bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Riverside Placemaking outside Big Cities—The Case Study of Three Polish Rivers
Authors: Soszyński Dawid , Michalik-Śnieżek Malwina
Published: April 2023

Most placemaking activities have both tangible and intangible aspects. However, the most significant division line comes from the driving force behind the process, which can be either top-down formal actions or bottom-up informal ones. This article presents how placemaking works and what types of related actions dominate in rural areas, focusing on the riparian zones of three lowland rivers in Poland with a total length of 300 km. The main goal was to demonstrate the specificity of placemaking in riverfront areas outside large cities and to investigate the answers to the following questions: (1) How do public spaces emerge there? (2) Which entities are responsible for their creation, type, form, and location? To achieve these objectives, a detailed field inventory from the water level and interviews with creators, caretakers, and users of selected places were conducted. This research showed that informal placemaking is very common outside of cities and is also integrated into the creation of less numerous but more impressive public and private recreational areas. In terms of form, “Do It Yourself” (DIY) objects overwhelmingly dominate in all types of places. Both of these characteristics, informality and DIY, clearly indicate the specificity of rural riparian areas and the need to consider them in planning and strategic actions in areas outside large cities.
Monitoring House Vacancy Dynamics in The Pearl River Delta Region: A Method Based on NPP-VIIRS Night-Time Light Remote Sensing Images
Authors: Liu Xuan , Li Zehao , Fu Xinyi , Yin Zhengtong , Liu Mingzhe , Yin Lirong , Zheng Wenfeng
Published: April 2023

Urban spatial interaction integrates cities into closely related urban network systems in continuous urban regions. However, it also brings differentiation and has mutual negative impacts between each location. Unbalanced development is one such impacts and needs closely monitoring. The housing vacancy rate (HVR) in a continuous urban region is an important index in the unbalanced development of a continuous urban region since it indicates the uneven distribution of population and investment across cities. This study uses NPP-VIIRS NTL data and Landsat 8 OLT images to estimate HVRs at the district level. Additionally, this study tracks the spatial–temporal dynamics of HVR distributions in the Pearl River Delta (PRD) region. The comparison between the sampled HVRs and estimated HVRs verifies the effectiveness of the estimated HVRs in identifying dynamic changes in HVRs. This study has found that although overall decreasing HVRs are observed in the PRD, speculations and irrational real estate investment exist in cities on the west bank of the Pearl River Estuary and in some isolated districts in other cities. Furthermore, increasing proportions of vacant pixels in most cities indicate rising real estate development, requiring further supervision. This study suggests that more precise data and advanced techniques could help to improve the accuracy of the estimation techniques.
Aiding Cancer’s “Sweet Tooth”: Role of Hexokinases in Metabolic Reprogramming
Authors: Farooq Zeenat , Ismail Hagar , Bhat Sheraz Ahmad , Layden Brian T. , Khan Md. Wasim
Published: April 2023

Hexokinases (HKs) convert hexose sugars to hexose-6-phosphate, thus trapping them inside cells to meet the synthetic and energetic demands. HKs participate in various standard and altered physiological processes, including cancer, primarily through the reprogramming of cellular metabolism. Four canonical HKs have been identified with different expression patterns across tissues. HKs 1–3 play a role in glucose utilization, whereas HK 4 (glucokinase, GCK) also acts as a glucose sensor. Recently, a novel fifth HK, hexokinase domain containing 1 (HKDC1), has been identified, which plays a role in whole-body glucose utilization and insulin sensitivity. Beyond the metabolic functions, HKDC1 is differentially expressed in many forms of human cancer. This review focuses on the role of HKs, particularly HKDC1, in metabolic reprogramming and cancer progression.
Phytochemicals as Invaluable Sources of Potent Antimicrobial Agents to Combat Antibiotic Resistance
Authors: Jadimurthy Ragi , Jagadish Swamy , Nayak Siddaiah Chandra , Kumar Sumana , Mohan Chakrabhavi Dhananjaya , Rangappa Kanchugarakoppal S.
Published: April 2023

Plants have been used for therapeutic purposes against various human ailments for several centuries. Plant-derived natural compounds have been implemented in clinics against microbial diseases. Unfortunately, the emergence of antimicrobial resistance has significantly reduced the efficacy of existing standard antimicrobials. The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared antimicrobial resistance as one of the top 10 global public health threats facing humanity. Therefore, it is the need of the hour to discover new antimicrobial agents against drug-resistant pathogens. In the present article, we have discussed the importance of plant metabolites in the context of their medicinal applications and elaborated on their mechanism of antimicrobial action against human pathogens. The WHO has categorized some drug-resistant bacteria and fungi as critical and high priority based on the need to develope new drugs, and we have considered the plant metabolites that target these bacteria and fungi. We have also emphasized the role of phytochemicals that target deadly viruses such as COVID-19, Ebola, and dengue. Additionally, we have also elaborated on the synergetic effect of plant-derived compounds with standard antimicrobials against clinically important microbes. Overall, this article provides an overview of the importance of considering phytogenous compounds in the development of antimicrobial compounds as therapeutic agents against drug-resistant microbes.
Generalized Solutions of Ordinary Differential Equations Related to the Chebyshev Polynomial of the Second Kind
Authors: Thongthai Waritsara , Nonlaopon Kamsing , Orankitjaroen Somsak , Li Chenkuan
Published: April 2023

