bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
aMMP-8 Oral Fluid PoC Test in Relation to Oral and Systemic Diseases
Authors: Sorsa Timo , Nwhator Solomon Olusegun , Sakellari Dimitra , Grigoriadis Andreas , Umeizudike Kehinde Adesola , Brandt Ella , Keskin Mutlu , Tervahartiala Taina , Pärnänen Pirjo , Gupta Shipra , Mohindra Ritin , Bostanci Nagihan , Buduneli Nurcan , Räisänen Ismo Tapani
Published: June 2022

The manuscript uses the previously published literature and highlights the benefits of active-matrix metalloproteinase (aMMP)-8 chairside/point-of-care (PoC) diagnostic tools as adjunctive measures in oral and systemic diseases. Previous studies suggest that as a biomarker, aMMP-8 is more precise than total MMP-8, MMP-9, MMP-2, MMP-3, MMP-13, MMP-7, MMP-1, calprotectin, myeloperoxidase (MPO), human neutrophil elastase (HNE), tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinase (TIMP)-1, and bleeding of probing (BOP). Therefore, aMMP-8 could be implemented as the needed key biomarker for the new disease classification for both periodontitis and peri-implantitis. With a sensitivity to the tune of 75–85% and specificity in the range of 80–90%, lateral flow aMMP-8 PoC testing is comparable to catalytic protease activity assays for aMMP-8. The test can be further applied to estimate the glycemic status of an individual, to ascertain whether a person is at risk for COVID-19, in managing the oral side effects of radiotherapy carried in head and neck cancers, and in selected cases pertaining to reproductive health. In the future, aMMP-8 could find application as a potential systemic biomarker in diseases affecting the cardiovascular system, cancers, bacteremia, sepsis, diabetes, obesity, meningitis, as well as pancreatitis. The aMMP-8 PoCT is the first practical test in the emerging new dental clinical field, that is, oral clinical chemistry representing oral medicine, clinical chemistry, peri-implantology, and periodontology.
Fluoride Intake Through Dental Care Products: A Systematic Review
Authors: Saad Hanan , Escoube Raphaëlle , Babajko Sylvie , Houari Sophia
Published: June 2022

Fluoride (F) is added to many dental care products as well as in drinking water to prevent dental decay. However, recent data associating exposure to F with some developmental defects with consequences in many organs raise concerns about its daily use for dental care. This systematic review aimed to evaluate the contribution of dental care products with regard to overall F intake through drinking water and diet with measurements of F excretion in urine used as a suitable biomarker. According to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines using keywords related to chronic exposure to F in the human population with measurements of F levels in body fluids, 1,273 papers published between 1995 and 2021 were screened, and 28 papers were finally included for data extraction concerning daily F intake. The contribution of dental care products, essentially by toothbrushing with kinds of toothpaste containing F, was 38% in the mean regardless of the F concentrations in drinking water. There was no correlation between F intake through toothpaste and age, nor with F levels in water ranging from 0.3 to 1.5 mg/L. There was no correlation between F intake and urinary F excretion levels despite an increase in its content in urine within hours following exposure to dental care products (toothpastes, varnishes, or other dental care products). The consequences of exposure to F on health are discussed in the recent context of its suspected toxicity reported in the literature. The conclusions of the review aim to provide objective messages to patients and dental professionals worried about the use of F-containing materials or products to prevent initial caries or hypomineralized enamel lesions, especially for young children.
Comparative Clinical Study of Percutaneous Epididymal Sperm Aspiration and Testicular Biopsy in the Outcome of ICSI-Assisted Fertility Treatment in Patients with Obstructive Azoospermia
Authors: Li Lian , Liao Hongqing , Li Meiqing , Xiao Jianghua , Wu Lei
Published: June 2022

Objective

To compare and contrast the effects of percutaneous epididymal sperm aspiration (PESA) and testicular sperm aspiration (TESA) on the outcome of intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI)-assisted fertility treatment in patients with obstructive azoospermia.

Methods

Patients with obstructive azoospermia with an age distribution of 20–36 years admitted to the male department of the Reproductive Center of the Second Affiliated Hospital of South China University (Hengyang Nanhua Xing Hui Reproductive Health Hospital) from December 2018 to December 2020 were used in this study. One group was set up as the PESA group to perform PESA, and the other group was set up as the TESA group to perform percutaneous testicular biopsy for sperm extraction. Patients who were unsuccessful in PESA continued to undergo TESA, and if sperm were retrieved, they were classified as the TESA group. General information on male patients and their partners was collected and compared in patients from different sperm source groups. Embryo development (normal fertilization rate, high-quality embryo rate, and high-quality blastocyst rate) and pregnancy outcome (clinical pregnancy rate, miscarriage rate, and ectopic pregnancy rate) were compared between the two groups.

Results

Finally, there were 26 patients in the PESA group and 31 patients in the TESA group. There were no significant differences in terms of age, years of infertility, testosterone level, (FSH) follicle-stimulating hormone level, and testicular volume between the male patients in the PESA and TESA groups of two different sperm sources, and no significant differences were found in the general conditions of the female patients in terms of age, number of eggs obtained, number of sinus follicles, basal FSH value, and basal E2 value (p > 0.05). The rate of high-quality blastocysts in the TESA group was significantly higher than that in the PESA group (p < 0.05); the differences in clinical normal fertilization rate, high-quality embryo rate, clinical pregnancy rate, miscarriage rate, and ectopic pregnancy rate between the two groups were not statistically significant (p > 0.05).

