bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Algal Hydrogen Production and Exopolysaccharide Patterns in Chlorella–Bacillus Inter-Kingdom Co-Cultures
Authors: Hupp Bettina , Huszár Gabriella , Farkas Attila , Maróti Gergely
Published: April 2023

Biohydrogen production from wastewater using eukaryotic green algae can be facilitated by appropriately selected bacterial partners and cultivation conditions. Two Chlorella algal species were chosen for these experiments, based on their robust growth ability in synthetic wastewater. The applied three Bacillus bacterial partners showed active respiration and efficient biomass production in the same synthetic wastewater. Bacillus amyloliquefaciens, Bacillus mycoides, and Bacillus cereus as bacterial partners were shown to specifically promote algal biomass yield. Various inter-kingdom co-culture combinations were investigated for algal–bacterial biomass generation, for co-culture-specific exopolysaccharide patterns, and, primarily, for algal biohydrogen evolution. Chlorella sp. MACC-38 mono- and co-cultures generated significantly higher biomass compared with that of Chlorella sp. MACC-360 mono- and co-cultures, while in terms of hydrogen production, Chlorella sp. MACC-360 co-cultures clearly surpassed their Chlorella sp. MACC-38 counterparts. Imaging studies revealed tight physical interactions between the algal and bacterial partners and revealed the formation of co-culture-specific exopolysaccharides. Efficient bacterial respiration was in clear correlation with algal hydrogen production. Stable and sustainable algal hydrogen production was observed in synthetic wastewater for Chlorella sp. MACC-360 green algae in co-cultures with either Bacillus amyloliquefaciens or Bacillus cereus. The highest algal hydrogen yields (30 mL H2 L−1 d−1) were obtained when Chlorella sp. MACC-360 was co-cultured with Bacillus amyloliquefaciens. Further co-culture-specific algal biomolecules such as co-cultivation-specific exopolysaccharides increase the valorization potential of algal–bacterial co-cultures and might contribute to the feasibility of algal biohydrogen production technologies.
Products and Properties of Components from Heat-Denatured Peanut Meal Following Solid-State Fermentation by Aspergillus oryzae and Saccharomyces cerevisiae
Authors: Yu Lina , Bi Jie , Song Yu , Jiang Chen , Qi Hongtao , Chi Xiaoyuan , Yang Weiqiang , Shi Chengren , Gong Qingxuan , Wang Mingqing
Published: April 2023

In heat-denatured peanut meal (HDPM), proteins are denatured and polysaccharides are degraded and browned. It can only be used as feed or fertilizer, and not using it as such is a waste of resources. To achieve high-value HDPM use, solid-state fermentation by Aspergillus oryzae and Saccharomyces cerevisiae was investigated. Conditions were optimized by response surface methodology and high-value antioxidant peptides (APs), nonstarch polysaccharides (NSPs), and fermentation products of heat-denatured peanut meal (FHDPM) were obtained. Optimal culture conditions were strain ratio 6:5, inoculation volume 2 mL, and fermentation for 42 h at 35 °C. Under optimal conditions, the theoretical soluble nitrogen concentration, 1,1-Diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging rate, hydroxyl free radical scavenging rate, and NSP yield reached 44.78 mg/mL, 62.44%, 94.95%, and 3.73%, respectively; however, their experimental values were 46.80 ± 1.23 mg/mL, 72.18 ± 0.78%, 96.79 ± 0.55%, and 4.42 ± 0.21%, respectively. NSPs, Aps, and FHDPM exhibited four higher classes and eight types of antioxidant activities. Moreover, levels of amino acids and trace elements, and physicochemical properties including emulsion activity index, emulsion stability index, foam capacity, foam stability, water holding capacity, and oil absorption capacity were enhanced by fermentation. The results indicate that APs and NSPs could serve as promising natural antioxidants in the food industry, and FHDPM could be used as a new type of high-value nutritional product in the feed industry. The findings provide new insight for comprehensive processing and utilization of HDPM.
Continuous Bioproduction of Alginate Bacterial under Nitrogen Fixation and Nonfixation Conditions
Authors: Contreras-Abara Pablo , Castillo Tania , Ponce Belén , Urtuvia Viviana , Peña Carlos , Díaz-Barrera Alvaro
Published: April 2023

Alginate is a biomaterial produced by Azotobacter vinelandii, a diazotroph that, under nitrogen-fixing conditions, can fix nitrogen under high oxygen levels. In A. vinelandii, alginate is synthesized from fructose-6P via synthesis of precursor, polymerization, and modification/exportation. Due to its viscosifying, gelling, and thickening characteristics, alginate is widely used in food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetical industries. This study aimed to develop a continuous bioprocess and a comparative analysis of alginate production under diazotrophic and nondiazotrophic conditions. Continuous cultures were developed at three dilution rates (0.06, 0.08 and 0.10 h−1). In steady state, the respiratory activity, alginate production, alginate molecular weight and the genes encoding alginate polymerase were determined. Under the conditions studied, the specific oxygen uptake rate and respiratory quotient were similar. The diazotrophic conditions improved the conversion of sucrose to alginate and the specific productivity rate, which was 0.24 ± 0.03 g g−1 h−1. A higher alginate molecular weight (725 ± 20 kDa) was also achieved under diazotrophic conditions, which can be explained by an increase in the gene expression of genes alg8 and alg44 (encoding polymerase). The results of this work show the feasibility of enhancing alginate production (yields and specific productivity rates) and quality (molecular weight) under nitrogen-fixing conditions, opening the possibility of developing a continuous bioprocess to produce alginate with specific characteristics under conditions of diazotrophy.
The Effect of Refrigerated Storage on Anti-Diabetic and Antioxidant Potency of Probiotic Yogurt Treated with Some Medicinal Plants
Authors: Shori Amal Bakr , Baba Ahmad Salihin
Published: April 2023

