bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Combining Transcriptomics and Polyphenol Profiling to Provide Insights into Phenolics Transformation of the Fermented Chinese Jujube
Authors: Wang Cheng , Li Peiyao , Zhang Beibei , Yu Xiang , Li Xingang , Han Gang , Ren Yamei , Zhang Jingfang
Published: August 2022

As an important medicine homologous food, Chinese jujube is rich in nutrition and medicinal value. To enhance the bioactive compounds level of Chinese jujube products, three kinds of fungi strains (Rhizopus oryzae, Aspergillus niger and Monascus purpureus) were firstly selected to evaluate their effects on total soluble phenolic compounds (TSPC) and total soluble flavonoids compounds (TSFC) contents during liquid state fermentation of Chinese jujube. As the best strain, the highest contents of TSPC and TSFC could increase by 102.1% (26.02 mg GAE/g DW) and 722.8% (18.76 mg RE/g DW) under M. purpureus fermentation when compared to the unfermented sample, respectively. Qualitative and quantitative analysis of individual polyphenol compounds indicated that proto-catechuic acid, p-hydroxybenzoic acid and chlorogenic acid showed the highest level in the fer-mented Chinese jujube at the 7th day, which was enhanced by 16.72-, 14.05- and 6.03-fold when compared to the control, respectively. Combining with RNA sequencing, function annotation of CAZymes database and polyphenol profiling, three potential transformation pathways of poly-phenol compounds were proposed in the fermented Chinese jujube by M. purpureus, such as the conversion of insoluble bound phenolic acids, rutin and anthocyanin degradation. These findings would be beneficial for better understanding of the biotransformation mechanism of polyphenol compounds in fungi fermentation.
Prevalence, Identification and Mycotoxigenic Potential of Fungi in Common Spices Used in Local Malaysian Cuisines
Authors: Nordin Syamilah , Samsudin Nurul Afifah , Esah Effarizah Mohd , Zakaria Latiffah , Selamat Jinap , Rahman Mohd Azuar Hamizan , Mahror Norlia
Published: August 2022

Spices are widely used in various cuisines in Malaysia to enhance the flavour and aroma. However, spices are susceptible to fungal infection, leading to mycotoxin contamination if the storage conditions are favourable for fungal growth. Thus, this study aimed to identify fungal species in spices commonly used in local Malaysian cuisines and determine their prevalence and mycotoxigenic potential. A total of 110 spice samples consisting of cumin, fennel, coriander, peppers (black pepper and white pepper), chillies (dried chilli, chilli paste and chilli powder), cinnamon, star anise, cloves, curry powder and korma powder were randomly purchased from retail markets in Penang. The samples were analysed for the total fungal count (ground spices) and the incidence of fungal infection (whole spices). The fungal species isolated from spices were identified based on morphological and molecular approaches, and the mycotoxigenic potential was determined using the Coconut Cream Agar method. The results showed that coriander seeds (ground) recorded the highest total fungal count (ADM 3.08 log CFU/g; DG18 3.14 log CFU/g), while black pepper (whole) recorded the highest incidence of fungal infection (94%). Interestingly, star anise and cloves were free from fungal contamination. The mycotoxigenic fungi of A. flavus and A. niger recorded the highest isolation frequency in ground and whole spices. These findings indicate the risk of mycotoxin exposure to consumers due to the high consumption of spices in local Malaysian cuisine.
Pulsed Electric Field and Freeze-Thawing Pretreatments for Sugar Uptake Modulation during Osmotic Dehydration of Mango
Authors: Zongo Pingdwendé Assana , Khalloufi Seddik , Mikhaylin Sergey , Ratti Cristina
Published: August 2022

Osmotic dehydration kinetics depends on food tissue microstructure; thus, modulation of mango porosity could help selectively enhance water removal over sugar gain. In this present study, pretreatments of freeze-thawing (freezing at −36 °C for 2 weeks and thawing at 4 °C for 24 h) and pulsed electric field (1 kV/cm, 10 and 30 pulse numbers), were applied to mango 1 cm-thickness slices prior to osmotic dehydration conducted at 40 °C for 4 h. Three different 60 °Brix agave syrup solutions with or without added polysaccharides (inulin or xanthan gum) were used in the osmotic dehydration operation. Water loss (WL), sugar gain (SG) and microstructure images were used to compare the effects of pretreatments on mango osmotic dehydration efficiency. Results indicated that pulsed electric field (PEF) pretreatment increased slightly WL during osmotic dehydration, contrary to freeze-thawing (F-T), which for most cases led to a decrease. As for solids uptake, due to higher damage induced by F-T to mango tissue, SG was higher than for fresh and PEF pretreated mangoes. Using xanthan gum as additive to agave syrup solution, helped to decrease sugar uptake in frozen-thawed mango due to an increase in solution viscosity. A similar WL/SG ratio was obtained with frozen-thawed mango in solution with xanthan gum. Therefore, in the case of frozen-thawed mango, it is recommended to use an osmotic solution with high viscosity to obtain low sugar uptake in the final product. The novelty of this contribution is twofold: (i) using pretreatments (F-T or PEF) to minimize sugar uptake during osmotic dehydration, and (ii) using agave syrup with added polysaccharides to enrich final product with inulin.
Evolution of Phytochemical Variation in Myrtle (Myrtus communis L.) Organs during Different Phenological Stages
Authors: Hazrati Saeid , Hosseini Seyyed Jaber , Ebadi Mohammad-Taghi , Nicola Silvana
Published: August 2022

