bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Parameter Identification of the Nonlinear Piezoelectric Shear d15 Coefficient of a Smart Composite Actuator
Authors: Berik Pelin , Bishay Peter L.
Published: July 2021

The objective of this work is to characterize the nonlinear dependence of the piezoelectric d15 shear coefficient of a composite actuator on the static electric field and include this effect in finite element (FE) simulations. The Levenberg-Marquardt nonlinear least squares optimization algorithm implemented in MATLAB was applied to acquire the piezoelectric shear coefficient parameters. The nonlinear piezoelectric d15 shear constant of the composite actuator integrated with piezoceramic d15 patches was obtained to be 732 pC/N at 198 V. The experimental benchmark was simulated using a three-dimensional piezoelectric FE model by taking piezoelectric nonlinearity into consideration. The results revealed that the piezoelectric shear d15 coefficient increased nonlinearly under static applied electric fields over 0.5 kV/cm. A comparison between the generated transverse deflections of the linear and nonlinear FE models was also performed.
A Simplified Finite Element Model of Riveted Joints for Structural Analyses with Consideration of Nonlinear Load-Transfer Characteristics
Authors: Kondo Atsushi , Kasahara Toshiyuki , Kanda Atsushi
Published: July 2021

A simplified finite element model of riveted joints for structural analyses which effectively incorporates nonlinear response of riveted joints is proposed. Load-transfer characteristics of riveted joints were experimentally and numerically studied. First, a detailed finite element analysis for the process of a tensile test of a single-row joint which consists of squeezing of the rivet and tensile loading to the joint was conducted to confirm the validity of a conventional method of analysis. The load–relative displacement behaviors of single-row joints observed in the detailed finite element analysis and previously conducted experiments agreed well. Then, a simplified method of the analysis was developed based on the detailed analysis and the experiments and was applied to analyses of multiple-row joints. A nonlinear relationship between load and relative displacement in the simplified analyses had good agreement with the detailed one. Distributed loads to the multiple rivets in the simplified analysis coincided with those of the detailed analysis under the maximum load. Memory and CPU time required to run the simplified analyses were reduced to about 1/4 and 1/6 compared to those of the detailed analysis, respectively.
A Facile and Modified Scheme for Synchronization and Isolation of Nematode Eggs
Authors: Rajasekharan Satish Kumar , Raorane Chaitany Jayprakash , Lee Jintae
Published: July 2021

Nematodes are common pests that damage agricultural crop plants. Some of them are beneficial while others are parasitic and harmful to plants, animals and humans. Several in vitro studies have aimed to develop chemicals to kill parasitic nematodes, while others have been conducted to use beneficial nematodes as biocontrol agents. However, the preparation of large quantities of nematode eggs in a laboratory setting is challenging. Traditional egg isolation protocols involve the use of sieves to filter eggs or the use of chemicals that can be harmful to nematodes while isolating the eggs. Our method utilizes 1.5 × 1.5 cm sized chunks of bacterial or fungal feed to lure nematodes. A subsequent gentle washing of the consumed chunk with distilled water provides a rapid and straightforward method of collecting eggs in 6-well polystyrene plates and removing unwanted nematodes. Approximately 4000 Bursaphelenchus xylophilus eggs from a fungal chunk and 2400 Caenorhabditis elegans eggs from a bacterial chunk were obtained when tested. This study shows a protocol for the isolation of eggs and synchronization of nematode stages that is relatively straightforward, rapid, eco-friendly, and efficient. The protocol also provides a chemical-free and a reliable, simple means of separating eggs from adults and induces the synchronization of nematodes based on the simple concept that gravid nematodes can be provoked to lay eggs by providing additional feed.
Design and Experiment of the Automatic Laying System for Rice Seedling Tray
Authors: Zhou Qiaojun , Xia Xudong , Wang Jian , Zhou Yun , Chen Jianneng
Published: July 2021

In the process of raising rice seedlings, it is necessary to manually place the seedling trays one by one in the seedling field, which is labor intensive and low in efficiency. In order to solve this problem, according to the actual conditions of the rice seedling field, this paper designs and develops an automatic rice tray laying system, which consists of a gantry truss moving unit, a tray laying trolley unit, a tray laying mechanism unit and a sensor control unit. Through the movement and timing coordination of the cams in the laying mechanism unit, four actions of holding, clamping, laying and restoring are designed to realize the orderly and automatic laying of the stacked seedling trays one by one. In order to meet the agronomic requirements of the horizontal and vertical spacing of seeding trays, especially the efficiency of rice tray laying, the control strategies of the key parts of the system were simulated, selected and optimized. For the longitudinal movement of the gantry truss, the cross-coupling control strategy is adopted to realize the detection and compensation correction of the synchronous position error of the two driving motors. As for the drive motor of the laying trolley and the laying mechanism, the optimized master-slave follow-up control method is adopted to improve the efficiency and accuracy. The results of simulation and field experiment show that when the tray trolley moves on the gantry truss at the speed of 7.5 cm/s, the gantry truss moves at the speed of 35 cm/s in the longitudinal direction, and when the height of the tray laying mechanism is 100 mm from the ground and the motor speed is 375 rpm, the horizontal spacing of the tray can be maintained at 25 ± 5 mm and the vertical spacing at 15 ± 5 mm. The efficiency of tray laying can be increased by 35.7%, up to 380 trays/h, meeting the technical requirements of mechanized field tray laying.
Factors Affecting Tolerance to Low Night Temperature Differ by Fruit Types in Tomato
Authors: Yang Eun-Young , Rajametov Sherzod Nigmatullayevich , Cho Myeong-Cheoul , Jeong Hyo-Bong , Chae Won-Byoung
Published: July 2021

