bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Bridge or a Wall: Teachers Mediating ICT in the Classroom
Authors: Teidla-Kunitsõn Gertha , Sisask Merike , Põlda Halliki
Published: September 2023

While information and communication technology (ICT) has changed every aspect of our lives and will continue to do so, it is the role of education to prepare students adequately for their future adult lives in the digital age. This places high expectations on teachers. This article aims to provide an understanding of how teachers’ attitudes towards ICT in the classroom are reflected in the regular use of ICT in their daily teaching practices and how teachers describe their role in preparing young people for adult life in the digital age. Data from the DigiGen project are used, which entails in-depth semi-structured interviews with eight general-education (grades 1–12) teachers from Estonia. The results indicate that teachers’ attitudes vary—while some perceive ICT as a natural part of life, others have more moderate or even sceptical attitudes towards ICT use in the classroom. Teachers’ practices in using ICT in the classroom differ greatly, but most are monotonous, putting students in a passive role. Teachers understand their role in preparing young people for adult life in the digital age as important, although this is not reflected in their practices.
Does Gamification Make a Difference in Programming Education? Evaluating FGPE-Supported Learning Outcomes
Authors: Swacha Jakub , Szydłowska Justyna
Published: September 2023

While gamification has been paired with computer programming education on numerous occasions, most of the scientific reports covering the evaluation of its learning outcomes pertain to single-case specialized gamification applications with none or little chance of reuse in other institutions and courses; thus, they offer only limited replicability and comparability of results. In this work, we aim to address this gap by investigating the learning outcomes of a programming course based on the FGPE (Framework for Gamified Programming Education) platform, an open-source, fully configurable gamification platform developed specifically to support teaching and learning computer programming that can be used by any institution to support any programming-related course. This is, to the best of our knowledge, the very first study evaluating the learning outcomes of FGPE-supported programming education. Moreover, we address the question of whether students learning with gamified platforms limited to programming practice can benefit from additionally using non-gamified MOOCs by comparing the results attained in three groups differing in the choice of learning support tools (FGPE and MOOC vs. FGPE only vs. MOOC only).
A BiLSTM–Transformer and 2D CNN Architecture for Emotion Recognition from Speech
Authors: Kim Sera , Lee Seok-Pil
Published: September 2023

The significance of emotion recognition technology is continuing to grow, and research in this field enables artificial intelligence to accurately understand and react to human emotions. This study aims to enhance the efficacy of emotion recognition from speech by using dimensionality reduction algorithms for visualization, effectively outlining emotion-specific audio features. As a model for emotion recognition, we propose a new model architecture that combines the bidirectional long short-term memory (BiLSTM)–Transformer and a 2D convolutional neural network (CNN). The BiLSTM–Transformer processes audio features to capture the sequence of speech patterns, while the 2D CNN handles Mel-Spectrograms to capture the spatial details of audio. To validate the proficiency of the model, the 10-fold cross-validation method is used. The methodology proposed in this study was applied to Emo-DB and RAVDESS, two major emotion recognition from speech databases, and achieved high unweighted accuracy rates of 95.65% and 80.19%, respectively. These results indicate that the use of the proposed transformer-based deep learning model with appropriate feature selection can enhance performance in emotion recognition from speech.
Techno-Economic Assessment of the Viability of Commercial Solar PV System in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria
Authors: Ijeoma Muzan Williams , Chen Hao , Carbajales-Dale Michael , Yakubu Rahimat Oyiza
Published: September 2023

Supermarkets in Port Harcourt (PH) city, Nigeria, predominantly rely on diesel electricity generation due to grid instability, leading to high electricity prices. Although solar photovoltaic (PV) systems have been proposed as an alternative, these supermarkets have yet to adopt them, mainly due to high investment costs and a lack of awareness of the long-term financial and environmental benefits. This paper examines the technical and economic practicality of a PV system for these supermarkets using the PVsyst software and a spreadsheet model. Solar resources showed that PH has a daily average solar radiation and temperature of 4.21 kWh/m2/day and 25.73 °C, respectively. Market Square, the supermarket with the highest peak power demand of 59.8 kW and a 561 kWh/day load profile, was chosen as a case study. A proposed PV system with a power capacity of 232 kW, battery storage capacity of 34,021 Ah, a charge controller size of 100 A/560 V, and an inverter with a power rating of 60 V/75 kW has been designed to meet the load demand. The economic analysis showed a $266,936 life cycle cost, $0.14 per kWh levelized cost of electricity (LCOE), a 4-year simple payback time, and a 20.5% internal rate of return (IRR). The PV system is feasible due to its positive net present value (NPV) of $165,322 and carbon savings of 582 tCO2/year.
Laboratory-Scale Airborne Wind Energy Conversion Emulator Using OPAL-RT Real-Time Simulator
Authors: Kumar Pankaj , Kashyap Yashwant , Castelino Roystan Vijay , Karthikeyan Anabalagan , Sharma K. Manjunatha , Karmakar Debabrata , Kosmopoulos Panagiotis
Published: September 2023

