bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A novel risk score model based on glycolysis‐related genes and a prognostic model for predicting overall survival of osteosarcoma patients
Authors: Chen Wenhao , Lin Yuxiang , Huang Jianping , Yan Zhiyu , Cao Hua
Published: January 2022

This study aims to construct a novel risk score model based on glycolysis‐related genes in osteosarcoma and to build and validate a prognostic model for predicting overall survival of patients with osteosarcoma. The transcriptome data and corresponding clinical data of patients with osteosarcoma were obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) as the training set, and from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database as the validation set. Univariate Cox regression analysis was used to screen the prognostic glycolysis‐related genes. The risk coefficient of each glycolysis‐related gene was calculated using LASSO regression analysis. Using the median risk score as the cut‐off point, patients were divided into high‐risk and low‐risk groups. Kaplan–Meier survival analysis was used to determine whether there was a significant difference in the overall survival between the two groups. The nomogram was constructed according to the results of multivariate Cox regression. The C‐index was calculated, the calibration chart, clinical decision curve and receiver operating characteristic curve were drawn to evaluate the predictive performance of the nomogram. We performed Gene Ontology and Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomics enrichment analysis to explore the potential mechanism of prognostic‐related glycolysis genes in osteosarcoma. A total of 88 and 53 cases were obtained from the TCGA and GEO database, respectively. A total of 10 key glycolytic genes related to prognosis were screened out. The Kaplan–Meier survival curve revealed that the overall survival of the high‐risk group was significantly shorter than that of the low‐risk group. The C indices of the training set and the verification set were 0.882 and 0.828, respectively. Our findings will provide further understanding of clinical prognostic outcomes of osteosarcoma patients.
Slovak raw goat milk as a source of variable, biofilm‐forming staphylococci, and their susceptibility to lantibiotic bacteriocins
Authors: Lauková Andrea , Pogány Simonová Monika , Focková Valentína , Tomáška Martin , Drončovský Maroš , Vargová Miroslava , Dvorožňáková Emília
Published: January 2022

Background

Goat milk and products from it are popular with the public in Slovakia. Consumers demand safe food. Therefore, methods to eliminate spoilage bacteria are necessary. This study focuses on susceptibility to lantibiotic bacteriocins of variable staphylococci, which were isolated from raw goat milk. A total of 53 raw goat milk samples collected from 283 goats in the regions of central and eastern Slovakia were analyzed.

Results

In total, 37 strains were identified to use a combination of matrix‐assisted laser desorption ionization time‐of‐flight spectrometry and phenotypization. They were allotted to 14 species, which can be involved in 7 different clusters. Staphylococci showed mostly low‐grade biofilm formation ability; six different strains were high‐grade biofilm‐forming. Staphylococcus xylosus SX 17/1 showed the highest biofilm formation ability value (3.16 ± 1.77). Staphylococci were deoxyribonuclease and mostly hemolysis negative (γ‐hemolysis). They all were susceptible to bacteriocins (inhibition activity up to 204,800 AU/ml).

Conclusions

Variable staphylococcal species were detected in raw goat milk, mostly coagulase‐negative species, involving Staphylococcus arlettae. The species Staphylococcus hominis dominated. However, also the coagulase‐positive species Staphylococcus delphini and Staphylococcus schleiferi were detected. This is the first study involving detailed testing of staphylococci from Slovak raw goat milk and indication of a promising practical tool and prophylaxis using bacteriocins.
Encapsulation of Zanthoxylum bungeanum essential oil to enhance flavor stability and inhibit lipid oxidation of Chinese‐style sausage
Authors: Meng Fan‐Bing , Lei Yu‐Ting , Zhang Qian , Li Yun‐Cheng , Chen Wei‐Jun , Liu Da‐Yu
Published: January 2022

BACKGROUND

Zanthoxylum bungeanum essential oil (ZBEO) is a popular seasoning, commonly used in the food industry. It contains many easily degraded and highly volatile bioactive substances. Control of the stability of the bioactive substances in ZBEO is therefore very important in the food industry.

RESULTS

In this study, microencapsulation was applied to improve ZBEO stability. The key parameters for microcapsule preparation were optimized by the Box–Behnken design method, and the optimum conditions were as follows: ratio of core to wall, 1:8; ratio of hydroxypropyl‐α‐cyclodextrin (HPCD) to soy protein isolate (SPI), 4; total solids content, 12%; and homogenization speed, 12 000 rpm. Antioxidant experiments have indicated that tea polyphenols (TPPs) effectively inhibited hydroxy‐α‐sanshool degradation in ZBEO microcapsules. Application of ZBEO microcapsules in Chinese‐style sausage effectively inhibited lipid oxidation in sausages and protected hydroxy‐α‐sanshool and typical volatiles from volatilization and degradation during sausage storage.

CONCLUSION

The results suggested that ZBEO microencapsulation is an effective strategy for improving the stability of its bioactive components and flavor ingredients during food processing. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.
Molecular mechanism of high‐production tannase of Aspergillus carbonariusNCUF M8 after ARTP mutagenesis: revealed by RNA‐seq and molecular docking
Authors: Dong Xianxian , Wan Yin , Chen Yanru , Wu Xiaojiang , Zhang Yulong , Deng Mengfei , Cai Wenqin , Wu Xiaodan , Fu Guiming
Published: January 2022

BACKGROUND

Tannase is an enzyme produced by microbial fermentation and is widely used in the food industry; however, the molecular mechanism of tannase production by Aspergillus has not yet been studied. This study was conducted to reveal the differences in Aspergillus carbonarius tannase enzymatic characterization, secondary structures and molecular mechanisms after treatment of the strain with atmospheric and room temperature plasma (ARTP).

