bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Energy Transition and Sustainable Road Transportation in Turkey: Multiple Policy Challenges for Inclusive Change
Authors: Cevheribucak Gülfem
Published: July 2021

This paper aims to explore energy insecurity in Turkey at the intersection of environmental sustainability, human security and justice vis-à-vis growing energy demand coupled with greenhouse gas emissions coming from the transport sector. High dependence on fossil fuel imports creates bottlenecks for the economy and require urgent shift to renewable energy sources. Prospects for renewable energy transition are analyzed based on focusing on total final energy consumption by energy and transport sector as well as greenhouse gas emissions. In order to propose holistic clarifications to the triangular problem of high fossil fuel dependence, energy demand increase and greenhouse gas mitigation, sustainable energy transition in road transport is put forward. It is justified based on the share of greenhouse gas emissions originating from road transport sector and high taxation levels that create extra burden on private consumers. Energy transition is conceptualized with the theoretical offerings of sustainability transition literature that point out to socio-technical processes, hence the societal, technological as well as external structural contexts of change. Upon this background, this policy and practice review outlines the current policy instruments in order to highlight the mismatch between policy and practices for just energy transition in conjunction with sustainable mobility in Turkey.
When the Medicine Feeds the Problem; Do Nitrogen Fertilisers and Pesticides Enhance the Nutritional Quality of Crops for Their Pests and Pathogens?
Authors: Martinez Daisy A. , Loening Ulrich E. , Graham Margaret C. , Gathorne-Hardy Alfred
Published: July 2021

The challenge of maximising agricultural productivity encourages growers to apply high volumes of nitrogen (N) fertilisers and pesticides in order to promote and protect yields. Despite these inputs, pests and pathogens (P&Ps) continue to cause economic losses and challenge food security at local, national, and global scales. P&Ps are a particular problem in industrial agricultural environments, where large-scale monocultures facilitate rapid growth of crop-adapted P&P populations. P&P population growth is strongly dependent upon acquisition of N-resources (e.g., amino acids) from crop tissues, and concentrations of these compounds depend on the metabolic state of the crop which, in turn, is influenced by its growth stage, by environmental conditions, and by agrochemical inputs. In this study we demonstrate that routine applications of pesticides and/or N-fertilisers may inadvertently reinforce the problem of P&P damage in agriculture by enhancing the nutritional quality of crops for these organisms. N-fertilisation has diverse influences on crops' susceptibility to P&P damage; N-fertilisers enhance the nutritional quality and “attractiveness” of crops for P&Ps, and they can also alter crops' expression of the defensive traits (both morphological and chemical) that serve to protect them against these organisms. Exposure of crops to pesticides (including commonly used insecticide, fungicide, and herbicide products) can result in significant metabolic disruption and, consequently, in accumulation of nutritionally valuable amino acids within crop tissues. Importantly, these metabolic changes may not cause visible signs of stress or toxicity in the crop, and may represent an “invisible” mechanism underlying persistent P&P pressure in the field. Given the intensity of their use worldwide, their far-reaching and destructive consequences for wildlife and overall ecosystem health, and the continued prevalence of P&P-associated crop damage in agriculture, we recommend that the impacts of these cornerstone agricultural inputs on the nutritional relationship between crops and their P&Ps are closely examined in order to inform appropriate management for a more secure and sustainable food system.
No Benefit of Prophylactic Surgical Drainage in Combined Liver and Kidney Transplantation: Our Experience and Review of the Literature
Authors: Vincenzi Paolo , Gaynor Jeffrey J. , Chen Linda J. , Figueiro Jose , Morsi Mahmoud , Selvaggi Gennaro , Tekin Akin , Vianna Rodrigo , Ciancio Gaetano
Published: July 2021

Background: Contrasting results have emerged from limited studies investigating the role of prophylactic surgical drainage in preventing wound morbidity after liver and kidney transplantation. This retrospective study analyzes the use of surgical drain and the incidence of wound complications in combined liver and kidney transplantation (CLKTx).

Methods: A total of 55 patients aged ≥18 years were divided into two groups: the drain group (D) (n = 35) and the drain-free group (DF) (n = 20). Discretion to place a drain was based exclusively on surgeon preference. All deceased donor kidneys were connected to the LifePort Renal Preservation Machine® prior to transplantation, in both simultaneous and delayed technique of implantation of the renal allograft. The primary outcome was the development of superficial/deep wound complications during the study follow-up. Secondary outcomes included the development of delayed graft function (DGF) of the transplanted kidney, primary non-function (PNF) and early allograft dysfunction (EAD) of the transplanted liver, graft failure, graft and patient survival, overall post-operative morbidity rate and length of hospital stay.

Results: With a median follow-up of 14.4 months after transplant, no difference in the incidence of superficial/deep wound complications, except for hematomas, in collections size, intervention rate, PNF, EAD, graft failure and patient survival, was observed between the 2 groups. Significantly lower level of platelets, higher INR values, DGF, morbidity rates and length of hospital stay were reported post-operatively in the D group. Pre-operative hypoalbuminemia and longer CIT were included in the propensity score for receiving a drain and were associated with a significantly higher rate of developing a hematoma post-transplant.

