bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Ecosystem Variability along the Estuarine Salinity Gradient: A Case Study of Hooghly River Estuary, West Bengal, India
Authors: Prakash Diwakar , Tiwary Chandra Bhushan , Kumar Ram
Published: January 2023

Hooghly River, a ~460 km long distributary of the Ganga River, passes through a highly industrialized Metropolis-Kolkata in West Bengal, India, and eventually empties into the Bay of Bengal at Gangasagar. To determine the patterns and drivers of planktonic community, spatiotemporal variations in water quality and micronutrient content and planktic prokaryotic and microeukaryotic abundance and diversity across the salinity gradient (0.1 to 24.6 PSU) in the Hooghly River estuary (HRE) were studied. Plankton and water samples were collected at six sites during October 2017, February 2018, and June 2018. The biotic parameters—phytoplankton (Chlorophyll a), total bacterial abundance (cfu), and copepods—were significantly higher in the downstream estuarine sites than in the upstream riparian sites; conversely, rotifer and cladoceran abundances were significantly higher at upstream stations. The most culturable bacterial strains were isolated from the two freshwater sites and one at the confluence (estuarine) and are characterized as Bacillus subtilis, Pseudomonas songnenesis, and Exiguobacterium aurantiacum. Among zooplankton, rotifers (0.09 ± 0.14 ind L−1) and cladocerans (5.4 ± 8.87 ind L−1) were recorded in higher abundance and negatively correlated with bacterial concentrations at upstream stations. On the temporal scale, February samples recorded lower proportions of bacterivorous zooplankton at the three upstream stations. Cluster analysis separated samples on the basis of seasons and water mass movement. The February samples showed distinct spatial characteristics, as three freshwater (FW) stations grouped together and segregated at second 2nd hierarchical level, whereas the three estuarine stations formed a separate cluster at the 50% similarity level. Samples collected in October 2017 and June 2018 exhibited mixed attributes. June samples recorded higher influence of freshwater discharge. The zooplankton abundance showed significant negative correlation with Chl a. Our results demonstrate the relative role of river continuum, land-driven lateral discharge, and seawater intrusion in shaping community structure, which needs to be considered in management and conservation planning of aquatic ecosystems, especially in highly productive and overexploited HRE.
Assessment of Metal Pollution and Its Environmental Impact on Spanish Mediterranean Coastal Ecosystems
Authors: Pachés María , Martínez-Guijarro Remedios , Romero Inmaculada , Aguado Daniel
Published: January 2023

This study evaluated the presence and significance of the concentrations and spatial distribution of seven metals (Cr, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, Cd, Hg, and Pb) along the Spanish Mediterranean coast. The concentrations were determined in surface sediments (taken at a mean depth of 8.6 m) and biota (wild mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialys) and clams (Donax trunculus)). The results show different metal pollution patterns in the sediments of the northern and southern water bodies along 476 km of the Valencia Community coastline. The lithogenic sedimentary concentrations are higher in the northern area. According to the sediment quality guidelines, most of the metal contents along the coast do not constitute a potential risk to aquatic organisms, and only the Hg in the sediments of the two water bodies and the Ni in the sediments of one of the water bodies studied could have low-level effects. Due to their metabolism, mussels’ metal content was always higher than that of clams (taken at the same location) and thus were better indicator organisms of this type of pollution. Despite the low concentrations found, the results show overall sediment and bivalve pollution by metals. Periodic sampling campaigns are recommended to monitor the long-term tendency of these persistent toxic pollutants.
Occurrence of Microplastics in River Water in Southern Thailand
Authors: Pradit Siriporn , Noppradit Prakrit , Sengloyluan Karnda , Suwanno Phudith , Tanrattanakul Varaporn , Sornplang Kittiwara , Nuthammachot Narissara , Jitkaew Preyanuch , Nitiratsuwan Thongchai
Published: January 2023

Microplastic (MP) contamination in the marine environment has received growing attention. In 2022, the surface water of the U-Taphao River was sampled four times, in February, April, June, and August. The surface water samples were taken at seven different locations, ranging from upstream to downstream parts of the river. The results reveal that the number of MPs detected at the U-Taphao River in February, April, June, and August were 0.41 ± 0.08, 0.25 ±0.06, 0.24 ± 0.11, and 0.26 ± 0.06 particles/L, respectively. The MPs in the U-Taphao River each month were not statistically different (p = 0.190). The trend of the number of MPs found declined from upstream to downstream. Fibers were the most commonly found MPs in the U-Taphao River in this study and were found at more than 80% of all stations during all sample collection periods. Our results indicate that MP contamination is present in the river water, but it is noted that slightly different polymer types were found during each collection month. MPs can be transferred through the food chain and potentially to humans. Regular monitoring of MPs in the riverine system is, therefore, important, for which the findings of the present study can be used as a baseline for the number of MPs in the river water in the region.
Species Diversity and Community Structure of Macrobenthos in the Ulleung Basin, East Sea, Republic of Korea
Authors: Kim Sang Lyeol , Kang Su Min , Lee Hyung Gon , Han Gwan Hee , Yu Ok Hwan
Published: January 2023