RESULTS

The results showed that the specific activity of tannase was improved by ARTP treatment, and it showed higher thermostability and tolerance to metal ions and additives. The enzymatic characterization and molecular docking results indicated that tannase had a higher affinity and catalytic rate with tannic acid as a substrate after ARTP treatment. In addition, the docking results indicated that Aspergillus tannases may catalyze tannic acid by forming two hydrogen‐bonding networks with neighboring residues. RNA‐seq analysis indicated that changes in steroid biosynthesis, glutathione metabolism, glycerolipid metabolism, oxidative phosphorylation pathway and mitogen‐activated protein kinase signaling pathways might be crucial reasons for the high production of tannase.

CONCLUSION

ARTP enhanced the yield and properties of A. carbonarius tannase by changing the enzyme structure and cell metabolism. This study provides a theoretical basis for elucidating the molecular mechanism underlying high production of Aspergillus tannases. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.
Detection of soybean oil adulteration in cow ghee (clarified milk fat): an ultrafast study using flash gas chromatography electronic nose coupled with multivariate chemometrics
Authors: Roy Mrinmoy , Doddappa Manoj , Yadav Binod K , Jaganmohan Rangarajan , Sinija Vadakkepulppara RN , Manickam Loganathan , Sarvanan Shanmugasundaram
Published: January 2022

BACKGROUND

Cow ghee is one of the expensive edible fats in the dairy sector. Ghee is often adulterated with low‐priced edible oils, like soybean oil, owing to its high market demand. The existing adulteration detection methods are time‐consuming, requiring sample preparation and expertise in these fields. The possibility of detecting soybean oil adulteration (from 10% to 100%) in pure cow ghee was investigated in this study. The fingerprint information of volatile compounds was collected using a flash gas chromatography electronic nose (FGCEN) instrument. The classification results were studied using the pattern recognition chemometric models principal component analysis (PCA), soft independent modelling of class analogy (SIMCA), and discriminant function analysis (DFA).

RESULTS

The most powerful fingerprint odor of all the samples identified from FGCEN analysis was acetaldehyde (Z)‐4‐heptenal, 2‐propanol, ethyl propanoate, and pentan‐2‐one. The odor analysis investigation was accomplished with an average analysis time of 90 s. A clear differentiation of all the samples with an excellent classification accuracy of more than 99% was achieved with the PCA and DFA chemometric methods. However, the results of the SIMCA model showed that SIMCA could only be used to detect ghee adulteration at higher concentration levels (30% to 100%). The validation study shows good agreement between FGCEN and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry methods.

CONCLUSION

The methodology demonstrated coupled with PCA and DFA methods for adulteration detection in ghee using FGCEN apparatus has been an efficient and convenient technique. This study explored the capability of the FGCEN instrument to tackle the adulteration problems in ghee. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.
Partial and total defoliation during the filling period affected grain industrial and nutraceutical quality in soybean
Authors: Carrera Constanza S , Rosas María B , Gontijo Mandarino José M , Leite Rodrigo Santos , Raspa Francisco , Fava Fernando , Dardanelli Julio , Andrade Fernando
Published: January 2022

BACKGROUND

Little is known about soybean grain chemical composition response to defoliation. The objectives of our study were: (i) to quantify the impact of different levels and timing of defoliation during the filling period on soybean grain yield and grain chemical content and composition, including protein, oil, fatty acids, and isoflavones; and (ii) to establish associations between them and the level and timing of defoliation.

RESULTS

Yield and grain chemical components were reduced by defoliation treatments, these effects being more pronounced as defoliation increased. Mild defoliation (33%) caused small or non‐significant changes in yield, its components, protein, oil, and isoflavone contents and concentrations. However, it affected oil composition, increasing the degree of unsaturation, which became more accentuated as defoliation increased. Moderate defoliation (66%) produced similar relative reductions in protein and oil contents, with small effects in isoflavone content, resulting in a generally greater isoflavone concentration in defatted flour and a greater isoflavone/protein ratio in grain. Total defoliation (100%) produced greater relative reductions in oil and isoflavone contents than in protein content. These resulted in higher protein/oil ratio and protein concentration and lower isoflavone/protein ratio and isoflavone concentration. Analyzed variables were associated with cumulative solar radiation during grain filling; indeed, this parameter successfully captured the effects of defoliation intensity and timing.

CONCLUSION

By exploring different levels and timings of defoliation during the filling period, our study provides novel and important information regarding the impact of light interception decreases on grain chemical components, with special emphasis on nutraceuticals. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.
Investigating particle‐size‐induced changes in composition, physical, rheological, and bioactive properties of black tea powder
Authors: Zhu Hongkai , Chu Feiyang , Liu Jingyuan , Chen Lin , Ye Yang
Published: January 2022

BACKGROUND

People brew tea to drink an infusion that only contains 25% water‐soluble constituents, leading to most of the insoluble materials being wasted. Tea powder could be drunk directly by mixing with water without producing any waste. Tea powder can also be used as a natural additive to improve the flavour and taste in beverages and foods. Much detailed information on the particle properties of tea powder is required with its increasing consumption. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of particle size ranging from median diameter D50 = 4.32 to 26.59 μm on the composition, physical, rheological, and bioactive properties of black tea powder.

