bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Multi-Scale Stereoscopic Hyperspectral Remote Sensing Estimation of Heavy Metal Contamination in Wheat Soil over a Large Area of Farmland
Authors: Zhong Liang , Chu Xueyuan , Qian Jiawei , Li Jianlong , Sun Zhengguo
Published: September 2023

With the rapid development of China’s industrialization and urbanization, the problem of heavy metal pollution in soil has become increasingly prominent, seriously threatening the safety of the ecosystem and human health. The development of hyperspectral remote sensing technology provides the possibility to achieve the rapid and non-destructive monitoring of soil heavy metal contents. This study aimed to fully explore the potential of ground and satellite image spectra in estimating soil heavy metal contents. We chose Xushe Town, Yixing City, Jiangsu Province as the research area, collected soil samples from farmland over two different periods, and measured the contents of the heavy metals Cd and As in the laboratory. At the same time, under field conditions, we also measured the spectra of wheat leaves and obtained HuanJing-1A HyperSpectral Imager (HJ-1A HSI) satellite image data. We first performed various spectral transformation pre-processing techniques on the leaf and image spectral data. Then, we used genetic algorithm (GA) optimized partial least squares regression (PLSR) to establish an estimation model of the soil heavy metal Cd and As contents, while evaluating the accuracy of the model. Finally, we obtained the best ground and satellite remote sensing estimation models and drew spatial distribution maps of the soil Cd and As contents in the study area. The results showed the following: (1) spectral pre-processing techniques can highlight some hidden information in the spectra, including mathematical transformations such as differentiation; (2) in ground and satellite spectral modeling, the GA-PLSR model has higher accuracy than PLSR, and using a GA for spectral band selection can improve the model’s accuracy and stability; (3) wheat leaf spectra provide a good ability to estimate soil Cd (relative percent difference (RPD) = 2.72) and excellent ability to estimate soil As (RPD = 3.25); HJ-1A HSI image spectra only provide the possibility of distinguishing high and low values of soil Cd and As (RPD = 1.87, RPD = 1.91). Therefore, it is possible to indirectly estimate soil heavy metal Cd and As contents using wheat leaf hyperspectral data, and HJ-1A HSI image spectra can also identify areas of key pollution.
Effects of Feeding Management System on Milk Production and Milk Quality from Sheep of the Turcana Breed
Authors: Caraba Ion Valeriu , Caraba Marioara Nicoleta
Published: September 2023

Milk and dairy products are among the foods preferred by consumers, as they are rich in nutrients, have high biological values, are easily accessible, and present a low risk to health. This study aimed to comparatively analyze the milk from sheep of the Turcana breed that were subjected to different feeding systems. The milk from the sheep was analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively; in this sense, the following were determined: daily milk production (DMY), physical parameters (pH, freezing point), chemical composition (lactose (L), fats (F), total proteins (TP), non-fat solids (Snf)), the content of heavy metals and trace elements (Zn, Cd, Cu, Fe, Mn, Pb), and microbiological parameters (the number of somatic cells (SCC), the total number of aerobic mesophilic germs that develop at 30 °C (NTG), the number of coliform bacteria (CT), the number of Staphylococcus aureus). Administration of the fodder complex produced, on the farm determined a slight quantitative increase in milk production, as well as in fat, protein and lactose content. The content of trace elements Zn, Fe, and Mn registered increases in milk samples from sheep that were administered the fodder complex. The content of heavy metals did not indicate any source of pollution in the grazing area. Furthermore, the microbiological parameters were within the allowed limits, indicating a good general state of health at the emergency level and the absence of microbiological contamination of the milk samples.
Consider the Source: The Impact of Social Mixing on Drylot Housed Steer Behavior and Productivity
Authors: Daigle Courtney L. , Sawyer Jason E. , Cooke Reinaldo F. , Jennings Jenny S.
Published: September 2023

Cattle are a social species in which social mixing can induce physical and psychosocial stress; however, the impact of social mixing on cattle welfare is unknown. Two different sources of genetically similar Angus crossbred steers were transported to the same feedlot and assigned to a pen where they were either socially mixed or housed with individuals from their source herds. Social mixing did not impact average daily gains in pens, feed intake, or feed efficiency; pens of socially mixed steers were more active. Sources differed in their responses to social mixing. One source was unaffected, whereas social mixing negatively impacted productivity for the other source. Irrespective of social mixing, the sources differed in the amount of time per day they spent ruminating and drinking. Group analyses indicated that socially mixing two sources of feedlot steers did not negatively impact group productivity, yet the impacts that were observed at the individual level suggest that prior experiences may influence their ability to cope with social stress, emphasizing the importance of early-life experiences to long-term welfare and productivity. Social mixing was not universally detrimental to cattle welfare, and the source of cattle may have the greatest affect on their performance regardless of whether a social mixing event has occurred.
M-Mode Echocardiography in Canine Veterinary Practice: A Comprehensive Review of Left Ventricular Measurements in 44 Different Dog Breeds
Authors: Cerbu Maria , Cerbu Constantin , Papuc Ionel
Published: September 2023

