bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Novel C1q Domain-Containing Protein Isolated from the Mollusk Modiolus kurilensis Recognizing Glycans Enriched with Acidic Galactans and Mannans
Authors: Grinchenko Andrei V. , von Kriegsheim Alex , Shved Nikita A. , Egorova Anna E. , Ilyaskina Diana V. , Karp Tatiana D. , Goncharov Nikolay V. , Petrova Irina Y. , Kumeiko Vadim V.
Published: December 2021

C1q domain-containing (C1qDC) proteins are a group of biopolymers involved in immune response as pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) in a lectin-like manner. A new protein MkC1qDC from the hemolymph plasma of Modiolus kurilensis bivalve mollusk widespread in the Northwest Pacific was purified. The isolation procedure included ammonium sulfate precipitation followed by affinity chromatography on pectin-Sepharose. The full-length MkC1qDC sequence was assembled using de novo mass-spectrometry peptide sequencing complemented with N-terminal Edman’s degradation, and included 176 amino acid residues with molecular mass of 19 kDa displaying high homology to bivalve C1qDC proteins. MkC1qDC demonstrated antibacterial properties against Gram-negative and Gram-positive strains. MkC1qDC binds to a number of saccharides in Ca2+-dependent manner which characterized by structural meta-similarity in acidic group enrichment of galactose and mannose derivatives incorporated in diversified molecular species of glycans. Alginate, κ-carrageenan, fucoidan, and pectin were found to be highly effective inhibitors of MkC1qDC activity. Yeast mannan, lipopolysaccharide (LPS), peptidoglycan (PGN) and mucin showed an inhibitory effect at concentrations three orders of magnitude greater than for the most effective saccharides. MkC1qDC localized to the mussel hemal system and interstitial compartment. Intriguingly, MkC1qDC was found to suppress proliferation of human adenocarcinoma HeLa cells in a dose-dependent manner, indicating to the biomedical potential of MkC1qDC protein.
Chemical and Physical Culture Conditions Significantly Influence the Cell Mass and Docosahexaenoic Acid Content of Aurantiochytrium limacinum Strain PKU#SW8
Authors: Chen Xiaohong , Sen Biswarup , Zhang Sai , Bai Mohan , He Yaodong , Wang Guangyi
Published: December 2021

Thraustochytrids are well-known unicellular heterotrophic marine protists because of their promising ability to accumulate docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). However, the implications of their unique genomic and metabolic features on DHA production remain poorly understood. Here, the effects of chemical and physical culture conditions on the cell mass and DHA production were investigated for a unique thraustochytrid strain, PKU#SW8, isolated from the seawater of Pearl River Estuary. All the tested fermentation parameters showed a significant influence on the cell mass and concentration and yield of DHA. The addition of monosaccharides (fructose, mannose, glucose, or galactose) or glycerol to the culture medium yielded much higher cell mass and DHA concentrations than that of disaccharides and starch. Similarly, organic nitrogen sources (peptone, yeast extract, tryptone, and sodium glutamate) proved to be beneficial in achieving a higher cell mass and DHA concentration. PKU#SW8 was found to grow and accumulate a considerable amount of DHA over wide ranges of KH2PO4 (0.125–1.0 g/L), salinity (0–140% seawater), pH (3–9), temperature (16–36 °C), and agitation (140–230 rpm). With the optimal culture conditions (glycerol, 20 g/L; peptone, 2.5 g/L; 80% seawater; pH 4.0; 28 °C; and 200 rpm) determined based on the shake-flask experiments, the cell mass and concentration and yield of DHA were improved up to 7.5 ± 0.05 g/L, 2.14 ± 0.03 g/L, and 282.9 ± 3.0 mg/g, respectively, on a 5-L scale fermentation. This study provides valuable information about the fermentation conditions of the PKU#SW8 strain and its unique physiological features, which could be beneficial for strain development and large-scale DHA production.
Cliona varians-Derived Actinomycetes as Bioresources of Photoprotection-Related Bioactive End-Products
Authors: Sánchez-Suárez Jeysson , Villamil Luisa , Coy-Barrera Ericsson , Díaz Luis
Published: December 2021

Sunscreen and sunblock are crucial skincare products to prevent photoaging and photocarcinogenesis through the addition of chemical filters to absorb or block ultraviolet (UV) radiation. However, several sunscreen and sunblock ingredients, mostly UV filters, have been associated with human and environmental safety concerns. Therefore, the exploration and discovery of promising novel sources of efficient and safer compounds with photoprotection-related activities are currently required. Marine invertebrates, particularly their associated microbiota, are promising providers of specialized metabolites with valuable biotechnological applications. Nevertheless, despite Actinobacteria members being a well-known source of bioactive metabolites, their photoprotective potential has been poorly explored so far. Hence, a set of methanolic extracts obtained from Cliona varians-derived actinomycetes was screened regarding their antioxidant and UV-absorbing capacities (i.e., photoprotection-related activities). The active extract-producing strains were identified and classified within genera Streptomyces, Micrococcus, Gordonia, and Promicromonospora. This is the first report of the isolation of these microorganisms from C. varians (an ecologically important Caribbean coral reef-boring sponge). The in vitro cytotoxicity on dermal fibroblasts of oxybenzone and the selected active extracts revealed that oxybenzone exerted a cytotoxic effect, whereas no cytotoxic effect of test extracts was observed. Accordingly, the most active (SPFi > 5, radical scavenging > 50%) and nontoxic (cell viability > 75%) extracts were obtained from Streptomyces strains. Finally, LC-MS-based characterization suggested a broad chemical space within the test strains and agreed with the reported streptomycetes’ chemodiversity. The respective metabolite profiling exposed a strain-specific metabolite occurrence, leading to the recognition of potential hits. These findings suggest that marine Streptomyces produce photoprotectants ought to be further explored in skincare applications.
Polyvinylidene Fluoride Membrane with a Polyvinylpyrrolidone Additive for Tofu Industrial Wastewater Treatment in Combination with the Coagulation–Flocculation Process
Authors: Purnawan Irfan , Angputra Derryadi , Debora Septiana Crista , Karamah Eva Fathul , Febriasari Arifina , Kartohardjono Sutrasno
Published: December 2021