Airborne wind energy systems (AWES) are more efficient than traditional wind turbines because they can capture higher wind speeds at higher altitudes using connected kite generators. Securing a real wind turbine or a site with favorable wind conditions is not always an assured opportunity for conducting research. Hence, the Research and Development of the Laboratory Scale Airborne Wind Energy Conversion System (LAWECS) require a better understanding of airborne wind turbine dynamics and emulation. Therefore, an airborne wind turbine emulation system was designed, implemented, simulated, and experimentally tested with ground data for the real time simulation. The speed and torque of a permanent magnet synchronous motor (PMSM) connected to a kite are regulated to maximize wind energy harvesting. A field-oriented control technique is then used to control the PMSM’s torque, while a three-phase power inverter is utilized to drive the PMSM with PI controllers in a closed loop. The proposed framework was tested, and the emulated airborne wind energy conversion system results were proven experimentally for different wind speeds and generator loads. Further, the LAWECS emulator simulated a 2 kW, 20 kW, and 60 kW designed with a projected kite area of 5, 25, and 70 square meters, respectively. This system was simulated using the Matlab/Simulink software and tested with the experimental data. Furthermore, the evaluation of the proposed framework is validated using a real-time hardware-in-the-loop environment, which uses the FPGA-based OPAL-RT Simulator.
Advances in Vehicle and Powertrain Efficiency of Long-Haul Commercial Vehicles: A Review
Authors: Balazadeh Meresht Navid , Moghadasi Sina , Munshi Sandeep , Shahbakhti Mahdi , McTaggart-Cowan Gordon
Published: September 2023

Mitigating CO2 emissions from long-haul commercial trucking is a major challenge that must be addressed to achieve substantial reductions in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the transportation sector. Extensive recent research and development programs have shown how significant near-term reductions in GHGs from commercial vehicles can be achieved by combining technological advances. This paper reviews progress in technology for engine efficiency improvements, vehicle resistance and drag reductions, and the introduction of hybrid electric powertrains in long-haul trucks. The results of vehicle demonstration projects by major vehicle manufacturers have shown peak brake thermal efficiency of 55% in heavy-duty diesel engines and have demonstrated freight efficiency improvements of 150% relative to a 2009 baseline in North America. These improvements have been achieved by combining multiple incremental improvements in both engine and vehicle technologies. Powertrain electrification through hybridization has been shown to offer some potential reductions in fuel consumption. These potential benefits depend on the vehicle use, the details of the powertrain design, and the duty cycle. To date, most papers have focused on standard drive cycles, leaving a research gap in how hybrid electric powertrains would be designed to minimize fuel consumption over real-world drive cycles, which are essential for a reliable powertrain design. The results of this paper suggest that there is no “one-size-fits-all” solution to reduce the GHGs in long-haul trucking, and a combination of technologies is required to provide an optimum solution for each application.
Advanced Progress of the Geo-Energy Technology in China
Authors: Zhu Chun , Yang Shengqi , Pu Yuanyuan , Sun Lijun , Wang Min , Du Kun
Published: September 2023

Geological energy has a long history in China [...]
Effects of Changes in Physical Properties of Porous Media and Fluid under Supercritical CO2 Huff-n-Puff in Low-Permeability Reservoir
Authors: Qu Guohui , Tian Xuebin , Liu Yikun , Li Bowen , Li Xiunan
Published: September 2023

The low-permeability reservoirs have abundant reserves and broad development prospects, and the supplementary energy methods have gradually become a hot research topic. In addition, the technology of enhanced oil recovery through supercritical CO2 injection is becoming increasingly mature; however, the changes in reservoir properties at the microscopic level still need further investigation. In this study, natural rock cores from low-permeability reservoirs were used to simulate reservoir conditions and conduct supercritical CO2 injection experiments for energy supplementation. The study aimed to investigate the changes in reservoir microstructure, minerals, and crude oil properties before and after the experiments. The research results indicate that after supercritical CO2 injection into the reservoir, it dissolves in the formation water to form carbonic acid. Under the effect of dissolution, the porosity of the low-permeability reservoir increases by 1.06–5.68%, and permeability can be improved by 40–60%. The rock becomes more water-wet and less oil-wet. The content of calcite and feldspar in the rock minerals decreases due to the dissolution of carbonic acid, resulting in a reduction in plagioclase and calcite. After the CO2 injection, the light components (C8–C10) in the crude oil in the rock cores decreased by approximately 14.6%, while the heavy components (C16–C39) increased by 6.99%. The viscosity of the crude oil decreases, and its flowability is further enhanced.
Modeling Multivariate Spray Characteristics with Gaussian Mixture Models
Authors: Wicker Markus , Ates Cihan , Okraschevski Max , Holz Simon , Koch Rainer , Bauer Hans-Jörg
Published: September 2023

With the increasing demand for efficient and accurate numerical simulations of spray combustion in jet engines, the necessity for robust models to enhance the capabilities of spray models has become imperative. Existing approaches often rely on ad hoc determinations or simplifications, resulting in information loss and potentially inaccurate predictions for critical spray characteristics, such as droplet diameters, velocities, and positions, especially under extreme operating conditions or temporal fluctuations. In this study, we introduce a novel approach to modeling multivariate spray characteristics using Gaussian mixture models (GMM). By applying this approach to spray data obtained from numerical simulations of the primary atomization in air-blast atomizers, we demonstrate that GMMs effectively capture the spray characteristics across a wide range of operating conditions. Importantly, our investigation reveals that GMMs can handle complex non-linear dependencies by increasing the number of components, thereby enabling the modeling of more complex spray statistics. This adaptability makes GMMs a versatile tool for accurately representing spray characteristics even under extreme operating conditions. The presented approach holds promise for enhancing the accuracy of spray combustion modeling, offering an improved injection model that accurately captures the underlying droplet distribution. Additionally, GMMs can serve as a foundation for constructing meta models, striking a balance between the efficiency of low-order approaches and the accuracy of high-fidelity simulations.
New Insights into the Application of Lactic Acid Bacterial Strains in Fermentation 2.0
Authors: Lee Bao-Hong , Shih Ming-Kuei , Hou Chih-Yao
Published: September 2023