This review article focuses on the use of canine M-mode in veterinary medicine, specifically in assessing the left ventricle measurements in several breeds. It traces the historical development of echocardiography techniques, including A-mode, B-mode, and motion mode (M-mode), which provide accurate unidimensional records of cardiac structures. This article highlights the significance of M-mode measurements in diagnosing stage B2 of MMVD, where left ventricular end-diastolic internal diameter corrected with body weight (LVIDdN) is essential for identifying cardiac enlargement. It also explains the role of M-mode in diagnosing DCM, outlining criteria such as left ventricular dilatation. The authors emphasize the importance of breed-specific reference values for echocardiographic measurements due to variations in somatotype among dogs. This review provides a comprehensive table summarizing M-mode measurements of the left ventricle for 44 different dog breeds, including interventricular septum thickness, left ventricular internal diameter, and left ventricular posterior wall thickness during systole and diastole. This review’s methodology involves compiling data from various scientific literature sources, providing an extensive tabular representation of M-mode measurements for different breeds, ages, and sexes. Overall, this review highlights the critical role of M-mode echocardiography in diagnosing and managing cardiac diseases in dogs, underscores the importance of breed-specific reference values, and presents a comprehensive summary of M-mode measurements for various dog breeds, aiding both clinicians and researchers.
Chemical Characterization and Antifungal Activity of Blue Tansy (Tanacetum annuum) Essential Oil and Crude Extracts against Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. albedinis, an Agent Causing Bayoud Disease of Date Palm
Authors: Ettakifi Hajar , Abbassi Kaoutar , Maouni Safae , Erbiai El Hadi , Rahmouni Abderrahmane , Legssyer Mounir , Saidi Rabah , Lamrani Zouhaire , Esteves da Silva Joaquim C. G. , Pinto Eugénia , Maouni Abdelfettah
Published: September 2023

Tanacetum annuum L. is a Mediterranean plant, commonly known as Blue Tansy due to its blue colour as an essential oil, which is widely used for medicinal purposes. However, there are no studies on the bioactive compounds (especially, phenolic compounds) and the biological properties of their organic extracts. Herein, the purpose of the present work was to investigate the chemical composition of the essential oil and crude extracts of the T. annuum aerial parts collected from northern Morocco and to evaluate their antioxidant and antifungal activity against Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. albedinis, an agent causing Bayoud disease of the date palm, an important food source and commercial perennial crop in the Sahara and North Africa. Chemically, Folin–Ciocalteu and aluminium chloride colourimetric methods were used to determine the total phenolic (TPC) and total flavonoid (TFC) contents, respectively; polyphenols were characterized using HPLC-MS, while GC-MS was used to analyse the essential oil composition. Moreover, the evaluation of antioxidant and antifungal activities was carried out using the DPPH test and microdilution method, respectively. The results showed that the three T. annuum parts (stems, leaves and flowers) extracts contained important TPC and TFC with values varied between 51.32 and 116.32 mg/g of dry crude extract (DCE). HPLC-MS analysis revealed the identification and quantification of 19 phenolic acids and flavonoids with an emphasis on apigenin 7-glucoside (4540 µg/g of dry weight (DW)), luteolin 7-glucoside (2804 µg/g DW) and salicylic acid (1878 µg/g DW). Additionally, 39 biomolecules were identified in the essential oil using GC-MS, which were predominated by camphor (16.69%), α-pinene (12.37%), bornyl acetate (11.97%) and limonene (11.10%). The methanolic and hydro-methanolic extracts of T. annuum parts demonstrated a strong antioxidant property with IC50 values ranging between 0.22 and 0.65 mg/mL. Concerning antifungal activity, the essential oil and crude extracts of the Moroccan Blue Tansy exhibited a potent capacity against F. oxysporum f. sp. albedinis at low concentrations, with MIC and MFC values of 3.33 and 4.58 µL/mL for the essential oil and values of 3.33 and 9.17 mg/mL for crude extracts, respectively. Overall, these results demonstrated T. annuum as an important source of bioactive compounds and contribute significantly to the potential of using essential oils and extracts for controlling the Bayoud disease of date palms. Moreover, the finding suggests that T. annuum can be highly useful for phytosanitary and pharmaceutical industries.
Study on the Properties and Mechanism of Recycled Aggregate/Asphalt Interface Modified by Silane Coupling Agent
Authors: Zhou Jiawang , Hu Kui , Gao Junfeng , Chen Yujing , Yang Qilin , Du Xiaotong
Published: September 2023

