bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Transition to Equilibrium and Coherent Structure in Ideal MHD Turbulence, Part 2
Authors: Shebalin John V.
Published: June 2023

We continue our study of the transition of ideal, homogeneous, incompressible, magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) turbulence from non-equilibrium initial conditions to equilibrium using long-time numerical simulations on a 1283 periodic grid. A Fourier spectral transform method is used to numerically integrate the dynamical equations forward in time. The six runs that previously went to near equilibrium are here extended into equilibrium. As before, we neglect dissipation as we are primarily concerned with behavior at the largest scale where this behavior has been shown to be essentially the same for ideal and real (forced and dissipative) MHD turbulence. These six runs have various combinations of imposed rotation and mean magnetic field and represent the five cases of ideal, homogeneous, incompressible, and MHD turbulence: Case I (Run 1), with no rotation or mean field; Case II (Runs 2a and 2b), where only rotation is imposed; Case III (Run 3), which has only a mean magnetic field; Case IV (Run 4), where rotation vector and mean magnetic field direction are aligned; and Case V (Run 5), which has non-aligned rotation vector and mean field directions. Statistical mechanics predicts that dynamic Fourier coefficients are zero-mean random variables, but largest-scale coherent magnetic structures emerge and manifest themselves as Fourier coefficients with very large, quasi-steady, mean values compared to their standard deviations, i.e., there is ‘broken ergodicity.’ These magnetic coherent structures appeared in all cases during transition to near equilibrium. Here, we report that, as the runs were continued, these coherent structures remained quasi-steady and energetic only in Cases I and II, while Case IV maintained its coherent structure but at comparatively low energy. The coherent structures that appeared in transition in Cases III and V were seen to collapse as their associated runs extended into equilibrium. The creation of largest-scale, coherent magnetic structure appears to be a dynamo process inherent in ideal MHD turbulence, particularly in Cases I and II, i.e., those cases most pertinent to planets and stars. Furthermore, the statistical theory of ideal MHD turbulence has proven to apply at the largest scale, even when dissipation and forcing are included. This, along with the discovery and explanation of dynamically broken ergodicity, is essentially a solution to the ‘dynamo problem’.
Morphological and Genetics Support for a Hitherto Undescribed Spotted Cat Species (Genus Leopardus; Felidae, Carnivora) from the Southern Colombian Andes
Authors: Ruiz-García Manuel , Pinedo-Castro Myreya , Shostell Joseph Mark
Published: June 2023

In 1989, a skin of a small spotted cat, from the Galeras Volcano in southern Colombia (Nariño Department), was donated to the Instituto Alexander von Humboldt (identification, ID 5857) at Villa de Leyva (Boyacá Department, Colombia). Although originally classified as Leopardus tigrinus, its distinctiveness merits a new taxonomic designation. The skin is distinct from all known L. tigrinus holotypes as well as from other Leopardus species. Analysis of the complete mitochondrial genomes from 44 felid specimens (including 18 L. tigrinus and all the current known species of the genus Leopardus), the mtND5 gene from 84 felid specimens (including 30 L. tigrinus and all the species of the genus Leopardus), and six nuclear DNA microsatellites (113 felid specimens of all the current known species of the genus Leopardus) indicate that this specimen does not belong to any previously recognized Leopardus taxon. The mtND5 gene suggests this new lineage (the Nariño cat as we name it) is a sister taxon of Leopardus colocola. The mitogenomic and nuclear DNA microsatellite analyses suggest that this new lineage is the sister taxon to a clade formed by Central American and trans-Andean L. tigrinus + (Leopardus geoffroyi + Leopardus guigna). The temporal split between the ancestor of this new possible species and the most recent ancestor within Leopardus was dated to 1.2–1.9 million years ago. We consider that this new unique lineage is a new species, and we propose the scientific name Leopardus narinensis.
Non-Invasive Study of the Pigments of a Painting on Copper with the Inscription “Boceto di Pablo Veronese” on the Back
Authors: Blanc Rosario , Manzano Eloisa , López-Montes Ana , Domínguez-Gasca Nazaret , Vílchez José Luis
Published: June 2023

The palette used on a small painting on copper support, with the inscription “Boceto di Pablo Veronese” on the back, was characterized. Non-invasive techniques such as X-ray diffraction (XRD) and hand-held X-ray fluorescence (XRF) were proven to be highly effective for this. The objectives of the proposed work were twofold. On the one hand, the objective was the study, in situ, of the pigments of a painting on a copper support. On the other hand, it was to enrich the literature related to the study of paintings on metal supports, since few related studies are available despite the relatively large number of such 16th and 17th century paintings from Italy and Northern Europe. The results of the analysis showed a copper support with a base layer of gypsum mixed with ochre earths. Atop this layer is a sketch with lead white in the lighter areas and bone black in the darker shadow areas, suggesting that the artist performed a preliminary study of the luminosity of the scene. Finally, the upper or pictorial layer consists of a mix of pigments with some lead white to lower saturation and increase lightness, particularly evident in the flesh tones. The resulting palette thus includes lead white, vermilion, bone black, Naples yellow, and lazurite pigments. These results are compared to Veronese’s other paintings, as well as to those of certain contemporary artists, and the use of the resulting pigments in 16th and 17th century Italian painting techniques is discussed.
Effect of Organic Fertilizer on the Growth and Physiological Parameters of a Traditional Medicinal Plant under Salinity Stress Conditions
Authors: Beyk-Khormizi Abdollah , Sarafraz-Ardakani Mohammad Reza , Hosseini Sarghein Siavash , Moshtaghioun Seyed Mohammad , Mousavi-Kouhi Seyed Mousa , Taghavizadeh Yazdi Mohammad Ehsan
Published: June 2023

