bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Compliance with HIPAA and GDPR in Certificateless-Based Authenticated Key Agreement Using Extended Chaotic Maps
Authors: Lee Tian-Fu , Chang I-Pin , Su Guo-Jun
Published: February 2023

Electronically protected health information is held in computerized healthcare records that contain complete healthcare information and are easily shareable or retrieved by various health care providers via the Internet. The two most important concerns regarding their use involve the security of the Internet and the privacy of patients. To protect the privacy of patients, various regions of the world maintain privacy standards. These are set, for example, by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) in the United States and the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in Europe. Most recently developed authenticated key agreement schemes for HIPAA and GDPR privacy/security involve modular exponential computations or scalar multiplications on elliptic curves to provide higher security, but they are computationally heavy and therefore costly to implement. Recent studies have shown that cryptosystems that use modular exponential computation and scalar multiplication on elliptic curves are less efficient than those based on Chebyshev chaotic maps. Therefore, this investigation develops a secure and efficient non-certificate-based authenticated key agreement scheme that uses lightweight operations, including Chebyshev chaotic maps and hash operations. The proposed scheme overcomes the limitations of alternative schemes, is computationally more efficient, and provides more functionality. The proposed scheme complies with the privacy principles of HIPAA and GDPR.
Improved Artificial Neural Network with High Precision for Predicting Burnout among Managers and Employees of Start-Ups during COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Sutrisno Sutrisno , Khairina Nurul , Syah Rahmad B. Y. , Eftekhari-Zadeh Ehsan , Amiri Saba
Published: February 2023

Notwithstanding the impact that the Coronavirus pandemic has had on the physical and psychological wellness of people, it has also caused a change in the psychological conditions of many employees, particularly among organizations and privately owned businesses, which confronted numerous limitations because of the unique states of the pandemic. Accordingly, the current review expected to implement an RBF neural network to dissect the connection between demographic variables, resilience, Coronavirus, and burnout in start-ups. The examination technique was quantitative. The statistical populace of the review is directors and representatives of start-ups. In view of the statistical sample size of the limitless community, 384 of them were investigated. For information gathering, standard polls incorporating MBI-GS and BRCS and specialist-made surveys of pressure brought about by Coronavirus were utilized. The validity of the polls was affirmed by a board of specialists and their reliability was affirmed by Cronbach’s alpha coefficient. The designed network structure had ten neurons in the input layer, forty neurons in the hidden layer, and one neuron in the output layer. The amount of training and test data were 70% and 30%, respectively. The output of the neural network and the collected results were compared with each other, and the designed network was able to classify all the data correctly. Using the method presented in this research can greatly help the sustainability of companies.
Distribution System Management Model Based on the Cooperative Concept of Unifying the Multi-Owned Networks
Authors: Chiraprawattrakun Pornthep , Leeprechanon Nopbhorn
Published: February 2023

The growth of microgrids to fulfil electricity demand could lead to arguments or conflicts between the private microgrid system owners and the existing national distribution authority, especially in overlapping sales areas. The core issue identified in this paper is a distribution system management model based on the cooperative concept of unifying the multi-owned networks as a single system to ensure the natural monopoly function. This model can avoid complex wheeling charges across multi-owned grids within overlapping sales areas, in which all network users pay at the expense of the merged system charge. This paper proposes the model and shows numerical examples using a suitable distribution network pricing model to recover existing costs and plan for future system expansion. The proposed model and charging algorithm were tested on a modified IEEE 13 bus to examine their impacts. The result demonstrates that the model resolves the issues with the overlapping sales area and creates a fair scenario for the network users regarding the usage charges. Thailand is chosen as the primary reference area, as it is a country with an actual sample case for the argument.
Thermogram Based Indirect Thermographic Temperature Measurement of Reactive Power Compensation Capacitors
Authors: Hulewicz Arkadiusz , Dziarski Krzysztof , Drużyński Łukasz , Dombek Grzegorz
Published: February 2023

An increase in reactive power consumption results in an increase in electricity costs. This negative phenomenon can be prevented by using reactive power compensation methods. One of them is the installation of capacitors. These capacitors are exposed to external conditions, such as temperature and humidity. As a consequence, the aging process occurs. Another negative phenomenon is the corrosion that occurs inside the capacitor as a result of moisture absorption. As a result of this phenomenon, the capacitor can be damaged. One of the symptoms of the ongoing corrosion of the inside of the capacitor is an increase in temperature. Capacitors designed for reactive power compensation operate at mains voltage. They are often placed in a switchgear. For this reason, the use of contact methods of temperature measurement is difficult and dangerous. An alternative is thermographic measurement. Determining the internal temperature of the capacitor by thermographic measurement of the temperature of the case is possible with the use of numerical methods. One of them is FEM (Finite Element Method). The temperature results on the capacitor housing obtained from the simulation work were verified by comparing them with the result of thermographic temperature measurement. Both values differed by 0.2 °C. On the basis of the defined model, the differences between the temperature inside the capacitor housing and the temperature on the capacitor housing were determined by simulation. A simplification was proposed by replacing the cylinder made of layers with a homogeneous cylinder.
Drainage Research of Different Tubing Depth in the Horizontal Gas Well Based on Laboratory Experimental Investigation and a New Liquid-Carrying Model
Authors: Wang Xiuwu , Ma Wenmin , Luo Wei , Liao Ruiquan
Published: February 2023

