bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Preventing the Undesired Surface Veiling after Nanolime Treatments on Wall Paintings: Preliminary Investigations
Authors: López-Martínez Teresa , Otero Jorge
Published: September 2021

During the last decades, the discovery of nanolime and its introduction in the field of Cultural Heritage has entailed a significant advance for the consolidation of historic wall paintings. Nevertheless, its use is not completely generalized yet within the conservation practitioner’s community due to its undesired white veiling deposit on the surface after treatment which usually covers the pictorial layer. Given the scarcity of existing literature which specify how to mitigate this undesired side-effect, the aim of this work is to carry out the first assessment of possible cleaning and treatment methods to eliminate those deposits and, at the same time, to analyse their effects on the consolidation properties. To do that, we have developed laboratory fresco wall paintings specimens. After applying an artificial ageing cycle to all of them, we consolidated them with CaloSil IP25, one of the most currently used commercial product in the practice. The elimination of the whitish deposits has been investigated with different methods: (1) wiping off the superficial excess of product immediately after each application during the treatment; (2) mechanical cleaning (scalpel) after consolidation; chemical cleaning with rigid gels of water (3), ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) (4) and citric acid (5) after consolidation. The effectiveness of each cleaning method has been assessed by non-destructive methods before and after the consolidation, and repeated after cleaning, by measuring differences in colour, water absorption by capillarity (i.e., sponge test), superficial adhesion (i.e., Scotch Tape Test) and by quantifying the thickness of the deposits eliminated by means of photogrammetry. Results show that both the mechanical cleaning and the removal of the excess of product after each application during the treatment yielded the most promising results for conservation practice.
The Influence of the Environment on the Properties of Hybrid Cement-Based Concrete with Steel and Air-Cooled Slags
Authors: Martauz Pavel , Václavík Vojtěch , Cvopa Branislav
Published: September 2021

This article presents the results of research that dealt with the development of non-traditional concrete using a hybrid alkali-activated cement. It is concrete based on by-products from a metallurgical plant that replaced 100% of the natural aggregates. Steel slag (CSS, fraction: 0/8 mm) was used as a filler in combination with air-cooled slag (ACBFS, fraction: 8/16 mm and 16/32 mm). Portland blended cement (CEM II/B-S 42.5N) and H-CEMENT were used as binding components in the development of the concrete mixture designs. Both of these cements were produced by Považská cementáreň, a.s., Ladce. Attention was focused on testing the physical and mechanical properties of the developed concretes in various environments. An aqueous environment was selected as the first environment for the placement of test specimens (cubes with 150 mm edges and prisms with dimensions of 100 × 100 × 400 mm3) according to the ČSN EN 206-1 standard and the outdoor environment (August to October). The determination of the cube strength was made after 7, 28, and 90 days, the determination of the flexural and compressive strength was made at the end of the prisms, and the determination of the dynamic modulus of elasticity was made after 28 days on the prisms. The test results of the test specimens, which were placed in two environments, were compared and it was found that, after 90 days, the outdoor environment caused a decrease in the concrete’s strength characteristics when using Portland blended cement (CEM II/ B-S 42.5N) of about 8%; in contrast, when using H-CEMENT, the concrete’s strength increased by about 14%. The use of H-CEMENT and the addition of PUZZOLANIT in the amount of 30% in combination with CEM II/B-S 42.5N in the amount of 70% reduced the decrease in the strength of the concrete after 90 days by about 3%. The research results confirm the suitability of using H-CEMENT and the addition of PUZZOLANIT for the production of concrete based on steel slag (CSS) and air-cooled slag (ACBFS).
3D-Printed Metasurface Units for Potential Energy Harvesting Applications at the 2.4 GHz Frequency Band
Authors: Viskadourakis Z. , Tamiolakis E. , Tsilipakos O. , Tasolamprou A. C. , Economou E. N. , Kenanakis G.
Published: September 2021

The capability of three-dimensional printed cut-wire metasurfaces to harvest energy in frequencies around 2.4 GHz, is studied in this paper. Cut-wire metasurfaces were constructed using the Fused Filament Fabrication technique. In particular, two metasurfaces, consisting of different materials were produced. The first was constructed using Polylactic Acid as starting material. Then, the printed metasurface was covered with a thin layer of conductive silver paint, in order to achieve good electrical conductivity. The other metasurface was built using commercially available, conductive Electrifi. Both metasurfaces exhibit good energy harvesting behavior, in the frequency band near 2.4 GHz. Their harvesting efficiency is found to be almost three times lower than that obtained for conventional PCB-printed cut-wire metasurfaces. Nevertheless, all of the experimental results presented here strongly corroborate that three-dimensional-printed metasurfaces can be potentially used to harvest energy in the 2.4 GHz frequency band.
Corrosion Behaviour of Cu/Carbon Steel Gradient Material
Authors: Ma Tao , Li Huirong , Gao Jianxin , Li Yungang
Published: September 2021