Lactic acid bacteria and Bacillus species are not only microorganisms that are often used in fermented products and food industries but they are also considered human probiotics because their metabolites are beneficial to organisms [...]
Successful Cryopreservation of Spermatogonia Stem Cells of Neotropical Catfish (Rhamdia quelen) and Enriched Germ Cell Transplantation into Common Carp (Cyprinus carpio) Testes
Authors: Rosa Ivana F. , Martinez Emanuel R. M. , Digmayer Melanie , Doretto Lucas B. , Nóbrega Rafael H.
Published: September 2023

Cryopreservation and transplantation of spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs) offer new possibilities in the conservation of valuable genetic resources. Therefore, the present study developed a cryopreservation method for whole testicular tissue and for spermatogonial stem cells of jundia catfish (Rhamdia quelen) and developed an enriched germ cell transplantation of jundia catfish into depleted common carp (Cyprinus carpio) testes. Our findings from whole testes indicate that the cryoprotectants MeOH (1.3 M), DMSO (1.4 M), and EG (1.4 M) resulted in high cell viability rates of 67%, 62%, and 51.5%, respectively. Notably, in the case of enriched post-thaw SSCs, DMSO exhibited the highest cell viability at 27%, followed by EG at 16% and MeOH at 7%. Additionally, we observed the successful colonization and proliferation of jundia germ cells within the recipient gonads of common carp following transplantation. Notably, Sertoli cells were identified in the recipient gonads, providing support to the stained donor germ cells and indicated the formation of cysts. Our data suggest that cryopreserving entire testicular tissue presents a viable alternative to cryopreserving isolated testicular cells, and the spermatogonial cells isolated from testes of jundia retained transplantability characteristics. Nonetheless, more investigations are required to reach the goal of functional gamete and to assess the effectiveness of transplantation using these cryopreserved tissues. Taken together, proper cryopreservation methodology and transplantation technology could aid the preservation practice of fish genetic resources.
Enhancement of an Air-Cooled Battery Thermal Management System Using Liquid Cooling with CuO and Al2O3 Nanofluids under Steady-State and Transient Conditions
Authors: Soleymani Peyman , Saffarifard Ehsan , Jahanpanah Jalal , Babaie Meisam , Nourian Amir , Mohebbi Rasul , Aakcha Zineb , Ma Yuan
Published: September 2023

Lithium-ion batteries are a crucial part of transportation electrification. Various battery thermal management systems (BTMS) are employed in electric vehicles for safe and optimum battery operation. With the advancement in power demand and battery technology, there is an increasing interest in enhancing BTMS’ performance. Liquid cooling is gaining a lot of attention recently due to its higher heat capacity compared to air. In this study, an air-cooled BTMS is replaced by a liquid cooled with nanoparticles, and the impacts of different nanoparticles and flow chrematistics are modeled. Furthermore, a unique approach that involves transient analysis is employed. The effects of nanofluid in enhancing the thermal performance of lithium-ion batteries are assessed for two types of nanoparticles (CuO and Al2O3) at four different volume concentrations (0.5%, 2%, 3%, and 5%) and three fluid velocities (0.05, 0.075, and 0.1 m/s). To simulate fluid flow behavior and analyze the temperature distribution within the battery pack, a conventional k-ε turbulence model is used. The results indicate that the cooling efficiency of the system can be enhanced by introducing a 5% volume concentration of nanofluids at a lower fluid velocity as compared to pure liquid. Al2O3 and CuO reduce the temperature by 7.89% and 4.73% for the 5% volume concentration, respectively. From transient analysis, it is also found that for 600 s of operation at the highest power, the cell temperature is within the safe range for the selected vehicle with nanofluid cooling. The findings from this study are expected to contribute to improving BTMS by quantifying the benefits of using nanofluids for battery cooling under both steady-state and transient conditions.
The Effects of Mainstream Reynolds Number and Blowing Ratio on Film Cooling of Gas Turbine Vanes
Authors: Sierra-Vargas Germán , Garzón-Alvarado Diego , Duque-Daza Carlos
Published: September 2023

Film cooling performance was evaluated numerically for three mainstream Reynolds numbers and four blowing ratios (BR). A computational model based on finite volume discretization was used to solve an incompressible and transient flow over a NACA 4412 cascade vane. Several passive scalars were included in the model to evaluate the condition of adiabatic temperature and constant temperature for the surface vane. For the adiabatic temperature condition, the film effectiveness mainly depends on the jet trajectory and recirculation zones. For the constant temperature condition, the net heat flux reduction (NHFR) varies according to the boundary layer separation and reattachment. Consequently, misleading conclusions could be drawn if only one of the two approaches is adopted. For instance, the mainstream Reynolds number Re∞ = 3615 reached a maximum average effectiveness lower than 0.3 with an average NHFR of 0.25. However, for Re∞ = 10,845 the maximum average effectiveness was close to 0.45, but with negative average NHFR values. This finding demonstrates the need to explore new indicators like jet trajectory, convective coefficient and skin friction coefficient, as presented in this paper.
Frying Performance of Gallic Acid and/or Methyl Gallate Accompanied by Phosphatidylcholine
Authors: Sadeghi Vahid Ghazaleh , Farhoosh Reza
Published: September 2023