This research aimed to evaluate the effect of the inclusion of Codonopsis pilosula (CP), Illicium verum (IV), Lycium barbarum (LB), and Psidium guajava (PG) water extracts in yogurt (Y) on phenolic antioxidant-linked α-amylase and α -glucosidase inhibitory activities. Four types of herbal yogurt (CP-Y, IV-Y, LB-Y, and PG-Y) and plain-Y (control) were prepared and stored in disposable plastic containers at 4 °C for 28 days. All samples were analysed for peptide concentration using O-phthaldialdehyde, total phenolic content (TPC), 1,1-Diphenyl-2-Picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging activity, and α-amylase and α-glucosidase inhibitory activities (IC50). LB-Y showed the highest peptide concentration and TPC (p < 0.05) among all the yogurts during storage. IV-Y showed the highest (p < 0.05) radical scavenging activity among all herbal yogurts. The best α-amylase and α-glucosidase inhibitory activity (IC50) for all herbal yogurt was on days 7 and 14 of storage. In conclusion, all herbal yogurts could be considered as a potential functional food with antioxidant and anti-diabetic properties.
Dose-Response of Fruit Oligosaccharides on Rumen Fermentation Parameters, CH4 Emission and Skatole Content In Vitro
Authors: Wang Liyan , Ji Shoukun , Yan Hui , Li Jinhui , Zhang Lishen , Yan Dezhi , Duan Chunhui , Liu Yueqin , Zhang Yingjie
Published: April 2023

The purpose of this work was to study the dose effects of fruit oligosaccharide (FOS) supplementation on rumen fermentation parameters, methane (CH4) production and skatole production. The rumen fluid of Hu sheep was collected through their fistula and immediately transferred to the laboratory for rumen fermentation in vitro. The experimental diet was supplemented with 0%, 0.2%, 0.8%, 1.2%, 1.8% and 2.4% FOS in the basal diet. Gas production (GP) and CH4 production were measured and recorded at 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 24, 36 and 48 h. After 48 h of fermentation, degradation rates of nutritional components, fermentation parameters and skatole content were determined. The results showed that the GP, the nutrient degradation rates and the fermentation parameters of rumen linearly increased with increasing doses of FOS supplementation (p < 0.05). There was a quadratic trend between FOS addition and CH4 production and skatole content in rumen fluid (p < 0.05). We also observed the CH4 production in the 1.2% FOS-treated group was significantly lower than the other FOS-treated groups. Skatole content of the 0.2%, 0.8% and 1.2% FOS-treated groups were significantly lower than the other FOS-treated groups (p < 0.05). Our findings indicated that the effect of FOS on rumen fermentation parameters, CH4 production and skatole production in vitro was dose-dependent. To improve the digestibility of nutrients and the fermentation parameters of rumen, a higher FOS dosage might be helpful. However, if CH4 and skatole production is a concern, a dose of FOS at 1.2% is recommended.
Optimization of Coconut Milk Kefir Beverage by RSM and Screening of Its Metabolites and Peptides
Authors: Abadl Muna Mahmood Taleb , Marzlan Anis Asyila , Sulaiman Rabiha , Abas Faridah , Meor Hussin Anis Shobirin
Published: April 2023

Probiotic foods such as kefir drinks help to improve the health and well-being of consumers. Since Salmonella resistance to current antibiotic drugs is rising at an alarming rate worldwide, especially in Africa and Asia, this has raised the need for alternative ways of preventing and treating infectious diseases in humans and animals. Thus, a dairy-free probiotic drink can be an alternative for people with milk allergies or for those who avoid dairy products as a lifestyle choice. This study aims to optimize the quality of the coconut milk kefir drink for its antioxidant and antimicrobial activities and to identify the peptides and metabolites present. The time, temperature, and inoculum size that resulted in the optimal antioxidant and antimicrobial activities using Response Surface Methodology (RSM) were found to be 13.4 h, 25 °C, and 5.4 g/100 mL, respectively. The metabolic changes of coconut milk kefir at the beginning and end of fermentation were identified using 1H-NMR-based metabolomics. Some of the metabolites that were identified in the optimized product are γ-Aminobutyric acid, Biotin, Riboflavin, Butyrate, Lactate, and Caprylate. Moreover, 10 peptide sequences were identified using LC-MS/MS. The findings of this study demonstrated a high potential for coconut milk fermented using kefir grains as a functional healthy drink.
Online Privacy Fatigue: A Scoping Review and Research Agenda
Authors: van der Schyff Karl , Foster Greg , Renaud Karen , Flowerday Stephen
Published: April 2023