Foeniculum vulgare (fennel) is a medicinal and aromatic plant species from Apiaceae (Umbelliferae) and has been extensively used to treat digestive and pulmonary diseases. This plant is relatively sensitive to salinity. To investigate the effect of salinity stress at levels of 0, 40, and 80 mM NaCl in combination with 0 and 5% v/v vermicompost mixed with soil on the growth as well as the physiological and biochemical traits of two fennel landraces planted in Urmia and Shiraz areas, a factorial experiment was conducted as a randomized complete block design in three replications under greenhouse conditions. The plants were sampled in the flowering stage eleven weeks after cultivation. As the results showed, vermicompost treatment together with salinity stress could enhance the growth traits of the plants, such as the length and dry weight of shoots; leaf area and dry weight of roots; photosynthetic pigments, i.e., chlorophylls and carotenoids; membrane stability index; relative water content, soluble sugar, soluble protein, proline, total phenol, and anthocyanin in the shoots; mineral elements, i.e., phosphate, nitrate, zinc, molybdenum, magnesium, and iron in the shoots; and potassium and calcium in the shoots and roots. The interaction of vermicompost and salinity also decreased the aldehydes, total flavonoids, activity of catalase enzyme and shoot starch, soluble sugar and root proline, and sodium content of both shoots and roots. In a comparison of the two studied fennel landraces, the Shiraz landrace emerged to be less affected by salinity stress. In saline conditions, vermicompost caused a change in the physiological and biochemical parameters of both fennel landraces and improved their growth. The improvement in the growth conditions in the Urmia landrace was more obvious due to the use of vermicompost. Using vermicompost plus 40 mM NaCl salinity, the dry weight of the shoot and leaf surface of the Urmia landrace increased by about 3 and 2.5 times, respectively, and under 80 mM NaCl, the dry weight of the shoot and leaf surface increased by 2.7 and 1.2 times compared to the control. According to the experiments, it seems that vermicompost can limit the harmful effects of salinity on fennel plants by affecting photosynthetic pigments, osmolytes, phenolic compounds, antioxidants, the stability of membranes, and the availability of water and essential minerals.
Young Adults with Negative Body Image at Fatness Subscale Are More Restrained Than Normal Adults during a Chocolate Discounting Task
Authors: Huo Sirui , Li Jun , Guo Jiaqi , Yan Han , Deng Xiaoyi , Liu Yong , Zhao Jia
Published: June 2023

Research has confirmed that people with obesity exhibit special responses to food stimuli when it comes to food-related decision tasks. However, it is unclear whether the phenomenon exists in people who feel mentally obese, even though they are not obese. The aim of this study was to investigate the behavioral and neural correlations of food-related decision-making between young adults with negative body image at fatness subscale and a control group, so as to explore the differences in executive functioning between them. We used a time-delayed discounting task (DDT) and recruited 13 young female adults in each group to participate in the electroencephalogram (EEG) experiment. The number of selections for low immediate rewards and high delayed rewards was used as a performance indicator for DDT. Behavioral results showed a significant interaction effect between selection types and groups, where more delayed rewards and shorter immediate rewards were selected in the group with negative body image at fatness subscale than in the control group. Statistical correlations between body mass index (BMI) and selection times were found in the control group, but this phenomenon did not occur in the experimental group. The event-related potentials found that the P100 of young adults with a negative body image at fatness subscale was greater than those in the control group. P200 showed a significant interaction effect between groups, electrodes, and selection types. N200 and N450 in delayed rewards were more negative than in immediate rewards for both groups. These findings suggest that young adults with negative body image at fatness subscale are more restrained than young adults in the control group when choosing chocolates. Moreover, individuals with negative body image at fatness subscale might be more sensitive to food stimuli than individuals in the control group, because their P100 amplitude was significantly larger than that of individuals in the control group when exposed to food-related stimuli.
Effects of an Exercise Program and Cold-Water Immersion Recovery in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA): Feasibility Study
Authors: Peres Daniele , Prati Clément , Mourot Laurent , Demartino Amanda Magalhães , Sagawa Yoshimasa , Tordi Nicolas
Published: June 2023

Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) patients present is an increased cardiovascular risk (CVR) linked to systemic inflammatory manifestations. A physical activity program with known positive effects on CVR, followed by cryotherapy because of its analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects, may be interesting. However, there are no reports in the literature of such a program. This study aimed to determine the feasibility (acceptability, safety, and effectiveness) of an individualized Intermittent Exercise Program followed by cold-water immersion as a recovery for RA patients. The program was conducted three times per week by eighteen RA patients (one man) with means of age and BMI of 55 (11.9) years and 25.5 (4.7) kg·m−2. Outcomes were assessed before and after nine and seventeen sessions and included evaluation of acceptability by perceived exertion (Borg) and water temperature (VAS) measures at each session; safety by a number of painful and swollen joints (echography); physical function (health assessment questionnaire); general health status (Short Form-36) measures; and effectiveness by arterial stiffness (pulse wave velocity, or PWV) measures. The results showed good acceptability of the program; no patient dropped out of the protocol or even presented difficulties or perceived pain. The HR and PWV values decreased significantly (70.2 ± 8.4 to 66 ± 5.5; p < 0.05 and 8.9 ± 1.2 to 7.0 ± 0.8; p < 0.001) after nine exercise sessions. No aggravation of symptoms has been noted. This program is acceptable, safe, and effective; consider tailoring it for supervised home-based use.
Multimodal Strategies to Fight Obesity: Research on Tailored Therapies Based on Natural and Synthetic Compounds for Prevention, Management and Treatment
Authors: D’Anneo Antonella , Lauricella Marianna
Published: June 2023

