bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Preparation of an Cation Exchange Membrane by Sol-Gel Method Based Pva to Improve Alkali Recovery via Diffusion Dialysis in Textile Industry
Authors: Yao Jun , Zhang Zhenghan , Shen Haiyang , Cheng Congliang
Published: June 2023

In this work, a novel silane coupled cationic precursor (SAGS) was synthesized by 3-glycidyloxypropyltrimethoxysilane and sodium 2-((2-aminorthyl)amino) ethanesulfonate. A series of cation exchange membranes were prepared with poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) and SAGS by sol-gel process. The structure of the prepared membranes were characterized by fourier transform infrared spectrum (FTIR) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and its properties were studied by water uptake (WR), cation exchange capacity (CEC), linear expansion ratio (LER), alkali stability, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), mechanical properties and diffusion dialysis performance. FTIR and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS）confirmed the successful preparation of SAGS membranes, and SEM images showed that the prepared membranes were dense and uniform. The WR values of the SAGS membranes were in the range of 91.49-122.39 %, and the LER values were 17.65-28.21 %. In addition, the SAGS membranes had suitable CEC value, good alkali resistance and thermal stability which ensured the application of membranes in the field of diffusion dialysis (DD) for alkali recovery. In DD test, the dialysis coefficients of NaOH (UOH) ranged from 0.012 mm/h to 0.023 mm/h, and the separation factors (S) was in the range of 30.77-16.43. In summary, the prepared membrane had good performance and simple preparation process, which had great application potential in textile industrial wastewater recovery.
Concurrent Traumatic Brain Injury with Craniofacial Trauma: A 10-year Analysis of a Single Institution’s Trauma Registry
Authors: You Yuchen , Romero Javier , Diaz Graal , Evans Robin
Published: June 2023

Background: Craniofacial injuries are thought to be commonly associated with traumatic brain injury (TBI), but there is conflicting evidence in the literature. The objective of this retrospective cohort study is to evaluate the incidence of TBI in patients with craniofacial trauma. Methods: The study included 2982 consecutive patients with either solitary or concurrent diagnoses of TBI and facial fractures, seen and evaluated at a single level II trauma center between January 1, 2010 and December 31, 2020. Continuous variables were compared against whether the patient had one or both diagnoses.Results: Of the target population, 55.8% had a solitary diagnosis of TBI, 30.28% had a solitary diagnosis of facial fractures, and 13.92% had concurrent diagnoses of both TBI and facial fractures. Patients with concurrent diagnoses had a significantly longer mean length of stay (LOS) compared to those with solitary diagnoses (9.92 ± 16.33 days vs. 6.21 ± 10.96 days, p<0.01), but age (p=0.68) and ICU LOS (p=0.09) did not differ significantly between the two groups. Conclusions: Trauma to the face should be given special attention due to the close relationship between facial bones and the brain. Patients with concurrent diagnoses of TBI and facial fractures had worse hospital outcomes than those with solitary diagnoses of either TBI or facial trauma.
Investigating the Effect of Calcine Temperature and Dwell Time on Electroluminescent Films in BCZT Ceramics
Authors: Kamnoy Manlika , Pengpat Kamonpan , Tunkasiri Tawee , Khamman Orawan , Intatha Uraiwan , Eitssayeam Sukum
Published: June 2023

Photoluminescent (PL) layers and electroluminescent (EL) systems have been extensively explored for constructing flat panels, screen monitors, and lighting systems. Due to their optical properties, our group is interested in the relationship between optical properties and dielectric constant is converted due to thermal change. In this study, we prepared a zinc sulfide (ZnS) fluorescent film on barium-calcium zirconium titanate ceramics. BCZT0.85 (Ba0.85Ca0.15Zr0.1Ti0.9O3) and BCZT0.9 (Ba0.9Ca0.1Zr0.1Ti0.9O3) were prepared using the solid-state reaction method for the dielectric layer. The BCZT powders were calcined at 1200 and 1250 °C and dwell times of 2 and 4h. The phase formation and microstructure characteristics were then determined using X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy, respectively. The dielectric behavior and optical properties rela-tionship was then studied to determine the composition and optimal conditions for further use as thermal detectors in electric vehicle battery packs. All BCZT powders exhibited the tetragonal phase, which was confirmed by JCPDS No. 01-079-2265. The dielectric constant increased with increasing calcining temperature or dwell time. The dielectric properties showed the BCZT0.85 ceramic sintered had the maximum dielectric constant of 15342 at calcine temperature of 1250 °C for 4h. Therefore, in this study, this condition was optimal for preparing the dielectric film. The maximum dielectric constant film is 42. The electroluminescence intensity of the samples increased in a temperature-dependent manner, with the highest EL intensity at 80 °C. Moreover, the electroluminescence intensity value was enhanced with the increase of the dielectric constant. Our results show promise for developing applications for Opto-thermal sensors.
Using Deep Learning Methods for Segmenting Polar Mesospheric Summer Echoes
Authors: Domben Erik , Sharma Puneet , Mann Ingrid
Published: June 2023