Online users are responsible for protecting their online privacy themselves: the mantra is custodiat te (protect yourself). Even so, there is a great deal of evidence pointing to the fact that online users generally do not act to preserve the privacy of their personal information, consequently disclosing more than they ought to and unwisely divulging sensitive information. Such self-disclosure has many negative consequences, including the invasion of privacy and identity theft. This often points to a need for more knowledge and awareness but does not explain why even knowledgeable users fail to preserve their privacy. One explanation for this phenomenon may be attributed to online privacy fatigue. Given the importance of online privacy and the lack of integrative online privacy fatigue research, this scoping review aims to provide researchers with an understanding of online privacy fatigue, its antecedents and outcomes, as well as a critical analysis of the methodological approaches used. A scoping review based on the PRISMA-ScR checklist was conducted. Only empirical studies focusing on online privacy were included, with nontechnological studies being excluded. All studies had to be written in English. A search strategy encompassing six electronic databases resulted in eighteen eligible studies, and a backward search of the references resulted in an additional five publications. Of the 23 studies, the majority were quantitative (74%), with fewer than half being theory driven (48%). Privacy fatigue was mainly conceptualized as a loss of control (74% of studies). Five categories of privacy fatigue antecedents were identified: privacy risk, privacy control and management, knowledge and information, individual differences, and privacy policy characteristics. This study highlights the need for greater attention to be paid to the methodological design and theoretical underpinning of future research. Quantitative studies should carefully consider the use of CB-SEM or PLS-SEM, should aim to increase the sample size, and should improve on analytical rigor. In addition, to ensure that the field matures, future studies should be underpinned by established theoretical frameworks. This review reveals a notable absence of privacy fatigue research when modeling the influence of privacy threats and invasions and their relationship with privacy burnout, privacy resignation, and increased self-disclosure. In addition, this review provides insight into theoretical and practical research recommendations that future privacy fatigue researchers should consider going forward.
DEMATEL, AISM, and MICMAC-Based Research on Causative Factors of Self-Build Housing Fire Accidents in Rural Areas of China
Authors: Xing Yandong , Meng Wenjing , Zhou Jianliang , Hu Feixiang , Meng Luyao
Published: April 2023

In recent years, the fire safety problems in self-build housing in China’s vast rural areas have become increasingly prominent. We analyzed the interaction of causative factors and logical structure of self-build housing fire accidents (SBHFAs) to find their key causes and reduce their occurrence. Using the 24Model, 30 SBHFA investigation reports were analyzed, and 44 SBHFA causative factors and 97 causal relationship codes were obtained. The causality and centrality degree of causative factors were analyzed using the decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory (DEMATEL) method to obtain the causal attribute and importance of causative factors. An adversarial hierarchical topology model of causative factors was conducted using the adversarial interpretive structural modeling (AISM) method, and the causal hierarchical relationships were obtained. Using the Matrices Impacts Croises-Multiplication Appliance Classement (MICMAC) analysis, the causative factors’ dependency degree and driving force were calculated. Combining and comparing the results of DEMATEL, AISM, and MICMAC analyses, we found that the adversarial hierarchical topology model of causative factors was reasonable, and key direct causative factors, key transitional causative factors, and key root causative factors were mined. Controlling the key causative factors could effectively reduce the occurrence of SBHFAs and guide the fire safety management of self-build housings in rural areas of China.
Flame Retardant Polymer Composite and Recent Inclusion of Magnesium Hydroxide Filler Material: A Bibliometric Analysis towards Further Study Scope
Authors: Hasnat Md Rayhan , Hassan Md Kamrul , Saha Swapan
Published: April 2023

Fire accidents occur frequently and pose a great threat to high-rise buildings with flammable construction materials. Recently, researchers have been doing significant work on this topic to improve the flame retardancy of composites by adding inorganic metal hydroxide, such as magnesium hydroxide (MH), due to its higher thermal decomposition temperature and low toxicity. Research on flame retardant polymer composites with magnesium hydroxide is rapidly moving toward a more sustainable and safer future. This article provides a comprehensive review of the research trend along with the most cited publications. Most cited articles were chosen to observe the developments. The data collected from the Scopus database in the second week of March 2023 were also categorised to present country-wise improvement, the subject areas involved, and the author’s contribution to the topic. Some issues and challenges have also been highlighted from the analysis. By observing the research direction and highly cited articles, some of the further study scopes are also pointed out to develop fire-rated polymer composites for use as sustainable cladding materials for high-rise buildings.
Conservation Status Assessment of Demersal Elasmobranchs in the Balearic Islands (Western Mediterranean) over the Last Two Decades
Authors: Serrat Alba , Farriols Maria Teresa , Ramírez-Amaro Sergio , Ordines Francesc , Guijarro Beatriz , Ferragut-Perello Francesca , Massutí Enric
Published: April 2023