The Ulleung Basin of the East Sea is a biological hotspot, but studies on the macrobenthos therein are lacking. To evaluate the macrobenthos species diversity and community structure in the Ulleung Basin, we conducted a survey from 2017 to 2021. A total of 262 species of macrobenthos was detected by the survey, and the average habitat density was 243 individuals/m2. The average biomass of macrobenthos was 43.7 g/m2, and the average Shannon and Wiener’s diversity index was 2.3 (0.69–3.61). The dominant species were the polychaetes Terebellides horikoshii, Chaetozone setosa, Scalibregma inflatum, and Aglaophamus sp. and the bivalvia Axinopsida subquadrata. The community structure of macrobenthos differed according to water depth, and a correlation analysis using environmental variables showed that the community was affected by water temperature, salinity, and dissolved oxygen. The macrobenthic fauna in the Ulleung Basin was greatly influenced by water depth, the sedimentary environment was different, and the dominant species were also different. In addition, there was little seasonal change compared to the East Sea coast. Our findings will facilitate further investigation of benthic ecosystems throughout the East Sea.
Ship Dynamic Positioning Output Feedback Control with Position Constraint Considering Thruster System Dynamics
Authors: Mu Dongdong , Feng Yupei , Wang Guofeng , Fan Yunsheng , Zhao Yongsheng , Sun Xiaojie
Published: January 2023

In order to simultaneously address the issues of ship operating area limitation, unknown time-varying disturbances, immeasurable ship speed, unknown dynamics, and input saturation, this paper investigates the position-constrained ship dynamic positioning output feedback control, taking thruster system dynamics into account. Firstly, a barrier Lyapunov function (BLF) is utilized to limit the ship position inside the dynamic positioning system’s acceptable working range and to limit the ship position error. Second, the set total disturbance, which is made up of unknown time-varying disturbances and unknown dynamics and is further handled by the control strategy, is estimated using a fixed-time extended state observer (FDESO). Additionally, the thruster system dynamics equations are incorporated into the controller design process so that the generated thrust signal varies gradually without abrupt fluctuations, in keeping with engineering realities. Furthermore, the thruster input saturation issue is dealt with using a finite-time auxiliary dynamic system. Finally, a robust control term is introduced to handle the errors generated in the controller design. The stability proof section demonstrates that the designed control strategy can cause the ship to arrive and maintain at the desired location and heading, as well as stay continuously inside the designated operating area with all signals of the closed-loop control system being consistently and eventually bounded. The simulation results demonstrate that the proposed system is valid.
Hydrodynamic Analysis of Two Coaxial Moonpool Floaters Using Theoretical Methodologies
Authors: Mavrakos Anargyros S. , Konispoliatis Dimitrios N. , Mavrakos Spyridon A.
Published: January 2023

The present contribution aims at presenting a semi-analytical solution methodology of the linear hydrodynamic diffraction and radiation problems induced by two coaxial moonpool-type floaters subjected to incident waves. The flow field around the floaters is subdivided into ring-shaped fluid regions, in each of which axisymmetric eigenfunction-expansions of the velocity potential are made. The applied theoretical formulation is complemented by numerical-panel methodologies, using pulsating singularities distributed over the floaters’ wetted surface. Extensive numerical results in terms of exciting forces and hydrodynamic coefficients are given by applying frequency-domain techniques. The effect of the water trapped between the solids’ vertical walls on the floaters’ hydrodynamics is investigated and discussed. The presented analysis led to some remarkable trapping phenomena in the enclosed water areas, broadening the resonance-frequency bandwidth of the floaters when compared to a single moonpool body.
The ERAD Pathway Participates in Fungal Growth and Cellulase Secretion in Trichoderma reesei
Authors: Yao Cheng , Yan Mengjie , Li Kehang , Gao Weihao , Li Xihai , Zhang Jiaxin , Liu Hong , Zhong Yaohua
Published: January 2023

Trichoderma reesei is a powerful fungal cell factory for the production of cellulolytic enzymes due to its outstanding protein secretion capacity. Endoplasmic reticulum-associated degradation (ERAD) plays an integral role in protein secretion that responds to secretion pressure and removes misfolded proteins. However, the role of ERAD in fungal growth and endogenous protein secretion, particularly cellulase secretion, remains poorly understood in T. reesei. Here, we investigated the ability of T. reesei to grow under different stresses and to secrete cellulases by disrupting three major genes (hrd1, hrd3 and der1) involved in the critical parts of the ERAD pathway. Under the ER stress induced by high concentrations of DTT, knockout of hrd1, hrd3 and der1 resulted in severely impaired growth, and the mutants Δhrd1 and Δhrd3 exhibited high sensitivity to the cell wall-disturbing agents, CFW and CR. In addition, the absence of either hrd3 or der1 led to the decreased heat tolerance of this fungus. These mutants showed significant differences in the secretion of cellulases compared to the parental strain QM9414. During fermentation, the secretion of endoglucanase in the mutants was essentially consistent with that of the parental strain, while cellobiohydrolase and β-glucosidase were declined. It was further discovered that the transcription levels of the endoglucanase-encoding genes (eg1 and eg2) and the cellobiohydrolase-encoding gene (cbh1) were not remarkedly changed. However, the β-glucosidase-encoding gene (bgl1) was significantly downregulated in the ERAD-deficient mutants, which was presumably due to the activation of a proposed feedback mechanism, repression under secretion stress (RESS). Taken together, our results indicate that a defective ERAD pathway negatively affects fungal growth and cellulase secretion, which provides a novel insight into the cellulase secretion mechanism in T. reesei.
Influence of Malnutrition on Outcome after Hip Fractures in Older Patients
Authors: Millrose Michael , Schmidt Wolfgang , Krickl Julian , Ittermann Till , Ruether Johannes , Bail Hermann-Josef , Gesslein Markus
Published: January 2023

