bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Pt/WO3 Nanoparticle-Dispersed Polydimethylsiloxane Membranes for Transparent and Flexible Hydrogen Gas Leakage Sensors
Authors: Ishihara Ryo , Makino Yoshihiro , Yamaguchi Yuki , Fujimoto Kenjiro , Nishio Keishi
Published: March 2022

Hydrogen gas is a promising, clean, and highly efficient energy source. However, to use combustible H2 gas safety, high-performance and safe gas leakage sensors are required. In this study, transparent and flexible platinum-catalyst-loaded tungsten trioxide (Pt/WO3) nanoparticle-dispersed membranes were prepared as H2 gas leakage sensors. The nanoparticle-dispersed membrane with a Pt:W compositional ratio of 1:13 was transparent and exhibited a sufficient color change in response to H2 gas. The membrane containing 0.75 wt.% of Pt/WO3 nanoparticles exhibited high transparency over a wide wavelength range and the largest transmittance change in response to H2 gas among the others. The heat treatment of the particles at 573 K provided sufficient crystallinity and an accessible area for a gasochromic reaction, resulting in a rapid and sensitive response to the presence of H2 gas. The lower limit of detection of the optimized Pt/WO3 nanoparticle-dispersed membrane by naked eye was 0.4%, which was one-tenth of the minimum explosive concentration. This novel membrane was transparent as well as flexible and exhibited a clear and rapid color response to H2. Therefore, it is an ideal candidate sensor for the safe and easy detection of H2 gas leakage.
Elevated Temperature Tensile Behavior of a Nb-Mo Microalloyed Medium Mn Alloy under Quasistatic Loads
Authors: Wu Wenlong , Cai Minghui , Zhang Zeyu , Tian Weigong , Pan Haijun
Published: March 2022

The elevated temperature tensile behavior of a Nb-Mo microalloyed medium steel was investigated over the −50 to 150 °C temperature range. The ultimate tensile strength was significantly reduced with increasing deformation temperature, but both YS (yield strength) and EI (total elongation) values changed slightly. The best product of UTS (ultimate tensile strength) and EI (~59.5 GPa·%) can be achieved at the deformation temperature of 50 °C, implying an excellent combination of strength and ductility. Furthermore, the change in strain hardening rate as a function of deformation temperature was further explained by the following two aspects: the dependence of mechanical stability of retained austenite on deformation temperature as well as the dependence of deformation mechanism on deformation temperature. Theoretical models and experimental observations demonstrate that the dominant deformation mechanism of the present medium Mn steel changed from the single transformation-induced plasticity (TRIP) effect at −50 to 50 °C to the multiple TRIP + TWIP (twinning-induced plasticity) effect at 50–150 °C.
LC-MS Based Metabolomics Analysis of Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) Cultivars Irrigated with Quicklime Treated Acid Mine Drainage Water
Authors: Munyai Rabelani , Raletsena Maropeng Vellry , Modise David Mxolisi
Published: March 2022

In water-scarce areas, the reuse of (un)treated acid mine drainage (AMD) water for crop irrigation has become a requirement, but it also carries a wide range of contaminants that can elicit the synthesis of diverse metabolites necessary for the survival of the plants. There is still a paucity of studies on the impact of quicklime treated-AMD water on the metabolite synthesis of potatoes. This study examined the effect of the irrigation of two potato cultivars (Marykies and Royal cultivars) with quicklime-treated AMD water on their metabolite profiles. A greenhouse study was conducted with five experimental treatments with different solution ratios, replicated three times in a completely randomized design. A total of 40 and 36 metabolites from Marykies and Royal cultivars which include amino acids, organic acids, and aromatic amines were identified, respectively. The results revealed elevation in the abundance of metabolites under the irrigation with treated AMD water for both cultivars with subtle variations. This will provide information on the primary metabolite shifst in potato that enhance their survival and growth under AMD conditions. However, more specific data on toxicity due to AMD irrigation would be required for a refined risk assessment.
Can Exercise Training Alter Human Skeletal Muscle DNA Methylation?
Authors: Garcia Luis A. , Zapata-Bustos Rocio , Day Samantha E. , Campos Baltazar , Hamzaoui Yassin , Wu Linda , Leon Alma D. , Krentzel Judith , Coletta Richard L. , De Filippis Eleanna , Roust Lori R. , Mandarino Lawrence J. , Coletta Dawn K.
Published: March 2022