This study shows the possibility of using gallic acid (GA) and/or methyl gallate (MG) accompanied by phosphatidylcholine (PC) instead of tert-butylhydoquinone (TBHQ) for frying purposes. The antioxidants and PC were added in the concentrations of 1.2 mM and 500–2000 mg/kg, respectively. Oxidative stability index (OSI) and the kinetics of change in conjugated dienes (LCD), carbonyls (LCO), and acid value (AV) were used to assess the antioxidative treatments. GA alone and GA/MG (50:50) plus PC at 2000 mg/kg yielded the same OSI as that of TBHQ (18.4 h). The latter was of the highest frying performance in preventing the formation of LCD (rn = 0.0517/h and tT = 10.6 h vs. rn = 0.0976/h and tT = 4.5 h for TBHQ), LCO (rn = 0.0411/h and tT = 12.7 h vs. rn = 0.15/h and tT = 4.3 h for TBHQ), and hydrolytic products (AVm = 37.8 vs. 24.0 for TBHQ); rn: normalized the maximum rate of LCD/LCO accumulation; tT: the time at which the rate of LCD/LCO accumulation is maximized; AVm: quantitative measure of hydrolytic stability.
Evaluation of In Vitro Antimicrobial, Antioxidant, and Anti-Quorum Sensing Activity of Edible Mushroom (Agrocybe aegerita)
Authors: Bains Aarti , Chawla Prince , Inbaraj Baskaran
Published: September 2023

In the present study, ethanol extract obtained from the mycelial culture of Agrocybe aegerita was evaluated for its antioxidant activity as well for its potential to inhibit the virulence factor responsible for quorum-sensing activity and antibiofilm activity of pathogenic Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1 strain. The extract of mushroom at different concentrations showed percentage inhibition in a dose-dependent manner for DPPH and nitric oxide assays with the lowest as 38.56 ± 0.11% and 38.87 ± 0.04% at 50 µg/mL and the highest as 85.63 ± 0.12% and 82.34 ± 0.12% at 200 µg/mL. FTIR analysis confirmed the presence of functional group -OH, O-H bending bonds, C=C stretching, pyranose ring, and H-C-H stretch, confirming the presence of phenol, carotenoid, and ascorbic acid. HPLC analysis revealed that the concentration of gallic acid present in the extract is 27.94 mg/100 g which is significantly (p < 0.05) more than the concentration of rutin (i.e., 7.35 mg/100 g). GC-MS analysis revealed the presence of 5-methyl-1-heptanol, 2-heptadecenal, phthalic acid, butyl hept-4-yl ester, 2-dodecanol, benzoic acid, TMS derivative. The extract showed significantly (p < 0.05) more inhibition of pyocyanin (61.32%) and pyoverdine (54.02%). At higher concentrations of mushroom extract, there was a significant (p < 0.05) reduction (56.32%) in the swarming motility of the test organism. The extract showed 72.35% inhibition in biofilm formation. Therefore, it has been concluded from the present study that mushroom extract, which is rich in phenolic compounds interferes with the virulence factor responsible for quorum sensing, thereby inhibiting biofilm formation, and can be utilized as therapeutic agents against multi-drug resistant pathogenic microorganisms.
Environmental Factors Affecting the Diversity and Composition of Environmental Microorganisms in the Shaoxing Rice Wine Producing Area
Authors: Peng Qi , Zhang Lili , Huang Xiaoli , Wu Jianjiang , Cheng Yujun , Xie Guangfa , Feng Xinxin , Chen Xueping
Published: September 2023

Shaoxing rice wine is a notable exemplar of Chinese rice wine. Its superior quality is strongly correlated with the indigenous natural environment. The results indicated that Firmicutes (75%), Actinobacteria (15%), Proteobacteria (5%), and Bacteroidetes (3%) comprised the prevailing bacterial groups. Among the main bacterial genera, Lactobacillus was the most abundant, accounting for 49.4%, followed by Lactococcus (11.9%), Saccharopolyspora (13.1%), Leuconostoc (4.1%), and Thermoactinomyces (1.1%). The dominant fungal phyla were Ascomycota and Zygomycota. Among the dominant genera, Saccharomyces (59.3%) prevailed as the most abundant, followed by Saccharomycopsis (10.7%), Aspergillus (7.1%), Thermomyces (6.2%), Rhizopus (4.9%), Rhizomucor (2.2%), and Mucor (1.3%). The findings demonstrate that the structure of the bacterial and fungal communities remains stable in the environment, with their diversity strongly influenced by climatic conditions. The continuous fluctuations in environmental factors, such as temperature, air pressure, humidity, rainfall, and light, significantly impact the composition and diversity of microbial populations, particularly the dominant bacterial community.
Chemical Composition and Flavor Characteristics of Cider Fermented with Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Non-Saccharomyces cerevisiae
Authors: Wu Yuzheng , Li Zhigao , Zou Sibo , Dong Liang , Lin Xinping , Chen Yingxi , Zhang Sufang , Ji Chaofan , Liang Huipeng
Published: September 2023