In this work, we employed the Laplace transform of right-sided distributions in conjunction with the power series method to obtain distributional solutions to the modified Bessel equation and its related equation, whose coefficients contain the parameters ν and γ. We demonstrated that the solutions can be expressed as finite linear combinations of the Dirac delta function and its derivatives, with the specific form depending on the values of ν and γ.
Fast Frequency Domain Screen-Shooting Watermarking Algorithm Based on ORB Feature Points
Authors: Bai Yu , Li Li , Zhang Shanqing , Lu Jianfeng , Emam Mahmoud
Published: April 2023

With high performances of image capturing tools, image information can be easily obtained by screenshots that make image copyright protection a challenging task. The existing screen-shooting watermarking algorithms suffer from a huge running time, in addition to their low robustness against different screenshot attacks, such as different distances and capturing angles of the screenshots. In this paper, a fast and robust high-capacity flexible watermarking algorithm for screenshot images is proposed. Firstly, Oriented FAST and Rotated BRIEF (ORB) feature points are extracted from the input image. Secondly, the feature points are then sorted in a descending order according to their response values. Then, the first five non-overlapping feature points are selected for the embedding by using Hamming window-based filtering method. Furthermore, we exploit the multi-resolution property of Discrete Wavelet Transform (DWT) and energy compaction property of Singular Value Decomposition (SVD) to embed the watermark. Therefore, the classical DWT combined with Singular Value Decomposition (SVD) are adopted to improve the robustness and capacity of the proposed watermarking algorithm. At the extraction side, the sum of the response values for the three RGB channels of the color-ripped image is calculated to improve the feature point localization accuracy. Experimental results show that the proposed screen-shooting watermarking algorithm improves running speed while ensuring the robustness. Furthermore, it has less time complexity and high robustness compared with the state-of-the-art watermarking algorithms against different screenshot attacks.
Minimal Rank Properties of Outer Inverses with Prescribed Range and Null Space
Authors: Mosić Dijana , Stanimirović Predrag , Mourtas Spyridon
Published: April 2023

The purpose of this paper is to investigate solvability of systems of constrained matrix equations in the form of constrained minimization problems. The main novelty of this paper is the unification of solutions of considered matrix equations with corresponding minimization problems. For a particular case we extend some well-known results and give several new results for the weak Drazin inverse. The main characterizations of the Drazin inverse, group inverse and Moore–Penrose inverse are obtained as consequences.
Machine Downtime Effect on the Warm-Up Period in an Economic Production Quantity Problem
Authors: Nobil Erfan , Cárdenas-Barrón Leopoldo Eduardo , Garza-Núñez Dagoberto , Treviño-Garza Gerardo , Céspedes-Mota Armando , Loera-Hernández Imelda de Jesús , Smith Neale R. , Nobil Amir Hossein
Published: April 2023

Success in the industrial sector is compromised by diverse conditions such as imperfect product production, manufacturing line interruptions, and unscheduled maintenance. The precise use of common practices in production environments is an available solution to eliminate some of these issues. Applying a warm-up period in a manufacturing process is adequate and cost-effective for almost all companies. It improves the equipment’s productivity and helps the manufacturing line generate fewer defective products. Even though several inventory management studies have included a warm-up phase in their models, its use in economic production quantity (EPQ) models remains largely unexplored. Adding a warm-up phase to the production cycle minimizes maintenance expenses and defective products and increases the machine’s performance. In this study, the dependency between the machine downtime and the warm-up length is examined for the first time. The warm-up time depends on the machine’s off-state period: if the machine has a longer operation timeout, then a longer warm-up period is needed. The model includes a function to model the warm-up time relative to the machine downtime and two types of defective products: scrapping and reworking items. The study is concluded with some numerical examples, a sensitivity analysis, and some management insights related to the EPQ.
Comprehensive Analysis of Multi-Objective Optimization Algorithms for Sustainable Hybrid Electric Vehicle Charging Systems
Authors: Alshammari Nahar F. , Samy Mohamed Mahmoud , Barakat Shimaa
Published: April 2023

This study presents a multi-objective optimization approach for designing hybrid renewable energy systems for electric vehicle (EV) charging stations that considers both economic and reliability factors as well as seasonal variations in energy production and consumption. Four algorithms, MOPSO, NSGA-II, NSGA-III, and MOEA/D, were evaluated in terms of their convergence, diversity, efficiency, and robustness. Unlike previous studies that focused on single-objective optimization or ignored seasonal variations, our approach results in a more comprehensive and sustainable design for EV charging systems. The proposed system includes a 223-kW photovoltaic system, an 80-kW wind turbine, and seven Lithium-Ion battery banks, achieving a total net present cost of USD 564,846, a levelized cost of electricity of 0.2521 USD/kWh, and a loss of power supply probability of 1.21%. NSGA-II outperforms the other algorithms in terms of convergence and diversity, while NSGA-III is the most efficient, and MOEA/D has the highest robustness. The findings contribute to the development of efficient and reliable renewable energy systems for urban areas, emphasizing the importance of considering both economic and reliability factors in the design process. Our study represents a significant advance in the field of hybrid renewable energy systems for EV charging stations.
Evaluation of CAT Variants A-89T, C389T, and C419T in Patients with Vitiligo in the Saudi Population
Authors: Saif Ghada A. Bin , Alshammary Amal F. , Ali Khan Imran
Published: April 2023