Conclusion

ICSI with different sources of sperm in patients with male factor infertility alone, which had no significant effect on embryo development, embryo implantation rate, clinical pregnancy rate, and miscarriage rate, resulting in better clinical outcomes.
Manufacturing Mesenchymal Stromal Cells for the Treatment of Osteoarthritis in Canine Patients: Challenges and Recommendations
Authors: Ivanovska Ana , Wang Mengyu , Arshaghi Tarlan Eslami , Shaw Georgina , Alves Joel , Byrne Andrew , Butterworth Steven , Chandler Russell , Cuddy Laura , Dunne James , Guerin Shane , Harry Rob , McAlindan Aidan , Mullins Ronan A. , Barry Frank
Published: June 2022

The recent interest in advanced biologic therapies in veterinary medicine has opened up opportunities for new treatment modalities with considerable clinical potential. Studies with mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) from animal species have focused on in vitro characterization (mostly following protocols developed for human application), experimental testing in controlled studies and clinical use in veterinary patients. The ability of MSCs to interact with the inflammatory environment through immunomodulatory and paracrine mechanisms makes them a good candidate for treatment of inflammatory musculoskeletal conditions in canine species. Analysis of existing data shows promising results in the treatment of canine hip dysplasia, osteoarthritis and rupture of the cranial cruciate ligament in both sport and companion animals. Despite the absence of clear regulatory frameworks for veterinary advanced therapy medicinal products, there has been an increase in the number of commercial cell-based products that are available for clinical applications, and currently the commercial use of veterinary MSC products has outpaced basic research on characterization of the cell product. In the absence of quality standards for MSCs for use in canine patients, their safety, clinical efficacy and production standards are uncertain, leading to a risk of poor product consistency. To deliver high-quality MSC products for veterinary use in the future, there are critical issues that need to be addressed. By translating standards and strategies applied in human MSC manufacturing to products for veterinary use, in a collaborative effort between stem cell scientists and veterinary researchers and surgeons, we hope to facilitate the development of quality standards. We point out critical issues that need to be addressed, including a much higher level of attention to cell characterization, manufacturing standards and release criteria. We provide a set of recommendations that will contribute to the standardization of cell manufacturing methods and better quality assurance.
Transonic Buffet Active Control with Local Smart Skin
Authors: Ren Kai , Gao Chuanqiang , Zhou Fangqi , Zhang Weiwei
Published: June 2022

Transonic flight has high economic benefits, but the appearance of transonic buffet limits the flight envelope. The shock control bump currently used for transonic buffet suppression tends to degrade the aerodynamic performance of the non-buffeting state. In this study, a smart skin system is used to eliminate the fluctuating load of transonic buffet by measuring the airfoil lift coefficient as the feedback signal and adjusting the local skin height using data-driven, model-free adaptive control. Since the actuator height is dynamically adjusted only after the occurrence of transonic buffet, the smart skin can completely suppress the fluctuating load and does not affect the aerodynamic performance in the non-buffeting state. The suppression effect of the proposed smart skin on transonic buffet is verified by numerical simulation of the flow. The simulation results show that due to the introduction of closed-loop control, the fluctuating load of transonic buffet can be effectively suppressed for different positions and maximum heights of the actuator. Even when the flow state changes, the robust smart skin system can also achieve the control goal. Therefore, smart skins combining flexible materials and control technologies have the potential to effectively improve the aerodynamic performance of aircraft.
Associations of Bedtime Schedules in Childhood with Obesity Risk in Adolescence
Authors: Mireku Michael Osei , Fábelová Lucia
Published: June 2022

We investigated whether bedtime schedules and bedtimes in childhood were associated with obesity risk and adiposity in adolescence. We analysed the data of 12,645 singleton children classified as not obese at 7 years from the Millennium Cohort Study in the United Kingdom. Bedtimes and the regularity of bedtimes of 7-year-olds were reported by parents. Bio-electric impedance body fat percentage (BFP) measurements and obesity at 11 and 14 years were the considered outcomes. The International Obesity Task Force age- and sex-specific thresholds were used to define obesity. Obesity risk at 11 and 14 years was higher among children with never-regular bedtimes at 7 years compared with those with always-regular bedtimes (risk ratio, RR, 2.8 (95% CI, 1.8–1.4) and 2.3 (95% CI, 1.5–3.6), respectively). An increasing irregularity in childhood bedtime was associated with an increasing risk of obesity at both 11 and 14 years in a dose–response manner (p trend < 0.001; and p trend = 0.002, respectively). BFP at 11 years increased by 1.1% (95% CI, 0.8–1.5) for boys and 1.0% (95% CI, 0.6–1.4) for girls for every hour delay in childhood bedtime. Irregular bedtime schedules and later bedtimes in childhood were associated with an increased risk of obesity in early- and mid-adolescence in a dose–response manner. There was marginal, but significant, increases in BFP during adolescence for children with later bedtimes.
Evolutionary Analysis of Grapevine Virus A: Insights into the Dispersion in Sicily (Italy)
Authors: Caruso Andrea Giovanni , Bertacca Sofia , Ragona Arianna , Matić Slavica , Davino Salvatore , Panno Stefano
Published: June 2022

