bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Optimization of Drought Limited Water Level and Operation Benefit Analysis of Large Reservoir
Authors: Zhang Libing , Kang Chuanyu , Wu Chengguo , Yu Haiguan , Jin Juliang , Zhou Yuliang , Zhou Ting
Published: June 2022

As an important water conservancy engineering project, reservoir regulation plays a crucial role in the insurance of water resources supply and demand balance and sustainable development and utilization, especially during drought seasons. The drought limited water level (DLWL) is the characteristic controlling water level of reservoir regulation operation during dry seasons, and the construction of reliable controlling schemes of DLWL is of great significance for the improvement of regional water resources utilization efficiency. Therefore, basing on the variation analysis of water inflowing series and water resources utilization characteristics among different sectors of Meishan Reservoir in Shihe Irrigation Area of China, firstly, the Hausdorff Dimensional Fractal (HDF) method was applied to divide drought early-warning periods of Meishan reservoir. Then, the initial scheme of DLWL of reservoir was determined through reservoir water inflow and water supply processes analysis during each drought warning periods of different typical hydrological years. And finally, the optimal dynamic controlling scheme of DLWL, described by drought warning water level (DWWL) and drought depleted water level (DDWL) respectively, was eventually proposed in this study based on the establishment of simulation and regulation model of reservoir and irrigation areas system. Moreover, the reliability and effectiveness of the proposed optimal controlling scheme of DLWL was further testified in terms of drought risk analysis of reservoir and irrigation area system under typical consecutive and annual drought scenarios, and meanwhile, the agricultural crop yield loss risk due to drought events corresponding to different controlling schemes of DLWL was also determined. The related research findings of this study could be favorable and beneficial for guiding drought-resistance regulation of reservoir and irrigation area system during drought seasons and providing reasonable decision-making basis of water resources utilization schemes as well.
Can Working Memory Account For EMDR Efficacy In PTSD?
Authors: Wadji Dany Laure , Martin-Soelch Chantal , Camos Valerie
Published: June 2022

Although eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) has been shown to be effective in the treatment of PTSD for years, it remains highly controversial due to the lack of understanding of its mechanisms of action. We examined whether the working memory (WM) hypothesis –the competition for limited WM resources induced by the dual task attenuates the vividness and emotionality of the traumatic memory – would provide an explanation for the beneficial effect induced by bilateral stimulation. We followed the Prisma guidelines and identified 11 articles categorized in two types of designs: studies involving participants with current PTSD symptoms and participants without PTSD diagnosis. Regardless of the types of studies, the results showed a reduction of vividness and emotionality in the recall of traumatic stimuli under a dual-task condition compared to a control condition, such as recall alone. However, two studies used a follow-up test to show that this effect does not seem to last long. Our results provide evidence for the WM hypothesis and suggest that recalling a traumatic memory while performing a secondary task would shift the individual’s attention away from the retrieval process and result in a reduction in vividness and emotionality, also associated with the reduction of symptoms
Survey on Joint Paradigm of 5G and SDN Emerging Mobile Technologies: Architecture, Security, Challenges and Research Directions
Authors: Kazmi Syed Hussain Ali , Qamar Faizan , Hassan Rosilah , Nisar Kashif , Chowdhry Bhawani Shankar
Published: June 2022

Modern communication systems are probable to surface new challenges while introducing innovative fronts concerning context consciousness in wireless networks. The main outcome behind this expected technological jump will be a whole novel set of intuiting aptitudes forecasted for Fifth Generation (5G) enabled devices. In line with 5G, Software Defined Networking (SDN) is also rising as an intrinsically novel phenomenon. SDN is an unconventional methodology and key technology in modern communication. SDN maintains favorable novelty about network programmability, where network administration is permitted with extraordinary intellections. SDN architecture has the prospective to allow, simplify or augment security implementations in network through instantly reprogrammable centralized view of the data plane. In the near future, 5G and SDN will ripe mobile communication through the development of state-of-the-art implementations such as a smart city, advanced military security, modern national defense, intelligent traffic, etc.; thereby, these emerging mobile communication concepts invoke various significant topics, where security is a paramount implication. Therefore, we initiate our focus from basic architecture of 5G and SDN. Next, we analyze security requirements, solutions and challenges in joint paradigm of 5G and SDN. Further, considering the modern communication technological shift, we discuss future trends and research directions in the joint era of 5G and SDN technologies.
Distribution models of the branched hexactinellid Sarostegia oculata in Rio Grande Rise (SW Atlantic)
Authors: Corrêa Paulo , Sumida Paulo
Published: June 2022

The mining of ferromanganese (Fe-Mn) crusts in the deep sea have gained more attention in the last decade due to increased demand for rare earth elements that are critical for low-carbon technologies, which makes exploitation of this resource feasible and profitable. The Rio Grande Rise (RGR) is a distinct feature located in the South Atlantic and has become a region of great commercial and scientific interest because of its potential for mining Fe-Mn crusts. Extraction of Fe-Mn deposits may cause irreversible changes by removal of substrate, creation of sediment plumes, among others. Here, we use species distribution models (SDMs) to predict the occurrence of Sarostegia oculata, a branched hexactinellid that mimics the 3D skeletal framework of actual corals. It is the dominant organism in areas rich in Fe-Mn crusts and has relevant ecological importance in RGR. The models had excellent or good performance statistics and a high discrimination power between presence and absence sites. Our results support the relationship between S. oculata, the Fe-Mn crusts, and the rift at RGR, and may help to create a management plan and preserve unique marine habitats and biodiversity from the deep sea.
High resolution online measurements for the advective behavior of chemical components of indoor and outdoor fine particles
Authors: Komae Sota , Sato Kota , Sekiguchi Kazuhiko
Published: June 2022

