bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
‘Rooted in the Native Soil’—Cultural Amnesia and the Myth of the ‘Golden Age’ in Finnish Art History
Authors: Lahelma Marja
Published: June 2023

In Finnish art history, the period around the turn of the 20th century has been considered to be particularly significant for the formation of a national identity, and it has therefore come to be known as the ‘Golden Age’ of Finnish art. According to the commonly held historical narrative, artists in late nineteenth-century Finland, which at the time was an autonomous Grand Duchy of the Russian Empire, shared a patriotic mission that led to a blossoming of the arts. This narrative construction has become so well-established that its origins in the cultural debates of newly independent Finland in the 1920s and 1930s have faded out of sight. This article identifies some of the mechanisms of active and passive remembering and forgetting that have generated the myth of the ‘Golden Age’. The analysis is guided by perspectives created in the field of cultural memory studies that emphasize the role of remembering and forgetting in the construction of historical narratives. A brief overview of the vibrant cultural exchange between Finnish and Russian artists of the period is given in order to exemplify the richness of historical phenomena that has largely remained under the shadow of the powerful myth of the ‘Golden Age’.
Artistic, Commercial, and Confessional Exchanges between Venetian Crete and Western Europe: The Multiple Lives of an Icon of the Virgin and Child from Harvard Art Museums
Authors: Voulgaropoulou Margarita
Published: June 2023

In the collections of the Harvard Art Museums there is an icon of the Virgin and Child with Saints John the Baptist and Roch. Although a typical product of Cretan icon painting of the turn of the sixteenth century, the icon stands out from similar contemporary artworks due to its unusual subject matter and materiality. The iconographic analysis of the icon places it at the intersection of the Latin and Byzantine traditions and suggests that it was intended as a votive offering against the plague, featuring one of the earliest depictions of the anti-plague saint, Roch of Montpellier in Eastern Orthodox art. Examination of the verso of the icon further underscores the Western European associations of the panel. The presence of an elaborate incised design on the back side of the icon suggests that the wooden panel originated from a reused piece of furniture, in all probability, a fifteenth-century Italian chest. With this case study as a point of reference, this article discusses the commercial, artistic, and cross-confessional exchanges that took place in the ethnically and culturally pluralistic societies of Venice and its Mediterranean colonies, including the trans-confessional spread of cults, the dissemination of artistic trends, as well as the mutual transfer of artworks and objects of prestige, such as icons and chests.
Characterization of Chemical Components and Optical Properties of Toluene Secondary Organic Aerosol in Presence of Ferric Chloride Fine Particles
Authors: Wang Weichao , Huang Mingqiang , Hu Huimin , Zhao Weixiong , Hu Changjin , Gu Xuejun , Zhang Weijun
Published: June 2023

Iron ion is the common transition metal ion in atmospheric aerosol, which can affect the components and optics of secondary organic aerosol (SOA). In the current study, the atmospheric photooxidation of toluene to produce SOA in the presence of ferric chloride fine particles is simulated in a smog chamber; on-line and off-line mass spectrometry and spectroscopic instruments are used to characterize constituents and optics of SOA. Compare with SOA formed in the absence of fine particles, the laser desorption/ionization mass spectra of toluene SOA generated in the presence of ferric chloride fine particles show ion peaks of m/z = 163 and 178, the UV-Vis spectra of the extracting solution for toluene SOA have peaks near 400 and 700 nm, and the electrospray ionization mass spectra contain peaks at m/z = 248 and 300. Based on this spectral information, it is shown that gaseous methylcatechol formed from photooxidation of toluene may react with iron ion on the surface of fine particles by complexing and oxidation–reduction, resulting in methylbenzoquinone products and metallo-organic complex ions such as [Fe(III)(CH3C6H3OO)]+, [Fe(III)(CH3C6H3 OO)2]− and [Fe(III)(CH3C6H3OO)Cl2]−. These products have strong light absorption ability, resulting in an increase in the averaged mass absorption coefficient () in the 200~1000 nm range and the MAC at 365 nm (MAC365) for toluene SOA, while  and MAC365 progressively increase with an increasing concentration of ferric chloride fine particles. These results serve as experimental references for the study of the formation mechanism and optical properties of metallo-organic complexes in atmospheric aerosol particles in regions experiencing high levels of fine particles of metal and automobile exhaust pollution.
Solid Polymer Electrolytes for Zinc-Ion Batteries
Authors: De Cachinho Cordeiro Ivan , Li Ao , Lin Bo , Ma Daphne , Xu Lulu , Eh Alice , Wang Wei
Published: June 2023

To date, zinc-ion batteries (ZIBs) have been attracting extensive attention due to their outstanding properties and the potential to be the solution for next-generation energy storage systems. However, the uncontrollable growth of zinc dendrites and water-splitting issues seriously restrict their further scalable application. Over the past few years, solid polymer electrolytes (SPEs) have been regarded as a promising alternative to address these challenges and facilitate the practical advancement of zinc batteries. In this review, we revisit the research progress of SPEs applied in zinc batteries in the past few years and focus on introducing cutting-edge polymer science and technologies that can be utilised to prepare advanced SPEs for high-performance zinc batteries. The operating mechanism of SPEs and the functions of polymers are summarised. To highlight the polymer’s functions, SPEs are categorised into three types, homogenous polymer SPEs, hybrids polymer SPEs, and nanocomposites SPEs, which are expected to reveal the roles and principles of various polymers in zinc batteries. This review presents the current research progress and fundamental mechanisms of polymer-based SPEs in zinc batteries, outlines the challenging issues encountered, and proposes potential solutions for future endeavours.
Bio-Inspired Network for Diagnosing Liver Steatosis in Ultrasound Images
Authors: Yao Yuan , Zhang Zhenguang , Peng Bo , Tang Jin
Published: June 2023