Since the structure of horizontal gas wells is more intricate than that of vertical wells, there is a lack of consistency in the form of liquid-carrying in different portions. Applying the commonly utilized liquid-carrying hypothesis of vertical gas wells into horizontal gas wells is therefore challenging. The maximum liquid volume that the gas flow could raise, the gas flow rate, and the maximum amount of energy that could be produced from a specific amount of gas flow should all be considered when determining the liquid volume that the gas flow could lift. This study is the first to integrate theoretical analysis with laboratory testing to analyze the gas–liquid flow law of drainage stability at varied tubing depths. The impact of gas drainage stability is then verified through the laboratory experiments. The novel model of various tubing depths, which is based on the energy of inflow and outflow from the horizontal well, is cleverly built. According to the study, the fluctuation is typically less when the tubing reaches the heel of the horizontal section than it is in the other sections, and the relative error of the new model, which is validated using laboratory tests, is typically less than 10%. The research showed that for horizontal gas wells with a normal structure, the gas flow and liquid discharge are most stable when the tubing reaches the heel of the horizontal section. Instead of depending exclusively on crucial liquid-carrying gas flow rates, the new model uses the combination of gas and liquid flow rates to make decisions concerning liquid loading and to quantify the liquid removal in real time, which is more realistic. The research illustrates how the study could provide a factual basis for assessing the capacity of horizontal gas wells to raise the liquid.
Reservoir Characteristics of Normally Pressured Shales from the Periphery of Sichuan Basin: Insights into the Pore Development Mechanism
Authors: Feng Bing , Yu Jiliang , Yang Feng , Zhang Zhiyao , Xu Shang
Published: February 2023

Reservoir characteristics and the occurrence mechanism of shale gas outside of the Sichuan Basin are the research hotspots of normally pressured shales in China. Taking shales on the Anchang syncline from the periphery of the Sichuan Basin as an example, X-ray diffraction, organic geochemistry, and rock physical experiments were carried out to analyze the reservoir characteristics and their main geological controls on the normally pressured shales. The mineralogical results show that the studied shales from the Anchang syncline are mainly siliceous shales with a high quartz content (average of 57%). The quartz content of these normally pressured shales is of biological origin, as shown by the positive correlation between the quartz and organic carbon (TOC) contents. The average porosity of the studied shales is about 2.9%, which is lower than shales inside the Sichuan Basin. Organic matter pores are likely the primary storage space of the normally pressured shale gas, as shown by the positive relationship between the TOC content and porosity. However, scanning electron microscopy observations on the studied shales show that the pores in these normally pressured shales are poorly preserved; many pores have been subjected to compression and deformation due to tectonic movements. Compared to shales inside the Sichuan Basin, the effective thickness of shales outside of the Sichuan Basin is thin and the stratum dip is large. Thus, shale gas outside of the Sichuan Basin is apt to escape laterally along the bedding of the strata. After losing a significant amount of shale gas, the gas pressure decreases to normal pressure, which makes it difficult for the pores to resist compaction from the overlying strata. This is probably why most shale gas reservoirs outside of the Sichuan Basin are normally pressured, while the shale strata inside the Sichuan Basin are commonly overpressured. This study provides insights to understand the pore development and hydrocarbon occurrence on normally pressured shales outside of the Sichuan Basin.
An Adaptive Joint Operating Parameters Optimization Approach for Active Direct Methanol Fuel Cells
Authors: Zhao Zhengang , Li Dongjie , Xu Xiaoping , Zhang Dacheng
Published: February 2023

The operating parameters of the active direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) are essential factors that affect cell performance. However, it is challenging to maintain the optimal maximum output power density due to the system’s complexity, the operating conditions variation, and the correlations between those parameters. This paper proposes an adaptive joint optimization method for fuel cell operating parameters. The methods include the adaptive numerical simulation of the operation parameters and the optimization for fuel cell performance. Based on orthogonal tests, a BP neural network is used to build a performance evaluation model that can quantify the influence of the operating parameters on fuel cell performance. The optimal combination of operating parameters for the fuel cell is obtained by a whale optimization algorithm (WOA) through the evaluation model. The experimental results show that the evaluation model could respond accurately and adaptively to the cell operating conditions under different operating conditions. The optimization algorithm improves the maximum power density of the fuel cell by 8.71%.
Integration of Sodium Metal Halide Energy Storage Systems in Telecommunication Microgrids: Performance Analysis of DC-DC Converter Topologies
Authors: Boi Mauro , Mastromauro Rosa Anna , Floris Andrea , Damiano Alfonso
Published: February 2023