Tolerance to low night temperature (LNT) can be a practical and economical target in tomato breeding programs for energy saving in greenhouses. This study was conducted to investigate the physiological and biochemical responses to LNT using four tomato accessions with cherry or large fruit types having LNT tolerance or sensitivity. The accessions were grown in two polyethylene film greenhouses with night temperature set-points of 10 and 15 °C for heating. LNT significantly reduced the plant height, and photosynthetic parameters were also lower in 10 than 15 °C among all accessions. Photosynthetic rate in 10 °C during the early growth period was reduced more in LNT-tolerant than -sensitive accessions. The numbers of flowers in 10 °C were significantly reduced in cherry but not in large fruit types. Fruit set in 10 °C significantly decreased in LNT-sensitive accessions of both fruit types, which was due to abnormal flower morphology. Proline accumulation patterns between 10 and 15 °C significantly differed between cherry and large fruit types as well as between LNT-tolerant and -sensitive accessions. Chlorophyll content at later growth stages in 10 °C was significantly higher in LNT-tolerant than -sensitive accessions in both fruit types. These results suggest that different tomato fruit types may have different mechanisms for LNT tolerance, possibly due to different proline accumulation patterns between cherry and large fruit types.
Characterization and Antimicrobial Properties of Essential Oils from Four Wild Taxa of Lamiaceae Family Growing in Apulia
Authors: Valerio Francesca , Mezzapesa Giuseppe N. , Ghannouchi Ahmed , Mondelli Donato , Logrieco Antonio F. , Perrino Enrico V.
Published: July 2021

Four taxa of the Lamiaceae family growing in Apulia (Clinopodium suaveolens, Satureja montana subsp. montana, Thymbra capitata, and Salvia fruticosa subsp. thomasii) that had not been previously studied for their potential use in the food sector, were analyzed for their essential oils (EOs) composition and antioxidant and antimicrobial properties against some microorganisms, isolated from bread and bakery products, including molds (Aspergillus niger, Penicillium roqueforti) and spore-forming bacteria (Bacillus amyloliquefaciens and Bacillus subtilis). Two different sites were considered for each plant species, and the strongest antimicrobial EOs, which were active against all of the microorganisms tested, were those from one S. montana subsp. montana sample (Sm2) and both T. capitata EOs (Tc1 and Tc2) with Minimal Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) values ranging between 0.093% and 0.375% (v/v) against molds, while higher values were registered for bacteria (0.75–1%). In particular, the biological activity of EOs from T. capitata and S. montana subsp. montana was maybe due to the high amount of thymol and carvacrol, which were also responsible for the highest antioxidant activity. S. fruticosa subsp. thomasii EOs had different chemical profiles but showed only a slight antibacterial effect and no antifungal activity. C. suaveolens showed no significant changes between EOs with an interesting antifungal activity (MIC 0.093%÷0.187% v/v), which may be due to the presence of pulegone. These plant species can be considered as promising sources of bioactive compounds to be exploited as biopreservatives in bread and bakery products mainly considering the low concentration needed to inhibit microorganism’s growth.
Assessment of Weed Classification Using Hyperspectral Reflectance and Optimal Multispectral UAV Imagery
Authors: Che’Ya Nik Norasma , Dunwoody Ernest , Gupta Madan
Published: July 2021

Weeds compete with crops and are hard to differentiate and identify due to their similarities in color, shape, and size. In this study, the weed species present in sorghum (sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) fields, such as amaranth (Amaranthus macrocarpus), pigweed (Portulaca oleracea), mallow weed (Malva sp.), nutgrass (Cyperus rotundus), liver seed grass (Urochoa panicoides), and Bellive (Ipomea plebeian), were discriminated using hyperspectral data and were detected and analyzed using multispectral images. Discriminant analysis (DA) was used to identify the most significant spectral bands in order to discriminate weeds from sorghum using hyperspectral data. The results demonstrated good separation accuracy for Amaranthus macrocarpus, Urochoa panicoides, Malva sp., Cyperus rotundus, and Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench at 440, 560, 680, 710, 720, and 850 nm. Later, the multispectral images of these six bands were collected to detect weeds in the sorghum crop fields using object-based image analysis (OBIA). The results showed that the differences between sorghum and weed species were detectable using the six selected bands, with data collected using an unmanned aerial vehicle. Here, the highest spatial resolution had the highest accuracy for weed detection. It was concluded that each weed was successfully discriminated using hyperspectral data and was detectable using multispectral data with higher spatial resolution.
Blood Parameters and Feline Tooth Resorption: A Retrospective Case Control Study from a Spanish University Hospital
Authors: Whyte Ana , Tejedor María Teresa , Whyte Jaime , Monteagudo Luis Vicente , Bonastre Cristina
Published: July 2021