To clarify the behaviors of indoor and outdoor particles in living spaces, the chemical components of particles were observed at high time resolution using an aerosol mass spectrometer (AMS). The measured components and amounts of the indoor and outdoor particles were compared between summer and winter in two apartments with significantly different environments. Comparing the indoor-to-outdoor (I/O) ratios in winter and summer, the difference between indoor and outdoor temperatures caused the invasion of outdoor particles into indoor spaces or the formation of particles inside the living space. During indoor living, organic particles were measured as house dust that soared in the room on dry air, particularly during winter. The I/O ratio of NH4+ increased after humidifier movement and the irregular I/O ratios of NH4+ and NO3− increased when the outdoor temperature increased in summer, suggesting that secondary particles formation indoors through humidity and sunlight. When the value of the emission source was calculated from the I/O ratio, outside particles and indoor-formed particles dominated the living spaces in summer and winter, respectively.
Research on Green Energy of Tidal Power Station With Eighteen Square Meters Vanes
Authors: Huang Junqiang
Published: June 2022

We design a new tidal power station as Fig. 1, including one impeller with some symmetrical vanes.The length of the vane is 6 meters; the width is 3 meters;and the shaft of the impeller is above the sea water surface 1 meter. If we can find a good place where the tidal flow speed can keep at 4(m/s) for about 3 hours each day,the same as the others,then,we can get one day energy of this tidal power station.Therefore ,we can see the working time of this tidal power station is 18 hours, and the other 6 hours energy is negligible.Then, we can calculate the total energy of this tidal power station in one day 2317(kwh)
Biodegradation and detoxification of saxitoxin by Bacillus flexus in batch experiments
Authors: Mohamed Zakaria A , Mostafa Yasser , Alamri Saad , Hashem Mohamed
Published: June 2022

Saxitoxins (STXs) are carbamate alkaloid neurotoxins produced by some species of cyanobacteria. They are water soluble and relatively stable the natural environment, and thereby represent a risk to animal and human health through a long-time exposure. STXs cannot be sufficiently removed by conventional water treatment methods. Therefore, this study investigates the potential STX biodegradation by bacteria as a promising method for toxin removal. STX biodegradation experiments were conducted using Bacillus flexus SSZ01 strain in batch cultures. The results revealed that SSZ01 strain grew well and rapidly degraded STX, with no lag phase observed. STX biodegradation by SSZ01 strain was initial-toxin-concentration–dependent. The highest degradation rate (10µg STX L-1 day-1) was obtained at the highest initial toxin concentrations (50µg L-1) and the lowest (0.06µg STX L-1 day-1) was recorded at the lowest initial concentration (0.5µg L-1). STX biodegradation rate increased with temperature, with highest occurred at 30 ºC. This rate was also influenced by pH, with highest obtained at pH8 and lowest at higher and lower pH values. HPLC chromatograms showed that STX biodegradation peak is corresponding to the least SXT analogue (disulfated sulfocarbamoyl-C1 variant). The Artemia-based toxicity assay revealed that this degradation byproduct was nontoxic. This suggests the potential application of this bacterial strain in slow sand filters for cyanotoxin removal in water treatment plants. Being nontoxic, this byproduct needs to be assayed for its therapeutic effects towards neurodegenerative diseases.
Electronic signatures of anharmonic dynamics and charge fluctuations in Lithiated graphite
Authors: Jamnuch Sasawat , Pascal Tod
Published: June 2022

Lithium graphite intercalation compounds (Li-GICs) are model energy storage systems and are essential materials for modern day portable electronics. Obtaining insights into their operando atomic structure and thermodynamics is thus of fundamental interest. Here we explore the electronic and atomic states of Li-GICs at varying degrees of Lithium loading (i.e., “staging”) by means of ab-initio molecular dynamics simulations and simulated X-ray adsorption spectroscopy (XAS). We analyze the atomic correlation functions and shows enhancements in the Lithium-ion entropy with staging, arising from anharmonic dynamics and charge fluctuations which activate low-energy phonon modes. This manifests electronically as modulations of the unoccupied π*/σ* orbital energy levels and modulations of the Carbon K-edge XAS spectra. Thus, we advance the idea that these “static” measurements in fact encodes the thermodynamic response of the system to electrochemical perturbation. This causal link between atomic and electronic structure, thermodynamics and spectroscopy, refines our understanding of electrochemical stability, and may suggest new degree of freedoms for tuning device performance.
Sub-optical-cycle light-matter energy transfer in molecular vibrational spectroscopy
Authors: Peschel Martin , Högner Maximilian , Buberl Theresa , Keefer Daniel , de Vivie-Riedle Regina , Pupeza Ioachim
Published: June 2022