Background and Objectives: Vitiligo is a chronic autoimmune and depigmentation disorder in humans that manifests as whitening lesions. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are involved in cell damage. Catalase (CAT) is a well-known oxidative stress regulator and is primarily responsible for the catalytic decomposition of hydrogen peroxide into water and oxygen. Based on previous case-control and meta-analysis studies, we assessed the prevalence of three single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of the CAT genes A-89T (rs7943316), C389T (rs769217) and C419T (rs11032709) in participants with vitiligo and healthy controls in the Saudi population. Materials and Methods: We recruited 152 participants with vitiligo and 159 healthy controls for A-89T, C389T, and C419T SNP genotyping studies using PCR and RFLP analysis. Additionally, we performed linkage disequilibrium and haplotype analyses between vitiligo cases and controls. Results: The rs7943316 and rs11032709 SNPs of the CAT genes showed a positive association with vitiligo for both heterozygous genotypes and dominant genetic models (TT + AT vs. AA in A-89T and TT + CT vs. CC in C389T), in the CAT gene. Linkage disequilibrium analysis revealed a moderate linkage between rs7943316 and rs11032709 SNPs in vitiligo cases and controls. Haplotype frequency estimation revealed a significant association (p = 0.003) among the three SNP alleles. Conclusions: The rs7943316 and rs11032709 SNPs of the CAT genes were strongly associated with susceptibility to vitiligo.
Miscibility of Phosphatidylcholines in Bilayers: Effect of Acyl Chain Unsaturation
Authors: Żak Agata , Rajtar Natan , Kulig Waldemar , Kepczynski Mariusz
Published: April 2023

The miscibility of phospholipids in a hydrated bilayer is an issue of fundamental importance for understanding the organization of biological membranes. Despite research on lipid miscibility, its molecular basis remains poorly understood. In this study, all-atom MD simulations complemented by Langmuir monolayer and DSC experiments have been performed to investigate the molecular organization and properties of lipid bilayers composed of phosphatidylcholines with saturated (palmitoyl, DPPC) and unsaturated (oleoyl, DOPC) acyl chains. The experimental results showed that the DOPC/DPPC bilayers are systems exhibiting a very limited miscibility (strongly positive values of excess free energy of mixing) at temperatures below the DPPC phase transition. The excess free energy of mixing is divided into an entropic component, related to the ordering of the acyl chains, and an enthalpic component, resulting from the mainly electrostatic interactions between the headgroups of lipids. MD simulations showed that the electrostatic interactions for lipid like-pairs are much stronger than that for mixed pairs and temperature has only a slight influence on these interactions. On the contrary, the entropic component increases strongly with increasing temperature, due to the freeing of rotation of acyl chains. Therefore, the miscibility of phospholipids with different saturations of acyl chains is an entropy-driven process.
Effect of Heat Treatment on the Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of a Ti-TiAl Laminate Composite
Authors: Sun Wei , Cui Ning , Su Yongjun , Zhang Shuling , Xu Tiewei , Wang Xiaopeng , Kong Fantao
Published: April 2023

The effect of an innovative two-step heat-treatment process on the microstructure and mechanical properties of a Ti-TiAl laminate composite fabricated by hot-pack rolling was studied in this paper. After heat treatment, the fracture toughness of the composite was enhanced and the elongation of the composite was almost twice that of the initial one. These changes were due to the dislocations and substructures stored in the Ti-43Al-9V alloy being decreased, the microstructure of the DsTi700 alloy turning to a duplex structure, the acicular α2 phase being precipitated at the interfacial region and the residual stresses stored in interfacial region being eliminated. The precipitation of dual-scale silicides was the main reason for the slightly reduced strength. Compared with the initial composite, the tensile strength of the heat-treated composite at 25° and 700° only reduced by 2.7% and 4%, respectively. The primary annealing temperature had a huge impact on the mechanical properties of the composite. However, with the change in secondary annealing temperature, the mechanical properties of the composite were not changed significantly. After heat treatment at 940–960 °C/2 h/AC + 725–750 °C/6 h/AC, the composite might possess high, comprehensive mechanical properties.
Manuscripts Character Recognition Using Machine Learning and Deep Learning
Authors: Islam Mohammad Anwarul , Iacob Ionut E.
Published: April 2023

The automatic character recognition of historic documents gained more attention from scholars recently, due to the big improvements in computer vision, image processing, and digitization. While Neural Networks, the current state-of-the-art models used for image recognition, are very performant, they typically suffer from using large amounts of training data. In our study we manually built our own relatively small dataset of 404 characters by cropping letter images from a popular historic manuscript, the Electronic Beowulf. To compensate for the small dataset we use ImageDataGenerator, a Python library was used to augment our Beowulf manuscript’s dataset. The training dataset was augmented once, twice, and thrice, which we call resampling 1, resampling 2, and resampling 3, respectively. To classify the manuscript’s character images efficiently, we developed a customized Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) model. We conducted a comparative analysis of the results achieved by our proposed model with other machine learning (ML) models such as support vector machine (SVM), K-nearest neighbor (KNN), decision tree (DT), random forest (RF), and XGBoost. We used pretrained models such as VGG16, MobileNet, and ResNet50 to extract features from character images. We then trained and tested the above ML models and recorded the results. Moreover, we validated our proposed CNN model against the well-established MNIST dataset. Our proposed CNN model achieves very good recognition accuracies of 88.67%, 90.91%, and 98.86% in the cases of resampling 1, resampling 2, and resampling 3, respectively, for the Beowulf manuscript’s data. Additionally, our CNN model achieves the benchmark recognition accuracy of 99.03% for the MNIST dataset.
Molecular Characterization of Some Bacillus Species from Vegetables and Evaluation of Their Antimicrobial and Antibiotic Potency
Authors: Koilybayeva Moldir , Shynykul Zhanserik , Ustenova Gulbaram , Abzaliyeva Symbat , Alimzhanova Mereke , Amirkhanova Akerke , Turgumbayeva Aknur , Mustafina Kamilya , Yeleken Gulnur , Raganina Karlygash , Kapsalyamova Elmira
Published: April 2023