Tooth resorption (TR; progressive destruction of hard dental tissues) varies in prevalence according to population, age, and country (29–66.1%). Our objective was twofold: describing the TR clinical presentation in Northeastern Spain, and studying 34 blood parameters to ascertain potential systemic effects associated with TR. Cases (29; presented from September 2018 to May 2019) and controls (58) were considered. Non-parametric tests were carried out to compare cases and controls for each blood parameter; those showing significant differences were chosen for multiple regression analysis (binomial logistic and hierarchical multiple regressions). In case TR was detected in 130/870 teeth (14.9%), TR stage and type were correlated (p < 0.001). Increasing CREA values (p = 0.034) and decreasing BUN/CREA and ALB/GLOB values were associated with TR presence (p = 0.029 and p = 0.03, respectively). Increasing GLOB was associated with increasing severity of TR (p < 0.01). Type 1 TR (highly related to inflammation and periodontal disease PD) was the most frequently observed type; the association of TR and inflammation biomarkers (ALB/GLOB, GLOB) are explained by this fact. The concomitant presence of PD and TR in old cats would cause TR association with kidney damage biomarkers (CREA, BUN/CREA). When affected by TR, special care in these aspects must be provided to cats.
Effect of Nanosilica and Bentonite as Mycotoxins Adsorbent Agent in Broiler Chickens’ Diet on Growth Performance and Hepatic Histopathology
Authors: Ghazalah Abdallah A. , Abd-Elsamee Mamduh O. , Moustafa Kout Elkloub M. E. , Khattab Mohamed Abdelrazik , Rehan Abd-Elrahim A. A.
Published: July 2021

Mycotoxins are toxic secondary metabolites produced by different strains of fungi, such as aspergillus, fusarium, and penicillium that can contaminate feed ingredients or the entire feed of poultry and animals. Mycotoxins can cause many serious complications to both humans and animals due to carcinogenic, mutagenic, and immunosuppressive disorders. Therefore, the present experiment aims to investigate the effect of broiler chickens’ diets supplemented with different levels of nanosilica (NS) as an adsorbent agent of mycotoxins on their growth performance and hepatic histopathology. Detectable levels of toxins were present in the feed before feeding, and all levels of mycotoxins were above the normal limit. A total of 180 one-day-old male Arbor Acres broiler chickens were allocated randomly to six treatment groups with three replicates per group, including ten chickens per replicate. The experiment lasted for five weeks, and dietary treatments included control diet and diets with four levels of nanosilica as 0.05%, 0.10%, 0.15%, and 0.20% as well as 0.50% bentonite (fixfin® Dry) diet. Bodyweight, body weight gain, average daily feed intake, and feed conversion ratio were measured weekly. At the end of the fifth week, six chickens per treatment were sacrificed to investigate the effects of NS and bentonite on carcass characteristics and hepatic histopathology. The results showed that providing broiler chickens’ diets with an adsorbent agent, such as NS or bentonite, can reduce the side effects of mycotoxins and enhance their growth performance. The best record was achieved with NS at 0.20%, compared with the control group and other dietary treatment groups. Accordingly, 0.20% of NS could be used in broiler chickens’ diets to minimize the harmful effects of mycotoxins.
Annual Nitrogen Balance from Dairy Barns, Comparison between Cubicle and Compost-Bedded Pack Housing Systems in the Northeast of Spain
Authors: Fuertes Esperanza , Seradj Ahmad Reza , Maynegre Santaularia Jordi , Villalba Mata Daniel , de la Fuente Oliver Gabriel , Balcells Teres Joaquim
Published: July 2021

The aim of this study was to determine N recovery and irreversible losses (i.e., through NH3-N volatilization) from manure in two different housing systems throughout a year using an N mass balance approach. Dietary, milk, and manure N were monitored together with outside temperatures in six dairy barns during six months, comprising two different seasons. Three barns were designed as conventional free stalls (cubicle, CUB) and the other three barns as compost-bedded packs (CB). All the barns were located in the Ebro’s valley, in the northeast of Spain. Mass N balance was performed simultaneously in the six barns, during two three-month periods (Season I and II) and sampling at a 15-day interval. Results of ANOVA analysis showed that annual N retained in manure (kg/head per year) from cows housed in CUB barns was significantly higher than in manure from cows housed in CB (133.5 vs. 70.9, p < 0.001), while the opposite was observed for N losses (26.9 vs. 84.8, for CUB and CB barn, respectively; p < 0.005). The annual mean proportion of irreversible N loss from manure in relation to N intake was much lower in barns using conventional free-stall cubicles than the mean ratio registered in bedded pack systems barns.
Efficiency of Antimicrobial Photodynamic Therapy with Photodithazine® on MSSA and MRSA Strains
Authors: Souza Beatriz Müller Nunes , Pinto Juliana Guerra , Pereira André Henrique Correia , Miñán Alejandro Guillermo , Ferreira-Strixino Juliana
Published: July 2021