Research on improving the corrosion resistance of carbon steel has become a hot topic in the iron and steel field in recent years. Copper plating on the surface of carbon steel is considered an effective means to improve its corrosion resistance, but the copper-plated carbon steel material prepared by this method has the problems of poor abrasion resistance, easy delamination of copper layer and similar issues, which affect the service performance of the copper-plated carbon steel material. To solve this problem, a new type of material whose surface is copper and the copper element is gradually diffused into carbon steel was developed by a plating-diffusion method, which is defined as a copper-carbon steel gradient material. Carbon steel with a copper plated surface and the Cu-Fe/carbon steel gradient material with 80% Cu content on the surface were prepared by the same method. The cross-sectional microstructure and composition of different samples were analysed, and the corrosion behaviors of samples in 3.5% NaCl solution were studied by the linear polarization curve method and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The cross-sectional microstructure result shows that the diffusion of copper in carbon is mainly carried out along its grain boundary, and the diffusion of copper will inhibit the growth of grains during heat treatment. As shown in the results of corrosion behaviors, there is no pitting corrosion in the corrosion process of all samples, as well as the stable passive film. All samples showed active dissolution. Compared with carbon steel, the corrosion potential of the Cu/carbon steel gradient material becomes more positive from −600 mV to −362 mV, the corrosion current density decreases from 53.0 μA/cm2 to 30.6 μA/cm2 and the radius of electrochemical impedance spectroscopy enlarges while the corrosion resistance is improved, and the corrosion resistance is mainly obtained by its surface copper layer. The corrosion resistance of Cu-Fe/carbon steel gradient material is lower than that of Cu/carbon steel gradient material, while it is still better than carbon steel, and it shows a clear passivation trend during corrosion. Therefore, the copper/carbon steel gradient material can significantly improve the corrosion resistance of carbon steel. Even after the surface copper layer is destroyed, the gradient material can protect the matrix and improve the service life of the material.
When Familial Hearing Loss Means Genetic Heterogeneity: A Model Case Report
Authors: Cenni Camille , Mansard Luke , Blanchet Catherine , Baux David , Vaché Christel , Baudoin Corinne , Moclyn Mélodie , Faugère Valérie , Mondain Michel , Jeziorski Eric , Roux Anne-Françoise , Willems Marjolaine
Published: September 2021

We describe a family with both hearing loss (HL) and thrombocytopenia, caused by pathogenic variants in three genes. The proband was a child with neonatal thrombocytopenia, childhood-onset HL, hyper-laxity and severe myopia. The child’s mother (and some of her relatives) presented with moderate thrombocytopenia and adulthood-onset HL. The child’s father (and some of his relatives) presented with adult-onset HL. An HL panel analysis, completed by whole exome sequencing, was performed in this complex family. We identified three pathogenic variants in three different genes: MYH9, MYO7A and ACTG1. The thrombocytopenia in the child and her mother is explained by the MYH9 variant. The post-lingual HL in the paternal branch is explained by the MYO7A variant, absent in the proband, while the congenital HL of the child is explained by a de novo ACTG1 variant. This family, in which HL segregates, illustrates that multiple genetic conditions coexist in individuals and make patient care more complex than expected.
Impact of Export Promotion Programs on Export Performance
Authors: Mota Jorge , Moreira António , Alves Alexandra
Published: September 2021

This research examines the relationship of Export Promotion Programs (EPPs), sponsored by a Portuguese Regional Association for Development on Trade and Industry, with firms’ export performance. To investigate this, two models were applied using panel data analyses that relate export performance to variables such as participation in EPPs, age and size of firms. Data on 198 firms for the sampling period 2010 and 2018 was drawn from a Portuguese Regional Development Association and SABI (Iberian Balance sheet Analysis System) database. The results show that participation in EPPs does have a positive influence on the export performance of firms, especially for those firms with previous export experience, demonstrating the importance of using these programs. Findings also document that firm size relates positively export performance, whereas firms age show a negative effect on export performance, suggesting that larger firms with more resources positively influence exports and an increase in firms’ age may increase their cultural inertia, inability to change strategies, decreasing their export performance, respectively. Finally, the participation in EPPs seems not to influence export performance for firms without previous export experience. The research contributes to the literature providing evidence on the role of EPP on firms’ export performance behavior promoted by regional development associations.
Willingness to Communicate and Second Language Proficiency: A Correlational Study
Authors: Darasawang Pornapit , Reinders Hayo
Published: September 2021

This study attempts to answer one straightforward question: “what is the relationship between students’ proficiency level and their willingness to communicate?”, i.e., their “readiness to enter into discourse at a particular time with a specific person or persons”, using an L2. Understanding the link between proficiency and WTC is important as a great deal of effort is expended by teachers worldwide on encouraging learners to engage in L2, interaction more. If their willingness to do so depends (in part) on their proficiency level at the time, this may affect what type of activities and instruction are to be provided in class, especially compulsory English classes where students have less autonomy and motivation. To establish this relationship, we correlated 1836 Thai university students’ English Placement Test scores with their level of WTC as measured through a three-part survey instrument, with WTC operationalised as “self-perceived willingness to communicate”, “communicative self-confidence”, and “self-perceived L2 use”. We found a weak to moderate correlation between WTC and language proficiency, with the construct of “self-confidence” being the most strongly correlated. We discuss some of the implications of these findings in relation to EFL teaching.
Design and Performance Analysis of a Compact Quad-Element UWB MIMO Antenna for Automotive Communications
Authors: Arumugam Sriram , Manoharan Sangeetha , Palaniswamy Sandeep Kumar , Kumar Sachin
Published: September 2021

