bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Dosage Effect of Laser Acupuncture at PC6 (Neiguan) on Heart Rate Variability: A Pilot Study
Authors: Chang Yi-Chuan , Chen Chun-Ming , Lay Ing-Shiow , Lee Yu-Chen , Tu Cheng-Hao
Published: November 2022

Laser acupuncture (LA) has been more applicated in the clinical practice with good responses, but the dosage and parameter settings are still inconsistent with the arguments. This study is focused on the effect of LA on heart rate variability (HRV) with different energy density (ED). Based on the Arndt–Schulz law, we hypothesized that the effective range should fall within 0.01 to 10 J/cm2 of ED, and settings above 10 J/cm2 would perform opposite or inhibitory results. We recruited healthy adults in both sexes as subjects and choose bilateral PC6 (Neiguan) as the intervention points to observe the HRV indexes changes by an external wrist autonomic nerve system (ANS) watch on the left forearm. The data from the ANS watch, including heart rate, blood pressure, and ANS activity indexes, such as low frequency (LF), high frequency (HF), LF%, HF%, LF/HF ratio, and so on, were analyzed by the one-way ANOVA method to test the possible effect. In this study, every subject received all three different EDs of LA in a randomized order. After analyzing the data of 20 subjects, the index of HF% was upward and LF/HF ratio was downward when the ED was 7.96 J/cm2. Otherwise, the strongest ED 23.87 J/cm2 performed the opposite reaction. Appropriately, LA intervention could affect the ANS activities, with the tendency to increase the ratio of parasympathetic and decrease the ratio of sympathetic nerve system activities with statistically significant results, and different ED interventions are consistent with Arndt–Schulz law with opposite performance below and above 10 J/cm2.
Hydroxyapatite Affects the Physicochemical Properties of Contemporary One-Step Self-Etch Adhesives
Authors: Motoyama Yutaro , Yamauti Monica , Nakajima Masatoshi , Ikeda Masaomi , Tagami Junji , Shimada Yasushi , Hosaka Keiichi
Published: November 2022

The study aimed to evaluate the influence of the manipulation surfaces on the physical properties of one-step self-etch adhesives (1-SEAs). Scotchbond Universal (SBU), Clearfil Universal Bond Quick ER (UBQ), and an experimental adhesive (UBQexp) were manipulated on different surfaces: manufacturer’s Teflon-based dispensing dish (TD) or hydroxyapatite plate (HA). After manipulation of the adhesives, the pH of each 1-SEA was measured. Samples of each adhesive/manipulation surface were prepared and subjected to water sorption (WS)/solubility (SL) and flexural strength tests. The modulus of elasticity (E) was measured in dry and wet conditions before and after 24 h water storage, and the percentage of variation of E (ΔE) was calculated. Results were analyzed using the t-test with Bonferroni corrections (α = 0.05). When adhesives were manipulated on the HA plate, there was a significant increase in the adhesives’ pH. WS and SL of all 1-SEAs decreased when the HA was used. Only SBU showed higher flexural strength when manipulated on the HA compared to the manipulation on TD under dry and wet conditions. For each 1-SEA, the use of HA resulted in significantly higher E in dry and wet conditions. ΔE of all adhesives was smaller with the manipulation on HA than on TD. It was concluded that the manipulation of 1-SEA on a hydroxyapatite plate considerably affected the adhesives’ properties.
Theoretical Investigation of Forming Process of Aluminum Alloy Rail Vehicle Side Window
Authors: Gu Zhengwei , Chen Hongru , Yi Lingling , Tang Ziming , Wang Meng , Yu Ge
Published: November 2022

With the vigorous development of rail transit trains around the world and the emergence of global environmental pollution and energy shortages, the world has an urgent need for manufacturing technology for lightweight aluminum alloy rail transit train components. This paper mainly studied the superplastic forming law of 5083Al for rail transit. Through the high-temperature tensile test and blowing forming experiments, the superplastic properties of 5083Al were determined. Based on this, the die design, finite element simulation, and forming experiment of the rail vehicle side window were carried out. In order to study the superplastic deformation behavior of industrial 5083Al under complex stress conditions, the influence of the depth, area ratio, and friction coefficient of the pre-forming die on the part thickness distribution is simulated. The side window is made of a high-strength 5083Al sheet in the form of bending at both ends to ensure the strength of the connection between the overall side window and the side wall skeleton. The variation law of the side wall forming height of 5083Al box-shaped parts was studied. The efficient manufacture of parts that meet quality standards was made possible by the optimization of the pressure profile. The microstructure changes of the material after superplastic forming were studied by Energy Dispersive Spectrometer (EDS) and Electron Backscattered Diffraction (EBSD).
Fabrication and Characterization of Free-Standing and Flexible Polyaniline Membranes: Role of Graphene Nanoscrolls
Authors: Mahmudzade Rauf , Depan Dilip
Published: November 2022