Wastewater from the tofu industry contains many pollutants that are very harmful to the environment, significantly endangering aquatic life and producing a pungent odor. This study aims to prepare a polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) membrane with the additive polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), and utilize it to treat tofu wastewater in the ultrafiltration (UF) process. Flat sheet membranes were prepared using PVDF that was dissolved in N,N-dimethylacetamide (DMAc) and then combined with the additive material of PVP at the varying compositions of 14.9/0.1, 14.85/0.15, and 14.8/0.2 g of PVDF/gram of PVP. The addition of PVP was proposed to improve the properties of the membranes. Characterization by scanning electron microscope (SEM), water contact angle, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) were performed on the PVDF/PVP membrane flat sheet in order to understand and compare changes in the physical and chemical properties that occurred in the membrane. Prior to the UF process, the tofu wastewater was treated by a coagulation–flocculation process through a jar tester using poly aluminum chloride (PAC) as a coagulant. Based on the membrane characterization, the addition of PVP improved the physical and chemical properties of membranes. The pore size of the membrane becomes larger, which could increase permeability as well as the flux value. The TSS and turbidity of the water produced in the UF process decreased with an increase in feed pressure due to a greater driving force generated to facilitate the penetration of the suspended solids. The UF results showed that the effect of PVP on water flux was greatest for the 14.85/0.15 PVDF/PVP membrane for both pure and wastewater. In addition, the highest percentage of rejection for TSS and turbidity were observed in the 14.9/0.1 PVDF/PVP membrane and rejection for TDS was indicated in the 14.8/0.2 PVDF/PVP membrane. Meanwhile, the resulting pH decreased slightly across all samples as feed pressure increased.
Dynamic Modeling of a Proton-Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell Using a Gaussian Approach
Authors: González-Castaño Catalina , Lorente-Leyva Leandro L. , Alpala Janeth , Revelo-Fuelagán Javier , Peluffo-Ordóñez Diego H. , Restrepo Carlos
Published: December 2021

This paper proposes a Gaussian approach for the proton-exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) model that estimates its voltage behavior from the operating current value. A multi-parametric Gaussian model and an unconstrained optimization formulation based on a conventional non-linear least squares optimizer is mainly considered. The model is tested using experimental data from the Ballard Nexa 1.2 kW fuel cell (FC). This methodology offers a promising approach for static and current-voltage, characteristic of the three regions of operation. A statistical study is developed to evaluate the effectiveness and superiority of the proposed FC Gaussian model compared with the Diffusive Global model and the Evolution Strategy. In addition, an approximation to the exponential function for a Gaussian model simplification can be used in systems that require real-time emulators or complex long-time simulations.
Study of the Effect of a Plug with Torsion Channels on the Mixing Time in a Continuous Casting Ladle Water Model
Authors: Aguilar Gerardo , Solorio-Diaz Gildardo , Aguilar-Corona Alicia , Ramos-Banderas José Angel , Hernández Constantin A. , Saldaña Fernando
Published: December 2021

The use of porous plugs in injecting gas through the bottom of a ladle forms vertical plumes in a very similar way to a truncated cone. The gas plume when exiting the plug has a smaller diameter compared to that formed in the upper zone of the ladle because inertial forces predominate over buoyancy forces in this zone. In addition, the magnitude of the plume velocity is concentrated in an upward direction, which increases the likelihood of low velocity zones forming near the bottom of the ladle, especially in lower corners. In this work, a plug with spiral-shaped channels with different torsion angles is proposed, with the objective that the gas, when passing through them, has a tangential velocity gain or that the velocity magnitude is distributed in the three axes and does not just focus on the upward direction, helping to decrease low velocity zones near the bottom of the ladle for better mixing times. For the experimentation, we worked in a continuous casting ladle water model with two configuration injections, which in previous works were reported as the most efficient in mixing the steel in this ladle. The results obtained using the PIV technique (particle image velocimetry) and conductimetry technique indicate that the plugs with the torsion channels at angles of 60° and 120° improve the mixing times for the two injection configurations.
Serum Branched-Chain Amino Acid Metabolites Increase in Males When Aerobic Exercise Is Initiated with Low Muscle Glycogen
Authors: Margolis Lee M. , Karl J Philip , Wilson Marques A. , Coleman Julie L. , Whitney Claire C. , Pasiakos Stefan M.
Published: December 2021