Numerous natural habitats, such as soil, air, fermented foods, and human stomachs, are home to different Bacillus strains. Some Bacillus strains have a distinctive predominance and are widely recognized among other microbial communities, as a result of their varied habitation and physiologically active metabolites. The present study collected vegetable products (potato, carrot, and tomato) from local markets in Almaty, Kazakhstan. The bacterial isolates were identified using biochemical and phylogenetic analyses after culturing. Our phylogenetic analysis revealed three Gram-positive bacterial isolates BSS11, BSS17, and BSS19 showing 99% nucleotide sequence similarities with Bacillus subtilis O-3, Bacillus subtilis Md1-42, and Bacillus subtilis Khozestan2. The crude extract was prepared from bacterial isolates to assess the antibiotic resistance potency and the antimicrobial potential against various targeted multidrug-resistant strains, including Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Streptococcus group B, Streptococcus mutans, Candida albicans, Candida krusei, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Shigella sonnei, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Salmonella enteritidis, Klebsiella aerogenes, Enterococcus hirae, Escherichia coli, Serratia marcescens, and Proteus vulgaris. This study found that the species that were identified have the ability to produce antibiotic chemicals. Additionally, the GC–MS analysis of three bacterial extracts revealed the presence of many antibiotic substances including phenol, benzoic acid, 1,2-benzenedicarboxylic acid and bis(2-methylpropyl), methoxyphenyl-oxime, and benzaldehyde. This work sheds light on the potential of Bacillus to be employed as an antimicrobial agent to target different multidrug-resistant bacterial strains. The results indicate that market vegetables may be a useful source of strains displaying a range of advantageous characteristics that can be used in the creation of biological antibiotics.
Acrylamide and 5-Hydroxymethylfurfural in Synthetic Sugar Cane Syrup: Mitigation by Additives
Authors: Phaeon Nuchnicha , Chapanya Pisittinee , Pattamasuwan Anutin , Issa-Issa Hanán , Lipan Leontina , Carbonell-Barrachina Ángel Antonio , Sendra Esther , Sriroth Klanarong , Uan-on Tanat , Nitayapat Nuttakan
Published: April 2023

The ability of additives to reduce the formation of acrylamide in simulated sugar cane syrups was investigated. Organic acids, B vitamins, and inorganic salts were added individually and in combination to simulated thickened cane juice, and the mixtures were heated at 120 °C for 30 min. Calcium chloride (1%), citric acid (0.1%), and vitamin B3 (0.1%) were the most effective individual additives from each chemical family. The effects of CaCl2 (0–1%), citric acid (0–0.125%), and vitamin B3 (0–0.1125%), when added in combination, on the concentrations of acrylamide and hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) were studied using a Box–Behnken design. Combinations of all three additives lowered the acrylamide production, but only the combination of citric acid and vitamin B3 had a significant synergistic effect. However, all these additives stimulated the production of HMF, and no significant interactive effect between pairs of additives on HMF production was observed. Calcium chloride stimulated the formation of HMF most strongly. These results indicate that certain combinations of these additives effectively reduce acrylamide formation, but they also lead to an increase in the formation of HMF in sugar syrup.
Survey of Recent Advances in Molecular Fluorophores, Unconjugated Polymers, and Emerging Functional Materials Designed for Electrofluorochromic Use
Authors: Seddiki Ilies , N’Diaye Brelotte Idriss , Skene W. G.
Published: April 2023

In this review, recent advances that exploit the intrinsic emission of organic materials for reversibly modulating their intensity with applied potential are surveyed. Key design strategies that have been adopted during the past five years for developing such electrofluorochromic materials are presented, focusing on molecular fluorophores that are coupled with redox-active moieties, intrinsically electroactive molecular fluorophores, and unconjugated emissive organic polymers. The structural effects, main challenges, and strides toward addressing the limitations of emerging fluorescent materials that are electrochemically responsive are surveyed, along with how these can be adapted for their use in electrofluorochromic devices.
Flavour Volatiles of Fermented Vegetable and Fruit Substrates: A Review
Authors: Rajendran Sarathadevi , Silcock Patrick , Bremer Phil
Published: April 2023