Background: Malnutrition might lead to a worse outcome in hip fractures of older patients. The purpose of this study is to analyze different indicators of malnutrition that lead to worse outcomes. Methods: 252 patients of a geriatric trauma unit were analyzed prospectively. Different demographic, as well as data on the trauma and whether osteoporosis prophylaxis or anticoagulation was present, were recorded. The nutritional status with respect to laboratory parameters as well as nutritional risk score was also analyzed. Results: The main finding of this study is that a poor nutritional status is statistically significantly associated with higher mortality as well as worse independence (p < 0.05). A postoperatively prescribed osteoporosis prophylaxis is protective of mortality and independence (p < 0.05). Conclusions: Malnutrition of geriatric patients increases the risk for death, worse mobility, and independence after hip fractures. Osteoporosis prophylaxis prescribed during an inpatient stay enables patients to retain their independence. The nutritional status of geriatric patients with hip fractures should be obtained and provisions made.
Digital Explosion and Entrepreneurship Education: Impact on Promoting Entrepreneurial Intention for Business Students
Authors: Dabbous Amal , Boustani Nada Mallah
Published: January 2023

This study aims to examine the effect of entrepreneurship education and artificial intelligence (AI) development on entrepreneurial intentions while investigating the mediating role of perceived behavioral control. The proposed model also accounts for individual and contextual socioeconomic factors. This study tries to fill the gap in the entrepreneurship literature, which is still lacking with respect to the impact of new technologies on entrepreneurship intentions and shows conflicting results regarding the influence of entrepreneurship education. Our study surveyed 223 business students in Lebanon. The context of this study is of high importance, particularly since the country is currently facing a deep, multifaced political, economic, and financial crisis, and entrepreneurship might be considered an important channel for generating basic sources of income, steering the recovery process, and increasing Lebanese resilience against this highly unstable economy. The structural equation modeling technique (SEM) was conducted to validate the hypotheses. The results show that perceived behavioral control fully mediates the relations between performance expectancy of AI solutions, entrepreneurship education, and entrepreneurial intention. Risk aversion and social support exert a direct impact on entrepreneurial intentions. The findings highlight the need to account for entrepreneurship education and AI development when analyzing entrepreneurial intentions.
An Evolving Risk Landscape: Insights from a Decade of Surveys of Executives and Risk Professionals
Authors: Beasley Mark , Branson Bruce , Pagach Don
Published: January 2023

We report on the results obtained from ten annual surveys of global business executives on their perceptions of the most significant risks facing their organizations in the ensuing calendar year. These surveys of C-suite executives, directors and other risk professionals elicit their concerns about risks that may affect their organization’s success over the near-term horizon (i.e., the next calendar year). After a decade, we believe these results provide an opportunity to examine how the global risk landscape has evolved. In addition, two additional survey questions allow us to examine how these executives view the overall risk context and how enterprise risk management (ERM) is deployed and augmented in the face of an escalating risk environment. On average, we find that executives view the risk landscape they face as persistently risky over the ten-year period, even during the relatively robust economic environments for much of that time frame. Two industries report much more volatility in their risk environments, with respondents from the Healthcare sector and in Technology, Media and Telecommunications acknowledging the largest volatility. We also observe an increase in entities’ decisions to devote more time and resources to risk management over the ten-year period, suggesting that ERM has become an essential mechanism for organizational success. Our goal is to highlight the realities of constantly changing risk conditions and how context (e.g., industry and time) is an important distinguishing factor that affects an organization’s given risk profile, which is relevant to both executives and academics. Collectively, our findings emphasize the importance of understanding the ever-changing context of an organization’s environment, that risk identification must be an ongoing process, and that there is no “one-size-fits-all” approach to risk governance. We believe all this signals the importance of future research to help organizations respond with robust risk governance.
Risk Management in Practice: A Multiple Case Study Analysis in Italian Municipalities
Authors: Castellini Monia , Riso Vincenzo
Published: January 2023

This paper aims to analyse the ways in which risk management has been embedded in management control systems in Italian municipalities. Through a qualitative method, this study presents multiple case studies from six municipalities with two levels of analysis: content analysis on the information published on the institutional website, and interviews through a questionnaire with open and closed questions addressed to the public managers of the Italian municipalities selected. Moreover, the municipality respondents were classified into medium (two municipalities with over 50,000 inhabitants), medium-high (two municipalities with between 100,000 and 500,000 inhabitants), and high (one municipality with over 500,000 inhabitants). The multiple case studies reported show how there is not a strong level of integration between risk management and the management control system in use. This research is useful to sustain the debate about risk management in the public sector. It should help practitioners and scholars to cover their municipalities’ needs.
The Element of Water in the Built Environment on the Precolonial Kenya Coast
Authors: Baumanova Monika
Published: January 2023