Cider flavor has a very important impact on the quality. Solid-phase microextraction-gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (SPME-GC-MS) combined with gas chromatography–ion mobility spectrometry (GC-IMS) tested different kinds of non-Saccharomyces yeasts and Saccharomyces cerevisiae (S. cerevisiae) co-inoculated for the fermentation of cider to determine differences in aroma material, and the determination of odor activity value (OAV) is applied less frequently in research. Through Rhodotorula mucilaginosa, Debaryomyces hansenii, Zygosaccharomyces bailii, and Kluyveromyces Marxianus, four different strains of non-Saccharomyces yeast fermented cider, and it was found that, in both the chemical composition and flavor of material things, compared with monoculture-fermented cider using S. cerevisiae, all differences were significant. Co-inoculated fermentation significantly improved the flavor and taste of cider. As in the volatile compounds of OVA > 1, octanoic acid (Sc 633.88 μg/L, co-inoculation fermented group 955.49 μg/L) provides vegetable cheese fragrance and decanoic acid, ethyl ester (Sc 683.19 μg/L, co-inoculation fermented group 694.98 μg/L) a creamy fruity fragrance, etc., and the average content increased after co-inoculated fermentation. Phenylethyl alcohol, which can produce a rose scent, was relatively abundant in cider samples and varied greatly among the groups. Moreover, the contents of ethyl lactate and 1-butanol in the Sc+Rm (ciders fermented by S. cerevisiae and R. mucilaginosa) were the highest of all of the cider samples. Different types of non-Saccharomyces yeast produced cider with different flavor characteristics. This study demonstrates that different species of non-Saccharomyces yeast do have an important impact on the characteristics of cider and that co-inoculation with non-Saccharomyces yeast and S. cerevisiae for cider fermentation may be a strategy to improve the flavor of cider.
Assessment of Toxic Pyrrolizidine and Tropane Alkaloids in Herbal Teas and Culinary Herbs Using LC-Q-ToF/MS
Authors: Gumus Zinar Pinar
Published: September 2023

Pyrrolizidine alkaloids are secondary metabolites produced by plants as a defense against insects. These can cause acute or chronic toxicity in humans. Therefore, avoiding potential poisoning from the consumption of tea and culinary plants contaminated with pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs), pyrrolizidine alkaloids N-oxides (PANOs), and tropane alkaloids (TAs) is important for human health and food safety. Therefore, it is important to determine the levels of these substances with reliable and highly accurate methods. In this study, the PAs, PANOs, and TAs in herbal teas and culinary herbs sold in Turkish markets were identified and their levels were determined. Thus, the general profiles of herbal teas and culinary herbs in Turkey were revealed, and the compliance of the total amounts of PA and TA with the regulations was examined. The identification and quantification of 25 PAs and N-oxides and 2 TAs (atropine and scopolamine) in the samples was performed with a liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometer (LC-Q-ToF/MS). At least a few of these substances were detected in all of the tested herbal teas and culinary herbs. The total contents of the black tea, green tea, mixed tea, flavored tea, chamomile tea, sage tea, linden tea, fennel tea, rosehip tea, peppermint, and thyme samples ranged from 4.6 ng g−1 to 1054.5 ng g−1. The results obtained shed light on the importance of analyzing the total dehydro PA, PANO, and TA amounts in plant-based products consumed in diets with sensitive and accurate methods, and they highlight the necessity of performing these analyses routinely in terms of food safety.
Study on the Characteristics of Vacuum-Bagged Fermentation of Apo Pickle and Visualization Array Analysis of the Fermentation Process
Authors: Liu Jiawei , Wang Mengyao , Huang Ying , Sun Hai , Liu Haiying
Published: September 2023

Apo pickle is a fermented food with a long edible history in the Jiangnan region of China. Traditionally, plastic bottles are used as Apo pickle’s fermentation containers, and artificial bottling costs are high. The goal of this study is to compare the fermentation effects of Apo pickle fermented under low pressure in a vacuum bag (VBA) and Apo pickle fermented under normal pressure in plastic bottles (TBA) to determine the feasibility of fermenting Apo pickle in a vacuum bag rather than a plastic bottle, thereby lowering production costs. At the same time, a gas-sensitive colorimetric sensor array (CSA) was developed to distinguish different fermentation stages of Apo pickle. The results revealed that the main genera in the initial and final phases of Apo pickle fermentation were Weissella and Lactobacillus, unaffected by fermentation containers. At the same fermentation time, the abundance of Lactobacillus and the content of flavor substances in VBA were higher, and the fermentation speed of VBA was faster at 0–15 d, so a vacuum bag could be used instead of a plastic bottle. The CSA could discriminate between different fermentation procedures of Apo pickles with an accuracy rate of 93.8%. Its principle is similar to that of an electronic nose. It has the advantages of convenience, rapidity, and no need for professional equipment, so it can be used as a new method to judge the fermentation degree of apo pickle.
Novel Grafted Hydrogel for Iron and Ammonia Removal from Groundwater: A Synthesis and Computational Chemistry Study
Authors: Abd El-Salam H. M. , El Shafey Ali M. , Samadi Abdelouahid , Abdel-Latif Mahmoud K.
Published: September 2023