Health, environmental and ethical concerns have resulted in a dramatic increase in demand for plant-based dairy analogues. While the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) responsible for the characteristic flavours of dairy-based products have been extensively studied, little is known about how to reproduce such flavours using only plant-based substrates. As a first step in their development, this review provides an overview of the VOCs associated with fermented (bacteria and/or fungi/yeast) vegetable and fruit substrates. Following PRISMA guidelines and using two English databases (Web of Science and Scopus), thirty-five suitable research papers were identified. The number of fermentation-derived VOCs detected ranged from 32 to 118 (across 30 papers), while 5 papers detected fewer (10 to 25). Bacteria, including lactic acid bacteria (LAB), fungi, and yeast were the micro-organisms used, with LAB being the most commonly reported. Ten studies used a single species, 21 studies used a single type (bacteria, fungi or yeast) of micro-organisms and four studies used mixed fermentation. The nature of the fermentation-derived VOCs detected (alcohols, aldehydes, esters, ketones, acids, terpenes and norisoprenoids, phenols, furans, sulphur compounds, alkenes, alkanes, and benzene derivatives) was dependent on the composition of the vegetable/fruit matrix, the micro-organisms involved, and the fermentation conditions.
Characterization of Delonix regia Flowers’ Pigment and Polysaccharides: Evaluating Their Antibacterial, Anticancer, and Antioxidant Activities and Their Application as a Natural Colorant and Sweetener in Beverages
Authors: Ebada Doaa , Hefnawy Hefnawy T. , Gomaa Ayman , Alghamdi Amira M. , Alharbi Asmaa Ali , Almuhayawi Mohammed S. , Alharbi Mohanned Talal , Awad Ahmed , Al Jaouni Soad K. , Selim Samy , Eldeeb Gehad S. , Namir Mohammad
Published: April 2023

In the present study, an attempt was made to investigate the in vitro antioxidant, anticancer, and antibacterial activities of Delonix regia, then in vivo evaluate its safety as a natural colorant and sweetener in beverages compared to synthetic colorant and sweetener in rats, then serve the beverages for sensory evaluation. Delonix regia flowers had high protein, polysaccharide, Ca, Na, Mg, K, and Fe contents. The Delonix regia pigment extract (DRPE) polysaccharides were separated and purified by gel permeation chromatography on Sephacryl S-200, characterized by rich polysaccharides (13.6 g/L). The HPLC sugar profile detected the monosaccharides in the extracted polysaccharides, composed of mannose, galactose, glucose, arabinose, and gluconic acid, and the structure of saccharides was confirmed by FTIR, which showed three active groups: carbonyl, hydrocarbon, and hydroxyl. On the other hand, the red pigment constituents of DRPE were detected by HPLC; the main compounds were delphinidin and cyanidin at 15 µg/mL. The DRPE contained a considerable amount (26.33 mg/g) of anthocyanins, phenolic compounds (64.7 mg/g), and flavonoids (10.30 mg/g), thus influencing the antioxidant activity of the DRPE, which scavenged 92% of DPPH free radicals. Additionally, it inhibited the population of pathogenic bacteria, including Staphylococcus aureus, Listeria monocyogenes, Salmonella typhimurum, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, in the range of 30–90 μg/mL, in addition to inhibiting 85% of pancreatic cancer cell lines. On the in vivo level, the rats that were delivered a diet containing DRPE showed regular liver markers (AST, ALP, and ALT); kidney markers (urea and creatinine); high TP, TA, and GSH; and low MDA, while rats treated with synthetic dye and aspartame showed higher liver and kidney markers; lowered TP, TA, and GSH; and high MDA. After proving the safety of DRPE, it can be safely added to strawberry beverages. Significant sensorial traits, enhanced red color, and taste characterize the strawberry beverages supplemented with DRPE. The lightness and redness of strawberries were enhanced, and the color change ΔE values in DRPE-supplemented beverages ranged from 1.1 to 1.35 compared to 1.69 in controls, indicating the preservative role of DRPE on color. So, including DRPE in food formulation as a natural colorant and sweetener is recommended for preserving health and the environment.
Differences of Training Structures on Stimulus Class Formation in Computational Agents
Authors: Carrillo Alexis , Betancort Moisés
Published: April 2023

Stimulus Equivalence (SE) is a behavioural phenomenon in which organisms respond functionally to stimuli without explicit training. SE provides a framework in the experimental analysis of behaviour to study language, symbolic behaviour, and cognition. It is also a frequently discussed matter in interdisciplinary research, linking behaviour analysis with linguistics and neuroscience. Previous research has attempted to replicate SE with computational agents, mostly based on Artificial Neural Network (ANN) models. The aim of this paper was to analyse the effect of three Training Structures (TSs) on stimulus class formation in a simulation with ANNs as computational agents performing a classification task, in a matching-to-sample procedure. Twelve simulations were carried out as a product of the implementation of four ANN architectures on the three TSs. SE was not achieved, but two agents showed an emergent response on half of the transitivity test pairs on linear sequence TSs and reflexivity on one member of the class. The results suggested that an ANN with a large enough number of units in a hidden layer can perform a limited number of emergent relations within specific experimental conditions: reflexivity on B and transitivity on AC, when pairs AB and BC are trained on a three-member stimulus class and tested in a classification task. Reinforcement learning is proposed as the framework for further simulations.
Flexible Metamaterial Quarter-Wave Plate and Its Application in Blocking the Backward Reflection of Terahertz Waves
Authors: Sun Jinhai , Liu Yong-Qiang , Li Jining , Zhang Xutao , Cai He , Zhu Xianli , Yin Hongcheng
Published: April 2023

