bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Digitalization and Labor Market—A Perspective within the Framework of Pandemic Crisis
Authors: Piroșcă Grigore Ioan , Șerban-Oprescu George Laurențiu , Badea Liana , Stanef-Puică Mihaela-Roberta , Valdebenito Carlos Ramirez
Published: October 2021

The current pandemic crisis, which is far from being over, has led to a significant paradigm shift in economics. In a turbulent environment in which the labor market has encountered a long series of changes generated by the processes of automation, robotization and digitalization, the COVID-19 pandemic has revealed that a workforce with digital skills can quickly adjust to new circumstances. Since novel issues, such as restrictions on internal movement and distorted supply chains, put major stress on the labor market, it seems that there is an urgent need for reshaping economies and following up-to-date technological trends. Moreover, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, a significant number of scholars and policymakers expressed their concerns about the volatility of employment and the weak ability of labor to adapt to new types of jobs. Within this framework, our paper aims to analyze the plausible impacts of digital efficiency on the future development of the labor market. Based upon the assumption that employment is facing ongoing challenges and the labor market is constantly being reshaped by technological trends, our study attempts to provide a pragmatic analysis of the effects of digital skills and the use of the Internet on salaries and wages in EU member states. Since, according to our results, the levels of salaries and wages are strongly correlated with digital proficiency and Internet usage, a consistent effort to increase the digital skills of individuals may be required to achieve a more effective and flexible labor market.
Exploring the Influence Mechanism of Farmers’ Organic Fertilizer Application Behaviors Based on the Normative Activation Theory
Authors: Xie Jinhua , Yang Gangqiao , Guo Zhaoxia , Wang Ge
Published: October 2021

This paper establishes an analysis framework to investigate the effect of the awareness of consequences and the ascription of responsibility on farmers’ organic fertilizer application behaviors (OFABs). Using questionnaire survey data from Hubei Province, one of the main grain-producing areas in China, this study employed both mediating effects and moderating effect analytical methods to analyze the influencing mechanism of the awareness of consequences and ascription of responsibility on farmers’ OFABs. The results show that, firstly, the awareness of consequences and ascription of responsibility have a significant positive impact on farmers’ OFABs. The improvement in farmers’ awareness of consequences and ascription of responsibility can effectively promote the utilization of organic fertilizers for enhanced ecological production. Secondly, the awareness of consequences and ascription of responsibility have a significant positive impact on farmers’ OFABs through individual farmers’ personal norms. Increasing farmers’ awareness of consequences and ascription of responsibility firstly stimulates their personal norms; then, personal norms have a positive impact on farmers’ OFABs. Thirdly, farmers’ social norms can positively regulate the relationship between personal norms and their OFABs. The higher the social norms of farmers, the more their social norms can have a positive regulating effect on their OFABs. Therefore, in the future, it will be necessary to vigorously promote farmers’ awareness of consequences and ascription of responsibility, in order to enhance farmers’ social norms, and to improve the level of farmers’ social norms, in order to greatly promote farmers’ engagement in OFABs. This will ultimately better promote rural ecological environmental protection and ecological civilization construction.
Experimental and Modeling Investigations on the Water Sorption Behaviors of Autoclaved Aerated Concrete
Authors: Garbalińska Halina , Bochenek Magdalena , Stasiak Marcin
Published: October 2021

The thermal and moisture properties of building envelope materials determine their performance over many years of use. Moisture has a particularly negative impact, impairing all the technical parameters and adversely affecting the microclimatic conditions inside the building. This article presents research and analysis on the moisture behavior of partitions made of autoclaved aerated concrete. Autoclaved aerated concrete is a very popular material for building external walls because of its relatively good thermal insulation and sufficient strength, if it is not subjected to increased moisture. This study investigated how the moisture content of this material changes with the change in relative air humidity. The four most popular density classes were studied. The sorption isotherms were determined by the static gravimetric method throughout the whole hygroscopic range. Moreover, the applicability of various models to describe sorption isotherms of this material group has been extensively evaluated. The tested models (Peleg, Redlich, Chen, Oswin, Henderson, Lewicki, Caurie, and GAB) all provided a very good fit with the experimental results for the tested material group (R2 ranged from 0.9599 to 0.9978). This paper indicates that the use of two additional approximation parameters (SSE and RMSE) allows a more precise assessment of the quality of individual models.
Alkylated Benzodithienoquinolizinium Salts as Possible Non-Fullerene Organic N-Type Semiconductors: An Experimental and Theoretical Study
Authors: Aracena Andrés , Rezende Marcos Caroli , García Macarena , Muñoz-Becerra Karina , Wrighton-Araneda Kerry , Valdebenito Cristian , Celis Freddy , Vásquez Octavio
Published: October 2021

Three photobicyclized benzodithienoquinolizinium tetrafluoroborates (BPDTQBF4) were prepared and evaluated by UV–Vis and fluorescence spectral, electrochemical analysis, and by theoretical calculations as possible organic n-type semiconductors. Evaluation and comparison of their LUMO levels, HOMO-LUMO energy gaps as monomeric and π-stacked dimers with those of other materials, suggest their potential as organic n-type semiconductors. Calculations of their relative charge carrier mobilities confirmed this potential for one derivative with a long (C-14) alkyl chain appended to the polycyclic planar π-system.
Double-Sided Metasurface Array for a Dual-Band and Polarization-Independent Microwave-Energy-Harvesting System
Authors: Aldhaeebi Maged A. , Almoneef Thamer S.
Published: October 2021

