bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Research on the Hydrodynamic Performance of a Horizontal-Axis Tidal Current Turbine with Symmetrical Airfoil Blades Based on Swept-Back Models
Authors: Yan Yu-Ting , Xu Shi-Ming , Liu Cong , Zhang Xiao , Chen Jian-Mei , Zhang Xue-Ming , Dong Yong-Jun
Published: October 2022

For the design of a horizontal-axis tidal current turbine with adaptive variable-pitch blades, both numerical simulations and physical model experiments were used to study the hydrodynamic performance of symmetrical airfoil blades based on backward swept models. According to the lift–drag ratio of symmetrical airfoils, variable airfoil sections were selected for each part of the blade in the spanwise direction. Then, three kinds of blades were designed by using different swept-back models from wind turbines. A rotation model with a multi-reference frame was employed to conduct a three-dimensional steady numerical simulation of the turbine model based on the CFD method. The axial thrust and energy-capturing efficiency under different tip speed ratios, as well as the corresponding starting torque under different flow rates, were analyzed. The simulation results indicate that model 2 has optimal start-up performance, and model 3 has the largest power coefficient. The thrust coefficient of model 1 is the smallest. In all, model 2 has better comprehensive performance. The experiments of model 2 show that it has suitable hydrodynamic performance to capture bidirectional energy via passively variable pitch. This research provides an important solution for the design and optimization of horizontal-axis turbines to harvest bidirectional tidal current energy.
Comprehensive Analysis of Transcriptome and Metabolome Elucidates the Molecular Regulatory Mechanism of Salt Resistance in Roots of Achnatherum inebrians Mediated by Epichloë gansuensis
Authors: Wang Chao , Huang Rong , Wang Jianfeng , Jin Jie , Malik Kamran , Niu Xueli , Tang Rong , Hou Wenpeng , Cheng Chen , Liu Yinglong , Liu Jie
Published: October 2022

Salinization of soil is a major environmental risk factor to plant functions, leading to a reduction of productivity of crops and forage. Epichloë gansuensis, seed-borne endophytic fungi, establishes a mutualistic symbiotic relationship with Achnatherum inebrians and confers salt tolerance in the host plants. In this study, analysis of transcriptome and metabolome was used to explore the potential molecular mechanism underlying the salt-adaptation of A. inebrians roots mediated by E. gansuensis. We found that E. gansuensis played an important role in the gene expression of the host’s roots and regulated multiple pathways involved in amino acid metabolism, carbohydrate metabolism, TCA cycle, secondary metabolism, and lipid metabolism in the roots of A. inebrians. Importantly, E. gansuensis significantly induced the biological processes, including exocytosis, glycolytic process, fructose metabolic process, and potassium ion transport in roots of host plants at transcriptional levels, and altered the pathways, including inositol phosphate metabolism, galactose metabolism, starch, and sucrose metabolism at metabolite levels under NaCl stress. These findings provided insight into the molecular mechanism of salt resistance in roots of A. inebrians mediated by E. gansuensis and could drive progress in the cultivation of new salt-resistance breeds with endophytes.
Would You like to Work More Hours?—An Investigation on South Africa
Authors: Popescu Cristina Raluca Gh. , Karapınar Kocağ Esra
Published: October 2022

To begin with, Sustainable Development Goals are of tremendous importance in all areas, being seen as vital aims in all domains, which makes them indispensable when it comes to addressing the particularities of the labour market these days. Subsequently, human resources occupy a distinctive and unique position when referring to the implications derived from targeting Sustainable Development Goals, especially in the context represented by the period specific to the COVID-19 pandemic and the international events that followed immediately after that. This study investigates the work motivation of individuals, and whether they would be willing to work more hours if they are paid. Motivation and attitudes towards working more hours might be affected by several factors, and they are important contributors to business performance. Not only business performance is to be affected, but this is also a part of Sustainable Development Goals where labour market conditions and productivity concerns are addressed, along with several other factors. Using the Quarterly Labour Force Survey from 2017 to 2022 that is conducted by Statistics South Africa, this study attempts to shed light on individual preferences for working more hours in the case of South Africa. Considering the dichotomous dependent variable, a binary response model is utilised to explore the determinants of such behaviour. Findings of the probit model reveal that socio-demographic factors such as gender, marital status, education level, and work experience are important indicators to explain this preference. More precisely, being female increases the likelihood of willingness to work more hours if paid by 1.1 percentage points, and being never married increases that probability by 2.7 percentage points. Within education categories, the highest coefficient in magnitude, having tertiary education decreases the probability of willingness to work more hours by 8.2 percentage points. As an important labour market indicator, one more year to commence working increases the probability of willingness to work more hours by 0.4 percentage points.
Stochastic Conditional Duration Model with Intraday Seasonality and Limit Order Book Information
Authors: Toyabe Tomoki , Nakatsuma Teruo
Published: October 2022