RESULTS

The results indicate that large powder sizes had high bulk density and flowability, whereas small powder sizes possessed good swelling ability and wettability. The contents of water extract, total polyphenols, crude fibre, catechins, and thearubigins reduced with a decrease in particle size. To change the particle size and concentration could adjust the elastic modulus and the viscous modulus of the black tea powder suspension. Moreover, black tea powder with small particle size could regulate blood lipids in a hyperlipidaemic rat model by lowering triacylglycerols and elevating high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol, whereas large particles presented an advantage in reducing body weight.

CONCLUSION

Our investigation extended the knowledge of commercial black tea powder in composition, physical, rheological, and bioactive properties. These results lay the foundation for future exploration of the use of tea powder in the food industry. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry
Tuneable N‐Substituted Polyamides with High Biomass Content via Ugi 4 Component Polymerization
Authors: MacKinnon Daniel , Zhao Tieshuai , Becer C. Remzi
Published: January 2022

Ugi 4‐component reaction (Ugi 4CR) is an efficient tool which benefits from high atom efficiency, compatibility with green solvents such as methanol, simple purification, and a water side‐product. By using two bifunctional starting materials for Ugi 4CR, N‐substituted polyamides can be prepared via a step‐growth process. As polyamides play important roles in applications including films, and adhesives, the preparation of N‐substituted functional polyamides from largely sustainable monomers is investigated. Herein, the combination of renewable diamine, diacid, and aldehydes with commercially available isocyanides yield polyamides with tuneable side chain functionalities and ≈80% biomass content. Relatively high yields (up to 96%) are recorded for polymers of moderate molecular weights (Mw up to 8100 g mol−1). The prepared polyamides possess backbones which exhibit excellent thermal stability (Tdeg = 440 ± 10 °C), while functional side chains result in additional lower‐temperature degradations (215–285 °C). Side‐group variation enables shifting of the glass transition temperature (Tg) between 9 and 38 °C and causes variation in hydrophobicity resulting in water contact angles ranging from 47 o to 105 o. This work presents a reliable approach to prepare sustainable polymers with diverse side chain functionalities in a short reaction time and without need for catalysts or complicated purifications.
Parkinson's Disease Medication Prescribing and Administration During Unplanned Hospital Admissions
Authors: Richard Georgia , Redmond Aine , Penugonda Maitreyi , Bradley David
Published: January 2022

Background

Parkinson's disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disease with a lifetime risk of 1% to 3%. Treatment includes supplementation of central dopaminergic neurotransmission with levodopa preparations and dopamine agonists. Misprescribing and delayed administration of these medications on admission to hospital can result in increased morbidity and mortality.

Objective

We aimed to assess the accuracy of time‐critical PD medication prescribing and administration during unplanned hospital admissions.

Methods

Patients admitted during a 15‐month period with PD on time‐critical PD medications were included. Their electronic patient records were compared with the pharmacist medication reconciliation to assess accuracy of admission prescribing. Accuracy of administration was assessed by comparing the time medications were administered to the time they were due. Statistical Package for Social Sciences software was used to perform statistical analysis in this study.

Results

A total of 102 admissions of 70 patients (67% men) were included for analysis. These patients were on 1.6 ± 0.8 time‐critical PD medications before admission, accounting for 4.1 ± 1.8 administrations per day. Time‐critical medications were prescribed correctly on admission in 50% of admissions, with errors in medication timing most common (31.6%). Of all doses, 51.7% were administered >30 minutes late, and 29.7% of doses were administered >1 hour late. Female sex, a higher number of medications, and more frequent administrations were significantly associated with the rate of medication error.

Conclusion

This study demonstrates high rates of inaccurate prescribing and inaccurate administration of time‐sensitive medication in a cohort of patients with PD admitted acutely to hospitals.
Custom Next‐Generation Sequencing Identifies Novel Mutations Expanding the Molecular and clinical spectrum of isolated Hearing Impairment or along with defects of the retina, the thyroid, and the kidneys
Authors: Said Mariem Ben , Ayed Ikhlas Ben , Elloumi Ines , Hasnaoui Mehdi , Souissi Amal , Idriss Nabil , Aloulou Hajer , Chabchoub Imen , Maâlej Bayen , Driss Dorra , Masmoudi Saber
Published: January 2022

Background

In the Tunisian population, the molecular analysis of hearing impairment remains based on conventional approaches, which makes the task laborious and enormously expensive. Exploration of the etiology of Hearing Impairment and the early diagnosis of causal mutations by next‐generation sequencing help significantly alleviate social and economic problems.

Methods

We elaborated a custom SureSelectQXT panel for next‐generation sequencing of the coding sequences of 42 genes involved in isolated hearing impairment or along with defects of the retina, the thyroid, and the kidneys.