Conclusions: Absence of the surgical drain did not appear to adversely affect wound morbidity compared to the prophylactic use of drains in renal transplant patients during CLKTx.
Whole-Genome Comparative Analysis Reveals Association Between Salmonella Genomic Variation and Egg Production Systems
Authors: Sodagari Hamid Reza , Sahibzada Shafi , Robertson Ian , Habib Ihab , Wang Penghao
Published: July 2021

Non-typhoidal Salmonella, particularly Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium (S. Typhimurium), is the predominant endemic serovar in the Australian egg production industry and is one of the most frequently reported serovars in foodborne infections in Australia. This study was conducted to investigate the genomic characteristics of Salmonella isolated from retail table eggs in Western Australia and to identify the impact of production systems on genomic characteristics of Salmonella such as virulence and antimicrobial resistance. A total of 40 non-typhoidal Salmonella isolates [S. Typhimurium isolates (n = 28) and Salmonella Infantis isolates (n = 12)] sourced from retail eggs produced by different production systems (barn-laid, cage, and free-range) in Western Australia were sequenced by whole-genome sequencing. The isolates were de novo assembled, annotated, and analyzed. The results indicated an association between Salmonella genomic variation and the system used to raise poultry for egg production (p-value < 0.05). All but one of the S. Infantis isolates were recovered from eggs collected from poultry raised under barn and cage production systems. A higher proportion (83.3%) of S. Typhimurium isolates were recovered from the eggs produced by free-range production system as compared with those produced under barn (76.9%) and cage production systems (53.3%). Our analysis indicated that Salmonella isolated from the eggs produced by barn and cage production systems had more virulence genes than the isolates of the free-range produced eggs. A low carriage of antimicrobial-resistant gene was detected in the isolates of this study. We have built a Salmonella genomics database and characteristics-linked gene pools to facilitate future study, characterization, and tracing of Salmonella outbreaks.
Cultured Horse Articular Chondrocytes in 3D-Printed Chitosan Scaffold With Hyaluronic Acid and Platelet Lysate
Authors: De Angelis Elena , Saleri Roberta , Martelli Paolo , Elviri Lisa , Bianchera Annalisa , Bergonzi Carlo , Pirola Marta , Romeo Roberta , Andrani Melania , Cavalli Valeria , Conti Virna , Bettini Ruggero , Passeri Benedetta , Ravanetti Francesca , Borghetti Paolo
Published: July 2021

Three-dimensional (3D) printing has gained popularity in tissue engineering and in the field of cartilage regeneration. This is due to its potential to generate scaffolds with spatial variation of cell distribution or mechanical properties, built with a variety of materials that can mimic complex tissue architecture. In the present study, horse articular chondrocytes were cultured for 2 and 4 weeks in 3D-printed chitosan (CH)-based scaffolds prepared with or without hyaluronic acid and in the presence of fetal bovine serum (FBS) or platelet lysate (PL). These 3D culture systems were analyzed in terms of their capability to maintain chondrocyte differentiation in vitro. This was achieved by evaluating cell morphology, immunohistochemistry (IHC), gene expression of relevant cartilage markers (collagen type II, aggrecan, and Sox9), and specific markers of dedifferentiated phenotype (collagen type I, Runx2). The morphological, histochemical, immunohistochemical, and molecular results demonstrated that the 3D CH scaffold is sufficiently porous to be colonized by primary chondrocytes. Thereby, it provides an optimal environment for the colonization and synthetic activity of chondrocytes during a long culture period where a higher rate of dedifferentiation can be generally observed. Enrichment with hyaluronic acid provides an optimal microenvironment for a more stable maintenance of the chondrocyte phenotype. The use of 3D CH scaffolds causes a further increase in the gene expression of most relevant ECM components when PL is added as a substitute for FBS in the medium. This indicates that the latter system enables a better maintenance of the chondrocyte phenotype, thereby highlighting a fair balance between proliferation and differentiation.
Effect of Speed and Surface Type on Individual Rein and Combined Left–Right Circle Movement Asymmetry in Horses on the Lunge
Authors: Pfau Thilo , Persson-Sjodin Emma , Gardner Harriet , Orssten Olivia , Hernlund Elin , Rhodin Marie
Published: July 2021

Differences in movement asymmetry between surfaces and with increasing speed increase the complexity of incorporating gait analysis measurements from lunging into clinical decision making. This observational study sets out to quantify by means of quantitative gait analysis the influence of surface and speed on individual-rein movement asymmetry measurements and their averages across reins (average-rein measurements). Head, withers, and pelvic movement asymmetry was quantified in 27 horses, identified previously as presenting with considerable movement asymmetries on the straight, during trot in hand and on the lunge on two surfaces at two speeds. Mixed linear models (p < 0.05) with horse as the random factor and surface and speed category (and direction) as fixed factors analyzed the effects on 11 individual-rein and average-rein asymmetry measures. Limits of agreement quantified differences between individual-rein and average-rein measurements. A higher number of individual-rein asymmetry variables—particularly when the limb that contributed to movement asymmetry on the straight was on the inside of the circle—were affected by speed (nine variables, all p ≤ 0.047) and surface (three variables, all p ≤ 0.037) compared with average-rein asymmetry variables (two for speed, all p ≤ 0.003; two for surface, all p ≤ 0.046). Six variables were significantly different between straight-line and average-rein assessments (all p ≤ 0.031), and asymmetry values were smaller for average-rein assessments. Limits of agreement bias varied between +0.4 and +4.0 mm with standard deviations between 3.2 and 12.9 mm. Fewer average-rein variables were affected by speed highlighting the benefit of comparing left and right rein measurements. Only one asymmetry variable showed a surface difference for individual-rein and average-rein data, emphasizing the benefit of assessing surface differences on each rein individually. Variability in straight-line vs. average-rein measurements across horses and exercise conditions highlight the potential for average-rein measurements during the diagnostic process; further studies after diagnostic analgesia are needed.
Screening and Validation of Independent Predictors of Poor Survival in Pancreatic Cancer
Authors: Liu Shui , Cai Yan , Changyong E. , Sheng Jiyao , Zhang Xuewen
Published: July 2021

