Modal identification of a flexible footbridge using output-only methods

This work researches the modal frequencies identification of a footbridge structure by output only technique. The structural system of the footbridge herein considered is a continuous curved girder, i.e. belongs to a frequently used one all around the world in urbanized areas. It is located on the Princeton University campus in the US and serves as an on-site laboratory for short- and long-term research and educational purposes. The investigation utilizes measurements collected by long-gauge fiber optic strain sensors installed along the main-span and south-east leg of the structure. The power spectral density of the distributed long-gauge dynamic strain response in terms of curvature is used for detecting the modal frequencies of the footbridge. Pedestrian loading represents the external excitation. However, detailed information on the load intensity, frequency and distribution are lacking. This aspect represents the challenge of the present research with the aim to obtain as much information as possible about the modal characteristics of the footbridge from very limited dynamic information (only on the structural response) and without knowing the input conditions. Previously published research serves as a guide for evaluating the effectiveness of the results and the effectiveness of the employed methodology. This preliminary step paves the path to further research, i.e., (i) to the implementation of a refined finite element model of the entire structure for dynamic analysis, and (ii) to the development of a new wireless sensor network, by using as a reference the results from the existing embedded fiber optic sensor

Drug Repurposing for Candidate SARS-CoV-2 Main Protease Inhibitors by a Novel in Silico Method

The SARS-CoV-2 outbreak caused an unprecedented global public health threat, having a high transmission rate with currently no drugs or vaccines approved. An alternative powerful additional approach to counteract COVID-19 is in silico drug repurposing. The SARS-CoV-2 main protease is essential for viral replication and an attractive drug target. In this study, we used the virtual screening protocol with both long-range and short-range interactions to select candidate SARS-CoV-2 main protease inhibitors. First, the Informational spectrum method applied for small molecules was used for searching the Drugbank database and further followed by molecular docking. After in silico screening of drug space, we identified 57 drugs as potential SARS-CoV-2 main protease inhibitors that we propose for further experimental testing. © 2020 by the authors

Phytoaccumulation of metals in three plants species of the Asteraceae family sampled along a highway

The aim of this study was to determine the ability of roots and above-ground parts of three plant species of the Asteraceae family (Matricaria inodora L., Achillea millefolium L., Crepis setosa Haller fill.) for bioaccumulation and translocation of eight metals (Ca, Mg, Fe, Mn, Cu, Zn, Pb, Cr). Those plants were sampled directly along the lanes of the highway at the entrance into the City of Kragujevac, Republic of Serbia. The investigated metals are emitted into the air from road traffic and are deposited in the surrounding soil. Many of them are toxic to the living organism, and it is, therefore, necessary to apply effective, economical, sustainable methods for their removal from the environment. An example of such a method is as phytoremediation, based on the use of metal hyperaccumulator plants. The results of this research showed the species studied differ in the absorption, translocation and accumulation of investigated metals. They also showed that species M. inodora and A. millefolium (leaves) can be used for the phytoextraction of Ca, Mg, Fe, Mn, Cu, Zn and Cr, species C. setosa (leaves) for Ca, Mg and Cu species M. inodora (stem) for Cr. The results further indicate that all three species absorb Zn from the soil and translocate it to the stems and leaves. All three of the studied species are suitable for phytostabilization of soils loaded with Zn, but only the species M. inodora and C. setosa can be applied in phytoremediation of this metal.&nbsp

Effect of dietary supplementation with medium chain fatty acids on growth performance, intestinal histomorphology, lipid profile and intestinal microflora of broiler chickens

The aim of the present study was to assess the effects of medium-chain fatty acid (MCFA) diet supplementation on growth performance, intestinal histomorphology, serum biochemistry and intestinal microflora of broiler chickens. The study was performed on 180 one-day-old broilers of the same origin (Cobb 500 hybrid), over a 42-day period. They were fed diets supplemented with three treatments: control group (basal diet without supplementation); group with MCFA supplementation; and group with MCFA and coccidiostat supplementation. Broiler chickens fed diets supplemented with MCFAs had a significantly greater final bodyweight. The weights of carcass cuts (breast, drumsticks with thighs and wings) were greater in broilers receiving MCFAs than in control broilers. The addition of MCFAs to broiler diet significantly increased villus length and crypt depth in the duodenum and caecum, and significantly decreased villus width in the duodenum and ileum. Additionally, serum HDL-cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations were increased significantly in broilers with MCFA dietary supplementation. The results indicated that the MCFA diet supplementation had a beneficial effect on the performance of broiler chickens, their intestinal histomorphology and microflora.Keywords: Carcass characteristics, coccidiostat supplementation, nutrition, poultry, serum biochemistr

Biomarkers of enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidative defense in type 2 diabetes mellitus - comparative analysis