Results

We report eight pathogenic variants, four of which are novel in patients with isolated hearing impairment, hearing impairment, and renal tubular acidosis, Usher syndrome and Pendred syndrome. Functional studies using molecular modeling showed the severe impact of the novel missense mutations on the concerned proteins. Basically, we identified mutations in nuclear as well as mitochondrial genes in a Tunisian family with isolated hearing impairment, which explains definitely the phenotype detected since 2006.

Conclusion

Our results expanded the mutation spectrum and genotype‒phenotype correlation of isolated and syndromic hearing loss and also emphasized the importance of combining both targeted next‐generation sequencing and detailed clinical evaluation to elaborate a more accurate diagnosis for hearing impairment and related phenotypes especially in North African populations.
A vehicle‐mounted high power LPDA design for 8‐22 MHz applications
Authors: Zhu Wenjun , Guo Lixin , He Shaolin
Published: January 2022

The design of high‐power vehicle‐mounted log periodic dipole antenna for 8‐22 MHz use was discussed. It is shown that the antenna has a power endurance of 150 kW. With the application of the coefficients variation method, the total size of the proposal was shrunk to 12 × 18 m so that it can be mounted on a vehicle of 10 m long by an elevation tower. The voltage standing wave ratio over the entire frequency band is lower than 2.0 without utilizing any match network.
Registration of ‘White Pearl’ great northern common bean cultivar with upright plant architecture and high yield
Authors: Urrea Carlos A. , Pastor‐Corrales Marcial A. , Valentini Giseli , Xavier Larissa F.S. , Sanchez‐Betancourt Erika
Published: January 2022

Great northern common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) cultivar ‘White Pearl’ (Reg. no. CV‐343, PI 698189) was developed by the dry bean breeding program at the University of Nebraska and released in 2018. It was bred specifically for adaptation to western Nebraska growing conditions and for upright plant architecture, high yield, and enhanced resistance to bean rust, common bacterial blight (CBB), and Bean common mosaic virus (BCMV). Seed yield of White Pearl was comparable and slightly higher than other great northern cultivars in on‐station trials conducted in Nebraska and did not differ significantly in yield from ‘Aries’ and ‘Matterhorn’ in regional trials. Seed size (100‐seed weight) of White Pearl was larger than ‘Marquis’, ‘Orion’, ‘Gemini’, ‘Beryl‐R’, and Aries in trials grown in Nebraska. White Pearl carries the sequence characterized amplified region (SCAR) marker SAP6 linked to a major quantitative trait locus (QTL) for resistance to CBB. White Pearl had a CBB disease rating of 6.0 (intermediate) under field conditions at the Scottsbluff and Mitchell Ag Labs in 2020. White Pearl also has the Ur‐3 gene for resistance to bean rust and carries the SS68 Kompetitive Allele Specific polymerase chain reaction (KASP) and SK14 SCAR markers linked to the Ur‐3 locus. It also contains the single dominant hypersensitive I gene that confers resistance to all non‐necrotic strains of BCMV and the SW13 SCAR marker linked to the I gene. White Pearl has bright white seed, blooms 46 d after planting, and is a midseason bean, maturing 89 d after planting.
Proteomic analysis suggests that monoterpenes in lemongrass disrupt Ca2+ homeostasis in Haemaphysalis longicornis leading to mitochondrial depolarization and cytotoxicity
Authors: Agwunobi Desmond O. , Li Mengxue , Wang Ningmei , Chang Guomin , Zhang Xiaojing , Xue Xiaomin , Yu Zhijun , Wang Hui , Liu Jingze
Published: January 2022

Complex mixtures of bioactive ingredients in plant essential oils present complex chemistries which involve different modes of action. An increasing body of scientific reports has recently focused on the acaricidal activities of plant essential oils attributed to their monoterpene components, but information about their underlying molecular mechanism of action is scarce. Here, after the chemical analysis of lemongrass oil, a proteomic analysis of the ovary, salivary gland, and midgut of Haemaphysalis longicornis exposed to Cymbopogon citratus (lemongrass) essential oil was performed via data‐independent acquisition mass spectrometry (DIA‐MS) technology to further elucidate the molecular mechanisms involved. Pathway analysis reveals the activation of metabolic pathways mediated by oxidoreductases and transferases. Furthermore, the upregulation of various calcium‐associated proteins and the upregulation of cytochrome c1, cytochrome c oxidase polypeptide IV, and programmed cell death protein 6‐like isoform X1 suggest a cytotoxic mode of action via the formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), mitochondrial Ca2+ overload, mitochondrial uncoupling, and depolarization, and ATP depletion leading to either apoptotic or necrotic death. Morphological alterations observed after the RNAi of a major detoxification enzyme (glutathione S‐transferase) merit further investigation. Hence, the cytotoxic mode of action exhibited by C. citratus oil could be vital for the development of eco‐friendly acaricide.
Coarse‐grained approach to amorphous and anisotropic materials in kinetic Monte Carlo thin‐film growth simulations: A case study of TiO2and ZnO by plasma‐enhanced chemical vapor deposition
Authors: Budagosky Jorge , García‐Casas Xabier , Sánchez‐Valencia Juan R. , Barranco Ángel , Borrás Ana
Published: January 2022

The growth of TiO2and ZnO thin films is studied by means of coarse‐grained kinetic Monte Carlo simulations under conditions typically encountered in plasma‐enhanced chemical vapor deposition experiments. The basis of our approach is known to work well to simulate the growth of amorphous materials using cubic grids and is extended here to reproduce not only the morphological characteristics and scaling properties of amorphous TiO2but also the growth of polycrystalline ZnO with a good approximation, including the evolution of the film texture during growth and its dependence on experimental conditions. The results of the simulations have been compared with available experimental data obtained by X‐ray diffraction, analysis of the texture coefficients, atomic force microscopy, and scanning electron microscopy.
Attitudes towards influenza and pneumococcal vaccines in parents of asthmatic children during the COVID‐19 pandemic
Authors: Özer Murat , Başkaya Nevzat , Bostancı İlknur
Published: January 2022

Objective

This study aimed to determine the differences in attitudes and views towards influenza and pneumococcal vaccines in parents of children with asthma during the COVID‐19 pandemic.