Polar Mesospheric Summer Echoes (PMSEs) are radar echoes that are observed in the mesosphere during the Arctic summer months in the polar regions. By studying PMSE, researchers can gain insights into physical and chemical processes that occur in the upper atmosphere specifically in the 80 to 90 km altitude range. In this paper, we employ fully convolutional networks such as UNET and UNET++ for the purposes of segmenting PMSE from the EISCAT VHF dataset. First, experiments are performed to find suitable weights and hyperparameters for UNET and UNET++. Second, different loss functions are tested to find one suitable for our task. Third, as the number of PMSE samples used is relatively small that can lead to poor generalization. To address this, image-level and object-level augmentation methods are employed. Four, we briefly explain our findings by employing layerwise relevance propagation.
Recent Advances in Machine Learning-Based Chemoinformatics: A Comprehensive Review
Authors: Niazi Sarfaraz K , Mariam Zamara
Published: June 2023

In the realm of modern drug discovery, the integration of chemoinformatics and quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) modeling has emerged as a formidable alliance, enabling researchers to harness the vast potential of machine learning (ML) techniques for predictive molecular design and analysis. This review delves into the fundamental aspects of chemoinformatics, elucidating the intricate nature of chemical data and the crucial role of molecular descriptors in unveiling the underlying molecular properties. Molecular descriptors, including 2D fingerprints and topological indices, in conjunction with the structural-activity relationships (SARs), play a pivotal role in unlocking the pathway to small-molecule drug discovery. Technical intricacies of developing robust ML-QSAR models, including feature selection, model validation, and performance evaluation, are discussed herewith. Various ML algorithms, such as regression analysis and support vector machines, are showcased in the text for their ability to predict and comprehend the relationships between molecular structures and biological activities. This review serves as a comprehensive guide for researchers, providing an understanding of the synergy between chemoinformatics, QSAR, and ML. By embracing these cutting-edge technologies, predictive molecular analysis holds promise for expediting the discovery of novel therapeutic agents in the pharmaceutical sciences.
Application of Feature Engineering and Ensemble Techniques on Medical End-devices for Geriatric Fall Detection
Authors: Nandi Purab , Anupama K.R , Agarwal Himanish , Jain Arav , Paliwal Siddharth , Jakhar Rohan , Rajkhowa Rishiraj , Guruprasanna Pramath Balisavira
Published: June 2023

Falls, especially those left unattended, are fatal for the elderly. Several efforts have been made to use the Internet of Things and Machine Learning algorithms to detect falls. All such systems have issues such as (a) sensor placement on the torso and thigh which will be uncomfortable for the elderly. (b) Predictions made on the cloud- the result of the prediction is then sent back to the end device to raise an alert. This is prone to network connectivity and latency issues. We have built an end/device that is wrist-worn and has multiple Inertial Measurement Unit sensors and a heart sensor. We have developed three novel ensemble algorithms (a)Stack(A) (b) Variable weighted Ensemble Voting algorithm-B(VWE(B)), and (c) Variable weighted Ensemble Voting algorithm-C (VWE(C)). Since the ensemble algorithm is run on the end-device built around Qualcomm Snapdragons 820c, we do both feature extraction and selection to reduce data dimensionality. We have used multiple methods such as (a) Identifying features that have maximum impact (b) Principal Component Analysis (PCA) (c) Shapley’s values (d) Cross-Correlation combined with relliefF. We got an accuracy of 97% and specificity of 99%. In this paper, we present the analysis of the system with and without pruning.
Association of Socioeconomic Factors and Physical Activity with Health-Related Quality of Life in Italian Middle School Children: An Exploratory Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Sanmarchi Francesco , Scheier Lawrence M. , Dallolio Laura , Ricci Matteo , Longo Giulia , Ceciliani Andrea , Masini Alice
Published: June 2023

Health related quality of life’s (HRQoL) different domains of functioning can serve as a good prognosticator of later life’s outcomes for children and adolescents. Understanding associated factors is crucial for promoting better health and life satisfaction. This study aimed to investigate the impact of socio-economic status (SES), physical activity (PA) and cardio-fitness on the Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) in 224 Italian early adolescents attending secondary school in the Emilia-Romagna region located in northern Italy. The present cross-sectional study included measures of SES, demographic factors, cardio-fitness measures and self-reported PA levels. In a multivariate model, younger students and females reported higher HRQoL (β=-0.139, P<.05, 95% CI: -0.254 – -0.023 and β=0.142, P<.05, 95% CI: 0.011 – 0.273 respectively). Having both parents employed and having higher familiar educational status resulted in higher HRQoL. Greater engagement in routine PA was positively associated with HRQoL (β=0.429, P<.001, 95% CI: 0.304 – 0.554). Endurance (speed) was positively associated with HRQoL (β=0.221, P<.01, 95% CI: 0.087 – 0.355) and students with longer times on the shuttle run reported less HRQoL (β=-0.207, P<.01, 95% CI: -0.337 – -0.077). Findings reinforced the importance of promoting regular PA among students and addressing SES disparities to improve HRQoL. The study suggests a focus on expanding research measures and evaluating targeted PA interventions for a more comprehensive understanding of children’s well-being. These findings highlight the crucial roles of demographic, PA and cardio-fitness measures in child’s HRQoL, thus providing relevant information for stakeholders who work in the education, public health, and health policy sectors.
Disintegrin-like protein strategy to inhibit aggressive triple negative breast cancer
Authors: Limam Inès , Abdelkarim Mohamed , El Ayeb Mohamed , Crepin Michel , Marrakchi Naziha , Di Benedetto Mélanie
Published: June 2023