Wearable technologies can contribute to the early and accurate detection of chronic diseases which can be achieved by the integration of biosensors into wearable technologies. However, the challenges associated with the performance of current electrode materials—i.e., flexibility, conductivity, and mechanical stability, made from conducting polymers are preventing their widespread usage. Herein, we report a freestanding and flexible electrode synthesized from polyaniline (PANI) and graphene nanoscrolls (GNS). The PANI-GNS nanohybrid membranes were synthesized via chemical oxidative polymerization and characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), nanoindentation (NI), and four-point probe techniques. FTIR results showed an increase in conjugation length of the PANI after the addition of GNS into the mixture which can be indicative of an enhancement of electrical properties. Nanoindentation studies showed an elastic modulus and hardness of 2.6 GPa and 0.17 GPa, respectively, for PANI-GNS-5 nanocomposite, compared to 1.9 GPa and 0.08 GPa, for pure PANI. This was later confirmed by the four-point probe technique as the addition of GNS increased the conductivity of electrodes up to 9 S/cm at a 5% weight ratio. Moreover, SEM results of the PANI-GNS showed an open porous morphology of the polymer matrix in comparison with pure PANI samples which would readily translate into higher amounts of enzyme immobilization on the surface.
PAN—Composite Electrospun-Fibers Decorated with Magnetite Nanoparticles
Authors: Mansurov Zulkhair , Smagulova Gaukhar , Kaidar Bayan , Imash Aigerim , Lesbayev Aidos
Published: November 2022

The results of the synthesis of PAN(polyacrylonitrile)-magnetite composite fibers using the electrospinning method are presented. The electrospinning installation included a rotating drum collector for collecting fibers. Magnetite nanoparticles were synthesized using chemical condensation from an iron chloride solution. It was shown that homogeneous Fe3O4 magnetite nanoparticles with particle sizes of 6–16 nm could be synthesized using this method. Magnetite nanoparticles were investigated using X-ray diffraction analyses and transmission electron microscopy. Based on magnetite nanoparticles, composite PAN/magnetite fibers were obtained through electrospinning. The obtained composite fibers were investigated using scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction analyses, and elemental analyses. It was shown that the magnetite nanoparticles were uniformly distributed on the surface of the fibers. A comparison of PAN fibers without any added magnetite to PAN/magnetite fibers showed that the addition of magnetite led to a decrease in the value of the fiber diameter at the same polymer concentration and under the same electrospinning process conditions.
Fault-Tolerant Control for Quadrotor Based on Fixed-Time ESO
Authors: Liu Lei , Liu Junjie , Li Junfang , Ji Yuehui , Song Yu , Xu Liang , Niu Wenxing
Published: November 2022

Focusing on the actuator fault of the quadrotor unmanned aerial vehicle (QUAV), an active fault-tolerant control scheme based on fixed-time linear active disturbance rejection control is proposed. Firstly, in order to simplify the complex dynamic model, the virtual control quantity is introduced to decouple the flight control system of the QUAV. Secondly, the fixed-time extended state observer (ESO) is utilized to estimate and compensate the internal uncertainty, external disturbance and actuator fault of the QUAV in fixed time. Thirdly, a continuous output feedback controller based on fixed-time ESO is designed to keep the stability of the flight control system with actuator fault and external disturbance. Finally, the closed-loop stability of the flight control system is demonstrated by Lyapunov function. The numerical simulation is carried and the results also verify the effectiveness of the proposed control scheme.
An Energy Efficient Specializing DAG Federated Learning Based on Event-Triggered Communication
Authors: Xue Xiaofeng , Mao Haokun , Li Qiong , Huang Furong , Abd El-Latif Ahmed A.
Published: November 2022

Specializing Directed Acyclic Graph Federated Learning (SDAGFL) is a new federated learning framework with the advantages of decentralization, personalization, resisting a single point of failure, and poisoning attack. Instead of training a single global model, the clients in SDAGFL update their models asynchronously from the devices with similar data distribution through Directed Acyclic Graph Distributed Ledger Technology (DAG-DLT), which is designed for IoT scenarios. Because of many the features inherited from DAG-DLT, SDAGFL is suitable for IoT scenarios in many aspects. However, the training process of SDAGFL is quite energy consuming, in which each client needs to compute the confidence and rating of the nodes selected by multiple random walks by traveling the ledger with 15–25 depth to obtain the “reference model” to judge whether or not to broadcast the newly trained model. As we know, the energy consumption is an important issue for IoT scenarios, as most devices are battery-powered with strict energy restrictions. To optimize SDAGFL for IoT, an energy-efficient SDAGFL based on an event-triggered communication mechanism, i.e., ESDAGFL, is proposed in this paper. In ESDAGFL, the new model is broadcasted only in the event that the new model is significantly different from the previous one, instead of traveling the ledger to search for the “reference model”. We evaluate the ESDAGFL on the FMNIST-clustered and Poets dataset. The simulation is performed on a platform with Intel®CoreTM i7-10700 CPU (CA, USA). The simulation results demonstrate that ESDAGFL can reach a balance between training accuracy and specialization as good as SDAGFL. What is more, ESDAGFL can reduce the energy consumption by 42.5% and 51.7% for the FMNIST-clustered and Poets datasets, respectively.
Key Success Factors of Sustainable Organization for Traditional Manufacturing Industries: A Case Study in Taiwan
Authors: Tseng Shih-Hsien , Chen Hsiu-Chuan , Nguyen Tien Son
Published: November 2022