In this article, we present a simple and novel design of a double-sided metasurface for a dual-band and polarization-independent microwave-energy-harvesting system. The proposed metasurface is constructed from the dual-sided design of 8 × 8 unit cells. Different from the regular dual-band unit cells that contain two loops or multiple shapes of resonators printed in the same layer, the proposed metasurface is based on designing double loops, each combined with two arms of a dipole printed on the top and bottom sides of a single substrate. Thus, the bottom layer is utilized to generate the second frequency band of interest. Three main numerical simulations were conducted to investigate the performance of a single unit cell, a 2 × 2 supercell, and an array of an 8 × 8 metasurface structure. The numerical simulation demonstrated that 98% and 95% of the incident energy is collected at two bands of 1.8 and 6.5 GHz for the proposed harvester.
A Fusion Framework for Forecasting Financial Market Direction Using Enhanced Ensemble Models and Technical Indicators
Authors: Padhi Dushmanta Kumar , Padhy Neelamadhab , Bhoi Akash Kumar , Shafi Jana , Ijaz Muhammad Fazal
Published: October 2021

People continuously hunt for a precise and productive strategy to control the stock exchange because the monetary trade is recognised for its unbelievably different character and unpredictability. Even a minor gain in predicting performance will be extremely profitable and significant. Our novel study implemented six boosting techniques, i.e., XGBoost, AdaBoost, Gradient Boosting, LightGBM, CatBoost, and Histogram-based Gradient Boosting, and these boosting techniques were hybridised using a stacking framework to find out the direction of the stock market. Five different stock datasets were selected from four different countries and were used for our experiment. We used two-way overfitting protection during our model building process, i.e., dynamic reduction technique and cross-validation technique. For model evaluation purposes, we used the performance metrics, i.e., accuracy, ROC curve (AUC), F-score, precision, and recall. The aim of our study was to propose and select a predictive model whose training and testing accuracy difference was minimal in all stocks. The findings revealed that the meta-classifier Meta-LightGBM had training and testing accuracy differences that were very low among all stocks. As a result, a proper model selection might allow investors the freedom to invest in a certain stock in order to successfully control risk and create short-term, sustainable profits.
A New Ranking Method for Interval-Valued Intuitionistic Fuzzy Numbers and Its Application in Multi-Criteria Decision-Making
Authors: Selvaraj Jeevaraj , Majumdar Abhijit
Published: October 2021

Ranking of interval-valued intuitionistic fuzzy numbers (IVIFNs) is an important task for solving real-life Decision-Making problems. It is a potential area of research that has attracted the researchers working in fuzzy mathematics. Researchers worldwide are looking for a unique ranking principle that can be used to discriminate any two arbitrary IVIFNs. Various ranking functions on the set of IVIFNs have been proposed. However, every method has some drawbacks in ranking arbitrary IVIFNs due to the partial ordering. This paper introduces a new ranking principle for comparing two arbitrary IVIFNs by defining a new score function based on the non-membership value of IVIFNs. In this paper, firstly, the limitations of a few well-known and existing ranking methods for IVIFNs have been discussed. Secondly, a new non-membership score on the class of IVIFNs has been introduced. Thirdly, the superiority of the proposed score function in ranking arbitrary IVIFNs over the existing methods has been demonstrated. Finally, the proposed non-membership score function has been utilized in interval-valued intuitionistic fuzzy TOPSIS (IVIF-TOPSIS) using numerical examples.
Measuring Product Similarity with Hesitant Fuzzy Set for Recommendation
Authors: Cui Chunsheng , Li Jielu , Zang Zhenchun
Published: October 2021

The processing of a sparse matrix is a hot topic in the recommendation system. This paper applies the method of hesitant fuzzy set to study the sparse matrix processing problem. Based on the uncertain factors in the recommendation process, this paper applies hesitant fuzzy set theory to characterize the historical ratings embedded in the recommendation system and studies the data processing problem of the sparse matrix under the condition of a hesitant fuzzy set. The key is to transform the similarity problem of products in the sparse matrix into the similarity problem of two hesitant fuzzy sets by data conversion, data processing, and data complement. This paper further considers the influence of the difference of user ratings on the recommendation results and obtains a user’s recommendation list. On the one hand, the proposed method effectively solves the matrix in the recommendation system; on the other hand, it provides a feasible method for calculating similarity in the recommendation system.
ω-3 DPA Protected Neurons from Neuroinflammation by Balancing Microglia M1/M2 Polarizations through Inhibiting NF-κB/MAPK p38 Signaling and Activating Neuron-BDNF-PI3K/AKT Pathways
Authors: Liu Baiping , Zhang Yongping , Yang Zhiyou , Liu Meijun , Zhang Cai , Zhao Yuntao , Song Cai
Published: October 2021