Using ultrasound imaging to diagnose liver steatosis is of great significance for preventing diseases such as cirrhosis and liver cancer. Accurate diagnosis under conditions of low quality, noise and poor resolutions is still a challenging task. Physiological studies have shown that the visual cortex of the biological visual system has selective attention neural mechanisms and feedback regulation of high features to low features. When processing visual information, these cortical regions selectively focus on more sensitive information and ignore unimportant details, which can effectively extract important features from visual information. Inspired by this, we propose a new diagnostic network for hepatic steatosis. In order to simulate the selection mechanism and feedback regulation of the visual cortex in the ventral pathway, it consists of a receptive field feature extraction module, parallel attention module and feedback connection. The receptive field feature extraction module corresponds to the inhibition of the non-classical receptive field of V1 neurons on the classical receptive field. It processes the input image to suppress the unimportant background texture. Two types of attention are adopted in the parallel attention module to process the same visual information and extract different important features for fusion, which improves the overall performance of the model. In addition, we construct a new dataset of fatty liver ultrasound images and validate the proposed model on this dataset. The experimental results show that the network has good performance in terms of sensitivity, specificity and accuracy for the diagnosis of fatty liver disease.
Correction: Luan et al. Identification of Critical Genes for Ovine Horn Development Based on Transcriptome during the Embryonic Period. Biology 2023, 12, 591
Authors: Luan Yuanyuan , Wu Shangjie , Wang Mingkun , Pu Yabin , Zhao Qianjun , Ma Yuehui , Jiang Lin , He Xiaohong
Published: June 2023

In the original publication [1], there were mistakes in the order of the references, which were as follows: [...]
VDR Gene Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms and Autoimmunity: A Narrative Review
Authors: Agliardi Cristina , Guerini Franca Rosa , Bolognesi Elisabetta , Zanzottera Milena , Clerici Mario
Published: June 2023

The vitamin D/Vitamin D receptor (VDR) axis is crucial for human health as it regulates the expression of genes involved in different functions, including calcium homeostasis, energy metabolism, cell growth and differentiation, and immune responses. In particular, the vitamin D/VDR complex regulates genes of both innate and adaptive immunity. Autoimmune diseases are believed to arise from a genetic predisposition and the presence of triggers such as hormones and environmental factors. Among these, a role for Vitamin D and molecules correlated to its functions has been repeatedly suggested. Four single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of the VDR gene, ApaI, BsmI, TaqI, and FokI, in particular, have been associated with autoimmune disorders. The presence of particular VDR SNP alleles and genotypes, thus, was observed to modulate the likelihood of developing diverse autoimmune conditions, either increasing or reducing it. In this work, we will review the scientific literature suggesting a role for these different factors in the pathogenesis of autoimmune conditions and summarize evidence indicating a possible VDR SNP involvement in the onset of these diseases. A better understanding of the role of the molecular mechanisms linking Vitamin D/VDR and autoimmunity might be extremely useful in designing novel therapeutic avenues for these disorders.
The Beneficial Role of Photobiomodulation in Neurodegenerative Diseases
Authors: Abijo Ayodeji , Lee Chun-Yuan , Huang Chien-Ying , Ho Pei-Chuan , Tsai Kuen-Jer
Published: June 2023

Photobiomodulation (PBM), also known as Low-level Laser Therapy (LLLT), involves the use of light from a laser or light-emitting diode (LED) in the treatment of various disorders and it has recently gained increasing interest. Progressive neuronal loss with attendant consequences such as cognitive and/or motor decline characterize neurodegenerative diseases. The available therapeutic drugs have only been able to provide symptomatic relief and may also present with some side effects, thus precluding their use in treatment. Recently, there has been an exponential increase in interest and attention in the use of PBM as a therapy in various neurodegenerative diseases in animal studies. Because of the financial and social burden of neurodegenerative diseases on the sufferers and the need for the discovery of potential therapeutic inventions in their management, it is pertinent to examine the beneficial effects of PBM and the various cellular mechanisms by which it modulates neural activity. Here, we highlight the various ways by which PBM may possess beneficial effects on neural activity and has been reported in various neurodegenerative conditions (Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, epilepsy, TBI, stroke) with the hope that it may serve as an alternative therapy in the management of neurodegenerative diseases because of the biological side effects associated with drugs currently used in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases.
Tensile Overload Injures Human Alveolar Epithelial Cells through YAP/F-Actin/MAPK Signaling
Authors: He Shan , Liu Ruihan , Luo Qing , Song Guanbin
Published: June 2023