Pancreatic cancer is a digestive system malignant tumor with high mortality and poor prognosis, but the mechanisms of progression remain unclear in pancreatic cancer. It’s necessary to identify the hub genes in pancreatic cancer and explore the novel potential predictors in the prognosis of pancreatic cancer. We downloaded two mRNA expression profiles from Gene Expression Omnibus and The Cancer Genome Atlas Pancreatic Cancer (TCGA-PAAD) datasets to screen the commonly differentially expressed genes in pancreatic cancer by limma package in R. Subsequently, measurement of the functional similarity among the 38 DEGs in common was performed to identify the hub genes using GOSemSim package. Then, survival analysis and Cox regression were applied to explore prognosis-related hub genes using the survival package. Statistics analysis by two-tailed Student’s t-test or one-way based on TCGA-PAAD datasets and qPCR detection in clinical samples were performed to explore the correlations between expression of hub genes in pancreatic cancer tissues and clinical parameters. Based on integrated analysis of TCGA and GEO datasets, we screened 38 DEGs in common, which were all up-regulated. The functional similarity results showed that 10 DEGs including TSPAN1, MSLN, C1orf116, PKP3, CEACAM6, BAIAP2L1, PPL, RAB25, ERBB3, and AP1M2 in the DEGs in common, which had the higher average functional similarity, were considered as the hub genes. Survival analysis results and Cox regression analysis showed that TSPAN1, CEACAM6, as well as ERBB3 were all associated with poor overall survival of PC. qPCR results showed that the expression levels of TSPAN1 and ERBB3 were significantly upregulated in the PC tissues. The statistical analysis results revealed that TSPAN1 expression correlated significantly with histologic grade, T stage, clinical stage, and vital status by two-tailed Student’s t-test or one-way ANOVA; ERBB3 expression correlated significantly with T stage, clinical stage, and vital status by two-tailed Student’s t-test or one-way ANOVA. We found that TSPAN1 and ERBB3 could be independent predictors of poor survival in pancreatic cancer.
Efficiency Model for Traveling Wave-Type Ultrasonic Motors Based on Contact Variables and Preload
Authors: Sun Haoyu , Yin Hao , Liu Jiang , Zhang Xilong
Published: July 2021

The contact interface variables are difficult to measure for an ultrasonic motor. When the ultrasonic motor works under different preloads, the error between the traditional efficiency model and the real output is quite large. In order to solve these two problems, we propose a novel efficiency model. It takes measured preload and the feedback voltage data as the input, which may offer better accuracy and on-line ability. Firstly, the effect of the preload on the drive characteristics is investigated, and the relationship between preload and the change in motor energy input is analyzed. Secondly, a contact model based on measured preload and feedback voltage is built, providing a more accurate description of the contact variables. Finally, an efficiency model was developed with a new composite stator structure. A preload test rig for a 60 mm ultrasonic motor is built and real operating conditions are measured. The results show that the correlation coefficient of the present model is 0.991, larger than 0.925 of the conventional model. The proposed model is more consistent with the real working conditions for the motor.
Effects of Nitrogen Rate and Cover Crop on Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) Yield and Soil Water Content
Authors: Sui Ruixiu , Anapalli Saseendran S.
Published: July 2021

The objective of this study was to test the effects of N rates and tillage radish (Raphanus sativus var. longipinnatus) cover crop (TRCC) on soil water and cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) yield. In three years of the investigation, the treatments were N rates at 84 kg ha−1 and 140 kg ha−1 with and without TRCC. Soil water contents were measured using soil water sensors. Results showed that cotton yield was not significantly (p > 0.05) influenced by TRCC. Compared to N rate at 84 kg ha−1, 140 kg N ha−1 increased lint yield by 2.0%, 7.4%, 18.4% in 2017, 2018, and 2019, respectively, but the increase was significant only in 2019 (p < 0.02). Interactions between TRCC and nitrogen rate on yield were significant (p < 0.03) only in 2017. TRCC increased soil water infiltration capacity, resulting in higher soil water content. Use of TRCC did not affect the cotton yield, which could be due to the high inputs of water and high rates of N neutralizing the positive contributions to the cotton growth expected from the TRCC. Sub-optimum winter temperatures hampered the establishment and subsequent growth of TRCC, which also possibly contributed to its minimum impacts on cotton crop performance in the following season.
The Effect of Diet and Farm Management on N2O Emissions from Dairy Farms Estimated from Farm Data
Authors: Menardo Simona , Lanza Giacomo , Berg Werner
Published: July 2021