The present paper proposes an integrated method for modelling and designing Energy Storage Systems (ESSs) based on Sodium Metal Halide Batteries (SMHBs). The implementation of the proposed methodology for designing an SMHB-ESS used for supporting telecommunication DC microgrids is presented. The motivation concerning this specific case study is the role assumed by battery technology in improving the reliability and robustness of telecommunication DC microgrids. In this context, the SMHBs, due to their operative temperature, dynamic power response and robustness against cell breakdown, represent one of the most suitable technologies, mainly when challenging environmental conditions occur. The motivation for implementing an integrated design approach is the non-linear behaviour of SMHBs, which requires a high accuracy in battery modelling and in managing DC-DC interfacing for full SMHB capacity exploitation. To highlight the advantages of this novel approach, a comparison between the SMHB- ESS designs considering, as the DC-DC converter, a buck–boost topology actually implemented in the commercial systems and a Dual-Active-Bridge (DAB) converter, specifically developed for this kind of battery, was investigated. Considering different operating conditions in a specific DC telecommunication microgrid, the designed configurations of SMHB ESSs were simulated. Finally, a comparison of simulation results is presented and discussed, highlighting that DABs, despite their greater complexity compared to buck–boost converters, present advantages in terms of flexibility, dynamic performances and efficiency, increasing the available SMHB capacity by 10%.
Analysis of Energy Generation Efficiency and Reliability of a Cogeneration Unit Powered by Biogas
Authors: Ciuła Józef , Kowalski Sławomir , Generowicz Agnieszka , Barbusiński Krzysztof , Matuszak Zbigniew , Gaska Krzysztof
Published: February 2023

Landfill gas recovery and utilisation is a solution which reduces the adverse environmental impact of the landfill. Combined heat and power (CHP) generation improves the energy balance of the facility and enables the optimal management of energy generated from a renewable source. This article aims to analyse the operation of the CHP unit in two aspects, that is, in terms of energy generation efficiency and operational availability. Energy ratios were calculated and the analysis was based on the Weibull distribution in order to assess the CHP unit’s operational reliability to minimise costs and maximise energy production. The results of the investigations and analyses demonstrated an increase of the gas yield by 29.5%, an increase of energy production by approx. 42%, and the reduction of downtime by 28.2% from 2018 to 2022. Studies related to the efficiency and reliability of operation of the cogeneration unit showed an increase in all the main parameters analysed, which resulted in greater energy and operational efficiency. The research which has been conducted is a significant scientific contribution to the optimisation of the “waste-to-energy” process for cogeneration units with the capacity of up to 0.5 MW.
Enzymatic Co-Fermentation of Onion Waste for Bioethanol Production Using Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Pichia pastoris
Authors: Shahid Iqra , Hussain Ghulam , Anis Mehwish , Farooq Muhammad Umar , Usman Muhammad , Fouad Yasser , Krzywanski Jaroslaw
Published: February 2023

This paper evaluates the feasibility of bioethanol production from onion waste by Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Pichia pastoris and their novel co-culture through fermentation. The process parameters were optimized for each strain and their combination to observe the synergistic effect of co-fermentation. A dinitro salicylic acid (DNS) test was conducted to study the reducing sugar content of samples at different time intervals. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopic analysis was used to compare results for functional groups of samples before and after fermentation, and gas chromatography with flame ionization detection (GC-FID) analysis was performed to measure the bioethanol concentration obtained at different combinations of pH (5, 5.5, 6), temperature (20 °C, 30 °C, 40 °C), and time (24–110 h). The maximum bioethanol concentration was achieved through a monoculture of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, i.e., 30.56 g/L. The ethanol productivity was determined based on the ethanol concentration and fermentation time ratio. The energy content was determined using the obtained ethanol value and the specific energy content of ethanol, i.e., 30 kJ/g. The productivity and energy of bioethanol obtained at this maximum concentration were 0.355 g/L h and 916.8 kJ/L, respectively, after 86 h of fermentation at 30 °C and pH 5. Pichia pastoris produced a maximum of 21.06 g/L bioethanol concentration with bioethanol productivity and energy of 0.264 g/L h and 631.8 kJ/L, respectively, after 72 h of fermentation at 30 °C and pH 5. The coculture fermentation resulted in 22.72 g/L of bioethanol concentration with bioethanol productivity and energy of 0.264 g/L h and 681.6 kJ/L, respectively, after 86 h of fermentation at 30 °C and pH 5. The results of reducing sugars also supported the same conclusion that monoculture fermentation using Saccharomyces cerevisiae was the most effective for bioethanol production compared to Pichia pastoris and co-culture fermentation.
Phenotypic Variation in Leaf, Fruit and Seed Traits in Natural Populations of Eucommia ulmoides, a Relict Chinese Endemic Tree
Authors: Wang Chaochun , Gong Huimin , Feng Miao , Tian Chunlian
Published: February 2023

Eucommia ulmoides Oliver is a dioecious, pharmaceutically and economically important, and precious relict tree species endemic to China, and has been listed as a key protected tree species of national level II. Phenotypic variation in ten natural populations in some key traits is still obscure. In order to study the relationship between population variation in phenotypic traits and geoclimatic factors, 15 traits were analyzed in 117 female sampled tree from ten natural populations. The results showed that the coefficients of variation for all of the 15 traits widely ranged from 9.7% (fruit vertical diameter) to 49.0% (leaf thickness), with an average of 19.7%. The nested ANOVA revealed plentiful phenotypic variations within and among populations. The variation within population was the main source, with an average proportion of 42.8%, greater than that among the population (16.6%). The 15 traits were reduced to four principal components, which collectively accounted for 70.1% of phenotypic variation among trees. The ten populations were mainly divided into two groups: Group A included eight populations throughout the Wuling Mountains occurring in relatively close proximity to each other, and Group B which comprises two geographically distant populations in mountains further northern. There were significant level correlations between phenotypic differentiation among population of E. ulmoides and both geographic (r = 0.65, p < 0.05) and climatic (r = 0.73, p < 0.01) distance. Step-wise regression indicates average annual temperature and rainfall accounted for most of the phenotypic variation among populations, and mainly associated with differences in leaf, fruit and seed size. These results can have an important implication for genetic improvement, diversity conservation and resource management of the species in the future.
Comparative Evaluation of Physiological Response and Drought Tolerance between Cunninghamia unica and C. lanceolata Seedlings under Drought Stress
Authors: Lei Xun , Wu Huaxue , Yin Man , Zhang Xi , Yang Hanbo , Huang Xiong , Zhu Peng
Published: February 2023