This paper presents the design and analysis of a planar ultra-wideband (UWB) multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) antenna for modern vehicular communication systems. The proposed unit cell antenna structure was designed using modified elliptical radiators on a Rogers RO3003 substrate, has a size of 22 × 22 × 0.76 mm3, and covers an impedance bandwidth (S11 ≤ −10 dB) of 3.14 GHz to 12.24 GHz. The peak gain and efficiency of the unit cell prototype are 5.1 dBi and 81%, respectively. The unit cell was further developed into a MIMO antenna configuration with four elements placed orthogonal to each other in a single plane measuring 50 × 50 × 0.76 mm3. The measured isolation between the antenna elements was greater than 20 dB. The measured envelope correlation coefficient (ECC) of the MIMO antenna was less than 0.004, the diversity gain (DG) was greater than 9.67 dB, the total active reflection coefficient (TARC) was <−10 dB, and the mean effective gain (MEG) ratio was > 0.99. The characteristics of the proposed unit cell and the MIMO antenna were investigated for housing effects in order to validate the consistent performance of the antenna in the presence of conducting bodies. In addition, the radiation characteristics of the antenna when mounted on a vehicle were analyzed using a virtual model of the car. The results show that the proposed quad-element UWB MIMO array is compact, has good performance, and is well-suited for automotive applications.
Analysis of Singular Configuration of Robotic Manipulators
Authors: Zhang Xinglei , Fan Binghui , Wang Chuanjiang , Cheng Xiaolin
Published: September 2021

Robotic manipulators inevitably encounter singular configurations in the process of movement, which seriously affects their performance. Therefore, the identification of singular configurations is extremely important. However, serial manipulators that do not meet the Pieper criterion cannot obtain singular configurations through analytical methods. A joint angle parameterization method, used to obtain singular configurations, is here creatively proposed. First, an analytical method based on the Jacobian determinant and the proposed method were utilized to obtain their respective singular configurations of the Stanford manipulator. The singular configurations obtained through the two methods were consistent, which suggests that the proposed method can obtain singular configurations correctly. Then, the proposed method was applied to a seven-degree-of-freedom (7-DOF) serial manipulator and a planar 5R parallel manipulator. Finally, the correctness of the singular configurations of the 7-DOF serial manipulator was verified through the shape of the end-effector velocity ellipsoid, the value of the determinant, the value of the condition number, and the value of the manipulability measure. The correctness of singular configurations of the planar 5R parallel manipulator was verified through the value of the determinant, the value of the condition number, and the value of the manipulability measure.
Heterogeneous Effects of the Belt and Road Initiative on Energy Efficiency in Participating Countries
Authors: Wu Yan , Hu Cong , Shi Xunpeng
Published: September 2021

The Belt and Road investment involves a large number of renewable energy projects, but whether the energy efficiency is linked to the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) cooperation has yet to be established in the literature. This research attempts to close this gap by looking at how the BRI affects the energy efficiency of participating nations after the fact through a counterfactual analysis. Based on the Difference-in-Difference-in-Difference (DDD) and quantile DID methods for the panel dataset covering 178 nations and areas for the period of 2002 to 2018, we explored the impacts of BRI on energy efficiency vary by different energy efficiency quantiles, resource endowments, and income levels. First, the positive effects of BRI are significant in medium-and high-energy efficiency quantiles but are not significant in low-energy efficiency quantiles for up to 30%. Second, the BRI tends to increase more energy efficiencies in resource-rich BRI countries than those in resource-poor BRI countries. Third, the BRI tends to increase more energy efficiencies in low-income BRI countries than those in high-income BRI countries. The findings can assist BRI countries in improving energy efficiency and sustainable development capacity under the initiative, thus resolving the increasing anxieties in climate change and environmental pollution in this area.
Comparative Analysis of Performance, Emission, and Combustion Characteristics of a Common Rail Direct Injection Diesel Engine Powered with Three Different Biodiesel Blends
Authors: Teja K. M. V. Ravi , Prasad P. Issac , Reddy K. Vijaya Kumar , Banapurmath N. R. , Soudagar Manzoore Elahi M. , Hossain Nazia , Afzal Asif , Saleel C Ahamed
Published: September 2021