It is a widely known fact that the intraday seasonality of trading intervals for financial transactions such as stocks is short at the beginning of business hours and long in the middle of the day. In this paper, we extend the stochastic conditional duration (SCD) model to capture the pattern of intraday trading intervals and propose a new Markov chain Monte Carlo method to estimate this intraday seasonality simultaneously. To efficiently generate the Monte Carlo sample, we used a hybrid of the Gibbs/Metropolis–Hastings (MH) sampling scheme and also applied generalized Gibbs sampling. In addition to capturing this intraday seasonality, this paper also considers limit order book information. Three-day tick data for three stocks obtained from Nikkei NEEDS are used for estimation, and model selection is performed on smooth parameters, Weibull distribution and Gamma distribution. The typical intraday regularity of frequent trading immediately after the start of trading is confirmed, and the spread of the limit order book information is also found to affect the trading time interval.
Acute Kidney Injury and Hypothyroidism in a Patient with CKD
Authors: Chandra Preeti , Haririan Abdolreza , Drachenberg Cinthia
Published: October 2022

Acute kidney injury (AKI) in the setting of hypothyroidism has been documented in the literature. However, hypothyroidism is not generally considered a cause during investigation of an acute kidney injury. Most of the cases described have been reported in setting of rhabdomyolysis, while fewer cases describe AKI occurring in the absence of rhabdomyolysis. Only rarely have case reports been supplemented by renal biopsy findings to ensure other etiologies of acute kidney injury were ruled out, and none of these reports have documented changes in the kidney that could be associated with the hypothyroid state. We report a case of AKI in chronic kidney disease in the absence of rhabdomyolysis, occurring during severe hypothyroidism, that resolved completely after achievement of a euthyroid state. In addition, we provide renal biopsy findings likely associated with the hypothyroid state. We propose that evaluation of the thyroid function should be considered in any patient during evaluation of an acute kidney injury.
Accounting for Carbon Sink and Its Dominant Influencing Factors in Chinese Ecological Space
Authors: Lin Gang , Jiang Dong , Li Xiang , Fu Jingying
Published: October 2022

Ecological space (ES), including forest ecological space (FES) and grassland ecological space (GES) in this study, is the land with natural attributes and the main functions of providing ecological services, which has a huge potential capacity for carbon sink (CS). The interannual fluctuation of the CS in ES is severe, which is affected by factors such as precipitation and temperature, but it is still controversial which is the dominant factor in affecting the fluctuation process of the CS in ES. To this end, the multi-source remote sensing monitoring data on the fine-grid scale were collected in this study, including the land use and land cover remote sensing monitoring data, the data products of moderate-resolution imaging spectroradiometer (including land surface water index, photosynthetically active radiation, enhanced vegetation index, gross primary productivity), and meteorological data (including precipitation and temperature). By coupling the vegetation photosynthesis model and soil respiration model, the CS in CES from 2010 to 2020 was calculated, and the interannual fluctuation trends and stability of CS in CES were analyzed. Furthermore, the correlation coefficient and partial correlation coefficient equation between the CS of CES with precipitation and temperature were constructed to explore the correlation between interannual fluctuation of CS in CES with meteorological factor, and to determine the dominant position of precipitation and temperature in affecting the fluctuation process of the CS in CES. The research results show that the annual average CS of per unit area in CES was 233.78 gC·m−2·a−1, and the cumulative CS was 11.83 PgC. The GES and FES contributed 6.33 PgC and 5.49 PgC of CS, respectively. From 2010 to 2020, the CS of CES showed an upward trend and was generally in a relatively stable state (the mean value of the coefficient of variation was 0.6248). However, the year with severe fluctuation of was found in this study (from 2013 to 2015), the reason is that the precipitation was too low in 2014, which indicated that climate change, especially the change of precipitation, played a important role in the fluctuation of CS in CES. The results of correlation analysis confirmed the above analysis. The change of CS in CES is highly positively correlated with the change of precipitation (the correlation coefficient is 0.085), and weakly positively correlation with temperature (the correlation coefficient was 0.026). The precipitation is the dominant influencing factor, which has a positive effect on CS in CES. Within a climate environment dominated by precipitation, precipitation and temperature jointly affect the CS in CES. It should be noted that in some regions with variable climate, precipitation and temperature had relatively little impact on CS in CES. Their fluctuations may depend more on the ecosystem’s own ecological services’ regulation ability and their response degree to changes in atmospheric CO2 concentration.
Characterizing the Potato Growing Regions in India Using Meteorological Parameters
Authors: Bhardwaj Vinay , Rawat Shashi , Tiwari Jagesh , Sood Salej , Dua Vijay Kumar , Singh Baljeet , Lal Mehi , Mangal Vikas , Govindakrishnan PM
Published: October 2022

Currently, the multi-location testing of advanced hybrids in India is carried out at 25 centers under the All India Co-ordinated Research Project on Potato (AICRP-P), which is spread across the country. These centres have been chosen to represent different potato growing regions based on soil and agronomic features. However, the reliable deployment of the newly bred varieties in different regions requires a scientific delineation of potato growing zones with homogenous climates. The present study was undertaken to develop homogenous zones in the Indian sub-continent based on the environmental parameters of the potato growing season. A total of 1253 locations were identified across the country as having a plausible potato growing season of at least 70 days with suitable thermal limits. Six variables including five meteorological parameters including Physiological days (P days), Growing degree days (GDD), Mean daily temperature, Mean night temperature and Mean daily incident solar radiation, together with altitude as the sixth variable, were used for Agglomerative Hierarchical Clustering (AHC) and the Principal Component Analysis by Multidimensional Scaling (MDS) technique to derive identical classes. The thematic map of the classes was overlaid on potato growing districts of India using ArcGIS 9.1 software. The study clearly depicted that the clustering technique can effectively delineate the target population of environments (TPE) for potato genotypes performing well at different testing environments in India. The study also identifies target locations for future focus on breeding strategies, especially the high night temperature class having a large expanse in India. This is also vital in view of the impending climate change situation.
Structural Aspects and Intermolecular Energy for Some Short Testosterone Esters
Authors: Turza Alexandru , Popescu Violeta , Mare Liviu , Borodi Gheorghe
Published: October 2022