Background: Explosion shockwaves can generate overloaded mechanical forces and induce lung injuries. However, the mechanism of lung injuries caused by tensile overload is still unclear. Methods: Flow cytometry was used to detect the apoptosis of human alveolar epithelial cells (BEAS-2B) induced by tensile overload, and cell proliferation was detected using 5-ethynyl-2′-deoxyuridine (EdU). Immunofluorescence and Western blot analysis were used to identify the tensile overload on the actin cytoskeleton, proteins related to the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signal pathway, and the Yes-associated protein (YAP). Results: Tensile overload reduced BEAS-2B cell proliferation and increased apoptosis. In terms of the mechanism, we found that tensile overload led to the depolymerization of the actin cytoskeleton, the activation of c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) and extracellular-signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2), and the upregulation of YAP expression. Jasplakinolide (Jasp) treatment promoted the polymerization of the actin cytoskeleton and reduced the phosphorylation of tension-overload-activated JNK and ERK1/2 and the apoptosis of BEAS-2B cells. Moreover, the inhibition of the JNK and ERK1/2 signaling pathways, as well as the expression of YAP, also reduced apoptosis caused by tensile overload. Conclusion: Our study establishes the role of the YAP/F-actin/MAPK axis in tensile-induced BEAS-2B cell injury and proposes new strategies for the treatment and repair of future lung injuries.
Design and Motion Analysis of a Soft-Limb Robot Inspired by Bacterial Flagella
Authors: Ye Changlong , Liu Zhanpeng , Yu Suyang , Fan Zifu , Wang Yinchao
Published: June 2023

Soft robots demonstrate an impressive ability to adapt to objects and environments. However, current soft mobile robots often use a single mode of movement. This gives soft robots good locomotion performance in specific environments but poor performance in others. In this paper, we propose a leg–wheel mechanism inspired by bacterial flagella and use it to design a leg–wheel robot. This mechanism employs a tendon-driven continuum structure to replicate the bacterial flagellar filaments, while servo and gear components mimic the action of bacterial flagellar motors. By utilizing twisting and swinging motions of the continuum structure, the robot achieves both wheeled and legged locomotion. The paper provides comprehensive descriptions and detailed kinematic analysis of the mechanism and the robot. To verify the feasibility of the robot, a prototype was implemented, and experiments were performed on legged mode, wheeled mode, and post-overturning motion. The experimental results demonstrate that the robot can achieve legged and wheeled motions. Moreover, it is also demonstrated that the robot still has mobility after overturning. This expands the applicability scenarios of the current soft mobile robot.
The Relationship between Telomere Length and Nucleoplasmic Bridges and Severity of Disease in Prostate Cancer Patients
Authors: Dhillon Varinderpal S. , Deo Permal , Fenech Michael
Published: June 2023

Telomeres are repetitive nucleotide (TTAGGG) sequences that stabilize the chromosome ends and play an important role in the prevention of cancer initiation and progression. Nucleoplasmic bridges (NPBs) are formed when chromatids remain joined together during mitotic anaphase either due to mis-repair of DNA breaks or due to chromatid end fusion as a result of telomere loss or telomere dysfunction. We tested the hypotheses that (i) telomere length (TL) is shorter in prostate cancer (PC) patients relative to healthy age-matched individuals, (ii) TL differs in different stages of PC and (iii) shorter TL is significantly correlated with NPBs formation in PC cases. TL was measured in whole blood by well-established quantitative PCR method and the frequency of NPBs was measured in lymphocytes using cytokinesis-block micronucleus cytome (CBMNcyt) assay. Our results indicate that TL is shorter and NPBs are increased in PC patients relative to age-matched healthy controls. Furthermore, TL was significantly shorter (p = 0.03) in patients with a Gleason score more than 7 and there was also a significant trend of decreasing TL across all three stages (p trend = 0.01; Gleason score <7, 7 and >7). Furthermore, TL was significantly inversely correlated with NPB frequency in PC patients (r = −0.316; p = 0.001) but not in controls (r = 0.163; p = 0.06) and their relationships became stronger with higher Gleason scores. More studies are required that can confirm our observations and explore mechanistic differences in the role of telomeres in NPB formation in PC cases relative to non-cancer cases.
Is High-Risk Sexual Behavior a Risk Factor for Oropharyngeal Cancer?
Authors: Wichmann Gunnar , Rudolph Jasmin , Henger Sylvia , Engel Christoph , Wirkner Kerstin , Wenning John Ross , Zeynalova Samira , Wiegand Susanne , Loeffler Markus , Wald Theresa , Dietz Andreas
Published: June 2023

(1) Background: Several lines of evidence established a link between high-risk (HR) sexual behavior (SB), the persistence of human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA in saliva, and the presence of oncogenic HR-HPV subtypes in oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC). A highly influential case-control study by D’Souza et al. comparing OPSCC patients and ENT patients with benign diseases (hospital controls) established HR-SB as a putative etiological risk factor for OPSCC. Aiming to replicate their findings in a nested case-control study of OPSCC patients and propensity score (PS)-matched unaffected controls from a large population-based German cohort study, we here demonstrate discrepant findings regarding HR-SB in OPSCC. (2) Methods: According to the main risk factors for HNSCC (age, sex, tobacco smoking, and alcohol consumption) PS-matched healthy controls invited from the population-based cohort study LIFE and HNSCC (including OPSCC) patients underwent interviews, using AUDIT and Fagerström, as well as questionnaires asking for SB categories as published. Afterwards, by newly calculating PSs for the same four risk factors, we matched each OPSCC patient with two healthy controls and compared responses utilizing chi-squared tests and logistic regression. (3) Results: The HNSCC patients and controls showed significant differences in sex distribution, chronologic age, tobacco-smoking history (pack years), and alcohol dependence (based on AUDIT score). However, PS-matching decreased the differences between OPSCC patients and controls substantially. Despite confirming that OPSCC patients were more likely to self-report their first sexual intercourse before age 18, we found no association between OPSCC and HR-SB, neither for practicing oral-sex, having an increased number of oral- or vaginal-sex partners, nor for having casual sex or having any sexually transmitted disease. (4) Conclusions: Our data, by showing a low prevalence of HR-SB in OPSCC patients, confirm findings from other European studies that differ substantially from North American case-control studies. HR-SB alone may not add excess risk for developing OPSCC.
Targeting the Vulnerabilities of Oncogene Activation
Authors: Huang Christina , Arbiser Jack L.
Published: June 2023