This study used global metabolomics to identify metabolic factors that might contribute to muscle anabolic resistance, which develops when aerobic exercise is initiated with low muscle glycogen using global metabolomics. Eleven men completed this randomized, crossover study, completing two cycle ergometry glycogen depletion trials, followed by 24 h of isocaloric refeeding to elicit low (LOW; 1.5 g/kg carbohydrate, 3.0 g/kg fat) or adequate (AD; 6.0 g/kg carbohydrate 1.0 g/kg fat) glycogen. Participants then performed 80 min of cycling (64 ± 3% VO2 peak) while ingesting 146 g carbohydrate. Serum was collected before glycogen depletion under resting and fasted conditions (BASELINE), and before (PRE) and after (POST) exercise. Changes in metabolite profiles were calculated by subtracting BASELINE from PRE and POST within LOW and AD. There were greater increases (p < 0.05, Q < 0.10) in 64% of branched-chain amino acids (BCAA) metabolites and 69% of acyl-carnitine metabolites in LOW compared to AD. Urea and 3-methylhistidine had greater increases (p < 0.05, Q < 0.10) in LOW compared to AD. Changes in metabolomics profiles indicate a greater reliance on BCAA catabolism for substrate oxidation when exercise is initiated with low glycogen stores. These findings provide a mechanistic explanation for anabolic resistance associated with low muscle glycogen, and suggest that exogenous BCAA requirements to optimize muscle recovery are likely greater than current recommendations.
Colorimetric Phosphate Detection Using Organic DFB Laser Based Absorption Spectroscopy
Authors: Pudleiner Thilo , Sutter Elias , Knyrim Jörg , Karnutsch Christian
Published: December 2021

A novel compact laser absorption spectrometer is developed for colorimetric detection. We demonstrate the realization of the system as well as example measurements of phosphate in water samples based on the malachite green (MG) method. A phosphate concentration range of 1 mg/L to 31.25 μg/L (which corresponds to a molar concentration range of 10.5 μmol/L to 329 nmol/L) is investigated. This photometer demonstrates the ease of integration of organic distributed feedback (DFB) lasers and their miniaturizability, leading the way toward optofluidic on-chip absorption spectrometers. We constructed an optically pumped organic second-order DFB laser on a transparent substrate, including a transparent encapsulation layer, to have access to both emission directions of the surface-emitting laser. Using the two different surface emission directions of the laser resonator allows monitoring of the emitted light intensity without using additional optical elements. Based on these advances, it is possible to miniaturize the measurement setup of a laser absorption spectrometer and to measure analytes, such as phosphate.
New Submicron Low Gate Leakage In0.52Al0.48As-In0.7Ga0.3As pHEMT for Low-Noise Applications
Authors: Packeer Mohamed Mohamed Fauzi , Mohamed Omar Mohamad Faiz , Akbar Jalaludin Khan Muhammad Firdaus , Ghazali Nor Azlin , Hairi Mohd Hendra , Falina Shaili , Samsol Baharin Mohd Syamsul Nasyriq
Published: December 2021

Conventional pseudomorphic high electron mobility transistor (pHEMTs) with lattice-matched InGaAs/InAlAs/InP structures exhibit high mobility and saturation velocity and are hence attractive for the fabrication of three-terminal low-noise and high-frequency devices, which operate at room temperature. The major drawbacks of conventional pHEMT devices are the very low breakdown voltage (<2 V) and the very high gate leakage current (∼1 mA/mm), which degrade device and performance especially in monolithic microwave integrated circuits low-noise amplifiers (MMIC LNAs). These drawbacks are caused by the impact ionization in the low band gap, i.e., the InxGa(1−x)As (x = 0.53 or 0.7) channel material plus the contribution of other parts of the epitaxial structure. The capability to achieve higher frequency operation is also hindered in conventional InGaAs/InAlAs/InP pHEMTs, due to the standard 1 μm flat gate length technology used. A key challenge in solving these issues is the optimization of the InGaAs/InAlAs epilayer structure through band gap engineering. A related challenge is the fabrication of submicron gate length devices using I-line optical lithography, which is more cost-effective, compared to the use of e-Beam lithography. The main goal for this research involves a radical departure from the conventional InGaAs/InAlAs/InP pHEMT structures by designing new and advanced epilayer structures, which significantly improves the performance of conventional low-noise pHEMT devices and at the same time preserves the radio frequency (RF) characteristics. The optimization of the submicron T-gate length process is performed by introducing a new technique to further scale down the bottom gate opening. The outstanding achievements of the new design approach are 90% less gate current leakage and 70% improvement in breakdown voltage, compared with the conventional design. Furthermore, the submicron T-gate length process also shows an increase of about 58% and 33% in fT and fmax, respectively, compared to the conventional 1 μm gate length process. Consequently, the remarkable performance of this new design structure, together with a submicron gate length facilitatesthe implementation of excellent low-noise applications.
Porous Structure of Cylindrical Particle Compacts
Authors: Boribayeva Aidana , Iniyatova Gulfairuz , Uringaliyeva Aruzhan , Golman Boris
Published: December 2021