Materials and Methods

Asthmatic children in the 6–18 age group who were admitted to the pediatric allergy clinic of our hospital between October 1, 2020 and February 31, 2021 were included in the study. The parents were given a questionnaire asking about their demographics and medical history. Their attitudes and thoughts towards these two vaccines, both before and during the pandemic, and their COVID‐19 stories were questioned.

Results

A total of 78 patients diagnosed with asthma were included in this study. While the rate of influenza vaccination before the pandemic was 29.5%, the rate of those who received or wanted to receive influenza vaccine during the pandemic was 71.8% (p = 0.001). It was observed that the rate of influenza vaccination during the pandemic increased with the regular use of asthma medication, the presence of atopy, and a history of COVID‐19 infection in the family/close environment. In total, 69.2% of the parents stated that their child's pneumococcal vaccination was incomplete or they were unaware of their child's vaccination status.

Conclusion

This study demonstrated that there was an increase in the rate and willingness of parents of asthmatic children to have their children vaccinated against influenza during the COVID‐19 pandemic. As for the pneumococcal vaccine, the majority of the parents did not have enough information or they were unaware of the vaccination status of their children.
Structural investigation on SPI‐6–associated Salmonella typhimuriumVirG‐like stress protein that promotes pathogen survival in macrophages
Authors: Ray Shilpa , Pandey Nishant Kumar , Kushwaha Gajraj Singh , Das Susmita , Ganguly Akshay Kumar , Vashi Nimi , Kumar Dhiraj , Suar Mrutyunjay , Bhavesh Neel Sarovar
Published: January 2022

Enteric microbial pathogenesis, remarkably a complex process, is achieved by virulence factors encoded by genes located within regions of the bacterial genome termed pathogenicity islands. Salmonella pathogenicity islands (SPI) encodes proteins, that are essential virulence determinants for pathogen colonization and virulence. In addition to the well‐characterized SPI‐1 and SPI‐2 proteins, which are required for bacterial invasion and intracellular replication, respectively, SPI‐6 (formerly known as Salmonella enterica centisome 7 island [SCI]) encoding proteins are also known to play pivotal role in Salmonella pathogenesis. However, the underlying molecular mechanism of these proteins remained elusive. To gain molecular insights into SPI‐6–associated proteins, in this study, a SPI‐6 Salmonella typhimurium VirG‐like protein (STV) is characterized using interdisciplinary experimental approaches including X‐ray crystallography, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and infection assays. The high‐resolution crystal structure, determined by the single‐wavelength anomalous dispersion (SAD) method, reveals that STV belongs to the LTxxQ motif family. Solution‐state NMR spectroscopy studies reveal that STV form a dimer involving interconnected helices. Interestingly, functional studies show that STV influence pathogen persistence inside macrophages in vitro at later stages of infection. Altogether, our findings suggest that STV, a member of the LTxxQ stress protein family, modulates bacterial survival mechanism in macrophages through SPI‐1 and SPI‐2 genes, respectively.
Large Elastocaloric Effect in Fe‐Doped Co–Fe–V–Ga Shape Memory Alloys
Authors: Su Jincai , Xuan Haicheng , Wang Libang , Zhu Yongdong , Xie Zhigao , Chen Fenghua , Zhang Kewei , Han Peide
Published: January 2022

Herein, the impact of Fe substitution for Co on martensitic transformation (MT), crystal structure, elastocaloric effect (eCE), and mechanical characteristics in Co51V34Ga15 shape memory alloys (SMAs) is systematically investigated. The temperatures of MT are found to be properly adjusted by varying the Fe content in Co51−xFexV34Ga15 (x = 0, 0.3, and 0.6) alloys, shifting toward the lower values as the Fe concentration increases. Furthermore, alloying with Fe is shown to significantly improve the eCE and superelastic properties of these alloys. Under the uniaxial stress of 600 MPa, the Co50.7Fe0.3V34Ga15 alloy exhibits a significant adiabatic temperature drop of −9.5 K under adiabatic cooling conditions. Moreover, it demonstrates good stability during the cycling test with a stable temperature change of −6.6 K remaining nearly constant after 420 cycles under 500 MPa. Additionally, a maximum compressive strength of approximately 1500 MPa is achieved in the Co50.7Fe0.3V34Ga15 alloy, which makes it the promising candidate for multifunctional materials.
2D Janus Transition Metal Dichalcogenides: Properties and Applications
Authors: Tang Xiao , Kou Liangzhi
Published: January 2022