Staphylococccus aureus is a ubiquitous and opportunistic bacteria associated with high mortality rates. Antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (aPDT) is based on the application of a light source and a photosensitizer that can interact with molecular oxygen, forming Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) that result in bacterial inactivation. This study aimed to analyze, in vitro, the action of aPDT with Photodithazine® (PDZ) in methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strains. The strains were incubated with PDZ at 25, 50, 75, and 100 mg/L for 15 min and irradiated with fluences of 25, 50, and 100 J/cm2. The internalization of PDZ was evaluated by confocal microscopy, the bacterial growth by counting the number of colony-forming units, as well as the bacterial metabolic activity post-aPDT and the production of ROS. In both strains, the photosensitizer was internalized; the production of ROS increased when the aPDT was applied; there was a bacterial reduction compared to the control at all the evaluated fluences and concentrations; and, in most parameters, it was obtained complete inactivation with significant difference (p < 0.05). The implementation of aPDT with PDZ in clinical strains of S. aureus has resulted in its complete inactivation, including the MRSA strains.
Antibacterial Peptides Produced by Alcalase from Cowpea Seed Proteins
Authors: Osman Ali , Enan Gamal , Al-Mohammadi Abdul-Raouf , Abdel-Shafi Seham , Abdel-Hameid Samar , Sitohy Mahmoud Z. , El-Gazzar Nashwa
Published: July 2021

Cowpea seed protein hydrolysates (CPH) were output from cowpea seeds applying alcalase® from Bacillus licheniformis. CPH with an elevated level of hydrolysis was fractionated by size exclusion chromatography (SEC). Both CPH and SEC-portions showed to contain antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) as they inhibited both Gram-positive bacteria, such as Listeria monocytogenes LMG10470 (L. monocytogenes), Listeria innocua. LMG11387 (L. innocua), Staphylococcus aureus ATCC25923 (S.aureus), and Streptococcus pyogenes ATCC19615 (St.pyogenes), and Gram-negative bacteria, such as Klebsiella pnemoniae ATCC43816 (K. pnemoniae), Pseudomonas aeroginosa ATCC26853 (P. aeroginosa), Escherichia coli ATCC25468) (E.coli) and Salmonella typhimurium ATCC14028 (S. typhimurium).The data exhibited that both CPH and size exclusion chromatography-fraction 1 (SEC-F1) showed high antibacterial efficiency versus almost all the assessed bacteria. The MIC of the AMPs within SEC-F1 and CPHs were (25 µg/mL) against P. aeruginosa, E.coli and St. pyogenes. However, higher MICsof approximately 100–150 µg/mL showed for both CPHs and SEC-F1 against both S. aureus and L. innocua; it was 50 µg/mL of CPH against S.aureus. The Electro-spray-ionization-mass-spectrometry (ESI-MS) of fraction (1) revealed 10 dipeptides with a molecular masses arranged from 184 Da to 364 Da and one Penta peptide with a molecular mass of approximately 659 Da inthe case of positive ions. While the negative ions showed 4 dipeptides with the molecular masses that arranged from 330 Da to 373 Da. Transmission electron microscope (TEM) demonstrated that the SEC-F1 induced changes in the bacterial cells affected. Thus, the results suggested that the hydrolysis of cowpea seed proteins by Alcalase is an uncomplicated appliance to intensify its antibacterial efficiency.
Biosynthetic Potential of Streptomyces Rationalizes Genome-Based Bioprospecting
Authors: Cibichakravarthy Balasubramanian , Jose Polapass Arul
Published: July 2021

Streptomyces are the most prolific source of structurally diverse microbial natural products. Advancing genome-based analysis reveals the previously unseen potential of Streptomyces to produce numerous novel secondary metabolites, which allows us to take natural product discovery to the next phase. However, at present there is a huge disproportion between the rate of genome reports and discovery of new compounds. From this perspective of harnessing the enduring importance of Streptomyces, we discuss the recent genome-directed advancements inspired by hidden biosynthetic wealth that provide hope for future antibiotics.
Subinhibitory Antibiotic Concentrations Enhance Biofilm Formation of Clinical Enterococcus faecalis Isolates
Authors: Bernardi Sara , Anderson Annette , Macchiarelli Guido , Hellwig Elmar , Cieplik Fabian , Vach Kirstin , Al-Ahmad Ali
Published: July 2021

Enterococcus faecalis is a microorganism that can be found in the oral cavity, especially in secondary endodontic infections, with a prevalence ranging from 24–70%. The increase in the ability to form biofilms in the presence of subinhibitory antibiotic concentrations is a phenomenon that is observed for a wide variety of bacterial pathogens and is associated with increased resistance. In this study, therefore, six E. faecalis isolates from an endodontic environment and two control strains were exposed to subinhibitory concentrations of Penicillin G, Amoxicillin, Doxycycline, Fosfomycin, Tetracycline and Vancomycin and examined for their biofilm formation abilities. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was determined for all E. faecalis isolates. A culture of the isolate was mixed with a serial dilution series of the respective antibiotic, incubated overnight and the biofilm formation was analyzed using a microtiter plate assay. All isolates were able to form biofilms in the absence of an antibiotic. A significant increase in biofilm formation of up to more than 50% was found in the isolates exposed to subinhibitory concentrations of various antibiotics. Most isolates showed a significant increase in Fosfomycin (7/8), Doxycycline (6/8) and Tetracycline (6/8). Three endodontic isolates showed a significant increase in five of the antibiotics examined at the same time. On exposure to Vancomycin, three endodontic isolates and the two control strains showed an increase. The increase in the ability to form biofilms extended over a concentration range from 1/2 to 1/64 of the MIC concentration. Antibiotics may reach certain niches in the oral cavity at subinhibitory concentrations only. This can increase the biofilm formation by enterococci, and in turn lead to decreased susceptibility of these taxa to antibiotics.
Blood Cultures and Appropriate Antimicrobial Administration after Achieving Sustained Return of Spontaneous Circulation in Adults with Nontraumatic Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest
Authors: Lin Chih-Hao , Chen Po-Lin , Huang Yi-Tzu , Ho Ching-Yu , Hsieh Chih-Chia , Wang William Yu Chung , Lee Ching-Chi , Ko Wen-Chien
Published: July 2021