Even sustainable organizations have received overwhelming attention, but there is a lack of studies to explore the key success factors for sustainable traditional manufacturing based on expert opinions. The purpose of this study was to explore the key success factors for sustainable development in traditional industries through expert knowledge. In this study, the Delphi method was applied to construct the research framework with the most appropriate criteria. Moreover, we proposed an effective solution based on the Decision-Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (DEMATEL)-based Analytic Network Process (ANP) to determine the correlation and causality of these factors based on the decision laboratory method for multi-criteria decision-making. We also integrated the importance–performance analysis to illustrate the attributes improvement priorities. Our results show that managers and policy-makers should concentrate more on knowledge management to enhance the sustainability of organizations. Moreover, managers should keep teamwork and employee engagement at a high level to achieve the goal of organizations. Additionally, the theoretical and practical implications provide five priority indicators for the success of a sustainable organization.
Scarce Sample-Based Reliability Estimation and Optimization Using Importance Sampling
Authors: Pannerselvam Kiran , Yadav Deepanshu , Ramu Palaniappan
Published: November 2022

Importance sampling is a variance reduction technique that is used to improve the efficiency of Monte Carlo estimation. Importance sampling uses the trick of sampling from a distribution, which is located around the zone of interest of the primary distribution thereby reducing the number of realizations required for an estimate. In the context of reliability-based structural design, the limit state is usually separable and is of the form Capacity (C)–Response (R). The zone of interest for importance sampling is observed to be the region where these distributions overlap each other. However, often the distribution information of C and R themselves are not known, and one has only scarce realizations of them. In this work, we propose approximating the probability density function and the cumulative distribution function using kernel functions and employ these approximations to find the parameters of the importance sampling density (ISD) to eventually estimate the reliability. In the proposed approach, in addition to ISD parameters, the approximations also played a critical role in affecting the accuracy of the probability estimates. We assume an ISD which follows a normal distribution whose mean is defined by the most probable point (MPP) of failure, and the standard deviation is empirically chosen such that most of the importance sample realizations lie within the means of R and C. Since the probability estimate depends on the approximation, which in turn depends on the underlying samples, we use bootstrap to quantify the variation associated with the low failure probability estimate. The method is investigated with different tailed distributions of R and C. Based on the observations, a modified Hill estimator is utilized to address scenarios with heavy-tailed distributions where the distribution approximations perform poorly. The proposed approach is tested on benchmark reliability examples and along with surrogate modeling techniques is implemented on four reliability-based design optimization examples of which one is a multi-objective optimization problem.
Supernumerary Extraocular Muscle: A Rare Cause of Atypical Restrictive Strabismus
Authors: Wang Xiangjun , Shen Tao , Han Mengya , Yan Jianhua
Published: November 2022

Background and objectives: Supernumerary extraocular muscle (SEOM) is extremely rare. The purpose of this paper was to review the clinical characteristics and surgical outcomes of SEOM patients with atypical restrictive strabismus. Materials and Methods: A retrospective review was conducted on the data from 12 SEOM cases. Pre- and post-operative measurements consisted of visual acuity, cycloplegic refraction, ocular alignment, ocular motility, binocular vision, and imaging. Management strategies included either conservative or surgical treatments. Results: Of the 12 cases reviewed (seven females, five males), the mean ± SD age was 14.3 ± 10.6 years (range: 4–38 years). The right eye was affected in six cases, the left in five, and both eyes in one case. The major clinical manifestations included restrictive ocular motility (12 cases), with seven cases in no less than three directions; varying degrees of horizontal or vertical strabismus; ipsilateral amblyopia (10 cases); and unequal palpebral aperture (10 cases). Imaging results revealed muscular bands originating from the annulus of Zinn and insertion into the globe or other recti, as well as anomalous muscular bands connecting two or more recti, sometimes with optic nerve involvement. Three patients received conservative treatment, while rectus recession with or without resection (seven patients) or rectus disinsertion plus globe fixation (two patients) were performed in those receiving surgical treatments. A surgical success was achieved in four cases. Conclusions: For restrictive strabismus, imaging plays an important role in the diagnosis of SEOM. When the SEOM is difficult to resect, a personalized surgical strategy may be required to achieve a good ocular alignment.
Long QT Syndrome Management during and after Pregnancy
Authors: Marcinkeviciene Agne , Rinkuniene Diana , Puodziukynas Aras
Published: November 2022

Long QT syndrome (LQTS) is majorly an autosomal dominantly inherited electrical dysfunction, but there are exceptions (Jervell and Lange-Nielsen syndrome is inherited in an autosomal recessive pattern). This disorder prolongs ventricular repolarization and increases the risk of ventricular arrhythmias, syncope, and even sudden cardiac death. The risk of fatal events is reduced during pregnancy, but dramatically increases during the 9 months after delivery, especially in patients with LQT2. In women with LQTS, treatment with β-blockers at appropriate doses is recommended throughout pregnancy and the high-risk postnatal period. In this review, we summarize the management of LQTS during pregnancy and beyond.
Landfill Leachate Treatment by Using Second-Hand Reverse Osmosis Membranes: Long-Term Case Study in a Full-Scale Operating Facility
Authors: García-Pacheco Raquel , Galizia Albert , Toribio Sergi , Gabarró Jordi , Molina Serena , Landaburu-Aguirre Junkal , Molina Francisco , Blandin Gaetan , Monclús Hèctor , Rodríguez-Roda Ignasi , Comas Joaquim
Published: November 2022