In the past 50 years, the global prevalence of obesity and overweight has tripled, reaching pandemic proportions and blatantly representing an urgent problem for public health [...]
Targeting RNA Structure to Inhibit Editing in Trypanosomes
Authors: Acquah Francis A. , Mooers Blaine H. M.
Published: June 2023

Mitochondrial RNA editing in trypanosomes represents an attractive target for developing safer and more efficient drugs for treating infections with trypanosomes because this RNA editing pathway is not found in humans. Other workers have targeted several enzymes in this editing system, but not the RNA. Here, we target a universal domain of the RNA editing substrate, which is the U-helix formed between the oligo-U tail of the guide RNA and the target mRNA. We selected a part of the U-helix that is rich in G-U wobble base pairs as the target site for the virtual screening of 262,000 compounds. After chemoinformatic filtering of the top 5000 leads, we subjected 50 representative complexes to 50 nanoseconds of molecular dynamics simulations. We identified 15 compounds that retained stable interactions in the deep groove of the U-helix. The microscale thermophoresis binding experiments on these five compounds show low-micromolar to nanomolar binding affinities. The UV melting studies show an increase in the melting temperatures of the U-helix upon binding by each compound. These five compounds can serve as leads for drug development and as research tools to probe the role of the RNA structure in trypanosomal RNA editing.
Luteolin Enhances Transepithelial Sodium Transport in the Lung Alveolar Model: Integrating Network Pharmacology and Mechanism Study
Authors: Chen Lei , Yu Tong , Zhai Yiman , Nie Hongguang , Li Xin , Ding Yan
Published: June 2023

Luteolin (Lut), a natural flavonoid compound existing in Perilla frutescens (L.) Britton, has been proven to play a protective role in the following biological aspects: inflammatory, viral, oxidant, and tumor-related. Lut can alleviate acute lung injury (ALI), manifested mainly by preventing the accumulation of inflammation-rich edematous fluid, while the protective actions of Lut on transepithelial ion transport in ALI were seldom researched. We found that Lut could improve the lung appearance/pathological structure in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced mouse ALI models and reduce the wet/dry weight ratio, bronchoalveolar protein, and inflammatory cytokines. Meanwhile, Lut upregulated the expression level of the epithelial sodium channel (ENaC) in both the primary alveolar epithelial type 2 (AT2) cells and three-dimensional (3D) alveolar epithelial organoid model that recapitulated essential structural and functional aspects of the lung. Finally, by analyzing the 84 interaction genes between Lut and ALI/acute respiratory distress syndrome using GO and KEGG enrichment of network pharmacology, we found that the JAK/STAT signaling pathway might be involved in the network. Experimental data by knocking down STAT3 proved that Lut could reduce the phosphorylation of JAK/STAT and enhance the level of SOCS3, which abrogated the inhibition of ENaC expression induced by LPS accordingly. The evidence supported that Lut could attenuate inflammation-related ALI by enhancing transepithelial sodium transport, at least partially, via the JAK/STAT pathway, which may offer a promising therapeutic strategy for edematous lung diseases.
Prediction of Oscillations in Glycolysis in Ethanol-Consuming Erythrocyte-Bioreactors
Authors: Protasov Evgeniy , Martinov Michael , Sinauridze Elena , Vitvitsky Victor , Ataullakhanov Fazoil
Published: June 2023

A mathematical model of energy metabolism in erythrocyte-bioreactors loaded with alcohol dehydrogenase and acetaldehyde dehydrogenase was constructed and analyzed. Such erythrocytes can convert ethanol to acetate using intracellular NAD and can therefore be used to treat alcohol intoxication. Analysis of the model revealed that the rate of ethanol consumption by the erythrocyte-bioreactors increases proportionally to the activity of incorporated ethanol-consuming enzymes until their activity reaches a specific threshold level. When the ethanol-consuming enzyme activity exceeds this threshold, the steady state in the model becomes unstable and the model switches to an oscillation mode caused by the competition between glyceraldehyde phosphate dehydrogenase and ethanol-consuming enzymes for NAD. The amplitude and period of metabolite oscillations first increase with the increase in the activity of the encapsulated enzymes. A further increase in these activities leads to a loss of the glycolysis steady state, and a permanent accumulation of glycolytic intermediates. The oscillation mode and the loss of the steady state can lead to the osmotic destruction of erythrocyte-bioreactors due to an accumulation of intracellular metabolites. Our results demonstrate that the interaction of enzymes encapsulated in erythrocyte-bioreactors with erythrocyte metabolism should be taken into account in order to achieve the optimal efficacy of these bioreactors.
Novel Bifunctional Affibody Molecules with Specific Binding to Both EBV LMP1 and LMP2 for Targeted Therapy of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma
Authors: Kamara Saidu , Guo Yanru , Wen He , Liu Ying , Liu Lei , Zheng Maolin , Zhang Jing , Zhou Luqi , Chen Jun , Zhu Shanli , Zhang Lifang
Published: June 2023