Grapevine virus A (GVA) is a phloem-restricted virus (genus Vitivirus, family Betaflexiviridae) that cause crop losses of 5–22% in grapevine cultivars, transmitted by different species of pseudococcid mealybugs, the mealybug Heliococcus bohemicus, and by the scale insect Neopulvinaria innumerabilis. In this work, we studied the genetic structure and molecular variability of GVA, ascertaining its presence and spread in different commercial vineyards of four Sicilian provinces (Italy). In total, 11 autochthonous grapevine cultivars in 20 commercial Sicilian vineyards were investigated, for a total of 617 grapevine samples. Preliminary screening by serological (DAS-ELISA) analysis for GVA detection were conducted and subsequently confirmed by molecular (RT-PCR) analysis. Results showed that 10 out of the 11 cultivars analyzed were positive to GVA, for a total of 49 out of 617 samples (8%). A higher incidence of infection was detected on ‘Nerello Mascalese’, ‘Carricante’, ‘Perricone’ and ‘Nero d’Avola’ cultivars, followed by ‘Alicante’, ‘Grecanico’, ‘Catarratto’, ‘Grillo’, ‘Nerello Cappuccio’ and ‘Zibibbo’, while in the ‘Moscato’ cultivar no infection was found. Phylogenetic analyses carried out on the coat protein (CP) gene of 16 GVA sequences selected in this study showed a low variability degree among the Sicilian isolates, closely related with other Italian isolates retrieved in GenBank, suggesting a common origin, probably due to the exchange of infected propagation material within the Italian territory.
Foliar Application of GA3 Stimulates Seed Production in Cauliflower
Authors: Prodhan Md. Masud , Sarker Umakanta , Hoque Md. Azizul , Biswas Md. Sanaullah , Ercisli Sezai , Assouguem Amine , Ullah Riaz , Almutairi Mikhlid H. , Mohamed Hanan R. H. , Najda Agnieszka
Published: June 2022

This study aimed to evaluate the influence of gibberellic acid on both concentration and time of application on the seed production ability of BU cauliflower-1. The experiment was conducted to determine seed production ability at five concentrations of GA3: G0 = Control, G1 = 100 ppm, G2 = 200 ppm, G3 = 300 ppm, G4 = 400 ppm, along with four application times at different growth stages including T1 = Foliar application at 3 weeks after planting, T2 = Foliar application at 4 weeks after planting, T3 = Foliar application at 5 weeks after planting and T4 = Foliar application at 6 weeks after planting. Results revealed that 200 ppm GA3 gave the highest plant height (44.05 cm), the number of primary (10.88) and secondary flowering branches (31.33), stalk length (79.53 cm), seeded pods per plant (465), pod length (4.975 cm), seeds per pod (10.87), seed yield per plant (16.16 g), seed yield (0.24 ton/ha), and weight of thousand seeds (4.826 g) with the earliest curd (51.02 days) and flower initiation (84.17 days). It also gave the highest net return (Tk. 4.7 lakh/ha) and benefit-cost ratio (4.34). GA3 application at 3 weeks after transplanting had the highest numbers of primary and secondary flowering branches, pods, seeded pods, and seed yield per plant. The treatment combination of G2T1 gave the earliest curd initiation (49.60 days), the highest number of secondary flowering branches (34.87), seed yield per plant (22.75 g), and seed yield (0.27 ton/h). In contrast, the G2T2 treatment resulted in the earliest flower initiation (81.77 days) with the highest pod length (5.20 cm), the number of pods per plant (707), and seeded pods per plant (507), and seeds per pod (11.30). Hence, 200 ppm GA3 applied three weeks after transplanting could be used as the best combination for cauliflower seed production with the highest net return and benefit-cost ratio. Enhancing seed yield is our ultimate goal; hence, we suggest 200 ppm GA3 three weeks after transplanting for increased cauliflower seed production with the highest return and benefit-cost ratio in the study area. As we performed the study in a particular location, we recommend multilocation trials in different agro-ecological regions to study the genotype–environment interaction for final confirmation of the results.
Effects of Ionized Water Addition on Soil Nitrification Activity and Nitrifier Community Structure
Authors: Qu Zhi , Li Mingjiang , Wang Quanjiu , Sun Yan , Wang Yichen , Li Jian
Published: June 2022

Water ionization is an efficient physical water treatment technology, and crop water and nutrient use efficiencies can be improved using ionized water for irrigation. In order to explore the effect of ionized water on soil nitrification and nitrifying microorganisms, we conducted a laboratory soil incubation experiment with the addition of ionized water and ordinary water under different soil water contents (equal to 30%, 60%, 100% and 175% of the field capacity, θFC). During the soil incubation, we analyzed soil inorganic nitrogen transformation, ammonia oxidation gene abundances and nitrifying microbial community structure. The results showed that, no matter adding ordinary water or ionized water, the soil nitrification rate and the abundance of ammonia oxidizing bacteria in the 100%θFC treatment were significantly higher than those in other water conditions, while the abundance of ammonia oxidizing archaea was not affected by the soil water content. With the same soil water content, the nitrification rate of ionized water treatment was stronger than that of the ordinary water treatment. Although the absolute abundance of ammonia-oxidizing microorganisms in ionized water treatment was significantly lower than that of ordinary water (p < 0.05), the relative abundance of some dominant nitrifying microbial genera in the ionized water treatment was significantly higher (p < 0.05). The dominant genera may play a key role in the nitrification process. The results show that ionized water irrigation can significantly promote the nitrification of silt loam soil, especially under 100%θFC conditions, and may regulate soil nitrification by affecting some dominant nitrifying microorganisms. This study provides a theoretical basis for understanding the biological regulation mechanism of ionized water irrigation on soil nutrient transformation and for application of ionized water to field irrigation.
Analysis of the Genetic Diversity and Population Structure of Four Senegalese Sheep Breeds Using Medium-Density Single-Nucleotide Polymorphisms
Authors: Missohou Ayao , Kaboré Basse , Flori Laurence , Ayssiwede Simplice Bosco , Hornick Jean-Luc , Raes Marianne , Cabaraux Jean-François
Published: June 2022