Testosterone (17β-hydroxyandrost-4-en-3-one) is the primary naturally occurring anabolic–androgenic steroid. The crystal structures of three short esterified forms of testosterone, including propionate, phenylpropionate, and isocaproate ester, were determined via single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Furthermore, all the samples were investigated using powder X-ray diffraction, and their structural features were described and evaluated in terms of crystal energies and Hirshfeld surfaces. They were also compared with the base form of testosterone (without ester) and the acetate ester. Moreover, from a pharmaceutical perspective, their solubility was evaluated and correlated with the length of the ester.
Dislocation Mechanism and Grain Refinement of Surface Modification of NV E690 Cladding Layer Induced by Laser Shock Peening
Authors: Cao Yupeng , Zhu Pengfei , Yang Yongfei , Shi Weidong , Qiu Ming , Wang Heng , Xie Pengpeng
Published: October 2022

To investigate the relationship between the dislocation configuration and the grain refinement in the NV E690 cladding layer caused by laser shock peening, NV E690 high-strength steel powder was used to repair prefabricated pits in samples of 690 high-strength steel by laser cladding, where the laser shock peening of the cladding layer was performed by laser shock at different power densities. X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy were used to observe the microstructures of these samples before and after the laser shock process. The results showed that the metallurgical bonding between the cladding layer and the substrate after laser cladding repair was good. When the laser power density was 4.77 GW/cm2, multiple edge dislocations, dislocation dipoles, and extended dislocations were distributed over the cladding layer. When the laser power density was 7.96 GW/cm2, a geometrically necessary dislocation divided the large original grain into two subgrains with different orientations. When the laser power density was 11.15 GW/cm2, geometric dislocations divided the entire large grain into fine grains. The grain refinement model of the NV E690 cladding layer, when treated by laser shock peening, can describe the grain refinement process induced by the dislocation movement of this cladding layer.
Selection of Constitutive Material Model for the Finite Element Simulation of Pressure-Assisted Single-Point Incremental Forming
Authors: Abdelhafeez Hassan Ali , Küçüktürk Gökhan , Yazgin Hurcan Volkan , Gürün Hakan , Kaya Duran
Published: October 2022

Pressure-assisted single-point incremental forming (PA-SPIF) is one of the emerging forming techniques for sheet metals that have been the subject of rigorous research over the past two decades. Understanding of its forming mechanisms and capabilities is growing as a result. Open gaps are still present in material constitutive modelling for accurate numerical predictions and finite-element simulations as the characteristics of localised deformation behaviour in SPIF are different from those of conventional sheet metal forming. The current investigation focused on the comparison of three different material models for the finite-element analysis of PA-SPIF of cold-rolled, dual-phase steel DP600. Experimental trials using different fluid pressures showed good agreement with simulation results with discrepancies in deformed blank thickness and shape geometry predictions of 3–11% and 10–21%, respectively. Within the tested materials and range of parameters, the fracture-forming-limit diagram (FFLD) material model was identified to be of superior accord with experiments.
Research on Heat Transfer through a Double-Walled Heat Shield of a Firefighting Robot
Authors: Ștefan Amado , Grigore Lucian Ștefăniță , Molder Cristian , Oncioiu Ionica , Vlădescu Bogdan , Constantin Daniel , Gorgoteanu Damian , Bălașa Răzvan-Ionuț , Mustață Ștefan
Published: October 2022

Burning forests, petrochemical installations and material warehouses generate very large fields and thermal gradients, which means human intervention to extinguish the fire is greatly limited. For that reason, the use of robots is recommended, but because of high temperature, they have to be equipped with protective thermal shields. This article is an analytical, numerical, and experimental study on how a double-wall, stainless steel heat shield influenced the thermal gradients acting on a firefighting robot. Following the analytical analysis at a maximum temperature of 350 °C, it was possible to identify the parameters that must be measured to be correlated with those from finite element analysis (FEM) analysis. Experimental tests showed a decrease in temperature behind the shield due to the stainless steel and the double-walled. The main conclusions and contributions of this paper consist of the realization of a finite difference model with FEM that takes into account conduction, convection, and radiation. It also highlights the benefits of using a multilayer shield.
Muscle Selection Using ICA Clustering and Phase Variable Method for Transfemoral Amputees Estimation of Lower Limb Joint Angles
Authors: Liu Xingyu , Wei Qing , Ma Hongxu , An Honglei , Liu Yi
Published: October 2022