The use of recycled concrete aggregates (RCA) instead of natural aggregates in hot-mix asphalt mixtures is one of the ways to achieve energy savings and reduce carbon emissions in road engineering. However, the cement mortar on the surface of RCA adversely affects the adhesion properties between asphalt and aggregates, leading to a reduction in the performance characteristics of asphalt mixtures. In this study, a silane coupling agent (SCA) was employed to improve the adhesion properties of the RCA/asphalt interface. The enhancement mechanism of SCA on the RCA/asphalt interface was investigated from multiple perspectives, including macroscopic properties, interfacial microstructure, and nanoscale interfacial interactions. Firstly, the adhesion behavior and tensile strength of the interface between RCA and asphalt were determined through a boiling water test and direct tensile test, both before and after SCA modification. Secondly, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was employed to observe the surface microstructure of RCA and the microstructure of the RCA/asphalt interface. Finally, the main component of mortar, calcium silicate hydrate (C-S-H), was taken as the research subject of investigation to examine the hydrogen bonding, interaction energy, and interface transition zone of the C-S-H/asphalt interface system using the molecular dynamics methodology. The results demonstrate a two-level enhancement in the adhesion performance of the interface at the macroscopic scale following SCA modification. The interface tensile strength increased by 72.2% and 119.7% under dry and wet conditions, respectively. At the microscopic scale, it was observed that the surface pores of RCA were repaired after SCA modification, resulting in a more tightly bonded interface between the RCA and asphalt. At the nanoscale, SCA modification reduces the hydrophilicity of the C-S-H surface, increases the interaction energy and water resistance of the C-S-H/asphalt interface, and enhances the weak interface transition zone between C-S-H and asphalt. This study provides a theoretical basis for using SCA to enhance the bond strength of the RCA/asphalt interface and lays the foundation for the application of RCA asphalt mixtures on highways.
IoT Edge Device Security: An Efficient Lightweight Authenticated Encryption Scheme Based on LED and PHOTON
Authors: Al-Shatari Mohammed , Hussin Fawnizu Azmadi , Aziz Azrina Abd , Eisa Taiseer Abdalla Elfadil , Tran Xuan-Tu , Dalam Mhassen Elnour Elneel
Published: September 2023

IoT devices and embedded systems are deployed in critical environments, emphasizing attributes like power efficiency and computational capabilities. However, these constraints stress the paramount importance of device security, stimulating the exploration of lightweight cryptographic mechanisms. This study introduces a lightweight architecture for authenticated encryption tailored to these requirements. The architecture combines the lightweight encryption of the LED block cipher with the authentication of the PHOTON hash function. Leveraging shared internal operations, the integration of these bases optimizes area–performance tradeoffs, resulting in reduced power consumption and a reduced logic footprint. The architecture is synthesized and simulated using Verilog HDL, Quartus II, and ModelSim, and implemented on Cyclone FPGA devices. The results demonstrate a substantial 14% reduction in the logic area and up to a 46.04% decrease in power consumption in contrast to the individual designs of LED and PHOTON. This work highlights the potential for using efficient cryptographic solutions in resource-constrained environments.
Modeling and Evaluation of Oxy-Combustion and In Situ Oxygen Production in a Two-Stroke Marine Engine
Authors: Serrano José R. , Arnau Francisco J. , Calvo Alejandro , Burgos Rossana
Published: September 2023

Considering the concerns for emissions reduction in the maritime sector, the present paper evaluates, through modeling and simulation, oxy-fuel combustion in a two-stroke ship engine (2SE) and the best production system configuration to obtain the required oxygen (O2). An initial model of a ship engine is calibrated with the engine manufacturer’s data and then adapted to work with O2 as the oxidant to eliminate nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions and with exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) to control the in-cylinder combustion temperature. Mixed Ionic–Electronic Conducting (MIEC) membranes produce the necessary O2 from the ambient air, which is heated up and pressurized by a heat exchanger and turbocharging coupled system to provide the air conditions required for the proper operation of the MIEC. Several layouts of this system are evaluated for the full load engine operating point to find the optimum O2 production system configuration. Results reveal that the engine operating under oxy-fuel combustion conditions avoids NOx emissions at the expense of higher brake-specific fuel consumption (BSFC) to obtain the original brake torque, and also expels a stream composed exclusively of CO2 and H2O, which facilitates the separation of CO2 from exhaust gases.
An Approach of Improving the Efficiency of Software Fault Localization based on Feedback Ranking Information
Authors: Yang Bo , Ma Xiaowen , Guo Haoran , He Yuze , Xu Fu
Published: September 2023

Fault localization, a critical process of software debugging, can be implemented by ranking program statements according to their suspiciousness of being faulty, which, in turn, is calculated based on the execution behaviors of test cases. The performance of fault localization will deteriorate if the actual faulty statement is ranked low in suspiciousness. Intuitively speaking, the quality of the used test cases affects the suspiciousness ranking and thus the efficacy of fault localization. As such, it is necessary to generate test cases with “better” quality to improve the chance of faulty statements being ranked as highly suspicious. In this paper, we propose a software fault localization approach based on feedback ranking information, namely FLFR, according to an improved genetic algorithm. The starting point of the new method is the execution of a set of test cases, which gives a preliminary suspiciousness ranking of program statements. The improved genetic algorithm is iteratively applied to generate new test cases. The new method is evaluated through a series of experiments on four C programs and two Java programs. The experimental results show that the test cases automatically generated by the method can improve the suspiciousness ranking of the faulty statement, and thus enhance the performance of fault localization.
A Moment-Fitted Extended Spectral Cell Method for Structural Health Monitoring Applications
Authors: Nicoli Sergio , Agathos Konstantinos , Kudela Pawel , Chatzi Eleni
Published: September 2023