A terahertz flexible metamaterial quarter-wave plate (QWP) is designed and fabricated using polyimide as the substrate in this paper, with a 3 dB axial ratio bandwidth of 0.51 THz and high polarization conversion efficiency and transmittance. The effect of the incidence angle on the polarization conversion performance of the QWP is discussed by measuring the transmissions at multiple incidence angles. The blocking effect of this QWP combined with a polarizer on the backward reflection of terahertz waves is investigated by terahertz time-domain spectral transmission experiments. By adjusting the angle of the QWP and polarizer with respect to the incident light in the optical path, a blocking efficiency of 20 dB can be achieved at a 20° incidence angle, with a bandwidth of 0.25 THz, a maximum blocking efficiency of 58 dB at 1.73 THz, and an insertion loss of only 1.4 dB. Flexible terahertz metamaterial QWPs and polarizers can effectively block harmful reflected waves in terahertz communication and other systems. They have the advantages of a simple structure, ultra-thinness and flexibility, easy integration, no external magnetic field, and no low-temperature and other environmental requirements, thus having broad application prospects for terahertz on-chip integrated systems.
Optoelectrical Properties of Hexamine Doped-Methylammonium Lead Iodide Perovskite under Different Grain-Shape Crystallinity
Authors: Ali Umar Marjoni Imamora , Ahdaliza Annisa Zahra , El-Bahy Salah M. , Aliza Nur , Sadikin Siti Naqiyah , Ridwan Jaenudin , Ehsan Abang Annuar , Amin Mohammed A. , El-Bahy Zeinhom M. , Ali Umar Akrajas
Published: April 2023

The crystallinity properties of perovskite influence their optoelectrical performance in solar cell applications. We optimized the grain shape and crystallinity of perovskite film by annealing treatment from 130 to 170 °C under high humidity (relative humidity of 70%). We found that the grain size, grain interface, and grain morphology of the perovskite are optimized when the sample was annealed at 150 °C for 1 h in the air. At this condition, the perovskite film is composed of 250 nm crystalline shape grain and compact inter-grain structure with an invincible grain interface. Perovskite solar cells device analysis indicated that the device fabricated using the samples annealed at 150 °C produced the highest power conversion efficiency, namely 17.77%. The open circuit voltage (Voc), short-circuit current density (Jsc), and fill factor (FF) of the device are as high as 1.05 V, 22.27 mA/cm2, and 0.76, respectively. Optoelectrical dynamic analysis using transient photoluminescence and electrochemical impedance spectroscopies reveals that (i) carrier lifetime in the champion device can be up to 25 ns, which is almost double the carrier lifetime of the sample annealed at 130 °C. (ii) The interfacial charge transfer resistance is low in the champion device, i.e., ~20 Ω, which has a crystalline grain morphology, enabling active photocurrent extraction. Perovskite’s behavior under annealing treatment in high humidity conditions can be a guide for the industrialization of perovskite solar cells.
Hormone Replacement Therapy Does Not Eliminate Risk Factors for Joint Complications following Total Joint Arthroplasty: A Matched Cohort Study
Authors: Collins Lacee K. , Cole Matthew W. , Waters Timothy L. , Iloanya Michael , Massey Patrick A. , Sherman William F.
Published: April 2023

Aging causes a reduction in testosterone and estrogen, which is linked to diminished bone mineral density. Hormone replacement therapy and its effect on the outcome of joint arthroplasties is unclear. The purpose of this study was to analyze the impact of testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) and estrogen replacement therapy (ERT) on the medical and joint outcomes of total hip (THA) and total knee arthroplasties (TKA). A retrospective cohort study was conducted using the PearlDiver database. Patients who received TRT or ERT perioperatively were matched to controls. Rates of 90-day medical complications and 2-year joint complications were queried. Patients who received TRT had an increased risk of revision, periprosthetic joint infection, and pooled joint complications within 2 years following a THA and increased rates of septic and aseptic revisions, and aseptic loosening after TKA compared to the control cohort. Patients receiving ERT had increased rates of aseptic loosening and pooled joint complications within 2 years following THA and increased rates of all-cause revisions and pooled joint complications after TKA. Patients who received TRT demonstrated significantly higher rates of revision rates and PJI. Patients who received perioperative ERT were significantly more likely to have increased risks of revision rates and joint infections.
Transcriptional Profile of Soybean Seeds with Contrasting Seed Coat Color
Authors: Kafer João M. , Molinari Mayla D. C. , Henning Fernando A. , Koltun Alessandra , Marques Viviani V. , Marin Silvana R. R. , Nepomuceno Alexandre L. , Mertz-Henning Liliane M.
Published: April 2023