Biodiesel is a renewable energy source which is gaining prominence as an alternative fuel over fossil diesel for different applications. Due to their higher viscosity and lower volatility, biodiesels are blended with diesel in various proportions. B20 blends are viable and sustainable solutions in diesel engines with acceptable engine performance as they can replace 20% fossil fuel usage. Biodiesel blends are slightly viscous as compared with diesel and can be used in common rail direct injection (CRDI) engines which provide high pressure injection using an electronic control unit (ECU) with fuel flexibility. In view of this, B20 blends of three biodiesels derived from cashew nutshell (CHNOB (B20)), jackfruit seed (JACKSOB (B20)), and Jamun seed (JAMNSOB (B20)) oils are used in a modified single-cylinder high-pressure-assisted CRDI diesel engine. At a BP of 5.2 kW, for JAMNSOB (B20) operation, BTE, NOx, and PP increased 4.04%, 0.56%, and 5.4%, respectively, and smoke, HC, CO, ID, and CD decreased 5.12%, 6.25%, 2.75%, 5.15%, and 6.25%, respectively, as compared with jackfruit B20 operation.
Clustering Analysis of Energy Consumption in the Countries of the Visegrad Group
Authors: Gostkowski Michał , Rokicki Tomasz , Ochnio Luiza , Koszela Grzegorz , Wojtczuk Kamil , Ratajczak Marcin , Szczepaniuk Hubert , Bórawski Piotr , Bełdycka-Bórawska Aneta
Published: September 2021

The main purpose of this paper is to assess energy consumption with a breakdown into main sectors of the countries that belong to the Visegrad Group. The specific objectives aim to determine changes in energy absorption, its productivity, structure by sectors and to show the similarities of the Visegrad Group countries to the other EU states in terms of the sectoral energy absorption structure. All members of the Visegrad group, i.e., Poland, Hungary, Slovakia and the Czech Republic, were purposefully selected for the study as of 31 December 2018. The research period covered the years 1990–2018. The sources of gathered information were the literature on the subject and OECD data. The following methods were used for the analysis and presentation of materials: explanations, tabular and graphical depictions, descriptive statistics, dynamics indicators, and cluster analysis performed with the following methods: k-means, hierarchical agglomerative clusters and DIvisive ANAlysis (DIANA). There is a limited number of previous studies on the relationship between the national level of economic development and energy consumption in different sectors of industry. Additionally, there are no such analytical projects concerning EU states. The article fills the research gap in this area. It was established that the dynamics of productivity growth over the nine years (2010–2018) was similar in the countries of the Visegrad group and on average for the EU. This means that the members of the Visegrad group did not actually improve their energy efficiency as compared to the EU average. The reason may be the increasingly faster implementation of modern technologies in developed economies of Western Europe as compared to the developing countries, which include the members of the Visegrad group. The conversion of the economy had a very large impact on changing the structure of energy absorption by sector. Industry and agriculture lost their importance. On the other hand, the transport and service sectors benefited. As a result of the cluster analysis, all EU (European Union) states were divided into four groups. Poland, the Czech Republic, and Hungary found themselves in one group, along with most Western European countries. This may mean that the economies of these states have become unified with highly developed economic systems. Slovakia found itself in the group of states with a greater importance of industry. The study complements the contribution to the theory. From a practical point of view, it shows the impact of economic transformation on changes in energy consumption in individual sectors, which may be a model of transition in this area.
Analysing the Impact of Harvesting Methods on the Quantity of Harvesting Residues: An Australian Case Study
Authors: Ghaffariyan Mohammad Reza , Dupuis Eloïse
Published: September 2021

Many parameters can influence the weight of harvesting residues per hectare that remain on plantation sites after extracting sawlogs and pulpwoods. This study aimed at quantifying the impact of the cut-to-length and whole-tree harvesting methods on the weight of harvesting residues using 26 case studies in Australian plantations. A database was created using case studies conducted in different plantations, to measure the weight of harvesting residues per hectare and the components of harvesting residues. An analysis of variance was applied to test the impact made by the harvesting methods. The results confirmed that the cut-to-length harvesting method produced a larger weight of residues (104.0 tonnes of wet matter per hectare (tWM/ha) without additional biomass recovery and 64.7 tWM/ha with additional biomass recovery after sawlog/pulpwood extraction) than the whole-tree harvesting method (12.5 tWM/ha). The fraction test showed that stem wood formed the largest proportion of the harvesting residues in cut-to-length sites and needles were the largest component of the pine harvesting residues in sites cleared by the whole-tree harvesting method. The outcomes of this study could assist plantation managers to set proper strategies for harvesting residues management. Future research could study the impact of product type, silvicultural regime, stand quality, age, equipment, etc., on the weight of harvesting residues.
Predicting the Potential Habitat of Three Endangered Species of Carpinus Genus under Climate Change and Human Activity
Authors: Sun Jiejie , Feng Lei , Wang Tongli , Tian Xiangni , He Xiao , Xia Hui , Wang Weifeng
Published: September 2021