The porous compacts of non-spherical particles are frequently used in energy storage devices and other advanced applications. In the present work, the microstructures of compacts of monodisperse cylindrical particles are investigated. The cylindrical particles with various aspect ratios are generated using superquadrics, and the discrete element method was adopted to simulate the compacts formed under gravity deposition of randomly oriented particles. The Voronoi tessellation is then used to quantify the porous microstructure of compacts. With one exception, the median reduced free volume of Voronoi cells increases, and the median local packing density decreases for compacts composed of cylinders with a high aspect ratio, indicating a loose packing of long cylinders due to their mechanical interlocking during compaction. The obtained data are needed for further optimization of compact porous microstructure to improve the transport properties of compacts of non-spherical particles.
High-Adhesive Flexible Electrodes and Their Manufacture: A Review
Authors: Xiao Yingying , Wang Mengzhu , Li Ye , Sun Zhicheng , Liu Zilong , He Liang , Liu Ruping
Published: December 2021

All human activity is associated with the generation of electrical signals. These signals are collectively referred to as electrical physiology (EP) signals (e.g., electrocardiogram, electroencephalogram, electromyography, electrooculography, etc.), which can be recorded by electrodes. EP electrodes are not only widely used in the study of primary diseases and clinical practice, but also have potential applications in wearable electronics, human–computer interface, and intelligent robots. Various technologies are required to achieve such goals. Among these technologies, adhesion and stretchable electrode technology is a key component for rapid development of high-performance sensors. In last decade, remarkable efforts have been made in the development of flexible and high-adhesive EP recording systems and preparation technologies. Regarding these advancements, this review outlines the design strategies and related materials for flexible and adhesive EP electrodes, and briefly summarizes their related manufacturing techniques.
2-Methylisoborneol (2-MIB) Excretion by Pseudanabaena yagii under Low Temperature
Authors: Jeong Ju-Yong , Lee Sang-Hoon , Yun Mi-Ra , Oh Seung-Eun , Lee Kyong-Hee , Park Hee-Deung
Published: December 2021

Outbreaks of 2-methylisoborneol (2-MIB) contamination in drinking water sources cause inconvenient odor issues in the water distribution system. In this study, microscopy-based isolation with physiological and molecular phylogenetic characterization were performed to investigate and characterize the 2-MIB odor producers that caused an odor problem in the freshwater system of the North Han River in the autumn of 2018. A benthic cyanobacterium was isolated from 2-MIB odor-issue freshwater samples and was found to be phylogenetically affiliated with Pseudanabaena yagii (99.66% sequence similarity), which was recorded in South Korea for the first time. The 2-MIB synthesis gene sequences from the odor-issue freshwater samples showed 100% similarity with those in the P. yagii strains. Protein sequences of 2-MIB synthase observed in the genome of the isolated strain showed structural and functional characteristics similar to those observed in other Pseudanabaena species. The 2-MIB production rate increased slowly during mat formation on the vessel wall; however, it rapidly increased after the temperature dropped. The 2-MIB gene was continuously expressed regardless of the temperature changes. These results suggest that the 2-MIB odor issue in the North Han River might be caused by the release of 2-MIB from the mat-forming P. yagii species in a low-temperature freshwater environment.
A Cell Culture System to Investigate Marek’s Disease Virus Integration into Host Chromosomes
Authors: You Yu , Vychodil Tereza , Aimola Giulia , Previdelli Renato L. , Göbel Thomas W. , Bertzbach Luca D. , Kaufer Benedikt B.
Published: December 2021

Marek’s disease virus (MDV) is a highly oncogenic alphaherpesvirus that causes a devastating neoplastic disease in chickens. MDV has been shown to integrate its genome into the telomeres of latently infected and tumor cells, which is crucial for efficient tumor formation. Telomeric repeat arrays present at the ends of the MDV genome facilitate this integration into host telomeres; however, the integration mechanism remains poorly understood. Until now, MDV integration could only be investigated qualitatively upon infection of chickens. To shed further light on the integration mechanism, we established a quantitative integration assay using chicken T cell lines, the target cells for MDV latency and transformation. We optimized the infection conditions and assessed the establishment of latency in these T cells. The MDV genome was efficiently maintained over time, and integration was confirmed in these cells by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). To assess the role of the two distinct viral telomeric repeat arrays in the integration process, we tested various knockout mutants in our in vitro integration assay. Efficient genome maintenance and integration was thereby dependent on the presence of the telomeric repeat arrays in the virus genome. Taken together, we developed and validated a novel in vitro integration assay that will shed light on the integration mechanism of this highly oncogenic virus into host telomeres.
Effect of Oxycations in Clay Mineral on Adsorption—Vanadyl Exchange Bentonites and Their Ability for Amiloride Removal
Authors: Oliveira Leandro , Osajima Josy , Peña-Garcia Ramon Raudel , Silva-Filho Edson Cavalcanti , Fonseca Maria Gardennia
Published: December 2021