The spectral cell method has been shown as an efficient tool for performing dynamic analyses over complex domains. Its good performance can be attributed to the combination of the spectral element method with mesh-independent geometrical descriptions and the adoption of customized mass lumping procedures for elements intersected by a boundary, which enable it to exploit highly efficient, explicit solvers. In this contribution, we introduce the use of partition-of-unity enrichment functions, so that additional domain features, such as cracks or material interfaces, can be seamlessly added to the modeling process. By virtue of the optimal lumping paradigm, explicit time integration algorithms can be readily applied to the non-enriched portion of a domain, which allows one to maintain fast computing simulations. However, the handling of enriched elements remains an open issue, particularly with respect to stability and accuracy concerns. In addressing this, we propose a novel mass lumping method for enriched spectral elements in the form of a customized moment-fitting procedure and study its accuracy and stability. While the moment-fitting equations are deployed in an effort to minimize the lumping error, stability issues are alleviated by deploying a leap-frog algorithm for the solution of the equations of motion. This approach is numerically benchmarked in the 2D and 3D modeling of damaged aluminium components and validated in comparison with experimental scanning laser Doppler vibrometer data of a composite panel under piezo-electric excitation.
Effect of Fireproof Coatings on the Post-Fire Behavior of CFRP Composite Sheets
Authors: Qiang Xuhong , Wang Kaihao , Jiang Xu , Xiao Yi , E Yibo
Published: September 2023

This study examines the effect of two self-developed novel fireproof coatings on the fire resistance of carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) composite sheets. The post-fire flexural properties were chosen as important indicators of fire resistance. This research involves two distinct fire conditions, the standard fire condition and the large-space fire condition, to simulate general interior fires and large-space fires. The post-fire flexural performance of CFRP sheets coated with two different self-developed fireproof coatings was evaluated through three-point bending tests after fire exposure. The experimental findings demonstrated a significant reduction of up to 80% in the post-fire flexural properties of CFRP sheets without fireproof coatings. However, CFRP sheets coated with fireproof coatings exhibited a substantial enhancement in their post-fire flexural properties. Under the large-space fire condition, the fire-resistance duration of CFRP sheets coated with fireproof coatings of at least 25 mm thickness exceeded 2 h, satisfying the requirements of GB50016-2014 fire-resistance class III (columns), class I (beams), and class I (floor slabs), respectively. Under the standard fire condition, CFRP sheets covered by fireproof coatings of 35 mm thickness exhibited a fire-resistance duration of 0.75 h, meeting the requirements of GB50016-2014 fire-resistance class IV (columns), class IV (beams), and class III (floor slabs), respectively.
NTT and Inverse NTT Quantum Circuits in CRYSTALS-Kyber for Post-Quantum Security Evaluation
Authors: Song Gyeongju , Jang Kyungbae , Eum Siwoo , Sim Minjoo , Seo Hwajeong
Published: September 2023

The emergence of quantum computers threatens current cryptographic systems, and NIST is preparing for the post-quantum era through the post-quantum cryptography (PQC) contest. CRYSTALS-Kyber is a lattice-based cipher suite that is used as a PQC standard. Lattice-based cryptography is considered quantum-safe for quantum computing because a quantum algorithm that can more efficiently solve the lattice problem of lattice-based cryptography compared to a classic algorithm has not been reported as yet. In this paper, we present quantum circuits tailored to NTT and inverse NTT, employed for optimized polynomial multiplication within CRYSTALS-Kyber. The proposed quantum circuits operate at Z3329[X]/(X256+1), which are the parameters of CRYSTALS-Kyber. We provide an in-depth description of the NTT/InvNTT quantum circuit’s operation and subsequently assess and analyze the quantum resources necessary for these functions. The NTT/InvNTT quantum circuits comprise four unique sub-functions, with the InvNTT additionally incorporating Barrett reduction. To the best of our knowledge, this represents the inaugural implementation of the CRYSTALS-Kyber NTT/InvNTT quantum circuits. We anticipate that our findings will aid in analyzing the security strengths of quantum computers for lattice-based cryptography.
Dynamics Analysis of Space Netted Pocket System Capturing Non-Cooperative Target
Authors: Tang Chao , Deng Yingqiang , Bai Zhengfeng , Wei Cheng , Zhao Yang
Published: September 2023

With the increasing amount of space debris, it is necessary to develop space debris active cleaning technology. The space netted pocket system is a flexible mechanism system which can be used to capture a non-cooperative target flexibly due to the advantages of having a stable structure, strong adaptability and a large capture range. In this paper, the dynamics of the space netted pocket system capturing a non-cooperative target are investigated. The dynamics model of the space netted pocket system is established based on the absolute nodal coordinate formulation (ANCF). The mathematic model of the closing rope is modeled using an ANCF flexible cable dynamics model. Then, the contact collision force model is presented to describe the collision characteristics during the space netted pocket system capturing the target. Finally, the dynamic characteristics of the space netted pocket system capturing the non-cooperative target are analyzed and discussed for different capturing strategies. The simulation results indicate that the target is captured successfully and the target contacts and collides with the rope net in the capturing process, which is subjected to contact and collision forces.
Effects of Fatigue and Tension on the Physical Characteristics and Abilities of Young Air Traffic Controllers
Authors: Zhang Xingjian , Liu Mingyuan , Bai Peng , Zhao Yifei
Published: September 2023