Microglia M1 phenotype causes HPA axis hyperactivity, neurotransmitter dysfunction, and production of proinflammatory mediators and oxidants, which may contribute to the etiology of depression and neurodegenerative diseases. Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) may counteract neuroinflammation by increasing n-3 docosapentaenoic acid (DPA). However, the cellular and molecular mechanisms of DPA, as well as whether it can exert antineuroinflammatory and neuroprotective effects, are unknown. The present study first evaluated DPA’s antineuroinflammatory effects in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-activated BV2 microglia. The results showed that 50 μM DPA significantly decreased BV2 cell viability after 100 ng/mL LPS stimulation, which was associated with significant downregulation of microglia M1 phenotype markers and proinflammatory cytokines but upregulation of M2 markers and anti-inflammatory cytokine. Then, DPA inhibited the activation of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) p38 and nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) p65 pathways, which results were similar to the effects of NF-κB inhibitor, a positive control. Second, BV2 cell supernatant was cultured with differentiated SH-SY5Y neurons. The results showed that the supernatant from LPS-activated BV2 cells significantly decreased SH-SY5Y cell viability and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), TrkB, p-AKT, and PI3K expression, which were significantly reversed by DPA pretreatment. Furthermore, DPA neuroprotection was abrogated by BDNF-SiRNA. Therefore, n-3 DPA may protect neurons from neuroinflammation-induced damage by balancing microglia M1 and M2 polarizations, inhibiting microglia-NF-κB and MAPK p38 while activating neuron-BDNF/TrkB-PI3K/AKT pathways.
Amphipathic Peptides Impede Lipid Domain Fusion in Phase-Separated Membranes
Authors: Pinigin Konstantin V. , Galimzyanov Timur R. , Akimov Sergey A.
Published: October 2021

Cell membranes are heterogeneous in lipid composition which leads to the phase separation with the formation of nanoscopic liquid-ordered domains, also called rafts. There are multiple cell processes whereby the clustering of these domains into a larger one might be involved, which is responsible for such important processes as signal transduction, polarized sorting, or immune response. Currently, antimicrobial amphipathic peptides are considered promising antimicrobial, antiviral, and anticancer therapeutic agents. Here, within the framework of the classical theory of elasticity adapted for lipid membranes, we investigate how the presence of the peptides in a phase-separated membrane influences the fusion of the domains. We show that the peptides tend to occupy the boundaries of liquid-ordered domains and significantly increase the energy barrier of the domain-domain fusion, which might lead to misregulation of raft clustering and adverse consequences for normal cell processes.
Recent Advances in Biopolymeric Membranes towards the Removal of Emerging Organic Pollutants from Water
Authors: Mamba Feziwe B. , Mbuli Bhekani S. , Ramontja James
Published: October 2021

Herein, this paper details a comprehensive review on the biopolymeric membrane applications in micropollutants’ removal from wastewater. As such, the implications of utilising non-biodegradable membrane materials are outlined. In comparison, considerations on the concept of utilising nanostructured biodegradable polymeric membranes are also outlined. Such biodegradable polymers under considerations include biopolymers-derived cellulose and carrageenan. The advantages of these biopolymer materials include renewability, biocompatibility, biodegradability, and cost-effectiveness when compared to non-biodegradable polymers. The modifications of the biopolymeric membranes were also deliberated in detail. This included the utilisation of cellulose as matrix support for nanomaterials. Furthermore, attention towards the recent advances on using nanofillers towards the stabilisation and enhancement of biopolymeric membrane performances towards organic contaminants removal. It was noted that most of the biopolymeric membrane applications focused on organic dyes (methyl blue, Congo red, azo dyes), crude oil, hexane, and pharmaceutical chemicals such as tetracycline. However, more studies should be dedicated towards emerging pollutants such as micropollutants. The biopolymeric membrane performances such as rejection capabilities, fouling resistance, and water permeability properties were also outlined.
Application of Viscous Damper and Laminated Rubber Bearing Pads for Bridges in Seismic Regions
Authors: Khedmatgozar Dolati Seyed Saman , Mehrabi Armin , Khedmatgozar Dolati Seyed Sasan
Published: October 2021

Normally, Laminated Rubber Bearing Pads (LRBPs) are directly placed between girders and piers and their role is to provide the bridge span with horizontal movement, and to transmit the gravity loads from the deck to the piers. Although not designed for seismic loads, they can act as a fuse, partially isolating the substructure from the superstructure and keeping the piers intact during earthquakes. However, recent investigations show that large relative displacement of superstructure against substructure caused by sliding at bearing (sliding between girders and LRBPs) can cause expansion joint failure or even bridge span collapse. Accordingly, proper restrainers should be selected to prevent large displacement. Among all types of restrainers, viscous dampers as passive energy dissipation devices have shown a great capacity in damping earthquake energy. This study investigates the effectiveness of a VD-LRBP system, a viscous damper in conjunction with LRBPs, in dissipating energy and reducing the displacement of the superstructure with reference to the substructure caused by sliding at bearing during a seismic event. A Finite Element (FE) model was first developed and validated using available experimental and numerical results. With the validated model, a 3D Nonlinear Time History Analysis (NTHA) was conducted on a reinforced concrete bridge model under various records of earthquakes using OpenSees, an open-source finite element software. The relative displacement histories were recorded for the bridge in two cases: 1- with only LRBPs and 2- with viscous dampers and LRBPs (VD-LRBP system). The results of this study show that applying viscous dampers can reduce the relative displacement of the superstructure with reference to the substructure for up to 60 percent. As importantly, it can also reduce the residual displacement after the earthquake to near zero.
Experimental and Numerical Investigations on Charging Carbon Composite Briquettes in a Blast Furnace
Authors: Wang Qiang , Liu Zhu , Tang Huiqing , Guo Zhancheng
Published: October 2021