We aimed to determine the incidence of bacteremia and prognostic effects of prompt administration of appropriate antimicrobial therapy (AAT) on nontraumatic out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) patients achieving a sustained return of spontaneous circulation (sROSC), compared with non-OHCA patients. In the multicenter case-control study, nontraumatic OHCA adults with bacteremia episodes after achieving sROSC were defined as case patients, and non-OHCA patients with community-onset bacteremia in the emergency department were regarded as control patients. Initially, case patients had a higher bacteremia incidence than non-OHCA visits (231/2171, 10.6% vs. 10,430/314,620, 3.3%; p < 0.001). Compared with the matched control (2288) patients, case (231) patients experienced more bacteremic episodes due to low respiratory tract infections, fewer urosepsis events, fewer Escherichia coli bacteremia, and more streptococcal and anaerobes bacteremia. Antimicrobial-resistant organisms, such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing Enterobacteriaceae, were frequently evident in case patients. Notably, each hour delay in AAT administration was associated with an average increase of 10.6% in crude 30-day mortality rates in case patients, 0.7% in critically ill control patients, and 0.3% in less critically ill control patients. Conclusively, the incidence and characteristics of bacteremia differed between the nontraumatic OHCA and non-OHCA patients. The incorporation of blood culture samplings and rapid AAT administration as first-aids is essential for nontraumatic OHCA patients after achieving sROSC.
Comparison between In Vitro Chemical and Ex Vivo Biological Assays to Evaluate Antioxidant Capacity of Botanical Extracts
Authors: Pasqualetti Valentina , Locato Vittoria , Fanali Chiara , Mulinacci Nadia , Cimini Sara , Morgia Anna Maria , Pasqua Gabriella , De Gara Laura
Published: July 2021

The anti-oxidative activity of plant-derived extracts is well-known and confers health-promoting effects on functional foods and food supplements. Aim of this work is to evaluate the capability of two different assays to predict the real biological antioxidant efficiency. At this purpose, extracts from five different plant-derived matrices and commercial purified phytochemicals were analyzed for their anti-oxidative properties by using well-standardized in vitro chemical method (TEAC) and an ex vivo biological assay. The biological assay, a cellular membrane system obtained from erythrocytes of healthy volunteers, is based on the capability of phytochemicals treatment to prevent membrane lipid peroxidation under oxidative stress by UV-B radiation. Plant extracts naturally rich in phenols with different structure and purified phytochemicals showed different in vitro and ex vivo antioxidant capacities. A high correlation between phenolic contents of the plant-derived extracts and their ability to prevent oxidative injuries in a biological system was found, thus underlying the relevance of this class of metabolites in preventing oxidative stress. On the other hand, a low correlation between the antioxidant capacities was shown between in vitro and ex vivo antioxidant assay. Moreover, data presented in this work show how food complex matrices are more effective in preventing oxidative damages at biological level than pure phytochemicals, even if for these latter, the antioxidant activity was generally higher than that observed for food complex matrices.
DNA Damage in Human Amniotic Cells: Antigenotoxic Potential of Curcumin and α-Lipoic Acid
Authors: Mottola Filomena , Santonastaso Marianna , Iovine Concetta , Rossetti Cristina , Ronga Valentina , Rocco Lucia
Published: July 2021

Oxidative imbalances in the gestational phase are responsible for certain complications during pregnancy and for foetal and neonatal genetic disorders. In this work, using human amniocytes, we aimed to evaluate the protection provided to foetal DNA by two concentrations of antioxidant molecules, α-lipoic acid (LA) and curcumin (Cur), against hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)-induced damage. Genotoxicity tests, performed by the random amplification of polymorphic DNA (RAPD-PCR) technique and TUNEL tests, showed that the lowest concentration of LA-protected cells and DNA from H2O2 insults. However, a greater ability to protect the amniocytes’ DNA against H2O2 was observed following co-treatment with the highest concentration of Cur with H2O2. In fact, a genomic template stability (GTS%) similar to that of the negative control and a statistically significant reduction in the DNA fragmentation index (DFI) were revealed. Moreover, following a combined treatment with both antioxidants and H2O2, no statistical difference from controls was observed, in terms of both induced mutations and DNA breaks. Furthermore, no effect on morphology or cell viability was observed. The results demonstrate the ability of LA and Cur to protect the genetic material of amniocytes against genotoxic insults, suggesting their beneficial effects in pathologies related to oxidative stress.
Sheep’s and Goat’s Frozen Yoghurts Produced with Ultrafiltrated Whey Concentrates
Authors: Marnotes Natalí Garcia , Pires Arona Figueroa , Díaz Olga , Cobos Angel , Pereira Carlos Dias
Published: July 2021