In Senegal, sheep breeds have adapted to their environment and play a key socio-economic role. This study aimed to explore the genetic diversity and structure of four Senegalese sheep breeds (Peul-peul, Djallonke, Touabire, and Ladoum) and their relationships with global sheep breeds. To that end, forty-seven sheep were genotyped using the OvineSNP50 BeadChip, and these genotypic data were analysed with those of 73 sheep breeds representative of worldwide ovine diversity (2729 animals). The average observed heterozygosity (Ho) ranged from 0.293 in Djallonke sheep to 0.339 in Touabire sheep. The estimated Fis values were low, ranging from 0.019 for Ladoum to 0.034 for Peul-peul sheep. The estimated Fst values were low (0.003–0.044) among the trypanosusceptible breeds (Peul-peul, Touabire, and Ladoum) but high between the previous breeds and the trypanotolerant Djallonke breed (0.075–0.116), indicating better genetic conservation of the Djallonke sheep. A principal component analysis revealed clustering of the Senegalese sheep breeds according to their geographic distribution. However, owing to genetic improvement practices, the introgression of Touabire sheep blood seems to have reshaped the genetic landscape of the trypanosusceptible sheep breeds in Senegal. The Senegalese sheep breeds showed lower genetic diversity than their presumed ancestral sheep breeds of the Middle East. They also presented some relatedness with Caribbean sheep breeds, which reveals their contribution to the global genetic diversity and to the development of Caribbean sheep breeds.
Metabolomic Profiles of Multidrug-Resistant Salmonella Typhimurium from Humans, Bovine, and Porcine Hosts
Authors: Overton Jessie M. , Linke Lyndsey , Magnuson Roberta , Broeckling Corey D. , Rao Sangeeta
Published: June 2022

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global public health threat, yet tools for detecting resistance patterns are limited and require advanced molecular methods. Metabolomic approaches produce metabolite profiles and help provide scientific evidence of differences in metabolite expressions between Salmonella Typhimurium from various hosts. This research aimed to evaluate the metabolomic profiles of S. Typhimurium associated with AMR and it compares profiles across various hosts. Three samples, each from bovine, porcine, and humans (total n = 9), were selectively chosen from an existing library to compare these nine isolates cultured under no drug exposure to the same isolates cultured in the presence of the antimicrobial drug panel ACSSuT (ampicillin, chloramphenicol, streptomycin, sulfisoxazole, tetracycline). This was followed by metabolomic profiling using UPLC and GC–mass spectrometry. The results indicated that the metabolite regulation was affected by antibiotic exposure, irrespective of the host species. When exposed to antibiotics, 59.69% and 40.31% of metabolites had increased and decreased expressions, respectively. The most significantly regulated metabolic pathway was aminoacyl-tRNA biosynthesis, which demonstrated increased expressions of serine, aspartate, alanine, and citric acid. Metabolites that showed decreased expressions included glutamate and pyruvate. This pathway and associated metabolites have known AMR associations and could be targeted for new drug discoveries and diagnostic methods.
Fingertip-Measured Skin Carotenoids and Advanced Glycation End Product Levels in Glaucoma
Authors: Kadoh Yoichi , Takayanagi Yuji , Sasaki Junichi , Tanito Masaki
Published: June 2022

Carotenoids have antioxidant properties, and the accumulation of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) is associated with reactive oxygen species production; they have attracted attention as factors predictive of the onset and progression in glaucoma. Fingertip measurement is applicable for carotenoids and AGEs due to its noninvasiveness and simplicity. The study included 663 eyes of 663 Japanese subjects (357 males, 306 females). The mean age was 69.9 years with a standard deviation of 11.0. The study population comprised participants with primary open-angle glaucoma (PG) (n = 358), exfoliation glaucoma (EG) (n = 168), and controls (n = 137). Multivariate models suggested that lower skin carotenoid (SC) levels were associated with male gender (standard β = −0.14), AGE scores (−0.24), and a history of intraocular surgery (−0.22). Higher SC levels were associated with higher vegetable intake scores (0.21 for score 3) and diabetes (0.10). However, no association was seen between SCs and glaucoma type. AGEs levels were negatively associated with carotenoid scores (−0.25), PG (−0.15), and smoking habits (−0.26) and positively correlated with EG (0.14). SCs and AGEs were negatively correlated in the single regression analysis (r = −0.20, p < 0.0001). In conclusion, higher levels of AGEs may be candidates for systemic biomarkers of glaucoma associated with the exfoliation syndrome. SC levels can reflect self-reported daily vegetable intake.
Soluble Free, Esterified and Insoluble-Bound Phenolic Antioxidants from Chickpeas Prevent Cytotoxicity in Human Hepatoma HuH-7 Cells Induced by Peroxyl Radicals
Authors: de Camargo Adriano Costa , Concepción Alvarez Alina , Arias-Santé María Fernanda , Oyarzún Juan Esteban , Andia Marcelo E. , Uribe Sergio , Núñez Pizarro Paula , Bustos Simón M. , Schwember Andrés R. , Shahidi Fereidoon , Bridi Raquel
Published: June 2022