Landfill leachate (LFL) has a complex inorganic, organic and microbiological composition. Although pressure-driven membrane technology contributes to reaching the discharge limits, the need for frequent membrane replacement (typically every 1–3 years) is an economical and environmental limitation. The goal of this work is to evaluate the feasibility of using second-hand reverse osmosis (RO) membranes to treat LFL in an industrially relevant environment. End-of-life RO membranes discarded from a seawater desalination plant were first tested with brackish water and directly reused or regenerated to fit with requirements for LFL treatment. A laboratory scale test of second-hand membrane reuse was carried out using ultrafiltered LFL. Then, a long-term test in an LFL full-scale facility was performed, where half of the membranes of the facility were replaced. The industrial plant was operated for 27 months with second-hand membranes. The permeate water quality fit the required standards and the process showed a trend of lower energy requirement (up to 12 bar lower transmembrane pressure and up to 9% higher recovery than the average of the previous 4 years). Direct reuse and membrane regeneration were successfully proven to be an alternative management to landfill disposal, boosting membranes towards the circular economy.
Allylamines, Benzylamines, and Fungal Cell Permeability: A Review of Mechanistic Effects and Usefulness against Fungal Pathogens
Authors: Hammoudi Halat Dalal , Younes Samar , Mourad Nisreen , Rahal Mohamad
Published: November 2022

Allylamines, naftifine and terbinafine, and the benzylamine, butenafine, are antifungal agents with activity on the fungal cell membrane. These synthetic compounds specifically inhibit squalene epoxidase, a key enzyme in fungal sterol biosynthesis. This results in a deficiency in ergosterol, a major fungal membrane sterol that regulates membrane fluidity, biogenesis, and functions, and whose damage results in increased membrane permeability and leakage of cellular components, ultimately leading to fungal cell death. With the fungal cell membrane being predominantly made up of lipids including sterols, these lipids have a vital role in the pathogenesis of fungal infections and the identification of improved therapies. This review will focus on the fungal cell membrane structure, activity of allylamines and benzylamines, and the mechanistic damage they cause to the membrane. Furthermore, pharmaceutical preparations and clinical uses of these drugs, mainly in dermatophyte infections, will be reviewed.
Proton Conducting Membranes with Molecular Self Assemblies and Ionic Channels for Efficient Proton Conduction
Authors: Kumar Avneesh , Chang Dong Wook
Published: November 2022

Supramolecular assemblies are vital for biological systems. This phenomenon in artificial materials is directly related to their numerous properties and their performance. Here, a simple approach to supramolecular assemblies is employed to fabricate highly efficient proton conducting molecular wires for fuel cell applications. Small molecule-based molecular assembly leading to a discotic columnar architecture is achieved, simultaneously with proton conduction that can take place efficiently in the absence of water, which otherwise is very difficult to obtain in interconnected ionic channels. High boiling point proton facilitators are incorporated into these columns possessing central ionic channels, thereby increasing the conduction multifold. Larger and asymmetrical proton facilitators disintegrated the self-assembly, resulting in low proton conduction efficiency. The highest conductivity was found to be approaching 10−2 S/cm for the molecular wires in an anhydrous state, which is ascribed to the continuous network of hydrogen bonds in which protons can hop between with a lower energy barrier. The molecular wires with ionic channels presented here have potential as an alternative to proton conductors operating under anhydrous conditions at both low and high temperatures.
Simultaneous Production of Aromatics and COx-Free Hydrogen via Methane Dehydroaromatization in Membrane Reactors: A Simulation Study
Authors: Ye Feng , Fan Shuanshi , Li Wenjun , Wang Yanhong , Lang Xuemei , Zhang Jianli , Li Jing , Li Gang
Published: November 2022

As an alternative route for aromatics and hydrogen production, methane dehydroaromatization (MDA) is of significant academic and industrial interest due to the abundance of natural gas resources and the intensive demand for aromatics and COx-free hydrogen. In the present work, a simulation study on MDA in membrane reactors (MRs) was performed with the aim of co-producing aromatics and COx-free hydrogen with a highly improved efficiency. The effects of various parameters, including catalytic activity, membrane flux and selectivity, as well as the operating conditions on the MR performance were discussed with respect to methane conversion, hydrogen yield, and hydrogen purity. The results show that catalytic activity and membrane flux and selectivity have significant impacts on CH4 conversion and H2 yield, whereas H2 purity is mainly dominated by membrane selectivity. A highly improved MDA is confirmed to be feasible at a relatively low temperature and a high feed pressure because of the hydrogen extraction effect. To further improve MDA in MRs by intensifying H2 extraction, a simple configuration combining a fixed-bed reactor (FBR) and an MR together is proposed for MDA, which demonstrates good potential for the high-efficiency co-production of aromatics and COx-free hydrogen.
Analysis of Texture and Anisotropic Elastic Properties of Additively Manufactured Ni-Base Alloys
Authors: Obermayer Thomas , Krempaszky Christian , Werner Ewald
Published: November 2022