The purpose of this study was to analyze the effects of fatigue and tension on the physical characteristics and abilities of air traffic controllers (ATCOs) and determine their influence mechanisms. A simulated experiment was designed to evaluate the responses of ATCOs in four states: alertness, fatigue, tension, and fatigue and tension. Thirty young male ATCOs participated in the experiment. Fifteen parameters of their physical characteristics and abilities were collected and analyzed to estimate the effects and the decreasing order of influence of fatigue and tension on the indicators. The results showed that most of the parameters of the ATCOs were significantly affected by fatigue and tension. The attention, perception, reaction time, decision-making ability, and comprehensive performance of the ATCOs were adversely affected by fatigue, and tension had negative effects on their attention, decision-making ability, and comprehensive performance. Fatigue and tension impair the physical characteristics and abilities of ATCOs. Both states initially affected the physical characteristics of the ATCOs and then impaired their abilities. However, the influence mechanisms involved were different. The primary effect of the fatigue state was slowing down, whereas the effect of the tense state was instability. These results provide a reference for the evaluation and management of fatigue and tension states in ATCOs.
Femtosecond Laser Ablation of a Bulk Graphite Target in Water for Polyyne and Nanomaterial Synthesis
Authors: Semaltianos Nikolaos G. , Balachninaitė Ona , Juškėnas Remigijus , Drabavicius Audrius , Niaura Gediminas , Hendry Euan
Published: September 2023

Laser ablation of a bulk graphite target in water using femtosecond laser pulses (pulse width ≤ 190 fs) was performed to investigate the synthesis of polyynes and carbon-based nanomaterials and compare them with the well-studied cases of longer pulse (picosecond or nanosecond) ablations. The laser ablation products were characterized using UV-vis absorption spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and transmission electron microscopy, whereas the induced plasma plumes were characterized using laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy. Carbon-based nanomaterials and short-chain polyynes (C6H2 and C8H2) are formed in the solutions as proven by their characteristic absorption band at ~262 nm and peaks in the region of 190–240 nm as well as at around 2100 cm−1 in the Raman spectra, respectively. Polyynes (C8H2) are present in the solutions that are produced under an ablation that is carried out in two intervals with a short pause between them, which is contrary to a continuous ablation that is performed for the same total time duration. The ablation products have a hexagonal graphite crystal structure. The carbon-based nanomaterials consist of large non-spherical and small spherical nanoparticles as well as sheet-like structures. The results of the study were compared with previous studies and discussed based on those studies.
Low-Level Light Therapy in Orthodontic Treatment: A Systematic Review
Authors: Inchingolo Francesco , Inchingolo Angelo Michele , Latini Giulia , Del Vecchio Gaetano , Trilli Irma , Ferrante Laura , Dipalma Gianna , Palermo Andrea , Inchingolo Alessio Danilo
Published: September 2023

This current review aims to provide an overview of the most recent research from the last 10 years on the potential of low-level light therapy (LLLT) in the orthodontic field, particularly focusing on studies about tooth movement, root resorption, pain perception during treatment, and the stability of orthodontic miniscrews. “Low-level laser,” “orthodontic,” and “LLLT” were the search terms utilized on the databases Scopus, Web of Science, and PubMed, and the Boolean operator “AND” was utilized. Of the 974 studies found, 41 publications related to our topic were included in this review. Many authors agree that LLLT could trigger an enhanced biological reaction next to the tooth in the periodontium, promoting osteoblast proliferation and differentiation, while it could also have a positive impact on bone regeneration and on increasing the rate of tooth movement, enhancing the stability of miniscrews and minimizing the occurrence of root resorption. Regarding pain management during treatment studies, the results have been controversial. Conclusions: even though further studies are still needed, the use of LLLT can improve both clinical results and patient comfort during treatment by reducing treatment duration, improving clinical aspects, such as miniscrew stability, and minimizing root resorption. Further investigations are needed to assess whether LLLT offers any real benefits regarding pain relief.
Stark Broadening of Lyman-α in the Presence of a Strong Magnetic Field
Authors: Stambulchik Evgeny
Published: September 2023

Stark broadening of Lyman-α of a hydrogen-like atom in the presence of a strong magnetic field is analyzed. The shape of the central (π) component of the Lorentz–Zeeman triplet is expressed analytically, taking into account the plasma coupling and microfield dynamic effects. It is shown that in a sufficiently strong magnetic field, the broadening of this component, contrary to the broadening of the lateral (σ) ones, is independent of the magnetic field and, therefore, can be used for the plasma density diagnostics. Comparison with computer simulations at conditions typical for tokamak divertors and white dwarf atmospheres shows a very good agreement.
Dual-Salts Electrolyte with Fluoroethylene Carbonate Additive for High-Voltage Li-Metal Batteries
Authors: Qin Zhizhen , Wu Baolin , Danilov Dmitri L. , Eichel Rüdiger-A. , Notten Peter H. L.
Published: September 2023

The combination of Li-metal anode and high-voltage cathode is regarded as a solution for the next-generation high-energy-density secondary batteries. However, a traditional electrolyte is either incompatible with the Li-metal anode or vulnerable to high voltage. This work reports a 1 M dual-salts Localized-High-Concentration-Electrolyte with Fluoroethylene carbonate (FEC) additive. It enables stable cycling of Li||LiNi0.8Co0.1Mn0.1O2 (NMC811) battery, which shows 81.5% capacity retention after 300 cycles with a charge/discharge current density of 1 C and a voltage range of 2.7–4.4 V. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images show that this electrolyte not only largely reduced Li dendrites and ‘dead’ Li on anode surface but also well protected the microstructure of NMC811 cathode. Possible components of both solid-electrolyte interlayer (SEI) and cathode-electrolyte interlayer (CEI) were characterized by energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). The result illustrates that FEC protected Li salts from decomposition on the anode side and suppressed the decomposition of solvents on the cathode side.
Predicting Forex Currency Fluctuations Using a Novel Bio-Inspired Modular Neural Network
Authors: Bormpotsis Christos , Sedky Mohamed , Patel Asma
Published: September 2023