The presence of drugs in aquatic bodies is a prevailing issue, and their removal by adsorption is an effective treatment. Among the adsorbents, those based clay minerals have been proposed. Bentonite is a clay mineral that is widely studied as an adsorbent due to its unique physicochemical properties, such as cation exchange capacity (CEC), intercalation, and adsorption. The properties of bentonites can be improved through chemical modifications, such as the incorporation of organic and/or inorganic compounds. These modifications allow for the efficient removal of different contaminants, including pharmaceutical compounds. In this work, raw sodium bentonite (Na+-Bent) and vanadyl bentonites were prepared using 100 (BentV1), 300 (BentV3), and 500% (BentV5) of the cationic exchange capacity of the Na+-Bent and further used for amiloride removal from aqueous solution. Analysis of X-ray fluorescence and Na+ in solution after interaction indicated that the principal mechanism of interaction between bentonite and ions was the ion exchange between sodium of the matrix and vanadyl in solution. Infrared spectroscopy suggested the contribution of coordination of the interlayer water with the vanadyl ions and hydrogen bonding between vanadyl and structural OH. X-ray diffraction analysis indicated that vanadyl ions were incorporated onto Na+-Bent. Amiloride adsorption was better at pH 5.8, using a solid dosage of 75 mg of Na+-Bent, 25 mg of BentV1 and BentV5, and 50 mg of BentV3. The adsorption occurred briefly until 20 min, and maximum removal values were 457.08, 374.64, 102.56, and 25.63 mg·g−1 for Na+-Bent, BentV1, BentV3, and BentV5, respectively. At lower drug concentrations (48.78 and 91.24 mg·g−1 for Na+-Bent and BentV3), the best performance was obtained for the BentV3 sample.
The Source of Fracture-Cave Mud Fillings of the Ordovician Yingshan Formation and Its Paleokarst Environment in the Northern Slope of the Tazhong Uplift, Tarim Basin, China: Based on Petrology and Geochemical Analysis
Authors: Dan Yong , Nie Guoquan , Liang Bin , Zhang Qingyu , Li Jingrui , Dong Hongqi , Ji Shaocong
Published: December 2021

The karst fracture-cave oil and gas reservoirs of the Yingshan Formation in the northern slope of the Tazhong Uplift are well developed and have achieved good exploration results. However, the karst fracture-cave near the top of the Yingshan Formation is basically filled with mud fillings, which seriously affect the reservoir property, and the source and filling environment of the mud fillings have been unclear. Through the petrological and geochemical analysis of the fracture-cave fillings system in the typical wells of the Yingshan Formation, it has been found that (1) the fracture-cave fillings are mainly composed of a mixture of the bedrock dissolution dissociation particles, clay minerals, and calcite cements of the Yingshan Formation, and the content of each component in the different wells or in the cave interval is quite different. (2) Rare earth element analysis shows that the rare earth distribution pattern of the fracture-cave fillings is similar to the bottom marlstone of the Lianglitage Formation, indicating that the fracture-cave fillings should be mainly derived from the early seawater of the deposition during the Lianglitage Formation. (3) Cathodoluminescence, trace element analysis, and previous studies have shown that the formation and fillings of the fractures and caves mainly occurred in the hypergene period, which had the characteristics of an oxidized environment, and that there are two filling effects. First, the limestone of the Yingshan Formation experienced the formation of karst caves due to meteoric freshwater dissolution during the exposure period, and the limestone of the Yingshan Formation was dissolved, resulting in some insoluble clay and residual limestone gravel particles brought into the cave by the meteoric freshwater for filling. Second, the seawater transgression also played an important role during the deposition of the Lianglitage Formation. The clay content in the seawater was high during the early deposition of the Lianglitage Formation, which led to the clay being brought into the caves by the seawater during the deposition of the Lianglitage Formation for further filling; at the same time, calcite deposited into the caves with the clay. The above research promotes the study of the formation mechanism of the karst cave reservoir in the Yingshan Formation and has important theoretical significance for the guiding of the next oil and gas exploration in this area.
Quantification of Kaolinite and Halloysite Using Machine Learning from FTIR, XRF, and Brightness Data
Authors: Du Plessis Pieter I. , Gazley Michael F. , Tay Stephanie L. , Trunfull Eliza F. , Knorsch Manuel , Branch Thomas , Fourie Louis F.
Published: December 2021

Quantification of halloysite and kaolinite in clay deposits from X-ray diffraction (XRD) commonly requires extensive sample preparation to differentiate the two phyllosilicates. When assessing hundreds of samples for mineral resource estimations, XRD analyses may become unfeasible due to time and expense. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) analysis is a fast and cost-effective method to discriminate between kaolinite and halloysite; however, few efforts have been made to use this technique for quantified analysis of these minerals. In this study, we trained machine- and deep-learning models on XRD data to predict the abundance of kaolinite and halloysite from FTIR, chemical composition, and brightness data. The case study is from the Cloud Nine kaolinite–halloysite deposit, Noombenberry Project, Western Australia. The residual clay deposit is hosted in the saprolitic and transition zone of the weathering profile above the basement granite on the southwestern portion of the Archean Yilgarn Craton. Compared with XRD quantification, the predicted models have an R2 of 0.97 for kaolinite and 0.96 for halloysite, demonstrating an excellent fit. Based on these results, we demonstrate that our methodology provides a cost-effective alternative to XRD to quantify kaolinite and halloysite abundances.
Mineral Photos Recognition Based on Feature Fusion and Online Hard Sample Mining
Authors: Jia Liqin , Yang Mei , Meng Fang , He Mingyue , Liu Hongmin
Published: December 2021