Myrtle (Myrtus communis L.) is an important medicinal plant, of which all parts have pharmaceutical and nutritional applications and which is distributed throughout the southwest regions of Iran. The aerial parts of myrtle were collected at different phenological stages (vegetative, flowering, unripe fruit and ripening fruit stages, after the fully mature fruit dispersal stage) from Fars Province of Iran and were analyzed with GC–FID and GC–MS. All the data were submitted to multivariate statistical analysis, showing many differences among the various plant parts and their phenological stages. Monoterpene hydrocarbons (18.9–50.5%) and oxygenated monoterpenes (38.2–72.4%) were the most abundant class in the volatile emissions, with α-pinene, 1,8-cineole, limonene, linalool, α-terpineol, linalyl acetate and geranyl acetate being the main constituents in the majority of the examined samples. α-Pinene content ranged from 8.88% at the after fully mature fruit dispersal stage (leaves) to 32.84% at the flowering stage in the leaves. Limonene, which is the dominant component at the flowering stage, was 23.97% in the flowers, while the limonene amount was 0.14–1.42% at other harvest stages. The greatest 1,8-cineole amount was obtained prior to flowering, 45.98%, while the lowest amount was obtained at the flowering stage, in the flowers. The total phenol and flavonoid contents varied between different myrtle parts: the highest total phenol and flavonoid contents were obtained for the extract made of the before-flowering stage in leaves (66.52 mg GAE/g and 7.49 mg QE/g extracts). Overall, the study indicated that collecting myrtle at the vegetative and flowering stages, especially the leaves organs, would be of considerable importance.
SDNET2021: Annotated NDE Dataset for Subsurface Structural Defects Detection in Concrete Bridge Decks
Authors: Ichi Eberechi , Jafari Faezeh , Dorafshan Sattar
Published: August 2022

Annotated datasets play a significant role in developing advanced Artificial Intelligence (AI) models that can detect bridge structure defects autonomously. Most defect datasets contain visual images of surface defects; however, subsurface defect data such as delamination which are critical for effective bridge deck evaluations are typically rare or limited to laboratory specimens. Three Non-Destructive Evaluation (NDE) methods (Infrared Thermography (IRT), Impact Echo (IE), and Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR)) were used for concrete delamination detection and reinforcement corrosion detection. The authors have developed a unique NDE dataset, Structural Defect Network 2021 (SDNET2021), which consists of IRT, IE, and GPR data collected from five in-service reinforced concrete bridge decks. A delamination survey map locating the areas, extent and classes of delamination served as the ground truth for annotating IRT, IE and GPR field tests’ data in this study. The IRT were processed to create an ortho-mosaic maps for each deck and were aligned with the ground truth maps using image registration, affine transformation, image binarization, morphological operations, connected components and region props techniques to execute a semi-automatic pixel–wise annotation. Conventional methods such as Fast Fourier transform (FFT)/peak frequency and B-Scan were used for preliminary analysis for the IE and GPR signal data respectively. The quality of NDE data was verified using conventional Image Quality Assessment (IQA) techniques. SDNET2021 dataset consists of 557 delaminated and 1379 sound IE signals, 214,943 delaminated and 448,159 sound GPR signals, and about 1,718,083 delaminated and 2,862,597 sound IRT pixels. SDNET2021 addresses one of the major gaps in benchmarking, developing, training, and testing advanced deep learning models for concrete bridge evaluation by providing a publicly available annotated and validated NDE dataset.
Relative Influence of Land Use, Mosquito Abundance, and Bird Communities in Defining West Nile Virus Infection Rates in Culex Mosquito Populations
Authors: Adelman James S. , Tokarz Ryan E. , Euken Alec E. , Field Eleanor N. , Russell Marie C. , Smith Ryan C.
Published: August 2022

Since its introduction to North America in 1999, the West Nile virus (WNV) has resulted in over 50,000 human cases and 2400 deaths. WNV transmission is maintained via mosquito vectors and avian reservoir hosts, yet mosquito and avian infections are not uniform across ecological landscapes. As a result, it remains unclear whether the ecological communities of the vectors or reservoir hosts are more predictive of zoonotic risk at the microhabitat level. We examined this question in central Iowa, representative of the midwestern United States, across a land use gradient consisting of suburban interfaces with natural and agricultural habitats. At eight sites, we captured mosquito abundance data using New Jersey light traps and monitored bird communities using visual and auditory point count surveys. We found that the mosquito minimum infection rate (MIR) was better predicted by metrics of the mosquito community than metrics of the bird community, where sites with higher proportions of Culex pipiens group mosquitoes during late summer (after late July) showed higher MIRs. Bird community metrics did not significantly influence mosquito MIRs across sites. Together, these data suggest that the microhabitat suitability of Culex vector species is of greater importance than avian community composition in driving WNV infection dynamics at the urban and agricultural interface.
Comparative Mitogenomic Analyses of Hydropsychidae Revealing the Novel Rearrangement of Protein-Coding Gene and tRNA (Trichoptera: Annulipalpia)
Authors: Ge Xinyu , Zang Haoming , Ye Xiaoyun , Peng Lang , Wang Beixin , Lian Gang , Sun Changhai
Published: August 2022