In the realm of foreign exchange (Forex) market predictions, Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) and Recurrent Neural Networks (RNNs) have been commonly employed. However, these models often exhibit instability due to vulnerability to data perturbations attributed to their monolithic architecture. Hence, this study proposes a novel neuroscience-informed modular network that harnesses closing prices and sentiments from Yahoo Finance and Twitter APIs. Compared to monolithic methods, the objective is to advance the effectiveness of predicting price fluctuations in Euro to British Pound Sterling (EUR/GBP). The proposed model offers a unique methodology based on a reinvigorated modular CNN, replacing pooling layers with orthogonal kernel initialisation RNNs coupled with Monte Carlo Dropout (MCoRNNMCD). It integrates two pivotal modules: a convolutional simple RNN and a convolutional Gated Recurrent Unit (GRU). These modules incorporate orthogonal kernel initialisation and Monte Carlo Dropout techniques to mitigate overfitting, assessing each module’s uncertainty. The synthesis of these parallel feature extraction modules culminates in a three-layer Artificial Neural Network (ANN) decision-making module. Established on objective metrics like the Mean Square Error (MSE), rigorous evaluation underscores the proposed MCoRNNMCD–ANN’s exceptional performance. MCoRNNMCD–ANN surpasses single CNNs, LSTMs, GRUs, and the state-of-the-art hybrid BiCuDNNLSTM, CLSTM, CNN–LSTM, and LSTM–GRU in predicting hourly EUR/GBP closing price fluctuations.
Whole-Genome Sequence and Fermentation Characteristics of Enterobacter hormaechei UW0SKVC1: A Promising Candidate for Detoxification of Lignocellulosic Biomass Hydrolysates and Production of Value-Added Chemicals
Authors: Kumar Santosh , Agyeman-Duah Eric , Ujor Victor C.
Published: September 2023

Enterobacter hormaechei is part of the Enterobacter cloacae complex (ECC), which is widespread in nature. It is a facultative Gram-negative bacterium of medical and industrial importance. We assessed the metabolic and genetic repertoires of a new Enterobacter isolate. Here, we report the whole-genome sequence of a furfural- and 5-hydroxymethyl furfural (HMF)-tolerant strain of E. hormaechei (UW0SKVC1), which uses glucose, glycerol, xylose, lactose and arabinose as sole carbon sources. This strain exhibits high tolerance to furfural (IC50 = 34.2 mM; ~3.3 g/L) relative to Escherichia coli DH5α (IC50 = 26.0 mM; ~2.5 g/L). Furfural and HMF are predominantly converted to their less-toxic alcohols. E. hormaechei UW0SKVC1 produces 2,3-butanediol, acetoin, and acetol, among other compounds of industrial importance. E. hormaechei UW0SKVC1 produces as high as ~42 g/L 2,3-butanediol on 60 g/L glucose or lactose. The assembled genome consists of a 4,833,490-bp chromosome, with a GC content of 55.35%. Annotation of the assembled genome revealed 4586 coding sequences and 4516 protein-coding genes (average length 937-bp) involved in central metabolism, energy generation, biodegradation of xenobiotic compounds, production of assorted organic compounds, and drug resistance. E. hormaechei UW0SKVC1 shows considerable promise as a biocatalyst and a genetic repository of genes whose protein products may be harnessed for the efficient bioconversion of lignocellulosic biomass, abundant glycerol and lactose-replete whey permeate to value-added chemicals.
Improved Network and Training Scheme for Cross-Trial Surface Electromyography (sEMG)-Based Gesture Recognition
Authors: Dai Qingfeng , Wong Yongkang , Kankanhali Mohan , Li Xiangdong , Geng Weidong
Published: September 2023

To enhance the performance of surface electromyography (sEMG)-based gesture recognition, we propose a novel network-agnostic two-stage training scheme, called sEMGPoseMIM, that produces trial-invariant representations to be aligned with corresponding hand movements via cross-modal knowledge distillation. In the first stage, an sEMG encoder is trained via cross-trial mutual information maximization using the sEMG sequences sampled from the same time step but different trials in a contrastive learning manner. In the second stage, the learned sEMG encoder is fine-tuned with the supervision of gesture and hand movements in a knowledge-distillation manner. In addition, we propose a novel network called sEMGXCM as the sEMG encoder. Comprehensive experiments on seven sparse multichannel sEMG databases are conducted to demonstrate the effectiveness of the training scheme sEMGPoseMIM and the network sEMGXCM, which achieves an average improvement of +1.3% on the sparse multichannel sEMG databases compared to the existing methods. Furthermore, the comparison between training sEMGXCM and other existing networks from scratch shows that sEMGXCM outperforms the others by an average of +1.5%.
Comparative Analysis of Tylosema esculentum Mitochondrial DNA Revealed Two Distinct Genome Structures
Authors: Li Jin , Cullis Christopher
Published: September 2023