More than half of the Mediterranean sharks and rays are threatened by fishing exploitation. However, population assessments are limited by the scarcity of specific data on fishing catches. In this study, we assessed temporal trends of the indicators developed within the European Marine Strategy Framework Directive over the last two decades in order to assess the conservation status of demersal sharks and batoids in the Balearic Islands, which represent an important fraction of the bycatch of bottom trawling in this area. On the basis of a georeferenced, fishery-independent dataset of 19 species of elasmobranchs, we analyzed 20 year time series (2002–2021) of nine indicators regarding area distribution, population size, population status, and community structure. Between 30% and 50% of the elasmobranch species and functional groups showed increasing trends in distribution area and population size. This was especially true for batoids, whereas the distribution area and population size of most sharks remained stable over the study period. The remaining indicators showed stability or, in some cases, variable trends. Only in one case did we find a negative trend sustained all along the time series (i.e., the proportion of R. radula large individuals in relation to the reference period). Overall, our results suggest that the populations of elasmobranchs from the Balearic Islands show stable or recovery trends, mainly in terms of distribution area and density. However, it remains elusive whether this community can recover to the levels of more than half a century ago, before the development of the bottom trawl fishery, or whether this apparent current steady state should be interpreted as a new equilibrium.
Spatial and Temporal Differentiation of the Coordination and Interaction among the Three Fishery Industries in China from the Value Chain Perspective
Authors: Su Meng , Cheng Kai , Kong Hao
Published: April 2023

The efficiency change, mutual cooperation, and interaction among the three fishery industries in China can accurately reflect the level of economic development within the industry. Studying the relationships between the three fishery industries under the existing structural system is conducive to enhancing the endogenous power and steady progress of the industry. Using the DEA-Malmquist model, gray correlation, impulse response, and variance decomposition methods, this paper focuses on the specific value appreciation process of the three fishery industries, namely, fishery capture and aquaculture (primary industry), aquatic processing (secondary industry), and recreational fishery activities (tertiary industry), in order to analyze the synergy and interactive response relationship among the three fishery industries during the period of 2003 to 2020 based on the value chain. We propose specific policy suggestions regarding the overall efficiency level and integration degree of the three fishery industries. The results show the following: (1) the efficiency of fishery capture and aquaculture (primary industry) and aquatic processing (secondary industry) show significant regional differences, and the change in trend in the efficiency of recreational fishery activities (tertiary industry) is better than that of the other two. (2) Most of the synergy degrees of fish capture and aquaculture efficiency, aquatic processing efficiency, and recreational fishing efficiency, are medium and above. (3) The interactions among the efficiencies of the three fishery industries in the country and that in different regions vary. From a national perspective, the efficiency of the fishery industries can be dependent on economic inertia. There is a regional heterogeneity among the interactive responses to the efficiency of the three fishery industries in China; the interaction of fishery value chain efficiency in the four economic regions differs in both strength and direction. Exploring the synergy and interactive response among the three fishery industries in China from the value chain perspective can provide a basis for the precise governance of different regional characteristics and help to modernize the fishery industry.
Fire Spread in Multi-Storey Timber Building, a CFD Study
Authors: Hayajneh Suhaib M. , Naser Jamal
Published: April 2023

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the fire performance in a multi-storey cross-laminated timber (CLT) structure by the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) technique using the Fire Dynamics Simulator (FDS v.6.7). The study investigates fire temperature, heat release rate (HRR), and gas concentration (O2, CO2). The importance of this research is to ensure that the fire performance of timber buildings is adequate for occupant safety and property protection. Moreover, the proposed technique provides safety measures in advance for engineers when designing buildings with sufficient fire protection by predicting the fire temperature, time to flashover and fire behaviour. The present numerical modelling is designed to represent a 10-storey CLT residential building where each floor has an apartment with 9.14 m length by 9.14 width dimensions. The pyrolysis model was performed with thermal and kinetic parameters where the furniture, wood cribs and CLT were allowed to burn by themselves in simulation. This research is based on a full-scale experiment of a two-storey CLT building. The present results were validated by comparing them with the experimental data. Numerical simulation of CLT building models show a very close accuracy to the experiment performed in the benchmark paper. The results show that the CFD tools such as FDS can be used for predicting fire scenarios in multi-storey CLT buildings.
CFD Modeling of Heat Exchanger with Small Bent Radius Coils Using Porous Media Model
Authors: Dmitriev Sergey , Kurkin Andrey , Dobrov Aleksandr , Doronkov Denis , Pronin Aleksey , Solntsev Dmitry
Published: April 2023

The efficiency of heat transfer in air-cooled heat exchangers of various industrial facilities depends on the flow rate of the coolant, its inlet temperature and ambient temperature. These parameters are transient and depend both on the features of the technological process and on weather conditions. One option for a compact design of heat exchangers is the use of close-packed coils with a small bending radius. In this case, heat transfer in the complex geometry of the annular space cannot be described by simple one-dimensional dependencies. To solve this problem, it is necessary to consider the three-dimensional spatial structure of the heat exchange surface. Since the size of the grid elements will be several orders of magnitude less than the size of the facility, the size of the computational grids for CFD modeling full-scale heat exchangers will be billions of finite volumes, and even on powerful supercomputers, the solution time will be about a month. One way to reduce computational costs is to use reduced order models, in which the computational domain is not modeled directly; instead, simplified models, such as a porous medium model, are used to describe it. However, such models require additional closing relations and coefficients that characterize the actual channel geometry. This paper presents a technique for creating a digital twin of a heat exchanger with small bend radius coils based on a porous medium model. The values of heat transfer coefficients and hydraulic resistance depend on the speed of air movement in the space between the coils. The calculated value of the thermal power obtained using the strengthened model was 529 kW, which corresponds to the passport data of 500 kW, with less than 6% deviation for the heat exchanger under study. This confirms the correctness of the calculation with accepted simplifications. The calculation time in this case was only a few minutes when using a personal computer. The developed numerical model allows for the resolution of performance characteristics based on the temperature of the cooled medium at the inlet, air temperature, and fan speed. Analyzing the different modes of turning on the cooling fans made it possible to determine the values of the thermal power when turning off the fans or reducing the number of revolutions.
Octonion Special Affine Fourier Transform: Pitt’s Inequality and the Uncertainty Principles
Authors: Bhat Mohammad Younus , Dar Aamir Hamid , Zayed Mohra , Araci Serkan
Published: April 2023