The objective of this work was the use of goat and sheep liquid whey concentrates (LWCs) produced by ultrafiltration (UF) for the manufacturing of frozen yoghurts. In a first step, natural yoghurts using only goat’s and sheep’s LWCs as raw material were obtained. One day after production, these yoghurts were used to produce frozen yoghurts with different concentrations of added inulin. The physicochemical characteristics of ewe’s and goat’s yoghurts were significantly different regarding dry matter, protein, fat and minerals. Ewe’s yoghurts were solid, while goat’s yoghurts behaved as a viscous liquid. Frozen yoghurts with different levels of inulin addition also presented significant differences concerning physicochemical and microbiological characteristics. Overrun was similar for all formulations except for that produced with ewe’s LWC containing 5.0% inulin, which presented a significantly higher value. Higher meltdown rates in goat’s frozen yoghurts were observed. The survival rates of lactic acid bacteria were lower than the data reported for similar products. Concerning sensory acceptance, both products showed encouraging results. It can be considered that the production of frozen yoghurts by using LWCs as the main ingredient can be an interesting option to broaden the product portfolio of small/medium scale dairy producers.
Smart Factory Web—A Blueprint Architecture for Open Marketplaces for Industrial Production
Authors: Usländer Thomas , Schöppenthau Felix , Schnebel Boris , Heymann Sascha , Stojanovic Ljiljana , Watson Kym , Nam Seungwook , Morinaga Satoshi
Published: July 2021

The paper describes a reference architecture for open marketplaces to be used for networked stakeholders in industrial production ecosystems. The motivation for such an endeavor comes from the idea to apply the basic principle of the platform economy to offer functions of an asset “as a service” to industrial production, including the associated supply chain networks. Currently, commercial offers of “production as a service” usually lead to proprietary systems with the risk of platform vendor lock-ins. Hence, there is a need for an open approach that relies upon international (emerging) standards, especially those from IETF, IEC, the Plattform Industrie 4.0 and the International Data Spaces Association (IDSA). The presented approach enables federation of marketplaces according to well-defined interfaces. This article proposes a technology-independent open architecture derived from functional and non-functional system requirements and driven by the idea of the Smart Factory Web, a testbed of the Industrial Internet Consortium (IIC). Furthermore, the architecture of the Smart Factory Web (SFW) platform is presented and assessed against the current and future demands of open federated marketplaces for industrial production ecosystems.
The Role of Elasticity in the Vortex Formation in Polymeric Flow around a Sharp Bend
Authors: Wojcik Brian , LaRuez Jason , Cromer Michael , Villasmil Urdaneta Larry A.
Published: July 2021

Fluid dynamic simulations using the FENE-P model of polymer physics are compared to those of an incompressible Newtonian fluid base case in order to understand the role of elasticity in the formation of vortices in a 90° bend narrow channel. The analysis bridges the flow behavior of a purely elastic fluid and that of a Newtonian fluid. We evaluated how four dimensionless numbers—Reynolds number (Re), Weissenberg number (Wi), viscosity ratio (β), and elasticity number (El)—affect the formation of vortices. It is shown that increasing Re and Wi, or lowering β will cause vortices to grow in size. Two phase space diagrams, β vs. El and β vs. Re, were created to show the range of values where inertial and elastic vortices form. Both diagrams have three zones. Depending on the polymer viscosity ratio and the elasticity number, the vortices form either upstream of the bend (elasticity driven) or form downstream of the bend (inertia driven), are suppressed. Our predictions are in good agreement with previous experimental and numerical works.
Using Convolutional Neural Network and Candlestick Representation to Predict Sports Match Outcomes
Authors: Hsu Yu-Chia
Published: July 2021

The interdisciplinary nature of sports and the presence of various systemic and non-systemic factors introduce challenges in predicting sports match outcomes using a single disciplinary approach. In contrast to previous studies that use sports performance metrics and statistical models, this study is the first to apply a deep learning approach in financial time series modeling to predict sports match outcomes. The proposed approach has two main components: a convolutional neural network (CNN) classifier for implicit pattern recognition and a logistic regression model for match outcome judgment. First, the raw data used in the prediction are derived from the betting market odds and actual scores of each game, which are transformed into sports candlesticks. Second, CNN is used to classify the candlesticks time series on a graphical basis. To this end, the original 1D time series are encoded into 2D matrix images using Gramian angular field and are then fed into the CNN classifier. In this way, the winning probability of each matchup team can be derived based on historically implied behavioral patterns. Third, to further consider the differences between strong and weak teams, the CNN classifier adjusts the probability of winning the match by using the logistic regression model and then makes a final judgment regarding the match outcome. We empirically test this approach using 18,944 National Football League game data spanning 32 years and find that using the individual historical data of each team in the CNN classifier for pattern recognition is better than using the data of all teams. The CNN in conjunction with the logistic regression judgment model outperforms the CNN in conjunction with SVM, Naïve Bayes, Adaboost, J48, and random forest, and its accuracy surpasses that of betting market prediction.
Extraction, Characterization, and Applications of Pectins from Plant By-Products
Authors: Belkheiri Anissa , Forouhar Ali , Ursu Alina Violeta , Dubessay Pascal , Pierre Guillaume , Delattre Cedric , Djelveh Gholamreza , Abdelkafi Slim , Hamdami Nasser , Michaud Philippe
Published: July 2021