The impact of climate change and human activities on endangered plants has been a serious concern in forest ecology. Some Carpinus plants have become extinct. Thus, we need to pay more attention to the Carpinus plants that are not yet extinct but are endangered. Here, we employed the species distribution model (SDM) considering different climate change scenarios and human footprint to test the potential habitat changes of three Carpinus species (C. oblongifolia, C. tientaiensis, and C. purpurinervis) in the future. Our results showed that the mean diurnal range of temperature (MDRT), isothermality, mean temperature of wettest quarter, and human footprint were the most influential factors determining the distribution of C. oblongifolia. Precipitation seasonality (coefficient of variation), MDRT, and precipitation of driest quarter were the most important climatic factors affecting C. tientaiensis. The minimum temperature of the coldest month was the most important factor in the distribution of C. purpurinervis. Our results also showed that the three species had different adaptability and habitat change trends under the future climate change scenarios, although they belong to the same genus. The potential habitats of C. oblongifolia would expand in the future, while the potential habitats of C. tientaiensis and C. purpurinervis would decrease for the same period. The predicted changes of these three endangered species on temporal and spatial patterns could provide a theoretical basis for their conservation strategies.
Impact of Soil-Applied Microbial Inoculant and Fertilizer on Fungal and Bacterial Communities in the Rhizosphere of Robinia sp. and Populus sp. Plantations
Authors: Mayer Zoltán , Csorbainé Andrea Gógán , Juhász Ákos , Ombódi Attila , Pápai Antal , Némethné Boglárka Kisgyörgy , Posta Katalin
Published: September 2021

The impact of chemical fertilization on rhizosphere soil communities is a growing concern due to the changes they cause on microbes in soil ecosystems. The present study aims to compare mycorrhizal inoculation and fertilizer applications on bacterial and fungal communities in rhizosphere soil of intensively cultivated Robinia pseudoacacia and Populus × euramericana plantations using the Illumina Miseq sequencing platform. Our results revealed that the different host plants and applied treatments did not significantly affect soil bacterial diversity, but interfered with native rhizosphere bacterial communities in plantation sites. In contrast, host plants and inorganic fertilizer had a strong effect at the family and genus level on the composition of soil fungal communities. In conclusion, our findings suggest that the structure and composition of the fungal community are more sensitive to the nutrient sources in soil than bacteria.
Prescribed Burning Reduces Large, High-Intensity Wildfires and Emissions in the Brazilian Savanna
Authors: Santos Filippe L.M. , Nogueira Joana , Souza Rodrigo A. F. de , Falleiro Rodrigo M. , Schmidt Isabel B. , Libonati Renata
Published: September 2021

Brazil has recently (2014) changed from a zero-fire policy to an Integrated Fire Management (IFM) program with the active use of prescribed burning (PB) in federal Protected Areas (PA) and Indigenous Territories (IT) of the Brazilian savanna (Cerrado). PB is commonly applied in the management of fire-prone ecosystems to mitigate large, high-intensity wildfires, the associated emissions, and high fire suppression costs. However, the effectiveness of such fire management in reducing large wildfires and emissions over Brazil remains mostly unevaluated. Here, we aim to fill the gap in the scientific evidence of the PB benefits by relying on the most up-to-date, satellite-derived fire datasets of burned area (BA), fire size, duration, emissions, and intensity from 2003 to 2018. We focused on two Cerrado ITs with different sizes and hydrological regimes, Xerente and Araguaia, where IFM has been in place since 2015. To understand fire regime dynamics, we divided the study period into three phases according to the prevalent fire policy and the individual fire scars into four size classes. We considered two fire seasons: management fire season (MFS, which goes from rainy to mid-dry season, when PBs are undertaken) and wildfires season (WFS, when PBs are not performed and fires tend to grow out of control). Our results show that the implementation of the IFM program was responsible for a decrease of the areas affected by high fire recurrence in Xerente and Araguaia, when compared with the Zero Fire Phase (2008–2013). In both regions, PB effectively reduced the large wildfires occurrence, the number of medium and large scars, fire intensity, and emissions, changing the prevalent fire season from the WFS to the MFS. Such reductions are significant since WFS causes higher negative impacts on biodiversity conservation and higher greenhouse gas emissions. We conclude that the effect on wildfires can still be reduced if effective fire management policies, including PB, continue to be implemented during the coming decades.
Generation and Mapping of Fuel Types for Fire Risk Assessment
Authors: Aragoneses Elena , Chuvieco Emilio
Published: September 2021

Fuel mapping is key to fire propagation risk assessment and regeneration potential. Previous studies have mapped fuel types using remote sensing data, mainly at local-regional scales, while at smaller scales fuel mapping has been based on general-purpose global databases. This work aims to develop a methodology for producing fuel maps across European regions to improve wildland fire risk assessment. A methodology to map fuel types on a regional-continental scale is proposed, based on Sentinel-3 images, horizontal vegetation continuity, biogeographic regions, and biomass data. A vegetation map for the Iberian Peninsula and the Balearic Islands was generated with 85% overall accuracy (category errors between 3% and 28%). Two fuel maps were generated: (1) with 45 customized fuel types, and (2) with 19 fuel types adapted to the Fire Behaviour Fuel Types (FBFT) system. The mean biomass values of the final parameterized fuels show similarities with other fuel products, but the biomass values do not present a strong correlation with them (maximum Spearman’s rank correlation: 0.45) because of the divergences in the existing products in terms of considering the forest overstory biomass or not.
A Rapid and Sensitive Fluorescent Microsphere-Based Lateral Flow Immunoassay for Determination of Aflatoxin B1 in Distillers’ Grains
Authors: Wang Zifei , Luo Pengjie , Zheng Baodong
Published: September 2021

Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) is a toxic compound naturally produced by the genera Aspergillus. Distillers’ grains can be used as animal feed since they have high content of crude protein and other nutrients. However, they are easily contaminated by mycotoxins, and currently there are no rapid detection methods for AFB1 in distillers’ grains. In this study, a lateral flow immunoassay (LFIA) based on red fluorescent microsphere (FM), is developed for quantitative detection of AFB1 in distillers’ grains. The whole test can be completed within 15 min, with the cut-off value being 25.0 μg/kg, and the quantitative limit of detection (qLOD) being 3.4 μg/kg. This method represents satisfactory recoveries of 95.2–113.0%, and the coefficients of variation (CVs) are less than 7.0%. Furthermore, this technique is successfully used to analyze AFB1 in real samples, and the results indicates good consistency with that of high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The correlation coefficient is found to be greater than 0.99. The proposed test strip facilitates on-site, cost-effective, and sensitive monitoring of AFB1 in distillers’ grains.
Migration of Various Nanoparticles into Food Samples: A Review
Authors: Paidari Saeed , Tahergorabi Reza , Anari Ensieh Sadat , Nafchi Abdorezza Moahammdi , Zamindar Nafiseh , Goli Mohammad
Published: September 2021

Nanotechnology has provided new opportunities for the food industry with its applications in food packaging. The addition of nanoparticles, such as clay, silver and copper, can improve the mechanical and antimicrobial properties of food packaging. However, nanoparticles may have an adverse impact on human health. This has led to legislative and regulatory concerns. The inhibitory effects of nano packaging on different microorganisms, such as Salmonella, E. coli, and molds, have been studied. Nanoparticles, like other materials, may have a diverse set of properties that need to be determined. In this review, different features of silver, clay and copper nanoparticles, such as their anti-microbial, cell toxicity, genetic toxicity, mechanical properties, and migration, are critically evaluated in the case of food packaging. Specifically, the viewpoints of WHO, FDA, and ESFA, concerning the nano-silver application in food packaging, are discussed as well.
Properties of Polarized Synchrotron Emission from Fluctuation Dynamo Action—II. Effects of Turbulence Driving in the ICM and Beam Smoothing
Authors: Basu Aritra , Sur Sharanya
Published: September 2021

Polarized synchrotron emission from the radio halos of diffuse intracluster medium (ICM) in galaxy clusters are yet to be observed. To investigate the expected polarization in the ICM, we use high resolution (1 kpc) magnetohydrodynamic simulations of fluctuation dynamos, which produces intermittent magnetic field structures, for varying scales of turbulent driving (lf) to generate synthetic observations of the polarized emission. We focus on how the inferred diffuse polarized emission for different lf is affected due to smoothing by a finite telescope resolution. The mean fractional polarization ⟨p⟩ vary as ⟨p⟩∝lf1/2 with ⟨p⟩>20% for lf≳60 kpc, at frequencies ν>4GHz. Faraday depolarization at ν<3 GHz leads to deviation from this relation, and in combination with beam depolarization, filamentary polarized structures are completely erased, reducing ⟨p⟩ to below 5% level at ν≲1 GHz. Smoothing on scales up to 30 kpc reduces ⟨p⟩ above 4 GHz by at most a factor of 2 compared to that expected at 1 kpc resolution of the simulations, especially for lf≳100 kpc, while at ν<3 GHz, ⟨p⟩ is reduced by a factor of more than 5 for lf≳100 kpc, and by more than 10 for lf≲100 kpc. Our results suggest that observational estimates of, or constrain on, ⟨p⟩ at ν≳4 GHz could be used as an indicator of the turbulent driving scale in the ICM.
Expression and Polymorphism of TSLP/TSLP Receptors as Potential Diagnostic Markers of Colorectal Cancer Progression
Authors: Semlali Abdelhabib , Almutairi Mikhlid H. , Alamri Abdullah , Reddy Parine Narasimha , Arafah Maha , Almadi Majid A. , Aljebreen Abdulrahman M. , Alharbi Othman , Azzam Nahla Ali , Almutairi Riyadh , Alanazi Mohammad , Rouabhia Mahmoud
Published: September 2021