Chickpeas are rich sources of bioactive compounds such as phenolic acids, flavonoids, and isoflavonoids. However, the contribution of insoluble-bound phenolics to their antioxidant properties remains unclear. Four varieties of chickpeas were evaluated for the presence of soluble (free and esterified) and insoluble-bound phenolics as well as their antiradical activity, reducing power and inhibition of peroxyl-induced cytotoxicity in human HuH-7 cells. In general, the insoluble-bound fraction showed a higher total phenolic content. Phenolic acids, flavonoids, and isoflavonoids were identified and quantified by UPLC-MS/MS. Taxifolin was identified for the first time in chickpeas. However, m-hydroxybenzoic acid, taxifolin, and biochanin A were the main phenolics found. Biochanin A was mostly found in the free fraction, while m-hydroxybenzoic acid was present mainly in the insoluble-bound form. The insoluble-bound fraction made a significant contribution to the reducing power and antiradical activity towards peroxyl radical. Furthermore, all extracts decreased the oxidative damage of human HuH-7 cells induced by peroxyl radicals, thus indicating their hepatoprotective potential. This study demonstrates that the antioxidant properties and bioactive potential of insoluble-bound phenolics of chickpeas should not be neglected.
Growth, Health, and Gut Microbiota of Female Pacific White Shrimp, Litopenaeus vannamei Broodstock Fed Different Phospholipid Sources
Authors: Liang Xiaolong , Luo Xiaolong , Lin Hongxing , Han Fenglu , Qin Jian G. , Chen Liqiao , Xu Chang , Li Erchao
Published: June 2022

Phospholipids have an important antioxidant effect on animals. The effects of different dietary phospholipid sources on the growth, antioxidant activity, immunity, and gut microbiota of female broodstock of Pacific white shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei were investigated. Four isoproteic and isolipid semi-purified diets containing 4% soybean lecithin (SL), egg yolk lecithin (EL), or krill oil (KO) and a control diet without phospholipid supplementation were fed to female broodstock of L. vannamei (34.7 ± 4.2 g) for 28 days. The growth performance, antioxidative capacity, and innate immunity of the female broodstock fed phospholipid supplemented diets were improved regardless of sources compared with the control shrimp. The effects on growth and antioxidant capacity in female shrimp fed the KO diet were highest. The innate immunity of female shrimp fed the EL and KO diets were significantly higher than shrimp fed the SL diet. Dietary phospholipid supplementation increased gut microbiota diversity and richness, and the Chao1 and ACE values in the KO group were significantly higher than in the control group. The richness of Proteobacteria, Photobacterium, and Vibrio decreased, whereas the richness of Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes increased in the shrimp fed the KO diet compared with the shrimp fed the SL and EL diets. The interactions of gut microbiota in shrimp fed the KO diet were the most complex, and the positive interaction was the largest among all the treatments. The functional genes of gut microbiota in shrimp fed the KO diet were significantly enriched in lipid metabolism and terpenoid/polyketide metabolism pathways. Spearman correlation analysis showed that Fusibacter had significantly positive correlations with antioxidant activity (total antioxidant capacity, superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase), immune enzyme activity (phenoloxidase and lysozyme), and immune gene expression (C-type lectin 3, Caspase-1). All findings suggest that dietary phospholipids supplementation can improve the growth and health status of female L. vananmei broodstock. Krill oil is more beneficial in improving the antioxidant capacity and innate immunity than other dietary phospholipid sources. Furthermore, krill oil can help establish the intestinal immune barrier by increasing the richness of Fusibacter and promote the growth of female shrimp. Fusibacter may be involved in iron metabolism to improve the antioxidant capacity of female shrimp.
Neurodegeneration in Multiple Sclerosis: The Role of Nrf2-Dependent Pathways
Authors: Maldonado Paloma P. , Guevara Coram , Olesen Margrethe A. , Orellana Juan Andres , Quintanilla Rodrigo A. , Ortiz Fernando C.
Published: June 2022

Multiple sclerosis (MS) encompasses a chronic, irreversible, and predominantly immune-mediated disease of the central nervous system that leads to axonal degeneration, neuronal death, and several neurological symptoms. Although various immune therapies have reduced relapse rates and the severity of symptoms in relapsing-remitting MS, there is still no cure for this devastating disease. In this brief review, we discuss the role of mitochondria dysfunction in the progression of MS, focused on the possible role of Nrf2 signaling in orchestrating the impairment of critical cellular and molecular aspects such as reactive oxygen species (ROS) management, under neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration in MS. In this scenario, we propose a new potential downstream signaling of Nrf2 pathway, namely the opening of hemichannels and pannexons. These large-pore channels are known to modulate glial/neuronal function and ROS production as they are permeable to extracellular Ca2+ and release potentially harmful transmitters to the synaptic cleft. In this way, the Nrf2 dysfunction impairs not only the bioenergetics and metabolic properties of glial cells but also the proper antioxidant defense and energy supply that they provide to neurons.
New Frontiers in Meat and Meat Products—SI ICoMST
Authors: Zając Marzena
Published: June 2022