Venoms are a rich source of bioactive compounds, and among them is leberagin-C (Leb-C), a disintegrin-like protein derived from the venom Macrovipera lebetina transmediterrannea snakes. Leb-C has shown promising inhibitory effects on platelet aggregation. Previous studies have demonstrated that this SECD protein specifically targets α5β1, αvβ3 and αv6 integrins through a mimic mechanism of RGD disintegrins. In our current study, we focused on exploring the potential effects of Leb-C on metastatic breast cancer. Our findings revealed that Leb-C disrupted the adhesion, migration, and invasion capabilities of MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells and its highly metastatic D3H2LN sub-population. Additionally, we observed significant suppression of adhesion, migration, and invasion of Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells (HUVECs). Furthermore, Leb-C demonstrated a strong inhibitory effect on fibroblast growth factor 2-induced proliferation of HUVEC. We conducted in vivo experiments using nude mice and found that treatment with 2 µM of Leb-C resulted in a remarkable 73% reduction in D3H2LN xenograft tumor size. Additionally, quantification of intratumor microvessels revealed a 50 % reduction in tumor angiogenesis in xenograft after 21 days of twice-weekly treatment with 2 µM of Leb-C. Collectively, these findings suggest the potential utility of this dinsintegrin-like protein for inhibiting aggressive and resistant metastatic breast cancer.
The Health Status of the U.S. Veteran Post COVID: A Longitudinal Analysis (2011-2021) Utilizing the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) Data
Authors: Betancourt Jose A. , Dolezel Diane M. , Shanmugam Ramalingam , Pacheco Gerardo J. , Stigler Granados Paula , Fulton Lawrence V.
Published: June 2023

Chronic diseases affect a disproportionate number of United States (U.S.) Veterans, causing significant long-term health issues and affecting entitlement spending. This longitudinal study examined the health status of U.S. Veterans as compared to non-Veterans pre- and post-COVID utilizing the annual Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) survey data. Age-adjusted descriptive point estimates were generated independently for 2003 through 2021, while complex weighted panel data were generated from 2011 and onward. General linear modeling revealed that the average U.S. Veteran reports a higher prevalence of disease conditions except for mental health disorders when compared to the non-Veteran. These findings were consistent with both pre- and post-COVID, however, both groups reported a higher prevalence of mental health issues during the pandemic years. The findings suggest that there have been no improvements in reducing Veteran comorbidities to non-Veteran levels and that COVID adversely affected the mental health of both populations.
Numerical Solutions of the Nonlinear Dispersive Shallow Water Wave Equations Based on the Space-Time Coupled Generalized Finite Difference Scheme
Authors: Li Po-Wei , Hu Shenghan , Zhang Mengyao
Published: June 2023

This paper applied the space-time generalized finite difference scheme for solving the nonlinear dispersive shallow water waves as the modified Camassa−Holm equation, modified Degasperis-Procesi equation, Fornberg-Whitham equation, and its modified form. The proposed meshless numerical scheme was composed of the space-time generalized finite difference method, the two-step Newton-Raphson method, and the time-marching method. The space-time approach can treat the temporal derivative as one of the spatial derivatives. This numerical technique enables all the partial derivatives in the governing equation can be discretized by a spatial discretization method, and the mixed derivative can efficiently deal with using the proposed meshless numerical scheme. The space-time generalized finite difference method is advanced from the Taylor series expansion and the moving-least square method. The numerical discretization process is only related to functional data and weighting coefficients on the central node and its nearby nodes. Thus, the matrix system composed of nonlinear algebraic equations will be a sparse matrix and can be efficiently solved by the two-step Newton-Raphson method. Furthermore, the time-marching method was utilized to proceed with the space-time domain along the time axis. In this paper, several numerical examples were tested to verify the capability of the proposed space-time generalized finite difference scheme.
The Virial Theorem for Retarded Gravity
Authors: Yahalom Asher
Published: June 2023