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common malignancy and the fourth leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide. Inflammation is considered as a critical driver for CRC development and growth. We investigated the association between polymorphisms/expression levels of thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) /TSLP receptors and CRC risk in Saudi population. DNA samples were isolated from blood samples from 220 participants. Case subjects were 112 patients diagnosed with CRC, while control subjects were 108 healthy individuals, who were not diagnosed with any type of malignancy. We selected two single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) located in the thymic stromal lymphopoietin gene (rs10043985 and rs2289276), three SNPs in TSLP receptor gene (TSLPR; rs36139698, rs36177645, and rs36133495), and two other SNPs in interleukin-7 receptor gene (IL-7R; rs12516866 and rs1053496), and designated these SNPs for a case-control genotyping study. The gene expression was analyzed using quantitative RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry assays array on 20 matching colorectal cancer/normal tissues. mRNA expressions and protein levels of TSLP, TSLPR-α subunit, and IL-7R-α subunit showed a 4-fold increase in colon cancer tissues when compared to normal colon tissues. Furthermore, two SNPs (rs10043985 of TSLP and rs1053496 of IL-7R) showed statistically significant correlations with CRC susceptibility. Interestingly, only rs10043985 showed a statistically significant association (p < 0.0001) in the genotypic and phenotypic levels with CRC for all clinical parameters (age, gender, and tumor location) tested. However, IL-7R rs1053496 genotyping results presented a significant correlation (p < 0.05) in male CRC patients and in individuals under 57 years of age. TSLP rs2289276, IL-7R rs12516866, and all TSLPR variants did not display any significant genotypic or phenotypic correlations in all tested clinical parameters. This study identified that TSLP rs10043985 and IL-7R rs1053496 SNPs, and the expression levels of TSLP and TSLPR-α subunit, can be used as markers for CRC development and treatment. However, additional investigations are required on larger group of patients from diverse ethnicities to confirm the genetic association of these variants to CRC.
The PUB4 E3 Ubiquitin Ligase Is Responsible for the Variegated Phenotype Observed upon Alteration of Chloroplast Protein Homeostasis in Arabidopsis Cotyledons
Authors: Jeran Nicolaj , Rotasperti Lisa , Frabetti Giorgia , Calabritto Anna , Pesaresi Paolo , Tadini Luca
Published: September 2021

During a plant’s life cycle, plastids undergo several modifications, from undifferentiated pro-plastids to either photosynthetically-active chloroplasts, ezioplasts, chromoplasts or storage organelles, such as amyloplasts, elaioplasts and proteinoplasts. Plastid proteome rearrangements and protein homeostasis, together with intracellular communication pathways, are key factors for correct plastid differentiation and functioning. When plastid development is affected, aberrant organelles are degraded and recycled in a process that involves plastid protein ubiquitination. In this study, we have analysed the Arabidopsis gun1-102 ftsh5-3 double mutant, lacking both the plastid-located protein GUN1 (Genomes Uncoupled 1), involved in plastid-to-nucleus communication, and the chloroplast-located FTSH5 (Filamentous temperature-sensitive H5), a metalloprotease with a role in photosystem repair and chloroplast biogenesis. gun1-102 ftsh5-3 seedlings show variegated cotyledons and true leaves that we attempted to suppress by introgressing second-site mutations in genes involved in: (i) plastid translation, (ii) plastid folding/import and (iii) cytosolic protein ubiquitination. Different phenotypic effects, ranging from seedling-lethality to partial or complete suppression of the variegated phenotype, were observed in the corresponding triple mutants. Our findings indicate that Plant U-Box 4 (PUB4) E3 ubiquitin ligase plays a major role in the target degradation of damaged chloroplasts and is the main contributor to the variegated phenotype observed in gun1-102 ftsh5-3 seedlings.
Rain, Snow and Frozen Soil: Open Questions from a Porescale Perspective with Implications for Geohazards
Authors: Baselt Ivo , Heinze Thomas
Published: September 2021

Climate change is already affecting high mountain regions, such as the European Alps. Those regions will be confronted with a significant rise of temperatures above the global average, and more and heavier rain events, also during wintertime. The system response to the coincidence of rain, snow, and possibly frozen soil depends on the almost infinite number of possible combinations of thermo-hydraulic states of the involved phases. Landslides, snow avalanches, debris flows, or extensive surface runoff are just a few of the possible hazardous outcomes. With rising temperatures and increased precipitation, those hazardous outcomes are expected to occur even more frequently in the future, requiring a better understanding of those coupled processes for hazard mitigation strategies. The macroscopic phenomena are controlled by porescale processes, such as water freezing and ice grains blocking pores, which are only barely understood. The strong coupling between thermal state and hydraulic parameters, the possible phase change, and material heterogeneity pose great challenges for investigation. This work provides an overview of documented hazard events regarding rain, snow, and possibly frozen soil. The current state in theoretical and experimental research is presented before several knowledge gaps are derived and possible techniques to address those gaps are discussed.
Bridges as Geoheritage Viewpoints in the Western Caucasus
Authors: Mikhailenko Anna V. , Ermolaev Vladimir A. , Ruban Dmitry A.
Published: September 2021

Distant observation of unique geological and geomorphological features facilitates comprehension and tourism of these important resources. Bridges offer an opportunity for such observation, and the idea of bridge-based geoheritage viewpoints is proposed. In the geologically-rich area of the Western Caucasus (southwestern Russia), eleven bridges were assessed semiquantitatively with the newly proposed approach. The results indicated their different but moderate utility as geoheritage viewpoints. The utility of two bridges is high. Bridges differ not only by the quality of the views they offer but also by their accessibility. Mandatory permissions and entrance fees reduce this property in several cases. Although the study area is somewhat specific due to the relatively large number of bridges and their utility, similar situations can be found in other geographical localities. Bridge-based geoheritage viewpoints are important to geotourism development, and, particularly, they contribute to establishing optimal and comfortable routes.
The Vaccination Process against the COVID-19: Opportunities, Problems and mHealth Support
Authors: Simeoni Rossella , Maccioni Giovanni , Giansanti Daniele
Published: September 2021