Skeletal muscle is highly plastic and dynamically regulated by the body’s physical demands. This study aimed to determine the plasticity of skeletal muscle DNA methylation in response to 8 weeks of supervised exercise training in volunteers with a range of insulin sensitivities. We studied 13 sedentary participants and performed euglycemic hyperinsulinemic clamps with basal vastus lateralis muscle biopsies and peak aerobic activity (VO2 peak) tests before and after training. We extracted DNA from the muscle biopsies and performed global methylation using Illumina’s Methylation EPIC 850K BeadChip. Training significantly increased peak aerobic capacity and insulin-stimulated glucose disposal. Fasting serum insulin and insulin levels during the steady state of the clamp were significantly lower post-training. Insulin clearance rates during the clamp increased following the training. We identified 13 increased and 90 decreased differentially methylated cytosines (DMCs) in response to 8 weeks of training. Of the 13 increased DMCs, 2 were within the following genes, FSTL3, and RP11-624M8.1. Of the 90 decreased DMCs, 9 were within the genes CNGA1, FCGR2A, KIF21A, MEIS1, NT5DC1, OR4D1, PRPF4B, SLC26A7, and ZNF280C. Moreover, pathway analysis showed an enrichment in metabolic and actin-cytoskeleton pathways for the decreased DMCs, and for the increased DMCs, an enrichment in signal-dependent regulation of myogenesis, NOTCH2 activation and transmission, and SMAD2/3: SMAD4 transcriptional activity pathways. Our findings showed that 8 weeks of exercise training alters skeletal muscle DNA methylation of specific genes and pathways in people with varying degrees of insulin sensitivity.
Non-Invasive Monitoring of Inflammation in Inflammatory Bowel Disease Patients during Prolonged Exercise via Exhaled Breath Volatile Organic Compounds
Authors: Henderson Ben , Meurs Joris , Lamers Carlijn R. , Batista Guilherme Lopes , Materić Dušan , Bertinetto Carlo G. , Bongers Coen C. W. G. , Holzinger Rupert , Harren Frans J. M. , Jansen Jeroen J. , Hopman Maria T. E. , Cristescu Simona M.
Published: March 2022

The aim of this study was to investigate volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in exhaled breath as possible non-invasive markers to monitor the inflammatory response in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients as a result of repeated and prolonged moderate-intensity exercise. We included 18 IBD patients and 19 non-IBD individuals who each completed a 30, 40, or 50 km walking exercise over three consecutive days. Breath and blood samples were taken before the start of the exercise event and every day post-exercise to assess changes in the VOC profiles and cytokine concentrations. Proton transfer reaction time-of-flight mass spectrometry (PTR-ToF-MS) was used to measure exhaled breath VOCs. Multivariate analysis, particularly ANOVA-simultaneous component analysis (ASCA), was employed to extract relevant ions related to exercise and IBD. Prolonged exercise induces a similar response in breath butanoic acid and plasma cytokines for participants with or without IBD. Butanoic acid showed a significant correlation with the cytokine IL-6, indicating that butanoic acid could be a potential non-invasive marker for exercise-induced inflammation. The findings are relevant in monitoring personalized IBD management.
Stable Cu2P3I2 and Ag2P3I2 Single-Wire and Thin Film Devices for Humidity Sensing
Authors: Schwenk Gregory R. , Walters John T. , Ji Hai-Feng
Published: March 2022

Cu2P3I2 wires were synthesized and converted to Ag2P3I2 via post-synthetic modification. Single-wire and thin film devices were constructed from each material and evaluated as rapidly reversible humidity sensing semiconductors. All devices exhibited a dramatic increase in current when exposed to a ~30.85% RH (~9745.3 ppm by moisture volume) atmosphere compared to that of dry N2. Cu2P3I2 devices exhibited greater sensitivity compared to their respective Ag2P3I2 analogs with the highest being the thin film at 2.43 × 10−8 A% RH. While all devices exhibited rapid (<5 s) reversibility, the thin film devices exhibited greater sensitivity compared to their single-wire forms.
Production of Vitamin K by Wild-Type and Engineered Microorganisms
Authors: Kang Min-Ji , Baek Kwang-Rim , Lee Ye-Rim , Kim Geun-Hyung , Seo Seung-Oh
Published: March 2022

Vitamin K is a fat-soluble vitamin that mainly exists as phylloquinone or menaquinone in nature. Vitamin K plays an important role in blood clotting and bone health in humans. For use as a nutraceutical, vitamin K is produced by natural extraction, chemical synthesis, and microbial fermentation. Natural extraction and chemical synthesis methods for vitamin K production have limitations, such as low yield of products and environmental concerns. Microbial fermentation is a more sustainable process for industrial production of natural vitamin K than two other methods. Recent advanced genetic technology facilitates industrial production of vitamin K by increasing the yield and productivity of microbial host strains. This review covers (i) general information about vitamin K and microbial host, (ii) current titers of vitamin K produced by wild-type microorganisms, and (iii) vitamin K production by engineered microorganisms, including the details of strain engineering strategies. Finally, current limitations and future directions for microbial production of vitamin K are also discussed.
Langmuir–Blodgett Graphene-Based Films for Algal Biophotovoltaic Fuel Cells
Authors: Periasamy Vengadesh , Jaafar Muhammad Musoddiq , Chandrasekaran Karthikeyan , Talebi Sara , Ng Fong Lee , Phang Siew Moi , kumar Georgepeter Gnana , Iwamoto Mitsumasa
Published: March 2022