The special affine Fourier transform (SAFT) is an extended version of the classical Fourier transform and incorporates various signal processing tools which include the Fourier transforms, the fractional Fourier transform, the linear canonical transform, and other related transforms. This paper aims to introduce a novel octonion special affine Fourier transform (O−SAFT) and establish several classes of uncertainty inequalities for the proposed transform. We begin by studying the norm split and energy conservation properties of the proposed (O−SAFT). Afterwards, we generalize several uncertainty relations for the (O−SAFT) which include Pitt’s inequality, Heisenberg–Weyl inequality, logarithmic uncertainty inequality, Hausdorff–Young inequality, and local uncertainty inequalities. Finally, we provide an illustrative example and some possible applications of the proposed transform.
Mathematical Analysis of Fractal-Fractional Mathematical Model of COVID-19
Authors: Sinan Muhammad , Alharthi Nadiyah Hussain
Published: April 2023

In this work, we modified a dynamical system that addresses COVID-19 infection under a fractal-fractional-order derivative. The model investigates the psychological effects of the disease on humans. We establish global and local stability results for the model under the aforementioned derivative. Additionally, we compute the fundamental reproduction number, which helps predict the transmission of the disease in the community. Using the Carlos Castillo-Chavez method, we derive some adequate results about the bifurcation analysis of the proposed model. We also investigate sensitivity analysis to the given model using the criteria of Chitnis and his co-authors. Furthermore, we formulate the characterization of optimal control strategies by utilizing Pontryagin’s maximum principle. We simulate the model for different fractal-fractional orders subject to various parameter values using Adam Bashforth’s numerical method. All numerical findings are presented graphically.
Applications of Fractional Operator in Image Processing and Stability of Control Systems
Authors: Zhang Xuefeng , Boutat Driss , Liu Dayan
Published: April 2023

Over recent years, a growing number of authors’ works from various science and engineering fields have dealt with dynamical systems, described by the connection between the theory of artificial intelligence and fractional differential equations, and many computational fractional intelligence systems and stability analysis and image processing applications have been proposed [...]
Influences of the Order of Derivative on the Dynamical Behavior of Fractional-Order Antisymmetric Lotka–Volterra Systems
Authors: Xu Mengrui
Published: April 2023

This paper studies the dynamic behavior of a class of fractional-order antisymmetric Lotka–Volterra systems. The influences of the order of derivative on the boundedness and stability are characterized by analyzing the first-order and 0<α<1-order antisymmetric Lotka–Volterra systems separately. We show that the order does not affect the boundedness but affects the stability. All solutions of the first-order system are periodic, while the 0<α<1-order system has no non-trivial periodic solution. Furthermore, the 0<α<1-order system can be reduced on a two-dimensional space and the reduced system is asymptotically stable, regardless of how close to zero the order of the derivative used is. Some numerical simulations are presented to better verify the theoretical analysis.
Generalized Criteria for Admissibility of Singular Fractional Order Systems
Authors: Zhang Longxin , Zhang Jin-Xi , Zhang Xuefeng
Published: April 2023

Unified frameworks for fractional order systems with fractional order 0<α<2 are worth investigating. The aim of this paper is to provide a unified framework for stability and admissibility for fractional order systems and singular fractional order systems with 0<α<2, respectively. By virtue of the LMI region and GLMI region, five stability theorems are presented. Two admissibility theorems for singular fractional order systems are extended from Theorem 5, and, in particular, a strict LMI stability criterion involving the least real decision variables without equality constraint by isomorphic mapping and congruent transform. The equivalence between the admissibility Theorems 6 and 7 is derived. The proposed framework contains some other existing results in the case of 1≤α<2 or 0<α<1. Compared with published unified frameworks, the proposed framework is truly unified and does not require additional conditional assignment. Finally, without loss of generality, a unified control law is designed to make the singular feedback system admissible based on the criterion in a strict LMI framework and demonstrated by two numerical examples.
Stabilization of a Non-linear Fractional Problem by a Non-Integer Frictional Damping and a Viscoelastic Term
Authors: Al-Homidan Banan , Tatar Nasser-eddine
Published: April 2023