Currently, pectins are widely used in the cosmetic, pharmaceutical, and food industries, mainly as texturizing, emulsifying, stabilizing, and gelling agents. Pectins are polysaccharides composed of a large linear segment of α-(1,4) linked d-galactopyranosyluronic acids interrupted by β-(1,2)-linked l-rhamnoses and ramified by short chains composed of neutral hexoses and pentoses. The characteristics and applications of pectins are strongly influenced by their structures depending on plant species and tissues but also extraction methods. The aim of this review is therefore to highlight the structures of pectins and the various methods used to extract them, including conventional ones but also microwave heating, ultrasonic treatment, and dielectric barrier discharge techniques, assessing physico-chemical parameters which have significant effects on pectin characteristics and applications as techno-functional and bioactive agents.
Hydrogen Storage in Untreated/Ammonia-Treated and Transition Metal-Decorated (Pt, Pd, Ni, Rh, Ir and Ru) Activated Carbons
Authors: Aboud Mohamed F. Aly , ALOthman Zeid A. , Bagabas Abdulaziz A.
Published: July 2021

Hydrogen storage may be the bottle neck in hydrogen economy, where hydrogen spillover is in dispute as an effective mechanism. In this context, activated carbon (AC) was doped with nitrogen by using ammonia gas, and was further decorated with platinum, palladium, nickel, rhodium, iridium and ruthenium, via an ultrasound-assisted impregnation method, with average particle sizes of around 74, 60, 78, 61, 67 and 38 nm, respectively. The hydrogen storage was compared, before and after modification at both ambient and cryogenic temperatures, for exploring the spillover effect, induced by the decorating transition metals. Ammonia treatment improved hydrogen storage at both 298 K and 77 K, for the samples, where this enhancement was more remarkable at 298 K. Nevertheless, metal decoration reduced the hydrogen uptake of AC for all of the decorated samples other than palladium at cryogenic temperature, but improved it remarkably, especially for iridium and palladium, at room temperature. This observation suggested that metal decoration’s counter effect overcomes hydrogen spillover at cryogenic temperatures, while the opposite takes place at ambient temperature.
Assessment of Tire Features for Modeling Vehicle Stability in Case of Vertical Road Excitation
Authors: Lukoševičius Vaidas , Makaras Rolandas , Dargužis Andrius
Published: July 2021

Two trends could be observed in the evolution of road transport. First, with the traffic becoming increasingly intensive, the motor road infrastructure is developed; more advanced, greater quality, and more durable materials are used; and pavement laying and repair techniques are improved continuously. The continued growth in the number of vehicles on the road is accompanied by the ongoing improvement of the vehicle design with the view towards greater vehicle controllability as the key traffic safety factor. The change has covered a series of vehicle systems. The tire structure and materials used are subject to continuous improvements in order to provide the maximum possible grip with the road pavement. New solutions in the improvement of the suspension and driving systems are explored. Nonetheless, inevitable controversies have been encountered, primarily, in the efforts to combine riding comfort and vehicle controllability. Practice shows that these systems perform to a satisfactory degree only on good quality roads, as they have been designed specifically for the latter. This could be the cause of the more complicated car control and accidents on the lower-quality roads. Road ruts and local unevenness that impair car stability and traffic safety are not avoided even on the trunk roads. In this work, we investigated the conditions for directional stability, the influence of road and vehicle parameters on the directional stability of the vehicle, and developed recommendations for the road and vehicle control systems to combine to ensure traffic safety. We have developed a refined dynamic model of vehicle stability that evaluates the influence of tire tread and suspensions. The obtained results allow a more accurate assessment of the impact of the road roughness and vehicle suspension and body movements on vehicle stability and the development of recommendations for the safe movement down the road of known characteristics.
Homogenized Balance Equations for Nonlinear Poroelastic Composites
Authors: Miller Laura , Penta Raimondo
Published: July 2021