The prevalence of photosynthesis, as the major natural solar energy transduction mechanism or biophotovoltaics (BPV), has always intrigued mankind. Over the last decades, we have learned to extract this renewable energy through continuously improving solid-state semiconductive devices, such as the photovoltaic solar cell. Direct utilization of plant-based BPVs has, however, been almost impracticable so far. Nevertheless, the electrochemical platform of fuel cells (FCs) relying on redox potentials of algae suspensions or biofilms on functionalized anode materials has in recent years increasingly been demonstrated to produce clean or carbon-negative electrical power generators. Interestingly, these algal BPVs offer unparalleled advantages, including carbon sequestration, bioremediation and biomass harvesting, while producing electricity. The development of high performance and durable BPVs is dependent on upgraded anode materials with electrochemically dynamic nanostructures. However, the current challenges in the optimization of anode materials remain significant barriers towards the development of commercially viable technology. In this context, two-dimensional (2D) graphene-based carbonaceous material has widely been exploited in such FCs due to its flexible surface functionalization properties. Attempts to economically improve power outputs have, however, been futile owing to molecular scale disorders that limit efficient charge coupling for maximum power generation within the anodic films. Recently, Langmuir–Blodgett (LB) film has been substantiated as an efficacious film-forming technique to tackle the above limitations of algal BPVs; however, the aforesaid technology remains vastly untapped in BPVs. An in-depth electromechanistic view of the fabrication of LB films and their electron transference mechanisms is of huge significance for the scalability of BPVs. However, an inclusive review of LB films applicable to BPVs has yet to be undertaken, prohibiting futuristic applications. Consequently, we report an inclusive description of a contextual outline, functional principles, the LB film-formation mechanism, recent endeavors in developing LB films and acute encounters with prevailing BPV anode materials. Furthermore, the research and scale-up challenges relating to LB film-integrated BPVs are presented along with innovative perceptions of how to improve their practicability in scale-up processes.
Inkjet-Printed Silver Nanowire Ink for Flexible Transparent Conductive Film Applications
Authors: Wang Shuyue , Wu Xiaoli , Lu Jiaxin , Luo Zhengwu , Xie Hui , Zhang Xiaobin , Lin Kaiwen , Wang Yuehui
Published: March 2022

The development of flexible transparent conductive electrodes has been considered as a key issue in realizing flexible functional electronics. Inkjet printing provides a new opportunity for the manufacture of FFE due to simple process, cost-effective, environmental friendliness, and digital method to circuit pattern. However, obtaining high concentration of inkjet- printed silver nanowires (AgNWs) conductive ink is a great challenge because the high aspect ratio of AgNWs makes it easy to block the jetting nozzle. This study provides an inkjet printing AgNWs conductive ink with low viscosity and high concentration of AgNWs and good printing applicability, especially without nozzle blockage after printing for more than 4 h. We discussed the effects of the components of the ink on surface tension, viscosity, contact angle as well as droplet spreading behavior. Under the optimized process and formulation of ink, flexible transparent conductive electrode with a sheet resistance of 32 Ω·sq−1–291 nm·sq−1 and a transmittancy at 550 nm of 72.5–86.3% is achieved. We investigated the relationship between the printing layer and the sheet resistance and the stability of the sheet resistance under a bending test as well as the infrared thermal response of the AgNWs–based flexible transparent conductive electrode. We successfully printed the coupling electrodes and demonstrated the excellent potential of inkjet-printed AgNWs—based flexible transparent conductive electrode for developing flexible functional electronics.
Ti3AlC2/Pd Composites for Efficient Hydrogen Production from Alkaline Formaldehyde Solutions
Authors: Liu Xiaogang , Chen Wenjie , Zhang Xin
Published: March 2022

Research on catalytic oxidation in a promising but mild manner to remove formaldehyde and produce hydrogen is rarely reported. Here, the use of the Ti3AlC2 MAX phase as support for palladium nanoparticles was explored for the hydrogen generation from alkaline formaldehyde solution at room temperature. The results showed that Ti3AlC2/Pd catalyst with 3 wt% Pd loading had a much higher capability for hydrogen production than conventional Pd nanoparticles. In addition, by further optimizing the formaldehyde concentration, NaOH concentration, and the reaction temperature, the hydrogen production rate could be further increased to 291.6 mL min−1g−1. Moreover, the obtained apparent activation energy of the Ti3AlC2/Pd catalyzed hydrogen production reaction is 39.48 kJ mol−1, which is much lower than that of the literature results (65 kJ mol−1). The prepared Ti3AlC2/Pd catalysts as well as the catalytic process could act as a “two birds with one stone” effect, that is, they not only eliminate noxious formaldehyde but also generate clean hydrogen.
Electrically Controlled Enrichment of Analyte for Ultrasensitive SERS-Based Plasmonic Sensors
Authors: Pavliuk Georgii , Zhizhchenko Alexey , Vitrik Oleg
Published: March 2022

Recently, sensors using surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) detectors combined with superhydrophobic/superhydrophilic analyte concentration systems showed the ability to reach detection limits below the femto-molar level. However, a further increase in the sensitivity of these sensors is limited by the impossibility of the concentration systems to deposit the analyte on an area of less than 0.01 mm2. This article proposes a fundamentally new approach to the analyte enrichment, based on the effect of non-uniform electrostatic field on the evaporating droplet. This approach, combined with the optimized geometry of a superhydrophobic/superhydrophilic concentration system allows more than a six-fold reduction of the deposition area. Potentially, this makes it possible to improve the detection limit of the plasmonic sensors by the same factor, bringing it down to the attomolar level.
Correlated Electrical Conductivities to Chemical Configurations of Nitrogenated Nanocrystalline Diamond Films
Authors: Zkria Abdelrahman , Gima Hiroki , Abubakr Eslam , Mahmoud Ashraf , Haque Ariful , Yoshitake Tsuyoshi
Published: March 2022