The evolution of ultrafast-laser technology has steadily advanced the level of detail in studies of light-matter interactions. Here, we employ electric-field-resolved spectroscopy and quantum-chemical modelling to precisely measure and describe the complete coherent energy transfer between octave-spanning mid-infrared waveforms and vibrating molecules in aqueous solution. The sub-optical-cycle temporal resolution of our technique reveals alternating absorption and (stimulated) emission on a few-femtosecond time scale. This behaviour can only be captured when effects beyond the rotating wave approximation (RWA) are included in simulations using first-order time-dependent perturbation theory. At a timescale of femtoseconds to picoseconds, other energy transfer processes are observed, namely optical-phase-dependent coherent transients and the dephasing of the vibrations of resonantly excited methylsulfonylmethane (DMSO2) molecules due to their motion through varying environments in the solvent. Ab-initio modelling using density functional theory traces these dynamic processes back to molecular-scale sample properties. The absorbed and coherently re-emitted fractions of the optical energy impinging on the sample can be used as performance metrics for spectroscopic techniques that allow for the separation of absorption and re-emission in time and/or in space. The extension of our study to nonlinear interrogation of higher-order susceptibilities is fathomable with state-of-the-art lasers in the near future.
Diversity of soil bacteria in alpine coal slag mountain grassland in different vegetation restoration years
Authors: Dao Ri-Na , Zhang Ying , Su Beibei , Ma Linxiong , Tie Xiaolong , Lei Shengyan
Published: June 2022

Purpose:Our objective was to investigate changes in the bacterial diversity in the rhizosphere soil of slag mountains in different years of revegetation restoration. 2. Methods: The bacterial community was analyzed through high-throughput sequencing using the Illumina MiSeq platform. Seven soils were selected from different years of revegetation restoration in Qinghai, China. Statistical analyses revealed that in 2017, the diversity of soil bacterial community was higher than that of other soils. 3. Results:The sequencing of 16S rRNA genes revealed that Proteobacteria and Actinobacteria were the dominant phyla at the phylum level. At the genus level, Sphingomonas was the dominant genus. Total nitrogen, available nitrogen, and total potassium significantly influenced the horizontal community structure of the phylum, whereas total nitrogen, organic matter, and pH had a great influence on the horizontal community structure of the phylum. The richness and diversity of the bacterial community in the soil that underwent revegetation restoration were greater in the third year (Y17) than in other years. In the seventh year of recovery, the richness and diversity of the bacterial community began to decline gradually. 4. Conclusion: The bacterial diversity of the coal mine slag mountain improved with the increase in vegetation restoration years. It will take a long time for Jiangcang mining area to restore to its original natural state, and measures such as reseeding and fertilization should be carried out in time after regreening to accelerate the improvement of soil ecological environment.
Bottom-up plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition of SiO2 by utilizing growth inhibition using NH3 plasma pre-treatment for seamless gap-fill process
Authors: Choi Yoenju , Kim Taehoon , Lee Hangyul , Park Jusung , Park Juhwan , Ryu Dongho , Jeon Woojin
Published: June 2022

The design-rule shrinkage in semiconductor devices is a challenge at every step of the integration process. In the gap-fill process for isolation, the seam and void formation cannot be suppressed by using a deposition process, which even has excellent step coverage. To achieve seamless gap fill in the high-aspect-ratio structure, which has a non-ideal etch profile such as a negative slope, the deposition process should be able to realize the “bottom-up growth” behavior. In this work, the bottom-up growth of a SiO2 plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition (PE-ALD) process in a trench structure was investigated by using a growth inhibition process employing plasma treatment. N2 and NH3 plasma pre-treatments were employed to suppress the growth of the SiO2 PE-ALD process without any contamination, and the inhibition mechanism was investigated by performing surface chemistry analyses using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Furthermore, the gap-fill characteristics of the SiO2 PE-ALD process were examined, depending on the process conditions of NH3 plasma pre-treatment, by performing cross-sectional field emission scanning electron microscopy measurements. Finally, a seamless gap-fill process in a high-aspect-ratio trench pattern was achieved by the bottom-up growth behavior of SiO2 PE-ALD using NH3 plasma pre-treatment.
Synthesis, Structure and Near Infrared Fluorescence Property of a New Nd-MOF Based on a Triangular Benzylamine Ligand
Authors: Li Hui , Wang Hongsheng , Gu Wen , Liu Xin
Published: June 2022

A new 3D metal-organic framework {[Nd2L2]·2NH2(CH3)2·3H2O} (Nd-MOF) was successfully established via a solvothermal method with Nd3+ ion and 5-(bis(4-carboxybenzyl)amino) - isophthalicacid (H4L), and has also been characterized by X-ray diffraction, powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), IR and photoluminescence(PL)spectrum. The neodymium ions are free of coordinated solvents, and the Nd-MOF exhibits strong near-infrared (NIR) fluorescence. Besides, its NIR fluorescence property shows low temperature resistance, which is favorable for being used in the low temperature environment.
DJ-1 preserves ischemic postconditioning-induced cardioprotection in STZ-induced type 1 diabetic rats: Role of PTEN and DJ-1 subcellular translocation
Authors: Li Wei , Leng Yan , Xiong Yonghong , Li Wenyuan , Cai Yin , Xue Rui , Chen Rong , Lei Shaoqing , Xia Zhengyuan , Xia Zhongyuan
Published: June 2022