Cunninghamia plays an important role in China’s southern forest industry in the face of increasingly arid climate; thus it is urgent to identify and screen drought-tolerant varieties. In this study, 2-year-old seedlings of C. unica and C. lanceolata from four provenances were subjected to water-break tests, and their physiological responses to different drought conditions were observed. The results showed that with the aggravation of drought stress, C. unica had more stable changes in relative water content (RWC), water potential (Ψw) and intercellular CO2 concentration (Ci) with more cumulative amounts of proline (PRO) than C. lanceolata, and its H2O2 maintained at a lower level, along with antioxidant enzyme activities decreasing later as compared with C. lanceolata. Moreover, comprehensive evaluation showed that C. unica had a higher drought tolerance than C. lanceolata as a whole, which could have been shaped by maintaining Ψw and opening stomata in its relative drought conditions. This work provides a theoretical basis for understanding the drought tolerance of C. unica and C. lanceolate individuals, so as to accelerate selective breeding in Chinese fir.
Effect of Laccase Detoxification on Bioethanol Production from Liquid Fraction of Steam-Pretreated Olive Tree Pruning
Authors: Ibarra David , Eugenio María E. , Alvira Pablo , Ballesteros Ignacio , Ballesteros Mercedes , Negro María J.
Published: February 2023

During lignocellulosic bioethanol production, the whole slurry obtained by steam explosion is filtered, generating a water-insoluble fraction rich in cellulose which is used for saccharification and ethanol fermentation, as well as a liquid fraction containing solubilised glucose and xylose but also some inhibitory by-products (furan derivatives, weak acids and phenols), which limits its use for this purpose. Since utilization of this liquid fraction to ethanol is essential for an economically feasible cellulosic ethanol process, this work studied a laccase from Myceliophthora thermophila to detoxify the liquid fraction obtained from steam-pretreated olive tree pruning (OTP) and to overcome the effects of these inhibitors. Then, the fermentation of laccase-treated liquid fraction was evaluated on ethanol production by different Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains, including the Ethanol Red, with the capacity to ferment glucose but not xylose, and the xylose-fermenting recombinant strain F12. Laccase treatment reduced total phenols content by 87% from OTP liquid fraction, not affecting furan derivatives and weak acids concentration. Consequently, the fermentative behavior of both Ethanol Red and F12 strains was improved, and ethanol production and yields were increased. Moreover, F12 strain was capable of utilizing some xylose, which increased ethanol production (10.1 g/L) compared to Ethanol Red strain (8.6 g/L).
High-Grain Diet Feeding Altered Blood Metabolites, Rumen Microbiome, and Metabolomics of Yaks
Authors: Dai Dongwen , Wang Shuxiang , Wang Xun , Gao Changpeng , Chai Shatuo , Xu Xiaofeng
Published: February 2023

Currently, information available on the comprehensive changes in the rumen bacteria and metabolites of yaks fed high-grain diets is limited. This study aimed to investigate the effects of high-grain diet feeding on the blood metabolites, rumen microbiome, and metabolomics of yaks by using 16S rDNA gene sequencing and liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC/MS). Here, fourteen healthy male yaks (body weight, 249.61 ± 8.13 kg) were randomly assigned to two different diets: a hay diet (0% grain, CON, n = 7), or a high-grain diet (70% grain, HG, n = 7). At the 74th day of treatment, blood and ruminal fluid samples were collected for the blood metabolites, rumen microbiome, and metabolomics analyses. The HG diet increased lipopolysaccharides (LPS), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT), haptoglobin (HPT), serum amyloid-A (SAA), interleukin-1β (IL1-β), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) serum concentrations (p < 0.05). Compared with the CON diet, the HG diet decreased rumen pH (p < 0.05), and increased total volatile fatty acids concentration, and proportion of butyrate (p < 0.05). The relative abundance of Firmicutes and Saccharibacteria were higher (p < 0.05), while Bacteroidetes was lower (p < 0.05) in the HG group than those in the CON group. At the genus level, the relative abundance of Christensenelaceae_R-7_group, Ruminococcaceae_NK4A214_group, Lachnospiraceae_NK3A20_group, and Acetitomaculum were higher than in those in the HG diet (p < 0.05). Compared with the CON group, the HG diet increased the concentrations of biogenic amines (histamine, tyramine, and putrescine), common amino acids (phenylalanine, threonine, serine, etc.), and arachidonic acid (prostaglandin H2, prostaglandin E2, 12(S)-HPETE, etc.). Collectively, these findings demonstrate that the HG diet altered the microbiota and metabolites, as well as potentially damaged their rumen health and induced inflammation in yaks.
Effects of Different Culture Densities on the Acoustic Characteristics of Micropterus salmoide Feeding
Authors: Qi Renyu , Liu Huang , Liu Shijing
Published: February 2023