Diamond is one of the fascinating films appropriate for optoelectronic applications due to its wide bandgap (5.45 eV), high thermal conductivity (3320 W m−1·K−1), and strong chemical stability. In this report, we synthesized a type of diamond film called nanocrystalline diamond (NCD) by employing a physical vapor deposition method. The synthesis process was performed in different ratios of nitrogen and hydrogen mixed gas atmospheres to form nitrogen-doped (n-type) NCD films. A high-resolution scanning electron microscope confirmed the nature of the deposited films to contain diamond nanograins embedded into the amorphous carbon matrix. Sensitive spectroscopic investigations, including X-ray photoemission (XPS) and near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS), were performed using a synchrotron beam. XPS spectra indicated that the nitrogen content in the film increased with the inflow ratio of nitrogen and hydrogen gas (IN/H). NEXAFS spectra revealed that the σ*C–C peak weakened, accompanied by a π*C=N peak strengthened with nitrogen doping. This structural modification after nitrogen doping was found to generate unpaired electrons with the formation of C–N and C=N bonding in grain boundaries (GBs). The measured electrical conductivity increased with nitrogen content, which confirms the suggestion of structural investigations that nitrogen-doping generated free electrons at the GBs of the NCD films.
Loaded n-Hydroxyapatite/SSG 3D Scaffolds as a Drug Delivery System of Nigella sativa Fractions for the Management of Local Antibacterial Infections
Authors: Dalli Mohammed , El Guerraf Abdelqader , Azizi Salah-eddine , Benataya Karim , Azghar Ali , Mi-Kyung Jeong , Maleb Adil , Bonglee Kim , Gseyra Nadia
Published: March 2022

As a result of their close similarities to the inorganic mineral components of human bone, hydroxyapatite nanoparticles (n-HAp) are widely used in biomedical applications and for the elaboration of biocompatible scaffold drug delivery systems for bone tissue engineering. In this context, a new efficient and economic procedure was used for the consolidation of n-HAp in the presence of various Nigella sativa (NS) fractions at a near-room temperature. The research conducted in the present study focuses on the physicochemical properties of loaded n-HAp 3D scaffolds by NS fractions and the in vitro antibacterial activity against Gram-negative (Escherichia coli ATCC 25922, Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 27853, Klebsiella pneumoniae ATCC 27853), and Gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 29213, Enterococcus faecalis ATCC 700603) bacteria. In order to better understand the effect of the inserted fractions on the HAp molecular structure, the elaborated samples were subject to Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) spectroscopic analyses. In addition, the morphological investigation by scanning electron microscope (SEM) of the loaded n-HAp 3D scaffolds demonstrated the presence of a porous structure, which is generally required in stimulating bone regeneration. Furthermore, the fabricated 3D composites exhibited significant antibacterial activity against all tested bacteria. Indeed, MIC values ranging from 5 mg/mL to 20 mg/mL were found for the HAp-Ethanol fraction (HAp-Et) and HAp-Hexane fraction (HAp-Hex), while the HAp-Aqueous fraction (HAp-Aq) and HAp-Methanol fraction (HAp-Me) showed values between 20 mg/mL and 30 mg/mL on the different strains. These results suggest that the HAp-NS scaffolds were effective as a drug delivery system and have very promising applications in bone tissue engineering.
Development of Gold Nanoparticle-Based SERS Substrates on TiO2-Coating to Reduce the Coffee Ring Effect
Authors: Breuch René , Klein Daniel , Moers Cassandra , Siefke Eleni , Wickleder Claudia , Kaul Peter
Published: March 2022

Hydrophilic surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) substrates were prepared by a combination of TiO2-coatings of aluminium plates through a direct titanium tetraisopropoxide (TTIP) coating and drop coated by synthesised gold nanoparticles (AuNPs). Differences between the wettability of the untreated substrates, the slowly dried Ti(OH)4 substrates and calcinated as well as plasma treated TiO2 substrates were analysed by water contact angle (WCA) measurements. The hydrophilic behaviour of the developed substrates helped to improve the distribution of the AuNPs, which reflects in overall higher lateral SERS enhancement. Surface enhancement of the substrates was tested with target molecule rhodamine 6G (R6G) and a fibre-coupled 638 nm Raman spectrometer. Additionally, the morphology of the substrates was characterised using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Raman microscopy. The studies showed a reduced influence of the coffee ring effect on the particle distribution, resulting in a more broadly distributed edge region, which increased the spatial reproducibility of the measured SERS signal in the surface-enhanced Raman mapping measurements on mm scale.
Wear of Modern Denture Teeth—A Systematic Review
Authors: Mudliar Vidya L. , Tieh Mei Ting , Aarts John M. , Paras Alessandra , Choi Joanne Jung Eun
Published: March 2022