The successful fabrication of Janus transition metal dichalcogenide (TMD) monolayer has sparked extensive research interests in various fields, such as nanoelectronics, optoelectronics, valleytronics, and catalysis. Janus TMDs can not only inherit the advantages of conventional TMDs but also produce novel properties which are different from their counterparts. The breaking of vertical mirror symmetry can induce a variety of novel properties, such as Rashba spin splitting, vertical piezoelectricity, and long exciton lifetime. Moreover, the intrinsic electric field that originates from the vertical asymmetry can serve as a superior platform for tuning the interlayer coupling when forming van der Waals structures. In this mini review, the recent key research progresses of 2D Janus TMDs, including the fundamental properties and potential applications, are briefly summarized, and the existing challenges are also presented.
Adsorption on Metallic Edges of Transition Metal Dichalcogenides
Authors: Davelou Daphne , Mathioudakis Christos , Remediakis Ioannis N. , Kopidakis Georgios
Published: January 2022

2D semiconducting transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) have attracted interest for optoelectronics, catalysis, and energy applications. Control over TMD electronic and optical properties, which depend on dimensionality and are modified by nanostructuring and adsorbates, is important for the development and deployment of reliable nanoscale devices for such applications. Density functional theory calculation results for the atomic structure, energetics, and electronic structure of the metal edges of 2D (M = Mo, W and X = S, Se) with several coverages of adsorbed hydrogen, oxygen, hydroxyl radicals, and water are presented. Using zigzag nanoribbon models, it is found that compared with the basal planes of MX2, edges are more active and exhibit a rich adsorbent behavior. In general, the thermodynamically stable M‐edges, with two X adatoms, weakly bind hydrogen, oxygen, and water and strongly bind hydroxyl. However, adsorption energies depend on the adsorbate type and coverage and may be tuned for the catalysis of important chemical reactions such as water splitting and hydrogen evolution. The electronic band structure calculations show that, besides bandgap energy modifications and gap states, the well‐established robust metallic character of the edge states is preserved, albeit Fermi‐level shifts that depend both on adsorbates and adsorbents.
A new hybrid copula‐based nonparametric Bayesian model for risk assessments of water inrush
Authors: Sun Jinglai , Wang Fan , Li Zequan , Ren Darui , Yu Mingyuan
Published: January 2022

Bayesian networks (BNs) can be automatically constructed with field data when the data can sufficiently support the objectivity of the model. However, in most risk assessments, field data cannot effectively support learning with BNs. In this paper, a new hybrid method is proposed to construct BNs and estimate the corresponding parameters considering the objectivity of field data and the accessibility of expert knowledge. This method is combined with the ISM‐K2 (interpretive structural model) algorithm, copula theory, and the nonparametric method. First, the ISM is used to identify the relationships among the directly and indirectly related variables (i.e., obtain the parent variable set). Second, based on the parent variable set, the K2 algorithm is used to construct BNs with the search volume reduced from an exponential to a quadratic form. Third, copula theory is introduced to consider several marginal distributions of variables, and a copula parameter is used to replace the multivariate joint cumulative distribution. The Gumbel copula function is first introduced to replace the often‐used normal copula function. Fourth, four types of distributions are utilized to fit the characteristics of the variables as the marginal distribution by using a nonparametric method. Finally, the proposed method was used to construct BNs for water inrush and estimate the risk of water inrush for a tunnel.
Monitoring logistic profiles in phase I using robust cluster‐based method
Authors: Saremian Davood , Noorossana Rassoul , Raissi Sadigh , Soleimani Paria
Published: January 2022

In order to monitor some qualitative characteristics, it is necessary to examine the relationship between a binary response variable and one or more descriptive variables. This relationship is referred to as a logistic profile in the literature of statistical process control. Maximum likelihood estimation (MLE) is a commonly used method to estimate the parameters of logistic regression profiles. If there are outliers in a data set, this estimation method will not perform well in estimating parameters accurately. In this paper, we propose a robust cluster‐based method for monitoring logistic regression profiles in Phase I. We evaluate the performance of the proposed method versus the non‐cluster‐based methods using numerical simulation. The results show that the cluster‐based method improves the performance of control charts for monitoring logistic regression profiles and works well in detecting step shifts and outliers. This method is entirely superior to the non‐cluster‐based methods in estimating the parameters in the presence of outliers; and for medium to large shifts, it shows acceptable performance compared to the robust methods.
Effect of rotavirus genetic diversity on vaccine impact
Authors: Sadiq Asma , Bostan Nazish , Jadoon Khan  , Aziz Aamir
Published: January 2022