Despite experts’ warnings and statements about hazards connected with meat consumption, it is growing all over the world [...]
UV3D: Underwater Video Stream 3D Reconstruction Based on Efficient Global SFM
Authors: Chen Yanli , Li Qiushi , Gong Shenghua , Liu Jun , Guan Wenxue
Published: June 2022

With the increasing demand for underwater resource exploration, three-dimensional (3D) reconstruction technology is important for searching for lost underwater civilizations, underwater shipwrecks, or seabed structures. However, faced with the limitations of underwater unmanned systems in terms of energy, bandwidth, and transmission delay, 3D reconstruction technology based on video streams as direct data will not work well. We propose a terminal image processing strategy to save data transmission time and cost and to obtain 3D scene information as soon as possible. Firstly, we propose an adaptive threshold key frame extraction algorithm based on clustering, which extracts key frames from the video stream as structure from motion (SFM) image sequences. On this basis, we enhance the underwater images with sufficient and insufficient illumination to improve the image quality and obtain a better visual effect in the 3D reconstruction step. Additionally, we choose global SFM to construct the scene and propose a faster rotation averaging method, the least trimmed square rotation averaging (LTS-RA) method, based on the least trimmed squares (LTS) and L1RA methods. It is proven to reduce 19.97% of the time through experiments. Finally, our experiments demonstrate that the dense point cloud saves about 70% of the transmission cost compared to video streaming.
Performance of Solar Control Films on Building Glazing: A Literature Review
Authors: Pereira Júlia , Teixeira Henriqueta , Gomes Maria da Glória , Moret Rodrigues António
Published: June 2022

Buildings with a high window-to-wall ratio tend to suffer from excessive solar gains/losses that usually result in high energy demand and discomfort for occupants. Solar control films (SCFs) are a passive solution with the potential to increase the performance of new or refurbished glazing they are applied to. This paper presents a comprehensive literature review of the performance of SCFs applied to glazing systems of buildings. Research studies with experimental, analytical and computer simulation approaches were gathered and analyzed, identifying glass and film systems, climatic conditions, energy savings and comfort performance. The research approaches and main findings of existing research studies were compared and discussed. The presence of SCFs significantly reduced indoor solar radiation and illuminance levels, particularly with reflective films applied to south-oriented glazing (northern hemisphere). Glazing systems with SCFs were reported to promote cooling energy savings compared with clear glazing in hot climates. Few studies have explored the visual and thermal comfort performance of SCFs, concluding that these films promote thermal comfort, and reduce excessive illuminance and potential glare. Furthermore, this paper helps to highlight areas of guidance for future studies on the topic.
Soluble Receptor of Advanced Glycation End-Products (sRAGE) in Pediatric Asthma: A Prospective Study in 68 Children Aged 7 Years
Authors: Magnier Julie , Julian Valérie , Sapin Vincent , Mulliez Aurélien , Usclade Alexandra , Rochette Emmanuelle , Evrard Bertrand , Labbe André , Coste Karen , Egron Carole
Published: June 2022

Background: Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease of the airways common in children. Soluble advanced glycation end-product receptor (sRAGE) is a blood biomarker of lung damage and inflammation. We sought to determine whether it could also be a biomarker in childhood asthma. Methods: We conducted a prospective, observational, analytical study at Clermont-Ferrand University Hospital. We measured plasma sRAGE levels in asthmatic and healthy children aged 7 years. Results: Of the 68 children assessed, 15 (22.05%) presented asthma. All presented normal respiratory function. The mean plasma sRAGE level was 1875 pg/mL in the children with asthma and 1794 pg/mL in the healthy children (p = 0.525). The mean plasma sRAGE level was significantly decreased with tobacco exposure during pregnancy: 1478 pg/mL versus 1870 pg/mL without (p = 0.007). Lower levels were observed in children living in apartments (1557 pg/mL) than in those living in houses (1863 pg/mL) (p = 0.031). Conclusions: No difference was observed in plasma sRAGE levels in children with asthma in our well-treated and controlled population. Environmental exposure may affect these levels. Further studies are required to better characterize the role of sRAGE.
Forensic Investigation of Remnant Data on USB Storage Devices Sold in New Zealand
Authors: Shah Zawar , Kyaw Arkar , Truong Hong Phat , Ullah Imdad , Levula Andrew
Published: June 2022

The digital forensic tools used by law enforcement agencies for forensic investigations are mostly proprietary and commercially expensive; although open-source tools are used, the investigations conducted with such tools are not verified by reputable organisations, and hence, users are reluctant to practice such tools. To address this issue, we experimentally evaluate three open-source forensic tools based on various requirements recommended by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) framework for forensic investigation. The experimental setup consists of a forensic workstation, write-blocker, and purchased USB hard drives investigated via digital forensic imaging tools, i.e., DC3DD, DCFLDD, and Guymager. We create various test cases, which distribute USB hard drives in different groups and investigate the functional and optional requirements of NIST along with recovering and analysing remnant data. We evaluate these forensic tools by analysing the log information, following, anonymously (to ensure that data were not disclosed or misused during or after the investigations) collecting, examining, and classifying the remnant data restored from the USB hard drives. We observe that the percentage of hardware resources usage and the processing time of each tool are remarkably different, e.g., Guymager was the fastest tool and met all the functional requirements in each test case, but it utilised more CPU and memory resources than DC3DD, DCFLDD. We note that 88.23% of the USB hard drives contained sensitive personal or business information (e.g., personal photos, bank transactions, and contracts). Subsequently, the remnant data analysis shows that consumers in New Zealand are unaware of personal data security and the associated vulnerabilities of data leakages.
Water Surface and Ground Control of a Small Cross-Domain Robot Based on Fast Line-of-Sight Algorithm and Adaptive Sliding Mode Integral Barrier Control
Authors: Wang Ke , Liu Yong , Huang Chengwei , Cheng Peng
Published: June 2022