Background: Ischemic postconditioning (IPostC) has been reported as a promising method for protecting against myocardial ischemia-reperfusion (MI/R) injury. Our previous study found that the infarct-limiting effect of IPostC is abolished in the heart of diabetes whose cardiac expression of DJ-1 (also called PARK7, Parkinsonism associated deglycase) is reduced. However, the role and in particular the underlying mechanism of DJ-1 in the loss of sensitivity to IPostC-induced cardioprotection in diabetic hearts remains unclear. Methods: Streptozotocin-induced type 1 diabetic rats were subjected to MI/R injury by occluding the left anterior descending artery (LAD) and followed by reperfusion. IPostC was induced by three cycles of 10s of reperfusion and ischemia at the onset of reperfusion. AAV9-CMV-DJ-1, AAV9-CMV-C106S-DJ-1 or AAV9-DJ-1 siRNA were injected via tail vein to either over-express or knock-down DJ-1 three weeks before inducing MI/R. Results: Diabetic rats subjected to MI/R exhibited larger infarct area, more severe oxidative injury concomitant with significantly reduced cardiac DJ-1 expression and increased PTEN expression as compared to non-diabetic rats. AAV9-mediated cardiac DJ-1 overexpression, but not the cardiac overexpression of DJ-1 mutant C106S, restored IPostC-induced cardioprotection and this effect was accompanied by increased cytoplasmic DJ-1 translocation toward nuclear and mitochondrial, reduced PTEN expression, and increased Nrf-2/HO-1 transcription. Our further study showed that AAV9-mediated targeted DJ-1 gene knockdown aggravated MI/R injury in diabetic hearts, and this exacerbation of MI/R injury was partially reversed by IPostC in the presence of PTEN inhibition or Nrf-2 activation. Conclusions: These findings suggest that DJ-1 preserves the cardioprotective effect of IPostC against MI/R injury in diabetic rats through nuclear and mitochondrial DJ-1 translocation and that inhibition of cardiac PTEN and activation of Nrf-2/HO-1 may represent the major downstream mechanisms whereby DJ-1 preserves the cardioprotective effect of IPostC in diabetes.
Comparative spectroscopic study of Syringaldazine oxidation catalyzed by laccase in reverse micelles of AOT and aqueous medium. Influence of the UVB light on the enzymatic kinetic parameters in both media.
Authors: Parodi Facundo , Cacciari R. Daniel , Mazalu Jeremías N. , Montejano Hernán A. , Reynoso Eugenia , Biasutti M. Alicia
Published: June 2022

Laccase is a versatile enzyme for the oxidation of environmental contaminants and display great potential in many applications; however, it undergoes photo-degradation when irradiated with UVB light. The instability of this biomolecule can be improved by immobilization in different encapsulation media. In the present contribution, reverse micelles of AOT were used with this purpose. Moreover, the use of these kind of media can be relevant in the sense that they be able to mimetic the complexity of contaminated aquatic microenvironments where the enzymes can be used as biological remediation agents.The laccase activity from spectroscopic data, using syringaldazine as substrate has been studied in the absence and in the presence of reverse micelles of 0.15 M AOT/isooctane at W0 ([H2O]/[AOT]) =30, before and after irradiation of the enzyme with UVB light.The kinetic parameters, i.e. Michaelis-Menten constant (KM), catalytic constant (kCAT) and catalytic efficiency (kCAT / KM) were determinate in the micellar system and in aqueous medium and comparatively analyzed. From this comparison, it was found that the enzyme presents a considerably photo-protection when irradiated with UVB light in reverse micelles as compared with the aqueous medium. Moreover, taking into account the distribution of the substrate in the two pseudo-phases (micellar and organic solvent), the activity of the enzyme is significantly preserved in the micellar medium.
Fabrication of high accuracy micro-hole by micro-EDM under tool electrode spiral motion feed mode aided with fixed reference axial compensation
Authors: Gou Junfeng , Lai Jingyun , Lin Haoran , Chan Kangcheung , Yue Taiman , Zuo Xinlang , Zou Zhixiang , Liu Jiangwen
Published: June 2022

The accumulation of debris in the inter-electrode gap caused by inefficient flushing during the micro-electrical discharge machining (micro-EDM) process leads to severe tool electrode wear and decreases the machining accuracy of micro-holes. In this study, a novel method of tool electrode spiral motion feed mode combined with fixed reference axial compensation (FRAC) is proposed to promote the evacuation of debris and improve the machining accuracy of micro-holes. Different depths of micro-holes in titanium alloy are drilled using the tool electrode linear feed mode and tool electrode spiral motion feed mode combined with FRAC and without compensation. The process parameters are optimized and determined by means of response-surface experiments. The results show that the tool electrode spiral motion feed mode can improve the debris evacuation more effectively than the tool electrode linear feed mode. The micro-hole without a cone at the bottom can be fabricated using the tool electrode spiral motion feed mode. The introduction of FRAC method can improve the depth error of micro-holes further. A high accuracy micro-hole with a depth error of only 0.21% can be fabricated efficiently under the optimal process parameters. The tool electrode spiral motion feed mode combined with FRAC has an obvious advantage in the fabrication of high accuracy micro-holes during the micro-EDM process.
Development and psychometric evaluation of self-management scale for patients with polycystic ovary syndrome in China: Protocol for a mixed-method study
Authors: Yan Xin , Ding Rui , Liu Ying , Guo Yunmei , Wang Lianhong
Published: June 2022