Treatment strategies for cancer have progressed greatly in recent decades [...]
Synthesis of All-Inorganic Halide Perovskite Nanocrystals for Potential Photoelectric Catalysis Applications
Authors: Wang Xiaoqian , Liu Wanli , He Jiazhen , Li Yuqing , Liu Yong
Published: June 2023

Compared with conventional semiconductors, halide perovskite nanocrystals (NCs) have a unique crystal structure and outstanding optoelectronic properties, offering wide potential for applications in optoelectronic devices such as solar cells, photodetectors, light-emitting diodes, lasers, and displays. Rational technological design is providing vital support for the development of perovskite optoelectronics. Herein, monodisperse all-inorganic halide perovskite nanocrystals with consistent morphology and cubic crystal phase were synthesized employing a modified one-pot hot injection method to independently modulate the stoichiometric ratios of three precursors involving cesium salt, lead source, and halide. In combination with an anion exchange reaction, mixing two kinds of perovskite NCs with different halogens enables a transition from violet emission to green and finally to red emission over the entire visible region. Additionally, optical and electrochemical tests suggested that the as-synthesized halide perovskite NCs are promising for photoelectric catalysis applications.
Phage Interactions with the Nervous System in Health and Disease
Authors: Jędrusiak Adam , Fortuna Wojciech , Majewska Joanna , Górski Andrzej , Jończyk-Matysiak Ewa
Published: June 2023

The central nervous system manages all of our activities (e.g., direct thinking and decision-making processes). It receives information from the environment and responds to environmental stimuli. Bacterial viruses (bacteriophages, phages) are the most numerous structures occurring in the biosphere and are also found in the human organism. Therefore, understanding how phages may influence this system is of great importance and is the purpose of this review. We have focused on the effect of natural bacteriophages in the central nervous system, linking them to those present in the gut microbiota, creating the gut-brain axis network, as well as their interdependence. Importantly, based on the current knowledge in the field of phage application (e.g., intranasal) in the treatment of bacterial diseases associated with the brain and nervous system, bacteriophages may have significant therapeutic potential. Moreover, it was indicated that bacteriophages may influence cognitive processing. In addition, phages (via phage display technology) appear promising as a targeted therapeutic tool in the treatment of, among other things, brain cancers. The information collected and reviewed in this work indicates that phages and their impact on the nervous system is a fascinating and, so far, underexplored field. Therefore, the aim of this review is not only to summarize currently available information on the association of phages with the nervous system, but also to stimulate future studies that could pave the way for novel therapeutic approaches potentially useful in treating bacterial and non-bacterial neural diseases.
Interactions between the Astrocytic Volume-Regulated Anion Channel and Aquaporin 4 in Hyposmotic Regulation of Vasopressin Neuronal Activity in the Supraoptic Nucleus
Authors: Liu Yang , Wang Xiao-Ran , Jiang Yun-Hao , Li Tong , Ling Shuo , Wang Hong-Yang , Yu Jia-Wei , Jia Shu-Wei , Liu Xiao-Yu , Hou Chun-Mei , Parpura Vladimir , Wang Yu-Feng
Published: June 2023

We assessed interactions between the astrocytic volume-regulated anion channel (VRAC) and aquaporin 4 (AQP4) in the supraoptic nucleus (SON). Acute SON slices and cultures of hypothalamic astrocytes prepared from rats received hyposmotic challenge (HOC) with/without VRAC or AQP4 blockers. In acute slices, HOC caused an early decrease with a late rebound in the neuronal firing rate of vasopressin neurons, which required activity of astrocytic AQP4 and VRAC. HOC also caused a persistent decrease in the excitatory postsynaptic current frequency, supported by VRAC and AQP4 activity in early HOC; late HOC required only VRAC activity. These events were associated with the dynamics of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) filaments, the late retraction of which was mediated by VRAC activity; this activity also mediated an HOC-evoked early increase in AQP4 expression and late subside in GFAP-AQP4 colocalization. AQP4 activity supported an early HOC-evoked increase in VRAC levels and its colocalization with GFAP. In cultured astrocytes, late HOC augmented VRAC currents, the activation of which depended on AQP4 pre-HOC/HOC activity. HOC caused an early increase in VRAC expression followed by a late rebound, requiring AQP4 and VRAC, or only AQP4 activity, respectively. Astrocytic swelling in early HOC depended on AQP4 activity, and so did the early extension of GFAP filaments. VRAC and AQP4 activity supported late regulatory volume decrease, the retraction of GFAP filaments, and subside in GFAP-VRAC colocalization. Taken together, astrocytic morphological plasticity relies on the coordinated activities of VRAC and AQP4, which are mutually regulated in the astrocytic mediation of HOC-evoked modulation of vasopressin neuronal activity.
Locally Enhanced Electric Field Treatment of E. coli: TEM, FT-IR and Raman Spectrometry Study
Authors: Saraeva Irina , Zayarny Dmitry , Tolordava Eteri , Nastulyavichus Alena , Khmelnitsky Roman , Khmelenin Dmitry , Shelygina Svetlana , Kudryashov Sergey
Published: June 2023