In this paper, we consider a fractional equation of order between one and two which may be looked at as an interpolation between the heat and wave equations. The problem is non-linear as it involves a power-type non-linearity. We investigate the possibilities of stabilizing the system by a lower-order fractional term and/or a memory term involving the Laplacian. We prove a global Mittag–Leffler stability result in case a fractional frictional damping is active and a local Mittag–Leffler stability result when the material is viscoelastic in case of small relaxation functions. Unlike the integer-order problems, additional serious difficulties arise in the present case. These difficulties are highlighted clearly in the introduction. They are mainly due to the memory dependence of the fractional derivatives which is the cause of the invalidity of the product rule in particular. We utilize several properties in fractional calculus. Moreover, we introduce new Lyapunov-type functionals in the context of the multiplier technique.
Production of Hydrogel-Based Curcumin-Loaded O/W Suspoemulsions
Authors: Bodmer Timo , Hartmann Steffen F. , Keck Cornelia M. , Kleiner Martina , Köhler Karsten
Published: April 2023

Curcumin is a biopharmaceutical classification system (BCS) class IV substance with many potential therapeutic effects. However, like many other BCS IV active pharmaceutical ingredients, complex formulations are needed to guarantee a sufficiently high bioavailability. A not-so-well-known delivery system is a suspoemulsion (SE). SEs are emulsions with a crystalline API in continuous or dispersed phases. This study aimed to produce curcumin-loaded o/w suspoemulsions with the particle in the oil phase for, e.g., encapsulation or triggered release effects. The particles need to be smaller than the emulsion droplet size to attain high encapsulation efficiencies (EE) in the oil phase. Sonofragmentation and bead milling were tested for their ability to produce these nanocrystals in different dispersion media. It was discovered that production in miglyol was the best fit for the needed application of the crystals in SEs. Around 85% (by volume) of the particles produced with bead milling were smaller than the droplet size of about 5 µm. In contrast, only 23% of the sonofragmentated particles were below the diameter of those droplets. This oily suspension was then used to successfully produce hydrogel-based o/w suspoemulsions. In the second part of this study, we investigated different methods for determining encapsulation efficiency, but none of the methods accurately and satisfactorily resolved the encapsulation efficiency. Finally, the suspoemulsions could not be macroscopically distinguished from one another and were physically stable. In summary, we showed that stable hydrogel-based curcumin-loaded o/w suspoemulsions could be produced.
Improving Strategic Decisions in Sequential Games by Exploiting Positional Similarity
Authors: Evans Sabrina , Turrini Paolo
Published: April 2023

We study the strategic similarity of game positions in two-player extensive games of perfect information by looking at the structure of their local game trees, with the aim of improving the performance of game-playing agents in detecting forcing continuations. We present a range of measures over the induced game trees and compare them against benchmark problems in chess, observing a promising level of accuracy in matching up trap states. Our results can be applied to chess-like interactions where forcing moves play a role, such as those arising in bargaining and negotiation.
Comprehensive RNA-Seq Analysis Pipeline for Non-Model Organisms and Its Application in Schmidtea mediterranea
Authors: Wang Yanzhi , Li Sijun , Nong Baoting , Zhou Weiping , Xu Shuhua , Songyang Zhou , Xiong Yuanyan
Published: April 2023

RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) is a high-throughput technology that provides in-depth information on transcriptome. The advancement and dropping costs of RNA sequencing, accompanied by more available reference genomes for different species, make transcriptome analysis in non-model organisms possible. Current obstacles in analyzing RNA-seq data include a lack of functional annotation, which may complicate the process of linking genes to corresponding functions. Here, we provide a one-stop RNA-seq analysis pipeline, PipeOne-NM, for transcriptome functional annotation, non-coding RNA identification, and transcripts alternative splicing analysis of non-model organisms, intended for use with Illumina platform-based RNA-seq data. We performed PipeOne-NM on 237 Schmidtea mediterranea RNA-seq runs and assembled a transcriptome with 84,827 sequences from 49,320 genes, identifying 64,582 mRNA from 35,485 genes, 20,217 lncRNA from 17,084 genes, and 3481 circRNAs from 1103 genes. In addition, we performed a co-expression analysis of lncRNA and mRNA and identified that 1319 lncRNA co-express with at least one mRNA. Further analysis of samples from S. mediterranea sexual and asexual strains revealed the role of sexual reproduction in gene expression profiles. Samples from different parts of asexual S. mediterranea revealed that differential expression profiles of different body parts correlated with the function of conduction of nerve impulses. In conclusion, PipeOne-NM has the potential to provide comprehensive transcriptome information for non-model organisms on a single platform.
An In Vitro Model of Glioma Development
Authors: Schiera Gabriella , Cancemi Patrizia , Di Liegro Carlo Maria , Naselli Flores , Volpes Sara , Cruciata Ilenia , Cardinale Paola Sofia , Vaglica Fabiola , Calligaris Matteo , Carreca Anna Paola , Chiarelli Roberto , Scilabra Simone Dario , Leone Olga , Caradonna Fabio , Di Liegro Italia
Published: April 2023