The N2O emissions of 21 dairy farms in Germany were evaluated to determine the feasibility of an estimation of emissions from farm data and the effects of the farm management, along with possible mitigation strategies. Emissions due to the application of different fertilisers, manure storage and grazing were calculated based on equations from the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel of Climate Change) and German emission inventory. The dependence of the N2O emissions on fertiliser type and quantity, cultivated crops and diet composition was assessed via correlation analysis and linear regression. The N2O emissions ranged between 0.11 and 0.29 kg CO2eq per kilogram energy-corrected milk, with on average 60% resulting from fertilisation and less than 30% from fertiliser storage and field applications. The total emissions had a high dependence on the diet composition; in particular, on the grass/maize ratio and the protein content of the animal diet, as well as from the manure management. A linear model for the prediction of the N2O emissions based on the diet composition and the fertilisation reached a predictive power of R2 = 0.89. As a possible mitigation strategy, the substitution of slurry for solid manure would reduce N2O emissions by 40%. Feeding cows maize-based diets instead of grass-based diets could reduce them by 14%.
Season and Nitrogen Fertilization Effects on Yield and Physicochemical Attributes of Strawberry under Subtropical Climate Conditions
Authors: Agehara Shinsuke , Nunes Maria Cecilia do Nascimento
Published: July 2021

Strawberry (Fragaria ×ananassa Duch.) yields in winter production regions are greatly affected by early-season nitrogen (N) fertilization, especially when pre-plant N is not applied. In Florida, United States, applying N at high rates during the early season is a common fertilization practice, but little is known about its impact on fruit quality. The objective of this study was to examine season and early-season N fertilization effects on yield and physicochemical attributes of ‘Florida Radiance’ strawberry grown under subtropical climate conditions. Field experiments were conducted in west-central Florida over two growing seasons. Plants were treated with three N rates (1.12, 1.68, and 2.24 kg/ha/d) over 21 days during the early vegetative growth stage. Thereafter, all plants were treated with the same N rate of 1.12 kg/ha/d until the end of the season. Increasing the early-season N rate increased marketable yield by 15% to 18%, but it had no significant effect on any fruit quality attributes. Contrarily, marketable yield was similar in both seasons, whereas fruit quality showed remarkable seasonal variations. In the season with higher solar radiation and lower temperature, RH, and rainfall during the fruit development period, berries were redder with increased anthocyanin accumulation but had lower pH, acidity, and soluble solids. These results suggest that season has a greater effect on fruit quality than early-season N fertilization, which is complex to dissect because of the interaction between fruit quality attributes and environmental conditions. The use of high N rates during the early season appears to be an effective strategy to improve the profitability of winter strawberry production. Importantly, this fertilization technique has a minimal risk of compromising fruit quality or fertilizer N use efficiency.
Absence of Circadian Rhythm in Fecal Microbiota of Laying Hens under Common Light
Authors: Zhang Yu , Sun Lan , Zhu Run , Zhang Shiyu , Liu Shuo , Wang Yan , Wu Yinbao , Liao Xindi , Mi Jiandui
Published: July 2021

The circadian rhythm of gut microbiota is an important biological rhythm that plays a crucial role in host health. However, few studies have determined the associations between the circadian rhythm and gut microbiota in laying hens. The present experiment investigated the circadian rhythm of fecal microbiota in laying hens. Feces samples were collected from 10 laying hens at nine different time points (06:00–12:00–18:00–00:00–06:00–12:00–18:00–00:00–06:00) to demonstrate the circadian rhythm of fecal microbiota. The results showed that the α and β diversity of the fecal microbiota fluctuated significantly at different time points. Beta nearest taxon index analysis suggested that assembly strategies of the abundant and rare amplicon sequence variant (ASV) sub-communities were different. Abundant ASVs preferred dispersal limitation (weak selection), and rare ASVs were randomly formed due to the “non-dominant” fractions. Highly robust fluctuations of fecal microbiota at the phylum level were found. For example, Firmicutes and Proteobacteria fluctuated inversely to each other, but the total ratio remained in a dynamic balance over 48 h. We identified that temporal dynamic changes had a significant effect on the relative abundance of the important bacteria in the feces microbial community using the random forest algorithm. Eight bacteria, Ruminococcus gnavus, Faecalibacterium, Ruminococcaceae, Enterococcus cecorum, Lachnospiraceae, Clostridium, Clostridiales, and Megamonas, showed significant changes over time. One unexpected finding was the fact that these eight bacteria belong to Firmicutes. The pathways showed significant fluctuation, including xenobiotic biodegradation and metabolism, carbohydrate metabolism, and amino acid metabolism, which were consistent with the metabolic functions of amino acids and carbohydrates from the feed. This study showed that the defecation time may be an important factor in the diversity, proportion, and functions of the feces microbial community. However, there was no circadian rhythm of microbial community assembly confirmed by JTK_Cycle analysis. These results might suggest there was no obvious circadian rhythm of fecal microbiota in laying hens under common light.
Silver Nanoparticles Enhance Antimicrobial Efficacy of Antibiotics and Restore That Efficacy against the Melioidosis Pathogen
Authors: Malawong Sathit , Thammawithan Saengrawee , Sirithongsuk Pawinee , Daduang Sakda , Klaynongsruang Sompong , Wong Pamela T. , Patramanon Rina
Published: July 2021