In this paper, we report the study of the low-voltage locally enhanced electric field treatment (LEEFT) of E. coli bacteria via TEM analysis and FT-IR and Raman spectrometry. The formation of pores was confirmed by TEM, which revealed the membrane rupture along with the formation of precipitates in the membrane and the cell volume, and by photoluminescence spectra of propidium iodide dye. LEEFT results in the alternation of DNA and RNA structure, indicated by the change in its α-helical and β-helical forms, decrease and narrowing of the nucleic acids-related IR and Raman peaks. Membrane damage is illustrated by the ambiguous character after low-voltage exposure: several membrane fatty acids’ peaks are broadening, while the others narrow, which indicates the overall change of the molecular bonds in their moiety, and may result from the rigidification during the shrinkage of the inner membrane and the increase in fluidity of the outer membrane. The corresponding fingerprints of cytochrome c and bo, located in the membrane or in the periplasm, on Raman spectra, reflect the arising changes in their structure and moiety. The observed changes were partially confirmed by TEM images, which indicate the dense precipitates’ formation in the cell volume and membrane, as well as the cytoplasmic membrane shrinkage away from the outer membrane.
Influence of Ag Doping on the Microstructural, Optical, and Electrical Properties of ZrSiN Coatings Deposited through Pulsed-DC Reactive Magnetron Sputtering
Authors: Vanegas Parra Henry Samir , Calderón Velasco Sebastián , Alfonso Orjuela José Edgar , Olaya Florez Jhon Jairo , Carvalho Sandra
Published: June 2023

The functional properties of the transition-metal nitride coatings can be modified by adding noble metals such as silver. The incorporation of these elements has been demonstrated to be a good strategy for improving the electrical, optical, and mechanical responses of transition-metal nitride coatings. In this investigation, we report the production of Ag-ZrSiN coatings with varying silver atomic contents, deposited using pulsed-DC reactive magnetron sputtering. The effect of the incorporation of silver on the microstructure, the morphology, and the optical and electrical properties was investigated. The results revealed a nanocomposite structure of Ag-ZrSiN with nc-Ag/nc-ZrN embedded in an amorphous SiNx phase. The electrical resistivity decreased upon the incorporation of Ag from 77.99 Ω·cm to 0.71 Ω·cm for 0.0 and 12.0 at.% of Ag, respectively. A similar decreasing trend was observed in the transmittance spectra of the coatings as the silver content increased. For the Ag-ZrSiN coating, the transmittance values decreased within the wavelength range of 2500–630 nm and then remained constant down to 300 nm, at about 13.7%. Upon further increase of the silver concentration up to 12 at.%, the transmittance values continued to decrease between 2500 and 630 nm, reaching approximately zero at 630 nm, indicating that the coating becomes opaque within that spectral range.
Evolution of the Growth of a Micro-Nano Crystalline Diamond Film on an Axial Carbide Tool Model in Microwave Plasma
Authors: Ashkinazi Evgeny E. , Fedorov Sergey V. , Martyanov Artem K. , Sedov Vadim S. , Popovich Alexey F. , Bolshakov Andrey P. , Sovyk Dmitry N. , Ryzhkov Stanislav G. , Khomich Andrey A. , Zavedeev Evgeny V. , Litvinov Artem P. , Yurov Vladimir Y. , Grigoriev Sergey N. , Konov Vitaly I.
Published: June 2023

Conformal multilayer micro-nanocrystalline diamond coatings were grown on substrates of a hard alloy with 9% Co with a high aspect number in microwave plasma from gas mixtures CH4/H2 and CH4/H2/N2. The substrates were of a cylindrical axial tool model with a size ratio: d = 12 mm to l = 75 mm. An original tool holder made of molybdenum, in the form of a sector of the excessive ring with the axis of the hole parallel to the central conductive platform, protects part of the substrate from heating due to the edge effect of plasma. The uniformity of heating of the growth part, which is located inside the excessive ring, is calculated using mathematical modeling and is provided by rotation at a speed of at least 12 rpm, which ensures the uniformity of the coating. The average grain size of the nanocrystalline film measured along the cylinder forming was 41 nm.
Comparative Analysis of the Advantages and Disadvantages of Utilizing Spirulina-Derived Pigment as a Bio-Based Colorant for Wood Impregnator
Authors: Calovi Massimo , Rossi Stefano
Published: June 2023