Group A rotaviruses (RVAs) are the leading cause of gastroenteritis, causing 0.2 million deaths and several million hospitalisations globally each year. Four rotavirus vaccines (RotarixTM, RotaTeqTM, Rotavac® and ROTASIIL®) have been pre‐qualified by the World Health Organization (WHO), but the two newly pre‐qualified vaccines (Rotavac® and ROTASIIL®) are currently only in use in Palestine and India, respectively. In 2009, WHO strongly proposed that rotavirus vaccines be included in the routine vaccination schedule of all countries around the world. By the end of 2019, a total of 108 countries had administered rotavirus vaccines, and 10 countries have currently been approved by Gavi for the introduction of rotavirus vaccine in the near future. With 39% of global coverage, rotavirus vaccines have had a substantial effect on diarrhoeal morbidity and mortality in different geographical areas, although efficacy appears to be higher in high income settings. Due to the segmented RNA genome, the pattern of RVA genotypes in the human population is evolving through interspecies transmission and/or reassortment events for which the vaccine might be less effective in the future. However, despite the relative increase in some particular genotypes after rotavirus vaccine use, the overall efficacy of rotavirus mass vaccination worldwide has not been affected. Some of the challenges to improve the effect of current rotavirus vaccines can be solved in the future by new rotavirus vaccines and by vaccines currently in progress.
Can Serum Biomarkers Predict the Outcome of Systemic Immunosuppressive Therapy in Adult Atopic Dermatitis Patients?
Authors: Hurault G. , Roekevisch E. , Schram M. E. , Szegedi K. , Kezic S. , Middelkamp-Hup M. A. , Spuls P. I. , Tanaka R. J.
Published: January 2022

Background

Atopic dermatitis (AD or eczema) is a most common chronic skin disease. Designing personalised treatment strategies for AD based on patient stratification is of high clinical relevance, given a considerable variation in the clinical phenotype and responses to treatments among patients. It has been hypothesised that the measurement of biomarkers could help predict therapeutic responses for individual patients.

Objective

We aim to assess whether serum biomarkers can predict the outcome of systemic immunosuppressive therapy in adult AD patients.

Methods

We developed a statistical machine learning model using the data of an already published longitudinal study of 42 patients who received azathioprine or methotrexate for over 24 weeks. The data contained 26 serum cytokines and chemokines measured before the therapy. The model described the dynamic evolution of the latent disease severity and measurement errors to predict AD severity scores (Eczema Area and Severity Index, (o)SCORing of AD and Patient Oriented Eczema Measure) two-weeks ahead. We conducted feature selection to identify the most important biomarkers for the prediction of AD severity scores.

Results

We validated our model in a forward chaining setting and confirmed that it outperformed standard time-series forecasting models. Adding biomarkers did not improve predictive performance.

Conclusions

In this study, biomarkers had a negligible and non-significant effect for predicting the future AD severity scores and the outcome of the systemic therapy.
Symplectic modular symmetry in heterotic string vacua: flavor, CP, and R-symmetries
Authors: Ishiguro Keiya , Kobayashi Tatsuo , Otsuka Hajime
Published: January 2022

Abstract

We examine a common origin of four-dimensional flavor, CP, and U(1)R symmetries in the context of heterotic string theory with standard embedding. We find that flavor and U(1)R symmetries are unified into the Sp(2h + 2, ℂ) modular symmetries of Calabi-Yau threefolds with h being the number of moduli fields. Together with the $$ {\mathbb{Z}}_2^{\mathrm{CP}} $$

ℤ
2
CP

CP symmetry, they are enhanced to GSp(2h + 2, ℂ) ≃ Sp(2h + 2, ℂ) ⋊ $$ {\mathbb{Z}}_2^{\mathrm{CP}} $$

ℤ
2
CP

generalized symplectic modular symmetry. We exemplify the S3, S4, T′, S9 non-Abelian flavor symmetries on explicit toroidal orbifolds with and without resolutions and ℤ2, S4 flavor symmetries on three-parameter examples of Calabi-Yau threefolds. Thus, non-trivial flavor symmetries appear in not only the exact orbifold limit but also a certain class of Calabi-Yau three-folds. These flavor symmetries are further enlarged to non-Abelian discrete groups by the CP symmetry.
Exploring Reggeon bound states in strongly-coupled $$ \mathcal{N} $$ = 4 super Yang-Mills
Authors: Abl Theresa , Sprenger Martin
Published: January 2022

Abstract

The multi-Regge limit of scattering amplitudes in strongly-coupled $$ \mathcal{N} $$
N
= 4 super Yang-Mills is described by the large mass limit of a set of thermodynamic Bethe ansatz (TBA) equations. A non-trivial remainder function arises in this setup in certain kinematical regions due to excitations of the TBA equations which appear during the analytic continuation into these kinematical regions. So far, these analytic continuations were carried out on a case-by-case basis for the six- and seven-gluon remainder function. In this note, we show that the set of possible excitations appearing in any analytic continuation in the multi-Regge limit for any number of particles is rather constrained. In particular, we show that the BFKL eigenvalue of any possible Reggeon bound state is a multiple of the two-Reggeon BFKL eigenvalue appearing in the six-gluon case.
More on the SW-QNM correspondence
Authors: Bianchi Massimo , Consoli Dario , Grillo Alfredo , Morales Josè Francisco
Published: January 2022

Abstract

We exploit the recently proposed correspondence between gravitational perturbations and quantum Seiberg-Witten curves to compute the spectrum of quasi-normal modes of asymptotically flat Kerr Newman black holes and establish detailed gauge/gravity dictionaries for a large class of black holes, D-branes and fuzzballs in diverse dimensions. QNM frequencies obtained from the quantum periods of SU(2) $$ \mathcal{N} $$
N
= 2 SYM with Nf = 3 flavours are compared against numerical results, WKB (eikonal) approximation and geodetic motion showing remarkable agreement. Starting from the master example relating quasi-normal modes of Kerr-Newman black holes in AdS4 to SU(2) gauge theory with Nf = 4, we illustrate the procedure for some simple toy-models that allow analytic solutions. We also argue that the AGT version of the gauge/gravity correspondence may give precious hints as to the physical/geometric origin of the quasi-normal modes/Seiberg-Witten connection and further elucidate interesting properties (such as tidal Love numbers and grey-body factors) that can help discriminating black holes from fuzzballs.
Initial state radiation in the Herwig 7 angular-ordered parton shower
Authors: Bewick Gavin , Ravasio Silvia Ferrario , Richardson Peter , Seymour Michael H.
Published: January 2022