Background: Although self-management does great importance to women with PCOS, there’s no standardized instrument to measure self-management ability in women with PCOS. The study aims to develop and evaluate psychometric properties of a PCOS self-management scale(PCOS-SMS).Method: This is a mixed-method study with a qualitative and a quantitative phase. The study will start from literature review, in which way we could combined the traditional chronic disease management evaluation method with the physiological and psychological characteristics of PCOS patients. Then qualitative study will be carried out to understand the experience and feelings of self-management in PCOS women and construct item pool of PCOS self-management scale. Delphi survey will give grading and guidance to the scientific of scale construction. The quantitative phase will evaluate the psychometric properties in each items including face, content, and construct validity as well as reliability.Discussion: The successful construction of the scale can provide an useful tool to evaluate the effectiveness of self-management projects for patients with PCOS as well as a certain reference for the development of relevant scales in the future.Ethics and dissemination: Ethical approval was provided by Ethics Committee of Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University(KLLY-2021-186). Findings from this study will be disseminated to professionals and the public via peer-reviewed journal publications, popular social media and conference presentations.
Development and retrospective evaluation of a clinical decision support system for the efficient detection of drug-related problems by clinical pharmacists
Authors: Skalafouris Christian , Blanc Anne-Laure , Grosgurin Olivier , Marti Christophe , Samer Caroline , Lovis Christian , Bonnabry Pascal , Guignard Bertrand
Published: June 2022

Background: Clinical decision support systems (CDSS) can help identify drug-related problems (DRPs). However, the alert specificity remains variable. Defining more relevant alerts for detecting DRPs would improve CDSS.Aim: Developpment and assessment of electronic queries based on health records to identify DRPs.Method: Electronic queries were set up in CDSS using triggers from electronic health records; drug prescriptions, laboratory values, medical problems, vital signs, demographics). They were based on a previous study where internal medicine patients benefited from a multidisciplinary medication review (gold-standard) to highlight potential DRPs. Electronic queriess were retrospectively tested to assess performance in detecting DRPs revealed with gold-standard. For each EQ, sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive value (PPV, NPV) were computed.Results: Of 909 DRPs found for 315 patients, 700 (77.8%) were used to create 366 EQs. EQs correctly detected 77.0% of DRPs. EQs’ median sensitivity and specificity were 100.0% (100.0%–100.0%) and 99.7% (97.0%–100.0%); median PPV and NPV were 50.0% (12.5%–100.0%) and 100.0% (100.0%–100.0%). Performances varied according to triggers (p<10-5, best performance in terms of PPV when exclusively involving drug prescriptions). Conclusion: EQs based on electronic heath records had high sensitivity and NPV and acceptable specificity and PPV and may contribute to facilitate medication review. Their prospective assessment with pharmacists’ participation in medical rounds will enable improvements to this model.
Predicting nitrogen use efficiency, nitrogen loss and dry matter intake of individual dairy cows in late lactation by including mid-infrared spectra of milk samples
Authors: SHI RUI , Lou Wenqi , Ducro Bart , Linden Aart van der , Mulder Han A. , Oosting Simon J. , Li Shengli , Wang Yachun
Published: June 2022

Background
Nitrate leaching to groundwater and surface water and ammonia volatilization from dairy farms have negative impacts on the environment. Meanwhile, the increasing demand for dairy products will result in more pollution if N losses are not controlled. Therefore, a more efficient, and environmentally friendly production system is needed, in which nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) of dairy cows plays a key role. To genetically improve NUE, extensively recorded and cost-effective proxies are essential, which can be obtained by including mid-infrared (MIR) spectra of milk in prediction models for NUE. This study aimed to develop and validate the best prediction model of NUE, nitrogen loss (NL) and dry matter intake (DMI) for individual dairy cows in China.
Results
A total of 86 lactating Chinese Holstein cows were used in this study. After data editing, 704 records were obtained for calibration and validation. Six prediction models with three different machine learning algorithms and three kinds of pre-processed MIR spectra were developed for each trait. Results showed that the coefficient of determination (R2) of the best model in within-herd validation was 0.66 for NUE, 0.58 for NL and 0.63 for DMI. For external validation, reasonable prediction results were only observed for NUE, with R2 ranging from 0.58 to 0.63, while the R2 of the other two traits was below 0.50. The infrared waves from 973.54 to 988.46 cm− 1 and daily milk yield were the most important variables for prediction.
Conclusion
This study developed reasonable prediction models for N related traits of Chinese Holstein cows. Models with MIR spectra outperformed the other models indicating that MIR spectra have additional value for predicting these target traits. Pre-processing MIR spectra by mathematical algorithms may fail to improve prediction accuracies. The most important wave ranges of MIR (973.54 to 988.46 cm− 1) for prediction are associated with particular chemical compounds, which can be useful to unravel the biological mechanisms of nitrogen utilization in dairy cows. These models will be applied to large-scale data to further investigate the genetic architecture of nitrogen efficiency and further reduce the adverse impacts on the environment after more data is collected.
Direct evidence for upright and helical structure of alpha-synuclein at lipid membranes
Authors: Roeters Steven , Strunge Kris , Pedersen Kasper , Golbek Thaddeus , Bregnhøj Mikkel , Wang Yin , Dong Mingdong , Otzen Daniel , Schiøtt Birgit , Weidner Tobias
Published: June 2022