Surface electromyography(sEMG) signals are used extensively in the study of lower limb locomotion, capturing and extracting information from various lower limb muscles as input for powered prostheses. Many transfemoral amputees have their lower limbs completely removed below the knee due to disease, accident or trauma. The patients only have the muscles of the thigh and cannot use the muscles of the lower leg as a signal source for sEMG. In addition, wearing sEMG sensors can cause discomfort to the wearer. Therefore, the number of sensors needs to be minimized while ensuring recognition accuracy. In this paper, we propose a novel framework to select the position of sensors and predict joint angles according to the sEMG signals from thigh muscles. Specifically, a method using ICA clustering is proposed to statistically analyze the similarity between muscles. Additionally, a mapping relationship between sEMG and lower limb joint angles is established by combining the BP network and phase variable method, compared with the mapping using only neural networks. The results show that the proposed method has higher estimation accuracy in most of the combinations. The best muscle combination is vastus lateralis (VL) + biceps femoris (BF) + gracilis (GC) (γknee = 0.989, γankle = 0.985). The proposed method will be applied to lower limb-powered prostheses for continuous bioelectric control.
The Uniform Convergence Property of Sequence of Fractal Interpolation Functions in Complicated Networks
Authors: Pan Xuezai , Shang Xudong
Published: October 2022

In order to further research the relationship between fractals and complicated networks in terms of self-similarity, the uniform convergence property of the sequence of fractal interpolation functions which can generate self-similar graphics through iterated function system defined by affine transformation is studied in this paper. The result illustrates that it is can be proved that the sequence of fractal interpolation functions uniformly converges to its limit function and its limit function is continuous and integrable over a closed interval under the uniformly convergent condition of the sequence of fractal interpolation functions. The following two conclusions can be indicated. First, both the number sequence limit operation of the sequence of fractal interpolation functions and the function limit operation of its limit function are exchangeable over a closed interval. Second, the two operations of limit and integral between the sequence of fractal interpolation functions and its limit function are exchangeable over a closed interval.
Inspection Interval Optimization for Aircraft Composite Tail Wing Structure Using Numerical-Analysis-Based Approach
Authors: Khalid Salman , Kim Hee-Seong , Kim Heung Soo , Choi Joo-Ho
Published: October 2022

Recently, there has been a tremendous increase in the use of fiber-reinforced composite (FRCP) in the aviation and aerospace industries due to its superior properties of high strength, stiffness, and low weight. The most important feature of implementing composite materials in aviation is their behavior under dynamic loads and resistance to fatigue. To predict the life of composite structures and optimize the inspection interval, it is essential to predict the damage behavior of composites. In this study, a model of fatigue delamination damage of composite specimens was first constructed using a finite element analysis (FEA)-based approach. The FEA modeling was verified through comparison with experimental specimen data, and the verified FEA model was applied to the composite material aircraft tail wing structure. In this case, a Monte Carlo simulation (MCS) was performed by building a response surface model while considering the uncertainty of the mechanical parameters. Through this process, the risk as a function of flight time could be quantitatively evaluated, and the inspection interval was optimized by selecting the combination with the lowest number of repeated inspections that met the permitted risk criteria.
Mathematical Modelling and Simulation of Second Life Battery Pack with Heterogeneous State of Health
Authors: Salek Farhad , Azizi Aydin , Resalati Shahaboddin , Henshall Paul , Morrey Denise
Published: October 2022

The service life of Lithium-ion batteries disposed from electric vehicles, with an approximate remaining capacity of 75–80%, can be prolonged with their adoption in less demanding second life applications such as buildings. A photovoltaic energy generation system integrated with a second life battery energy storage device is modelled mathematically to assess the design’s technical characteristics. The reviewed studies in the literature assume, during the modelling process, that the second life battery packs are homogeneous in terms of their initial state of health and do not consider the module-to-module variations associated with the state of health differences. This study, therefore, conducts mathematical modelling of second life battery packs with homogenous and heterogeneous state of health in module level using second-order equivalent circuit model (ECM). The developed second-order ECM is validated against experimental data performed in the lab on 3Ah NCM batteries. The degradation parameters are also investigated using the battery cell’s first life degradation data and exponential triple smoothing (ETS) algorithm. The second-order ECM is integrated with the energy generation system to evaluate and compare the performance of the homogenous and heterogeneous battery packs during the year. Results of this study revealed that in heterogeneous packs, a lower electrical current and higher SOC is observed in modules with lower state of health due to their higher ohmic resistance and lower capacity, compared to the other modules for the specific battery pack configuration used in this study. The methodology presented in this study can be used for mathematical modelling of second life battery packs with heterogenous state of health of cells and modules, the simulation results of which can be employed for obtaining the optimum energy management strategy in battery management systems.
Hydrogen Storage Prediction in Dibenzyltoluene as Liquid Organic Hydrogen Carrier Empowered with Weighted Federated Machine Learning
Authors: Ali Ahsan , Khan Muhammad Adnan , Choi Hoimyung
Published: October 2022