The general theory of relativity (GR) is symmetric under smooth coordinate transformations also known as diffeomorphisms. The general coordinate transformation group has a linear subgroup denoted the Lorentz group of symmetry which is maintained also in the weak field approximation to GR. The dominant operator in the weak field equation of GR is thus the d'Alembert (wave) operator which has a retarded potential solution. Galaxy Clusters are huge physical systems having dimensions of many hundreds of millions of light years. Thus any change at the cluster center will be noticed at the rim only hundreds of millions of years later. Those retardation effects are neglected in present day cluster modelling and in particular are neglected in virial calculations used to relate mass and velocities on the cluster. The significant differences between the predictions of Newtonian instantaneous action at a distance and observed velocities are usually explained by either assuming dark matter or by modifying the laws of gravity (MOND). In this paper we will show that taking general relativity seriously without neglecting retardation effects one can explain the velocities in a galactic cluster without postulating dark matter. It should be stressed that the current approach does not require that velocities, $v$ are high, in fact the vast majority of cluster bodies are substantially subluminal. In other words, the ratio of $\frac{v}{c} \ll 1$. Typical velocities in galaxies are less than ~1000 km/s, which makes this ratio $0.01$ or smaller. However, one should consider the fact that every gravitational system even if it is made of subluminal bodies has a retardation distance, beyond which the retardation effect cannot be neglected. Every natural system such as stars and galaxies and even galactic clusters exchange mass with its environment. For example, the sun losses mass through the solar wind and galaxies accrete gas from the intergalactic medium. This means that all natural gravitational systems have a finite retardation distance. The question is thus quantitative, how large is the retardation distance? The change of mass of the sun is quite small and thus the retardation distance of the solar system is quite large allowing us to neglect retardation effects within the solar system. However, for galaxies and galaxy clusters the retardation distance is within the system itself and cannot be neglected.
Overcoming the Challenges of Lyme Disease Diagnosis: The Role of Phage-based Testing
Authors: Shan Jinyu , Jia Ying , Mijatovic Tatjana , Teulières Louis , Clokie Martha
Published: June 2023

Tick-borne diseases are a growing concern worldwide, affecting both human and animal populations. Ticks are known to harbor a wide range of pathogens and are considered one of the most important vectors of disease. Lyme disease, caused by Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato, is the most common tick-borne disease in the US and Europe. However, accurate diagnosis of Lyme disease can be challenging due to the complex immune evasion strategies employed by Borrelia species and the limitations of existing diagnostic tests. To address this issue, researchers are exploring novel approaches, including the use of bacteriophages as diagnostic tools. Bacteriophages are highly specific and offer advantages over traditional methods for detecting bacteria, including Borrelia. In particular, the use of multicopy bacteriophages as molecular markers for Borrelia detection is a promising approach that may provide greater sensitivity than targeting single-copy bacterial genes. Nonetheless, the task of identifying trace amounts of bacteriophages in blood samples necessitates attention, and scientists are devising innovative techniques to surmount this hurdle. In summary, employing bacteriophages as a diagnostic tool for tick-borne diseases, such as Lyme disease, by specifically targeting free circulating bacteriophages in blood samples, offers significant potential for enhancing patient outcomes and public health.
Study on the Causes of Heavy Rainfall over the Mei-Yu front：A Case Study in Suzhou
Authors: Shuya Cao , Lanjun Zou , Yang LI , Bo Chen , Ruiqi Mu , Yue Wu
Published: June 2023

Influenced by the quasi-stationary Mei-yu front and the development of mesoscale low vortices on the Mei-yu front, a torrential rain event occurred in Suzhou on July 6, 2020. The 24-hour rainfall recorded by the automatic station exceeded 200 millimeters, with the highest hourly intensity surpassing 70 millimeters, accompanied by thunderstorms and strong winds. This heavy precipitation process was characterized by suddenness, extremity, long duration, high precipitation efficiency, and backward propagation. Using various data sources such as the European ERA5 reanalysis data, ground-based automatic stations, sounding, Doppler weather radar, and wind profile radar, this paper analyzed in detail the circulation characteristics and radar echo structures of this torrential rain event, and further studied the triggering, feature evolution, and maintenance mechanisms of the heavy precipitation.The results show: (1) The continuously strengthening low-level jet stream propagates downward forming an ultra-low-level jet stream. Heavy precipitation is located on the left front side of the jet exit area, where strong convergence and lifting in the boundary layer overlap with the ascending branch of the secondary circulation above the shear line, resulting in heavy precipitation. (2) A supercell storm with intense precipitation produced this heavy rainfall event, characterized by a low centroid of strong echo; echo-free vault, bounded weak echo region, and other supercell structural features. During this event, the high reflectivity factor areas corresponded to high KDP value areas, indicating a large amount of liquid water content. Vertically, the KDP column can track the rainwater mixing ratio well, and its location corresponds to the vicinity of the short-term heavy precipitation occurrence. The high KDP value area mainly consists of numerous precipitation particles, and the vertical vortex wind field structure causes rapid growth of precipitation particles through continuous rolling. Furthermore, it can be found through correlation coefficients (CC) that there are always high-value areas for CC since they correspond to areas of intense precipitation. (3) Continuous triggering of mesoscale convective cloud clusters on the east-west ground convergence line leads to new development and forms a "train effect." Strong frontogenesis in both horizontal and vertical directions triggers and sustains this heavy precipitation event. The significant increase in liquid water and water vapor density has indicative significance for the occurrence of heavy precipitation.
Fish Monitoring from Low Contrast Underwater Images
Authors: Petrellis Nikos , Keramidas Georgios , Antonopoulos Christos , Voros Nikolaos
Published: June 2023