Gene rearrangement of the mitochondrial genome of insects, especially the rearrangement of protein-coding genes, has long been a hot topic for entomologists. Although mitochondrial gene rearrangement is common within Annulipalpia, protein-coding gene rearrangement is relatively rare. As the largest family in Annulipalpia, the available mitogenomes from Hydropsychidae Curtis, 1835 are scarce, and thus restrict our interpretation of the mitogenome characteristic. In this study, we obtained 19 novel mitogenomes of Hydropsychidae, of which the mitogenomes of the genus Arctopsyche are published for the first time. Coupled with published hydropsychid mitogenome, we analyzed the nucleotide composition evolutionary rates and gene rearrangements of the mitogenomes among subfamilies. As a result, we found two novel gene rearrangement patterns within Hydropsychidae, including rearrangement of protein-coding genes. Meanwhile, our results consider that the protein-coding gene arrangement of Potamyia can be interpreted by the tandem duplication/random loss (TDRL) model. In addition, the phylogenetic relationships within Hydropsychidae constructed by two strategies (Bayesian inference and maximum likelihood) strongly support the monophyly of Arctopscychinae, Diplectroninae, Hydropsychinae, and Macronematinae. Our study provides new insights into the mechanisms and patterns of mitogenome rearrangements in Hydropsychidae.
Pulsed Detonation Hydroramjet: Design Optimization
Authors: Frolov Sergey M. , Avdeev Konstantin A. , Aksenov Viktor S. , Frolov Fedor S. , Sadykov Ilias A. , Shamshin Igor O.
Published: August 2022

A new type of marine transportation engine, the pulsed detonation hydroramjet (PDH), which was first designed, manufactured, and tested by the present authors, has been further investigated in terms of the potential improvement of its propulsive performance. PDH is composed of a pulsed detonation tube (DT) inserted in the flow-through water guide. Thrust is developed by shock-induced pulsed water jets which are periodically emitted from the water guide nozzle. The measured values of the time-averaged thrust and specific impulse in the first operation cycle were shown to always be considerably higher than those in subsequent cycles, indicating the possibility of improving the overall thrust performance. The present manuscript is aimed at clarifying the reasons for, and eliminating, cycle-to-cycle variability during PDH operation, as well as optimization of the PDH design. An experimental model of the PDH with an optically transparent water guide was designed and manufactured. The cycle-to-cycle variability was found to be caused by the overexpansion of gaseous detonation products in the DT due to the inertia of water column in the water guide. Gas overexpansion caused the reverse flow of the gas–water mixture which filled the water guide and penetrated the DT, thus exerting a strong effect on PDH operation. To eliminate the cycle-to-cycle variability, a new PDH model was developed, manufactured, and tested. The model was equipped with a passive flap valve and active rotary valve and operated on the stochiometric propane–oxygen mixture. Its test firing showed that use of the valves made it possible to eliminate the cycle-to-cycle variability and nearly double the time-averaged thrust and specific impulse reaching 40 N and 550 s, respectively.
Longitudinal Vibration of Marine Propulsion Shafting: Experiments and Analysis
Authors: Chu Wei , Zhao Yao , Zhang Ganbo , Yuan Hua
Published: August 2022

The longitudinal vibration of the propulsion shaft system is a challenging issue for marine noise management. We conducted various static and dynamic tests on our built test rig for the shafting system, presenting the results in this paper. By combining experimental data and the particle swarm optimization algorithm, we identified the structural parameters that are difficult to obtain. With these parameters we establish a completed theoretical model of a shaft system containing branches, analyze how and why static thrust affects vibration, and give quantitative results of the force transmissibility. Our work provides a reference for subsequent researchers.
Chloride Ingress Resistance, Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Lightweight Mortars with Natural Cork and Expanded Clay Prepared Using Sustainable Blended Cements
Authors: Ortega José Marcos , Branco Fernando G. , Pereira Luís , Marques Luís
Published: August 2022

The use of lightweight aggregates in construction materials is a good solution for increasing the contribution to sustainability of civil engineering works, such as maritime ones. In this regard, the possibility of using cork granulates and expanded clay is a current research topic. The combination of eco-friendly cements with lightweight aggregates could provide solutions for developing new building materials. In this work, it has been studied mortars prepared with sustainable cements and the lightweight aggregates of natural cork and expanded clay. These cements incorporated slag, limestone and fly ash. Reference mortars with only sand as aggregate were also made. The total porosity and pore size distributions were obtained. The non-steady-state chloride migration coefficient and compressive and flexural strengths were also determined. The tests were performed at 28 days and 1 year. The differences in the total porosity between the natural cork and expanded clay series were not high, depending on the binder. Natural cork mortars showed similar or slightly higher migration coefficients than the reference and expanded clay mortars at 1 year. This adequate chloride resistance and the low mechanical strengths observed for the natural cork mortars recommend the possible use of this new aggregate in non-structural cement-based materials for civil engineering works exposed to maritime environments.
Comparative Genomics of Mortierellaceae Provides Insights into Lipid Metabolism: Two Novel Types of Fatty Acid Synthase
Authors: Zhao Heng , Nie Yong , Jiang Yang , Wang Shi , Zhang Tian-Yu , Liu Xiao-Yong
Published: August 2022