Soybean is the primary source of vegetable protein and is used for various purposes, mainly to feed animals. This crop can have diverse seed coat colors, varying from yellow, black, brown, and green to bicolor. Black seed coat cultivars have already been assigned as favorable for both seed and grain production. Thus, this work aimed to identify genes associated with soybean seed quality by comparing the transcriptomes of soybean seeds with contrasting seed coat colors. The results from RNA-seq analyses were validated with real-time PCR using the cultivar BRS 715A (black seed coat) and the cultivars BRS 413 RR and DM 6563 IPRO (yellow seed coat). We found 318 genes differentially expressed in all cultivars (freshly harvested seeds and seeds stored in cold chamber). From the in silico analysis of the transcriptomes, the following genes were selected and validated with RT-qPCR: ACS1, ACSF3, CYP90A1, CYP710A1, HCT, CBL, and SAHH. These genes are genes induced in the black seed coat cultivar and are part of pathways responsible for ethylene, lipid, brassinosteroid, lignin, and sulfur amino acid biosynthesis. The BRSMG 715A gene has almost 4times more lignin than the yellow seed coat cultivars. These attributes are related to the BRSMG 715A cultivar’s higher seed quality, which translates to more longevity and resistance to moisture and mechanical damage. Future silencing studies may evaluate the knockout of these genes to better understand the biology of soybean seeds with black seed coat.
The Use of Chitosan for Flocculation Recovery of Bacillus Biomass Grown on Dairy and Wine Industry Effluents
Authors: Dmitrović Selena , Lukić Nataša , Pajčin Ivana , Vlajkov Vanja , Grahovac Jovana , Jokić Aleksandar
Published: April 2023

The downstream processing of efficient biomass-based microbial biopesticides is heavily reliant on obtaining the largest concentration of viable cells in the most cost-effective manner. The goal of this research was to assess the ability of chitosan flocculation to recover bacterial Bacillus sp. BioSol021 biomass from the broth after biological treatment of wastewaters from the dairy and wine industries. Second-order factorial design models were used to estimate the effect of chitosan concentration and mixing speed on flocculation efficiency, settling velocity, and antimicrobial activity against Aspergillus flavus, i.e., inhibition zone diameter. Response surface methodology was followed by multi-objective optimization by applying the desirability function (DF) and genetic algorithm (GA). The optimum values for flocculation efficiency, settling velocity, and inhibition zone diameter for cheese whey effluent were 88%, 0.10 mm/s, and 51.00 mm, respectively. In the case of winery flotation effluent, the optimum values were flocculation efficiency 95% and settling velocity 0.05 mm/s, while the inhibition zone diameter was 48.00 mm. These results indicate that utilizing chitosan as a flocculation agent not only fits the criteria for effective downstream processing, but also has a synergistic effect on Bacillus sp. antibacterial activity.
SFC and CE—A Comparison of Two Orthogonal Methods for the Analysis of Dihydrochalcones in Apple Leaves
Authors: Zwerger Michael , Contratti Sarah , Mariano Valentina , Ganzera Markus
Published: April 2023

In recent years the analysis of natural products has been carried out using a range of approaches, but mainly utilizing liquid chromatography (LC) or gas chromatography (GC). However, alternative approaches with orthogonal selectivity like capillary electrophoresis (CE) and supercritical fluid chromatography (SFC) have increasingly been employed as well, even though they are often considered niche techniques only. In this study, we intended to confirm and compare their suitability as reliable state-of-the-art methods for the analysis of bioactive compounds by developing CE and SFC for the analysis of dihydrochalcones (DHCs) in apple leaves. The analytes were chosen as they have shown interesting pharmacological effects, such as anti-inflammatory, anti-tumor and immunomodulatory activities, and also present an interesting analytical challenge due to their structural similarity and polarity range. Both methods were well capable to separate the five standard compounds within short separation times and fulfilling the demands for an environmentally friendly “green” technology. CE as well as the SFC assay were validated for linearity, sensitivity, accuracy and precision according to ICH guidelines and met all respective requirements. Using the optimized methods, several Malus sp. samples were analyzed whereby a significant difference in the qualitative as well as quantitative DHC profile was revealed, with overall DHC concentrations ranging from 5.47% to 17.24%.
The Lived Experiences of Male Sex Workers: A Global Qualitative Meta-Synthesis
Authors: Curtis Michael G. , Boe Joshua L.
Published: April 2023

The sex industry literature predominantly focuses on the lived experiences of cisgender female sex workers, their customers, and work dynamics. Recently, there has been a shift in the discourse regarding sex work as the sex industry has been openly represented within art, fashion, and film. As such, there has been a growing number of qualitative studies dedicated to investigating cisgender men’s experiences of the sex industry. This article seeks to identify and synthesize these emergent findings to identify possible gaps in the literature, aid in defining new research opportunities, and guide public health policy development. Using qualitative meta-synthesis, 66 original studies were identified and analyzed. Nine meta-themes emerged. Findings demonstrated that male sex workers (MSWs) encounter many of the same experiences that have been previously documented by female sex workers, such as work-related discrimination and the influence of economics on their interest and involvement in the industry. However, MSWs also experience areas of privilege and discrimination unique to their lived experiences. This was particularly salient for men who sold sex in countries where sexual minorities are criminalized or decriminalized but not legalized. These findings highlight the need for responsive sex worker resources tailored to address the unique issues faced by MSWs.
Foreign Healthcare Workers and COVID-19 in Europe: The Paradox of Unemployed Skilled Labour
Authors: Dotsey Senyo
Published: April 2023