A morphological feature estimation method is presented, that can be used to monitor fish from low contrast underwater images and videos. The fish orientation is classified in order to apply a shape alignment technique that is based on the Ensemble of Regression Trees machine learning method. Shape alignment allows the estimation of fish dimensions (length, height, mass) and the location of fish body parts of particular interest such as the eyes and gills. The developed system can be exploited both for fish monitoring in open sea as well as aquacultures where non-invasive, low cost morphological feature extraction is essential. Fish health can be assessed from malformations in body shape, the color of the eyes or the gills as well as the fish behavior. The proposed method can estimate the position of 18 landmarks with an accuracy of about 95% from low resolution and low contrast underwater images where the fish can be hardly distinguished from its background. Hardware acceleration can be applied at various stages of the proposed method for real time video processing. As a case study, the developed system has been trained and tested with several Mediterranean fish species in the category of seabream or similar: diplodous sargus annularis (white seabream), diplodus annularis seabream (spawn), oblada melanura (saddled seabream), pagrus pagrus (common seabream), etc. A large dataset with low resolution underwater videos and images has been created in the context of this work.
Inducing Cough Reflex by Capsaicin Spray Stimulation in Patients with Acquired Brain Injury: A Preliminary Test and Proof of Concept
Authors: Spezzano Luisa , Cortese Maria Daniela , Quintieri Maria , Pignolo Loris , Tonin Paolo , Lucca Lucia Francesca , Calabrò Rocco Salvatore , Morone Giovanni , Cerasa Antonio
Published: June 2023

The cough assessment is fundamental in the weaning process as it gives information on the possibility to expel food and secretion from the airways. The majority of persons suffering from severe acquired brain injury (ABI) are not able to cough voluntarily due to severe motor deficits. In the present study, we evaluated the cough reflex in ABI patients using a new method based on a capsaicin spray stimulation test. 100 Healthy controls demographically matched with 50 ABI patients were included in this study. Clinical observations demonstrated robust cough response in both healthy controls and ABI patients, as well as the safety and tolerability of capsaicin spray stimulation. ABI patients with dysphagia were characterized by slower and delayed cough responses. Further studies are needed to validate this feasible, less-invasive, and simple-to-comprehend technique in inducing cough reflex. According to this preliminary evidence, we believe that this test might be translated into a simple and effective treatment to improve cough strength training reflexive cough modulation in ABI patients.
Edible Food Packaging- An Overview
Authors: Nair Surya Sasikumar , Trafiałek Joanna , Kolanowski Wojciech
Published: June 2023

This review aims to describe an edible packaging system in food production. The growing global population, changes in climate and dietary patterns, as well as increasing need for environmental protection have created an increasing demand for waste-free food production. The need for durable and sustainable packaging materials has become significant to avoid food waste and environmental pollution. Edible packaging has emerged as a promising solution also to extend the shelf life of food products and reduce dependence on petroleum-based resources. In this review, the importance, composition, and functions of edible packaging materials, as well as their production methods, were described. The market value of edible packaging materials is expanding. It needs further research and development of edible packaging materials to increase sustainable, eco-friendly packaging practices significant for environmental protection and food safety.
The Price of Human Evolution: Cancer-Testis-Antigens, the Decline in Male Fertility and the Increase in Cancer
Authors: Erenpreisa Jekaterina , Vainshelbaum Ninel M , Lazovska Marija , Karklins Roberts , Salmina Kristine , Zayakin Pawel , Rumnieks Felikss , Inashkina Inna , Pjanova Dace , Erenpreiss Juris
Published: June 2023

The increasing frequency of male cancer coupled with the reduction in male fertility seen worldwide motivated us to seek a potential evolutionary link between these two phenomena, concerning the reproductive transcriptional modules observed in cancer and the expression of cancer-testis-antigens (CTA). The phylostratigraphy analysis of the human genome allowed us to link the early evolutionary origin of cancer by reproductive life cycles of the unicellulars and early multicellulars, potentially driving soma-germ transition, female meiosis and parthenogenesis of polyploid giant cancer cells (PGCCs), with the expansion of the CTA multi-families, very late during evolution. CTA adaptation was aided by retrovirus domestication in the unstable genomes of mammals, for protecting male fertility in stress conditions, particularly that of humans, as compensation for the energy consumption by a large complex brain which also exploited retrotransposition. We found that the early and late evolutionary branches of human cancer are united by the immunity-proto-placental network, which evolved in the Cambrian and shares stress regulators with the finely-tuned sex determination system. We further propose that social stress and endocrine disruption caused by environmental pollution with organic materials, which alter sex determination in male foetuses and further spermatogenesis in adults, bias the development of PGCC-parthenogenetic cancer by default.
Synthon Chemistry. Theoretical Study on the Formation of Glutamic Acid, Glutamine, Lysine and Arginine
Authors: Surpateanu Gheorghe , Georgescu Ana-Maria , Nistor Ileana-Denisa , Lungu Neculai Catalin
Published: June 2023

This paper represents a thermodynamic and chemical reactivity study regarding the possible formation of four proteinogenic amino acids: glutamic acid, glutamine, lysine and arginine, starting from three synthons: methylene, nitrene and carbon monoxide. All intermediates are specified: neutral molecules and radicals involved in the formation of these four proteinogenic amino acids. The study is based on the synthonic theory of the formation of the first proteinogenic amino acids and their corresponding polypeptides. The thermodynamic quantitative data are obtained from mechanical-quantum calculations mainly by the DFT-B88-LYP methods, DZVP basis set.
Three New Species of Pteromalus (Habrocytus) Sequester Group (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae) From China Based on Morphology and DNA Barcode
Authors: Li Qin , Yan Guohua , Zhang Tongyou , Hu Hong-Ying
Published: June 2023