The intensity and frequency of the acoustic signals generated by different behaviors of largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) have different characteristics. The acoustic signals generated during feeding can be used to analyze the characteristic patterns of their used behavior, which can provide a theoretical basis for applications such as automatic feeding based on acoustic signals. We used passive acoustics combined with video to study the feeding acoustic signals of largemouth bass in a recirculating water culture system (4, 8, 12, and 16 fish/m3). The result of the time–frequency and power spectrum analysis of the feeding sound signals showed that the short-time average amplitude of the feeding signal was well distinguished from the background noise, both the swallowing and the chewing sounds were positively correlated with the culture density, and the correlation between the swallowing sound and number of fish was stronger; at different culture densities, the short-time average zero-crossing in the swallowing phase of the largemouth bass suddenly dropped to about 500 and rose to about 1000 in the chewing process. Therefore, both the chewing and the swallowing sounds can be used as parameters to automatically identify the largemouth bass feeding process signal. The spectrum entropy in the feeding process of the largemouth bass was maintained at about 4–6 for different culture densities. In the power spectrum, the main feeding sounding frequencies of the largemouth bass at different farming densities and the distinguishable spectral range of the background noised ranged from 1 to 20 kHz, the main peak frequency of the feeding sound was within the range of 1.2 to 3.0 kHz, and the main power value of the power spectrum was positively correlated with farming density.
Assessment of Polyphenols Bioaccessibility, Stability, and Antioxidant Activity of White Mugwort (Artemisia lactiflora Wall.) during Static In Vitro Gastrointestinal Digestion
Authors: Udomwasinakun Nacha , Saha Shikha , Mulet-Cabero Ana-Isabel , Wilde Peter James , Pirak Tantawan
Published: February 2023

White mugwort (Artemisia lactiflora Wall.), a traditional Chinese medicine, has been widely consumed in different forms for health care purposes. In this study, the in vitro digestion model of INFOGEST was used to investigate the bioaccessibility, stability, and antioxidant activity of polyphenols from two different forms of white mugwort, including dried powder (P 50, 100, and 150 mg/mL) and fresh extract (FE 5, 15, and 30 mg/mL). During digestion, the bioaccessibility of TPC and antioxidant activity were influenced by the form and ingested concentration of white mugwort. The highest bioaccessibility of the total phenolic content (TPC) and relative antioxidant activity were found at the lowest P and FE concentrations, as calculated relative to the TPC and antioxidant activity of P-MetOH and FE-MetOH based on the dry weight of the sample. Post-digestion, in comparison to P, FE had higher bioaccessibility (FE = 287.7% and P = 130.7%), relative DPPH radical scavenging activity (FE = 104.2% and P = 47.3%), and relative FRAP (FE = 673.5% and P = 66.5%). Nine compounds, 3-caffeoylquinic acid, 5-caffeoylquinic acid, 3,5-di-caffeoylquinic acid, sinapolymalate, isovitexin, kaempferol, morin, rutin, and quercetin, identified in both samples were modified during digestion, yet still provided strong antioxidant activity. These findings suggest that white mugwort extract possesses a higher polyphenol bioaccessibility, showing great potential as a functional ingredient.
Protein-Based Fat Replacers: A Focus on Fabrication Methods and Fat-Mimic Mechanisms
Authors: Nourmohammadi Niloufar , Austin Luke , Chen Da
Published: February 2023

The increasing occurrence of obesity and other non-communicable diseases has shifted the human diet towards reduced calorie intake. This drives the market to develop low-fat/non-fat food products with limited deterioration of textural properties. Thus, developing high-quality fat replacers which can replicate the role of fat in the food matrix is essential. Among all the established types of fat replacers, protein-based ones have shown a higher compatibility with a wide range of foods with limited contribution to the total calories, including protein isolate/concentrate, microparticles, and microgels. The approach to fabricating fat replacers varies with their types, such as thermal–mechanical treatment, anti-solvent precipitation, enzymatic hydrolysis, complexation, and emulsification. Their detailed process is summarized in the present review with a focus on the latest findings. The fat-mimic mechanisms of fat replacers have received little attention compared to the fabricating methods; attempts are also made to explain the underlying principles of fat replacers from the physicochemical prospect. Finally, a future direction on the development of desirable fat replacers in a more sustainable way was also pointed out.
Accretion Flow Morphology in Numerical Simulations of Black Holes from the ngEHT Model Library: The Impact of Radiation Physics
Authors: Chatterjee Koushik , Chael Andrew , Tiede Paul , Mizuno Yosuke , Emami Razieh , Fromm Christian , Ricarte Angelo , Blackburn Lindy , Roelofs Freek , Johnson Michael D. , Doeleman Sheperd S. , Arras Philipp , Fuentes Antonio , Knollmüller Jakob , Kosogorov Nikita , Lindahl Greg , Müller Hendrik , Patel Nimesh , Raymond Alexander , Traianou Efthalia , Vega Justin
Published: February 2023