The purpose of this systematic review was to identify the different methods used to measure artificial teeth wear and to determine which denture teeth (or which combination of tooth types) have better wear resistance. The focused patient, intervention, comparison, and outcome (PICO) question for this review was “which available denture teeth or combination of teeth have higher wear resistance?” The method of testing and measuring the artificial teeth wear was also evaluated as a secondary outcome. We searched OVID Medline, PubMed and SCOPUS using the following terms (MeSH words) with any synonyms and closed terms: “wear”, “denture teeth”, “denture tooth”, or “artificial tooth”, “tooth wear”, or combination of “denture tooth wear”. Database searches were limited to the English language and studies published between years 1997 and 2021. Further hand searches were carried out of studies identified from the bibliographies of relevant articles. The electronic data base search identified 293 articles of which 213 were eliminated after removing duplicates and screening the titles of the articles. A further 31 articles were eliminated upon application of the exclusion criterion and full text reading because they were either not in the English language or were review articles. Only 41 articles met the inclusion criterion; along with addition of one hand search article, a total of 42 articles were included in the review. The studies showed that rate of denture teeth wear is influenced by factors such as the material and composition of the artificial teeth, the denture tooth antagonist, the tooth being replaced, patient’s age and sex, the type of removable prosthesis and the amount of the superficial layer removed during occlusal adjustments. The testing parameters were inconsistent across all studies. In conclusion, artificial teeth of same material should be used as antagonists where possible, and the superficial outer layer of the teeth must be preserved as much as possible during occlusal adjustments to enhance wear resistance. Denture teeth should be selected taking into consideration the tooth being replaced, the age and sex of the patient, and the type of prosthesis. Incorporation of nano fillers into acrylic resin teeth does not increase wear resistance; therefore, there is no evidence to favour the use of nano-filled composite teeth over micro-filled or conventional acrylic resin teeth.
Aesthetics as a Habit: Between Constraints and Freedom, Nudges and Creativity
Authors: Portera Mariagrazia
Published: March 2022

This paper is a preliminary attempt to bring to the fore some questions and issues regarding the role of habits in aesthetics. Indeed, much attention has recently been given to habits across a wide range of fields of inquiry: philosophers turn to the concept to investigate its significance to the historical development of Western thought; neuroscientists look into the role that habits play in the functioning of the human mind and identify the neural and psychological underpinnings of habitual behavior; anthropologists, political scientists and sociologists tap into habits as a key notion to explain social dynamics and collective behavior. For all of these waves that the notion has made in other parts of the humanities and social sciences, there have been so far, however, only a few sustained discussions of habits in conjunction with aesthetics. What is the role of habits in aesthetic experience? How do habits influence and regulate artistic creative processes?
Chemical Profiling of Two Italian Olea europaea (L.) Varieties Subjected to UV-B Stress
Authors: Piccini Chiara , Cantini Claudio , Cai Giampiero , Pinto Diana C. G. A. , Silva Artur M. S. , Romi Marco , Dias Maria Celeste
Published: March 2022

The depletion of the stratospheric ozone layer due to natural and/or anthropogenic causes decreases the amount of UV-B radiation filtered, and consequently increases the risk of potential damage to organisms. In the Mediterranean region, high UV-B indices are frequent. Even for species typical of this region, such as the olive tree, the progressive increase in UV-B radiation represents a threat. This work aimed to understand how high UV-B radiation modulates the phenolic and lipophilic profile of olive varieties, and identify metabolites that enhance olive stress tolerance. Two Italian olive varieties were subjected to chronic UV-B stress, and leaves were analyzed by gas and liquid chromatography. The results indicated that the most representative phenolic and lipophilic compounds of Giarraffa and Olivastra Seggianese were readjusted in response to UV-B stress. The Giarraffa variety seemed better suited to prolonged UV-B stress, possibly due to the higher availability of flavonoids that could help control oxidative damage, and the accumulation of hydroxycinnamic acid derivatives that could provide strong UV-B shield protection. In addition, this variety contained higher levels of fatty acids (e.g., palmitic, α-linolenic, and stearic acids), which can help to maintain membrane integrity and accumulate more sorbitol (which may serve as an osmoprotectant or act a free-radical scavenger), terpenes, and long-chain alkanes, providing higher protection against UV-B stress.
Environmental Niche Dynamics of Blue Grama (Bouteloua gracilis) Ecotypes in Northern Mexico: Genetic Structure and Implications for Restoration Management
Authors: Morales-Nieto Carlos R. , Villarreal-Guerrero Federico , Jurado-Guerra Pedro , Ochoa-Rivero Jesús M. , Prieto-Amparán Jesús A. , Corrales-Lerma Raúl , Pinedo-Alvarez Alfredo , Álvarez-Holguín Alan
Published: March 2022

Understanding the genetic structure adopted by natural populations and its relation to environmental adaptation is critical for the success of restoration programs. We evaluated the genetic structure and temporal environmental niche dynamics of blue grama (Bouteloua gracilis) in 48 populations. The genetic evaluation was performed through amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) molecular markers. The maximum entropy method was used to model the past, present, and future environmental niches of the three clusters derived from the genetic analysis. The environmental niches of the three genetic clusters showed dynamic overlaps and isolations during the last interglacial and glacial maximum. The paleoclimatic events, which occurred during those periods, may have reinforced genetic exchange among populations and affected their genetic structure. Genetic clusters also presented different environmental niches in the present. Thus, they can be considered as three distinct ecotypes and restoration programs must be carried out using local germplasm from each environmental niche to increase their chance of success. Based on the environmental niches of the genetic clusters, changes are expected in the near and mid-century future. Therefore, climate change must be considered for species conservation management and future restoration programs.
Crocus pallidus (Iridaceae)—A Neglected Species for the Bulgarian Flora and Critical Taxon in the Balkans
Authors: Raycheva Tsvetanka , Stoyanov Kiril , Naimov Samir , Apostolova-Kuzova Elena , Marinov Yulian
Published: March 2022