The aberrant folding of proteins into amyloid aggregates is associated with over 50 diseases. The amyloid aggregation of α-synuclein (αS), related to Parkinson’s disease, can be catalyzed by lipid-membrane surfaces. Despite the importance of lipid surfaces and several decades of structural studies, the 3D-structure of lipid-membrane bound αS is still not known in detail. In particular, there is little information about the self-assembly and orientation of αS when interacting with lipid surfaces under physiologically relevant conditions. Here, we report interface-specific vibrational sum-frequency generation (VSFG) experiments revealing how monomeric αS binds, folds and orients at anionic lipid membranes. Since VSFG is inherently surface specific, the experiments can be performed at high αS–lipid ratios, far beyond previous structural studies. To interpret the experimental VSFG data, we present an analysis method in which out-of-equilibrium molecular-dynamics simulations are used to generate a large amount of conformations, after which their spectral match is evaluated with excitonic amide-I calculations. Hereby, the previously-determined flat-lying helical structures are corroboratively derived at low αS concentrations, while at higher, physiological concentrations, a transition to interface-protruding αS structures occurs. Such an upright conformation promotes more extensive lateral interactions between monomers and may explain how, at high protein–lipid ratios, lipid membranes can catalyze the formation of αS amyloids.
Research on machining quality of 304 stainless steel deep hole by changing Angle of gun drill
Authors: Xie Chen , Liang Li , Zhang Ying , Lou Jiacheng , Pan Yu
Published: June 2022

With the continuous development of the manufacturing industry, the proportion of deep hole machining in mechanical processing is increasing. Demand for deep hole processing of 304 stainless steel is also increasing year by year. At the same time, due to the physical characteristics of 304 stainless steel and the uncontrollability of gun drill in processing, the quality of deep hole processing is relatively poor. The main research of this paper is as follows. Firstly, the stress model of drill bit is established by analyzing the structure of the drill bit. Secondly, a number of single-factor drilling experiments are carried out to control the cutting force in machining process by changing the forward angle of the inner and outer edges of the gun drill. Thirdly, based on the analysis of test results, this paper discusses the influence of the change of inner and outer edge Angle of gun drill on the surface quality of hole wall and the deviation of hole straightness. Finally, the paper studies the chip forming process of gun drill in deep hole machining of 304 stainless steel, and gives the best choice of cutting edge Angle.
Secure Spectrum Sharing for Satellite Internet-of-Things with Blockchain
Authors: Wang Li , Zheng Yuhang , Zhang Yu , Li Feng
Published: June 2022

The introduction of satellite communications will play a key role in next generation communications. However, satellite systems are faced with the challenge of efficiently managing the satellite spectrum resource when supporting the communication needs of massive Internet-of-Things (IoT) devices, which is expected to growth explosively in scale of deployment. To address this issue, we propose a blockchain-based satellite spectrum resource optimization scheme. The scheme is based on a market-driven spectrum trading technique to maximize the benefit of the satellite systems, hence the utilization of the spectrum resource. In specific, the proposed spectrum trading protocol focuses on the heterogeneity of LEO satellite spectrum, which covers a huge band range with varying transmission qualities, by allowing a price differentiation between different spectrum ranges. As a result, different terrestrial IoT systems may select their preferred spectrum range, and price, according to their own application requirements and budgets. Furthermore, data integrity is needed to ensure the proper functioning of the spectrum trading process. In the proposed scheme, we adopt a blockchain mechanism for facilitating spectrum trading with enhanced security, with all essential transaction-related data to be stored in a blockchain, which is used as a distributed and immutable data store for all records of the trading activities. Due to the limited computing power of terrestrial IoT device terminals, the blockchain is based on a Delegated Proof of Stake (DPoS) consensus algorithm which is believed to be more suitable for the scenario of satellite-based IoT systems.
Synthesis, Molecular Modeling and Biological Studies of Novel 1-Aryl-Thiazolo Benzimidazole Derivatives as Cytochrome (CYP51 MTb ) Type I Inhibitors & Anticancer Agents
Authors: Fawzy Iten M. , Refaat Hanan M. , Attia Reem T. , Ibrahim Heba A. , Mandour Asmaa A.
Published: June 2022