Antibodies are considered highly specific therapeutic agents in cancer medicines, and numerous formats have been developed. Among them, bispecific antibodies (BsAbs) have gained a lot of attention as a next-generation strategy for cancer therapy. However, poor tumor penetration is a major challenge because of their large size and thus contributes to suboptimal responses within cancer cells. On the other hand, affibody molecules are a new class of engineered affinity proteins and have achieved several promising results with their applications in molecular imaging diagnostics and targeted tumor therapy. In this study, an alternative format for bispecific molecules was constructed and investigated, named ZLMP110-277 and ZLMP277-110, that targets Epstein-Barr virus latent membrane protein 1 (LMP1) and latent membrane protein 2 (LMP2). Surface plasmon resonance (SPR), indirect immunofluorescence assay, co-immunoprecipitation, and near-infrared (NIR) imaging clearly demonstrated that ZLMP110-277 and ZLMP277-110 have good binding affinity and specificity for both LMP1 and LMP2 in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, ZLMP110-277 and ZLMP277-110, especially ZLMP277-110, significantly reduced the cell viability of C666-1 and CNE-2Z as compared to their monospecific counterparts. ZLMP110-277 and ZLMP277-110 could inhibit phosphorylation of proteins modulated by the MEK/ERK/p90RSK signaling pathway, ultimately leading to suppression of oncogene nuclear translocations. Furthermore, ZLMP110-277 and ZLMP277-110 showed significant antitumor efficacy in nasopharyngeal carcinoma-bearing nude mice. Overall, our results demonstrated that ZLMP110-277 and ZLMP277-110, especially ZLMP277-110, are promising novel prognostic indicators for molecular imaging and targeted tumor therapy of EBV-associated nasopharyngeal carcinoma.
Diagnostic Performance of Positron Emission Tomography with Fibroblast-Activating Protein Inhibitors in Gastric Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Rizzo Alessio , Racca Manuela , Garrou Federico , Fenocchio Elisabetta , Pellegrino Luca , Albano Domenico , Dondi Francesco , Bertagna Francesco , Annunziata Salvatore , Treglia Giorgio
Published: June 2023

Various papers have introduced the use of positron emission tomography (PET) with [68Ga]Ga-radiolabeled fibroblast-activation protein inhibitor (FAPi) radiopharmaceuticals in different subtypes of gastric cancer (GC). Our aim was to assess the diagnostic performance of this novel molecular imaging technique in GC with a systematic review and meta-analysis. A straightforward literature search of papers concerning the diagnostic performance of FAP-targeted PET imaging was performed. Original articles evaluating this novel molecular imaging examination in both newly diagnosed GC patients and GC patients with disease relapse were included. The systematic review included nine original studies, and eight of them were also eligible for meta-analysis. The quantitative synthesis provided pooled detection rates of 95% and 97% for the assessment of primary tumor and distant metastases, respectively, and a pooled sensitivity and specificity of 74% and 89%, respectively, for regional lymph node metastases. Significant statistical heterogeneity among the included studies was found only in the analysis of the primary tumor detection rate (I2 = 64%). Conclusions: Beyond the limitations of this systematic review and meta-analysis (i.e., all the included studies were conducted in Asia, and using [18F]FDG PET/CT as a comparator of the index test), the quantitative data provided demonstrate the promising diagnostic performance of FAP-targeted PET imaging in GC. Nevertheless, more prospective multicentric studies are needed to confirm the excellent performances of FAP-targeted PET in this cluster of patients.
Biophysical Characterization of the Binding Mechanism between the MATH Domain of SPOP and Its Physiological Partners
Authors: Diop Awa , Pietrangeli Paola , Nardella Caterina , Pennacchietti Valeria , Pagano Livia , Toto Angelo , Di Felice Mariana , Di Matteo Sara , Marcocci Lucia , Malagrinò Francesca , Gianni Stefano
Published: June 2023

SPOP (Speckle-type POZ protein) is an E3 ubiquitin ligase adaptor protein that mediates the ubiquitination of several substrates. Furthermore, SPOP is responsible for the regulation of both degradable and nondegradable polyubiquitination of a number of substrates with diverse biological functions. The recognition of SPOP and its physiological partners is mediated by two protein–protein interaction domains. Among them, the MATH domain recognizes different substrates, and it is critical for orchestrating diverse cellular pathways, being mutated in several human diseases. Despite its importance, the mechanism by which the MATH domain recognizes its physiological partners has escaped a detailed experimental characterization. In this work, we present a characterization of the binding mechanism of the MATH domain of SPOP with three peptides mimicking the phosphatase Puc, the chromatin component MacroH2A, and the dual-specificity phosphatase PTEN. Furthermore, by taking advantage of site-directed mutagenesis, we address the role of some key residues of MATH in the binding process. Our findings are briefly discussed in the context of previously existing data on the MATH domain.
Less Severe Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Inflammation in Conditional mgmt-Deleted Mice with LysM-Cre System: The Loss of DNA Repair in Macrophages
Authors: Saisorn Wilasinee , Phuengmaung Pornpimol , Issara-Amphorn Jiraphorn , Makjaroen Jiradej , Visitchanakun Peerapat , Sae-khow Kritsanawan , Boonmee Atsadang , Benjaskulluecha Salisa , Nita-Lazar Aleksandra , Palaga Tanapat , Leelahavanichkul Asada
Published: June 2023