Abstract

We study the simulation of initial-state radiation in angular-ordered parton showers in order to investigate how different interpretations of the ordering variable affect the logarithmic accuracy of such showers. This also enables us to implement a recoil scheme which is consistent between final-state and initial-state radiation. We present optimal values of the strong coupling and intrinsic transverse momentum to be used in each version of the parton shower, tuned using Z0-boson production at the LHC at 7 TeV. With these tuned showers, we perform a phenomenological study of the Drell-Yan process at several centre-of-mass energies.
Non-expanding horizons: multipoles and the symmetry group
Authors: Ashtekar Abhay , Khera Neev , Kolanowski Maciej , Lewandowski Jerzy
Published: January 2022

Abstract

It is well-known that blackhole and cosmological horizons in equilibrium situations are well-modeled by non expanding horizons (NEHs) [1–3]. In the first part of the paper we introduce multipole moments to characterize their geometry, removing the restriction to axisymmetric situations made in the existing literature [4]. We then show that the symmetry group $$ \mathfrak{G} $$
G
of NEHs is a 1-dimensional extension of the BMS group $$ \mathfrak{B} $$
B
. These symmetries are used in a companion paper [5] to define charges and fluxes on NEHs, as well as perturbed NEHs. They have physically attractive properties. Finally, it is generally not appreciated that $$ \mathcal{I} $$
I
±of asymptotically flat space-times are NEHs in the conformally completed space-time. Forthcoming papers will (i) show that $$ \mathcal{I} $$
I
± have a small additional structure that reduces $$ \mathfrak{G} $$
G
to the BMS group $$ \mathfrak{B} $$
B
, and the BMS charges and fluxes can be recovered from the NEH framework; and, (ii) develop gravitational wave tomography for the late stage of compact binary coalescences: reading-off the dynamics of perturbed NEHs in the strong field regime (via evolution of their multipoles), from the waveform at $$ \mathcal{I} $$
I
+.
Development of an automated system for adaptive post-weld treatment and quality inspection of linear welds
Authors: Mikkelstrup Anders F. , Kristiansen Morten , Kristiansen Ewa
Published: January 2022

High-frequency mechanical impact (HFMI) treatment is a well-documented post-weld treatment to improve the fatigue life of welds. Treatment of the weld toe must be performed by a skilled operator due to the curved and inconsistent nature of the weld toe to ensure an acceptable quality. However, the process is characterised by noise and vibrations; hence, manual treatment should be avoided for extended periods of time. This work proposes an automated system for applying robotised 3D scanning to perform post-weld treatment and quality inspection of linear welds. A 3D scan of the weld is applied to locally determine the gradient and curvature across the weld surface to locate the weld toe. Based on the weld toe position, an adaptive robotic treatment trajectory is generated that accurately follows the curvature of the weld toe and adapts tool orientation to the weld profile. The 3D scan is reiterated after the treatment, and the surface gradient and curvature are further applied to extract the quantitative measures of the treatment, such as weld toe radius, indentation depth, and groove deviation and width. The adaptive robotic treatment is compared experimentally to manual and linear robotic treatment. This is done by treating 600-mm weld toe of each treatment type and evaluating the quantitative measures using the developed system. The results showed that the developed system reduced the overall treatment variance by respectively 26.6% and 31.9%. Additionally, a mean weld toe deviation of 0.09 mm was achieved; thus, improving process stability yet minimising human involvement.
Acoustic emissions in directed energy deposition processes
Authors: Hauser Tobias , Reisch Raven T. , Kamps Tobias , Kaplan Alexander F. H. , Volpp Joerg
Published: January 2022

Acoustic emissions in directed energy deposition processes such as wire arc additive manufacturing and directed energy deposition with laser beam/metal are investigated within this work, as many insights about the process can be gained from this. In both processes, experienced operators can hear whether a process is running stable or not. Therefore, different experiments for stable and unstable processes with common process anomalies were carried out, and the acoustic emissions as well as process camera images were captured. Thereby, it was found that stable processes show a consistent mean intensity in the acoustic emissions for both processes. For wire arc additive manufacturing, it was found that by the Mel spectrum, a specific spectrum adapted to human hearing, the occurrence of different process anomalies can be detected. The main acoustic source in wire arc additive manufacturing is the plasma expansion of the arc. The acoustic emissions and the occurring process anomalies are mainly correlating with the size of the arc because that is essentially the ionized volume leading to the air pressure which causes the acoustic emissions. For directed energy deposition with laser beam/metal, it was found that by the Mel spectrum, the occurrence of an unstable process can also be detected. The main acoustic emissions are created by the interaction between the powder and the laser beam because the powder particles create an air pressure through the expansion of the particles from the solid state to the liquid state when these particles are melted. These findings can be used to achieve an in situ quality assurance by an in-process analysis of the acoustic emissions.