In the present research, charging carbon composite briquettes (CCB) in a blast furnace (BF) was investigated. The CCB used contained 29.70 wt.% Fe3O4, 39.70 wt.%, FeO, 1.57 wt.% iron, 8.73 wt.% gangue, and 20.30 wt.% carbon. Its reaction kinetics in BF was examined by nonisothermal tests and modeled. Thereafter, the influence of replacing 10% ore with CCB on BF performance was studied by numerical simulations. Results showed that the CCB reaction behavior in BF could be modeled using the previously proposed model under ags = 1900 m2·m−3. Numerical simulations on a BF with a production of 6250 t hot metal per day (tHM/day) showed that replacing 10% ore with CCB efficiently improved the BF operation for coke saving. In the CCB charging operation, the CCB reached a full iron-oxide reduction above the cohesive zone (CZ) and a carbon conversion of 85%. By charging CCB, the thermal state in the BF upper part was significantly changed while it was not influenced in the BF lower part; the ore reduction was retarded before the temperature reached 1073 K and was prompted after and the local gas utilization tends to increase above the CZ. By the CCB reduction above the CZ, BF top gas temperature was decreased by 8 K, the BF top gas utilization was increased by 1.3%, the BF productivity was decreased by 17 tHM/day, the coke rate was decreased by 52.2 kg/tHM, and ore rate was decreased by 101 kg/tHM. Considering the energy consumption of sintering and coking, charging the CCB could have a significant energy-saving and CO2-emission-reducing effect for BF iron making.
Probing Hepatic Glucose Metabolism via 13C NMR Spectroscopy in Perfused Livers—Applications to Drug Development
Authors: Miller Corin O. , Cao Jin
Published: October 2021

Despite being first published over 40 years ago, the combination of 13C nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR) and the isolated perfused liver preparation remains a unique and relevant approach in investigating the effects of pharmacological interventions on hepatic metabolism. The use of intact, perfused livers maintains many metabolic reactions at their respective rates in vivo, while the use of 13C-labelled substrates in combination with 13C NMR allows for a detailed study of specific pathways, as well as the design of robust assays which can be used to evaluate novel pharmacological agents. In this review article, we share some of the methods used to probe glucose metabolism, and highlight key findings and successes derived from the application of this specialized technique to the area of drug development for diabetes and related metabolic disorders.
Object Detection Method for Grasping Robot Based on Improved YOLOv5
Authors: Song Qisong , Li Shaobo , Bai Qiang , Yang Jing , Zhang Xingxing , Li Zhiang , Duan Zhongjing
Published: October 2021

In the industrial field, the anthropomorphism of grasping robots is the trend of future development, however, the basic vision technology adopted by the grasping robot at this stage has problems such as inaccurate positioning and low recognition efficiency. Based on this practical problem, in order to achieve more accurate positioning and recognition of objects, an object detection method for grasping robot based on improved YOLOv5 was proposed in this paper. Firstly, the robot object detection platform was designed, and the wooden block image data set is being proposed. Secondly, the Eye-In-Hand calibration method was used to obtain the relative three-dimensional pose of the object. Then the network pruning method was used to optimize the YOLOv5 model from the two dimensions of network depth and network width. Finally, the hyper parameter optimization was carried out. The simulation results show that the improved YOLOv5 network proposed in this paper has better object detection performance. The specific performance is that the recognition precision, recall, mAP value and F1 score are 99.35%, 99.38%, 99.43% and 99.41% respectively. Compared with the original YOLOv5s, YOLOv5m and YOLOv5l models, the mAP of the YOLOv5_ours model has increased by 1.12%, 1.2% and 1.27%, respectively, and the scale of the model has been reduced by 10.71%, 70.93% and 86.84%, respectively. The object detection experiment has verified the feasibility of the method proposed in this paper.
A Low-Power RRAM Memory Block for Embedded, Multi-Level Weight and Bias Storage in Artificial Neural Networks
Authors: Pechmann Stefan , Mai Timo , Potschka Julian , Reiser Daniel , Reichel Peter , Breiling Marco , Reichenbach Marc , Hagelauer Amelie
Published: October 2021

Pattern recognition as a computing task is very well suited for machine learning algorithms utilizing artificial neural networks (ANNs). Computing systems using ANNs usually require some sort of data storage to store the weights and bias values for the processing elements of the individual neurons. This paper introduces a memory block using resistive memory cells (RRAM) to realize this weight and bias storage in an embedded and distributed way while also offering programming and multi-level ability. By implementing power gating, overall power consumption is decreased significantly without data loss by taking advantage of the non-volatility of the RRAM technology. Due to the versatility of the peripheral circuitry, the presented memory concept can be adapted to different applications and RRAM technologies.
Progress in Piezoelectric Nanogenerators Based on PVDF Composite Films
Authors: Wang Yuan , Zhu Laipan , Du Cuifeng
Published: October 2021