With increasing urbanisation, understanding the variety of historical experience with water in the urban context becomes all the more relevant. Apart from representing an economic and environmental necessity, the physical and sensory access to freshwater is universally understood as socially desirable, pleasing and valued. The history of the East African coast is especially relevant as water scarcity is not a modern phenomenon in the region—in fact, precolonial towns situated on the oceanfront flourished in relatively arid environments too. This paper presents the insights achieved with a 3D scanning survey of the preserved heritage in the now-deserted town of Jumba la Mtwana, located 20 km north of Mombasa, Kenya. Although all of the buildings are partially collapsed, various wells, cisterns and reservoirs have been documented. Considering this archaeological site and other examples of (pre)colonial Swahili towns, this paper adopts multidisciplinary perspectives in analysing and interpreting the distribution of constructed features associated with water, with particular focus on their design, density and spatial context, as well as social and sensory connotations. Its results highlight the socio-spatial role of the element of water in the precolonial built environment, which may be contrasted with later periods and potentially carry broader implications for current urban development.
Integrated Risk Assessment of Agricultural Drought Disasters in the Major Grain-Producing Areas of Jilin Province, China
Authors: Zhang Jiawang , Wang Jianguo , Chen Shengbo , Wang Mingchang , Tang Siqi , Zhao Wutao
Published: January 2023

The impact of global climate change has intensified, and the frequent occurrence of meteorological disasters has posed a serious challenge to crop production. This article conducts an integrated risk assessment of agricultural drought disasters in the main grain-producing areas of Jilin Province using the temperature and precipitation data of the study area from 1955 to 2020, the sown area of crops, historical disaster data, regional remote sensing images, and statistical yearbook data. The agricultural drought integrated risk assessment model was built around four factors: drought hazards, vulnerability of hazard-bearing bodies, sensitivity of disaster-pregnant environments, and stability of disaster mitigation capacity. The results show that the study area has shown a trend of changing from wet to dry and then wet over the past 66 years, with the occasional occurrence of severe drought, and a decreasing trend at a rate of −0.089. (10a)−1 overall. The integrated risk of drought in the study area exhibits regional clustering, and the overall risk level has some relationship spatially with the regional geological tectonic units, with the high-risk level concentrated in the central area of Song Liao Basin and close to the geological structure of Yishu Graben and the low risk level concentrated in the marginal area of Song Liao Basin. Based on the results of the risk factor analysis, integrated risk prevention suggestions for drought in the main grain-producing areas of Jilin Province were put forward from four aspects. Fine identification and evaluation of high-risk areas of agricultural drought can provide a quantitative basis for effective drought resistance activities in relevant areas.
Selenium Nanoparticles Improve Physiological and Phytochemical Properties of Basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) under Drought Stress Conditions
Authors: Asghari Javad , Mahdavikia Hassan , Rezaei-Chiyaneh Esmaeil , Banaei-Asl Farzad , Amani Machiani Mostafa , Harrison Matthew Tom
Published: January 2023

Drought impacts on food security, land degradation and rates of biodiversity loss. Here, we aimed to investigate selenium nanoparticles (Se NPs) influenced plant resilience to drought using the morphological, physiological, and essential oil (EO) quantity and quality of basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) as drought proxies. Treatments included irrigation at 100% field capacity (FC100) as no stress, 80% FC as moderate water stress (FC80) and 60% FC as severe water stress (FC60), together with application of Se NPs at either 0 mg L−1 (control), 50 mg L−1, or 100 mg L−1. The highest (257 g m−2) and lowest (185 g m−2) dry matter yields were achieved in nil-stress and severe-water-stress conditions, respectively. Dry matter yields decreased by 15% and 28% under moderate and severe water stress, respectively. Applying Se NPs enhanced the dry matter yields by 14% and 13% for the 50 and 100 mg L−1 treatments, respectively. The greatest EO content (1.0%) and EO yield (1.9 g m−2) were observed under severe water stress. Applying Se NPs of 50 and 100 mg L−1 enhanced the essential oil content by 33% and 36% and the essential oil yield by 52% and 53%, respectively. We identified 21 constituents in the EO, with primary constituents being methyl chavicol (40%–44%), linalool (38–42%), and 1,8-cineole (5–6%). The greatest methyl chavicol and linalool concentrations were obtained in FC80 with 50 mg L−1 Se NPs. The highest proline (17 µg g−1 fresh weight) and soluble sugar content (6 mg g−1 fresh weight) were obtained under severe water stress (FC60) for the 50 mg L−1 Se NP treatment. Our results demonstrate that low-concentration Se NPs increase plant tolerance and improve the EO quantity and quality of basil under drought stress.
Have Water Conservancy Project Resettlers in Contemporary China Really Been Lifted Out of Poverty? Re-Measurement Based on Relative Poverty and Consumption Poverty
Authors: Shangguan Ziheng , Liu Jianping , Wang Mark Yaolin , Chen Shaojun , Zhang Ruilian
Published: January 2023