In the past few years, the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) has provided the first-ever event horizon-scale images of the supermassive black holes (BHs) M87* and Sagittarius A* (Sgr A*). The next-generation EHT project is an extension of the EHT array that promises larger angular resolution and higher sensitivity to the dim, extended flux around the central ring-like structure, possibly connecting the accretion flow and the jet. The ngEHT Analysis Challenges aim to understand the science extractability from synthetic images and movies to inform the ngEHT array design and analysis algorithm development. In this work, we compare the accretion flow structure and dynamics in numerical fluid simulations that specifically target M87* and Sgr A*, and were used to construct the source models in the challenge set. We consider (1) a steady-state axisymmetric radiatively inefficient accretion flow model with a time-dependent shearing hotspot, (2) two time-dependent single fluid general relativistic magnetohydrodynamic (GRMHD) simulations from the H-AMR code, (3) a two-temperature GRMHD simulation from the BHAC code, and (4) a two-temperature radiative GRMHD simulation from the KORAL code. We find that the different models exhibit remarkably similar temporal and spatial properties, except for the electron temperature, since radiative losses substantially cool down electrons near the BH and the jet sheath, signaling the importance of radiative cooling even for slowly accreting BHs such as M87*. We restrict ourselves to standard torus accretion flows, and leave larger explorations of alternate accretion models to future work.
The Antimicrobial Activity of Micron-Thin Sol–Gel Films Loaded with Linezolid and Cefoxitin for Local Prevention of Orthopedic Prosthesis-Related Infections
Authors: Toirac Beatriz , Aguilera-Correa John Jairo , Mediero Aranzazu , Esteban Jaime , Jiménez-Morales Antonia
Published: February 2023

Orthopedic prosthesis-related infections (OPRI) are an essential health concern. OPRI prevention is a priority and a preferred option over dealing with poor prognosis and high-cost treatments. Micron-thin sol–gel films have been noted for a continuous and effective local delivery system. This study aimed to perform a comprehensive in vitro evaluation of a novel hybrid organic–inorganic sol–gel coating developed from a mixture of organopolysiloxanes and organophosphite and loaded with different concentrations of linezolid and/or cefoxitin. The kinetics of degradation and antibiotics release from the coatings were measured. The inhibition of biofilm formation of the coatings against Staphylococcus aureus, S. epidermidis, and Escherichia coli strains was studied, as well as the cell viability and proliferation of MC3T3-E1 osteoblasts. The microbiological assays demonstrated that sol–gel coatings inhibited the biofilm formation of the evaluated Staphylococcus species; however, no inhibition of the E. coli strain was achieved. A synergistic effect of the coating loaded with both antibiotics was observed against S. aureus. The cell studies showed that the sol–gels did not compromise cell viability and proliferation. In conclusion, these coatings represent an innovative therapeutic strategy with potential clinical use to prevent staphylococcal OPRI.
Comparative Analyses of Chloroplast Genomes for Parasitic Species of Santalales in the Light of Two Newly Sequenced Species, Taxillus nigrans and Scurrula parasitica
Authors: Yue Ximing , Miao Ning , Fan Zilu , Mao Kangshan
Published: February 2023

When a flowering plant species changes its life history from self-supply to parasite, its chloroplast genomes may have experienced functional physical reduction, and gene loss. Most species of Santalales are hemiparasitic and few studies focus on comparing the chloroplast genomes of the species from this order. In this study, we collected and compared chloroplast genomes of 12 species of Santalales and sequenced the chloroplast genomes of Taxillus nigrans and Scurrula parasitica for the first time. The chloroplast genomes for these species showed typical quadripartite structural organization. Phylogenetic analysis suggested that these 12 species of Santalales clustered into three clades: Viscum (4 spp.) and Osyris (1 sp.) in the Santalaceae and Champereia (1 sp.) in the Opiliaceae formed one clade, while Taxillus (3 spp.) and Scurrula (1 sp.) in the Loranthaceae and Schoepfia (1 sp.) in the Schoepfiaceae formed another clade. Erythropalum (1 sp.), in the Erythropalaceae, appeared as a third, most distant, clade within the Santalales. In addition, both Viscum and Taxillus are monophyletic, and Scurrula is sister to Taxillus. A comparative analysis of the chloroplast genome showed differences in genome size and the loss of genes, such as the ndh genes, infA genes, partial ribosomal genes, and tRNA genes. The 12 species were classified into six categories by the loss, order, and structure of genes in the chloroplast genome. Each of the five genera (Viscum, Osyris, Champereia, Schoepfia, and Erythropalum) represented an independent category, while the three Taxillus species and Scurrula were classified into a sixth category. Although we found that different genes were lost in various categories, most genes related to photosynthesis were retained in the 12 species. Hence, the genetic information accorded with observations that they are hemiparasitic species. Our comparative genomic analyses can provide a new case for the chloroplast genome evolution of parasitic species.
Childhood Hearing Impairment in Senegal
Authors: Dia Yacouba , Loum Birame , Dieng Yaay Joor Koddu Biigé , Diop Jean Pascal Demba , Adadey Samuel Mawuli , Aboagye Elvis Twumasi , Ba Seydi Abdoul , Touré Abdoul Aziz , Niang Fallou , Diaga Sarr Pierre , Tidiane Ly Cheikh Ahmed , Sène Andrea Regina Gnilane , Kock Carmen De , Bassier Rhiyana , Popel Kalinka , Ndiaye Diallo Rokhaya , Wonkam Ambroise , Diallo Bay Karim
Published: February 2023