Mineral recognition is of importance in geological research. Traditional mineral recognition methods need professional knowledge or special equipment, are susceptible to human experience, and are inconvenient to carry in some conditions such as in the wild. The development of computer vision provides a possibility for convenient, fast, and intelligent mineral recognition. Recently, several mineral recognition methods based on images using a neural network have been proposed for this aim. However, these methods do not exploit features extracted from the backbone network or available information of the samples in the mineral dataset sufficiently, resulting in low recognition accuracy. In this paper, a method based on feature fusion and online hard sample mining is proposed to improve recognition accuracy by using only mineral photo images. This method first fuses multi-resolution features extracted from ResNet-50 to obtain comprehensive information of mineral photos, and then proposes the weighted top-k loss to emphasize the learning of hard samples. Based on a dataset consisting of 14,986 images of 22 common minerals, the proposed method with 10-fold cross-validation achieves a Top1 accuracy of 88.01% on the validation image set, surpassing those of Inception-v3 and EfficientNet-B0 by a margin of 1.88% and 1.29%, respectively, which demonstrates the good prospect of the proposed method for convenient and reliable mineral recognition using mineral photos only.
Simulating Nearshore Wave Processes Utilizing an Enhanced Boussinesq-Type Model
Authors: Metallinos Anastasios , Chondros Michalis , Papadimitriou Andreas
Published: December 2021

The simulation of wave propagation and penetration inside ports and coastal areas is of paramount importance to engineers and scientists desiring to obtain an accurate representation of the wave field. However, this is often a rather daunting task due to the complexity of the processes that need to be resolved, as well as the demanding levels of required computational resources. In the present paper, the enhancements made on an existing sophisticated Boussinesq-type wave model, concerning the accurate generation of irregular multidirectional waves, as well as an empirical methodology to calculate wave overtopping discharges, are presented. The model was extensively validated against 4 experimental test cases, covering a wide range of applications, namely wave propagation over a shoal, wave penetration in ports through a breakwater gap, wave breaking on a plane sloping beach, and wave overtopping behind breakwaters. Good agreement of the model results with all experimental measurements was achieved, rendering the wave model a valuable tool in real-life applications for engineers and scientists desiring to obtain accurate solutions of the wave field in wave basins and complex coastal areas, while keeping computational times at reasonable levels.
LINC02532 Contributes to Radiosensitivity in Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma through the miR-654-5p/YY1 Axis
Authors: Zhou Xiaoguang , Zeng Bowen , Li Yansheng , Wang Haozhou , Zhang Xiaodong
Published: December 2021

Background: Studies have shown that long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) play essential roles in tumor progression and can affect the response to radiotherapy, including in clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC). LINC02532 has been found to be upregulated in ccRCC. However, not much is known about this lncRNA. Hence, this study aimed to investigate the role of LINC02532 in ccRCC, especially in terms of radioresistance. Methods: Quantitative real-time PCR was used to detect the expression of LINC02532, miR-654-5p, and YY1 in ccRCC cells. Protein levels of YY1, cleaved PARP, and cleaved-Caspase-3 were detected by Western blotting. Cell survival fractions, viability, and apoptosis were determined by clonogenic survival assays, CCK-8 assays, and flow cytometry, respectively. The interplay among LINC02532, miR-654-5p, and YY1 was detected by chromatin immunoprecipitation and dual-luciferase reporter assays. In addition, in vivo xenograft models were established to investigate the effect of LINC02532 on ccRCC radioresistance in 10 nude mice. Results: LINC02532 was highly expressed in ccRCC cells and was upregulated in the cells after irradiation. Moreover, LINC02532 knockdown enhanced cell radiosensitivity both in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, YY1 activated LINC02532 in ccRCC cells, and LINC02532 acted as a competing endogenous RNA that sponged miR-654-5p to regulate YY1 expression. Rescue experiments indicated that miR-654-5p overexpression or YY1 inhibition recovered ccRCC cell functions that had been previously impaired by LINC02532 overexpression. Conclusions: Our results revealed a positive feedback loop of LINC02532/miR-654-5p/YY1 in regulating the radiosensitivity of ccRCC, suggesting that LINC02532 might be a potential target for ccRCC radiotherapy. This study could serve as a foundation for further research on the role of LINC02532 in ccRCC and other cancers.
Advances in Radiopharmaceutical Sciences for Vascular Inflammation Imaging: Focus on Clinical Applications
Authors: Prigent Kevin , Vigne Jonathan
Published: December 2021