Fungal species in the family Mortierellaceae are important for their remarkable capability to synthesize large amounts of polyunsaturated fatty acids, especially arachidonic acid (ARA). Although many genomes have been published, the quality of these data is not satisfactory, resulting in an incomplete understanding of the lipid pathway in Mortierellaceae. We provide herein two novel and high-quality genomes with 55.32% of syntenic gene pairs for Mortierella alpina CGMCC 20262 and M. schmuckeri CGMCC 20261, spanning 28 scaffolds of 40.22 Mb and 25 scaffolds of 49.24 Mb, respectively. The relative smaller genome for the former is due to fewer protein-coding gene models (11,761 vs. 13,051). The former yields 45.57% of ARA in total fatty acids, while the latter 6.95%. The accumulation of ARA is speculated to be associated with delta-5 desaturase (Delta5) and elongation of very long chain fatty acids protein 3 (ELOVL3). A further genomic comparison of 19 strains in 10 species in three genera in the Mortierellaceae reveals three types of fatty acid synthase (FAS), two of which are new to science. The most common type I exists in 16 strains of eight species of three genera, and was discovered previously and consists of a single unit with eight active sites. The newly revealed type II exists only in M. antarctica KOD 1030 where the unit is separated into two subunits α and β comprised of three and five active sites, respectively. Another newly revealed type III exists in M. alpina AD071 and Dissophora globulifera REB-010B, similar to type II but different in having one more acyl carrier protein domain in the α subunit. This study provides novel insights into the enzymes related to the lipid metabolism, especially the ARA-related Delta5, ELOVL3, and FAS, laying a foundation for genetic engineering of Mortierellaceae to modulate yield in polyunsaturated fatty acids.
Quantum Color Image Encryption Scheme Based on Geometric Transformation and Intensity Channel Diffusion
Authors: Song Xianhua , Chen Guanglong , Abd El-Latif Ahmed A.
Published: August 2022

A quantum color image encryption algorithm based on geometric transformation and intensity channel diffusion was designed. Firstly, a plaintext image was transformed into a quantum state form using the quantum image representation based on HSI color space (QIRHSI) representation as a carrier. Next, a pseudo-random sequence was generated using the generalized logistic map, and the pixel positions permuted multiple two-point swap operations. Immediately afterward, the intensity values were changed by an intensity bit-plane cross-swap and XOR, XNOR operations. Finally, the intensity channel of the above image was diffused in combination with the pseudo-confusion sequence as produced by the quantum logistic map to perform a diffusion operation on the intensity bit-plane to obtain the ciphertext image. Numerical simulations and analyses show that the designed algorithm is implementable and robust, especially in terms of outstanding performance and less computational complexity than classical algorithms in terms of security perspective.
Analysis of the Composition of Bromide Anion Oxidation Products in Aqueous Solutions with Different pH via Rotating Ring-Disk Electrode Method
Authors: Pichugov Roman , Konev Dmitry , Speshilov Ivan , Abunaeva Lilia , Petrov Mikhail , Vorotyntsev Mikhail Alexeevich
Published: August 2022

We measured the ring collection coefficient of bromide anion oxidation products in a neutral and slightly alkaline medium on a rotating ring-disk electrode (glassy carbon disk, platinum ring) varying the following parameters: disk electrode rotation velocity, sodium bromide concentration, pH of the medium (in the range of 6–12), anode current on the disk, and the electroreduction potential of the bromide anion oxidation products on the ring. The data obtained are presented via dependences of the cathode ring current on the disk current ratio vs. the ring electrode potential. The analysis of the results was carried out by comparing the experimental polarization curves of the ring electrode with the data of cyclic voltammetry in model solutions to determine the electrical activities of various bromine compounds in positive oxidation states. We claim that the RRDE method could be used to obtain quantitative and qualitative data on the electrooxidation of bromide ions in neutral and alkaline solutions. For the most effective regeneration of the spent oxidizer, the values of pH > 10 and moderate concentrations of NaBr should be used.
Seasonal Dynamics of Lake Winnipeg’s Microbial Communities Reveal Aerobic Anoxygenic Phototrophic Populations Coincide with Sunlight Availability
Authors: Kuzyk Steven B. , Ma Xiao , Yurkov Vladimir
Published: August 2022

In this first comprehensive study of Lake Winnipeg’s microbial communities, limnetic and littoral euphotic zones were examined during each season from 2016 through 2020. Classical cultivation and modern high-throughput sequencing techniques provided quantification and identification of key phototrophic populations, including aerobic anoxygenic phototrophs (AAP). Annual dynamics found total heterotrophs reached 4.23 × 106 CFU/g in littoral sands, and 7.69 × 104 CFU/mL in summer littoral waters on oligotrophic media, higher counts than for copiotrophic compositions. Limnetic numbers inversely dipped to 4.34 × 103 CFU/mL midsummer. Cultured AAP did not follow heterotrophic trends, instead peaking during the spring in both littoral and limnetic waters as 19.1 and 4.7% of total copiotrophs, or 3.9 and 4.9% of oligotrophs, decreasing till autumn each year. Complementary observations came from environmental 16S V4 rRNA gene analysis, as AAP made up 1.49 and 1.02% of the littoral and limnetic sequenced communities in the spring, declining with seasonal progression. Spatial and temporal fluctuations of microbes compared to environmental factors exposed photosynthetic populations to independently and regularly fluctuate in the ecosystem. Oxygenic phototrophic numbers expectantly matched the midsummer peak of Chl a and b, oxygenic photosynthesis related carbon fixation, and water temperature. Independently, AAP particularly colonized spring littoral areas more than limnetic, and directly corresponded to habitat conditions that specifically promoted growth: the requirement of light and organic material.
Effect of a Stannous Fluoride Dentifrice on Biofilm Composition, Gene Expression and Biomechanical Properties
Authors: Gumber Hardeep Kaur , Louyakis Artemis S. , Sarma Tulika , Fabijanic Kristina Ivana , Paul Reeba , Mellenbruch Kristen , Kilpatrick-Liverman Latonya
Published: August 2022