Melioidosis is an infectious disease caused by Gram-negative bacillus bacteria Burkholderia pseudomallei. Due to the emerging resistance of B. pseudomallei to antibiotics including ceftazidime (CAZ), the development of novel antibiotics and alternative modes of treatment has become an urgent issue. Here, we demonstrated an ability to synergistically increase the efficiency of antibiotics through their combination with silver nanoparticles (AgNPs). Combinations of four conventional antibiotics including CAZ, imipenem (IMI), meropenem (MER), and gentamicin sulfate (GENT) with starch-stabilized AgNPs were tested for their antibacterial effects against three isolates of B. pseudomallei. The combination of each antibiotic with AgNPs featured fractional inhibitory concentration (FIC) index values and fractional bactericidal concentration (FBC) index values ranging from 0.312 to 0.75 µg/mL and 0.252 to 0.625 µg/mL, respectively, against the three isolates of B. pseudomallei. The study clearly showed that most of the combinatorial treatments exhibited synergistic antimicrobial effects against all three isolates of B. pseudomallei. The highest enhancing effect was observed for GENT with AgNPs. These results confirmed the combination of each antibiotic with AgNPs restored their bactericidal potency in the bacterial strains that had previously been shown to be resistant to the antibiotics. In addition, morphological changes examined by SEM confirmed that the bacterial cells were severely damaged by combinations at the FBC level. Although bacteria produce fibers to protect themselves, ultimately the bacteria were killed by the antibiotic–AgNPs combinations. Overall, these results suggest the study of antibiotic–AgNPs combinations as an alternative design strategy for potential therapeutics to more effectively combat the melioidosis pathogen.
Nox4 Maintains Blood Pressure during Low Sodium Diet
Authors: Rezende Flávia , Malacarne Pedro Felipe , Müller Niklas , Rathkolb Birgit , Hrabě de Angelis Martin , Schröder Katrin , P Brandes Ralf
Published: July 2021

The NADPH oxidase Nox4 is a hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)-producing enzyme, with the highest expression in the kidney. As the kidney is involved in volume and blood pressure control through sodium handling, we set out to determine the impact of a low sodium diet on these parameters in WT and Nox4-/- mice. Nox4 expression in the murine kidney was restricted to the proximal tubule. Nevertheless, low-sodium-induced weight loss and sodium sparing function was similar in WT and Nox4-/- mice, disputing an important function of renal Nox4 in sodium handling. In contrast, a low sodium diet resulted in a reduction in systolic blood pressure in Nox4-/- as compared to WT mice. This was associated with a selectively lower pressure to heart-rate ratio, as well as heart to body weight ratio. In general, a low sodium diet leads to activation of sympathetic tone and the renin angiotensin system, which subsequently increases peripheral resistance. Our observations suggest that the control by this system is attenuated in Nox4-/- mice, resulting in lower blood pressure in response to low sodium.
Nasal Spray Formulations Based on Combined Hyalurosomes and Glycerosomes Loading Zingiber officinalis Extract as Green and Natural Strategy for the Treatment of Rhinitis and Rhinosinusitis
Authors: Casula Eleonora , Manca Maria Letizia , Perra Matteo , Pedraz Jose Luis , Lopez-Mendez Tania Belen , Lozano Antonio , Calvo Esteban , Zaru Marco , Manconi Maria
Published: July 2021

A total green nanotechnological nasal spray has been manufactured and proposed as an alternative treatment of rhinitis and rhinosinusitis. It was obtained by combining the strengthening effect of liposomes on barrier function, the hydrating and lubricating properties of sodium hyaluronan and the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities of the extract of Zingiber officinalis. To this purpose, the extract was loaded in special phospholipid vesicles immobilized with hyaluronic acid (hyalurosomes), which were further enriched with glycerol in the water phase. Liposomes and glycerosomes were prepared as well and used as reference. Vesicles were oligolamellar and multicompartment, as confirmed by cryogenic transmission electron microscopy (cryo-TEM) observation, small in size (~140 nm) and negatively charged (~−23 mV). Spray characteristics were evaluated by using the Spraytec® and instant images, from which the plume angle was measured. The range of the droplet size distribution and the narrow spray angle obtained suggest a good nebulization and a possible local deposition in the nasal cavity. In vitro studies performed by using human keratinocytes confirmed the high biocompatibility of vesicles and their ability to effectively counteract oxidative damage on cells induced by hydrogen peroxide. The overall collected data suggest that our vesicles are suitable as nasal spray.
A Novel Approach of Unit Conversion in the Lattice Boltzmann Method
Authors: Baakeem Saleh S. , Bawazeer Saleh A. , Mohamad Abdulmajeed. A.
Published: July 2021