In recent years, great progress has been made in the field of energy harvesting to satisfy increasing needs for portable, sustainable, and renewable energy. Among piezoelectric materials, poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) and its copolymers are the most promising materials for piezoelectric nanogenerators (PENGs) due to their unique electroactivity, high flexibility, good machinability, and long–term stability. So far, PVDF–based PENGs have made remarkable progress. In this paper, the effects of the existence of various nanofillers, including organic–inorganic lead halide perovskites, inorganic lead halide perovskites, perovskite–type oxides, semiconductor piezoelectric materials, two–dimensional layered materials, and ions, in PVDF and its copolymer structure on their piezoelectric response and energy–harvesting properties are reviewed. This review will enable researchers to understand the piezoelectric mechanisms of the PVDF–based composite–film PENGs, so as to effectively convert environmental mechanical stimulus into electrical energy, and finally realize self–powered sensors or high–performance power sources for electronic devices.
Towards Long-Term Stable Polyimide-Based Flexible Electrical Insulation for Chronically Implanted Neural Electrodes
Authors: Schander Andreas , Gancz Julia , Tintelott Marcel , Lang Walter
Published: October 2021

For chronic applications of flexible neural implants, e.g., intracortical probes, the flexible substrate material has to encapsulate the electrical conductors with a long-term stability against the saline environment of the neural tissue. The biocompatible polymer polyimide is often used for this purpose. Due to its chemical inertness, the adhesion between two polyimide layers is, however, a challenge, which can lead to delamination and, finally, to short circuits. The state-of-the-art method to improve the adhesion strength is activating the polyimide surface using oxygen reactive ion etching (O2 RIE). However, the influence of the process variations (etching time, bias power) on the long-term stability is still unclear. Therefore, we establish a test method, where the aging of a gold interdigital structure embedded in two polyimide layers and immersed in saline solution is accelerated using an elevated temperature, mechanical stress and an electrical field. A continuous measurement of a leakage current is used to define the failure state. The results show that the variation of the O2 RIE plasma process has a significant effect on the long-term stability of the test samples. Comparing the two different plasma treatments 0.5 min at 25 W and 1 min at 50 W, the long-term stability could be increased from 20.9 ± 19.1 days to 44.9 ± 18.9 days. This corresponds to more than a doubled lifetime. An ideal solution for the delamination problem is still not available; however, the study shows that the fine-tuning of the fabrication processes can improve the long-term stability of chronically implanted neural electrodes.
Research Progress of ECG Monitoring Equipment and Algorithms Based on Polymer Materials
Authors: Zhang Lvheng , Liu Jihong
Published: October 2021

Heart diseases such as myocardial ischemia (MI) are the main causes of human death. The prediction of MI and arrhythmia is an effective method for the early detection, diagnosis, and treatment of heart disease. For the rapid detection of arrhythmia and myocardial ischemia, the electrocardiogram (ECG) is widely used in clinical diagnosis, and its detection equipment and algorithm are constantly optimized. This paper introduces the current progress of portable ECG monitoring equipment, including the use of polymer material sensors and the use of deep learning algorithms. First, it introduces the latest portable ECG monitoring equipment and the polymer material sensor it uses and then focuses on reviewing the progress of detection algorithms. We mainly introduce the basic structure of existing deep learning methods and enumerate the internationally recognized ECG datasets. This paper outlines the deep learning algorithms used for ECG diagnosis, compares the prediction results of different classifiers, and summarizes two existing problems of ECG detection technology: imbalance of categories and high computational overhead. Finally, we put forward the development direction of using generative adversarial networks (GAN) to improve the quality of the ECG database and lightweight ECG diagnosis algorithm to adapt to portable ECG monitoring equipment.
Glyphosate-Eating Fungi: Study on Fungal Saprotrophic Strains’ Ability to Tolerate and Utilise Glyphosate as a Nutritional Source and on the Ability of Purpureocillium lilacinum to Degrade It
Authors: Spinelli Veronica , Ceci Andrea , Dal Bosco Chiara , Gentili Alessandra , Persiani Anna Maria
Published: October 2021

Glyphosate is the most commonly used herbicide worldwide. Its improper use during recent decades has resulted in glyphosate contamination of soils and waters. Fungal bioremediation is an environmentally friendly, cost effective, and feasible solution to glyphosate contamination in soils. In this study, several saprotrophic fungi isolated from agricultural environments were screened for their ability to tolerate and utilise Roundup in different cultural conditions as a nutritional source. Purpureocillium lilacinum was further screened to evaluate the ability to break down and utilise glyphosate as a P source in a liquid medium. The dose–response effect for Roundup, and the difference in toxicity between pure glyphosate and Roundup were also studied. This study reports the ability of several strains to tolerate 1 mM and 10 mM Roundup and to utilise it as nutritional source. P. lilacinum was reported for the first time for its ability to degrade glyphosate to a considerable extent (80%) and to utilise it as a P source, without showing dose-dependent negative effects on growth. Pure glyphosate was found to be more toxic than Roundup for P. lilacinum. Our results showed that pure glyphosate toxicity can be only partially addressed by the pH decrease determined in the culture medium. In conclusion, our study emphasises the noteworthy potential of P. lilacinum in glyphosate degradation.
Editorial for Special Issue “Lattice-Preferred Orientation and Microstructures of Minerals and Their Implications for Seismic Anisotropy”
Authors: Jung Haemyeong , Park Munjae
Published: October 2021

The lattice-preferred orientation (LPO) of minerals is important for interpreting seismic anisotropy [...]
Reactive, Sparingly Soluble Calcined Magnesia, Tailor-Made as the Reactive Material for Heavy Metal Removal from Contaminated Groundwater Using Permeable Reactive Barrier
Authors: Fedoročková Alena , Raschman Pavel , Sučik Gabriel , Švandová Mária , Doráková Agnesa
Published: October 2021