An in situ study was conducted to examine the mode of action of a 0.454% stannous fluoride (SnF2)-containing dentifrice in controlling the composition and properties of oral biofilm. Thirteen generally healthy individuals participated in the study. Each participant wore an intra-oral appliance over a 48-h period to measure differences in the resulting biofilm’s architecture, mechanical properties, and bacterial composition after using two different toothpaste products. In addition, metatranscriptomics analysis of supragingival plaque was conducted to identify the gene pathways influenced. The thickness and volume of the microcolonies formed when brushing with the SnF2 dentifrice were dramatically reduced compared to the control 0.76% sodium monofluorophosphate (MFP)-containing toothpaste. Similarly, the biophysical and nanomechanical properties measured by atomic force microscopy (AFM) demonstrated a significant reduction in biofilm adhesive properties. Metatranscriptomic analysis identified pathways associated with biofilm formation, cell adhesion, quorum sensing, and N-glycosylation that are significantly downregulated with SnF2. This study provides a clinically relevant snapshot of how the use of a stabilized, SnF2 toothpaste formulation can change the spatial organization, nanomechanical, and gene expression properties of bacterial communities.
Manufacture of High-Efficiency and Stable Lead-Free Solar Cells through Antisolvent Quenching Engineering
Authors: Bouich Amal , Marí-Guaita Julia , Soucase Bernabé Marí , Palacios Pablo
Published: August 2022

Antisolvent quenching has shown to significantly enhance several perovskite films used in solar cells; however, no studies have been conducted on its impact on MASnI3. Here, we investigated the role that different antisolvents, i.e., diethyl ether, toluene, and chlorobenzene, have on the growth of MASnI3 films. The crystallinity, morphology, topography, and optical properties of the obtained thin films were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), photoluminescence (PL) measurements, and UV–visible spectroscopy. The impact of the different antisolvent treatments was evaluated based on the surface homogeneity as well as the structure of the MASnI3 thin films. In addition, thermal annealing was optimized to control the crystallization process. The applied antisolvent was modified to better manage the supersaturation process. The obtained results support the use of chlorobenzene and toluene to reduce pinholes and increase the grain size. Toluene was found to further improve the morphology and stability of thin films, as it showed less degradation after four weeks under dark with 60% humidity. Furthermore, we performed a simulation using SCAPS-1D software to observe the effect of these antisolvents on the performance of MASnI3-based solar cells. We also produced the device FTO/TiO2/MASnI3/Spiro-OMeTAD/Au, obtaining a remarkable photoconversion efficiency (PCE) improvement of 5.11% when using the MASnI3 device treated with chlorobenzene. A PCE improvement of 9.44% was obtained for the MASnI3 device treated with toluene, which also showed better stability. Our results support antisolvent quenching as a reproducible method to improve perovskite devices under ambient conditions.
Resonant Coupling of Hermite-Gaussian Transverse Modes in the Triangular Cavity of a Cavity Ring-down Spectroscope
Authors: Ren Yijie , Yan Changxiang , Zhang Xiamiao , Hu Chunhui
Published: August 2022

During resonance in resonant cavities, such as those used in laser or cavity ring-down spectroscopes (CRDS), resonant coupling between higher-order transverse modes and fundamental modes can seriously affect the quality of the beam and introduce measurement errors. Several coupling models, such as thermal deformation coupling and scattering coupling, have been established according to existing coupling theory and specific application scenarios; however, these coupling models have not been attributed to a unified theory. In this paper, we reveal that the same resonant coupling excitation factors exist under different types of environmental perturbation. The conditions and range of resonant coupling in a CRDS ring-down cavity are systematically analyzed, and a preferential coupling model of the middle-order modes is proposed. The time-domain characteristics of the CRDS are used in experiments to analyze the resonant coupling between the modes in a weak energy system. The order and coupling range of the middle-order modes involved in resonant coupling are verified using the modal filtering characteristics of the triangular cavity; this paper presents a unified explanation for various types of resonant coupling and also provides a new approach to resonant coupling experiments performed in high-finesse resonant cavities.
Fast Finite-Time Stability and Its Application in Adaptive Control of High-Order Stochastic Nonlinear Systems
Authors: Yuan Yixuan , Zhao Junsheng
Published: August 2022

In this article, a new design method for an adaptive fast finite-time controller (FTC) is proposed for the finite-time stability (FTS) issue of a class of high-order stochastic nonlinear systems (HOSNSs) with unknown parameters. Using a power integrator technology and Lyapunov function approach, an adaptive state feedback controller is derived to ensure fast FTS of HOSNSs. The developed adaptive fast FTC is equipped with less settling time to obtain better steady-state accuracy compared with the traditional FTC. The effectiveness of the proposed adaptive control scheme is demonstrated by a numerical example.
Machine Learning Models and Data-Balancing Techniques for Credit Scoring: What Is the Best Combination?
Authors: Hussin Adam Khatir Ahmed Almustfa , Bee Marco
Published: August 2022

Forecasting the creditworthiness of customers is a central issue of banking activity. This task requires the analysis of large datasets with many variables, for which machine learning algorithms and feature selection techniques are a crucial tool. Moreover, the percentages of “good” and “bad” customers are typically imbalanced such that over- and undersampling techniques should be employed. In the literature, most investigations tackle these three issues individually. Since there is little evidence about their joint performance, in this paper, we try to fill this gap. We use five machine learning classifiers, and each of them is combined with different feature selection techniques and various data-balancing approaches. According to the empirical analysis of a retail credit bank dataset, we find that the best combination is given by random forests, random forest recursive feature elimination and random oversampling.
Utilization of Waste Amine-Oxime (WAO) Resin to Generate Carbon by Microwave and Its Removal of Pb(II) in Water
Authors: He Chunlin , Liu Yun , Zheng Chunhui , Jiang Yanming , Liao Yan , Huang Jiaxin , Fujita Toyohisa , Wei Yuezhou , Ma Shaojian
Published: August 2022