Additive manufacturing of metallic materials generates strong crystallographic textures, leading to anisotropic elastic properties on the macroscopic scale. The impact of the processing parameters on the resulting texture requires suitable techniques for the prediction and the experimental determination of elastic properties to exploit the anisotropy in the design process. Within this study mechanical as well as microstructure based approaches are applied on a batch of specimens manufactured from IN718 by selective laser melting to assess the elastic behavior on macroscropic scale. Tensile loading experiments and the impulse excitation technique are applied for the determination of elastic properties without additional constitutive data. Furthermore, the elastic behavior is estimated from single-crystal elastic properties and texture data measured by electron backscatter diffraction and high energy X-ray diffraction. The results of the applied approaches are discussed and compared, allowing also to assess the homogeneity of the elastic properties within the batch of specimens.
Optimal Design of Three-Stress Accelerated Degradation Test Plan for Motorized Spindle with Poor Prior Information
Authors: Zhao Hongxun , Yang Zhaojun , Chen Chuanhai , Liu Zhifeng , Luo Wei , Hua Chunlei
Published: November 2022

Accurate optimal design for the test plan with limited prior information is impossible since the optimal design method of a three-stress accelerated degradation test plan for a motorized spindle is based on the determination of model parameters. In order to optimize the test plan with poor prior information, a “dynamic” optimal design method is proposed in this article. Firstly, a three-stress accelerated degradation model with a stress coupling term is established based on the correlation of the degradation rate of the motorized spindle, and the parameters in the model are regarded as variables to represent the deviation between the prior information and the true value of the motorized spindle when the prior information is poor. Then, based on the information theory and the sequential design method, an optimal design method of the three-stress accelerated degradation test plan of the motorized spindle with the information entropy as the objective function is proposed to realize the “dynamic” optimization of the test plan. Finally, the usability of the proposed method is verified by taking a Chinese model spindle as an example, and the validity of the method is verified by checking the model accuracy of the accelerated degradation model of the motorized spindle after the test.
Mining Small Molecules from Teredinibacter turnerae Strains Isolated from Philippine Teredinidae
Authors: Villacorta Jamaine B. , Rodriguez Camille V. , Peran Jacquelyn E. , Batucan Jeremiah D. , Concepcion Gisela P. , Salvador-Reyes Lilibeth A. , Junio Hiyas A.
Published: November 2022

Endosymbiotic relationship has played a significant role in the evolution of marine species, allowing for the development of biochemical machinery for the synthesis of diverse metabolites. In this work, we explore the chemical space of exogenous compounds from shipworm endosymbionts using LC-MS-based metabolomics. Priority T. turnerae strains (1022X.S.1B.7A, 991H.S.0A.06B, 1675L.S.0A.01) that displayed antimicrobial activity, isolated from shipworms collected from several sites in the Philippines were cultured, and fractionated extracts were subjected for profiling using ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography with high-resolution mass spectrometry quadrupole time-of-flight mass analyzer (UHPLC-HRMS QTOF). T. turnerae T7901 was used as a reference microorganism for dereplication analysis. Tandem MS data were analyzed through the Global Natural Products Social (GNPS) molecular networking, which resulted to 93 clusters with more than two nodes, leading to four putatively annotated clusters: lipids, lysophosphatidylethanolamines, cyclic dipeptides, and rhamnolipids. Additional clusters were also annotated through molecular networking with cross-reference to previous publications. Tartrolon D cluster with analogues, turnercyclamycins A and B; teredinibactin A, dechloroteredinibactin, and two other possible teredinibactin analogues; and oxylipin (E)-11-oxooctadec-12-enoic acid were putatively identified as described. Molecular networking also revealed two additional metabolite clusters, annotated as lyso-ornithine lipids and polyethers. Manual fragmentation analysis corroborated the putative identification generated from GNPS. However, some of the clusters remained unclassified due to the limited structural information on marine natural products in the public database. The result of this study, nonetheless, showed the diversity in the chemical space occupied by shipworm endosymbionts. This study also affirms the use of bioinformatics, molecular networking, and fragmentation mechanisms analysis as tools for the dereplication of high-throughput data to aid the prioritization of strains for further analysis.
Metabolomics—A Tool to Find Metabolism of Endocrine Cancer
Authors: Abooshahab Raziyeh , Ardalani Hamidreza , Zarkesh Maryam , Hooshmand Koroush , Bakhshi Ali , Dass Crispin R. , Hedayati Mehdi
Published: November 2022

Clinical endocrinology entails an understanding of the mechanisms involved in the regulation of tumors that occur in the endocrine system. The exact cause of endocrine cancers remains an enigma, especially when discriminating malignant lesions from benign ones and early diagnosis. In the past few years, the concepts of personalized medicine and metabolomics have gained great popularity in cancer research. In this systematic review, we discussed the clinical metabolomics studies in the diagnosis of endocrine cancers within the last 12 years. Cancer metabolomic studies were largely conducted using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and mass spectrometry (MS) combined with separation techniques such as gas chromatography (GC) and liquid chromatography (LC). Our findings revealed that the majority of the metabolomics studies were conducted on tissue, serum/plasma, and urine samples. Studies most frequently emphasized thyroid cancer, adrenal cancer, and pituitary cancer. Altogether, analytical hyphenated techniques and chemometrics are promising tools in unveiling biomarkers in endocrine cancer and its metabolism disorders.
Molecular Dynamics Study on Selected Bioactive Phytochemicals as Potential Inhibitors of HIV-1 Subtype C Protease
Authors: Shode Francis Oluwole , Uhomoibhi John Omo-osagie , Idowu Kehinde Ademola , Sabiu Saheed , Govender Krishna Kuben
Published: November 2022

Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), one of the deadliest global diseases, is caused by the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). To date, there are no known conventional drugs that can cure HIV/AIDS, and this has prompted continuous scientific efforts in the search for novel and potent anti-HIV therapies. In this study, molecular dynamics simulation (MDS) and computational techniques were employed to investigate the inhibitory potential of bioactive compounds from selected South African indigenous plants against HIV-1 subtype C protease (HIVpro). Of the eight compounds (CMG, MA, UA, CA, BA, UAA, OAA and OA) evaluated, only six (CMG (−9.9 kcal/mol), MA (−9.3 kcal/mol), CA (−9.0 kcal/mol), BA (−8.3 kcal/mol), UAA (−8.5 kcal/mol), and OA (−8.6 kcal/mol)) showed favourable activities against HIVpro and binding landscapes like the reference FDA-approved drugs, Lopinavir (LPV) and Darunavir (DRV), with CMG and MA having the highest binding affinities. Using the structural analysis (root-mean-square deviation (RMSD), fluctuation (RMSF), and radius of gyration (RoG) of the bound complexes with HIVpro after 350 ns, structural evidence was observed, indicating that the six compounds are potential lead candidates for inhibiting HIVpro. This finding was further corroborated by the structural analysis of the enzyme–ligand complexe systems, where structural mechanisms of stability, flexibility, and compactness of the study metabolites were established following binding with HIVpro. Furthermore, the ligand interaction plots revealed that the metabolites interacted hydrophobically with the active site amino residues, with identification of other key residues implicated in HIVpro inhibition for drug design. Overall, this is the first computational report on the anti-HIV-1 activities of CMG and MA, with efforts on their in vitro and in vivo evaluations underway. Judging by the binding affinity, the degree of stability, and compactness of the lead metabolites (CMG, MA, CA, BA, OA, and UAA), they could be concomitantly explored with conventional HIVpro inhibitors in enhancing their therapeutic activities against the HIV-1 serotype.
Design, Fabrication and Measurement of Full-Color Reflective Electrowetting Displays
Authors: Yang Guisong , Wang Benyou , Chang Zhiqiang , Liu Qing , Liu Linwei
Published: November 2022

We designed, fabricated and measured full-color, reflective electrowetting displays (EWDs). The display system is composed of three-layer cyan, magenta and yellow EWD elements fabricated with standard photolithographic techniques. The EWDs were driven successfully by the proposed control system and the measurement results show that the electro-optical performance was improved. The aperture ratio of the EWD element can be tuned from 0 to ∼80% as the applied voltage is changed from 0 to 30 V. The response time and the color gamut were measured to be ∼18 ms and ∼58% NTSC, respectively. This paper makes it possible for large numbers of reflective full-color EWDs to be fabricated directly, with advantages of saving power significantly by 85% and no eye irritation compared with LED displays.
Thermally Driven Continuous Rolling of a Thick-Walled Cylindrical Rod
Authors: Zhu Fayang , Du Changshen , Dai Yuntong , Li Kai
Published: November 2022

Self-sustained motion can take advantage of direct energy extraction from a steady external environment to maintain its own motion, and has potential applications in energy harvesting, robotic motion, and transportation. Recent experiments have found that a thermally responsive rod can perform self-sustained rolling on a flat hot plate with an angular velocity determined by the competition between the thermal driving moment and the friction moment. A rod with a hollow cross section tends to greatly reduce the frictional resistance, while promising improvements in thermal conversion efficiency. In this paper, through deriving the equilibrium equations for steady-state self-sustained rolling of the thick-walled cylindrical rod, estimating the temperature field on the rod cross-section, and solving the analytical solution of the thermally induced driving moment, the dynamic behavior of the thermally driven self-sustained rolling of the thick-walled cylindrical rod is theoretically investigated. In addition, we investigate in detail the effects of radius ratio, heat transfer coefficient, heat flux, contact angle, thermal expansion coefficient, and sliding friction coefficient on the angular velocity of the self-sustained rolling of the thick-walled cylindrical rod to obtain the optimal ratio of internal and external radius. The results are instructive for the application of thick-walled cylindrical rods in the fields of waste heat harvesters and soft robotics.
Design and Feasibility Study of MRG–Based Variable Stiffness Soft Robot
Authors: Huang Luojing , Hu Hongsheng , Ouyang Qing
Published: November 2022

The conventional pneumatic soft robot has the problem of insufficient stiffness, while in the magnetorheological soft robot, the magnetic field provided by electromagnet has the disadvantage of oversized structure and poor flexibility. This paper presents a variable stiffness pneumatic soft robot based on magnetorheological grease (MRG) to solve these problems. Its three soft fingers cooperate with the adjustable gripper to adjust the gripping range for the robot hand, and it is used to provide gripping driving force through the bending drive. The MRG layer is designed on the gripping surface to provide adaptivity and rigid support for the gripped objects. A magnetic-air structure consisting of a Halbach array and Halbach array actuator is designed inside the soft fingers to provide a flexible magnetic field for the MRG layer. Theoretical and simulation analysis is carried out, and the results show that the state of the MRG changes and the stiffness of the clamping surface changes under the working pressure of 30 kPa. Finally, the experiment further proves the variable and high adaptivity of the surface stiffness of the gripping surface to reduce the damage to the gripped objects.
Modeling and Design Optimization of a New Piezoelectric Inchworm Actuator with Screw Clamping Mechanisms
Authors: Sun Haichao , Shi Yunlai , Wang Qiang , Li Xing , Wang Junhan
Published: November 2022