Current research is moving towards iron and ammonia elimination from groundwater. Here, we are using a poly acrylic–poly acrylamide hydrogel that is grafted with 3-chloroaniline. This copolymer was synthesized by addition polymerization technique. The effects of agitation time, dosage and adsorbent temperature on the removal process sensitivity were investigated. The copolymer was described experientially and theoretically. Isothermal kinetic adsorption models are discussed. This hydrogel could be regenerated efficiently (98.3% removal of iron and 100% removal of ammonia). The density functional theory (DFT) method, using B3LYP/6-311G(d,p), and the LANL2DZ level of the theory were managed to investigate the stationary states of the grafted copolymer and the complexation energy of the hydrogel with the studied cations. DFT has been used to investigate the Natural Bond Orbital (NBO) properties to locate the most negative centers on the hydrogel. The calculated complexation energy showed hydrogel selectivity with regard to the studied cations.
Dermatological Side Effects of Cancer Treatment: Psychosocial Implications—A Systematic Review of the Literature
Authors: Almeida Vera , Pires Daniela , Silva Marta , Teixeira Maribel , Teixeira Ricardo João , Louro André , Dinis Maria Alzira Pimenta , Ferreira Maria , Teixeira Ana
Published: September 2023

Cancer is a leading cause of mortality and morbidity all over the world and the second major cause of death in Portugal. Dermatological side effects resulting from cancer treatment have a psychosocial impact on patients’ lives, such as quality of life (QoL), body image, cognitive fusion and social inhibition. This systematic review aimed to explore and synthesize the psychosocial impact of dermatological side effects of cancer treatment, answering the following research objectives: (i) Do the dermatological side effects of the cancer treatment present any psychosocial impact for the patients? (ii) How does the psychosocial impact of the dermatological toxicities of the cancer treatment manifest in patients’ lives? Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines were followed and guided a systematic search through the PubMed, Cochrane Library and PyscNet databases. The considered studies correlate dermatological side effects of cancer treatments and their psychological/psychosocial outcomes. The studies found were all published in peer-reviewed journals. The results obtained established that cancer treatment causes the most varied skin changes, consequently reducing self-esteem and QoL; disturbing body image; and contributing to cases of stress, depression and anxiety. There is still limited literature that profoundly investigates the experience of living with these skin toxicities. The development of research lines to improve knowledge in this field will allow for significant improvements in healthcare for patients undergoing cancer treatment who need to focus more on the psychosocial implications of skin toxicities. The novelty of this review lies in adding knowledge summarizing the psychosocial implications of dermatological side effects of cancer treatment to support healthcare providers in the development of integrative therapeutic strategies for these patients in their clinical practice.
Parallelogram Excision: An Algorithmic Approach for Excision Designs in High-Tension Skin Areas
Authors: Costa Francesco , Boriani Filippo , Ali Shah Syed Haroon , Srinivasan Jeyaram
Published: September 2023

Introduction: The excision of lesions that are not oriented along the skin tension lines may cause the surgeon to design extremely broad elliptical preoperative markings, with the intent to follow the tension lines as recommended for the best postoperative course and the best quality scars. The aim of this study is to describe and clinically apply a new surgical technique called the parallelogram excision technique, in which the traditional ellipse with a major axis parallel to the tension lines is converted into a parallelogram whose lesser sides are coincident with the local skin tension lines. This technique was specifically conceived for lesions whose major axis is non-coincident with skin tension lines, and the primary advantage is that it reduces the amount of healthy tissue excised. Methods: Preliminarily to this clinical study, a comparative geometrical analysis was conducted between various excision shapes and angles using Geometry Pad version 2.7.10 (Bytes Arithmetic LLC) and verifying the data obtained through AutoCAD 2D 2016 (Autodesk, San Rafael, CA, USA), with the purpose of optimizing the technique from a geometrical point of view. A comparison was performed between the theoretical traditional elliptical excision and the hypothetical parallelogram excision. A pilot proof of concept clinical study was performed to verify the validity of the excisional design proposed. The patients considered for parallelogram excision suffered from skin lesions with a diameter no greater than 4 cm and oriented 45° to 60° with respect to tension lines. In order to limit variability, patients’ ages were between 40 and 80, and the selected areas were limbs, sternum and dorsum. Scar quality was assessed with the validated POSAS method at 6 months post-operation. Results: The geometrical analysis of the parallelogram’s design showed that it allows a diminution of the excised healthy skin compared to the traditional ellipse. The clinical series included 16 patients, with a mean age of 63.5. Of these, nine patients were men and seven were women. Diagnoses included basal cell carcinoma in seven cases, dysplastic naevus in five patients, Bowen’s disease in three individuals, and one case where a wider excision of a malignant melanoma was performed. Six-month follow up results showed: (1) an uneventful postoperative course; (2) good scar healing with an observer’s POSAS median score of 16 and a patient’s POSAS median score of 19; and (3) complete excision of lesions. Conclusions: When indicated, the parallelogram excision technique appears to be a good option for the excision and primary closure of skin lesions that are not parallel to skin tension lines, since it allows a reproducible and surgeon-friendly method of preoperative marking and implies a favorable use of the local tension, which determines good quality scars. The amount of healthy tissue removed is smaller compared to traditional elliptic excisions.
The Effect of One-Year Seed Spaceflight Storage on Yield, Biochemical and Mineral Characteristics of Mature Leafy Vegetables Belonging to Brassicaceae, Apiaceae and Asteraceae Families
Authors: Kharchenko Viktor , Golubkina Nadezhda , Skrypnik Liubov , Murariu Otilia Cristina , Vecchietti Lorenzo , Caruso Gianluca
Published: September 2023