This paper focuses on the control method of small cross-domain robots (CDR) on the water surface and the ground. The maximum size of the robot is 85 cm and the weight of the robot is 6.5 kg. To solve the problem that CDRs cannot handle the lateral velocity, which leads to error in tracking the desired trajectory, a fast line of sight (FLOS) algorithm is proposed. In this method, an exponential term is introduced to plan the yaw angle, and a fast-extended state observer (FESO) is designed to observe the side slip angle without small angle assumption. The performances and working environments of CDRs are different on the ground and the water surface. Therefore, to avoid the driver saturation and putting risk, an adaptive sliding mode integral barrier control (ASMIBC) is proposed to constrain the robot state. This control method solves the constraint failure of the traditional integral barrier control (IBC) when the desired state is a constant. The gain of the sliding mode is adaptively adjusted by the error between the limit state and the actual state. In addition, the adaptive rate is designed for uncertain time-varying lumped disturbances, such as water resistance, currents and wind. Simulation results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed control method.
A Multi-Objective Optimization of Secure Pull Manufacturing Systems
Authors: Elattar Samia , Mohamed Heba G. , Hussien Shimaa A.
Published: June 2022

This paper aims to optimize the losses of the current manufacturing systems to perform the Just in Time (JIT) system and minimize the time, labor, and material in the manufacturing process. Pull systems, which have a famous name of the Smart Kanban system, are one of the methodologies to implement the JIT system. The setting of manufacturing system frameworks offers intriguing capabilities to improve the performance of pull-controlled creation frameworks. Smart Kanban can be utilized, rather than actual cards, and the data conversion about the manufacturing settings, is accessible through sensors. Since a Just-in-Time system does not include a buffer, any interruption to the system can cause the process to stop quite quickly, so security is necessary for the JIT improvement. However, those systems have recently been unguarded to security threats as they introduce general-purpose technologies. From the viewpoint of the system, a security measure is implemented for pull system methods to check for potential threats and analyze vulnerabilities of the pull system. The Flower Pollination Algorithm (FPA) is used as a novel multiobjective technique to optimize different types of cost and time. The experimental results show that the proposed algorithm has robust security efficiency, as well as reduces cost and time consumption.
Chebyshev Polynomial-Based Scheme for Resisting Side-Channel Attacks in 5G-Enabled Vehicular Networks
Authors: Al-Shareeda Mahmood A. , Manickam Selvakumar , Mohammed Badiea Abdulkarem , Al-Mekhlafi Zeyad Ghaleb , Qtaish Amjad , Alzahrani Abdullah J. , Alshammari Gharbi , Sallam Amer A. , Almekhlafi Khalil
Published: June 2022

The privacy and security vulnerabilities in fifth-generation (5G)-enabled vehicular networks are often required to cope with schemes based on either bilinear pair cryptography (BPC) or elliptic curve cryptography (ECC). Nevertheless, these schemes suffer from massively inefficient performance related to signing and verifying messages in areas of the high-density traffic stream. Meanwhile, adversaries could launch side-channel attacks to obtain sensitive data protected in a tamper-proof device (TPD) to destroy the system. This paper proposes a Chebyshev polynomial-based scheme for resisting side-channel attacks in 5G-enabled vehicular networks. Our work could achieve both important properties of the Chebyshev polynomial in terms of chaotic and semi-group. Our work consists of five phases: system initialization, enrollment, signing, verification, and pseudonym renew. Moreover, to resist side-channel attacks, our work renews periodically and frequently the vehicle’s information in the TPD. Security analysis shows that our work archives the privacy (pseudonym identity and unlikability) and security (authentication, integrity, and traceability) in 5G-enabled vehicular networks. Finally, our work does not employ the BPC or the ECC; its efficiency performance outperforms other existing recent works, making it suitable for use in vehicular networks.
Enterotoxin- and Antibiotic-Resistance-Encoding Genes Are Present in Both Coagulase-Positive and Coagulase-Negative Foodborne Staphylococcus Strains
Authors: Salamandane Acácio , Oliveira Jessica , Coelho Miguel , Ramos Beatriz , Cunha Mónica V. , Malfeito-Ferreira Manuel , Brito Luisa
Published: June 2022