The lattice Boltzmann method (LBM) is an alternative method to the conventional computational fluid dynamic (CFD) methods. It gained popularity due to its simplicity in coding and dealing with a complex fluid flow such as the multiphase flow. The method is based on the kinetic theory, which is mesoscopic scale. Hence, applying the LBM method for macroscopic problems requires a proper conversion from the physical scale (conventional units) to the mesoscopic scale (lattice units) and vice versa. The Buckingham π theorem and the principle of corresponding states are the popular methods used for data reductions and unit conversion processes in the LBM. Nevertheless, those methods have some issues, such as difficulty in converting specific quantities, such as thermo-physical properties. The current work uses a novel dimensional analysis method systematically for mapping properties’ units between scales. Moreover, the approach has the flexibility in selecting parameters to ensure the stability of the method of solution. Several benchmark examples are used to evaluate the feasibility and accuracy of the proposed approach. In conclusion, the proposed approach showed the flexibility of the mapping between meso-scale to macro-scales and vice versa on solid bases rather than ad-hoc methods.
Microstructure, Durability and Mechanical Properties of Mortars Prepared Using Ternary Binders with Addition of Slag, Fly Ash and Limestone
Authors: Ibáñez-Gosálvez Javier , Real-Herraiz Teresa , Ortega José Marcos
Published: July 2021

In order to improve the contribution to sustainability of cement production, several strategies have been developed, such as the incorporation of additions as clinker replacement. Regarding the production of commercial cements with additions, those made with binary binders are mostly produced. However, the use of ternary binders for manufacturing commercial cements is still very low, at least in Spain, and they could also be an adequate solution for producing eco-friendly cements. The objective of this research is to study the effects in the long term produced by ternary binders which combine the additions of blast furnace slag, fly ash and limestone in the microstructure, durability and mechanical performance of mortars, compared to mortars without additions and mortars made with binary binders. The ternary and binary binders accomplished the prescriptions for a cement type CEM II/B. The microstructure was characterized using mercury intrusion porosimetry, electrical resistivity and differential thermal analysis. Absorption after immersion, diffusion coefficient, mechanical strengths and ultrasonic pulse velocity were studied. The best performance was noted for ternary binder with both slag and fly ash, probably produced by the synergetic effects of slag hydration and fly ash pozzolanic reactions. These effects were more noticeable regarding the compressive strength.
Retrospective Analysis on Inferior Third Molar Position by Means of Orthopantomography or CBCT: Periapical Band-Like Radiolucent Sign
Authors: Kim Young-Sam , Park Young-Min , Cosola Saverio , Riad Abanob , Giammarinaro Enrica , Covani Ugo , Marconcini Simone
Published: July 2021

Background: Orthopantomography (OPG) is usually used as a primary diagnostic radiological exam in the planning of third molar surgery because it is deeply available in dental clinics and has lower radiation doses compared to Cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT). The OPG provides a bi-dimensional image, but several radiological signs have been proposed to study the position of the lower third molar and to predict surgical risks. Methods: Patients were divided into two groups, the OPG with a radiolucent area (D-group) and the OPG without any sign (C-group) in correspondence of inferior wisdom tooth roots. Results: The mean distance between the inferior third molar root and the lingual cortical mandibular bone was −1.09 ± 1.5 mm. The nearness of the root that is less than 1 mm was more frequent in the D-group (84.85%) compared to the C-group (14.58%) with statistical significance (Odd ratio: 32.8) using the Chi-square test. Conclusions: When the root of the impacted inferior third molar is impacted into the lingual cortical plate, a periapical band-like radiolucent sign may appear in the OPG image. It could be useful for the prediction of root position and surgical risks.
Detecting Deception from Gaze and Speech Using a Multimodal Attention LSTM-Based Framework
Authors: Gallardo-Antolín Ascensión , Montero Juan M.
Published: July 2021

The automatic detection of deceptive behaviors has recently attracted the attention of the research community due to the variety of areas where it can play a crucial role, such as security or criminology. This work is focused on the development of an automatic deception detection system based on gaze and speech features. The first contribution of our research on this topic is the use of attention Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) networks for single-modal systems with frame-level features as input. In the second contribution, we propose a multimodal system that combines the gaze and speech modalities into the LSTM architecture using two different combination strategies: Late Fusion and Attention-Pooling Fusion. The proposed models are evaluated over the Bag-of-Lies dataset, a multimodal database recorded in real conditions. On the one hand, results show that attentional LSTM networks are able to adequately model the gaze and speech feature sequences, outperforming a reference Support Vector Machine (SVM)-based system with compact features. On the other hand, both combination strategies produce better results than the single-modal systems and the multimodal reference system, suggesting that gaze and speech modalities carry complementary information for the task of deception detection that can be effectively exploited by using LSTMs.
Binary Mixes of Self-Compacting Concrete with Municipal Solid Waste Incinerator Bottom Ash
Authors: Simões Joel R. , Silva Pedro R. da , Silva Rui V.
Published: July 2021

With the objective of establishing a viable alternative to the use of cement, the main objective of this study is to verify the possibility of using municipal solid waste incinerator bottom ash (MIBA) as a partial cement replacement, thereby reducing the environmental impact associated with the use of concrete as a building material. To this end, self-compacting concrete (SCC) binary mixes of cement and MIBA were evaluated in their fresh and hardened state (i.e., self-compactability, mechanical and durability related performance). Four SCC mixes were produced to cover a wide range of replacement levels of cement with MIBA, namely: 20%, 30%, 40% and 50%. A fifth SCC mix, without MIBA, was produced with 30% fly ash to carry out a comparative analysis with composites with well-established performance. The results showed that the use of bottom ash from municipal solid waste incinerators caused an overall decline in the performance of self-compacting concrete. Apart from the smaller number of reactive phases in the bottom ash when compared with fly ash, which led to a slower rate of strength development, the decline was also caused by the increased porosity from the oxidation of aluminium particles. Nevertheless, the results showed promising indicators regarding the durability of mixes with 20% MIBA, with values very similar to those of reference concrete.
Structural Performance of R-Type Steel Damper Used in Reinforced Concrete Members
Authors: Kim Sang-Woo , Kim Kil-Hee
Published: July 2021