Gliomas are the prevalent forms of brain cancer and derive from glial cells. Among them, astrocytomas are the most frequent. Astrocytes are fundamental for most brain functions, as they contribute to neuronal metabolism and neurotransmission. When they acquire cancer properties, their functions are altered, and, in addition, they start invading the brain parenchyma. Thus, a better knowledge of transformed astrocyte molecular properties is essential. With this aim, we previously developed rat astrocyte clones with increasing cancer properties. In this study, we used proteomic analysis to compare the most transformed clone (A-FC6) with normal primary astrocytes. We found that 154 proteins are downregulated and 101 upregulated in the clone. Moreover, 46 proteins are only expressed in the clone and 82 only in the normal cells. Notably, only 11 upregulated/unique proteins are encoded in the duplicated q arm of isochromosome 8 (i(8q)), which cytogenetically characterizes the clone. Since both normal and transformed brain cells release extracellular vesicles (EVs), which might induce epigenetic modifications in the neighboring cells, we also compared EVs released from transformed and normal astrocytes. Interestingly, we found that the clone releases EVs containing proteins, such as matrix metalloproteinase 3 (MMP3), that can modify the extracellular matrix, thus allowing invasion.
Genome-Wide Analysis of the Rad21/REC8 Gene Family in Cotton (Gossypium spp.)
Authors: Wang Yali , Zhou Lili , Guo Huiming , Cheng Hongmei
Published: April 2023

Cohesin is a ring-shaped protein complex and plays a critical role in sister chromosome cohesion, which is a key event during mitosis and meiosis. Meiotic recombination protein REC8 is one of the subunits of the cohesion complex. Although REC8 genes have been characterized in some plant species, little is known about them in Gossypium. In this study, 89 REC8 genes were identified and analyzed in 16 plant species (including 4 Gossypium species); 12 REC8 genes were identified in Gossypium. hirsutum, 11 in Gossypium. barbadense, 7 in Gossypium. raimondii, and 5 in Gossypium. arboreum. In a phylogenetic analysis, the 89 RCE8 genes clustered into 6 subfamilies (I–VI). The chromosome location, exon-intron structure, and motifs of the REC8 genes in the Gossypium species were also analyzed. Expression patterns of GhREC8 genes in various tissues and under abiotic stress treatments were analyzed based on public RNA-seq data, which indicated that GhREC8 genes might have different functions in growth and development. Additionally, qRT-PCR analysis showed that MeJA, GA, SA, and ABA treatments could induce the expression of GhREC8 genes. In general, the genes of the REC8 gene family of cotton were systematically analyzed, and their potential function in cotton mitosis, meiosis, and in response to abiotic stress and hormones were preliminary predicted, which provided an important basis for further research on cotton development and resistance to abiotic stress.
Direct and Secondary Transfer of Touch DNA on a Credit Card: Evidence Evaluation Given Activity Level Propositions and Application of Bayesian Networks
Authors: Onofri Martina , Altomare Cristina , Severini Simona , Tommolini Federica , Lancia Massimo , Carlini Luigi , Gambelunghe Cristiana , Carnevali Eugenia
Published: April 2023

In a judiciary setting, questions regarding the mechanisms of transfer, persistence, and recovery of DNA are increasingly more common. The forensic expert is now asked to evaluate the strength of DNA trace evidence at activity level, thus assessing if a trace, given its qualitative and quantitative features, could be the result of an alleged activity. The present study is the reproduction of a real-life casework scenario of illicit credit card use by a co-worker (POI) of its owner (O). After assessing the shedding propensity of the participants, differences in DNA traces’ qualitative and quantitative characteristics, given scenarios of primary and secondary transfer of touch DNA on a credit card, a non-porous plastic support, were investigated. A case-specific Bayesian Network to aid statistical evaluation was created and discrete observations, meaning the presence/absence of POI as a major contributor in both traces from direct and secondary transfer, were used to inform the probabilities of disputed activity events. Likelihood Ratios at activity level (LRα) were calculated for each possible outcome resulting from the DNA analysis. In instances where only POI and POI plus an unknown individual are retrieved, the values obtained show moderate to low support in favour of the prosecution proposition.
TLR4—A Pertinent Player in Radiation-Induced Heart Disease?
Authors: Gawali Basveshwar , Sridharan Vijayalakshmi , Krager Kimberly J. , Boerma Marjan , Pawar Snehalata A.
Published: April 2023

The heart is one of the organs that is sensitive to developing delayed adverse effects of ionizing radiation (IR) exposure. Radiation-induced heart disease (RIHD) occurs in cancer patients and cancer survivors, as a side effect of radiation therapy of the chest, with manifestation several years post-radiotherapy. Moreover, the continued threat of nuclear bombs or terrorist attacks puts deployed military service members at risk of exposure to total or partial body irradiation. Individuals who survive acute injury from IR will experience delayed adverse effects that include fibrosis and chronic dysfunction of organ systems such as the heart within months to years after radiation exposure. Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) is an innate immune receptor that is implicated in several cardiovascular diseases. Studies in preclinical models have established the role of TLR4 as a driver of inflammation and associated cardiac fibrosis and dysfunction using transgenic models. This review explores the relevance of the TLR4 signaling pathway in radiation-induced inflammation and oxidative stress in acute as well as late effects on the heart tissue and the potential for the development of TLR4 inhibitors as a therapeutic target to treat or alleviate RIHD.
CRISPR/Cas9-Mediated Knockout of tnfaip1 in Zebrafish Plays a Role in Early Development
Authors: Huang Shulan , Zhang Hongning , Chen Wen , Su Na , Yuan Changyue , Zhang Jian , Xiang Shuanglin , Hu Xiang
Published: April 2023