Biomedical imaging technologies offer identification of several anatomic and molecular features of disease pathogenesis. Molecular imaging techniques to assess cellular processes in vivo have been useful in advancing our understanding of several vascular inflammatory diseases. For the non-invasive molecular imaging of vascular inflammation, nuclear medicine constitutes one of the best imaging modalities, thanks to its high sensitivity for the detection of probes in tissues. 2-[18F]fluoro-2-deoxy-d-glucose ([18F]FDG) is currently the most widely used radiopharmaceutical for molecular imaging of vascular inflammatory diseases such as atherosclerosis and large-vessel vasculitis. The combination of [18F]FDG and positron emission tomography (PET) imaging has become a powerful tool to identify and monitor non-invasively inflammatory activities over time but suffers from several limitations including a lack of specificity and avid background in different localizations. The use of novel radiotracers may help to better understand the underlying pathophysiological processes and overcome some limitations of [18F]FDG PET for the imaging of vascular inflammation. This review examines how [18F]FDG PET has given us deeper insight into the role of inflammation in different vascular pathologies progression and discusses perspectives for alternative radiopharmaceuticals that could provide a more specific and simple identification of pathologies where vascular inflammation is implicated. Use of these novel PET tracers could lead to a better understanding of underlying disease mechanisms and help inform the identification and stratification of patients for newly emerging immune-modulatory therapies. Future research is needed to realize the true clinical translational value of PET imaging in vascular inflammatory diseases.
Quality Evaluation of Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma Based on Combinative Method of HPLC Fingerprint, Quantitative Analysis of Multi-Components and Chemical Pattern Recognition Analysis
Authors: Zheng Cheng , Li Wenting , Yao Yao , Zhou Ying
Published: December 2021

A method for the quality evaluation of Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma (AMR) based on high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) fingerprint, HPLC quantification, and chemical pattern recognition analysis was developed and validated. The fingerprint similarity of the 27 batches of AMR samples was 0.887–0.999, which indicates there was very limited variance between the batches. The 27 batches of samples were divided into two categories according to cluster analysis (CA) and principal component analysis (PCA). A total of six differential components of AMR were identified in the partial least-squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA), among which atractylenolide I, II, III, and atractylone counted 0.003–0.045%, 0.006–0.023%, 0.001–0.058%, and 0.307–1.175%, respectively. The results indicate that the quality evaluation method could be used for quality control and authentication of AMR.
Diallyl Trisulfide, the Antifungal Component of Garlic Essential Oil and the Bioactivity of Its Nanoemulsions Formed by Spontaneous Emulsification
Authors: Gong Xue , Su Xiaoqian , Liu Hongjia
Published: December 2021

The aim of this study was to evaluate the chemical compounds of garlic essential oil (EO), and determine the antifungal efficacy of garlic EO and its major components, diallyl trisulfide and its nanoemulsions against wood-rotting fungi, Trametes hirsuta and Laetiporus sulphureus. GC-MS analysis revealed that the major constituents of garlic EO were diallyl trisulfide (39.79%), diallyl disulfide (32.91%), and diallyl sulfide (7.02%). In antifungal activity, the IC50 value of garlic EO against T. hirsuta and L. sulphureus were 137.3 and 44.6 μg/mL, respectively. Results from the antifungal tests demonstrated that the three major constituents were shown to have good antifungal activity, in which, diallyl trisulfide was the most effective against T. hirsuta and L. sulphureus, with the IC50 values of 56.1 and 31.6 μg/mL, respectively. The diallyl trisulfide nanoemulsions showed high antifungal efficacy against the examined wood-rotting fungi, and as the amount of diallyl trisulfide in the lipid phase increases, the antifungal efficacy of the nanoemulsions increases. These results showed that the nanoemulsions and normal emulsion of diallyl trisulfide have potential to develop into a natural wood preservative.
Robot-Enhanced Language Learning for Children in Norwegian Day-Care Centers
Authors: Halbach Till , Schulz Trenton , Leister Wolfgang , Solheim Ivar
Published: December 2021

In a case study, we transformed the existing learning program Language Shower, which is used in some Norwegian day-care centers in the Grorud district of Oslo municipality, into a digital solution using an app for smartphones or tablets with the option for further enhancement of the presentation by a NAO robot. The solution was tested in several iterations and multiple day-care centers over several weeks. Measurements of the children’s progress across learning sessions indicated a positive impact of the program using a robot as compared to the program without a robot. In situ observations and interviews with day-care center staff confirmed the solution’s many advantages, but also revealed some important areas for improvement. In particular, the speech recognition needs to be more flexible and robust, and special measures have to be in place to handle children speaking simultaneously.
Identification of Usability Issues of Interactive Technologies in Cultural Heritage through Heuristic Evaluations and Usability Surveys
Authors: Lam Duyen , Hoang Thuong , Sajjanhar Atul
Published: December 2021

Usability is a principal aspect of the system development process to improve and augment system facilities and meet users’ needs and necessities in all domains. It is no exception for cultural heritage. Usability problems of the interactive technology practice in cultural heritage museums should be recognized thoroughly from the viewpoints of experts and users. This paper reports on a two-phase empirical study to identify the usability problems in audio guides and websites of cultural heritage museums in Vietnam, as a developing country, and Australia, as a developed country. In phase one, five-user experience experts identified usability problems using the set of usability heuristics, and proposed suggestions to mitigate these issues. Ten usability heuristics identified a total of 176 problems for audio guides and websites. In phase two, we conducted field usability surveys to collect the real users’ opinions to detect the usability issues and examine the negative-ranked usability. The outstanding issues for audio guides and websites were pointed out. Identification of relevant usability issues and users’ and experts’ suggestions for these technologies should be given immediate attention to helping organizations and interactive service providers improve technologies’ adoptions. The paper’s findings are reliable inputs for our future study about the preeminent UX framework for interactive technology in the CH domain.
Treatment with Argovit® Silver Nanoparticles Induces Differentiated Postharvest Biosynthesis of Compounds with Pharmaceutical Interest in Carrot (Daucus carota L.)
Authors: Santoscoy-Berber Laura Sofia , Antunes-Ricardo Marilena , Gallegos-Granados Melissa Zulahi , García-Ramos Juan Carlos , Pestryakov Alexey , Toledano-Magaña Yanis , Bogdanchikova Nina , Chavez-Santoscoy Rocio Alejandra
Published: December 2021