Those who have been forced to resettle by water conservancy projects (WCP) have always been a group that is characterised by high poverty and livelihood vulnerability, mainly due to insufficient compensation and the fragmentation of their social networks. In 2020, the Chinese government announced that China had achieved comprehensive poverty alleviation, implying that all WCP-induced resettlers, have been lifted out of poverty. However, China’s current poverty line is based on the minimum subsistence standard, namely the absolute poverty line, which fails to objectively reflect China’s uneven development and individuals’ actual consumption needs. Therefore, in order to comprehensively analyse the poverty status of WCP-induced resettlers in contemporary China, this paper reassessed the poverty status of contemporary WCP-induced resettlers from the perspective of development-based poverty and consumption-based poverty. Based on survey data from over 1000 households who were forced to resettle due to China’s ‘Yangtze River to Huai River Inter-basin Water Diversion’ project, this paper concludes that: (1) China’s current absolute poverty line is outdated for contemporary WCP-induced resettlers, due to the fact they had basically been lifted out of absolute poverty by 2018, and those who remain poor need to be addressed through the bottom line guarantee of local governments; (2) the role of land as a form of basic insurance can alleviate income inequality and mitigate the risk of force majeure. Therefore, those resettled from rural areas have stronger income stability and greater resilience to risks; (3) the poverty status of contemporary WCP-induced resettlers is mainly consumption-based, and it is worse for resettlers from urban areas. Based on these conclusions, we suggest that the government should try to avoid large-scale relocation of WCP-induced resettlers to urban areas, and try to provide more insurances to them, such as providing arable land and sharing the benefits of water conservancy projects with the resettlers.
Safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) Response to Cadmium Stress: Morpho-Physiological Traits and Mineral Concentrations
Authors: Tunçtürk Murat , Rezaee Danesh Younes , Tunçtürk Rüveyde , Oral Erol , Najafi Solmaz , Nohutçu Lütfi , Jalal Arshad , da Silva Oliveira Carlos Eduardo , Filho Marcelo Carvalho Minhoto Teixeira
Published: January 2023

Cadmium is a widely distributed heavy metal in agricultural soils that affects plant growth and productivity. In this context, the current study investigated the effects of different cadmium (Cd) doses (0, 25, 50, 75, and 100 mg L−1 of CdSO4) on the growth and physiological attributes of safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) including plant height (cm), root length (cm), fresh weight (g) of root, stem, and leaves, leaf number, macro and micro-nutrients, Se, and heavy metal (Cd, Cr, and Pb) content. The experiment was carried out in a completely randomized design (CRD) with four replicates. The results showed that Cd stress significantly negatively affected all growth indices, macro- and micro-nutrients, and heavy metal content. In addition, it increased the MDA and APX activities. The highest amounts of Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, Zn, K, Na, Cd, Cr, and Cu were determined in plant roots, while the highest values of Ca and Mg were detected in plant stem tissues. High Cd doses decreased the content of Ca, K, Mg, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, Se, and Zn in safflower plant tissues by 45.47%, 39.33%, 79.28%, 68.21%, 37.06%, 66.67%, 45.62%, 50.38%, 54.37%, 33.33% and 65.87%, respectively, as compared to the control treatments.
Comprehensive Metabolite Profiling of Cinnamon (Cinnamomum zeylanicum) Leaf Oil Using LC-HR/MS, GC/MS, and GC-FID: Determination of Antiglaucoma, Antioxidant, Anticholinergic, and Antidiabetic Profiles
Authors: Mutlu Muzaffer , Bingol Zeynebe , Uc Eda Mehtap , Köksal Ekrem , Goren Ahmet C. , Alwasel Saleh H. , Gulcin İlhami
Published: January 2023

In this study, for the first time, the antioxidant and antidiabetic properties of the essential oil from cinnamon (Cinnamomum zeylanicum) leaves were evaluated and investigated using various bioanalytical methods. In addition, the inhibitory effects of cinnamon oil on carbonic anhydrase II (hCA II), acetylcholinesterase (AChE), and α-amylase, which are associated with various metabolic diseases, were determined. Further, the phenolic contents of the essential oil were determined using LC-HRMS chromatography. Twenty-seven phenolic molecules were detected in cinnamon oil. Moreover, the amount and chemical profile of the essential oils present in cinnamon oil was determined using GC/MS and GC-FID analyses. (E)-cinnamaldehyde (72.98%), benzyl benzoate (4.01%), and trans-Cinnamyl acetate (3.36%) were the most common essential oils in cinnamon leaf oil. The radical scavenging activities of cinnamon oil were investigated using 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazil (DPPH•), 2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonic acid), and (ABTS•+) bioanalytical scavenging methods, which revealed its strong radical scavenging abilities (DPPH•, IC50: 4.78 μg/mL; and ABTS•+, IC50: 5.21 μg/mL). Similarly, the reducing capacities for iron (Fe3+), copper (Cu2+), and Fe3+-2,4,6-tri(2-pyridyl)-S-triazine (TPTZ) were investigated. Cinnamon oil also exhibited highly effective inhibition against hCA II (IC50: 243.24 μg/mL), AChE (IC50: 16.03 μg/mL), and α-amylase (IC50: 7.54μg/mL). This multidisciplinary study will be useful and pave the way for further studies for the determination of antioxidant properties and enzyme inhibition profiles of medically and industrially important plants and their oils.
Fasting Plasma Glucose and Its Relationship to Anthropometric Phenotype in Women Diagnosed with Gestational Diabetes According to IADPSG Criteria
Authors: Krystynik Ondrej , Macakova Dominika , Cibickova Lubica , Karasek David
Published: January 2023