TNF α-induced protein 1 (TNFAIP1) was first identified in human umbilical vein endothelial cells and can be induced by tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα). Early studies have found that TNFAIP1 is involved in the development of many tumors and is closely associated with the neurological disorder Alzheimer’s disease. However, little is known about the expression pattern of TNFAIP1 under physiological conditions and its function during embryonic development. In this study, we used zebrafish as a model to illustrate the early developmental expression pattern of tnfaip1 and its role in early development. First, we examined the expression pattern of tnfaip1 during early zebrafish development using quantitative real-time PCR and whole mount in situ hybridization and found that tnfaip1 was highly expressed in early embryonic development and, subsequently, expression became localized to anterior embryonic structures. To investigate the function of tnfaip1 during early development, we constructed a model of a stably inherited tnfaip1 mutant using the CRISPR/Cas9 system. Tnfaip1 mutant embryos showed significant developmental delays as well as microcephaly and microphthalmia. At the same time, we found decreased expression of the neuronal marker genes tuba1b, neurod1, and ccnd1 in tnfaip1 mutants. Analysis of transcriptome sequencing data revealed altered expression of the embryonic development related genes dhx40, hspa13, tnfrsf19, nppa, lrp2b, hspb9, clul1, zbtb47a, cryba1a, and adgrg4a in the tnfaip1 mutants. These findings suggest an important role for tnfaip1 in the early development of zebrafish.
Helicobacter pylori Strains Isolated from Raw Poultry Meat in the Shahrekord Region, Iran: Frequency and Molecular Characteristics
Authors: Asadi Sepehr , Rahimi Ebrahim , Shakerian Amir
Published: April 2023

Even though Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is a serious pathogen, its origin is unknown. Poultry (chicken, turkey, quail, goose, and ostrich) is consumed as a regular protein source by many people across the world; therefore, sanitary ways of delivering poultry for food are important for global health. As a result, the distribution of the virulence genes cagA, vacA, babA2, oipA, and iceA in H. pylori isolates in poultry meat, as well as their antibacterial resistance, was investigated. A Wilkins Chalgren anaerobic bacterial medium was used to cultivate 320 samples of raw poultry meat. Disk diffusion and multiplex-PCR were used to investigate both antimicrobial resistance and genotyping patterns. H. pylori was found in 20 of 320 (6.25 %) raw chicken meat samples. The highest incidence of H. pylori was found in chicken raw meat (15%), whereas no isolate was recovered from goose or quail raw meat (0.00%). Resistance to ampicillin (85%), tetracycline (85%), and amoxicillin (75%) were the most commonly detected in the tested H. pylori isolates. The percentage of H. pylori isolates with a multiple antibiotic resistance (MAR) index value of more than 0.2 was 17/20 (85%). The most prevalent genotypes detected were VacA (75%), m1a (75%), s2 (70%) and m2 (65%), and cagA (60%). The most typically detected genotype patterns were s1am1a (45 %), s2m1a (45 %), and s2 m2 (30%). babA2, oipA+, and oipA- genotypes were found in 40%, 30%, and 30% of the population, respectively. In summary, fresh poultry meat was polluted by H. pylori, with the babA2, vacA, and cagA genotypes being more prevalent. The simultaneous occurrence of vacA, cagA, iceA, oipA, and babA2 genotypes in antibiotic-resistant H. pylori bacteria raises a serious public health concern regarding the consumption of raw poultry. Future research should evaluate antimicrobial resistance among H. pylori isolates in Iran.
Population Older than 69 Had Similar Fatality Rates Independently If They Were Admitted in Nursing Homes or Lived in the Community: A Retrospective Observational Study during COVID-19 First Wave
Authors: Martínez-Redondo Javier , Comas Carles , García-Serrano Cristina , Crespo-Pons Montserrat , Biendicho Palau Pilar , Vila Parrot Teresa , Reventoz Martínez Francisco , Aran Solé Lídia , Arola Serra Neus , Tarragona Tassies Eva , Pujol Salud Jesús
Published: April 2023

The aim of this study is to assess the influence of living in nursing homes on COVID-19-related mortality, and to calculate the real specific mortality rate caused by COVID-19 among people older than 20 years of age in the Balaguer Primary Care Centre Health Area during the first wave of the pandemic. We conducted an observational study based on a database generated between March and May 2020, analysing COVID-19-related mortality as a dependent variable, and including different independent variables, such as living in a nursing home or in the community (outside nursing homes), age, sex, symptoms, pre-existing conditions, and hospital admission. To evaluate the associations between the independent variables and mortality, we calculated the absolute and relative frequencies, and performed a chi-square test. To avoid the impact of the age variable on mortality and to assess the influence of the “living in a nursing home” variable, we established comparisons between infected population groups over 69 years of age (in nursing homes and outside nursing homes). Living in a nursing home was associated with a higher incidence of COVID-19 infection, but not with higher mortality in patients over 69 years of age (p = 0.614). The real specific mortality rate caused by COVID-19 was 2.270/00. In the study of the entire sample, all the comorbidities studied were associated with higher mortality; however, the comorbidities were not associated with higher mortality in the infected nursing home patients group, nor in the infected community patients over 69 years of age group (except for neoplasm history in this last group). Finally, hospital admission was not associated with lower mortality in nursing home patients, nor in community patients over 69 years of age.