Three new species of the Sequester group of Pteromalus (Habrocytus) (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae: Pteromalinae), Pteromalus (Habrocytus) boleensis Yan et Li sp. nov., Pteromalus (Habrocytus) longepedicelus Yan et Li sp. nov., and Pteromalus (Habrocytus) robustus Yan et Li sp. nov. are described and illustrated based on adult morphology and molecular data from Xinjiang, China. The DNA barcodes (ITS2) of Pteromalus (Habrocytus) boleensis sp. nov. and Pteromalus (Habrocytus) robustus sp. nov. have been generated and compared with all existing sequences of the Sequester species group. The results of morphological taxonomy and molecular identification are consistent. A key to all known species of the Sequester group in the world is provided.
Development of In-Line Measurement Techniques for Monitoring Powder Characteristics in a Multi-Stage Spray Drying Process
Authors: Frank Jennifer , Raiber Tobias V. , Grotenhoff Laura , Kohlus Reinhard
Published: June 2023

The integration of spray drying and agglomeration offers significant advantages, such us continuous production with lower energy consumption. However, it is a knife-edge process with a narrow operating window and limited degrees of freedom that decide between successful agglomeration and fluidized bed blockage due to excessive moisture. In this contribution, factors influencing the spray-through agglomeration process of skim milk powder as a model system were investigated via a design of experiments. Three in-line monitoring methods were applied and tested to observe the most important parameters in the agglomeration process: product moisture and particle size distribution. Regarding the moisture content, a capacitive moisture sensor was calibrated with linear regression and a near-infrared sensor with partial least squares regression. Near-infrared spectroscopy was found to be the suitable method for determining moisture content, while the capacitive moisture sensor mainly provides information on the bulk density, the filling level or fluidization state in the fluidized bed. Additionally, particle size distribution data was extracted from the spectral data using in-line data of a spatial filter velocimetry probe in the fluidized bed. This opens the potential to monitor both parameters in real-time with a single non-invasive sensor.
Software Product Lines Maintenance using Many Objectives Optimization Techniques
Authors: Jamil Muhammad Abid , K Nour Mohamed , Alotaibi Saud S. , Hussain Mohammad Jabed , Hussaini Syed Matiullah , Naseer Atif
Published: June 2023

Currently, software development is more associated with families of configurable software rather than the single implementation of a product. Due to the numerous possible combinations in a software product line, testing these families of software product lines (SPLs) is a difficult undertaking (SPL). Moreover, the presence of optional features makes the testing of SPLs impractical. Several features are presented in SPLs, but due to the environment's time and financial constraints, these features are rendered unfeasible. Testing subsets of configured products is thus one approach to solving this issue. In order to reduce testing effort and get better results, alternative methods of testing SPLs are required, such as the combinatorial interaction testing (CIT) technique. Unfortunately CIT method produces unscalable solutions for large size SPLs with excessive constraints. The CIT method costs more because of feature combinations. The optimization of the various conflicting testing objectives, such as reducing the cost and configuration number, have also been considered. In this article, we have proposed a search-based software engineering solution using multi-objective optimization algorithms (MOEAs). In particular, the research is applied to different types of MOEA methods; Indicator-Based Evolutionary Algorithm (IBEA), Multi-objective Evolutionary Algorithm based on Decomposition (MOEA/D), Non-Dominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm II (NSGAII), NSGAIII, and Strength Pareto Evolutionary Algorithm 2 (SPEA2). The results of the algorithms are examined in the context of distinct objectives and two quality indicators. The results revealed how feature model attributes, implementation context and the number of objectives affect the performance of the algorithms.
Production and Characterization of Kombucha Beverage from Different Sources of Tea and Its Kinetic Modeling
Authors: Tarhan Kuzu Kubra , Aykut Gamze , Tek Serap , Yatmaz Ercan , Germec Mustafa , Yavuz Ibrahim , Turhan Irfan
Published: June 2023

This study evaluated eight herbal and fruit teas to produce kombucha beverages. Besides, the effect of initial sucrose concentration (10, 40, and 70% w/v) on kombucha fermentation from tea extracts was investigated. Kinetic characterization and modeling of kombucha fermentation were also performed. Results showed that kombucha beverages' characteristics and chemical content changed according to tea type and initial sucrose concentration. It was determined that as initial sucrose concentration increased, the consumed substrate concentration increased. The highest total biomass values were determined when green tea and pomegranate tea were supplemented with 70 g/L sucrose. The highest total phenolic content and antioxidant activity were achieved with green tea samples. The total acidity and phenolic substance concentration increased as fermentation progressed in general. The kinetic parameters including maximum consumption rate, sugar utilization, yield, biomass yield, maximum biomass, total acidity, phenolic production rate, and the phenolic result were computed depending on changing substrate concentration. Concerning kinetic modeling, proposed models (Logistic and Luedeking-Piret models) estimated satisfactorily experimental substrate consumption and total acidity values. Besides, total acidity was associated with the substrate consumption.
Genome-wide identification of bZIP gene family and expression analysis of BhbZIP58 under heat stress in wax gourd
Authors: Liu Wei , Wang Min , Zhong Min , Luo Chen , Shi Shaoqi , Qian Yulei , Kang Yunyan , Jiang Biao
Published: June 2023