Utilising waste amine-oxime (WAO) resin through microwave semi-carbonization, a carbon adsorbent (CA) was obtained to remove Pb(II). After microwave treatment, the pore size of the skeleton structure, three-dimensional porous network, and lamellar pore structure of WAO was improved. The distribution coefficient (Kd) of Pb(II) onto CA is 620 mL/g, and the maximum adsorption capacity of Pb(II) is 82.67 mg/g after 20 min of WAO microwave treatment. The adsorption kinetics and adsorption isotherms conform to the quasi-second-order kinetic equation and Langmuir adsorption isotherm model, respectively. The surface of MT-WAO is negatively charged and the adsorption mechanism is mainly electrostatic interaction. Pb(II) elution in hydrochloric acid solution is more than 98%, and its recovery is high at 318 K and for 1 h.
Study on NGF and VEGF during the Equine Perinatal Period—Part 1: Healthy Foals Born from Normal Pregnancy and Parturition
Authors: Ellero Nicola , Lanci Aliai , Baldassarro Vito Antonio , Alastra Giuseppe , Mariella Jole , Cescatti Maura , Giardino Luciana , Castagnetti Carolina
Published: August 2022

The importance of trophic factors, such as nerve growth factor (NGF), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) during the perinatal period, is now emerging. Through their functional activities of neurogenesis and angiogenesis, they play a key role in the final maturation of the nervous and vascular systems. The present study aims to: (i) evaluate the NGF and VEGF levels obtained at parturition from the mare, foal and umbilical cord vein plasma, as well as in amniotic fluid; (ii) evaluate NGF and VEGF content in the plasma of healthy foals during the first 72 h of life (T0, T24 and T72); (iii) evaluate NGF and VEGF levels at parturition in relation to the selected mares’ and foals’ clinical parameters; (iv) evaluate the relationship between the two trophic factors and the thyroid hormone levels (TT3 and TT4) in the first 72 h of life; (v) assess mRNA expression of NGF, VEGF and BDNF and their cell surface receptors in the placenta. Fourteen Standardbred healthy foals born from mares with normal pregnancies and parturitions were included in the study. The dosage of NGF and VEGF levels was performed using commercial ELISA kits, whereas NGF, VEGF and BDNF placental gene expression was performed using semi-quantitative real-time PCR. In foal plasma, both NGF and VEGF levels decreased significantly over time, from T0 to T24 (p = 0.0066 for NGF; p < 0.0001 for VEGF) and from T0 to T72 (p = 0.0179 for NGF; p = 0.0016 for VEGF). In foal serum, TT3 levels increased significantly over time from T0 to T24 (p = 0.0058) and from T0 to T72 (p = 0.0013), whereas TT4 levels decreased significantly over time from T0 to T24 (p = 0.0201) and from T0 to T72 (p < 0.0001). A positive correlation was found in the levels of NGF and VEGF in foal plasma at each time point (p = 0.0115; r = 0.2862). A positive correlation was found between NGF levels in the foal plasma at T0 and lactate (p = 0.0359; r = 0.5634) as well as between VEGF levels in the foal plasma at T0 and creatine kinase (p = 0.0459; r = 0.5407). VEGF was expressed in all fetal membranes, whereas NGF and its receptors were not expressed in the amnion. The close relationship between the two trophic factors in foal plasma over time and their fine expression in placental tissues appear to be key regulators of fetal development and adaptation to extra-uterine life.
Desarrollo empresarial de las MyPES del sector frutícola en la comunidad de Teapa,Tabasco (México)
Authors: Sánchez-Albores Aracely Celina
Published: August 2022

El estudio describió la problemática del sector frutícola que actualmente afecta a las micro y pequeñas empresas (MyPES) de Teapa (Tabasco, México) y que ha impedido el desarrollo empresarial en la entidad. Es por ello que la investigación se identificó la producción frutícola y el aprovechamiento de la misma. La metodología empleada partió de un estudio exploratorio-descriptivo en el que participaron 105 productores agrícolas de siete localidades, de los cuales el 85% fueron masculinos y 15% femenino, con un nivel  de confianza 95%  y un margen de error de 8.51%. Se aplicó un cuestionario conformado por cuatro apartados con 100 ítems.  En conclusión, la fruticultura del municipio citado mostró un comportamiento productivo de menor escala, debido a factores importantes entre los que se encuentran el acceso a los programas económicos gubernamentales dirigido al sector agrícola. De acuerdo con los resultados obtenidos, el 90% mencionó que no han podido acceder a los apoyos económicos y únicamente el 10% han sido apoyados. De igual modo, el manejo agronómico de frutales antes y durante la producción mostró que 17.89% fertilizó, 18.95% podaron, 23.16% utilizó técnicas tradicionales, 35.79% controló plagas y enfermedades, y 4.21% ninguno.
Estrategia basada en retos para la realización de campaña social acorde a convocatoria gubernamental mexicana
Authors: García Hernández Amalia , Hurtado Espinosa Cynthia Lizette , Gutiérrez Cruz Irma Lucía
Published: August 2022