A laboratory method was designed and verified that allows for the testing of alkaline, magnesite-based reactive materials for permeable reactive barriers (PRBs) to remove heavy metals from contaminated groundwater. It was found that caustic calcined magnesia (CCM) with high reactivity and low solubility to remove Cu2+, Zn2+, Ni2+, and Mn2+ cations from mixed aqueous solutions can be prepared by calcination at a suitable temperature and residence time. Regarding the solubility of both the reactive material itself and the precipitates formed, the CCM should contain just a limited content of lime. One way is the calcination of a ferroan magnesite at temperatures above 1000 °C. However, the decrease in pH is accompanied by lower efficiency, attributed to the solid-phase reactions of free lime. A different way is the calcination of magnesite under the conditions when CaCO3 is not thermally decomposed. The virtually complete removal of the heavy metals from the model solution was achieved using the CCM characterised by the fraction of carbonates decomposed of approximately 80% and with the highest specific surface area. CCM calcined at higher temperatures could also be used, but this would be associated with higher consumption of crude magnesite. Under the conditions considered in the present work, the product obtained by the calcination at 750 °C for 3 h appeared to be optimal. The full heavy metal removal was observed in this case using less magnesite, and, moreover, at a lower temperature (resulting, therefore, in a lower consumption of energy for the calcination and material handling).
Crystal Structure Refinements of the Lead(II) Oxoarsenates(V) Pb2As2O7, Pb(H2AsO4)2, Pb5(AsO4)3OH and NaPb4(AsO4)3 from Single-Crystal X-ray Data
Authors: Weil Matthias
Published: October 2021

Single-crystals of lead(II) oxoarsenates(V) were grown from the melt (Pb2As2O7), from solution (Pb(H2AsO4)2 and Pb5(AsO4)3OH), and under hydrothermal conditions (NaPb4(AsO4)3). Crystal structure refinements from single-crystal X-ray diffraction data revealed isotypism for both Pb2As2O7 and Pb(H2AsO4)2 with the corresponding barium and phosphate phases. A quantitative comparison of the crystal structures showed a high similarity for the isotypic M2X2O7 structures (M = Pb, Ba; X = As, P), whereas for the M(H2XO4)2 structures only the pair Pb(H2AsO4)2 and Pb(H2PO4)2 is similar, but not Ba(H2AsO4)2. Pb5(AsO4)3OH adopts the apatite structure type in space group P63/m, with the hydroxyl group disordered around Wyckoff position 2 b (0, 0, 0) in the channels of the structure. NaPb4(AsO4)3 represents a lacunar apatite with two of the three metal positions occupationally disordered by Pb and Na. In contrast to a previous X-ray powder study of NaPb4(AsO4)3 that reported an apatite-type structure in space group P63/m, the current single-crystal data clearly revealed a symmetry reduction to space group P3¯. Hence, NaPb4(AsO4)3 is the first lacunar apatite that comprises only tetrahedral anions and adopts the belovite structure type.
Pore-Mouth Structure of Highly Agglomerated Detonation Nanodiamonds
Authors: Piña-Salazar Elda Zoraida , Sagisaka Kento , Hayashi Takuya , Hattori Yoshiyuki , Sakai Toshio , Ōsawa Eiji , Kaneko Katsumi
Published: October 2021

Detonation nanodiamond aggregates contain water that is removed by thermal treatments in vacuo, leaving available pores for the adsorption of target molecules. A hard hydrogel of detonation nanodiamonds was thermally treated at 423 K for 2 h, 10 h, and 52 h in vacuo to determine the intensive water adsorption sites and clarify the hygroscopic nature of nanodiamonds. Nanodiamond aggregates heated for long periods in vacuo agglomerate due to the removal of structural water molecules through the shrinkage and/or collapse of the pores. The agglomerated nanodiamond structure that results from long heating periods decreases the nitrogen adsorption but increases the water adsorption by 40%. Nanodiamonds heated for long times possess ultramicropores <0.4 nm in diameter in which only water molecules can be adsorbed, and the characteristic mouth-shaped mesopores adsorb 60% more water than nitrogen. The pore mouth controls the adsorption in the mesopores. Long-term dehydration partially distorts the pore mouth, decreasing the nitrogen adsorption. Furthermore, the nitrogen adsorbed at the pore mouth suppresses additional nitrogen adsorption. Consequently, the mesopores are not fully accessible to nitrogen molecules because the pore entrances are blocked by polar groups. Thus, mildly oxidized detonation nanodiamond particles can show a unique molecular sieving behavior.
Sensing Performance of Thermal Electronic Noses: A Comparison between ZnO and SnO2 Nanowires
Authors: Tonezzer Matteo , Armellini Cristina , Toniutti Laura
Published: October 2021

In recent times, an increasing number of applications in different fields need gas sensors that are miniaturized but also capable of distinguishing different gases and volatiles. Thermal electronic noses are new devices that meet this need, but their performance is still under study. In this work, we compare the performance of two thermal electronic noses based on SnO2 and ZnO nanowires. Using five different target gases (acetone, ammonia, ethanol, hydrogen and nitrogen dioxide), we investigated the ability of the systems to distinguish individual gases and estimate their concentration. SnO2 nanowires proved to be more suitable for this purpose with a detection limit of 32 parts per billion, an always correct classification (100%) and a mean absolute error of 7 parts per million.
Isotherm and Kinetic Modeling of Strontium Adsorption on Graphene Oxide
Authors: Abu-Nada Abdulrahman , Abdala Ahmed , McKay Gordon
Published: October 2021