Despite the known influence of DNA methylation from lipopolysaccharide (LPS) activation, data on the O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT, a DNA suicide repair enzyme) in macrophages is still lacking. The transcriptomic profiling of epigenetic enzymes from wild-type macrophages after single and double LPS stimulation, representing acute inflammation and LPS tolerance, respectively, was performed. Small interfering RNA (siRNA) silencing of mgmt in the macrophage cell line (RAW264.7) and mgmt null (mgmtflox/flox; LysM-Crecre/−) macrophages demonstrated lower secretion of TNF-α and IL-6 and lower expression of pro-inflammatory genes (iNOS and IL-1β) compared with the control. Macrophage injury after a single LPS dose and LPS tolerance was demonstrated by reduced cell viability and increased oxidative stress (dihydroethidium) compared with the activated macrophages from littermate control mice (mgmtflox/flox; LysM-Cre−/−). Additionally, a single LPS dose and LPS tolerance also caused mitochondrial toxicity, as indicated by reduced maximal respiratory capacity (extracellular flux analysis) in the macrophages of both mgmt null and control mice. However, LPS upregulated mgmt only in LPS-tolerant macrophages but not after the single LPS stimulation. In mice, the mgmt null group demonstrated lower serum TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-10 than control mice after either single or double LPS stimulation. Suppressed cytokine production resulting from an absence of mgmt in macrophages caused less severe LPS-induced inflammation but might worsen LPS tolerance.
Reductive Photodegradation of 4,4′-Isopropylidenebis(2,6-dibromophenol) on Fe3O4 Surface
Authors: Kisała Joanna , Vasile Bogdan Stefan , Ficai Anton , Ficai Denisa , Wojnarowska-Nowak Renata , Szreder Tomasz
Published: June 2023

Background: Advanced Oxidation Processes (AOPs) are the water treatment techniques that are commonly used forthe decomposition of the non-biodegradable organic pollutants. However, some pollutants are electron deficient and thus resistant to attack by reactive oxygen species (e.g., polyhalogenated compounds) but they may be degraded under reductive conditions. Therefore, reductive methods are alternative or supplementary methods to the well-known oxidative degradation ones. Methods: In this paper, the degradation of 4,4′-isopropylidenebis(2,6-dibromophenol) (TBBPA, tetrabromobisphenol A) using two Fe3O4 magnetic photocatalyst (F1 and F2) is presented. The morphological, structural and surface properties of catalysts were studied. Their catalytic efficiency was evaluated based on reactions under reductive and oxidative conditions. Quantum chemical calculations were used to analyse early steps of degradation mechanism. Results: The studied photocatalytic degradation reactions undergo pseudo-first order kinetics. The photocatalytic reduction process follows the Eley-Rideal mechanism rather than the commonly used Langmuir-Hinshelwood mechanism. Conclusions: The study confirms that both magnetic photocatalyst are effective and assure reductive degradation of TBBPA.
Investigation of CO2 Adsorption on Avocado Stone-Derived Activated Carbon Obtained through NaOH Treatment
Authors: Siemak Joanna , Wróbel Rafał J. , Pęksiński Jakub , Michalkiewicz Beata
Published: June 2023

Activated carbons were prepared from avocado stone through NaOH activation and subsequent carbonization. The following textural parameters were achieved: specific surface area: 817–1172 m2/g, total pore volume: 0.538–0.691 cm3/g, micropore volume 0.259–0.375 cm3/g. The well-developed microporosity resulted in a good CO2 adsorption value of 5.9 mmol/g at a temperature of 0 °C and 1 bar and selectivity over nitrogen for flue gas simulation. The activated carbons were investigated using nitrogen sorption at −196 °C, CO2 sorption, X-ray diffraction, and SEM. It was found that the adsorption data were more in line with the Sips model. The isosteric heat of adsorption for the best sorbent was calculated. It was found that the isosteric heat of adsorption changed in the range of 25 to 40 kJ/mol depending on the surface coverage. The novelty of the work is the production of highly microporous activated carbons from avocado stones with high CO2 adsorption. Before now, the activation of avocado stones using NaOH had never been described.
Fire Retardant Phase Change Materials—Recent Developments and Future Perspectives
Authors: Pielichowska Kinga , Paprota Natalia , Pielichowski Krzysztof
Published: June 2023

The accumulation of thermal energy in the form of latent heat of phase transition using phase change materials (PCMs) is one of the most attractive and studied research areas with huge application potential in both passive and active technical systems. The largest and most important group of PCMs for low-temperature applications are organic PCMs, mainly paraffins, fatty acids, fatty alcohols, and polymers. One of the major disadvantages of organic PCMs is their flammability. In many applications such as building, battery thermal management, and protective insulations, the crucial task is to reduce the fire risk of flammable PCMs. In the last decade, numerous research works have been performed to reduce the flammability of organic PCMs, without losing their thermal performance. In this review, the main groups of flame retardants, PCMs flame retardation methods as well as examples of flame-retarded PCMs and their application areas were described.
Mn2+ Luminescence in Ca9Zn1–xMnxNa(PO4)7 Solid Solution, 0 ≤ x ≤ 1
Authors: Gallyamov Eldar M. , Titkov Vladimir V. , Lebedev Vladimir N. , Stefanovich Sergey Y. , Lazoryak Bogdan I. , Deyneko Dina V.
Published: June 2023