Tylosema esculentum, commonly known as the marama bean, is an underutilized legume with nutritious seeds, holding potential to enhance food security in southern Africa due to its resilience to prolonged drought and heat. To promote the selection of this agronomically valuable germplasm, this study assembled and compared the mitogenomes of 84 marama individuals, identifying variations in genome structure, single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), insertions/deletions (indels), heteroplasmy, and horizontal transfer. Two distinct germplasms were identified, and a novel mitogenome structure consisting of three circular molecules and one long linear chromosome was discovered. The structural variation led to an increased copy number of specific genes, nad5, nad9, rrnS, rrn5, trnC, and trnfM. The two mitogenomes also exhibited differences at 230 loci, with only one notable nonsynonymous substitution in the matR gene. Heteroplasmy was concentrated at certain loci on chromosome LS1 (OK638188). Moreover, the marama mitogenome contained an over 9 kb insertion of cpDNA, originating from chloroplast genomes, but had accumulated mutations and lost gene functionality. The evolutionary and comparative genomics analysis indicated that mitogenome divergence in marama might not be solely constrained by geographical factors. Additionally, marama, as a member from the Cercidoideae subfamily, tends to possess a more complete set of mitochondrial genes than Faboideae legumes.
Viral SERPINS—A Family of Highly Potent Immune-Modulating Therapeutic Proteins
Authors: Varkoly Kyle , Beladi Roxana , Hamada Mostafa , McFadden Grant , Irving James , Lucas Alexandra R.
Published: September 2023

Serine protease inhibitors, SERPINS, are a highly conserved family of proteins that regulate serine proteases in the central coagulation and immune pathways, representing 2–10% of circulating proteins in the blood. Serine proteases form cascades of sequentially activated enzymes that direct thrombosis (clot formation) and thrombolysis (clot dissolution), complement activation in immune responses and also programmed cell death (apoptosis). Virus-derived serpins have co-evolved with mammalian proteases and serpins, developing into highly effective inhibitors of mammalian proteolytic pathways. Through interacting with extracellular and intracellular serine and cysteine proteases, viral serpins provide a new class of highly active virus-derived coagulation-, immune-, and apoptosis-modulating drug candidates. Viral serpins have unique characteristics: (1) function at micrograms per kilogram doses; (2) selectivity in targeting sites of protease activation; (3) minimal side effects at active concentrations; and (4) the demonstrated capacity to be modified, or fine-tuned, for altered protease targeting. To date, the virus-derived serpin class of biologics has proven effective in a wide range of animal models and in one clinical trial in patients with unstable coronary disease. Here, we outline the known viral serpins and review prior studies with viral serpins, considering their potential for application as new sources for immune-, coagulation-, and apoptosis-modulating therapeutics.
Voluntary Running Improves Behavioral and Structural Abnormalities in a Mouse Model of CDKL5 Deficiency Disorder
Authors: Mottolese Nicola , Uguagliati Beatrice , Tassinari Marianna , Cerchier Camilla Bruna , Loi Manuela , Candini Giulia , Rimondini Roberto , Medici Giorgio , Trazzi Stefania , Ciani Elisabetta
Published: September 2023

Cyclin-dependent kinase-like 5 (CDKL5) deficiency disorder (CDD) is a rare neurodevelopmental disease caused by mutations in the X-linked CDKL5 gene. CDD is characterized by a broad spectrum of clinical manifestations, including early-onset refractory epileptic seizures, intellectual disability, hypotonia, visual disturbances, and autism-like features. The Cdkl5 knockout (KO) mouse recapitulates several features of CDD, including autistic-like behavior, impaired learning and memory, and motor stereotypies. These behavioral alterations are accompanied by diminished neuronal maturation and survival, reduced dendritic branching and spine maturation, and marked microglia activation. There is currently no cure or effective treatment to ameliorate the symptoms of the disease. Aerobic exercise is known to exert multiple beneficial effects in the brain, not only by increasing neurogenesis, but also by improving motor and cognitive tasks. To date, no studies have analyzed the effect of physical exercise on the phenotype of a CDD mouse model. In view of the positive effects of voluntary running on the brain of mouse models of various human neurodevelopmental disorders, we sought to determine whether voluntary daily running, sustained over a month, could improve brain development and behavioral defects in Cdkl5 KO mice. Our study showed that long-term voluntary running improved the hyperlocomotion and impulsivity behaviors and memory performance of Cdkl5 KO mice. This is correlated with increased hippocampal neurogenesis, neuronal survival, spine maturation, and inhibition of microglia activation. These behavioral and structural improvements were associated with increased BDNF levels. Given the positive effects of BDNF on brain development and function, the present findings support the positive benefits of exercise as an adjuvant therapy for CDD.
Effects of Endotracheal Tube with Adhesive Superficial Laryngeal Electrodes for Intraoperative Nerve Monitoring on Laryngopharyngeal Complications during Thyroidectomy
Authors: Moon Jiae , Kim Jin Kyong , Shin Hye Jung , Park Jooeun , Kim Na Young , Nam Kee-Hyun
Published: September 2023