We recently showed that variants in GJB2 explained Hearing Impairment (HI) in 34.1% (n = 15/44) of multiplex families in Senegal. The present study aimed to use community-based nationwide recruitment to determine the etiologies and the clinical profiles of childhood HI in Senegal. Participants with early onset HI were included after clinical examination, including audiological assessment by pure tone audiometry and/or auditory brainstem response. We investigated a total of 406 participants from 295 families, recruited from 13/14 administrative regions of Senegal. Male/female ratio was 1.33 (232/174). Prelingual HI was the most common type of HI and accounted for 80% (n = 325 individuals). The mean age at medical diagnosis for congenital HI was computed at 3.59 ± 2.27 years. Audiological evaluation showed sensorineural HI as the most frequently observed HI (89.16%; n = 362 individuals). Pedigree analysis suggested autosomal recessive inheritance in 61.2% (63/103) of multiplex families and sporadic cases in 27 families (26.2%; 27/103), with a consanguinity rate estimated at 93% (84/90 families). Genetic factors were likely involved in 52.7% (214/406) of the cases, followed by environmental causes (29.57%; 120/406). In 72 cases (17.73%), the etiology was unknown. Clinically, non-syndromic HI was the most common type of HI (90.6%; n = 194/214 individuals). Among families segregating syndromic cases, type 2 Waardenburg syndrome was the most common (36.3%; 4/11 families). This study revealed putative genetic factors, mostly associated with high consanguinity rate, as the leading causes of early-onset HI in Senegal. The high consanguinity could provide a good opportunity to identify variants in known and novel genes involved in childhood HI.
Assessment of the Possibility of Using the Laryngoscopes Macintosh, McCoy, Miller, Intubrite, VieScope and I-View for Intubation in Simulated Out-of-Hospital Conditions by People without Clinical Experience: A Randomized Crossover Manikin Study
Authors: Ratajczyk Paweł , Kluj Przemysław , Dolder Przemysław , Szmyd Bartosz , Gaszyński Tomasz
Published: February 2023

The aim of the study was to evaluate the laryngoscopes Macintosh, Miller, McCoy, Intubrite, VieScope and I-View in simulated out-of-hospital conditions when used by people without clinical experience, and to choose the one that, in the case of failure of the first intubation (FI), gives the highest probability of successful second (SI) or third (TI). For FI, the highest success rate (HSR) was observed for I-View and the lowest (LSR) for Macintosh (90% vs. 60%; p < 0.001); for SI, HSR was observed for I-View and LSR for Miller (95% vs. 66,7%; p < 0001); and for TI, HSR was observed for I-View and LSR for Miller, McCoy and VieScope (98.33% vs. 70%; p < 0.001). A significant shortening of intubation time between FI and TI was observed for Macintosh (38.95 (IQR: 30.1–47.025) vs. 32.4 (IQR: 29–39.175), p = 0.0132), McCoy (39.3 (IQR: 31.1–48.15) vs. 28.75 (IQR: 26.475–35.7), p < 0.001), Intubrite (26.4 (IQR: 21.4–32.3) vs. 20.7 (IQR: 18.3–24.45), p < 0.001), and I-View (21 (IQR: 17.375–25.1) vs. 18 (IQR: 15.95–20.5), p < 0.001). According to the respondents, the easiest laryngo- scopes to use were I-View and Intubrite, while the most difficult was Miller. The study shows that I-View and Intubrite are the most useful devices, combining high efficiency with a statistically significant reduction in time between successive attempts.
On the Implementation of a Post-Pandemic Deep Learning Algorithm Based on a Hybrid CT-Scan/X-ray Images Classification Applied to Pneumonia Categories
Authors: Moussaid Abdelghani , Zrira Nabila , Benmiloud Ibtissam , Farahat Zineb , Karmoun Youssef , Benzidia Yasmine , Mouline Soumaya , El Abdi Bahia , Bourkadi Jamal Eddine , Ngote Nabil
Published: February 2023

The identification and characterization of lung diseases is one of the most interesting research topics in recent years. They require accurate and rapid diagnosis. Although lung imaging techniques have many advantages for disease diagnosis, the interpretation of medial lung images has always been a major problem for physicians and radiologists due to diagnostic errors. This has encouraged the use of modern artificial intelligence techniques such as deep learning. In this paper, a deep learning architecture based on EfficientNetB7, known as the most advanced architecture among convolutional networks, has been constructed for classification of medical X-ray and CT images of lungs into three classes namely: common pneumonia, coronavirus pneumonia and normal cases. In terms of accuracy, the proposed model is compared with recent pneumonia detection techniques. The results provided robust and consistent features to this system for pneumonia detection with predictive accuracy according to the three classes mentioned above for both imaging modalities: radiography at 99.81% and CT at 99.88%. This work implements an accurate computer-aided system for the analysis of radiographic and CT medical images. The results of the classification are promising and will certainly improve the diagnosis and decision making of lung diseases that keep appearing over time.
The Usage and Trustworthiness of Various Health Information Sources in the United Arab Emirates: An Online National Cross-Sectional Survey
Authors: Almaazmi Mariam A. , Samara Kamel A. , Jarai Mohammed , Majeed Hussain , Barqawi Hiba J.
Published: February 2023