For a long time, the Balkan endemic species Crocus pallidus has been unconfirmed and neglected for the flora of Bulgaria. It has remained an uncertain species from the Balkans, often listed as a synonym of C. weldenii. The morphological resemblance to the albinistic forms of C. chrysanthus has led to incorrect identification in the past, resulting in uncertainty regarding the distribution of this species in Bulgaria. In this regard, a detailed morphological and anatomical study of Bulgarian natural populations was carried out. A phylogenetic comparison in the ITS region of two Bulgarian populations of C. pallidus with other related species was conducted, revealing the distinction of C. pallidus populations from the closely related C. weldenii. The recently described new endemic species from Turkey, C. thracicus, shows very similar morphological and anatomical characteristics to C. pallidus and logically continues the distribution range in Eastern Thrace, along the Black Sea coast. We have a basis for suggesting that it should be treated as a synonym of C. pallidus.
Investigation on the Effects and Mechanisms of Alkaline Natural Mineral Water and Distilled Water on Ethanol-Induced Gastric Ulcers In Vivo and In Vitro
Authors: Sun Yilin , Zheng Jingyi , Yi Junjie , Cai Shengbao
Published: March 2022

Studies have proven that alkaline water has a protective effect on gastric diseases. However, the underlying mechanism is not clear. Moreover, in some countries, especially in China, purified water (distilled water) is also an important form of drinking water, while its protective effect on gastric diseases is still unknown. This study aimed to compare the effects of distilled water (pH = 5.6 ± 0.3) and alkaline natural mineral water (pH = 9.3 ± 0.6) on ethanol-induced gastric ulcers in mice and to further clarify the underlying mechanisms. Pepsin activity, prostaglandin E-2 (PGE2) and heat shock protein 70 (HSP70), superoxide dismutase (SOD), reduced glutathione (GSH), and malondialdehyde (MDA), as well as the oxidative stress pathway related proteins such as nuclear factor erythroid-2 related factor 2 (Nrf2), heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), and NADH quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1) were measured. After alkaline natural mineral water treatment, the levels of PGE2 and HSP70 were significantly increased (p < 0.05). Antioxidant indexes (SOD, GSH, and MDA) and Western blot results (Nrf2, HO-1, and NQO1) showed that alkaline natural mineral water did not alleviate gastric ulcers by improving oxidative stress. Pepsin activity assay displayed that the pepsin activity was significantly declined after alkaline natural mineral water treatment compared with the distilled water treatment (p < 0.05). This study indicated that alkaline natural mineral water may alleviate the ethanol-induced gastric ulcers in mice by inhibiting the pepsin activity and increasing the levels of PGE2 and HSP70.
Analysis of Korea’s Green Technology Policy and Investment Trends for the Realization of Carbon Neutrality: Focusing on CCUS Technology
Authors: Jung Seok-ho , Kim Hongjin , Kang Youngjun , Jeong Eunhoo
Published: March 2022

In 2008, the Republic of Korea announced the Low Carbon Green Growth vision as the national growth engine. This Green Growth vision invested in developing state-of-the-art green technologies to minimize greenhouse gas and pollutant emissions. Following a change in administration, Korean green technologies were re-categorized into six core technologies for climate change response in 2014, and ten core technologies for carbon-neutrality in 2021. The government proposed the realization of an inclusive green state in the 3rd Five-Year Green Growth Plan announced in 2019. Following the Green New Deal announced in 2020, green technology policies and investments continue, with the declaration of 2050 carbon neutrality. In the past two years, government policies from the 2050 Carbon Neutrality Strategy to the 2050 Carbon-Neutral Scenario consider Carbon Capture Utilization and Storage (CCUS) as an important technology to reduce CO2 and meet carbon-neutral goals. This study examines major green technology policy trends, focusing on CCUS, beginning with the Green Growth era in 2008 to today. R&D investment costs related to green technology during the green growth period and CCUS-related investment costs over the past 10 years (2011–2020) are utilized in statistical analyses (correlation, trend) to investigate and analyze investment volatility in green and CCUS technologies related to climate change. Finally, the study will provide basic information for establishing CCUS-related R&D policies, which will continue to increase in achieving carbon neutrality.
Gafchromic™ EBT3 Film Measurements of Dose Enhancement Effects by Metallic Nanoparticles for 192Ir Brachytherapy, Proton, Photon and Electron Radiotherapy
Authors: Sisin Noor Nabilah Talik , Rashid Raizulnasuha Ab , Abdullah Reduan , Razak Khairunisak Abdul , Geso Moshi , Akasaka Hiroaki , Sasaki Ryohei , Tominaga Takahiro , Miura Hayato , Nishi Masashi , Rahman Wan Nordiana
Published: March 2022

Interest in combining metallic nanoparticles, such as iron (SPIONs), gold (AuNPs) and bismuth oxide (BiONPs), with radiotherapy has increased due to the promising therapeutic advantages. While the underlying physical mechanisms of NP-enhanced radiotherapy have been extensively explored, only a few research works were motivated to quantify its contribution in an experimental dosimetry setting. This work aims to explore the feasibility of radiochromic films to measure the physical dose enhancement (DE) caused by the release of secondary electrons and photons during NP–radiotherapy interactions. A 10 mM each of SPIONs, AuNPs or BiONPs was loaded into zipper bags packed with GAFCHROMIC™ EBT3 films. The samples were exposed to a single radiation dose of 4.0 Gy with clinically relevant beams. Scanning was conducted using a flatbed scanner in red-component analysis for optimum sensitivity. Experimental dose enhancement factors (DEFExperimental) were then calculated using the ratio of absorbed doses (with/without NPs) converted from the films’ calibration curves. DEFExperimental for all NPs showed no significant physical DE beyond the uncertainty limits (p > 0.05). These results suggest that SPIONs, AuNPs and BiONPs might potentially enhance the dose in these clinical beams. However, changes in NPs concentration, as well as dosimeter sensitivity, are important to produce observable impact.
American Prosperity Gospel and Athletic Narratives of Success
Authors: Blazer Annie
Published: March 2022