In this study, graphene oxide (GO) was synthesized using Hummers method. The synthesized GO was characterized using field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transformed infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) nitrogen adsorption. The analyses confirmed the presence of oxygen functional groups (C=O and C-O-C) on the GO surface. These oxygen functional groups act as active sites in the adsorption Sr (II). The BET analysis revealed the surface area of GO of 232 m2/g with a pore volume of 0.40 cm3/g. The synthesized GO was used as an adsorbent for removing Sr (II) from aqueous solutions. The adsorption equilibrium and kinetic results were consistent with the Langmuir isotherm model and the pseudo-second-order kinetic model. A maximum strontium adsorption capacity of 131.4 mg/g was achieved. The results show that the GO has an excellent adsorption capability for removing Sr (II) from aqueous solutions and potential use in wastewater treatment applications.
A Rare Case of Posterior Fossa Tumor and Central Precocious Puberty: Case Presentation and Review of the Literature
Authors: Rana Roberta , Perillo Teresa , Santoro Nicola , Ortolani Federica , Messina Raffaella , Resta Mariachiara , Perrucci Ilenia , Ingravallo Giuseppe , Cazzato Gerardo , Grassi Massimo , Pesce Sabino , Signorelli Francesco
Published: October 2021

Central precocious puberty (CPP) is a condition that causes early gonadotropin-dependent sexual development; CPP is idiopathic in girls in most cases, whereas more than 50% of boys have an identifiable etiology. We conducted a qualitative systematic review following the ENTREQ (enhancing transparency in reporting the synthesis of qualitative research) framework. A search was made in MEDLINE/Pubmed and MeSH Database using the terms “precocious puberty” AND “brain tumor” OR “posterior fossa tumor” OR “cerebellar tumor” OR “infratentorial tumor”, identifying five cases of pediatric patients with infratentorial tumors and CPP and a case of cerebellar ganglioglioma without hypothalamic−pituitary−gonadal axis involvement and/or intracranial hypertension. Our work highlights the importance of a multidisciplinary approach and extensive central nervous system imaging for patients presenting with CPP in order to detect possible tumor association. Moreover, we believe that this manuscript could contribute to stimulate other research because the exact mechanism of CPP in infratentorial brain lesions has not been understood yet.
Role of Vitamin D in Cognitive Dysfunction: New Molecular Concepts and Discrepancies between Animal and Human Findings
Authors: Gáll Zsolt , Székely Orsolya
Published: October 2021

Purpose of review: increasing evidence suggests that besides the several metabolic, endocrine, and immune functions of 1alpha,25-dihydroxyvitamin D (1,25(OH)2D), the neuronal effects of 1,25(OH)2D should also be considered an essential contributor to the development of cognition in the early years and its maintenance in aging. The developmental disabilities induced by vitamin D deficiency (VDD) include neurological disorders (e.g., attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, autism spectrum disorder, schizophrenia) characterized by cognitive dysfunction. On the other hand, VDD has frequently been associated with dementia of aging and neurodegenerative diseases (e.g., Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s disease). Recent findings: various cells (i.e., neurons, astrocytes, and microglia) within the central nervous system (CNS) express vitamin D receptors (VDR). Moreover, some of them are capable of synthesizing and catabolizing 1,25(OH)2D via 25-hydroxyvitamin D 1alpha-hydroxylase (CYP27B1) and 25-hydroxyvitamin D 24-hydroxylase (CYP24A1) enzymes, respectively. Both 1,25(OH)2D and 25-hydroxyvitamin D were determined from different areas of the brain and their uneven distribution suggests that vitamin D signaling might have a paracrine or autocrine nature in the CNS. Although both cholecalciferol and 25-hydroxyvitamin D pass the blood–brain barrier, the influence of supplementation has not yet demonstrated to have a direct impact on neuronal functions. So, this review summarizes the existing evidence for the action of vitamin D on cognitive function in animal models and humans and discusses the possible pitfalls of therapeutic clinical translation.
Epidemiology of Malnutrition among Children with Cerebral Palsy in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: Findings from the Global LMIC CP Register
Authors: Jahan Israt , Muhit Mohammad , Hardianto Denny , Laryea Francis , Amponsah Samuel Kofi , Chhetri Amir Banjara , Smithers-Sheedy Hayley , McIntyre Sarah , Badawi Nadia , Khandaker Gulam
Published: October 2021