Background: Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is characterized by new-onset hyperglycemia in pregnancy. According to the International Association of Diabetes and Pregnancy Study Groups (IADPSG) recommendations, GDM may be diagnosed based on repeatedly increased fasting glucose levels in the first trimester, or later, the detection of increased fasting glucose and/or increased glucose levels during a 75 g oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT). The study aimed to assess whether differences may be found between women diagnosed with GDM by fasting glucose or glucose challenge tests in early or late pregnancy. Methods: The retrospective observational study enrolled 418 women diagnosed with GDM in accordance with the IADPSG criteria: early pregnancy fasting plasma glucose (FPG) ≥ 5.1 mmol/L; late pregnancy FPG ≥ 5.1 mmol/L (0 min) and/or postprandial plasma glucose (PPG) ≥ 10.0 mmol/L (60 min), PPG ≥ 8.5 mmol/L (120 min) 75 g OGTT. The analyses included anthropometric parameters at the beginning and during pregnancy, laboratory values of glycated hemoglobin, fructosamine, birth weight measures and the presence of neonatal complications. Results: There were significant differences in body weight (78.3 ± 19.1; 74.0 ± 16.7; 67.2 ± 15.7 kg) and body mass index (BMI) (27.9 ± 6.6; 26.4 ± 5.8; 24.4 ± 5.2 kg/m2) in early pregnancy. Differences were also found in gestational weight gain (9.3 ± 6.8 vs. 12.4 ± 6.9 vs. 11.1 ± 4.7 kg) and the need for insulin therapy (14.7%; 7.1%; 4.0%). The study revealed no difference in the presence of neonatal complications but differences in birth weight (3372.2 ± 552.2 vs. 3415.6 ± 529.0 vs. 3199.0 ± 560.5 g). Conclusions: Gestational diabetes, characterized by FPG ≥ 5.1 mmol/L in early pregnancy, is associated with higher body weight and BMI at the beginning of pregnancy as well as with a higher risk for insulin therapy and increased birth weight.
Intrinsic Therapeutic Link between Recuperative Cerebellar Con-Nectivity and Psychiatry Symptom in Schizophrenia Patients with Comorbidity of Metabolic Syndrome
Authors: Zhou Jingyu , Guo Xiao , Liu Xiaoli , Luo Yuling , Chang Xin , He Hui , Duan Mingjun , Li Shicai , Li Qifu , Tan Ying , Yao Gang , Yao Dezhong , Luo Cheng
Published: January 2023

Components of metabolic syndrome might be predictors of the therapeutic outcome of psychiatric symptom in schizophrenia, whereas clinical results are inconsistent and an intrinsic therapeutic link between weaker psychiatric symptoms and emergent metabolic syndrome remains unclear. This study aims to reveal the relationship and illustrate potential mechanism by exploring the alteration of cerebellar functional connectivity (FC) in schizophrenia patients with comorbidity metabolic syndrome. Thirty-six schizophrenia patients with comorbidity of metabolic syndrome (SCZ-MetS), 45 schizophrenia patients without metabolic syndrome (SCZ-nMetS) and 39 healthy controls (HC) were recruited in this study. We constructed FC map of cerebello-cortical circuit and used moderation effect analysis to reveal complicated relationship among FC, psychiatric symptom and metabolic disturbance. Components of metabolic syndrome were significantly correlated with positive symptom score and negative symptom score. Importantly, the dysconnectivity between cognitive module of cerebellum and left middle frontal gyrus in SCZ-nMetS was recuperative increased in SCZ-MetS, and was significantly correlated with general symptom score. Finally, we observed significant moderation effect of body mass index on this correlation. The present findings further supported the potential relationship between emergence of metabolic syndrome and weaker psychiatric symptom, and provided neuroimaging evidence. The mechanism of intrinsic therapeutic link involved functional change of cerebello-cortical circuit.
A Comparison of Low-Temperature Deformation Behavior and Fracture in Low-Carbon Steel Specimens Obtained by Electron Beam Additive Manufacturing and Conventional Casting and Normalization
Authors: Astafurova Elena , Reunova Kseniya , Melnikov Evgenii , Panchenko Marina , Astafurov Sergey , Luchin Andrey , Zagibalova Elena , Kolubaev Evgenii
Published: January 2023

In the present work, the microstructure, phase composition, and temperature dependence of the mechanical properties and fracture micromechanisms of low-carbon steel produced by conventional casting and electron beam additive manufacturing have been studied. Regardless of the manufacturing method, the phase composition of steel consists of ferrite with an insignificant fraction of carbides (pearlite grains in both types of steel and single coarse precipitates in the additively fabricated one). It was shown that the studied steels are characterized by a strong temperature dependence on yield strength and ultimate tensile strength. At T = 77 K, both types of steel are characterized by high strength properties, which decrease with increasing test temperatures up to 300 K. In addition, all deformation curves are characterized by the presence of a yield drop and yield plateau over the entire temperature range under study (77 K–300 K). A decrease in test temperature from 300 K to 77 K leads to a change in the fracture micromechanism of the steels from a dimple fracture to a cleavage one. Despite the similar deformation behavior and strength properties, the additively fabricated steel possesses lower elongation to failure at 77 K due to an insignificant fraction of coarse precipitates, which assists the nucleation of brittle cracks.
One-Step Synthesis of Sulfur-Doped Nanoporous Carbons from Lignin with Ultra-High Surface Area, Sulfur Content and CO2 Adsorption Capacity
Authors: Saha Dipendu , Orkoulas Gerassimos , Bates Dean
Published: January 2023