The solid solution Ca9Zn1–xMnxNa(PO4)7 (0 ≤ x ≤ 1.0) was obtained by solid-phase reactions under the control of a reducing atmosphere. It was demonstrated that Mn2+-doped phosphors can be obtained using activated carbon in a closed chamber, which is a simple and robust method. The crystal structure of Ca9Zn1–xMnxNa(PO4)7 corresponds to the non-centrosymmetric β-Ca3(PO4)2 type (space group R3c), as confirmed by powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) and optical second-harmonic generation methods. The luminescence spectra in visible area consist of a broad red emission peak centered at 650 nm under 406 nm of excitation. This band is attributed to the 4T1 → 6A1 electron transition of Mn2+ ions in the β-Ca3(PO4)2-type host. The absence of transitions corresponding to Mn4+ ions confirms the success of the reduction synthesis. The intensity of the Mn2+ emission band in Ca9Zn1–xMnxNa(PO4)7 rising linearly with increasing of x at 0.05 ≤ x ≤ 0.5. However, a negative deviation of the luminescence intensity was observed at x = 0.7. This trend is associated with the beginning of a concentration quenching. At higher x values, the intensity of luminescence continues to increase but at a slower rate. PXRD analysis of the samples with x = 0.2 and x = 0.5 showed that Mn2+ and Zn2+ ions replace calcium in the M5 (octahedral) sites in the β-Ca3(PO4)2 crystal structure. According to Rietveld refinement, Mn2+ and Zn2+ ions jointly occupy the M5 site, which remains the only one for all manganese atoms within the range of 0.05 ≤ x ≤ 0.5. The deviation of the mean interatomic distance (∆l) was calculated and the strongest bond length asymmetry, ∆l = 0.393 Å, corresponds to x = 1.0. The large average interatomic distances between Mn2+ ions in the neighboring M5 sites are responsible for the lack of concentration quenching of luminescence below x = 0.5.
State-of-the-Art Report: The Self-Healing Capability of Alkali-Activated Slag (AAS) Concrete
Authors: Hammad Nancy , Elnemr Amr , Shaaban Ibrahim G.
Published: June 2023

Alkali-activated slag (AAS) has emerged as a potentially sustainable alternative to ordinary Portland cement (OPC) in various applications since OPC production contributed about 12% of global CO2 emissions in 2020. AAS offers great ecological advantages over OPC at some levels such as the utilization of industrial by-products and overcoming the issue of disposal, low energy consumption, and low greenhouse gas emission. Apart from these environmental benefits, the novel binder has shown enhanced resistance to high temperatures and chemical attacks. However, many studies have mentioned the risk of its considerably higher drying shrinkage and early-age cracking compared to OPC concrete. Despite the abundant research on the self-healing mechanism of OPC, limited work has been devoted to studying the self-healing behavior of AAS. Self-healing AAS is a revolutionary product that provides the solution for these drawbacks. This study is a critical review of the self-healing ability of AAS and its effect on the mechanical properties of AAS mortars. Several self-healing approaches, applications, and challenges of each mechanism are taken into account and compared regarding their impacts.
Effect of Ball-Milling Process on Microwave Absorption Behaviors of Flaky Carbonyl Iron Powders
Authors: Yang Siyuan , Wang Fei , Zhang Zhe , Liu Zhiming , Zhang Jiliang , Jiang Kaiyong
Published: June 2023

Electromagnetic (EM) wave absorption performance is greatly affected by the microscopic morphology of the absorbing material particles. In this study, a facile and efficient ball-milling method was applied to increase the aspect ratio of particles and prepare flaky carbonyl iron powders (F-CIPs), one of the most readily commercially available absorbing materials. The effect of ball-milling time and rotation speed on the absorption behaviors of the F-CIPs was investigated. The microstructures and compositions of the F-CIPs were determined using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The EM parameters were measured using a vector network analyzer (VNA) in the frequency range of 2–18 GHz. The results indicated that the ball-milled flaky CIPs exhibited a better absorption ability than the raw spherical CIPs. Among all the samples, the sample milled at 200 r/min for 12 h and the sample milled at 300 r/min for 8 h showed remarkable EM parameters. The ball-milling sample with 50 wt.% F-CIPs had a minimum reflection loss peak of −14.04 dB at a thickness of 2 mm and a maximum bandwidth (RL < −7 dB) of 8.43 GHz at a thickness of 2.5 mm, a result that conformed with the transmission line theory. Hence, the ball-milled flaky CIPs were considered to be beneficial for microwave absorption.
Impact of Cryogenic Treatment Process on the Performance of 51CrV4 Steel
Authors: Chen Zhi , Jing Linwang , Gao Yuan , Huang Yao , Guo Jia , Yan Xianguo
Published: June 2023

The working load on automotive components is continuously rising, and the mechanical performance requirements for component materials are rising along with the growth trend toward light weight and high dependability in automobiles. In this study, the response characteristics of 51CrV4 spring steel were taken to be its hardness, wear resistance, tensile strength, and impact toughness. Prior to tempering, cryogenic treatment was introduced. Through the Taguchi method and gray relational analysis, the ideal process parameters were discovered. The ideal process variables were the following: a cooling rate of 1 °C/min, a cryogenic temperature of −196 °C, a holding time of 24 h, and a cycle number of three. An analysis of variance revealed that the holding time had the greatest effect on the material properties, with an effect of 49.01%. The yield limit of 51CrV4 was increased by 14.95% and the tensile strength was increased by 15.39% with this group of processes, and the wear mass loss was reduced by 43.32%. The mechanical qualities had a thorough upgrade. Microscopic analysis revealed that cryogenic treatment resulted in refinement of the martensite structure and significant differences in orientation. Additionally, bainite precipitation occurred, exhibiting a fine needle-like distribution, which positively influenced impact toughness. Analysis of the impact fracture surface showed that cryogenic treatment led to an increase in dimple diameter and depth. Further analysis of the elements revealed that calcium (Ca) weakened the negative effect of sulfur (S) on 51CrV4 spring steel. The overall improvement in material properties provides guidance for practical production applications.
Nanocellulose/Nanodiamond Hybrids: A Review
Authors: Uşurelu Cătălina Diana , Panaitescu Denis Mihaela
Published: June 2023