Background
The basic leucine zipper (bZIP) transcription factor family is one of the most abundant and evolutionarily conserved gene families in plants. It plays crucial roles in the life cycle of plants, including pathogen defense, secondary metabolism, stress response, seed maturation, and flower development. Although the genome of wax gourd has been published, little is known about the functions, evolutionary background, and gene expression patterns of the bZIP gene family, which limits its utilization.
Results
A total of 61 bZIP genes (BhbZIPs) were identified from wax gourd (Benincasa hispida) genome and divided into 12 subgroups. Whole-genome duplication (WGD) and dispersed duplication (DSD) were the main driving forces of bZIP gene family expansion in wax gourd, and this family may have undergone intense purifying selection pressure during the evolutionary process. We selected BhbZIP58, only one in the member of subgroup B, to study its expression patterns under different stresses, including heat, salt, drought, cold stress, and ABA treatment. Surprisingly, BhbZIP58 had a dramatic response under heat stress. BhbZIP58 showed the highest expression level in the root compared with leaves, stem, stamen, pistil, and ovary. In addition, BhbZIP58 protein was located in the nucleus and had transcriptional activation activity. Overexpression of BhbZIP58 in yeast and Arabidopsis enhanced their heat tolerance.
Conclusions
In this study, bZIP gene family was systematically bioinformatically in wax gourd for the first time. Particularly, BhbZIP58 may have an important role in heat stress. It will facilitate further research on the bZIP gene family regarding their evolutionary history and biological functions.
New mechanical stirring system to study the rheological behaviour of semisolid A380 second melting aluminium alloy
Authors: Menargues Sergi , Baile Maria Teresa , Martin Enric , Martin_Raya Oscar , Picas Josep A.
Published: June 2023

The design and manufacture of a new mechanical stirring system to obtain a globular structure by semi-solid state forming and its double functionality as a rheometer is presented. The main objective of the Partial Melting Semisolid Manufacturing (PMSM) machine is to obtain a globular microstructure by controlling the viscosity of the A380 second-melt aluminium alloy. In addition, the PMSM device is validated as a rheometer to determine viscosity as a function of temperature. For this purpose, studies were carried out with the same alloy. The results are compared with those obtained for the same conditions with a commercial rheometer. Viscosity control is an innovation compared to traditional mechanical stirring machines, that use time as control parameter. The results of the experimentation gave mainly a dendritic microstructure. However, some rosette/globular microstructure was also obtained in the experiments. This experimentation allows validating the equipment by performing its function optimally.
Mechanistic insights into G protein association with a G protein-coupled receptor
Authors: Batebi Hossein , Pérez-Hernández Guillermo , Mathiesen Jesper , Shi Mingyu , Tiemann Johanna K. S. , Guixà-González Ramon , Reinhardt Franziska , Stadler Peter F. , Scheerer Patrick , Kobilka Brian , Liu Xiangyu , Hildebrand Peter
Published: June 2023

G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) activate heterotrimeric G proteins by promoting guanine nucleotide exchange. Here, we investigate the process of functional association between G proteins and GPCRs and describe the events that ultimately lead to the ejection of GDP from its binding pocket in the Gα subunit. In atomic detail, we reveal the temporal progression of structural rearrangements of GDP-bound heterotrimeric Gs protein (GsGDP) upon coupling to the β2-adrenergic receptor (β2AR) using molecular dynamics simulations. The binding of GsGDP to the β2AR is followed by long-range allosteric effects that significantly reduce the energy needed for GDP release, the rate-limiting step during G-protein activation. In particular, the opening of α1-αF helices, displacement of the αG helix, and the opening of the α-helical domain weaken the interaction between GDP and the G protein. Signal transduction to the G protein occurs via a novel receptor interface, confirmed by site-directed mutagenesis and functional assays. From this β2AR-GsGDP intermediate, the G protein must undergo an in-plane rotation along the receptor axis to reach the β2AR-Gsempty state. The simulations shed light on how the structural elements at the receptor-G-protein interface interact to transmit the signal over 30Å to the nucleotide-binding site. Our analysis extends the current limited view of nucleotide-free snapshots to include additional states and structural features responsible for signaling and G protein coupling specificity.
Can Smart City Pilot Reduce Urban Haze Pollution? ——Empirical Evidence from Chinese Cities
Authors: Wang Ruqi , Tao Shigui
Published: June 2023

Considering China's smart city pilot policy as a quasi-natural experiment, the panel data of 284 cities from 2003 to 2020 were selected to evaluate the effect of smart city construction on haze pollution by combining the propensity score matching method and the difference-in-difference model (PSM-DID). The research results show that: (1) smart city construction has effectively reduced the concentration of urban haze, which is still valid after a series of robustness tests. (2) the results of heterogeneous test show that the smart city pilot has a stronger inhibitory effect on eastern cities, large and medium-sized cities, and cities with high level of talent agglomeration and intelligence. (3) the mechanism test found that the smart city pilot can indirectly promote the city haze governance by improving the innovation capacity (collaborative innovation and green innovation), improving the efficiency of resource allocation, and increasing the entrepreneurship rate of modern service industries. (4) after further exploration, it was found that the construction of smart cities has a significant spatial spillover effect on haze pollution. While promoting haze control in the local city, it will also suppress the haze concentration of neighboring cities through "demonstration effect".
Fuzzy Stationary Schrödinger Equation with Correlated Fuzzy Boundaries
Authors: salgado silvio , Esmi Estevão , de Souza Sérgio , Rojas Onofre , de Barros Laécio
Published: June 2023