Spaceflight is known to produce genetic changes in seeds, usually accelerating aging, though species and varietal differences have been poorly investigated. Comparisons were carried out in terms of yield, biochemical characteristics and mineral composition between mature plants grown from seeds subjected to a one-year spaceflight, belonging to Brassicaceae (Brassica juncea and Eruca sativa), Apiaceae (Anethus graveolens, and Coriandrum sativum), and Asteraceae (Lactuca sativa, six cultivars) families, and non-treated control. Among the studied species, only Brassica juncea and Eruca sativa demonstrated a growth stimulation effect caused by seed spaceflight, while significant growth inhibition was recorded in Apiaceae plants and three cultivars of Lactuca sativa L. No differences in the total antioxidant activity (AOA), polyphenol and ascorbic acid content were detected between ‘space-treated’ and control plants. On the contrary, significant decrease in proline accumulation and increase in malonic dialdehyde and photosynthetic pigments levels were shown by Brassicaceae species. The effect of long-term seed spaceflight on the mineral composition of mature plants was reflected in the inhibition of accumulation of all 24 elements analyzed in Apiaceae plants, except for Se, whose concentration was higher in all ‘space-treated’ plants compared to the control. Spaceflight seed storage increased V levels in lettuce and decreased Na accumulation in all the investigated species. The results reveal species-dependent changes in the accumulation of macro-, micro- and toxic elements in Apiaceae, Brassicacea, and Asteraceae representatives due to spaceflight seed storage. The detected differences in plant elemental composition between ‘space’ treatment and control partly explain the corresponding yield gap and suggest a relationship between mineral status and adaptability. The highest beneficial effect of spaceflight seed storage on yield was recorded in Eruca sativa cultivar, Rusalochka.
Astrochemically Relevant Radicals and Radical–Molecule Complexes: A New Insight from Matrix Isolation
Authors: Feldman Vladimir I.
Published: September 2023

The reactive open-shell species play a very important role in the radiation-induced molecular evolution occurring in the cold areas of space and presumably leading to the formation of biologically relevant molecules. This review presents an insight into the mechanism of such processes coming from matrix isolation studies with a main focus on the experimental and theoretical studies performed in the author’s laboratory during the past decade. The radicals and radical cations produced from astrochemically relevant molecules were characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy. Small organic radicals containing C, O, and N atoms are considered in view of their possible role in the formation of complex organic molecules (COMs) in space, and a comparison with earlier results is given. In addition, the radical–molecule complexes generated from isolated intermolecular complexes in matrices are discussed in connection with their model significance as the building blocks for COMs formed under the conditions of extremely restricted molecular mobility at cryogenic temperatures.
Isolation and Characterization of Thermus thermophilus Strain ET-1: An Extremely Thermophilic Bacterium with Extracellular Thermostable Proteolytic Activity Isolated from El Tatio Geothermal Field, Antofagasta, Chile
Authors: Valenzuela Bernardita , Solís-Cornejo Francisco , Araya Rubén , Zamorano Pedro
Published: September 2023

The present study describes the isolation of an extremely thermophilic bacterium from El Tatio, a geyser field in the high planes of Northern Chile. The thermophile bacterium named Thermus thermophilus strain ET-1 showed 99% identity with T. thermophilus SGO.5JP 17-16 (GenBank accession No. CP002777) by 16S rDNA gene analysis. Morphologically, the cells were non-sporeforming Gram-negative rods that formed colonies with yellow pigmentation. This strain is able to proliferate between 55 and 80 °C with a pH range of 6–10, presenting an optimum growth rate at 80 °C and pH 8. The bacterium produces an extracellular protease activity. Characterization of this activity in a concentrated enzyme preparation revealed that extracellular protease had an optimal enzymatic activity at 80 °C at pH 10, a high thermostability with a half-life at 80 °C of 10 h, indicating that this enzyme can be classified as an alkaline protease. The proteolytic enzyme exhibits great stability towards chelators, divalent ions, organic solvents, and detergents. The enzyme was inhibited by phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride (PMSF), implying that it was a serine protease. The high thermal and pH stability and the resistance to chelators/detergents suggest that the protease activity from this T. thermophilus. strain could be of interest in biotechnological applications.
Redox Regulation of Salt Tolerance in Eutrema salsugineum by Proteomics
Authors: Li Jiawen , Yang Xiaomin , Liu Fuqing , Liu Xinxin , Zhao Tong , Yan Xiufeng , Pang Qiuying
Published: September 2023

Salt stress severely restricts plant growth and crop production, which is accompanied by accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) that disturb cell redox homeostasis and oxidize redox-sensitive proteins. Eutrema salsugineum, a halophytic species closely related to Arabidopsis, shows a high level of tolerance to salinity and is increasingly used as a model plant in abiotic stress biology. To understand redox modifications and signaling pathways under salt stress, we used tandem mass tag (TMT)-based proteomics to quantify the salt-induced changes in protein redox modifications in E. salsugineum. Salt stress led to increased oxidative modification levels of 159 cysteine sites in 107 proteins, which play roles in carbohydrate and energy metabolism, transport, ROS homeostasis, cellular structure modulation, and folding and assembly. These lists of unknown redox reactive proteins in salt mustard lay the foundation for future research to understand the molecular mechanism of plant salt response. However, glutathione peroxidase (GPX) is one of the most important antioxidant enzymes in plants. Our research indicates that EsGPX may be involved in regulating ROS levels and that plants with overexpressed EsGPX have much improved salt tolerance.
Serum Proteomic Profiles of Patients with High and Low Risk of Endometrial Cancer Recurrence
Authors: Pietkiewicz Dagmara , Zaborowski Mikołaj Piotr , Jaz Kamila , Matuszewska Eliza , Światły-Błaszkiewicz Agata , Kluz Tomasz , Kokot Zenon J. , Nowak-Markwitz Ewa , Matysiak Jan
Published: September 2023