Nanocellulose can be obtained from low-cost sources and has been extensively studied in the last decades due to its biodegradability, biocompatibility, low weight, large specific surface area, and good mechanical and optical properties. The nanocellulose properties palette can be greatly expanded by incorporating different metals, metal oxides or carbon nanomaterials, with the formation of multifunctional hybrids. Nanocellulose–nanocarbon hybrids are emerging nanomaterials that can respond to many current challenges in areas such as water purification, energy storage and conversion, or biomedicine for drug delivery, tissue engineering, antitumor and antimicrobial therapies, and many others. Although nanocellulose–nanodiamonds hybrids are still in their infancy, these nanomaterials are extremely promising for applications requiring good thermal conductivity and mechanical strength along with optical transparency. A strong increase in the thermal conductivity of a nanocellulose film of about 150 times was obtained after the addition of 90 wt% single-crystal nanodiamonds and a 70% increase in the Young’s modulus of nanocellulose films was produced by the addition of 5 wt% nanodiamonds. Therefore, in this review, data related to the manufacturing routes, main properties, and applications of nanocellulose–nanodiamonds hybrids are presented and discussed. This review paves the way for new methods and procedures to obtain nanocellulose–nanodiamonds hybrids better adapted to practical needs.
Evolutionary Selection of a Set of Association Rules Considering Biological Constraints Describing the Prevalent Elements in Bacterial Vaginosis
Authors: Salvador-González María Concepción , Canul-Reich Juana , Rivera-López Rafael , Mezura-Montes Efrén , de la Cruz-Hernandez Erick
Published: June 2023

Bacterial Vaginosis is a common disease and recurring public health problem. Additionally, this infection can trigger other sexually transmitted diseases. In the medical field, not all possible combinations among the pathogens of a possible case of Bacterial Vaginosis are known to allow a diagnosis at the onset of the disease. It is important to contribute to this line of research, so this study uses a dataset with information from sexually active women between 18 and 50 years old, including 17 numerical attributes of microorganisms and bacteria with positive and negative results for BV. These values were semantically categorized for the Apriori algorithm to create the association rules, using support, confidence, and lift as statistical metrics to evaluate the quality of the rules, and incorporate those results in the objective function of the DE algorithm. To guide the evolutionary process we also incorporated the knowledge of a human expert represented as a set of biologically meaningful constraints. Thus, we were able to compare the performance of the rand/1/bin and best/1/bin versions from Differential Evolution to analyze the results of 30 independent executions. Therefore the experimental results allowed a reduced subset of biologically meaningful association rules by their executions, dimension, and DE version to be selected.
Hypofractionated Radiotherapy in Localized, Low–Intermediate-Risk Prostate Cancer: Current and Future Prospectives
Authors: Lo Greco Maria Chiara , Marletta Giulia , Marano Giorgia , Fazio Alessandro , Buffettino Emanuele , Iudica Arianna , Liardo Rocco Luca Emanuele , Milazzotto Roberto , Foti Pietro Valerio , Palmucci Stefano , Basile Antonio , Marletta Francesco , Cuccia Francesco , Ferrera Giuseppe , Parisi Silvana , Pontoriero Antonio , Pergolizzi Stefano , Spatola Corrado
Published: June 2023

At the time of diagnosis, the vast majority of prostate carcinoma patients have a clinically localized form of the disease, with most of them presenting with low- or intermediate-risk prostate cancer. In this setting, various curative-intent alternatives are available, including surgery, external beam radiotherapy and brachytherapy. Randomized clinical trials have demonstrated that moderate hypofractionated radiotherapy can be considered as a valid alternative strategy for localized prostate cancer. High-dose-rate brachytherapy can be administered according to different schedules. Proton beam radiotherapy represents a promising strategy, but further studies are needed to make it more affordable and accessible. At the moment, new technologies such as MRI-guided radiotherapy remain in early stages, but their potential abilities are very promising.
Research on Pedestrian Indoor Positioning Based on Two-Step Robust Adaptive Cubature Kalman Filter with Smartphone MEMS Sensors
Authors: Geng Jijun , Yu Xuexiang , Wu Congcong , Zhang Guoqing
Published: June 2023