The aim of this work was to examine the advantages and disadvantages of using spirulina-derived pigment as a bio-based colorant for wood impregnators. It investigated the effects of three different quantities of spirulina granules on the aesthetic properties and durability of a water-based wood impregnator. The impact of this environmental friendly pigment on the overall appearance of the coatings was estimated through colorimetric measurements and observations using an optical microscope. The durability of the coatings with varying amounts of spirulina was assessed by subjecting the samples to UV-B radiation and cyclic thermal shocks and analyzing them using infrared spectroscopy and colorimetric inspections. Furthermore, the influence of additive concentration on the coating’s barrier efficiency was examined through liquid resistance and water uptake tests. Finally, the scrub test was carried out to assess the effect of the spirulina pigment on the abrasion resistance properties of the protective layers. Ultimately, this study emphasized the remarkable coloration achieved through the use of the spirulina-based additive. However, the pigment derived from natural sources exhibited significant concerns associated with deterioration caused by UV-B radiation or the fading of the phycocyanin component found in spirulina. Thus, the work underscores the importance of implementing appropriate measures to safeguard the bio-based pigment from external factors such as temperature, solar radiation, and liquids.
A Shift in Communities of Conspicuous Macrocrustaceans Associated with Caribbean Coral Reefs following A Series of Environmental Stressors
Authors: Dubé Melissa K. , Barradas-Ortiz Cecilia , Negrete-Soto Fernando , Álvarez-Filip Lorenzo , Lozano-Álvarez Enrique , Briones-Fourzán Patricia
Published: June 2023

In 2015, the communities of reef-associated motile macrocrustaceans (decapods and stomatopods) were compared between two coral reefs with contrasting levels of degradation in Puerto Morelos (Mexican Caribbean), “Limones”, less degraded, with a healthy live coral cover, and “Bonanza”, more degraded, with less live coral and more macroalgae. Since then, several stressors have impacted Puerto Morelos. Massive influxes of floating Sargassum, which reached record levels in 2018, 2021, and 2022, have exacerbated the already high eutrophication of the reef lagoon. An outbreak and rapid propagation of the Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease in 2018 changed the functionality of reefs. Three back-to-back hurricanes struck the coast close to Puerto Morelos in October 2020 and another one in August 2021. We repeated the study in 2022 to examine the potential changes in the habitat and communities of reef-associated crustaceans since 2015. Reef degradation did not increase significantly between 2015 and 2022, but crustacean species richness, diversity, evenness, and dominance, which differed between reefs in 2015, became similar between reefs in 2022, as did the crustacean community composition. The abundance of herbivore crabs increased in Limones, displacing the coral- and hydrocoral-mutualistic crabs and the abundance of detritivore hermit crabs increased in Bonanza. These results suggest a taxonomic homogenization between reefs, apparently related to subtle ecological changes not necessarily captured by standard metrics of reef condition.
Haplotype Disequilibrium in the TLR Genes of Czech Red Pied Cattle
Authors: Samaké Kalifa , Novák Karel
Published: June 2023

Hybrid resequencing of the antibacterial innate immune genes coding for toll-like receptors, namely TLR1, TLR2, TLR4, TLR5, and TLR6, using HiSeq and PacBio technologies of pooled population samples of Czech Simmental (Czech Red) cattle allowed us to determine haplotypes formed by the polymorphisms present. Directly determined haplotypes within the range of the large proximal amplicon in TLR2 formed two clusters in the network tree graph. The distribution of the statistically reconstructed haplotypes based on individual genotyping of the present SNPs was consistent. Similarly, the statistically reconstructed haplotypes in TLR5 and TLR6 formed two clusters. The trend of bimodal distribution was also observed in TLR4, while the limited diversity of TLR1 did not allow for any conclusion. The observed bimodal distribution is consistent with earlier reports for cattle populations worldwide. The stability of this phenomenon cannot be ascribed to historical origin but rather to a long-term effect of balancing selection. The equilibrium might be based on two different essential functions performed by the TLR genes or their products. The formation of two kinds of heterodimers by the TLR2 product, namely, TLR2/TLR1 and TLR2/TLR6 with different ligand specificities, is considered to be a particular case. On the other hand, the better expression of the bimodal groups in the 5′-proximal SNPs supports the localization of the selection targets in the upstream regulatory regions or the functional interactions in the proximal part of the transcripts.
Blue Cheeses: Microbiology and Its Role in the Sensory Characteristics
Authors: López-Díaz Teresa María , Alegría Ángel , Rodríguez-Calleja Jose María , Combarros-Fuertes Patricia , Fresno José María , Santos Jesús A. , Flórez Ana Belén , Mayo Baltasar
Published: June 2023

Blue cheeses are those whose matrix is veined with a blue, blue-grey, or blue-green colour due to the development of Penicillium roqueforti. There are more than 45 varieties of blue cheese produced worldwide, with some distinct features, although the manufacture process is similar. In addition to P. roqueforti, complex microbial populations interact and succeed throughout the manufacturing and ripening at the cheese’s surface (the rind) and interior (matrix). The microbiota of blue cheeses is made up of a vast array of both prokaryotic and eukaryotic microorganisms. Acidification of the curd relies on the action of lactococci and other lactic acid bacteria (LAB) species. The ripened cheeses’ final quality and shelf-life properties largely depend on the enzymatic systems of the components of the microbiota, particularly on those of LAB, P. roqueforti, and yeast species. Proteolysis is the most complex and important primary biochemical process involved in blue-veined cheeses during ripening, with P. roqueforti being considered the main proteolytic agent. Lipolysis is also strong, originating, among other compounds, ketones, which are the main aroma compounds in blue-veined cheeses. In addition, several bioactive compounds are produced during ripening. The biochemical activities, mainly of microbial origin, are responsible for the sensory characteristics of these very appreciated cheese varieties worldwide.
Transforming Experimental Teaching of Fluid Mechanics and Heat Transfer Courses Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Díaz Manuel J. , Caro Ildefonso , Martín Ricardo
Published: June 2023