Within this work, we upscale the equations that describe the pore-scale behaviour of nonlinear porous elastic composites, using the asymptotic homogenization technique in order to derive the macroscale effective governing equations. A porous hyperelastic composite can be thought of as being comprised of a matrix interacting with a number of subphases and percolated by a fluid flowing in the pores (which is chosen to be Newtonian and incompressible here). A general nonlinear macroscale model is derived and is then specified for a particular choice of strain energy function, namely the de Saint-Venant function. This leads to a macroscale system of PDEs, which is of poroelastic type with additional terms and transformations to account for the nonlinear behaviour of the material. Our new porohyperelastic-type model describes the effective behaviour of nonlinear porous composites by prescribing the stress balance equations, the conservation of mass and Darcy’s law. The coefficients of these macroscale equations encode the detailed microstructure of the material and are to be found by solving pore-scale differential problems. The model reduces to the following limit cases of (a) linear poroelastic composites when the deformation gradient approaches the identity, (b) nonlinear composites when there are no pores and (c) nonlinear poroelasticity when only the matrix–fluid interaction is considered. This model is applicable when the interactions between various hyperelastic solid phases occur at the pore-scale, as in biological tissues such as artery walls, the myocardium, lungs and liver.
Novel Approach for Suppression of Ettringite Formation in Sulfate-Bearing Soil Using Blends of Nano-Magnesium Oxide, Ground Granulated Blast-Furnace Slag and Rice Husk Ash
Authors: Ehwailat Khaled Ibrahim Azarroug , Ismail Mohd Ashraf Mohamad , Ezreig Ali Muftah Abdussalam
Published: July 2021

The treatment of sulfate-bearing soil with calcium-based stabilizers such as cement or lime often results in ettringite formation, consequently leading to swelling and strength deterioration. Ettringite formation has negative environmental and economic effects on various civil engineering structures. This study was conducted to investigate the use of different materials (nano–magnesium oxide (M), ground granulated blast-furnace slag (GGBS), and rice husk ash (RHA)) for gypseous soil stabilization to prevent ettringite formation. Various tests were performed, including flexural strength, unconfined compression strength, linear expansion, and microstructure analysis (SEM/EDX), on lime (L)-, (M)-, (M-RHA)-, (M-GGBS)-, and (M-GGBS-RHA)-stabilized gypseous soil samples to determine their properties. The results indicated that the swelling rates of the soil samples mixed with 20% M-RHA, M-GGBS, and M-GGBS-RHA binders were much lower (less than 0.01% of volume change) than those of the soil samples mixed with 10% and 20% lime-stabilized binders after a curing period of 90 days. Meanwhile, the strengths of the soil samples mixed with 20% of M-RHA, M-GGBS, and M-GGBS-RHA soil specimens after soaking of 90 days were obviously higher (with a range from 2.7–12.8 MPa) than those of the soil samples mixed with 20% of lime-stabilized binder. The SEM and EDX results showed no ettringite formation in the M-RHA-, M-GGBS-, and M-GGBS-RHA-stabilized soils. Overall, the test results proved the potential of M-RHA, M-GGBS, and M-GGBS-RHA as effective soil stabilizers.
Echo State Network Based Model Predictive Control for Active Vibration Control of Hybrid Electric Vehicle Powertrains
Authors: Ogawa Hideki , Takahashi Yasutake
Published: July 2021

Reservoir computing refers to a computational framework based on recurrent neural networks that can process time-series data. In an echo state network (ESN), which is a type of reservoir computing framework, the reservoir consists of a recursive network of artificial neurons with nonlinear activation functions. A model predictive control (MPC) technique can determine the control signals by solving the optimization problem of a system using the finite-time domain of each control period. However, real-time optimization cannot be achieved unless the optimal control problem can be solved within the next control period. To overcome this limitation, we propose a new control method based on MPC that explicitly incorporates the predicted disturbance of a time-varying trajectory using ESN to achieve the active vibration control of hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) powertrains. Once the ESN has been trained, the associated MPC explicitly satisfies the constraints over a moving horizon without further training. Instead of completing the real-time optimization within the control period, ESN predicts the future disturbance and applies it to the MPC in the future control period. Based on the predicted future disturbance, the system calculates the optimal control signals required for the future. Thus, real-time control can be realized because the optimal signals are determined before the subsequent control period occurs. The proposed method can be implemented in MPC even if the control period is too short to optimize as long as the disturbance can be reasonably measured and predicted. In this study, the simulation approach was demonstrated using the engine start condition in an HEV powertrain. The importance of this study is that the limitation of MPC relevant to real-time optimization can be relaxed by applying our proposed method.
Recombinant Protein Production with Escherichia coli in Glucose and Glycerol Limited Chemostats
Authors: Mitchell Anca Manuela , Gogulancea Valentina , Smith Wendy , Wipat Anil , Ofiţeru Irina Dana
Published: July 2021

Recently, there has been a resurgence of interest in continuous bioprocessing as a cost-optimised production strategy, driven by a rising global requirement for recombinant proteins used as biological drugs. This strategy could provide several benefits over traditional batch processing, including smaller bioreactors, smaller facilities, and overall reduced plant footprints and investment costs. Continuous processes may also offer improved product quality and minimise heterogeneity, both in the culture and in the product. In this paper, a model protein, green fluorescent protein (GFP) mut3*, was used to test the recombinant protein expression in an Escherichia coli strain with industrial relevance grown in chemostat. An important factor in enabling stable productivity in continuous cultures is the carbon source. We have studied the viability and heterogeneity of the chemostat cultures using a chemically defined medium based on glucose or glycerol as the single carbon source. As a by-product of biodiesel production, glycerol is expected to become a sustainable alternative substrate to glucose. We have found that although glycerol gives a higher cell density, it also generates higher heterogeneity in the culture and a less stable recombinant protein production. We suggest that manipulating the balance between different subpopulations to increase the proportion of productive cells may be a possible solution for making glycerol a successful alternative to glucose.