With the development of location-based service (LBS), indoor positioning based on pedestrian dead reckoning (PDR) has become a hot research topic. Smartphones are becoming more popular for indoor positioning. This paper proposes a two-step robust-adaptive-cubature Kalman filter (RACKF) algorithm based on smartphone micro-electro-mechanical-system (MEMS) sensor fusion for indoor positioning. To estimate pedestrian heading, a quaternion-based robust-adaptive-cubature Kalman filter algorithm is proposed. Firstly, the model noise parameters are adaptively corrected based on the fading-memory-weighting method and the limited-memory-weighting method. The memory window of the limited-memory-weighting algorithm is modified based on the characteristics of pedestrian walking. Secondly, an adaptive factor is constructed based on the partial state inconsistency to overcome filtering-model deviation and abnormal disturbances. Finally, to identify and control the measurement outliers, the robust factor based on maximum-likelihood estimation is introduced into the filtering to enhance the robustness of heading estimation and support more robust dynamic-position estimation. In addition, based on the accelerometer information, a nonlinear model is constructed and the empirical model is used to estimate the step length. Combining heading and step length, the two-step robust-adaptive-cubature Kalman filter is proposed to improve the pedestrian-dead-reckoning method, which enhances the adaptability and robustness of the algorithm and further improves the accuracy of the plane-position solution. The adaptive factor based on the prediction residual and the robust factor based on the maximum-likelihood estimation are introduced into the filter to improve the adaptability and robustness of the filter, reduce the positioning error, and improve the accuracy of the pedestrian-dead-reckoning method. Three different smartphones are used to validate the proposed algorithm in an indoor environment. Additionally, the experimental results confirm the algorithm’s effectiveness. From the results of the three smartphones, the root mean square error (RMSE) of the indoor-positioning results obtained by the proposed method is about 1.3–1.7 m.
The Protective Effect of Heat-Inactivated Companilactobacillus crustorum on Dextran Sulfate Sodium-Induced Ulcerative Colitis in Mice
Authors: Zhong Yujie , Wang Tao , Wang Xin , Lü Xin
Published: June 2023

Heat-inactivated microorganisms are a typical class of postbiotics with promising potential health effects, as they contain various physiologically active components. Dietary supplementation with Companilactobacillus crustorum MN047 (CC) has been shown to have the potential to alleviate ulcerative colitis (UC). However, it is unclear whether the UC-relieving effect of this strain is partly attributed to its bacterial composition. Therefore, the interventional effects of heat-inactivated CC (HICC) on UC mice were explored. The results showed that the administration of HICC significantly ameliorated the UC-related pathological parameters by (1) alleviating the pathologic lesions of UC (e.g., preventing the increase in disease activity index and the shortening of colon length); (2) ameliorating the colonic inflammation (e.g., inhibiting the expressions of chemokines and pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as Cxcl1, Cxcl5, Ccl7, TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, and MCP-1; (3) attenuating the oxidative damage (e.g., suppressing the increase in myeloperoxidase and malondialdehyde); (4) mitigating the damage of gut barrier (e.g., promoting colonic occludin, ZO-1, and claudin levels); and (5) modulating gut microbiota structure (e.g., increasing the relative abundance of potential probiotics, such as Akkermansia and Lactobacillus). In conclusion, our study suggested that HICC can be effective in preventing UC and has the potential as a dietary supplement to intervene in UC.
Molecular Multi-Target Approach for Human Acetylcholinesterase, Butyrylcholinesterase and β-Secretase 1: Next Generation for Alzheimer’s Disease Treatment
Authors: Mendes Géssica Oliveira , Pita Samuel Silva da Rocha , Carvalho Paulo Batista de , Silva Michel Pires da , Taranto Alex Gutterres , Leite Franco Henrique Andrade
Published: June 2023

Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative condition characterized by progressive memory loss and other affected cognitive functions. Pharmacological therapy of AD relies on inhibitors of the enzymes acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE), offering only a palliative effect and being incapable of stopping or reversing the neurodegenerative process. However, recent studies have shown that inhibiting the enzyme β-secretase 1 (BACE-1) may be able to stop neurodegeneration, making it a promising target. Considering these three enzymatic targets, it becomes feasible to apply computational techniques to guide the identification and planning of molecules capable of binding to all of them. After virtually screening 2119 molecules from a library, 13 hybrids were built and further screened by triple pharmacophoric model, molecular docking, and molecular dynamics (t = 200 ns). The selected hybrid G meets all stereo-electronic requirements to bind to AChE, BChE, and BACE-1 and offers a promising structure for future synthesis, enzymatic testing, and validation.
Phytochemicals as Antimicrobials: Prospecting Himalayan Medicinal Plants as Source of Alternate Medicine to Combat Antimicrobial Resistance
Authors: Ashraf Mohammad Vikas , Pant Shreekar , Khan M. A. Hannan , Shah Ali Asghar , Siddiqui Sazada , Jeridi Mouna , Alhamdi Heba Waheeb Saeed , Ahmad Shoeb
Published: June 2023

Among all available antimicrobials, antibiotics hold a prime position in the treatment of infectious diseases. However, the emergence of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has posed a serious threat to the effectiveness of antibiotics, resulting in increased morbidity, mortality, and escalation in healthcare costs causing a global health crisis. The overuse and misuse of antibiotics in global healthcare setups have accelerated the development and spread of AMR, leading to the emergence of multidrug-resistant (MDR) pathogens, which further limits treatment options. This creates a critical need to explore alternative approaches to combat bacterial infections. Phytochemicals have gained attention as a potential source of alternative medicine to address the challenge of AMR. Phytochemicals are structurally and functionally diverse and have multitarget antimicrobial effects, disrupting essential cellular activities. Given the promising results of plant-based antimicrobials, coupled with the slow discovery of novel antibiotics, it has become highly imperative to explore the vast repository of phytocompounds to overcome the looming catastrophe of AMR. This review summarizes the emergence of AMR towards existing antibiotics and potent phytochemicals having antimicrobial activities, along with a comprehensive overview of 123 Himalayan medicinal plants reported to possess antimicrobial phytocompounds, thus compiling the existing information that will help researchers in the exploration of phytochemicals to combat AMR.