The endotracheal tube (ETT) with laryngeal adhesive electrodes for intraoperative neural monitoring (IONM) may be related to laryngopharyngeal complications, such as postoperative sore throat (POST), hoarseness, and coughing. We aimed to evaluate the effects of the ETT with laryngeal adhesive electrodes for IONM on the occurrence of laryngopharyngeal complications during thyroidectomy. In this retrospective study, we included 176 patients who underwent thyroidectomy for thyroid cancer between September 2020 and February 2021. The patients were categorized into control (n = 108) and IONM (n = 68) groups. Patients in the IONM group were intubated with the ETT with surface electrodes. Characteristics of the patients and surgery, perioperative variables, and laryngopharyngeal complications, including POST, hoarseness, and cough, were evaluated. The severity and incidence of POST were comparable between the two groups on postoperative days 0, 1, and 2 (p = 0.103, 0.386, and 0.056, respectively). Furthermore, no significant differences were observed in the occurrence of postoperative hoarseness and cough between the groups. The ETT with laryngeal adhesive electrodes for IONM during thyroidectomy did not affect the incidence and severity of postoperative laryngopharyngeal complications, including POST, hoarseness, and cough. Further prospective, double-blinded, randomized clinical trials are required to gain a clearer understanding.
A Closed Loop Stimuli-Responsive Concanavalin A-Loaded Chitosan–Pluronic Hydrogel for Glucose-Responsive Delivery of Short-Acting Insulin Prototyped in RIN-5F Pancreatic Cells
Authors: Mansoor Shazia , Adeyemi Samson A. , Kondiah Pierre P. D. , Choonara Yahya E.
Published: September 2023

The optimal treatment of diabetes (in particular, type 1 diabetes—T1D) remains a challenge. Closed-loop systems (implants/inserts) provide significant advantages for glucose responsivity and providing real-time sustained release of rapid-acting insulin. Concanavalin A (ConA), a glucose affinity agent, has been used to design closed-loop insulin delivery systems but not without significant risk of leakage of ConA from the matrices and poor mechanical strength of the hydrogels impacting longevity and control of insulin release. Therefore, this work focused on employing a thermoresponsive co-forming matrix between Pluronic F-127 (PL) and structurally robust chitosan (CHT) via EDC/NHS coupling (i.e., covalent linkage of -NH2 from CHT and ConA to the -COOH of PL). The system was characterized for its chemical structure stability and integrity (FTIR, XRD and TGA), injectability, rheological parameters and hydrogel morphology (Texture Analysis, Elastosens TM Bio2 and SEM). The prepared hydrogels demonstrated shear-thinning for injectability with a maximum force of 4.9 ± 8.3 N in a 26G needle with sol–gel transitioning from 25 to 38 °C. The apparent yield stress value of the hydrogel was determined to be 67.47 Pa. The insulin loading efficiency within the hydrogel matrix was calculated to be 46.8%. Insulin release studies revealed glucose responsiveness in simulated glycemic media (4 and 10 mg/mL) over 7 days (97%) (305 nm via fluorescence spectrophotometry). The MTT studies were performed over 72 h on RIN-5F pancreatic cells with viability results >80%. Results revealed that the thermoresponsive hydrogel is a promising alternative to current closed-loop insulin delivery systems.
Estimation of Cancellous Changes Using Fractal Analysis in Patients with Periodontitis
Authors: Mishra Sukanya , Kumar Manoj , Mishra Lora , Panda Swagatika , Panda Saurav , Lewkowicz Natalia , Lapinska Barbara
Published: September 2023

Periodontal disease is a broad term given when the periodontium is affected by inflammation. There are several methods to diagnose periodontitis, but no method to quantify the cancellous bone is presently used. For this purpose, a non-invasive tool that is efficient in analyzing bone quality called fractal analysis can be employed. The objective of the study was to utilize fractal dimension (FD) to evaluate cancellous patterns of interproximal alveolar bone using a digital intraoral periapical radiograph (IOPAR) in different clinical presentations of periodontitis classified according to the latest classification by the World Workshop for Periodontal and Peri-Implant Diseases and Conditions, 2017 (WWDC, 2017). The study aimed to numerically calculate the periodontitis changes in the cancellous bone around the affected tooth on an IOPAR using fractal analysis and to provide an additional criterion for the staging of periodontitis. In this cross-sectional observational study, 75 patients were selected and equally allotted to five groups based on the staging system proposed by the WWDC, 2017. The region of interest was selected on the IOPA radiograph of the tooth with the site having the most significant clinical attachment loss, and FD was calculated using Image J analysis. The association of gender and age with stages of periodontitis was studied using the chi-square test of independence. A comparison of % bone loss and fractal dimension among stages was studied by using the non-parametric Kruskal Wallis test. The relationship between % bone loss and fractal dimension within stages and gender was studied by using the Karl Pearson correlation. A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was performed for FD value as a marker of periodontitis patients. We demonstrated that the FD values decreased significantly with the increase in stages (p < 0.0001). The overall relationship between % bone loss and FD showed a significantly strong negative correlation of −0.739 (p < 0.0001), except for stages III and IV. FD can be utilized as a quantitative method for detecting cancellous bone changes in different stages of periodontitis, aiding in diagnosing periodontitis.