The prominent biological activity of polycyclic systems inspired the synthesis of novel 1-Aryl-thiazolo-benzimidazole Derivatives (2a-e), (3a-e) and (4a-e). In vitro antiproliferative assay was performed on colorectal adenocarcinoma (SW620) and the novel compounds showed superior anticancer activity with IC50 in the range of 0.03–0.35 µM compared to reference compound Doxorubicin (DOX) with IC50 (0.07 µM). The ability of the new molecules to interact with extracted cytochrome CYP51MTb was also studied using absorption spectroscopy. Results showed mild type I spectral shift especially compound 4d displayed 3% shift in the spin state assay referring to the presence of electron withdrawing groups attached to benzene ring, thus that could be a promising nucleus for better cytochrome inhibition. The results were supported by molecular modeling studies to confirm general binding of the compounds to the hydrophobic region of the heme-protein. These outcomes encourage the new molecules to be candidates for new potential anticancer agents.
Adsorption removal of crystal violet in single and binary systems onto low-cost iron oxide nanoparticles coated clinoptilolite powders/granules
Authors: Noori Maryam , Tahmasebpoor Maryam , Nami Shamin Hosseini
Published: June 2022

Novel magnetic adsorbents of Clinoptilolite/Fe3O4 (Clin/Fe3O4) nanocomposite powders and Alginate/Clinoptilolite/Fe3O4 (Alg/Clin/Fe3O4) nanocomposite granules were synthesized to efficient removal of the cationic crystal violet (CV) dye in single and CV/methylene blue (MB) binary systems. The resulting adsorbents were characterized by FTIR, XRD, SEM, EDX, dot mapping, and BET analysis. Adsorption tests showed that Clin/Fe3O4 and Alg/Clin/Fe3O4 presented an excellent high affinity to CV removal as 94.32% and 92.35%, respectively in the single system and as 84.19% and 80.23%, respectively in the binary system. Based on the findings, pH was the most effective variable in the elimination process and the highest yield achieved at pH 8 for both adsorbents. The equilibrium data followed the Langmuir model (R2 > 0.9) based which the maximum adsorption capacity (qmax) using Clin/Fe3O4 and Alg/Clin/Fe3O4 was determined as 44.662 mg/g and 16.528 mg/g, respectively in the single system and it was computed to be 15.797 mg/g and 11.476 mg/g, respectively in the binary system. The kinetic data fitted well to the pseudo-second-order model in both systems. The adsorption process was exothermic and thermodynamically spontaneous. Moreover, the adsorbents showed excellent recycling ability over the desorption tests, thus leading to a promising and green-based adsorbents for the removal of dyes. The electrical conductivity (EC) of MB, CV, and CV/MB solutions and also a real wastewater sampled from a dyeing unit were measured before and after treatment and the results showed that the EC of all samples was reduced.
The Impact of Team Triage Method on Emergency Department Performance Indexes: A quasi-interventional study
Authors: Yousefi zhila , Shahsavarinia Kavous , Zahedi Hamideh , Feizollahzadeh Hossein
Published: June 2022

Background: One of the new and effective methods of patient triage in the emergency department is the use of team triage including physician and nurse. Given that there is no conclusive evidence on the effectiveness of using team triage, therefore the aim of this study was to investigate the effect of team triage method on emergency department performance indexes. The present study is a quasi-interventional study in which 200 patients referred to the emergency department in XXX hospital of XXX in 2020.Methods: Participants were randomly assigned to two groups (team triage, conventional triage) and were evaluated. The patient demographic characteristics questionnaire, five-level triage form of Emergency Severity Index and Press-Ganey satisfaction questionnaire were used to collect data and evaluation of patient satisfaction about waiting time. Results: The results showed that there is a complete agreement between both groups and emergency physician about patient triage (kappa=1). The mean score of waiting time for the first physician visit in team triage was 3.5 minutes, which was statistically significantly lower than the conventional triage about 8.79 minutes (P=0.001, t=-8.65). Also, the mean score of waiting time for receiving the first treatment in team triage was 7.8 minutes, which was statistically significantly lower than the conventional triage about 17.9 minutes (P=0.001, t=-9.36). Finally, the mean score of patients' satisfaction in team and conventional triage was 95.15 and 73.91, respectively, which was statistically significantly higher in team triage (P=0.001, t=5.06). Conclusions: The findings indicate that team triage method in comparison to conventional triage, decreasing the waiting time for receiving the first service, length of stay and improving of patient's satisfaction. Therefore, in order to improve the performance indicators of the emergency department, it is recommended that hospital managers use the team triage method, and hold training workshops to train skilled and efficient personnel.
Physical performance in older age by sex and educational level: The HUNT Study
Authors: Melsæter Kjerstin N , Tangen Gro G , Skjellegrind Håvard K , Vereijken Beatrix , Strand Bjørn H , Thingstad Pernille
Published: June 2022