This report provides an overview of the skilled migrant health workforce and their contribution to health systems in European countries, particularly in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic. Migrant workers at all skill levels have worked in key areas during the pandemic. Skilled migrant health workers, particularly medical practitioners and nurses, make up a significant portion of the frontline health workforce and are essential to keeping health systems in developed countries running. While skilled migrants often face fewer hard barriers (entry control policies: visa policy, work permit schemes, labour migration quotas), this workforce faces soft barriers (e.g., lack of recognition of foreign educational credentials and other restrictive or discriminatory measures) in accessing the host nation’s labour market, as evidenced during the COVID-19 pandemic. This article explores this phenomenon, focusing on Italy’s health sector and foreign health professionals’ dynamics. The report concludes by proffering some practical policy recommendations to promote the inclusion of migrant health professionals in the health and social care systems in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Bismuth Oxide (Bi2O3) Nanoparticles Cause Selective Toxicity in a Human Endothelial (HUVE) Cell Line Compared to Epithelial Cells
Authors: Akhtar Mohd Javed , Ahamed Maqusood , Alhadlaq Hisham
Published: April 2023

A review of recent literature suggests that bismuth oxide (Bi2O3, referred to as B in this article) nanoparticles (NPs) elicit an appreciable response only after a concentration above 40–50 µg/mL in different cells all having an epithelial origin, to the best of our knowledge. Here, we report the toxicological profile of Bi2O3 NPs (or BNPs) (71 ± 20 nm) in a human endothelial cell (HUVE cell line) in which BNPs exerted much steeper cytotoxicity. In contrast to a high concentration of BNPs (40–50 µg/mL) required to stimulate an appreciable toxicity in epithelial cells, BNPs induced 50% cytotoxicity in HUVE cells at a very low concentration (6.7 µg/mL) when treated for 24 h. BNPs induced reactive oxygen species (ROS), lipid peroxidation (LPO), and depletion of the intracellular antioxidant glutathione (GSH). BNPs also induced nitric oxide (NO,) which can result in the formation of more harmful species in a fast reaction that occurs with superoxide (O2•−). Exogenously applied antioxidants revealed that NAC (intracellular GSH precursor) was more effective than Tiron (a preferential scavenger of mitochondrial O2•−) in preventing the toxicity, indicating ROS production is extra-mitochondrial. Mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) loss mediated by BNPs was significantly less than that of exogenously applied oxidant H2O2, and MMP loss was not as intensely reduced by either of the antioxidants (NAC and Tiron), again suggesting BNP-mediated toxicity in HUVE cells is extra-mitochondrial. When we compared the inhibitory capacities of the two antioxidants on different parameters of this study, ROS, LPO, and GSH were among the strongly inhibited biomarkers, whereas MMP and NO were the least inhibited group. This study warrants further research regarding BNPs, which may have promising potential in cancer therapy, especially via angiogenesis modulation.
Antagonistic Toxic Effects of Surfactants Mixtures to Bacteria Pseudomonas putida and Marine Microalgae Phaeodactylum tricornutum
Authors: Ríos Francisco , Lechuga Manuela , Lobato-Guarnido Ismael , Fernández-Serrano Mercedes
Published: April 2023

Surfactants can be found in an ever-widening variety of products and applications, in which the combination of several types of surfactants is used to reinforce their properties, looking for synergistic effects between them. After use, they tend to be discarded into wastewater, ending up in aquatic bodies with concerning harmful and toxic effects. The aim of this study is the toxicological assessment of three anionic surfactants (ether carboxylic derivative, EC) and three amphoteric surfactants (amine-oxide-based, AO), individually and in binary mixtures of them (1:1 w/w), to bacteria Pseudomonas putida and marine microalgae Phaeodactylum tricornutum. Critical Micelle Concentration (CMC) was determined to demonstrate the capacity to reduce surface tension and the toxicity of the surfactants and mixtures. Zeta potential (ζ-potential) and micelle diameter (MD) were also determined to confirm the formation of mixed surfactant micelles. The Model of Toxic Units (MTUs) was used to quantify the interactions of surfactants in binary mixtures and to predict if the concentration addition or response addition principle can be assumed for each mixture. The results showed a higher sensitivity of microalgae P. tricornutum to the surfactants tested and their mixtures than bacteria P. putida. Antagonism toxic effects have been detected in the mixture of EC + AO and in one binary mixture of different AOs; this is to say, the mixtures showed lower toxicity than expected.
Development of a Novel Magnetic-Bead-Based Automated Strategy for Efficient and Low-Cost Sample Preparation for Ochratoxin A Detection Using Mycotoxin–Albumin Interaction
Authors: Ye Jin , Bao Hui , Zheng Mengyao , Liu Hongmei , Chen Jinnan , Wang Songxue , Ma Haihua , Zhang Yuan
Published: April 2023

The mycotoxin ochratoxin A (OTA) is toxic to humans and frequently contaminates wine and beer. Antibodies are essential recognition probes for the detection of OTA. However, they have several drawbacks, such as high costs and difficulty in preparation. In this study, a novel magnetic-bead-based automated strategy for efficient and low-cost OTA sample preparation was developed. Human serum albumin, which is an economical and stable receptor based on the mycotoxin–albumin interaction, was adapted and validated to replace conventional antibodies to capture OTA in the sample. Ultra-performance liquid chromatography–fluorescence detection was used in combination with this preparation method for efficient detection. The effects of different conditions on this method were investigated. The recovery of OTA samples spiked at three different concentrations ranged from 91.2% to 102.1%, and the relative standard deviations (RSDs) were 1.2%–8.2% in wine and beer. For red wine and beer samples, the LODs were 0.37 and 0.15 µg/L, respectively. This reliable method overcomes the drawbacks of conventional methods and offers significant application prospects.