Background: The increase in the quality and availability of health information as well as the accessibility of Internet-based sources, has driven growing demand for online health information. Information preferences are influenced by many factors, including information needs, intentions, trustworthiness, and socioeconomic variables. Hence, understanding the interplay of these factors helps stakeholders provide current and relevant health information sources to assist consumers in assessing their healthcare options and making informed medical decisions. Aims: To assess the different sources of health information sought by the UAE population and to investigate the level of trustworthiness of each source. Methods: The study adopted a descriptive online cross-sectional design. A self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data from UAE residents aged 18 years or above between July 2021 and September 2021. Health information sources, their trustworthiness, and health-oriented beliefs were explored through univariate, bivariate, and multivariate analysis in Python. Results: A total of 1083 responses were collected, out of which 683 (63%) were females. Doctors were the first source of health information (67.41%) before COVID-19, whereas websites were the first source (67.22%) during the pandemic. Other sources, such as pharmacists, social media, and friends and family, were not prioritized as primary sources. Overall, doctors had a high trustworthiness of 82.73%, followed by pharmacists with a high trustworthiness of 59.8%. The Internet had a partial trustworthiness of 58.4%. Social media and friends and family had a low trustworthiness of 32.78% and 23.73%, respectively. Age, marital status, occupation, and degree obtained were all significant predictors of Internet usage for health information. Conclusions: The population in the UAE commonly obtains health information from doctors who have been shown to have the highest trustworthiness; this is despite it not being the most common source used.
The Effect of Potassium–Nitrogen Balance on the Yield and Quality of Strawberries Grown under Soilless Conditions
Authors: Nakro Amal , Bamouh Ahmed , Bouslama Hajar , San Bautista Alberto , Ghaouti Lamiae
Published: February 2023

This research aims to evaluate the effect of the potassium–nitrogen balance on strawberry productivity and quality parameters in soilless conditions. A trial was conducted at the Agronomic and Veterinary Hassan II Institute glasshouse in Rabat, during the 2018–2019 crop year. The pot experiment began on November 13 using three different strawberry cultivars: Fortuna, San Andreas and Sabrina. Three nutrient solutions were tested by increasing the potassium–nitrogen balance during the growth stage and decreasing it during the fruit-production stage: S1 (1.3/2.0), S2 (2.6/1.0) and S3 (3.0/0.6). For all treatments, the total dose of fertilizing elements N, P, K, Ca and Mg was identical. The experimental design was a randomized complete block with three replications. The results show that strawberry plants receiving a nutrient solution with a high K:N balance during the growth period and a low balance during the production period present the higher growth and fruit levels. Moreover, the nutrient solution with the 2.6/1.0 balance significantly increased the chlorophyll index by 8%, yield by 30% (7.9 t ha−1), total soluble solids and dry matter content by 14% and 15%, respectively, and improved taste and fruit shelf-life by 10% and 19%, respectively.
Biological Activity of Combretum erythrophyllum: Antioxidant, Apoptotic, and Cytotoxic Activity of the Leaf and Stembark Extract
Authors: Bantho Sahejna , Naidoo Yougasphree , Dewir Yaser Hassan , Singh Moganavelli , Bantho Ayuvna
Published: February 2023

Species of Combretum are highly valued in Africa due to the plethora of traditional medicinal uses they may offer and the medicinally important phytometabolites they are known to contain. Traditionally, C. erythrophyllum is used to treat bacterial infections, venereal diseases, abdominal pain, sores, infertility, and labour pains, while displaying, anti-viral, anti-parasitic, cytotoxic, and mutagenic activities. There are numerous published works available on the bioactivity of phytometabolites of the leaf extracts of C. erythrophyllum; however there have been limited or no studies published on the bioactivity of the stembark. Hence, this study aimed to provide a comparative analysis of the biological activity of the leaf and stembark extracts of C. erythrophyllum. The following characters were evaluated through the emanating study: total flavonoid and phenolic content, as well as the antioxidant, cytotoxic, and apoptosis activities of the leaf and stembark extract. Methanolic extracts appeared to have the highest possible antioxidant potential among all of the tested extracts and displayed the lowest IC50 values (leaf 5.29 and stembark 4.29 µg/mL) when evaluated using the DPPH assay, the methanolic extracts appeared to quantify the largest amount of compositional phenolic content (1341.05 ± 4.4 mg/GAE/g). Methanolic extracts were the best performing, with the overall lowest IC50 values when tested against HeLa and HEK293 cells (leaf 54.53 µg/mL and stembark 18.30 µg/mL). A positive correlation between % inhibition and extract concentrations was noted for all of the assays. The extent/level of antioxidant activity was seen to be directly proportional to the flavonoid and phenolic content. Extracts with the highest total phenolic content appeared to display the strongest cytotoxic activity. This study integrated the use of fluorescence microscopy with acridine orange staining in order to accurately determine the viability of cells. A direct correlation was observed between the results obtained from the cytotoxicity and apoptosis assay. It may be concluded that the antioxidant properties, total phenolic, and total flavonoid content were directly proportional to the apoptotic and cytotoxic activity expressed by the tested extracts. Focus should now be placed on isolating phytocompounds of importance from the best performing extracts. The transformation of an isolate into a drug of pharmacological importance has yet to be appraised on a large scale. Therefore, further evaluation of this species and particularly the transformation of the isolates needs to be explored as this species has shown immense medicinal potential.