Lignin is the second-most available biopolymer in nature. In this work, lignin was employed as the carbon precursor for the one-step synthesis of sulfur-doped nanoporous carbons. Sulfur-doped nanoporous carbons have several applications in scientific and technological sectors. In order to synthesize sulfur-doped nanoporous carbons from lignin, sodium thiosulfate was employed as a sulfurizing agent and potassium hydroxide as the activating agent to create porosity. The resultant carbons were characterized by pore textural properties, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The nanoporous carbons possess BET surface areas of 741–3626 m2/g and a total pore volume of 0.5–1.74 cm3/g. The BET surface area of the carbon was one of the highest that was reported for any carbon-based materials. The sulfur contents of the carbons are 1–12.6 at.%, and the key functionalities include S=C, S-C=O, and SOx. The adsorption isotherms of three gases, CO2, CH4, and N2, were measured at 298 K, with pressure up to 1 bar. In all the carbons, the adsorbed amount was highest for CO2, followed by CH4 and N2. The equilibrium uptake capacity for CO2 was as high as ~11 mmol/g at 298 K and 760 torr, which is likely the highest among all the porous carbon-based materials reported so far. Ideally adsorbed solution theory (IAST) was employed to calculate the selectivity for CO2/N2, CO2/CH4, and CH4/N2, and some of the carbons reported a very high selectivity value. The overall results suggest that these carbons can potentially be used for gas separation purposes.
The Effect of Non-Measured Points on the Accuracy of the Surface Topography Assessment of Elements 3D Printed Using Selected Additive Technologies
Authors: Zmarzły Paweł , Kozior Tomasz , Gogolewski Damian
Published: January 2023

The paper presents the results of research aimed at evaluating the surface topography including the analysis of the number of unmeasured points of the samples 3D printed using four additive technologies (i.e., PolyJet Matrix, fused deposition modeling, selective laser sintering, and selective laser melting). The samples were made in three variants of location on the printing platform of 3D printers. Measurements of the samples’ surface topography were carried out using a Talysurf CCI Lite optical profilometer and a Talysurf PGI 1230 contact profilometer. The percentage of non-measured points for each sample and the parameters of the surface topography were determined. Then, the non-measured points were complemented and the topography parameters for the corrected surface were recalculated. In addition, to perform comparative measurements, each surface was measured using a contact profilometer Talysurf PGI 1230. Preliminary results of the research showed that the measurement of the surface topography of the samples made using selective laser sintering technology with the Taysurf CCI optical measuring system is very unreliable, as the number of non-measured points for the analyzed samples was higher than 98%. The highest accuracy of optical measurement was obtained for PJM technology and three variants of location on the printing platform of the 3D printer.
Numerical Simulation of Fatigue Cracking of Diaphragm Notch in Orthotropic Steel Deck Model
Authors: Zeng Yong , He Hongwei , Qu Yu , Sun Xudong , Tan Hongmei , Zhou Jianting
Published: January 2023

Orthotropic steel deck (OSD) are widely used in steel bridges because of their many advantages, but the structures and stresses of OSD are complex and sensitive to fatigue. Based on the model test, the structural fatigue analysis of OSD is carried out by using the extended finite element method (XFEM) to understand and reveal the causes of fatigue detail cracks and the generation and propagation of fatigue cracks at the welding ends of diaphragms, U-ribs, and diaphragms, which are the main structural fatigue details of the deck. The results show that: the fatigue crack at the diaphragm opening is not caused by a single factor, but the horizontal relative displacement is the root-cause of the fatigue crack; the contribution of out-of-plane displacement to the fatigue crack is more significant than that of vertical displacement or in-plane stress, which often leads to the initiation and propagation of the fatigue crack; the crack-propagation direction is perpendicular to the contour of principal stress, and the crack propagates into the plate along the high-stress area in the horizontal direction, which is in accordance with the basic theory of crack propagation. The research methods can provide technical support for the design of similar structures.
Effects of Printing Layer Orientation on the High-Frequency Bending-Fatigue Life and Tensile Strength of Additively Manufactured 17-4 PH Stainless Steel
Authors: Ghadimi Hamed , Jirandehi Arash P. , Nemati Saber , Ding Huan , Garbie Abdelrahman , Raush Jonathan , Zeng Congyuan , Guo Shengmin
Published: January 2023

In this paper, small blocks of 17-4 PH stainless steel were manufactured via extrusion-based bound powder extrusion (BPE)/atomic diffusion additive manufacturing (ADAM) technology in two different orientations. Ultrasonic bending-fatigue and uniaxial tensile tests were carried out on the test specimens prepared from the AM blocks. Specifically, a recently-introduced small-size specimen design is employed to carry out time-efficient fatigue tests. Based on the results of the testing, the stress–life (S-N) curves were created in the very high-cycle fatigue (VHCF) regime. The effects of the printing orientation on the fatigue life and tensile strength were discussed, supported by fractography taken from the specimens’ fracture surfaces. The findings of the tensile test and the fatigue test revealed that vertically-oriented test specimens had lower ductility and a shorter fatigue life than their horizontally-oriented counterparts. The resulting S-N curves were also compared against existing data in the open literature. It is concluded that the large-sized pores (which originated from the extrusion process) along the track boundaries strongly affect the fatigue life and elongation of the AM parts.
Determination of Undercutting Avoidance for Designing the Production Technology of Worm Gear Drives with a Curved Profile
Authors: Balajti Zsuzsa
Published: January 2023