The hydrogen stored in liquid organic hydrogen carriers (LOHCs) has an advantage of safe and convenient hydrogen storage system. Dibenzyltoluene (DBT), due to its low flammability, liquid nature and high hydrogen storage capacity, is an efficient LOHC system. It is imperative to indicate the optimal reaction conditions to achieve the theoretical hydrogen storage density. Hence, a Hydrogen Storage Prediction System empowered with Weighted Federated Machine Learning (HSPS-WFML) is proposed in this study. The dataset were divided into three classes, i.e., low, medium and high, and the performance of the proposed HSPS-WFML was investigated. The accuracy of the medium class is higher (99.90%) than other classes. The accuracy of the low and high class is 96.50% and 96.40%, respectively. Moreover, the overall accuracy and miss rate of the proposed HSPS-WFML are 96.40% and 3.60%, respectively. Our proposed model is compared with existing studies related to hydrogen storage prediction, and its accuracy is found in agreement with these studies. Therefore, the proposed HSPS-WFML is an efficient model for hydrogen storage prediction.
Asymptotic Properties and Application of GSB Process: A Case Study of the COVID-19 Dynamics in Serbia
Authors: Jovanović Mihailo , Stojanović Vladica , Kuk Kristijan , Popović Brankica , Čisar Petar
Published: October 2022

This paper describes one of the non-linear (and non-stationary) stochastic models, the GSB (Gaussian, or Generalized, Split-BREAK) process, which is used in the analysis of time series with pronounced and accentuated fluctuations. In the beginning, the stochastic structure of the GSB process and its important distributional and asymptotic properties are given. To that end, a method based on characteristic functions (CFs) was used. Various procedures for the estimation of model parameters, asymptotic properties, and numerical simulations of the obtained estimators are also investigated. Finally, as an illustration of the practical application of the GSB process, an analysis is presented of the dynamics and stochastic distribution of the infected and immunized population in relation to the disease COVID-19 in the territory of the Republic of Serbia.
Functional Outcomes of Cochlear Implantation in Children with Bilateral Cochlear Nerve Aplasia
Authors: Choe Goun , Kim Young Seok , Oh Seung-Ha , Lee Sang-Yeon , Lee Jun Ho
Published: October 2022

Background and Objectives: Many otologists face a dilemma in the decision-making process of surgical management of patients with cochlear nerve (CN) aplasia. The goal of this study is to provide fresh evidence on cochlear implantation (CI) results in patients with CN aplasia. Materials and Methods: We scrutinized functional outcomes in 37 ears of 21 children with bilateral CN aplasia who underwent unilateral or bilateral CI based on cross-sectional and longitudinal assessments. Results: The Categories of Auditory Performance (CAP) scores gradually improved throughout the 3-year follow-up; however, variable outcomes existed between individuals. Specifically, 90% of recipients with a 1-year postoperative CAP score ≤1 could not achieve a CAP score over 1 even at 3-year postoperative evaluation, while the recipients with a 1-year postoperative CAP score >1 had improved auditory performance, and 72.7% of them were able to achieve a CAP score of 4 or higher. Meanwhile, intraoperative electrically evoked compound action potential was not correlated with postoperative CAP score. Conclusions: Our results further refine previous studies on the clinical feasibility of CI as the first treatment modality to elicit favorable auditory performance in children with CN aplasia. However, special attention should be paid to pediatric patients with an early postoperative CAP score ≤1 for identification of unsuccessful cochlear implants and switching to auditory brainstem implants.
Entropy Minimization for Generalized Newtonian Fluid Flow between Converging and Diverging Channels
Authors: Rehman Sohail , Hashim  , Nasr Abdelaziz , Eldin Sayed M. , Malik Muhammad Y.
Published: October 2022

The foremost focus of this article was to investigate the entropy generation in hydromagnetic flow of generalized Newtonian Carreau nanofluid through a converging and diverging channel. In addition, a heat transport analysis was performed for Carreau nanofluid using the Buongiorno model in the presence of viscous dissipation and Joule heating. The second law of thermodynamics was employed to model the governing flow transport along with entropy generation arising within the system. Entropy optimization analysis is accentuated as its minimization is the best measure to enhance the efficiency of thermal systems. This irreversibility computation and optimization were carried out in the dimensional form to obtain a better picture of the system’s entropy generation. With the help of proper dimensionless transformations, the modeled flow equations were converted into a system of non-linear ordinary differential equations. The numerical solutions were derived using an efficient numerical method, the Runge–Kutta Fehlberg method in conjunction with the shooting technique. The computed results were presented graphically through different profiles of velocity, temperature, concentration, entropy production, and Bejan number. From the acquired results, we perceive that entropy generation is augmented with higher Brinkman and Reynolds numbers. It is significant to mention that the system’s entropy production grew near its two walls, where the irreversibility of heat transfer predominates, in contrast to the channel’s center, where the irreversibility of frictional force predominates. These results serve as a valuable guide for designing and optimizing channels with diverging–converging profiles required in several heat-transfer applications.
Metasurfaces Assisted Twisted α-MoO3 for Spinning Thermal Radiation
Authors: Sun Yasong , Zhang Derui , Wu Biyuan , Liu Haotuo , Yang Bing , Wu Xiaohu
Published: October 2022