Endometrial cancer is the most common gynecological cancer worldwide. Classifying endometrial cancer into low- or high-risk groups based on the following features is recommended: tumor grade, lymphovascular space invasion, myometrial involvement, and non-endometrioid histology. Despite the recent progress in molecular profiling of endometrial cancer, a substantial group of patients are misclassified based on the current criteria. This study aimed to identify proteins that could be used as biomarkers for the stratification of endometrial cancer patients into low- or high-risk groups. The proteomic analysis of serum samples from endometrial cancer patients was performed using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization–time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS). The data were then analyzed using chemometric algorithms to identify potential biomarkers. Nineteen precursor ions were identified as fragments of eighteen proteins which included (1) connective tissue matrix proteins, (2) cytoskeletal proteins, and (3) innate immune system molecules and stress proteins. These biomarkers could be used to stratify the high- and low-risk patients, thus enabling more precise treatment decisions.
Proteomics Reveals mRNA Regulation and the Action of Annexins in Thyroid Cancer
Authors: Coelho Margarida , Capela João , Anjo Sandra I. , Pacheco João , Fernandes Margarida Sá , Amendoeira Isabel , Jones John G. , Raposo Luís , Manadas Bruno
Published: September 2023

Differentiated thyroid cancer is the most common malignancy of the endocrine system. Although most thyroid nodules are benign, given the high incidence of thyroid nodules in the population, it is important to understand the differences between benign and malignant thyroid cancer and the molecular alterations associated with malignancy to improve detection and signal potential diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic targets. Proteomics analysis of benign and malignant human thyroid tissue largely revealed changes indicating modifications in RNA regulation, a common cancer characteristic. In addition, changes in the immune system and cell membrane/endocytic processes were also suggested to be involved. Annexin A1 was considered a potential malignancy biomarker and, similarly to other annexins, it was found to increase in the malignant group. Furthermore, a bioinformatics approach points to the transcription factor Sp1 as being potentially involved in most of the alterations seen in the malignant thyroid nodules.
Untargeted LC-MS/MS Metabolomics Study of HO-AAVPA and VPA on Breast Cancer Cell Lines
Authors: Estrada-Pérez Alan Rubén , García-Vázquez Juan Benjamín , Mendoza-Figueroa Humberto L. , Rosales-Hernández Martha Cecilia , Fernández-Pomares Cynthia , Correa-Basurto José
Published: September 2023

Breast cancer (BC) is one of the biggest health problems worldwide, characterized by intricate metabolic and biochemical complexities stemming from pronounced variations across dysregulated molecular pathways. If BC is not diagnosed early, complications may lead to death. Thus, the pursuit of novel therapeutic avenues persists, notably focusing on epigenetic pathways such as histone deacetylases (HDACs). The compound N-(2-hydroxyphenyl)-2-propylpentanamide (HO-AAVPA), a derivative of valproic acid (VPA), has emerged as a promising candidate warranting pre-clinical investigation. HO-AAVPA is an HDAC inhibitor with antiproliferative effects on BC, but its molecular mechanism has yet to be deciphered. Furthermore, in the present study, we determined the metabolomic effects of HO-AAVPA and VPA on cells of luminal breast cancer (MCF-7) and triple-negative breast cancer (MDA-MB-231) subtypes. The LC-MS untargeted metabolomic study allowed for the simultaneous measurement of multiple metabolites and pathways, identifying that both compounds affect glycerophospholipid and sphingolipid metabolism in the MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cell lines, suggesting that other biological targets were different from HDACs. In addition, there are different dysregulate metabolites, possibly due to the physicochemical differences between HO-AAVPA and VPA.
The Effect of Maternal Exposure to a Diet High in Fats and Cholesterol on the Placental Function and Phenotype of the Offspring in a Rabbit Model: A Summary Review of About 15 Years of Research
Authors: Rousseau-Ralliard Delphine , Chavatte-Palmer Pascale , Couturier-Tarrade Anne
Published: September 2023

The rates of obesity and being overweight are increasing all around the world, especially among women of childbearing age, in part due to overconsumption of lipids. The aim of this summary review was to present the cellular and molecular effects of a hyperlipidic high-cholesterol (H) diet on the maternal and offspring phenotype at the early embryonic, neonatal, weaning and adult stages while considering the effects of sex and to identify the window(s) of vulnerability linked to this exposure in a rabbit model. Before breeding, the H diet induced dyslipidemia and aortic atherosclerosis lesions and increased the number of atretic follicles. In the offspring, the H diet disrupted the embryonic phenotype and induced fetal hypotrophy associated with sex-specific disturbances of the feto-placental unit. In adulthood, the offspring of the H dams were heavier and hyperphagic and had increased blood pressure associated with disturbed gonadal development in both sexes. Vulnerability windows were explored via embryo transfers. The maternal gestational diet was shown to play a key role in the feto-placental phenotype, and preconception programming was unquestionably also observed. These two periods could represent windows of intervention in the context of obesity or being overweight to limit fetal and placental consequences.