The academic situation due to the COVID-19 lockdown forced teachers to transform conventional lessons to a fully online mode. The experimental component of chemical engineering degrees is an essential part of the courses, wherein the students usually attend a pilot plant and develop practical skills in a hands-on way. The present study shows the different methodologies developed and implemented during three academic years in the experimental component of two courses: fluid mechanics and heat transfer. Therefore, the year 2018–2019 represents a conventional scenario, in which the lessons and evaluation were conducted in a traditional mode (face-to-face). Later, the cessation of on-site teaching in the middle of the year 2019–2020 compelled the teaching staff to adapt methodologies to a distance mode. This transformation was based on the creation of new learning material: explanatory videos, online seminars, solved exercises and online tests. Finally, the end of the lockdown in the year 2020–2021 allowed the return to a mixed mode (face-to-face lessons in addition to online lessons), which enabled the redesign of the experimental part of the courses. After the end of the courses, the usefulness of the implemented methodologies was evaluated by means of collecting academic marks and student surveys. The results show that, in general, the yields were similar during the three years studied, except in the lockdown period of the fluid mechanics course in which it was slightly higher than the others. With regard to the opinion of the students, their feedback about the transformations made was generally positive.
Non-Intrusive Load Monitoring Based on the Combination of Gate-Transformer and CNN
Authors: Zai Zhoupeng , Zhao Sheng , Zhang Zhengjiang , Li Haolei , Sun Nianqi
Published: June 2023

Non-intrusive load monitoring (NILM) is the practice of estimating power consumption of a single household appliance using data from a total power meter of the user’s house. The transformer model has emerged as a popular method for handling NILM problems. However, with the increase in data from electricity meters, there is a need for research focusing on the accuracy and computational complexity of the transformer model. To address this, this paper proposes a sequence-to-sequence load decomposition structure named GTCN, which combines the gate-transformer and convolutional neural networks (CNNs). GTCN introduces a gating mechanism to reduce the number of parameters for training the model while maintaining performance. The introduction of CNNs can effectively capture local features that the gate-transformer may not be able to capture, thereby improving the accuracy of power estimation of individual household appliances. The results of the experiments, based on the UK-DALE dataset, illustrate that GTCN not only demonstrates excellent decomposition performance but also reduces the model parameters compared to conventional transformers. Moreover, the proposed GTCN structure, despite maintaining the same number of model parameters as the traditional transformer architecture after incorporating CNNs, outperforms the conventional transformer model, as well as current seq2seq and R-LSTM technologies, and achieves enhanced prediction accuracy and improved generalization capability.
Search-Coil Based Stator Interturn Fault Detection in Permanent Magnet Machines Running under Dynamic Condition
Authors: Huang Wen , Chen Junquan , Hu Jinghua , Lv Ke , Liu Haitao
Published: June 2023

Interturn short circuit (ITSC) fault is a common fault in electric machines, which may severely damage the machines if no protective measure is taken in time. There are numerous fault diagnosis methods under a steady-state condition. However, there is relatively limited research on fault diagnosis under dynamic conditions. The dynamic operation of motors, such as in electric cars, is a very common scenario. Hence, this paper proposes a search-coil based online method for detecting ITSC fault in permanent magnet synchronous machine (PMSM) under a dynamic condition. The search coils are placed on the stator circumference at equal intervals. Each search coil reflects the information about the magnetic field in its vicinity and also contains the fault information. In this paper, the voltage induced by the odd sideband harmonics around the even carrier (2ωc±ω0) is selected as the fault characteristic to be used in effectively improving the detected signal-to-noise ratio by excluding the interference of the counter-potential of the permanent magnet. Since two adjacent search coils are placed one pole apart, a set of quadrature signals can be acquired. The Digital Lock-In Amplifier (DLIA) technology is applied to extract the amplitude of the characteristic voltage, which overcomes the shortcomings of the traditional spectrum analysis in applying to non-stationary conditions. The amplitudes of the voltage at different search coils can be compared to further determine the occurrence of a fault and also its rough location if occurred. Experiments were conducted with a six-phase PMSM for demonstrating the effectiveness of the proposed method. The obtained results show that the proposed method can accurately determine the occurrence of a fault.
Semantic Segmentation of Transmission Corridor 3D Point Clouds Based on CA-PointNet++
Authors: Wang Guanjian , Wang Linong , Wu Shaocheng , Zu Shengxuan , Song Bin
Published: June 2023

Automated extraction of key points from three-dimensional (3D) point clouds in transmission corridors provides technical support for digital twin construction and risk management of the power grid. However, accurately and efficiently segmenting the point clouds of transmission corridors remains a challenging problem. Traditional segmentation methods for transmission corridors suffer from low accuracy and poor generalization ability, and the potential of deep learning in this field has been overlooked. Therefore, the PointNet++ deep learning model is employed as the backbone network for the segmentation of 3D point clouds in transmission corridors. Additionally, given the distinct distribution of key components, an end-to-end CA-PointNet++ architecture is proposed by integrating the Coordinate Attention (CA) module with PointNet++. This approach captures long-distance spatial contextual features and improves feature saliency for more precise segmentation. Furthermore, CA-PointNet++ is evaluated on a dataset of 3D point clouds collected by unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) equipped with Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) for inspecting transmission corridors. The results show that CA-PointNet++ achieved 93.7% overall accuracy (OA) and 67.4% mean Intersection over Union (mIoU). Comparative studies with established deep learning models confirm that our proposed CA-PointNet++ exhibits high accuracy and strong generalization ability for point cloud segmentation tasks in transmission corridors.
Broad Stopband, Low-Loss, and Ultra-Compact Dual-Mode Bandpass Filter Based on HMSIRC
Authors: Barik Rusan Kumar , Koziel Slawomir , Pietrenko-Dabrowska Anna
Published: June 2023