Spinning thermal radiation has demonstrated applications in engineering, such as radiation detection and biosensing. In this paper, we propose a new spin thermal radiation emitter composed of the twisted bilayer α-MoO3 metasurface; in our study, it provided more degrees of freedom to control circular dichroism by artificially modifying the filling factor of the metasurface. In addition, circular dichroism was significantly enhanced by introducing a new degree of freedom (filling factor), with a value that could reach 0.9. Strong-spin thermal radiation resulted from the polarization conversion of circularly polarized waves using the α-MoO3 metasurface and selective transmission of linearly polarized waves by the substrate. This allowed for extra flexible control of spinning thermal radiation and significantly enhanced circular dichroism, which promises applications in biosensing and radiation detection. As a result of their unique properties, hyperbolic materials have applications not only in spin thermal radiation, but also in areas such as near-field thermal radiation. In this study, hyperbolic materials were combined with metasurfaces to offer a new idea regarding modulating near-field radiative heat transfer.
Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus-Derived Exopolysaccharide Attenuates D-Galactose-Induced Oxidative Stress and Inflammatory Brain Injury and Modulates Gut Microbiota in a Mouse Model
Authors: Kumari Manorama , Dasriya Vaishali L. , Nataraj Basavaprabhu H. , Nagpal Ravinder , Behare Pradip V.
Published: October 2022

This study aimed to investigate the protective effect of a novel exopolysaccharide EPSRam12, produced by Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus Ram12, against D-galactose-induced brain injury and gut microbiota dysbiosis in mice. The findings demonstrate that EPSRam12 increases the level of antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione peroxidase, total antioxidant capacity, and the level of anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10, while decreasing malonaldehyde, nitric oxide, pro-inflammatory cytokines including TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, MCP-1, and the mRNA expression of cyclooxygenase-2, inducible nitric oxide synthase, and the activation of nuclear factor-kappa-B in the brain tissues of D-galactose-treated mice. Further analyses reveal that EPSRam12 improves gut mucosal barrier function and increases the levels of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) in the intestine while restoring gut microbial diversity by enriching the abundance of SCFA-producing microbial genera Prevotella, Clostridium, Intestinimonas, and Acetatifactor while decreasing potential pathobionts including Helicobacter. These findings of antioxidative and anti-inflammatory effects in the brain and ameliorative effects on epithelial integrity, SCFAs and microbiota in the gut, provide novel insights into the effect of EPSRam12 intervention on the gut–microbiome–brain axis and should facilitate prospective understanding of microbial exopolysaccharide for improved host health.
Electrochemical Enrichment and Isolation of Electrogenic Bacteria from 0.22 µm Filtrate
Authors: Ihara Sota , Wakai Satoshi , Maehara Tomoko , Okamoto Akihiro
Published: October 2022

Ultramicrobacteria (UMB) that can pass through a 0.22 µm filter are attractive because of their novelty and diversity. However, isolating UMB has been difficult because of their symbiotic or parasitic lifestyles in the environment. Some UMB have extracellular electron transfer (EET)-related genes, suggesting that these symbionts may grow on an electrode surface independently. Here, we attempted to culture from soil samples bacteria that passed through a 0.22 µm filter poised with +0.2 V vs. Ag/AgCl and isolated Cellulomonas sp. strain NTE-D12 from the electrochemical reactor. A phylogenetic analysis of the 16S rRNA showed 97.9% similarity to the closest related species, Cellulomonas algicola, indicating that the strain NTE-D12 is a novel species. Electrochemical and genomic analyses showed that the strain NTE-D12 generated the highest current density compared to that in the three related species, indicating the presence of a unique electron transfer system in the strain. Therefore, the present study provides a new isolation scheme for cultivating and isolating novel UMB potentially with a symbiotic relationship associated with interspecies electron transfer.
Development of a Polymeric Membrane Impregnated with Poly-Lactic Acid (PLA) Nanoparticles Loaded with Red Propolis (RP)
Authors: da Costa Silva Valdemir , do Nascimento Ticiano G. , Mergulhão Naianny L. O. N. , Freitas Johnnatan D. , Duarte Ilza Fernanda B. , de Bulhões Laisa Carolina G. , Dornelas Camila B. , de Araújo João Xavier , dos Santos Jucenir , Silva Anielle C. A. , Basílio Irinaldo D. , Goulart Marilia O. F.
Published: October 2022

The main objectives of this study were to develop and characterize hydrophilic polymeric membranes impregnated with poly-lactic acid (PLA) nanoparticles (NPs) combined with red propolis (RP). Ultrasonic-assisted extraction was used to obtain 30% (w/v) red propolis hydroalcoholic extract (RPE). The NPs (75,000 g mol−1) alone and incorporated with RP (NPRP) were obtained using the solvent emulsification and diffusion technique. Biopolymeric hydrogel membranes (MNPRP) were obtained using carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) and NPRP. Their characterization was performed using thermal analysis, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), total phenols (TPC) and flavonoids contents (TFC), and antioxidant activity through the radical scavenging assay with 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical (DPPH) and Ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP). The identification and quantification of significant RP markers were performed through UPLC-DAD. The NPs were evaluated for particle size, polydispersity index, and zeta potential. The TPC for RPE, NPRP, and MNPRP was 240.3 ± 3.4, 191.7 ± 0.3, and 183.4 ± 2.1 mg EGA g−1, while for TFC, the value was 37.8 ± 0.9, 35 ± 3.9, and 26.8 ± 1.9 mg EQ g−1, respectively. Relevant antioxidant activity was also observed by FRAP, with 1400.2 (RPE), 1294.2 (NPRP), and 696.2 µmol Fe2+ g−1 (MNPRP). The primary markers of RP were liquiritigenin, isoliquiritigenin, and formononetin. The particle sizes were 194.1 (NPs) and 361.2 nm (NPRP), with an encapsulation efficiency of 85.4%. Thermal analysis revealed high thermal stability for the PLA, nanoparticles, and membranes. The DSC revealed no interaction between the components. FTIR allowed for characterizing the RPE encapsulation in NPRP and CMC for the MNPRP. The membrane loaded with NPRP, fully characterized, has antioxidant capacity and may have application in the treatment of skin wounds.
Design, Synthesis, Anticancer Activity and Molecular Docking of New 1,2,3-Triazole-Based Glycosides Bearing 1,3,4-Thiadiazolyl, Indolyl and Arylacetamide Scaffolds
Authors: Elganzory Hussein H. , Alminderej Fahad M. , El-Bayaa Mohamed N. , Awad Hanem M. , Nossier Eman S. , El-Sayed Wael A.
Published: October 2022