When athletes give interviews about their success, they tend to iterate on themes of self-assuredness, dedication to a goal, positive thinking, and divine blessing. By examining the history of prosperity theology in the U.S., we can see one possible source of this rhetoric. Prosperity theology teaches believers that God wants them to be healthy and wealthy and that the means to achieve health and wealth are at a believer’s fingertips. All one must do is give faithfully to one’s church, never waver in one’s belief that God will grant health and wealth, and act as though one has already received the blessing one desires. While scholars have long critiqued prosperity theology for obscuring structural inequalities, particularly those that impact people of color, the philosophy remains popular in many congregations across the U.S. and is nearly ubiquitous in black churches. Examining similarities in the rhetoric of prosperity gospel and athletes’ narratives of their success shows that these narratives also contribute to the faulty logic of meritocracy by ignoring systemic inequalities.
Mixed Structure with 3D Multi-Shortcut-Link Networks for Hyperspectral Image Classification
Authors: Zheng Hui , Cao Yizhi , Sun Min , Guo Guihai , Meng Junzhen , Guo Xinwei , Jiang Yanchi
Published: March 2022

A hyperspectral image classification method based on a mixed structure with a 3D multi-shortcut-link network (MSLN) was proposed for the features of few labeled samples, excess noise, and heterogeneous homogeneity of features in hyperspectral images. First, the spatial–spectral joint features of hyperspectral cube data were extracted through 3D convolution operation; then, the deep network was constructed and the 3D MSLN mixed structure was used to fuse shallow representational features and deep abstract features, while the hybrid activation function was utilized to ensure the integrity of nonlinear data. Finally, the global self-adaptive average pooling and L-softmax classifier were introduced to implement the terrain classification of hyperspectral images. The mixed structure proposed in this study could extract multi-channel features with a vast receptive field and reduce the continuous decay of shallow features while improving the utilization of representational features and enhancing the expressiveness of the deep network. The use of the dropout mechanism and L-softmax classifier endowed the learned features with a better generalization property and intraclass cohesion and interclass separation properties. Through experimental comparative analysis of six groups of datasets, the results showed that this method, compared with the existing deep-learning-based hyperspectral image classification methods, could satisfactorily address the issues of degeneration of the deep network and “the same object with distinct spectra, and distinct objects with the same spectrum.” It could also effectively improve the terrain classification accuracy of hyperspectral images, as evinced by the overall classification accuracies of all classes of terrain objects in the six groups of datasets: 97.698%, 98.851%, 99.54%, 97.961%, 97.698%, and 99.138%.
Fractionation of Metal(loid)s in Three European Mine Wastes by Sequential Extraction
Authors: Opara Chiamaka Belsonia , Kutschke Sabine , Pollmann Katrin
Published: March 2022

Mine waste can constitute an environmental hazard, especially when poorly managed. Environmental assessment is essential for estimating potential threats and optimizing mine waste management. This study evaluated the potential environmental risk of sulfidic mine waste samples originating from the Neves Corvo Mine, Portugal, and the closed Freiberg mining district, Germany. Metal(loid)s in the waste samples were partitioned into seven operationally defined fractions using the Zeien and Brummer sequential extraction scheme. The results showed similar partitioning patterns for the elements in the waste rock and tailing samples from Neves Corvo Mine; most metal(loid)s showed lower mobility, as they were mainly residual-bound. On the contrary, the Freiberg tailing sample had considerably elevated (24–37%) mobile fractions of Zn, Co, Cd, and Mn. The majority of Fe (83–96%) in all samples was retained in the residual fractions, while Ca was highly mobile. Overall, Pb was the most mobile toxic element in the three samples. A large portion of Pb (32–57%) was predominantly found in the most mobilizable fractions of the studied waste samples. This study revealed that the three mine wastes have contamination potential for Pb and Zn, which can be easily released into the environment from these waste sources.
Cultural Competence in Healthcare Leadership Education and Development
Authors: Gulati Steve , Weir Catherine
Published: March 2022

Cultural competence is a phenomenon that straddles many disciplines and fields of study. There is no settled definition of the term, and it is argued that this is not necessary to explore or discuss the phenomenon as it is context-dependent across diverse societies. Explorations of cultural competence in clinical education and training are well-established, but there has been less attention towards its expression in the field of developing healthcare leaders. There is a debate about whether cultural competence is best achieved primarily through training-based educational inputs or by being infused in all areas of curriculum development. Using an exploration of selected literature followed by the case of an ambitious set of leadership development programmes in the English National Health Service, this paper explores the balance and interdependencies of cultural competence in healthcare leadership development as knowledge, skills and attitudes. The paper concludes that it is important for educators in this field to provide space for reflection, develop skills of reflexivity and facilitate sensitive discussions of sometimes contested ideas and concepts. A further evaluation of the impact of teaching and learning interventions, while mapping developments in perceptions of knowledge, skill and attitudes would be an area ripe for future research.
Optimal Asynchronous Dynamic Policies in Energy-Efficient Data Centers
Authors: Ma Jing-Yu , Li Quan-Lin , Xia Li
Published: March 2022