El gobierno mexicano lanzó en julio de 2021, una convocatoria para promover iniciativas solidarias que contribuyan a enfrentar la contingencia de Covid 19 como apoyo al confinamiento en casa. El objetivo de esta investigación fue encontrar los beneficios del aprendizaje basado en retos con la aplicación de una campaña social en estudiantes de diseño gráfico, alineada a la convocatoria. La metodología se realizó en cinco etapas: Análisis de la situación y desarrollo de la primera propuesta; Realización de un foro con expertos; Ajuste con base en los comentarios anteriores; Presentación de resultados finales; Recuperación de la experiencia. Los resultados son varias campañas con propuestas asertivas y creativas. Se concluye que, al tener un reto establecido por el gobierno de México, los estudiantes adquieren una mayor formalidad e interés, valoran las asesorías externas a la clase y tienen la satisfacción de contribuir a un problema enfocado a Diseño Social.
Herramientas de la gestión del talento humano y las perspectivas humanísticas de la gerencia actual
Authors: Salguero Barba Nelly Germania , García Salguero Christian Paúl
Published: August 2022

Las propuestas generales sobre gerencia y gestión de recursos humanos han tendido hacia un enfoque filosófico humanístico que colocan al Ser Humano en el centro de sus preocupaciones. Estos planteamientos se suman a las teorías gerenciales, de liderazgo y cultura organizacional que pretenden facilitar los cambios en las organizaciones actuales. El objetivo consistió en determinar los contenidos humanísticos de las teorías gerenciales en las herramientas de gestión de talento humano. Se realizó una revisión sistemática cualitativa descriptiva a 90 documentos bibliográficos. Las organizaciones en la actualidad se encuentran inmersas en entornos complejos, caracterizados por el cambio constante. Se evidencia la necesidad de una labor específicamente teórica para lograr articular los enfoques de cambios en la gestión de talento humano y de los recursos humanos, con la orientación humanística que se proponen estas organizaciones.
Hábitos alimentarios, calidad nutricional y concentraciones de hierro sérico en escolares con y sin anemia
Authors: Aguirre Chiquito María José , Baque Zambrano Gabriela Stefania , Castro Jalca Jazmin Elena , Castro Jalca Alexander Dario
Published: August 2022

El inicio de buenos hábitos alimenticios en el aspecto nutricional contribuye en el desarrollo del niño escolar, evitando con ello, la anemia la cual se estima que posee un impacto a nivel mundial de 600 millones de niños que padecen de esta enfermedad según datos registrados por la Organización Mundial de la Salud. Con este estudio se busca demostrar los hábitos alimenticios, calidad nutricional y concentración de hierro sérico en estudiantes con anemia por deficiencia de hierro en el Cantón Jipijapa en Ecuador. La metodología empleada en el análisis del estudio fue de tipo descriptiva observacional, de corte transversal. Para ello, se aplicó un muestreo no probabilístico voluntario, se contó con la participación de 63 escolares del Cantón con previa autorización. Entre los resultados se encontraron que en los 63 escolares predomina el consumo diario (76,4%) en los hábitos alimenticios, mientras tanto que en la calidad nutricional se observó poco saludable (24 y 37 ME) en ciertos alimentos necesarios para el consumo estudiantiles en los rangos establecido, en la anemia se obtuvo un resultado de (10,2%) de escolares con anemia, mientras que para la deficiencia de hierro el (11,1%) de los niños. Se concluye que en los escolares es prevalente los malos hábitos alimenticios, sin embargo, hay casos en los que escolares muestran anemia con deficiencia de hierro y escolares sin anemia con déficit del mismo lo que es elemental las practicas alimenticia tanto en los hábitos como en la calidad nutricional.
Mecanismos de resistencia bacteriana frente a ceftazidima avibactam. Revisión Sistemática
Authors: Idrovo Condo Daniel Fernando
Published: August 2022

La resistencia a los antibióticos representa una problemática a nivel mundial determinada por la capacidad que poseen las bacterias para desarrollar mecanismos de resistencia que les permitan adaptarse y sobrevivir en el entorno en el que se desenvuelven. La combinación ceftazidima-avibactam (CAZ/AVI) desde su aprobación en 2015 por la Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ha demostrado ser muy eficiente frente a bacilos Gram negativos productores de carbapenemasas, pero al igual que otras estrategias frente a bacterias multirresistentes no está exenta del desarrollo de mecanismos de resistencia. Métodos. Se realizó una revisión sistemática de la literatura en las bases de datos Web of Science, PubMed y Scopus siguiendo la metodología PRISMA, se incluyeron 29 artículos en los que se reportó la resistencia a CAZ/AVI en aislados clínicos. Resultados. los mecanismos de resistencia más relevantes fueron las mutaciones en el gen blaKPC en la posición 179 (D179Y) en el bucle conservado omega estimulada por la exposición previa a CAZ/AVI, generando de esta forma nuevas variantes como blaKPC-31 y blaKPC-33. Conclusiones. la evidente presencia de mecanismos de resistencia a CAZ/AVI a pesar de ser una combinación de uso relativamente reciente hace un llamado al uso adecuado de esta combinación.
Estrés académico en nuevos estudiantes en la Carrera de Enfermería. Caso UNAMAD
Authors: Fretel Quiroz Nicolás Magno , Aranciaga Campos Holger Alex , Torres Vargas Eldalaine , Velasquez Bernal Libia Rocio , Rivera Carrera Esteban Diomedes
Published: August 2022