New 1,3,4-thiadiazole thioglycosides linked to a substituted arylidine system were synthesized via heterocyclization via click 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition. The click strategy was used for the synthesis of new 1,3,4-thiadiazole and 1,2,3-triazole hybrid glycoside-based indolyl systems as novel hybrid molecules by reacting azide derivatives with the corresponding acetylated glycosyl terminal acetylenes. The cytotoxic activities of the compounds were studied against HCT-116 (human colorectal carcinoma) and MCF-7 (human breast adenocarcinoma) cell lines using the MTT assay. The results showed that the key thiadiazolethione compounds, the triazole glycosides linked to p-methoxyarylidine derivatives and the free hydroxyl glycoside had potent activity comparable to the reference drug, doxorubicin, against MCF-7 human cancer cells. Docking simulation studies were performed to check the binding patterns of the synthesized compounds. Enzyme inhibition assay studies were also conducted for the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), and the results explained the activity of a number of derivatives.
Utilization of Agro-Industrial Residues in the Rearing and Nutritional Enrichment of Zophobas atratus Larvae: New Food Raw Materials
Authors: Nascimento Renata Quartieri , Di Mambro Ribeiro Cláudio Vaz , Colauto Nelson Barros , da Silva Larissa , Lemos Paulo Vitor França , de Souza Ferreira Ederlan , Linde Giani Andrea , Machado Bruna Aparecida Souza , Tavares Pedro Paulo Lordelo Guimarães , Biasoto Aline Camarão Telles , Umsza Guez Marcelo Andres , Carvalho Natália , de Jesus Assis Denílson , da Silva Jania Betânia Alves , de Souza Carolina Oliveira
Published: October 2022

Edible insects are a potential alternative food source of high feed conversion efficiency and protein content. Zophobas atratus is an edible insect that adapts to different diets, enabling sustainable rearing by adding value to by-products and agro-industrial residues. This study aimed to evaluate the performance and nutritional characterization of Zophobas atratus larvae fed with different proportions of grape residue. Physicochemical analysis of the diets and larvae (AOAC procedures), fatty acid profile (chromatographic techniques), metals and non-metals (inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry), larval mass gain, feed conversion efficiency, and mortality rate were assessed. The replacement of 25% of the conventional diet with grape residue increased lipid, ash, and fiber contents and reduced protein, carbohydrates, and energy. It promoted greater mass gain, lower mortality rate, and reduced larval growth time by 51%. Among the replacements, 25% resulted in the second-highest content of calcium, sodium, magnesium, and zinc, and the lowest content of potassium and phosphorus in the larvae. The 100% replacement resulted in the highest amounts of C18:2n6 (27.8%), C18:3n3 (2.2%), and PUFA (30.0%). Replacing 25% of the conventional diet with grape residue is equivalent to the conventional diet in many aspects and improves several larvae performance indices and nutritional values.
Switching the N-Capping Region from all-L to all-D Amino Acids in a VEGF Mimetic Helical Peptide
Authors: De Rosa Lucia , Diana Donatella , Capasso Domenica , Stefania Rachele , Di Stasi Rossella , Fattorusso Roberto , D’Andrea Luca Domenico
Published: October 2022

The N-capping region of an α-helix is a short N-terminal amino acid stretch that contributes to nucleate and stabilize the helical structure. In the VEGF mimetic helical peptide QK, the N-capping region was previously demonstrated to be a key factor of QK helical folding. In this paper, we explored the effect of the chiral inversion of the N-capping sequence on QK folding, performing conformational analysis in solution by circular dichroism and NMR spectroscopy. The effect of such a modification on QK stability in serum and the proliferative effect were also evaluated.
Lanostane Triterpenoids and Ergostane Steroids from Ganoderma luteomarginatum and Their Cytotoxicity
Authors: Ma Qingyun , Zhang Shuangshuang , Yang Li , Xie Qingyi , Dai Haofu , Yu Zhifang , Zhao Youxing
Published: October 2022