This study proposes a steel damper with a simple shape and excellent energy dissipation capacity. The proposed damper has a rectangular shape (R-type) and has an energy dissipation part and a load transmission part. The energy dissipation part dissipates external energy through the yielding of the steel material; it comprises a vertical member and upper and lower horizontal members. This study performed two-phase experiments to verify the structural performance of the proposed damper. The Phase I test was performed to evaluate the load history characteristics and energy dissipation capacity of the damper and the Phase II test was performed to confirm the structural performance of reinforced concrete members with the proposed damper. The experimental results showed that the proposed R-type steel damper had high-energy dissipation performance despite having a simple shape.
3D Printed Nanocellulose Scaffolds as a Cancer Cell Culture Model System
Authors: Rosendahl Jennifer , Svanström Andreas , Berglin Mattias , Petronis Sarunas , Bogestål Yalda , Stenlund Patrik , Standoft Simon , Ståhlberg Anders , Landberg Göran , Chinga-Carrasco Gary , Håkansson Joakim
Published: July 2021

Current conventional cancer drug screening models based on two-dimensional (2D) cell culture have several flaws and there is a large need of more in vivo mimicking preclinical drug screening platforms. The microenvironment is crucial for the cells to adapt relevant in vivo characteristics and here we introduce a new cell culture system based on three-dimensional (3D) printed scaffolds using cellulose nanofibrils (CNF) pre-treated with 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpyperidine-1-oxyl (TEMPO) as the structural material component. Breast cancer cell lines, MCF7 and MDA-MB-231, were cultured in 3D TEMPO-CNF scaffolds and were shown by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and histochemistry to grow in multiple layers as a heterogenous cell population with different morphologies, contrasting 2D cultured mono-layered cells with a morphologically homogenous cell population. Gene expression analysis demonstrated that 3D TEMPO-CNF scaffolds induced elevation of the stemness marker CD44 and the migration markers VIM and SNAI1 in MCF7 cells relative to 2D control. T47D cells confirmed the increased level of the stemness marker CD44 and migration marker VIM which was further supported by increased capacity of holoclone formation for 3D cultured cells. Therefore, TEMPO-CNF was shown to represent a promising material for 3D cell culture model systems for cancer cell applications such as drug screening.
Kinetic Constraints in the Specific Interaction between Phosphorylated Ubiquitin and Proteasomal Shuttle Factors
Authors: Qin Ling-Yun , Gong Zhou , Liu Kan , Dong Xu , Tang Chun
Published: July 2021

Ubiquitin (Ub) specifically interacts with the Ub-associating domain (UBA) in a proteasomal shuttle factor, while the latter is involved in either proteasomal targeting or self-assembly coacervation. PINK1 phosphorylates Ub at S65 and makes Ub alternate between C-terminally relaxed (pUbRL) and retracted conformations (pUbRT). Using NMR spectroscopy, we show that pUbRL but not pUbRT preferentially interacts with the UBA from two proteasomal shuttle factors Ubqln2 and Rad23A. Yet discriminatorily, Ubqln2-UBA binds to pUb more tightly than Rad23A does and selectively enriches pUbRL upon complex formation. Further, we determine the solution structure of the complex between Ubqln2-UBA and pUbRL and uncover the thermodynamic basis for the stronger interaction. NMR kinetics analysis at different timescales further suggests an indued-fit binding mechanism for pUb-UBA interaction. Notably, at a relatively low saturation level, the dissociation rate of the UBA-pUbRL complex is comparable with the exchange rate between pUbRL and pUbRT. Thus, a kinetic constraint would dictate the interaction between Ub and UBA, thus fine-tuning the functional state of the proteasomal shuttle factors.
Introduction to Single-Cell DNA Methylation Profiling Methods
Authors: Ahn Jongseong , Heo Sunghoon , Lee Jihyun , Bang Duhee
Published: July 2021

DNA methylation is an epigenetic mechanism that is related to mammalian cellular differentiation, gene expression regulation, and disease. In several studies, DNA methylation has been identified as an effective marker to identify differences between cells. In this review, we introduce single-cell DNA-methylation profiling methods, including experimental strategies and approaches to computational data analysis. Furthermore, the blind spots of the basic analysis and recent alternatives are briefly described. In addition, we introduce well-known applications and discuss future development.
Prion-Like Proteins in Phase Separation and Their Link to Disease
Authors: Sprunger Macy L. , Jackrel Meredith E.
Published: July 2021

Aberrant protein folding underpins many neurodegenerative diseases as well as certain myopathies and cancers. Protein misfolding can be driven by the presence of distinctive prion and prion-like regions within certain proteins. These prion and prion-like regions have also been found to drive liquid-liquid phase separation. Liquid-liquid phase separation is thought to be an important physiological process, but one that is prone to malfunction. Thus, aberrant liquid-to-solid phase transitions may drive protein aggregation and fibrillization, which could give rise to pathological inclusions. Here, we review prions and prion-like proteins, their roles in phase separation and disease, as well as potential therapeutic approaches to counter aberrant phase transitions.
Discrete Rigid Block Analysis to Assess Settlement Induced Damage in Unreinforced Masonry Façades
Authors: Ehresman Ryan , Taylor Nathan , Pulatsu Bora , Erdogmus Ece
Published: July 2021