The global market for plant-derived bioactive compounds is growing significantly. The use of plant secondary metabolites has been reported to be used for the prevention of chronic diseases. Silver nanoparticles were used to analyze the content of enhancement phenolic compounds in carrots. Carrot samples were immersed in different concentrations (0, 5, 10, 20, or 40 mg/L) of each of five types of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) for 3 min. Spectrophotometric methods measured the total phenolic compounds and the antioxidant capacity. The individual phenolic compounds were quantified by High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) and identified by –mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS). The five types of AgNPs could significantly increase the antioxidant capacity of carrots’ tissue in a dose-dependent manner. An amount of 20 mg/L of type 2 and 5 silver nanoparticle formulations increased the antioxidant capacity 3.3-fold and 4.1-fold, respectively. The phenolic compounds that significantly increased their content after the AgNP treatment were chlorogenic acid, 3-O-caffeoylquinic acid, and 5′-caffeoylquinic acid. The increment of each compound depended on the dose and the type of the used AgNPs. The exogenous application of Argovit® AgNPs works like controlled abiotic stress and produces high-value secondary bioactive compounds in carrot.
Co-Regulation of Protein Coding Genes by Transcription Factor and Long Non-Coding RNA in SARS-CoV-2 Infected Cells: An In Silico Analysis
Authors: Saha Chinmay , Laha Sayantan , Chatterjee Raghunath , Bhattacharyya Nitai P.
Published: December 2021

Altered expression of protein coding gene (PCG) and long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) have been identified in SARS-CoV-2 infected cells and tissues from COVID-19 patients. The functional role and mechanism (s) of transcriptional regulation of deregulated genes in COVID-19 remain largely unknown. In the present communication, reanalyzing publicly available gene expression data, we observed that 66 lncRNA and 5491 PCG were deregulated in more than one experimental condition. Combining our earlier published results and using different publicly available resources, it was observed that 72 deregulated lncRNA interacted with 3228 genes/proteins. Many targets of deregulated lncRNA could also interact with SARS-CoV-2 coded proteins, modulated by IFN treatment and identified in CRISPR screening to modulate SARS-CoV-2 infection. The majority of the deregulated lncRNA and PCG were targets of at least one of the transcription factors (TFs), interferon responsive factors (IRFs), signal transducer, and activator of transcription (STATs), NFκB, MYC, and RELA/p65. Deregulated 1069 PCG was joint targets of lncRNA and TF. These joint targets are significantly enriched with pathways relevant for SARS-CoV-2 infection indicating that joint regulation of PCG could be one of the mechanisms for deregulation. Over all this manuscript showed possible involvement of lncRNA and mechanisms of deregulation of PCG in the pathogenesis of COVID-19.
The Case for Octopus Consciousness: Unity
Authors: Mather Jennifer
Published: December 2021

Birch et al. suggest that consciousness in any animal group must involve four aspects—perceptual richness, evaluative richness (affectivity), integration at one time (unity), and integration across time (temporality). This review will evaluate integration at one time in cephalopods, an area that offers many challenges. First, like most animals with a bilateral nervous system, cephalopods have laterality of brain function, and this challenges unity of function. Second, unlike most mammals, cephalopods have a heavy allocation of both neural and behavioural control to the periphery, especially in the case of octopuses. Third, like all animals, cephalopods gather information through several senses and there can be both unity within and competition between such information, challenging unity. Information gained across all these areas needs to be evaluated both in terms of the methodology used to gather information and the results of the investigation.
The Effects of Shift Work on Cardio-Metabolic Diseases and Eating Patterns
Authors: Hemmer Alexandra , Mareschal Julie , Dibner Charna , Pralong Jacques A. , Dorribo Victor , Perrig Stephen , Genton Laurence , Pichard Claude , Collet Tinh-Hai
Published: December 2021

Energy metabolism is tightly linked with circadian rhythms, exposure to ambient light, sleep/wake, fasting/eating, and rest/activity cycles. External factors, such as shift work, lead to a disruption of these rhythms, often called circadian misalignment. Circadian misalignment has an impact on some physiological markers. However, these proxy measurements do not immediately translate into major clinical health outcomes, as shown by later detrimental health effects of shift work and cardio-metabolic disorders. This review focuses on the effects of shift work on circadian rhythms and its implications in cardio-metabolic disorders and eating patterns. Shift work appears to be a risk factor of overweight, obesity, type 2 diabetes, elevated blood pressure, and the metabolic syndrome. However, past studies showed discordant findings regarding the changes of lipid profile and eating patterns. Most studies were either small and short lab studies, or bigger and longer cohort studies, which could not measure health outcomes in a detailed manner. These two designs explain the heterogeneity of shift schedules, occupations, sample size, and methods across studies. Given the burden of non-communicable diseases and the growing concerns about shift workers’ health, novel approaches to study shift work in real contexts are needed and would allow a better understanding of the interlocked risk factors and potential mechanisms involved in the onset of metabolic disorders.