Cilj naše studije bio je odrediti međusobne odnose između „prve", neenzim-ske, te „druge", enzimske crte antioksidacijske zaštite u bolesnika s šećernom bolesti tipa 2 i očitovanim kardiovaskularnim komplikacijama. Drugi je cilj bio utvrditi odnose između prooksidacijskih (lipidni status) i antioksidacijskih parametara u ispitivanih bolesnika. Materijali i metode: U našu je studiju parova bilo uključeno ukupno 117 bolesnika s šećernom bolesti tipa (69 sa, te 48 bez kardiovaskularnih komplikacija) i 42 zdrava ispitanika. Određivani su sljedeći antioksidacijski enzimski parametri: eritrociti, Cu, Zn-SOD, glutation-peroksidaza (GPx) i glutation-reduk-taza (GR), kao i ukupni antioksidacijski status (engl. total antioxidant status, TAS), te bilirubin, mokraćna kiselina, ukupni proteini, albumin i haptoglobin. Enzimski antioksidacijski parametri i TAS analizirani su pomoću komercijalnih testova tvrtke RandoxLtd, V. Britanija, koji se temelje na spektrofotometrij-skim metodama, dok su ostali neenzimski i lipidni parametri određeni standardnim laboratorijskim metodama. Rezultati: U odnosu na zdrave ispitanike, bolesnici s šećernom bolesti tipa 2 i kardiovaskularnim komplikacijama imali su značajno niže vrijednosti en-zimskih antioksidansa (P < 0,001) i više vrijednosti ukupnog bilirubina (P = 0,050), mokraćne kiseline (P < 0,001) i haptoglobina (P < 0,001). Slaba je pozitivna korelacija utvrđena između SOD i GPx (R = 0,289, P = 0,028) te između SOD i GR (R = 0,259, P = 0,045), a slaba negativna korelacija zabilježena je između GPx i mokraćne kiseline (R = - 0,35, P = 0,009) te GPx i ukupnog bilirubina (R = - 0,40, P = 0,018). TAS je slabo korelirao s trigliceridima (R = 0,32, P = 0,037), a GPx i GR su korelirali s HDL-kolesterolom (R = 0,457, P = 0,007; te R = 0,466, P = 0,001). Zaključci: Temeljem dobivenih rezultata može se zaključiti da bolesnici s šećernom bolesti tipa 2 imaju značajno promijenjenu antioksidacijsku zaštitu, uz različiti stupanj neravnoteže između skupa neenzimskih tvari i aktivnosti enzimskih antioksidanasa, koja ovisi o tome jesu li se kardiovaskularne komplikacije pojavile ili ne.The objective of our study was to determine the interrelations between the "first", non-enzymatic, and the "second", enzymatic line of antioxidant defense in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and manifested cardiovascular complications. The second aim was to determine the relations between pro-oxidant (lipid status) and antioxidant parameters in patients under observation. Methods: In our case-control study, a total of 117 type 2 diabetic patients (69 with and 48 without cardiovascular complications) and 42 healthy subjects were included. Antioxidant enzymatic parameters: erythrocyte, Cu,Zn-SOD, glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and glutathione reductase (GR), as well as total antioxidant status (TAS), bilirubin, uric acid, total proteins, albumin and haptoglobin were determined. The enzymatic antioxidant parameters and TAS were analyzed using commercial tests manufactured by Randox Ltd. UK, based on spectrophotometer methods, while the other non-enzymatic and lipid parameters were determined by standard laboratory methods. Results: In relation to healthy subjects, type 2 diabetics with cardiovascular complications had significantly lower values of enzymatic antioxidants (P < 0.001), and higher values of total bilirubin (P = 0.050), uric acid (P < 0.001) and haptoglobin (P < 0.001). Weak positive correlation was found between SOD and GPx (R = 0.289, P = 0.028) and between SOD and GR (R = 0.259, P = 0.045), while weak negative correlation was obtained between GPx and uric acid (R = -0.35, P = 0.009), GPx and total bilirubine (R = -0.40, P = 0.018). TAS correlated weakly with triglycerides (R = 0.32, P = 0.037), while GPx and GR correlated with HDL-cholesterol (R = 0.457, P = 0.007; and R = 0.466, P = 0.001). Conclusions: Based on the obtained results, it may be concluded that type 2 diabetic patients have significantly modified antioxidant defense, with a varying degree of imbalance between the "pool" of non-enzymatic substances and the activity of enzymatic antioxidants, which depends on whether they have or not manifested cardiovascular complications

Response Factors to Pegylated Interferon-Alfa/Ribavirin Treatment in Chronic Hepatitis C Patients Genotype 1b

Hepatitis C virus infection is the most common chronic blood-borne infection and one of the most important causes of chronic liver disease. Knowing the predictors associated with pegylated interferon/ribavirin (PEG-IFN/RBV) combination therapy response is important for evidence-based treatment recommendations. The goal of this study was to identify host and viral factors of response to PEG-IFN/RBV treatment in chronic hepatitis C genotype 1b patients. We have examined the relationship between gender, age, level of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), viral load and liver fibrosis progression on therapy response. ALT level and viral load were evaluated before starting treatment with combination therapy. The elevated levels of ALT and route of HCV transmission were found to be significantly associated with the response to therapy in HCV-infected patients. Our findings may be useful for estimating a patients likelihood Of achieving sustained viral response