Food poisoning by staphylococcal enterotoxins (SE) is a major cause of foodborne illness, often associated with coagulase-positive staphylococci (CPS). The increase in the number of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strains is another major problem associated with CPS. However, reports of the association of SE and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus with coagulase-negative staphylococci (CNS) are beginning to re-emerge. In this context, the aim of this study is to investigate the presence of staphylococcal enterotoxin genes and to characterize the phenotypic and genotypic antimicrobial resistance in 66 isolates of Staphylococcus spp. (47 CNS and 19 CPS) recovered from ready-to-eat (RTE) street food sold in Maputo, Mozambique. Seven virulence genes encoding SE (sea, seb, sec, sed and see) and two toxins (hlb and sak) were screened by multiplex PCR (MPCR). Antimicrobial resistance against 12 antibiotics was evaluated by the disk diffusion method. The presence of genes encoding resistance to penicillin, methicillin, vancomycin and erythromycin (blaZ, mecA, vancA, vancB, ermA, ermB and ermC) were also screened by PCR. At least one of the seven virulence genes assessed in this study was detected in 57.9% and 51% of CPS and CNS isolates, respectively. In CPS isolates, the most frequent gene was hlb (47.4%), followed by sec (15.8%) and sea, seb and sed genes with 5.3% each. In CNS isolates, the most frequent gene was sec (36.2%) followed by sak (17%), hlb (14.9%), sed (12.8%) and seb (6.4%). Five of the twelve CPS in which virulence genes were detected were also antibiotic-resistant. All the CNS isolates harboring virulence genes (n = 27, 57.4%) were antimicrobial-resistant. The prevalence of multidrug resistance was higher (59.6%) in CNS than in CPS (26.3%) isolates. Regarding the presence of antibiotic-resistance genes, blaZ (penicillin-resistant) was the most frequent in both CPS (42.1%) and CNS (87.2%), followed by the mecA (encoding methicillin resistance) and vancA genes (vancomycin-resistant), which represented 36.8% and 31.6% in CPS isolates and 46.8% in CNS isolates, respectively. The prevalence of vancomycin-resistant staphylococci has been increasing worldwide and, to our knowledge, this is the first study to report the occurrence of vancomycin-resistant staphylococci in Mozambique. These results emphasize the need to investigate CNS isolates in parallel with CPS, as both constitute public health hazards, given their potential to produce SE and spread antimicrobial resistance genes.
Study on Strategies to Implement Adaptation Measures for Extreme High Temperatures into the Street Canyon
Authors: Takebayashi Hideki , Danno Hiroki , Tozawa Ushio
Published: June 2022

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the potential for using the spaces integrating the roads and sidewalks in the street canyon as human-centered spaces, and to investigate more appropriate measures to improve the thermal environment for pedestrians and visitors in these spaces. Based on the spatial distribution of SET* throughout the day, as possible human-centered street space uses, north–south streets with restricted widths and south sidewalks on east–west streets are candidates. Spatiotemporal distributions of SET* were calculated when water was sprinkled on the road surface in the street canyon and when water surface, sunshade, and trees were introduced in the street canyon. Assuming people walk or stay on the water surface, the MRT decreases, causing SET* to be below 31.5 °C at any time, so if a continuous supply of water is guaranteed and people can approach the water surface, the water surface can be expected to have a significant impact anywhere at any time. On the east–west street, shading by sunshades and trees occurs along the lanes at any time, allowing pedestrians moving through the lanes to pass through the shaded areas on a periodic cycle. On north–south street, the time required for the countermeasures is limited to around noon, so the measure is effective even if the shade does not occur in the target lanes only around noon.
Effects of Air Pollution on Sunshine Duration Trends in Typical Chinese Cities
Authors: Chong Wei , Lyu Wenhua , Zhang Jian , Liang Jing , Yang Xiaotong , Zhang Guoyu
Published: June 2022

Long-term trends in sunshine duration in Chinese cities have been closely linked to factors caused by air pollution. To understand this impact on sunshine duration (SD), surface solar radiation from 1981 to 2020, annual PM2.5 concentration from 2012 to 2020 and air pollution index (API) data from 2013 to 2020 collected in ten representative cities in China were investigated, and the long-term relationship of SD with diffuse fraction (DF), aerosol option depth (AOD), annual PM2.5 concentration and API were analyzed. The results indicated that trends in SD varied across cities. SD decreased in seven of the ten selected cities’ stations in the past 40 years, and the annual mean SD decreased from −0.03 h d−1 per decade to −0.36 h d−1 per decade—particularly in the Beijing North China Plain, Shanghai and Wuhan stations in the Yangtze River delta, where the trend coefficients were lower than −0.5. Conversely, increases in varying degrees of SD were found in Kunming (0.38 h d−1 per decade), Guangzhou and Shenyang in Southwest, South and Northeast China, respectively—with the biggest trend coefficient of 0.54 in Kunming. In addition to the SD variation, the DF in the ten city stations increased continuously from 1981 to 2010 and then declined after 2010, which is closely related to decreases in the annual PM2.5 concentration after 2012. The correlation coefficients between DF and SD ranged from −0.04 to −0.62, validating their negative relationship and the slight increasing trend in SD in recent ten years. The annual averages for SD and the DF plateaued in the 2010s due to the stringent pollution controls established by the Chinese government after 2010. Furthermore, the correlation coefficients between SD and the API ranged from −0.12 to −0.58, demonstrating a negative relationship between SD and the API.
The Existence of Radial Solutions to the Schrödinger System Containing a Nonlinear Operator
Authors: Wang Guotao , Zhang Zhuobin , Yang Zedong
Published: June 2022

In this paper, we investigate a class of nonlinear Schrödinger systems containing a nonlinear operator under Osgood-type conditions. By employing the iterative technique, the existence conditions for entire positive radial solutions of the above problem are given under the cases where components μ and ν are bounded, μ and ν are blow-up, and one of the components is bounded, while the other is blow-up. Finally, we present two examples to verify our results.