The vaccination against the COVID-19, finally available, has the potential to represent an important defence against the pandemic. The identification of both obstacles and tools to combat them are, at this moment, of strategic importance. Previous experiences on vaccinations have shown solutions and paths to take, also based on the behavioural sciences. The objective of the opinion is to face how mobile technology can help us both to fight these problems and to optimize the vaccination process. The opinion has four polarities. The first polarity consists in having detected the problems hampering an effective vaccination process. These problems have been grouped into the following four: Electronic and Informatic divide, Escape, Exposure risk, and Equity. The second polarity consists in having verified how the mobile technology can be useful to face the identified problems. The third polarity highlights the usefulness and importance of using electronic surveys. These tools are based on mobile technology. They are useful problem sensors for the stakeholders. The fourth polarity faces how mobile technology and mHealth can be of aid to optimize the flow of the vaccination process, from the first call up to the certification. This polarity is supported by an example based on the Italian national App IO. The study highlights: (a) on one side, the potential of mobile technology; on the other side, the need for interventions to reduce the digital divide with the purpose to increase its use. (b) How the role of mobile technology can be complementary to other intervention methods.
Sleep as a Priority: 24-Hour Movement Guidelines and Mental Health of Chinese College Students during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Liang Kaixin , de Lucena Martins Clarice Maria , Chen Si-Tong , Clark Cain Craig Truman , Duncan Michael Joseph , Bu He , Huang Liuyue , Chi Xinli
Published: September 2021

Research on the combined role of 24-hour movement behaviors (sleep, sedentary behavior [SB], and physical activity) in adult mental health, though important, is in its infancy. In the context of Canadian 24-hour movement guidelines integrating quantitative recommendations for sleep, SB, and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA), this study aimed to examine the associations between meeting guidelines and mental health among college students. The study used a cross-sectional sample of 1846 Chinese college students surveyed online in August 2020. Through network analysis and multivariate analysis of covariance, the individual and combined associations between meeting 24-hour movement guidelines and the levels of depression and anxiety after adjusting sociodemographic factors were analyzed. Results indicated that meeting the sleep guideline had stronger associations with depression and anxiety than meeting the SB or MVPA guideline. Specifically, compared to meeting no guidelines, meeting the sleep guideline (alone or in combination with other guidelines) was associated with significantly lower levels of depression and anxiety; meeting both SB and MVPA guidelines was also associated with a significantly lower level of depression. Hence, meeting more guidelines, especially adhering to a healthy sleep routine, may play an important role in promoting the mental health of young adults.
A Qualitative Protocol to Examine Resilience Culture in Healthcare Teams during COVID-19
Authors: Ambrose John W. , Layne Diana M. , Catchpole Ken , Evans Heather , Nemeth Lynne S.
Published: September 2021

Resilience allows teams to function at their optimal capacity and skill level in times of uncertainty. The SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) pandemic created a perfect opportunity to study resilience culture during a time of limited healthcare team experience, protocols, and specific personal protective equipment (PPE) needed. Little is known about healthcare team resilience as a phenomenon; existing definitions and empiric referents do not capture the nature of healthcare team resilience, as the traditional focus has been placed on individual resilience. This qualitative research protocol provides the rationale and methodology to examine this phenomenon and builds a bridge between resilience engineering and individual resilience. The sample is composed of healthcare team members from the US. This research may add to the body of knowledge on resilience culture in healthcare teams during the COVID-19 pandemic. This qualitative research protocol paper outlines the rationale, objective, methods, and ethical considerations entailed in this research.
Architectural Heritage Conservation in Nigeria: The Need for Innovative Techniques
Authors: Okpalanozie Ogechukwu Elizabeth , Adetunji Olufemi Samson
Published: September 2021

Architectural heritage conservation in recent years has hinged on conventional methods and has failed to recognize innovative methods and emerging technologies. Consequently, in Nigeria, suboptimal conservation work results in the continual deterioration of architectural heritage, leading to the loss of heritage and its values and significance. The study, therefore, sought to examine challenges and prospects for implementing innovative techniques in the conservation of architectural heritage in Nigeria. The study examined three heritage conservation interventions in Nigeria, focusing on the applicability of innovative conservation methods for documentation, diagnosis, and treatment of deterioration of architectural heritage. Questionnaires were administered through purposive sampling to 40 heritage conservation professionals, with 31 (77.5%) completed and returned for analysis. A Cronbach’s alpha reliability test value of 0.76 established the validity of the research instrument. The findings affirmed that heritage professionals have low familiarity (mean value of 2.19) with innovative techniques for conservation of architectural heritage. Of the respondents, 41.9% had gained a minimal level of technical knowledge of how to implement innovative techniques in conservation interventions. Improving the performance of conservation interventions also ranked highly as a potential strength of implementing innovative techniques. Conclusively, there is a need to improve advocacy and training in innovative conservation techniques based on their ability to characterize architectural heritage materials and investigate their chemical composition, microstructure, and morphological features.