One of the most difficult production geometry tasks arising in the machining process of the elements of a drive pair is to avoid undercuts. It is a serious technological challenge to determine the production of the elements of worm gear drives avoiding the phenomenon undercut, especially in the case of a pair consisting of a curved profile worm and its mating wheel. The technology of forming the tooth surface requires a separate examination in each case, running the simulation procedure of the tool geometry and the movement conditions when forming different teeth. This article proposes a new concept for determining and then avoiding the positions of undercutting by examining the patented worm with a circular arc profile in axial section, due to its extremely advantageous aspect in terms of production technology. The cutting edge of the hob, formed from the substitutional worm, moves on the tooth surface of the worm, and produces the tooth surface of the conjugate wheel. The gear tooth surface has been determined based on the main law of gearing with the lines consisting of the contact points of the conjugated surfaces. The conditions for the disappearance of the common normal or the relative velocity fitting to the common tangent plane of the contacting points are defined in this paper.
Laser Directed Energy Deposition-Based Additive Manufacturing of Fe20Cr5.5AlY from Single Tracks to Bulk Structures: Statistical Analysis, Process Optimization, and Characterization
Authors: Arackal Narayanan Jinoop , Kaji Farzaneh , Zimny Mark , Toyserkani Ehsan
Published: January 2023

Laser directed energy deposition (LDED) can be deployed for depositing high-performance materials for various engineering applications. Alumina-forming steel is a high-performance material that possesses excellent corrosion and oxidation resistance, finding application in the power generation sector. In the present work, LDED using powder feeding (LDED-PF) was used to deposit Fe20Cr5.5AlY alloy using single-track, multi-track, and multi-layer deposition on SS 316L substrate. Response surface methodology (RSM)-based optimization was used to optimize the single-track deposition. The relationship between the track geometry parameters and the build rate with the LDED-PF processing parameters was studied. Further, the nonlinear relationship among the major process parameters was developed and an analysis of variance (ANOVA) was utilized to find significant parameters. The multi-track deposition yielded densely clad layers with a columnar grain structure. The presence of complex oxide slag of Y, Al, and Zr on the clad layer was detected. A micro-hardness of 240–285 HV was observed in the clad layer, with a hardness of 1088–1276 HV at the slag layer. The multi-layered structures showed a relative density of 99.7% with columnar growth and an average microhardness of 242 HV. The study paves the way for the deposition of dense alumina-forming steel structures for building components for power generation applications.
Study of Defect-Induced Chemical Modifications in Spinel Zinc-Ferrites Nanostructures by In-Depth XPS Investigation
Authors: Kumar Promod , Mathpal Mohan Chandra , Inwati Gajendra Kumar , Kumar Sanjay , Duvenhage Mart-Mari , Roos Wiets Daniel , Swart Hendrik C.
Published: January 2023

Spinel zinc ferrite nanomaterials with exceptional physiochemical properties are potential candidates for various applications in the energy and environmental fields. Their properties can be tailored using several methods to widen their applications. The chemical combustion approach was followed to prepare the spinel zinc ferrite nanomaterials, which were then subjected to thermal treatment at a fixed temperature. Thermal heat treatment at a fixed temperature was used to evaluate the phase and morphological characteristics of the prepared spinel zinc−ferrite nanocomposites. Various techniques were employed to examine the samples, including X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Raman spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). XPS and X-ray−induced Auger electron spectroscopy were used to extensively examine the surface characteristics of the zinc−ferrite. To study the actual chemical states of the synthesized spinel zinc ferrite nanomaterials and the defects created during the thermal treatment, an extensive investigation of the kinetic energy of the X-ray−induced Zn L3M45M45 and Fe L3M45M45 was conducted. Finally, a detailed analysis of the Wagner plot using the modified Auger parameter was performed to verify the exact chemical states of Zn and Fe. Thus, the findings of the investigation show that XPS is a promising and powerful technique to study the composition and chemical states of spinel zinc ferrites, providing an understanding of changes in their properties for functional applications.
Geometry of Tangent Poisson–Lie Groups
Authors: Al-Dayel Ibrahim , Aloui Foued , Deshmukh Sharief
Published: January 2023

Let G be a Poisson–Lie group equipped with a left invariant contravariant pseudo-Riemannian metric. There are many ways to lift the Poisson structure on G to the tangent bundle TG of G. In this paper, we induce a left invariant contravariant pseudo-Riemannian metric on the tangent bundle TG, and we express in different cases the contravariant Levi-Civita connection and curvature of TG in terms of the contravariant Levi-Civita connection and the curvature of G. We prove that the space of differential forms Ω*(G) on G is a differential graded Poisson algebra if, and only if, Ω*(TG) is a differential graded Poisson algebra. Moreover, we show that G is a pseudo-Riemannian Poisson–Lie group if, and only if, the Sanchez de Alvarez tangent Poisson–Lie group TG is also a pseudo-Riemannian Poisson–Lie group. Finally, some examples of pseudo-Riemannian tangent Poisson–Lie groups are given.