In this investigation, an ultra-compact dual-mode bandpass filter (BPF) with a wide stopband response is realized by using a half-mode substrate-integrated rectangular cavity (HMSIRC). The HMSIRC resonator is designed with a cavity that is rectangular in shape and has metallic vias along three of the sides. The fourth side is open-ended and contains microstrip feed lines. For the purpose of constructing a magnetic wall, a rectangular slot is cut into each of the HMSIRC’s three edges. In order to produce an electrical wall that may generate a variety of resonances, the side with the open edges is provided with a single metallic via in the center. After that, a second-order BPF is generated by loading a transverse slot in the middle of the BPF, which enables independent frequency regulation of the mode frequencies. The eigen-mode analysis; field distributions; coupling matrix; and full-wave simulation of the proposed HMSIRC filter topology are used to develop the working principle of the filter. A second-order BPF is realized, constructed, and experimentally validated in order to provide evidence that the theory is correct. The BPF prototype achieves satisfactory performance thanks to its compact footprint of 0.028 λg2; its broad passband of 15.9%; its low insertion loss of 0.41 dB; and its wide stopband of 4.36 f0 with a rejection level greater than 20 dB. Both the measured and EM-simulated responses of the BPF are very consistent with one another.
Parameter Identification of Solar Photovoltaic Systems Using an Augmented Subtraction-Average-Based Optimizer
Authors: Moustafa Ghareeb
Published: June 2023

Solar photovoltaic system parameter identification is crucial for effective performance management, design, and modeling of solar panel systems. This work presents the Subtraction-Average-Based Algorithm (SABA), a unique, enhanced evolutionary approach for solving optimization problems. The conventional SABA works by subtracting the mean of searching solutions from the position of those in the population in the area of search. In order to increase the search capabilities, this work proposes an Augmented SABA (ASABA) that incorporates a method of collaborative learning based on the best solution. In accordance with manufacturing, the suggested ASABA is used to effectively estimate Photovoltaic (PV) characteristics for two distinct solar PV modules, RTC France and Kyocera KC200GT PV modules. Through the adoption of the ASABA approach, the simulation findings improve the electrical characteristics of PV systems. The suggested ASABA outperforms the regular SABA in terms of efficiency and effectiveness. For the R.T.C France PV system, the suggested ASABA approach outperforms the traditional SABA technique by 90.1% and 87.8 for the single- and double-diode models, respectively. Also, for the Kyocera KC200GT PV systems, the suggested ASABA approach outperforms the traditional SABA technique by 99.1% and 99.6 for the single- and double-diode models, respectively. Furthermore, the suggested ASABA method is quantitatively superior to different current optimization algorithms.
Improved Glutamic Acid Production Capacity of Corynebacterium glutamicum by the ARTP Mutagenesis Method
Authors: Shangguan Lingling , Zhang Huiyan , Liu Zixiong , An Feiran , Yang Qiao , Zhang Xiaoling , Yao Lan , Yang Shihui , Dai Jun , Chen Xiong
Published: June 2023

Glutamic acid is an important amino acid that is used widely in the fields of food, medicine, and agriculture. One of the methods of glutamic acid production is direct microbial fermentation, so the genetic stability and glutamic-acid-producing capacity of the producing strain are the keys to improving glutamic acid concentration. Experiments were carried out using Corynebacterium glutamicum GL−6 as the parental strain, with two iterations of mutagenesis by atmospheric and room temperature plasma (ARTP) and screening with agar plates tolerant to high sugar and malonic acid, and the best strains with stable phenotypes were verified by fermentation in 20 L tanks. The results show that the optimal mutagenesis time of ARTP was 140 s, with lethality and positive mutation rates of 93.0% and 15.6%, respectively. The concentrations of the high-sugar and malonic acid agar plates were 240 g/L and 35 g/L, respectively. A mutant strain, P−45, with improved glutamic acid production capacity and genetic stability, was obtained through two rounds of iterative mutagenesis screening. The concentration of this strain in the Erlenmeyer flasks was 17.7 g/L, which was 18.8% higher than that of the parental strain, GL−6, and could be inherited stably for 10 generations. In the glutamic acid synthesis pathway, the upregulation of the gene encoding citrate synthase (cs), gene encoding isocitrate dehydrogenase (icdh), and gene encoding glutamate dehydrogenase (gdh), and the downregulation of the gene encoding oxoglutarate dehydrogenase complex (odhc) increased the carbon flows of the TCA cycle and its branch metabolic flow to glutamic acid synthesis. P−45 showed a glutamic acid concentration of 147.0 g/L under fed-batch fermentation conditions in 20 L tanks, which was 81.5% higher than the starting strain, GL−6. This study provides a new technical solution for improving microbial metabolites and genetic stability.