Background: Population-based studies on physical performance provide important information on older people’s health but rarely include the oldest and least-healthy segment of the population. The aim of this study was to provide representative estimates of physical performance by age, sex, and educational level based on recent data from a population-based health study in Norway that includes a wide range in age and function. Methods: In the fourth wave of the Trøndelag Health Study (2017–2019), all participants age 70+ were invited to an additional examination of physical performance assessed by the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB), either by attending a testing station or by visits from ambulatory teams. The distribution and variation in SPPB total and subscores, as well as gait speed, are presented by sex, age, and educational level. Results: The SPPB was registered in 11,394 individuals; 54.8% were women; the age range was 70–105.4 years, with 1,891 persons age 85+. SPPB scores decreased by 0.27 points (men) and 0.33 points (women) for each year of age and gait speed by 0.02 m/sec (men) and 0.03 m/sec (women). Using a frailty cut-off for gait speed at < 0.8 m/sec, the proportion of participants categorized as frail increased from 13.9% in the 70–74 years cohort to 73.9% in participants age 85+. Level of education ≤ 10 years corresponded to 6 years (men) and 4 years (women) for earlier onset of frailty compared to education ≥ 14 years. Conclusion: We found that the SPPB captured a gradual decline and wide distribution in physical performance in old age. The results provide information about physical performance, health status, and risk profiles at a population level and can serve as reference data for clinicians, researchers, and healthcare planners whose focus is geriatric health.
WITHDRAWN: Health Consequences of University Employees Post Covid-19 Vaccination at Palestinian Universities
Authors: Shouli Mustafa Mohammad , Shouli Khaila Mohammad , Issa Bilal Mohammad , Mohammad Ibrahim
Published: June 2022

The control of vaccine hesitancy comes with key protective measures against COVID-19 and excellent efficacy in clinical trials and effectiveness in real-world data. However, some people believe that vaccination is ineffective and that it causes health problems. We aimed to assess health consequences of university employees post Covid-19 vaccination at Palestinian Universities. The researchers conducted a descriptive study design between February and March 2021. A total of 310 university employees participated from six universities in Palestine: Nabulus University for Vocational & Technical Education, An-Najah National University, Modern University College, Birzeit University, Hebron University, Arab American University, and Al-Quds Open University. These universities were selected to be included in the study. A self-designed questionnaire was used for data collection and included the following parts: part1: personal characteristics of the university employees, Part II. Knowledge of university employees about covid-19 vaccination, Part III: Medical background of the participant, also their perception regarding receiving the COVID-19 vaccination. We found that less than the half of studied employees (41.3 %) were between 30<40 years with ±SD 38.6±7, more than three quarters, 79.4 %, were males; 41.9% of them recorded class II obesity, 72.6% suffered from chronic problems while 22.6% of them stayed in hospital post covid vaccination. based on the current study, there was a positive correlation between the total of university employees’ health consequence, perception, and their knowledge. Also, there was a highly statistical significant difference between the total perception and their knowledge. Recommendation: the study recommends publicity to enlighten people about what Covid-19 vaccination is, in order to correct the negative perception around the vaccine.
A comparative assessment of innovative hemispherical solar distillers with cylindrical and conical fins: An experimental approach
Authors: Attia Mohammed El Hadi , Kabeel Abd Elnaby , Abdel-Aziz Moataz M. , Abdelgaied Mohamed
Published: June 2022

Although the influence of fins on a basin's flat absorber will improve thermal performance and distillate production due to the increased heat transfer areas, many researchers are still interested in the problem of shading caused by fins, which reduces distiller productivity for some configurations of the fins designs. To obtain the best fin configurations that achieve the lowest shading effects and highest performance of hemispherical solar stills. The influences of absorbent cement layer with two types of fins (cylindrical and conical fins) with a diameter of 1.5 cm and a height of 3 cm at different gap spacing (3, 3.75, and 4.5 cm) were studied. To achieve these; three hemispherical solar stills were tested at same weather conditions, first is the conventional hemispherical still without fins (CHSWF) which represent the reference case. Second, is the cylindrical finned hemispherical still with gap spacing 3, 3.75, and 4.5 cm (CyFHS). Third, is the conical finned hemispherical still with gap spacing of 3, 3.75, and 4.5 cm (CoFHS). The results showed that, the cylindrical finned hemispherical still (CyFHS) productivity values are 5.55, 6.00, and 6.70 kg/m2, respectively, while conical finned hemispherical still (CoFHS) productivity values are 6.20, 6.65, and 7.15 kg/m2 at gap spacing of 3, 3.75, and 4.5 cm, respectively compared to 4.20 kg/m2 that was produced by CHSWF. The results showed that the use of conical fins achieves the highest performance of hemispherical still as a result of reducing the effect of shading. Whereas, the best configuration that achieves the highest performance is the use of conical fins with a gap spacing of 4.5 cm, where the rate of improvement is 70.24% compared to CHSWF
Encapsulation of Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis through emulsification coupled with external gelation for the development of symbiotic systems
Authors: Frakolaki Georgia , Giannou Virginia , Tzia Constantina
Published: June 2022

In this work, a study regarding the encapsulation of the probiotic strain Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis (BB-12) through emulsification followed by external gelation was performed. For this purpose, a variety of alginate-based blends, composed of conventional and novel materials, were used. The results demonstrated that alginate beads incorporating 1% carrageenan or 2% nanocrystalline cellulose provided great protection during refrigerated storage (50.3% and 51.1%, respectively), as well as in vitro simulation of the gastroinestinal tract (38.7 and 42.0%, respectively). The incorporation of glycerol into the formulation of the beads was proved successful for the protection of the BB-12 cells during frozen storage, increasing significantly their viability compared to the plain alginate beads (survival rate of 57.1% after 30 days at -18oC, instead of non-viable cells). Beads made of milk, alginate 1%, glucose 5% and inulin provided the best results at all cases. The microstructure of beads was assessed through SEM analysis.