Macrofungus Ganoderma luteomarginatum is one of the main species of Ganoderma fungi distributed in Hainan province of China, the fruiting bodies of which have been widely used in folk as a healthy food to prevent tumors. To explore the potential cytotoxic constituents from G. luteomarginatum, the phytochemical investigation on the ethyl acetate soluble fraction of 95% ethanolic extract from the fruiting bodies of this fungus led to the isolation of twenty-six lanostane triterpenoids (1–26), including three undescribed ones (1–3), together with eight ergostane steroids (27–34). The structures of three new lanostane triterpenoids were elucidated as lanosta-7,9(11)-dien-3β-acetyloxy-24,25-diol (1), lanosta-7,9(11)-dien-3-oxo-24,26-diol-25-methoxy (2), and lanosta-8,20(22)-dien-3,11,23-trioxo-7β,15β-diol-26-oic acid methyl ester (3) by the analysis of 1D, 2D NMR, and HRESIMS spectroscopic data. All isolates were assayed for their cytotoxic activities using three human cancer cell lines (K562, BEL-7402, and SGC-7901) and seven lanostane triterpenoids (1, 2, 7, 13, 18, 22, and 24), and one ergostane steroid (34) showed definite cytotoxicity with IC50 values that ranged from 6.64 to 47.63 μg/mL. Among these cytotoxic lanostane triterpenoids, compounds 2 and 13 showed general cytotoxicity against three human cancer cell lines, while compounds 1 and 18 exhibited significant selective cytotoxicity against K562 cells with IC50 values of 8.59 and 8.82 μg/mL, respectively. Furthermore, the preliminary structure–cytotoxicity relationships was proposed.
Galectins-1, -3 and -9 Are Present in Breast Milk and Have a Role in Early Life Development
Authors: Rio-Aige Karla , Girbal Marina , Selma-Royo Marta , Parra-Llorca Anna , González Sonia , Martínez-Costa Cecilia , Castell Margarida , Collado María Carmen , Pérez-Cano Francisco J. , Rodríguez-Lagunas María J.
Published: October 2022

Galectins (Gal) are a family of conserved soluble proteins with high affinity for β-galactoside structures. They have been recognized as important proteins for successful pregnancy. However, little is known about their presence in breast milk and their role in early infancy. Gal-1, -3 and -9 concentrations were evaluated by Multiplex immunoassays in mother–infant pairs from the MAMI cohort in maternal plasma (MP) (n = 15) and umbilical cord plasma (UCP) (n = 15) at birth and in breast milk samples (n = 23) at days 7 and 15 postpartum. Data regarding mother and infant characteristics were collected. Gal-9 was present in a lower concentration range than Gal-1 and Gal-3 in plasma, specifically in UCP. A major finding in the current study is that Gal-1, -3 and -9 were detected for the first time in all the transitional breast milk samples and no differences were found when comparing the two breastfeeding time points. Finally, Gal levels were associated with some maternal and infant characteristics, such as gestational age, pregnancy weight gain, maternal diet, the gender, infant growth and infant infections. In conclusion, Gal levels seem to be involved in certain developmental aspects of early life.
High-Fat Diet and Female Fertility across Lifespan: A Comparative Lesson from Mammal Models
Authors: Di Berardino Chiara , Peserico Alessia , Capacchietti Giulia , Zappacosta Alex , Bernabò Nicola , Russo Valentina , Mauro Annunziata , El Khatib Mohammad , Gonnella Francesca , Konstantinidou Fani , Stuppia Liborio , Gatta Valentina , Barboni Barbara
Published: October 2022

Female reproduction focuses mainly on achieving fully grown follicles and competent oocytes to be successfully fertilized, as well as on nourishing the developing offspring once pregnancy occurs. Current evidence demonstrates that obesity and/or high-fat diet regimes can perturbate these processes, leading to female infertility and transgenerational disorders. Since the mechanisms and reproductive processes involved are not yet fully clarified, the present review is designed as a systematic and comparative survey of the available literature. The available data demonstrate the adverse influences of obesity on diverse reproductive processes, such as folliculogenesis, oogenesis, and embryo development/implant. The negative reproductive impact may be attributed to a direct action on reproductive somatic and germinal compartments and/or to an indirect influence mediated by the endocrine, metabolic, and immune axis control systems. Overall, the present review highlights the fragmentation of the current information limiting the comprehension of the reproductive impact of a high-fat diet. Based on the incidence and prevalence of obesity in the Western countries, this topic becomes a research challenge to increase self-awareness of dietary reproductive risk to propose solid and rigorous preventive dietary regimes, as well as to develop targeted pharmacological interventions.
Effects on Spirulina Supplementation on Immune Cells’ Parameters of Elite College Athletes
Authors: Zhang Yuting , Zhang Yan , Wu Wei , Xu Yining , Li Xiaohan , Qiu Qiner , Chen Haimin
Published: October 2022

Objective: To identify the effect of spirulina supplementation on the immune cells’ indicators of young soccer players during the preparation period of a tournament. Methods: 39 undergraduate male soccer players were recruited and randomly allocated into a spirulina supplementation group (SP group, n = 20) and the placebo supplementation group (PB group, n = 19). Their elbow venous blood samples were collected before and after the preparation period of a tournament, which included 8 weeks total. The differences within the group and between groups were recorded and analyzed. Results: The ratio of the basophils in the SP group between the pre-test and post-test were statistically significantly different (p < 0.05). In the PB group, the percentage of before and after in leukocytes and monocytes were statistically significantly different (p < 0.05). In the data of the post-test, the percentage of monocytes and basophils between the SP group and PB group were statistically significantly different. The delta variations of monocytes between groups were significantly different (p < 0.05). Conclusions: Intense long-duration exercise can reduce the ratio of leukocytes and monocytes in young athletes, yet the spirulina supplement can inhibit the change. It also might improve immunity to parasites, pathogenic bacterium, and rapid-onset allergies.