A new piezoelectric inchworm actuator with screw clamping mechanisms has been developed recently for the wing folding mechanism of a small unmanned aircraft where the actuator power density is a great concern. Considering that the prototype actuator was designed just with engineering intuition and the performance optimization through experimental developments would take a vast amount of cost and time, a mathematical model was developed to investigate the actuator’s critical design parameters and optimize its presently undesirable performance. Based on the lumped parameter method reported previously, and taking full account of the detailed modeling of the complex actuator housing and the actual nonlinear behaviors from the high-force contact and friction occurring at the screw-nut interface, as well as the output performance of the main drive elements including the piezoelectric stack and hollow ultrasonic motors (HUSMs), this model was built and then was experimentally verified for its accuracy and availability. Finally, nine design parameters were studied for their individual effect on the actuator’s output using the proposed model. The simulation results indicate that the performance can be considerably improved by performing a slight modification to the prototype, and the dynamic modeling and parameter optimization methods used in this study can also serve as a useful reference for the design of similar piezoelectric inchworm actuators with intermittent clamping behaviors.
Visual Detection of Biomolecules Using Concentration Dependent Induced Aggregation of Plasmonic Gold Nanoparticles
Authors: Farrell Monique , Pradhan Aswini
Published: November 2022

Significant advancement has occurred in the detection methods of solution-based analytes. High-pressure liquid chromatography, gas chromatography, and other systems used for analyses are quite expensive. Therefore, there is a need for new methods and for the visible detection of analytes. Here, we demonstrate that 3-aminopropyl triethoxysilane (APTES) could impact the stability, optical, and morphology of gold nanoparticles (AuNps) in a colloidal solution. These impacts can be used to create a sensitive visual detection system. The strong impact of the APTES concentration on the ultraviolet–visible absorption spectra of the solutions is illustrated, which displays systematic and extensive red shifts. The presence of denatured proteins within a therapeutic drug product can induce a series of adverse effects. This report describes a fast, low cost, sensitive, and user-friendly platform where the plasmonic nanoparticles create visual biosensing of denatured proteins. Artificially heat stressed ferritin, glutathione, and insulin coupled to AuNps are exposed to ATES and upon denaturation of the protein or peptide, systematic blue or red shifts are observed in the absorbance spectra of the AuNps/biomolecules, and aminosilane solution. This serves as a proof-of-concept for a fast in-solution detection method for heat-stressed proteins or peptides.
Effect of the Type VI Secretion System Secreted Protein Hcp on the Virulence of Aeromonas salmonicida
Authors: Cai Hongyan , Yu Jiaying , Qiao Ying , Ma Ying , Zheng Jiang , Lin Mao , Yan Qingpi , Huang Lixing
Published: November 2022

Aeromonas salmonicida, a psychrophilic bacterial pathogen, is widely distributed in marine freshwater, causing serious economic losses to major salmon farming areas in the world. At present, it is still one of the most important pathogens threatening salmon farming. Hcp (haemolysin-coregulated protein) is an effector protein in the type-VI secretion system (T6SS), which is secreted by T6SS and functions as its structural component. The results of our previous genomic sequencing showed that hcp existed in the mesophilic A. salmonicida SRW-OG1 isolated from naturally infected Epinephelus coioides. To further explore the role of Hcp in A. salmonicida SRW-OG1, we constructed an hcp-RNAi strain and verified its effect on the virulence of A. salmonicida. The results showed that compared with the wild strain, the hcp-RNAi strain suffered from different degrees of decreased adhesion, growth, biofilm formation, extracellular product secretion, and virulence. It was suggested that hcp may be an important virulence gene of A. salmonicida SRW-OG1.
The Heat Treatment of Pink Zoisite
Authors: Schwarzinger Clemens
Published: November 2022

Natural pink zoisites owe their color to a high concentration of manganese paired with low concentrations of other coloring elements such as vanadium or titanium. Upon conventional heating, such stones typically suffer from the reduction of Mn3+ to the colorless Mn2+ species alongside the destruction of the brownish yellow color that is related to titanium. We have processed manganese containing zoisites under the high pressure of pure oxygen which allowed the manganese to remain oxidized, while the brownish yellow color component was still successfully removed. Depending on the vanadium level, the treated gems show a pink to purplish pink color. Detection of this treatment is not easy as the temperature is too low to result in a change in internal features, but a combination of UV-Vis-NIR spectroscopy and trace element chemistry provided by LA-ICP-MS give evidence of such treatment.
The Electrochemical Response of Chalcopyrite and Galena to Degrading Water Quality
Authors: Ndamase Nolihle , Tadie Margreth , Corin Kirsten Claire
Published: November 2022