Inhibition of SARS-CoV-2 Mpro with Vitamin C, L-Arginine and a Vitamin C/L-Arginine Combination

Drug resistance is a critical problem in health care that affects therapy outcomes and requires new approaches to drug design. SARS-CoV-2 Mpro mutations are of concern as they can potentially reduce therapeutic efficacy. Viral infections are amongst the many disorders for which nutraceuticals have been employed as an adjunct therapy. The aim of this study was to examine the potential in vitro activity of L-arginine and vitamin C against SARS-CoV-2 Mpro. Methods: The Mpro inhibition assay was developed by cloning, expression, purification, and characterization of Mpro. Selected compounds were then screened for protease inhibition. Results: Larginine was found to be active against SARS-CoV-2 Mpro, while a vitamin C/L-arginine combination had a synergistic antiviral action against Mpro. These findings confirm the results of our previous in silico repurposing study that showed L-arginine and vitamin C were potential Mpro inhibitors. Moreover, they suggest a possible molecular mechanism to explain the beneficial effect of arginine in COVID patients. Conclusions: The findings of the current study are important because they help to identify COVID-19 treatments that are efficient, inexpensive, and have a favorable safety profile. The results of this study also suggest a possible adjuvant nutritional strategy for COVID-19 that could be used in conjunction with pharmacological agents

Inhibition of SARS-CoV-2 Mpro with Vitamin C, L-Arginine and a Vitamin C/L-Arginine Combination

Drug resistance is a critical problem in health care that affects therapy outcomes and requires new approaches to drugdesign. SARS-CoV-2 Mpro mutations are of concern as they can potentially reduce therapeutic efficacy. Viral infections are amongst themany disorders for which nutraceuticals have been employed as an adjunct therapy. The aim of this study was to examine the potentialin vitro activity of L-arginine and vitamin C against SARS-CoV-2 Mpro. Methods: The Mpro inhibition assay was developed by cloning,expression, purification, and characterization of Mpro. Selected compounds were then screened for protease inhibition. Results: Largininewas found to be active against SARS-CoV-2 Mpro, while a vitamin C/L-arginine combination had a synergistic antiviral actionagainst Mpro. These findings confirm the results of our previous in silico repurposing study that showed L-arginine and vitamin C werepotential Mpro inhibitors. Moreover, they suggest a possible molecular mechanism to explain the beneficial effect of arginine in COVIDpatients. Conclusions: The findings of the current study are important because they help to identify COVID-19 treatments that areefficient, inexpensive, and have a favorable safety profile. The results of this study also suggest a possible adjuvant nutritional strategyfor COVID-19 that could be used in conjunction with pharmacological agents

CCDC 1879001: Experimental Crystal Structure Determination

Data associated with the article "Pavic, A., Savić, N. D., Glišić, B. Đ., Crochet, A., Vojnovic, S., Kurutos, A., ... & Djuran, M. I. (2019). Silver (I) complexes with 4, 7-phenanthroline efficient in rescuing the zebrafish embryos of lethal Candida albicans infection. Journal of Inorganic Biochemistry."Supplementary material for: [http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jinorgbio.2019.03.017]Related to published version: [https://vinar.vin.bg.ac.rs/handle/123456789/8127

Y-chromosomal diversity in Europe is clinal and influenced primarily by geography, rather than by language

Clinal patterns of autosomal genetic diversity within Europe have been interpreted in previous studies in terms of a Neolithic demic diffusion model for the spread of agriculture; in contrast, studies using mtDNA have traced many founding lineages to the Paleolithic and have not shown strongly clinal variation. We have used 11 human Y-chromosomal biallelic polymorphisms, defining 10 haplogroups, to analyze a sample of 3,616 Y chromosomes belonging to 47 European and circum-European populations. Patterns of geographic differentiation are highly nonrandom, and, when they are assessed using spatial autocorrelation analysis, they show significant dines for five of six haplogroups analyzed. Clines for two haplogroups, representing 45% of the chromosomes, are continentwide and consistent with the demic diffusion hypothesis. Clines for three other haplogroups each have different foci and are more regionally restricted and are likely to reflect distinct population movements, including one from north of the Black Sea. principal-components analysis suggests that populations are related primarily on the basis of geography, rather than on the basis of linguistic affinity. This is confirmed in Mantel tests, which show a strong and highly significant partial correlation between genetics and geography but a low nonsignificant partial correlation between genetics and language. Genetic-barrier analysis also indicates the primacy of geography in the shaping of patterns of variation. These patterns retain a strong signal of expansion from the Near East but also suggest that the demographic history of Europe has been complex and influenced by other major population movements, as well as by linguistic and geographic heterogeneities and the effects of drift