This article introduces the space of A-linearly correlated fuzzy complex numbers. Using this space, we study the stationary Schrödinger equation with boundary conditions are given by fuzzy complex numbers. This equation plays an special role in Quantum Mechanics describing the state of the system. We apply the formalism to the step potential, generating quantum results consistent with traditional quantum results.
Transcription-translation coupling status determines transcription termination
Authors: N Monford Paul Abishek , Jeon Heung Jin , Lim Heon , Wang Xun
Published: June 2023

In Escherichia coli, transcription is terminated by two mechanisms: Rho-independent termination (RIT) and Rho-dependent termination (RDT). Transcription of the galactose operon is terminated by two tandem terminators, RIT and RDT. In this work, we investigated whether RNA polymerase is terminated randomly at the RIT and RDT sites or is predetermined. Our results show that the transcription and translation complexes have different coupling statuses upon reaching the terminator, of which 50% were loosely coupled and 50% were closely coupled. RIT terminates transcripts that are loosely coupled to translation, and closely coupled transcripts that cannot be terminated by RIT are terminated by the downstream RDT. Thus, RIT and RDT are predetermined events that depend on the coupling status. This rule also holds for the 850 operons in E. coli. Our study reveals an important rule that E. coli has evolved different transcription termination systems at the ends of operons to adapt to different transcription-translation coupling statuses.
Fully endoscopic approach for resection of brainstem cavernous malformations: a systematic review of the literature
Authors: Hu Zhigang , Tang Chao , Ma Chiyuan
Published: June 2023

Brainstem cavernous malformations (BCMs) as a benign lesion, usually has an acute onset and leads to a high rate of morbidity. According to the different anatomical sites of various brainstem lesions, the selection of the optimal surgical approach is the premise of obtaining favorable surgical outcomes. Due to the depth illumination and panoramic view of endoscope compared with microscope, endoscopic surgery is gradually applied in the treatment of BCMs. For intra-axial ventral BCMs, the best surgical options are endoscopic endonasal approaches according to the “two-point method. For cavernous hemangiomas on the dorsal of the brainstem, the value of endoscopy lies in the better visualization of the operative field provided by the endoscope and the minimization of brain retraction. In this review, we gathered data on the fully endoscopic approach for resection of BCMs, and outline technical notes and tips for this approach. Seventeen cases from a total of 14 articles were included in the present review. The endoscopic endonasal approach was applied in 14 patients, endoscopic transcranial approach was performed in 3 patients. The total resection rate of lesions was 76.5% (14/17). In the 14 cases of endoscopic endonasal surgery, postoperative CSF leakage was found in 4 cases. The maximum diameter of lesion in 3 patients with postoperative CSF rhinorrhea was greater than 2cm. In the 15 patients with follow-up data, 2 patients showed no significant improvement after surgery, the remaining 13 patients showed significant improvement compared with admission. This systematic review of the literature demonstrates that a fully endoscopic approach to the BCMs is a safe and effective option for resection, which can be considered as an alternative to conventional craniotomy for dealing with these challenging lesions by a team of neurosurgeons with extensive experience in endoscopic surgery.
Systematic profiling of alternative splicing of ZNF family in Colorectal cancer
Authors: Sun Chao , Zeng Boning , Li Nan , Li Mingwei , Zhu Chaowei , Zheng Kai , Liu Kaisheng , Wang Shaoxiang , Wang Xiao
Published: June 2023

Backgrounds: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a global health issue that requires innovative prognostic signatures to improve patient outcomes. Alternative splicing (AS) of RNA is a crucial modification process involved in cancer progression, and zinc finger proteins (ZNFs), the largest family of DNA binding proteins, have been implicated in various aspects of cancer development. However, the role of ZNF AS events in cancer remains poorly understood. Methods: To address this, we investigated the relationship between ZNF AS and CRC development using clinical samples and bioinformatics approaches to identify a prognostic signature. Results: We identified 227 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and 98 survival-related genes among ZNFs. We also identified 29 differentially expressed AS (DEAS) events and 93 survival-related AS events in CRC patients. Using these results, we developed a thirteen-AS signature that showed excellent predictive ability, with a 3-year area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve (AUC) value of 0.80, outperforming the commonly used tumor-node-metastasis (TNM) staging-based model (AUC = 0.73). Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) showed that the risk score of our model was associated with various cancer-related pathways, including PI3K AKT MTOR, CELL CYCLE, APOPTOSIS, and more. We also validated our findings through qPCR and explored the correlations between splicing factors (SFs) and DEAS events. Conclusions: Our study provides new insights into the role of ZNFs in cancer and highlights their potential as prognostic biomarkers for CRC progression.