Se estima que uno de cada cuatro individuos sufre de algún problema grave de estrés en las ciudades grandes, lo que ocasiona algún problema de salud mental presente en todos los medios y ambientes, incluido el ámbito educativo. Por ello, los estudiantes ingresantes enfrentan mayores exigencias académicas y cambios de vida social constituyéndose como una fuente de estrés. El objetivo del estudio es evaluar el nivel de estrés académico de los alumnos ingresantes a la Carrera Profesional de Enfermería. Se trata de una investigación de nivel descriptivo, de corte transversal, prospectivo y de diseño no experimental. La población estuvo conformada por todos los alumnos ingresantes a la Carrera Profesional de Enfermería de la Universidad Nacional Amazónica de Madre de Dios [UNAMAD] durante el periodo 2019 – II, haciendo un total de 60 elementos. Los resultados obtenidos fueron que más de la mitad de los estudiantes analizados manifiesta estrés elevado. Para finalizar se concluye que los cambios respecto a las vivencias sociales y exigencia académica del nivel superior respecto al nivel secundario desencadenan cambios emocionales que conlleva a estrés académico, tal como muestra los resultados donde la mayoría de los estudiantes ingresantes a la Carrera Profesional de Enfermería expresaron tener estrés elevado. El estrés académico se evidenció en las dimensiones estilo de vida, ambiente, síntomas, empleo, relaciones, y personalidad, en más de la mitad de los estudiantes ingresantes a la Escuela Profesional de Enfermería los cuales expresaron tener estrés elevado.
Nivel de conocimiento sobre higiene bucal, Unidad Educativa “Pablo Palacio”, Guayas durante la pandemia COVID-19
Authors: Guadalupe Callay Brando Rafael , Pino Larrea José Fernando
Published: August 2022

Una enfermedad es anunciada a inicios del 2020, denominada SARSCOV-2 (COVID-19), la cual llega a convertirse en una pandemia mundial. Presenta una alta tasa de infección y mortalidad lo que produjo restricciones, lo cual provocó un descuido en la salud bucal. Los niños, con mayor frecuencia presentan un alto índice de caries dental y alteraciones periodontales. Describir el nivel de conocimiento sobre higiene bucal pediátrica que presentan los padres durante la pandemia de SARSCOV-2 (COVID-19). Se presentó un estudio descriptivo experimental con un enfoque cuantitativo y de investigación prospectivo y transversal. Para la obtención de los datos se realizó una encuesta a padres de los estudiantes de la Unidad Educativa “Pablo Palacio” del cantón Durán, provincia del Guayas. Se determinó que conocimiento sobre higiene bucal por los padres es menor de 50% en todas las áreas de interés. El uso de cepillo dental y pasta dental presento un 98% y 100%, siendo los elementos de higiene bucal más utilizados. La caries un 98% de conocimiento por los padres. El cepillado dental en niños de 4 a 6 años presentó un 29%. Niños de 6 hasta 11 años presentó un 44%. Las visitas al odontólogo con un 40% una vez al año. El conocimiento sobre higiene bucal pediátrica en la pandemia fue decadente. El control sobre el cepillado dental presentó menos del 50% de interés por los padres. Las visitas al odontólogo anuales obtuvieron un 48% en visitas 2 veces al año.
Métodos no invasivos sobre diagnóstico de esteatosis hepática no alcohólica: descripción de su sensibilidad y especificidad
Authors: Márquez Lanche Maricela Magaly , Prieto Fuentemayor Caren
Published: August 2022

El hígado graso no alcohólico es una patología de distribución mundial, siendo su evolución hepática crónica la más común. El objetivo de esta investigación consiste en actualizar y describir la sensibilidad y especificidad de los métodos no invasivos para el diagnóstico de esteatosis hepática priorizando las pruebas bioquímicas utilizadas para NAFLD, aplicando un enfoque de tipo documental a través de revisión sistemática y, empleando como metodología, las normas PRISMA y la herramienta QUADAS-2 para el filtro y selección de artículos. En total, se obtuvieron 441 artículos relacionados al tema de investigación mediante bases de datos como PubMed, Scopus, Web Of Science, Science Direct, Scielo y otros, de los cuales 13 fueron seleccionados. Se encontró que factores relacionados a la presencia o no de comorbilidades como el síndrome metabólico, diabetes, HTA, etnia, peso y raza influyen en la NAFLD; por otro lado, las enzimas hepáticas no son predictores sensibles de la enfermedad. Se evidencia también que la esteatosis hepática está directamente relacionada con el aumento del IMC, triglicéridos, HDL, ALT y GGT.
Vigilancia epidemiológica de Staphylococcus aureus y resistencia antibiótica en ambientes nosocomiales
Authors: Sánchez Zambrano Ana Gabriela , Orellana Bravo Paola , Andrade Tacuri Carlos
Published: August 2022

Uno de los microrganismos más importantes en Infecciones Asociadas a la Atención en Salud (IAAS) es Staphylococcus aureus, una bacteria aerobia Gram positiva, resistente a diferentes condiciones ambientales. Objetivo. Identificar Staphylococcus aureus y su resistencia a los principales antibióticos Betalactámicos, aislada en áreas inertes. Materiales y métodos. Se realizó análisis fenotípico, antibiograma y métodos moleculares como: Extracción de ADN mediante Lisis Alcalina, identificación molecular para la amplificación de los genes tanto de identificación de la bacteria (nucA y femB), como de resistencia de antibióticos (blaZ, mecA y vanA) mediante PCR punto final, la separación de los amplicones se realizó mediante electroforesis en gel de Agarosa, los productos de la PCR se revelaron mediante la utilización de transiluminador UV. Resultados. De 200 muestras tomadas se obtuvo dos muestras positivas (1%) para Staphylococcus aureus, con el 100% de resistencia a penicilina y sensible a todos los demás antibióticos testeados. Conclusiones. La identificación de la bacteria y su resistencia hoy en día se realiza mayormente mediante métodos moleculares, lo cual no descarta la identificación fenotípica que, en este caso, determinó resultados importantes como lo es la prueba D-test positivo. La resistencia a fármacos betalactámicos se considera como un serio problema de salud, por lo tanto, se requiere de una vigilancia epidemiológica constante.