Background: This study aimed to describe the epidemiology of malnutrition among children with cerebral palsy (CP) in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Methods: Data from children with confirmed CP aged <18 years registered into the Global LMIC CP Register (GLM CPR) from Bangladesh, Indonesia, Nepal, and Ghana were included. Anthropometric measurements were collected, and nutritional status was determined following the WHO guidelines. Descriptive statistics and adjusted logistic regression were used to describe the nutritional status and identify predictors of malnutrition. Results: Between January 2015 and December 2020, 3619 children with CP were registered into the GLM CPR (median age at assessment: 7.0 years, 39% female). Overall, 72–98% of children from Bangladesh, Indonesia, Nepal, and Ghana had at least one form of undernutrition. The adjusted analysis showed, older age, low maternal education, spastic tri/quadriplegia, and Gross Motor Functional Classification System (GMFCS) levels III–V were significant predictors of underweight and stunting among children with CP in Bangladesh. In Nepal, female children, GMFCS III–V had higher odds of underweight and stunting. In Ghana, low maternal education was significantly associated with underweight, whereas older age and the presence of associated impairments were the significant predictors of stunting among children with CP. Having a GMFCS of III–V increased the odds of being underweight among children in Indonesia; however, no predictors were identified for stunting, as nearly all children with CP registered from Indonesia were stunted. Conclusion: Most children with CP in GLM CPR had undernutrition. Maternal education and moderate-to-severe motor impairment (GMFCS III–V) were significant predictors. Practical nutrition education to mothers/caregivers and management guidelines according to the motor severity using local resources could improve the nutritional outcome of children with CP in LMICs.
Combination of Trans-Resveratrol and ε-Viniferin Induces a Hepatoprotective Effect in Rats with Severe Acute Liver Failure via Reduction of Oxidative Stress and MMP-9 Expression
Authors: Fernandes João C. , Schemitt Elizângela G. , Da Silva Juliana , Marroni Norma P. , Lima Ana , Ferreira Ricardo B.
Published: October 2021

Stilbenes are a major grapevine class of phenolic compounds, known for their biological activities, including anti-inflammatory and antioxidant, but never studied in combination. We aimed to evaluate the effect of trans-resveratrol + ε-viniferin as an antioxidant mixture and its role in inflammatory development an in vivo model of severe acute liver failure induced with TAA. Trans-resveratrol + trans-ε-viniferin (5 mg/kg each) was administered to Wistar rats. Resveratrol + ε-viniferin significantly decreased TBARS and SOD activity and restored CAT and GST activities in the treated group. This stilbene combination reduced the expression of TNFα, iNOS, and COX-2, and inhibited MMP-9. The combination of resveratrol + ε-viniferin had a hepatoprotective effect, reducing DNA damage, exhibiting a protective role on the antioxidant pathway by altering SOD, CAT, and GST activities; by downregulating TNFα, COX-2, and iNOS; and upregulating IL-10. Our results suggested that adding viniferin to resveratrol may be more effective in hepatoprotection than resveratrol alone, opening a new perspective on using this stilbene combination in functional diets.
Associations between Genetic Variants in the Vitamin D Metabolism Pathway and Severity of COVID-19 among UAE Residents
Authors: Al-Anouti Fatme , Mousa Mira , Karras Spyridon N. , Grant William B. , Alhalwachi Zainab , Abdel-Wareth Laila , Uddin Maimunah , Alkaabi Nawal , Tay Guan K. , Mahboub Bassam , AlSafar Habiba
Published: October 2021

Vitamin D has many effects on cells in the immune system. Many studies have linked low vitamin D status with severity of COVID-19. Genetic variants involved in vitamin D metabolism have been implicated as potential risk factors for severe COVID-19 outcomes. This study investigated how genetic variations in humans affected the clinical presentation of COVID-19. In total, 646 patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection were divided into two groups: noncritical COVID-19 (n = 453; 70.12%) and a critical group (n = 193; 29.87%). Genotype data on the GC, NADSYN1, VDR, and CYP2R1 genes along with data on serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels were compiled in patients admitted to a major hospital in the United Arab Emirates between April 2020 and January 2021. We identified 12 single-nucleotide polymorphisms associated with the critical COVID-19 condition: rs59241277, rs113574864, rs182901986, rs60349934, and rs113876500; rs4944076, rs4944997, rs4944998, rs4944979, and rs10898210; and rs11574018 and rs11574024. We report significant associations between genetic determinants of vitamin D metabolism and COVID-19 severity in the UAE population. Further research needed to clarify the mechanism of action against viral infection in vitamin D deficiency. These variants could be used with vaccination to manage the spread of SARS-CoV-2 and could be particularly valuable in populations in which vitamin D deficiency is common.
Wikipedia, Google Trends and Diet: Assessment of Temporal Trends in the Internet Users’ Searches in Italy before and during COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Nucci Daniele , Santangelo Omar Enzo , Nardi Mariateresa , Provenzano Sandro , Gianfredi Vincenza
Published: October 2021

We obtained data from Google Trends and Wikipedia in order to assess whether an analysis of Internet searches could provide information on the Internet users’ behaviour/interest in diets. Differences in seasonality, year and before/during COVID-19 pandemic were assessed. From Wikipedia, we extracted the number of times a page is viewed by users, aggregated on monthly and seasonal bases. We also used Google Trends to evaluate the frequency of the users’ web searches. The Mediterranean diet was the most frequently (33.9%), followed by the pescatarian diet (9.0%). Statistically, significant seasonal differences were found for the Mediterranean, vegetarian, Atkins, Scarsdale, and zone diets and pescetarianism. The most commonly searched diet and consequent diet-related queries on Google resulted to be: Dukan diet, Dukan and weight loss. Ketogenic, FODMAP and intermittent fasting diets were statistically more frequently searched during the pandemic compared with before. Our data show a different trend of searches based on the seasonality, year and the pandemic. These data could be useful for scientists, practitioners and policy makers because they can inform educational campaigns via the Internet, especially in periods when the population is more receptive.