find statistically significant differences in gender and age. Seventy-three percent of patients with tremor relapse were Parkinson’s disease patients. Using MRI, we found larger thalamotomy lesions at the 1-year follow-up in the control group with stable outcomes, compared to patients with tremor relapse. In the tractography evaluation, we found a more frequent eccentric position of the DRTt in patients with tremor relapse. Conclusions: The most relevant determining factors for tremor relapse after MRgFUS thalamotomy appear to be tremor from Parkinson’s disease and inaccurate thalamic targeting. Size of the thalamotomy lesion can also influence the outcome of treatment.
Spatial Learning in a Virtual Environment: The Role of Self-Efficacy Feedback and Individual Visuospatial Factors
Authors: Miola Laura , Muffato Veronica , Meneghetti Chiara , Pazzaglia Francesca
Published: September 2021

We examined the roles self-efficacy plays in environmental learning in terms of self-efficacy feedback and task-specific (navigation-based) self-efficacy. We manipulated self-efficacy using positive and neutral feedback to investigate the relationship between receiving positive feedback and environmental learning performance and subsequent recall. A total of 231 participants were administered visuospatial tasks, where 117 received positive feedback, and 114 received neutral feedback. Then, we tested environmental learning using route retracing, pointing, and map-completion tasks. Before each environmental task, participants evaluated their task-specific self-efficacy. A series of spatial self-reported preferences were gathered as well. Mediation models showed that receiving positive feedback after a visuospatial task influences environmental recall performance through the mediation of task-specific self-efficacy. Moreover, after accounting for experimental manipulation and gender, we found that task-specific self-efficacy, sense of direction, and visuospatial abilities influence spatial-recall task performance, even with some differences as a function of the specific recall tasks considered. Overall, our findings suggest that among individual characteristics, task-specific self-efficacy can sustain environmental learning. Furthermore, giving positive feedback can improve spatial self-efficacy before conducting spatial-recall tasks.
Inter-Individual Differences Explain More Variance in Conditioned Pain Modulation Than Age, Sex and Conditioning Stimulus Intensity Combined
Authors: Graeff Philipp , Itter Alina , Wach Katharina , Ruscheweyh Ruth
Published: September 2021

Conditioned pain modulation (CPM) describes the reduction in pain evoked by a test stimulus (TS) when presented together with a heterotopic painful conditioning stimulus (CS). CPM has been proposed to reflect inter-individual differences in endogenous pain modulation, which may predict susceptibility for acute and chronic pain. Here, we aimed to estimate the relative variance in CPM explained by inter-individual differences compared to age, sex, and CS physical and pain intensity. We constructed linear and mixed effect models on pooled data from 171 participants of several studies, of which 97 had repeated measures. Cross-sectional analyses showed no significant effect of age, sex or CS intensity. Repeated measures analyses revealed a significant effect of CS physical intensity (p = 0.002) but not CS pain intensity (p = 0.159). Variance decomposition showed that inter-individual differences accounted for 24% to 34% of the variance in CPM while age, sex, and CS intensity together explained <3% to 12%. In conclusion, the variance in CPM explained by inter-individual differences largely exceeds that of commonly considered factors such as age, sex and CS intensity. This may explain why predictive capability of these factors has had conflicting results and suggests that future models investigating them should account for inter-individual differences.