In this paper, we apply a Markov decision process to find the optimal asynchronous dynamic policy of an energy-efficient data center with two server groups. Servers in Group 1 always work, while servers in Group 2 may either work or sleep, and a fast setup process occurs when the server’s states are changed from sleep to work. The servers in Group 1 are faster and cheaper than those of Group 2 so that Group 1 has a higher service priority. Putting each server in Group 2 to sleep can reduce system costs and energy consumption, but it must bear setup costs and transfer costs. For such a data center, an asynchronous dynamic policy is designed as two sub-policies: The setup policy and the sleep policy, both of which determine the switch rule between the work and sleep states for each server in Group 2. To find the optimal asynchronous dynamic policy, we apply the sensitivity-based optimization to establish a block-structured policy-based Markov process and use a block-structured policy-based Poisson equation to compute the unique solution of the performance potential by means of the RG-factorization. Based on this, we can characterize the monotonicity and optimality of the long-run average profit of the data center with respect to the asynchronous dynamic policy under different service prices. Furthermore, we prove that a bang–bang control is always optimal for this optimization problem. We hope that the methodology and results developed in this paper can shed light on the study of more general energy-efficient data centers.
Investigating Market Diffusion of Electric Vehicles with Experimental Design of Agent-Based Modeling Simulation
Authors: Ebrie Awol Seid , Kim Young Jin
Published: March 2022

The transportation sector is recognized as one of the largest contributors to the problems of global warming and environmental pollution, and is responsible for a great deal of global energy consumption, which is heavily dependent upon scarce crude oil reserves. Different countries have adopted promotional policies to replace conventional internal combustion engine vehicles with electric vehicles as a means of mitigating global warming. Nevertheless, the current market share of eco-friendly vehicles remains stagnant in many parts of the world. This study aims to investigate the impact and relative importance of financial, technical, and political measures on the market penetration of electric vehicles using an agent-based simulation. More specifically, a series of agent-based simulation experiments is carried out following the statistical experimental design scheme to systematically assess the diffusion of electric vehicles. Affected by various factors and measures, the choice behavior of individual agents is modeled with a multinomial logit utility function of experimental factors. The simulated data are analyzed using different analysis methods, including full factorial analysis, response surface methodology, and support vector machine, in order to scrutinize the effects of different measures. It is advocated that factors affecting the choice of vehicle by individuals, including two-way interactions among various measures as well as policy measures such as purchase subsidies and tax breaks, have more significant effects on the widespread adoption of electric vehicles than do technical improvements in terms of battery charging times and driving mileage. This implies that the adoption of such measures needs to be carefully designed in order to account for potential interactions among individual measures as well as their main effects on the diffusion of electric vehicles.
A Comprehensive Study of Bright Fermi-GBM Short Gamma-ray Bursts: I. Multi-Pulse Lightcurves and Multi-Component Spectra
Authors: Zhao Peng-Wei , Tang Qing-Wen
Published: March 2022

Sorted by the photon fluences of short Gamma-ray Bursts (SGRBs) detected by the Fermi-Gamma Ray Burst Monitor (GBM), nine brightest bursts are selected to perform a comprehensive analysis. All GRB lightcurves are fitted well by 1 to 3 pulses that are modelled by fast-rising exponential decay profile (FRED), within which the resultant rising time is strongly positive-correlated with the full time width at half maxima (FWHM). A photon spectral model involving a cutoff power-law function and a standard blackbody function (CPL + BB) could reproduce the spectral energy distributions of these SGRBs well in the bursting phase. The CPL’s peak energy is found strongly positive-correlated with the BB’s temperature, which indicates they might be from the same physical origin. Possible physical origins are discussed to account for these correlations.
Intelligent Vehicle Moving Trajectory Prediction Based on Residual Attention Network
Authors: Yang Zhengcai , Gao Zhenhai , Gao Fei , Shi Chuan , He Lei , Gu Shirui
Published: March 2022

Skilled drivers have the driving behavioral characteristic of pre-sighted following, and similarly intelligent vehicles need accurate prediction of future trajectories. The LSTM (Long Short-Term Memory) is a common model of trajectory prediction. The existing LSTM models pay less attention to the interactions between the target and the surrounding vehicles. Furthermore, the impacts on future trajectories of the target vehicle have also barely been a focus of the current models. On these bases, a Residual Attention-based Long Short-Term Memory (RA-LSTM) model was proposed, an interaction tensor based on the surroundings of the target vehicle at the predictive moments was constructed and the weight coefficients of the interaction tensor for the surrounding vehicles relative to the target vehicle were calculated and re-programmed in this study. The proposed RA-LSTM model can implicitly represent the different degrees of influence of the surrounding vehicles on the target vehicle; the probability distributions of the future trajectory coordinates of the target vehicle is predicted based on the extracted interaction features. The RA-LSTM model was tested and verified in multiple scenarios by using the NGSIM (next generation simulation) public dataset, and the results showed that the prediction accuracy of the proposed model is significantly improved compared with the current LSTM models.