In this study, a system of discontinuous rigid blocks is employed to simulate the possible damage mechanisms in unreinforced masonry (URM) façades and load-bearing frame systems subjected to settlement using the discrete element method (DEM). First, the employed modeling strategy is validated utilizing the available experimental results presented in the literature. Once there is a good agreement between the computational models and experimental findings, a sensitivity analysis is performed to quantify the influence of the input parameters defined in the DEM-based numerical model. Finally, the proposed modeling strategy is further utilized to assess the damage pattern that may develop in a URM façade due to uniform and non-uniform settlement profiles. The results of this study clearly show that the discrete rigid block analysis (D-RBA) provides robust numerical solutions that can be employed to visualize and assess the possible damage patterns and related collapse mechanisms of URM masonry systems as an alternative modeling strategy to standard continuum-based solutions.
Risk Assessment of the Progression of Early Knee Osteoarthritis by Collagen Neoepitope C2C: A Longitudinal Study of an Estonian Middle-Aged Cohort
Authors: Kuhi Liisa , Tamm Ann E. , Tamm Agu O. , Kisand Kalle
Published: July 2021

One of the unmet needs to be addressed is prognostic biomarkers for early knee osteoarthritis (kOA). We aimed to study the association of urinary collagen type-II C-terminal cleavage neoepitope (uC2C) with the emergence and progression of kOA. The longitudinal data of 330 subjects (aged 32–60 years) from an Estonian population-based cohort were used. The radiographic progression was evaluated by the grading system of Nagaosa et al. of knee compartments at baseline and three years later. The emerging kOA consisted of subjects with developing osteophytes or joint space narrowing, whereas kOA progressors showed aggravation of radiographic grade. Baseline uC2C levels were measured by the IBEX-uC2C assay. At baseline, the subjects were middle-aged (mean age, 47.6 years) and overweight (mean BMI, 28.0 kg/m2), and the majority of them (51.2%) had a diagnosis of kOA grade 1. Multiple logistic regression models adjusted for sex, age, and BMI were used for risk calculations. We demonstrate that increased uC2C accurately predicted the risk of emerging of kOA (OR = 5.87 (1.71–20.22); AUC = 0.79) compared with controls without radiographic kOA over 12 years. However, the most accurate prediction of progression by the biomarker was found in women (OR = 23.0 (2.2–245), AUC = 0.91). In conclusion, uC2C may be a promising candidate as a prognostic biomarker for kOA progression, particularly of emerging kOA in women.
Evolution of Entropy in Art Painting Based on the Wavelet Transform
Authors: Yang Hongyi , Yang Han
Published: July 2021

Quantitative studies of art and aesthetics are representative of interdisciplinary research. In this work, we conducted a large-scale quantitative study of 36,000 paintings covering both Eastern and Western paintings. The information entropy and wavelet entropy of the images were calculated based on their complexity and energy. Wavelet energy entropy is a feature that can characterize rich information in images, and this is the first study to introduce this feature into aesthetic analysis of art paintings. This study shows that the process of entropy change coincides with the development process of art painting. Further, the experimental results demonstrate an important change in the evolution of art painting, and since the rise of modern art in the twentieth century, the entropy values in painting have started to become diverse. In comparison with Western paintings, Eastern paintings have distinct low entropy characteristics in which the wavelet entropy feature of the images has better results in the machine learning classification task of Eastern and Western paintings (i.e., the F1 score can reach 97%). Our study can be the basis for future quantitative analysis and comparative research in the context of Western and Eastern art aesthetics.
Experimental Analysis of Concentrated versus Distributed Massive MIMO in an Indoor Cell at 3.5 GHz
Authors: Pérez Jesús R. , Fernández Óscar , Valle Luis , Bedoui Abla , Et-tolba Mohamed , Torres Rafael P.
Published: July 2021

This paper presents a measurement-based comparison between distributed and concentrated massive multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) systems, which are called D-mMIMO and C-mMIMO systems, in an indoor environment considering a 400 MHz bandwidth centered at 3.5 GHz. In both cases, we have considered an array of 64 antennas in the base station and eight simultaneously active users. The work focuses on the characterization of both schemes in the up-link, considering the analysis of the sum capacity, the total spectral efficiency (SE) achievable by using the zero forcing (ZF) combining method, as well as the user fairness. The effect of the power imbalance between the different transmitters or user terminal (UT) locations, and thus, the benefits of performing an adequate power control are also investigated. The differences between the C-mMIMO and D-mMIMO channel performances are explained through the observation of the structure of their respective measured channel matrices through parameters such as the condition number or the power imbalance between the channels established by each UT. The channel measurements have been performed in the frequency domain, emulating a massive MIMO system in the framework of a time-domain duplex orthogonal frequency multiple access network (TDD-OFDM-MIMO). The characterization of the MIMO channel is based on the virtual array technique for both C-mMIMO and D-mMIMO systems. The deployment of the C-mMIMO and D-MIMO systems, as well as the distribution of users in the measurement environment, has been arranged as realistically as possible, avoiding the movement of people or machines.