Water is used as a liquid medium as well as a means of transportation during mining operations. Flotation, in particular, is a water intensive process where water makes up about 80–85% of the pulp phase. Process water contains organic and inorganic species which accumulate as they are recycled. To avoid the treatment costs of removing these contaminants, many mining operations allow the quality of their water to degrade over time. When this water is introduced into flotation circuits, the pulp chemistry is altered. Ionic species that accumulate in recycled process water have been shown by previous studies to be especially deleterious to flotation performance. Such ions include Ca2+, Cu2+, Mg2+, Pb2+, SO42− and S2O32−, amongst others. The flotation sub-process of collector adsorption which is responsible for inducing hydrophobicity on valuable mineral surfaces may be influenced by water chemistry. Accumulating ionic species have been shown to hinder collector adsorption which may reduce recovery of valuable minerals to the concentrate. Consequently, degrading water quality may threaten the economic viability of mining operations that make use of closed water circuits. Electrochemical techniques such as mineral rest potentials can be used to monitor the impact of changing water quality on collector–mineral interactions. Microflotation was used to determine whether mineral floatability was affected by changing water quality. This study therefore aimed to investigate whether electrochemical techniques such as rest potential measurements can be used to predict flotation performance under changing water quality. No definable relationship was found between the rest potential differences and the microflotation initial recoveries, however, rest potential measurements did identify the negative impact that thiosulphate ions may have on flotation processes.
Process Simulation and Life Cycle Assessment of Waste Plastics: A Comparison of Pyrolysis and Hydrocracking
Authors: Azam Muhammad Usman , Vete Akshay , Afzal Waheed
Published: November 2022

Pyrolysis and hydrocracking of plastic waste can produce valuable products with manageable effects on the environment as compared to landfilling and incineration. This research focused on the process simulation and life cycle assessment of the pyrolysis and hydrocracking of high-density polyethylene. Aspen Plus was used as the simulator and the Peng-Robinson thermodynamic model was employed as a fluid package. Additionally, sensitivity analysis was conducted in order to optimize product distribution. Based on the simulation, the hydrocracking process produced value-added fuels, i.e., gasoline and natural gas. In contrast, pyrolysis generated a significant quantity of pyrolysis oil with a high number of cyclo-compounds and char, which are the least important to be utilized as fuels. Moreover, in the later part of the study, life cycle assessment (LCA) was adopted in order to investigate and quantify their impact upon the environment using simulation inventory data, which facilitates finding a sustainable process. Simapro was used as a tool for LCA of the processes and materials used. The results demonstrate that hydrocracking is a better process in terms of environmental impact in 10 out of the 11 impact categories. Overall, the present study proposed a promising comparison based on energy demands, product distribution, and potential environmental impacts, which will help to improve plastic waste management.
Sustainable Synthesis of Bright Fluorescent Nitrogen-Doped Carbon Dots from Terminalia chebula for In Vitro Imaging
Authors: Atchudan Raji , Perumal Suguna , Edison Thomas Nesakumar Jebakumar Immanuel , Sundramoorthy Ashok K. , Sangaraju Sambasivam , Babu Rajendran Suresh , Lee Yong Rok
Published: November 2022

In this study, sustainable, low-cost, and environmentally friendly biomass (Terminalia chebula) was employed as a precursor for the formation of nitrogen-doped carbon dots (N-CDs). The hydrothermally assisted Terminalia chebula fruit-derived N-CDs (TC-CDs) emitted different bright fluorescent colors under various excitation wavelengths. The prepared TC-CDs showed a spherical morphology with a narrow size distribution and excellent water dispensability due to their abundant functionalities, such as oxygen- and nitrogen-bearing molecules on the surfaces of the TC-CDs. Additionally, these TC-CDs exhibited high photostability, good biocompatibility, very low toxicity, and excellent cell permeability against HCT-116 human colon carcinoma cells. The cell viability of HCT-116 human colon carcinoma cells in the presence of TC-CDs aqueous solution was calculated by MTT assay, and cell viability was higher than 95%, even at a higher concentration of 200 μg mL−1 after 24 h incubation time. Finally, the uptake of TC-CDs by HCT-116 human colon carcinoma cells displayed distinguished blue, green, and red colors during in vitro imaging when excited by three filters with different wavelengths under a laser scanning confocal microscope. Thus, TC-CDs could be used as a potential candidate for various biomedical applications. Moreover, the conversion of low-cost/waste natural biomass into products of value promotes the sustainable development of the economy and human society.
Pestalotiopsis Diversity: Species, Dispositions, Secondary Metabolites, and Bioactivities
Authors: Wu Chu , Wang Yun , Yang Yujie
Published: November 2022

Pestalotiopsis species have gained attention thanks to their structurally complex and biologically active secondary metabolites. In past decades, several new secondary metabolites were isolated and identified. Their bioactivities were tested, including anticancer, antifungal, antibacterial, and nematicidal activity. Since the previous review published in 2014, new secondary metabolites were isolated and identified from Pestalotiopsis species and unidentified strains. This review gathered published articles from 2014 to 2021 and focused on 239 new secondary metabolites and their bioactivities. To date, 384 Pestalotiopsis species have been discovered in diverse ecological habitats, with the majority of them unstudied. Some may contain secondary metabolites with unique bioactivities that might benefit pharmacology.